oppressed he will not suffer that his sacred name shal be thus wickedly abused to be made a shelter for lies and slaunders but when the good time comes he will let the world see how vildly and shamefully they dealt and though now whilst God holdeth his peace they flatter themselues and care not a jot to prophane his name so they may effect their malicious purpose and matters goe on their side yet God will haue a care that their wickednesse shall returne and fall vpon their owne heads their owne shame shall couer their faces and the wrong done both to his name and to his seruants shal be fully discouered and auenged Thus much concerning the third commandement for the glorifieng of Gods name Now followes the fourth In these words following Remember that thou keepe holy the sabboth day sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant thy maide seruant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates c. THe summe of this fourth commandement is to command the setting a part of the seauenth day from all worldlie busines and affaires to the exercises of religion and mercie and in the night that our sleepe also be seasoned with the word and the exercise of which we haue bene pertakers The parts are two The one sets downe the duties to be performed the other the reasons to moue vs to performe them The duties two fold shewing what we should doe and from what we should decline The things to be done is keeping it holie celebrating an holie rest vnto God The things to be forborne are all body lie works and to see that those which be vnder our gouernment as children seruants and all inferiours doe the like and that our beasts be not put to any ciuill labour yea that the stranger when hee comes amongst vs doe not openly prophane the same though wee cannot inforce him to come to the publik exercises yet those that are in superioritie must restraine him from publik violating of it by open working and must lay the authoritie so farre vpon him as that they suffer him not among their people and in their jurisdiction in the face of the congregation openlie to breake the commandement of God The reasons are diuerse first drawne from the equitie and righteousnesse of it in these words sixe daies shalt thou labour q. d. I haue giuen thee six daies for thy businesse and haue taken but one for my selfe therfore thou must be verie well contented to yeeld to me in this so reasonable and equall a commandement If I had taken sixe to my seruice giuen thee but one for the works of thy caling yet thou shouldest in dutie haue obeyed me but now that I am so liberall to thee and scant to my selfe hauing so large allowance there is no reason why thou shouldest refuse The second reason is taken from the authoritie and right of God in these words The seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God q. d. I haue taken it to my selfe I haue challenged it to my selfe to bee imployed in my seruice it is my day not thine therfore vnlesse thou will bee accounted a sacrilegious theefe to take holie things for vnholie vses vnlesse thou wilt deuoue things that bee sanctified to thine owne destruction see that thou meddle not with it it is a part of the church treasurie thou shalt be no better then a church robber if thou conuert it to thine owne vses The third reason is taken from Gods example in these words For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth daie q. d. if thou wilt follow example and bee led by others then follow the example of the best now what better example can there be then the example of God himselfe now God himselfe when he went to make the world and all the things in the world contriued all his works so as that he finished them within the compasse of sixe dayes and on the seuenth day did rest from all his works of creation onely preseruing those things which before he had made therefore from his example learne thou so to dispatch all thy businesse on the sixe daies as that on the seauenth day ceasing from labour in thy calling thou maist wholy giue thy selfe to the duties of sanctification and to meditate on Gods power and greatnesse in his sixe dayes work for which end as one speciall thing to bee done in it he hath appointed this resting of the seuenth day The last reason is taken from the end of the sabboth in these words Wherfore the Lord blessed the sabboth day and hallowed it q. d. If neither the equitie of the commandement nor the authoritie and right of God nor yet his example will preuaile with thee to perswade thine hart to keepe this commandement yet in regard of thine owne profit and the benefit thou shalt reape to thy selfe yeld to keepe it holy for God hath not taken this to himselfe for any commoditie that he shall haue by it but euen for thy good for he hath appointed it for holy vses that it might be a meanes of blessing not vpon the soule onely but euen vppon the body and estate of those that obserue it there is no readier way to bring Gods blessing vpon any man then the sanctifying of it nor no more present meanes to pull downe a curse then the neglecting and breaking of it Therefore if thou loue thy selfe and wouldest haue prosperitie on thy soule and bodie yeld so much obedience to God as to sanctifie his sabboth Thus much concerning the summe and exposition of this commandement Now because there be many that doe disagree in this doctrine of the sabboth and account the keeping holy of the seuenth day in the number of those ceremonies which be abrogated by Christ and reached onely to the Iewes therefore it is requisite that we approue and confirme by some sound reasons out of Gods word that this commandement is morall and perpetuall and as carefully to be kept vnder the gosple as vnder the law and to continue in force so long as any of the commandements euen so long as there is this world and a Church militant vpon earth The first reason to confirme this may be drawne from those reasons which God vseth for the confirmation of it in the text the reasons are all of them perpetuall and none of them ceremoniall and euery one as much belongs vnto vs as vnto them and therefore it is without reason to make the commandement it selfe of lesse scope and binding fewer to keepe it then those reasons which are brought to confirme it For goe through the whole commandement what one word in all of it hath any note of ceremony what reasō sauours of any
did giue the ceremoniall law by Moyses hand and vsed him as an instrument to write them but for the greater reuerence of these ten hee would not vse the help of Moyses hand and pen but with his owne finger wrote them not in paper with inke but in stone to shevv the strength and continuance of them and commanded Moyses to put them in the arke to shew that no man could fulfill perfectly obey them but onely Christ If these ten were all written by God and no exception made whereby the sabboth should bee inferiour to the rest but altogether put into the Arke then a man may euen as well rend any of the other ten away as this yea and with more warrant to for none of them all is more fenced with reasons and mounded about with more strong arguments to keepe out the cauils and objections of men then this so that where God hath as it were of set purpose giuen more strength for a man to impute more weakenesse to this thing is a note either of great folly or else of singular impudencie and impietie The fourth reason is drawen from the persons vpon whom it lieth and vnto whom it is giuen for wee know that the ceremonies did lie onely vpon the Iewes the Gentiles were not bound to obserue them but now this commandement sayth not onely thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man thy maide which containes all the whole commonwealth but it goes further saith thy stranger which is within thy gates so that if an heathen man of another countrie and religion had come amongst them the magistrate was bound to looke to it that he doe not openly and publikely violate the sabboth but of force should celebrate an outward though to perform duties of religion that lay not in mans hand to constraine them Now the ceremonies were as a partition wall betwixt the Iewes Gentiles to seperate the church of the Iewes and the seede of Abraham from all other congregations vntill after this partition was broken downe by Christ and both brought into one fold for when Christs death did teare asunder the vale of the temple then hee tare all ceremonies in twaine that they could no longer binde the conscience either of Iew or Gentill but for the sabboth euen the Gentils must keepe it and because they would not themselues when they came among the seruants of God they were to be constrayned as in Nehemias time when the men of Tyrus came to sell wares on the sabboth day in Ierusalem hee would not suffer them but threatens to lay hands vpon them if they did any more come after that manner If God had heere commanded onely to looke to the Iewes and not to strangers it had beene some appearance but sith God will haue strangers of the Gentils bound to the keeping of it so farre as men can if they come within the walke and reach of Christians now the matter is put quite out of doubt that this is no ceremonie Lastly Christ Iesus himselfe the Lord of the Sabboth confirmes the sabboth most strongly Mat. 24. 20. Where speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem by Vespasian and speaking to the faithfull of the church and true Christians whose prayers shall surely preuaile he bids them pray that their flight bee not vpon the sabboth day or in the winter Fortie yeeres after a fearefull destruction was to come vpon Ierusalem and this was decreed so that it might not bee altered yet Christ bids his seruants pray that it might bee mittigated to them in some measure and therefore that they might not bee enforced to flie for their liues in the winter for that would bee grieuous to the bodie because of the shortnesse of the daies and the durtinesse of the waies would bee very tedious to them nor vpon the sabboth because this would bee as grieuous to their soules if they must bee constrained to spend that day in taking paines to preserue their bodies which God had appointed to be spent in those things that should help forward the saluation of their soules What will some say is it not lawfull to flye for ones lyfe on the sabboth yes and Christ allowes it But he knew full well what griefe it would bring to a christian soule to think Alasse I was wont as this day to sit quietly in the church and among Gods Saints to heare the sweet comforts of his word deliuered vnto my soule and with praise to sing Psalmes of thanks vnto God and to aske those things with the rest of Gods people which we stoode in neede of where I receaued such strength comfort that I walked in the strength of these exercises the whole weeke after but now the paine of my bodie and the feare of my soule so distract me take me vp that haue neither leasure nor abilitie to doe so but I must want all these comforts Christ knew that this would be as bitter as death to a Christian soule and therefore he wils them to pray to God to preuent it that no such necessitie be layd vpon them Now if this commandement and this day had bene ceremoniall they might haue fled with as little care as any other for it had bene abolished long afore by Christs death and no such regard had bene to be made of it In that Christ doth allow this conscience and regard of flying on the sabboth day more then any other of the weeke he shewes planly that the force of the sabboth was to abide after him for fortie yeres and therfore no ceremony for then Christ had not done well to put a needlesse feare into their harts of flying on the sabboth if God required no keeping of the sabboth and then he should rather haue bid them pray to God that they might haue had all respect of it being a ceremonie taken from them and told them that they neede not to regard it for it had bene a great sinne to haue made such conscience of keeping a ceremonie so long after the abolishing of them then if one should not willingly and not without griefe fly to saue his naturall lyfe when he should be seeking to strengthen his spirituall life as Christ words doe plainly proue then how much lesse should he doe any other outward businesse of far lesse necessitie So that these reasons doe most effectually confirme to the harts of Gods children that the keeping of the sabboth day holy is a moral law and bindeth vs and shall all to the ende of the world as much as the Iewes at any time before Christ But for those wicked persons that will cauill against euery thing that crosseth their corrupt lust as the keeping of a sabboth doth exceedingly we must not greatly be moued what they object for of them t is most true that Solomon saith Bray a foole in a morter as wheat is brayed with a pestell and hee will not forsake his folly But this may suffice to confirme and establish and instruct a christian
