words Wherefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it HEere God shewes that if none of the former reasons will preuaile yet wee should bee moued for our owne benefit to regard it for nothing is more auaileable to bring a blessing on soule bodie then the religious keeping of the sabboth for God hath appointed it to the end that hee might haue occasion to communicate his goodnesse to the diligent obseruers of it So that from this reason that he saith God sanctified the day j. set it a-part for his vse and blessed it that is appointed it for a meanes of blessing to the obedient for the day it selfe is no more blessed then other daies From hence I say wee may learne that the way to get all blessing is to keepe holy the sabboth this is the most direct and sure meanes to get all comfortable prosperitie to keepe an holy rest to God vpon his day One reason is because God hath sanctified it to this end as for inward benefits is shewed Isaiah 56. 4. 7. Where the Lord shewes that for inward blessings if any of what estate so euer will keepe Gods sabboth hee shall haue his hart filled full of spirituall joy God will giue him the spirit of praier and heare his praiers God will giue him abilitie to serue him and accept and reward his seruice And Isai 58. 13. 14 If one will keepe himselfe from polluting Gods holy sabboth and keepe it carefullie then he shall delight in the Lord that is God shall so shew his fauour and loue to his soule as hee shall bee joyfull in God so blesse his hart and conscience as that he shall feele that God is his God loues him and cares for him so that hee shall exult and rejoyce in this and finde Gods blessing both for heauen and for earth so that the mouth of God hath spoken it what euer flesh and bloud will obiect we haue the sure promise of God and it shall bee found true and faithfull So for things of this life Iere. 17. 24. The Prophet hauing foretold the destruction of Ierusalem prescribes a preseruatiue to thē which if they would take as yet their case was curable and that would help all namely to forbeare their worldly businesse on the sabboth and so doe the works of the Lord and then they shall enjoy their cittie and their houses and their wealth withal prosperitie and aboundance So that we see for soule and bodie Gods promise is that the sanctifying of the sabboth will bring happinesse and comfort to both The vse then of this is first for the terrifying of all sabboth breakers for if the keeping of a sabboth be the way to blessing as the truth of God hath sayd it then on the contrary side the contempt and neglect of it leades to all curses and wretchednesse For God hath shewed that this will kindle a fire vpon their houses but they hope to quench it no they shall not it cannot be quenched one may as well quench hell fire as the fire of Gods curse in this life if they continue still in this sinne And in truth experience shewes it that there is a wild fire most continually set vpon such mens goods that they come to naught and if they get mony yet they put it in a broken bag the canker of Gods vengeance eates all vp and they come to neede and want where shall one finde one in twentie that be common sabboth breakers as carriers and such like but they come to misery or if they doe thriue in the world and whord vp outward riches the curse of God seises more violently on their soules and this is the greatest plague of all for now it shewes that God hath no purpose to doe them good for those whom hee loues he corrects and this is the sorest miserie that can bee for a sinner to thriue in his sinne this hardens his hart and makes him runne with full course to hell as no such men is seene they be the most wicked and disordered persons that can bee they profit nothing by reading Gods word hearing worketh not in them they haue no affection in prayer but euen as dead stones no spirituall thing can worke vpon them for their good but euerie wicked and worldly thing hath strength and power enough to worke on them for their greater hurt So that in truth God shewes how hee likes of their course and this should terrifie them from this so daungerous and miserable a course of liuing Secondlie sith God doth promise a blessing vpon those that sanctifie his sabboth that they shall thriue in the Lords house and in religion and in other worldlie matters so farre as may stand with true prosperitie sith he hath spoken this that must stand which goes out of his mouth therefore it is for their comfort that the blessing of God shall attend vpon them whether they haue little or much If they haue abundance the abundance shall bee for their good to be more abundant in good and if they haue but from hand to mouth God will so prouide that yet they shall not want necessarie things but he that brings the day will bring foode and maintainance for the daie so that he neede not care for to morrow but cast his care vpon God whose truth it concernes to care for him and this they are sure off they shall haue a soft hart and a quiet conscience and shall receiue comfort from Gods promises and if one thriue in Gods house he neede not care carkinglie and distrustfullie how he shall doe in his owne house One may know how he shall speede at home by looking how hee serues God in the Church If hee keepe an holie rest with an holie hart holylie he shall haue rest to his soule peace joy to his conscience and bee set in so sure an outward estate as that nothing shall befall him for his hurt But then if one will haue this blessing he must keepe these three rules First let him make it a delight to keepe the sabboth and his joy to doe the workes of the sabboth let him long for it before it comes and bee glad of it when it comes because it frees him from all worldlie cares and thoughts and then hee hath a commandement more especiallie to cast his care vpon God and not to trouble himselfe a whit with them And so he saith in Isay call it a delight to consecrate it to the Lord take as much pleasure in doing the exercises of religion as the workes of your calling And more to indeede for they bee more easie and comfortable by farre wee must come as hungrie to the house of God and with as good an appetit as to our dinner or supper at home for in deede God keepes the best house hee makes the best cheere if wee can bring a good stomacke to the bread of life that hee breaketh vnto vs. But if one bee loth to come and must be
special thing to the Iewes that the commandement should be tyed onely to them for god commands them to keep the seuenth because it is most equal being that he hath permitted sixe dayes for their businesse Why and hath he not giuen vs libertie to labour sixe dayes in our calling and is not the equitie altogether as forceable to vs in euery age as it was to them in their ages If God haue taken from vs none of the sixe daies which he gaue to them what reason haue we to take away more of the seuenth or any of the seuenth more then they Then secondly it is the Lords therefore the Iewes may not dare to imploy it any other wayes then according to his will and doth not this reason hold as strongly now haue we any priuiledge graunted to lay theeuish hands vpon those holy things which are Gods more then in old time the Iewes had for the example of God that he ceased from creating doth it not reach to all ages a like are not we as much bound to follow Gods example as euer any Lastly it is a day blessed to them that keepe it and to this ende consecrated that it may bring a blessing hath time worne out the force of this argument is God lesse able to blesse vs or should we lesse desire or doe we lesse stand in need of his blessing then they We see then that all the reasons are firme and strong the length of time cannot abrogate the truth and strength of the reasons therefore neither can it disanul the commandement For where God giues a ceremoniall cōmandement which he would haue the Iewes onely to obserue there he frames his reason thereafter from some thing that specially toucheth the Iewes hath no such affinitie and agreement to other nations as for the passeouer he commands