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
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
And therefore we may learne that this is the estate euen of those ciuil men that are not to be touched with any notorious offence or outward euill This Sabbaoth teaching vs our inward corruption stayeth not there neither is that the end of it but leadeth vs to vnderstand that our iustification sanctification and true holinesse of life are the free works of God within vs which we are compelled to graūt in that we confesse our own ways to be corrupted that the ceassing frō sinn is the ceassing frō our own ways works For if as the truth is our owne wayes be al corrupted defiled with sinne if any good be in vs it must haue a beginning and spring other where then from our selues That the Sabdaoth did signifie our newe birth in Christ to be the workmanship of God within vs may appeare in Exodus Keepe ye my Sabbaoth for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that you may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you For the deniall of their owne wayes must needes witnesse theire woorkes of sanctification to proceede from the Lorde and not of them selues The same is witnessed in Ezechiel and in the Actes of the Apostles The couenaunt made with Abraham for blessing all nations in his seede is saide to be perfourmed in Christ in turning euerie one of his from their iniquitie Vnto you saith the holy ghost in that place hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus And him hath he sent to blesse you in turning euerie one of you from your iniquities There is mention made in this commandement of the Lords creation of the worlde in sixe dayes as if the Sabbaoth should only direct vs to the consideration of that worke of our creation not requiring any thing beside especially seeing there followeth that note of inferring Therefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth day halowed it as ifelse there were no other consideration to be had In the fifte of Deute where the lawe is repeated this commandement hathe annexed to it the memorie of their deliuerāce out of Aegypt Remember saith the holy Ghost in that place thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hande and stretched-out arme Therefore the Lorde thy GOD commaunded thee to obserue the Sabbaoth day In this diuersitie of benefites to bee considered in the Sabbaoth we may learne the Lord meant rather to induce vs to the freenesse of his goodnesse in Christe in euerie benefite then to binde vs to any one particular fruit and effect therof the clearest testimonie of this free goodnesse we haue in our newe birthe And yet the scripture affirmeth the excellencie of our creation to be in Christ as may appeare by conferring the eighth Psalme with the 2. chapter to the Hebrues verse 7.8 and 9 where the excellencie of man aboue other creatures is put ouer to be cōsidered in Christ being crowned with glorie and honour The Prophet noteth the founteine of all our goodnesse to be in Christ the greatest fruite therof to be our new byrth notwithstanding all other benefites are receiued of his children as fruites and effects thereof And they bound therefore as in sanctification so in creation and deliuerance from Aegypt to acknowlege the alone free worke of Gods goodnesse and this is the cause why the holy Ghost doth not strictly bind them vnto one benefite in the obseruing of the Sabbaoth This commandement teacheth vs mortification for to that ende are wee taught that our nature is corrupt that we may learne to subdue the same to renounce it The Iewes had this special ceremonie of rest to exercise them in the doctrine practise of mortification the truth of which ceremonie is fulfilled in Christe For by the power of his death it is brought to passe that sinne dyeth in his It was necessarie they should be acquainted with this doctrine for the Lord hath no seruice of vs that he will accept of if we learne not to renounce and denie our affections neither can we goe truely to the obedience of him but in the deniall of our selues Our affections are as vntamed coltes that refuse to draw in the yoke of the Lord and therefore must be tamed if we meane to interreine obedience For we can not drawe nere vnto the Lorde except we shall remoue farre from our selues keeping vnder our wisedome and affections that they make no insurrection against the Lorde in the gouernement of his word If a man might reteine his owne affections and desires together with the worshippe of the Lorde it woulde be receiued of many but because they can not stand together but he who is ruled by the one must depart from the other the number of them is small that truely serue the lord For notwithstanding there be many that obserue outwarde thinges that apperteine to the profession of religion and outward deedes which they may do and yet not greatly straine their affections yet because suche men whensoeuer the matter of religion and duetie directly warreth with their affections then do vsually take part with themselues in their affections againste the Lorde their kinde of seruice of the Lord is but in deede a seruing of them selues For they haue not learned this speciall point without the whiche all the rest is nothing It is a small matter for a man to busie him selfe aboute sundrie thinges so that he be surely determined of this that his affections shall no sooner be pressed but he will forthwith set them at libertie and let them goe free If we shal haue taken part with the wisedome of God to the suppressing and abandoning of our owne witt if with his pleasure we haue stoode against our owne then may we say in trueth that there hath beene some religion and seruice of God vsed and practised of vs when it hath preuailed to the displacing of our owne lustes and desires By this commandement falleth to the grounde all free will of man to doe good all workes of preparing vs to receiue Gods grace For what franke and free will vnto God can there be in that nature that is dead in sinne Or how can he boast of the freedome or good inclination of his nature whose glorie and sanctification consisteth in resting and ceassing from the affections and motions of his nature in such a victorie ouer them as he be no longer led nor ruled by them This commaundement teacheth vs to giue all glorie vnto God in the true abasing of our owne corrupt nature for the Lord is not truely honoured and glorified of vs vnlesse he be found true we liars he iust we vniust He will not haue vs stande together with him No iustice but his must be vpholden in the fall of ours he aduaunced in our humilitie Many may be brought with the Phariseie to confesse Gods goodnesse in the benefites they haue receiued of him but fewe
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
can not otherwise be compassed And where is that man then that seeing what duties are to be perfourmed bothe to the Lord and to his brethren and in what manner of affection and loue for it is the end of Christe his death and the purchase of his passion to haue a number not only giuen but zelously giuen vnto good workes remembring withall what an enimie he hath at home of his owne nature if there be any feare of God in him that shall not be occasioned hereby more plentifully to practise the meanes of his saluation especially knowing that those who are ingrafted into the body of Christe must dye vnto sinne and rise vp in to these fruites of righteousnes Moreouer the knowledge and meditation of the lawe and commaundements doe helpe vs forward vnto true and sincere Christianitie For a great number deceiue them selues in a generall good meaning whiche they haue to serue the Lord taking that to be the true seruice of him and in the meane time are nothing carefull to keepe a good conscience in the seuerall dueties of the lawe nor any thing traueyling to traine vp their affections to delight therin as if in Christianitie we were to roue vncerteinely aboute good motions and good meanings and had no certeine marks of seuerall dueties set before vs to shoote at that we might so iudge of our selues as we see vs come shorte or wide of them whereas the true Christian in very deede profiteth in drawing neerer and neerer vnto the Lord in making his life and conuersation more conformable vnto the seuerall duties set downe in the commaundementes beeing likewise carefull to approue his doings by the lawes statutes made for the same as in ciuil dealings and traffique a man wil feare to offende against the lawes and statutes prouided in that behalfe And as a wise man that hath much dealing in the worlde wil haue some abstract of the statutes that as occasion requireth he may turne to them and so deale without danger of lawe so it standeth well with the policie of a Christian to be skilfull in the statutes of his God that when he hath to deale with the name of his brother lookeing in this abstract he may see the cautions to be obserued in the same that he offend not against the lawes and statutes of the Highest when soeuer he hath to deale with his goodes he may turne in like maner to that statute that hath prouided for wel dealing therin so auoide the dangers that otherwise he should fall into The like is to be done when there are dealings immediately betwene vs the Lord that we should often loke into this briefe abstract of the statutes of our God to see alwayes what is the prouiso that is made for his glorie and the suppressing of our owne corruption Our corrupte nature doeth aske all this of vs and the man that feareth God giueth no lesse vnto it For the blessed man is saide to meditate in the lawe of his God day and night Nay we see that the only wise God who knoweth better then we our selues what nede we haue hath appointed vs yet more meanes and therfore we must thinke that there is more vntowardnes in vs then we could of our selues suspect For he hath left it a perpetuall order for the education of his children that there should be men of special giftes both for learning and aptnesse to teach also for good life who by teaching exhorting and reprouing should as it were whet the word to make it enter It must of necessitie bee an hard matter that requireth such instruments such workemen for both the instrument and the workmen are from aboue The wisedome of the world could not perfourme this and therefore the Gospell which is the arme and power of God vnto saluation was sent from the bosome of the father and for the workemen we are not at our choyse to take where it seemeth good vnto vs but they are appointed to our hād by the holy Ghost who hath set downe such notes of good learning good life to discerne them by who are of his sending and fit for so weightie a worke as that they giue forth a plaine testimonie vnto vs that they come from Heauen framed and prepared of the Lord him self vnto this work As the goodnesse of our God could not deny vs any thing necessarie so his wisedome would not that we should be loaden with any thing superfluous and vnnecessarie which must force vs to conclude against our selues that we are not knowen vnto our selues vnlesse we see matter within vs necessarily requiring to be pricked forward with the liuely preaching and sounding ministerie of the word and that we tempt the Lord if we content our selues with our priuate readings and meditations and despise the preaching of the worde which the Lord hath seene to be so necessarie that hee hath appointed it not for one sorte of men but vnto all of what condition soeuer neither vnto age alone but perpetuall for all ages and times The labours therefore of them that doe write are not taken in hand that men standing vpon them should contemne or lesse frequent the publique ministerie of the Church but to bring them into greater loue and liking with the same that receiuing some fruite that way they might looke for a greate deale more by that which is appoynted by the Lorde to present vs perfect in Christe Iesus Concerning these Lectures I am to craue generally of all men to whose handes they shall come that in what point so euer they shall thinke their admonition may doe mee good they woulde not denie mee that Christian and Brotherly helpe and likewise if they shall in any thing finde themselues holpen by my trauell that as they are to returne the whole praise vnto GOD to whome onely it is due so they woulde not denie the comfort of their prayers vnto him whom the Lord in mercie hath vouchsafed to make an instrument though most vnworthie of some goodnesse vnto them And of your honour my verie good Ladie I am most humblie to require that this dutie how slenderly soeuer performed may according to your accustomed clemencie be well accepted of that what want soeuer be in the work either of that you desire or that I were in duetie to perfourme may finde a supplie herein for that it proceedeth from a minde moste willing to answer your desire and moste vnwilling if abilitie did serue to be behinde with the leaste parte of that that duetie may in any respect demaunde And as al good Christians should rather be desirous to lerne howe to go forwarde then to heare what good beginnings they haue made so I doubt not Madame but a fewe wordes vttered to that ende especially from me that haue great cause to be thankeful vnto God for that he hath already wrought in you shall finde better interteinement with your honour then much speeche directed to an other purpose howe good
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
The Children of God by the eyes of faith see a secret blessing promised which they apprehend by hope when as the common sorte wanting this eye cast away all hope vnlesse by a sensible manner they perceiue and presently may groape the goodnes and help of god The man that will take no knowledge that there is wante of faithe in him but doth professe as the most wil do that he trusteth in God with all his heart and that there is no mistrust of God in any parte or corner thereof is to be sent back to his doeings and thoughts that are and haue beene in him in the time of his troubles dangers pouertie or decay to consider if there haue beene thē in his hart no more doubting fearing or suspecting to bee prouided for from the Lorde then hath beene in other times by this meanes if there bee any sense or iudgement in him he shall be constrained to confesse the weaknesse of his faith so seeke his comfort in Christ beeing conuict within him selfe of suche mistrust and vnbeliefe as the lawe doeth accurse and condemne For if a man wil not willingly be wise in the beguyling of him selfe he may soone see and perceiue a greate diuersitie in him selfe at those times that where so longe as hee had helpes and and holdes to go by he was comfortable bolde confident those beeing taken away hee is become without all courage comforte or hope If there were no want of faith how could there bee any lack of comforte or hope If his confidence were not in the meanes how could he be as a man with out all hart or hope so soone as the meanes are either vtterly taken away or else diminished especially seeing the goodnesse of the Lord whiche is the ground of faith indureth for euer And that the man whiche will take no knowledge of the want of his faith may bee brought to the sighte of himselfe let him well consider with himselfe what shoulde bee the cause that when he hath aboundance and wanteth no necessarie help he is so exceeding sparing and carelesse in his manner of seruing and seeking of the Lorde in respect of the feare and care that he is in so soone as he shall be any way distressed and the paynes also that then he taketh in his manner of seruing the Lorde if his faith be at both times one why shuld his care whiche doth bewray his feare be almoste none at one time and so plentifull at another but onely that there was want of faith before albeit he coulde not espie it the meanes standing as a myst or a cloude betweene him and the light that would teache him truly to discerne The man therefore that boasteth of the perfection of his faith not feeling any want therin denying that he trusteth in his riches friendship authoritie or wealth muste bee willed to sette them a while aside in his thoughts and considerations imagining seriously and in good earnest that he had them not then let him aske his conscience truly serch out his spirits whither he could be as confident comfortable and hopefull in his heart in the wanting as in the hauing thereof his heart will then tell him the contrarie if he search truely and throughly and his deedes will declare no lesse For we shall se such as couragious and as confident as may be in their wealth credit and health and when