but we must serue him in the duties of religion and mercy onely As for example Gods children will not eat meat at their owne table without crauing Gods blessing vpon them but when they are to come to the table of the Lord they vse a greater and more solemne preparation because they expect a greater and more excellent blessing so likewise a christian in all the workes of his calling hath a regard to serue and glorifie God but in a more speciall manner vpon the seauenth day because hee then lookes for a more plentifull and liberall benediction both vpon his soule and bodie and these men that among vs keepe such a prating that euery day must bee a sabboth and wee must rest from sinne marke them whether they rest from sinne at all and obserue if there bee any families so bade as theirs that commonly if one would rake hell as wee say hee could not meete with more prophane and irreligious persons that speake of keeping euery day holy but in truth keepe euery day vnholy but others that in conscience of Gods commandement doe binde themselues to keeping of the sabboth which God hath instituted goe farre beyond them in all vertue and holinesse if they could shew any good effect in themselues of this their euerie day sabboth we might giue some credit to them for God doth alwaies giue a blessing to his owne ordinance but for such vilde and vnholy persons that in all their life neuer kept a sabboth holy to make a talke of keeping euery day as a sabboth it is most palpable and damnable hipocrisie The last objection of which wee will speake is taken out of 1. Colos 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in respect of an holiday or of a new moone or of the sabboth daies So that the Apostle say they puts the sabboth among other ceremonies which are to bee abrogated but for the answering of this we must know that the Apostle speakes of such sabboths as are in the same ranke with the meates and drinkes whereof hee speaks before of which sort were the first day of euery month and the first and last day of euery one of their solemne feasts of these hee speakes in the plurall number and not of the sabboth day the Lords day in the singular number which hath a singuler excellencie and how euer times chaunge neuer changeth then Easter and Penticost and the other feasts of like kinde are indeede abrogated as being ceremonies not written in the tables of stone as this was And thus much for the proouing of this that this sabboth is morrall and perpetuall which sith it is so the vse is for the confutation of such as sharpen their tongues and wits and open their mouthes to speake against it not content to take libertie themselues but would make a gap for others to breake out also It is a vilde and notorious sinne to bee prophane in ones owne person and to practise the breach of any of Gods commandements but to draw others to impietie and as much as they can to breake the yoke wherewith God hath yoked them this is much more intollerable This is just the diuell himselfe when hee had fallen from his vprightnesse and rebelled against God the next worke hee tooke in hand was to allure Adam to sinne and make him as verie a rebell against God as himselfe so these wicked men limmes of the diuell that themselues are corrupted and lie vnder the curse of God will take so much paines about nothing as to peruert others and being stark naught themselues to make all men if it might bee like them This also is for our instruction that wee must so rest vpon Gods reasons and so stand for his worship as that euery blast and objection of a prophane person may not blow vs away and weaken our reuerence to Gods ordinance It is a great fault that wee are no better confirmed in the truth but that euerie breath of an heretique will put vs downe and set vs to the wall as it were that wee stand in a mammering and know not whether wee goe right or wrong it is an euident token that men bee ladenwith sinnes and carried away of their lust when the often preaching of the truth cannot so establish them it as that they can say we are so resolued in our harts that this is the truth of God as that by Gods mercie we had rather forsake our liues then forsake it but none can attaine to such knowledge but such as haue a pure and an vpright hart And this that men be so quickly moued from the truth is not because of the strength of the arguments made against it but by reason of their owne weaknesse which haue not the spirit of truth to leade them into the truth and to confirme and shew them errors and heresies and make them lothsome vnto them and giue them power against them Therfore we must labour for this spirit of truth which may so settle and ground vs in the truth as that euerie storme of a false opinion from the mouth of some fantasticall and vaine person that hath no godlinesse nor learning to commend him that neuer did any thing nor suffered any thing for Christs sake may not weaken our hold and shake our foundation and cast vs downe from the truth that we should be seduced by them Nay we should be so far from yeelding to the false dreames of such as that when they grow obstinate we should not shew the least token of allowance or any countenance to them we should not entertaine them or receaue them to house or bid them God speed for he that doth so as Saint Iohn saith is pertaker of his euill deedes because in so doing he confirmes them in their sinne brings himselfe in certaine daunger to be infected by them And thus much for that that this keeping of a seauenth day holy by setting it apart to the duties of religion onely mercie is a morall and perpetuall dutie to continue while the world continues Now let vs come more perticulerly to the words of the commandement First for that word Remember IN that God prefixed in speciall termes as it were of set purpose to meet with mens forgetfulnesse a memorandum heere more then in any other of the commandements we may hence learne that who euer will faithfully and conscionablie keepe the sabboth when it is come must before hand haue a special care a forecast to preuēt those things that may hinder them in the keeping of it A reason of this caueat which God giues and of the dilligence that wee must haue in thus remembring and preparing for the sabboth may bee drawne from our owne infirmitie that vnlesse wee bee very circumspect and cast about with care indeede wee are readie easily to let slip some businesse and leaue something vndone which will then distract vs and draw our minds and bodies to from gods seruice some money to pay or to receiue some
warrant for vs to breake Gods commandement because wee had forgot that which God bids vs remember this is euen as if a man should forget his purse behind him when hee went to the market and when hee came to buy things wanting mony of his owne should goe and cut another bodies purse and then if one come and tell him this is not honest dealing it is plaine theft and why would you bee so bold to cut your neighbours purse why alas neighbour I hope I was in no fault necessitie drew mee to it for I had left my purse at home and I knew not how to doe for mony to buy my things and to haue gone backe againe would haue beene to much paines Why but doth this make it lawfull to cut your neighbours because you had forgotten your owne nay who should haue remembred it and not come to make such shifts and euen so men deale with God oh they cannot chuse but breake the sabboth they are driuen to it of force necessitie compels them and what necessitie why such things lie to bee done that will bee spoiled else why but why did you forget them before now shal your former forgetfulnesse bee a warrant for you to steale Gods holy time and abuse it to vnholy things Some hath a bonde to pay that will bee forfaited else and why did you not remember before to make your condition with such an exception vnlesse it were on the sabboth and then to defer it for some reasonable time after or some such like condition and so I haue this and this thing that must bee done and why did not you thinke of this before to preuent it as it is sure you might if you did serue God in your calling and not couetousnesse so others say it is so tedious and irksome to spend that day holy that they cannot endure it and why is it tedious to you is it not because you prepared not your soule to keepe it you let sinne keepe dominion in your hart all the weeke and then it must needes bee dull and dead to all goodnesse on the seauenth day but those that doe labour to walke vprightlie purely before God sixe daies finde such comfort thereby as no outward pleasure can bring nor anie thing in this world but onely the ordinances of God can afford Secondly this teacheth vs to lay as a dutie euery one vpon his owne conscience to remember this day in all our affaires to haue this in our minde that wee entangle not our selues by any businesse which might hinder vs from keeping of it first because wee haue so direct an item as wee call it to remember this day secondly because whereas God contented himselfe in all the other commandements to set them downe either onely affirmatiuely or onely negatiuelie hee hath not done so in this commandement but to set the deeper impression in our harts hath set it downe both affirmatiuelie and negatiuely keepe it holy saith hee and as though that were not inough doe no manner of worke in it and then wheras other of the commandements for the most part haue no reasons annexed to them in the decalogue though in the scripture else where they haue this and the second commandement haue diuers reasons added vnto them that men might haue a greater regard vnto it Therefore if wee will doe any thing for Gods sake then doe this for his sake if a friend should come to vs and say I haue some ten errands which I would haue you doe for mee and I will recompence you throughly for your paines but of all the ten there is one amongst the rest which I would haue you especiallie to remember and of all loues see that you forget it not would not one thinke him verie negligent and vnmindfull of his friend that would forget this of which he had such a speciall charge especially if his friend should in most of the other giue but the bare commandement and thing set downe without any more words but should insist vpon that and giue him reason vpon reason why hee should haue a speciall care of it but so God saith to vs hee giues vs warning before shewing that wee are ready to forget it but hee would haue vs striue against this forgetfulnesse and then because wee should not forget but doe it hee vrgeth it with many reasons now then to forget this is it not a plaine contempt and neglect It followes To keepe it holy NOw the Lord shewes what is to bee done on the sabboth day namely wee must keepe it holy it is not inough to forbeare our owne worke and so to keepe it idly but wee must bee as carefull to doe Gods worke and so to keepe it holy Hence then wee learne this doctrine that the sabboth must bee imployed in holy exercises it must not bee a bare rest but a sanctified rest so ceasing from worldly things as that we be taken vp in heauenly things for idlenes is a sin euery day but much more on the sabboth No man hath alowance in gods word to spend any time idly but it is a damnable sin in the weeke daies much lesse are we warranted to spend Gods time vnprofitablie and idly of the twaine it were better leaue ones owne worke vndone vpon ones owne daies permitted for his labour then Gods worke on Gods daie appointed for his seruice Now the reasons why this must bee spent onely in holie exercises are taken from the ill effects that will follow if wee doe not spend it in these workes These ill effects wee shall see in Exod. 31. 12. Where God commands them that they should abstaine from all workes and keepe it an holy for if they doe worke euen in making garments and things for the temple which seemed to pertaine to god much more in things of their owne these two euils will follow first they shall die the death their life shall bee taken away they must die a naturall death and then secondly they must bee cut off from their people j. bee subject to the curse of God and bee cast off from the people of God by solemne excommunication These bee the punishments of polluting the Sabboth no small punishments and these God doth execute daily euen among vs for though the law of the land takes not hold on such persons to put them to death yet God giues them ouer to commit some sinne which mans law punisheth with death and the first cause of all and that at which God strikes and which their owne soule feeles most heauie as appeares by the daily complaints when they bee brought to execution is that they neuer regarded the sabboth had no care to heare Gods word to spend the day in duties of religion in prayer but followed after vanitie and their owne lust and therfore God meets with them And though the minister cannot by law excommunicate them and cast them out of the congregation yet God excommunicates them that in the