the Iewes to keepe that why because the Angell passed ouer their houses when he destroyed the Egiptians and they must giue the first borne to God why because God did not smite their first borne in the slaughter of the Egiptians and so many other ceremonies haue reasons annexed vnto them which being peculiar to the Iewes shewed that they did onely binde the Iewes vnder the law but of all the reasons heere alleadged we see that none is ceremoniall peculiar or proper to the Iewes but euery one common to all and as large as all the world therefore those that cannot exempt themselues from the arguments confirming the commandement may not pull their necks out of the commandement Secondly from the time when this commandement was first giuen and the keeping holy of a sabboth day instituted we may easily perceiue that the cōmandement is no more ceremoniall then all the rest For it was giuen in mans innocencie when Adam was perfect and needed no ceremonie to leade him to Christ because he did not neede to beleeue in Christ being himselfe perfect and holding his happie estate not by faith in Christ but by faith in Gods word and his owne obedience vnto Gods word For this commandement was not first made at Mount Sinah no more then any of the other 10. but equally with them bound the conscience of Adam the first man and is of like antiquitie The first seuenth day that euer was was as much to be sanctified as any that followed as may appeare in the second of Gen. last verse where it is said that God after the creation in the sixe dayes rested from creating the seuenth and therefore he hallowed the seuenth day and blessed it Now then sith it was first instituted in Paradice afore there either was a ceremonie or neede of a ceremonie it may not be reputed among the Iewish ceremonies And this reason is to be noted because it shewes the foolishnesse of that friuolous reason which some men bring against the sabboth day Oh say the Iewes they were children in Christ and weaklings and therefore they had neede of a sabboth But we are past babes we are men growne haue more knowledge we are stronger then they Are you stronger then the Iewes be it Though if it were tryed many of these that brag of their strength aboue the Iewes would be found inferiour to many of the Iewes But be it for the time graunt them this yet are they strōger then Adam in his innocencie haue they greater knowledge and more grace then he had beefore his fall Why but God saw it needfull for Adam to haue a sabboth and if it were needfull that was without sinne himselfe had no clog of corruption to hinder him no sinner to infect no ill example to seduce yet I say if he had neede of this as God in his wisdom judgeth because his calling though followed without tediousnesse would yet partly haue withdrawne his hart that he could not so freely wholy haue giuen himselfe to praising of God and considering of his power wisdome and mercie therfore was to set one day apart from all works of his calling to imploy it wholy in praysing and magnifying God and such like duties that he might with greater libertie comfort doe them then what neede haue we and how far is our necessitie greater which are burdened with many corruptions of our owne and haue much temptation from many ill presidents many allurements of the world to pull our harts from the worship of God which are men of polluted lips our selues and diuells amongst people of polluted lips which cannot without far greater distructiō wearinesse also follow our callings If Adam had neede of a sabboth when hee had no let within nor without how much haue we that both within and without are beset and one euery side compassed with such strong impediments from our selues and from others that when wee haue a sabboth to bestow wholy and onely on Godlinesse and religion can yet hardly and with much adoe keepe our harts from wandring after the world and earthly things Therfore most fond is this objection if Adams strength must bee helped by a sabboth then no man in this world hath so much strength as that hee for that cause may exempt himselfe from keeping a sabboth it was giuen to strengthen and help the Iewes and they needed it and it is giuen to vs to make vs stronger yea it was giuen to Adam and hee needed it that hee might more freely serue God and more comfortablie rejoyce in him and for this reason also is perpetuall and no ceremonie Thirdly the manner of deliuerie confirmes the perpetuitie of it shewes that it is still of as great force as any of the rest for this was written by the finger of God in the table of stone with the other to shew the durable continuance of the same and therefore this is not exempted Deut. 40. 4. That reason which Moyses brings to confirme the authoritie of all is not taken from this that God first spake it with the rest after wrote it also in tables of stone God
Moses and Aron 88 Moses patience 12 his staffe and the power thereof 88 Mothers dutie to her children 8 Murther either secret or open 43 N NAture of man 20 Nature of the Storke 5 Nabuchadnezzar 88. 89. 32. Neighbours 97. they must be loued as our selues 44. Nehemiah commended 84 Night of the sabboth to bee spent holilie 72 Note of the feare of God is feare of his word 23 O OAth 36. 51. Oath lawfull 57 Obedience 17 Obedience to God must come from the hart 5 Obedience of children 3 Obedience of the wife 22 Offence in words 41 P PAtience 11 Papists care little for the sabboth 6 Papists superstitions 35 Parents 40. 2 Parents dutie to their children 7 Paule his feare 20 Perfit loue casteth out feare 19 Periurie 53 Peoples dutie 25 Peace a branch of meekenes 44 Praier 36. 67. 74. Praier for Parents 6 Preparation to the first commandement 1 Pride 50 Punishments for breaking the sabboth 71. 78 R REading the word 36 Receiuing of the sacrament ibid. Reason of the second commandement 37 Remembrance of the sabboth day 70 Reasons why to obey the sabboth 74 Reuerence of children 3 Repentance 67. 88 Rewards for keeping the sabboth 72 Riches improfitable 59 Rules to bee obserued in correction of seruants 17 S SAboth day why consecrated 90 Saboth day 61. 62. Instituted in Paradice 63. First the day of rest 65. Now the Lords day and why ibid. Sacraments 17. 82 Salomons dutie to his mother 3 Seruants 55. 11. Their seruice of God 13 Seruants more to bee regarded then goods 100 Sinne. 98 Speach 46 Spells 48 Spirit of God the spirit of truth 90 Subjects dutie 29 Superiors in gifts 32 Suretiship 67 Suspition 94 Superstition the hatred of God 39 Strange Gods 13 Strange apparell 57 Swearing 51. swearing wickedly 52 T THe law deliuered 1 The tables broken 2 The workes of the Trinitie 2 Thankfulnesse of children 3. it consists in two things 5 The feare of the three children in the furnace 24 The brasen Serpent 33 The Cherubines ibid. Theft 71. 72 Temperance in meat and drinke 53 To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols 31 To honour what 1 Trust in God 26 Truth 96 V VAine swearing 52 Vaine iangling 46 Vineyard of God ibid. Visitation of the sicke a priuate worke of the sabboth 73 Vnreuerent speeches of Gods workes 51 Vncleanenesse two fold 56 Vowes when to be vsed 36 Vse of Gods words 47 W WAntonnesse 57 What God hates hating the world 78 What it is to feare God 20 What to bee done on the sabboth day 71 Wee must loue God 16 We must not bee discouraged wanting meanes 71 Why children should first feare their mother 3 Wherein children must obey their parents 4 Wicked impietie to make an image of Christ 32 Worshipping of Images 34 Word of God 47 Wonders in Aegipt 88 Worldly crosses 11 Z ZAcharies vprightnes 7 Ziphiâ—â— 84 FINIS AN EXPOSITION VPON THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS Exod. 20. 