and darknesse shall not be able to comprehend the light And it is even in the worst natures if at any time they be straighted by afflictions as in Aeschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Persians being put to flight at the lake Strimon When danger commeth then the light breaketh forth must needs goe on the Ise thawing by the heate of the Sunne then every one that before said there was no God fell on his knees and prayed God that the Ise might beare them So Dion Boristhenes as the Italian Histories report Antonius Vrceus Codrus when the Lord attached them of age Cephalus 1. Plat. de rep saith to Hippocrates while I was a young man when they told me of Styx Acheron I could thinke that there was none and I scoffed at them but now in my old age when I am to depart I begin to doubt how if there be such So we see danger sicknesse and age will shew us that there is a God The maine argument The major The notions naturall in us are universally true The minor Of the essence of God we have a notion Conclusion therefore we must beleeve that there is a God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath revealed them Argument 2. Ab altera animi notione a reali sc distinctione boni mali contra Pyrrhonem from the other notion of the mind namely from the real distinction of good and evill against Pyrrho that said That nothing was simply good or evill We see Gen 9.22 though Cham was such an ungodly person Genes 9.22 yet he seeth this that it was an uncomly thing to lie as his father did Therefore in him a power to distinguish betweene decorum non decorum that which is comely and not comely Genes 14.21 the most wicked Sodomites knew Genes 14.21 that good was to be requited to Abraham Gen. 27.41 Esau would kill his brother Jacob yet not whilst his father lived 2. Sam. 19.17 Absalom though in Armes against his father yet seeth this wickednesse in Hushai his fathers friend and rebuketh it Math. 26.48 Judas though he would betray his Master yet hee would not doe it in open manner but gave them a privy token Whomsoever I shall kisse c. The ground of reall distinction betweene good and evill So then seeing the most evill would seeme good and deny evill in themselves and reprehend it in others this is really to distinguish betweene good and evill The ground of this distinction either the consent of men betweene themselves as Pyrrho saith which cannot be for then every thing at mans appointment should be good or evill Or from a nature above man and so it leadeth us to God an unchangeable nature Gen. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who told thee c. From a manifest part of the soule sc conscientia the conscience which is Gods Deputy That is also a demonstration against those that thinke that religion is a devise Conscientia 3. 3. Those that committed any offence are alwaies troubled and never in quiet If any object least they should be revealed to the Law Then give them security let them doe it in the wildernesse in the darke Object Sol. where and when none shall see them yet shall they never be quiet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conscience shall smite the soule They shall have their surda verbera deafe strokes yea they themselves will be constrained to tell it in their sleepe or in their madnesse or as Plutarch saith of Bessus he shall thinke that the Birds of the aire will tell it Then is not religion a devise of man as they say nor shall be Of Gods fearefull vengeance as long as they have the Vicegerent of God in them And Christ useth this to condemne them out of Esay 66.24 Vermis eorum non moritur their worme dieth not 4. To conclude this point They that have denied it in their lifes their deathes have proved it for them Genes 7. the overwhelming of the Flood the punishing of Sodome with utter destruction Pharaoh And whereas the Lord useth in all sinnes to punish them most severely at the beginning and after to suffer them yet in this sinne he hath taken another course to confute the Atheists lives by their death to confute them by the end of their daies Pherecides the Syrian never almost durst come into company yet once at a banquet amongst his friends being merrily disposed saith that he had lived a long time yet never done sacrifice nor offered up prayer to any God And within few daies after he was eaten up with lie◠So Diagoras was the cause of his proscription at Athens and of the sacking and destruction of his whole Country in revenge of that wicked opinion of his Julian the Apostata being overcome of Necromates in battaile The horrible death of Atheists pulled out his owne guts and cast his blood into the aire and so died with miserable yelling Lucian keeping for recreation a kennell of hounds leaving them fast bound and safe when he went out to supper at that supper having spoke much against the truth of God as he came home his dogges ran mad and breaking loose fell upon him and tare him in pieces Appion against whom Iosephus writeth scoffing against the old Testament but especially at the point of circumcision the Lord in that very same place strooke him with ulcers so that he made him a spectacle to all that came after him Machiavels end was in the prison of Florence rotting in pieces Therefore for a conclusion as the heathen men write upon Zenacharibs tombe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever looketh upon me let him learne to be godly so may we conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever looketh upon these let him learne to be godly The second station is that God is a rewarder of them that seeke him The second station Gods providence God in regard of his essence is as a stranger to us in a farre Countrey Foure false opinions 1. No providence therefore we must not onely acknowledge his essence but also his providence for denying of his providence is semiatheisme and the Epicures erred in this For though they were by reason compelled to confesse that there was a God yet they said Non curare eum nos that he hath no care of us Then of the providence of God 1. what God is to us the knowledge whereof must be joyned with his essence there be foure branches of opinions 1. That God at no hand medleth but that he hath drawne the Heavens betwixt him and us 2. That God had providence and governement in the beginning of the world but after set his Deputy to rule the world that we should not see what he doth nor he what we doe 2. That there is a providence but of generall things a generall providence rewarder to two causes but not to every particular individuum individuall 3. Grant both these esse etiam
And we see plainely Gen. 9.3 whatsoever liveth and moveth they are given to man to bee food most plainely Lawfull to â—ilâ— Beasts 1 Cor. 10.25 Quicquid in macella c. Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles eate it And indeed reason it selfe in Law sheweth it plainely For where there is no Ius societatis a Law of society there is not societas juris a society in Law But they have no society with us because they want reason And secondly to use all things for the end they were ordained for is no sinne but the lesse perfect things are for the more perfect therefore herbs for beasts and beasts as being lesse perfect for man Onely in these two cases 2. Caveats the holy Ghost forbids to kill beasts first when it turneth to the detriment of our neighbour the sinne is not to kill the beast but to endammage him by it And secondly that we kill them not in the impotencie of our wrath exacting that power or understanding of him that is not in him Aug. he saith men are so foolishly bent they must have facilitatem motus things work to their mind If the poor Pen through their negligence and perversenesse did not write as they would have it capit collidit he taketh it and dasheth it So in beasts if they doe not as we would have them then we shew our impotencie Psal 36.6 Gods mercie he preserveth both man and beast and Prov. 12.10 man must be like to him in this point he shall be mercifull to the soule of the beast he rideth upon In this regard he shall not kill the beast The second division of man 2a Divisiâ— We will take him first as he is a member then as a head of a society There is a slaughter 1. Sui ipsius of a mans selfe 2. Alierius of another man of his neighbour Because we see the Heathen as we read of Lucretia Seneca and Cato that though they would never have beene brought to kill others A man may not kill himselfe yet they durst lay hands on themselves and were therefore highly thought of amongst the Heathen But Christian Religion teacheth us that it must not be so and that no man hath power of his life for these causes 1. We must needs understand Non occides thou shalt not kill so because as was said before the generall rule of the Law is Siâ—ut te ipsum as thy selfe Then non occides alium sicut non occides teipsum thou shalt not murther another even as thou shouldest not kill thy selfe So the proportion is against the Law of charity and nature Against the Law of nature it is we are so linked to our selves that nature first maketh alimentum individuum the nutriment to satisfie the stomack before she giveth propaginem speeiei supplement to the other members shewing that to every man belongeth a care how to preserve himselfe 2. Because that every man that liveth in a society or Common-wealth is a part thereof and so is not his owne but societatis or reipub the societies or Common-wealths therefore hee cannot injure or kill himselfe but he must needs bring detriment to the whole company whereof he is And consequently by the Law of the Heathens they forfeit the goods to the Exchequer as they doe by the the Law of the Christians though it be somewhat otherwise So the Common-wealth will take some revenge of him because in that action there doth concurre some dammage to her 3. Because our life is the gift of God 1. Sam. 2.6 so consequently it is God that giveth life and bringeth death therefore we must not dispose of the gift of God without the minde of the giver Rom. 12.4 rather because the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.23 he saith we are bought with a price we are his servants that bought us Then commeth that in Rom. 14.4 Quis tu qui jud cas servum alienum Who art thou that judgest another mans servant so Quis tu qui intersicis servum alienum Who art thou that killest another mans servant Matth. 8.32 It s said that the very swine would not have runne into the Sea but that they were carried of the Devill else they of themselves would not therefore as Aug. reproving the deed of Razis 2. Maccab. 14.37 and so consequently the authority of the writer that commendeth him for it in that place and the Papists dis-allow the thing So it is a fault to thinke that any man may kill himselfe whether he doe it that he may fugere molestias temporales hoc enim modo saith he incidunt in perpetuas to avoid temporall evils for by this meanes they fall into eternall neither ut evitet peccatum alienum ne incipiat habere gravissimum proprium to shun the sinne of another lest he become guilty of a most grievous one himselfe nor pro suo peccato for his owne sinne for there is time of repentance neither ne peccer lest he fall into sinne as the woman did in the Primitive Church sic enim incidit in peccatum certum ut evitaret incertum for so he commits a certaine sinne to avoid an uncertaine one And indeed he proveth out of Rom. 3. that we must not doe it for any cause 2. Come to the next in alium Manslaughter looking into mans nature we must not kill any other The reasons Man-slaughter besides the generall reason Quod tihi fieri non vis Matth. 7.12 c. Whatsoever ye would that men should not doe c. And besides the other of Gods Image no man must kill another Esa 58.7 he saith when thou seest a naked man cover him and despise not thine owne flesh because we are one flesh This Esa 9.20 is made a strange judgement that they should bee brought to such extremity that every man should eate the flesh of his owne arme But Gal. 5.15 this is done and if they bite one another and prey one upon another according to discords contentions and hatreds and so consume themselves unnaturall sinne Iohn 8.44 By this meanes we come to be primogeniti Diaboli Murtherers primâ—geâ—iti Diaboli Santans first begotten because he was the first murtherer Gen. 3.4 By this nequaquam moriemini yee shall not die he brought in a moriemini death and so brought them to it Gen. 4.10 It is said that the bloud of thy brother cryeth unto me because it is peccatum clamoris a crying sinne Bloud-shed that will cry and come up to Heaven and will not cease till God take revenge Other sins they may be as if he heard them not but his eares shall be open to this for this is somewhat more straight Deut. 21.8.9 A man found lying dead in the fields and no man knoweth who killed him God saith This order shall they take The Elders and Judges of Israel shall come forth and mete to the Cities that are round about him and the Elders of the next City shall take an Heifer out of the
