Moses and Aron 88 Moses patience 12 his staffe and the power thereof 88 Mothers dutie to her children 8 Murther either secret or open 43 N NAture of man 20 Nature of the Storke 5 Nabuchadnezzar 88. 89. 32. Neighbours 97. they must be loued as our selues 44. Nehemiah commended 84 Night of the sabboth to bee spent holilie 72 Note of the feare of God is feare of his word 23 O OAth 36. 51. Oath lawfull 57 Obedience 17 Obedience to God must come from the hart 5 Obedience of children 3 Obedience of the wife 22 Offence in words 41 P PAtience 11 Papists care little for the sabboth 6 Papists superstitions 35 Parents 40. 2 Parents dutie to their children 7 Paule his feare 20 Perfit loue casteth out feare 19 Periurie 53 Peoples dutie 25 Peace a branch of meekenes 44 Praier 36. 67. 74. Praier for Parents 6 Preparation to the first commandement 1 Pride 50 Punishments for breaking the sabboth 71. 78 R REading the word 36 Receiuing of the sacrament ibid. Reason of the second commandement 37 Remembrance of the sabboth day 70 Reasons why to obey the sabboth 74 Reuerence of children 3 Repentance 67. 88 Rewards for keeping the sabboth 72 Riches improfitable 59 Rules to bee obserued in correction of seruants 17 S SAboth day why consecrated 90 Saboth day 61. 62. Instituted in Paradice 63. First the day of rest 65. Now the Lords day and why ibid. Sacraments 17. 82 Salomons dutie to his mother 3 Seruants 55. 11. Their seruice of God 13 Seruants more to bee regarded then goods 100 Sinne. 98 Speach 46 Spells 48 Spirit of God the spirit of truth 90 Subjects dutie 29 Superiors in gifts 32 Suretiship 67 Suspition 94 Superstition the hatred of God 39 Strange Gods 13 Strange apparell 57 Swearing 51. swearing wickedly 52 T THe law deliuered 1 The tables broken 2 The workes of the Trinitie 2 Thankfulnesse of children 3. it consists in two things 5 The feare of the three children in the furnace 24 The brasen Serpent 33 The Cherubines ibid. Theft 71. 72 Temperance in meat and drinke 53 To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols 31 To honour what 1 Trust in God 26 Truth 96 V VAine swearing 52 Vaine iangling 46 Vineyard of God ibid. Visitation of the sicke a priuate worke of the sabboth 73 Vnreuerent speeches of Gods workes 51 Vncleanenesse two fold 56 Vowes when to be vsed 36 Vse of Gods words 47 W WAntonnesse 57 What God hates hating the world 78 What it is to feare God 20 What to bee done on the sabboth day 71 Wee must loue God 16 We must not bee discouraged wanting meanes 71 Why children should first feare their mother 3 Wherein children must obey their parents 4 Wicked impietie to make an image of Christ 32 Worshipping of Images 34 Word of God 47 Wonders in Aegipt 88 Worldly crosses 11 Z ZAcharies vprightnes 7 Ziphiâ—â— 84 FINIS AN EXPOSITION VPON THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS Exod. 20. 1. God spake these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage THESE wordes containe a preparation to stirre vs vp to keepe the law of God partly in generall to all the keeping of all the commaundements Partly more specially to the keeping of the first That preparatiue which pertaines generally to all is in these words God spake It seeeth they haue God for the author of them therefore wee must settle our selues to obey them without gainsaying because God will not bee disputed withall The preparation to the first commandement more specially is drawne partly from the nature of God partly from his benefites His nature where hee saith I am Iehouah which signifieth the essence of God incommunicable to any creature From his benefits either generall in those words thy God i. One that haue bound my selfe in couenant with thee to bee thine and to do thee good in matters for this life and the life to come Or else speciall in the last wordes which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt signifieng that hee had prooued and shewed himselfe to bee their God by drawing them out of that bondage and because the mercie of God might more appeare in their deliuerance hee shewes the grieuousnesse of the state out of the which hee deliuered them it was an house of bondage i. a place of most extreame slauerie Sith hee is thy God then and hath beene so kinde vnto thee thou must willingly acknowledge him and him onely to bee thy God God spake these words In that it bringeth the author of these wordes hee saith God spake them This doctrine ariseth to vs that God is after a speciall the author of the tenne commaundements they are his words more specially then any other And as all scripture is to be regarded as proceeding from God so more especially these tenne words because they bee after a more peculiar sort Gods words That this is so it is proued plainelie in Deuter. fiue verse two and twentie Where Moyses hauing repeated this law sets downe two priuiledges that it had aboue all other scripture to winne the more authoritie vnto it First hee saith these words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude noteing this vnto them that whereas the ceremoniall and indiciall lawes were deliuered by the ministery of Angels and the other scriptures by the meanes of the men of God the Prophets these wordes and these commaundements God himselfe as it were in his owne person full of Magestie and terrour accompanied with all his Angels in a flame of fire did pronounce so terribly in the bearing of them all as that they trembled and came to Moyses requesting him that they might no more heare God speaking on this manner for if they did assuredly they should die for feare wherefore in this first regard they must bee exceedingly reuerenced because Gods owne voice did speake them Secondly for the writing of them they were not written as other scriptures which Saint Peter saith holy men of God write according to the instinct of Gods holy spirit within them but God him selfe did write them as it were with his owne finger not vsing thereto either men or Angells as instruments Yea at the first hee made the Tables himselfe also that there might bee nothing seene wherein was not the immediate worke of God vvherein they were written but afterwardes when Moyses brake them before the Isralites that had made the goulden Calfe to shew that they by their idolatrie had broken the couenaunt and vvere vvorthie to be cast off then though God did bid Moyses make the second Tables yet himselfe write the law not vsing thereto the ministry of any of his creatures shewing that in this regarde they bee more specially GODS wordes and so more to bee regarded And besides this testimonie diuers reasons may bee vsed to shew that these are GODS owne inuention and wordes after an extraordinarie manner For first the wonderfull and perfect holinesse that
Gods name in vaine which way so-euer one doe not keepe his oath nor commit the euill he sware too yet he sinned in that he made no greater reckoning of Gods name but to take it vp lightly and pawne it afore he had considered whether he had lawfully so done or not and if he doe keepe his wicked oath that is most of all sinfull for then he makes God an author patrone and calls him for a witnesse and allower of his euill So that for one to sweare he will be meet with such an one that hath done him wrong that he will be reuenged of him or such like this is a grieuous profaning of Gods holy name for Gods name should feare vs from euill not binde vs to euill Thirdly Gods name is exceedingly dishonoured and polluted by swearing falsely by forswearing ones selfe which is most vsually called perjurie This is an horrible sinne tending to a most fearefull damnation for if one shall giue account for euerie idle word as Christ saith and if one be subject to damnation for euerie vaine oath as Saint Iames affirmeth then what shal be-come of those that will dare to call God to beare witnesse of a false thing and beare themselues out in a lye by pretending his name Therfore in Zaccar 5. the Lord shewes that his curse like a fretting leprosie shall come vpon the forswearer and vpon his house to consume him and deuoure his posteritie and substance and shall eat into them like a fretting leprosie till it haue brought them to naught And in the 15. Ps it is set as a note marke of a true christian that hauing sworn to his hindrance he will yet keepe his oath Then how far is he from a good man that will of purpose sweare that which he neuer purposeth to performe and set a better coulour vpon an vntruth by garding it with an oath For it were better loose any commoditie then of Gods fauour and suffer damage in any thing then in the matter of Gods glory Now the circumstances doe aggrauate this sinne It is verie wicked and cursed if it be in a priuate place and in a priuate cause But when one comes before a magistrate in a publique assembly and in a matter publikly knowne and to be publikly tryed according to the truth and justice then to winne credit to a lye and vniust dealing by calling the true God to vvitnesse and to behold is most notorious and euen to lye against the holy ghost as Peter saith to Ananias And this is to bring a many sinnes into one to be a theefe and rob the innocent to peruert justice and trueth and therefore when one comes to be a witnesse before the face of the congregation in judiciall manner then purposely vppon set mallice to shrowd and thrust forward a lye as it were vnder the protection and safeconduct of Gods most holy name is one of the highest and sorest breaches of this commandement and abuses of his name Now the way to preserue one against all these abuses of Gods name is to feare an oath as in Ecclesiasticus setting a good man and opposing him to a sinner he giues him this marke that he feares an oath and if one be a frayde to accustome his tongue to swearing he shall not easily be ouertaken with wicked and much lesse perjured swearing but he that hath so lauish a tongue as it can with as much facilitie and nimblenesse poure foorth oathes as any other words he is in continuall daunger to fall into that foule and most odious and hatefull sinne of perjurie And thus wee haue heard how this commandement is broken Now where God forbids any ill he commands the contrary good Therefore we must see what it commands It commands generally to glorifie Gods name As is shewed in the Table following Gods name is glorified in life by a godly holy liueing in christian profession speach or without an oath in speking of Gods words titles attributs works reuerently and to good vse and edification in the lawfull vse of an oath by obseruing these rules in the persons or making that hee be a christian beleeuer else hee cannot sweare lawfully taking that he do require and will accept an oath else there is no calling thing that it bee first true in judgement and knowledge secondly a matter of wait and importance thirdly taken with great feare and reuerence of gods name FIrst for life a christian is bound heere to behaue himselfe so that his whole conuersation may bring glorie to the name of God He must so profit in knowledge and conscience by the word of God which he professeth make such a good proceeding in pure religion as that he may beautifie his religion by a blamelesse and vnspotted behauiour Thus in Mat. 5. Christ saith Let your light so shine foorth that men may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen He would haue christians be as lights and the light which they must send forth on euerie side must be a gratious and christian behauiour that men seeing beholding these beams may glorifie not them and commend them for this a Pharise will doe seeke to haue men magnifie him and speake well of him but a christian must desire that by his meanes men may be brought to magnifie the profession of God and to speake and think most reuerently of that word that hath wrought such grace and such reformation in them The life must be the first beginner in religion or else the speach is but ridiculous as the Lord saith What hast thou to doe to take my words within thy mouth and hatest to be reformed One goes beyond his calling and commission when he dare call himselfe a christian and God his father and will not yeld obedience vnto his commandements in his practise So 1. Peter 2. 