shall be woorthy of iudgement but he that saith thou foole shall be worthy to be punished with hel-fire these are the handmaides of murther and are all here condemned But if thou shalt being ouer ruled by thine own corrupt wil and Satan his suggestion at any time fall out with thy neighbor to quarrel with him and to hate him in thine heart oh beware yet how thou proceede to shead his bloud for then thou fallest into the extreamity of the breach of this commaundement Destroy not him whom God hath made and for whom Christ hath died for he that sheadeth mans bloud by man shal his bloud be shead Gain proued not a wanderer til he became a murtherer he neuer despaired of Gods Gene. 4. 14 mercy til he had slaine his brother but when his brothers bloud begâ—nne to crie out for vengeance to the Lord then he began to cry out also against himselfe mine iniquitie is greater than Gods mercy Let this wanderer be a warning to al them that carry bloudy mindes that hate their neighbours in their hearts and by his iudgement let vs grow wise let vs learne not to destroy life for God chargeth thee to preserue life Christ commaunds vs to loue euen our Mat. 5. 44. enemies The seueth commandement Againe if thou loue thy neighbour thou wilt not corrupt thy neighbour thou wilt not tempt him or her to any vncleannesse which is the matter of the seauenth commaundement for God wil haue vs glorifie him in our bodies and in our soules God requireth vs to be so prouident and careful in guiding our selues as that we suffer not so much as an vnpure thought or lust to passe from vs. In this commaundement all vnchaste demeanor loose cariage of our selues al idle talke foolish and scurrilous ieasting wanton songs garish or gaudy apparrel and al lewd pastimes inusing to such vncleanes are here forbidden For our bodies are the temples of the holieghost and God requireth vs to be holy as â—e is holy Know ye not saith Paul that your bodies are the temples of the holieghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and you are not your owne foâ— ye are dearly bought therefore glorifie God in your bodies in your soules for you are gods Behold the vialles of Gods wrath vppon transgressors of this commandement and by their falls learne to stand we reade that Phineas in his zeale slewe Zimry and Cosby for this sinne of adulterie Fiue and twenty thousands of the Beniamites Iud. 20. were slayne for the forcing of the Leuites wife The Sodomites for this sin among others were consumed with fire He that committeth adultery is voide of Pro. 6. vnderstanding he that doth it destroyeth his owne soule In the eight commaundement all stealing The eight commandement and robbing all violent wrongs fraudes and al desire of other mens goods are prohibited so we reade in Leu. 19. 11. Eph. 5. 9. 1. Thes 4. 6. The contrary to this is commanded viz. to be content with the portion that God hath giuen vs in labouring for our owne liuings and being helpefull to them that neede To proceede yet further if thou loue thy The ninth commandement neighbour thou wilt not accuse thy neighbor falsly in any matter by bearing false witnesse against him God is a God of truth and he requireth truth in his seruants If at any time thou shalt testifie against him looâ—â—e thy testimony be true All lying flattering and dissembling are here forbidden also all back-biting and slandering This commaundement hath many branches it impeacheth the iudge if hee giue false iudgement it impeacheth the counsailor if he carry himselfe to his clyent otherwise than he ought it impleades the recorder if he falsifie the record most of al it concernes him for the record being searched if it be false an hundred yeares after it may do harme it reacheth to the iurors if they giue not a true verdict according to euidence if these circumstances were duly considered there would be lesse swearing and forswearing than commonly is vsed To instruct you yet a little further in this commandement you must note there bee three sorts of testimonies Suggesti Fori Colloquij of the Pulpit of the Court of Conference False witnesse of the Pulpit is when the peacher deliuereth false doctrine if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and 1. Cor. 15 14 15 Acts 5. we are counted false witnesses of God False witnesse-bearing in the Court is when one man shall falsely accuse an other before the iudge as Tertullus accused Paul calling him a pestilent fellow Act. 24â— or when the iudge himselfe shall giue corrupt iudgement as Pilat pronounced sentence against Christ thogh no crime could be produced against him Testimony of conference is when in priuat matters one accuseth another falsly by way of slaunder Alas if false witnesse may be committed so many waies who of vs is not a false witnesse We cannot certainely cleare our selues from the breach of this commandement no more than those lewes could cleare themselues when they accused the adulterous woman to Christ If thou hast but told a lie or hast flattered or hast slaundered thy neighbour thou hast violated this commaundement but how grossely do they trangresse and how haynous is their sin that in the face of a Court in the sight of God of Angells and of mens being produced to try the truth in matters of controuersie betweene neighbour and neighbour will dare most grossely and irreligiously to sweare an vntruth vppon their book-oathes Most daungerous and full of honour is the state of such a prophane wretch for it is a sinne in the next degree to blasphemie Wouldest thou but consider what an oath were and what a burden or clogge this is vnto thy conscience euen a more grieuous burthen to thy soule than the leprozie of Naaman was vnto Gehezie thou shouldst bee better aduised in laying thine hand vpon a booke and bearing false witnes against thy neighbor if after so many oaths thou hast not yet learned what an oath is learne it now and bee ashamed of thine ignoraunce as Adam was of his nakednesse What an oath is Iuramentum est contestatio diuini numinis cum oppigneratione boni imprâ—catione mali It is the calling of God the father God the sonne and God the holy ghost to witnesse with putting our saluation in gage that our witnes is true and wishing our condemnation if it be false Out of this definition may wee spell the substaunce of an oathe and the daunger of it if thou sweare truely thou hast saued thy gage saluation was the pledge or paine of thine oathes trial but if thou swearest falsely thy pawne thou thy selfe art forfeited not vnto God whom thou hast denied in denying his truth but to him who is the father of lies that tempted thee to lie against thine owne soule as he tempted Ananiab and Saphira that is the diuell and I