as man eateth and drinketh every day so he drinkes iniquity like water Iob 15. Thirdly vve runne into such debts as vve are not able to discharge for if vve vvere vve needed not to say Dimitte nobis Forgive us our debts but Have patience with me and I will pay thee all Matth. 18. To signifie to us the greatnesse and number of our sinnes one vvas brought that ovved 500. pence and another that ovved 50. Luke 7. and another that ovved to his Master ten thousand Talents By vvhich vve perceive that vve cannot make satisfaction to God therefore hee must remit them The consideration vvhereof ought to vvorke in us humiliation First that as Iob sayes our hearts doe not excuse us and that vve seek not to justifie our selves that as God requireth we confesse our mis-deeds Levit. 26.40 that we acknowledge our sinnes to God and hide them not Psal 32. For if we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull to forgive our sins 1 Iohn 1. Secondly that vve doe not onely confesse but be sorry for them Psal 38. that vvhile vve are in danger to God for our sinnes vve goe and humble our selves and intreat him and suffer not our eves to sleepe till we be sure how we may obtaine forgivenesse Prov. 6 3. The consideration of sinne made David forget to eate his bread Psal 102. so greatly was he disquieted till he was assured of pardon For the second point if our sinnes be debts they must be payed Owe nothing to any but we are not able to answer one of a thousand Iob 9. and for the penalty of malediction we are not able to endure it Psal 90. Who knoweth the power of his wrath therefore our prayer must bee to God that our misery may prevaile more with God to move him to compassion then our unworthinesse to stirre up his indignation and that he will Cancell the hand-writing Col. 2. which thing for that he is full of the bowels of compassion Ier. 31.20 hee is moved to doe when he seeth us sorry for our sinnes howbeit his justice must be satisfied else his mercie cannot take place but Christ by his death having done that God saith of the sinner Deliver him for I have received a reconciliation Iob 33. Qui circumcisus est debitor est totius legis Gal. 5.3 But Christ was circumcised and therefore fulfilled the law for us ad ultimum quadrantem to the utmost farthing and not onely so but he saith of himselfe Exolvi quae non rapui I restored that which I tooke not Psal 69.4 He not onely perfectly fulfilled the Law but suffered the curse of the Law which he had not deserved with this condition Sinite istos abire Let these goe Iohn 18. that is hee was content to be the reconciliation for us that he might draw us out of the hands of Gods justice The estate of our debts may be compared with the Widewes state that was left in debt by her husband 2 King 4. for as the Lord blessed her Oyle in such sort as she did not onely pay her debts but had enough to live on after so Christ is our Oleum effusum our Oyle powred out that is of power not onely to satisfie Gods wrath for ous sins but also to give us an estate in the Kingdome of Heaven and for his sake it is that we may be bold to pray for remission of sinnes and are taught to beleeve that for his merits our sinnes are forgiven so that is true Legem operandi legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi the Law of prayer stablished both the Law of obeying and beleeving Our of Dimitie arise three things for our comfort First that even these sinnes which we commit after Baptisme after our calling and when we are come to the knowledge of the truth are remissible In teaching the Apostles to pray he assureth them of this favour that the same party that saith peccata nostra our sinnes is taught to say Pater noster Our Father Our comfort therefore is that still we are the children of God though great sinners for though we lose the dutifull affection of children yet God cannot lose Viscera patris the tender bowels of a Father David to a rebellious sonne could not but shew a fatherly affection Doe good to the young man Absolon 2 Sam. 18.5 So though the prodigall sonne had offended hainously yet the Father is ready to receive him Luke 15. Secondly another comfort that albeit we commit sinne daily yet he will daily forgive us for God should mocke us saith Augustine if bidding us pray for forgivenesse he should for all that shut up the bowels of his mercie he bids us pray for pardon of our sinnes putting no difference whether they be peny-debts or Talents whether fifty or a thousand if we aske forgivenesse he tels us be is ready daily to remit them Thirdly that be our sinnes never so great so great as cannot be satisfied by us yet he will forgive them propâ—er seipsum for his owne sake Isa 45. Christ hath made himselfe a satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world 1 Iohn 2. We must labour how we may soundly apply his satisfaction to our selves and among other meanes whereby we apply the satisfaction of Christ to our selves prayer is one They shall confesse their iniquities then I will remember my covenant Levit. 26.40.41 He shall pray unto God and he will be mercifull unto him Iob 33.26 I confessed my sins unto the Lord and thou forgavest the wickednesse of my sinne Propter hoc orabit omnis sanctus Psal 32. For this cause shall every one that is holy pray c. By vertue of this prayer Solomon saith that the people having committed any sinne if they come into the house of the Lord and pray for pardon God who is in Heaven will heare them 1 King 8.47 But this is more plaine in the new Testament Matth. 18. Did I not forgive thee quia rogasti me and to Simon Magus Pray to God if he will forgive thee the thoughts of thy heart Acts 8.22 that is if we confesse and be sorry for our sinnes and aske pardon he will forgive us How long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth to thee Psal 66. But we must be of the number that is meant by Nobis that is of the Apostles that is such as are baptized into Christs death Rom. 6. We must die unto sinne as he died for sinne Vt sicut is demisit peccata so we must dâ—mitiere peccata he hath suffered in the flesh and hath ceased from sin so must we 1 Pet. 4. We must have a care that hereafter we fall not into sinne more then our infirmity compels us For sinnes of infirmity Gods grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 11. But if we willingly sinne after remission there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 10. We are therefore to crucifie the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof if wee will be Christs and receive benefit by
ever had never wanted that he ascribes to himselfe of common things we have the like thoughts Later it could not conveniently have beene given for then it could not have beene over the World before the comming of Christ and then men might have pleaded ignorance being no time for the divulging of it To shew that in this written law of Moses be those foure parts that are in all lawes 1. Psal 19.7 The Law of God is a perfect rule for all duties and actions vers 11. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple 2. The manners 1. that we may be whole observers of it 1. Toti All the whole of all men we must doe it with all our whole soule and body For we consist but of two parts of a soule and body The soule hath but two partes mind and heart God must be scopus perfectus metae the perfect scope we aime at There must be plena intentio Dei a full intention of God The heart the will must be tota inflammata wholly inflamed For the body with all the strength every member must be an instrument of righteousnesse Deut. 6.5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God 2. Totum The whole Law with all thy heart soule and might 2. For all the law it is the wish of God Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my Commandements alwaies that it might goe well with them and with their children for ever And the contrary were very absurd for whereas God is perfectly wise if some of his precepts were needlesse then might God be arraigned of folly in not leaving out that which is superfluous as also Gods wisedome is impeached if any thing beside the law were to be kept then that added to the law would make the whole which we should doe and the law it selfe should be but part of our Agenda things to be done and so imperfect and the Lord should be an unwise Law-giver but this is impossible Therefore doth the Lord justly say Whatsoever I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there-from 3. Toti tempore at all times Deut. 12.32 3. For continuance totâ vitâ alwaies all the daies of our life Deut. 12.32 And though the place includeth not the time yet the time includeth the place alwaies without dispensation If this law be perfect 3. Pramium The reward 〈◊〉 it carrieth with it a reward 1. Tim. 4.8 There are two rewards of this life and that to come Deut. 28. à vers 3. to 9. in the soule from the 9. to the 11. Levit. 26. à vers 3 For the life to come Levit. 26.3 expounded Dan. 12. some to everlasting life c. Christ Iohn 5.29 saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall come forth that have done good to the resurrection of life but they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation Acts 26.6 7. Paul answered before Agrippa that he rested in the expectation of the just and the opinion of the Sadduces was very odious among the Jewes 4. Pâ—na The punishment Againe on the contrary if they be not kept or not after this manner 1. Toti not wholly but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a double heart Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and that keepeth backe his sword from blood And so for the whole law Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them and all the people shall say Amen For the other that continueth not in every part of the law he is cursed This curse of the Lord was pronounced by the Priest and all the people said Amen These curses are Gods curses and when he saith benè well it will be well indeed And there is a full blessing to them that can keepe it so the fulnesse of his wrath is to the breakers of it A curse without blessing and a blessing without curse In this life Deut. 28.15 But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord to keepe and to doe all his Commandâ—ments and Ordinances which I command thee this day then all those curses shall light on thee and overtake thee Levit. 26.14 But if ye will not obey me nor doe all these Commandements c. In the life to come Psal 21.9 Their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not on them Esay 66.24 For their worme shall not die nor their fire be quenched and they shall be an abomination to all flesh So that this law of Moses in summe agreeth with that of nature And as the Proconsull said in the Acts so say we This law is open the good universall and without end whereof the one taketh away feare the other filleth the desire The law is open any man that will may lay claime to it But Paul Gods Atturney from Rom. 1.18 to Rom. 7.13 laieth his accusation 1. To the Gentiles 2. To the Jewes proveth both to have forfeited after he excludeth the regenerate and withall himselfe for though the spirit were willing yet the law of his members was disobedient children guilty by reason of originall sinne as cockatrise egs All men guilty of prevarication and doing against their owne knowledge But Pauls owne argument is sufficient because the stipend of sinne hath taken hold on all and the stipend of sinne is death God being just therefore sinne also must needs take hold on all David confessed this Delict a quis intelligit Who can understand his faults Salomon confessed he could lay no clame to it What then If all offend it should seeme God commanded an impossible thing to be kept It is sure that God is just Therefore we must thinke that there is no injustice in the dealings of God though the matter be never so untoward yet the rule must be streight not as a Lesbian leaden rule 2. It cannot be otherwise for God being perfectly just his rule also must be perfectly just Why then were we not made to it Adam received strength to fulfill it in that perfection that was required but he was like the evill servant who receiving money of his master to accomplish his businesse spendeth it and so maketh his excuse that he hath no money to lay out or being sent about his masters businesse in the way is drunken and so is not able to discharge that businesse that is justly required at his hands And thus of the law generally A preparation to the exposition of the Law PSalm 119.144 The Law of the Lord is from everlasting Genes 1.26 Let us make man according to our Image and likenesse Colos 3.10 The likenesse of God is said to be in all knowledge And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him A preparation