1. God spake these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage THESE wordes containe a preparation to stirre vs vp to keepe the law of God partly in generall to all the keeping of all the commaundements Partly more specially to the keeping of the first That preparatiue which pertaines generally to all is in these words God spake It seeeth they haue God for the author of them therefore wee must settle our selues to obey them without gainsaying because God will not bee disputed withall The preparation to the first commandement more specially is drawne partly from the nature of God partly from his benefites His nature where hee saith I am Iehouah which signifieth the essence of God incommunicable to any creature From his benefits either generall in those words thy God i. One that haue bound my selfe in couenant with thee to bee thine and to do thee good in matters for this life and the life to come Or else speciall in the last wordes which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt signifieng that hee had prooued and shewed himselfe to bee their God by drawing them out of that bondage and because the mercie of God might more appeare in their deliuerance hee shewes the grieuousnesse of the state out of the which hee deliuered them it was an house of bondage i. a place of most extreame slauerie Sith hee is thy God then and hath beene so kinde vnto thee thou must willingly acknowledge him and him onely to bee thy God God spake these words In that it bringeth the author of these wordes hee saith God spake them This doctrine ariseth to vs that God is after a speciall the author of the tenne commaundements they are his words more specially then any other And as all scripture is to be regarded as proceeding from God so more especially these tenne words because they bee after a more peculiar sort Gods words That this is so it is proued plainelie in Deuter. fiue verse two and twentie Where Moyses hauing repeated this law sets downe two priuiledges that it had aboue all other scripture to winne the more authoritie vnto it First hee saith these words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude noteing this vnto them that whereas the ceremoniall and indiciall lawes were deliuered by the ministery of Angels and the other scriptures by the meanes of the men of God the Prophets these wordes and these commaundements God himselfe as it were in his owne person full of Magestie and terrour accompanied with all his Angels in a flame of fire did pronounce so terribly in the bearing of them all as that they trembled and came to Moyses requesting him that they might no more heare God speaking on this manner for if they did assuredly they should die for feare wherefore in this first regard they must bee exceedingly reuerenced because Gods owne voice did speake them Secondly for the writing of them they were not written as other scriptures which Saint Peter saith holy men of God write according to the instinct of Gods holy spirit within them but God him selfe did write them as it were with his owne finger not vsing thereto either men or Angells as instruments Yea at the first hee made the Tables himselfe also that there might bee nothing seene wherein was not the immediate worke of God vvherein they were written but afterwardes when Moyses brake them before the Isralites that had made the goulden Calfe to shew that they by their idolatrie had broken the couenaunt and vvere vvorthie to be cast off then though God did bid Moyses make the second Tables yet himselfe write the law not vsing thereto the ministry of any of his creatures shewing that in this regarde they bee more specially GODS wordes and so more to bee regarded And besides this testimonie diuers reasons may bee vsed to shew that these are GODS owne inuention and wordes after an extraordinarie manner For first the wonderfull and perfect holinesse that
oppressed he will not suffer that his sacred name shal be thus wickedly abused to be made a shelter for lies and slaunders but when the good time comes he will let the world see how vildly and shamefully they dealt and though now whilst God holdeth his peace they flatter themselues and care not a jot to prophane his name so they may effect their malicious purpose and matters goe on their side yet God will haue a care that their wickednesse shall returne and fall vpon their owne heads their owne shame shall couer their faces and the wrong done both to his name and to his seruants shal be fully discouered and auenged Thus much concerning the third commandement for the glorifieng of Gods name Now followes the fourth In these words following Remember that thou keepe holy the sabboth day sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant thy maide seruant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates c. THe summe of this fourth commandement is to command the setting a part of the seauenth day from all worldlie busines and affaires to the exercises of religion and mercie and in the night that our sleepe also be seasoned with the word and the exercise of which we haue bene pertakers The parts are two The one sets downe the duties to be performed the other the reasons to moue vs to performe them The duties two fold shewing what we should doe and from what we should decline The things to be done is keeping it holie celebrating an holie rest vnto God The things to be forborne are all body lie works and to see that those which be vnder our gouernment as children seruants and all inferiours doe the like and that our beasts be not put to any ciuill labour yea that the stranger when hee comes amongst vs doe not openly prophane the same though wee cannot inforce him to come to the publik exercises yet those that are in superioritie must restraine him from publik violating of it by open working and must lay the authoritie so farre vpon him as that they suffer him not among their people and in their jurisdiction in the face of the congregation openlie to breake the commandement of God The reasons are diuerse first drawne from the equitie and righteousnesse of it in these words sixe daies shalt thou labour q. d. I haue giuen thee six daies for thy businesse and haue taken but one for my selfe therfore thou must be verie well contented to yeeld to me in this so reasonable and equall a commandement If I had taken sixe to my seruice giuen thee but one for the works of thy caling yet thou shouldest in dutie haue obeyed me but now that I am so liberall to thee and scant to my selfe hauing so large allowance there is no reason why thou shouldest refuse The second reason is taken from the authoritie and right of God in these words The seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God q. d. I haue taken it to my selfe I haue challenged it to my selfe to bee imployed in my seruice it is my day not thine therfore vnlesse thou will bee accounted a sacrilegious theefe to take holie things for vnholie vses vnlesse thou wilt deuoue things that bee sanctified to thine owne destruction see that thou meddle not with it it is a part of the church treasurie thou shalt be no better then a church robber if thou conuert it to thine owne vses The third reason is taken from Gods example in these words For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth daie q. d. if thou wilt follow example and bee led by others then follow the example of the best now what better example can there be then the example of God himselfe now God himselfe when he went to make the world and all the things in the world contriued all his works so as that he finished them within the compasse of sixe dayes and on the seuenth day did rest from all his works of creation onely preseruing those things which before he had made therefore from his example learne thou so to dispatch all thy businesse on the sixe daies as that on the seauenth day ceasing from labour in thy calling thou maist wholy giue thy selfe to the duties of sanctification and to meditate on Gods power and greatnesse in his sixe dayes work for which end as one speciall thing to bee done in it he hath appointed this resting of the seuenth day The last reason is taken from the end of the sabboth in these words Wherfore the Lord blessed the sabboth day and hallowed it q. d. If neither the equitie of the commandement nor the authoritie and right of God nor yet his example will preuaile with thee to perswade thine hart to keepe this commandement yet in regard of thine owne profit and the benefit