and four footed beasts and creeping things of birds as the Ibis among the Egyptians the golden calf among the Israelites the Owl among the wise Graecians and the Eagle with the Romans and Belus in the shape of a Dragon with the Babylonians and worms with the Trogloditi 4. Plants as the Dodonean Grove to Jupiter Nay they descended even to garlike 5. They worshipped also things made by art as a Piece of Red cloth as Strabo relates of Nations in the North East 3. In the waters They worshipped Syrens and Dagon as it is in the first of Samuel who was resembled by a water snake and dragons and Crocodiles fishes as the Dolphin as also 〈◊〉 whom they adored as God of Physick in the shape of a water Serpent So that God seeing what had bin done to his dishonour and foreseeing what would be done and that men had and would abuse all his creatures in this kinde interdicebat 〈◊〉 gave a straight injunction against them all allowing neither similitude nor pattern God would be resembled by none of them And therefore 〈◊〉 making as it were a comment upon this Commandment and letting them know that they must not account of Gods worship as a ceremonial thing puts them in minde that when God spake to them out of the midst of the fire they heard a voice but saw no similitude but onely a voice and therefore a voice say the Rabbins because a voice cannot be drawn into any shape and so was not likely to deprive God of any part of his honour and he bids them therefore take heed that they attempted not to make any likenesse of any thing as you may read there at large for if God had bin willing they should have made any certailny he would have represented himself to them in some forme or shape when he came unto the mount Let us take heed therefore that we take not upon us to frame to our selves any representation of God and to make Images to his dishonour It is the nature of faith to beleeve things not visible and therefore to make invisible things become visible in religion is the next way to dishonour God and to overthrow faith and consequently religion it self Our Saviour tells the woman of Samaria that the time was coming when the true worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth and in Images there is no truth but 〈◊〉 veritatis a resemblance of truth the very Temple of Jerusalem as a type should not be accepted It is objected if all similitudes be condemned how came it to passe that God himself prescribed the making of Cherubins and they were resemblances There was no such resemblance in them as their definition of an Image imports which is as they say quod habet exemplar in rerum natura that is like some natural thing but Cherubins were not so for they were made like boyes without armes instead thereof were two great wings which we cannot paralel in nature But it is plain that God caused them not to be made to the entent to be worshipped for then he would not have put them into the darkest places in the sanctum sanctorum whither 〈◊〉 came but the high priest and he but once a year And indeed God sheweth wherfore he made them that the Priest might know from whence to receive his answer and to signify the readinesse of the angels to execute the will of God And Tertullian answereth this fully God saith not that an Image should not be made but non facies tibi thou shalt not make it to thy self God commanded these to be made by Moses God might dispense with his own precept so far as it was positive as the prohibition of making any Image is but to worship or give any divine honour to it which is malum inse simply evil though it were not forbidden this God never allowed or dispen'ed with the other is onely malum quia prohibitum this is prohibitum quia malum It is said also why then did God command the image of the fiery serpent to be made This was not ut coleretur sed ut mederetur not that it should be worshipped but that it should be as a means to heal the people that had bin plagued for their murmuring And indeed Tertullian hath the same objection and answereth it thus Quod idemDeus vetuit lege similitudinem fieri 〈◊〉 prescripto aeneum serpentem 〈◊〉 fecit si tu eandem legem 〈◊〉 legem habes eam observa si 〈◊〉 preceptum factum 〈◊〉 feceris tu imitare Mosen idest ne sacias tibi simulachrum nisi Deus te 〈◊〉 that the same God did both forbid by his law the making of images and yet by an extraordinary command caused the brasen serpent to be made if thou observe the same law thou hast a law keep it if thou be afterward commanded to make an image imitate Moses that is make none except God command thee Concerning this point we have shewed what moved God to make this restraint on his own part Now it followeth to shew why he did it on our part in regard of our corruption 1. Tertullian saith in the booke before quoted that before the flood even in the dayes of Seth the worship of God was corrupted with images and that Enochs instauration was nothing but the restoring of pure religion again and that therefore he is said to have walked with God Again we see that after the flood Jacob by being in 〈◊〉 house had learnt to take Teraphim Images of gods and to mingle them in Gods worship Now the reason of this God himselfe gives Man is but flesh Though he consists of two parts flesh and spirit yet the grossnesse of the flesh overgrows the purenesse of the spirit and corrupt it turning that other part of man the spirit into flesh insomuch as the Apostles many times in their writings call the soul and minde by the name of flesh and Saint Paul gives us warning to take heed of the flesh of the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence it is that we have an affection in us which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire to feel or see This was the disease of Saint Thomas that would not beleeve except he might feel Christs wounds and see him himself 〈◊〉 of Mary Magdalen and Martha about their dead brother both told Christ. Lord if thou hadst bin here my brother had not died and not theirs alone but of all the Apostles they were desirous that Christ might stay and be with them alwayes to erect an earthly kingdom insomuch that he was fain to tell them that if he went not away the Comforter would not come unto them And such a thing there is in religion Moses had bin in the mount but three dayes and the Israelites cry out to Aaron fac nobis Deos visibiles make us gods which shall go before us Upon
