Gods commandements I hate him intend what I can will I not beléeue it is it not possible to make vs féele our fault and to sée our sinne in this behalfe will wee still chalenge the Lorde with our good intentes and honest meanings as wee thinke when yet his owne tongue speaketh it that if I eyther serue with him any other as saints Angels images or whatsoeuer or him alone after any other way than he prescribeth I loue him not but hate him yea euen extremely hate him and shall at his handes finde the rewarde of a deadly enemie to his glorie Nowe Christ for his mercies sake touche vs and giue vs féeling Secondly let vs marke againe in these the comparison of mercy and iudgement together how farre the one excéedeth His enemies and haters of his will he punisheth but to the thirde and fourth generation but sheweth mercie to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes Who woulde not serue then and onely serue a God of such a nature Yea what heart is it that will not séeke to please according to his will so good a Lorde as powreth mercie so long after his decease vppon his ofspring and posteritie Last of all it is verie worthie obseruation howe that speaking here of his commandements he placeth loue before it saying he will shewe kindnesse to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commandements As though he woulde haue vs knowe that these two cannot be separated but whosoeuer frameth himselfe to obey the Lorde he must néedes loue him before for out of that as out of his fountaine and proper head floweth the other not accepted else nor liked of if it doe not and contrariwise if wee doe loue the Lorde in déede in trueth in veritie then will wee keepe His Commaundementes marke it His Commaundementes he doeth not say then will hee deuise this thing and that thing with twentie things moe of a good minde and meaning to please GOD withall but we will then kéepe His Commandements that is wee will then séeke and search wee will then reade and heare euerie man wee will endeuour to bee instructed what GOD in his worde hath prescribed vs to doe and wee will kéepe His commaundementes Nowe then once againe euen as the bloud of Iesus Christ is deare vnto vs let our brethren of the Churche of Rome for so wee yet call them in hope of amendment looke and marke what loue of GOD is in them Héere is a note and else often repeated in the Scripture to knowe their loue by Alas they deuise lawes wayes and meanes euerie day to serue GOD withall of their owne heades but his prescribed rule in his worde they vtterly contemne and neglect Now where true loue of GOD is out of it floweth a burning constant care to kéepe His commaundementes not our owne They kéepe their owne and with fire and fagot doe reuenge the breach of them but the Lordes worde not so with abstayning from this meate and that meate this day and that day with single lyfe though most impure with prayers in an vnknowen tongue and thus often repeated ouer and ouer with crossings and créepings Paxes and Beades holie water and Creame Ashes and spittle with a thousande such things haue they deuised to worshippe the Lorde and who so breaketh these an Heretike hée is a runneaway from the Church cite him and summon him excommunicate him and imprison him burne him and hang him yea away with such a one for he is not worthie to liue vpon the earth But if he blaspheme the name of the Lord by horrible swearing Reade the L. Cobhams last examination in the beginning of it if he offende most grieuously in pride in wrath in gluttonie and couetousnesse if he be a drunken alestake a ticktack tauerner kéepe a whore or two in his owne house and moe abroade at bord with other men with a nūber such like gréeuous offences what doe they Either he is not punished at all most commonly so or if he be it is a little penance of their owne inuenting by belly or purse or to say a certaine of prayers to visit such an image in pilgrimage c. But all this deserueth neither fire nor fagot Is not this for that man of sinne to exalt himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped Can it be denied but that he that punisheth the breache of his owne lawes aboue the breache of Gods lawes in that preferreth himselfe before GOD Surely it cannot it is too plaine therefore once againe remember that the loue of God in man or woman draweth them to the kéeping of His commandements set downe in the worde and not of their owne constitutions deuised by themselues And thus much in briefe of this commandement The examination of the conscience Nowe if I woulde fruitefully meditate and thinke of this commandement secretely and shortly with my selfe as I did of the former then consider I that as in other so in this also little is said and much is meant part is put for the whole and in the negatiue the affirmatiue is implyed Therefore thus doe I take the commaundement as if it were saide Thou shalt not worship me with any carnall earthly superstitious or outward deuised worship by thy selfe namely not by images but in heart in spirite in truth as is commaunded in my worde Which when I knowe if I would at any time rip vp this heart of mine and disclose vnto my selfe my secrete guilt and sinne herein against my God I carefully consider and as I can in minde beholde howe I haue euer serued the Lorde or thought in iudgement that he might be serued And peraduenture I finde that liuing in the daies of superstition and blindnesse ignorant of God and his truth for feare weakenesse with others I haue bowed my knée to Baall worshipped stockes and stones or as I thought GOD in them euen béene polluted with grosse and grieuous idolatrie For which if it so haue béene what can I say Shall ignoraunce excuse mée Did I labour then and euer by all meanes possible to attaine to knowledge Or liued I rather carelesly as others did thinking it good that many followed and hauing or séeking no better grounde for my conscience than the practise of my forefathers kings and gouernours If of this latter my heart condemne me how should my ignorance excuse me since it was so plainely wilfull Shall good intent or my good meaning stand for warrant before my God Ah howe shall he that gaue me in charge expresselie that I should not doe what séemeth good in mine owne eyes but what he commanded accept for excuse my wilfull and stubborne disobedience Neyther ignoraunce therefore nor intent may warraunt so witles walking before the Lorde but onely pardon in Christ Iesus my Sauiour But if eyther age which then was young or other prouidence of the Lorde haue freed mee alwayes from so grosse idolatrie yet séeke
I further whether with any outwarde thing else whatsoeuer not warraunted by the word I haue thought or sought to serue and please the Lorde being by reason thereof brought asléepe with an imagination of my well doing and so carelesse to séeke or practise the dueties of the word If I haue this also knowe I to be a breach of this commandement Then from things not warraunted I came to things commanded as the hearing of the word prayer conference profitable with my brethren and such like knowing that if euen in these by the Lorde ordayned as thinges wherewith he is honoured and pleased I haue otherwise vsed my selfe than I should in stead of perfourming the Lordes appointment I haue brought before him mine owne inuention walking vnwittingly in mine owne wayes fearfully broken this precept of my God Which when I consider I néede no further shewe of grieuous guilt to cast me down from height of all supposed soundnes in this law Mine eyes do sée my heart acknowledgeth my conscience crieth my sinne is great Stand O soule before the Lord the iust and vpright Iudge whose pearcing eyes discouereth al thy waies set thy selfe more in his sight while mercie may be had whose voyce shall sound thy lasting woe if sight of sinne procure not true remorse And say now soule before the Iudge of trueth hast thou alwayes vsed as hee hath willed thée the hearing of the worde Did neuer desire of worldlie praise prouoke thée to this seruice Neuer diddest thou thinke to day such shall I sée and againe of them be noted if I goe Did neuer feare of worse opinion to be bred of thée in worldlie states by thy absence drawe thée out No fleshlie thought or earthly liking of the speaker hath there béene within thée to pricke thée to his hearing Hath painted pride and newe or straunge attyre neuer saide secretly in thée to daie goe heare the Sermon Lie thou maiest not the Lord being Iudge cleare thy selfe thou canst not O my soâ—le thy selfe being iudge Therefore that which the Lord appointeth as a seruice to himselfe and for our endlesse comfort by this corruption beginneth a seruice of thine own to thy iust damnation For to heare the Lorde biddeth but not for these ends Thus seruing the Lord in a thing commanded not as he commandeth I serue him with mine owne inuention and guiltie most grieuously I am before him O that I were any better in the duetie of prayer Am I neuer negligent colde and frosen