thou shalt reape to thy selfe yeld to keepe it holy for God hath not taken this to himselfe for any commoditie that he shall haue by it but euen for thy good for he hath appointed it for holy vses that it might be a meanes of blessing not vpon the soule onely but euen vppon the body and estate of those that obserue it there is no readier way to bring Gods blessing vpon any man then the sanctifying of it nor no more present meanes to pull downe a curse then the neglecting and breaking of it Therefore if thou loue thy selfe and wouldest haue prosperitie on thy soule and bodie yeld so much obedience to God as to sanctifie his sabboth Thus much concerning the summe and exposition of this commandement Now because there be many that doe disagree in this doctrine of the sabboth and account the keeping holy of the seuenth day in the number of those ceremonies which be abrogated by Christ and reached onely to the Iewes therefore it is requisite that we approue and confirme by some sound reasons out of Gods word that this commandement is morall and perpetuall and as carefully to be kept vnder the gosple as vnder the law and to continue in force so long as any of the commandements euen so long as there is this world and a Church militant vpon earth The first reason to confirme this may be drawne from those reasons which God vseth for the confirmation of it in the text the reasons are all of them perpetuall and none of them ceremoniall and euery one as much belongs vnto vs as vnto them and therefore it is without reason to make the commandement it selfe of lesse scope and binding fewer to keepe it then those reasons which are brought to confirme it For goe through the whole commandement what one word in all of it hath any note of ceremony what reasō sauours of any
that with a true hart is willing to be taught and to confound also and condemne and leaue without excuse before Gods judgement seat such as will not yeeld to playne and strong reasons drawne out of the word of God but continue obstinate in their false conceits But because the point may be more plaine and manifest it is good to answere some of their objections whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth Now the grand obiection is because we keep not the same sabboth that the Iewes did but the day is altered therefore they say we must keepe none This is their argument of so great waight but how foolish it shall appeare easily if we examine it a little more narrowly For though we keepe not the selfe same day that they did yet we haue the same commandement authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day in Reuel 1. Where Iohn saith He was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Afore it was called the day of rest because God rested on it from the work of creation but now it is called the Lords day because Christ Jesus instituted it as a speciall memoriall of his resurrection perfecting of the work of our redemption For the Apostles by the authoritie of that spirit which alwaies assisted them in their ministeriall office did alter the day themselues kept ordained it to be kept in all the churches As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he saith The first day of the weeke when yee meet together c. Where the Apostle shewes that the congregations of Christ were wont on the first day of the weeke to meet together for the performance of all holy duties of the number whereof collection for the poore was one because of the manifold persecutions wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe This was the first day of the Iewish weeke our Lords day So also in the Acts. Paul himself kept this day which he spent in preaching till midnight and after administred the sacramēt in which two exercises he cōtinued till the dawning of the day So that the keeping of this day was instituted by God in the ministrie of the Apostles and kept by them and the churches in their time therfore as strongly commands vs as the Iewes and is of no lesse force now then before Then secondly the reason of the chaunge and of our keeping this day is no lesse then of their keeping that day For when the creation of the world was the greatest work that euer was done then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded But now that a greater more excellent work was done namely the redemption of the world it was reason that the greatest work should carry the credit of the day They rested the seauenth day because on that God rested from the work of creation wee this eight day because in it Christ rise againe from the work of our redemption which being a greater work caused a chaunge of the day Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and strong reason that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement And wheras they say that the church may at their pleasure alter it that is not so for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apostles nor a cause greater then the resurrection of Christ and the redemption of the church and therefore neither can the day be chaunged for to make a new day where no such warrant did allow nor no cause occasion it were to take more vpon them then is fit For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy hauing onely the creation of the world to think vpon and to remēber by the celebrating of their seauenth day then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater sith besids this benefit of our making we haue a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Christ added vnto it so that any one of the two ought to sanctifie it more rather then to cast it of all together and to be so much the more carefull to giue this day wholy to God by how much he hath shewed a greate mercie to vs so that we should neuer speake or think of this chaunge but we should also call to minde this great benefit which was the cause of it If Adam had cause to spend a day in praysing God for his creation then wee haue greater cause seeth besides that we haue also the redemption to bee thankefull for And if this bee a good argument wee keepe not the selfe same day that the Iewes did therefore the dutie is abollished and wee are bound to keepe none then by the same reason one might conclude thus you see wee haue not the same sacraments for the outward seales that the Iewes had for they had circumcision and they had the pascall Lambe what tell you mee of the consecrate water and of the bread and wine hallowed the Iewes had no such matter sith these signes be altered I think it was but a ceremonie and wee neede not regard baptisme the supper this were no good argument in this case for though the shadowes bee other yet the substance bee the same Christ Iesus is signified by our bread and wine as well as by their Lambe and our baptisme is the sacrament of regeneration as well as their circumcision Therefore wee should not despise them but so much the more bee carefull to prepare our selues for them because the seruice is more easie the promises more lightsome If then it will not hold that we haue no sacraments because the outward seales bee altered then it is as weake a consequence that wee haue no seauenth day to bee sanctified because the day is altered and wee keepe not the same that they did So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie that the dutie is abolished because the authoritie is as strong the reason as good and the same reason doth not hold in other things Againe they object that to a christian euery day is a sabboth day and therefore wee should not restraine it to one day more then another but the answere to this is that it is most false for God doth not require neither is a christian able to keep euery day a sabboth day so long as they remain on earth indeede in heauen hee shall keepe a continuall sabboth vnto the Lord but now so long as wee liue there is as much difference betwixt the sabboth day and otheir daies as betwixt the consecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table This is true that euery one must serue God on the sixe daies and all his life long but on the seauenth day wee must not onely serue God
