A judicious and painful EXPOSITION upon the ten Commandments; Wherein the Text is opened, Questions and Doubts are resolved, Errors confuted, and sundry Instructions effectually applied. First delivered in several Sermons, and now published to the glory of God, and for the further benefit of his Church. By PETER BARKER, Preacher of God's Word, at Stowre Pain, in Dorsetshire.  Psal. 19 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple. Esay. 8. 10. To the Law and to the Testimony. 
Printed at London for Roger jackson, and are to be sold at his shop near the great Conduit in Fleetstreet, 1624.   

To the Right worshipful the Dean and Canons of the Cathedral Church of Sarum, his very good Patrons.  
RIght Worshipful, when contrary to my custom, I had penned these Sermons, I could not at first determine whether If I should smother them in my desk, or send them out into the common light: I should let them perish as soon as they were brought forth, happily some would indite me of closeness; If I should suffer the world to take a view of them, others would condemn me for profusion; especially seeing that this age being furnished with Books even to satiety and surfeit, may say of the Priests, as Bezaleel of the people; The people bring too much, and more then enough for the use of the Tabernacle, Ex. 36. 5. But while I was thus musing, at last I resolved rather to press then to suppress them, and now they lay open to all censures: If your Worships shall think I sound from my emptiness, yet blame me no more than you will the full handed, which commonly are most sparing: herein mine own heart sometime indicted a good matter, then with the spider did I wove my web out of my own breast: at other times my tongue was the pen of other Writers; then with the Bee did I gather honey out of the flowers, yet so as with the Dog at the River Nilus I never did but touch and go, lap, and away, and being desirous to be rather Scriptor than Exscriptor, a water-spring then a leaden spout, did in gleaning commonly, make others mine own for form by many alterations. If your Worsh●ps shall mark these my poor pains with your stars, you shall encourage me the second time to put pen to paper; but if with your spits, your dislike shall drive me to a non plus, my second Sermons shall never stand in white sheets, and so referring myself and my labour to your charitable censures: I rest  
your Worships in all duty and true affection P. Barker.   

A Brief Table of the principal points Contained in this Exposition.  

A  
ACcusation: The punishment for false accusation, 293. none to b● condemned upon slender accusation, 294. 296. lawful for a man to clear himself when falshly accused, 302.  
Admonition: Sinners to be admonished, 294. why admonitions are doubled, 59 who the worse for admonition, 148.  
Adultery what it is, 123. 259, bred of idleness, 182. of gluttony, 274. how punished, 269. the efects of it, a bad name, 267. a poor estate, 266, a short life, 245. 266. a common sin, 117. 261.  
Affliction: who most subject to them, 20. deliverance from them 24. 30. no argument of God's anger, 22. to Be prepared for before they come, 24.  
Age, old age to be honoured, 212.  
Anger must not be in the heart, 252. nor appear in the tongue, 253. nor countenance, 254 nor any kind of gesture, 255.  
Apparel must be modest, 273. 279.  
Articles of the faith gathered by the Apostles, 6.  
Atheists of no religion, 119. worse than devils. 120.   

B  
Bastardy a blemish, 267. of what privileges bastards are barred, ibid.  
Benefits from whom they proceed, 234.  
Blasphemy how punished, 168.  
Body parents the instrument in framing it, 92. 194. the several parts of it, 92.  
Bounds not to be removed, 283.  
Britain divided into 3 Kingdoms, 14. 166. made a Monarchy by K. james 14. 209.  
Burial: cruelty in taking up the dead, 107. the usurer denied burial, 281. places of burial held in great reverence, 196.   

C  
Chastity: Man and Wife must live sole and chaste, 123. 261. 269. 310.  
Children: their natural affection to their parents, 36. 149. 199. unnatural, 199. bad children, of good parents, 37.  
Children a great blessing of God, 308. to be well brought up, 312. corrected, 207. 267. reverence their parents, 194. obey them, 196. relieve their wants, 198. not glory of blood but virtue, 224. their duty dispensed with, 199  
Christ, deliverance by Christ, 31. 101. no pardon without Christ, 75. 110. or mediator, 102.  
Church of God is militant, 250.  
Combat, single combats unlawful, 246. spiritual combats commanded, 250.  
Company, ill to be avoided, 15. 97. good to be frequented, 15.  
Compassion, deriveth to relief, 27. 257. foolish pity, 243.  
Confusion, required, 68 hardly drawn from us, 29.  
Conscience, may be asleep, 53. will accuse, 297. sin torments the conscience of the bad, 53. as of murderers, 242. 249. and of the good, 56. the wicked sin against their conscience, 296.  
Contentation, we must be content with our estate, 141. 288.  
Covetousness, the covetous makes his goods his God, 39 would engross the world, 130. 278. 307. is a thief, 288. wanteth that he hath, 278. must make restitution, 289.  
Country, love to ones Country. 15.  
Creation, God wonderful in creation, 92.  
Cross, the Cross made an Idol, 85 117. the virtue of it, 85. 112.  
Cruelty, of an Adulterer punished, 243.  
Custom hard to be left, 146. no good excuse for swearing, ib.   

D  
Dancers, the better the worse, 272.  
Dead, which to be lamented, 107. speak nothing but good of them, 107. 298. not to be prayed for, 13●.  
Death terrible to the wicked, 57 welcome to the Godly, 58. unwelcome to the carnal & worldly man, 229. sundry sorts of death 226.  
Delay, a good deed not to be differred, 291. not justice, 134.  
Defense, a man is to defend himself, when he is assaulted, 250. an innocent, when he is accused, 303.  
Desperation, the desperate abuse God's justice, 161.  
Divorce, not lawful, 264. except for adultery, 128. bred through want of love twixt man and wife, 264.  
Dreams, the order of Dominick Friars confirmed by a Dream, 106. no certainty in them, 234.  
Drunkenness shorteneth man's life, 245.   

E  
Election of grace, 123.  
Eloquence, the force of it, 61. not used to colour a bad cause, 295.  
Envy, drinks it own venom, 245.  
Examination, examine our solues, 134.  
Example, judgements on other must be examples to us, 155. God must be our pattern, 188. give good example, 167. superiors to inferiors, 178. 187. inferiors must follow good example, 181. not live by example but by law, 181 198.  
Excuse, sin is not without a shift, 144 kindness in excusing Scripture condemned, 157. an excuse for perjury, 170.  
Experience a good proof: 62.  
Extremities to be avoided, 114. in diet, 41. in pastime, 40. in labour, 184. in reports, 297. about the Cross, 113. about images, 113. about the Sabbath, 174.   

F  
Faith, believeth God's word, 5. is above reason, 60. greater in some then in others, 27. 65.  
Family, householders see their families well ordered, 179. 203. pay their servant's wages, 285. and perform other duties required, 312.  
Fasting, fishdaies why appointed, 9 the body not to be too much pinched, 41. 256. 278.  
Fear, whom to fear, and whom and what not, 46. 47.  
Flattery, smootheth the unworthy, 299. no care to be given unto it, and why, 300.  
Foruication, finable at Rome, 10. not so great a sin as adultery, 259 262.  
Friendship, no league of friendship to be made with idolaters, 132. how all things common among friends, 315.   

G  
Gaming, gamesters given to swearing, 148. not to be made an occupation, 287.  
Gentiles made one people with the jews, 14. 237.  
Gesture, a reverend gesture to be used in the service of God, 4. 118. 119. malice and anger not to be showed by gesture, 255. 303.  
Gluttony, gluttons make their belly their God, 41. to be restrained, 275. 279. it shorteneth life, 244  
God, in God power and mercy go together, 11. justice and mercy, 67. 76. best acquainted with mercy, 136. filleth all places, 12. 71. 94. seethe all things, 35. 66. 71. 89. his especial properties, 47. his image not to be made, 88 no respecter of persons, 127. 181 despised in his Ministers, 214. must have his titles, 166.  
Gospel, the law first to be preached, than the Gospel, 138. 214.  
Government or dained by God, 136. 205. a Monarchy the best government, 206.   

H  
Hatred, malice would dispatch him whom it hates, 257.  
Hearing, preparation before hearing, 4. 176. attention in hearing 3. 177. 216. meditation after hearing, 6. 177. & conference, & prayer, 178. a wanton care to be stopped, 271.  
Heaven, a place of rest, 184.  
Hell torments everlasting, 184.  
Holy days, which to be observed, 105. by whom brought in, 106. 111. 112. by whom put down, 106.  
Holy water, the virtue of it 114.  
Honour, upon whom it is ill bestowed 222. is due to virtue, 223. not to stand upon reputation, 249.  
Hospitality laid down, 279.  
Husband's must love their wives, & contra, 263. 310 none to be bawds to their own beds, 124. 261. 315.  
hypocrites have fair shows, 118: but foul hearts, 162.   

I  
Idolatry came in by the first fall, 82 our nature prone to it, 76. 86. Egypt full of it, 15. 16. so was Indea, 81. so was England, 16. 79. so all the world, 83. 97 places full of Idolatry to be avoided, 18.  
Idolaters, like adulterers, 123. spare no cost to set up Idolatry, 43. 77. 79. 97. haters of God, 131.  
Idols, the Mass an Idol, 85. the virtue of it, 111.  
jews Gods peculiar people, 13. 121 237. his spouse, 122.  
jealousy is the rage of a man, 126.  
Ignorance the mother of superstition, 85.  
Images said to be laymen's books, 83. 90. the simple seduced by them, 89. may be made for civil uses, 93. 95. not to be prayed to, 98. to the suppressed. 92. their defacers punished, 116. the preparation of the image-maker before he made it, 87. not necessary for building God's Temple. 89.  
Incest permitted by the Pope, 11.  
Inconstancy, the inconstant always variable, 51.  
Ingratitude in forgetting Gods blessings, 29. 31.  
Intent, good intent no good excuse, 134.  
judges to punish offenders, 251. to defend the innocent, 207. to determine a right, ib. first to examine, then to punish, 70. 295.  
jurors to have a care of their verdict, 295.   

K  
Kings ordained of God, 205. their office, 208. honour the King, 205 210. but not above God, 212. the blessing reaped by them, 209.  
Knowledge, the more knowledge the more duty expected, 80. 86.   

L  
Labour, man must labour, 64. 181 punishment for idleness, 183. the idle man a thief, 182. 286.  
Law, of nature gives but a dim light, 1. is wrapped up in three volumes, 91.  
La maral a direction for our lives 1. 134. 282. the immediate word of God's mouth, 2. not to be dispensed with, 9 enters to the very thoughts, 396. 314.  
Law of the land slandered to defend usury, 282.  
Lawyers not to defend a bad cause, 294.  
Liberality to whom to be extended, 235. 315 rewarded, 235.  
Life sweet 43, 237 short 228. that to come to be most reckoned of 230. long life a blessing of God 226. be careful to preserve other men's lives 256. to defend our own. 151.  
Lying, a liar not believed when he sweareth 145.  
Lots, how used, how abused 248.  
Love God 123. more than kindred 36. then substance 37. then life 44. then credit 146.  
Love and fear concur in the godly 46. love one another 257. the nature of love 257, 315, 316. not uncharitable in censures 304.  
Lust, sin 270. to be weeded out 270 310, 313. enters by the eye 271 restrained 263.   

M  
Marriage, ordained for a remedy against sin 261. to be made with equals 122. with consent of parents 197. not with idolaters, 132, 165. what respected in marriages 122, 196. what privileges second marriages are barred of 265 the marriage bed when to be forborn 262.  
Martyrs, the mother and her infant 17. the Prophets, Apostles, and others 44, 112. their kinds of death 44. feared not their persecutors 45, 58.  
Means, by what means God can work 62. God's graces not tied to means 64. must be used 63.  
Meats, which may be eaten 40, 274. hunger and thirst their best spices 287, 288.  
Mercy, God most prone to mercy 140. his mercy everlasting 140 142, 232. must restrain us from sin 155.  
Merits no salvation by merits 138.  
Ministers must have learning 214. take pain 65. yet not surfeit of immoderate study 256. conform themselves to their doctrine 153 187. are spiritual fathers 213. must have reverence 214. and maintenance 218.  
Murder, not kill ourselves 227, 244. not others 238. what punishment for it, 240. Parricides monsters in nature 200.   

N  
Name, Gods name not to be abused to sin, or to colour any wickedness 160. he that hath a bad name is half hanged, 267.   

O  
Obedience must be absolute 8. due to God 13, 32, 135. induced by God's love 121. must proceed of love 133, 135. performed by wind and sea to none but God, 301. wrested from the wicked 133.  
Oppression, God vieweth it 73. kerbed by good Princes 209.  
Oppressors their nature 72, 258. 307.  
Oppressed to be relieved 258.  
Oaths, lawful to take an oath 163. lawful oath to be performed, 151 unlawful to be broke, 150. by Saints forbidden, 108. and by Cross, 112. not reckoned of by the crafty, 169. nor by swaggerers 149. nor common swearers, 145 circumstances to be observed in oaths, 164. forms of oaths, 108, 164.  
Papists lose their credit, and how, 10 continue obstinate and why, 51.  
Parents, their love to their children, 36, 78. their duty, 193. see children unnatural, 193, have no care of bastards, 267. must be honoured, and why, 193. how their sin punished in their offspring, 128, 268.  
Patience in affliction, 21, 26. in oppression, 73. when God taketh from us, 236. when man wrongeth us, 254.  
Patience in God before he punish, 70, 127.  
Patrons their duty, 219, 277.  
Peace, a blessing reaped by good Kings, 208.  
Perjury punished by God and man, 168. the perjured offensive to God and man, 152. 294.  
Persecution, God's Church persecuted by Tyrants, 45.  
Persecutors cannot hurt the soul, 58.  
Pleasures, men addicted to them, 311 their end bitter, 268.  
Pledges what must be taken, and from whom, 284.  
Pope, his revenues great in England, 10. taken away, 10, 17. his power, 12. assoileth subjects of obedience, 11. 170. rewardeth traitors, 211. buildeth a Stews, 269. a woman Pope, 12.  
Poverty a fruit of idleness, 182. and whoredom, 266. to be content with poverty, 288.  
Pour of God, universal, 11 to him nothing impossible, 61, 65. the deniers of it profane his name, 161  
Prayer, must be private and public 119. importunate, 250. both with heart and tongue, 71. not to be made to images, 98. nor Saints, 102.  
Preaching, God maketh it profitable, 65. Funeral Sermons must be without flattery, 107.  
Presumption, abaseth God's mercy, 161.  
Prodigality spends all, 38, 130.  
Profit, all seek their own, 311. common more to be respected then private, 257. 278. not to be unlawfully gotten, 286.  
Promise, God's promise of temporal blessings conditional, 26. 225. God is true in his promises, 60. 233. so is an honest man, 145.  
Prosperity, hath no perpetuity, 23. makes us forget God, 33.  
Providence, God hath a provident care over all his creatures, 60. they which deny it profane God's name, 161.  
Punishment, difference betwixt Gods punishing the good and the bad, 23.   

R  
Reading, in reading pass by that, which maketh passage to sin, 272  
Recreation lawful, 40. the bounds of it, 40. 287.  
Redemption, wrought by the blood of Christ, 101. the work of redemption greater than of creation, 186.  
Religion, men will hardly alter their religion, 43. persecution causeth alteration, 44. not dispensed with by good Princes, 209.  
Relics of Saints abused to idolatry, 84. a relic sunday kept in their honour, 84. and other holidays, 110. not to be honoured, 109.  
Reproach, fear of it hinders the performance of duty, 50, 67.  
Restitution, goods ill gotten must be restored, 289. to whom restitution must be made, 290. when, in what measure, 291.  
Revenge, our nature subject to revenge, 253.  
Riches, not set our hearts on them, 38. not be proud of them, 235. no contentation in them if wrongfully gotten, 289. ill gotten, ill spent, 130.  
Rumours not to be feared, 50.   

S  
Sabbaoth, therein rest from work of our calling, 173. 109. from sin, 175. Psalms for the Sabbaoth, 176. the day altered, and why, 186.  
Sacrilege in Patroness, 275. in profaning the Sabbaoth, 185.  
Saints cannot help us, 100 to be worshipped, 102. orpraied unto, ibid.  
Satan his malice, 71. combating with Christ, 249. fitting his temptation to every man's humour, 8.  
Scripture, some more excellent than other, 2, concealed, 9, 156. dispensed withal by the Pope, 10. by the Pharisees, 199. ill applied, 12. 159. derided, 155. altered, 156. wrested, 158. our tongues must talk of it, 165. not prattle of it, 152. may have a double sense, 159.  
Servants to be respected in sickness, 203. 312. their duties, 203. 313 God's judgement upon an untrusty servant, 204.  
Service of God, God must appoint the manner of it, 91.  
Sickness, man subject to diverse diseases, 257. must use means to recover, 64. 228. but not rely on the means, 64. places infectious to be avoided, 228.  
Sin, man hath a beloved sin, 7. it reigneth in us by nature, 31. is subdued by grace, ibid. men hide it, 66. extenuate it, 147. have secret sins, 66. 138. 306. crying sins, 238. 285. will be discovered, 99 restrained by fear, 127. shrouded under virtue's habit, 270. to be stopped at entrance, 305 309. sin in omission of good, 117 163. sin original man borne in it, 128. Marry said to be without it, 105. God may in justice punish it, 128.  
Slander, not to slander, 292. the slanderer robs a man of his good name, 298. to be rebuked, 221, 302.  
Sorcery, God's word not to be abused to sorcery, 154. nor his name, 160  
Subjects tender over their King's life 211. to pay tribute, ibid.   

Temple, not to be profaned, 185, 189 to be visited, 177. come to it to profit, 217. tarry in it till service be ended, 177.  
Thanks for deliverance from trouble, 27. 30. from spiritual enemies, 32. for rooting out superstition 18. for all blessings, 236.  
Theft forbidden, 275. 280. bred of idleness, 182. most punished in the rich, 259. what Lawyer, Physician and Minister guilty of it, 280  
Time, not to be neglected, 231.  
Tithes must be paid, 219. 277. theft to withhold them, 185.  
Tradition added to scripture, 156.  
Treason, gunpowder most detestable, 30. not to be committed with hand or heart, 170.  
Traitors punished, 30.  
Tyrants their cruelty, 19 their will is a law, 65.   

V  
Usurers, thiefs, 281. their arguments answered, 282. to whom a man may let to use, 281. how God may be said an usurer, ibid.   

W  
War lawful, 251. means must be used in war, 63. yet not reliedon, 61. valour in war 222. Duels unlawful, see Combat.  
Will and Testaments to be fulfilled, 149. usurers will, no will, 281. bad Executors, 285. trusty Executors, 149.  
Witness, must testify a truth, 294. false witness a murderer, 292.  
Wives, their love to their husbands, 265. 241. must give no occasion of suspicion, 126. a bad wife a great punishment, 126. 314. against community of wives, 216. 362.  
Words, the tongue bound to the good abearing, 143. 253. 272. must not run before the wit, 169.  
Works, good works must be well done 1 4. 290. our best have imperfections, 137. 306. God accepteth our willingness, 139.  
The Works of God to be deeply considered, 162. are wrapped up in three large volumes, 167.   

Z  
Zeal and knowledge must go together, 80. must be showed when God is dishonoured, 253.    

Errata.  
fol. 17 lin. 24 for distinguishing Read disguising, f 18 l 31 for wine R Egypt, f 40 l 4 for salve R sale, fol 41 l 22 for save R seem, fol 42 l 34 for show holy R their belly, f 65 l 19 for Cipher R Ciser, f 90 l 24 marg for john 4 R 2, f 148 l 15 for Children R choler, l 30 for but R for, f 206 l 26 for both sometime R loathsomely, f 219 l 8 for praying R paying, f 220 l 36 for lines R limbs, f 232 l 24 for use R lose, f 278 l 11 for lines R limbs, f 311 l 3 for his R her, f 313 l 6 for him R time, l 22 for Elizabeth R Elias, f 180 l 36 for honesty R honour, f 45 l 25 put in birds, f 89 l 18 put in He;  
leave out in 
fol. 26 lin. 3. he stingeth yet more, f 27 l 24 & that therefore she did ask him, f 55 l 18 in body, f 250 l 14 him, f 255 l 32 look for an answerne.    

THE PREFACE upon the ten Commandments.  
IN the first age of the world from Adam to Moses, men had no other guide to conduct them for the carriage of their lives, than the Law of Nature, which Saint Paul calleth 
a Rom. 2. 1●  a Law written in the heart, and others ius gentium the law of nations, because all Nations had some glimpse of knowledge by it: but great things are not seen in the dark, nor little things in the common light, but in the sun beams the least mote may be discerned, so in the darkness of nature great sins were little seen, and therefore the heathen thought simple fornication to be no sin, but this the literal sense of the Law condemned. But the motions of the heart are discerned by the Law spiritually understood, and therefore men being as young scholars, which cannot frame their letters without a Copy, God gave them a Law written as a mould wherein to cast all their thoughts a touchstone whereby to try all their words, the Beam of the Sanctuary, whereupon all their actions should be balanced, all their works weighed, a written warrant without which a good man dare do nothing, and with which what dare he not? This is the Moral Law contained in the ten Commandments, unto which this is the Preface, like the forefront of the Sanctuary like the sound of a trumpet before some weighty proclamation, a forerunner of the law, as john of the Gospel with letters of commendation.  
Exodus 20. 1. God spoke all these words and said, I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  

Wherein consider. 

1. The Lawgiver: God spoke all these words.  
2. His natural properties 

1. his greatness, I am the Lord.  
2. his goodness set out 

1. generally thy God.  
2. specially in having a regard 

1. of their souls in drawing them out of a place subject to superstition  
2. of their bodies in bringing them from bondage.           
GOd spoke these words: 1 In other parts of the Bible God used other men's mouths, 
b Luc. 1. 70  he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, and 
c 2 Pet. 1. 21  holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost: 2 he used other men's pens, there were Scribes which were the pens of Gods own finger, as there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
d 2 Chr. 24 11.  men's Scribs called Notaries, 
e jer. 36. 10  Secretaries, 
f 2 Reg. 18. 18.  Recorders, and 
g jer. 8. 8.  Gods Scribes whose office was to write the words of the Lord and to expound it; but in delivering this law, God spoke himself. The Decalogue was the immediate word of his own mouth, he did 
h Ex. 31. 18  write himself, he made his own pen public Notary of his tongue, his own finger was the pen, so that we may say as the Enchanters of Egypt in another case, 
i Ex. 8. 19  Digitus Dei est hic, this is the finger of God.  
This double dignity in speaking and writing, which the law hath above other scripture, teacheth us to lend a most attentive ear unto it.  
The holy Ghost commends unto us some scriptures as more excellent than other, in respect of our use or several necessities, by remarkable notes, either in the beginning of the speech, as 
k Mat. 1. 23  behold, which mark of attention is as the ringing of a Bell before the sermon, or in the end of the speech as 
l Ps. 3. 2. ●  Selah, which is a postcript, and teacheth us to look back and in this case to be like 
m Gen. 19 26.  Lot's wife, who turned back and looked behind her.  
Sometime the holy Ghost writeth more artificially then at other times as 
n Psal. 111. 112. 119.  some psalms, and the Lamentations of jeremy are written in an Alphabetical order to note their dignity, and help the memory.  
Sometime the holy Ghost giveth some scripture a name above other names, as David calleth the 120 Psalm and 14 Psalms following, songs of Degrees, not for that the Levites did raise the tune in singing those Psalms, for these and other Psalms had the like tune, nor yet because they were sung on the stairs of the temple, for Solomon built the temple after those Psalms were styled by that name, but because (as a learned writer of our time hath well observed) they were excellent Psalms of a higher degree, and more special use.  
But neither note, nor name, nor any thing else can commend unto us any especial scripture, whereby to move attention so much as this which is superlative to them all, God delivered the law with his own mouth, God did write it with his own finger, so that he might say for the one as joseph to his brethren; 
o Gen. 45. 12  Behold, your eyes do see that mine own mouth speaketh to you: and for the other, as Paul to Philemon, 
p Philem. 19  I have written this with mine own hand.  
2. God is a judge, his Law is a Charge, and when the judge doth give the Charge, every man is ready to hearken to it.  
3. There is an interchangeable speech betwixt God and us, we speak unto God in prayer and thanksgiving, he speaketh to us, by the audible sound of his word, or secret voice of his Spirit; we cry unto God that he would hear us, that our prayers may go up, and his mercy may come down, that God and our prayers may meet together in heaven, 
q joh. 4. 7.  as Christ and the woman at jacob's well, and God interchangeably crieth to us that we would hear him: the voice that descended from heaven gave nothing else in charge but this: 
r Mat. 17. 5.  hear him: as though other duties were comprised in hearing, and Christ speak of hearing, when he told Martha, 
s Luc. 10. 32.  one thing was necessary, as though other necessities were to give place unto it. 
t Pro. i 24. 28.  He that stoppeth his ears when God speaketh, shall speak himself and not be heard.  
Therefore be not like hounds, which have their ears hanging towards the earth, by reason whereof the sound and voice cannot so soon enter; much less be like the deaf adder, 
u Psal. 58. 4  which stoppeth her ears, but be like the little birds which peirk up their heads when the dam doth bring them meat, and be ready to say with Samuel when God speaketh, 
x 1 Sam. 3. 10.  speak Lord thy servant heareth.  
Secondly God speaketh. Therefore wash away the dregs of sin before you come to hear, as the adder slips of her skin as the Eagle casts her bill, as blind Bartimeus the legger threw 
y Mar. 10. 50.  away his cloak before he came unto Christ.  

z Es. 55. 1.  Come to the waters and drink, but be like the Serpent, who when he comes to drink, first spews up his poison.  
God's law is pure, and will ask pure and clean vessels wherein to keep it; it is new wine, and will not be put into old stinking bottles: 
a Ps. 119. 105.  God's word is a Lantern and light, sin is a curtain drawn over the heart, which hideth and eclipseth the light from shining unto you, and therefore first 
b jam. 1. 27.  lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of maliciousness, and then receive with meekness the word that is graffed in you which is able to save your souls.  
Thirdly, God speaketh: therefore hear with reverence.  
If a Proclamation come from the King, we uncover our heads to hearken to it: when 
c jud. 3. 20.  Ehud told Eglon, he had a message from God, he arose from his throne: 
d Deu. 31. 26.  The Ark wherein the law was put 
e Ex. 25. 11 14.  was within and without overlaid with pure gold. It was carried upon bars that the Levites might not touch it, that so the majesty and dignity might breed in the people reverence: when the Ark came from the Philistims, the Bethlemites received it with great gladness, but using it with little reverence, 
f 1 Sam. 6, 19  it caused the destruction of many.  
It was not given in charge to the Elders of Israel to teach the people as it was to the Levites, yet when the law was delivered to the sons of Levi, 
g Deu. 31. 9  it was also delivered to the Elders, and they were joined as assistants with them, that it might be the more reverently regarded of the people.  
If we hear the law as Sarah did the message of the Angel, 
h Gen. 18. 12  who laughed when she heard it, or as Pharaoh did the message sent unto him from God concerning the deliverance of Israel, 
i Ex. 5. 2.  who blasphemed when he had heard it, or as jehoiakim did the roll which Baruch wrote at the mouth of jeremy, 
k ●er. 36. 23  who cut it in pieces with a penknife, and burned it when he had heard it, if we can dispute and talk of it as though our tongues did run upon pattens, if we cast it behind us 
l Ps. 50. 17.  as the  in the fiftieth Psalm, than the excessive reverence of the jews shall condemn our defect, who at this day hear and read, keep and use the law of God with all reverence, they never lay any other book upon the Bible; they wash their hands before they touch it, they will not sit upon the bench where it lieth, as often as they open or shut it, they use to kiss it.  
Fourthly, God speaketh therefore believe.  
That men might get credit to their laws they were reported to be inspired by the Gods at Rome, at Athens and other places, the Heathen gods were lying gods and dying gods, but God who gave this law is truth and life, and his law like himself, vera est, viva est, sana est, plana est, what he speaketh passeth by indenture, by covenant, by oath, before good witnesses, signed with the finger of the holy Ghost, and sealed with the blood of the Son.  
2. If inferior persons speak they persuade by reason, knowing they have no authority to give them credit: 
m Ex. 4. 1.  They will not believe me (saith Moses) they will say the Lord hath not appeared unto thee, therefore the Lord tells him, he shall have a testimonial, he shall have evidence to show, the miracles which he worketh shall prove his commission: but Kings and Princes of their mere authority look to be believed, here God speaketh 
n 1 Tim. 6. 15.  who is King of Kings, take the word of a King for it.  
3. Ipse dixit, among Pythagoras' scholars went current, if their master said it, it was enough, they set up their rest, and shall not we that are scholars of Christ, give the like credit to our master in heaven? Believe when he saith he will visit, believe when he saith he will show mercy. Neither doth the Angel use any other argument to confirm the women in the resurrection than this, 
o Mat. 28. 7  Lo I have told you.  
Lastly, God speaketh. The law is his word, and therefore it must not go in at one ear, and out at another, it must not be as music, which once ended there is no more remembrance of it, or as untimely fruit, which perisheth as soon as it is brought forth: if it were of no reckoning, it were no matter, if it went as it came, if it were of little moment, it were no matter though it went no further than the outward ear, than the porters lodge; but it is purer than gold, yea then much fine gold, 
p Mat. 13. 46.  it is a precious pearl, and therefore must be kept under lock and key in the closet of the heart, 
q Col. 3. 16  it must dwell in us, we must be like jacob; 
r Gen. 37. 11  who noted the saying, and like Mary, 
s Luc. 2. 51  who kept all the sayings in her heart. If we can say as job in another case, 
t job 16. 2.  We have often heard such a thing, and do not incorporate it, and keep it in us, we shall receive the same check which the jews did, 
u Io. 5. 38.  His word have ye not abiding in you.  
God spoke all these words. When God would bless the people which kept his law, and curse the disobedient, 
x Deut. 27. 12. etc.  six Tribes should stand upon mount Gerizhim to bless, and six upon mount ebal to curse, and the people should not be left out, for they should answer and say, So be it: In setting down the Articles of our faith, it hath been held as a tradition that Peter began, and afterwards every Apostle added his Article, and therefore called the Apostles Creed, but in delivering the Law, God was not one of six, nor one of twelve, he had no copertner but spoke all himself as, 
y jams 2 11  He that said thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, thou shalt not kill, and so of the rest.  
If God spoke all, than we must hear all, obey all. The jews could be content to hear Steven, till he touched the disease; Noli me tangere, 
z Act 7. 54  but then they gnashed at him with their teeth: to hear Paul, till he delivered words which stood not with their liking, than they said, 
a Act. 2. 22  Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not meet that he should live. The blasphemer who arms himself to strike the Lord with some deadly wound can happily be content to hear the first, to hear the second commandment, but if God will speak further, he shall have better leave to hold his peace, if he will write further in the first table, he will be ready to cry manum de tabula, harp no more on that string, untoothsome is that truth, which treadeth down his own like. The Adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and commonly faulteth in the dark, and because the seventh commandment doth light him a candle, he doth not willingly give it the hearing: and so of the rest, if any one commandment doth cross the paths of our special delights, would wrest us in tune, would call the eye of the soul home to itself, and make us see a glimpse of that we would not, we can no more away with it, than the owl can with the sunshine, or then the frantic man can with him that bindeth him: 
b Heb. 11. 25.  Sin itself is sweet, but the check of sin is bitter, and no commandment gracious that is a censure of that iniquity we delight in, but God that speaketh all bids us 
c Deu 12. 28.  hear all.  
Secondly: God spoke all, therefore we must obey all.  
The breach of one commandment is enough to staunch the blood of the dying Lord: he that is hurt may as well die of one mortal wound as of an hundred: the least forfeit forfeiteth the whole lease, the least leaking may drown the ship, and 
d Mat. 5. 19  he that shall break one of these least commandments and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven.  
This meeteth with those which can be content to abandon many sins, to observe some commandments, but they have a beloved sin, and for that they will dispense with themselves, it is their darling and shall live and die with them: 
e Mar. 6. 20  Herod had many good motions, he feared john, knowing that he was a just man and an holy and reverenced him, and when he heard him, he did many things and heard him gladly, but he will not leave his brother Philip's wife, say he what he will, in that he will not dance after john Baptists pipe, but rather give john's head to the dancing damsel, whoredom is his delight, and he will have a gap for his incest.  

f 2 King. 5. 17. 18.  Naaman protesteth that he will do service to no other God save to the Lord: but yet he must needs be present at the service of Idols, and herein the Lord be merciful unto thy servant, who carries an upright soul in a prostrate body: but what is this, but as if the wife should say unto her husband, husband you shall have my heart, but I pray bear with me, if you take my body in bed with another man.  
The Israelites destroyed the Citizens of Hay, but fa●ed 
g Iosh. 8. 23  the King alive, we can be content to stay many sins, to nip them on the head, and as if we had marshal law in our hand, when we see them condemned, presently proceed to execution, but we save the King alive and favour some principal sin in ourselves. The whoremonger saith, forgive me the sweet sin of lasciviousness, if I come into the sin of usury, God than spears me not: but this is to be like Benhadad who recovers of 
h 2 King. 8. 10.  one disease, and presently dies of another.  
The cunning fisher useth not one bait for all fishes, nor always the same bait for the same fish, but as he sees the fish will bite so he baits his hook, so Satan tempteth not all men to one sin, nor always the same man to the same sin, but applieth himself every way, as he seethe every man given either by inclination of nature or condition of life, Some bite at pleasures, and he taketh them with the ⁱ daughters of Moab, 
Num. 25. 1.  other gape at riches, and to catch them he baits his hook 
k Luk. 14. 18. 19  with a Farm or with Oxen, 
l 2 King. 5. 22.  or a talon of silver, other post for preferment as fast as jehu hasted forth his chariot, 
m 2 King. 9 20.  he dro●e as if he had been mad: & if they may climb up to honour they care not though they climb, 
n ● Sam. 14  as jonathan and his armour bearer did to the Garrison of the Philistines by the raggedness of the ro●kes, he shows to these some honourable place that is void, so he took Silvester the second, he by the devils help got to be Pope on this condition, that after his death he should be his: Satan hath the length of every man's foot, and then he fits him, thus uncleanness is the sin of one man, covetousness of another, ambition of a third, these they favour, but God who spoke all these words, forbiddeth all sins against his words, and therefore all must be eschewed, and Saint Paul will have us take a purgation which may rid us of all sin, 
o 1 Cor. 5. 7  purge out the old leaven, and make us cast up all corruption, as Christ when he cast out one devil cast out all, 
p Luc. 8. 33  even a whole legion together.  
Indeed Princes upon special occasions dispense with some of their subjects for penal statutes, as for example, fishdays are commanded to be observed by a Statute 2. Ed. 6. 19 5 Eliz. 5. under a sub pana, that the Tribe of Zabulon, 
q Gen. 49. ●●  which dwells by the Sea side might have maintenance, 
r Neh 13. 16.  that Tyrus and such as live upon navigation might have utterance for their commodities, that there may be maintenance of store, for 
s Num. 11. 21. 22.  what abundance of flesh will a multitude consume in one month, that God▪ 
t Gen. 1:  who created the fishes of the sea, and 
u Gen. 9 2  gave man an interest therein, 
x Ps. 100LS. 25.  might have praises as well for sea as land, but yet all persons which by notorious sickness shallbe enforced for the recovery of their health to eat flesh for the time of their sickness, shall have a licence to eat flesh upon the days forbidden, but God who spoke all these words, binds us all to all in general, binds us all to all in particular.  
Therefore the Pope is to blame two ways, 1. In leaving out one commandment, 2. In dispensing with other, and as the Papists when they put in print origen's work upon john, left quite out the sixth Chapter, for fear it should reprove their error touching the communion, so do they omit in their prayer books, and catechisms the second commandment, because it is sharp and rips the heartstring of the Church of Rome, and to fill up the number of ten, they divide the tenth into two, and this hath been an usual custom among them, if they meet with any thing, that thwarts the grounds of Popery, they labour with some cunning gloss, as with a wrist to make it tune to the key thereof, if the gloss will not help (which many times is viperina, and eats out the bowels of the text) if no shift of Descant will serve the turn, then with the dash of a pen as with a sponge they blot it out clean, and cut the knot which they cannot untie: thus in keeping back part, 
y Act. 5. 2.  as Ananias and Saphira, they are pickers of their master's treasure, and very thiefs, which suppress the marks whereby they may be known, lest they should be taken, like the devil in the Gospel, who when he tempteth Christ, presumption comes like a divine, and brings the Psalter with him, but in alleging the psalm, he as subtle as the Cranes, who flying over the hill Taurus which is full of Eagles, carry stones in their mouths, lest their voice bewray them, concealeth these words; they shall keep thee in all thy ways, because they 
z Ps. 91. 11.  made against him, the ways to which he tempted, being none of Christ's ways, and like the painter which Plutarch speaketh of, who when he had drawn a hen in very bad proportion, chased away the living hens from his shop window, lest his evil workmanship should be perceived, but it fareth with them as it did with the painter in Queen Mary's times, whom when he had painted King Henry the eight in harness, with a sword in the one hand, and a book in the other, whereupon was written verbum Dei, the Bishop of Winchester sent for him, and after many reviling words, commanded him to wipe out the book and verbum Dei too, the painter because he would be sure to wipe out both clean, wiped away a piece of the hand withal: and the Papists while they wipe out verbum Dei, and take away what they please out of the word of God, have wiped out their hand too, they cannot so much prevail with men, seeing their leger de main, as otherwise they might, no by this and the like means not only their arm is shortened 
a 1 Sam. 2. 31.  like Elyes arm, but the very legs of their holy father the Pope are broken, 
b Io. 19 32  like the legs of the thiefs, which were crucified with Christ. King Henry the eight broke his right leg of rents and revenues, whereas before that time his legs were strong like the legs of the image in Nebuchadnezars' dream, because many patrimonies went down his throat, and by the foisted name of Peter's patrimony, he devoured the natural inheritance of secular Princes, whereas before that time his kitchen full of gridirons and caldrons to broyle and boil souls, was like an iron mill, which consumes all the wood in a country, and all the floods in England did run into his sea. King Edward the sixth broke his left leg, of Idolatrous service, when the temple was well purged, Images burned, when many papists shipped over their trinkets, and packed away their paltry; but our late Q. Elizabeth of famous memory crushed his head, 
c jud. 9 53  like the woman who cast a piece of a millstone upon the head of Abimel●ch, and broke his brainpan.  
Secondly, if God spoke all, and all must be obeyed, then is the Pope to blame to dispense with the law, or any part of it, yet he alloweth of courtesans (who pay tribute for licence to be common whores, the Auditor of his Exchequer excommunicating those, which keep not touch in bringing it in;) neither is only fornication finable in Rome, and a good salable kind of sin, but very incest itself, for the Pope permitteth the brother to marry his wne brother's wife, and the uncle his sister's daughter.  
Neither dispenseth he with the breach of the seventh Commandment alone, but if he be displeaseed with the King, as he was with King john, then against the fifth Commandment he assoileth Earls, Barons, Knights, and all other manner of men of their homages, services, and fealties that they should do unto him, commanding under pain of his great cuise, that no man should obey him, keep him company, eat or drink or talk with him, forbidding his own household to do him any kind of service, either at bed, or at board, in Church, hall, or stable: But what need I speak of this or that particular Commandment, when the Canonists say, he may dispense with the laws of God and sins of men, that he may dispense against the law of God, against the law of Nature, against Saint Paul the Apostle, against the old, against the new, against all the Commandments of the old and new Testament: May I not say unto him as Moses to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, 
d Num. 16. 7  ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. But I proceed being indeed more desirous to lead men in the road way, then to show them the turnings, or point at them that wander out of the way.  
I am the Lord thy God: 
e judg. 14. 14.  In sampson's riddle, out of the strong came sweetness, honey out of the Lion's belly, here is a medely of the name according to sampson's riddle, both of strong and sweet: the Lord, see how strong God is: thy God; taste and see how sweet the Lord is: he is fort●er suavis, and suaviter fortis, there is a sweet intercourse of both, that both the one and the other might win obedience to the law.  
I am the Lord: God hath a Lordship in heaven, where he hath good servants; in hell where he hath bad, in earth where he hath both: he is not a God of heaven alone, as the Poet's feigned jupiter, not of hell alone, as they feigned Pluto, nor of earth alone, as 
f 1 King. 20 23.  the Aramites spoke, as though there were gods of the mountains, and gods of the valleys, but of all.  
The Pope, though he hath but some angle, not all the corners of the earth, though he is but as a fox in a hole, yet the Papists say as much of him, as God saith here of himself: his discreet Doctors say, he is potestate maximus, bonitate optimus, which Epithets in former times were proper to God, who was called, Deus Optimus Maximus. Others say, he is not wholly God, nor wholly man, and this was true in Pope joane, they speak righter than they are ware, for she was a woman: but a Canonist saith plainly, our Lord God the Pope, and the Pope (as Bishop jewel reporteth) was content to suffer one of his parasites to say unto him in the late Counsel of Lateran, Thou art another God on earth, and he weareth a triple crown, either because he would usurp the Antichristian power over the three divisions of the world, Europe, Asia, and Africa; or else for that he would be a Lord of heaven, where he may Canonize Saints of hell, where he may free souls out of Purgatory, of the earth, where he may bind and lose, set up and put down at his pleasure, and because happily you will not believe their own bare words, you shall hear how they bring scripture for it, 
g Ps. 8. 6.  he hath put all things in subjection under his feet, the beasts of the field i men living on the earth, the fishes in the sea i souls in Purgatory, the fowls of the air i the souls of the blessed, risum teneatis? this would make Heraclitus himself, who always wept to fall a laughing, it were present remedy against all his tears.  
But in earnest, if the Pope cannot do this, why do they attribute so much unto him: if he can, what can God do more? he can say no more in general terms to show his power and dominion, to show his mercy and goodness than this, I am the Lord thy God.  
A Lord whose title is alike to all places, and therefore inordinate quarunt 
h Io. 8. 19  ubi est, quia ubique est, the Pharisees should not ask where he is? but where is he not? he is a circle whose centre is no where, and circumference every where; he filleth all things, not that they contain him, but rather that he contains them; he is whole in all things, and all things in him, and as he beareth up heaven and earth, and yet is not burdened, so he filleth heaven and earth, and yet is not enclosed. Heaven is his chamber of presence, there he is by glory, the heart of his elect is his prevy chamber, there he is by grace, and though he be fare off from the thoughts of the wicked, yet is he not away, for where he is absent by grace, there is he present by vengeance.  
The argument than is this, I am the Lord, therefore you that are servants must obey: 
i Mat. 8. 8.  I say to my servant do this, and he doth it: It is G●rrans observation. The other Apostles call Christ 
k Mat. 26. 22. 25.  Lord, because they meant to obey him, but judas doth not so, because he had shaken off the yoke of obedience: they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: howsoever it come to pass that our Geneva translation in English make no difference in the title.  

l Luc. 19 3. 8.  Zacheus desired to see jesus, because he needed a saviour, by and by he called him Lord, as though he were at his beck to do his will.  
The whole order of nature is nought else then a proof of the obdience, which all creatures both above and beneath yield unto the Lord, the 
m job 37. 12.  Rain, Winde, and Storms execute that he commandeth: 
n Mat. 8. 27  The Sea obey him, when he stilleth the raging waves thereof, when he treads upon it, as his freehold, 
o Mat. 14. 25.  when it is so stiff, that he may walk upon it. 
p Luc 5. 6. 7  The inhabitants of the sea obey him, when they come thick and threefold into Simons net. The earth obey 
q joh. 11. 43  him, when he bids Lazarus come forth. The heavens obey him, 
r Act. 1. 9  when it openeth and receiveth him into glory. This is sufficient evidence to condemn us, and shall set a gloss on our rebellion, if we which have sense, wit, and reason, shall disobey, if the heart of our heart, and the inmost concavity thereof, which is made to contain vital breath, be not filled up with subjection to the will of the Lord, that we can say every one of us, thy law is within my heart.  
The Lord thy God: the Lord of all by right of possion, the Lord God by right of ereation, but the Lord thy God O Israel by ●ight of special election, for thou art separated from other Conntries as 
s Es. 20. 6.  an I'll from other lands.  

t 1 Pet. 2. 25.  God is a Bishop, and 
u Mat 28. 19  he gives his Apostles a commission to visit all other Dioceses of the world, but Israel was a Peculiar, and this 
x Luc. 1. 68  he visited in his own person, 
y Deut. 7. 6  others were as the Commnos of the world, these as Gods own enclosure: Other nations like wild beasts wandered among mountains, woods and deserts, these as his own flock he received into his fold, 
z Hos. 11. 3. 4.  He led Ephraim as one should bear them in his arms, he led them with cords of a man even with bands of love: They which voluntarily come into any King's dominion, even by the common law of Nations are subjects to that King, 
a Gen. 46. 6  jacob and his family go into Egypt, yet God gives them a privilege, calling in Israel his son and 
b Ex. 4. 22.  his first borne.  
At the first, before the covenant God made with Abraham, one person was not more respected than another, but as soon as it was said, 
c Gen. 17. 7  I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee, the Church was divided from other nations, no otherwise then light was from darkness in the first creation, but as in the time of Brutus (sic par●is componere magna solemus) Britain was but one Monarchy, which after him was divided into three Kingdoms, till our gracious King james pulled down the partition wall, and joined not only Roses but Realms together; so the people of the world before the covenant, being of one and the same condition, and all alike under one God, were afterwards divided into jews and Gentiles, and one much more respected then the other, till Christ the Prince of peace came, who breaking down the wall of partition made, an union, made of jews and Gentiles one people, so that 
d Rom. 2. 29  he is not now a God of the jews alone, but of the Gentiles also: and the Greeks may as well say Christ, as the Hebrews jesus: the one 
e Rom. 8. 15  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as well as the other Abba, and this, that God is our God, is the second argument here used to allure us to obedience: 
f Gen. 27. 12.  jacob is afraid to abuse old Isaac, because he is his father: 
g Gen. 39 8  joseph will not consent to the enticements of his mistress, because Putifar is his good master; and we must be afraid to offend, because we have a good Father, a good Master, a good God: if we wander out of the way and go astray from his Commandments, turning aside to the right hand, or to the left he may justly challenge us, and say▪ I am thy God, thy God, why hast thou forsaken me?  

h 1 King. 12 ●.  The gray-headed Counsellors in Israel which had stood before Solomon while he yet lived, told Rehoboam his son, If thou speak kind words unto this people this day, they will be thy servants for ever: God speaketh kind words unto us this day, I am the Lord, I am thy God, and therefore we must not be servants unto sin, but in a resolute detestation, whipping that bad merchant out of the temple of our heart, be his servants for ever.  
Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt: Egypt was a land full of superstition: it honoured devils, it honoured men, it honoured beasts, it honoured plants, what thing was it, but it was to them a God? and therefore this was a great favour of God to be delivered out of it: Nature hath engrafted in every creature to love the place where it took birth and beginning: 
i Ecc. 1. 7.  The Rivers go to the Sea from whence they came: 
k Gen. 8. 9  The Dove returned to the Ark, from whence she came forth: 
l 1 King 11 22.  Hadad lacketh nothing with Pharaoh, yet in any case will go into his own Country; but yet if Caldea the place of Abraham's nativity serveth strange gods, than the Lord saith unto him, 
m Gen. 12. 1  Get thee out of thy Country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house: and joshua 
n Iosh. 24 2  reckoneth this among the great blessings of God, that God brought him from thence, and 
o Gen. 11. 31.  Terah his father an old man, weak and broken, having no commandment from God to go with his son, which might have seemed tolerable excuses, if he had abode behind yet when he knows the place accursed for idolatry, from which his sonmust departed, he bears him company, the contagion of spiritual diseases, being as the lepers sore, dangerous to them that dwell near it, and therefore the holy Ghost 
p jer. 51 6.  wisheth us to go out of Babylon, and looking behind us, see whether we have left it upon our backs: Be not separated from the company of good men, thou mayest participate of their goodness, as an imp grafted into a stock participates of the influence and virtue of the root, so that it withers not, but waxeth green and greater: if there be Moses and Elias good company, good doctrine, good example, good report make choice of those places, and say with Peter, 
q Mat. 17. 4▪  It is good to be here: but be not like the Swine, who had rather be tumbling in the mire, then laid in the cleanest places, come not near stinking carrion, except thou have the wind of it. But let us take a little further view of this people's idolatry, and then come to ourselves.  
The Egyptians were such as Saint Paul speaketh of, 
r Rom. 1 23.  They 1 turned the glory of the incorruptible God, to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, and 2. of birds, and 3. fourfooted beasts, and 4. of creeping things.  
1 Of a corruptible man, they deified their King Axis.  
2 Of birds, they worshipped the Hawk and Ebi●, for that he destroyed the serpents which came out of Libya into Egypt, very hurtful to their Country.  
3 Of fourfooted beasts, they worshipped an Ox, a Dog, a Cat, and a Swine, for the invention of tillage, which he shown them, by rooting up the ground with his groin.  
4 Of creeping things, they worshipped the Crocodyll, and some Ichneumon, now called a mouse of Indie, who killeth the Crocodyll, for when the Crocodyll gapeth, he creepeth into his body, and eating his bowels, slaieth him: they had so many gods, that a man had need to have made a Catalogue of them, as Vano did of the Romish gods, for fear (as he said) they should stray away: It may be this land had not the like variety of images, but that here were canonised many new gods, both he Saints and she Saints, none can deny; men thought God could not attend to so many things at once, and therefore several offices were committed to several Saints, and they dealt out the virtues belonged to God: Saint Cornelis was an excellent Saint to keep men from the falling sickness: Saint Apolline as excellent to help men of the toothache, these were not so good for men, but other were as good for beasts, as Saint Antony for Swine.  
If men did hear that some blocke-idoll did sweat, did speak, did weep, did smile, did shift itself from place to place, would not their bare feet carry them thither with an offering? what repair was there to our Lady of Walsingam, our Lady of Wilsdon, the same Lady but distinguished by the place, as Baal was a common name to many Idols, but distinguished 
s Num. 22. 41. & 25. 3.  by the high places and hills wherein it was worshipped: but did God bring us out of this land when it was infected with superstition, surely he shown this favour to many of our predecessors, who counted themselves happy, if while those Mariana tempora continued, they might go to Geneva, to Strasbourg, and other religious places, whereas many many, which kept their station, did stick ad ignem inclusive, the father with the son, the husband with the wife, the mother with the new borne, no not borne infant, for in the I'll of Garnesye the belly of Perotine Massey bursting asunder by vehemency of the flame, the child with which she was great, fell into the fire, and eft soon being taken out by one W. House, was again by the censure of the Provost and Bailiff cast into the fire, so that this child baptised in his own blood, both at once began and ended a Martyr: but God hath showed a fare greater favour to us, then to those which avoided the land, for many of them might say, as Paul of himself, Night and day 
t 2 Cor. 11 25. 26. 27.  have I been in the deep sea: in journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  
But we without this travail, without this trouble, without this danger are freed from superstition: God hath not brought us out of an idolatrous land, but hath taken idolatry out of the land, and we continuing still in our native Country, he hath cleansed it, having swept idolatry and superstition from it: he cast that Dagon of Rome down to the ground, when in the days of King Henry the eight, the Pope lost his supremacy, when that King would sit no longer, as in the distinguishing at Paris, to pay the minstrels wages, when England, which before that time was counted the Pope's Ass, did now cast his rider: he cut off his head and his hands, when in the days of King Edward the sixth, men might not prostrate themselves before Saints several shrines, nor provoke God with high places, nor sacrifice unto Baalim, and burn incense to images, but must take away their fornications out of their sight, and their adulteries from between their breasts: only the stump of Dagon is left (a few recusants which our mighty King james by the help of God will sooner cast out, than it shall recover it first wounds, & those disordered members, the Papists are now but as parts of an adder cut asunder, which may retain some life for a time, but never by the grace of God shall in this land grow into a body again: Now if the Prophet jeremy blameth the jews, for that they said not, 
u jer. 2. 6.  Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, much more will he condemn our silence, if we do not open our lips and show forth the praises of God, who hath taken the superstition of Egypt out of our land.  
If this was a blessing of God upon Israel, to be brought out of Egypt, because there the Egyptians entitle ● creatures to the honour of the creator, and gave God for companions not men alone, but fowls of the air, and beasts of the field; they then are much to be blamed, who being bred and borne, and brought up in that Country void of idolatry, in a Country which burn their images with fire, overthrew their altars, cut down their groves, pluck down their high places, and beaking in pieces the Calf of Samaria will make no mention of it with their lips, yet leaving this their country, convey themselves into Egypt, into places which bringing in Idols put God and his truth out of doors, who with a wicked eye hasting to riches, and coveting an evil covetousness, and being desirous to load themselves with thick clay, or upon a discontented humour, or to get them a name contrary to the commandment of God, 
x Amos 5. 5.  seek bethel, when it is Bethaven, enter into Gilgall, and go to Beersheba.  

y joh. 4. 9  The jews would not meddle with the Samaritaus, and this law among them was like the decree of the Persian King that altered not, He that eats a Samaritans' bread, be as he that eats swine's flesh: and on the otherside, the Samaritans would not converse with the jews, no if one of them had but touched a jew, he would have thoughis himself the worse, till he had thrown himself into the water  and all: The clean and the leprous will not dwell together, nor the tame beasts keep with the wild. What shall we say then of such, as being▪ separated from idolatrous wine, will seek to join themselves unto her again. when God is not served and worshipped aright, they forget what Paul taught Tim●●● first by precept; 
a ● Tim. 6. 5  from such separate thyself: and then by 〈◊〉 when 
b Act. 19 8. 9  he departed from Ephesus, after the way of God 〈◊〉 spoken off before the multitude: 
c Heb. 11. 24.  Moses left Pharaohs Court, and had rather wander in the wilderness, then be reconciled to superstitious Egypt then fall again, what shall we say of such as being separated from idolaters, will seek to join themselves to them? Paul saith, 
d 1 Cor. 1● 14.  Fly from idolatry: then how are they to blame that fly to it, to places full of it, Which seat themselves there, and seeing their gains come in, set their hearts at rest, and say this is my rest, here will I dwell, I have a delight in it: to be short, if thou now makest thy abode in Idolatrous Egypt, which is stained with it own works, and goes a whoring whit it own inventions, which boweth it knees unto Baal, and kisseth him with it mouth, say not as Peter of an other place, 
e Mat. 17. 4.  it is good to be here, but 
f Mat. 9 5.  arise and walk: as Christ saith to the palsy man, and think thou hearest the voice of the Lord speaking to thee, as the Bridegroom to the Spouse, 
g Chron. 2 10. 13.  Arise my love, my fair one and come thy way: if thou art come out of Egypt, out of a place where thy fathers worshipped strange gods, say not with Hobab, 
h Num. 10. 30.  I will again to my Country and my kindred: but think thou hearest the vioce of the Lord speaking to thee as Solomon to Pharaohs daughter, Forget thine own people, and thy father's house: say not with the Israelites, when they are 
i Ps. 45. 10.  come to the borders of Caanan, 
k Num. 14 4.  we will return again into Egypt: but say with Ephraim. 
l Hos. 14. 9  what have we to do any more with Idols? Be not like Orphah who being in her way to Bethlehem, 
m Ru. 1. 15  goeth back again to her gods, nor like the ships, 
n Ps. 107. 26.  which go up to the heaven, and down agoine to the deep, nor like swine, 
o 1 Pet. 2. 22.  which being washed turn again to the muddle and to the mire.  
Out of the house of bondage: Nimrod was a tyrannical oppressor, an oppressing tyrant, his cruelty was such, that (as hated both of God and man) it grew into a proverb, 
p Gen. 10. 9  Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord: hunting hath snares and nets, and death at the last, but  
— Gaudeto Nimrod, vincit te crimine Pharaoh.  
Pharaoh thou hast not walked after Nimrods' ways, nor done after his his oppression, but as though his hunting had been a very little thing, ●●ou hast been more cruel than he, his cruelty was not heard off in the day of thy oppression, he hath not used half thy tyranny, but thou hast exceeded him, justified him, comforted him, and made his cruelty mercy; but when God di●●ee, that Israel his first borne was calamitatis fabula, infalicitatis tabula, that it could not breath from it first cross in body, but it must feel a worse in loss of children, the cruel commands did come from the King like jobs messengers, 
q job 1.  no sooner one had told his tale, but another stepped in, 
r Ps. 42. 7.  as one departs, calleth another, than 
s Hos. 11. 1.  out of Egypt God called his son, 
t Ps. 105. 26.  than sent he Moses his servant to be a deliverer, to bring Israel out of Egypt, 
u Deu. 4. 20.  out of the iron furnace, out of miserable slavery, out of the house of bondage, 
x Ps. 81. 6.  than did God withdraw his shoulder from the burden, and his hand did leave the pots, so that the Israelites might say of their former miseries, 
y joh. 8.  as the Adultress of her accusers, they are all gone: The Doctrines are two.  
1. Many cloudy days go over the heads of the godly, and 
z job 22. 11.  abundance of waters cover them.  
2. 
a Ps. 3. 3.  God is the lifter up of their heads, and 
b 2 Sam. 22 17.  draws them out of many waters.  
God joins these two together; 
c Deut. 32. 39  I kill and give life: I wound, and I make whole: so doth Hannah in her song, 
d 1 Sam. 2. 6  the Lord killeth and maketh alive, bringeth down to the grave, and raiseth up: and Eliphaz in his reproof, 
e job. 5. 18. 19  he maketh the wound, and bindeth it up: he smiteth, and his hands make whole, he shall deliver thee in six troubles, and in the seventh the evil shall not touch thee.  
In the first God's hand is heavy, in the second his mercy is plentiful: In the first the sun is shadowed with clouds, in the second it shineth out bright: in the first 
f Es. 8. 17.  God turneth his back upon Israel, and hides his face from the house of jacob, in the second he 
g Ex. 2. 25.  looketh upon the children of Israel, and hath respect unto them: In the first 
h Ps. 10. 1.  God standeth fare off, in the second 
i Phil. 4. 5.  the Lord is even at hand.  
But lest I should seem with Abraham 
k Gen. 18. 1  to sit still in the tent door, give me leave to go a little further into the house of bondage and make privy search what I can find by the going in, by the going out of Israel.  
God brought Israel into the iron furnace, to show that 
l job 23 10.  the righteous must pass through afflictions, as gold passeth through the fire.  
God's children are as 
m 1 Pet. 2. 5.  lively stones to make a spiritual house, & therefore must be hewed, must be beaten, must be polished, as were 
n 1 King. 6 7.  the stones that served for salomon's temple, at the Quarries side. 
o Mat. 8. 27  The ship whereinto Christ entered with his disciples was so tossed with wind and waves, as if it would have been overwhelmed.  
The fruitful tree is beaten, whereas we meddle not with that, which being fruitless is reserved for the fire: Christ began to us of a most bitter cup, but he did not drink it off, for he said, 
p Mat. 26. 39  Let this cup pass, they that are his, must pledge him of it: it was the saying of a good martyr, when we learned A. B. C. our lesson was Christ's Cross, the Cross is the workhouse in which God frames his servants like to his son: Gods children are as well called 
q 2 Tim. 2. 3.  soldiers to show what they must suffer as 
r Mat. 20. 8  labourers to show what they must do.  
We are to God as the apple of his eye, no part of man more tender than the eye, yet when it is sore or dim we put sharp powders or waters in it, to eat on't the web, pearl or blindness of it: nay there is no greater temptation, than not to be tempted, no sharper whip, than not to be scourged of God: 
s Ezec. 16. 24.  I will cease and be no more angry saith the Lord; God is then most angry (saith Bernard) when he is not angry, this pity is beyond all wrath: There are two punishments of God upon Israel, because they went a whoring from under their God: 
t Hos. 4. 13. 14.  the first punishment is sin by sin, when God turns malum culpa into malum poenae, your daughters shallbe harlots, and your spouses shallbe whores. The second punishment is want of punishment, and this is a greater than that, I will not visit your daughters when they are harlots, nor your spouses when they are whores: The vine waxeth wild, if it be never cut, the sea would be infected and stink if it were not troubled with the winds: the cross is a fire to consume the refuse metal, a file to take away the rust of the soul, a purgation to expel corrupt humours, a rod which falling upon stony hearts causeth them to bring forth tears, 
u Num. 20. 11.  as the waters gushed out when Moses with his rod smote the stony rock: 
x job 16. 15. 16.  when God rained job with a rough bit, he stooped under his hand and uttered signs of repentance.  
The use of this doctrine is manifold: First in respect of the agent, it abateth the edge of every cross to consider, it comes from the hand of God, the child is content to bear with his father who brings him up, though he be rough to him, though he visit his offences with the rod and his sin which scourges: God is our father ʸ and brings us up as children, if he nurtureth us, 
z Deu 8. 5  as a father nurtureth his son, as it is in Deutronomy, and 
a 2 Sam. 7. 14.  chasteneth us with the rod of men, as it is in Samuel, this consideration doth relish the grief, 
b Ex. 15. 25  as the tree cast into the spring seasoned the bitterness of the waters it is my father let him do what seemed him good.  
The Ox is without understanding, yet knoweth his owner, 
c Esa. 1. 3.  and holdeth down his horns, and boweth his neck to bear the yoke that he doth put upon him. If a stranger strike the savage beasts, they tear him in pieces, but if their keeper smite them, they grudge not, 
d job 7. 20 & Gen. 28 15.  God is the keeper of men, this is armour of proof, and will ward the blow of every repining thought, and breaking the stroke of every cross, will save the heart, when the body suffers to consider, my Keeper smites me. God is a physician, and knoweth what is better for us than we for ourselves, nothing displeaseth the patiented that pleaseth the Physician.  
Blows of our equals we hardly digest, but will seek to put in practice, whatsoever desire of revenge doth put into our heads, but we never storm at a blow from a Prince, God is a Prince, a King of Kings, if he strikes, this doth moderate the stroke, and must make us encounter the grief with strength of resolution.  
Again in respect of the patients: Afflictions must not make us think, God love's us the less, when we see his first born and best beloved in greatest calamity.  
God made job a byword of the people, that is so afflicted him, that all the world talked of him, and therefore he speaketh of astonishment, 
e job 17. 6. 8.  righteous shallbe astonished at this, as if they did imagine, God had turned his back, and respected not his children, that he would not think on worldly things, or pass how men lived, but he concludeth, the righteous will hold their way, and consider that God in his wisdom doth punish both the good and the bad, and in very deed there could be no show of patience, if God did still grant his servants a patent of exemption and a privilege, and always suspend the effects from their causes (for if they have not open, yet at lest they have secret sins) and stay the streams of waters, that they should never cover them: what victory can there be where there is no fight? what grace can be given to overcome, where there is no temptation of the flesh? and what patience, where there never is cross? besides, how could it be known that God delivers his children out of troubles, as he doth here out of bondage, if they never were in them? how should they know what it were to call upon God, and to feel his goodness towards them? therefore he punisheth both, though he smiteth the wicked with his fist, the godly with the palm of his hand, though he 
f Esa. 30. 28.  fanneth those wtih the fan of vanity to drive them to nothing, 
g Mat 3. 12  these with his wheat fan to cleanse them, though his punishments be 
h Ex. 11. 1.  plagues, 
i Gen. 4. 11  curses, and destructions upon the one, 
k Ps. 89. 32  corrections, chastisements and rods on the other.  
An other use is this, let no man at any time so fix his mind upon his prosperous estate, as to resolute himself, it shall never change for the sunne-shined bright upon jacob 
l Gen. 47.  when he with his family came into Egypt, when his posterity were multiplied and were exceeding mighty, but it waxed dim when 
m Ex. 1. 7. 8. 9  a King arose that knew not joseph: the sea at full tide ebbed, the calm continued not long without a storm, and all the sails hoist gave vantage to a tempest, therefore the heathen painted fortune with feet and wings because she comes running and goes flying. job said 
n job. 29. 18.  I shall die in my nest, not dreaming of any trouble: and David in his prosperity said, 
o Ps. 30. 6.  I shall never be moved: but both these reckoned without their host, and therefore might reckon twice, God did hide his face and they were both troubled; if God dealeth thus with those that are his, what may either the better sort promise to themselves, or the evil not fear? he that is mounted on high knows not how soon he may fall from the top to the foot of the hill: 
p Est. 7. 10  Haman at least was as high on his own gallows, as at first he was high in the King's favour.  
Daniel is no sooner made Ruler over the Governors, but by virtue of an Act made against him, 
q Deu. 6. 16  he is cast into the Lion's den: joseph from the degree of honour which he had in Egypt, is 
r Gen. 39 20.  taken and cast into prison, and that without bail or mainprize, (
s Ps. 105. 18.  for they held his feet in the flocks, and he was lai● inyrons) with an intent, that from thence he might be drawn unto death: and for the womankind she that is now N●●mi, upon sudden accidents which by God's providence may fall out, may say, 
t Ru. 1. 20.  call me not Naomi, but call me Mara, for God hath given me much bitterness, and falling into the widow's misery, may change her name to the likeness of her lot: In a word, if God send health, wealth, and liberty, 
u Deu. 12. 7.  rejoice, but be not drunk with it, do not so rest thyself on these present benefits, that thou think the case cannot alter, and if it altar, be not impatient of a change, but say with Paul, 
x Phil. 4. 11 12.  I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content, I can be abased and I can abunde, every where in all things: I am instructed both to full, and to be hungry, and to abound and to have want.  
Lastly, because afflictions will make their way upon us, and camp about our tabernacle; it is a good course to make them present in conceit, before God sends them in event: In resolved minds it taketh away the smart of evils to attend their coming, Nam levius ledit quicquid pravidimus ante. foreseen mischiefs hurt not so much, as they which come unlooked for.  
One cause why troubles are so cumbersome and grievous, is because they happen to unwilling minds, and therefore not only carry the cross, but 
y Mat. 16. 24.  take it up, that is, suffer willingly, and voluntarily bear what thou canst not avoid: another cause is, that they happen to unwitting minds, therefore in a calm forest a storm, forecast the worst of all events, prevent them in thought, they will be half digested before they come, speak with crosses (which thou accountest thy enemies) in the gate, meet them, as 
z Gen. 19 6  Lot did the Sodomites, before they came into his house: encounter them, as 
a 1 Mac. 12. 25.  jonathan did his enemies before they came into his country.  
But I proceed to the second general doctrine, which is this.  

