is iealous ouer vs and cannot abide that wee go after any other this reason to disuade vs from idolatrie maintaining suche tender affection of God towardes his as cannot suffer them to looke aside after any other because hee woulde haue them as they are in deed so to take them selues wholy beholden to him argueth that Idolaters and false worshippers of God are so caryed away with the loue and affection that they beare vnto those whome they worship with the LORDE and with the opinion of that their deuised worshippe of him that they depende not wholy vppon his goodnesse takinge him alone to bee their whole happinesse the onely author and worker thereof but are parted and diuided in their affection imagining and persuading them selues that they are beholden and that not a little for the benefites they haue what soeuer vnto those whome they worship and vnto this their deuised seruice of the Lorde This thinge is notably declared by the Prophet Hosea where the Idolatrie of the Israelites is resembled in the adulteresse and whorish woman that sayeth plainely shee will goe after her louers which gaue her breade wooll flaxe Their mother sayth the Lorde by his Prophet hath played the harlot shee that conceiued them hath doone shamefully for she saide I will go after my louers that gaue me my bread and my water my wooll my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke It is the persuasion of the Idolaters that the blessinges whiche they haue are the giftes and rewardes of those whome they worshippe and of that their deuised worshippe It is yet a common thinge in the mouthes of many that the worlde was good when men worshipped Sainctes and Images there was plentie of all thinges so that euen now we may descry the whore by her wonted speeche I will goe after my louers that gaue me my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drink In the 8. verse of this Chapter the Lorde sayeth plainly by his Prophet That this whore did not knowe that it was he that gaue her corne and wine and oyle and multiplied her siluer and goulde which was bestowed vppon Baal It doeth plainely appeere by this that the Idolaters are drawen in their hart and affection vnto those whome they worship nourishing a secret persuasion that they haue their benefites from thence whereby it commeth to passe that their hearts departe by little and little from the lord We haue a plain profe of this in Poperie not only by their speache that say while they worshipped Sainctes they had store and plentie of all thinges but also by their practise who had assigned vnto seuerall Sainctes the honor of help and aide in seuerall causes of distresse To some they assigned the charge for agues to others for the frutes of rhe earth and to seuerall kingdomes countries they assigne seuerall Sainctes for patrones To these they did resorte in distresses these they called vppon when any help came they receiued it as the benefite of that Sainct to whom they had allotted that charge Thus hauing distributed Gods office vnto others and hauing put ouer the distribution of seuerall benefites vnto seuerall Sainctes and as men that tendred the trouble of the Lorde set almoste ouer all dealings vnto other vnder him being any way releeued the honour therof if it were not altogether giuen away from the Lorde at least it must be parted so that it cannot be but the talke of the whore That she will go after her louers that haue giuen her her oyle and drinke her woll and flaxe For to what ende should she so resorte vnto them if hauing helpe that way she meant not to returne the honor vppon them The trueth is so that worshipping any besides the Lorde as also in giuing him any worship of their owne deuising not confirmed in his worde they are caryed so away with the opinion and worthinesse thereof that they do not wholy depend vpon the goodnes of the Lord therefore we shall finde it often in the scriptures where the Lord laboreth to ouerthrowe Idolatrie and worshipping of Images in the same place he magnifieth his owne goodnes and his alone goodnes towards them a notable confirmation whereof we haue in the prophet Esay speaking of them that set vp the woods of their Idol Immediatly vppon it he hath these words There is none other God besides me A iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside mee Looke vnto mee and yee shall bee saued all the endes of the earth shall be saued for I am God and there is none other I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne that euerie knee shall bow vnto me and euery tongue shall sweare by me Surely he shall say In the Lorde haue I righteousnes and strength he shall come vnto him and all that prouoke him shall bee ashamed The whole seede of Israel shall be iustified and glorie in the Lord. It is worthy the diligent consideration that in depressing of idolatrie and false worshipp he ariseth to mainteine our iustification strength and glorie to be in the Lorde alone and vs so to professe it that vve glorie for that we haue righteousnes and strength in the Lorde which proueth plainely that Idolaters are not so persuaded but that in the opinion of these their doinges their affection abateth towardes the goodnes of the Lorde The like confirmation we haue in an other place of the same prophet where disuading thē from idolatrie he setteth forth the greatnes of his goodnesse towardes them Remember these Oh Iacob and Israel for thou art my seruaunt I haue fourmed thee Thou art my seruant O Israel forget me not I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude and thy sinnes as a myste turne vnto mee for I haue redeemed thee Whereas before the greate and vndeserued goodnesse of the Lord is brought in as the best medicine to cure idolatrie True it is therefore whatsoeuer they do say that they so trust vnto these vntoward deuised thinges which they doe vnto God that they depende not wholy vppon his meere and alone goodnesse as they who take their happinesse onely to arise from thence and that is the cause why in dealing with them he vpholdeth the greatnesse of his goodnesse and of his alone goodnesse towardes them whiche carrieth in it a secrete sentence against them that they stande not persuaded resolued therof Idolatrie is most fitly compared in the scripture vnto adulterie and the Idolaters called whoores because as whoores admitte vnto their loue others than their owne husbandes so Idolaters and the false worshippers of God reserue not their faith and confidence vnto the Lord alone but permit others to be fellowes with him at the same Wherefore to declare the great hatred that he hath of such dealing he taketh vnto him the quarell of ielousie threatening that he will prosequute this iniurie of prostituting and laying open that faith vnto others which
subiect our selues in modestie vnto them euen he that hath more vnto him that hath lesse as it is written to the Philippians In meekenesse of minde let euerie man esteeme another better then himselfe And to the Romanes In giuing of honour let one go before another There is as great a cause why the aged shuld be honoured in his knowledge long time experienced in good thinges as the young man for the ripenesse of his witte and therefore men must mutually reuerence the gyfts of their fellow brethren if loue and liking shall be any longe time mutuallie vpholden That is the cause why in the same verse when the Apostle had persuaded vs to brotherly loue immediately hath these wordes In giuing of honour go one before another as if the one would not long continue where there were not the other There is no one thing that our nature can lesse like of then to be vnder contempt and that nothing should be espied in vs for the whiche men woulde regarde vs wherefore it standeth all vpon to trauell so in finding out the goodnesse of the gyftes and graces of GOD in other as their hartes may in vnfeignednesse yelde reuerence therevnto and also thereby to make a defence against infirmities whiche wil be in flesh and bloud that there may be bearing and forbearing one of another by loue reuerent regarde had to the gyftes of Gods grace in them Our nature is no better inclined in dueties towardes men then it is as before we haue learned in dueties towardes god For we are giuen to seeke to haue our selues honoured in our calling or gyft whatsoeuer but litle to regard nay euen to enuie the honour of others whiche we shall then discerne when any shal be compared with vs and made either superiours or else equals vnto vs And therefore when it pleaseth God to call any of his vnto the hope of his kingdome he letteth them see their corruption euen in this commandement so as they are forced by the sense and feeling thereof to giue ouer the claime of saluation in the title of their workes whiche haue no promise if they doe not perfourme the whole lawe and euerie worke thereof throughout the whole course of their life For it is written in Deuteronomie Cursed is hee that confirmeth not all the wordes of this lawe to do them And I would willingly learne what man there is that can truely say that he hath neither done nor yet left vndone any thing either to his superiour or inferiour to men of greater gyfts or lesse thē him selfe which did bewray want of honouring of them from his hart The lord also causeth those whom he calleth both carefully to stand in watch against their infirmitie lest it should burste forthe to the dishonour of God likewise more hartily to require a readie and willing affection to procure the honour of his name by walking duetifully in this commandement And if the outward work of this commaundemēt should be attended vpon of any neuer so diligently yet Gods glorie not sought therein it would profite vs nothing For if we giue men their due and in the meane time deny the Lorde his what auayleth it vs Therefore those former foure pointes wherein his glorie consisteth conteyned in the former commaundements must of necessitie be ioyned with all duties vnto men which are First that we acknowledging all our welfare to come from the Lorde alone doe depend wholy and only vpon him Secondly that in loue of him for his mercyes wee begin to obey him after his word Thirdly that his glorie beeing the marke we shoot at make vs carefull in all our works so to do them as he may haue honour by them Fourthly and last of all that in true acknowledging and trauaile in subduing of our owne corruptions whiche will not altogether bee sundred from our wayes and workes we humble our selues in our best obedience that the Lord may alwayes reteine the praise of the free and vndeserued working of his grace Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that we may truely see and bewaile the little reuerence and regarde that we haue had bothe to superiours and inferiours becomming thereby not onely vnthankfull vnto them but also vnto the Lord who hath placed such graces for our benefite in them and let vs craue of him that we may not onely obteine more power to suppresse the same but also may be inabled from him to send abroade suche fruites of true reuerence and honour as may come to the sight hearing of many to the great praise of his name The sixte Lecture vpon the thirteenth verse 13 Thou shal not kill THe former commandement hath giuen forth instruction for particular callinges from whiche by reason of more particular imploying of benefites mutualy one vpon another there ariseth more particular duetie of the one vnto the other then that which euerie common man may claime vnto himselfe Nowe we are to be instructed in those dueties that generally we doe owe vnto all men amongst whiche this cōmandement of not killing hath the first place wherein we are forbidden to do any violence iniurie or wrong to the bodie life of our neighbour and commanded to defend mainteine and cherish the same It is to be obserued that the Lorde bidding vs shewe foorth loue vnto our neighbours hath not left it vnto vs to deuise wherein to pleasure them but hath set downe what things are most deare vnto them that by our helpe giuen for the preseruation of those thinges safe vnto them and in benefiting them therin they may haue true triall of the loue and affection that we beare vnto them Our neighbour therefore in this consideration is not shut vp in the alone fleshe bloud of the man but the duties of neighbourhode reache vnto the life and bodie wife goodes and good name of the man Neither is loue the not hating or not hurting of a man but the helping and furthering of him to receiue more comfort in those thinges aboue recited ouer the whiche euerie man is so tender that beeing in any of those annoyed he can no longer account him selfe as a man loued or regarded of the authours therof For he himselfe is vpholden in life and liking by the comfort of them The Lorde in forbidding murder forbiddith also all violence crueltie and wrath towardes our neighbour labouring in the detestation of this greatest euill to worke in vs a hatred towardes all that be of any affinitie with it and therefore not letting vs see them but in that fourme which may most feare vs from them putting vpon them al that feareful fourme of murder The punishment of the offences against this commandement wil help vs to iudge the greatnes of the same Touching the murderer it is said in Leuiticus He that killeth any man he shal be put to death Violence bursting foorth into extremities of dealing in the olde lawe was punished with the like of that
LECTVRES of John Knewstub vpon the twentith Chapter of Exodus and certeine other places of Scripture ¶ Seene and allowed according to the Queenes maiesties Iniunctions IMPRINTED BY Lucas Harrison ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the right Honorable and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Anne Countesse of Warwick I. K. wisheth increase of that grace that hath promises bothe of this life and of the life to come WHen once I had yeelded right honorable to the often and earneste request of sundry men for the publishing of certeine Lectures which as they said not without some fruite they had heard me reade I was soone resolued within my selfe of one to whome I might present the first fruites of this my labour For the well accepting of that which first I did speake before your honour put me in assured hope to finde an indifferent eare for this whiche with more deliberation I should commit to writing and the manifolde benefites which I haue receiued constreined me to lay holde of any opportunitie offered whereby I might leâ—â—e some remembraunce of my thankefulnesse and dutie toward any of that honourable house of Warwick to the which I am in the Lord so many wayes indebted Wherof I haue in few wordes to say thus much that I thinke there is great occasion offered of thankefulnesse vnto the Lord who would that so many benefites and so much comforte should come to me from thence that he hath offered me also this opportunitie to leaue behinde me a thankefull memorie thereof that there might be some remembraunce continued of that thing that hath in it greate deseruing why it shuld not be soone forgotten And to the Christian reader whosoeuer I say that I am not ignorant into what danger I haue offered my selfe attempting to write of that matter wherein so many and godly men with so greate fruite and commendation haue trauayled before me for to add any thing vnto them or to differ any whit from them will bee charged of some with noueltie or secret reprehension of their trauayles and to tread in the same steps with others that haue gone before shal not be able to auoide the blame of needlesse labour and trauel to no purpose I am therefore to require of all men that iudgement may not proceede against me before I shal be admitted to speake for my selfe and that with indifferencie it may be heard what can be said why no suche sentence ought by any right to passe against me or any other in the like atteÌ„pt And for the former charge of adding any thing to the labours of so godly men if those who haue gone before vs hauing so litle helpe from their predecessours haue notwithstanding left great light vnto vs so that being be trusted but as it were with one talent by their diligent trauel and occupying they haue made it fiue I do not see but that it may wel stand with the modestie of a Christian of our time being so richly left and entering vpon so great a stocke to trauel at the reckoning to be found at the lest to haue gayned something nay I do not see how we shal auoide the iust reproche of vnfaithful stewardes if so many talents increase nothing vnder our handes so farre am I from imagining that the blame of noueltie or any suche thing hathe in it iust cause to stay our trauell or hinder our labour in that behalfe And for the other charge of treading in the same steppes with them that haue gone before vs if that course should be taken there is much that might be saide for it For the same meate which beeing prepared by one doth please the taste and stomach beeing dressed by another we haue no suche sauour in it and surely the affections of men stande no lesse diuersly affected towardes the varietie of Gods giftes in deliuering one and the same matter then doth the stomache toward the diuersitie of dressing of one and the same kinde of meate so that in so great diuersitie a man may with modestie hope to be directed vnto some who shall finde themselues holpen by his handeling of the matter albeit no other thing be brought beside that which hath beene heard of before For as the Lord will alway haue this aduantage againste the wicked for the cleareing of his iustice that it may truely be said vnto them in respect of the varietie of Gods giftes graunted them We haue piped vnto you but ye haue not daunsed we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not wept so wil he magnifie his mercie towardes those that be his in graunting them suche varietie of giftes as no man shal be so affected but that he shall finde a helpe prepared whereby he may be benefited We see then that either of these courses hathe not onely sufficient defence to cleare it but also muche to be saide in the coÌ„mendation of the same The Christian Reader shal perceiue in perusing this treatise of the lawe that my trauel hath beene to let him see that Christ is a Sauiour in deede vnto him that he might perceiue the length bredth and depth of his mercies and so be brought to imbrace them accordingly And because the greatnesse of our corruption discouereth the riches of his grace which is by so much the richer as the pouertie is greater which it doth relieue I haue laboured therefore to lay out our pouertie want in euerie particular commandement how our affection standeth naturally not indifferent but an vtter enimie to the obedience required in the same that in the sight of so muche rebellion and sinne bleeding as it were in euerie part of vs of some deadly wound we might slacke no time in seeking vnto Christ Iesus the only Physician of our soule and considering the number and daunger of those wounds that he doth cure and couer in vs we might neuer forget or smally account of but alwayes worthily magnifie the greatnesse of his grace and mercie towards vs. Which manner of proceeding if it be indifferently examined shall be found to haue great fruite and profite in it For to make vs carefull in seeking after Physick this is not sufficient that we knowe our selues to be diseased and sick but to know a number of diseases to be growing vppon vs those of that quantitie that euery of them threatneth present death haueing infected the principall partes of our life that is it which maketh a man with all speede to take him to the remedie appointed for the same Many there are who will not denye themselues to be sinners and sicke of sinne but because they neither knowe how many partes are infected nor yet howe daungerous their infection is their care to be releeued is the smaller and their labour the lesse to bee ridd of it Wherevppon also it followeth that he is so much the lesse regarded who is to worke that cure vppon them so that we see this generall lapping vp of sinne when it is not vnfolden to our consciences and layd out
and iust soeuer the cause be that might prouoke me thervnto It was a saying sometime of Asia that it was no prayse neuer to haue seene it but to haue liued temperately in Asia was praise worthie so many were the allurements so great was the intemperancie thereof I thinke we may nowe altering the words reteine the trueth of the matter if we should say it were no great matter neuer to haue seene the Courtes of Princes but to haue liued Christianly in those Courtes were a special work of Christ in his And therefore Madame as sometimes I spake in the hearing of your honour so nowe I say againe that where the assault of the aduersarie lyeth sorest against any there wisedome would that the instruments to beare off and to beate backe the same should be more in number and stronger in effect And for this cause we do reade that in the Courte of Israel the Prince himselfe who for the number and weight of affaires was as may be thought by some iust title to be priuileged aboue the rest might not be exempted from keeping this diligent watch and warde in his owne person by reading all the dayes of his life in the lawes of his God against the dangers that by reason of that place he was in great danger of diuers wherof after they are recited in Deuteronomie immediately the holy Ghost giueth the medicine for them whiche is to be occupied in the lawes of his God all the dayes of his life If any by daily meditation in the lawe of God shall thus exalt wisdome that is the word of God by making it the chief delighte of their heart beside the auoyding of these daungers and suche like there is a promise passed from the Lord that wisedome shall exalt them If they shall sett her in place and estimation aboue all other things she will requite it againe by aduauncing their honour and estate aboue the condition of others but if they shall make no more of her but as a common thing she wil answer them in like measure againe to leaue thē in place estimation with the common worst sort of men The honour therfore of aduauncement which all men are giuen to haue so great lyking of commeth neither from the East nor frō the West but from the Lord him self this true honour wayteth vpon all of them whom imploy them selues their countenance and their credite to honour and aduaunce this wisedome which is the worde of god Which thing that it may abound in you Madame daily more and more and in his honour to whome the Lorde hath ioyned you and that by the meanes thereof you may so continue your life as that you shall not feare to dye as in dutie I am for many benefites receiued moste bounden so I doe moste humbly craue it of our mercifull GOD to whose fatherly prouidence ceassing to adde any thing further and remayning to perfourme all duties from time to time that I shall bee enabled vnto I do most humbly committee your Honour ¿ ¿ Your honors moste humble to commaund in the Lorde Iohn Knewstub ⧠THE LECTVRES of Iohn Knewstub vpon the twentith chapter of Exodus and certeine other places of Scripture The first Lecture vpon the firste and seconde verse of the same Chapter THEN God spake al these words saying I am the Lord thy God 2 Which haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt out of the house of bondage IT hath alwayes beene and now is a frutefull trauaile of men to drawe arts and sciences plentifully laide out into briefe heads and some few general rules and principles not onely for memorie whiche in many and long discourses becommeth so intangled as it can hardly with any fruit get out but also for practise whiche of necessitie muste be so much the later as it shall be longer before we learne the matters to be practised and the slower we are in perusing matters to be done the slacker must we be in the performance therof But yet all this notwithstanding aswell reason as the practise of the learned might easily be auoided bicause all is but the reason and practise of man if the onely wise God had not leafte vnto vs the whole doctrine of Christianitie comprehended in verie fewe words examples whereof we haue diuerse bothe in the olde and newe Testamente whiche may be a sufficient warrant for enterprising thus briefly to comprehend Christianitie If any shall take exception against the preaching and opening of the lawe in this cleare lighte of the gospell calling it as it is called in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthes the ministerie of death the killing letter let him vnderstand that the holie ghost in the same place speaketh of the lawe without Christe what it worketh in our infirmitie whereas otherwise of the law being considered in the couenant that is in Christ it is truely saide by the Prophet in the Psalme The lawe of the Lorde is perfect conuerting the soule the statues of the Lorde reioyce the heart c. At the publishing of this lawe of God there was great terrour feare on euery side For as appeareth in this former chapter the mount Synai was all on smoke and the Lorde came downe vpon it in fier and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a fornace and all the mount trembled excedingly The people hearing the thunders and lightnings and the sounde of the trumpet seeing the mounteine smoking and feeling such terrible trembling and shaking of the earth fled and stoode a farre off making earnest suite vnto Moses that he would speake vnto them and that they might not heare the Lorde least they died so great was their feare and so woonderfully were they amased at the matter It was very requisite and necessarie that this maiestie of the lord should come in with the entrance of his worde For we are giuen to make small reckoning of it lightly to reiect the authoritie thereof For doe not thousands imagine that they sufficiently reuerence the maiestie of the Lord when notwithstanding they liue without all awe feare and reuerence of his word Nedeful therefore was it nay most necessary that the maiestie of the Lord should visibly come forth after a glorious maner at the deliuery of the word that men might vnderstand that the neglect of the worde is the contempt of the maiestie and honor of the Lorde For the Lorde hath coupled his honor and glorie to his word so that they can not neglect the one but that they must in so doing cōtemne and despise the other Those plentifull testimonies that are recited to the Hebrues to aduaunce the dignitie of Christe prouing his diuinitie and giuing him superioritie aboue the Angels are in the seconde chapter applied by way of exhortation to the reuerencing of his worde telling them that if the worde spoken by angels was ratified and that euery disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how could they
