Docilitas Diligentia 2. About instruction Instruction helps the natural and infused light so doth prayer and reading the word c. The Scholars duties answerable to these The particular duties of a Teacher The duties of those that are to be taught The resultant duties of both CHAP. VII Page 365 Of honouring spiritual fathers in the Church The excellency and necessity of their calling Four sorts of ministers in the Church 1. The thief 2. The hireling 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd whose duties are 1. To be an example to his flock 1. In himself 2. In his family The peoples duty answerable to this 2. To use his talent for their good Rules for doctrine and conversation The peoples duty 1. To know their own shepherd 2. To obey and follow him 3. To give him double honour 1. Of reverence 2. of maintenance CHAP. VIII Page 373 Of fathers of our country Magistrates The duty of all towards their own country God the first magistrate Magistracy Gods ordinance Power of life and death given to kings by God not by the people Addition 31. That regal power is only from God proved out of the authors other writings The ends of Magistracy 1. To preserve true religion 2. To maintain outward peace Magistrates compared to shepherds in three respects The duties of the supream power viz of Kings and of inferiour officers The duties of subjects to their Prince CHAP. IX Page 383 Of fathers by excellency of gifts The honour due to them is not debitum justitiae as the former but debitum honettatis 1. Of those that excell in gifts of the minde The honour due to them 1. To acknowledge their gifts Not to envy or deny them Nor to extenuate them Nor undervalue them Nor tax them with want of other gifts The duty of the person gifted 2. To prefer such before others to choose them for their gifts Reasons against choice of ungifted persons The duty of the person chosen c. 2. Of excellency of the body by old age and the honour due to the aged 3. Of excellency by outward gifts as riches Nobility c. Reasons for honouring such How they must be honoured 4. Excellency by benefits conferred Benefactors are fathers Rules for conferring of benefits The duties of the receiver CHAP. X. page 391 That this law is spiritual The duties of Superiours and Inferiours must proceed from the heart Special means conducing to the keeping of this commandement Signes of the true keeping of it CHAP. XI page 396 The second part of this Commandement a promise of long life Reasons why this promise is annexed to this Commandement How this promise is made good Reasons why God sometimes shortens the dayes of the godly and prolongs the dayes of the wicked The Exposition of the sixth Commandement CHAP. I. page 400 Why this Commandement is placed in this order How it coheres with the rest Of unjust anger the first step to murther how it differs from other affections Of lawful anger Unlawful anger how prohibited The degrees and fruits of it The affirmative part of the precept to preserve the life of another The life of the body and the degrees of it The life of the soul and the sinnes against it The scope of this Commandement CHAP. II. page 404 Of murther in general The slaughter of beasts not prohibited but in two cases Of killing a mans self diverse reasons against it Of killing another many reasons to shew the greatnesse of this sinne The aggravations of this sinne from the person murthered CHAP. III. page 407 The restraint of this Commandement 1. That Kings and Princes may lawfully put malefactors to death That herein they are Gods ministers Three rules to be by them observed Their judgement must not be 1. Perversum nor 2. 〈◊〉 patum nor 3. Temerarium 2. That in some cases they may lawfully make war In a lawful war is required 1. Lawful authority 2. A just cause 3. A just end And 4. A right manner Addition 32. Of the causes of a just war Some other cases wherein a man may kill and not break this Commandement First for defence of his life against sudden assaults Inculpata tutela Secondly by chance and without his intention CHAP. IV. page 412 The extent of this Commandement Murther committed 1. Directly 2. Indirectly A man may be accessory to anothers death six wayes A man may be 〈◊〉 to his own death diverse wayes Of preserving life CHAP. V. page 414 Of the murther of the soul. Several sinnes against the life of the soul. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be accessory to the death of his soul. This sinne may be committed both by them 〈◊〉 have charge of souls and by private persons That this law is spiritual according to 〈◊〉 third rule CHAP. VI. page 417 The fourth rule of avoiding the Causes of the sins here sorbidden Of unjust anger and the fruits of it It consists of 1. Grief 2. Desire of Revenge The effects and fruits of it 1. Towards Superiours Envy The causes of envy the greatnesse of this sin 2. Towards Equals 3. Towards inferiours The suppuration or breaking out of anger against Superiours 1. By the eyes and face 2. By the tongue 1. by murmuring 2. tale-bearing 3. backbiting Against Equals by 1. dissention 2. brawling 3. railing The fruits of anger in Superiours 1. Threatning 2. Scornfulnesse The last fruit of anger viz. murther of the hand CHAP. VII page 421 Of the means against anger How to prevent it in others How in our selves Anger must be 1. Just in regard of the cause 2. Moderated for the measure 3. We must labour for gravity 4. For love without hypocrisie The vertues opposite to unjust anger 1. Innocency 2. Charity In the first there is 1. The Antidote against anger which consists in three things 2. The remedy in three more How charity prevents anger The fruit of charity Beneficence 1. To the dead by burying them 2. To the living And that first generally to all Secondly specially to the faithful Thirdly to the poor by works of mercy Fourthly to our enemies CHAP. VIII page 424 Rules for the eradication of unjust anger 1. To keep the passion from rising 4. Rules 2. After it is risen to suppresse it How to carry our selves towards those that are angry with us 1. To give place 2. To look up to God 3. To see the Devil in it Of the second thing in anger viz. Revenge Reasons against it If our anger have broken out Rules what we must do Of the act viz. requiring one injury with another Rules in going to law The sixth rule of causing others to keep this Commandement The Exposition of the seventh Commandement CHAP. I. page 428 The scope and order of this Commandement Of Marriage The institution and ends of it explicated out of Genesis 2. 22 23 24. Married persons are 1. to leave all others 2. to cleave to one another Rules for those that are to marry Duties of those that are married
too much occasion to these doctrines ultimus Diaboli flatus The last blast of the Devil Against these and such like doctrines which make this and all other books of this nature superfluous we must know That though the Decalogue as it was given by Moses to the Jews was a part of that Covenant which God made with them on Mount Sinai and Sinai belonged properly to them as appears both by the Preface wherein their deliverance out of Egypt is urged as a motive of obedience and by four other passages in the precepts which have peculiar reference to that people as that symbolicall rest required in the fourth precept in remembrance of their rest from the Egyptian bondage and the promise of long life in the land of Canaan in the fifth Yet seeing that the substance of it is no other then the Law of Nature written in mans heart at the first and that by Christ our Law-giver it is made a part of the Gospel or second Covenant though with some qualification therfore it obliges all Christians and that under the highest paines and is therefore justly called the Law of Christ. All the parts of the Morall Law we may finde required in the Gospel though upon other grounds then those were laid by Moses this second Covenant being established upon better promises we have the same rules for our action the same duties required the same sins forbidden the difference is this that here God accepts our obedience in voto at our first conversion when he freely pardons our sins past and expects the actuall performance afterward in the course of our lives and admits repentance after lapses wheras the law as it was part of the other Covenant requires perfect obedience without any intermission otherwise we having higher promises a greater measure of the spirit being now dispensed under the Gospel a higher degree of obedience to the law is now required which is yet no way grievous or burdensome to a true beleever for the power of Christs spirit and the height of the promises make the yoke easie and the burden light Therefore Christs tells us expresly he came not to dissolve the law but to fulfill it or to fill it up as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports because he did enlarge and perfect it and therefore Theó phylact makes the Law of Christ compared with that of Moses as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Painting to life to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first draught in black and white and saith that Christ did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not destroy the first draught but fill it up as a painter perfects a picture with the colours and shadows after the first draught and with him do generally concur the rest of the Fathers Basil saith that whereas the old law saith thou shalt not kill our Lord Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving more perfect lawes saith Thou shalt not be angry Origen saith that the lawes of Christ are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better and more Divine then all those before him S. Chrysostom calls that Sermon upon the Mount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very top of Philosophy saith that Christs giving of lawes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time or season of greater higher precepts Among the Latines Tertullian saith Christi leges supplementa necessaria esse disciplinae creatoris that the lawes of Christ are necessary supplements to the lawes of the Creatour and Christus Dei Creatoris praecepta supplendo conservavit auxit that Christ preserved and increased the lawes of God the creatour by filling them up S. Augustine saith that Christ fullfilled the law by adding quod minus habet what was deficient sic persiciendo confirmavit and so confirmed it by reducing it to more perfection And again upon those words except your righteousnesse c. Nist non solum ea quae inchoant homines impleveritis sed etiam ista quae a me adduntur qui non veni solvere sed implere unlesse ye not onely fulfill those which men have begun but also what is added by me who came not to destroy the law but to fulsill it c. By which and many more testimonies out of the ancients that might be produced it appears that concerning that excellent Sermon upon the Mount wherein the sum of Christian Religion and the way to life is chalked out by him who is the way and the life their opinion is far from truth who say that Christ doth not there promulge or deliver any law as necessary to salvation but onely that he expounds the Morall law given by Moses and cleers it from the false corrupt glosses of the Pharisees which is directly contrary to the constant and unanimous doctrine of the Ancient Church and to the text it self for though it is true that Christ doth therein often reflect upon the expositions of the Jewish doctors who had corrupted the law yet withall it is as true that in those chapters he delivers the Christian law and therein brings up the Morall law to a higher pitch then ever it was by Moses This appears by that opposition so often made in that Sermon between what Moses said of old and what Christ saith you have heard what was said to them of old c. Ego autem dico vobis but I say unto you c. Which opposition as also the Syriack and other translations do plainly shew that as vobis is rendred to you and not by you so veteribus ought to be to them of old not by them of old and therefore our translation as it puts the one reading in the text so it puts the other which is the true in the margent Now those of old were no other then those to whom Moses first gave the law and not the lawyers and Pharisees of those latter times so all the Greek writers agree and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports as much which is usually in other places referred to the times of Moses and the Prophets and not to latter times and which puts the matter out of question The words which our Saviour saith were said to them of old are no other then the words of the law delivered by Moses either in the same very words or in the sence Those words Thou 〈◊〉 not kill are in Exo. 20. 30. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of a judgement are in Levit. 21. 21. Numb 35. 16 17 30. Thou shalt not Commit adultery are the words of the law Exod. 20. 30. He that shall put away his wife let him give her a bill of divorce in Deut. 24. 1. Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform thy vows to the Lord. Exod. 20. 7. Numb 30. 2. Eyé for eye and tooth for tooth which was permitted in Judgement Deut. 19. 21. Levit. 24. 20. Deut. 19. 21. Thou 〈◊〉 lovethy neighbour viz an Israelite Levit.
worm shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched as the prophet speaks which words our Saviour quoteth also So that the Law of Moses for the moral part of it agreeth with the Law of Nature and what God commanded Moses to write for the instruction of the Israelites was in great part written in the hearts of the Heathen and in some measure practised by the better sort of them Now if the question be asked which of us nay doth the best of us fulfil the Commandments or who hath so clean a heart that never lutted or indeed that lusteth not daily We answer confidently None And to prove this Saint 〈◊〉 shall tell you in the first seven chapters to the Romans that both Jew and Gentile were defective and came short herein Saint James saith In mult is offendimus omnes in many things we all offend The prophet David by way of question saith Delicta quis intelligit who is there that understandeth how 〈◊〉 he offendeth So that Septies in die cadit justus The best of us fals seven times a day which diverse take as meant of falling into sin though others very learned take it of falling into afflictions And holy Job confessed that he could not answer one for a thousand Lastly to omit many K. David speaks positively in regard of fulfilling the Law that In Gods sight shall no man living be justified that is if God should proceed according to strict justice If then the case of the best be so another question ariseth Whether God be just in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things to be kept and promising that whereof no man can be capable because no man can keep the Law We answer that God is most just and there is no injustice in his proceedings Though the matter be never so crooked yet the rule ought to be straight not like a 〈◊〉 rule For God being perfectly just his Law must needs be perfectly just 〈◊〉 for else if he had left out any part of the Law he might have seemed to 〈◊〉 sin And if it be demanded why we were not made able to fulfill and perform it Some answer thus That Adam was at first made fit and able and received strength to keep it in that perfection which was required but he lost it For Adam was like an evil 〈◊〉 that receiving money of his Master to do his busines spent it riotously 〈◊〉 became drunk by the way and so was not able to perform that work which his Master expected yet the Master might lawfully exact it of him because he had before enabled him unto it So God gave us ability at the first to do what he commanded but we having lost that ability vainly God may lawfully exact of us what he let us to do But against this some object that seeing man lost this ability not efficienter but 〈◊〉 by Gods penal act depriving him of it it can no more stand with Gods justice and wisdom still to require the same obedience without new abilities then for a Magistrate having cut off a mans feet for some offence yet to require him to go to such a place and then to punish him for not going and therefore it may be said that God never requires any thing of us but he either gives or is ready to give ability to do it if we be not wanting to our selves And therefore as God requires obedience under the gospel so he enables us by his grace or is ready to enable if we seek to him to do what he requires as to avoid every known and wilful sin and to perform the substance of every good duty though we are still subject to sins of Infirmity which we must labour against and though we come short of perfection in some degree yet we must aim at it and not rest in a perfection of parts Thus euery Christian may and ought to keep the law of God as it is qualified and moderated in the Gospel so as to be free from all raigning sin and to perform every act commanded in sincerity and as this is possible by the grace of the gospel so it is necessary to salvation in all after their conversion and Repentance As for that absolute perfection or freedom from all sin it is commanded too but not as actually necessary to salvation but onely in our true and constant endeavour as that which we must aim at and come as neer to as we can though we do not attain it in this life And thus it may be truely said that the Law though it cannot be kept in that absolute and exact manner which is required in the Covenant of works that is without the least omission or intermission in which sense God doth not now require it of us to salvation yet as it is required in the second Covenant according to the equity and moderation of the gospel it may by the grace of Christ be kept and must be kept by every true Christian so far as God requires it of us now and this is 〈◊〉 Christian perfection which the Scripture often 〈◊〉 to and the Catholike Church of Christ ever acknowledged God having made a second Covenant wherein there is a Law to be kept as well as promises to be beleeved requires obedience now not by vertue of the first covenant which is void but according to the second which is still in force whereby he is alwayes ready by such means and various dispensations as are agreable to his wisdom and justice to enable us to do what in this covenant is required But an answer to the first question and that more fully you shall have in the words of the Apostle Romans 8. 3. What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit In which words are two things principally to be observed 1. That the Law cannot now nor ever could justifie men yet he layes not the fault on the Laws weaknesse it being most perfect but on our corrupt flesh It is the flesh that cannot do that which the Law requires 2. The second ariseth out of the former that is seeing that neither the Law could justifie us nor we perform what the Law required God rich in mercy and goodnesse sent his Son into the world that being incarnate here should die for us and by that means take away the guilt and dominion of sin in us and enable us to keep his Laws by faith and love which is the perfection and fulfilling of the Law To shew more plainly how Christ did this and that was two wayes 1. By fulfilling whatsoever was promised and prefigured in the Law and the Prophets As semen mulieris the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent and In thy seed shall
were some then as there are now that having given Almes on the Sunday would recover it the other dayes of the week either by oppressing and dealing hardly with the poor or by undermining those they dealt with Therefore the last caution must be out of the Prophet The Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment the holy Ghost shall be sanctified in justice that is a mans mercy must not make him unrighteous So that the conclusion of this point is if a man doe dare rem suam Deo se peccato aut daemoni give his substance to God and himself to sin or the devil and thereby give quod minus est Creatori quod majus inimico the lesse to his Creatour and the greater to his Enemy he is far from keeping the sabbath aright in the point of performing the works of Mercy Now concerning the spiritual part of the works of mercy which is to be done to the Spirit of him that needs it S. Augustine saith Est quaedam charitas quae de sacculo non erogatur there is a charity which is not taken out of the bag or purse such mercies are called Spirituales Elemozynae or misericordiae spiritual Almes which are so much more excellent then the other as they do mederi miseriae principalioris partis take order for the relief of the more principal part of man the soul. And there are seven of this kinde 1. The first concernes the good which is to be performed to draw him to it and it consists of three branches 1. The instruction of the young and others that are ignorant the Prophet describes the reward of such They that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the stars for ever 2. The second branch is the giving of good and christian advice to him that is in doubt hearty counsel by a friend is by Solomon compared to oyntment and perfume that reioyce the heart 3. The last is the exhorting him that is slack in some good duty so did the prophet David And this was one of the instructions Saint Paul gave to Timothy to charge rich men to do good and be rich in good works c. 2. Another is Comforting them that are in distresse Saint Paul calleth this comforting them which are in trouble and supporting the weak and flere cum flentibus weeping with them that weep 3. A third is that work of spiritual mercy which our Saviour made a part of Church discipline reproving of our brother privately for his fault and the Apostle biddeth us to warne them that are unruly A 〈◊〉 is the pardoning of those that offend us according to our Saviours Rule we must first be reconciled to our brother before we offer our gift at the AlAltar and if he will not be reconciled then pray for him It was aswell Christs practise as his counsel Father forgive them So did the Proto-martyr Stephen Gregory saith Qui dat et non dimittit he that giveth and forgiveth not doth a work that is not acceptable to God sed si dimittet 〈◊〉 non det but he that forgiveth though he give not shall be forgiven of God as oft as he forgiveth others si tu ponas limitem Deus tibi ponet limitem If thou settest bounds to thy forgiving God will do the like to thee but if thou for givest without limit nor puttest bounds to thy brothers offence by pardo ning it God will put no limit to his pardonnig of thy sinne 5. Another is in Rom. 15. 1. we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak Alter alterius onera portate beare ye one anothers burden Gal. 6. 2. 1 Thess. 5. 14. 6. The sixth is taken out of Saint James Praying for one another even for our enemies it was Christs counsel Matthew 5. 44. and his practise Luk. 23. 34. And this is reputed for a work of mercy Augustine saith Causaberis 〈◊〉 te non possedocere you may perhaps cavil and say thou canst not teach some are as forward to advise you as you them and that you have not the gift of comforting or if you rebuke them for their faults they will despise you But for this and the two last works of mercy there can be no excuse nunquid dices non possum dimittere 〈◊〉 to forgive one that hath offended thee to bear with him to pray for him these things may be alwayes done ut malitia ignoscatur nulla excellentia nulla sapientia nullis divitiis opus est To pardon wrong done to us and so to beare with the weak and to pray for any there is neither excellency nor wisdom nor riches requisite or necessary 7. The last is the reconciling of them that be at variance or the making peace between man and man By this act as our Saviour tells us we shew our selves to be the children of God and as he further saith there will a blessing follow peace makers But here falleth in an obiection what if they will not be reconciled Augustine answereth it If thou hast done thy good will pacificus es thou art a peace maker And these are the seven fruits of mercy spiritual Besides these whatsoever is a work according to the Law of God is also acceptable but especially these CHAP. VIII The second rule of homogenea Fasting reduced hither Commanded under the Gospel 1. Publick fasts for averting of evil of punishment which is either malum grastans or impendens or of sinne for procureing of good 2. Private fasts and the 〈◊〉 of them The parts of a fast 1. External abstinence from meat sleep costly apparrel pleasure servile work almes then to be given Secondly internal humiliation for sinne promise of reformation The third rule our fast and observation of the Lords day must be spiritual Thus far we have proceeded according to the first rule of extension that where any thing is commanded the contrary is forbidden and e contra Come we now as in the former to the rule of Homogenea that is where any thing is Commanded there all things are commanded that are of the same kinde which is the second rule And we finde in the law that the day of humiliation or fasting is called a sabbath and so may be reduced hither as homogeneal Saint Augustine said well that if the state of Innocency had continued then had there 〈◊〉 one day only to have bin observed by Christians and that to have been spent onely in the duty of prayse and thanksgiving But since the fall of Adam there are such defects and wants in our souls that God is not onely to be glorified sacrificio Eucharistiae by the sacrifice of Praise but also sacrificio spiritus contribulati 〈◊〉 by the sacrifice of a troubled and humbled spirit his reason is 〈◊〉 bonum perfecte ut volumns non possumus because we cannot performe
far and neer and what a Reverend Prelate said of him in his Funeral Sermon may visibly appear to any Eye in this great Herculean Labour that those things which seldome meet in one Man were in him in a high degree Scientia magna Memoria major Judicium maximum at Industria infinita His Knowledge was great his Memory greater his Judgement exceeded both but his Labour and Industry was infinite and went beyond them all For the Subject it is the Decalogue or those Ten Words in which God himself hath epitomized the whole duty of Man which have this Priviledge above all other parts of Scripture that whereas all the rest were divinely inspired but God made use of Prophets and Apostles as his Pen-men here God was his own Scribe or Amanuensis here was Digitus Dei for the writing was the writing of God These are the Pandects of the Laws of Nature the fountains from which all humane Laws ought to be derived the Rule and Guide of all our Actions whatsoever Duties are variously dispersed through the whole Book of God are here collected into a brief Sum whatsoever is needful for us to doe in Order to Salvation may be reduced hither for this is totunt Homin is the Conclusion of upshot of all saith Solomon to feare God and keep his Commandments and the Apostle tells us to the same purpose that circumcision avayleth nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping of the Commandments of God And therefore as Philo saith that the Jews used to refer all that they found in the Law of Moses to these ten heads as the Philosophers reduced all things to the ten predicaments not that they were all literally comprized there but because for memories sake they might be reduced thither so hath the Christian Church reduced all the duties of a Christian to the same heads which she hath enlarged and made more comprehensive as partaking of a greater measure of the Spirit then they had and ayming at a higher degree of perfection in all Christian Vertues There is indeed a generation of men sprung 〈◊〉 such as S. Augustine wrote against long since in his Book contra adversarium legis prophetarum that under colour of advancing Gods free grace in mans salvation and affecting Christian liberty would abrogate the whole moral Law as if it were worthy of no better entertainment among Christians then Jehoiakim gave to Jeremies prophecies when he cut the rowl in pieces and threw it into the sire And how far the tenets and principles of some others who would seem to abhor such opinions have promoted these pernicious doctrines I shall not need to shew sure I am that while some teach that the Gospel consists properly of promises onely that the moral Law is no part of the condition of the second Covenant nor the observation of it though qualified in the Gospel required now in order to salvation that the promises of the Gospel are absolute and that Faith is nothing else but an absolute application of them or an absolute relying upon Christ for the attaining of them without the conditions of repentance and new obedience that Christ came onely to redeem not to give any Law to the world that after a man is in Christ though he fall into the grossest sins which are damnable in a man unregenerate yet he is still quoad praesentem statum in the state of salvation and though he may lose the sence and feeling yet he can never lose jus ad vitam his right to heaven what sins soever he walks in I say whilst men teach such doctrins and yet cry out against Antinomians Libertines and other Sectaries what do they in judging others but condemn themselves for they grant the premises and deny onely the conclusion If such doctrines were as true as they are common this Author and all others that have written on this subject might have spared their pains and therefore we may say with the Psalmist It is time for thee Lord to work for they have destroyed thy Law These men are like to Licurgus who being cast into a frenzy by Dionysius in that distemper thinking to have cut down a vine with the same hatchet slew his own son so these being possest with a spiritual frenzy which they call zeal when they lift up their hatchet to cut off some errors which like luxuriant branches have sprung up about the Law these do unawares cut down the Law itself both root and branch making the observation of it arbitrary in respect of Salvation or as a Parenthesis in a sentence where the sence may be perfect without it Such Errors are far more dangerous then many that were held by the old Hereticks which were chiefly about matters speculative whereas these reflect upon matters of practise and whilst they strike at the root of obedience to the Laws of Christ they do directly take away the very way of Salvation to the certain ruine of peoples souls and do utterly overthrow the foundation both of Church and Common-wealth so that wheresuch doctrines prevail nothing but confusion and dissolution of all Government can follow as sad experience in too many places shews where the genuine fruits of such doctrines appear to be no other then to rob the Priest of his honour the Prince of his power the people of their Discipline and Government Pastors of their Flocks and Sheep of their Pastors Preachers of their Churches Churches of their Reverence Religion of its Power and the World of all Religion S. James would have us to try our Faith by our Works but these men will have their works tryed by their Faith To the pure all things are pure if Faith be in their heart God can see no sin in their actions We read of the Scholars of one Almaricus of Paris who held that what was deadly sin in others yet if it were done by one that was in Charitie or the state of Grace it was no sin or not imputed to him for which they were condemned as Hereticks These men seem to be spit out of their mouths for they would have sins distinguished not by their nature or object but by the subject in whom they are and hence they hold that all their own sins though never so great they being beleevers elect are at the most but infirmities which cannot endanger their salvation but the sins of all others are mortall and damnable which impious doctrine with the rest above mentioned from which it flows howsoever they be varnisht over with faire shews of advancing the free grace of God and the merits of Christ and the depressing of mans power yet are indeed no other then the old damned Heresie of SimonMagus who as Theodoret saith taught his Disciples they were free from the obedience of the law was condemned by the Ancient Church in Vasilides Carpocrates Epiphanes Prodicus Eunomius and other impure wretches and is call'd by Luther himself whose unwary speeches have given