Burneth the fire within me before or whilest I speake with my tongue Shaketh my flesh with the vehemencie of my spirite Neuer straieth my heart from present praier Neuer hast I to an ende or wearilie wishe the voice I heare to cease it is too long Ah wretch howe dare I say it Conscience cryeth and will not be bribed this duetie of prayer thus corruptly perfourmed the Lorde acknowledgeth not as a seruice by him commaunded but as mine own inuention and a breache of this his precept My conference with others in shewe so good in words so faire tasteth it neuer of liking of my selfe or vaine delight to heare mine owne discourse of pride to séeme and to be knowen a man indued with such and so good gifts Tendeth my heart in trueth to the praise of my God and the comfort of my hearers whensoeuer I speake of fruitfull things without all vaine respect and hidden euill whatsoeuer If it doe not then the thing that in it selfe the Lord hath commanded as I perfourme it he vtterly abhorreth and it is wilworshippe of mine owne not prescribed dutie by my God therefore a breache of this commaundement What should I say The more I searche the more I sée and I am not as I thought concerning the kéeping of this Lawe Mo things yet in it are commaunded and moe thinges well by these I sée I haue not perfourmed Thus much serueth to sound damnation to me and witnesse sufficient in dreadfull day shall this my guilt exhibite against me beside a curse vpon my posteritie to many generations But O Lorde thy mercie reacheth vnto the heauens Psal 36.5 and thy faithfulnesse vnto the cloudes Nehem 9.17 Gratious art thou O gratious God and full of compassion slowe to anger and of great goodnesse Were my sinnes as crimsin Esa 1.18 thou canst make them as white as snowe though they be as red as scarlet soone canst thou cause them to be as the wool Deare father haue mercie vpon me and burie in the bottome of the sea that they neuer more appeare before thée all my sinnes and by name my breaches of this commandement O my God as thou hast vouchsafed mee a Sauiour to quit mee from this curse so due vnto me for my disobedience so in that Sauiour of mine thine owne déere sonne looke vpon me He was borne for my sake he liued for my sake he died for my sake then let his birth his life his death good Lord profite mée in winning pardon of thée for my faults and direction of thy spirite for the time to come that better daily I may knowe to serue thée and euen in trueth as thou hast prescribed perfourme the same vnto thée Amen good Lord heare me The third Commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. Question WHAT is the meaning of this commaundement Your Booke Ans God chargeth vs in this third commaundement these thrée thinges First that we vse with most high reuerence the name of God whensoeuer we either speake or thinke vpon him Secondly that wee neuer blaspheme the name of God by coniuring witchcraft sorcerie or charming or any such like neither hy cursing or banning Thirdly that we neuer sweare by the name of God in our common talke although the matter be neuer so true but only where the glorie of God is sought or the saluation of our brethren or before a Magistrate in witnessing the trueth when we are thereunto lawfully called In which causes we must onely sweare by the name of God But as for Saintes Angels Roode Booke Crosse Masse or anie other thing we ought in no case by them to sweare Que. What is meant by the name of God here Ans Not only anie one word vsuallie giuen to him in scripture as Iehouah or such like Philip. 2 9. but also his maiestie and excellencie with such attributes as declare the same as his wisedome his iustice his prouidence his mercie and so foorth Againe his lawe and commandements or his doctrine and worde are vsuallie signified by it Leuit. 22.31 1. Tim. 61. to make vs more carefull to attende vppon them as things wherupon depend the honour glorie and name of God Que. What is it to take his name in vaine Ans Surelie either to speake or thinke of it without most high reuerence and especiallie to sweare by it otherwise than we ought Also to cast behind vs the diligent care of his commaundementes
haires 〈◊〉 her head kissed them annointed them â—ith precious ointment and what was 〈◊〉 which that woman thought too much for such a friende True it is therefore that the lesse we sée the goodnesse of our God the lesse we loue him but great is the affection of them to whom many sinnes are forgiuen Knowing this then that remembraunce of hard estate before will stirre the heart vp to him in loue that hath made it happie and that sight of ougly sinne lodging still in mée and cleauing to my soule and flesh will make mee praise his name who yet in mercie imputeth not the same vnto mée Vse indéede often with your selfe and especially when you féele your heart most prone and fit thereunto to viewe your sinnes against euery commaundement howe many and monstrous they are in thought worde and deede sit and thinke with your selfe what is commaunded sometimes in one sometimes in another what woonderfull perfection is required in euerie one what braunches and members euerie one hath what terrible iudgements are due to the breakers therof how far from the full absolute perfourmance of any tittle of any one of them you your selfe are therefore in what case you stand for the same euen sure of eternal destruction both of bodie soule in hel fier Yet notwithstanding how you are released of mercie not of merite that with the preciousest ransom that euer was the heart bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God both God man so that heauen earth may perish but you cannot perish Que. The examination of the conscience touching this commaundement Ans As for example I set view this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t wherof now we haue spokeÌ„ Thou shalt haue none other gods but me Considering what things are biddeÌ„â—r forbidden vnto me in the same And â—s alreadie now hath béene prooued first I sée I am commanded herein to worâ—hip the Lord my God and him onely to â—erue not ioyning any fellowes to him â—t all of which worship many points â—here bee but they may bee reduced â—nto a fewe First I sée I am bound to â—oue him aboue all that is in my heart and soule to make more account of him than of all the worlde or any creature in heauen or earth to cleaue faster vnto him and his wil than to any thing to estéeme him and preferre him yea euen aboue mine owne saluation if they could come in comparison together for Hee that loueth father or mother Matth. 10.28 sister or brother wife or childe or any thing more than me is not worthie of me Secondly I am commaunded to feare him aboue all that is with a godly reuerence to stande more in awe of him and his worde than of any thing else whatsoeuer to be more loath not for feare onely but euen for loue to displease him grieue him and offende him than any or all the creatures in heauen or earth beside in respect of that which he is able to lay vpon mee if I forsake him to account nothing of any thing that any man can doe vnto me mindefull euer of this saying Feare not them that can kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule Matth. 10. but feare him that can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire Thirdly I sée that in this commaundement I am charged to make my prayers to none but to God onely for the reasons aboue in their place alledged Fourthly I sée I am commaunded not to thinke that things goe by fortune and chaunce or that any thing is done which GOD knoweth not of or could not let but that I acknowledge him to be the guider and gouernour of all things and that what good soeuer I receiue I haue it from him and therefore that I trust and stay vpon him alone at all times and in all my matters whatsoeuer And for so much as neither I nor any can either loue him or feare him pray to him or trust in him vnlesse we knowe him therefore I sée also that I am in this commaundement straitely bound â—o long as I liue to labour and trauell by all meanes appointed to knowe the Lorde and his trueth out of his worde and looke howe much I want of knowing any thing that is reueiled in his worde so farre am I guiltie of the breache of this Lawe And if it please the Lorde to blesse me with knowledge of his trueth or any thing else whatsoeuer I sée that in this commandement I am charged to giue thankes to him for it in such full manner and measure of féeling as any way is due to that benefite For if I forget to be thankefull I forget that the Lorde in that thing is my good God And if I ascribe the praise and thankes to any thing else whatsoeuer otherwise than as to the instrument of God I make my selfe another GOD beside the Lorde euen that thing wherevnto I giue the thankes and I breake this commaundement These and many such other things I sée are laide vpon me and al men and women in this first commandement then I thinke or say with my self vnto the Lord O my good God and gratious father