The first Question.

HAth there euer been in the world amongst men some Religion?

Ans. Yea, for to make all men inexcusable, the Lorde hath ingrafted in the minde of e­uerie one a secrete sure perswasion, that there is a God: who as he made man, so is he of man to bee serued and obeyed. By which secrete perswasion it came to passe, that there was neuer from the be­ginning of the worlde any Region, Towne, or House, wherein was not some Religion.

Que. Then is not Religion a pollicie of man to keepe people in obedience?

Ans. No, it were horrible to thinke [Page 2] so, for it is plaine that religion is of na­ture and by nature, though true religi­on be not.

Que. How prooue you that?

Ans. First, verie reason teacheth it. For what policie could euer haue made man the Lorde of all Creatures, fall down and worship the vilest creatures, vnlesse there had béen something before in his nature to leade him to it? Se­condly, it is plainely prooued in the ex­ample of Pilate, Iohn. 19.8. who assoone as he heard that Christ was God, euen by very na­ture feared and stoode in awe of him. And by the example of Gamaliel, with diuers others.Acts. 5.39.

Que. Seeing then that there hath bene euer in the worlde some Religion, be­cause it is naturall, whether is there but one, or many?

Ans. There can be but one true Reli­gion, but of false there haue béene and are diuers, and euer will be, till Christ come againe vnto iudgement.

Que. What false Religion can you name?

[Page 3] Ans. There hath béene and is false re­ [...]igion in the Church,Hist. Magde­burg. and out of the Church. In the Church, Poperie. Out of the Church, the religion of the Iewes, of the Gentils, and of the Turkes.

Que. What is the Religion of the [...]ewes?

Ans. They obstinately denying that Christ is yet come, worshippe God still with sacrifices, burnt offerings, and o­ther ceremonies of Moses lawe.

Que. What the Gentiles?

Ans. Their Religion is a confused worshipping of all things: for so wee [...]eade in the 14. of the Actes of the Apo­stles, in the 17. and in the 19. And the Poet saieth of them thus:

That is,

[Page 4] Que. What the Turkes?

Ans. Their religion is a masse of all heresies, denying Christ to be God, and vainely worshipping with mans deui­ses.

Que. What is true Religion?

Ans. True religion is the true wor­shipping of God, and the kéeping of his commaundements.

Que. Whence is it to be learned?

Ans. Onely out of the written word of God, and not out of mans heade or writings.

Que. How is that prooued?

Ans. Both by Scripture and reason sufficient.

Que. What Scripture?

Ans. Esay 29.13. verse, God threate­neth to plague them, because their feare or religion towardes him was taught by the precept of men. Michah the 4.2. He shall teache vs, and we will walke in his pathes. Daniel the 9.10. Daniel con­fesseth that because the people obe [...]ed not Gods voyce, therefore al their wor­ship was sinne.

[Page 5] Que. What reason?

Ans. By many might it bee prooued, but these may suffice. 1 First, whatsoeuer pleaseth God must be according to his will: but his will is onely knowen in his worde, and therefore if our Religi­on please God, it must be according to his word. 2 Secondly, if whatsoever bée not of faith, is sinne, and faith onely is out of the word: then what Religion so­ever is not out of the worde, is sinne. 3 Thirdly, the practise of Gods Church hath euer béen both to reforme religion, and to confute heresies out of the word and by the word: and therefore the same must euer bee the grounde of our Re­ligion.

Que. Howe is it to bee learned out of the word?

Ans. By hearing it preached, by rea­ding it our selves, by prayer, by confe­rence one with another, by temptati­ons, and by this exercise of Catechi­sing.

For the other, they are vsual meanes in déede, but this maner of Catechising [Page 6] it is a newe deuise not knowne to our olde Fathers.

No, it is no newe deuise, but an olde custome and auncient, begun assoone as euer God had a Church, and continued euer since.

Que. How may that be prooued?

Ans. First, in the fourth of Genesis i [...] appeareth,Gen. 4. that euen Adam the first man vsed it to his Sonnes, teaching them to worship God with sacrifices, o [...] else they coulde neuer haue doone it. A [...]gaine wee sée Abraham vsed it to his housholde,Gen. 18. and God commended him fo [...] it. For if he had not by this exercise w [...] instructed his seruantes before, would [...] they euer haue suffered him to cut a [...]way their foreskinnes? In many place [...] also beside did God flatly commaund al [...] parentes to vse it to their children. I [...] the 6. to the Hebrues mention is mad [...] of the parts of y^e Catechisme then vsed the ancient Fathers haue carefully tra [...]uailed in this exercise, & all well ordere [...] Churches haue euer had their Cate [...]chismes, which we also haue and reade [Page 7] therefore no newe deuise.

Que. What be the partes of the Cate­chisme?

Ans. The parts of the Catechisme are these two generaly, doctrine & discipline, & vnder doctrine these foure contained. to wit

• The law of God, a sum where­of is in the ten Commaunde­ments.
• Faith, a sum whereof is in the 12. Articles.
• Prayer, a forme whereof is the Lordes Prayer.
• The Sacraments.

Of these partes in order afterwarde: Now to some questions in your booke. And first,

Que. What is the cheefest thing which euery one ought to be most careful of, so long as they liue?

An. Euerie one ought to be most care­full of these two points, first and chiefe­ly how to be saved in the day of iudge­ment, before Gods iudgement seate, and so to come to life euerlasting. Se­condly howe to liue according to Gods [Page 8] holy will during our life, in which two pointes wholy standeth the glorie of God, so much as of man ought to bee sought for.

Que. How may the first be prooued?

The first rea­son drawen of the vanitie of all things. Ans. The great vanitie of all earth­ly things, which men so hunt after, doth showe, that our care shoulde not bee so much of these matters, as it is, but ra­ther howe to haue our soules saued, when all these shall haue their end. For consider euē the chiefest desires of men seuerally, and sée how in the attaining of them there is no stayed comfort, and yet often doe men faile after much inde­uour, and not attaine to them.

Que. What chiefe desires of men can you name vnto mee?

Ans. Mirth and ioy, a light and a chéerefull heart is greatly wished,Mirth and ioy. and sought for of all men, by Musicke, by ie­sters, by sportes, and playes, by much cost and many meanes as they can, and are able: neither is this simplie to bee condemned in all: yet heare what sen­tence the spirit of God hath giuen of it, [Page 9] by the mouth of his seruaunt, who try­ed the same, and let his experience bee our knowledge. I said to my heart, saith he, goe to nowe, Ecclesi. 2.1. I will prooue thee with ioy, therefore take thou pleasure in plea­sant things, and beholde this al [...]o is vani­tie: I said of laughter thou art mad, and of ioy, what is this, that thou doest? And in another place.7.4. Better it is to go into the house of mourning, than of feasting, be­cause this is the ende of all men, and the liuing shall lay it to his heart. Anger is better than laughter, for by a sad looke the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of myrth.

Secondly to rake vp riches also in this world, and to possesse great wealth,Riches. it is a thing endeuoured almost of all. Happie is he and wise accounted, who [Page 10] can fastest attaine vnto it, yet heare and note the spéeche of Iames amongst num­bers moe to the same end.Iames. 5.1. Goe to nowe saith he, ye riche men, weepe & howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you, your riches are corrupt, and your garments motheaten, your golde and siluer is cancred, & the rust of them shall witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh as it were fier. To builde and inhabite great and goodly houses howe many men bewitched with vanitie,Buildings. delight in it, and with much care and cost applie themselues vnto it? Yet sée they, or may sée the spéeche of Salomon vpon experience saying, I haue made my great workes, I haue built me houses, I haue planted me vineyards, I haue made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them trees of all fruite, and so forth. Yea euen whatsoeuer mine eyes desired, I withhelde it not from them, neyther withdrew I my heart from any ioie, then I looked on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the trauell that I had laboured to doe, and beholde all is [Page 11] vanitie, and vexation of the spirite, and there is no profite vnder the Sun. When it shalbe saide to them as it was to that purposing builder in the Gospell, Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule, Luke. 12.20. then may it also folow & fitly be demanded, whose shal these stately hou­ses be? Thus eyther may they knowe the vanitie of their dealing, but yet wil not, or else doe they knowe it, but re­garde it not.

Apparell againe is another of the ra­ging desires of many.Apparell. Euen a worlde it is to sée howe all, as dead, doe tast no sinne in it, but spend and spare not what possiblie may be gotten to bestowe on it, yet what beginning had it? Was it not then inuented, when man had sin­ned, grieuouslie offended his God, and cast himselfe away both bodie and soule? Séeing then in our integritie it was not vsed, but after sinne, bestowed on man to hide his shame withall, what may it euer beate into vs, but our re­bellion against the Lorde, our sinne and cursed disobedience? Howe should the [Page 12] sight of it and vse of it humble vs, and not puffe vs vp, seeing it plainely telleth vs, we are not as we were when no ap­parell was worne, and yet no shame thereby? Were it not monstrous pride, if a redéemed prisoner conditionally, that he should euer weare an halter, should waxe prowde of his halter? Mans apparell is the badge of a sinner, yea of a condemned and cursed sinner, & therefore the pride of it and delight in it, no doubt very monstrous before the Lorde, and hatefull. If euery silken sute and gorgeous gowne in Englande shrowded vnder it a saued soule, and a sanctified bodie in the sight of God, O happie then England of all the nations vnder heauē. But if vnder such garded garments, may, and doeth lodge a body and soule abhorred of the Lorde, that in the day of wrath shall finde no fauour: then is it not apparell, that ought to be sought after, but in the day of iudgemēt how we may be saued.Credite and fauour with the world. What should I say of fauor & credit with great estates in the worlde, of countenance and au­thoritie? [Page 13] O howe doe men desire it, and séeke it sewe and serue for it, their care both day and night is howe to at­taine the fastest to it, & yet what more tickle than the state hereof, if GOD gaue vs hearts to marke it? For how soone faded the credite of Dauid with his wauer n [...] Master Saul? 1. Kings. 18. Howe sodaine­ly and quickely chaunged the liking of that king into cruel hatred of a faithful seruaunt and sonne in Lawe? Haman as it were to day,Hester. 7. set at the Kings ta­ble, where none but the King & Queene were, the next day quite out of fauour, and hanged vp full highe. What credite had Ioseph with his master,Gene. 39. when he committed all thinges to him that euer he had, sauing his wife, to be at his di­rection? Yet euen in a moment with­out cause falsely slaundered, all credite lost, and he clapt close vp in prison. Ma­ny such examples hath the worde, and all histories, and therefore truely saide he it, whosoeuer saide it, as the Coun­ter, so is the Courtier, for that standeth euen nowe for a thousand poundes, and [Page 14] by and by through a litle remooue, but for a halfepenie, and so he, to day in all glorie, to morowe in litle or none. Yet not more the Courtier, than euen euery man in his place and seruice, to day tru­sted, to morow suspected, to day loued, to morowe misliked, to day with desire entertayned and made of, to morowe as néedelesse cast off & contemned. Fickle therefore is the worldly fauour, and greater good there is for men to séeke after.

Great matches in maryage for their children,Mariages. another of the daily desires of worldly men. This they séeke, this they couet, this day and night they beat their heads about. Yet daily examples be before their faces of sorowe and tor­mēt not to be expressed, growing to pa­rentes by such proude and gréedie at­tempts, beside the continuall griefe, that sonne or daughter so bestowed often ri­seth and goeth to bed withall. There­fore I say, to goe no further, since these vsuall desires of men in this worlde are often not attained vnto to their liking, [Page 15] [...]hough greatly laboured for, and yet if they be attained euen in great measure, haue no certaine or sure comfort in them, but all the pleasure in them, and [...]y them quickely fadeth away, strongly [...]t prooueth, that our chiefe care should not be of these things, but rather what [...]ur case shalbe in another world, whē al these things shall haue their end, which [...]s the matter I haue rehearsed thē for. An other proofe of the same may this be, the reuealed will of God the Lord testi­fieth, he would haue all men saued,The second reason to prooue that our chiefe care should be howe to be saued. and [...]ome to the knowledge of his trueth, he would not thē death of a sinner, &c. ther­fore unlesse we also set our care to the [...]ame ende, namely howe we may be [...]aued in the day of iudgement, we op­pose our selues not onely against our [...]wne good, but euen against the Lords will we striue with our God, and wee shall surely reape the reward of such, [...]s rob him of his creatures.

Thirdly the horrour of hell, and con­demnation, prooue,The third. that our care to be saued should be great. For what meane [Page 16] those fearefull names of hell, of prison, chaines of darkenesse, the lake burning with fire and brimstone, the de [...]th, pitch & brimstone, weeping and gnashing of teeth, the worme that neuer dyeth, the fier that neuer goeth out, with a num­ber such like, I say what meane they, or why hath the spirite of GOD set them downe, but to strike a terror into vs of damnation, and consequently thereu­pon a true care to be saued?

The fourth.Fourthly the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen, that unmeasurable and end­lesse comfort, that there shall bee had, with all the children o [...] GOD, Patri­ar [...]hes, Prophetes, Apostles, Mar­tyrs, yea with the Lorde himselfe, and all his Angels, with Christ our Saui­our and Lambe slaine for vs, who shall wipe all teares from our eyes, doeth crie vpon vs with shriking sound, now while we haue time, to vse our time to see mercie, and séeke mercie, to imbrace it, and take it offered to such good vnto vs, and neuer in securitie, passing our o­portunitie, to be causes that then we [Page 17] shall heare these words, Depart ye wic­ked into endlesse woe. What an honor woulde I thinke it, if the Prince pas­sing by among the great multitude, should spie mee out, call mee to him, im­brace me, speake kindly to me, take mee with him, place me by him, and so forth? Howe would my heart daunce hereat, and all men talke of my good hap? Now is the passing of a mortall Prince on earth like the comming of Iesus Christ in the cloudes?

Is the honour they can giue, compa­rable to that the Lorde of Lordes shall giue to his elect? O my heart féeleth what my pen cannot write, there is no comparison betwixt the persons, the places, the preferments, and therefore if the one so ioy mée, that for it I would take any paines, thrise dead is my heart within me, if to obtaine the other it bée not carefull.

Lastly,The fifth. the examples of care conti­nuall and great euer in Gods children how they might serue him, and please him, that hereafter they might sit with [Page 18] him, and neuer part from him, ought mightily to perswade vs to be like vn­to them in this indeuour, their labours, their watchings, their sufferings, all shot but at this ende, the glorie of the Lorde, and their owne saluation, and howe great were they? What spéeches of desire, euen aboue all treasure, to bée saued in the great day, haue they vtte­red? And shall we not followe them? God forbid. Thus therefore prooued vn­to vs is the first point of a Christian man and womans care, namely that it ought to be this, howe they should be sa­ued in the day of iudgement, and so come to life euerlasting.

Que. Howe is the second point proo­ued vnto vs, namely that in the meane time, so long as wee liue in this world, wee ought to bee carefull to liue accor­ding to Gods holy will?

Ans. Surely it is prooued verie strongly vnto vs both by our election, creation, redemption, iustification and vocation, if we will marke them. For why hath the Lord elected vs to eternal [Page 19] ioy in Christ Iesus? That wee might conclude libertie thereon to sinne at our pleasure,Our election prooueth it. as many wicked spirites rea­son? No no. But let the Apostle bee iudge and tell vs why, who saieth:Ephes. 1.4. He hath chosen vs in him before the foun­dation of the world, that we should bee holy and without blame before him in loue. So saieth he of our creation also,Our creation prooueth it. that wee are the Lordes workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes, Ephes. 2.10. which GOD hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them. And of our re­demption Luke plainely speaketh,Our redemp­tion prooueth it. that we are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies, Luke. 1. that we should serue him in ho­linesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life. Our iustifica­tion prooueth it. Our iustification hath euer ioyned with it inseparably the grace of [...]anctification, and they cannot bee par­ted. For howe shall we, saieth the Apo­stle,Rom. 6.2. that are dead to sinne liue yet there­in? and so forth, as followeth in the place. Lastly of our vocation the Apo­stle Peter saieth thus, As he that hath called is holy, so be you holy in all man­ner [Page 20] of conuersation. So that wee sée thereby all these meanes prooued vnto vs, that we ought as long as we liue to be carefull of this, that we behaue our selues according to the will of the Lord, which is the seconde point whereof in your question ye demaunded some con­firmation.

Que. But howe can we knowe we are discharged before Gods iudgement seate?

Ans. Your booke answereth you, that wee can neuer knowe howe wee be dis­charged before the iudgement seate of God, vntill such time as we knowe our owne miserable estates by reason of the greatnesse of our sinne, and the horrible punishment, which we deserue for the same. And the proofes your booke vseth are plaine to inferre this conclusion. For doeth man séeke to the Phisition that hath no néede of health either to be procured or preserued by his meanes? No our owne experience doth approue the speach of Christ to bee true, when he saieth,Matth. 9.12. The whole haue no neede of the [Page 21] Phisition, but the sicke. Matth. 11.13. For in déede it is the diseased that take care to bee hel­ped. It is the trauailing and heauie la­den soule that sigheth to be refreshed. It is the sinner that thinketh of all sinners he is the chiefest,1. Tim. 1.15. which longeth for par­don. And to ende,Matth. 9.13. as Christ came not to call the righteous but the sinners to re­pentance, so assuredly it is the sinner, I meane he that in déede féeleth y^e waight of sinne, and knoweth his owne mise­rable estate by reason of it, and the pu­nishment due vnto it, I say it is that man and that woman, that séeketh what way to be discharged, and none else.

Que. And howe doe wee knowe the greatnesse of our sinne, and the horrible punishment due to the same?

Ans. We knowe it saieth the booke, by the lawe of God rightly vnderstoode, the summe whereof is contained in the ten commaundements.Rom. 3.20. For by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne, saith Saint Paul, and reade the 7. Chapter from the 7. verse to the 13. and marke it. [Page 22] Fitly then followeth the first part of my diuision of the Catechisme before, to wit the lawe.

Que. What is the first Commaunde­ment?

Ans. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mée.

Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement?

Ans. The Lorde straightly chargeth vs in this Commaundement,The Booke. that wee worship GOD alone. Which worship standeth in 4. pointes. First, that wee loue God aboue all. Secondly, that wee feare God aboue all. Thirdly, that wée make our prayers to none but to God. Fourthly, that wee acknowledge God alone to be the guider and gouernour of all things, of whom we receiue all the benefites that we haue, and therefore that we trust and stay vpon him alone.

Que. Can we doe any of these things vnlesse we know God?

Ans. No, it is impossible, for all these dueties spring of the knowledge of God, and the more we knowe him, the [Page 23] more we loue him, the more wee feare him, and euery way serve him.

Que. And what is the first point of the knowledge of God?

Ans. To knowe that there is a God, without which knowledge saith the A­postle, no man can come vnto God.Hebrues. 11. [...].

Que. What wayes haue we to know that there is a God by?

Ans. First, wee knowe by the crea­tures that there is a God.Psal. 19. For the hea­uens declare the glorie of God, and the firmament sheweth his handie worke, saieth the Prophet. To whom agreeth the Apostle also saying that,Rom. 1.19. That which is to bee knowen of God, is manifest in them. For the inuisible things of him, as his eternall power, and Godhead, are seene by the creation of the world, &c. As by the greatnesse of this worlde and of many particular creatures in it, as also by his making all things of no­thing, wee sée his great power, by the varietie and notable order of the crea­tures, we sée his wisedome, and by the vse that wee haue of them, wee sée his [Page 24] goodnesse, &c.

Que. Howe else knowe we that there is a God?

Ans. By his worde written, as our fathers in olde time did knowe him be­cause they heard him speake to them. For by his worde he is to vs, as by his audible voyce he was to them, vnlesse we be Infidels.

Que. Thirdly howe?

Ans. Thirdly, The spirit of GOD knoweth the things that are of God, and doeth reueile them, saith the Apostle, a­mongst which this is one, that there is a God. Which the same spirit doeth so ingraue in euerie one, that is elected, as he that féeleth not himselfe past doub­ting of it, is verie iustly for to feare, he belongeth not yet vnto the Lord.

Que. Fourthly how prooue you there is a God?

Ans. Euery mans conscience accu­sing him, & fearing him, when he doeth euill, excusing him and comforting him when he doeth well, telleth him plaine­ly there is a God, which punisheth euil, [Page 25] [...]nd rewardeth good. And their reason [...]reuaileth with the most desperate [...]hat euer was, or is, at some time or o­ [...]her, more or lesse.

Que. Howe many Gods are there?

Ans. But one onely God. And that [...]o my heart I prooue, 1 First by the scrip­ [...]ures, There is one Lord, one faith, one [...]aptisme, one God and father of all. Ephes. 4.6. 1. Tim. 2. And [...]n an other place, There is one GOD, [...]nd one mediator betwixt God & man, [...]uen y^e man Iesus Christ. 2 Secondly by al [...]he prayers of the godly in the Church, which are directed but to one only God, and therefore wee knowe there are no moe. 3 Thirdly by this commandement, where he saith not, Thou shalt haue none other Gods but vs, but in the sin­gular number, none but me. 4 Fourthly, [...]y the consent of Gods Church, which hath euer from time to time condem­ned them as heretikes, which said there were any mo. 5 And lastly by reason: For God is infinite, and there can be but one infinite. Therfore but one God, &c.

Que. Howe many persons are there?

[Page 26] Ans. Thrée persons. As first I learn [...] by the third of Matthewe, where the fa­ther speaketh from heauen and saieth, This is my beloued Sonne, Matth. 3. heare him. The sonne is baptised, and the holy Ghost like a Doue descendeth. Second­ly by the words of Christ, Goe & teach all nations baptising them, In the name of the father, of the sonne, & of the holy Ghost. If there had béene any more per­sons, Christ would haue named them and haue commaunded the same to bée done in their names also. Or else there is inequalitie in the Godhead, therefore we knowe there are but thrée persons and no moe.

Que. What is God?

Ans. No man is able to define fully what God is in his essence. But wée must content our selues to knowe him by his attributes, namelie that hee is strong, mightie, mercifull, wise, slowe to anger, of great goodnesse, and so foorth, as he is described vnto vs by himselfe in his worde.

Que. What is nowe the first duetie [Page 27] [...]hat springeth of the knowledge of God?

Ans. Of this knowledge of God ari­seth first a true loue of him before and aboue all things whatsoeuer. Which [...]s when my heart euen effectually fée­ [...]ing how wonderfully he loued me first, [...]n electing, creating, redéeming, and iu­stifying me in Christ Iesus, besides in­finite benefites else bestowed in bodie and mind vpon me, doth euen burne in affection towards him againe, submit­teth it selfe wholy to him, serueth him with chéerefulnesse, & maketh in trueth more account of him and his will, than of all the worlde, yea than euen of mine owne saluation, if they could come in comparison together.

Que. Howe prooue you that I am thus bounde to loue God?

Ans. It is prooued by Christ our Sa­uiours words, He that loueth father or mother, sister or brother, wife or child, Matth. 10.37. or any thing more than me, is not worthie of me, & by y^e practise of the blessed Apo­stle, who when he knew Christ once, ac­counted [Page 28] those things which were van­tage vnto him losse for Christ his sake, yea euen all things he esteemed losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus his Lorde, and did iudge them to bee doung that he might win Christ. And certainely, what heart of man or woman soeuer knoweth God indéede what he is in himselfe, and to all men, and particularlie to it many thousande wayes, as impossible it is, it should not loue God againe aboue all, and euen grone that it can loue him no more, as it is vnpossible fier should want heate or water moysture.

Que. What braunches hath the loue of God springing out of it?

Ans. Whosoeuer loueth God, loueth also his worde, Psal. 119. vers. 103. Luke. 10. 1. Thess. 5. 1. Iohn. 3.17. Psal. 15.1. the ministers of the worde, the poore, and all that feare God, for these with such like are the braun­ches of the loue of God, which if they be not in man and woman, certainely nei­ther is the other in them it selfe. And as these all are commaunded, so are the contraries forbidden and condemned [Page 29] [...]y this Lawe. What the contraries [...]re, beside that by these they may bée [...]nowen, they are expressed more fully [...] the examination of conscience tou­ [...]hing the same annexed at the ende of [...]his commaundement.

Que. What is the second duetie that [...]olloweth of the knowledge of God?

Ans. To feare him aboue all.

Que. What feare is meant here?

Ans. Indéede in the Scripture the [...]eare of God doeth vsually signifie all Religion, but here it signifieth onely a [...]art of the worship we owe vnto God.

Que. And what is it?

Ans. This feare is a reuerent awe [...]f God, whereby we are loth to offende [...]im, both because we loue him, and be­ [...]ause he is able to punish vs.

Que. This seemeth to import some [...]ifference of feare.

Ans. Verie true it is. For there are [...]wo kindes of feare of God, one a ser­ [...]ile feare, dreading punishment: ano­ [...]her ioyned with loue of God, called a [...]nlike feare, and this is meant here.

[Page 30] Que. Howe may we knowe whether this true feare of God be in vs or no?

Ans. Truely as we knowe there is fire by the smoke, and that a man liueth by his breathing, so we may knowe by the effects that the feare of God doeth bring forth in them in whom it is, whe­ther it be in vs or no?

Que. Why? what be the effects?

Ans. As the banke doeth kéepe the water from ouerflowing, so doeth the feare of God in man or woman kéepe out sinne that it spred not as otherwise it would. We sée it in practise prooued before our eyes. For when Pharaoh king of Egypt, Exod. 1.17. commaunded them to kill euery male childe that was borne of the Israelites women, what kept out this cruell murther both from hand and heart, but this banke, the feare and awe of God, more than man, for so saith the text, the midwiues feared GOD, and therefore did not as the King comman­ded them. The like may we sée in Iob, who saith Gods punishment was feare­full to him,Iob. 31.32. therefore he oppressed not [Page 31] [...] fatherlesse. In Ioseph also verie no­ [...]blie whose heart nor bodie filthie a­ [...]lterie with his mistresse could staine,Gen. 39. [...]cause this banke of the feare of God [...]as so strong and good in him. Lastly [...]e scripture prooueth it plainely to vs, [...]hen in seuerall places it ioyneth to [...]e feare of God a departing from euill [...] an inseparable effect thereof.Iob. 28. For [...]ost assuredly it is so. If wee nothing [...]part from our olde sinnes, and yet say, [...]e feare God, we lie, and there is no [...]ueth in vs.

Que. If then in this viewe of the ef­ [...]cts of it, we finde that either it is not in [...], yet at all, or at the most but verie li­ [...], howe may we obtaine it, or in­ [...]ease it?

Ans. First a verie good way to bréed [...] increase this reuerent awe and [...]are of God in our selues,Howe the feare of God is gotten. is an often [...]d earnest meditation of Gods power, [...] he is able to deale with vs, to pu­ [...]sh vs and plague vs, if we doe not [...]are him, and this we learne by these [...]ordes of Christ: Feare not them that [Page 32] can kill the bodie, Math. 10.16. and then can doe no more: but feare him that can cast bodie and soule into eternall fier. For they sound vnto me as if Christ had saide thus, marke howe farre Gods power excéedeth mans power, and howe much more fearefully he is able to punish you than man can, and let this great power of the Lorde ouer bodie and soule to ca [...] them both into hell for euer, make yo [...] feare the same God aboue all, and stan [...] in awe of his maiestie. And assuredl [...] if we had grace to thinke of his powe [...] indéede effectually, it would maruelou [...]sly profite our soules to this ende. Se [...]condly another good way and meane [...] is, a due meditation of the great mer [...]cies of God prooued by the Psalme▪ With thee there is mercie, Psal. 130. therefore shal [...] thou be feared. And lastlie by diligen [...] learning the worde of God preached o [...] read vnto vs. For so we reade in th [...] Lawe, Gather the people together, men, women and children, & the straun [...]ger that is within thy gates, that they may heare and learne to feare the Lord [Page 33] Sée howe he saieth by hearing men learne this feare of God, and bréede it or increase it.

Que. When is the feare of God to be learned?

Ans. At all times, but especially when oportunitie either of teaching or learning doeth serue vs. For that we ought to take oportunitie of teaching, our sauiour Christ himselfe affirmeth, saying, Yet a litle, and the light is with you, walk while you haue the light. And that we should then learne when we our selues are able and apt to learne, the wise man sheweth in these wordes, Remember thy creator in the daies of thy youth, Ecclesi. 12.1. before the euill daies come and thy yeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them. Al­so the often and sodaine losse of hearing and séeing by sundrie occasions doth ve­hemently admonish vs to take time while time is, and learne to feare God while we may. For to day we can reade per aduenture our selues, & if not, yet at least heare others, but to morow who is [Page 34] sure hee shall eyther haue eies to sée to reade himselfe, or sense of hearing to heare others? Therefore againe take time when we may.

Que. What is contrarie to the feare of God?

Ans. Too much to stande in feare of men and their threats, so that by them wee are driuen to any vnlawfull things. Too much to feare God, himselfe and his iudgements, as desperate men doe, which nourish no hope of his mer­cie and goodnesse. Thirdly securitie and too litle feare of God, with many such moe. All these are contrarie to that true feare of God, which we speake of, and are as well forbidden here as the other is commaunded.

Que. What is the third duetie of this commaundement?

Ans. Thirdly we are here commaun­ded to make our prayers to none but to God.

Que. Howe may it bee prooued that onely God of true Christians is to bee praied vnto, since other doctrine is deli­uered [Page 35] by the Church of Rome?

Ans. First it is prooued by the words of the Apostle Paul, Rom. 10. Howe shal they call vpon him in whome they haue not be­leeued: as though he should say, Be­léefe must néedes euer goe before pray­er, whereupon then thus wee may rea­son. Wee must onely pray to him in whom we must beléeue, but we may & ought beléeue onely in God the Father, God the Sonne, and GOD the holie Ghost, therefore onely to these thrée persons one onely God must our pray­ers be directed.

The first proposition we sée prooued by Paul, the second by the articles of our faith, & all the scripture, the conclu­sion followeth vpon thē both. Second­ly 2 it is prooued by Christ himselfe, who teaching his Apostles to pray, and in them all other men, biddeth them nei­ther call vpon Angel nor saint, no not v­pon his mother Marie. But when you pray saith he, say Our Father which art in heauē. That is, what forme of words so euer you vse, euer direct your praiers [Page 36] vnto God and to him only. And Father in this place signifieth any of the thrée persons, and is not to be restrained one­ly to the first person.

Thirdly wee haue no commaunde­ment to pray to any but to God onely, we haue no promise to be heard if wee doe, no example in Scriptures of any godly man or woman that hath done it euer at any time, or vpon any occasion, we haue no punishment threatened, if we doe it not: but to pray to God we are commaunded,Psal. 50. we are promised to be helped, we haue examples, and we are threatened if we doe it not. There­fore whether of these two is to be done, who séeth not?

Que. What is the fourth duetie of this commaundement?

Ans. Fourthly we are bound by this Lawe to acknowledge God alone to be the guider and gouernour of all things, of whom we receiue all the benefites that we haue, and therefore that wee trust and stay vpon him alone.

Que. Here are three seuerall thinges [Page 37] affirmed very worthie to be seuerallie considered, and therfore first I pray you, howe is it prooued that God guideth & gouerneth all things?

Ans. Besides a number of other pla­ces which might be alledged to prooue it withal, a very good testimonie is that in the Psalme: Whatsoeuer pleased the Lorde, that did he in heauen and earth, Psal. 135.6. in the sea, and in all the depth. Where marke well the space of the Lordes do­minion, in heauen he rulech, in earth he ruleth, in the sea he ruleth, and in all these whatsoeuer it pleaseth him, that doeth he at all times and seasons. The like spéeche againe hath the same Pro­phet in an other place,Psal. 115.3. But our God is in heauen, saith he, and doeth whatsoeuer he wil, The eyes of all things waite vpon him, Psal. 145.15. and he giueth them meate in due season. So then nothing without him is done at any time, but his power al­mightie guideth and gouerneth all things.

Que. Howe is it prooued that all good commeth to vs from this directing pro­uidence [Page 38] of the Lorde.

Ans. The holy ghost in plaine words affirmeth it by his Apostle Iames, Iames. 1.17. Euery good giuing & euery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of light.

Que. This doctrine is plaine. And yet notwithstāding euer it hath had, & euen in these dais hath som enemies. Such ob­iectiōs as I haue hard at times, I wil pro­pound vnto you, & I pray you aunswere thē. The first is this, if God rule all things by his prouidence & direction, then must he needs be author of sin also, in that he hindreth it not but suffreth it to be done.

Ans. I answere to this your first doubt thus: that the argument is not good, neither foloweth, that béecause all thinges are doone by his prouidence, therefore hée should be author of euill. For one may bée author of an action, & yet not of the euil in the action: as in this similitude wée sée: If a man cut with an euill knife, hee is the cause of cutting, but not of euill cutting or hackling of the knife, but the badnesse [Page 39] of the knife is the cause of that. Againe, if a man strike the stringes of an instru­ment that is out of tune, he is the cause that the stringes sounde, but that they sounde iarringlie and out of tune, that is in themselues, and the man that stri­keth is not to bée blamed for it. There­fore séeing one maie bée the cause of an action, and yet not of the euil in the acti­on, you sée it doth not folowe, that if God bée the cause of the action, by and by the euill in the thing must néedes al­so procéede of him. Nay contrarilie this doctrine is a sealed truth, That no euill commeth of GOD in any worke, but though in euerie thing that is done, the Lord bée some worker, yet as he doth it, it is euer good. Marke but an example or two.Iob. 1. Iob his great aduersitie procée­ded of God, and by God in some respect, it procéedeth of Satan also, and of the Chaldeans that robbed him. Yet sée, that which Satan did malitiously, and the Chaldeans couetously, that did the Lord well & to good purpose, to the glo­rie of his name, to the instruction and [Page 40] comfort of vs all, and to Iobs great be­nefite also.Gen. 38. Iosephs affliction againe, it came by God, by his brethren, by his light mistresse, and ouer credulous master, but yet so much as God did, was well done, to the great benefite of his father and friends after, and what the other did, was euill & wrongfully done to Ioseph. The like againe may be said touching the death of Christ. Had not God his worke in it, when his determi­nate counsell appointed it,Act. 2.23. and deliue­red him vp? Had not Iudas his worke in betraying him? Had not the Iewes their worke whose wicked hands cruci­fied and slew him? Yet that which they did most horriblie, the Lorde him­selfe did in vnspeakeable mercie to all our endelesse comfortes. There­fore whatsoeuer procéedeth of GOD, as it commeth from him, it is most good, although the same thing as it commeth of man and by man, bée wic­ked and euill, and no author of euill is he, though guider and gouernour of all things.

[Page 41] Que. My seconde doubt then is this, if GOD gouerne all thinges by his prouidence, then looke howe hee list to haue things, and so shall they be, men cannot chaunge his will, and therefore it skilleth not what wee doe.

Ans. Surely the conclusion is very wicked, and no way followeth vpon Gods prouidence. For albeit he direct all things, yet we must euer vse the meanes that God hath appointed not­withstanding, for so we sée Gods chil­dren euer did and tempted not the Lord by any such wicked spéeche as this. Rebecca had heard Gods owne mouth speake it,Gen. 27. that hee would of her two sonnes Esau and Iacob make two nati­ons, and the elder should serue the youn­ger, whereby she well knew Esau could not kill Iacob, whatsoeuer he threate­ned: yet did she not presume careleslie thereon, and said to her selfe it skilled not what she did, but she vsed the ordi­narie meanes to saue Iacobs life, and sent him out of the countrie for a time. [Page 42] Numbers of these examples are in the Scripture. Let this one moe of Christ himselfe suffice,Iohn. 17. who prayed to his father to glorifie him, and yet was hee most sure of it before, all to teache vs to vse ordinarie meanes. There­fore Gods prouidence neuer ought to preiudice such meanes as he hath ap­pointed to obtaine any thing by, nei­ther in déede doeth in the godlie.

Que. My thirde obiection is this, If God ruled all by his prouidence, then should there bee no misorder at al in the world as there is.

Ans. No more there is in déede and trueth, I meane in respect of God.

Que. No? is not this euill in the world, and in regarde of God wrong, that euill men should thriue and flourish as they doe, and the godlie not?

Ans. No indéede. For good men and women are afflicted in this world for their good, namely that they may not bee condemned with the worlde. And euill men receiue Gods blessings to make them without all excuse, and [Page 43] [...]o increase their damnation if they serue not God.

Que. Why, but did not Iosephs bre­ [...]hren ill and they that killed Christ?

Ans. Yea in déede they did horri­blie as I haue saide before, but yet GOD directed all to his glorie, to the benefite of his Church, and our euerlasting comfort by Christ, and therefore in Gods gouernement all was then well and euer is.

Que. What then is the conclu­sion?

Ans. The conclusion is this, as hath béene saide, that in trueth there [...]s no misorder in the worlde in respect of God. For all that euer he doeth, or [...]etteth be done is good and for good, but all misorder is in respect of man.

Que. What is the fruite and vse of this doctrine of Gods prouidence?

Ans. Very great. For it maketh vs in well & woe giue glory to god, who sends [...]l. It maketh vs patient to beare things [...]etter, because the Lorde doeth sende them: it maketh vs hang still vpon him [Page 44] for comfort, who will not sée vs want▪ and many good fruits it worketh in vs, if throughly we be perswaded of it.

Que. Next nowe what maner of con­sequence is this in the booke, that be­cause God guideth all thinges, and o [...] him wee receiue all thinges, therefore wee shoulde trust and stay vppon him alone?

Ans. The consequence is very good. For the former setled in the heart once by faith, euer begetteth the seconde in man or woman, and they cannot bee parted. We sée a plaine proofe of it in Dauid, who being in déede perswaded that the Lorde was his shepheard, by and by concludeth thereupon, therefore shall I want nothing. Psal. 23.

Que. But what if I a fraile man or wo­man doe yet find my selfe weake in tru­sting to the Lord, and in the Lord, when trouble assaileth me, how might I helpe this great infirmitie, and increase my trust in the Lords mercie?

Ans. First whensoeuer we are temp­ted to doubt of any thing, it is a special [...] [Page 45] [...]hing presently to consider the promises [...]f God, touching that matter, and in [...]hem the generalitie and the certaintie. [...]s for example, if this cogitation should [...]rise in me, certainely if I doe not as [...]he worlde doth, I shall neuer cary cre­ [...]ite in the worlde, nor come to any [...]ealth and estate like others, by and by [...] shoulde remember what is written [...]ouching this matter, namely,Matth. 6. Seek the [...]ingdome of God first & principally a­ [...]oue al, and then shal all these things be [...]ast vnto you. And againe, Thē that ho­ [...]our me, them wil I honour, 1. Sam. 2. with many [...]uch. Then hauing the promises, consi­ [...]er next the generalitie of them, and [...]ée if they be limited either to poore or [...]iche or any, so that you may not [...]oldelie lay as good holde of them as [...]ny, and well shall you sée they are [...]ot. Thirdely I must wey the cer­ [...]ainetie of them, and the trueth of [...]hem. For is my God a lyar? shall [...] mistrust his worde, and thinke it [...]hame to doubt an earthly friende? God [...]orbid. And if he hath spoken it, that [Page 46] these worldly things shalbe cast vppon those that serue him so farre as is good for them, is not he able to perfourme his promise, and to make his worde good, vnlesse I vse vngodly and vnlaw­full extraordinarie meanes? God for­bid. Auant then and auoide foule diue [...] may I say: For I beléeue the promises of my God, so true, so generall, made to all men and women, olde and young, riche and poore, and so certaine as no­thing can be more. I beléeue them, I say I beléeue them, and by his promises my trust increaseth. Thus may we do in all doubtes els whatsoeuer. For if it be a benefite to bodie or minde, in this worlde or the next, we haue the Lords promise to haue it, if we serue him so far as it shalbe good for vs.1. Tim. 4. For godli­nes hath the promise of this life, & that to come. Therfore neuer let Sathā pre­uaile,Psal. 84. for either God is no God, or you shall want no good thing: onely bee of good comfort, be strong and trust in the Lorde, Psal. 27. and hee shall comfort your heart.

[Page 47] Que. What other way tell you me?

Ans. Another good way to increase [...]nd confirme your trust in God, is in al [...]réefes verie diligently to meditate of [...]he Lords great power and abilitie to [...]elpe you: how soone he can do it, how [...]asily he can doe it, euen in the twink­ [...]ing of an eye, were your case neuer so [...]ard. And surely no more able is hee [...]han willing, so farre foorth as shalbe [...]o your good, be assured of it. For God [...]orbid that euer we shoulde thinke, that [...]e, who before wée were reconciled vn­ [...] him so loued vs, as that he robbed [...]imselfe euen of his owne deare sonne [...]or our sake, nowe when we are recon­ [...]iled to him by so deare a price, wan­ [...]eth good will to doe lesse things for [...]s. Yet that this meanes might the [...]etter sinke in your mynde, marke I [...]aye you howe euen God himselfe [...]ath taught his children to vse it, kno­ [...]ing the profit of it to this ende. As [...] his speache with Abraham, why [...]th hée these wordes to him:Gen. 17. I am [...]OD alsufficient, but to insinuate [Page 48] to Abraham, that if any distrust o [...] weakenesse in any thing should assaul [...] him, by and by he should help himself [...] and strengthen his faith with meditati [...]on of his infinite power whom hee ser [...]ued and followed? So againe mor [...] plaine in another place,Gen. 15. Feare not A­braham, I am thy shielde. As if h [...] shoulde haue saide, if any doubt a [...]rise Abraham, feare not, but present [...]ly haue recourse to the consideratio [...] of this, that I am thy shielde. Fo [...] may it be, that I which haue take [...] vpon me thy defence cannot doe it▪ Is my power scant, or want I abili [...]tie to doe any thing that I will doe▪ If I doe not, then let the consideratio [...] of my power be thy strength. Againe [...] it in practise, and note the fruite of i [...] ▪ Do we not know how easilie Abraham might haue doubted of Gods promis [...] that he should haue a child, if he had con [...]sidered either the age of himselfe, or th [...] deadnesse of his wiues bodie in cour [...] now past by much to beare a childe? Y [...] saith the Apostle, Abraham strong [...] [Page 49] [...]aith, doubted not. And why so? Tru­ [...]y he vsed this meanes that now I tell [...]ou of, and with meditation of Gods [...]ower, strengthened his faith. For so it [...]olloweth in the text: He was fully assu­ [...]ed, Rom. 4. that he which had promised was al­ [...]o able to doe it. Able I saie and marke [...]he words. And the verie same we read [...]f Paule, who therefore sayeth he fain­ [...]ed not vnder affliction, neither was a­ [...]hamed of the crosse of Christ, because [...]e was perswaded and soundly setled [...]ouching the Lordes abilitie to keepe [...]hat which he committed vnto him.2. Tim. 2.12. So [...]hen sée how the consideration of Gods [...]ower strenthened them, & why shoulde [...] not confirme vs aswell in all our [...]ares? And marke in any case how in [...] these places with Gods power is e­ [...]er vnderstoode his willingnes also: [...] they did not seuer these two, as sub­ [...]ll Satan would perswade vs to doe.

Que. Haue you yet any more of this [...]ounsaile?

Ans. Yea, this also is another excel­ [...]nt helpe for vs weake wretches to [Page 50] confirme our harts by, namely to wey well what troubleth vs, and then to searche, aske and séeke if in the scripture there be any example of any that euer was in the like case: and to sée what his ende or issue was, comforting our selues with assuring hope of the like, since God is no respecter of persons. This wisedome is learned of Dauid, Psal. 34.6. who saith, if God be mercifull to him, & helpe him, it wilbe a forcible meanes to make others trust in his mercie. For they shall reason in their heartes, sayth Dauid, and saye: This poore man cryed vnto the Lord, and he heard him: Therefore he will do the like to vs, we are assured of it. What is it then that troubleth your conscience? Haue you béene an adulterer, or a murtherer? so was Dauid, and yet founde mercie. Haue you persecuted the Church and children of God any wayes? so did Paul gréeuously, and yet founde mercy. Haue you béene an idolater? Manasses was a cruell idolater, and yet founde mercie▪ Haue you denyed Christ and his truth [Page 51] [...]pon any occasion, and shrinked from [...]our God? so did all the Apostles, and [...]et founde mercie. Nay, haue you with othe forsworne him? so did Peter, [...]nd yet founde mercie. Then take Da­ [...]ids counsaile. Marke howe all these [...] their seuerall sinnes cryed vnto the Lorde, and founde his readie pardon, [...]nd gather strength by it, for he is the [...]ame God that euer he was, as loath a [...]nner should dye as euer he was, and [...]hat bodie and soule of yours cost him [...]s much as euer did theirs: therefore [...]eare not, for he loues you as truely [...]s euer hée did them. And his hande [...]s out with helpe in it, onely be­ [...]eue, and take holde of it, it is your [...]wne.

Que. I praye you still go on in this [...]atter as long as you will.

Ans. Onely this one mo will I ad­ [...]ertise you of, and it is as profitable [...]s any of the rest, namely, to note and [...]ery diligently to weigh what experi­ [...]ce of the Lordes goodnes you your [Page 52] selfe haue had heretofore, and by try­all had make strong your heart for that which is to come. Thus did Ia­cob when he was to méete with his brother Esau. Gen. 32. First he looked vppon Gods commaundement to him to re­turne, and thereby he assured himselfe God woulde not leaue him helplesse when he tooke in hand nothing but by his will, and secondly he well marketh what a God he had euer found him till that day, whereof faith inferred a con­clusion comfortable, Iacob, feare not, God, thy God is no man, that he should change, he hath defended thée, and still be assured of it he will defende thée▪ Thus did Dauid when he should figh [...] against Goliah, 1. Sam. 17. he remembred wha [...] helpe he found against the pawe of th [...] Beare and the Lyon, and then assure [...] himselfe by passed proofe of so good [...] God, he shoulde not miscarie with th [...] Philistine. Matth. 16.9. Thus dealt Christ with hi [...] doubting Disciples for want of foode willing thē to remember what a mul [...]titude with a verie little they had séen [...] [Page 53] [...]eléeued, and yet plentie remaining, [...]nd euen for shame by passed tryall of Gods power to be strenthened in assu­ [...]ance touching that which was to [...]ome. And if you read the 7. of Deute­ [...]onomie the 18. verse,Deutro. 7. it is a verie fit [...]lace to this ende. But peraduenture [...]ou will say it is not a sound buylding [...] conclude, because God hath beene [...]ood, therefore he wilbe good. Yes in [...]éede is it, and that course of buylding [...]hich the scripture vseth in sundry pla­ [...]s. By name it is the argument of [...]aul to the Corinthians, that therefore [...]od would confirme them to the ende,1. Cor. 1.8. [...]ecause he had begunne a good worke [...] them, and because God is faithfull, [...]arke that. The like doth the same [...]postle to the Philippians, Thessaloni­ [...]s, and to Timothie, Philip. 1.6. 1. Thess. 5.24. 2. Tim. 4.18. 2. Peter. 1.3. beside other pla­ [...]s. And Peter in his Epistles againe [...] very same. And I pray you marke [...] what you knowe. Doeth not the [...]mer tryed goodnes of a mortall man [...]orke in him that findeth it a good opi­ [...]on, & euen a confidence in that man, [Page 54] if he shoulde neede againe to him? O what comparison betwixt man & God? The one is mutable in liking and fa­uour, the other whome he loueth, to the ende he loueth them: the one subiect to diminutiō of power, so that if he would be as good as he hath béene, yet can hee not: the other in power almighty euer▪ so that what hee will, hee can at al [...] houres. Therefore challenge you the Lorde as Dauid doth boldly I warran [...] you: Thou hast beene my succour O Lorde, Psal. 27. then leaue me not nowe, neithe [...] forsake me O God of my saluation.

Que. Do not now all these duties in­ferre thanksgiuing vnto the Lord?

Ans. It must needes be so: For cer [...]tainly, if we be bound to know, to loue▪ to feare, to trust in, & pray to the Lord at all times, and for all wants, by th [...] same lawe wee must needes be bound [...] to giue thanks to him for that measur [...] of grace which in any of these duetie [...] he bestoweth vpon vs, and for his grea [...] benefites which we receiue.

[Page 55] Que. But hath this dutie no other profe?

Ans. Yes in deede: Expresse & plaine [...]ommaundements,1. Thess. 5.18. that in all things [...]e should giue thanks. Euident prac­ [...]ise of Gods children, as of Dauid, Psal. 103. cry­ [...]ng vpon his soule to praise the Lord, & [...]pon al that is within him to praise his [...]oly name: of Marie, professing that her [...]ule did magnifie the lord,Luke. 1. and that her [...]irite reioyced in God her Sauiour, [...]ith manie such like.

Que. Since then this duetie both is [...]ommaunded, and hath of Gods childrē [...]ene euer vpon all occasions so careful­ [...] performed, me thinke at our meates [...]specially we should remember it.