treat of the Summe of Christian Religion it self in it self And this according to the ancient division consists of 1. The Law 2. The Gospel The Law that is the moral Law as it is explicated and enlarged by Christ is a part of the condition of the second covenant and therefore an essential part of the Gospel which consists not barely of promises but of precepts too and those more high and perfect then any before Christ and therefore is the Gospel in the Scripture often called the Law of Christ and so usually stiled inall antiquity The moral Law as it shews men their sins and so convinces them of the necessity of Christ so the knowledge of it may be needful before the Doctrine of faith but as it is the rule of Christian obedience and a condition of the second covenant which is the most proper consideration of it so it ought to follow the doctrine of faith and so it doth in the most authentick Catechism of this Church viz. that in the common prayer Book It is true that Luther and after him many Protestant Divines in their heat against the Church of Rome about the matter of justification seem to make the Gospel a Doctrine consisting meerly of promises and to say that Christ gave no Law but onely explicated and vindicated the Law from the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees in Matth. 5. 6. and 7. as if the moral Law were no part of the Gospel or what Saint Paul speaks of the Law of Moses and the works of that Law were to be extended to the Laws of Christ also and the works of the Gospel and that the onely or chief use of the Law now is to bring men to Christ from which and other the like principles unawares by them laid and by the vulgus of our Divines swallowed without examination the Antinomians Libertines Familists and other Sectaries have by necessary consequence drawn those damnable Doctrines which these Divines little dreamt of or if they had considered I suppose they would have revised these principles and retracted them or else have spoken more warily then they have done The truth is that in that sermon on the mount Christ delivers the new Law or Law of the Gospel wherein the substance of Christian religion and the way to salvation is contained and that he doth not therein onely barely expound the Decalogue given by Moses but as a Legislator delivers his Law to be observed by all that beleeve on him according to the tenure of the second Covenant was the constant opinion of all the Fathers and of the whole Church as among others is fully proved by the incomparable H. Grotius both in his comments on Matth. 5. and in his book de 〈◊〉 belli pacis l. 1. c. 2. n. 6. and if any desire a list of names and testimonies of Fathers and ancient writers to that purpose they may read them in a tract written by a learned and judicious Divine D r Hamond in the passages between him and M r Cheynel p. 129 130 c. And that this learned Prelate was of the same minde is evident in his other works perfected by himself especially in his sermon on Psalm 2. 7. p. 16 17. where among other things we read thus The very Gospel hath her Law a Law Evangelical there is which Christ preached and as he did so must we do the like It is not without danger to let any such conceit take head as though Christian Religion had no Law-points in it consisted onely of pure narratives beleeve them and all is well And true it is that such points there be but they are not all there is a law besides and it hath precepts and they are to be preached learned and as a Law to be obeyed by all Look but unto the grand commission by which we all preach which Christ gave at his going out of the world Go saith he preach the Gospel to all nations teaching them to observe the things which I have commanded you lo here is commanding and here is observing so the Gospel consists not onely of certain Articles to be beleeved but of certain commandments also and they are to be observed Now I know not how we are clean fallen from the tearm Law that we are even fallen out with it the name of Law we look strangely at we shun it in our common talk to this it is come when men seek to live as they list We have Gospel'd it so long that the Christian Law is clean gone from us and I shall tel you what is come by drowning this tearm Law Religion is even come to be counted res precaria no Law no no but a matter of mere entreaty general perswasion c. The reverend regard the legal vigour the power the penalties of it are not set by The rules no reckoning made of them as of Law writs none but onely as of Physick bills if you like them you may use them if not lay them by and this comes by drowning the tearm Law If the name once be lost the thing it self will not long stay And after Christian Religion was in the very best times called Christiana Lex the Christian Law and the Bishops Christianae Legis Episcopi Bishops of the Christian Law and all the ancient fathers liked the tearm well and took it upon them To conclude Gospel it how we will if the Gospel hath not the Legalia of it acknowledged allowed and preserved to it if once it loose the force and vigour of a Law it s a signe it declines it growes weak and unprofitable and that is a signe it will not long last we must go look our salvation by some other way c. Thus we see how he contradiets the popular errours of these times about Law and Gospel and therefore it cannot be conceived that his discourse here tends to the nourishing of such dangerous and novel opinions as our solifidians do now cry up If we have the summe of these two we may assure our selves that we have as much as is needful for our salvation and the summe of them both are necessary principles The Evangelist hath them both in one verse The Law was given by Moses but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Seeing then that these are the two parts we are to consider in the first place which of them is first to be handled We say we must speak first of the Law 1. First because the Law and the Gospel are nothing else but two Covenants which God made with mankinde and in that respect are called the Old and New Testaments considering them not as they are in the Books for so in the old Testament there is the Gospel also the Law being as S. Aug. saith Evangelium absconditum and the Gospel Lex revelata the Law revealed the Gospel the new law and the Law the old Gospel but as they be Covenants Now taking them as Legacies in a will there are
in a Testament two parties necessarily required 1. The Testator or Legator 2. The Legatee or the party to whom the Legacy is bequeathed So in each Covenant both of Law and Gospel there were two parties The first between God and Adam the Covenant on Gods part was to give to Adam paradise felicity and on Adams part to return to God perfect obedience This did Adam receive power and strength to perform but he abusing this power and opposing it against God justly incurred the forfeiture of his felicity and the penaltie of morte morieris death and misery opposite to Paradise from which the strength given to him by God might have preserved him Now this Covenant being broken and made void it pleased God in his mercy not regarding this forfeiture to make a new Covenant the Covenant of faith in which there were two bonds one between God and Christ and another betwixt Christ and us on Gods side felicity on Christs part satisfaction to God for us on our side faith unfeigned with new obedience but this not by our own strength but by the power of Christ and his Spirit For as man fell and by his fall lost all that he had so if he would recover that which was lost he must make satisfaction for it but this he could not now do and therefore Christ undertook it for him suffered for him and removed the penalty satisfyed the forfeiture and thereby restored to man all that he had lost Now Christ had a double title to heaven one of inheritance and the other of purchase the right of inheritance he had by nature in that he was the Son of God which he claimeth to himself the other he giveth to them that lay hold on him side viva non ficta by a lively and unfeigned faith and therefore this is called the Covenant of faith which we have not by our own strength but in Christo by the power of Christ. And the reason of this second covenant was that now Adam having lost his own strength by breach of the first all power and strength should be now from God in Christ and all the glory be given to him For if Adam had stood by his own strength in the fist howsoever God should have had most glory yet Adam should have had some part thereof for using his strength well and not abusing it when he might but kept his standing but that God might have all the glory he suffered the first Covenant to be broken and permitted man to fall for which fall he was to make satisfaction which he could not do but by Christ nor perform new obedience but by the grace of God preventing us and making us of unwilling willing and of unable able to do things in that measure that God will require at our hands So that the first Covenant the Law was weak and imperfect standing upon a promise in figure and a curse without figure a curse indeed but the promise being performed in Christ and the curse abrogated by his death then came those perfect things and imperfecta abiere the things which were imperfect were done away as the A postle speaks The first covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be given by Moses yet was it not received by us we had not the hearts to take it till the coming of Christ but in the Gospel it was not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought to passe and fulfilled per Christum by Christ. And we must observe withall that the moral Law it self is not changed but the ceremonies onely taken away by Christs truth and the curse thereof by Grace so that the bond of the keeping the Law is not cancelled by Christs coming but remaineth in force still and is to be performed as he himself testifieth Think not that I am come to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Christ came not to repeal his fathers statutes when he spake his last words to the Disciples Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded Now these things standing thus and the Law being first in time and order for we begin with the imperfect that is first to be taught 〈◊〉 Another argument of this Order is That humiliation is first by the Law and the course of teaching is first by humbling men by the Law in letting them see what they are which hath beene the order vsed from the beginning of the world It was the course of Gods own proceeding upon the violation of the first Covenant for after Adam had transgressed and remained till evening in expectance and fear of punishment for breach of the Law and therefore had hid himself then first began the Law to passe upon him by way of judicial proceeding First he is called forth Vbies where art thou and then examined Edisti hast thou eaten and upon his confession of the fact sentence of death passed upon him Jgitur Because thou hast done this c. But yet presently after came the Gospel the promise of Christ. So God came first with his vbies and that is the Law and after came Semen 〈◊〉 the seed of the woman which is the Gospel And God likewise took the same order after the floud when he taught Abraham Ambula coram me 〈◊〉 integer walke before me and be thou perfect which is the onely end and scope of the Law so that the Law was first given to him an 〈◊〉 then was he instructed in the Gospel In semine tuo benedicentur omnes netiones terra In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And this was the way that Moses taught the people Take the Book of Deuteronomy which is the iteration of the Law after the three first chapters in the fourth he begins to teach the Sum of the Law Therefore shalt thou keep c. till the 18. Chapter and there he tells them the Gospel That God would raise up a Prophet from the midst of them like unto him c. Which Saint Stephen applied to Christ. This was also the Course of the Prophets Esay in his first 40 Chapters though in grosse there be some promises of the Gospel intermingled yet the scope and beginning of it is to teach the whole sum of the Law and the rest is the sum of the Gospel But more plainly in his first Chapter from the beginning to the 18. verse there 's a bitter invective and denunciation of the Curse of the Law but from thence to the end of the Chapter is the promise of the Gospel Come then c. If your sins were as red as scarlet c. And the first psalm is nothing but a recapitulation of the Law with the promises and Curses thereunto annexed and the second Psalm a prophecy of the coming of Christ and of the Gospel So Saint John the Baptist beginneth with the Law and tels them of the axe laid to the root of the
tree and in the next verse ends with the Gospel Ego baptzio vos I baptize you And it s Christs own order too who was the great prophet of the New 〈◊〉 and whose method ought to be our Jnstruction He that humbleth himself shall be exalted first Humiliation and then exaltation now there 's no humbling but by the Law and therefore it is called Humiliator the humbler It was also the practize of Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Romans which is held to contain the sum of Christian Religion after his proemium in the 17 first verses from the 18 of the first Chapter to the 21 verse of the 3. Chapter he speaks all of the Law all under sinne Jews and Gentiles and unregenerate and regenerate and at last includes himself in the number but after he delivers the sum of the Gospel shewing in what Covenant we must looke to be saved And this Epistle the learned will have to be our warrant for this practize And such was the form of instructing in the primitive Church taking pattern from Saint Paul First Repentance from dead works which includes the Law and then faith in Christ which shews the Gospel So that this must be our Order The Law first and then the Gospel So much for the Order Now the Law containeth three things 1. Praeceptum that which is required of us fac hoc vives doe this and thou shalt live 2. Transgressionem praecepti delictum which shews us how farre we are from the duty that is required of us by the precept Delicta quis intelligit 3. Paenam 〈◊〉 the punishment we must look for and expect for the breach of the precept by our sins Morte morieris thou shalt die And the Gospel also teacheth three things 1. Liberationem how we are delivered from the Curse of the Law 〈◊〉 agnus Dei Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 2. Certitudinem how we may be assured that this deliverance pertains to us to make our calling sure by good works 3 〈◊〉 according to King Davids Quid retribuam what shall I render to the Lord what we are to perform new and true obedience not that secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summum jus but secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is accepted of in Christ the neglect or none performance whereof makes a forfeiture of what God hath given or promised So that our new obedience is not onely to look back as an act of gratitude for benefits received but also and that cheifly forward as a condition to which is annexed by Gods free grace in the Gospel the promise of eternal life Matth. 5. 20. and 7. 21. Ro. 8. 13. Gal. 5. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. 2 John 8. CHAP XV. In the law foure things frist the work to be done The 〈◊〉 the Pandects of moral laws The laws moral known before Moses written in mens hearts proved in particular In every law there is evill to be avoided and good to be done both must concur S. Pauls Three rules of piè juste sobriè Saint Aug. his three rules 〈◊〉 contrary to three rules of corrupt nature secondly the mahner of doing requires first Totos secondly totum thirdly toto tempore Thirdly the reward Fourthly the punishment The Law VVE learned in the general Preface that we are to depend onely upon Gods provid 〈◊〉 and so we are to conceive of him as a mighty prince and king for so he is stiled in the Apocalyps Rev. 19. 16. Who as he hath a Reward for us so he hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his worke house his place of probation and 〈◊〉 for us which house is the world and that being in his work-house we have our agenda work to be done And the Law as the Rabbins call it is Therash magnashoth Doctrina agendorum the things we must do are contained in it And as there be four things in all good Laws in the world so are there in this which is Lex Creatoris Mundi the Law of the worlds Creator 1. Opus The work prescribed to be done This ye shall doe 2. Modus The manner how it must be done Thus ye shall doe it 3. Praemium The Reward for it being done In palatio in Heaven 4. Poena the punishment for it being not done In Carcere in hell 1 Opus The action or work The Decalogue is as it were the Pandects a Book of all the Offices works and dutyes which God requireth at mans hand and the Lawyers Pandects are nothing else but Comments upon these these are the true Ethica Christiana Christian moral duties transcending all other whatsoever And in this respect are they of the Church of Rome to be commended who though they teach their youth other Arts yet teach them no other Ethicks then these Logique and Physiques and Metaphysiques they learn them but for Ethicks they refer them especially as the reformed Churches have done to these of the Decalogue which indeed is the true Regula morum the just square of all our actions for they ought not to be shorter nor longer then this But because the Law is said to be given by Moses there may arise a doubt from hence that seeing the Law was not given till aboue 2000 years after the Creation and that the world was so long without a Law why may not we live without a Law now aswell they did before Moses Our answer is That they lived not before Moses without the Law They had many parts of the Law some of the Ceremonial Law by special Revelation from God and all the moral Law written in their hearts they had the knowledge of beasts cleane and uncleane of sacrificing of praying or calling upon God of the younger Childrens subjection to the elder Abraham had the Law of Circumcision he and 〈◊〉 paid Tithes and many other Laws they had before Moses wrote them And as Saint Paul saith The Gentiles both before and after doing by nature the things contained in the Law these haveing not the Law were a Law unto themselves what to doe not what they listed but the work of the Law written in their hearts instead of Tables of stone That is the effect of the Law which is equivalent to the Law it self which he proveth thus because their conscience bare witnesse and their thoughts reflected on their actions accused or excused themselves in what they did And therefore S. Augustine saith that every man had this law in his heart which is to be understood after the fall for before that all was perfectum perfect Mali multa recte laudant multa recte reprehendunt quibus autem regulis faciunt hoc ubi eas vident unde illud habent quod homines sic vivere debeant cum ipsi non sic vivant sunt regulae justae mentes eorum injustae regulae immutabiles mentes eorum mutabiles vel hoc argumento
c. Evil men commend many things truly and reprove many things as justly but by what rules do they so whence have they it that men ought to live so seeing they live not so themselves why these rules are right and good though their minds be not so the rules are unchangeable though their mindes be mutable c. Yea he concludes that they finde them in libro lucis in the book of light and truth howsoever they are blinde and as S. John the light shone in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not which truth being in God as a seal makes the same impression in the minde of man yet keeps it self whole and where this print or impression is fet it can never be wiped out And thus we see that all men ever had and have the effect of the Law in them And this we will prove from the performing the duties required in the law before it was given this may appear before the written law in all the ten Commandements 1. For the first Commandement Though it be not very plain that Terah with Abraham Lot and Sarah departed out of Vr of the Chaldees into Canaan because of the idolatry of the inhabitants yet soon after there is a very plain place for it Jacob commanded his houshold to put away their strange gods 2. For the second Jacob buried the idols under an Oak and in that Rachel hid the images under the Camels litter in a godly zeal as some think 3. For the third Abraham caused his Steward to put his hand under his thigh and swear by the Lord of Heaven and Earth that he should not take a wife for his son of the daughters of the Canaanites And we may see a solemn oath taken between Jacob and Laban 4. For the fourth We may see the observation of it plainer before the giving of the Law in Exodus in speech about gathering a double portion of Manna of the Sabbaths Eve 5. For the fifth we may finde in one place how Esau cryed for his fathers blessing and in another how he stood in awe of his father though he were otherwise prophane for he would not kill his brother Jacob while his father was alive 6. For the sixth we see a plain precept Whosoever sheddeth mans blood by 〈◊〉 shall his blood be shed 7. For the seventh Judah would have burned Thamar for playing the whore and Shechem was slain for ravishing Dinah and the whole city spoiled by her brethren For their answer to their father Jacob was should he deale with our sister as with a harlot 8. For the eighth The putting of Josephs cup into the mouth of the sack was enough though among the Egyptians to clap his brethren in prison and God forbid 〈◊〉 they we should doe this that is steale 9. For the ninth Because Judah had promised to send a kid he performed it though as he thought to a harlot 10. For the tenth There was no act nor purpose of heart in Abimelech against Sara as appeareth yet the sinne of concupiscence was punished in him by God Behold thou art buta dead man because of the woman which thou hast taken Notwithstanding Abimilech had not yet come neer her So Pharaoh was plagued for her in the same case By this we see that there was a Law before the written Law The summe of the Law is this Ambula mecum walk with me or before me and the means to do this is Love Can two walk together saith the Prophet and not be agreed if they love they will not part So that love must be the ground and to love Christ is to keep his Commandements Now there is no Love but between likes so that we must be integrl perfect both in body and soule not outwardly alone but inwardly too The Law consists in two Duties 1 In avoiding or not doing Evill 2 Jn doing that which is good Both put together by the Prophet Cease to do evill learn to do good And by the Psalmist Eschew evil and do good The sinne against the first of these is called Peecatum Commissionis sinne of commission and the sinne against the second is called Peccatum Omissionis sinne of omission In regard of the first we are called 〈◊〉 Dei Gods souldiers against his enemies Sine and Satan and therefore are we said to be the Church Militant In respect of the second we are stiled Operarii Dei Gods labourers In regard of the first we are called innocentes guiltlesse And of the latter Boni et justi good and 〈◊〉 or viri bororum Operum men of good works But in any good work these two 〈◊〉 go together For the Jews were very observant in offering Sacrifices to God but because they burned in Lust and every one neighed after his neighbours wife their sacrifices were not accepted and it was in this respect that God to'd them he was full of their Libamina their sacrifices On the other side be we never so innocent yet if we doe not to our power pascere vestire feed and cloth do good works we sinne et 〈◊〉 bonum sit non secisse malum tamen malum est 〈◊〉 fecisse bonum as it is good not to do evil so is it evil not to do good For in keeping of the Law facere abstinere must concur Yet if we could keep the second we should not so greatly offend in the first Saint Paul in his directions to Titus giveth these rules that as we must deny ungodlinesse there 's the abstinere so we must facere too live soberly justly and Godly that is 1. Pie Godly towards God 2. juste justly towards our neighbours 3. Sobrie soberly towards our selves And for these three Saint Augustine hath three rules or natural principles 1. Deterius subiiciendum prestantiori quod commune habes cum Angelis subde Deo Let man subject himself to God and his Angel-like reason to God his best director This is pie 2 Quod commune habes cum brutis hoc subde rationi Let mens faculties common to them and brute beasts submit to reason And this is to live sobrie 3. Fac quod vis pati let every man do as he would be done by And this is juste And the corruption of these is by three contrary rules 1. The first as the Satan said to Eve Dii eritis ye shall be as Gods Be not subject 2. The second as the Tempter said to the sons of men videte nubite quod libet licet voluntas lex esto see and marry do what liketh you Let your will stand for a Law 3. The third Machiavels principle Quod potes fac bonum prestantioris bonum communitatis Do what you can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod potes that you can do is lawful So much of the first thing in the Law The Action or work 2. The second
thing required in every law and so in this is the manner how it must be done which by learned men is much dilated We will reduce them all to three things We are to do it 1. Toti 2. Totum 3. Toto tempore or Semper 1. Toti as Jacob said to Rachel you know that with all my power I have served your father and no doubt but he would yeeld as much service to God as he did to Man 2. Totum with our whole souls and bodies we must endeavour to keep the whole Law not as Naaman did keep it by halfes but as Noah who did all that the Lord commanded him about the Ark. 3. Toto tempore not for a time onely but all the dayes of our life Noah was 〈◊〉 tempore justus righteous all his life and Abraham was juvenis senex idem the same man in his age that he was in his youth Now for the Reward or Punishment which are the two other things required in a law it stands thus That if a man break one part of the law the commanding part it is impossible that he should escape the other part the sanction which bindes over to punishment Therefore God hath taken order that though men can over-reach the law in one part that is in contemning it yet on the other part punishment shall over-reach them So saith S. Augustine Aut faciendum aut patiendum quod debemus we must either do what we should or suffer what is due And this was known before the giving of the law That God was righteous and the people wicked It was the confession of a wicked Egyptian King And both reward and punishment were set before Cain If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou doest not well sin lyeth at the door Like a savage Bear or Mastiffe-dog or a Blood-hound So long as thou keepest within doors that is as the Fathers expound it as long as thou livest thou mayest happily escape punishment for thy sin but whensoever thou goest out of the doors out of this life then vae tibi he will flye upon thee then this Blood-hound will never lose the sent till he have brought thee to perdition and destruction More directly for the Reward it s to them that doe well 1. For temporal benefits in this life Because Joseph feared God the Lord made all things prosper under his hand 2. And secondly for eternal benefits felicity after this life Enoch was 〈◊〉 to everlasting life because he walked with God For punishment t is to them that do evil First temporal punishment in this life as we see in the case of Adam Eve Cain and Josephs brethren but especially in Pharaoh which made him cry out as we heard before Justus est Dominus c. The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked It was his sin drew those temporal plagues upon him 2. And secondly eternal punishment in the life to come So we read of the Spirits in prison for being disobedient in the dayes of Noah who preached repentance to them so that they were condemned for transgressing the law of God preached by Noah CHAP. XVI That the moral Law of God written by Moses was known to the Heathen 1. The act or work was known to them as it is proved in every precept of the 〈◊〉 yet their light more dimme in the 1. 2. 4. 10. S. Pauls three rules of Pie sobrie juste known to them 2. They knew the manner of performance Toti Totum Semper 3. They knew the rewards and punishments AND thus we see that Gods written Law which is Natures Law hath all those conditions that any Law should have For this Law which was before Moses was nothing else but Moses's Law in the hearts of men as if a man would get a thing by heart that is not written For what Laws then they had from GOD they kept in their hearts by tradition But now peradventure they will say that these Laws and the four Rules appear onely in the Scripture and were observed by the Jewes and those mentioned in the Scripture onely but other Heathen took no notice of them nor used them by the light of Nature and therefore think themselves not bound to them but are at liberty to use or not use them To this we say that by the writings of the Heathen themselves it appears that they had these rules written in their hearts and received many of them the son from the fathers ascending even to Noahs sons Sem Ham and Japhet though in some of the Commandements it may not seem so plain as in the rest for in every Commandement they introduced some corruptions of their own heads and declined diversly from Gods Law First for six of the Commandements it is manifest as the 3. 5. 6. 7. 8 9. the more obscure are the 1. 2. 4. 10. 3. For the third Commandement It was a law among the Egyptians Perjuri poena capitali plectentur let the perjured be punished with death as Diodorus Siculus reporteth And it was the law of Rome in the 12 Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swear not rashly And Sophocles saith that when an oath is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul will be more cautions to sin against God and to injure man 5. For the fifth Homer saith of one that had a misfortune that it came quia parentes non honoravit because he honoured not his parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would not render the duty of a childe to his father therefore his dayes were not prolonged and another saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 live well and nourish thy parents in their age And Menander saith that he which honoured his parents shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 live long and happily And for superiours Charondas said in his laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neglect of our aged parents is extremity of wrong 6. For the sixth there is no question every Nation held it as a Canon of their Law Homicida quod fecit expectet Let a murtherer expect losse of life as he deprived another of it and therefore they all punished murtherers with losse of life 7. For the seventh it was the saying of Licurgus Fuge nomen Moechi si mortem fugies Avoid adultery so shalt thou avoid untimely death and Stephanus out of Nicostratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that will live in this city and not dye let him abhor adultery And Menander censureth adultery as a sin disgraceful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the price of it is death 8. For the eighth Demosthenes against Timocrates alledgeth plainly the Lacedemonian law in the very words of this Law Thou shalt not steal And He siods precent enjoyneth men not to possesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stolne goods but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by Gods providence 9. For the ninth it was one