they are taken away as faint and feeble as men that neither haue hart nor hope Thus must a man be sifted both in abundance and want that in the true sight of his pouertie he may be forced carefully thankfully to lay hould vpon the mercies brought by Iesus Christ As for vs that professe we know Christ are led to magnifie his mercies by the experiēce of sinne that we haue within our selues Let vs remember that it is our parte to declare that we are his and in him by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse Let vs therefore bee ashamed to beare the name of Christ to carrie the coūtenance of them that loue his gospell and yet in our nccessities to bee as mistrustfull and as readie to helpe it by one vnlawfull shift or other as euer we were or as they are that neither professe nor knowe the gospell Let vs be ashamed to professe the gospell and in the meane time to be at no more mislyking nor warre with our mistrustfull thoughtes then wee haue beene when wee had no knowledge of the same Hath not the Lord therefore died that by his power we might die vnto sinne hath he not appeared to weaken the power and strength of sinne in those that be his that although they cānot driue sinne from being at all in the flesh yet they might driue it from reigning and rulinge in them abeating the power and force thereof How can men thinke then that there is any trueth of Christianitie begunne in them beeing in the same manner affected towarde their mistrustfull thoughtes and euil shiftes that proceede thereof as they were from the beginning ere euer they knewe the word and Gospel of their GOD hauing no more hatred of them nor greater war and strife with them It is true that the Lord in mercie for Christ couereth the sinnes of his but it is as true that the Lorde cureth the sinnes of his It cannot be denyed but that for Christe he doeth pardon the sinnes of his seruantes neither may we deny but that in Christ he doeth also purge the sinnes of his seruants Let vs therefore brethren resorte vnto God by faithful prayer that as he hath taken away the condemnation of sinne so he would more and more abolish the rule and kingdome thereof Our hope is great for our promises are many our capteine is stronge our enemie hath often beene foyled euen in fraile flesh as feeble as we bee but the conquerors haue euer beene careful much giuen to vse the meanes of the word and prayer often in the fielde with their owne affections hauing vpon them the compleate harnesse of a Christian Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that wee may so see our wante of faithe that wee may truely magnifie the grace and mercie of GOD in Christe whiche couereth the imperfection thereof and also that we may haue such strength from the power of his death that by the meanes thereof we may more and more preuaile bothe ouer our mistrustful nature in want and also ouer our carelesse and secure estate in plentie and abundance ¶ The second Lecture vpon the thirde fourth fifte and sixte verses 3 Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me 4 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the Earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth 5 Thou shalt not bow downe to them neither serue them for I am the Lorde thy GOD a ielous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the
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
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
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
his wayes and to keepe his ordinaunces his commaundements and his lawes and to harken vnto his voyce as if the obseruing of the law were the placing of him in his seate of glorie Now that we haue learned what is ment by this worde Name it remaineth to vnderstand what it is to take his name in vaine This name is saide to be taken in vaine when there is not diligent care watchfull obseruing and greate regarde had to the commaundementes of GOD to doe them It is written in Deuteronomie If thou shalt not obserue to doe for so is the trueth of the Hebrue text all the wordes of the law that is If thou wilt not diligently marke this law for to doe it and feare this glorious and fearefull name the Lorde thy GOD then the Lord wil make thy plagues woonderfull c. Carelesse securitie when men haue no carefull minde of the worde of God to liue thereafter is that which is forbidden by this taking of his name in vaine or vainely For in this place the holie ghost expoundeth the obseruing and taking heede to doe al the commandementes of the lawe to be the fearing of this glorious name The Lorde thy God whiche feare of his name is contrarie to the taking of it in vaine and esteeming of it as a vaine thing In saying He wil not holde them guiltlesse he doth assure them of punishment that are carelesse in keping of his commaundementes wherevppon his name and honour hangeth as it is written in Leuiticus If ye shall despise mine ordinaunces either if your soule abhorre my lawes so that yee will not doe all my commaundementes but breake my couenaunte then will I appoint ouer you fearefulnesse a Consumption c threatening as appeareth in that Chapter to proceed in punishment vntill their vncircumcised heart bee humbled to the carefull keeping of his commaundements For those who minde his commaundementes to doe them are they to whome onelie his mercies are promised in the 103 Psalme The louing kindenesse of the Lorde indureth for euer vppon them that feare him and think vppon his commandements to do them The punishmente of these that haue no carefull regard of the worde to doe it is threatened in the 28. of Deuteronomie beginning at the 15. verse in the which verse it is to be noted that there is the same phrase of speeche in the Hebrue whiche I spake of before that is not obseruing to doe all the commaundements which importeth this want of care in doing pointing out by that speache secure men that take no greate care of the worde for to doe it The same wordes Obserue to do are vsed in the first verse of the same Chapter and therefore not lightlie to be regarded of vs beeing so often noted by the holie ghoste If wee peruse the iudgementes of God throughout the whole Bible wee shal easily perceiue that when the people ceassed to be carefull how to please God then was some one punishmente or other let in vppon them to awake them out of that daungerous sleepe of securitie Send away this care by good life to honour God and then assure thy selfe punishment will not be long absent if thou be not a bastarde ouer whome he hath no fatherly regarde And no meruaile for in very deed God hath no seruice in trueth where this godly care is wanting it is no prayer that is not a careful prayer he neuer obteyneth that hath no desire to obteine When workes of them selues good are done without any great care to haue them doone the same may haue prayse for doeing but the heart can claime nothing for any carefull purposing The scripture therefore is plentiful in teaching vs that a Christians life muste bee a carefull life comparing Christianitie to a trade or occupation that muste be applyed thoroughly or else there is no good to bee doone in it If any man striue for a maisterie saith the holie Ghoste hee is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do The husbandman must laboure before he receiueth the fruite sending vs to learne at husbandry the care and trauail of Christianitie Euery man that proueth maisteries sayth Saincte Paule absteyneth from all things and they doe it to obteyne a corruptible crowne but we for an vncorruptible This commaundement therefore excludeth all feigned carelesse and hypocriticall walking in the wayes of the Lord and telleth vs that the Lorde looketh vnto them as he sayth by the Prophete that doe tremble at his worde It is not lightlie to be passed ouer that requiring this care to be had of Gods glorie he ioyneth to the name of the Lorde those two wordes Thy GOD whiche signifieth that loue to him because he is our God must bring foorth the care of his glorie and this obseruing of his commaundementes to doe them For heerein is the care and feare of a seruaunt distinguished and discerned from the care and feare of a Sonne that the sonnes care and feare he hath of his Father is ioyned with loue and aryseth thereof and proceedeth thereby to please him The Seruauntes care and feare aryseth in respecte of punishment if hee displease his maister or else from the hope of wages if happily hee may please him in his seruice So that euen the true feare and care of GOD is mingled with the loue of him because he is our god And is not that which wrestleth with the conscience and proceedeth to doing onely for this cause to get ease thereof not hauing any respect to glorifie his good God not but that the Lorde hath such beginning euen of his best children but that it is not right before it be seasoned with the loue of his mercie For the feare of GOD is neuer true in vs till wee be drawen vnto him by his goodnesse where through he allureth vs as it is written in the Psalme Mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared In the Booke of Kinges Solomon prayeth that the straunger who is not one of the people of Israel but commeth to the house of GOD hearing of his woonderfull workes may haue his prayers graunted that al people may feare GOD as doeth the people of Israel acknowledging his true feare to spring of his goodnesse The feare of GOD because it ariseth of his goodnesse draweth vs alwayes vnto God and in the Scripture therfore argumentes and reasons are drawen from his feare to bringe vs toward him in some one or other duetie as in the Psalme Yee that feare the Lorde prayse him and the reason is taken from his goodnesse in the next verse following For he hath not despised the affliction of the poore but when he called vnto him he hearde Also in the 115. Psalme Ye that feare the Lorde trust in the Lord for he is their helper and their sheelde c prosecuting his goodnesse as before In the next verse following it is saide The Lord hath bene mindeful of vs he will blesse
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
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
vnto him by deteyning that whiche is his due they are against this commandement also Thou shalt not steale so that it is not vnpossible for one kinde of action to be guiltie both of murder and theft The negligence of man whereby his neighbour receiueth either losse of life or hurt of bodie is forbidden in this commandement The reason is verie good For if the Lord hathe lawfully and in equitie laide vpon vs the care of our neighbour his life by good right may he require at our handes the wilfull neglecte thereof The punishment of suche wilfull negligence towardes the life or bodie of their brethren was moste sharpe and seuere in the olde lawe as we may see in Exodus where the man 's owne life must answere for the life of his brother who perished by his negligence according as the example is sett downe there of a man not keeping vppe his oxe whiche he knewe was woonte to pushe If the oxe were woont to pushe in times past sayeth the holy Ghost and it hathe beene tolde his Maister and hee hathe not kepte him and after he killeth a man or woman the Oxe shal be stoned and the owner shall die also In this offence of negligence are all those transgressours against this commaundement who by delaying to take vppe matters in controuersie or suites of lawe with all possible speede that may be doe by their negligence giue occasion to the fraile nature of man to committe murder or some other mischiefe against him with whome he is in controuersie And if carelesse negligence be thus daungerous howe harde a matter will it be to reckon with the Lorde for deliberate purpose to kepe men at variance and debate that their gaine may grow thereby It wil be a harde matter to answere before the Almightie if wee haue giuen occasion whereby our neighbour hathe receiued losse of life Dauids carefulnesse herein is woorthily commended to all posteritie who when his men breaking through the hoast of the Philistins with the daunger of their liues had brought him water to drinke whiche he so greatly thirsted after and wished for immediately powred it out for an oblation vnto the Lorde and saide Let not my God suffer me to doe this shoulde I drinke the bloud of these mens liues for they haue brought it with the ieopardie of their liues therefore he would not drinke it A notable example to feare vs for being occasiō to any though seruant or inferiour rashly to hazard his life either for our profite or pleasure In this commandement the Lorde is not onely careful to haue obedience from our handes but also from our hearts and tongues so that bothe thoughtes and wordes must come vnder subiection vnto him that neither of them be infected with malice whiche the Lorde so hateth and abhorreth For we must interpret the Lawe according to the nature of the Lord who is the lawe-giuer Man by reason that he onely seeth the deede and cannot discerne of the heart maketh lawes for the outward doeings and punisheth them alone without proceeding further but the Lorde who searcheth the heart and reines maketh lawes for it and punisheth euen the consent of the heart goeing against his lawe in asmuch as the Lord hateth the euil it selfe he cannot but abhorre it wheresoeuer he shall finde it whether in heart hand or tongue It is written in the Epistle of S. Iohn That whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslear We see then that not onely grosse euils come into reckoning before the Lord but euen hatred settled in the heart although the hand hath neuer beene stretched foorth to execute the same neither commeth it before him as some trifling thing whiche doeth not greatly displease him but appeareth monstrous hauing none other shape vpon it nor other accounte made of it then of murder Thus must we thinke of hatred consented vnto in the heart that it hath a bloudie face in the sight of the Lorde and therefore is to be abhorred and loathed as the crueltie of murder This was the cause why the Lord forbidding hatefull malicious thoughts in this cōmandemēt would giue it none other name thē murder teaching vs that howsoeuer we nurish such thoughts make smal account of them yet his iudgment is plaine that they be no better then murder when the hart is settled in them In the Gospel after S. Matth. we see how the Lorde hateth words proceeding from malice and anger Whosoeuer shall say Foole vnto his brother saith our sauiour Christ shal be worthie to be punished in hell fire Hatred towardes our brethren is so grieuous in his sight that it staineth and defileth whatsoeuer it toucheth be it word or thoght and maketh it so heauie that the Lord can no longer beare it And bycause wordes bewray that which lurketh in the heart and bringeth it to light that otherwise would not so easily be espied we must keepe some good watche ouer them that from thence we may be ledde to the priuie chamber of the heart to see how al thinges go there for of the aboundance of the heart the mouthe speaketh so that there is no outward thing that can bring vs sooner to the sight and speeche of the heart then can the tongue it selfe whiche if it bee infected with hatred or disdaine sure it is that all thinges are not well at home in the heart and therefore all men must obserue the inclination of the heart by the vsage of the tongue that when it commeth abroade casting forth hatred wrath and debate we may with speede returne to the founteine that is the heart to purge and cleanse the same because we are sure that from thence the tongue receiueth all poyson If we shall preuaile muche in suppressing hatred both in our heart tongue and hand yet is not that all whiche is here commanded For the Lorde in forbidding murder meant not to stay there but in remouing hatred his purpose was to make way passage for merciful dealing towards the life of others And necessarie it was that he should giue vs warning of that stumbling blocke whiche lieth in the way lest we suspecting no such matter should haue imagined that there would haue bene true care for the life of our brother where there was no victorie before ouer our own dispositiō which is altogether otherwise giuen inclined The true profe wherof we shal then haue when our affections shal be stired vp by any dealing which shal mislike vs For then we shal well perceiue wrath to be mightily working in vs which before because it had peraduenture no great matter to worke vpon we thought that we had bene altogether voide of or at the lest not greatly infected therwith But now in this manner of speaking vsed by the holy Ghost who battereth downe hatred when his purpose is to builde vp loue we see that there will be no passage to any louing dealing in trueth but by treading down of our contrarie