harts of Gods people they be as heathen men their soules are cut of from the church they haue no lyfe of grace no fruit or working of the word and sacraments more then of any idle tale and prophane storie no grace wrought by it no death of sinne no hope nor desire of heauen but liue as beasts no recourse to God in Christ Iesus nor no vertue that they draw from Christ so that indeede they doe not liue in Christ but are dead in their spirit while they liue in their bodies They may say indeed say true that they can see no good by the exercises of the sabboth they be vnpleasant to them and vnprofitable so that they haue no benefit by it and why is this not because Gods ordinances want their force vertue but because they want reuerence of them and being wicked contemne them therfore their souls be cut of their harts hardened they haue forfaited their saluation Then an other ill effect is as in Ierem. 17. where he saith If they pollute his sabboth hee will kindle a fire in their houses that shall not be quenched For their outward estate they be no gayners that breake the sabboth for God sends a curse which like a violent flame deuoures more then they can get So that if we would not be guiltie of death and haue our soules cut of from communion with Christ and his church and our goods also cōsumed brought to nothing by the vengeance of God Then let vs keepe his holy sabboth holy and bestow it vpon holy exercises But on the contrary side to sanctifie it and spend in those duties that God commandeth brings all comfortable blessing and happinesse As in Isai 56. 2. If the gentils that be conuerted will keepe the sabboth of God holy he promiseth that they shal haue a better name more reuerence then the Iewes that professe the religion of God but regard not his sabboth and at large there he showes how he wil blesse them and good reason to for he that keeps the sabboth aright exerciseth the whole bodie of religion for this brings in practise the whole law and teacheth one his dutie to God and to man builds him vp in euerie grace And so in Is 58. 13. If thou turne away c. Where he shewes that if any man will on Gods day forsake his owne work and leaue of vaine words and delight in the work of God and his seruice then God will giue them God will set them on high and giue them the inheritance of Iacob for indeed then they be Gods sheepe and the flock of Christ when they delight to follow him and to heare his voice for then they shall haue accesse to him and he shall haue opportunitie to blesse them and dwell in them by his spirit So that if we would auoid the curse of God on our soule and bodie and gaine the blessing of God vpon both Let vs yeld to this his commandement and with as great joye serue God in the duties of religion his worship on that day as we doe our selues in our owne affaires on the sixe dayes yea with a greater delight to because we haue a promise and may looke for a greater blessing The vse of this is to reproue those that thinke if they abstaine from worke of their calling that they take no paines in outward toyling about affaires of this world then they keepe the sabboth verie well and if no man can accuse them of going to plow or cart or such workes then they thinke they haue not broken the fourth commandement But idlenesse is a sin of Adam naught euerie day as we said before but much more naught vpon that day that should bee spent in Gods exercises But much more wicked are they that bee euill occupied in dauncing and dallying in swilling and brawling and so make it the diuels day insteede of Gods and doe more dishonour to God and hurt to their owne soules then any day in the weeke else Many also are to bee reprooued that will come to the church for the time of the day will bee content to heare the word and doe such exercises but at euen when darkenesse comes then comes the works of darkenesse and when they be in their bed then they bee plodding and casting about for worldly affaires and their heads be as busie as full of earthly matters as any night in the weeke else But wee are to know that the sabboth containes foure and twentie houres as well as any other day and therefore the night must bee spent in an holy rest to else one shall hurt himselfe more and displease God more by these vaine thoughts in the night then he could please God and benefit himselfe by keeping himselfe in good companie and good actions in the day and therefore they want the blessing because they performe not all the dutie and that which they did was in hipocrisie because they doe not care to remember that which they heard nor examine with what hart and with what profit they haue performed the duties of the day not but that a man may haue sleepe but his sleepe is to bee seasoned with the sweetnesse of the former exercises his dreames haue some tast of religion more then at other times and when they wake their thoughts meditations must bee carried after holy things because Gods eies are as fast fixed on them in their bed as in the church and hee sees and knowes their thoughts in the darke as well as their behauiour and carriage in the midst of the congregation Now God bids vs keepe the whole seauenth daye for he would haue vs giue as long a day to him as hee hath giuen vnto vs and if day containe day and night when he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour and we vpon that permission and allowance of Gods take it for graunted that in the night we may doe what businesse we haue to doe when we be in bed may spend the time in ordering our priuate affaires and pondering how to deale in such things as we haue to deale in by reason of our calling I say if we doe this and think as indeede it is true that he giues vs the night and day both for our callings why is it not so in the sabboth then that he takes the seauenth day night to himselfe as well as he giues sixe to vs. Therefore we must know that the Lords day must containe xxiiij houres and for want of this we depriue our selues of those blessings which else we might haue because we vndoe that in the night that we did in the day we did Gods work one part of his day and that was well but we take the remainder to our selues that is a fault Thirdly this teacheth vs to doe the duties of the Lords day vpon his day Now this sanctifying and keeping of it holy consists in doing things either priuate or publique The priuate are these
Moses and Aron 88 Moses patience 12 his staffe and the power thereof 88 Mothers dutie to her children 8 Murther either secret or open 43 N NAture of man 20 Nature of the Storke 5 Nabuchadnezzar 88. 89. 32. Neighbours 97. they must be loued as our selues 44. Nehemiah commended 84 Night of the sabboth to bee spent holilie 72 Note of the feare of God is feare of his word 23 O OAth 36. 51. Oath lawfull 57 Obedience 17 Obedience to God must come from the hart 5 Obedience of children 3 Obedience of the wife 22 Offence in words 41 P PAtience 11 Papists care little for the sabboth 6 Papists superstitions 35 Parents 40. 2 Parents dutie to their children 7 Paule his feare 20 Perfit loue casteth out feare 19 Periurie 53 Peoples dutie 25 Peace a branch of meekenes 44 Praier 36. 67. 74. Praier for Parents 6 Preparation to the first commandement 1 Pride 50 Punishments for breaking the sabboth 71. 78 R REading the word 36 Receiuing of the sacrament ibid. Reason of the second commandement 37 Remembrance of the sabboth day 70 Reasons why to obey the sabboth 74 Reuerence of children 3 Repentance 67. 88 Rewards for keeping the sabboth 72 Riches improfitable 59 Rules to bee obserued in correction of seruants 17 S SAboth day why consecrated 90 Saboth day 61. 62. Instituted in Paradice 63. First the day of rest 65. Now the Lords day and why ibid. Sacraments 17. 82 Salomons dutie to his mother 3 Seruants 55. 11. Their seruice of God 13 Seruants more to bee regarded then goods 100 Sinne. 98 Speach 46 Spells 48 Spirit of God the spirit of truth 90 Subjects dutie 29 Superiors in gifts 32 Suretiship 67 Suspition 94 Superstition the hatred of God 39 Strange Gods 13 Strange apparell 57 Swearing 51. swearing wickedly 52 T THe law deliuered 1 The tables broken 2 The workes of the Trinitie 2 Thankfulnesse of children 3. it consists in two things 5 The feare of the three children in the furnace 24 The brasen Serpent 33 The Cherubines ibid. Theft 71. 72 Temperance in meat and drinke 53 To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols 31 To honour what 1 Trust in God 26 Truth 96 V VAine swearing 52 Vaine iangling 46 Vineyard of God ibid. Visitation of the sicke a priuate worke of the sabboth 73 Vnreuerent speeches of Gods workes 51 Vncleanenesse two fold 56 Vowes when to be vsed 36 Vse of Gods words 47 W WAntonnesse 57 What God hates hating the world 78 What it is to feare God 20 What to bee done on the sabboth day 71 Wee must loue God 16 We must not bee discouraged wanting meanes 71 Why children should first feare their mother 3 Wherein children must obey their parents 4 Wicked impietie to make an image of Christ 32 Worshipping of Images 34 Word of God 47 Wonders in Aegipt 88 Worldly crosses 11 Z ZAcharies vprightnes 7 Ziphiâ—â— 84 FINIS AN EXPOSITION VPON THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS Exod. 20. 