all the nations of the world be blessed with diverse other of the like nature He also fulfilled the ceremonialls of the Law while he being Priest offered himself as a sacrifice Besides he spiritually circumciseth beleevers by substituting Baptisme instead of Circumcision He is our Passeover and appointed the Eucharist instead of the Paschal Lambe and indeed he is the full complement and perfection of the Law and the Prophets 2. Christ fulfilled the Law by satisfying in most absolute manner the will of God being the holy of holies without spot or sin at all for in him is the love of God most perfect and righteousnesse most absolute And this in regard of the merit and satisfaction thereof he communicates gratis freely to us most imperfect to us I say if we beleeve God was in Christ saith Saint Paul reconciling the world to him not imputing their trespasses to them for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him So Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse For by faith we rely upon Christ whom we beleeve to have made satisfaction most fully to God for us and that God is so pleased with us in Christ that he accepts us as now become the Sons of God 3. But this faith by which we beleeve in Christ is not by our nature or merits but is wrought in us by Gods grace through the Spirit given into our hearts And this abiding there enflames them with love of Gods Law and desire to expresse the same by good works which though we do not perform as we ought by reason of the infirmity of our flesh yet God allowes our endeavours in Christ. Nor did ever any of the Saints though he strove and resolved to keep the Law as far as he could trust or rely upon his own merits but upon Christ. Saint Paul did not for he complained Who shall deliver me out of this body of death and presently addeth I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that is I thank him that he hath redeemed me from death by Jesus Christ. And it follows There 's now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus c. So that a faithful man moved by Gods Spirit to do that which is good as far as he is able and as the second covenant requires and that out of love of God and not onely for fear of the Curies threatned in the Law may be said to fulfill the Law in such manner that God in Christ accepts of him So much in answer to the first question To the second why God would promise life to them that should keep the Law seeing no man can keep it in a legal and exact manner we answer 1. First besides that it may be doubted whether God doth offer or promise life now otherwise then upon the conditions of the Gospel which may be kept some do further answer that God sheweth hereby that he abides the same and the Law still the same though we be changed from what he made us 2. Secondly Hereby man seeth his own weaknesse and is driven out of himself to seek Christ. For as the Apostle saith if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all men under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve 3. Because Christ took on him our nature and dying for us hath purchased the promised inheritance to be communicated to us by faith and new obedience or sanctification 4. Lastly Though man cannot keep the Law exactly yet upon his faith in Christ and his resolution and indeavour to keep the Law and actual keeping of it by the assistance of Gods grace so as is above declared God accepteth of him in Christ and takes the will for the deed in some things and accounts him righteous and makes good the promise unto him CHAP. XVIII Of the preparation before the giving of the Law 1. To make them willing by consideration of 1. his benefits 2. Gods right as Lord 3. Their relation as Creatures 〈◊〉 4. that they are his people His benefits past and promised Three 〈◊〉 to love 1. Beauty 2. Neernesse 3. Benefits all in God 2 To make them able by sanctifying and cleansing themselves That ceremonial washing signifyed our spiritual cleansing How we came to be polluted How we must be cleansed Why they were not to come at their wives Of the danger and abuse of things lawful 3. That they might not run too far bounds were set Of curiosity about things unnecessary Now concerning the Preparation to the hearing of the Law THough in the Preface something hath been said concerning the preparation of the Catechumeni upon the words venite auscultate yet before we come to the particular explication of the Law we shall further adde some thing in this place about our preparation to the hearing of it For we can receive no benefit at Gods hands if we be not prepared for it God himself commanded the people to prepare themselves before the hearing of the Law and so of the Gospel also Prepare ye the way of the Lord saith the Baptist And to these adde that the primitive Church appointed Vesperas diei Dominici Vespers of the Lords day and so they had for other holy dayes and solemn feasts and to the solemnest Sunday Easter day they prepared fourty dayes before And forasmuch as the Sacrament is an appendix of the word and the seal of it surely we cannot be excused if we prepare our selves for the one and not for the other The Preacher gives this advise Keep thy foot look to thy self when thou goest into the house of the Lord. And again we ought to know that preparation is as necessarily required of the Hearer as of the Speaker Now this preparation consists of three things or means The first means to preparation is to make the people willing to hear the Law and that is grounded upon the speech of God to the Israelites in Exodus Ye have seen saith he what I have done unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings And a little after Go to the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their cloathes And let them be ready against the third day And Thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about the Mount saying Take heed unto your selves c. In which words there are three things prescribed and the fourth is implyed by circumstance 1. The will in every action is to precede the people were to be made willing to hear and receive the message that was to be delivered And therefore to make them willing God in the first place gives them a catalogue of his Benefits and goodnesse So that one way to stir us and our will
Captivity of the North it is said The dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more said the Lord liveth that brought up the children out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North. And this title lasted to the time of Christ. sixtly The last is prophecied by Jer. Jehovah justitia nostra the Lord our Righteousnes and so by the Apostle Christus justitia nostra Christ our righteousnesse and God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this great benefit being not fully six weeks before the Law delivered it must needs stick close to their memory and being in the wildernesse where they were wholly to depend upon God and his protection so that as well in regard of the remembrance of the late benefits and the hope of future assistance as of the place where they could not depend at all upon themselves it was both a fit time and place to give them a Law and then they were more fit to receive it in as much as it could not well be given in Egypt for thence they were unwilling to go nor in Canaan for there they murmured against God it was most fit it should be given here for their delivery was not that they should be Masters but Servants And all these pertain to us for though it be true Non obligamur Legi propter Sinai sed propter paradisum when it was first given to all the sons of Adam and though God gave this Law to one Nation to stir up others to emulation as the Gentiles were taken into Covenant afterwards to provoke the Jews to jealousie yet this is also true that there are none of those his titles but much more appertain to us who have means of better performance as having received greater benefits and our faith grounded upon better promises 1. Jehovah The excellency of this Name to us is in respect of the ordination of a new Covenant the Gospel which as the Scripture speaks is the better Covenant because it was established upon better promises for Insemine tuo benedicentur omnes nationes terrae in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed is a better promise then Semini tuo dabo terram Canaan to thy seed will I give the land of Canaan We have clearer promises of eternal life and a greater measure of sanctification of the spirit then they had 2. Deus tuus thy God As we are included with them in the first so in the second title we have part and interest in them both for he is our God by Covenant as well as theirs by a Covenant of mercy and grace 3. Qui eduxi c. which brought thee c. For this third how far greater dangers are we delivered from then they From the sting of Conscience fom sin from death how much do the Devil and his Angels passe the power and malice of Pharaoh and his task-masters Hell and Gehenna the Lime-kills the torments of Hell without number the bricks with number and as much as these everlasting pains passe those temporal so much doth our deliverance exceed theirs The Apostle saith that God hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and from the wrath to come And in another place that he hath abolished death In this world he hath freed us from errours which the most part of the world fall into He hath delivered us 1. from the justice of God 2. from the terrour of the Law 3. from the sting of Conscience 4. from sin 5. from death 6. from Hell 7. from the Devil and his Angels 8. from the Spiritual Egypt 9. from the Egypt of this world c. Now as God hath titles so have we He Jehovah we vile Creatures He our God we his servants He which hath delivered us we which have been delivered by him from sin c. from a thousand dangers Audi Israel hear O Is ael saith he Speak Lord for thy servants hear must we say and not onely be his Auditors but his servants least we be made servants to sin Sathan and the world and so be made to know the difference between his service and the service of other Masters CHAP. II. The division of the Decalogue How divided by the Jews 〈◊〉 Christians Addition 6. That the four fundamental articles of all Religion are implyed in the four first precepts Of rules for expounding the Decalogue Six rules of extent 1. The affirmative implies the negative and e contrà 2When any thing is commanded or forbidden all of the same nature are included 3 The inward act of the soul is forbidden or commanded by the outward 4. The means conducing are included in every precept 5. The consequents and signes 6 We must not onely observe the precept our selves but cause it to be kept by others least we partake of other mens sins which is 1. Jubendo by commanding 2 Permittendo by tolleration 3. 〈◊〉 by provocation 4 Suadendo by perswasion 5 〈◊〉 by consenting 6. Defendendo by maintaining 7. Scandalum praebendo by giving scandal VVE divided the Law into a stile and a Charge the first hath been handled The charge remains whereof we will now speak And this is contained in the ten words which we commonly call the ten commandments So doth Moses as well to deter men from presuming to adde any more in which respect God wrote both sides of the Tables full to prevent the adding to them as also to take from man the excuse of being so many that his memory could not bear them They being but few whereas those of the heathen are infinite These ten for better order and memory sake receive a division from the subject and are divided according to the two Tables which our Saviour in his answer to the Lawyer divideth according to the objects God and Man And this is not his own division onely we finde it in the time of the Law Our duty towards God is set down in Deuteronomy Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy hea t and with al thy soul and with all thy might Our duty towards man in Leviticus Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self From both which places this division of of our Saviour hath its ground Now because love is so often repeated S. Paul makes the end of the Law to be love And in another place after he hath recapitulated the Law he reduceth it to this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self for our love proceeding and ascending up to God when we descend and come to our Neighbour it is but a reverberation of the love we have to God and every reverberation or reflexion presupposeth a direct beam so that every man that loves his Neighbour hath God first in his direct motion as the immediate and direct object of his love and then his Neighbour in
last act of benefit bring the handfull of Israelites from the power of Pharaoh and indeed who is able or hath resisted his power Concerning the first the omniscience of God S. Augustine saith If the candle burn he seeth thee if the candle be out he seeth thee he seeth all thoughts both present and past and thy thoughts to come therefore it is justly said that the Law is spiritual Now for the thought we may observe therein these several steps and degrees 1. Cogitatio ascendens the suggestion arising from some former voluntary act or neglect 2. Inclinatio voluntatis the entertainment of the suggestion 3. Mora the delay in the thought A desire to stay upon it longer 4. Voluptas ex cogitatione a good liking of this guest 5. Cupido actionis a longing to taste the conceived pleasure in outward act 6. Consensus cordis purpose to practise and put it in execution 7. Deliberatio perficiendi the choyce of some means to bring it to passe And though mans law cannot take hold of all these yet Gods Law doth 4. The fourth Rule of extension is that which mans Law hath prescribed Cum quid prohibetur prohibentur omnia per quae pervenitur ad illud e contra when any thing is prohibited all things likewise are forbidden that are the means to it and so on the contrary The Jews say Ambulandum est in praeceptis per viam regiam we must walk in the commandments not by a by-path but in the rode in the Kings high way The reason is The goodnesse of a way or motion dependeth on the end so that if these or these means bring to an evil end they are evil and consequently not to be used in good things neither are we to seek God by them We must not so much as stand in the way of sinners So if a thing be good the omission as also the means be evil Bonae legis est non solum tollere vitia sed et occasiones vitiorum it is the property of a good law not onely to take away sin it self but the occasions also of sin 5. The fifth Rule is Cum quid prohibetur vel jubetur prohibentur vel jubentur omnia quae consequuntur ex illo when any thing is prohibited or commanded the consequents that follow thereupon and the symptomes of them are also forbidden or enjoyned As in the case of Pride the holy Ghost condemns the symptomes of it a proud look and a high stomach And the prophet condemneth walking with stretched forth necks and mincing gates And the Apostles S. Paul and S. Peter frizling and platting of the hair and vain apparel And God himself threatens to punish such as should be clothed with strange apparel because all these are not the signes of modesty and decency but Consequents of pride God will have the signe go with the thing signified 6. The sixth Rule is That we must not be accessory to the sins of others but seek to hinder sin in others and to draw others to the observing of the commandment as well as to keep it our selves S. Paul speaks of some and reproves them that consent with them that do things worthy of death For accessorium sequitur naturam principalis agentes consentientes pari poena plectantur both principal and accessory were to be punished alike and the reason is because the law is not onely to be observed but preserved we must not only be observers of it but take care too that it be kept by others Sic luceat lux vestra saith our Saviour let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven God will have glory from us not for us from others by us We must have a care that God may be glorified both in our selves and others so that we must not be accessory to any thing whereby God may be dishonoured and we be made guilty of other mens sins and so they become ours Now there are seven waves whereby we become accessory and partakers of other mens sins The first two concern Magistrates and all other Superiours the other five all men alike The first is in Magistrates and Superiours Jubendo by commanding if as the Prophet saith they decree unrighteous decrees and command any thing that is unlawful by way of law As Nebuchadnez that enacted a law for Idolatry that the people at the sound of a Trumpet should fall down and worship his Golden Image This lyeth 〈◊〉 upon the Magistrate for commanding it and he is accessory to Idolatry if the people commit it So Saul was guilty of killing the Priests hough Doeg slew them becau se it was his command So though Ananias rose not out of his seat to strike S. Paul yet because he was stricken at his commandment the blow reached unto him and S. Paul called him a painted wall for it and denounceth Gods judgement against him for it David did not in person put Vriah in the forefront of the battel but Joab yet because he wrote to Joab so to do the murther of Vriah was laid to David by the Prophet Nathan Jezebel was far off when Naboth was stoned but because she wrote to the Elders of Israel to proclaim a fast and to set Naboth on high among the people and to set wicked men to witnesse salfly against him and to put him to death she was made guilty of his death The second is Permitten to by toleration and is the other way whereof the Magistrate or Superiour may be guilty by Permission or Connivence at anothers sin As when a man is in authority though he command not an evil thing yet because he hath power to restrain men from committing evil and doth it not he shall be in fault If the people of the land do any wayes hide their eyes from the man when he giveth his seed unto Molech and kill him not Then will I set my face against that man and against his family and will cut him off That is if the people in whom it lay to execute punishment for it neglected and suffered the Malefactor to live the fault should be theirs as well as his S. Augustine saith that the Magistrate hath the Sword committed into his hands Vt mali si non dimittant voluntatem amittant facultatem peccandi that wick d men should be disabled of their power if not of their will to sinne S. Paul describing a Civil Magistrate saith that he bears not the Sword in vain and tells the end wherefore he bears it as a Revenger to execute the wrath of God upon him that doth evil And the same Apostle to set down a rule for the Ecclesiasticall Magistrate inveigheth against those of Corinth for not excuting an Ecclesiastical Censure upon an open Offendor but suffered him to continue in the Church And this rule extends also
equality in respect of the bond of observing the Law of God not any one is excepted more then another As we see in that Commandment Non maechaberis Nathan said to King David Tu es bomo thou art the man And John Baptist to Herod though a King too Non licet tibi c. it is not lawful for thee c. So neither do the Commandments leave us in a generality that so we may slip our necks from them but they are in the second person that whosoever heareth or readeth them they shall be as strong to him as if there were as many Tues as persons that hear them Therefore every one upon reading or hearing the Law in the second person ought to apply it to himself and the speaking of it in this manner is as forcible as if God himself did speak to every particular man By the using a negative or countermand there is implicitely a confirmation of that which is contrary It is held in Logique that ad plura se extendit negatio quam affirmatio It was Gods purpose to have his commandments beaten out as far as the rules of extension used by Christ would permit and his intent is that affirmative duties should be done after the impediments are removed And though ad negationem non sequitur affirmatio oppositi yet the Rule of Logick holds onely in bare affirmative and negative propositions not in affirmative or negative precepts for in these Qui negat prohibens jubet promovens In Laws Qui prohibet impedimentum praecipit adjumentum he that forbids the obstacle commands the helps And this also serves to shew how full of weeds our nature is that it is not capable of a command but first of a countermand We are not capable of good before that which is ill in us be weeded out of us 1. That the future tense is so much used in the Commandments it is an implicite touch of our transgressions past and that for the time to come it is doubtful and uncertain what we will be for the time past it shews that we have been grievous transgre ssours and is withall a warning of the pronenesse of our nature to ill for the time to come that even then we will be as ready to do wickedly as ever before for as there is one that will say facies so there is another as ready to say faciam Evil suggestions evil examples our own corrupt natures and Sathan besides will egge us forward and therefore we must keep a diligent watch and abridge our selves of things lawful we must flee from the smoak abstain from all appearance of evil as the Apostle speaks that the body of sin reign not in us 2. And in the second place it imposeth a continual keeping of the Law so long as we live It is for to day to morrow and to our lives end and therefore our warfare against sin must be to blood and death and before such time we are not discharged from the obligation of the Law Now for the commandments themselves The end of the Law is to make a man good and here also are some things to be noted from the order here observed 1. Impediments are to be removed that we may keep the Law therefore this first Commandment runs negatively As when the frame of a building is to be erected if a tree be standing in the way it must be cut down or if the ground be not sure and dry it is not meet to 〈◊〉 an house upon or as in a cure in Chyrurgery if the whole Body be corrupt or some member be dead and the flesh 〈◊〉 that must first be cut away before any thing be applyed to the grieved part Ground must be fallowed before corn be sowen And so God hath provided by his Law running negatively and that in the front of it Non habebis c. false Gods must be renounced that the worship of the true God may take place 2. The second observation followeth that that be done first which is first in Order As in a building the foundation is first laid and in natural generation the heart is first this also is done here First Non habebis deos alienos coram me thou shalt have no other Gods before me This is the foundation of all worship inward or outward and therefore in the first place mentioned We are to observe our former rules fines mandatorum diligenter observandi sunt we must therefore know what intent God had in giving this Commandment One end of the Law as is said is to make men good And the ultimate end or scope of this and all other Commandments is the glory of God The whole first Table refers to Godlinesse Holinesse Religion Now Religion being an action it mvst needs proceed from some inward principle and so doth it which is from the soul of man and principally from the spirit of it which in this regard is compared to a Treasury out of which good men bring good and evil men evil things Our worship and service of God will be according to the treasurie of our hearts the spirit if that be good our outward worship will be so too We see then that inasmuch as the spirit is the chief and principal thing in Gods worship our chief and principal care too ought to be had for this spiritual worship And indeed it is the scope of this first Commandment It is said that according to the superiour end the Commandment is to be esteemed Quo prior finis 〈◊〉 prior necessitas hence it is that the first Table is to be preferred before the second because spiritual worship required in the first is before outward worship prescribed in the second Commandment So man was made the end of the Sabbath not the Sabbath the end of man Mark 2. 27. therefore the breach of the external part of the Sabbath must yeeld to the necessities of man Whereas the worship of God is commonly divided into spiritual and bodily or inward and outward and the one said to be commanded in the first the other in the second Commandment this must not be so understood as if they were several kindes of worship for the same act of Religion may be both inwardly and outwardly performed as we see in mental and vocal prayer but they import onely the different manner of performing as either by the heart alone which is onely spiritual or by the heart and outward man which is the same spiritual worship performed by the body and therefore called outward for the outward worship of the body proceeding from the heart or spirit may be truely called spiritual because the exteriour act proceeds from the spirit and God accepts such worship though it be outward in respect of the act as a worship in spirit and truth when it is accompanied with truth and sincerity of heart and therefore as all worship and obedience is the same both inward and
〈◊〉 contained in it with the punishments and the rewards thereof Christ tells the Jews of a faith in the Law If ye had beleeved Moses ye would have believed me This was peculiar to the Jews before Christ came and is not proper for us 3. The Evangelical is the third which is the belief of the Gospel whereby we trust and relie upon Christ for 〈◊〉 of sins and eternal life in the way by him prescribed in the Gospel which is by repentance and new obedience which way they that walk in are said to believe in Christ or to believe the Gospel whereas to apply the promises absolutely not performing the conditions is a meer fancy and not faith in Christ or the Gospel because Christ hath no where promised pardon or life but to such as repent and lead a new life and therefore those that resolve not seriously so to do and as occasion is offered do not put their purposes in execution do nothing lesse then believe in Christ but turn the gospel into a doctrine of liberty Therefore saith S. Cyprian Quomodo se credere in Christum dicit qui non facit quae Christus facere praecipit how can any say he beleeves in Christ who doth not what Christ commands him And S. Augustine de 〈◊〉 operib c. 23. saith not onely that a good life is inseparable from faith but also ipsam esse bonam vitam that faith and good life are all one And Irenaeus before them both Credere in Christo est voluntatem ejus facere to believe in Christ is to do his will The object of all faith is the word of God which as it is said profited not the Jews because it was not mingled with faith when it is was preached to them So that there must be a mixture of faith with the word for the word and faith continue the Spirit of God in us Our Saviour tells his Disciples that his coming upon earth was fovere ignem to cherish and keep fresh the Spirit which is there compared to a fire S. John the Baptist calls him the Baptizer with fire and the Holy Ghost and therefore it is that S. Paul adviseth not to quench the Spirit and that which nourisheth it is in the next verse Despise not prophecy which is lampas fidei the oyl of faith The word is the matter of this fire If it come into a man it is but as a lamp without oil which flameth for a time it is but a blaze in the Hearers when it is not mingled with faith it bideth but a while if this nutriment be wanting And it is wanting in the wicked Non quia dicitur sed quia creditur sicut credis ita sit tibi Non est semen immortale nisi credas esse a Deo qui est solus immortalis And this is the necessary use of faith Thus much for the first Rule The second and third rules are of little use in this Commandment The fourth rule is concerning the means to believe about which we need not much to labour because it is certain that the first way whereby we come to believe is the relation of others The Q. of Sheba believed Solomons wisdom upon report And the reports of Saints who reposed their whole confidence in God may be able to perswade us else which cannot be we must think that all the Patriarchs and Prophets were either unwise or dishonest and their faith in vain but they according to their own experience left that which they found to posterity Thus the testimony of the Church is the first motive and inducement to belief though not the sole or the the principal for this is divine authority viz. the word of God derived and conveighed unto us by the Church of God into which our faith must be finally resolved and ultimately terminated upon which when our faith is grounded we may say as the Samaritans to the woman that had related to them the passages between her and Christ at Jacobs well Now we beleeve not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world And so we may say we finde by experience the truth of what we have heard therefore the proper and especial ground of faith is the word of God Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God as the Apostle saith And after it is preached we must take the same course that we held in knowledge or meditation and conference c to acquaint our selves with it after we hear or read it as it is in Deuteronomy 6. But because he cannot be faithful in much that is not so in a little and as Christ saith If we beleeve him not in earthly things we shall come far short in the belief of heavenly therefore the learned have distinguished faith into fidem Coelestium Terrestrium by faith of heavenly and earthly And the latter of these is a means or way to the former Therefore it being a way or preparation to faith somewhat is to be said of it as a special and most effectual part of faith and is rather to be called fiducia or confidentia then fides confidence or trust then faith It pleased God to prepare and make way to faith by the last of the two that a man may repose himself and rely wholly upon God and he that can be brought to this etiam vacuo penu when there is no hope of good being unfurnished of all earthly means and help will be able also to put his confidence in him for heavenly things But when the storehouse of faith in earthly things is empty we cannot be furnished with faith in heavenly 1. Now this faith or rather confidence in God is considered two wayes 1. Either he that hath it hath the means also 2. or he that hath it is utterly without the means Both here are enjoyned If we have them we are to use them because it hath pleased God to ordain them as ordinary means to work with as Jacobs care was to provide for his family And Isaac said to his father here is wood and fire but where is the sacrifice Abrahams answer was Deus providebit God will provide the rest If we do our parts God will do the rest We must not do as the Tempter would have Christ do cast himself from the pinacle when there was an ordinary way to come down from it for this were to neglect the ordinary and seek out for extraordinary means which is not warrantable 2. And as we are commanded to use them and not presume without them so on the other side we are forbidden to trust in them and rest upon them whether it be in the private art we practise to sacrifice to our own nets that is to ascribe all to our own skill or in our wealth which Job accounted as a
