any which cannot but leade vs in beliefe to hope for more mercy from him then from any other If any thinke that prayer is not suche worship of God wherewith he is so delighted but that he can bee content that others as Sainctes or Angels should also haue that honour let them peruse the 50. Psalme and they shall finde that the Lorde preferreth this seruice of his to bee called vppon in necessitie aboue all sacrifice and outwarde worship The Churche of Rome will not giue out licence to offer sacrifice vnto Saintes that bee departed from this life and yet the Lord setteth prayer in dignitie aboue sacrifice making it a seruice that doth more honour him then doth that other For what greater honour can he haue then to bee magnified in this greatnesse of his mercie that hee shoulde bee the onely sanctuarie for the distressed in their calamitie The Angels themselues haue refused to bee worshipped of men knowing that the Lorde wil not haue his glorie parted vnto others In the Reuelatiō Iohn professeth that he fell down to worshipp before the feete of the Angel and that the Angel saide vnto him Se thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and the fellow seruaunt of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keepe the words of this book Worship god The Angel refuseth worshippe placeth himselfe as a seruaunt among them that serue the Lord after his worde and chargeth him to worship god Let vs learne to bridle this affection that seeketh to be approued vnder the title of a good intent for it is a strong persuasion to the fleashe that the Lorde cannot refuse but well like of whatsoeuer worshipp wee offer so it bee to no other thē those that are beloued of him of whom he hath declared his likeing by graces and gyftes graunted vnto them in greater measure then vnto the common sort of his seruauntes We may well suspect our infirmitie when the Euangelist Iohn was almost carried away with his weaknesse in this parte For the infirmitie of the flesh reasoneth thus Can it be any offence to honour aduance them whome God himselfe hath honoured Hath not God himself declared by his graces giuen vnto them what reckoning he maketh of them Can we make too much of them whome God so tenderly loueth These are the pathes of good intents wandering without the worde Nay they proceede further If wee shall be approued of the Lorde wee must creepe into fauour with those that are deere vnto him and the next way to haue fauour with him is to growe into the fauour of those that are neere aboute him according as the practise is to get the good lykings of men that are of greate calling heere in earth by growing into the lyking of those their seruantes that can doe moste of all with them But we are taught of the Lord himselfe that his wayes differ from oures as farre as Heauen differeth from the earth and that the Heauens are not so farre in height aboue the Earth as are his thoughts aboue oures So that wee offer exceeding wronge vnto his maiestie while we thinke to bring him vnder the condition of mans infirmitie whose good countenance cannot be obteyned vnlesse in the persons of those whome hee especially lyketh of by brybing or flattering of them he him selfe may seeme to be honoured and the holde of his fauour craftily vndermined The word of the Lord shaketh off all such follies telling vs that it is the hearing of his worde keeping of the same that getteth credite with him that maketh vs allied vnto him euen to become truely the mother sister or brother of him as wee read in the gospell after S. Luke in the which place he doeth so commend this kinred as I may call it of his worde that he maketh no reckoning of any other but in respect of that Wherein hee doeth notably reproue the foolishe fancie of fleashe and bloud which imagine that they can offer nothing vnto the virgin Marie wherin they shall not binde him vnto them the Lord therefore is constrained to signifie that those naturall respects preuaile not with him as with weake men but that the hearing of his worde and doeing of the same is all in all with him and the onely worship that pleaseth him which when it is wāting he accepteth of no seruice haue it neuer so greate shewe of mans reason for it As wee may not take vpon vs to worship any besides the Lorde no more is it lawfull for vs to giue any worship to the Lord but onely that whiche is allowed in his word and therefore hath he forbidden vs to make any grauen image imagining that way to please him and to doe a worke that is acceptable vnto him For those that bow vnto grauen Images thincke and say that the Lorde is serued therein and that they doe it not vnto the Image but vnto the Lorde represented vnto them in the Image but the Lorde in this commaundement forbiddeth as well the false worship of the true GOD as the giuinge of any parte of his true worship vnto a false God I meane vnto any besides the onely true god It commeth all from one founteine to dare be bolde to giue vnto him any worship beside that which he hath cōmanded and to worship any other besides himselfe which thinge he hath in many places plainely forbidden therefore in this cōmaundemente he represseth this intollerable boldnesse of man that in his owne deuotion will presume to please the Lorde either in the worshipping of others or in any other maner of worshipping him than he himselfe hath opened in his worde In this seconde parte concerninge grauen Images there are certeine wordes which beeing layde open will make the better entrance to the true sense and meaning of the whole in consideration whereof it shall not be vnprofitable briefely and in a worde to touch them It is saide here that he is A ielous God which signifieth that he can not suffer vs to ioyne any with him in the cause care of our welfare A kinde of speach borrowed from husbandes who can not abide to see the mindes affectiōs of their wiues entangled with any other men but require to haue them kepte pure and chaste to them selues alone The pursuing of his displeasure whiche is heere recited towarde the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate him seeming to maintaine vnrighteousnes in the Lord is to be vnderstoode of such children as treade in the same stepps of iniquitie with their fathers For otherwise that of the Prophet Ezechiel is true The godly sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of his vngodly father These thinges beeing now made plaine vnto vs let vs goe forwarde with the matter that wee haue in hand The Lorde God in forbidding the worshipping of images and so vnder that all other kinde of worship inuented by man addeth this reason to disuade vs from it because hee is become our God who
children vpon the third generation and vpon the fourth of them that hate me 6 And shewing mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my commaundements ALbeit the time would nor permit me to speake the laste day of the third verse but forced me to reserue it vnto this day and to ioyne it with this matter that now you haue heard of not making to our selues any grauen image yet that whiche time hath nowe knitte together is by the iudgement of diuerse godlie and learned men not to be sundered at all For they take that of hauing the Lord our God which hath already beene declared to be the firste commaundement and this Scripture that now I haue read conteyned in these foure verses to be the seconde Of this iudgement was that learned Father Peter Martyr whose wordes are these in his Commentarie vppon the Romanes I suppose the firste commaundement to be that which is sett before the reste in steade of a proheme I am the Lorde thy GOD whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt For in these wordes are we commaunded to accompt him for the true God and that we shoulde not thinke that he is to bee worshipped together with other Gods straight way is added the second precepte wherein wee are prohibited to worship straunge Gods and grauen thinges and images and if a man will more narrowly consider the thing he shall see that together with this first comaundemente is offered vnto vs the Gospell for in it GOD promiseth that he will be our god These are the wordes of Peter Martyr Of this iudgement in like manner was that learned and godlie man M. Bucer as appeareth in his exposition vpon 24. Psalme where hee hath these wordes The first thing of all in the matter of our saluation is to beleeue in one Lorde our GOD from whome as the fathers had their deliuerance from Aegypt and all other blessinges beside so wee all receiue the good things that we haue whiche is taught in the firste of the ten commaundementes that is to say in this I the Lord am thy GOD whiche brought thee out of the land of Aegypt The seconde cōmaundement is to ioyne no feigned God with the true GOD which mans madnesse is alwayes accustomed to do neither were these men alone of this iudgement but followed in it the opinion of some of the best learned among the interpreters of the Hebrue who doe thus diuide these two commaundements taking that of making grauen images to be a braunch of the second cōmaundement which forbiddeth vs either to ioyne any false God to the only true Lord or to worship the true God with any false worship deuised of our selues not cōmanded frō him For as it followeth in that place whiche now I cited out of M. Bucer the blindenes of man is accustomed to giue so much to his own deuises in ioyning some in worship with God or to that which he hath deuised for the worship of god that he wil not depend vpon the mere goodnes of God alone And for the moste parte saith he they seke by such ceremonies to pacifie the lord whom they do perceiue to be offended with their wicked life which thing hath greater blasphemie in it then we can conceiue of It is most sure that when once man dare aduenture to put others in the honour of worship with the Lorde whiche thing he hath forbidē he wil not be afraid to bring vpon him an other worship then he hath commaunded these bothe come from one corrupte beginning as shall God willing heereafter more plentifully appeere We are in this commaundement forbidden to worship any together with him or to admitt any worship of him besides his owne whiche he hath lefte vs in his worde the Lorde therefore woulde haue vs to seeke al good things at his hands alone and cannot abide that we should haue other Gods before his face or vppon his face for this interpretation will bothe the wordes and the meaning beare very well as if he should say In as muche as I haue taken vpon me to care for you and to honour my selfe by shewing foorth the treasures of my grace vpon you it shall not be lawfull for to darken the light of my goodnesse by seking to obteine that at the hands of any other the gift wherof I haue reserued to my selfe alone for the glorie and praise of the riches of my grace For I doe you to vnderstand that when soeuer you seeke to any other then me for any parte of your welfare you doe as it were drawe a corteine ouer my face that I cannot be seene in the full shewe of my mercie howe I am affected towardes you while they by stepping betweene conuey some praise of the gifte and mercie to them selues Heere we see all passages to the virgine Marie Angels or Saintes whatsoeuer to be stopped vpp and the way to GOD opened vnto all in their necessities to run thyther with an assured hope of comforte by reason of the promise When Sathan would haue obteyned of our sauiour Christe a parte in the honour of worship he telleth him it was written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him alone shalt thou serue the answere of our sauiour Christ being according to the question and demaund telleth vs that Sathan would not haue refused to haue had the Lord worshipped so that he might haue obteyned to haue beene partaker with him in it It declareth also that not only the Lord refuseth to haue Sathan but also any other whosoeuer to be worshipped with him for it is written Him alone shalt thou serue Inuocation therefore and prayer beeing a worship that the Lord preferreth aboue sacryfice may not be giuen to any Sainct or Virgin but muste be reserued vnto the Lord alone who will not haue his grace darckened or his glorie parted with any Neither can he suffer that the virgin Marie or any saint or angel should cōe into any opinion of mercy either aboue him or equall with him whiche must be graūted if this be cōfessed that it is lawful to call vpon thē For why should we come in prayer vnto them if he who is of greater power to perfourme our request be also of more mercie to incline fauourably to our demaunds This resorting therefore vnto them by prayer hath in it a plaine profession that they are more redily inclined vnto compassion then the Lord which in deed denieth him to be god For he is not the true God if any do exceede him in mercie and compassion It cannot be that the Lord should be God if any be found his superiour or match in mercie wherein consisteth his chiefe glorie But of this God willing more shall be spoken when I come to speake of prayer And yet it may not be forgotten that in dying for vs when we were enimyes vnto him he lefte that patterne of mercie behinde him the like whereof hath not beene hearde or seene in
necessitie whatsoeuer indureth longer then they wishe or increase vpon them after their suite made for deliueraunce because the Lord wil worke a more glorious worke in their deliuerance for the comfort and increase of their faithe notwithstanding it be some long time after shall we say the Lorde hathe reiected their prayers because he hath delayed so long God forbidde For the Lorde according to the good counsel of his will hath not iustified the innocencie and good causes of his sometimes no not before their death And as it hath bene said of the time so likewise is it to be thought of the meanes maner of helping relieuing vs if that hath ben other then we coulde haue prescribed shall we denie the Lord to haue hearde our suites because the helpe that we haue had hath not beene in the same manner that we haue conceiued to be best This one thing we haue often to call to remembrance that before the request of these outward necessities there is the desire of doing his will here in earth to teach vs that the Lord is thus helpful in outward necessities oppressing them vnto the prayers of suche as haue not onely the knowledge of his will but also the desire to do it For that goeth before the other in our prayer therfore in our desire in as much as true praier goeth not without the desire of the hart vnto the request of the tongue Those therfore that looke for these outward blessinges when they call vnto the Lord must learne both to know what his will is reueled in his word also to haue a desire to doe the same For vnto those that thus worship him the Lord hath promised to incline his eare according as it is written in these wordes We knowe that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God doth his wil him heareth he putting them in hope of beeing heard that be worshipers of him making those the worshippers not that do vnto him whatsoeuer liketh them but that are doers of his liking wil which is opened to vs in his word To the confirmation of this may be added that which is written in the first Epistle of S. Iohn in these wordes whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we do those thinges whiche are pleasing in his sight By this it appeareth that witches sorcerers whiche wil haue the name of wisemen and wise women who are thought to do so many things with prayer cannot preuaile with the Lorde to obteine these outward thinges of him in fauour and goodwil for of all people they are the most ignorant of his will therefore of his worship But as euen nowe it was proued if any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his will him heareth he Those are they to whō the Lord hath made promise that he wil be mercifully inclined vnto in their prayers petitions he is nighe vnto al that call vpon him in trueth he wil fulfil the desire of thē that feare him he wil heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him saith the holy Ghost It may so fal out that the prayers of witches such like may be instrumentes of his iustice for the punishment of sinne in others and for the hardening of their own harts but it is as sure as the lord liueth that they neuer obteine any thing by their prayers to their good in fauour good liking of the lord But as for the seruants of God they are in assured hope to haue their prayers heard whē they shal cal vpon the Lord in their outward distresses for they are persuaded as the truth is in deede that it standeth vpō the name glorie of the Lord to stand by his in their necessities for to succour and help them as the matter shall require Wherefore they require it as a part of his owne glorie as an argument and assurance that he reigneth here in earth as a matter that is agreeable to his good pleasure and will according as they haue learned out of his word whiche giueth them an assured hope of beeing heard and maketh them bolde to call vppon him knowing that his owne glorie the renoune of his owne kingdome and a matter that is agreeable to his owne good liking and will is in hande while their distresses wants are brought before the Lord to be holpen relieued by him A manifest confirmation proofe of this is to be found in the Psalme In the whiche place the prophet speaketh much in the beginning of extolling the name of God of meditating the beautie of his glorious maiestie of shewing foorth the glorie of his kingdome and speaking of his power after this it followeth that the Lorde vpholdeth all that fall that he fulfilleth the desire of them that feare him that he wil heare their crie and will saue them as if the glorie of his name and renoune of his kingdome were seene in this to lift vp his that fall to heare their crie and saue them And no doubt the Lord will haue it knowen here vpon earth that he is Lorde ouer all true faithfull in his word by the helpe and defence that he will graunt vnto his whensoeuer in their distresse they shal by faithful prayer resorte vnto him His meaning is to leaue manifest and plaine profe that he ruleth herein earth euē by that mercie that he hath to bestowe vpon his who cal and crie vnto him in their necessitie with an assured hope of being heard For the glorie of his name the honour of his kingdome and the good pleasure of his will go ioyntly together with the hearing regarding of their cause according as they are set before this petition in this fourme of prayer that is prescribed by the lord Where before we make mention of daily bread there is request made for the halowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and dooing his wil because euen then when he relieueth the necessities of his that call vpon him his name is hallowed his kingdome commeth and that is perfourmed which is agreeable to his will. This cannot but minister hope and comfort vnto vs in all our necessities that his honour and glorie is after a manner darkened in our distresse and as it were suffereth in the same which the lord God cannot but erecte and aduaunce and therefore fauour our distresse wherevnto his owne honour is so neerely ioyned Nowe let vs pray c. ¶ The xvij Lecture vppon the 12. and 13. verses 12 And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters 13 And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs frō euil for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen IN this petition we do require the forgiuenesse of our sinnes wherein wee are to vnderstande that by this worde sinne is not onely ment the guiltines that we haue brought in