think once to escape neglecting so great saluation which at the first begoon to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was cōfirmed by them that heard him God bringing testimony and authoritie thervnto both with signes and woonders and diuers myracles and giftes of the holie Ghost Well did the Lorde vnderstand that words are but winde with men and therefore it was the good pleasure of his will that neither his law nor Gospel should come naked and bare into the world but with the credit of his owne glorie and countenaunce of his owne maiestie For the gospell as now we haue heard was not only preached by the Lorde Iesus but also confirmed by the ministerie of those that heard him with signes woonders and myracles so that to neglect the gouernemēt of the word is to tread vnder feete the maiestie of the Lorde Hauing made this entrance I doe proceede vnto the texte where I am enforced to speake a little of the nature of the wordes because they bring great light to the true vnderstanding and meaning of the cōmaundement The word IEHOVAH which is here englished Lorde is a name of God giuing vnto him his true nature and essence which is so to haue his beginning and being of him selfe as in him by him all thinges that are haue their beeing and therfore it is vsually set before the promises and couenants of the Lorde in the scripture that we shoulde not doubt of the perfourmance thereof seeing it is the couenant promise of that God that hath his beginning and beeing of him self and procureth the beeing and perfourmance of all things vnto them in so much that the Lorde denieth in Exodus that he was knowne to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by his name Iehouah bicause he had not perfourmed in their time the promises made for their deliuerance out of Egypt and for their possession of the lande of Canaan The verbe is not vsually expressed of the Hebrues in the like phrases where the sense is apparant and therefore of some is sette downe before the word Lorde and read thus I am the Lorde thy GOD of other some nexte after the word Lorde and then it is read thus I the Lorde am thy GOD wherin although in sense there be no difference but that both affirme one and the selfe same thinge yet bicause there is more cleare vnderstanding of that one and the same thinge by placing the verbe next after the worde Lorde I see no cause why the practise of some should be preiudiciall in this matter but that it may be said I the Lorde am thy GOD. In affirming that he is their God he assureth them of all mercy and happinesse from him selfe alone both in this life and in the life to come making a league with thē to make himselfe knowne to be their God by the mercies he had to bestowe vpon them and that he would haue the care and charge of their welfare reserued to himselfe alone It remaineth to be proued by the scripture that this manner of speaking to be their God conteyneth promisses in it for this life and for the life to come In the psalme the Prophete hauing made mention of sundry outward blessings in children in increase of corne and cattel peace and freedome from enimies concludeth thus Blessed are the people that bee so blessed are the people whose GOD is the Lorde making these outwarde blessinges to bee conteyned vnder the benefite of hauing the Lord to be their god In Exodus promising their deliueraunce from Aegypt he saith that he wil be their God conteyning that outward deliueraunce within this mercie of being their god And as for the spirituall and inward blessings as writing his lawe in our harts pardoning our sinnes and not remembring them anie more that they are conteyned within this couenant of beeing our God may appeare in the Epistle to the Hebrues After those dayes sayth the Lord I wil put my lawes in their minds and in their hartes I will write them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people For I will be mercifull vnto their vnrighteousnesse their sinnes their iniquities I wil remember no more And in Ezechiel we may cleerly see that the renuing of our stonie hartes the receiuing vs to mercie after we haue transgressed the causing vs to walke in his statutes and lawes are streames that flowe from this free founteine of grace that the Lorde is become our god A newe hart saith the Lorde by his Prophet will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put within you and I will take away the stonie harte out of your body and will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirite within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgementes and doe them and yee shall dwell in the lande that I gaue to your Fathers and you shall be my people and I will bee your GOD Where these benefites receiued are made the fruites that followe of hauing him to be their God whiche is all done freely and vndeseruedly as the Lorde plainely professeth in the same chapiter in these wordes Bee it knowen vnto you that I doe not these thinges for your sake sayth the Lorde therefore O ye house of Israel he ashamed and confounded for your owne wayes Neither doeth this mercy of hauing the Lorde to bee our God conteyne it selfe within the compasse of this life but reacheth vnto the blessinges of the life to come as appeareth in the Gospell after Saincte Luke where our Sauiour Christe proueth that it must needes be well with Abraham and that hee muste rise againe bycause it is written The Lorde is the God of Abraham for he is not the GOD of the dead sayeth our Sauiour Christe but of them that liue In the Epistle to the Hebrues Abraham and others the children of God are reported to haue bene straungers in the land of promise and not to haue sene the promises fulfilled in their time whiche might seeme to make againste this that I haue sayd concerning the blessing of them to whom the Lord is become God but it is answered there that he was not ashamed to bee called their God for he had prepared for them a citie as if that whiche seemed to be wanting in this life were so sufficiently recompēced in that ioye that did abide for them as that the Lord neded not to be ashamed to be called their God so rich was his mercie towardes them By this we learne that the first commaundement conteyneth in it the promises of the Gospel as it is well noted by M. Peeter Martyr contrarie to this damnable opinion of certeine who holde that the fathers of the olde Testament had no promises sauing of the lande of Canaan and temporall thinges We see that the Lorde made promise to be their God which as we haue heard hath promises bothe of this life and of the
life to come And as it appeareth in Genesis all the mercies that Abraham receiued were conteined vnder these wordes which are the wordes of the couenaunt I will be God to thee and to thy seede after thee The benifite that here is set downe of bringing thē out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage is an experience whiche they had of this goodnesse of God wherin he did apparauntly declare him selfe to be their God and so likewise it is in other places brought in as a confirmation of the couenaunt Because the Lorde loued you sayth the holy ghost and because he would keep the othe which he had sworn to your fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharao king of Egypt that thou mayest knowe that the Lorde thy God hee is GOD the faithfull God whiche keepeth couenaunt and mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This experience of God his goodnesse towardes them and the triall that hee is become their GOD maketh much to bring an obedience and therefore is placed with the couenaunt For when we haue tryall in deed that the Lord hath speciall good wil towards vs it hath greate force in it to bring vs willingly vnder his obedience Therefore we are taught by this alwayes to haue in memorie those benefits of God that haue in them the note and marke of speciall good will and lyking such as he beareth vnto his Children For the remembraunce of those will draw dueties from vs that shall proceed from a frank and free hart Let vs therefore haue a register of his greatest benefites done vnto vs Let vs call to minde what a speciall benefite this is if we had none other that when we were as is the disposition of all Adams children following the lusts and affections of our owne hart in that brode way that leadeth vnto death which so many followe it hath pleased him to pick vs out of so many to giue vs mysliking of that course of life whiche by nature we are so addict and inclyned vnto the earnest hungring and thirsting after that righteousnes that is approued by his worde His benefites may not be ouer passed without consideration they cary with them strong persuasion vnto obedience the faithful doe vse this helpe to further obedience vnto god In the last chapter of Iosua there is mention made of the seuerall benefites of God bestowed vpon his people and all for this end to reclayme them from sinne and to stirre them to free and willing seruice of the lord And the people in the same Chapter alledge his benefites receiued as a reason why they neither may nor wil refuse obedience vnto him God forbid say the people that we should forsake the Lord to serue other Goddes For the Lorde brought vs and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage and he did those greate myracles in our sight and preserued vs in all the way that we went and among all the people through whome we came and the Lord did cast out all the people euen the Amorites which dwelt in the land therfore will we serue the Lord for hee is our GOD. They gather by these benefites that he is their God and conclude therfore that they wil serue the Lord because he is their God and hath beene so singulerly good beneficiall vnto them And in very deede this persuasion that hee is our God and so tenderly affected towardes vs is the mother of all true obedience the founteine from whence floweth all true worship and seruice of God the note that discerneth betweene the workes of a true Christian and the deedes of an Infidel or heathen man The Christian worketh his obedience hauing this persuasion that God is already his GOD The Infidel and vnbeleeuer hath no suche persuasion and therefore his doinges come not franckly and freely from him to honour the Lorde but slauishly and seruilely to serue himselfe and after that manner as it were to get within the Lorde and to earne his saluation of him selfe It is this faith which made the difference betweene the sacryfice of Abell and the sacrifice of Cayne as the Scripture doeth declare It is this faith that maketh the difference betwene the continencie that we haue reade to haue beene in Infidelles and Paganes and that whiche is in Christians betweene the mercie and almes that procedeth oftentimes from ciuil men and that merciful reliefe that commeth from Christians It is this persuasion of his goodnesse that iustifieth the one whereas the other wanting this is odious hateful in his sight It is this persuasion that God is so rich in goodnesse as to accept of vs which sendeth vs to the true seruice of him The Lord is not only contented to say that he is their GOD but also to bring good euidence for the same in putting thē in mind of that singular benefite of their deliuerance from Egypt which he had bestowed vpon them Wee learne then in this Commaundemente which chargeth vs that we take the Lorde for our God that he hath taken vpon him selfe the prouision to stoare vs with graces and blessings bothe for this life and for the life to come and will haue the honour and glorie of it him self alone because he will declare the riches of his graces towards his faithfull people and by his dealing with them bee knowen to be their god Therefore he bindeth vs to seeke for all good things at his hands alone and in like manner when we haue receiued any thing by humble thanksgiuing to returne the whole praise therof vnto him again Now that we know the meaning of this cōmaundemēt it behoueth vs to apply it to our profit wherein we must first vnderstand that by the meanes of sin which is in euery man by nature man his wit vnderstanding hath receiued such a blindnesse as it cannot conceiue the trueth of this cōmaundement also his wil affection is so poysoned as it cannot take any ioy or lyking in it the tryall wherof may be had in this manner when the man that is not borne againe and receiued into mercie whome the scripture calleth the naturall man because all are such by nature whē he I say is in any streight or necessitie either because he wanteth necessary foode for this life or for that he is in dāger to loose welth credit or life seeth not the ordinarie meanes by which it is likely hee should escape the danger Let it thē be tolde him that God is his God hath a loue towards him and a care ouer him wil in his time by lawful meanes prouide for him yet notwithstanding his wit neither cōceueth this persuation nor his wil affection is any thing made ioyful or comforted therby as one that desirously enclyneth after the hope thereof which is declared by this that
some fall to stealinge or seeking vnto witches wisemen or wisewomen as they call them to haue their griefes remedied and their wantes supplied others not vsing the same yet by one vnlawfull meanes or other winde them selues out of daunger not wayting by faith vpon the Lord vntill by lawfull meanes he procure their deliuerance This corruption also of the naturall man is no lesse euident when he is out of danger and hath ordinary meanes to maintaine him by For when a naturall man hath credit wealthe or freendes to compasse matters by either not at all doth he seek to God by prayer to prosper those meanes whiche he vseth either else if hee pray vnto him it is so coldely as that euery man may perceiue but especially his owne conscience may tell him that his hope ariseth rather from the meanes he hath then from the goodnes of God without whose blessing all helps are nothing yet for all that he findeth no fault with him selfe for want of faith but will protest that he taketh God to be his God and looketh for all things from him beleeuing as assuredly in him as the best of them all It is not greatly to bee merueyled at if the naturall man giue so much vnto the meanes for it cōmeth often times to passe that the Lorde is constrayned in dealinge with his Children to withdrawe something from the number or stength euen of his lawfull and ordinary meanes that the glorie may be wholy his A notable example wherof we haue in the booke of the Iudges where the Lorde caused Gedeon to send away the greatest parte of his men when hee shuld go to battail giuing the reason of his doing in these words The people that are with thee are to many for me to giue the Madianites into their handes lest Israel make their vaunt against me and say My handes haue saued me Thus corrupte is the estate that all men are borne in and in this estate doe all men contynue finding no faulte nor mislyking of the same saue that little flock of Christes that by the benefite of his death are exempted from it whome when it pleaseth God to call vnto the hope of euerlasting life by the meanes of his word he cleareth their wit and vnderstanding to conceiue the goodnes of this God to them warde hee purgeth their wil and affection to take comforte in it And therefore when meanes want they are not as the wicked altogether without hope running after vnlawfull meanes but waite better vppon their God and when they haue the ordinarie meanes whereby God vsually bringeth matters to passe they are careful in crauing the successe of it yea with inwarde persuasion of heart to finde no fruite but by his blessing The man that will truely examine himselfe in this commaundement muste well consider with himselfe what euil and vnlawfull shiftes he hath made throughout this life in his distresse and necessitie or what doubtes and feares of not beeing well and in due time prouided for haue arisen at any such in time his hart how tickle his nature is thervnto Likewise when hee hath had the vsuall meanes of Gods mercies he muste consider well how sparing and how colde he hath been in prayer to God for the successe of them which declareth that his trust was rather in them then in God the giuer of them Thus may he easily perceiue in what a miserable condition he should haue beene had not the mediatour and redeemer Christ Iesus aunswered the matter for him It is therefore required that after this māner he throughly examine his infirmitie and disobedience vntill he be truely humbled and brought to Christe to see the benefite of his death and passion how greate it is and how needful for him when by due examining of himselfe he doeth well vnderstand that he is wholy beholden vnto God for the benefite of his saluation because by the lawe they are accurssed that continue not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them then is he forced to acknowledge that it is good right and reason that his life should be ordered after the pleasure and wil of him that by his death hath brought deliuerance vnto him from euerlasting death and destruction and the hope also of a blessed estate to continue for euer Whervpon he proceedeth not only to the misliking of this corrupt nature of his but also to the suppressing of it that it deale not as it was accustomed neither when it wanteth meanes nor yet whē it enioyeth thē calling earnestly vnto God by praier that he may so increase in faith that he may glorifie him in the obedience of this commaundement His profiting in this obedience how great soeuer is alwayes ioyned with true humilitie because hee wel vnderstandeth by the sight that he hath of him self that he standeth by the mercies of God in Christ alone because also he plainly perceiueth that his obedience is not without frailtie and manifolde infirmities cleauing vnto it as his obedience is not with out humility so his falles infirmities ar not without grief vexatiō of hart whilst he seeth in them the dishonour and obedience of that God of whose free goodnes he holdeth al that he hath or hopeth for A great number persuade thē selues that their faith is perfect inough no want in it at all whē notwithstāding in their necessities distresses they are all ready to doubt distrust of cōfort as if they had neuer heard of the Gospell nor learned any thing of the promises made vnto the faithfull Nay which more is they shall no sooner be in any distresse but they are as farre from hope in God and as redy to helpe them selues by one euill shift or other as those ciuil men which haue no religion in them at all And all this notwithstāing they cannot see nor be brought to acknowledge any want in their faith Let a man bee broughte something behinde hand as we say either by losse that he hath had in his sheepe or cattle or by meanes of euill creditors with whome hee hath hadd dealinges and by and by he wil be ready to imagine that he shall not be able to liue vnlesse he vtter his commodyties at a greater price then before he hath done when notwithstanding hee hath gone as farre before as conscyence coulde in any respect giue him leaue Hee thinketh that his former decay doth priuiledge and make lawfull this kinde of dealing and vnderstand by the way that in all this purpose practise he receiueth not any suspition that there should be any wante of faithe or weakenesse in that behalf when as in very deed then is there true tryall of our faith if in our necessitie wee shall thereby stay vs from euill meanes in hope to haue vs prouided for according to his promise albeit we see not any likelyhood therof so far as our reason can reache For in faith there is hope beyonde hope
children vpon the third generation and vpon the fourth of them that hate me 6 And shewing mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my commaundements ALbeit the time would nor permit me to speake the laste day of the third verse but forced me to reserue it vnto this day and to ioyne it with this matter that now you haue heard of not making to our selues any grauen image yet that whiche time hath nowe knitte together is by the iudgement of diuerse godlie and learned men not to be sundered at all For they take that of hauing the Lord our God which hath already beene declared to be the firste commaundement and this Scripture that now I haue read conteyned in these foure verses to be the seconde Of this iudgement was that learned Father Peter Martyr whose wordes are these in his Commentarie vppon the Romanes I suppose the firste commaundement to be that which is sett before the reste in steade of a proheme I am the Lorde thy GOD whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt For in these wordes are we commaunded to accompt him for the true God and that we shoulde not thinke that he is to bee worshipped together with other Gods straight way is added the second precepte wherein wee are prohibited to worship straunge Gods and grauen thinges and images and if a man will more narrowly consider the thing he shall see that together with this first comaundemente is offered vnto vs the Gospell for in it GOD promiseth that he will be our god These are the wordes of Peter Martyr Of this iudgement in like manner was that learned and godlie man M. Bucer as appeareth in his exposition vpon 24. Psalme where hee hath these wordes The first thing of all in the matter of our saluation is to beleeue in one Lorde our GOD from whome as the fathers had their deliuerance from Aegypt and all other blessinges beside so wee all receiue the good things that we haue whiche is taught in the firste of the ten commaundementes that is to say in this I the Lord am thy GOD whiche brought thee out of the land of Aegypt The seconde cōmaundement is to ioyne no feigned God with the true GOD which mans madnesse is alwayes accustomed to do neither were these men alone of this iudgement but followed in it the opinion of some of the best learned among the interpreters of the Hebrue who doe thus diuide these two commaundements taking that of making grauen images to be a braunch of the second cōmaundement which forbiddeth vs either to ioyne any false God to the only true Lord or to worship the true God with any false worship deuised of our selues not cōmanded frō him For as it followeth in that place whiche now I cited out of M. Bucer the blindenes of man is accustomed to giue so much to his own deuises in ioyning some in worship with God or to that which he hath deuised for the worship of god that he wil not depend vpon the mere goodnes of God alone And for the moste parte saith he they seke by such ceremonies to pacifie the lord whom they do perceiue to be offended with their wicked life which thing hath greater blasphemie in it then we can conceiue of It is most sure that when once man dare aduenture to put others in the honour of worship with the Lorde whiche thing he hath forbidē he wil not be afraid to bring vpon him an other worship then he hath commaunded these bothe come from one corrupte beginning as shall God willing heereafter more plentifully appeere We are in this commaundement forbidden to worship any together with him or to admitt any worship of him besides his owne whiche he hath lefte vs in his worde the Lorde therefore woulde haue vs to seeke al good things at his hands alone and cannot abide that we should haue other Gods before his face or vppon his face for this interpretation will bothe the wordes and the meaning beare very well as if he should say In as muche as I haue taken vpon me to care for you and to honour my selfe by shewing foorth the treasures of my grace vpon you it shall not be lawfull for to darken the light of my goodnesse by seking to obteine that at the hands of any other the gift wherof I haue reserued to my selfe alone for the glorie and praise of the riches of my grace For I doe you to vnderstand that when soeuer you seeke to any other then me for any parte of your welfare you doe as it were drawe a corteine ouer my face that I cannot be seene in the full shewe of my mercie howe I am affected towardes you while they by stepping betweene conuey some praise of the gifte and mercie to them selues Heere we see all passages to the virgine Marie Angels or Saintes whatsoeuer to be stopped vpp and the way to GOD opened vnto all in their necessities to run thyther with an assured hope of comforte by reason of the promise When Sathan would haue obteyned of our sauiour Christe a parte in the honour of worship he telleth him it was written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him alone shalt thou serue the answere of our sauiour Christ being according to the question and demaund telleth vs that Sathan would not haue refused to haue had the Lord worshipped so that he might haue obteyned to haue beene partaker with him in it It declareth also that not only the Lord refuseth to haue Sathan but also any other whosoeuer to be worshipped with him for it is written Him alone shalt thou serue Inuocation therefore and prayer beeing a worship that the Lord preferreth aboue sacryfice may not be giuen to any Sainct or Virgin but muste be reserued vnto the Lord alone who will not haue his grace darckened or his glorie parted with any Neither can he suffer that the virgin Marie or any saint or angel should cōe into any opinion of mercy either aboue him or equall with him whiche must be graūted if this be cōfessed that it is lawful to call vpon thē For why should we come in prayer vnto them if he who is of greater power to perfourme our request be also of more mercie to incline fauourably to our demaunds This resorting therefore vnto them by prayer hath in it a plaine profession that they are more redily inclined vnto compassion then the Lord which in deed denieth him to be god For he is not the true God if any do exceede him in mercie and compassion It cannot be that the Lord should be God if any be found his superiour or match in mercie wherein consisteth his chiefe glorie But of this God willing more shall be spoken when I come to speake of prayer And yet it may not be forgotten that in dying for vs when we were enimyes vnto him he lefte that patterne of mercie behinde him the like whereof hath not beene hearde or seene in
any which cannot but leade vs in beliefe to hope for more mercy from him then from any other If any thinke that prayer is not suche worship of God wherewith he is so delighted but that he can bee content that others as Sainctes or Angels should also haue that honour let them peruse the 50. Psalme and they shall finde that the Lorde preferreth this seruice of his to bee called vppon in necessitie aboue all sacrifice and outwarde worship The Churche of Rome will not giue out licence to offer sacrifice vnto Saintes that bee departed from this life and yet the Lord setteth prayer in dignitie aboue sacrifice making it a seruice that doth more honour him then doth that other For what greater honour can he haue then to bee magnified in this greatnesse of his mercie that hee shoulde bee the onely sanctuarie for the distressed in their calamitie The Angels themselues haue refused to bee worshipped of men knowing that the Lorde wil not haue his glorie parted vnto others In the Reuelatiō Iohn professeth that he fell down to worshipp before the feete of the Angel and that the Angel saide vnto him Se thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and the fellow seruaunt of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keepe the words of this book Worship god The Angel refuseth worshippe placeth himselfe as a seruaunt among them that serue the Lord after his worde and chargeth him to worship god Let vs learne to bridle this affection that seeketh to be approued vnder the title of a good intent for it is a strong persuasion to the fleashe that the Lorde cannot refuse but well like of whatsoeuer worshipp wee offer so it bee to no other thē those that are beloued of him of whom he hath declared his likeing by graces and gyftes graunted vnto them in greater measure then vnto the common sort of his seruauntes We may well suspect our infirmitie when the Euangelist Iohn was almost carried away with his weaknesse in this parte For the infirmitie of the flesh reasoneth thus Can it be any offence to honour aduance them whome God himselfe hath honoured Hath not God himself declared by his graces giuen vnto them what reckoning he maketh of them Can we make too much of them whome God so tenderly loueth These are the pathes of good intents wandering without the worde Nay they proceede further If wee shall be approued of the Lorde wee must creepe into fauour with those that are deere vnto him and the next way to haue fauour with him is to growe into the fauour of those that are neere aboute him according as the practise is to get the good lykings of men that are of greate calling heere in earth by growing into the lyking of those their seruantes that can doe moste of all with them But we are taught of the Lord himselfe that his wayes differ from oures as farre as Heauen differeth from the earth and that the Heauens are not so farre in height aboue the Earth as are his thoughts aboue oures So that wee offer exceeding wronge vnto his maiestie while we thinke to bring him vnder the condition of mans infirmitie whose good countenance cannot be obteyned vnlesse in the persons of those whome hee especially lyketh of by brybing or flattering of them he him selfe may seeme to be honoured and the holde of his fauour craftily vndermined The word of the Lord shaketh off all such follies telling vs that it is the hearing of his worde keeping of the same that getteth credite with him that maketh vs allied vnto him euen to become truely the mother sister or brother of him as wee read in the gospell after S. Luke in the which place he doeth so commend this kinred as I may call it of his worde that he maketh no reckoning of any other but in respect of that Wherein hee doeth notably reproue the foolishe fancie of fleashe and bloud which imagine that they can offer nothing vnto the virgin Marie wherin they shall not binde him vnto them the Lord therefore is constrained to signifie that those naturall respects preuaile not with him as with weake men but that the hearing of his worde and doeing of the same is all in all with him and the onely worship that pleaseth him which when it is wāting he accepteth of no seruice haue it neuer so greate shewe of mans reason for it As wee may not take vpon vs to worship any besides the Lorde no more is it lawfull for vs to giue any worship to the Lord but onely that whiche is allowed in his word and therefore hath he forbidden vs to make any grauen image imagining that way to please him and to doe a worke that is acceptable vnto him For those that bow vnto grauen Images thincke and say that the Lorde is serued therein and that they doe it not vnto the Image but vnto the Lorde represented vnto them in the Image but the Lorde in this commaundement forbiddeth as well the false worship of the true GOD as the giuinge of any parte of his true worship vnto a false God I meane vnto any besides the onely true god It commeth all from one founteine to dare be bolde to giue vnto him any worship beside that which he hath cōmanded and to worship any other besides himselfe which thinge he hath in many places plainely forbidden therefore in this cōmaundemente he represseth this intollerable boldnesse of man that in his owne deuotion will presume to please the Lorde either in the worshipping of others or in any other maner of worshipping him than he himselfe hath opened in his worde In this seconde parte concerninge grauen Images there are certeine wordes which beeing layde open will make the better entrance to the true sense and meaning of the whole in consideration whereof it shall not be vnprofitable briefely and in a worde to touch them It is saide here that he is A ielous God which signifieth that he can not suffer vs to ioyne any with him in the cause care of our welfare A kinde of speach borrowed from husbandes who can not abide to see the mindes affectiōs of their wiues entangled with any other men but require to haue them kepte pure and chaste to them selues alone The pursuing of his displeasure whiche is heere recited towarde the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate him seeming to maintaine vnrighteousnes in the Lord is to be vnderstoode of such children as treade in the same stepps of iniquitie with their fathers For otherwise that of the Prophet Ezechiel is true The godly sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of his vngodly father These thinges beeing now made plaine vnto vs let vs goe forwarde with the matter that wee haue in hand The Lorde God in forbidding the worshipping of images and so vnder that all other kinde of worship inuented by man addeth this reason to disuade vs from it because hee is become our God who