12. Haue your conuersation honest among the gentiles c. that they may glorifie God in the day of their visitation q. d. Therebe many of Gods elect that are as yet vnregenerate and as bitter against Gods truth as any of the reprobates and will speake as ill of profession and professours as any other but God will visit them hereafter by his good spirit and the sunne of grace shall shine in their darke harts to their enlightning and Gods word shall work faith repentance in their harts who when God hath shewed the same mercie to them that in former time he did to you shall magnifie God for those good things that haue bene in you which haue caused them that bare an hard minde to religion afore to loue and like it so much the more now And though they stand out long yet at length they shall be wonne and then they will magnifie God And euen bond men are commanded notwithstanding their low estate the basenesse of their condition yet to bring some glory to God and win some reuerence to their glorious profession by their good dealing No man is
words Wherefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it HEere God shewes that if none of the former reasons will preuaile yet wee should bee moued for our owne benefit to regard it for nothing is more auaileable to bring a blessing on soule bodie then the religious keeping of the sabboth for God hath appointed it to the end that hee might haue occasion to communicate his goodnesse to the diligent obseruers of it So that from this reason that he saith God sanctified the day j. set it a-part for his vse and blessed it that is appointed it for a meanes of blessing to the obedient for the day it selfe is no more blessed then other daies From hence I say wee may learne that the way to get all blessing is to keepe holy the sabboth this is the most direct and sure meanes to get all comfortable prosperitie to keepe an holy rest to God vpon his day One reason is because God hath sanctified it to this end as for inward benefits is shewed Isaiah 56. 4. 7. Where the Lord shewes that for inward blessings if any of what estate so euer will keepe Gods sabboth hee shall haue his hart filled full of spirituall joy God will giue him the spirit of praier and heare his praiers God will giue him abilitie to serue him and accept and reward his seruice And Isai 58. 13. 14 If one will keepe himselfe from polluting Gods holy sabboth and keepe it carefullie then he shall delight in the Lord that is God shall so shew his fauour and loue to his soule as hee shall bee joyfull in God so blesse his hart and conscience as that he shall feele that God is his God loues him and cares for him so that hee shall exult and rejoyce in this and finde Gods blessing both for heauen and for earth so that the mouth of God hath spoken it what euer flesh and bloud will obiect we haue the sure promise of God and it shall bee found true and faithfull So for things of this life Iere. 17. 24. The Prophet hauing foretold the destruction of Ierusalem prescribes a preseruatiue to thē which if they would take as yet their case was curable and that would help all namely to forbeare their worldly businesse on the sabboth and so doe the works of the Lord and then they shall enjoy their cittie and their houses and their wealth withal prosperitie and aboundance So that we see for soule and bodie Gods promise is that the sanctifying of the sabboth will bring happinesse and comfort to both The vse then of this is first for the terrifying of all sabboth breakers for if the keeping of a sabboth be the way to blessing as the truth of God hath sayd it then on the contrary side the contempt and neglect of it leades to all curses and wretchednesse For God hath shewed that this will kindle a fire vpon their houses but they hope to quench it no they shall not it cannot be quenched one may as well quench hell fire as the fire of Gods curse in this life if they continue still in this sinne And in truth experience shewes it that there is a wild fire most continually set vpon such mens goods that they come to naught and if they get mony yet they put it in a broken bag the canker of Gods vengeance eates all vp and they come to neede and want where shall one finde one in twentie that be common sabboth breakers as carriers and such like but they come to misery or if they doe thriue in the world and whord vp outward riches the curse of God seises more violently on their soules and this is the greatest plague of all for now it shewes that God hath no purpose to doe them good for those whom hee loues he corrects and this is the sorest miserie that can bee for a sinner to thriue in his sinne this hardens his hart and makes him runne with full course to hell as no such men is seene they be the most wicked and disordered persons that can bee they profit nothing by reading Gods word hearing worketh not in them they haue no affection in prayer but euen as dead stones no spirituall thing can worke vpon them for their good but euerie wicked and worldly thing hath strength and power enough to worke on them for their greater hurt So that in truth God shewes how hee likes of their course and this should terrifie them from this so daungerous and miserable a course of liuing Secondlie sith God doth promise a blessing vpon those that sanctifie his sabboth that they shall thriue in the Lords house and in religion and in other worldlie matters so farre as may stand with true prosperitie sith he hath spoken this that must stand which goes out of his mouth therefore it is for their comfort that the blessing of God shall attend vpon them whether they haue little or much If they haue abundance the abundance shall bee for their good to be more abundant in good and if they haue but from hand to mouth God will so prouide that yet they shall not want necessarie things but he that brings the day will bring foode and maintainance for the daie so that he neede not care for to morrow but cast his care vpon God whose truth it concernes to care for him and this they are sure off they shall haue a soft hart and a quiet conscience and shall receiue comfort from Gods promises and if one thriue in Gods house he neede not care carkinglie and distrustfullie how he shall doe in his owne house One may know how he shall speede at home by looking how hee serues God in the Church If hee keepe an holie rest with an holie hart holylie he shall haue rest to his soule peace joy to his conscience and bee set in so sure an outward estate as that nothing shall befall him for his hurt But then if one will haue this blessing he must keepe these three rules First let him make it a delight to keepe the sabboth and his joy to doe the workes of the sabboth let him long for it before it comes and bee glad of it when it comes because it frees him from all worldlie cares and thoughts and then hee hath a commandement more especiallie to cast his care vpon God and not to trouble himselfe a whit with them And so he saith in Isay call it a delight to consecrate it to the Lord take as much pleasure in doing the exercises of religion as the workes of your calling And more to indeede for they bee more easie and comfortable by farre wee must come as hungrie to the house of God and with as good an appetit as to our dinner or supper at home for in deede God keepes the best house hee makes the best cheere if wee can bring a good stomacke to the bread of life that hee breaketh vnto vs. But if one bee loth to come and must be
THE BRIGHT STAR VVHICH LEADETH wise men to our Lord Iesus Christ OR A familiar and learned exposition on the ten Commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithful Pastor by a gracious young man sometime scholler in Cambridge Ruth 2. 17. Ruth gleaned and carried it home to her mother LAEORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1603. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader the good prouidence of God hath vouchsafed thee benefit abroad by the labours of a reuerent faithfull Pastor which he meant only to his owne flocke at home These fruitefull doctrines which in this booke are offered to thee were receiued from his mouth but neither penned nor perused by himselfe nor published with his consent or knowledge for had he been willing that they should be exposed to open view he would haue garnished them with richer attire and yet with modestie according to the Apostles rule 1. Cor. 2. 1. Without affected excellencie of words or carnall wisdome They were collected by a godly ingenious young man whose diligent attention and painefulnes deserne no small commendations yet what hand or memorie can follow so fast the fluent speech of an eloquent Preacher as to set downe all in the same forme and elegancie wherein it is deliuered Moreouer at the printing diuers faultes haue escaped both of Orthographie poynting and method in some places But howsoeuer it is a religious and well seasoned heart will finde and feele herein such comfort and light as that light and slender defects will easilie be passed ouer And let not God be defrauded of his due praise who hath multiplied that food to feast so many which of man was appoynted to feede so few And here is that in some degree verified which 〈◊〉 Sauiour foretold his Disciples Luk. 12. 3◠What ye haue spoken in darkenesse shall be heard in light and that which ye haue spoken in the eare in secret places shall be heard on the houses Well good reader let this and such other wholesome writings kindle thy desire to the preaching of the word that thou maist be more frequent in hearing and iudicious in vnderstanding Beware thou grow not conceited of a sufficiencie to be found in reading good bookes and so begin to distaste the Ministerie they are not ordayned to kill our appetites to the word but to sharpen them And so I commend thee to the Lord who of his mercy graunt thee wisdome with good successe to thy euerlasting happinesse thorough Iesus Christ Thine in the Lord R. C. A necessarie Table referring the Reader to the principall matters contained in this booke A. ABoundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience Fol. 20 Abrahams offering vp of Isaac 33. his curtesie 46 Abusing of Gods titles 49 Abusing of his properties 50 Adams disobedience 3. 98 Adulterie 53. 54. 55 Agnus Dei 38 Ahabs sinne 38 All disorders of the second Table from the fift command 1 All duties contained in the commandements 2 All scripture proceedeth from God 1 Anger 48. 