can not otherwise be compassed And where is that man then that seeing what duties are to be perfourmed bothe to the Lord and to his brethren and in what manner of affection and loue for it is the end of Christe his death and the purchase of his passion to haue a number not only giuen but zelously giuen vnto good workes remembring withall what an enimie he hath at home of his owne nature if there be any feare of God in him that shall not be occasioned hereby more plentifully to practise the meanes of his saluation especially knowing that those who are ingrafted into the body of Christe must dye vnto sinne and rise vp in to these fruites of righteousnes Moreouer the knowledge and meditation of the lawe and commaundements doe helpe vs forward vnto true and sincere Christianitie For a great number deceiue them selues in a generall good meaning whiche they haue to serue the Lord taking that to be the true seruice of him and in the meane time are nothing carefull to keepe a good conscience in the seuerall dueties of the lawe nor any thing traueyling to traine vp their affections to delight therin as if in Christianitie we were to roue vncerteinely aboute good motions and good meanings and had no certeine marks of seuerall dueties set before vs to shoote at that we might so iudge of our selues as we see vs come shorte or wide of them whereas the true Christian in very deede profiteth in drawing neerer and neerer vnto the Lord in making his life and conuersation more conformable vnto the seuerall duties set downe in the commaundementes beeing likewise carefull to approue his doings by the lawes statutes made for the same as in ciuil dealings and traffique a man wil feare to offende against the lawes and statutes prouided in that behalfe And as a wise man that hath much dealing in the worlde wil haue some abstract of the statutes that as occasion requireth he may turne to them and so deale without danger of lawe so it standeth well with the policie of a Christian to be skilfull in the statutes of his God that when he hath to deale with the name of his brother lookeing in this abstract he may see the cautions to be obserued in the same that he offend not against the lawes and statutes of the Highest when soeuer he hath to deale with his goodes he may turne in like maner to that statute that hath prouided for wel dealing therin so auoide the dangers that otherwise he should fall into The like is to be done when there are dealings immediately betwene vs the Lord that we should often loke into this briefe abstract of the statutes of our God to see alwayes what is the prouiso that is made for his glorie and the suppressing of our owne corruption Our corrupte nature doeth aske all this of vs and the man that feareth God giueth no lesse vnto it For the blessed man is saide to meditate in the lawe of his God day and night Nay we see that the only wise God who knoweth better then we our selues what nede we haue hath appointed vs yet more meanes and therfore we must thinke that there is more vntowardnes in vs then we could of our selues suspect For he hath left it a perpetuall order for the education of his children that there should be men of special giftes both for learning and aptnesse to teach also for good life who by teaching exhorting and reprouing should as it were whet the word to make it enter It must of necessitie bee an hard matter that requireth such instruments such workemen for both the instrument and the workmen are from aboue The wisedome of the world could not perfourme this and therefore the Gospell which is the arme and power of God vnto saluation was sent from the bosome of the father and for the workemen we are not at our choyse to take where it seemeth good vnto vs but they are appointed to our hād by the holy Ghost who hath set downe such notes of good learning good life to discerne them by who are of his sending and fit for so weightie a worke as that they giue forth a plaine testimonie vnto vs that they come from Heauen framed and prepared of the Lord him self vnto this work As the goodnesse of our God could not deny vs any thing necessarie so his wisedome would not that we should be loaden with any thing superfluous and vnnecessarie which must force vs to conclude against our selues that we are not knowen vnto our selues vnlesse we see matter within vs necessarily requiring to be pricked forward with the liuely preaching and sounding ministerie of the word and that we tempt the Lord if we content our selues with our priuate readings and meditations and despise the preaching of the worde which the Lord hath seene to be so necessarie that hee hath appointed it not for one sorte of men but vnto all of what condition soeuer neither vnto age alone but perpetuall for all ages and times The labours therefore of them that doe write are not taken in hand that men standing vpon them should contemne or lesse frequent the publique ministerie of the Church but to bring them into greater loue and liking with the same that receiuing some fruite that way they might looke for a greate deale more by that which is appoynted by the Lorde to present vs perfect in Christe Iesus Concerning these Lectures I am to craue generally of all men to whose handes they shall come that in what point so euer they shall thinke their admonition may doe mee good they woulde not denie mee that Christian and Brotherly helpe and likewise if they shall in any thing finde themselues holpen by my trauell that as they are to returne the whole praise vnto GOD to whome onely it is due so they woulde not denie the comfort of their prayers vnto him whom the Lord in mercie hath vouchsafed to make an instrument though most vnworthie of some goodnesse vnto them And of your honour my verie good Ladie I am most humblie to require that this dutie how slenderly soeuer performed may according to your accustomed clemencie be well accepted of that what want soeuer be in the work either of that you desire or that I were in duetie to perfourme may finde a supplie herein for that it proceedeth from a minde moste willing to answer your desire and moste vnwilling if abilitie did serue to be behinde with the leaste parte of that that duetie may in any respect demaunde And as al good Christians should rather be desirous to lerne howe to go forwarde then to heare what good beginnings they haue made so I doubt not Madame but a fewe wordes vttered to that ende especially from me that haue great cause to be thankeful vnto God for that he hath already wrought in you shall finde better interteinement with your honour then much speeche directed to an other purpose howe good
life to come And as it appeareth in Genesis all the mercies that Abraham receiued were conteined vnder these wordes which are the wordes of the couenaunt I will be God to thee and to thy seede after thee The benifite that here is set downe of bringing thē out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage is an experience whiche they had of this goodnesse of God wherin he did apparauntly declare him selfe to be their God and so likewise it is in other places brought in as a confirmation of the couenaunt Because the Lorde loued you sayth the holy ghost and because he would keep the othe which he had sworn to your fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharao king of Egypt that thou mayest knowe that the Lorde thy God hee is GOD the faithfull God whiche keepeth couenaunt and mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This experience of God his goodnesse towardes them and the triall that hee is become their GOD maketh much to bring an obedience and therefore is placed with the couenaunt For when we haue tryall in deed that the Lord hath speciall good wil towards vs it hath greate force in it to bring vs willingly vnder his obedience Therefore we are taught by this alwayes to haue in memorie those benefits of God that haue in them the note and marke of speciall good will and lyking such as he beareth vnto his Children For the remembraunce of those will draw dueties from vs that shall proceed from a frank and free hart Let vs therefore haue a register of his greatest benefites done vnto vs Let vs call to minde what a speciall benefite this is if we had none other that when we were as is the disposition of all Adams children following the lusts and affections of our owne hart in that brode way that leadeth vnto death which so many followe it hath pleased him to pick vs out of so many to giue vs mysliking of that course of life whiche by nature we are so addict and inclyned vnto the earnest hungring and thirsting after that righteousnes that is approued by his worde His benefites may not be ouer passed without consideration they cary with them strong persuasion vnto obedience the faithful doe vse this helpe to further obedience vnto god In the last chapter of Iosua there is mention made of the seuerall benefites of God bestowed vpon his people and all for this end to reclayme them from sinne and to stirre them to free and willing seruice of the lord And the people in the same Chapter alledge his benefites receiued as a reason why they neither may nor wil refuse obedience vnto him God forbid say the people that we should forsake the Lord to serue other Goddes For the Lorde brought vs and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage and he did those greate myracles in our sight and preserued vs in all the way that we went and among all the people through whome we came and the Lord did cast out all the people euen the Amorites which dwelt in the land therfore will we serue the Lord for hee is our GOD. They gather by these benefites that he is their God and conclude therfore that they wil serue the Lord because he is their God and hath beene so singulerly good beneficiall vnto them And in very deede this persuasion that hee is our God and so tenderly affected towardes vs is the mother of all true obedience the founteine from whence floweth all true worship and seruice of God the note that discerneth betweene the workes of a true Christian and the deedes of an Infidel or heathen man The Christian worketh his obedience hauing this persuasion that God is already his GOD The Infidel and vnbeleeuer hath no suche persuasion and therefore his doinges come not franckly and freely from him to honour the Lorde but slauishly and seruilely to serue himselfe and after that manner as it were to get within the Lorde and to earne his saluation of him selfe It is this faith which made the difference betweene the sacryfice of Abell and the sacrifice of Cayne as the Scripture doeth declare It is this faith that maketh the difference betwene the continencie that we haue reade to haue beene in Infidelles and Paganes and that whiche is in Christians betweene the mercie and almes that procedeth oftentimes from ciuil men and that merciful reliefe that commeth from Christians It is this persuasion of his goodnesse that iustifieth the one whereas the other wanting this is odious hateful in his sight It is this persuasion that God is so rich in goodnesse as to accept of vs which sendeth vs to the true seruice of him The Lord is not only contented to say that he is their GOD but also to bring good euidence for the same in putting thē in mind of that singular benefite of their deliuerance from Egypt which he had bestowed vpon them Wee learne then in this Commaundemente which chargeth vs that we take the Lorde for our God that he hath taken vpon him selfe the prouision to stoare vs with graces and blessings bothe for this life and for the life to come and will haue the honour and glorie of it him self alone because he will declare the riches of his graces towards his faithfull people and by his dealing with them bee knowen to be their god Therefore he bindeth vs to seeke for all good things at his hands alone and in like manner when we haue receiued any thing by humble thanksgiuing to returne the whole praise therof vnto him again Now that we know the meaning of this cōmaundemēt it behoueth vs to apply it to our profit wherein we must first vnderstand that by the meanes of sin which is in euery man by nature man his wit vnderstanding hath receiued such a blindnesse as it cannot conceiue the trueth of this cōmaundement also his wil affection is so poysoned as it cannot take any ioy or lyking in it the tryall wherof may be had in this manner when the man that is not borne againe and receiued into mercie whome the scripture calleth the naturall man because all are such by nature whē he I say is in any streight or necessitie either because he wanteth necessary foode for this life or for that he is in dāger to loose welth credit or life seeth not the ordinarie meanes by which it is likely hee should escape the danger Let it thē be tolde him that God is his God hath a loue towards him and a care ouer him wil in his time by lawful meanes prouide for him yet notwithstanding his wit neither cōceueth this persuation nor his wil affection is any thing made ioyful or comforted therby as one that desirously enclyneth after the hope thereof which is declared by this that
is iealous ouer vs and cannot abide that wee go after any other this reason to disuade vs from idolatrie maintaining suche tender affection of God towardes his as cannot suffer them to looke aside after any other because hee woulde haue them as they are in deed so to take them selues wholy beholden to him argueth that Idolaters and false worshippers of God are so caryed away with the loue and affection that they beare vnto those whome they worship with the LORDE and with the opinion of that their deuised worshippe of him that they depende not wholy vppon his goodnesse takinge him alone to bee their whole happinesse the onely author and worker thereof but are parted and diuided in their affection imagining and persuading them selues that they are beholden and that not a little for the benefites they haue what soeuer vnto those whome they worship and vnto this their deuised seruice of the Lorde This thinge is notably declared by the Prophet Hosea where the Idolatrie of the Israelites is resembled in the adulteresse and whorish woman that sayeth plainely shee will goe after her louers which gaue her breade wooll flaxe Their mother sayth the Lorde by his Prophet hath played the harlot shee that conceiued them hath doone shamefully for she saide I will go after my louers that gaue me my bread and my water my wooll my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke It is the persuasion of the Idolaters that the blessinges whiche they haue are the giftes and rewardes of those whome they worshippe and of that their deuised worshippe It is yet a common thinge in the mouthes of many that the worlde was good when men worshipped Sainctes and Images there was plentie of all thinges so that euen now we may descry the whore by her wonted speeche I will goe after my louers that gaue me my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drink In the 8. verse of this Chapter the Lorde sayeth plainly by his Prophet That this whore did not knowe that it was he that gaue her corne and wine and oyle and multiplied her siluer and goulde which was bestowed vppon Baal It doeth plainely appeere by this that the Idolaters are drawen in their hart and affection vnto those whome they worship nourishing a secret persuasion that they haue their benefites from thence whereby it commeth to passe that their hearts departe by little and little from the lord We haue a plain profe of this in Poperie not only by their speache that say while they worshipped Sainctes they had store and plentie of all thinges but also by their practise who had assigned vnto seuerall Sainctes the honor of help and aide in seuerall causes of distresse To some they assigned the charge for agues to others for the frutes of rhe earth and to seuerall kingdomes countries they assigne seuerall Sainctes for patrones To these they did resorte in distresses these they called vppon when any help came they receiued it as the benefite of that Sainct to whom they had allotted that charge Thus hauing distributed Gods office vnto others and hauing put ouer the distribution of seuerall benefites vnto seuerall Sainctes and as men that tendred the trouble of the Lorde set almoste ouer all dealings vnto other vnder him being any way releeued the honour therof if it were not altogether giuen away from the Lorde at least it must be parted so that it cannot be but the talke of the whore That she will go after her louers that haue giuen her her oyle and drinke her woll and flaxe For to what ende should she so resorte vnto them if hauing helpe that way she meant not to returne the honor vppon them The trueth is so that worshipping any besides the Lorde as also in giuing him any worship of their owne deuising not confirmed in his worde they are caryed so away with the opinion and worthinesse thereof that they do not wholy depend vpon the goodnes of the Lord therefore we shall finde it often in the scriptures where the Lord laboreth to ouerthrowe Idolatrie and worshipping of Images in the same place he magnifieth his owne goodnes and his alone goodnes towards them a notable confirmation whereof we haue in the prophet Esay speaking of them that set vp the woods of their Idol Immediatly vppon it he hath these words There is none other God besides me A iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside mee Looke vnto mee and yee shall bee saued all the endes of the earth shall be saued for I am God and there is none other I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne that euerie knee shall bow vnto me and euery tongue shall sweare by me Surely he shall say In the Lorde haue I righteousnes and strength he shall come vnto him and all that prouoke him shall bee ashamed The whole seede of Israel shall be iustified and glorie in the Lord. It is worthy the diligent consideration that in depressing of idolatrie and false worshipp he ariseth to mainteine our iustification strength and glorie to be in the Lorde alone and vs so to professe it that vve glorie for that we haue righteousnes and strength in the Lorde which proueth plainely that Idolaters are not so persuaded but that in the opinion of these their doinges their affection abateth towardes the goodnes of the Lorde The like confirmation we haue in an other place of the same prophet where disuading thē from idolatrie he setteth forth the greatnes of his goodnesse towardes them Remember these Oh Iacob and Israel for thou art my seruaunt I haue fourmed thee Thou art my seruant O Israel forget me not I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude and thy sinnes as a myste turne vnto mee for I haue redeemed thee Whereas before the greate and vndeserued goodnesse of the Lord is brought in as the best medicine to cure idolatrie True it is therefore whatsoeuer they do say that they so trust vnto these vntoward deuised thinges which they doe vnto God that they depende not wholy vppon his meere and alone goodnesse as they who take their happinesse onely to arise from thence and that is the cause why in dealing with them he vpholdeth the greatnesse of his goodnesse and of his alone goodnesse towardes them whiche carrieth in it a secrete sentence against them that they stande not persuaded resolued therof Idolatrie is most fitly compared in the scripture vnto adulterie and the Idolaters called whoores because as whoores admitte vnto their loue others than their owne husbandes so Idolaters and the false worshippers of God reserue not their faith and confidence vnto the Lord alone but permit others to be fellowes with him at the same Wherefore to declare the great hatred that he hath of such dealing he taketh vnto him the quarell of ielousie threatening that he will prosequute this iniurie of prostituting and laying open that faith vnto others which