is due vnto him euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that shal be founde transgressours herein calling them haters of him who are not by faith the very knot of this spirituall wedlocke surely knit vnto him alone He can no more abide to heare of any that should be fellowes with him at our faith than the honest man can abide to heare that another besides himselfe should haue the enterteinment of an husband with his wife It is diligently to be obserued that he calleth thē haters of him who shal thus diuide their affection from him The most that they can say for this their worshippe is that it commeth from a good meaning intent this persuadeth the moste of them well of it For God say they cannot of his mercie refuse that which is wel ment intended towarde him The Lord therfore vtterly ouerthroweth this defence saying in expresse wordes that they be haters of him so ledd with the liking of their worship from the Lord and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewray extreame hatred therevnto prosequuting it with fire fagot in the true professours thereof This sin of idolatrie and false worship of God is diligently to be considered of that we may see the danger of it and keepe vs from transgressing therein The daunger of this sinne the greatnesse therof we can not better discerne than by the punishment executed against it from the iust Lorde who because he is iust and Iustice it selfe cannot appointe punishment but according to the nature and qualitie of the offence he threateneth that the fire of his ielousie shal burne vpon the posteritie of those that offende therein vnto the thirde and fourth generation Greate muste that sinne bee the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so long The greatnes of the punishment may lead vs to se the heynousnesse of that offence of Idolatrie and seruing of God by good intentes The fire of Gods wrath beeing kindled by this sinne as wee see cannot be quenched many generations after the death of them that haue beene the firste transgressours in the same The lord declareth the reason by his prophet Hosea why he will thus punishe the posteritie of the idolaters I wil haue no pitie vpon her children saith the Lord by the prophet because they be the childrē of fornication declaring that hee may lawfully disinherit them because they are none of his but children begotten in fornication The state of the children of Israel in the captiuitie of Babylon euen vntill the comming of Christe may fitly shadowe out vnto vs the truth of this punishment threatened here for idolatrie For albeit there was a returne frō Babylon yet we knowe that the number was small that returned and subiect vnto greate misery euen vntil the comming of Christ beside their punishment in the want of temporall benefites The lord thretned by his prophet Hosea according as he did perfourme in deede that he would no more suffer them to inioye the vse of his worshippe I will cause saith the Lord al her mirth to cease her feast days her new Moones and her Sabbaoths and al her solemne feasts And in the thirde chapter the Lorde in like manner declareth that the children of Israel shal remain many daies without a king also without an offring Long before their captiuitie they had nothing beside the outwarde shew and ceremonies of the worship of God which also vtterly ceassed when they were led into banishment yet the comforte came which was promised in the latter time vnto their posteritie according as it was fore-told them by the Prophete but greate was that sinne that procured so long lasting punishmente vppon their posteritie and so greate a punishment that they should be diuorced from the lord For he affirmeth this by his Prophet that he wil marrie them vnto him for euer declaring thereby that they had bene diuorced before But we need not take examples of God his punishment of Idolatrie from the people of Israel wanting beside other benefites the true worshippe of God so long time Poperie in these last times may be a true spectacle thereof where the declining from true religiō hath brought so miserable blindenesse continuing so many generations The Papistes now in the latter dayes of the Gospel after this as it were solemnizing of the marriage againe betweene the Lord and his Church require to knowe where the Church was before this time of the Gospel as if some of the Israelites after that the Lorde had returned vnto them in mercie and betrothed them a newe vnto himselfe againe should haue required where the Church had beene in their captiuitie when they wanted the sacrifice and offeringes the Sabbaothes new moones and all the true outwarde worship of God calling into question the trueth of that true worship and seruice of God because they had been so long without it before Those times of Poperie were the times of idolatrie and punishment of the Lord for idolatrie they were as I may call it the widowhoode or rather the diuorced estate of the churche when notwithstanding the Lorde did beare loue and secrete liking vnto those that were his yet was their outward estate the condition of a widowe or rather of a diuorced woman hauing in it the badge of displeasure and punishment from the lord To require therfore that this our time should bee confourmed in worshippe vnto that is to like of diuorcement better then marriage to craue that the vnlawful libertie of the one may be a paterne warrant to dissolue the godly and lawful bonde of the other The Lord affirmeth likewise that he Wil shewe mercie vnto thousandes of them whiche loue him and keepe his commandementes wherein he noteth vnto vs two properties in the true worship of God the first is the loue of him the seconde the keeping of his commandementes wherof the first that is the loue of him openeth vnto vs what beginning true worshippe hath and the seconde which is the doing of things pleasaunt in his sight telleth vs by what rule that worshippe doth proceede euen by his word which truely discouereth what thinges are pleasing or displeasing vnto him That loue towardes him beginneth all true seruice and worship of God hereby it is manifest because the Apostle declareth that the children of God are sealed vp with the spirite of adoption whereby they crie Abba Father whiche beareth witnesse vnto their spirite that they are the children of God. Whiche inward testimonie of adoption cannot be without the loue of him that hath adopted them And in the Epistle to the Galathians the Apostle hath these wordes In Iesus Christe neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue And in the same Epistle he affirmeth The life whiche he nowe liueth to be in this faithe that the Sonne of God hathe loued him and giuen him selfe for him This loue therefore that ariseth of the
goodnes of his God whom he perceiueth so entirely to imbrace him and to reckon of him as righteous is that which sendeth a true christian to good workes and is here noted as the founteine from whence good woorkes doe flowe and the first marke of a true worshipper of God. For before this persuasion of his fauour towardes vs the workes that are done by vs notwithstanding suche they are as be commanded of God are done rather to make our selues righteous thereby then for any loue and liking of him and therefore defiled with selfe loue our owne profite not directed as they ought by the alone loue of god This loue proceedeth to the doeing of those thinges that are acceptable in the sighte of God for it is the second note of the true worshippers of God to keep his commandements to go to the seruice of God not at aduenture directed by the line of our owne deuotion but by the leuell of his word and commaundement wherein also false worshippers are greately deceiued for as their beginning is euil because it floweth not from loue to God so their proceeding is as daungerous in that they followe not the rule of his worde For notwithstanding the LORD might iustlie reiecte what soeuer deedes of ours though commaunded of him if they should not proceede from loue towardes him yet herein more appeareth the greate blindenesse of Idolaters and false worshippers who in their deuising to serue God happen alwaies on those works that least like him And therefore the seruing of God by Images as it hath often in the Scripture the goodnesse of God set against it for the redresse thereof in that the not restinge therin hath begotten it so hath it also the word of God often times in the Scripture to correct it as not proceeding by the right rule Therefore in Deuterono when the Lord was about to prescribe the manner of his worship it is said thus You heard a voice but saw no similitude Take therefore good heed vnto your selues for you sawe no Image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb where the holie Ghoste maketh the practise and example of Almightie God in opening himselfe by his worde and not by any similitude a sufficient declaration that his wil was we should be directed by his worde and not by Images in the seruice of him In Exodus in like manner the holie Ghoste maketh the teaching by the worde of God a reason why they shuld haue no images You haue seene sayth he that I haue talked with you from Heauen you shall not therefore make with me Gods of siluer nor Gods of goulde you shall make you none And in Esay it is declared that when the worde of GOD shall take place with his they shall abhorre Images as a menstruous cloath Thine eares saith the prophet shall heare a worde behinde thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left and ye shall pollute the couering of the Images of siluer and the rich ornamentes of the Images of goulde and caste them away as a menstruous cloath and thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence Neither is the worde of GOD set downe heere to keepe vs from Images alone but also to restraine vs from seruing of GOD by any deuotion of our owne or good intent whatsoeuer whereof we haue no warrant from the word For in his worde we receiue his owne testimonie for good euil and he hath plainely tolde vs that if we followe our owne heart and our eyes in discerning good and bad wee shall departe and goe a whoreing from him as it is written in the booke of Numbers where they are cōmaunded to haue the lawe continually before their eyes that they should not seeke after their hearte and after their owne eyes after the which faith the holie Ghoste vnto them in the same place you go a whooring In the Gospell after S. Iohn our Sauiour Christ sayth If any man loue me he will keep my word The experience is plaine that if any man doe loue another he will obserue what things hee is delighted withall that in doeing thereof hee may satisfie his affection and wil not be so negligent as whē with a little paines he may learne his dispositiō rashly to aduenture the doing of that which for any thing he knoweth to the contrarie may possibly procure his heauie displeasure This is not humilitie but pride dangerous securitie restrayning the Lord to our lyking not conforming our selues to the good pleasure of his wil. Out of this cōman dement we may learne a notable differēce betwene the church of God the synagogue of sathan The church of God loueth God and keepeth his cōmandements she is that chaste wife that admitteth none beside the Lord into the felowship of her faith she bringeth vp her young ones vnto the lyking of him feeding them with the sound milke of the word The church of Antichriste keepeth not her selfe to her husband alone but admitteth others to the vse of her faith and therefore in the scripture is she fitly resembled vnto an harlot neither doeth she nurce vp her yong ones after the lyking of her husband with the wholesome doctrine of the olde and new Testament which Augustine doth call very fitly the two pappes of the Churche but with the pestilente poyson of good intentes teaching them from their infancie to followe her foote-steppes in going a whooreing after their owne eyes and after their owne heart whiche are the very steppes of an harlot as was euen now proued vnto vs out of the Booke of Numbers Our nature is corrupt in this commaundement as in all the reste and greatly pleaseth it selfe in thinges that it doeth of a good meaning and intent vnto the Lorde not regarding whether they stand approued by his word or no holding this as a true principle that the thing can neuer be euill taken of the Lord whiche is well ment of man The man that will truely examine him selfe in this commaundement muste throughly consider of the former time of his life when hee hath occupyed him selfe in outwarde things not warranted by the worde and yet reputed of him as the speciall pleasing of God nay vnder the defence and shadowe of those thinges hath beene the more carelesse to seeke out and practise the duties of the worde remembring that suche seruice of GOD deserueth to haue a cursse continuing vppon his posteritie vnto many generations Thus shall he easily perceiue what is the benefite that he hath by the mediatour Christ Iesus for the law driueth him therevnto by opening his corruption in this manner and letting him see that there is no helpe but in the alone redeemer Christ Iesus when in him selfe he doeth truely vnderstand that he is only beholden vnto the Lord for his saluation he must begin to warr with his affections that would shake of
obediēce vnder the shadowe of good intent deuotiō occupying it selfe in trifling outwarde thinges and neuer drawing neere vnto the Lord in the dueties laide vpon him by the word he must labour diligently to finde out the wil of God in his word for no other end but that hee may be a doer and follower of the same his profiting how greate so euer it bee is not without infirmitie and therefore hee is not without humilitie in his best doings his offending at any time cannot bee without griefe for hee seeth in it the dishonour of his merciful father whose free mercie is his stay Let vs learne brethren to take heed in seruing the Lord in a deuotiō that agreeth not with his word What will it auayle to say We do it of loue and good meaning towards him when the Lord hath said that all such are haters of him Shall our mening condemne the trueth of his saying Or shall that be good meaning when we come to true reckoning which the Lorde hath pronounced to be hateing Let man be afraid to beare hatred against the Lord and therefore let him feare to serue him with good intents besides his worde If man should bee so obstinate in euill that he feareth no punishment in respect of himselfe imagining his life to make an end of all his affliction yet let him fear the punishmente of this sinne that will not leaue him in the graue but set the marke of his iniquitie vppon his children and posteritie vnto many generations I neede not greatly to speake vnto the moste that be heere that they should leaue those foolish works of deuotion and good meaning as going on Pilgrimage setting vp of shrynes and such like things receiued amongst the Papistes His name be praysed that madnesse is descryed and a great number of them selues begin now to blush at it but the outwarde ceremonies of Religion as resorting to common prayer hearing of Sermons or suche other these haue obteyned now the title of the true seruice of GOD and shut out the obedience vnto the dueties commaunded by the word These hold men now from care of dueties appointed by the word as deuised deuotion kept them in Poperie from true religion These are the good intentes of Gospellers at this day and as the Lorde spake of his sacrifices commaunded in his worde when mē were holden in those without any care of good life He that killeth a Bullock is as if he slue a man they haue chosen out their owne wayes therefore wil I choose out their delusions and bring their feare vpon them So may it truely be said of a greate number that the Lorde hateth their resorting to prayer and sermons they are now become their owne wayes whiche they haue chosen because they are sundred from Christian conuersation and amendment of life for the which they were ordayned The meanes to auoid the dangers of our deuises in the seruice of GOD and to haue disclosed vnto vs the subtilties and snares thereof is to delight in the wisdome of the worde to be much exercised therein according as it is declared in the booke of Prouerbes That when wisdome entreth into the hearte and knowledge delighteth the soule then shall it deliuer vs from the euill way and from the straunge woman whiche forsaketh the guide of her youth Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that we may so see our vntowardnesse vnto his true worshippe that we may magnifie his mercies that hath pardoned our transgressions and that wee may receiue strength from the power of his death to shake off all those shadowes of seruing the Lorde beeing truely humbled to serue him in spirite and truethe according to the direction of his worde ¶ The thirde Lecture vpon the seuenthe verse 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lord wil not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine IT is manifeste in the Scriptures that by the name of GOD is ment the lawe and commaundement of god For the Lorde wil be honoured and get a name among his people by transforming their affections and deedes into the obedience of his lawe In Leuiticus it is thus written Yee shall keepe my commaundementes and doe them for I am the Lorde Neither shall ye pollute my holie name declaring that his name is prophaned taken in vaine and polluted when his commaundementes are not regarded It is also to bee seene in the Epistle to Timothie that the name of GOD is taken for the doctrine and woorde of god Let Seruants sayth the Apostle account their maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of ioyning the name and doctrine of God together as wordes that importe all one matter For the name of GOD cannot but be dishonoured and euil spoken of through vs when suche lawes as all men knowe he hath appointed for vs to walke in are without regarde neglected and contemned of vs. If it bee required why the Lorde speaking of his lawe giueth it the title of his name wee must vnderstand the reason of his so doeing to be very good forceable to procure obedience For what can be more deare vnto vs than the name and glorie of our GOD Or what can binde our obedience vnto more dutifulnesse than when we vnderstand he hath committed his owne name and honour into our handes beeing content to abide without all name and glorie heere in earth if hee may not haue it of his by their obedience to his lawe And therefore as the loue of GOD muste cause vs to begin all dueties so the end wee looke at in all of them must bee by the doeing thereof to get honour and glorie to our God. For it is written to the Corinthes Whether yee eate or drinke or what soeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of GOD. Heerevppon it commeth that workes commaunded are reiected of the Lorde when they are done to be seene of men for the prayse of our selues and not with a carefull heart to glorifie the Lorde and procure his prayse thereby Take heede saith our Sauiour Christ that ye giue not your almes before men to be seene of them or else yee shall haue no rewarde of your father whiche is in heauen The Lorde him selfe often vseth the credite and glorie of his name not onely in commaunding but also in forbidding things to be done as in Leuiticus 19. almost through the whole chapter when he forbiddeth any thing he addeth these wordes immediatly I am the Lord thy God because the contempt and breach of his commaundement doth reach to the stayning polluting of his name For he hath entred couenant with vs to be our God in causing vs to walke in his wayes that he thereby may be magnified and aduanced as it is written in Deuteronomie Thou haste set vp the Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in
vs he wil blesse the house of Israel c. Wee do plainely se then by these testimonies that they doe not truely feare him that are not drawen by his goodnesse to the carefull louing and honouring of him This commaundement then toucheth al those that passe ouer their time carelessly without a lawe feare of the Lord as if there were nothing lesse belonging vnto them then by obseruing his wil to get honour to their God or as if their vngodlie and secure life shoulde neuer a whit impeache the glorie of his name By this commaundement we learne that not onely Atheists and godles persons haue to feare the iudgementes of God but also all those that are not touched with care and great desire by their good life to glorifie god For he will not hold thē guiltlesse that take his name in vaine not regarding his honour by careful attending vppon his pleasure Hereby also we are taught to ceasse to meruaile at the afflictions of those men in whose liues we haue espied no great outwarde offence For here we see the want of care to his glorie though it bee coupled with no outward euil hath matter in it sufficient to prouoke the iudgements of God against vs Doeth not that maister who at his comming home findeth the worke he had inioyned his seruant carelesslie loked vnto thinke there is occasion sufficient offered him to proceede to the correction of his seruant notwithstanding hee hath no other matter to charge him withall In this cōmaundement also is forbidden all swearing vainely or falsely all swearing by those things that are not God as particular thinges against his word and therfore against the glorie of his name For if the commaundement forbid the neglect of his lawe generally it must needes forbid seuerally and particularly that which is against some seuerall particular cōmaundement We haue learned that carelesse contemning of his worde is reproued in this commaundement and the reason is because the Lord doth communicate his name and his honour therevnto whiche we may not take in vaine or without reuerence The same thing is to be saide for the vse of his name whiche he hath graunted vnto vs to decide controuersies doubtes of great importance withall that because there is in it the marke and print of his glorie wee must haue the vse of it in those matters with reuerence accordingly We deale not with the Lord in any communicating with his essence and euerlasting beeing that a man should imagine that hee can offer him no wrong vnlesse he rush against the heauens and violently run vpon his person he dealeth with vs by his worde and by his name if there be any villany wickednesse nay want of reuerence that way it toucheth his glorie pearceth the honour of the highest Blasphemous mouthes therefore that cannot be stirred in their affections but they wil by by be reuenged of the Lorde cast vp their choler in othes and blasphemie against his maiestie haue heere wel to looke aboute them and to remember that in such outrage they fight against the honour of the liuing Lord that wil aduance the same in the dishonour vtter confusion of them Is it not horrible blasphemie that a miserable man should seek to redeeme himselfe from contēpt by bringing the Lord vnder his foote and treading his honoure in the dust I doe not meane that periured persons who haue put vpon the Lord the person of Sathan in making him a protector of lyes be only these blasphemous mouthes that haue enterprised the defacing and dishonouring of the Almightie but those common swearers also in whose mouth the name of the Lord runneth so vsually so vnreuerently in common speeche The Lord hath lent vs the vse of his name to determine our doutes decide our controuersies that be of great importance and cannot otherwise come to light and that with such reuerence as vnto his honour apperteyneth He hath not left it to wait vpon our vaine words talke of no importāce to serue where our humor wil place it so that men are alwayes guiltie of high treson against his glorie in the vse of his name vnles both the weightines of the mater they haue in hand their reuerēce in the manner of dealing therin shall excuse them A man can no way be vnreuerēt toward his name but he shal in so doing be guiltie of his dishonour for those things wherin he hath left the marks of his glory as his name his word and sacramēts by the vse or abuse of them do truely witnes of the heart how it standeth affected towardes the honouring of him There was neuer man founde truely honouring God in his heart whose tongue was defiled with vsuall swearing and often vnreuerent vsing of his name Neither was there euer founde man truelie fearing the Lord that walked without all awe and reuerence of his worde The excuse therefore is vaine and vtterly vntrue that swearing is but a custome of the tongue and that their heart standeth reuerently affected towarde his name and glorie For it is the want of reuerence in the heart to God that fometh out such filthynesse at the mouth and the longe continuaunce of that impudencie in the heart hath brought the fruit thereof into the mouth which witnesseth sufficiently the corruption that is settled inwardly in the heart Let the common swearer then ceasse to seeke excuse by saying It is but a folish custome For that long custome of dishonouring the Lord in his mouth will proue that he hath had a custome to dishonour him in his heart of no lesse continuaunce Our communication must be yea yea nay nay that which is more commeth of euil But it is commonly said Something must be added or els men shall not be beleeued It is a pitiful thing that the credit of a Christian should be so little that to borrow beliefe for his common talke he must leaue no lesse pawne and pleadge behinde him then is his faithe and trueth the greatest treasures and iewels that he hath receiued from the Lorde If men would seeke credit by their wel dealing they need not to bring foorth so great assurance for it in their speaking It is likewise vnlawfull to sweare by creatures in asmuche as an othe giueth superioritie vnto that whereby they sweare and acknowledgeth it as a Iudge and discerner of secret hid things a bringer also of them vnto iudgement condemning the wicked in bringing his way vppon his heade and iustifying the righteous in giuing him according to his righteousnesse The giuing of this vnto creatures entreth vppon the right of the Almightie intituleth creatures vnto the honour of the creator who hath declared plainely that hee will not giue his glorie to another And therefore it is in the highest degree of reproching or rather blaspheming the Lorde in laying his chiefe honour open to the spoyle of a creature bringing a contemptible creature as it were to pray vppon the