b Ps. 4. 1.  God setteth his children at liberty when they are in distress, as here he bringeth Israel out of the house of bondage.  
As he delivereth from evils by prevention, in evils by sustentation, so out of evils by giving issue, when having punished, he gives a Quietus est.  
The Sun shadowed with clouds within a while shineth out bright.  

c Ps. 107. 28.  The mariners which abide the storms of the sea, are within a while brought to their desired haven: 
d Mat. 8, 25  Christ did awake when the ship was like to be covered with waves, and 
e Mat. 14. 31.  took Peter by the hand when he was almost under water: 
f Ex. 3. 2.  The Bush burned, but it was not consumed: God eclipseth the good to show that their light was but borrowed, but their light shall return, whereas the candle of the wicked shallbe put out: The Whale 
g jon. 1. 17:  which swallowed up jonas in the deep sea, 
h jon. 2. 10  cast him out upon the dry land: If a sheep run from his fellows, the shepherd sets his dog after it, not to kill it, but bring it in again, God deals with us as a shepeheard with his sheep, when we go astray, poverty, sickness, dearth, imprisonment, bondage, are his dogs which he sendeth to bring us again to the sheepfold, which done he calls in his dogs again: Saint Paul saith, 
i 2 Cor. 1. 10.  he hath delivered, doth deliver, and will deliver out of dangers, speaking of the time past, present and to come to assure us that God who did give doth give, and will give an entrance, did give, doth give, and will give an issue, and is preparing an issue while the cross prepareth us.  

k Esa. 51. 71  Tribulation is called a cup to show the measure of it, we shall have but a cup of affliction, and it shall pass from us as the 
l Act. 28. 3.  viper which leapt upon Paul's hand, leapt of again.  
If any object and say, experience shows the contrary, for we see many children of God can no sooner breathe from one cross, but they feel an other, & as though one of their troubles hatched another, a plurality and tot quot, like waves fall one on an others neck, neither is there an end of their evils before God put an end to their lives.  
The answer is this: the disposition of some children is such, that they are never well, but when they are under the rod, whereas if others of a little better nature should but see it continually, they would be quite out of heart: wouldst thou have thy father take away the rod, and thou hast still a cursed heart? wouldst thou have the judge cease from holding thee on the rack, and thou wilt not yet confess thy faults? thou art full of corruption, and happily canst not be well purged with a single clyster, wilt thou blame the Physician if continuing his medicine he give thee a stronger purgation? Thy fault is not single, and wilt thou blame God if he double or triple his stripes? he is not as a wasp, which having once stung, stings no more, he stingeth yet more, But 
m Ps. 78. 32  when Israel sinneth yet more, he stingeth yet more: besides, if God smite the hard heart again and again many drops of remorse may be wrong from it, 
n Num. 20. 11  as the waters gushed out, when Moses smote the rock twice, which came not forth, when he did but hold his rod over it, know therefore that God's promises of deliverance from troubles, and so all temporal blessings are hypothetical, if they stand with his glory & our good, these two are as the hinges of a door to turn forward or backward the promise.  
The use of this is in all our afflictions, to wait patiently upon the Lord, and hope in him, to say with the sweet singer of Israel, ᵒ yet my soul keepeth silence unto God, of him cometh my salvation.  
A man that wadeth through a strong stream, sets his eye 
● Ps. 26. 1.  steadily on the firm land, and is not dismayed because he sees the place of his arrival, so God's children patiently pass through an Ocean of troubles, when they lift up their eyes, and marking God's goodness, foresee their deliverance, though it may be as Abraham saw the day of Christ, a fare off: they suffer, but patience keepeth them from being overcome, they never sink under the burden of their crosses, because they lay hand on God's promise, and hold by his goodness.  
In Music we bear with changes and breathes, with pauses and discords, because we know the Musician will make all fall into a good concord.  
We grudge not to go through a piece of foul way, if the way be afterward pleasant, and our journey nigh at an end.  
If we may have a joyful harvest, we are content with a wet spring, content to sow in tears, so we may reap in joy: therefore take up the cross, and though God add still to the sardle, stand up still, be like the palm-tree inclinata resurgit, press it down with weight, yet mounting up, in time it draws it on high, be like the Bulrush, flectitur non frangitur undis, the waves may bow, but not break it, in misery show forth the fruit of patience, as spice sends forth it savour when it is beaten, and Camomile it sent when it is trodden on, as the Rose yields sweet water when it is distilled, as the Grape doth yield it juice when it cometh to the press, hope even against hope, uphold thy mind against the rage of main afflictions, for let them be like those of Israel, many in number great in weight, grievous in circumstance ᶜ nay long in continuance as we think, yet in very deed, a very little while, and they are all gone, and therefore resolve with job, 
p job 14. 14.  all the days of thine appointed time to wait until thy change come.  
Again, this that God bringeth out of bondage, and having pressed us, refresheth us, and looking on our tribulation hath compassion on our groanings, must cause us to give thanks to God for his holy remembrance to sacrifice unto him with the voice of thanksgiving, to bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the Altar, this use would Moses have the Israelites make of their deliverance: 
q Deut. 6. 12. & 26. 10.  Beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land, etc.  
Three things Christ commended in the Samaritans; First, their readiness to believe: john disciples were hard of belief, and therefore he teacheth them both by words, 
r Mat. 11. 3  Go tell john what ye have heard, and by works, tell him what you have seen: but he knew the woman of Samaria would believe him on his bare word 
s joh. 4. 26  therefore he doth but tell her what he was, and that therefore she did ask him, and many other of the Samaritans' not abiding to have their minds suspended in uncertainties, but hating, doubting where they should be resolute believed in him, many upon the report of the woman, many moe because of his own word.  
The second thing commended in them is their piety & compassion, for whereas 
t Luc. 10. 31.  the priest and Levits passing by the wounded man, did but gaze on him, Behold, but not consider, 
u Lam. 1. 12.  both which the holy Ghost advised, the Samaritan looked upon him, with the eye of the body, and looked into him with the eye of the mind, and as though he had as much grieved to see his distress, as if himself had felt some part of the misery, he is a diligent servant unto him.  
The third thing is, the acknowledging of a benefit, for when the rest went away speeders not thankers, 
x Ln. 17. 15  the Samaritan when he saw he was cleansed turned back, and with a loud voice praised God, as there was in God the course and descent of his grace, so was there in him the recourse & tide of thanksgiving, God shown his benefit to him by donation in cleansing him, the Samaritan by declaration in praising him, Gods was a real the Samaritans a verbal showing both patent, Gods was a voluntary kindness to him, his a necessary duty to God, & therefore he will not hide his deliverance in the earth, and conceal a blessing in his bosom, he will not take without giving, but his praising God with a loud voice is a grace for grace, great thankes for a great cure, and a new song for a new salve, and this was the least recompense he did owe, & the greatest he could pay, and a sacrifice that pleased God better than a bullock, which hath horns and hooves to pour rivers of praises out of his lips for a sea of God's blessings upon him, which cleansed him from his leprosy, as well as the waters of Israel did Naaman, when he had washed in Iorden. 
y 2 King. 5 14.   
God would not save his people Israel 
z Ex. 23. 32  converse or enter any league with the Egyptians, the general reason was this, lest they should be plunged in their superstitions, but a special reason was, because he would have them mindful of their deliverance out of Egypt, and from the house of bondage, which conversing with them might cause them to forget: and therefore though a weak people, when other nations like vultures seek to prey upon them, nay seek aid of straingers, yea though they be bad yet this was not 
a Esa. 30. 2  permitted to Israel, and for them to join in league with the Egyptians, was as much 
b Eze. 23 3  as if the whore should hunt after the whoremaster, and commit fornication with him: God registers us upon his hand, that the remembrance of us might be always present with him, and 
c Ex. 13. 9  we must register him upon our hands, that the remembrance of him might be always present with us. The heathen having travailed the seas, and escaped the danger, were wont in token of thanks to sacrifice part of their gain, to that God which they supposed had delivered them: 
d Gen. 7. 2  More clean than unclean beasts were preserved in the Ark: 
e Gen. 22. 12. 13.  Abraham spyeth a Ram behind him caught him by the horns in a bush after the Angel had said, lay not thine hand upon the child, Moses 
f Ex. 10. 9  said unto Pharaoh ᶠ we will go with our sheep, and with our cattle: all this was done, that there might be sacrifices of thanksgiving at hand to offer to God, for escaping the danger of the flood, for his mercy coming inter pontem & fontem, betwixt the bridge and the brook, inter gladium & ingulum, betwixt the knife and the throat: when Abraham lifted up his hand to have killed his son, for escaping the cruelty of Pharaoh, when they were brought out of the land of Ham, and once a year, and that was in september, 
g Leu. 23. 42.  the Israelits must dwell in tents seven days, that they might better remember their preservation in the wilderness.  
But the Prophet Mulachie may charge us as well, as he did the jews, both with the forgetfulness of our own sins, for they said, 
h Mar. 1. 6. & 2. 17. & 3. 8. 13.  Wherein have we blasphemed thee? ⁱ Wherein have we wearied thee? ᵏ Wherein have we spoilt thee? ˡ What have we spoken against thee?) as also of God's blessings, for they said, 
m Mal. 1. 2.  Wherein hast thou loved us? We are like L●ts daughters, who quickly put out of their mind, as well their own deliverance, as the destruction of Sodom, and when they were gone with their father from Zoar to the mountain, 
n Gen. 19 33.  committed such incest, as they might seem to have been carried to a land, where all things were forgotten: In this we resemble Abraham, who said the second time of his wife, 
o Gen. 20. 2.  she was his sister, as though he never remembered Gods former punishment upon Pharaoh, or his own deliverance from danger: Surely saith jacob, God is in 
p Gen. 28. 16.  this place, and I was not ware, and God is among us, and many times takes away his hand from us, whereas he did hold our noses to the grindstone, and we are not ware, we think not of it: in extremities we vow and promise fair, but being delivered, we forget the grief of our misery, and comfort of our deliverance: Gods blessings go round about earthly men, and they are no more moved than the earth, which hath the circumference carried about it, and itself standeth still: give me leave to instance in two particular deliverances, one of the body, another of the soul, first from the gunpowder treason, though a match should have gone to the working of it, yet a treason matchless for example for it is of the first impression, never before seen or allowed, nameless for ugliness, or at least it hath no name adaquatum, sufficient to express it, the name of Legion comes nearest to it, 
q Mar. 5. 9  it had in it so many murderous spirits, which cared not though their friends did fall so as their foes might dye withal.  
Which regarded not either safety of the King, or of the Country, of the Queen, or of the Prince, but would have swept away both Moses, and Aaron, Prelate and Potentate, Priest, and people, high and low, one with another, have killed the young ones with the dam, and have made Acheldama a field of blood both of Church and common wealth. But when the proud did thus rise up against us, and the assemblies of wicked men did seek after our souls, 
r 2 Cor. 1. 9 10.  when we received as the Apostle speaketh of his own dangers the sentence of death, than God, who raiseth the dead, delivered us from so great a death, kept all our bones, that not one of them was broken: he to whom the shields of the world belong covered us, and with his favour compassed us as with a shield, he, who standeth about his people as the mountains stand about jerusalem, delivered our souls from the lowest grave, as for those traitors which willingly drew to sin, against their will were drawn to pain, God was terrible out of his holy places, they did drink of the wrath of the King, and of the the state, which brought them to naught, as the rocks repel, break, and consume into froth the boisterous waves, which beat against them conantia frangere frangunt; so let thine enemies perish O Lord, but they that love thy name, let them be as the Sun, when it riseth in its might, and let the land have peace Nest●rs years.  
As job spoke of his words, so say I of this great work of 
● job. 19 24.  God in preserving us? Oh that it were written, oh that it were written, even in a book, and graved with an iron pen, in lead or in stone for ever, that it might be a sign unto us upon our hands, and a remembrance between our eyes, that it might be bound upon the heart and go down into the bowels of the belly, but it is almost forgotten as a dead man out of mind, buried in oblivion as Christ was buried in the earth, and in very deed we deal with all our preservations. They are so many as Solomon did with the brass of the Temple, 
t 2 King. 7. 47.  it was so much, he weighed it not, but if Moses will have the 
u Ex. 12. 42.  Israelites, keep the night holy in which they were brought out of Egypt, and bids them 
x Ex. 13. 3.  remember that day in which they came out of the house of bondage, then remember and keep holy the day of this deliverance and say. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it: If you be silent, rouse up one another with the four lepers, which being delivered from death, when they were in the midst of it, 
y 2. Kin. 7 9  said one to another, this is a day of good tidings, we do not well to hold our peace.  
Come to the deliverance of the soul from the tyranny of Satan, the thraldom of fin, and the very gulf of hell, for the devil is a Pharaoh, the world is an Egypt, subjection to Satan, is a bondage: but Christ is our Moses, who having conquered sin, death, and hell, hath wrought our deliverance: 
z 1. Sam. 17 34.  when David the youngest son of jesse kept sheep, there came a Lyou and a Bear, and took a sheep out of the flock, but he went out after them, slew them both, and took away the sheep though they rose against him: our Saviour Christ not the youngest, but 
a Rom. 8. 29.  first begotten of his brethren is the true shepherd, who watcheth over his flock 
b Luc 2. 8.  like the shepherd of Bethlem, there came a Loin 
c 1. Pet. 5. 8.  that roaring Lion, which goeth about seeking to devour us, and a Bears 
d Pro. 28. 15.  like that hungry bear in the Proverbes of Solomon, and 
e Dan. 7. 5.  like that bear in daniel's vision which devoured much flesh, and took not one sheep but the whole flock, but the shepherd following taken them out of his mouth: As for the bondage and thraldom of sin, by nature it reigneth in our mortal bodies, it hath gotten such a jurisdiction over us, as julius Caesar had over the Senate Perpetuam dictaturam we obey it in the lusts thereof, and fall from sin to fin, as Galley slaves fall to rowing when they are fast chained, but God who is above Nature rescueth us from our oppressors, and we that we●e servants unto sin, getting the mastery, break the yoke of iniquity from our neck, we break it bands a sunder and cast away it cords from us, we withdraw our minds from the yoke and bondage of those natural perturbations, that are in us, God hath set our feet at large, and having broken the bounds of our yoke made us go upright, saving, having been long used to fetters, we halt a little after they are taken from us: and though we bear about in our bodies the remnants of sin, yet sin doth not domineire, it is not so insolent against the spirit as it was, nor keeps it under with so strong a hand, 
f Gen. 16. 5. 6.  nor with the servant Hagar any longer set it foot in the neck of her-mistresse, but is beaten out of doors, when she gins to overrule; 
g Mat. 8. 9  we are Centurions over our affections, and in all the regenerate, that is true, 
h Gen. 25. 23.  the elder shall serve the younger; for the flesh is subject to grace though it pricketh, it is not unto death, it doth not grow cankerous, it is not like the stinging of an Asp, which, let Art or Nature divise what plasters it can to help it, is incurable, for Christ having blunted the sting, it cannot enter into the inward parts of the soul to destroy it.  

i 1 Sam. 18 6.  If the daughters of jerusalem, when David returned from the war and the slaughter of the Philistine, came out singing and dancing in token of joy, and thanksgiving for the victory; then let all true Christians, what little reckoning soever they have heretofore made of freedom from spiritual enemies, from their heart tell forth their deliverance, and say with Paul, 
k 1 Cor. 15 57  thankes be to God, which hath given us victory, through jesus Chest our Lord; and no sooner mention with Paul their deliverance from this present evil world and corrupt life without Christ, but presently breaking out into the praise of God, say with him: 
l Gal. 1. 4. 5  to him be glory for ever and ever, Amen.  
Lastly, one use more that God will have the Israelites make of their deliverance is this, to learn thereby to serve him, and be stirred up to the obedience of his Law: when joshua had distilled this and other blessings of God upon his people, the Quintessence that he wringeth out is this; 
m Ios. 24. 14. ver. 17. 18.  Fear the Lord and serve him, and in consideration of this freedom they give their honest words to serve the Lord, and keeping touch are men of their words all the days of joshua, and all the days of the Elders that overlived joshua. The note is this.  
The more God doth free us from misery, the more we should submit ourselves to his will: but it fareth with us, as with the snake, who being frozen lieth quiet and still, but waxing warm stirreth and stingeth: Pharaoh so long as he is under the cross, will not have Israel under his rod, but promiseth their departure, but farewell pain, farewell promise; deliverance makes him forget, what punishment promised. 
n 2 King. 8 8.  Benhadad King of Aram, in his sickness commanded Elysha the Prophet to be honoured, 
o 2 King. 6. 13.  whom in his health he would have killed, what was the cause that 
p jer. 48. 11  Moab was settled on the lees of their sins, but this; they lived at rest, and were not poured like other nations from vessel to vessel?  
The Moon the fuller it is, the further it is removed from the Sun. The tree is never so much subject to hurtful winds, as when it blossometh, Segetem nimia sternit ubertas, Rami onere pramuntur: too much rankness makes corn lie down, boughs are broken with their own burden. The horse too well cherished doth often cast his rider; 
q Hos. 13. 6  as in their pastures; so was Israel filled, and when they were filled their heart was exalted, and 
r Deut. 32. 15.  when he waxed fat, he spurned with his heel, when he was fat and gross, and laden with fatness, he forsook God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation: when Nebucaduezar 
s Deut. 4. 31.  had been bound seven year's prentice to the cross, he knew from whom his Kingdom came, and honoured him that liveth for ever: in a word, adversity can teach us more of God and ourselves in one week, than we can learn of prosperity all our life long. Man cannot manage a prosperous estate, but if he be of great power he forgets God, if he abounds in pleasure, he forgets himself, whereas God would have our freedom from affliction, to be a hand to lead us, and a foot to carry us to the remembrance of him, and obedience to his law, that we might say, now thou hast set us at liberty, we will run the way of thy commandments, and now thou hast set our feet in a large room, as it is in Michas, 
t Mic. 4. 5.  we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.  
If Israel must, 
u Gen. 5. 22.  like Henoh walk with God, conform themselves to the obedience of his law, and 
x Gen. 6. 22.  like Noah, do according to all that he commandeth even so do, because he delivered them from ●ondage, which was grievous to the body, then must we entertain obedience, determine to keep his word, and by observing his will, get him honour, because he hath redeemed us by Christ from the bondage of sin, which was grievous to the soul, which went over our heads, and was like a sore burden, too heavy for us to bear.  
This, as Saint Paul writeth to Titus, 
y Tit. 2. 12.  must teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: this (as 
z Luc. 1. 74  it is in the song of Zachary) was the end of our redemption, that we should serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life.   

AN EXPOSITION Of the ten Commandments.  
COncerning the ten Commandments, this is general to them all▪ every one hath an Injunction and a Prohibition: that which enjoineth us to any virtue, forbiddeth the contrary vice: that which forbiddeth any vice, enjoineth the contrary virtue: The first five have special reasons annexed to them, to bind us to obedience: the first four make the first Table, and comprehend that duty we own unto God, of which,  

The first Commandment containeth the inward worship of God, in these words;  Exod. 20. 3. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. 
The Injunction, Thou shalt have one God.  
The Prohibition, Thou shalt have but one.  
THe reason in these words, Before me: as if the Lord should say, the service which I will and require by virtue of this precept, resteth in the soul, you may dissemble with men, you may set up Idols in your heart, and conceal it from them, for I have walled in the heart, and man's eyes cannot be let into it: but deceive not yourselves, see you do it not, for I know the Anatomy of the heart, and can gauge the very bottom of the thoughts: your doings are not behind my back, but before me, before my face, in my sight, I am all eye, all hand, all ear, all foot, I see, work, hear all, and am every where, I view all things as one, and each one thing as all, being whole together without division, change, or abatement. Thus you see the streams into which this fountain divides itself, now come to the waters and drink, razed of every one as they present themselves in order to your view.  
We must have one God, and he must be David's God, 
a Ps. 31. 14  I said unto the, e Lord, thou art my God: this God shall be our God unto death: therefore we must 1. love him above all, 2. fear him above all, 3. trust in him above all, for whatsoever we love fear or trust in most, that is a god to us; for the first, love him above all, our Saviour Christ said unto Peter three several times, 
b joh. 21. 13.  Simon joanna, lovest thou me, that his three-folde confession might wipe away the shame of his threefold denial, or as Bernard 
c Mat. 26. 70.  saith, to teach thee that thou must love God plus quam tuos, tua, te, more than thy kindred, more than thy substance, more than thyself.  
1. More than thy kindred: Great is the love of children towards their parents, it was a strange thing, that Sarah 
d Gen. 18. 11.  old Sarah when it ceased to be with her after the manner of women 
e & 21. 7.  should give children suck, it was as strange that a child should give suck to the parents, yet Moses witnesseth the one, & the French Academy reports the other; for when a father was condemned to die of famine, his daughter gave him suck with her own breasts, which being made known to the Magistrates, she obtained pardon for her father's life: here was love, much like the natural love of the Stork, which feeds the dam when she is old, because the dam did feed her when she was young: greater is the love of parents towards their children, magis discendit quam ascendit amor, of the children the Poet said, filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos; but the parents prayed & offered to the gods to preserve their children, that they might over live them, & therefore called superstitiosi: the child is many times sick of the father, and weeps because his father life's so long, whereas the father is ready to dye, for sorrow that his child doth dye so soon. When jacob supposed verily that his son joseph was dead, he would not be comforted; but said, 
f Gen. 37 35.  surely I will go down into the grain unto my son mourning, and David showing his fatherly affection, when he heard of the death of Absalon, wept as he went, and thus he said; 
g 2 Sam. 18 33.  O my son Absalon, my son, my son Absalon, would God I had died for thee, o Absalon my son, my son: but this notwithstanding, if our parents, if our children stand betwixt us and our God, we must not regard them, nay in this case our holy carelessness must make them our footsteps.  
God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him; yet love itself speaks of hate in this respect, and exhorts it: 
h Ln. 14. 26  If any man come to me, & hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, he can not be my disciple: in this case odium in suos is pietas in Deum, and if they lie in his way, as he is going to God, he must tread and trample them under his feet, & for love unto God forget his blood, as 
i Gen. 29. 18.  jacob forsook his kindred, for love he had unto Rachel.  
This serveth to reprove the father, which maketh a God of his child, as father Hely did, he himself was a good man, but his children of disposition unlike himself, the white Halciones hatch black young ones, & 
k Esa. 5. 2.  the vine in Esay brings forth wild grapes: these children were young twigs, that liked not under the old tree, weeds that waxed out of measure noisome, and fruit upon which a bad air falling, it did quickly rot, and fall from the tree; and because their cockering father doting on them, gave them but light admonition for heavy sins, and small 
l 1. Sam. 2. 23. 24. 29.  rebuke for great offences, (Why do you such things? for of all this people I hear evil reports of you: do no more my sons, for it is no good report I hear) he is said to honour his children more than God: on the other side, it serveth to reprove the child which maketh a god of his father, Elisha was somewhat faulty this way, who being too much wedded to his parents, would first go 
m 1 King. 19 20.  kiss his father and mother, when he was called to the service of God: more  was that disciple, who being called to follow Christ, would stay, till his father was dead; 
n Mat. 8. 21  Master suffer me first to go and bury my father: when the matter respecteth faith and religion, and serving of God; 
o Mat. 23. 9  call no man your father upon earth, (which should have superiority over your faith, or hinder you when God calleth) for there is but one, your Father which is in heaven.  
2. Love God plus quam tua, more than thy substance: we may rove a riches, but God must be our standing mark: Crates, otherwise a wise man, in this was reckoned but a Philosophical fool, to throw his money into the sea, with these words, Ego te mergam, ne mergar à te, I will drown thee, lest thou shouldest drown me. The Cappuchines are but Hypocrites, who neither take nor touch silver, but start back when it is offered as 
p Ex. 4. 3.  Moses did from his rod, when it was turned to a serpent: the prodigal man is blame-worthy, who coming to his wealth before he comes to his wits, runneth beyond his pale, and living without compass, maketh his own hands his executors, and his own eyes his overseers; supposing he only knoweth the value of the world, and that others overprise it: we may have riches, as the Egyptians had their bondmen for use only, and use them as travellers do their third leg, to help them along to their journeys' end: but the immoderate love of them must be left to the heathen, which know no other heaven: os homini sublime dedit, whereas other creatures look downwards to the ground, God hath given man a contrary countenance, that he might look up unto him, and hath placed the earth under his feet, to teach him, he must not set his heart upon it: his chief affection must not be set on goods, but God who giveth them: God is the true Bread, goods as the crumbs that fall under the table, God as an habitation to rest in, goods as a thoroughfare to pass by; money is a prisoner, we keep it under lock and key, let it not be lord over us, make it out master, we condemn ourselves to our own; galleys make it our God, (
q Col. 3. 5.  covetousness is idolatry) we set up an idol in our hearts.  

r Phil. 3. 8.  Paul esteemed all things as dung to win Christ, esteem not we lightly of God to win all things besides. 
s Mat. 19 27.  The Disciples forsook all things and followed him, do not we forsake him, and follow all things besides: lose God for gain we lose a golden hook for a silly fish.  
Weigh God lighter than the world, we are deceitful upon the balance: let wealth seem better in our sight then God from whom it comes, 
t 1 Sam. 11 2.  Nahash putteth out our right eyes, and bringeth shame upon us.  
Love the world better than we love God, we love an harlot better than our own spouse; and therefore as Hosea adviseth Israel, we 
u Hos. 2. 2.  must take away our adulteries from between our breasts.  
This serveth to reprove those which make gold their hope, and say to the wedge of gold, thou art my confidence, who set up a new God for the old upstart Mammon for the Ancient of days, as treason set up a new King 
x 2 Sam. 16. 8.  Absalon, for old King David: which make the world birdlime, with which they so belime their affections, that they cannot ascend upward, who hang their gold on their souls, which like the weights of a clock, draws them to the earth, which no Alchemist can draw out of their hearts, though it may be abstracted out of the earth; who for love of gold, bury it, though even then they have themselves one foot in the grave, who are 
y Ps. 76. 5.  viri divitiarum, men ●friches, not possessors of them as lords, but possessed of them as servants; who contrary to this commandment, do greatest homage to that, which should be their basest drudge: such are those stall-fed beasts in the Gospel, which are so 
z Luc. 14. 18.  yoked to their oxen, and harnessed to their farms, that being sent for, will not come to the supper, they are fettered with the things of this life, and so manacled, they entertain this World as a Queen, and let it so rule in their hearts, that the messenger may go as he came, and might have had better thanks to have held his peace; such a one was the young man, forward at first, as though he would have been a disciple of Christ, but when it comes to poenam damni, that he must lose some thing, that there must be a parting blow betwixt him and his riches, than he takes his ultimum vale, 
a Mat. 19 22.  and goes away sorrowful, that (as the Disciples said of another thing) was 
b joh. 6. 60  a hard saying, he could not endure it: such a one was Demas, 
c 2 Tim. 4. 10.  who to embrace this present world, bids Paul adieu: but love God as this commandment enjoineth, taste and see how sweet he is, earthly things as plain dishes will be unpleasant to us; let heaven become our object, the earth will become our abject; long we after the water of life, we little regard the water at jacob's well, 
d ●oh 4 28  but with the woman of Samaria, down goes the pitcher, 
e Mat. 14. 51.  with the young man, away goes clothing, 
f Mat. 4. 20 22.  with the disciples, away goes ship and nets, the love of them, though not the use; we will not linger about earthly vanities, we will not beat our brains and weary our selves in pursuit of the chase of this world, superfluous desire of having, shall not gnave our hearts, these glowing vanities shall not stick so fast unto us, we will not thirst after them, to get them with the loss of the love of God, and with the salve of our own souls.  
Or love God plus quam tua, more than thy delights and pleasures, 
g joh. 2. 16  this follows the love of the world: where the world is our God, our devotion is pleasure and delight, when 
h Mat. 4. 8.  Satan the subtle sophister would bring our Saviour Christ to an absurd conclusion, he presseth both the premises together, divitias & delitias, he should have Power and glory, the world & the pleasures which it did afford, not but that there are just delights, which have their warrants and their terms, and therefore as one being asked, whether a wise man might not eat sweet & delicate meat, answered, yes, except God made bees only for fools; so if it were asked, whether a good man may not use pleasures, it may be answered, yes, except God made the choice commodities of the earth only for the wicked: I will instance but in one kind of pleasure, which we call pastime or recreation. There are as well generous delights as ingenius studies, and one of them must give sweetness to the other, diverse while they have been so precise, that they have thought they might not delight in any sport, at last have been so out of heart, that they delighted nothing: but be acquainted with the quality, let not sports be base, let them not be lawless, draw not occasion of delight from such pastimes, as we should draw occasion of repentance, think not the time well spent, when we refresh ourselves in setting creatures together by the ears, sith this was bred by man's fall, by our own fault. Be acquainted with the measure, bend a bow too much, it will break, lose it too much, it will be a slug, bend the mind, but do not break it, slake it, but do not loosen it: Be acquainted with the due and lawful times, make not play an occupation, let it neither be a vocation (for God would have man labour in Paradise, and he said, fast and pray, not feast and play) nor yet an avocation from God: Lastly Be acquainted with good carriage in it, on the one side let it be as void of rage, as full of relaxation, fall not out with heaven, if thou art crossed with an unseasonable shower, as though God did thee wrong, if he did not shine at thine appointed time, on the other side, joy not to much, if thou beholdest the Sun when it shineth in his brightness: for by this over much delight, thou makest a god of thy recreation, these be lists and landmarks, within which we must bond the procession of our sports, and in the licence of our desires we must not remove, we must not overgo them.  
3 Love God Plus quam te, more than thyself. First, more than thy belly to pamper it, or Secondly, more than thy life to save it.  
We are debtors to the flesh, to provide things necessary 
i Rom. 8. 12  for it, but not to live after it: 
k Mat. 6. 34  He that will not have us careful will not have us careless: It is a virtue to have a care of the body, their is one extreme in defect, when pinching and sparing 
l Col. 2. 23.  we have it in no estimation to satisfy the need thereof, an other in excess, when 
m Rom. 13. 14.  we make provision for the flesh to satisfy the lust of it.  
On the one side we must not so weaken our bodies, that we become unprofitable, and not able to do service in Church or commonwealth, on the other side not so pamper our paunches, not so barrel up God's Creatures in our bellies, not so mast ourselves like Hogs of Epicures heard, that we may save to do service only to our bellies.  
On the one side we must not be caught up in a whirlpool, touch not, taste not, nor on the other side sink in a quickesand, 
n 1 Cor. 15. 32.  let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die: on the on side, we must provide that our teeth be not clean and white for want of food; on the other side take heed they be not furred with excess: This flesh of ours is ill inclined, keep it under that it may be obedient to the spirit abstinence is a certain brim and pickle, to preserve it, that worms and stench do not breed in it, but pinch it not to much for then we wrong the body, glut it not to much for then we pine the soul; In a word if our kitchen be our shrine, if our cook be our Priest, if our Table be our Altar 
o Phil. 3. 19  if our belie be our god as the Apostle speaketh, then transgress we this Commandment, which forbiddeth us to have any more than one god.  
This serveth to reprove those which make their belly an Idol, which by nature is a place of excrements: The bruit beasts take only that food, which Nature requireth for their maintenance, even the Lion, which of all beasts is most ravenous and greedy of prey, whose appetite cannot be staunched, without great superfluity of nourishment, contents himself for two or three days, after he hath once satisfied himself; to blame were the Agrigentines, who builded, as though they should live ever, did eat, as though they should ever dye: to blame was Philoxenus, who (as Catullus wished all his body were nose, that he might spend all his time in sweet smells,) wished he had a neck as long as a Crane that he might take more delight in meats and drinks: to blame was that monster of the world Heliogabolus, who was served at one supper with 60. Ostriches, and never served two days with one kind of meat, who near the sea never used fish, far from the sea, nothing but fish: to blame are all Epicures, whose senses are their guides, and purveyors, whose appetites are their stewards who stuff, themselves like wooll-packes, who, whereas they should be like Ants, and Bees, the wisest creatures, and abound rather in pectore ubi est animus, quam in ventre ubi est stercus, resemble Philopoemenes Army, which had neither head, nor feet, but whole belie, and being like the Locusts which hath but one gut, have all their body in belly, whose bellies may be said rich, for they have great come in, whose throats are open Sepulchers, for the fat morsels and gobbets, which they ●ury in their stomaches more than nature requireth, do there rot, putrify and stink, as dead carcases in the grave, who making but one meal a day, begin early in the morning and hold out till late in the night, who cram their bellies, and fat themselves like boars, till they be brawned, and have as Elyphaz, speaketh 
p job. 15. 2●  collopes in their flanks: If the Pagans were to blame which made them gods of Silver, gods of Gold, gods of Marble, then how blame-worthy are they, which having a greedy gut, a sweet tooth, and velvet mouth, make their best beloved god show holy, sacrificing unto it whatsoever they can rap and rend, and whereas they should be filled, with the Holy Ghost, farce their bodies though they starve their souls, and if they follow Christ, they do it as they in the Gospel 
q joh. 6. 26.  more for loaves then for love.  
Or love God Plus quam te, more than thy life: Our lives are near and dear unto us, herein the devil who was a liar from the beginning said truly, 
r job. 6. 26  skin for skin, and all that a man hath will be give for his life: & though the desperate man many times weary out his life dies a dog's death, making his own hands his executioners, though better men than he, lying sick upon their bed in extremity of their pain, have entreated death to release them though some malefactors laughing on their hangman jest away their last breath, yet naturally we shrink at the thought of dissolved, and would turn our backs when death shows us his face.  
The Papists in time of ignorance were content to be at cost to set up Idolatry, happily with the 
s Ex. 32. 3.  Israelites, they would not spare their earings, and 
t 1 Kin. 18. 19  with jezabel would harbour a crew of trencher chaplains for the service of Baal, again in their blind zeal would macerate their bodies, whip themselves, go in sackcloth, and fast till they were as hungry as a Church-mouse, but I never read of any that went so fare as the Prophets of Baal. 
u 1 Kin. 18. 28.  to cut themselves with Kn●ues, and Lances, till the blood gushed out upon them, but yet more than that,  ut serues vitam, ferrum patieris et ignem. 
Men will be content to be lanced, yea and seared to, for the preseruarion of their lives: bondage is bitter 
x Ex. 2. 23.  the children of Israel sighed, & cried, & made a moan for their servitude, but when they thought their freedom would cost them their lives in the wilderness, they wish they had endured it, & the Gibe●nites think they have great favour shown them of the Israelites, if they spare their lives, though they make them bondmen 
y Ios. 9 23.  hewers of wood, and drawers of water, for the house of the Lord, for the use of the Tabernacle, and Temple, when it should be builded. A man is hardly brought to alter his religion he maketh such a league with it as Elisha with Elyas, 
x 2 Kin. 2. 2  I will not leave thee, he will not reel from faith to faith like a drunken man from post to pillar, or as an unskilful builder misliking his own doings, he will not be still pulling down, that he is still setting up, on the one side Constantine will not consent to have images, though therefore his mother Irene, takes him and pulls out his eyes, he tryeth the spirits, and retaining the good in a resolute courage throweth jezabel out at the window: On the other side that holy man (for so they call him) in the 2. counsel of Nice will not leave worshipping of our Lady though, if he will do it, the devil promiseth by his honesty, he will no longer tempt or trouble him: yet all this notwithstanding 
a Ios. 9 9  idolaters in joshua to save their lives, pretend to honour God and receive his religion: but if death & all the torments which can be devised should stand betwixt us and our God in our journey to heaven, this Commandment enjoineth us to pass them all, rather than give over our love unto God, for whose sake Esay is content to be killed with a Saw, jeremy with stones, Amos with an iron bar, Daniel to be thrown into the Lion's den, these were but Originals, there followed Counterpaines which agreed with them, Ignatius, Polycarpus, Irenaeus, and others suffered not death without a Copy, without an example, Paul was content to lose his head, Bartholomew his skin, Luke to be hanged on an Olyve-tree, Steven to be under a heap of many stones, and as our Saviour Christ said to Peter and Andrew 
b Mat. 4. 19  follow me, so they followed him (though not Passibus aequis) in his life though not with like innocency, in his death though not with like constancy, these pledged their predecessors in the cup of afflictions, and began to their successors, and amongst other to our English Martyrs, who in this time of Queen Mary did stick ad iguem, and to show they loved God more than their lives were content to go to him, with Elias in a fiery chariot, not doubting but that same mantle, that same body, which they should leave behind them, should at the resurrection of the just be restored in a more Glorious sort: the former Martyrs stood in the forefront of the battle, and therefore 
c 2 Sam. 11. 15.  like Vriah received the first in counter & violence of their enemies, the latter like old beaten soldiers won the field in the rearward▪ all of them, when they could not go the white way to God in time of peace to show they preferred God's love before their own lives, were content to go the red way in time of persecution.  
This serveth to reprove those, which can be contented to follow Christ in a calm, but being 
d Mat. 8. 27  unlike the disciples, will give him over in a troublesome sea: who are forward at first, but if they perceive they shall be pricked for martyrs, shrink back as snails, which putting forth their horns, being a little pricked pull them again, who being crazed vessels will not hold, but break in pieces when they come to the furnace, like the apples, which as men writ, grow about Sodom and Gomorrah, pleasant to behold, butts vanishing into soot or smoke, as soon as a man put his teeth to them, or like the Crystal which seems a precious stone, till it comes to the hamering, such are they, which forsake Christ, because they will not give their flesh for him, as they in the Gospel 
e joh. 6. 66  forsook Christ, because he said, he would give his flesh for them, who when the sun of tribulation scorcheth hot, are 
f Mat. 13. 5. 6.  like the seed, which fell upon stony ground, which sprung up, but when the sunn● rose up, parched, and for lack of rooting withered away, unlike the Egels young ones, who look directly against the face of the sun, and endure the perching beams thereof, whereby the Eagle which carrieth them up to make trial, whether they are natural Eagles or bastardly branches, acknowledgeth them as her own, which otherwise she would extrude out of her nest.  
Indeed God's Church is made stockfish, and goes along by weeping cross, 
g Gen. 25. 22  jacob cannot be quiet for Esay, no not in his mother's womb, 
h Mat. 2. 16  Herod turns his rage upon the poor infants of Bethlehem, when his malice cannot dispatch Christ himself. 
i Luc. 13. 34.  Our Saviour compares himself to a Hen, and his Church unto chickens, because Herod plays the fox, and lies in wait for them. The Kites and birds of cruel kind deal hardly with the little, 
k Mat 13. 32.  which build their nests in the branches of the little mustard seed. 
l Gen. 4 8.  A thorn of his own blood troubles Abel. 
m Ex. 2. 15.  Phaaroh seeks for Moses to slay him. 
n joh. 21. 18.  Peter must be bound, and led whither he would not, in respect of flesh and blood, which is unwilling to this sacrifice, not in respect of the inner man and of the spirit, 
o Act. 5. ●  for he went away rejoicing when he was whipped: but when the persecutors through their beastly cruelty and tyger-like tyranny have sought to rack & rend the babes of Christ's spouse, and like curdogs with their teeth to tear the lambs of God's pasture, even then life hath not been dear unto the Saiuts, in respect of his love.  
Read we the Acts and Monuments of the Church, we shall find, that Saunders took the stake whereunto he should be chained in his arms, and kissing it said; welcome the cross of Christ, welcome everlasting life, and being fastened to the stake and fire put to him, full sweetly he slept in the Lord: and Doctor Taylor, coming to the place of his execution, thanked God, that he was even at home.  
Carolus, according to his name, was careless of his body in this respect, and thirsting after the cup of Martyrdom, had it last filled up to the hard brim, Alas, saith he, I lie 
p joh. 5. 5.  like the lame man at the pools side by salomon's porch, and every man goes into the place of health before me, but God will appoint me one, one day to put me in, these and a thousand besides.  
These were good grapes, and feared not the press, were good gold, and feared not the fire, were good corn, and feared not the flail, or grindging of their bodies, with the teeth of the wild beasts, they desired to hold life with Christ, and therefore feared not death for Christ, and if some of them through infirmity of the flesh, have a little yielded to their enemies, and stained their cheeks with blushes of recantation, yet like valiant soldiers after flying did again fight, and not give over the field, till they had finished their course, rejoicing, that the sentence of death did send them sooner to heaven, than the course of nature would have done, and that their adverfaries did help them to everlasting bliss, by their speedy dispatch.  
The next duty to love, enjoined by this commandment is sear, Love, and fear, are sweetly tempered together in the hearts of the faithful, they love God fearfully, they fear God lovingly, whereas the  fear him slavishly without love, and therefore are said to 
q job 18. 14  go to the King of fear. The godly know God to be a merciful father, therefore they love him, they know him to be a powerful Lord, therefore with job ʳ they are strucken in fear to stand in awe of his Majesty, 
q job. 23. 15.  David makes a sweet conjunction of both: 
s Psal. 5. 7.  I will come unto thee in the multitude of thy mercies, there is the first: and in fear will I worship towards thy holy temple, there is the second: Love without fear makes us presume, fear without love makes us despair, therefore as in God mercy and truth are met together, so in the godly, love and fear do kiss each other: by the first, they rejoice according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice, when they divide a spoil, their mouth is filled with laughter, and their tongues with joy: in respect of the second they say with job, 
t job 23. 15  I am troubled at his presence, and in considering it, I am afraid of him: In respect of both the Prophet saith, 
u Ps. 2. 11.  serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence: both concur in the godly in their journey to heaven, as they did in the woman 
x Mat. 28. 8.  who departed from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy. 
y Mat. 22. 7.  The Scripture compareth God unto a King, and Goran hath observed four things commendable in a King; the greatness of his power, the depth of his wisdom, the severity of his justice, the serenity of his mercy: such a King is God▪ of great power, Quantus Deus est, qui deos facit? he is not shaken with fear, for 
z ● Sam. 1. 3  he is the Lord of hosts, he is not seduced by error, for he is wisdom itself, he is not corrupted with affection, for he is justice itself, he is not subverted by fury, for he is mercy itself, accidents in others are essences in him: we must reverence him for the first, hear him for the second, fear him for the third, and love him for the fourth: In the Gospel the 
a Mat. 25. 15.  Talents are delivered, the charge is given, the account is taken: The delivery to one five, to another two, to another one, sheweth that God bestoweth gifts and graces on his servants in several measures, one shall have an Ephah full, which containeth ten pottles, an other shall have but an omer full, 
b Ex. 16. 36  which is but the tenth part of the Ephah: The charge, occupy till I come, teacheth us to use those gifts and graces to God's glory, and the benefit of his Church: the account, that he comes and reckones with them, foreshoweth that he will one day say to us, as the rich man to his steward, 
c Luc. 16. 2  Give an account of thy stewarshippe: We must love him, because as a good God he delivers his talents, fear him, because as a just judge he will take an account: The Prophet 
d Es. 8. 12. 1 3.  Esay exhorting us to this fear, doth first dehort us from two sorts of fear, which hinder it. First, fear not those things which the wicked fear. Secondly, fear not the wicked themselves: and now I am entered into so large a field, that in it I may easily lose myself, but my speech shall draw itself up within some few of their fears, which my charity serves me to particularise.  
First, the wicked are brought in fear where no fear is, they frame to themselves fears out of their own imaginations: and as 
e jud. 9 36.  Zebul said to Gaal, The shadow of the mountains seem men unto thee, so are they many times afraid of a shadow: which makes their hare to stand upright, their bodies to shake, their hearts to throb, their senses to fail, and wits to faint, it is said of Antenor allied to Priamus King of Troy, that he would either have a target borne over his head, or close his coach on every side, whensoever he went out of his house: he did fear as a sparrow out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Ashur. 
f Mar. 8. 24  The blind man in the Gospel, when he began to recover sight, thought trees to be men: so it is written of the Burgundians, that expecting a battle, they thought long thistles were lances, their eye was a false glass which did not represent things unto them in their right proportion. God doth send a faintness into the hearts of the wicked, in the land of their enemies, 
g Leu. 26. 36.  and the sound of a leaf shaken, shall chase them, and they shall fly, as flying from a sword, and they shall fall, no man pursuing them, so that, as he saith in Marshal;  
Non amo te, Sabidi, nec possum dicere quare,  
Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te.  
I do not love thee, but I cannot tell, why I do not love thee and as the malcontent Antipodes ever contradicting will not walk in the beaten path of the Church, yet cannot tell why they seek by paths, so those are brought in fear, yet cannot tell why they are afraid, in Arithmetic of nothing comes nothing yet they fear where no fear is: What need I speak of Cardinal Crescentius, who feared that, which indeed never was, nor never had any but a fancied being, for while he was busy about writing letters to Rome against the Protestants, 
h Act. 8. 2.  as Saul was to have letters written to Damascus, for persecuting the Christians, upon a sudden he did think verily, that the Devil walking in his chamber, like a great masty cur, at last couched under his table, and this conceit he did find so unsportable for weight, that let his friends comfort him what they might, his Physician's counsel him what they could, in a melancholy humour he died comfortless. The superstitious man deserves not so much to be spoken of, as to be laughed at, with disdain, who intending to take his journey for fear altars his mind. if he stumbleth at the threshold at his setting out of doors, who ●utending to take his dinner, for fear altars his colour, if the salt fall towards him, and is as much afraid of that fall, as of the elevation of a Comet, which he thinketh always to presage some fatal and final ruin: if any of these fearful or foolish conceits call at the goodman's door, he useth them as passengers with slight respect, they shall not lodge with him, but away they shall, as Posts upon the spur.  
Another thing that the wicked fear is, the constellation of the stars, and as in time passed they did attribute a certain power to the planets, to work in men good or bad effects, so at this day Astrologers make Calendars, which are full of good and bad aspects, Saturn they say, is a terrible, Venus a mild Planet, and so of the rest: and as they thought men and their affairs were governed by the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, and influence of the heavens, and therefore called them, 
i jer. 44. 17  the Queen of heaven, and burnt incense unto her, and poured out drink offerings unto her, supposing plenty and scarcity, health and sickness, weal and woe came by her: so do the superstitious in our times following, Astrologers, which (are as Oecolampadius saith) the greatest of all Impostors (an Impostor is a Conjurer, juggler, or coney-catcher) worships these heavenly bodies, supposing mankind is ruled by them, and therefore when they fall sick, the stars are their counsellors they take their Calendar, if they find it an evil day, when their sickness began, their soul is poured out upon them, they persuade themselves, that they shall not only be weakened, and sore broken, that their health shall pass away as a cloud, but that they shall go the way of all the earth, that the grave shall be their house, and they shall make their bed in the dark, and the worm shall feel their sweetness, and therefore making their wills, take their leave of all the world: but if it be a good day, they doubt not, but all sickness shallbe taken away from them, health shall be unto their navel, and marrow to their bones, that their flesh shall be as fresh as a child's, and return as in the days of their youth. But the Prophet Esay derideth such as these are, saying, 
k Esay. 47. 13.  Let now the Astrologers, the Starre-gasers, and Prognosticators stand up and save thee; not that he condemneth Astronomy, for it is good to know the course of the heavens, the rising and setting of the stars, 
l Gen. 1. 14  which God appointed to give light, and to make difference of times and seasons, but utterly disliketh Astrology, whereby men will undertake to know things which are to come, and attribute the operation in the elements to the stars, which belongeth to God, who made the stars, 
m Ps. 147. 4  and calleth them all by their names, which serveth to no use, but to delude the people, and contrary to this commandment, to bring them from depending only on God. We must not fear this fear, and as our Saviour Christ dehorting us from carking care, saith, 
n Mat. 6. 31 32.  take no thought, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink? or wherewith shall we be clothed? using this argument, after all these things do the Gentiles seek, so the Lord in the prophecy of jeremy, by the like reason dehorteth from this fear, saying, 
o jer. 10. 2.  Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not afraid for the signs of heaven, though the heathen be afraid of such.  
Moreover the wicked fear rumours, when it was noised that there was borne jesus King of the jews, 
p Mat. 2. 2. 3.  King Herod was troubled, and all jerusalem with him: their hearts were moved as the trees of the forest by the wind, rottenness entered into their bones, and they trembled in themselves: so 
q Es. 7. 2.  when it was told the house of David, that Aram was joined with Ephraim, the soul of the King and his people was pressed down, fear and trembling did come upon them, an horrible fear did cover them. God hateth this fear, and therefore will have his people, 
r jer. 51. 46  go out of the midst of Babel, lest their hearts should faint, and they fear the rumour, should be heard in the land concerning the taking of Babel, for the news came the first year, the siege came the second year, and it was taken in the third: and 
s Ps. 112. 7.  a good man will not be afraid of any evil tidings, for his heart is fixed, and believeth in the Lord: he is well grounded, and therefore like Mount Zion he cannot be removed, but standeth fast for ever, the fear of God doth balance his heart, and therefore he floateth steadily, blow what wind it will, he sails to the port.  
A fourth fear disliked, is fear of disgrace, which many times maketh not only the wicked, but even good men backward in performing their duty: this was one cause why jonas was unwilling to go to Niniu●h, and preach unto it the preaching that God bade him, 
t jon. 3. 3.  Yet forty days and Niniu●h shallbe overthrown; for he did not only despair of success, being out of hope, that the children of Ashur would turn to the Lord, when the children of Israel would not repent; but fear of reproach did trouble him more, when considering there was in God 
u jon. 4. 2.  great kindness, and 
x Ps. 63. 3.  loving kindness; which simples compounded make great loving kindness in God, considering he was not only of long suffering before he inflicteth punishment, but penitent in the stay and intermission of it; he thought he should be counted a false prophet, that would be a reproof unto him, he should be a proverb and a common talk among the people, and therefore flieth to Tarshis, saying in effect with Moses, 
y Ex. 4. 13.  send by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send. This fear of disgrace began to work upon Paul, when God called him to preach to the Gentiles, 
z Act. 22. 1●  They know, saith he, that I prisoned and beat in e●ery Synagogue them, that believed in thee: & now if I shall preach thee, whom before I persecuted, what will they say? they will say, that I wove and unweave like Penelope, & being as variable in my practices as Proteus in h●s shapes, set up one day, to pull down another; that I am changed as the Moon, which never views us twice with the same face: thus because he would not suffer contempt he seeketh covert, would stop God's mouth upon good terms, alleging a plea, to put off the office which he was to execute. To come to ourselves, I am persuaded that among us many papists on the left hand, many schismatics on the right hand (betwixt which two the Church & liturgy of the Church is crucified, 
a Mat. 2●. 38.  as our Saviour Christ between the two malefactors) would be brought to the tabernacles of peace, and follow the truth in love, where it not for this that they think, they should be a reproach unto their neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about them, have I been thus long a Recusant, thinks some Papists, have I thus many years held these and these opinions, and shall I now stain my cheeks with the blushes of recantation, and not second my beginnings with suitable proceed? shall a Retraxit be entered against me, as against the person plaintiff, when he cometh into the court where his plea is, and saith he will not proceed? what will men say? they will say▪ that I am a wavering weathercoke, a reed shaken to and fro with the wind, that I am so light, that I had need to have lead tied to my heels, lest every wind should blow me away, that I ebb and flow, that I have one mind sitting, another standing: in a word, this fact of mine will be so deeply died in Crimson, that time in all my time will never wear out the colour, in consideration hereof, he takes unto him a whore's forehead (as it is in 
b jer. 3. 3.  jeremy) and will not blush, and 
c & 8. 12.  puts upon him a brow of brass, and will not be ashamed: Again, on the other side, many a schismatic would love peace, as well as he seems to love truth, being an Hebrew, he would not smite an Hebrew, and counting it a miserable praise to be a witty disturber, would cast a good liking upon received truths, and return to the bosom of the Church, like the dove to the Ark with leaves of Olive in his mouth, were it not for this, what will men say? they will say, I am like the wind which continueth not long in one quarter, that following the common stream, I respect profit, that as the divided tongues of the multitude agree not each with another, so I do not agree with myself, I shallbe a byword of the people, and as a tabret before them, I shallbe their song and their talk, my soul shallbe filled too full of the mocking of the wealthy, and despightfulnesse of the proud; such a blot of infamy will be brought to my name, as never will be wiped out. In consideration hereof, he holds on, his bones shall be full with the sins of his youth, and having before published the private conecits he had in his breast, will still continue to vent them by word or writing, to the disturbance of the common peace: but the fear of God must so take up our hearts, and keep such residence therein, that the fear of rebuke, reproach, and disgrace must not possess them to dismay us, according to that in Esay, 
d Esay 51. 7  fear ye not the reproach of men: neither be ye afraid of their rebukes.  
But besides these, there are other two fears more troublesome than all the rest: the first is terror of conscience, when the sin of the wicked doth testify to their faces, when God doth send his plagues upon their hearts, and they knowing all the wickedness whereunto their hearts are privy, see God's justice following them at the hard heels, when recording with exceeding great grief that which they did with overgreat delight, their hearts ache and every joint tremble, when they feel sin stirring in them as it were some living thing crawling in their bodies, and gnawing upon their hearts: This, this is the fear which when it hath taken possession of the heart, excludeth the fear of God required by this commandment, this wring, this torment, and gnawing of bad consciences that torment malefactors, are the only three Fairies feigned by Poets to dwell in hell, and to be nails in the heart, not but that a man may sinne, yet not have a present feeling of sin: for he may have a spiritual Palsy, a numbness, yea dumbnes of Conscience; conscience as a foul Glass will not so soon represent his sin unto him, and he being cordis sui fugitivus, dares not so much as view his filthy soul, but is like the Elephant, which seeks to drink of puddle water, lest that which is clear might show him his deformed face, quo peius se habet minus sentit, he is like a sick man, who in his sleep feels not his pain, like one Dionysius into whose belly, though they thrust needles to let out his fat, yet by reason of his grossness, he felt them not; like Mariners, who accustomed to the sea, perceive not the stink of it: He is dead, smite him, yet he feels it not; he is naked, yet view him, he is not ashamed; he is deaf, hammer on him, he answers not, his conscience is of proof, able to repel good admonitions, he hath long sucked poison, and being nourished with it, now he perceives it not: tell him of a reckoning, he is so far in debt that he will not give it the hearing; bid him search his wounds, durus est hic serm●, they are so deep, he had rather suffer them to fester: admonish him to take a view of his life past, his eyes are at home in a box: he hath made a covenant with death and hell, the devil is at secret peace with him: he will not hear his conscience when it would counsel him to be at peace with God, and at war with sin, if by crying loud; for audience it grows troublesome, he is ready to indite it for a common barrettor, 
e Gen. 4. 17.  with cain he can cast away care, with 
f Gen 25. 34.  Esau he can eat and drink, rise up and go his way, but tranquillitas ista tempestas est▪ this calm continues not long without a storm, 
g job. 27. 20.  fearfulness shall overtake him as a rape of waters, 
h & 15. 24.  and prevail against him as a King ready to the battle: Conscience is a book, and God hath given every man one to carry in his bosom, which though he be unwilling to open, yet at last he must needs unclasp it, it is a monitor, and at last it will complain, it is a watch, and at last it will give warning: it is our Domestical Chaplain, & will not always stop his mouth, burr cry out of the fullness and foulness of iniquity, of the ripeness and rottenness of sin, let a man have so large and able a gorge that he can swallow and digest sin as the Ostrich doth y●on, and upon digestion sleep, and with Epimenides take a nap of 47. years long, yet many times even in sleeping, Conscience which he would restrain and imprison will put him in mind of his sin.  
Richard the third that usurper, who to have the Crown set on his own head, put his two innocent Nephews to death, did think in his sleep, he did see diverse images like torrible devils pulling and haling at him, not suffering him to rest, he did take the sword, and did perish with the sword, at last 
i 1 Kin.▪ 32.  like joab because he sm●t two men more righteous than him, with the sword of his enemy, but at first like Goliath 
k 1. Sam. 17 51.  with a sword of his own, with the stabbing and lancing of his own heart, what an hell did he feel in himself; how did his guilty conscience gall him, what an inward worm and fire did gnaw and burn his heart; what heart-bytings did sting him in spite of his teeth, when his thoughts afforded him not sleep, whe● his sleep afforded him not rest? who wore out many waking hours, when a man would have thought his senses had been fettered in the bands of rest. The good man falls on sleep with sweet Meditations, and saith with David ˡ have I 
Psa. 63. 7.  not remembered thee in my bed? Therefore 
m Pro. 3. 24  when he sleepeth he shall not be afraid, when he sleepeth, his sleep shallbe sweet; but the wicked imagineth mischief on his bed, 
n Pro. 4. 16  he cannot sleep except he hath done evil, his sleep departeth, except he cause some to fall, therefore God will punish him on his bed, sleep shall departed from his eyes, or if he suffer his eyes to sleep, or his eye-lydes to slumber, or the temples of his head to take rest, if his senses be tied up, his sins are lose, and representing themselves unto him in most ugly shape do affright him with hellish and terrible dreams, 
o Esa. 57 ●1.  there is no peace to the wicked saith my God▪ the trouble of his mind is not inferior to the raging of the Ocean Sea: A servant that is wearied with over much work can fly from his master and be at rest, but a servant of sin whither shall he fly, he carries with him, a bad conscience whither soever he goeth, because whither soever he goeth he cannot go from himself, his friends do wait upon him, are within him, and are as parts of himself when his soul departs from his body, his conscience will not departed from his soul, nor his sin from his conscience. He that is deeply wrapped in useries bands, can hardly sleep, therefore Octavian the Emperor commanded, that the pillow of a certain soldier, which died in great debt should be bought for him, to whom when answer was made, that it was a base pillow and nothing worth: buy it notwithstanding saith he, for it hath some virtue in it to cause sleep, that he that was so so much indebted could sleep upon it, and therefore when cares come upon me, I will lay it under my head. But what pillow can he quietly rest himself upon, who is more entangled in his own bands then any can be in the Usurers? he knows his tongue, his hands and all the members of his body are bound to the good abearing, he knows his soul is in body bound with them, he knows he hath broken the good behaviour when by lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring, he hath broken out, he fears he shallbe taken upon an execuution that it willbe said to him, as to the rich man, 
p Luc. 12. 20.  they will fetch away thy soul from thee, hins ille lachrima now is he wounded at the very heart, and struck in a marvelous great fear of God's heavy vengeance to be poured out upon him, now is he like 
q Es. 57 20  the raging Sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt: now is he as a man lying in a portal, or near unto it, who can take no rest for any long season▪ by reason of comers and goers, in and out by it, or that are still knocking at it to have it opened: his sin lieth at the door of his heart, and when the fire of concupiscence hath consumed all the servants of sin the senses, the will, and affections, the conscience alone remaineth unburned, and saith as jobes' messenger 
r job. 1. ●6.  I only am escaped alone to tell thee: and if in the beginning his conscience doth not say to him as Peter to Christ, 
s Mat. 16. 22.  look to thyself: if it be not as 
t 1. Sam. 20. 20.  jonathans' arrows shot to give warning, if this light be not borne before him that he do not stumble upon iniquity, in the end it will follow him with Hue and cry, and when he hath finished his sin, this light shallbe borne after him, and volens 〈◊〉 he shall look upon it, whether he will or no: let him muffle his conscience for a time as 
u Gen. 38. 15.  Thamar muffled her face, let it go merely like the Windmill with the gale of selfe-l●king, yet at last he shallbe sure it will article against him, and set before him the things that he hath done. Cleopatra Queen of Egypt may suck out the poison of Asps, left Augustus C●sar should carry her to Rome in token of triumph, and so dye sleeping: but if Satan triumpheth over the wicked, who drink iniquity like water, and have the poison of Asps under their lips, they roar and cry like the swine, which thinks he is never taken but to be slain; let them eat and drink, and be mer●y, cheer themselves as though all the world were their minstrel. O how short is this Hillary Term, or in very deed, no Hillary Term at all, for even in laughing the heart is sorrowful, though no body knows where the shoe wrings but he that wears it; this their jollity is but dissembled, like that of the thief, who may set the best side outward, and revel and sport, as though he took no thought, but he hath a sad remembrance, within he hath conscience to accuse him, memory to bear witness against him, reason to judge, and fear to condemn him, without, a lock on the door, bolts on his legs, a brand in his hand, and his neck in suspense; I deny not, but that the best men know their iniquity, and their sin is ever before them, but within a while, God doth make them hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which he had broken might rejoice: wickedness is as 
x Zac. 5. 8.  a talon of lead, and the best men are pressed under it as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves; and though no element is burdenous in the proper place of the element, for example, the water though it might annoy us otherwise, yet would not offend us with burden, though we were in the bottom of it, but a small vessel full, taken from thence, and laid on our shoulders, would be heavy; so sin, though it seems not a burden in the will of man, wherein the region and element of sin is, yet bring it from it house and home, convent it before reason, examine it, see the plagues due to it, then shall we see the weight of it and say, 
y Psa. 38. 4  my sins are gone over my head, and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear: but though the good man doth thus labour and be heavy laden, yet within a while he repaireth to God, and 
z joh. 13. 23.  with the Disciple, whom jesus loved, leaveth, as it were in his master's bosom, and approacheth to God, as 
a Act. 8. 29.  Philip to the Chariot that he might be eased, and is eased by drawing the circumference of God's promises to the centre of his heart.  
David was the sweet singer of Israel, yet in his Psalms we hear many notes which jar unpleasantly, and are quite out of tune, as, 
b Psa. 38. 3  there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin; and 
c 8.  I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart: but God doth put 
d Psa. 40. 3.  a new song in his mouth, and there follow notes of a better sound, as this. 
e Psa. 51. 8  Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoice: 
f jon. 2. 4.  I am cast away out of thy fight, saith jonas, here 
g Act. 20. 9  with Eutychus, you may take him up dead: but I will look again toward thy holy Temple, here you may see him with 
h Gen. 45. 27.  jacob to revive, 
i Luc. 7. 15  with the young man to sit up and speak; 
k Mat. 9 7.  with the palsy man to arise & walk. 
l Rom. 7. 24.  O wretched man that I am, saith Paul, herein consideration of his infirmity setting up sails of discomfort, he is ready to run upon dangerous shelves: but I thank God through jesus Christ our Lord, this is a breath of faith, which coming stops his course, and standing as a rudder in the sentence, turns it quite another way, but as for the , it is not so with them, when they hit upon discord, they never fall into a good concord: when they fall, they fall away, Prolapsi, id est, prosus lapsi, they fall like the Elephant, who being down, riseth not again, 
m 1. Sam. 4. 18.  they fall backward with Heli and can have no help of their hands, in a word, this fear and terror of conscience, in the godly lasteth but for a time and they are delivered from it, in the wicked it abideth always and they are devoured by it: to the one God gives the thread of grace to bring them out of the labyrinth of a troubled mind: the sense of sin sends the other headlong, 
n Mat. 8. 32  as the devils the heard of swine, to the lake of desperation, fear in the one 
o Psa. 114. 3.  like Iorden is driven back, in the other like 
p 2. Kin. 5. 27.  the leprosy of Gehezi it clea●eth fast for ever, of all fears, fear not this fear, it is most opposite to the true fear of God, which this Commandment requireth. Lastly the wicked fear death and that because they never feared God in their life, they carnally fear to dye, they hellishly fear to be dead, the intolerable pain in the very act of dissolution causeth the first, the conceit that they shallbe ever dying causeth the second. A good man looks death in the face, and goeth out courageously to meet it with a smile, and taking it by the hand before it taketh him, doth at once welcome and contemn it, he knoweth that 
q 1. Cor. 15 56.  the sting of death is sin, and that Christ having pulled it out calls it drone to it face; 
r 1. Cor. 15 55.  O death where is thy sting: and therefore he is like the Swan, which by a natural instinct finisheth his life with joy and singing.  
— ubi fata vocant, udis abiectus in herbis  
Ad vada Maandri concinit albus olor.  
but to the wicked, it is a death to think upon death, when they consider on the one side, what evil they have done, and on the other side, what evil they shall suffer; on the one side, what bad stewards they have been, on the other side, what reckoning they shall make at the audit: they cry loath to departed, and are still willing like slaves to be chained to their galleys, and are as unwilling to go out of life as 
s Gen. 19 16.  L●t out of Sodom, and and are pulled from the earth with more violence, than 
t 1. Kin. 2. 28.  joab from the horns of the Altar. But if the fear of God possesseth our hearts, then are we void and empty of this and all other base fears, according to the admonition of Esay, 
u Esa. 8. 12  we fear not the fear of the wicked. And secondly we fear not the wicked men themselves according to that of our Saviour Christ, 
x Mat. 10. 28.  fear not them that kill the body, & justinus Martyr said: the persecutors could only kill, they could not ill, much like that of Petus concerning Nero, occidere me potest, l●dere vero non potest: they have no more power over the soul, than Satan had over jobs, and can hurt the soul no more, than he which cutteth a garment hurteth the body, for the body is the garment of the soul. jacob 
y Gen. 31. 3  when God bids him leave Padan Aram, and go again to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan, hath a wolf by the ears, which he can neither hold, nor let go without danger: if he disobeyes, he hath God against him, if he obeys, his brother Esau comes against him, but the fear of God as the stronger iron drives out the fear of man as the weaker nay●e. God's Commandment is of more force to make him obey, then present peril to make him afraid, he feareth God more than man, whose life is in his breath, whose breath is in his nosthriles; Saint Laurence feared not his persecutors, who speak to the Emperor who caused him to be tormented on a fiery gridyron on this wise.  
This side is now roasted enough; turn up O tyrant great:  
Assay whither roasted or raw, thou thinkest better meat.  
Apollonia feared not her persecutors, who for confessing the faith of Christ, had all her teeth pulled out of her head: (Hereupon I suppose it came that Apolline, was the Saint for the Toothache) & when the Tyrant threatened to burn her, except she would blaspheme Christ, she breaking from the Officers willingly leapt into the fire. I commend her constant courage: but set no Rosemary branch upon her fact, for when our Savi, our Christ saith to Peter, 
z joh. 21. 18.  another shall bind thee and lead thee whither thou wouldst not, he teacheth, that we must suffer of another, not of ourselves; we must not lay violent hands by no means upon our own bodies. In latter times Latimer feared not his persecutors for— tim●r addidit alas, fear would force flight. But he having forewarning six hours before, that a Pursuivant, was coming down to call him up to London, there after examination to be clapped in the Tower, and condemned, was so far from flying, that in that time he provided himself, that he might be ready to ride with the Messenger: all these knew that if they be blessed that dye in the Lord; then much more blessed are they that die in the Lord; and for the Lord, they knew that Christ did forsake his father, heaven and all to come unto them, & they would forsake their friends, earth & all to come unto him. Their enemies being more weary in tormenting them, than they of the torments, which seemed▪ more harsh to the beholders then to themselves, who did endure them: they were not afraid though ten thousand of people did beset them round about, who could but kill the body, but they feared him who having killed the body was able to cast both body and soul into hell according to the charge which Christ giveth, 
a Luc. 12. 5.  fear him, which he doubleth, yea I say unto you fear him, hammering upon us again, and again, because nay les the oftener they are smitten, the deeper they pierce.  
The last thing required by this commandment is to trust in God, which followeth the fear of God, as we see in Exodus, 
b Ex. 14. 31  the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord: Abraham believed the Lord, when he promised him the land of Canaan, though he had not in it the breadth of a foot, his faith was as sure as his sense, that which was to come many years after was as present with him, as if he had taken livery and season, and present possession.  
He believed God, when he promised to multiply his seed as the stars of heaven, when as yet he had no child, himself was strucken in years; and his wife past childbearing, though God, who is above nature, having given him a son: 
c Gen. 22  bade him offer him up for a  offering, he submitteth his reason to faith, not his faith unto reason, he believeth that which reason cannot comprehend. jacob resting on God's promise, with an heroical mind declareth the land of Canaan to be 
d Gen. 49.  his, whereas at most he had in it but a place of burial, and that by entreaty, and lying sick, but on a base couch, as though he had been some mighty Monarch; deuideth the land by will to his several sons; he believed that God who had promised, was able to perform, he believed God's providence, whereby he did foresee his power, whereby he could effect, and therefore against all logic he holds the conclusion in spite of the premises. This serveth to reprove those which distrust Gods promises, which distrust his providence, which distrust high power, for the first, Palaam the liar was enforced to acknowledge that 
e Num. 23. 19  God was true, and every man a liar, therefore the Psalmist compareth his words 
f Ps. 12. 6.  to silver, seven times fined, wherein is neither dross nor superfluity, and saith, 
g Ps. 62. 11  God spoke once two things there are Power and judgement in God, as if he should say, God needs not to repeat his words to give assurance, as pharoh's dream 
h Gen. 41. 32.  was doubled because it should surely come to pass, for if there were but one syllable of his truth, it were all one, as if there were a great volume: job therefore distrusting God's faithfulness, speaketh as a man not well in his wits, when he would have God 
i job 17. 3.  lay down a gage, or put in a pledge or surety with him. Concerning his providence, as a man hath a care over his whole family generally, but more particularly over his wife and children; so God hath a care generally of all his creatures, as creation was the mother to bring them forth, so his providence is the nurse to bring them up; the first sets up the frame of the house; the second keeps it in reparations; but he hath an aspeciall care of the Church his spouse, his providence hovereth over it, 
k Ex. 25. 20  as the wings of the Cherubins over the mercy seat, he sets his providence between it, & all hurts, that might oppress it, as 
l Ex. 14. 20  the pillar of the cloud was set between the hosts, that no harm might befall unto Israel. 
m 2 San. 24. 1.  David therefore was to blame to number his people, as distrusting God's providence, & trusting in the multitude of his strong men it: was not a fault to number the people, if it had been 
n Ex. 30. 12  towards the taxation of the Tabernacle, 
o Num. 1. 2  o● for the war; but to number them as David did, either for curiosity to know, or vain glory to boast, or for a distrust in God's providence; this was it that brought in the plague. Concerning Gods power, 
p Ex. 4. 3.  Moses rod turned into a serpent, doth not speak, yet cryeth with a loud voice, 
q Luc. 18. 27.  that which is impossible with man, is possible with God: who but he could turn the 
r joh. 2. 9  pots of water into wine? who but he could 
s Ex. 7. 19  turn rivers of water into blood? 
t Act. 12. 13  who but he could plague one man by lice and worms? who 
u Ex. 8. 17  but he could plague all Egypt with these vermin? who but he could 
x Gen. 19 11.  blind one city? who but he 
y Ex. 10. 23  could blind all Egypt. Let no man doubt of his power, when he hath assurance of his will, to God nothing is wonderful, because he knoweth all things, nothing impossible, because he can do all things, nothing hard, because he can do all things with his will, and therefore 
z job 42. 2  job having spoken of his power, speaketh of his thoughts: as Caluin saith, to teach that his power and will are things inseparable, his mind and hand agree together, the one to determine, the other to bring to pass.  
Therefore the Israelites are to blame to distrust his might, 
a Ps. 78. 19  can God prepare a table in the wilderness? but twice to blame, for that contrary to their own experience, they limited the holy one of Israel. He smote the stony rock indeed, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed, can he give bread also, or prepare flesh for his people? How incredulous were they, when the repetition of former blessings could not breed an expectation of future hopes? he shot somewhat near the mark, that said, Rhetoric was the art of persuading, for many times truth itself being delivered by one that hath been slow of speech, slow of tongue and of uncircumcised lips, hath not had so much likelihood of truth, as falsehood hath had by means of good utterance. A poor man complained to the King, that such a man (naming a Lawyer) had taken away his Cow from him; I will hear (saith the King) what he will say to the matter, nay saith the poor man, if you hear him speak, then have I surely lost my Cow indeed; he thought that smooth speech and cleanly carriage was as a golden chain, which coming from the Lawyer's tongue would fasten to the King's ears, to persuade and lead him whither he would. It is worthy the observation, what Socrates said before the judges in his own defence, touching his accusers; my Lords (saith he) I know not how you have been affected with mine accuser's eloquence, while you heard them speak, for mine own part, I assure you, that I, whom it toucheth most, was almost drawn to believe, that all they said, though against myself, was true, when they scarcely uttered one word of truth; but let Rhetoric do the best it can, no ornament can be so good an argument as experience. Experience teacheth that, which Rhetoric was never able to persuade, it teacheth by effect that, which we never would comprehend by discourse, 
b Ex. 7. 15.  God bad Moses take his rod with him, when he should turn the river Nilus into blood, that hereby remembering the former, he need not doubt, but God was able to work an other miracle.  

