this one day to holy and spirituall exercises Q. Are we so tied in the sixe daies to labour in our calling that we may not in them resort to places where Gods word is preached and taught A. No For the knowledge and seruice of God must chiefly be sought for of vs Mar. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse saith our Sauiour Christ Wée sée GOD himselfe who gaue this charge to the Israelites commanded also his holy seruice to be performed of them somtime on the sixe daies as namely it may appeare Leuit. 23. and Numb 2. but most plainely in the story of Ester the fourteenth and fifteenth daies of the Moneth Adar with feasting and ioy were kept by Mordecai his commandement no doubt Ester 9.22 their ioy and reioicing was seasoned with thanksgiuing to God for their deliuerance from so imminent danger and is left vnto vs as a patterne to follow in like case and is also obserued of vs on the 5. of Nouember in giuing thankes to our most gracious God who saued vs from the most vnnaturall Gunpowder-Treason And they who in sincerity of heart seeke after the knowledge seruice of God at such times will also the more diligently early or late follow the works of their calling to supply their wants and such faithfull care of seruing GOD shall not want a blessing from God Q. But may a pretence of following such holy exercises be any excuse to such as will perchance bestow a little time that way and then the rest of the day they imploy in idlenesse A. It seemeth there were some such whereof the Apostle admonisheth Timothy 1. Tim. 5.13 and they were young widdowes but Saint Paul liked not of their doings and would not in any wise that such should be tolerated among Christians Q. But what thinke you of these words Sixe dayes shalt thou labour They seeme to be a Commandement and to require the labour of sixe daies euery man in his calling A. They are vnto the godly a toleration or permission to follow their vocation and to worke for the maintenance of themselues and their families But they haue also the force of a commandement to the condemnation of the vngodly that spend their life in loitering and idlenesse and may worke in them a sting of conscience when they shall remember that God saith Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and their own heart telleth them they haue not wrought but loitered For séeing God hath after mans fall set this downe as a Decrée that may not be altered vnlesse we spend our time in some religious exercise as before I sayd In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread Gen. 3.19 good and godly is the exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians to worke with their hands as hee also before had commanded them 1. Thes 4.11 that nothing bee lacking to them Verse 12. And iust cause hee hath to giue that heauy charge which hee afterwards giueth vnto them 2. The. 3.10 If there were any that would not worke that he should not eat So hateful is the idle life to God and good men and so vnséemely for any Christian Q The Commandement of God if there were no other thing to moue GODS people to obedience in this thing ought to be sufficient but much the rather seeing God hath dealt with them so fauourably as to haue consideration of their wants that they might haue time to supply them A. There is yet a third reason to moue them then and vs also now to sanctifie the Sabbath in these words But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God For God challengeth this day as his due and not to be spent but as he appointeth that is in holinesse and sanctification Q. But the seuenth day which is here commanded is not that which now we call the Sabbath day so that it seemeth wee transgresse this Commandement howsoeuer we keepe our Sabbath A. Indéede the day here commanded as that also wherein God rested was the seuenth day of the wéeke and the day that we keepe and indeuour to sanctifie is the first day of the wéek For that seuenth day being ceremoniall and so by the comming of Christ abolished for he was the end and fulfilling of all the ceremoniall Lawe needefull it was that the chiefe and most substanciall end of that ceremonie should bee still retained that is that one day should bee wholly consecrated to Gods seruice And this day which we now solemnize being the first day of the wéeke was vpon good ground thought to be fittest because as God rested the seuenth day from his worke of creation and therefore that day was then thought most conuenient to bee vnto his people a day of rest So Christ rising againe from his worke of redemption vpon the first day of the wéeke the Apostles being directed by the Spirit of God vpon this first day of the wéeke had their holy assemblies as is most plaine Ioh. 20.19.26 Acts 23.7 and in other places and of the worke that Christ wrought in rising againe it is called The Lords day Reu. 1.10 And by this is there as it was fit a difference put betwéene the Sabbath of the Iewes and that which we kéepe Q. Almost in the very beginning of handling this fourth Commandement you sayd that there was a principall end why wee should keepe this day of rest which I think is this that you haue spokē of already the sanctifying it Declare then if there be any other end of keeping the Sabbath though not of such importance as this is A. Moses a true expositor of Gods meaning expresseth it in these words That thy man-seruant and thy mayd may rest as thou dost Deu. 5.14 Not giuing therein liberty to any seruants to rest from bodily labour and spend their time in idlenesse but their rest must be such as their masters rest ought to be a rest from seruile work that they may the more carefully and seriously bend themselues wholly to the sanctifying of that day I am not therefore of that minde that this part of this commandement belongeth to the second table as some thinke but rather that Moses expounding those former words Thou shalt do no work therein c. giueth them to vnderstand that the rest which in these words God commandeth them to giue their seruants must be to that very end that themselues also must rest that is to sanctifie that day And to the end they might more willingly giue this time of holy rest vnto their seruants hee putteth them in minde of their seruitude in Egypt Deut. 5.15 wherein they liued in such thraldome that they could not haue liberty to serue the Lord from which if they acknowledged truly as they ought confessed Gods great goodnesse in that he deliuered them then must they also thinke that their seruants must not alway bee tyed to their worke but that they as