almightie creator And if there be acknowledgement of superioritie ouer vs to the thing that we shal sweare by as is witnessed by the holie Ghoste then as we may not sweare by Heauen Earthe or any other creature muche lesse may wee by Masse Mattens Roode or such like we will put the honour of the Almightie vpon them and take them as our God who onelie hath superioritie ouer vs to iustifie righteousnesse and to bring the wickednesse of the wicked vpon his head whiche thing in our othe we do acknowledge to belong vnto him by whōe we sweare When Almightie God promiseth by his Prophet Hosea to receiue the Israelites to fauour again after their affliction he saith that he wil take away the names of their Idols out of their mouth thei shuld be no more remēbred by their names These things may suffice to teach vs that the Lord cannot beare the dishonour of his name but will haue that vpholden in honour and reuerence without suffering it either to lie open vnto the cōtempt of godlesse persons or vnto the spoyle of Idolaters who breaking it vpon his glorie do beautifie and set out his creatures with the ornamentes thereof This commaundement likewise reacheth particularly to all of them whiche neglecte any of those meanes that God hath commaunded vs to vse either for the welfare of our soule or bodie For the wordes and workes of his wisedome may not be refused as vaine needelesse but must with all humilitie be imbraced that in our so doeing his wisdome may be honoured who hath appointed those to be the meanes whereby he will conueye his mercie towards vs the neglect whereof chargeth the Lord with want of wisedome in ordeyning them Here falleth to the grounde the wicked and blasphemous opinions of the Anabaptistes Libertines and the feigned Familie of loue who are growen to suche a magnifying of grace brought as they say by the reuelation of the spirit as the wisdome of God in his worde is of small or no account with them in deede but as if it were a needeles matter or had no certeintie in it it is wholy transformed into their spirite made to speake accordingly The nature of man is in this cōmandement corrupted as in the rest doing the thinges which he doeth to God without all awe and feare of his word It behoueth the man therfore that wil truely trie him selfe to searche into his life and wel to consider what manifest contempte there hathe beene in him of the name and honour of God in stubbernely standing againste the authoritie of his word while he hath willingly neglected to be admonished and aduised thereby what contempt of his honour he hath giuen forth in common swearing and vsual oathes that either directly or indirectly reach to the glorie of God euen to the wounding of him in the same Moreouer it behoueth him to consider what carelesnesse there hath beene and what little regard in his best doings to haue them so soundly throughly done as vnto the honour of God doth apperteine where the diligent paines carefull and through dealing in matters that touch his owne name shal be a sufficient light to disclose his halting with the lord For the corruption of mans heart is so great and so hidden that all meanes almost are to few to vtter it therfore it is requisite that we vse al the meanes we may in that behalfe Let a man in this examination wel consider whether there hath beene any suche feare or care to auoide things forbidden and to do things commanded him by the word wherein consisteth the glorie of God as there hath ben while his own honor is in hand and his owne name called to question at any time whether he hath delt in dueties appointed him by God with feare and care lest the Lorde through his infirmitie shuld be foyled his name dishonoured whiche coulde not haue beene wanting if his owne estimation had beene in hazarde that he may be brought to the sight of his Sonne For when it pleaseth God to cal any to the hope of his kingdome hee letteth them see their corruption to be so great in these and suche other kindes of dishonor that they haue done vnto him as that their harte is forced to appeale vnto the mercie of God fastening themselues to it vtterly giuing ouer their owne obedience Whiche mercie of God they so stay vppon and are so comfortable in that it prouoketh them no longer to neglect the name and glorie of their God but with all reuerence to submit themselues to the gouernement of his word alwayes endeuouring to better their obedience towardes his lawe because it tendeth to the glorie of his name wherein howe greate so euer their profiting be yet this corruption whiche cleaueth so fast vnto them cānot but continue in them stil an humbled and lowly harte euen in all their blessings while they clearely perceiue them by the sight of their corruption to be the vndeserued graces and gyftes of their god Their offending also whatsoeuer cannot be without the great grief of their hart because they see it to be with the dishonour of him who hath abased himselfe to the deathe of the Crosse to worke the honour and aduauncement of them We are therefore brethren diligently to learne to waxe wearie of those wayes that would depart from the reuerence and honouring of the Lord in not fearing to offend againste his word because it is written He that despiseth the worde he shal be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shal be rewarded Let vs learne to become careful in the duties which are appointed vs by the worde for the Lorde will not holde them guiltlesse that are secure therein We can not beare good heart vnto the Lord if we let his honour fall to the ground among vs it is his mercie that doth vouchsafe vs this fauour to be trusted with his honour Can it want then iust reproche if we shal be tried to be senselesse in this point It drewe teares from Dauid that the wicked kept not his lawe can we see our owne liues and the liues of those committed vnto vs wandring from the wayes of life and hungerly in the contempt of the worde pursuing after death and yet for all that neuer to be touched with it especially seeing the dishonour of our God dependeth vpon it It should vexe vs that the gospell hathe beene so long time with so litle fruite among vs that the instruments of his grace that haue gayned so many in former times vnto God shuld not only not preuail in many but euen receiue discredite and dishonour among men and that the litle fruite appearing in our liues shoulde call into question the veritie of Gods gospel being in fruite and effect so vnlike in many vnto that it hathe beene in former times A Christian should go to the dueties laide vpon him by the word with the like minde that a good souldiour goeth
to the defence of that holde whiche being taken by the enimies he is assured to receiue continuall shame and dishonour The Lord will be honored by hauing his word obeyed if we doe not conspire to mainteine his honour that way we are guiltie of treason against his glorie when we suffer sathan to batter downe obedience in vs to God and man we are as well accessarie to the betraying of his glorie as those souldiers that are quiet within the castle while their enimies sacke the same without Let vs therfore goe carefully aboute these matters of his honour let our care and sounde dealing be a recorde vnto our hartes that we are not conspired with his enimies There can be no better argument that men do willingly consent with sathan then to see them carelesse of his assaultes then neuer to see them stande vpon their watche especially dealing with the enimie who hath professed that hee will neuer be at truce with them And because the Lord giueth so glorious a title to christianitie as to call it his glorie making so neere a bonde betweene our saluation his honour let vs not sleepe in so earnest matters neither bring a slender and bare affection where there is the assured hope of a double commoditie Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father that we may more be humbled that wee haue so long liued to so litle honour of his name not only that we may thereby truly acknowledge the mercy of Iesus Christe that hathe put vppe so great dishonour at our handes washing it away no otherwise than with his bloud but also that in the remembraunce of so long time wherein we haue dishonoured him we may bee whetted to bestirre vs this time that we haue to liue bothe to pull downe our affections that would dishonour him in the plaine contempte or carelesse regard of obedience also to bring forth that fruite of newe life that may open the mouthes of many to speake of his praise for it whose workmanship it is The fourth Lecture vpon the eighth verse 8 Remember the Sabbaoth day to keepe it holie 9 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke 10 But the seuenth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruaunt nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy straunger that is within thy gates 11 For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen and the earthe the sea and al that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbaoth day and halowed it THe rest from bodily laboures that was commaunded vpon the Sabbaoth day had in it this signification that Christianitie did consist in ceassing from sinne So doe the Prophets who are the true expositors of the law interpret it For thus we do read in the Prophet Esay Blessed is the man that doeth this and the Sonne of man that taketh holde on it he that keepeth the Sabbaoth and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from dooeing any euill The Prophete doeth declare what it is to keepe the Sabbaoth by these wordes following And keepeth his hand from doeing any euil The euill that by this sabbaoth we are commaunded to rest and ceasse from is not a matter straunge and disagreeing from our disposition but rooted in our nature as nowe we haue it from Adam And therefore the same Prophet that here affirmeth the keeping of the Sabbaoth to consist in ceassing and resting from euill in an other place affirmeth it to be the ceassing from our owne wayes and workes declaring thereby this euill and iniquitie that we are commaunded to ceasse from to be no forrener or straunger but to keepe his house and home in our owne nature In that the Scripture termeth euil to be our own wayes and works according as it is written by the Prophete Isaie If thou consecrate the Sabbaoth as glorious vnto the Lorde and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will c. expounding the Not doing our owne ways nor seeking our owne will to be the consecrating of a glorious Sabbaoth vnto the lord The Sabbaoth then consisteth in keeping vs from doing euil so that necessarily we must conclude this euil to be in our owne wills and wayes This inwarde corruption wherewith bothe our wit and wil is poysoned was very fitly resembled in the outward obseruing of the Sabbaoth For vppon the Sabbaoth day the people were called from all their accustomed workes that they had beene occupied in the sixe dayes before So that a man comparing their doinges that day with those they were exercised in the other sixe dayes must of necessitie say they were cleane altered and chaunged in their doinges from that that vsually before they had beene and so diuerse as if they had not beene the same but other men A resemblance verie fitte and sitting to our spirituall Sabbaoth whiche consisteth in becomming newe men concerning our dooinges from that wee haue beene before wee knewe the Gospell The outward rest from bodily laboures whiche did shadowe out our true rest from sinne whiche is our accustomed way and worke was so strictely obserued among the Iewes that the neglect thereof in the least thinges as gathering sticks vpon the Sabbaoth day was punished with death as we do reade in the 15. of Numbers to declare some signification of greater thinges in it according as the Prophetes haue interpreted it The Sabbaoth then doth verie well point out the corruption that we haue receiued of Adam which ruleth and reigneth in the ways and wils of al them that are not borne againe and chaunged bothe in will and deede by the power of that his grace which only he bestoweth vppon his elect For thus it is written to the Ephesians Among whome speaking of the children of disobedience We also had our conuersation in time past in the lustes of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others We haue to marke here that speaking of his sinne he describeth it to haue beene done by following the wil of the minde whiche is the reasonable part as well as in following the will of the flesh which is the affection vnreasonable part And lest we shuld ascribe this only to his custome in sinne as if hee had not beene borne with this disease nor by nature inclined therevnto he putteth himselfe and others vnder the wrathe of God by nature saying We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others making it the common case of all men as naturally to be inclined to euill as they are to eate and drinke in their hunger or thirst It is worth the noting that he putteth himselfe in the number for he saith of him selfe to the Philippians that his life was not outwardly to be reproued no not before his calling
And therefore we may learne that this is the estate euen of those ciuil men that are not to be touched with any notorious offence or outward euill This Sabbaoth teaching vs our inward corruption stayeth not there neither is that the end of it but leadeth vs to vnderstand that our iustification sanctification and true holinesse of life are the free works of God within vs which we are compelled to graūt in that we confesse our own ways to be corrupted that the ceassing frō sinn is the ceassing frō our own ways works For if as the truth is our owne wayes be al corrupted defiled with sinne if any good be in vs it must haue a beginning and spring other where then from our selues That the Sabdaoth did signifie our newe birth in Christ to be the workmanship of God within vs may appeare in Exodus Keepe ye my Sabbaoth for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that you may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you For the deniall of their owne wayes must needes witnesse theire woorkes of sanctification to proceede from the Lorde and not of them selues The same is witnessed in Ezechiel and in the Actes of the Apostles The couenaunt made with Abraham for blessing all nations in his seede is saide to be perfourmed in Christ in turning euerie one of his from their iniquitie Vnto you saith the holy ghost in that place hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus And him hath he sent to blesse you in turning euerie one of you from your iniquities There is mention made in this commandement of the Lords creation of the worlde in sixe dayes as if the Sabbaoth should only direct vs to the consideration of that worke of our creation not requiring any thing beside especially seeing there followeth that note of inferring Therefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth day halowed it as ifelse there were no other consideration to be had In the fifte of Deute where the lawe is repeated this commandement hathe annexed to it the memorie of their deliuerāce out of Aegypt Remember saith the holy Ghost in that place thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hande and stretched-out arme Therefore the Lorde thy GOD commaunded thee to obserue the Sabbaoth day In this diuersitie of benefites to bee considered in the Sabbaoth we may learne the Lord meant rather to induce vs to the freenesse of his goodnesse in Christe in euerie benefite then to binde vs to any one particular fruit and effect therof the clearest testimonie of this free goodnesse we haue in our newe birthe And yet the scripture affirmeth the excellencie of our creation to be in Christ as may appeare by conferring the eighth Psalme with the 2. chapter to the Hebrues verse 7.8 and 9 where the excellencie of man aboue other creatures is put ouer to be cōsidered in Christ being crowned with glorie and honour The Prophet noteth the founteine of all our goodnesse to be in Christ the greatest fruite therof to be our new byrth notwithstanding all other benefites are receiued of his children as fruites and effects thereof And they bound therefore as in sanctification so in creation and deliuerance from Aegypt to acknowlege the alone free worke of Gods goodnesse and this is the cause why the holy Ghost doth not strictly bind them vnto one benefite in the obseruing of the Sabbaoth This commandement teacheth vs mortification for to that ende are wee taught that our nature is corrupt that we may learne to subdue the same to renounce it The Iewes had this special ceremonie of rest to exercise them in the doctrine practise of mortification the truth of which ceremonie is fulfilled in Christe For by the power of his death it is brought to passe that sinne dyeth in his It was necessarie they should be acquainted with this doctrine for the Lord hath no seruice of vs that he will accept of if we learne not to renounce and denie our affections neither can we goe truely to the obedience of him but in the deniall of our selues Our affections are as vntamed coltes that refuse to draw in the yoke of the Lord and therefore must be tamed if we meane to interreine obedience For we can not drawe nere vnto the Lorde except we shall remoue farre from our selues keeping vnder our wisedome and affections that they make no insurrection against the Lorde in the gouernement of his word If a man might reteine his owne affections and desires together with the worshippe of the Lorde it woulde be receiued of many but because they can not stand together but he who is ruled by the one must depart from the other the number of them is small that truely serue the lord For notwithstanding there be many that obserue outwarde thinges that apperteine to the profession of religion and outward deedes which they may do and yet not greatly straine their affections yet because suche men whensoeuer the matter of religion and duetie directly warreth with their affections then do vsually take part with themselues in their affections againste the Lorde their kinde of seruice of the Lord is but in deede a seruing of them selues For they haue not learned this speciall point without the whiche all the rest is nothing It is a small matter for a man to busie him selfe aboute sundrie thinges so that he be surely determined of this that his affections shall no sooner be pressed but he will forthwith set them at libertie and let them goe free If we shal haue taken part with the wisedome of God to the suppressing and abandoning of our owne witt if with his pleasure we haue stoode against our owne then may we say in trueth that there hath beene some religion and seruice of God vsed and practised of vs when it hath preuailed to the displacing of our owne lustes and desires By this commandement falleth to the grounde all free will of man to doe good all workes of preparing vs to receiue Gods grace For what franke and free will vnto God can there be in that nature that is dead in sinne Or how can he boast of the freedome or good inclination of his nature whose glorie and sanctification consisteth in resting and ceassing from the affections and motions of his nature in such a victorie ouer them as he be no longer led nor ruled by them This commaundement teacheth vs to giue all glorie vnto God in the true abasing of our owne corrupt nature for the Lord is not truely honoured and glorified of vs vnlesse he be found true we liars he iust we vniust He will not haue vs stande together with him No iustice but his must be vpholden in the fall of ours he aduaunced in our humilitie Many may be brought with the Phariseie to confesse Gods goodnesse in the benefites they haue receiued of him but fewe