40. B BEginning of wisedome feare of God 20 Behauiour of a christian 54 Benefits by the loue of man and wife 19 Blessing for keeping the Saboth 90 Body abused 57 C CArnall reason 22 Charmes and spells 48 Children of God must not faint 11 Children 41. 2. Christ came to obey the lawes 3 Christ Iesus Lord of the Saboth 64 Christians 54 Commandement first 1 Commandement second 28 Commandement third 43 Commandement fourth 61 Commandement fift 1 Commandement sixt 37 Commandement seuenth 51 Commandement eight 57 Commandement ninth 80 Commandement tenth 97 Comparison betwene the lawes of God and men 2 Commandement broken as well by omission as cōmission 55 Confession of sinne 56 Contentednesse ones estate 73 Compassion 45 Correction for children 6. It must be done with compassion 8. With prayer ibidem Couetousnesse 51. 68. 69. 100 D DAie of judgement 47 Damnable to spend time idely 71 Dauid is perswaded by Abigail 4. his presumptuous sin 7 Death 47 Delight in Gods commandements 25 Deliuerance from Pharaoh 11 Disobedience to God 40 Diuell 47. 86. He is the author of oat 51 Drunkennesse 51 Duties of a child 3 Duties of seruants 11 Duties of husbands and wiues 19. 21. 22 Duties of publike persons 25 Duties of Majestrates and people 29 E ELI his to much loue to his children 13 Eli his pacience 57 Elder persons dutie 33 Enemies of Daniel 84 Enclosers of land 70 Euill conscience 80 Enuie 40. The causes thereof ibid. Enuie murtherer of him selfe 41 Enuie guiltie of murther two waies ibid. Examples of obedience 6 F FAlse swearing 53 False witnesse 89 Faithfulnesse in seruants 13. In husband and wife 21 Fasting 36 Feare of God 19. 50 Flatterie Flatterers 91. 93 Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse the cause of ill suspicion 81 Fruits of the spirit 10 Frugalitie 74 G GEsture offensiue 41 Glorifying of God in words 55 Gods nature 1 God is Iehouah and why 8 Gods benefits generall speciall ibid. God the author of the ten commandements ibid. Gods cursings and blessings 3. His goodnesse 9. His insight into man 14 Gods name taken in vaine 44 Gouernors must see the Saboth kept 8 H HAbakucks feare of God 23 Hearing 36 Herods incest 5 He that breakes one commandement breakes all 6 Hezechias patience 57 Honestie 29 How to employ the Scriptures 49 Humilitie 39 Husbands must dwell with their wiues 22. Edifie them by example 23. By instructions ibid. He must honour her which consisteth in two things 24 I IAcobs trust in God 26. His Obedience 5 Iacobs diligence 6 Iehouah what it signifies 7 Iealouzie what 37 I am thy God what it implies ibid. Idlenes a sinne of Adam 72 Idlenes 65. 75 Idle persons pouerties prisoners ibid. Images forbidden 29 Images are teachers of lyes 33 Idolatrie Idols ibid. 34. Instructions for householders 82 Instructions for seruants 83 Inferior guifts 32 Iobs mildnesse 3. his zeale 15. his pacience 57. his feare 25. his trust 27 Iosephs feare of God 20. His dutie to his father 3 Isaie his feare 21. 25 Iustice 49. It consisteth in getting and restoring 73 K KEeping of the Saboth day holy in what it consisteth 73 Kindes of lyers two 90 Kings 29 Kings chosen by lots 39 Knowledge of God wanting all disobedience groweth 16 L LAzinesse 57 Liberalitie 75 Lies against ones selfe 85 Lying tongues make three mortall wounds 87 Life of man consisteth in the blessing of God 74 Lots 36 Loue. 17. Loue of God 18 Loue to seruants and children 81 Loue of the husband to the wife 19 Loue is armour against jealousie 20 Lusting after other mens goods 57 M MAnasses repentaunce 8 Manna 78 Marriage 57. Maraiage for children 8 Mary Magdalen 78 Meanes to auoid adulterie 54. 55 Meditation on the word 16 Meditation on Gods curses necessarie ibid. Masters 11. 19. 101 Mercie power justice infinite in God 8 Mercie to the needie 48 Ministers dutie 25. they must be good examples 29
is contayned in them shewes who is the first founder of them Because there is no good dutie which God bound Adam to performe but it is comprehended and commaunded in one of these and there is no sinne that wee are bound to abstaine from and eschew which is not forbidden in some one of these tenne wordes It was aboue the witte of men or Angells to containe in so few wordes the whole perfection of our dutie to God and man The lawes of men though they fill many large bookes and great volumnes yet they are imperfect and doe continually stande in neede to haue some increasing or deminishing and daylie some thing is added to them that was not beefore thought vpon and some thinges bee taken away which novv more experience hath prooued not to bee so profitable so that yet they still stand in neede of renewing and mending But now this Law is so absolute and doth set foorth so full and complete a righteousnesse that if one could keepe them all hee should bee fully acceptable vnto God and needed not flie to Christ to bee his redeemer For indeede this meets with all sinnes yea with the first least motions as Paule saith that hee had not knowne that lust meaning the motions of originall concupisence had beene sinne but that the law saith thou shalt not lust And as their perfection of holinesse doth witnesse sufficiently from what an one they had their beginning So secondly this will proue them to bee the words of God because they bee ingraffed and written and engrauen in euery mans conscience so that let wicked men shuffle and take one and keepe what stirre they can to make themselues Atheists yet it will not be they cannot blot out Gods writing These lawes sticke imprinted in their harts and soules so firmely as they cannot bee remoued For as Paule saith in the Acts. 17. God hath not left himselfe without witnesse but in euery mans bosome and in euery ones nature hath planted so much of this his law as will serue to leaue them without excuse and to condemne them For who is there among the most prophane and absurde of men whose soule doth not constraine him euen against his will sometimes to confesse that there is a God and one onely true God and that this God is to be worshipped also so as is most pleasing to him and that hee is not to bee blasphemed nor his name to bee abused but that hee is to bee reuerenced and sometimes to be set a part and consecrated to his worship who can blurre out these lawes out of themselues doe they what they can and striue they neuer so much to choke these seedes of knowledge So for the second table of them what mans nature doth not tell him that there is an order of gouernment amongst men which must not nor cannot without sinne bee violated and so heathen and prophane vngodly men hauing committed murdure were not able to stand before the furie of their owne conscience but were in a continuall chase vexation which shews that euen corrupt nature bringeth with it this knowledge into the world that one must not kill And for filthie persons and adulterers though in time of their prosperitie they haue soothed vp themselues and hardened their owne harts by liuing in pleasure and giuing themselues to idlenesse and the lusts of their hearts and so seemed to blot out this law yet in misery when any affliction hath wakened their drowsie harts and consciences these would giue them no rest nor they durst not abide the face of their owne conscience but are driuen to acknowledge the filthinesse of their sinnes Besides this place that they haue in mans nature which proueth they came from God mans Lord. This also proues them to be his because all the punishments that are at any time inflicted vpon the world haue come from the disobedience against this law and all the blessings and benefites that men enjoy doe proceede from the disobedience yeelded to it For when God sets downe his curses and his blessings are they not all grounded on this law doth it not runne thus if thou obserue and keepe this law then thou shalt bee blessed in soule in bodie in children in cattell in field in all things thou puttest thine hand vnto Contrarily if thou wilt not obey but neglectest these then shalt thou bee cursed in bodie in soule in children in all thou putst thine hand vnto So that sith God hath so great care to punish those that rebell against these lawes and to reward those that performe obedience to them it proues that hee is the lawmaker and that though the law be briefe in words yet it is full of matter and much to be marked and thought on Lastly Christ himselfe came into the world to performe obedience to these lawes For they require a perfect and absolute obedience as they are perfect which sith no man could doe therefore Christ tooke our flesh vpon him to fufill them that as Adam by his disobedience had cast vs out of Paradise so hee by his obedience might let vs into heauen and hee came not onely to obey them himselfe fully but also to make his Saints able to obey them to though not in perfection and without any defect for that onely hee himselfe can doe yet in truth and perfect sinceritie for that he requires all his children members to doe So that these reasons will confirme that which was said before that the ten commandements bee after a perculiar sort the words of God and doe more peculiarly challenge him for their author The vse that wee must make of this to our selues is to teach vs first to hearken vnto them and willingly to heere the rebukes and admonitions that are contained in them whosoeuer and whatsoeuer hee bee that applies them and speakes them vnto And indeede hence we shall shew our selues in truth to beleeue that God is the author of these words if we can be content to beare that these precepts should be prest and vrged vpon vs though by one that is our inferiour and baser in outward respect then our selues And this affection was in Iob as he testifieth of himselfe in his 31. Chap. 34. ver That though he was a man of such wealth and authoritie as he could haue made afrayde a great multitude and could haue crusht them by his power yet the poorest and most contemtible of his familie might haue dealt with him and if hee had seene any fault in him as vvho liues so iustly but sometimes those that bee about may see infirmities in him and had come to tell him that he had broken the law of God he would haue bene quiet and milde and vvould haue bene so farre from fearing them vvith bigge vvords as that himselfe vvould feare beefore GOD and labour to get pardon hee vvould not chafe vvith his seruants that had brought Gods law to him and sayde vvhat hast thou to doe to meddle vvith mee vvho