know themselues and holdeth that for a dishonouring of his name whereof they make no reckoning will both charge them and punish them too vnlesse speedily they repent for their grieuous transgressiō Q. You told vs in the beginning that the fourth Commandement if it bee well obserued is a very good meane to instruct vs how wee may performe these duties vnto God and to furder vs in doing the same A. It it most true for it commandeth the sanctifying of the Sabbath that is vpon that day the occupying of our selues about such holy exercises as might rauish our hearts with a consideration of Gods goodnesse towards vs and his wisedome in all his works Q. This Commandement as it is repeated by Moses in the fift of Deuteronomy is this Keep the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God commanded thee and so forth from the beginning of the 12. verse to the end of the 15. wherein I obserue some things that seem not to belong vnto the first table of the Commandements wherof as yet we speake A. That is truely obserued And for your better vnderstanding of this commaundement you must remember that first the commandement it selfe is giuen in these words Keepe the Sabbath day Then is the chiefe and principall end why it should bee kept mentioned Afterwards the commandement it selfe is explained namely what God requireth of vs or what hee meaneth by these words Keepe the Sabbath In it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou thy son c. And by this occasion is shewed a second end of giuing this Commandement That thy man seruant and thy mayd seruant may rest as well as thou Fourthly diuers reasons are scattered here there in these words some inducing to obedience in respect of the principall end which is the sanctifying of the Sabbath others in regard of the second end of this day of rest for the Sabboth day in the true signification of the word and the day of rest is al one namely that seruants might haue a day of rest as well as their masters Q. That I may particularly bee instructed in this Commandement I pray you first to teach mee the precept it selfe what is thereby meant Thou shalt keepe the day of rest Are all workes forbidden in these words A. The Prophet Moses is informed from God himselfe concerning this point Leuit. 23 8 The seuenth day is a holy conuocation in it thou shalt doe no seruile worke Q. But what are those seruile workes A. The works of euery mans seuerall vocation wherein he is to bestow his labour either for the good of the common-wealth wherein hee liueth or the maintenance of his owne estate and of his family Which workes because they are especially wrought in respect of this present life that here wee liue in comparison of those that aime at the euerlasting life are worthily called seruise because that curse of God belongeth to these our bodily labours In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 3.19 vntill thou returne to earth And seruile also they may be called because for the most part they are not wrought with such sincerity respect to Gods glory as they ought but sauor somewhat of our corruption and are too much inthralled to either our gréedy desire to inrich our selues by painful trauel or ambitiously seeking prayse of men or are otherwise sowred with some such leauen and so serue in some part at the least our polluted and naughty affections Q. But being commanded to keep the day of rest we are not forbidden all kind of workes A. No. For there are workes of Religion such as were circumcising the children which if the eight day wherein by Gods Law they were to be circumcised fel vpon the Sabbath was to bee performed without transgression of this Law Ioh. 7.22 as our Sauiour Christ affirmeth And the killing of the Sacrifices vpon the Sabbath day must be done Mat. 12.5 So the paines or labor in comming to Church vpon the Sabbath day is a labour not only lawful but commanded and necessarily required of all Christians as a duety that they must performe Some other are workes of necessity as if an Oxe be fallen into a pit vpon the Sabbath day it is no breach of this Commandement to pull it forth Luke 14.5 But here we must deale wisely and sincerely For if any businesse may without great danger bee put off vntill another time then this is not a work néedfull to be done that day so that euery occasion cannot make a worke of necessitie but only danger of great hurt or losse There are also works of charitie whereof Christ giueth this example Luk. 13.15 Doth not euery one of you loose an Asse or Oxe from the stall and lead him to the water on the Sabbath day Such workes are the visiting of the sicke comforting of them that are in heauinesse and such like works Q. Among the workes of charity many reckon this that they make drinkings gather great companies together vpon the Sabbath day to benefit som poore man as their pretence is may not this be truly accounted among the works of charitie that this day may be performed A. No. For when a worke that seemeth to proceed from a charitable affection toward man is crossed by some commandement of the first table all which belong to the immediate honor of God thou must rather shew thy loue to God then to man And indeed they who will not choose other daies wherein they may performe duties of loue towards their neighbour then that which God appointeth for to honour him in doe plainly shew they loue their owne profit better then either God or their neighbor because they take such time only to do good to their neighbour as God challengeth to be honoured in being loth to leese the work of a day appointed for labour Q. Is there then great necessity in consecrating the Sabbath day to a day of rest A. Very great as may appeare by the charge that is giuen For the word Kéep the Sabbath the word I say vsed in the Hebrew requireth oft a great and diligent care in kéeping that which is there commanded as Deutero 8.11 24.8 1. Kings 2.3 2. Kings 11.5 In all which places and many such like the selfe same word is vsed that here Moses hath to shewe the watchfull care wee should haue to kéepe this day of rest Yea God himselfe in giuing this commandement Exod. 20 giueth it with a memento Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Remember not onely when it commeth to keepe this day of rest from bodily labour but thinke of it before hand As a wise builder wil prouide his stuffe néedful for his building that when the work is in hand nothing bee wanting Or a discreet Captaine purposing to fight with his enemy will muster his Souldiers appoint his Captaines and Officers furnish them with armour weapons and victuall and all
things needfull that when hee goeth to encounter his aduersary there be no want euen so God would haue vs to consider all the weeke before what we haue to doe on the Sabbath day that wee might so dispose of our sixe dayes of work that the seuenth might bee wholly bestowed without any let vpon Gods seruice Q. This Commandement requireth not onely the rest of the masters or chiefe of families but of seruants too that they should not be appointed to any labour that day And therefore they who send their seruants vpon errands vpon such daies which is a sin wherein too many offend transgresse this Commandement They likewise who appoint thē that are vnder them so they worke not their wonted worke to doe other businesse either at home or abroad and thinke they breake not the Sabbath are much deceiued A. It is so Yea God hath such care that seruants shuld also rest that day that hee would the cattell should rest lest by any meanes the seruants if the cattel rested not should be constrained to work And that this commandement might more religiously be obserued euē the stranger though hee were not tyed to such lawes as Gods people were yet being then among Gods people might not worke that day lest his example might bee hurtfull or offensiue to other Q. I see then that there must bee rest from our ordinary labour vpon the Sabbath day But is it enough that wee rest from worke is that a sufficient sanctifying that day A. No for the end why we should rest from bodily worke is that wee might be wholy occupied in Sanctifying it and apply our selues to heauenly meditations Q. Then to bee idle is not the rest