with the Publicane to humble themselues truely and from the sense of their heart in the nature that they haue rebelling against him It is neither great aduauncing of God nor any great abasing of our selues to professe him to haue done vs good when there is no deseruing of ours to the contrarie confessed or acknowleged For euen ciuil men haue this goodnes in them to do wel to them that haue deserued nothing to the contrarie But then is he truly honoured in his goodnesse when it is giuen to vnworthie vndeseruing persons when the loue is so great towarde his enimies Then are we truely humbled when in hart we acknowledge it not only to be vndeserued but also euen contrarie to our deseruing What then Shal we sinne that God may be glorified in our humilitie God forbidde For when we haue taken as good care ouer our wayes as fleshe and bloud possiblie can perfourme there will be matter enoughe of throwing downe our selues in all humilitie before the throne of his mercie By this cōmandement are Papistes Anabaptists and that wicked damnable sect of the familie of loue vpholding free wil their fulfilling of the law found all traitours to Gods glorie which standeth not whole and sound vnles euerie mouth be stopped al the world found culpable faulty before GOD as it is written to the Romanes This commaundement as farre foorth as it is ceremonial nowe is ceased bycause Christe is nowe come by whose death we die to sinne rest from our owne wayes And therefore in that it did admonishe vs of him to come nowe in that he is come it serueth no longer to that ende In asmuche also as the dispensation of those times were as the Apostle saith to the Galathians The minoritie and wardshippe of the Churche during whiche time the heire though Lord of all differeth not from a seruaunt but is vnder gouernours These times that nowe followe Christe must needes bee more free from the bondage of these outward thinges and from that strict obseruing of the outwarde rest that in those times they were in bondage vnto Yet all this notwithstāding in as much as this seuēth day is appointed by the Church for the assembling of the faithfull and for their ioyning together in prayer Sacramentes and hearing of the worde thereby to gette power to ceasse from sinne that is our owne wayes and workes it cannot without great wickednesse and sinne against God be neglected Wherein the wickednesse of this exceedeth in that men commonly no day in the weeke followe so muche their owne wayes and the delightes of their owne hart as on that day which is appointed to learne them howe to ceasse from their owne wayes workes and delightes For a great number those not the worst of all take that day to be ordeined only for the ease of their bodie to be a day of recreation after their trauels labours that haue beene the sixe dayes before and vse it accordingly whereas the Lorde hathe appointed it to the exercise of the word and prayer that beeing vnburdened of their worldly affaires they mighte with free harts and mindes attend vpon the word prayer and meditation of the mercies benefites of God and so profit therein that the other dayes of labour might feele the benefite and commoditie therof they being better armed to stand against the occasions of euil which men who haue daily dealings in the world and so tickle a disposition vnto sin without great grace shal neuer be able to auoyd but must altogether bee ouerwhelmed therewith And likewise it was ordeyned that men by consideration of his mercies should so be ledd to loue him and by faith to waite for the mercies and happynes laide vp for his that they might become the more willing to ceasse from their owne wayes wills and to moderate their inordinate desire after worldly thinges But is this regarded of the moste I cannot say so for common experience would confute mee One sorte as was declared before making the case of the body to be the end thereof An other a great deale worse then they vsing it onely to make good cheere play and sporte themselues on that day Thus the right vse and end of the Sabbaothe is cleane altered and not that only but chaunged into a practise moste contrarie to the institution thereof For beeing appointed to bee as I may call it the market day of the soule to make prouision for the dayes following they are not onely no better holped that way but as if Sathan might boldely open his shoppe windowes then whiche could not bee permitted him before they doe so fasten vppon his wares and stoare them of that prouision that not onely that weeke but many weekes are serued of the abundance thereof In a third sorte we shall see it that if a man haue any matter to deale in that is of smaller importāce then that his ordinarie busines may giue place therevnto those are cast vpon the Lords day and then muste hee and also oftentimes some of his be sent vpon those messages or other matters whatsoeuer to dispatch them These kinde of men vse the Sabbaoth day commonly to make an end of reckonings or other kind of like matters not finished the former weeke and to set matters and busines in a redynes for the week following so that their heads are as ful fraught with the world that day as vpon any other and therfore far from the right vse therof which is to be emptied of all suche thinges that better may haue the place These foure commaundements instruct vs perfectly concerning the glorie of God wherin it doth consist First in acknowledging him alone the author of all our welfare both in body and soule Secondly in taking such comfortes therein that wee be allured by his mercyes to doe the things that are pleasant in his sighte making it the beginning of our seruice Thirdly in hauing no other end then by our carefull doeing of his will to get glorie and praise vnto him Fourthly in all these doings euen the best to humble our selues in true acknoweledging from the heart the corruptiō of our owne heart wayes and workes earnestly trauelling to subdue the same therby aduancing the free mercie and vndeserued goodnes of our God both in iustifying and also sanctifying of vs. In the examination of our selues concerning this cōmaundement we haue to learne that we are by nature corrupted in this commaundement as in the rest that there is nothing so hard as with true humilitie of hart to be humbled in acknowledging and mortifying the corruptions wickednes rebelliōs of our nature against Gods cōmandemēts in somuch that oftentimes he suffereth his children to fall into grosse infirmities that all the world may see it before they can truly be humbled in the sight of their infirmitie and so cast downe as they giue the whole glorie to his mercie earnestly seting vpon their affections for the subduing
subiect our selues in modestie vnto them euen he that hath more vnto him that hath lesse as it is written to the Philippians In meekenesse of minde let euerie man esteeme another better then himselfe And to the Romanes In giuing of honour let one go before another There is as great a cause why the aged shuld be honoured in his knowledge long time experienced in good thinges as the young man for the ripenesse of his witte and therefore men must mutually reuerence the gyfts of their fellow brethren if loue and liking shall be any longe time mutuallie vpholden That is the cause why in the same verse when the Apostle had persuaded vs to brotherly loue immediately hath these wordes In giuing of honour go one before another as if the one would not long continue where there were not the other There is no one thing that our nature can lesse like of then to be vnder contempt and that nothing should be espied in vs for the whiche men woulde regarde vs wherefore it standeth all vpon to trauell so in finding out the goodnesse of the gyftes and graces of GOD in other as their hartes may in vnfeignednesse yelde reuerence therevnto and also thereby to make a defence against infirmities whiche wil be in flesh and bloud that there may be bearing and forbearing one of another by loue reuerent regarde had to the gyftes of Gods grace in them Our nature is no better inclined in dueties towardes men then it is as before we haue learned in dueties towardes god For we are giuen to seeke to haue our selues honoured in our calling or gyft whatsoeuer but litle to regard nay euen to enuie the honour of others whiche we shall then discerne when any shal be compared with vs and made either superiours or else equals vnto vs And therefore when it pleaseth God to call any of his vnto the hope of his kingdome he letteth them see their corruption euen in this commandement so as they are forced by the sense and feeling thereof to giue ouer the claime of saluation in the title of their workes whiche haue no promise if they doe not perfourme the whole lawe and euerie worke thereof throughout the whole course of their life For it is written in Deuteronomie Cursed is hee that confirmeth not all the wordes of this lawe to do them And I would willingly learne what man there is that can truely say that he hath neither done nor yet left vndone any thing either to his superiour or inferiour to men of greater gyfts or lesse thē him selfe which did bewray want of honouring of them from his hart The lord also causeth those whom he calleth both carefully to stand in watch against their infirmitie lest it should burste forthe to the dishonour of God likewise more hartily to require a readie and willing affection to procure the honour of his name by walking duetifully in this commandement And if the outward work of this commaundemēt should be attended vpon of any neuer so diligently yet Gods glorie not sought therein it would profite vs nothing For if we giue men their due and in the meane time deny the Lorde his what auayleth it vs Therefore those former foure pointes wherein his glorie consisteth conteyned in the former commaundements must of necessitie be ioyned with all duties vnto men which are First that we acknowledging all our welfare to come from the Lorde alone doe depend wholy and only vpon him Secondly that in loue of him for his mercyes wee begin to obey him after his word Thirdly that his glorie beeing the marke we shoot at make vs carefull in all our works so to do them as he may haue honour by them Fourthly and last of all that in true acknowledging and trauaile in subduing of our owne corruptions whiche will not altogether bee sundred from our wayes and workes we humble our selues in our best obedience that the Lord may alwayes reteine the praise of the free and vndeserued working of his grace Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that we may truely see and bewaile the little reuerence and regarde that we haue had bothe to superiours and inferiours becomming thereby not onely vnthankfull vnto them but also vnto the Lord who hath placed such graces for our benefite in them and let vs craue of him that we may not onely obteine more power to suppresse the same but also may be inabled from him to send abroade suche fruites of true reuerence and honour as may come to the sight hearing of many to the great praise of his name The sixte Lecture vpon the thirteenth verse 13 Thou shal not kill THe former commandement hath giuen forth instruction for particular callinges from whiche by reason of more particular imploying of benefites mutualy one vpon another there ariseth more particular duetie of the one vnto the other then that which euerie common man may claime vnto himselfe Nowe we are to be instructed in those dueties that generally we doe owe vnto all men amongst whiche this cōmandement of not killing hath the first place wherein we are forbidden to do any violence iniurie or wrong to the bodie life of our neighbour and commanded to defend mainteine and cherish the same It is to be obserued that the Lorde bidding vs shewe foorth loue vnto our neighbours hath not left it vnto vs to deuise wherein to pleasure them but hath set downe what things are most deare vnto them that by our helpe giuen for the preseruation of those thinges safe vnto them and in benefiting them therin they may haue true triall of the loue and affection that we beare vnto them Our neighbour therefore in this consideration is not shut vp in the alone fleshe bloud of the man but the duties of neighbourhode reache vnto the life and bodie wife goodes and good name of the man Neither is loue the not hating or not hurting of a man but the helping and furthering of him to receiue more comfort in those thinges aboue recited ouer the whiche euerie man is so tender that beeing in any of those annoyed he can no longer account him selfe as a man loued or regarded of the authours therof For he himselfe is vpholden in life and liking by the comfort of them The Lorde in forbidding murder forbiddith also all violence crueltie and wrath towardes our neighbour labouring in the detestation of this greatest euill to worke in vs a hatred towardes all that be of any affinitie with it and therefore not letting vs see them but in that fourme which may most feare vs from them putting vpon them al that feareful fourme of murder The punishment of the offences against this commandement wil help vs to iudge the greatnes of the same Touching the murderer it is said in Leuiticus He that killeth any man he shal be put to death Violence bursting foorth into extremities of dealing in the olde lawe was punished with the like of that
affections which are noted to bee in vs by the fourme of speaking For to what ende should the holy Ghoste will vs to doe no murder if there were no disposition in vs thervnto This is the cause why the holy Ghost dealeth so plainely with vs in telling vs what we are that our care may be great to reforme it And when we shal haue profited any thing herein it may be acknowledged from whence we had that whiche we are assured was not to be founde in our nature The holy Ghost therefore in this place detecteth our nature of want of loue nay of hatred crueltie whiche otherwise we should not haue marked no nor suspected our selues of it if we had not had warning from the almightie that our nature is poysoned therewithall For if a man not fearing God yet otherwise of good vnderstanding to cōceiue the trueth of things be demaunded what his opinion is of himself whether he be prone bent to hatred whether he findeth his nature greatly inclining thereto or no he will with great protestation constantly affirme that in him he thanketh God there is no suche matter abiuring it with admiration and woondring how any man should be brought to think so of him thus in the not vnderstanding his owne corruption he seeth not what neede he hath of a sauiour redeemer and therefore whatsoeuer hee sayeth is in deede and trueth vnthanckfull for that benefite while in finding no great thing amisse in himselfe he cannot see what way he should so greatly be beholding to a sauiour that would answer for his transgressions which in his owne opinion is no greate matter to doe they being either fewe and so borne out in the number of those good thinges which he hathe done or else none at all Moreouer if wee shall haue done something or diuerse thinges that may be thought louing and friendly yet if the inclination to wrath which is by nature in vs be either not knowen or being knowen the strength thereof shall not bee subdued and the sting pulled out that it reigne no more within vs we shall neuer be prouoked by any euill dealing of others but that foorthwith letting the reyne go to our heart we shall dishonour his name in following the rage of our minde contrarie to the lawe of our god So might it come to passe that a man hauing some good opinion of him selfe for some outwarde things but neuer tryed with iniurious dealing of another might take it to go well with him when notwithstanding this corrupt nature of his standeth whole in her full force and strength beeing neuer a whit subdued vnto the spirite as hee well perceiueth when that any great occasion shal be offered to try him with all We see then how iust cause there is that the Lord should admonish vs of this corruption of hatred which is within vs not onely that we should see the benefite of our Sauiour and mediatour but also that subduing it and treading downe the strength of it we might finde free passage to doe and not to be remoued from doeing the workes of mercie and loue whiche are heere cōmaunded euen the contrarie of those that as we haue heard were forbidden vs We are commaunded to haue care of the body and life of our brother to mainteine it as his necessitie shal require and our abilitie can perfourme remembring that the Lord hath commited that care vnto vs. The Iewes were commanded to make places of refuge and defence where the guiltlesse persons might haue protection against the rage of them who pursued them vnto death that as it is written in Deuter. innocent bloud be not shedd within their land and least bloud should be vpon them for these are the very wordes of the texte in that place signifying that the not