untruthes in it whereof two are in one Section 1. That the Virgin Mary was sister to Moses and 2. That Abraham was the son of Lazarus the Begger neither of them being contemporary by many hundreds of years 3. Their Doctrine is carnal and foolish placing happinesse in pleasure taken in things visible and sensible and hath many fond relations as that Mahomet being in heaven did see not onely Gods face but felt his hand and that they were seventy times colder then ice And that the Angels have bodies and heads and one of them seven thousand heads That the Devils are circumcised and therefore have bodies That the stars are nothing else but candles in a round glasse hanging down by chains and the 〈◊〉 foolish and absurd doctrines are contained in the book of their religion 4. His promises are meerly carnal too fit for none but Heliogabalus such are those of his paradise and honours with the lusts of the flesh And his precepts are licentious giving indulgence to perjury and swearing to revenge and murder accounting it an impioùs thing non ulcisci injuriam not to revenge an injury Their practise confirmes their permission of Polygamy for every man may have four wives and more Concubines They favour Adulterie for no Adulterer is condemned without four witnesses For the sin against nature and coupling with Beasts they have a toleration nay they which offend most this way are reputed the holiest And for spoiling and robbing of others in via Dei as they call it in the way of God we see by experience that it is so common with them that it is dangerous travailing in those countreys except there be an hundred or two hundred in a company 5. Mahomets Miracles are set down but without witnesse or possibility of truth As that he being a childe and driving cattel for that was his profession the Angel Gabriel took a lump of blood out of his heart and closed it again This lump he affirmed to be the original sin in man but Anatomists say that there is no such blood in the heart Another as grosse as this is That he being with one his of kinsmen abroad in a cleare moon-shine night his Cousin requested him to cause the Moon to come down and to divide it self and that the one half of it might come into his kinsmans sleeve and the other into the other sleeve and come whole again out of his breast and then ascend again which it did But it is a great wonder that the Astronomers at that time missed her not from heaven seeing they have noted the very least Eclypse but indeed it was a private miracle between them two and a man of mean understanding would conceive it impossible that so great a body should come into a little pair of sleeves 6. The means of propagating his Religion was unnatural and cruel that is by the sword for God as he affirms delivered a sword to him to compell and force men that otherwise would not be perswaded to adhere to his Religion 7. Lastly this Religion and Christianity increased not the same way for Christianity was propagated by being killed Turcisme by killing Christianity by Truth the other by perjury Christianity by the word of God the other by the policy of men hath increased to that growth and height it is And therefore as we said of the two former so here this Religion is false and to be consemned CHAP. XI Of Christian religion The truth thereof in general proved 1. By the antiquity of it out of the Heathen authors themselves 2. By the continuance and preservation of it 3. By the certainty 4 By the end it leads to viz. to God it gives all honour to him Deprives man of all Other reasons It restraines carnal liberty allowed by false Religions reaches to the heart It contains mysteries above mans capacity Teaches contempt of the world requires spiritual worship Confirmed by miracles beyond exception Prophecies THe last and true Religion is Christianity which being in the last of the four points propounded in the beginning That the Scriptures of the old and new Testament being Gods word whether our religion be truely grounded upon it Saint Peter saith concerning this religion we have a more sure word of prophecy c. that is we are certain and assured that the Scriptures are true and so were they from whom we received them And though there be but a small portion of them immediately from God yet the rest which were delivered by the Ministery of Man were inspired into them that left them to us by the spirit of God and therefore we must hold them as infallible truthes And that the Scriptures and Christianity are so is to be proved by four arguments 1. from the antiquity of them 2. from the continuance and preservation of them 3. from the certainty of them 4. From the end whereto they tend for we are to 〈◊〉 both the word of God and Christian religion in all the arguments subsequent