may see more sinne and corruption in himselfe then in another and so may say with Saint Paul I am the greatest sinner 1 Tim. 1. 15. and may see that gift in another which is not in himself which he is bound to honour in him but to prefer the gifts of nature in another before the gifts of grace in our selves is not true but counterfeit humility So likewise is that Hypocritical humility which some pretend for worldly ends as that of Absolom who though he were the kings son yetbowed himself to every one and kissed him c. whereby he stole away the hearts of the people and rebelled against his father 2 Sam 15. 5. Now the means to humility are these among many other 1. The first is the considertion of the vilenesse of the composition of our bodies Saint Basile saith that mans life is a schoolehouse of humility and his ground is upon that of the psalme where the Prophet comparing his body to the celestiall bodies falls into admiration why God did rather choose to put a reasonable soul into his body rather then into them What is in man Lord that thou art so mindful of him c. And out of that place in Genesis where Abraham acknowledgeth himself to be but dust and ashes Our nature is but a heap of dust mingled with ashes And the Philosopher saith that we are but a pot of Choler and phlegme And Saint Augustine saith that it would be a prealvent motive to humility if we would but take notice what manner of stuff passeth through our nose ears and other parts of our bodies nunquam tam turpe sterquilinium reperites we should see there is no such dunghill as our selves 2. Another means is the consideration of the estate of our souls The humble Publican took notice of it when he said God be mercifull to me a sinner A father seems to correct the translation of those words well by mihi peccato to me which am nothing but sinne For it is many of our cases We are such sinners as that the Apostle saith we are sold as slaves under sinne and in us that is in our flesh there dwelleth no good thing insomuch that of our selves we are not able to think a good thought And not onely so but if we consider that we have so multiplied our transgressions as that they are more in number then the haires of our head insomuch as the burden of them is so intollerable that they are too heavy for us to bear The consideration of these things will so humble us that though the devill carry us into our own mountain and shew us any good thing in our selves to tempt us with we shall be able to say with Jacob we are not worthy of the least of Gods mercyes and that if we use the gifts we have never so well yet to say we are unprofitable servants and that there is no gain to be expected from us to him and with the Prophet O Lord righteousnesse belongeth to thee but unto us confusion of faces and lastly with King David Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the praise for thy loving mercy and truths sake 3. A third is the consideration of the crosses and afflictions which God either hath or may lay upon us and this is a sufficient motive to humble even the wicked This wrought upon king Ahab of whom it is said that he had sold himself to work evil a blaze of humility which was not unrewarded And certainly this is no small means to work this duty and so we are to think of it King David said it is good for me that I have been afflicted because thereby he learnt Gods statutes this drives us to God by prayer and to the word for comfort it maks us to enter into the house of mourning and to exercise discipline over our selves with other the like effects which it works 4. Lastly the best and chief motive should be the example of our Saviour of whom though there were many things worthy our learning and imitation in him yet he would have us chiefly learn this duty of humility Learn of me saith he for I am 〈◊〉 and lowly in heart And so all his acts upon earth did testifie of him his preaching was humble he sought not his own glory hismiracles without pride see thou tell no man said he to the cured Leper he begins his first sermon with Blessed are the poor in spirit his behaviour was humble of which he left an example in washing his disciples feet exemplum dedi vobis he was humble in his birth humble in his life but his death was a true pattern of humility beyond all presidents He humbled himself to death even the death of the Crosse. Saint Augustine upon our Saviours speech before mentioned Mat. 11. 29. saith discite a me non mundum fabricare non cuncta visibilia invisibilia fabricare non in ipso mundo miracula sacere et mortuos suscitare c. sed quod mitis sum et humilis corde Cogitas magnam constituere fabricam celsitudinis de fundamento prius cogita humilitatis Learn of me not to create the world or all visible or invisible things not to work miracles in the world as to raise the dead c. but to be meek and lowly in heart as I am Thou conceivest to erect a great fabrick of honour first bethink thy self of laying the foundation of humility And another Father upon our Saviours first sermon Blessed are the poor in spirit Ne contemnerent hominis humilitatem placuit Deo plura largiri in humilitate sua quam in 〈◊〉 qui igitur verentur humiliari se 〈◊〉 ea facere quae secit Deus Lest men should despise humility it pleased God to bestow more in the time of his humility then in his Majesty They therefore that are afraid to humble themselves fear that which God himself did And so we come to the signes of true humility 1. The first signe of true humility appears in our tongue by ruling that and forbearing to talk of matters above us Speak not proud things And not onely so but not to have them in our thoughts but to be content to deport our selves according to that condition in which God hath placed us We must know how to be abased and how to abound else God will mislike us as he did Baruch who did quarere grandia seek after great things And therefore Saint Augustine saith this is a true signe of humility when a man despiseth those things aswell which he might have as them he would have The second is when we set before us for our object bona aliena et mala nostra illa ut aemulentur hac ut corrigentur other mens good parts and our own evill to follow their's and correct our own When a man doth with the Prophet acknowledge
his own sinne and his own transgressions are ever before him and not busie himself with other mens faults whereas the proud mans thoughts are bona sua mala aliena the evil in others and the good that is in himself 3. Another signe is when a man is able to suffer the slander backbiting and reproches of ill tongues and not regard them as King David did As for me saith he I was like a deaf man and heard not and as one that is dumb and openeth not his mouth and in the next verse I became even as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth is no reproof Thus he shewed his humil ty when he bare patiently the railing of Shimei Christ being reviled reviled not 4. The fourth not to do any thing that may be against Gods glory though it be to a mans own reproach and suffering in this world when he is willing to suffer any thing himself rather then any dishonour should red ound to God or his Church by opening the mouths of the wicked Psal. 69. 6. Let not them that trust in thee be ashamed O Lord God of hosts for my cause let not those that seek thee be confounded through me c. 5. The last is not to rob God of his glory or to give it to another How can yee beleeve saith Christ that seek glory one of another The humble man as the Psalmist saith setteth not by himself but is lowly in his own eyes Psal. 15. 4. this is evidentissimum signum appropinguantis gloriae for before honour goes humility as a proud looke before a fall Pro. 33. CHAP. X. Of the fift inward vertue Hope Hope and fear come both from faith The several vses of hope The nature and exercise of hope Of presumption and despair Reasons against both Means to strengthen hope Signes of true hope Spes Hope AS the knowledge and belief of Gods justice worketh in us fear and humility of which we have spoken so from the knowledge and apprehension of his mercy ariseth hope and love After humility we come to the valley of Achor for a doore of hope as the Prophet speaks When we have been brought to the valley of mourning and have bin in fear and despaire then will God open to us a door of hope so that in stead of the first spirit the spirit of bondage unto fear we shall receive the spirit of adoption unto hope Now by conferring our strength and performances with the strict rule of Gods justice we finde it impossible that we should hope for salvation but by faith apprehending Gods mercy it may be possible it may be considered as attainable two wayes 1. either by our selves 2. or by some other 1. Now concerning the former if we look upon our selves the effect of faith is fear inasmuch as the object of it is Gods justce and so we can have little comfort in our selves for this shews that it is impossible to us as of our selves but as it is in the Apostle every mouth must be stopped and all the world must become guilty before God ther 's little hope that way 2. But we are not left alltogether to despair for though it be impossible to us of our selves yet if it be possible by another if another way may be found ther 's some hope Faith reasoneth as the Psalmist doth Hath God made all men for nought or in vain If he hath then why falleth not his wrath at once And searching further for the cause why we are not consumed we finde that his mercy is the cause It is of the Lords mercy saith the Prophet that we are not consumed for his compassions fail not and that the work of his creation is not in vain Then consequently a remnant there shall be and God will have a tenth alwayes preserved to himself and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof and as it is in the Gospell there shall be a little flock and we may hope that of that little flock we are If the Lord were sparing of his mercy that might be a great impediment to our hope but when we read that the Lord waiteth to be gracious to us it setteth our hope in a better forwardnesse Now because that out of the gate of mercy all our hope cometh we are to consider upon whom God vouchsafeth to bestow this mercy how they must be qualified The prophet saith he will thrust his face into the dust that is he will humble himself if peradventure he may have hope And hope is given to them that fear and are of a contrite spirit and that tremble at Gods word Spes timentibus Deum hope is a reward to them that fear God And as fear is requisite so faith much more God shews this kindnesse to them that put their trust in him and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute or forsaken And when we hear God himself say liberabo eum qui sperat in me when the act of hope shall have such a reward ther is good encouragement and we may surely expect it Now to hope is to trust in Gods mercy and so the psalmist saith My trust is in thy mercy for that is Porta spei the gate of hope there 's no entrance unto God but by this gate and no issue of good to us but by it for faith apprehending mercy hopeth and the rather because there is such plenty of mercy promised to them that hope in God that it will compasse them round Who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy imbraceth him on every side But it may be demanded how faith can beget both fear and hope two contraries or how two contraries can stand in one subject To this may be answered first we should not question it in respect that the holy Ghost hath put them together so often The Psalmist saith The Lords delight is in them that fear him and put their trust in his mercy Again faith breedeth fear in us in respect of our weaknesse and it breeds hope in respect of the mercies of God so that they being contraries non secundum idem they may well stand together in the soule of a just man For distinction sake Fides credit promissis faith beleeveth the promise and spes expectat credita hope looketh for the things we beleeve Again a thing may be believed and yet not hoped for as no true Christian though he hopes not for hell yet he believes there is such a place So the general truth of God being the object of our faith and containing many threatnings bringeth forth fear and the mercy of God in his promises being likewise an object of our faith produceth hope And so we see they are distinguished ab objecto the one having Gods justice and the other his goodnesse for its object S. Bernard distinguisheth the three vertues of Faith Hope and Charity by presenting to
David from coming to Saul by saying that he was sick and it had been barbarous in Saul to urge a sick man to come 2. Secondly Sacrificing our selves is a sufficient cause Jonathan excused David likewise from coming to Sauls sacrifice because he was gone to Bethlem to offer sacrifice for himself 3. Lastly Misericordiam volo non Sacrificium I will have mercy and not sacrifice works of mercy as visiting the sick and the like are lawfull excuses 2. Thesecond signe is if upon the meditation of Lex Talionis as you hear you shall be heard We can truly say Even as I hear so hear me O Lord. This is a good signe 3. The third is If we be companions of them that fear God and love them that are Gods servants because they be reverend and zealous in his service for he that loveth God loveth them that worship him with fear and reverence The last thing according to the sixth rule is thatwe procure this outward worship to be performed by others 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 verus Christianus est 〈◊〉 sratris every good Christian is a Curtein to his brother for every curtein must have a hook and a catch to draw his brother to Gods service King David drew the multitude into the house of God Andrew brought his brother Simon to Christ so Philip called 〈◊〉 We must tarry one for another according to the Apostles rule For they that desert others and disswade them from this outward worship and service ofGod shall be accursed and stricken with blindenes of body and soul as Elimas the Sorcerer was for dehorting Sergius Paulus the Governour and seeking to turne him away from the faith And thus much for the first part ofthis Commandment which as we said in our division of it was an expresse Prohibition in these words Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image c. And an included affirmative precept thou shalt worship me in such manner as I do command thee CHAP. VIII Of the second part of this precept The sanction or penalty This is the first Commandment with a penalty Reasons of it The parts of this sanction 1. Gods stile 2. A commination 3. A promise 1. Gods stile by 1. his power 2. His Iealousy How Iealousy is ascribedto God Why humane affections are ascribed to God Of the Sanction in this Commandment VVE come now to the second part of the Precept which is the reason or the sanction of the law consisting aswell of a Penalty for breaking it as a reward for observing it And these two may be resembled to the two Mounts Ebal where the Curses were denounced and Gerizim where the blessings were promised to the twelve Tribes for unumquodque mandatum sancitur praemio et poena every law is confirmed by rewards and punishments and here are both Now if it shall be demanded why it was the will ofGod to make this the first precept with a penalty as Saint Paul observed of the fifth commandment that it was the first with a promise we shall finde these reasons for it 1. Because a publick sinne is to be openly punished and the punishment by Gods law is to be proportionable to the offence Now the sinne against the first commanment is secret in our hearts it is a bosom sinne which God alone can see and therefore the punishment of it is left to God himself who is content as Saint Paul saith somtimes and on some reason as himself pleaseth to wink at it not to see it but this because it comes into the light of the sun and is obvious to every eye and the rule of Justice being ut malum ubi contingit ibi moriatur that if the fault be open it be publickly punished therefore God hath appointed and decreed a visible punishment for it for the reason and end set down by the Apostle that others may fear 2. Whereas it is the property of punishment cohibere impetus 〈◊〉 turpia to restrain mens passions from committing ill and our impetus or inclinations being prone to offend against this commandment by two motives proffit and safety 2. of the best Oratours to perswade I speak of that corruption which draws every one to such platformes of Gods outward worship as his own head shall devise and that we cannot be vile in our own eyes as David was and also for that sometimes it falleth out as God foretold that the beast getteth place and is received and then he that will not receive the mark of the beast in his forehead shall be threatned with penalty of Body and goods And that either for proffit or honour or for fear of such edicts as were made by Nabuchadnezzar Darius and the rulers of the Jews which mav touch the life any worship is likely to be embraced by us For as Satan told God skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life not onely to save his skin but to save the fleece also to enjoy outward peace wealth and honour men will violate the commandments of God Therefore to bridle these impetus and to meet with those edicts ofPrinces and men in authority God frames his Commandment as strong as Princes do theirs and threatens a punishment greater then they can inflict Qui secus faxit He that doth otherwise shall be subject to this and this punishment And these are the reasons why this is a penallstatute This sanction or ratification containeth two things 1. A Commination visiting sinne to the third and fourth generation 2. A promise shewing mercy to them that love me c. before both which there is a preface I the Lord c. This stile of God is the same which formerly we had but with a double encrease or addition 1. fortis strong 2. zealotes jealous of sure performance in what he here threateneth fortis nihil impediet strong that nothing can hinder zelotes ut nihil slectat zealous that nothing may alter him He hath both a posse and a velle a power and a will 1. It falls out many times that men whose arme and strength is shortned though they conceivesore displeasure against others yet there wants strength to put it in execution Shimei was maliciously bent against David yet all he could do was but to cast a handfull of dust against him and because he wanted power to put his malice in execution he was fain to end in a few railing words Fortis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong God is oft times vsed in scripture but especially then when God opposeth himself to weak man as we may see in the prophet The Egyptians are men and not Gods c. And this attribute of God is expressed by the Hebrews by twowords Gnuz robur or internal strength and Cayl potentia or fortitudo external might as in weapons and armes 1. The first is called Gods weaknes by the
terrible punishment to such The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the people that forget God Take heed saith Moses that you forget not the Lord. Deut. 4. 9. A man would think it were impossible that any should forget him but Saint Jerome tells us how a man may forget him if we behave our selves so in our speech that nothing comes from us that savoureth of God then we may be truly said to forget him A man is said to forget Gods name when he breaketh the first Commandment as it is in Jeremy Their fathers have forgoten my name for Baal and so for the rest And therefore they that truly take up this banner meditate day and night how they may do that which shall be to their masters glory They speak as king David did of his glorious honour and majesty Solomon saith that a just mans mouth doth 〈◊〉 sapientiam speak of wisdom he speaks something which may redound to the glory of Gods name and therefore he calls the tongue of the wise man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsam salutem a vein of life and health it self out of which comes glory to God and health to himself but we may now say Rarum est nomen 〈◊〉 the reverend mention of Gods name is 〈◊〉 in some mens mouths they seldome speak of him unlesse it be to dishonour him by prophane swearing and cursing Or else they do like Solomons fools ebullire 〈◊〉 belch out folly or babble and some out vanity The p actise of king David was to shew forth Gods righteousnes and make mention of it and of it onely And in the Prophet Esays song ye shall finde We will make mention onely of thy Name God would execute his Judgements upon Pharoah that he might get him a name or that his name might be declared or spoken of through all the world This mention this honorifica mentio is of three sorts 1. In speaking often of it of which hath been formerly spoken 2. In speaking well of his Name 3. In speaking reverently of it 1. We must speak often of it his name must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often and much to be talked of this is the end of all his great wonders to have his name famous and spoken of in the world as is already shewed 2. His name must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed or well spoken of The speaking well or blessing of Gods name we have a pattern from the 〈◊〉 and Saints of God It was their Epiphonema or close after mercies and judgements They shall say alway saith the Psalmist The Lord be praised as himself saith elsewhere Blessed be his glorious name for ever 〈◊〉 for the deliverance of Moses and the Israelites from 〈◊〉 Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you c. And of King David Blessed be the Lord that hath not given us over for a prey So for Gods favour as the women to Naomi Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman So was Davids thankfulnesse Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications and blessed be the Lord from everlasting And Nehemiah and the people Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise As also for his preservation from sinning as David being prevented by Abigail from shedding Nabals blood Blessed be the Lord God of Israel And lastly for Gods chastisements and crosses as Job The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. This speaking well of God and converting his blessings and judgements into an honourable mention of his name is commanded Contrary to this it is when a man receiving some mercy thinks it not great enough and therefore grudges and is unthankful or being under some affliction or judgement thinks it too great and so murmurs and complains and converts all to the dispraise of God 3. His name must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverend and venerable We must speak reverently of Gods name not make it common as if we did account of it no better then a stone in the street and of his service as that of a common person Ye shall not prophane my holy name saith God that is not use it commonly for to the sanctifying of his name is opposite the prophaning of it or making it common Thus when men speak of Gods nature of his decrees and judgements and of the great mysteries of Religion without fear and rerevence as if they were discoursing of ordinary matters they do not reverence his name much lesse when it is abused and prophaned as Witches do in sorcery and evil arts or as blasphemers that use it irreverently or by way of execration when men ascribe to God what is contrary to his nature as to make him unjust cruel the author of sin c. Besides these there is another way of applying Gods name to our actions and that both to our own and other mens 1. To our own for this we have a precept Whatsoever ye do saith the Apostle in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord and how is that by calling upon his name for a blessing when we say with the Psalmist our help standeth in the name of the Lord. 2. To others thus God commanded the Levites to put his name upon the people and blesse them How that is the Psalmist sheweth by wishing them good luck in the name of the Lord. The contrary to this is to curse when with the same tongue as S. James saith we blesse God the Father and curse men This is a terrible abuse to use the name of God as a curse to our selves or others which is given for a blessing onely as when men wish that God would confound them and so as S. Augustine saith faciunt Deum carnificem suum they make God their own executioner whereas God hath given his name for a strong tower of defence Thus much for sanctifying his name in our words now for our actions We must make his name glorious in our actions which is 1. when our actions are such that men seeing our good works may glorify our father which is in heaven Therefore the Apostles precept is Let every one that calleth upon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity Gods name is polluted and prophaned by the wickednesse of them that professe it The wickednesse of the childe pollutes the father The Law saith If the daughter of a Priest commit fornication she polluteth her father Now God is our Father when we take his name upon us and if we do not glorifie him in our actions nor depart from iniquity we do what we can to make him polluted Therefore God threatens those that take his law into their mouths and yet hate to be reformed that he will set their sins in order
much more because his name is a more glorious name then any mans can be We use to say what is a man but his good name Crudelis est sibi homo qui famam negligit vel inultam sinit He is cruel to himself that is negligent of his good name or will not vindicate it Solius laesae famae duellum est permittendum quia pari passu ambulat cum vitae duels may be permitted say some Casuists for the vindication of ones name because when a mans reputation is lost he is as good as dead If it be so with men and that they will defend their good name to the death yea the name of a friend or any that we receive benefit by God is not then to be accused if he punish those that abuse his name So then to conclude if Gods name be as most certainly it is most glorious in it self How glorious is thy name in all the world And as it is glorious so is it holy and reverend too Holy and reverend is his name saith the Psalmist Then it must be so in every one of us it bebooves every one to use it 〈◊〉 and reverently and to glorifie it to their power If we do it not willingly it shall be glorified upon us nolentes volentes whether we wil or not as it was upon Pharaoh I will harden 〈◊〉 heart and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and all his host Exod 14. 4. God saith of Israel Thou art a holy people to the Lord. Deut. 14. 2. We must be as Israel or as Pharaoh If we glorifie him not with Israel he will glorifie it upon us with Pharaoh for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain THE EXPOSITION OF THE Fourth Commandement The Fourth Commandment Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it Holy c. CHAP. I. The excellent order of the Commandments Why God himself appointed a set time for publick worship Why this Commandment is larger then the rest Six special things to be observed in this Commandment which are not in the rest The general parts of it 1. The precept 2. The reasons In the precept 1. The affirmative part what is meant by Sabbath what by sanctifying How things sanctifyed differ from other things God sanctified it not for himself but for us We must sanctifie it 1. In our estimation of it 2. In our use of it AS Gods order in all his works is most excellent for he is the God of order so in the placing of these Commandments it is most admirable For in the First he commands us to beleeve in a God setleth Religion in us and shews that he and no other is that God and how he is to be worshipped Intus within 2. In the Second he prescribeth how we are to behave our selves towards him in our exteriour worship and how to expresse and manifest our inward affections towards him by our outward gesture 3. In the Third how his glorious name ought to be magnified by our outward expression in our words when we converse with others These three first Commandments contain our general and perpetual duties towards God Now in this fourth Precept because men should not be left at liberty when or at what time to perform these duties God hath taken order for a set and certain time to that purpose appointing a day whereon to do it and that more solemnly in a general or publick meeting or Assembly which he elsewhere calleth an Holy Assembly or Holy Convocation that all men together may set forth and make publick professions of their worship of him in fear and give him honour praise and glory As also to learn and be instructed in what hath past in former times and how to behave themselves for the time to come by laying the foundations of Religion and lastly to acknowledge as well the great goodnesse of God and his benefits to us as our duty and service to him It is true which we usually say and which the Heathen man did well see that Publicorum cura minor the care of publick matters is the least of all other for commonly that which ought to be regarded by all is regarded by few or none And so no doubt men would have dealt with God for publick worship had he not provided a particular day for himself and setled it by a special Commandment as we see in those that talk of a perpetual Sabbath who come at length to keep no day at all And therefore God knowing our innate negligence in his service which of right ought to be every ones care did by enacting this law provide for a particular and set time for it This Commandment being of as large or larger extent and more copcious in words then the second should work in us no lesse regard and consideration of this then of that Nor is it in vain that God hath so enlarged it Wee see that four duties of the second Table are ended in a word as it were Non occides Thou shalt not kill Non moechaberis Thou shalt not commit adultery Non furaberis Thou shalt not steal Non falsum testimonium feres Thou shalt not bear false witnesse And the reason is because civil honesty and the writings of Heathen Philosophers who were chiefly guided by the light of Nature and civil Laws urge the observing of them and our Bars and judgement seats condemn sins therein forbidden but the fifth Commandment because God foresaw our stiffenecked humours that we would not willingly or easily be brought under subjection God thought it necessary to fence it with a reason So likewise in the tenth there is great particularity used because men are apt to conceive that their thoughts are free and that they shall not come to judgement for using their liberty in them In the first Table every Commandment hath its particular reason but this fourth Precept hath more then any It hath six particular respects not to be found in any of the other 1. Whereas the rest run either barely in the affirmative as the fifth or barely in the negative as the other in this both parts are expressed The affirmative in these words Remember thou keep holy c. and the negative in these Thou shalt do no manner of work c. so that a mans inclination to the breach of this Commandment is both wayes met withall 2. In this This precept is not onely given to our selves but to all others that belong to us God proceeds here to a wonderful kinde of particularity by a particular enumeration comprehendeth all that with us and by us may be violaters of this Commandment naming all which he doth not in any of the other 3. The other Commandments are imperative onely and run in a peremptory way of command whereas the word here used though it be of the Imperative mood yet it rather intreats then commands Remember and may serve as a note of separation from the