c 1 Sam. 17. 34.  David gathereth strength to go against Goliath, because he had experience of deliverance from the Lion and the Bear. Experience is a faithful man's proof, instances his remonstrations, but the jews speak of God's power by experience, they instance in what particular his power did appear; yet chain his hands, and curb his might, as though he which had given them bread and water of affliction, could not as well give them bread, as he had done water for their consolation. The reason of all this distrust is, because we stand reasoning with God, how shall this be done? thou fool wilt thou measure God's power by that thou perceivest, or make thy conclusion by the slender means thou seest.  

d jud. 1. 13  othoniel for years the youngest, for authority the least, for wealth the poorest of all his brethren, takes the City: 
e 1 Cor. 1. 27.  God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confounded the mighty: say not with Gideon, 
f judg. 6. 15. 16.  I am of a poor family, and secondly, I am the least in my father's house, whereby then shall I save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites? I will be with thee, saith the Lord, 
g jud. 7. 20  and the sword of the Lord and of Gideon go together. Say not with Moses, 
h Ex. 3. 11. & 4. 10. 11  who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh? ⁱ I am not eloquent, neither at any time have been; for who hath given the mouth to man, or who hath made the dumb to speak? but be like 
k Luc. 19 4  Zachee who being low of stature, fulfilled the want of Nature by ascending upward.  

l 1 Sam. 14 13.  jonathan, and his armour-bearer go up against the Philistines, Ecce d●o gladij: what, but two swords against so many? satis est, it is enough; the weakness of God is stronger than men: A great multitude follow Christ, because they see his miracles, 
m 1 Cor. 1 25.  but where shall we have bread for such a multitude? 
n Io. 6. 5. 9  there is a little boy here, which hath five barley loaves and two fishes, but what are they among so many? what, they are enough, and more then enough. God can make a little of the means to go fare in operation, and cause 
o Mat. 15: 34. & 14 17. etc.  more baskets full to be then taken up, when he doth feed the greater number with the fewer loaves and fewer fishes. 
p levit. 26 26.  he that can break the staff of bread, that 
q Hos 9 2.  the floor and wine press shall not feed us, even 
r Ps. 17. 14  he can also fill our bellies with his hid treasure: I speak not this, as though we should neglect the means, for though 
s Ps. 147. 9  God feedeth the young ravens that call on him, yet no ordinary feeding without sowing, 
t Mat. 6. 28  though God clothe the lily of the field, yet no ordinary clothing without spinning. Man cannot help himself without God, God will not ordinarily help man without himself: Rhahab is persuaded, that God will deliver the spies that went to view jericho from danger; but yet 
u Ios. 2. 6. 16.  she hideth them, and bids them go to the mountain and hide themselves three days, lest the pursuers take them. Mardocheus and the jews rest on God but yet use means for deliverance, for after prayer 
x Est. ●. 1. 2  he hasteth to the Court: 
y Act 27. 31  Paul will have the Mariners cut the ropes and cast Anchors and yet knows there shallbe no loss of any man's life, and in the great tempest when jonas fled away from the presence of the Lord to prevent the ship wrack there is 
z jon. 1. 5.  as well the labour of the Mariners in casting the wares out of the ship to lighten it, as their fervent prayers to save it. As for those heretics Bednini among the Saracens, which affirm that all things happen by destiny, and therefore go to battle unarmed, saying, death cannot be eschewed, they and the like would be used as Zeno used his servant, who when he alleged for himself, it was his destiny to steal, as though that should have excused his theft, told his servant, it was his destiny to be punished, and therefore he must expect no favour: If we suffer evil, we must as well look to the justice of God, who suffereth, as to the malice of man, which offereth the wrong, else shall we be impatient, and biting the stone neglect him that threw it. So if we expect good, we must as well look to the means to procure it, as to God who giveth it, else shall we be terre inutile pondus, and by doing nothing come to nothing, as though we were very thiefs to our own estates.  
As on the one side we must not neglect the means, so on the other side we must not be to much tied to them, for then contrary to this commandment, we make the means a god, as they which 
a Hab. 1. 16  sacrifice to their net and burn Incense to their yarn: this was the fault of Israel, they trusted to much to the Egyptians to whom they used to fly in their dangers, which the Prophet dissuadeth, saying, 
b Esay. 31. 3  the Egyptians are men, and not God, 
c jer. 17. 5.  cursing the man that puts his trust in man, for though they may 
d Psa. 146. 3.  be honourable as Princes, yet are they borne sinful, sons of men, borne weak, there is no help in them, borne mortal, their breath departeth. Again they trusted to much in 
e Esay. 31. 1  Horses, but 
f Psa. 33. 16  a Horse is a vain thing to save a man, neither can he deliver any man by his great strength, and therefore when they repent Palinodiam Canunt, saying, 
g Hos. 14. 4  Ashur shall not save us, neither will we ride upon Horses, meaning they will leave of all vain trust and confidence in Horse and man.  

h joh. 4. 8.  Our Saviour Christ sends his Disciples to buy meat, therefore use means, 
i Psa. 78. 30  but the Israelites died while the flesh was in their mouths therefore fetter not the grace of God unto it: 
k 2. Kin. 20. 7.  Esay will have a lump of dry figs laid on Ezechias boil to recover him therefore use means: but 
l 2. Cro. 16 12.  Asa dyeth for all the Physicians that are about him, therefore trust not to much to means. 
● job. 5. 7.   
Man is borne to labour, and God hath given him a hand, (which he hath not any beast) to work withal, he hath given him understanding to direct it, he will have no cyphers in his Arithmetic 
n Mat. 20, 6.  none standing idle in his Vineyard, to get his living he will have every man sweat his brows, or sweat his brains, therefore use means, but let a man wear his body out with violence, go out unto his work until the evening, yea encroach upon the night for time, and say with jacob, 
o Gen. 31. 40.  I was in the day consumed with heat, and with frost in the night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes: yet 
p Ps. 127. 2,  except God bless his labour he shall find it is but vain to rise up early, and to late take rest, therefore rely not on the means.  
In our own profession, 
q 1. Tim. 4. 13. 15.  every man to his study, Sermons must not come forth as untimely fruit, from uncircumcised lips, therefore use means; but if God bless not our studies, we may fish all day, 
r Luc. 5. 5.  as Peter fished all night, and take nothing, we cannot ●●n the point aright, except God give wind to our sails, we shall be as barren and childless as Sarah. (I speak as Paul, 
s 1. Cor. 4. 15.  I have begotten you in Christ jesus) before God blessed her: All the Apostles took pain, but 
t Act. 2. 46.  it was God that added to the Church such as should be saved.  
God without secondary causes can work what he list, The ruler saith, 
u joh. 4. 49  Sir, go down before my son dye, is no greater than Marthaes', 
x joh. 11. 21.  Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not been dead; greater is the faith of the Centurion, who believeth Dei dicere is facere 
y Mat. 8. 8.  master, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only and my servant shallbe healed. Greater the faith of the Leper, who believeth that Gods will is a work, 
z Mat. 8. 2.  master if thou wilt thou canst make me clean. In the book of Genesis, 
a Gen. 19 22.  haste thee, & save thee in Zoar, I can do nothing till thou be come thither: Non possum facere, not that it passeth his power, but that it is contrary to his nature, this impossibility proceeds not of infirmity, but of might and Majesty, for what he purposeth in his mind, he can effect and execute without let, without means: But means without God can never work, therefore use good means but rest not in them as in God, so rest on God, that our confidence in him do not exclude our taking pain, yet so take pain upon trust in him, that our endeavours never be perplexed.  
Before me: A tyrants own will goes for a law, without regard of right or reason:  Sic volo, sic iubeo, stet pro ratione voluntas. 
When Constantius, would have Paulinus, Lucifer, and other Bishops subscribe against Athanasius, and communicate with the Arrianes, he yielded no other reason but this; Quod ego v●lo, pro Canone sit, do as I bid you, or get you hence into banishment. Thus he made a stalking horse of his own will, but in God (in whom things cannot be divided, one from another) righteousness is linked with his will, when he showeth his will, right is seen to go with it; his word agrees with his intention, because he is truth, his work with his word, because he is power: his will with his equity, because he is right. When he showeth his law, unto jacob his statute, and ordinance unto Israel, reason is seen to go with it: as in this place, see you have no other Gods but me that brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for if you set up an idol in your hearts, and sacrifice your souls unto it, howsoever you may conceal this iniquity from men, yet it is open and manifest to me, who have made a window into the heart; though I reserve it under lock and key for mine own view.  
Before me: we do good as before God, not caring who sees us, we do good with a witness, and wish it might be on record, but we do ill as behind God; for we hide and cloak our sins, and daub them over with some whorish complexion, as our 
b Gen. 3. 7.  first parents with Figtree leaves did cover their nakedness. But 
c Heb. 12. 29.  God is a consuming fire and in his presence all covers, all false colours, all Poppean paintings of these picts do soon fall away, 
d Io●. 1. 2.  the wickedness of the Ninivits comes up before God: 
e Eccl. 8. 13  they feared not before God, if our heart be not perfect with the Lord, but divided, this wrong in parting his right among other is before God. 
f 1. Cor. 2. 11.  No man knoweth what is in man but the spirit of man that is in him: Momus, who controlled all the gods without exception blamed Vulcan, for that he did not set a grate at man's breast; that others might pry into his thoughts, yet 
g Luc. 9 55  a man knows not his own spirit except he doth examine it, but let him examine it, yea double his examination, as the Apostle doth 
h 2. Cor. 13 5.  double his exhortation, yet when he hath done all, and sifted what he can, his spirit is not so manifest to himself as it is unto God, and therefore David confessing, that 
i Psa. 13. 29  God knoweth every man's thoughts long before they enter into his mind, desireth God 
k Psa. 19 12  to cleanse him even from his secret faults, he could not understand his own faults, but confesseth that God is well acquainted with those sins in the inmost concavity of the heart, unto which he himself was but astranger.  
The mind of man goeth up to the heavens, goeth down to the deep, entereth into a thousand places without removing, the light of the sun cannot be shut up in any place, but sheddeth itself into all places, and is present with all things: we see in essence and presence, if the creature be in so many places, where shall the creator not be? if there be such light in the one, what light shall be in the other: in the father of lights: in respect of whom the sun itself is but a snuff. God is as Gyges', when he had turned the head of his ring to the palm of his hand, he is seen of none, and overseeth all: we see God but in a glass, saculum est speculum, this glass was clear before the fall, but now 
l Cor. 13. 12  we see through a glass darkly, but God seethe us in open light, ex antica fancy, as well as ex postico tergo: ad intra, as well as ad extra, the thoughts of our hearts, as well as the words of our lips, and works of our hands.  
jonah, 
m jon. 1. 2.  Arise and go to Niniveh that great City, and cry against it; but jonah knoweth that the justice and mercy of God, like the 
n joh. 20. 4  two disciples run together, and that his mercy outruns his justice, as the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre: and therefore thinking, that when justice and mercy had a while strove together, as 
o Gen. 25. 22  Esau and jacob in Rebeccaes womb, mercy at length (to the cracking of his credit) would get the upper hand; therefore he is bound for Tarsus, and embarking himself in a ship intendeth to cross the seas, hoping that a favourable wind will send him a short cut, but howsoever his hope was frustrated in the latter, yet his opinion did not deceive him in the former: for when justice would have prevailed, mercy did put in, and sped herself to the rescue, herewithal. jonas being at dagger drawing, saith, 
p jon. 4. 2.  was not this my word, when I was yet in my country? jonah it was not thy word, it was but thy thought, this thought was locked and closed up in thy heart, as in a privy chamber, it had not yet gone out at the door of thy lips, and vented itself by words to other men's ears, thy tongue had not yet been a public notary of thy heart, nor thy mouth a messenger of thy mind, or a vocal interpreter of that, which thou hadst contrived; why then dost thou say, was not this my word; when as yet thy tongue was hid in thy heart? on the one side I would not have the tongue tied, or have the put a gag in thy mouth; or hide thy sins either by negation as Selom●ns courtesan; 
q Pro. 30. 20.  who wipeth her mouth, and it is not she: or extinuation, as to say as Lot of Zoar, 
r Gen. 19 20  is it not a little one? or justification, as the jews, 
s joh. 8. 48  say we not well, that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil. Sin is a bad blood, and let confession be the opening of a vain to let it out, let the mouth be as that gate in jerusalem, 
t Neh. 3. 14  through which all the filth in the City was carried out; but on the other side, wilt thouly accusing thyself of that, whereof thou art not guilty, make thyself worse than thou art: shall other men's tongues lick their own sores, as 
u Luc. 16. 21.  the dogs do Lazarus, and shall thy tongue sting thyself, and make a sore when none is. Why wilt thou be such a Cipher and cutter of thyself? is not enough for thee to have some venom in thy stomach, when thou wishest, that God would rather overthrew 
x jon. 4. 3.  the City, then that thy credit should be impaired in sparing it; but thou must also affirm to the slandering of thyself, that like a mad dog, thou didst lay out a venomous tongue? but I condemn not thy discretion; thou spakest to God, to whom thy thought is a word, for he to whom darkness and light are both alike, seethe the very entrailes of the soul, the very heart of the heart as clearly, as he understands the language of the tongue, and speech of the lips; Nay sometime, as in prayer, a thought is a cry, and a cry, but a still voice, for such may it be, that God will turn away his ear, and he will never hear it: Why doth the holy Ghost charge the Scribes with speaking slander, when they did but think, Christ did blaspheme, in saying to the palsy man, 
y Mat 9 3.  Thy sins are forgiven thee: it was within themselves; how was it then a saying? this is a kind of solecism, and being like unto false Latin, seemeth to have much incongruity: the heart is a scabbard, wherein the thought is sheathed: it is not a word, till the tongue, as a hand doth draw it forth: the heart was a cistern, which held this poisoned liquour, it was not a word, except the tongue as a pipe had sent it out. The tongues then of the Scribes, not being busied about this blaspheming, but concealing what they thought: why doth the holy Ghost say, they said it? was it because he would clip the credit of the Scribes, and by this means make them lighter esteemed? that be fare from him, God forbidden, that the righteous God should find fault, because he would deprave, because he would disgrace, or sack any man's name: 
z job 24. 12.  he doth not charge men with folly, when they deserve it, and will he charge them, when they deserve it not? that be fare from him. But the reason is this, because the thought and the voice are equally audible to him, that heareth without ears: because he that made the heart and the tongue, the reines, and the lips understands the language of both, of all alike. Because he is as near to the speech of the thought, as voice of the mouth: And therefore I shut up this Doctrine with that excellent saying of Saint Augustine: God is a light which no other light can see, a brightness, which no other brightness beholdeth; a light which darkeneth all othet lights; a brightness which blindeth all outward sight: a light of whom cometh all light: a brightness in comparison whereof all other brightness, is but dimness: a light unto whom all darkness is light, and all dimness bright: a light which no blindness can overshadow, no mist can dim, no let can foreclose, no shadow keep of, which enlighteneth all things wholly, together at once, and ever:  
Thus much of the Doctrine, gathered from the Argument, used in this place; that therefore we must not withdraw our hearts from God, to set them upon strange Gods; because our inside as well as our outside is before him: full before his face.  
But as they which have blemishes in their eyes, think the sky to be over cloudy; so some, when the Prince of this world hath blinded their eyes, (as the Raven strikes out the sheep's eye, as 
a judge 16. 21.  the Philistims boared out sampson's eyes, as 
* 1 Mach. 1 23.  Antiochus took away the candlestick for the light of the Temple) think, that God is covered with clouds, 
b Esay. 29. 15.  that there is a mist before his eyes, so that he cannot gauge into the bottom of the thoughts. Why (say they) did God, when he would overthrew Sodom, and break the gall of Gommorhas' heart, and pour the cup of his wrath upon Admah, and Zeboim; why did he say, 
c Gen. 18. 21.  he would first go down, and see, whether they had committed crying sins, before he reigned fire and brimstone upon them from heaven; if his insight were such, as he did understand the thoughts long before? For resolution whereof we must consider, that God speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of upright judges, who sift the cause and sound the depth of the matter, before they send a plague upon malefactors: whereout as the Prophet speaketh, they shall not be able to pluck their necks. Unjust judges sitting in Caiphas 
d Mic. 2. 3.  seat, 
e Mat. 26. 66●  first give the sentence, then ask the opinion what other think.  
The Captain perverting all equity, 
f Act. 22. 24  commandeth Paul to be scourged and examined; here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the cart before the horse, justice turned topsie turuy, Captain, is this soldier like to wound a man upon his back? is it justice like, to throw away the balance, that justice holdeth in her hand: to sit and judge according to the law: this is the Magistrates duty; but to command one to be stricken contrary to the law, before he be examined, this is tyranny: wilt thou have an archer shoot right, before he sees the mark: why dost thou thus turn judgement into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood. God doth not take this course, but 
g Amos 7. 8.  he sets his line before he heweth with his axe, and our Saviour Christ speaketh first of the accusation, then of the condemnation, 
h Io. 8. 10  woman where are thine accusers, hath no man condemned thee? God will spend his plagues upon the wicked, and bestow his arrows on them, he will speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure: upon the Sodomites, he will rain snares, fire and brimstone, this shall be their portion to drink, he will make them like a fiery oven in time of his wrath, but to show that his hand shall not take hold on this judgement, before his eye hath taken view of the indictment: he saith, I will go down and see: and still observe this in the will of the Lord, he never makes his hands executors: but first he makes his eyes the overseers, and this is that which is in the Prophet Amos, 
i Amos 9 8  the eyes of the Lord God, are upon the sinful Kingdom, and I will destroy it clean out of the earth.  
But again, if God doth spread his eyes upon all, and 
k job 25. 3  as Bildad saith his light doth arise upon them, if he be like Minerva, who was so portrayed by the cunning Painter Amuli●s, that which way soever on cast his eye, she always looked on him, 
l job. 1. 7.  why doth he ask Satan from whence he came? Why, 
m Gen. 44. 19  will not you give joseph leave, to ask his brethren that which he knoweth already. Our Saviour Christ knoweth that the blind man's suit, is for recovery of his sight, but yet asketh, 
n Luc. 18. 41.  what wilt thou that I do unto thee: First that the blind man might be the more stirred up to pray, as one loath to lose audience for want of speaking out. Secondly that the Miracle in restoring sight might appear the greater, when the infirmity was made known by his own confession. Thirdly that the standers by might be edified by his putting up so discreet a Petition, Lastly to show that God will have as well 
o Mat. 6. 8.  the calves of the lips, as calves of the heart, and though being wisdom 
p Rom. 8. 29.  he knoweth our need, and being mercy heareth our very groans, yet will have both heart and tongue to pay tribute, though the prayer be never so short a Brief, never so little a Current of speech. For a great Ocean of matter Elisha to Gehezi, whence comest thou Gehezi? not but that Elisha knew that he had followed after. Naaman, for 
q 2. Kin. 5. 25. 26.  went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his Chariot to meet thee. But that the answer of Gehezi might show us the equity of the punishment which was inflicted on him, not only for running after Naaman, not only for taking Talents and garments, but for lie and all: so the Lord said unto Satan: 
r job. 1. 7.  whence comest thou? Not but that he knew from whence he came; but that the answer of Satan, I come from compassing the earth too and fro, and from walking in it, might teach us the nature of Satan, 
s 1. Pet. 5. 8.  who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour. And as the Panther so hateth man that he setteth upon the image of man and tears it in pieces, so Satan, when he cannot set upon God, sets upon man the image of God.  
Again 
t job. 1. 12.  Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, not that he went out of God's sight, but that he hasted to speed his commission.  
Again 
u job. 22. 12.  is not God on high in heaven: not that he is enclosed in the heavens, but because there is such a mark of his Majesty and glory.  
Again, 
x Gen. 28. 16.  surely God is in this place, not that he is not in another place, but there he showeth a plain evidence of his presence.  
Again 
y Gen. 13. 13.  I am the God of Bethel: not that he is Anchored in those narrow straits, but that he might put jacob in remembrance of the promise, that there was made unto him. For if he can truly say in Plautus ubi sum, ibi non sum, ubi non sum ibi animus est. If 
z 2. Kin. 5. 26.  Elishaes' spirit goes with Gehezi if 
a 1. Cor. 5. 3.  Saint Paul absent from the Corinthians in body, was present with them in spirit; much more shall God, (I speak now of the second person in Trinity) who is gone hence & absent in his humanity, be in his Divine nature present with all things as one, and with each thing as all to the end of the world. God then is clear from misty clouds and cloudy mists which the  say, do dazzle his eyes, that he cannot see. The Doctrine remaineth true God is as one that watcheth to spy what we do, he keepeth watch and ward over us, day and night, marketh all our walks, all our talks as a continual overseer, and therefore job calleth the Lord, 
b job. 7. 20  the Keeper of men: and indeed he is the Lord Keeper, who whither we consider him as he is in the heaven that same Star-chamber, or in the conscience, as in the Chancery, to do equity, hath our sins as a seal against us borne and laid before him, and though he hold his tongue, 
c Ps. 50. 21  (which maketh us to think that he is even such a one as ourselves) yet when he sees his time, he will reprove us; and set before us the things which we have done.  
The use of this Doctrine is manifold, First it serveth for the comfort of such as are oppressed, let men's hearts be as hard as brass, and as the nether Millstone, let oppressors be, 
d ●os. 5. 1.  as a snare on Mizpha, and a net spread upon Tabor, let gain be their godliness, fraud and violence their direct way to wealth, let them coin their money on poor men's skines, & wring the sponges of poor people into their own purses: Let them not watch and prey, but watch to pray, let them like great fishes devour the small, and be nibbling on every bait, though 
c Mat. 17. 27.  like Saint Peter's fish their mouths be full of gold, let them when they should 
f Ex. 23. 4.  deal well with their enemy's Ass; make their friends Asses and send them a begging, let them when they 
g Mat. 25. 36.  should  the naked, strip those that are clothed, and when they 
h Deu. 27. 17.  should let stand still the mark of the Land, take away house and land both, this as it is a terror to the oppressors, so a comfort to the oppressed, to consider, that all this is before God: it is sap in the Vine in the winter of affliction, a golden shield in the hand, which breaks the stroke of all oppression, to consider that God's eyes are open, and he doth as well behold them which do the wrong, as them which suffer it: 
i Act. 7. 3  I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people, doubling his sight, because he did behold and consider, look upon with the outward eye of his countenance, look into it with the inward eye of compassion. And this did season the bitterness of the bondage of Israel, as 
k Ex. 15. 2.  the Tree which Moses cast into the spring of Marah did season the bitterness of the waters, and in the captivity of Babylon this was a comb of honey in the Lion's belly, a sauce to make the sour sweet, when Israel should consider that though they were taken away from their country, they could not be taken away from God, whose title was a like to all places though they had gone up into heaven, or down into hell, or dwelled in the utter. most parts of the sea.  
Secondly this serveth for our instruction, it is a provocation to virtue, to consider that though man mindeth not our good deeds, yet God vieweth them, though there were no reward for well doing, yet virtus per se, and the testimony of a man's own conscience were sufficient to move him to good, but there is a greater testimony, for God is greater than the conscience, and seethe all, and 
l Mat. 6. 6.  he that seethe in secret will reward openly.  
Again it is a bridle to pull us back from much ungodliness, what sin is it but might go a begging for want of service, if we did thoroughly see that God's eye were upon it. The Adulterer that lays wait at the door of his neighbour, and delighteh in a strange woman, and transgressing the bounds of honesty yields his flesh to the service of Venus, would make this sin a Mittimus, would not moil his body in filth and infection, no not in the dark, as though he could closely convey his sin under a Canopy, if he did thoroughly bethink himself that to God darkness and light were both alike. Rash censure would restrain their verdict, if they consider, they entered upon the possession and freehold of God whose consistory is in the heart.  
Hypocrisy and guilded piety should have a passport, if we thought that God did search narrowly the very inward and hidden pith of the root, the fear of God would stand at the door of the heart, and not suffer the close idolatry forbidden in this precept to have an entrance if we mark that God saith here, it is before me, open in my sight.  
In a word what one sin should find entertainment with us, if we thoroughly weighed this, that not only the conscience which is a thousand witnesses. But God who is a thousand consciences did still overlook us, the one as an accuser to lay to our charge, against which there is no exception, the other as a judge to give sentence, from whom there is no appeal who hath his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see, because the very grave is naked before him. Neither is he such a God as the heathen feigned their bifronted jaxus, to whom they dedicated the first month of the year, setting him out with two faces, with the one looking back to the year past, with the other looking forward to the year to come: for if he did only see such sins as were but a year old, we need never pray with David 
m Psa. 25. 7  forgive me the sins of my youth, than such sins as we had a year outlived, being like our common Almanacs out of date at the years end, should be cast behind his back, and we might have a pardon by course, or be quit by Proclamation, for who should lay any thing to our charge, when God against whom we have offended, had forgotten, but therefore we must avoid sins of youth, sins of age, sins of dotage past present and to come, because they are all before him, 
n Reu. 1. 8.  who is the ancient of day's α and ω the beginning and the end the first and the last. If we meet with bad debtters, yet happily upon good terms, such as the debtter useth in the Gospel, 
o Mat. 18. 26.  have patience with me, and I will pay thee all: we are content to bear with them, and to suffer them to delay the payment, but if through breaking many days we despair of the debt, we either let them go upon some easy composition, or dismissing them for want of ability we burn their bands, but it is not thus with God, we are debtors to him, and he must be satisfied, the band is written, signed, sealed, yea forfeited and broken, he calleth upon us to take some order with him, he knocketh at the door of our ears by his word, and having a patience beyond all patience, sends his Bailiffs to warn before he doth arrest, a sound of woe before we, but if the debt be not discharged, he doth not burn the band, but still our sins are before him, not sins of the year past, or sins of the year to come, but sins wherein we were conceived, sins which shall lie down with us in the dust, they all remain scored up, and being registered in his book of accounts, stand in Record; for without satisfaction, there is no remission, the only remedy we have is to repair to Christ for a quittance, to beg of him a Quietus est, to show God a general release upon his satisfaction of the det, desiring, that it would please him, in him to be well pleased.   

The second Commandment.  Exod. 20. 4. 5. 6. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graved Image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath: or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them: For I the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and show mercy unto thousands to them that love me and keep my Commandments. 
IT was a saying of the Orator Demosthenes, non modo scripta, but if it were possible, sculpta etiam loqueretur: for mine own part I cannot speak scripta, in print (as they say) for the form of my words, (nor prune my syllables, mince my words, martial my phrases, and grave my speech with paintings: let bad spokesmen do this; who being sent to woo for God, do speak for themselves; only my care is, that too rude and careless words do not slubber up good matter, and unhandsome  mishap a good body:) but I must needs speak sculpta: for the substance of my matter, speak of that which is carved, of that which is graved, of that which is painted, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graved Image, nor the likeness, etc. in which words, the prohibition forbiddeth us falsely to worship the true God, or give his true worship to a false God; condemning such, as are stained with their own works, and go a whoring with their own inventions.  
The Injunction requireth us to worship one true and everlasting God, in sincerity and truth as he hath prescribed in his word; commending such as kiss the son, and washing their hands in innocency, do compass his altar.  
Tereasons to make us bow our necks to this yoke are two.  
The first is taken from God's love unto us, I the Lord thy God a● a italous God: as if the Lord should say, my heart did cleave unto thee, my soul did long for thee, I did kiss thee with the kisses of my mouth, I entered into a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine, neither can I in any case abide, that thou shouldest be unto any other, therefore let me be as a bundle of myrrh unto thee, let me and none other lie between thy breasts.  
The second is taken from the love of man to his posterity, visiting the sins of the Fathers upon the Children, etc. As if the Lord should say; if you love your children, which are flesh of your flesh, bone of your bones, divided pieces of your own bodies, and lively pictures of yourselves, then do not say to the work of your hands, ye are our gods; but serve me with gladness, and offer to me the sacrifice of righteousness, for my song is judgement and mercy, my visitation is like checker-worke, black and white, they which dishonour me shall come to shame they and theirs, their children, and their children's children, but those that honour me, I will honour them, and their posterity for ever more.  
The hand of this Commandment leadeth me to consider: First the manner in delivering it, than the matter contained in it, each of these having such variety of notes, worthy to be observed, that plenty itself making me poor: I know not where to begin, but let my first Observation in the manner of delivery be this: Our nature is very subject and prone to this sin of Idolatry.  
We are very ready to erect up altars unto Baal, and to hold up our hands to a strange God, for otherwise this commandment might have been as short, as that which went before, or that which followeth after; and the Lord needed not have given a double charge, or have made a double fence hadge, and ditch to keep us within bounds, that we transgressed not: for this cause jeremy compareth Israel 
r jer. 2. 20. 23. 24.  to a run-about harlot, because she multiplied her fornication, and could not be satisfied: ˢ to a swift Dromedary, because she did run more swiftly, than a horse to the superstition of other Nations: ᵗ to a wild Ass, because she could not be wearied or made tame. One sin of Israel was covetousness, 
u Hab. 1. 15  they took up all with the angle, they catched it in their net, and gathered it in their yarn: they loved silver and were not satisfied with silver, whatsoever their measure held, it was still capable of more, but to set up idolatry; they are content to part not with their silver only, but with their gold also, though they be fare fetched and dear bought, even with the adventure of their own lives, 
x jer. 10. 9  Silver plates are brought from tarshiss, and gold from Vphaz, for the work of the workman▪ and the hands of the founder. But this mettle was not yet tried and fined, but remained in a rude lump, and so it was a smaller matter to departed with it, and therefore more than so, 
y jud. 17. 4  Michahs' mother took two hundred shikels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graved and molten image; and more than so: In Exodus the women (though women commonly love to brave it more than men, and to attire themselves more, trimly then stands with their husband's state, to whom it is death to go from their jewels) are content to strip themselves of that, which is most dear unto them to make a golden Calf. 
z Ex. 32. 2.  Pluck off (saith Aaron, hereby thinking to restrain themselves from sin, especially considering, 
a Ex. 30. 13  their taxation lately passed, and the displeasure that might arise unto the husbands from their wives in time to come) the earrings, the golden earrings, (which to wear was, and yet is the fa●●ion in the east Countries) which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters: and bring them to me: stay there Aaron, go no further, never add, that you will't make an Image of them, for thou hast already said enough, and more then enough, for the women like an arrow out of a bow, or a bowl down a hill without commoning hasten about the business, being ready to fulfil thy demand before thou hast ended thy words; and to bid the husbands pluck the ear rings was more than needed, for they themselves pluck them from themselves, and bring them to thee: if Aaron hadbut said, bring me some gold, though not wrought, a man woudl have thought it had been as good as a supersedea● to their idolatrous petition: if but a little silver be demanded of us, to buy a Bible, make a pulpit, repair a Church, or provide any thing fit for God's service, we play 
b Mat. 19 22.  the young man in the Gospel: and if we cannot possibly slip the collar, we go away sorrowful: but to make an image the women bring gold, wrought gold, jewels of gold, and and though they love to be in the fashion, yet put themselves out of fashion, to fashion an Idol.  
What great affection and love doth Nature work in parents towards their children, being lively pictures and welking images of themselves? How near went this saying to Abraham's heart, Cast out the bond woman and her son; he knew that the promised seed should come of his son Isaac. 
c Gen. 21. 11.  yet this thing was grievous in his sight; because of his son. jacob supposing that joseph had been dead, vowed to mourn for him all his life long, 
d Gen. 37. 35.  I will go down to the grave to my son mourning: but hearing of his welfare, the text saith, that (as though he had been as good as dead before) 
e Gen. 45. 27.  the spirit of jacob revived. Necessity is a sore weapon, and what a plague is this, when God doth not help men with the barn, or the winepress, when they must cut up nettles by the bushes, and juniper roots must be their meat: when God gives cleanness of teeth in all their Cities, and scarceness of bread in all their habitations: yet when God called for a famine on the land, and destroyed the provision of bread, jacob had rather remain hungry and thirsty, and have his soul faint in him, 
f Gen. 42. 38.  than part with Benjamin his son to fet●● provision, supposing it would be to the danger of his life. Moses showeth, that when his mother jochebed was not able to keep him any longer than three months from the tyranny of Pharaoh, she committing him to the providence of God, 
g Ex. 2. 3.  daubed an Ark made of reed, with slime and pitch, and put it into the water: not mentioning any thing that Amram his father did in the husines, because he was so overcome with grief, that he could not do any thing: for as luctus loquitur, le●es, ingentse stupent, sorrows in their mediocrities speak, but in their extremities are silent. so in their mediocrities they work; but in extremities sit down and let all alone.  
When Agamemnon must offer up but his daughter Ithigeni● only, though happily not his only daughter, such as was the 
h judg. 11 34.  sacrifice of Iphtah, the painter sets him out with his face covered, because he could not sufficiently express his sorrowful countenance, neither (though the tears stole down his cheeks) could the sighs, which broke from the centre of his heart, be discovered by the map of his look; Therefore when his colours would not serve to express that he meant, he shadowed him with a Veil. But so ready were the jews to this sin of Idolatry, 
i 1. Kin. 11. 5.  that in honour of Moloch, alias Milcon, the Idol of the Almmonites, they not only cast out one son with Abraham, expose one son ●o danger with jacob, sacrifice one daughter with Agamemnon: but 
k 2. Kin. 23. 10.  burned and sacrificed many of their children both sons and daughters, though they had 
l Leu. 18. 21.  a strait Commandment to the contrary, yea and that 
m Leu. 20. ●. 5.  under a grievous pain, no less than death: which God would inflict, though man should wink at it, and to the end nature might not move them to compassion, when they should hear the pitiful cry of their children, they had instruments of Music, and sounding of Bells to drown their woeful noise and lamentation.  
It is a shame for any one to take away that which of right belongeth to another, a shame for the father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring up a Child with crooked nails, and for a husband to match with a wife that is as light on finger as Asahel on foot; 
n 2 Sam. 2. 18.  as light as a wild Roe: yet Rahel not regarding her own shame, the shame that might arise to her father Laban, and to her husband jacob, nor the displeasure that she might incur of them both, is so addicted to superstition that 
o Gen. 31. 19  she steals away her father's Idols.  
To come unto ourselves, a man may say of us, as Saint Paul of the Athenians, 
p Act 17. 23.  I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious: What great cost in former times have great men bestowed in building of Abbeys, and Cells of superstition, and that in the fat of the land: What free liberties did they grant them, with how large privilege and possessions did they endow them, and though men did not really with the jews offer their sons and daughters unto devils, yet did they in very deed delicate them to the service of images: though with Rahel they did not steal away false gods, yet did their Priests steal away the hearts of the people, and entering upon the right of the almighty rob, the true God of his honour.  
What pilgrimages did men make fare and nigh to Saints several shrines; when the Bull of Pope Clement 6. given out An. 1350. for his year of jubiley bellowed thus; No pain of hell shall touch any, which for devotion sake take their Peregrination to the holy City, what a number of calves flocked to Rome? five thousand Peregrine's did every day go in and out at the gates of the City: Neither did this superstition rest only in the common sort of people▪ but King Henry 2. went on Pilgrimage to Thomas Beckets' Tomb, Edward the first escaping a danger, (it was the fall of a mighty stone from a vault directly over the place where he sat playing at Chess with one of his soldiers, which place, having no occasion given, he but even than had voided) in stead of honouring the living Lord for his great deliverance, goes on Pilgrimage to our Lady at Walsingham. that this hot devotion in man might not wax cold, there was many times a vow made, the more to kindle it, a vow did set a ●●tor and overseer over the will to keep it from going back, and indeed was an entering into band to perform it: such was the vow of Queen Blanch, who when Lewes the French King her son was sick, as it was thought, unto death, vowed in the person of her son: that if the Lord would visit him with health, he should visit his Sepulchre, & there solemnly give thankes, in the land which he had sanctified with his blood. But let this suffice to have spoken of the prone inclination of man to this sin of Idolatry, for love whereof he spareeth no cost, he spareth no travail, but goes his Pilgrimage to Caunterbury, to York, to Beverly, to Karligton, to Wilsdon, yea beyond sea to Compostella, to jerusalem, to Rome, even thither should his bare feet carry him with an offering.  
This forwardness in our predecessors, to honour Idols, in the time of darkness, and blind ignorance, shall condemn our backwardness for the true service of God in these sunshining days of the Gospel; they had zeal without knowledge, without learning, and therefore were blind: we have knowledge without zeal, without discretion, and therefore are purblind: they had cause to wring their hands and take up an howling, that they did know so little, we have cause to rend our hearts, and 
q 2. Sam. 13 91.  with Tamar clasping our hands upon our heads to go to crying, to cry as a woman travailing, or as one labouring of her first child, because we have known so much to so little purpose. This knowledge is but contristans, because we run with our eyes open to sin.  
We may be ashamed to put on that lose, and tattered garment in the day, which they with less shame did wear in the night,  
Our defects are so much the greater, by how much we have better means to supply our wants: 
r Mat. 11. 20.  therefore were the jews worse, than the Gentiles, because these only transgressed the law of Nature: but they the law of Nature, of Moses, of grace; therefore were they worse, because they might have been better. This possibility gave height to their sin: in a word, let us not who have the bright light of the Gospel, come short in zeal of those which had but the dim candlelight of Nature; let us not, who have the law of God in our mother tongue, pointing more directy to the true God; then any finger to the dial, have our motions kindled with less true zeal than theirs were igne fatuo, which had the book of God but clasped up in an unknown language; let us not, who have knowledge, and can speak diverse tongues, be to seek in the language of Canaan; be to seek to sing the songs of Zion: divine notes of Halleluiah, and glory to God in the highest. Knowledge without zeal is a lame sacrifice, zeal without knowledge is a blind sacrifice: 
s Mal. 1. 8.  Malachy will have neither offered to God; therefore let them not like 
t joh. 20. 4  the two Disciples, Peter and john, or 
u 2 Sam. 18 21.  the two Messengers, which joab sent to carry David tidings of his deliverance, one outrun the other; but as the two 
x Luc. 24. 13.  Disciples when they went to Emmaus, go together, arm in arm like man and wife, cheek by ioul as Hypocrates twines, if one be lacking, there will want a rung of jacob's ladder, it will be too short to reach unto heaven.  
Or the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath; or in the water under the earth: Ex malis moribus bona'leges natae sunt, bad diseases have given occasion of good remedies in that; therefore God forbids not only images in general, but so many sorts in particular; (some in heaven, as birds that fly in the firmament of heaven, the Sun and Moon, and Sarres, the whole host of heaven: some in earth, as the similitude of men and beasts, and creeping things, some in the sea, as the likeness of fishes): I note that to be true which the Lord speaketh, according to the number of thy Cities were thy Gods O judah, 
y jer. 11. 13  and according to the number of the streets of jerusalem have ye set up altars of confusion.  
The mind of man is a glass, so long as a glass remaineth whole, there is but one face of him, which looketh in it, represented back again; but if it be once cracked or broken; let but one man look in it, there appears so many faces, as there be crases: so is it with the mind of man, as long as it continued sound and whole, there shined in it but the image of one true God; but when by a fall it once lost this integrity, than it received sundry images, and God's majesty was disguised by variety of Idols.  
But yet I do not read of any open idolatry before the flood, but after the flood, it entered even into the posterity of Sem; for joshua said unto all the Tribes of Israel, that their fathers, 
z Ios. 24. 2  even Terah the father of Abraham, served other gods, the threads of this sin did thy draw so big and so long, that they made them cords of vanity; they did wreathe these cords till they became cart-rops of iniquity; busying themselves in their own dreams and doting fancies, till God caused them to be carried away captive unto Babylon.  
But after the captivity Israel said; 
a Hos. 14. 9  what have I to do any more with Idols; 
b Hos. 2. 7.  I will go and return to my first husband, I will not play the harlot, and be to any other, neither did they change the house of God into a shop of Idolatry; no when the Roman● Emperors would have thrust images upon them, they chose rather to die a thousand times, then lay Gods honour open to the spoil of creatures: neither could they ever be brought to admit into their Temple the Standard of the Romans: neither was there found any pencil, relic, or image in their temple; 
* 1 Mac. 1. 23.  neither when Antiochus Epiphanes sacked it for covetousness, or when Pompey spared it for reverence; nay they were so fare from worshipping the work of men's hands, that they would not admit painter or carver into their City.  
But all this while among the Gentiles, Idolatry did lift up her head, till the Apostles came, who cried out upon it, down with it, down with it even to the ground, than such as God had added to his Church that they might be saved; put away the strange Gods that were among them, overthrew their altars, broke their images in pieces, cut down their groves, destroyed all their pictures, plucked down all their high places, broke down their pillars, and burned their images with fire. But in process of time (for if the devil be cast out, he is discontented, and saith; 
c Mat. 12. 44.  I will return into mine house from whence I came) God was again put out of doors, and his house changed into an idolatrous shop. For about the year of our Lord 490. Gregory the first, (the worst of all the 63. Bishops of Rome, that went before him, and the best of all the 175. that followed, since him;) though he utterly condemned the worshipping of images; yet thought it not amiss, to have them in Churches, as necessary Alphabets for lay men, and good shepherd's Calendars. The devil now having gotten an inch would take an ell, and having gotten in his head, like a subtle serpent, made his whole body follow after; for when the Emperors of the East, and the Popes of Rome were at daggers drawing, they, to put down images, these, to uphold them, so mightily grew the power of the Popes, that they prevailed: then men's hearts were not perfect with the Lord, they went a whoring after their own eyes, looking to other gods; they said to the wood awake, and to the dumb stone, stand up; they asked counsel of their stocks, and their staff taught them, they had many altars to sin, and villainy was seen in their houses: I would spend no further pilgrimage in this walk, but that so many several gods present themselves unto my view: which if I should go about to number, they should be more than I am able to express. To omit therefore the Persians, which had as many gods, as there were Stars in the sky, and fires on the earth, the Greeks, which had as many gods, as they had fancies, the Romans, which canonised so many new gods, as their Senate would allow: to omit this infinite variety, there were twelve principal gods:  juno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercurius, jupiter, Neptune, Vulcanus, Apollo. 
To these were added Saturn, lest he might seem to be wronged, since his son jupiter was a god, and his mother Vesta was a goddess, and also Bacchus, because being a hot fellow he might make some fray: seeing C●res was one goddess, and Venus was another: herein Europe were gods for particular Countries; S. james for Spain, S. Dennis for France, S. Patrick for Ireland, S. George for England, & in England were gods for particular Cities, S. William of York, S. Thomas of Caunterbury, and Bonaventure. (but it is a venture if you find any good in it) in his Lady's Psalter, makes the Virgin Mary as good a Goddess, as jehovah is a God in David's Psalter; he Lord, she Lady, he our Patron, she our Patroness, he the King, she the Queen of heaven: there were gods for particular Parishes, S. Stephen for one, S. Nicholas for another, S. Eustan etc. yea particular houses (for how low will not this sin creep) had their Lares and Penates, their Household gods, gods which were thought to belong to every several person, thus did they give God as many companions, as there were Saints sometimes sainted those, which never were, but had only a fancied being. The relics of Saints being as it were feathers of these same birds, were birds of the same feather, and as much abused to idolatry as were the Saints themselves, commanded to be worshipped in Germany in the time of Pope Gregory the second.  
There was anciently in the time of Popery a relic sunday solemnly kept in diverse places of this land, in which this was acustome in some Church, where were many Ministers; (for I know not how general the custom was) they did bear in their hands about a procession on that day every one a relic; as Bishop Beckets' Ratchet, S. George's his dagger, or the like trash: Which the Sexton was wont to deliver to them, and to be sure none should be without his relic, after the Sexton, came the Verger down from the high Altar, with a relic in his hand, ask this question, who lacks a relic? I will not speak here of our Lady's milk, of the blood at Hails, of good King Henry his spur, nor of the nails▪ which nailed Christ to the Cross, which I marvel they should be so idolatrously worshipped being instruments in the death of Christ▪ I let pass lic●re sundry other creatures, as Wax, Water, Oil, Salt, Incense, Pilgrimstaves, and I know not how many beside; which after exorcisms, hallowingrs, consecrations, and blessings over them, were made Idols: and thought to be of more 〈◊〉 & power then they were by their own proper nature, though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alteration and change in them, but a word or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Crosses and then I proceed.  
The public, the private, the trental and dirge Masses forged in the Pope's shop, and as they are now, but some of his youngest daughters are whelps of the same hare: in which they worshipped an Idol Cake, as Israel did an Idol Calf; they first worshipped the sacrament, and then offered it up as a sacrifice for remission of sins, they carried it about in Gold and Silver to be worshipped, & shown it to the people, attributing great virtue to it, for it delivered (as they taught) ex opere operato, by the deed once done quick and dead a pana et culpa from the punishment and the fault. By virtue thereof they did apply the merits and passion of Christ to whom they pleased them, & what could be more derogatory to this Commandment, or more prejudicial to the blood of Christ, to his blood, I say, which every man must apply to himself by his own believing, not the Priest or any other Parson apply to an other by any work doing. What disease was there in man or beast, against which this (as they would persuade the people) was not a remedy: By this, if any man went beyond sea, they promised to him prosperous Navigation, if he kept home, it would safely keep him from dangers, and sufficiently defend him from all bugs; And therefore when danger was towards Becket, for his misdeameanors against the King, his friends counseled him to have a Mass in the honour of S. Stephen, to keep him from the hands of his enemies: who accordingly addressed himself to his Mass with all solemnity, thinking thereby to charm away all evils. In a word they would have this idolatrous persuasion confirmed, that it did merit release of all calamities, it merited gain and lucre in common traffic, it merited wharsoever the careful heart of man could desire. Concerning the Cross, Popery made it as great an Idol, as the Mass, and attributed no less virtue to it, by this, if any went to war, they hoped for protection, and expected victory. What creeping to Crosses upon bare feet was then used in the time of Popery too long it were to number up their particular superstition in this kind.  
These our forefathers lived in a thick mist, in the darkness of Egypt, 
g Ex. 10 21  a darkness that might be felt, and as 
h Gen. 29. 23.  Laban deceived jacob in the night, bringing him Leah, which was blear-eyed in stead of Rahell, who was beautiful and fair; so Satan in the time of ignorance presented unto them many fowl false gods in stead of the true God which is beautiful out of his holy places: S. Paul maketh ignorance the mother, and superstition the daughter, when he saith to the men of Athenes; 
i Act. 17. 22 23.  In all things ye are too superstitious: for in your Altar was written unto the unknown God: but to our understanding which was deaf and dumb God hath said Ephata, be thou opened 
k 1. Sam. 14 27.  with jonathan, we have tasted a little honey & our eyes are opened: God hath taken from our eyes the scales of ignorance by the finger of the holy Ghost 
l Act. 9 17.  as he did from Paul's eyes by the hands of Ananiaes'▪ and therefore we must thank God, who as he commanded 
m 2. Cor. 4. 6.  light to shine out of darkness 
n 1. Pet. 2. 9  so hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. Secondly take heed we do not (as it is in job) 
o job. 5. 14.  meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noon day as in the night. It is a plague not to see God's will, but to see, and yet willingly wink, brings a plague without all remedy or compassion.  Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them. 
It seldom times falleth out, but where there are Images in a land, there is also the worshipping of those images: & therefore in the Prophet Esay one followeth in the neck of the other, 
p Esay 2. 8.  their land was full of Idols: then, they worshipped the work of their own hands, which their own fingers had made; our nature is as ready to superstition as wood to take fire, and therefore God having mentioned the making of Images and their variety, presently mentioneth the bowing down unto them and worshipping them. Pope Stephen the 3. maintaining Idolatry of Images in Christian temples, advanced their veneration, commanding them to be incensed; here in England were they not wont, to wipe their hands upon the images, and then to struck them over their faces, as though there had been great virtue in touching the pictures: did they not rub their beads & hand-ketchers upon them, light candles to them, ask pardon and help of them, did not a company of Pilgrims lick and kiss a white Lady made of Alabaster in Windesor, whicn image was mortrest in a wall behind the high Altar.  
In the second year of Queen Mary, when Bishop Boner, erected the Rood at Paul's, did they not anoint it with Oil in diverse places, and after the anointing, creep unto it and kiss it: did not the whole Choir in honour thereof sing, Te Deum, and ring out the Bells: and that images might have the more veneration: this was a fashion beyond sea, as Archbishop Arundel affirmeth in the examination of Thorpe, when the image-maker should carve, cast or paint an image, he should go to a Priest and shrive him as clean, as if he should then die, he should take penance, vow to fast and pray, and go on pilgrimage; but especially he should pray the Priest to pray for him, that he might have grace to make a fair and devout image, and therefore considering this abuse, 
q 1 King. 6 27.  God would not have the Cherubins seen, but only of the high Priest: and Saint john saith, 
r 1 joh. 5. 21.  Keep yourselves from Idols. The last words of a friend are commonly best remembered: they are john's last words in his general Epistle, like an ultimum vale, and a postscript, Babes k●ep yourselves from Idols: and therefore in reformed Churches they have been abolished: Constontine Emperor of Constantinople, abrogated and plucked down images set up in Temples; the noble and valiant Zisca conquering in Bohemia, would not suffer any image or idol to be in the Churches: they were thrown down at Basill, about the year of our Lord 1528, and upon Ash-wednesday that year, all the wooden images there were given to the poor of the City to burn: but when they could not agree in deuiding the prey, they being burnt all together in nine great heaps, upon that Ash-wednesday, were consumed to ashes. At the same time or very little before, were they put down within all the Dominion of Zuricke, though the Bishop of Constance writing to the Senate, what he could in their defence, did stand for their standing. Indeed Luther much misliked Carolostadius, for stirring up the people, to cast down images in Wittenberg, not that he would uphold them; but that he would not have the people run before the Magistrate, and do it by force, and considering the time (for Pope Adrian the 6. had then written to the States of Germany, inciting them against Luther, as a fautor of tumults, and supplantor of obedience) he could do no less to check this Adrian, then find fault with proceed which were without order and authority of the higher powers. Here in England King Henry the 8. Anno 1538, abolished by Injunction the most notable stocks of Idolatry, as the images of Walsingham, Ipswich, Worcester, Wilsdon, and the like; Afterward down went their reliquys, shrines, coverings of shrines, writings, and monuments of feigned miracles, as being allurements to superstition; down went the Mass, and down went the Rood.  
But having been long in this Labyrinth of superstition, and taken view of the manner how it is here set down, my clew of thread guides me now to the matter; and will bring me out again into my accustomed walk.  
First, therefore for the matter, this commandment meeteth with such as make puppets, to counterfeit God or any idols for his service.  
Secondly, with such as entering upon God's right, are liberal in bestowing his glory upon them.  
For the first; when God delivered his law, 
s Deut. 4. 12.  the people saw no similitude, but only heard the voice of the words, lest if they had seen a similitude, they should go about to make a resemblance; the fire indeed was a sign of God's presence, but such a sign as might testify unto them, that his glory was incomprehensible, and therefore might restrain them from making his similitude, which would rather show the baseness of their fancy, then resemble the brightness of his glory.  
jupiter and Mercury were the gods of the Greeks, but when their painters would draw the image of jupiter in a Table, they were still mending it, but never ending it: saying, herein they shown him to be a god, for that they might begin to paint, but could not perfect him: Zeuxis about to paint june took a view of the Virgins in Agrigentine; but singled out five, portraying that which he saw most commendable in any one, but when he would draw Venus, he had before him fifty fair virgins of Sparta, and yet said, fifty more fairer than they, were not sufficient to counterfeit that goddess. Therefore when his art could not shadow her, he drew in a Table a fair Temple, with the doors open, and Venus going in, so as the beholders could perceive but her back, if these could not fet out sufficiently, that which was but flesh and blood, though they had so many helps to further them, whereunto shall we liken the spiritual God, or what similitude shall we set up unto him, 
t Tim. 19 16.  who dwelleth in unaprochable light, 
u Ex. 33. 23.  whose back parts only even Moses himself was but permitted to behold: 
x joh. 4. 24  God is a spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and truth, and therefore we must have our minds thinking on him, not our eyes gazing on his image. False representations to metamorphize God, are called Idols, and what is an Idol? 
y 1 Cor. 8. 4  An Idol is nothing, there is one note of shame and disgrace, it is worse than nothing: it 
z Deut. 27. 15.  is abomination, it is worse than abomination: 
a 1 Cor. 10 20.  it is a devil: let the Papists therefore (as they did in their common prayer books in the Reign of Queen Mary) figure the image of the Trinity with three faces, let them figure, as in many Church-windowes the Father like an old man, with a long grey beard and a furred robe; his Son sitting by him, with a Dove between them: those men do but feed their eyes and adore the pictures with dishonour of God, and injury to his divine nature, and is no likeness of God, but only an imagination of man. 
b 1 King. 5 13.   
Solomon, when he would build the material Temple, appointed sufficient workmen to lay the foundation, and set up the whole frame; so when our Saviour Christ for framing his spiritual Temple, which is his Church; culled out such as were necessary for the building of it: 
c Eph. 4. 1●  gave some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors, and Teathers: he doth not in this numeration so much as mention either Engravers in stone, Carvers in wood, Painters on walls, or workers in Mettle; therefore let Demetrius the Siluer-smith stand back, let Alexander the Coppersmith bear him company.  — procul hinc Zenxis procul esto Licippus. 
Let not Zeuxis come here with his pencil, nor Licippus with his tools these may serve for some good use in civil employments, but are but cyphers, and must go for naught in this Arithmethick.  
Their cunning workmanship may beguile men, as pigeons were beguiled by the counterfeit, and flew to pigeons painted in the shop, as birds were beguiled by Zeuxis painted grapes; as Zeuxis himself was beguiled by Parrhasius painted sheet.  
The God of heaven seethe without eyes, heareth without ears, walketh without feet, speaketh without mouth; but the gods of 
d Ps. 115. ●  the heathen have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, feet and walk not, neither speak they through their throat: and as the painter may paint a flower with fresh colour, but not with sweet savour with this motto: no further than colours; so the Carver may draw out an image, but not make it draw in the breath with this motto, no further than fashion. But such was the cunning of the craftests men, the craft of the Priests, the simplicity of the people, that men did think, they did see, did hear, did go, did speak; and therefore in Elyas time, 
e 1 King. 18 26.  they called on the name of Baal: saying, O Baal hear us, and cried loud as though he had slept and must be awaked. And in the time of King Henry the eight, when these idolatrous stocks were broken in pieces, the false jugglings were found out; and the engines espied, which made their eyes to open and role about, and other parts of their body to stir; Oh but they be lay men's books, and where as the Bible to them that cannot read is as a sealed letter, images be letters patents, they lie open to every one, are written in folio, that standing a fare off they may read, they are great capital letters that running men may read God, and the very sight of them doth stir up a marvellous devotion in men, women, and children. Indeed this was the cause why Gregory the first, condemning their adoration, yet allowed their presence in Churches tanquam essent memoracula, & rudium literae, as though in them dumb lectures were read unto the people, and they might spell God in them. And more than so, Concilium Cenonense agreed on this, that we might learn more in a short while by an image, then by long study and travail in the Scriptures; but against these I oppose jonas, and Habakuk, as of greater authority, of which jonas saith, 
f jon. 4. 8.  They are lying vanities, not only for that they proceed from the father of lies, but for that, as Habakuck saith, 
g Hab. 2. 18  they teach lies, teaching us to take the creature for the Creator: a thing of nothing, for that which is infinite; teaching us to hope where nothing is to be expected.  
But Idolators grace their Idols with glorious titles, as to say to one, 
h Esay. 44. 17.  Thou art my God: 
i Es. 41. 29.  whereas it is nothing but wind and confusion: to another thou art my helper, whereas there is no help in it, whereas they are all such gods as Virgil saith, Aeneas brought from Troy, which he calleth vanquished:  — victosque Penates: 
But let it be granted, that images are laymen's books, yet because they are not allowed but prohibited; who dare print them for the service of God, or who dare keep them contrary to Proclamation, and not rather say of them, as judah of Thamar: 
k Gen. 38. 24.  bring ye her forth, and let her be burnt. Let God himself appoint how he will be served, let it be man's part to be ruled by his direction.  
I read of a great man, I think it was Manlius, who sending his son to war against his enemy, gave him a commission, by virtue whereof he was charged what to do; when and where to set upon the enemy; but the son espying advantage as he thought, and seeing hope of conquest, if he did borrow a point of the commission, was bold to follow his own course, and indeed got the victory: but returning home, and expecting great commendation, after his cause was decided at Rome; he was put to execution. I may err in some circumstance for want of memory, but I know, this is the substance of the story; now our life is a war-faring upon earth, three mighty camps environ us, the World, the Flesh, and the Infernal forces; if the Greeks be gone, there is a Sinon within that, will betray them the place; God hath set down a law, and prescribed us how we shall fight, and under whose colours; he will be our General: we must fight under his banner, to serve under him in Baptism: we took our press-money, if now we seek many inventions, and follow other colours, though they be such, as in our opinion might help us to the obtaining of the victory; yet are we punishable for breach of obedience. God will not allow these books, no not for lay-men, he allows no other books, but the golden book of grace, 
l joh. 5. 39  Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of me: and the godly book of Nature, which is bound up in the three large volumes; 1. the heavens, 
m Ps. 19 1  for they declare the glory of God. 2. The earth, for 
n Ps. 33. 5.  that is full of the goodness of the Lord. 3. The sea, 
o Ps. 104. 25.  for therein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts: He that cannot read in the first, cannot choose but read in the second, though it were but once printed and never since translated; yet all Nations, Languages, & Tongues must needs read in it; therein every creature is a letter, every day a line, every night a new leaf, neither can any manmetry, any Carpenter's chips, any sacred blocks, or puppets of wood, which every boy can make, after he hath been a while apprentice with a carver in wood, put us more in mind of God.  
If we would enter into due consideration, than the wonderful frame of man's body created by God, in which the bones are the timberwork, the head is the upper lodging, the eyes as windows, the eyelids as casements; the brows as penthouses, the ears as watchtowers, the mouth as a door to take in that which shall uphold the building, and keep it in reparations, the stomach as a kitchen to dress that which is conveied into it: the guts and base parts as gutters and sinks belonging to the house, compare now this workmanship with that of an image, and happily in the one we may commend the cunning of the crafts-man; but we do not marvel much at his work, for that we know an other his craft's master, can do the like, can hue, can carve, can polish, and varnish as well as he. But consider man in whose framing, God is the principal agent, our carnal parents but instruments, and that in framing the base part only, that is the body, not the more principal part, which is the soul; for that God created without them; consider that man is not only a little world, as the world is a great man, but an Epitome; both of God, who is a spirit, and the world, which is a body. Then though we be not like Phavorinus, who marvelled at nothing in the world besides man, at nothing in man besides his mind, (
p Ps. 139. 14.  for wonderful are thy works O God, 
q Ps. 104. 24.  in wisdom hast thou made them all) yet as most astonished at this work, which is as God's text, and all other creatures commentaries upon it, we say who is like unto thee O Lord? none can do as thou dost.  
But say, Images are books, and say further, that they are seen and allowed, and that they come forth cum gratia & privilegio; yet books serve only to be read, if they be kneeled unto and worshipped, if we vow unto them or bow unto them, then are they made Idols, and why shall they not then be broken in pieces. And indeed so prone we are to idolatry, that our nature is occupied and fixed on those things, which lie before our eyes, rather than on those which are not seen: and then our inward wits be most fervent, when our outward senses be least troubled, and therefore let true religion labour as much to take away these blockish books which are so much abused, and which do so much steal away our hearts, as Papistry took pain to pull away English books, and (thrusting on Christians for a benefit, which the 
r Esay. 28. 11.  Lord laid on the jews for a punishment) to overshadow with mists and darkness the sunshine of the word, making it appear like sackcloth, which seen, read, and preached, is able to carve the true image of God in our hearts.  
I speak not this, as though images and pictures might not be made, to represent man, or any other creature; but we must not make them to ourselves, or set them up for any devotion to worship God by them.  
The beginning of Images, was nimius amor amicorum, nimius timor tirannorum; too much love of friends: and so Ninus King of Assyria; some 2055 years before Christ's incarnation: caused the image of his disceased father Belus to be drawn; thereby to keep his countenance better in remembrance; so Xenophanes, among the Egyptians; after his son was dead, caused his image to be made for his comfort; and so fare the image is tolerable. But when that which at first was taken only for solace, grew at length unto holiness, and the servants through flattery adorned it with garlands, and in continuance of time worshipped it as God; then was neither it, nor the like sufferable, but to be plucked down; as 
u 2. Kin. 18. 4.  Ezechias to his great commendation broke in pieces the brazen serpent; though it were commanded to be set up by God, when the people burned Incense unto it, God is the Lord, that is his name, 
x Esa. 42. 8  his glory he will not give to another, nor his praise to graved images, and this brings me into the second part of my subdivision, to wit, we must not be liberal of another body's goods in giving God's glory to others.  
Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them, they must neither have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, neither the greatest, nor the least honour, we must neither ●ow the body nor bend the soul unto them: In Elyas time, God acknowledged none for his, but 
y 1. Kin. 19 18.  they which bowed not the knee to Baal; and did not kiss him with their mouths. 
z 2. Kin. 5. 18.  Naaman confesseth this a fault, that he should bow himself in the house of Rymmon, and cries God mercy for that he shall fall into it: 
a Dan. 3. 18  The three children Sidrach, Misach, and Abednego, will not use any reverence with bodily gesture in falling down and worshipping the golden image which Nabucadnezzar set up.  
The image of a Prince, is then honoured when his person is absent, but a man doth not turn to and worship the image in presence of the Prince: Now God filleth all places, and we may say of every place as jacob of bethel, 
b Gen. 28. 16.  Surely the Lord is in this place, and therefore let his image alone.  
The workman is ever better than the work, as, 
c Heb. 3. 3.  he that buildeth the house, hath more honour than the house: now 
d Psa. 13. 5. 15●  the images of the heathen; are silver and gold even the work of men's hands: 
e Barnes. 6. 45.  Carpenters, and Goldsmiths, make them, neither be they any other thing; but even what the workman will make them, neither is there any grace in the image that comes not from the Carver. If now the workman be better than his work, which he graceth or disgraceth at his pleasure; and no man boweth to the workman, why then should they kneel to the work of his hands? If any handy work were to be worshipped, it were the work of God's hands; either man, 
f Psa. 8. 6. 5  for he hath put all things under his feet, or Angels for he hath made them superiors to man: But Peter 
g Act. 10. 25  took up Cornelius when he fell down at his feet, and shown to much reverence as though Peter had been a God, and 
h Act. 14. 14.  Barnabas and Paul renting their clothes, took up the men of Lystra more roundly, when they heard they would do sacrifice unto them, and the Angel said unto john; 
i Reu. 19 10.  See thou do it not, when he fell before his feet to worship him: The devil indeed would purchase at a great price, that which men and Angels refuse, being given unto them, and as Caffrani a people in India, worship devils in most terrible figure; believing that they are permitted of God to punish or spare them at their pleasure: And as in China they put the devil's picture before a sick man, that he may learn to know him in another world, and take him for his friend, so the devil would have Christ, fall down and worship him, and to bring this to pass; he makes him large offers: (but he cuts large thongs in another man's hyde) he promiseth him Kingdoms, to see if an omnia dabo; will bring him on his knees: 
k Mat. 4. 9  All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me, of which words Gorran saith prettily, Bene dicitur, (cadens adoraberis) quia nunquam sine casu diabolus adoratur, he saith well, when he saith if thou wilt fall down and worship me, for the devil is never worshipped without a shameful fall: Heathen men did reverence the Sun and the Moon and the Stars. But God, (
m Gen. 1. 16.  though these were his creatures) 
n Deu. 4 19  will not allow them any part of his worship, the Sun is a servant, the Moon is an handmaid, the Stars are made for man's use? What is more unseemly than that the sons of God should worship the Sun which is the servant of the whole world? If we may not worship the creatures themselves, which are Gods handy work, much less may we serve the shadows of those creatures, prepared by art to resemble the Creator; Neither their matter, which make the best of it, is 
o Ex. 20. 23  but gold and silver, neither the form which is but the skill and draught of the Crafts-man: say there may be an historical use in painting the images, as the West Church used images as Ornaments and Monuments for the ruder sort thereby to learn the lives and death of ancient and undoubted Martyrs, yet is it no piety to worship the picture, say it may be used for remembrance, for religion it may not. 
p Deu. 19 14.  It was a great fault to remove the landmark, 
q Deu. 27. 17.  there is a curse upon him that doth it, but they which transgress the bounds of their duty in serving Idols, 
r Hos. 5. 10  are like them that remove the mark, and though a stone might be set up to bound ground from ground, yet if any imagery were wrought in it, if it were consecrated, if men putting religion in it, worshipped God in the stone, 
s Leu. 26. 1.  than it was forbidden: God is a husband, the Church is his spouse, the one must perform that office in faith, which the other in flesh, the desire of the woman must be to her husband, the appetite of the Church must be unto God: when Serapion in time of persecution for fear of death offered sacrifice to an Idol, the faithful being there with offended put him out of the congregation, and gave him over to Satan; If sedition arise among any people, and the contagion thereof spread itself far and nigh, only the ringleaders and chief doers are punished, but if inhabitants of a 
t Deu. 13. 13.  City be drawn to idolatry all the inhabitants must be slain with the sword, and though women are the weaker vessels, and therefore more to be borne withal, yet in this case 
u Deu. 17. 5.  the woman as well as men must dye the death.  
God would not suffer the jews to make themselves any other King to rule over them, than such a one 
x Deu. 17. 15.  as should come out of the bosom of the Church, that true religion might be maintained among them: The Israelites must bring their offering to the door of the Tabernacle, 
y Leu. 17. 6. 7.  and the Priest only must offer the beasts, that this way the people might be bridled; that they did not lay themselves open to devils.  