O my swéete Lord guide most righteous what doe I sée euen in this but one law of thine against my selfe my soule and bodie why I should neuer come in thy kingdome nor lift vp mine eyes to heauen in hope of any comfort This is but one Lawe of ten and contayneth but a fewe dueties in respect of all that I owe to thée and my brethren yet ah Lorde with wailing woe I speake it so guiltie I sée my selfe so fowle and ouglie before thy face and so full of breaches euerie way euen of this one commandement that I am ashamed and confounded to â—ift vp mine eies vnto thée my God For mine iniquities are increased ouermine â—ead my trespasses are growen vp to â—he heauen to me belongeth nothing but â—hame confusion it is thy mercie that â— am not vtterly destroied yea eueÌ„ thy â—ercie maruellous that the earth as â—eary of so wicked a burden shrinketh â—ot from vnder my féete and hellish pit 〈◊〉 gulfe of endlesse woe receiueth me â—ot into it For what pleasure is â—ere in that seruaunt that being bid 〈◊〉 his master doe diuers thinges yet â—ot in any one obeyeth or perfourmeth 〈◊〉 maisters will Can hée like him â—ill hee loue him No no full soone euen I my selfe would loath and cast off such a one Ah Lorde then for my selfe what should I say Is there any seruaunt so bound vnto his master as I am bounde to thee Is there any master that can and will so quitte his seruaunts paines as thou in mercie my obedience Or can any mortall man so iustly challenge the obedience of his hireling as thou my God maist challenge the seruice of me thy creature first made of nothing by thy hande and then most dearely bought againe with precious price No no my bodie my life my heart
déede but â—ead blotted out and quite extinguiâ—hed Sée nowe howe guiltie I am eâ—en of the first thing that is commaunâ—ed mee in this commaundement The seconde thing is that I should â—eare thée aboue all the thirde is Feare of God â—hat I should pray to none but to thée â—he fourth to acknowledge thee the â—uider and gouernour of all thinges â—f whome I receiue all the benefites â—hat I haue and therefore that I trust â—nd stay vpon thée alone Fiftly that 〈◊〉 should labour to knowe thée out of â—hy worde so fully and perfectly as â—hou hast reuealed thy selfe therein â—ecause of knowledge all these other â—â—llowe And lastlie that I should for â—ll benefites giue thankes onely to â—â—ee and in such full manner and â—easure of féeling as any way is due to that blessing which I receiue In which points as in other moe which might yet be named O merciful father I here before thée confesse I am no better than in the first I dare not cleare my selfe I cannot I ought not O Lord giue me eyes to sée my wants for I haue feared men and their threates more than I ought I haue feared the losse of their fauour more than I ought I haue feared the losse of worldely commodities more than I ought and haue not as thy blessed Apostle taught me by this example Philipp 3. accounted those thinges that were vantage vnto me losse very doung for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lorde Sometimes Satan hath rocked this soule of mine in the chayer of securitie that I haue euen slept as it were a dead sléepe and not considered of thy iudgements against sinne as I ought neyther taken the profite by thy extraordinary works in the ayer in the earth in the bodies of men and beasts that I should but passed them ouer with a litle woonder or motion for a short time When my sinnes haue béene touched or appeared vnto me I haue flattered my â—wne soule and put vpon them honest â—ames as clokes to hide them withal The plaine pride of my heart and mere â—anitie I haue iudged clenlinesse or necessary for my estate Miserable coueâ—ousnesse haue I iudged lawful care for â—hings necessary and so forth a manifest token of a dead heart within and â—oide of tasting any horror in sinne By â—ll which and many more thinges that my minde may easily sée it is apparant â—o me that I haue euen broken this â—oint also of thy Lawe in not fearing â—hee so as I ought Alas Lorde what â—hall I say of the rest of the braunches â—f this commandement named euen nowe Am I any perfecter in them â—han in these No no I haue sinned against thée in them all and that most grieuously so that if there were no mo â—f thy commandements but euen this â—ne the first of al yet doth my conscience â—ell me I am before thée guiltie good Lorde most fearefully to bee touched But there are nine moe spreading out their braunches to all sinceritie and holinesse both in bodie and minde toward God and man with threatened cuâ—â—es to all flesh that shall doe contrarie And therefore when I viewe my couâ—se euen at the first to bee so crooked O deare Father what shall I thinke i◠〈◊〉 appeare when I shall bee iudged in them all Shall I boast of merites and kéepe no fyttle of thy commaundementes Shall I challenge saluation for my workes and euerie braunche of thy lawe doeth call mee cursed because I haue so fowlie and often broken the same No good Father no this little viewe of my obedience to thy hestes doeth plainely tell mee I haue no merites or good workes to come before thée withall much lesse am I able to doe workes of supererogation that is more than I neede to doe but of sinnes and euill workes alas I see a number With Dauid may I crie Psal 34. They are more than the haires of my â—eade and my heart hath failed mee I â—ay truely saye with the prodigall Sonne I haue sinned against heauen â—nd against thee and I am not worthie 〈◊〉 bee called thy childe I may say â—ith the Publican God bee mercifull 〈◊〉 mee a sinner and adde thereunto a â—reat and grieuous sinner I may say â—ith Ieremie O Lorde though mine â—â—iquities testifie against mee yet deale â—hou with mee according to thy name â—or my rebellions are many And with 〈◊〉 I haue sinned Iob. 7. what shall I doe to â—â—ee O thou preseruer of men Yea â—ell may I say I lye downe in my conâ—â—sion and my shame couereth mee â—or I haue sinned against the Lorde my GOD from my youth vp tyll this â—ay and haue not obeyed his voyce â—o conclude I may looke about mee â—nd from a wounded soule crie vnto â—â—ose that can giue mée counsell In reâ—â—ect of my sinnes men brethren what â—â—all I do And sée how neuer the Lord â—â—rsaketh those that want his helpe aide â—oe I not euen nowe remember what he aduiseth me and all sinners in my case to doe Prou. 28. Hee that hideth his sinne saith the Lorde by Salomon shall not prosper but he that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall haue mercie And sée in Dauid the proofe and tryall of it For when I helde my tongue saith hee my bones consumed Psal 32. or when I roared all the day For thy hande is heauie vpon me daie and night and my moysture is turned into the drought of sumâ—mer Then I acknowledged my sin vnâ—to thee neither hid I mine iniquitie For I said I wil confesse against my selfe and thou forgauest the punishment oâ— my sinne Therefore O Lorde I hearken to thy counsell and though I haâ—â— sinned aboue the number of the sand oâ— the sea as plainely I sée I haue if I 〈◊〉 charged with euery branch of thy comâ—maundements how I haue kept them though my transgressions be multipliâ—ed and are excéeding many so that I am not worthie to beholde the heighâ— of heauen for the multitude of mâ— vnrighteousnesse yea I say thougâ—â— I haue prouoked thy wrath and doone euill before thee and not kept any â—ot of thy commaundementes so fully as I ought yet knowing Thou desirest â—he death of no sinner but rather that he should repent and be saued and hast â—hewed the trueth thereof in forgiuing Dauid and manie mo confessing truely â—heir sinnes before thee Therefore O good Lorde and sweete refuge full of mercie pitie and compassion I bow the â—nees of my heart with king Manasses â—nd all sorrowfull sinners and begge â—hy mercie I haue sinned O Lord I â—aue sinned and I acknowledge my â—ransgressions but I humbly beseech â—hee forgiue me O Lorde forgiue me â—nd destroy me not as I haue deserued â—e not angrie with me for euer by reâ—eruing to me euil neither condemne â—e into the lower partes of the earth For thou art the God euen the God of â—ll them that repent and on me thou â—â—ilt shewe mercie My sorrowe good