possunt which cannot be performed by those that are busied with worldly or secular affairs So many of the Fathers that write upon this place vacate videte quia ego sum Dominus Be still and know that I am God shew that by the rule of natural wisdom the Philosophers held Postulandum esse secessum ut melius intendamus a vacation from worldly affairs is necessary that we may the better intend contemplate on heavenly things Our heads must not be occupied with worldly thoughts when we are about the affairs of the soul not that the works of the other six dayes are evil in themselves but because they are apt to distract the minde from that which is proper to this day Now Otium Rest being the first part it is a very strange thing that the nature of man should be altogether so averse from Gods will that when the Precept is difficult and laborious requiring some pains and travail then they will be idle and where this precept is not laborious but easy as this to rest they will rather then not break the Commandment take pains that is they will even against their nature make themselvs businesse and pick out that day of all the dayes of the week that he hath chosen so that it shall be a kinde of policy to make advantage of that day and to finde out some labour on that day on which he hath forbid us to labour And so much for the easinesse of the Commandment and the perversenesse of man We finde in Scripture six several kindes of prohibitions from working on this day 1. Before the Law given when the people departed from Elim and came to the wildernesse of Sin there was a prohibition from gathering Manna there was better food to gather of which he that eateth shall live for ever The Lord is to be tasted 2. A second is As there must be no gathering of Manna nor going out to gather it that day so there must be no buying of it though it should be brought to us So Nehemiah protested against buying and selling which sheweth the unlawfulnesse of it because on that day is Mercatura animae it is the market day of the soul buying and selling on that day is forbidden 3. A third is that which the Prophet Jerem. mentions that is the carrying of burthens on that day and the better to dissuade the people from that kinde of work the Prophet promiseth in the person of God great blessings to them if they forbear and threatneth great plagues upon them if they did not for if they made that their day of 〈◊〉 God would send upon them a burden which they should sink under viz. Captivity and desolation by the Enemy he would kindle a fire in Jerusalem and burn up the gates and palaces thereof verse ult 4. Another thing prohibited by the Law is working in harvest time because the inning of harvest and gathering of grapes might seem to be a matter of great necessity Six dayes shalt thou work but on the seventh day thou shalt rest in earing time and in harvest time thou shalt rest so that the provision for the whole common-wealth must give place unto the rest of this day 5. A fifth thing prohibited is Travailing or Journeying on the Sabbath day Cras erit Sabbatum jehovae maneat quisque in loco suo neque egrediatur quisquam die septimo to morrow is the Sabbath of the Lord Abide ye every man in his place let no man go out of his place the seventh day 6. The last is above the rest For whereas God in the three Chapters before had given Moses a platform for the building of a Tabernacle and taken order that he should go presently in hand with it yet in the 31 Chapter he saith notwithstanding Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep whosever worketh on that day the same person shall be surely put to death Which is as much as if he had said Though that work may seem most lawful and tending most to my glory of all other yet ye shall not break the Sabbath to do it and so verse 15 he gives an universal restraint whosoever doth any manner of work on that day shall be put to death any manner of work an universal prohibition and the penalty threatned was accordingly executed upon him that gathered sticks Numb 6. 15. 35. he was stoned to death by Gods special appointment And the Lord tells the people that if they pollute the Sabbath by bearing burdens he would kindle such a fire in the gates of Jerusalem that should devour the palaces of it and not be quenched The Prophets generally urge the observation of this Commandment above the rest And we may observe that there hath seldom been any strange visitation by fire but where there hath some notorious prophanation of the Sabbath gone before So that when it shall please God to visit us with the like judgement we may conjecture what hath been the cause of it Concerning the rest now required on the Lords day and the difference thereof from the Jewish symbolical rest which was therefore more strict see the former Additional observation observation 6. Therefore to conclude this point let them that go out to gather Manna carry burdens buy and sell gather harvest journey and travail up and down or do any the most lawful work not think these things to be otium sanctum or Sabbatum Jehovae a holy rest or the Sabbath of the Lord but as Leo saith Sabbatum Tyri the Sabbath of Tyre The Councel of Mentz held in the time of Charlemain Anno Dom. 813 hath this Canon Omnes 〈◊〉 Dominicos cum omni veneratione decrevimus observari a servili opere abstineri ut 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 minime sit nec placitum ubi aliquis ad mortem vel poenam judicetur we have decreed that all the Lords dayes be observed with all reverence and that servile labour shall be forborne and that no market be kept on those dayes nor that any Courts be kept either to condemn men to death or punish them Those that offend are to be deprived of the communion for three years And the Council of Tyburis Anno 895. in the time of the Emperor Arnulph hath one Canon to the like purpose as well for the observation of other holy dayes as the Lords day In the second Council of Mascon held anno 582 severe punishments were to be inflicted upon those that should not observe the Lords day and that toto die all the day long As it was larger for the fault so it was milder for the punishment for they suspended those that violated this Canon from the Communion but for half a year so strict were they for the sanctifying of this day and that as one saith because God requires the rest not for the rest it self sed quia hoc die Deo tantummodo vacandum because we must this
any good thing so well as we would And he alledgeth that place of Saint Paul I do not the good things that I would That tie that 〈◊〉 upon us in the other sabbath cannot be so well performed by us as it ought to be and therefore multo 〈◊〉 frequentius 〈◊〉 oportet we have cause to glorify God oftner by this sacrifice of humiliation for attonement then by the other So that as the other tendeth to initiation of the joyes to come for praise is the exercise of the Saints and Angels and herein have a heaven upon earth so this to mortification of our earthly members in this life and it is the ordinance of God that each of these sacrifices should have its day And though some doubt of the morality of the sabbath yet that 〈◊〉 is a moral duty there can be no doubt The reason is because whatsoever was a meer ceremony might not be vsed at any other time or in any other place or order then was prescribed by God in the book of Ceremonies but this of fasting hath been otherwise for upon extraordinary occasions they had special fasts as in the fist and seventh and tenth moneth none of which were prescribed by the law and had not bin lawful if fasting were a ceremony for ceremonies in the time of the law were tyed to certain times and places Again though our Saviour gave a reason why his disciples should not then fast yet he shewed plainly that after the Bridegroom should be taken away from them after his taking up into Glory they should fast and that this duty should continue And we see it was the practise of the Church at the sending forth of Paul and Barnabas And Saint Paul himself had his private fastings in multis jejuniis in fasting often And his advise was to married people to sever themselves for a time to give themselves to fasting and prayer which sheweth plainly that it was accounted a necessary duty and therefore practised Now for the other times of the Primitive church the books of the fathers are exceeding full in praise of fasting and they themselves were so addicted to it and did therewith so consume themselves that they might well say with David Their knees were made weak with fasting and their flesh had lost all their fatnes The day of humiliation or day of fast receiveth a division of publick and private 1. For the first it was lawful to blow the Trumpet at it And secondly for the second it was to be kept as privately as might be none must know of it but the ends and parts of both were alike Now the reasons of the publick fast were these 1. Either for the averting of some evil 2. Or for procuring some good And because malum est aut poenae aut culpae evil is either of punishment or of sinne this duty was performed against both these but especially against punishment either of our selves or others And in both it is either present which is Malum grassans or hanging over heads which is impendens 1. A present evill is when the Church or commonwealth hath any of the Lords arrows or shafts sticking in their sides as Chrysostom saith well on Jos. 7. 6. As when the men of Ai had discomfited the children of Israel Josuah and the People humbled themselves before God by a publick fast And upon the overthrow given them by the Benjamites the people likewise besought the Lord in a publick fast So in the time of their captivity under the Philistims the prophet Samuel proclaimed a publick fast And the like upon a dearth in the time of Joel 2. When as yet the judgement of God was not come upon them but was onely imminent a fast was proclaimed by Jehosaphat upon the Ammonites and Moabites coming against him He feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah Also upon Hamans decreegotten against the Jews before it was 〈◊〉 in execution Esther caused a general fast to be 〈◊〉 among the Jews And when Niniveh was threatened with destruction to come upon it within 40 days the king caused a publick fast to be held So when this punishment lieth not upon our selves but upon the Churches about us the like duty is to be performed We have an example in this 〈◊〉 for the Jews dispersed through Babylon and Chaldea in the Prophet Zachary 2. To come to malum culpae the evil of sinne In regard of our offences against God and that they deserve to be punished we are to performe this duty obtain pardon and to pacifie his wrath We see that the Jews having offended God by taking wives of the Gentiles though there was yet no visitation 〈◊〉 them yet Esra and those that feared God assembled and humbled themselves by fasting and Jesabells pretence for a fast was fair if it had been true viz. that God and the king had been blasphemed by Naboth 2. As it is a dutie necessary to the averting of evil so is it for the procuring of some good For which purpose we finde several fasts kept in the Apostles times One at the sending forth of two of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas and the other at the ordination of elders to desire of God to make such as were ordained painful and fruitfull labourers in the work to which they were called Now in this duty of fasting if we looke at the punishments and visitation of God onely which are variously sent it is hard to make Jejunium statum to observe any set and fixed time of 〈◊〉 but as the occasion is special and extraordinary so must the fast be but if we look at the sins we daily fall into and our own backwardnes to any thing that is good and consider that fasting is a great help in the dayly progresse of mortification and sanctification As under the law they had their set dayes of expiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein they did afflict their souls expiare 〈◊〉 sua jejunio and expiate their sinnes with fasting so no question 〈◊〉 that now we having the like daily occasions of fasting set times of fasting may be appointed by the Church and that it is very expedient it should be so and that every true member of the Church ought to observe the same And as upon these publick causes and calamities the whole people ought to make a solemne day of fasting wherein every one is to beare a part so when the same causes concern any private person he ought to keep a private fast and humiliation which brings in the second part of a fast Namely the private 2. The causes of a private fast are the same with those of the publick 1. Either for Malumpoenae the evil of punishment or secondly Malum culpae the evil of sin And the first in respect of our selves when we are either under Gods
they had need to be both holy and well qualified 1. They are to stand between the Lord and his people to shew them his word and what he required them to do 2. They are not onely to read it but to instruct them in it to make men wise to salvation and not onely the common people but the king also as was shewed before 3. They are to blesse the people in the name of the Lord. 4. They are to offer prayers to God for them upon all occasions as 1. In time of Pestilence when the plague raged among them 2. in time of war when the enemy threatened their destruction 3. In time of famine when the land yeelded not increase 4. In time of sicknes not onely for the life of the King or Prince bnt also when sicknesse laied hold on private men And lastly 5. They wereto be instead of Captains to encourage the people their souldiers to fight manfully and to resist the assaults of the Devill their Ghostly enemy these and many other things belong to the priests function Now as the Apostle speaks who is sufficient for these things surely if he that was so plentifully endued with the spirit of God doubted of his own sufficiency what may we in these times when many take liberty without the emission the Apostle had to themselves unsent to undertake this high calling certainly great care ought to be taken by those in authority especially by the Church governours that none should performe this office of themselves and that they who are ordained be able to undergo so great a work For if they that fight against us were onely bodily enemies as French and Spaniards there were no such great need of such men but seeing that as the Apostle tells us we are to fight a spiritual combat we must combat with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore such are necessary as can oppose spiritual wickednes such are Currus Aurigae Israelis the charriots and horsemen of Israel who must beat back this spiritual host The holy Ghost hath left it upon record that the life of 〈◊〉 the priest and his wisdom were the means to keep both king and people from Idolatry and consequently the whole kingdom from destruction And as the 〈◊〉 tells us that in his time the want of knowledge brought the foundations of the earth both of Church and commonwealth out of frame al humane laws were defective So as the wise man speaketh it is wisdome and knowledge of Gods law which is to be sought at the priests mouth that doth servare gregem ab interitu preserve the people from perishing And where there is no vision the people decay For if we will look backward into the estate of mighty commonwealthes we shall finde that though the wisdome and policy of them have been great for want of Prophets and priests to reclaim the vices of the soul they have all fallen to decay As fi st in the Assyrian monarchy what was the ruin of it but Gluttony and intemperance which brought diseased bodies and weaknes and Adultery which bred bastardslip as the prophet speaks and mingling of kindreds where by the Empire was translated out of the right line and so ruined and all this for want of good instruction Again looke into the 〈◊〉 monarchy and you shall see that Idlenes neglect of tillage mechanick arts and merchandise every one thereby becoming 〈◊〉 a gentleman caused the ruin of that Empire Nor did the Grecian Monarchy come to its period till Alexander for want of knowing God would himself be reputed a God and till his successours fell to covetousnesse whereby a needles dearth fell upon it and the greater began to oppresse the inferiour and the Prince to burthen his subjects And Lastly the Roman Monarchy came to that we see it is at this day from the most flourishing of all the former by their own pride envy emulation and heart-burning And these miseries befel al these four Monarchies by reason of these vices which the laws of God would not have suffered if there had been any to teach them and the laws of the Heathen could not correct If we come to our own nation in the time of the Brittains the often and frequent wrongs and injuries of great persons the perverting of the Laws which were made to be Cobwebs to catch onely the small flies while the great ones break through The Corruptions of Lawyers maintaining causes and suits for their fee by which the land was overrun with oppression Gods law being not heard in the mean time brought destruction upon the land Nor is it possible by any Act of Parliament Law or Statute to provide or take order that a man shall not be covetous or that there be no Idlenesse Ryot Pride Envy or the like sins in the soul though these as is said were the chief causes that these Monarchies and other Countryes came to destruction For Sobriety and all vertues must be begotten in the minde and that by such persons as shall be able to reach and instill them out of the Law of God otherwise politick justice will never continue among men Civil Acts are of no force except Religion be joyned with them We read that in the time of the Judges every man did that which was good in his own eyes Men could assure themselves of nothing they possessed Six hundred men of Dan came into Micahs house and took away his graven Image his Ephod his molten Image his Teraphim and his Priest And in the next Chapter what an unheard of example of lust have we and all this is attributed to the want of knowledge of Gods Law in those dayes And when the Priesthood was setled and they had a Judge yet the Children of Israel were brought under the yoak of the Philistins because that calling was corrupted by Hophni and Phinees the sons of Eli. In the time of the kings of Israel when that kingdome had been diverse years without the true God and without the Priest to teach the law in no nation can be found seaven such notable changes in so short a time as you may read in the book of the kings and this was ascribed to the want of the priest and the Law of God Therefore it was before that time the wish and desire of Moses that all the Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit up-them And this was the desire of Saint Paul too that they could speak all with tongues but rather that all al could prophecie we see by experience that our adversaries take occasion to invade us in those places where the people are least instructed and most ignorant in the word of God All manner of sinne most aboundeth where least care is taken for their instruction in the wayes of God and the knowledge of his Laws It is our
he be for his belly as the first or degenerate to a wolf as the last they are both distinguished from the good shepherd Yet they are to be obeyed as pastors because they come in the right way obediendum est male an evil man must be obeyed though not ad malum in that which is ill of which before in the Magistrate But the end of these is wosul acording to the prophet wo unto the shepherds that feed themselves Ye 〈◊〉 the fat and cloth you 〈◊〉 the wooll yee kill them that are fed but yea feed not the flock 4. The good shepherd is the last sort who as he comes in the right way Math. 22. 12. So he is not to abuse his place after he is entred as the evil shepherd doth but to perform the duties of it which duties are 1. To shew his flock a good example 2. To employ his talent for their good 3. To converse with them as he ought 1 He must be an example He must lead the flock as our Saviour expresseth it after the manner of the Easterne countries who drave not their sheep before them but the sheep followed them The Apostle describeth it more plainly by the word Typus he must be Typus as the iron that gives a forme to the mony by making an impression on it As the iron hath the same forme in it which it stampes on the coyne so must the minister by his example represent what by his doctrine he would have the 〈◊〉 to be The same word is vsed in other places it is used by Saint Peter bidding such men to be ensamples to the flock It was Moses his order in the first place the priest was to have 〈◊〉 integrity of life and then Vrim light or learning And it pleased God to make it a signe of Aarons cal ling to the Priesthood That his rod was virga 〈◊〉 a fruit bearing rod to shew that the priest when he uses the pastoral rod for government and discipline must not be unfruitful himself but must be an example in holy life and good works which are the fruits of the spirit So was it in Christ our Prototype as Saint Luke speaks Cepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 docere 〈◊〉 began both to do and to teach to do first and to teach after The like Saint Paul when he handleth this point ex professo tells both 〈◊〉 and Titus that a minister must be blamelesse by his example without spot and unreproveable So then he must be ex mplam or dux gregis he must be typus a pattern or example he must do and then teach This example he may be two wayes 1. In himself which is as you see before in S. Pauls direction to Timothy and Titus to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without spot which hath relation to that in the law No man that bath a blemish or is mishapen in his body of the seed of Aaron the Priest was to come nigh to offer the Lords offering This was required under the Law to preserve the outward honour and dignity of the Priesthood the better and though in that regard it may be of moral use yet withal hereby was typified that innocency and freedom from all spiritual blemishes of sin which should be in the Ministers of the gospel They should be free from all spot because no offence should be given that no scandal should be given to the weak brother within nor to the adversary without This made the Apostle so careful to avoid not onely scandal but all occasion of scandal that when alms were sent to poor brethren by the care of the Apostles he would not carry it alone but would have one go with him that there might be no suspicion of fraud that so he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provide things honest not onely in the sight of God but before men also and that the adversarie might have no occasion to speak evil Therefore the Disciples marvelled when they found Christ talking with a woman alone because it was not his custom to do any thing which might cause slander or suspicion Thus much for the ge 〈◊〉 We will now set the four vertues which the Apostle requires to be in him and the four spots which are opposit 1. The first is that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperans or continens temperate and chast whether in a married or single estate The opposite to this is in Tim. 3. 2. not to be content with one Wife so continency or single life is the vertue incontinency or polygamie the thing forbidden 2. The second is that he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigilant or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not given to wine The opposite is in the next verse one given to wine transiens ad vinum a tavernhunter for the lust of the body and the pleasure of the taste must both be qualified in him 3. The next is he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sober which Chrysostome distinguishes from the former and is opposite not to the inordinate desires of meat and drink but to the passions of the soul which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irascible it moderates the passion of anger The vertue required is mentioned 2 Tim. 2. 24. mildenesse he must be no striker not furious but one that will bear injuries and labour with meeknesse to reclaim those that erre 4. Lastly he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grave and modest of good behaviour which the Councils refer to habitum his apparel gestum his gesture incessum his gate he must not be light in his behaviour The opposite to which is not to fly youthful lusts and light carriage To these four we must adde that which the Apostle mentions he must so carry himself that he may have a good report of them that that are Without for it is not enough to be commended by those of his own profession or religion by birds of his own feather but so that his very enemies may say He is a man fit for this sacred calling and may be converted by his example 2. He must be an example in his houshold by his example for according to S. Paul he must rulewell his own house which must be in 3 points 1. They must be brought up by him in the true faith 2. He must keep them in subjection that they be not unruly but obedient for if he be not able to keep his own under but that they will be refractory it argueth that he is either negligent or remisse and fainthearted and therefore unfit to rule the Church 3. Lastly he must make them examples of reverence gravity sobriety and modesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they be not accused of riot surfet and excesse And in these two respects the Pastor must be exemplum gregis The duty of the people must be conformable and answerable to that of the Pastor If it be
one another 〈◊〉 condemnes Zimri had Zimri peace which slew his Master And Absolom though he were rebellious to his father yet he could condemne Hushai for leaving David is this thy kindnes to thy friend 2. As the Prophet Esay hath it in the forenamed verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 their worm shall not die Conscientia ipsorum paena their very conscience shall be a punishment to them So that their life may be 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 long but without delight or joy 3. The third is out of the same verse ignis 〈◊〉 non extinguetur Their fire shal never be quenched Their misery shall never have end 4. And lastly there too they shall be an abhorring to all flesh They shall be odious to every good man Their name shall be forgotten God will root out the remembrance of them from the earth The name of the wicked shall rot And though God take away the righteous betimes yet in the way of righteousnes is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death as the wiseman speaks And to conclude with the words of the Preacher though the dayes of the wicked be prolonged yet it shall go well with them that fear the Lord But it shall not go 〈◊〉 with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he 〈◊〉 not before God THE EXPOSITION OF THE Sixth Commandement CHAP. I. Why 〈◊〉 commandment is placed in this order How it coheres with the rest Of unjust anger the first step to 〈◊〉 how it differs from other affections Of lawful anger unlawful anger how prohibited The degrees and fruits of it The affirmative part of the precept to preserve the life of 〈◊〉 The life of the body and the degrees of it The life of the soul and the sinnes against it The scope of this commandment Non occides Thou shalt do no murther or Thou shalt not kill WE have seen that whatsoever duty was between men as Superiours and Inferiours pertained to the fift Commandment which hath been handled at large Now the duties that are called 〈◊〉 which are common to all follow in the four next commandments This sixth concerneth the life of man and the preservation thereof The seventh respects chastity and the preservation of it in wedlock and out of wedlock The eighth takes care of meum tunm the goods propriety and estates of men And the ninth concernes the reputation and good name of a man This commandment conducing so much to publick and private peace is rightly and in its due order placed next to the 〈◊〉 whereby authority and government is established with due respect and honour And the lawgiver considering the frailty of mans memory hath in his infinite wisdom under one word murder comprehended a whole catalogue of sinnes and made choice of this word which signifies the highest degree of sinnes of this nature to shew how odious the other degrees are and that those affections of unjust anger hatred c. Are murder in his sight which otherwise would not perhaps have seemed so haynous to man if they had not been expressed by that word This commandment is expounded in the law by Moses where not onely murder itself is forbidden but all the degrees and causes 〈◊〉 men come to it as 〈◊〉 bearing standing against the blood of our neighbour hatred not rebuking a neighbour for his sin revenge grudges c. And as in the law so in the Gospel by our Saviour himself there is a large comment upon this law from the two and twentieth verse of the fift of Saint Matthew to the 27. And from the 38. verse to the end of the chapter where rash anger and malice is made murther in the heart and revenge even against enemies is severely forbidden The like is in Saint Johns Epistles almost throughout them all but especially in one place most plainly and especially whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer By which God sheweth that God rather gives his laws to the heart the fountain of the affections to the affections then to the actions as men do their laws And when we have well weighed these places we shall finde that to be true which the Apostle saith that Anger and hatred 〈◊〉 the gate of the 〈◊〉 whereby he enters into the soul Be angry and sinne not neither give place to the Devil for hereby is way made for strife and debate the proper work of the Devil as S. James speaks For the order and dependance of this Commandment upon the former it is very exact For 1. First the fifth was concerning parents the beginners and Authors of our life therefore no object cometh better to be treated on in the next place then life it self which floweth as an effect from the former and every man ought to prize and esteem it both in himself and others And as it ought to follow the fifth so ought it to go before the rest for we must first have life and being before we can partake of wedlock goods or good name 〈◊〉 do all depend upon life and therefore the Commandment for preserving of it ought to stand before these 2. The ground of the fifth Commandment was self conceit to restrain that conceit which men have of their own excellency whereby they assume honour to themselves and are unwilling to give honour to whom it is due Hence men are apt to hate those that are better and more honoured then themselves for omnis iniquitas mentitur sibi all iniquity deceives it self and we may observe that the first murder came from this Cain hated his brother because he was accepted and preferred before him and the text saith plainly that he slew his brother because he was better then himself for his brothers works were good and his own evil So was Esau's anger kindled against Jacob because of his prerogative of birth-right which he had bought and for the blessing which he stole from Esau. The like was in the Patriarchs against Joseph so that in both cases had they not been prevented they had proceeded even to murder when they hated them All this I say grows upon the conceit that we are not honored so much and others in our opinion are honoured more then they should be Thus then we being thwarted and crossed do as Ahab did fall into anger and revenge and to obtain our desires into murder And therefore in the placing of this Commandment before those that follow there is very good order observed It is true as diverse have well observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fervour of spirit or animosity proceedeth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire and our affections are hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 violent and earnest We see in natural things fire whose natural place is to be above desireth to be there and therefore it hath the quality of lightnesse given to it whereby it is apt to