Ans. Truely you haue named a time [...]nd occasion when in déede Christians [...]hould neither forget nor shame to look [...]p vnto the Lord & to praise his name.Saying of grace at the Table. For euen then haue they his mercies [...]efore their eyes, to put them in mind. Which if they receiue thankfully, they [...]eceiue rightly: if not, then verye [...]aungerousely, both in respecte of [...]e creatures them selues, which, [Page 56] as the Apostle sayeth are not sanctified otherwise vnto vs,1. Tim. 4. so that we may re­ceiue them with a good conscience, then by the word and prayer, and also in re­spect of the breach of Gods commaun­dementes, who expressely willed his people Israel, & in them euen all others, that when they had eaten & filled them­selues,Deutro. 8.10. they should blesse the Lord their God for the good lande which he had giuen them. Beside which reasons yet euen further we haue the practise of the godly to call vppon vs for this due­tie. For it is well noted that the same people chosen of the Lorde, the Iewes I meane, did not sit downe to eate, but either the good man of the house, or he that was Primarius in mensa, that is the chiefe man at the table, did take either the bread or the cup in his hand, and so holding it, prayed vnto the Lorde, that he would vouchsafe to blesse them and those his good giftes, which then they were about to receiue at his mercifull hand. Likewise after meate they gaue him thankes for it. Hence commeth [Page 57] the mention of taking the cuppe twise by our Sauiour Christ in Luke, Luke 22.17. the former taking was this saying of grace and giuing of thankes which I [...]peake of, the other was the celebrati­on of his supper. Howe euen of pur­pose also doeth the Euangelist menti­on this same practise still in Christ,Matth. 14.19. Marke. 6 41. Mark. 14.26. sometimes saying when they had sung [...] Psalme, sometimes when he had gi­uen thankes, &c. all to teache vs that [...]uery such precept and practise shall [...]ondemne vs, if wee doe not the like. And truely if men and women would [...]ooke into their heartes, and not flat­ [...]er themselues in daungerous securi­ [...]ie, and would euen say to themselues, why doe I not say grace or cause it to [...]e said in that place where I am chiefe, [...]nd ought to doe it, what thinke you would they finde to be the true cause [...]ndéede? Certainely nothing but shame [...]nd bashefulnesse because it hath not [...]éene vsed. But O fearefull shame [...]hat shameth to doe Gods commaunde­ments, and consequently maketh vs [Page 58] eate our own damnation, the creatures being not sanctified vnto vs. And O damnable following of our wicked cu­stome, and leauing the custome of Christ and his children. God in mercie awake vs. For assuredlie wee litle knowe what we doe, when we preter­mit and shame to doe this dutie to the Lorde.

Que. You haue well satisfied me tou­ching the necessitie of this duetie, and nowe I aske you an other question, whether we may not also giue thankes to men, but whatsoeuer they say or doe to vs, yea if they drinke but to vs at the table, wee must say, I thanke God?

Ans. Truly to be perswaded that any kindnes or good can come to vs by men▪ from men, whereof our mercifull God is not the sender and giuer, woorking by those instrumēts, were verie wicked & horrible: but for the phrase of spéech my heart knowing GOD to be th [...] author, I may well and lawfully vs [...] it to the instrument no doubt, and say [Page 59] I thanke you, at any time or vpon a­ny occasion, when I reape the benefite of their loue, and by name vpon such occasion as you named. And this I take to be warranted by the practise of Paul, Rom. 16.3. & 4. who no doubt in heart knew God to be author of all his good, & yet are his words directed to y^e instruments. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, saith he, my fellow helpers in Christ Iesus. Which haue for my life laide downe their necke, vnto whom not onely I giue thankes, but al­so all the Churches of the Gentiles.

Que. As you haue said of the other du­ties, so I take it in this also: namelie that whatsoeuer is contrarie or against it, is as well forbidden vs by this first comman­dement, as this is commaunded.

Ans. It is very true. Both the preter­mission of thanks for any goodnes vpon [...]odie or minde, our selues or ours, [...]emporall or eternall bestowed by the [...]orde, as also the ascribing of it to [...]ur selues, [...]ur wit, our strength, poli­ [...]ie, friends, or any thing, it is horrible, [...]nd a breache of this commaundement, [Page 60] Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me.

Que. Thus rest I instructed more than I was touching this commaundement the first of all the ten. And now onely I could wish, if you might, that you would shewe me some way howe profitablie to examine mine owne heart touching this Lawe, and howe with my selfe I might meditate vpon it fruitefully, and with feeling.

Ans Indéed your request hath great profite in it, and that course or practise ye nowe desire, shall any man or wo­man finde very fruitefull, if they doe vse it. For euen as in earthly matters our affection and loue cleaueth fastest to them, that in greatest extremities haue brought vs helpe and ease, and as there is nothing y^t will blowe vp the coale of that remembraunce more vehemently, and make it flame out into open shewe of a thankefull heart, more effectually than some true meditation of the great­nesse of daunger, and gréeuousnesse of estate that we were in before: So in [Page 61] heauenly and spiritual things the same is found as true, or rather more, that sight of greatest good procureth greatest measure of such fruite as ought to flow thereof. For by example what so kin­deleth in a man the heate of burning loue, and maketh his heart to flame with true affection to his God, as doeth [...] liuely sight of that fearefull estate, vt­ter extremitie desperate and damnable condition, that he was once subiect vn­ [...]o without all recouerie by himselfe or any creature either in heauen or earth, [...]ut onely Iesus Christ the Sonne of God both God and man, together with [...] sight of certaine safetie from the same? Did not this bring that blessed woman [...]nd happie Saint of God Marie Mag­ [...]alen to such a swéete tast and great [...]ue, as that her melting heart mini­ [...]red teares to her wéeping eies,Luke. 7.38. where­with she washed the féete of her deare [...]auiour, wiped them with the haires [...] her head, kissed them, annointed them [...]ith precious ointment, and what was [...] which that woman thought too much [Page 62] for such a friende. True it is there­fore that the lesse we sée the goodnesse of our God, the lesse we loue him: but great is the affection of them, to whom many sinnes are forgiuen. Knowing this then that remembraunce of hard estate before will stirre the heart vp to him in loue that hath made it happie, and that sight of ougly sinne lod­ging still in mée and cleauing to my soule and flesh will make mee praise his name, who yet in mercie impu­teth not the same vnto mée: Vse in­déede often with your selfe, and especi­ally when you féele your heart most prone and fit thereunto, to viewe your sinnes against euery commaunde­ment, howe many and monstrous they are in thought, worde and deede, sit and thinke with your selfe what is commaunded, sometimes in one, some­times in another, what woonderfull perfection is required in euerie one, what braunches and members euerie one hath, what terrible iudgements are due to the breakers therof, how far from [Page 63] the full & absolute perfourmance of any tittle of any one of them you your selfe are, & therefore in what case you stand for y^e same, euen sure of eternal destruc­tion both of bodie & soule in hel fier. Yet notwithstanding how you are released of mercie, not of merite, & that with the preciousest ransom y^t euer was, y^e heart bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God both God & man, so that heauen & earth may perish, but you cannot perish.

Que. The examination of the consci­ence touching this commaundement.

Ans. As for example I set & view this cōmandemēt wherof now we haue spo­kē, Thou shalt haue none other gods but me. Considering what things are biddē [...]r forbidden vnto me in the same. And [...]s alreadie now hath béene prooued, first I sée I am commanded herein to wor­ [...]hip the Lord my God and him onely to [...]erue, not ioyning any fellowes to him [...]t all, of which worship many points [...]here bee, but they may bee reduced [...]nto a fewe. First I sée I am bound to [...]oue him aboue all, that is, in my heart [Page 64] and soule to make more account of him than of all the worlde or any creature in heauen or earth, to cleaue faster vn­to him and his wil than to any thing, to estéeme him and preferre him, yea e­uen aboue mine owne saluation, if they could come in comparison toge­ther, for, Hee that loueth father or mo­ther, Matth. 10.28. sister or brother, wife or childe, or any thing more than me, is not worthie of me. Secondly I am commaunded to feare him aboue all, that is with a god­ly reuerence to stande more in awe of him and his worde, than of any thing else whatsoeuer, to be more loath, not for feare onely, but euen for loue to dis­please him, grieue him, and offende him, than any or all the creatures in heauen or earth beside, in respect of that which he is able to lay vpon mee, if I forsake him, to account nothing of any thing that any man can doe vnto me, mindefull euer of this saying: Feare not them that can kill the bodie, and are not able to kill the soule: Matth. 10. but feare him that can cast both bodie and [Page 65] soule into hell fire. Thirdly I sée that in this commaundement I am charged to make my prayers to none but to God onely, for the reasons aboue in their place alledged. Fourthly I sée I am commaunded not to thinke that things goe by fortune and chaunce, or that any thing is done which GOD knoweth not of, or could not let, but that I acknowledge him to be the gui­der and gouernour of all things, and that what good soeuer I receiue I haue it from him, and therefore that I trust and stay vpon him alone at all times, and in all my matters whatsoeuer. And for so much as neither I nor any can either loue him, or feare him, pray to him, or trust in him, vnlesse we knowe him: therefore I sée also that I am in this commaundement straitely bound [...]o long as I liue, to labour and trauell by all meanes appointed to knowe the Lorde, and his trueth out of his worde: and looke howe much I want of knowing any thing, that is reueiled in his worde, so farre am I guiltie of [Page 66] the breache of this Lawe. And if it please y^e Lorde to blesse me with know­ledge of his trueth, or any thing else whatsoeuer, I sée that in this comman­dement I am charged to giue thankes to him for it in such full manner and measure of féeling, as any way is due to that benefite. For if I forget to be thankefull, I forget that the Lorde in that thing is my good God. And if I ascribe the praise and thankes to any thing else whatsoeuer, otherwise than as to the instrument of God, I make my selfe another GOD beside the Lorde, euen that thing, where­vnto I giue the thankes, and I breake this commaundement. These and ma­ny such other things I sée are laide v­pon me and al men, and women in this first commandement, & then I thinke or say with my self vnto y^e Lord, O my good God and gratious father, O my swéete Lord & guide most righteous, what doe I sée euen in this but one law of thine a­gainst my selfe, my soule and bodie, why I should neuer come in thy kingdome, [Page 67] nor lift vp mine eyes to heauen in hope of any comfort? This is but one Lawe of ten, and contayneth but a fewe due­ties in respect of all that I owe to thée and my brethren, yet ah Lorde, with wailing woe I speake it, so guiltie I sée my selfe, so fowle and ouglie before thy face, and so full of breaches euerie way, euen of this one commandement, that I am ashamed and confounded to [...]ift vp mine eies vnto thée my God. For mine iniquities are increased ouermine [...]ead, & my trespasses are growen vp to [...]he heauen, to me belongeth nothing but [...]hame & confusion, it is thy mercie that [...] am not vtterly destroied, yea euē thy [...]ercie maruellous, that the earth, as [...]eary of so wicked a burden, shrinketh [...]ot from vnder my féete, and hellish pit [...] gulfe of endlesse woe receiueth me [...]ot into it? For what pleasure is [...]ere in that seruaunt, that being bid [...] his master, doe diuers thinges, yet [...]ot in any one obeyeth or perfourmeth [...] maisters will? Can hée like him? [...]ill hee loue him? No no, full soone [Page 68] euen I my selfe would loath and cast off such a one. Ah Lorde then for my selfe what should I say? Is there any seruaunt so bound vnto his master, as I am bounde to thee? Is there any ma­ster that can and will so quitte his ser­uaunts paines, as thou in mercie my obedience? Or can any mortall man so iustly challenge the obedience of his hireling, as thou my God maist chal­lenge the seruice of me thy creature, first made of nothing by thy hande, and then most dearely bought againe with pre­cious price? No no, my bodie, my life, my heart, my soule, and whatsoeuer I am, within, or without, of thée I had all, and to thée my gratious God I owe them all againe. Yet sée, ah wretche, and wofull plight, although thy good­nesse to mee farre passeth all masters their seruaunts, and my duetie to thee more due ten thousand times than any mans vnto his master, yet is my diso­bedience greater, the sinne of my soule more grieuous, and the whole cours [...] of my wicked life more opposed to thy [Page 69] will, than euer was any earthly ser­uaunts to any hard and euill master. For he will doe something that hee is bidden, but I haue done nothing, as I plainely sée by viewing of my life, and as my conscience telleth me being pri­uie to my pathes. For haue I loued thée as I ought? Namely euen with all my heart, with all my soule, with all my strength, which is the first thing that is commaunded me in this com­maundement? If I haue done it, then haue I loued thy worde and euery way made that account of it that I ought. For Dauid thy déere seruaunt loued [...]hée, and beholde what he saith, Thy worde vnto mee was sweeter than the [...]onie and the honie combe. Ieremy [...]hy Prophet loued thée, and sée what [...]ollowed, Thy wordes were found by [...]im, and hee did eate them, and they were vnto him the ioy and the reioysing of his heart. And a number moe such [...]xamples haue we, whereby we learne [...]hat there is no true loue of thée in vs, [...]nlesse there be ioyned thereunto a syn­cere [Page 70] and feruent liking of thy worde. Now forasmuch as I am guiltie to my selfe, that I haue not had that care of thy worde, that I ought, to reade it, to heare it, to learne and séeke it, and eue­ry way to shewe my loue toward it, therefore O deare Father, to say I haue loued thée as I ought, with all my soule and power, alas I dare not, alas I cannot. For much more oc­cupied might I haue béene in the me­ditation of thy Lawe, than euer I haue béene. I confesse it O Lorde, I confesse it euen with griefe of heart. And therefore if thou werst not a God most mercifull, I euen for this one thing were a wretche most misera­ble. The like might I say of that light and little account that I haue made of thy Ministers, which bée­ing another braunche of the loue of thée bewrayeth my want vnto mee. But sée yet further howe greatly my heart hath fayled in louing of thée. For looking vnto my selfe a litle déeper, beholde euen such thinges as flatlie [Page 71] and directly are contrarie to the loue of thée, alas I sée them to haue béene, and to be, at times in mee most hor­rible. To murmure and grudge, to repine and be offended with any crosse or griefe whatsoeuer laide vpon mee by thée, or not euen willinglie to ac­cept it as the messenger of a grati­ous friende, to seeke any wicked meanes to bee eased of it, is contra­rie to that loue that wee owe to thée. And howe fraile my selfe haue béene herein, thou searcher of hearts know­est it well, and I wretche most weake, with ruing heart beséeche thy pardon. Againe to suffer the worlde, or any glistering glorie there­of, further to creepe into our heartes and to tickle vs with delight and li­king, than it ought, is a thing [...]at contrarie to the loue of thée. For so we reade:1. Iohn. 2. Loue not this worlde nor a­ny thing that is in the worlde. For, If any man loue this world, the loue of the father is not in him. To drawe backe also my helping hand from those [Page 72] that are in néede, and not with readie heart and willing minde to comfort their poore estate, with whom thou hast dealt more hardely than with mee, I knowe it bewrayeth a want of loue to thée.1. Ioh. 3.17. For so I learne, Whosoeuer hath this worldes good, seeth his brother neede, & shutteth his compassion from him, howe dwelleth the loue of God in him? But these O Lord haue taynted somtimes this heart of mine, and there­fore I haue not loued thée as I ought. But what should I say when I viewe in my selfe, howe my flesh and my heart runneth backe as it were to hide it selfe when I thinke of any persecution to be abidden for thée and thy trueth, and specially when I looke vpon these horri­ble torments, that some of thy Martirs haue suffered, oh what want of loue be­wrayeth it to me? My houshold and fa­milie, my children and charge, my life and present estate steppe in vnto mee, as Peter once did to his master,Matth. 16.22. drawe me aside, and whisper in mine eare to saue my selfe, if that day come, and [Page 73] my power fayleth, with courage to an­ [...]were, as then my Sauiour did, Come after me Satans, your counsell is not good, neither sauour you the things that [...]re of God: so that euery way I sée I [...]oue thée not my God as I should. Looke [...]t my behauiour when I sée or heare [...]hy name dishonoured any way, and I [...]muther it vp, I hold my peace. I make [...]s though I heard it not, yea and some­ [...]imes I approoue wickednesse with my [...]aughter, and I breake not out in zeale [...]f rebuke. No I that hearing as much [...]y any worldly friende, would readilie [...]hallenge the wrong, and hotly séeke [...]euenge therof, in thy cause, and for thy [...]ake, I haue no heate nor courage, but [...]ither persons, place, daunger, or some [...]ircumstance or other, quencheth my [...]eart, tyeth vp my tongue, and maketh [...]e like a traitour, to my Lorde and [...]aster. What might I say of that se­ [...]ret misliking that somtimes wil créepe [...] closely into my minde, of the poore [...]state of Christ in his members here on [...]arth? Christ liketh me not so well, [Page 74] when he lyeth in the stable,Luke. 2. in the man­ger, when he flyeth into Egypt for his life,Matth. 2 13. when he hath not an hole to lay his head in, except it be in a colde pri­son, as he doeth when he rideth to the Citie, and the people cutting downe bowghes of Palmes strawe them in the way, spread their garments, and crie, O Zanna, blessed be he that com­meth in the name of the Lorde, Matth. 21.8. as when they séeke to make him a King and the worlde doeth séeme his friende. No, my heart will euen slippe some­times priuilie into this wish: O that the Gospell and the worlde might al­wayes be friendes, and goe hande in hande. So that liking not euerie way so well in trueth of Christ in pouer­tie, as in plentie, and feeling not my heart so well contented to begge and suffer with him, as to rule & raigne with him, there is not that loue in me towar [...] him that ought to be. Againe mark ho [...] I faile in publike assemblies to heare [...] word, to pray & such like, when I migh [...] bee present if I would. Marke how [...] [Page 75] negligent I am in publishing the prayses of my GOD, and labou­ring thereby to drawe others to a greater liking of him, with a num­ber such like wantes, and O loue of GOD, in mée no loue in déede, but [...]ead, blotted out, and quite extingui­ [...]hed. Sée nowe howe guiltie I am e­ [...]en of the first thing that is commaun­ [...]ed mee in this commaundement. The seconde thing is, that I should [...]eare thée aboue all, the thirde is,Feare of God. [...]hat I should pray to none but to thée, [...]he fourth to acknowledge thee the [...]uider and gouernour of all thinges, [...]f whome I receiue all the benefites [...]hat I haue, and therefore that I trust [...]nd stay vpon thée alone. Fiftly, that [...] should labour to knowe thée out of [...]hy worde, so fully and perfectly as [...]hou hast reuealed thy selfe therein, [...]ecause of knowledge all these other [...]llowe. And lastlie, that I should for [...]ll benefites giue thankes onely to [...]ee, and in such full manner and [...]easure of féeling as any way is due [Page 76] to that blessing which I receiue. In which points as in other moe, which might yet be named, O merciful father I here before thée confesse I am no bet­ter than in the first. I dare not cleare my selfe, I cannot, I ought not: O Lord giue me eyes to sée my wants, for I haue feared men and their threates more than I ought, I haue feared the losse of their fauour more than I ought, I haue feared the losse of worldely com­modities more than I ought, and haue not as thy blessed Apostle taught me by this example,Philipp. 3. accounted those thinges that were vantage vnto me losse & very doung for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lorde. Some­times Satan hath rocked this soule of mine in the chayer of securitie, that I haue euen slept as it were a dead sléepe, and not considered of thy iudge­ments against sinne, as I ought, ney­ther taken y^e profite by thy extraordina­ry works in the ayer, in the earth, in the bodies of men, and beasts, that I should, but passed them ouer with a litle woon­der [Page 77] or motion for a short time. When my sinnes haue béene touched, or ap­peared vnto me, I haue flattered my [...]wne soule and put vpon them honest [...]ames, as clokes to hide them withal. The plaine pride of my heart and mere [...]anitie I haue iudged clenlinesse or ne­cessary for my estate. Miserable coue­ [...]ousnesse haue I iudged lawful care for [...]hings necessary, and so forth, a mani­fest token of a dead heart within, and [...]oide of tasting any horror in sinne. By [...]ll which and many more thinges that my minde may easily sée, it is apparant [...]o me, that I haue euen broken this [...]oint also of thy Lawe in not fearing [...]hee, so as I ought. Alas Lorde, what [...]hall I say of the rest of the braunches [...]f this commandement, named euen nowe? Am I any perfecter in them, [...]han in these? No, no, I haue sinned a­gainst thée in them all, and that most grieuously, so that if there were no mo [...]f thy commandements, but euen this [...]ne the first of al, yet doth my conscience [...]ell me, I am before thée guiltie, & good [Page 78] Lorde most fearefully to bee touched. But there are nine moe, spreading out their braunches to all sinceritie and ho­linesse both in bodie and minde, toward God and man, with threatened cu [...]es to all flesh that shall doe contrarie. And therefore when I viewe my cou [...]se e­uen at the first to bee so crooked, O deare Father, what shall I thinke i [...] [...] ap­peare when I shall bee iudged in them all? Shall I boast of merites and kéepe no fyttle of thy commaundementes? Shall I challenge saluation for my workes, and euerie braunche of thy lawe doeth call mee cursed, because I haue so fowlie and often broken the same? No, good Father, no, this little viewe of my obedience to thy hestes doeth plainely tell mee, I haue no merites or good workes to come before thée withall, much lesse am I able to doe workes of supererogation, that is more than I neede to doe, but of sinnes and euill workes alas I see a number. With Dauid may I crie,Psal. 34. They are more than the haires of my [Page 79] [...]eade, and my heart hath failed mee. I [...]ay truely saye with the prodigall Sonne, I haue sinned against heauen [...]nd against thee, and I am not worthie [...] bee called thy childe. I may say [...]ith the Publican, God bee mercifull [...] mee a sinner, and adde thereunto, a [...]reat and grieuous sinner: I may say [...]ith Ieremie: O Lorde though mine [...]iquities testifie against mee, yet deale [...]hou with mee according to thy name, [...]or my rebellions are many. And with [...], I haue sinned, Iob. 7. what shall I doe to [...]ee, O thou preseruer of men? Yea [...]ell may I say, I lye downe in my con­ [...]sion, and my shame couereth mee. [...]or I haue sinned against the Lorde my GOD, from my youth vp tyll this [...]ay, and haue not obeyed his voyce. [...]o conclude, I may looke about mee, [...]nd from a wounded soule crie vnto [...]ose that can giue mée counsell: In re­ [...]ect of my sinnes, men & brethren what [...]all I do? And sée, how neuer the Lord [...]rsaketh those, y^t want his helpe & aide. [...]oe I not euen nowe remember what [Page 80] he aduiseth me and all sinners in my case to doe?Prou. 28. Hee that hideth his sinne, saith the Lorde by Salomon, shall not prosper: but he that confesseth his sinne, and forsaketh it, shall haue mercie. And sée in Dauid the proofe and tryall of it. For when I helde my tongue saith hee▪ my bones consumed, Psal. 32. or when I roared all the day. For thy hande is heauie v­pon me daie and night, and my moy­sture is turned into the drought of sum [...]mer. Then I acknowledged my sin vn [...]to thee, neither hid I mine iniquitie▪ For I said I wil confesse against my selfe▪ and thou forgauest the punishment o [...] my sinne. Therefore O Lorde I hear­ken to thy counsell, and though I ha [...] sinned aboue the number of the sand o [...] the sea, as plainely I sée I haue, if I [...] charged with euery branch of thy com [...]maundements, how I haue kept them though my transgressions be multipli [...]ed and are excéeding many, so that I am not worthie to beholde the heigh [...] of heauen for the multitude of m [...] vnrighteousnesse, yea I say, thoug [...] [Page 81] I haue prouoked thy wrath, and doone euill before thee, and not kept any [...]ot of thy commaundementes so fully as I ought, yet knowing Thou desirest [...]he death of no sinner, but rather that he should repent and be saued, and hast [...]hewed the trueth thereof in forgiuing Dauid and manie mo confessing truely [...]heir sinnes before thee: Therefore O good Lorde and sweete refuge, full of mercie, pitie, and compassion, I bow the [...]nees of my heart with king Manasses, [...]nd all sorrowfull sinners, and begge [...]hy mercie. I haue sinned, O Lord, I [...]aue sinned, and I acknowledge my [...]ransgressions, but I humbly beseech [...]hee forgiue me, O Lorde forgiue me, [...]nd destroy me not, as I haue deserued, [...]e not angrie with me for euer, by re­ [...]eruing to me euil, neither condemne [...]e into the lower partes of the earth. For thou art the God, euen the God of [...]ll them that repent, and on me thou [...]ilt shewe mercie. My sorrowe good [...]orde, alas I knowe it is not great y­ [...]ough, neither answereth it the great­nesse [Page 82] of my sinne, but thou canst giue greater, if it please thée. O deare Fa­ther, rent my heart and giue mée fée­ling, cleaue it a sunder, by thy pearcing spirit, that from it may flowe the teares of true repentaunce, strike good Lorde this harde rocke of mine, that it may gushe out sorowfull water for so fowle offence, and what wanteth in mée any wayes, supplie in mercie with my Sauiour, in whom thou art perfectly pleased. Graunt O God vn­to mée, thy gratious spirit to kill in mée continually more and more the strength and power of sinne, and to rayse mée vp in bodie and soule to more obedience towardes thée. Let not my wantes stande euer, swéete Lorde, betwixt thy mercie and mée, but giue mee will to wishe it, giue me power to doe it, giue mée loue to like it, and euer strength to continue in it, that thou hast appointed for mee to walke in before thée in this worlde. Heare mee O Lorde, O God, O swéete and endlesse comfort of my sinnefull [Page 83] soule, for Iesus Christ his sake, that liuing heare, I may euer serue thee: and dooing so, I may neuer loose thée. Amen, Amen.

FIrst for the order of this Commaundement, eyther wee may answere that this first Table contay­ning the honour and due­tie of men to the Lorde, as the se­ [...]ond doeth their duetie to man, and the worshippe of GOD being part­ [...]y inwarde, partly outwarde, ha­ [...]ing in the former Commaundement [Page 84] laide downe the former kinde, to wit of inward worship, fitly now in this, & the two next folow y^e outward duties, which to the same our gratious God we iustly owe. Or else thus: That the Lorde in the first commaundement hauing sepa­rated himselfe from al other gods, deui­sed and made by men, and commanded all mortall men and women his crea­tures subiect to his Lawe to worship him onely and none but him, here now in this second precept (as order requi­red) he setteth downe modum & rationē iuxta quam coli velit, the waie and ma­ner how he wilbee serued: Forasmuch as in vaine he should haue doone the first, except he had done the second also. The way and maner is this, euen ac­cording to his will and nature. Which albeit it may séeme to flesh and bloud not so fitlie done by a negatiue lawe, as by an affirmatiue it might, yet besides that we are not to teache the Lorde, e­uen in speciall wisedome hath he thus doone it. For first our natures are very prone to the breache hereof, which by a [Page 85] negatiue is stronglier beat downe than by an affirmatiue, and then againe the Gentiles next neighbours to the Iewes were very much giuen to idols and images, and therefore by name forbid­den to the Iewes, least by the Gentiles in that point they should be defiled. And yet doth not the Lord here so set downe a negatiue, but that he includeth an af­firmatiue in it. For as he saith, Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen i­mage, and meaneth thereby, Thou shalt not worship mee with any deuise of [...]hine owne, contrary to my wil and na­ [...]ure, so implieth he herein the affirma­ [...]iue, namely thou shalt in euery re­ [...]pect worship me according to my will [...]nd nature. Moreouer remember here [...]gaine, which hath béene touched be­ [...]re, that both in this commandement [...] in all other, the Lord setteth downe [...] name that thing, the doing whereof [...] not doing is most decent or horri­ [...]e. And therefore in this place for­ [...]ding all false and fonde worshippe [...] his Maiestie, hee setteth downe in [Page 86] name that which is most vnséemely and vile, to wit, Idolatrie. For of all wrong worshippe, to make him like a man or woman, or other worse crea­ture, to prostrate our selues thereun­to, and to thinke wee worship him in so dooing, is most horrible. What expo­sitions your Booke giueth you may looke and marke, adding for more plain­nesse thereunto thus much, that the very meaning of this commandement in effect is thus much: as if the Lorde should haue said: although the corrupt nature of man bee such, as naturally he desireth my presence in some visible forme and shape, foolishly thinking that then he is most neare vnto mee when he hath before his eyes some vi­sible picture of mee: yet for as much as this, and the worship hereby doone vnto mee is neither agréeable to my will nor nature, I therefore com­maund thée that thou make to thy selfe no grauen image, &c. That is, that thou goe not about to represent me by any likenesse of any creature whatsoe­uer, [Page 87] neither to worship mée in or vnder any such showes, or after any way than out of my worde thou learnest to bee a­gréeable both to my will and nature. Easilie then may we sée what wee are occasioned here in this commandement to consider of, namely,

• 1 The making of Images.
• 2 The worshipping of them.
• 3 The reasons God vseth here.

Touching the first then vsually vp­pon this occasion is mooued this questi­on, whether simplie it bee vnlawfull and misliked of the Lorde to make any kinde of Image by painting, car­ [...]ing, ingrauing, &c. And it séemeth yea, [...]ecause the woordes are so flatte with­ [...]ut exception, Thou shalt not make any grauen image, &c.

For answere whereunto 3. seuerall [...]udgements are founde amongst men. [...]ome thinke in déede all pictures and [...]mages to be vnlawfull aswell in Ci­ [...]ill vse as in religious, and such are the [...]urkes by name if it bee truely writ­ [...]n of them. Whose money they say [Page 88] hath neuer any image vpon it but cer­tain Arabike letters, their other works as carpets, couerings, quisshins &c. vt­terly also without any image of man or any liuing creature vpon them, and all because they thinke it vnlawful.

Others thinke it lawful to make any picture at all, yea euen of God himselfe, so that the same be not worshipped as a bare picture & image. And they vnder­stand this commaundement of images made to this ende to be adored. These are our Papists.

The thirde iudgement and best, is of them that thinke it lawful to make pic­tures of things which we haue séene to a ciuill vse, but not to vse them in the Church and for religion.

Now for the first opinion, it is out of all question false and too superstitious. For howsoeuer the Turks receiue not such profe, yet we that imbrace & cleaue to the authoritie of Gods worde, know that the Lorde hath not lefte this com­maundement neither any other with­out large and plaine exposition in other [Page 89] places of the scripture, and therfore we are to conferre place with place, prac­tise with precept, and so to sée whether in déede all images be forbidden to be made or no. First then marke y^e wordes in Leuiticus: Leuit. 26.1. Ye shall make you no Idols nor grauen Image, neither reare you vp any pillers &c. Out of which place thus I reason. Looke how the Lorde forbid­deth the rearing vp of a piller, & so doth he forbid the making of images, for he ioyneth them here in one prohibition: but he doth not simply forbid & in all re­spects the rearing vp of a piller, therfore neither the other. The seconde proposi­tion is prooued thus:Gen. 28.18. Iacob pitched the stone on ende that had lien vnder his heade all night, powred oyle on it, and calleth it Beth-el, the house of God.Iosue. 2▪ Io­sua commaunded by the commaunde­ment of God twelue stones to be pit­ched vp. Samuel pitched vp a stone also betwixt Mispeh and Sheu, 2. Sam. 7.12. and called the name thereof Ebenezer. Therefore not the rearing vp of a piller, but the rea­ring vp of it to be worshipped idola­trously [Page 90] was forbidden. Euen so of images. For, as I sayde, they are ioy­ned of GOD in the place of Leuiti­cus as thinges like equally forbid­den. A most notable place also for the proofe hereof is that in Iosua, where the Israelites woulde haue warred v­pon their brethren,Iosua. 22. if they had erec­ted that altar for religion, which in déede they did set vp for a ciuill vse, as there you may sée. Besides all this, doe wee not sée that GOD himselfe commaunded the Cherubims, Lil­lies, Pomgranetes, Oxen, Lyons, and such like pictures to bee made, and sayth he had giuen his Spirite to Bezaliel, Exod. 25. whereby he might haue vn­derstanding to worke all these workes. Nowe thinke with your selfe, would GOD eyther haue commaunded ima­ges to be made, or ascribed the abili­tie to doe such woorkes to the grace of his Spirite, if in this commaunde­ment giuen and published before the time he had simplie forbidden the same in all respectes? It can not be, vn­lesse [Page 91] GOD should be contrarie to him selfe, and therefore the Turkes, or who­soeuer else so thinkes, are deceiued. The same might yet further be prooued by the commaundement of GOD to make the Brasen Serpent, and by Christes not finding fault with Cae­sars image vpon the money that was shewed him, and many proofes moe if néede were. For the seconde opi­nion of them that thinke it lawfull to make any picture, yea euen of GOD himselfe, and to set them vp in Churches, so long as no worship is doone to them as they are bare images, there is great cause why they should be gainesaid and resisted euen in both. But especially in the first, for they oppose themselues to the true sense of this com­maundement, to diuerse other plaine Scriptures, to the nature of God, to reason, and to the iudgementes and practise of godlie men, as by particu­lar viewe of euery one appeareth.The sense of the comman­dement a­gainst it. For touching the true and direct ende of this commandement, it hath béene said [Page 92] before, and is most true, that it is chiefly to forbid al pictures of God, as the most grosse blindenesse and impietie of all o­ther, bicause he may not be imagined to be like either man or woman, or any o­ther creature.Other Scrip­tures. He neuer was séene, and therefore can not be painted or pictured like any creature,Deutro. 4.15. Esa. 40.18. Acts. 17.29. but with a breach of this commaundement. For other pla­ces of the scripture plainly forbidding the same, I haue quoted them before, & nothing can bee more expresse. Third­ly they oppose thēselues to his nature,Nature a­gainst it. which is such as no heauenly creature can resemble, much lesse any earthly: no natural thing, much lesse any artificial. And to set vp a picture of God not like him, whether it be to offende him, and to dishonor him, if otherwise we cannot conceiue it, let vs iudge by our selues, who quickly woulde take it in great snuffe, if one picturing vs should make either the eies too great, the nose too long or high, the eares, mouth, armes, hands, or any thing wrong. Yea, we would burst it in pieces, bid away with it, and [Page 93] not abyde the sight of it. Yet dare we abuse the God of heauen our creator and maker, and set vp 20. thousande pictures of him in seuerall places, ne­uer awhit like him, for it is vnpossible they should be, neither one like another. O Christ open our eyes, that we may sée this vanitie and the sinne of that church, that maintaineth this as good. For truely it is fearefull thus to play with the Lord, whom neuer eyes sawe, nor can see, as he is in nature and be­ [...]ng. Fourthly, they do against al rea­son: for God is a spirite,Reason a­gainst it. and therefore [...]annot be pictured: God is infinite and [...]herefore cannot be pictured. God, as often hath beene saide, was neuer yet [...]éene of any, and then how is it possible [...]o picture him? Youth and age, length, [...]readth, thicknes, white or blacke, this [...]ember or that, these are not things [...]cident to the Godhead, and therefore [...]mpossible in verie reason to picture God. Last of all, they oppose them­ [...]elues both to the iudgement and prac­ [...]ise of the Godly in thus doing.All practise of the godlie a­gainst it. For to [Page 94] omit the iudgements of the Prophetes and Apostles so lately quoted, crying against this impietie. It is verie wor­thie noting that the auncient Father Damascene a defender of other images and pictures greatly, yet saith: Deum conarivelle effingere, Lib. 4. cap. 8. rem stultam esse & impiam. non enim imagines Deus admittit. To goe about (saith he) to picture God is both a verie foolish thing and a wic­ked. For God may not be pictured. And if you marke the practise of the godlie, I pray you of all those notable visions and manifestations made vnto them, which of them euer went about to make a picture? Surely if they would not euer presume to picture God in that manner that they sawe him and talked with him, because they well knewe these were but sparcles as it were of his glorie and maiestie that they sawe, and hee in nature a farre other thin [...] than euer he appeared vnto them or they able to beholde, if he had doone it, howe shall we beholde, nay O Lorde what blindenesse is it in vs to set him [Page 95] out as we list our selues, and euen as euerie sinnefull man and rude pain­ter pleaseth? Therefore I trust we sée this to be a fault, and euen forbidden in this seconde commaundement, to make any image of God himselfe.

The thirde opinion of them that thinke there is a lawfull vse of some Images and pictures, though not in re­ [...]igion, is most true, otherwise were the [...]ift, cunning and abilitie to doe these things by painting, caruing, grauing, or such like, a wicked thing, when as yet we heard before y^t it procéedeth of Gods [...]pirite either in Bezaliel, or whosoeuer [...]lse indued w^t it. But then hereupō ari­ [...]eth another questiō, as namely whether [...]mages & pictures in churches may not [...]e had though we put no religion in thē. Wherunto we may answere that how­ [...]oeuer it be tollerable in some mens o­ [...]inions, and a thing indifferent to haue [...]ome sort of pictures in the Church for [...] ciuil vse, as either for story & remem­ [...]rāce sake, or for ornament & beautie of [...] place, & may séem to be warrāted by y^e [Page 96] act of Iosua, who set a stone in the sanc­tuarie of God, and by the déede of Sa­lomon, who had the pictures of dyuers things in the temple, and of the Che­rubins in the holyest place of al, yet cer­tainly in this matter, it is not so good to looke what may be doone, as what is conuenient to be doone. For if in any thing, surely in this it is true, some thing is in some sort lawfull, which is not expedient. Images in Churches we well know, haue not euer béene vsed, howsoeuer Rome doth vrge the matter, but then began, when as the idols of the Gentiles being destroy­ed and peace restored to the Churches vnder Constantine, they vsed with great affection and resort in certaine places and times to solemnise the me­morie of such godly Martyrs as con­stantly for the truth had suffered: Set­ting vp in their Churches at these their solemne méetings for ornaments part­ly, & partly for a better remembrance of their constanty & faith, the pictures and images of such dead Martyrs, as [Page 97] especially they iudged woorthie chiefe remembraunce, and this began not to be any custome til about the yere of our Lorde 380, as by much authoritie is easily and euidentlie to be prooued.Ann. 380. And yet sée and note it diligently which in­déede is to be marked of vs al, albeit the beginning of images in Churches was for no worse ende than I now haue na­med, yet did the godly Fathers in those dayes euen vehemently speake against the same, not condemning in it selfe the historicall vse of pictures, but yet wishing in such places of méeting to serue GOD, as the Churches were, rather pristinam & primitiuam simplicit a­tem, the olde and primitiue simplicitie, than such deckinges and ornamentes of images. Iustly fearing the mischiefe, that indéede followed of it, and nowe so greatly aboundeth in y^e Church of Rome to wit grosse impietie and idolatrie. Therfore I say againe, howsoeuer in it selfe any men thinke it to be lawfull with some conditions, yet certainely it is no way conuenient, but verie [Page 98] daungerous euery way to haue them in the Churches. This first point then of this commaundement is nowe suf­ficiently explaned vnto vs, if one worde be added of the very first begin­ning of Images,The originall of Images. and to what end they were inuented. Reade the fourtéenth Chapter of the booke of Wisedome, and marke the storie well. The inuenting of idols, saith he, was the beginning of whoredome, and the finding of them is the corruption of life. They were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue for euer, &c. Before the floud we reade not of them in the scriptures. And after the floud about 300. yeares liued Terah, Abrahams father, who as he was the first idolater that we reade of, so thinketh Epiphanius he was the first maker of an image, and euen hee that is meant in the 14. of Wisedome before named. But whosoeuer first in­uented them, and whensoeuer they first began, it skilleth not much, only note his iudgement that writ that booke of Wis­dome, whosoeuer he was, how he plain­ [...]y [Page 99] affirmeth from the beginning they were not, but the vaine glory of man [...]rought them in, & the finding of them was the corruption of life. Now beside y^e [...]se which there is touched, namely to mitigate y^e griefe of a father for his dead [...]hilde, other vses followed. For Noble men, wise men & good common wealth men being dead, had at their gates, dores [...] other places set vp their pictures both [...] honour their memorie, & to mitigate [...]he griefe of their friendes for their de­ [...]arture. So writeth Valerius of Scipio [...]nd Cato, and many other stories of [...]he like doone to other men. Accepta de­ [...]de res est (saith Plinie) humanissima am­ [...]tione per totum orbem: That is, The [...]stome was taken vp euen through [...] world as it were by a courteous and [...]uil kind of ambition. So that the child [...]ould haue his fathers picture, the cly­ [...]t his good Patron, the souldier his [...]aptaine, and the Capitaine his soul­ [...]er, the field, the campe, and all circum­ [...]nces. And thus grewe it from dead [...]en to liuing, and that sometime for [Page 100] honour, sometime for dishonour. And from priuate places to bee set vp in Churches, from policie to religion, as hath béene saide and shewed before. And thus much of making of images and e­recting them eyther in houses or Chur­ches, priuate or publike places.

The second poynt generall of this commandement is to consider the wor­shipping of images,Of the wor­shipping of Images. whether it be law­full for a Christian man or woman to fall downe before a stocke & a stone, and to doe it reuerence, capping, knéeling, knocking, créeping, crossing, kissing, lighting vp candels to it, and such like, as we sée doone in the Church of Rome, with great obseruation. If we looke the scriptures of God, we haue first here a plaine commandement, Thou shalt not bowe down to them, nor worship them ▪ Then haue we Dauid in plaine wordes pronouncing destruction to all that do [...] it,Psal. 97. Deutro. 27. saying, Confounded be all they that worshippe carued images, &c. with a number like testimonies. But I pass [...] them ouer because our aduersaries th [...] [Page 101] Papistes themselues are ashamed of [...]his their follie and wickednesse: but [...]owe? Ashamed I say to confesse it, although they haue not grace to blush [...]t the doing of it. For what say they with one consent, so many as haue a­ [...]y wit, but that which their greate Doctor Thomas Aquinas, Summa 3. par­te. q. 25. art. 3. with many o­ [...]her, saith, namely that Ne imagini [...]uidem Christi, in quantum est res quae­ [...]am, puta lignum sculptum, vel pictum, vlla [...]ebetur reuerentia, &c. That is, That to [...]e very image of Christ, as it is but an [...]age, or matter of wood, grauen or [...]ainted, no reuerence is due, &c. & there­ [...]re in no case they will confesse that [...]ey doe any woorship to bare images. [...] happy men if they had grace to shame [...] doe, that which they so greatly shame [...] say they doe, or consciences to take [...]way yet at the last, that which they [...]owe many thousandes stumble and [...]ll at, howsoeuer a fewe of them, that [...]ue learning can distinguish betwixt [...] image, and the thing represented [...]ereby. But what is it then that they [Page 102] say for the maintenaunce of their ima­ges, if they denie to woorship them?

1 Forsooth first they say they worship not the image, but God in the image, and vnder the image.Popish shiftes. But where a­las haue they their warraunt, that GOD will be thus woorshipped of them, and that whatsoeuer they doe in outward shewe to the image, he will re­pute it and take it as doone in heart to himselfe? What we haue to say against this vaine deuise of theirs, I pray you marke. First the very Gentiles had the selfsame excuse & shift for their idolatry, and yet was their doing wicked. Arno­bius saith of them, Non adorabant statua [...] quòd putabant, Lib. 6. aes, aurum, argentū aut simi­les statuarū materias Deos esse, sed quòd per ea dij inuisibiles honorentur. That is, They woorshipped images, not for that they thought, brasse, golde, siluer, or such things to be God, but because by thos [...] things the inuisible gods were worship­ped.

2 Secondly if we looke to the scripture we reade a complaint in the book of Iud­ges, [Page 103] for that the people left the God of Israell, and serued Baalim, Iud. 2.11. and what I pray you was that? Did they thinke that image to be God? No saieth the prophet Osee, They haue called me Baa­lim, meaning God, that is,Osee. 2.16. they thought that worship which they did to Baalim, was doone to God vnder the image, and by the image, and yet saith the worde, They did euill in seruing Baalim. Iud. 2.11. What can be plainer against this idle excuse, if you will looke and mark the places wel? Againe in the 17. of Iudges we reade of Micah his idols in the forme of men,Iud. 17. as some thinke, because Christ appeared diuerse times like a man. And what?Gen 32. Dan. 7. did he thinke those his idols to be God, or worship thē as gods? no his own words testifie the contrary, for he saith, Nowe shall the Lord blesse me, when I haue a Leuite to my priest: he doeth not say, Nowe shall my Teraphim blesse me, but nowe shall the Lorde blesse me, distin­guishing betwixt God and his images. So that Micah did not thinke his idols [...]o be GOD, and so certainelie did [Page 104] not worship them as God, but in them rather and by them thought he serued God who accepted that to himselfe, that was doone to the image which repre­s [...]nted him, yet did he wickedly and sin­ned like an idolater in so doing. Howe then should this popish excuse be good of worshipping GOD in the image? I would to GOD with modestie and Christian chastitie men and women would thinke of this reason drawen by a godly man à pari, of the like. Would the husband be content with his wife, or the wife with the husband, if that duetie which is due of them one toward the other, should be perfourmed of ey­ther of them to a straunger with this excuse that the Papists make? No we knowe we could not beare it, neyther would we with any such aunswere be contented. And why should our hearts be so hard, and our iudgements so be­witched, that we should not thinke the Lord loueth his Church, and euery true member of it, aswell as any man his wife, or any wife her husband, and is as [Page 105] ielous of that spirituall duetie, that is due to him, as men are of the other? The one is actuall fornication, the o­ther is spirituall so learned euē in wise­dome of God to beate into vs that hee can as ill abide the one, as wee the o­ther: and yet wee will not sée, nor con­ceiue. Againe shall we thinke that the Israelites were so grosse, as to thinke the golden Calfe to bee a verie God, when as they knewe it molten and made of y^e earings that they plucked off? True­ly it is impossible. For they knew that had a beginning, and a God there was who had doone great things for them ere that day, whose beginning they knewe not: How then? Why, out of questiō they did imagine, that the wor­ship which they did to that idoll, was doone to God in the idoll. And yet whe­ther God was pleased with that excuse or no, iudge we all. Let it fall then euen in the feare of God, what mans head in­uenteth against the Lord and his owne duetie, and at the last let vs sée it to bée a vaine mocke, to thinke wee can wor­ship [Page 106] God in an image, and by it, or vn­der it.

Another shifte they haue for de­fence of images in the Church, but it is as ill as the former. They are (say they) lay mens Bookes, and stande in verie good stéede, to put vs in minde of GOD. It is verie well. And is euery kinde of Booke then good and to bee allowed of? Or is euerie man­ner of rememberaunce by and by com­mendable? If not, then should they not onely say they are laye mens Bookes, but proue that they are good bookes al­so in déede to that ende. (for otherwise many bookes may aswell hurt as profit the vsers of them as I said.) But this they doe not, neither in déede can they doe, and therefore the consequence they make is naught, and falleth of it selfe if you marke it. Nowe that they are no good Bookes, but verie daungerous and deceyuing sightes for laye men or other whatsoeuer, let the worde of the Lorde himselfe bee iudge.Iere. 10.8. The Prophet Ieremie in zeale of spirite de­testeth [Page 107] such Bookes,verse. 15. and refuseth to bee put in mynde of GOD by any such deceitefull meanes. For the stocke sayeth hée, is a doctrine of va­nitie, yea they are vanitie and the worke of errours, and in the time of their visitation they shall perishe. The Prophet Abacuck agayne sayth, That the image is a teacher of lyes, Chap. 2.18. though hee that made it, trust in it, &c. Shall then a Booke full of lyes, vanities, and errour bée so good a Booke, and rememberaunce to laye men? Shall that which indaungereth the learned, nothing hurt thinke wee the vnlear­ned? O that wee knewe not by experi­ence into what fonde and wicked opi­nions poore people haue béene brought of GOD by these painted and carued Bookes? Howe many heartes lament their follie, and howe many tongues to the praise of GODS mercy in visi­ting them with his light, can, and doe tell, what fonde conceytes they had of the Lorde and heauenly matters, seduced by the sight of their eyes? [Page 108] Therefore since God hath saide it, and experience founde it, that they are so daungerous, let them be Bookes for Paganes and Heathens, surely for Christians they should not bee. Which of the Prophetes or Apostles went a­bout euer to haue images made, either to put themselues in minde of any thing which the Lorde taught them, or their people of any thing which they deliue­red to them from the Lorde? But they vsed the admonition of their brethren, and especially by writing downe what they taught they helped this infirmitie of ours. Signifying euen by that their practise what the meanes ought nowe to bee to put vs in minde of God and heauenly things, chiefely his worde. The Lorde himselfe saieth,Deutro. 4. Ye sawe no image, but heard a voyce onely. There­fore make no image: and againe, You sawe that I spake to you from heauen, therefore yee shall make no Gods of golde nor siluer: as if he shoulde haue saide, my practise in speaking to you by voyce, not by image, shoulde teach you [Page 109] that by my worde and not by image, I am to be remembred. And it is a nota­ble place in Esay, Esay. 30.21. that when the worde shall take place with his, then they shal abhorre images. And thus much both of making them, and worshipping them.