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
the sinne aboue all other to offend againste his owne bodie whiche doth committe it Neither are these two especiall braunches of filthinesse forbidden alone in this commandement but also all other vncleannesse and losenesse of life in this kinde and degree The meanes also whiche bring them on and do begett them or being begotten doe cherrish and mainteine them are here forbidden in this commandement as the want of temperaunce and sobrietie in apparell meate and drinke idlenesse euil companie euil speche and filthie communication in the which whiles we doe cherrishe our selues not bridling our affections we do tempt the Lord and running vppon the rockes that he hath forbidden doe hazarde our chaste behauiour For we haue no warrant of his safe conducting of vs vnder those sayles of vncleannesse but threatening that in so dooing we shall make shipwracke of all honest and chast behauiour For to walke in such wayes hathe no promise of protection from him they are not the wayes which he hath promised to prosper It doth become a christiā which loketh for mercie from Christ to humble himselfe vnto all suche conuersation as he is well assured that the Lorde imbraceth that hee may stande vnder certeyne hope of fauour and mercie from his handes For these thinges before recited and suche like are we forewarned of in the Scriptures to beware of as those thinges that lie in waite to deceiue vs and lay siege vnto our good conuersation to giue it an ouerthrowe Neither is the assault so weake as we suppose commonly that it neede not to be feared but so strong as beeing continued it preuaileth and corrupteth our good conuersation according as it is written to the Corinthes Be not deceiued saith the Apostle euill speeche corrupteth good maners By this one example of euil speech we may learne howe to iudge of all the rest It is not lightly to be passed ouer that he willeth vs not to be deceiued herein For this watche-woorde signifieth that our nature conceiueth not so hardly of the matter and therefore is the sooner to be deceiued by it This forespeeche I say pointeth out the ticklenesse of our corrupte nature and is vsed of the Apostle elsewhere after he hathe giuen admonition to the faithful for auoyding of the like matters as filthinesse foolishe talking and iesting concluding with these wordes Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience We suspect no danger in these thinges but the onely wise God biddeth vs take heede that we be not deceiued Can we nowe continue without feare of these enimies when the holy Ghost hath descried the daunger of them with so many blastes of his owne trumpet or dare we say there will followe no harme when the holy Ghost saith in plaine words that it doeth corrupt good manners and that for suche thinges the wrath of God commeth vppon the children of disobedience And euen in this commaundement we see that the holy Ghoste doth vouchesafe them none other name then the name of adulterie For sure it is that vnder this word they are forbidden by the testimonie of all the learned therefore it is well to be considered howe the holy Ghoste doth terme it and his reason whie he will haue it knowne by that name Sure it is that he is well acquainted with our nature which is accustomed to make small accompt of great euils and therefore to giue them names accordingly he is constrained to name the childe himselfe and cal it adulterie willing vs so to take it and to thinke no better of it whensoeuer we shall let the reyne goe to our affections not restraining them in these and suche like thinges The Prophet Ezechiel saieth in expresse wordes that pride fulnesse of bread and aboundance of idlenesse were the sinnes of Sodome that brought downe fire brimstone frō heauen vpon them Thus the holy Ghost writeth the meanes of vncleannes and filthinesse blameth them for al that punishment that followed their abhominable vncleannesse and filthinesse not to be named teaching vs thereby that we may not mainteine this excessiue eating and drinking proude and wanton attyreing of our selues and surfetting vnder the name of good fellowshippe ciuil behauiour and suche like titles but that we knowe them by the names whiche the holy Ghoste hathe giuen vnto them who knoweth better then we what they are and therefore hathe giuen them their names accordingly Our nature if wee knewe it as the trueth is needeth not to be made tame vnto sathan by any such meanes We are of our selues inclined too much to imbrace him and nothing so wylde that way as were to be wished Being therefore so ouertractable of our selues what madnesse is it to offer him those blockes of aduauntage wherby his temptations with more spede ease may mount vpon vs and thus willingly to holde the stirrup to our owne destruction The heart of man beeing the founteine from whence commeth good or badde may not be suffered to goe at libertie after vnchaste thoughtes but must be kept in with the feare of god For out of the heart of man as sayth our sauiour Christ proceede euil thoughtes adulteries fornication vncleannesse a wicked eye All these euils come from within and defile a man They are not therfore to be cherrished and followed after but to be repressed and beaten backe of so many as feare the Lorde The daunger is not only of the soule in time to come but as experience telleth vs in cherrishing of vncleane thoughtes there is perill towardes the reason and witte of man For howe often falleth it out that men by giuing themselues ouer vnto these thoughtes become madde voyde of witte reason not able to gouerne them selues like other men And therefore hathe that vertue whiche represseth these affections a name with the Graecians which carrieth with it the signification of that fruite and effecte whiche doeth followe it whiche is the preseruation and safetie of the minde For moderation and temperance in this part is the health and soundenesse of the minde and witte of man which while it is wanting is either vtterly ouerthrowen or else so feeble and weake as euerie one may descrie it for the dulnesse and feeblenesse that is in it Adulterie being forbidden the godly chaste life of married folkes must needes be commaunded which that it may be perfourmed Almightie God requireth of his children that they do match thē selues with such as feare him and serue him after his worde suche hathe he promised to blesse As for those that marrie for riches beautie and suche outward thinges when there is not the feare and true worshippe of God ioyned withal they haue alwayes tasted of most grieuous plagues from the hand of the Lorde This vnequall matching of the godly and godlesse for so I call all of them that are not humbled to serue God after his word was the cause of that vniuersal floude whiche
naked that thou couer him c. Thus must he not onely leaue oppressing but also take vp mercifull dealing with the needie We see howe by this whiche hitherto hathe beene said the Lorde hath fenced our neighbour his goods and howe contrarie it is to the loue of our neighbour to hurte or hinder him any way in them and how agreeable to the wil of the Lord that we should be meanes that he might inioye the commodities thereof Therefore was there a lawe among the children of Israel made to shewe their loue towardes their neighbour who had planted a vineyard but not tasted of the fruite therof wherin it was prouided that the officer should make proclamation at their going to warfare against their enimies that if there were any who had not eaten of the fruite of their labours they shuld returne home and take comfort and vse of their owne This lawe of loue might not be dispensed withall no not in the heate and vrgent necessitie of warres A notable testimonie to shewe howe well it liketh the Lord that men should take comfort of their own As doth that Lawe also which was giuen in Deuteronomie of not remouing the lande-marke which they of olde time haue set And therefore we are commanded to shewe them this kindenesse and loue to reserue vnto them the comfort of their commodities without impayring of them whensoeuer we shal either borrowe keepe or finde any thing of theirs or in buying and selling exchange with them For we please God shew loue vnto them whensoeuer we shall deale truely with their goodes according as we heard before that God maketh trial of our hart toward our neighbour by our handes as they are wont to deale with them in their commodities It is an vndoubted truth therefore that God is greatly pleased when for obedience vnto him we deale thus faithfully louingly with thē in that which is theirs it is a true fruite of loue and a faithful obedience vnto this cōmandement And because of that whēsoeuer it is done for obedience sake vnto God who doth comaund it and of good wil vnto them who receiue the fruite of it euen this fidelitie in his goodes that we borrowe finde or be trusted withal either else receiue by way of exchange in buying selling is a good worke in deede and an humble obedience to the charge of God giuen vs in this commaundement There are two thinges without the whiche wee shall neuer be able to perfourme any acceptable obedience to God in this commandement The first is an assured faith in Gods promises that he will prouide for vs in the thinges necessarie as well for the bodie as the soule and that he hathe charged himselfe as well with the care and prouision for the one as for the other This faith if it were true woulde consume many feares and cares of our minde for worldly matters and works that followe the same So might we employ our selues vppon the care of better thinges This did the holie Ghoste knowe verie well and therefore meaning to cure couetousnes he maketh the plaster of faithe saying Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse for he hath saide I wil not leaue thee nor forsake thee When our hearts shal be fully persuaded that the Lorde will not leaue vs nor forsake vs we cannot be so greatly tormented with the care to liue and obteine necessarie thinges for vs hauing so strong assuraunce for it as his promise who hathe made all thinges of nothing with his worde And therefore in the former place exhorting them to conscience in buying and selling he sendeth them to the couenant saying I am thy God which wordes as we haue learned in the first commandement conteine promises for al things nedefull for this present life If this be stedfastly beleeued that the Lord wil not leaue vs nor forsake vs there wil be no doubt of our euill dealinges with the goodes of our neighbour whether we buy or sell borrowe or keepe the thinges that be his The seconde thing is to finde a contented minde with that which we haue alreadie and therefore to stay in it as in a riche portion with great thankfulnesse of heart to our God for it bearing our port and countenance in all our doinges accordingly without any exceeding whatsoeuer For if once our affections shall ouerflowe the bankes of our owne condition so that in minde we burne with the desire of a better our dooinges can neuer be persuaded that they must so nerely be loked at but that they may borrowe a litle of conscience equitie to make the prouision according as the desire directeth This doth the Apostle confirme in plaine speeche to Timothe where after persuasion to be content with that we haue because the gayne of godlinesse is great he telleth vs plainly that they who wil be riche fall into many tentations snares and many noysome lustes this is the danger of them that are fallen so farre into friendshippe and loue with a better estate that they wil be rich This being once set downe and determined not onely conscience is constrained to depart but also thankefulnesse to God for our present estate doeth in like manner forsake vs. Let vs learne by this commaundemente to knowe our corrupt inclination toward the goodes of our neighbours and so to viewe our deceiptes that haue beene in vs at any time either in buying or selling borrowing or keeping any thing of his together with our corrupte inclination therevnto that the remedie of redemption broughte vs by Iesus Christe may truely be taken holde of and that wee being made comfortable in his mercie may with courage goe about the obedience of his will in this commaundement so that still we may be more and more freed of all manner of deceipte and more and more inabled to glorifie him in all louing and faithful dealing with the goodes of others Whiche that it may be perfourmed let vs call vppon our heauenly Father in the name of his Sonne that it would please him in the multitude of his mercie to holde vs vp by the hope of his promises that we standing assured of his help may not be drawen by any necessitie to do contrarie to his blessed will and also that we hauing a contentted minde may not be tormented with the hungrie desire of a better estate which being once entred vniust dearling cannot long be kept out The tenth Lecture vpon the 16. verse Thoy shalt not beare false Witnesese c. THis commandement taketh care for the good pame credite honour and estimation of our brethren that we should not bring any blotte or blemishe unto that but by loue mainteine and vphold it For herein the Lord will haue tryall of our loue towards them as wel as in their bodie and goodes and therefore chargeth vs no lesse herein with duetie then before he hathe done in other thinges that are deare and precious vnto them Neither is there any late cause why we
deale in the spirit of meekenesse and mildenesse according as wee are willed in the Epistle to the Galathians Brethren if any man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore suche one with the spirite of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted As the faintnesse and want of loue which leaueth a man in his sinne is iustly reproued so that blustering heate that of a medicine in like manner maketh a poyson is no lesse to bee reproued of want of loue towarde the good name and estimation of our brother For there is no man that can easily growe into any good lykinge of those men in whom he perceiueth there is no affection towards him neither yet can well digest sharpe medicines though otherwise neuer so wholesōe if there shall be no suger to make it sweete withall We must therefore take heede lest the medicine become vnprofitable by our vnskilfull handling it and so we become no couerers of sinne but rather by dealing so rudely make him cast off all care of goodnes letting the raynes go to all libertie of life with the vngodlie while he seeth him selfe so hardly dealt with the godly to haue cast off all hope care of him This is the cause why the Apostle in the Epistle to the Thessalo willeth them to admonish those as brethren who for their euill conuersation did iustly stande excommunicate Haue no familiar companie with him sayth the Apostle that hee may be ashamed yet account him not as an enimie but admonish him as a brother The nature of man is easily carried to offend in this parte euen to seeme to come into some opinion of holinesse by counting all others as prophane and reprouing them in such a blustering māner as carrieth with it no signification at all of louing affection towards them We are therefore diligently to obserue that our heartes wittnesse vnto our selues the care we haue by our admonition to haue them reclaimed from those sinnes and then that we consider what manner of dealing they are moste like to profite by that notwithstanding wee may deale with some more roundly then with others yet euē those may see them selues not despised of vs nor yet altogether despaired of that they should be in a manner caused to fall into the acquaintance and fellowship of the vngodly and lest that they should onely see our affections eased vpon thē without further care of their good If there be good affection towarde thē in deed we shal easily auoyd both the extremes that neither we ceasse to admonish them at al neither yet in admonishing be ouer bitter towardes them It is sure that loue wil moderate both hauing no other end in reprouing opening the euill but to keepe him from persisting in it In the handling also of the matter this louing affection wil direct him to consult what manner of dealing is likely to doe most good for al men are not able to beare alike that after consultation had he may procede accordingly alwayes remēbring that what sharpnesse soeuer either the thing it selfe or the disposition of the man shall require yet it may appeare