z Num. 33. 4  God did execute his judgements upon the Gods of Egypt, which maketh for the commendation of true religion, lest the children of Israel should incline to the superstition of other nations.  
The Country, and the house of Laban was stuffed with superstition, God therefore saith unto jacob 
a Gen. 31. 13.  I am the God of Bethel, to teach him to walk religiously in the midst of an idolatrous generation.  
If it should be said, God is in this world, we being carnal would fasten him to a pillar or mountain, and therefore that we might pass beyond our fantasies 
b job. 22. 12  Elypbaz saith, that God dwelleth in heaven.  

c Ios. 24. 15  joshua bids Israel make choice of him, whom they will serve; and shows his own resolution, that if afterward they should follow Idols, it might turn to their shame; since they had bound themselves, to serve the Lord with their own consent.  
The distrustful man preferring his five wits, before the four Evangelists, will not believe God upon his word, and therefore 
d job. 17. 3  God must get some other creditor, except he leave a pawn with him, but the Idolater is worse than he, for the one doth not honour God, but the other sets up an other God against him.  
A fountain hath water in itself, and hath no need to receive it from other, but gives it to other: a cistern hath no water of itself, but remaineth empty, except there be some brought unto it from some other place: A fountain from whence water springeth naturally is not dried up, but let other drink of it, yet it still sendeth out little streams; but take water out of a cistern or pit, the more ye take, the less it hath, and at length it will be clean empty. A fountain still sendeth forth fresh water and healthful, but let cistern or pit-water stand a while, it stinks and is unwholesome, God is a fountain of living waters, 
e jer. 2. 10. 11. etc.  Idols are pits even broken pits that can hold no water, God therefore marveleth, as at a thing that was never seen before, that his people should change the one for the other, and in stead of him, serve Idols which did not profit them, but turned to their own decay.  

f Num. 35. 2  When the other Tribes had their portion, each Tribe by itself, the levites were scattered in the land, that keeping watch and ward, they might see that no superstition crept in among the people.  
God would have all the Inhabitants of the land of Canaan rooted out. One reason was lest Israel joining with them, might deprive themselves of the lawful inheritance, which God had appointed for them. An other reason, lest those incredulous Nations the Amorites, Canaanites, the Hittites, and the rest should pollute the land: but a principal reason was, 
g Ex. 34. 11  lest they should allure the elect people of God to the worship of false Gods, and to the busying of themselves in their doting fancies.  
This serveth to rebuke the Papacy, which even from the Alpha to the Omega thereof, is nothing but error and superstition: it serveth to reprove julian, who ordained that no Christian might take degree in School, keep lecture, read any art, or be admitted to study, unless he did worship the Idols: to reprove wicked 
h Hest. 3. 9  Haman, who in a manner offereth all his goods to satisfy his lusts, and uphold Idolatry, when he would not have given a dodkin to the service of God: To reprove some people of Africa, who worship that which they meet first in the morning; supposing the same for that day to be their God: to reprove the Assyrians, who worshipped as many gods as they had Towns: To reprove the Persians, who had as many gods as there were Stars in the sky: to reprove Alexander, who having subdued the Persians made men worship him as god: to reprove the Saracens, who sacrifice in mount Mecha to Abraham, Isaac, and Saint Thomas: to reprove the Egyptians, who besides their other gods, deified their King Apis, forbidding all men upon pain of death, to say he was a man: to reprove that Council of the Greeks at Frankfurt, who said, that he, that feareth God, adoreth an image as he would the Son of God, with that worship which is due to the Original: to reprove Orphey, Homer, and Hosiodus, who first brought gods into Greece, and did set down their petigrees in writing, giving them names and surnames, and appointing them honours at their pleasures.  
Again on the contrariside, this serveth for the commendation of jacob, 
i Gen. 35. 4.  who in token of detestation buried the Idols under an Oak, for the commendation of Moses, 
k Ex. 32. 20  who ground the golden Calf unto powder; for the commendation of Pythagoras, who condemned Orphy, Homer, and Hesiodus, for their so damnable divices; for commendation of Charles K. of France, who above 800 years ago called a great Synod of the Bishops of France, Italy, and Germany at Frankfurt, where the second general Council of Nice, which two years before decreed it lawful to worship images, was rejected and refured; for commendation of that Synod in Greece, where 330 Bishops at Constantinople condemned reverencing of images.  

l Zac. 10. 2  For they speak vanity, and 
m jon. 2. 8.  they that wait upon lying vanities, forsake their own mercy; and therefore 
n Ex. 23. 24  God will have them utterly overthrown, and will not have us serve them, either in praying to them, in Canonising them, or swearing by them; not in praying to them, for when the faithful speak the best they can for themselves without boasting, they say, 
o Ps. 24. 20  they have not held up their hands to a strange God, and how could the heathen blaspheme the true God more, then to worship false gods with prayer, when they had dedicated their Temples unto them, and to say, as they did to jupiter, Whether thou be god or goddess, we call upon thee? Oh but experience showeth, that prayers unto images have been happy for success, and have been so fare from coming weeping home, that they have laden our heads with a blessing, they have been as a key to open the lock, when God hath shut out his mercies from us; yea but they are but fabulous legends which the papists allege in this kind.  
Indeed I read, that in the time of King Henry the fixed, there came from Berwick to Saint Alban's a beggar with his wife, both affirming that he was borne blind, and being warned in a dream to seek Saint Albon for his eyes, he was as he said; come thither, the Saint at first lent but a deaf ear to his prayers, but at length at his shrine he recovered his sight, a miracle was solemnly rung; Te Deum song, and what more talked off in all the Town than this miracle? What say you now, is it not well done to bestow some part of our time in a set course of prayer to Saints, to be clients to them, that they may be helpers to us? I answer, bad dealing hath many times steps whereby it may be traced out.  
julius Caesar conveied 3000 pound weight of pure gold out of the Treasury in Rome, and laid in the like weight of copper gilded, but this was bewrayed by the touch: Lysander picked a great sum of gold, out of the bottom of a bag (for the mouth was sealed) and sewed it skilfully up again, but this theft was discovered by a Bille still remaining in the bag: this beggar played the dissembling rogue, and his dissimulation was espied by his own confession: for Duke Humphrey, than Lord Protector going about to persuade him, that he could not see, the beggar, to prove his sight good, told him the names of all the colours that could be showed him, which he could not have done, except he had known them before (though he might see the colours were diverse) no more than the names of all the men that he should suddenly see.  
If such virtue be in the Saints, as they fabulously suppose, then in perplexity, what need the superstitious man use old wives, and Stars for his Counsellors, he may ask counsel of of the Saints, as 
p Hos. 4. 12  Israel did at their stocks, and at their sticks? in danger, what need his night spell? the Saints may be his guard; in sickness, what need he charms? the Saints may be his physicians: what need he Paracelsian characters for his tooth each? a word to Saint Apolline is present remedy: then what need hollowed wax as an Antidote against all evils, when several Saints can in counter several evils; if men do but pray unto them? nae then let ordinary means for any grief be set apart, let not him that is troubled with the falling sickness, use any longer to eat the flowers of Rosemary, crumbs of rye bread, and honey meddled well together, for Saint Cornelis (though he carries a receipt but for one cure) can help that evil, if he doth but pray unto him.  
But these are all but fopperies, and wicked superstition, have any of these, which promise great help, approved their skill to their credulous patients? I say of them, as job doth of his friends; 
q job. 16. 2  Miserable comforters are ye all, they know not, what particular miseries men upon earth are entangled and clogged with, how then can they cure them? but say, that some sick and diseased have recovered after prayers made unto Saints (as Lewis the French King, being so sick, that some supposed he was dead, after prayers made by the Bishop of Paris and others there present, and after Queen Blanch his mother had blessed him, with a piece of the holy Cross; began with a sigh to pluck too his arms and legs, and so stretching himself began to speak.) I say again have not many sick mended with their physic in their pocket? I know where a sick patiented sent to a physician for his council, the physician wrote down a Recipe in a piece of paper, and sent him word he must take that to do him good: the simple Patient hearing he must take that, not thinking of the contents, did eat up the paper, and shortly recovered his health, but what was it that wrought his recovery, was it his Receipt? or was it not rather his conceit? or was it not rather strength of nature in the Patient: (though I know a conceit may do much) rather then any virtue in the one or in the other, so it may be some have mended after they have been at Saints shrines, but hath this come to pass by virtue in the Saint, or not rather by the power of God, who healeth all our infirmities; I know a Saint many times had the thankes. And as that man in the Gospel was 
r joh. 7. 23  to offer up unto God every member he had, because he had made him every whit whole, so men were commonly wont to offer ears of wax to the Saint, who (as they supposed) cured the ears, eyes of wax to the Saint that cured the eyes, feet of wax the Saint that cured the feet, though it be only God, who giveth medicine to heal the sicknesses, and ease the grief 
s 2 Cor. 1. 4.  who is ready to comfort us in all tribulation, and not the Saints, whom therefore we must not worship with any adoration.  
If they cannot help the body, much less can they cure the 
t Mat. 4. 2▪  soul to cure this our Saviour Christ used sundry sorts of medicines, as diet, in his forty days fast, Electuary, 
u Mat. ●●. 26.  in giving his body and blood at his last supper; Sweat, 
x Luc. 22. 44.  which like drops of blood trickled down to the ground, Potion, 
y Mat. 27. 48.  when they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall, 
z joh 19 34.  letting blond, when they pierced his hands and his feet, and when Longinus, thrust a spear into his side, and struck his heart vein, by his nativity, he made himself in case able to work this cure, by circumcision he entered bond for it, by blood at his passion he performed it. Blood is a great comfort to nature, and hasteth thither where is most need of succour, when a man blusheth, it goes to the face, when he is afraid to dye it goes from the face to the heart to comfort the heart, because it is distressed, and when we which are members of Christ were as good as dead, it came from the head to the members, for 
a Revel ●. 5  he washed us in his blood, and therefore the Church of God may be called Aceldama, because it is a field purchased by the blood of Christ, and therefore we pray his blood be on us and our children, not as the jews prayed, 
b Mat. 27. 25.  his blood be upon us to revenge it, but his blood 
c Reu. 1. 5.  be upon us to wash us, 
d 1. Pet. 1. 19  to redeem us, 
e Heb. 9 14  to sanctify us.  

f Levit▪ 25. 10.  The year of jubily was a figure of 
g Luc. 4. 19  that acceptable year, and 
h Mala. 4. 2  the Son of righteousness rejoicing as a Giant to run his course caused this year, by him the brightness of heaven is opened unto us as the light of the day is conveyed unto us by the Sun in the firmament. He was that Dove which after the flood of our sins brought a branch of Olyve, that is peace, and 
i Gen. 8. 1●  mercy to the Ark, that is the Church, in the evening and end of the world. The world is a sea, death is a hook, Christ is that fish, 
k Mat. 17. 27.  in whose mouth was found a piece the price of our redemption, the tribute is paid and we are delivered,  

l Num. 16. 48.  Aaron stood betwixt the living and the dead, Moses betwixt God and the people, and 
m 1. Tim. ● 5.  Christ is a mediator betwixt God and us: A mediator, one that dealeth privately for us, he is more than so, 
n 1. joh. 2. 1  an advocate, one that comes to the bar in our cause; 
o 2. Cor. 5. 19  he is a reconciliation, one that in such sort dealeth betwixt God and us, that he will not punish us, he is more than so, 
p 1. Io. 2. 2.  he is a propitiation, one that dealeth so with God for us, that he will reward us, this latter is more than the former, for King David is appeased toward Absalon by means of Ioa●, after he had slain his brother Ammon, but 
q 2. Sam. 14 24. 33.  yet let him see my face no more there is reconciliation, but in the end he cometh to the King and ʳ the King kisseth him, there is propitiation: as he is a mediator an advocate, a reconciliation, and propitiation; so is he our only mediator, o●r only advocate, our only reconciliation, our only propitiation, he is the only high Priest which entered before the Ark, where was the sign of God's presence, when all other were forbid to come near, the 
s Heb. 7. 23  one Priest who by 
t Heb. 10. 12.  one sacrifice 
u Heb. 9 28  once offered, hath reconciled God to us. And us to know the original cause of our death and damnation we must not range, beyond the fall of the first Adam, for by him sin entered into the world and death, by the means of sin, so to find our recovery we must not seek elsewhere then in the second Adam Christ jesus, for through him salvation is conveyed from the Father to all his living members, as through the veins, life is conveyed from the heart to all the vital parts. 
x joh. 14. 6.  He is the way, the King's high way to heaven, we have no whither to go but to him, nor no other way but by him, no man can ascend but by him that did descend, 
y Gen. 28. 12.  he is jacob's ladder, there is no other hy whom we can go up unto God, no building without this stone, no perfume without this balm, no Paradise without this tree, no God without this Christ, no entrance ●nto heaven without this door, no saving from the flood without this Ark; he is the only 
z Luc. 10.  Samaritan that poureth in Oil to cure our wounds, the only rock 
a Gen. 35. 14.  which jacob anointed with Oil, and erected up for a title of peace between God and men, the only vessel full of Oil, wherewith, 
b 2. Kin. 4. 7  with the widow we must all pay our debts. 
c Mat. 1. 25  jesus is his name, 
d Act. 4. 12.  and there is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved, and therefore he is not only called a saviour but 
e Luc. 2. 30  salvation itself, because he is the only Saviour, as for Saints they are no such saviours as can cure our evils in body, their letting blood cannot ease the pleurisy of our souls, and therefore as that man in the Gospel was to worship Christ because 
f joh. 7. 23.  he had made him whole every whit, so on the other side are not we to worship Saints because they can not make us whole any whit.  
The Church of Rome then is to be reproved, which worship the Virgin Mary their Patroness and Protectress, desiring her to exhibit to them the breast of her grace (great babes▪ to suck our Lady's breast) attributing their happy estate to the help of her medicine, acknowledging themselves servants of her own inheritance and of her peculiar dowry, much such stuff may we find in the Catholic Primer called our Lady's matins, & in our Lady's Psalter made by Bona●e●ture, to be said and sung in the praise and service of our Lady, which make her an advocate pray for the people, entreat for the Clergy, make intercession for the devout womankind. Which make her not only blessed herself but a giver of blessedness to others, not a vessel but a fountain a mother of grace & mercy: Neither shall the Virgin be alone in this service, but other Saints shall bear her company, as Saint Nicholas, grant by his merits and prayers we may be delivered from the fire of hell: as Mary Magdalen: Let her purchase for us the bliss everlasting: And as Pilate mingled the blood of the Galileans with their own sacrifice, that is killed them while they were sacrificing, and so mingled their blood and the blood of the beasts together, so they make their mixtures and their medleys, mingling the blood of Christ and of their Saints one with another as Beckets' blood,  

Tuper Thome (sanguinem, quem pro te impendit  
Fac nos Christ, scandere, quo Thomas ascendit.   

Thou by the blood of Thomas (speaking of Thomas Becket) which he for thee did spend,  
Make us, Christ to clime, whether Thomas did assend.   
Thus do they extenuate the worthiness of Christ's death, in that they supply the weakness thereof with the prayers and blood of their Saints, but as wax and water cannot meet together; so Christ and any thing with Christ cannot meet in the salvation of man; the blood of Saints defaceth the blood of our Saviour, & the impression of their prayers dasheth out the inscription of Christ. As for the Saints themselves the Virgin confesseth her Saviour, and therefore acknowledgeth herself a sinner, 
s Luc. 1. 47.  si peccatrix, non depre●atrix, qu● egebat, non agebat ad●ocatum. Marry Magdale● stood behind Christ weeping; she wept, this was an 
g Lu. 7. 38.  acknowledging of her fault, and now she would, that her eyes at which sin had entered as at a window, might now let it out as at a door: she stood behind him, as though she thought herself not worthy to behold him; and again behind him, that God through Christ might look upon her, shall now any stand behind her a sinner, that God through her may look upon them, or they through her may look upon God? as for the blood of Saints, the heart blood of the best of them could not merit for themselves, and therefore could no more wash us from our sins, than 
h 2 King. 5 14.  other waters besides Iorden could cleanse the leprosy of Naaman. And therefore hunt not 
i Mar. 5. 2. 3.  with the mad Cadar●n the graves of the dead, as they did Thomas Beckets' tomb, seek not among the Saints departed for mediators of redemption, no not of intercession. God did not send the King of Gerar, to Noah or any of the dead Fathers, but to Abraham then alive and present, 
k Gen. 20. 7.  he shall pray for thee: Indeed Brusierd saith, if we pray to Saints departed, they, as stricken with some compassion, may say the like to God for us, as in the Gospel they did for the Canaanite, send her away, for she cries after us: but I answer, if the Saints should have a feeling of our miseries, then little 
l Mat. ●5. 23  would be their ease, small would be their rest, and heaven would be no haven of happiness. An other saith, No man comes to an earthly Prince without making means to some that are about him: but I answer, God respecteth not one person more than an other, and therefore one need not an Attorney, rather than an other to speak unto God, and therefore dash out that subscription; which Anton●nus saith was used in his time, where Saint Paul and friar Dominicke were painted together, under the Image of Saint Paul was written; Per hunc itur ad Christum: under the other, sed magis per istum: the like story we read of King Oswy, who taking up the matter about celebrating Easter betwixt the East-Churches, which received their rite of Saint john, and the Westchurch which received theirs of Saint Peter, judged with the Westchurch, that is, the Church of Rome, lest (as he said) gainsaying Peter the porter, none should open when he came to heaven gate, if he were displeased that kept the keys. The prodigal Child did use no other means to come into his father's house, but 
m Luc. 15. 20.  he himself did come to his father.  
As we are not to worship Saints in praying unto them, so not giving that honour unto them, which belongs only unto God: under the Law God appointed the jews three several 
n De●. 16. 9  Feasts, the Passeover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles; the first in remembrance that God spared their houses, when he slew the firstborn of the egyptians: the second in remembrance, that God gave them his Law, 50 days after their departing out of Egypt: the third in remembrance that they dwelled under tents and tabernacles forty years in the wilderness: but after the Idolaters forged Feasts of their own heads, 
o 1 King. 1● 32.  as jeroboam made a new holy day, in honour of the Calves which he had set up at Dan and Bethel. Under the Gospel we celebrate Easter, Whit-sunday and other festival days, the first in remembrance of the death & resurrection of Christ; the second in remembrance of the sending of the holy Ghost, quod abeuntem Christum non amisimus, & v●n●●tem Spirit●● possidemus: other holy days of Saints we keep to the ho●our of Christ, and not of them, as the Anuntiation of the virgin, in remembrance that Christ was then conceived in her womb; the Purification, in remembrance that Christ was then presented in the Temple: Saint Peter's day as proper to Christ professed by Peter's mouth, 
p Ma●. 16. 16.  Thou art Christ the Son of the living God: Saint john's day proper to Christ published by his writing, and so of the rest, whose holy days our Church doth most piously 
q Io●. 21. 24  and religiously bind us to observe: but after this, especially within this 500 years, the Pope that great god maker of Rome coined a great number of new holy days, as the Feast of the Conception of the virgin Mary, which when the Franciscan or grey Friars had newly found out in remembrance that she was conceived without original sin, was established by Sixtus the fourth, who sent forth his decree, commanding all men to solemnize the said Feast, himself adding at the end of her, Aue, & b●nedicta sit Anna matertua, de qu● sin● macula, tua processit caro virginea, and to stop the mouths of the Dominicke or black Friars, who (taking side with Peter Lombard, Tho. Aquinas, Bernard, Bonaventure, and other School Doctors) taught that it was heresy to affirm that she was conceived without guilt of original sin, they said, her flesh might well proceed without this infection, for she was not concei●ed as others were, and therefore they made a picture of I●achim and Anna kissing, by which kiss Anna was conceived with the virgin Mary.  
I omi● here the feast of her Nativity, brought in by Innocent the fourth, the Feast of her Assumption, brought in by Leo the fourth, the Feast of Corpus Christi, ordained and confirmed by Clement the fift, who assigned indulgences to those that heard the service thereof.  
For besides these, that great Saint-maker shrined a rabble of blind Saints of his own creating, prescribing the same to be universally received in the whole world, and binging them as holy children of Rome, into his Romish Calendar, some with a Festum duplex, some with a Festum simplex, and celebrating his double and simple feasted Saints. He commonly appointed a vigil before them, that they might as well be honoured with a fast, as with a feast; but what were they, that he did thus dignify, that did fi●d such place or favour with him, that they should be canonised and deified, and being set down in red or black colours: should be called upon for gifts and graces, and be worshipped for Aduocat● and Mediators? were they not commonly some Popes, or some rich Bishops, or some fat Abbots, or some blind Friars, Monks or Nuns, some builders of Monasteries, or such as had stood for the dignities and liberties of the papists Church. What made Innocent the third to Saint Friar Dominicke and confirm his order of Preaching Friars, but that dreaming that the Church of Lateran was ready to fall, Dominicke with his shoulders did underprop it? why was Thomas Becket, fifty years after his death taken up and shrined for a new Saint, made of an old rebel; but that he died for the ambitious liberties of the holy Church? had not that deformed Gilbert of S●mpringham in Lincolnshire, erected many Monasteries 13 to the dozen, he had never been numbered in the Catalogue of Saints, neither would Peep Innocent himself have made that blasphemous Collect in his honour, wherein he prayeth that we being succoured by his suffrages may be delivered from all diseases of our souls.  
I will not here rehearse any more particulars, lest the reader should blame me as much, for stuffing my paper with this rout, rifraff and rabblement of Saints, as I do find fault with the Pope, for placing them in his Calendar. He that will know more, may find them dispersed in Pantaleons' chronography, and in the Acts and Monuments of the Church, only this: the year was cumbered with so many idle holy days, and the Calendars with so many rascal Saints, some of them as good as ever were they, that put Christ to death; that Simon I slip (though he were made▪ Archbishop of Canterbury, by the Pope, to wit, by Clement the sixth) by his letters patent directed to all Persons and Vicars within his Province, straight charged them and their Parishioners under pain of Excommunication, that they should not abstain from bodily labour upon certain Saints days, which before were wont to be hallowed and consecrated to unthrifty idleness, afterward were more put down by Injunction, in the Reign of King Henry the eight.  
Concerning those therefore that are departed, let our remembrance of them shortly depart after them: Varr● thinketh that death was called jethum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, forgetfulness, because they which have now forgotten all the world, should soon be forgotten of the world: on the one side, if they were bad, do not so much as bring forth thy tears upon them, they of the King's stock, in the Prophet jeremy, shall not lament Ieho●akim; saying, 
r jer. 22. 18  Ah my brother, neither shall they mourn for him, saying, ah Lord, or ah, his glory, let him that life's without love, die without tears, without piety, except we say, it was pity, he died no sooner. Again if their lives were black, do not we paint their sepulchres with white colours: yet withal, if any good inch were in them, disdain we as much to derogate any thing from them, as we would scorn to rob an Hospital: set not thy foot on a carcase, scourge not a dead man, fight not with a shadow; be not like the dogs, which bite the stones cast at them, when they cannot touch those that hurt them. The Papist findeth in his Mass to pray for the dead, but not to play upon them; fie upon Pope Stephen the sixth, whose lightning being kindled against the dead, took up the Carcase of his predecessor Formosus out of the grave, brought it to judgement before a Council of Bishops, spoilt it of all Papal robes, clothed it with a layman's garments, indicted it, arraigned it, condemned it, cut off three fingers of it, and cast it into the River. On the other side, if they which are diseased were good men, take up a little while David's Lamentation for jonathan, weep with Saint Ambrose, both because they are gone before thee to glory, and because the Church hath lost such labourers in the vineyard; but let sadness bewray rather a tender then dejected mind, and let the felicity wherein they are now placed exchange the sorrow of thy loss into rejoicing of their gain, commending the virtues that were in them, break a box of spikenard among others, and fill their ears with some part of that sweet perfume which they left behind them, praise them when as good sea men they are come to the haven, when as good warriors they are come to the triumph: lastly if thou hast 
s Phil. 4. 8. 9  learned and received & heard, and seen in them, (that I may use the Apostles words) any thing that is true, honest just pure, pertaining to love, and of good report, praise God for it; think on it, and imitate it in thyself, follow their good acts in thy living, as they followed Christ in their lives: Honoramus eos charitate non seruitute, saith Saint Augustine, give therefore unto the Saints thy tears, give them their praise, give them the honour of imitation, less thou canst not give, more thou mayest not, and more do they not desire, Nol●ut enim sic honorari a nobis etc.  
Lastly we are not to communicate God's worship with Saints in swearing by them, for herein we make them not so much lower than God, as God hath made us lower than Angels: hereby we confess their wisdom, their justice, their power; see all this in one oath of the Romans', among whom this was a custom, he that swore, held in his hand a stone, saying: The City with the gods thereof being safe, so jupiter cast me out of it, if I deceive willingly, as I cast from me this stone.  
here they attribute unto jupiter wisdom, acknowledging that he seethe the secret conceit of the heart, their deceit, and whither their deceit be a willing deceit; 2. power, that he can, and 3. justice that he will punish their perjury, if they swear not in truth: and therefore God threatneth, that they shall fall, and never raise up again (which was 
t 1 Sam. 4. 18.  old Hely his fall): 
u Amos 8. 14.  which swear by the sin of Samaria, that is, by the Idols, which the Samaritans worshipped and that say, thy God, O Dan liveth, and he will cut off them, 
x Zep. 1. 5.  which swear by the Lord, and swear by Malcham; neither might the judge admit an oath, 
y jos 23. ●  that any should take by their Idols. Nae the holy Ghost will not have us give so much honour to them, as to mention them with our lips, and therefore it is probable that 
z Ios. 18. 14  Kiriath Baal▪ was called Kiriathiearim, that the name of the Idol might be forgotten and not honoured so much, as with the naming of it, and Socrates in despite of those Heathen gods did swear by an Oak, a Goat, a Dog, as though he denied less godhead to be in those gods then in the least creatures.  
This serveth to reprove the Turk, whose oath is this, I swear by God the maker of heaven and earth, and the 4. Historiographers of Evangelicall Histories, and by the 8000 Prophets that came from heaven, and by our mighty god Mahomet, above all other to be worshipped; and by the spirits of my father and Grandfather, & by this my sac●ed and imperial head. It serveth to reprove Christians, who by their oaths lay open God's honour to the spoil of creatures, and (though it be a thing forbidden by flat statute) beautify and set our the Saints with the ornaments of his name. Let not therefore the name of Saints wait upon our wor●es, to serve where our humour shall place them, let us not fill our mouths with them, as though the sentence were not full, if they were left out, let not Oaths by Saint An. by Saint Mary, by Saint George, or other fly at all adventures and wait at the heels of every word; these and other oaths are but custom in the elder sort, imitation in the younger sort, bravery in the rich, necessity in the poor, no pleasure in them, no profit of them, and sins clothed with no delight or gain are less  even in the sight of men.  
As wear not to impart God's worship with Saints, so not with relics of Saints, which Clement the 5. thought were to be bad in the highest veneration; 
a Heb. 11. 22.  joseph gave commandment of his bones, and 
b Gen. 50. 25.  lying on his death bed took an oath of the children of Israel to carry his bones with them out of Egypt, lest (as Chrysostome saith) the Egyptians remembering the good 
c Deu. 34. 6  things he had done should use the good man's body to an occasion of Idolatry, God buried Moses body the jews knew not where, one reason was, left they should bring his carkeiss into the land of Canaan, from which he was excluded by the judgement of God; another reason was that by this means, he might meet with all and prevent their superstition, for therefore (saith D. Raynolds) it may be thought, that the devil, when he did strive with Michael about the body of Moses, did strive that his body might be revealed to the jews, that thereby they might have occasion to commit idolatry: when a miracle was wrought at the martyring of Policarpus, the Centurion would not have his body divided, lest the remnants of the dead corpses should be worshipped of the people: Indeed if that were true that the bones of Silvester the 2. did commonly ratle in his tomb before the death of Popes, (for this they say the rattling of his bones doth portend) then there were some reason why they should be esteemed, but his bones are used like Dice, made of women's bones to cousin a man, and no such rattling indeed, and therefore let this rattling lie be buried with them. The Israelites must reserve nothing of the Paschall lamb, lest 
d Ex. 12. 10  they should mix that holy banquet with their daily bread, 2. lest the sight of raw flesh might make it less esteemed, 3. lest any superstition might creep in by reserving the relics, and therefore the very bones must be burnt, and more than so, 
e Ex. 32. 20  Moses took the sin of Israel and the calf which they had made, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it, both in despite of their idolatry, and that there might remain no monument thereof, lest they which were most given to superstition might gather together the relics.  
This serveth to reprove such, as while they live, appoint or observe any festival day in honour of relics, as Pope Innocent, who ordained the feast of the holy spear, and of the holy nails; and though we do well to observe the seventh day, that thereby we may learn to rest from sin that day, and make the rest of the week suitable to the same, yet to make more reckoning of one Sabbath then another in regard of relics, and to have our Gaudees and feasts on relic Sunday, as they call it, cannot be without sent of superstition: Again it reproveth such, as when they die think relics will help them the sooner to heaven: as those which are of this mind, that if they be buried in a Grey Friar's frock, the third part of their sins shall be forgiven them, which dignity was indeed granted by a Bull to that religion. But never think that these, nor Saint Peter's Cope or his other vestments can be a quittance for our debts, they are pallium breve, not talaris tunica, a short cloak, not a gown long enough to hide our sins, only the coat of Christ without seam can cover them all: 
f Esa. 43. 25.  I, even I, am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine own sake, where even as God excludeth all other motives, when he saith for mine own sake, so he excludeth all other means when he saith, I, and that with an ingemination, even I do it. He hath grace, if we sin, 
g Eph. 2. 7.  riches of grace if our sins be great, exceeding riches of grace, if they be many: 
h 1. Tim. 1. 13.  mercy for Paul, for he did it ignorantly, 
i Psa. 51. 1.  great mercy for David, for he sinned willingly, he can pardon, for his mercy is omnipotent, he will pardon, for his omnipotency is meryfull, as for relics they come short of his mercy that remitteth sins, and come not near the value of that ransom, which was paid for them.  
The Mass, wherein is consecration, transubstantiation, missal oblation, and adoration, is a great Idol, and should have as little worship as these relics; much virtue (as I have already showed) was attributed to it, whereas in very deed there was no virtue in it, it could not so much as defend it sacrificer who in some place of this land in the reign of Queen Mary was beset with Swords and Bucklers, lest he should be disturbed in his missal sacrifice, to blame also therefore were they which did fly to it for succour: neither did men think it only present help for themselves, but if their pigs were sick, they had a Mass called the Mass of Saint Anthony to rid them from their diseases, another for their Hens that were sick and lost: again to blame were men to use it for the conversion of those which were thought heretics, as did Anthony Kechin Bishop of Landaffe in Queen mary's days: to use it for delivering of souls out of purgatory as did Odilo Abbot of Cluniake, who thought that his Masses had delivered diverse souls from thence, saying more over that he did hear the voices and lamentations of devils crying out, for that the souls were taken from them by the Masses & Dirges funeral: by reason whereof Pope john the 19: brought in the feast of all souls. Again to blame were they to use it, and offer it up as a sacrifice for remission of sins for the quick and for the dead: Besides to blame was Vrban the 4. to appoint festum Eucharistia in honour of it: lastly to blame were all they, who did use to swear so often by it, that custom being almost turned into nature, they could scarce leave it, if all these were to be blamed, then when the Mass with the appurtenances thereof (by reason of Masspriests) pressing upon us 
k Gen. 19 9  as the Sodomites upon Lot shall go about to break up the door of our hearts, and stepping in shall labour to have some part of God's honour, say as ˡ L●t to his sons. Get 
Gen. 19 14.  you out of this place; what portion have ye with the God of jacob? To your tents, ye cursed brood of an adulterous and Antichristian generation.  
The Cross in time of superstition was made as great an Idol as the Mass, and comes likewise within the compass of this prohibition, Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them; I will not here mention one half of the miracles which I have read, were wrought by it: only this, in the Catholic Primer called our Lady's matins, we read this of Saint Laurence, Saint Laurence the Deacon did work a good work, for by virtue of the holy Cross he gave sight to the blind etc. But here by the way▪ I will overthrew the Catholic at his own weapon, & 
m 2. Sam. 23. 21.  with Benaiah slay the Egyptian with his own spear, for how could Saint Laurence give sight by virtue of the Cross, when as he was dead many years before the Cross was found, for Laurence, Claudius Se●erus, Crescentius, Hippolytus and Romanus were made Martyrs, Anno 265. or a little before, and Saint Helen the mother of Constantine first (as they say) found the Cross Anno 325. which was 60. years after he was dead. Besides 
n joh. 9 32  never any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind besides Christ, therefore could not Laurence do it by the Cross, to blame therefore were the Papists to worship the Cross in praying to it and saying. O God which hast ascended thy most holy Cross, and given light to the darkness of the world, vouchsafe by the virtue of thy Cross, to illumine, visit, and comfort both our hearts and bodies: And again.  
All hail, O cross, our only hope, in this time of the passion.  
Increase thou justice to the godly, and give to sinners pardon.  
To blame were they which did appoint festival days for the celebration of it, as Pope Eusebius, who is said to ordain the feast of the invention of the Cross, though it was not found, as some say, till Silvesters time; the next Pope after him, and Honorius the 1. who ordained the exaltation of the Cross to be celebrated, both it feasts, were, and yet are among us called the two holy R●●de days; Lastly they are to blame that swear by it, 
o jer. 5. 7.  for how shall God spare us for this, if we forsake him, and swear by Idols, by the Mass, by the Cross, by them that are no gods? But as some are to blame in attributing to much unto the Cross, so other are to blame in detracting too much from it. Theodosius went too much on the one hand, and was too superstitious, when gathering a Council together, he made a Law, that no man should make a cross upon the ground, or upon a marble, or any stone which should be laid upon the ground; lest men should perhaps tread upon it with their feet. The Turk went too much on the other hand, who when he had taken the City of Constantinople, and found there in the high Temple of Sophia the image of the Crucifix, writing this superscription upon the head of it, hic est Christianorum Deus, i. the God of the Christians, gave it to his soldiers to be scorned, and commanding it to be carried through all his Army with a trumpet, made every man in most contumelious sort to spit at it. In medio tutissimus ibis, it is good to keep the midway betwixt these two, like Sir john Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, who being asked what honour he would do to the holy Cross, answered (as it is in his examination set down by Master Fox) if it were his, he would lay it up honestly, he would only do it this honour, he would make it clean and lay it up safe: and concerning other Idols, as on the one side there was a fault in Marcellina (whom therefore Irenaus, Epiphanius, and Augustine reckoned and detested as an Heretic) to have images in her closet, to set garlands on their heads, and burn incense to them: So on the other side there was a fault in the jews, who forbade theirs to drink of that fountain, whose water spouteth out of the image of man or woman, lest that bowing down their head to the waterpipe▪ they should seem to worship the image, & therefore, they say, Mardochee would not bow his knee before Haman, lost he might seem to worship an image; for they fable, that Haman wore a certain golden picture about his neck. On this side there was a fault in the Pharisees, the great Masters of Israel, and such as excelled the rest for Piety, for they (as Doctor Hall in a Sermon at Paul's Cross) taught their disciples, that if in their travail an Image were in the way, to fetch about some other way, if they must needs go that way, to run, if a thorn should light in their foot near the place, not to kneel▪ but to sitdown and pull it out, lest they should seem to give it reverence. The mean is sweetest melody, too much of the best is evil and excess in virtue vice, it is no good sign if Nilus overflow less than 12 cubits, or more than 18; there is a measure for Manna, gather not to much, gather not too little; run past the goal, thou art accounted rash, run but half way, thou art accounted slow: go too much on the one side, thou returnest into Egypt, go to fare on the other, thou art carried away to Babylon, the counter poise of the heart is framed by God, like an even and just pair of Balance, turn not therefore to the right hand or to the left: spit not at the Crucifix with the Turk, kneel not to it with the Papists, the one with Zachee is to low, and therefore 
p Luc. 19 4  must climb up, the other with the same Zachee is to high, and therefore must come down, or else Christ will never dine at his house.  
I will not speak here of their fire, waterincense, wax, bread, wine, the Church, the altar, the Churchyard, Ashes, Bells, Copes, Palms, Oil, Candles, Salt, and such like things, which blessed or hallowed were had in too too much estimation, for that then exceeding great virtue was supposed to be in them, especially in holy-water, which Steucus (as Bishop jewel affirmeth of him in his Apology) said we did well to hollow with salt and prayers, that by the sprinkling thereof our sins may be forgiven: neither was it only available for the soul, but the water of Canterbury like a certain Panacea, could heal all diseases, as fevers, fistula, gout, toothache, palsy, consumption, falling sickness, leprosy, headache, broken arms, maimed legs, swelling throats, with infinite other, like as a cunning smith with one key should open all manner of locks. I need not strive to put down these, they are so weak that they fall of themselves, a●d the miracles wrought by them were said to be so many, that they lose their own credit: only a word or two for confutation of that which is alleged in defence of Idols, and then an end of the Prohibition.  
In the Prophet Hosea, 
q Hos. 4. 17  Ephraim is joined to Idols: let him alone: if we must let him alone, why then do you blame those that keep the statutes of Omry, & all the manner of the house of Ahab which sacrifice to Baalim, which have borne Siccuth their King, & Chilum their Images, & the star of their Gods, which they made to themselves? I answer, the liberty that the Prophet Hose● giveth us a permission with indignation, as if a father should say to his graceless son, when he seethe that he hath shaken hands with hell, and standing at defiance with goodness proclaimeth open war to his soul, and will not reclaim himself by good admonition, but runs riot like a lawless and awls person, every day faster than other, because the devil drives him, sirrah, run your race, take your swinge, sape thy self in thy sins, give head to thy lusts, still dance after the devil's pipe, I will warn thee no more, I will let thee alone, see what will come thereof at the last? the like speech concerning the same sin is that of the Lord: 
r Eze. 20. 39  Go you and serve every one his I doll, seeing that ye will not obey me: the like is that of Solomon, concerning an other sin: 
s Ec. 11. ●.  Rejoice, o young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: the like is that of the Angel, concerning all sin: 
t Reu. 22. 11.  he that is unjust; let him be unjust still, and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: otherwise when the Lord speaketh simply & plainly he blameth Israel, for that they 
u Ps. 106. 28.  joined themselves to Baal-Peor, like the barbarian Tyrants, which bond the bodies of the living to the bodies of the dead, till they rotten together.  
Again some say, they worship God in their hearts, though they have images, the better to stir up devotion, though they kiss these images and bow down to them, yet they be not so sottish, but they know, they are but stocks and stones, and therefore as the Grecians said, they would not worship images, lest they should seem to agree with the Roman Church, but yet they would adore pictures, or rather as Frederick the Emperor, when he prostrated himself in such sort before Alexander the third, that the proud Pope troad upon his neck; said, non tibi sed Petro: I do not this honour to thee, but to Peter. So say they when they prostrate themselves before an image, non imagini sed Deo, they do not this honour to the Image, but to God: but this is as if the wife should say, she love's her husband in her heart, but she will have another man in her house, she will keep company with other men▪ when he is abroad, she will set her eyes upon them, she will embrace them, but this she doth not for any love to them, but that by them, she might better remember her husband, but this is to be like Clodia, who to excuse her incest said, she did company with Metellus as with an husband, but with Clodius, as with a brother. Thus though every string be out of tune, yet the Music shall not sound amiss, but as Asinus is Asinus, quanquam aurea gestit insignia, so this whore is a whore, though she set never so fair a gloss upon her sin, and varnish her lewdness, and in very deed, howsoever men soothe themselves in this sin, yet are they so sottish, that as the Prophet saith, 
x Esa. 2. 8.  they worship the work of their own hands, with an ingemination which their own fingers have made: otherwise why did they forbid (ne Sanctorum imagines confringantur) the breaking of images, inflicting a greater punishment upon him that should break an Image, then upon him that should rend and tear God in pieces with his carrion and stinking mouth? Why was one Rochus, a carver of Images, borne in Brabant, burned at Saint Lucas in Spain Anno 1545. when he did but take up a chisel, and dashing it upon the image of our Lady, did blemish her face; though he alleged for himself, it was his own work, and if the workmanship disliked him, what had any man to do with it? Why were they so wood and so testy with Testwood Anno 1544, as to threaten to kill him, and therefore drew upon him, and that in the Church at Windsor, but that he up with his hand in which he had a key, and smiting down a border about an Alabaster Image, which the glance chanced to break off the nose. When Thomas Beckets' Image was set up at Mercer's Chapel in London, in Queen Mary's time, Anno 1555, why was there such a great reward promised by Proclamation to him, which could bring news, who broke away first his two blessing fingers, and afterward struck off his head, but that this and the other images were prized at a greater value, than they deserved to be esteemed.  
The word of God is comprised in the Bible, yet sometimes the paper thereof is wasted, sometimes for that the translation disliketh us, sometimes for that it is old and worn, and this we do without any exclamation, but let one break or burn an Image that is wormeaten by reason of age, or for that it hath been abused:  jam faces, iam saxa volant, furor arma ministrat. 
Men rage, as though not a stock or stone, but a true Saint of flesh and bone should be cast in the fire, which argueth, that they are to much addicted to the image itself, and have it into high a veneration: but what need I light a candle in the sunshine, do not they themselves write that the image and Cross of Christ ought to be worshipped with the same honour that is done unto God; do they not say, when we salute the Cross that procured us life, we do well to sing, thy Cross, Lord do we adore the spear which opened thy sacred and life-giving side, do we adore, and that you may not marvel that men are so fare gone as in such sort to forget themselves, do you not see that many a man, though he hath a wife like Sarah, of whom Abraham said, 
y Gen. 12. 11.  thou art a fair woman to look upon, and 
z Gen. 26. 7.  like Rebecca beautiful to the eye, yet this notwithstanding, will go up to the bed of a deformed harlot, in whose moulding, nature did never bestow the like cunning: on the other side, doth not many a woman, though she hath an husband like Absalon, 
a 2. Sam. 14 25.  in whom was no blemish, whose personage may seem to have stolen away all that nature was able to bestow, this notwithstanding, doth she not many times couple herself with another man, whose countenance, proportion of body, and qualities of mind, are no ways answerable to her own husbands? If it be thus in man and wife, then marvel the less at this, that the Church of Rome 
b Ier 2. 12.  should change her glory, like the 
c Reu. 2. 4.  Church of Ephesus, should forsake her first love, and casting off the God of her salvation (who as the spouse saith 
d Can. 1. 15  is beautiful and pleasant, fairer than the children of men) should look to other gods, go a whoring after them, couple herself with them, and breaking her faith like a filthy strumpet, bow to Baal Peor, and separate herself to that shame: but let this suffice to have spoken of the prohibition and negative part of this commandment, now to the Injunction.  
Men reap as great displeasure by omission of duty, as commission of iniquity, he is as honest a man that doth nothing at all, as he is a good Archer that never shoots at all; & therefore we must not only pass a secret vow in the soul constantly to refrain from Idolatry; but also to perform true and Canonical obedience to God: we must bow down unto God, and glorify him in our members; we must worship him, and therefore glorify him in our spirits, God made body and soul therefore 
e 1. Cor. 6. 20.  they are Gods, therefore both must pay tribute. Religion is outward, 
f Rom 12. 1  I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God, that you offer up your bodies, religion is inward: and therefore sursum corda, 
g Pro. 23. 26.  my son give me thy heart, give God the heart and the hand, the mind and the mouth, the faith and the feet.  
This condemneth those that will bow but not worship; Secondly those that will worship but not bow; Thirdly those that will neither bow nor worship, and approveth only such as knowing God hath joined those two together 
h 2. Cro. 29 29. 30.  according to the practice of Prince, Priest, and people will not put them a sunder.  
The first sort are hypocrites, who will bow their knees, duck like Friars, cast up their eyes, cast forth their hands, but Nemo tam prope proculque Deo, 
i Mat. 15. 8  they draw near, and yet are fare off, they are all for sight, nothing for substance, the substance of their hearts is not answerable to the show of their gestures, like Stage Players they represent the persons of those they are not, acting religious parts, but doing nothing else but play devotion, and indeed are little better than devils wrapped up in 
k ●. Sam. 28 14.  samuel's mantle, hot meteors shooting, yet showing like stars, having fowl souls and fair liveries. Let these Gospelers or Gospelspillers, shaming goodness by seeming good, 
l Esa. 1. 15.  stretch out their hands, God will hide his eyes from them; let them paint and trim, plaster and white-lime, and as smoothly as they can daub on this fair complexion, God shall smite these whited wales: God forgive them their holiness, and grant they may carry themselves, in an honest and simple truth, free from affectation of seeming that they are not, and give them as well good affections as good gestures, as well a good text as a good gloss, as well the fruits of piety as the blossoms of the knees, and leaves of the lips.  
The second sort are a base kind of careless Christians, which regard not how irreverently they perform the duties of piety, 
m jud. 3. 20  with Eglon they will never arise to hear the word of God, 
n 2. am. 6. 20.  with David they will not be bare headed before the Ark, 
o Mat. 18. 20.  with the servant that feared they will not fall down, when they pray they care not for kneeling, as subjects to their Prince nor standing as servants before their Master, and while they would avoid the hypocrisy of seeming holy by humbling themselves, they neglect and cast off all care of such comely gestures as might stir up devotion: never suffering the inward affection of their soul to appear by any outward carriage of the body 
p Gen. 17. 3  Abraham fell on his face and worshipped, 
q Act. 7 60  Stephen kneeled down, 
r Luc. 18. 13.  The publican stood a fare off, the first is as he that kisseth the feet of the Lord, the second as he that kisseth his hand, the third as he that kisseth his mouth, all these gestures are found in one Mary Magdalen, first 
s Luc 7. 38.  she went to his feet for the remission of her own sins, then 
t joh. 11. 32  to his knees for the raising of her brother Lazarus, then to his mouth 
u Mat. 26. 7  when she poured the ointment upon his head: indeed when joshua fell to the earth and prayed, the Lord said unto him, 
x Ios. 7. 10.  Get thee up, wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? But it is not for that he misliked the gesture of his body, but for that he condemned the excess of his sorrow, as if he should say, why is thy spirit thus long in perplexity within thee, why is thy heart within thee desolate, why dost thou roll thyself in the dust, and make lamentation like the Dragons, and mourn as the Ostriches, why dost thou forget to eat thy bread? thou hast lain long and too long upon the ground to make intercession for Israel, get thee up, lie no longer, another means must be used to turn away my wrath, that I do not suffer my whole displeasure to arise: otherwise though prayer be the substance, yet gesture is a kind of formality to set it forth, and must wait upon it, 
y judit. 13. 10.  as judiths' handmaid doth upon her Mistress, when she goeth unto her prayer.  
The third sort which neither bow nor worship are plain Atheists, which have no feeling of God's love, no feeling of his fear, whose hardened hearts are as a piece of dead flesh to matter of religion: Our Saviour Christ in his Sermon, upon the mountain would teach us to pray privately, for there is 
z Mat. 6. 6. 7.  Oras in the singular number, and to pray publicly, for there is Oratis in the plural number, but this man regards neither private nor public service of God, you shall never blame his hypocrisy, for he is so fare from standing in the corners of the street to pray, so fare from saluting one of the pillars of the great Church on one knee, that he never worships God with body or soul in Church or in chamber, or any other place whatsoever whether he should pray with the Protestants towards the East, with the jews towards the West, with the Saracens towards the South, whether prostrate with Ahraham, kneeling with Stephen, or standing with the Publican, be questions that never trouble his brain: when Gregory Bishop of Rome sent Austen the Monk into this land in the Saxons time to bring this Nation out of darkness into light, Austen consulted with Gregory what form of divine service he should commend to the Saxons; Gregory willed him to bind himself neither to the form of Rome, Milan, French, or any other Church, but the best and pikedst things to choose out of all Churches, and them to induce and deliver to the English: but this man would save Austen a labour in consulting, and Gregory in resolving, no service is accpeted with him, no religion; Lucian is his old Testament, Machiavelli is his new: he saith with the Sadduces 
a Mat. 22. 23.  there is no resurrection, 
b Act. 23. 8  neither Angel nor spirit, he hath said in his heart, there is no God, no judgement, no hell, no heaven, this one thing he hath, whereof let him rejoice, he will commit no solecism in God's service, and be sure that his prayer, 
c Est. 7. 7. 8  like that of Haman, shall never be turned into sin; he is a great deal worse than Agrippa, 
d Act. 26. 28.  for he was almost persuaded to be a Christian, worse than Protagoras, for he did but doubt, de dijt utrum sint non ausim affirmare, worse than the superstitious man, for better to have many go●s then to have no god, as bad as the devil, but that he hath a body; nay in this worse than the devils, 
e jac. 2. 19  for they believe and tremble, 
f Luc. 4. 34  and acknowledge the holy one of God.  
The fourth sort which (according as they are enjoined by this commandment) bow down unto God and worship him, are 
g joh. 1. 47  with Nathaniel true Israelites indeed, 
h Ps. 105. 1.  which sing unto God, and therefore they give him the tongue, sing hearty, and therefore they give him their souls, fall down and kneel before their maker, and therefore they give him their hands and knees, and with jacob they will use some corporal service, 
i Gen. 47. 31.  who therefore leaned on his staff and worshipped God, when he was not able to kneel or stand; if their heart do believe, they say with the young man, 
k Mat. 19 20.  what lack I yet, their mouth shall confess their eyes shall wait, their ears shall hearken, their heads shall be bare, their hands shall be lifted up, their knees shall bend and Camel themselves before God, they serve God with all their soul, therefore God shall have all that is within them, they serve God with all their might, therefore God shall have all that is without them, the former is the substance, the latter is a kind of formality to set it forth; to conclude this point therefore: 
l Ps. 25. 1.  Sit cordis intentio, sit manuum extentio, with David lift up thy soul unto God, 
m Ex. 17. 11.  with Moses hold up thy hands the preparing of the heart and stretching out of the hands are in job 
n job. 11. 13  joined by God, let them not therefore be sundered in man.  
I am the Lord thy God: In the fourth year of King Richard the 2. when the Rebels had assembled themselves together to the number of more than three score thousand, having for their Captains Wat Tiler and jack Straw; the King came in amongst them at a day and place appointed, and speaking unto them in gentle sort said: Sirs, what aileth you, ye shall have no Captain but me, I, am and will be your King and Captain be you therefore quiet. In like manner when the heart of Israel was not perfect with the Lord, when the house of jacob did not give God his due glory, but following other Gods rebelled against him: when they esteemed that Idol Sic●nth as their King, and took up the Tabernacle of Moloch, when all the people walked every one in the name of his god, than God came down amongst them 
o Ex. 19 11  at his appointed time and place, and giving them good words said, hear O Israel, what aileth you, ye shall have no God but me, ye shall not join yourselves to Baal-Peer, nor subject yourselves to your god Remphan nor ●eepe the statutes of Omri, I am the Lord your God, therefore cleave unto me, serve me with gladness, wash your hands in innocency and so compass mine altar. The first argument than here used to induce obedience, is the love of God, and this that he saith, thy God, atgueth the contract and marriage betwixt God and his Church according to that in Ezechiell, 
p Eze. 16. 8  I swear unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine; God was not ashamed to be called their God, he was as an husband, the Israelites as his spouse, his soul longed for them, his heart did cleave unto them, his secret was with them, his beauty was upon them, his light shined upon their heads, he did lift up upon them the light of his countenance; he did hide them under the shadow of his wings, he did cover them all the day long, under his arms they were for ever, he did endow them, and say, all that I have is thine, goods of grace re, goods of glory spe, the first in present possession, the second in future assurance.  
The love of this Bridegroom to his spouse shall appear the greater, if we consider her estate and quality, first for estate.  
Men in their matches commonly respect the mending of their means, and will look to this that in tying themselves fast, they do not undo themselves; this makes many rove at a mark w●th their thoughts, which is beyond the pitch of their bow: like 
q 2. Kin. 14. 9  the thistle which in the parable would have the Cedar's daughter married to his son: but in this match God which is as a Cedar in Lebanon marrieth himself unto a thistle, tantus tantillos, so great a God, so small a worm, as jacob, he did not therefore respect his own good, when he made choice of his Church, that would not enrich him, if there be any good in us, 
r Ps. 16. 2.  our welldoing extendeth not to him, but he aimed at the good of his spouse, that he might make her free which was bound unto Satan, for even in our law, if a freeman marry a bondwoman, she is made free, because her husband and she are one person, and if he doth make her free, then is she free indeed.  
Again men in their matches have an eye to the qualities of those, to whom they intent to contract themselves, whether they be (caeteris paribus) of a mild and gentle disposition, lest as meats of contrary qualities digest not well together, so they should be always one sick of the other. In our land, the Guardein in chivalry shall not marry his Ward in chivalry to one that is unequal to him, as a bondwoman, the 2. to one that is lame, or the 3. deformed, or the 4. hath some horrible disease as Leprosy, or the 5. to a woman that is past childbearing, for it is disparagement, but God joined himself to Israel when she was bond, for sin reigned in her, when she was lame, for joshua takes her up for halting, when she was deformed and 
s Eze. 16. 6.  Polluted in her own blood, when she was diseased, for from the sole of the foot unto the crown of the head, there was no whole 
t Esa. 1. 6.  part in her, when she brought forth nothing but sin unto death, when Shechem would marry Dinah jacob's daughter, her brother said 
u Gen. 34. 14.  they might not give their sister to a man uncircumcised, but God espoused Israel, when she was of an uncircumcised heart and lips, and wedded her, which wanted a wedding garment, tantus tantillos, tales, so great so righteous a God made choice of a spouse, betwixt whom whether we respect estate or quality, there was great inequality, jacob loved 
x Gen. 29. 17.  Rachel more than Leah, he had some reason, she was more beautiful, but that God should praefer jacob's sons before the rest of the world, he had no reason but his own good will, 
y Gen. 34: 25.  for two of them Simeon and Levi were treacherous and bloody men, and the eldest Reuben came not behind them in another kind of iniquity: 
z Gen. 35. 22.  for he went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and what dignity could be in him, who went up to his father's bed and defiled it? The rest, they and theirs were a 
a Ps. 78. 8.  froward & crooked generation, a generation that set not their hearts aright, whose spirit cleaved not steadfastly unto God, & as Mount Zion was not better than other Mountains, but more noble because it pleased God to dwell there, so the jews were no better than other, till God vouchsafed to make them his people, because he had a favour unto them, because his good pleasure was such. And this is that which our Saviour Christ saith, 
b joh. 15. 16  ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you: he chose them first by predestination, and afterward by calling and culling them out from the rest, but then did they also choose him by consenting to that calling: of both these mutual choices doth Moses speak, of the on, 
c Deu. 26. 17. 18.  thou hast set up the Lord this day to be thy God: of the other, the Lord hath set thee up this day to be a precious people unto him: now out of this that hath been spoken, conclude as the jews did, when they saw manifest tokens of Christ's affection 
d joh. 11. 36.  to Lazarus they said see how he loved him, so when you consider the premises, and see the disparagement, say, see how he loved her, see how great affection he bore to his Church.  