wée woulde a very horrible thing if we could duely regarde and thinke of it For what is it but to contemne GOD and his wisedome to striue and fight against the Spirite teaching and conuerting men by the ministerie of the worde and euen in effect to say I am as wise and godlie as either hee can make mee or shall make mee I will none of his grace What is it but to giue a grieuous offence to others for the which the liuing God hangeth a woe ouer our heads saying Woe be to him by whom offence commeth it were better for that person to haue a milstone tyed about his neck and to be cast into the bottome of the Sea And againe It were good for that man if he had neuer beene borne What is it but to féede the deuils humor and to doe that thing that most highly pleaseth him Againe to consider howe we haue offended when we were present at Church by negligent and colde performaunce of that thing which time place and duetie required at our handes Haue we neuer come to the hearing of the worde but with reuerence with willing desire preparing our hearts before vnto it by some secrete prayer within our selues to the Lorde that he would blesse the speaker that hee may speake to our heartes and blesse vs that we may attentiuely hearken profitably féele and thankefully taking whatsoeuer is spoken increase in obedience to it Haue wee neuer come to the Sacramentes when we could and neuer without such examination and other circumstances as are straitly required of a Christian Haue we spent the Sabaoth in godly conference meditation powring out thanks from a féeling soule for the Lords goodnes euer to vs namely the wéeke passed Haue we visited or thought vpon the sick sore diseased imprisoned banished or any way suffring for a good cause to our power comforted them Haue we studied how either to procure or continue or increase amongst our selues or our neighbours the meanes of saluatiō as the preaching of the word such like O beloued we haue not we haue not we know it must néeds confesse it if there be any trueth in vs. Too much haue we neglected all these yea euen diuerse of them it is greatly to bee feared haue litle or neuer at all troubled our heads but for their contraries in most ful measure we haue wallowed in them and with gréedinesse euer accomplished thē Where is the minister whose negligence hath not made his people to pollute the Sabaoth Where is the people whose consciences awaked may not iustly condemne them for vngodly gadding on this day to Churchales to weddings to drinkings to bākets to fairs markets to stage plaies to bearebaytings summer games and such like Where is that master that hath had a conscience to restrain his seruants from this impietie or the seruant againe that hath either brideled himselfe for the Lords cause or else wel accepted his master or mistres restraint being made vnto him and which hath not rather burst out into vngodly disobedient spéeches murmuring that because he hath wrought all the wéeke therfore he should haue libertie to do what he list on the Sabaoth not considering that this commandement bindeth not only the master himselfe to honor God on this day but to sée to his family so much as he can that they also do it Nay I would to God the masters in many places were not ringleaders to their owne al other mens people to prophane this Sabaoth of the Lord and that euen such maisters as in respect of their calling office and credite in the countrey should farre otherwise doe When doeth a gentleman to name no higher estates appoint a shooting a bowling a cocking or a drunken swearing ale for the helpe as they say of some poore one but vppon the Sabaoth And if he be at the Church in the forenoone for the after noone it is no matter he hath béene verie liberall to God in giuing him so much What day in the wéeke vsually doeth he giue so euill an example of vnmeasurable sotting in bed as on the Sabaoth But O filthie sauour that ariseth out of this lothsome chanell thus raked vp into the nostrels of the Lorde I spare to speake I shame to sée I rew to knowe what I fully knowe against our soules in this respect Let euerie man and woman more particularly view thēselues and lay open vnto the Lorde their sinne in sorowe for it by this occasion thinke what is commaunded looke what wee haue done the Lorde make our sinfull hearts to sée sigh for so great offence against our God What should I say of the second end of the institution of the Sabaoth namely for the rest of seruant cattell But euen in an word woe to the man whom God shall iudge according to his guiltinesse herein For it is too vsual with al estates to be a meanes to robbe their seruauntes of the blessing due to the kéepers of this law and to pull vppon them the plague for the contrarie by making them ride and run post and away vpon euerie occasion that commeth in their heads when in truth if they would but euen look into it the matter may be done wel without such hast O happie is that man whose heart thinketh howe his seruant is bound to this commandement of kéeping holy the Sabaoth as well as hée hath a soule to loose or saue as well as he to be nourished with the foode of the word as well as he and therefore thereon concludeth he will neither sinne himselfe nor make his seruant sinne in breach of this or any other commandement The third end of the Sabaoth we heard it was that hereby might bee resembled in some sort our spirituall rest in heauen wee ceasing from our owne workes dooing the will of God But are we able to say wee haue this doone O miserable men ten thousand times if in this we should haue our desertes for wherein or howe crucifie we the fleshe more on this day than any other bridle the frowarde desires of the heart restrayne our owne nature and doe the will of God more on this day than any other Alas our owne consciences crie vnto vs we doe nothing lesse wee drinke wée eate wée surfet wee sweare we play we daunce we whore we walke and talke idlely vainely vncleanely and vngodlily these are our workes on the Sabaoth more commonly than any day in the wéeke else and if this bee to resemble a spirituall rest then in déede wee doe it not otherwise Thus stand wee therefore guiltie and gréeuously guiltie of this commaundement So that if we had not a Sauiour who in our flesh had fulfilled this lawe and euerie one for vs and appeased the wrath of God his father iustly conceiued against our sinnes neuer should we haue looked within his kingdome And howe shall we bée better for all which he hath doone but by séeing our passed sinne and
say the ordinarie forerunners of murther quarrelling and fighting with their fellowes whatsoeuer And assuredly if the Lorde were in vs as we thinke he is that méeke spirite of his would kill more and more that fearefull hastinesse to reuenge that is euen in al and we would learne of him Math. 11.25 for hee is meeke and lowly in heart Que. What thinke you of killing by combat Ans I must néedes thinke that the practise in a Christian common wealth being naught and vnlawfull the death that therby insues is horrible murther and condemned in this commaundement Nowe that to fight a combat in a godly state is not tollerable it may easily appeare if you weigh the causes for which it is at any time taken in hande For if they be not as it will appeare sufficient to warrant it then is it not warrantable The first cause that is alleadged for it is to trie a trueth which otherwise can not bee knowen say they But it may bee answered that the ende good doeth not by and by make the meanes good to try out a trueth is good but to try it with the hazarde of life is more than can be warranted There are manie lawefull meanes to finde out trueth by and if all those faile then is it euident that the Lorde for some cause reserueth it to himselfe for a secret and to séeke importunately and impaciently by extraordinarie meanes as a combat is to finde it out is to tempt the Lorde and euen as it were by violence to draw from him the manifestation of the which as yet he would not haue reueiled Secondly the one partie is innocent yet either of thē desireth the death of an other indifferently so the murder is in the hart of both of them which amongest Christians shoulde not be countenaunced Sometimes the combat is craued for vaine ostentation of corage strength many a Thraso thinking his glorie to stande in the chalenging of an other to vngodlinesse but this I hope no man will say to be a good cause for a Magistrate to admit of a combat Sometimes to auoyd or reuenge some great disgrace offred to a man he beggeth thus to fight But a Christian man that must make an accompt at the day of iudgement of his life giuen him from aboue must learne to estéeme more of life than honour if honour by lawefull meanes may not be kept and more of God and his commaundement than of them both Besides the profession of a Christian is to heare euill and to suffer euill though hee doe well and deserue so therefore farre should wee be from yéelding to such heates Some alleadge that it endeth strife and therefore is to be admitted but to this may serue the aunswere to the first cause alleadged for it And besides who knoweth not that howesoeuer it endeth it betwixt those two because the one of them dyeth yet layeth it the foundation of euen deadly hatred in the heartes of all their frindes seede and posteritie so that for one which is killed there starteth vp an hundred discontented heartes séeking and following all occasions of strife against their enemies Therefore in peace and at home howe a Christian Magistrate may allowe the combat wee finde no sufficient cause and warrant For the fielde yet some doe thinke it is méete and that they haue reason for it for say they when two armies are incamped in battle together if vppon causes it bee iudged