And the Prophet Dauid ioynes with theÌ„ Psalme â—3 in like consent the word of the Lord is righ teous and all his workes are faithfull And vnto this faithfulnes is another property annexed viz. Gods Iustice Heere is the second reason to induce vs to acknowledge our sinnes for God is iust He is iust in his anger and in his bountifulnesse who shall stand saith Nahum before the face of his wrathfull indignation and his anger is poured out like fire Ps 85. And againe it is an horrible thing to fal into the hands of the liuing God Heb. 12. Hee is iust to giue euery man according to his worke Reue. 21. therefore confesse for hee is iust Hee hath promised free pardon if thou performe this confession and of this pardon thou maist assure thy selfe because God is iust and cannot breake with thee To cleere this with many wordes were to poynt at the shining sunne and to light a candle at noone daie therefore I will descend to that which followeth That he may forgiue vs Though God be of power infinite yet wil he not saue maÌ„ without faith forgiue sinnes without repentance and a principall branch of this repentance is the confessing of sinne If thou treadest the path of repentance thus far foorth viz. to confesse thy sins and to bee ashamed of them and to be sorie for them yet if thou haue not faith if thou beleeue not that God is faithful and iust to forgiue thou commest short of true repentance For Iudas proceeded so farre as well as Mat. 27. 3. 4. thou yet he was damned because hee distrusted God he could not perswade himselfe that GOD would forgiue him and so he lost that which the theefe found Note therefore that three things are necessarie that sinnes may be forgiuen First Infusio gratioe the pouring of grace or working of Gods grace in vs as it wrought in Peter when he went to weepe Secondlie the remorse of the soule who fearing the danger of sin flies to god by repentance like the publicanes souldiours in the 3. of Luke to this belongs confessioÌ„ Thirdly a change of mind and casting off old affections by putting a new heart like Saul when a kingly spirit was giueÌ„ him The calling of sinners to repentance is liuely described by the calling of S. Mathew in whose calling we are to note foure things First he was sitting noting the carelesse securitie of sinners Secondly the place where he was viz. the seate of custome noting how this worldlie Mammon doth draw men from God Thirdly hee rose vppe shewing when grace is poured into vs then we rise froÌ„ sin It is not inough for vs to heare Christ cal but we must rise vp like Samuel and S. Mathew leauing our former state occupatioÌ„ Fourthly hee followed Christ wee must not leaue sinnes only before committed but we must indeuour to leade a godly life euer afterwards framing our selues to the example of Christ To furnish you yet with a coate of surer proofe then Saules armour euerie soule that meanes to possesse heauenly riches must be qualified with these properties He must first haue voluntatis mutationem a change of will 2 Ad deum conuersionem a turning vnto God 3 Peccati detestationem a detestation of sinne 4 Ad meâ—orem vitam intentionem an intention and earnest resolution to liue better afterwardes To forgiue vs our sinnes the certaintie of this remission is assured vs by many presidents in scripture Dauid sinned but vppon his confession God being faithfull and iust forgaue him Ahab confessed his sinne and humbled â—â—in 21 29 himselfe before God and he sawe not the euil that was threatned in his daves And so did the Niniuites and were not destroied though the hande of the Lord were alreadie stretched out within fortie daies to consume Luk. 15 22. them The prodigall sonne was receiued with great welcomes vpon his confession Notwithstanding the inuincible truth of this doctrine yet Satan whose pollicie is euer to hinder mans saluation thought to draw men from the vnderstanding hereof and shuffled into mens heads diuers errors about remission of sinne First that not God alone but man also may forgiue sins whence the selling of pardons proceeded Secondly that venial sin may be forgiuen with the infusion of diuine and heauenly grace Thirdly that there is no remission where there is not open confession to the priest Fourthly that remission of sinnes may be after this life which opinion is defended by magister sententiarum and this is the roote of Purgatorie The Pellagians affirmed that when sinne is forgiuen the punishment is also forgiuen and therefore they say the death of the bodie is not the reward of originall sinne And so they say Adam had died a bodily death whether he had sinned or not but we know it to be otherwise And these are the Locusts that creepe Reuel â— forth of the bottomlesse pit The Pelagians in maintaining this erroâ— crosse these scriptures In â—udore vultus in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread God forgaue the sinne but the punishment still remaines God pronounced against Eue in sorrow Gen. 3. shalt thou bring foorth God pardoned the sinne but the punishment yet remaineth Dauid by confession of his sin got pardon yet the Prophet told him he should be humbled by his sonne But let these errors passe and leaue we them to him that deuised them which is the diuell who hath bin a lier from the beginning trueth will triumph ouer falshoode and the arke wil stand when Dagon falles One droppe remaineth behind vndistilled the pure Quintessence whereof being in due mixture added to this cleare fountaine of christalline water wil grace the same with a matchlesse perfection When this is supplied nothing will be wanting as nothing was lacking to the fiue Mat. 25 4. wise virgins when their lampes were burning And to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse God will not only remit sinne but he will take it cleane away as Moses said he Exo. 10. 