1. God spake these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage THESE wordes containe a preparation to stirre vs vp to keepe the law of God partly in generall to all the keeping of all the commaundements Partly more specially to the keeping of the first That preparatiue which pertaines generally to all is in these words God spake It seeeth they haue God for the author of them therefore wee must settle our selues to obey them without gainsaying because God will not bee disputed withall The preparation to the first commandement more specially is drawne partly from the nature of God partly from his benefites His nature where hee saith I am Iehouah which signifieth the essence of God incommunicable to any creature From his benefits either generall in those words thy God i. One that haue bound my selfe in couenant with thee to bee thine and to do thee good in matters for this life and the life to come Or else speciall in the last wordes which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt signifieng that hee had prooued and shewed himselfe to bee their God by drawing them out of that bondage and because the mercie of God might more appeare in their deliuerance hee shewes the grieuousnesse of the state out of the which hee deliuered them it was an house of bondage i. a place of most extreame slauerie Sith hee is thy God then and hath beene so kinde vnto thee thou must willingly acknowledge him and him onely to bee thy God God spake these words In that it bringeth the author of these wordes hee saith God spake them This doctrine ariseth to vs that God is after a speciall the author of the tenne commaundements they are his words more specially then any other And as all scripture is to be regarded as proceeding from God so more especially these tenne words because they bee after a more peculiar sort Gods words That this is so it is proued plainelie in Deuter. fiue verse two and twentie Where Moyses hauing repeated this law sets downe two priuiledges that it had aboue all other scripture to winne the more authoritie vnto it First hee saith these words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude noteing this vnto them that whereas the ceremoniall and indiciall lawes were deliuered by the ministery of Angels and the other scriptures by the meanes of the men of God the Prophets these wordes and these commaundements God himselfe as it were in his owne person full of Magestie and terrour accompanied with all his Angels in a flame of fire did pronounce so terribly in the bearing of them all as that they trembled and came to Moyses requesting him that they might no more heare God speaking on this manner for if they did assuredly they should die for feare wherefore in this first regard they must bee exceedingly reuerenced because Gods owne voice did speake them Secondly for the writing of them they were not written as other scriptures which Saint Peter saith holy men of God write according to the instinct of Gods holy spirit within them but God him selfe did write them as it were with his owne finger not vsing thereto either men or Angells as instruments Yea at the first hee made the Tables himselfe also that there might bee nothing seene wherein was not the immediate worke of God vvherein they were written but afterwardes when Moyses brake them before the Isralites that had made the goulden Calfe to shew that they by their idolatrie had broken the couenaunt and vvere vvorthie to be cast off then though God did bid Moyses make the second Tables yet himselfe write the law not vsing thereto the ministry of any of his creatures shewing that in this regarde they bee more specially GODS wordes and so more to bee regarded And besides this testimonie diuers reasons may bee vsed to shew that these are GODS owne inuention and wordes after an extraordinarie manner For first the wonderfull and perfect holinesse that
journey to take some odd thing or other that beeing forgotten in time will rush in vpon vs now and must bee done now because it was omitted before and cannot tarry till after sith then wee are so subject to distruction and so soone to forget things that if wee had had a care before might haue beene done well without any trouble in the sabboth but now through our negligence comes vpon vs on that day this must teach vs to haue a heauenly foresight that wee prouide against all such lets and cut off by our godly care all such incombrances That pollicie and care which wee see in naturall men about the market of their bodies we must learne for this market of our soule they will bee prouiding and thinking before what they must buy at the market and what they must carrie to the market and will not haue the things to bee in doing when they should haue them ready to carry with them but looke that the things they purpose to sell be prepared that so they may not be hindred but be there in good time to make their markets for their best aduantage So if euer we will make good markets for our soules we must all the weeke before be preparing our harts and setting all things straight that our harts may be burdened with no sinne nor no worldly care thē which should carry away the force of our meditations thoughts from the exercises of religion for they be spirituall and we be carnall and a little thing God knowes will make a great stirre in our fleshly harts to draw them from heauenly things and therfore vnlesse wee take great heede to examine our harts and watch ouer our selues that we walke purely holily all the sixe daies long and to cast out and discharge all affaires of this life on the one side the sinne committed on the other side the businesse omitted will hale and pull our thoughts that no attention can be giuen to matters of religion no constant or setled meditation of any heauenly thing can take place we must therefore stop out all distractions and encombrances rayse vp our harts against deadnesse and dulnesse which will make vs heauie and dull and slow to any good thing by a wise managing and finishing our outward affaires and a godly and religious ordring and preparing our harts if euer we will comfortably profitably spend the Lords day in the Lords work Then againe besids these needlesse lets which through our owne weaknesse we pul vpon our owne heads therbe hindrances enough on euery side which doe wee what wee can with all the industrie in the world we shall neuer be able wholy to preuent but they will set vpon vs. As in what family shall one come but he shall see idlenesse and slepinesse and foolishnesse manyfold wayes who that knowes himselfe any whit at all doth not feele that he is readier to follow ill example be led by ill company then to be led by Gods commandement especially when no positiue law will take hold vpon him for the breach of Gods commandement And then we haue the diuel as a Lion continually seeking to deuoure our soules to hinder vs in all things he can from religion and in the best there be such strong lusts such a loue of the pleasure and commoditie of this world that vnlesse we be strongly garded and defended will breake in vpon our harts and disorder the rank of our affections As come to a professour that is giuen to couetousnesse and ouer to whome the world beares to great an hand though he haue a true hart to God and some sound graces of the spirit of God wrought in him doe but vp some couetous talke that tends toward gaine and filthie lucre see if he will not be quite gone and forgetting God and the sabboth and himselfe and all giue his hart and tongue and all to be imployd about worldly things vnlesse he mound and fence his hart about diligently with these thoughts what though I doe hath not god bidden me remember the sabboth hath he not set a speciall mark vpon it that I should in no hand forget thus by earnest striuing shake of these vntimely words thoughts And then we shall haue the world be objecting and putting in it carnall reasons to make vs negligent why what neede you be so strict this is to much nicenesse you are more precise then wise and such like which will certainly carry one away vnlesse he striue to confirme himselfe by thinking on Gods commandement and so shut out these objections what hath not God bid mee remember and shall I suffer men to make me forget it hath not he giuen me two reasons to keep it the one stronger then the Iewes had and shall I be more negligent in keeping it then they which had but one they had weaker meanes of comfort the bloud of buls and goates the sprinkling of water and an earthly tabernacle and high priest and yet they were with reuerence to vse these and shall we that haue more excellent meanes as Christ Iesus offered vp for a sacrifice offered vp once for all and the sprinkling of his bloud to purifie our soules and the heauenly tabernacle opened for vs by him our heauenly high priest and continuall mediator shall we I say that haue all these meanes more plaine excellent then theirs be negligent to keepe this sabboth especially sith God hath giuen vs this as a meanes to draw vs from earth to heauen and to make vs grow in a spirituall life Hauing then all these impediments vnlesse we doe arme our selues in the weeke daye and strengthen our faith by remembring Gods commandement reasons by a wise cutting of those distractions which by diligence may be cut of we cannot with any comfort or cherefully celebrate a sabboth vnto the Lord. Lastly if wee reade the scriptures of God and see how often God vrgeth this point how earnestly he presseth it this will make vs labour often and continually to call to minde that which he so often hath repeated vnto vs because if it were a necessarie dutie God will not so many times in so many places require it at our hāds So that euery one must labour by searching his conscience watching ouer his soule to rouse himselfe from that lumpishnesse and drousinesse which is within him and by prouidence and forecast of outward businesse to put away all outward encombrances and distractions This then serues first to confute those that make this kinde of objections against the sabboth Oh we cannot keepe it we should bee vndone if wee should rest vpon the sabboth day for these losses and damages would ensue these hurts would come such businesses would bee left vndone but I pray you whence come all these losses what is the cause of these damages is it not because you forget the verie first word of the commandement Remember the sabboth day Then this is no
troublesome abundāce of the wicked for they may say the Lord our God hath giuen vs these thinges Therefore if God be true and iust if he be the Lord of heauen and earth if they cast themselues and their trust vpon him hee will cast all thinges good and necessarie vpon them in the due and fitte time or if they haue some outwarde wantes they shall bee recompenced with inwarde and better comforts And thus much for the eight commandement concerning the duties of all sortes of men in respect of their place superiour or inferiour The sixt commandement followes Thou shalt not kill And this commandement respects the person of our neighbour commands to procure his wellfare good safetie of his soule and bodie It bids vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe and forbides all kinde of crueltie and wante of loue The parts of it be Forbidding things in Omission to Bodie Soule commission Commanding What the thinges of omission be that are forbidden concerning the bodie it may appeare in Math. 15. Where Christ condemnes some as goates limmes of the diuell and firebrands of hell because they gaue not meate to hungrie and drinke to the thirstie and clothed not the naked and visited not the sicke and imprisoned and such like So that the omitting of these duties of mercie is an inditement stronge enough to bring such persons to hell And Luke 16. In the parable of Lazarus and Diues Diues is condemned for want of mercie that hee had enough to bestow on pride and vanitie and pompe to set out himselfe but nothing to giue to his poore and comfortlesse brother sheweing the doome of all such wretched persons such as Iohn saith which haue this worlds goods and yet let their Godly brethren want shutting vp the bowels of compassiō frō doing good the charge of crueltie and want of mercy lyes heauie vpon such for he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard An other thing of omission is when he neglects to pay the due wages and recompence for the worke of any poore man For if it be a miserable sinne not to doe good freely where neede requires it is much more abominable and damnable not to giue a due debt and reward of the worke So Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant thou shalt giue him his wages for his day nor shall the sunne goe downe vpon it This is condemned as an vniust and vnmercifull thing that when one hath hired a seruant or any to doe his worke when the worke is done he should either giue him no wages or else giue it him in conuenient and due time but hee must seeke for it when he should haue vse of it for his releife and God saith there if such a one be pinched with necessitie and crie vnto God God will heare and reueng his wrong And Iob to proue himselfe no hypocrite vseth an imprecation concerning this sinne in chapter 31. that if he haue eaten the fruite of his land without siluer and hath not paid the wages to him that telled it and brought in his haruest or if the furrowes of his land haue cried together against him then let his grounde bee accursed as indeede he had beene an accursed person and broken this commandement in an high degree And if he had done so the verie earth would haue cried the furrowes would haue made a complaint against For two sinnes there be in the second table that makes the land crie to God that he can haue as it were no rest till he take vengeance the one Sodomie and the other oppression and crueltie against this commandement As afore in Deutrimonie and in Iames he saith Howle you rich men and why what miserie is neere why the crie of the poore oppressed by you is come vp in the eares of the Lord When one gets his good so ill and enricheth himselfe by withhoulding other mens dues though the man should be silent and say nothing yet his necessitie his bellie and his backe would make an hideous outcrie before God til he had executed his vengeance And for sinning in this branch of this commandement Iehoiachin was blamed Ierem. 