journey to take some odd thing or other that beeing forgotten in time will rush in vpon vs now and must bee done now because it was omitted before and cannot tarry till after sith then wee are so subject to distruction and so soone to forget things that if wee had had a care before might haue beene done well without any trouble in the sabboth but now through our negligence comes vpon vs on that day this must teach vs to haue a heauenly foresight that wee prouide against all such lets and cut off by our godly care all such incombrances That pollicie and care which wee see in naturall men about the market of their bodies we must learne for this market of our soule they will bee prouiding and thinking before what they must buy at the market and what they must carrie to the market and will not haue the things to bee in doing when they should haue them ready to carry with them but looke that the things they purpose to sell be prepared that so they may not be hindred but be there in good time to make their markets for their best aduantage So if euer we will make good markets for our soules we must all the weeke before be preparing our harts and setting all things straight that our harts may be burdened with no sinne nor no worldly care thē which should carry away the force of our meditations thoughts from the exercises of religion for they be spirituall and we be carnall and a little thing God knowes will make a great stirre in our fleshly harts to draw them from heauenly things and therfore vnlesse wee take great heede to examine our harts and watch ouer our selues that we walke purely holily all the sixe daies long and to cast out and discharge all affaires of this life on the one side the sinne committed on the other side the businesse omitted will hale and pull our thoughts that no attention can be giuen to matters of religion no constant or setled meditation of any heauenly thing can take place we must therefore stop out all distractions and encombrances rayse vp our harts against deadnesse and dulnesse which will make vs heauie and dull and slow to any good thing by a wise managing and finishing our outward affaires and a godly and religious ordring and preparing our harts if euer we will comfortably profitably spend the Lords day in the Lords work Then againe besids these needlesse lets which through our owne weaknesse we pul vpon our owne heads therbe hindrances enough on euery side which doe wee what wee can with all the industrie in the world we shall neuer be able wholy to preuent but they will set vpon vs. As in what family shall one come but he shall see idlenesse and slepinesse and foolishnesse manyfold wayes who that knowes himselfe any whit at all doth not feele that he is readier to follow ill example be led by ill company then to be led by Gods commandement especially when no positiue law will take hold vpon him for the breach of Gods commandement And then we haue the diuel as a Lion continually seeking to deuoure our soules to hinder vs in all things he can from religion and in the best there be such strong lusts such a loue of the pleasure and commoditie of this world that vnlesse we be strongly garded and defended will breake in vpon our harts and disorder the rank of our affections As come to a professour that is giuen to couetousnesse and ouer to whome the world beares to great an hand though he haue a true hart to God and some sound graces of the spirit of God wrought in him doe but vp some couetous talke that tends toward gaine and filthie lucre see if he will not be quite gone and forgetting God and the sabboth and himselfe and all giue his hart and tongue and all to be imployd about worldly things vnlesse he mound and fence his hart about diligently with these thoughts what though I doe hath not god bidden me remember the sabboth hath he not set a speciall mark vpon it that I should in no hand forget thus by earnest striuing shake of these vntimely words thoughts And then we shall haue the world be objecting and putting in it carnall reasons to make vs negligent why what neede you be so strict this is to much nicenesse you are more precise then wise and such like which will certainly carry one away vnlesse he striue to confirme himselfe by thinking on Gods commandement and so shut out these objections what hath not God bid mee remember and shall I suffer men to make me forget it hath not he giuen me two reasons to keep it the one stronger then the Iewes had and shall I be more negligent in keeping it then they which had but one they had weaker meanes of comfort the bloud of buls and goates the sprinkling of water and an earthly tabernacle and high priest and yet they were with reuerence to vse these and shall we that haue more excellent meanes as Christ Iesus offered vp for a sacrifice offered vp once for all and the sprinkling of his bloud to purifie our soules and the heauenly tabernacle opened for vs by him our heauenly high priest and continuall mediator shall we I say that haue all these meanes more plaine excellent then theirs be negligent to keepe this sabboth especially sith God hath giuen vs this as a meanes to draw vs from earth to heauen and to make vs grow in a spirituall life Hauing then all these impediments vnlesse we doe arme our selues in the weeke daye and strengthen our faith by remembring Gods commandement reasons by a wise cutting of those distractions which by diligence may be cut of we cannot with any comfort or cherefully celebrate a sabboth vnto the Lord. Lastly if wee reade the scriptures of God and see how often God vrgeth this point how earnestly he presseth it this will make vs labour often and continually to call to minde that which he so often hath repeated vnto vs because if it were a necessarie dutie God will not so many times in so many places require it at our hāds So that euery one must labour by searching his conscience watching ouer his soule to rouse himselfe from that lumpishnesse and drousinesse which is within him and by prouidence and forecast of outward businesse to put away all outward encombrances and distractions This then serues first to confute those that make this kinde of objections against the sabboth Oh we cannot keepe it we should bee vndone if wee should rest vpon the sabboth day for these losses and damages would ensue these hurts would come such businesses would bee left vndone but I pray you whence come all these losses what is the cause of these damages is it not because you forget the verie first word of the commandement Remember the sabboth day Then this is no
warrant for vs to breake Gods commandement because wee had forgot that which God bids vs remember this is euen as if a man should forget his purse behind him when hee went to the market and when hee came to buy things wanting mony of his owne should goe and cut another bodies purse and then if one come and tell him this is not honest dealing it is plaine theft and why would you bee so bold to cut your neighbours purse why alas neighbour I hope I was in no fault necessitie drew mee to it for I had left my purse at home and I knew not how to doe for mony to buy my things and to haue gone backe againe would haue beene to much paines Why but doth this make it lawfull to cut your neighbours because you had forgotten your owne nay who should haue remembred it and not come to make such shifts and euen so men deale with God oh they cannot chuse but breake the sabboth they are driuen to it of force necessitie compels them and what necessitie why such things lie to bee done that will bee spoiled else why but why did you forget them before now shal your former forgetfulnesse bee a warrant for you to steale Gods holy time and abuse it to vnholy things Some hath a bonde to pay that will bee forfaited else and why did you not remember before to make your condition with such an exception vnlesse it were on the sabboth and then to defer it for some reasonable time after or some such like condition and so I haue this and this thing that must bee done and why did not you thinke of this before to preuent it