that settles not himselfe to keepe them all This must also teach vs when we see that God doth not blesse vs according to his promises to those that feare him then we must examine our selues diligently concerning our obedience to this his law whether we liue not in some sinne or whether some olde sinne lye not in vs which hath neuer bene repented for certainely of all Gods plagues that he layes vpon vs for our neglect of this his law wherefore when he strikes vs we must begin to looke to our obedience So did Iacob in Genesis when his sonnes Simeon and Leuie had committed that cruell fact and he was therefore made odious in the sight of the people of the land then he knowes that there could not be such trouble without if all were well within therefore he begins to search his family and to see how all things went there and then he perceues presently the cause of all these stirres for his house was full of Idolatry his wife had gotten his father in lawes Idols and many of his people fell from the pure worship of God to abhominable superstition then no wonder if ther were such sturres without when ther was such disorder within therfore he purgeth his house of all this filthinesse and buries all these Idolls in the ground that they might neuer hurt him or any of his any more All this serues for the singuler comfort of all Gods children that seeth these be Gods commaundemēts all as well as one therefore they shall haue power also to obey them all as well as one for that God which gaue vs power to obey one can giue vs the like power to obey the rest and that power which any hath to obey one t is not frō him selfe but from the work of God in him And indeed God doth not giue vs these lawes that we should imagine we could obey thē our selues but that seeing our owne wants we might goe to him for help why then should not euery christian hope to be able to yeeld obedience to God in whatsoeuer God commandeth him As God witnesseth this of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne hart in all things but in the matter of Vriah he neuer sinned presumptuously but then his hart was vpright in all things else and likewise as it is spoken of Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were perfect and vnblameable in all things not that they were quit from all infirmities or had not their faults as well as any other but they were vpright and sincere their hart was true with God and so God can and will giue grace vnto all his to obey euery one of his commaundements with a true and vpright obedience So that no man ought to discharge himselfe Oh for other things I haue some hope I that I shall ouercome them but for this or that sinne I shall neuer get the better of that while I liue Well then for other sinnes you hope you can ouercome them but this is the point then vvhether haue you power to subdue them by any vertue of your owne or else from the vvorking of Gods spirit in you If you say from your selfe then you speake ignorantly and foolishly for flesh cannot kill any sinne this must be the vvork onely of God I but Christ Iesus did giue help to mee against those but for this one thing I doubt vvhy should you doubt Hee that gaue you abilitie to ouerrule your flesh in some things cannot he giue the like in all Yea this very mercy that he gaue you a disposition and power to obey him in one thing is a sure testimony to you that he vvill doe the like for all onely if you aske it you neede not doubt So that this vvhich he saith GOD spake all these words is a merueylous incouragement to the Saincts therefore feeling their vvants in any they may goe to God and saie Lord thou art the author of all these Commandements a like and the keeping of them all pertaines vnto mee as well as to any other but thou knowest O Lord that there is no power in mee to obey the least of them therefore I come now for power from thee to make mee obedient and hence he shall haue power to keepe all as well as any one I am IEHOVAH THese words signifies the essence of God and his absolute perfection in all his attributes It is expounded in the 13. of the Hebr. and 8. ver Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer And Reuel 1. He that was and is and is to come He that is the selfe same in all his properties It signifies first Gods eternitie in vvhich he differs from all creatures for men and Angels are euerlasting they shall haue no ending but they be not eternall for they had their beginning from God but he hath his being in and of himselfe neither had he any beginning from any other all other things had beginning from him but he frō none he is from himselfe alone Also power and wisdome and mercie and Iustice and such other things which are properties in men and Angels in him they are natures in vs they are weake and imperfect but in him endlesse and perfect As in Exod. 34. Where he tells his name The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gracious c. Men and Angels are strong but this is a qualitie in them in him a nature so men and Angels are kinde but this is deriued from his kindenesse is a qualitie in them but in him a nature in them finite because no creature can haue any infinite thing in himselfe but in God they are infinit So that it signifies that God is eternall and hath his being from himselfe and other creatures haue their being and beginning from him In him power mercie Iustice c. are infinite in others they are finite In him they be natures and therefore vnchangeable in others qualities and therfore mutable The vse of this must be to make vs earnest to seeke his loue and fauour which if wee haue nothing can hurt vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Hauing his loue we haue all power all wisdome and all counsell on our side If he be perfect in himselfe and all creatures haue what euer they haue from him what neede we feare he being with vs what all the creatures can doe against vs being that all their power is deriued from him and vsed at his direction Wee see among men if there be one whose estate depends wholly vpon his landlords curtesie he may put him out and begger him when he please how carefull is hee to please him and haue his fauour least through his displeasure hee should be turned out of all So is it with all the men on earth they be all Gods tenants that at will no man holds any thing by lease for an houre our breath is not our owne but his it is at his discretion what shall become of our
come in by heapes and so when all was gone hee had soone made his accounts God hath giuen God hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord when I had them I was not the better I did not trust in them and therfore now they are gone I am not much vexed it was no part of my greatest happinesse to haue them nor is no part of my greatest sorrow that I haue so suddenly lost them But this our discouragement and whining and murmuring when we want the meanes shewes that we trust not in God but in them for if we liue at Gods finding who must prouide for vs no mans life consisteth in his riches saith Christ if God bee our father and he must find vs why are we not content with his promise what though he keepe thinges in his owne hand because we know not how to vse them But this is the matter we would be our owne gods as it were be at our own finding in this matter we be farre more foolish then our owne children for they keepe no stirre and doe not trouble them selues to think how shall I doe to bring the yeare about how shall I get prouision for the next yeare or what if ill weather come and so many doubts but they are merry and fresh and thinke not of these matters but make account that their fathers will see them prouided for and will not suffer them to want any thing and therfore when they neede they goe to them and make account that all is well they shall haue it And why should not we do so to God if we did in truth as we say we doe account that hee is our father and trust vppon him and giue but so much credit to him as our children doe to vs why should not wee thinke our selues sufficiently prouided for if wee haue his promise if wee could indeede come to make him our trust thus we should vnloade our harts of much discontentment and disquietnesse and liue farre more cheerfully then now by reason of our vnbeleefe and distrust wee doe or can doe The last signe to know whether we trust in God or not is to examine whether we seeke his loue and fauour for that vvhich any man makes his trust that he doth most labour to obtaine What doth any man speake of most in the day and thinke of most in the night and seeke after most in all his life If it be lucre then hee trustes in his lucre So that man that placeth his happinesse and seekes his felicitie onelie in pleasure he will most seeke and striue to get his pleasure and is most vexed if it be taken from him But if one trust in God then he would most labour to get the loue fauour of God because he knowes he can haue nothing from him selfe or any other but onely from god as in Ps 62. 11. 12. Hee sets downe two causes why we must not trust in man nor riches that is in any outward thing for power belongs vnto God mercie belonges vnto God All the men in the world and all the riches in thee world haue no power to helpe vs vnlesse god put it in them for all power is his owne and so for mercie there is no kindnesse in any man or angell which they haue not from God no man nor angell can shew vs any kindnesse vnlesse God giue them that kindnesse and if they doe wee must confesse that it comes from him Since then all power is reached from Gods hand and all mercie is deriued from him that nothing either can help vs or if it could yet would help vs but so far as he puts both the power and will into it therefore those that beleeue this cannot choose but seeke Gods fauour for then they are assured that nothing can be able to hurt them yea God can make all things so far as it is profitable willing and readie to doe them good So much concerning the first commandemēt which shewes vs whom we must worship namely God and wherin this worship consisteth namely in a sound knowledge of him from this knowledge in louing and fearing and trusting in him with all our hart and soule Now followes the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen c. IN all which commandement is shewed by what outward meanes we must worship God namely not after the inuentions of flesh and bloud but after the commandement of his holy word The commandement containes a prohibition in these words Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt not bow to them nor worship them These words containe the prohibition forbidding vs to haue any Images to represent God or to help vs in his worship or to haue any superstitious or will worship therby to please him the better The reasons ratifieng the prohibition are two one drawne from the vengeance of God against Idolaters and superstitious persons in these words For I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee Shewing Gods power in that he is Iehouah and a strong God as the word signifieth and his will that he is a jealous God the similitude is taken from a jealous husband that can abide no light behauiour of his wife but he will be reuenged on it So God cannot endure that any one that is his should once looke to Images or superstition for if any doe as by reason of his strength he is able so he is willing also to reuenge it on the sonnes and sonnes sonnes to the fourth generation of such as doe it The second reason is taken from the reward that God will bestow vpon all such as worship him purely hating Idolatrie and false worship that he will not onely blesse them but theirs to a thousands Neuer forgeting to shew mercy vnto those that worship him purely so that all their posteritie shall fare the better for them Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue First in that God doth set downe so largely and so plainely in so many words this commandement he shewes how exceeding readie vve are to fall into the breach of it Hence then we may gather this doctrine that our nature is wonderfull prone to Idolatrie and we are verie apt and readie to worship God falsely and superstitiously for if it were not so then why vvould not God content himselfe to be as short here as he is in most of the rest but we see for this and the saboth how largely he sets them downe how he mounds and fenceth them on euerie side with strong reasons vvhich doth declare that he knows vs verie willing on any