Psal 101. 131. he condemeth a proud and high stomacke Esay 3.16 He condemneth the walking with the necke stretched forth and with a foolish strange gate 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the frizeling of the haire Oversumptuous aparrell plates c. Zeph. i. 8 strange apparrell because they are not the signes of Gods gifts and rather are of pride then of decency ye ought not to seeme that which ye are not Sarahs modest lookes modest apparrell commended by the Apostle Sarah went modestly so should you God will have the signe to goe with the thing signified The sixt rule 6. Rule the rule of mans lawes Accessorium sequitur naturam principalis Agentes consentientes pari poena plectuntur The accessory followeth the nature of the principall doers and consenters suffer or are punished alike The reason Quia lex non solùm observanda sed etiam conservanda We must see that not onely our selves be observers of the law but that others also observe it We must understand that God will have glory from us and not for us and from others by us Sic luceat lux vestra sicut ego sicut tu ego sicut tu tu sient ego So let your light shine c. for as I as thou I am as thou and thou as I not that you might be glorified but that men seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Therefore there must be in us a care that God might be glorified both in our selves and in others and consequenly we must not be accessary to any evill nor command any whereby other mens sinnes may become ours This sinne it is committed either in things lawfull or unlawfull unlawfull is called peccatum alienum Quot modis rei fimus peccati alieni How many waies we become guilty of another mans sinne 1. Iussio In commanding men sin 1. By ungodly statute 2. Without statute by word of mouth 3. Commandement of one present 4. Absent by writing A man may commit sinne being farre of a strange sinne lawfull is called scandalum offence 1. In unlawfull things For which they set downe nine waies which may be brought to six whereof the two first concerne Magistrates the other foure concerne all men alike In them this sinne is extended if they command any thing that is evill either in manner of a law Esay 10.1 Woe to them that decree wicked decrees and write grievous things c. Dan. 3.4 5 6. Nebuchadnezar made the law for idolatry the people are commanded by an Herald at the sound of a Trumpet c. to goe fall downe and worship the golden image that he had set up 2. 1 Sam. 22 18. Saul himselfe drawes not the sword and falls on the Priests yet for commanding Doeg the murder became his Though the murder of the Priests was committed by Doeg yet the offence rested on Saul for commanding Doeg Acts 23.2 3. Though Ananias rose not out of his seate to strike Paul yet because he was stricken at his commandement Paul calleth him painted wall for it and denounceeth the judgement of God against him This blow was extended to Ananias 3. If we write as David wrote 2 Sam. 11.15 David did not put Vriah in the fore-front of the strength of the battell but Joab but because he wrote to Joab to put him in the fore-front the murther of Vriah is attributed to him by Nathan 1 King 21.10 Jezebel was farre off when Naboth was stoned but because she wrote to the Elders of Israel to proclaime a fast and to set Naboth among the chiefe of the people and to set wicked men to witnesse against him and so to put him to death she was made guilty of his death The second removens prohibens the removing of that which should be an impediment 2. Petmissio conniventia Permission connivence This is a mover to a second sinne namely the sinne of permission or of winking at faults When a man is in authority though he command not an evill thing yet because he is in authority and so hath power to restraine evill doers if he do not he is in fault Levit. 20.4 5. If the people of the land hide their eyes and winke at that man when he giveth his children to Moloch and kill him not 5. Then will I set my face against that man and gainst his family and will cut him off c. That is if the people in whom it lay to redresse the fault neglected to do it and suffered the malefactor to live the fault should have beene on their heads and yet the malefactours should not escape unpunished August Man hath the sword committed into his hands ut malus si non demittat voluntatem amittat facultatem peccandi if a wicked man lay not aside the will let him want the power and faculty of sinning Of the civill Magistrate in a Common wealth Rom. 13.4 the Apostle describing the civill Magistrate he saith that he beareth not the sword for nought and telleth the end wherefore he beareth it namely to take vengeance of the evill doers 2. The Ecclesiasticall Magistrate in the Church 1 Cor. 5.2 There is a rule for Ecclesiasticall Magistrates For he inveyeth against them of Corinth for not executing Ecclesiasticall punishment upon an open offender but suffered him to be in the Church 3. Domesticall censure of the father on his children 1 Sam. 3.13 And I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth Quia vidit filios indignè agere non prohibuit For his sonnes ranne into a slander and he stayed them not was Elies offence for which God told him that he would judge his house for ever So also 1 Kings 20.42 Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I had appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people The punishment that should have lighted on Benhadad for his sinne lighted on Ahab for suffering him to escape He that suffereth an offender to escape unpunished the state of that party shall be as the state of the party permitted Iohn 19.16 Iohn 19 16. Matth. â—7 37 Mark 15. â—1 Luke 23.26 For a perpetuall opprobrie of Pilate there is set downe that he delivered Christ to the Jewes to be crucified What a faire shew made he what a doe kept he in washing his hands before all the people in protesting his innocence of Christs death yet because he was the chiefe of the Province and had authority to withhold the Jewes from killing Christ he was guilty of the death of Christ 1 Kings 1.6 Adoniahs wantonnesse and riot came on this occasion because his father David was loath to displease him from his childhood nor would so much as say why dost thou thus What this permission will worke in the end Adoniah by permission in his youth after became ambitious and
trayterous And it pleaseth the Holy Ghost throughout the whole course of the Bookes of Samuel and the Kings to leave this as a blemish for wicked Kings Quia non c. That they tooke not away the groves and high places c. that they permitted the high places to stand Therefore Augustine saith very well Tu imple personam tuam alioqui Deus de te de illo implebit suam Performe thou thy part otherwise God will performe his both upon thee and upon him Thou shalt be punished with the offender and its better ut sentiam lenitatem patrie quam severitatem judicis that I feele the lenity of a father then the severity of a Judge 3. Provocation The other goe before action 3. Provocation provoking to sinne Provocation is by two means whether it be of a superiour or inferiour 1. By daring as Jobs wife Iob 2.9 Dost thou continue in thine uprightnesse blaspheme God and die Or as when men be provoked to sweare to anger c. 2. To provoke by alluring meanes 1 Kings 21.25 Iezebel Ahab sold himselfe to doe evill whom Iezebel his wife provoked And Iob if he had beene tempted no doubt his wife had beene guilty of it And God is so farre from provoking that he taketh it cleane from the superiours to their inferiours Ephes 6.4 Fathers provoke not your children but bring them up in the feare of God Generally Galat. 5.26 Le ts not be desirous of vaine-glory provoking one another 4. Malum consilium Evill counsel envying one another 4. Evill counsell or advice Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the ungodly Genes 49.6 Iacob lying in his deathbed and calling his sonnes together to blesse them saith Simeon and Levi into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou joyned with their assembly For in their wrath they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall The same prayer maketh Iob 21.16 Loe their wealth is not in their hand therefore let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me Ezra c. 4. v. 5. Privy Counsellers hired to hinder the building of the Temple 2 Sam. 16.21 Absolon committed the incest with dis fathers concubines but the incest is layd to Ahitophel that did put the counsell into his head Marke 6.24 Herods wifes daughter asked John Baptists head in a platter but Herodias the mother counselled her to aske it and the blood of that godly man is laid to her charge Iohn 11.49 50. The sinne of the Jewes in desiring Christ to be crucified came upon Caiphas his head that gave them the advise Acts 19.25 The uproare against Paul is laid to Demetrius the Silversmith that counselled the rest of the handicrafts men c. These by extension are also condemned 5. Consensus Consent Consensus interpretativus Consent by interpretation These two goe before 5. The fault of consent Consilium est instar agentis principalioris consensus instar instrumenti Counsell is like the principall agent consent like the instrument Rom. 1.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but consent with them that doe them Consensu peccatur men sinne by consent whether it be as the Lawyers say consensu directo vel vero vel interpretativo by plaine consent or consent by interpretation 1 Tim. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure Consent by interpretation is when a man is instrument of an evill deed by his action though in words he mislike it 2 Sam. 11.16 Ioab is an instrument of evill namely Davids instrument to kill Vriah 2. And not onely that but approbation also Acts 8.1 Saul is said to have beene consenting to Stephens death by onely keeping their clothes that stoned Stephen Num. 16.26 Moses maketh all consenters to the rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram which stood by and would not depart from their tents 3. Taking part in the gaine Ps◠50.18 When thou sawest a Thiefe thou consentedst to him and hast beene partaker with the adulterers 4. Casting of lots Prov. 1.14 Cast in thy lot among us we will have all one purse 5. Another is consensus silentii consent by silence When a man is bound to withstand another mans sinnes and doth it not be doth after a sort consent to it That he is bound to it Levit. 19.17 a flat precept This is commonest of all the reason why this consent by silence is a sinne is this Augustine ut malus sermo inducit in peccatum sic malum silentium relinquit in peccato as evill counsell leads men into sinne so evill silence leaves men in sinne 6. Is no doubt a kind by consent by interpretation but it s so speciall 6 Defending c. that it may be a kind of it selfe namely a defending commending flattering of other in their sinnes excusing of them when they are done c. Pro 24.24 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him Prov. 16.29 Lactant amicos suos ducunt per viam non bonam with faire words they deceive their friends and lead them by a way which is not good This lactatio peccatorum this deceiving of sinners is the way that leades to destruction Ps 55.22 Habent verba butyrina they have words as smooth as Butter but warre in their hearts Their words were softer to him then Oyle yet very swords Let not their sweet words breake my head but rather let the godly reprove me friendly Rom. 16.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By good words and faire speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple A woe pronounced against them Esay 5.20 Woe to them that speake good of evill and evill of good which put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter And Ezek. 13.10 they are said to be dawbers up of other mens sins And therefore because they have deceived my people saying peace when there is no peace and one built up a wall and behold the other dawbed it with untempered morter and in the 18. verse they are called sowers of pillowes under other mens elbowes We have example of this 1 Kings 22. in Ahabs false Prophets verse 6. Goe up for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King And especially in Zidkiah verse 11. that made himselfe hornes of Iron saying Thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push at the Aramites untill thou hast consumed them And because Micaiah stood against him he was smitten on the face and sent away to prison The reason why this sinne is so grievous when a man commeth to commend sinne it s a signe that his judgement and conscience are corrupt Non autem semper corrupta est mens