fitte not to hazarde the losse of manie but to committe it to two champions either side agréeing to yéelde vppon the ouerthrowe of their man who can mislike this But we answere that as yet the combat in it selfe is not prooued good but is euill and to doe euill that good may come of it wee may not Againe in such a case as this we must consider not onely of the men and their safetie but also of the cause and his honestie The cause is certainely either good or euill either iust or iniust If it bee good and iust then is not the credite of it to bee layde vppon one man onelie to the mocking of iustice and right and if it bee euill and vniust then of a Christian Magistrate not one mannes life is to be spent in it and for it Yea but say they yet further the partie that hath the good cause is farre the weaker and not able to stande if they once ioyne all together and therefore this other way of two to trie all is good And we answere also further that this were a maruelous distrust of Gods mercie and power not tollerable in a Christian For if the cause be good and méete to be maintayned then is the cause the Lordes the men the Lordes and hee saueth not by bowe nor speare nor by the multitude of an hoste so that wee shoulde so regarde these but giueth victorie at his will to the weaker and driueth away as the winde the dust verie mightie force assembled against him and his children Therefore not euen yet doe I see a cause to beare out anie combat If there be anie corruption in menne that iustice bee not doone which sometimes also is a cause alleadged we must say as hee sayde committing our selues and our matter to GOD. Video fero spero That is I sée I suffer I trust in God And euen with a good heart be readie to beare any thing rather than by a thing whereof I haue no warrant to séeke my satisfaction Que. Why what say you then of Dauids act with Goliah Ans I say it was an extraordinary motion in the hart of Dauid wrought by the Lorde vppon the hearing of such blasphemie against God Num. 25. Exod. 32. 1. King 18. and it may not bee our imitation no more than the fact of Phinees of the Leuites or of Eliah which were all mere extraordinarie and had their warrant by such specialtie from the Lorde as that others may not looke it shall extend to them if they doe the like Que. What nowe of killing of our selues is that neuer tollerable Ans Much of this matter hath S. Augustine in his first booke of the city of God And first he reasoneth thus Chap. 1. If Iudas did euill in hanging himselfe which hee thinketh no man will denie what may warrant anie man or woman to lay violent handes vppon themselues Chap. 28. For neuer can anie fall in earth to a fowler fact or to worse estate in the eyes of God and man Secondlie saith hee the lawe saith not Thou shalt not kill thy neighbor limiting it as it were to some but indefinitelie Thou shalt not kill extending it largelie to all and therefore saith he not euen our selues may we make away Thirdlie not Iob in all his extremitie durst doe this whē as yet one pricke woulde haue finished all his woe Chap. 24. And therefore no man may kill himselfe Que. Well but yet because you name Augustine I haue heard of some causes propounded by him in
what graces God hath giuen them But it is a sealed trueth god giue vs harts to coÌ„sider it wel IudgmeÌ„ts are prepared for the scorner Prou. 19.29 stripes for the backe of the foole Michall Dauids wife a mocking mistresse out of her gasing windowe not sparing her owne husbande the king of a frumpe and that in a good thing found the rewarde of it at the Lorde shée was cursed as barren while her life indured and neuer had children Those mocking children at the baldnesse of the Prophet felt the rewarde of such a sinne For our example the Lorde caused Beares to deuour them all presentlie Semei that scorned the estate of Dauid 2. Kings 2. went not to his graue in peace Bician that scoffer was deuoured of dogges as they write And as yet neuer scaped the vnrepenting scorner the handes of the Lorde For howe shoulde it stande with his iustice to call vs to a reckning for our idle wordes and not for our mockes and vngodlie tauntes Wherefore trueth it is and shall euer stande Blessed is that man that hath not sit in the seate of the scornefull Que. Why but may we not iest merily one with an other Ans Yes indéede for all iesting is not mocking such as nowe we haue spoken of and shewed to bee euill Merilie if you remember did the Prophet Eliah iest with the Idolaters worshippers of Baal bidding them crie lowd for their god paradueÌ„ture might be talking with some body 1. King 28. or pursuing his enimies or in some iornie some whither or paraduenture a sléepe Thus saith the text did Eliah mocke them yet this mocking being but a pleasaÌ„t iesting to haue taught them good if they had had grace displeased not the Lord. An other example also we haue in the prophet Esay laughing as it were at their follie who wold worship that as God the chippes whereof had made them such a fire that they cryed A Esay 44. ha I am well warmed And for the place to the Ephesians it condemneth not this maner of speaking and iesting Ephe. 5. but that which procéedeth either of a vaine desire to shew our selues or of an vngodly coueting to sting our brethren Que. Thus then I see the malice of the tongue to be great and euen al men by it to be made guilty of this coÌ„mandement though their handes neuer shed bloode yet is it such a mischiefe as the godlie are much subiect to I meane to be stinged with the tongues of the wicked and therefore I pray you if you knowe anie giue me some counsell howe to thinke of this crosse Ans Truth it is that howsoeuer the sinne be great to mocke or to speake against any despitefully and especially the godly yet is it a crosse vsually incident to them that will separate the sinnes of this worlde so néere as they can from their liues to be taunted and spoken against by both open despisers of goodnesse and by open professors also of religion And that comfort which I knowe is to thinke euen often and seriously of these and such other places The mouth of the wicked Psal 109.2 the mouth full of deceit are opened vpon me saith Dauid They haue spoken to me with a lying tongue they compassed me about also with wordes of hatred and fought against mee without a cause For my friendshippe they were mine aduersaries But I gaue my selfe to prayer Sée the refuge of this saint of God in this kinde of crosse euen to heauen marke the rest of his conscience euen the Lord and if euer the like case be ours let vs powre with him our guiltlesse gréefe into the bosome of our God and there an ende till the Lorde thinke good to make our trueth appeare also to men The like spéeche and practise note againe in an other place of the same booke Princes sayth he did sit and speake against me Psal 119.23 but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes And againe The proude haue had mee exceedingly in derision yet haue I not shrinked from thy commaundementes Ver. 51. And what a spéech is it of Paule to the Corinthians I take pleasure in infirmities 2. Cor. 12.10 in reproches c. Wherefore in God reioyce who seeth the heart that meant no harme in the Lord be chéerefull whose mercy turneth the deserued crosse of many gret greefes into the biting but of a peuish tongue and in pacience passing the time on say in faith what many haue saide in folly That time shall trie the trueth Que. Yet there are some mo branches of this murther of the tongue Ans Indéede by the tongue also no doubt they kill who by cruell counsell stirre vp the hating heartes of men to any bloudie persecution or which with their mouthes witnesse an vntruth to the ende to shedde any bloud thereby as did the iudges of Susanna and as many consciencelesse men in these daies doe being vpon an inquest of life and death to be maisters of their will Que. Now if you thinke good a litle also of the third kind of murder namely of the heart and first how it is prooued Ans The words of our sauiour Christ are plaine That there is a murther of the heart that out of the heart come euill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers Therefore there is a murder of the heart Againe S. Iohn saith Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a mansleaer But hatred is in the hart and therefore manslaughter Thirdly the minde and the wil being the beginnings or the fountains of al actions if they be infected the man must nedes be gilty before the Lord. Que. Doth this fearefull sinne step into the heart at first or it creepeth rather by degrees as other great sinnes doe Ans Sathan is more subtle than so to drawe euerie man to the extremitie of sinne at the first and therefore howsoeuer in some men he doth vpon a sodaine yet ordinarily this murther stealeth into our heartes by these steps First Satan bréeâ—eth by his vnmarked créeping into our affections a misliking of such a man or woman and yet wee well knowe not why but we can not like them Then doeth this misliking bréede anger For we cannot beare at their handes that which wee can well suffer at others Anger bréedeth hatred hatred desire of reuenge and desire of reuenge murther Thus stealeth sinne into vs and by these steppes Therefore first euerie Christian is to take héede howe misliking of any groweth vppon him Misliking and to snubbe the course of Sathan at the first Secondly to looke the fruite thereof namely anger weying well what was saide to Caine Gen. 1.6 Caine why art thou angry And by our Sauiour Christ in the gospell Math. 5. But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly Anger shal be culpable of iudgement expounding there this commandement and including as you see anger in it And hence haue growen all those vehement