of the worke yet for the mercie of him that accepts the worke But this true keeping must be knowne by these notes first in keeping one must aime at all ther must be a full purpose and true desire to keepe all for if one lie in any sin breake any wilfullie then the wilfull known breach of one makes him guiltie of all Secondly the obedience must be done willinglie with a free cheerefull hart as Dauid bids Solomon serue the Lord with a willing minde Thirdly the end of our actions must be good to shew our loyaltie to God to approue our harts to him in obedience to his commandements that wee may bee blessed of him and not for any other ende or intent of our owne as to bee magnified of men and to merit by them or such like He that hath all these things keepeth the law of God indeede no man can fulfill it neither is it required of Gods children that they should because they be vnder grace and not vnder the law for the rigour of it But for those that bee out of Christ this condition is proposed to them winne it and weare it keepe the law in full perfection haue happinesse in full perfection but breake it in the least title loose your saluation those which are not in Christ are thus bound but those which are his members that are made one with him by faith are vnder grace there is a more fauourable obedience required of them not to fulfill the law in the extremitie of it but to keepe the law in the vprightnesse of their harts and to doe so much as Gods spirit that is bestowed on them giues them power to doe But now to returne to the doctrine it selfe whosoeuer loues God must in this manner as hath beene spoken keepe the lavv of God This is proued 1. Iohn 5. 3. 4. This is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements Is it so may one say then that is a verie hard peece of worke few can doe that nay saith he his commandements are not grieuous for all that is borne of God ouer commeth the world hee shewes that a christian so farre as hee is regenerate hee hath conquered the world and then Gods commaundements cease to bee burdensome for the things that make Gods commaundements heauie vnto vs is our worldlinesse and fleshlie lusts which striue against the spirit but when Gods spirit which regenerateth vs hath set downe and ouer come those lusts in that measure Gods commandements are verie easie lightsome we shall with as much comfort and quietnesse obey them as Adam in his innocencie when wee are once trulie conuerted according to the measure of our conuersion It is a most tedious thing to a christian hart to obey the diuells commandement but it is most joyous to follow Gods As if it were permitted to a christian man for the while to steale to lie to commit adultrie and to breake the sabboth or such like why his soule would abhorre it and hee would rather die then doe these things it would bee such a vexation vnto him but now to heare the word to pray to confer to doe workes of mercie and the rest of this kinde it is euen a recreation and delightfull sport for him to doe them for Gods commaundements are pure and holie and doe delight the hart so farre as it is pure and holy So Iohn 14. 15. If yee loue me keepe my commaundements and I will pray the father and hee shall send you another comforter As if hee should say hee that loueth mee best and keepes my commandements most shall haue trouble and miserie but let not that trouble him for hee shall haue my spirit which will comfort him and sustaine him in all his miseries But I doe keepe Gods commaundements and haue a care to bee obedient vnto Christ then Christ sayth verse 21. Hee that hath my commaundements and keepes them one must first haue them afore hee can keepe them haue them in knowledge and vnderstanding haue them in memorie haue them in Iudgement and affection and then fall to keepe them in action doe this and then indeede you loue Christ but many talke of louing Christ and what good freinds they bee to Christ but try them a little by their workes and you shall see that they neither haue Gods commaundements nor keepe them and so farre as they faile in these things so far they faile in the loue of god and prouoke God also not to loue them This serues to confute those disordered persons in whom one can see nothing but open rebellion against Gods law open breach of the sabboth and manifest contempt of Gods word and yet tell them of it and come to aske them if they bee not ashamed thus in the face of the worlde to proclame enmitie against God then first they fall to shifting and cloaking but if you come with so good proofe and ferret them out so soundlie that they cannot denie it but are conuinced to their faces why then this is next what are you without sinne haue you no fault doe you keepe all Gods Commaundements yes miserable man there are faults in the best But this is blockishnesse for is there no difference betwixt falling by frailtie and through infirmitie and liuing and lying in a sinne and allowing ones selfe in the committing of it that frailtie is in Gods elect children but this wilfull disobedience and maintayning is in hipocrits that God puts away and regards not this hee will neuer put away vnlesse there be an amendement and greater soundnesse for such persons loue not God and it is just if he plague them and pursue them as his enemies This likewise serues for the great comfort of Gods children that doe their best endeauour to keepe all Gods commandements and that with a vvilling hart and good intent and minde not thinking to merit any thing by them for they know God must still shew mercie euen to those that loue him and keepe his commandements This I say comforts all them for when hee hath done all hee can hee comes short and faileth but yet God will shew mercie this word may reioyce them for hee will shew mercie as if hee had saide though you come farre short of that you should and would yet so long as your hart is true God will shew mercie for hee requires not fulfilling but keeping if one will stand to himselfe then hee must haue either perfection or confusion but if hee trust to Christ then hee is vnder grace there is mercie in Christ pittying and rewarding rewarding all their good and pittying and passing by their infirmities Thus much for the second commandement now followes the third in these words following Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine THE summe of this third commandement is to teach vs that wee should not profane the name
of the Lord our God but vse it with all reuerence The parts are two A prohibition in these words thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine By the name of God is vnderstood all those things whereby God as by his name hath made himselfe knowne vnto men as his titles his attributes his word and his works In vaine j. rashly idly carelesly without reuerence and due regard The second part is a reason in these words For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse j. God will surely punish him vvhich reason God sets downe because no signe goes more easily vnpunisht through the hads of men then this for many vvill take it hainously to haue their owne names spoken ill of and abusd But so slight a regard haue most men of God that though his name be blasphemed and profaned though he be dishonored and vilified they lay it not to hart nor care for it therfore least men should make no account of this so great a sinne because it is a thing that mans lawes takes little or no notice of hee sets downe the punishment that though the positiue law of men take no hold on such persons yet the God of heauen and earth will take such in hand and deale with them himselfe hee will not commit them to the hands of inferiour officers but himselfe will see their execution done Now the commandement doth partly forbid partly command it forbids in generall to take the name of God in vaine as is shewed in this Table following Gods name is taken in vaine in life by liuing vngodlily in the profession of religion speach or without an oath in speking vnreuerently of Gods word idly and curiously jestingly wrestingly to charmes titles admiration imprecation gratulation attributs vnreuerently in freeting in defence of ill works within as without as election reprobatiō creation passion with an oath swearing vainely in common talke wickedly to doe euill falsely of that we know not to bee true and purpose not to doe FIrst Gods name is taken in vaine in life by an vngodly and vnholy conuersation of those that professe the religion of God And so Rom. 2. Paul sets downe a reproofe of Iewes that for their sakes the name of God is ill spoken off among the Gentils The Gentiles hated Gods name and were enemies to religion inough of themselues when no occasion was giuen but when they saw the Iewes that profest themselues to bee Gods people and to loue and worship him and to be loued of him also to liue so wickedly to deale so craftely couetously and cruelly this made them hate religion much more and speake ill of God more presumptuously And so in Ezek. 36. The prophet chargeth this vpon them in the 22. ver That they polluted the name of God among the heathen They were so farre from conuerting any one by their good example that by their ill behauiour they made those to hate God which else might haue bene drawne to some liking For that vvhich the wise men speakes in the naturall family is true also in the house of God a wicked sonne saith he is a griefe to his father and a shame to his mother Let an hundreth rogues and vagabonds and runnagates play the filthie persons the vnthrifts the theeues this brings no discredit to the father no man chargeth the fault vpon him he beares no reproch But if his sonne that is brought vp with him in the family and is called after his name shall doe any such thing himselfe hath not onely a blot but he brings also an ill report vpon the whole family his father shall beare a great part of this disgrace So let all the Atheist and papists and carnall worldlings in the world liue wickedly and shew themselues to be as they bee filthy beasts goates and swine without grace and the feare of God it is no such great matter they beare all the blame themselues and the shame lights vpon their owne necks God and his children and his religion are no whit the worse thought of but the better rather when the life of one kinde is compared to the other But now let a professor fall into any wickednesse one that makes a shew to be begotten of God by the immortal seed of the word to be a childe of the church a member of Christ a temple of the spirit let such an one breake forth to some grosse sinnes here will be matter for all the hel-hounds in a country to talke of now the diuel his lims will exult brag now they sharpen and whet their tongues the religion of Christ shal be blasphemed the professours of religion taunted euerie one shall haue this layde in his dish that desires to be a christian and the name of God and the spirit of God shall not escape without some blot of reproch ho say they these be your professors these be these holy men that be so full of the spirit these be they that will be the holy saints of