except some few 1. Touching the Antiquity we say that seeing that a man is to come to God by some way or means and that as we have seen religion is the onely way it must necessarily follow that this way is as ancient as man himself else man should have been sometime without a way to come to his Creator if at any time he had been without religion and so consequently have been frustrate of the end of his creation For religio est copula relationis religion is the 〈◊〉 of relation between God and Man the Creator and the Creature 2. Tertullian saith quod primum id verum that which is first is true and this maxime holdeth as well in Religion as in other things For the Philosophers say Prima entia sunt maxime vera the first essence are most real and true Because that as the ttuth is an affection of that that is so falsehood is an affection of that which is not for falsehood cannot consistere in suo sed in alieno consist in any thing which is its own but from another Therefore falsehood must be after truth But the Christians religion is in some sort included in that which the Jews had before Christ so that 〈◊〉 Law may be called the Old Gospel and the Gospel the new Law In the Law is Evangelium absconditum the Gospel under a vail in the Gospel is Lex revelata the revealed Law So that the Jews agreed with us till the coming of Christ and then left us As for the Heathen Religion part of their stories which are the records thereof is fabulous and part true 1. That part which is fabulous began with their gods and their original further then that they cannot go And Homer and Orpheus write not of them till after the Trojan war and lived after the time of Moses above eight hundred yeers and almost three thousand yeers after the Chronology of the Bible began which is testified
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
may be made manifest among you He that said Fiat lux let there be light and it was made could have as easily said Sit veritas let there be truth let there be plenty of truth and it should have been so but he hath given the reason why he suffereth errour that they may be tryed that seek after the truth Another reason of this is that forasmuch as God hath magnified his word and truth above all things and that it is the chiefest thing and that he maketh most account of he would therefore have it diligently to be sought by us that we should shew our conformity to him in the estimation of it and magnifie it above all things For the necessity of it much need not be spoken it hath been partly handled already but because truth and true religion is a way as S. Peter calls it and that way must bring us to the right end then it follows that of necessity we are to finde it The spirit of truth is to guide us and therefore it is requisite we finde him If we finde it not we cannot come to our end Eunti in via aliquis trit terminus but error immensus est if a man keep the way he shall at length come to an end of his journey but errour hath no end therefore the way must be found The thing commanded is Religion and true Religion veri nominis Religio which our Saviour under the name of the kingdom of heaven compareth to a pearl and him that sought after it to Merchant that seeking after many found one pearl of inestimable price and value and when he had found it sold all that he had and bought it In which we may consider his desire which is branched out into three acts 1. Quaesivit 2. Invenit 3. Emit He sought found and bought 1. In regard of the manifold errours and falshoods in the world Investigation is most necessary that is an earnest study and applying of the minde to finde out truth among many errours contrary to the custome of this age where no man desires to seek but in that Religion wherein a man is born in that he will grow up and in that he will dye and imagine that he hath found the pearl without seeking and so when our studies ripen we onely stick to some mens institutions Moses seemeth to be of another minde and not onely exhorteth but commandeth the Israelites to enquire into all antiquities and in all parts and ends of the world whether there were any Religion so true as theirs No man then ought to suppose he hath found the truth before he hath sought it and a promise there is of finding if we seek The promise of the calling of the Gentiles that God would be found of them that sought him not is no rule for us in this case but as we must enquire so we must examine all truths There are many counterfeit pearls a man must be able to distinguish before he sell all to buy a pearl Hereditary Religion Religion upon offence taken Religion upon a sudden these three at this time possesse the most of mankinde 1. Either because they will be of the minde of Auxentius In hac fide natus sum in hac item moriar and in this case Religion findeth us and not we it 2. Or because I have received some indignity in one Religion I will be of another or because we have sustained some losse or had some crosse by our Religion therefore we will go over seas and there we will seck and finde the pearl and are able to defend it to be so 3. There is religio repentina a sudden religion This is a stumbling upon Religion without study by some that seek to revelations and prefer fancies before ordinary means whereas God hath given ordinary means we must have time and study and means to finde it for in other cases and without these there 's no promise nor warrant from God that we shall light upon it But if any shall say we have found it before we sought it as God saith of a people I was found of them