almightie creator And if there be acknowledgement of superioritie ouer vs to the thing that we shal sweare by as is witnessed by the holie Ghoste then as we may not sweare by Heauen Earthe or any other creature muche lesse may wee by Masse Mattens Roode or such like we will put the honour of the Almightie vpon them and take them as our God who onelie hath superioritie ouer vs to iustifie righteousnesse and to bring the wickednesse of the wicked vpon his head whiche thing in our othe we do acknowledge to belong vnto him by whōe we sweare When Almightie God promiseth by his Prophet Hosea to receiue the Israelites to fauour again after their affliction he saith that he wil take away the names of their Idols out of their mouth thei shuld be no more remēbred by their names These things may suffice to teach vs that the Lord cannot beare the dishonour of his name but will haue that vpholden in honour and reuerence without suffering it either to lie open vnto the cōtempt of godlesse persons or vnto the spoyle of Idolaters who breaking it vpon his glorie do beautifie and set out his creatures with the ornamentes thereof This commaundement likewise reacheth particularly to all of them whiche neglecte any of those meanes that God hath commaunded vs to vse either for the welfare of our soule or bodie For the wordes and workes of his wisedome may not be refused as vaine needelesse but must with all humilitie be imbraced that in our so doeing his wisdome may be honoured who hath appointed those to be the meanes whereby he will conueye his mercie towards vs the neglect whereof chargeth the Lord with want of wisedome in ordeyning them Here falleth to the grounde the wicked and blasphemous opinions of the Anabaptistes Libertines and the feigned Familie of loue who are growen to suche a magnifying of grace brought as they say by the reuelation of the spirit as the wisdome of God in his worde is of small or no account with them in deede but as if it were a needeles matter or had no certeintie in it it is wholy transformed into their spirite made to speake accordingly The nature of man is in this cōmandement corrupted as in the rest doing the thinges which he doeth to God without all awe and feare of his word It behoueth the man therfore that wil truely trie him selfe to searche into his life and wel to consider what manifest contempte there hathe beene in him of the name and honour of God in stubbernely standing againste the authoritie of his word while he hath willingly neglected to be admonished and aduised thereby what contempt of his honour he hath giuen forth in common swearing and vsual oathes that either directly or indirectly reach to the glorie of God euen to the wounding of him in the same Moreouer it behoueth him to consider what carelesnesse there hath beene and what little regard in his best doings to haue them so soundly throughly done as vnto the honour of God doth apperteine where the diligent paines carefull and through dealing in matters that touch his owne name shal be a sufficient light to disclose his halting with the lord For the corruption of mans heart is so great and so hidden that all meanes almost are to few to vtter it therfore it is requisite that we vse al the meanes we may in that behalfe Let a man in this examination wel consider whether there hath beene any suche feare or care to auoide things forbidden and to do things commanded him by the word wherein consisteth the glorie of God as there hath ben while his own honor is in hand and his owne name called to question at any time whether he hath delt in dueties appointed him by God with feare and care lest the Lorde through his infirmitie shuld be foyled his name dishonoured whiche coulde not haue beene wanting if his owne estimation had beene in hazarde that he may be brought to the sight of his Sonne For when it pleaseth God to cal any to the hope of his kingdome hee letteth them see their corruption to be so great in these and suche other kindes of dishonor that they haue done vnto him as that their harte is forced to appeale vnto the mercie of God fastening themselues to it vtterly giuing ouer their owne obedience Whiche mercie of God they so stay vppon and are so comfortable in that it prouoketh them no longer to neglect the name and glorie of their God but with all reuerence to submit themselues to the gouernement of his word alwayes endeuouring to better their obedience towardes his lawe because it tendeth to the glorie of his name wherein howe greate so euer their profiting be yet this corruption whiche cleaueth so fast vnto them cānot but continue in them stil an humbled and lowly harte euen in all their blessings while they clearely perceiue them by the sight of their corruption to be the vndeserued graces and gyftes of their god Their offending also whatsoeuer cannot be without the great grief of their hart because they see it to be with the dishonour of him who hath abased himselfe to the deathe of the Crosse to worke the honour and aduauncement of them We are therefore brethren diligently to learne to waxe wearie of those wayes that would depart from the reuerence and honouring of the Lord in not fearing to offend againste his word because it is written He that despiseth the worde he shal be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shal be rewarded Let vs learne to become careful in the duties which are appointed vs by the worde for the Lorde will not holde them guiltlesse that are secure therein We can not beare good heart vnto the Lord if we let his honour fall to the ground among vs it is his mercie that doth vouchsafe vs this fauour to be trusted with his honour Can it want then iust reproche if we shal be tried to be senselesse in this point It drewe teares from Dauid that the wicked kept not his lawe can we see our owne liues and the liues of those committed vnto vs wandring from the wayes of life and hungerly in the contempt of the worde pursuing after death and yet for all that neuer to be touched with it especially seeing the dishonour of our God dependeth vpon it It should vexe vs that the gospell hathe beene so long time with so litle fruite among vs that the instruments of his grace that haue gayned so many in former times vnto God shuld not only not preuail in many but euen receiue discredite and dishonour among men and that the litle fruite appearing in our liues shoulde call into question the veritie of Gods gospel being in fruite and effect so vnlike in many vnto that it hathe beene in former times A Christian should go to the dueties laide vpon him by the word with the like minde that a good souldiour goeth
of them But when it pleaseth God to pull any out of their corruption and to begin Christianitie in them hee doeth let them see with assurance of his mercie towarde them but so as notwithstanding he bringeth them not onely to the sight and bewailing of that rebellion which they feele in their affections against his wil but also to the mortifying and subduing thereof The man therefore that will truely examine him selfe hath to consider what resisting of his affections hath beene in his life so shall hee soone perceiue what neede he hath to betake him selfe vnto the mediatour CHRISTE IESVS while his conscience shall wittnesse either of no profiting at all herein or at the least so little as shall sufficiently conuict him and force him to lay holde vpon the righteousnesse of Christe as his only refuge yet so as his care to suppresse his affections be no lesse because hee vnderstandeth what mercie is in Christe but so much the more increased as he perceiueth that trauaile to please the Lord euen as the best thankfulnesse that wee can performe for the great benefite of our redemption Now let vs pray that we may beare such an enimies heart against our owne corrupt affections as may not spare to treade vppon them when soeuer they shall ryse vp against the Lord. ¶ The fifte Lecture vpon the twelfth vearse 12 Honour thy Father and thy mother that thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee THe former commaundementes doe perfectly instructe vs in all the dueties that apperteine directly to god These following doe giue vs rules and preceptes for the dueties that wee doe owe vnto men The Lord our God being perfect in all happinesse by him selfe alone hath no neede of our seruice yet will he haue tryall of the loue that wee beare vnto him not onely by deedes done immediatly vnto him selfe but also by deedes done for his cause vnto men He therefore meaning to make a tryall of our loue towardes him hath commaunded vs that we should not be altogether our owne men closed vp within our owne profites and pleasures onely regarding and procuring them and wholy taken vp of them but that we should go out of our selues at his commaundement to the good of our brethren witnessing our thankfulnesse vnto God in giuing for his sake this seruice vnto men The dueties vnto GOD going in order before these vnto men do admonish vs of this doctrine that all our doeings towardes men are nothing where Gods glorie doth not go before as it is written in the Epistle of Sainct Iohn In this wee knowe that wee loue the children of GOD when wee loue God and keepe his commaundementes And like as our dealing with men is nothing when the true seruice of God is either not knowen or not regarded so that seruice that is giuen vnto GOD is not accepted when our brethren are neglected of vs. Therefore doeth our Sauiour Christ in Matthew charge vs that when our neighbour hath any thing against vs wee should not presume to offer any gift vnto God before we be reconciled so greatly doeth the Lorde esteeme of this louing conuersation with men that the holie Ghoste maketh it the proofe of our blessed estate as it is written in Iohn Wee knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Concerning that which we do owe vnto men the honourtng of father and mother hath the firste place By Father and mother are all those vnderstoode who are the instruments of GOD in any of his speciall goodnesse towardes vs whome because hee hath vouchsafed to be his meanes in the conueying of that grace that we doe inioy by them he cannot abide that they should be without honour at our handes By honour whiche is required to be giuen vnto them wee are taught so to behaue our selues towardes them in all our dealinge as may wittnesse that in heart wee doe honour them and therefore this honour doeth not so much exact any one seuerall thing as it putteth a qualitie and condition vppon all our behauiour towards them that it should be such as it may be a wittnesse of our hearte howe highlie it doeth reuerence and regarde them If it be demaunded why the Lorde by Father and mother should vnderstand all the instrumentes of his goodnesse towards vs whereas hee maketh mention but of one sorte it may be required of them againe why the Lorde forbidding all kinde of violence should make mention onely of murther For as by murther beeing the chiefe he comprehendeth all of that kinde so by one instrument of his speciall goodnesse hee leadeth vs to the consideration of all the like Moreouer we must reuerence the wisedome of the onely wise GOD heerein who by the moste grosse euils laboureth to worke the loath-thing of all the like and by benefites and good thinges in them selues moste amiable to further the cause of all the rest setting the ouglyest shape he possiblie can vppon euils to terrifie vs withall and giuing to good thinges the countenaunce that may best commend them Our trauaile therefore muste bee to searche into these good thinges which wee receiue by others that when we shall haue founde them wee may as by dutie apperteyneth honour the owners of them Nature may preuaile with them that bee of any consideration for the conceiuing of those benefites whiche they inioye by meanes of theire Parentes so that the trauaile neede not to be muche heerein Reason may persuade euen the moste simple that if wee haue any good thinge in this life or any blessing following it they who haue brought vs into life may iustely clayme a parte therein The matter of Magistrates is not so plaine what good wee receiue by them therefore it craueth more time to be giuē vnto it The Magistrate is the instrument of GOD to preserue that life whiche the Lorde in mercie hath giuen vnto vs For by the administration of iustice and execution of good lawes the outrage of the wicked with whome the worlde is alwayes pestered is restrained from laying violent handes vppon the good which otherwise would at all times burst foorth because the occasion which is the good workes of the one and the euill of the other can neuer bee separate from their liues And that this is the occasion may be proued out of the Epistle of S. Iohn where after inquirie had what it was that moued Caine to slay Abel he answeareth Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good And least wee should note some extraordinarie thing in Caine hee putteth all the wicked in the ranke with him making it the common disposition of them all and therefore saying We may not bee as Caine which was of the wicked and slew his brother It is therefore no small blessinge and benefite of God that keepeth the sword of the vngodly from our throte whiche is euery houre drawen out and shakē at vs with whom we
can neuer be at league vnlesse we will be at one with euill Moreouer the bloud which is spilt in any land and the wickednesse that is committed therein cryeth to the Lord for vengeaunce against that land and people wherin it is committed and is sure to drawe out the sworde of the Lord against that people if the Magistrate who is the Lords Lieutenaunt shall not before drawe vppon it by executing deserued punishment against it Which thinge to be so the very Infidels haue perceiued and therefore in their greate afflictions haue proceeded by casting of lottes to knowe the malefactour that by his punishmente the euill might be remoued from them as wee reade the mariners dealte wih Ionas when the tempeste was moste vehement against them Therefore often times in the Scriptures after charge giuen to execute punishment against sinne these or such like wordes are added So shalt thou take euill away forth of the middest of thee And these also That the Lord may turne from the fiercenesse of his wrath and shewe thee mercie and haue compassion on thee Solomon charging Benaia as it appeereth in the booke of kinges to slay Ioab addeth these wordes That thou mayest take away the bloud which Ioab shed causelesse from me and from the house of my Father The Magistrate therefore as hee keepeth the bloudie hand of the vngodly from vs so is he our sanctuarie from their sinne that pursueth vs our land to destroy vs while he executeth iustice vppon it Miserable therefore are the Anabapistes and suche kinde of men who in denying Magistracie denie thereby those greate comfortes and blesinges whiche GOD by them hath graunted vnto his people The Magistrate also bindeth the benefite and helpe of all degrees of men and trades of life vnto vs so that in denying vs their lawfull ayde wee haue remedie of lawe against them whereby they stand bounde to employ them selues without deceipt or fraude to our good whether it bee in place of Iustice vnder the Prince chiefe Magistrate or in any trade or occupation for the maintenance of them selues while we haue so many lawes to correct the abuses in them that thereby they may bee vsed without guile or deceipt to our most profite But the chiefest benefite of all other is when they are the instruments of Gods glorie in bringing the Gospell to vs and maynteining it amongst vs whē they open the eyes of the seers and Prophets that they be no more shut cause the heart of the foolish to vnderstand knowledge and make the tongue of the stutter readie to speake distinctlie as it is spoken of all godlie magistrates vnder the person of Ezechias By which meanes of the Gospell euil is disclosed that it can no more lurk vnder the name of that it is not but appearing in his moste filthie face may the better be auoyded and good thinges are brought to their beautie and increase that they may be stronger to allure vnto them the heartes of all those that haue any loue of good things within them whiche are in the place aboue named recited as fruites that followe the receiuing of the Gospell By this wee haue some taste of those blessings of God whiche we doe receiue by meanes of magistrates how many they bee in number and how worthie in deseruing From this sight muste arise the true honouring of them for so doeth the Apostle teache vs to the Romanes who ▪ when firste hee hath taught that the magistrate is appointed for the terrour of the euill and prayse of the good he concludeth that therefore wee must be subiect vnto magistrates not onely for feare of their punishment but also for conscience of the good that they doe vnto vs least as sayeth Chrysostome vppon those wordes thou shouldest bee vnthankfull towarde a benefactour It were too longe to stand vpon the benefites that other inferiours receiue from those whome the Lorde hath set aboue them onelie this doe I require of all inferiours to enter into some diligent consideration thereof in so doeing I am sure that they shall finde them farre to exceede the opinion that before they had of them It is therefore verye meete and requisite that our dutie towardes them in all thinges should bee such as may well bee called a true honouring of them and a right regarde of so greate benefites as we doe receiue by them The opinion of those men who restraine honour onely to some ciuil outwarde gesture of the body is so friuolous and vaine as it doth scarce deserue the honour of an aunswere That honour is not onely seene in ciuil gestures of the bodie but also in outwarde dedes to be done as may appere in the first Epistle to Timothie where the holie Ghoste speaking of the mainteynaunce of them that labour in the worde calleth it Honour affirming that such doe deserue double honour And in the same Chapiter he admonisheth Timothie to honour widowes that haue no kinred to prouide for them meaning that he should se so good prouision to be made for suche as they mighte take them selues honoured therein And our Sauiour Christe reproued the Phariseies as contemners of the commaundement of God commaunding parentes to be honoured when they gaue counsell to their children to offer vp those thinges in the Temple whiche ought to haue beene bestowed towardes the reliefe of their poore parentes By these testimonies wee may cleerely see that such things as doe wittnesse our greate regarde and louing affections towards others are iustly called by the name of honour and they truely honoured therein ▪ There is a promise annexed to this commaundement that it shall go well with suche as honour their superiours and that their dayes shall be prolonged here vpon earth The promise in equitie is very well aunswearing to the thing it selfe that those who are thankful to the instrumentes of GOD wherby he hath either begunne continued or any way blessed their life should haue the blessing of manye good dayes and that they who are vnthankfull to those his instrumentes of life should in iustice be depriued of the benefite of liuing beeing so vnthankful and vnduetiful to the instruments thereof The transgression against this commaundemente threateneth the shortening of life vnto the rebellious and disobedient whiche punishment if it be not executed against his person will not faile to finde out his seede and posteritie in whom he is said after a manner to liue Contrarywise obedience to our Parentes continueth vs our posteritie according as it is written in Ieremie Because yee haue obeyed the commandement of Ionadab your father therefore thus sayth the Lord of hostes the GOD of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for euer A greate blessing of God to haue a heyre male of our owne seed wherein our name may be cōtinued vnto many generations The Verbe that heere is translated of a Verbe Passiue hath vsually in the Scripture
that was done what kinde soeuer it was according as it is written in Leuiticus If a man cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hathe done so shal it be done to him breache for breache eye for eye toothe for toothe suche a blemishe as he hath made in any such shal be repaid to him wherby the offender was drawn to the better consideration of that griefe whiche he had brought vpon another in feeling the displeasure thereof within him selfe and also feared the more from offending being wel assured before that he could offer no great wrong vnto his neighbour whiche selfe same in so doing he should not bring vpon his owne head This punishment doth not only declare the vnlawfulnesse of violence whiche here is forbiden but also by that punishment whiche the iust Lord did appoint for it we see howe great the offence is which hath had suche a punishment appointed for it from the iustice of God that more account may be made of suche iniuries then commonly there is in any place In this commandement is forbidden all crueltie and therfore in the punishment of certeine offences there was a number of stripes appointed whiche in punishing they might not passe as we reade in Deut. So doeth the Lorde abhorre crueltie that he would not haue it couered no not vnder the cloake of iustice zeale against sinne whiche vnder that pretence might be shadowed if in any respect at al it were to be mainteyned This lawe was so religiously obserued amongest the Iewes that they would alwayes giue one stripe lesse vnto the offendour whosoeuer And therefore fourtie beeing the number of strypes whiche they might not passe the vsuall punishment was to giue fourtie saue one whiche number they did not exceede no not in punishing of Paule towardes whom they beare so deadly hatred as he testifieth of himselfe to the Corinthes Of the Iewes saith he in that place fiue times receiued I fourtie stripes saue one Thus woulde the Iewes giue out some signification howe they did abhorre crueltie being verie vnwilling to be publiquely noted of that crime how bloudie soeuer their harts were no not at that time when as they might haue had some shadowe in pretending the zeale of iustice for their facte But Christians must abhorre that in deede whiche these in shewe would be thought to be farre from Crueltie was restrained in that whiche we read of in the nineteenth of Leuiticus of not putting a stumbling blocke before the blinde nor reuiling the deafe for suche wantes gette compassion amongest all those in whome there is any humanitie or pitifull inclination Those therefore must of necessitie be cruel and sauage that are so farre from any touch therwith as that they can abide to increase it by insulting vppon them and adding more torment vnto them To represse cruel dealing it was forbidden them to withholde the hyre of the poore and needie hyred seruant as it is written in Deuteronomie Thou shalt giue him his hyre for his day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith susteineth his life least he crie against thee vnto the Lorde and it bee sinne vnto thee To the same ende was the commandement giuen in Exodus for not vexing nor oppressing the straungers widowes and fatherlesse children with this threat If thou vexe or trouble suche and so he call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie Then shal my wrath be kindled and I wil kil you with the swoorde and your wiues shal be widowes and your children fatherlesse For the same cause in the same chapter they are cōmanded to restore the garment taken to pledge before the sunne go downe This is his garment for his skinne saith the Lord Wherein shal he sleepe therefore when he crieth vnto me I will heare him for I am merciful The commandement that was giuen in Leuiticus concerning those that were impouerished fallen into decay to relieue them but in no case to take vsurie or aduantage of them had in it the same purpose and ende to meete with crueltie and vnmercifulnesse For euerie suche condition hath in it matter to moue vs to pitie compassion which occasion is taken of the good as offered them from the Lord to declare whose children they are by being mercifull euen as their heauenly father is mercifull But when men are so farre from compassion and mercie as beeing prouoked by present and visible occasion offered they doe not onely shut vppe the bowels of compassion against them but euen make a pray spoile of them most cruelly increasing their miserie it is a plaine proofe that there is no droppe of humanitie and muche lesse of Christianitie within them To conclude this speeche of crueltie that whiche is written in Deuteronomie of the mouseling the mouthe of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and is applied by Saint Paule to the Corinthes to proue that the labourer may not bee denied his hyre and wages for his paines maketh plainely against crueltie battereth downe all the walles of vnmercifulnesse that are so strongly vpholden by the general practise of so many now a-dayes For what man almost is there of any worshippe or wealth who thinketh not that he may lawfully vse his tenaunt or poore neighbour without any wages yet the prophet Ieremie pronounceth woe againste this kinde of crueltie in these wordes Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers without equitie he vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke It is nothing so cruell a facte to robbe a straunger whome thou knowest not as to sucke out by his labour the bloude of thy friende and neighbour and after to sende him away without wages If suche buildinges stande vpon vnrighteousnesse as sayth the prophete it is to be feared that many a faire house in this land hathe suche a ruinous foundation as threateneth the destruction of the owner This kinde of crueltie howe heynous it was in the sight of God and what plague it might bring in iustice vppon the things that were in suche vnrighteousnesse accomplished did Iob verie well vnderstande and therefore saith If I haue eaten the fruites of my lande without siluer or haue grieued the soules of the maisters thereof let thistles growe in steede of wheate and cockle in steed of barley A righteous man saith the holy Ghost regardeth the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell If hee neglecte not his beastes but giueth them foode in due time muche lesse will he neglecte his familie or seruantes in defrauding them of that either in meate or wages that is conuenient These examples that nowe I haue alledged as they spring from an vnmercifull heart and tende to the vniust griefe and molestation of the bodie and life of our brother so are they directly againste this commandement Notwithstanding as they bring damage