but Gods will is the rule of all justice there can be no danger in his dispensations This is their rule Quod licitum est mutatur exsuperveniente causa what is lawfull is changed by the accession of a new cause So in some cases God hath restrained his law but very seldome dispensed such a thing is in the Law of God though not so common The warrant of this is either first by his word the image of the brazen serpent against the second Commandement Or secondly by ratifying by signes blessing them by extraordinary gifts above the cours of mankind For these dispensations or exemptions from the common law because they be priviledges they are to be restrained to the persons to whom they were granted as in the doings of the Prophets these warrants now cease Quae exorbitant à jure communi non sunt trahenda in consequentiam vel argumento argumenti vel exemplo This is a maxim These things which swerve from common right are not to be drawne into consequence either for proofe of an argument or for example Though we be willing to make many restraints yet there are but few and if we make more great injury is done to God It s a commendation of a law to have fewest priviledges for where there are fewest dispensations there is most equity as he said of Rome that all the good Emperours might be graven on the one side of a penny and therefore great injury done to God in it granting they were Therefore in Gods they should be are fewest The slaughter of Phineas the marriage of Oseah the robbery of the Egyptians are not restraints for this is certaine that though they were yet they are not for us they are not for our times neither have we the signe of the voice of God for them And it may be proved substantially that many things in the old Testament which are thought to be restraints were not but kept to the uttermost This is to stop the mouth of vaine persons that cannot uphold themselves but with the distinction of ordinary and extraordinary and indeed all the stirre now adaies is about the limiting of ordinary and extraordinary The conclusion is we have but little use of this rule 2. Rule Natura praecepti The nature of the precept 2. Rule By the nature of a precept that in sundry cases it giveth a restraint the nature of the fift Commandement to honour superiours Princes having none upon earth are exempted The nature of the fourth Commandement one day in seven And this restraint troubleth them that fancy a perfecter righteousnesse The continuall practice of an affirmative is part of a precept The rule of the affirmative precept Semper tenemur bonum facere sed non tenemur bonum facere semper Affirmat tenet semper negat tenet semper ad semper We are bound alwaies to do good but we are not bound to worke alwaies The affirmative precept must needs be restrained the negative not so Some thinke themselves bound to thinke on nothing but God The negative indeed holdeth at all times the affirmative doth not Augustine Miro modo homo etiam ex amore Dei â—on cogitat de Deo After an unspeakable manner a man even from the love of God thinketh not of God Even as a man from the use of reason ceaseth from the use of reason this is plaine by a familiar example as in sleepe So in abstaining from a good worke he doth a good worke Quemadmodum homo ex usu rationis caret vel cessat ab usu rationis sic ex amore Dei abstinet ab amore Dei The reason is the nature of doing a good thing well standeth thus that there must be a concurring of all due cases and circumstances belonging thereto Malum ex singularium defectu oritur bonum è causa integra Evill ariseth from the defect of any one cause but good springs from a whole and intire cause Now all these circumstances cannot alwaies concurre and so consequently cannot alwaies be kept Therefore in respect of the affirmative part we are exempted by the nature of it And secondly the ardour of affection that is required in doing good sheweth that it cannot continue in a perpetuity This also is not of so great use The third rule is of greatest use â— Rule This by sundry occasions receiveth sundry judgements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A conflict of lawes and yet they may be reduced to one rule The case is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conflict of two lawes The Jewes say when two Commandements make one another a lyer till a third commeth and maketh them agree by restraining one of them This therefore is for a rule Nemo unquam ita perplexus est inter duo peccata quin illi pateat exitus sine tertio No man is so perplexed betwixt two sinnes but that a way out lyeth open without a third And if it were not so it should argue a great want of knowledge in God 2. How we shall be able to rid our selves out of both sine tertio peccato without a third sinne Either the 2. precepts may be compounded and reconciled or not reconciled If they may be agreed upon then there is no necessity that a third come but we may dimittere erroneam opinionem let goe the erroneous opinion As in Herod If he had let go his oath his perpetuity had been none After his promises and oath he was in such a perplexity that he imagined that he must either breake his oath or put John Baptist to death he should let goe his opinion and let Iohn Baptists head stand still For if he had let goe his oath he had committed no more sinne then before If they cannot be agreed upon Tum agat id ad quod est magis obligatus then let him doe that to which he is more bound Whose end is superiour Cantic 2. Dominus or dinavit in nobis charitatem his banner over us was love He hath set one law above another all must not come together The rule in reason and judgement Vbi est principium ibi digerendae sunt res ad illud principium Where a principle is there things are to be directed to that principle The chiefe end is Gods glory 2. The soule and health of man the health of every man 3. The like care of our brethren In respect of the glory of God the health of man must fall to the ground Vt misericordia pateat that mercy may be manifested That God might have the glory and he purchace to himselfe mercy But that the justice of God may have his glory salvation must be denied to other our health before our brethren we may not commit sinne to deliver them from sinne Therefore a man must have speciall regard of himselfe The first Table doth bind more then the second The health of our owne soules to be preferred before our brethrens The reason is because none can deliver his
curse of God whose maledicere est malefacere is due to this sinne of disobedience for it is a very reproachfull thing to God to account his Commandements as the servant Matth. 25.24 I knew that thou wast an hard man reaping where thou sowedst not A signe of this the Rainebow which doth not only mind us of the covenant but of the generall deluge wherby God punished the disobedience of the old world the performance sheweth what effect it wrought in God but especially Rom. 5.19 the cause of death is properly ascribed to this sinne of disobedience Bernard and that disobedience is the cause of our death our daily experience telleth us Quotidie experimur quotidie enim morimur and God saith by that a man sinneth he shall be punâ—shed so that as we withdraw our obedâ—ence from God so Rom 8.20 the creatures they shall withdraw their obedience from us and that is attributed to this cause And not that onely during this life we have not onely without us but we finde a disobedience in our selves Rom. 7.23 the 2. lawes in us in which the affections will not be subject to reason and reason cannot have any government over them because we disobey our Creator More particularly by Psal 119.32 the way of obedience is the path of his Commandements Deut. 5.32 from which way we have a division of wayes a way to the right hand and a way to the left hand Preach 10.2 the heart of a wise man is on his right hand but the heart of a foole on his lest from that place the Fathers fetch this interpretation It is said that the heart of the wiseman is on his right hand there is probabilis inobedientia a disobedience that is not voyd of some probable pretence and such was Sauls here in Gilgal his answer might seeme reasonable but that it is not it that God commanded which we should ever make our rule and not the guidance of our owne reason and into this fall the opposites of those before not subjecting our selves to heare and follow the giving eare to the voyce of our owne reason and of the world and of mingling them all these wayes leade ad dexiram to the right hand The way whereby we are led into the left-hand way we may count their folly that have no probability that 2 Thes 3.2 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wicked and absurdly wicked insomuch as the course of life they take beareth no colour but whosoever shall looke upon it shall presently see it debauched with out all colour or excuse The manner is opposed to Readily Phil. 2.14 that their obedience must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without murmurings and disputings As in obedience so in disobedience the two exorbitations and the manner disordered Murmuring was alwayes almost the fault of the Israelites for making of dialogues and asking of causes Why for this cause rather then for that and why now rather then at another time as Luther saith well of the sect of the Quaeristae they will goe with Why in infinitum Both these are to be removed and under these you may include the fault of them in Matth. 22.5 or more plaine Luke 14.18 they fell all at once to make excuses The Angels yeeld no reasons why they should not obey nor excuse nor murmure The last thing is in the degree the degrees be two 1. neglect 2. contempt Neglect Matth. 22.12 he that came in negligently without his wedding garment 2. in the same place vers 5. of those that set themselves to excuses and refused to come contempt This rule Austin giveth of them both Neglectus ubique culpabilis contempius ubique damnabilis Neglect is alway blameable but contempt is alway damnable The meanes Heb. 11. that being in a good way they gave over all possibility and yeelded themselves wholly to God 1. The speciall to this is the consideration of the good service that God hath had of his Saints before-time and how they had great offers in the world as Moses Ioseph Esay c. if they had listed to have followed and heard the oblocutor but they were resolute that nothing should draw them from God this is the first 2. Our Saviour Christ his example may be as a second as he was man Et subjectus est â—llis quibusâ—llis pauperi fabro foeminae Luke 2.51 he went to Nazareth and was subject to them Bernards question upon these words Who are they that the Sonne of God should be subject unto them faber foemina a Carpenter and a Woman as he was God or rather as he was Christ God and man Heb. 5.8 where it is said that though he were the Sonne of God yet learned he obedience and indeede by his obedience to the Crosse he recovered the world And if any will make exception and say that we are not able to match with him or with the Saints of God 3. Then we may take for the third example the state and course of all creatures Matth. 8.27 the 2. unruliest creatures the Wind and Sea obey the word of Christ What fellow is this cui venti mare obediunt that even the winds and the seas obey him Take all the creatures the heavens the elements c. there should be no manner of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorder in them were it not that onely man hath broken it and so hath put himselfe and all other creatures out of order and this their obedience they have beene ready to give over i. they have obeyed against their owne course at Gods will as the Sunne standing still at Ioshuahs commandement whereas it is his nature to move continually and the fire not burning the three children and Dan. 6. the Lions refraining from devouring of Daniel the earth moving being of her owne nature immovable so that they are not onely audientes verbo divino but also obedientes hearers of the word but obeyers which is the very true and perfect obedience to obey in giving over our owne nature That if any man be disobedient he is therefore disobedient because it cannot be conveniently performed 4. Another may be taken from the nature of our obedience for naturall reason saith where there is one duty there are at the least two extremes and of the obedience of sinne is multiplicior then the obedience of God It is truly said of the Heathen man negligentia plus laborat quam diligentia idlenesse is more toyle then imployment and so we may say of every vertue the adulterous man laboureth more then the chaste and the covetous man more then the well contented man 5. Now as this is true that there is such equity in the Commandement as if there were no reward yet without reward we should obey it yet which may be the 5. there is so great reward annexed unto it that though there were more difficulty and lesse equity yet it were justly to be performed in regard of the greatnesse of the