this this life is as the Heathen said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life without life It is a foolish opinion of some that think that the body and senses are the best things they possesse and thereupon infer that murder hath onely 〈◊〉 to the body but the truth is there is a murder of the soul as well as of the body So that murder is referred to two lives 1. The life present And 2. the life to come The world and the Common law account it an offence if the body or good estate of it be endammaged The good estate of the body is called incolumit as corporis the good plight and habit of the body and this consisteth in 3 things which are all included in murder as degrees to it 1. 〈◊〉 integritate corporis in the perfectnesse of each member of the body The body therefore is not onely prejudiced when life is taken away totally but when the body loseth an arm or a leg A maim will 〈◊〉 a good action 2. In incolumitate sensus in the soundnesse of the senses of our bodies when we are at ease without pain and therefore when a man is wounded hurt or stricken though no limb be taken away This bears an action of Battery 3. In libertate motus in freedom to go whither we will When a man is unjustly committed to prison and there wrongfully detained The law in this case allows the party so restrained his action against the person that deprives him of this liberty Now as there is inconlumitas corporis soundnesse of body so there is of the soul too called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tranquility of the soul and this may also be endammaged The good estate of the soul consists also in three things 1. In dilectione in love against which cometh in odium hatred with its crue and retinue 2. In 〈◊〉 joy Against this cometh that which so handleth a man that he falleth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Torporem 〈◊〉 a sloth or drousinesse of soul so that he taketh 〈◊〉 delight in any good thing or if he fall into envy 3. In pace Peace is the last which is twofold 1. Either within a mans 〈◊〉 quiet thoughts against which cometh scandalum scandal given or 2. without between him and others and the opposer of this is discord and contention So that not onely offences against the body or the incolumity and good thereof but offenders contra animam against the soul and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good plight thereof are comprehended within this Commandment as breaches thereof When Esau against the will of his parents had matched himself with strange women the daughters of Heth the text tells us that Rebecca professed She was weary of her life and this wearinesse of life Job calleth amaritudinem anima the bitternesse of his soul. Esau in this act was a trespasser against this Commandment On the other side Jacobs soul being as it were dead by the report of Josephs death 〈◊〉 imprisonment and Benjamins departure it is said of him when he was told that Joseph was alive that his spirit revived as if before it had been dead The Hebrews have a phrase 〈◊〉 animam to kill the soul and the English have the like to kill the heart and the Wise man hath one neer to it Spiritus tristis exsiccat ossa a broken spirit drieth the bones for grief is a cause of diminishing the natural heat so that he that ministreth this occasion to any man doth what he can to shorten his life and is within compasse of breach of this Commandment for whatsoever is contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well-being is forbidden by this Commandment Thou shalt not kill The scope of this Commandment is not any private benefit but the publick good as was said before of the Law in general for the sin forbidden here is 1. In respect of God himself God will not have any man killed and his reason he gives because man is his own image and it is accounted a capital crime against earthly Princes to deface their image 2. In regard of the Church Christians are all one body in Christ therefore he that shall take away any member of it makes a rupture in that mystical body 3. In respect of the Common-wealth Peace is a great benefit and a great blessing when men shall live without fear besides Tutela singulorum the safety of every private person who as he hath received life from God so he hath received reason by the use whereof he is to preserve it For as the Psalmist saith God is the fountain of life from whom life is derived to every man and it is he that hath given man nobilem rationis usum whereby he may procure himself both incolumitatem corporis the good plight of body and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good habit or tranquillity of soul and with this he hath fenced him round So much in general Now for the particulars CHAP. II. Of murther in general The slaughter of beasts not prohibited but in two cases Of killing a mans self diverse reasons against it Of killing another many reasons to shew the greatnesse of this sin The aggravations of this sin from the person murthered THe Manichees held a fond opinion that because it is said Non occides Thou shalt not kill that a man ought not to kill a beast or 〈◊〉 or cut down a tree or 〈◊〉 up an herb because there is life in it But this errour may be confuted even from the Creation for before the flood God saith Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed and every tree c. to be to you for meat he gave all things for the use of man as alter the flood Every moving thing that liveth c. And under the Gospel we see it most plainly S. Paul tells the Corinthians that whatsoever is sold in the shambles that ye may eat 1. The reasons are evident First where there is not 〈◊〉 societatis right of society there cannot be societas juris not participation of right but they have no right of society with us because they want reason and therefore it can be no injurie to them to kill them for where there is no right no jui there cannot be injuria wrong 2. To use a thing to that end for which it is ordained is no sin but the lesse perfect was made for the more perfect therefore herbs were ordained for beasts and both for the use of man 1. Yet in two cases we are prohibited the killing of beasts first when it turneth to the detriment of our neighbour It is not the killing of the beast but the wrong and detriment done to our neighbour that is the sin 2. If we kill it in the 〈◊〉 of our wrath exacting or seeming to 〈◊〉 from it that power of understanding of which it is not capable S.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it steales away the understanding We have experience of it in Solomon we see what fottishnes he grew into after this sinne had taken hold of him even to fall down to every block and stock 〈◊〉 by this fell into murder and to cover one sinne with another And it is just it should be so for the light of our Actions coming 〈◊〉 God and our annoynting coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 faith from Gods annoynting he will not commit this oyntment to such a stinking box They are like swine that trample this pearle of understanding under feet 3. The third is 〈◊〉 Of all sinnes this is most inexcusable because other sins may have some colour or excuse but this hath none because God having ordained a remedy for this which is marriage he that will not use that remedy is without excuse 4. The fourth is that whereas God hath been pleased to make marriage a holy institution and a holy resemblance of the union betwixt Christ and his Church it is a manifest contempt of the ordinance of God and not onely that but whereas God hath added this 〈◊〉 to marriage that thereby mankinde should be encreased on the contrary by this meanes they bring the curse of barrennes threatened against whoredome they shall commit whoredome saith the Prophet but not encrease So that they go about as much as in them lieth to destroy the race of mankinde and therefore 〈◊〉 calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in genus 〈◊〉 sacrilegious breakers of wedlock and trespassers against mankinde for not onely the world 〈◊〉 the worse for these courses which would soon bring it 〈◊〉 an end but also it takes away the resemblance between Christ and his Church in holy mariage 5. It is against a mans own body For as Saint Paul argueth every sinne which a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the body but he that committs fornication 〈◊〉 against his own body and that both by defiling it so that as Saint 〈◊〉 saith the garments are spotted by the flesh as also by weakning and decaying it for as the Physitians say the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 humor the generative 〈◊〉 is a special cause of preserving the life of a man and there is nothing brings greater debility to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the radical moysture is consumed and the life shortned then this sinne besides that it brings rottennes to the bones and breeds many 〈◊〉 diseases as daily experience shewes like that water of jelousy under the law or cursed water which if 〈◊〉 woman had defiled her husbands bed caused her belly to swell and her thigh to rot 6. And it is not onely against a mans own body but against others also for it hath this peculiar to it that whereas in other sinnes a man may 〈◊〉 solus perish alone in this he must have one to perish with him for company There is duplex 〈◊〉 a double murther committed by this one finne 7. It is injurious to Christ two wayes 1. He hath bought us and paid a price for us Now if we shall alienate that which is not our own we do as if we should pull down another mans house nay 〈◊〉 Regis as 〈◊〉 the Kings Palace to which we have no right 2. And not onely so but being Christians and Christ our head and we the members if we unite our selves to a harlot do we not 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 est as much as we can bring Christ to be the head of a 〈◊〉 8. Lastly if all these will not move us then let us consider the punishment of it Shall I not visit saith God by the prophet for these things yes surely he will 〈◊〉 and punish and that many 〈◊〉 1. It is a punishment it self for as Solomon saith those whom God hates shall fall into this sinne such as he hath ordained for punishment shall be punished with this sinne 2. It is maxime probrosum peccatum a sin that makes a man most infamous it brings a reproach never to be wiped off 3. It brings a man to beggery for by a whorish woman a man is brought to a morsel of bread yea the adulteresse will hunt for the precious life and Job saith it is a fire that will consume to destruction and will root out all a mans increase 4. Beyond all these whereas every punishment should exceed that whereof it is a punishment the Apostle tells us that those uncleane lusts which the heathens where given up to were punishments for their Idolatry 〈◊〉 that this sinn seems to exceed in some case that of Idolatry And therefore the same Apostle saith that if a woman be married to an Idolater or unbeleever and will dwell with him she may but he saith not so for an adulterer Idolatry doth not so neerly dissolve the bond of marriage as adultery And again the children of an Idolater or unbeleever if the one party be a beleever are holy and are received into the covenant as members of the Church but the seed of Adulterers is prophane a bastard must not enter into the congregation not to the tenth generation By these reasons well weighed we may in part conceive what account God makes of this sinne We come now to the particular branches referring to this sin already mentioned CHAP. III. Of the degrees of this sinne 1. The first motions or cogitationes ascendentes 2. Suppuratio the festering of it inwardly 3. subactum solum the fitting of the soyle which is 1. By excesse 2. By Idlenes Exc esse is 1. by gluttony the effects of it Opposite to which is the vertue of temperance which consists in modo in measure which respects 1. The necessity of life 2. Of our calling 3. Of pleasure and delight wherein are 5. Rules 1. For the substance of our meat 2. For the quantity 3. For the quality 4. Not to eate too greedily 5. Not too often 2. Of excesse in drinking in what cases wine is allowed ANd first for the inward cause the malignant vapours arising in the heart which we called the poyson of our nature that inbred concupiscence and those first motions and the 〈◊〉 ascendentes we shall forbeare to speak of them till we come to the tenth commandment and here we will speak in the second place of that which we call suppuratio or the festering of it which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burne and the Prophet illustrateth by a similitude As an oven heated by a Baker so is an Adulterer though we see no sparks without yet there 's a great heate within Solomon saith of him cor ejus loquitur perversa his heart uttereth perverse things though outwardly he saith nothing Saint Augustine saith Ego domine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum cogitationes meaenon 〈◊〉 Lord I oftentimes hold my peace when my thoughts within me are not silent And so when the oven waxeth hotter and hotter then cometh consensus
ones have been slain by her Or else Praeludia Previous actions that bring on the outward act As 1. Amplexus impudicus Immodest imbraces imbracing the bosom of a stranger impurum osculum an unchaste kisse The Harlot in the Proverbs had a stronge or impudent face she caught him the young man and kissed him 2. Touching with the hands those parts that ought to be kept secret the woman was to be put to death that puts forth her hand c. though it were to deliver her Husband from those that strove with him 3. By making them drunk that they may discover their nakednesse And above all these there are some things in naming whereof the Apostle is at a stand and saith that there are some things which he wrappeth in silence of which it is a shame even to speak Against these is opposed the vertue called 〈◊〉 shamefastnesse The Apostle saith God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but ad sanctimoniam to purity and holinesse and that every one ought to 〈◊〉 his vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sanctification and honour and instead of giving our selves to those things we ought to think upon such things as are honest and pure For as S. James tels us The wisdom which is from above is pure in the first place and therefore God took order under the Law that such unseemly parts might not be seen which Cham seeing and not turning away had a curse pronounced against him We come now to speak of the act it self Within the act of incontinency are comprehended 1. That with ones self which the Apostle cals 〈◊〉 or self pollution or defiling of ones own flesh or filthinesse of the flesh opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holinesse he makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this defiling of the flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lust of uncleannesse which includes the act for the act of this sin is nothing else but the bringing forth of those inward lusts But more plainly S. Peter calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lust of uncleannesse or the desire of polluting with which Jude speaking of wicked men saith Sopiti inquinant carnem these filthy Dreamers defile the flesh and not onely their flesh but their garments are polluted also and such hatred he would have against this sin that we should not onely hate the sin but even the garment spotted and defiled with it For besides the diseases and weaknesse which it brings upon the body it likewise by polluting the body is opposite to our Baptisme in which there is an outward washing of the body as well as an inward of the soul. Now because of these words of S. Iude here falleth in this particular Nocturna pollutio nightly pollutions If it be therefore 1. By reason of infirmity and weaknesse of nature 2. Or Ex 〈◊〉 vasorum from the fulnesse of the spermatick vessels 3. Or upon the laxitas partium loosenesse or dissolution of those parts upon violent exercise or heat by hard riding c. and not proceeding from lust in these and the like cases it is no sin yet with this proviso that though it proceed from some or all of these causes there be ingrata recordatio a regret and sorrow in remembring it otherwise it will be imputed as a sin but if it being not in his thought seed passe from him against his will and without his knowledge if he be grieved at it when he feeleth or knoweth of it in that case it is no sin But on the other side if a man be given to drunkennesse or other excesse and by reason thereof it issue from him though it be not sin ratione actus 〈◊〉 by reason of the act subsequent which is involuntary there being no purpose to commit the sin yet it is a sin and liable to punishment ratione actus praecedentis by reason of the precedent act that is drunkennesse for that which is not voluntary in the act may yet be voluntary and therefore sinful in the cause and thus if from surfetting there come 〈◊〉 seminis this is a sin or if by often rolling of wanton cogitations in the day time it be procured in the night or that willingly by day 〈◊〉 night he spill his seed as Onan did it is a great offence in Gods sight The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannes the fathers Mollitiem effeminatenesse and the law termes it the sin of Onan and the censure of it is it was exceeding wicked in Gods eyes 2. If it be cum alio with another then comes Bestiality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abomination not to be named buggery with a beast forbidden by the law and punished with death both of man and beast and not onely with the death of the body but with that of the soul too Without shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abominable buggerers They which make a confusion as it is called between themselves and beasts shall be brought to worse then a beastly confusion in the end 3. If it be with mankinde it is either with consent of both parties and then it is a sin in both or if either party whether male or female be forced by violence and seeketh to resist but cannot that party is innocent but the enforcer committs a double sinne one in the violence which is against the former commandment and the other in the very act 〈◊〉 against this and therefore by the law he was to die 4. Of those that yield consent they are either males or females for so strong and strange is our concupiscence that any thing is sufficient to stir up the coals and kindle it and the heathen could say Quod in foeminis sexus facit id facit in puero aetas that which the sexe causeth towards women the age causeth towards boyes Thou shalt not lie with mankinde as with womankinde saith the law and why for it is an abomination And the offenders against this law are to be punished with death There are two reasons for it 1. It is an unfruitful worke of darknesse and contra bonum prolis against the benefit of procreation which is one of the principal ends of matrimonie 2. It is also against nature altogether unnatural the natural use being in the other sex therefore the Apostle makes it the signe of a reprobate minde And not onely a sin in it self but a punishment also of other sins For for this sin it was that God himself came down and sate in judgement against the five Cities which plot of ground is an unprofitable Sea to this day called Mare mortuum the dead sea because it nourisheth no living thing in it and it is also called Lacus Asphaltites of the unfruitfulnesse of it answerable to the sterility of this sin 5. With the
female this sin is committed and that either with more then one or with one alone with more either without law or with colour of law That without all colour of law is called Scortatio Whoring and this is not only forbidden but in the next verse the Whore is resembled to a Bitch and Whoremongers to a company of dogs For the punishment of it by the light of Nature it was punisht with Death the offenders were to be burnt as we see in Thamar And because the civil laws of men inflict small punishment for this sin therefore God himself will punish it Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge yea God will judge it both in the world to come for the whoremongers are 〈◊〉 among those that shall have their portion in the fiery Lake and also in this life with strange and extraordinary judgements as Lue Gallica with the French Pox an abominable and filthy disease not heard of in former Ages 6. Under colour of law or pretext of mariage comes Poligamy a fault wherewith sundry of the Patriarchs and others were intangled yielding to the corrupt customs of the Countreys about them not enquiring after Gods will But nature it self might have taught them that where the care of both sexes is requird for education there the very beasts of the field and fowls of the air are coupled but one with one but where the dam alone or female may bring up the young there it is otherwise This is plain even from the Creation where it is said male and female created he them but more plain from that of our Saviour And they twain shall be one flesh where we see the number set down expressely as also from another speech of his whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery In the Law it is forbidden Thou shalt not take one wife to another or take a wife to her sister The terms of brother and sister are applyed to any thing that is alike even to inanimate things as if to one half of a thing the other half be added it might well be called the brother or sister of it therefore by sister may here be understood another wife but whether it be so to be understood or no yet the reason added there lest thou vex her is sufficient The very vexation and trouble in the house This what it was we see in Abrahams house while Hagar remained in it and in Jacobs while Rachel envied Leah and lastly in Elkanahs between Hannah and 〈◊〉 So that the inconvenience which hereby arises in hindering bonum oeconomicum the peace of the family is reason strong enough to evince the inexpedience if not the unlawfulnesse of it But it is objected that it was lawful at the first for the increase of 〈◊〉 and propagation of the world In answer whereof we say That indeed if ever it had been lawful or allowed it had been so in the begining But the Prophet Malachy calleth men to the beginning in this very point and tells them as our Saviour told the Pharisees ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic from the beginning it was not so and that God having plenty of Spirit and power to have made more yet made but one one Eve for one Adam and wherefore one because he sought a godly seed And therefore Polygamie was unlawful from the beginning and much more in all ages that should follow 〈◊〉 Again the first that the holy Ghost noteth to have had two wives was wicked Lamech of 〈◊〉 race and though Jacob had two also yet he learnt it in 〈◊〉 Aram among the Idolaters The Prophets therefore having spoken against it and Christ also And the Apostle directing let every woman have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 husband have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own wife whatsoever 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 have been devised to defend it it is utterly unlawful In Matrimony this sin is committed uxore propria with ones own wife for we 〈◊〉 to not left to our selves in Matrimony to use our liberty as we please 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambrose and others of the Fathers use often a saying of Sixtus a Philosopher that 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 uxor is suae ferventior 〈◊〉 man may commit adultery by too much 〈◊〉 of love to his wife This 〈◊〉 was forbidden by the Law and punished There ought to be no approaching 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 no not to a mans own 〈◊〉 if it were both parties were to be cut off from among the people But because here we may fall into infinite questions about marriage and not very pertinent to this place we will therefore here content our selves onely with these few considerations because we have spoken of them more largely already 1. We must have Abrahams care not to match with the Canaanites with the wicked but as S. Paul directeth in Domino in the Lord. 2. Secondly consent of parents must be had Speak to the King saith Tamar to Ammon for he will not withhold me from thee 〈◊〉 thereby that she had not power to bestow her self 3 As God brought Eve to Adam and gave her to him so must we desire that our wife may come by the hand of God and he to make the match which is when the marriage is made by the Priest Gods deputy in the face of the Church 4. Which more neerly concerns this place In marriage we must so behave our selvs in having wives as if we had none and to be content to master our lusts so that for the duties of Christianity we may separate our selves for a time 5. We must not depart or divorce our selves but onely in case of Adultery according to our Saviours rule 6. After we are divided by the death of one party so to abide if we can or at least not quickly to wax wanton and marry again but to stay for a time til the body of the party deceased be dissolved into earth from whence it came Out of matrimony we commit this sin 1. Either with one allyed to us Or 2. with a stranger 1. If she be allyed to us either by father or mother as agnata or cognata it is called incest and is forbidden by the Law and punished with death It is set down as a principle Thou shalt not discover the shame of thy mother because she is thy mother nor of thy sister because she is thy sister as though by the light of nature the very naming of mother or sister were enough to keep us from medling with them No man was hotter against this then 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet this sin 〈◊〉 a time was winked at But the land 〈◊〉 out the 〈◊〉 and the Perizzites for this abomination And 〈◊〉 before the Law for this very sin of incest forfeited both his right to the kingdom which went from him to 〈◊〉 and
a just punishment of this barrenness of the wombe For this fault were the two Tribes punished as the ten Tribes for Incest So that the Common-wealth is endamaged by this sin and therefore accordingly was the punishment made Capital 〈◊〉 Baker was taken out of the same prison where Joseph was committed upon a false accusation of this crime and was hauged so that it seems among the Egyptians to have been capital Among the Babylonians Adulterers were burnt with fire as may be gathered by that threatning of the Prophet against Ahab and Zedekiah that for committing villany with their neighbours wives the king of Babylon should rost them in the fire And the comparison made by Solomon sheweth that Adultery is worse then thest 2. Of them that are solutae free and unmarried either the party continueth with us and then it is called concubinatus the keeping of a Concubine or a 〈◊〉 that is not common for such being servants and by that means base men would not marry with them because it is a disparagement God hath shewed how he 〈◊〉 this by continual crossing it first in Agar Cast out the bondwoman and her son Then in Jacob by Reubens incest with Bilhah A Levite took a Concubine and assoon as he had taken her she began to play the whore Saul was punished in his Concubine Rizpah to whom Abner went in And David was punished in his Concubines with whom Absalom lay in the sight of all the people and Solomons Concubines with his wives turned away his heart from God to set up Idolatry In the next place the act is committed either once only or often Once only is called stuprum deflouring which may be done either to a widow or to a virgin This God forbiddeth by the Law and punished with death We see Gods hand was upon a whole city for the rape of Dinah a virgin And we know what should have followed upon dishonouring of Tamar a widow for a virgin and widow when they are not in potestate sua sed in potestate patris in their own but their fathers power there is in both cases by deslouring them an injury done to the parents as well as tothemselves The act often committed is called fornication which word though it be many times used for the general sin yet it is more properly called vaga 〈◊〉 a wandering iust or vagus concubitus a promiscuous use of many This sin we finde reckoned up among those other of the Heathen Romans for which God gave them up to their own desires and the same Apostle makes it one of the fruits of the flesh The punishment of this sin we finde mentioned by the Apostle out of the book of Numbers in the case of Zimri and Cozbi where twenty four thousand were destroyed and for the abuse of the Levites Concubine twenty five thousand almost a whole tribe This is a bewitching sin Solomon saith They that enter into it shall hardly return again and at last he that useth it shall wonder at himself and say how have I been deceived The falling into this sin is like to the falling into a deep narrow pit where a man cannot help himself and therefore shall hardly get out The harlots guests are in the grave they that are buried in the grave can never rise again by any ordinary power and so they that are given over to this sin can never return without special and extraordinary grace nay her guests are not onely in the grave but even in the bottom of hell whence there is nulla redemptio no redemption she strikes a man into so deep a pit that he can hardly ever get out again without the special grace of God as Solomon did who spake this out of his own experience Beyond all these there is prostitution which is either of private persons which is called prostitution when a man prostitutes his daughter sister or kinswoman or a woman prostitutes her self c. This is also severely forbidden in the law Or publikely allowed They built stews or brothel houses in every street which he there detesteth And so have Godly princes ever been careful to remove them as Asa did The last pitch of this sin is defensio defending it as we know some have done by publick writings And this maketh it a crying sin The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great saith God because their sin is very grievous The Sodomites 〈◊〉 out upon Lot when he reproved them for it justifying their wicked act And Solomon saith that the Adulteresse is so impudent as to wipe her mouth and say I have done no wickednesse And this is it which the Prophet calls frous meretricis a whores forehead 〈◊〉 brought a strumpet before Moses and the Congregation when they were at their 〈◊〉 openly into his tent And of such it is that the Apostle speaketh That glory in their shame CHAP. VII The remedies of this sinne 1. Chastity of a single life 2. Matrimonial chastity The means to preserve us from this sinne Of drawing others to keep this Commandment NOw against these vices there are two vertues opposed as remedies 1. Castitas coelibatus chastity of a single life 2. castitas conjugalis matrimonial chastity both commended by Saint Paul 1. For the first there 's no doubt but it is beter then the other either if we take it simply He that giveth not his virgin in marriage doth better or in regard of the present necessity which is to be thought upon for the Apostle would have men to be without carefulnesse But in a married estate there is the care and trouble of a family to attend it she that is married careth for the things of this world Besides the married must neither watch nor fast nor pray without each others consent which the unmarried may do freely at their own will without the consent of another Besides he that is single may better provide for himself and shall not need to be chargeable to others which was one of the Apostles motives to preach the Gospel freely that he might not be burdensome hereby also a man may live more free from covetousnesse and exercise the vertue of liberality the better And lastly as the Apostle urges the unmarried may the better attend upon the Lord without distraction They may be more constant in adhering to Christ and suffering for his cause more willing to die and to follow Christ Minus mali metuit qui minus delicias gustavit he feares the evil of affliction the lesse who hath had a least tast of the delights and pleasures of the world whereas those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural affections of parents and married persons beget in them a greater care of res familiares their domestical affaires that they may provide for their children c.