that is heere commanded much lesse to bestow that day or any part of the Sabbath in excessiue drinking feasting or gaming A. You say truely for the rest from bodily labour is to this end onely that the mind of men being occupied in spirituall and heauenly meditations they might more assuredly inioy that sweet rest and quietnesse of conscience which is that Peace that the world cannot giue Ioh. 14.27 as our blessed Sauiour telleth vs in such sort as he giueth it Q. I pray you then teach vs how wee may sanctifie this day of rest in such sort as that wee may find this heauenly rest A. Wée must vnderstand that this Commandement as it was giuen vnto all that God brought out of the house of bondage euen to Moses and Aaron aswell as to the people so is it generall now and belongeth vnto all states of life to all callings to Men and Women and euery body in his place must seeke to further this worke The Magistrate and the Minister the Pastor and the People the Master and the Seruant must indeauour to helpe forward as the Prophet Zephanie speaketh Chap. 3.9 with one shoulder this sanctifying the day of rest Q. Hath the ciuill Magistrate any thing required at his hands in this sanctifying of the Sabbath but that for his owne selfe and his household hee be carefull to resort to the holy exercises of that day A. Yes he is also bound euen by this Commandement in respect that the talent of gouernment is committed to him from God first to haue a care that good lawes be made against the prophanation of the Sabbath secondly to take order that such Laws be duely executed and punishment inflicted against offenders as Law commandeth Heereof wee haue in Nehemiah a godly patterne for Magistrates who séeing the Sabbath day when the people of the Iewes were returned from the captiuitie of Babylon wickedly prophaned by treading Wine-presses selling Grapes and such like labours earnestly reproued them for it yea and the Magistrates too with these words Nehe. 13.15.17 What euil thing is this that ye do and breake the Sabbath day And the night before the Sabbath he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be shut and set his seruants to watch the gates that none should open the same but they should be kept shut vntill after the Sabbath day so that he kept the Marchants which by their bearing of burthens prophaned the Sabbath day without the walles all night once or twice But seeing them somewhat obstinate and loth to be restrained he also threatned them that if they came any more in such sort to offer such prophanation on the Sabbath day hee would force them by violence to depart By which Story that is left vnto vs as a commendable fact for all Magistrates to imitate wee see how carefull and how earnest Magistrates should bee to shew themselues as the LORD hath appointed them Conseruatours of his Sabbath Q. As for Ministers of the word we know that their vocation is holy and should especially bee directed to the true sanctifying the day of rest A. It is most true that wee haue a holy calling which that wee also should walke in holily it were to bee wished But as this Commandement was giuen to Aaron as well as to Moses or the people so no doubt wee must haue great regard to the sanctifying the Sabbath day and go before other therein our selues I meane and our housholds that by our example other may the rather be moued to this holy rest And besides those duties that God requireth of vs in regard of our generall calling to Christianity wee haue a speciall calling vnto the Ministerie whereby we must striue to the vttermost of our power to call our people to the sanctifying the Sabbath day to teach them how the day is to bee sanctifyed to exhort such as are slack to reproue such as obstinately offend therein and by all extremity that we can to compell men to the sanctifying thereof And wee must do this as God hath inabled vs sincerely and seeking only the glory of GOD not our owne praise or moued by any other corrupt affection if we will truly and effectually teach our people to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath For how much the more zealously and from a sanctified heart the word is deliuered the more powerfully no doubt will it worke a godly reformation Q. Magistrates and Ministers I see must vse their talents of authority and gifts to sanctifie the Sabbath and themselues by their example also must moue other thereto haue not any other charge to helpe forward herein A. All Parents and heads of housholds must further this duty likewise to haue a great care that their children and seruants prophane not the day that God commandeth to bee kept holy Yea one neighbour ought to stir vp another as Gods people did Come Esay 2.3 let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his paths Come let vs go to the Church let vs reuerently heare his word let vs not spend the day in drinking wantonnesse or idlenesse that God bids vs bestow in holinesse yea and seruants and children should frame themselues willingly
to perform this duty Q. Wee haue heard what persons should be furtherers to this worke of sanctifying the Sabbath Now let vs heare what duties are required of vs to the sanctifying thereof A. If wee will holily as wee ought apply our selues to this holy seruice wee must beginne with our selues for vnlesse wee be first sanctified Mat. 7.18 our seruice cannot be holy An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith He that cannot lye The Priests in the Leuiticall Law when they went about that holy seruice that belonged to their office must first themselues bee sanctified Exod. 28.41 And therefore Iosiah that good King minding to haue the feast of the Passeouer kept 2. Chro. 35.6 commanded the Priests to sanctifie themselues for that seruice And God commanded the people of Israel to be sanctified Exod. 19.10 when he appointed to declare to them his Law Good Ezechia therfore intreated God to be mercifull to some that came out of some Tribes of Israel to the feast of the Passeouer that prepared their whole heart to seeke the LORD 2. Chro. 30.19 although they wanted the Legal sanctification This good foundation of sanctifying our selues beeing thus layd all that wee doe will bee better accepted with God Then must wée carefully follow all the holy exercises of that day such as are these hearing of the Word attentiuely and as men greedy to learne Praying to GOD feruently for the assistance of his holy Spirit in all our godly indeuours yeelding to him most hearty thankes for his graces bestowed vpon vs godly conference when wee are out of the Church one with another of the lessons that we haue heard by the Ministery of the Word company with such as can and will instruct vs either by reading to vs good Bookes or by godly talk either of Gods goodnes to our selues or his mercy shewed to others or his fearefull iudgments against the wicked for contempt of Him and his truth or generally of his wonderfull works in creating all things in such order as they are and all for our vse Q. I perceiue they that are sanctified and with sanctified hearts doe keepe the Sabbath day may find much comfort in such holy exercises but how may wee sanctifie our selues A. It is a harder worke then wee are able to performe yet if we heartily call vpon God for his grace intreating Him to worke that in vs which wee of our selues are no way able to doe and then keepe a carefull watch at the