God these be they that runne to sermons and carry bibles these be the fruits of their profession you may see what godly men they be I warrant you they be all alike neuer a barrell better herring you may see by one what be the rest Thus we see what a great staine religion hath among men by the name of those that be hipocritically religious and liue vngodly lie with-out the power of it how they fill wicked mens mouthes full of slaunder giue their malicious harts matter to set it selfe a worke against God and Godlie men and this was the sinne of Ophni and Phineas they should haue bene the Lords high priests haue giuen such good exhortations haue shewed such grace in their conuersation as that all men might haue delighted to come into the place of Gods worship and to serue him according to the law but they were so wicked and so vngodly and so full of filthinesse that the seruice of God by their meanes was made hatefull odious and loathsome Sith then this is such an high taking of gods name in vaine to be a bramble in gods vinyard This serues for the confuting of those men that think if they can keepe their tongues from swearing and forswearing then they be neuer a whit guiltie of the breach of the third commandement if no man can charge them with an oath or periurie they think they need not repent for taking Gods name in vaine Not so but let them know that by an ill lyfe by walking and conuersing after a sinnefull manner they may prophane Gods name more hurt religion more and bring more griefe into the harts shame into the faces of professors then an other by a thousand rash oathes yea by grose and open perjury It is a great fault to abuse the religion of God in lyfe as the titles are attribute of God in speach and therfore vnlesse those that be called christians labour to be christians that their
touch him a little with a rebuke for his wringing and oppression shew him that the loue of the world is enmitie to God and that couetousnesse is idolatrie then comes in this place of scripture which must salue all what hath not God commanded a man to labour in his calling doth not God say hee is worse then an infidell that prouides not for his familie and so all must goe vnder the name of good husbandrie and thrift and prouiding for his familie But consider thou that standest thus for thy labour God will haue thee labour but not to serue the diuell in thy labour take paines in thy calling but hurt not thy neighbour by it prouide for thy children lay vp but lay vp a treasure in heauen prouide to bring them vp in the feare of God and in some christian vocation first prouide that they may be christians and then one hath well prouided for them store vp mercifull workes then the righteous is mercifull and lendeth his seede injoyes the blessing Thus God will haue one labour with godlynesse and prouide so for his children as hee prouides for his owne soule So come to angrie and passionate persons they can haue some thing to say for their sinne to and that out of Gods word when they haue broke out into foolish and vnaduised passions tell them this is naught anger rests in the bosome of fooles and the wrath of man fulfills not the law of God oh but I pray you doth not S. Paul say be angrie and sinne not It is true hipocrite but if thou wilt be angrie without sinne bee angrie first with thine owne sinne begin at home condemne the follie that is in thine owne soule or else thine anger is not holie spirituall but diuellish fleshlie and carnall So al-most in all other sinnes there is scarce any other sinne so bad but vngodlie persons will stand in defence of it and if they can snatch a few words out of scripture and teare them violentlie from the true sence thereof vnto their owne lust they count this a matter of great wittinesse but in truth it is a matter of great horrible wickednesse and a damnable prophaning of the name of god when one can wrest hale together manie places and say much for his sinne it is not a note of more wit but of more acquaintance with the diuell for their tongue is set on fire of hell it is tipped with hell fire blowne by the stinking breath of Satan when they haue said all they can they haue made their sinne more grieuous their hart more hard and them selues more cursed in that they haue done no thing all the while but dishonoured God to make him a patrone of wickednesse and his word a sword for the diuell Fourthlie the word of God is abused profaned by turning it to charmes and spels all kinde of sorcerie to cure such persons as be mispoken as they tearme it and ayr'd as such foolish tearmes they haue and to say the Lords praier or some place of scripture to find things that be lost with many such wicked thinges this a sinfull peruerting of Gods word And wheras men commonlie excuse themselues for this sin because the words be not ill yet let them know that when one abuseth good words to a wrong end they be euill words to him and if the word of God be peruerted to such an end as he hath not appointed they be the diuells words to him that thus peruerts them and Satan is no lesse daungerous an enemie when hee comes like an angell of light then if he appeared in his coulours and this charming God himselfe condemnes in the law saith that he will finde out such persons So that both these charmers and those that goe vnto them be wicked abusers of Gods name and either they shall haue no successe in the thing they sought for or if they haue it is a greater plague for now they prosper in their sinne and their hart is made more hard incureable And thus the word of God is abused Now the remedie against this abuse is that we labour to apply Gods word to the right ends that he hath appointed and if we will know these ends we may see them 2. Tim. 3. 16. The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Heere hee shewes how we must imploy the scriptures of God and first generally he saith they be profitable shewing in generall that the word of God must neuer be medled withall but for some profit in all conferences wherin we bring in the word of God and in all maner of vsing Gods word this must be the closing and shutting vp of all that there be some good done that some body be the better for that some fruit be reaped where profit is not the end Gods word is not rightly applyed Then perticulerly he shewes wherin this profit consists first to teach j. to enlighten the vnderstanding that one may get more knowledge and his minde is thus bettered Secondly to conuince that is to refute and beat downe heresies false opinions afore to teach the truth now to pul vp heresies that the judgement may be sound Thirdly to correct j. to reforme amend the offenders to cōuince ill opinions to correct ill conuersations Fourthly to instruct j. to shew how one should amend his ill manners and how he should doe good as well as that he must forsake that that is ill how to liue well and how to haue such a good conuersation that one may haue comfort in his lyfe and death These are those ends of the scripture to which whosoeuer imployes it shall not dishonour Gods name and hurt his soule but glorifie God himselfe be made absolute perfect and readie to euerie good work Thus much for taking Gods name in vaine by speach without an oath but in vaine speaking and other abusing Gods word Secondly Gods name is thus taken in vaine by abusing his tytles as God Iehouah Iesus Lord and such other And that either in admiration as when one in the hearing of any odd matter or strange report shall breake forth into such vaine wandring speaches good Lord O Iesus O Christ Lord haue mercie vpon vs what a thing was that wherein one names Gods titles without any conscience and reuerence of him Therefore those which haue done so must repent So likewise we abuse Gods titles in rash petitions and imprecations as Sarah in a fuming chafe comes to Abraham and saith she the Lord be judge betwixt mee and thee and thus she must needs haue a purchased sessions and God must come downe from heauen in all the hast none else would serue the turne to redresse some wrong that she thought she had what was the matter vvhy Hagar had dealt something
oppressed he will not suffer that his sacred name shal be thus wickedly abused to be made a shelter for lies and slaunders but when the good time comes he will let the world see how vildly and shamefully they dealt and though now whilst God holdeth his peace they flatter themselues and care not a jot to prophane his name so they may effect their malicious purpose and matters goe on their side yet God will haue a care that their wickednesse shall returne and fall vpon their owne heads their owne shame shall couer their faces and the wrong done both to his name and to his seruants shal be fully discouered and auenged Thus much concerning the third commandement for the glorifieng of Gods name Now followes the fourth In these words following Remember that thou keepe holy the sabboth day sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant thy maide seruant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates c. THe summe of this fourth commandement is to command the setting a part of the seauenth day from all worldlie busines and affaires to the exercises of religion and mercie and in the night that our sleepe also be seasoned with the word and the exercise of which we haue bene pertakers The parts are two The one sets downe the duties to be performed the other the reasons to moue vs to performe them The duties two fold shewing what we should doe and from what we should decline The things to be done is keeping it holie celebrating an holie rest vnto God The things to be forborne are all body lie works and to see that those which be vnder our gouernment as children seruants and all inferiours doe the like and that our beasts be not put to any ciuill labour yea that the stranger when hee comes amongst vs doe not openly prophane the same though wee cannot inforce him to come to the publik exercises yet those that are in superioritie must restraine him from publik violating of it by open working and must lay the authoritie so farre vpon him as that they suffer him not among their people and in their jurisdiction in the face of the congregation openlie to breake the commandement of God The reasons are diuerse first drawne from the equitie and righteousnesse of it in these words sixe daies shalt thou labour q. d. I haue giuen thee six daies for thy businesse and haue taken but one for my selfe therfore thou must be verie well contented to yeeld to me in this so reasonable and equall a commandement If I had taken sixe to my seruice giuen thee but one for the works of thy caling yet thou shouldest in dutie haue obeyed me but now that I am so liberall to thee and scant to my selfe hauing so large allowance there is no reason why thou shouldest refuse The second reason is taken from the authoritie and right of God in these words The seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God q. d. I haue taken it to my selfe I haue challenged it to my selfe to bee imployed in my seruice it is my day not thine therfore vnlesse thou will bee accounted a sacrilegious theefe to take holie things for vnholie vses vnlesse thou wilt deuoue things that bee sanctified to thine owne destruction see that thou meddle not with it it is a part of the church treasurie thou