that sought me not we must adde with the Apostle Omnia probate there is an examination answerable to seeking they that have it must either seek it or examine it and not make examination of the truth in Religion a matter of death as the Turks do Seek therefore we must and in seeking the Fathers give many rules but especially two rules must be observed 1. The first our Saviour gives quaerite primū It must be sought before all other things and in the first place because the seeking of it will it all things else Seek the Lord saith the Prophet while he may be found and call upon him while he is neer S. Paul saith All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs But if we give primum to our own and not when we seek for Christs God will not be neer but leaves us 2. The second is given by Moses If thou seek the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul thou shalt finde him God saith by the Prophet Ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart We must seek with tears as Mary did the body of Christ John 20. 15. we must seek for the truth as Solomon saith men must do for wisdom how is that as men seek for silver or hid treasures and as the Prophet if ye will enquire enquire that is enquire indeed But if either we primum quaerere grandia if we first seek great things for 〈◊〉 selves and religion after or seek and not seek by seeking coldly 〈◊〉 seeking his fathers asses and the woman seeking her groat will prove to be with more care then ours for religion such seekers will never finde 3. The third is As we must seek for the truth if we have it not and when we have it examine it so when we have it we must acquiescere we must rest in it The use of religion serves us instead of a girdle to 〈◊〉 our loyns that is truth must be applyed as close to our souls as a girdle to our reins For the negative part what is here forbidden may be reduced to these two heads 1. One extream opposite to true religion is 〈◊〉 the excesse when we give honour either cui non oportet to whom it is not due or quantum non oportet or more then is due the first is commonly called Idolatry the other superstition 2. Another extream is parum the defect when we do not give honour cui oportet to whom it is due or not quantum oportet not so much as is due The first is called prophanenesse which usually ends in Atheisme the other is non-acquiescence or not resting in religion when men seek out novelties and receive the truth 〈◊〉 in part and this
divides it self into two branches 1. Schisme 2. Heresse which ends in Apostacy 1. The cui non oportet is Idolatry whether it be by giving divine honour and worship or ascribing any part of Gods office to any creature as S. Augustine speaks within which comes dealing and covenanting with the Devil or trusting to his instruments Sorcerers Charmers Dreamers and other Inchanters So if a man yeeld any of the former affections and vertues as love fear c. to the Devil if he fear the stars or attribute any thing to dreams inchantments ligatures lots characters c. it is comprehended within this God telleth us by the Prophet that none can foreshew things to come but himself not meaning things known by natural causes but where there is causa libera a free cause Therefore if divine honour be attribute to any of these a part of Gods peculiar offices is taken from him and the most of them are reckoned up by Moses and God threatens to punish them In the 〈◊〉 Jeremy there is a plain commandment against the ascribing any thing to stars So 〈◊〉 against Wizards and divination Saul enquired of the Witch of Endor and you see Gods anger towards him for it And Ahaziah using the like means to recover his sicknes was reproved by Elijah Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Though the Witch at Endor foretold Sauls death and spake truth yet Sauls act is condemned 1. Chronicles 10. 13. And though the Pythonist in the Acts confessed that the Apostles were servants of the living God yet S. Paul rebuked the spirit that was in her and made him come forth Yea though a Prophet foretell a truth and yet saith let us go after other gods he shall be put to death 2. The other quantum non oportet to give too much honour is commonly referred to superstition The second Council at Nice erected images and their principal reason was because God could not be remembered too much but that was no good argument for then there could be no superstition Tully shews how the word superstition came first up There were certain old Romanes that did nothing but pray day and night that their children might outlive them and be superstites whereupon they were called superstitious In this respect we also condemn the Euchytes It is true as the Fathers say that for quantitas absoluta the absolute quantity if we were as the Angels there were no 〈◊〉 but for as much as in man there is but quantitas ad analogiam or ad propartionem and thereby he hath no absolutenes but ex conditione we must do that whereby we may continue and go forward to the glorifying of God and because of his weaknes for a man to spend himself in one day maketh a nimium in religione and consequently superstitition 2. For the other extreame Parum when we give too little and that either 1. cui non oportet or non quantum the fi st is commonly called Prophanent 〈◊〉 which was a punishment from the beginning that a man should be such a one that he should not come intra sanum within the Church but to stand extra which many now a dayes count no punishment nay it is to be feared that it hath a reward and that such people are the better thought of