power and take the meat by force And these unjust acts some do exercise by usurpdtion as the children of Dan who went and robbed Michah of mount Ephraim and afterwards spoiled a whole 〈◊〉 Laish and Abimelechs servants who by violence took from Abrahams servants a well of water for which Abraham reproved Abimelech Others by extortion when they are no usurpers but rightly possessed of their places yet by colour of their offices and places exact upon others This was the fault of Shebna and of this the Psalmist speaketh when men do ponere molestiam praeter statutum vex and oppresse beyond law exact 〈◊〉 no statute will warrant against such the Prophet pronounces a woe Wo be to them that decree wicked decrees and write grievous things which they have prescribed So did the Servants bear rule over the people besides the governours whereby they were exceedingly oppressed and unjustly took from men that which was theirs by propriety Therefore the Baptists rule to the Publicanes and toll-gatherers was Require no more then that which is appointed unto you And in this place we speak not onely of Princes and Magistrates but also of petty Lords and Gentlemen of whom as S. Augustine saith that magna regna great kingdoms so he might have added magna latifundia vel dominia great lordships or possessions remota justitia magna latrocinia sunt without justice are but great robberies The answer that the Pyrate made to Alexander the great taxing him for his pyracy is worth the observation Thou robbest whole countreys and nations saith he with a great army and I onely some few passengers with one ship and a small company of Seamen And the Lawyer made this difference between these great and little Thieves to be onely this that the one wears a Chain of Iron and the other a Chain of gold The like may be said of Noblemen Gentlemen and hard Landlords in respect of their poor Tenants of whom the Prophet saith The spoyl of the poor is in their houses and that they beat the people to pieces and grinde the faces of the poor And Micah that They pluckt off their skins brake their bones and chopt their flesh as small as hearbs to the pot The meaning whereof is that they binde their poor Tenants to such hard Covenants as neither by justice they ought nor can their estates bear and then when they come to be indebted to them they use them as that evil servant did his fellow servant whom he took by the throat and bid him pay what he ought and because he could not he cast him into prison which practise we see is condemned by our Saviour in that parable And in the Law If a man lent any thing to his brother he must not go into his house to fetch a pledge as if he were Lord of the house but he must stand without till the other bring him a pledge and if he were poor he must not sleep with his pledge But by oppression and exaction men become such as Esay speaketh of that joyn house to house and field to field till there be no place that they may be placed soli by themselves in the midst of the Earth Soli they will be they will dwell alone by Enclosures and Depopulations Lords alone Rulers and Magistrates they will be alone and have the sale of things alone Monopolizers also they will be and will sell all things alone themselves and at their pleasure and price especially if they can fortifie and arm themselves by authority when things come to this passe it goes hard with the Common-wealth in general but chiefly with the poor 2. The other sort are they which oppresse their Neighbours under colour of Law which should be a sanctuary and a rock to the poor Do not the rich oppresse you by tyranny and do they not draw you before the judgement seats saith the Apostle And the Psalmist saith there are some that frame mischief as a law The Preacher tells us that he saw wickednesse in the judgement seat Ye have turned judgement into gall by corruption and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormwood by protraction 〈◊〉 the Prophet They keep the poor from justice making a prey of the widow and spoyling the fatherlesse The same Prophet tells us the reason why men fall into this 〈◊〉 Every one loveth gifts and followeth rewards which hindereth them from judging the fatherlesse nor doth the widows cause come before them Of the same minde is the Prophet Amos They afflict the just and oppresse the poor and what is the reason they take bribes or rewards And therefore when Moses directed the people to choose them Judges he forbids them the taking of rewards and giveth his reason for a reward saith he blindeth the eyes of the wise and perverteth the words of the just We see the experience of it in the sons of Samuel after they were made Judges They took rewards and 〈◊〉 judgement And David himself by taking Ziba's presents awarded to him Mephibosheths inheritance upon a misinformation Now these sins as by the very light of nature they were odious so by the law of God were they to be punished severely being crying sins If you oppresse a stranger saith God or vex and trouble the widow or fatherlesse that they crie to me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath will be kindled and I will kill you c. And holy Job reckoneth up a catalogue of these sins and in the end of that Chapter tells what punishment shall fall upon the transgressours 1. Their portion shall be cursed in the earth 2. The grave and the worms shall consume them 3. The pitiful man shall forget them 4. Their remembrance shall be extinguished 5. They shall be broken like a tree 6. And though they be exalted for a time yet they shall be brought low destroyed and cut off as the top of an ear of corn Nathan the Prophet representing Davids sins in a parable of a rich man that had taken away the poor mans sheep David conceiving it to be a real story sware that the party so offending should surely die And his son Solomon gives this precept Robbe not the poor because he is poor nor oppresse the afflicted in judgement His reason is for the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoil them So much for those that spoil their neighbours in 〈◊〉 commodum to their own benefit There are a second sort that do mischief in detrimentum damnum proximi to the detriment and hurt of their Neighbour without benefit to themselves and these are they ofwhich the Psalmist speaks that offend of malicious wickednesse As they that turn cattel into another mans field or vineyard that out of malice spoyl other mens corn to their great hurt and for no good to
guile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laying aside all guile c. CHAP. VI. Of theft out of contracts This is 1. In the family by 1. Purloyning 2. Mispending 3. Idlenesse 4. Withdrawing ones self from service 2. Without the family is 1. Of things consecratea by Sacriledge 2. Of things common and those either publick or private Of theft personal and real The aggravation of theft in regard of the poor c. Against enclosing of Commons The conclusion about unlawful getting NOw of thefts that are without contract these are either Domestica within the family or forinseca without 1. The first of or within the family as a bad servant For Fur domesticus fur maximus est the domestick thief is ever the greatest thief and the reason is because of the trust he receives And such an one may be a thief these four wayes 1. Intervertendo by purloining their masters goods or according to the sense of the word by turning the profit out of his into their own purses This was the unjust Stewards act and Gehezies and the text saith that Judas one of our Saviours Disciples was a thief because he diverted privily somewhat to his own use out of the bag this is furtum domesticum theft within doors 2. Dissipando by wasting and mis-spending his goods in drunkennesse riot and other excesse Like that servant that in his Masters absence began to smite his fellows and to eat and drink and to be drunken And the prodigal son that spent his fathers estate upon Harlots 3. Torpendo by consuming his estate by idlenesse this is Fur laboris one that steals his labour from his Master and by that means wasteth his estate For servants should not do eye service only or that which they are commanded alone for that is not thank-worthy but labour faithfully and be as provident for their Masters as they should be for themselves But if instead of doing faithful service they grow negligent and idle they are within the compasse of the breach of this Commandement The Wife man saith that He that is slothful in his work is even the brother of him that is a great waster and shall receive that doom Thou wicked and slothful servant c. Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darknesse c. 4. Lastly Subtrahendo se per fugam by withdrawing himself from his Masters service and becoming a fugitive robbing his Master of his service for a servant is part of the Masters possessions Though Agar served a hard Mistresse and thereupon left her service yet the Angel sent her back and bad her humble her self And though s. Paul could have been contented to have retained Onesimus yet because he was Philemons servant from whom he had fled he returned him back Theft without the family is either of things consecrated to God and this is called Sacriledge things common and prophane 1. For the first there was a Law for it That if any should by ignorance take away things consecrated or holy to God he should bring a trespasse offering The Apostle matches it with idolatry Thou that abhorrest idols dost thou commit sacriledge God himself immediately punisht this sin in Ananias and Sapphira and that with capital punishment with death and that a sudden death giving no time for repentance thereby to shew how he hated this sinne and what a severe avenger he is of it It is noted of Abimelech though a King that hee took seventy pieces of silver out of the temple of an Idol his god Baal-Berith and what followed appeares in the same Chapter Hee was slaine by a woman with a piece of milstone which broke his scull Athaliah the Queen with her sonnes had broken up the house of the Lord and took the things that were dedicated to God and gave them to 〈◊〉 she was drawn out of the Temple the place she had 〈◊〉 and then slain and her sons had no better end The alienating of the sacred vessels of the Temple and applying them to prophane uses by Belshazzar at his feast in Babylon caused that terrible hand-writing on the wall which made all his 〈◊〉 to shake and foretold him that the Kingdome was translated to the Medes and Persians which hapned presently after for he was 〈◊〉 that same night 2. Theft of things prophane or common is either 1. Of such things as are publick Or 2. private 1. Publick when things belonging to the Publick State or Common-wealth are stolne as if one rob the Exchequer c. And this is called Peculatus when the King is robbed or any thing stolne out of a publick place such also were those Balnearii fures that stole out of the Bath a publick place the clothes of them that were bathing And to these may be added such as receive monies out of the publick treasury and convert it to other private use Such were the Priests in the time of 〈◊〉 who received every mans half shekel brought in upon the Kings Commandement for the repair of the Temple but neglected the reparation whereupon an other course was fain to be taken a Chest was provided with a hole in it into which every man put his money for that use personale of living things as 1 Men 2 Beasts 2. Private theft is either Furtum reale of things inanimate 1. The stealing of men is called Plagium and such theeves Plagiarii This sin was punished with death by the Law He that stealeth a man and killeth him shall dye the death yea if he were onely about such a thing he was to dye for it Saint Paul accounts it so great a sinne that he reckons Man-stealers among Whoremongers Buggerers Perjured persons and other the most grievous sinners This was part of Judas his sin who sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver though withal there was herein a betraying him into the hands of his enemies who he knew would pu him to death 2. The stealing of beasts is called Abiegatus and the men Abigei stealers of cattel such were the Sabeans and 〈◊〉 that took away Jobs Oxen his Asses and Camels Against this we have an expresse law wherein the offender is to restore in some cases four fold and in some five fold 2. Reall theft is the stealing of things inanimate that have no life as of Money 〈◊〉 Apparel c. for which the offender by the Law was to restore two fold Thus we see the several sorts of theft Now all these are aggravated in regard of the person against whom they are committed as to rob the stranger the poor the fatherlesse or widow this brings a greater curse upon the finne and makes it become peccatum clamans a crying sin If they cry unto me saith God I will surely hear them Therefore there is a special prohibition against taking a pledge of
the Widow and Job mentions it as an act of men transcendently wicked 〈◊〉 drive away the asse of the fatherlesse and take the widows oxe for a pledge And Solomonn advises Not to enter into the field of the fatherlesse for their Redeemer is mighty and he will pleade their cause with thee And here partly under this Head and partly before cometh in the Enclosures of Commons which may well be reckoned among those peccata clamantia crying sinnes For this theft is aggravated by this circumstance that it is against the poor For as when Countreys were first seized upon and possest and the first partition was made 〈◊〉 man had his own peculiar distinct from other mens as Caleb had Hebron allotted him by Joshua which became their inheritance So there was consideration had of that protestation of God That there should alwayes be some poor among their brethren as objects of their charity and mercy and therefore there was left for them a division of Lands in Common whereupon they might live which ought not to be alienated for God takes order under the Law that those ancient Land marks should not bee removed which they of old time had set and there is good reason for it because all the parties therein concerned cannot at once be pretent and therefore the right cannot be alienated for all the poor from the beginning to the end are interested herein and those that are not born cannot consent to any such act Hence God appointed to shew the greater detestation of this sinne and to deter the people the more from attempting any such matter that the curse should proceed out of their own mouthes All the congregation was to curse them that did any such thing Solomons censure against such as remove the Land-marks is That GOD himself will pleade the cause with them The Prophet Hosea when hee would set forth wicked Princes by as odious a comparison as hee could saith they are like those that remove the land-marks How odious this was may appear by the setting up every where Metas terminicas upon the borders and the imprecations against them that should remove them The Prophet Micah threatens it as a great judgement upon a people and which should bring doleful lamentation upon them that the portion of the people should be changed and their fields divided c. And Job though without the Law yet saw so much that he reckons this among the practises of wicked men to remove the land mark And thus much for the wayes of unjust getting and the several sinnes committed therein When we begun to speak of the act of theft we shewed that it might be either in the unlawful getting of riches or in the unlawful use of them and the several wayes of lawful getting we reduced to two heads 1. Furtum theft which is getting by deceit 2. Rapina which is by violence They are distinguished by Nazianzen thus in the one there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus injecta the laying on of hands whereby a thing is taken by violence In the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compassing by 〈◊〉 or deceipt Now whatsoever is got either way is not to bee accounted as a 〈◊〉 from God And therefore Chrysostome upon that petition in the Lords Prayer for temporal things Give us our daily bread saith Habere convenit etiam malis habere autem de manu Dei sanctis tantum the wicked may have these outward things but to receive them from the hands of God as blessings from him is peculiar to the Saints for Deus parare non vetat sed cum peccato parare qui enim cum peccato parat ei diabolus dat quod manducat non 〈◊〉 God forbids us not to get them but to attaine them with sinne for what any attains by sinful means he receives it as a gift from the Devil not as a gift from God nor can he justly make this petition to God and he that thus receives his daily bread receives also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pledge of some judgement that shall 〈◊〉 him CHAP. VII Of the vertues opposite 1. Just getting 2. Restitution commanded both in the Law and Gospel That we must make restitution not onely of what is unlawfully got but of some things lawfully got As 1. Of what belongs to another by gift 2. Of things deposited 3. Of things found 4. Of things lent 5. Of what will prejudice the publick if it be detained for our private benefit OPposite to this vice of unlawful getting is the vertue of just getting which is the subject wee are now to handle It is called studium honeste rem parandi an endeavour to get by honest meanes where men doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grow rich without fraud Concerning which every man ought to bee perswaded that as Solomon saith A little which the righteous hath viz. which is got by lawful meanes is better then the great revenues of the wicked got unjustly The Apostle sets both down together in one place where speaking of covetous men who set themselves to get by any means he saith they are men of corrupt mindes and destitute of truth and gives the reason because this is their position that gain is godlinesse gain got by any means they count lawful let men say what they will they applaud themselves in their unjust gains like the Heathen that said Let me have the money in my bag and let the people call me piller and poller or what they will But in the next verse he shews the practice of just getting when a man can invert the proposition and say that 〈◊〉 is gain accounting onely that the true gain which is got in the way of godlinesse This is indeed the true gain which is got according to Gods prescript not by mans over-reaching when a man can say concerning all his gettings as Jacob did to Laban call me to account when you will Cras respondebit pro me justitia mea my righteousnesse shall answer for me in time to come Now though to this vertue of just getting it belongs to keep and preserve us from evil and unjust dealing yet because the World is full of it and most men have mentem malam a corrupt minde and run on in an unjust course of acquiring till the conscience bee touched and awakened whereby they are stopt Therefore to this must bee added a second vertue called Restitution which is absolutely necessary if a man have over-shot himself in the way of unjust getting It is one of the most frequent and principal common places throughout the Fathers saint Augustine sets down this for a Canon Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum the sin of an unlawful purchase or getting is never pardoned unlesse restitution be made of what is unjustly got The ground of this is laid both in the Old Testament and in the New In the Old God appointed
Those that are in want count it a blessed thing to receive but he tells us it is a more blessed thing to give and the Apostle makes men rich by giving Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulnesse To stir us up the better to this duty it is expedient for us to know 1. How we hold our riches or how we come by them 2. What we are to think of the poor 1. For the first we may see in Deuteronomy 26. that men may know that all they have is from Gods gift God took order that they must acknowledge it by performing an homage to him 1. The man must bring his basket with his first fruits to the place where God should place his name and the Priest must take it and set it before the Altar and then he that brought it must say A Syrian ready to perish was my father c. He must acknowledge that God brought him out of Egypt into that fruitful land and that there was nothing in him or his progenitors why God should deal so bountifully with him or them and that in acknowledgement that he holds all he hath of God as Lord Paramount he brings his first tenths as a token of his homage 2. Having brought his basket before the Lords he must say Sustuli quod sanctum est de facultatibus vers 13. I have taken out that which is hallowed viz. the fruits and first-fruits c. out of my substance I have not spent it upon my self but have taken it out and given it ad usus Ecclesiasticos for the Levite and ad usus civiles For the stranger the fatherlesse and poor and that not as an arbitrary thing done of his own accord but by necessity of duty for he must say he did it according to Gods commandement So that we see here every man must confesse 1. that all he hath is held of God ex libera elemosyna as free alms from his hands 2. That there is a rent a duty to be paid which is a tenth at least for holy uses for the priest and Levite and the service of the Altar and after that a second tenth for the poor and 3. that both are due by God command 2. For the second point what we are to conceive of the poor the Psalmist saith that the man is blessed that judgeth wisely of the poor men are apt to erre in their judgement of them for the common conceit of them is as of persons that concern us not To rectifie our judgement we must judge of them as God judgeth whose judgement we are sure can never be reversed How is that As himself tels us in Deuteronomy he hath taken this order that there shall ever be some poor in the land and there I command thee saith God it is not counsel or advice that thou open thy hand to thy brother and to thy poor and to thy needy in the land so that the poor are appropriated to us they are made nostri ours we cannot shake off this affixum this hanger on which God hath fastned upon us and consequently he hath given strict precepts for their relief 1. Negative Non obsirmabis cor thou shalt not harden thy heart against them and nec claudes manus nor shalt thou shut thine hand we must neither be hard hearted nor close fisted towards them nay there must not be an evil thought in our heart against them 〈◊〉 they cry unto the Lord against us and it be sin to us the wages whereof is death as the Apostle speaks 2. Affirmative Thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that he wanteth There is a double estate of the poor some are so that if any thing be lent they can imploy it so that they can live thereby and pay it again Others are so impotent that lending will not help them therefore God takes order for both we must lend to the first and give freely to the other Our Saviour joyneth both together Give to him that asketh and from him that would borrow turn thou not away Again s. Augustines counsel is if we would have the word to fructifie in us not to let thorns grow among the seed but to 〈◊〉 the seed with a hedge of thorns which is the proper use of them and this is when our riches are bestowed in works of mercy or else we must inserere verbum spinis 〈◊〉 upon these thorns by relieving our poor brother Here is a science to be 〈◊〉 we must open our hand and lend him or if that will not serve we must give him Thus we must graft and then we may look for fruit in abundance Christ tells us that God hath given us our talents to this purpose Negotiamini dum venio Occupy or trade therewith till I come we must imploy them for his advantage Now this occupying is as himself saith in another place by improving our talent and laying of it out for the use of the hungry the naked and the sick if wee expect the blessed reward from him this is the best way of increase and the surest way to binde him to reward us For hee hath to this purpose made a new promise in the Gospel that what shall be done to the least of these his brethren he will account it as done to himself As for those that the Wiseman speaks of which have viscera crudelia cruel bowels the mercies of the wicked are cruel or as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 viscera no bowels or as saint John speaks Viscera clausa close bowels shut up so that no fruit of mercy comes from them the love of God abides not in them 〈◊〉 can they expect any part of this reward Under the Law God took special order to meet with this sin six years they were to plough and sow the land and what should come of it they were to gather in 〈◊〉 themselves the tenths both for the Priest and poor still deducted but in the seventh year they must let it lye that the poor of the people may eat and so they were to do for the Vineyards and Olives And when they did reap their fields they were not wholly to reap the corners of their fields nor to gather the gleanings of the harvest c. but must leave them for the poor and stranger And by an argument a comparatis we may gather that if when a man saw his brothers Asse go astray or any harm befall him he must not passe by but help him much more must he help his brother if any weaknesse befal him Nor because our own necessities must be regarded in the first place for our direction in this case we must know that Divines speak of a threefold necessity which some reduce to two including the third under the first 1. Necessitas naturae the necessity of nature thus every man
accusing falsly 2. upon uncertain grounds 3. by prevaricating 4. The Defendant 1. by not confessing the truth 2. by appealing without cause 3. by not submitting to the sentence 5. The 〈◊〉 1. by not declaring all the truth when 〈◊〉 is lawfully called 2. by not delivering the innocent though he be not called 3. by delivering the wicked by false testimony 6. The Advocate 1. by undertaking an evil cause 2. by perverting the Law Of giving false testimony in Elections THE Act of this sin consists specially in words which are as our Saviour speaks according to the treasure of our hearts Now there is not onely an evil treasure of the heart out of which a man brings 〈◊〉 evil things but also an idle treasure out of which a man brings forth idle things viz. idle words for which a man must give an account Under these two heads we may comprehend the branches of this sin which may admit this division of 1. false words and 2. vain or idle words 1. False words are either when our words disagree from the truth and essence of things or when they disagree from our own minde And both may be considered either as they concern our selves or our brethren for whatsoever speech is either prejudicial to ourselves or our neighbour is condemned as against the rule of charity And though it be neither hurtful to us nor to our brethren yet if it contain falshood it is against the truth of God and therein we are as the Apostle speaks found false witnesses against God False doctrine is here included as opposite to true doctrine but not as it is in the third Commandment for there it is forbidden as contrary to Gods glory here as hurtful to our brethren and their spiritual good We must not adde to his word nor take from it nor change it by making any other way of salvation as those false teachers did among the Galatians that preached another gospel which as the Apostle saith is to preach alium Jesum another Jesus This was toucht before and therefore we shall say the lesse 〈◊〉 Onely this we adde that it is a good rule given by S. Basil not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely all lies and falshoods but also all turnings and wrestings of Scripture are condemned as among others he specially instances in one viz. the making of the litteral sence typical or turning the Scripture into allegories and from thence inferring doctrines which the Holy Ghost never intended This gives occasion to all Heresies when men choose what opinions they themselves please and make the Scripture a nose of wax to patronize them As to make Adam the reasonable part of the soul and Eve the seniual and thereupon to infer this as a positive doctrine That if reason command sense we shall avoid the temptation of the serpent but if the sensual part prevail against reason we shall be overcome by the Tempter as Adam was by hearkning to Eve this is to pervert the Scripture we may indeed 〈◊〉 to such things in Scripture as the Apostle doth to Sarah and Hagar but to say this or that is meant by such texts is to make the Scripture like a 〈◊〉 mans hose or Cothurnum a 〈◊〉 that will serve either leg and makes all Religion uncertain Ezekiel makes it an 〈◊〉 to God to say In obscuris 〈◊〉 I have written to you in dark or doubtful speeches but by this means all is made doubtful so that people shall be doubtful what to hold in any point We come now to false speaking in particular and here we must consider 1. false testimony which is given in judgement and 2 falshood uttered out of judgement This distinction is intimated by Solomon Proverbs 19. 5. where he saith A false witnesse shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape where we see he make this division that some are false witnesses viz. such as speak falshood from judgement and others speak lies at other times that is out of judgement and the very same we finde by him repeated in the ninth verse The same may be inferd in the words of this Commandment for when it is said Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour that is in judgement this 〈◊〉 that there may be also falsum testimonium false witnesse that is not contra proximum against our Neighbour Before we speak of these in particular we shall onely say this briefly in general concernig all lies That all lyes are from the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning for the first word that ever he spake was a lye those then that utter lyes belong to him The Psalmist makes it the proper mark of wicked men whom he describes by this they speak lies from the very womb And that this is no small sin appears by that fea ful threatning against lyars Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacia 〈◊〉 shalt destroy all 〈◊〉 that speak lies All lies whether they concern our selves our Neighbours or none make us false witnesses to God And therefore we finde in the Revel that in the place of torment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that loveth or maketh a lye he that either loves to hear it or that speak it so that lies are condemned both actively and passively if we make them or love to hear them Come we now to him that speaks false in judgement And for this false witnesse Solomon gives us a good comparison for he saith A man that beareth false witnesse is a hammer a sword and a sharp arrow Now thus he is compared partly because his face is hardned so that he blushes at nothing be it never so false for having once lost his 〈◊〉 he comes to have frontem meretricium as the Prophet speaks a whores forehead and 〈◊〉 known to the one party viz. to him that hired him to be a Knave he grows impudent and testifies any thing and so strikes like a hammer or a sword or whatsoever doth wound the deepest he sticks at no mischef he can do to the party against whom he speaks and partly because that as S. Bernard speaks there are three parties who are 〈◊〉 by him at once by one and the same tongue 1. Judici est Malleus He is a hammer or maul to the Judge whose judgement and understanding he 〈◊〉 so that like a man astonisht by a blow on the head he knows not how to determine aright 2. To the party that hired him he is gladius a sword for though he speak for him yet 〈◊〉 is a sword to destroy his soul. He makes him beleeve that by his purse he hath prevailed against the truth and having done so once he may do so at other times and so he 〈◊〉 him in this evil course 3. He is a sharp arrow to him against whom he witnesseth though he hath