that we seeke not to haue the man defamed but the sinne cured If in this behalfe the matter shall be cleere bothe in our conscience and the iudgemēt of those who are accustomed to weigh things by the wisdome of the word it skilleth not though those men holde them not contented who would haue sinne touched in whose opinion the mildest proceeding against sinne that can be is too boysterous To conclude this parte let vs be well aduised that wee speake not of the infirmities of our brethren but with this affection and meaning that either they may be reclaymed or others feared from offending in the like while they shall learne the great daunger thereof and that there be no want of loue in vs towarde our brethren that shall sett our tonges a worke that way without meaning of any good either towarde him or them that heare vs. There is an other vice and mischiefe of the tongue reproued in this commaundement when the wordes or deedes of our neighbours are by the want of this loue wroūg either into a sense plaine diuerse from their meaning or else not so well interpreted as they might be taken if they had found any indifferent iudge It is an euil practise mischiefous notwithstanding it be common at this day to bring a mans owne wordes against him chaūged into an other sense purpose and meaning then euer the man had in vttering of them which is not onely vsuall in wordes taken from the mouth of the speaker but also in speeches penned as plainly as may be For what is more vsual with many then to stand so vppon some one or fewe bare wordes of a statute bond or obligation that the meaning of the same shall be cleane altered and the true intent and purpose of the lawe-maker no longer sought for But as it did not acquire the Iewes of false wittnesse-bearing against the Lord Iesus notwithstanding they vsed some of his wordes because they had altered his meaning wringing his wordes to the building vpp of the temple at Hierusalem within three dayes whiche he ment of the Temple of his bodie no more shall it be able before GOD to discharge any man that he hath stood vpon some words of a statute or obligation when his conscience shal accuse him that he hath swarued from the meaning and purpose thereof As for the dealings of those men who are accustomed to expounde those thinges into the worst parte which might haue a good meaning if they were indifferētly weighed or for some infirmitie ioyned with a good action doe disgrace and discredite the whole this commaundement must necessarily reproue them when it condemneth as we haue heard before the carelesse blazing abroade of thinges altogether euil in them selues charging vs with the couering of them by friendlie and priuate admonition If things altogether euil must be cured with a godly and friendly couert of priuate admonition had for that purpose those thē which if they were wel weighed might be well taken must finde more friendship at our hand then to haue open outcryes made against them Neither can it be lawfull for a Christian where some infirmitie or wante hath bene found with a good deed vnder pretēce of hatred had therevnto to worke the discredite of the whole and in so doeing to vndermine the workmanship of God plainely appearing therein It is wonderful to see our corrupte nature what poyson it vttereth in such matters as these be We shal see some men that are litle moued or touched with infirmities and faultes of their owne whiche are not in parte but wholy euil and yet for all that so boyling at these little and as I may tearme them halfe euils of others for so they are in respect of their owne that a man would iudge them to be great zealous men when as
in deede they nourish monsters at home and can well inough awaye with them yea whiche more is play and dallie with them It were good in such causes to practise firste vpon a man him selfe before he take libertie to go abroade first to vse some sharpe dealing with his owne affections to see how that wil work before he shall minister so bitter medicines vnto others For it is an intollerable thinge that greate euils should liue quietly at home when little ones are so sharpely reuenged abroade It is straunge that any manne shoulde play with some that is growne to bee a monster and not to bee able to looke vpon it in the childhoode thereof when it is nothing so deformed nor euill fauoured Suche quarelling with euils not halfe formed in others especially when there is quietnesse with many that be alreadie perfectly shapen at home can not proceede of any sound meaning or hatred against sinne We must remember the end why the Lord hath giuen vs a toung which is that wee should mainteine loue and friendlinesse in communicating the good things that lie hid in our harts affections by our speach and talke one with an other Wherefore wee must carefully consider that we vtter no poyson nor venome that lurketh in our corrupt nature ▪ and is deepely rooted therein by our toung and talke one with an other The holy ghost being priuie to our great infirmitie this way hath in many wordes forewarned vs of the slipperinesse of the toung that wee should haue it vnder sure and safe custodie telling vs in playne wordes that hee who shall let his lippes goe at libertie without restraint shall surely come to destruction according as we are taught in the Prouerbs He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that letteth loose his lippes destruction shal be vnto him And further the good man is described to be musing and meditating what to speake and the folish and euil mā without any moderation of that mēber to be babbling out whatsoeuer first commeth into his head The heart of the righteous studieth to answere but the wicked mans mouth babbleth euill things In this place we see that the holy Ghost ascribeth only a mouth vnto the foolish man and not a hart to ponder and consider his wordes before which hart he giueth vnto the wise man occupying it self in musing and considering how to speake In the same chapter there is yet a clearer and playner difference betwene the wicked and the godly drawn from their vsage in speach that the good man hauing wisdome and therfore good matter to vtter doth notwithstanding beautifie adorne it in entering the cōsideration how to make it good get grace fauour vnto it by obseruing the circumstances of fit time place and manner of vttering whiche most may commend it whereas the wicked and foolish man hath neither care of the matter whiche he is to vtter neyther yet of the maner how to vtter it This vse and end of the toung to communicate the good thinges of our heart one with an other to the increase of loue and friendship among men doth reproue those who are wont to presse vpon others with wordes of wrath and contempt It shall not excuse him that hath layde reproch or contempt vpon his neighbour in his speach to say that his wordes were no wordes of malice but of pleasure and myrth for euen that pleasant speache that nippeth and taunteth oure neighbour and bringeth reproch contempt or griefe of heart vnto him can neuer be so cloaked with the outward shewe of iesting speache but that the Lorde shall clearely see the bitter griefe of contempt or disdaine that lyeth close within it and howe farre that toung is from the maintenaunce of that loue and amitie which increaseth the estimation and credite of his neighbour Moreouer if the vse of the toung bee to communicate the good thinges of the heart not onely these infamous speaches shall be brought to iudgement but also fruitlesse and vnsauourie words that haue not the fruite and profite of wholsome instruction in them As we are taught by the apostle Ephesians that we should let no vnsauourie communication proceede out of our mouth but that which may bring grace vnto the hearers For as we haue heard the tong serueth to communicate together the good things of our heart not the wickednesse or vanitie that lurketh therin and wherof there is so great daunger that we are counselled in the scripture to separate our selues from foolish men when wee perceiue not in them the lippes of knowledge It is apparant by this that hath beene spoken what are the dueties and good works of this commaundement euen the contrarie of these aforenamed It shall be therefore sufficient in a worde to touch them here bycause they are clearely perceyued in their contraries whiche nowe wee haue heard reproued and forbidden in this commandement The general charge of this cōmandemēt is by loue to mainteine and vpholde the credite estimation and good name of our brother For our loue must be declared as well by louing and entire deling with his credit honor good report as by louing behauiour towardes his goods and person It behooueth therefore that the loue which wee beare towarde our brethren should bee fruitfull in the good workes of this commandement bicause this way the inward affection of the hart hath her outgoing and is conuict either of loue or hatred no lesse than in his person and goods As false witnesse standing against the life and bloud of our neighbour was the thing whiche in the first place as we haue heard was forbidden so the good worke contrarie to this is to vse the credite of our testimonie for the defence of him The goodnesse of such a worke is declared in the Prouerbes in these wordes A faithfull witnesse deliuereth soules What worke can be of greater account then to come iustly into this commendation to haue deliuered the liues of men The good workes of them that by their sentence execute iustice is according as it is declared in the person of Iob to deliuer the poore that cryeth the fatherlesse and him that hath none to helpe diligently to seeke out the trueth and goodnesse of their cause to plucke the praye out of the vnrighteous mans teeth This bringeth the blessing of him that was readie to perish vpon them It was forbidden as a sinne againste this commaundement to blaze abroade the infirmities of our brethren The good worke that answereth it is to admonishe one an other and so to hide sinne and iniquitie as it is written 1. Thessalonians Wee desire you Brethren admonishe them that are vnruly comfort the feeble mynded beare with the weake be patient toward all men It was forbidden vs to expound things that might bee well taken into the worse parte and for some little blemishe to deface the whole It is commaunded vs to shewe foorth our zeale against
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
not onely purposed but also practised not some one worke alone but many works long continued Neyther would he haue sayde of that or those works that they were imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but that they wrought his righteousnesse eyther wholy or at the least in part But the purpose of the apostle is to signifie that a true faith is fruitfull in good works and is witnessed by thē and that it is impossible that a true fayth should not be rich in good workes or that righteousnesse should be without holinesse of life For it is impossible that we receiuing comfort in his mercies by fayth should not witnesse the same by a life framed to the liking of him of whome wee haue those comforts The last of these benefites that we receiue by Christe is Redemption that is the deliuerie from all daunger affliction and corruption It is the fruite of his resurrection to raise vs out of all extremities euen from death and the graue and to place vs with his Saintes in that glory that hee hath purchased for vs. Thus is redemption taken for our fredome and deliuerie from our wretchednesse For we hold not with the aduersaries of god his grace that our good deeds do redeeme vs from the daunger of our euill doings neyther yet that by prayers or satisfaction whatsoeuer we can deliuer eyther our selues or other from the daunger in this life and much lesse in the life to come We confesse that howsoeuer we humble our selues by repentance prayers and fruits of good liuing whē his rod of correction is vppon vs that it is onely the free benefite of Christe to deliuer from the daunger thereof and to put an happie end vnto it Wee doe not thanke our deedes for it when wee come foorth of trouble albeit that we haue plentifully brought foorth the fruites of good life We acknowledge it to be onely the worke of Christ who is made of God the father vnto vs redemption to deliuer vs from sinne and all those punishments that come vnto man for it In this benefite of Christ there appeareth a great difference betweene the childrē of God and the children of this world For the children of God glory in trouble knowing that it will bring vpon them experience and tryal of god his goodnesse in the ende as the Apostle teacheth vs. For Christ is made vnto them redemption frō sinne and all the punishments thereof whereas the vngodly howe so euer in prosperitie they fleshly bragge of their hope in god Yet when affliction commeth they are without all heart comforte or courage For why in truth they knowe not that Christ is made redemption vnto them to deliuer them from all that danger that commeth for sinne as well as from sinne it selfe This persuasion causeth the godly in all their afflictions and necessities whatsoeuer to stay them selues in godly conuersation both towarde God and man with patience and assured hope of an happie ende when as the vngodly eyther murmur against God eyther else fall into some one euill dealing or other therby to purchase their deliueraunce which is an assured testimonie that they doe not looke to haue it from the Lord. Nowe wee haue heard what seuerall benefites do come with Christ and that we do not receyue him naked and alone but according as he is giuen vnto vs from God the father clothed with wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption Thus is he giuen vnto the beleeuers and thus is he receiued of the beleeuers And heereby wee may clearely vnderstand what faith is euen that which findeth all want in it selfe and al plentie in Christ that is poore at home and rich abroad that in her necessitie boasteth and is comfortable in an other mans plentie that neuer resteth in her selfe nor any thing of her own haue she neuer so great plentie in respect of others and yet is ioyfull comfortable and well payde and satisfied with Christe in her greatest want For faith is not so highly commended as it is a worke of ours for so it is imperfect as all others be that come from vs but bicause it giueth all glorie from vs vnto god Therfore hath it so iust commendation in the woorde of God wee giue the most vnto it bicause it giueth nothing vnto vs that God may haue all glorie and that he that will glorie may glorie in the lord We doe not exalt it aboue other thinges that proceede from vs bycause it doth exalte vs but bycause it doth abase vs that Christ may be exalted therefore do we magnifie it For faith findeth perfection in God and imperfection in vs Fayth findeth true wisedome to be in Christ charging all the worlde with follie in their wit bee they neuer so wise in the opinion of men before they be lightened with the vnderstanding of his wisedome set foorth in his worde Fayth findeth true righteousnesse in Christ alone and chargeth all men with vnrighteousnesse in them selues as withered braunches proceeding out of the rotten stocke of Adam their first father vntil we be grafted into Christ the root of all righteousnesse Faith findeth true sanctification and holinesse of life in Christ and chargeth all men howe ciuily and honestly so euer they liue in the iudgement of men to bee of a prophane and vnholy nature and disposition except they haue it refourmed by speciall grace from Christ Faith findeth deliuerance from all daunger in Christ and chargeth the deeds of all men with want of abilitie in that behalfe Thus we learne that fayth doth finde all those things in Christ and the want of euerie one of thē in the nature of man nay which worsse is a counterfet of euerie one of them deepely imprinted in vs a counterfet wisedome of man his wit and inuention for the true wisdome of his word counterfet righteousnesse of our corrupt works for the true righteousnesse brought and wrought by Christ alone a feined deuotion grounded by our owne good intent for holinesse and sanctification of life and well doing guided and directed by his worde a false persuasion to auoyde daungers by our owne satisfactions in stead of an assured standing to his redemption and deliuerie in all our necessitie and wantes These are the withered branches of that rotten roote our olde Adam and the nature and disposition of all men goeth this way except they be reclaymed by Christ as all those be in his appointed time that shal inherite with him in his kingdome In as much as we do clearely vnderstand what is in vs before that Christ shall call vs it shall be profitable to consider whether after that Christ hath layde clayme vnto his and giuen them that in truth which before they had in shew fayth doth yet finde any such want and lacke that notwithstanding such a chaunge it resteth onely in Christ and refuseth to stand to any desart whiche this newe obedience can clayme The Scripture is plaine that fayth findeth lacke and want in man notwithstanding that hee be