somthing lesse that he desireth and so there is equality when nimis is punished with minus For this equality of it it must be in the father and in the child if equality be not broken in them here is no injustice For the Fathers say frustra requirit debitum qui non impendit indebitum to require a debt and not to pay that that is due is no justice as GOD saith Deut. 32.6 Do ye so reward the Lord O foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee He hath made thee and proportioned thee and qui contristat patrem suum merito contristatur à silio suo that is If we being GODS children grieve him it is a good right we should be grieved of ours Another is that Gen. 17.7 in regard of the visible Covenant in the Sacrament he is the GOD of vs and our seed so when the father breaketh the Covenant he saith out of Matth. 27.25 Let this mans bloud be super nos filios nostros upon us and on our children 2. To the sonne first sure it is and all agree in it that in a temporall punishment because filius is res patris a possession of the fathers therefore he may temporally be punished the body may be punished Deut. 1.1 in regard of the Covenant made with us and our seed it must suffer as we doe But for warrant of the equalitie his nature is it that GOD findeth as Cantic 2.15 the Church findeth a nest of young foxes they have yet destroyed no vineyards nor worried any lambes but if they grow up sure it is they will doe both Now the question is Whether the Church may say capite nobis vulpeculas c. take us these young foxes Because there is a poysonous nature in the scorpions eggs therefore we may tread them under-foot And it standeth with justice For Ps 51.5 As soone as ever the seed is warmed it conceaveth sinne assoone as sinne commeth there is no way to recover it DEUS tui seminis tui he is not only our quod but the quod of our seed Therefore justly may it be destroyed Then there is no way to recover it but by contract of marriage for that as Hose 2.2 GOD hath sent them a bill of divorcement Plead with your mother for she is not my wife nor I her husband but let her put away her fornications out of her sight adulterers from betwixt her breasts And so consequently they have no interest in the Covenant because as its Deut. 31.6 They have gone a whooring after them that are no gods after gods of strange lands and Job 31.12 it is said It should be a fire that should devour to destruction and root out all his increase Then there is a third thing to be put to both these namely a propagation of this sinne by an education whereby every one is delighted to bring vp his owne children as he himselfe was as 1. Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we doe like our fathers Our fathers have worshipped Baal and we do so also Symmachus saith That Religion that commeth to us having continued thus many yeares let vs keepe it still And the propagatian of this sinne proceedeth as it were a leprosie If it once take hold in the father it continueth in all the posteritie yet GOD when he executeth this judgement exequitur chirographo suo non paterno it is for his owne debt not for his fathers But in this case jus meriti is left and we flie to jus beneficii we plead not merit but mercie And it is the obligation betwixt the child GOD and not the father and GOD it must be gratuitum his free Covenant that we must hold by Therfore we must remove from the the Court of Justice to the Court of Mercie where we have not jus meriti but jus beneficii By the which as Augustine saith well good fathers have wicked children ne virtus videretur esse haereditaria least virtue should seeme hereditary And againe wicked fathers have good children ne malitia serperet in infinitum least naughtinesse should grow on to be infinite To resolve these First it is certaine here is no punishment for the grapes that are in the fathers mouthes but in their owne 2. This punishment is only in respect of Justice but miseretur cujus vult he will have mercie on whom he pleaseth And he have mercie once then this which Gregorie saith only he qui imitatur gravatur he that imitateth sin it is he that feeleth the smart of it The bond of this Commandement is agravated as Ezek. 18.28 it is said If he turne from all his sinnes that he hath done he shall surely live and not die But now the matter is removed from the former question GOD saith Jer. 8.7 I will speake suddenly against a nation to destroy it But of this nation against whom I have pronounced Turne I will repent and it shall stand i. e. I will speake suddainly I will build a nation but if they keepe not my precepts I will not as we see 1. Sam. 2.32 There is a good purpose to have established Levi his house in Eli but now there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever but Jonah 3.10 God said Nineveh shall be destroyed but by a new decree reversed These come from other Courts And this serveth for all Gods commandements The use to be made of this First to breed a carefulnesse on both sides in Fathers to their children and in children to their Fathers but 1. Sam. 11.15 the punishment is upon the Fathers For their children why that we Secondly may learne as Deut. 26.5 to acknowledge our selves to be sonnes of Idolatry and every one sayd before the Lord his God My Father was a Syrian who being ready to perish c. and all to say with David Psal 106.6 Wee have sinned with our Fathers wee have committed iniquity and dealt foolishly and as Dan. 9.8 to pray that wee may not beare our Fathers sinnes And as backward so forward Gen. 18.19 It is said of Abraham that he would take order that his Family should serve God after him a mutuall care for the building up one of another The promise is mercy it proceeds from zeale There is a zeale for a thing and against it a zeale to doe good Esa 9.7 the increase of his government and peace shall have no end c. Zelus Domini exercituum perficiet hoc the zeale of the Lord of hostes will performe this and as it is said of that zeale Cantic 8.6 it wrestled with the grave and death so that the taking away of that part of zeale is a great paine and Ezek. 16.42 the promising of that jealousie is threatned by this he promiseth mercy A great promise because it containeth all promises and benefits of God and therefore if wee be purged from sinne or what good soever wee doe it cometh from his mercy Againe for Mercy as
making of the soile fit and so to gula and in it to crapula feeding too much It is well said that gula is vestibulum luxuriae the gallery that letchery goeth thorow and that by reason the faculties stand so for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is officina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuâ—ritiva is officina generativae the nutritive faculty is the shop of the generative and so if it be well looked into there is good hope that wee shall the better deale with it Gal. 5.21 Whereas he saith there that one of the fruits of the flesh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse hee addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 banâ—uetting as another Ezek. 16 49. The Prophet there saith that one of the especiall motives of the Sodomits was fulnesse of bread that mâ—de them fit for destruction And Ierom upon that place saith nunquam ego edacem hominem castum putabam pro qualitate ciborum est ordo membrorum for venter bene pastus cito despumat ad libidinem I ever thought a great eater to be unchast for according to the quality of the meates is the order of the members a well fed belly will soone waxe wanton There commeth to this Ingluvies gluttony besides that as Iohn 6.12 it is injurious to God in destroying Gods creatures Luke 15.13 a wasting of Gods creatures in vaine It is fruges male consumere Idlely to spend graine Prov. 23.20 21. And it will at last begger a man Siracides cap. 18. vers ult sheweth how he must make banquets although he borrow for them and so come in debt The Heathen man foed ssimum patrimoniorum exitium culina They cannot be worse spent then upon the kitchin And besides as Numb 11.34 there are graves of lusts i. surfettings that hasten a mans death It is our gentile vitium nationall sinne There is an infinite sort of graves of lusts in our Countrey When they are sicke they call for sanitas and when they have it they become afterwards to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betrayers of their health with surfetting Besides these effects in the body Againe in the soule Luke 8.17 It maketh Sermons and whatsoever exercise of godlinesse unfruitfull it is a speciall meanes to choake it Luke 21.34 It maketh our heart so heavie and our braines so unapt by reason of the fuming of the meate and drinke that riseth up to the head that a man is not fit for any thing but to sleepe Amos 6. Greg. saith ad ineptam laetitiam scurrile mirth Besides this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lust there is first hebetudo mentis durities cordis a dulnesse of the minde and hardnesse of the heart Amos 6.6 They drinke their wine in bowles and they had no compassion on Iosephs affliction c. There is no sympathy with these and them that want and it is a great preparative to the vice After when as Deut. 32.15 Moses in his song my fatling well fedde recalcitravit kicked and so will the body Prov. 27.2 Bring up your servant wantonly and he will prove stubborne feede him delicately and he will be check-mate with you Eccles 30.8 Equus indomitus a horse not broken becommeth head-strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be wilfull a wanton childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the flesh proveth stubborne if it be like didectus impinguatus Iesurum waxed fat 1 Pet. 2.11 These desideria carnis these concupiscences militant adversus animam They make the enemies warfare stronger against the soule And what a folly is it to strengthen the enemy Then in this behalfe for avoyding of these concupiscences Pauls counsell 1 Cor. 9.27 Castigatio corporis to keepe under the body and one manner of castigation is per damnum by taking away some commodity as castigatio jumentorum the keeping under of labouring beasts is by taking away their provender This in effect is that we use Temperance which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Butler of all vertues Naturally this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosophers call her the voyce of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let me not be hungry thirsty cold c. Esau when he was hungry called Iacobs pottage lenticulum a little Lentill it was it seemes then savory Sitis non quaerit aurea pocula thirst cares not for drinking in gold But it is this Non resistere ulli desiderio quod habet umbram naturae when we yeeld to any desire that pleaseth nature that maketh us wanton he will not have it in this dish and he will not eate it if it be thus drest and so then venter the belly commeth to be molestus cliens a trouble some client We must necessarily have recourse to Temperance which consisteth in modo in the meane and that modus est in medio and that meane is in the middle and that is knowne per regulam by the rule Therefore the rule of Temperance is 1. Necessitas vitae Rule of temperance things necessary for life 1 Tim. 6.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having food and raiment let us be therewith content 2. Necessitas officii things necessary for our duty and calling 1 Cor. 9.25 he that is athleia a wrestler must not have so much meat so if he fast he detracteth or he that will be contemplative and a student detracteth a husband-man addeth 3. Voluptas quae neutrum horum impedit seu impediat things necessary for delight which neither doe or may hinder either of the former two If it be against duty or against life it is peccatum a sinne According to these rules we must bridle our desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee must make temperance our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Coach-man and give her the bridle that she may constringere relaxare Temperamia fraenos gutiuris constrimgit relaxat both keepe us in and let us out for temperance both gives the reines to and takes them away from the appetite Aug. The Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venus waites on plenty And for temperance Eâ—â—â—â—â—d if the first part be well looked unto the other will be easie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first regulate the belly The rule of five branches for governing himselfe in this 1. Concerning the substance if ye respect not the substance Luk. 16.19 the rich glutton must fare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—lendide delicately every day Numb 11.6 They were weary of Manna and they must have Quailes For certaine it is Dan. 1.12 if a man have moratum ventrem no dainty palate his Pulse will serve It is that that served Daniel and his companions and yet they looked never a whit the worse Else as 1 Sam. 2.16 Elies sonnes they must have roste they cannot eate sodden meate when a man breaketh not himselfe as for the substance of the meate it is not to be dainty nor course so he be injurious to the Adverbe lauie costly And last of all 1 King 17.6 by Elias his