e 1. Io. 4. 9  This must teach us first, to love him, because he loved us first, love must be reciprocal, and therefore the Bridegroom and the spouse, in that sweet marriage song call one another Loan; secondly, it must teach us to keep us only to him so long as we live, for if while the husband liveth, the wife shall 
f Rom. 7. 2▪  take another man, she shallbe called an adultress. Neither doth wife admit any plurality when she is construed with one husband, and therefore it was a kind of Solacisme when Lamech said, bear ye● wines of Lamech, neither doth husband admit any plurality, when he is construed with one wife, now neither must unus or una have a plural number, socium de te nesciunt: God 
Mal. 2. 15.  had abundance of spirit, and might have made two for one, but he made but one, one man for one woman, one woman for one man, & as the woman hath not power over her own body, either to deny it to her own husband, or to yield it to another man, so neither hath the spouse of Christ: ye are not your own: 
1 Cor. 6. 20  for ye are bought for a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit: for they are Gods. we must therefore acquaint ourselves with God, as for Idols they are called strange gods, as the harlot is called a strange woman, because they should be 
Mal. 2. 11. Pro. 7. 5.  strangers to us and we should be strangers to them.  
It is good for me (saith the Psalmographer) to keep me 
Psa. 73. 28.  fast to God, for there is a nearer conjunction betwixt God and us then betwixt man and wife, for man and wife are one flesh: 
Gen 2. ●4.  but he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit: if therefore a wife may 
1. Cor. 6. ●7  not forsake the guide of her youth, and forget the covenant of her God, if her holy days must not be feasts of quicunque vult, if she must not turn to uncleanness from her husband, much less, may God's spouse break her faith, and giving God sundry companions, bestow his glory on them, she must not bow her knees to Baal, nor kiss him with her mouth.  
A jealous God: some men being better husbands than Christians, and better bawds than husbands, can be content to be panders to their own beds, Nicholas (the same as most men 
Act. 6. 5.  think which was one of the seven deacons) being blamed for jealousy, brought his wife, who was fair to look upon, among all the disciples, giving free leave to all that would to use her, of him came the heretics called Nicolaite, who held that wives should be common, whose works the Church of Ephesus hated 
Reu. 2. 6.  to their great commendation: Abraham is not much displeased that the fountains be not his only, but the strangers among whom he is, and therefore gives his wife this counsel, say, I pray 
Gen. 12. 13.  thee, that thou art my sister, that I may far well for thy sake: nay his own silence and his own words are the cause that she is taken into Pharaohs house to be his wife, for Pharaoh blameth him both for the one, and for the other: for his silence, why saidst thou not, she was thy wife? for his speech, why saidst thou she was thy sister: having great cause to expostulate the matter with him; for hereupon if God had not kept Pharaoh, Pharaoh 
Gen. 20. 2.  had kept Abraham's wife: neither did he leave by this, but as though this sin had been glued to him, and that he did clean as fast unto it, as it unto him, he stumbles the second time at the same stone: and though a son should not jump in every foot-steppe of his good father, and keep the same pace, and turning in all points as he doth: (for ego & pater meus in the Economics is no good plea) though God registers the sin of the father, not for imitation, but admonition of the son, and though the father reputes the ill he did, that the son might not do that which he repent) yet Isaac the son of Abraham, as though God in setting down his father's fall had said, tu quoque fac simile, treads in his father's steps, though he did tread too much outward, the imitation of his father's evil did equal the example, or rather exceed it, as much as the imitation of his father's good 
Gen. 26. 7.  came short of the pattern. I know the hope of faring well, and the danger which Abraham and Isaac foresaw to be towards them in strange Countries, if by this means they had not prevented it, doth some thing extenuate their fact and may seem to patronise it: but now a days there be diverse wittols, who though there be little hope of profit, less fear of peril can be content that their own bosoms should be false to them, that others like fed Horses, as the Prophet speaketh, should ●eye after their 
jer. 5. 8. Exod. 8. 3. Gen. 49 14. 1 King. 22. 11.  wi●es, and croak in their Chambers like the frogs of Egypt; they themselves being but cloaks for the rain, while they smother the fault: the blessing of Issachar be upon them let Zidchiah do the best he can for them: let these Caffrani still father the cra●le, and with the wood-culuers or  hedge sparrows hatch and bring up, that which cuckows lay in their nests.  
Others of a more honest disposition think, no injury on earth can parallel this wrong: they think this, that others should have the same conjunction with their wives in wickedness, which they have in holiness, and by the appointment of God to be one of the greatest punishments inflicted by God or man: by God, for it is the first of the two punishments, when God did gather his lap full of plagues to pour upon Israel for their idolatry: Your daughters shallbe 
Hos 4. 13.  harlots, and your spouses shallbe whoors by man; for it was the saying of a great man, when diverse gave their verdict what judgement it were best to execute upon a notable malefactor brought before them, one saying he should be whipped at an horse tail, an other that he should be hanged, no, saith he, I will punish him worse than so, I will marry him to a whore.  
Men of good minds, and such as have care of their credits, think that if other men should use their wives more familiarly than honesty requireth, that if other should gauge the vessels, and they should drink the lees, that if other should gather the grapes, (they should glean the vine, that if other should have the entertainment of husbands with their wives, and they should see the staff stand at their doors: this stain they think to be the greatest blemish that might be to their reputation, and a reproach which never could be put away, & as the woman for her part doth stomach the matter, when her husband, having a wise of his own, is sick of a pleurisy: And therefore Olympias the mother of Alexander the Great (though 
Gen. 16. 3  Sarah for want of children gave her servant Hagar into her husband's bosom) wrote unto her son, that he should not according to his custom, call himself the son of jupiter, lest in so doing juno the wife of jupiter might envy her, and take displeasure: so on the other side, the husband especially if he be jealous, cannot digest this villainy: jealousy is the rage of a man, therefore will he not spare in the day of vengeance; he will 
Pro. 6. 34.  seek his death that doth abuse his wife, and divorce his wife, that takes her pleasure in dalliance with another man: now God is a jealous God, an husband that cannot abide a partner in his love, and therefore we cannot wrong him more, or dishonour him more, then by going aftet other gods, and coupling ourselves to them: nae his name is jealous, and 
Ex. 34 14.  thererefore in any case he cannot away with a Rival, and therefore forsaking all other, we must keep ourselves only to him, so long as we both shall live.  
A good wife, though her husband be not jealous, yet will give him her hand, her heart, and her body, but if she know him jealous, she will not give him the least cause of suspicion, either by talking of others, or walking with others; so the spouse of Christ, though her Lord were not a jealous God, yet having betrothed herself to him, and received pledges of his love, should delight in him and none other: but considering he is jealous, she should have a greater care to retain and keep all her senses chaste, to observe all loyalty and faithfulness, she should not (according to the precept of Moses and promise 
Ex. 23. 13.  of Daaid) not so much as make mention of other gods with 
Ps. 16. 4.  her lips: But making protestation (as they in the Psalm) that she hath not forgotten, the name of her God, should reckon other 
Ps. 44. 20.  gods such strangers to her, as though she knew not their names, neither should they ever be heard out of her mouth, much less should she ever come to Gilgall, or go up to Bethaven, desire oaks and choose gardens, bow herself and humble herself, do shamefully and follow her lovers.  
Visiting the sin of the fathers upon the children: A good man hates iniquity, not so much for the danger of it, as the indignation, but fear keeps back the bad man, when he foresees the danger, if he run into it: A galleyslave falls to rowing, for he sees himself fast chained, and knows he shall be surely 
Ex. 8. 8. & 10. 17.  beaten, if he row not. Pharaoh becomes somewhat tractable, but punishment drives him to it. Balaam boweth and giveth 
Num. 22. 31. 34.  good words, but danger is towards him.  O derunt peccare mali formidine pa●a. 
As God therefore hath compassion of some, so others he 
jude. 22.  saves with fear, in this place he hath salt in his speech, and puts a wedge of iron into knotty wood: God will wrestle with the wicked, with them and theirs, not using his right hand of mercy, as he did with jacob, when he supported him: 
Gen. 32. 24.  but his left hand of justice, as jacob did with Esau, when he 
Gen. 25 27.  supplanted him, and if he punish the posterity of wicked Idolaters, how great then and terrible shall their own destruction be, when their issue shall perish through their default.  
Visit: Almighty God the Bishop of our souls goes his visitation, he inquires of faults, and thoroughly sifts them out, 
1 Pet. 2. 25  then ministers the quantity of the punishment, according to the quality of the offence, this is the right visitation. Among us are some visitations, non morum sed nummorum visitationes: But God visits not the purse, but visits the sin, he will not spare the poor for pity, nor the rich for bribes, he will not commute the penance, or respect any external thing, whither it be comeliness of body excellency of wit, nobility of stock, antiquity of descent, the soul that sinneth shall die, and there is 
Rom. 2. 11.  no respect of persons.  
The sin of the Fathers upon the children: Men are dull upon the spur, and do not easily bend when God bids them bow, therefore God threatneth to extend his rigour to their posterity, he will lay up the sorrow of the father for his children: but 
job. 21. 19  doth this stand with the justice of God to punish the child for the father's offence? how then is the Scripture true, every 
Gal. 6. 5.  man shall bear his own burden? how is the proverb true, every fat shall stand on his own bottom? if it be so, let that proverb which was out of date be renewed again, the fathers have eaten 
Eze. 18. 2.  sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. The Civil law (to fetch this point from our first original) saith, Partus sequitur ventrem, the birth follows the womb, that is, the child shall be as the mother, if she be free, her child shall be free, though she marry a bondman; and according to the laws of the Realm, the child shall be as the father, but when father and mother are bond both, as ours are, than there is no question but the children are bond. The whelps of wolves though they can do no hurt with hunting, yet already do sport themselves in biting and delight in blood: the brood of serpents (like the disciples of the Pharisees younger in years, 
Mat. 22. 16  but like in malice) are shorter in stature, but equal in poison, and who will blame him, that shall kill these whelps and destroy the young serpents, though they have yet no strength to hurt and cast forth their poison? non prius nati quam damnati. And though children being young bring forth no bad fruit in the boughs, yet are they infected at the root, but leave this original and go on, if the father be a traitor to his Prince, do you marvel, if his children do smart for it: if the husband hath public notice of his wife's adultery, shall he not give her a public discharge? shall he smother the fault, which she is not ashamed to set abroach? the disease of marriage is adultery, and the medicine is divorcement: shall he put away the mother, and retain her children, which he knoweth to be an adulterous generation: now God is the husband of his Church, he married Israel to himself, but she in joining her 
Hos. 4. 12.  self to Idols went a whoring from under her God, God therefore 
Hos. 4. 12. Esa. 50. 1.  forsakes her, and gives her a bill of divorcement, and therefore if her children feel the smart, God bids them reason the case with their mother and not lay the blame upon him; plead 
Hos. 2. 2.  with your mother, with an ingemination, plead with her: Again God may punish the sin of the parents on the Children, yet the cause of punishment may be in themselves, as if any being sick of the plague, infect other and they dye, every one of them is said to dye of his own plague: God will not have this proverb used in Israel, the fathers have eaten sour grapes & 
Eze. 18. 3.  the children's teeth are set on edge, but if they eat sour grapes as their fathers did, no marvel though their teeth be set on edge. When God takes away his grace, they eat sour grapes, and drink their own poison, then are they as ships cast upon the rocks, dashed in pieces, or sunk in the sands, when God not giving them his grace they want all their tackling, then are they as a house which falls of itself, because God as a Samson, 
jud. 16. 29.  hath withdrawn the pillars, then are they as old lame men, which sink of themselves when God will not lend them his grace, as a staff to uphold them. This God doth visit the iniquity of the fathers on their Children, not by taking away any thing they had, but because he will not supply that they wanted, & this is no injustice in God; for every good gift cometh from him, grace is his, he may give it to whom he will, he may withhold it from whom he please, it is lawful for him to do with his own what he list: and he many times withholds 
Mat. 20. 15  it from the Child, when he considers the sin of the father, and for that the father ran further and further into wickedness, he gives over the Children, so that they sell themselves to work wickedness, that filling up the the iniquity of the fathers, they might have their punishment cast into their bosom. And this is that which Hosee saith concerning Israel, because 
Hos. 2. 5.  the mother played the harlot, and she that conceived 
Hos. 4. 13.  them did shamefully: therefore their daughters shallbe harlots, that they might be punished for their own faults, but mediately for the sin of their parents which caused God to give over their offspring, that so they might give head to their lusts, and bring a speedy destruction upon themselves.  
This must teach both parents and children, each of them a several lesson, Parents to have a greater care than other of discharging their duty to God, for the neglect hereof brings a plague on themselves and on those which come out of their loins, and if God accomplish not his judgements as soon as a sin is committed, he can well work them upon the offspring of such as seem to have escaped his hand: I have seen saith Eliphaz the foolish well rooted, and suddenly I cursed his habitation, saying▪ his Children shall be fare from salvation, and they shall be 
job. 5. 3. 4.  destroyed in the gate: judgement shall find out the Children, though happily sometime it pass by the father: his blood be on 
Mat. 27. 25  us and on our Children say the jews, to Pilot concerning the blood of Christ, cruenti plane genitores (saith Saint Augustine) qui ante facti sunt paricide quam parents. O cruel fathers which were parricides before they were parents: but though this wish had not been, yet this cruel crying sin had come home to their children's doors, and been poured into their bosoms. We have a proverb, happy is the Child, when the father goes to the devil, for example, the father not so much as roving at God, makes the world his standing mark, he never thinks of compassing heaven, but as Satan came from compassing the earth to and fro and from walking in it; so he will compass earthly things for him and his, and having the greedy worm under his tongue with Esop's Dog, would engross the world for himself and his issue, now no way comes amiss to wealth, usury, extortion, oppression, sacrilege, swearing, lying, subtlety, as porters shall bring in his gain, now poor Naboth shall not hold his own, because Ahab is sick of his Vineyard: like enough such a father goes to the devil, but how is his Child happy? you will say, because he shall gather all these riches which his father raked together, yet I say not happy, for many times we see there comes a son, that is as good with a fork as his father with a rake, as good a spendall, as his father get-all, and scorning to think of the troubles and sighs of his father in heaping up his goods, consumes the fat of his predecessors in few years, as the lean kine did eat up the fat in Pharaohs dream. Of all goods these may most truly be called 
Gen. 41. 4.  movable, for like larks they fall to the ground faster than ever they mounted up, and like clouds never rest till they fall as they climbed: job speaketh as though the wicked, when they set up their houses by pilling and poling, and rake other men's goods by hook and by crook, did but make a stack of wood, and then cometh a spark of God's wrath and makes an end 
job. 15. 34.  of all: if therefore parents will be happy in themselves, happy in their posterity, let them love God, keep innocency & do the 
Psa. 37. 37.  thing that is just, for that shall bring a man peace at the last, that 
Psa. 112. 2.  shall bring God's blessing upon their children: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed when the  shall perish, they shall see it.  
Secondly Children may here learn to pray to God, not only to hide their own sins in his wounds, to bury their own offences in his death, to cross their accounts and forget them all, but to pray further as in the Litany; Remember not Lord the offences of our forefathers: not that we must pray for the dead, while we live we must take an obligation of ourselves, daily to pray for other, and commend each other to God by interchangeable prayers, but when men are dead, he that prays for the good, does wrong to the good, he that prays for the bad cannot mend him or help him with prayers. We allow not the sacrifices made for souls, nor those feralia dedicated to the infernal gods, that they might be pacified with those that are departed, happily some will say, were I not better pray for them, then to say, the devil go with them, as good a reason, as if a thief being blamed for robbing a man upon Shooter's hill, or in Stangate hole, should reply and say, were I not better rob him, then kill him, of evils every one is to be avoided. But thus fare we pray, that God would not remember the sins of our forefathers to visit them upon us who do succeed them, for because 
Dan. 9 16.  of our sins, and for the iniquities of our father's God will set his face against us, and let in one punishment or other upon us.  
Of those which hate me: they which transgress the law of God, especial they which lay his chief honour open to the spoil of creatures, hate God and desire to spoil him of his government: Qui diligit meretricem, odit sponsam suam, he that love's an harlot hates his own spouse: and on the other side she that love's an other man, hates her own husband: now Idolaters 
Ho. 2. 5. 13 Nu. 15. 39  play the harlots, and do shamefully, and say, I will go after my lovers, they follow their lovers, go a whoring after their own 
Ho. 3. 1. & 4 17.  eyes, look to other gods and are joined to Idols, therefore may they well be said to hate God.  
The effects do sufficiently show forth this hatred, for the bringers in of Idols, put God and his truth out of doors, and 
judg. 11. 7.  thereupon doth jephtha prove that his brethren did hate him, because they did expel him out of his father's house: Again when men are out of love with any thing they care not how little while they keep it, either they will sell it, as joseph's brethren sold him to the Ishmaelites, or change it, as Israel did the ordinances: 
Gen. 37 28 Esa. 24. 5.  now Idolaters make an exchange of God, & though no Nation ever changed their God, which yet are no gods, yet they change their glory. Therefore do they hate God, because God 
jer. 2. 11.  hateth all them that work wickedness. 1. Their God who made them 
Psa. 5. 5.  glorious. This must teach Idolaters not to flatter themselves in their sin, and to think they do God good service, and love him as well as the best; and therefore have his image to show their devotion, for God saith they hate him.  
Secondly this teacheth, that we are not to give Papists the commendation of good honest men, and to bind their religion as a crown unto them, for they be such as hate God, and lift up their hands against him: therefore we must say with David: I 
Psa. 31. 6.  hate them that hold of superstitious vanities▪ and I hate them that hate 
Psa. 139. 21  thee, I hate them right sore as though they were mine enemies, or at leastwise we must be like the Physician, which love's the patiented and hates his disease. 2. Therefore we must have no fellowship or join in any league of friendship with them, for therefore in the old Testament, jehu takes up jehosaphat for that he would 
2. Cro. 12. 2  help the wicked, and love them that hated the Lord; and in the 
Mat. 9 14.  new Testament the Disciples of john are  who joined themselves with the Pharisees, whom Christ condemned: who hated Christ, and sought to entangle him in his words. 3. We must not contract marriages with them, give our daughters to them, or take their daughters to us, as adultery is a cause of divorce, so should Idolatry be a cause of restraint, and should hinder it as well as the other doth separate it: when the birds assembled themselves in Parliament there was a Decree past, that the Eagle for breeding of fairer birds, should join in marriag with the Ostrich, whereupon he makes suit unto her, but having been a while in her company, and perceiving she did eat iron, and steel, and devour that which he could not abide, he gave off his suit, so on the one side, if there be any external thing, as antiquity of descent, great kindred, much alliance, great wealth, many friends, good hope of raising, the house that should move Protestant's to match in the houses of Papists and to graft in their stock; let them consider again on the other side, that they be haters of God, procurers of the King's evil, hardhearted, flagella Reipublicae, flabella seditionis, that they would devour a whole Parlament-house, and could well digest it, if jerusalem were made an heap of stones.  
And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my Commandments. Our Saviour Christ saith to Martha, thou art 
Luc. 10 41  troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, so we are troubled about many things; some about their farms, some 
Luc. 14. 18  about their oxen, some about their wives; all these in the beginning of Ecclesiastes, are vanity of vanities, and all vanity, 
Eccl. 1. 2.  but one thing is necessary▪ and that is in the end of Ecclesiastes, 
Ec. 12 13.  fear God and keep his Commandments: but here the Lord doth not say fear, but love me, and keep my Commandments, to show that all the duty we perform to God must proceed from love: the law (saith Saint Paul) is not given to 
1 Tim. 1. 9  the righteous man, either to condemn him, or to compel him, for he will do good of a good affection, without further constraint. God will have the Israelits▪ bring offerings, for the making 
Ex. 25. 2.  of the Tabernacle, but he will not strain upon any, but every one shall give as his heart doth encourage him, and 
Ex. 35 21  as his spirit doth make him willing: Son, go and work today 
Mat. 21. 28  in my vineyard: vineyard, therefore a fit place; to day, therefore a fit time; son, therefore a fit person, for he will go with good will, as readily as Samuel comes at a call, Here am I, 
1 Sam. 3. 5  not that thou compelledst me, but, here am I, for you called'st 
Ex. 8. 25.  me. The obedience of the wicked is wrested from them, as was Pharaohs, and their good deeds are spoiled in the working, as many a good tale is marred in the telling; but the godly yield freely to obedience for love, are not haled and dragged by force, my heart is ready saith David, with an ingemination, 
Ps. 57 7.  my heart is ready, ready for adversity, ready for prosperity, ready to be humbled, ready to be exalted, ready to do whatsoever thou commandest.  
This must teach us to take heed we do not good things amiss that is true of the Canon Lawyers, God love's adverbs better than adjectives: not quam bonum, but quam bene; 
Luc. 18. 4.  and therefore a good deed must be well done: justice readily, and therefore fie upon the unjust judge; Alms willingly for 
2 Cor. 9 7.  grudging, like Colloquintida spoils the whole pot of pottage. A good mind cannot free a man from offence, when 
2 Sam. 6. 6.  he doth ill; and therefore Vzzah doth ill to put his hand unto the Ark: but a bad mind may make a man sin in doing good, and therefore judas was not without great fault in saluting Christ 
Mat. 26. 49  to betray him. First therefore, we must look what we do for the matter, to know this we must ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord, his word must be a touchstone to try our actions, and the standard from which we must not departed. Secondly, we must look how we do it for the manner, whither of love or of fear, of a cheerful or grudging mind; and to know this, we must consult with our own hearts, with Moses put our hands into our bosoms, rip up our consciences, 
Ex. 4. 6.  take our souls to task, and with the possessed return unto our own house, virtus volentium nulla est. He that 
Luc. 8. 39  doth good against his will, doth ill; God will have us voluntary men, good deeds must not be wrung out of us, as verjuice out of the crabs when they are pressed, nor beaten out 
Ex. 17. 6.  of us, as waters came out of the rock, when Moses smote it with his rod, but they must sweetly flow from us, as rivers 
joh. 7. 38.  from the fountain. The service we do to our neighbours is not accepted with God, except it proceed from love; If I give all that I have to feed the poor (saith the Apostle) and have not 
1 Cor. 13. 3  love, it profiteth me nothing: If I give, and not lend, which is not so great liberality, mine own (which I have) not another man's; for many rob Peter and pay Paul, build Almshouses with the superfluity of their usury, make Hospitals with racking their rents, enclosing of commons, with that which they have gotten by bribery, oppression, and extorting from other, which indeed is not their own: again if I give not a part but all, at the only hearing whereof the young man 
Mat. 19 22  shrunk back and went away sorrowful, not to the rich but to the poor, for that were but to cast water into the sea: if I did all this to feed them, and as you would say to put life into them, when they were ready to perish for want of sustenance, yet all this notwithstanding, if love be lacking, there is wanting the best flower in the garden, without which the rest yield no sweet smelling savour to God: so likewise God accepteth no service we do unto himself, except love as in this place like a Gentleman Usher doth go before it, and therefore Saint Paul wisheth us to offer up our bodies a quick sacrifice unto God, quick not only because we must offer 
Rom. 12. 1.  them quickly, against those which say of the temple of their 
Hag. 1. 2.  bodies, as the jews of the Temple of jerusalem, it is not yet time to build the Temple of the Lord, but because that which is quick doth love to be stirring, is ready and willing to move of itself.  
And keep my Commandments: Love and obedience are 
Gen. 38. 30.  twins, and one follows the other, as Zarah came after Pharez out of Tamars' womb; mix the one with the other, and then is compounded the cup of salvation.  
This maketh against Hypocrites and proud boasters, which will enable themselves with their tongues, and say they love God, but there is no such matter, for than would their outward works bear witness of their inward affection: God's spirit worketh in a spiritual man, and makes him bring forth fruits of love: as nature worketh in a natural man, whose love doth creep where it cannot go, and enclosed (as we see in joseph) shineth as a candle through the chinkers. 
Gen. 43 34.   
The Angel put on the shape of man, that Manoah might 
jud. 13. 1●  see him, and love must put on obedience, that the world may see it; Gideon must have none to be his soldiers, but such as 
jud. 7. 6. 7  use as well their hand as their tongue; let no man therefore glory more to be a linguist then a realist. The Church is a widow, for as she is called a mother, because she bringeth forth children to God, and nurseth them with the milk, which stream out of her two breasts, the Old and New Testament, as she is called a virgin, because she keepeth the faith, the faith of Christ sound and whole, as she is called a bride, because Christ did marry her to himself: so is she called a widow, because her husband is ascended into heaven, there sitting at the right hand of Majesty, which here lived at the left hand of adversity, and her love and obedience are like the two mites, which the widow threw into the treasury 
Luc. 21. 1.  more accepted of God, than the gifts which the rich threw in of their superfluity, here they go hand in hand, and never must be put asunder.  
Ye are my friends (saith our Saviour Christ) if ye do whatsoever 
joh. 15. 14  I command you: as for others which do not that which he commandeth, which will not wait upon him, and conform themselves to his obdedience, which will not study to acquit their duties, and by observing his will get him honour, they are but retainers, and do only wear his livery for a countenance, and God is so fare from accepting them as his friends, that he will never, either by favour or wages own them for his servants.  
Show mercy: The upper region of the air is calm, Every living creature the more pour it hath by nature, the more prone it is to mercy; the Lion the prince of all the rest, spareth those that are prostrate, the king of bees wants a sting, now God who sitteth above the heavens, is high above all gods, of greatest power; because the powers that are, are ordained by him: 
Rom. 13. 1  cuius iussu nascuntur homines, eius iussu constituuntur Principes (saith Irenaeus) & inde illis potestas, unde spiritus, saith Tertullian; he that gives birth and breath, gives might and majesty, and therefore of greatest mercy, because of his power: wherefore David having mentioned his wonders doubleth his grace 
Ps. 111. 4.  and mercy, for he is merciful in his wonders, and wonderful in his mercies. It is God's property to show pity and favour, he is best acquainted with it; but to punish is a strange thing to him, his work, his strange work, his Act, his strange Act: and 
Esa. 28. 21.  therefore when he visits iniquity, he is said, to go out of his place: God doth in this place set down his goodness, I the 
Esa. 26. 21.  Lord thy God: then his justice, visiting the iniquities: but as though he had not so well liked the left hand way, he turns again on the right hand, saying, he will show mercy, and not suffer the sun to set in a cloud: but what needs mercy, when a man love's God, and keeps his Commandments? shall not such a man have a reward as due debt? Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, in the Reign of King Edward the sixth, having many Articles laid against him, stood much upon his innocency, saying, he had neither offended Law, Statute, Act, or Proclamation, thinking he had so little need of mercy, that very justice would relieve him; but in conclusion, being asked by the Lord Chancellor, whither he would not desire the King to be his good Lord, and accept his pardon, alas my Lord (quoth he) I have not so forgotten myself, but I will on my knees desire the King to be good to me: so let a man's innocency be such, that no body can say, black is his eye: let him be as just as 
k job 1. 1.  job, who was many an ace before Gardiner) one that feared God, and eschewed evil; who intending to make protestation of his uprightness saith, he hath not dealt amiss towards men; for there is no wickedness in his hands, and secondly hath performed his duty to God, for 
l job 16. 17  his prayer is pure, let his desires be good, and his deeds answerable to his desires, yet he may bear a part in that song of mercy, 
m Ps. 51. 7  Asperge me Domine: and the best lamb should abide the slaughter, except the Ram were sacrificed that 
n Gen. 22. 13.  Isaac might be saved, if we loved God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and our neighbour as ourselves, than might we challenge a reward at God's hands, as though sal●ation stood on our merits not Gods mercies, but we do it but in part, and therefore not in so great a measure as we ought, and therefore had need of mercy. If we could say indeed unto God, as the elder son unto his father, never 
o Luc. 15. 29.  broke I at any time thy commandment, and as the young man unto Christ, 
p Mat. 19 20.  I have observed all these things from my youth; If we could fulfil the law in every point, then upon discharge of debt, every one might call for an acquittance, ask for a quietus est, and say further, 
q Luc. 15. 12.  give me the portion, which to me belongeth; but we keep it no further forth than God by his spirit doth in able us, and in many things we sinne all, and therefore had need of mercy: We hominum vitae, quantumuis laudabili, si remota misericordia iudicetur; though I were just, saith 
r job 9 15  job, Yet could I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge: 
s job 10. 15.  If I have done wickedly, woe unto me: if I have done righteously, I will not lift up mine head. 
t Rom. 7. 19  Saint Paul speaking of his life confesseth his infirmities, that the good that he would do, he did not, and the evil that he would not do, that he did; that his flesh was insolent against the spirit, and kept it under with a strong hand, that his will like another Eve, was still provoking him to reach after the forbidden fruit: that his nature was rotten in the root, so that when he should be lifted up to heaven, with the wings of grace; he was kept down with the leaden lump of the old man; like a bird which would fly upward, but is kept back by a string tied at her leg; but he carried himself so faithfully; so uprightly in his office, that he could not only say, which of you can rebuke me of sin, but he seeing further into himself then another man could, did truly say; I know nothing 
u 1 Cor 4. 4  by myself, he disposed the secrets of God, his sound was heard like 
x Ex. 28. 33.  Aaron's bells, he did cry down sin in earnest, made Moses and Christ to meet on the 
y Luc. 10. 30. 34.  Mount, preached the law, which like the thiefs woundeth, then sets abroach the Gospel, which like the Samaritan salueth, that the wounded conscience might drink of the water. But what of all this? shall he, or can he glory in it, or challenge any thing for it? noe 
z 1 Cor. 4. 4.  I know (saith he) nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified, for God, who seethe further into us, than we can into ourselves, (for he is greater than the conscience) spyeth imperfections in our best works, and in very deed, the best men have some let, spot, or want, even in their very devotions: go to prayer, when the best men have prayed, they had need to pray again, that God would forgive the faults in their prayers; and therefore there is an Angel that poureth sweet odours into the prayers of the Saints, to show that they yield no sweet savour to God, without favour in Christ: Go to love, 
a Reu. 8. 3.  Peter loved much, but yet he did fault in his love, when he heard of the passion, as he did afterward fall from 
b Mat. 16. 22.  his love, when the passion was hard at hand. We desire to be 
c Luc. 22. 57  but conformable to the Angels, 
d Mat. 6. 10.  (They will be done in earth, as it is in heaven) but the Angels are not without blemish in his sight; and though there were no other thing, yet the very corruption of our flesh itself doth infect that, which of itself is pure as a muddy ground doth the clean water, and as an unsavoury cask doth the good wine that is put into it.  
This serveth to condemn such, as rely upon their own merits, especially such, as think God's law too straight for their holiness; stand for supererogation above law, supposing they are so fare from need of mercy, that they have satisfactions to spare for others, over and above their own discharge; for when the Lord saith, he will show mercy to the best, he insinuateth 
e Luc. 17. 10  that when we have done all we can, we are unprofitable servants; and that reward is given not according to our deserts, but according to the worthiness of him that doth bestow it: our merit is the mercy of the Lord, and as long as God is manifold in mercies, man is manifold of deserts: indeed we are ready to stand too much upon our good actions, and therefore the Psalmographer teacheth us to speak twice against ourselves; 
f Ps. 115. 1.  Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise: A good man doth that for which he came, not so as he can boast, but so as God accepts it, while he pardons his weakness, so that our righteousness consists rather in forgiveness of our sins, than perfection of our virtues, and when God rewardeth us, he recompenseth us according to his own honour, not according to the baseness of our own hearts, or the estimation we have of our own worth.  
Again this serveth, for the comfort of those, which are determined to keep the word of God, which enforce themselves to obey it, and to walk in the name of the Lord their God for ever, yet groan under the burden of their sins, and when they would do good, evil is present with them, calls at their doors, craves entertainment, and of force will be their tenant; I say this is their comfort to know, that God will show mercy, si faciunt pracepta, etsi non perficiunt, if they keep his commandments in truth, though they fulfil them not in perfection: God accepteth that, which his children do willingly though weakly, he takes the will for the work, and measuring the deed by the desire, and the desire by sincerity, will show mercy, he will show it, it shall appear and shine, as Saint 
g Tit. 2. 11.  Paul speaketh of the grace of God, as if the Lord had reared it up in the midst of the firmament like the sun, that all the world might see it.  
To thousands: The Lord is merciful and righteous, and our God is full of compassion: 
h Ps. 116. 5  I the Lord thy God, here the Lord is merciful: visiting the sins, here he is righteous: showing mercy to thousands, here our God is full of compassion: visiting sins to the third and fourth generation, not that he confines himself to three or four descents, for when he had executed vengeance upon the posterity of Ham; to the sixth and seventh generation; yet his wrath was not turned away, but his hand was stretched out still; and showing mercy to thousands; not that he ties himself to any set number, but making comparison of justice and grace, he showeth that he is more prone to mercy, and that this mercy doth outgo his justice, as that other Discipel did out run 
i joh. 20. 4  Peter, as they posted to the sepulchre. justice is Gods left hand, mercy is his right, now God is right-handed, he useth his right hand more than his left, therefore that is the greater of the two: if his wrath like Nilus hath overflowed a while, at last like the floods in 
k Ex. 15. 8.  Exodus, it stands still as an heap; or else like Iorden, it is driven back; or is like the waters about jerusalem, which might be dried up with 
l Ps. 1 14. 3  the tramplings of an army: 
m Es. 37. 25  but his mercy is as the fountain of the gardens, 
n Can. 4. 15  a Well of living waters, and the springs of Lebanon the one, like the garments of the Gibeonites, worn out 
o Ios. 9 13.  in a few descents, the other like the 
p Deu. 29 5  garments of the Israelites in the wilderness, which did not wear; the one like the wings of the Eagle in 
q Dan. 7. 4.  daniel's vision, plucked off, the other 
r 1 King. 6 27.  like the wings of the Cherubims, never pulled in but ever stretched forth, the one like 
s 2 King. 4. 6.  the widow's Oil which ran a while, and then ceased, the other like 
t Ps. 133. 2  Aaron's oil, for as that rested not on Aaron's head, but ran down upon his beard, and went down to the very skirts of his garments. So God's mercy resteth not on the head, on the good father, but descendeth to his children, to the next generation, and so along still to the lowest borders of his religious issue. God's mercy died not with Abraham, but stretched itself to his righteous seed, from generation to generation: as the kindness of the Athenians to that same good and just Aristides died not with him, but extended itself to his posterity, for when he died so poor, that he left not to bury him according to his place and desert, they respecting his children, gave his son Lysimachus one hundred Minas, that is 240. pounds, and married his daughters at the charge of the City.  
This serveth first, for the comfort of those good parents, which have a great charge of children, and small means to leave them, who do not see the rivers, and floods, and streams of honey and butter themselves, whose children inheriting the wind, are like enough to be filled with poverty, this I say, is a comfort to think, that though they cannot make their sons and daughters plenteous in goods, though their hand did not get much, though they did not heap up riches for them, though they did not lay up gold for dust, and the gold of Ophir as the flints of the River; yet they shall leave them the blessing of God, his mercy shall descend to them, which is as mary's, the better part and shall not be taken away from them, which will make that little which they have, like the 
u 2. Kin. 4. 6  widow's Oil, to increase or raise them up friends to supply their want, as it did Boaz unto Ruth: or teach them every one to say to his heart from a contented mind, 
x Ru. 2. 8.  this is my lot appointed by God, this little that I have sufficeth and therefore I will not so often say with the multitude, who will show us any good? as pray with David, 
y Psa. 4. 6.  Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us.  
Again on the other side, this serveth for the comfort of good children, which descend of poor parents, but yet of such as fear God and eschew evil; to think that though their father's substance was not great, though he was not fat in the earth, though there were no riches and treasures in his house, though his Tabernacle did not flourish, though he could not bequeath unto them Cattle, silver, gold, sheep or beefs, because he had but according to his necessity, that which others have in abundance & superfluity: yet he 
z 1. Tim. 6. 6.  had the riches of the soul, godliness, which the Scripture calleth great riches, he was not plunged in the superstitions of Popery, nor would ever say to the wood awake, or to 
a Ex. 3. 2.  the dumb stone stand up, he was a temple of God, God's spirit dwelled in him. And therefore though the world did frown upon him, yet the blessing of God, and the good will of him that dwelled in the bush did come upon his head, I now will follow his steps, and be such a perfect pattern of his best parts, that he that sees the suruivor may know the disceased, and then I know though I cannot have the world at will, yet I likewise shall have God's blessing some other ways, and the extent of his mercies will reach unto me and mine, from one generation to another.  
Again this doth win our hearts unto G●d▪ if not in piety yet in good nature, how was Meph●bosh●th bound unto King David, that he would look upon such a ᵇ dead dog as he was and show him mercy, and so great favour for jonathan his father's sake, how much more are good children bound unto God, who shows mercy to them for their father's sake and to their children after them: who is constant in his favours, who gives no period to his goodness, where there is a true concurrence, whose promises are without conculsion, whose mercies are said everlasting, because when they begin they have no end, whose former favours are patterns of his future blessings, and an earnest penny laid in hand, to assure that which is to come, the foot of whose blessings on the father, are still treading on the heels of the child.  
Lastly to conclude this Commandment, as David wishing a curse upon his enemies, saith, 
c Psa. 109. 14.  Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance with the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be done away, so on the other side let us wishing a blessing upon ourselves, as it were tie God to it by putting him in remembrance of his mercies to our good predecessors: So doth Solomon at the end of his prayer, 
d 2. Cro. 6. 42.  Remember the mercies to David thy servant: Solomon had many times desired God to have mercy on his people, and used diverse arguments to persuade him to it, but reserved the strongest, (
e joh. 2. 10.  as the governor of the feast did the best wine until the last,) to the shutting up of his prayer, that like a postscript it might not be forgotten: and Ethan the Ezrahite seeing the desolation of David's Kingdom marvels much that he could not see the stream of God's mercies run on still as it had begun, 
f Psa. 89. 49.  Lord where are thy former mercies, which thou swearest unto David in thy truth.  
As therefore the Lacedæmonians, craving aid of the Athenians, did not once mention the good that they the Lacedæmonians had done for them, but only the kindness which they and their predecessors had received from them; so in craving any thing of God, let us not allege our merits, for if we do well, 
g Psa. 16. 2.  our well doing extendeth not to him, but the blessings that we and our forefathers have received at his hands, as to say, O Lord thou didst never pull in thy hand from rewarding our fathers, or hold it out empty, but didst still teach what thou wouldst do, by what thou hadst done, be still like old Isaac, bless where thou hast blessed, let thy favours to them be an obligation, and bind thee to watch to do us good, though thou didst give, yet thy store was not abated, when they had the most, they did leave no less behind, thou being infinite canst not admit of any diminution, let thy goodness, which is without limit, stretch and stream from them to us and ours for evermore.   

The third Commandment.  Exod. 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vame: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain. 
THE tongue is a little member, but it is an unruly 
a ja. 5. 5. 8. 6.  evil, full of deadly poison: fire and water are two good servants, but two bad masters, the tongue is fire, a good servant, if we overrule it, a bad master if it overrule us; the best dish for God's service, if it be well seasoned with salt, the worst, if it stinks and be corrupt, and therefore in this Commandment God would bind the tongue to the good abearing, 
b 1 Kin. 2 36.  and as Solomon doth to Shemei, set down bounds to limit it, that it transgress not: here therefore first we have a hedge, secondly a binder: the hedge first keeps out the beastly profanation of God's name that it enters not into us, secondly keeps us within the grounds of God's glory, that we have a care to hollow his name according to the first petition of the Lords prayer.  