chaunged and renued by Christe from that he was before and come to that perfection that euer any man hath attained vnto This wil appeare most plainely in the consideration of those seuerall cōmodities whiche as we lerned before ar brought with Christ We that be Christs do receiue wisdome from Christ yet is there want of wisedome in the childe of God that hath receiued the greatest portion thereof according as it is written to the Corinthes Now we se in a glasse darckly but then shall we see face to face Now I knowe in parte but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen We that be Christes do receiue righteousnes from him by faith but we haue such wantes in our faith while we be here that this is the prayer of the Church and euery member therof so long as they liue Lord increase our faith I beleeue Lorde helpe mine vnbeliefe We receiue sanctification and holinesse of life from Christe but in that measure that it is the continuall prayer of the church vnto the ende Forgiue vs our trespasses as we do forgiue them that trespasse against vs. The faithful that haue bene deliuered from many dangers already by Christe who is their redēption haue yet for all that many dangers troubles abiding for them insomuch that it is thus written of the estate of them For thy sake are we killed all the day long we are accoūted as sheepe for the slaughter And if they should escape all other yet death will surely haue to doe with them al at the last and wil not resigne her right vnto any These are plain proofes that the faithfull neuer stande satisfied with any thing in them selues as beeing perfect in it but alwayes returne vnto their mediatour and redeemer Christe where is the perfection of that whiche in small measure abideth in them selues who hath these thinges so perfect in him selfe not for him selfe but for vs and therefore the holy Ghost doth not say which notwithstāding in truth he might that Christ hath made vs wise righteous and holie but he sayth that Christ is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes and holines adding the cause thereof in these wordes folowing That he that will glorie may glorie in the Lorde For faithe refuseth to glorie of any thing in it selfe finding wante in all things that it may glorie in the Lord alone For it is no praise worthie of him if hee be but fellowe with vs in the worke but when we are truely taken as we are in deede for nothing and that that commeth from vs as no sufficient payment then receiueth the Lord the whole right of his glorie which otherwise is cleane darckened when it is made to patch vp that which we had begunne Let vs therefore neuer forget this that we doe magnifie faith aboue all that which doth come from vs not simply because it fasteneth harde vppon Christe but because it so taketh holde vpon him that it letteth go all the holde that it hath of any thing in it selfe We may not therefore onely consider whether we haue any stay in Christ but whether we haue such a stay that acknowledgeth vs vnstayed in our selues and therefore to be vpholden by him alone For faith ioyneth riches to pouertie bringeth plentie vnto the emptie man. Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenlie father that his true faith may be increased in vs c. Amen ¶ The xv Lecture vppon the Gospel of S. Matthew the 6. Chapter the 9. and 10. verses Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. WE haue learned already what faith is and therfore order doth require to speake somewhat of prayer beeing suche a fruite and effect therof as cannot be parted from it For as faith is weake or strong so are prayers colde or carefull sparing or plentifull because true prayer receiueth life from faith which without it is dead nothing worth And because faith quickneth prayers we may truly iudge of faith by our praiers cold prayers colde faith few prayers little faith they increase and decay together they arise and spring vp both at one time In this treatise of prayer before I shall expound the petitions that is what things are to bee asked it shal be very profitable to speake somwhat before necessarie for the preparing of vs thervnto Heerein the firste thing to bee considered is the vse and end of prayer whiche is to bring vs to suche tryall and experience of Gods goodnesse towardes vs as may force vs in trueth to honour and praise him For we cannot hartily honour praise him of whose goodnesse toward vs we haue no certeine knowledge And how shall we haue certeine knowledge and true tryall of his goodnesse towardes vs but by receiuing and tasteing thereof and how can we stand better assured what we haue receiued then by finding that giuen vs which we knowe and well remember that we haue asked and begged before at his hands in prayer So that prayer leadeth vs to this certeine and assured knowledge of God his good meaning towards vs which is the founteine of all true seruice and praise of God while prayer goeth in euery necessitie to trie for it selfe the goodnesse of God promised in his word and bringeth with it a true certificate and good experience thereof in that his sute is graunted and he in his prayer is comforted And this assurāce of God his particular regard and fauour towards vs bringeth with it a seruing and honouring of God in trueth And therefore Solomon rendereth this reason why he wold haue the Lord to graunt the petition that his seruants shuld pray for That saith he they may feare thee as long as they liue It is his reason also why he would haue the straunger which was not of the people of Israel heard in all that he called for that all the people of the earth might know his name serue him as did his people Israel For it is this assured knowledge of a speciall good will of God towards vs that inclineth our hartes to the true worshipping of him All men knowe that God is good but all men knowe not that he is good vnto them All beleeue that he is good but all beleeue not that hee is good vnto them yet is that the true faithe and therefore is prayer a true fruit of faith that confirmeth vs therin according as the Prophet Dauid testifieth of him selfe that he loued the Lord because he had heard his prayers Our faithe hath neede of all the helpes that can bee to strengthen it withall in temptations and therefore this tryall of it when wee receiue comforte of our prayers hauing his good will brought home vnto vs and therefore by so good experience assured vs that we can shew good euidence for it is not to be neglected but highlie to be accounted of If God haue made vs many promises to help vs in our necessities and wee shall not once haue
sent our prayer to make tryall thereof can we haue any greate hope at our neede of his helpe hauing no holde but by his bare promises which long time before were made vnto vs but neuer tryed by vs to haue any truethe in them Let vs not tempte the Lord in differring this strēgthening of our faith which hath need of al the vpholding that may be had and all wil be tryed in tryall to be little inough It behoueth vs to looke vp our euidence for we deale with that aduersarie that neither wanteth skill to espye his aduauntage nor wil to holde it to the vttermoste and prayer is the which bringeth tryall of God his good wil to vs particularly in that by prayer wee are comforted and releeued whensoeuer we shal open our griefes and wants vnto our god For albeit the Lorde might giue it vs without asking yet it is his will that we should aske that we may knowe wee haue beene heard and by that meanes receiue assurance of his goodwil towards vs It hath bene said before that it is one thinge to be persuaded that God is good and another to be persuaded that he is good to vs it is one thing to be persuaded that God giueth all things and an other that he giueth them to vs as a pledge of his speciall goodwill and meaning towards vs The faith of God his childrē persuadeth them of goodwil from the Lord ment particularly to thē and in their prayers they receiue in outwarde benefites no otherwise but as speciall tokens of his fauour who now is atone with them tenderly doth imbrace them And the Lord hath appointed prayer to be a helpe vnto our faith in this parte that a man obteining by asking might know that he were of some reckoning with the Lorde and might bring out this proofe against those tēptations that should shake his faith in calling it into question whether he were regarded of the Lord or otherwise We see that Dauid strengtheneth his faith in the hope to be heard for his presēt suite because the Lord had confirmed his good-will toward him in hearing his prayers before Sure it is that if the Lord wil giue vs things vnasked muche more wil he giue vs that which we haue intreted him for And if we get no cōforte that way our hope is small This help of our mistrustful dispositiō that we should come by benefites through intreatie and prayer where wee may plainely see that we are greatly regarded not without reckoning before him in that he vouchsafeth to answere vs in our motions made vnto him for our welfare is a singular vse and end of prayer which merueilously addeth to the force of faith This singular vse special end of prayer are they depriued of that vse to pray vnto God in an vnknowen tong For if any particular benefit be giuen them they knowe not whether it hath come at their intreatie or no because they knowe not what they haue prayed for so receiue they no sure certeine testimonie of the Lords help It is a singular blessing to haue his goodnesse towards vs particularly in assured experiēce It wil be answered for them that pray in an vnknowen tong that it skilleth not though they them selues know not what they pray in asmuch as God knoweth all things and therfore vnderstandeth it This answere were to some purpose if the institutiō of prayer were in regarde of God alone without consideratiō of vs but prayer is appointed as we haue already heard that our weakenes of faith might haue as it were sensible hold therby such as would suffer no exception to the contrarie in that wee haue felt him help vs there wherein we haue requested his helpe by name speciall request so that there hath bene friendly cōmunicating together we asking and he giuing that which we haue asked we requiring and he subscribing vnto that request As for those that pray in a tong vnknowen how can they assuredly know that he fauoureth thē in graūting that which they haue required when they knowe not what it is that they asked and therfore their faith doth receiue no strength by their prayer that can stand in any triall This vse also of prayer which consisteth in bringing helpe to our faith reproueth those that pray onely in some vniuersall speeche and doe neuer particularly and by name offer to God the redres of any thing that doth vexe them The example may be this some onely in generall words vse to pray that God would blesse them or that God would make them his seruants or that he would kepe euil frō them But they are not accustomed to pray for his blessing in any speciall causes whiche they are destitute of neither come they to God to craue his grace to serue him in this or that particular obedience wherevnto they are bounde and yet knowe themselues to be wanting therein therefore can they see no speciall fruite of their prayers to helpe their faithe with all We doe see then apparantly that this fruite and effecte of prayer to strengthen our faith in the persuasion of God his good will towardes vs is a meruelous profitable meane to incourage vs to prayer beeing so strong a fortresse of our faith The seconde thing that is to be required of him that shall pray in trueth is to beare a good affection and heartie loue and good will to the worde of God to see the Lord honoured thereby either in dueties commaunded of him and perfourmed or else in promises made by him and fulfilled The Lorde reigneth by his word and his honour is acknowledged when that is reuerenced hee is magnified when it is obeyed he is iustified and honoured when thinges fall out according to the trueth of his word For by his word hath he made himselfe knowen alwayes and by that as he made the worlde so hathe he appointed to gouerne and iudge the world making himself glorious in performing the trueth therof And therfore we seeking his glorie and honour in our prayers as we must do if we shall pray to any purpose muste ioyne with his worde in them either praying to haue some grace giuen vs to walke in some duetie that he hath commaunded that in that duetie he may be honoured or else in our affliction to finde some comfort according as he hathe promised that he in the trueth of his promise may be glorified And because the prayer that is approued must proceede from the desire of the heart longing and lusting after that which in prayer he desireth therfore is there in the hearts of them that pray aright a loue liking and heartie affection that longeth hungerly after the righteousnesse and trueth of the worde to see it established and vpholden namely after that dutie or promise that in his prayer he desireth to haue perfourmed As there is loue towarde the lawe where true prayer is so is there griefe and mysliking for the transgressing of the
lawe to be found in like manner within his heart that prayeth in trueth vnto the Lorde For if the keeping of the lawe be vnto any his delighte the transgressing of the lawe in like manner must bee his griefe It is plaine then that true prayer must not onely be directed by the lawe and commandement of God but also must ioyne in desire and affection with the same The glorie of God is coupled to his word and therfore must praiers being the desire of the heart goe in desire after the same according as we haue the example and practise of the Prophet Dauid at large in the Psalmes where it is apparanr that hee placeth all the honour of God in his word sometimes praying to haue his petitions graunted that he might keepe his commandementes some times taking comfort assuring himselfe that he should he heard because he had a loue vnto his law plainly affirming as appeareth in that Psalme that saluation is far from the vngodly because they seeke not his statutes wherein his glorie consisteth as we may learne if we goe no further for profe therof then vnto the Lords prayer it selfe For after mention made of hallowing of his name comming of his kingdome there followeth the request of doing his will here in earthe because his honour glorie and dominion is seene in the obedience to his will reuealed in his worde Herein we may clearely see sentence giuen against all such prayers as proceeding from a heart ignorant of the word of God go after their owne good deuotion whiche is the honouring of them selues and not after his good will reuealed in his word which they are vtterly ignorant of Where we may clearely see what account is to be made of Popishe prayers where the woorde of God is not knowen of the moste and not regarded of the rest holding it for a sure principle that ignorance is the mother of deuotion To all suche prayers the Lorde doth answere according as it is written in the Prouerbes They shal call vpon me but I will not answer they shal seeke me early but they shal not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. A iust recōpence of reward not to be heard when they in their distresse shal by prayer speake vnto the Lord because they refused to heare the Lorde speaking to them in his word Here also are the prayers of all suche reproued notwithstanding they haue knowlege of the word and followe not their good intents in praying vnto the Lorde as haue no affection ioye delite nor good liking to see the lawe and the dueties thereof perfourmed in their life nor yet any vexation or griefe in themselues for transgressing the same For prayer is a desire of the minde and therefore most desirously affected after that which it seketh whiche is the lawe and commaundement of the Lorde Whereby it appeareth also how fruitelesse those prayers are that come but from the lippes alone the heart being altogether holden with other matters and occupied wholy about other delightes The thirde thing that is required to prayer is that it proceede from