possession that a man will esteeme above pearles So besides the former thefts there is another theft of the appropriety of the party here In this Commandement two things goe further especially there followeth lightly of this Incest by keeping it close for the party not knowing how he is allied he cannot tell sometimes which is his race or linage it falleth out that he joyneth with them with whom he is allied and to whom he may not match himselfe and so falleth into such a sinne c. therefore not onely that but divorces And it is plaine by the whole course of profane Histories that the greatest civill warres of divers nations yea and foraine warres have proceeded of misliking for as 2 Sam. 13.15 that the hatred of Amnon grew to be more then his love was before so they must needs exceedingly hate one another To these if we adde the branch of the ninth commandement perfidiam false measures and not onely that barely but perjury also for there is a solemne oath delivered to and from the parties before the congregation and so the breach of the third Commandement and besides these that God himselfe threatneth Ephes 4.18 that it shall change the wisedome of the wise and make them sottish as we see in Solomon and Hose 4.11 that it shall take away the heart of the strong Example in Sampson the strongest that ever was These are prejudiciall to the Common-wealth and the curse of God upon the parties and the Common-wealth Deut. 23.2 Hose 4.10 they shall commit adultery and shall not increase hence the barrennesse of the fields Ier. 23.10 punishment of this and barrennesse of the wombe Hose 4.10 and more Iob 31.12 they shall bee put out for this fault the two Tribes were punished as the ten Tribes for Incest so is the Common-wealth endammaged by it Gen. 40.22 Egypts course for it Ioseph was committed to that prison out of which the chiefe Baker was hanged therefore it was capitall among them And Ier. 29.21 22 13. the adultery of Ahab the sonne of Kolaiah and his companion Zedekiah sonne of Maaseiah that the King of Babel should burne them with fire And his comparison Prov. 6.30.32 wonderfully abjecting theft in regard of this Theft tolerable in respect of this whereas now theft is commonly punished with death and that not a very absurd thing 10. Now if the parties be solutae single if she continue with us it is concubinatus the keeping of a Harlot that is not common How God misliketh it he sheweth by a continuall threatning Gen. 21.10 crossed first in Agar Cast her out and her sonne They call them Concubines which being their servants or baser they ought not to marry for disparagement yet it was punished with vexing them Gen. 35.22 punished in Iacob by Rubens Incest with Billah and Iudg. 19.2 a Levit tooke a Concubine and she played the whore and 2 Sam. 3.7 Saul punished in his Concubines by Abner and David in his 2 Sam. 16.12 by Absalom and Solomons Concubines had the worst issue of all 1 King 11. 11. Next if the deede be done once onely it is stuprum Stuprum done to a Virgin or Widow forbidden Deut. 22.21 the punishment death Gen. 34.21 Gods hand on the whole City Shechem for the rape of Dinah and on Tamar Gen. 38.25 upon the dishonouring of a Widow because they be in potestate alterius in the power of an other a Virgin in potestate patris so an injury to the father and the Widow being in his power that is in possibility to marry her c. 12. When the deed is oft used Fornication it is fornication Though it be oft used for the generall sinne ye it is properly called vaga libido vagus concubitus wandring lust promiscuous that is when the party is so before forbidden Rom. 1.29 Gal. 5.29 more plainely 1 Cor. 10.8 Numb 25.9 punished with the death of 23000. Iudg. 20.4 A whole Tribe almost destroyed at once and that by their brethren having warrant from God thereby God sheweth plainely what account he maketh of it Paena hard leaving this sin Beyond these three the iteration of it that is a punishment joyned to it Prov. 21.3 if a man be once taken with it he shall hardly returne Prev 5.12 at his later end he shall wonder at himselfe and say How c. vers 22. it is a sinne with cords a man shall be bound with it Prov. 23.27 like the falling into a deepe narrow pit wherein a man cannot helpe himselfe therefore hard getting up and Prov. 7.27 like the grave As they that are buried in Hell rise not againe so they that take a taste of it shall never returne againe except by great grace of God as Solomon but Prov. 9.18 her ghests not only in the grave but also in the bottome of Hell shewing plainely that this experieutia cognita knowledge by experience breedeth still more and more cords and still deeper and deeper Prostitutio Stewes 13. Beyond these is prostitutio both of private men Levit. 19.29 and publikely Ezek. 22.11 Every one did it chap. 6.24 they built them stewes a brothell-house detested by the Prophet and godly Princes as Asa 1 King 15.12 have laboured to remove them 14. The last pitch of all is defending of it Defense as we know some by publike writing have maintained so Gen. 18.19 not the deed but the cry was very great and Gen. 19.9 there is a patterne of it For when Lot had told them that it was not lawfull they say it is good wee will doe it he is a stranger c. And of the same with women Agur Prov. 30.20 she saith Non commisi iniquitatem I have done no wickednesse and Numb 25.6 frons meretricis a whores forehead for there Zimri brought in a strumpet before Moses and the congregation being at prayers and that into his Tent Phil. 3.19 men glory in their shame Now against these are 2. vertues Castitas chastity Coelebs single Conjugalis conjugall 1 Cor. 7.8 Castitas â—oelebs The first commended vers 38. It is better then the other either simply or else vers 26. in regard of present necessity which is to be weighed that he would have men vers 32. to be without care If they be married vers 24. there is trouble and care of family c. so vers 5. they must watch fast and pray with consent which else they may doe freely without consent thus in regard of the troubles and cares of the married estate coelibatus is the better And consequently in a second thing 1 Cor. 9.15 he might do it but he would not be burthensome c. and he would not be charged with covetousnesse but to be liberall 1 Cor. 7.35 he would have our cleaving to the Lord to be without separation Now that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall affections beget in us a care of res familiares of domesticall affaires and too often doe separate us
must not thinke when they come to buying and selling that they come to a spoile but avoid that dispraising and abjecting of wares Prov. 20.14 Malum est malum est it is naught it is naught but yet afterwards when he is gone he boasteth of his peniworths Amos 8.6 We must not sell the needy for shoes which when they come to expound they can interpret no otherwise then that needy men which must needs have money they will wring them so hard that they shall have little or nothing for their wares Micah 7.2 calleth it a net this ought not to be Levit. 6.5 Ps 15.4 Prov. 24.4 if he adde an oath fraudulenter he saith if beside deceiving he adde an oath he shall never recall though it be to his owne harme 1 Pet. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay aside all guile Come to theft without the Contract Theft without the Contract it is done as before 1. By a reach beyond our brother Stellionatus 2. Illo nescio he not knowing of it After it divideth it selfe into sartum domesticum it is Tit. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—â—tion dâ—â—â—siâ—â—â—â— intervertere when as they turne something into their owne purse when the servant beguileth the Master or the Steward him whose Steward he is or if not onely a Steward or servant but a Disciple we see it was Iudas his fault Iohn 12.6 he did privily divert out of the bagge to his owne spending this is surtum domesticum houshold theft or theft within dores 2. To this they adde servos sugitivoâ— fugitive servants because the servant is a part of his Masters possessions there is a detraction of somewhat from the possession for he detracteth himselfe and so diminisheth it Philem. vers 12. Though Paul could have found in heart to keep Onesimus yet he sendeth him back he would not be so bold knowing he was none of his And not onely this but when they waste their goods Luke 12.45 when they eate and drink and Deut. 21.20 he is a riotour and drunkard the same is applied to the sonne if he eate and drinke with sinners Without the family 1. Without me â—ands it is either of a thing 1. Consecrated and that is sacriledge 2. Prophane Of a thing consecrated Levit. 15.15 there is a law for it Rom. 2.22 he matcheth it with idolatry for he saith Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge For we see that the holy Ghost Iudg. 9.4 marketh there Abimelech for taking our silver out of the Temple of the Idoll and Dan. 5.2 the alienating of sacred vessels it did procure the great and mighty hand-writing This ought not to be if a man convert to his owne use or divert from a sacred use to a profane In profane In profane things they are either 1. publike 2. private Publike 1. Publike and that is peculatus when a thing is the Common-wealths or stolne è loco publico è balneo balnearii sures from out of a publike place out of the Bath theeves that stole the clothes of such as were bathing to these may be added those that receive publike wages and convert it to their own private use such as the Priests 2 King 12.5 he saith the King gave straight charge that they should bring in their halfe shekel for the repairing of the Temple and that the Priests should receive it They brought it in but there was no reparation done by the Priests Then another order was taken he provided a chest with an hole in the corner of it and in that it was put in 2. Private and kept And if we consider it of private things Then it is divided into furtum Personale of things living 1. Men. 2. Beasts Reale of things not having life Personall theft Theft of men is called Plagium and the theeves Plagiarii Exod. 21.16 was punished with death if the party were found or Deut. 24.7 if he were but about it it was death And the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.10 he continueth and is of the same minde and with this hee coupleth Iudas his sinne for betraying a person for money Matth. 26.15 there is not out-right selling of him 2. Then if it be of beasts it is called Abigeatus and the men Abigei drivers away of cattell as the Sabees and Chaldees Iob. 1.15.17 Exod. 22.1 Reale furtum of things that have no life of raiment Reall 〈◊〉 money c. and there is an order taken Exod. 22. in every respect for all these Aggravation of theâ—â— The aggravation of these This addeth Gods curse and maketh the theft grievous Exod. 22.21 22 23. First if we vexe or trouble or take away from fatherlesse stranger or poore neighbours for they will crie it is a crying sinne And if they once crie I will surely heare them Deut. 24.17 he forbiddeth that there should be any pledge taken of the widow And Iob 24.3 he saith Whosoever he be that driveth away the Asse of the fatherlesse and taketh away the widowes Oxe and Prov. 23.16 Whosoever he be that entreth on the field of the fatherlesse he shall be sure to be punished and visited with the fierce wrath of God Enclosing 〈◊〉 commâ—â—â— Now then partly here and partly before commeth in the enclosures of Commons For as when regions were first seised upon when as the first partition was made each man had his peculiar lot distinct like that of Caleb Iâ—sh 14.13 14. and so became their inheritance so there was a consideration had of Gods protestation that alwayes there should be poore and so there was left unto them a division of lands in common to live upon And for these Deut. 19.14 there is an order taken that they shall not be removed because all the parties are not there present they cannot alienate their right because they that shall be borne cannot meddle in it the poore from all beginning to all ending and yet all that have interest in it cannot and Deut. 27.17 the whole congregation curseth them that doe it Prov. 23.10 and 22.28 there is Solomons censure Hose 5.10 he saith there when he would compare them with as odious a comparison as he can Thy Princes are like them that remove the land markes and how odious this was may appeare from their setting up every where of Meta Terminica their usuall bounder the violent transgression or usurpation of which is by Micah 2.2 exclaimed against And not onely these but Iob that was without the Law of God yet he seeth it and detesteth it chap. 21.2 And this for unjust getting of goods In the act of theft we respected the double use of the gifts of God and first before the use the getting of them called by the Philosopher generatio pecuniae And in the unlawfull getting of them we divided the whole company of unlawfull meanes into 1. furtum by deceit 2. Rapinam by violence They are distinguished by Nazianzen thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manus injecta the laying