as it is sure you might if you did serue God in your calling and not couetousnesse so others say it is so tedious and irksome to spend that day holy that they cannot endure it and why is it tedious to you is it not because you prepared not your soule to keepe it you let sinne keepe dominion in your hart all the weeke and then it must needes bee dull and dead to all goodnesse on the seauenth day but those that doe labour to walke vprightlie purely before God sixe daies finde such comfort thereby as no outward pleasure can bring nor anie thing in this world but onely the ordinances of God can afford Secondly this teacheth vs to lay as a dutie euery one vpon his owne conscience to remember this day in all our affaires to haue this in our minde that wee entangle not our selues by any businesse which might hinder vs from keeping of it first because wee haue so direct an item as wee call it to remember this day secondly because whereas God contented himselfe in all the other commandements to set them downe either onely affirmatiuely or onely negatiuelie hee hath not done so in this commandement but to set the deeper impression in our harts hath set it downe both affirmatiuelie and negatiuely keepe it holy saith hee and as though that were not inough doe no manner of worke in it and then wheras other of the commandements for the most part haue no reasons annexed to them in the decalogue though in the scripture else where they haue this and the second commandement haue diuers reasons added vnto them that men might haue a greater regard vnto it Therefore if wee will doe any thing for Gods sake then doe this for his sake if a friend should come to vs and say I haue some ten errands which I would haue you doe for mee and I will recompence you throughly for your paines but of all the ten there is one amongst the rest which I would haue you especiallie to remember and of all loues see that you forget it not would not one thinke him verie negligent and vnmindfull of his friend that would forget this of which he had such a speciall charge especially if his friend should in most of the other giue but the bare commandement and thing set downe without any more words but should insist vpon that and giue him reason vpon reason why hee should haue a speciall care of it but so God saith to vs hee giues vs warning before shewing that wee are ready to forget it but hee would haue vs striue against this forgetfulnesse and then because wee should not forget but doe it hee vrgeth it with many reasons now then to forget this is it not a plaine contempt and neglect It followes To keepe it holy NOw the Lord shewes what is to bee done on the sabboth day namely wee must keepe it holy it is not inough to forbeare our owne worke and so to keepe it idly but wee must bee as carefull to doe Gods worke and so to keepe it holy Hence then wee learne this doctrine that the sabboth must bee imployed in holy exercises it must not bee a bare rest but a sanctified rest so ceasing from worldly things as that we be taken vp in heauenly things for idlenes is a sin euery day but much more on the sabboth No man hath alowance in gods word to spend any time idly but it is a damnable sin in the weeke daies much lesse are we warranted to spend Gods time vnprofitablie and idly of the twaine it were better leaue ones owne worke vndone vpon ones owne daies permitted for his labour then Gods worke on Gods daie appointed for his seruice Now the reasons why this must bee spent onely in holie exercises are taken from the ill effects that will follow if wee doe not spend it in these workes These ill effects wee shall see in Exod. 31. 12. Where God commands them that they should abstaine from all workes and keepe it an holy for if they doe worke euen in making garments and things for the temple which seemed to pertaine to god much more in things of their owne these two euils will follow first they shall die the death their life shall bee taken away they must die a naturall death and then secondly they must bee cut off from their people j. bee subject to the curse of God and bee cast off from the people of God by solemne excommunication These bee the punishments of polluting the Sabboth no small punishments and these God doth execute daily euen among vs for though the law of the land takes not hold on such persons to put them to death yet God giues them ouer to commit some sinne which mans law punisheth with death and the first cause of all and that at which God strikes and which their owne soule feeles most heauie as appeares by the daily complaints when they bee brought to execution is that they neuer regarded the sabboth had no care to heare Gods word to spend the day in duties of religion in prayer but followed after vanitie and their owne lust and therfore God meets with them And though the minister cannot by law excommunicate them and cast them out of the congregation yet God excommunicates them that in the
After examination of our owne harts and finding out of our sinfull wayes with repentance and sorrow for the same to beseech God that he would prepare and fit our harts to profit by the publique exercises of religion on the sabboth And to entreat him that he would so direct the ministers mouth is that he may speake to our harts and say something that serues to kill our sinne and to comfort and build vp our souls that as he is appointed for a phisition so he would fit vs with some medicine as well as others as saint Paul bids them pray for him that he may haue the dore of vtterance And when one doth this in an humble hart desiring to repent and turne from his sinnes in good earnest he shall neuer come to the sermon but he shall heare some one lesson or other that will make him better and he shal haue cause to thank God for it But if one come rudely into Gods house from brauling chiding at home or so soone as he is out of his bed to come to the church without preparing his hart or fitting himselfe by any prayer to God or confession and sorrow for his sinne then he shall feele that to his vncleane hart all things are vncleane the word shal be but a tediousnesse serue to the further hardning of his hart Also one must reade some part of the scripture priuately that may season his hart and settle and quiet his minde affections that he may be more teachable And that he may the better fit himselfe after this sort he is to rise betime in the morning for there is none so good a master no work so good in it selfe nor none that will bring so great a reward therefore we should rise as earely to serue this master in this work as any day else for any other work and if we doe thus we may haue sufficient to prouide for the publique exercises that we may come vnto them with profit Also an other priuate work of the sabboth is to releâ—ue and visit them that be sick or in any kinde of miserie And so also to reconcile those that be at jarre and discord Further also to meditate vpon the word that we haue heard and to ponder of it to apply it to our selues to marke what we haue remembred what we haue layd vp in our harts and purpose to follow and how matters stand betwixt God and our selues in the things that haue bene deliuered for till the word be thus made our own it is but as chaffe lying loose in the hart that euery puffe of winde will driue away and euery temptation will blow from vs. It is not as a treasure locked vp that will stand vs in some steede in the time of neede Likewise to confer with other christians among whom we liue to talke of the things taught calling them to minde and how they were prooued vnto vs and then further to enlarge them according to our owne perticuler necessitie and as it were to spread the medicine vpon one an others harts These be the priuate things which as euery one is more careful to performe so shal he receiue a more large and abundant blessing vpon the publique Now the publique themselues are To ioyne with the rest of the congregasion in praying and praysing God with one hart and voice in diligent attending to the word publikely read preached for there is a greater blessing promised to