an emptie heart whiche findeth want in it selfe of those thinges that it beggeth For if a man feele no want of that which he asketh he can neuer be earnest in asking The daunger heereof is then moste to be feared when we pray for those thinges the meanes wherof we haue at home as when a man prayeth for successe in a matter hauing either such wisedome in him selfe such wealth or such friendes that it is likely their nede to be no doubt made of the successe It is hard in such like causes to come to God with an emptie heart to begg it as earnestly of him as if we wanted all such helpes And yet is all our prayers but a dallying with God when wee shall nourish a secure opinion in our harts that we haue that helpe within vs for the which in wordes we are become sutors vnto him in our prayers Whē a wise man goeth aboute matters that vsually are compassed by wisedome or a rich-man about that that commonly we see compassed by riches a learned man about that which is perfourmed by learning and the like is to be thought of all such like matters cōmonly there are either no prayers at all to God for the accomplishing of suche matters or if there be any they are so colde and fainte as bewraieth this secret opinion to be nouseled within that they shall not do greately amisse though there come no helpe by their prayers For surely if the help at home were in truth doubted not to be sufficient the sute for relief abroad would be earnest The importunate sutor is hee that speedeth of his sute as we reade in Luke and he that is pinched with want wil spare no speech for his relief but he that feeleth no want is to learne as yet how to beg The prayers therefore of such as seldome or neuer examine themselues by the lawe and commandementes of God are greatly to be feared nay are plainely to be charged with dallying in their petitions with the lord For there is the sight of all our pouertie plaine and euident and all the sight that we haue of it otherwise is but a false light had in the shoppe of sathan to vtter counterfet wares withal The fourth thing required to praier is that we haue an assured hope of helpe from the Lorde a sure beliefe to obteine that which we doe aske for therefore is prayer an acceptable worship to God because it ascribeth vnto him that honor of mercie to be helpful to our miserie whē he is called vpon neither tying his mercie to good deseruing nor yet his power to secōd causes as if where they had no deseruing he had no mercy or where they had no instrumēts of helping he had no hand or power to helpe God is not truely honoured of the wicked where either he is taken to be but a vaine name dead thing in whom there is neither mercie nor power to be found in our necessitie as the Epicures bellie-gods think whatsoeuer they say or else suche weakenesse and imperfection in bothe as cannot goe but by holdes and helpes from vs. Our sinne then may not weaken our faith be it neuer so greate when there is true repentaunce for it For that should darken the praise of his mercie nor yet the want of all those meanes that haue any likelihoode to helpe the matter must driue vs to despaire for that were to abridge and diminishe his power The praier therfore that is ioyned with faith cannot but be acceptable vnto him giuing him the honour that is due vnto his name and because of that being an acceptable seruice and sacrifice vnto the lord But prayer without faith despayring to be heard dishonoureth the Lorde and is returned without any comforte or hope of helpe according as it is saide by the Apostle
Iames that he that doubteth and wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde carried away which shall not receiue any thing of the lord Yet herein we are to be admonished that we doe not take either that anguish and feare of the fleshe in daunger and trouble or yet the weakenesse and feeblenesse of faithe to be that wandering that the Apostle speaketh of For feare and anguishe in trouble weakenesse also in faith are euer to be founde in fleshe and wil not be vtterly remoued so long as we abide in this mortal life That prayer that by faith holdeth out and continueth notwithstanding this feare of the fleshe and feeblenesse of faith to sollicite the Lorde is sure to speede of her purpose at the last For patience wil bring experience of his goodnesse and experience bringeth hope for by continuing our prayers to the Lorde in the time of trouble we are sure to finde suche mitigation thereof as not onely maketh it so tollerable that it may be borne but also leadeth vs to a further hope in that experience of mitigation alreadie had whiche thing is better learned with vse then it can be made plaine by any rule Onely we haue to take heede lest we should let goe the experience of his goodnesse towardes vs either in hauing taken away trouble at our request or else in hauing asuaged the rage thereof for experience strongly vpholdeth hope and mightily battereth downe despaire And nowe to incourage vs to prayer we haue not onely a commaundement for it whiche maketh our obedience herein better then a sacrifice offered vnto God our contempt and neglecte of prayer sinne and rebellion against God but also most plentiful and louing promises to allure vs with assured hope of rewarde as it is written in Matthewe Aske and it shal be giuen you Knocke and it shal be opened Seeke and ye shall finde What man is there among you whiche if his sonne aske him bread would giue him a stone If ye then which are euil can giue to your children good giftes howe muche more shall your Father whiche is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him These promises whiche are grounded in the mercies of God haue made the godlie conceiue hope to pray vnto him and not their owne worthinesse nay they haue turned away their eyes from the feare of their owne sinnes after the hope of these promises made in mercie vnto his A notable example wherof we haue in Genesis where Iacob after he confessed that he was not worthie the least of those benefites whiche he had alreadie receiued yet notwithstanding is imboldened to pray for other benefites because God had promised The promises of God are founded in his mercie and therefore perfourmed because of his mercie These promises made al the godly that euer were in any age bolde to pray We therefore hauing the same promises haue also the same hope and holde of his mercies that they had and the same cōmendation of our cause and suites whatsoeuer For all their hope did hang and depend vppon the goodnesse of God promised in his word therefore let vs not be guiltie of so greate sinne againste our owne soules as to be disobedient by our neglect of prayer to the lawe and commandement of our God neither yet so iniurious vnto the Lord as through infidelitie and mistrust to call into question the veritie of his worde and trueth of his promises which are perfourmed vnto vs in our mediatour and redeemer Christ Iesus in whom all the promises are fulfilled When the question is then of our vnwoorthinesse let vs call to minde that there was neuer any man vpon the earth no Saint or seruaunt of God howe holie or blessed so euer that was heard for himselfe or had the promises perfourmed vnto him in respect of his owne worthinesse but onely in and for Christe to whome the promises were made who is the heire of all things as it is written to the Hebrues and therefore no man hathe true title to any promise of blessednes but in his name and for him because he is a part and member of Christ who is Lord of all hath true title therevnto Our hope ariseth in the right of Christe our clayme is good in his title our comfort commeth by his interest We beeing therefore members partes of him haue lawfull title in his name who is the true and lawfull heire of all the inheritaunce notwithstanding that in any title that we can shewe for our selues as from our selues we remaine without hope of any help or comfort by suite to recouer any thing at all a deede of gifte being before made vnto the Lord Iesus of that inheritance and all that belongeth therevnto Euerie gifte and graunt that is made passeth in his name and whatsoeuer suite is recouered apperteining to our happie estate it is entred likewise in the title right of him and is giuen vnto vs because we are members of him The firste Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians maketh plaine proofe hereof that we haue no spirituall blessing but in Christe because we are his and in him whom the father hath appointed the lawful inheritour of all thinges It is in plaine wordes affirmed by the Apostle to the Corinthes that the faithfull are by the appointment of God the Father in Iesus Christe who is made vnto them as before wee haue heard wisedome righteousnes holinesse redemption that he who will glorie may glorie in the Lord. Those therefore that enter their suites and petitions to God the Father in the title and right of any Saint Angel or Apostle whatsoeuer whether they passe in their names alone or in Christe his name and theirs together they enter their suite amisse and therefore shall neuer profite by it They take vpō them to frustrate that graunt made from God the Father to Iesus Christ alone making an alienation thereof vnto others at their owne will and pleasure cancelling that deed of gifte and forging a newe wherein the virgine Marie and others are made parteners with him affirming that the suites and petitions must proceede in their name also as well as his That blasphemous prayer of theirs is not vnknowen vnto any Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit Thou Christ for that bloud whiche Thomas for thee did spend make vs clyme thether whither Thomas did ascende If they woulde qualifie their speeche their owne practise will condemne them For they haue prayed to bee accepted in the title right and deseruing of the Sainctes making mediatours to him who is for vs alreadie and our alone mediatour in deede making him as a straunger or enimie rather to be appeased by others when as in verie deede hee is our best and deerest friende appointed our mediatour and standing on our part to appease other Whose affection that it standeth better towardes
of words and sparing of no paines therein yet are they farre from this persuasion required of necessitie vnto true and faithfull prayer They receiue hope and are confident by reason of the laboriousnesse of their paynes in the multitude of prayers and other doinges of their owne deuising they knowe not what the mercie of God meaneth whiche onely worketh hope in his and maketh them humble euen in the doinge of those thinges that are commanded of him because it is the mere mercie and good will of God that hath wrought them in those that be his and that doth accept them and take them in good part at their handes The ende and marke that the seruauntes of God should sette before them in their prayers and petitions is to haue the Lorde glorified by perfourming that vnto his whiche he hathe promised to haue his mercie and power to come vnto the eyes and eares of men so euidently perfourming the trueth of his word that they may see and be forced to confesse that he ruleth here in earth Whē we are readie to pray either for good thinges to be giuen vs or for euill things to be taken frō vs the care to haue God his mercies magnified his goodnesse promised towards his to be seene come to light thereby to the credite name and glorie of the Lord ought principally to prouoke vs and to be the chiefe thing that should moue vs to make suite either for any good thing to bee giuen vs or to be eased of any affliction And therefore are we taught in this his prayer which is a paterne vnto all our prayers to begin them with the desire that his name may bee hallowed and his kingdome may come In the whiche petitions by the consent of all the godlie learned we ought to haue our mindes and senses wholy shut vpp within the desire that hee mighte haue a wonderfull name and be seene and knowen to reigne as a king in performing the trueth of his word here vpon earth And notwithstanding our good and benefite bee not diuided from this his glorie but moste neerely ioyned therevnto yet must we flie ouer the care of that in our thoughts and beginne our requestes in the earnest desire to see the tryall of his mercies and power promised vnto his experienced and made knowen in trueth and in effect Therefore you shall not looke for at my handes any seuerall declaration what particular things are conteined vnder the hallowing of his name or the comming of his kingdome for that were infinite in asmuch as there is no trueth promised in his worde perfourmed but in that same his name is hallowed and his kingdome commeth And I tolde you euen now that it was the desire of his name his glorie that must send vs to prayer and go before all our owne priuate commodities and respectes whatsoeuer When wee doe pray that his will may bee doone in Earth as it is in Heauen we are admonished in that petition that the glorie of his name and the power of his kingdome are not fundered from his will and worde It may not once enter into our thoughts that the Lord will be glorified in shewing foorth the greatnesse of his power and goodnesse any otherwise then as hee hath declared in his word whiche is the true wittnesse of his will. Wherefore whensoeuer wee are truely touched with the glorie of God his name or the aduauncement of his kingdome we are desirous to haue some thing perfourmed whiche in his word he hath approued In this petition wee haue warrant to pray vnto the Lord for any thing that in his word he hath promised to bestowe vppon his therfore are we taught to inquire at his mouth I meane euen at his word what his wil and pleasure is For to presume to aduaunce his glorie otherwise then he hath shewed vs in his worde is to tempt the Lord and to imagine to glorifie him or to purchase praise vnto him with that which by his word cannot be approued is not to honour but to dishonor the Lord for he hath coupled the glorie of his name the honour of his kingdome to the doeing of his wil. It was declared of late that notwithstanding the glorie of God and the comming of his kingdome be not diuided from the commoditie of his seruants yet ought his seruantes to cast their eyes vpon his glorie alone in the recital of those petitions In like man̄er ought we to iudge of this petitiō where we do craue for the doing of his wil that the in requesting of any thing agreable to his wil we ought not so much to loke vpon any commoditie cōming to vs therby as vnto this that therby his wil and pleasure taketh place and he is sene plainly perceiued to be iust true in his word and so by that meanes his kingdome is truely acknowledged his name hallowed We do confesse that he ruleth according to his word but whē we see the experience therof that whiche before was faintly in the mouth is now strongly conceiued in the hearte And who soeuer he be that hath the greatest portion of faith and most assured persuasiō of the good wil power of God that it watcheth alwayes for the perfourmance of his wil reuealed in his word he hath neede notwithstanding to haue his faith strengththened by experience and tryall of the mercies of God visibly performed in the gouernment of his church The Sainctes and seruantes of GOD are desirous alwayes to haue his honoure aduaunced and his kingdome acknowledged by the ordering and gouerning of things here in earth according to his word therfore after that Solomon had made an end of intreating the Lord to heare the prayer of his seruaunts in their seuerall necessities according as they are recited in the booke of Kings he rendereth a reason why hee would haue the Lord to graunt their petitions That sayth he all the people of the earth may knowe that the Lord is GOD and none other This is the cause why the seruantes of God are desierous to haue their petitions and prayers which they make according to his wil to be heard and graunted euen that the glorie of his name may be aduaunced that it may be seene that hee ruleth and none other and that experience may iustifie the gouernement of God after his word Heere we see that blinde and ignoraunt prayers what deuotion and good meaning so euer be pretended are no prayers that euer the Lorde will accepte of and that suche as doe not serue the Lord after his word are cut off from all hope to haue their prayers heard to any benefite or comforte of theirs because the Lorde hath ioyned his mercie and power wherein hee will bee glorified to the performaunce of his will for the comfort and good of those that doe serue him after his worde Therefore doeth the Prophet Dauid make his seeking out of the preceptes of God a persuasion that he shall