26 woulde not leaue an hoofe behinde so God in purging wil not leaue a spot behind but we shal be throughly cleansed and made white like Abosolom who from the sole of his foote to the top of his head had no blemish 2. Sam. 14. 25. in him How filthie and polluted soeuer we were before yet nowe wee shall be cleane and white whiter than Naaman after so many washings In the one and twentieth of the Reuelation it is written that the city of god is founded vpon precious stones and in the ende of the Chapter it is said there shall no vncleane thing enter into it shewing that the soule of man must be cleane The Lord by Esay sayth I wil blot out all thine iniquities And if the wicked man wil turne from his wickednes I will remeÌ„ber his sins no more In the sixt of the Reuelation mention is made of those that were vnder the Altar the Altar is
know not how thou wilt be dispensed with Wilt thou know then how to anoide the daunger heereof and withall the breach of this commaundement thou must doe it thus viz in iudgement in righteousnesse and in trueth and so I conclude this commandement Many wordes neede not to be spent in The tenth commandement clearing the tenth and last which reacheth to the brideling of our affections If thou loue thy neighbour thou wilt not transgresse so much as in thought against him for the very motions of our hearts are able to seperate vs from the loue of God Rom. 7. 7. and the loue of our neigbour See how carefull the Lord is ouer vs he would haue vs not onely to watch our woorkes but our woordes also and our thoughts The former commandement of witnesse bearing is called by the learned Prieceptuâ— vâ—rborum the precept of words and this last may be called Man latum cogitationum the commandement of thoughts If God would haue thee watch thy words and thy thoughts how much more carefâ—lly would hee haue thee to watch thy deedes If God requireth thee to glorifie him in words much rather doth he require thee to glorifie him in deedes and if in deedes then most of al in charitable deedes if to speake well to thy neighbour then to do well much rather And here fit occasion is ministred to put you in mind of your poore neighbors deny not them foode and other necessities that they shall require how do we know but that God hath sent this famine vppon vs to try how we wil carry our selues to our brethren â—â—â— poore distressed members of Christs body we haue had many plentifull yeares Gods name be praised for it in regarde whereof and in testimonie of gratitude let vs not now shut our hands nor shut vp our doores lest it might be said that Pharaohs leane kine haue eaten vppe all the sutte kinâ— That which we giue it is not lost he that giues but a cup of cold water shall not loose his reward remember how God blest the dyle in the cruze and the meale in the bag to 1. King 17 thâ— poore widdow If thou giue to the poore thou dost not giue but lend and to whom dost thou lend but to the Lord he that giueth to the poore â—â—ndoth to the Lord and looke what he layeth oâ—t it shal be paid him againe yea hâ— will paye it thee againe trebble in the double Consider thou giuest it vnto him who is 〈…〉 â—nâ—â—â—esh who is the Image of God as well as thou who is made of the same â—oâ—â—d with thee who must be heire of the same promises with thee If in other things thy loue apeare not to thy neighbor yet in this it must needes appeare and shew it selfe by releeuing him so fulfilling the will of God who chargeth thee thus in the fifteenth of Deut. seuenth verse Deut. 15 7 If thy brother by thee be poore thou shalt not harden thy hart nor shut vp thine hand but shalt releeue him in his neede he that despiseth the poore despiseth him that made him if you shall thus do and in the feare of God I exhort you so to do to you then belongs that voice of comfort come ye blessed of my father receiue the kingdom prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world for I was hungrie and you gaue me meate I was thirstie and you gaue me drinke I was a stranger and you lodged me I was naked and you cloathed me I was sicke and you visited me I was in prison and you came vnto me Know that Christ in the poore is hungry and thirstie and a stranger and naked and sicke and in prison and in asmuch as you haue done it vnto one of the least of these his brethren you haue doone it vnto him And now beloued that I haue shewed you all the circumstaunces in effect of this loue towardes God and towardes your neigbour which is all the duetie that the Lorde requireth of you in these his commandements enter into your selues sound yourselues whether this loue of God be in you or not As S. Paul bade the Corinthians to proue 2 Cor. 13. 5 themselues whether they stood in the faith so I not by way of commandement but by request rather intreate you proue and examine your selues whether this loue of God be in you or not It shall soon appeare by due examination as a vessell is iudged by the sound thereof to be either empty or full Happie is that man that can saye all these haue I kept The prodigall sonne was neuer halfe so welcome to his father as this man is to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