Too many of this fort are in these times that value religion and Gods worship no more then 〈◊〉 did his birth-right 2. The second part of this extreame is when we give not quantum oportet so much to God as we ought when we will not rest or acquiesce in what God hath by his Church prescribed and delivered to us but affect novelties and desire new and strange things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore that God might make novelties the more odious to us he hath made it a name for those things he most hateth Nadab and Abihu are said to have offered strange fire to the Lord and the wiseman calleth an harlot a strange woman Jacob commands his family to put away strange gods It is called in Deut. for 〈◊〉 post deos alienos This being bewitched with the desire of novelties and new devises hath changed the pure doctrine of the Primitive religion and marred this religion where it is predominant Thus the Galatians were bewitcht Galat. 3. 1. and none but the Attica ingenia which is spoken of in the acts are given to it Academick doubting spirits Scepticks in Religion There are three degrees in novelty 1. Schisme 2. Heresy 3. Apostacy In which one makes way for another 1. Schisme is the high way to superstition as also to prophanenesse And it is so called properly when a man upon unjust dislike either of government or worship or doctrine professed or for some indifferent rites withdraws from the communion of the Church in publike duties and refuses to submit to his spiritual governours the Bishops and Pastors of the Church and so will make a rent in and from the whole body whereas the Apostles counsel is that all would speak one thing and that there be no dissentions but be knit in one minde and in one judgement and in another place not to forsake the fellowship we have among our selves 2. Heresy is as S. Augustine defines it Dum scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene quod in 〈◊〉 non bene intelligitur etiam temere audaciter asseritur when good Scripture is not well understood and that they affirm that rashly and boldly that they understand not well S. Jerome goes further Quicunque alias scripturam intelligit quam sensus spirious S. flagitat quo conscripta est licet de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus appellari potest he that makes another interpretation of Scripture then according to the sense of the holy Ghost although he depart not from the Church yet may be called an Heretick This must not be understood of every errour but of sundamental errours and such as are wilfully held when there are sufficient means to convince one of the truth Acts 5. 17. 3. Apostacy is a general defection or falling from all points of religion The means to finde out true religion are besides the publike and general means Hearkening to the voice of the Church to whom Christ hath entrusted the truth and which is therefore called by S. Paul the ground and pillar of truth 1. The Eunuchs means reading the Scripture He read the Prophet Esay 2. Cornelius meanes prayers almes and fasting and that which is strange being a Heathen before he was called he was said to be a man that feared God But the Fathers resolue it well why he was said to be so quia non detinuit veritatem in injustitia he withheld not the truth in unrightousnesse as the Apostle speaks and did not abuse his natural light and therefore
The Hebrue and Greek words translated Honour what they properly 〈◊〉 The necessity and original of Honouring superiours government a divine ordinance Power Principality and excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ Honour due to them all To natural parents 〈◊〉 the Country where we live To Princes To spiritual fathers To Magistrates In respect of excellnecy of gifts honour due First in respect of years Secondly of the gifts of the minde Thirdly of outward estate Fourthly of benefits received HOnour thy father and mother The last commandment is the fountain from whence all the rest of the second table do proceed as streames from the conduite head for as the first commandment contains the inward love and worship of God from whence all the other duties of the second table arise so the last contains the inward love and dutie of the heart which we ow to our neighbour from whence all other duties to our neighbour do spring so that the tenth commandement is the fountain and the other five are the streams And the streams receive a second division thus for either they do equally and alike concern al men in general as the 6. 7. 8. 9. Or else they have special respect to some as the fifth The general duties in the 6. 7. 8. and 9. Commandments are subdivided into such as either concerne our neighbour in his person or in the exteriour gifts of wealth credit and good name c. And those which respect 〈◊〉 person are either as he is considered in himself in regard of his essence in the sixth commandment or as he is in neer 〈◊〉 with another by marriage which makes of two one flesh in the seventh commandment Those that concerne him in his exteriour gifts respect either his substance or estate which is provided for in the eight or his credit and good name in the ninth commandment Or if we take them all four together There is a restraint in them all In the sixth a restraint of wrath malice c. and the effects thereof for the preservation of the lives of the members of the commonwealth and in respect of God for the preserveing of his Images which is defaced by murder In the seventh a restraint 〈◊〉 lust concupiscentia carnis which is prejudicial to the good of wedlock in the