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
tempest or health doeth succeede sicknesse when deliuerance commeth after imprisonment or plentie after pouertie These are so often sene by experience to come one after an other that notwithstanding men haue in their distresse prayed for them yet hardly can they be brought to think that they are blessings graunted to faithful prayer but rather imagine that they are thinges cast heere and there vpon men at aduenture And therefore where men are in those or such like distresses they hardly or not at all conceiue any hope to he heard Seldome doe they make any sute vnto God in faith especially if those afflictions lay sore vpon them but the children of God knowing that they are promised to haue the Lorde neere vnto them in all that they shall call vnto him for and that they shal be heard for the thing of the day vpon his day as their occasion requireth so doe they seeke vnto the Lord beeing sure in continuance to finde comforte at his hands and why they knowe assuredly that the Lord will haue his mercie and power tryed and seene heere vppon the earth in hearing the requestes of his in their distresse that by that meanes hee may bee truely feared and honoured of them according as it is proued in the booke of Kinges and also that by his hearing of their petitions in those their distresses they may be confirmed in the persuasion that GOD fauoureth them remitteth their sinnes and beeing at one with them is fauourably inclined vnto them in all their needfull demaunds Whosoeuer shall diligently consider of the places of Scripture in the olde Testament applied by the Apostle to the forgiuenes of sinns shall easily perceiue that the godlie haue taken their deliueraunce from their distresses as pledges of the remission of their sinnes and assuraunces that God for Christe was at one with them For their temporall blessings were not receiued of them but as confirmations of his reconciliation with them whiche proueth that which was said before that the Lord heareth the prayer of his in their necessitie to strengthē their faith in the remission of sinnes and persuasion that GOD for Christ is beecome fatherly affected towardes them his promises being visibly confirmed to them In Deuteronomie there are promises made vnto them that do giue diligent heede vnto the law and commandements of God to obey them that they shal be blessed in the fruit of their body in the fruit of their cattel in their comming in and going out in all that they shall put their handes vnto in causing their enimies that rise against them to fall before their face and the cause is added in the tenth verse in these wordes Then all the people of the earth shall see that the name of the Lorde is called vppon ouer thee and they shall be affrayde of thee It is therfore moste assured that the Lord will be seene to bee the GOD of his and to haue a kingdome heere vppon earth by graunting them their requestes when they shall call vppon him in their distresse by leauing outwarde blessings as plaine confirmations of his inwarde heartie good will that he beareth towardes them And for this cause doe his people craue those temporall benefites euen that it may bee seene that he ruleth vppon earth standing by his as he hath promised Wherefore whensoeuer their enimies oppresse them or by the want of any his accustomed benefites they seeme not to bee regarded of the Lord they cōplaine vnto him not so much in the consideration of their necessitie as in regarde of his glorie vsing these such like kind of speeches Wherfore should the Heathen say Where is now their GOD As if their chiefe care were to haue the Lorde his glorie vpholden in the confirmation of his goodnesse promised vnto his whiche is called into doubt of the vngodlie while they see those that accounted thēselues for his in affliction and oppression necessitie and want as if they were not regarded of him wherby the vngodly are imboldened the more to oppresse the righteous by calling into question the trueth of his promises made vnto his confirmed the rather in the continuing of their disobedience Very fitly therefore is the hallowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and the doeing of his wil set before the request of outwarde necessities because wee should demaund them rather in respect of his glorie that he might therby haue a name and kingdome here in earth and his wil perfourmed rather then wee to haue therein our alone necessitie releeued The godly in like manner returne the whole praise vnto him euen whē those things are graunted vnto them that seeme to be moste casuall and to come at aduenture Therfore in that Psalme before mentioned they are willed to praise the Lord and to tel vnto others what he hath done for thē when those things which seeme to be meere casuall and comming by fortune and chaunce are obteyned which clause of praysing the Lord and telling vnto others what thinges he hath graunted at the requestes of their prayers is added in the psalme vnto the end of euery seuerall benefite graunted vnto thē But al men cōceiue not this doctrin they are his children alone who in hart are assured that these which cōmonly we cal casual things are disposed by him at the pleasure of his will graūted as pledges of his goodwill to those that in trueth call vpon him and therfore in the last verse of that psalme it is said Who is wise that he may obserue these things because they be onely his children that haue this wisdome to obserue this to mark it to knowe that he disposeth these outwarde things to the good of his as pledges of his fatherly goodnes towards them and therfore they onely call vpon him for them in faith and in receiuing them doe assuredly in their heart reckon them as benefites receiued of him confirming their faith therby in the assurance of his especiall goodwill towards them By this that hath bene said it doth appeare that when we are oppressed with anguish of heart or vexed with any calamitie either of bodie or minde wee haue to seke our remedie at the hands of the Lord by prayer in assured hope to receiue no smal comfort thereby if in faith and hope of his mercies we continue in calling vppon his name It is a very hard matter and the worke of faith alone when a man is sore distressed seeth no means to escape then to call vpon God with faith and hope of beeing heard and if help shall come it is as hard a matter to ascribe it vnto the mercies of God as the fruit of prayer and an assured token of his goodwil rendering from the ground of our hart the praise that is due vnto him for it and strengthening our faith therby in the persuasiō of his mercies towards vs The seruāt of God glorifieth God in these things acknowledging from his hearte that God is the giuer
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
necessitie whatsoeuer indureth longer then they wishe or increase vpon them after their suite made for deliueraunce because the Lord wil worke a more glorious worke in their deliuerance for the comfort and increase of their faithe notwithstanding it be some long time after shall we say the Lorde hathe reiected their prayers because he hath delayed so long God forbidde For the Lorde according to the good counsel of his will hath not iustified the innocencie and good causes of his sometimes no not before their death And as it hath bene said of the time so likewise is it to be thought of the meanes maner of helping relieuing vs if that hath ben other then we coulde haue prescribed shall we denie the Lord to haue hearde our suites because the helpe that we haue had hath not beene in the same manner that we haue conceiued to be best This one thing we haue often to call to remembrance that before the request of these outward necessities there is the desire of doing his will here in earth to teach vs that the Lord is thus helpful in outward necessities oppressing them vnto the prayers of suche as haue not onely the knowledge of his will but also the desire to do it For that goeth before the other in our prayer therfore in our desire in as much as true praier goeth not without the desire of the hart vnto the request of the tongue Those therfore that looke for these outward blessinges when they call vnto the Lord must learne both to know what his will is reueled in his word also to haue a desire to doe the same For vnto those that thus worship him the Lord hath promised to incline his eare according as it is written in these wordes We knowe that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God doth his wil him heareth he putting them in hope of beeing heard that be worshipers of him making those the worshippers not that do vnto him whatsoeuer liketh them but that are doers of his liking wil which is opened to vs in his word To the confirmation of this may be added that which is written in the first Epistle of S. Iohn in these wordes whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we do those thinges whiche are pleasing in his sight By this it appeareth that witches sorcerers whiche wil haue the name of wisemen and wise women who are thought to do so many things with prayer cannot preuaile with the Lorde to obteine these outward thinges of him in fauour and goodwil for of all people they are the most ignorant of his will therefore of his worship But as euen nowe it was proued if any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his will him heareth he Those are they to whō the Lord hath made promise that he wil be mercifully inclined vnto in their prayers petitions he is nighe vnto al that call vpon him in trueth he wil fulfil the desire of thē that feare him he wil heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him saith the holy Ghost It may so fal out that the prayers of witches such like may be instrumentes of his iustice for the punishment of sinne in others and for the hardening of their own harts but it is as sure as the lord liueth that they neuer obteine any thing by their prayers to their good in fauour good liking of the lord But as for the seruants of God they are in assured hope to haue their prayers heard whē they shal cal vpon the Lord in their outward distresses for they are persuaded as the truth is in deede that it standeth vpō the name glorie of the Lord to stand by his in their necessities for to succour and help them as the matter shall require Wherefore they require it as a part of his owne glorie as an argument and assurance that he reigneth here in earth as a matter that is agreeable to his good pleasure and will according as they haue learned out of his word whiche giueth them an assured hope of beeing heard and maketh them bolde to call vppon him knowing that his owne glorie the renoune of his owne kingdome and a matter that is agreeable to his owne good liking and will is in hande while their distresses wants are brought before the Lord to be holpen relieued by him A manifest confirmation proofe of this is to be found in the Psalme In the whiche place the prophet speaketh much in the beginning of extolling the name of God of meditating the beautie of his glorious maiestie of shewing foorth the glorie of his kingdome and speaking of his power after this it followeth that the Lorde vpholdeth all that fall that he fulfilleth the desire of them that feare him that he wil heare their crie and will saue them as if the glorie of his name and renoune of his kingdome were seene in this to lift vp his that fall to heare their crie and saue them And no doubt the Lord will haue it knowen here vpon earth that he is Lorde ouer all true faithfull in his word by the helpe and defence that he will graunt vnto his whensoeuer in their distresse they shal by faithful prayer resorte vnto him His meaning is to leaue manifest and plaine profe that he ruleth herein earth euē by that mercie that he hath to bestowe vpon his who cal and crie vnto him in their necessitie with an assured hope of being heard For the glorie of his name the honour of his kingdome and the good pleasure of his will go ioyntly together with the hearing regarding of their cause according as they are set before this petition in this fourme of prayer that is prescribed by the lord Where before we make mention of daily bread there is request made for the halowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and dooing his wil because euen then when he relieueth the necessities of his that call vpon him his name is hallowed his kingdome commeth and that is perfourmed which is agreeable to his will. This cannot but minister hope and comfort vnto vs in all our necessities that his honour and glorie is after a manner darkened in our distresse and as it were suffereth in the same which the lord God cannot but erecte and aduaunce and therefore fauour our distresse wherevnto his owne honour is so neerely ioyned Nowe let vs pray c. ¶ The xvij Lecture vppon the 12. and 13. verses 12 And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters 13 And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs frō euil for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen IN this petition we do require the forgiuenesse of our sinnes wherein wee are to vnderstande that by this worde sinne is not onely ment the guiltines that we haue brought in
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
distresse he sendeth his word and healeth them deliuereth them from their graues It were an infinite worke to recite those places in the booke of Psalmes that proue the mercies of God to remoue punishmentes from the offenders when they shall in true repentaunce turne vnto him It is a harde matter in great affliction to persuade the man that is sore afflicted for his sinne that there is mercy with the lord to remoue his punishment if he shal truly humble him selfe in repētance for his sinne yet we see what plaine proofes there are of the same to increase our faith in the persuasion to haue our sinnes forgiuen when we are truely grieued and penitent for the same This is a doctrine most needefull to be stoode vpon because the blessing that the Lord hath promised to bestowe vpon his by reason of our corruption are rather deliueraunces from euill then preseruations in any continuall course of prosperitie I say they rather come in after our affliction then stande continually with vs to keepe affliction from vs whiche many mistaking haue stumbled at the afflicted estate of the children of God but the worde of the Lord doth guide those that be his to looke to the end of the vpright man Marke the vpright man and beholde the iust for the end of that man is peace saith the Prophet And almoste all those requestes that Solomon maketh for the people of God are to haue blessinges benefites procured vnto them after their troubles afflicted estate We see therefore howe needefull it is to holde this doctrine of forgiuenesse of sinnes that we stumble not at the crosse of Christ that we do not murmur or despaire in our affliction that we should not shake off hope notwithstanding our grief whatsoeuer haue had long continuance and abode with vs that we nourishe no wrong iudgement of the estate of the Church and children of God that we decide not with the vngodly against the seruants saints of god A tentation that had almost shaken the faithful seruant and prophet of God Dauid vntil he went into the sanctuarie of the Lord to inquire the end of those men This doctrine ouerthroweth the heresie of the Nouatians who do denie the forgiuenes of sinns after baptisme That which is ioyned with this petition of our forgiuing them that trespasse against vs noteth not any deseruing to haue our sins forgiuen by reasō of our forgiuing of them that offend against vs for then we should not pray to haue them forgiuen seing we remoue them by deserte but is added for our instruction and for our comfort For our instruction to teache vs that the Lord requireth this at our handes that we should be mercifull because he is mercifull For our comforte to tell vs that if we whiche be men can remitte the wronges and iniuries done against vs much more will our heauenly Father who is without comparison aboue man in mercie and compassion forgiue the offences sinnes of his seruants when they shal in true repentaunce seeke vnto him For the same it is needefull for our infirmitie to receiue persuasion of his mercie especially when his iudgement shal be vppon vs and punishment which is the assured signe of his displeasure shall presse vs it is then a harde matter to conceiue hope that the Lorde will forgiue vs For infidelitie is as deepely rooted in our heartes as any sinne or iniquitie whatsoeuer therefore the Lord