22. 13. to 20. vers Which is so much the rather to be noted because most men thinke that the differences of persons may make some excuse for their sinne but it is not so For if any might vse the laboure of an other without recompence then might the Kinge who is the soueraigne Lord of all yet he being a King is reproued by God for this it is said he built his house without equitie how is that proued he vseth his neighbour without wages and giues him not for his worke and for this cause and his filthy couetousnesse God would not vouchsafe him the commō honour of men to be couered with earth whē he was dead but he should be buried as an asse his skinne puld ouer his eares stript of all hee had and then dragd without the Citie throwne out that his carcas might be food for beasts birds and what was his crime why this he did not reward the poore but serued himselfe vpon them And this commandement is broken in omission of thinges pertaining to the bodie as in not doing workes of mercie and in not paying wages and dues to those to whom they are due The omission of the dutie to the soule is either of superiours or inferiours Of superiours as first and cheifly of the minister if he doe not preach and admonish his people plainly and fathfully he is guiltie of murdering distroying their soules As in Ezek. 32. If hee tell not the people of their sinnes they shall die in them but the bloud shall be required at his hands and if hee doe tell them though they amend not he is free as Paule saith I am innocent of the bloude of you and why because I haue tolde you all the counsell of God and kept nothing backe And for other gouernours also as the parents and masters of families for euerie man is a bishop in his owne familie For so he saith in Deut. Thou O Israell shalt teach these thinges vnto thy children thou shalt talke of them c. Those then that haue no care to teach their children and seruants to know God or to come to the word of God wherby they may be sanctified and brought to saluation such embrue their hands with the bloud of their soules and are guiltie of crueltie because through their negligence they let those that are committed to their charge to run headlong into their owne distruction Such are those against whose soule this charge shall lye harde at the day of the Lord That neuer so much as will their inferiours to come to heare Gods worde and to such exercises as may encrease their knowledge but rather permitte yea encourage them to breake the Lords sabboth and spend it in foolish and wicked exercises either at hōe or else
stoode resolute for the cause of God and shewed the King plainely that they would not dishonor God to please him or for his anger if god would they knew that he could deliuer them if he would not yet this they let him know that they would not incurre Gods anger and danger of euerlasting death for feare of any bodily death But on the contrary side so farre as any man hath not the feare of God but feares man more then God then they will vpon euery occasion runne to euill as if one be in some fault that he thinkes he shall be punished for it then he will help himselfe by lying and thinkes that he hath made a very good shift if he can escape by that meanes this is now to make man a god and god an Idoll when one will seeke to make the face of man milde and gentle by making gods face angry frowning So those that when they be in distresse and in some neede by pouertie will venture to help themselues by breaking gods saboth taking time from his worship to labour for their owne gaine this is plaine that they feare the feare of the wicked and doe not make God their dread for if they did it is most sure they would depart from euill So he that feareth god no hope of promotion or outward benefit can make him consent to wickednesse as Ioseph might in likelihood haue ben a great gainer and gotten much promotion by yelding to the wicked and filthie allurements of his mistresse yet he would not giue the least mark of consenting because he was afrayde to sinne against god So in Isa 51. 12. Who art thou that fearest mortall man that must be giuen to the wormes and forgettest thy God that did spread out the heauens The great feare of mans power ariseth from the forgetting of gods free power When one is in such a terrour of man that is but dust and cannot defend himselfe against the wormes but they shall creepe in his bowells and eate vp his hart will he nill he it comes from hence that one doth quite forget that there is such a God as was able to make heauen and earth of nothing and that hath fearefull judgements layde vp for sinners and then indeed he feares man and then he will sinne if he bid him and rather be so seruile to his master and superiour as to breake Gods law then to beare his anger and chiding or correction and if man bid him doe any thing he will doe it though God bid him doe the contrarie Therefore in the Reuel when he reckons vp a great rable of reprobates and the whole host of damned sinners he puts the fearefull in the verie forefront of them and makes them the captaines ring-leaders of all the rest those which be fearefull not fearefull that be not fearfull to displease God breake his law but herein they be audacious and impudent but for any good seruice of God they be afrayde to doe it They be afraid to keepe the saboth or goe to heare sermons least they should be accounted to precise they will not serue God least their old acquaintance and friends should forsake them least their neighbours should mock laugh at them they feare least they should be jested at This dastardlinesse and coldnesse to doe good but courage and readinesse to doe ill that if men doe but hold vp the finger and the basest and most abject persons in a country doe but speake a word or two he may allure and perswade them to drink swill and breake the sabbath and such other filthie sinnes which they haue promised to forsake and God hath threatned to punish shewes plainely that they be voide of the true feare of God The third and last note of the true feare of God is to delight in Gods commandements to walke in his wayes as he saith Blessed is the man that feareth God and delighteth greatly in his commandements He that hath no delight to walk in gods waies but in his owne hath all the pleasure in talking of his owne commoditie and profit not of Gods lawes as though himselfe were the god to be serued and lust had the soueraintie and command of his hart and not God such an one hath not the feare of God but if one delight to conferre of gods law and take his greatest pleasure in speaking and thinking of Gods commandements such an one may conclude with him selfe assuredly that he hath that feare of God in his hart which will keepe him to euerlasting life so long as hee keepes and embraceth it Hence then the best man in this world may learne to confesse his owne weaknesse and to acknowledge the wants and defects of this feare of God for that so much feare of death and of pouertie and of disgrace and of men shewes a great emptinesse of the feare of God This trembling at mens thratnings so much at gods threatnings so little that is in all men by nature the great feare of loosing earthly things and little feare to loose heauenly things the much delight we haue in matters of this world and little delight in the law of God testifies to our faces shewes plainely that we haue but a verie little sparke of the true feare of God those which haue most of it These wants we must see and confesse and runne vnto Christ Iesus that made a perfect and absolute satisfaction that he might supply our imperfections and then of his fulnesse we shall haue enough to fulfill that wherin our selues came short Thus much of the true holy feare that God commands such a feare as being joyned with loue and proceding from it makes vs loue him more and more obey him The next and last dutie commanded in this first commandement is to trust in God with all our harts to put our full confidence and relie wholy vpon him and him alone This is commanded Prou. 3. 5. Trust on God with all thine heart and leane not to thine owne wisedome Though thine owne reason tell thee now that I haue great prosperity and the vvorld at will I shall bee safe yet trust not to that but make God thine onely stay So Iere. 17. 7. Blessed is that man that trusts in God and makes him his stay for hee shall be like the tree planted by the water side Hee shewes that hee that trusts in God shall be blessed of God so that he shall be still in a florishng estate vvhat euer heat j. stirres or alterations and changes others feele hee shall bee well still for he shall be alwaies fruitfull and indeede this is the onely happinesse of a christian to bee fruitfull in good workes and this is the miserie of all miseries to be barren in good workes that pincheth his hart is as a scorching heat indeed but so long as one trusts in God he shal be kept in the spring still it shal be no winter nor fal of the leafe
fruitlesse jangling is a great abuse of the scripture which is one excellent part of gods name by which he will bring vs to the knowledge of himselfe when one hath no care to make the end of his speech the glory of God for high talke becomes not a foole it is an vnseemely absurd thing to heare a prophane wicked beast be prating discoursing of Gods word that doth not account of it as hee should why should he haue it in his mouth that hath it not in his hart First let him get the law of God written in his owne hart and then let him open his mouth in wisedome and instruct others as God saith in Deut. 6. 