civil body and in respect of God is a defiling of the body which is the temple of the holy Ghost and a member of Christ and therfore ought to be kept holy and chast In the eighth a restraint of covetousnes which is concupiscentia oculorum the lust of the eyes which in respect of man is an offence against the politick state by doing wrong to another in his goods and in respect of God perverts the rule of justice prescribed by him In the ninth a restraint of the spirit of lying and detraction which our nature lusteth after whereas the provision of the good name of our brother is required and in respect of God here is order taken for the preserving of truth As the other commandements respect all men in general so the fifth respects some in special viz. inferiours and superiours and other mutual duties This fifth commandment being placed in the front of the second table hath an eye also to the first commandment of the first table The one commanded the honour of God the other of his vicegerents It containeth a precept and a promise 1. The precept is Honour thy father and thy mother 2. The promise that thy dayes may be long c. Some think the first words contain the duty of the inferiour and the last words that thy dayes c. contain the duty of the superiour because it is the duty of parents by providing for their children and praying for them to 〈◊〉 their dayes and so they are joyned Deut. 5. 16. But because Saint Paul makes it a promise Ephesians 6. 1. and a precept and a promise are two different things therefore it is better to divide the words into a precept and a promise As God in his infinite wisdom disposeth all things in due order so here he 〈◊〉 his wisdom more particularly known to us in the disposition of these commandments for by setting this in the first place of the second table he would have us take notice that after he hath taken order for his own honour in the first table his principall and first care is for honour to parents from whom next under himself we receive our being and therefore Philo saith the honour due to parents is set before all other duties we owe to men and placed as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confinio in the confines of a mortal and eternal nature it is set in the middle betweenh the duties to God and man because this commandment is the preserver bot of the first and second table for take away honour and obedience to superiours and all duties to God and man are neglected and fal to the ground Besides we may observe that God delighteth in his charge to us to knit up whatsoever he especially commandeth in a short and narrow compasse pressing more especially in every commandment some one more remarkable word in the commandments negative he maketh choice of the most ugly and deformed word of that sinne which he 〈◊〉 to terrifie us even from the very handmayds and dependants of it And in this affimative commandment he makes choice of the best words he can as father and mother for the object and of honour to set out the duty unto us Now as we said before of the love of our neighbour so here we may say concerning honour there are two grounds of either 1. Excellency and neernes of the person in respect of God 2. Conjunction or 〈◊〉 to our selves In the ordering of our love we shewed how that we are to respect the conjunction by nature or grace in the duties of love which we freely performe and that we owe not so much to those persons with whom we have no such conjunction thus we should prefer a faithful man before an infidel because in the one there is onely the image of God by nature it is both by creation and regeneration and as Saint Ambrose saith with the faithful semper futuri sumus we shall live for ever And among the faithful we should rather do good to those of our own country 〈◊〉 to strangers because beside the bonds of religion there is also a second bond of proximityan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And among them to our acquaintance before those that are unknown to us because we have an 〈◊〉 entrance unto them to do them good by perswasion c. And among such to our kindred and alliance before others not 〈◊〉 because we are joyned and bound together as soon as we are born and this bond cannot be dissolved as long as we live And among strangers we should respect rather the poor then the rich c. This we shewed was the order of love
Speak every man the truth to his Neighbour First to make plain the words and the meaning of them This Commandement is not delivered in one word as some of the others but consists of divers words which rendred according to the Hebrew run thus Non respondebis testimonium falsum super vicinum tuum thou shalt not answer a false testimony concerning thy Neighbour The words non respondebis thou 〈◊〉 not answer must be understood according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 in which to answer is to speak whether there be any question asked or no. So the Evangelists often begin a story thus Jesus answered and said though no man spake to him nor demanded any thing of him So that by answering is not meant onely speaking the truth when it is demanded but also to speak truth 〈◊〉 we speak though no question be asked of us For the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 〈◊〉 to speak or utter ones minde and therefore we finde it used to expresse singing as in Exod. 32. 