hath left vs who are taught by his spirite to forgiue vnto others their offences cōmitted against vs an assured hope to finde fauour at his handes who will neuer be found inferiour vnto man in mercie Therfore is it thus written in Luke Forgiue vnto vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue euerie man that is indebted to vs And as it is necessarie that we should bee vpholden with this hope so is it requisite that we remember that which is written in Matthew If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses to admonish vs that the Lorde will haue his to resemble him and heare this his image of mercie before the world If we be taught to remitt and forgiue offences vnto others when they shall haue done vs any wrong we may easily perceiue that the Lord will not haue vs to cherish our selues in the hope of beeing heard when wee shall offer vnto other iniurie and wrong For if a Christian be admonished in this petition so far to profite that hee learne to forgiue iniuries done against him much more would the Lorde haue him to be farre from offending others by iniuries done vnto them The last petition wherin we craue that the Lord would not leade vs into temptation but deliuer vs from euill doeth admonish vs that the almightie vseth to punish sinne with sinne that when men shall haue long continued in sinne they shall become so blinde and hardened therein by the iuste iudgemente of GOD that hardly sometime after muche affliction they can bee cured of the same That the godly are subiecte vnto a kinde of hardnesse of heart which is a punishment for their former sinnes laide vpon them from the Lord as may appeare by that prayer of the church of God whereof wee reade in the Prophet Isaie in these wordes O Lorde why haste thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardened our heartes from thy feare returne for thy seruaunts sake and for the tribes of thine inheritaunce It is not that hardnesse of heart whiche is peculiar to the reprobate that is mentioned in this place but to bee so taken with the snares of sinne and so ledd into temptation and blinded intangled therein as the godlyest that lyueth may bee and yet afterwarde by affliction or some other meanes deliuered from the same For when it pleaseth the Lorde to lay affliction vpon his no doubt there is in them this erring from his wayes and hardnesse of hearte from his feare which the Churche of GOD complaineth of in this place and whiche the Lorde purposeth to cure For he is not cruel to punish when there is no cause but his meaning is to mollifie their harde heartes thereby that they may be humbled vnder the gouernement of his holie worde We pray therfore in this petition that we may not bee hardened through the deceiptfulnesse of sinne for the auoyding wherof the children of God are admonished in the Epistle to the Hebrues to exhorte one another Exhorte one another sayeth the holie Ghoste while it is called to day least any of you bee hardened through the deceiptfulnesse of sinne This petition of not leading vs into temptation but deliuering vs from euil doth wel followe that of forgiuenesse of sinnes For when it pleaseth the Lord to forgiue sin he deliuereth them from beeing hardened therein giuing them the sight of the deceipt that is in it and also power and maisterie ouer the rage thereof In that prayer of Solomon whiche
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
to the defence of that holde whiche being taken by the enimies he is assured to receiue continuall shame and dishonour The Lord will be honored by hauing his word obeyed if we doe not conspire to mainteine his honour that way we are guiltie of treason against his glorie when we suffer sathan to batter downe obedience in vs to God and man we are as well accessarie to the betraying of his glorie as those souldiers that are quiet within the castle while their enimies sacke the same without Let vs therfore goe carefully aboute these matters of his honour let our care and sounde dealing be a recorde vnto our hartes that we are not conspired with his enimies There can be no better argument that men do willingly consent with sathan then to see them carelesse of his assaultes then neuer to see them stande vpon their watche especially dealing with the enimie who hath professed that hee will neuer be at truce with them And because the Lord giueth so glorious a title to christianitie as to call it his glorie making so neere a bonde betweene our saluation his honour let vs not sleepe in so earnest matters neither bring a slender and bare affection where there is the assured hope of a double commoditie Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father that we may more be humbled that wee haue so long liued to so litle honour of his name not only that we may thereby truly acknowledge the mercy of Iesus Christe that hathe put vppe so great dishonour at our handes washing it away no otherwise than with his bloud but also that in the remembraunce of so long time wherein we haue dishonoured him we may bee whetted to bestirre vs this time that we haue to liue bothe to pull downe our affections that would dishonour him in the plaine contempte or carelesse regard of obedience also to bring forth that fruite of newe life that may open the mouthes of many to speake of his praise for it whose workmanship it is The fourth Lecture vpon the eighth verse 8 Remember the Sabbaoth day to keepe it holie 9 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke 10 But the seuenth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruaunt nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy straunger that is within thy gates 11 For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen and the earthe the sea and al that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbaoth day and halowed it THe rest from bodily laboures that was commaunded vpon the Sabbaoth day had in it this signification that Christianitie did consist in ceassing from sinne So doe the Prophets who are the true expositors of the law interpret it For thus we do read in the Prophet Esay Blessed is the man that doeth this and the Sonne of man that taketh holde on it he that keepeth the Sabbaoth and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from dooeing any euill The Prophete doeth declare what it is to keepe the Sabbaoth by these wordes following And keepeth his hand from doeing any euil The euill that by this sabbaoth we are commaunded to rest and ceasse from is not a matter straunge and disagreeing from our disposition but rooted in our nature as nowe we haue it from Adam And therefore the same Prophet that here affirmeth the keeping of the Sabbaoth to consist in ceassing and resting from euill in an other place affirmeth it to be the ceassing from our owne wayes and workes declaring thereby this euill and iniquitie that we are commaunded to ceasse from to be no forrener or straunger but to keepe his house and home in our owne nature In that the Scripture termeth euil to be our own wayes and works according as it is written by the Prophete Isaie If thou consecrate the Sabbaoth as glorious vnto the Lorde and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will c. expounding the Not doing our owne ways nor seeking our owne will to be the consecrating of a glorious Sabbaoth vnto the lord The Sabbaoth then consisteth in keeping vs from doing euil so that necessarily we must conclude this euil to be in our owne wills and wayes This inwarde corruption wherewith bothe our wit and wil is poysoned was very fitly resembled in the outward obseruing of the Sabbaoth For vppon the Sabbaoth day the people were called from all their accustomed workes that they had beene occupied in the sixe dayes before So that a man comparing their doinges that day with those they were exercised in the other sixe dayes must of necessitie say they were cleane altered and chaunged in their doinges from that that vsually before they had beene and so diuerse as if they had not beene the same but other men A resemblance verie fitte and sitting to our spirituall Sabbaoth whiche consisteth in becomming newe men concerning our dooinges from that wee haue beene before wee knewe the Gospell The outward rest from bodily laboures whiche did shadowe out our true rest from sinne whiche is our accustomed way and worke was so strictely obserued among the Iewes that the neglect thereof in the least thinges as gathering sticks vpon the Sabbaoth day was punished with death as we do reade in the 15. of Numbers to declare some signification of greater thinges in it according as the Prophetes haue interpreted it The Sabbaoth then doth verie well point out the corruption that we haue receiued of Adam which ruleth and reigneth in the ways and wils of al them that are not borne againe and chaunged bothe in will and deede by the power of that his grace which only he bestoweth vppon his elect For thus it is written to the Ephesians Among whome speaking of the children of disobedience We also had our conuersation in time past in the lustes of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others We haue to marke here that speaking of his sinne he describeth it to haue beene done by following the wil of the minde whiche is the reasonable part as well as in following the will of the flesh which is the affection vnreasonable part And lest we shuld ascribe this only to his custome in sinne as if hee had not beene borne with this disease nor by nature inclined therevnto he putteth himselfe and others vnder the wrathe of God by nature saying We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others making it the common case of all men as naturally to be inclined to euill as they are to eate and drinke in their hunger or thirst It is worth the noting that he putteth himselfe in the number for he saith of him selfe to the Philippians that his life was not outwardly to be reproued no not before his calling
did ouerflowe the worlde in the dayes of Noe according as it is written in Genesis Then the sonnes of God sawe the daughters of men that they were faire they toke them wiues of all that they liked Therefore the Lord said My spirite shal not alwayes striue with man because he is but fleshe c. Here vppon we see the euill beginning and the iust punishment of suche as pollute marriage whiche shoulde be kept in all obedience and holinesse For marriage is the nourcerie of Christianitie Nowe if the nource be a drie nource not hauing any true feare and seruice of God shal she not be guiltie of those that sterue vnder her hand Or shal their cruel carelesnesse be vnpunished that dare commit heires of so great an inheritance vnto such nources destitute altogether of any nourishment fitte and conuenient for them The learned giue this reason why in the books of kinges there is so continuall mention made of their mothers who were Kings that the children are by nature giuen to followe muche the inclination of their mothers and that education whiche they receiue from them and therefore that diligent care should be had to make suche choice as were likely to bring the benefite of Christian education to their children and posteritie This is the first thing whiche is required to make a godly and chaste life in marriage Euen to marrie in the Lorde As this choice is the beginning of a godly and chaste life so loue and heartie good affection is the thing that doth continue it For the increasing whereof it was prouided in the olde Testament that the newe married man should not go on warfare neither be charged with any publique businesse but be free at home one yeare reioyce with the wife whiche he had taken to the ende there might be suche vniting of mindes as afterwardes were not easily to be fundered This also had the Lorde respect vnto in that lawe which as we haue heard before was made to cure the iealous affection of the man. This loue shall then be surely continued when either partie shall perfourme that which the Lord hath laide vpon them humbling themselues vnder the burden of obedience which he hath charged thē withal which is for the man as we are taught by the Apostle Peter that he giue honour vnto the woman as the weaker vessel making a supplie of her weakenesse and that want whiche by nature shee hathe of many gyftes graunted vnto man by his loue and hartie good affection declared vnto her euen as in the bodie of man the stronger members giue diligent care and support vnto the weaker alwayes taking heede that he suffer no contempte to abide in his heart much lesse in his dede towards her who is fellowe heire with him of the grace of life as the Apostle witnesseth in the same place therfore may not haue her life made by contempt or outragious dealing so bitter and grieuous as it may rather be called a curse then a grace and mercifull gyft of God. But the chiefe cause whiche shoulde moue a christian moste is left their prayers and seruice of God be reiected whiche cannot be acceptable vnto him while there abideth wrathe and displeasure in the hart towards any but especially if there be iarring and dissention with those with whome we should be moste at one For prayer is the lifting vppe of pure handes without wrathe as the Apostle testifieth to Timothie The man behauing himselfe thus according to the commandement of God shall do the duetie which to him belongeth to continue a chast and godly life For the wife it is required by the apostle in the same place that she be of a meeke gentle and quiet spirit whiche the holy ghost requireth her to be apparelled withall setting it in the place of all outward vaine attyring of them selues as that which is precious before God and most able to allure the heartes of good men affirming this to haue beene the attire of holy womē in times past which trusted in god who for that they trusted in him committed them felues to the ornamentes prescribed by him not fearing contempt but assuredly beleeuing that in that his way he both coulde and woulde giue fauour vnto them in the eyes of their husbandes It is worthy the noting that hee maketh it the attyre of them that trusted in God for therein he plainely giueth foorth that the outwarde vaine setting out of them selues sauoureth of mistrust and feare of contempt whatsoeuer be pretended and that if they trust in God they shall not neede to feare that their meeknesse and quietnesse can bring any contempt with it but that it shall be rewarded with liking from the lord It is also required that they be reuerently subiect vnto their husbandes in all things as was Sarai who vsed such speach of reuerence calling him syr as did witnesse of the heart that it did honour him which if it be refused neither is that benefite graunted vnto their weaknesse of a head and guide acknowledged whiche is great vnthankfulnesse both vnto God and to their husbande neither yet that gouernement obeyed which the Lord hath put them vnder which is intollerable disobedience The place therefore that they are in must be acknowledged with all humilitie and the duties laide vpon them by the Lorde perfourmed that there may bee continuance of their godly and chaste loue Thus no occasion must be giuen vnto sathan by either of them thorough alienation of minde and breach of loue in not perfourming their seuerall dueties to make any way or passage to the vngodly and vnchast liking or vsing of any other Yong men shall then giue them selues to the dueties of this commaundement when they shall haue learned sobrietie temperaunce a gifte that brideleth their affections in pleasures as eating drinking and vaine setting forth of them selues in apparel not suffering them to haue all that they require herein but cutting thē short of that they wold yea of some part and of that also which honestly they might haue alwayes being short rather than in any respect beyond that the is conuenient for men of their degree so that they neede not to feare the iudgement of any indifferent men being alwayes a good deale within the compasse of their state and calling but neuer without giuing foorth testimonie by that meanes to al men of their modest temperate and sober minde which the holy Ghoste calleth the ornament of young men And the Apostle Paule warneth Titus to exhorte them vnto this gifte and grace of young yeares a verie profitable meane to driue away vnchast conuersation Women also are exhorted vnto this temperance and sobrietie and vnto modestie and shamefastnesse which is the roote and beginning of it by the Apostle Paule to Timothie who willeth in that place that their apparell may speake and declare the shamefastnesse of their minde which dare not put foorth it selfe vnto all that