God's name is profaned in 

Words 

in oaths 

swearing 

idly, when there is no use of an oath.      
without oaths 

forswearing 

villainously, when we make it serve for an unlawful use, thereby to bring a wicked purpose to pass.        
Deeds     
Our Saviour Christ to teach us to avoid oaths, even the 
● Mat. 9  least idle oaths setteth down first his precept, swear not at all, than his pattern for as the Angel to confirm the two mary's in the faith of the resurrection useth these words, 
d Mat. 28. 7  Lo, I have told you: so doth he in other cases the like words, as, if it were not so, I would have told you: Again 
e joh. 14. 2.  I tell you the truth, how often do we hear him speaking thus. Verily, verily I say unto you, or using the like protestations, thus both the lesson of his lips, and practise of his lesson must reach us that we suffer not oaths to fly at all adventures, and wait on our words and talk of no importance, to serve where our humour shall place them, that we defile not our tongues with swearing at random, with an oath at the end of every word: But let men's throats be open sepulchres and by swearing cast up a stinking savour into the nostrils of God, yet they cloak them with excuses as 
f Gen. 27. 16.  Rebeccah did cover the smooth of jacob's neck with the skins of the Kids of the Goats.  
1 I swear truly saith one, this is a salve for his sore not to heal it but to hide it.  
2 I shall not be believed without an oath saith another, here is another whorish complexion daubed on, that this sin might not appear in it own colours.  
3 I mean no body any hurt saith a third, but being used to let fall an oath now and then, it drops from me with other words, before I am ware, this is his figge-leafe.  
4 I do not use oaths of sound saith the fourth, but now and then a petty trifling oath; that is nothing, that's not to be stood upon.  
Thus sin is not without a shift, and it is a desperate fault that hath no plea, as it is a course wool that will take no dye, but plead not, this sin is passed all sufficient excuse able to bear it out; 
g Mar. 10. 50.  with the beggar cast away this cloak, this wrinkle will not be hidden, and howsoever you bolster this crompt shoulder, yet it is a blemish. To the first sort: say the oath be true: truth is but one circumstance belonging to an oath: 
h jer. 4. 2.  thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness, in truth, and therefore away with a false oath, 2. in judgement and therefore away with a rash oath, in righteousness and therefore away with an unlawful oath: say the oath with which we sport ourselves be not false: yet it may be idle, otiosum est, quod caret ratione iuste necessitatis, aut intentione piae utilitatis, 
i Mat. 12. 36.  and if we shall give account for idle words, shall not idle oaths be called to a reckoning: shall not an Item for idle swearing be put in the counting book, when idle speech is not without an Item? but do they always swear truly, who suffer oaths to run always in their mouths, and toss them like tennis-bals, up and down at their tongues end? some gravel or mud passeth away with much water, some lies with much talk, and false oaths upon lies, & no marvel if he that sweareth often, doth too often forswear himself, nay a marvel, if he doth not, how can he keep any faith or truth in him, that swears it out continually, he swears it all away.  
To the second sort, he that trusts thee, will believe thee without an oath, he hath experience of thy fidelity, and knoweth that neither fear nor love, gain nor loss, can make thee eat thy word, and as 
k joh. 19 22  Pilate saith Quod scripsi, scripsi, so an honest man, Quod dixi, dixi, that which he hath said, he hath said, as though he speaketh once 
l Mat. 5. 37  and twice, yea yea, nay nay, as though his word were a double bond, his yea is his oath, his word his obligation, his saying as currant as his coin, so strong that substantivelike it can stand by itself, and needs no oath to underprop it: but on the other side, he that believes thee not, the more thou swearest, the more he mistrusts thee, thou hast so often broken the head of truth, and cracked thy credit, that thou art become bankrupt, become like a bad hound, who hath so often spent his mouth upon no scent, that now the rest of the hounds will lend no longer ear unto him, he hath been overseen with credulity dammaged by thy disapointment, thou hast said Promitto did signify to promise, and not to pay, and therefore he will lean no longer upon a broken staff, he will trust thee upon thy obligation, not upon thy oath, upon thy parchment, not upon thy prattlement, he will believe annulo, not animo, knowing thou more regardest thy seal, than thy soul.  juras? credit minus, now iuras? credere non vult. 
He will not believe thee if thou swearest not, he will less believe if thou swearest; he will not take thy bear word, much less will he take it, if it come covered with an oath; but say thou meanest to deal honestly and truly, yet thou meetetst with some men, with whom thy yea and nay will take no place, whereas thy oath would carry the matter. In this case prefer God's honour, before thine own credit, Jet rather the incredulous suspect thee without a case, than God condemn thee for transgression.  
To the third sort, which writh and wreath like snakes to hide this sin, under the covert of custom: I say it is true, every sin looks for continual entertainment, where it hath once gotten an haunt, as humours fall towards their old issue. We are not weaned from usual evils, for custom hardens the heart, and stiffens the neck, and seareth the conscience; it is a waterstreame carrying us away, and we had rather follow the course of the stream, then row against it: as soon shall a man learn to leave his mother tongue, as an usual oath, it is faex in dolio, cleaveth fast unto us, and is almost turned into nature: the single cord is soon snapped a sunder, the double work is like to hold out, 
m Ec. 4 12.  but a threefold co●d is not easily broken. Sin is single in the thought, doubled in the work, and trebled in custom, it gins in the buds of infirmity, creepeth to the twigs of negligence, and the slender twig becomes a stately tree, and that which at first with the hands might easily be plucked up, being overtaken by custom, groweth to a stout tree of contempt, and will hardly afterward with an axe be cut down, being readier to break then to bend, to any good instruction: 
n Gen. 42. 15. 16.  joseph accustoming himself to the oaths of Egypt, swears again and again, and if we go about to repel an accustomed sin, the devil doth vex us with soliciting, and say to us, as the people to Pilate: 
o Mar. 19 8  Do as thou hast ever done? But it is therefore safely done, because it is done commonly? shall we account this a good plea, we have so often used our tongues to swearing, that now we cannot leave it; this is so fare from excusing us, that the plea is as bad as the fault, for oaths are precious, and things precious through common use lose their estimation: neither will it excuse us any more, when we shall come to be arraigned before the judgement seat of God, than that Apology would the thief, who being indicted, desired the judge he might escape unpunished, for stealing was his custom from his youth, and now he could not leave it, to whom the judge replied, it was his custom to give judgement against such malefactors; and therefore he must be condemned: let therefore little by little good custom, shake off and pluck up that, which evil costume hath brought in and engrafted, and the more deeply it is rooted in us, the more pain let us take to root it up, and do the best we can to cross this and every bad custom, yea though we cannot turn the stream, yet let us swim against it.  
To the fourth sort, which say they do not curse God, nor chop his heart in pieces, nor throwing his name to the ground, tread and trample it under their feet, they do not like mad dogs fly in their master's face; indeed they deny not, but that they use small oaths as, faith, troth, mass, cross, or the like, and what matter is it, if they be so prodigal of these trifling oaths, that they pawn them for every trifle at every word? To these I say; Our nature is such, that we say of a great sin, as Lot of the City Zoar, 
p Gen. 19 20.  is it not a little one? and as when we have sinned, the devil shows us one of his two false glasses, wherein he maketh our sin appear so great, that it cannot be forgiven: so before we have sinned he shows the other glass, making the sin appear little, and the punishment none at all, the case being thus; no marvel though we think we have yielded much if we acknowledge a beam to be a mote, an heinous offence to be a crime, or a crime to be an error: but howsoever men flatter themselves, yet these petty oaths are great faults, and to be refused in our talk, as poison in our meat, he that shall give his fatih, and lay his truth in pawn, pawneth whatsoever is most precious in his soul, and he that swears by the Mass, is as he that swears by 
q Zeph. 1. 5  Malcham, against whom God will stretch out his hand to cut him off. Our Saviour Christ forbids them all by flat statute, 
r Mat. 5. 34  swear not at all, mentioning certain oaths usual among the jews, neither by heaven, or earth; including in them all natural creatures, or jerusalem, including all artificial; I like his wit well, but give him no other commendation, who sitting at a churl's table, but yet an unbidden guest, would be still swearing, by this meat, by this bread, by this cheese, by this drink, that thereby he might take occasion to eat and drink with him, for it confirms the matter, if a man takes down that, by which he sweareth, insomuch as his host, weary of such a guest wished him to leave off his swearing. Our Saviour Christ dehorts us from these small common oaths, because they have a bad beginning, 
s Mat. 5. 37  whatsoever is more than yea yea, nay nay, cometh of evil; proceeds from an inward, and secret corruption, whereby the devil tempts us, and Saint 
t ja. 5. 12.  james dissuades us from them, because they have as bad an end, and will have men refrain them, lest they fall into condemnation: if no excuses are strong enough to uphold these kind of oaths, which men reckon are of no reckoning; then I need not to take pain to put down blasphemous oaths, for being a heavy burden, they fall of themselves. To blame therefore are those dogs, which make no bones in tearing God's name, who cast up their children to God, as though he were their underling, as an angry and fumish master gives his servant a buffet with his fist. The common gamester, if he be on the losing side, will make his tongue run as fast against God, as Cards, Dice, and bowls do run against him, he will rend and tear his name, as a draper rasheth out a piece of cloth to the buyer, his oaths like hailshot shall fly up and down the room, where he hath his loss. Let a man taking these injuries done unto Christ as his own wrongs (for Christ took all our sins upon him) tell him of his blaspheming, let him go about to bring home this Ass from going further astray, as the law provided we should our neighbour's Ass: let him cross him 
u Ex. 23. 4  in his swearing, all this is but loss of diligence, there is no possibility of reformation, persuasions are in vain, better suffer him in his fury, then minister advice, his wound by meddling with it, is made the greater, and like hot water by stirring, it casteth up the more fume; say to wrest the strings of his tongue in tune, they will snap and break upon you, this old bottle will break with new wine, the more you rub him, the more will this galled horse kick, the more you touch him, the more will this toad swell, the more you meddle with him, the more will this serpent gather poison in his throat, and in his head to vomit out, go about to cool him, you shall but add to his fire, and increase his heat, as the water doth the heat in lime, and the smith's forge, for he hath sworn he will swear it out, and fill up his periods with oaths of sound: go to the profane swaggerer, as he seldom thinks upon God but in time of affliction, (for the crosse-house is his schoole-house his adversity his university, his rue his herb of grace) so he will seldom name him but in his oaths, of which he will upon small occasion shoot such chain-shot, that you would think he would make the windows of heaven to shake & totter. The soldiers put Christ to death, but did not break 
x joh. 19 33.  a bone of him, but these gallants crucifying to themselves again the Son of God break his bones, divide him into bones, hands, feet, blood, heart, sides, curse and ban and champ him in their mouths.  
I read of an adultress wife, who having had three sons, told her husband upon her deathbed, that she had turned to evil and committed a trespass against him, that having forgotten the covenant of her God, other men had bowed down upon her, and of her three children, one only was his, and so died without further discovery, this father, desirous that the son begotten of his own body might inherit his land and goods, making his last Will, entreated his exequetors to use the best means they could to try out which of the three was his natural son, and unto him he bequeathed his land and all that he had; these exequetors, not like many other, which like vulture's prey on the dead, and as the Phoenix do rise on others ashes, told the children that their father's Will was doubtful, the land little, the goods not great, and divided, what were they among so many? The best way was to try by hap hazard, which of them should have all: Whereupon setting up the dead corpses against a tree they delivered to every of them a Bow and Arrows, telling them, that he that could shoot nearest the father's heart, should carry the whole, the two bastards in whom was never kindled any spark of natural affection, drew to the head and shot with good will at the heart, but the third did feel nature so working in him, that he refused so unnatural a fact, whereupon the wise and trusty Exequetors, judging him to be the true son, delivered unto him his father's legacy, according to that saying;  
— Legum seruanda fides, suprema voluntas  
quod mandat fierique iubet paerere necesse est.  
Now if blaspheming swearers shall prepare their Bows and make ready their Arrows within the quiver; that they may not priviely, but openly shoot at God, if they arm themselves to strick him with some deadly wound; and letting their oaths as arrows fly, pierce the honour of the most highest, it is an argument they are bastards and not sons, and therefore 
y job. 39 37.  with job we must either lay our hands upon our mouths, and with David keep 
z Psa. 39 1.  our mouths as it were with a bridle, or else set the fear of God as a Porter at the door of our lips to examine our words before they go out. But as the Lord having showed the Prophet 
a Ez. 8. 8.  Ezechiell, the abominations of the Children of Israel, bade him dig in the wall, and he should see yet greater abominations which they did; so though you have already seen the abomination of the profane man in blaspheming God▪ Yet dig deeper, and dive further into the words of his mouth, and you shall see greater abominations; you shall have a man vow to do mischief, and then strengthen himself in his sin by an oath, and then he thinks he must not go back, for he takes his oath to be an entrance into band to perform his vow. Such was the 
b Ios. 9 15.  oath of the Princes in a case of pity, and the oath of those forty men and upwards in a case of cruelty; but it is a great fault to make such a rash 
c Act. 23. 12.  vow, and therefore men should recall it, and being sorry for it, draw water out of their hearts and power it out before the Lord: but to perform it because of their oath is a double fault, for by this doing they make as though God did patronise their sin, and as though he did approve of it. It was a fault in 
d Mar. 6. 22. 23.  Herod to promise the dancing damsel whatsoever she asked, even to the half of his Kingdom, but to add an oath and grant her request, because of his oath, and thereupon to send and behead john Baptist (for it was his head which she desired) did double his fault: 
e Gen. 49. 5  As Simeon & Levi were brethren in evil, so subtlety and cruelty sisters in sin were combined in that usurper Richard the 3. subtlety took order for the time, place, and means, when, where, and how the Lord Hastings should be brought to lose his head, cruelty hastily undertook the Act and gave the stroke but to behead him, not upon any just cause, without examination, without any stay after his apprehension, because of his oath, (for he had sworn that he would not dine, till he did see his head from his shoulders, was a fault far greater than would have been the breach of his unlawful oath: In Latin an oath is iusiurandum, ius must go before iurandum, & when that which thou swearest is lawful and right, then pedem hinc ne discesseris, be sure thou abide by it, else thou runnest into pariury which is an especial fault forbidden in this Commandment. 
f Leu. ●9. 12  Thou shalt not forswear thyself: An oath hath been always holden as most religious 
g Gen. 21. 23.  Abimelech took no other band of Abraham, for assurance that he should deal well with him and his children after him than his own oath. 
h Ios. 9 4. etc.  The Gibeonites thought themselves safe enough, when joshua and the Princes of the congregation had sworn unto them to save their lives, though the oath was wrested from them by subtlety; in the war betwixt Rome and Carthage when the Carthaginians had taken Regulus a worthy Roman prisoner, they, upon his oath only to return again, sent him home to Rome on a message, which when he had performed, he returned back again a prisoner to Carthage, according to the faith he plighted. Their own faith were the best pledges that the Emperor Charles, and King Francis the first laid in pledge, when they made their leagues, the one with the Souldian of Persia, the other with the Turk. Pharaoh did never swear that jacob should be buried in the land of Canaan, when he died in Egypt, but he thinks it a foul fault, if he should keep joseph (who lived in his Dominion) from keeping touch with his father; and therefore saith unto him, 
i Gen. 50. 6  Go up and bury thy father, as he made thee to swear: 
k Act 7. 16.  The other Patriarches as well as joseph were removed into Sychen and put in their Sepulchers, 
l Ex. 13. 19  but there is an especial mention made of joseph's bones, because of the oath, for joseph dying in Egypt, made the children of Isra●ll swear, that they should carry his bones thence: 
m Gen. 50. 25.  God who is called a witness, is called a revenger if we make no conscience of an oath: 
n Rom. 1. 9  God challengeth the children of Israel 
o 2. Cor. 1. 23.  because they had forsaken him, and sworn by them that are no gods, 
p jer. 5. 7.  and threatneth that they shall fall and never rise up again, which swear by the sin of Samaria, 
q Amo●. 8. 14.  that is by the Idols there worshipped. Yet is it a greater offence to swear q by the true God falsely, then by a false god truly, for he cares not to offend God, who abuseth his name to colour his lying, but he that shall do this in an open assembly, when a matter shall come to try all before a judge betwixt party and party, is offensive to three persons. 1. Deo, quem peierando contemnit, 2. iudici, quemmentiendo fallit, 3. innocenti, quem falsus testis laedit to God, of whom he makes no reckoning, for as though he were a Knight of the post, he brings him at a call to witness a lie at his pleasure, 2. to the judge, for he binding his lie with an oath, causeth the jury to bring in a wrong verdict, and thereupon the judge to give an unjust judgement, 3. to the party innocent, for he robs him of that which of right belongeth to him, and so is as well guilty of injury, as perjury, and if it were better ʳ for a man 
Mat. 18. 6  to have a millstone hanged about his neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea then offend one little one, than what judgement remaineth, for him which offendeth great ones, God in heaven that great judge, the judge in earth, that little god. 
s Deu. 27. 17.  If there be a curse for him that removeth the mark of the land, then how is he accursed which by a false oath shall take away house and land, 
t Mat. 25. 43.  if there be a curse against those which cloth not the naked, what shall become of those which by their perjury strip those that are clothed, 
u Ex. 23. 4.  if we must deal well with our enemy's Ass, how ill do they▪ deal which upon their oath giving in a false evidence, shall make himself an Ass and send him a begging: A man is known to be his father's son by his manner of going, they say, he hath his father's gate or going, 
x Ep. 5. 2.  why walk in love, as he hath loved us: 2. by following his father's qualities, 
y 1. Pet. 1. 16.  Be ye holy as I am holy. 3. By his speech now, God hath sworn in his 
z Psa. 8 9 35.  holiness and will not lie, and therefore let a false oath never defile our breath, let this poison never infect our heart or touch our tongue.  
As God's name is profaned, when the rod of pride being in men's mouths, they strike God and despite him with their oaths, so again this may be done in speech without an oath, as first when we profane his word, or any thing which his word speaketh of him, and again when we do so slightly speak of his works, that there by no glory is gotten to his name. God's word is profaned, when profane men undertake to meddle with it, and to be prattling of it, for now there is a ring of gold in a swine's snout and a precious pearl muzzled up and down in the mire; this serveth to reprove bad ministers, for if they shallbe like bad minstrels, which sing one thing and play an other, not consonant to that they sing; if like Shepherds they shall have a good voice, with which they acquaint their flock, but not feet as good guides to go before them, if extrinsecally they take heed to their flocks, but not intrinsically to themselves, as the 
a Act. 20. 28.  Apostle adviseth; then do they dishonour God and his word, for in respect of God, they make him like a goat which is fed with leaves, that is, with words, and in respect of his word, they clip the credit of it, for they would not have believed (as it is in the Lamentations) that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of jerusalem, for the sins of her Prophets, and iniquities of 
b Lam. 4. 12 13.  her Priests. This made a mad fellow desire a bad-living preacher to teach him a nearer way to heaven, than that which he had pointed out in his sermons; for he did not think that to be the nearest way, for that he did not go that way himself; this made Origen to give full scope to his eyes to bring forth floods of tears, for after he had committed a grievous offence; coming into an open assembly gathered together to hear the word of God, and seeing none present to expound it, he steps up into the pulpit, and being unprovided, did think to speak of that text, which after he had opened his Bible, should first present itself to his view: now the place of Scripture which he light upon was this: unto the , 
c Ps. 50. 16 17.  said God, why dost thou preach my law and takest my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reform, and hast cast my words behind thee? Whereupon calling his sin to remembrance, and saying within himself truly, that 
d Gen. 27. 20.  which jacob said untruely to his father Isaac, concerning the venison, the Lord God hath brought this text to my hand, and therefore did I find it so quickly; surely the holy Ghost had a finger in it, and would have me keep my mouth, as it were with a bridle, because I have sinned against heaven; he clasped his book, this rebuke did break his heart, and he was full of heaviness, his spirit was in perplexity within him, and his heart within him was desolate, his tongue did cleave to the roof of his mouth, and did comment upon the Text only with sighs and tears.  
Secondly this serveth to reprove such people as will be talking of Scripture, and have the pure word of God in their mouths, when as yet they are not washed from their filthiness, 
e Ex. 19 10  God would not deliver his law before the people did sanctify themselves, will God have them sanctified before they hear it, and will he have the unsanctified busy their tongues about it. The word of God is clean, and desireth to come out of a clean vessel: 
f Mat. 9 17  it is new wine, and would not be out poured out of old bottles; it is good seed, and would spring out of such, as have broken up their fallowed ground. 
g Tit. 1. 15.  To the pure are all things pure, but to them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but they pollute that, which 
h Hag. 2. 13.  in itself is pure and clean: As the polluted person did the sacrifices, for therefore were the sacrifices called unclean, as being unclean in themselves, as 
i Mat. 1. 7.  the blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or skiray, or scabbed, or else offered by unclean persons, and 
k Leu. 22. 22.  by such as had minds & consciences polluted; circumcise therefore the heart, as the Eagle casts her bill, and the adder slips 
l Deu. 10. 16.  off her old skin, 
m 1 Cor. 5. 7.  purge out the old leaven; as the serpent spews up his poison, cast away the old man, 
n Mar. 10. 50.  as the beggar did his old cloak, when he was to speak unto Christ: 
o Deu. 6. 7.  then talk of the word of God, when thou tarriest in thy house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, otherwise thy good words are but splendida peceata, and thy lewd life, as a bad string, brings thy good words, as sweet music, our of all tune, they are an abomination to God, he cannot suffer them, his soul hateth them, they are a burden unto him, and he is weary to bear them.  
Again God's word is profaned, when men abuse it to charms or any sorcery whatsoever, when having lost any thing, they will have a siue and a pair of shires, then by repeating a certain place of Scripture (which I will not repeat, for let no man know that knows it not;) they think to find out the finder, when having the toothache, or being forespoken, or pricked with a thorn will have a Paracelsian character, or a blessing, or Pater noster, said for their cure. Colloquintida rank poison, did make good nourishable meat 
p 2 King. 4. 41.  for the Prophet, but these men on the other side, with good food do poison themselves.  
As God's word is profaned, when we turn it to a bad use, so also, when we make no good use of it, the speaking of God's mercies, should restrain us from sin, as the very name of a father, did 
q Gen. 27. 12.  jacob from subtlety and lying, till Rebeccah his mother did egg and draw him to it, and as the speaking of a good 
r Gen. 39 8.  master did joseph from adultery, when his mistress spoke unto him day by day to commit it: the speaking of God's correction of other should be a direction for us, and patterns pencil out to us; not that we should insult over them, but aliena insania fruentes, consult against our own misery, if we can speak of others woes, and not grow wise, if we cannot take a pearl out of the serpent, or a good stone out of the toads head, or gather with the Bee sweet honey out of the bitter weeds, if we do not draw the better, when we see one horse whipped in the team, if we cannot make use of their death, by whose life a man could reap no benefit: If we can read or speak of God's judgements on 
s 1 King. 22 34.  Ahab and 
t 2 King. 9 33.  jezabel, and yet give ourselves to oppression, if read or speak of his proceeding against 
u Act. 5. 5. 10.  Ana●ias and Saphira, and yet give ourselves to lying, if we do not set a memorandum on his punishments and mark his spits with our stars, if we read them and there an end; if we bring them forth of our mouths as untimely fruit, which dieth as soon as it is borne, then do we profane the word, and so take God's name in vain, and may be taxed with the  to whom God said, 
x Ps. 50. 17  thou hast cast my word behind thee, quoties legis, toties negligis, thou dost no sooner getit, but thou dost forget it.  
This as it serveth to condemn the negligent and careless, so most of all, such as make a mock of God's word, and will not believe it; and secondly, such as make a jest of his word, and delight to make themselves merry with it.  
The first sort are they, which sitting in the seat of the scornful contemn the word, and t●ead religion under their feet; of whom David complaineth, when he saith, the proud 
y Ps. 119. 51.  had him exceedingly in derision, because he studied the law of God, whom 
z 2 Pet. 3. ●  Peter chargeth with this, that they said, where it the promise of his coming? they said because the world had continued so long, it should still continue as it had done without alteration, and as when 
a Gen. 19 14  Lot said unto his sons in law, Arise get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the City, seemed to them, as though he had mocked; so tell these of the judgement day, they say, there is no such matter, they be but words, and words are but wind, where is it? let it draw nigh, that we may see it: and though it were so that others should perish, yet there shall no harm happen unto us, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement, though a scourge run over and pass through, it shall not 
b Es. 28. 15  come at us.  
The second sort are they, which make the word of God their minstrel, which sport themselves with scripture, and think no other mirth so cordial unto them, such a one was he, who, as though he had been borne with ink in his mouth, did so soon foul his paper with Pruritanus.  
Lastly God's word is profaned, when we will hurt the truth, which is done many ways: First when we maim the sentences, as the devil, when he alleged the 91● Psalm, cuts off these words, 
c Mat. 4. 6.  to keep thee in all thy ways; and the Pope, who when Christ saith, 
d Mat. 26. 27.  drink ye all of this, scrapes out all, and regards not all, but saith the Priest shall drink for all.  
Secondly, when we add unto the word, as the jews did traditions, by which they 
e Mat. 15. 6  made the commandment of God of no authority, as for example, the law was, no leper might come into the Temple; the tradition of the Pharisees was, that if they uncovered the roof of the Temple and let him down, as the porters uncovered the roof of the house, 
f Mar. 2. 4.  and let down the palsy man and set him before jesus, this was no trespass, no transgression: whereas the 
g Le. 13. 46  truth was, that no leper should be in the Temple, whither he did come in, were brought in, or were let down, and therefore though Vzziah did come clean into the Temple, yet when God did strick him for usurping the Priest's office, and when the leprosy did rise up in his forehead, Azariah 
h 2 Chr. 26 19 20.  the chief Priest, with all their Priests caused him hastily to departed thence, and he was even compelled to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.  
Thirdly, when we alter some word in it, as Alchemists would change the substance of Metals, like them who take 
i Mat. 27. 46. 47.  Ely, for Elias, and as they, who to get honour to the virgin Mary, in stead of he translate, she 
k Gen. 3. 15.  shall break thy head, as they which in our Lady's Psalter (for so they term it) attribute that unto the Virgin, which the holy Ghost doth attribute to the Father and the Son, and as they, which thinking men are not so subject to sin, as though they were bondslaves of Satan, translate prone unto evil, in stead of evil, when the Scripture saith, the 
l Gen. 8. 21  imagination of man's heart is evil, even from his youth: there is a worm Clerus, which destroys and mars Honycombes, and the popish Clerus is like unto it, which would this way corrupt the word, which is sweeter than honey and the honey comb.  
Fourthly when we will seek all the corners of our wits, to colour the Scriptures, because we think that men would otherwise reject and condemn them, as for example, the Scripture saith, election is of grace, now say some, if it were so, then God should be an accepter of persons, therefore they think to help it thus, God chose some because they would be ready to receive his grace, and so they compose the matter like those, who when they see the Papists do attribute to much unto works, and the Protestants, according to the Scriptures, say, we are saved by faith, will as men indifferent step in, and make a mean betwixt them, saying, faith is the chief Pillar: job takes up his friends for their too much kindness in this case, 
m job. 13. 7. 8. etc.  will ye speak wickedly for God's defence, and talk deceitfully for his case? and tells them that if they contend for God, and make a lie for him, as one lieth for a man (for bad cases may be so well handled that they may blear the eyes of men) they neither conceive his Majesty, nor yet know their own infirmity, and therefore may be laughed at, as Elihu in the person of God mocketh 
n job. 34. 31.  job, if I see not, teach thou me, if I have done wickedly, I will do no more, as if he should say, let me know where I have done amiss, and I will be ready to mend it: God likes not those nor will ever thank them for their kindness, which will lend him false colours, he will break those false glasses which do not represent his own face.  
To conclude this point, we hurt the truth, when we adulterate the sense of Scripture, and change the meaning of it, when we take a wrest to make the tune sound to our key, when as though we had the wind in a bag, we make it blow with oursayles; when we make it the hinge, and rudder, to turn all about as we please: when we fit it to our fancies, imitating Scyron and Proc●stes, who fitted the passengers to the bed of brass, which they had framed to their own bigness, if they were to long for the bed, they cut of their legs for catching cold, if to short they racked them at length, like those which set Paul's Epistles on the tenters, and would make them walk a mile or two further for their fancies, than ever the holy Ghost meant to go, such are they which invent viperous glosses to eat out the bowels of a text, as quirking heads have found ways to eat out the meaning of good laws, which in stead of natural milk, which the Church giveth out of her two breasts the Old and New Testament, enforce out the blood of violent interpretation: as he 
o Pro. 30. 33.  which wringeth his nose causeth blood to come out, as this is done at other times so then, when we understand plainly that which is spoken by a figure, and contrariwise, figuratively that which is to be taken in the literal sense, for the first the Pharisees did wrong to the law, who following the bare words defrauded the meaning, & the more they bond themselves to the show of the letter, the further they were from the truth: As for example 
p Deu. 6. 8.  Thou shalt bind the commandments for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, hereby God commanded the meditation and practice of his law, but hereupon the Pharisees got two lists, skroles or pieces of parchment, and therein they wrote the two tables, putting one on their left arms next their hearts, and binding the other to their brows, (which custom the jews observe to this day) and then they thought they might well say with the servant, 
q Luc. 14. 22.  Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded: again, beware of 
r Mar. 8. 15  the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod: hereby Christ meant the corrurpt doctrine of the Pharisees, the adultery, incest, unlawful vows, swearing, dissimulation, and cruelty of Herod; but the Disciples (for indeed at that time they had forgotten to take bread) said, it was because they had no bread, these are like those simple men, who if they should hear us say, deuorem●● hominem, would by and by gather that we would turn Cannibals, or like the foolish patient who eats up the paper, when the Physician bids him take the Recipe, that he prescribed unto him.  
For the second, as we must not take that plainly, which is spoken by a figure, for many times the sense of the Scripture, is against the show of words, and the show of words against the trut●: so on the other side, we must not understand that figuratively, which is to be taken in the literal sense; for than we wrist the rule of truth: for example, our Saviour Christ saith unto Peter, 
s Lu. 5. 4.  launch out into the deep, and make a draught, here is a Text, say some, to prove that Peter's successor, which they say is the Pope, shall catch the great fish of Constantine's donation, for they feign that Constantine the great, gave unto the Bishops of Rome, the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction over all, but both Ecclesiastical and Political over the west parts of the world, and this they say was meant, when he bad Peter launch out, whereas by such gathering, they reap that, which the holy Ghost sowed not; Not but that one text may have two senses, literal, which the very words understood aright do import, mystical, when they contain a deeper mystery, but the mystical is not known to be the meaning, except God himself reveals it, for example, 
t Deu. 25. 4  thou shalt not muzell the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn: this is plain, the cattle that work must eat, but this literal sense is but chaff, the mystical is the corn, and with the Apostles we must 
u Mat. 12.  pluck the ears of corn, and rubbe them with our hands. In the first jacob's rods are covered with rinds, in the second they are in part peeled, Saint Paul shows us the corn, and takes the pills from it, when he saith, 
x 1. Cor. 9 9  doth God take care for Oxen? Nay he had a further reach in it, to teach that they who sow spiritual things should reap carnal things: Again, 
y Ex. 12 4●  ye shall not break a bone of the Paseball lamb, here is a bone, and there is marrow in it, the first is the outward shell, but Saint john 
z joh. 19 ●6.  expounds this of Christ's bones, there is the inward kernel. The first is the foot of 
a Gen. 28. 12.  jacob's ladder next the earth, the second is the top of the ladder reaching to heaven; in the first thy mother and thy brethren stand without, O Christ, and cannot find thee: in the second with the Disciples they are within, and lean upon thy bosom, and therefore the first of these senses must call for the second, as one depth calleth an other. If we go no further than the first, with Abraham's 
c Gen. 22. 5  servants we stay with the Ass, that is our foolishness at the foot of the hill, but if we go to the second, with Abraham we go up to the mount, and 
d Eze. 1. 16  with Ez●chiell see a wheel in a wheel, the wine of the spirit in the dregs of the letter, but yet withal, we must take heed, we go not to a mystical sense, except we have the word for our warrant, for 
e Mat. 2. 9  the wise men went no further, than they were guided by the star, and the star no further than Christ, if we strain a text too high, we must know the note above Ela is a jarring note, and makes a discord in the Harmony, and if we climb with Duns his ladder, we may be sure, we cannot come down without a fall, if we wrist the truth, we wrong the truth, and so profane the word, and contrary to this commandment take the name of God in vain.  
As God's name is profaned, when his word is profaned, so likewise, when we profane any thing which his word speaketh of him, for as Bishop Latimer upon the first petition of the Lords prayer, Whatsoever is spoken of God in his word, that is his name.  
First therefore if we profane his bare titles, and abuse his name unto lying, as jacob did, when he said unto Isaac, 
f Gen. 27: 20.  the Lord thy God brought it, that is, the venison to my hand, if we abuse it to conjuring, as the 
g Act. 19 13  Exorcists, who took in hand, to name over them, which had evil spirits the name of the Lord jesus, saying, We adjure you by jesus, whom Paul preacheth: If we abuse it to cursing, as when we say, God confounded me, or God plague him, if we abuse it to blessing, as when we say, God speed you, if we see men working of mischief, as though we did make ourselves accessary, and as though God would patronise that wickedness, they had in hand, and would further their work, if we abuse it to colour any impious practice, as doth the Pope in the beginning of his instruments, and therefore it became a common byword among the Germans, In ●omine Dei ineipit omne malum, all mischief gins in God's name, then do we profane his glorious name.  
Again, when we profane his properties, as his mercy, his justice, his power, his providence,  
First his mercy, if we abuse it, and take thereby occasion to sin, making it a packhorse to bear the burden of our sins; when we do not only hope, but as though hope were out of his wits, we presume, and say, let us continue in sin, that grace may a bound; we are not under the law; but under grace,  
Secondly, His justice, when we being uncharitable in our censures, condemn it of cruelty, and therefore challenge nothing, in the blood royal of the valiant conqueror of the Tribe of judah; 
h Mat. 8. 32  but suffer the devil to drive us headlong, as he did the heard of swine, to the lake of desperation.  
Thirdly, His power, when we abase it to the state of our infirmities, as the jews, who breaking his arm short off, broke out into these words, 
i Ps. 78. 19  Can he prepare a table in the wilderness, or provide flesh for his people:  
Fourthly, His providence, when men say, God lets the world go at havoc, and though his providence be the nurse to bring all things up; as his power is the mother to bring all things forth, and thoug the one keeps all things in reparations, as the other sets up their frame, yet they say, things here below are ruled by haphazard; the heavens meddle not with earthly things, Fortune sways all, though they paint her blind, yet they think she can guide the uniform order that is in the world, and in all the parts thereof, though they paint her standing on a bowl, and turning with every wind; yet they think she can rule and wield others howsoever she be unconstant and carried away herself:  
Te faciunt fortuna, deam coeloque locarunt.  
Thus while men like beastly Epicures hold this fantasy, that God sitteth in heaven idly and at ease, and will never encumber and trouble himself with the rule of the world, while they had rather make a false God of Fortune, then acknowledge the truth of God's providence, they attribute unto God eyes without sight, ears without hearing, might without mind, mind without reason, will without goodness, yea, and a God head without properties peculiar to a godhead, and while they speak vainly of the appurtenances, they take his name in vain.  
Again God's name is profaned, when men slightly pass over the wonderful works that he hath done; if we regard not the works of the Lord, and the operation of his hands, but speak of them, as if the frequency thereof caused neglect, if we do not say unto God 
k Ps. 66. 3.  How terrible art thou in thy works, but make but little reckoning of them, because common custom hath enured us to them, than we take his name in vain.  
This serveth to reprove those which will not stamp this character, Ecce, even upon those works of God, which are trivial, as if seeing but a spider's web they do not say, what a wonderful work of God is this, that such a simple creature should wove such nets out of it own bowels; or seeing but the honey combs, do not say, what a strange thing is this, that the most cunning Geometrician cannot observe a juster proportion in any thing he doth by art, than these silly bees do by nature in the platform of their buildings: but especially it serveth to reprove such, as will seek out natural reasons, of God's immediate and supernatural works, with whom, 
l Mat. 11. 4  Go tell john what you have seen, is no sufficient argument to prove the Messiah, for they will fetch a reason even of extraordinary events, be they never so strange, or else conclude, it is but their ignorance of the cause, there is a reason, though their wits be so shallow, they cannot sound it.  
Lastly as the name of God is profaned by our words, so by our works, when speaking like Angels we live like devils, when aliud proponentes, aliud supponentes, like Lilies we be fair in show and foul in scent, 
m Rom. 2. 24  for now like the jews we give occasion that the name of God is blasphemed; This serveth to condemn such Gospelers ' as are Gospelspillers, these blots of goodness, which use religion for a fashion, or as a cloak in the rain which they lay away in the house, for others are backward in drawing nigh unto God, when they see the lewd lives of such, as make such fair protestations, that a man would think, they would run upon God for haste; let not therefore thy life be like silver dross overlaid upon a potsherd, let not thy outside be lambs wool, and thy inside fox fur, let not thy staple be fine, and thy liver so corrupt that it putrify the flesh, if thou speakest of the name of God, and thy good life doth not speak for thee, thy simulata sanctitas, thy counterfeit holiness is double ungodliness, for in naming God thou defilest his name, and causest others to say, lo this is the man that acteth so high a part; I like not these fellows which have jacob's voice, which speak as though nothing but Gospel could drop from them; for you see how, as though they had Esau's hands, they be rough in their dealings, they lean upon the Lord, and say as they in Michas, 
n Mi. 3. 11.  Is not the Lord among us, and yet they turn aside by their crooked ways: thus they which shame goodness by seeming good, and cause Religion to be less regarded, run with full sail into the breach of this Commandment; but let this suffice, to have spoken of this hedge or fence extrinsecally, so fare forth as it keepeth out such beasts, as would profane the name of God, now a word or two of it intrinsically, as it keepeth us within the grounds of God's glory, that we have a care to get glory to his name.  
A sinner sits in sin by consent, lies in it by working it, sleeps in it by custom, every one of these must arise, and not arise only; but as it was said to the palsy man, 
o Luc. 5. 23  Arise and walk: we arise by eschewing evil, we walk by doing good, we purchase no greater displeasure by committing iniquity, then omitting of duty. The 
p Mat. 25. 26. 45.  slothful servant, and they on the left hand, are indicted and condemned for sins of omission, and therefore as this Commandment chargeth us, that we do not dishonour God by committing sin: So on the other side, it warneth us to glorify God in giving, and getting him honour, by our words and deeds, and first in our words by our oaths, for as God, who is the truth not deceiving cannot be more dishonoured, then when he is called to witness a lie, for in this case the holy Ghost useth the word, defiling: 
q Leu. 19 12  Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God: so can he not be more honoured, then when he is produced to testify a truth and therefore God's service, and a lawful oath are coupled together when the holy Ghost saith, 
r Deu. 6. 13  Thou shalt serve him, and swear by his name: this condemneth the Heretics Cathari, which affirmed that it was not lawful for a Christian man to swear for any cause at any time, but because one jarring string is enough to bring a whole noise of music out of tune, let us see here what strings we must harp upon, to make a sweet concord.  
First the persons that swear must be such as fear God, and eschew evil, for Moses the Captain of the Israelites placeth 
s Deu. 6. 13  fearing God, and eschewing evil serving him in the forward, the swearing by his name in the rearward, and Saint Paul as though he liked well this mustering of Moses, mentioneth the true service, he doth unto God, when he calls him to witness, 
t Rom. 1. 9  God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit: 
u job. 16. 17 16. 19  and job useth the like kind of training, when in Marshalling he first sets out the integrity of his life, then, my witness is in the heavin, and my record is on high: the mouth of other, which magnifying themselves use to say, God is privy to my heart, he knows my care, when as yet they are but hypocrites, and full of infection should be stopped, as the lips of the leper, were covered 
x levit. 13. 45.  according to the law, and if they come publicly to depose, a good Magistrate should rebuke them, as Christ did the unclean spirit, saying; 
y Mar. 1. 25  hold thy peace and come out.  
Secondly they must not in this case be voluntary men, but stay for a call, as Abraham's servant did, whom his master 
z Gon. 24. 3  caused to swear, for a man's forwardness in offering himself brings great suspicion, that he is prodigal of his credit, and of his soul's health.  
Thirdly the person called to witness, must be the God of heaven and earth, for by him doth Abraham minister an oath, 
a Gen. 24. 3  I will make thee swear by the Lord, and jeremy commands it, 
b jer. 4. 2.  thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth, and therefore the Egyptians were to blame, to swear by the life of their King, the Scythians by his throne, and Novatus, who ministering the Communion to the people, used to swear them by that, they had in their hand, that is, the Sacrament, as the Papists did by their Mass, and by their other Idols; but he that swears by Malcham, and that shall say. 
c Am. 8. 14.  thy God O Dan liveth, robbeth God of his honour, and giveth too much unto an Idol, attributing unto it wisdom to see into the breast, and power to punish him that shall bind his lie with an oath, and reward him that shall swear in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness,  
As there are rules for the persons, so for the matter, it must be a known truth, for a man must not swear that which is false, and he knows it false, nor that which is true, if he thinks it false, nor that which is false though he thinks it true, for a wise man looks or he leap, 
d Ec. 2. 14  his eyes are in his head, 
e & 5. 1.  he is not rash with his mouth, 
f & 10. 2.  his heart is at his right hand.  
Again we must not produce the name of God, in matters of no moment, but in such as shall be of great importance, marriage is a weighty matter, and if a man will not undo himself, when he ties himself fast, if he seeks a godly seed, he must join himself with such a wife as is not separated from God, for men do not 
g Mat. 7. 16  gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles, there fore Abraham swears his servant in a matter of marriage, that he shall not take a wife for his son among the Idolaters, but in a 
h Gen. 24 3  godly family: it is a shame to plaintiff and defendant, and a dishonour done to a great man to produce him, either ad testificandum or respondendum in a matter, that is not worth the speaking of, much more shameful is it for a man to dishonour the great God in calling him out of heaven, and making him wait in matters of no weight, to serve where his humour shall place him: let therefore other means, 
i Ex. 18. 22.  as inferior Officers, end smaller causes, but let God have his glory, as another Moses, in determining doubtful matters, when they shall be of great importance.  
As we must bring glory to God by our oaths, so by our speech, without oath first in speaking of his word, when leaving the book that is clasped up to the Lamb and the Trinity; our tongues are occupied in his statutes, so as on the one side God shall not have cause to complain on us, as of the jews, 
k Hos. 8. 12.  I have written unto them the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing, & on the other side man shall have cause to give us the commendation, which S. 
l Luc. 24. 15  Luke doth the two disciples going to Emmaus, who as they went did not busy their tongues about slandering or vain words, but talked of the death and resurrection of Christ.  
Secondly in speaking 〈…〉 his nature, of his name, as David naming 〈…〉 glory, 
m Psa. 50. 1  the Lord, even the most mighty 〈…〉 two disciples naming jesus 〈…〉 
n Luc. 24. 19  of Nazareth a Prophet mighty in 〈…〉 we speak of Kings, we make their names glorious, when the 
o 1. Cro. 29 26.  Scripture mentioneth the death of King David, it maketh four wheels whereon the height of his honour did run, David had reigned over all Israel super totum Israelem, super, therefore he was a superior, 2. he reigned, therefore he was a principal superior, 3. not a superior or King of an infamous Kingdom, as Ogge the King of Basan, but over Israel, a Country which if God 
p Ios. 12. 24  had fashioned the world like a Ring, as he did like a Globe, might have been the Gem of it, 4. not Regulus over part of the Kingdom as the one and thirty Kings before David's time, 
q 1. Kin. 12. 17. 20.  and Rehoboam and jeroboam, who succeeded his son Solomon, and parted the Kingdom, or as the three sons of Brute, among whom their father parted this Island, or as one of the seven Kings which were in England in the reign of the Saxons, but an absolute Monarch, super totum over all Israel: so when we speak of our gracious King james either in our private instruments, or in his Letters Patents, we make him glorious in his Titles, james by the grace of God of England, Scotland, France and Ireland King defender of the faith etc. so in styling a noble man we do not derogate from his honour in barring or abasing his titles, and shall we not then make his name glorious, who is King of Kings, God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, as to faith with Abraham, 
r Gen. 24. 3.  the Lord God of the heaven, and God of the earth: the King of Israel, judge among the heathen, Lord of hosts with addition of every other stile whatsoever, by which the Scripture doth set out his glory: so likewise must we glorify God in speaking of his nature and properties, as of his mercy, to say, there is mercy with God, that he might be feared, there is justice in God, for he rewardeth every man according to his works: power and vengeance belong unto God, for he is a consuming fire, by which he takes away all the  of the earth like dross, as he did the Sodomites: there is providence and great loving kindness in God, by which the Lions, being savage beasts, became men in humanity towards 
s Dan. 6. 22 13.  Daniel, when men, which are kind by nature, became savage beasts in cruelty against him: by which the flame was martyred with spending her heat, when the three 
t Dan. 3. 25  children, as so many Salamanders, were in the fire: Again we must set out the glory of God, in declaring his wonderful works, even before the sons of men, for if the builders of Babel did think to make themselves famous by making the Tower; shall 
Gen. 11. 4.  not God get him a name by the works of his hands? now all the works of God are wrapped up in three large volumes; the heavens, the earth, and the sea, the heavens declare the glory 
Psa. 19 1.  of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work, what a thing is this, that the Sun should rejoice as a Giant to run 
Psa. 19 5. Iosh. 10. 13.  his course, and again, that it should stand still as in the days of joshua, go back as in the days of Ezechias, and being 
Esay. 38. 8. Luc. 23. 45  ever bright, should lose it light as at the passion of Christ? The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord; what a thing is this, 
Psa. 33. 5.  that it being founded upon the seas, and prepared upon the 
Psa. 24. 2. job. 38. 5.  floods, and being poised in the just proportion by line and measure, should abide steadfast, when the high mountains, which do as it were imbosse the earth, may seem able to shake it, oversway it and tumble it into the sea.  
They that go down to the sea in ships see the wonders 
Psa. 107. 23  of God in the deep, is not the Whale a wonder in nature, that 
Psa. 104. 26.  takes his pastime in it? is not the ship itself an artificial wonder, that Merchandise should go from countery to countery in such a wooden conveyance, if we do not speak of these and all his other works (for his name is stamped upon them all) to his glory, we do in speech, though we swear not, take his name in vain, as God must win glory by our words, so by our deeds, when being transformed into the image of 
Mat. 17. 4.  Christ, we shine before other like lights, as the face of Christ, when he was trasfigured on the Mount did shine like the Sun; therefore minds and souls are likened unto Lamps, because we should shine each unto other, superiors to in feriours, in being talking laws and walking Statutes, inferiors to superiors, in being like the tree in Genesis, fair to look upon, 
Gen. 3. 6. 1. Pe●. 3. 1.  every one oweth good example as a due tribute, that God may have the glory due to his name, and thus much of this fence or hedge both ad extra and ad intra, as fare forth as it keep out beasts, and keep the good Christian within the bounds of God's glory.  
The binder of this hedge is the rod of God's judgements, the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  
The sin of the blasphemy hath been so odious, that even civil authority hath set sharp censures upon it, Henry the first and Maximilian the Emperor, set fines upon their heads, which should open their mouths to swear vainly, the greatest fines upon the greatest persons, as being not only guilty of the sin itself, but of the bad example they gave unto other.  
Ludovicke, commonly called Saint Lewis, caused the lips of blasphemers, to be seared with an hot iron: Philip the French King did punish this sin of blasphemy with death, yea though it were committed in a Tavern, where many wise men many times forget themselves.  
But if any did bind two sins together by binding a lie with an oath, few nations had any pity on him. The Egyptians did strike of his head, because thereby faith and truth among men might be decayed; in this case the Scythian did suffer death, and he that made proof of perjury should have his goods. The like did Philip an Earl of Flanders, decree for the precinct of his dominion, King Edmond before the Conquest, (as Gregory the 9 in another place) gathered a Council at London, where he made this law, that perjurers should be separated from the company of God, and our law (as I have read) is, that if a false verdict given by twelve men be found, the twelve men be attainted, and their judgement shallbe the same that is appointed for petty treason, their meadows shallbe ar up, their houses broken down, their woods turned up, and all their lands and teneme●ts forfeited to the King: but laws of men are like cobwebs, little flies hang fast, great flies break forth.  
But let men wink at this sin of blasphemy, of perjury, and suffer it to go , yet God will not put it up so, the the perjurer sinneth against God, and who shall plead for him. It is reported in the Acts and Monuments of the Church, and Mr. Fox takes the story out of Eusebius, that when Narcissus, a good Bishop of jerusalem, intended to accuse three notable malefactors of their misdemeanours, they (dealing as that lewd husband, who having disordered himself abroad, lost his money at dice, and wasted his goods, and now thinking his wife would be in his top, comes home and gins to chide first) thought to prevent his accusations by accusing him first, and laying a grievous crime to his charge, and to get credit to their accusation, each of them bound it with their several oaths; one wishing to be consumed with fire, if it were not true: an other to die of some grievous disease, the third to lose both his eyes; Narcissus seeing three to one was odds gave place; but what became of these perjured fellows: the first was consumed by casulaty, of a spark of fire, he, his family, and all that he had: the second was taken with a strange sickness from top to the toe, which brought him to a miserable end, the third seeing Gods judgements upon his brethren in evil▪ confessed the fault, for which he continually shed such abundance of tears, that he wept out his eyes.  
In latter time within the memory of man, the eleventh of February, Anno 1575., A certain woman (her name was Anne Aueries) forswearing herself at a shop in woodstreet of London, praying God she might sink where she stood, if she had not paid for the wares she took, fell down presently speechless, and with horrible stink died.  
Thirdly this serveth for our instruction, to teach us to sift our words, to let them be prius ratione, quam prolatione, prius ad limam, quam ad linguam; for the tongue is placed near under the brain and understanding part, as at the feet of her schoolmaster, that it might not run before the wit, and the heart is counsellor to the tongue, that it might have a good guide above and beneath: sport thyself with oaths, thou makest sport with 
l jud. 17. 30  Samson who will pull the house about thy ears: set thyself against heaven, and curse God: thou dealest with fire, which will burn all that touch it, 
m Heb. 1. 7  he maketh his Angels a flame, 
n & 12. 29.  and himself is a consuming fire; hold up a staff, the dog is afraid, here God holds up his rod, here a Lion roareth in the forest, and who will not be afraid, here is a snare set, and he will not take it up, until he takes the blasphemer in it.  
Again this serveth for confutation of such, as make no reckoning of an oath, as Lysa●der, who being charged with the breach of the league, whereunto he was sworn in Miletus, answered, tush, we may go beyond men and beguile them with oaths, as with apples and trifles, we train and deceive little children: again such, as though they think they must keep touch with others: yet they think, they may break their oath with Infidels, as Thyestes in the Poet, Ego vero fidem neque ded● infidel's cu●quam, neque do: as though God's Majesty did depend on men's deserts, and they might abuse his name to wrong those, which do not give God his right, 3. such as hood themselves with Hypocrisy, who have a double heart, whose hearts and tongues are not made of the same flesh, who use congruity in thought; but in word commit solecism, whose mouths belie their hearts, as their fingers belie their mouths, who hearken to Gregory the 13. who sending certain tokens to such as were to be reconciled to him, did set down in them this goodly poesy, fili, da mihi cor & sufficit: such a one was he which said, iuravi lingua, mentem iniuratam gero, I mean as truly, as a man upon his deathbed, though I speak as falsely, as one that maketh Almanacs. 4. Such as patronise this sin with some cunning shift, as that Captain, who having made a truce for certain days, broke out in the night, saying that truce was made for days, and not for nights. And that Roman Soldier, who being taken prisoner by the Carthaginians, & dismissed by Hannihall, upon oath given to return again to the Camp, craftily lest his sword behind him, and being gone a little way, returned back to the camp to fetch his sword, and now thinking he had performed his oath, never meant to come there again: but the Romans sent him back again, as a perjured person, for that they thought an oath was so to be performed, as he, to whom the oath was made, did understand the promise. Lastly this maketh against the Pope, who dispenseth with an oath, yea with the oath of allegiance, which Subjects make unto their Prince; the law of God bridles the hands from working treason, ⁿ touch not mine anointed: of ourselves we forbear to 
Ps. 105. 15  touch that which is anointed, but if a Caveat be put in, we are the more wary: in these words are both these, touch not mine anointed: It bridles the mouth that we speak not ill of the King, 
p Ex. 22. 28  thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people: It binds the heart not to imagine evil against him, 
q Ec. 10. 20  Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, for the foul of the heaven shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall declare the matter: If the eye of Inquisition could extend so fare, the Common law would punish treason in the very heart, the Civil law punisheth with death, even the very thought of bringing the Prince into any fear or danger, if it can any way be sifted out, when 
r Hest. 2. 21  the two eunuchs Bigthan, and Teresh were attainted, there was no more put in the indictment than this, they meant to lay hands on King Ahassuerus, their meaning being found by inquisition, they were both hanged on a tree. In the French Academy I read of a Gentleman of Normandy, who confessed to a Franciscan Friar, that he once was minded to have killed King Francis the first, but afterward was angry with himself, that such a treacherous thought should enter the door of his heart: the Grey Friar gave him absolution, but yet went and discovered the matter to the King, who sent the Gentleman to the Parliament of Paris, there to be tried, where he was by common consent condemned to die, and afterward put to execution. A man would think here were binder's enough to tye Subjects to true obedience, when the law of God bindeth, the law of man bindeth, when fear of punishment bindeth: but besides these their own oath bindeth, which makes the cord more than threefold, that is not easily broken; yet the Pope saith, break these bonds a sunder, and cast away these cords from you, compass or imagine the death of your King, levy war against him, adhere to his enemies, give them aid or comfort within or without the Realm, I will discharge you of your oath and fealty, I will licence you to withdraw your oath of allegiance to take arms against him, yea to lay violent hands upon him, occidite or excidite, kill him, or ill him, deponite a thron●, or exponite periculo, depose him from his throne, or expose him to danger, thus an oath or any other thing to the contrary notwithstanding, subjects shall have law to lift up their heels against their head, under whose feet they should lay down their lives. But I may say unto the Pope in this case, as Moses to the Rebels, 
s Num. 16. 7.  Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Ye take to● much upon you ye sons of Levy: and as they in the Gospel, but more justly, 
t Ma●t. 2. 2●  By what authority dost thou these things? and who gave thee this authority: thou hast no commission to dispense with an oath, no power to discharge a man of it, thou blasphemest in saying, thou wilt free him that breaks it, 
u Mar. ●. ●1  Who can forgive sins but God only? though thou pardon, God will punish, though thou dost promise fair, God will pay home, and condemn him as guilty, that taketh his name in vain.   

The fourth Commandment.  Exodus 20. 8. 9 10. 11. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day: Six days thou shalt labour, and do all that thou hast to do: but the seaventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, thy manservant, and thy maid-servant, thy ●attell▪ and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seaventh day. Whererefore the Lord blessed the seaventh day, and hallowed it. 
IT is written of the Lacedæmonians, that by common exercise they could behave themselues soldier like in the camp, but knew not how to use the time of peace, so many have still to husband their business, & to trade in their crafts and occupations on the working days, but are to seek how to use the Sabbath a time of rest; & therefore God in this commandment would teach us a lesson, with which common use is not acquainted, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.  
The words contain, 1. A charge.  
2. Several reasons to induce us to put the charge in execution.  
In the charge we are to consider,  
1. The matter given in charge.  
2. The persons to whom the charge is given.  
The matter given in charge is, to hollow the Sabbath, which consisteth, 1. In resting from our own works.  
2. In labouring in the service of God.  
The persons to whom the charge is given, are either Superiors,  
and they more private, as 


Parents &  
Masters,    More public, as 


Magistrates,     
Or Inferiors, whither they be home bred, as  
children 


thy son or  
thy daughter.    servants 


thy manservant,  
thy maid-servant.     
or foreigners 


the stranger that is within thy gates.     
The reasons to induce us to execute this charge are  
1. God's bounteous liberality, in giving six days for dispatch of our own business.  
2. justice which should be in man, in giving every one his due, it is God's day.  
3. God's own pattern, he resteth the seventh day.  
4. The benefits that ensue upon observing it, that is the blessing of God, he blessed etc.  
In it thou shalt do no manner of work: there be opera, fortunae, ●ulp● naturae: works of our calling, works of sin, and works of nature, from the first we must abstain the seventh day, from the second, every day, from the third, not by compulsion on any day.  

a Deu. 5. 14  God would have all our Cattles rest, by name the Ox, and the Ass, I say in this, as Saint Paul in an other case, doth God take care for Oxen? had God respect properly to the , or doth he not speak it rather for us, to teach us to rest on the seventh day, on which the  cannot be employed in any labour without the service of man?  

b 2. Sam. 7. 2.  David's care was not to dwell in a house of Cedar trees, whiles the Ark of God remained within the curtains? 
c Luc. 7.  and jairus is as much commended for building a Synagogue, as others in their covetous humours are blamed for demolishing Churches, leaving nothing but rude heaps of stone; but though this be a work of so great commendation, yet in the law is a Caveat put in, that such a good work be not performed on the 
d Ex. 31. 13  Sabbath day, or any thing then taken in hand, that belongs to the Tabernacle: 
e Mat. 26. 13.  The good work of Mary Magdalen●, in pouring a box of ointment on the head of Christ, shall be spoken of for a memorial of her unto the world's end; so on the other side the withholding of her ointment on the Sabbath day is set down to her commendation, that though she and the other 
f Mar. 16. 1  Marry james his mother had prepared sweet ointments to anoint the dead body of Christ, yet they came not to the Sepulchre till the Sabbath was past, but rested that day according to the 
g Luc 23. 56.  Commandment.  
Here-upon Can●tus a King of this land, not full 32. years before the conquest, ordained that fairs, Courts, and worldly works on that day should be forborn, and in the 4. year of King Henry the 2. the common Council of London, decreed, that nothing should be bought or sold within the liberties of that City, and that no artificer or handy crafts-man should bring his wares or works to any person to be worn or occupied on that day, for by this means they thought the day to be profaned.  
Two sorts of people are here to be blamed, the first are they which over keep it as the jews which are too nice and too strict in observing this day, and therefore if a man were sick or diseased they thought that upon this day means might not be 
h joh. 7. 23. ●  used for his recovery; for Christ chargeth them with this, that they were angry with him for that he had made a man whole on the Sabbath day: yea the ⁱ Pharisees, in reputation 
Act. 23. 8.  greater than the Sadducees, and sounder in belief, the 
k Act. 26. 5  most exact sort, and coming nearest to the law; began to pick a quarrel with 
l Act. 22. ●1  Christ, for that his Disciples being hungry did 
m Mat. 12.  pluck the ears of corn on the Sabbath day: they find no fault for plucking the ears, for this the law permitted, 
n Den. 23. 25.  but to pluck them on the Sabbath day this they thought a point next the worst, nay more than so, if a house were on fire, they thought on this day they might not fetch water to quench the fire, if a vessel did run out, they thought on this day they might not stop it, and as in Prester john's Country they which receive the Sacrament may not so much as spit, till the Sun set, so the jews thought that on this day no body might in public scratch where it itched.  

o Lu. 14. 5.  If an Ox or an Ass did fall into any pit, it was lawful to pluck him out on the Sabbath day, than what an ass was that jew, that would not be plucked out of a stinking pit which he fell into upon the Sabbath day.  
But the jews went not so far on the right hand in over-keeping it, but we some of us in our practice go as far on the left hand in under-keeping it: we do not so cast to dispatch that we have to do in the six days, but we reserve until the seventh matters which we think to be of smaller importance, the Farmer will not now yoke his Oxen or set his Plough forward, but he will saddle his Horse, and speed himself to business abroad: the craftesman will not be seen to keep his shop-windows open, but he can follow his occupation closely within doors, as though God did not see him: but above all other the superstitious Seafaring man deserves most blame, who occupying his business in great waters, and saying the better day the better luck, will never set to sea but on a Sunday, and so runs with full sail into the breach of this Commandment.  
Again as we must rest from works of our vocation; so from works which are an avocation from God, and this is that which the Apostle saith, he that is entered into his rest 
p Heb. 4. 10  hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his, figures of this resting from sin was the land of Canaan called a rest because Israel ceased from the bondage of Egypt, from travail in the Wilderness from fear of enemies that rose up against them: again the resting the seventh week, the seventh month, the seventh year, the seven times seventh year, which was the year of jubilee, and this seventh day should be as salt to draw out our inward corruption, to f●et and consume and eat out the concupiscence of the whole man: the jews might not carry a burden through the gates of the City on the Sabbath day. 
q jer. 17. 27.  Sin is a burden, and lieth upon the heart it must not on this day enter into the soul through the gates of the senses: the flesh is troublesome, our passions are unquiet, naturally all that is within us all that is without us rebelleth against the spirit, on this day have a care that they may be cut off, which trouble you: Qui quiescit, quiescat (for so it is in the old translation: Englished in the Geneva, thus, 
r Eze. 3. 27  he that leaveth off, let him leave) so let him that resteth from the labour of the body, rest from the sin of the soul, but our Taverns in towns Alehouses in country, the King's high ways abroad, our own streets at home, do too truly witness that the devil hath more service on the seventh day than all the six days besides, whereas the Prophet Esay would have us on this day to have an eye to our thoughts, words and deeds when he faith, 
s Esa. 58. ●3  not doing thine own ways, nor seeking thine own will, nor speaking a vain word: and this is to celebrate a feast unto the Lord, when neither the soul is vexed inwardly with the slavish works of sin, nor outwardly with the servile works of the world: not that we should have a care to refrain sin this day, and being careless let go the bridle to iniquity all the week after, for what were it to rest from sin the seventh day, and afterward to run riot, then to rest ourselves and our horse a while, that afterwards we might ride out of the way with fuller course? but an especial regard is to be had to this time, which if we riot out, we may assure ourselves that God will sue us upon an action of waist, then must one day teach another, this day, the week day, that so we may serve God in righteousness, and holiness all the days of our life.  
As upon this day we must rest from works of our calling, and from works of sin, so we must set ourselves to another task, keep it holy, dedicate it wholly to the service of God; to rest from our labours only is to keep it idly, and all this while the Ass at the crib keeps as good a Sabbath as we, to rest from sin only is to keep it by halves, and therefore we must go one step further, consecrate it as glorious unto the Lord, 
t Esa. 58. 13  call the Sabbath a delight, and delight in the Lord: Not but that we should study to acquit our duties to God on other days, and by observing his word get him honour, but whereas 
u Num. 28. 9  under the law a single sacrifice was appointed for other days, two lambs were commanded to be offered on the Sabbath, to show that on that day men should double their devotion & under the Gospel, our Saviour Christ wrought more miracles on the Sabbath and feast days, then upon any other days besides: what religious exercises are to be performed this day, we may learn out of several places in Scripture, especially out of two Psalms: the 92. Psalm, for of all the Psalms that is the only Psalm which bears the title: a Psalm or song for the Sabbath day, as being used every Sabbath by the Levites, when the congregation was assembled together; and the 95. Psalm which in the liturgy of our Church, we read every Sabbath day before the several Psalms, which in thirty days are appointed to be said or sung in the congregation.  
First therefore early in the morning we must prepare and make ourselves fit to receive the word: God's word is a lantern unto our feet, and a light unto our paths, but it cannot shine unto us, if sin as a curtain be drawn over our hearts; it is seed, good seed, but cannot prosper if it be sown among thorns: it is water to wash us, and therefore we must slip off our sins, as we slip off our  when we go into the Bath and this is that which Saint james saith ˣ lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of maliciousness and receive with meckenes the word that is graffed in you.  
Secondly having prepared ourselves we must repair to the Church, and come before his presence: the prodigal child saith 
y Luc. 15. 17.  In my father's house is bread enough: this is our father's house, in which it pleaseth him to dwell: here is the spiritual Manna to refresh the soul, here is the pool Bethesda, in 
z joh. 5. 2.  which the Rivers of life do spring forth to heal the , and quench the thirst of these which long after them.  
Thirdly repairing to the Church, as Christ to 
a joh. 4. 6.  jacob's Well, We must bring our pitchers with us, our minds and meditations, vessels with which we must receive the liquor of life; we must not be like Serpents, which have their bodies in the water, and their heads out of the water, nor we our bodies in the Church, and our heads out of the Church: sleep not here with 
b Act. 20. 9  Eutychus, as though this house were a nest for dormice, let not thy eyes go a whoring in it, as though thou wouldst make a stews of it: sit not for a cipher, as though bare hearing were all, both duty and fruit of thy Religion, but let thy ears be open to good advice, let not thy heart and resolution be shut against it, if thy regard in hearing be not answerable to thy care in speaking, thou mayest come to Church, and return without returning to God, and art but as the Salamander, which life's in the fire, and is not made hot with the fire.  
Fourthly, having brought our vessels with us, every man must gather 
c Num. 11. 6  his Gomer full, and take heed he be not crop-sick, as the Israelites, which loathed Manna; but still hungering and thirsting after righteousness, tarry out the whole service, this is that, which is commended in 
d Luc. 2. 42  joseph; and Mary, they came to the Temple with the first and went away with the last, do not therefore touch and go, sip and away, but tarry the peace of God, take the Priest's benediction, and valediction with you, it is like the blessing of 
e Num. 6. 24  Aaron, which God commanded, and all the people tarried for.  
Having thus gathered with the Bees the sweet of heavenly flowers, we must by meditation work our honeycombs within our hives: 
f Ez. 1.  the door of the inner court shut six days, must now be opened; the meat, which by speaking was set before us in a dish, must now by meditation concocct and digest in the stomach, and with the clean beasts chewing the 
h Act. 17. 11  Cud we must still find a sweetness in that we have received; When once we begin to be cloyed with our own company, I mean with our inward self talk, then are we with the men of Berea to use conference, for they, when they had heard the word with all readiness, took their Bibles that that they might try the truth, of that which was spoken, and laying their heads together, like bundles of sticks, might kindle one an other.  
Having used these good means of hearing, meditation and conference, we are to pray unto God, that his word may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, that the worm of security, and contempt may not eat up the fruit; that God would still water our souls with the dew of heaven in this life, that hereafter we may be translated as glorious plants into his Paradise: I omit here other religious exercises of this day, as the partaking of the Sacraments, collection for the poor saints of God, visitation of the sick, the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and also the meditation of the works of God, the consideration whereof, the forenamed Psalms 
i Ps. 92. 4. & 95. 5.  would teach us to be one special use of the Sabbath day, and now I proceed in order of my division to the persons to whom the charge is given.  
Thou, that is, thou that art a father or mother, and hast under thee son or daughter: thou that art a master or mistress, and hast under thee manservant, or maid-servant: thou that art a Magistrate, and hast under thee proselytes and people of an other nation, thou and thou, & thou must have a care to hollow the Sabbath: and here that in this rank, they which are Superiors have the first charge; my note is this, that they must begin to their Inferiors, like an Alarm, and be 
k jer. 50. 8  like the he Goats before the flock: they must not be like 
l Mat. 2. 8.  Herod, who bade the wise men, Go search diligently for the child, and then he would lag after and worship; but like 
m Gen. 33. 3  jacob who sets himself for most; like 
n Iosh. 24. 15.  joshua I and mine house will serve the Lord; and 
o Hest. 4. 16  Hester, I and my maids will do the same: Inferiors giving more credit to their eyes, then to their ears, do rather imitate the works they see their Superious do, than the words they hear them speak, their deeds are copies, their copies rules, their rules the shortest cut of teaching, their good lesson never doth so much good, as their good life: they are the great wheels of a clock, which turn the lesser weeles the same way; they are pillars, 
p Num. 9 17  when the pillar stood still, Israel stood still, when that went they went, and in the book of judges, 
q jud. 16. 29.  when the pillars of the house went down, down went all; the other parts are distempered, if the head be sick, if the eye be dark, all the body is full of darkness, and then must the Sun needs be set in the valleys, when it doth not shine on the mountains: And therefore as Caesar never said to his soldiers, ite, but venite, so should not the householder say to his family, nor the great man, to those of smaller account, go to Church and hollow the Sabbath, but himself be primum mobile, and say; O come let us go unto the house of the Lord; O come let us sing unto the Lord, for than doth the breach of this Commandment lift up the head, when it seethe the sin and slackness of those which are above them: and in this case well may the inferior say to those which are above them, as the daughter of the crabbe-fish to her mother crab, who swimming herself backward, (for such is the property of the Crab) bade her young one swim strait forward, to whom she answered, prae I, sequar, mother go you first, and I will follow after.  
Again, as they which are above other, must be a good example to others, so must they see, that they which are under them follow it, their good example is a bladder, they must see, that they which are under them do swim by it, that their good life be a glass for them, and a lead-starre to direct their course; for if thou art a father, it is thy son or thy daughter, if a master, he is thy servant, if a Magistrate, though the stranger within thy gates be not thine, yet is he now within thy liberty, within thy jurisdiction; and therefore 
r Neh. 13. 16.  Nehemiah carried a hand over the Merchant strangers that profaned the Sabbath day: concerning children and servants, as the Apostle speaking of the children of God saith, Ye are not 
s 1 Cor. 6. 19  your own, you are bought with a price, so say I of children and servants they are not their own, they are bought with a price, though not with so great a price, as the price of blood, householders are not more their own, than their families are theirs: now a man must have a care of that which is his own, that which Saint Paul saith particularly to Timothy, 
s 1 Tim. 6. 20.  serua depositum, will stretch further, a man must have a care to keep that which is committed unto him, therefore 
t job 1. 5.  job offered sacrifice, for his sons; first to show his watchfulness, secondly to show he held himself blame-worthy before God, if they had offended: and the Pharisees most blasphemous are ready to cast this in Christ his teeth, and censure him for it, that his Disciples in their imaginations were not well ordered: ᵘ Thy Disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day: 
x Mat. 12. 2  thy Disciples fast not: 
z Mat. 15. 2  thy Disciples wash not: the vice of the children 
y Mar. 2. 18  reflect upon the parents, the sin of the servants is the master's reproach, concerning strangers, as the Israelites dwelling among the Egyptians learned many ill things of them, so on the other side strangers of an other Nation dwelling among us, must learn good things of us, and being pecus erraticum, must hear the voice of good shepherds, and be enforced to follow good Governors, when they shall see steps before them worthy of their traching.  
Indeed strangers are further from us than our sons, than our servants, than our own Countrymen, but yet are they nearer than beasts, and though they cannot all say, have we not Abraham to our Father, yet let all go up the stream until they come to the Fountain's head, they may all say as in Malachy, 
a Mal. 2. 10  have we not all one father, hath not one God made us? but the law provided, that a man should have a care of beasts, 
b Ex. 21. 33  of an Ox or an Ass that it fall not into a pit, shall we then suffer strangers to run headlong to the pit of destruction? the 
c Ex. 23. 4  law provided, that if a man met an Ox or an Ass going astray, he should bring him back again, shall we not then reduce strangers, when we see them wand'ring in the broad way, that leadeth unto death.  
Besides where is our zeal, if dishonour done unto God, by any be he never such a stranger doth not eat us up, and grieve us as much as if a worm were gnawing on our hair? men are chary of their own honesty, and cannot endure that any, no not a stranger should wound it, and shall they be careless, if strangers shall put God's honour to shame and reproach? A good man is grieved, when being in a strange Country he shall see God dishonoured, as Paul in 
d Act. 17. 1●.  Athens, and shall he suffer with quietness strangers to dishonour God in his own country? If therefore thou being Alderman or any other Magistrate hast a stranger within thy ward or liberty, yea, though he doth oversee thy business as thine own eye, or procure things necessary as thine own hand, yet if he doth offend thee, or cause thy blood to rise by dishonouring God and profaning his Sabbath, have a pluck at him, or with our Saviour Christ bestir thyself with a whip, or at leastwise, seeing him dead in trespasses and sins, without any hope of quickening, thou being zealous, be like the sea, which will not suffer in it the carcases of those which are dead, but casts them on shore.  
Again as superiors being the foremen in this charge, are thereby taught to begin to others in the observation of this day, so in that inferiors are also put in the charge, though subordinate, they are to learn to conform themselves, and be ready of themselves, to follow the pattern set before them, to take true stitches out of those samplers, and to say in this, as 
e Gen. 3●. 14.  jacob in another case, pracedat dominus, ego paulatim sequar, and as 
f job. 23. ●●  job, my foot hath followed his steps: his way have I kept, and have not declined: when thy betters bear the lantorne of God's word, if thou wilt be out of danger, follow them that carry the light, when thou seest their good carriage, do thou thereby better thine own: tu quoque fac simile, 
g Luc. 10. 37.  go and do thou likewise. Nay more than so, because thou art within this charge, though thy superiors fail in the premises, yet do thou hold them, live not now by example but by law, and know that I and my father is no good plea for the son, I and my master no good plea for the servant, I and the governor, no good plea for the stranger, that which God saith unto one, he saith unto all: every one shall bear his own burden, every fat shall stand on his own bottom: the excuse will not go for currant to say I did follow my parents, I did humour my master or dame, the Magistrate did so as well as I: the soul that sinneth shall dye, and there is no respect of persons.  
Six days shalt thou labour. The labouring hand is the staple of the land, and raiseth up the pillars of it, without which the cords of the common wealth would soon be loosed, for our good therefore, God hath given us six days to labour, that by taking pain in them we might live by the sweet of our own sweat, were it not then great unkindness in us, if we would not allow him the seventh day?  
Six days. This Commandment doth neither respect our labouring six days, (for these first four precepts enjoin us such duties as we must perform unto God) neither yet our ease and rest on the seventh day; for the substance of the Commandment is the service of God, the rest is but an accident that cannot be separated from it, not but that we must take pain, for standing water soon stinketh, and what are idle persons but a colder earth moulded with standing water? When the householder saith 
h Mat. 20. 6  why stand ye here all the day idle? He heapeth up many reasons to induce us to labour in the Vineyard: First, why? as if he should say, you have no reason to it, it was at the first God's ordinance, 
i Gen. 2. 15  to have man take pain, 
k Gen. 3. 19  afterward it was enjoined as a punishment for sin, 
l job. 5. 7.  now man is borne unto travail, as the sparks fly upward, and while he gives himself to sloth and idleness the devil takes his free ease on him, as on a cushion: God called David 
m Psa. 78. 7●.  to feed Israel, when he was following the Ewes great with young, not when he lay idle under an hill, besides what are the effects of idleness, but either theft, for the slothful like drones live by the honey gathered by the Bees, and like vulture's prey on carcases they killed not, one beats the bush and they catch the bird, they suck the blood of other men, and become as fat as body-lice by eating up others brewis: they tossed themselves at their neighbour's fire, and keep no warmth in their own chimneys, other men's labours are in their houses, they drink the waters of others cisterns, & of the rivers out of the midst of others wells, or else adultery, for the mind is apt to all uncleanness, 
n 2. Sam. 11. 2.  when the man is idle; the mind being void of exercise the man is void of honesty.  
Queritur Aegystus, quare sit factus Adulter:  
in pomptu causa est, desidiosus erat.  
Besides it weareth strength as rust doth iron, and overmuch rest makes men not more fit, but less willing to take pain, again the slothful hand maketh poor, hereby 
o Ecc. 10. 18  the roof of the house goeth to decay by the idleness of the hands the house dropeth thorough: by doing nothing men come to nothing, and enter into the plain high way to Needome, and when a man will be of no calling, he shall be sure that poverty or beggary will find a calling to arrest him; and therefore in the time of Cat● Censorius, when any would be a Citizen of Rome, this question was not demanded, whence or what he was, but only they took his hands between theirs, and if they felt them soft and smooth, they presently as an idle vagabond gave him a mittimus, but if hard and knotty they forthwith admitted him to dwell in their City: And if a malefactor were apprehended, whose hands were labouring hands, his punishment should be mitigated though his crime were grievous, but if idle hands, a severe punishment should be inflicted for a small offence: therefore the Lacedæmonians would have labour and sweat, hunger and thirst as the best spices to season their pottage, therefore the ancients painted the image of virtue girded, therefore God gave the Israelites but a short time to gather them Manna, for when the 
p Ex. 16. 21  heat of the Sun came, it was melted: therefore might the householder well say, why stand ye here all the day idle. The elements move, the heaven's turn, the worms creep, the fishes swim, the birds fly, why stand ye idle another reason that the householder useth is, the strength and ability of those, to whom he speaketh, why stand ye, as if he should say were it so that you were cripples or impotent, and not otherwise provided for, you might lie with Lazarus at the rich man's gate, I would not hasten you forward to work, but you have the powers of your bodies, are lusty and strong why stand ye idle: 
q Pro. 30. 25.  the Ants are feeble, the pismires a people not strong, yet are they diligent at their work, and will you that are strong be negligent? Draco (but his laws for their cruelty are said to be written with blood) deprived them of life, which would not labour for their living: the drones of Hetruria like unprofitable bees, entering into the hive and consuming the honey, were expelled from others and reputed as vagabonds, were condemned to exile, and dealt withal much like as Philip King of Macedonia dealt with two of his bad subjects, he made one of them run out of the country, and the other drive him. In other places they have had Stafford law, and at Bridewell in our land whipping cheer, and in the 23. year of Edward the 3, there was a statute made that no man under pain of imprisonment should give any alms to any sturdy beggars, that necessity might compel them to get their bread with the sweet of their brows.  
The householders third reason to induce us to labour is taken from the place, here, why stand ye here idle, heaven is a place of rest, let the world toss how it list, our rest is pitched aloft, and we shallbe as the 
r Gen. 8. 4  Ark, which when the flood ceased did rest on the mountain: Hell is a place of torment, there be heavy fines but no recoveries, they deal in this Court upon the capias, 
s Mal. 22. 13.  take him away, and cast him into utter darkness, upon babeas corpus bind him hand and foot, upon the 
● Gen 24  Ne exeat regnum, the gates are kept from egress, as the gates of Paradise were warded from entrance, though we have a writ de homine replegiando, directed to the sheriff to cause a man to be repleved, when he is in prison, yet here is no replevie, no flying to a Court of conscience for relief, no judgement reversed by writ of error: This world is a place of labour, where we must wear our bodies, and still be doing some thing, that God may not find us idle when he cometh, and the devil may find us busy, when he tempteth, and therefore stand not idle here.  
The fourth reason is drawn from the time: Work while 
u joh. 9 4.  it is day, the night cometh when no man can work: therefore stand not idle in the day time, if thou hast let slip part of the day, if thou hast not sown thy seed in the morning, yet in the evening let not thy hand rest, stand not all day idle, nulla dies sine li●ea, if thou sufferest one day to pass without drawing some line, thou mayest say, diem amisimus amici, and hast lost that which cannot be recovered, and called back again: on the one side be not an idle person, who being an unprofitable piece of earth, will not do all that he hath to do, on the other side be not too curious in thy work, but see when a thing is well done, and do not more than all, hate both these extremes doing nothing, and doing more than need to no purpose, keep the mean, labour six days, and do all, leave nothing till the seventh day then to be dispatched, do not more than all, yet do all, for sufficient unto the seventh day is the travail thereof.  
The seventh day is the Sabbath of th● Lord thy God: we must give to every one that which belongeth unto him: the seventh day belongeth to God, therefore we must give it unto him: the minor proposition is in the text, the mayor in Matthew, 
x Mat. 22 21.  and it is an axiom that goes currant without contradiction: justitia suum cuique tribuit, whosoever therefore converteth to any profane use that which is consecrated to God, robbeth God of his due, and takes his right from him: for example, you shall see this in these three things, the Temple, Tithes, the time of the Sabbath; in the Temple thus, it is God's house, there faithful men inhabit, Angels frequent, God himself is present, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the King's court and greatest Princess Palace: and because those merchants in the Gospel did buy and sell in it, they are called thiefs, not such thiefs as are commissioners on Salisbury plain, which by mistaking a word, take up such purses as fall in the lapse, for want of sufficient defence, but Den thiefs, 
y Mat. 21. 13.  my house shallbe called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a Den of thiefs, you have crept into my right, made a false entry upon my freehold as great a blot doth cleave unto your hands, as if the wilderness had given you and your children food.  
Again Tithes and offerings, are appointed and dedicated to the service of God, and therefore they which with 
z Dan. 5. 3.  Balthasar carouse in the bowls of the Temple, and the Merchants, which breaking into the Church take away that, which is the Ministers maintenance, & let them starve at the altar, that serve at the altar, are as bad as the thiefs which Christ whipped out of the Temple, and would crucify Christ again for his coat, God makes them no better than thiefs, when he saith, 
a Mal. 8. 3.  you have rob me, or you have spoiled me in Tithes & Offerings: so likewise the eternal God, who made time, who 
b Gen. 1. 3.  brought light out of darkness, who put difference betwixt day and night, betwixt day and day, consecrated the Sabbath to his service, and therefore it is sacrilege to take it up for our own use, for what is sacril●gium, but sacril●dium, a profaning of that which is holy? 
c Mat. 22. 21.  give therefore as unto Caesar, the things which are C●sars, so unto God the things which are Gods: give him the calves of thy lips, the root of thy heart, the first fruit of thy age, the tenth of thy substance, the seventh of thy time.  
But for so much as six days are common to all men, and God hath his seventh several to himself, as his own enclosure; it would be known (that God might have his due time) which of the seven is the day that he claims as his own special right and interest.  
The jews according to God's institution set apart the Saturday for the service of God, and that which we call Sunday was their 
d Luc. 24. 1  first day of the week, this they did in remembrance of the creation, celebrating that day to give credit to the greatest work that ever was before, but as the benefit of Israel's deliverance from the captivity of Babylon was so great, that it abolished the remembrance of her deliverance from Egypt: 
e jer. 16. 14  It shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt, but the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the Land of the North: So the benefit of our deliverance from the captivity of Satan, and the rising of Christ from finishing the work of our redemption was so great, that in respect of this, other benefits are forgotten, this shineth as the Sun among the lesser stars; and therefore God did change the day, and put it off from that day he did lay in the grave, till the day when by rising again, he did overcome death and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life. And to show the alteration, the Apostles gave this day the name of 
f Re. 1. 10.  the Lords day, 
g Act. 20. 7.  they themselves kept it, and 
h 1 Cor. 16. 1.  ordained that the Churches in their time should observe it: this is indeed a day of good tidings: We do not well if we hold our peace, this is indeed the day which the Lord hath made, we must rejoice and be glad in it, this is indeed a day like that night in Exodus 
i Ex. 12. 42  to be kept holy unto the Lord, that day of the Lord, which all of us must keep throughout our generations.  
Great was the work of creation, and therefore we must now mount upward with the wings of nature, greater was the work of redemption, and therefore we must now soar aloft with the wings of grace; It cost more to redeem us then make us, for in our creation, 
k Ps. 148. 5.  dixit, & factum est, he spoke the word, and it was done, but in our redemption he spoke, and did, and suffered many things, he created the world in six days, but in restoring man he laboured more than thirty years: In creating us he gave us ourselves, in redeeming us he gave himself for us, so that how much he is greater than we, so much is this day greater than that, and more worthily to be observed in regard of redemption, then that in remembrance of creation, not now to be altered any more, because there can be no greater work than this of redemption, nor can so well deserve an ●cce in the beginning, or Selah in the end to be stamped upon it.  
For in six days, etc. and rested the seventh: Longum it●r per praecepta breve per exempla, to teach by precept is tedious, but by example but a short cut: All the people cut down every 
l jud. 9 49.  man his bough, when they saw Abimelech cut down boughs of trees and bore them on his shoulder, to set the hold of the Shechemites on fire: Reason should rule, and to show that it should bear sway it lodgeth in the midst of the brain, the highest part of the frame of man, but when reason cannot persuade, example will mo●e; all the reason that Origen did beat into Alexander Severus could not so soon persuade him; that Christ was the Son of God, as the example of Origen: And the Christians keep holy the Sabbath day, here is the precept which should bind us, especially seeing there is a memorandum set upon it, but if this cannot enforce obedience, yet yield to reason, God gave you six days for your own service, judge then whither you are not to blame, if you grudge him the seventh: if this hedge will not hold you in, ●ee further whether this be stronger, it is his own day, give him his due, if you yet break through take God himself for an example, and let this yoke you, that he finishing his work in six days (his work of creation not of preservation) rested the seventh: In that God prescribing a law is himself an vnprinted statute, and maketh his own doing a commentary upon that he prescribeth, my note is this, that they which teach other, must as well instruct them vita as verbo, be as well lamps shining, as voices crying, knowing that the 
m Act. 2. 3.  holy Ghost descended not in the likeness of tongues alone, or fire alone, but in the likeness of fiery tongues, and then do they make themselves 
n Num. ●0. 1.  two trumpets, when they lift up their voice as a trumpet, their life as a trumpet.  
The use is this, to trace God by this fragrant odour, and sweet sent: let the resting on the seventh day descend from God unto man, as the ointment runs down from the head by the beard to the border of the garment: he rested, Level at this mark, let him be the white whereat you aim, the straight line to correct that which is crooked, a spectacle from whence you may draw your impression, a Stern to guide you, and like Bees see you follow your King: if you could take exception against him this reason were weak to persuade, but he is absolutely perfect 
o Mat. 5. 48  be ye perfect, as your father which is in heaven is perfect: say you are singular, and the world on this day do the devil most service, yet imitate this precedent 
p Luc. 6. 40  whosoever will be a perfect Disciple shall be as his Master: he rested, here is a thread which reacheth from God unto man, from the beginning to the end of the way, follow it, you cannot err, ne in domo Dedali no not in the labyrinth of the world, he rested, follow him, though not passibus aequis, though not in equality yet in quality, as fast as you can, and as fare as you may, let him be Doctor, and Ductor, let the example of him that sits above the clouds, direct you, 
q Ex. 13. 21  as the cloud did the children of Israel in their passage towards the land of Canaan, still remembering this that he makes but a bad piece of work that regards not his pattern.  
The Lord blessed the seventh day, either he thought honourably of it, for we are well conceited of that we bless, and therefore Laban calls Abraham's servant, he 
r Gen. 24. 31.  Blessed of the Lord, or else he bestoweth a blessing on them which observe it: and here we are to consider that as God giving a charge to observe all his Commandments in general, bids us here in the very entrance especially remember this, much like as if a father should charge his son to perform many several duties, but commendeth one unto him above the rest, which he tells him he must not forget, so promising his blessing to those which observe his statutes and keep his laws in general, doth here in the end especially mention a blessing on this, as though God had a greater care to bind us to the observing of this Commandment, than any one of the rest. 
s 1. Sam. 2. 22.  God had an especial care of his Temple that it should not be profaned, & therefore it aggravated the faults of 
t Esa. 53. 7.  Elies' sons that they abused themselves at the door of the Tabernacle, and therefore our Saviour Christ, though for meekness compared to a sheep, though he gave precepts of sufferance, 
u Mat. 5. 39  yet when his father's house was made an house of Merchandise, 
x joh. 2. 15.  he bestirred himself with his whip, but God had not a greater care of his Sanctuary, then of his Sabbath, of the place of his service, then of the time when he would be served; and therefore in the law they are joined together 
y Leu. 19 30.  ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary, now if the Israelites say to joshua, 
z Ios. 1. 16.  all that thou hast commanded us, we will do, if the Rulers and Elders say to jehu, 
a 2. Kin. 10. 5.  we are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us, much more than must we that are the servants of God, be at his beck to do his will, and incline our hearts to keep all his laws, but especially that law, which he shall give in especial charge.  
Blessed the seventh day: 
b joh. 2. 10  The governor of the feast tells the the Bridegroom that he kept the best wine till the last, so here the governor of all the world, and the Bridegroom of his spouse the Church, reserveth the best and strongest motive till the last, that if the rest should fail, this might fasten obedience upon us: 
c Gen 27. 8  What means did Rebeccah use, nay what means did she notice to get a blessing for her son jacob? how did Esau weep and howl for the blessing of old Isaac. 
d Gen. 27. 34.  Bless me even me also my father: hast thou not reserved a blessing for me, hast thou but one blessing my father, bless me even me also my father: He will not let his father rest before he blesseth him, no more than 
e Gen. 32. 26.  jacob will let the Angel go before he blesseth him, he will not leave him, till he fastens upon him with his prayers, as the 
f 2 Kin 4. 27.  Shunamite upon Elysha with her hands: here is a blessing not of an earthly but of an heavenly Father, not for our children only, but for ourselves also, if we hollow the Sabbath, as God hallowed it, that is appointed it to be kept holy, we shall drink of the cup of God's blessings, and our posterity shall pledge us. 
g Ex. 16. 27  Some of the people of Israel went out on the seventh day contr● y to the Commandment of God to gather Manna but fou●d nothing, so let men disobey this law, profane this day, and trade in their callings, when they have cast up their accounts, they shall find they get nothing: 
h Luc. 5. 5.  Peter fisheth all night & catcheth nothing, for Christ is not with him, so they may labour and take pay ne all this day, but gain nothing, for God is not with them. The superstitious seafaring man runs not the point aright, for never setting to sea, but on a Sunday, God will not give wind to his sails, and though the wind be a benefit to sailing, yet God converteth it to a plague as he did in the prophecy 
i jon. 1. 4.  of jonas for another fault: say he is brought to the haven where he would be and his ship well fraught, yet his gains shall melt as butter against the Sun, and in the end he shall find he put his wages into a broken bag. In a word, let every one that disobeyes this law look for nothing, but the curse of God, or if he hath a blessing, let him look that God will curse that blessing, if he hath a wife, he shall be afflicted by the wife of his bosom, who should be his helper, if he hath fruit of his body, he shall be afflicted by his son, who should be the staff of his age, if he hath fruit of his ground, God will break the staff of his bread, his Manna shall stink, and he shall find Colloquintida a bitter herb in the pottage: but if we have a care of the Sabbath to sanctify it, the blessings of God shall overtake us, and one shall bind him to give another, God will not pull in his hand from rewarding or hold it out empty, and as he is skilful in dirigendo, because he is a perfect Master, pitiful in corrigendo, because he is a loving Father so will he be bountiful in Porrigendo, because he gives what he will without abatement of his store, he will display the banners of his favour, and unlock the closet of his benefits, we shall have privative blessings which consist in delivering us from evil, we shall have positive blessings which consist in doing us good, some in possession, some in expectation, some in act, some in hope, corporal, spiritual, temporal, eternal, his grace shall prevent us, & his mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. Let therefore the end of the sixth day be a bound to ou● business, like the bound on the 
k Ex. 19 12  Mount, which the people must not pass, like the river, which Shemei 
l 1. Kin. 2. 37  must not go beyond, an Herculis columna, wherein is goguen non ultra, no further than thus: let nothing draw our business without the gates, within which God hath confined it, let not now worldly affairs look in at our windows, if our covetous affections would be to bold, let religion overrule them, kerb them, put them to a non plus, and with check and frown keep them under, go no further, than we are led by this law, as the wise men went no further than they were guided by the star; let our Omer be filled the sixth day, than set we down our rest, and gather now no more Manna for refreshing the body, till the seventh day be past, never set upon that day which God hath set apart for himself, let our trading stand still, when it is come to the Lords day, as 
m Mat. 2. 5.  the Star when it came unto Christ, so God shall bless us, and save us, and show the light of his countenance upon us, which shall shine more and more until it be perfect day, until we celebrate an everlasting Sabbath, and find continual rest in Christ jesus, to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, three persons and one God, be all glory, power, Praise and Dominion now and for ever. Amen.   