this ministeriall reading then to any mans reading at home Then also the vse of the sacraments as to be present at baptisme for the departing away argues a great contempt of it and with a publique disgrace of Gods ordinance for if one or two haue libertie the rest haue the like and then where were the reuerence Therefore one must tarrie at such exercises as to shew his reuerence so secondly to help the congregation in praysing God for ingrafting an other member into his visible bodie of the church to pray that God would giue the inward working fruit of the same by his holy spirit And to edifie himselfe also by calling to minde that he is also made pertaker of the new couenant and joyned to Christ Iesus And to examine himselfe what fruit he hath felt in himselfe of the death of Christ in killing his sinne and of his resurrection in raising him vp to newnesse of life so either to be humbled if he feele not that profit he would or to be thankfull feeling this work of baptisme and to comfort himselfe in the remembrance of this that the merite and vertue of Christ Iesus his death is his to satisfie for his sinnes and to kill by little and little the power of them all which things we see now presently sealed vp to the partie baptised in the present action For the baptising of the infant is not onely for his profit but for the good of all the church that euery one may see his dutie and what God hath promised and what benefit himselfe is to receaue and looke for Another dutie but priuate is praier after the sermon and publike meeting that those good things which one hath remembred may bee turned into a praier which he must offer vnto God beseeching him that hath shewed him what is to be auoided to giue him power to auoide it and to encline his hart to keepe the things commanded as well as to tell him the dutie that belongs vnto him and as hee hath hard many sweet promises which will doe him no good so long as he hath an vnbeleeuing hart cannot bring himselfe to giue credit vnto them therfore that God would also knit the promises vnto his hart and giue him grace to trust vpon them and to remember them when hee shall haue neede Thus much for one dutie required to sanctifie the sabboth Now the next words follow Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. IN which words God shews a reason why we should obey this commandement God hath giuen a man sixe daies for the duties of his calling but on this condition that hee shall contriue all his works so within the compasse of the sixe daies so that hee let none remaine till the seauenth nor reserue any outward thing to trouble him from the seruice of God on the sabboth From this equitie God drawes a reason to moue euerie one of vs to keepe the sabboth From this we may gather that Gods commandements are equall as hee saith in Ezek. 18. 25. God deales with those that charge his lawes of vnjustice and shewes that his waies bee all together equall the waies of man be vnequall So 1. Iohn 5. he saith that the commandements of God are easie indeede to manie they be most tedious and heauie but this is not from any vnequalnesse in the law but from the naughtinesse of the men that haue carnal harts and worldly mindes for if one haue ouercome the world and growne any thing spirituall so farre Gods
example of the great God whose example is able to counteruaile all theirs q. d. If you will bee led by example follow the most perfect example now what more perfecter example then the example of God who hath proposed himselfe for a president sinfull men breake it but the holy God kept it and would haue you keepe it whether example is best to follow God made an end of all in sixe daies and ceased creating on the seauenth day therefore hee would haue you cease from the workes of your vocation For for workes of preseruation Christ saith Iohn 5. My father worketh hetherto and I worke But hee ceased workes of creation so that the reason stands thus God left no worke of creation till the seauenth day but ended all in sixe daies therefore he would haue you end all your workes of vocation in sixe daies and giue the seauenth onely to workes of sanctification Hence then we learne this doctrine that whosoeuer desires to liue godly must propose the example of God to himselfe to imitate Thus Ephesians 5. 1. The Apostle wisheth them to follow the example of God as deere children he had before exhorted them to gentlenesse and courteousnesse but hee hath done me wrong saith some man how can I deale kindly with him why freelie forgiue him saith the Apostle But who would put vp this wrong patientlie God would and therefore doe you follow god and imitate him God doth not presentlie seeke reuenge if any man breake his lawes but vseth all gentle meanes to bring him to repentance and to cause him to turne so doe you then tread in Gods steps indeede some froward man would take a more violent and boysterous course But if you will be accounted the child of God bought with the bloud of Christ and regenerate by the spirit of God you must rather bee directed by his example then mans and then no better argument that you bee the sonnes of God and no surer proofe that he hath begotten you to life eternall then when you grow like vnto him and shew foorth his image in your life Now the reason why it is best to set God before vs as a patterne is because his example is so absolute in all fulnesse of perfection that no exception can bee taken against it bring the example and there is some thing against which a man may except to lessen the force of it as Dauid and Peter and such good men haue had their slips and no man liues so holy but as Saint Iames saith In some things wee sinne all But the example of God is so exact and altogether righteous without any spot at any time that no such thing can be alleadged against it Secondly if one make God his example hee shall grow better and better because still he shall come short of the mark he aymes at neuer be able to attaine to the perfection which is in his example so that still he shall haue a proportion to goe on and to grow If one set man for his coppie either he may write as well as his coppie or at least he may imagine that he doth then he stands at a stay and thinks he hath done well he may cease now but this example is not subiect to such conceit no man either can or will dreame that he can be as good as God so that heere is still occasion of mending and encreasing Thirdly he that followes the example of men hath great meanes of pride and to be puft vp for comparing himselfe with men he is not put in minde of his faults but rather thinks this this I haue done and in most things I am equall to the best and so is in great daunger to grow conceited of himselfe but now he leauing men lookes vnto God and casts his eyes first on God and then on himselfe he sees so much imperfection in himselfe and such infinite righteousnesse and goodnesse in God as that vpon this comparison he growes more humble and holy and to know himselfe more so that though he grow better euery day then other yet he thinks worse of himselfe euery day then other and hath a greater insight into his owne corruption by how much he gets more strength against his corruption In these regards therfore and for these reasons it is most safe and profitable to make Gods example a line for himselfe and to follow his president so neere as he can in all things This then may serue to the confutation of those men that letting passe Gods example as nothing pertaining to them thinke to dash all commandements and all rebukes with this one answere that all men doe so as though it were a sufficient buckler to beare off all Gods commandements and the force of his example because the example of most men is contrarie as namely in this one commandement which of all the rest God hath most strongly fenced with reasons among other with one drawne from his owne practise and example Come to sabboth breakers that abuse it to sinne and vanitie how dare you bee so bolde as to breake Gods expresse commandement with so high an hand and to prouoke him to his face thus why I hope