6. Let these words bee in thine hart and thou shalt rehearse them continually First then let one labour to haue the vse of Gods word in himselfe and to make it his owne and lay it vp in his hart and then hee may with fruit and comfort bring it forth and confer of it to others else if one bee an idle talker and a foolish vaine disputer of that which hee neuer had any experience and working in himselfe the more hee speakes the worse it is the more hee dishonoureth God abuseth the word and hurteth his owne soule First then Gods name is taken in vaine by the abuse of his word in curious fruitles prating of it Therefore one must neuer talke of gods word but that hee may bring some glory to God and some good edification to men as the Apostle saith Edifie one another in your most holy faith vnlesse this bee our scope when euer wee take Gods word in our mouth to build one another vp in godlinesse wee peruert the word of God and prophane his name Secondly Gods name is polluted by vs when vvee speake of his word in mockage after a jesting and a scoffing manner as those did of which Peter speakes that derided the doctrine of the last judgement ho say they all things continue a like since the fathers when will hee come q. d. Wee heare a large discourse and heere is much a do among these preachers now a daies about the great day of judgement a terrible day that must come wherein all men must be cald to account they say for their workes but where is it where is the truth of their fearefull tale when comes this judgement wee would faine see it once and thus because God doth not presently sit vpon the bench and passe sentence and see the execution done immediatly and reward euery one the wicked by casting them to hell-fire and the good men by taking them vp to the ioyes of heauen foolish vaine men that haue no faith make a merriment and a sport to laugh at this doctrine So in Isaiah because he told them of death the Atheists fell to flouting come say they these prophets tell vs wee must all die if wee must die then let vs take our pleasure whilst wee may let vs eate drinke and bee merry to morrow soule and body and all must come to nothing there will bee nothing left well we will plie it while time serues and thus these vilde irreligious beasts turned all the exhortations of the Prophet to a mocke So many lewd persons in these daies are ready to abuse the words of Christ where hee said if one giue thee a blow on the one eare turne the other to him to deride Christians nay say they pray you turne the other eare to Shamelesse persons will not the reuerence of Christ feare them from the abuse of such words as hee with his owne mouth vttered These be the words of God spoken and penned by the wisedome of the holy Ghost for the direction and instruction of his children not for euerie prophane swaggerer and drunken beast to roule vp and down in his filthie mouth to moue laughter with them and this is a common thing among fantasticall fellowes that desire to be thought wittie and conceited that if any place of scripture serue their turne to gird or quip one another or such like purpose they had rather god should loose his glory and gods word the grace and authoritie of it then that they will loose their jest thus that which God appointed to edifie their soules in godlinesse they peruert to stirre vp themselues and others to foolish and wicked and prophane laughter So thirdly the word of God is abusd in a most grose and notorious manner when one brings it in the defence of any sinne or error or heresie which is to presume to wrest Gods weapons out of his hands as it were and beat him with his owne sword This is a greater abuse of the sacred word of God and more hurtfull and mischieuous then either swearing or forswearing Thus the diuell did most damnably prophane Gods name and word when he misused that to make Christ goe out of his way that was written to encourage all Gods children in their waies thus setting as it were an ill-fauoured shape vpon Gods word that it may seeme to agree with his diuellish temptations so let wicked voluptuous liuers that spend all their time and labour in pursuing vaine and fond sports and games and such foolish and fleshly delights as makes them no whit more seruiceable to God or the common weale nor doe any good to their owne soules or bodies or any mans else let such men I say be reproued and told that this kinde of liuing is not allowable it will not hold out before god man was made to bring glory to god and doe good in this world not to bring pleasure to his flesh and liue idly in the world and therefore they must repent and amend you shall haue an excuse straight Gods word must bee brought as a defence they doe not breake Gods commandement without warrant out of the scripture if you will beleeue them what say they would you haue a man liue without delight doe you not allow recreation why the scripture doth afford a man recreation and then a number of places must be brought in for recreation to maintaine their voluptuousnesse But vaine man doth not the scripture command a vocation and the recreation as an help to further in it now if one may aske you that stand so much for recreation what is your occupation what sore trauaile is that that wearies your body what earnest studie troubles your braine that you must haue so much refreshing and so much recreating it must bee some very painefull labour that needes so much rest to make one able to performe it it is a sore labour indeede for it is the seruice of lust and the diuell two hard masters But this turning of recreation into a vocation or a vexation rather is not alowable by Gods word How darest thou then bee so impudentlie audacious as to rob God of his treasure to maintaine thy filthy lust and defile his holie word by defending thine vnholy practise So likewise come to a couetous person
in so meane a place and so contemptible a degree but that he must if he will take the name of Christ vpon him the profession of christian religion he must adorne and deck it which he may doe by being faithfull and diligent in his place and giuing euerie man his due conscionably Euen a seruant if he be not audacious and saucie and malapart and picking and false but trustie and diligent and seruiceable and patient and meeke and humble he keepes Gods commandement he glorifies God he graces religion he works out his owne saluation doth what in him lyes to conuert his vnbeleeuing master and shall haue a reward for this as well as if he were in an higher and more honorable calling that the world made more account off Therefore this serues againe to confute those professors that are so slenderly seene in the meaning of Gods commandements as that they think if they be not common swearers and outragious blasphemers the third commandement hath nothing to say them they be free from the breach of it But this and all other of Gods commandements are broken as well by omission as commission as well by not performing that that is therein enjoyned as by doing that that is forbidden for God doth not giue a law altogether negatiue but it consists of a part affirmatiue to And because neglecting obedience to the first braunch of this holy commandement care not to crosse God in that that is neerest vnto him therfore he crosseth plagueth them in that that they doe most set by In the verie first petition Christ bids vs say Hallowed or sanctified be thy name j. Let vs and all professours be so well grounded in the vnderstanding of the word and rooted in the good affection to the same as that their life led in all good conscience may bring glorie to thy name and religion Now for one dayly to make this prayer and neuer to regard his actions how they be agreeable to his petition and such as in truth doe sanctifie Gods name what is that in deede but to dishonour him both in his life in his prayer And thus much how ones life should glorifie God Now follows how he must glorifie him in word speaches First in speaking of Gods word as one ought for wee must not onely not speake of it vainely jestingly or wrestingly but wee must looke that wee doe speake of it to those good vses and with that good affection and reuerence that is meete And so in Deutr. 6. 7. These words shall bee in thine hart and thou shalt rehearse them continually c. So that it is not left at ones discreation whether hauing gods word in his hart hee will speake it but it is laid as a commandement with equall authoritie with the former that hee shall talke of it and surely if it bee within it will bee heard without as Psal 37. 30. 31. The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome the law of God is in his hart his feete shall not slide Hee shewes the priuiledge of a righteous man that hee hath Gods law so rooted and setled in his hart as it will sprout and bud foorth in his mouth and these doe so keepe and preserue him that either he shall not doe any thing that is wicked or fall into sinne or if hee doe hee shall bee soone and happily recouered Those therefore faile much in this dutie that will neuer talke of any thing in the scripture or of any part in gods word they will come to the church giue the preacher an houres hearing but follow them out of the church dore what kind of conference shal you heare come frō them not one word of the sermon but presently of earth earth straight to the rooting againe though these men bee not common swearers yet they haue broke this commandement for God commands vs heere to speake so wiselie and discreetlie of his law as others may reape fruit and himselfe to And therefore howsoeuer foolish persons are readie to excuse themselues that they bee not booke-learned and therefore they cannot talke of scripture but they haue a good hart and if one could see into them hee should see wonders forsooth and many great matters they haue in their hart as this by the way must be marked for a general rule that as euery man is more emptie of goodnesse so he is most full of bragging and the most ignorant persons be the greatest boasters those that neither know God nor themselues nor haue any sparke of grace and repentance of all others these will make you the most florishing shew in words what a good hart they haue how good a faith how they serue God day and night and many excellent things rare men they bee if you will beleeue their owne report for such persons I say that haue all their goodnesse lockt vp so that it can neuer come abroad they may say what they will of themselues but Christ saith that a good man out of the good treasure of his hart brings foorth good things This is such a treasure as must needes be brought to light now and then yea continually for if one say he hath a coffer full of good gold and yet can fetch nothing out but counters no man euer saw him bring an handfull of pure gold out of his chest but euery day counters good store sure by this that comes abroad one may quickly gesse what store is within and few wise men will count him euer the richer for his golden words when hee hath nothing but brasse comes out of his purse And so in the Pro. the wise man saith that the tongue of the righteous is a tree of life and that it feedeth many And therefore hee that can feede no man how comes this to passe surely hee is not a tree of life hee wants grace So that as a man must not speake idly and peruertinglie of Gods word so hee must not holde his peace neither as if hee were dumbe but hee must haue the law of grace vnder his lips and speake of it reuerently to edification and hee that doth not so breakes the third commandement Secondly one must speake of Gods titles properties with feare and with an holie trembling to the benefit of men and the praise of God by them Thus Dauid in the 40. Psal 9. saith of him selfe I haue declared thy righteousnesse in the great congregation I haue not hid thy righteousnesse and I consealed not thy mercie and thy truth c. These were the things whereof Dauid would speake of the great mercie of God and of his wonderfull and stable truth that men might learne hence to flie vnto him and depend vpon him in their miseries And hee should shew forth his righteousnesse that men should know that it would surelie goe well with the righteous and that the wicked should haue according to the worke of his hands for God being righteousnesse itselfe must needs punish the