the wanton gréetinges in euerie place nowe vsed alas what thoughtes procure they neuer liked of the Lorde that I may say no worse Bookes written by vnreformed heartes and continually redde to the gréefe of God are they no occasions to fraile flesh both in thought and déede to offende against this law God knoweth and experience teacheth such soules as taâ—t of Christ that verie deadly poyson vnder a false delight doth this way créepe into vs. An vnchast looke makeâ— an vnchast heart and a rouing tongue beyonde the listes of godlinesse ere eueâ— we well knowe what we doe So subtill is the sinne that this way créepeth into our soules Apparell is next a most fearefull allurement to the breache oâ— this commaundement both in thought and déede if God once in mercie would open our eyes So are these stage playes and most horrible spectacles so is our dauncing which at this day is vsed so is drunkennesse gluttonie and idlenesse with a number such like as can witnesse eche one in the world that will weigh them Nowe what care we haue had of these things the Lord knoweth and to our profite if we list a litle we may consider it Our eyes O Lorde howe doe they offend through our carelesse bestowing of them to their owne desire Where is the testimonie of truth within vs that we doe restraine them so soone as euer wee perceiue anie tickling motion arise by them Where is the counterpane of that bande we haue taken of them that they shall not cause 〈◊〉 to offende Iob did it and yet wee â—eaker than hee ten thousande times â—hinke it néedelesse Alas our folly Iob. 31.1 alas â—ur security By this meanes our soules â—â—rk in their bane yet we care not nor â—ilbe warned The Lord of his mercie â—â—ue vs once the grace to desire it with â—auid and verie hartily to beg it Psalm 11â— that our â—â—es may be euer turned away from beâ—olding vanitie For the rest which folâ—owe consider theÌ„ well let neuer Saâ—han or selfeloue so stil bewitch vs that â—e cannot be brought to sée our sin In â—ehauiour or spéech haue we neuer offeÌ„â—ed But euer in them both so vsed our â—elues as that neither we nor they whom â—e delt withall may be charged of more â—ightnesse than became the professors of Christ and his worde Haue wee neuer â—ransgressed in matter or forme of apparel O that we could say it But in truth we can not For the contraries abounding in the eies of al men would giue vs the lie Light behauiour and alluring â—aliance is euerie where accompted comelie bouldnesse Behauiour and good bringing vp Speech discoursing spéeche to a vaine ende we count a quality commendable in vs and the want of it we estéeme simplicitie wheresoeuer we sée it And therefore by bookes to such endes set out we endeuour to attaine vnto it and hauing once polluted our spéech for I will neuer call it polishing we are neuer better than when we haue company to bestowe our tales and gréetinges vppon Our apparell in matter to our power we make sumptuous Apparell and in forme to allure the eye asmuch as wee can If this be true in the name of Christ let vs better thinke of it than we haue done These are allurementes to sinfull lust and this lawe of God forbiddeth not onely both act and thought but euen euerie allurement to either of them What should I speake of stage plaies and dauncing Can we say in trueth before the maiestie of God that we carefullie abstaine from these thinges because they tickle vs vp either more or lesse to the breach of this commanndement Alas we cannot a number of vs. But we runne to the one continually to our cost Playes when we will not be drawen to better exercises that are offered fréely we sucke in the venom of them with great delight and practise the spéeches and conueyances of loue which there we sée and learne Dauncing The other wee vse with especiall pleasure and God being witnesse to many an one they wish the fruite of their dauncing to be this euen the fall of them selues and others into the breache of this lawe What should I say of gluttonie and idlensse Doe they not make vs sinne Good Lorde giue vs eyes to sée Gluttonie and drunkennesse and hearts to weigh the occasions of our fall The spirite of God hath sayde that these pricked vp the flesh of the filthy Sodomites to that height of sinne and yet we can imagine they will cause no sinne at all in vs against this lawe And therefore professing the gospell and integritie of life yet dare we so pamper so stuffe cramme this rebelling flesh as if we were gods that could suffer no temptation we dare gull in wine and hote drinkes continually beeing peraduenture both strong and young and euerie way néeding rather pulling downe than setting vp Idlenesse We dare solace our selues in soft beddes too long for our constitutions and all the day after betake our selues to nothing whereabout the minde might walke and so escape impure conceptes Wee dare differ the meanes which God hath appointed for our helpe to liue vndefiled for euerie trifling cause and féeling the flesh to arise in disobedience against this lawe euen dayly yet neither fast wee nor breake our sléepe nor labour nor marrie nor any way stoppe the course of it But certainely as vnféeling men passe on the time and heape vp wrath against the day of wrath for our boulde offending And yet we hope to be saued and yet we hope to haue a ioyfull resurrection But O déere in the Lorde it will not be so For is not this the lawe of God Thou shalt not committe adulterie Doeth it not forbidde both act and thought as we haue plainely séene and euen euerie allurement to either of them And must not God iudge vs according to his lawe Nowe then should wee liue when we haue witnesse within vs that wee offende his â—aw Bée not deceiued but as we feare the losse of bodie and soule for euermore let vs be warned Can nothing accuse vs that hath béene sayde Did we neuer in act or in thought receiue anie staine contrarie to this commaundement Haue wee euer had care and power to auoide all meanes What mouth dare speake it what heart can thinke it if it be not brasse or stéele and as voyde of féeling Wherefore awake let vs all from our former sléepe let vs stande vp at last from the dead in trespasses and sinnes and Christ our déere Sauiour shall giue vs light Let vs acknowledge what this lawe requireth and what wee should haue doone euerie one of vs. Let vs confesse we haue straied froÌ„ it many a time way and are no way able to offer vp our selues righteous cléere innocent to the Lord touching this lawe and for the time to come that we shall yet liue héere O let vs carrie some greater care to
obserue his will We nowe knowe not our actes onely but our inwarde thoughtes must euer be holy we now knowe many meanes that leade to offence heerein and that euen the meanes must also be eschewed Nowe then if we liue as in ignorance wee did scorning at counsell cleauing to our pleasures and reiecting the Lorde and his lawe shall we escape He that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall hee be vnpunished Marke what I say and pray euer to féele it as the wrath of the king bad heate the furnace seuen times hootter than eâ—er it was to consume the men that withstoode him to his face for truth so shall the wrath of God that made this lawe cause hell to be hette 70 times 7 times hotter for vs if wilfully after warning and maliciously after knowledge we oppose our life against it That is he shall multiply the paines of hell vppon vs for these pleasures of our fleshe that swéete sinne may haue bitter and sower confusion for euermore Nowe the God of heauen giue vs sense and féeling the Lorde of mercie touch vs with a taste of sinne by the viewing of his lawe For we cannot alwayes liue and thus dally with our owne soules neither standeth it with the nature of our God who is iust finally to forgiue vs though he long forbeare vs vnlesse we amend But he must haue his iudgement and we must haue our torment as sure as we liue Nowe doeth hee wish vs to consider our wayes and to turne our feete into his testimonies his warninges waste and his wrath increaseth if wee settle our selues against him Yet O howe I feare wee will wilfully doe it For it is so swéete and so incident to vs which this lawe forbiddeth that a thousande to one we forsake the Lorde The allurementes