18. where Moses saith he heard vocem cantantium the voice of them that sung 〈◊〉 the same word is used so that it signifies to speak either by way of question or answer or otherwise Although it be true the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie generally to speak and so is often rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respondeo and though all contained under the general signification may be reduced hither yet it is more probable that literally and properly in this place the word is strictly taken for answering because the custome was among the Jews that the Judges did adjure the witnesses by the name of God to speak the truth to which the witnesses made answer and therefore whereas we reade Levit. 5. 1. If a soul sin and hear the voyce of swearing and be a witnesse c The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by the Greck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 the voyce of one adjuring c. as referring to the adjuration of the Judge to which the 〈◊〉 was to answer So also guilty persons or such as were accused were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 as we see in the example of Achan adjured by Joshua and of our Saviour adjured by the High Priest The form of such adjurations was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give glory to God as in that place of Josh. and John 9. 24. or in other words equivalent as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I adjure thee to speak the truth to me in the name of the Lord 1 Kings 22. 16. The next word is witnesse Thou shalt not bear false witnesse c. which we 〈◊〉 applyed four wayes in Scripture 1. To the great and chief witnesse God himself When 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 accused by his friends he appeals to this 〈◊〉 Ecce testis meus est in Coel. s 〈◊〉 my witnesse is in heaven and S. John saith There are three that bear witnesse in heaven the 〈◊〉 the Word and the Spirit every person in the Deity is a 〈◊〉 of the truth and 〈◊〉 witnesses we have of our thoughts words and 〈◊〉 whether they be 〈◊〉 or evil These are true and faithful 〈◊〉 God is often stiled the God of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 is called that true and faithful witnesse yea truth it 〈◊〉 and the Holy Ghost is Spiritus veritatis the Spirit of truth These are the witnesses with whose testimony we must 〈◊〉 our selves This must be our comfort 〈◊〉 our praise is not of men but of God who onely can judge of the sincerity 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men may often be applauded by the wicked when a good man shall be slighted 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 shall not stand a man in stead it is not the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 that makes one praise worthy nay it 〈◊〉 a great judgement to be well spoken of and 〈◊〉 by wicked men Wo be to you saith Christ when all men shall 〈◊〉 well of you Qui laudatur ab hominibus vituperante Deo 〈◊〉 salvabitur ab hominibus damnante 〈◊〉 He that is praised by men when God abhors him shall not be saved by men when God condemns him He is not a Jew that is one out wardly but he that is one inwardly whose praise is not of 〈◊〉 but of God Therefore the Apostle when the 〈◊〉 past rash judgement upon him tels them 〈◊〉 pro minimo 〈◊〉 c. It is a small matter for me to be judged of you 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 me is the Lord. 2. Now 〈◊〉 this great witnesse in the second place cometh 〈◊〉 witnesse which the Apostle 〈◊〉 of Rom. 2. 15. Attestante ipsis conscientia Their conscience bearing them witnesse and Rom. 9. 1. I 〈◊〉 the truth in Christ my conscience also bearing me 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said that it is 〈◊〉 testis as a thousand witnesses because it is the knowledge of our selves and of our own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 him Miserum miserable Qui contemnit 〈◊〉 testem that despiseth this witnesse For 〈◊〉 that regards not the testimony of his own conscience will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Commandement in bearing 〈◊〉 witnesse against his brother and when men 〈◊〉 not to the voice of their conscience it is the beginning of all apostasie both in faith and practice and therefore the Apostle saith that the wrath of God is 〈◊〉 from Heaven against all such as suppresse or smother the truth in unrightcousnesse 〈◊〉 when men have a wicked affection or inclination to any sinful act and though their consciences speak unto them and tell them this they ought not to do and they will not hearken unto it then they detain the truth in unrighteousnesse for they suppresse and keep down the truth as a prisoner which would shine forth in their hearts For 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said the foundation of Gods justice begins here when he speaks in the hearts and consciences of men and they will notwithstanding do the contrary for this moves God to leave them to themselves and as s. Paul saith to give them over to strong delusions that they may believe lies And though this witnesse be great yet God is greater then our consciences as s. Paul and s. John say and therefore S. Paul saith that though our hearts acquit us yet are we not thereby justified Men do often dream strange things of themselves and are deceived in their judgement and purposes for the heart of man as the Prophet speaks is deceitful above all things and therefore when our consciences come to be 〈◊〉 up coram magno judice before that great Judge it will appear that in many things we have been mistaken which made S. Paul say That though he knew nothing by himself yet was he not thereby justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that judgeth me saith he is the Lord.