this people at the time when they had made an end of the tything of their increase doth declare that they had in charge frō the Lord to relieue with their goodes the Leuite straunger fatherlesse and widowe For in Deuter. before the people should craue of God that hee would blesse their land they must protest in set words that they had giuen vnto the Leuites straunger fatherlesse and widowe accordingly as he had commaunded them and so proceede after declaration of this their obedience to his will to craue his blessing for the people and the lande thus vsing their goods to the commoditie of their brethren in lending and giuing according to Gods appointment they did giue apparaunt tokens of loue towardes their neighbours The Apostle Paule will not acquite him that hath stolne if he shall steale no more but chargeth him that he shall labour that he may haue some thing to giue to him that needeth that way to practise loue and the workes thereof vppon his needy brethren It is not onely therefore the dutie of rich-men to giue something towarde the reliefe of the needy but euen the poore must spare somewhat of their pouertie to the comfort of Christ in his needie members which be it neuer so litle that they offered of their pouertie if there go a willing and a faithfull minde withall is much more acceptable to God then great summes giuen from some wealthie men of their superfluitie onely without like faith or loue vnto the Lord as wee are taught in the parable of the widowe casting in her two mites into the treasurie which are iustified by our sauiour Christe to be more then all that the riche had cast in because theirs was of their superfluitie but hers of her pouertie If any ought to be dispensed withall from declaring their loue in this parte it is very reasonable that he who by reason of his long loitering in acquaintāce with stealing idlenes was become through custome whiche is an other nature vnapt for labour should be discharged vpon the maintenance of him selfe by some honest trade yet notwithstanding euen hee standeth charged from the Lorde to reserue some thing for the prouision of his needie members To encourage vs to duetie in this part of mercifull dealing and giuing to the needie the Lorde doeth promise that it shall bee paide vs againe in our greatest need For thus saith the Prophet Isay If thou refresh the hungry and troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in darknesse The Lord shall satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a spring of water whose waters fayle not A great blessing of God to be prouided for in drought a godly forcaste to lay vp in prosperitie that whiche we may be assured will not only come againe but also will be sure to watch that time when for our neede it shall be moste welcome vnto vs. Who would not be content to giue if he might be sure to haue it againe at his moste neede And beholde we haue letters patents from the Lorde vnder the broade seale of his bloude for the findeing of that wee haue laide out for him euen in our greatest neede How can we then be slack in the liberall laying out of some thing for an euil day according to the counsell of the holie Ghoste in Ecclesiastes Giue a portion sayth he to seuen and to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Moreouer the sentence of that great day proceedeth against the damned persons in this fourme Departe from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire whiche is prepared for the diuel and his angels for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drink I was a straunger and ye lodged me not I was naked and yee cloathed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Verilie I say vnto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me And if the promise cānot drawe vs the forme of sentence must necessarily prouoke vs to obedience heerein We learned before that negligent delaying whereby our neighboure is indaungered in his body or life was forbidden in this commaundement and then is speedy helpe and diligent vsing of the present occasion that is offered to doe our neighbour good giuen vs heere in commaundement Wee haue a singular example of this in the fourthe of Hester where Mardocai telleth the Queene that if she should let slip that present occasion then offered her to doe good vnto the Iewes shee and her fathers house shoulde perish and yet deliuerance would appeare vnto the Iewes from some other place In like manner Iob professeth that hee had not caused the eyes of the widowe to faile in longe looking and wayting before their request were graunted but had with all spede satisfied her desire acknowledging it for a greate offence if hee had bene but slack therein euen such as if he should haue bene guiltie therof might iustly haue brought a curse vpō him Our naturall inclination goeth wholy amisse in this commaundement as in the rest which notwithstanding it lye hid in some more cloasely then in other for all the it is not so cunningly couered in a ny but that it is disclosed and discerned when occasion is offered The man that is borne again vnto the hope of euerlasting life doth so cleerely perceiue his infectiō heerin that both in hart word he acknowledgeth the great necessitie benefite of a sauiour redemer being priuy vnto himself not only of many euil fruts the haue appeared in his life cōtrarie to this commaundement but also of a disposition within that is naturally prone inclined to offend heerein The hope that he hath in his mediatour and sauiour Christ Iesus doth not make him secure and carelesse in his sinne following the inclination of his owne heart but leadeth him to a continuall strife and debate with it because it is against the honour of his God and sauiour to whom he well perceiueth that he is onely beholding for his saluation and quickeneth him to all louing dealing which is so often commended and commaunded of his good and mercifull father The naturall man seeth not any such inclination in him selfe to wrath or dulnesse vnto louing dealing with his neighbours as through the grief therwith driueth him to make much of the alone Sauiour and redeemer Christe but when he is charged with his offences that burst foorth contrary to this commaundement hee maketh light of them and putteth them vp in a common bagge saying all men haue infirmities neuer so touched with it as hee can bee compelled to magnifie the grace brought by the alone mediatour Christ and much lesse is he driuen to any earnest warre with it or great care to profite in the works of loue that are contrarie to it To conclude this commaundement if
wee shall doe some outwarde thinges commaunded heere whiche shall obteine greate commendation of many men and for all that the Lorde want his glorie which consisteth in the foure points which were spoken of in the former commaundement it shall auayle vs nothing Those things that apperteine vnto God must of necessitie go with those dueties vnto men that shall be accepted Neither in deede can we holde out in these except we haue life and incouragement from the other For the loue that GOD is our God tenderly fauouring and plentifully rewarding vs that bee his muste make vs to perseuere in those dueties which otherwise would not abide the reproches and iniuries of men but would burst foorth to requite them and muche lesse would wee laboure to ouercome them and their euill with our good doone vnto them But this persuasion of his good fauour towardes his and plentifull mercie whiche is to bee shewed vpon them maketh men willingly to forbeare the insuing and satisfying of their owne corrupt affections not enuying the wicked their transitorie delights but prosecuting their course in his obedience through all their reproches while they doe well perceiue what a plentifull recompence of rewarde abideth for them by the free gifte of their GOD. The man that cannot be persuaded but that hee loueth his neighbour as himselfe perfourming all that is required of him in that behalfe must be sent to examine him selfe if there haue at no time appeared in him any cruell dealing towarde his inferiours any neglect or delay in helping and releeuing the distressed if compassion hath alwayes as occasion serued drawen him to speedie releeuing by lending or giuing so shall he easily see into the errour of his opinion Now let vs pray vnto our heauenlie Father that we may so see into our cruell and carelesse disposition that we may magnifie the free mercies of our GOD in the forgiuenesse thereof and also haue power more and more to subdue it that wee abounding in all mercifull dealing may glorifie him in this life and be glorified of him in the life to come H.I. ¶ The seuenth Lecture vppon the 14. verse 14 Thou shalt not commit adulterie WE haue learned alreadie that the loue whiche we owe to our neighboure stayeth not in his owne person alone but proceedeth vnto other things that bee precious and deere vnto him in the which if he shall by vs be annoyed foorth with in so doeing we shal be conuict to be voide of loue and charitie towardes him For the excuse is vaine and childish to say we loue the man when we stick not there to vexe him where we knowe it cannot be but that some greate griefe of heart will come vnto him He that loueth a man in deede dealeth tenderly with all those thinges that are especially liked of that man fearing moste of all there to offend where he vnderstandeth that he may the soonest displease And because nexte to a man him selfe his wife ought to be most deere vnto him the wrong that is done to any therein cannot but haue the next place vnto the sinne of murder The greatnesse of this sinne of whordome shall then better be discerned when wee shall bring our minde from that account which is made of it with man vnto that iudgement whiche the moste iuste GOD hath set downe of it in his worde It hath beene obserued in all times and is to be seene at large in the olde Testament that the sinne of adulterie and vncleannesse hath then abounded moste when for their idolatrie the people hath beene vnder the greatest displeasure of the Lorde And if to be giuen vp to this such like kindes of vncleanesse hath bene the punishment of that most greeuous sinne of idolatrie we may soone coniecture in what account it standeth before the Lorde For it cannot be holden for a small offence before him which he in iustice taketh to be a due punishment for the greatest sinne The holie Ghoste maketh the crime of theft a small matter in respect of the offence of adulterie affirming theft to be subiect neither to the like infamie and reproche with men neither yet to the like greeuousnesse of punishment from the lord And therfore when he hath spoken of the punishment that is due for theft amplifying the other crime aboue it hee vseth these wordes But hee that committeth adulterie with a woman hee is destitute of vnderstanding hee that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule hee shall finde a wounde and dishonour and his reproche shall neuer bee put away Thus the adulterer in his wickednesse doth both vndermine his owne life and also bringeth suche a blot of infamie and reproche vnto his name as neuer shall be wiped out It is not to be meruailed at if the holie Ghoste make adulterie a more heynous facte then theft For therein men rob not others of their goods substāce alone but of their honestie honor Neither rob they only those that are borne but also those that are yet vnfashioned in their mothers womb from whom as they take all honour estimation so they procure vnto them a perpetuall blot of infamie more and besides that that by their byrthe they become illegitimate and cut off from the title and claime of many temporall benefites which they are moste cruelly depriued off before that euer it was graunted them to see into the benefite and commoditie thereof muche lesse to take any comforte by the vse and inioying of them What the stayne was of infamie and dishonour that bastards were vnder in the olde lawe may appeare in Deuteronomie where it is plainely forbidden them euen to their tenth generation to beare any office among the people of god A cruel heynous offēce to rob so many generatiōs of all estimation all place of office honour among the people of God yet so much more heynous is the crime because it is done by falsifying of the couenant of marriage cancelling of the bond that was made by the Lord himselfe for the perfourmance of certeine dueties betweene partie and partie beeing sealed and deliuered in the presence of God his Angels and many other wittnesses assembled for that purpose Moreouer the adulterer as much as lyeth in him maketh a stewes in his owne house becommeth a bawde to his owne wife directeth the eyes and heartes of adulterers towardes her in as muche as it is a punishment iustely befalling him from the iustice of the Lord if he shall haue his owne wife abādoned to the wickednesse that he hath brought vpon another Whiche punishment Dauid him selfe though otherwise deare vnto the Lorde and leading his life in vprightnesse sauing in that faulte with the wife of Vrias was not free from according as we reade in Samuel Iob also acknowledgeing the iustice of that punishment offereth him selfe to suffer the shame thereof if euer hee sought to abuse any mans wife But if it shall so fall out that a wicked man in this
kinde of sinne shall haue a godly wife whome the Lord shall preserue from this euill to yeeld vnto the wickednesse of others yet is his faulte neuer a deale the lesse heerein then if he should haue fallen into that extremitie of sinne because his deseruing hath called for that punishment from the Lorde which the Lorde in mercie towardes her hath withholden And in asmuch as the adulterer depriueth a man of the true comforte of his true and naturall seede and posteritie can we imagine otherwise of the Lorde but that hee will drawe one swoorde or other vppon some of his children that shall neuer ceasse to pursue them before it hath driuen them in at the dores of death Iob speaking of this sinne of adulterie sayeth that it is a fire that deuoureth all to destruction So that by this testimonie the house of the whooremonger must be consumed and there is a secret fier flaming there that threateneth to deuoure before it hath done and made a finall end which men might easily se by sundrie experiences in the world if there were no word of God to leade vs therevnto The hope to hide this sinne which bewitcheth the vngodly leadeth them into this fire of God his wrath must of necessitie be vaine because the Lorde him selfe hath taken vpon him to be reuenged of those that shall dare to breake that bond of wedlock which he hath made In the olde testamēt the Lord did by a special law made for the purpose take vpon him not only the knowledge reuealing and punishing of this sinne euen when it should be most secretly done without witnes of any other man yea or certeine knowledge frō the husbād him self but also the defence and clearing of the guiltlesse woman oppressed vexed with the vniust ielousie of her husbād who might presēt his wife whether she were guiltie in deed or onely in his ielous minde was thought to be so before the priest vnto that tryall which God had appointed established for the end After which matter solemnized with all the circumstances therof as it was appointed in the boke of Num. if the woman were defiled in deed then should her belly swel and her thighe rot if she were not defiled then should she not only be free from this punishmēt but also be blessed with fruitfulnesse as appeareth in the same place We see how greatly the lord doth abhorre adulterie taking vpon him to bewray the closest dealing in the wickednesse that can be and also what a care he hath of the vniting of their mindes who are become one by mariage in ordeyning a law to cure ielousie and so taking vppon him also the defence of the innocent partie That law is now ceased but that same God doth yet remaine bearing the same hatred to that sinne that he did before hath the like loue to innocencie that before he hath had So that there is small hope to be had when God is become the searcher him selfe when he who knoweth it is an vtter enimie vnto it and hath professed the reuealing of it yea and that more is the iust and deserued punishing thereof It would greatly feare the theefe if it were noysed that that man would searche him whome he doeth wel remember to haue passed by and behelde him while he was hiding of that whiche before hee had stolne Wee doe not reade through the whole testament the like solemnitie in the searching out of any sinne neither yet that in any other sinne the partie suspected was compelled to subscribe vnto certeine words of execration and calling for euil against himselfe if he had offended saue onely in this tryall of adulterie whiche may both teach vs in what place of sin to set this crime of adulterie and what measure of punishment to looke for after trespasse and transgression made in this parte The punishment whiche in the olde Testament was appointed to be executed againste it by the ciuil Magistrate was death according as it is written in Leuiticus The man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife because hoe hath committed adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and adulteresse shall dye the death In this commaundement is not onely adultery forbidden which is when one of the offenders is ioyned or betrouthed to another in marriage but also fornication when bothe the offenders are single persons We haue learned before that it is vsuall in the commaundements vnder one kinde of euill to forbid all that bee of affinitie with it and like in wickednesse vnto the same Fornication is forbidden in expresse wordes in Deutero There shall be no whoore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be any whoorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel The punishment of this sinne of fornication whiche was so fearefull among the people of Israel is brought in of the Apostle Paule to bring all men to suche feare of God as may restraine them from it Neither let vs commit fornication sayeth the Apostle as some of them cōmitted fornication and sell in one day twentie three thousand The life of man beeing so precious vnto our mercifull father as it is it can be no small sinne that prouoketh the Lord to procede in iudgemēt euen to the death of twentie three thousand And therefore is this notable punishment notwithout great reason ioyned to fornication which was the cause thereof For commonly this sinne is made as nothing hauing naturall infirmitie set beside it in the vsuall speech of men to hide it withall But the holy Ghoste doeth not so matche it in his speeche he doeth not set it before our eyes in a cloake of natural infirmitie whereby we should the lesse feare it but putteth vppon it the garment that in deede belongeth vnto it euen a cloake bathed with the bloud of xxiii thousand men There is great diuersitie betweene these two cloakes the one is farre vnlike the other in the eyes of the holy Ghoste this sinne is fearefully stayned with much bloud in the sight of fornicatours there is nothing in it whiche is not naturall and kindely so diuerse are their iudgements and so great is their disagreement of their opinions The Apostle Paule reasoneth against fornicatours by the worthines of our bodies whiche are the members of Christ howe great is that abasing and howe miserable to be diuorced from Christ and coupled to an harlot d ee ye not knowe sayeth the Apostle that hee whiche coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie for two saith he shal be one fleshe Moste certeine it is that the bodie of an harlot can be no member of Iesus Christe And the fornicatour by the testimonie of the apostle is become one bodie with her hauing the same coniunction with her in wickednes that the husbande hathe with his lawful wife in holinesse and by the appointment of the Lorde There is great cause therefore why the holy Ghost shoulde so earnestly persuade vs to flie fornication making
should stande charged towards his crate good name then towardes his goodes For as the holy Ghoste witnesseth in the Prouerbes good name is better then great richesse and the louing fauour of men whiche doeth followe it is aboue siluer and aboue golde This must cause vs to become carefull lest we should annoy him in so great a benefite and treasure of his as credits and good name is by good right accounted of by the holy Ghoste The togue therfore is here inioyned not to caste foorth by want of loue any suche speech as might leave behinde it the stayne and soyle of infamie reproche vpon his neighbour That the hurt and annoyance of the tongue may rightly be considered vpon it shal be good to proceede to the danger and damage of it particularly The first is when in open place of iustice iudgement any man shal of malice and will will testifie or depose that whiche is vntrue against his neighbour Which howe heynous a thing it is before God may appeare by the punishment that the Lord did appoint for the transgressours herein whiche was to haue the same punishment that he should haue had whō they did falsely accuse if the accusation had beene proued true As it is writen in Deuteronomie And the Iudges shal make diligent inquisition and if the witnesse be found false c then shall ye doe vnto him as hee had thought to do vnto his brother so thou shalt take euill away froth of the middlest of thee and the rest shall heare this and feare and shall from henceforth commit no more an such wickednesse among you Therefore thine eye shall haue no compassion but life for life eye for eye toothe for toothe hande for hande foote for foote The false witnesse therfore in the judgement of God is as great an offender as if he had done that in deed himself whiche vntruly he doth charge another withal therefore must he reckon with the Lord for committing that sinne himselfe howe heynous soeuer it shal be that by his testimonie and speeche an other is wrongfully blamed for As for example if he shall wrongfully accuse a man of murder he is in the same fault before God as if he should haue cutte any mans throate for false witnesse maketh them doers of that which vntruly by wordes they put upon others And because of the daunger that might grow herein the Iudges were charged not to receiue testimonie of one alone against his neghbour but at the lest two should testifie in euerie matter before any judgment should go against the man. For when the testimonie of two or three is thoroughly examined the falsehode if there be any may soone be found out whiche might ham better couert vnder one mans testimonie alone This may teache vs howe carefull the Lorde is to preserue the credite Of man from the malice hatred and venome of a false witnesse The Lorde also hathe charged the judge moste strictly that he hurt not the right and cause of any man with his tongue and sentence so carefull is the Lorde to keepe vs harmelesse from this member that is so tickle vnto euil Therefore Iudges and those that be in place of iustice are charged in Exodus not to ouerthrowe the right of the poore in his suite but to keepe them farre from a false matter either to pronounce it or to admitte of it because as it is there saide the Lord wil not fie a wicked man They are forbid there to receiue giftes because those wil blinde the eyes of the wise These are the charges that be giuē vnto them that sitte in place of iustice For the Lord meaning to make an harborowe againste all the winde weather of an euill tongue woulde neuer leaue the parte vncouered where the weather were likes to bring the greatest daunger And if the Lorde so mislike false witnesse that he would haue no place to be a sanctuarie for it he can neuer abide that wrong to be offered vnto him that his owne sacred seate of iustice should become the throne thereof It is no small matter before the Lorde to dare defile his seate with a false sentence And notwithstanding it seeme no one matter to pronounce a false sentence and to beare out an euill man or euill matter yet is it amongest the euils of the tongue the greatest to ouerthrowe the right of the righteous and to iustifie the wicked and so muche the more because that throne of the Lord place of iustice execution for the wicked is by that meanes made a denne of theeues and wickednesse Can there be a more monstruous sinne then this of the tongue to adiudge him the garland and crowne of a cleare and iust man who hath deserued the hyre and punishment of reproche euen from the seate of the Lord And whiche more is to make the Lorde to put the crowne vpon the head of the wicked and the halter about the necke of a iust man whyle sitting in his place and seate as it were in his name and for him they doe it iustifying by their sentence a wicked man or wicked matter whome the Lorde abhorreth and condemning the iust whom he approueth The Lorde doth threaten them that sitting in place of iustice and iudgement do bolster euill men and euill matters with those punishments and that in this life that of all others they doe moste mislike euen to be in contempt reproche and inwarde misliking of the people according as we are taught by the holy Ghoste in the Prouerbes It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shal the people curse and the multitude shal abhorre him but to them that rebuke him shal be fauour and vppon them shal come the blessing of goodnesse It is feared lest if men should set them selues in that place against euil men causes it were the way to make them subiecte to displeasure and losse of fauour with many without any gaine of good report but the holy ghost saith in that place that the blessing of good liking shal be vpō such wher as the other labouring by vpholding euil matters either to keepe friendship or otherwise to make all stand in awe of their displeasure so to speake of their greate authoritie with admiration of it shall finde the contrarie euen the secret misliking of al howsoeuer for a time feare may keepe it in that outwardly there be no exclamation outcrie against it In the word of God not onely those are charged with this sinne of false witnesse that first sett on foote and erecte a false tale to the discredite of their neighbour but those also that by their approuing of it and eares willingly opened vnto it do vphold the same For notwithstanding it were set vp yet must it of necessitie fall downe againe if it should finde none that would by the receyuing and approuing there of