that with a true hart is willing to be taught and to confound also and condemne and leaue without excuse before Gods judgement seat such as will not yeeld to playne and strong reasons drawne out of the word of God but continue obstinate in their false conceits But because the point may be more plaine and manifest it is good to answere some of their objections whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth Now the grand obiection is because we keep not the same sabboth that the Iewes did but the day is altered therefore they say we must keepe none This is their argument of so great waight but how foolish it shall appeare easily if we examine it a little more narrowly For though we keepe not the selfe same day that they did yet we haue the same commandement authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day in Reuel 1. Where Iohn saith He was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Afore it was called the day of rest because God rested on it from the work of creation but now it is called the Lords day because Christ Jesus instituted it as a speciall memoriall of his resurrection perfecting of the work of our redemption For the Apostles by the authoritie of that spirit which alwaies assisted them in their ministeriall office did alter the day themselues kept ordained it to be kept in all the churches As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he saith The first day of the weeke when yee meet together c. Where the Apostle shewes that the congregations of Christ were wont on the first day of the weeke to meet together for the performance of all holy duties of the number whereof collection for the poore was one because of the manifold persecutions wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe This was the first day of the Iewish weeke our Lords day So also in the Acts. Paul himself kept this day which he spent in preaching till midnight and after administred the sacramēt in which two exercises he cōtinued till the dawning of the day So that the keeping of this day was instituted by God in the ministrie of the Apostles and kept by them and the churches in their time therfore as strongly commands vs as the Iewes and is of no lesse force now then before Then secondly the reason of the chaunge and of our keeping this day is no lesse then of their keeping that day For when the creation of the world was the greatest work that euer was done then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded But now that a greater more excellent work was done namely the redemption of the world it was reason that the greatest work should carry the credit of the day They rested the seauenth day because on that God rested from the work of creation wee this eight day because in it Christ rise againe from the work of our redemption which being a greater work caused a chaunge of the day Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and strong reason that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement And wheras they say that the church may at their pleasure alter it that is not so for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apostles nor a cause greater then the resurrection of Christ and the redemption of the church and therefore neither can the day be chaunged for to make a new day where no such warrant did allow nor no cause occasion it were to take more vpon them then is fit For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy hauing onely the creation of the world to think vpon and to remēber by the celebrating of their seauenth day then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater sith besids this benefit of our making we haue a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Christ added vnto it so that any one of the two ought to sanctifie it more rather then to cast it of all together and to be so much the more carefull to giue this day wholy to God by how much he hath shewed a greate mercie to vs so that we should neuer speake or think of this chaunge but we should also call to minde this great benefit which was the cause of it If Adam had cause to spend a day in praysing God for his creation then wee haue greater cause seeth besides that we haue also the redemption to bee thankefull for And if this bee a good argument wee keepe not the selfe same day that the Iewes did therefore the dutie is abollished and wee are bound to keepe none then by the same reason one might conclude thus you see wee haue not the same sacraments for the outward seales that the Iewes had for they had circumcision and they had the pascall Lambe what tell you mee of the consecrate water and of the bread and wine hallowed the Iewes had no such matter sith these signes be altered I think it was but a ceremonie and wee neede not regard baptisme the supper this were no good argument in this case for though the shadowes bee other yet the substance bee the same Christ Iesus is signified by our bread and wine as well as by their Lambe and our baptisme is the sacrament of regeneration as well as their circumcision Therefore wee should not despise them but so much the more bee carefull to prepare our selues for them because the seruice is more easie the promises more lightsome If then it will not hold that we haue no sacraments because the outward seales bee altered then it is as weake a consequence that wee haue no seauenth day to bee sanctified because the day is altered and wee keepe not the same that they did So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie that the dutie is abolished because the authoritie is as strong the reason as good and the same reason doth not hold in other things Againe they object that to a christian euery day is a sabboth day and therefore wee should not restraine it to one day more then another but the answere to this is that it is most false for God doth not require neither is a christian able to keep euery day a sabboth day so long as they remain on earth indeede in heauen hee shall keepe a continuall sabboth vnto the Lord but now so long as wee liue there is as much difference betwixt the sabboth day and otheir daies as betwixt the consecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table This is true that euery one must serue God on the sixe daies and all his life long but on the seauenth day wee must not onely serue God
After examination of our owne harts and finding out of our sinfull wayes with repentance and sorrow for the same to beseech God that he would prepare and fit our harts to profit by the publique exercises of religion on the sabboth And to entreat him that he would so direct the ministers mouth is that he may speake to our harts and say something that serues to kill our sinne and to comfort and build vp our souls that as he is appointed for a phisition so he would fit vs with some medicine as well as others as saint Paul bids them pray for him that he may haue the dore of vtterance And when one doth this in an humble hart desiring to repent and turne from his sinnes in good earnest he shall neuer come to the sermon but he shall heare some one lesson or other that will make him better and he shal haue cause to thank God for it But if one come rudely into Gods house from brauling chiding at home or so soone as he is out of his bed to come to the church without preparing his hart or fitting himselfe by any prayer to God or confession and sorrow for his sinne then he shall feele that to his vncleane hart all things are vncleane the word shal be but a tediousnesse serue to the further hardning of his hart Also one must reade some part of the scripture priuately that may season his hart and settle and quiet his minde affections that he may be more teachable And that he may the better fit himselfe after this sort he is to rise betime in the morning for there is none so good a master no work so good in it selfe nor none that will bring so great a reward therefore we should rise as earely to serue this master in this work as any day else for any other work and if we doe thus we may haue sufficient to prouide for the publique exercises that we may come vnto them with profit Also an other priuate work of the sabboth is to releâ—ue and visit them that be sick or in any kinde of miserie And so also to reconcile those that be at jarre and discord Further also to meditate vpon the word that we haue heard and to ponder of it to apply it to our selues to marke what we haue remembred what we haue layd vp in our harts and purpose to follow and how matters stand betwixt God and our selues in the things that haue bene deliuered for till the word be thus made our own it is but as chaffe lying loose in the hart that euery puffe of winde will driue away and euery temptation will blow from vs. It is not as a treasure locked vp that will stand vs in some steede in the time of neede Likewise to confer with other christians among whom we liue to talke of the things taught calling them to minde and how they were prooued vnto vs and then further to enlarge them according to our owne perticuler necessitie and as it were to spread the medicine vpon one an others harts These be the priuate things which as euery one is more careful to performe so shal he receiue a more large and abundant blessing vpon the publique Now the publique themselues are To ioyne with the rest of the congregasion in praying and praysing God with one hart and voice in diligent attending to the word publikely read preached for there is a greater blessing promised to this ministeriall reading then to any mans reading at home Then also the vse of the sacraments as to be present at baptisme for the departing away argues a great contempt of it and with a publique disgrace of Gods ordinance for if one or two haue libertie the rest haue the like and then where were the reuerence Therefore one must tarrie at such exercises as to shew his reuerence so secondly to help the congregation in praysing God for ingrafting an other member into his visible bodie of the church to pray that God would giue the inward working fruit of the same by his holy spirit And to edifie himselfe also by calling to minde that he is also made pertaker of the new couenant and joyned to Christ Iesus And to examine himselfe what fruit he hath felt in himselfe of the death of Christ in killing his sinne and of his resurrection in raising him vp to newnesse of life so either to be humbled if he feele not that profit he would or to be thankfull feeling this work of baptisme and to comfort himselfe in the remembrance of this that the merite and vertue of Christ Iesus his death is his to satisfie for his sinnes and to kill by little and little the power of them all which things we see now presently sealed vp to the partie baptised in the present action For the baptising of the infant is not onely for his profit but for the good of all the church that euery one may see his dutie and what God hath promised and what benefit himselfe is to receaue and looke for Another dutie but priuate is praier after the sermon and publike meeting that those good things which one hath remembred may bee turned into a praier which he must offer vnto God beseeching him that hath shewed him what is to be auoided to giue him power to auoide it and to encline his hart to keepe the things commanded as well as to tell him the dutie that belongs vnto him and as hee hath hard many sweet promises which will doe him no good so long as he hath an vnbeleeuing hart cannot bring himselfe to giue credit vnto them therfore that God would also knit the promises vnto his hart and giue him grace to trust vpon them and to remember them when hee shall haue neede Thus much for one dutie required to sanctifie the sabboth Now the next words follow Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. IN which words God shews a reason why we should obey this commandement God hath giuen a man sixe daies for the duties of his calling but on this condition that hee shall contriue all his works so within the compasse of the sixe daies so that hee let none remaine till the seauenth nor reserue any outward thing to trouble him from the seruice of God on the sabboth From this equitie God drawes a reason to moue euerie one of vs to keepe the sabboth From this we may gather that Gods commandements are equall as hee saith in Ezek. 18. 25. God deales with those that charge his lawes of vnjustice and shewes that his waies bee all together equall the waies of man be vnequall So 1. Iohn 5. he saith that the commandements of God are easie indeede to manie they be most tedious and heauie but this is not from any vnequalnesse in the law but from the naughtinesse of the men that haue carnal harts and worldly mindes for if one haue ouercome the world and growne any thing spirituall so farre Gods