Next it doeth followe, that wee con­sider howe vnder this outward appea­ring grosse idolatrie, are comprised all deuised wayes & meanes of our selues to serue the Lord, yea, euen all, be they neuer so glorious in our eyes, and our intentes neuer so good and godly & rea­sonable, as we thinke, yet if they be but our owne inuentions, not warranted to vs in the word, here vnder this name of images they are contained, and toge­ther condemned. So that the very sense of this commandement is this,Generally by no deuise of man, and par­ticularly not by this. as hath before béene saide: by no deuise of thine owne, or inuention whatsoeuer will I bee serued, and namely not by images erected vp to me, or in rememberaunce of mee. But euer at all times, and of all men according to that rule that my [Page 110] selfe haue laide downe, and prescribed onely.Deutr. 12. Esay. 29. You shall not doe euerie man what seemeth good in his owne eyes, for in vaine doe men worshippe mee with traditions of men. Moses did no­thing in building the materiall taber­nacle beside what was commaunded and shewed him. Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron dyed for presu­ming of themselues to serue the Lorde with straunge fire.Leuit. 10. The verie heath­nish Romanes had this reason with them, that it was better for them to bée quite without Christ, than to wor­ship him, and others with him against his will and liking. And ad placandum deum ijs opus habent homines quae ille iubet, that is, To please the Lorde, saith Lac­tantius, men haue neede of those things that he himselfe commaundeth. And a Christian minde doeth not finde a sure stay, but when it heareth, Hoc dicit do­minus: 1. Sam. 13. This saieth the Lorde. If Saul breake y^e course that God doeth appoint and of himself deuise to serue the Lord, be his necessitie to doe so, as he thin­keth [Page 111] neuer so great, and the intent of his heart neuer so holie like, certaine­lie Samuel both must, and will tell him to his face, he hath doone foolishly,1. Sam. 15. for the Lord hath more pleasure in that his will is obeyed, than in all the fat­lings of the Amalekites offered vp vnto him of our owne wils and heades. In­tents will not serue, neither volunta­rie Religion stande accepted. And therefore euer let vs weigh and fol­lowe the counsell of Salomon. And looke to our feete, when wee enter in­to the house of God being more readie to heare, Ecclesi. 4. than to offer the sacrifice of fooles, for they knowe not what they doe.

Last of all we are to consider the rea­sons that God maketh here.The reasons of this com­mandement. The first is drawen of his loue towardes vs, yea of his exceeding great loue, which is euen growen to a ielousie. So déere­lie, so vehemently is his heart set vp­pon vs, yet not for any woorthinesse in vs, that looke howe grieuously a ielous man can take the misbehauiour of his [Page 112] straying wife, euen so ill can the Lorde abyde that wee shoulde impart our selues to others beside him in obediēce, worship and loue. Nowe had we any féeling left within our sides, and our heartes were not altogether so harde trampled and beaten as they are, what a reason were this for euer to kéepe vs knit vnto the Lorde?O marke. Why shoulde he loue vs, why should he care for vs, why shoulde he thinke of vs, or euer once vouchsafe vs good, who of our selues cannot thinke a good thought? There is no cause but in himselfe. Yet doth he not onely loue vs, but is ielous of vs. How then should this force vs to cleaue vnto him, onely his, & none but his for euer­more? Is he ours and will we not be his againe? Would he onely enioy vs, and wee will not be tyed vnto him? Take héede. The greater loue, the greater hate, when vnkinde refusall is to reape his iust rewarde. The seconde reason which the Lorde here vseth is drawen of the punishment that will light vpon vs, if wee breake this commandement. [Page 113] He will visite the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation, & sore is that anger, the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so farre, yet the meaning thereof is, as Ezekiel well showes,Chap. 18. if the children doe follow the fathers wic­kednesse, and not otherwise. 3 The thirde reason is drawen of his mercie promi­sed here euē to thousands of them that loue him & kéepe his commandements. O now that we would weigh these rea­sons well and lay them déepe vp in our hearts. Truely if there bee any portion of the spirit of life in vs, we should finde them forcible to giue vs a taste of the wrath of God against idolatrie, and ap­proching before him with our owne in­uentions, what excuses, intents & rea­sons soeuer wee thinke we haue for the same, we shall finde them strong to al­lure vs to the carefull and diligent sée­king of the Lords wil out of his word, and the duetifull and constant seruing of him according to that rule. But when wee will not weigh his promised mer­cies, [Page 114] nor giue our heartes leaue to thinke of his threatened iudgementes, but headlong in vnféelingnesse runne on, and in blinde ignoraunce imagine, that our intentes if they bee good must néedes stoppe Gods mouth and make him contented with the breache of his will, this, this is the poyson of y^e whore of Babylon that infecteth our soules to eternall damnation and wrathe. O God & Father of mercies disperse this dimnesse as may stande with thy good­will from the eyes of thy deceiued crea­tures, and yet once ere they dye, let them sée their sinnes against this com­maundement, that in wrath they passe not to greater iudgement, so due and so sure to all wilfull contemners of the light of thy worde and Gospell. Amen. Furthermore againe if wee doe well, marke here the wordes of our God wherewith he vttereth these pro­mises & threateneth these iudgementes, truely they aforde vnto vs two or thrée profitable notes, and considerations. As first, because in our deuises & wor­ship [Page 115] of our owne will the best wee can say, is that it commeth from a good meaning and intent, and therefore wée thinke God cannot of his mercie refuse that which is well meant, and intended towardes him: I beseeche you marke howe the Lord here ouerthrow­eth vtterly this defence, saying in ex­presse wordes, that they bee haters of him and so led with the liking of their worshippe from the Lorde and his true seruice, that when occasion ser­ueth they bewraye extreme hatred thereunto, persecuting it with fire and fagotte in the true professours thereof. O my brethren if GOD repute mee for an enemie, what can my pretended loue auayle mee? If hée say I hate him, howe dare I still bewitched with my follie, thinke I loue him? Shall his owne mouth tell mee, that I hate him, and that he so ta­keth all my doings,If I swarue frō Gods com­mandements. I hate him in­tend what I can. & will I not beléeue it? is it not possible to make vs féele our fault, and to sée our sinne in this be­halfe? will wee still chalenge the Lorde [Page 116] with our good intentes and honest mea­nings, as wee thinke, when yet his owne tongue speaketh it, that if I ey­ther serue with him any other, as saints, Angels, images, or whatsoeuer, or him alone after any other way, than he prescribeth, I loue him not, but hate him, yea euen extremely hate him, and shall at his handes finde the rewarde of a deadly enemie to his glorie? Nowe Christ for his mercies sake touche vs and giue vs féeling. Secondly let vs marke againe in these the comparison of mercy and iudgement together, how farre the one excéedeth. His enemies and haters of his will he punisheth but to the thirde and fourth generation, but sheweth mercie to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commaun­dementes: Who woulde not serue then, and onely serue a God of such a nature? Yea what heart is it that will not séeke to please according to his will so good a Lorde as powreth mercie so long after his decease vppon his of­spring and posteritie?

[Page 117]Last of all, it is verie worthie obser­uation, howe that speaking here of his commandements, he placeth loue before it, saying he will shewe kindnesse to thousandes of them that loue him, and kéepe his commandements. As though he woulde haue vs knowe that these two cannot be separated, but whosoeuer frameth himselfe to obey the Lorde, he must néedes loue him before, for out of that, as out of his fountaine and pro­per head, floweth the other, not accep­ted else nor liked of if it doe not, and contrariwise if wee doe loue the Lorde in déede, in trueth, in veritie, then will wee keepe His Commaundementes, marke it, His Commaundementes, he doeth not say then will hee deuise this thing, and that thing, with twentie things moe of a good minde and mea­ning to please GOD withall, but we will then kéepe His Commandements, that is, wee will then séeke and search, wee will then reade and heare euerie man, wee will endeuour to bee in­structed what GOD in his worde [Page 118] hath prescribed vs to doe and wee will kéepe His commaundementes. Nowe then once againe, euen as the bloud of Iesus Christ is deare vnto vs, let our brethren of the Churche of Rome, (for so wee yet call them in hope of a­mendment) looke and marke what loue of GOD is in them. Héere is a note, and else often repeated in the Scripture to knowe their loue by. A­las they deuise lawes, wayes, and meanes, euerie day to serue GOD withall of their owne heades, but his prescribed rule in his worde they vtterly contemne and neglect. Now where true loue of GOD is, out of it floweth a burning constant care to kéepe His commaundementes, not our owne. They kéepe their owne and with fire and fagot doe reuenge the breach of them, but the Lordes worde not so, with abstayning from this meate and that meate, this day and that day, with single lyfe, though most impure, with prayers in an vnknowen tongue, and thus often re­peated [Page 119] ouer and ouer, with crossings, and créepings, Paxes and Beades, ho­lie water and Creame, Ashes and spit­tle, with a thousande such things haue they deuised to worshippe the Lorde, and who so breaketh these, an Heretike hée is, a runneaway from the Church, cite him and summon him, excommu­nicate him and imprison him, burne him and hang him, yea away with such a one, for he is not worthie to liue vpon the earth. But if he blaspheme the name of the Lord by horrible swea­ring,Reade the L. Cobhams last examination in the begin­ning of it. if he offende most grieuously in pride, in wrath, in gluttonie, and coue­tousnesse, if he be a drunken alestake, a ticktack tauerner, kéepe a whore or two in his owne house, and moe abroade at bord with other men, with a nūber such like gréeuous offences, what doe they? Either he is not punished at all, & most commonly so or if he be, it is a little pe­nance of their owne inuenting by belly or purse, or to say a certaine of prayers, to visit such an image in pilgrimage, &c.

But all this deserueth neither fire nor [Page 120] fagot. Is not this for that man of sinne to exalt himselfe against all that is cal­led God, or that is worshipped? Can it be denied but that he that punisheth the breache of his owne lawes aboue the breache of Gods lawes, in that prefer­reth himselfe before GOD? Surely it cannot, it is too plaine, & therefore once againe remember that the loue of God in man or woman draweth them to the kéeping of His commandements set downe in the worde, and not of their owne constitutions deuised by them­selues. And thus much in briefe of this commandement.

Question.

WHAT is the meaning of this commaundement? Your Booke.

Ans. God chargeth vs in this third commaunde­ment these thrée thinges. First, that we vse with most high reue­rence the name of God, whensoeuer we either speake or thinke vpon him. Se­condly that wee neuer blaspheme the name of God by coniuring, witchcraft, sorcerie or charming, or any such like, neither hy cursing, or banning. Third­ly that we neuer sweare by the name of God in our common talke, although the matter be neuer so true, but only where the glorie of God is sought, or the sal­uation of our brethren, or before a Ma­gistrate in witnessing the trueth, when [Page 129] we are thereunto lawfully called. In which causes we must onely sweare by the name of God. But as for Saintes, Angels Roode, Booke, Crosse, Masse, or anie other thing, we ought in no case by them to sweare.

Que. What is meant by the name of God here?

Ans. Not only anie one word vsuallie giuen to him in scripture, as Iehouah, or such like,Philip. 2, 9. but also his maiestie and ex­cellencie, with such attributes as de­clare the same, as his wisedome, his iustice, his prouidence, his mercie and so foorth. Againe his lawe and com­mandements or his doctrine and worde are vsuallie signified by it,Leuit. 22.31. 1. Tim. 61. to make vs more carefull to attende vppon them, as things wherupon depend the honour, glorie and name of God.

Que. What is it to take his name in vaine?

Ans. Surelie either to speake or thinke of it without most high reue­rence, and especiallie to sweare by it o­therwise than we ought. Also to cast [Page 130] behind vs the diligent care of his com­maundementes.

Que. Of the latter we shall speake hereafter, nowe in the meane time how prooue you that wee must euerie waie vse reuerentlie the name of God?

Ans. To name but one place of ma­nie, it is prooued euidentlie by these wordes of the lawe:Deut. 28.58. If thou shalt not feare this glorious and fearefull name, the Lorde thy GOD, then will the Lorde make thy plagues woonderfull, &c. That is, if thou doest not with most great feare and reuerence vse the name of GOD at all times, and shewe the same by kéeping and doe­ing all the wordes of this lawe, then will I plague thée to the example of all others, euen in thy selfe and in thy séede,V. 59. with great plagues and of long continuaunce, and sore diseases and of long durance.

Que. Howe prooue you that by swearing I must vse his name reue­rentlie?

[Page 131] Ans. By necessarie consequence. For if I must euer vse it reuerently, then when I sweare by it.

Que. The argument were good, if it were lawfull to sweare at all, but the Scripture seemeth to denie all swearing, Math. 5.33. Iam. 5.12. saying: sweare not at all, but let your communication bee yea, yea, and nay, nay. Whereupon the Anabaptistes haue thought this lawe a ceremoniall lawe, and now abrogated.

Ans. Those places you name are to bee vnderstoode either of common talke, or of swearing by creatures, and they doe not in generall condemne all swearing. Of this iudgement is Augu­stine, who saith: In nouo Testamento di­ctum est ne omnino iuremus, non quia iura­re est peccatum, sed quia pe [...]erare est im­mane peccatum: That is, In the newe Testament wee are forbidden to sweare at all, not because all swea­ring is a sinne, but because for­swearing is an horrible sinne. And in an other place, Admonitio non [Page 132] iurandi, conseruatio est a peccato periurij. The admonitiō in scripture not to sweare is a preseruation from false and wrong­full swearing.

Que. Is it then lawfull to sweare?

Ans. Yea it is both lawfull and a glorie to God.

Que. First howe prooue you it is lawfull?

Ans. God in his law expresselie com­mandeth vs, saying, Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and serue him, Deut. 6.13. Chap. 10.20 and shalt sweare by his name: therefore it is lawfull. Secondlie GOD himselfe and all his children (as occasion ser­ued) haue vsed to doe it, and therefore lawfull. God him selfe (as we reade) Because hee had not a greater to sweare by, Heb. 6. Gen. 2. Cor. 1.23. sware by himselfe. And the Patriarches, Prophetes, Apostles did honour God with this seruice. We sée it.

Que. How prooue you that it is ho­nour to God?

Ans. By the testimonies before cited wee euidentlie see,Heb. 6. that the thing wee [Page 133] sweare by, wee make it the greatest of all other, wee make it the witnesse and discerner of our trueth wee meane,2. Cor. 1.23. and the reuenger of falsehoode and our fault if wee doe not as wee sweare, all which to bee giuen to the Lorde by swearing onely by him, is a glory to him, and con­trariwise a dishonour to him to ascribe them elsewhere, since indéede they are not incident to anie creature.

Que. But doe all swearers by the name of God honour God in so doe­ing?

Ans. O no, vnlesse we sweare as we ought, we dishonour him greatly.

Que. How is that?

Ans. First the matter must be true, to Gods honour, and the benefite of our brother. Secondlie before a Magistrate when we are lawfullie called. Thirdlie the name of God must only be vsed, and lastly our affection ought to bee good. The first is prooued by the othe that Iosua his espies made to Rahab. 2. Iosue. 12. A­gainst which it shoulde bee an offence verie fearefull if men hauing the pla­ces [Page 134] of Iudges, Iustices, &c. shoulde minister othes to men in euerie light trifling cause for more spéede, because they will not stande to search and ex­amine the matter otherwise, & should either do it themselues, or sit and heare their seruantes doe it in such hudling, poosting and vnreuerent manner, as that a man can scarse tel what he saith. Whereas amongst Christians it were verie commendable if there were some pithie and godly admonition either lon­ger or shorter to aduise them of the na­ture of an oth, what honor it is to God, if it be as it ought to bee, and what dreadfull woe it pulleth vpon them, if it be otherwise.Exod. 22.10.11 The seconde is prooued by the law of God prouided and set downe to that end. The third is prooued by y^e Prophete Ieremie, Iere. 5.7. See Amos. 8.14. Sophon. 1.4. by whose mouth the Lorde complaineth, that therefore hée was forsaken of them, because they sware by them that are no Gods. And marke it well. Is the mother of Christ a God? Are Peter and Paul, Saint and Angel whatsoeuer so many gods? [Page 135] Is the Roode a God, the Masse a God, your faith and trueth a God, &c. Is the bodie of Christ a God? is his bloode a God, his armes, sides, féete, & hearte so manie Gods? If they bee not, howe sweare we by them then so vsually and so fearefullie? We heare what GOD saith by the Prophet, namely that they that sweare by anie thing that is not God, do flatly forsake the true God him selfe, and will we not marke it? Shall it not feare vs from so foule a custome? I hope it shall. Last of all, that my affec­tion shold be good, verie reason maie as­sure me. For if I come to sweare not for any care or loue to the glory of God, to the trueth of the cause, and peace and right of my neighbour, but in choler, in malice, for spite & enuie, certainly how­soeuer my oth doth good, yet shall the Lorde neuer ascribe that good to mee, but in wrath punishe mee for doeing a good thing with so euill a minde. Thus then we sée how we must sweare if God be pleased and honoured by vs [Page 136] in that action, and how if we do other­wise we breake this commaundement, and take his name in vaine.

Que. One question by the waye let me aske you, whether may a Christian admitte an oath by an Idoll hauing to deale with an Infidell, or no?

Ans. The ciuill lawe they say per­mitteth straungers to sweare by their owne Gods. Tertullian in his booke of Idolatrie sayth, wee ought not to con­tende with them ouermuch about this matter. Augustine in an Epistle saith plainelie, it maie be admitted of a Chri­stian, and wee sée it in the worde, that when Iacob and Laban sware eche to other, Iacob sware by the true God, and Laban by the God of Nachar, be­sides diuers other examples.

Que. Then to goe forwarde, cer­taine it is that wee are not onelie bounde to the affirmatiue, that is eue­rie way with most high reuerence to vse the name of GOD, and name­lie in swearing, but also to the ne­gatiue, [Page 137] no waye to pollute this name, and chiefly not in swearing. Ha­uing then heard how by others he is dis­honored, I pray you what other breach doe you knowe of this commandement beside vngodly swearing?

Ans. Truely Gods name is taken in vaine, dishonored,Prayer. and this commande­ment broken, in praying also aswell as in swearing: for if I powre out a sort of wordes without féeling, or any burning intire affection, if I drawe néere with my lippes, and my hart be farre away, certainely I abuse the holy name of my God in so calling vpon him, and I am guilty of the breach of this law. For beside that reason teacheth vs God ca­reth not for lippe labour, it is the rule of the holy Ghost, that when wee pray,Ephes. 6.18. we should pray in spirite, that is with heart and affection.

Que. Howe else?

Ans. Againe, Gods name is taken in vaine, and polluted whensoeuer it is called vpon in coniuring, witchcraft,Coniuring. sorcerie, charming, and such like. For [Page 138] the wordes of the lawe are plaine, Let none bee founde amongest you that maketh his sonne and his daughter to goe through the fire, Deut. 18.10. &c. or that vseth witchcraft, or a regarder of times, or a marker of the flying of foules, or a sor­cerer, or a charmer, or that counselleth with spirits, or a soothsayer, or that as­keth counsell of the dead. For all that do such thinges are an abomination vnto the Lorde, and because of these abomi­nations the Lorde thy God doeth cast them out before thee. And many other notable testimonies hath your booke quoted in the margin.

Que. Why but in earnest (to let the rest passe) do you not thinke much good is done and may be done by charming, that is by vertue of some wholsome prai­ers, as a pater noster, two or three good auees and a creede, or such other good words, neither english nor latin, nor any thing else in signification oftentimes?

Ans. I answere to this questiō in thrée degrées. And first I say, the question is not onely whether any good, as you [Page 139] tearme it, be done or may be doone by a charme, but whether it be or may bee doone lawefully by the same, or no. And you heare the word of God plaine­ly condemning the practise of it. Wher­fore with what conscience can wee de­riue health or anie helpe whatsoeuer either to our selues or ours by that meanes that GOD hath so feareful­ly threatned vengeance vnto, were we neuer so sure to obtaine it by the same? Secondly what benefite soeuer we reape by such forbidden meanes, I dare assure you all thinges conside­red, wee gette no good, but muche harme. For what GOD will not haue doone, GOD is neuer the au­thor, worker, and cause of proper­ly, and directly, but health or anie helpe to our selues or others by charming, the Lorde will not haue procured: therefore of that health and helpe so gotten, assuredly the Lorde is neither author, worker, nor cause directly. If then not the Lorde, who but the diuell? And if it be he, as most [Page 140] assuredly it is he, then I pray you let vs all men and women thus reason with ourselues: Is the deuill our friende or our foe, our welwiller or our enemie? Surely we cannot be ignorant of it, he is the sworne enemie of mankind, the serpent that in burning malice deceiued vs once and ouerthrewe vs quite, the roaring lyon that rangeth about with­out any rest, still séeking out whom he may deuour. And will euer he that hath euen sworne the woe of vs all, and sée­keth as Peter saith, that is with all di­ligence and indeuour, with might and maine, with tooth and naile as we say, with his candle in his hande light least by any meanes we should escape him, applyeth his whole power to destroy vs and to bring vs to endelesse calamitie, wil he I say euer do vs any good, thinke we, but to the ende to inferre thereby a greater plague vpon vs? Certainely he will not: for he were not the deuill if he should, and we may be as assured of it, as we are sure y^t he hath that name and nature. Then I say let vs marke. We [Page 141] finde by a charme, bodily helpe in our selues or ours. But this would neuer Sathan haue done, vnlesse he had know­en that the vsing of meanes forbidden by God would sting our bodies & soules to eternall death in the worlde to come. Then sée still I say, and note it. Good he doth vs in bodie, that a thousande times more euill he may worke both to body and soule in the day of iudgement. Temporall ease he is content to bestow vpon vs, that endlesse disease, miserie and woe he may procure vnto vs. This is most true, and nowe what good doth charming if all thinges be considered? Shall a Christian man and woman so hunt for helpe of body or goods, that they shall for it loose bodie and soule eternal­ly? Shall our health and wealth be dee­rer to vs than the Lordes commande­ment? God forbid, and therefore let vs rest perswaded, howsoeuer wee thinke such vngodly meanes procure vs good, yet in déede all thinges considered, it is no good: For Sathan being our foe will neuer doe vs good but to the ende to [Page 142] hurt vs more by it, and the breache of Gods commaundement will ring our soules a passing peale from face and fauour of the Lorde. Last of all (which especially I thinke you would heare) I denie that by the charme a­ny thing at all is doone, whatsoeuer the wordes be. For euerie action must haue a fit and conuenient meanes ap­plied vnto the patient to be doone by, but bare wordes, Pater nosters, a­uees, and creedes, characters and figures are no meanes appointed of the Lorde to doe any cures by, either vppon men or cattle, and therefore if any thing be doone, assuredly it is not doone by these thinges as the true & working meanes, but by the deuill himselfe bléering our eies by these shadowes. And this vaine opinion verie Aristotle could mocke and disdaine as absurde and foolish, Plinie also with diuers others.

Que. But howe prooue you by scrip­ture that bare wordes being good words be not forcible to this ende?

Ans. Surely me thinke beside others [Page 143] that example in the acts of the Apostles prooueth it, wher we sée those vagabund Iewes there spoken of vsed as good wordes as might be, but all to no pur­pose, when the deuill listed not dissem­ble. And therefore we may sée it is not the charme that can doe any thing by vertue of the bare wordes. And you can not say that vnto the wordes come any faith and good minde of the charmer, for faith leaneth vpon promise, and promise annexed to a thing maketh it lawefull: but charming hath neither promise in the word, nor is allowed, but by name expressely forbidden and condemned.

Que. Yet we see manie thinges are done by it, and experience daily confir­meth a contrarie assertion to you.

Ans. True it is and I graunt it, that by charmes diuers are healed, &c. But therefore they were the verie wordes that did it? It is no consequence. For o­ther meanes might doe it, and yet no­thing apparant to vs but the charme. As a witche may hurte mee with speaking to mee, not that her wordes [Page 144] doe it, but some pestilent thing of an infectiue operation helde in her téeth de­liuered her of her diuell to such vse,Danaeus out of Augustine. as some of them at death haue con­fessed.

Que. What then is your conclusion touching charmers, southsayers, and such like?

Ans. Truely this, in such things as I can be assured by mine owne true vn­derstanding or others counsell, they doe by true naturall cause and meanes in reason effectuall to such an end, I may lawfully vse the benefite of the know­ledge giuen them of God and séeke their helpe. But where I shall knowe the want of these meanes, or but in mine owne heart suspect it, surely there I may not, there I cannot with a good conscience vse them or séeke vnto them, for the lawe that willeth a witch should die, being broken of me by vsing such a meanes, shall bring greater death to me without repentance.

Que. Howe yet further is Gods name taken in vaine?

[Page 145] Ans. By rash and vngodly vowes either made or kept.

Que. Whether might the Iewes vow what they would, or no?

Ans. No indéede. But first they had a warrant to vowe, and then also e­uen the thing that they did vowe was warranted. And if they went further than their commission, were their in­tent neuer so good, it was reiected. Sometimes they vowed in aduersitie, to the ende that if it pleased the Lorde to deliuer them, they might not onely in generall, but euen in speciall shewe their gratefull heart to the Lorde for the same. Thus vowed Iacob at his going to Padan Haran, and manie moe in their seuerall distresses. And this they did to preuent and staie in some manner the mutabilitie of their will, and frailtie of their nature, which in a­ny griefe easily promiseth to the Lorde, but béeing once freed and set at liber­tie, soone forgetteth that swéete féeling and all spéeches that procéeded from the same. Sometime in prosperitie [Page 146] they vsed to vowe for seuerall endes. As for the amplification of that out­warde seruice of sacrifices which then the Lorde required,Leuit. 7.22. and this was war­ranted vnto them to doe. First fruites and tithes warranted also,Deut. 12. Exod. 25. goulde and siluer to the building of the temple warranted also. Sometimes they vowed abstinencie for the subduing of the bodie,Numb. 30. warranted also. Sometimes men vowed themselues vnto the Lord, as Hanna her sonne Samuell, Numb. 6. and this her and their déede was allowed of the Lorde. But if once they came without a warrant, we sée their seruice reiected were their heart and meaning neuer so good. Example is Dauid promising to builde the Lorde an house, with manie others. So euer hath the Lord kept man vnder his hande and dire­ction touching religion, hating the bouldnesse of man presuming to in­uent any seruice of himselfe. I answere you therefore I say and you sée it, that the Iewes might not vowe what they listed and what they meant well in, but [Page 147] what the worde of the Lorde gaue them leaue to vowe.

Que. Were they bound euer to keepe their vowe if once they had passed it out of their mouth?

Ans. No in déede. But it is marue­lous worthy noting the excéeding care that the Lorde had least their vowes should become snares to their conscien­ces. Therefore he would not the wiues vow to stand vnlesse her husband heard and allowed it, nor the daughters with­out the fathers cōsent. And if they vow­ed a wicked thing he would not haue it perfourmed as we sée.Deutro. 23. If an vncleane thing were vowed it might be redée­med. And which is especially to be noted if a poore man vowed a vowe aboue his abilitie, being decayed betwixt the time of his vow & the perfourmance, at the priests discretion he was released,Leuit. 27. & not snared with the word y^t had passed him once. For all which you sée a great libertie granted to mans infirmitie, least by any meanes his mouth might cause his fleshe to sinne, and howe [Page 148] it neuer pleased the Lorde that drewe sinne with it in the other hande, as the vnchaste vowes doe of chastitie in the Church of Rome, with such like. But in déede if they vowed a thing lawefull and warranted, and in their powers without inconuenience to perfourme, then were the Iewes verie straitlie bound to perfourme their vowes, and not otherwise.

Que. What say you then to the ar­gument of the Papists, The Iewes vow­ed and the Lord accepted them. There­fore we may doe the like.

Ans. I answere it is a senselesse con­clusion: for they had warrant, wee haue none so to doe: the thinges they vowed were warranted, we vowe pil­grimages to this Saint & that, to this Idoll and that, we vowe to be Monkes, Friers, Nunnes, to weare this ap­parrell and that, to liue single, to ab­steine from this meate and that, with a number such inuentions of our owne no where warranted. Last­ly, they were released if anie incon­uenience [Page 149] grewe, our vowes must stande though bodie and soule perishe for it. Therefore to reason from the Iewes vowe euerie way warranted, to the alowance of popish and rashe vowes no waie warranted, is ab­surde.

Que. How yet further is Gods name abused?

Ans. Gods name is yet further a­bused whensoeuer it is prefixed before anie wicked instrumentes, as the Popes bulles and pardons, which commonly beginne thus, In the name of God Amen. So did the sentences of condemnation against Gods chil­dren in Quéene Maries daies pro­nounced by those bloudie Bishoppes beginne also, with such other diuilishe instrumentes, before which to set the name of GOD as though he were author and approouer of such actes, can not be but a fearefull pollution of the name of GOD, and a breach of this commandement. Againe to speake of the name of GOD lightly and [Page 150] without any dewe regarde thereof in sportes, playes, and pastimes, when my conscience telleth mee I not once thinke of God, neither is that a right vse of prayer. Also to vse the phrases and sentences of scripture in iest, in di­rision, in mirth vnreuerently as a number doe most fearefully. Sure it is a gréeuous breach of this commaun­dement.

Que. And what say you of banning and cursing which the booke heere na­meth, and yet is it vsuall with Dauid as it seemeth?

Ans. Euen this also in some circum­stance is a great euill and forbidden by this lawe. For thus we are to weigh this question: the matter either is the Lordes or mine owne. If it be mine owne, in no case euer should I curse and wish any euill, but patiently abide the Lordes good time to sée to it. If it be the Lordes, then is the partie either corrigible or incorrigible, and past all hope of amendment in mans eyes. If he be corrigible not euen in the Lordes [Page 151] cause should I curse my brother, but if he be past hope in mans iudgement, then conditionally may wee pray the Lorde either to turne him or to re­mooue him, that no longer he may resist his glorie. And to this head are Dauids spéeches most of them to be reduced. Others are pleased with this answere also, that Dauid had the gift of prophe­sie, whereby hee might sée and say more than we may safely followe ha­uing not the like gift in vs.

Que. What if I heare a man commit anie of all these?

Ans. Certainely they that in zeale of heart and loue to the offender doe not rebuke the abuse of Gods name, as their calling alloweth them, doe also sinne against this commaundement. So doe they againe that being vtter­ly vnworthy take vppon them rashly or couetously the calling of the mi­nisterie, as they also who admitte such into the same.Malach. 1. The Prophet is plaine if wee marke him in this case. And to speake much in [Page 152] a worde, that wee may sooner ende▪ by a carelesse and a wicked life is the name of GOD greatly prophaned. For the Lorde sayth, You shall kéepe my commaundementes and doe them,Leuit. 22.31. neither shall you pollute my holie name. Where wee plainely sée that whosoeuer doth otherwise than GOD commaundeth, polluteth his name. And let seruauntes count their maisters worthy of double honour sayeth the A­postle,1. Tim. 6.1. that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of. And more néere goe other places, when it is saide,Deutro. 28.58. & 15. &c. Thou shalt obserue and doe all thinges, &c. That is, thou shalt bende all thy thought and care vppon this, howe thou mayest kéepe my lawes and statutes. Whereby wee first sée excluded all fayned and carelesse walking in the waies of the Lorde, and that the Lorde regardeth him that trembleth at his wordes. Secondly we sée by it not onely Atheistes, but e­uen euerie one that is not touched with a great desire by their good life [Page 153] to glorifie God, to be guiltie of this law. And therefore we may hereby cease to maruell at the afflictions of those men in whose liues we haue spied no great outward offence. For albeit they haue not greatlie to mans eyes offended, yet if they haue not obserued to kéepe his statutes, that is carefully feared and fled euen from verie little breaches, the Lorde hath iust occasion to punish their coldnesse. Last of all the neglect of those meanes that God hath appointed for welfare either of bodie or soule, is a breach of this lawe. For the words and workes of his wisedome may not bee refused as néedelesse, which were to de­tract from his wisedome, but with all thankefulnesse and readines imbraced, that in so doing his wisedome may bée honoured. And thus doe you sée in some part, the breadth of this commaunde­ment.

Que. What then remaineth yet to consider?

Ans. These wordes (thy God) are not to bee passed ouer without some [Page 154] profite to vs: and verie well may wee sée in thē that our obedience ought euen in this commandement also to procéede of loue, an loue ought to make vs most carefull to please the Lorde. Then are we to weigh the reason annexed, name­lie, that the Lorde will not holde him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine, which is as great a threatening as may be. For all our helpe standeth in this, that the Lord in Christ pardoneth vs and will not charge vs with our faultes, which if hee will not doe, but enter into iudgement with vs, néedes must we die, and abide eternall woe. Therefore howe shoulde this reason mooue vs all and euer to a reuerent re­gard of his name?

Que. Nowe then I pray you, as in the former, shewe mee how I may fruit­fullie vse the cogitation of this dis­course?

Ans. In the examination of our selues by this commaundement, what should we doe, but euen lay before vs, as with one sight we may sée then fully the se­uerall [Page 155] branches nowe repeated of the same, carefully waying in what case we stande, if we should be iudged according to them. And first to beginne with false and vaine swearing, where is that man or woman that can excuse themselues in it?Swearing. Hath there neuer passed an oth from me in all my life, but before the magi­strate whē I was lawfully called ther­vnto? Yes, yes, God knoweth both of­ten and gréeuously hath my sinne appea­red in this behalfe. My spéech hath not béene yea, yea, and nay nay, as it should haue béene, but bitterly and vehement­ly, earnestly, and vngodlilie hath this tongue of mine added more. Yea (which was madnesse now I sée) I haue sought to get and kéepe my credite with mortal man by swearing, & to loose it with my God by so offending. But O cursed cre­dite so gotten, where were mine eyes, where was my vnderstāding? Whether is it better for the present time of mē to be beléeued, & of the Lord for euermore abhorred, or with light vngratious peo­ple, with whom othes be onely truth, [Page 156] to abide a little deniall, and of God my God euer for my obedience to be loued? Yet haue I witlesse wretch made choise of the former manie a time and neglec­ted the later. For sworne I haue often to be beléeued, when I shoulde haue ab­stained, of God to bée loued. If anie re­buked mée, it was vnseasonable, it was vnsauorie, sure I am, I liked not of it, and sure I am I amended not by it. Nay haue I not either excused othes to be no othes, but affirmations, or open­lie euill spoken of so good admonition, or at least secretelie in my heart dis­dained with scorne, and iudged it foolish and precise curiositie? What hath a­nie man to doe with mée? Let euerie vessell stande vppon his owne botome, if I sinne it is worse for me, amende your selfe and care not for others. These haue béene our speaches and such like, I feare me, in the impaciencie and igno­rance of our heartes, and therefore of swearing to say no more, sinned wee haue and excuse wee want, the Lorde graunt pardon to our trespasse. If I [Page 157] looke at the rest, am I able to say I am not guiltie in them? No, no, not I, nor anie fleshe liuing, I am sure of it, but that the Lorde for sinne will not let vs sée our sinne, weigh our sinne, nor grant vs iudgement to discouer our guilt. For what man or woman may not the righ­teous God summon to his high courte and say,Praying, or Singing. Thou art faultie of taking my name in vaine by praying? Alas for my selfe, I sée it in the time of mine igno­rance I haue pattered often with colde affection, for paraduenture I knewe not what I sayd, thinking the déede doone to be seruice liked, and the words pronounced all to bee well. And euen nowe since the Lord hath opened mine eyes that I knowe it to be sinne to pray without attentiue minde vppon the thing I doe, and without ardent affec­tion, yet howe harde it is to doe it euer, and neuer to swarne or stray, I find it, yea euen impossible to my corruption. For this thing and that thing is sathan readie to trouble so fruiteful an exercise withall, and a thousande wayes he hath [Page 158] to make the minde to wander from the thing it onely shoulde attende. If affec­tion be good, attention faileth: and if at­tention stande, affection dyeth. And therefore séeing that euen reason teach­eth mee that to call vppon the name of God not as I ought to do is plainly to a­buse his name & take it in vaine, neither in this point can I cleare my selfe but broken herein also I haue this his com­maundement. What vaine vowes and promises haue passed from me néedelesse to be made,Vowes. and fruitlesse to be kept? For sorcerie and witchcraft, charming and coniuring am I able to say I haue as earnestlie abhorred them as I ought, & euerie way so absteyned from them as I shoulde? Nay hath not rather ease béene sought in paine of mee by these meanes,Charming. or at least wished if I coulde haue gotten them? My selfe and my friends, my children and goods haue I loued obedience more than thē? Or hath not euer some base creature as swine or such like béene dearer to mee than the Lord, séeking by charme to saue the one, [Page 159] and not fearing by sinne to loose the o­ther? God sift not my guilt euen nowe in this: for practise or will, for my selfe or for others wil surely accuse me. Fur­ther and beside al these, let it be wel wei­ed of anie Christian heart that feareth God indéede, and carefullie séeketh the credite of his name, howe often vn­reuerentlie in sporting and playing, in shooting & bowling, in dising & carding,Gaming. we vse his name,Scripture phrase. howe the phrase of scripture wil rowle out of our mouthes in iesting and light conferences, howe fearefully we vse him in cursing & ban­ning our bretheren,Banning. and surely he shall sée no smal guilt touching this commā ­dement in euerie one of vs, if God in iu­stice weigh vs in the balance, and re­warde vs as he findeth weight of sinne full duelie to deserue. Where is that happie man or woman, so waking and sléeping, so sitting and going, so spea­king and kéeping silence, so liuing and dying as for no sin of theirs, for no in­firmitie, for no slip or fal, y^e name of God & truth hath bin euil spoken or thought [Page 160] of. Let this man and woman appeare and boast that in great measure they haue kept this commaundement. But if none such can bee found, whose frail­tie hath not fostred in reprobate minds a misliking of good thinges, then let all fleshe fall downe before his footestoole and sewe out pardon, for that liuing so looselie they haue taken his name in vaine and broken this commandement. Last of all if wee cast our eyes about & consider a little the manifolde meanes prouided by the Lord to do vs good in bo­die and soule and euerie way,Meanes not vsed. are we a­ble to say wee haue neglected none, but euer vsed them as wee ought, reue­rentlie, carefullie and with thankesgi­uing? Hath neuer an vnprofitable bash­fulnesse made vs conceyle our bodilie griefe, or refuse the meanes thought méete to doe vs good? Hath not carelesse contempt robbed vs of the remedie ap­pointed for our soules? And hath not vnthriftie selfewill reiected meanes to increase our wordlie estate? If these all or anie be true, we haue despised the [Page 161] wisedome of the Lord, which appeareth in these things, and should be magnified by them, and in them, we haue polluted his name our selues, greatly occasioned others to thinke lightly of good things, and grieuouslie guiltie we stand before him for it, of the breache of this com­mandement. What should I say of not rebuking others according to our place, whom we haue noted to offende in any of these,Not rebuking. which is a thing as hath béene saide, required also in this Lawe, and therefore a thing that resting in vs doeth crie for vengeaunce, though in all the rest wee were pure and innocent? For we were not borne for our selues, but also for others: and the bodie, the soule, the goods and estate of our brethrē should be déere vnto vs, we not séeing and suffering them by our wils to do the thing that we knowe will hurt them. What I say should I speake of this and many other braunches yet remaining? Doe we not sée already shame ynough and grieuous sinne in great abundance? Where were we nowe then euen for [Page 162] these that haue béene named, if the per­cing eyes of the liuing GOD should prie into vs, and with iust rewarde séeke to pay the wants he could espie in vs? Could we escape the pit of end­lesse paine? Speake in the feare of God euen what you sée. Are you pure and blamelesse in these all? Dare you stande out and make the challenge, Come iudge & stay not, sift me and spare not, thy tryall I feare not, for all these haue I kept from my youth? O sinne­full fleshe espie thy case. Thou canst not, thou maiest not, and I knowe thou darest not, vnlesse the dreadfull wrath of God haue sealed vp thy sight. And therefore euen in this commaun­dement also as in the former, crie ra­ther vp to heauen with shrillish shrike, Wash me O Lord from these my sinnes, and cleanse me from my wickednesse. Haue mercie vpon me O gratious God, and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences. O sweete Sauiour, who may not see what he is without thee? Full heauie laden I [Page 163] come vnto thee Christ my deere God, as thou hast promised, refresh and ease me. Amen, Amen.

Question.

WHat is the meaning of this commaundement?

Ans. Your booke answe­reth that the hallowing of the Sabaoth day, is to rest from our labours in our calling, and in one place to assemble our selues toge­ther, and with feare and reuerence to heare, marke and lay vp in our hearts the worde of GOD preached vnto vs, to pray altogether that which we vnderstande with one consent, and at the times appointed to vse the Sa­cramentes in fayth and repentaunce, [Page 164] and all our life long to rest from wic­kednesse, that the Lord by his holy spirit may worke in vs his good worke, and so begin in this life euerlasting rest.

Que. Had not the Iewes diuers feasts beside this Sabaoth?

Ans. Yes in déede. Some of God im­mediatly appointed, and some by them­selues vpon special occasion. By y^e Lord they were tied to thrée solemne feasts in the yere, at which he would haue all the males to appeare before him. To wit, The feast of vnleauened bread, that is Easter,Leuit. 23. Exod. 23.15. or the passeouer in remēbrance how the Angel passed ouer their houses, when in one night he slewe all the first borne in AEgypt both of man and beast. The feast of the haruest of the first fruits of their labours which they had sowen in the fields,Verse. 16. which was Whitsontide or Pentecost, in remembrance that y^e lawe was giuen fiftie daies after their de­parture out of AEgypt. And the feast of gathering fruits in the end of the yeare,Verse. 16. when they had cleansed the fields. This was the feast of Tabernacles, putting [Page 165] them in mind that 40. yeres they dwel­led in tents and tabernacles in the wil­dernesse. Besides these they had the first day of the moneth, the 7. yere, the Iubile, and such others.Iudith. 16. 1. Machab. 4. Hester. 9. The feast of the Mac­chabees, the remembraunce of deliue­raunce by Hester, and such others had they then againe appoynted by them­selues.

Que. And euen of this feast of the Sabaoth as I doe thinke there were di­uerse kindes: were there not?

Ans. By that which hath béene saide it partly appeareth so. For in déede they had euery seuenth day a Sabaoth,Exod. 23. Leuit. 25. and that was called the Sabaoth of dayes, they had euerie seuenth yere a Sabaoth, and that was called the Sabaoth of yéeres. Then reckened they 7. times 7. yeres, which was 49. and the fiftieth yéere was their Iubile. They had also their great Sabaoth, as when the Passeouer fell on the Saba­oth day, as it did when Christ suffered. For it is there saide that that Sabaoth was a great day.Iohn. 19. But passing ouer [Page 166] these thus named by the way, this com­maundement occasioneth vs to thinke onely of the Sabaoth of daies, & to consi­der therein what remaineth and what is taken away. Where marke first that both in the Sabaoth & other feasts, they were precisely tyed to certaine circum­staunces of time, as what day in what moneth, how many dais together, when begun, when ended, what feasts only at Hierusalem, what elsewhere, with what rites and orders, & so forth. And for this Sabaoth of days y^t this commandement speketh of, so precise rest was required in it, y^t further than a Sabaoth daies iour­ney, they might not trauell in it. They might not bake,Exod. 16.29. Chap. 35.3. Numb. 15. nor seeth any meat, nor so much as gather any stickes to doe it withall. Now confer and lay vnto these places thus strictly tying thē the words of Paul to y^e Galathians, [...].70. Ye obserue days and moneths and times & yeres. Daies as the Sabaoth, newe moones, &c. Mo­neths as the 1. & the 7. Times as Easter, Whitsontide, Tabernacles, &c. Yeeres as y^e 7. & the 50. &c. Which beggerly ru­dimentes [Page 167] are most pernicious to them which haue receiued the swéete libertie of the Gospel, thrusting them back vnto superstitious bondage againe. I am a­fraide of you, saith Paul, &c. Therefore if we mark this conference of scriptures & times we euidently sée the case stan­deth not now vnder y^e Gospel touching this Sabaoth, as then it did. Marke a­gain the same Apostle to the Colossians. Let no man (saith he) iudge you in meat or drinke, or in respect of an holy day, 2. verse. 16. or of y^e new moone, or of the Sabaoth daies which are but shadowes of thinges to come, but the body is in Christ. There­fore you sée a change. Adde hereunto and mark y^e practise of Christ, who indéed not refusing al vse of their Sabaoth & feasts at y^e first did both himselfe teache and be present at other exercises in y^e same. But yet y^t he might shew that he did not that of necessitie (as in former time it was done) now & then wold he both by word and practise insinuate an abrogation or a chaunge of the same from former estate vnder the law as by those words: [Page 168] The Sonne of man is Lord also of the Sa­baoth, Matth. 12.8. and againe by defending his Disciples when they had plucked and rubbed the eares of corne on the Saba­oth day, healed on it, and preached other daies beside that day, &c. By all which I say it may well appeare, that there is not the same estate of the Sabaoth nowe vnder the Gospell, that was of it vnder the Lawe.

Que. How then I pray you standeth it nowe?

Ans. There was in this commaun­dement touching the Sabaoth euer something morall, and something ce­remoniall. Whatsoeuer is morall re­maineth still to vs as much to be ob­serued as euer of them: and whatso­euer then was but ceremoniall, that is nowe by Christ taken away, and we freed from it. As for example, to haue one day in the seuen to serue the Lorde generally in, that was morall and remaineth still, bin­ding vs vnto it, as also to rest that day from all labours, letting the course [Page 169] of pietie and sanctification that that day ought to be kept. But to haue precisely the Saturday, and to rest so straitely from all labour as they did, that was but Ceremoniall and a shadowe, and therefore nowe abro­gated by the comming of the bodie Christ.

Que. Yea but euen the day also now in our Church is chaunged from Satur­day to Sunday.

Ans. Trueth it is, and for that mat­ter marke and consider in the Scrip­tures, that as Christ in his time, so af­ter him his Disciples in their time did beare a while with the infirmitie of the Iewes and taught on the Sabaoth, and Paule hasted to Hierusalem against the feast of Pentecost, yet so,Actes. 13. Actes. 20. that euer still they insinuated a fréedome by Christ,Act. 2. & 5. &c. and therefore dayly also met, &c. But when as false teachers vehemently vr­ged a necessitie thereof, to shewe the fréedome by Christ from dayes & times, then in déede stoode they against it, and chaunged euen the verie day quite and [Page 170] cleane.

Que. But did the Apostles in deede themselues make this alteration of the day?

Ans. How should we otherwise thinke when we consider these and such other places? First it is saide in the Actes that The Disciples being come together the first day of the weeke to breake breade, Paule preached, Acts. 20.7. &c. Nowe the first day of the wéeke with the Iewes was Sunday, immediately following their Sabaoth, wherein they vsed not to re­ceiue the Sacramentes and heare the worde preached ordinarily, yet here wée see the Disciples did, and not on their Sabaoth, which was but the day be­fore: therefore you sée a chaunge of the day euen by the Disciples. Againe to the Corinthians Paule commaundeth that the Collection for the poore, which was a worke of the Sabaoth, shoulde bee made euerie first day of the wéeke, that is on the Sunday,1. Cor. 16.2. Mark. 16.2. 1. Iohn. 20.1. as wee call it. And therefore wee plainely sée what day they celebrated and mette vppon [Page 171] hauing their solemne assemblyes, namely, on this our Sabaoth, lay­ing aside quite the Iewish Ceremo­nie. And it addeth also further strength to this, that Iohn saith in his Reuelatiō calling this our Sabaoth day the Sun­day, Dominicum Diem, The Lordes day. Apoc. 1.10. All or any of which testimonies if we woulde séeke to delude, beside the iudgementes of them that haue noted these places, the Historicall testimonie of those dayes, and since will preuaile. For in Eusebius wee reade it the witnesse of Dyonisius the Corinthian, Euseb. lib. 4. Cap. 23. that in those dayes they celebrated for holie the Lordes daye.Lib. de idolo­latria. Tertullian naming the solemnities of the Chri­stians, beginneth first with the Lordes day, which they celebrated, and shew­eth their exercises.Apollog. 2. Iustinus Martyr na­meth the same daye and sheweth the workes. Ignatius against some that be­ing Christians woulde retayne the Ie­wish Sabaoth saith in plaine tearmes, Wee celebrate no longer the Iewish Sabaoth, but euerie one that loueth [Page 172] Christ, kéepeth nowe holie the Lordes day being honored with his resurrecti­on. The like witnesseth Augustine, Cy­rill, and euen all antiquitie. And there­fore though wee sée not the verie time definitely named when this Sabaoth was chaunged, yet we sée it was by the Apostles in their times, and therefore hath credite ynough. Nowe the holy Church of Rome that would by this al­teration made by this primitiue and pure Church chalenge authoritie and libertie to chaunge and doe what they list, surely wee must denie their conse­quence till such time as they bréede in vs by good proofe that credite of their spirit that wee haue and ought to haue of the Apostles that made this alterati­on of the Sabaoth from Saturday to Sunday.