sinnes that bee alreadie ripe in oure selues and to turne it that way to be reuenged vpon them when it would be so gladly occupied in suspecting and surmising euill in others which either is not so at all or at the least not so cleare as in our selues So that alwayes this bee our rule from the sight of our owne sinnes to proceede to the reprouing of others In consideration of the end and vse of the toung which is to giue foorth the good things of the heart we are sent from speach either bitter or nipping or vainely or without profite delighting vnto the wholesome wordes of edifying and instructing one an other vnto good as it is written in the Prouerbes The heart of the wise maketh his mouth wise and addeth doctrine vnto his lippes His sweete words are as an honie combe sweetnesse to the soule and health to the bones The lippes of the iust man are reported to feede many and that they knowe what is acceptable to God and man and labour to get grace and fauour to that which they do speake It is sayd that the fruit of a righteous man is as a tree of life and that he bycause he winneth soules is wise and that he shal be filled with good things for the fruit of his mouth that it is that good vnderstanding and wisedome that getteth grace and fauour with men with other infinite testimonies out of that booke directing vs to the right vse of the toung Wee haue to learne so to examine our dealings with our neighbours credite and good name according to these dueties here prescribed vs that wee learne truely to humble vs vnder the free mercies of Iesus Christe and truely to honour him by shewing forth our loue towards our neighbour in all good dealing with his name and subduing those affections that rise vp against it that we may giue forth testimonie vnto others that we are in Christe by cause we are dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that wee may witnesse our loue vnto men by all faithfull and louing dealing with their name The xj Lecture vpon the seuenteenth verse Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house neyther shalt thou couet thy neighbours wife nor his man seruant nor his mayde nor his oxe nor his asse neyther any thing that is thy neighbours THis last commaundement pearceth deeper then the former Before the deede was condemned that was hurtfull to our neighbours and the setled wil also and resolued determination these were forbidden in the other commandements but nowe the holy Ghoste reproueth the desire and lust towardes any thing of our neighbours notwithstanding there be no full resolution nor setled consent giuen therevnto I call it a setled consent when in our mynd we are fully resolued and haue set it downe that we will embrace and follow that as occasion shall be giuen wherevnto our desire lust and appetite doth leade vs Desire and longing after the thinges of our neighbours as house wife goods or lande which yet are cut off before we sit down with the deliberate persuasion to take our pleasure of them are here brought vnto iudgment and restrayned by this commaundement In deede the Lorde doth pardon and forgiue vnto his childrē the desires and longings of their minde that are repulsed and beaten backe before they obteine full consent But it is one thing to dispute what desire vnto euill is in the desart of it selfe and an other howe it is pardoned in the merites of Christe For in the merites of Christe not onely the desires but also the euill doings of his seruants lye hidden and couered We are then to consider what reckoning is to be made of the lusting coueting desires that solace themselues some good time with their neighbours benefite when yet they shal be scared frō that feast before their affectiō shal be filled wholy satisfied In the gospel after S. Luke we are charged to loue the Lord with all our hart with al our strēgth with al our thoghts While thē our thoughts are carried hither thither now after his goodes to desire this house or this parcell of land of his or the estate condition that now is his although we would not wishe it before his death being a long time holden in these thoughtes and vanishing in these desires although nothing be fully concluded to say deliberately in our heartes These pleasures will we followe are we not iustly blamed for not louing him with all our thoughts Were it not a plaine mockerie of GOD if a man should giue libertie to his thoughts to pursue pleasures whole dayes and weekes so that they take heede of setting it downe and concluding fully to wallowe in any Our thoughts should be wholy taken vp to the Lords vse and therefore may they not be let loose after goods or benefites of our brethren with the alone charge to take heede howe they fully settle them selues in them but so they be sure of that otherwise to take no great care this is not by loue to take vp our thoughts and direct them to his seruice but by carnall libertie to giue them the head And surely we may discerne a fault in this euen by the light almost of reason that our thoughts should rather delight to spend themselues vpon euill or vaine thinges then vpon those that haue the greatest pleasure and chiefest goodnesse in them Behold then it is a faultie thing that our thoughts run rouing after vaine things that they folow the delights of their neighbours pleasure or profites though not greatly setled in them but wantonly wandring by them Why should they not bee fastened with delight and whole consent vnto good things Hath not the Lord payde the price for body and soule and al that is in vs Why then should not all bee kept vnder his obedience without rouing after our owne desire Either else why should wee excuse any thought straying and wandring from him with this answere that it had returned before it was gone so farre as possible it might This is no reasonable excuse nor plaine dealing before our God this is not to loue him with all the thought It were a verie vngodly thing and would be cryed out against euen amongst mē if any should permit his sonne not to spare daliance and delight with young women so that hee made this alwayes sure that they should gette no holde of him by giuing full consent to ioyne in marriage with them This were an intollerable thing among men And can we thinke when we shall haue delighted oure selues a long time in the pleasure of vnlawfull thoughtes that this wil wipe out all bicause we are not fully purposed to dwell in them Our thoughts are married already vnto the Lorde they are not at libertie to matche them selues where it shall best like them neyther yet to acquaint them with any straunge loue She is no longer
ground of our heart and loue seeketh not all her owne but oftentimes frankly and freely giueth of her right vnto god Herein also we may discerne that loue hath great things in it that it mightily carrieth the affections to that which it loueth keepeth them occupied there euen oftentimes to the neglect of it self The rarenes of it and the great mesure that we shall see our selues come short thereof must force vs to often earnest prayer to God for it wherin it shall be profitable to remember that this not seeking of our selues but the good of others is in trueth the next way to benefit our selues For as the hād which is occupied alwaies in giuing forth help to the mouth or other partes of the body doth in so doing prouide for it selfe hath his nourishment help and health of that whiche it hath giuen vnto the mouth so by the especiall working of God it commeth to passe that our benefite is inclosed in that which we bestowe vpon another and he becōmeth the best husband for him selfe that is most employed according to his calling vppon other This is a speciall work we may see of Gods grace for our nature is wholy giuen to attend vpon her selfe little regarding so matters go wel there how it fareth with others abroade Loue in like māner is knowen thus that it is not prouoked vnto anger it is not easily incensed though wrong be offered vnto it For the heart is so knit by loue that it can well beare many wrōgs This note wherby loue is discerned differeth not much frō that propertie which was spoken of in the first place saue that to speake properly that is a meekenesse ioyned with doings this with suffring This hardnes to be prouoked vnto anger is procured by the help of that which foloweth being another token of loue that it thinketh not euill or imputeth not euill For in as much as it standeth not vpō the matter examining the euil dealing that is in it but by loue either altogether passeth ouer it or else twiteth and blameth some other thinge for it as a cause that moued the doer therevnto and so remoueth it from him therefore it cannot be incensed therewith or prouoked vnto anger Parents in dealing with their children do plainely proue that loue wanteth this diligent considering thinking vppon or through examining of the euil of their children For how many of their froward doings do they passe ouer not examine at all In how many thinges which they se to be offences in thē doe they notwithstanding put ouer the whole blame thereof to some one thing or other as that their frowardnesse commeth for lack of sleepe or want of meate c. For loue cannot ryfle into the euill to be musing and thinking much vpon it diligently examining the wickednes how great it is that doeth appeare in it loue cannot stand vpon it to gather together the coniectures that may be had of great euill to be in it Hereby it appeareth that loue is far from suspicion of euil where there is no apparant tokē thereof seeing it passeth with such speede and turneth the thoughts so soone from musing vpon and examining seene and knowen euils in those whome it loueth It is also incident vnto loue as a true marke to discerne it by not to reioyce in iniquitie but to reioyce in the trueth So doth the holie ghost report of it in this place The trueth wherein he that loueth is said to reioyce signifieth true and sincere dealing according to the vsuall speech of the scripture which may also be vnderstode in that it is set heere against iniquitie or vnrighteousnesse as being contrarie thervnto This propertie of not reioycing in iniquitie is very fitly ioyned vnto the former For in that it was said not to thinke euill but friendly not to impute it it might bee thought that loue had a delight in the euill dealing of him whome shee loueth therfore is this added that it reioyceth not in his euill dealing vnrighteousnes For these may wel stand together not to search into euill thinges to withdrawe his affection from the offender therein and yet for all that to bee grieued that the thing is done For he well vnderstandeth that that whiche is done vnrighteously can not but turne to his discredite and reproch which he wold bee loath should happen vnto him whome hee so tenderly loueth The most wicked man that liueth would bee loath that the man whome he loueth should doe any thing whiche in his iudgement coulde not but bring harme or hurte vnto him and when any such thing escapeth him hee is grieued and vexed at it If it be sayd against the trueth of this that when one wicked man loueth an other yet he will reioyce at many things done wickedly and vniustly by him whome he loueth To this it may be answered that hee according to the blindnesse and hardnesse of his heart thinketh not that his suche dealing will any waye turne to his hurte or discredite but thinketh rather that it will woorke his credite amonge those men that hee vseth to make account of as for feare of punishment from GOD against him that is farr out of sight Herevpon it is plaine that perfect loue is not to bee found but among the godly for all other through blindnesse and hardnesse of heart reioyce at many thinges done by those whome they loue which are not sincere and righteous and therefore must turne to their hurte from the handes of the Lorde which yet they do not so much as once surmise bicause their iudgement of things is not according to the word of god Heere falleth downe that great piller of Poperie which cryeth with open mouth for loue and vnitie and yet smothereth trueth righteousnesse and sinceritie reioycing and triumphing in that which the trueth and righteousnesse of God set downe in his woorde vtterly condemneth Here also is condemned that damnable sect whiche termeth it self the Familie of loue who vpholding their loue like vnto the Papistes are cleane gone from the trueth and righteousnesse of God approued by his woord vnto a righteousnesse approued by the reuelation of their owne spirit making the woorde of GOD the playnesong whiche their spirite may descant vppon as seemeth good vnto it selfe but alwayes so that there be no melodie but from their owne mouth For they will haue the woorde to haue no soundnesse nor certeintie in it selfe Heereby is all the friendshippe of the wicked condemned who will haue no long liking of any but suche as will ioy with them in their wickednesse for they will not holde friendshippe with them that will not lend them the credite of their countenaunce and if neede bee of their othe also to helpe out euill causes withall Heere also are all these detected of want of loue who publishe abroade the infirmities of their brethren to those to whome in no consideration it is behouefull to be knowne Loue reioyceth not in iniquitie nor in
our face c. But the godliest man that euer liued was neuer free from all those punishments that there are appointed for the transgressours of the lawe nor yet blessed with all those blessings in all thinges which are promised to them that keepe the lawe and therevppon we may safely conclude that the godliest man that euer liued did neuer fulfill the lawe For then surely the Lorde woulde haue stoode stedfast to his promise both to haue procured all these blessings promised vnto him and also to haue kept euerie part of those punishments from him whiche are appoynted for the transgressours of the commaundements of God. In this manner dothe the Apostle proue that righteousnesse commeth by the mercies of GOD taken holde on by faythe bycause the wrath of GOD is reuealed from heauen againste all vnrighteousnesse and vngodlinesse of men withholding the truth in vnrighteousnesse proceeding to the punishment of the Gentiles ▪ to declare what did befall them declaring also as concerning the Iewes that the name of GOD was euill spoken of for them that calamitie was in their wayes and that they had not knowne the way of peace taking his ground from the punishments that light vpon them to proue that they did holde the truth in vnrighteousnesse that their obedience did not aunswere vnto their knowledge whiche they had of GOD that they coulde clayme nothing in respect of their deedes whiche the Lorde from heauen had reproued by punishmentes brought in vppon them And therefore hee doth strengthen his former affirmation that the iust man shall liue by faythe which was his purpose to proue vnto them and vnto the whiche ende he directeth all his speache in those foure chapters In like manner the Apostle proueth to the Romanes that all men had sinne euen children that did neuer committe any actuall offence bycause death which is the punishment of sinne did take holde vpon all This one punishment therefore if there were no other may suffice to proue that no man euer did keepe the lawe bycause death whiche is a punishment for transgressing the lawe dothe seaze vpon all men of what estate degree or yeares so euer It is the reason of the Apostle in that place that bycause all had sinned therefore death came vpon all prouiding by the dealing of GOD against man in punishing of him that man had dealt against GOD in transgressing of his lawe and commaundements nay prouiding which is yet more that bicause GOD punished al men therefore euerie man hathe offended against him in transgressing his lawes and commaundementes so that there is no man that can say hee hath or doth fulfill the lawe For if it might in trueth be vttered of any man that hee were able to fulfill the lawe it might in like manner as truely bee affirmed and hoped for that the same man should neuer dye or chaunge this corruptible estate Wherefore then serueth the lawe May it stande with the righteousnesse of GOD to commaund any thing that we can not doe Or to make promises of lyfe for the keeping and obseruing of that which hee knewe assuredly wee coulde not perfourme Firste that the Lorde might righteouslye require that kynde of obedience at our handes though it were not possible for vs to perfourme it may bee proued heereby bycause we should haue had power to haue perfourmed it if wee had continued in that estate that he had lefte vs in Oure sinne therefore and weakenesse by the meane of sinne whiche is our owne offence can not nowe make that vnrighteous in GOD whiche before was righteous Our vnrighteousnesse and sinne can not make vs lesse indebted vnto GOD then before we were Is it not blasphemie to say that bycause we had offended more therefore the iustice of GOD should bee lesse then before it had beene Wee confesse it was iust before the fall of man to require all these duties at our hands bycause he had giuē vs power and abilitie to be able to performe them And can our sinne so pull in the iustice of GOD that nowe it shall no longer bee lawfull for him to keepe the same rule of equitie which he did obserue before Moreouer who can lett the Lorde who is indebted vnto no man to promise eternally lyfe vnder what deedes or couenauntes so euer seeme good vnto him Shall it be vnlawfull for a man who hath some portion of lande to sell to saye vnto a poore man who is not able to gyue halfe so muche as hee dothe offer to sell it for and as it is woorth in deede Thus muche I meane to haue for it of him who so euer shall inioy it Is it vnlawfull thus to price it bycause the pore man is not woorth so muche as will purchase it Dothe his pouertie make the lande of lesse value eyther else make it vnlawfull for him to require any thing like as the goodnesse of the ground doth deserue No man will thinke this to haue any equitie or right in it No more surely hath this other that our pouertie and want shoulde make it vnlawfull for the Lorde to esteeme the treasures of his kingdome aboue all the obedience that wee can perfourme and to set them at a greater price then this pouertie and want that wee are in shall euer bee able to reach vnto If it bee further demaunded what meaning the Lorde had in promising lyfe vnto vs for doing of that which hee knewe wee neuer coulde perfourme and bring to passe it is to bee aunswered that the Lorde did it to let vs who are so well persuaded by the nature of our owne abilitie see clearely into our pouertie and wante howe great it is that wee might haue true triall within our selues howe greatly wee are beholden vnto the free mercies of GOD in Iesus Christe When wee shall haue seene plainely by the lawe howe vnable wee are to perfourme that there is required to bee done of so many as hope for wages by reason of their woorke and that if wee will lay clayme to the mercyes of GOD for our woorkes wee remaine accurssed for euerie sinne and offence against the law committed by vs bycause it is the written sentence of the lawe that Hee is curssed that continueth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the law to do them Then not from the bare speeche of our mouth but from the true tryall of our heart wee are sente to the mercies of GOD alone to stick wholy vnto them acknowledging all our goodnesse to proceede from thence alone and are compelled by the sense and feeling of our owne wantes made knowen vnto vs by the law to let passe all that opinion of our owne workes which we before were so well persuaded of As if some impotent and lame childe that were in deede able to doe nothing towardes the earning of his liueing beeing chargeable to his father not onely for him selfe but also for one that should giue attendaunce vnto him should in the foolish persuasion
of some trifleing worke that he doeth persuade him selfe that hee is so farre from chargeing his father that hee is become very helpfull vnto him bringing in a greate portion of that whereby the whole familie is mainteined wherevppon the father setteth him to some worke promising to giue him wages for it as he doeth vnto day-labouring-men that the ouerplus of his charges maye redounde to his owne profite alone When the foolishe impotent childe seeth by good experience that hee is not able to doe any thing to the maintenaunce of his liueing then hee is forced to acknowledge his fathers liberalitie and to confesse his vndeserued goodnesse towards him whiche before hee made no reckoning of pleasing him selfe in the foolishe persuasion of his owne earning vntill by good tryall it hath beene proued vnto him to bee nothing In like manner the Lorde our GOD willing that wee should take our selues as wee are in deede beholden to his mercie and onely cleaue to that is constrayned to bring vs from this folishe persuasion of our deseruings and earninges by our owne workes the persuasion whereof keepeth vs from magnifying of his mercies as wee are bounde and to set vs to worke for wages appoynting vs hyre for laboure and wages for a certeine number of workes wherein when wee shall haue taken tryall of our owne insufficiencie to mainteine our selues we shall be forced to lay holde of his alone mercies and in true humilitie acknowledge the benefite thereof whiche was a principall end that the LORD did looke at in loading vs with that so greate laboure of the lawe and exactinge a continuaunce in euery woorke thereof so streightly at our handes For the promise to bee receiued to mercie in the merites of Christe alone was made foure hundreth yeeres and more before the lawe whiche came in to driue vs by due experience of our selues to sticke wholy vnto the bountie of that his mercie whiche thing to be so he Apostle proueth by the nature of the lawe that was giuen For suche a lawe was giuen as by meanes of our weakenesse coulde not giue life And therefore sure it is that the LORD ment not that wee should looke for happinesse from the lawe and the obedience thereof but wholy from the mercies of God in Christe If there had beene a lawe giuen sayeth the Apostle whiche coulde haue giuen life surely righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of IESVS CHRISTE should be giuen to them that beleeue Wherefore the lawe was our Schoole-maister to bring vs to CHRISTE that we might bee made righteous by faith The Apostle sayeth that if there had beene giuen suche a lawe as coulde haue giuen life righteousnesse should haue come by the lawe Sure it is that the want which was in the lawe to giue life was not in it selfe for it did promise life vnto them that kepte it whiche promise made by the LORD to the keepers of the Lawe it were blasphemie once to imagine that hee woulde not or coulde not perfourme Therfore the want that was in the law to giue life commeth wholy of our infirmitie by reason of the weakenesse that is in fleashe and bloud as it is written to the Romanes That that which was impossible to the lawe in as muche as it was weake because of the fleash GOD sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleash and for sinne condemned sinne in the fleash Greate is the opinion that fleashe and bloud hath of it selfe when the Lorde is constrained to bring a looking-glasse of his lawe for vs before we can bee brought to iudge rightly of our selues Great is the credit of our owne deseruing and earning by our well doeing when the Lorde to pull vs from it is forced to putt vs to the tryall of an impossible work Hardly are we brought from the opinion of our owne wealthie estate when the Lorde cannot be beleeued of vs telling vs the contrarie before hee hath layde before vs in his accounting booke our seuerall parcels of debte A Christian therefore is taughte by the ende that GOD had in giuing of this lawe to learne how harde a thinge it is to lay downe all lyking of him selfe and opinion of wel deseruing for his deedes in as much as the Lord is driuen to reckon with vs particularly proue vnto vs by plaine euidence that we are worse then nothing before wee can be made to let go the opinion that we haue once cōceiued of our owne good estate Therfore whosoeuer meaneth to depend truely vpon God must by the often sight of him selfe in the lawe be weyned from the opinion of his owne doeings while that in seeing his deformities so muche in euery parte by meanes of the sundrie and seuerall dueties that are commaunded hee be compelled by good tryall to acknowledge the benefite of his bloud whereby they are wyped away For it is the true tryall of our selues that maketh Christe to be of any reckoning with vs It is the true misliking of our selues that causeth vs to like of him How necessarie then is it for vs not onely to acknowledge a kinde of debte but to see the seuerall parcels thereof in euery commaundement growing to such a greate summe as should offer iuste occasion to thinke highely of him who hath brought vs a free discharge for these so many and sundrie billes of debte Let vs learne then often to go vnto the counting booke of our God to see in euerie commaundement the great debt that we are drawen into that wee may haue occasion knowen to our selues to be very greate why we should wholy beetake vs to the mercyes of our god It falleth out oftentimes that a manne who is deepely in debte for want of earnest consideration had of the seuerall sūmes parcels of the same may take it to be no greate benefite to be discharged thereof but when the particulars be summoned and brought in and in the whole thereof appeareth to be a great matter to discharge hee beginneth to chaunge his minde and to take him for a speciall friend that would offer to aunswere it euen so it commeth to passe with vs while in generall words of course we confesse our selues to bee sinners and therefore indebted vnto GOD but yet neuer truely consider by true tryall of our selues in euery commaundement what the particulars are whereof the generall ariseth so great Wee make no greate account of the mercies brought by Christe for the discharge thereof because the greatenesse of the debt and daunger for wante of summing the particulars is not truely knowen nor rightly considered of which is the thing that maketh a right reckoning bothe of our owne wante and also of his worthinesse in releasing vs from so greate daunger and debte By this we may clearely perceiue that so many as shall not often looke to their liues by the lawe doe neither knowe what wretchednesse is in them selues