As a man must regard the witnes of God rather then the witnes of his conscience so the witnesse of this conscience rather then mans as the Philosopher Malo viri bòni nomen or famam perdere The testimony of a good conscience quam conscientiam I had rather lose the name and report of a good man then hazard the losse of my conscience But yet in these things where both can meere there that his gifts may increase to the enlarging of the Lords Dominion and the Church both ought to be followed therefore 2 Cor. 6.8.3 he saith they were true but were counted as deceivers yet he saith there that they gave no occasion for offence And that for this reason to the end that their ministery might escape and not runne into blame and be by that meanes made lesse able to doe good So then both in regard of a mans own selfe that he is more circumspect while he hath it to keep when it is lost Ier. 3.3 he putteth on frontem meretriciam a whores forehead he is impudent Psal 58.4 he stoppeth his eare So long as he hath a good name he is carefull to keepe it so the consideration of both these and this and also the former respect it is a sinne not to looke to but to neglect his good name as the Heathen man excepto probro reliqua omnia maledicta existimo take away slander and reproach and I will endure all other railings because the wound of a slanderer might be healed but there will a skarre remaine and because he is shut up to doe good and good men will be suspitious and evill men will never have done with it so he ought thus to stand affected For the offence it selfe Matth. 15.19 it commeth from the heart Marke 7.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. blasphemie Oâ—igo peâ—â—aâ—â— hujus praâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. foolish speaking Now then as in the former there is an inclination of nature grassari ad famam for a man to thinke when he can thrust downe other that he shall be better thought of But when as it commeth to that that Esay speaketh of chap. 29.15 he saith They digge deepe and hide themselves Ier. 18.18 Let us imagine some far reaching counsell against Ieremie let us slander him that none may credit him this is beyond the roote of this vice and is the Suppuratio and rankling of it 1 Tim. 6.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill surmisings The Apostle there condemneth evill suspitions light suspitions when they be upon little or no ground There it beginneth Now we handle these as they are enemies and prejudiciall to mans credit not as before Iames 4.11.12 he proceedeth further for he saith there that from this light suspition men beginne to take upon them the office of the Law Rash judgement of light suspition whereas the Law should condemne and accuse they take upon themselves to judge Thus we come to judgement and not onely to judgement but as Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.5 we come to judgement before the time too hastily And he will not judge of outward things so as there may necessarily grow a conclusion of them but of doutfull things Rom. 14.4 such as may be well interpreted as to deale with Christ and Iohn Baptist The one for not eating but abstaining was said to be troubled with a melancholike fancie the other for eating and drinking a dissolute fellow That whereas these outward things may be done to badde or good ends they judge hastily de rebus sociis of the things themselves and of their neighbours Testis repentinus nun â—aâ—nâ—â—re judâ—â—at Now this repentinus testis this sudden hasty witnesse Prov. 12.19 he never giveth his verdict truely Acts 28.4 they no sooner see the Viper cleave to Pauls hand but presently they say he is a murtherer even at the very sight of the Viper Now it is not onely this but 2 Tim. 2.26 he must suspend his judgement for he knoweth not what will be hereafter that is God may give him grace to see fully And whereas he should keepe his conclusion of sinnes praecedentia consequentia and observe the things that goe before and the things that follow after 1 Tim. 5.21 this will not be held but there is no sooner a Viper on the hand but a verdict will be given And not onely that but where God taketh order that ubi malum contingit ibi moriatur if it be private let it have private death Prov. 11.13 Hee is a discoverer of secrets as we see that was the first augmentation of Chams sinne to tell his brethren of his fathers folly Matth. 1.19 Ioseph because it was secret and might have beene done by some that had a pure contract in simplici actu fornicationis he would not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make her a publike example And not onely this but as we see beyond this 2 Sam. 13.30 when he openeth it more then is true when the King hath lost but one sonne they will say all the children of the King are dead 2 Sam. 13.30 as we see it was the common rumour then if there be but one killed then all are killed And beyond all these Prov. 17.9 when he hath once told it hee will afterward at it againe and when the wound seemeth to be whole and repentance is made yet he will refricare cicatricem renew it againe These degrees and affections are the appetites of a nature lusting to envie but especially that of things doubtfull it is very certaine that we must strive against But if he will reason as Shimei 2 Sam. 16.7 that because Ioah and Abner were great men of bloud that so David was a man of bloud and when we proceed ex dubiis upon doubtfull and uncertaine grounds we will open a window to all other Solum subactum Now after this we doe consider as in the former that which maketh us Solum subactum soile fitted for the seed which is called pruritus aurâ—um Pruritus â—uâ—â—â—â— the itching of eares so the Wiseman Prov. 17.4 saith there he is a willing hearer and so if there were no receiver there would be no theeves so if there were no itching eares that itched after the nakednesse of their brethren it is certaine that there would be no Chams to come to tell them of it Psal 15.3 He saith that as he will not take up a slanderer so he will not receive a slander for if a man doe vulium contrahere draw his forehead together and shake him off it is very certaine he will not returne againe Discet non libenter dâ—cere cum didicit non libenter audire he will learne not to be forward to speake when he perceives others unwilling to heare him Aug. As on the other side if he be willing to heare then the other will be willing to speake it So there must be a delight in hearing mens imperfections and secondly a credulity As we
the faithfull of the Land shall be his and vers 7. The lier shall not tarry in his sight And thus much of the ninth Commandement The X. Commandement Thou shalt not covet c. IN this Commandement the Papists are against us and make it two which it cannot be Our reasons as we said in the generall division are these 1. Because there is but one period 2. Because there should be a Law of particulars which in least of all is Gods Lawes 3. Because onely these two concupiscences should be forbidden And whereas they say all other ought to be referred unto these they teach not how 4. Because Rom. 7.7 the Apostle sets it downe in one word non concupisces thou shalt not lust 5. The consent of the Hebrewes before Christ and the Fathers since 6. The inconveniencie that they are driven to to transplace this Scripture and say sensus est perturbatus that the sense thereof is perplexed 7. They themselves cannot speake of it distinctly as they divide it but confound it Now for the Commandement Deut. 5. Esa 55.7 Ier. 18.11 Mar. 7.14 Rom. 7.7 Ephes 2.3.4 whence we must take all that we speake herein The dependance The dependance as Aug. saith si quis caetera facere studeat hoc maximè faciat if any man endeavour to observe the other Commandements let him much more labour to fulfill this Prov. 4.23 As life issueth from the heart so good and evill life And Esa 59.5 commeth the Cockatrice egge which if it be not broken Iames 1.15 will be sinne whence commeth death The end The ends 1. That God may shew himselfe to looke further and his Law to reach further then mans Law For though mans Law say Binde the hands and stop the mouth yet it saith cogitationis poenam nemo patiatur let no man be punished for his thoughts But Gods Law saith not so Act. 8.22 but the very thought must bee prayed for 2. Propter Pharisaeos for your Pharisaicall justiciaries that though in the other Commandements we may flatter our selves yet this Rom. 7.14 will make us see that we are wretched The consent is in the other Commandements But the thought which in respect of the consent is called partus imperfectus an imperfect birth is forbidden in this For as in the other intentio the intention is forbidden etsi non consequaris although yee accomplish it not so here cogitatio etsi non consentias the thought although ye consent not as Aug. magnum fecit qui non sequitur sed non perfecit he hath done much and gone a great way who bath never assented to lust This Paul Rom. 6.12 calleth sinne raigning in us and Rom. 1.2 dwelling in us For as Aug. saith transivit in affectum cordis impetravit consensum rationis ut faciat si adsit occasio facultas this raigning sinne hath built his nest amongst the affections of the heart and hath obtained the consent of reason to fulfill its lust whensoever occasion and ability presents the opportunity So that it is here whilest it is in question but when it commeth to that Faciam I will or would doe it it is done before God This concupiscence is of two sorts 1. 2 Pet. 3.3 proper 2. Gal. 5.17 of the spirit against the flesh This of the spirit is good and Ephes 1.18 causeth good motions in us and 1 Pet. 4.1 armeth us to performe them and checketh us Psal 44.5 and is opposite to us Matth. 5.22 from this commeth our prayer and maketh us to love those things so much the more Prov. 3.9 And that of our owne Concupiscentia naturae which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturae naturall is not evill for so Christ desired to eate when he was hungry Matth. 24.18 and rest when he was weary Concupiscentia corruptionis Iohn 4.6 But that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptionis from corruption 2 Pet. 1.4 which is not an hand to the understanding as it ought to be but choketh it up and maketh us to be men of concupiscences And of this corrupt concupiscence 1 Tim. 5.19 some is foolish and some is hurtfull 1. Foolish concupiscence Foolish concupiscence is Colos 3.1 earthly desires when the naturall desire transit lineas passeth the bounds wholly to seeke those things and set their heart on them 2. Hurtfull concupiscence Hurtfull concupiscence is that which is against the spirit Gal. 5.7 7. opposite to the spirit This is that praeputium uncircumcision Act. 7.51 which hindreth the eares and heart from that which is good And this in good things corrupteth our understanding making it Eccles 10.1 like a flie in a barrell of honey and provoketh us to evill by these things which though they are good yet will worke in us an evill humour 1 Cor. 6. i. to make us subject to evill to need to have it then the Devill will bring such a condition as Mat. 4. he did to Christ And in evill it will bring us per malum aut ad malum an evill way or to an evill end as to make us use evill meanes to a good end or an evill end to good meanes It is called the old man Ephes 4.22 Col. 3.9 peccatum inhabitans sinne dwelling in us Rom. 7.5 the sting 1 Cor. 15.16 the pricke 2 Cor. 12.7 virus Serpentis the poyson of the Serpent The Scholemen call it fomitem peccati the fuell of sinne the late writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virium a want of power and strength to rule the passions and affections for when man would make his concupiscence above his understanding Hose 8.11 God permitted it to be And this is that giving up Rom. 1.24 delivering to themselves And whereas the giving to Satan hath a returne 1 Cor. 5.1 2 Cor. 2. this to be given up to himselfe hath no returne so that it is better to be delivered up to the Devill We see then what this concupiscence is and how we are affected to it Now for the danger and the meanes to it though we come not so farre as suppuration i. the consent which is the lowest degree in the other Commandements we must not yet once cover for this desire being in us Ephes 2.23 as also of the world and of the Devill Suggestions from conen piscence Per hanc còncupiscentiam carnis by this lust of the flesh there is two suggestions the one in regard of this alone and the other as it is applied to us of the Devill 1. Alone as Matth. 9.5 in the dialogue Mar. 7.2 those ascending thoughts for nothing in us is good but that which descendeth Ascending thoughts 2. The Devill seeing this as he did with Christ when he was hungry Matth. taketh occasions to cast thoughts into us as hee did into them Luke 9.49 and together Ephes 2.2 the world carrieth them away For as Nazianzen saith The sparke is in us and the Devill doth onely blow it up Now those that arise are