Que. This satisfieth mee for my part touching the alteration of that which was but ceremoniall in this commande­ment, namely, the day and the precise rest in it, neither can it bee otherwise than absurd for any false Church, onely [Page 173] vnder a title and an vsurped name of a Church to chalenge authoritie to doe matters both contrarie to pietie and comelinesse, because the true Church of God hath doone what was most agree­able to them both. But now as I see the bond vnto any particular day only, & to such strict rest in the same as the Iewes obserued, is taken away by Christ, so yet see I what is morall remaineth, namely a day in seuen, and a certaine rest in the same. Wherefore I desire aswel to know the reason of the remaining of the one, as I haue the cause of the abrogation of the other: and therefore first I pray you why haue wee still yet a Sabaoth and shall haue till the ende of the world: and secondly, what rest and exercises are therein required?

Ans. The ends of the remaining of a Sabaoth yet still in the Church of God, are chiefely thrée. First that we might haue a kinde of resemblance and forme of our eternall rest from sinne in the kingdome of God. Secondly, that by this meanes seruants and cattle might [Page 174] bee prouided for against the cruell grée­dinesse and vnsatiable couetousnesse of some maisters and owners. And lastly, that Ecclesiasticall discipline & some e­state of a Christian common wealth in performing to the Lorde ioyntly toge­ther demanded dueties, might this way be established.

Que. Of euerie one of these I pray you seuerally, Maister N. for more plainenesse, and first, what is that spirituall rest and sanctifying of the Sabaoth which layeth before vs a resemblance of eter­nall rest?

Ans. That is when resting from worldly businesse, and from our owne workes and studies, wee yéelde our selues wholly to GODS go­uernaunce, that hee may doe his worke in vs, & when (as the Scripture tearmeth it) we crucifie our flesh, wee bridle the froward desires and motions of the heart, restraining our owne na­ture that we may obey the will of God. For thus doing our Sabaoth day here vppon earth shall most aptly expresse [Page 175] a figure and likenesse of the eternall and most holie rest which wee shall for euer enioy in Heauen. Yet euer must wee knowe that these thinges are not to be doone onely on the Sabaoth, but euen all our life long, euerie daye of euerie priuate man, and this one day is appoynted chiefely aboue the rest, for our negligence and weakenesse sake only, without which such appointment it is greatly to bee feared some woulde neuer doe it.

Que. And is this spirituall resting from sinne in deede necessarie in euerie one that will as he is bounde sanctifie the Sabaoth?

Ans. Surely it is euen so necessarie, as that without this all our other resting, putting on our better appa­rell, going to the Church, hearing ser­uice, &c. is nothing, but euen abhor­red of God and detested. This is a great matter if wee had grace to consider of it, yet nothing but plaine & open scrip­ture. For what saith the Prophet Esay? Blessed is the man that doeth this, Esay. 56.2. and [Page 176] the sonne of man which layeth holde on it, he that keepeth the Sabaoth and pol­luteth it not, and keepeth his handes from dooing any euill. Sée what it is to kéepe holy the Sabaoth in the iudge­ment of the Prophet, euen to kéepe our handes from dooing any euill, that is to cease from sinne and our owne wayes. Againe the same Prophet in another place:Esay. 58.13. If thou consecrate the Sabaoth as glorious to the Lorde, and shalt ho­nour him, not dooing thine owne wayes, nor seeking thine owne will, &c. And in his first Chapter also,Esay. 1.13.14. I cannot suffer your newe Moones, nor Sabaothes, nor solemne dayes (it is iniquitie) nor so­lemne assemblies, my soule hateth thē, &c. And why so? The reason foloweth in the next wordes (For your handes are full of bloud) that is, you abstaine not from sinne, remaine still in auarice, de­ceite, crueltie, extorsion, and such like, which as long as you doe, howsoeuer you séeme to sanctifie the Sabaoth, I abhorre you and your dooings. And then followeth notably a description euen of [Page 177] this spirituall rest: Wash you, make you cleane, take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes, cease to doe euill, learne to do well, seeke iudge­ment, releeue the oppressed, iudge the fatherlesse, defend the widow, &c. Many other such places are there.

Que. Now I pray you of the seconde end and vse of the Sabaoth a little also.

Ans. That was and is, as hath béene said in regard of seruants, and the brute beasts, who are to haue mutuall rest frō their trauel, which yet some cruel vnsa­tiable wretched misers woulde hardly haue graunted, had not God instituted this day both for man and beast to rest in. This y^t I say is euident in y^e words of this law, and therefore it néedeth no further proofe. But let vs thus profit by it. First it doth woonderfully shewe the goodnes of God, who neglecteth nothing that he hath made, but carefully proui­deth for y^e welfare euen of brute beasts. O faithlesse hearts, if wee can doubt the goodnes of our God to vs, when we here before vs sée his care for those creatures whō he hath made vs lords of. Second­ly, [Page 178] it well teacheth vs what nature, pie­tie, and charitie requireth at our hands touching our seruauntes and Cattell. Nature saieth:

And therefore nature hath appointed aswell the one as the other for her crea­tures, & willeth that senselesse hearts in vs should not breake the same. Pietie willeth y^t we should let them serue God on this day aswel as our selues, yea euē sée y^t they doe it,Ephes 6. Who are all one with vs in Christ, made of y^e same god, redeemed with y^e same price, subiect to y^e same hell if they doe not, &c. Charitie requireth y^t we should haue a féeling of y^e paines of our seruants.Deutro. 5. Chap. 15. Thankfulnesse would ac­knowlege y^e mercy of god, in making me master & him seruāt, whē he could haue don otherwise if it had pleased him. And to cōclude, if this rest we denie either to seruant or cattle, we shewe there is no regard of nature in vs, no pietie, no cha­ritie, no thankfulnesse to God for our e­state, [Page 179] but the contraries of all these. I woulde to God men woulde carefully thinke of this, who vpon euery occasion can finde in their heart to sende horse and men, cart and cariage too and fro on the Lordes day most wickedly. As­suredly it will haue a smarting recom­pence in the end.

Que. The third and last end of the Sa­baoth, yet remaineth touching rest and exercises required. I pray you what rest are we bound vnto, and what special ex­ercises on this day?

Ans. Concerning the former it hath bin said before, y^t there is required of vs this day a resting from our proper la­bors in our calling, as your booke saith, so farre as they are hinderances to that sanctifying of the Sabaoth, that is required of vs. For in it thou shalt doe no maner of worke, &c. That is no ma­ner of worke that thou canst not doe, and attende also to the exercises com­maunded for the Sabaoth: as the arti­ficer cannot worke in his shop and goe to Church to pray and heare, the coun­trey man cannot both serue y^e Lord with [Page 180] his neighbours at home as he ought, & serue to his chapmen his solde Corne in the wéeke dayes also, &c. Therfore from these we must abstaine.

Now for the second thing, namely, the exercises demaunded at our hands, ma­ny they are, and hard of me or any to be either named or espied, so large is the lawe of the Lorde. But as I can I will lay before you some of them. And first to begin withall, forasmuch as without knowledge of God there is no loue of God, without loue no faith, & without faith no saluation by God, therefore it is a worke or exercise of the Sabaoth, a duetie that we are straitely bound vn­to, in that day to attend to y^e knowledge of God, by assembling our selues toge­ther into one place, and there with feare and reuerence to heare, marke and lay vp in our hearts the worde of God read or preached vnto vs.

Que. How prooue you this?

Ans. Doe you not remember y^e spéech of the Shunamites husband to her when her child being dead,2. Reg. 4.23. she desired an Asse to be sadled that she might go to y^e man [Page 181] of God? What wilt thou do with him to day saieth he, since it is neither newe Moone nor Sabaoth day? Whereby you may plainly sée that on those holy daies they carefully resorted to the Prophets to be instructed in the will of the Lord.

In the Acts of y^e Apostles againe thus we reade, that The first day of the week, Actes. 20.7. that is on the Sabaoth day, the Disciples being come together to breake breade, Paul preached vnto them, ready to de­part on the morow and continued prea­ching till midnight.

In another place,Actes. 13.16. Reade Luk. 4.16. &c. to the 21. verse. After the lecture of the law & the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent vnto them, saying, ye mē and brethren, if ye haue any exhortation for y^e people, say on: with a number mo such places. Whereby euidētly we sée y^e manner of kéeping holy the Sabaoth in those dayes. Yet is not the going to the Church & outward hearing of the word all, but they are The good ground that heare the worde and vnderstande it, Matth. 13.23. bearing fruite and bringing foorth some an hundred folde, some sixtie, and some thirtie.

[Page 182] Que. These places are plaine touching the custome of Gods children in times past, and beside these very reason would teach vs that if God hath of set purpose in great wisedome appointed one day generally, of all men and women to bee obserued: surely he would haue on that day none to lurke at home in an hole, withdrawing themselues from GOD, from his worde, from their brethren, and from all commaunded exercises on this day: and therefore in my opinion our recusantes, as wee call them, that is our refusing Papists to come to Church, doe greatly offende, I pray you what thinke you?

Ans. I settle no sentence of them, but what the dreadfull voyce of the eternall Iudge shall pronounce vppon them, in his generall day to the horror of bodie and soule euerlastingly, in the boyling heate of vnquenchable fire, vnlesse they repent, sée and amende their intollera­ble obstinacie against the Lorde. For can it bee that the Lorde shoulde pro­nounce accursed all them that kéepe not euerie tittle of his Lawe,Deutr. 27. vlt. and yet [Page 183] not punishe them, that prophane his Sabaoth by withholding themselues from the Congregation, refusing ap­pointed dueties by GOD himselfe, and at home or abroade, in this cor­ner and that, vnder this hedge and that, patter to themselues, what God knowes they vnderstande not, and therefore consequently what the Lorde detesteth, and will assuredly charge them withall as sinne in that day of his? Howe can wee heare these examples of Gods children, purpose­ly set downe in his woorde to teache vs and our selues perfourming no such duetie, yet boldely presume of mer­cie? What the best of them with all their learning coulde say, for defence of this their follie, haue wee not heard, and may wee not reade? Too childish and friuolous are their reasons to iustifie so great impietie. I referre you to y^e reading of them your selues, toge­ther with the answers made vnto them by the godly. This onely my selfe I say, y^t if I were a Papist and had to this day [Page 184] refused to come to the Churche to re­ceiue the sacrament, &c. yet I assure you now séeing the weake grounds of these doctors (for mo thā one had their heads about them, though one beare the name) I should begin to looke better about me, and neuer pin my euerlasting estate in paine or blisse vpon so slender & vngod­ly perswasions of peruerse men. But what should we speake of reason which truly they haue not of their denial? God and many a conscience of theirs knowe full wel, y^t it is not any impietie, which they are able to charge our prayer or preachings withall, but a secret sworne or promised obedience to the forren An­tichristian power of Rome, without knowledge what they doe, blindly con­senting to do as others doe, & haue done, for vaine glory, and worldly spéeche a­mongst a fewe of their owne packe, that maketh them obstinate against y^e Lord, despisers of his Sabaoth, rebellious a­gainst their lawfull and most gracious Prince & her lawes, vnkind cōtemners of the counsell of their dearest friendes, breakers of their heartes whose liues [Page 185] they ought to loue, increasers of their woe whose paine in pietie they shoulde neuer wish to sée, & finally euen euerie way to God, to Prince, to Countrey, to friendes, & their owne soules enemies most daungerous and pernicious. The Lorde Iesus Christ open their eyes, touche their hearts, and conforme their practise of behauiour to his will, if it may stand with his good liking.

Que. I pray you nowe goe forward in recitall of the exercises of this Sabaoth.

Ans. Secondlie beside the diligent hearing of the worde preached on this day and read vnto vs, it is our dueties and a godly exercise fit for the day a­mongest our selues, or with our pastor and preacher to conferre and talke of that which hath béene saide, and to aske questions howe this and that is to be vnderstoode. Such example haue we in the Gospell, where it is saide that when Christ was alone, Mark. 4.10. they that were about him with the twelue asked him of the parable which before he had vttred, and he readilie expounded the same vn­to them. Then vttered he moe, and with­out [Page 186] parables saith the text, spake nothing vnto them, Verse. 34. but he expounded all things apart to his Disciples.

Thirdly to receiue together the sup­per of the Lord,Luke. 22. Acts. 20.7. as we are commanded, and the Church euer accustomed to doe. To attende vnto Baptisme, if occasion so serue, duely pondering the promise that is past vs, to serue the Lorde, and praying faithfully for his guiding grace to be powred vpon our selues, & that or those infants then presented to the Church, that they and we may euer fulfill what we haue vowed before the congregation. Fourthlie from a true féeling heart of Gods receiued goodnes to giue him thankes on this day for his many and great mercies vpon bo­die and soule, at home and abroad, vpon our selues and ours, knowen and vn­knowen, bestowed the wéek passed vpon vs, to pray for the continuaunce of the same, all the next wéeke ensuing, & euer else, with his gratious supplie of all ne­cessaries whatsoeuer, without the which either our worldly estate, or spiritual o­bedience to him cannot be sustained.

[Page 187]Fiftly to consider of the poore which the Lord hath set amongest vs as sub­iects for our loue to worke vpon, to sée what they want, how they liue, & to visit them and prouide for them. This hath euer of Gods children béene greatlie re­garded, and is a part of the discipline of the Church also. The Apostle Paul or­dained a gathering in the church of Co­rinth euery Sabaoth day to this vse,1. Cor. 16.1. and that to the example of other reformed Churches. Christ visited the cripples and lazers on the Sabaoth day,Iohn. 5. and hea­led him that had none to put him in the poole. The borne blinde he healed on the Sabaoth day.Iohn. 9. And from the godlie care of our forefathers touching this matter, haue flowen our hospitals, and almes-houses, with such like. This is an exercise of fayth and loue fitte for all times, but chiefely on the Sabaoth day to be regarded. Thus wee féede Christ when he is hungrie,Matth. 25.35. cloath him naked, visite him sicke, and so foorth, and sure sure shall wee bee to finde it at the generall accounting daie of his.

[Page 188]Lastly to take care and conferre a­mongest our selues how to mainetaine all meanes that serue to the knowledge of God, as the ministers, scholers, vni­uersities, schooles, and such like: To meditate also this day more than o­ther daies of the creatures of God and of his excéeding goodnesse toward vs in them,What it is to keepe holy the Sabaoth day. is an exercise of the Sabaoth, with a number such moe, that were nowe too long particularlie to name. Therefore to conclude and end this matter, easilie may we hereby sée, that to kéepe holy the Sabaoth day, is nothing else but euen to separate, and consecrate the same to all godlie exercises wherein our faith to God and obedience is to be shewed.

Que. If these then and their like bee commanded to vs on this day to be per­fourmed, their contraries I take by the same Lawe to be forbidden.

Ans. Truth it is, and must néedes be so, but I thinke it néedelesse now againe to goe ouer them, and shewe their con­traries: rather wey them your selfe, and marke them particularly. Onely these I wish by name may more duelie bee [Page 189] thought of, that if the sanctification of this day consist greatly in labouring to knowe the Lorde by the preaching of his worde, howe shall they safely passe the curse of God for the breache hereof, who with benummed soules, parched, padded, senselesse, and euery way most hardened hearts, either lie and sléepe on the one side idle, or tossing the alepot with their neighbours, suffer this day to passe without any instruction, and like dumbe dogges hold their peace, no way discharging the dutie of a true mi­nister, and one that tendereth the glory of God, his owne, & his peoples soules. What should I say of them that séeing the haruest great and the labourers fewe, and féeling within themselues. working a secrete power, perswading to put their helping hand to this busi­nesse, yet doe not, but suffer the people to pollute the Sabaoth for want of tea­ching, and stay themselues from this worke of the Lorde vpon causes, that as it is to be feared will melt away and not stand to excuse them, when GOD shall come vnto iudgement. Euery ser­uaunt [Page 190] to his owne master, it is true, standeth or falleth, yet may one seruant admonish an other to béeware betimes, and therefore with my whole heart I wish a due regard hereof. Againe, if to sanctifie the Sabaoth, be to consecrate it to holy vses, such as haue béene na­med, is it possible for vs to escape the reuenging hande of the eternall God, if he content in mercie with one day in the 7. we denie him that also, and dedicate it to drunkennes, to feasting and surfet­ting, &c. Nowe in y^e name of the God of heauen, and of Iesus Christ his son, who shall come to iudge the quick & the dead at the latter day, I require it of al that e­uer shall reade these words, that as they wil answere me before the face of God & all his Aungels at the sounde of the last trump, they better wey whether car­ding, dising, & tabling, bowling, and coc­king, stage plaies and summer games, whether gadding to this ale or y^t, to this bearebaiting & that bulbaiting, with a number such, be exercises commanded of God for the sabaoth day or no. O hartal frosen & void of the féeling of the mercie [Page 191] of thy God, y^t hauing euery day in 6. eue­ry houre in euery day, & euery minute in euery houre so tasted of the swéet grace of thy God in Christ, as that without it thou hadst perished euery minute, yet canst not tel howe possibly to passe ouer one day to his praise, vnlesse one halfe of it be spent in carding & bowling. Awake awake in Iesus Christ admonished a­wake, & séeing al the wéeke long, y^e Lord of heauen doth defend & féede thée, cōfort & blesse thée, & is contented but in one day especially to be regarded, vow w^t thy self in request of strength to kéepe it, that to the Lord y^t one day shall be consecrated of thée, & obserued according to his will.

Que. These things thē thus passed ouer, I pray you are these words, Six days shalt thou labour, &c. a commaundement, so that we sinne, if we labour not on them al?

Ans. No, they are no commandement, but a permission, or a remission rather of so much right of y^e Lords. For euer hath y^e Church vpon occasions separated some of y^e wéeke days also to the seruice of the Lord, & rested from their labors. Which they neuer wold haue presumd to do, if y^e [Page 192] Lord had commaunded to the contrary. And euen now our holy daies comman­ded by publike order, are not all to be misliked, if to the glory of GOD and sanctification of his name, they be be­stowed as they are intended. Therefore a commaundement I say they are not, but a remitting of the Lords right who in déede might chalenge all.

Que. And for the 7. day it selfe may wee not in case doe any thing thereon, because the words here are so, in it thou shalt doe no maner of worke, &c?

Ans. I haue said before if you remēber that the precise & strict rest of the Iewes on this day was ceremoniall, & therfore now by Christ taken away, that it bin­deth not vs. And therefore touching your question and our estate in these daies vnder the Gospell, very certaine it is, that not euen in the seuenth day we stand so bound to rest, but that in it also we may worke, if either necessitie so vrgently requireth, or the déede doone be greatly to the glorie of God. Exam­ples of the first are Dauid eating the shewebread,1. Kings. 22. and the Disciples gathe­ring [Page 193] and rubbing the eares of corne. Of the second, Christ himselfe healing on the sabaoth day many, which yet the Iewes thought to be vnlawful. The dis­course of Christ touching this point in the Gospell is very woorthy noting, wherein he flatly and strongly refuteth this superstitious conceit of the saba­oth in the Pharisees, and all other by di­uerse argumentes: as first by the ex­ample of Dauid aboue named. Secondly of their lawfull practise, they circumci­sed children, and slewe their sacrifices &c. on the Sabaoth. Thirdly by the te­stimonie of Osce, I will rather haue mer­cie than sacrifice. That is, loue to our brethren, than outward seruice. Fourth­ly from the lesse to the greater, it is law­full on the Sabaoth day to pull out a brute beast that is fallen into a pit, or is in such like danger, as néeds it must be helped, or else it perisheth, therfore much more a man, &c. By all which you sée that man is not made for the Sabaoth, but the Sabaoth for man. And euen in the right of our Christ, wee also are in some sort Lordes of the Sabaoth, as [Page 194] in it, to doe what vrgent cause constrai­neth in déede, and may not conueniently be differred.

Que. Here is named in the wordes of the commandement the straunger that is within the gates. I pray you therefore howe farre thinke you this bindeth vs?

Ans. I doe willingly still tell you my opinion in euerie thing, my selfe and you also I trust readie to yéeld to better aduise when we shall heare it. For my part I sée not how we may aunswere it to the Lorde, if being priuate men and householders, we suffer within our gate to lurke and lie hid, and that refuseth to obey the Lord in the sanctifying of this day, as is commaunded to the glorie of his name, after that such meanes haue béene vsed for the reforming of them as possiblie we can. And the more I wey with my selfe that most straite law of y^e Lorde for execution of them that should séek to estrange any from the true God,Deut. 13. the more I am confirmed by the verie end, equitie and meaning of it in this o­pinion against al affection of kindred, a­liance, friendship, or whatsoeuer. Reade [Page 195] the words, & mark the zeale which God requireth in al men towards him, when as no meanes will reforme our friends, but they stil peraduēture tempt vs. And then by the way let it not passe vnmar­ked I pray you, howe straitely all ma­sters and mistresses stand bound to sée that the Lorde be honoured not onely in themselues, but by manseruaunt and maide seruant, olde and young in their houses of discretion, of the Sabaoth day, séeing God of purpose nameth them. And sée againe how this naming of the straunger doubleth the bond more vpon vs. For by comparison if we stand char­ged with our stranger and guest, much more with our daily seruauntes, chil­dren, &c. it must néedes be, and indéede wey it well.

Que. I am then thus I thinke satisfied in euery point of this commaundement, neither doe I remember what further to aske you herein.

Ans. The commandements of the Lord (saith Dauid) are exceeding broad, ney­ther in déede is any man able so to laie open any one of them, but iudge­ment [Page 196] by the gift of God increased more may be séene and espied in them: but thus much nowe shall suffice for my measure, this only added, that this rea­son drawen for the Lordes owne exam­ple, who rested from his worke on this day, ought greatly to mooue vs to the carefull kéeping of it: as euen the very first worde also of the Lawe, for if you marke it, he doeth not say, Kéepe holie the Sabaoth day, but Remember to keepe it holie, that is, haue an earnest care of it, and in any case forget it not, but remember to kéepe it holie. And thus much of this Commaunde­ment.

Question.

WHat containeth the second Table?

Ans. As the first contai­ned all dueties due to the Lorde, inwarde and out­ward, so the seconde Table containeth all dueties due to our brethren, either in heart or action. And therefore in this second table are laid the very groundes of all ciuill societie, from whence all mens lawes procéede, if they be iust.

[Page 207] Que. But doe these workes of the se­cond Table concerne onely our neigh­bours?

Ans. No, we may not thinke so. For though outwardly they be done to men and immediately as the proper obiect of them, yet in déede they are doone also to God, and he more delighteth in them, than in all burnt sacrifice. For if wee féede our brethen, cloath thē naked, visit them sicke, or any way doe them good, God taketh it as doone to himselfe.

Que. When any prescription is made to men in the Scriptures what they shoulde doe, why so often and vsually are the workes of the second table ap­pointed?

Ans. Not that they are better than the workes of the first Table, but for that they are the true bewrayers of them: for euerie hypocrite will say he loueth God, feareth God, trusteth in God, &c. because these are secrete due­ties in the heart, and of man cannot be iudged, but looke howe he liueth toward his neighbours, and it may soone bee séene that fayling in the dueties of the [Page 208] second Table towardes men, the due­ties of the first which he boasteth of in trueth are not in him. For if they were, they woulde bring forth the other. He that saieth he loueth God whom he ne­uer sawe, 1. Iohn. 4. and hateth his brother whom he hath seene, is a lyer.

Que. Which is the first commaunde­ment of the second Table?

Ans. Honour thy father and thy mo­ther, that thy dayes may be long, &c.

Que. What is meant by honour here?

Ans. Reuerence, obedience, & main­tenance, if néede require.

Que. What is this reuerence.

Ans. It is a true acknowledging in my heart and minde of that superiori­tie, which God hath giuen either my parentes, or any other person, together with a willing declaration of the same, by any such outward gesture or behaui­our, as it may be declared in, or by.

Que. How prooue you that we must reuerence our Parents?

Ans. Many sufficient proofes hath it in the word, but a fewe may suffice vs. You shall feare euerie man his father, Leuit. 19.3. [Page 209] and his mother, saieth the Lawe of God, that is, if we expound it, ye shall stande in a reuerent awe and regarde of them with loue: for wee must néedes vnder­stand a sonnelike feare, not a seruile in that place. Againe, Honour thy Father and mother, Ephes. 6.2. which is the first comman­dement with a promise, saieth the Apo­stle: this honour implieth reuerence. Thirdly the example of our Sauiour Christ performing this reuerence to his mother and his reputed father Io­seph, Luk. 2. doeth prooue it to vs. And that ex­ample of Salomon, who being King, and hearing that his mother came to speake with him, went to méete her, bowed downe to her caused a seate to be set for her,1. Kings. 2. and placed her on his right hand. Lastly, the Scripture expresse­ly forbiddyng such thinges as are con­trarie to this reuerence, manifestly prooueth the same to bee our due­tie.

Que. What is contrary to it?

Ans. First, to curse Father or Mo­ther is manifestly contrarie to it, and hath not the Scripture forbidden it, [Page 210] saying:Deut. 27.16. Cursed bee he that curseth fa­ther or mother, and let all the people say Amen? And againe, Hee that cur­seth father or mother shal die the death, Exod 21.17. yea he shall die, Leuit. 20.9. and his bloud be vppon him.

Que. What else is contrarie to it?

Ans. To smite Father or mother is apparantly contrarie to it, and this also hath the word forbidden:Exod. 21.15. He that smy­teth Father or Mother shall dye the death. Also to mocke our Parentes is contrarie to this reuerence we owe them: and therefore is it saide in the thirtie of the Prouerbes, Prou. 30. The eye that mocketh his father, or despiseth the counsel of his mother, let the Rauens of the field deuoure it, and the young Ea­gles picke it out.

Que. Howe if the Sonne bee a Magi­strate and the Father none, whether must he then reuerence his Father, or no?

Ans. In matters that concerne his office he must doe his office, and his Fa­ther must acknowledge his authoritie, but in priuate places, and matters, not­withstāding [Page 211] he is a Magistrate, he must doe reuerence to his Father, as is due, neither taketh Magistracie this duetie from man, or out of man, for they may both well stand together.

Que. How prooue you it?

Ans. King Asa executeth his office,1. Kings. 15. verse. 13. and deposeth his mother, wee reade, yet otherwise no doubt he reuerenced her as a childe. And pretily was it said of Taurus the Philosopher, when the Father and Sonne came to him a­bout a matter, the Sonne being a Ma­gistrate and the Father none, that the Father should sit downe vpon that one stoole, that he had, till the question was disputed, whether of them ought of right to haue it.

Que. And are the children onelie bounde?

Ans. No in déede, but there is a due­tie aswell of the Parents to their chil­dren, as of the children to their Pa­rentes.

Que. And what is that I pray you?

Ans. In generalitie this it is. If Parentes looke for at their childrens [Page 212] handes, honour, that is reuerence, o­bedience, and maintenaunce, if they néede according to abilitie, then is it questionlesse their dueties, so to be­haue themselues towarde their Chil­dren, as that these things may be dewe vnto them.

Que. In particularitie what procu­reth reuerence to them?

Parents beha­uiour. Ans. First and formest, if Parentes will bréede this in their children, let them in any wise carefully looke to their lyfe and behauiour before them. For truely graue, modest, and vertu­ous behauiour striketh the heartes of both children, seruauntes, and all o­ther beholders, with a reuerent con­ceite of such persons, and contrariwise light behauiour looseth the same.

Que. What especiall things can you name that in deede loose Parentes and superiors this reuerence?

Ans. Neglect of Religion, Drun­kennesse, incontinencie of lyfe, vn­comely talke, wanton behauiour, swearing, with such like, and which may not be forgotten, brawles, iarres, [Page 213] and vnkindnesse betwixt man and wife before their children and seruants.

Que. What else breedeth reuerence?

Ans. Good bringing vp, a duetie which the Parentes doe owe to their children, as farre as their power will reache, and which in déede maketh the children performe to them their dueties the better.

Que. How prooue you that parentes are bound to this?

Ans. The Apostle giueth an ex­presse commaundement of it saying,Ephes. 6.4. Fathers, prouoke not your children to wrath, but bring them vp in instruc­tion and information of the Lorde. And the neglect of this bringing vp ma­keth many Parentes want good be­hauiour in their children. For verie great is the force of it to good or euill, as that Heathen man Lycurgus by his two whelpes verie liuelily set out, the storie whereof is this: Lycurgus desi­ring to let the Lacedemonians sée the force of Education, brought forth on a day to them two whelpes,The force of Education. which he had diuersly brought vp: y^e one he had accu­stomed [Page 214] to the fielde, the other kept euer at home, and with them he brought out also an hare, and a pot of potage: which when hee had set downe, the one ac­cording to his vse of bringing vp, tooke presentlye to the Hare, and the o­ther vtterlie neglecting, what euen nature shoulde haue wrought a re­gard in him of, as presently betooke himselfe to the potte of Potage. Sée then sayeth Lycurgus O yée Lacede­monians, what bringing vp is in verie brute and vnreasonable creatures, howe much more must it néedes bee effectuall to good or euill in your chil­dren? And the example mooued them much. But in howe manie moe ex­amples out of good writings may wee plentifully sée howe carefull euer all godly Parentes haue béene, that in the fruite of their bodyes the Lorde shoulde be honoured, and his true reli­gion planted and placed in their poste­ritie: for verie well knewe they that, which experience taught both them and others, that as vertuous and godly fruite is a speciall blessing of the Lord, [Page 215] so an vngratious and froward ofspring is a crosse, that next after sense of Gods wrath against themselues, doeth sting most bitterly the heart of god­ly Parentes. And againe they knew that, which wee also cannot bee ig­noraunt of, that by nature neyther theirs were, nor ours are borne so pure, as that they néeded not the indu­strie of their Parentes to reforme them. For both then was it, and nowe is it most true, which the spirit of wise­dome saieth: Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a childe, Prou. 22.15. but the rodde of cor­rection shall driue it away from him. And in another place, The verie ima­gination of mans heart is altogether e­uill from his childhoode. Gen. 8. Wonderfull hath the care of heathens bin therefore in this respect, as partly you haue heard and might most largely haue laid further before you, if it were néedefull. An ancient saying it was and common amongst them: Nil dictu foedum visuue haec limina tangant Intra quae puer est. That is, Let neuer any thing vndecent to bee said or seene enter into the house [Page 216] where a child is within. Cato that wise Counseller of Rome, thrust Manlius from the Senate, because on the day time his daughter being by he kissed his wife. Plutarch in his booke of this mat­ter singularly discourseth of this care, how great it ought to be, and euer hath béen in good men, and he maketh a com­parison betwixt Education and other matters which men much estéeme, pre­ferring it before them all: Natalium splendor, saieth he, res est praeclara, at bo­num a Maioribus profectum, &c. That is, Birth and Parentage is a notable thing, but yet descending to vs frō others. Ri­ches are highly regarded, yet sodenly taken from them that haue them, and giuen to them that looked not for them, and euer common to the bad aswell as to the good. Glorie is a thing in mans eyes honorable, yet euer most variable. Beautie much wished for, yet not to be kept any long time with all y^e wyshes & wisedome in y^e world. Onely one thing, saith he, there is, the benefite whereof neuer fayleth, but with life, and that is the singular fruite of good bringing vp. [Page 217] Lycurgus the Rhetorician, when it was obiected to him, that he wasted too much vpon the teachers of his children, aun­swered most wisely, that to a man that in déede would vndertake to better his children to his desire, he would not one­ly giue that wages, but euen the halfe of all that euer he possessed. Such a care had this Heathen of that, which Chri­stians professing God, can be so care­lesse of in these dangerous and infectiue daies. Aristotle could say, that looke how much better it is to be well, than to be: so much more bound are those children to their parents, that receiue by them good bringing vp, thā they which receiue but their bare existence in the world. An other in Plutarch againe saith very pre­tily, that if he could,Crates. he would get him to the toppe of the highest hill that any where he might finde, and with all his power, from whence he might furthest be heard, crie out vpon the monstruous madnesse of thousands of Parents, that take such intollerable and vncessaunt paines to leaue much vnto their chil­dren, and yet neuer any care at all in [Page 218] comparison, what maner of men or wo­men they shalbe, to whom so much must be left. As though that earthlie pelfe either wholly made a man, or else must of necessitie with worldly credite, cōtinue his posteritie vpon earth, when want of bringing vp maketh want of knowledge any way, with credit to vse the same. But what view I so much the cōmendable care of Heathens in this be­halfe? Haue not Gods faithfull béene in this point as carefull as they? Yes tru­ly, many haue, and in better order a great deale. For there being in this thing degrées and steppes to be obser­ued, as first of pietie, secondly of lear­ning, thirdly of manners, and lastly of the function or calling: the children of God, many of them haue in this excel­led the Heathen, that being generally as carefull as they in all, particularly in this as men better acquainted with it, through greater giuen light & know­ledge they haue far excelled them, that first they haue attempted what in déede is first to be cared for, namely, to frame the hearts of their children to God and [Page 219] grace, and then in order to the things following. Wee sée it in Adam, Gen. 4. Gen. 18. 2 Tim. 3. 1. Chron. 28.9. 2. Kings. 4. Deut 6. Psal. 78.5. who taught his sonnes to serue the Lord. We sée it in Abraham most notably. We sée it in Timothies parentes, who brought him vp from a child in the knowledge of the scriptures. We sée it in Dauid, Ioas the king, & a number others. General­lie to them all it was a cōmandement, that assoone as their children could vn­derstand and aske them questions, they shoulde carefully instruct them concer­ning the Lords dealings with them, and for them. And I doubt not but many did it of the ancient Christians. Philo wri­teth that they were called cultores ac cultrices, that is to say, Tillers, because as men painefully till their ground, so they carefully laboured the grounde of their childrens hearts, to plant in them the feare of God. Nos hodie vastatores ac vastatrices, saith he, That is, Wee in these daies may better bee termed de­stroiers than tillers, so rechlesse we are, & careles in this so great a matter. Hence sprang the Cloisters in the beginning saith Chrysostome, & that kinde of life,Lib. 3. contra vituperatores monast. vitae. [Page 220] namely of the excéeding care that men had to haue their children well brought vp, and excluded from euil company, and hurtful sights in the worlde, till yeeres and setled instruction had made them lesse capable of the harme thereof. Af­terward they degenerated from that in­stitution, and became as we well know dens of drones, and nurceries of vngod­linesse, corrupters of all, not correctors of any, and the wrath of the Lorde hath nowe destroyed them. It is a good ad­monition of wise Salomon: Prou. 22. Teache a childe in the trade of his way, and when he is olde, he shall not depart from it. And that experienced sonne of Sirach in many places speaking of this mtater,Syrach. 16.22. & 30. also. hath these wordes, in my opinion not lightlie to be looked on: Neither desire nor delight (saith he) in children, though neuer so many, vnlesse the feare of God be in them. For one that is iust, is better than a thousande: and better it is to die without children, than to leaue behinde vs vngodly ones. Thus let it suffice to haue touched this matter, whereof long and large treatises are made, néedefull [Page 221] to be touched, if euer néedefull, and euen long stoode vpon. For too much it is of parents neglected, & yet are they grie­ued, if of their children they be not reue­renced: and howsoeuer many there bee, that in these daies are carefull ynough to procure vnto their children know­ledge of Artes, of Countries, and of a­ny thing that in worldely sort may make them mightie, famous, and spo­ken of: yet is the grounde of all verie fearefully neglected, namely to setle in them the true feare of the God of Israell, deliuered and taught in his worde. Yea it is euen accounted by father and child not so néedefull or beséeming for a gen­tleman, to the great exasperating of the Lordes wrath against them and their séede. Humilitie also and shamefastnes are taken from youth in these daies e­uen by their parents and their teachers, and where it hath euer béene held, that blushing in measure, modestie, and si­lence haue béene commendable tokens in young yeeres, nowe is it a shame to be ashamed at any time, blushing is want of countenance and bringing vp, [Page 222] silence is ignoraunce, modestie is too much maidenlinesse, and in short nowe vertue is vice, and vice very comely and gallant behauiour. So times are chan­ged to and fro, and chaunging times haue chaunged vs too. But of this thus farre.

Que. What else nourisheth in chil­dren due reuerence?

Ans. Due correction. Due I say with wisedome and moderation. For he that spareth his rodde, Prou. 13.24. hateth his sonne: but he that loueth him, doth chasten him be­times. 19. vers. 18. Chasten thy sonne while there is hope, and let not thy soule spare for his murmuring. And in an other place, Withholde not correction from thy childe, 23. verse. 13. for if thou smite him, hee shall not die.

Que. But what if parents in foolish pitie cocker vp their children, and pre­termit this due aduertisement?

Ans. Then will they loose this reue­rence most assuredly in their heartes, and often make them come to euil ends. It is prooued by Heli his two sonnes,1. Sam. 2. & the 4. also. who by their fathers lenitie conceiued [Page 223] not what it was to sinne against the Lorde, and therefore to their owne hurt, and their fathers great griefe, ta­sted the heauie hande of God, and dyed both in a day. Also by Absolon, Am­mon, & Adoniah Dauids sonnes. Whose fearefull ends may serue for euer to ad­monish all parents, howe they foolishly loue their children, and cannot abide to say or doe their dueties to them, or yet to let others. Marke well the sixt verse of the first Chapter of the first booke of Kings, and be wise betime. A small twigge will not kill the tenderest Prince, Lord or Ladie in the worlde. If thou smite him, saieth Salomon, Prou. 23.23. you heard before, he shall not die. I war­rant him.

Que. What is the second part of this honour that children owe to their Pa­rentes?

Ans. Readie and willing obedience.

Que. And what is that?

Ans. Obedience is the performance of Parentes will so farre as lieth in our power, and lawfully wée may.

Que. And how prooue you that this [Page 224] children are bounde vnto?

Ans. First, by the words of Salomon: Obey thy father that hath begotten thee, Prou. 23.22. and despise not thy mother when she is olde. Secondly by the Apostle to the Colossians: Coloss. 3.20. Children obey your parents in al things, for that is wel pleasing vnto the Lorde. And to the Ephesians againe, Childrē obey your parents in the Lord, Ephes. 6.1. for that is right. Thirdely it is very strongly prooued by the sharper punish­ment, which God appointed for all dis­obebient children, to wit euen flat and present death. For so we reade in the Lawe:Deut. 21.18. &c. If any man haue a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient, that he will not hearken vnto the voyce of his father and mother, and they haue chastened him, and hee would not hearken vnto them, then shall his father and mother take him and bring him vnto the elders of the Citie, and vnto the gate of that same place, and say vnto the Elders of the Citie, this our sonne is stubborne and disobedient, and will not hearken vnto our voice, he is a riotour and a drunkard, and all the men of the Citie shall stone [Page 225] him with stones to death, and thou shalt put euill away from thee, and all Israell shall heare and feare.

Que. But howe farre must a childe obey?

Ans. If we passe ouer the discourse of Philosophers touching this matter, and come to the scriptures, the Apostle Paul determineth it thus,Colos. 3.20. That children must obey their parentes in all thinges.

Que. Why but shall we thinke Paule would haue a childe in deede obey his Parentes in all thinges, as the woordes sounde? What if they commaund a wic­ked thing?

Ans. No indéede wee may not take Paules wordes so generally, but wee must expounde that place by an other place of Paule to the Ephesians, Ephes. 6 where he biddeth children (as you hearde a­boue) obey their parentes in the Lorde. And by the wordes of Mathewe where it is sayde,Matth. 10. Hee that loueth father or mother more than me, is not worthie of me.

Que. And howe then conclude you touching my question?

[Page 226] Ans. Thus I conclude, that a child is bounde to obey his parentes in all thinges in the Lorde, that is, so farre as his obedience may stande with the dutie which he oweth to his God, and with such circumstances touching his owne person, as both reason and pie­tie woulde, shoulde bee regarded. Which conclusion compriseth assured­lie their obedience as touching mari­age.

Que. What begetteth this obedience in children?

Ans. When parentes desire obedi­ence, they must knowe that it is their duties to commaund thinges lawfull in respect of God,This exclu­deth forcing to marrie a­gainst all like­ing. and conuenient in re­garde of their children.

Que. What is the thirde and last part of this honour?

Ans. Maintainance of our parentes, if néede be.

Que. What meane you by this main­tenaunce?

Ans. It is a thankfull sustayning of the want of our parents either by our riches, counsell, strength, or any other [Page 227] thing, which God hath blessed vs with­all, and they haue not.

Que. But how dare we interpret the commaundement thus: Honor thy Pa­rentes: that is maintaine them as thou art able and they haue neede?

Ans. Surely first very reason tel­leth vs, that this is as due as either re­uerence or obedience: but to let that passe, wee haue apparant scriptures, where by honor is meant maintenance. As namely in the Apostles spéech to Ti­mothie: Honour widowes, 1. Timoth. 5. that be wi­dowes in deede. That is, prouide for thē and let them be sustained. Againe in the same place a litle after, They that rule well are worthy of double honor, 17. where by honour in part is meant maintay­nance. Lastlie in the gospell of S. Marke our Sauiour Christ notablie sheweth that the Scribes, and Pharisies, Marke. 7. perswa­ding children to giue to their vse, that wherewith they shoulde haue helped their Parentes, caused them to breake this commaundement in not honoring them as they should. Where we eui­dently see Christ himselfe includeth [Page 228] in this honour, maintaynaunce, and these places as they warrant this in­terpretation, so doe they also plainely prooue that children owe this dutie to their parentes.

Que. What further may be saide for the warranting of this, that children ought to releeue their parentes wherein they can?

Ans. Beside the testimonies of scrip­ture nowe alledged to prooue it, the spi­rite of God hath added reasons to vrge it, and there are also examples to per­swade it, and fearefull experiences of Gods wrath vpon the contrarie to feare vs from it.

Que. What reasons?

Ans. In the 6. to the Ephesians the 1. verse this reason is added, because it is a iust thing or right. And indéede so it is right both in respect of God that ap­pointeth it, and in respect of that which our parentes haue doone for vs before.

Que. What else?

Ans. Againe in the 3. to the Colossi­ans, the 20. verse this reason is aledged, because it is well pleasing to the Lorde.

[Page 229] Que. What examples?

Ans. Valerius in his 5. booke and 4. chapter sheweth a notable example of a daughter that nourished her mother in prison with her brestes. And if hea­thens by the lawe of nature knewe so much to be their dutie, how much more christians hauing added thereunto the light of Gods worde?

Que. What else?

Ans. It is also reade of the Storkes, that when they are olde they kéepe con­tinually the nest, and their young birds prouide for them, and feede them till they die.

Que. Well then, yet what nowe if children refuse thus to behaue them­selues to their parentes, or neglect it?

Ans. They are then to looke for the wrath of the Lorde in them sharpe­ly with heauie hande punishing so foule a fault. And to consider well that as others haue founde him, so shall they vndoubtedly. Cham, Reuben, Hophin, and Phinees, with a number o­thers are before their eyes, as experi­ences to be wise by, if they haue grace. [Page 230] And aboue all other Absolon that gracelesse man, who like a disobedient childe to a good father sought great­ly to dishonour him,2. Sa [...]. 18. and so horrible was this sinne, that euen the earth was wearie of so wicked a burden and would carie him no longer. The hea­uens also were ashamed of him, and the wrath of God hanged him vp be­twixt heauen and earth, by the heire of his head, till Ioab thrust him tho­rowe with thrée dartes beeing yet a­liue. A fearefull spectacle to all re­belles against their Prince, or diso­bedient children against their Pa­rentes.

Que. Breefely nowe whom doe you note to be comprehended heere vnder the title Parentes?

Ans. First Parentes by nature, se­condly by dignitie and office, thirdly by age, and fourthly by benefit. Gene­rally they are all in steede of Parentes to vs, by whome as by instrumentes the Lorde deriueth his mercies to vs.

Que. Who be Parentes by dignitie, [Page 231] or office?

Ans. Magistrates ouer the people, maisters ouer their seruauntes, mi­nisters ouer their charges, and such like.

Que. For Magistrates what say you?

Ans. I say their place and calling, that portion aboue others which the Lorde hath giuen them of his autho­ritie, maiestie, and excellencie proo­ueth vnto vs, that wee must reue­rence them. The increase and safetie of that which wee possesse through peace maintayned by them, prooueth that we ought againe thankefullie to maintaine them, their estate and go­uernment by tribute, taxes, subsidies, and such like: and for obedience it is in a number of places commaunded, as are also the former. Therefore when as all the partes of honour are due vnto them, as reuerence, main­tainaunce and obedience, I may con­clude Magistrates as Parentes are to be honored.

Que. There is no question of anie of these, but now how farre are Magistrates [Page 232] to be obeyed?

Ans. Certainely but in the Lord, as was saide before of our naturall pa­rentes. For the limittes both of the Magistrates bidding and our obeying, are these two, pietie, and charitie, con­trarie to these must neither they com­mand, nor we doe.

Que. How prooue you this?

Exod. 1. Ans. In the first of Exodus, when the kinges commaundement passed these limittes, the midwiues would not o­bey, and the Lorde blessed them for it. The 3 children obeyed not the king,Dan. 3. as we reade in Daniell, Obediah, and Heliah obeyed not the king and Quéene,1. Kings. 18. Daniell himselfe obeyed not, and the Apostles sayde God before you must be obeyed, with manie such ex­amples.

Que. What if statutes be straite, and in yeelding our pollicie great, may wee not yeelde a litle?

Ans. In déede be the wether ne­uer so hote, statutes neuer so straite, pollicie neuer so great, God is God, hell is hell, we may not do what is good [Page 233] in our owne eyes, nor decline either to y^e right hand or to the left. Read y^e prophet.Mich. 6.14. &c

Que. How prooue you that ministers are contayned vnder y^e name of Parents?

Ans. They are in scripture reputed spiritual fathers, as wee may sée in ma­nie places, namely to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 4.15. Though you haue ten thousande instru­ctours in Christ, saith y^e Apostle, yet haue you not manie fathers, for in Christ Iesus I haue be gottē you through the gospel. Againe to y^e Gala. Gala. 4.19. My litle children saith he, of whome I trauell in birth agayne vntill Christ bee formed in you. And in his Epistle to Philemon, V. 10. I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus whome I haue begotten in my bonds. Therefore truelie tearmed Elizeus the prophet E­liah, when hee cried, my father, 2. Kings. 2.12. my fa­ther, the charet of Israell, and the horse­men of the same. Now thē since, they be thus accounted in the worde, proofe e­nough it shoulde bee that all those thrée partes of honour latelie spoken of be­long vnto them. Yet for more full con­tentation let vs wey the wordes of Christ in the Gospell, As my father sen­deth [Page 234] me, Iohn. 20. so send I you, he y^t heareth you, heareth me, & he y^t despiseth you, despi­seth me, Math. 10. with many such. Wherby appa­rant it is y^t in his ministers God is ho­nored or dishonored, for obedience to thē in the workes of their calling the scrip­ture also is plaine,Heb. 13. saying: Obey them that haue the ouersight of you, and sub­mit your selues, for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accomptes that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe, for that is vnprofitable for you. And for their maintenance also te­stimonies manie are there in number both in the old and new Testament, as Thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the Oxe y^t treadeth out y^e corne, The work­man is worthie of his wages, He that serueth the Altar let him liue of y^e Altar, He that deliuereth vs spirituall things by verie good right ought to chalenge & reape at our hands againe temporall: & to conclude in flat words the Apostle cō ­mandeth, let him y^t is instructed in the worde make him that hath instructed him partaker of al his goods, with other such speaches diuers.

[Page 235] Que. How prooue you y^t maisters are fathers to and ouer their seruants?

Ans. For the office and dutie, no man y^t is godly wil dout (I hope) that y^e Lord hath blessed him with that superioritie aboue others, not y^t he shold rule as a ty­rant ouer them, but to loue, chéerish, & de­fend thē euē as a father his childrē, they doing him true & faithful seruice. And for the name it selfe, beside a number other proofes, y^e plaine place warranteth it in y^e booke of y^e kings, where Naamās seruāts come vnto him & say, Father, if the Pro­phet had cōmanded thee a great thing, 2. King. 5.13. wouldst thou not haue done it? Sée how the spirit of God giueth to maisters the title of fathers.

Que. What prescription is there in the word for seruantes duties towardes their maisters?