nor yet what mercie is in Christe For beeing ignoraunt of the seuerall parcels they doe iudge amisse of the whole and therefore of the greatnesse of that benefite that hath discharged all Those men that are not acquainted with the often sighte of their seuerall sinnes by the lawe and commaundementes may fitly bee compared to a man that hath some sore in his body which he discerneth by some little hole appearing in the skinne yet so as he maketh nothing of it neither thinketh to be any greate benefite to be cured thereof for it appeareth to him to bee verye little by reason of the small quantitie of skinne that is broken but after that it beeing searched and lanced there is knowen to be so muche dead fleashe about it as beeing taken out maketh the hole tenne times greater then before then hee beginneth to thinke what daunger hee is in for the decay of his whole bodie if that parte bee not well healed and therefore taketh it for a greate and singular benefite to be cured thereof whiche before he did nothing at all esteeme No lesse necessarie is it for vs by searching into our seuerall corruptions by euery commaundemente to cutt away the dead fleashe of carelessenesse and good lyking of our estate or at the leaste of findeing no greate lacke in it whiche hindereth the true enterteyning of the free mercies of Christe For it is the burthen that wee feele of sinne by the lawe whiche maketh grace sweete and acceptable vnto vs and they that be loaden with the weight of sinne bee those whome the Lorde hath promised to ease as it is written in Matthew Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and loaden and I will ease you For what are they that doe not well perceiue in what a miserable condition they should bee without him can neuer rightly esteeme of him One contrarie maketh an other better knowen Libertie is neuer so swete as when it commeth immediately after bondage One day of libertie is more made of while the burthen of bondage is fresh in memorie then two dayes are after when there is no remembrance lefte of the former condition It is miserie that maketh a right account of mercie It is miserie that maketh mercie to be mercie The lawe must let vs see our miserie that we may haue right regarde of mercie If it were so expedient for Paule to haue the messinger of Sathan to buffet him lest he should be exalted out of measure for the abundaunce of Gods giftes that praying often that it might departe from him he could not be heard to haue it taken cleane away as appeareth to the Corinth how necessarie is it for vs that are in much more daunger then he to bee exalted with the liking of our selues to be kept humble with the continuall sight of our infirmities in the lawe that we exalte not our selues against the free grace of our God In the booke of Iob it appeareth that the Lord to hyde the pride of man vsually bringeth them into some one great affliction or other and that sundrie times For there it is saide that GOD will worke thus twise or thrise with a man that he may turne back his soule from the pit For these are the wordes of the text in that place This doctrine vtterly ouerthroweth them that rest in their workes looking for righteousnes and iustification from their owne deseruings good deedes because they haue kept the lawe of God in their owne opinion and therefore may iustly lay clayme to eternall life for those their good deedes This doctrine also condemneth all secure men that haue no sense of sinne For the lawe should so lay open vnto vs the soares of our sinnes that the verie sight thereof might sende vs to Christe For the ende of it is so to charge vs with our owne woful estate that we may be driuen to giue ouer the strongest holde that we haue whiche is the opinion of our selues and fortifie our selues in Christ in his mercies alone It is the greatest worke of the Lorde to win this hold at our hands yet if we remaine in it we are but dead men and caste away euerie one of vs The Lord therefore meaning to hyde vs in his mercies and there to make a sure safe harboroughe for vs doeth shoote off this warning peece of the lawe so to shake this ruinous holde of our owne good deedes that we seeing in deede the weakenesse thereof may take vs to his mercies alone a holde that will holde in deede The practise of sathan by the Lawe is in extremities for either he woulde driue vs to despaire thereby or else touch vs not at all therewith But we are learned out of the worde of God that the office of the lawe is to ioyne vs to Christe and to keepe vs from bothe these rockes of securitie and despaire whiche are two daungerous rockes and therefore needefull for all men to take heede of in this voyage of Christianitie For either of them bothe doeth threat to make shipwracke of our saluation Let vs therefore require of the Lawe to do that which vnto it apperteineth that it would so let vs see our selues that we be no longer carelesse of our estate which must needes be vntill that warning peece haue awakened vs and scared vs out of our selues But if it shal presume to deal further with vs to driue vs to despaire remēber that that is more then it hath in cōmission for the law is charged with no more saue this so to humble vs that Christ may receiue vs For as an euill bodie must be prepared before the physicke that shal do good must be ministred so must the lawe by true humbling of vs and purging these hautie humours that we be full of make way for the medicine of his mercie to worke well vpon vs This doctrine giueth God his true mercie for to giue vnto them that be vnworthie is a thing worthie and beseeming God Dare indignis res magè digna Deo. It giueth vnto him true iustice for it ascribeth vnto him suche iustice and righteousnesse as no righteousnesse that is found in man is able to stande with all but muste yelde and giue ouer But the doctrine of the Churche of Rome offendeth bothe against his mercie and iustice ascribing neither perfect mercie nor righteousnesse vnto God. For it is no mercie to helpe him that hathe deserte in him selfe to be holpen that is iustice Neither is that iustice perfect and beseeming GOD that mans can matche withall and stande without checke before it That lifteth man too high abaseth God too lowe The law then teacheth vs true humilitie letteth vs see that it was the free and vndeserued goodnesse of God that hath begone whatsoeuer holinesse and righteousnesse of life is in vs Moreouer when we shal be assured that we haue verie well profited in Christianitie it is also necessarie for vs to beholde our selues often in the
lawe and commandements of God thereby to see what infirmities are still in vs that the Lord may haue the praise of his vndeserued mercie as wel for continuing his graces vndeseruedly as for beginning thē without any our desert For when we shal perceiue by true tryal in our selues what iust occasion the lord hath offered him on our part to stay or rather vtterly to giue ouer his merciful dealing towards vs we must acknowledge euen from our heart that the Lord hath taken the occasion to continue his graces towardes vs as well as to beginne them in vs from his free mercies alone and so from an humbled heart yeelde vnto him no lesse prayses for continuing then for beginning true holinesse in our heartes that he may haue whiche by good right doeth apperteine vnto him the whole glorie of our newe birth and regeneration What horrible wickednesse were it with the Chuche of Rome to part the praise of our Christian conuersation betweene God and vs whiche is wholy due vnto his vndeserued grace according as it is written in the Epistle to the Philippians It is God that worketh in you bothe the will and deede euen of his good pleasure This is spoken vnto them that had begone and continued also some good time in Christianitie that they should continue in feare and humilitie because God wrought in them euen of his owne good pleasure and not at the deserte of their obedience whiche may soone be perceiued to be true if we shall examine our selues by the Lawe and commaundementes of our God whiche thundereth out curses against him that shall not continue in all manner of obedience vnto the ende The lawe beeing looked truely vppon will let vs see muche required and commaunded and yet vnperfourmed of vs muche forbidden yet for all that done of vs and therfore many curses due vnto vs by our own deseruinges so that we shal be forced to confesse the greatnesse of his kindenesse that continueth through so great vnkindenesse of oures We may conclude then that in those who haue begone in simplicitie and singlenesse of heart to serue the Lorde the lawe hathe great vse and the often sight of themselues therein is verie necessarie not onely to be humbled vnder the freenesse and vndeseruednesse of his grace but also vnder the greatnesse of his goodnesse whiche is so muche knowen to be the more as our deserte is knowne and perceiued in our selues to be the lesse so muche the more tried to be mightie as it is well perceiued not to haue beene beaten backe by so great force of our sinne as we are well priuie vnto by tryall had of our selues in the lawe to haue stoode in the way against it Therefore to conclude this part the lawe and commandements of God truely beholden and considered do teache vs to giue vnto God the honour that is due vnto him as well for the free vndeserued beginning as for the free and vndeserued continuing of his mercies towardes vs that he that will glorie may glorie in the Lorde Moreouer this vse we haue of the lawe of God that by it we are truely directed into the way of life which of our selues we could neuer haue learned and so forewarned of these by-wayes of our owne deuising and deuotion whiche leade vnto destruction For it can neuer be lawfull that the rule to serue and please a maister by should come from his seruaunt who is to please and not from the maister himselfe who is to be pleased And therefore miserable should our estate haue beene if we should haue imagined that the rule for vs to serue and please God by were to be taken from our good intent and well meaning and not from the Lord our maister his good pleasure and liking If a maister should not haue prescribed his seruant what to doe or to leaue vndone there were more to be saide for his good meaning although it did goe from the good liking of his maister whiche was not vttered vnto him but when the maister shal make knowen his will and pleasure by his woorde there is no excuse lefte vnto good intent or good meaning when his pleasure made knowen and declared vnto the seruaunte from his owne mouthe shal be neglected and not accomplished by him The lawe therefore being the will of our maisster vttered from his owne mouthe teacheth vs truely and safely to serue him and stoppeth vppe that daungerous pitte of our good intente deuotion and good meaning a daungerous pitte to fall into at any time but nowe moste daungerous when we haue learned what is good deuotion and good meaning euen from the Lords owne mouthe There is also an other singular benefite whiche we haue by the lawe and seueral commandements of God which doeth remedie a mischiefe that is ouer rife in these dayes Many not of the worste sort of men content themselues generally to haue a liking of the word of God and a general good meaning towarde his commaundementes but neuer trauell to approue their heartes before GOD by profiting and goeing forwarde in the seuerall dueties of euerie seuerall commaundement whiche is well prouided for in the lawe where wee are charged with seuerall dueties vnto GOD and also vnto man so as the neglecte of any duetie sett foorth by the lawe redoundeth to the contempt of the Lord who is the lawgiuer The often perusing therfore of the seueral commandements doe bring vs from christianitie pretended in generall profession and meaning vnto Christianitie approued in particular practise of seuerall dueties drawing that vaine generall profession and liking vnto particular and seuerall well doeing It were a lewde practise of a seruaunt to pretend good liking of any thing that his maister should commaunde yet neuer to put his hande painefully to the executing of his seuerall charge There is nothing so common among many professours of the worde as to vpholde the credite of professing the Gospel and fauouring it not with careful following after the thinges giuen by name and particularly in charge vnto them but onely with their general liking or rather their not misliking therof as if this were good seruice to giue our maister leaue to commaunde as seemed good vnto him so wee might be at libertie to practise and doe as muche as like vs It is a Christians profession to vpholde Gods honour in what thing soeuer it is assaulted there specially where it is most assaulted in any he most weak to resist which kind of warfare as it is the best so is it well mainteyned by this light of the law For there we se by often true examination which of the walls of Gods glorie are moste battered in vs beat vpon by the aduersaries power whereby if there shal be any care in vs we shal be prouoked to bring all the helpe that we haue or can come by to that parte to strengthen it withall For to what purpose were it for vs the enimies entring in at one parte of the house
that the word of the Lord came vnto Abraham in a vision saying Feare not Abraham I am thine exceeding great reward And Abraham said Oh Lorde God what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse Beholde to me thou hast giuen no seede wherefore a seruaunt of myne house shall be myne heire Then the worde of the Lorde came vnto him saying One that shall come out of thine owne bowells hee shall be thine heire Moreouer he brought him foorth and sayde Looke vp nowe vnto heauen and tell the starres So shall thy seede be And Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse By this testimonie we see that Abraham was accoūted righteous not in part righteous or half righteous but with out any addition it was sayde of him that he was righteous before he had any sonne and therefore before he could offer vp his sonne in sacrifice euen then when he made complaint vnto God for that he had no sonne and therefore a seruaunt must bee his heire beleuing the promise that thē was made vnto him for a seede and posteritie that shoulde come out of his owne loynes that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and hee him selfe accepted of as righteous before the Lorde Iames sayth that hee was iustified when his owne sonne Isaac was offered vppon the altar and that this deede of his in not refusing to kill his onely sonne for a sacrifice at the commaundement of God did so please the Lorde that he was iustified for it In the other place alledged the holy Ghost affirmeth that hee was iustified before his sonne Isaac was borne euen at that time when the promise was giuen forth that he should haue a sonne and that the beleeuing of this good will of God towardes him herein did so please the Lorde that he accounted of him as righteous for it Howe then Doth the holy Ghost differ from him selfe God forbid But the Apostle Sainte Iames attributeth that to the effect for being ioyned with his cause which the holy ghost in that other place giueth vnto the true and originall cause alone As if one man wold iustifie a workman and commend him aboue others for workes that hee hath seene him do and an other would in like manner iustifie the same but for the inward skill knowledge and conceiuing that he hath of the rules and principles of that trade or occupation what so euer which skill he may discerne by his speache albeit he neuer sawe him worke And albeit a man may say that he is a good workman bicause his worke is good yet if a man wil speake properly he must say he is a good workeman bycause his skill is good For his good skill in that trade is the cause of his good workmanshippe and the goodnesse thereof commeth from thence as from the proper founteine and cause Nowe euerie man knoweth that when any man is commended for his worke it is bycause of the skill and knowledge that appeareth therein and is ioyned therewith as the onely cause and occasion thereof Euen so bycause our fayth appeareth in our good woorkes as our skilfull knowledge dothe in our skilfull workmanship that is giuen to good woorkes which is peculiar vnto fayth as the proper cause thereof and a man shall bee called a skilfull woorkman for his skilfull workmanship when notwithstanding it is most assured that his skilfull knowledge is before his skilfull woorke as also the cause thereof and hee iustly may be called skilfull for it notwithstanding he should bee kept from vttering that his skill in worke many yeres after the perfect knowledge thereof The holie Ghost therefore in Genesis iustifieth Abraham as skilfull for his skill alone and in that epistle of Iames he iustifieth him as skilful of that worke wherein so much skil appeared For it may be lawfull vnto me for the better vnderstanding hereof to resemble fayth by skill and good deedes by skilfull workmanshippe bycause as good workmanship hath all the commendation for the good skill that appeareth in it so haue good woorkes all their praise from the fayth that hath begotten them and is necessarily ioyned with them This is also to be added that bycause there is not in our workes that perfection that is required we are constreyned to stand to the mercie of God and to seeke refuge there by a true fayth and this is the cause why we magnifie faith which otherwise is imperfect as be all things that are in vs bicause it applieth the mercy of God vnto vs wherby our sinnes are pardoned and the want that is in our worke not imputed And for proofe that the Apostle Sainte Iames giueth not that title vnto woorkes to iustifie but bycause of the fayth whiche hath begotte those workes and which is ioyned with them and couereth the imperfections that is in them in the same place where he ascribeth righteousnesse vnto Abraham for offering vp his sonne hee sayth that this scripture was fulfilled Abraham beleeued and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friende of God So that all the commendation of this woorke is included in faith and giuen vnto it for the fayth of the doer For other wise hee should haue sayde Abraham wrought and that was receiued bycause it was righteous seeing hee had stoode vppon the commendation of his workes so muche immediately before and was euē yet in the same matter But he sayth Abraham beleeued and that was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse They would match workes with faith in iustification and the Apostle when hee speaketh most of works doth shrowd them vnder fayth saying after mention of his best woorke that this Scripture was fulfilled in it Abraham beleeued and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse and not receiued in the righteousnesse and deseruing of it selfe and he was called the friend of God. And in the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues all the woorkes of the godly fathers are ascribed vnto fayth and by name in the seuenteenth verse of that Chapter this deede of Abraham is fathered vpon his faith For workes are so farre from iustifying vs that the cause why they them selues are iustified is in fayth For without fayth it is impossible to please God. And in this chiefe worke of Abraham that nowe wee haue heard of that Scripture of imputing righteousnesse vnto him was fulfilled Therefore the worke did not stande in any account for the worthinesse thereof but onely bycause the Lorde did impute it vnto him for righteousnesse which thing also it did not attaine vnto of it selfe but bycause of fayth whiche was ioyned with it It is to be noted that the Apostle Sainte Iames speaketh here but of one woorke as the offering vp of his sonne and that woorke also not done but onely purposed to be done If therefore his meaning had beene to debate the worthinesse of woorkes and what place they haue in the purchase of our saluation hee would haue taken woorkes
vs then the affection of any Sainte or Angel herein we may be persuaded if we be not willingly and obstinately blinde for that he hathe tasted of that infamous death of the crosse for vs when we were enimies to him The like affection was neuer founde in anie Saincte or Angel towardes vs Shall wee then make him further off in affection then the Angels and Saintes and that they shoulde be sooner inclined to pitie towardes vs then hee and therefore wee shoulde beginne with them in our prayers for the appeasing of him This is not to make him the peacemaker but the partie to be appeased This is not to make him the man that should make them one who were at variance and debate but to make him one of the two that beeing at variaunce were to be made one The word of God appointeth him the onely mediatour and peace-maker betweene the righteous God and the vnrighteous man it is therefore the woorde of man and no worde of GOD that maketh him the partie that is at variaunce with man and must be reconciled by an other Is he who came downe from heauen leauing so greate glorie and laying downe his owne life for vs when we were his enimies nowe become so cruel that Saintes and Angels must be made for vs to stay him Is the matter fallen out so farre otherwise then he could discerne that comming with the minde and affection of a mediatour for vs he cannot nowe without a mediatour be at one with vs The Leuitical priesthoode did shadowe out vnto vs the priesthoode of Iesus Christe Their highe prieste was their mediatour and peace-maker that in offering vppe sacrifice made peace betweene GOD and them but there was neuer any meanes appointed to appease the priest nor any mediatour made for the people vnto him neither yet any ioyned with him It appeareth in Leuiticus that it was vnlawfull for any to abide in the Tabernacle of the Congregation when the prieste went into the holie place to make attonement vntill he had made an ende Wherein was plainly signified and established the trueth of the alone mediatour Christe Iesus in whome the trueth of this shadowe and figure was apparantly seene For when he was to offer vppe himselfe for our sinnes had he any helpe from any Saint or Angel Was there at any time suche infirmitie seene euen in the best of his Disciples as then when the Lorde went about the worke of our redemption all forsaking him and some swearing and forswearing that they neuer knewe him For it behoued him to goe about that worke alone not beeing ioyned with others nor hauing helpe or aide from any It wil be graunted that in the worke of redemption there is none to be ioyned with Christe but that he alone is the mediatour of redēption finishing that him selfe none otherwise then as the high priest was alone in making attonement for the people but in the mediation of prayer intercession they say that others are to be ioyned with Christ and that Saintes and Angels are to be made on our part and for vs vnto him Let it be shewed then that there was appointed of God or practised in the Leuiticall priesthoode any mediatour of intercession for the people vnto the high priest whiche must haue beene shadowed out there if there had beene any suche thing in trueth brought by Christe and therefore nowe to be vsed of vs. For according as it is written to the Hebrues The priestes that according to the lawe offer gifts doe serue vnto the patterne and shadowe of Heauenlie thinges This whiche hath beene said of faithe in the mercies of God shewed vnto vs in Christ the alone mediatour and redeemer teacheth vs to be humble in all our prayers refusing all our owne righteousnes deseruing casting off all the opinion therof hauing al our hope to be heard arising only in respect of the mercies of Christ assured vnto vs by faithe remembring alwayes that the proude Phariseie boasting of his good deeds in his prayer is refused when the poore Publicane is receiued making mention of nothing but his miserie sinne wretchednesse and therefore appealing vnto mercie in earnest suite calling vnto God for that alone In that prayer which is appointed vs by the Lord Iesus we do call God Our Father to assure vs of his tender fauour towardes vs For that is as we haue heard aboue all things required neither is it possible without this persuasion of his fatherlie affection to please god For without faith it is impossible to please the lord Therfore is it set in the beginning because without it there is no enterance vnto him nor hope of beeing heard at his handes Neither must we only be persuaded that the Lord fauoureth vs and is become a father vnto vs but also that in regarding our prayer hearkening vnto the petitions that we shal make he will make knowen this fatherly affection good will that he doth beare vs For when we are about to pray vnto him we are charged to be mindefull of this that he is our Father and so to cal him because in the hearing of our requestes we shal be assured so to finde him Marke it wel therfore that when we are to pray vnto him we are taught to call him Father The Lord cannot truly be said in any respect to be farr from his yet in praier is he said especially to draw nighe vnto them as appeareth in Deuteronomie in the Psalmes This is the thing that we ought to be resolued fullie of that it is the wil of our heauenly Father by hearing the prayers of his to testifie good wil towards them to giue thē experience triall of it that way to the strengthening and increasing of their faith Being therefore readie to pray let vs consider a whyle of the promises made vnto them that aske Knocke and Seeke that we may be persuaded by them to finde him Fatherly affected and inclining to our demaunds For that doth this worde Father in the beginning of our prayers offer to our consideration His being in heauen that is immediately spoken of after this naming of our Father doeth put vs in minde of an heauenly maiestie and power in him able to goe throughe with the purpose of his good will towardes vs that in nothing our hope of being heard may be hindered This helpe that is offered vnto our faith in prayer doeth tell vs that the heart of man is hardly resolued of this thing in trueth that the Lord is so present alwayes by good will power and effect at the suite of his seruauntes that thereby they take true triall of his greate good will towardes them matched with heauenly power maiestie and glorie for the perfourmance thereof And that there is great difference betweene this faithe and those opinions that commonly men are wont to conceiue of god For the common prayer of the greater sorte notwithstanding they be liberall
be heard Saue me sayth he for I haue sought thy preceptes And in the same 173. verse Let thy hand saue mee for I haue chosen thy preceptes Likewise in the last verse of that Psalme hee sayeth these wordes I haue gone astray like a loste sheepe seeke thy seruaunt for I doe not forget thy commaundementes And not in this verse alone but in many other through-out this Psalme hee conceiueth hope of beeing hearde in his Prayer because the Lord had giuen him a carefull heart to the keping of his word wherin his glorie doth consist In asmuch therfore as he was careful of his glorie he conceiueth hope that the Lorde will not be vnmindefull of him but is bolde in a godlie hope to say Beholde mine affliction and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy lawe And sometimes in this intreating of the Lorde to heare him he promiseth in time to come that he will keepe the statutes and commandements of the Lord as it appeareth in the 145. verse of the Psalme in these wordes Heare me O Lord and I wil keepe thy statutes These authorities from the Prophet are vttered to this end that we shuld not put those things a sunder which the Lord hath coupled together For the Lord his glorie is not parted from his wil reuealed in his worde whensoeuer we haue in purpose to sanctifie his name to get praise vnto him and to aduaunce his kingdome here vpon earth we must proceede no otherwise then according to his word being assured that it hathe allowance and probation from the same these three petitions do not so much note what seueral things are to be asked as with what minde those thinges that we aske according to his wil are to be desired that is euen with a hartie longing desiring to see his name sanctified his kingdome established and that whiche is to his good liking and will accomplished here vpon earthe by bringing something to passe whereof he hath declared his liking apparantly in his word If we shal craue any grace of him whereby to haue our life bettered and our conuersation amended the care of his kingdome the desire of his name the longing to see his wil and pleasure take place ought to bee the thing that should moue vs therevnto Our petitions also for temporall blessings or to haue euils remoued from vs ought in like manner to be made in the care and desire of his kingdome and glory who hath promised in his worde that he will be nigh vnto his that call vppon him in in trueth and that hee will heare the prayers of his that attende vppon his commaundementes bothe in blessing them with good things also in turning euil things from them Such things therefore we should also desire euen for the establishing of his name credit and kingdome here vpon earth according as the seruants of God haue done as appeareth in many places of the scripture Helpe vs oh God of our saluation saith the Prophet for the glorie of thy name deliuer vs and bee mercifull to our sinnes for thy names sake Wherefore shoulde the heathen say Where is their God beeing moste of all carefull least the wicked should triumphe ouer the Lotd if that he should not stand by his according as he promised in his worde but lay them open to all iniuries and reproches of the wicked without hope of deliuerance from him Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenlie father that we may so be touched with the glorie of his name the care of his kingdome and desire that his wil may take place as may comforte vs in the assured hope to haue our prayers heard when we call vpon him c. ¶ The xvj Lecture vppon the 11. verse Giue vs this day our daily bread WHen Solomon had made request vnto the Lord for the people of Israel on the dedication of the temple that hee woulde vouchsafe to hear their prayers when any of those seuerall occasions whiche there he maketh mention of should oppresse them in the end of his prayer he requesteth the Lord that he would defend the cause of his people Israel alwayes as the matter should require that what soeuer necessitie or extremitie time should bring vpon thē he would haue a fatherly regarde vnto them in that time of their necessitie releeue them This is that which is ment by daily bread that the Lorde would graunt vs euery day whatsoeuer shal be the necessitie of that day giuing alwaies the thinges of the day in his day For those be his words in that place according to the truth of the Hebrue text In this petitiō we haue warrāt to call vnto God for temporall benefites that we shall stand in neede of whatsoeuer The seruāts of God haue gone before vs by their example in applying the Lorde with prayer when soeuer the want of any thing did vexe them In the booke of Psalmes we shall see that Dauid in all distresses flyeth vnto God by prayer cureing all his griefes whether of minde or body with no other plaster then prayer That booke of psalmes being well perused let vs see the manifold vse and wonderful successe of prayer for somtime the Prophet cureth the griefe and languishing of his heart with prayer sometime he recouereth the helth of his body by prayer in other places he putteth all his enimies to flight with no other weapō then this of prayer to be briefe he maketh of prayer a medicine for all maladies speedeth so wel with it in all his necessities that we may not onely say in bare words that it is a salue for all sores but euen write vpon the head thereof Probatum est for it is tryed to haue cured all griefes and vexations of what kinde soeuer In the Psalme the Prophet declareth that hungrie and thirstie soules wandering in the wildernesse and calling vnto God by prayer are satisfied of him and sent away replenished with good thinges In the same Psalme he declareth in like manner that men beeing in prison bound fast with chaines and yron without all hope of help calling vpon the Lord in their prayers are heard of him their prayers graūted they deliuered The same psalme maketh mentiō of mē pyning away with sicknes or heauines of heart yet by calling vpon him in prayer to haue ben cured to haue recouered that dangerous estate To cōclude in the 13. verse of the same psalme the mariners that call vpon God when the tempest doth threten death vnto them are reported there to haue their prayers heard of the Lorde to be deliuered from that daunger and to bee brought to the land that they longed for What man not well instructed would once haue conceiued hope to haue these or the like thinges holpen by prayer What man not well instructed in the worde of God would not take it to be a casuall thing that commeth as it is said by fortune when faire wether commeth after a