dore of our lips that we speake not vnaduisedly and haue a watchfull eye vnto our waies that we walke warily if I say in sincerity of heart wee thus seeke to prepare our selues to sanctifie our selues to this holy rest no doubt God wil giue a blessing to these our good indeuors Q. Alasse then how lamentable is the case of many in our dayes who spend scarcely one hower of the day in the Church and thinke that time also how short soeuer long and tedious But in the Ale-howses or the vngodly feasts and meetings which too many resort vnto they willingly tarry very long yea the whole day seemeth too short when it is bestowed so rebelliously against Gods expresse Cōmandement A. In truth the carelesnesse and supine security of men in these our dayes is much to be pittied wherein many who haue the name of Christians would scorne to be deemed not to be so haue onely heard of GOD and are acquainted with the name of Christ and so by continuall company among Christians haue some generall knowledge of good words but yet are so carelesse to attaine to any true knowledge by the light of Gods word so godlesse and irreligious in prophanation of the Sabbath day so wholy deuoted to such vnchristian méetings and so loose lewd in behauiour when they are there that if any Turkes or Infidels should behold their conuersation at such times they would then detest the very name of Christianity such staines are they to the very profession Q. But God forbid all that resort to such meetings were so vnruly some are more moderate and come but at the intreaty of their friend or for company of their neighbours or fellowes not delighting much in drinking A. True some are more moderate but he that is most moderate if he trust too much in himselfe that he can in such dangerous meetings carry himselfe soberly may soone bee deceiued and therefore may seeme by his ouerboldnesse to tempt God as presuming of his own naturall disposition And let all men assure themselues heereof that God in his iust iudgement forsakes them and leaues them to themselues who contemptuously do breake his Law And therfore if their friend intreat them to disobey Gods Commandement in resorting vpon the Sabbath day to such feasts it is the part of a good Christian rather to moue his friend to detest his wicked prophanation of the Lords Sabbath but in any wise let not the seruant of God consent to his wicked perswasion Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do euill much lesse one seducing friend And since they say they go with their friend and thinke that should serue to make their fault lesse I would all Christians should remember 1. Thes 5.11 their duty is to exhort one another to good and to edifie one another in the things that belong to godlinesse but to suffer thy selfe to be drawne away to wickednesse is a token of great weakenesse and to consent to such perswasion procureth Gods wrath to bee short séeing the godly must abstaine from all shew of euill 1. The. 5.22 and must in all their doings as the third Commandement teacheth glorifie God it is most certaine that the resort to such vngodly méetings vpon the Sabbath day how moderately soeuer they carry themselues is a breach of Gods Commandement and therefore God in his iustice may and will in his good time punish such offenders vnlesse they repent and take a new course Q. What are the reasons whereby the Israelites are mooued to obey this Commandement A. The first reason is the Commandement of God which Moses heere in repeating the Law setteth forth and strengtheneth partly in respect of the authority of the Commander in calling him Lord partly hee allureth them to performe vnto this Commandement willing obedience because he hath many waies declared himselfe to bee their good and gracious God whom they cannot disobey without great note of vnthankfulnes Secondly in giuing them 6. daies to supply all wants of their body and for dispatch of their worldly affaires hee reserueth onely one to be wholy imploied in his honor and seruice the bestowing of which day in such sort as wee ought to doe is also most to our owne good because it is the gaining our soules to God I say by this his large allowance of so many daies for bodily labours they iustly are to be charged with a staine of ingratitude if they willingly giue not
which hée had in his cel Totus in Imaginem eius intentus Being wholly deuoted to her Image thus to say Thou holy Mother of God take care of this thy candle and as I would haue it keep it that it goe not out and so when he had beene away fiue or sixe months at his return hee found the candle burning And there is also another such like tale of a woman that was at great charges to digge a Well and could get no water vntill shee had put an Image into the Wel and then she had plenty of water Acts 5. Much such good stuffe there was in that second Nicen Councell giuing much honour to the Images themselues as if they knew not that olde Verse Hoc Deus est quod Imago docet sed non Deus ipse That which thou seest stand in Gods steed This Image is not God indeed Q. It seemeth then howsoeuer they now would seeme to giue no honour to the Image but to that which is thereby represented yet the contrary appeareth so plainly both by their words and deedes that they must bee holden guiltie of the breach at the least of this part of the Commandement wherin external seruice of Images is forbidden A. You iudge truly And that spirituall worship also which God prohibiteth in this word Thou shalt not serue them they giue to other the Images contrary to this commandement or to the Saints thereby represented to them and that is contrary to the first commandement For if we trust in any thing but in God looking for help from them it is as before is sayd a plaine breach of this commandement Thou shalt haue no other god before mee Q. The Romish teachers make vs beleeue that there is one worship that they giue vnto God another wherewith they honour the Saints and therefore will not confesse themselues to be transgressors either of the first or this second Commandement in worshipping the Saints A. It is true that they speake of two sorts of worships one belonging vnto God another say they may be giuen to the creature the first they call Latria the second Doulia which distinction howsoeuer it may séeme to haue some shew of antiquity yet if it bee truely examined it hath no colour of verity For first the words themselues differ not in signification but both signifie seruice vnlesse Doulia which seruice they reserue for the Saints be more base seruice and therefore more fit to giue to God because reason would wee should more humble and subiect our selues vnto God then to any creature Secondly it is hard for a simple man to put any difference between these two seruices because howsoeuer their teachers say the one seruice belongeth to God the other to Saints yet if thou looke vnto the outward behauiour they are alike to both We knéel to God they to their Saints if not to their Images wee lift vp hands and eyes to God in our prayers so doe they to their Images or to their Saints at the least yea they set lights before them and offer vnto them incense which is more then wee doe to God because hee néedeth it not To be short with greater solemnity by far they obserue their Saints daies then the Lords day So that the seruice to the Saints in outward ceremonies is in euery thing equall to