wee are not those that alone play vpon the sabboth wee shall doe as well as others all the townes round about vs doe the like but why should not you looke to Gods commandement and example rather then to wicked men would a father take this for a good answere if he should come to his childe say why do you lie or steale know you not that it offends mee and I like it not why should you chide mee I hope I am not the first that euer swore other children haue lyed stolne before me what need you be so angry with me for the matter no father would endure such an answere of his childe this manner of defending were worse then the fault But so we deale with God he sends his ministers to reproue vs say why doe you dishonour the name of God and breake his commandement and sabboth why I hope others doe so as well as I this is the most common aunswere But should not a childe be ruled by his father should not a seruant follow his master and should not the children of God follow God and be content to be ruled both by his commandement and example What a miserable thing is this that we will forsake the light to runne to darknesse and leaue God to goe after Beliall The way is not broad that leades to heauen nor many walke in it their sinnes are no warrant for vs to sinne but if we be Gods then let vs follow God as deare children So 1. Iohn 6. verse If wee walke in darknesse The Apostle shewes that if we be in Christ we must walk as Christ walked for if one should say this is a member of the bodie whereof this is the head and the head goe east and the member west no man would beleeue it
drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
counsell of his word and of his seruants If you had taken this course which is the right course you had beene safe but now that you are falne the best way is not to lye crying and exclaiming against him that was an occasion of your fall but seeke how to rise vp againe take the right phisicke and goe to the right phisition God is the phisition true repentance and prayer for helpe is the right medicine and if one vse these meanes they shall find helpe the hurt is cured Thus much for wastfulnesse the next is niggardlinesse A base couetous needie and euill eye when one cannot finde in his heart to take his part of the things God hath bestowed vpon him but will serue and pinch himselfe and rob himselfe of the vse of that which he hath in his owne keeping this is as bad as if he should doe the same to an other all is one to bring pouertie vpon an other by wronging him and to bring a needlesse need vpon himselfe by wronging himselfe It is a most miserable and base thing for one to restraine himselfe of his lawfull libertie in meat drinke apparell and honest recreation where God hath not abridged him This sinne the wise man sets forth Eccles 2. 26. Where he speakes of two sorts of people the one which God loues and to those he giues not onely riches and aboundance of all things but also the right and ioyfull vse of the same that they shall be able with comfort to vse that which God hath giuen them But there is an other kind of people whom God hates and how shall they speed thus They shall haue payne to gather and heape vp wealth which must be bestowed vpon those that be holy and good in Gods sight God hath certaine enemies in the world vpon whom he purposeth to be auenged in this life and how will he plague them This shall be their curse he will appoint them to be slaues and drudges and lay vp wealth great store but they shall want a liberall and a good vse they shall toyle and moyle and tumble and tosse and carke and care and struggle and striue for earth a great deale more then Gods children can doe for heauen and when they haue beene at all this labour and spent themselues thus they shall see no good day nor haue one houre of comfort an other must enioy all Likewise in Eccles 6. 1. Salomon speakes of the same sinne he cals it an euill sicknesse a plague of the soule and a pestilence of the conscience And yet it is verie common among men that a man should haue good and wealth enough enough to serue the husband and wife to spend to their daies merily together and to suffice the parents to reioyce with their children and gouernours to liue quietly among and with their seruants if they had a heart to take their part but through the vnsatiablenesse of the mind there are such seares such cares such wishing such desiring such wrestling such wrangling with wife and chafing with seruants that it is a house of disquiet and vexation and in the midst of all outward meanes of comfort they liue all without comfort This is a sicke family this house is infected with the plague of God that vpon the soule this is a most miserable and grieuous disease Therefore we must all learne to beware of this basenesse which is ordinarie with men of most abilitie of all in the parish you shall haue them come seldomest to Church vpon the sabboth daies no more then needs they must but vpon the weeke day neuer at all not once in a twelue month and if you aske them why what is the reason you can finde no leisure to come to heare Gods word and to seeke the meanes your saluation vpon the weeke daies why alasse we haue such a deale of buisinesse so much rrouble as that we cannot dispatch it in anie time we must needs follow our calling and see to our household and thus commonly it is seene that those which haue most land liuing haue most paines and vexation all lies vpon them and all must come through their own hands they haue no seruants none to helpe themselues and they must needs looke to it but who puts them to all this trouble who laies such a burthen vpon them surely this it is that eyther they be so miserable and close fisted that ye will not lay out any thing to hire helpe or else if they doe entertaine a seruant they punish him so miserably in his diet deale so deceitfully with him in his wages or oppresse ouercharge him so cruelly with labour as that he that hath had experience of them one yeare will not be perswaded to liue with them the second and thus they trouble themselues with plaine nigardise and no necessitie that God hath imposed vpon them This men commonly call good husbandrie and thrift for a man to lay about him so and take on and doe all himselfe but it is plaine theft before God for one to spend himselfe pull a want vpon himselfe when he may liue in plenty Gods marks be found vpō him for a wicked man and a cursed sinner when he hath much but can vse nothing That he which hath a verie small portion may liue more comfortably sleepe more quietly pray more cheerefully and sing Psalmes with greater ioy then he that hath so much abundance as nothing hurts him but too much These therfore that be such miserable bondslaues to lucre and couetousnes as that they be as much at the command of gaine both for their bodie their sleepe and euerie thing as the saints of God be vnto Christ Iesus let them repent of there theeuerie and not bragge of their honestie say they will desie him that will call them theeues for then they must desie God for he will tell them they be theeues that will not thankefully vse his benefits but pinch and sterue themselues We would thinke that it were an ill member in the bodie that would not be content that any other member should haue any thing but would be scraping all to it selfe and nothing was well which was not bestowed vpon it For the bodie hath seuerall parts and euery one hath his proper vse that is fittest for it selfe and so in the mamilie the husband and wife haue both their duities and there is a place for seruants to and those that one for couetousnesse will weare himselfe and spend himselfe and spend his strength and spirits that all must goe through his hand and nothing can be well vnlesse it be of his owne doing this misdeeming of others and ouercharging of himselfe is a damnable sinne and vnlesse he repent for it God will proceed against him at the day of iudgement as against as base a theefe as any vnder heauen Thus much for theft in ones owne goods Now for theft of an other mans goods And first of that which is done with