I haue named wee will neuer withstande no wee will not heare of it that they cause vs to fall But pleasing this fleshe for the time wee doe vse them wee will neuer espie the paine that will followe them Yet why should I feare since God is of power to pierce anie hart and hath promised to doe it if wee heartily begge it O Lorde I hope thou wilt worke with vs that by this lawe we may sée howe we haue offended thée and what héereafter we must more eschewe the one with sorrowe and true remorse the other with faith and continuall care Then shall thy Christ and our comfort who in our flesh fulfilled the lawe for vs couer with his righteousnesse all our sinnes against it Then shall sinnes past in his bloud be forgiuen and wee by him euer héereafter strengthened Then we shall order our eyes with a carefull heart we shall set a watch before our mouth and keepe the dore of our lippes all false inticementes to forbidden lustes wee shall gladly refraine and so escape the sinne it selfe the better This I say good Lorde we shall doe if thou worke with vs that is thou and thy power and thou and thy mercie shall doe it in vs. Which voutchsafe O father of heauen for thy vnmeasurable vnsearchable goodnesse sake Amen The eight Commaundement Thou shalt not steale Question HOwe can this commaundement possiblie stande with that opinion of communitie Ans Indéede no way for it manifestly ouerthroweth so vile an imagination and sheweth the distinction of dominions propriety in things was and is the ordinance of the Lorde For euerie prohibition sheweth an ordinance before established which should be obserued either in Gods lawes or mans though not alwaies expressely As the forbidding of murther sheweth preseruation of life to be the wil of God and the denyall of adulterie inferreth the liking of chastitie either in mariage or out So the forbidding of stealth which is an alienation of an other mans goods to our selues sheweth that euery thing is not our owne to take at our pleasure but proprietie in possession is the will of the Lorde For if all thinges be common there can be no stealth and so this law friuolous and to no purpose which God forbid we should affirme or thinke Que. Yet many haue bin of this opinion affirming that tyranny not diuinitie maketh this difference amongst men Ans It is verie true Yet I hope you sée how euideÌ„tly this law of God which I trow they will account diuinitie doth ouerthrowe them and their folly as do also all other lawes that may héereunto be reduced with many scriptures mo For as there can bee no stealth if all thinges be common and therefore this lawe of God as I saide in vaine giuen so there can be no buying or selling no borowing or lending no letting or leasing or any such thing amongst men if euery man haue like interest to take at his pleasure therfore the Lord God euen in these also greatly ouerséene for that he would troble himselfe to make lawes touching these matters when as no maÌ„ hath or ought to haue anie proprietie in anie thing more than an other Againe all the exhortations in the Scripture to almes déedes and to mercie toward the poore is friuolous for they haue as good right to take anie thing they want from anie man as the other haue to giue them But all these you sée are absurde and therefore the opinion and the contrary of it the wil and ordinance of the Lord. Que What is then the verie drift of this commandement Ans The verie end of it is this to bind our loue and care to our neighbors goods as before it hath béene to his life and things déere vnto him as his life For it cannot bee that our heartes shoulde bee right in affections towards our brethren and wee spoylers and wasters or anie way harmers of the commodities which they inioy Loue chéerisheth kéepeth euen euery thing so néere as it can which he accompteth of whome wee loue and especiallie which hee liueth by and maintaineth both himselfe and others by And therefore as I thinke we cannot take a better course to lay before our owne eyes that wants of loue in vs towards the goods of our neighbors and consequently our breaches of this commaundement than diligently to wey some particular dueties specified in the worde wherein the Lord God would haue our loue to show it selfe As for open rapine and plaine stealth no man I thinke wil excuse it or denie it to be sinne and therfore I stand not vpoÌ„ it your booke hath euident places quoted against it I come rather to those other duties of borowing and lending of hyring and letting of buying and selling and such like Que. First then what is the Lawe of borowing and lending in the worde Ans If a man saith the lawe borow anie thing of his neighbour Exod. 22.14 and it bee hurt or else die the owner of it not being by hee shall surelie make it good If it be an hyred thing he shal not make it good for it came for his hyre In which lawe if wee well wey
and subtiltie by â—moothing and flatterie and such like 2. Sam. 16. For thus stale false Siba his maister Mephibboshethes goods from him Thus steale manie craftie pleaders in â—ublike places and make no conscience â—f it Thus is it sayd in expresse words â—hat Absolon stale the heartes of â—ll Israel to wit by his shamelesse â—â—atterie Thus steale men the hearts of subiectes euen in these dayes from their Princes and lawfull gouernours the heartes of the people from their ministers of seruauntes from their Maisters of Children from their Parentes Et hoc magnum â—urtum est saith one And this is a great theft A kinde of this tongue â—tealth it is for a Gentleman or a greater estate to cast out a worde to his inferiour in way of begging what he conueniently may not spare and yet dare not denie but bringeth and deliuereth with faire wordes what God knowes his heart grudgeth and peraduenture his wife wéepeth to sée him part with all And vnto this heade is referred all vngodlie counsell whatsoeuer and all leawde vanitie or baâ—bishe seruilitie to make men delighâ— more in vs and lesse in the feare oâ— God Is it not lamentable to sée thaâ— a popish or an atheisticall Spirite shalâ— doe more hurt at a table or such likâ— place with one péeuish iest and girâ—ding skoffe in the heartes of the heaâ—rers than twentie good men can recoâ—uer with much good counsell And yeâ— what say we O hee is a merie gréeke a pleasaunt companion and in faith 〈◊〉 good fellowe Hée cannot flatter hiâ— words must be borne and so foorth Buâ— marke marke what effect this mirtâ— hath in vs and whereto it tendeth And if it increase our knowledge increasâ— our zeale and increase good graces iâ— vs then like it and spare not anâ— chéerish such an one But if it poysoâ— the profite of the worde vnto vs decaâ— our diligence and liking of good exerâ—â—â—â—es and decrease all that I haue naâ—ed then know him for a thiefe though 〈◊〉 handes be true for he stealeth our â—â—ules from the liuing God both boâ—â—e and soule from eternall life It is â—â—etilie saide of a flaterer that as the â—ood maintaines the fire to the conâ—â—ming of it selfe so riches doeth him 〈◊〉 he eate vp our wealthes and I apâ—â—e it to this case with no lesse trueth â—â—at countenance beares out manie eâ—â—ll counseller till hee and his counsell â—â—ue brought his mayntayners to â—â—rie but a small porte Such gréekes â—â—ake griefe in a Christian heart to â—â—are them and if sinne bee swéete to 〈◊〉 the Lorde in mercie rowze vs 〈◊〉 so deade a sléepe But I goe no â—â—rther in this matter I wishe â—hat I woulde and I woulde what â—ight kindle in euerie man and woâ—an more faith and obedience toâ—ardes GOD and man for wee â—â—ede no cooling Cards our heartes are 〈◊〉 and euill inough by nature of them â—â—lues Que. Yet must I once agayne make bolde and craue your opinion concerning goods got by play For in trueth mee thinke the possession of them hath no founde warrant And if you wilâ— ioyne a litle concerning corrupt Paâ—trons I thinke it will not bee vnâ—fit Ans Surelie you doe most iustliâ— doubt of the former and I dare aâ—uouch it you may as fitlie doubt of thâ— latter For neither play nor Patroâ—nage will euer beare out when ouâ— consciences shall awake what at thiâ— day is doone by the title of them O the latter I purpose some other speach and therefore will not here intreate 〈◊〉 it but onely say thus much that iâ— trueth as you haue well noted thiâ— commaundement of stealth is his staâ— wherein hee must bée placed that steaâ—leth to himselfe the rewarde of the mâ—â—nister Lamentable are our dayeâ— wherein such wickednesse is wisdomâ— and thrise deade are those heartes thâ—â— dayly dare inioy what neither beforâ— â—OD nor man they may openlie â—â—nde to But of the latter a fewe â—â—e wordes at your request A matâ—â— as you knowe greatlie liked and â—â—erefore hardly blamed without great â—â—sliking For what we haue to doe â—â—e loue not to bee letted to doe and â—â—toothsome is that trueth euer that â—â—adeth downe my liking But be 〈◊〉 as it will bee To this was I â—â—ne I doe willinglie acknowledge 〈◊〉 to this am I called as I