shalt be no better then a church robber if thou conuert it to thine owne vses The third reason is taken from Gods example in these words For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth daie q. d. if thou wilt follow example and bee led by others then follow the example of the best now what better example can there be then the example of God himselfe now God himselfe when he went to make the world and all the things in the world contriued all his works so as that he finished them within the compasse of sixe dayes and on the seuenth day did rest from all his works of creation onely preseruing those things which before he had made therefore from his example learne thou so to dispatch all thy businesse on the sixe daies as that on the seauenth day ceasing from labour in thy calling thou maist wholy giue thy selfe to the duties of sanctification and to meditate on Gods power and greatnesse in his sixe dayes work for which end as one speciall thing to bee done in it he hath appointed this resting of the seuenth day The last reason is taken from the end of the sabboth in these words Wherfore the Lord blessed the sabboth day and hallowed it q. d. If neither the equitie of the commandement nor the authoritie and right of God nor yet his example will preuaile with thee to perswade thine hart to keepe this commandement yet in regard of thine owne profit and the benefit thou shalt reape to thy selfe yeld to keepe it holy for God hath not taken this to himselfe for any commoditie that he shall haue by it but euen for thy good for he hath appointed it for holy vses that it might be a meanes of blessing not vpon the soule onely but euen vppon the body and estate of those that obserue it there is no readier way to bring Gods blessing vpon any man then the sanctifying of it nor no more present meanes to pull downe a curse then the neglecting and breaking of it Therefore if thou loue thy selfe and wouldest haue prosperitie on thy soule and bodie yeld so much obedience to God as to sanctifie his sabboth Thus much concerning the summe and exposition of this commandement Now because there be many that doe disagree in this doctrine of the sabboth and account the keeping holy of the seuenth day in the number of those ceremonies which be abrogated by Christ and reached onely to the Iewes therefore it is requisite that we approue and confirme by some sound reasons out of Gods word that this commandement is morall and perpetuall and as carefully to be kept vnder the gosple as vnder the law and to continue in force so long as any of the commandements euen so long as there is this world and a Church militant vpon earth The first reason to confirme this may be drawne from those reasons which God vseth for the confirmation of it in the text the reasons are all of them perpetuall and none of them ceremoniall and euery one as much belongs vnto vs as vnto them and therefore it is without reason to make the commandement it selfe of lesse scope and binding fewer to keepe it then those reasons which are brought to confirme it For goe through the whole commandement what one word in all of it hath any note of ceremony what reasō sauours of any
drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being
good man and yet be neuer a whitte the better for it God hath giuen so many graces for their good and will they be better by none of them that is a soule faulte and it shewes that in truth their is no true reuerence for that which one esteemes and accounts of in an other he would bee very desirous to be partaker of it himselfe Superiours in gifts they must do this for all duties in this commandement are mutuall they must turne their gifts to the best good of others vse their wisdome to direct their knowledge to instruct their strength to beare burthens as the Apostle saith you that are strong What we must not lay burthens vpon the weake to suppresse them but beare the burthens of the weake to helpe them Vnlesse therefore hee to whom God hath giuen more graces then ordinarie doe vse that which he hath receiued to the glorie of him that gaue it and to the good of mankind for which he gaue it he is found an abuser of the Lords talents which gaue them him not that he should vaine gloriously set himselfe aboue others that want them and so tread his inferiours vnder foot or cruelly oppresse or craftily circumuent and deceiue those of meaner capacitie then himselfe but to the common good of the whole Church and the further edification of the weaker that as he hath receiued more then so according to the number of his talents he might bring forth a greater encrease But for one to grow proude and set himselfe aboue others that brings the curse of God vpon him and is the next way to make him despised and to loose his gifts which he can vse no better As it is seene by wofull experience in a greater number that God had furnished with many gifts both of bodie and minde so that there was great hope that they should haue much set forth the glorie of God and done much good to the Church of God When they began once to lift vp themselues and seeke their owne vaineglorie more then Gods glorie and so haue turned their giftes the wrong way themselues haue growne in contempt and those graces which they haue had haue rotted away and by little little came to nothing And iust it is with God that it should be so for that man which will not honour God with his gifts God will see that he shall haue no honour and better that they and their gifts should perish then they should haue them to doe no good but set vp themselues Thus much for superiours and inferiours in gifts These in age follow The dueties of younger persons to the ancient is to shew a reuerent opinion of them and to shew all reuerent and submissiue behauiour vnto them in respect that they carry vpon them as it were a print of Gods eternitie which is commaunded Leuit. 19. 32. to rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the aged I am the Lord. Where giuing this commaundement of honouring the aged he meets with yong conceited heads by this reason I am the Lord to whom thou owest obedience I will haue it thus and in this respect it were the best way for thee to yeeld obedience So Isay 3. 5. It is noted as a curse of God and a plague that comes with the subuersion of the commonwealth when such wofull confusion should take place as that young boyes and children of no discretion or gouernment should presume against and proud young youthes that haue no grace nor any thing to commend them that neuer did good that none can say that the world is the better for them it might haue done as well if they neuer had beene borne that such proud absurd persons should grow to that extremitie of impudencie and shamelesnesse as to presume against their betters and preferre themselues before their elders Which doth sharpely also reprooue the customable rudenesse of our youth that no whit regard their elders To shew any token of reuerence to them in rising before them or vncouering but go vse such behauiour with them as if it were with fellow boyes or playfellowes The dutie of the elder persons is to giue a good example For a grey head is a glorie if it be found in the way of grace if they be godly and holy and shew a graue wise and graue conuersation then eyther younger persons shall giue them their due reuerence or if they doe not the sinne lyes vpon their owne heads and they be blamelesse So Titus 2. 2. The elder must be sober honest discreet sound in the faith in loue and patience as their bodie decayes so their soules must encrease in all grauitie and sobernesse and for their vnsound limmes and weake they must get a strong and sound fayth that by the long continuance of time and often vse of the meanes of saluation they must get great soundnesse and power of faith which may worke aboundantly in them by the fruits of loue which alwaies accompanies true faith and this loue will make them patient not forward not pettish not easie to be offended but full of long suffering to be an example to others of meeknesse But contrarie it is in those whose sinnes of their youth haue stayned them so deeply and so filled their bodies as there is no grace to be seene in their olde age Their words are altogether vaine and light foolish nothing sauouring of grace so that no man can in reuerence eyther craue aduise from them or be silent to heare such foolish and vnsauerie talke as customably comes from them and their conuersation full of testinesse and vnaduised wrath and bloted with miserable and abiect couetousnesse and greedinesse that they are alwaies smelling earthward and pursuing the world swiftly when they can scarce go vp and downe in the world No grace no wisdome nor any vertue bewtifieth their grey haires these want and that iustly their honour because they haue the first steppe olde age but they want the vpshot and perfection to be found in the way of grace And thus much for the dueties of superiours and inferiours commaunded in this commaundement The reason is next That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy god giueth thee This is taken from the good effect and commoditie that will follow to him that keepes this commaundement It shall be for his profit he shall haue the benefit of it himselfe So that hence we may learne this lesson that the way to get a prosperous and long life is to be obedient to parents and superiours and to honour them As in Ephes 6. 2. He saith this is a commaundement with promise namely with a speciall promise For indeed this stirs vp the heart of the parent to pray to God for his children that he would poure a blessing on them and that not in word onely but indeed and in the desire of his soule he will beg it earnestly at Gods hand for so the wordes in the originall runne