Ans. First sée the words of Paul to the Ephe. Seruants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, Ephes. 6.5. with feare & trēbling, in singlenes of your harts, as vnto Christ, not with seruice to y^e eye as mē pleasers, but as the seruants of Christ doing y^e wil of God from the hart, [Page 236] with good wil seruing the Lord and not men, and knowe yee that whatsoeuer good thing anie man doth, that same shal hee receiue of the Lord, whether he bee bonde or free. Secondlie weigh wel the same Apostles speach to Titus, Let ser­uants be subiect to their masters, Tit. 2.9. & please them in al things, not answering againe, neither pikers, but that they shewe all good faithfulnesse, that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all thinges. Againe to the Colossians most notablie speaketh the same Paul saying: Seruants bee obedient to them that are your masters according to the fleshe in all thinges, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, but in singlenesse of heart fea­ring God: Colos. 3.22. and whatsoeuer you doe, doe it hartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that of the Lord yee shall re­ceyue the rewarde of the inheritaunce, for yee serue the Lord Christ. The same counsell giueth Peter also, adding that not onely to the louing, kinde and cour­teous master, but euen to the frowarde also, of seruants this dutie must be per­formed. And marke this well I beséech [Page 237] you, because manie seruauntes take their maisters vnkindenesse for an ex­cuse of their disobedience or infidelitie in their seruices, which indéed must not be so, saith Peter, but be they neuer so froward, yet we must doe all duetie if wee be seruantes, and euen ioy heartily in that crosse, that notwithstanding our faithful and paineful duetie, yet we suffer vnkin̄de wordes, sower and se­uere looks, with such like at their hands. For wee serue not them, but GOD in them, saide the places before cited, and what good thing soeuer we doe, we shall receiue it at our good Gods hands again assuredly what contempt soeuer they shewe of vs, casting vs off vnrewarded, yea euen with hatred, peraduenture for our good wils, as often it falleth out. O swéete and most swéete comfort for all seruauntes. What stonie heart doeth not euen melt at the considerati­on of this gratious nature of the Lord, that if I bee a seruannt, and honour him in that my calling by true, faithfull, painefull and louing seruice to my maister and mistrisse, be they ne­neuer [Page 238] so sower, so waiward, so vnkind, so bitter, so without either discretion to discerne a good seruant, or conscience, to reward him: yet wil my God, my God, I say, neuer forsake mee, but returne into my bosome with his blessing my true dealing, liuing and meaning, most assuredlie, and marke the proofe and practise of the same vpon Iacob and Io­seph, with others, as you reade them. Stand therefore in strength, serue with comfort, slippe not from your calling for want of rewarde, if other abilitie serue to continue. The Lords worde is past him, his promise is out, he wil con­sider and recompence all true seruants, feare it not, doubt it not, but cleaue to the Lord, and when euer anie snubbes and checkes in worde or countenaunce vndeserued arise, say in your heart with Dauid chéerefully,Psalm. 84. O Lord blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.

Que. What say you of parentes in re­spect of benefites?

Ans. I must néedes say they are greatlie to bee honoured and truely lo­ued agayne, whose loue and affection [Page 239] hath broken out in fruites to vs ward· For ingratitude before God and man is hatefull.Proueb. 17.1 [...]. And hee that rewardeth e­uill for good, euill shall neuer depart from his house, saith Salomon.

Que. Howe prooue you that vn­der the title of Father and Mother old men and olde women be meant, and to bee honoured?

Ans. The wordes of Paul to Timo­thie teacheth it:1. Tim. 5.2. For rebuke not an el­der, saith hee, but exhort him as a Fa­ther, and the elder women as mothers. Leuit. 19.32. And touching the honouring of them. the lawe is plaine, Thou shalt rise vp before the horeheade, and honour the person of the olde man, and dreade thy God: I am the Lorde. Iob. 32.6. And in Elihu wee sée the practise, who stayed his speach, that his auncients might speake before him.

Que. Let all towne officers consi­der this, and become pa­rents not spoi­lers of the towne. Howe then may we conclude this matter?

Ans. Thus for this thing we may note & end. That if y^e scripture to Magistrates, ministers, maisters & such like superiors haue giuen y^e name of parents, thē ought [Page 240] they al, and euerie one of them in heart, affection, and action, be aunswerable to the same.

Que. Nowe then to proceede, heere is a promise added to the keepers of this commaundement, that their dayes shall bee long in the land. Ephe. 6. And to the Ephe­sians it is saide, that this is the first com­maundement which is a promise, yet was there one added to the seconde, if you looke on it, howe then aunswere wee this?

Ans. We aunswer, ethat the pro­mise annexed to the seconde commaun­dement belonged to all, but this be­longeth particularlie to this, and there­fore it is the first with anie speciall pro­mise.

Que. What might be the reason of this promise?

Ans. This may séeme to bee some reason of it. Naturall parentes are the instrumentes of life, other parentes as Magistrates, Ministers, and benefactors are the instrumentes of good and com­fortable life. Nowe it pleased the Lord to giue them for a blessing long life, who [Page 241] duetifullie behaue themselues to the in­struments of life.

Que Why, but is long life such a blessing?

Ans. Surely mans life is full of trou­ble and griefe, it can not bee denied. Yet I answere first, that notwithstanding euen to liue and haue a béeing is of it selfe a mercie of y^e Lords, yet to continue liuing, to serue and praise the Lorde, to increase his kingdome, by anie abilitie in vs, is a greater mercie. For a good nature reioyceth in oportunitie giuen to shewe himselfe thankefull, though it he to his trouble and cost, and so must we. Secondlie I answere, that al these miseries of mans life haue come of man himselfe, and not of God, and therefore we ought no lesse to accompt of Gods blessing for y^e thing, which we ourselues haue béene cause of. Thirdlie it may be answered, y^e god doth not promise bare­lie long life in this place, but good with it also▪ either in respect of outward pro­speritie, or inwarde comfort.

Que. Howe prooue you that?

Ans. By hauing recourse to Pauls [Page 240] [...] [Page 241] [...] [Page 242] wordes, who repeating this blessing v­pon them that honour Father and Mo­ther, doth not say onely, that thou maist liue long on earth, but, that it may bee well with thee, and thou maist liue long vpon earth. Therfore though mans life be full of miseries, yet as God promi­seth continuance of it, it is a blessing & a great blessing.

Que. Howe can this promise respect vs, seeing, it nameth particularly Canaan saying that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee, meaning it?

Ans. Paul againe doth answere this, who boldly putteth for those wordes these, on the earth: therefore by his in­terpretation it is not to bee restrayned to Canaan onely.

Que. Doe alwayes they that honour Parentes liue long, and contrariwise a­gaine?

Ans. Wée may not say so. For all thinges fall out alike to the good and euill, iust and vniust, saith Salomon, meaning of outwarde thinges as life is, and it is the wisedome of the Lord [Page 243] it shoulde bee so, that good things (as wee call them) may not be too gréedilie sought for, because they are common to the wicked, neither euill thinges be vnlawfullie eschewed, because they are incident to the good.

Que. Howe then is God true in his promises?

Ans. So farre as long life may be a benefite to his children, so farre hee euer giueth it: but if in wisedome he knowe it better for them to be gathe­red to their fathers, then hee taketh them away and recompenceth want of temporall life with eternall.

Que. Yea but that is not his pro­mise then, for his promise is long lyfe heere.

Ans. He that promiseth monie, and giueth golde, breaketh not his pro­mise: hee that promiseth little and gi­ueth much, breaketh not his promise: but so doeth the Lorde with vs, and therefore who is hee that vnthankeful­ly pleadeth against his mercie?

[Page 244] Que. What fruitfull notes nowe ga­ther you of th [...]se wordes?

Ans. First wee may note that the Lorde ioyning a promise of mercie to this commaundement, and not dealing so with anie thing which he liketh not, greatlie pleasing out of question in his sight is the kéeping of this law: name­lie when euerie man doeth dutie where dutie is due, and in loue we allow, che­rish and maintaine one an other.

Secondlie if long life bee a blessing promised to such as obey their parents, and this obedience procéedeth greatly of good education, then they that careleslie and vngodlily neglect the same in their children, doe asmuch as lyeth in them shorten the dayes of their poste­r [...]tie.

Lastlie wee also in this promise an­nexed note, that if long life be a gift of God, then commeth it not by nature or good constitution of body, further or lon­ger than it pleaseth the same GOD to blesse the meanes, and graunt it. And thus much briefely of this commaun­dement.

Question.

HOw standeth the order of this commandement?

Ans. Great wisedome hath our God shewed euen in the order of euery one, and by name of this. For hauing in the [Page 255] former established degrées amongest men, some to rule and some to obey, if he should not also haue set limittes for their authoritie, it had bene to arme iniustice, and to strengthen oppression and wrong.

Que. What is the equitie of this lawe?

Ans. It is a verie iust lawe, and méete to bee established and made in thrée respectes. First in respect of God himselfe, who louing all good preser­uation of life, goods, credite, &c. and hating the contrarie, fitly prouideth to worke the same in men, whome he would haue holy as he is holie. Se­condly in respect of man, for our bro­ther is our owne flesh, and wee come all of one roote, and therefore wee shoulde not kill. Lastlie forasmuch as the societie and traficke of man with man cannot be, vnlesse life may be in safetie, therefore euen in respect thereof also, méete it was that the Lord should make this lawe, that we should not kill.

Que. Is all killing of anie thing [Page 256] that hath life forbidden in these wordes of the lawe?

Ans. No indéede, but if we would vn­derstande what notwithstanding these wordes we may doe, wee must consider that all liuing things are of thrée sorts, either they are plantes, hearbes, trées, and such like, or brute beastes, or rea­sonable creatures. And al these in time, place, and for some causes we may kill notwithstanding these wordes. For the first we haue our warrants in these wordes: I haue giuen you euerie hearbe bearing seede, Gen. 1.29. which is vppon all the earth, and euerie tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seede, that shall be to you for meate. For the seconde, Euery thing (saith God) that moueth and liueth shalbe meate for you, Gen. 9.3. as the greene hearbe: I haue giuen you all thinges. For the thirde and last sort, both the sundrie commandementes of God in sackages of cities to put to sworde man, woman, and childe, prooue it, as also many his lawes made to that ende.

Que. But may anie man shed mans bloud?

[Page 257] Ans. No, onely they haue lawefully shedde mans bloud, which haue had a calling of the Lorde to the same, as the Magistrate.

Que. And what say you of the war­riour?

Ans. Wee must comprehende him vnder the title of a Magistrat, for so in­déede he is, if he be thereunto appoin­ted. The calling also,Luke. 3. Iohn Baptist ap­prooueth in that his spéeche vnto the souldiers, whome hee doth not bidde to leaue that life, but to vse it rightly, which yet he would not haue aduised them, if it had béene vngodly. Also in the gospell Christ toucheth not the Cen­turion for his kinde of life,Math. 8. neither Peter, Cornelius, who was a Captaine, or yet his messenger,Act. 10. which was a Souldier. And I come vnto thee (sayeth Dauid) in the name of the Lorde and blessed be the Lorde which teacheth my hands to warre and my fin­gers to fight. Psalm. 143.

Que. Is onely the actuall killing of a man forbidden?

Ans. No, but euen aswell also the [Page 258] ordinarie forerunners of murther, to wit, fighting and quarrelling. For if a man cause anie blemish in his neigh­bour, Leuit. 24.19. (sayth the lawe) as he hath done, so shall it be doone vnto him. Eie for eie, tooth for tooth, hande for hande, foote for foote, Exod. 21.24.25 burning for burning, wounde for wounde, stripe for stripe. Whereby wee sée plainely howe the GOD of heauen alloweth that hur­ting, and laming of our brethren in fight, which a fleshly man taketh to be so lawefull, so glorious, and an ar­gument of such valure in him. And no doubt but this lawe of God thus executed vpon vs would quickly coole that raging heate within vs, which no counsell of our friendes, no consi­deration of necessarie circumstances, as of our calling, the place where we liue, the charge of wife, children, and such like hanging vpon our safe­tie, the lawe of man, no nor the lawe of God it selfe condemning vs for it, can staie or aswage.Math. 5.39. Againe, Resist not euill, (sayth the Lorde) but whosoeuer shal smite thee on the right cheeke, turne [Page 259] to him the other also: That is, be so farre from yéelding to the rage of thy affections, which prouoke thee to strike againe, that euen rather thou be cōtent to take asmuch more, than to displease thy God, by vngodly and forbidden re­uenge. And for quarrelling what a swéete and vehement perswasion is it of the Apostle against such bitter words of a boyling and boysterous heart? Now therefore (sayth he) as the elect of God, holy, and beloued, Colos. 3.13. put on tender mercie and kindenesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffering, forbearing one an other, and forgiuing one an o­ther, if anie man haue a quarrell to an other, euen as Christ forgaue you, e­uen so doe yee. Hatefull therefore before God are as I say the ordinarie forerunners of murther, quarrelling and fighting with their fellowes what­soeuer. And assuredly if the Lorde were in vs, as we thinke he is, that méeke spirite of his would kill more and more that fearefull hastinesse to re­uenge that is euen in al, and we would learne of him,Math. 11.25 for hee is meeke and [Page 260] lowly in heart.

Que. What thinke you of killing by combat?

Ans. I must néedes thinke that the practise in a Christian common wealth being naught and vnlawfull, the death that therby insues, is horrible murther, and condemned in this commaunde­ment. Nowe that to fight a combat in a godly state is not tollerable, it may easily appeare if you weigh the causes for which it is at any time taken in hande. For if they be not (as it will appeare) sufficient to warrant it, then is it not warrantable. The first cause that is alleadged for it, is to trie a trueth, which otherwise can not bee knowen say they. But it may bee answered that the ende good, doeth not by and by make the meanes good: to try out a trueth is good, but to try it with the hazarde of life, is more than can be warranted. There are manie lawefull meanes to finde out trueth by, and if all those faile, then is it euident that the Lorde for some cause reserueth it to himselfe for a secret, and to séeke [Page 261] importunately and impaciently by ex­traordinarie meanes (as a combat is) to finde it out, is to tempt the Lorde, and euen as it were by violence to draw from him the manifestation of y^e which as yet he would not haue reueiled. Se­condly the one partie is innocent, yet either of thē desireth y^e death of an other indifferently, so y^e murder is in the hart of both of them, which amongest Chri­stians shoulde not be countenaunced. Sometimes the combat is craued for vaine ostentation of corage & strength, many a Thraso thinking his glorie to stande in the chalenging of an other to vngodlinesse, but this I hope no man will say to be a good cause for a Magi­strate to admit of a combat. Sometimes to auoyd or reuenge some great disgrace offred to a man, he beggeth thus to fight. But a Christian man that must make an accompt at the day of iudgement of his life giuen him from aboue, must learne to estéeme more of life, than ho­nour, (if honour by lawefull meanes may not be kept) and more of God, and his commaundement, than of them [Page 262] both. Besides the profession of a Chri­stian is to heare euill and to suffer e­uill though hee doe well, and deserue so: therefore farre should wee be from yéelding to such heates. Some al­leadge that it endeth strife, and there­fore is to be admitted: but to this may serue the aunswere to the first cause alleadged for it. And besides, who knoweth not that howesoeuer it en­deth it betwixt those two, because the one of them dyeth, yet layeth it the foundation of euen deadly hatred in the heartes of all their frindes, seede and posteritie, so that for one which is killed there starteth vp an hun­dred discontented heartes, séeking and following all occasions of strife a­gainst their enemies. Therefore in peace and at home howe a Chri­stian Magistrate may allowe the combat, wee finde no sufficient cause and warrant. For the fielde yet some doe thinke it is méete, and that they haue reason for it, for say they when two armies are in­camped [Page 263] in battle together, if vppon causes it bee iudged fitte not to ha­zarde the losse of manie, but to com­mitte it to two champions, either side agréeing to yéelde vppon the ouer­throwe of their man, who can mis­like this? But we answere that as yet the combat in it selfe is not proo­ued good, but is euill: and to doe euill that good may come of it, wee may not. Againe in such a case as this, we must consider, not onely of the men and their safetie, but also of the cause and his honestie. The cause is certainely either good or euill, ei­ther iust or iniust. If it bee good and iust, then is not the credite of it to bee layde vppon one man one­lie to the mocking of iustice and right: and if it bee euill and vn­iust, then of a Christian Magistrate not one mannes life is to be spent in it, and for it. Yea but say they yet further, the partie that hath the good cause is farre the wea­ker, and not able to stande if they [Page 264] once ioyne all together, and therefore this other way of two to trie all, is good. And we answere also further, that this were a maruelous distrust of Gods mercie and power not tolle­rable in a Christian. For if the cause be good, and méete to be main­tayned, then is the cause the Lordes, the men the Lordes, and hee saueth not by bowe nor speare, nor by the multitude of an hoste, so that wee shoulde so regarde these, but giueth victorie at his will to the weaker, and driueth away, as the winde the dust, verie mightie force assembled against him, and his children. Therefore not euen yet doe I see a cause to beare out anie combat. If there be anie corruption in menne that iustice bee not doone (which sometimes also is a cause alleadged) we must say as hee sayde, committing our selues and our matter to GOD. Ʋideo, fero, spe­ro, That is, I sée, I suffer, I trust in God. And euen with a good heart, be readie to beare any thing, rather than by a thing whereof I haue no [Page 265] warrant, to séeke my satisfaction.

Que. Why? what say you then of Da­uids act with Goliah?

Ans. I say it was an extraordina­ry motion in the hart of Dauid, wrought by the Lorde vppon the hearing of such blasphemie against God,Num. 25. Exod. 32. 1. King. 18. and it may not bee our imitation, no more than the fact of Phinees, of the Leuites, or of Eli­ah which were all mere extraordina­rie, and had their warrant by such spe­cialtie from the Lorde as that others may not looke, it shall extend to them, if they doe the like.

Que. What nowe of killing of our selues, is that neuer tollerable?

Ans. Much of this matter hath S. Augustine in his first booke of the city of God. And first he reasoneth thus,Chap. 1. If Iu­das did euill in hanging himselfe (which hee thinketh no man will denie) what may warrant anie man or woman to lay violent handes vppon themselues?Chap. 28. For neuer can anie fall in earth to a fowler fact, or to worse estate in the eyes of God and man. Secondlie saith hee, the lawe saith not, Thou shalt not [Page 266] kill thy neighbor, limiting it as it were to some, but indefinitelie, Thou shalt not kill, extending it largelie to all: and therefore saith he, not euen our selues may we make away. Thirdlie not Iob in all his extremitie durst doe this whē as yet one pricke woulde haue finished all his woe.Chap. 24. And therefore no man may kill himselfe.

Que. Well, but yet because you name Augustine, I haue heard of some causes propounded by him in this matter.

Ans. Truth it is, but none to y^e war­ranting of this sinne. For first saith hee, what if a woman do it to shunne pollu­tion of her body, or after shée is polluted to flie the ignominie following vpon it? And he answereth to it, that the first is wicked and procéedeth of this error, that whatsoeuer is doone in vs, the same is also doone by vs, which is not so. For then were chastitie a vertue of the bodie and not of the mind. It is not for a chri­stian to say, this will I not suffer, but this wil I not do. The mind being stai­ned y^e body is filthie though it neuer did act, but not contrariwise: for the bodie [Page 267] by violēce abused is neuer able to make guilty y^t mind which cōsenteth not to it. And therfore this excuse, saith Austen can not warrant such sin as to kil ourselues. For flying of shame which would follow y^e fact, neither yet may it be doone. For the shame is not so great as the act, and therefore if the déed done vnto her may not warrant her, the ignominy follow­ing may not do it. Si non est impudica quae inuita comprimitur, non est illa iustitia qua casta punitur. That is: If she be not vn­chast which vnwilling is oppressed, thē is it no iustice whereby the harmeles is pu­nished. Sed mulier auida laudis metuit, ne quod violenter passa est dum viueret, puta­retur libenter passa si viueret. But saith he a woman that standeth vpon speach and praise reasoneth with her selfe, that what she suffered against her wil while she li­ued, she should be thought to suffer with her wil, if she liued. And therfore, she wil kil her selfe. Indéede so may a womā reason y^e regardeth more man thā God, but y^e christian guided with y^e spirit that Da­uid had, learneth to say with him: O god thou knowest mine innocencie, &c. And [Page 268] to rest in ioy of spotlesse minde whatso­euer the worlde speaketh. Then goeth hee further, and they will aunswere saith hee, what can they tell howe they may be tempted to consent by long im­portunitie or by sight of hard extxemity, and therefore they will prouide before hand, least they should offend, and they wil kill thēselues. O saith Austen, what a speach is this? Iam nunc peccemus, ne postea forte peccemus; iam nunc perpetre­mus certum homicidium, ne postea incida­mus in incertum adulterium. That is, Let vs nowe sinne, least hereafter wee doe sinne: let vs now commit certaine mur­der least wee fall hereafter into vncer­tayne adulterie. Let vs nowe doe that which wee cannot liue to repent, least hereafter wee doe, what we may re­pent, &c.

Que. But indeede is it not a vile thing to fall into the handes of mine e­nemie?

Ans. In déed Cato an heathen with manie other could not abide it, neither Saul a cast away coulde suffer it. But better is the warrant euer of this ought [Page 269] to be done, than of this is doone: & there­fore we must not weygh the latter, but the former. And we sée neither Pa­triarches, Prophetes, nor Apostles euer to haue doone it. Nay saith Christ, When they persecute you in one Citie, flie into an other. Where he might haue saide, dispatch your selues, least your enimies triumph ouer you. Nowe if they might not doe it, for whom euer­lasting mansions in heauen were pro­uided, what care we for a thousande ex­amples of infidels and Paganes? Thus then I conclude that neither for these causes alleadged, nor anie other what­soeuer, wee may violentlie deale with our selues and ende our life.

Que What if wee neither kill others nor our selues, but yet peraduenture cō ­sent?

Ans. Euen that consent of heart is horrible murther & condemned in this lawe. Herodias as guiltie for consen­ting to the death of Iohn Baptist, and séeking it, as if shée had hewed off hys heade her selfe. Haman as guiltie for Mardocheus, as if he had doone it: Dauid [Page 270] for Vrias, Iesabel for Naboth, Pylate for Christ, as if they themselues had béene executioners.

Que. Often also haue I hard men say y^t sorow and care wil shorten our time.

Ans. Indéed it is not mans speach only, but euen y^e doctrine of the spirit of God.Prou. 17.22.12.25. For a ioyfull hart, saith Salomon, causeth good health, & a sorowful mind, drieth the bones. Heauinesse in the heart of man bringeth it downe, but a good word reioyceth it, yea a ioyfull hart ma­keth a cheereful countenance, 15. v. 13. & by the sorow of the hart, y^e mind is heauie. This doctrine of god hath man by experience found euer so true, y^t when any of thē in their writings haue spoken of care & so­row, they haue giuē vnto thē the epithi­tes of biting, eating, consuming care, & such like, because in déed they haue that worke in those y^t are too much subiect to them. Galen the Prince of Phisitions in his booke of the preseruation of health, affirmeth plainly that cares doe pull on and hasten many diseases in vs. Aristo­tle a Philosopher saith that sorowe dri­eth & wasteth that naturall heat in vs, [Page 271] wherein our life consisteth, and so as it were giueth a reason of Galens assertiō. No doubt the thing is true tryed and found to their harme in thousands. And therfore euē in this respect must a chri­stian beware least the Lord haue against him in the day of iudgement, y^t he short­ned his owne life by suffering vncom­fortable sorowe to lie snubbing & chéec­king his hart within both day & night. Alas, what is it that euer happen to that man or woman in earth, which tast the mercie of God in Christ Iesus to­wardes them so bitter, as that it may not be delaied, and comforted euen with this, that God is on their side,Rom. 8. & who or what can be against them? Doth not e­uerie thing, yea euen euery thing hap­pen for the best to those that loue God? Haue a true hart, and meane not false­ly, and then say in faith as Dauid doth My helpe commeth of God which pre­serueth them that are true of heart. Yea,Psal. 7.11. let me say to all that euer shall reade this in the name of the Lorde of hea­uen, when cause of humilitie happe­neth, differre not to be humbled, harden [Page 272] not your hearts in the day of affliction, but sacrifice them vp brused and trou­bled to the LORD,O Lord helpe. Omnes cum valemus, &c. yet euer so farre yéelde to sorowe, as that you con­stantlie and euen chéerefullie holde that which followeth in the Prophet, a bro­ken and contrite heart is neuer despised. And therfore whatsoeuer the matter is, with Dauid vnto your sad soule in eue­rie corner crie:Psal. 42. Why art thou so sad, O my soule, Psal. 27. vlt. and why art thou so disquieted in mee? Still trust in God, still trust in God, for I will yet thanke him, hee is the helpe of my countenaunce and my God. Thus tarrie ye the Lordes lea­sure, be strong and he shall comfort your heart, and put your trust in the Lorde.

Que. Thus then hauing spoken of ac­tuall murder or murder of the hande, as wee say, together with the braunches thereof, proceede if you thinke good to the murder of the tongue.

Ans. That euen by the tongue also this commaundement is broken, it is e­uident by the testimonie of our Saui­our Christ himselfe, who expounding this law in the fift of Matthew, Math. 5. conclu­deth [Page 273] them in it that say Racha, or thou foole to their brethren, that is, that by bitter and vncomelie speaches shewe their heartes to bee robbed of loue, and to lodge an vnlawful affection towards them.

Secondly the comparisons which the scripture vseth of the tongue, proueth plainely there is a murder by the tong. It compareth it to poyson, to fire, to speares, to sharpe arrowes, and manie such things, and al to teach that as these are the instrumentes of murder, so is the tongue.Psa. 14. Iam. 3. Psal. 56. Psal. 120. Wherefore iustlie prayeth Dauid in his Psalme, O Lorde deliuer mee from lying lippes, & from a deceit­full tongue. Iustly pronounceth he the curse of God vpon it in an other place, saying that the Lorde shall roote out all deceitfull lippes,Psal. 1 20. and Salamon also flatlie affirmeth, that, he which hath a naughtie tongue shall fall into euill. Prou. 17.20. Maruellous me thinke is also the dis­course of that wise mā Syrach touching this matter, and to bee carefully weyed. Abhorre, saith he,Chap. 28. the slaunderer & dou­ble tongued, for such haue destroyed [Page 274] manie that were at peace. The double tong hath disquieted manie and driuen them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it broken downe, and ouerthrowen the houses of great men: the strength of the people hath it brought downe, and beene the decay of mightie nations: the double tong hath cast out many vertu­ous women, and robbed them of their labours. Who so hearkeneth vnto it shal neuer finde rest neither euer dwel quiet­ly. The stroke of the rod maketh markes in the flesh, but the stroke of the tong breaketh the bones. There be many that haue perished by the edge of the sword, but not so many as haue fallē by y^e tong. Wel is him that is kept frō an euill tong, and commeth not in the anger thereof, which hath not drawen in that yoke, nei­ther hath bin bound in the bands therof. For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, & the bands thereof are bondes of brasse. The death thereof is an euil death, & hell were better than such one. With moe such speaches in that chapter if you read it ouer. And in an other place, Who shal set a watch before my mouth, Chap. 22.26. and a [Page 275] seale of wisedome vppon my lippes, that I fall not soudenly by them, and that my tong destroy me not? Feareful therefore is the fault of the tongue as we plainly sée.

Que. Howe doe men vse to kill by their tongues.

Ans. By slaunders, reproches, mocks and tauntes, saith your booke, and con­sider indéede the displeasure of God a­gainst all these: as against the first by an expresse lawe against it: Thou shalt not walke about with tales among the people, meaning, as slaunderers,Leuit. 19.16. back­biters and quarrell pickers doe. Also by the hatred of it which the spirite of God worketh against it in the godlie,Psalm. 101. as in Dauid, who saith hee will destroy the vngodlie slaunderer which priuilie slan­dereth his neighbour,Leuit. 19.14. in Salomon who counselleth in anie case to refraine har­kening to them, and in many others. A­gainst the seconde by his lawe also pub­lished in that behalfe: that we shoulde not curse the deafe, neither put a stum­bling blocke before the blinde, that is, no waye reproche them with [Page 276] their infirmitie, but feare the Lord, for hee is our God, as though he should say, reproches of our brethren, and to feare the Lorde, are neuer in one man toge­ther. And it is a speach worthie noting, of the wise Syrach, Syrach. 22.20. &c. That whoso ca­steth a stone at birdes frayeth them a­way, and he that vpbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship. Yea marke what followeth, though thou drewest a sword saith hee, at thy friend, yet dispaire not, for there may bee a returning to fauor. If thou haue opened thy mouth against thy friend, feare not, for there may bee a reconciliatiō: but if vpbraiding, or pride or disclosing of secreates, or a traiterous wound do let, then by these thinges, e­uerie friende will depart. And againe, in an other place:Chap. 23.15. the man that is accu­stomed to opprobrious words wil neuer be reformed al the daies of his life.

Que. Horrible I see then it is either to slander or to reproch any with such in­firmities as they haue, but a mocke I take not to be in so high a degree.

Ans. What degrée so euer it is in, it skil­leth not, certaine & sure it is, that God [Page 277] abhorreth it. And I refer but anie hart y^t hath féeling to the first words of Dauid in his Psalme,Psalm. 1. Blessed is that man y^t hath not sit in the seate of the scorneful. I be­séech you if they be blessed that haue not done it, what are they that daily doe it? The wicked thought of a foole is sin, Prou. 24.9. & the skorner is an abomination to men, saith Salomon. Yea scornfull men bring a citie into a snare, hee that rebuketh a scorner purchaseth to himselfe shame, 29.8. & he that rebuketh the wicked getteth a blot. Rebuke not a scorner least he hate thee, but rebuke a wise man, and he will loue thee. 9.7. & 8. Wherefore not without rea­son séemeth the translation of Hierom, and the Gréekes of the Hebrewe worde Lezim mockers, into pestilentes, pesti­lent fellowes and hurtfull, for so they are in déede, euen the plagues of a com­mon weale. Yet if we marke the vsuall cause of mocks it wil make vs sée more into the vilenes of this sin. For it is e­uer lightly for doing wel, & refraning e­uel y^t the wicked mocke the godly, & is it not a vile spirit y^t cannot abide vertue, but so gréedily thirsteth after vice? Drink [Page 278] not with y^e drunkers til thou bee drunke, and they mocke thee [...] sweare not with the swearers, but admonish them, and they mocke thee. Be not vaine in words, in apparel, in behauiour, and they mocke thee. Heare the word, reade the word, talke of the worde, and by and by, O young saint, olde diuell, you wil to hea­uen or your bones be cold, with a num­ber such mockes and diuelish tauntes. The degrées be diuers, yet all diuelish, some scorne all admonition, and they woulde haue euerie fat, they say, stand on his owne bottome, and euerie mā to medle with himself. Some scorne, but at that which toucheth themselues, shooting out their lippes, & refusing to be charmed. Some secretlie in hearts by a most contemptuous concept of that good thing whatsoeuer, which their croo­ked natures cannot like of, others o­penly by verie vile speaches vttered a­gainst God and godlinesse, against their brethren, and what graces God hath giuen them. But it is a sealed trueth, & god giue vs harts to cōsider it wel. Iudgmēts are prepared for y^e scorner, Prou. 19.29. & stripes [Page 279] for the backe of the foole. Michall Da­uids wife a mocking mistresse out of her gasing windowe not sparing her owne husbande the king of a frumpe, and that in a good thing, found the rewarde of it at the Lorde, shée was cursed as barren while her life indured, and neuer had children. Those mocking children at the baldnesse of the Prophet, felt the re­warde of such a sinne. For our example the Lorde caused Beares to deuour them all presentlie. Semei that scor­ned the estate of Dauid, 2. Kings 2. went not to his graue in peace. Bician that scoffer, was deuoured of dogges, as they write. And as yet neuer scaped the vnrepenting scorner the handes of the Lorde. For howe shoulde it stande with his iustice, to call vs to a reckning for our idle wordes, and not for our mockes and vngodlie tauntes? Wherefore trueth it is, and shall euer stande: Blessed is that man that hath not sit in the seate of the scornefull.

Que. Why but may we not iest me­rily one with an other?

Ans. Yes indéede, for all iesting is not [Page 280] mocking such as nowe we haue spoken of and shewed to bee euill. Merilie, if you remember, did the Prophet Eliah iest with the Idolaters & worshippers of Baal, bidding them crie lowd, for their god paraduēture might be talking with some body,1. King. 28. or pursuing his enimies, or in some iornie some whither, or paraduen­ture a sléepe. Thus saith the text, did E­liah mocke them, & yet this mocking be­ing but a pleasāt iesting to haue taught them good if they had had grace, displea­sed not the Lord. An other example also we haue in the prophet Esay laughing as it were at their follie who wold wor­ship that as God the chippes whereof had made them such a fire y^t they cryed A, Esay. 44. ha, I am well warmed. And for y^e place to the Ephesians it condemneth not this maner of speaking and iesting,Ephe. 5. but that which procéedeth either of a vaine desire to shew our selues, or of an vngodly co­ueting to sting our brethren.

Que. Thus then I see the malice of the tongue to be great and euen al men by it to be made guilty of this cōmandement, though their handes neuer shed bloode: [Page 281] yet is it such a mischiefe as the godlie are much subiect to, I meane to be stin­ged with the tongues of the wicked: and therefore I pray you if you knowe anie giue me some counsell howe to thinke of this crosse.

Ans. Truth it is, that howsoeuer the sinne be great to mocke, or to speake a­gainst any despitefully, and especially the godly, yet is it a crosse vsually in­cident to them that will separate the sinnes of this worlde, so néere as they can from their liues, to be taunted and spoken against, by both open despisers of goodnesse, and by open professors also of religion. And that comfort which I knowe, is to thinke euen often and se­riously of these, and such other places. The mouth of the wicked, Psal. 109.2. & the mouth full of deceit are opened vpon me (saith Dauid.) They haue spoken to me with a lying tongue, they compassed me about also with wordes of hatred, and fought against mee without a cause. For my friendshippe they were mine aduersa­ries. But I gaue my selfe to prayer. Sée the refuge of this saint of God in this [Page 282] kinde of crosse, euen to heauen: marke the rest of his conscience, euen the Lord, and if euer the like case be ours, let vs powre with him our guiltlesse gréefe in­to the bosome of our God, and there an ende, till the Lorde thinke good to make our trueth appeare also to men. The like spéeche and practise note againe in an other place of the same booke. Prin­ces (sayth he) did sit and speake against me, Psal. 119.23. but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes. And againe, The proude haue had mee exceedingly in derision, yet haue I not shrinked from thy com­maundementes. Ver. 51. And what a spéech is it of Paule to the Corinthians? I take pleasure in infirmities, 2. Cor. 12.10. in reproches, &c. Wherefore in God reioyce, who seeth the heart y^t meant no harme: in the Lord be chéerefull, whose mercy turneth the deserued crosse of many gret greefes in­to the biting but of a peuish tongue, and in pacience passing the time on, say in faith, what many haue saide in folly: That time shall trie the trueth.

Que. Yet there are some mo branches of this murther of the tongue.

[Page 283] Ans. Indéede by the tongue also no doubt they kill, who by cruell counsell stirre vp the hating heartes of men to any bloudie persecution, or which with their mouthes witnesse an vntruth, to the ende to shedde any bloud thereby, as did the iudges of Susanna, and as many consciencelesse men in these daies doe, being vpon an inquest of life and death, to be maisters of their will.

Que. Now if you thinke good, a litle also of the third kind of murder, namely, of the heart, and first how it is prooued?

Ans. The words of our sauiour Christ are plaine,That there is a murther of the heart. that out of the heart come e­uill thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murthers. Therefore there is a murder of the heart. Againe, S. Iohn saith, Who­soeuer hateth his brother is a mansleaer. But hatred is in the hart, and therefore manslaughter. Thirdly the minde and the wil being y^e beginnings or the foun­tains of al actions if they be infected, the man must nedes be gilty before y^e Lord.

Que. Doth this fearefull sinne step in­to the heart at first, or it creepeth rather by degrees as other great sinnes doe?

[Page 284] Ans. Sathan is more subtle than so, to drawe euerie man to the extremi­tie of sinne at the first, and therefore howsoeuer in some men he doth vpon a sodaine, yet ordinarily this murther stealeth into our heartes by these steps. First Satan brée [...]eth by his vnmarked créeping into our affections a misliking of such a man or woman, and yet wee well knowe not why, but we can not like them. Then doeth this misliking bréede anger. For we cannot beare at their handes, that which wee can well suffer at others. Anger bréedeth hatred, hatred desire of reuenge, and desire of reuenge murther. Thus stealeth sinne into vs, and by these steppes. Therefore first euerie Christian is to take héede howe misliking of any groweth vppon him,Misliking. and to snubbe the course of Sathan at the first. Secondly to looke the fruite thereof, namely, anger, weying well what was saide to Caine, Gen. 1.6. Caine why art thou angry? And by our Sauiour Christ in the gospell,Math. 5. But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly, Anger. shalbe culpable of iudge­ment, [Page 285] expounding there this comman­dement, and including as you see anger in it. And hence haue growen all those vehement spéeches in the scriptures a­gainst it. Let all bitternesse and anger, and wrath be put away from you, Ephes. [...].31. and be ye curteous one towardes an other, and tender hearted, forgiuing one an other, euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you (saith the Apostle). And againe, Be slowe to wrath, saith an other.Iam. 4.19. For the wrath of man doeth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God: That is, anger and wrath hindreth Gods worke in vs. Vnto which and a number such other perswasions in the worde the prophane writers by the verie light of reason haue agréeed, and sought in their sort to giue men a sight of this foule vice. An­ger haue they saide is the beginning of madnesse, anger is the drunkennesse of the minde, anger admitteth not anie good counsell, anger is the roote of mur­ther and death, with a number such spéeches.

Que. Foule then I see is this vice in all, and especially in a Christian: and [Page 286] therefore it were good we knewe howe to auoide it.

Ans. We reade that a king of Thra­cia being presented with a sort of verie fine glasses, by and by brake them all in péeces. And being asked the reason, an­swered, that hee did it to auoyde the wrath that hee was sure would be in him against them that should breake them afterwarde. Howe then are we taught by this king, though not euerie way to doe as hee did, yet with him to bee carefull to preuent our anger by taking away the occa­sion? The occasions of anger in manie men are plaie, and gaming, curio­sitie in dealing and medling, taking a matter as they thinke they heard it, when indéede they heard it not right, nipping woordes, and gawling spée­ches, with a number such: which if men will not haue anie care to es­chewe, then in vaine doe they say they are afraide to let murther into their heartes. For in truth the effectes will followe if the ordinarie causes doe goe before.

[Page 287] Que. Why but is all anger forbidden [...]o a Christian?

Ans. No indéede, it is as lawfull for a man in time, place, in his office, & for a iust cause to be angry in a conuenient measure, as it is vnlawfull otherwise. And it is apparant by the children of God, in all ages, the Patriarkes, Pro­phetes, Apostles, and others, whose hearts haue burned with misliking of e­uill, and wordes bewrayed asmuch vn­to them. Wherefore truly was it sayd of the godly father, Nolle irasci, vbi ira­scendum est, nolle emendare peccatum est. That is, for a man not to be angrie, whē he should be angry, is as much as to be vnwilling to amend what is amisse.

Que. Proceede nowe I pray you to the other branches.

Ans. Anger as was saide, begetteth hatred, nay becommeth hatred if it be let to settle. For Odium est inueterata ira: Hatred is nothing else but olde anger. And therefore since anger is apparantly forbidden in this comman­dement, hatred by consequence being fe­stred anger must néedes be much more. [Page 288] Besides wee haue heard the wordes of the scripture plaine, He that hateth his brother is a mansleaer. 1. Iohn. 5. Therfore I passe it ouer and come to the fellowe that is euer ioyned with it, when it méeteth with a fit subiect, to wit, Enuie, a vice compounded of the hatred of an other for vertue,Enuie what it is. guiftes, fauour, honour, and such like, and of selfe loue which ma­keth vs gréeue to sée our selues in these thinges excelled of him. A vice also of the spirite of God by name forbidden. Eate not the meate (sayth Solomon) of him that hath an euill eie, Prou. 23.6. neither desire his dainties. Let vs not be desirous of vaine glorie (sayth the Apostle) prouo­king one an other, Galat. 5.26. enuying one an o­ther. But laying aside all maliciousnesse, all guile and dissimulation, all enuie and euill speaking, 1. Pet. 2.1. as newe borne babes, let vs desire the sincere milke of the worde of God, that wee may growe thereby ▪ Vnto which expresse testimonies if w [...] ioyne the experience of such euill as en [...]uie hath wrought, we shall plainele sé [...] the foulnes of it.Num. 12.10. Aaron and Miriam en [...]uied Moyses, and the Lord with leprosi [...] [Page 289] plagued her. Corah and his companie enuied him also, and the Lorde as ab­horred, made the earth to shrinke, and swallowe them vp quicke, with all that they possessed. Saul had an eie vpon Da­uid, for the womens singing, and it stirred him still to séeke the life of his sonne and seruant. Iosephs brethren enuied him, and it almost brought them to his bloudshedding. Euerie way ther­fore is enuie in a Christian poyson, and apparantly it falteth against this com­maundement. It is a possession be­sides that destroyeth the possessour. For as the rust the iron, and mothes a gar­men, so eateth vppe enuie the man that enuieth. These thinges make enuie loathsome ynough to a godly minde, and yet is there more to bee sayde against it. For besides all this, enuie, as it wisheth an other mans fall, so doth it reioyce if it happen vn­to him. Which also is a thing verie horrible in the eyes of God. For hee that mocketh the poore (sayth Salo­mon) reprocheth him that made him: Prou. 17.5. and hee that reioyceth at destruction, [Page 290] shall not be vnpunished. Againe, Bee thou not glad, when thine enemie fal­leth, 24.18. and let not thy heart reioyce, when hee stumbleth, least the Lorde see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him to be auenged of thee. To the which wordes of Sa­lomon howe consonant was the prac­tise of Iob testified in that most excel­lent spéeche of his: If I reioyced at his destruction that hateth me, Iob. 31. (sayeth be) or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him: If I suffred my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse vnto his soule, &c. Meaning that hee neuer did it, neither would doe. For it is a fearefull sinne. Calamitas illius fores pul­sat qui aliorum calamitatibus non mouetur. That is, Miserie knocketh at his dore of right, whose heart sorroweth not to see others in aduersitie. And neuer ob­iect his harde happe to any man could the Gréeke Oratour say, for fortune is common to all, & what is to come, is not yet séene. Therefore euen this compa­nion of enuie maketh it worse, as I hope wée sée, and of all that woulde [Page 291] please the Lorde more carefullie to bee shunned. To reioyce at the sinnes of an other much more must bee grée­uous, if his worldlie estate may not be reioyced at that it is euill. Besides when by sinne the Lorde is gréeued, and my brother wounded to eternall death, what a spirite were it to reioyce? Againe consider our selues in compari­son with them that offende, and either we are better, like, or worse: the two later giue no cause of ioy, and the for­mer should fill our heart with praise for our grace giuen of God, and not our mouthes with mockes at the infirmitie of others.

Que. What else is forbidden?

Ans. Last of all, as the murther of the heart is forbidden all crueltie and hearde dealing with our brethren, for euen this the Lorde abhorreth also.Deutr. 2 [...]. The lawe that was made of for­tie stripes to be giuen to an offender, and not aboue, did euidentlie drawe to some pitifull feeling our cruell, ra­ging, and fierce affections. The [...]awe for widowes that they should not [Page 292] be wronged, and for the fatherlesse that they should not be forsaken, shotte at the same marke. So did the forbid­ding of vsurie to the poore, the taking of his rayment to pledge, the detay­ning of his hire, & such like thinges. All were to worke some mercie in vs to­wardes others, and to tell vs plainely that the Lorde abhorreth cruelty to­wardes anie.

Que. Thus then if you thinke good, let it suffice to haue spoken of these three sortes of murther, to wit, of the hande, the tongue, and the heart, together with their branches: and nowe a litle of the affirmatiue part of this commandement if you will.

Ans. The affirmatiue part of it ea­sily may be knowen by the negatiue. For who seeth not that if generally all hurting or taking away of life (vn­lesse it be by the Magistrate lawefullie) be forbidden, then generally also is commaunded all care and preseruation of the same:Deutr. 19.20. and if in specialitie the bit­ternesse of the tongue bee forbidden, then is the swéetenesse, the softnesse, [Page 293] and the comfort of the same commaun­ded. If anger be forbidden, gentle­nesse is commaunded: if misliking, ha­tred, enuie, and ioying at other mens harmes be forbidden, then is an heart well thinking and accepting of others commaunded, then is loue and a true reioycing at the good happes of our bre­thren commended: and to conclude, if all crueltie, rigor, and extremitie bee forbidden, then is all lenitie, mercie, and pitie commaunded. All which are vertues of great praise, and afording large perswasions vnto our heartes, to loue and like them, to embrace and fol­lowe after them. But so shoulde I dwell too long in this commaundement. The blacknesse of their opposite vices I hope doeth make their beautie and brightnesse great before our eyes. One­lie I wishe vs, to the ende wee may abounde in all mercie, that wee would often consider that comfortable spéech of the Lorde by his prophet:Esay. 58.10. If thou refresh the hungrie and troubled soule, then shall thy light spring out of darke­nesse, the Lorde shall satisfie thy soule [Page 294] in drought, and make fatte thy bones, and thou shalt be like a spring of wa­ter, whose water faileth not. As also that sentence which at the daie of dayes shall be pronounced vppon it, Come, come yee blessed of my fa­ther, and possesse the kingdome pre­pared for you: Math. 25. for when I was hun­grie yee fedde me, when I was thir­stie you gaue me drinke, when I was naked yee clothed mee, when I was sicke yee visited mee, and so foorth. Both which places with manie moe to the same ende beeing often thought vpon, will soften our heartes in all dealinges with our brethren, and make vs profitable to them euer to our powers. And yet (which I had almost forgotte) it is not ynough for vs to doe good, to be kinde, and to shewe mercie, but wee must doe it also spéedily, readilie, and fitlie, that is, when the néede of our bre­thren requireth it, obseruing careful­lie all occasions. For as it is sayde of guiftes, that qui cito dat, bis dat, he that giueth a thing quickly, giueth it twise, [Page 295] so is it of all thinges we doe, to helpe in time is a double helpe, and a bene­fite hauing lost the oportunitie of our brothers néede, looseth his welcome. Wherefore Iob professeth that he had not caused the eyes of the widowe to faile in long looking for his helpe.Iob. 31.16. And Mardocheus requireth of Hester not on­ly helpe, but present,Hester. 4. a singular exam­ple for all estates.

Que. What punishment hadde the breach of this commandement?

Ans. The spirituall punishment of it, as of all other sinnes, is eternall damnation both of bodie and soule. For without shall be dogges, Apoc. 22.15. inchaun­ters, whoremungers, murtherers, &c. (sayeth S. Iohn): the temporall pu­nishment of it was amongest the Iewes by the lawe of God bloud for bloud,Gen. 9. Leuit. 24. and before the lawe by expresse wordes, vn­lesse in such cases as the cities of re­fuge were ordayned for. And euen as it were aboue all other sinnes it is worthie marking howe euer the iudge­ment of GOD hath not suffered this sinne to lie vnknowen or vnpunished. [Page 296] All stories be full of examples,Phocas. Boniface. 7. Alexander. 6. Ethelbert. Richard. 3. and e­uerie man almost in his owne dayes, hath knowen some experience. Hotte is the wrath of the Lorde against this sinne, and his mercie therefore euer kéepe vs from it.

Question.

WHat is the meaning of this commaundement?

The act. Ans. First there is forbidden all adulterie, fornication, and other vncleanesse in our bo­dies (saith your booke) which néedeth no proofe besides the plaine wordes of the lawe, and that print which in his con­science euerie one carrieth about: yet hath the author added some for more strength against the frowarde, which I leaue to euerie one to read by thēselues. Secondly there are forbidden all vn­pure thoughtes, and lustes of the heart. For as in the other commandementes it hath béene sayde,The thought. so is it to be thought of againe in this: The lawe giuer is spi­rituall, and therefore this law. Besides [Page 305] it is testified in plaine wordes, that not onelie he is guiltie of this lawe which committeth the act, but hee also which looketh vpon a woman and lusteth after her.Math. 5.28. Thirdly the Apostle placeth chasti­tie in bodie and mind, and therefore the contrarie is incident both to bodie and mind. Nay in verie truth, man is ra­ther that, which he is in mind,Man is that which he is in heart. than that which he is is bodie. The qualitie of the hart is the quality of the man, & therfore an adulterous hart, an adulterous man no doubt, and a breaker of this commā ­dement. Now what a generalitie may this particularitie very profitably teach vs, namely not onely to runne to the outward shew we beare, and to our bo­die with the actions thereof, when wee would iudge of our selues, but euen to our verie heart, and inward thoughts, to sée how all doeth there, and as there we finde, so to giue sentence. If there be integritie, then so thinke: but if there be lust and adulterie, if there be dissimula­tion and falsehood, if there be iniquitie & sinne, then according to it let vs thinke of our selues, and say the Lord be mer­cifull [Page 306] to vs such & such, for as our harts are, so are we. Moreouer it may giue vs a great light to discrie y^e spirit that gui­deth the Church of Rome. For if God cō ­demne the thought, how allow they the fact of simple fornication at the least,And of Sodo­mie for the 3. hote moneths if not of adulterie, and yet say, they haue the spirit too? Is the spirit of God so va­riable that somtime he condemneth the thought, & sometimes alloweth the very fact? What an impietie were this to bée said or thought? Therfore strange out of question from the Lord is their spirite. Thirdly in this commandement is con­demned that thing whatsoeuer, which inticeth to any vncleannes wherof there might many particulars be named.