am a â—â—nister euen playnelie to speake â—hat I sée a trueth when the place â—â—uireth it or else to carie the brande 〈◊〉 ill conscience to my graue And â—â—ether mislikers of anie trueth héere â—â—ll finde a daye of misliking elseâ—â—ere before the GOD of trueth 〈◊〉 them nowe betimes in loue adâ—â—nished well consider and weygh â—â—ncerning then playing and gaâ—â—ng in generall diuers you shall â—â—de both in writing and speaking â—â—rie straite who hardlie will bee â—â—rswaded to allowe vnto Christiâ—â—s almost anie plâ—ie at all For say they wee must giue accompt in thâ— day of iudgement of euerie action 〈◊〉 euerie idle worde and of euerie iote 〈◊〉 time howe we haue bestowed it anâ— therefore we shoulde not play Secondâ—ly the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 10. Whatsoeuer you dâ—â— doe all to the glorie of God but our idâ—â— sportes rather dishonour God anâ— therefore we shoulde not play Thirdâ—lie Peter saith it is sufficient that wâ—â— haue spent the time past of the life aâ—â—ter the lust of the Gentiles walking 〈◊〉 wantonnesse 1. Pet. 4.3 drunkennes in gluttoniâ— and such like therfore nowe we shouâ—â— not play Fourthly the multitude 〈◊〉 Christian exercises duties that we aâ—â— bound vnto crie vnto vs to spende 〈◊〉 time in play And last of all by the seâ—â—tences of graue and godlie fathers whâ— haue and doe condemne all idle sporteâ—â— and say the diuell Ambros 1. offic 23. Chrysost ho. 6. in Matth. not God was the aâ—â—thor of them they prooue and wishe 〈◊〉 profite that we shoulde not play Tâ—â— meaning of these our brethren no douâ—â— is good and willingly would drawe vâ— to greater dutie to our God And theâ—â— reasons of theirs ought to haue this eâ—â—â—ect in vs euen to abridge that excesse which al may sée in our playing and our sportes and to bring vs home to a greater strictnesse of life in héeding what we should But to cut vs off from all recreation by any play be it without offence of anie spoken indéede they cannot For wee are men and no Angels and as men in this worlde wee must walke our course subiect to dulnesse and wearinesse euen in good thinges and wee must refreshe that féeble weakenesse of ours by lawful and allowed comforts Which I so tearme because I am assured that the worde of God condemneth not all our play and the corrupt constitution of our bodies Zach. 8.5 Exod. 13. 2. Sam. 18. Leuit. 23. together with the dulnesse of our minds require some play Sparing in truth is the worde in giuing The appointing of festiual dayes because well knewe the Lorde wee woulde not bee sparing in taking libertie for to play Yet is it plaine
And if there bee but anie wisedome in vs saith Salomon we will be carefull of it also Prou. 11.12 For he that despiseth his neighbour is destitute of wisedome but a man of vnderstanding will keepe silence But to strike vp the matter fully we sée the wordes of our Sauiour Christ in the gospell plaine Math. 18.15 If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betwixt him thee alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother 16. But if he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euerie worde may be confirmed 17. And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it vnto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a publican Héere we plainely sée that priuate offences are not to be made openly knowen so long as there is hope of amendement But remember I say that we speake of priuate offences for in publike faultes there is quite an other course euen openlie to rebuke them that haue openlie sinned 1. 〈◊〉 5.20 that others may sée and feare Que. Thus then of the negatiue part of this commaundement nowe I pray you adde some thing also of the affirmatiue Ans Easily may we gather one contrarie by an other for who séeth not that if all falsehood be forbidden in generall likewise all trueth by the same wordes is commanded As therefore no way we ought to doe the former so by all meanes we should maintaine the latter And namely in the deliuerie of anie doctrine in place of iustice Prou. 14.25 Psalm 15. and iudgement in contractes couenantes and bargans in our spéeches in our actions and euerie where and way is trueth to be maintained and showed of vs. Cic. 1. Offi. For man is borne to trueth and by nature we haue to inquire after it Man is borne to knowe God to consider the creatures to preserue the difference betwixt honestie and dishonestie and what is this but trueth Man is borne to learne and knowe such artes as God hath brought into our practise and euerie art séeketh a trueth Therefore a shame and a discredite wee should euer thinke it to bee founde vntrue yea euen so farre wee should thinke we are degenerated from the nature of man as we are led with any liking of falsehoode and vntrueth It is a notable place of Zacharie to shew vs the great liking which the Lord hath of trueth and howe he desireth it in all godly men and women euer For these are the thinges that ye shall doe sayeth the Lorde Speake yee euerie man the truth vnto his neighbour execute iudgement truely and vprightly in your gates and let none of you imagine euill in your heartes against his neighbour and loue no false othe for all these are the thinges that I hate sayth the Lorde Zacharie 8.16 And if we weigh with this againe and manie such other testimonies that might be brought the sentences of the godlie Fathers euen thereby also may we gather greatly the excellencie and precious account that all good men should make of speaking trueth For if anie man be offended for a trueth sayth Augustine Vtilius scandalum permittitur quam veritas amittitur August de doctri christi That offence were better still to be than that to remoue it anie losse should be made of the trueth And in an other place againe To striue or fight against a knowen truth passeth in euill euen idolatrie Aug. epist 48. not much differing héerein from the wordes of Syrac Syrac 4.25 In no wise speake against the worde of truth but be ashamed of the lies of thine owne ignorance And most excellently Hierome if you marke it Tantus sit in te veritatis amor Ad Celanâ— vt quicquid dixeris iuratum putes That is Carie euer such a loue in thy soule of trueth that whatsoeuer thou speakest thou imagiâ—est thou swearest it And againe in an other place In Ezek. If a man for the feare of â—eath be not licenced to conceile a truth â—hat is asked of him howe should it not 〈◊〉 a farre greater impietie for the bellie or vaine hope of worldly honour to doe it Wherefore wee plainely sée that if either God or his children carie anie credite with vs great should be our regarde of trueth and no lesse hartie and vnfained our hatred of falsehoode Que. What then might that be which some philosophers maintained touching a general vncertaintie in all thinges Academici Pichonij and that there is no trueth that can be attayned vnto or knowen of vs Ans Their senselesse follie is verie well discouered by an other Philosopher of an other sect Epictetus Stoicus first by examples theâ— by absurditie and lastly by experienceâ— and practise For sayth he doe wee noâ— knowe whether the snowe be white oâ— blacke doe we not knowe whether thâ— fire be hote or colde is it vncertainâ— whether the I se will melt against thâ— fire or no If then these and a thousanâ— thinges moe be assuredly knowen whâ—â— absurde opinion and vnworthie of leaâ—â—ned men might this be that no certainâ— trueth can be attained vnto Secondâ—â— sayth he if I were one of their sâ—â—â—uantes and my maister bad me fetâ—â— him bread I would fetch him a stone if he called for wine I would giue him water and what else so euer hee should bid me doe I would doe the contrarie Then if he asked me what I meant I would answere howe should I knowe that I brought him a stone not breade or so of anie of the rest which I named Or howe knewe he himselfe that I did not fulfill his commaundement séeing there is no truth by their opinion that can be knowen Thus doth he merily deride their follie by shewing what absurditie foloweth of it Lastly sayeth he by their owne practise they confute themselues For when they are colde they goe to the fire and not to the water to warme them and can they not tell which doth warme and which doth coole If they be drie they take water and yet can they not tell whether it quencheth thirst or no Foolish therfore and most absurde is that opinion wee knowe no trueth For both by experience by certaine principles that nature hath set in vs Foure waieâ— to knowe truth by by order of a good conseâ—uence and by testimonie of Gods certaine worde we knowe and doe attaine to manie truthes Que. But because you say euer and in all thinges trueth ought to be maintained 1. Sam. 21. I pray you what say you of Dauids dissembling when hee fained himselfe mad before Achis Ans I may answere with good authoritie of learned men Danaeus that it was a weakenesse in Dauid not to be imitated Or I may with others make a distinction P. Martyr and say thus That if he did it vpon anie