regarding and prouiding for the safetie of their life were matter sufficient inough to make them their land guiltie of their bloud that thereby they might well vnderstand that the care of their brethrens life was commended vnto them not without greate danger if there were to be found any negligence therein Mercifull dealing is heere commaunded towardes all but especially towards inferiours widowes fatherlesse children and those that be in any greate extremitie A notable practise we haue of this in the person of Iob suffering his seruauntes to pleade their right and to maynteine their good cause before him not vsing his authoritie to oppresse them and crueltie to execute his rage without regarding the equitie of their cause only standing vpon his owne authoritie ouer them If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruaunt and of my maide sayeth Iob when they did contend with me what then shall I doe when GOD standeth vp and when hee shall visite me what shall I answere he that hath made me in the wombe hath he not made him Here is the true tryall of a mercifull man for it is no commendation not to offer wrong vnto those who are our equals and able to match vs but then haue we true tryall of our affections that there is some mercie in trueth within vs when we shall shewe pittie and compassion towardes those whome for our authoritie or place that we bee in wee might easily oppresse when we shal be kept from fleshing our affections vpon those that lay open vnto vs hauing no fence of power or credite that is sufficiently able to holde vs His example of compassion is no lesse commendable towardes all of them that were in any greate want or extremitie as the holie Ghoste vnder his person witnesseth in these wordes I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to help him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon me and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce The Iewes were bound to declare their compassion towardes their brethren by that lawe which commaunded them to lend their brother that was needie amongst them sufficient for his neede taking for assurance a pledge whiche hee might forbeare as appeareth in Deuteronomie where they haue a streight charge that when the yeere of Iubilie should approche at what time all men were charged to relese their debts they should not at that time shut vp their compassiō from him that would borrowe for his nede but frankly giue vnto him notwithstanding the yeere when all debts must be released be euen at hand There is a promise added to incourage them that for so doeing the Lord would blesse them in all that they should put their hand vnto They were charged also to relieue their brother or the straunger that dwelte with them who was fallen into decay forbidding them in expresse wordes to take any vsurie or increase of suche either of money or meate as appeareth in Leuiticus vsing their goodes to suche comforte of their brethren as might wel witnesse the loue that they had vnto them The lawe and commaundement that was giuen to
this age hathe moste neede of it and is farthest from acquaintance with it This is also a note of loue to discerne it by that it is not Enuious Loue saith the Apostle enuieth not This tender affection of loue that knitteth the hart of one vnto another is so farre from enuying the graces or giftes of God whatsoeuer in any other whome he loueth that he wisheth from his heart that they were more and better then they are For tryall of the trueth herein let vs consider of the affection of parents towards their children where wee are sure that nature hathe planted loue and therefore this note of not enuying which alwayes accompanieth it cannot be wanting there What parentes were euer found except it were some one rare monster in nature that did enuie their children because there were suche plentie or store of giftes in them Nay we see the plaine contrarie that they are greatly delighted to heare them praised of others for their giftes and muche giuen to speake of their praise themselues sometime thinking and affirming those giftes which they haue to be more and greater then in deede they are nay sometime imagining that to be in them in great measure whereof in deede they neuer had any portion no not the least parte so farre are they from any enuying of them for by loue they are so as it were made one that the praises of their children they take to be a part of their owne commendation whiche willingly they would not loose This loue doeth so ioyne together and vnite them that there can nothing be taken from the one but the other taketh him selfe to be maymed thereby as if he had lost some limme or ioynt of his owne For this affection maketh them to growe both into one and who hathe euer enuied the good or benefite that he receiued by some member of his owne bodie The Scripture teacheth vs that we are all members of one bodie and that wee haue our parte of the profit that commeth by the giftes of others through the meruelous working of god What maddenesse therefore were it to enuie our owne commoditie There can be no greater token of an hatefull man then is enuie neither any playner profe that we are diuers from the bodie of Christ then to enuie the giftes of the members thereof There is great diuersitie betweene loue and enuie for he that loueth taketh himselfe to be benefited in the benefite of him whome he loueth him selfe to be praised in the praises of that man whome he liketh The enuious man on the contrarie parte thinketh that another man is not praised but in the self same he is dispraised that another cannot be profited but that in the same he is hindered therfore stormeth when any thing is attributed to another as if in that deede somthing had bene taken frō himself Thus in all thinges the enuious man dealeth as if he were a stranger from the other the louing man as if he were not diuerse but one with the other a verie part and member of the same Let vs therefore keepe our selues farre from this enuie the truest token that can be of the absence of charitie all true feare of God or fellowship with his members For the driuing away of enuie we haue first to deale with our heartes to persuade them as the trueth is in deede that we haue our benefite and profite in their giftes no lesse then the eye hathe benefite from the foote or the foote from the eye which is brought to passe by the secrete and wonderfull working of God. Secondarily that we are of one bodie and that therfore we are intituled after a maner to the prayses commodities or benefits that doe redound vnto them Thirdly that the Lorde is the authour of this diuersitie in giftes and that therefore the enuying of others for their giftes giuen vnto them is in deede to picke a quarell with the Lorde who hath giuen it them and to vtter our mislyking of his distribution and disposing of matters among men And howe daungerous a thing it is to controll the lord I leaue to them to consider of at their leysure Last of al to feede our affection herein is to bring a continuall torment vpon vs For when wil there ceasse to be diuersitie of giftes in men And if we be grieued when others haue that which we haue not when shal we ceasse to be vexed Shall there not be this diuersitie vnto the ende Shal there be any time when all the bodie shal be but one member Let vs not imagine that when we shal giue our harts leaue to enuie some one that this affection will die when he is taken away or when we shal haue preuailed against him nay it is made by that meanes so much the more stronger and as for the occasion it neuer dieth For there shal be alwayes some that shall deserue and iustly haue true prayse and estimation for some thing whiche we haue not and therefore cannot come to haue the praise of it for our selues In deede the nexte way to haue the glorie of it is by loue to be one as one with the true owner thereof To incourage vs to this loue that driueth away enuie let vs remember that in driuing it away we ioyne with the Lord who hathe thus appointed it We approue his doinges as good we acknowledge by thankefulnesse the commoditie that we haue of them we ridde our selues of an infinite and endelesse torment To conclude this propertie of loue it is requisite that we often consider howe vnworthie we are of those benefites that we doe inioy to learne bothe to be contented with them and to be thankfull to God for them and to keepe vs in suche thankefull remembraunce thereof as may make vs studious to walke worthie of them to so great goodnesse of God towardes vs therein as may keepe vs occupied in care how by dueties we may aunswere them alwayes taking heede least we should become vnthankfull euen for the good whiche God did meane towardes vs in those giftes the possession wherof he hath giuen vnto others As loue is voide of enuie so is it reported here by the holy Ghoste that it is voide of dealing insolently frowardly or stubbernely for so soundeth the worde and that it is not puffed vp with pride againste him whome he loueth Moreouer that it doeth no vncomely thing againste him without hauing due regarde of the dignitie of the man his degree estate or condition whatsoeuer These thinges are expressed in three wordes in the text and may be expressed in these three wordes thus that loue dealeth not frowardly proudly nor vncomely These thinges doe I ioyne together in speaking of them because they are of such affinitie one with another Where true loue is there the man who loueth is so persuaded of the excellencie of the other whome he loueth and so rauished with the admiration of some one or other thing in him that in his iudgemente
pronounce him to be accurssed who shall holde that the lawe doth lay any impossible thing vpon vs. The Apostle doth take it to bee so plaine that no man can kepe the lawe that he will not bestow any paines in the proofe thereof The Churche of Rome taketh it to bee so playne that a man may keepe the lawe that they do accursse him whosoeuer shall holde the contrarie But it behoueth vs to rest in the doctrine of the holie Ghoste which therefore holdeth all men accurssed that sticke vnto the righteousnesse of woorkes bycause no man can do all those workes to the which righteousnes and life is promised And righteousnesse is promised not vnto him that shall doe some fewe works but vnto him that shal haue done all that are written in the booke of the law Neyther yet vnto him that for a great time shall haue done all but vnto him that shall haue continued from the beginning vnto the ende of his life in doing all the workes that are commaunded in the lawe Whereby it appeareth that that man who shall offend but in one thing forbidden in the lawe is in so doing shut out from all hold and hope of righteousnesse therby For he is holden accurssed by the lawe that cōtinueth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them For the lawe doth offer vs wages for our worke but so that it refuseth to pay any penie but vnto him that shall bring all his worke finished and done bycause the couenaunt was so and the lawe dealeth by Indenture and couenaunt and not otherwise Hee shall not want hyre for his labour that shall haue done his whole taske and all that was set appointed him for to do For the Lorde did couenant with vs for accomplishment of those works that were agreed vpon and set downe in the lawe that when wee should haue perfourmed that obedience it might be lawfull for vs to clayme our wages which is that he that doth them shall liue in them But if wee should come with our worke halfe done and halfe vndone or any euen the least part vndone the lawe sendeth vs away without wages letting vs see the condition of the obligation whiche is that he standeth accurssed without all hope of hire from the lawe that shall not continue to doe all things that are commaunded For the law wil not goe one iote from couenaunt In deede it will keepe couenaunt with vs if we keepe couenaunt with it and bring our whole worke accomplished according to the Indenture If a man shoulde for tenne twentie or fourtie yeare or if it were possible that from his infancie vnto his dying day hee should haue bene a painefull workman to the law doing all the workes thereof truely and without blame and yet slippe in one thing if but in one thought euen vpon his dying day he doth therein forfeit his obligation wherein he standeth bound for continuing in al the works of the law vnto the end Curssed is he sayth the lawe that continueth not And as was sayd before the lawe dealeth not but by Indenture and therefore looketh for and will haue the benefite of the obligation and the forfeiture of the bond at our hands If it shall bee sayde that the good workes that we haue done shall discharge vs of the euill that we haue done that aunswere will not bee taken there is no reason in it nor lawe for it For when we are bound to doe those woorkes which we say will discharge vs from the euill woorkes that wee haue done and more then they be for wee are bound to doe all and it is due debt of our part howe commeth it to passe by what right or reason that parte of payment of one summe whiche is due debt from vs shoulde not onely discharge that whole debt it beeing but a parte thereof but also shoulde discharge vs of an other bond wherein wee stande bounde for the payment of an other summe of monie Wee stande bound not onely to doe well but also to absteine from doing euill The discharge of one bonde if it were fully discharged coulde doe no more but free vs from the daunger of that it can not acquite vs of the other bond wherein wee stande other wayes charged To apply it to our purpose the bond wherein wee stand charged for doing well being in some part aunswered can not cancel the other obligation wherein we stand bound to absteine from euill There is no man that hath an other bound vnto him in two seuerall obligations for two seuerall summes of monie that will by and by after that one is discharged take the other by that payment to bee as good as cancelled there is in it neyther lawe right nor reason Much lesse will any man be so foolish as when but some parte of the one shall bee payde to imagine that then hee must giue ouer not onely the clayme of the other parte yet behinde but also the whole debt of the other bond which in no parte hath bene discharged These things being considered we shall be forced to say with the Apostle So many as sticke vnto the woorkes of the lawe are vnder the cursse For it is written Curssed is euerie man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them If any man shall thinke with him selfe that this reason is not sufficient to proue all accurssed bycause euerie one that dothe not continue is accurssed imagining that a man may continue in all thinges let him examine him selfe by euerie commaundement in euerie seuerall dutie thereof adding therevnto the properties of loue and considering whether his affection may be proued by those effectes to beare loue vnto the lawe and the dueties of the lawe or otherwise ioyning with all his continuaunce in euerie thing euen in the thoughtes of his heart and then no doubt it will bee manifest vnto him selfe that hee is farre from that righteousnesse whiche the lawe requireth and hee by it is bound to perfourme it Hee shall then see that hee him selfe is farre shorte of that number of workes which haue promise of life made vnto the workers therof when they shall haue accōplished those workes in that number of deeds that louing maner of doing which the lord requireth especially if that prouiso be remembred that there must be continuance without interruption both in the deedes and manner of doing euen vnto the end Moreouer the punishments in this world whiche the godlyest that euer liued haue not beene altogether free from declare that no man kepeth the lawe For the lawe doth not onely promise freedome from punishments but also plentie of al maner of blessings in the frut of our body in the fruit of our ground in the increase of our kyne cattle flockes of sheepe in our comming in in our going out in all that we take in hand in causing all that rise vp against vs to fal before
of some trifleing worke that he doeth persuade him selfe that hee is so farre from chargeing his father that hee is become very helpfull vnto him bringing in a greate portion of that whereby the whole familie is mainteined wherevppon the father setteth him to some worke promising to giue him wages for it as he doeth vnto day-labouring-men that the ouerplus of his charges maye redounde to his owne profite alone When the foolishe impotent childe seeth by good experience that hee is not able to doe any thing to the maintenaunce of his liueing then hee is forced to acknowledge his fathers liberalitie and to confesse his vndeserued goodnesse towards him whiche before hee made no reckoning of pleasing him selfe in the foolishe persuasion of his owne earning vntill by good tryall it hath beene proued vnto him to bee nothing In like manner the Lorde our GOD willing that wee should take our selues as wee are in deede beholden to his mercie and onely cleaue to that is constrayned to bring vs from this folishe persuasion of our deseruings and earninges by our owne workes the persuasion whereof keepeth vs from magnifying of his mercies as wee are bounde and to set vs to worke for wages appoynting vs hyre for laboure and wages for a certeine number of workes wherein when wee shall haue taken tryall of our owne insufficiencie to mainteine our selues we shall be forced to lay holde of his alone mercies and in true humilitie acknowledge the benefite thereof whiche was a principall end that the LORD did looke at in loading vs with that so greate laboure of the lawe and exactinge a continuaunce in euery woorke thereof so streightly at our handes For the promise to bee receiued to mercie in the merites of Christe alone was made foure hundreth yeeres and more before the lawe whiche came in to driue vs by due experience of our selues to sticke wholy vnto the bountie of that his mercie whiche thing to be so he Apostle proueth by the nature of the lawe that was giuen For suche a lawe was giuen as by meanes of our weakenesse coulde not giue life And therefore sure it is that the LORD ment not that wee should looke for happinesse from the lawe and the obedience thereof but wholy from the mercies of God in Christe If there had beene a lawe giuen sayeth the Apostle whiche coulde haue giuen life surely righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of IESVS CHRISTE should be giuen to them that beleeue Wherefore the lawe was our Schoole-maister to bring vs to CHRISTE that we might bee made righteous by faith The Apostle sayeth that if there had beene giuen suche a lawe as coulde haue giuen life righteousnesse should haue come by the lawe Sure it is that the want which was in the lawe to giue life was not in it selfe for it did promise life vnto them that kepte it whiche promise made by the LORD to the keepers of the Lawe it were blasphemie once to imagine that hee woulde not or coulde not perfourme