The fift Commandment.  Exod, 20. 12. Honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
ON two Commandments, hang the whole law and the 
a Mat. 22. 40. ver. 37.  Prophets. The first, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, on this hangeth the first table of the law, as upon a great nail of the Sanctuary.  
The second is like unto this, thou shalt love thy neighbour 
ver. 39  as thyself, on this hangs the second table, as on another nail fastened in the holy place: When the love of God doth carry us along toward the haven of happiness, we take a good course, as when one river runeth towards the Ocean, it goes as it should, but when this doth meet with the love of our neighbour, as one river meeteth with another then there is a current indeed, and we set forward with a main stream to a sea of blessedness: and therefore as 
b Act. 2. 2.  the holy Ghost was given from heaven, that we should love God, so was it given on earth, that we should love men, and therefore the Scripture maketh 
● 1 Tim. 2. 2  godliness and honesty to meet together, 
d Luc. 1. 75  holiness and righteousness to kiss each other, or rather weaves them together, as 
e o▪ 19 23:  the coat of Christ without seam, that they might not be put a sunder, both of them make up one perfect pair of compasses, which can take the true latitude of a Christian heart, the first like the top of jacob's ladder reacheth to heaven, the 
f Gen. 28. 12  second like the foot of the ladder rests on the earth, or rather walks about in a perfect circle of all such duties, as one of us owe unto another: by the first we walk in reverend regard of all that duty we own to God's Majesty: by the second in simplicity we serve our brethren, and yield to every callings several person, that duty which belongeth unto him.  
The first of these I have already with the help of God passed over, to the second I am to set forward at this time, God again give wind to may sails, that I may run the point aright, and let my words be not only like Peter's Angle, 
g Mat. 27.  which cast into the sea took a fish, but like Peter's net, 
a Luc. 5. 6.  which let down to make a draught, enclosed a great multitude of fishes.  
Honour thy father: The words rest your ears on these two heads.  

1. A charge, Honour thy father 

temporal, as the father of the 

house, as thy father by 

Nature,  
Office,    
country 

thy betters in place,  
thy Elders in years,      
Spiritual, thy Pastor and Minister, which begets thee to God by the immortal seed of his word.    
2. A motive to induce us to hearken to the charge. i. a promise of long life, that thy days may be long, pleasant and fruitful habitation, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.   
HOnour thy father▪ A duty so necessary, that Philo the jew placed this fift Commandment; in the first Table, as though we had not performed our whole duty to the God of heaven, except we gave the honour here required, to Parents, to Magistrates, to all such as represent the person of God upon earth. Frst therefore honour thy father, thy natural father, because thou art 2 man: 
b Heb. 12. ●  God indeed is the father of Spirits: and therefore called 
c Num. 16 22.  the God of the spirit, of all flesh, and though he made all his works in six days and then rested; yet this resting was from works of a new kind, ●ot of the same kind, for he that 
d Gen▪ ●. 7.  breathed in the first man's ●ace breath of life, so that he was a living soul, doth still after a wonderful manner create the soul in the infusion of it, and infuseth it in creating it; but go to the flesh, he useth our parents as instruments of the work, and they are means in framing that part, and therefore should children yield honour unto them.  
The Scripture useth diverse Arguments, to draw us on to the performance of this duty, as the care which parents have of their children good education, of which the Apostle speaketh, when he saith; 
e Eph. 6. ●  Bring them up in instruction and information of the Lord, bring them up, this respecteth meat, drink, and apparel, parents are not like the Raven which forsakes her young, till they are of colour like unto herself, nor yet like the Kite, which grieveth to see her young in good plight: Indeed we read of parents, which have cast out their children, whom the wolves have nourished, which though it be not true, yet hath a semblance of truth, for wolves may become fathers, fathers have become wolves; but these are such as Saint Paul brandeth with this mark, 
f Rom. 1. 30. 1.  without natural affection, but by nature parents, servant depositum, keep that which God hath given them, and have a care to preserve the tender bud of their decaying stock,  
Again they bring them up in instruction, this respecteth civility and good manners, nurture helps nature forward, and though among jacob's sons four were borne of his maids, ●et jacob did so instruct his younger sons borne of the lawful mothers, that they gave place to their el●er brethren, 
g Gen. 43. 33.  the eldest sat according to his age, and the youngest according to his youth.  
Thirdly, they bring them up in the information of the Lord, this respecteth the fear of God, they seek as much to fashion their minds to goodness, as they are careful for the comely behaviour of their bodies: Better not borne, than not brought up, better not brought up, than not taught, better not taught, than not taught the fear of the Lord: and therefore the Apostle joins them together, bring them up in instruction and information of the Lord: but say parents are backward in performing these duties, yet children should be forward in giving this honour, and though there were no other reason, yet this must be sufficient to drive them to it, they are their parents, by them they are brought into the world, by their means they have their being, without them they had not been: and if 
a Mar. 12. 2  the Lord of the vineyard sent to the husbandmen for the fruit thereof, because he planted it, 
b 1 Cor. 9 7  for who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit: then even in this respect (for the Philosopher said, se plantare hominem) should children pay to their parents, that fruit which this Commandment, as a Collect or goes to gather from them: and this is that which Solomon saith, 
c Pro. 23. 22. 25.  obey thy father, that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother, when she is old, thy mother that bear thee.  
This honour consisteth, 1. in reverencing their persons, 2. obeying their precepts, 3. in relieving their wants. For the first, when 
d Heb. 12. 9  the Apostle speaketh of the fathers of our bodies, he speaketh also of giving reverence: Among the Lacedæmonians, the arrogancy, and sauciness of a child, was the cause that one of the Ephories, (men of great place and authority among them) published the law of testaments, by which it was lawful for every man to appoint whom he would to be his heir. And among the Romans', when the father was dead, the child was not admitted to plead his father's will by way of action, but only by way of request, speaking very humbly, and reverently of his disceased father, leaving the whole matter to the judge's discretion, this served to bind children to have their parents in greater reverence and estimation. This reverence must show itself in word and in gesture, in word by speaking submissively, and reverently unto our parents, as the prodigal child doth unto his father, who having drawn much of his patrimony through his throat, and spent the rest among harlots, so that now he became fellow commoner with swine; useth all reverence in his words; 1. When he attacheth himself, and brings himself into his father's presence, 
e Luc. 15. 18.  I will rise and go to my father. 2. When he indites himself, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and against thee. 3. When he judgeth himself, I am no more worthy to be called thy son: such a reverend submission, is an Adamant to draw the heart of an hardhearted father, and 
f Gen. 32. 24.  wrasleth with him according to the policy of jacob, it winneth by yielding, and the lower it stoopeth towards the ground, the more advantage doth it get to obtain a blessing. Solomon, though he were a King, yet speaketh to his mother with great reverence, for when she is to make a petition to him, he saith unto her, Ask on my mother, for I will not say thee nay, he that builded the Temple, was himself a true temple of God built 
g 1 K. 2. 20  with a low roof, and therefore he disdained not his mother, but giveth her so good words, that she that bear him might rejoice.  
This reverence is showed in gesture, by uncovering the head, bending the knee, and giving place; it is written of Thanu a Stoic Philosopher, that though for his deserts, he was made Consul and chief Ruler of the City, yet meeting his father at a banquet, gave him the highest room saying, naturaeleges in convivio debere obseruari, sicut in praetorio civiles, in place of judgement let the order of the Civil law be observed, but at a place of merriment, let the law of nature go before it.  
How reverently did the foresaid Solomon, carry himself in his gesture toward his mother, when she came to desire a Request of him, 
a 1 K. 2. 19  the King rose to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and he caused a seat to be set for the King's mother, and she sat at his right hand: this he did in token of reverence, and to give good example to other; neither let the child count this any disgrace, for now it is true that Aristotle saith, honour est in honorante non in honorato, and the more we abase ourselves before our parents, the more we increase in honour both before God and men; and the 
b Ps. 128. 3  children which like olive branches stand round about the table shine, like the seven stars, which go about the pole brighter than the rest.  
ᶜ Cursed then be Canaan, cursed be Ham, and the wicked nation of the Canaanites that proceed of him, for when his father overcome with wine was uncovered, (for drunken po●ters keep open gates) in the midst of his tent, he had no reverence as Shem and japheth, but in token of derision and contempt told it his brethren, let Adoniahes bad carriage against his father King David, be still remembered to his everlasting shame, for when his ●ather is grown old, he gets a guard to set forth his estate, and exalting himself saith, 
d Kin. 1. 5  I will be King. So did the son of King Henry th● second. for when his father joined him with him as King, and at his coronation renouncing the name of a King for that day, did as Sewer serve at the table, my father, saith he, is not dishonoured in attending on me, for I am both a King and a Queen's son, and so is not he: Euilmerodach, (as the Hebrews report) went further than thus, for he using his father Nabu●adnezzar, very irreverently after he was dead, drew his body out of the grave, burned it to ashes, parted the ashes, put them in four several purses, bound them to four Aegle necks, and caused them to fly to the four quarters of the world. The Scites a barbarous people, yet held the very Sepulchers of their fathers in great reverence, in so much that when Darius seeing them fly before him, would know how far they would fly, they answered, to our father's Sepulchers, unto which when thou shalt approach, O King Darius, thou shalt see we set not so much by the life of the living, as bones of the dead. What an evil son than was this Euilmerodach, who himself would work that cruelty the like whereof the Barbarians to dye for it would not suffer their enemies so much as to attempt? But I proceed.  
The second point of honour required in children is to obey their parents precepts, and to suffer themselves to be led and guided by them, in matters of marriage men are commonly carried by affections, their choice is not so much led by virtue and religion, as by gain or pleasure, their flesh sleepeth not, while their wines are chufing, as Adam slept while his wife was 
● Gen. 2. 21  making; this makes them like those, whom they soon mislike again, and to take wives, as men do flowers, which they cast away, when they are once withered: but Isaac in matching himself is well content to be at his father's disposition, for otherwise 
f Gen. 24. 3.  Abraham had reckoned without his host, when he sent his servant to take a wife unto his son Isaac, and the servant would have cast a doubt of Isaac as well as of Rebecca, but he said only what if the woman will not come with me? he makes no question of Isaac, for he saw before, 
g Geu. 22. 6.  how obediently he went with his father to the Altar, though he saw no  offering, he perceived that he shown no semblance of dislike, though he saw no reason of the thing commanded.  
Mordecai was not father, but in stead of a father to Easter, yet being made Queen, 
a Est. 2. 20.  she was obedient to him that had brought her up.  
This serveth to reprove. First those children, which shaking off their father's yoke, slatly deny their obedience. Secondly those which promise fair, but are slack in performing, patterns of both these, we have in the Gospel by Saint Matthew; for of the two sons, which the father bids go work in his Vineyard, 
b Mat. 21▪ 28.  the elder said, I will not, ye afterward he repeuted himself and went, the younger said, I will sir, yet he went not: in the one is a deed without show, in the other a show without deed, worse are they, in whom is neither deed nor show of obedience; such were those graceless waggestringes in Terence, Clitipho and Clinia, of which the first, when his father Chremes gives him good counsel, to wit, that he should not give himself to Wine and women, that he should resist the beginning of evil, for that by continuance it gathereth more strength and more, and will hatch if her eggs in time be not broken, O saith he, Quam iniqui sunt patres in omnes adolescentes iudices, qui aequum esse censent nos iam a pueris ilico nas●i sends etc. is not this a pretty matter, that our fathers would have us in our dotage, before we are passed our nonage, shall not we take our swinge, as well as they did, when they were of our years the crafty old fox, tells me now that I should make use of other men's harms, ne ille haud s●it quam mihi nun● surdo narrat fabulam, I wis little wots he what a deaf ear I lend to all his talk, let him say what he will, I will do as I list: here is true pattern of a child past grace, to whom truth is untoothsome, because it treadeth down his own liking, to him I send other children to school, but as that cunning Musician, who set his scholars to an ignorant and homely minstrel, but before he sent them out, he bade them take this lesson with them, see you shun your masters doings, the matter of his songs, the manner of his playing, his lessons, his fingering is naught, so when you see graceless Clitipho pencil out unto you, see you follow not his floating jump not in his steps, he treads too much outward, and will not be underlayde, yet make this use of such carrions, gather honey out of their weeds, by their enormities learn to correct your own, otherwise go ye not after them, fashion not yourselves like unto them, be not as 
c 1. Sam 2. 25.  Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli, for they obeyed not the voice of their father, therefore 
d 1. 5. 4. 11.  the Lord slew them: hearken rather what Saint Paul saith, 
e Eph. 6. 1.  Children obey your parents, but he addeth; in the Lord, obey your parents in the Lord, for parents lose their right to be obeyed when they command against God. 
f Luc. 2. 51 ver. 29.  Our Saviour Christ went down with his parents to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but yet preferreth his duty to God before any duty to them, and therefore he saith, 
g Heb. 12. 9  knew ye not that I must go about my father's business? We have fathers of our bodies, and of them we have esse naturae, our being in Nature, we have a father of our spirit, and of him we have esse gratiae, of the one our being, of the other our well being; both these we call father, we obey both, so long as they both enjoin the same duties, but when they command contraries, and he whose son thou art by nature, will have superiority over thy faith, and lie in thy way as thou art going to God, in this case 
a Mat. 23. 9  call no man your father upon the earth, for their is but one, your father, which is in heaven: now go from thy father as 
b Gen. 12. 1  Abraham from his father's house, now 
c Luc. 14. 26  hate thy father, as charity itself doth exhort, now let thy holy carelessness make thy father thy footestep.  
The third thing wherein this honour of children consisteth, is in supplying their parents wants, if they be in case able to relieve them, to raise their fathers out of the dust, when they are impoverished and fallen in decay, and cannot see the rivers, nor the floods and streams of honey and butter; this doth very nature teach, for we see that all boughs do incline and bend themselves toward the root, from which they took their original, and more than so in summer time receiving from the root leaves and flowers and fruit, do in winter time let them fall again to the fatting and nourishing of the root: The Storks, (and Pliny writeth the same of the birds Meropes,) do feed their▪ dams when they are old, because their dams did feed them when they were young; if Nature worketh thus in creatures which have life without sense, and sense without reason, shall not Nature and grace do the like in children, which besides life and sense, have a reasonable soul? The good nature of joseph, shall be remembered to his great commendation, 
d Gen ●6. 29. 31.  who after that for honour's sake he had gone to meet his father coming into Egyt, had his next care that he might dwell in the land of Goshen, the fat of the Country: and the natural affection of that daughter shall not be forgotten, who seeing her father had his judgement to be famished, and that none might be suffered to bring him meat, did give him suck with her own breasts: On the other side to blame were the jews, who disannulled this law, for it is written in their Talmud, a man is bound to honour his father and mother, unless he did vow the contrary, and accordingly Hubaldus, as Gratian noteth in the decretals, would not help his mother in her need, for he had vowed he would not: too blame were the scribes and Pharisees, whom our Saviour Christ reproveth for this, that they dispensed with children which neglected their parents though they stood in need of their supportation, so as they would give (as they use to say) to the Church, 
e Mar. 7. 11  as though the commandment did not rather drive them to their parent's care, then to the Priests Corban. In a word to blame are all such children as being fat upon earth, and seeing their Tabernacles to flourish, are ashamed of their parents when they are filled with poverty, when Opus, and Vsus, knocks at their doors, when they are brought to a morsel of bread, and drinking of the beggar's dish taste the smart of needy want: which without all pity and compassion will suffer them still to go to the fountain for their best cellar, to the ground for their bed, to the gate for their bread, to the broker's shop▪ or I know not whose wardrobe for , to cover the nakedness of their bodies, these I say, because they will not raise their parents out of the dust, and lift them up from the dunghill, run into the breach of this commandment, honour thy father, and thy mother: The mother is the weaker sex, and commonly most doteth upon her children, which maketh her look for less honour, and them less to esteem her, therefore there is express mention made of the mother, honour thy mother, and 
f Deu. 21. 18.  Moses speaketh of harkening both to the voice of the father, and voice of the mother, to show it is as well the mother's duty to instruct her children, as it is the children's part to submit themselves, as well to the one as to the other; nay more than so in Leuiti●us, the mother hath the Bedels' seniority, and though she be the junior yet hath the first place, 
g Leu. 19 3  ye shall fear every man his mother and his father, that none might take exceptions against his mother, or think himself exempted from her jurisdiction.  
This serveth to reprove such sons as, being without natural affection, are ready to hold their mother's short, when the Churchyard hath the length of their father's bodies, such as impairing their mother's true titles, are ready to turn them out of doors; such beasts are like young Kites, who when their dams have hatched them, taken pain and gone about the camp with much danger to bring them meat to feed them, do not withstanding, when they are grown strong, beat them with their wings, will not suffer them to eat of their prey, but with their bill and with their wings expel them from their nest.  
I need not speak here against Parricides, there are few Christians grown so barbarous, except some moth, which destroys the cloth wherein it bred, or some few vermin, which eat into the flesh whereof they came, or some Salamander, which being a long while nourished in the sire, at last quencheth it, or some worm, which being bred at the foot of the tree, and growing with it, at last kills it, or some frozen snake in Aesop, which intoxicateth and infecteth him with poison, who warmed her in his bosom: such a monster in nature was Nero, who caused his own mother Agrippina, to be slain and ripped open, that he might see the place where he lay in her; little better were the Bactrians, among whom was such in humanity, that when there parents, were sick or old, they threw them to dogs to tear them in pieces: Caspij a people in Tart●●i● nourished dogs of purpose to do the like piece of service, here in England in the days of persecution, I know not whether I should more cry out of the cruelty of the persecutors, in commanding children to set fire to their parents, (which in the reign of Henry the 7. 1506. one joane Clarke the only daughter of William Tilsworth, and afterward the children of john Scri●ener, were enjoined to do with their own hands) or of the unnatural fact of the children in obeying this cruel command.  
jacob's children though they were not guilty of this sin by committing the fact, yet might have been somewhat charged with it, for omitting that comfort which they might have ministered to their father, for when jacob saw his son Iosephs ●a●ti-coloured coat all imbrued with blood, he was even at death's door and said, 
a Gen. 37. 33.  it is my son's coat, a wicked beast hath devoured him: joseph is surely torn in pieces, whereupon he rend his clothes, put sackcloth about his loins, would go down into the grave unto his son mourning, and mourn for him as long as he lived, yet none of them said, be of good cheer, thy son joseph liveth, this coat was but dipped in the blood of a Kid, the worst that hath befallen thy son is this, he is sold to the Ishmalites: but nature itself doth so much abhor the sin of parricide, that me thinks I have a Supersedeas to meddle no more with it. If you would know the reason why children run into the breach of this Commadement is the turning of the commandment topsie turuy, for therefore the son doth not honour his father, because the father doth honour his son, that is, doth not correct them but cocker them, for therefore is 
b 1. Sam. 2. 29.  Ely said to honour his sons, because he gave them but light rebukes for heavy sins, and the quantity of the punishment was not answerable to the quality of the offence: 
c Heb. 12. 9  we have had the fathers of our bodies (saith the Apostle) which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; first he speaketh of correction, and then of reverence, as though reverence would not follow except correction as an usher did go before it, what was it that caused Adoniah to deal so treacherously with his father, as to usurp the Kingdom but this, 
d 1. Kin. 1. 5. 6.  his father would not displease him from his childhood, to say, why hast thou done so? will you keep meat well savoured, yet will ye neur salt it, will you have sprigs sprout well, and yet will ye never lop them? can children have list in age to live as they should, and yet you give them liberty in youth to live as they list? cast away correction, the child becometh rude, as 
e Ex. 4 3.  Moses rod cast from him turned to aserpent, but bring it forth it makes him bring forth good fruit, as 
f Num. 17. 7. 8.  Aaron's rod laid forth brought forth buds, brought forth blossoms, and bare ripe almonds: therefore say not the rod causeth blewnes, chiding discourageth, breaking is violent, the yoke is heavy, but with the birch bend children in youth like the birch, lest you bewail them in age, for their wilful irreverence and stubborn disobedience: you parents many times jar and snarre, you men and wives sometime bestow blows each on other, leave off, reserve them for your children, they will do your sons and daughters more good: correct them, make them know themselves, they will be a joy to your hearts, they will be your glory, and as the Apostle speaking of the faithful saith, 
g Heb. 11. 16.  God was not ashamed of them to be called their God, so you need not be ashamed of them to be called their father, but let them run riot and take their own swinge, dote upon them and displease them not, they will grieve your hearts, and assure yourselves that so many sorrows shall afflict you as a due punishment in age, (if 
a 1. Sam. 4. 18.  with Elie you do not break your necks before) as you suffered vices in them, in their youth they will prove like a generation of vipers, which rend and tear their mother's sides, and the dishonour which they will do unto you, will be as a sword passing through your hearts: thus having stepped a little aside to show the cause of children's disobedience, I return to the charge.  
Honour thy father, that is thy master for he is paterfamilias, the father of his household, and therefore 
b 2. Kin. 5. 13.  Naamans' servants call their Master father: and on the other side the Master (as 
c Mat. 8. 6.  the Centurion) calls his servant son, for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth son as well as servant, and we may say of servants, God hath made them little lower than sons, as David said of man, 
d Psal. 8. 5.  thou hast made him a little lower than Angels, but a little lower, and God accounting servants as sons saith, 
e Col. 3. 24  they shall receive the reward of the inheritance.  
The Master hath a care of his servant to give them meat in due season, and though he doth not say by and by when his servant cometh from the field, 
f Luc. 17. 7. 8.  Go and sit down at table, yet afterward he saith, eat thou and drink thou. A●d 
g Pro. 31. 15  the wise and worthy woman for her part riseth while it is yet night and giveth the portion to her household, and the ordinary to her maids, if God doth visit the servants with sickness, the Master doth not shut his doors upon them or send them to an hospital, but keeping them in sickness useth the best means he can for their recovery, 
a 1. Sam. 30 13.  not dealing as the Amalekite, who left his servant because he fell sick, but like the good Centurion, who coming unto Christ in the behalf of his servant saith, 
b Mat. 8. 6.  Master, my servant lieth sick at home of the palsy and is grievously pained, but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed. Again he alloweth them lawful times of honest recreation, and will not wear them to the back, as though they were made for nothing but his servitude: he will pay them their wages at their time concluded on, and not find or frame excuses to discard them empty, in a word he will so use them, that if opportunity serve, they shall feel the sweetness of their service, and his bounty: In regard of the soul, he is a Seraphim to kindle their zeal, and reckoning his servants as much his, as he is his own, hath a care that they walk with their God, and do not transgress the limits of honesty, like that noble man, who had for his Impress, two bundles of ripe Millet bound together with this Motto, seruari et seruare meum est, for the nature of the Millet, is both to guard itself from all corruption, & also to preserve from putrifying those things which lie near it: thus doth the good Master, and therefore his servants honour him, but if he should be of a contrary disposition, 
c Psa. 123. 2.  yet the eyes of servants, must look to the hands of their Masters, and the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her Mistress, a good servant must be subject to his bad Master, as fare forth as he may do him service with clean hands and with an honest heart, and this is that which Saint Peter wisheth, when he saith that servants 
d 1. Pet. ●. ●8.  should be subject not only to good and courteous Masters, but also to the froward, for then a clean napkin doth wipe a fowl mouth.  
This honour consisteth in reverence, in token whereof 
e 2. Sam. 9 11.  Ziba doth acknowledge, David his Lord, and himself his servant: in obedience, in witness whereof the Centurion saith, 
f Mat. 8 9  I say tomy servant, do this and he doth it in diligence, and therefore 
g Gen. 2 54.  Abraham's servant, when he nath suffered his eyes to sleep and his eyelids to slumber, and the temples of his head to take a little rest, will not for all entreaties admit for any longer stay, but like an arrow out of a bow hasteth to dispatch the business whereabouts his master sent him: in faithfulness, which caused 
a Gen. 24. 33  Abraham's servant to prefer his master's business before his own necessity, which made 
b Gen. 39 9  joseph true to his master, notwithstanding the enticements of his mistress, which maketh many servants hazard their own lives for their master's safety.  
This serveth to condemn such servants, as will be hail fellow well met with their masters, secondly, such as being bid to do any thing will give their master leave to do it himself, or at least murmur and grumble, reason the matter and answer again; Thirdly, eye servants, which will do good service, but yet no longer than their master's eye is upon them, such a one is that servant in the Gospel, who 
c Mat. 24. 49.  in his master's absence doth revel and take on, as though he would throw the house out at the window; such a servant did that fat man meet withal, who being asked, why being fat he did ride upon lean horse, answered, I feed myself, but trust my man to feed my horse: Fourthly, such as are treacherous to their masters, and by discovering them, or their secrets do bring them into danger; but here a question may be moved, how fare forth a master or his secrets may be concealed.  
We read in Chronicles, that when Richard the third that usurper did pursue the Duke of Buckingham to put him to death, for tyrants use to cut down the stairs by which they climb up: the Duke in extremity did fly for secure to one Banaster his servant, upon whom he had bestowed great means to enrich him: Banaster very carefully conveied him into a Copse, adjoining to his mansions house and there preserved him, but within a while there is proclamation made, that whosoever can reveal where the Dnke is, if he be a bondman he shall be enfranchised and made free, if a freeman, he shall have a general pardon, and be rewarded with a thousand pounds, hereupon Banaster, either for fear of danger, which might ensue, if he did conceal him, or hope of gain which he thought to receive, if he did reveal him, bewrayed where his master was, whereupon he was apprehended, examined and executed: he that writeth this story doth much condemn Banaster as one that betrayed his master, and therefore the judgements of God did follow him, and his as long as he lived, for shortly after his son and hair waxed mad, and died in a bores sty: 2. his eldest daughter of an excellent beauty was suddenly strucken with a fowl leapery: 3. his second son became lame and very deformed in his limbs: 4. his younger son was drowned in a shallow puddle: 5. he himself in his old age was arraigned and found guilty of a murder, and had been hanged had he not been saved by his Clergy: 6. where he looked for a thousand pounds' King Richard gave him not one farthing, but as much disliking his doing, said, he that would be false to so good a master would never be true unto any: but let this suffice to have spoken of the honour due unto the father of the house, whither he be Pater or Paterfamilias a father by nature, or a father by office for the good ordering and training up of those, which are committed to his charge.  
Besides fathers of the house, which the Philosophers call Economical, there are fathers of the country, or common wealth called political land these are first our betters in place, as Kings, and all that are in authority: concerning Kings the Scripture calleth them 
d Esa. 49. 23.  nourishing fathers, we must therefore honour them, and willingly bend our necks to be subject to them.  
The Scripture enforceth this honour by diverse reasons; First from God's ordinance, 
e Rom. 13. 1.  the powers that are, are ordained of God, inde illis potestas unde spiritus, 
f Pro. 8. 15  by me Kings reign (saith Wisdom) and Princes decree justice. 
g Gen. 1. 2  In the beginning the earth was without form, void, and darkness was upon the deep.  
Ante mare & terras, & quod tegit omnia coelum;  
Vnus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe:  
Quem dixere Chaos, rudis indigestaque moles.  
Now lest the body of the common wealth should be like the confused Chaos, when height and depth, light and darkness were mingled together, God ordained a power, a right of rule and government, which superiors have over inferiors, a King over subjects, there is some show of this superiority and subjection in things without life: for in music, which consists in voice and sounds, the counter-tenor seems to command over the base, and oil doth swim above other liquours, in things without reason, for in the earth the Lion is Precedent among the beasts, the Eagle among the birds, in the salt and fresh waters, the Whale rules in the sea, the Pike in the pools: and man to whom God hath given life, sense, and reason rules over all: He hath put all things in subjection under 
a Ps. 8. 6.  his feet, but the King above other men as the head above the members, the Cedar among the trees, the Sun among the Stars, and God himself among the Angels, this is God's ordinance, which to cross is to war against God, and therefore on the one side, 
b Pro. 28. 2  because of transgression, the land hath many Princes; But Non bene cum socijs regna venusque manent, and that which is the same with it,  Nec regna socium ferre nec tedae sciunt, 
Love and Lordship can abide no fellowship: many master Pilots when every one desires to hold the rudder hinder one another, and therefore the common wealth where many will rule, except it be subordinately, one under another; is like Pliny's Amphisbaena, a serpent which had an head at each end of her body, and while both strive which should be the master head, the body is toiled miserably, and in the end rent and torn both sometime: on the other side no King is a judgement, for then the 
c Esa. 3. 6.  Prophet showeth, there followeth confusion, when every one refuseth to be a Governor: and one cause of great disorder, which was among the people of God is noted to be this; 
d jud. 17. 6  in those days there was no King in Israel, and it is noted as a just wonder that 
e Pro. 30. 27.  the grasshoppers have no King, yet they go forth by bands: for the body of the common wealth which wants a chief Ruler is like the body of Poliphemus without an eye, and in such a state men are as fishes 
f Hab. 1. 14  which devour one another: to blame therefore are the seditious Anabaptists, who liking best an Anarchy like untamed horses lift up their heels against government, but whatsoever they teach yet in their rebellion, popular equality was so burdensome unto them, that contrary to their own doctrine they had john Matthew to their captain, & john Allied to their head, and amongst their devils, Beel-zebub the chief of devils:  
I speak not here against free States, which are ruled in common, not by one Prince, but by the best men, or by the whole people, yet even amongst these one had the preeminence, as the Consul at Rome for his month, the provost at Athens, each of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their week, each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his day, but this I say to the commendation of a Monarchy, that whereas no Aristocratical or popular estate hath lasted longer than six hundred years, and few so long many Monarchies have continued twice as long in the same estate, neither doth any government draw so near to nature as this herein, because God hath ordained the King to have the supremacy, therefore the subjects must honour him: and secondly honour him, because he appointeteh judges and Magistrates under him, 
g 1 Pet. 2. 14.  for the punishment of evil doers, and praise of them that do well: for the punishment of evil doers, and therefore as they carry a balance in one hand, so do they bear a sword in the other, with the one they justly weigh litigious and controversed causes, with the other they punish malefactors, and maintain the innocent, they are physicians of the common wealth, and minister Potions to rid out distemperate humours, for the wicked are as it were the oppression of nature, the surcharge and surfeit of the stomach, which cannot be eased, except such inhabitants be spewed out of it: if any bad member be bred in the body of the common wealth they cut him off, as surgeons cut off certain limbs in the body, which are infectious— ne pars sincera trahatur: if bad members come from other places as Seminaries, and Jesuits, do from Rome, they be like the bird Ibis, which destroyeth the serpents which come out of Libya into Egypt, very hurtful to their Country: Aaron and his sons do consecrate their hands to God in the holy slaughter of sin, but when Aaron's vrim and Thummim will do no good, then comes Moses with his rod and staff, when the tongue cannot persuade, the rod doth compel, and when the sword of the spirit meets with such iron hearts, that it enters not, but is rebated, then doth the arm of the Magistrates bruise them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.  
As the Magistrate is the Comet of the guilty, so is he the refuge of the innocent, his seat is a shelter to such as are oppressed, and a sanctuary to all that are distressed; his breast is an Ocean, whereinto the cares of private men do empty themselves, which when he hath received, he presently seeketh to ease them by repressing the violence of such as do vex them, and as though there were a writ directed to him from God, much like a fieri facias, he goes about to right those that are wronged: Neither doth a good King always this by Deputies alone, but as though he had received an Impress from God, much like the Roll of 
a Eze. 2. 9  Ezechiell, with this motto of Moses, 
b Num. 11 12.  carry them in thy bosom: he himself is a guard unto his subjects, against caterpillars and cormorants, and bastards falcons.  
It is written to the commendation of Marcus Aurelius, that dividing the hours of the day for the business of his Empire, he allotted one hour to hear the complaints of the grieved, the suits of poor men and widows wanting justice, and that two days in the week; he would walk abroad to see if any person would speak with him, or make complaint unto him; On the other side, it is written to the discommendation of other persons, that they admitted not those 
c Est. 4. 2.  which by their apparel did testify their mourning.  
Thus you see the good milk, which Kings as nurses send forth in the streams of justice, pity, and compassion: Saint Paul setting out the blessings which we reap by means of good Kings, mentioneth especially these three, 
d 1 Tim. 2. 2  Peace, Godliness, and honesty, each of these is a great blessing, peace, whither we respect deliverance from enemies abroad, for therefore was Arabia called faelix, because the people living in continual peace, had their towns unwall: or whither we respect quiet from discord at home, it is well with Bees when they make a noise in their hives, but it is well with men, when they be at quiet in the common wealth, happy is this land of ours, which hath received this benefit by good Princes, happy be the remembrance of King Henry the 7. who joined the Roses, the Houses of York and Lancaster together, and so freed it from civil dissension: and before that time happy be the remembrance of King Henry the 2. in subduing Wales unto England, though this was done Armorum strepit●, but since that time, still twice happy be the remembrance of our gracious King james, who with quietness hath pulled down the wall of partition betwixt England and Scotland, and having come over on this side Iorden, hath planted the Tribes of his Israel and people on both sides the Rivers, thus the Rivers go again unto the Sea, and the dove is returned with an Olyve branch in her mouth to the Ark from whence she came forth; and we hope that all three peoples shall long and long, yea for ever dwell in the Tabernacle of peace, and in sure dwellings, and in safe resting places, for their peace sing Te Deum in the highest note, when many other Nations cry Miserere in a mournful voice, since the same continent contains them all, the same Kingdom and government rules them all, the same Religion instructs them all, since these three most sure bonds, natural, civil, and religious, knits them all together, which hath been twisted by our mighty Monarch, and therefore surely like to hold out for ever, 
e E● 4. 12.  a three fold cord is not easily broken.  
The second benefit mentioned by the Apostle is Godliness: A good Prince like Canutus before the conquest makes laws by counsel of his sages, binding his subjects one rule of Christian Religion, well and advisedly to hold, not giving countenance, either to jewish, Turkish, Greekish, or Popish Religion, though all these stand for competition of truth, but only to the Reformed, driving his subjects as a good shepherd his sheep altogether to green pastures, not dispencing with any, since none are exempted by God, denying a toleration, either to the cause of Papists, lest it should infect the persons, or to the persons lest it should credit the cause.  
The third benefit is Honesty: A good Prince hath a care that there be just and honest dealing betwixt man and man, that he which hath much, setting honesty aside, doth not tyrannize over him that hath little, that the fat cow doth not devour the lean, and the full ear eat up the poorer corn, that one doth not by fraud take away another's land, or by violence hold that, which is none of his, or convert other men's goods to his use: in a word, that men do not live like beasts; but honestly and uprightly one with another: these three I say are great blessings, which we enjoy under good Princes, and the want of any one of them is a great blemish in a common wealth, peace without godliness is but security, godliness without honesty, is but hypocrisy, honesty without godliness is but paganism, and a glistering sin, neither godliness nor honesty without peace can well be maintained: Godliness is the sum of the first Table, honesty the Sum of the second, peace an happy manner of enjoying them both.  
Lastly honour the King, for God himself honoureth him, in styling him by his name, for as Patriarch and Prince have interchangeable names (for the Hitites called Abraham the Patriarch a Prince, thou art a Prince of God among us: and 
f Gen. 23. 6  to make even Peter calleth David the Prince, Patriarch, 
g Act. 2. 29  I may boldly speak unto you of the Patriarch David) so God and the King have interchangeably borrowed names; 
a Ps. 20. 9  God is a King in heaven, the King is a God on earth, herein honouring the King, in giving him his own name, as jacob honoured joseph's 
b Ps. 82. 6.  sons, when he said, 
c Gen. 48. 16.  Let my name be named upon them: now as the people honour him, whom the King doth honour, (in token whereof they cried before joseph 
d Gen. 41. 43  Abrech, that is tender father, in token whereof Haman brought Mordocai on horseback, after he had arrayed him in royal apparel through the streets of the City, and proclaimed before him, (Thus 
e Hest. 6. 11  shall it be done to the man, whom the King will honour) so must they much more honour the King, whom God doth honour.  
This honour consists not only in reverence, in regard whereof it was not lawful so much as to laugh in the Court of the Areopagites, and even the Roman Censors disgraded a Burgess for yawning too wide in their presence, not only in allegiance, which is as well pledged unto him by the obligation of an oath, as it is due unto him by bonds of Nature, not only in fear, in token of all which three, God hath given Princes three special ensigns of honour, 
f Ps. 21. 3.  a Crown of gold for their sublimity, for which they must be reverenced, 
g Eze. 19 11.  a Sceptre of righteousness for government, for which they must be obeyed; 
a Rom. 13. 4  a Sword for vengeance, for which they must be feared; but especially, it consisteth in serving him with our goods for his maintenance, and with our lives for his defence: with our goods for his maintenance, and therefore though our Saviour Christ wrought many miracles, yet he never wrought any about honour or money; but that about tribute, 
b Mat 17.  rather than that should go undischarged, he commanded a fish to pay it: for this cause Christ doth not say, date, but 
c Mar. 22. 12.  reddite, quae sunt Caesaris, Caesari, and Saint Paul saith, 
d Rom. 13. 6  ye pay tribute, as though it were a due debt, and therefore we must be willing to discharge it.  
Secondly, this honour to the King must show itself, in serving him with our lives for his desense: The Bees in their common wealth have a King, whose palace they frame as fair in show, as strong in substance, if they find him fall, they establish him again in his throne with all duty, with all devotion, they guard him continually for fear he should miscarry, for love he should not. The people 
c 2 S. 18. 3  in the second book of Samuel would not have the least hurt befall King David, and therefore when they went to war would not suffer him, though he were forward in offering himself, to go forth with them, but they would put their lives in hazard to save him harmless. This serveth to teach every subject to do the best he can for his Prince's safeguard, he that is in the place of counsel by all the ways of wisdom, he that is in the seat of justice, by due & just execution of the law, he that is in the Priest's office by bowing his knees and lifting up his hands: and not only this, but to go further, and say to his King as Peter to Christ, 
d Mat. 26. 35.  I will jeopard my life for thy sake, and though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee. Again this serveth to condemn those, who are so fare from putting themselves in jeopardy for their King, that they will adventure their lives to make him away, as Brutus and Cassius, who slew Caesar in the Senate house, as Simon the Monk who first drank himself of the Wassall bowl into which he had conveyed the venom of a toad, that he might poison King john, at the Abbey of Swinestead. This in latter time condemneth the Pope, who promised earthly and heavenly recompense to Parry for offering his service to kill Queen Elizabeth. It condemneth Doctor Allen, who taught that Princes might be violently handled, deposed from their throne or exposed to danger. It condemneth the Jesuits, who celebrate them as Martyrs, who lost their lives in the North, for bearing arms against the Queen.  
I conclude therefore this point of honour, with that saying of Saint Paul; 
e Rom. 13. 1.  Let every soul submit himself to the higher powers: every one, without respect of persons, not every body, but every soul, with respect to a willing mind, to higher powers without exception against their qualities, which maketh against the priests in Hildebrands' time, who taught the people that they own no subjection to evil Kings, and though they have sworn fidelity, they must not perform it, nor yet be accounted perjurers for holding against their King; but whatsoever they are that bear rule, we must submit ourselves, their will must be done, aut à nobis, aut de nobis, of us, or on us; when their laws agree with Gods, than we must be agents, when they are dissonant, than we must be patients, if Kings entering upon God's freehold will broach a new Gospel, or coin another Creed, they must not be obeyed therein, 
f Dan 3. 18  Be it known unto thee O King, (say the three children Sidrah, Misach, and Abednego) that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden Image, which thou hast set up. He that obeys a wicked command, is as much to blame, as he that doth enjoin it, yet must we submit ourselves to the punishment which shall be laid upon us, for that we obey not, knowing that bad Kings are tempters, and we must receive our trial with patience.  
An other sort of Fathers to whom honour is due, are our elders in years, for the Apostle teaching Timothy, how he should behave himself in rebuking all degrees, calleth them fathers; 
g 1 T. 5. 1. 2  Exhort an elder as a Father, the younger men as Brethren, the elder women as Mothers, the younger as Sisters. This the Prophet Esay noteth to be a sign of extreme confusion; 
a Esa. 3. 5.  when the children shall presume against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable, and there fore 
b Leu. 19 32.  Moses gives in charge to rise up before the horehead, and honour the person of the old man: In token of this honour at Rome the younger sort were wont to lead the elder sort home.  
Magna fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani,  
Inque suo praetio rugasenilis erat.  
how were they wont to reverence a man that had overlived the taste of his , the sight of his eyes, the hair of his head, the teeth of his gums, on whose forehead was figured the map of age, in the furrows of whose face appeared the calendars of death: but sape nigrum cor est, caput album.  
Some are in their nonage for affections when they are in their dotage for years, and are such as Plutarch saith of Sardanapalus, 
c 1. Tim. 5. 6.  and Paul of a widow living in pleasure, they are dead while they live, such as Seneca saith of an old man, non ille tam diu vixit sed tam diu fuit, as though being altogether unprofitable he had out lived himself, told three or fourscore years and then died, these have but barely age, and therefore but one step unto honour, but if they be like flowers, which have their roots perfect, when themselves are withering, if with roses they keep a sweet savour though they lose their colour, if with the Sun they give greatest glimpse at their going down, if they be so pregnant and ready to give counsel, as if many years were gone back again in the course of their days, like 
d 2. Kin. 20 11.  the hours upon Ahaz Dial, if their silver hairs containing great experience have more certain skill then younger heads 
e job. 15. 10.  as Elyphaz argueth they have, if they give a good example of sobriety, honesty, discretion, soundness in faith, in love and in patience 
f Tit. 2. 2.  as Paul saith they should if they have not only senectutem bonam, but bonum senectutis, the fruits of piety, when the harvest of their years is come, then honour them in giving reverence 
g Leu. 19 32.  as God commandeth, in giving ear to them as 
a job. 32. 4  Elihu to his ancients, in taking patterns from them, and bettering our own carriage by following their steps, let them have all the honour that may be according to the residue of the Poet saying.  
— sed quibus album  
Et caput et cor est, sint in honore senes.  
Now concerning spiritual fathers, these are Pastors and Ministers, which work in us our regeneration and new birth, in which respect Paul saith to the Corinthians, 
b 1. Cor. 4. 15.  ye have not many fathers, for in Christ jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel, 
c Gal. 4 1●  and therefore he calleth the Galathians his little children of whom he travailed in birth again till Christ were form in them: honour therefore these father's first in regard of their calling, 
d Mala. 2. 7  for the Priest is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts, not a common Ambassador, but legatus a latere, 
e 1. Cor. 4. 1.  a disposer of the secrets of God, and as Nicodemus said unto jesus, 
f joh. 3. 2.  Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher sent of God, so they are first Rabbis for their learning, having been Doctorum discipuli, before they come to be imperitorum magistri, and sat at Gamaliels' feet, before they warmed Moses chair, they have not like lapwings run away with some part of their shell on their heads, but stayed at jericho till their beards were grown and had their Nunc dimittis in the University, before they came to exuultemus in the Country: Secondly they are sent of God for their licence, and their commission is sealed, when Christ saith to his Disciples 
g Mat. 28. 19  go teach all nations: now he that contemneth the Ambassador despiseth him that sent him, 
a 2. Sam. 10 6.  David accounted the abuse offered to his messengers as a dishonour done unto himself, and therefore our Saviour Christ saith, 
b Luc. 10. 16.  he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me: Again honour them in regard of their message, they bring tidings of salvation, and 
c Rom. 10. 15.  how beautiful are the feet that is the coming of them which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? I say not, but they may preach the law, but then they go plus ultra, they set abroach the Gospel and make the wounded conscience drink of the water, they may bring their hearers to the brink of hell, but withal they tell them, they may stand fast in Christ jesus and look in, not so much as with a little thrust driving them down, whom they see to stand on narrow footing: their message is to tell those that are terrified by the law, that they must account Moses as an excomunicate person: to let them hear, like john, 
d Reu. 14. 2.  the voice of music after the voice of thunder, and 
e 1. Kin. 19 11.  with Elias a soft and still voice after a mighty strong wind which rend the mountains, and broke the rocks before the Lord, to unbind the chains of those which are held prisoners, 
f Io. 11. 44.  to lose Lazarus and let him go, in a word with the 
g Gen. 8. 11.  Dove to bring an Olyve branch to the Ark when the flood is ceased.  
Now the first thing wherein this honour consisteth is in having the Minister in reverend regard and estimation, as the Apostle adviseth, saying, 
a 1. Thes. 5. 1●.  I beseech you brethren, know them that labour among you, and that are over you in the Lord, etc. There is an hireling, enters in by the door, but regards not the sheep, yet tolerate the hireling, there is a thief, which enters not by the door, and comes to destroy, beware of the thief, there is the good shepherd, which entereth in by the door, and careth for the sheep, know such a one, account of him, and have him in singular love for his works sake. In the old Testament why 
b Ex. ●9. 42  doth God appoint a place to parley with the Priest? why doth God entering them into commons, 
c ●eu. 6. 16  make them as his fellow commoners? 
d Nu. 3. 12  why doth he compare them to the first borne, and 
e Num. 27.  appoint that the Prince should ask counsel of God, by the mouth of the Priest? why would 
f Le. 21. 67  he not have the least spot of dishonesty in their houses? why doth he manifest by a miracle, that he is the author of the priesthood? why (when he would brand the Israelites with a mark of greatest reproach) doth he say, 
a Hos. 4. 4.  Thy people are as they which rebuke the Priest? One special reason of all this is, because the Priest should be priced and accounted off by man, as he is esteemed by God: and here letting pass the Prophets, which are called 
b 1 K. 13. 1  men of God, which are said to be of God's 
c Am. 3. 7.  privy counsel, which are counted 
d 2 Ki. 5. 8.  the glory of Israel: why in the new Testament, are the Ministers called 
e 1 Cor. 3. 9  God's laborers? why is their 
f 1 Th. 5. 20  preaching called prophesying? why are the hearers said to sit at their feet? one special reason was this, to add more honour unto them, and make you receive them with reverence.  
To let pass Scripture, had it not been to make the very name of a Priest venerable, they would not in former ages have chosen their Priests out of their Philosophers, and their Kings out of their Priests: I speak this to the shame of such proud and arrogant Squires, which think so basely of their Minister, that he is not worthy so much as to wait upon their trencher, to the shame of all Atheists, which make as much reckoning of their Ministers as the Egyptians did of their shepherds, 
a Geu 46. 34.  every sheep keeper was an abomination to the Egyptians: to the shame of all such, as like the dog will bite the stone in stead of him that threw it, and like 
b job 1. 15.  the devil will smite jobs servants, when he cannot smite job himself: The jews could say of Christ, 
c Mat. 13. 55.  is not this the Carpenter's son, is not his mother called Mary, are not such and such his brethren and sisters, so the Gentiles can be content to know their Ministers in the baseness of their birth, in the poorness of their kindred, in the smalenes of their liuings, in whatsoever may any way disgrace them, they will not know them in the worthiness of their calling, in the weight of their message, in any thing which may make to add unto their commendation: God did give honour to the builders of his material Tabernacle in calling them by name, do not you then dishonour the builders of his 
d Ex. 35. 30  spiritual Temple, in calling them out of their name, as 
e 2. Kin. 2. 23.  the children called Elisha baldehead neither do by mistaking a word in stead of Sir, give them the Sirrah, you know that in respect of themselves they have a commission from God, & that he who hath a commission from a Prince, be he never so mean a servant, yet excels the very Nobles in those things whereunto his commission reacheth, you know again in respect of yourselves, were it not for their Ministrey, you were like Turks and infidels, never shipped with Christ in Baptism while you are infants, that afterward, you might sail with him in the pi●nisse of the Church, and at last anchor in the haven of happiness, you could never partake the sacrament of Christ's body which should strengthen you in your journey to heaven, 
f 1 Kin. 19 6. 8.  as Elias having eaten the baken cake walked to the mount of God: were it not for their Ministry, you lived in adultery, and had the same comiunction with harlots in wickedness, which now being husbands you have with your lawful wives in matrimony, and by the appointment of God: were it not for their ministrey, your children now lawfully begotten, were illegitimate, were base and therefore even by the law of the land excluded from inheritance, happily you think I take too much pain in rolling this stone, but considering your contempt, less I cannot speak, and presupposing that with Sisyph●● I shall spend my strength in vain, more I will not.  
A second point of this honour is to hearken to them and yield obedience to their Doctrine: job speaking of his glory, saith 
g job. 29. 21.  men gave ear unto him, and waited, and held their tongue at his counsel, in this respect 
a 2. Cor. 1. 44.  Paul esteemed the Corinthians his glory, for that as God's sheep having an eare-marke they listened unto him, and therefore he saith, though other 
b 2. Cor. 3. ●  have need of letters of recommendation, yet he needed not, for when men should hear of their faith, which by his means was wrought in them, when they became teachable, this was sufficient certificate for him, there should need no other epistle, no other hand and seal, they themselves were walking passports, they themselves were his epistles, letters testimonial, & the very seal of his Apostleship, whom therefore 
c 1. Cor. 9 2.  he calleth his rejoicing: and as on the one side detrimentum pecoris, est ignominia Pastoris, for what greater dishonour can there be to the Minister, then when men shall say, he hath been in such or such a Parish, these ten, twenty, or thirty years, yet his parishioners have need of milk, they are unacquainted with the first rudiments of Christian Religion, they know not what they must do to be saved, surely he hath not chalked them out the way to heaven, or else there is some great fault in him, God doth not bless his labours, he spends his strength for nothing, he runs in vain, without the fruit of that he ran for. So on the other side, the profit of the people is the praise of the Pastor: when men say of him & his flock, as they did of Octavius and the walls of Rome, for what commendation was this to Octa●ius, that coming into Rome and finding walls of brick, at his departing he left walls of marble, so what honour is this to the Minister, that coming into a Parish, and finding hearts of stone, at his departure like a cunning Alchemist he leaves hearts of flesh, that finding the inhabitants like 
d Luc. 15. 13.  the prodigal child a fare off, like 
e Luc. 15 ●  the lost sheep strayed out of God's enclosures, into Satan's common; not only by whistling, but by crying unto them, he hath brought them again to the sheepfold: that finding them following the world, the flesh, and the devil, he hath made them Antipodes, and caused them to run contrary courses to other men: this I say is an especial point of honour, when people are bettered by their Pastor's doctrine, when their words kindle with faith, and utter with zeal, 
f 1. Sam. 17 49.  like the stone out of David's sling hath strake the sin and sinner at the heart, when being before unprofitable trees, they are now filled with the spirit, and bear fruit on every bough, and on every branch.  
This serveth to condemn such, as 
g Ru. 2. 17.  with Ruth will not glean the ears of corn, with the laborours' in God's harvest, let fall, which come to Church for fashion sake, or to save the penalty of the statute, or to find some Recipe to procure a sleep, which like 
a Ex. 5. 2.  Pharaoh will not hearken unto Moses, though he comes with a message from God, which 
b Es. 53. 1.  will not believe the Prophets though they speak in the name of God: 
c Luc. 16. 30.  which like the rich man makes no reckoning of Moses and the Prophets, which 
d Gen. 19 14.  like Lots soon in laws, count the denouncing of particular judgements but a mockage, and 
e 2 Pet. 3. 4  the general judgement but a fable: but especially it condemneth such as resist the truth, 
f 2. Tim. 3. 8.  as jannes' and jambres withstood Moses, such as persecute their preaching which was Alexander's fault, of whom Paul complaining saith, 
g 2. Tim. 4. 15.  he withstood our preaching sore, not our person, which had been a breach of charity, but our preaching, which was a direct offence against piety: it commendeth only such as get honour to their teachers, by receiving with meekness the word that is grafted in them, 
a ja. 1. 21.  which is able to save their souls.  
The third thing, wherein this honour consists, is in giving maintenance, and this must be pro, and contra; first in supplying things necessary for the maintenance of their lives; secondly, in replying words necessary to maintain their credit, when the lewder sort shall go about to take their good name from them: Concerning the first, before the law, even in superstitious places as in Egypt, when the famine was great, the Priests 
b Gen. 47. 22.  had an Ordinary of Pharaoh, and did eat their Ordinary, which Pharaoh gave them: If Idolatry fed her Priests, let not the Gospel starve her Ministers; in 
c Num. 18. 21.  time of the law, God gave the Levites all the tenth in Israel, for an inheritance for their service, which they served in the Tabernacle of the congregation, after the law, Saint Paul gave as strict a charge for tithes as ever Moses did, and therefore he useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatically. 
d Gal. 6. 6.  Let him that is taught in the word, make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods. But some say 
e Act. 18. 3.  Paul wrought with his hands, true, but it was to win Disciples, which otherwise he was not likely to have gotten, since at that time, false Apostles preached freely to win the favour of the people.  
Other say the Apostles were poor, I say these have the devotion of judas, 
f joh. 12. 6.  who was a thief, and bore the bag. Another saith, he takes no pain, he is lazy, tongue tied, he is like balaam's Ass, which never opened his mouth to speak, but it was a wonder to hear him: but I say tithes are laid forth by public law, and public orders must not be privately altered: A fourth saith, I reap no profit by him, but go into the Church as an Aethiopian into the Bath, who comes out as black as he went in: this should as much discourage him from preaching as thee from praying, what a grief is this unto him, that his tongue should be the pen of a ready writer, and thy heart like paper oiled which will not receive the print of the pen, that his talk should drop upon thee, and thou 
g jud. 6. 40  like Gideous fleece remain dry: 
a Mar. 14. 68  yet the cock doth crow, though Peter still denies his Master, and 
b Act. 12. 26  Peter knocketh still, though the damrell doth not open unto him, and 
c Luc. 5. 4.  launcheth out into the deep, though he hath laboured all night and taken nothing.  
Non est in medico, semper relevetur ut ager. Yet the Physician hath his fee, though the sick patient never recovers health, for the 
d Lu. 8. 43.  diseased woman spent all she had upon Physicians yet was never the better, 
e 1. Cor. 3. 8  every man receiveth his wages according to his labour, secundum laborem (saith a learned friar) non secundum proventum and therefore Paul saith, 
f 1. Cor. 15. 10.  I laboured more than they all, not profited more than they all: thus having removed the blocks which some have stumbled at, when they were going to pay their due tithes, go on the common road way. You that are Patrons, be not like the worm 
g joh. 4. 7.  that smote the gourd, nor like moths bred out of the ruins of the Church, regard not more Haram domesticam, quam Aram dominicam, do not crop and girdle the Minister's maintenance, be not such foxes as eat up sheep and shepherds both, deal not as Dionysius, who coming to the Church gave linsey wolsey for gold, for silver coats, do not praise learning and l●t it go naked, let not Cleanthes a painful student grind, and that for sustenance sake, suck not as though you were the 
a Pro. 30. 15.  two daughters of the horseleech the blood which your fore-farhers put into the veins of the Church, despoil not that which they clothed, be not merchants of souls, pull not the forbidden apple, and cleave not like caterpillars to the fruits of the Church, reduce not tithes to stipends and alms, be not like 
b Iud 17. 10.  Micha in allowing wages, make not yourselves golden Patrons by presenting wooden Priests, do not take sacrum de sacro, and so with 
c Dan. 5. 3.  Belthazar carouse in the bowls of the Temple, nor yet sacrum de non sacro, and so rob the Church of her endowments and possessions, say not with William Rufus Church bread is sweet bread, do not with julian the Apostata, take away the Ministers maintenance pretending conscience, for that to much living was a burden unto them and hindrance to their Ministry; but let that heroical mind be in you that was in David, 
d 2. Sam. 23. ● 17.  who would not drink of the water that was brought unto him, because it was fetched with the venture of blood, make your best preferment rewards of worth, and 
e 1. Kin. 3. ●7.  deliver the whole child to the true mother: You that are parishioners, 
f Gen. 14. 20.  with Abraham give your Melchizedeek tithe of all, you are the Vineyard of the Lord, let your Levites eat of your grapes, you 
g Luc. 12. 32.  are the flock of Christ, like good sheep give down your milk, that your pastor who feeds you may taste of it, 
a 1. Cor. 9 9  starve not the Ox which treads out the corn, lest you bring a famine of the bread of life. The Pharisee saith 
b Luc. 18. 12.  I give tithe of all that ever I possess, do not you come short of him who comes short of heaven: you that are Ministers, be not contentious in small matters, but in great wrongs, be not too much patiented, to the hurt of the Church, 
c Ios. 21. 1.  the chief of the Levites demanded their due, when they were not thought of, but by great over sight were passed over in 
d Luc. 10. 7.  the division; the workman is worthy of his hire, and therefore look for your penny, when you have laboured in the Vineyard, and require that allowance which is made over unto you as a deed of gift by this commandment.  
The second kind of maintenance is in standing for the Ministers good name, when bad men shall broach false rumours of him, and ill will disperse spiteful narrations to disgrace his worth by malice; when the 
e Mar. 12. 2  Pharisees did think the Disciples faulty they come and tell their Master, when the Master, 
f Mat. 9 11.  they tell the Disciples, the lines of Satan boldly open their mouths with a conceit of impunity to speak their pleasure of the Minister in his absence, setting their tongues to sound nothing but detraction and slanders, croaking like frogs in the fen till he come near them, but Christ, though he stops not the Pharisees mouths from speaking ill, yet he opens his mouth to reprove them, and to make an apology for his Disciples, in such a case 
g Rom 16. 4  Aquila and Priscilla stand for Paul, though they do it with dangering of their own lives: In the law, 
a Ex. 23. 1.  thou shalt not receive a false tale of any much less of thy Minister, thou must not be a nurse of his ill fame▪ but let the reporter see in thy face, that he hath no room in thy heart, he that opens his mouth to detraction is a thief, he that opens his ears to entertain it, is a receiver, both of them carry the devil with them, the one in his tongue, the other in his ears: we have a saying, and it is true, their would not be so many thiefs, if there were not so many receivers, so there would not so many rob the renown of their Minister, and clip his cridit to make him lighter esteemed, were it not that the hearers open their ears to receive, and suffer untrue and malicious reports to get credit among them. To conclude this point therefore, let not the ear be an open Sepulchre, therein to bury thy Ministers good name, but let thy mouth be open to reprove those, which like mad dogs, lay out their venomous tongue's and hasten to bite it with their teeth; neither thyself pair his estimation, as 
b 2. Sam. 10 4.  Hanun did the garments of David's Ambassadors, neither give way to such as carry his dirt on their tongues, as though their mouths were 
c Neh. 3. 14  the doung-gate, through which the filth in jerusalem was carried forth, speak thou well of him always, if it may be done with truth, if it cannot, then lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and of the two rather hearken to him, which in censuring the Ministers makes a bad one good by partiality, and smooths his unworthiness by favour, then to him which makes a good one evil by malice, and doth disgrace him by envy: for men will not willingly taste of the fruit, when it shall be said, a bad tree did bear it. Thus you see what the honour is which this commandment requireth, you see who the fathers are which have a charter for it, to each of which we give the more honour the better patterns they have been of virtue, not so much honouring them, whose wit hath contrived a plot of preferment, as them, whose worth hath been a stirrup to raise them out of the dust. There are other; which set in foot for this honour, but their title to it is like that claim, which the harlot laid unto the child, 
d 1. Kin. 3. 23.  who, when she had overlayed her own son, made challenge to that which was none of hers, the first and worst of these are they, which being fathers of mischief, lords of misrule, and notable in some kind of villainy, as though they were gallant fellows glory in their sin, and will, like warts and swellings in the body, be above other, such a one was Novellius Tricongius, who looked for an honourable place, for that he was able to drink three pottles of wine together with one breath, and true it is, that in recompense of this good service, the Emperor Tiberius made him Proconsul.  
Other, though not so full of vice, yet as void of virtue, being tainted with ambition, seek the greatest dignities: In war we honour such as will not turn backs upon the enemy, nor niggardly grudge their blood when God or their Country call for it; such a one as Leonides was, to whom, when his soldiers, as being dismayed, said, that the shot of the enemy's arrows was so thick, that it covered the Sun, than said he, let us fight in the shade: but Comineus upon the battle of Montlebery saith, that even those, which shown themselves most dastard and cowards, not only sought after great offices, but also did obtain them, some, saith he, lost their offices for running away, which were bestowed on other, that fled ten leagues further. Thus many times both empty vessels swim aloft, and rotten posts are guilt with adulterate gold, the worst weeds spring up bravest, & when the twines do strive in Rebeccaes womb, 
e Gen. 25. 25  the worst cometh forth and hath the first place: I wish I could not exemply this in some few of our own coat, of our own calling, who though they know themselves fitter implements for the belfry, then to open God's book in the pew, or in the Pulpit, though they see men of excellent parts content themselves with a low sail, and shrouding themselves in willing secrecy, like good corn l●e in the bottom of the heap, till they are called forth of their chosen obscurity, yet do they put themselves forth before their time, do justle for great places do hold out their cap to ●eceiue the alms of fortune complaining, if they (
f Ex. 9 10.  like the ashes sprinkled toward heaven, when God sent botches and sores on man and beasts) be not lift a loft, if they be crossed or defeated, or brought to a loss in the heat of their chase, 
g Dan. 2. 31  with Nabucadnezzar they dream of great Images, 
a Dan. 4. 8.  of great and strong trees, 
b Gen. 41. 2. 5.  with Pharaoh of fat kine and full ears, the imaginations of their sleep show what their disposition is when they are awake: 
c jud. 9 15  with the bramble in the parable they will be above other trees, 
d 1. Sam 14 13.  with jonathan and his armour bearer they will climb up, though it be by the raggedness of the rocks: with the 
e Pro. 30. 28.  spider in the Proverbes, they will ●ake hold with their hands, and be in King's palaces: but while they seek the greatest dignities they find the greatest shame, and like Apes when they be climbing they do the more show their deformities, for before, some few knew their insufficiency, but now being importunate to be eminent, all the world may see, that they have pride matched with their unworthiness: but howsoever, honour, if it rise not of men's own worth, of their virtues and knowledge is falsely given, is wrongfully taken, and therefore the heathen building a Temple to honour did in such sort adjoin unto it a temple to virtue, that a man could not possibly get into that, but he must of necessity pass through this.  
An other sort of chaff that will be above the corn is gather-good, a man who having been good, with a rake and scraped much muck together, now steps in, and would be garnished with whole pounds of honour, though he hath scarce one dram of honesty, hereupon he shoulders for a title, he seeks Knighthood praece et praetio, he hath Hares feet to go up the hill, he posteth for pomp and frothy ostentation, as fast as jehu hasted forth his Chariot, 
f 2. Kin. 9 20.  he drove as if he had been mad: he hath projected a plot to rise, he seeks his rising with importunity, with servile flattery, with cleaving like a burr to some great man's coat, rather than he will return void of a title? And indeed, it many times so falls out, that his wealth procures him honour, as well as his oppression, his usury procured him wealth, this is also a solecism and like false Latin, for honour and substance do not agree together, except substance hath some other adiect unto it, we set not so much by the vessel as by the liquor that is in it, not so much by the chest as by the treasure it containeth, not so much by a man for his outward goods as inward goods, and therefore let wealth and worth go together, let goods and goodness kiss each other.  
The last sort which would have their share in this honour, and whose plea seemeth best for it, are they, which descend of more noble blood than other, and can fetch their pedigree furthest off, but even these must know, that they are not to stand on the greatness and antiquity of their race, if they lack virtue, whereof greatness took her beginning: Beatus Ludonicus being asked, what honourable surname should be given unto him, demanded again, from whence it was, that he had greatest nobility, and when some said, of his Predecessors, others of his birth place, I do not remember, saith he, that ever I had greater honour, then when I became a Christian, and this was at Pissiacum, and therefore will I be called Ludovicus de Pissiaco. and so he was, he thought no birth to a new birth in Christ, no parentage to that of having God to his father. Do we reckon of the wine that runneth on the lees, because it was drawn out of the same piece, the neat wine was, do we reckon of muddy water, though it came from a clear spring, shall we, with the Israelites, bow to a molten calf, because it was made of golden earings? It was the saying of old English Chaucer, to do the gentle deeds, that makes the gentleman: gentry without virtue is blood indeed, but blood without suet, blood without sinews, blood is but the body of gentility, excellency, of virtue is the soul, that without this is a body without a soul, and without honour falls down in the dust: and therefore, when Hermodius a noble man borne, imbraided the valiant Captain Iphicrates, for that he was but a shoemaker's son, my blood, said Iphicrates, taketh beginning at me, and thy blood at thee now taketh her farewell: be the birth never so base, yet honesty and virtue is free from disgrace, be the birth never so great, yet dishonesty and vice is subject to dishonour. To conclude therefore if thou be noble by thy birth, prove not ignoble either by bad vices of thine own, or lewd devices of other, take thy great birth to be an obligation of great virtue, suit thy behaviour unto it, and inoble thy parentage with piety, and since true honour must come of thyself, and not of other, work out thine own glory, and stand not on what thou wouldst borrow of thy predecessors: If thou reach not the goodness of those which gave the outward glory, know it is thy pride to be transported with a vain name▪ if thou dost not as much honour thy house with the glory of thy virtues, as thy house hath honoured thee with the title of thy degree; know thou art but as a wo●d●n knife put into an empty sheath, to help fill up the place, when that if good mettle is lost, and can no more be found: if thou do●st not learn Patrizare, and let thy father's virtue meet with thy blood, know thou art but as a painted fire which may become the wall, but gives no light to the beholder, nay know further that the greater the honour of thy father was, the greater is thy blemish and reproach, if thou come short of thy father's virtue, for now art thou guilty of neglecting so good a Precedent.  
They that are noble, will have their retainers seek the worship of their estates in the service of them, then let themselves seek the honour of their estates in the service of God, and be as careful to get true honour by serving him, as their followers to receive civil worship by serving them.  
That thy days may be long: 
g Gen. 32. 26.  jacob would not let the Angel go before he blessed him: nor the Lord part with this commandment, before it leaves a blessing behind upon them which do observe it; so that the entrance into this second table 
a Ex 12. 7.  like the door posts of the Israelites hath a blessing upon it: 
b Eph. 6. 2.  Saint Paul calleth this the first Command-ment with promise, not but that the second Commandment, hath a general promise of mercy for the general service of God: but this is the first, that hath a particular promise made unto them, which perform the particular duties which it requireth: and secondly the first, not that a second followeth with any express promise, for first hath not always relation to a second thing 
c Rom ●. 8.  as we may see in the Epistle to the Romans', and therefore Heluidius argument, is false to prove the virgin Mar● had a second son, because the Holy Ghost saith, 
d Mat. 1. 25  she brought forth her first begotten son and called his name jesus: and a Commandment with promise, not that God doth bind himself that they which honour their parents shall always live long, for God's promises of temporal blessings are Hypotheticae an● go with condition sometime expressed, sometime suppressed, which condition is as an oar in a boat, or stern of a ship, and turns the promise another way. The first thing therefore which here I observe is that long life is to be reckoned among the blessings of God: It was a blessing of God upon Israel that being in the wilderness 40. years 
e Deu. 29. 5  their garments did not wear 
f Ios. 9 5.  as the garments of the Gibeonites, so if in many years some men's strength wears not, their senses do not decay, their bodies, which are as the garments of their souls, hold out longer than other men's, as though with the Eagle they did renew their youth, and God did add certain years unto their days. 
g Esa. 37. 5.  as he did unto Ezechias, this is a great blessing of God.  
Men are full of holes and take water at a thousand breaches, some go away by sickness, some by violence, some by famine some by fullness, sometime death 
a Mat. 2. 16  is in the cradle, 
b 2. Kin. 4. 40.  sometime in the pot, sometime in the cup, therefore job doth not say the grave, but the graves were prepared for him, to show that he was besieged with many deaths, & that he had but one life among a number of deaths which were ready for him: now if death, which seeketh for us every hour & in every place, be long before it find us, if having an habeas corpus, he will not serve his process, till our years be as many ages, and we are satisfied with long life, if when our life hangeth in the balance and there is but a step between us and death, if we be continually as one travelling with child, if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and our soul be always in our hand, yet we multiply our days as the sand, and even like Salamanders live long in the fire, this is a blessing of God. Some enter no sooner into life but they are at the brink of death, receiving at once their welcome and their farewell, their lamp it wasted as soon as lighted, and their life at an ebb before the tide be full, others like flowers are gathered while they be fresh, and being like a sentence interrupted before a period, begin like some summer fruit to rot as soon as they are ripe, death writes them 
c Dan. 5. 3.  as he did the Chaldean tyrant a letter of Summaunce to appear that night before him: It is a curse of God upon the bloodthirsty and deceitful man, 
d Ps. 55. 23  he shall not live out half his days, it was a punishment of God upon Elie for cockering his sons and upon his sons for their disobedience, 
e 1. Sam. 2. 32. 33.  the multitude of thine house shall dye when they be men, there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever: it was a plague of God upon Israel that though they brought up their children, 
f Hos. 9 12  yet God would deprive them from being men: a plague upon the wicked, 
g job. 36. 14.  that their soul doth dye in youth, 
a job. 22. 16  that they are cut off before their time 
b Gen. 38. 7.  like Er and Onan as not worthy to live upon the earth; and on the other side it is God's blessing, if he increase, the length of our days and years of our life, if we multiply our days as the sand, if death demand not his due, till the crow's feet be in our eyes, if we die 
c job. 42. 17.  with job being old and full of days, and go to our grave in a full age, 
d job. 5. 26.  as a rick of corn cometh in good season into the barn.  
This serveth first to confute that heathen who said, optimum est non nasci, proximum quam cito aboleri, the best thing is never to be borne, and the second best is to dye quickly, for though this life be over spread with sins and cares and crosses, which like a filthy morphew make it loathsome to all judicious eyes, yet all these are but accidental, life itself is a blessing, and the longer we live, the more experience we have of God's favour, a greater loathing of the sins which our youth delighted in, and larger time of repentance.  
Again this teacheth that we must not hasten forward the end of our days, and bring ourselves out of breath before our race be ended, for this is to throttle and choke the blessing of God, let therefore the thread of thy life be drawn out by Lachesis till 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sent to cut it in sunder: let not the spirit resign over it borrowed mansion, till natural moisture of itself doth soak away, till like a Sise or wax candle it be consumed to the socket, and the last drop of moisture quencheth the last spark of glory, surrender not thyself when a conceit takes thee, let the landlord take it at his pleasure, do not like a coward run away, but then depart in peace, when God saith, return again thou son of Adam, and then willingly pay tribute to Nature, when of themselves the natural passages do close together: like an empty bag neither love this life for delights in it, 
e Ec. 1. 2.  for vanity of vanities and all is vanity, yet love it to serve God in it, neither hate this life for the miseries of it, yet hate it so far forth as it keeps thee in subjection to sin.  
Again come not presumptuously into places, where some bodies are contagiously sick, lest thou lose this blessing, and come untimely to thy grave, come not within the lists of destru●ction, if 
f Gen. 19 20.  with Lot thou canst have a Zoar to save thyself, fly as much from him, whose disease would infect thy blood, as from him whose cruelty would spill it.  
Lastly bestow cost as long as thou mayest, to continue this blessing by upholding this ruinous house of thine, it is against the course of Nature, and a way to tempt the very God of Nature wilfully to hinder our health, or not seek means to continue it, or to recover it, God sendeth several diseases, and hath appointed several Medicines as remedies to encounter them, therefore honour the Physician & 
g Es. 38. 21  with Ezechias lay a plaster upon the boil: say not man hath his set period as well as the sea it bounds, which it cannot pass; say not, life and death is not in our own hands, for some seek death in misery, yet find it not, others meet with it at feasts and gaudees, where they would fainest forget it, say not when the glass is run do what we can, we can stay no longer, and the clock will strick when the minutes be past, say not, let death se●ke us, yet it shall not find us till our time be come, and therefore away with Physic, what shall means do? for then a ●ope upon thee, try every knife, eat Colloquintida thy belly full, frequent places where the air about thee doth infect, and where the breath of one body is poison to another, but in matter of hope, where the end is not known 
a 2. Chr. 16 12.  use means with Asa, though thou rely not upon them though many times they avail not.  
Days: though some men's lives be long, yet the Lord saith not, long years, long months, but long days, and David measu●eth their length not by a goad or an ell, but by an hand, 
b Ps. 39 5.  thou hast made my days as it were a span long, to show how shorst this long life is, and howsoever we patch and piece these poor cottages of ours, yet they will come in manus domini and shortly fall into the Lords hands: Let old men in their arithmetic, deduct their night (for sleep which is like unto death, being the customer of man's life, taxeth the nights to his own use) and they shall find half their time stricken off at one blow. let them deduct their prime days, for 
c Ec. 11. 10▪  childhood and youth are vanity, another part is cut off, let them deduct the days of sortow, which are rather to be termed death then life, and all their days are gone, for life and misery are twines Hipocrates twines, borne together and dye together: The Lacedaemonian in Plutarch hearing the Nighttingale sing sweetly▪ took her into his hand, and having stripped her of her feathers said tantum vox, she was nothing but voice, such is the life of him that can sing the merriest note; if you strip it of sickness, strip it of cares, strip it of sorrow: 
d Gen. 5. 27.  M●thusal●h lived longest of all our forefathers, yet he lived not a thousand years, but grant he had, yet a 
e 2. Pet. 3. 8  thousand years to God are but as one day, but we, who commonly exceed not threescore years and ten, live not an hour to that day, and therefore Solomon as though our days were not worthy the title of time, mentioned not a time to live, but 
f Ec. 3. 2.  a time to be borne, and a time to dye, as though death did border upon life, as though our cradle did stand in our grave.  
He said something to the purpose, which said that life was smoke or the shadow of smoke, or the dream of the shadow of smoke, but I say of him, as one said of another, in another case, non dixit ut est, dixit ut potnit, he made life as short as he coul●, no● so short as he should: he shot nearer the mark who being demanded what life was, made an answer answereles, for he presently turned his back and went his way, and indeed we fetch but here a turn, and God saith 
g Ps. 90. 3.  return again, our mortal life is but a living death, the ●a●th receives us like a kind mother into her entralls, when we have a while trodden her under foot, and all our time in respect of eternity is shorter than the time between the drinking of the hemlock and death of him that drinks it, mine 
a Ps. 39 5.  age is even as nothing in comparison of thee (saith the Prophet) and every man living is altogether vanity.  
First therefore affect not a kind of eternity here upon earth; old men as they are children for simplicity, so would they be for years. Lysicrates in his old age died his white hairs black, that he might s●e●e young still: The 
b Num. 32. 5.  children of Reuben and Gad, having much cattle, requested Moses leading the people toward the land of promise, that they might be left in the land of Gilead, and not go over Iorden, so carnal men having many beastly affections, and worldly men whose portion is in this life; say as Peter when Christ was transfigured 
c Mat. 17. 4  it is good to be here, and therefore with th● Gadits, 
d Num. 23.  go to building, and make their prison as strong as they can, but when they have done what may be done, yet within a few days, like the spider and her web, wherein she thought to have lodged as in her freehold, they shall be swept away, their days shall soon suffer eclipse, the night will come when their candle shall be put out, and they shall go to their long home, though many times against their will, 
e Gen 19 26.  as Lot's wife went out of Sodom, as 
f Luc. 16. 3.  the unjust Steward went out of his office; though with the Crab they go backward from death, and are pulled from life with more violence 
g 1 K●. 2. 28  than joab from the horns of the Altar.  
Secondly, have this life in contempt even for this that it lasteth not; 
a Mat. 20. 6  Here we may not stand still, here we can not rest, 
b Re. 14. 13  that is reserved to another life, 
c 1 Pet. 2. 11  here we are pilgrims and strangers, and therefore not in our Country to rest ourselves, but in our journey to walk ourselves; if we feel any pleasure, it is soon dashed with some mishap, and like a calm continues not long without a storm, nay our sweet is tempered with sour, and we find a mixture of both; but say that our life were a Paradise, our joys exquisite, and our pleasures without composition, yet how can we sing our songs in a strange land? how can this but cool our delight, and make us less esteem it, to consider our life is short, our delight vanish, and though we spend our time in pleasure, yet suddenly we go down to the grave.  
Thirdly, we have here no abiding place, therefore seek the place where we shall have 
d Heb 9 15  a perpetuity, rather than this from whence we must shortly go of necessity, respect that where we shall have an everlasting habitation, rather than this, where like freshmen, we have but as it were a year of probation. In purchasing you regard not so much three lives as the fee simple, not so much a lease determinable by years, as land which go to you and your heirs for ever, then set not so much by this life, which shall vanish away like a scroll, as by that where you shall receive the charter of an everlasting being, not so much by this day in which the sun setteth, as by that day which knoweth no eventide, nor hath any sun going down, where thou shalt have no more Sun to shine 
e Esa. 60. 19 20.  by day, nor Moon by night, where the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and thy God, thy glory.  
Thy days. The day to come 
f 1 Pet. 3. 10  is the day of the Lord, but the days present ʰ are our days: A man reckones of that 
g Ps. 90. 12  which is his own, though it be but of small value, and he of great ability, Naball a man of great possessions and exceeding mighty, yet reckones of his bread and other small commodities, 
a 1 Sam. 25. 2. 11.  Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh, and give unto men whom I know not whence they be? but if it be dainty than we set the more by it, as the poor man did by that 
b 2 Sa. 12. 3.  one little sheep which he had bought in nathan's parable, but if further, we can never recover it, if once it be gone from us, then how great is our grief to leave it or lose it. Now time is ours, 
c Luc. 19 42.  this day and nihil nostrum nisi tempus, nothing so properly ours as is time, it is also rare and dainty, for whereas of other things a man may have 
d job i. 2. 3  many at one time, he can have but one time at once, and if this be once past, behind 
e Ec. ●. 5. 6. 7.  there is no holdfast to pull it back again: The Sun and the wind and the rivers, all these three return to their places: In the three parables, 
f Luc. 15. 6 9 31.  the man doth find his lost sheep, the woman her lost groat, the father his lost son, but loss of time comes never again, but is like a bird let fly at large out of the hand, or a word, which babbled out cannot be recalled: If we have but a short time to enjoy any thing, we take all the benefit we can reap in that time, as if a lease be shortly out of date, we rip up the grounds, eat up the grass, cut down the copses, and take all the liberty the lease will afford. Certain hawks in colder countries are most eager and earnest to take their prey, when the day light there is of least continuance, even 
g Re. 12. 1●  the devil himself is most busy, because he hath but a short time. Now time is ours, and it is but a short time we have, he that is young may think he is old enough to die, he that is strucken in years sees his set period before him, and may think himself too old to live longer, the palm tree is full of blomes, the map of age is figured on his forehead, the calendars of death appear in the furrows of his face, the grave doth call him saying, it is high time to departed this life, to come away and dwell in it, and therefore take the benefit of this ●ho●t time, 
a jer. 4. 4.  br●ake up your fallow grounds, and sow not among the thorns be circumcised 
b Deu. ●0. 16.  to the Lord, and take away the foreskinnes of your hearts, let unquiet passions, and ambitious desires be crucified 
c Mat. 2● 38  like the two thiefs, and even in this sense, let them 
d Gal. 5. 12  be cut off that trouble you The wicked slip no time to work wickedness, 
e Io● 2●. 5  as will le Asses in the wilderness they go forth to their business: it is now no good argument, they are not drunken, 
f Act 2. 15.  since it is but the third hour of the day, for 
g Esa. 5. 11.  they rise up early to follow 
a ●●. 23. 2.  drunkenness: Balaam posteth for a bribe: 
b Luc. 16. 5  the unjust steward hasteneth to make friends of the unrighteous Mammon: be you as wise in your generation, 
c Ex, 16. 21  gather Manna in the morning, step into the water 
d joh 5. 7.  with the cripple, while health may be recovered, open while Christ 
e Reu. 3. 20  knocketh; 
f Mat. 23. 37.  gather yourselves under the hen while she clocketh; with 
g Luc. 19 5  Zache● come quickly when Christ calleth, at this present instant change your hearts, 
a ● Cor. 6. 2  now is the accepted time, and now knoweth no morrow, 
b joh. 9 4.  work while it is day, every day lay up somewhat for the last, take order with death before it serves you with an execution, take hold on time as it cometh, and catch it by the forelockes: seek Christ 
c Mat. 28. 1  with Mary the first day of the week, and first hour of the day, chase not away good hours to bad purpose, sit not at the Alehouse and see the race of an hour glass, use not time with the slothful, but gain by the expense of time, when it steals from you, let it carry with it some witness of the passage in that you have in it made your election sure, and would not hazard the salvation of your souls, upon the doubtful event of your final repentance: they are your days, say not we will do with our own what we list, but spend them and end them in God.  
In the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: Long life is a blessing, which God giveth to obedient children, but hast thou but one blessing my father? Yes surely thou blessest when thou hast blessed, and therefore thou givest Israel a fuitfull land also, the land of Canaan 
d Ex. 3. 17.  a land that floweth with milk and hon●, so that thou hast 
e Gen. 27. 3●.  blessed jacob, and therefore he shall be blessed: 
f Eph. 2. ●.  thou art rich in mercy: mercy, there is the compassion of thy nature: rich, there is the abundance, 
g Luc. 8. 1●  thou givest after thou hast given, as a spring runneth after it hath run: 
a Ps. 100 5  thy mercy is everlasting, and thy goodness is without conclusion: Frst thou givest breath that thy days may be long, than thou givest bread in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, here is a blessing upon a blessing, as though one of thy mercies did bind thee to give another, as though former benefits, were an earnest lay de to assure us of those which are to come, as though thou wouldst show what thou wilt do by what thou hast done: The Oil ceaseth not as long as there are 
b 2. Kin. 4. 6  vessels to receive it, and thy mercy lasteth as long as there is a true concurrence, as long as there is no let in us to hinder the apprehension: O Lord make our praise and thankes answerable to thy goodness, that as thy goodness is without end, so there may be no period to our praise, but that we may still say, 
c Ps 41. 13.  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end. So be it, even so be it.  
Gives: not that the Israelits should have this land in present possession, for they did not enter upon it till the days of joshua, in whose time God cast out other nations and planted them in, but he speaketh in the present tense for the certainty, of performance: God forgives us our debts and when we sue out our pardon, 
d Rom. 8. 33.  he acquits us by proclamation, and crosseth our accounts here, that hereafter we may have our Quietus est: and he is as true a debtor to pay, as he is merciful creditor to forgive, and doth reckon that his promise doth as much indebt him to us, as men's love or desert do indebt us to them; first therefore O Israel here is a land made over unto thee, and the grant is good, for that it comes from the right Landlord, the Lord: and it is gracious for that it cometh not from a stranger but from thy God: the Lord is thy God, and therefore thou shalt have it cum gratia et privilegio, 1ᵒ. cum gratia thou shalt not purchase it, or pay a fine or rend for it, but it shallbe passed over to thee by a deed of gift, thy God giveth. 2ᵒ. thou shalt have it cum privilegio, there shall be no joint tenants or copartners to hold it with thee, but thou shalt have it solely and wholly to thyself. The Lord, misdoubt not thy state: thy God look to have it with all favour: giveth: doubt not of thy freedom: the●: fear not any that now keep the possession.  
The Lord thy God giveth: The devil's mouth doth run over, when showing Christ all the Kingdoms of the world he saith, 
e Luc. 4. 6.  All these are mine and to whom soever I will I give the power and glory of them: if thou therefore wilt worship ●e, they shall be all thine: for, first for his claim he is like the frantic man, who standing on the sea shore, thought all the ships that passed by to be his own, or he doth but dream he hath them, like him, who sleeping thought he held in his hands two staffs, and waking did think verily they should be two crocier staffs; and therefore presently prepared himself, took horse and posted for two Bishoprickes, not doubting but he should be presently installed, but his horse casting him, himself turned to be cripple, and his crociers to be critches: God is the Lord of all by right, the devil but by usurpation: the Scripture styleth him ᶠ prince of darkness, he shows himself like the Poet Accius, who being but a dwarf, made himself an image as if he had been one of the sons of Anac: indeed he may 
g job. 1. 7.  compass the earth too and fro and walk in it, 
a Ps. 24. 1.  but the earth is the Lords and all that therein is, the compass of the round world, and they that dwell therein. Secondly for his gift, howsoever like the Persians he may boast of golden mountains, yet there never comes so much as a mouse forth, he is like that man, who bequeathed great Legacies though himself were as poor as job, did inherit the wind and tasted the smart of bitter want: it is God, the father, Son and Holy Ghost, who are the fountain, the conduit and cistern of all that we have, and therefore Saint Paul saith, 
b Rom. 11. 36.  of him, through him and for him are all things. The Lord giveth: we hold that we have in Capite: 
c Gen. 41. 56.  no corn in Egypt in time of famine but comes from joseph: 
d Gen. 2. 8.  Adam was brought into Paradise not made in Paradise, and still man comes more naked 
e job 121.  into the world, than 
f Gen. 32. 10.  jacob did to Laban, when he brought but his staff with him; and therefore we must not steal the benefits we have from the goodness of God, to father them on fortune, on Nature, on our own wit and industrey, upon some feigned God, as the heathen did upon Mars, if in war they had the upper hand, upon Minerva if they had wisdom, upon Mercury, if their business had speedy dispatch, for 
g 1. Cor. 12 11.  all these worketh on and the self same spirit, but we must give God his due glory, in stripping ourselves naked, and making an Inventory of all that we have, we must make so many Items of receipt as they are blessings bestowed upon us.  
Gives: from above cometh all that we have for the matter, and it cometh as a gift for the manner: 
a Ps. 44. 3.  The Israelites got not the land in possession through their own sword, neither was it their own arm that helped them, but thy right hand, O God, and thine arm and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.  
First therefore lift not up thine horn on high, and speak not with a stiff neck, be not the more puffed up with pride, for that thou hast greater endowments and possessions than other, for 
b 1. Cor. 4. 7.  what hast thou that thou hast not received, if thou hast received it, why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not received it? it is a Nabals speech, my bread, my water, my flesh, for who hath aught that is not Gods, 
c 1. Sam. 25 11.  bonatua be donasua? We say indeed, our 
d Mat. 6. 11  daily bread, but lest it should be thought to be pulled down by weight of merit not poured down by gift of grace we say, give us, and therefore job in the Catalogue of his virtues rehearseth this among the rest, he did 
e job. 31: 25.  not rejoice when his substance was great, nor beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in her brightness, he knew he was but a weather sheep, upon whom the shepherd had bestowed a Bell more than upon the rest of the flock, and therefore he would not cast his nose into the wind, and carry his crest the higher for any outward prosperity that he did enjoy.  
Secondly that thou hast is given thee, therefore dispose of it to the good of thy neighbour, be like the Moon which letteth her light shine unto the world, which is given by the overshining of the Sun upon her. It is written of Alexander Bishop of Lincolne●  Quod nondum dederit, nondum secredit habere, 
He thought he had it not himself, if another were not the better for it, neither think that thine own state willbe impaired by relieving other, for it is written, 
f 2. Cor. 9 9  he hath sparsed a, broad & given to the poor: ●●● 〈◊〉 remaineth for ever, that is, he shall have to give of continuance, the flowers hurt not their own fruit, though they yield honey to the painful Bee; The Sun looseth not it light, though it dareth light unto the Moon, nor he in conclusion hurts his estate, whose hand is not to close for others need, nor to open for his own, 
g Lu. 6. 38  give there is a precept, and it shall be given you, there it is backed with a promise or give, there we are bound, and it shall be given you, there is a counter-band to save us harmless: God gives us a bill of his hand, or enters into band, and becomes surety that we shall be paid with advantage.  
Thirdly that which thou hast is given, therefore give thankes, if God withdraw the light of his countenance it is for our trial, if he letteth it to shine upon us it is to cause a reflection of thankes: A dutiful tenant that thinks to hold his living or buy a further estate, will pay his rent, and sometime bring his Lord a present; we are tenants to God, and if we will hold that we have, we must do him service and homage, we must pay him yearly our hourly rent, gratiarum actio est in●itatio ad plus dandum, this praise may cause him to open his hand, and fill us with blessings▪ be therefore like the  body which hath a reflex of heat, where the Sun doth extend the beams of light, and though we have even iron hearts, yet let his graces like an Adamant draw them unto him, draw dutil from us.  
Lastly that which thou hast is given, therefore be patiented, if God impoverish thee when thou art rich, abate thee if thou hast much, and pull thee down if thou art aloft. 
a job. 1. 21.  job imputed no unreasonable dealing unto God, though he bereft him in a minute of all that he had in his life, but is content that God should dispose of that which he had put into his hands: we hold that we have of God not in feesimple, that he should pretend no more title to them, for though he puts us in possession, he puts not himself out of possession, he is Lord royal still & true owner of all, he is the maker of all, this word maker importeth, he hath made all things in such sort, that it is meet all power and sovereign Dominion should remain to himself, we are tenants advol●ntate● d●mini, Copy holder's at the will of the Lord, grudge we not therefore if God visit our estates, but go lightly away with an easy burden.  
The land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: When Abraha● 
b Gen. 12.  the father of the faithful, first set foot in the land of Canaan, he had not in it the breadth of a foot, but within a while, such was his humble and gentle carriage, he got the favour of the Hittites, 
c Gen. 23. ●6. ●0.  bought a field and possession of Ephron, and all the people confirmed the sale: after that not a field, but a whole country not by purchase but by gift 
d Ios. 14. & 15.  was allotted to the sons of Abraha●, and distributed among the Tribes: 
e Ps. 115. 16  the earth God hath given to the children of men, 
f Ps. 105. 1  but this pleasant and plentiful part of the earth did he give unto Israel, as a particular enclosure out of the commons of the whole world, and therefore it is compared 
g Esa. 20. 6  to an I'll, because Israel was separated from other countries, as an I'll from other lands: & as 
a Gen. 43. 34.  Benjamin had his mess by himself, so (according 
b Num. 23. 9  to balaam's prophecy) the people did dwell by themselves, & were not reckoned among the nations: jerusalem was walled about, and 
c joh▪ 4. 9  the jews did not meddle with the Samaritans: but after (according to the 
d Zac. 2. 4.  prophecy of Zachary) 
e Eph. 2. 14  the partition wall was broken down, and the Church of Christ dispersed fare and nigh, 
f Gal. 6. 16  is called, the Israel of God, which shall enter into his rest, and 
g Mat. 8. 11  sit down with Abraham Isaac and jacob, in the Kingdom of heaven: whereof this land of Canaan was a type and figure, whether he bring us that made us, for his Son jesus Christ his sake, to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be given all honour and glory for ever.   