should bee of this mind for if he do as he professeth indeede loue god aboue all ought he not to be more carefull of Gods glory then of his owne commodity more see to gods seruice then his own gaine now we know that masters suffer not their seruants to be idle on the weeke days therfore if he loue god he shuld be so much more diligent ouer them that they neglect not the word of God on his day by how much the glory of God is more deare and precious to him then his priuate commoditie For as he that is a true subiect to the prince loues him indeed wil not keepe such a man in his house that will not bee subiect to his lawes so hee that is himselfe rightly affected to God and his glory will not suffer such a prophane person vnder his roofe that will dishonour him openly and not care to obserue his sabboth Secondly if one beare any loue to his seruants or children euen for their owne sakes hee must see to them that they breake not the sabboth but that they come to such exercises where they may receiue the spirit of God and the chiefe good to their soules alwaies a good gouernour must gouerne for the good of those that bee vnder him now what greater good can hee doe to them then to vse those meanes whereby they may know God in Christ Iesus and bee brought to saluation So that if one will not shew a disloyall hart against God and vnlouing and vnfaithfull hart to his people that hee cares not for their saluation hee must see that they keepe the sabboth so farre as it belongs to him namely by being outwardly present at the workes of religion Thirdly in regard of our owne good to such as be masters must bee carefull ouer their seruants in this regard for take this for a generall rule hee that will not bee faithfull to God will neuer bee faithfull to man hee that hath no care to serue God in duties of religion will haue lesse care to serue his master in the duties of his calling as indeede they haue for if the honour of God and their owne saluation will not moue them why should they bee moued for their masters profit or businesse but hee that serues God with a good conscience will serue his master with a good conscience and though his master bee not present to rebuke him his owne conscience will checke him and when the feare of his master will not keepe from idlenesse and vntrustinesse the feare of God will keepe him and the commandement of God will restraine him else either they will doe nothing or what they doe is all for eie seruice to bee seene of men and when the masters eie is off then by idlenesse or wastfulnesse or pilfering they will hurt one more then the faithfull keeping of the sabboth can hinder them for that will not hinder them at all but bee a meanes to bring the blessing of God on their labours in the weeke day As Iacob a faithfull seruant to God was blessed in all Labans businesse and Ioseph a true worshipper of the Lord had prosperitie to follow him and accompanie him in all his trauailes Therfore if wee will shew our loue to God and to them and desire that they bee faithfull to vs and God should blesse their labours in our affaires bring them to the seruice of God and exercises of religion on the sabboth and haue a care that they breake not the holy day of the Lord. This serues for the reproofe of those men which beare this minde toward their seruants that so their owne worke be performed they care not how Gods worke is neglected let their seruants bee carefull to doe their businesse on the sixe daies let them bee as carelesse as they list of Gods on the seauenth day let them spend it euen how they will they haue free libertie from the masters This shewes men to bee louers of themselues more then louers of God and proues that they loue filthie lucre and gaine of the world more then the glorie of God for if Gods glorie were but as deere to them as their monie they would bee as impatient at his dishonour by their seruants negligence as at losses that come to themselues by their seruants negligence Oh but they say they be rude youthes and will break out from vs we cannot keepe them in Be not these deepe dissemblers is not this grosse hipocrisie can you not keepe them in Who keepes them in on the sixe dayes can you make them tarry at home then can you set them to their businesse and not suffer them to be gadding yet that is for sixe dayes space this is but for one that labour which then they doe is far more toylesome to the bodie can you make them will they nill they spend sixe whole dayes in more painefull tedious work can you not constraine them to keepe at home and doe more easie works in respect of bodily labour and that but for one whole day this is miserable shifting plaine halting these excuses will not holde before God he will shew you that you had made as much account of seruing his honour and glory and obeying his commandement as you doe of seruing your owne filthie couetous lust and obeying the diuell if his name had bene as deere to you as gayne you might with as much ease cause your seruants to spend the seauenth day in his seruice to his glory as sixe before it in your owne seruice to your profit But what is the cause that youth is so rude is it not because they haue learnt it of age Why be inferiours so prophane but because they follow the patterne and tread in the steps of their superiours how come the branches to bring such ill fruit but that the root hath no better sap for if the seruants might but see so much loue of God and care of keeping gods commandements appeare in the conuersation of their masters and dames as they see of the world and eagernesse after lucre they would at least for outward shew be better But now that they see their masters and know his disposition they frame themselues thereafter to serue him in his couetous lust rob God of his honour If the seruant should but leaue his businesse one or two houres in the weake and runne hoyting about some sports and vanities when hee comes home his master will bee vpon his backe his dame would haue a saying to him hee should be so bayted with rebukes and chiding as if it were a beare with dogs so that though hee had a good minde to bee abroad and had no great hart to stand sweating at his businesse yet miserable feare would make him tarrie at home rather then he would endure the sharp sauce that must come after and bee chidden thus againe hee will keepe within doores but let him be where hee will and doe what hee will vpon the
counsell of his word and of his seruants If you had taken this course which is the right course you had beene safe but now that you are falne the best way is not to lye crying and exclaiming against him that was an occasion of your fall but seeke how to rise vp againe take the right phisicke and goe to the right phisition God is the phisition true repentance and prayer for helpe is the right medicine and if one vse these meanes they shall find helpe the hurt is cured Thus much for wastfulnesse the next is niggardlinesse A base couetous needie and euill eye when one cannot finde in his heart to take his part of the things God hath bestowed vpon him but will serue and pinch himselfe and rob himselfe of the vse of that which he hath in his owne keeping this is as bad as if he should doe the same to an other all is one to bring pouertie vpon an other by wronging him and to bring a needlesse need vpon himselfe by wronging himselfe It is a most miserable and base thing for one to restraine himselfe of his lawfull libertie in meat drinke apparell and honest recreation where God hath not abridged him This sinne the wise man sets forth Eccles 2. 26. Where he speakes of two sorts of people the one which God loues and to those he giues not onely riches and aboundance of all things but also the right and ioyfull vse of the same that they shall be able with comfort to vse that which God hath giuen them But there is an other kind of people whom God hates and how shall they speed thus They shall haue payne to gather and heape vp wealth which must be bestowed vpon those that be holy and good in Gods sight God hath certaine enemies in the world vpon whom he purposeth to be auenged in this life and how will he plague them This shall be their curse he will appoint them to be slaues and drudges and lay vp wealth great store but they shall want a liberall and a good vse they shall toyle and moyle and tumble and tosse and carke and care and struggle and striue for earth a great deale more then Gods children can doe for heauen and when they haue beene at all this labour and spent themselues thus they shall see no good day nor haue one houre of comfort an other must enioy all Likewise in Eccles 6. 1. Salomon speakes of the same sinne he cals it an euill sicknesse a plague of the soule and a pestilence of the conscience And yet it is verie common among men that a man should haue good and wealth enough enough to serue the husband and wife to spend to their daies merily together and to suffice the parents to reioyce with their children and gouernours to liue quietly among and with their seruants if they had a heart to take their part but through the vnsatiablenesse of the mind there are such seares such cares such wishing such desiring such wrestling such wrangling with wife and chafing with seruants that it is a house of disquiet and vexation and in the midst of all outward meanes of comfort they liue all without comfort This is a sicke family this house is infected with the plague of God that vpon the soule this is a most miserable and grieuous disease Therefore we must all learne to beware of this basenesse which is ordinarie with men of most abilitie of all in the parish you shall haue them come seldomest to Church vpon the sabboth daies no more then needs they must but vpon the weeke day neuer at all not once in a twelue month and if you aske them why what is the reason you can finde no leisure to come to heare Gods word and to seeke the meanes your saluation vpon the weeke daies why alasse we haue such a deale of buisinesse so much rrouble as that we cannot dispatch it in anie time we must needs follow our calling and see to our household and thus commonly it is seene that those which haue most land liuing haue most paines and vexation all lies vpon them and all must come through their own hands they haue no seruants none to helpe themselues and they must needs looke to it but who puts them to all this trouble who laies such a burthen vpon them surely this it is that eyther they be so miserable and close fisted that ye will not lay out any thing to hire helpe or else if they doe entertaine a seruant they punish him so miserably in his diet deale so deceitfully with him in his wages or oppresse ouercharge him so cruelly with labour as that he that hath had experience of them one yeare will not be perswaded to liue with them the second and thus they trouble themselues with plaine nigardise and no necessitie that God hath imposed vpon them This men commonly call good husbandrie and thrift for a man to lay about him so and take on and doe all himselfe but it is plaine theft before God for one to spend himselfe pull a want vpon himselfe when he may liue in plenty Gods marks be found vpō him for a wicked man and a cursed sinner when he hath much but can vse nothing That he which hath a verie small portion may liue more comfortably sleepe more quietly pray more cheerefully and sing Psalmes with greater ioy then he that hath so much abundance as nothing hurts him but too much These therfore that be such miserable bondslaues to lucre and couetousnes as that they be as much at the command of gaine both for their bodie their sleepe and euerie thing as the saints of God be vnto Christ Iesus let them repent of there theeuerie and not bragge of their honestie say they will desie him that will call them theeues for then they must desie God for he will tell them they be theeues that will not thankefully vse his benefits but pinch and sterue themselues We would thinke that it were an ill member in the bodie that would not be content that any other member should haue any thing but would be scraping all to it selfe and nothing was well which was not bestowed vpon it For the bodie hath seuerall parts and euery one hath his proper vse that is fittest for it selfe and so in the mamilie the husband and wife haue both their duities and there is a place for seruants to and those that one for couetousnesse will weare himselfe and spend himselfe and spend his strength and spirits that all must goe through his hand and nothing can be well vnlesse it be of his owne doing this misdeeming of others and ouercharging of himselfe is a damnable sinne and vnlesse he repent for it God will proceed against him at the day of iudgement as against as base a theefe as any vnder heauen Thus much for theft in ones owne goods Now for theft of an other mans goods And first of that which is done with