petition we are to consider two things First the Kingdome it selfe secondly the Comming of his Kingdome Touching the first point it may be objected how it is that Christ teacheth us to make this petition for Gods Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psal 145.13 How then is it said to come For the answer of this doubt the Kingdome of God must be distinguished First God hath an Vniversall Kingdome such a Kingdome as ever was and for ever shall be of which it is said The Lord is King be the people never so impotent he ruleth as King be the people never so unquiet Psal 99. Secondly there is a Kingdome of Glory that whereof our Saviour speaketh Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. And the thiefe upon the Crosse said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Luke 13. and this is the Kingdome which in the first place Christ teacheth us to pray for we pray for this Kingdome that it may come we pray for our owne good for it is a Kingdome of power and therefore able to defend us and therefore our Saviour in the conclusion of his prayer addeth this For thine is the Kingdome Matth. 6. According to which the Prophet David saith Thy Saints give thankes to thee they shew the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power Psal 145.11 The government of his Kingdome is committed to Christ of whom it was said by God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. In which regard he doubteth not to affirme of himselfe Matth. 28 Data est mihi omnis potestas c. All power is given â—e in Heaven and in Earth And notwithstanding God reigneth as King yet that is verified which the Prophet complaineth of Isa 26.13 O Lord God other gods besides thee have ruled over us for Sathan taketh upon him to be King and hath played the Tyrant and hath prevailed so farre as that the greatest part of the world are subdued unto him in which regard our Saviour calleth him the Prince of the world Iohn 14.30 And by the Apostle he is termed the God of this world for that he blindeth mens eyes and maketh them subject to the Kingdome of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. Secondly there is a Kingdome of sinne against which the Apostle exhorteth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Rom 6 â—2 which he meaneth when he saith That sinne hath reigned unto â—â—â—ath Rom 5.21 Thirdly the Apostle sheweth that Death hath a Kingdome when he saith that by meanes of sinne death reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 These are enemies to the Kingdome of God for while the Devill reighneth by meanes of sinne as he doth so long as he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 4. he taketh away the glory of Gods Kingdome and Death takes away the power of it And in regard of Sathans Kingdome he is said to be a King over all the children of pride Iob 41.34 For he makes the whole world rebell against God so that they are not ashamed to deny him to his face and that is true not onely of the common sort of the world but even of a great many of the Church of which number are those that sticke not to say We will not have Christ to rule over us Luke 19.14 Againe there are many stumbling blocks for the hinderance of Gods Kingdome Matth. 13.41 that the Kingdome of God cannot come and therefore we doe worthily pray as well that the Kingdome of Sathan and sinne may be overthrowne as for the removing of those offences God having exalted his Sonne into the highest Heaven saith unto him Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Psal 110. The last enemy that is to be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.16 Wherefore our desire is that there may be such a Kingdome as wherein the Law of God may be exactly kept and that it would please God in this Kingdome to tread downe Sathan under our feete Rom. 16. that not only death it selfe but he that hath the power of death being destroyed Heb. 2.14 God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 When we behold the state of the world and see that good men are trodden under feete and the vessels of wrath and sinne are exalted and prosper then we may know that that is not the true Kingdome and therefore we pray that God will set up his Kingdome in our hearts and governe us by his Spirit And therefore this point doth not onely concerne our selves but also God for unlesse his Kingdome come his name cannot be sanctified of us As there are temporall Kingdomes so there is a spirituall Kingdome called the Kingdome of Grace whereof our Saviour speaketh The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 As before we prayed for the Kingdome of Glory so now for this Kingdome of Grace for without this we shall never bee partakers of that other Kingdome The glory of other Kingdomes is the reformation of things that were before amisse but the glory of the Kingdome of Grace is that as during the tyranny of Sathan Sinne raigned unto death so now under this Kingdome Grace may raigne through righteousnesse by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.21 That we may have interest in both these Kingdomes wee must hearken to that which Christ proclaimeth Matth. 4.27 Repent for the Kingdome of God draweth neare as it draweth neare to us so wee must draw neare to it else we shall never enter into it for except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3.2 And that we may beginne to draw neare to it there is an outward regiment to be used which is a token of the grace of God bearing rule in our hearts we must by the Kingdome of God within us cast out Devils Matth. 8. We must intreate God by the power of his Spirit to plant in our hearts that which is good and to roote out and remove out of them that which is bad Matth. 13.48 We must displace Sathan and sinne that they set not up their thrones in our hearts and in stead of it we must set up Gods Kingdome ruling in us by his Spirit for the Kingdome of God stands in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 If we finde these vertues in us they are sure pledges of the Kingdome of Grace and we may assure our selves that after this life is ended we shall be received into the Kingdome of Glory And how soever he hath appointed Kings and Rulers over us for our outward safety and defence yet they have their Scepter from him and the end of their rule is to further Gods Kingdome as the Apostle speaketh That we may live under them in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. Touching the comming of his Kingdome it may be demanded why we pray that it may come to us seeing that
devils wit in making such a bargaine It had beene the best penny worth that ever was bought For if we marke how Christ rateth one onely soule we may see how he that to gaine all the kingdomes of the world shall lose his owne soule Matth. 16.26 makes but a foolish bargaine Then what rate shall be made of all mens soules if one be worth kingdomes all which had beene lost if Christ had consented to that which the devill here requireth for then he could not have said I restored that which I tooke not Psal 69.4 By his death he payed the price for the sinnes of the whole world he should then have had a score of his owne to have paid and his death could have beene sufficient but for himselfe onely If he had falne downe and worshipped him he could not have said That the Prince of this world had nothing to say against him John 14.3 Now let us apply this to our selves But we will peradventure say the devill never made us any such offer and therefore what needs any admonishment in this behalfe But I answer though the devill come not in person to us as he did to Christ yet he comes by his instruments When Balak sent to Balaam to come and curse the Israelites and promised him great rewards Numb 22.17 it was not Balaks messengers that spake but the devill used them as instruments to speake So when Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost with money the devill therein tempted the Apostles with Simonie Simon was but the trunke through which the devill spake Act. 8. Againe there be some that will say they were never tempted with Kingdomes It may well be for it needs not when lesse will serve It was Christ onely that was thus tempted in him lay a Heroicall mind that could not be allured with small matters But with us it is nothing so we esteeme farre more basely of our selves wee set our wares at a very easie price he may buy us even dagger-cheape as we say he need never carry us so high as the Mount the Pinacle is high enough yea the lowest steeple in all the Towne would serve the turne Or let him but carry us to the Leads or gutters of our owne houses nay let us but stand in our window or in our doores if he will give us but so much as we can there see he will tempt us throughly we will accept it and thanke him too He shall not need to come to us with Kingdomes one Kingdome is too much what say ye to halfe a one Mark 6.23 No will the devill say I will give ye halfe a one If he would come to us but with thirty pence Matth. 26.15 I am afraid many of us would play Judas Nay lesse than so would buy a great sort even handfuls of Barley and peeces of Bread Ezek. 13.19 and Prov. 28.21 Yea some will not sticke to buy and sell the poore for a paire of shooes as Amos speaketh Chap. 8.6 When he commeth then to tempt us he may abate a great deale of this that he offers Christ he may strike out Omnia and Hac too and instread thereof of put in Hoc and say Hold ye shall have this to worship me I will give ye no more I feare me we will make short worke and take it Hoc aliquid a matter of halfe a crowne or ten groates a paire of shooes or some such trifle will bring us on our knees to the devill Is there a pretty commodity to be had It makes no matter for breaking faith and promise This is that that makes the devill so good a husband and thrifty and to goe neere hand what need he give more when so little will serve Whereas if we will stand hucking with him we might get a great deale more In this temptation as in the former there is both fire to consume our faith and a dart to wound our consciences The fire is the motion of discontent that God is either a poore God not able sufficiently to reward those that serve him or else an unkind God that will not reward the duties that are performed by those that serve him By this we come to say Who is the Almighty that we should serve him Job 21.15 The wicked are they that prosper and encrease in riches I have cleansed my heart in vaine for daily have I beene punished Psal 73.12 Then this dart makes us weary of well doing and then followes that we will serve the devill Being discontent with Gods service we undertake the service of his enemy he requireth nothing but a little falling downe and then if Simon shall come and require any unlawfull thing at our hands we are ready with Judas to meete with him and say What will ye give me and I will doe it Matth. 26.15 though it be to the betraying of Christ The devill here opens his meaning in this Temptation plainely that he would have him fall downe and worship him with a bare and bold face before he came disguised and spake in Parables His meaning is not when he saith Dabo to give them but to barter or exchange one thing for another It is no gift but a flat bargaine men use not to account it a gift except it be without rendring backe either money or service If he render here service backe he may well thinke I have sold my soule for Hoc aliquid Matth. 16.76 He may thinke as Esau sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage Heb. 12.16 so hath he sold his soule his birth-right and freedome for we were all bought with a price 1 Cor. 7.23 the same great high Priest redeemed us all with his blood No sinnes are so carefully to be taken heed of as these that have annexed to adoration donation he hath Malum with a joynter If he should have cast himselfe downe from the Pinacle here is all he should have had they would have talkt of it and have wondred a while at it Well we must be thus perswaded that God is as well able and willing to reward us for any service as the devill and better too It is he indeed that reigneth over the kingdomes of men Dan. 5.21 and placeth in them whom pleaseth him but when he giveth or disposeth he giveth indeed freely exacting nothing backe againe unlesse it be such things as he were to have without any such gift such things as are due of meere right without any stipulation or hire Jam. 1.5 The devils Dabo is as Offices and Parsonages are given amongst us that is as usually sold as horses in Smithfield But if we could be content to give indeed let that heroicall minde that was in Abraham be in us Gen. 14.23 that as he would not take any thing of Melchisedech so we will not be a shoo-lachet the richer by the devill If he offer to make us wealthy let us answer him Pecunia tua tecum pereat THE SEVENTH SERMON MATTH 4.10 11. Then Jesus saith unto