troublesome abundāce of the wicked for they may say the Lord our God hath giuen vs these thinges Therefore if God be true and iust if he be the Lord of heauen and earth if they cast themselues and their trust vpon him hee will cast all thinges good and necessarie vpon them in the due and fitte time or if they haue some outwarde wantes they shall bee recompenced with inwarde and better comforts And thus much for the eight commandement concerning the duties of all sortes of men in respect of their place superiour or inferiour The sixt commandement followes Thou shalt not kill And this commandement respects the person of our neighbour commands to procure his wellfare good safetie of his soule and bodie It bids vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe and forbides all kinde of crueltie and wante of loue The parts of it be Forbidding things in Omission to Bodie Soule commission Commanding What the thinges of omission be that are forbidden concerning the bodie it may appeare in Math. 15. Where Christ condemnes some as goates limmes of the diuell and firebrands of hell because they gaue not meate to hungrie and drinke to the thirstie and clothed not the naked and visited not the sicke and imprisoned and such like So that the omitting of these duties of mercie is an inditement stronge enough to bring such persons to hell And Luke 16. In the parable of Lazarus and Diues Diues is condemned for want of mercie that hee had enough to bestow on pride and vanitie and pompe to set out himselfe but nothing to giue to his poore and comfortlesse brother sheweing the doome of all such wretched persons such as Iohn saith which haue this worlds goods and yet let their Godly brethren want shutting vp the bowels of compassiō frō doing good the charge of crueltie and want of mercy lyes heauie vpon such for he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard An other thing of omission is when he neglects to pay the due wages and recompence for the worke of any poore man For if it be a miserable sinne not to doe good freely where neede requires it is much more abominable and damnable not to giue a due debt and reward of the worke So Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant thou shalt giue him his wages for his day nor shall the sunne goe downe vpon it This is condemned as an vniust and vnmercifull thing that when one hath hired a seruant or any to doe his worke when the worke is done he should either giue him no wages or else giue it him in conuenient and due time but hee must seeke for it when he should haue vse of it for his releife and God saith there if such a one be pinched with necessitie and crie vnto God God will heare and reueng his wrong And Iob to proue himselfe no hypocrite vseth an imprecation concerning this sinne in chapter 31. that if he haue eaten the fruite of his land without siluer and hath not paid the wages to him that telled it and brought in his haruest or if the furrowes of his land haue cried together against him then let his grounde bee accursed as indeede he had beene an accursed person and broken this commandement in an high degree And if he had done so the verie earth would haue cried the furrowes would haue made a complaint against For two sinnes there be in the second table that makes the land crie to God that he can haue as it were no rest till he take vengeance the one Sodomie and the other oppression and crueltie against this commandement As afore in Deutrimonie and in Iames he saith Howle you rich men and why what miserie is neere why the crie of the poore oppressed by you is come vp in the eares of the Lord When one gets his good so ill and enricheth himselfe by withhoulding other mens dues though the man should be silent and say nothing yet his necessitie his bellie and his backe would make an hideous outcrie before God til he had executed his vengeance And for sinning in this branch of this commandement Iehoiachin was blamed Ierem. 22. 13. to 20. vers Which is so much the rather to be noted because most men thinke that the differences of persons may make some excuse for their sinne but it is not so For if any might vse the laboure of an other without recompence then might the Kinge who is the soueraigne Lord of all yet he being a King is reproued by God for this it is said he built his house without equitie how is that proued he vseth his neighbour without wages and giues him not for his worke and for this cause and his filthy couetousnesse God would not vouchsafe him the commō honour of men to be couered with earth whē he was dead but he should be buried as an asse his skinne puld ouer his eares stript of all hee had and then dragd without the Citie throwne out that his carcas might be food for beasts birds and what was his crime why this he did not reward the poore but serued himselfe vpon them And this commandement is broken in omission of thinges pertaining to the bodie as in not doing workes of mercie and in not paying wages and dues to those to whom they are due The omission of the dutie to the soule is either of superiours or inferiours Of superiours as first and cheifly of the minister if he doe not preach and admonish his people plainly and fathfully he is guiltie of murdering distroying their soules As in Ezek. 32. If hee tell not the people of their sinnes they shall die in them but the bloud shall be required at his hands and if hee doe tell them though they amend not he is free as Paule saith I am innocent of the bloude of you and why because I haue tolde you all the counsell of God and kept nothing backe And for other gouernours also as the parents and masters of families for euerie man is a bishop in his owne familie For so he saith in Deut. Thou O Israell shalt teach these thinges vnto thy children thou shalt talke of them c. Those then that haue no care to teach their children and seruants to know God or to come to the word of God wherby they may be sanctified and brought to saluation such embrue their hands with the bloud of their soules and are guiltie of crueltie because through their negligence they let those that are committed to their charge to run headlong into their owne distruction Such are those against whose soule this charge shall lye harde at the day of the Lord That neuer so much as will their inferiours to come to heare Gods worde and to such exercises as may encrease their knowledge but rather permitte yea encourage them to breake the Lords sabboth and spend it in foolish and wicked exercises either at hōe or else
wicked men men are reckoned boasters those that because there is no true matter of praises to be seene in them will get praise by speaking great things for themselues So Saule whereas he had saued the king and all the best of the cattle he comes bragging to Samuel blessed be thou of the Lord saith hee I haue fulfilled the word of the Lord when it was nothing so he had done nothing lesse then fulfilled the word of the Lord. Heere he lyed now in bragging of himselfe And all in excusing ones fault more then one should The thing wherein Saul sinned in the same matter for when his lie would not goe for currant but Samuel caught him why hast thou done the worke of God that he cōmanded then all should be dead how comes it to passe then I heare bleating lowing Make these two agree that all be dead and yet I heare some bleat vvhen this vvas a plaine case now he had not done his dutie then he shifts it thus indeed a few of the best of them vve haue kept for sacrifice but I hope that is no harme But vvhen this vvould not serue the turne neither but Samuel followes him close O saith he hath God as much delight in sacrifice as vvhen his vvord is obeyed then he fals to an other excuse and castes it on the people I feared the people saith hee as vvho should say it vvas their fault and none of mine thus if any credit had beene to be gotten he would haue had that to himselfe alone but now that no credit could be had he leaues it for the people to deuide among themselues And this excusing is a comon thing amongst all men Ye shall not haue the most simple person the most ignorant and sillie bodie in a vvhole towne that hath the most shallow capacitie dull vvit that can be but he is verie sharpe and vvittie to finde an excuse he can scamble and vvinde and vvill make hard shift to vvring his necke out of the collar that hardly can any reproofe be fastened vpon him And men thinke by so doing to lessen their fault but in truth it is nothing so For vvhat haue they gotten but that now a man may say yonder 's a lyar that is ill accounted of both before God and also before men he vvas ill before but now he is farre vvorse It is a verie ill thing vvhen one hath vvounded himselfe by sinne to goe to the diuell for a medicine he is the vvorst phisition that can be and his phisicke is the vvorst phisicke in the vvorld for he vvill sure enough giue them that that shall make them vvorse and not better One may thinke that these excusings be plasters but in truth they be but poysons that venime the soule a great deale more then before Thirdly a man lies against himselfe by excusing as vvhen men in a kinde of proud humilitie vvill denie their gifts vvith an intent to get more credit oh alasse I haue no gifts no vvit no learning a simple scholler and vveake memorie and such like contrarie to that one knows thinkes now this depresing ones selfe falsely is not humilitie but iniquitie for one should make himself neither better nor worse thē God hath made him but if he haue good calling to speake of himselfe plainly as the matter is in truth And now if when they lye of themselues say they haue no wit no learning no good parts c. one saith why in truth it is true you say well it is right you haue none of all these things Indeed they would thinke such a man did them great wrong scarce take him for their friend For his desire is that others should crosse him and say nay say not so you are an excellent man worthie to be regarded c. and so he will discommend himselfe long enough if he heare an other commend him for this is it which he delights to heare But a man must neither wrong God nor himselfe in diminishing and concealing the things that God in goodnesse hath giuen him not to denie them but to vse them to his glorie So for matters of this life come to men for worke of mercie and and then there is such a whining how poore they be what a great charge they haue what losses they haue sustained and I know not what then they will needs be poore whereas their owne soule beares them witnesse that they are vvealthie and haue much more then many men that doe a great deale more good then themselues Therefore though a man doe not slaunder his neighbour yet if he slaunder himselfe he is to be reprooued as a lyar Heerein diuers of Gods children faile much in time of contemplation Those that haue beene and are sound and true hearted Christians if they haue lost their feeling a while cannot finde that reioycing in God and comfort in good things that in former times they haue then comes the accuser of the brethren Satan that olde and subtile serpent and he striues to make them accuse themselues falsely On saith he if you had beene good indeed and had had a true heart to God he vvould neuer haue forsaken you thus and giuen you ouer to such a deadnesse and then through vveaknesse Gods children are readie to ioyne vvith the diuell against themselues and to thinke it is true sure I vvas but an hypocrite and hollow hearted my former comforts were but delusions presumptions if they had be beene true I should not haue lost them But this ought not to be neuer yeeld to Satan but if he striue to accuse do you striue to excuse if he would cast you down by so much the more lift vp your selfe by reasons out of Gods word and by former experience in your selfe other Christians For that is no good reason because you haue no feeling therefore you haue no faith and because you haue lost the sence of your comfort therefore it was no true comfort this is no true conclusion for those whom God once loued he loued to the end and will neuer forsake them Take heed of making such conclusions for a man may want the feeling of his faith and crie and call againe and againe for it and feele nothing all this while yet neuerthelesse haue true and sound faith if he feele not faith but he feeles the want of faith and the desire of it this is an infallible signe that he hath true faith But doe not agree with the diuell to persecute your selfe fight against him not with him against your selfe you shall find he is strong enough alone you had not need ioyne with him but rather set to resist him if one be once the child of God in truth he is so for euer if once in the fauour of God for euer in the fauour of God If God loued once he loues euer for though our feeling alter yet there is no chaunge in him Thus much for breaking this commaundement by speaking