Que. And I pray you for more plainnesse let it not be greeuous to name some of the chiefe.

Ans. First then here is forbidden all wanton & immodest lookes, for the eye is a vehement inticer vnto lust, as appea­reth by manie proofes. For thus fell Pu­tiphars wife into vngodly lusting after Ioseph:Gen. 39. for the text saith shée cast her eies vpon Ioseph. Thus came Dauid to [Page 307] adulterie with Bersabe, euen by disor­derlie looking vpon her from his house top. Thus fell the sons of God into vn­lawful loue with the daughters of men,Gen. 6. by séeing that they were faire. This caused Peter to say of the wicked that they had adulterous eyes.2. Pet. 2. And the know­ledge of it made Iob to take a bonde of his eyes,Iob. 31. that they shoulde not looke vppon a mayde. Whereunto for an o­ther inticement to vncleannesse wee may referre all vndecent and vncome­lie pictures, the corruption of our eyes, and consequentlie of our heartes, and therefore no doubt héere also condem­ned. Thirdlie vnchast behauiour such as the Lorde crieth out against by his prophete, saying, that The daugh­ters of Sion are hautie, Esay. 3. and walke with stretched out neeckes and with wan­dring eyes, walking and musing as they goe, and making a tinckling with their feete, &c. Fourthlie all wanton speach, filthie tales, songs, and sonets of loue & lightnes, lasciuious salutatiōs and such like. For euill wordes corrupt good maners, 1. Cor. 15. and there must no corrupt [Page 308] communication procéede out of our mouthes, but such as is good to the vse of edifying and may minister grace to y^e hearers.Ephe. 5.3. As for filthines, foolish talking, iesting, and such like, they are thinges vncomelie for a Christian. Againe, vn­chast bookes and wanton writinges, who knoweth not howe they tickle to vncleannes? and therfore both they and the reading of them forbidden in this lawe. Sixtly too much showe in appa­rel, painting, tricking and trimming of our selues aboue conueniencie, it is a daungerous allurer of lust, and there­fore forbidden.

Que. I could wish yet a litle larger speach of apparell, because I see it is one of the wormes that wasteth at this day the common wealth, that decaieth hous­keeping, that maketh strait the hande of the master to his seruant, and the Lord to his tenant, and a thing to conclude that the deere children of God cannot ouer­come them selues in.

Apparell. Ans. And I will willingly answere your wish with a litle more speach of it, yet not such, as with diligence might [Page 309] be made, but such rather as I haue at times thought of, & found in some man­ner effectual. First therefore me thinke y^e very originall of apparel should much mooue a Christian féeling hart. For whē we had sinned, thē were we clothed: Gen. 2. whē we had lost our honor, then were we ap­parelled: so that it is the signe of our sin, the badge of our rebellion, the witnes of our shame, and it remembreth vnto vs, what we shoulde wéepe continually to think, that we haue lost. Now alas how small cause haue we to be proude of such a liuerie? Nay sée the dulnesse of our harts and the absurdnes of our dealing. If a thiefe should be saued frō hanging, with this condition added, that he shold euer weare a halter, were it not a strange hardnes of his hart, if he should so forget his fall, & so glory in his shame testified day & night vnto him by y^e hal­ter, that he should begin to boast of his halter, to be proud of it, and to make it of silke in sumptuous sort, for an ornamēt to his necke? Truly it were. And so it is in mā a very strange worke of sathan, y^t he should so excéed in pride with y^e thing [Page 310] the sight whereof shoulde rather pinch his hart with sorowe, than be so exalted euen out of his owne knowledge, w^t ap­parell, which in truth (speake as a good hart shold féele it) shold humble vs, beat vs downe, & make vs euen with y^e pea­cocke let our feathers fal for the foulnes of our féet. Therfore I say one thing me think to draw vs to mediocritie in this matter should be the wel weying of the first beginning of apparel. Secondly the spéedie wast of it is something. For how can a good conscience warrant vnto vs such great charge, yea such excéeding charge in a thing so changeable, whē we shal giue an accompt how we bestowed our goods? The matter or y^e forme failes, ere euer our price be halfe answered w^t vse. And there is no estate in earth y^t may warrant a christian man or woman to be a wilful waster of the lords gifts vn­to thē. Thirdly the misliking of y^e word should make misliking in my hart of ex­cesse or vanitie in this matter. Now the Lord saith in the lawe: Thou shalt not weare a garment of diuers sortes, Deut. 12. as of wollen & linen together. The meaning [Page 311] whereof was this, he wold not haue thē newfangle, wanton and phantastical in their apparel. The same God crieth out against the Iewes by his prophet that he wold take away y^e ornament of y^e slippers, & the cals, & the round attires, Esay. 3. the sweet bals, the bracelets & the bonets, the at­tyres of the heade & the slops, the head­bands, the tablets, and the earings, the rings & the mufflers, the costly apparell & the vailes, the wimples, & the crisping pins, the glasses, the hoods & the lawnes. With which in extremitie vsed no dout they had prouooked the Lord, & daily did offend him. Also by an other prophet, I will visit the princes and the kinges chil­dren, Sophon. 1.8. & al such as are clothed with strāge apparell: that is, as imitate the vaine fashions of other countries in any vaine manner. And the Apostle Paul hath a most plaine speach to women,1. Tim. 2.9. whereby men also may knowe their dutie. I will saith he, that the women araie them­selues in comly apparel with shamefast­nes & modestie, not with Read the note of this word in the Testament. brodred haire or gold, or pearles, or costly apparel, but as becommeth women that professe the [Page 312] feare of God with good workes. Which very same words Peter also hath to the same ende.1. Pet. 3.3. These with many mo such places shew vs the misliking of y^e Lorde of disorder in apparell, & they shoulde I say me thinke make vs mislike also with it. 4 Fourthly the sentences of graue and godly fathers, which haue spoken of this matter shoulde not be neglected of vs. And what are they? If the matter of our apparel be too costly, heare what S. Ber­nard saith: Exterior superfluitas vestiū, in­terioris hominis inditiū: The outwarde su­perfluitie & wast of the garment, is an e­uident token of the inward man (that he is vnreformed.) If the forme & fashion be vnséemely or wanton, then saith the same father, Ʋestiū curiositas deformitatis mentis & morū inditium est, The curiositie of thy garment bewrayeth deformitie of mind & maners in thee. Thus matter & forme being vnséeming, either of thē dis­credite man & woman, & make their in­ward hidden corruption appeare to the worlde. 5 Fiftly all the worlde knoweth it, and it cannot be denyed that immo­derate apparell is a vehement intice­ment to y^e breach of this commandemēt: [Page 313] and therefore wicked. Castitatis comes frugalitas, The companion of chastitie is frugalitie, sayeth a learned man, and euen in apparell. I would to God, if with a Christian heart anie will not thinke of these two last reasons, yet that they woulde thinke of them with worldly wisedome, & in pollicie weigh them. For there is no man nor wo­man so farre fallen out with religion, and honestie, but that if they be not such yet they desire to séeme so, and to be so taken. Nowe apparell in matter or forme vnséemely robbeth them of this that they neither séeme nor are thought to be of manie. For touching religion, who can thinke them mortified to sinne within in heart, who so séeme to liue to all vanitie and excesse without in bodie? Who can thinke they are reformed in soule, who are very much aboue their calling vnreformed in showe? Man can not enter to the inwarde heart, but iudgeth euer by the outwarde fruite, and religion within vseth alwaies to shewe men effectes without. For ho­nestie of bodie, though our hearts neuer [Page 314] meant any thing contrarie to it, yet doe we by apparel bring our credite in que­stion, when it passeth our calling and conueniencie. And therefore euen in pollicie, if we care not for Christianitie we should beware. Last of all, modestie in apparell both touching matter, and forme, answereth to the originall of it well, which was to hide vs after sinne, confirmeth by practise that apparell is vaine, liueth according to the named scriptures, escaping the threatned e­uils, and finding promised good, sa­ueth our credite out of question, aun­swereth the grauitie of the gospell, hindreth no pietie (for often vnder an ill garment a good heart is hidden) and lastly is so farre from alluring to lust, that it euen cutteth the throte of it, and very greatly stoppeth it. Sex sunt enim quae incorruptam seruant castitatem: Scili­cet, sobrietas, operatio, inhibitio sensuum, asperitas cultus, raritas sermonis, euitatio oportunitatis, personae, loci, & temporis. That is, There are six thinges which keepe chastitie vncorrupted: To wit, so­brietie, labour, restraint of our senses, [Page 315] coursenesse of apparel, rarenes of speech, and eschewe all of oportunitie, of per­son, place, or time. O but yet it sticks in our hearts y^e apparel makes a man. In­déede manie so iudge both of themselues and other, that they are made, and beautified by apparell. But the ve­rie heathen man shall condemne vs, if we doe so, who coulde thus say, that: Ornamentum est quod ornat, ornat autem quod honestiorem facit. Id autem non aurum, non smaragdus, coccus, sed quae­cunque grauitatis, pudoris, & moderati­onis speciem praebent. That is an ornament (saith he) which adorneth vs, and that adorneth vs y^t maketh vs honester. Now that doeth not gould, precious stone, skarlet, but that which giueth a shewe of grauitie, shamefastnes, & moderation. And thus now let it suffice a litle to haue answered your desire touching apparel, pretermitting y^e iudgement of God vpon Herode euē then when he was most roy­ally clothed aboue all other times,Act. 12. with many thinges mo, which to this ende might be brought. And this I pray you take not spoken to drawe all to an equalitie, or yet anie from the thing [Page 316] that is méete for their calling, but to kindle care in all, that wee deceiue not our selues with our calling worldlie so much, that we forget our calling to God, to his gospell, and to his mercies so ma­nie in Iesus Christ, and what is conue­nient for the grauitie and excellencie thereof. This is my meaning, and this is my ende.

Que. Now then proceede I pray you to recite such other prouocations to the breach of this commaundement as you knowe.

Ans. These prophane & wanton stage playes or interludes, what an occasion they are of adulterie and vncleanenesse by gesture, by spéech, by conueyances, and deuises to attaine to so vngodly de­sires, the world knoweth with too much hurt by long experience. Vanities they are if we make the best of them, and the Prophet prayeth to haue his eies turned away by the Lorde from behol­ding such matter:Psal. 119. Euill wordes corrupt good manners, 1. Cor. 15. and they haue abun­dance. There is in them euer manie dangerous sightes,1. Thes. 5.22. and wee must ab­staine [Page 317] from al appearance of euill. They corrupt the eies with alluring gestures: the eyes, the heart: and the heart, the bodie, till al be horrible before the Lord. Histrionicis gestibus inquinantur omnia: (sayth Chrysostome) These players be­hauiour polluteth all thinges. And of their playes he saith, they are the feasts of Sathan, the inuentions of the deuill, &c. Councels haue decréeed verie sharp­ly against them, and polluted bodies by these filthie occasions haue on their death beddes confessed the daunger of them, lamented their owne foule and gréeuous faulles, and left their war­ning for euer with vs to beware of them. But I referre you to them, that vpon good knowledge of the abominati­ons of them, haue written largely & wel against them. If they be dangerous on the day time, more daungerous on the night certainely: if on a stage, & in open courtes, much more in chambers and priuate houses. For there are manie roumes beside that, where the play is, & peraduēture the strangenes of the place & lacke of light to guide them, causeth [Page 318] errour in their way, more than good Christians should in their houses suffer.

Que. What else?

Ans. Dancing againe is in the num­ber of vaine pastimes, and the allure­ments to vncleannesse, as much experi­ence hath too wel proued. The scriptures checke it, the fathers mislike it, the coū ­cels haue condemned it, & the proofe of Gods iudgementes vpon it biddeth vs beware. Instrumenta luxuriae tympana & tripudia, sayth one, the inticers to lust are pipinges and dancinges. Laquei sunt & scandala non solū saltatoribus, sed specta­toribus. They are snares and offences not onely to the actors, but also to y^e behol­ders. Iob. 21.11. Iob noteth it as an olde practise of the deuil to occupy men withall, & as an ancient exercise of the wicked, that they should daunce. Vpon which wordes a godly writer sayeth:Calu. serm. 80. vpon Iob. that from the ta­bret and the flute, which in themselues are not vnlawefull, they come to daun­cing, which is the chiefest mischiefe of all. For there is alway (sayth he) such vnchast behauiour in dauncing, that of it selfe, and as they abuse it, (to speake [Page 319] [...]he trueth in the worde) it is nothing else, but an inticement to whoredome. In the gospell the spirite of God noteth it in a wicked woman as an immodest thing,Math. 14. & of a damnable effect in her wic­ked father Herode to dance. And such as interpret the place are not afraide of these words,Marlor. ex Calu. that it was meretriciae lasci­ [...]iae turpis nota nubilis puellae saltatio. That is, that for her to dance beeing a maide for yeares mariageable, was a note of whorish wantonnesse. For whosoeuer (saith he) hath a care of honest grauitie, he euer condemneth dancing, and espe­cially in a maide. Againe hee calleth it spectaculum familiae Regiae probrosum. A dishonorable sight in a kings house: with manie speaches moe of mislike. Sirac a wise man,Syrac. 9.4. and of great expe­rience, biddeth a man not to vse the companie of a woman, that is a singer and a dauncer, neither to heare her, least hee bee taken with her crafti­nesse. The godlie Fathers as I saide mislike it. For saltatio ad adulteras, Ambros. de virgin. lib. 3. non ad pudicas pertinet, saith one of them: Dauncing belongeth to adulterous [Page 320] and not to honest women. A sharpe spéeche: Yet was this graue father not afraide to speake it. Saltatio barathrum diaboli, Chryst. Math. hom. 48. sayth an other: dauncing is the deuils hell. And we heare spéeche of Ia­cobs mariage (saith he) in the scrip­ture,in Genes. but not a worde of anie dauncing that was at it.Theophilact. in Mar. 6. Mira collusio sayth an o­ther, Saltat diabolus per puellam: It is a strange iugling, when wee thinke the maide doth daunce, and it is not so, but the deuill in her, or by her. The coun­cels haue condemned it as others haue at large shewed. And verie Tullie could say, an honest man would not dance in an open place for a great patrimonie. For the iudgementes of God vpon this vaine pastime, it is strange which Pan­taleon noteth out of Crantzius, that in Colbecke a towne in Germanie, cer­taine light persons hopping and daun­cing in the Churchyearde of S. Magnus, An. 1505. beeing by the minister admonished to cease, and not ceasing, did for a long time (not able to stay) runne rounde a­bout, and at last fell all downe dead. But because others haue so largelie [Page 321] writ against this vanitie, I say no more of it at this time, but wish vs to consider that it is an inticement otten to adulterie, and therefore in this com­maundement forbidden. And as for anie dauncing that wee reade of in the scriptures to haue béene vsed of the godly, we must vnderstande, that their dancing was euer a sober modest motion, with some song vsually to Gods praise, and men by themselues, women by themselues. Which nothing will warrant our custome and guise in these daies.

Que. Are there yet anie moe allure­mentes?

Ans. There are yet many mo. But I may not in this sort stande vpon them. Gluttonie & drunkennesse,Ezek 16. with houses of open whoredome, your booke nameth and proofes for them. Idlenesse also is an other meanes,1. Cor. 7.39. the vowe of chasti­tie, the deniall of seconde mariages, the going of men in womens apparell, and women in mans apparell,Deut. 22. with a number such. This onelie must I say, and so conclude this negatiue part of [Page 322] the commaundement,For he that will no euill do, must no­thing doe that longs thereto. looke whatsoe­uer, it is, that we can sée to bee anie allurement, anie occasion, or meanes to vncleannesse, all that is condem­ned in this commaundement as much as the verie act of adulterie, which heere onely is expressed. Then howe the holie Pope of Rome can warrant by the worde of God the erection and continuaunce of his stewes, iudge you, although his gaine be neuer so much thereby. Nay howe could that mon­ster Sixtus the fourth warrant the erec­tion of a stewes of both kindes,In king Ed­warde 4. that is both of women and men, whereby 20000 and some yeares 40 thousande ducketes came to his coffers? Or the whole Church of Rome so like of, and so diminish the sinne of fornication? Can this their spirite that guideth them, be the spirite of GOD, when it condemneth not the act, whereof God condemneth all occasions and al­lurementes? No, no, the Lorde giue vs eies, and then haue we markes suf­ficient to bewray them by.

Que. Thus then may we see what we [Page 323] [...]re forbidden in this lawe: nowe I pray you adde something of the thinges we are commaunded in the same.

Ans. For this matter your booke an­swereth well, that as wee are forbid­den in it all vncleannesse, and all in­ticementes to the same: so on the other side we are commaunded to kéepe our bodies and soules chast, and pure as temples of the holy ghost, or if the guift of chastitie be not giuen vs, then to vse the lawefull remedie appointed for vs by God, which is mariage. Concer­ning therefore chastity we are to know, that verie greatly the scripture layeth downe Gods liking of it, and with many wordes exhorteth vs vnto it. This is the will of God (sayth the Apo­stle) euen your sanctification, and that you should abstaine from fornication, [...]hat euerie one of you should know how to possesse their vessels in honor and ho­ [...]inesse, & not in the lust of cōcupiscence, euen as y^e gentils, which know not God. And in an other place,2. Cor. 7.1. Seeing (sayth he) that we haue these promises dearly belo­ued, let vs clense our selues frō al filthines [Page 324] of the flesh and spirite and grow vp vn­to all holinesse in the feare of God. And againe the same Apostle beseecheth the God of peace to sanctifie them through­out, 1. Thes. 5.23. that their whole spirit, and body, & soule may be kept blamelesse til the day of the Lorde Iesus Christ. Manie such as these are there, all which our vner [...]ring Papistes take and expounde of sin [...]gle life, and will haue them, so manie testimonies of the same to excell mari [...]age. But their bould speaking is no [...] euer sounde proouing, and therefore w [...] stay to beléeue them.

Que. In other matters indeede we haue good cause to refuse them, but in this (giue me leaue to speake as I thinke being readie to learne if I erre) me [...] thinke we are not to mislike so much o [...] their speech. For, surelie it cannot be denied, that the single life is farre aboue the maried. The scriptures you knowe haue manie speeches to this ende.

Ans. Well then, for your better satis [...]faction it will not be amisse, if we a litl [...] consider the course of this errour. And first I pray you marke, that during al [...] [Page 325] the time of the olde testament they dare not, nor do not say, that single life pas­sed mariage in excellencie, but contra­rie to be fruitefull and stored of children was a blessing, and to be otherwise was a reproch vnto them. Therefore this perfection and excellencie of single life, they set it to be but nowe in the time of the gospell. Where let vs also beginne, and going with them, sée whether it be so or no. We consider then and sée, that as the Lorde is holy himselfe and pure, and therefore hath euer liked and loued all holinesse in his children, and by name this cleannesse of bodie and mind, which we speake of: so on the otherside Sathan being impure and filthy, hath euer sought and laboured to worke the like in vs, and by name to drawe vs to impuritie of flesh and staine of minde in this behalfe. The Lorde hath had euer his meanes to worke the one: Sathan hath had his againe to bréede the other. The Lorde by his word and spirite, and what else it pleased him to vse: Sathan by sundrie also verie forcible wayes wrought the contrarie. Some hee so [Page 326] mightily hardened, and strangely ouer­came,Want of fee­ling one meanes of Sathan. that euen contemning the Lord and his threates, and smoothering what in their owne consciences at anie time they founde contrarie to it, gaue them­selues ouer as it had béene brute and sauage beastes to all lust and vnclean­nesse without remorse. Of these spake the Apostle to the Ephesians saying:Ephes. 4.19. That they being past feeling gaue them­selues to all wantonnesse to worke vn­cleannesse euen with greedinesse, where the worde hee vseth is verie significant. And againe to the Romans he saith, that God gaue them vp to their hearts lustes vnto vncleannesse, Rom. 26. to defile their owne bodies betwixt themselues, yea he gaue them vp to vile affections. For the wo­men changed the naturall vse into that which is against nature. Then sheweth he the meanes and way, whereby all this was wrought in them. For a man would thinke y^t euen reason and natur [...] should kéepe vs from such pollution▪ They regarded not (sayth the Apostle) to knowe God, Ver. 28. and therefore God de­liuered them vp into a reprobate mind [Page 327] to doe those thinges which are not con­uenient. That is, God suffered Satan so to harden their heartes and to de­priue them of the vse euen of naturall light, as that those thinges séemed but sportes vnto them, and matters of small weight, which otherwise would haue feared them euen to thinke vpon. The prophet Ose séemeth to alledge the very same manner of procéeding of Sathan in those that know God. When he saith of Israel, Ose. 4.11. that whoredome and wine and newe wine tooke away their heartes. That is, their iudgement and vnder­standing, their conscience and féeling, whereby they should abhorre so displea­sing a life before the Lorde. And what meaneth Salomon when he saith, that The young man followeth the intice­ing harlotte to her house as an oxe to the slaughter, but euen this,Prou. 7.22. that by the subtill malice of Sathan hee is depriued of sense to decerne whi­ther hee goeth, and what his fall will be? So then I say one meanes whereby Sathan in times past drewe men from chastitie, the vertue of this [Page 328] commaundement, to lust and impuritie the breaches of the same, was by dulling their heartes in most fearefull manner, that they felt not sinne to be sin, no not euen verie great and gréeuous sinnes to be anie at all. An other meanes was by instilling into their mindes an opinion of indifferencie in these matters,Opinion of in­differencie an other meanes. and that God (so he were serued in spirite of them) passed not for their bodies, but left them in some sort to themselues, to vse to their pleasures. This (to o­mit a multitude of heathen histories, as also Simon Magus whome Austen noteth a defender of this doctrine) may appeare by that decrée of the Apostles, that the Gentilles should abstaine from fornication,Act. 15. as also most euidently by the epistle of Paule to the Corinthians, who thought of this matter as of a méere naturall thing, so lawefull for them as either to eate or drinke, so they reserued their soules and spi­rites to worshippe GOD. But the Apostle sheweth it to be farre other­wise, and with manie vehement re­petitions of the duties of their bodies, [Page 329] impugneth so vile a conceite of liber­tie to vse them vnto lust. Hee hath created your bodies saith the Apostle,V. 13. & 14. aswel as your soules, and therefore you must glorifie him aswell in bodie as in soule. Hee preserueth also the one as­well as the other, the bloude of Christ was shedde aswell for the one as the o­ther to redéeme it from death, they are both indifferentlie the Temples of the holie ghost, they are both the mem­bers of Christ, and at the latter day they must both by Christ be raysed, the body then to be ioyned to the soule, which be­fore liued separated, and therefore as­well in bodie as soule God must be glo­rified, and both of them from filthie lust and pollution kept chast. Manie moe are the reasons of Paul in that Epistle to driue the Corinthians from this de­testable conceipt,V. 17. that fornication was a matter indifferent, and chastitie re­quired not so much in bodie as in mind. But I referre them to the diligent rea­der himselfe to marke, and thus much onelie note to shew the meanes where­by Satan in those dayes preuailed so [Page 330] much to draw men to the breach of this commandement. A thirde meanes wee reade of which argueth not a litle the dulnesse of man, & the boldnesse of satan if once he get any vantage. Euen y^e verie word of god abused to confirme y^t which neither God nor his worde could euer a­bide.The scriptures wrested an o­ther meanes. Chap. 2. In the Apocalips, mention is made of y^e Nicolaitans sinning in this respect most fearfully: & it is also by learned mē recorded how Nicholas the first father of y^e filthinesse fel into grosse & most fearful sinne. Clemens & Eusebius say that he did it of méere simplicity to remooue frō him the suspition of ielosie, and to giue a testimonie vnto the worlde, that hee was not, contrarie to the profession of a Christian, too much addicted to anie earthly thing, since it is writen, that he which hateth not father or mother, wife or child for Christ, cannot be his disciple: and no man can serue two maisters, with such other places most wickedly wre­sted to bring in a most horrible conclusi­on. Carpocrates and his sect through their abominable life was warranted by that speach of Paul, Rom. 2. that anger & tri­bulation [Page 331] shalbe vpon euerie soule that sinneth. Sée say they, how he saith vpon euery soule, not vpon euery body, so that our bodies we may vse as wee list. O­thers vsed these places: We are not vn­der the law, but vnder grace. Iusto non est lex posita, There is no law for the iust, and such other. By all which things it is ap­parant how mightily Satan hath bent his force to draw men to the pollution of their bodies, and to vncleannesse forbid­den in this commandemēt. Now marke stil I pray you y^e course of this matter, & sée how as y^e Church of God euer with­stood this worke of satan in measure, & sought to establish honest life & chast be­hauiour, as I haue before shewed: so in the beginning of y^e gospel especially (as most cause was giuen through the abū ­dance of y^e contrarie sin) verie vehemēt­ly, & sharpely was condemned y^e libertie of lust, & filthie affection, which then ru­led, & on y^e contrariy side was vrged cha­stitie, chastitie, with reasons laid downe for y^e excellēcie of it, & the cōmandemēts of god for it. And indéed so zelously, so di­ligētly, & so effectually was this done by the [Page 332] godlie teachers of those times, as that Satans subtilties preuailing so much before to the contrarie, beganne to loose their strength daily more & more. For the hardnesse of mens heart through which sinne so greatly increased, was turned into softnesse, and Christian fée­ling: their ignorance which accompted so foule a sinne an indifferent matter, was dailie diminished and turned into knowledge: their iudgements before a­bused with showe of scriptures to con­firme their euill, were bettered by the spirite of light to perceiue and sée how fowlie these scriptures were wrested to a wrong ende, and howe many ap­parantlie commaunded the contrarie. So that their consciences being quick­ned, their eyes opened, and their vn­derstanding augmented by continuall and godlie teaching, lust waxed lesse or at least more orderlie to the show of man. For it brake not out in such con­fused manner, as before, to all and eue­rie one, that was liked, and might bee obtained. Nowe then yet sée a di­uell. When he sawe his kingdome in [Page 333] men thus euery day fal to ruine through diligent exhortations vnto chastitie, so that he was not able to deale with men as before, & to make thē litle accompt of actuall pollution as hee had doone, what deuiseth hee yet still to continue his venime in mankinde? Surelie euen this (note it and wonder) hee himselfe falleth to preach and teach chastitie al­so by his ministers, and to extoll it to heauen. But howe? Not as he should I warrant you, but as it best serued for his wicked intent. He doeth not teach men to kéepe bodie and mind pure from all vncleane actions or conceiptes, but he laboreth to perswade that outward continencie of bodie (what broyles of scorching lust soeuer the minde abideth) is an holie thing before God, of it selfe acceptable, and meritorious. Hee doeth not teach men that there is an accepta­ble chastitie in godlie matrimonie, if y^e gift of continencie bee not giuen, but vnto certayne persons hee flatlie forbid­deth it, as not tollerable, and general­lie in all hee doeth note it as culpable, preferring single life in dignitie, holi­nesse, [Page 334] & merite before it in al men. Thus taught his scholer and instrument Mar­cion the heretike about the yeare of Christ 133. publishing and teaching, that the coniunction of man and womā euen in matrimonie was sinne, that it pro­céeded or was inuented of a contrarie God, that women wholy were y^e worke of the diuell, & men also the one halfe of thē. He would alow none to be baptised, vnles they either were single or would promise euer after to be so, &c. To this end againe stepped vp Tatianus and his crew about the yeare 142. and he at the first aswel as Marcion condemned ma­trimonie altogether also, but afterward he drew in his speach from openly tou­ching it anie more, and vnder the high commendation of single life priuily pin­ched at the stayned estate of wedlocke, and sought to make it hatefull. Where­upon his folowers were called Encra­tites. After Tatianus came Montanus a­bout the yeare 145. who suffered first mariges in such as were weake, [...]. but cō ­demned the seconde as intollerable in any. Then followed Manicheus and his [Page 335] [...]rt, & they gaue to the ruder sort as they [...]lled thē, leaue to marrie, but for such [...] were of any credit amongst thē, and [...]owē as they say to any perfectiō, they [...]ight not in any wise marrie but liue [...]ast. Thus began y^t opiniō of single life [...] excel y^e other euen by these steps. Frō [...]hēce diuers godly fathers receiued in­ [...]ction, as Tertullian, Hierom, Origen, [...]lement, Nazianzene, w^c others falling [...]ery far with these heretikes into a mis­ [...]iking of y^e ordinance of god against in­ [...]ōtinency, & into an ouer great opinion [...]f single life. Then frō a thing cōmenda­ [...]le in all men, it was brought at last to [...]e a thing necessarie in some men, & so [...]rew more & more dailie. Then did ne­ [...]essitie to obserue what infirmitie could not obserue, cause much secret & very of­ [...]en, euen vnnaturall & fearefull pollu­tion, whereby it fel out, that by this sub­till slight of his, to extoll chastitie, and to place it only in single life, satan brought as great an haruest into hell, as before with his other named meanes.

Que. Thus then by this storie I see howe this opinion began of single life, [Page 336] and howe subtillie Satan transforme [...] himselfe into an Angell of light, but ye [...] I see nothing why single life is not bet [...]ter than matrimonie.

Ans. That is straunge, séeing b [...] the storie it is apparant, that durin [...] the time of the olde Testament, ther [...] was neuer such a thought amongst th [...] children of God, but euen the quit [...] contrarie, and secondlie euen vnder th [...] Gospell it sprung from such teacher [...] as Marcion, Montanus, Tatianus, and other heretikes. But if yet we would [...] more fullie bee setled, let vs duely we [...] what the scripture saith of godlie ma [...]trimonie, and then shall wee sée whe [...]ther chastitie bee onely in single life, o [...] whether wee can finde anie grea [...] praise of it and acceptaunce before Go [...] than of marriage, or no. First then I pray you, let vs consider what in th [...] gospell is saide in matrimonie: to wit [...] that those whome God hath ioyned to [...]gether no man ought to put asunder ▪ Surelie if God ioyne them,Matth. 19. then is th [...] life accepted, and not vnchast befor [...] him. Againe euerie man hath his pro­per [Page 337] guift saith the Apostle speaking of this matter, some to marry,1. Cor. 7. and some to [...]iue vnmaried. Whereof we may true­ [...]y conclude, that if to marry bee the gift of God aswell as continencie is, then is [...]t aswell accepted of him, & no way can [...]t be vnholy. Againe in the same place [...]t is said,V. 14. that the vnbeleeuing husband [...]s sanctified by the beleeuing wife, & cō ­ [...]rariwise. But that could not be, if ma­ [...]rimonie were either impure simplie or [...]n comparison to single life. In the place [...]boue named to y^e Thessalonians, 1. Thes. 4. it was generally said vnto all men, & not onely to vnmarried men, that they shold pos­sesse their vessels in holinesse & honour, & not in the concupiscence of the flesh. Therefore mariage is holinesse and not vncleannesse before God anie iote more than single life is. In the Epistle to Ti­mothie the forbidding of mariage is cal­led a doctrine of the diuell,1. Timoth. 4. which could not bee if it were a staine to a Chri­stian man or woman. And art thou [...]ounde to a wife? saith the Apostle, seeke not to bee loosed. 1. Cor. 7. Which hee woulde neuer haue saide, if in it selfe [Page 336] [...] [Page 337] [...] [Page 338] the single life, had béene more holy and good before God than the married. We know also what the Psalme saith, for a blessing shall befall to him that feareth God, namely this: His wife shall be like a fruitefull vine vppon the walles of his house &c. Whereby verie euident it is how the Lord alloweth wedlocke, when he vouchsafeth so to blesse it & speake o [...] it. How then dare we say that to be ma­ried is to be vnchast, or anie way to dis­please the Lorde? How dare we say the single life in it selfe is better, or mor [...] holie? What euer finde we in the wor [...] of God more setting downe the praise [...] single life, than these haue done the tru [...] commendation of godly matrimonie? I [...] is noted of many euen vnder the gospel that they were married, but not in a [...] the world doe I remember either ma [...] or woman noted as liked the better fa [...] a single life. Therfore to cut off this di [...]course which might verie greatly be in [...]creased, apparant it is that of those tw [...] estates there is no preheminence of m [...]rite or holinesse of either aboue the [...]ther, but both of them good and allow [...]d [Page 339] of God in those persons for whome [...]hey are expedient. And it is also mani­ [...]st, that albeit y^e commanded vertue in [...]his commandement be chastitie, yet is [...]ot that in single life onely situated or [...]n the body alone, but both in bodie and [...]inde, both in single estate and double, [...]nd aswell in the one as in the other. [...]or both of them are capable of the [...]me.

Que. Yet am I troubled still with the [...]eaches of Paul two or three in one [...]hapter together, which euidently seeme [...] prefer single life before marriage. You [...]now the places I am sure, & therefore [...]ame them not, but expect your aun­ [...]were to them.

Ans. Why, it is verie true, and I [...]enie it not that Paul in that Chapter [...]eth preferre single life before mar­ [...]age, but howe I pray you?1. Cor. 7. As more [...]dly, more holie, or more meritorious [...]efore God than it? No I warrant you. [...]nd yet this is the question.

Que. How then?

Ans. Altogether in worldly respects, [...] you may easily sée, if you marke [Page 340] the places. For first for those wordes in the 26. verse:V. 26. that to liue single was bet­ter for the present necessitie, you sée that is a worldly cause, and no matter of more holinesse. For necessitie there ei­ther signifieth the perils and persecuti­ons of the Gospell, which in those dayes it was subiect vnto, wherein it were bet­ter for a man to be single than tied to a charge y^t wold both trouble him to kéepe, & gréeue him to part withal, or els it sig [...]nifieth the scarsitie of christian wiues [...] husbands, as then to be had the gospel being but young, in regard whereof i [...] they had the gift to tary, without sinne it were better to be single than matche [...] to an Infidel. So that I say this caus [...] is altogether worldly. For the second [...] speach of Paul in the same chapter, tha [...] they which are married shall haue tribu [...]lation in the flesh, that he woulde hau [...] all men as hee was, and that he wishe [...] them without care, &c. you sée again [...] it is a worldlie cause. For what sign [...]fieth tribulation in the flesh there, bu [...] either those griefes, cares, hartbreake and sorowes which are incident dayl [...] [Page 341] [...]o married folkes, sometimes obout one [...]hing sometimes about an other, as a­ [...]out their children, about the gouerne­ment of their familie, about getting or kéeping these wordlie matters, or by reason of contrarie religion, &c. in re­spect whereof sayth Paul I spare you, that is, I doe wish you frée and single, that you might misse them all, if it might be, and that for the loue I beare you. For his thirde speach, that the married woman taketh care to please her husband, but the vnmarried to please the Lord, no way may it be taken to prooue that none y^t be maried either doe or can take care to please God, for the contrary of that hath bin euidently shewed in the places before: or yet to inferre y^t the vn­maried doe euer séeke to please him, for experience too much teacheth the con­trarie: but it onlie showeth thus much, that such as be vnmaried if they be god­lily disposed, may more fréely and readi­ly as it were attend their deuotion than others y^t be married, hauing nothing to trouble thē or to distract their cogitati­ons withal. Which also as you sée is but [Page 342] an outward respect. And therefore we may now conclude that far was it from the meaning of Paul, to prefer single life before matrimonie, in respect of greater pietie or merite before God, but only in respect of outward incūbrances, where­of indéede it is much fréer than the o­ther estate is. Which preheminence and dignitie if it would content [...]ur papists, we and they should well agrée: but they will néeds haue virginitie and the vow of single life to be a satisfaction for sins, a deseruing of remission, of the grace of God, of saluation, and life euerlasting: As you may sée in the Catholike confes­sion of one of their great teachers Petrus a Soto, and may also note in the speach of the bishop to thē that made this vow, who euer answered (after they had pro­mised) in this maner, Et ego promitto tibi, si haec obseruaueris, vitam aeternam: That is, and I promise thee, if thou keepe these things life euerlasting: That is, if thou liue single &c. Yet sée we Paul who they sai liued euer vnmaried,Rom. 3. Philip. 3. not to dare once to exhibit his single life to y^e maiestie of God to merite any thing for him, or to [Page 343] purchase him any fauour, but only and wholy to depend vpon y^e merits of christ Iesus. And we sée not Peter, Philip or a­nie in the new Testament, y^t were mar­ried to begge any pardon for it at Gods hand, or to insinuate anie way, any im­pietie of theirs in so doing. Which yet assuredly they would haue doone, if the opinion of poperie had bin true concer­ning single life and matrimonie.Lib. 10. ca. 26. S. Au­gustine in his booke of Virginitie hath manie words of the rewardes of matri­monie, & concludeth thus, that eternall life is giuen of the Lord both to married & vnmarried indifferently. The councell of Gangren thought good to make this canon,An. 333. Can. 10. y^t if any liuing single for the Lord should in arrogancie & pride contemne those y^t were married, they should be ac­cursed. Wherefore wee conclude this matter & say as y^e Church of God said in y^t time: Virginitie we cōmend, Concil. Gan­gren. Epiph. tom. 1. lib. 2. baeres. 48 widow­hood we praise, & the chast bond of godly wedloocke we honour & receiue. But as for adulterie, fornication, & vnclean­nes whatsoeuer, either of body or mind, we abhor it & condēne it. Thus then I [Page 344] I hope you sée how the opiniō of chasti­tie to consist only in liuing single, sprūg vp euen by the diuell, who knew not o­therwise how to draw men to vnclean­nes, being robbed of his former means, than by making them to abridge them­selues of the ordinance of God against y^e euil. You haue séene also how false this is, and that in godly matrimonie aswel as in single life there is liked chastitie of y^e lord. You haue séene, y^t neither of these estates haue any preminēcie aboue the other in respect of greater pietie, or me­rit, but both of them alike acceptable to God, if for the parties they be expedient, only in regard of outward incūbrances the one is more frée, thā the other. Last­ly you sée y^e vertue of this cōmandement opposed to adulterie to be chastitie, but how? not to liue vnmaried, as y^e papistes dreame, but both in mariage, & out of it, to kéepe body & soule vnspotted of filthie lust & concupiscence. The other pointes of mariage it self, of second mariages, of poligamie, of diuorce, & such like, which were in this place to be handled, I think good to cut off, hauing taried alreadie too [Page 345] [...]ong in this cōmandement, & to reserue [...]hem till some other occasion.

Que. Yet adde some thing concer­ning the punishmēt of them that breake this commaundement.

Ans. The law of God, as we all may [...]ée,Deutro. 22. punished adulterie with present [...]eath: Fornication with mariage of [...]he partie if the parentes would, and if [...]hey would not, with a dowrie to be gi­uen. The Athenians punished it with [...]eath. This lande of ours in the dayes of Canutus had a lawe to cut off the no­ [...]es and eares of adulterous women. And for the spirituall punishment of it, [...]t was euer, is,1. Cor. 6. and shall be damnation [...]f body and soule in the pit of hell with­ [...]ut repentaunce.

Question.

HOwe can this commaun­dement possiblie stande with that opinion of com­munitie?

Ans. Indéede no way: for it manifestly ouerthroweth so vile an imagination, and sheweth y^e distinc­tion of dominions, & propriety in things was, and is the ordinance of the Lorde. For euerie prohibition sheweth an ordi­nance before established, which should be obserued either in Gods lawes, or mans, though not alwaies expressely. As the forbidding of murther sheweth preseruation of life to be the wil of God, and the denyall of adulterie inferreth the liking of chastitie either in mariage, or out. So the forbidding of stealth which is an alienation of an other mans [Page 360] goods to our selues, sheweth that euery thing is not our owne to take at our pleasure, but proprietie in possession is the will of the Lorde. For if all thinges be common there can be no stealth, and so this law friuolous and to no purpose which God forbid we should affirme or thinke.

Que. Yet many haue bin of this opini­on, affirming that tyranny, & not diuini­tie maketh this difference amongst men.

Ans. It is verie true. Yet I hope you sée how euidētly this law of God which I trow they will account diuinitie, doth ouerthrowe them and their folly, as do also all other lawes, that may héereun­to be reduced with many scriptures mo. For as there can bee no stealth, if all thinges be common, and therefore this lawe of God as I saide in vaine giuen, so there can be no buying or selling, no borowing or lending, no letting or lea­sing, or any such thing amongst men, if euery man haue like interest to take at his pleasure, & therfore the Lord God e­uen in these also greatly ouerséene for y^t he would troble himselfe to make lawes [Page 361] touching these matters, when as no mā hath or ought to haue anie proprietie in anie thing more than an other. Againe all the exhortations in the Scripture to almes déedes, and to mercie toward the poore is friuolous, for they haue as good right to take anie thing they want from anie man, as the other haue to giue them. But all these you sée are absurde, and therefore the opinion, and the contrary of it the wil and ordinance of the Lord.

Que What is then the verie drift of this commandement?

Ans. The verie end of it is this, to bind our loue and care to our neighbors goods, as before it hath béene to his life, and things déere vnto him as his life. For it cannot bee, that our heartes shoulde bee right in affections towards our brethren, and wee spoylers and wasters, or anie way harmers of the commodities which they inioy. Loue chéerisheth & kéepeth euen euery thing so néere as it can, which he accompteth of, whome wee loue, and especiallie which hee liueth by, and maintaineth [Page 362] both himselfe and others by. And there­fore as I thinke we cannot take a bet­ter course to lay before our owne eyes y^t wants of loue in vs towards the goods of our neighbors, and consequently our breaches of this commaundement, than diligently to wey some particular due­ties specified in the worde, wherein the Lord God would haue our loue to show it selfe. As for open rapine, and plaine stealth no man I thinke wil excuse it or denie it to be sinne, and therfore I stand not vpō it, your booke hath euident pla­ces quoted against it. I come rather to those other duties of borowing and len­ding, of hyring and letting, of buying and selling, and such like.

Que. First then what is the Lawe of borowing and lending in the worde?

Ans. If a man saith the lawe borow anie thing of his neighbour, Exod. 22.14. and it bee hurt, or else die, the owner of it not be­ing by, hee shall surelie make it good. If it be an hyred thing, he shal not make it good, for it came for his hyre. In which lawe, if wee well wey it, wee [Page 363] may first sée, that if we haue that thing, which our neighbour woulde borowe, and wee able without our hurt well to spare it him, we are bound to do it, or els we sinne against this law of God, & we euen steale from our brother, that which in right is his. For GOD woulde not euer haue made a lawe for recompence of the lender, if his thing lent receyue anie harme, vnlesse it had béene a necessarie duetie of loue to lende when wee may. Therefore this narownesse of heart, and vnkinde dis­position, to grudge vnto anie that good, which by lending wee can possible doe him, it is hatefull in the eyes of God, and a playne breach of this comman­dement. Secondlie in this lawe, as one verie well hath noted,Vsurie. we may sée a great light giuen to that harde con­trouersie concerning vsurie of monie. 1 For marke I pray you howe he saith in plaine tearmes, That if the thing were hired, although it perished in vse, yet should it not be made good by him which hired it, for it came for his hire. The monie which vsurers giue out is [Page 364] hired as wee knowe. Therefore if [...] were a thing that might bee hired yo [...] sée the sentence of God though it per [...]shed. 2 Secondlie marke againe how th [...] lawe saith, though a man lend of méer [...] loue fréely without anie hire, yet shal [...] his recompence bee nothing more tha [...] good will againe, vnlesse it die, or b [...] hurt which he lendeth. Now monie nei [...]ther dieth neither commonlie is ani [...] whit hurt, but returneth euerie wa [...] as good as it came. 3 Thirdlie conside [...] howe the lawe will haue an apparan [...] hurt of the thing lent, or else it allowet [...] no recompence, but vsurers will hau [...] consideration for likely losse. For sa [...] they, if I had had my monie, possiblie I coulde haue gayned thus much with if yet are they not sure they coulde hau [...] doone it, for God coulde haue crosse [...] their expectation, and being not sur [...] that they could haue gayned, it is no [...] apparant that they haue béene hindred, but this lawe of God prouideth in equi­tie onelie for apparant harme, & there­fore nothing for them. 4 Fourthly the e­quitie of this lawe is onelie this, tha [...] [Page 365] [...] will be no looser, and therefore pro­ [...]on is made for recompence, if the [...] lent receyued hurt: but vsurers [...]ll haue their goodwill, as they call it, [...]ertaine, and an excessiue gayner. 5 [...]ftlie in this lawe of God the borow­ [...] is respected, that hee shoulde haue [...]lpe of his neighbour, and not pay for [...] vnlesse hee hurt the thing which hee [...]rowed, but vsurie regardeth wholie [...]e lender. Wherefore it séemeth that this lawe of our God had euer anie [...]uitie, this vsurie of monie had euer [...]aine iniurie, and that this kinde of [...]nding is voide of loue, and therefore [...]pparantly a breach of this commaun­ [...]ement. Thus therefore wee sée what [...]ght the equitie of this lawe of lending [...]ueth to this question of vsurie, which [...]quitie remaineth and euer shall.

Que. But I pray you what thinke [...]ou of giuing vsurie which manie a good man is constrayned to do?

Ans. Truely for mine owne part I [...]m satisfied to thinke it also euill, by the wordes of Ieremie, who saith, he hath neither giuen vsurie nor taken, and yet [Page 366] they hated him. Insinuating plainly, y^t i [...] he had doone either, he could haue found iust cause in himselfe, why he should be euill thought of.

Que. What is the law of pledges?

Ans If thou takest thy neighbours raiment to pledge, Exod. 22.26. saith the lawe, thou shalt restore it to him ere the sunne goe downe. For that is his couering only, and this is his garment for his skinne wherin shal he sleepe? Therefore when he crieth vnto me I wil heare him, for I am merci­ful. Deut. 24.6. And in an other place: No man shall take y^e vpper or nether milstone to pledg [...] for this gage is his liuing. 10. And whē thou shalt aske againe of thy neighbour anie thing lent, 11. thou shalt not goe into hi [...] house to fet his pledge, but thou shal [...] stande without, and the man which bor­rowed it of thee shall bring the pledge out of y^e dores vnto thee. 12. Furthermore i [...] he be a poore body, thou shalt not sleep [...] with his pledge, 13. but shalt restore him the pledge when the sunne goeth down, tha [...] he may sleep in his raimēt, & blesse thee▪ & it shalbe righteousnes to thee before the Lord thy God. The very ende of al [...] [Page 367] [...]hich laws as you sée is nothing but this [...]ercy & kindenes of man towards man [...]en in this matter of taking paunes. [...]nd therefore if my dealing herein be [...]arpe, hard, and cruel, laying aside as it [...]ere al regard of other mens néedes, so my selfe may be safe, is it not apparant I faile in loue towardes the wealth & [...]ood estate of my brother outward, and [...]erefore haue broken this commande­ [...]ent? It must néedes be granted.

Que. What is the law for things com­ [...]itted to our custody?

Ans. If a man deliuer vnto his neigh­ [...]our, saith the law, to keepe, asse, or oxe, Exod. 22.10. [...] sheepe, or any beast, and it die or [...] hurt, or taken away by enimies, & no [...]an see it, 11. an oth of the Lord shalbe be­ [...]ixt thē two, y^t he hath not put his hand [...]to his neighbours good, & the owner [...] it shall take y^e oth, & he shal not make [...] good. But if it be stolne from him, 12. he [...]all make restitution vnto the owner [...]ereof. If it bee torne in peeces, he [...]all bring record, 13. and shal not make it [...]odwhich is deuored. By which lawes [...]us much we may note, that notwith­standing [Page 368] for thinges committed to thei [...] custodie, it might fall out that they might be brought before the magistrat [...] by othe to protest their trueth and ho [...]nestie, which corrupt flesh will lightli [...] grudge at, or else to their cost to make that good, the kéeping whereof neuer gained them pennie: yet neuerthelesse woulde the Lorde haue man euen here in to showe his loue, and in no case fo [...] either of these respectes or anie other t [...] denie it. Wherefore it followeth the [...] and both nowe and euer shall followe that whosoeuer shal not willinglie, an [...] readily take into his custodie that thin [...] which hee may kéepe to the benefite o [...] his neighbour better than hee that dot [...] deliuer it him, and so taken truly kéepe and faithfullie restore it againe vnt [...] them, that of right shoulde haue it, tha [...] man or woman want in their hearte [...] affection or loue to their neighbours they withholde the thing which is du [...] vnto them, namelie the fruite of thei [...] loue in this particular we stande vpon and therefore guiltie they are befor [...] God of stealth the breach of this com [...]mandement.

[Page 369] Que. What is the lawe of finding thinges lost?