Therfore the want that was in the law to giue life commeth wholy of our infirmitie by reason of the weakenesse that is in fleashe and bloud as it is written to the Romanes That that which was impossible to the lawe in as muche as it was weake because of the fleash GOD sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleash and for sinne condemned sinne in the fleash Greate is the opinion that fleashe and bloud hath of it selfe when the Lorde is constrained to bring a looking-glasse of his lawe for vs before we can bee brought to iudge rightly of our selues Great is the credit of our owne deseruing and earning by our well doeing when the Lorde to pull vs from it is forced to putt vs to the tryall of an impossible work Hardly are we brought from the opinion of our owne wealthie estate when the Lorde cannot be beleeued of vs telling vs the contrarie before hee hath layde before vs in his accounting booke our seuerall parcels of debte A Christian therefore is taughte by the ende that GOD had in giuing of this lawe to learne how harde a thinge it is to lay downe all lyking of him selfe and opinion of wel deseruing for his deedes in as much as the Lord is driuen to reckon with vs particularly proue vnto vs by plaine euidence that we are worse then nothing before wee can be made to let go the opinion that we haue once cōceiued of our owne good estate Therfore whosoeuer meaneth to depend truely vpon God must by the often sight of him selfe in the lawe be weyned from the opinion of his owne doeings while that in seeing his deformities so muche in euery parte by meanes of the sundrie and seuerall dueties that are commaunded hee be compelled by good tryall to acknowledge the benefite of his bloud whereby they are wyped away For it is the true tryall of our selues that maketh Christe to be of any reckoning with vs It is the true misliking of our selues that causeth vs to like of him How necessarie then is it for vs not onely to acknowledge a kinde of debte but to see the seuerall parcels thereof in euery commaundement growing to such a greate summe as should offer iuste occasion to thinke highely of him who hath brought vs a free discharge for these so many and sundrie billes of debte Let vs learne then often to go vnto the counting booke of our God to see in euerie commaundement the great debt that we are drawen into that wee may haue occasion knowen to our selues to be very greate why we should wholy beetake vs to the mercyes of our god It falleth out oftentimes that a manne who is deepely in debte for want of earnest consideration had of the seuerall sūmes parcels of the same may take it to be no greate benefite to be discharged thereof but when the particulars be summoned and brought in and in the whole thereof appeareth to be a great matter to discharge hee beginneth to chaunge his minde and to take him for a speciall friend that would offer to aunswere it euen so it commeth to passe with vs while in generall words of course we confesse our selues to bee sinners and therefore indebted vnto GOD but yet neuer truely consider by true tryall of our selues in euery commaundement what the particulars are whereof the generall ariseth so great Wee make no greate account of the mercies brought by Christe for the discharge thereof because the greatenesse of the debt and daunger for wante of summing the particulars is not truely knowen nor rightly considered of which is the thing that maketh a right reckoning bothe of our owne wante and also of his worthinesse in releasing vs from so greate daunger and debte By this we may clearely perceiue that so many as shall not often looke to their liues by the lawe doe neither knowe what wretchednesse is in them selues
nor yet what mercie is in Christe For beeing ignoraunt of the seuerall parcels they doe iudge amisse of the whole and therefore of the greatnesse of that benefite that hath discharged all Those men that are not acquainted with the often sighte of their seuerall sinnes by the lawe and commaundementes may fitly bee compared to a man that hath some sore in his body which he discerneth by some little hole appearing in the skinne yet so as he maketh nothing of it neither thinketh to be any greate benefite to be cured thereof for it appeareth to him to bee verye little by reason of the small quantitie of skinne that is broken but after that it beeing searched and lanced there is knowen to be so muche dead fleashe about it as beeing taken out maketh the hole tenne times greater then before then hee beginneth to thinke what daunger hee is in for the decay of his whole bodie if that parte bee not well healed and therefore taketh it for a greate and singular benefite to be cured thereof whiche before he did nothing at all esteeme No lesse necessarie is it for vs by searching into our seuerall corruptions by euery commaundemente to cutt away the dead fleashe of carelessenesse and good lyking of our estate or at the leaste of findeing no greate lacke in it whiche hindereth the true enterteyning of the free mercies of Christe For it is the burthen that wee feele of sinne by the lawe whiche maketh grace sweete and acceptable vnto vs and they that be loaden with the weight of sinne bee those whome the Lorde hath promised to ease as it is written in Matthew Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and loaden and I will ease you For what are they that doe not well perceiue in what a miserable condition they should bee without him can neuer rightly esteeme of him One contrarie maketh an other better knowen Libertie is neuer so swete as when it commeth immediately after bondage One day of libertie is more made of while the burthen of bondage is fresh in memorie then two dayes are after when there is no remembrance lefte of the former condition It is miserie that maketh a right account of mercie It is miserie that maketh mercie to be mercie The lawe must let vs see our miserie that we may haue right regarde of mercie If it were so expedient for Paule to haue the messinger of Sathan to buffet him lest he should be exalted out of measure for the abundaunce of Gods giftes that praying often that it might departe from him he could not be heard to haue it taken cleane away as appeareth to the Corinth how necessarie is it for vs that are in much more daunger then he to bee exalted with the liking of our selues to be kept humble with the continuall sight of our infirmities in the lawe that we exalte not our selues against the free grace of our God In the booke of Iob it appeareth that the Lord to hyde the pride of man vsually bringeth them into some one great affliction or other and that sundrie times For there it is saide that GOD will worke thus twise or thrise with a man that he may turne back his soule from the pit For these are the wordes of the text in that place This doctrine vtterly ouerthroweth them that rest in their workes looking for righteousnes and iustification from their owne deseruings good deedes because they haue kept the lawe of God in their owne opinion and therefore may iustly lay clayme to eternall life for those their good deedes This doctrine also condemneth all secure men that haue no sense of sinne For the lawe should so lay open vnto vs the soares of our sinnes that the verie sight thereof might sende vs to Christe For the ende of it is so to charge vs with our owne woful estate that we may be driuen to giue ouer the strongest holde that we haue whiche is the opinion of our selues and fortifie our selues in Christ in his mercies alone It is the greatest worke of the Lorde to win this hold at our hands yet if we remaine in it we are but dead men and caste away euerie one of vs The Lord therefore meaning to hyde vs in his mercies and there to make a sure safe harboroughe for vs doeth shoote off this warning peece of the lawe so to shake this ruinous holde of our owne good deedes that we seeing in deede the weakenesse thereof may take vs to his mercies alone a holde that will holde in deede The practise of sathan by the Lawe is in extremities for either he woulde driue vs to despaire thereby or else touch vs not at all therewith But we are learned out of the worde of God that the office of the lawe is to ioyne vs to Christe and to keepe vs from bothe these rockes of securitie and despaire whiche are two daungerous rockes and therefore needefull for all men to take heede of in this voyage of Christianitie For either of them bothe doeth threat to make shipwracke of our saluation Let vs therefore require of the Lawe to do that which vnto it apperteineth that it would so let vs see our selues that we be no longer carelesse of our estate which must needes be vntill that warning peece haue awakened vs and scared vs out of our selues But if it shal presume to deal further with vs to driue vs to despaire remēber that that is more then it hath in cōmission for the law is charged with no more saue this so to humble vs that Christ may receiue vs For as an euill bodie must be prepared before the physicke that shal do good must be ministred so must the lawe by true humbling of vs and purging these hautie humours that we be full of make way for the medicine of his mercie to worke well vpon vs This doctrine giueth God his true mercie for to giue vnto them that be vnworthie is a thing worthie and beseeming God Dare indignis res magè digna Deo. It giueth vnto him true iustice for it ascribeth vnto him suche iustice and righteousnesse as no righteousnesse that is found in man is able to stande with all but muste yelde and giue ouer But the doctrine of the Churche of Rome offendeth bothe against his mercie and iustice ascribing neither perfect mercie nor righteousnesse vnto God. For it is no mercie to helpe him that hathe deserte in him selfe to be holpen that is iustice Neither is that iustice perfect and beseeming GOD that mans can matche withall and stande without checke before it That lifteth man too high abaseth God too lowe The law then teacheth vs true humilitie letteth vs see that it was the free and vndeserued goodnesse of God that hath begone whatsoeuer holinesse and righteousnesse of life is in vs Moreouer when we shal be assured that we haue verie well profited in Christianitie it is also necessarie for vs to beholde our selues often in the
while we were yet sinners and enimies vnto him Christ died for vs. The scripture beareth recorde that Christe died for the vngodly but as it is there affirmed hee is scarce to bee founde that will die for a good man What good man hathe euer beene found that would haue suche compassion as to offer himselfe to die for a godlesse person The Sonne of God giueth his life for vngodly men Meruell not at these wordes neither thinke there is any thing too muche spoken in this matter For in that Chapter it is saide plainely that Christe died for the vngodly for sinners for his enimies and al to commend the greatnesse of his loue It will be graunted of all men that in deede before the death and passion of Christ we were godlesse vngodly enimies to God without any hope of a better life But all men are not persuaded that we doe nowe come suche men into the worlde and continue so vntil by the special grace of God working with his worde we be reclaymed and refourmed whiche for that chaunge is called regeneration or newe birthe All men are not persuaded that when Christe beginneth Christianitie in any he doeth beginne with his enimie Yet doeth the Apostle S. Paule affirme that he as others was by nature the childe of wrath that before his calling he as other men was dead in trespasses and sinnes walking after the course of this worlde after the spirite that woorketh in the children of disobedience but GOD sayth he whiche is riche in mercie throughe his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hathe quickened vs. There is no doubt of it but that he who liueth the moste blamelesse life of all men in the worlde is an enimie vnto God and without all hope of any better life before this especiall woorking and calling of god I doe call Christianitie a speciall woorke of God because it is not to bee founde in the nature of any man how great good thing soeuer it seeme to haue in it but is a peculiar worke of god This is a matter needefull to stande vppon because it giueth vnto God the commendation of that loue whiche is not to be matched in the worlde And in denying this greatest kinde of louing dealing we darken and diminishe the glorie of his mercie appearing so clearely and so aboundantly herein we deale vnthankefully with GOD not giuing vnto him all the praise that of duetie belongeth vnto him If two seruauntes had receiued equall commodities and benefites of one maister the one hauing beene a verie profitable seruaunt to his maister the other a verie vnthrifte and not onely not profitable but also a waster of his goods should the vnthrift sufficiently acknowledge the liberalitie of his maister if he should confesse that he had receiued as muche of him as his fellowe-seruaunt making no mention in the meane time of his vnworthinesse in respect of his fellowe Euerie man seeth the good will of the maister to appeare more in the one then in the other and therefore he should iustly bee accounted vnthankfull if hee woulde not bothe thinke and confesse that he were more beholding to his maister then the other For true thankefulnesse causeth the benefite receiued after a certeine manner to remaine still in the benefactour by thankefull remembraunce not onely of the gifte but also of the maner and qualitie of the gifte especially when it addeth any thing to the worthinesse and deserte of the giuer The cause therefore is great and a parte of our thankfulnesse vnto God is in it to withstand with the Churche of Rome herein that not onely wee haue had these benefites that we haue from God but also that wee haue had them contrarie to our deseruing which vtterly ouerthroweth those workes of preparation and setting our selues in a towardnesse for the Lorde and maketh the benefite to remaine in God by his iust praise not only for the deede dooing but also for tne mercifull maner of dealing with vnworthie men wherin his loue is tryed to haue more in it then any affectiō that hath beene hearde of amongest men that we may truly say with the holy Ghoste not only that God hath loued the worlde but as it is saide in this place So God loued the world noting in that word So no common affection but the highest and greatest degree of loue By this that hathe beene saide before wee doe learne that God did beare tender affection towards his not onely before any deseruing hadde gone before to procure the same but also when as yet they were enimies vnto him and therefore the Apostle in the Epistle to the Ephesians bringeth the benefites of GOD to be considered in his free good purpose and gratious good will towardes vs beeing the head and spring thereof whiche addeth greatly euen to the greatest of his benefites And if the consideration thereof be omitted the whole deseruing of the benefactour is not acknowledged nor deserued praise rendered therevnto When the Apostle had giuen praises vnto God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe for that he had blessed vs with all spirituall blessinges in heauenly things in Christe immediatly in the verse following which is the 4. in number he hath these wordes As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde c. As if his loue towards vs had not begonne then first when those benefites were bestowed vpon vs but that his good will whereof those were testimonies and fruites was bent towardes vs before the beginning of the worlde whiche is the cause why he letteth vs to see those fruites not barely in them selues alone but in that good will which so long before was inclined towards vs And good will the longer it hath continued the more it is to be esteemed and the benefites of an olde friend and welwiller of long time haue iust occasion in thē to be the more accounted of It is not to be merueyled then why with the gift he bringeth in also the good will of the giuer For the gifte is made thereby the greater bothe for that the good will hath beene of long time continued and also for that it is his goodwill onely and not any thinge either had allready or else hoped for from vs that hath brought all these benefites vnto vs as it followeth in the nexte verse in expresse wordes That he hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christe according to the good pleasure of his will by whome as it is there in like manner affirmed we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his riche grace In all these places we are let to vnderstand that all our benefites euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes came from the good pleasure of his will and the riches of his grace and not as hath beene saide before from any thing of ours either had already or else hoped for Let vs learne therefore to set his loue before