that of Gods with them in some things much greater Q. But in the spirituall honor they tell vs there is great difference For these acknowledge God to be the giuer of all good things As for Saints they make them but Aduocates to God for them A. If this which they say were true yet it were intolerable wrong so to rob Christ of his office For if any man sinne 1. Ioh. 2.1 we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the Iust And hee is the propitiation for our sinnes It is he also that is at the right hand of God Rom. 8.34 and maketh request for vs. But they content not themselues thus to rob Christ of his office of mediation but that also they rob God of his glory and that mo wayes then one That appoint to euery Country their peculiar Saint to be as it were their Patron as to England Saint George to Scotland St. Andrew to Spaine St. Iames and to other countries other Saints wherein they imitate the Gentils who had for euery Country and City their seueral gods as Tertullian in his Apologie for Christians and Theodoret writing against the Idolatries of the heathen in his third booke doth charge them Q. It seemeth they haue forgotten that it is God who disposeth of the greatest Monarches at his pleasure and bringeth their kingdomes to an end when hee will If that watchfull keeper of Israel Psal 121.4 who doth neither slumber nor sleepe doe not protect not all the Saints in heauen can worke security and if God be with any Kingdome or Citie or house to defend it not all the powers of the earth nor all the diuels in hel shal any thing annoy it So that the godly may with much ioy comfort say Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that trust in the Lord And Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord Psal 33.12 the people that hee hath chosen for his inheritance But the simple may iudge that without all doubt in this the Romish Church giue that honour to the Saints that belongeth to God onely yea and that in much greater aboundance to them then to God For the seuenth day which God himselfe commanded to be sanctified vnto him which is now vnto vs the Sabbath or the Lords day is nothing so solemnely kept as those Saints dayes are vnlesse they fall vpon the Lords day and then God for their sakes shall bee serued after their best maner not they for his sake But you said that sundrie waies they rob God of his glory I pray you let vs heare more of this A. Praier belongeth to God only first because hee commanded so Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble Psa 50.15 then also it is a spiritual sacrifice one of them that the Apostle St. Peter speaketh of 1. Pet. 2.5 Wee are saith he a holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to GOD by Iesus Christ and sacrifices were not to bée offered to any but to God Thirdly the practice and examples of al the godly whose praiers we read of in the scriptures teach this And the reason is because they did know it was Gods office onely to heare our prayers O thou hearer of praiers sayth Dauid to thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 And the Godly confesse that Abraham was ignorant of them and Israel knewe them not yet I hope these were as good Saints as any that the Romish church can affoord vs Thou O Lord say they art our Father and Redeemer Esa 63.16 shewing hereby for what cause they came to God for helpe euen because other
well as their masters must be freed from all bodily labour that vpon the Lords day they may serue the Lord. Q. You haue now spoken of the first table of the Commandements I desire also to heare somewhat of the second table that as in the first God hath taught vs how to serue him so wee may likewise learne how to performe our duties to our neighbours A. You say well And you must vnderstand that wee are first taught such duties as inferiours owe to superiours and how superiours must care for such as are vnder them and then other dueties more common one towards another are set downe Q. And why is this Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother set in the first place of the second table A. As in obeying the fourth commandment we haue very good means and great helpes to the performance of the three former euen of whatsoeuer pertaineth to the seruice of God so in kéeping well this first commandement we shall much more readily bée framed to the keeping of all that follow Q. What is then meant by Father and Mother in that Commandement For it is not to be thought that God who giueth a perfect Lawe vnto his people Psal 19.7 Rom. 7.12 the which whosoeuer doth shall liue thereby Gal. 3.12 would leaue vnspoken of any duties that we owe to any A. You say right and therefore vnder the names of Father and Mothers he commandeth all superiours to bee obeied of their inferiors And that is done vpon good ground For the superiors in this their superiority haue a great representation of the power and care that good Parents haue ouer their children As to begin with Kings and Magistrates Xenophon saith that a good King differeth not from a good Father Romulus called his Senators Fathers and Augustus who refused the title of Lord willingly yéelded to bee called The Father of his Countrey As for Pastors or Ministers not onely the Prophets in times past were stiled Fathers 2. King 2.12 and chap. 13.14 but the Apostle St. Paul calleth himselfe father of Timothy Titus Onesimus And St. Peter calleth Marke his sonne 1. Pet. 5.13 And St. Paul yeeldeth a reason to the Corinthians why Teachers are Fathers to them whom they teach 2. Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell Therefore also the name of spirituall or ghostly Father is giuen vnto Pastors And masters towards their seruants supply the roome of Fathers in bringing them vp in the feare of God or at the least so they ought to do therefore are called Patres familias Fathers of housholds Naamans seruant therefore aduising his master to follow the Prophets commandement in washing in Iorden 7. times sayd thus Father if the Prophet 2. King 5.13 had commaunded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it So we see that by this word Father may well be vnderstood Kings and Magistrates Pastors and Masters and that to all these honour is due and here commanded Q. What is meant by this word honour A. First it teacheth vs that such dutie as wée owe to superiours must willingly be performed For honour is a reuerent affection imprinted in our hearts toward others without forcing or constraint without which affection of the minde the outward shewe is scarce a shadow of honour and is many times done by cap and courtesie or such outward reuerence to them who are contemned and scorned of them that doe it So did the Gouerners souldiers to Christ putting vpon him a skarlet robe and vpon his head a crown of thorns and in his right hand a Reed for a Scepter Then they bowed their knées before him and mocked him saying Mat. 27.29 God saue thee King of the Iewes Then also that which here is called honour is elsewhere expressed by the name of feare Yee shall feare Leuit. 