coherence of this with the foregoing Commandement and the dependance thereof upon it Some give this reason That whereas in the former all unjust wayes of getting are forbidden amongst which lying and false speaking is one For the Heathen man said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where a lye must be made let it be made And where must a lye be made he answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when any gain is to be got by it Therefore to meet with this common 〈◊〉 of men God restrains all lying and false testimony in this Commandement And this reason of the dependance hath some shew in it 〈◊〉 conceive that as God establisht authority in the fifth Commandement for the good of humane society and in the three next gave order for promiscuous duties which are common to all so here in this if there should be any breach of those three last whereby men must have 〈◊〉 to Judges and make use of their authority because those in authority must proceed upon evidence and proof by witnesses Therefore God sets this Commandement in the next place wherein he takes order for witnesses to speak the truth and not to give false testimony against any This seems to have 〈◊〉 from several places of Scripture for if any should violate the sixth Commandement the Elders of the City were to examine the matter and sentence was to bee given upon him by the testimony of witnesses So for the seventh If any man should 〈◊〉 his Wife the Elders of the City must judge of the matter and the father and mother of the woman shall witnesse of her virginity And for the eighth the like order is taken 〈◊〉 goods deposite stollen out of a mans house if 〈◊〉 thief could not be found the master of the house must be brought before the Judges to speak whether he put out his hand to the stollen goods So that we see for the rectifying of whatsoever is amisse in those three Commandements this was added It is not enough to have authority and Judges c. but there must be witnesses to prove matters of fact And therefore under the Law God gave special 〈◊〉 both for giving witnesse and for receiving the testimony of witnesses Others upon the comparison which the holy Ghost makes between credit or good name and wealth preferring that before this and because that honesta fama an honest report or good name is alterum patrimonium another patrimony therefore they give this reason of the coherence that because order was taken for other patrimonies in the next before this therefore here he takes order for the preserving of a good name which is that secundum or alterum patrimonium a second patrimony But the second opinion is most probable to which the best Expositors incline For the Prophet Esay reproving the people for departing from God by lying and uttering words of falsehood addes that judgement was turned backward and justice stood afar off because this was Germanus effectus the proper and natural effect of false witnesse to pervert justice and judgement and therefore it is that false testimony is abomination to God For lying lips saith the Wiseman are an abomination to the Lord. And therefore God took order that if a false witnesse should arise against any man to testifie falsely concerning the breach of any of the other Commandements the Judges should enquire and punish him with the same punishment whether pecuniary or corporal which the party wrongfully accused should have suffered Now for the scope and purpose of the Lawgiver in this precept it is four fold 1. In respect of himself his own glory which is manifested by truth for in himself God is truth and his Spirit is the spirit of truth his Mercy Justice and other Attributes are manifested by his truth and fidelity God therefore would have truth preserved truth in Religion makes for his glory Therefore Christ who aimed in all things at the glory of his Father saith For this cause he was born to bear witnesse of the truth and so by proportion it is the end for which every man is born to bee a witnesse to Gods truth If any shall speak or preach any falsehood or untruth as from God they dishonour him and therefore the Apostle saith that if Christ were not risen from the dead himself and others who had preached the same would be found false witnesses against God by preaching an untruth And not by truth in matters of Religion but also in civil judicatures God is honoured by speaking the truth And therefore when Achan was questioned about the 〈◊〉 Joshua sayes My sonne give glory to God when hee would have him for to confesse his fault So that confession of the truth brings glory to God as well in judicial matters as in matters of Religion 2. In respect of the Church saint Peter speaks of some as he cals them Magistri mendaces lying Masters or false Teachers who endangered the souls of them that heard them For besides the dishonour of Gods Name by false Teachers there is also a hazard of the peoples soules by their false Doctrine Quis est mendax nisi qui negat Jesum esse Christum saith Saint John Who is a lyar but he that denies that JESUS is the CHRIST He that affirms any Heretical false Doctrine is a lyar and by his lyes endangers the soules of the people The preserving of truth then not onely in regard of Gods glory but also for the safety and good of the Church is another end of this Commandement 3. In respect of the Common-wealth that 〈◊〉 and Peace might bee preserved by witnessing the truth Abraham called the Well which he had digged Beerjheba the Well of the Oath and that he might peaceably enjoy it gave Abimelech seven Lambs to witnesse that the Well was his and that Cumulus testimonii that heap of witnesse was a heap of stones placed as a witnesse of the covenant between Jacob and Laban that they would live at peace as friend and allyes So under the Law all proceedings of justice were to be establisht by truth which must be by the testimony of witnesses and therefore all publick acts 〈◊〉 justice were to bee grounded upon the truth of some witnesses Save onely in the case of Jealousie 4. In respect of every private man this Commandement is the fence of every mans name and credit which is of much worth For a good name fastneth a mans bones saith the Wiseman It doth him much good within and so it doth without also for it casts a sweet savour and therefore is compared to a sweet ointment poured forth and if it come to be prized it passeth gold and silver For a good name is rather to be chosen then great riches and loving favour rather then silver and gold as Solomon saith And indeed it is the cause of both especially of the latter