Ans. Thou shalt not saith the lawe, see thy brothers oxe nor his sheepe goe astray, and withdrawe thy selfe from thē, Deut. 22.1. but shalt bring thē againe vnto thy bro­ther: and if thy brother bee not neere vnto thee or if thou knowe him not, 2. then thou shalt bring it vnto thy house, and it shall remaine with thee vntill thy bro­ther seeke after it, then shalt thou deli­uer it to him againe. 3. In like maner shalt thou doe with his Asse, and so shalt thou doe with his raiment, and with all lost thinges of thy brother which hee hath lost, if thou hast founde them, thou shalt not withdrawe thy selfe from them. Sée héere the loue of man to the goods of his brother in what sort the Lorde requi­reth it. Nowe least the name of brother vsed here in this place shoulde deceyue vs, to thinke wee are bounde but to our friendes in this duetie, it is profita­ble to note howe in an other place in stéede of brother is put enimie, and all these particulars neuerthelesse named. [Page 370] If thou meete thine enimies oxe, or aff [...] going astray, thou shalt bring him again, and so foorth of the rest. So that this be­ing a fruite of loue, which God requi­reth in vs all towardes the goods of all men, bee they friendes or foes, that wee shoulde kéepe them, and chéerish them, and in safetie restore them, if wee finde them lost, when once wee knowe the owners of them: surely we must néede confesse that to conceile, and retaine thinges founde of vs, after wee knowe who shoulde haue them is plaine and flatte theft. Yea it is a breach of con­science no doubt in this matter to en­ioy anie thing founde, without tru [...] testimonie in our selues, that wee hau [...] vsed as manie meanes as wee coulde to learne out the looser, as by asking, by proclayming, and such like. This wel [...] considered and waied should a litle mor [...] awake such as bee Lordes of waife an [...] straies, as we saie, that they carie a [...] eye ouer their baliffes in that behalfe s [...] néere as they can, to sée that they bring not sinne vppon them, by making them vniust retainers of other mens goods, [...] [Page 371] [...]omplaint common in most places, and [...] theft not to be warranted in any place.

Que. What is our duetie in buying & [...]elling?

Ans. When thou sellest ought to thy [...]eighbour, saith the lawe, or buiest at [...]hy neighbors hand, Leuit. 25.14. you shall not op­ [...]resse one an other (meaning by deceite [...]r any otherwise) but according to the [...]umber of yeares after the Iubile thou [...]halt buie of thy neighbour, 15. also accor­ [...]ing to the number of the yeares of the [...]euenewes he shal sell vnto thee. 16. Accor­ [...]ing to the multitude of yeres thou shalt [...]ncrease the price therof, & according to [...]he fewnes of yeres thou shalt abate the [...]rice of it, for y^e number of fruits doth he [...]l vnto thee. Oppresse not yee therefore [...]ny man his neighbour, 17. but thou shalt [...]eare thy God. For I am y^e Lord thy god. [...]n which law this I marke, that when [...] sel or buie I must show euen a loue to [...]y brother, & a tender affection in that [...]y dealing with him. For so is it ment, when it is said, you shal not oppresse one [...]nother. Secondly y^t then consequently [...]y gréedy affection may not set y^e price [Page 372] but the value of the thing, and the be­nefite which it is likelie to yéelde. For howe can I loue him, and yet take more of him than I giue him, y^t is more mony, than the thing is worth? Which things if they be wanting, surely then our sel­ling is deceite & guile, yea it is theft by this commaundement prooued. For the verie equitie of this lawe, as euerie one may plainlie sée, was this, that as good shoulde be giuen as taken, and taken as giuen. Euen that commutatiue iustic [...] which heathen men could see to be so ne [...]cessarie in all contractes and bargans as that without it no trading could stande or societie indure. Vpon which lawe well considered and sound [...] setled in our minds, a godly man draw [...]eth these conclusions, & let vs thinke [...] thē. First it condemneth al ouersellin [...] I meane knowen and wilfull ouerse [...]ling of any thing, for so say the word [...] (according to the number of yeares sha [...] thou sel) that is, if the Iubile be farre o [...] thou shalt sel dearer by reason the bu [...] shal reape longer profite of it: but if it [...] neere, then cheaper for y^e contrare re [...]son. [Page 373] So that an equalitie of commodi­ties present is plainely shot at in this law. How then can they warrant their dealings to haue required loue in them, who in respect either of passed losse or supposed possible in time to come, doe in­haunce the price of the thinges they sell, aboue the value of the things? This dealing, if you marke the wordes well, could not be allowed amongst the Iewes. And as yet I am ignorant of any larger cōmission granted to vs to wrecke our selues vpon our brethren, & to robbe thē because God in his pleasure hath crossed vs with losse, or may do hereafter. Se­condly it condemneth all vttering of naughty & counterfeit coine or wares. For first for y^e seller, if he raise his price to the value of good wares, & then deli­uer euill or counterfeit, how doth he ob­serue an equalitie of commodotie? And then for the buier if he beat it downe to as low a price as he may, til be consent to giue so much for it, and then deliuer counterfeit & euill coine, where is again the equitie of this law on his part who is bound by it to giue asmuch & as good [Page 374] as hee taketh so néere as iudgement can any way serue him. Thirdly it condem­neth all lying in wayt to pray vpon one that must néeds sell for present mony, to get his commoditie for halfe the value, if I can, when as rather I should for pitie giue him equalitie. For what loue is this to the goods of my neighbor, when I can be content euen to robbe him in his necessitie by taking that for a penie that is worth in mine owne conscience thrée, and not to be bought vnder, were his néede not so great? Nowe sée and note then how commonlie, yet feareful­ly, for want of loue & conscience to giue as good as we take, our buying and sel­ling one with an other is spotted & stai­ned with great and gréeuous theft. For most assuredly euen as in the time of law if they obserued not a proportiō be­twixt the Iubile yeare and their price, they offended against the commaunde­ment of theft: so nowe the lawe béeing gone, if the equitie of it be not obserued, to wit, equalitie of cōmoditie giuen and taken, the same sinne is committed▪ in the day of the Lord we shall find th [...] [Page 375] burthen of it.

Que. Thus then how ourloue should shew it selfe in these common duties we may easilie see, nowe I pray you goe for­warde with other branches of this lawe.

Ans. Oppression generally al, is con­trarie to that loue, which the Lorde by this lawe séeketh to drawe out of vs, & therefore no doubt forbidden in the same. And if in particulars wee list to lay it out, First saith the worde, Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruāt, Deut. 24.14. that is nee­die and poore, &c. But thou shalt giue him his hire for the day, neither shal the sunne go down vpon it, for he is poore, and therewith sustaineth his life, least he crie against thee vnto the Lorde, and it bee sinne vnto thee. Secondlie it for­biddeth to doe iniurie to any strangers,Exod. 22.21. Leuit. 19.33. or to oppresse them, and addeth this rea­son to the Iewes, because they were once straungers. Thirdlie you shall not trouble or oppresse anie widowe, saith the lawe, nor anie fatherlesse child: Exod. 22. v. 22. for if you doe, hee shall crie vnto mee saith the Lorde, and then mine anger shall burne, and I will kill you with the [Page 376] sword, and your wiues shalbe widowes, and your children fatherles. Where by the way marke the vehemencie of this speach, and sée what comfort to the god­ly, and terrour to y^e wicked it may iust­ly exhibit. For the former, God knowes and the world sées howe often they are wrecked and wronged and set to the wall by cruell, vngodlie, and harde hearted men, howe often they fayle of friendes to mayntayne their right, and defende their cause against the euill. But yet sée héere a comfort, though all forsake vs, if wee crie to the Lorde, the cause shall bée his, and hee will helpe vs, the Lorde will awake and stirre vp his wrath, till the wrong wee haue suffered bee reuenged fullie. And for the seconde, what knowes the oppressing and mercilesse man, whether anie cries passe from the grée­ued heartes of such as hee hurteth or no? If they doe, as it cannot be but they should, why trembleth hee not to consi­der what hangeth ouer his heade, euen readie to light vppon him euery hower, if God bee GOD and true of his [Page 377] worde? O that our heartes then may cleaue to the Lorde if wee be oppressed, and tremble at his iudgementes if wee vse it to others. But to returne to the matter againe, if all oppression be stealth before God, what I pray you shal we thinke of the fountaine of much oppression, to wit, acceptance of per­sons in iudgement? Surely it must néedes also be euill before the Lorde. Reason doth teach it, and yet God for more assurance expressely forbiddeth it as a mischiefe in a common wealth. The Lorde your God (sayth Moses) is God of Gods, and Lorde of Lordes, Deutro. 10.7. a great God, mightie and terrible, which accepteth no persons, nor taketh re­warde. Which doth right to the father­lesse and widowe, and loueth the stran­ger and giueth him foode and rayment. What also shall we thinke of one cause of acceptatiō of persons to wit of bribes and rewardes, but euen also as the ve­rie poyson of iustice abhorre them and condemne them, & the rather for that so expressely they are forbidden in the worde? Wrest not the lawe (sayth the [Page 378] Lorde) nor respect not anie person, nei­ther take rewarde. Deutro. 16.19. For the rewarde blindeth the eyes of the wise, and per­uerteth the wordes of the iust. Exod. 23.2. That which is iust and right, shalt thou fol­lowe, that thou mayest liue, and possesse the lande which the Lorde thy God gi­ueth thee. Thus then as branches of this commaundement, we sée not onely oppression generally, and particularly, but euen also the causes of it, accep­tance of persons, bribes, and rewardes, forbidden. And I wil yet adde one thing ouer vnto all these,Liueries are often meanes and couers of oppression. which must néedes be included in this head of oppression, because it is a cōmon and a dangerous cloake of the same, to wit, lyueries of Prince or subiectes, noble men, gentle­mē, or whosoeuer. Which if they main­taine and beare out the vniust & wrong­full dealings of any man with y^e know­ledge of the Lord, not only the déede do­er, but the giuer of that cloth and cote whatsoeuer he be, standeth giltie of that oppression before almighty God. The consideration whereof being so true and sure should iustly cause in al estats, that [Page 379] deale their cloth to others, a more vigi­lant eye & eare to sée & heare the conuer­sation of their folowers, & a restraining hand of such countenance, credite or co­uer to thē (all worldly reasons set apart) when so euer they shall vnderstande the same to be abused. For why should any earthly respect euer stande so great in mens eies, as y^t for it they dare take vp­on them the guilt of other mens sins, & spoyling oppression? But alas great is the vnféelingnesse of many mens harts in this matter in these dayes. Either Pope, profite, or pollicie doe make vs deale our cloth too liberally, and regard our mens behauiour too negligentlie. But a worde is ynough.

Que. Yet still proceede on.

Ans. An other branch of this com­mandement of stealth is idlenesse. For since the fall of our first parents, what­soeuer we inioy iustly and truely as our owne, we must get it by labour. And whatsoeuer I labor not for, and yet in­ioy, I steale it, and the vse of it be­longeth not vnto me. For then was it sayde to Adam and his posteritie for [Page 380] euer that in the sweate of their browe [...] they should eate their meate. The mea [...]ning whereof bindeth not all estates to a like bodilie labour, but it inioyneth euerie one some lawefull calling, the magistrate must gouerne, cherish, and defende, the iudges determine the cau­ses of the people, the ministers deliuer their giftes to the Church, and euerie one in some sort of sweate, that is in some godly indeueur of bodie or minde deriue vnto himselfe the vse of these outwarde thinges. Otherwise if idlely he liue by the labour of others, hauing no testimonies that hee deserueth his hire, be that man or woman whatsoe­uer assured, that they make a breach o [...] this commandement.2. Thes. 3.10. For if anie worke not, let him not eate, sayth the Apostle: as if he would say, if he doe, he doeth more than he hath right to. The labou­rer is worthie of his wages, but not the loyterer. The Oxe that treadeth out the corne must not be musled, but the idle asse if he be pyned, is but well serued. Idlenesse what mischiefe it hatcheth in towne and countrey, what tongue is a­ [...]e [Page 381] to laie downe? It causeth contenti­ [...]n and strife by pratling spéeches,Prou. 10. c. 20▪ it [...]rceth and nourisheth whoredome and [...]th, it pulleth on pouertie, and looseth [...]onour, it hindereth vertue, and mayn­ [...]yneth vice, and by name to the breach [...]f this commaundement it mightily [...]oueth. For let him that stole steale [...]o more (sayth the Apostle) but let him [...]ather labour and worke with his owne [...]ands y^e thing which is good, Ephes. 4. that he may [...]aue to giue him which nedeth. Nothing [...]s it were verie plainely, that the cause [...]hy the stealer stole, was want of la­ [...]ouring in his calling. Manie goodly [...]awes and customes haue heathen men [...]ade, and had against idlenesse. Some haue punished it with verie death, as did Draco the lawegiuer of the Athe­nians, others haue admitted none to dwell in their townes with them, vn­lesse he had some art, and carefully fol­lowed it also. All contreyes and all peo­ple to conclude, that haue liued vnder a­nie good gouernement, haue abhorred it. Salomon sendeth the idle bellie to learne his dutie of the verie vilest crea­ture [Page 382] the pismire, who laboureth in sum [...]mer to liue in winter,Prou. 6. and whose ma [...]ny litle cariages, as you sée, make [...] great heape at last. And in an othe [...] place he sayeth, that he which will no [...] plowe because it is cold, Chap. 20. shall begge hi [...] breade, when it is warme, and no ma [...] shall giue him, which is worse, euen pu [...]nishing iustly his great slouth. Ther [...] was a litle tittle tattle, when time wa [...] they say betwixt the grashopper and th [...] pismire, and we may laugh at it, & ye [...] looke better about vs as admonished b [...] it. The grashopper hauing passed th [...] summer ouer merily, as her custom [...] is singing and tuning the notes of [...] thoughtlesse minde vnder euerie leafe at last when winter came on, begann [...] to shake, and to goe to bedde with a [...] emptie bellie manie a night, to the great weakening of her liuely limmes and the quite marring of all her mu [...]sicke. To steale shée refuseth of he [...] honest nature, and to begge shee i [...] ashamed for feare to be mocked. Ye [...] néede maketh the olde wife trotte [...] they say, and modestie in this hungri [...] [Page 383] [...]eature must yéelde to necessitie. To [...] therefore shée goeth, and hauing a [...]ealthie neighbour not farre off, that [...] laboured sore all summer, and [...]de vppe much good vitaile, to her [...] commeth, and craueth some suc­ [...]ur at her hande. Who by and by [...]maunded of her what shee did all [...]mmer? Alas (sayeth the grashop­ [...]r) I sung and litle remembred [...]is change. Did you so (sayth the [...]t) in déede did you sing all sum­ [...]er? Nowe trust me, for mee, you all daunce all winter, for I liue [...] my labour, and I will neuer main­ [...]ine idlenesse in anie. Thus re­ [...]iued slouth a checke, when it loo­ [...]d for helpe, and wee warned by it [...]ay learne this morall, to labour [...]ast we lacke. Optimum obsonium [...]pectute labor, (sayth one) They are [...]ood refreshinges in our age the wel­ [...]estowed trauelles of our youth. [...]eares passe, and strength fayles, [...]tte nothing in youth, and haue [...]thing in age. But O care­ [...]sse heartes of ours, and headie will, [Page 384] who can perswade this, or beate it into the heades of young men, and maydes of seruantes, and such as are commin [...] on? No, no, we will hoppe and daunce tipple and drinke, banket and reuel [...] what counsell soeuer is giuen vs to th [...] contrarie, with that litle we haue, an [...] sing care away. And a litlegaie apparell on the backe, is worth much mone [...] in the chest. But wise is he whome other mens harmes can cause to tak [...] héede. Sicknesse may come, and euer [...] maister will not keepe a sicke seruant, mayme may fall to vs, and wee the [...] may heare it, I haue no wages vnles [...] you could worke, many thinges ma [...] happen, and a mans owne is his own [...] and great is gods blessing to faithfu [...] labour, as trulie his plagues are no [...] litle or rare to idlenesse and slouth.

Que. Well sir then since labour w [...] must and so liue, I pray you is not euer [...] labour commendable?

Ans. No indéede. For the Apostle i [...] the place I named before, maketh [...] distinction, which I pray you mark [...] and sayeth,Ephes. 4.18. Let him labour with [...] [Page 385] owne handes the thing that is good: as [...]f he should haue said, there are labours which are naught, and yet labours too. Wherefore it is not ynough to make [...]s guiltlesse of this commaundement [...]o say, we get that we haue by labour, [...]ut it must be good labour (sayth Paule) [...]ust labour, and lawefull labour. The which distinctiō ouerthroweth al main­taynance gotten by massing, by iugling [...]y charming, by playing interludes, by [...]idling and pyping vppe and downe the [...]ountrey, by carying about beares and [...]pes, by telling of fortunes, and such like trades, mentioned in the statute of this lande, touching vagabundes. For though they be labours, and make them [...]weate often, some of them, yet want they warrant in the worde to prooue them good, and lawefull labours. And therefore subiect to the penaltie of this lawe before God.

Que. And I pray you let me adde one thing more because you say all labours must be lawefull: what if a man in the pursuite of a pyrate or anie enemie in fielde get a spoyle, whether is it lawefull [Page 386] to retaine it, and conceile it, or it is stealth so to doe? The labour is iust, ho­nest and lawefull.

Ans. Truely I must néedes answere you, that albeit the labour in resisting, and repelling any enimie be commen­dable and good, and therefore goods so gotten lawfully possessed of the Prince, the léefetenant,Gen. 14. the generall or chiefe whosoeuer: yet is there no warrant that euerie souldier should bee his owne car­uer and take what he can get. But the custome & law of all well ordered wars is this, or should be, that what spoyle so­euer is got, and not giuen before hand by the captayne to the souldiers, ought by them to be brought vnto him, and by him to be disposed to euerie man geometrically that is according to eue­rie mans seruice and worthinesse,1. Sam. 30.20. &c. no [...] Arithmetically, that is to euerie man alike. And if anie man of his owne gréedinesse alienate to himselfe anie thing, any otherwise than thus, tha [...] is, either with a generall guift of th [...] captaine to take what he can, or a par­ticular guift to take this and thus [Page 387] much, surely that possession is not warranted by Gods lawe, but ligh­teth vnder this commaundement. For as for a mans labour, first hee oweth [...]t both to God, and to his countrey, and then he hath his sette pay for it, which hee agréeeth to as sufficient, and therefore he should not serue his gréedie affection disorderly. As for the case of pyrates if vpon anie cost they be taken and imprisoned, surely [...]t is verie barbarous crueltie to leaue them vtterly vncomforted, with anie portion of that which was taken a­ [...]out them, and with them, euen so that for foode they starue ere euer their cause bee hearde. This spoyle to [...]péede our selues, and spill our bre­ [...]hren, in this lamentable and vn­mercifull manner, what defence so­ [...]uer it may haue by lawe of man, [...]urely it sauoreth not of that compas­ [...]ion and tender bowelles of pittie, which is required by the lawe of GOD. And therefore I include it, where no doubt the day of iudgement will finde it, euen within the forbid­den [Page 388] braunches of this commandement.

Que. I take your answere, and there­fore nowe followe your owne course againe.

Ans. It is nowe time to drawe to an ende, and there yet remaine to be some what touched the theft of the heart through gréedie couetousnesse, and the theft of the tongue by false and filthie flatterie. Wherefore a litle of these al­so as of the other. That this comman­dement then doeth reache vnto the thoughtes and inwarde conceits of the heart, it is first prooued by that reason, that often before hath béene alleadged, namely, because the lawegiuer is spiri­tuall, and therefore his lawes not re­sting onely in outwarde actions, as mens lawes doe. Secondly by that spéech concerning adulterie, which is true in all the commaundementes, Hee that looketh, Mark. 7.23. and lusteth, or coueteth, hath sinned. And by the testimonie of our Sauiour Christ, who reckneth co­uetousnesse amongst those thinges that procéeding out, and not going in difile a man. To all which Chrysostome sub­scribeth, [Page 389] and sayeth,In Thes. ho­milia 11. Auarus fur & latro est. A couetous man is a theefe. Nowe what couetousnesse is albeit euerie man for the acquaintance that he hath with it, may knowe, yet doe I thus define it, to be a damnable vice of the mind, pric­king and prouoking vs to followe after filthy lucre. Which thing without the name, and euen vnder the name, is maruelously inueighed against in the scripture.Chap. 2.5. The prophet Habacuc cryeth out against the heart that inlargeth his desire as the hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth vnto him all nations, and heapeth vnto him all people. No, he that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house, that he may set his nest on heigh to escape from the power of euill. Thou hast consul­ted shame to thine owne house by de­stroying many people, and hast sinned against thine owne soule. The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beame of the timber shall answere it, wo to him that buildeth a towne by bloud, and e­recteth a citie by iniquitie, and so foorth. It is cryed out against in the gospell, [Page 390] called the roote of all euill, idolatrie, and a thing not to be named amongest Christians.Luke. 12. 1. Timoth. 6. Ephes. 5. Coloss. 3. There is no speciall cal­ling amongest men, whereunto by name this vice is not forbidden as a venome of all vertue, in euerie degrée in Princes, in iudges, in ministers, in all it is forbidden, and surely this is no small argument to a Christian man against it. Fearefully punished was it in Gehezi the prophets man, in Achan, and a number mo. And to conclude our scriptures Iob the seruant of the Lorde most notablie sheweth,Iob. 31. howe hee shun­ned it,Psal. 119. and Dauid with all the heat of his heart prayeth against it: O Lorde let my heart be neuer inclined to coue­teousnesse. I might recite the lawes o [...] God against raking their landes too cleane in the time of haruest,Deut. 24.19. & against gathering so cleane their grapes in th [...] time of vintage, as that nothing was left for the poore. All which directly shoote at the shame of this sinne in [...] professour of godlinesse. And I migh [...] also heape vp héereunto a thousand [...] testimonies of men, heathen, and Chri­stian, [Page 391] vttered in detestation of this foule sinne. But whom the word feares not, men shall hardly moue. Onely a spéech or two I cannot passe ouer, which pretily describe the corruption of our nature.De breuitate vitae. Omma tanquam mortales time­mus, omnia tanquam immortales concupis­cimus, (sayth Seneca.) That is, Wee stand in feare of diuers things as though we thought we could die, but we co­uet so as though we thought we should neuer die. Fortune (sayth an other) hath giuē too much to many, but ynough to none. And againe, Non solum auarus est, quirapit aliena, August. sed qui cupidè seruat sua. He is not onely couetous which greedilie catcheth at more, but he also which pinchinglie spareth that which he hath. Whereof verie excellentie speaketh both Salomon and Syrac, Eccles. 6.1. Syrac. 14.3. paynting out the filth of this follie to haue the blessinges of GOD, and yet to want no thing more through a miserable minde, than the blessinges of GOD. But I will followe no further this com­mon place: this litle which I haue [Page 392] spoken, I haue doone it, to giue vs a tast of this subtle sinne, which, with griefe we may marke, those men and women verie gréeuously assaulted withall and fearefully ouercome after their profes­sion made of Gods trueth, and his glo­rious gospell, who in the dayes of their vanitie before their calling, neuer felt any such temptation. So séeketh Sa­than to slander the worde, and to hinder the credit of the gospell. When he can­not longer detaine vs in swearing, in excesse of diet, or apparell, in adulterie and vncleannesse, in spoyling and spen­ding wastfully Gods giuen graces, and in other fruites of ignorance and of an vnreformed soule, then créepeth he in, and draweth vs subtlelie, ere euer wee espie him to the other extremitie, euen greater care to get, and nearer séeking howe to saue, than can or may stande with the credit of the trueth which we professe, or calling often, which wee haue in the common wealth. This is too true, wee sée examples daylie, and mens owne heartes being well exami­ned shall confesse it. The Lorde then [Page 393] giue vs iudgementes to sée, and heartes to abhorre so foule an euill. For what a derogation from Gods promises, and damnable mistrust is this, when wee doe feare God, and serue him, attende to his worde, vse his Sacramentes, forbid sinne in others, and forbeare it our selues, then so to looke at wife and children, and other expenses, as that we feare to want, who liuing before in a farre looser sort neuer doubted yet anie such defect? Will God bee worse to men when they followe him, than hee was when they forsooke him? Surelie an eye must be had vnto this thing, and [...]erie déere vnto must be the credite of the Gospell, that others by vs may be woonne vnto it, or at least none deter­ [...]ed from it. God strengthen vs, for sa­tan is subtill, and we are soone deceiued. And truely better wee had neuer giuen our names to Christ, than by any faith­ [...]esse gréedinesse, or vnséemely hardnes, to ouerthrowe all againe, and hinder by offence others that are yet without. The earth is the Lords, and the Lord [...]s ours, if wee serue him, with all that [Page 394] either heauen or earth hath to doe vs good withall.

Que. And what of the stealth of the eye?

Ans. The eye is saide to steale, be­cause it maketh the heart to couet. For by our eyes créepe in desires in­to our heartes both in this behalfe which nowe wee meane, and in o­ther also as before hath béene saide. By the eye first did Achab steale Na­bothes vineyarde,1. King. 21. and then by his eye the desire of it créept into his heart▪ And the Prophete saith, They co­uet feeldes, meaning no doubte, which they sawe to lie commodious for them. Wherefore Gods children must stop the verie first beginnings, and look [...] to their eyes,Mach. 2.2. and eares, that they mak [...] no flame, which God or charitie doth mislike: and let vs learne to thinke a [...] an heathen saide, Turpe est, non solu [...] pedes, sed & oculos in alienas possessione [...] immittere. It is a foule thing not onely t [...] let our feete but euen our eyes walk [...] into other mens possessions anie fur­ther than becommeth vs as wee ar [...] [Page 395] Christians.

Que. What stealth committeth the [...]ongue?

Ans. By fraude and subtiltie, by [...]moothing and flatterie, and such like.2. Sam. 16. For thus stale false Siba his maister Mephibboshethes goods from him. Thus steale manie craftie pleaders in [...]ublike places, and make no conscience [...]f it. Thus is it sayd in expresse words, [...]hat Absolon stale the heartes of [...]ll Israel, to wit by his shamelesse [...]atterie. Thus steale men the hearts of subiectes, euen in these dayes from their Princes, and lawfull go­uernours the heartes of the people from their ministers, of seruauntes from their Maisters, of Children from their Parentes, Et hoc magnum [...]urtum est, saith one, And this is a great theft. A kinde of this tongue [...]tealth it is for a Gentleman or a greater estate to cast out a worde to his inferiour in way of begging what he conueniently may not spare, and yet dare not denie, but bringeth and de­liuereth [Page 396] with faire wordes, what God knowes his heart grudgeth, and per­aduenture his wife wéepeth to sée him part with all. And vnto this heade is referred all vngodlie counsell, what­soeuer, and all leawde vanitie, or ba [...]bishe seruilitie to make men deligh [...] more in vs, and lesse in the feare o [...] God. Is it not lamentable to sée, tha [...] a popish, or an atheisticall Spirite shal [...] doe more hurt at a table, or such lik [...] place with one péeuish iest, and gir [...]ding skoffe in the heartes of the hea [...]rers, than twentie good men can reco [...]uer with much good counsell? And ye [...] what say we? O hee is a merie gréeke a pleasaunt companion, and in faith [...] good fellowe. Hée cannot flatter, hi [...] words must be borne, and so foorth. Bu [...] marke marke what effect this mirt [...] hath in vs, and whereto it tendeth. And if it increase our knowledge, increas [...] our zeale, and increase good graces i [...] vs, then like it, and spare not, an [...] chéerish such an one. But if it poyso [...] the profite of the worde vnto vs, deca [...] our diligence, and liking of good exer [...]es, [Page 397] and decrease all that I haue na­ [...]ed, then know him for a thiefe, though [...] handes be true, for he stealeth our [...]ules from the liuing God, & both bo­ [...]e and soule from eternall life. It is [...]etilie saide of a flaterer, that as the [...]ood maintaines the fire, to the con­ [...]ming of it selfe, so riches doeth him [...] he eate vp our wealthes, and I ap­ [...]e it to this case with no lesse trueth, [...]at countenance beares out manie e­ [...]ll counseller till hee and his counsell [...]ue brought his mayntayners to [...]rie but a small porte. Such gréekes [...]ake griefe in a Christian heart to [...]are them, and if sinne bee swéete to [...], the Lorde in mercie rowze vs [...] so deade a sléepe. But I goe no [...]rther in this matter. I wishe [...]hat I woulde, and I woulde what [...]ight kindle in euerie man and wo­ [...]an more faith and obedience to­ [...]ardes GOD and man: for wee [...]ede no cooling Cards, our heartes are [...] and euill inough by nature of them [...]lues.

[Page 398] Que. Yet must I once agayne make bolde, and craue your opinion concer­ning goods got by play. For in trueth mee thinke the possession of them hath no founde warrant. And if you wil [...] ioyne a litle concerning corrupt Pa [...]trons, I thinke it will not bee vn [...]fit.

Ans Surelie you doe most iustli [...] doubt of the former, and I dare a [...]uouch it, you may as fitlie doubt of th [...] latter. For neither play nor Patro [...]nage will euer beare out, when ou [...] consciences shall awake, what at thi [...] day is doone by the title of them. O the latter I purpose some other speach and therefore will not here intreate [...] it, but onely say thus much, that i [...] trueth as you haue well noted thi [...] commaundement of stealth is his sta [...] wherein hee must bée placed that stea [...]leth to himselfe the rewarde of the m [...]nister. Lamentable are our daye [...] wherein such wickednesse is wisdom [...] and thrise deade are those heartes, th [...] dayly dare inioy, what neither befor [...] [Page 399] [...]OD, nor man, they may openlie [...]nde to. But of the latter a fewe [...]e wordes at your request. A mat­ [...] as you knowe greatlie liked, and [...]erefore hardly blamed without great [...]sliking. For what we haue to doe, [...]e loue not to bee letted to doe, and [...]toothsome is that trueth euer, that [...]adeth downe my liking. But be [...] as it will bee. To this was I [...]ne, I doe willinglie acknowledge, [...] to this am I called, as I am, a [...]nister, euen playnelie to speake [...]hat I sée a trueth, when the place [...]uireth it, or else to carie the brande [...] ill conscience to my graue. And [...]ether mislikers of anie trueth héere, [...]ll finde a daye of misliking else­ [...]ere before the GOD of trueth, [...] them nowe betimes, in loue ad­ [...]nished, well consider and weygh. [...]ncerning then playing and ga­ [...]ng in generall, diuers you shall [...]de both in writing and speaking [...]rie straite, who hardlie will bee [...]rswaded to allowe vnto Christi­ [...]s almost anie pl [...]ie at all. For [Page 400] say they wee must giue accompt in th [...] day of iudgement of euerie action, [...] euerie idle worde, and of euerie iote [...] time, howe we haue bestowed it, an [...] therefore we shoulde not play. Second [...]ly the Apostle saith,1. Cor. 10. Whatsoeuer you d [...] doe all to the glorie of God, but our id [...] sportes rather dishonour God, an [...] therefore we shoulde not play. Third [...]lie Peter saith it is sufficient that w [...] haue spent the time past of the life a [...]ter the lust of the Gentiles walking [...] wantonnesse,1. Pet. 4.3. drunkennes, in gluttoni [...] and such like, therfore nowe we shou [...] not play. Fourthly the multitude [...] Christian exercises & duties that we a [...] bound vnto crie vnto vs to spende [...] time in play. And last of all by the se [...]tences of graue and godlie fathers wh [...] haue and doe condemne all idle sporte [...] and say the diuell,Ambros. 1. of­fic. 23. Chrysost. ho. 6. in Matth. not God was the a [...]thor of them, they prooue, and wishe [...] profite, that we shoulde not play. T [...] meaning of these our brethren no dou [...] is good, and willingly would drawe v [...] to greater dutie to our God. And the [...] reasons of theirs ought to haue this e [...]ect [Page 401] in vs euen to abridge that excesse which al may sée in our playing and our sportes, and to bring vs home to a greater strictnesse of life in héeding what we should. But to cut vs off from all recreation by any play (be it without offence of anie spoken) indéede they cannot. For wee are men, and no An­gels, and as men in this worlde wee must walke our course, subiect to dul­nesse, and wearinesse, euen in good thinges, and wee must refreshe that féeble weakenesse of ours by lawful and allowed comforts. Which I so tearme because I am assured that the worde of God condemneth not all our play, and the corrupt constitution of our bodies,Zach. 8.5. Exod. 13. 2. Sam. 18. Leuit. 23. together with the dulnesse of our minds require some play. Sparing in truth is the worde in giuing,The appoin­ting of festiual dayes. because well knewe the Lorde wee woulde not bee sparing in taking libertie for to play. Yet is it plaine inough. Notwithstan­ding fitly may it bée saide of play, as he saide of studying philosophie, Philo­sophandum paucis: Wee must play but [...]itle.

[Page 402]But nowe the seconde steppe is more harde than this, namelie to knowe what games wee maie vse, and at what wee may play. Where­in not purposing anie set and curious treatise, I aunswere briefely, that of those manie and differing kindes of sportes, that are deuised and v­sed in euerie place, I condemne [...] none, which make for the quicke­ning of bodie or minde, which serue to actiuitie, and prepare men for better seruice an other daye, vnlesse they haue ioyned to them any vn­godlinesse, or are by Lawe of that particular place forbidden: no no [...] Cardes or Tables in all respectes and to euerie person at all times▪ and in all places: Neuerthelesse I am fullie assured, and doe willing [...]lie affirme, that they ought not o [...] Christians professing the Gospell t [...] bee so much vsed as they are. I haue ioyning with mee, that godli [...] Father Maister Peter Martyr, whos [...] iudgement it is in playne tearmes That,P. Martyr de ludis. non statim damnandus est siqu [...] [Page 403] [...]um aegrotat, aut debilitatur, eo genere [...]udi se recreet, quod a fortuna vel casu [...]endeat, modò ibi pecuniae non pericliten­ [...]ur. It is not by and by to bee misli­ [...]ed if one that is sicke, or weakened [...] bodie, whereby hee cannot vse o­ [...]her exercise, doe recreate himselfe with [...]hose kindes of play, which depende [...]f chance and fortune, as Tables and [...]ards. (For against Dice hee hath flat­ [...]e spoken before.) Let vs therefore ra­ [...]er enter to consider an other poynt, [...]hich is harder than this, namelie, [...]hether wee shoulde play for monie [...] no. And first I reason thus: If [...] bee lawefull to plaie for monie, then [...] it lawefull to winne monie in this [...], and the monie lawefullie posses­ [...]d: But this seconde is false, there­ [...]re the former also. That the seconde [...] false, the ende and first inuention [...] plaie prooueth, which as euerie [...] canne well witnesse was neuer [...]uented to this ende, but onelie to [...]resh either body or mind, and corrup­ [...]n afterward brought in mony, as we [...] dayly before our eyes. For so long as [Page 404] a game is straunge or new to vs, wee can take great delight to play for no­thing: but when once we are perfect­lie acquainted, and sée the course of it, then forsooth, vnlesse wee may peruer [...] the end of it, and make it a way to gain [...] or loose by, wee cannot like anie more t [...] vse it. Therefore I say, since it is ap [...]parant, that the first beginning of play [...] and the true vse of it was neuer ani [...] such matter, wee ought not thereby t [...] gaine anie goods. Secondlie I say [...] that as plaie in the beginning wa [...] not made for it, neither is it yet a [...]lowed a meanes to alienate our good [...] by to an other either by Gods law [...] or mans Lawe. For marke [...] heades of anie lawfull conueiaunc [...] and it is either buying, selling, l [...]ting, hiring, or such like, among [...] them al you find not gaming. Whe [...]fore the looser is vniustlie dispossess [...] and the winner as wrongfully p [...]sessed. Danaeus handling both this m [...]ter and this reason,De Iudis. addeth this wh [...] I pray you marke, that albeit [...] priuate lawe or custome of some [...] [Page 405] [...]uate place shoulde allowe it, yet is the law of nature against it, and the former [...]ought to giue place to the latter. But [...]aith he, I haue not read euer anie pri­uate law of anie priuate place published in writing that monie woone and lost by play coulde eyther bee retayned, or [...]ecouered, if it were denied by ver­ [...]ue of anie such title or right. And [...]ee bringeth Ottoman a famous law­ [...]er to confirme as much.Lib. 2. de vsu­ris cap. 2. Augustine [...]oulde haue all thinges gotten by play [...]aken from the winner,Epist. 54. ad Maced. and neuer re­ [...]ored to the looser, but giuen to the [...]oore, that both the winner might [...]ant what so gréedilie hee gaped for, [...]nd the looser not to recouer what so [...]lishlie hee parted with. Danaeus [...]side woulde haue them both puni­ [...]ed with a further mulct of monie. [...]hirdlie I reason from the multi­ [...]de of miserable creatures, that are [...]e same fleshe that wee are, and [...] pitifullie crie for want of suc­ [...]ur: from the multitude of godlie and [...]ristian vses, to employ that which [...]ee maie spare vppon, and euen [Page 406] from the want of manie necessaries for our selues, that it is not lawefull nor tollerable to play for monie. For is it not lamentable, and most feare­full, that anie Christian man shoulde carie about in his conscience daie and night a witnesse, that this seuen yeares hee hath not giuen seuen shillings to the naked, néedie, and com­fortlesse members of Iesus Christ▪ and yet hee hath lost at vayne playe▪ in a vayne manner, twentie times as much? Can a man bée so dull, as to thinke this thing will neuer prick [...] him, or neuer haue a iust reward [...] of punishment at Gods handes? I [...] it not lamentable, that a man ca [...] sée no Christian vse to giue of hy [...] abundaunce to, but thinke all that [...]uer hee can get litle inough to con [...]sume in playe? Are wee exempte [...] out of the number of them that a [...] bounde to workes of loue, and déede [...] of mercie, so that wee neede to d [...] none of these, and yet shall bee s [...]ued too? Naie is it not woonderful [...] and a thing that heauen and ear [...] [Page 407] [...]re ashamed of, and euen all the cre­ [...]tures in both of them stande asto­ [...]ished at to consider, that a man [...]houlde not eyther doe the former due­ [...]ies, or him selfe haue eyther anie [...]ood apparell to weare, anie bookes [...]o benifite his soule by, no not so much as a Bible or a prayer booke, [...]nie meate at home for his wife and Children, anie wages to paie hys Seruauntes, or his other debtes, or [...] number moe such necessaries, and [...]et thinke hys playing, yea his costlie [...]laying lawefull, and not to bee [...]poken agaynst? Is it I say possi­ [...]le that euer a Christian man, that [...]hinkes hee hath Gods spirite, shoulde [...]hus haue his conscience seared vp? Truelie, for myne owne part, I pro­ [...]esse I haue stoode in my hearte a­ [...]azed at it, and I beseech the [...]orde to driue awaie from vs such [...]rosse securitie. For else as we liue, [...]ee shall knowe wee haue deceyued [...]ur selues, and others, wee were ne­ [...]er anie thing lesse, than Christians. These dueties therefore due to others, [Page 408] so manie, and great, and these wants of necessaries for our selues, im­prooue our playing for monie. Lastlie the iudgementes of men, both graue, godlie, and wise, who haue euer con­demned it, ought in verie right to make all men leaue it. To those that I named before wee may adde Peter Martyr, who giueth not leaue to the sicke and weake in their houses to plaie, but with this condition, that they play for no monie. Modò pecu­niae non peri­clitentur. And we may reason from Augustines facte, that if hee thought it euill to giue monie to a iugler, or a stage player, which yet to their payne, doe serue our senses: much worse is the warrant to giue to a gamester, that playeth with vs, since hee laboreth no more to make vs sport, than wee doe to make him. Much haue manie men writ, whence lar­ger speach may bee fetched, and o [...] mee for a taste let this suffice to bee saide.

Que Why, but doe you thinke it simplie vnlawfull to play for monie?

[Page 409] Ans. Surely no. For when either so litle is playde as no way inableth mee to any dutie of my calling, or the mo­ney (not much) is bestowed in some mée­ting, for the increase of loue, or that which is wonne, is a rewarde appoin­ted to that exercise, then thinke I, with others, that it is lawefull. And thus much of these thrée questions, whether we may play or no, at what games, and whether for money.

Que. Nay one thing more I pray you, and that is this. Whether make you like account of dising that you doe of o­ther games, and thinke it as tollerable?

Ans. No surely doe I not, to speake plaine, but iudge it most vnséeming for a Christian man or woman, and a verie shame to the place where it is vsed. For of all games it hath neither wit in it, memorie in it, nor art in it, (but false art) nor exercise of anie thing, except it be the elbowe, nor any thing to com­mende it. And yet if this were all, it were not in so euil estate, howbeit, sure­ly this is not a litle against it. But sée (which is farre more) euen of all men [Page 410] by a generall consent as it were, thi [...] vile game as most vyle detected an [...] detested. For if you cast your eye [...] to the heathen they euer hated it, i [...] you looke at Christians they euer abhor [...]red it, the scripture hath forbidden it the Councelles haue condemned it the Lawes of euerie good Com [...]mon wealth, and especiallie of ou [...] owne haue seuerelie punished it, an [...] what kinde of argument of misliking is there not against it? Thus haue the [...] not dealt with other exercises, an [...] therefore surelie there is in it mor [...] shame to the vser, and more hurt [...] to the place where it is vsed, than i [...] the other. But let vs wey the na [...]med heades in order. And first for th [...] heathen, doe wee not sée howe Tulli [...] laieth it to the shame of Catiline an [...] his companie, that they were di [...]sers: and when he would haue euen sp [...] fire in Authonies face, and galle [...] him as greatly as hee coulde, thi [...] comes in for one great dishonour t [...] him, and dishonestie in him, hee i [...] (saith Tullie) a dicer, and his house a re [...]eptacle [Page 411] of such men. Augustus Caesar [...] worthie man as wee knowe in ma­ [...]ie respectes,Suetonius in his life. cap. 71. and greatlie renow­ [...]ned, yet got by his dising a reprooch [...]euer dying, euen to bee accompted [...] dissolute man. Gobylon an Em­ [...]assadour of the Lacedaemonians be­ [...]ng sent to make a league with the Corinthians, when hee came and [...]awe they vsed Dicing, counterfei­ [...]ed some other cause and went home a­ [...]aine, and woulde not make it, aun­ [...]wering when hee came home that they were a vyle people, and vnworthie to [...]e cared for, they were disers. The king of Persia sent to Demetrius king [...]f Asia Dice of golde in reprooch to [...]im, because hee vsed dising. And an [...]ther saith flatlie thus, that quanto [...]leator est in arte melior, tanto nequior. Publius. [...]st, The cunninger that a Dicer is in [...]ys Art, the woorse man assuredlie [...]ee is. The Poet layeth it downe a­mongest the Cankers that consume [...]en and make them beggers, Dise, Wine, and Women. What shoulde I [...]ay? Take anie booke in hande of an [Page 412] heathen man, and it is a woonder, if you finde not some thing against dysing▪ Nowe come from heathens to Christi [...]ans, and sée euen as great misliking▪ Austen beginneth and is not afraide t [...] say plainely,De cinit. Dei, lib. 4. Aleaminuenit Daemon, Th [...] deuill first found out the game of dising Lyra detesting it séeketh to make othe [...] men doe as much by diuerse reasons It coueteth (sayth hee) an other man [...] goods greatly,In praecep­torio. it is a mightie meanes o [...] deceite, it passeth vsurie, it causeth ly [...]ing, swearing, brawling, and mani [...] idle wordes, it is an offence to the god [...]ly, it breaketh the lawes, it misspende [...] the time, and what not? Olde Chauce so long agoe set his sentence downe a [...]gainst this exercise, and spares not t [...] display the vertues of it in this mane [...] ▪

But of all other spéeches me thinkes [...] is a maruelous saying of Sir Thomas [...]iot, and ought verie greatly to moue [...], who affirmeth that if a man heare [...] to be a diser, and knoweth him not, [...]y and by he iudgeth him to be a light [...]nd vaine person, and of no credite or [...]ccompt. Consider againe the decrées [...] councelles, and sée howe with one [...]eart they haue hated it. The first coun­ [...]el of Constantinople determined thus:Can. 50. That no man whether he be clarke or [...] man from that time forward should [...]ay at dise. If hee did being a clergie [...]an he was depriued, and if a lay man [...] was excommunicated. The councell [...] Eliberis concluded, that if a Christian [...]an did play at dise he should be forbid­den [Page 414] the communion and neuer admit [...]ted againe till he left it, and not vnder a yeare then also. Two godly Sinode [...] at Rochel and Nimanx in France by the Pastours, Elders, and Deacons of the reformed Churches in that kingdome, vtterly condemned it. Amongst the Ca [...]nons called y^t Apostles Canons this is one, that if a minister, Elder or Deacon giue himselfe to Dice, cardes, or drun­kennes, if he did not admonished cease from it, he should be depriued. The ciui [...] and canon lawes they say are so against it, as that if a man shoulde be beaten o [...] him that he playd withall or robbed at home whilest he were a playing, hee may haue no benefite of law or iustice in that case. And if anie man con­strayned or allured an other to plaie with him, hee shoulde bee imprisoned or cast into the quarries to digge. Ge­neua condemneth the verie making of Dice in their Citie. Last of all per­use the Statutes of this our owne countrie, and I beséech you marke the liking they haue showed of di­sing. In the twelfth yeare of Ri­ [...]arde [Page 415] the seconde all vnlawefull [...]mes were forbidden, and by name [...]ising generallie. In the 21. yeare [...] Hentie the fourth, disers taken were [...]prisoned sixe dayes. And if anie [...]ade Magistrate, as Maior, or She­ [...]fe made not diligent search for [...]em, they forfetted fortie shillings: If [...] Constable were negligent, hee lost [...]e shillinges and eight pence. In the [...]uentéenth yere of Edward the fourth, [...]ey that kept dicing houses were to [...]ue thrée yeares imprisonment and [...]. pounds fine. Players at dice in [...]ose houses two yeares imprisonment [...]d ten pounds fine. In the eleuenth [...]are of Henrie the seuenth, Dicers [...]oulde be openlie set in the stockes by [...]e space of one whole day, and the [...]use kéepers that suffered him to play [...]rfeit a noble, and be bounde to their [...]od behauiour. In the 33. yeare of [...]enrie the eight, Dicing houses forfet­ [...]d fortie shillings euerie time, & disers [...] .s̄.viij.d. and bound in recognisance [...]uer to play againe. And yet more may [...] sée in Pultōs abridgemēt. Now it is [Page 416] woonderfull that notwithstanding a [...] this, yet so foule a thing shoulde séem [...] so faire, and that a man should n [...] thinke himselfe vsed as a gentleman [...] almost as a man, vnlesse hee may ha [...] libertie in this loosenesse and the larg [...] reine to so great an euill. And yet [...] be Christians, and that of the bett [...] sort too, or you doe vs wrong. The hea [...]then hated it, and we hatch it vp in [...]uerie house, and yet we be Christian▪ The godly writ against it, wee wai [...] for it, and yet we be Christians. T [...] councels haue condemned it in the sp [...]rite of Christ, and christian lawes ha [...] most sharpely punished it: wee day a [...] night vse it, and cannot be reaued of [...] and yet we be Christians. But alas [...]las the day of vnderstanding, or the da [...] of damnation for our ignoraunce sha [...] teach vs an other thing. We swear [...] we lie, we reuile, and wee runne in [...] the fielde with murthering mindes ( [...] such anger is murther) moued by pla [...] and yet we will not leaue it. And if doe not thus in shewe, yet inwardly frette, I chafe, I gnash with my téeth [Page 417] [...]nd teare the Cardes, burne the Dice, [...]hrow away the Tables, and such like, [...]nd yet I am religious. The Lorde [...]orbiddeth all appearaunce of euill,1. Thes. 5. all [...]ccasions of sinne, and yet wee are the Lordes, and doe neither. The Lorde saith, If thy right hande cause thée to [...]ffend, or thy right eye, cut it off, plucke [...]t out, and cast it away, wee will bee the Lordes, and not restrayne a litle [...]lay, that mine owne soule being wit­nesse most gréeuouslie maketh mee of­fende. Fie, fie, what deadnesse is this? Where is either loue of God, or feare [...] vs? Loue makes vs burne with de­sire to doe well, feare makes vs shake, [...]o thinke of anie sinne, we continually sinne in our gréedie gaming, and yet we be godlie. But this either makes vs sée it, or we will neuer I feare sée the mischéefe of playing, and by name of Dising. The Lorde for Christ his sake [...]wake vs, and so I end.

Que. What is nowe contayned in the [...]ffirmatiue part of this commaunde­ment?

Ans. Euen as al these former branches [Page 418] are forbidden, so the contraries of them are commanded, as in general al helpe al succor, al care and prouidence for th [...] safetie and benefite of the goods of ou [...] neighbour that possibly wee can shewe▪ And againe the right vse of our own [...] goods as to the mainetainance of th [...] knowledge of God amongest vs, to th [...] defence of the common wealth, and th [...] magistrate, to the nourishing of our fa [...]mily, & to the reléefe of the poore. Lastl [...] as diffidence and mistrust in Gods pro [...]uidence for vs the roote of stealth & vn [...]lawfull priuision for our selues was i [...] the negatiue part forbidden, so here con [...]trariewise is faith and ful perswasion if we séeke his kingdome and the righ [...]teousnes thereof these outward thing [...] shall be cast vnto vs commanded.Math. 6. Th [...] punishment of this commaundemen [...] temporal or worldly was euer diuers [...] diuers places, somewhere death, som [...]where but foure fold &c. The spiritua [...] punishment as of all other commau [...]dementes was and is euerlasting dam [...]nation.1. Cor. 6. Zach. 5.