and disposer of them but the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in worde thinke in heart that they came by fortune and chaunce and therefore doe not giue him the glorie for them neither sanctifie them by prayer as things receiued in especiall good will from God. In the Psalme there is plentifully set foorth vnto vs what protection the godly shall finde against all dangers in their distresses in the end of that Psalme it is declared by what meanes they shall escape those dangers in these wordes He shall call vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my saluation If any shall diligently reade that notable book of prayer the prayer booke of the holy Ghoste I meane the booke of Psalmes he shall cleerely see that which before was said that the prophet is no way distressed but hee runneth foorthwith vnto God by prayer and findeth comfort at his hands knowing as he testifieth in the Psalme that the Lorde is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in trueth that hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him that he will heare their cry and saue them It hath bene declared that we in this petition are taught to call vpon God for deliuerance whatsoeuer our necessitie shal be and that with hope in God to be heard albeit we see no meanes how we shal be holpen It hath in like manner bene declared how hardly this is perfourmed of vs that we should haue hope when we can see no meanes lightly to helpe so that it is the faithfull man alone that giueth this glorie vnto god We learned out of the Psalme that the faithful man beeing tossed with the tempest vpon the sea and seeing no possibilitie to escape resorteth vnto God by prayer and findeth the fruit thereof This as was said before is hardlie perfourmed in such extremities where there appeareth no meanes likely to deliuer vs It is as hard a thing by reason of our corruption to seeke at God his hands by true prayer those outwarde benefites that are procured by our laboure as by meanes appointed of God to helpe vs therevnto As for example whē a man hath an occupation to liue by it is no easie matter for him to craue as hartily at God his hands for his liueing as that man that wanteth all ordinarie meanes to mainteine him We are taught in this petition to beg at the hands of God by prayer those outwarde thinges that haue meanes ordeined to bring thē euen then when we haue the vsuall meanes For the man that hath friends of great credite that are able to compasse matters of greater importance then he hath any to trouble them withall must looke seke for successe at the Lorde by prayer as carefully as if he knew of no helpe or friendshippe at all When men of wisedome credite or power go aboute their matters without any calling vpon the name of God they plainly denie the Lord that honour that is due vnto him for he must be acknowledged as hee is in deed the disposer of all outwarde benefites aswell of those that come by the meanes of our labour indeuour or other our meanes whatsoeuer as those that come so as we can giue no reason of the same comming by casualtie or fortune as men commonly vse to speake And in this petition wee are taught to craue all outwarde benefites and the successe and goeing forewarde of all our laboures of the LORDE who is the onely giuer of them and without whose especiall blessing all healpes and meanes are to no purpose according as it is written in the Psalme Except the Lorde builde the house they labour in vaine that builde it It is vaine for you to ryse early and lye downe late declaring heereby how little helpe there is in all our carefull toyle to atteyne to wealth and earthlie commodities And therefore in all our trauailes wee are taught to resorte vnto GOD by earnest and faithfull prayer It is he that muste blesse our going in and our comming out as wee do reade in the Psalmes Wherfore the godlie looke for a peculiar blessing of GOD vppon their laboures and seeke vnto him for it when as the vngodly ascribe the honour that is due vnto God vnto those helps and meanes of counsel labour or indeuour which are but the instrumentes appointed of the Lord therevnto The daunget of this disease is so greate and man so easilie drawen to seeke vnto the healpes that hee hath without any due respect and regarde of the Lorde that in expresse wordes he giueth his people warning of this offence in Deuteronomie Beware leaste thou say in thine hearte my power and the strength of myne owne hand hath prepared me this aboundaunce but remember the Lord thy GOD For it is he whiche giueth the power to get substaunce Let vs learne to sanctifie all outwarde blessings by prayer seeking them vnfeignedly at the Lorde and acknowledging them in trueth and from a persuaded heart to haue beene giuen vs from the hands of our God what soeuer hath bene store or strength of our meanes to procure thē by For otherwise they are not pure vnto vs if we bee not resolued of the giuer thereof reaching through all meanes into the sight of his goodnesse who is the Lord and disposer of these temporall thinges A Christian is taught in this petition not to be tormented before hand with the feare of an hard estate and euil condition in time to come because the Lord who is the disposer of all outward thinges hath taught his to resort vnto him for the necessitie of the day in the day and time of their distresse promising to stand by them in their troubles and wants and to declare himselfe to be their God by the benefites and mercies that he will graunt at their requests What a great burthen therfore are we discharged of by the Lord who in promising to heare vs in the day of our calamitie hath cut off many cares griefes and vexations which long before they come torment the vngodly and when they are vppon them doe driue them either to despaire or to vngodly shiftes How iust also is the plague and punishment of those who refusing this benefite of the Lorde will haue their owne care and feare vsurpe vpon the mercie and goodnesse of GOD who in singular good will hathe returned vnto vs the benefite of our thoughtes and cares to haue them otherwise bestowed for our good in his seruice willing vs not to be careful before hand for the necessitie to come for the care of the day shall suffice for the same If the Lorde in mercie abate and giue backe this benefite of our care that we may haue it before the necessitie come free to bestowe vpon his seruice for our owne profite what madnesse is there in our refusall nay
what wickednesse and contempt of the grace of God That man therfore that learneth not to abate the care for outward daungers and necessities to come can neuer in trueth pray vnto the Lord that he would giue him this day his daily breade For these wordes of daily bread and this day doe cutt off the care and torment of times farre off By the promise whiche in this petition we doe trust and depende vppon the holie Ghost to the Hebrues cureth couetousnesse willing them to be content with that they haue to see that their conuersation be without couetousnesse because the Lorde hath saide I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee This promise of the Lord that he will not forsake his in the day of their necessitie is set as a bulworke to beate backe their feare of want and carefull coueting that ariseth therevpon that they may hold them wel content and apaide with their present state and condition The holie Ghoste maketh a great diuersitie betwene the godlie and wicked touching these earthly thinges for they come to the godlie as it were sleeping for so doeth he tearme their quiet laboure that wayte assuredly for the successe frō the Lord in respect of the careful toile that the vngodly are tormented with as if their liuing lay onely in their trauels There is a secrete blessing of the Lorde which must be sought for at his handes by faithfull prayes without the which all care and trauel that can be taken wil not auaile It is the blessing of the Lord that maketh riche sayeth the holie Ghost There is more in that then our fleshly and mistrustfull heart can easily be persuaded of Let vs therefore learne to lessen our mistrustfull care that we may testifie to the worlde the increase of our faith in the persuasion of his mercie towardes vs according as this petition doeth admonishe vs For in praying vnto him for these outward commodities we doe acknowledge that they be at his disposing and that all the labour in the worlde will not fetche them vnlesse it please him to giue successe Wherefore we may plainely see that when we haue trauelled or vsed those outward meanes wherby commonly benefits are procured we haue but accomplished one part and the least part of that that bringeth the benefite in deed Prayer must also be vsed and the Lorde he is to be intreated and this is not the least but the chiefe parte The godly tempt not the Lord by refusing his meanes but euen then when they doe vse those meanes they are muche in prayer for the successe and going forward of them whether it be labour counsell or friendshippe that they they vse to compasse their matter by For the want of this we see it fall out in common experience that the wisest men haue had suche successe with their deuises as the most foolish man that is could not haue made a madder matche then often times falleth out euen there where their care and counsell hath beene the greatest whiche teacheth vs to giue the Lorde his due to acknowlege him the Lord and gouernour of those temporall commodities to begge them at his handes by true and vnfeigned prayer and by faith to depend vpon him and not vpon our trauel no not where it is the greatest and promiseth the moste vnto vs. Worldly men that depend wholy in the persuasion of their heart vpon the help of their hands their wisdome or their wealth or friendship do dissemble with the Lorde in this request For they seeke that at him as his gift whiche their heart telleth them that they haue alreadie at home Couetous men that wold gather faster then he will giue how can they in trueth seeke it at his hands when they are not at any time content with that measure or portion that he doth giue neither rest in his distribution hauing such a hungrie desire as would prescribe the Lord and not be limited or prescribed by the Lord The oppresser hard cruel dealer that pretendeth to beg his bread temporal cōmodity of the Lord in the meane time is the purueyer and prouider for him selfe by suche oppressing and vnmercifull meanes as the Lorde abhorreth doeth dallie with the Lorde deceiue him selfe and maketh his praier a curse vnto his owne soule and a witnesse in the day of iudgment against his own conscience in that he hath professed in this prayer that to be the Lords gift whiche he sought of sathan by suche wayes and meanes as he approueth but the Lord abhorreth them We pray here for others aswell as for our selues he therfore that professeth to pray for others their good estate concerning temporall thinges and yet conueyeth that whiche is others or withholdeth it eyther by violence or deceipte with what conscience doeth he offer this petition to the Lord The children of God haue their faith declaring it selfe by outward thinges while they doe depende vppon him for them wherein the vngodly bewray their wante howsoeuer they boast of their inward persuasion of his goodnesse For if the Lord speede them not to their contentation they will not sticke to prouide for themselues by suche either open or secrete oppression as he hathe plainely forbidden as if he were onely the God of the soule and not of the bodie also whole man to prouide for both according to the good pleasure of his will and wee by faith to depende and wayte for a speciall blessing from him euen in outward thinges which the vngodly cannot see into For they binde the Lord so vnto the instrumentes whereby hee worketh his will that in truth they haue the glorie and he is altogether depriued thereof They be only his children that in truth acknowledge him the giuer of these outwarde benefites therfore wil vse no meanes besides those which he hathe approued The other in seeking helpe by meanes forbidden of him doe plainely speake in those their doings that they haue no faith nor cōfidēce in him we may in faith good hope aske those thinges because they make for the glorie of God who doth reigne and rule in earth by giuing vnto his their wantes euen in these outward and temporal things according as we may learne in the Psalm Where after many words declaring that God executeth iustice for the oppressed giueth bread to the hungrie loseth the prisoners kepeth the strangers relieueth the fatherlesse ouerthroweth the way of the wicked immediately it followeth The Lord shal reigne for euer ô Sion As if the Lord should not be known to reigne if he should fayle his seruants calling and depending vpon him in their distresses For we may not think that he faileth his seruants when he giueth them better benefites then those which they doe aske As if they craue deliuerance out of present daunger and he by taking them in mercie out of this life worketh a final riddaunce out of all daunger shall we say that the Lord hath not heard them Likewise if their
vpon vs by offending but also the punishment whatsoeuer that followeth therevpon as shal hereafter God willing moste plainely appeare We are therefore put in hope by this petition to haue as well the punishment as the fault of our sinne pardoned forgiuen vs so that when any punishment of God is vppon his they neede not to despaire for we are taught and commanded by him to make suite for the forgiuenesse of sinnes which could not be done in faith if the Lord had not promised vnto vs the pardon forgiuenesse thereof The godlie at all times when any affliction was vppon them haue resorted to the Lord for the forgiuenes of their sinnes And why Are we not taught so to do in the holy scripture Doth not the praier of Solomon leaue this for a perpetuall doctrine vnto the Church that when any punishment is vpon those that be his they should cōfesse their sinnes in trueth with an assured hope in so doing to finde fauour at his handes and ease of their griefe when they shal truely turne vnto him according as it is written in that Chapter in these words When thy people Israel shal be ouerthrowen before the enimie because they haue sinned against thee and turne againe to thee and confesse thy name pray make supplication vnto thee then heare thou in heauen and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel bring them againe vnto the land which thou gauest vnto their fathers A plaine proofe we haue in this place that the people of God may resort boldly vnto God euen then when his punishment is vpon thē for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and as plaine is this also that his mercie toward them pardoning of their sinnes consisteth not only in the remouing of the fault frō them but also of the punishment that is due for the fault transgression For he praieth that when the people shal be led out of their land by their enimies because they haue sinned against the Lord that if they shall confesse their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord then he would be merciful and bring them againe vnto the land which is to remoue the punishment from them as well as the fault and guiltinesse This was that punishment to bee captiues and prisoners in their enimies land when they are brought home this punishment is remoued The like profe we haue of this matter in the same Chapter in these wordes When heauen shal be shut vppe there shal be no rayne because they haue sinned againste thee and shall pray in this place and turne from their sinne when thou doest afflicte them then heare thou in heauen pardon the sinne of thy seruants giue rayne vpon the land They that haue sinned are incouraged to pray vnto the Lord are assured to be heard whē they shall in trueth bewayle and confesse their sinne Marke it also that as well in this place as in that former the pardon of their sinne remoueth the punishment and reacheth vnto that as well as vnto the guilt therof I do note this because of that doctrine of the church of Rome which doth affirme that God doth pardon the fault of his and yet reteine still the punishment which they say must bee redeemed by their satisfactiō A daungerous doctrine that God shuld absolue them of the fault yet presse them with the punishment whiche doth not apperteine vnto them but in respecte of their offence because they are faultie this doctrine chargeth the Lord with iniurie For if he shal remit forgiue the fault yet reserue the punishment he punisheth without a cause For where the fault is pardoned the man is as if he had not offēded he is no longer accounted a trespasser Can it then stand with the iustice of the Lord to punish him whom he him selfe hath iustified as no offender in the free pardoning and forgiuing of his fault We do see it throughout this chapter that when they shall confesse their fault and turne vnto the Lorde they are discharged of the punishmente and that the holie Ghost is ignorant of this diuorcement betweene the punishment the fault which the church of Rome hath inuented to vtter their merchādize of satisfactions withall And lest any should thinke that this prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes did but take place in these special causes in the remouing of those particular speciall punishments the holie Ghost maketh it generall in the seuen and thirtie verse When there shal be Famine in the land when there shal be Pestilence Blasting Mildew Grashoppers or Caterpillers when their enimies shall besiege them in the cities of their lande or any plague or any sicknesse for these are the verie words of the text that their prayers shal be auaileable when they shal confesse their faultes and truly turne vnto the Lord for the remouing of those punishments what so euer they are that be vpō thē yea euen to make them that shal haue led them away captiues to haue pitie and cōpassion on them as it is declared in that chap. This is great comfort vnto a Christian conscience when he shall learne and vnderstand that there is a medicine that can cure him euen then when the Lorde shall haue reuealed his sinne by bringing punnishment vpon it Moreouer least it should be excepted against this that in deede Solomon praied that punishments might be remoued when they should confesse and truely bewaile their sinne but howe can it be proued that the Lorde did euer promise to heare any suche prayers The matter is manifest in the booke of Chronicles And the Lorde appeared to Solomon and saide vnto him I haue heard thy prayer if I shutte the heauen that there be no rayne or if I commaunde the grashhoppors to deuour the lande or if I sende pestilence among my people if my people doe humble themselues pray and turne from their wicked ways then will I heare in heauen and bee mercifull vnto their sinne and will heale their lande In the Psalme there is plentifull profe that the Lorde wil be intreated to forgiue the sinnes of his seruauntes and to remitte their punishmentes when they shall in true repentaunce humble them selues before him They sayth the prophet that dwel in darkenesse beeing fast bound in miserie and yron because they rebelled againste the word of the Lord when he humbled their heart with heauinesse they fel downe there was no helpe then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them from their distresse he brought them out of the shadowe of death and brake their bandes in sunder In that Psalme there is likewise proofe of the same matter apparant enoughe in these wordes Fooles by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquitie are afflicted their soule abhorreth all meate they are brought to deaths doore then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuereth them in their
in their neede and regardeth them in perfourming the trueth of his promise towardes them This acknowledging of the mercies of God by giueing of thanks helpeth forwarde the faith of other in persuasion of this tender care that hee beareth towardes his Wherefore the godly were accustomed to open vnto others the children of God the especiall benefites and mercie whiche they had receiued of the Lorde that they might not onely ioyne with them for the praise of his mercie but also receiue increase of faith in the visible experience of his goodnesse It is wel knowen that the people of God vnder the law had a solemne rite ceremonie in perfourming the vowes of thankesgiuing and peace offering when soeuer they had receiued any notable and singular benefite of the Lorde Whiche was a thing so well pleasing the Lorde that they present this their purpose to prayse the Lorde and to tell what he had done for them as a reason to persuade him to worke their deliuerance when they are distressed according as wee reade Saue me from the Lyons mouthe and aunswere me in sauing me from the hornes of the Vnicornes I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the congregation wil I prayse thee saying Praise the Lord ye that feare him magnifie him all yee seede of Iacob For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poore but when he calleth vnto him he heard My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation my vowes wil I perfourme before them that feare him The pore shall eate and be satisfied they that seeke after the Lorde shall praise him This kinde of persuasion haue the seruants of God often vsed and therefore wee doe reade that the godly in their petitions haue vsed often these words Shut not vp ô Lord the mouthes of them that prayse thee open not the mouthes of the vngodly that they may praise the power of their idols and magnifie a fleashly king They were persuaded that the Lord did greatly esteme his owne glorie and honor that it was a speciall seruice and worship that he delighteth in as it is in deede For euen the end of our saluation is the praise of his free mercie and grace and he hath elected his to the prayse of the riches of his grace and the end of our temporall deliuerance is to acknowledge and magnifie that grace whiche we haue tryed to bee true had good experience of the same So doth the godlie king Ezechias confesse that the Lorde would not haue him swalowed vp of the pit without the taste of his mercie in deliueraunce because if he had so departed the Lorde should then haue wanted that seruice of thankes giuing for his deliuerance which is so acceptable vnto him For those that are so ouerwhelmed in their afflictiōs tast not of the mercies of deliuerance which openeth their mouth filleth it with the prayses of the lord It was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule sayth Ezechias from the pit of corruption for thou haste cast all my sinnes behinde thy back for the dead cannot prayse thee they that go downe into the pitt cannot hope for thy trueth but the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day The father to the children shall declare thy trueth the Lorde was ready to saue mee therefore wee will sing my songe all the dayes of our life in the house of the Lord. That he sayth The dead cannot prayse him wee haue to take it as the trueth is that when those that be his are not deliuered in their distresses hee wanteth that praise here in earth where his glorie is often oppressed whiche their deliueraunce would plentifully spread abroade And they doe moste thirste after the tryall of his goodnesse heere vppon earth where there bee so many enimies to his glorie that seeing the plaine proofe thereof they may be plentiful in his praise Therfore doeth Dauid in like manner require deliuerance that he be not ouerwhelmed in his afflliction and so the Lord wante the praise of his deliueraunce Returne O Lorde deliuer my life saue mee for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee The Scripture is plentifull in such proofes where the seruants of God haue greatly longed for deliuerance that they might praise his name and haue vrged it as a reason to persuade the Lord to heare their petitions because then they would offer vnto him that well pleasing sacrifice and seruice of thankesgiuing a sacrifice that doeth so greatly please the Lorde and therefore cannot but be well liked of all those that be his It was declared before that there was a solemne rite and ceremonie among the Iewes in their thanks giuing after sōe greate benefite receiued where the godlie mett together not only to giue praise but also to be confirmed and strengthened more more in their faith persuasion of his fatherly care and regarde that he hath towards those that be his This is made plaine vnto vs in the Psalme He hath brought me out of the horrible pit sayth the Prophet and hee hath put in my mouth a new song of prayse vnto our God. Many shall see it and feare and shall trust in the Lorde It cānot but be a singular worship of God that ascribeth this right of gouernement and care of his seruants vnto him that also hath in it such force to increase faith which is the founteine of all obedience How greate then is the sinne of vnthankfulnesse when men passe ouer the benefites of God and the assured pledges of his fauour without any thankfull remembraunce or comfortable assuraunce of the good will of GOD Surely the neglect of this duetie I meane of thanks giuing to God when we receiue any singular benefite as some notable deliuerance from daungers or happie out going frō our trouble denieth the Lord to be the disposer and gouernour of thinges here belowe fathereth them vpon fortune or chaunce How soeuer they denie it in wordes it denieth in deede any especiall care to be in God ouer his it maketh God to be nothing beside a bare name and vaine imagination it ouerthroweth faith whiche persuadeth vs of the speciall care and good will that God beareth vs in taking his benefites not as common thinges but as pledges of his peculiar fauour in that as common matters and no witnesses of any especiall good will by vnthankfulnesse they are passed ouer and lightly let slippe Moreouer the want of this dutie hindereth the profiting of others in that they denie this helpe of strengthening their faith which the Lord hath appointed and the seruauntes of God hath practised according as it was of late cited out of the Prophet that many shoulde see what the Lord had done and be drawne to put their trust in him Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father in the name of his sonne that we may so pray that we may obteine