hath done and boast of that none otherwise then if he shuld haue done it in his owne person Can this I say be thought reasonable vnto any that hath not had an other scholmaister then wit and reason to persuade him therein Can the naturall man bee persuaded that he must first be righteous and then do righteous things and not rather that in doing of many righteous deedes at length hee becommeth to bee accepted for righteous him selfe thereby Or can a naturall man bee persuaded that his fauour with God commeth wholy in respect of an other his doings who hath done him all this good and not rather that his owne doings haue done the moste for him and he that is especially beholding vnto them This commeth from an other teacher then any that wee haue at home it sauoureth not of the earth it is from aboue Ceasse therefore to maruell at suche diuersitie of doctrine when the scholemaisters that teach are so farre differing one from an other as heauen is from earth The seruauntes of God giue ouer their owne righteousnesse they finde nothing in it they doe clearely see it will not goe for payment and therefore doe betake themselues to the merites of an other Neither doe they onely say that they bee vnrighteous in them selues but with griefe doe finde and feele it to be so within them selues But howsoeuer they stand rotten in their own root they are notwithstāding strongly stayd in Iesus Christ whose obediēce they do make so great an account of as if it were their owne perfourmed by them selues The thirde thing that wee doe receiue with Christe is Sanctification or holinesse of life This sanctification followeth immediately after righteousnesse in the place which before I haue alledged For it is not onely requisite that wee should remaine righteous by the obedience of one man once perfourmed but that our whole life should continue consecrated vnto the seruice of him in bringing foorth such fruit as hee hath appointed That righteousnesse which before we haue heard of is as the tree and this holinesse is the fruit therof The nature of our Sauiour Christe was free from all infection not hauing in it any remnaunt or relique of sinne and therefore he was sanctification it selfe and perfectly sanctified When wee beginne to separate our selues from the common corruption of the worlde and bend our selues to purenesse of life approued before God this is the worke of Christe sanctifying and working true holinesse in vs For of our selues we are prophane and vnholy voyde of these fruites of righteousnesse whiche are wrought in vs by Christe The cause why a number do mislike such deedes and conuersation both in them selues and also in others which an other sort of men doe approue delight in following after them with all greedinesse of desire is for that Christ is become sanctification vnto the one sort of people and not vnto the other who continue in their prophane and corrupt wayes not finding any want therein when the other sort are vexed grieued to see such doings abound in others and tormented in them selues if at any time they shall of infirmitie slip into the like not ceasing to apply the meanes whereby they may get victorie ouer them Here ariseth a question necessarie to be discussed whether righteousnesse be in the children of God before sanctification and holinesse of life or good works and holy life do goe before iustification being in his before they be acceptable vnto god Wherein notwithstanding that which hath beene sayde alreadie may be thought sufficient vnto any indifferent man yet it shall not be amisse to adde some more force and strength vnto it It is proued that righteousnesse goeth before good workes Rom. 4.6 where the testimonie of Dauid is alledged pronouncing him blessed and happie to whome the Lorde imputeth righteousnesse without workes And leaste any man should thinke this to bee ment of the ceremoniall workes the verie wordes of the Prophete are cited in the next verse folowing affirming blessednesse to be in the remitting of sinns vnto vs and not in the admitting of good workes for vs If the Apostle doe ioyne with the Prophete in this that God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes then must I demaund of the aduersaries whether this righteousnesse imputed without woorkes doth exclude all woorkes or but some woorkes If it be aunswered that all kynd of working is not seuered frō this iustification and righteousnesse the question is againe whether those workes that stand with iustification and righteousnesse goe before it or spring of it and so come after it Heere their aunswere is we are iustified withoute woorkes going before but not withoute workes folowing it making this iustification that is saide to be without woorkes to shut out onely those woorkes that are before a man be iustified but not the other For their opinion is that wee are iustified by them wherevpon it followeth necessarily that righteousnesse goeth before holinesse of life that good workes do followe from a man iustified alreadie and are not sent before to iustifie him therewith that was not accepted of God as righteous vntill those were perfourmed The Apostle is plaine in this matter to the Ephesians God which is riche in mercie euen when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs c. There were no woorkes then that went before to quicken vs seeing it is sayde that when we were deade in sinnes not onely sinners but also deade in sinnes God hath quickened vs. This proueth plainely that our good workes and holinesse of life did not procure righteousnesse vnto vs when the matter is cleare that wee were dead in sinnes when he in mercie quickened vs. In like manner the Apostle proueth that holinesse of life is a fruite of them that bee alreadie the seruants of God but now sayth the Apostle beeing freed from sinne and made seruaunts vnto God you haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life There is no woorke acceptable vnto God without fayth and persuasion of his good will towardes vs whether it be done at the desire of vaine glory or at the motion and instinct of nature iudging that woorke to bee lawfull and honest For it is fayth that doth purifie the heart and the ende of the commaundement is loue but so that it bee of a fayth vnfeined The tree must be good before the fruite can be good For an euil tree can not bring foorth good fruite Against this it will be excepted that Abraham in offering of his sonne Isaac vppon the altar as sayth the Apostle Iames was iustified and therefore that the works of men eyther vnrighteous before or else but in parte acceptable doe iustifie them and make them rightly to be accepted of God. It appeareth in Genesis that Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne for the offering of whome vppon the altar the Apostle Iames sayth that Abraham was iustified For in that Chapter it is written
that the word of the Lord came vnto Abraham in a vision saying Feare not Abraham I am thine exceeding great reward And Abraham said Oh Lorde God what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse Beholde to me thou hast giuen no seede wherefore a seruaunt of myne house shall be myne heire Then the worde of the Lorde came vnto him saying One that shall come out of thine owne bowells hee shall be thine heire Moreouer he brought him foorth and sayde Looke vp nowe vnto heauen and tell the starres So shall thy seede be And Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse By this testimonie we see that Abraham was accoūted righteous not in part righteous or half righteous but with out any addition it was sayde of him that he was righteous before he had any sonne and therefore before he could offer vp his sonne in sacrifice euen then when he made complaint vnto God for that he had no sonne and therefore a seruaunt must bee his heire beleuing the promise that thē was made vnto him for a seede and posteritie that shoulde come out of his owne loynes that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and hee him selfe accepted of as righteous before the Lorde Iames sayth that hee was iustified when his owne sonne Isaac was offered vppon the altar and that this deede of his in not refusing to kill his onely sonne for a sacrifice at the commaundement of God did so please the Lorde that he was iustified for it In the other place alledged the holy Ghost affirmeth that hee was iustified before his sonne Isaac was borne euen at that time when the promise was giuen forth that he should haue a sonne and that the beleeuing of this good will of God towardes him herein did so please the Lorde that he accounted of him as righteous for it Howe then Doth the holy Ghost differ from him selfe God forbid But the Apostle Sainte Iames attributeth that to the effect for being ioyned with his cause which the holy ghost in that other place giueth vnto the true and originall cause alone As if one man wold iustifie a workman and commend him aboue others for workes that hee hath seene him do and an other would in like manner iustifie the same but for the inward skill knowledge and conceiuing that he hath of the rules and principles of that trade or occupation what so euer which skill he may discerne by his speache albeit he neuer sawe him worke And albeit a man may say that he is a good workman bicause his worke is good yet if a man wil speake properly he must say he is a good workeman bycause his skill is good For his good skill in that trade is the cause of his good workmanshippe and the goodnesse thereof commeth from thence as from the proper founteine and cause Nowe euerie man knoweth that when any man is commended for his worke it is bycause of the skill and knowledge that appeareth therein and is ioyned therewith as the onely cause and occasion thereof Euen so bycause our fayth appeareth in our good woorkes as our skilfull knowledge dothe in our skilfull workmanship that is giuen to good woorkes which is peculiar vnto fayth as the proper cause thereof and a man shall bee called a skilfull woorkman for his skilfull workmanship when notwithstanding it is most assured that his skilfull knowledge is before his skilfull woorke as also the cause thereof and hee iustly may be called skilfull for it notwithstanding he should bee kept from vttering that his skill in worke many yeres after the perfect knowledge thereof The holie Ghost therefore in Genesis iustifieth Abraham as skilfull for his skill alone and in that epistle of Iames he iustifieth him as skilful of that worke wherein so much skil appeared For it may be lawfull vnto me for the better vnderstanding hereof to resemble fayth by skill and good deedes by skilfull workmanshippe bycause as good workmanship hath all the commendation for the good skill that appeareth in it so haue good woorkes all their praise from the fayth that hath begotten them and is necessarily ioyned with them This is also to be added that bycause there is not in our workes that perfection that is required we are constreyned to stand to the mercie of God and to seeke refuge there by a true fayth and this is the cause why we magnifie faith which otherwise is imperfect as be all things that are in vs bicause it applieth the mercy of God vnto vs wherby our sinnes are pardoned and the want that is in our worke not imputed And for proofe that the Apostle Sainte Iames giueth not that title vnto woorkes to iustifie but bycause of the fayth whiche hath begotte those workes and which is ioyned with them and couereth the imperfections that is in them in the same place where he ascribeth righteousnesse vnto Abraham for offering vp his sonne hee sayth that this scripture was fulfilled Abraham beleeued and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friende of God So that all the commendation of this woorke is included in faith and giuen vnto it for the fayth of the doer For other wise hee should haue sayde Abraham wrought and that was receiued bycause it was righteous seeing hee had stoode vppon the commendation of his workes so muche immediately before and was euē yet in the same matter But he sayth Abraham beleeued and that was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse They would match workes with faith in iustification and the Apostle when hee speaketh most of works doth shrowd them vnder fayth saying after mention of his best woorke that this Scripture was fulfilled in it Abraham beleeued and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse and not receiued in the righteousnesse and deseruing of it selfe and he was called the friend of God. And in the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues all the woorkes of the godly fathers are ascribed vnto fayth and by name in the seuenteenth verse of that Chapter this deede of Abraham is fathered vpon his faith For workes are so farre from iustifying vs that the cause why they them selues are iustified is in fayth For without fayth it is impossible to please God. And in this chiefe worke of Abraham that nowe wee haue heard of that Scripture of imputing righteousnesse vnto him was fulfilled Therefore the worke did not stande in any account for the worthinesse thereof but onely bycause the Lorde did impute it vnto him for righteousnesse which thing also it did not attaine vnto of it selfe but bycause of fayth whiche was ioyned with it It is to be noted that the Apostle Sainte Iames speaketh here but of one woorke as the offering vp of his sonne and that woorke also not done but onely purposed to be done If therefore his meaning had beene to debate the worthinesse of woorkes and what place they haue in the purchase of our saluation hee would haue taken woorkes
chaunged and renued by Christe from that he was before and come to that perfection that euer any man hath attained vnto This wil appeare most plainely in the consideration of those seuerall cōmodities whiche as we lerned before ar brought with Christ We that be Christs do receiue wisdome from Christ yet is there want of wisedome in the childe of God that hath receiued the greatest portion thereof according as it is written to the Corinthes Now we se in a glasse darckly but then shall we see face to face Now I knowe in parte but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen We that be Christes do receiue righteousnes from him by faith but we haue such wantes in our faith while we be here that this is the prayer of the Church and euery member therof so long as they liue Lord increase our faith I beleeue Lorde helpe mine vnbeliefe We receiue sanctification and holinesse of life from Christe but in that measure that it is the continuall prayer of the church vnto the ende Forgiue vs our trespasses as we do forgiue them that trespasse against vs. The faithful that haue bene deliuered from many dangers already by Christe who is their redēption haue yet for all that many dangers troubles abiding for them insomuch that it is thus written of the estate of them For thy sake are we killed all the day long we are accoūted as sheepe for the slaughter And if they should escape all other yet death will surely haue to doe with them al at the last and wil not resigne her right vnto any These are plain proofes that the faithfull neuer stande satisfied with any thing in them selues as beeing perfect in it but alwayes returne vnto their mediatour and redeemer Christe where is the perfection of that whiche in small measure abideth in them selues who hath these thinges so perfect in him selfe not for him selfe but for vs and therefore the holy Ghost doth not say which notwithstāding in truth he might that Christ hath made vs wise righteous and holie but he sayth that Christ is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes and holines adding the cause thereof in these wordes folowing That he that will glorie may glorie in the Lorde For faithe refuseth to glorie of any thing in it selfe finding wante in all things that it may glorie in the Lord alone For it is no praise worthie of him if hee be but fellowe with vs in the worke but when we are truely taken as we are in deede for nothing and that that commeth from vs as no sufficient payment then receiueth the Lord the whole right of his glorie which otherwise is cleane darckened when it is made to patch vp that which we had begunne Let vs therefore neuer forget this that we doe magnifie faith aboue all that which doth come from vs not simply because it fasteneth harde vppon Christe but because it so taketh holde vpon him that it letteth go all the holde that it hath of any thing in it selfe We may not therefore onely consider whether we haue any stay in Christ but whether we haue such a stay that acknowledgeth vs vnstayed in our selues and therefore to be vpholden by him alone For faith ioyneth riches to pouertie bringeth plentie vnto the emptie man. Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenlie father that his true faith may be increased in vs c. Amen ¶ The xv Lecture vppon the Gospel of S. Matthew the 6. Chapter the 9. and 10. verses Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. WE haue learned already what faith is and therfore order doth require to speake somewhat of prayer beeing suche a fruite and effect therof as cannot be parted from it For as faith is weake or strong so are prayers colde or carefull sparing or plentifull because true prayer receiueth life from faith which without it is dead nothing worth And because faith quickneth prayers we may truly iudge of faith by our praiers cold prayers colde faith few prayers little faith they increase and decay together they arise and spring vp both at one time In this treatise of prayer before I shall expound the petitions that is what things are to bee asked it shal be very profitable to speake somwhat before necessarie for the preparing of vs thervnto Heerein the firste thing to bee considered is the vse and end of prayer whiche is to bring vs to suche tryall and experience of Gods goodnesse towardes vs as may force vs in trueth to honour and praise him For we cannot hartily honour praise him of whose goodnesse toward vs we haue no certeine knowledge And how shall we haue certeine knowledge and true tryall of his goodnesse towardes vs but by receiuing and tasteing thereof and how can we stand better assured what we haue receiued then by finding that giuen vs which we knowe and well remember that we haue asked and begged before at his hands in prayer So that prayer leadeth vs to this certeine and assured knowledge of God his good meaning towards vs which is the founteine of all true seruice and praise of God while prayer goeth in euery necessitie to trie for it selfe the goodnesse of God promised in his word and bringeth with it a true certificate and good experience thereof in that his sute is graunted and he in his prayer is comforted And this assurāce of God his particular regard and fauour towards vs bringeth with it a seruing and honouring of God in trueth And therefore Solomon rendereth this reason why he wold haue the Lord to graunt the petition that his seruants shuld pray for That saith he they may feare thee as long as they liue It is his reason also why he would haue the straunger which was not of the people of Israel heard in all that he called for that all the people of the earth might know his name serue him as did his people Israel For it is this assured knowledge of a speciall good will of God towards vs that inclineth our hartes to the true worshipping of him All men knowe that God is good but all men knowe not that he is good vnto them All beleeue that he is good but all beleeue not that hee is good vnto them yet is that the true faithe and therefore is prayer a true fruit of faith that confirmeth vs therin according as the Prophet Dauid testifieth of him selfe that he loued the Lord because he had heard his prayers Our faithe hath neede of all the helpes that can bee to strengthen it withall in temptations and therefore this tryall of it when wee receiue comforte of our prayers hauing his good will brought home vnto vs and therefore by so good experience assured vs that we can shew good euidence for it is not to be neglected but highlie to be accounted of If God haue made vs many promises to help vs in our necessities and wee shall not once haue