A commaunde­ment teaching vs our dueties towardes the good name and credite of our bre­thren in speaking neuer anie thing of them which is vntrue as the former haue towardes their liues and goods.

Question.

THen by this it seemeth it should haue gone before the other in order, because a mans name is dearer than either life or goods.

Ans. It is true, to some it is so, bu [...] not to all, and rather doth the Lorde re [...]spect the multitude than a fewe, an [...] the common nature of the vulgare sor [...] rather than the disposition of the better but farre lesser sort. And first and for [...]most could the wise Oratour say by na [...]ture [Page 439] is it giuen to euerie kinde of crea­ture to maintaine himselfe, his life and bodie, and to auoide whatsoeuer may bée anie way hurtfull to the same. No­ting in effect the other to followe, but in a seconde degrée.

Que. What right is there to establish this lawe?

Ans. Euen a thréefould right as you haue heard and séene in the former. For first the Lorde himselfe is true and trueth it selfe, hating euer and abhor­ring falsehood, and therefore verie méete that he should séeke the establishing of the same amongest his children, and the carefull auoyding of the contrarie. Se­condly the verie light of nature hath e­uer taught it to men, that lying is to be [...]oathed and hath made them crie, So­crates is my friende, and Plato is my [...]riende, but trueth before and aboue [...]hem both. Wherefore verie méete [...] was and right, that this lawe of [...]ature shoulde bee strengthened and [...]aintained by the Lorde. Lastly with­ [...]ut trueth there is no safetie in mens [...]ounselles, bargans, méetinges, con­ferences, [Page 440] and such like, and therefore most fit and necessarie that for the staie of truth amongest vs, and the auoyding of the contrarie, the Lorde should make one lawe at the least. The equitie of it then you sée is great. And nowe to the particular branches of it, as they lie in your booke. Where the first named hurt and annoyance of my brothers credite is false witnesse bearing, when in open place of iustice and iudgement or anie where else anie man shall of e­uill will and malice or for lucre, or fa­uour of others testifie or depose that which is vntrue against his neighbour▪ Which thing howe horrible it is may first appeare by due considering the price of an honest name,1. reason. and good re­port in the worlde amongest our bre­thren. Which (as the wise man saieth) is to be chosen aboue great riches, Prou. 22.1. and louing fauour aboue goulde and siluer ▪ And in an other place,Eccles. 7.3. A good name i [...] better than a good ointment: Becaus [...] that thereby we smell as it were swéete [...]ly vnto many to the edifying of them and working manie thinges in them b [...] [Page 441] our perswasions, which others coulde not of whom they haue or do not thinke and heare so well.Philip. 4.8. The Apostle Paule also in that excellent spéech of his to the Philippians, which I often verie wil­ [...]ingly remembēr vnto you, noteth ef­fectually howe déere vnto a Christian any thing should be that belongeth to a good name, and the working of a good report amongest men of vs. For what­soeuer thinges my brethren (sayth hee) are true, whatsoeuer thinges are honest, whatsoeuer thinges are iust, whatsoeuer thinges are pure, whatsoeuer thinges are worthie loue, whatsoeuer thinges are of good report, if there be anie ver­ [...]ue, or if there there be any praise, thinke of these thinges, &c. Againe,1. Petr. 2.12. S. Peter in his epistle, I beseech you deerely be­ [...]oued as pilgrimes and strangers ab­staine from fleshly lustes which fight a­gainst the soule, and haue your conuer­ [...]ation honest among the Gentilles, that [...]hey which speake of you as of euill do­ers, may by your good workes, which [...]hey shall see, glorifie God in the day of visitation. What is this, but euen [Page 442] plainely ynough haue a care of your doo­inges that your good name may neuer iustly bee touched and stained of anie? And a number mo such pithie perswasi­ons in this behalfe hath the worde. But I passe them ouer, and remember vnto you, that pretie saying of the godlie fa­ther S. Chrysostome, Chrysost. de communi ser­mone. so fitly at this time confirming my perswasion. There are two thinges (sayth hee) necessarie for thée as thou art a Christian man and woman, to wit, a good conscience and a good name, the former for thy self, the later for thy neighbour. But alas (saith an other) Plures famam, Plin. lib. 3. pauci con­scientiam verentur. Manie are afraide of the touch of their fame, but fewe of the hidden breach of their conscience. Adde vnto these if you list, also the iudge­mentes of the heathen, and first of him whose words be these:Cic. offi. 3. there is nothing so great, neither any commoditie in the worlde so of thée to be estéemed and de­sired, as that for it thou shouldest ble­mish the beautie and brightnesse of the good name of a good man. For desire e­uer sayth an other, rather to heare well, [Page 443] than to be rich: yea preferre it in thy heart to leaue vnto thy posteritie an ho­nest report and name, before heapes of anie riches whatsoeuer. For riches are ficle and soone dispersed, but a good re­port is permanent and neuer dyeth. A­gaine by a good name may wealth bee gotten, but not againe by wealth a good name. Lastly riches are common to the good and bad, but a good report is proper onely to the good.

Que. And howe may a man or wo­man best breede a good report of them?

Ans. Agesilaus was once asked the same question, and he made this aun­swere. If thou speakest euer what is the best, and doest the thing that is most honest. Socrates thus: if from thy heart thou indeuour in all truth to be, as thou desirest euer to be thought to be. For a fame that is gotten by giftes or hypo­crisie, will neuer indure, but perishe. Wherefore nowe if the worde of God, the testimonies of his children, and the [...]erie light of nature in heathens haue euer so commended a good name, iudge [Page 444] we heereby, if we wilbe taught what a sinne it is to be a false witnesse against this preciouse treasure and iewell of my neighbour, his good name. Iudge we what a monster before the face of God he is, that for the satisfaction either of his owne or other mens cursed natures séeketh to depraue, to bite, and slander any man wrongfully, be the discredite he worketh neuer so small. And thus much for my first reason.

The seconde I drawe from the pu­nishment which hath vsually hapned vnto this vice either by gods expresse commaundement amongest the Iewes or secret working in the heartes of ma­gistrates in other places. For verie ef­fectually haue I euer thought bewray­ed by these thinges the foulnesse of false witnesse bearing. The lawe of God sayde thus:Deut. 19.16. &c. If a false witnesse rise vp against a man to accuse him of trespasse: Then both the men which striue toge­ther shall stande before the Lorde, euen before the priestes and the iudges which shalbe in those daies. And the iudges shall make diligent inquisition, and if [Page 445] the witnesse be founde false, and hath giuen false witnesse against his brother, then shall ye doe vnto him as he hadde thought to doe vnto his brother, so thou shalt take euel away forth of the middest of thee. And the rest shall heare this and feare, and shall henceforth commit no more anie such wickednesse amongest you. Therefore thine eie shall haue no compassion, but life for life, eie for eye, tooth for tooth, hande for hande, foote for footh. A meruelous lawe, if the spi­rite of féeling worke withall to print in vs for euer a true conceite of the perfect hatred wherewith God abhorreth false witnesse bearing. Beside which lawe marke what Salomon sayeth:Prou. 19.5. A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. For howsoeuer the lande of the Lorde which is euer full of mercie, and long suffering euen towardes the wicked, may spare them for a time, yet in the [...]nde with sharpenesse of his rodde will [...]e recompence the long differring of it. And what maruell, if we marke the na­ [...]ure of the sinne? For doeth not a false [Page 446] witnesse, abuse the iudge, hurt his neighbour, make the place of iustice and right, the nurcerie of sinne and gréeuous wronges, doth he not cause the Lorde to set in the eies of men the crowne of innocencie, vpon the offenders heade, and to put the halter about the iust mans necke? Than the which dishonor, what can be greater against the Lorde of life, and louer of right, to pul vpon vs his heauie hande? Pericles an heathen man could say, we must be a friende to our friende no further than the altar. That is, no further than GOD and a good conscience guided by his worde may warrant vnto vs. But wee in these daies estéeme not a strawe of that man or woman, that will sticke to lend vs an othe at anie time, when we stand in néede be the matter neuer so false and foule. For hee is no friende which is not euer a friende, to féede our filthie humour with all wicked and wrong­full vsage of himselfe. But woe vnto vs wicked wretches for so great and gréeuous sinne against the Lorde, and also our selues. For doe I not tremble [Page 447] and shake euerie ioynt of mee to pre­ [...]erre anie mortall man in loue before [...]ny God, and so to become vnworthie of him for euer? Yet this I doe when I [...]are doe for him, what God forbiddeth me to doe for him, and I thinke not of [...]t. Should an earthly bonde of earthlie mindes together worke a fearefull fi­ [...]all confusion, both of bodie and soule, [...]n the flashing flame of bottomlesse hell [...]or euermore without regarde? Yet [...]his it doeth to speake vntrueth for my [...]riendes fauour, when committed sinne [...]hould reape a iust punishment in this worlde, that bodie and soule might both [...]emaine in comfort hereafter. I stay [...]he rest of gods reuenging iudgementes [...]ppon false witnesses till I come to [...]he ende of the commaundement, and [...]hus for this time passe ouer this [...]oint.

The next thing that your booke lay­ [...]th downe is lying, an other foule [...]reache of this commaundement, con­ [...]emned of God, improoued by reason, [...]nd eschewed euer of all gods children [...] some measure,Scripture. Cast off (saith the A­postle) [Page 448] lying and speake the trueth eue­rie man to his neighbour, Ephes. 4.25. for we are on [...] an others members. Psalm. 15.1.2. Lorde who shal [...] dwell in thy tabernacle, (sayth Dauid and who shall rest vpon thy holie hill▪ Euen he that walketh vprightly, and speaketh the truth from his heart. In the lawe this was one propertie,Exod. 18. that was euer regarded in the choice of a iudge namely that hee was a true louer o [...] trueth. Helpe Lorde againe in an othe [...] place (sayth Dauid) for faith and truet [...] are perished from amongest men. Psalm. 12.1. And againe,Psalm. 101. He that telleth lies shall not tar [...]rie in my sight. For this is a sinne tha [...] shall shut a man out of the heauenly ci­tie the newe Ierusalem as wee may se [...] in S. Iohn, Apoc. 21.8.22.15. and cupple him companio [...] to whoremaisters, théeues, sorcerers, such like. The reasons y^t improoue it ar [...] these.Reasons. 1 God is trueth, and therefore [...] we looke euer for any felowshippe wit [...] him, we must frame our selues in mea [...]sure like vnto his nature. 2 Secondly ou [...] tongues are giuen vs to expresse i [...] trueth what our heartes doe thinke Abusus signi.and therefore to lie in anie matter [...] [Page 449] for anie cause, it is to abuse the good gift of God my tongue and spéech to a quite contrarie ende. 3 Thirdly it is a perilous enemie to peace and quietnes. For of lies commeth debate, conten­tion and strife. 4 Fourthly it breaketh and in time taketh quite away that af­fiance and trust which is requisite to be in one man to an other, and maketh them hang aloofe, suspect, and be strange one to an other. 5 And lastly it impai­reth a mans owne good name and cre­dite greatly and mightily as anie thing [...]e can vse. All which should déepely [...]inke into a Christian heart, and make it hate so foule a vice.Gregor. 17. Moral. August. en­chyrid. Epist. 8. All lying is ini­quitie sayth a godly father. All vntruth [...]s sinne saieth an other. And it is not [...]awefull to lie, though it could be for the praise of God.

Que. But I haue often heard a distin­ction of lies, as some to bee merie lies made in iest, some to bee lies of dutie made to doe my friende a pleasure in his daunger, and some to be lies of spite made to hurt others thereby. I pray you what thinke you of it?

[Page 450] Ans. For the first manie goe a­bout to excuse them and to diminish the fault of them, because they intende no euill to the parties to whome they are tould. But we heard before what both Augustine, and Gregorie sayd, namely, that all lying is sinne, and yet it hath a stronger checke than this. For if wee make the best of it we can, it is but an idle and a frutelesse spéech,Math. 12. whereof we knowe we must giue account. And a­gaine,Psalm. 5.6. The Lorde shall destroy them all (sayth the Psalme) that speake lies, ad­ding no distinction of merie lies from the rest: and where the lawe distingui­sheth not, we may not distinguish. The seconde sort manie goe about to allowe and iustifie, bringing in for warrant the lie of Rahab, of Abraham, of the mid­wiues and such like, made for the safe­tie of life. But touching them all and howe manie moe soeuer as may bee brought like vnto these, I answere as one speaketh particularly of Abraham, Non videtur mihi laborandum, omnino v [...] Abrahamum defendamus: homo enim fuit & nimio timore potuit labi: &c. That is, [Page 451] I thinke it altogether needelesse to goe about to defende Abrahams lie, for hee was a man, and through too much feare he might offende. And so say I of all the rest, they were faultes in them and blemishes, and offended God. And con­cerning the midwiues lie Augustine plainely sayeth, that their feare of God and tender care mercifully to spare the infantes pleased God, but not their lie. If this doe not content vs, then remem­ber the same Augustines iudgement be­fore in generalitie that it is not lawfull to lie, though it could be to the praise of God, surely then not for any mannes helpe.Iob. 13.7. Remember the wordes of Iob who checked in his friends a false spéech although it tended to defende the Lorde. And remember the wordes of Christ himselfe howe he maketh the deuill the [...]ather and author of all lies whatsoeuer without distinction.Ioan. 8. If we feare to be­wray the man or matter, which wee would not, then hide the trueth (saieth S. Austen) but in no case speake an vn­ [...]rueth. For the last sort of lies nothing [...]s sayde of any to excuse it, for euerie [Page 452] conscience cryeth it is a sinne. And ther­fore nowe I conclude, one kinde of lie is worse than an other, but all naught, and of a Christian man and woman e­uer to be forborne to their powers. The hyperbolicall spéeches in the scripture are euer truethes in matter and mea­ning,Veritas non reised ratio­nis. though not in wordes and forme, as I may say. For modestie sake nei­ther may wee lie, in any case. But as Aristotle pretilie sayth: Declinet veritas nonnihil ad defectum, cum de se quis loqui­tur. That is as I interpret it, When a man speaketh of himselfe, let him speake sparingly, but not falsely.

Que. What say you of flatterie and dissimulation the next thinges in the booke?

Ans. I say I haue touched them be­fore sufficiently, and therefore nowe I ad no more but this, they are both brea­ches of this commaundement. Inough to terrifie a féeling heart, and a dea [...] soule what can moue? From these the [...] I followe your booke, setting down [...] next the vnlawefulnesse of telling fals [...] tales,Telling false tales. hearing them, and beléeuing them [Page 453] of others. And first to speake of the first, doe we not sée the direct lawe of God in these wordes,Leuit. 19.1 [...]. Thou shalt not walke a­bout with tales amongest thy brethren? Doe we not heare the Lorde by his pro­phet crie out against Ierusalem, for that [...]n her were men that caried tales vp and downe to shed bloud? Ezek. 22.9. 2. Cor. 12.20. Doth not the A­postle say, Hee feareth he shall finde a­mongest them backbiting, whispering, [...]nd such like? Is it not the perswasion [...]f Iames, that we speake no euill one of [...]n other? Iam. 4.1 [...]. Is it not expressely named as [...]ne of y^e things, that may not be in man [...]r woman elected to dwell in the Lords [...]abernacle, to false report and slander [...]nie man behinde his backe? Psalm. 15.3. Than the [...]hich things what may be more said in [...]etestation of so foule a vice? Certainly [...]hat God so plainely discouereth to vs [...] offende him, it will as plainely be pu­ [...]ished when God shall thinke it good in [...]nie gracelesse wretch whatsoeuer that [...]ill not be warned. To be a tale teller [...]nd a false witnesse, why it is like a [...]mmer, a sworde, and a sharpe arrow,Prou. 25.18. [...]ayth Salomon) Et quid interest vtrum [Page 454] Deum neges, an infames, (sayth Seneca) What difference is there betwixt deny­ing of God, and false reporting thy bre­thren? Nothing, but a man may euen aswell doe the one as the other thought he. And in trueth it is a notable saying of Hieron. Note. Ʋilium est hominum, alios viles facere, & qui suo merito placere non possunt, placere velle aliorum comparatione. It is the propertie of a vile nature, to seeke by tales to make others vile, or by a com­parison with others (whome they presse with their prattles) to come to be ac­counted of, when simplie and truely there is nothing in themselues worthie of cōmendation. Filthie therfore & foul [...] it is to be a false reporter. And what better is it to be a willing hearer of all detractions brought vnto me of others? Doth not euen the same God and lawe condemne this also aswell as the other? Thou shalt not receiue a false tale (sayth the lawe) no not receiue it I say,Exod. 23. and marke it well.Math. 7.1. Iudge not (sayth Christ) and yee shall not be iudged, for with what iudgement yee iudge, ye shall b [...] iudged, and with what measure ye mete [Page 455] it shalbe measured to you againe. Hee that hath itching eares to heare of o­thers, shall reape for rewarde himselfe as priuie spéeches to his owne discre­dite.Hieron. ad Nepotian. Take héede therefore (sayth a god­ly father) that thou neither depraue thy selfe anie man, neither yet willingly heare others doe it. But flie to heare as thou wouldest flie to speake what ten­deth vnto slander. For as he that spea­keth euill hath the deuill in his tongue, so he that heareth euill hath him in his eare. It is the poyson of friendshippe, and the verie cutthrote of all amitie be­twixt man and man, to loue to heare what péeuish tongues shall séeke to speake. For soone créepes it in by mine [...]are that will neuer créepe out againe whilest the breath is in mee. Let no proofe be brought for it, and neuer so much against it, yet stickes the scarre of [...]uspition still, and something I thinke [...]o the blotte of my brother, though I [...]an be content not to credite all. This [...]pen eare so gréedie to heare, and not [...]isely waying, who telleth it, of whom, [...] what manner, to what ende, with [Page 456] such like circumstances, what losse hath it laide full manie a time vppon both men and women? What hatred, what enuie, what ielousie, what suspition, what disquiet thoughtes, and grinding greife hath it settled soundly in manie an one? Howe stealeth it the loue of man from his wife, of father from his childe, and of friende from his long and liked acquaintance? Howe alienateth it the heart of a true seruant from his maister, if he will yéelde to what his fraile fleshe will assuredly pricke him? And howe manie a maister hath shaken off through spéech of hate light pick­thankes, such trueth and loue, such ser­uice and strength, as neuer after coulde in like manner, be gained againe with goulde? But what should we say? There is no mischiefe to the mischeife of the tongue: and therefore no question but a danger great to attende vnto it with­out good discretion. Then to procéede to the thirde. If telling, and hearing the deprauinges of the wicked be forbidden▪ must it not also néedes be euill to beléeu [...] them? Certainely much more. For i [...] [Page 457] is a degrée further to beléeue the report that is made vnto vs, than to heare it. And if a man ought to be slow to speake when he is not certaine, much more should he be slowe to beléeue what may be false before he knowes it. Sée there­fore howe the Lorde speaketh to such a­mong the Israelites as were to punish the offenders.Deutro. 13.1 [...]. If thou heare (sayth he) (concerning any of the cities which the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee to dwell in) wicked men are gone out from a­mong you, and haue drawen away the inhabitants of their citie, saying, let vs goe and serue other gods, which you haue not knowen, then thou shalt seeke and make search, and inquire diligently if it be true, and so forth. What I pray you might meane this repetition of wordes, to séeke, to search, to inquire, and that diligently, but to admonish vs what a fault it is to condemne before we knowe, and to beléeue what euer we heare by and by? Likewise againe if an idolater were accused, and had but one witnesse against him,Deutro. 17. [...]. he might not be put to death vpon the testimonie of [Page 458] that one, but at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthie of death, die, (sayth the Lawe) all to teach vs that we may not be light of be­léefe, when we are whispered in the eare against a man, and by and by kill him in our heartes by ceasing to thinke well of him any more vppon one reporters spéech. For to robbe him of that credite in my heart, that hee had before with me, vnlesse he deserue it, is a branch of murther as hath before béene prooued. Againe as Salomon sayth of answering a matter before a man heare it, that it is follie and a shame to him that doth it: so say we and thinke we of beléeuing a matter before we knowe it,Prou. 18.13. for it is as true.Gen. 39. Is it not registred of Putiphar Iosephes maister to his blemish as long as euer the worlde indureth, that hee was too credulous? Was it not a blotte in Dauid, and so by gods speciall wise­dome left vnto vs to consider of it, that he would beléeue so quickly a false flat­tering Siba against his trustie and most true hearted seruant Mephibbosheth?2. Sam. 16.1. But what should I heape vp examples? [Page 459] May not euen euerie mans conscience tell him, that the fault is not litle, the discredite whereof God hath left vnto vs but in one example? I conclude ther­fore this matter of light beléeuing such tales as vngodlily and falsely are made vnto vs with the spéech of wise and ex­perienced Syrac in his booke. Blame no man (sayth he) before thou hast inqui­red the matter, vnderstande first, Syrac. 11.7. and then reforme righteouslie, giue no sen­tence before thou hast heard the cause, neither interrupt men in the middest of their tales. God giue vs the vse of it. For great is the hurt of light beléefe both towardes bodie and also soule.

Que. Yet there remaineth one thing more in the booke.

Ans. It is true, and that is this. In priuate offences to speake anie thing (although it be true) to the hurt of our brothers good name, if by priuate admo­nitions he may be wonne, is a branche and a breach of this commaundement. The Apostle Peter prooueth it, when he sayth thus, But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you. For loue coue­reth [Page 460] a multitude of sinnes. Paule proo­ueth it in like wordes also:1. Petr. 4.8. Loue suffe­reth all thinges, 1. Cor. 13.7. it beleeueth all thinges, it hopeth all things, it indureth al things. If therefore we loue our brother, there wilbe a care we plainely sée, that we vt­ter nothing to the hurting of his good name. And if there bee but anie wise­dome in vs (saith Salomon) we will be carefull of it also.Prou. 11.12. For he that despiseth his neighbour is destitute of wisedome, but a man of vnderstanding will keepe silence. But to strike vp the matter fully we sée the wordes of our Sauiour Christ in the gospell plaine:Math. 18.15. If thy bro­ther trespasse against thee, goe and tell him his fault betwixt him & thee alone: if he heare thee, thou hast wonne thy brother: 16. But if he heare thee not, take yet with thee one or two, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euerie worde may be confirmed. 17. And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them, tell it vnto the Church: and if he refuse to heare the Church also, let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Héere we plainely sée, that priuate offences are [Page 461] not to be made openly knowen, so long as there is hope of amendement. But remember I say that we speake of pri­uate offences, for in publike faultes there is quite an other course, euen openlie to rebuke them that haue o­penlie sinned,1. [...]. 5.20. that others may sée and feare.

Que. Thus then of the negatiue part of this commaundement, nowe I pray you adde some thing also of the affirma­tiue.

Ans. Easily may we gather one con­trarie by an other, for who séeth not, that if all falsehood be forbidden in ge­nerall, likewise all trueth by the same wordes is commanded? As therefore no way we ought to doe the former, so by all meanes we should maintaine the latter. And namely in the deliuerie of anie doctrine, in place of iustice,Prou. 14.25. Psalm. 15. and iudgement, in contractes, coue­nantes, and bargans, in our spéeches, in our actions, and euerie where and way is trueth to be maintained and showed of vs.Cic. 1. Offi. For man is borne to trueth, and by nature we haue to in­quire [Page 462] after it. Man is borne to knowe God, to consider the creatures, to pre­serue the difference betwixt honestie, and dishonestie, and what is this but trueth? Man is borne to learne and knowe such artes, as God hath brought into our practise, and euerie art séeketh a trueth. Therefore a shame and a dis­credite wee should euer thinke it to bee founde vntrue, yea euen so farre wee should thinke we are degenerated from the nature of man, as we are led with any liking of falsehoode and vntrueth. It is a notable place of Zacharie to shew vs the great liking which the Lord hath of trueth, and howe he desireth it in all godly men and women euer. For these are the thinges that ye shall doe (sayeth the Lorde) Speake yee euerie man the truth vnto his neighbour, execute iudge­ment truely and vprightly in your gates, and let none of you imagine euill in your heartes against his neighbour, and loue no false othe, for all these are the thinges that I hate (sayth the Lorde.) Zacha­rie 8.16. And if we weigh with this a­gaine and manie such other testimonies [Page 463] that might be brought y^e sentences of the godlie Fathers, euen thereby also may we gather greatly the excellencie and precious account that all good men should make of speaking trueth. For if anie man be offended for a trueth (sayth Augustine) Ʋtilius scandalum permitti­tur, quam veritas amittitur. August. de doctri. christi. That offence were better still to be, than that to re­moue it anie losse should be made of the trueth. And in an other place againe, To striue or fight against a knowen truth passeth in euill euen idolatrie, Aug. epist. 48. not much differing héerein from the wordes of Syrac. Syrac. 4.25. In no wise speake against the worde of truth, but be ashamed of the lies of thine owne ignorance. And most excellently Hierome if you marke it: Tantus sit in te veritatis amor, Ad Celan [...]. vt quicquid dixeris iuratum putes: That is, Carie euer such a loue in thy soule of trueth, that whatsoeuer thou speakest thou imagi­ [...]est thou swearest it. And againe in an other place.In Ezek. If a man for the feare of [...]eath be not licenced to conceile a truth [...]hat is asked of him, howe should it not [...] a farre greater impietie for the bellie [Page 464] or vaine hope of worldly honour to doe it. Wherefore wee plainely sée that if either God or his children carie anie credite with vs, great should be our re­garde of trueth, and no lesse hartie and vnfained our hatred of falsehoode.

Que. What then might that be which some philosophers maintained touching a general vncertaintie in all thinges, Academici Pichonij. and that there is no trueth that can be attay­ned vnto or knowen of vs?

Ans. Their senselesse follie is verie well discouered by an other Philosopher of an other sect,Epictetus Stoicus▪ first by examples, the [...] by absurditie, and lastly by experience [...] and practise. For sayth he doe wee no [...] knowe whether the snowe be white o [...] blacke, doe we not knowe whether th [...] fire be hote or colde, is it vncertain [...] whether the ise will melt against th [...] fire or no? If then these and a thousan [...] thinges moe be assuredly knowen, wh [...] absurde opinion and vnworthie of lea [...]ned men might this be, that no certain [...] trueth can be attained vnto? Second [...] (sayth he) if I were one of their s [...]uantes, and my maister bad me fet [...] [Page 465] him bread I would fetch him a stone, if he called for wine I would giue him water, and what else so euer hee should bid me doe, I would doe the contrarie. Then if he asked me what I meant, I would answere howe should I knowe that I brought him a stone & not breade, or so of anie of the rest which I named? Or howe knewe he himselfe that I did not fulfill his commaundement, séeing there is no truth, by their opinion, that can be knowen. Thus doth he merily deride their follie by shewing what ab­surditie foloweth of it. Lastly (sayeth he) by their owne practise they confute themselues. For when they are colde, they goe to the fire, and not to the wa­ter to warme them, and can they not tell which doth warme and which doth coole? If they be drie they take water, and yet can they not tell whether it quencheth thirst or no? Foolish therfore and most absurde is that opinion, wee knowe no trueth. For both by experi­ence, by certaine principles that nature hath set in vs,Foure waie [...] to knowe truth by. by order of a good conse­ [...]uence, and by testimonie of Gods cer­taine [Page 466] worde we knowe and doe attaine to manie truthes.

Que. But because you say euer and in all thinges trueth ought to be main­tained, 1. Sam. 21. I pray you what say you of Dauids dissembling when hee fained himselfe mad before Achis?

Ans. I may answere with good au­thoritie of learned men,Danaeus. that it was a weakenesse in Dauid not to be imitated. Or I may with others make a distincti­on,P. Martyr. and say thus. That if he did it vpon anie distrust, doubt or feare that GOD would not or could not deliuer him in that distresse from the danger that was imminent, then did he sinne no question verie greatly, but if his heart rested vp­on God in assuraunce of his mercifull eie and hande watching ouer him and defending him euer, and did vse that dis­simulation, but as the meanes that then he could, because hee would not tempt God, then did he well, and yet that his doing is no warrant to breake this commaundement, by reiection of trueth and following a falsehoode in anie of our particular dealinges aboue [Page 467] named.

Que. And what say you of the Stra­tagems and pollicies in warres, whereby the one partie dissembling, faining and counterfaiting with the other, seeketh his ouerthrowe? Is not this a kinde of false witnesse?

Ans. First I answeare that it can­not fitly be called anie dissembling,Dolus an vir­tus, quis in hoste requi­rat. be­cause the one partie euer presupposeth and expecteth what deuise and conuey­ance so euer the other can make.P.M. in Iud. cap. 3. But rather it is a conceiling from him of a trueth. And then doe we rightly dissem­ble, ly, and exhibite a false testimonie, when as one thing is expected at our handes, which also we ought to doe, and yet we performe a contrarie. Secondly I answere that it is the lawe of iust war, iust I say againe and not wrong­full, that it may be made either openly or priuily, by force or by pollicie with a good conscience. And for warrant hereof we haue the commandement of God to his people and their practise of the same.Iosua. 8. For Iosua intrapped the men of Ai by an ambush and slewe them [Page 468] downe right suffering none to escape. So did the Israelites vanquish and ouer­come the Beniamites, Iudg. 20. 2. Sam. 20. Dauid the Phili­stins, and manie examples moe hath the scripture of Stratagems and pollicies vsed in the warres, when the cause thereof was lawfull and warrantable, but these may suffice nowe.

Que. Will you then alow no litle pre­tie glosse or colour at no time, but must we euer turne the right side outwarde?

Ans. No indéede, no color of honestie, pietie, friendshippe and loue, or anie good thing, vnlesse indéede it be there. For both God and man abhorreth all such colors. And it should euer be the spéech of anie Christian man or woman whilest they liue,2. Cor. 1.12. and that in truth that their reioycing is this, the testimonie of their conscience, that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wise­dome, but by the grace of God they haue had their conuersation in the world as Paul sayde to the Corinthians of him selfe.

Que. What if I set no false colour on, but onelie conceile a trueth and say no­thing?

[Page 469] Ans. It hath béene shewed before that in some cases and times it is lawe­full so to doe, as by name, when it may stande both with my loue to God and my brother. But if it be contrarie to both these, or to either of these, then is it wicked and vngodly. And then (sayeth the holy ghost) The fearefull shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, Apoc. 21.8. which is the se­conde death. And Hieroms comparison is good if we may not for our life denie anie way a trueth, much lesse assured­ly for lesser causes. Yea be readie euer (sayth Peter) in matters of faith to giue an account of the hope that is within you,2. Petr. 3. to anie that shall aske you a reason thereof.

Que. You promised before to adioine in the ende, some moe examples of gods iustice vpon this sinne of false witnesse bearing, and nowe if you will, you may perfourme it, and so conclude this com­maundement, for in all thinges else I am sufficiently satisfied.

Ans. First consider the punishment [Page 470] alotted to it by expresse worde of the Lorde, in this worlde euen to reape by iust sentence of the iudge, whatsoeuer he by his false witnesse had thought to haue brought vpon an other, life for life, hande for hande, [...]. 16. eie for eie, tooth for tooth, foote for foote, without anie pi­tie or sparing, and in the world to come euerlasting death. Then if you will remember also what Eusebius writeth of the accusers of Narcissus Byshoppe of Hierusalem: Howe thrée euill disposed persons that séeing the soundenesse and graue constancie of his vertuous life, and fearing their owne punishment (as a conscience that is guiltie, is alwayes fearefull) thought to preuent his accu­sations with a great othe, one wishing to be destroyed with fire, if he saide not true, the other to be consumed with gréeuous sicknesse, the thirde to loose both his eies if they did lie. Narcissus although hauing his conscience cleare, yet not able being but one man to with­stande the accusation bounde with such othes, gaue place, and remoued himselfe from the multitude into a solitarie de­sert [Page 471] by himselfe, where he continued by the space of manie yeares. In y^e meane time to them which so willingly and wickedly foresware themselues this hapned. The first by casualtie of one li­tle sparke of fire, was brent with all his goods and familie. The seconde was taken with a great sicknesse from the toppe to the toe, and deuoured with the same. The thirde hearing and séeing the punishment of the other confessed his fault, but through great repentance powred out such teares, that he lost both his eies. And thus was their false per­iurie and witnesse bearing punished. Narcissus after long absence returning home againe was by this meanes both cleared of his fact, and restored to his bishopricke againe. An other good storie to this ende is that of king Canutus the Dane, who beeing established in the kingdome, caused a parliament at Lon­don, where (amongest other thinges there debated) it was propounded vnto the Byshoppes, Barons, and Lordes of the parliament there present, whether that in the composition made betwixt [Page 472] Edmonde and Canutus anie speciall re­mēbrance was made for the children or brethren of Edmond for anie partition of any part of the land. Whereunto the English Lordes falsely flattering with the king, & speaking against their owne mindes as also against their natiue countrey, answered and saide, nay: Af­firming moreouer with an othe for the kinges pleasure, that they to the vtter­most of their powers would put off the bloud of Edmond in all that they might. By reason of which answere and pro­mise, they thought (manie of them) to haue purchased with the king great fa­uour. But by the iust retribution of God it chanced farre otherwise. For manie of them, or the most part, such specially as Canutus did perceiue to be sworne before time to Edmonde and his heires, and also considering that they were natiue English men, hee mistru­sted and disdayned euer after. Inso­much that some he exiled, a great sort he beheaded, and some by Gods punish­ment dyed sodainly. Sée therefore the heart and hande of the Lorde against a [Page 473] false witnesse. Many histories are there to this ende. And manie experiences e­uen nowe adaies of gods iust plagues vpon this sinne. But I will not runne ouer them nowe. Easilie may they be turned too in our owne Church storie. Onely these two I cannot omit. First how Hamelton the Scot being brought vnto his death by the false accusation of a false Frier called Campbell, when he was in the fire cited and summoned the sayde Frier to appeare before the high God as generall iudge of all men to an­swere to the innocencie of his death, and whether his accusation was iust or not, betwixt that and a certaine day of the next moneth, which hee there named, and ere that day came the Fryer died without any remorse of conscience, that he had persecuted the innocent. And se­condly howe Calice men in the daies of King Henrie the 8. being falsely accu­sed escaped safe from the danger of such witnesses, and they themselues (a iust plague vppon their iniquitie) hanged, drawen, and quartred, ere they went home. Therefore let vs euer tremble [Page 474] to prouoke the Lorde by this sinne, let vs speake a trueth if we doe speake at all, and shame to lie euen of the deuill. The daily beggeries, discredits, shames and deathes, strange and fearefull of such as haue made no conscience by false witnesse bearing to pollute their consci­ences ought mightilie to moue vs, and verie effectually to perswade vs neuer to doe it. For God to vs as he hath béene to others will most assuredly shew him­selfe either at first or at last, at one time or other, when our sinne is the same and he no changeling in his nature at all. And thus much of this commaunde­ment.

Wherein (saith your booke) the Lorde plainely forbiddeth all inwarde desire of anie thing vnlawfull to be done although we neuer consent vnto it, as the rebellion of the flesh, all corruption of the olde man, all blotte of originall sinne, so that by this commaundement most clearely we may see the image of [Page 489] that man that pleaseth God, euen such an one in whom nothing is impure nei­ther in will nor nature.

Question.

YEt playner I pray you, if you can set downe the dif­ference of this commaun­dement from the other, for as I haue heard, some haue halfe thought it superfluous, seeing as the former did also forbid the inwarde thought aswell as the outwarde act.

Ans. It is as plaine as may be alrea­die, yet to content you thus ouer a­gaine. The former commaundementes did forbid the act and the setled or con­senting thought of the heart, though the déede were not doone, as for example, the precept of killing forbiddeth the déede, and with all, once to thinke in heart to doe such a déede, with a resolu­tion verily to accomplish it if I can. But nowe this commaundement commeth néerer, and condemneth not onely that thought that is setled, and lacketh but [Page 490] oportunitie to doe the déede, but euen the verie thinking also of any thing con­trarie to the loue of God, or my neigh­bour, though I doe neuer consent to it, but snubbe it, mislike it, and reiect it. For euen y^t hauing of an euill thought in my minde is a fruite of my corrupti­on, such as in innocencie if we had stood we should neuer haue had, and there­fore naught. So there are two degrées of thoughtes, the one with consent to accomplish in déede what we do thinke, if we can, and the other without con­sent repulsed away when wee awake and sée it. The former in the former commandementes was forbidden, and the later in this. A strange doctrine in shewe no doubt to manie that thinke this their thought is frée. But we must not maruell, since euen the Apostle Paul himselfe would neuer haue suspected a­nie danger in concupiscence, lustes, and desires, if the lawe had not sayde, Thou shalt not lust or desire. Rom. 7.7. Nay it appea­reth verie plainely in that place (sayth a godly man) that he thought marue­lous well of himselfe before hee came to [Page 491] this commandement. He tooke himselfe before to be liuing, and in good liking towardes God and godlinesse, but when he had looked vpon this lawe and beheld himselfe a while in this part of the glasse he sawe himselfe plainele to be no bodie, but a dead man sould vnto sinne. And therefore a thousande times néedefull, that the Lorde should adde this lawe to all the rest, to humble vs throughly, sée­ing so singular a man was not fully cast downe before he had wrestled with the iustice of God in the same. Let vs ther­fore thinke of this thing that séemeth so litle in our eies. For wee heare what the Apostle sayth, it is sinne to desire,Rom. 7.7. and we may ioyne vnto it the words of the Lorde himselfe affirming plainely, that the verie imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth.Gen. 8.21. God hath made the heart aswell as the bodie, to séeke his glorie, and therefore good reason the cogitations of the hart should no more straie from their true end, than the actions of the bodie. Neither may our reiection of such thoughtes in the ende, and not consenting vnto them to [Page 492] accomplish them in act, bleare our eies with an imagination, that we haue not offended in them, in going so farre as we went. For it is a blemish, a want, an impietie, and a degrée of vnchastitie in a woman to suffer the cogitation of anie forren friende beside her husbande to tickle her with conceite vnlawefull, though in the ende she repulse it, and ab­horre to accomplish it, and howe can it then be faultlesse in these hearts of ours the spouse of the Lorde to dallie with such delightes, and to pursue in minde, by thinking of them, the pleasures that such conceites doe pleade before vs, though in the conclusion we giue the de­niall and do not consent. O it is a grea­ter matter to loue the Lorde with all the heart, than that it may abide anie light licentious wandring frō the same for anie time. For they are opposed to loue the Lorde euer, and to thinke euill at anie time: to loue the Lorde with all my heart, and to thinke nowe and then of vaine follies or flat impieties with my heart. And if it be a certaine trueth as we knowe it is, which I saide before, [Page 493] that if we had stoode in our innocencie firme and immoueable, we should neuer haue conceiued in our time any euill thought at all, or vaine or foolish con­ceite for anie moment or point of space, but should euer haue béene able to haue iustified our thoughts before God what­soeuer they were as agréeing with the loue of him, and our brother, then is this tickling delight, that now and then will take vs and possesse vs for a time to inioy our neighbours house, his wife, his child, his man, maide, or anie thing that he hath, otherwise than we should, wicked, vile, and against that rule of right, wherein we were created, and whereto our regeneration dayly ten­deth if we be the Lordes. And therefore let this argument conuict vs, and this consideration euer assure our soules within, that it is vnlawefull for the childe of GOD once to conceiue an ill thought, although we neuer consent vn­to it. And consequently let it stir vs vp to pray with Dauid against our corrup­tion,Psalm. 51. that the Lorde in mercie woulde vouchsafe to make vs cleane hearts and [Page 494] to renewe a right spirite within vs e­uermore. Let it be still the propertie of a popish spirite to extenuate sinne, and exalt flesh and bloud and corruption a­boue truth and right, saying, concupi­scence is no sinne,Iam. 1.25. but onely bringeth foorth sinne after it hath conceiued. But let the childe of God schooled vp in the trueth of the gospell, presse flesh & bloud and his corrupt nature, so farre as gods worde and lawe presseth it, and let him knowe that first verie concupiscence in it selfe is a damnable degrée, of vice, yet not the highest degrée, but vpon the con­ception thereof followeth actual accom­plishment of wickednesse before, but thought in heart, an higher and further steppe of euill in vs, which is the mea­ning of Iames. For if concupiscence were not euill, then must it néedes be either good or indifferent. But neither of these it can be, and therfore it is euill. Good it is not, for the whole 7 Chapter to the Romans denyeth it. And S. Austen pretily against Iulian gathering vppon his wordes that concupiscence remay­ned in thē that are regenerated though [Page 495] not the guilt of it, that therefore is was good, answereth, Si hoc sentirem, Libr. 6. cap. 6. non dice­rem eam malam esse, sed fuisse. Nos autem malam eam dicimus, & manere tamen in baptizatis. That is, If I had thought so (to wit that it was good) then would not I haue saide it is euill, but it was euill. But we say it is euill, and yet remaineth in them that haue beene baptized. And when Iulian goeth on and vrgeth his as­sertion that neuerthelesse the guilt was taken away, yea (sayth he) Reatus quo hominem reum facit, non quo ipsa rea est, vt homicidij reatus tollitur in aliquo, non ta­men ideo bonum est. That is, That guilt is taken away wherewith shee stayneth man, not wherewith it is stayned it selfe in it selfe. As the guilt and the de­sert of murther a man may bee quit of, and freed from, and yet not the wicked­nesse it selfe in it nature changed for that cause, but remaineth euill still. Good therefore you sée concupiscence is not. And indifferent it is not. For the Apo­stle flatly giueth it an harder name, say­ing,Rom. 7.21. That when he would haue doone good, hee was so yoked, that euill was present with him. If the spirite of God [Page 496] call it euill, beware we presume not to call it indifferent, and beware more howe we play with the pleasure of it, and take delight to doe it. Againe what conclusion carie all those exhortations to crucifie, Crucifie the olde man with all his lusts, and that percing plaint of an Apostles mouth, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bo­die of death? I knowe, I knowe that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good. I say what conclusion carie they all, but this, that concupiscence is neither good nor indifferent but flatly euill?

Que. Howe then falleth it out, that it condemneth vs not?

Ans. The Apostle answereth in the 25. verse,Rom. 7.25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde, and in the next Chap­ter, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus, which walke not after the flesh, Cap. 8.1 but after the spirite. For the lawe of the spirite of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death. So that we sée it is Christ, in whom, and by whom, and for whom wee are not charged with the [Page 497] condemnation due to concupiscence and corruption ingrafted and growning in vs.

Que. But is then all desire and affecti­on and all coueting vnlawefull by this commaundement?

Ans. No indéede, for God hath crea­ted affections and desires in men as mirth, ioy, hunger, thirst, &c. and they should haue béene in man though he had neuer fallen, they should haue loued their children, their parentes, & friends euen standing and abiding in innocen­cie, and therefore these thinges are not euill. Nay the want of them maketh a monstrous absurditie in nature, and therefore not to be maintained. The in­strumentes of affections, and delight, and dolor, created by the Lorde, prooue them allowed, the law of God comman­deth them, and reprooueth their want, Christ our sauiour vntouched by sinne shewed them in great measure, they are spurres, and prickes vnto vertue in vs, and therefore allowed. Besides num­bers of other reasons that might be al­leadged.

[Page 498] Que. What else doe you obserue in the commandement?

Ans. I doe duely weigh the particu­lars that God restrayneth our coueting in, and I sée them to bee such as most commonly, and most without checke, men suffer themselues to be caried away withall. As the house of my neighbour that is his inheritance, landes, and pos­sessions, which we so gréedily often be­houlde and marke, wishing and willing them far far otherwise than a Christian heart should. We can flatter our selfe with our offering of money for them, not remembring that so did Achab for Naboths vineyeard, and yet gréeuouslie offended. Our neighbours wife or an other wiues husbande, God knowes the sinfull thoughtes they cause within vs. For coueting the child against parents liking, and intising away the seruant of an other against their good, they bee thinges wherein fewe of our heartes haue any féeling. And for their cattell, with such sinnefull eies we looke vpon them, that wee euer thinke our neigh­bours bullocke hath a fairer yowre, [Page 499] than our owne hath, as the Poet spea­keth: and therfore, wisely in the naming of these particulars hath the Lorde taught vs wherein commonly our thoughtes offende, and what most care­fully we are to take héede of. Also I fur­ther consider the maruelous care and strict regard, that euerie Christian man and woman ought to haue of their sen­ses, séeing all euill thoughtes are forbid­den. For it is the eie and the eare, that sendeth in sinne in store into our hearts, and neuer shall we haue the one refor­med vnlesse there be a stable couenaunt made with the other.Iob. 31.1. The heart will conceiue wickedly if the eies fréely be­houlde vanities. But checke the one and ye stay the other maruelouslie. And no more quench you the fire by withdraw­ing the wood, than assuredly you staie the course of wicked conceites, when you watch and warde well ouer your senses.

Que. But I pray you what shall wee thinke of dreames, which seeme to be sinnefull and we cannot amende them?

Ans. We must consider the causes of [Page 500] them, and thereby, aswell as we can, growe to some right conceit of our offen­ding by them, and in them. The causes are either inwarde or outwarde, and of inwarde, either the minde it selfe or the bodie. For often doth the minde, the bo­die sléeping, and the senses resting, re­member those thinges which it waking conceiued, and either desired or feared. Also the diuerse complexion and tempe­rature of the bodie occasioneth diuers kindes of dreames, whereby the physi­tion will guesse the nature of the bodie, and causes of disease in the sicke. Cho­lericke men will dreame of fires and downefaules. Melancholicke men of monstrous and horrible thinges. The phlegmatike of waters and dull mat­ters. And the sanguine of pleasant and comfortable euentes. The outwarde causes are also diuers, as the influence of the heauens, the circumstance of ele­mentes, necessitie and want, some hap­ning chance, and such like. Thus doe hungry men dreame of meat, drunken men of moysture, and so foorth. Quae vi­gilantes cogitauimus, ea solent postea dormi­entibus [Page 501] obuersari (sayth one). That is, Such thinges as waking wee earnestly thought of, euen such thinges often wee sleeping dreame of.

Therefore these things thus knowen and weighed, if we dreame wickedly, (to name no particulars) let euerie one consider well what occasion in him selfe he can finde of the same, and if his owne disorder either in dyet, or spéech, or me­ditation, or anie way hath done it, then néedeth he none to tell him, his consci­ence is a thousande witnesses, hee hath offended. Thus answered Gregorie by­shoppe of Rome, when he was writ vn­to for his iudgement of this matter, and if I can find in my selfe none of all these to procure it in me, yet knowe if it be euill it is a frute of corruption, and weigh well the lawe of the Lorde in this behalfe laide downe. Plutarch saith,Leuit. 15. Honest dreames are an argument of vertue in a man, and then me thinke in reason a contrarie effect should bewray [Page 502] a contrarie cause. The same man saith, Peruersorum somnia semper turbata. De virt. & viti. Plutarch. Euill mens dremes are cōmonly troublesome. But I referre you for more of this to o­thers. And this onely I say againe, the bodie well ordred, and the minde well occupied, hardly shall our dreames feare vs for euill.

Que. What nowe then might be the affirmatiue part of this commaunde­ment?

Ans. If thus wee sée all wandring wayes from vpright integritie be they but euen in thought, and that also in the least degrée without any consent, to be by this lawe condemned as impure, what should we sée on the contrary part to be commanded, but euen a full, per­fect, and absolute conformitie, both of minde, will, appetite, and whatsoeuer is in man to the lawe of God? That which Moses in these words describeth, Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart, Deutro. 6.5. and with all thy soule, and with all thy might, Luke. 10.27. and our Sauiour Christ doth adde vnto it for plainenesse sake, with all thy thought: That also [Page 503] which S. Paule describeth thus: This is the will of God euen your sanctification, 1. Thess. 4.7. and that yee should abstaine from forni­cation, that euerie one of you shoulde knowe howe to possesse his vessell in ho­linesse and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, and so foorth. From which exact perfection looke howe farre our conscience truely awaked doeth tell vs we are wanting, euen so farre accur­sed stande we before the Lorde for not fulfilling all, if wee had not a Sa­uiour.

Que. Is there anie punishment out­warde appointed to this lawe?

Ans. No, and that because man can not iudge the guilt of hidden heart. But it suffiseth to feare any man that fea­reth any thing, to consider that the spi­ritual punishment allotted vnto it as to the rest is eternall death, and endlesse torture both of bodie and soule for euer­more in flame of lasting fire. Onely one storie, that I remember, there is recor­ded of some outwarde execution vppon an inward thought, and that is of Glau­cus King of Sparta, Herodotus. who for conceiuing [Page 504] but a thought to retaine Milesius his pledge committed to his kéeping, yet not dooing it, was vtterly destroyed both he and his, and so foretolde by the Oracle whereat he asked counsell