19.3 euery man his mother and his father Q. Why is the mother named in these words before the father A. Because through the greater familiarity that the mother hath commonly with the children they becom lesse awfull to their children for such is our natural corruption that where we haue any hope of liberty wee will too readily séeke for more then wee should haue or can well vse Therfore lest this our badde inclination should too much abuse the mothers facility it is in this commandement especially prouided that the mother be feared and that wee should haue a speciall regard thereof the Mother is first named as the Parent that is in greatest danger to bee wronged and to haue her due honour taken from her Q. This honor then that inferiors owe to their superiors because it is also called feare as you haue taught seemeth to bee nothing els but a reuerent respect vnto our betters and that child-like feare which the Scriptures teach Psal 111.10 to be the beginning of wisedome if it be the feare of the Lord. And likewise no doubt this feare or reuerent respect of our betters frameth vs also more sincerely to perform all duties vnto them But as you haue taught what persons are to bee honoured as Parents Kings and his inferiour Magistrates Ministers and Masters of families and likewise what is meant by this tearme of honour so for my better instruction vouchsafe to handle more particularly the particular duties are due to euery of these A. You must vnderstand that this honour or reuerent feare heere commanded is as it were a roote out of which the seuerall duties to euerie of our superiors doe growe So that where that is truely planted there will bee no want of honour to them to whom honour belongeth And first to begin with Parents who are here expresly named because they were first that among men were honoured and children if they be not too gracelesse haue euen naturally an inclination to reuerence them so that they seeme to bee set as a true patterne of such subiection as becommeth all inferiors to begin I say with Parents and to shew how they of their children must be honoured the wiseman teacheth thus Pro. 23.22 Obey thy Father that hath begotten thee and despise not thy mother when she is old The Apostle also Ephes 6.1 Children obey your Parents in the Lord for that is right Q. Obedience then I see is one of the fruits that spring from honor which is commanded But is it sufficient that children bee obedient when they are commanded A. Nay the very aduice and counsell of Parents should be reuerenced also and is wheresoeuer the true honour towards Parents is seated And so Salomon teacheth My sonne heare thy fathers instruction Pro. 1.8 and forsake not thy mothers teaching Bind them alway vpon thine heart Pro. 6.21 and tye them about thy necke Q. But alas in our wicked dayes wherein wee liue there are too many who little regard either the counsell or commandement of their Parents but the more fatherly and kindly they are dealt withall the more
stubbornly they disobey A. The cause thereof is much in the folly of the Parents who are so tender ouer their children that when they offend they cannot finde in their heart they should be corrected Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a child Pro. 22.15 but the rod of correction shall driue it away from him Pro. 23.14 Thou shalt smite the child with the rod and shalt deliuer his soule from hell But if in their youth they bee not corrected for their disobedience the father and mother shall find them like to trées which béeing but young might bee bowed any way but being come to some growth will by no meanes be bended and so shall know by experience that a dissolute or foolish child is the calamity of his father Pro. 19.13 Q. If wee obey and harken to the Commandements and follow the aduice of our Parents haue we then discharged all the dutie that this Commandement requireth A. No For children must furder haue a continuall care euery way to be a stay comfort to their Parents if by their strength they may helpe their weaknesse if by their sight they may guide their blindnesse if by their wealth they may supply their want if by their knowledge they may reforme their ignorance if by their paines they may ease them of trauell to be short if their place their credit or reputation their acquaintance or any other meane that they haue may doe them good they must by all such means which they haue testifie their honour to their Parents A notable example wee haue in Ioseph who did euery way honour his father Iaacob Acts 7.14 and relieued him and his family in number 75. when there was a great dearth in the land Therfore the son of Sirach thus exhorteth My sonne helpe thy father in his age Eccles 3.13 14. and greeue him not so long as he liueth if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength And Christ reprooueth the Scribes and Pharises because that vnder colour of their blind deuotion they hindered children from performing this honour Mat. 15.4 5 6. Q. But Christ hath commaunded Call no man father vpon the earth for there is but one Mat. 15.9 your Father which is in heauen How can wee keepe this precept of our Sauiour Christ and not breake this Commandement Honour thy father and thy mother A. The words of our Sauiour Christ are not simply to be vnderstood but comparatiuely as if he had sayd If the question be Mat. 10.37 whether thy heart shall bee more tied to God or to thy earthly father thou must without all doubting or cōsultation wholy addict thy self to thy heauenly Father For He that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me he that loueth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Yea in another place hee wils that we hate all these things yea and our life also or els we cannot be his disciples In all which Luke 14.26 Christ teacheth vs to honour our father but so as we obey God to loue him that begate vs but yet more to loue him that made vs. He would haue vs to distinguish aright betweene the loue that wee owe to God which must be with all our heart and soule and minde and with whatsoeuer wee haue and the loue to Parents which is thus limited that it must bee in the Lord that our obedience also may be framed accordingly Q. How children should honour their Parents we haue now heard But what honour is due to Princes Magistrates A. Such like as to Parents For as Parents are ouer their children so are Kings and Magistrates ouer their subiects and such as are vnder their charge St. Paul giueth therefore charge vnto Titus thus Put them in remembrance with whō thou art and whom thou hast a charge of that they bee subiect to principalities and powers Tit. 3.1 and that they bee obedient Bee yee subiect to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent of him 1. Pet. 2.13 14. saith S. Peter And S. Paul writing to the Romans willeth Rom. 13.1 that Euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Not only for feare of wrath but for conscience sake Ver. 5. So that this obedience must be heartie and not in shew only but from the very soule and inward man and that not for feare but for conscience sake because God hath appointed vs vnder them and them ouer vs. Q. To performe the honour commanded what other thing besides obedience is required of vs to doe to Princes and Magistrates A. We must afford them maintenance fit both for their estate and for the defence of the Common-wealth when néed shall be The Apostle yéeldeth this reason to make them of his time more willingly to giue such aid For they are Gods Ministers Rom. 31.6 applying themselues for the same thing that is for incouragement of the godly and the repressing of euill whereof he wrot Ver. 4. And therupon he groundeth this exhortation Giue to all men their dutie tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honor is due Verse 7. If Paul would haue Princes and Magistrates in those dayes obeyed honoured and maintained when they were enemies to the Gospell how much more now when they maintaine the Gospell should al such dues be performed to them Q. Doth this Commandement require yet any further duty to bee performed to them that are our gouernours A. Yes wee are willed also to pray for them 1. Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort saith Saint Paul first of all that prayers supplications intercessions and giuing of thankes bee made for all men For kings and for all that are in authority that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in al godlinesse and honesty Ieremy also exhorted the Iewes who had very stubbornely opposed themselues against the correcting hand of God and sought al waies that they could deuise not to serue the Babylonians whom God for their sinnes appointed them to serue hee I say exhorteth them that they should pray for the peace of Babylon no doubt also for the peace of the king thereof Nebuchadnezar for in the peace therof saith he shall you haue peace Ier. 29.7 In the twentieth Psalme the people of Israel pray for Dauid their King And in the 72. Psalme Dauid now at the point of death hauing made Salomon King prayeth to GOD for him And this prayer for our gouernours is not the least testimonie of a true affection that we haue to honour them if our prayer for them be feruent neither is this duty to bee performed onely for Princes and gouernours but for Parents also although I thought good especially in this place to speake thereof because the
their consciences burned with a hot iron therfore such are to bee accounted deceiuers and false teachers Q. What learne wee in the eight Commandement Thou shalt not steale A. I first obserue therein the order for after God hath commanded holinesse of life and as the Apostle speaketh 1. Thessa 4.4 to keepe our vessell in sanctification then hee prouideth for goods teaching vs thereby First to seeke the kingdome of heauen and the things that belong vnto eternall life and to let these worldly things bee of lesse account with vs. Then for the words themselues they are as most of the other are a forbidding of that which is euill Q. What is then forbidden here A. Al waies wherby others may receiue hurt that we may gaine some get by violence and oppression others by more secret meanes By oppression also some more violently some more craftily The first sort are they which rob and spoile and take away mens goods by plaine force such are all robbers Oppressours also who by wealth or other greatnesse whether by Law or other meanes get from other that which they haue no right to Vsurers also a kind of people not allowed to follow their trade among Gods people are transgressors of this Law for God by his seruant Moses gaue this Commandement Thou shalt not giue to Vsurie to thy brother Vsurie of money Vsurie of meat or of any thing that is put to Vsurie Deut. 23.19 Againe Exod. 22 25. If thou lend money to my people to the poore that are among you thou shalt not be as a Vsurer to him thou shalt not oppres him with Vsury Yea there are other yet greater théeues then these who content not themselues with mens goods but whole Kingdomes countries must be vnto them a prey And howsoeuer God in his iustice punisheth wicked men by great and grieuous sinners as Tyrus and Aegypt were giuen into the hand of Nabuchodonosor a great wronger of all his neighbours yet was Nabuchodonosor who subdued them a plaine transgressor of this Law Q. But it may seeme otherwise for God commendeth his seruice that hee did against Tyre and seemeth as if hee held himselfe indebted to him for it but withall promiseth that hee would giue to him and his souldiers Aegypt for a reward of that seruice Ezekiel 29. A. True for that which hee did was decréed of God though hee neither knew Gods wil therein neither cared for it so that the déed was good which God also inabled him to doe for he could not haue done any thing but as the executioner of GODS wrath against those wicked people but hee did it with a cruell and ambitious mind and therefore it was not well done God therefore commendeth the worke that hee wrought against Tyre but in his manner of working it hee is a transgressour of this Law Q. By this which wee haue heard wee may in some sort iudge of other meanes whereby men oppresse one another And this you set downe as most certain that whosoeuer oppresse others are transgressours against this Commandement and may be called cruell theeues Against such God denounceth heauie iudgements Esay 33.1 Woe to thee that spoylest and was not spoyled and dost wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee Esay 30.12 13. Because you haue cast off this word whereby I haue admonished you by my Prophet and trust in violence and wrong and stay thereupon therfore this iniquitie shall bee vnto you as a breach that falleth or a swelling in an hie wall whose breaking commeth suddenly in a moment For God will not suffer vnpunished the contempt of this his Commandement Thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong neither rob him But all theeues are not violent some by more secret meanes deceiue Therfore Saint Paul in few words forbiddeth both sorts 1. Thes 4.6 That no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matter for the Lord is auenger of all such things Of oppressours wee haue heard now let vs heare somewhat of these other who steale by craft A. Some of them we call théeues but many of them though theeues they are and make it their trade yet will not they bee called theeues Of these wee reade as an exposition or Commentarie vpon this Commandement Ye shall not steale nor deale falsly nor lie one to another Vnder these three stealing false dealing lying may all this sort of stealing bee vnderstood Stealing is a secret taking away of our neighbours goods whether by night or day Of this sort are not onely they whom wee call théeues but all such as get into their hands some one commodity or moe which other may not meddle with but as from them These Monopolies haue alwaies been euill thought of among wise gouernours condemned by the Roman Lawes and are by experience found to bee very hurtfull to Common-wealths for by inhauncing the prices of such things as they haue ingrossed they steale away the wealth of the comminaltie It séemeth there were such among Gods people in Salomons daies and how men iudged of them it doth appeare by his words Pro. 11.26 Hee that withdraweth the corne the people will curse him But Amos the Prophet is very bitter against them who when they had stored themselues with full garners of corne thought their solemne feast daies appointed for Gods seruice to be a hinderance to them For euery minute they iudged an hower Amos 8.4 5 6. they longed so much and so greedily after their vnlawfull gaine But in these our daies such kind of men are so much the worse because they wil not sticke sometime to prophane the Sabbath day to deliuer their commodity make their gaine which these men though bad enough would not doe neither was it lawfull for them for we may sée by Nehemiah Nehe. 10.31 13.15 16 17 18 19 20 21. that buying and selling vpon the Sabbath was vtterly vnlawfull Q. What do you think of selling to a day as it is most commonly vsed now for Corne Cattell or any other commoditie euen for a short time to haue too much increase and for a longer time much more Is not this a secret kind of stealing A. Yes and that a very vnchristian stealing of our neighbours goods So selling by false waights and measures Leuit. 19.35.36 Thou shalt not do vniustly in line in waight in measure You shal haue iust ballances true waights true Epha true Hin that is both thy great measure of the Epha and the little measure of the Hin shall bee iust and true Some steale Land by remouing the bounders contrary to the aduice of Salomon Pro. 22.28 Deut. 19.14 Thou shalt not remoue the anciēt bounds which thy fathers haue made For Deut. 37 17. Cursed be he that remooueth his neighbours marke and al the people shall say So be it Yea Numa Pompilius though he knew not these Lawes of God yet hee so hated this kind of stealing the he decreed it should be no offence