Canticles describes such an one well Vide magna praemitti suspiria you shall have him send forth great and deep sighs before and he will speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum quadam tarditate dimissis superciliis voce plangenti c. sic egreditur maledictio as if he were confounded and ashamed and then with an affected slownesse casting down his countenance with a whining voice and then cometh out the cursed venome of his heart you would think it were rather done dolenti animo quam malitioso with a mourning rather then a malitious mind he saith vehementer doleo quia vehementer diligo I am heartily sorrow for him because I heartily love him and then he saith compertus jam est it is now known otherwise I would never have spoken of it but seeing it is known I must needs say it is so and thus he breaks out his cursed speeches This is one extream CHAP. V. Of reproof or fraternal correption the vertue opposite to flattery Of flattery which is 1. In things uncertain 2. In things certain and those either good or evil Of boasting and vaunting a mans self and its extream THe other extream opposite to slandering and detraction is flattery of which before we speak we shall premise somewhat of the affirmative duties opposite to it which is Fraterna correptio fraternal admonition or brotherly reproof opposed to flattery and secondly the giving a true report opposed to detraction Because we are joyned together by the law of love or charity and for that as S. James saith In many things we offend all therefore God took order in his law that as we should not slander or speak evil of our brother so we should admonish and reprove him when he 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin to rest upon him This is as much to say that as the Heathen man said we should cum opus est contristari amicum when there is occasion even to make sad the heart of our friend by reproof If any be disordered by a bare admonition if the offence be small and without aggravating circumstances then to reprove him in the spirit of meeknesse but if it be otherwise to reprove him sharply and roundly if it be an open fault then openly and before all if secret then privately in the ear with this caveat except it redound to the damage and detriment of another for then it must be declared to the party whom it concerns So we see as S. Augustine saith that there is a double truth 1. Dulcis quae fovet a sweet truth which cherishes when we do well 2. Amara quae curat a truth which is bitter yet cures us when we have done amisse And therefore the Apostle writes to the Corinths Though I made you sory yet I repent it not though the example of the person punisht made you sorry for a 〈◊〉 Rather I do now rejoyce not for the act of punishment inflicted upon the offendor as for your amendment by that act Thus we see reproof is a way to bring men to repentance and therefore we are to perform this duty that thereby we may bring men to repentance and so having performed it we shall never repent us of it And this is the reason of that speech Non amo quenquam nisi 〈◊〉 I love not any till I have made him sad which is to be thus understood that by making him sad we bring him to repentance and so we testifie our love to him There are some such as the Philosopher saith who having done evil if a man come to deal with them he must either 〈◊〉 veritatem or prodere amicitiam betray the truth or lose their friendship they cannot abide this 〈◊〉 But though they be such yet we must not fear openly to rebuke them for as Solomon saith Open rebuke is better then secret love and vulnera diligentis the wounds of a friend are better then oscula blandientis the kisses of a flatterer as in Physick we know Amarum salubre a bitter thing whlosome is better then perniciosum dulce an un wholsome thing though sweet This duty must not be neglected though we shall be sure to meet with such as the Prophet Amos mentions who will hate him that reproves them For this was seen by the Heathen as appears by that speech Veritas odium parit truth brings forth hatred There are tres optimae matres trium filiarum pessimarum three very good Mothers which have three most wicked Daughters the first of which mothers is Truth quae parit odium which brings forth Hatred so there is mater optima filia pessima an exceeding good mother and a most naughty daughter Neverthelesse we must resolve to speak truth to our friend though we make him sad as Demaratus in Herodotus who speaking to Xerxes the King began thus Shall I speak truth or what will please you If I speak truth you will not like it and yet Non poteris uti me amico adulatore I cannot be both a friend and a flatterer therefore I will speak truth for though it be not to your liking yet it may be for your good The vice opposite to this duty of fraternal reproof is flattery which Hierom calls Natale malum our native evil for natali ducimur malo philantiae we are all transported with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inbred evil of self-love and hence it is as Plutarch observed that every one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own chief and greatest flatterer And because we love our selves therefore we think we are good and that he that loves us doth his duty and is therefore good ipso facto in so doing And therefore he that speaketh in commendation of what we do we thereupon think him to be a good man 〈◊〉 that he doth but his duty and for this cause we love him On the contrary he that grieveth us we think him to be evil and consequently hate him This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this native evil and that good 〈◊〉 which we have of our selves makes us 〈◊〉 we do cito nobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 please our selves if any good be spoken of us as if any will say we are 〈◊〉 presently we believe him and willingly hear him for ubi propitia mens est where the minde is favourable propitiae aures the ears will stand wide open to receive any thing that is said Nay further as 〈◊〉 saith when men will deny what the flatterer saith and say it is not so with them they deserve no such praise yet etiam blanditiae cum excluduntur placent flatteries do please men though they be not believed or received And hence it is that a man having this good perswasion of himself is 〈◊〉 to say as those in Esay Prophecy not to us true things but prophecy pleasing things such things as we do love and like and
before the men of 〈◊〉 So Christ made as if he would have gone further in Luke 24. 28. and did purpose so to have done if their intreaty had not stayed him as appears in the next Verse So S. Paul wished That 〈◊〉 were with the Galatians having his voyce 〈◊〉 that so they might not know him to the end that he might see and 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 better Here fals in as a principal part of this simulation or counterfeyting the sin of Hypocrisie which is an outward resemblance of Holinesse and Religion when there is none in the heart but because we have spoken of this before we shall pretermit it here CHAP. VII The second 〈◊〉 branch of the sinne forbidden viz Vain speech Three ends of speech 1. Edification 2. Profit 3. Grace and delight Of the means whereby this Commandement may be kept Of Suspition Rules about it 1. For the manner VVE come now to the second general branch of the sin prohibited viz. Vain speech which the Prophet David joyneth with dissimulation when he saith He 〈◊〉 not kept company with vain persons nor had fellowship with the deceitful For as in the seventh Commandement is prohibited not onely fornication but also 〈◊〉 so here is forbidden not onely lying and 〈◊〉 but also vain and foolish speaking Our Saviour in Mark 7. 22. sets down three heads of sin against this Commandement 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slander 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pride the occasion of flattery and boasting and 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolishnesse the root of vain speech and in Matthew 12. he concludes That of every idle word there must an account be given So that to the former sinnes already handled we must also adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talk which Saint Paul doth not distinguish from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but makes them all one though the world-abusing tearms calls it Vrbanitas Urbanity such as is in men full of pleasant conceits and witty jests CHRIST calls such words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle words and Job Words of no value The Prophet denounceth a woe against them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and the prayer of Agur was Remove from me vanity and lyes By which places we may gather that vain and foolish words draw on lyes and all the Catalogue of sinnes forbidden in this Commandement The Prophet David makes vain speech an essential mark of a wicked man whose mouth talketh of vanity c. And the Prophet Esay saith that in vanity they 〈◊〉 there 's the first step then they proceed to lyes there 's the second and then further to corrupt judgement and justice Therefore David glorieth in this that he 〈◊〉 not accompanied vain men And Solomon condemns vanity tossed to and fro among men That is when one asks a vain question and another makes a vain answer and the third hee gives a worse judgement And Job reckons this amongst his good deeds That hee had not walked in vanities neither of speech nor action Saint Chrysostome on Ephes. 4. saith What Workman is there that hath any tool which is vain and serves to no purpose there is no Instrument but at one time or other hath its use and the Workman knows what use to put it to And therefore in this ars animarum the art of saving a mans soul which is ars artium the art of all arts no man ought to have any thing about him which is in vain or without some end and use therefore the tongue must not be a vain Instrument or imployed to vanity and so he concludes that Quicquidest otiosum est criminosum whatsoever is idle is criminous And for this cause it is that the Apostle bids Titus avoid Foolish and idle questions about genealogies and vain janglings about the Law for which he useth no other reason but this that they are vain and unprofitable for if a man will draw the Apostles discourse into a syllogisme he must make this the major whatsoever is vain is to be avoided but such foolish questions are vain Ergo avoid them This sin we should be 〈◊〉 careful to avoid because that man is as it is in Job Tanquam pullus onagri Like the wilde Asse colt vain and foolish from his birth and 〈◊〉 as S. Peter saith we are brought up among men in whom there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain conversation so that we receive it by tradition and therefore it is one of those things which Christ came to redeem us from For there is as Job saith a forge of vanities in mans heart ye all forge lyes Hence the Apostle exhorts us Not to walk as the Gentiles did in the vanity of their mindes and the Psalmist not to lift up our hearts to vanity The Apostle tels us what this vain speech is Ephes. 4. 29. he saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupt communication and in the same place he sets down what our speech should be viz. It must either be 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to edification or 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to profit or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for grace to the hearer It is no doubt but the Apostle as he was in his Epistles which are verba scripta written words so he was in his communication Now his Epistles tend chiefly to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to edification in Religion and Vertue but when he advises Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomack this belongs not properly to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to edification but may be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was useful and profitable And when he bids him remember to bring his cloak but especially the book and parchments it must be referred to the same head to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as S. Gregory saith Justa necessitas corporis necessitas the necessity of the body is a just necessity And when he tels him that Erastus was at Corinth and Trophimus he had left at Miletum this tended not onely to edification but yet was useful such things as may be of good use in common life may be fit matter of our speech For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and delight to the hearer all his salutations may be 〈◊〉 hither for they have neither matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any necessary use but might have been left out as they are in some Epistles but they are pleasing to those he writes to and to this may be referred that poudred speech which the Apostle requires which is that which is properly called urbanity when our speech is poudred not as one saith atro sale momi with Salt-peter but candido sale Mercurii with Wit which may delight and refresh the minde being wearied with grave and weighty affairs The Apostle writing to the Corinths saith I have not been troublesome to you have
foolish others are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noisome and hurtful The first we may see in such men as the Apostle calls earthly minded who desire worldly things not for natural ends onely but do transilire fines 〈◊〉 passe and 〈◊〉 over the bounds of nature desiring more then is necessary for they still desire 〈◊〉 and more and as the Psalmist speaks when their riches increase do set their hearts 〈◊〉 them which as the precedent words imply is folly and vanity O give not your selves unto vanity such men do think speak and delight to discourse of nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly things and thus at length they corrupt themselves so that as the Prophet speaks their silver is become drosse and their wine mixt with water when they mingle their souls with earthly things which are of an inferiour and baser condition then the soul. The other desires which he calls hurtful are those properly between whom and the Spirit of God there is that opposition which the Apostle mentions And these do first hinder us from good things which the Spirit suggests because there is 〈◊〉 cordis a foreskin grown over the heart which shuts up and closes the heart when any good motion is offered and leaves it open when any evil would enter and also 〈◊〉 aurium a foreskin drawn over the ears O ye of uncircumcised hearts and ears whereby the like effects are wrought for it shuts the ears against any thing that is good and draws the covering aside for corrupt or unsavory communication to enter in for which cause God is said in Job Revelare aurem to uncover the ear when he reforms men effectually And 2. as they hinder us from receiving good so they corrupt that good which is already in us like the dead fly in the box of ointment And 3. they provoke to evil or which is all one ad ea ad 〈◊〉 consequitur malum to such things as are not in themselves evil but will 〈◊〉 us in evil if we follow after them for malum sive in Antecedente sive in consequente malum est evill whether in the Antecedents or in the consequents of it is 〈◊〉 and to be avoided therefore the Apostle would not have us to be brought under the power of any thing because the Devil doth sometimes kindle such an earnest 〈◊〉 and appetite in a man after some lawful indifferent thing that he will not forgoe it for any cause and then the Devil will quickly finde a condition to annex to it whereby he will draw a man to something simply unlawful as he thought to have done with Christ when having shewed him the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them wherewith he thought he had wrought upon his affections he presently seeks to 〈◊〉 him to idolatry 〈◊〉 tibi dabo c. All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Thus the desires of our concupiscence in malo in evil are either as S. Augustine saith per injustitiam or adjustitiam either to get things lawful by evil means or if by lawful means yet for an evil end and both these wayes of getting are justly condemned even in the very desire of the heart This 〈◊〉 and these desires proceeding from it are expressed in Scripture by other words Sometimes it is called the old man sometimes sin dwelling in us sometimes the law of sin and the law of the members sometimes the sting of death sometimes the prick in the flesh sometimes the cleaving sin which hangs so fast on sometimes the skirmishing sin which wars against the soul sometimes virus serpentis the poyson of the Serpent which the Devil instild into our nature at the first The Schoolmen call it fomitem infixum or fomitem peccati that inbred fewel of sin Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the disorder or irregularity of the faculties of the soul for whereas man had advanced his concupiscence above his reason against the order and will of God and so made it chief and for fulfilling his desire hazarded the favour of God Therefore as a just punishment God hath so ordered in his wrath that it should be stronger then reason so that it cannot be brought under that superiour faculty though a man would So that as God said by the Prophet and it is a fearful judgement because Ephraim had made altars to sin therefore they should be to him to sin so here because man would have his concupiscence superiour it shall 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 do what he can Thus God in great wrath sometimes deals with men as he did with the Israelites They did eat and were full and he gave them their own desire they were not disappointed of their lust and in another place He gave them up to their own hearts lusts and to follow their own imaginations Thus he dealt with the Heathen Romans as the Apostle saith after great disobedience and wilful sinning against the light of their own hearts there follows this Illative Ideo tradidit cos deus therefore God gave them up to their own desires counsels inventions and imaginations This is a fearful thing to be thus given up to a mans own lust It is much to be delivered over to satan Tradatur 〈◊〉 was a high censure yet tradatur 〈◊〉 had a return he that was so given up was regained But when a man is delivered up to himself it is certain that by ordinary means he never returns again For this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reprobate sence as the Apostle cals it when God gives a man clean over and withdrawing his grace leaves him in his own hands to final destruction so that it is better to be delivered over to the Devil then to his own will And thus we see how well we are to think of our own will and how dreadful a thing it is to be given over to it and not to have Gods spirit to maintain a perpetual conflict therewith CHAP. III. How a man comes to be given up to his own desires Thoughts of two sorts 1. Ascending from our own hearts 2. Injected by the Devil The manner how we come to be infected Six degrees in sin 1. The receiving of the seed 2. The retaining of it 3. The conception 4. The forming of the parts 5. The quickning 6. The travel or birth NOw for the means whereby a man comes to be thus endangered it hath been partly handled already in the first Commandement which in our duty to God answers to this towards our Neighbour and shall partly be now touched A man comes thus to be given up to his own desires by degrees when he gives way to civil imaginations against his Neighbour Let no man imagine or think evil in his heart saith the Prophet against his Neighbor We must not give way to it at all though we suffer
〈◊〉 Such a one was Abigail one that by her wisdom builded her house and was like a marchants ship a good huswife and provident If to these she be like a polished corner of the temple it makes her a meet one Such a one being found we must not presently adhinnire 〈◊〉 after her like Jeremies fedd horses there must not be conjunxit before adduxit which was Shechems case we must tarry till adduxit and that in Gods house Jesus must be at the mariage God must give her as parent and joyn both as priest by the hand of him that he hath appointed in his place And it must be in Gods house not clandestine and then they shall receive a blessing Now for the duties general and mutual between them they consist in two things 1. In fidelity and loyalty They must possesse their vessels in holines and purity and not defraud one another but keep the mariage bed undefiled They must draw both one way and beare each others burden 2. Love She was made of a bone meet to the heart and that was coupled with a fellow therefore their love must be hearty He must love her as a part of himself and she him as wounded for her Again she must love him as her head and he her as his crown He must be better to her then ten sonnes And she embrace him and his love tanquam 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 as a vine and not ivy 1. Now severally concerning their duties The man must dwell with the woman with knowledge to direct her Provide and take care for his house and family He must cherish her he must delight in her rejoyce with the wife of his youth Isaac sported with Rebekah Suffer and bear with her infirmities and not be bitter to her To end this he must love her fervently cooperate with her willingly provide all things carefully and though he be the nobler part not despise the lesse noble give good counsel seasonably admonish her opportunely and defend her faithfully 2. The woman in respect that she was not made first but Adam and that she was taken elatere out of his side therefore her duty is to submit and be subject to her husband and do her duty at all times to please him She is also to be adjutrix a help to him She is a bone part of a coupling or rafter in a building she must gird her loyns with strength she must not be trouble some for it were better for her husband to dwell in the wildernesse then with her if she be a contentious woman Nor must she undo him nor 〈◊〉 out his goods Not prove as Jobs wife curst but like to Abigail gracious and milde Not like Michal Davids wife a 〈◊〉 or taunter but like the Shunamite charitable and vertuous Not like Jezabel haughty and cruel but like the woman of Tekoah humble Finally she must love her husband ardently serve him obediently bear and educate her children carefully not oppose his government scornfully So much for the cause or thing upon which this Commandment was grounded Now to the Commandment it self CHAP. II. The dependance of this commandment upon the former The ends for wich it was given The object of this Commandment concupiscence or lust of the flesh The several branches and degrees of the sin here forbidden Diverse reasons against the sin of uncleannesse Non Maechaberis THis Precept is as the former in words very brief and under the name of Adultery forbids all degrees of uncleannesse and all those acts that dispose thereto thereby to shew what reckoning God makes of lust and all those acts that tend to Adultery and of all the lesser degrees of this sin viz. that they are all 〈◊〉 in his sight as rash and unjust anger is murder before him as we shewed in the last Now Adultery implies not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse but injustice too and that in a high degree by communicating that to many which is proper to one for the husband hath not power over his own body but the wife and econtra and therefore it is injustice to give that to another which is not in our power but is already given to another by marriage Thus we see by the word here used what account God makes of all those vices which are subordinate to Adultery The Commandment itself is expounded Leviticus 20. 10. in the law and in the Gospel by Christ in the fifth of S. Matthew vers 27 28. c. And by the Apostle 1 Corinthians 5. and 6. 15. and throughout the whole seventh chapter of the same Epistle The order and dependance is this The principal cause why murder was prohibited was because man is the image of God now the image of God consists especially in purenesse and chastity as one of the Heathen Poets could tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is a pure minde and therefore fitly doth this Commandment wherein purity of soul and body is commanded follow 〈◊〉 that wherein the defacing of Gods image is forbidden The truth of this may plainly be gathered by the contrary assoon as our first parents eys were opened they saw themselves naked being ashamed to see their nakednesse they got figleaves to cover their shame which argued that the purenesse of this image was lost and that they were ashamed of those irregular motions which began to arise in shew The ends of this Commandment are four 1. In respect of God who is of purer eyes then to behold evil therefore we must not 〈◊〉 be pure in heart if we will see him or have him to see us but we must possesse our bodies also our vessels in holinesse and sanctification not in the lusts of 〈◊〉 as the Heathen that know not God 2. In respect of the Church and the good of it God by the Prophet saith that he took order that one man should be joyned to one woman why that he might have a holy seed That the Church might be kept pure undefiled and unspotted for as the Apostle saith our bodies are the members of Christ and not our own And therfore he 〈◊〉 against Christ the head and the Church his body Who takes the members of Christ and makes them the members of a harlot 3. For the good of the Common-wealth wedlock being 〈◊〉 parens the Parent of the Common-wealth the 〈◊〉 of cities and kingdoms And in that respect it is that the Wise man in diverse places counselleth us to refrain from strange women Abimelech charged his people upon pain of death not to touch Abrahams wife And 〈◊〉 sentence upon his daughter in Law was no lesse when he heard that she had played the harlot So in the Law it was no lesse then death to offend in this kinde And God charged Moses
to admonish the Israelites to refrain from this sin because it defiled the land and would be a cause that they should be 〈◊〉 out of it Lastly S. 〈◊〉 tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them for giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh were set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire 4. For the particular good of private persons and that two wayes 1. That every one may enjoy that whereof he is Proprietary and chief Lord and that wholly to himself And this is occulta lex 〈◊〉 the secret law of nature Therefore if another partake or share with him or be but suspected so to do it drives him into jealousie which the Wise man calls the rage of a man and he accounts it such an injury as cannot be satisfied with any ransom 2. That his name may be perpetuated by legitimate children of his own We see that God would have no bastard enter into his congregation And by this also a man preserves the chastity of his wife And these four are the ends Now for the affection it self and ground of the Commandment as it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heat in the other Commandment so here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concupiscence that this dealeth withall not that every concupiscence is evil for the Apostle tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil concupiscence to intimate that there is some Concupiscence or desire which is not evil And in another place he willeth us not to have providence and care of the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it implying that there is a lawful care of the flesh to be had so that the lusts of it be not fulfilled More plainly there is in man as in all other creatures a desire first to preserve himself in 〈◊〉 and secondly in specie And therefore in respect that these are most necessary it pleased God to 〈◊〉 a bait for both that men might be allured to them for as there is a pleasure in eating and drinking for the one so is there for the other in the act of generation And there is a rule in maxime 〈◊〉 maxima 〈◊〉 as maxime allicit in things most necessary the greatest pleasure allureth most And another quod maxime allicit maxime corrumpit that which allureth most corrupts most And the reason is quia appetitus tendit ultra modum the appetite exceeds the due measure For we perswade our selves that if the doing of it once be good the doing of it often will be better and so we come at last to do it too much because the appetite knows not what is enough and so it falleth into corrupt custom For the course of our nature is when it avoids any evil it avoideth it so vehemently that sometime if there be any good with it it putteth out the good too and if 〈◊〉 desire any good it desireth the evil too that sticketh to it Therefore moderation and temperance is to be used for vertue stands in medio between two 〈◊〉 yet temperance is magis in 〈◊〉 more in the want then in the excesse as 〈◊〉 is mag is in 〈◊〉 more in the excesse then in the want This Concupiscence of the flesh as it is in us so it is in beasts and therefore it hath the lowest place and is as Plato saith alligata ventri tyed to the belly as a man would 〈◊〉 a horse or an asse to the manger Now being thus in the lowest place yet being of necessary use the rule is In maxime necessariis 〈◊〉 est maxime necessarius in things necessary order is most necessary and this order is that the lower desires should not take up a man wholly when the lower is most vehement the higher is most hindered but the lower faculties are to give place to the superiour and not to take up the whole man Chrysostome saith Dedit Deus corpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non dedit animam corpori ut illam in terram deprimeret God gave the body to the soul to lift it up to the 〈◊〉 of heaven and heavenly things and not the soul to the body to presse it down to the earth Therefore Gods intent was that as we may have a lawful Concupiscence for the maintenance of our life and for propagation so we should use them no further then this necessity requires And this Concupiscence hath its purity Now that is called purum pure that hath 〈◊〉 alieni admixtum no mixture of any thing with it But because in this life there will be some mixture as the Prophet tells them their wine was mixt with water we must be careful that the mixture be not disproportionable as to have but a drop of wine in a vessel of water The Prophet saith that there was a time when man was in honor but certainly he is now so degenerate from that he was that he hath lost his understanding and is become like to the beasts that perish for he serveth his lust riches and pleasures For this cause it is that another Prophet saith of the people of his time that they were 〈◊〉 addicted to this evil concupiscence of the flesh that they were like 〈◊〉 admissariis to fed horses every one neighed after his neighbours wife Therefore as the Apostle speaks of the Law in general so we may of this Commandment that it is Poedagogus our School-master to instruct us that how sweet 〈◊〉 stoln waters are yet the end of them is bitter and deadly And that we should not use our liberty for an occasion to the flesh like brute beasts but as knowing that we were created for greater things and that we should have our mindes lifted up to overrule our bodies and not use our liberty as if we had no rule to walk by Having spoken of the ground of this commandment we come now to the fountain from whence this sin arises and then we shall speak of the means or occasions that draw us to it 1. For the first the Apostle reckons up the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5. 19. Adultery fornication uncle annesse 〈◊〉 c. which our Saviour saith proceed from the heart where they be considered either as they are ipsum venenum the very poison of our nature which the Apostle calls Concupiscentia carnis the lust of the flesh or 〈◊〉 suppuratio an inward festering of this desire an inward boyling of the pot with the scum in it as the Prophet calls it 2. The means that draw us to this sin 1. The first is subactum solum when we make our selves meet and apt ground to receive this vice The Physitians call it 〈◊〉 when a man is disposed by evil humours tending to diseases as those that are Plethorique have their bodies still fed with some bad humour Now this humour of wicked lust is fed by two means 1 Pergulam By intemperance