we haue so often heard of before when he prayeth that the people of God may haue their punishmentes remoued when they call vppon him there is alwayes added the condition of turning from their sinne either in expresse wordes or else in wordes that necessarily importe the same As to take one example for many in that Chapiter hee hath these wordes When Heauen shall be shutt vpp and there shall be no rayne because they haue sinned against thee and they shall pray in this place confesse thy name and turne from their sinn when thou doest afflict them then heare thou in Heauen and pardon the sinne of thy seruauntes and of thy people Israel when thou haste taught them the good way wherein they may walke so that the turning from sinne is necessarily required of them that doe looke for the forgiuenesse of sinne And then especially when the Lorde shall testifie against vs from Heauen by punishments laide vppon vs wee haue to call to minde our former sinnes and ceasse to be carelesse and secure therein For when the Lord forgiueth sinne hee also cureth sinne not suffering vs any longer to sleepe in the same beeing snared with the baytes and allurementes thereof but begetteth in vs a new care to shake it off and a new watchfulnesse ouer it There is added to the end of this petition For thine is the kingdome the power the glorie for euer which doeth admonish vs of sundrie profitable instructiōs for by it we are taught what shuld be the end of our petitions why we would haue thē graunted euen that his kingdome power glorie may be aduāced For as we haue learned before while that the Lord frameth his to the obedience of his wil giueth good things vnto thē remoueth euil thinges from them his name is halowed his kingdome cōmeth his wil is done here in earth for by dealing thus with his seruaunts he will be knowen to rule and reigne here vpon earth be glorified in the same This desire therefore to haue him glorified should bee bothe at the beginning and end of our prayers whether our suit be for spirituall graces or for tēporall blessings By this also our faith is strengthened in the hope to obteine our petitions because the Lorde cannot neglect the glorie of his name and the honour of his kingdome whiche dependeth vpon the perfourmaunce of his mercies towardes his seruauntes that call vpon him therfore our hope cannot deceiue vs beeing ioyned so neere vnto the glorie of our God. Moreouer in this we are admonished that it is not the worthynesse of our selues nor yet of any other but the honour of his name that commendeth our suites and petitions vnto the lord Finally heerein we are admonished of a speciall worshippe and seruice which is thanks giuing vnto GOD when soeuer wee receiue any benefite of what kinde soeuer For we acknowledging in our prayers not onely that hee hath the disposing of these benefites but also that his kingdome glorie honour consisteth in the rewarding of his with the same shall be found traytors to the crowne of his kingdome if after benefites receiued wee doe not by thanks giuing confesse and acknoweledge the same This giuing of thanks is a speciall worshipp and seruice of God in somuch that the Lorde reiecting sacrifice placeth his honour in thanksgiuing Will I eate the fleash of Bulles or drinke the bloude of Goates sayth the Lord by his Ptophet Offer vnto God praise and pay the vowes vnto the moste high and call vppon mee in the day of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the laste verse of that psalme it is said that he who offereth praise vnto the Lord doth glorifie him Whereby it appeareth that the Lord esteemeth thanksgiuing as a speciall worship and seruice of him whiche may well bee perceiued in sundrie places of the Scripture but especially in the booke of the Psalmes It is in deede a seruice of God peculiar and proper vnto the children of god For the wicked are not acquainted with it they see not the Lord his arme in their deliuerances they see not through the instruments that God vseth to helpe thē by into the especiall goodwill and fauour of GOD from whence the godly take those healpes to come as a plaine profe therof Therfore doth the Prophet say The voice of ioy and deliuerance shal be in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hand of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Hee maketh it the peculiar worke of the righteous to reioyce in the Lorde and in heart to prayse him For notwithstanding all people taste liberally of his benefits yet the feeling of his fatherly goodnesse whiche procureth giuing of thanks in deed is proper onely vnto the children of God. It is a singular priuiledge that he doth vouchsafe his elect alone when he giueth such a sweete taste vnto his benefites as driueth their heartes to reioycing and giuing of thankes not onely in the comfort of the present benefite but also in that hauing receiued an assured token of his fauour they peaceably passe ouer the course of their life assuring them selues that they are had in especiall reckoning and account with the lord Therefore the Prophete is bolde to haue this speech of them Blessed is the people that reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenaunce O Lorde they shall reioyce continually in thy name and in thy righteousnesse shal they exalt them selues He maketh it no common matter to reioyce in the Lord but matter belonging onely to the electe and blessed people of God how greatly it pleaseth the Lorde The Apostle wittnesseth in the Epistle to the Corinthes where hee requireth the prayer of the church of God for him in his affliction that when his deliueraunce is obteyned by the prayers of many many persons may giue thanks vnto god Which notably declareth how acceptable a seruice it is to giue thanks vnto God when the afflictions of the children of God serue therevnto and are beecome a speciall ende of the same As wittnesseth in like manner the Prophet The Lorde hath looked downe from the height of his Sanctuarie that hee might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliuer the children of death that they may declare the name of the Lorde in Hierusalem and his praise in Sion Now if it be demaunded why the sacrifice of thanks giuing is so acceptable a worship and seruice of the Lord The answere is ready because it ascribeth the gouernment and distribution of all benefites vnto the Lord denying them to come by casualtie or chaunce as doe the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in that they are neither comforted truely in them nor yet thankfull for them Moreouer it acknowledgeth God not to be a dead thing and bare name that regardeth not men that serue him in the obedience of his will but that in trueth hee hath a care of his Church helpeth
this people at the time when they had made an end of the tything of their increase doth declare that they had in charge frō the Lord to relieue with their goodes the Leuite straunger fatherlesse and widowe For in Deuter. before the people should craue of God that hee would blesse their land they must protest in set words that they had giuen vnto the Leuites straunger fatherlesse and widowe accordingly as he had commaunded them and so proceede after declaration of this their obedience to his will to craue his blessing for the people and the lande thus vsing their goods to the commoditie of their brethren in lending and giuing according to Gods appointment they did giue apparaunt tokens of loue towardes their neighbours The Apostle Paule will not acquite him that hath stolne if he shall steale no more but chargeth him that he shall labour that he may haue some thing to giue to him that needeth that way to practise loue and the workes thereof vppon his needy brethren It is not onely therefore the dutie of rich-men to giue something towarde the reliefe of the needy but euen the poore must spare somewhat of their pouertie to the comfort of Christ in his needie members which be it neuer so litle that they offered of their pouertie if there go a willing and a faithfull minde withall is much more acceptable to God then great summes giuen from some wealthie men of their superfluitie onely without like faith or loue vnto the Lord as wee are taught in the parable of the widowe casting in her two mites into the treasurie which are iustified by our sauiour Christe to be more then all that the riche had cast in because theirs was of their superfluitie but hers of her pouertie If any ought to be dispensed withall from declaring their loue in this parte it is very reasonable that he who by reason of his long loitering in acquaintāce with stealing idlenes was become through custome whiche is an other nature vnapt for labour should be discharged vpon the maintenance of him selfe by some honest trade yet notwithstanding euen hee standeth charged from the Lorde to reserue some thing for the prouision of his needie members To encourage vs to duetie in this part of mercifull dealing and giuing to the needie the Lorde doeth promise that it shall bee paide vs againe in our greatest need For thus saith the Prophet Isay If thou refresh the hungry and troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in darknesse The Lord shall satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a spring of water whose waters fayle not A great blessing of God to be prouided for in drought a godly forcaste to lay vp in prosperitie that whiche we may be assured will not only come againe but also will be sure to watch that time when for our neede it shall be moste welcome vnto vs. Who would not be content to giue if he might be sure to haue it againe at his moste neede And beholde we haue letters patents from the Lorde vnder the broade seale of his bloude for the findeing of that wee haue laide out for him euen in our greatest neede How can we then be slack in the liberall laying out of some thing for an euil day according to the counsell of the holie Ghoste in Ecclesiastes Giue a portion sayth he to seuen and to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Moreouer the sentence of that great day proceedeth against the damned persons in this fourme Departe from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire whiche is prepared for the diuel and his angels for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drink I was a straunger and ye lodged me not I was naked and yee cloathed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Verilie I say vnto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me And if the promise cānot drawe vs the forme of sentence must necessarily prouoke vs to obedience heerein We learned before that negligent delaying whereby our neighboure is indaungered in his body or life was forbidden in this commaundement and then is speedy helpe and diligent vsing of the present occasion that is offered to doe our neighbour good giuen vs heere in commaundement Wee haue a singular example of this in the fourthe of Hester where Mardocai telleth the Queene that if she should let slip that present occasion then offered her to doe good vnto the Iewes shee and her fathers house shoulde perish and yet deliuerance would appeare vnto the Iewes from some other place In like manner Iob professeth that hee had not caused the eyes of the widowe to faile in longe looking and wayting before their request were graunted but had with all spede satisfied her desire acknowledging it for a greate offence if hee had bene but slack therein euen such as if he should haue bene guiltie therof might iustly haue brought a curse vpō him Our naturall inclination goeth wholy amisse in this commaundement as in the rest which notwithstanding it lye hid in some more cloasely then in other for all the it is not so cunningly couered in a ny but that it is disclosed and discerned when occasion is offered The man that is borne again vnto the hope of euerlasting life doth so cleerely perceiue his infectiō heerin that both in hart word he acknowledgeth the great necessitie benefite of a sauiour redemer being priuy vnto himself not only of many euil fruts the haue appeared in his life cōtrarie to this commaundement but also of a disposition within that is naturally prone inclined to offend heerein The hope that he hath in his mediatour and sauiour Christ Iesus doth not make him secure and carelesse in his sinne following the inclination of his owne heart but leadeth him to a continuall strife and debate with it because it is against the honour of his God and sauiour to whom he well perceiueth that he is onely beholding for his saluation and quickeneth him to all louing dealing which is so often commended and commaunded of his good and mercifull father The naturall man seeth not any such inclination in him selfe to wrath or dulnesse vnto louing dealing with his neighbours as through the grief therwith driueth him to make much of the alone Sauiour and redeemer Christe but when he is charged with his offences that burst foorth contrary to this commaundement hee maketh light of them and putteth them vp in a common bagge saying all men haue infirmities neuer so touched with it as hee can bee compelled to magnifie the grace brought by the alone mediatour Christ and much lesse is he driuen to any earnest warre with it or great care to profite in the works of loue that are contrarie to it To conclude this commaundement if
wee shall doe some outwarde thinges commaunded heere whiche shall obteine greate commendation of many men and for all that the Lorde want his glorie which consisteth in the foure points which were spoken of in the former commaundement it shall auayle vs nothing Those things that apperteine vnto God must of necessitie go with those dueties vnto men that shall be accepted Neither in deede can we holde out in these except we haue life and incouragement from the other For the loue that GOD is our God tenderly fauouring and plentifully rewarding vs that bee his muste make vs to perseuere in those dueties which otherwise would not abide the reproches and iniuries of men but would burst foorth to requite them and muche lesse would wee laboure to ouercome them and their euill with our good doone vnto them But this persuasion of his good fauour towardes his and plentifull mercie whiche is to bee shewed vpon them maketh men willingly to forbeare the insuing and satisfying of their owne corrupt affections not enuying the wicked their transitorie delights but prosecuting their course in his obedience through all their reproches while they doe well perceiue what a plentifull recompence of rewarde abideth for them by the free gifte of their GOD. The man that cannot be persuaded but that hee loueth his neighbour as himselfe perfourming all that is required of him in that behalfe must be sent to examine him selfe if there haue at no time appeared in him any cruell dealing towarde his inferiours any neglect or delay in helping and releeuing the distressed if compassion hath alwayes as occasion serued drawen him to speedie releeuing by lending or giuing so shall he easily see into the errour of his opinion Now let vs pray vnto our heauenlie Father that we may so see into our cruell and carelesse disposition that we may magnifie the free mercies of our GOD in the forgiuenesse thereof and also haue power more and more to subdue it that wee abounding in all mercifull dealing may glorifie him in this life and be glorified of him in the life to come H.I. ¶ The seuenth Lecture vppon the 14. verse 14 Thou shalt not commit adulterie WE haue learned alreadie that the loue whiche we owe to our neighboure stayeth not in his owne person alone but proceedeth vnto other things that bee precious and deere vnto him in the which if he shall by vs be annoyed foorth with in so doeing we shal be conuict to be voide of loue and charitie towardes him For the excuse is vaine and childish to say we loue the man when we stick not there to vexe him where we knowe it cannot be but that some greate griefe of heart will come vnto him He that loueth a man in deede dealeth tenderly with all those thinges that are especially liked of that man fearing moste of all there to offend where he vnderstandeth that he may the soonest displease And because nexte to a man him selfe his wife ought to be most deere vnto him the wrong that is done to any therein cannot but haue the next place vnto the sinne of murder The greatnesse of this sinne of whordome shall then better be discerned when wee shall bring our minde from that account which is made of it with man vnto that iudgement whiche the moste iuste GOD hath set downe of it in his worde It hath beene obserued in all times and is to be seene at large in the olde Testament that the sinne of adulterie and vncleannesse hath then abounded moste when for their idolatrie the people hath beene vnder the greatest displeasure of the Lorde And if to be giuen vp to this such like kindes of vncleanesse hath bene the punishment of that most greeuous sinne of idolatrie we may soone coniecture in what account it standeth before the Lorde For it cannot be holden for a small offence before him which he in iustice taketh to be a due punishment for the greatest sinne The holie Ghoste maketh the crime of theft a small matter in respect of the offence of adulterie affirming theft to be subiect neither to the like infamie and reproche with men neither yet to the like greeuousnesse of punishment from the lord And therfore when he hath spoken of the punishment that is due for theft amplifying the other crime aboue it hee vseth these wordes But hee that committeth adulterie with a woman hee is destitute of vnderstanding hee that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule hee shall finde a wounde and dishonour and his reproche shall neuer bee put away Thus the adulterer in his wickednesse doth both vndermine his owne life and also bringeth suche a blot of infamie and reproche vnto his name as neuer shall be wiped out It is not to be meruailed at if the holie Ghoste make adulterie a more heynous facte then theft For therein men rob not others of their goods substāce alone but of their honestie honor Neither rob they only those that are borne but also those that are yet vnfashioned in their mothers womb from whom as they take all honour estimation so they procure vnto them a perpetuall blot of infamie more and besides that that by their byrthe they become illegitimate and cut off from the title and claime of many temporall benefites which they are moste cruelly depriued off before that euer it was graunted them to see into the benefite and commoditie thereof muche lesse to take any comforte by the vse and inioying of them What the stayne was of infamie and dishonour that bastards were vnder in the olde lawe may appeare in Deuteronomie where it is plainely forbidden them euen to their tenth generation to beare any office among the people of god A cruel heynous offēce to rob so many generatiōs of all estimation all place of office honour among the people of God yet so much more heynous is the crime because it is done by falsifying of the couenant of marriage cancelling of the bond that was made by the Lord himselfe for the perfourmance of certeine dueties betweene partie and partie beeing sealed and deliuered in the presence of God his Angels and many other wittnesses assembled for that purpose Moreouer the adulterer as much as lyeth in him maketh a stewes in his owne house becommeth a bawde to his owne wife directeth the eyes and heartes of adulterers towardes her in as muche as it is a punishment iustely befalling him from the iustice of the Lord if he shall haue his owne wife abādoned to the wickednesse that he hath brought vpon another Whiche punishment Dauid him selfe though otherwise deare vnto the Lorde and leading his life in vprightnesse sauing in that faulte with the wife of Vrias was not free from according as we reade in Samuel Iob also acknowledgeing the iustice of that punishment offereth him selfe to suffer the shame thereof if euer hee sought to abuse any mans wife But if it shall so fall out that a wicked man in this