to kill him that would remoue a bounder as Dionys Halicar reporteth lib. 2. Some steale their neighbours money by praising aboue the worth that which they sell and so perswading them the thing is better then it is whether Marchants for their wares or workemen for the worke which they make many times rather to the shew then for the profit of the buyer and to such Merchants the sonne of Sirach addeth Vitailers There are saith he two things Ecclus. 26 39. which I think to be hard perilus A Marchāt cannot lightly keep him from wrong and a Vitler is not without sin Yea the laboring man as it is fil he should haue his wages for his work so if he worke not truely for his wages doth but steale the money of him that set him to worke Hee that is slothfull in his worke Pro. 18.19 is euen the brother of him that is a great waster either of his own if he be slothfull in his own businesse or of his that hires him if he worke for another and so is a breaker of this Law Q. What shall we iudge of them who neuer thinke they haue worke enough for their money but by all meanes they can seek to increase and adde vnto other mens toile Deut. 25.4 A. God thus commandeth Thou shalt not mouzell the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And Salomon telleth vs Pro. 12.10 that A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast to teach vs thereby to be much more merciful vnto men and not to sucke out by too toilesome worke the very life of them that worke for vs as if wee thought men should liue onely to serue our turne But to rehearse all the meanes whereby wee steale from other men their goods and possessions it is impossible and therfore I set this down as a touchstone wherby we may trie whether wee bee faulty or not that whosoeuer séeketh by other mens losse to inrich himselfe is a thiefe and a transgressour of this Commandement And yet there is one thiefe more which because hee first beginneth with himselfe stealing first from himselfe I leaue to the last place of this kind of theeues That is the vnthrift that spendeth his Patrimony if hee haue any or whatsoeuer by his hands he getteth if he liue by his occupation or labour in drinking playing or some vnthrifty course so robbing himselfe of the meanes whereby he should liue this I confesse séemes to be but a foolish theefe but a théefe hee is yea and not in robbing himself only for hee robbeth others too For the poorest man if he be maried or kéep a house must thus thinke that which hee getteth his wife and family haue their part therein and so in spending their part hee is a thiefe and robbeth them If he haue Copie-hold or frée land or any inheritance other whom he leaueth behind haue interest therin and so the child vnborne is robbed by such vnthrifts Foolish therefore and false is that which they think and say sometime that they spend nought but their owne For they spend that also that belongeth to their family to their posterity And thus much of thefts that are done or committed Q. Are there also thefts by omission of duties which diuers men according to their seueral callings ought to performe A. Yea diuers And first to begin with the greatest theeues that robbe men of the food of the soule Behold saith the Lord Ier. 23.30 I will come against them which steale my word euery man from his neighbour Now the Pastors that are negligent in teaching are theeues of this sort They also who when they teach or instruct their people beare with mens sinnes and will not tell them of their transgressions as God commandeth his Prophet but will rather seeke to please as the desire of sinners is to sleepe securely in their sinnes Es 30.10 as wée may sée To be short they may truly be sayd to steale Gods words which take them from the eyes and knowledge of men and in stead therof deliuer mens traditions much like the Harlot 1. King 3.20 which rising in the night stole away the liuing childe from the true mother and layd the dead child in the roome of it Next vnto these are Iudges if they iudge not the cause of the Widow and fatherlesse but either for feare dare not or because they fauour great ones that are aduersaries to their cause will not or for any other worldly respect care not to doe speedy right to them as their state requireth and the equitie of their cause should moue them to do This their duty is commonly required of them in the Scriptures so that I néed not bring particulars of that I say herein If a man finde a thing and make not restitution it is sin to him Leuit. 6.3 and therefore a breach of this commandement And because this as all other of the Commandements require loue Thou shalt not see thy brothers Asse or his Oxe fall downe by the way and withdrawe thy selfe Deu. 22.4 but shalt lift him vp with him Yea if thou meet thine enemies Oxe or Asse going astray Exod. 23.4 thou shalt bring him to him again For the omission of such duties is a breach of this lawe Q. Now let vs heare somewhat of the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour A. As the last Commandement whereof I haue spoken restraineth our déedes and actions from doing wrong so this teacheth our tongues not to speake any thing whereby our neighbour may be wronged And in effect it requireth that which S. Paul willeth the Ephesians Wherefore cast off lying Ephe. 4.25 and speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour For he is called Psal 31. The God of truth and loueth truth not in word or shew in the inward affection Psal 51.6 and therefore would haue vs to walke in the truth Q. But being forbid to beare false witnesse against our neighbour may we do it against others whom we call not neighbours as the Iewes thinke it lawfull to take vsury of vs because it is thus prohibited to them Deu. 23.19 Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother and vs they account not their brethren A. The word neighbour hath that sence in this place which our Sauiour Christ taught the captious expounder of the Lawe in Luke 10.37 as if it had been thus commaunded Thou shalt not beare false witnes against any man Q. Then teach vs I pray you how many waies this lawe may bee transgressed A. Either by ending matters in controuersie betwéen neighbours or by false reports or conceits of others or our selues Q. How in ending controuersies A. Two waies either when matters are ended by daies-men or by lawe Leu. 19.13 For séeing Thou mayst doe no wrong to thy neighbour but must follow Iustice iustly that is Deu. 16.20 in all sincerity I take this to be a good