The sixth Commandment.  Exod. 20. 13. Thou shalt not kill. 
IT is true, which the father of lies saith in the book of job, 
a job 2. 4.  Skin for skin, and all that ever a man hath will he g●●en for his l●fe.  
men's minds are shut in their chests, as dead bodies are buried in coffins, they are interred in the G●lgatha of this world, as moles are entombed in their hills; yet set a man never so much by his wealth, he will give his goods for the ransom of his life▪ more then so, men prefer their liberty before their riches, for say fetters be of gold, yet is the servitude no less miserable, though it be more glorious, but to save their lives the 
b Ios. 9 23.  G●b●onites are content to lose their liberty, and never to be freed from being bondmen. Since therefore life is so precious, God in this commandment takes order for the life of man; first forbidding all cruelty, which might take it away, then enjoining us to use the best means we may to preserve it.  
The negligent Pastor, the seditious Heretic, which slay the souls of men, and so destroy the life spiritual, the detracting 〈◊〉, whose tongue as sharp as the quills of a Porcupin, wound the good name of his neighbour, and so destroy the life civil; with bare mentioning I pass● over, supposing that other commandments lead me a nearer way into these fields, only the malicious murderer, who lays wait for blood, and so destroys the life natural, shall be the subject of my speech, for the hand of this text doth lead me to him, and therefore God assisting me, I will spend this day's exercise in this walk.  
There are some sins as more heinous than other, which are said to cry unto God for vengeance, as the sin of the Sodomites 
c Gē●8. 20.  mentioned in the Epistle to the 
d Rom. 1. 24.  Ro●●aines: the sin of oppressors, 
e ja. 5. 4▪  which keep back the hire of the labourers: the sin of murder, for 
f G● 4. 10.  the voice of blood doth cry unto God: the wounds opening and bleeding in the presence of the murderer do after a sort cry and say, Lord how long? how long wilt thou cease to be avenged? even 
g job 24. 12  the soul of the slain doth cry out, and therefore when the servants were slain, which were messengers sent to invite the guests unto the wedding, God is not said to see it, as he doth this and other sins, but 
a Mat. 22. 7  when the King heard it, he was wroth: 
b Gen. 4. 11.  The earth opens her mouth to receive the blood of the slain, 
c Esa. 26. 2●  but the earth shall disclose her blo●d, and shall no more hide her slain, the blood which she hath drunk, she shall again cast out, that it may cry against those, which spared not to dislodge the souls of innocents form their harmless bodies.  
A man cannot water the earth with his brother's blood, but he wrongeth God, for 
d Gen. 9▪ 6  in the image of God did ●●e make man: he therefore that batheth his sword in the precious life of man, razeth C●s●rs picture, and breaks in pieces the King's broad Seal.  
The 
e G● 3. 17  earth was cursed for sin, but 
f Gen. 4. 12  the first murderer did lose of that blessing which remained unto it.  

g Gen. 4 15  God would not have Kain slain●, not that he favoured the murder, but to show how he detested the shedding of blood, when he would not have a hand stretched out against him, who had committed such outrage against▪ the person of his own brother.  
The Lord did forbid the eating of blood, 
a Leu. 17. 13.  even the blood of the least bird, the eating of flesh 
b Gen. 9 4.  which died of itself, or which was strangled, because the blood was in it. 
c Leu. 23. 28.  He would not have the dam and young killed both in one day: and though 
d Deu. 14. 21.  strangers had a larger Patent for eating of flesh than the people of God, yet the flesh of an Ox that had gored any man or woman to death might not be eaten, Noah not of strangers. All these prohibitions tended to this end to teach, that we must not lay wait for blood, that we must not devour men's souls like Lions, and tear them in pieces, that we must not be like wolves in the evening; eating up our brethren, as if we would eat bread, nor swallow them up quick, like a grave, even whole as those that go down into the pit.  
Again the 
e Num. 19 11.  the Lord did command, that he which had touched the dead body of any man, as being unclean should purify himself: the like should he do 
f Num▪ 31. 19  which had killed any person, even him or her whom to save alive had been sin: 
g Gen 9 7  he commandeth the preservation of seed, 
a Deu. 20. 10.  and commandeth even in war to be mindful of pity; all these Injunctions tended to this end, to teach us the more to detest the shedding of blood, and to show that violence which is hurtful in all things is horrible in life.  
God in all ages severely punished this fin, to show he would have no man break the prison, and let the soul out, but he that did enclose it: before the law was given unto Moses, God enacted this statute, 
b Gen. 9 6  who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.  
The 
c Ex. 21. 12  Law was life for life: a law never repealed, for it standeth in effect in the last book of the Bible; 
d Ap. 13. 10  if any kill with a sword, he must be killed by a sword: If a man did smite his servant that he died under his hand, though among the Romans such a master went free, because he bought his servant with his money, yet because the life is more worth than money, God will not free him, 
e Ex. 21. 20▪  puniendo punietur, he shall be surely punished.  
If men did strive and hurt a woman with child, though there were no intent to kill, either the mother or the child, 
f Ex. 21. 22.  yet if death followed, life should be paid for life.  
A man would think, it had been no great matter, if he had killed a thief, that should come and undermine his house, or break it up, but yet if this were done in the day time, by the judicial law of Moses, 
g Ex. 22. 2.  he that did it must dye for it.  

a Deu. 21. 1  If one were found slain in the field, and he not known that committed the murder, the next City should bear the blame, should offer sacrifice, protest before God that they were clear of that fact, desire God to be merciful to them, and not lay innocent blood unto their charge.  
If a man did not lay wait for blood, but had 
b Ex. 21. 14.  killed any unawares, he might take Sanctuary, and fly to the Altar, but if he had killed any wilfully, the holiness of the place should not defend him, and therefore Solomon biddeth Benaiah to smite I●ab, because he smote two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, though 
c 1 Kin. 2. 28  joab had caught hold on the horns of the Altar.  
God would take vengeance on 
d Gen. 9 5.  beasts generally, for the life of man, particularly 
e Ex. 21. 28  the goring Ox that killed any should be stoned to death, to show that beastly minded man should not go unpunished, who sheds his brother's blood like water, who oppresseth him round about for his soul, and causeth his head to go down to the grave with blood.  
The laws of other Nations, as well as God's law to the jews, do meet with this sin, and cutting them off from other men, rewards them to their face, to bring them to destruction, which lift up their hands against other to destroy them: To let pass foreign Countries, in our land if a man did run into a praemunire, he should be put out of the King's protection, his lands, goods, and cattles forfeited to the King, but yet there was a law made Eliz 1ᵒ. against such as should slay even such a man, as was attainted in praemunire. King Richard the first, making orders for seafaring men ordained, that if one slew an other on the shippe-boarde, he should be bound to the dead body, and thrown into the sea, if on the land, he should be bound to him, and buried with him quick. The land is cleansed of the blood that is shed in it, by the blood of him that shed it, and therefore the statute law takes away all murderers like dross walking more stubbornly, and taking greater vengeance on those, which shall imbrue their hands in the blood of them, to whom by nature or duty they are most bound; by nature, as if a woman since her husband and she are one flesh, shall kill her husband, she shall be accounted a parricide by the Civil law, and by the Statute of the land a traitor, and be punished accordingly: by duty, as if a servant kill his master, it is petty treason, if one kill any judge sitting in his place, it is high treason; and such a man shall drink more deeply of the cup of vengeance, but let one s●ay a man be he never so mean feloniously, his least punishment is suspension, his deathbed is the gallows, say he doth escape, and be not taken, than the Town where the murder is committed, shallbe amerced: say, the matter be compounded, yet God himself will take the matter into his own hand, his vengeance by justice shall wait his destruction that doth commit it, he will even set his face against the person, and will cut him off from among his people, for sometime he stirreth up 
f Gen 6. 9  some other man, to shed the blood of him, that sheddeth blood, and therefore 
g Gen. 4. 14  Cain is afraid, that every man that findeth him, will slay him. That valiant Hercules did cast Di●medes King of Thrace, who fed his horse with men's flesh, to horses to be devoured: Perillus was enforced to make trial, how his brazen Bull would roar, and when the Tyrant Phalaris had burned many in it, his own Citizens falling upon him, put him into the same Bull, and made him end his life with like kind of death.  
It is remarkable how the Duke of Burgundy, dealt with a murderer, A cruel minded man had taken a noble man prisoner, his wife whose heart did cleave unto her husband, was an earnest suitor for his life, that no hand might be upon him; to put him to death, the cutthroat answered; if he might go up to her bed, embrace her bosom, take his fill of love and his pleasure in dalliance, he would set her husband at liberty, she thought it were as death to her, to break her faith plighted in marriage, yet so great was her love, that she did deliberate, and first craved leave to confer with her husband, who, though this thing were grievous unto him, because of his wife, yet gave her leave, that he might have his deliverance, the deed done, and this varlet having lain with her fleshly, and used her at his pleasure, he notwithstanding the next day chopped off her husband's head, and sent it unto her, whereupon she complained to the Duke, who sent for him, compelled him to marry her, that so she might challenge a right in his possessions, and then causing him to drink of the same cup, cut off his head. It is true that the Psalmist saith, 
a Ps. 5 5. 23  the bloodthirsty man shall not live out half his days, one dies fettered in prison, another scalded in the brothel house, many in war, when the land of the enemies doth eat them, & lick them up as an Ox lieketh up grass of the field, when their enemies chase them, as Bees use to do, so that they cannot stand in the day of battle, but their carcases fall to the earth and cannot escape: thus the roaring of the Lion, the voice of the Lioness, and the teeth of the Lion's whelps are broken.  
This made Rebec●ah, speaking of Esau and jacob, to say, 
b Gen. 27. 45.  Why should I be deprived of you both in one day? not thinking that jacob being of a gentle disposition would rise up against his brother Esau, and so they kill one another, but her meaning was, that if jacob did not avoid the country, Esau considering that jacob had the birthright and the blessing, would kill him: then some judgement of God would light upon Esau for his unnatural fact, to root him out of the land of the living: Merciful men are taken away many times, because 
d Heb. 11. 38.  the world 
c Esa. 57 1.  is not worthy of them, but cruel and bloodthirsty men, because they are unworthy to live in the world. But say their days are prolonged, and like Serpents and Salamanders they live long, yet are they killed with a sword of their own, as 
e 1. Sam. 17. 51.  Goliath was: the remembrance of their cruel fact wounds them at the very heart, and strikes them in a marvellous fear of God's great vengeance to be poured upon them: and whereas good men dwell safely, be quiet from fear of evil, and have their delight in the multitude of peace, God sends his plagues upon murderous men's hearts, their sin lieth at the door, they know their iniquity, and their sin is ever before them, their hearts know the bitterness of their souls, even in laughing their hearts are sorrowful, their sin doth testify to their faces, their inventions beset them about, their casting down is in the midst of them, affliction and anguish do make them afraid, and prevail against them, as a King ready to battle: even the wickedest men, and they which seem to be touched with nothing, having once slain them whom they hated most of all other, do presently after the deed done feel heartbitings which sting them inspite of their teeth, and hold them as it were upon the rack, by making them feel, that God sets himself against them as an enemy.  
When Mariam Herod's wife, was unjustly made away by her husband, she seemed every night to trouble him, and wake him out of sleep, pinching and tormenting him in such a wreakful sort, as he could not take his rest or ease at any time.  
Theoricus unjustly slew Symmachus a noble man, but being at supper, he saw (as he imagined) the visage of Symmachus in a fishes head, whereupon such a trembling did come upon him, and such a fear did take hold on his flesh, that his strength being dried up like a pot sheard, his tongue cleaving to his jaws, his heart poured out, his soul cast down, his eyes kept waking, his bones cut in sunder, he never after enjoyed good hour: thus doth God's justice follow these merciless men at the hard heels, they feel their sin stirring in them, as it were some living thing crawling in their bodies, and gnawing upon their hearts, which make them cry out of the foulness of their sin, and carry torments and vexations against themselves, until their dying day.  
As therefore the Pythagorians went too much on the one hand, exceeding into too much pity, when they thought no living creature might be eaten, and the Manichees, who going further then thus, would eat no eggs, imagining that when they be broken, their life or soul passeth from them, and more than so, would not allow the cutting of herbs or trees, or plucking aught from them, for that having life and feeling, as they thought, they did by this means suffer grief pain and smart: so they go too much on the other hand, which will not suffer the twist of man's life to twine out, but cut it off before the clue be ended, herein the chief offenders (because every man is nearest to himself) are they, which but cher themselves, who will not abide in the station, in which God hath placed them, till he call them back again, but send the soul from the sentinel, wherein she is placed in this body, without the leave of her Captain, whose calamities cause them to leave life, and cowardly run away, who suffer shipwreck by taking a shorter cut to their journey's end: these are worse than beasts, who sometimes gore one another, but never rage against themselves; such a one was judas, who, when the betraying of the innocent blood lay heavy upon his heart, chose rather to adventure upon the future pains he feared, then endure the present horror he felt, 
f Mat. 27. 5  and therefore like a fish he leapt out of the pan into the flame. The funeral of the covetous man is many times wilful, for in the extremity of his covetous folly, he dispatcheth himself when corn is cheap, he hangs up himself for the fall of the market.  
Laws have provided death for Thiefs, for Traitors, and other notable malefactors, but sometime they can find little opportunity of execution, for these lewd persons prevent the time, sometime by piece, sometime by poison, sometime by dag, sometime by dagger: sometime they make a cutler's shop of their own bellies, sometime they choke themselves with a little neck-weede, one way or other, they desperately sunder their souls from their bodies, and conclude their own shameful confusion.  
There are other, who though they are not guilty of their own death, by laying violent hands upon themselves, yet by other unlawful means they cast themselves out of the world, and hasten forward their own days. The glutton digs his own grave with his teeth, for life is a lamp, excess in meat doth shorten the one, as too much oil doth extinguish the other: Intemperate gulliguts turning that into occasion of death, which was given for preservation of life, never live long, never live well, plures periere crapula quam gladi●: Cooks have provided as bad weapons as Cutlers, for all turns to bad humour, that transcends the due proportion of nourishment. Epicures are as desperate as soldiers, and meat kills as many as the musket, the glutton therefore as he is hateful to God, loathsome to man, so is he hurtful to himself in hastening his own death.  
Again the drunkard lays himself in his grave before he be dead, and is as stinking carrion more than half rotten above the ground: The cup kills as many as the Canon, and therefore challenging professors drink themselves out of health, while they drink to the health of their friends.  
una salus sanis nullam potare salutem:  
Non est in pota vera salute salu●.  
Unlawful desires do waste the strength of adulterers, as the flame consumeth the tallow: they themselves, like candle-flies, venture so near the fire that they burn themselves, their harlots like horse leeches suck out their best blood, even their heart blood: howsoever their sin delighteth, yet nothing sooner at an end in itself, nothing sooner maketh an end of them, and sticking by them when all their friends forsake them, causeth a short life and most shameful death.  
Lastly the envious man doth murder himself, for being as sorry for another man's prosperity, as his own adversity, he lets go the bridle to his cursed affection, which like a fretting canker doth 
g Pro. 14. 30.  eat up his body, dry up his blood, and rotteth his bones: This man is not like the maid whom Avicen speaketh of, who feeding and nourshiing herself with poison, was herself healthy, yet infected other with her venomous breath, but like the serpent Porhpyrius, which is full of poison, but wanting teeth hurts none but himself, like the little flies, who while they would put out the candle, burn themselves, they burn themselves with the fire of their own heart as Aetna consumed itself, and 
a Leu. 10. 1  as Nadab and Abih● were consumed with the fire of their own censors: Malitia procedit ex te (saith Saint Augustine) et quem prius vastat nisi te? quo profundit ramum ledit, ubi radicem habet non ledit? Equidem dico, quod malitia tua, ut alteri non noceat, fieri potest, ut autem tibi non noceat, fieri non potest: the effect is this, ●malice drinketh the most part of it own venom: The snake in the Apologue licked off her own tongue, when thinking nothing should have teeth but herself, she would have licked the file plain which she found with teeth at the smith's forge: 
b Act. 2. 38  The viper, which leapt upon Paul's hand with an intent to hurt him, fell herself into the fire and perished: Saint Paul therefore bringing in these sins by the brace, 
c Rom. 13. 12. 13.  gluttony and drunkenness, Chambering and wantonness, strife and envying wisheth us to cast them all away calling them works of darkness, both because they proceed from the Prince of darkness, and also lead the way to utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  
Others though they seek not their own death or wilfully hinder their own health, yet other men's blood they shed like water, and will not spare their souls from death burr take them away: either secretly: thus did David make the sword approach to Vriah, 
d 2. Sam. 11 15.  in causing him to be set in the forefront of the battle, that he might abide the first encounter and violence of the enemy, that the enemy might persecute his soul and take it, and tread his life down upon the earth: thus did 
e 1. Kin. 21. 10. 11.  jezabel compass Naboth round about to take away his soul, for through her means the men of the City laid to his charge things that he knew not, and suborned witnesses, brought him within compass of treason: some openly water the earth with blood, and their hands are upon their brethren to put them to death, and as among civil men, it is but a word and a writ, so among swaggering cavilleirs, it is but a word and a wound. A sin so much against nature, that I would forbear further speech of it, were it not that their are some which stand for the bloody use of single combats, either to determine a public war, or to make trial of a private right: First say they, war is utrimque triste, even victory many times is like a golden fish-hooke, which lost or broken cannot be paid for with that it taketh, therefore 
f 2. Kin. 14. 8  Amaziah King of judah sends to jehoash King of Israel, saying, come let us see one another in the face: as if he should say let common bloodshed be prevented, let one sword not many try the matter, why should we destroy one another's Cities, let thou and I (
g 1. Sam. 17 41.  like David and Goliath) fight hand to hand, better one man perish then many people suffer, but jehoash returned him a scornful answer, comparing himself to a Cedar in Lebanon, and Amaziah to a thistle, which the wild beasts in Lebanon trodden under foot: and in very deed why should one Champions neck and shoulders bear all the heads of a common wealth? say he doth vanquish, yet what boldness is it to hazard her? say he be vanquished, what bold wrong doth he to lose her? never therefore cast upon two hands the trial of a just war, which doth concern a whole State.  
Again what is the valour of the man to the right of his cause, whether it be to title of inheritance, when the matter is doubtful and demurred, or the righting of his name, when it is traduced, indeed the positive laws of diverse nations allowed this kind of trial, when the truth was not known: but is therefore the title good, because the man is more valiant and skilful? When Robert Bishop of Sarisbury in the reign of Edward the 3. sued William de Montacute, Earl of Sarisbury for the Castle of old Sarum, or as some say, Sherburne, the Earl answered, that he would defend his right by a Combat, whereupon at a day appointed the Bishop brought forth his Champion to the bars, clothed in a white garment, down to the midst of the leg, and upon it he had a soldier's cloak, in which were drawn out the Bishop's arms, him followed a soldier bearing a staff, and a youth with a Tergat, forthwith the Earl brought his Champion forth by the hand, clad in like manner, him followed two soldiers bearing white stau●s, when now these 2. Champions were ready to enter the lists, they were bid to stand back and stay till men did measure their weapons, while this was in doing suddenly came the King's letters commanding them to differ the matter till another time, while this pause was made, the matter was compounded and the Earl contented upon the receipt of 2500 marks, to departed with his right in the Castle to the Bishop and his successors for ever, but say the combat had been fought, might not he, who had had the right been kept short at the staff's end, and might not the hand of him that had offered wrong have been in the neck of his adversary: Neither was Richard the usurper a more lawful King, because his Champion after his challenge triumphed with his cup of gold.  
Again another saith I am falsely accused, and now by a Duel I will prove myself innocent: In the 6. year of Richard the 2. Sir john Ausly Knight defendant held a battle with one Garcon Appellant, wherein the Knight having the upper hand forced his enemy to yield unto him: whereupon Garcon was presently drawn to the place of execution, and there hanged for his false accusation: but is this a good consequent: the Knight did smite his enemy, get the mastery, had his lust satisfied upon his accuser, therefore he was wronged, and clear of the fact whereof he was accused. On the other side, in the 24. year of Henry the 6. an Armourers Servant of London appeached his Master of treason, who offered to be tried by battle: Smithfield was the place appointed for the fight, in which the Servant did overcome the Master, whereupon as sufficiently proved guilty, his body was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and beheaded: might not here the Servant though he were guilty insult in the conquest, and the Master, though he were guiltless lie bleeding in the combat, especially since his friends (as the Chronicle reporteth) brought him so much Malmsey and Aquavitae before the fight to comfort him, that both wit and strength were taken from him.  Stultus ab eventu, facta notanda putat. 
This kind of trial is like the searching out of the truth by lots, lots might and may be used for dividing several men's right, so I●shua, divided the land of Canaan among the Tribes 
a Ios. 14. 2  by lot; or for appointing officers, as they 
b Act. 1. 26.  chose an Apostle by lot to succeed in judas place, but to use them to the finding out of any secret thing, except it be by the commandment of God, who this way would 
c Ios. 7. 18.  have Ahab's theft found out, is but mere foolery, and a great tempting of God. For though God 
d jon. 1. 7.  in the prophecy of jonah did order the lots, which the Mariners cast, in such sort that they found out the party, for whose cause evil was upon them, which was done both that jonas might be brought forth who fled from the presence of God, and that the Mariners moved by this example might give off their superstition, yet what certainty is there in lots & what building upon them, when we see that 
e Est. 3. 7.  Haman (who cast a lot from day to day, from month to month beginning at the first unto the last to find out which might be the luckiest days to root out the jews) found them to be most 
f Est. 9 1. etc.  doleful days to him and his, which by lot were persuaded to be most fortunate: & on the contrary side, the same days so joyful to the jews, that they might say, these are the days which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in them, and therefore they kept the very same day's festival, they and their seed through many generations: and indeed a man can no sooner find out any thing unknown by lot, by combat, than he can judge of sounds by taste, and therefore those Countries, which in the times of uncivil ignorance tolerated a trial by battle, do now dislike it, and therefore have repealed those laws which did allow it, even at this day the barbarous Turks burn single combatants in the side with hot coals of fire: I will not here spend time to answer those, which think it a stain to their credit, and a disgrace to their name, if they shall not answer those, which have sent them the length of their swords, and from whom they have received proud challenges: only this I say, men of great valour have rejected challenges, which have proceeded from them, who have had more heart than brain, more head than wit, without any blemish to their reputation: but say that some will count thee a coward, yet non quid alij, sed quid tu de te: fear not so much shame as sin, love good name, but yet as an handmaid of virtue, woe and court common fame no further than it followeth upon honest courses, and think thyself but base, if thou shouldest depend on vulgar breath: never hazard thy life for thy name, never kill an other man to be accounted a gallant man of thy hands; this name shall not so much delight thee, as thy conscience shall gall thee, memory afflict thee, repentance vex thee, perplexity torment thee, when the deed done thou shalt see thyself cited before God's judgement seat every hour, when thy heart knowing the bitterness of thy soul shall tell thee, that thou hast neglected thy soul, endangered thy body, hurt thy children, brought a blemish to thy posterity, which in the next generation shall not be put out.  
Indeed we read of spiritual Duels, for in the 
g Mat. 4. 3.  Scriptures we have the Prince of peace, and Prince of this world combating 
a 1 Sam. 1● 41.  together, the Lion of the Tribe of judah is encountered (as David with the Giant) by the roaring Lion that seeketh to devour us.  
Again we have the 
b Mat. 15. 22.  Cananitish woman wrestling with Christ, as 
c Gen. 32. 24.  jacob with the Angel, and fastening upon him with her prayers, as the Shunamite upon Elisha with her 
d 2 Kin. 4. 27  hands. In the first Christ did vanquish, and make the devil avoid by casting in his face scriptum est. In the second he is overcome, for with excellent wrestle, the Cananite wrestled with Christ, and got the upperhand: every good Christian must fight those fights; and therefore for the first, the Church of God is called Militant: In Baptism we receive our pressed money, and in the 
e Eph. 6. 11  Ephesians there is a proclamation ad arma: neither doth a crown remain to any at the last, but to such as first can say with Paul, 
f 2 Tim. 4. 7  I have fought a good fight, he is lured to the crown, that is alured to the combat: and therefore the holy Ghost setting out the complete armour of a Christian, doth not mention a back Curete, ᶜ to show he should never fly and turn his back upon his enemy, but be like Androclid, whom, when a soldier did deride him, because being lame, he went unto the war, answered merrily, he came to fight, and not to run away.  
For the second we must wrestle and combat with God by our prayers, and not leave till we overcome him, who is invincible: if we want any thing, leave him not, our importunity cannot be too great, our impatience cannot offend his patience, beat upon him still like the 
g Mat. 15. 23. 24.  Cananite, who stands to it though she had many repulses, though Christ first neglects her, then denies her, then reproacheth her: be like the ᵃ widow, 
a Luc. 18. 5  who will not leave the unjust judge, though at first he lend her but a dease ear: be like the blindman, who made the Sun of righteousness, (
b Ios. 10. 13  which stayed that Sun in the days of joshua which rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course) 
c Lu. 18. 40  to stand still, till his sight was restored: If we endure punishment his anger is a spear, leave him not, till our prayers break it in pieces, his judgement is a sword, leave him not till we make him put up his sword into his sheath: prayers have power with God, and are of such force, that when he intends to punish a nation, 
d jer. 11. 14  he forbids his Prophets to pray, lest he should alter his mind and so be overcome: these are the combats commanded, commended by God: as for other duels under what habit soever they may be shrouded, and what glass soever may be set upon them, if their vizors be taken off: they will appear to be flat against this statute, not that a man in defence of himself, when he can give no further ground, may with an unwilling willingness smite with the sword, for now necessity doth bind him to strike, and he seeks not so much an others death, as the safeguard of his own life.  
Neither doth this Commandment shorten the Magistrates arm, for 
e Rom. 13. 4  he bears not the sword invaine, and when 
f joh. 18. 11  private men must put up their swords into their sheaths, he must vnsheath his sword, as the dreadful instrument of divine revenge, and hating merciful injustice must throw pity over bar, in this respect more willing to be reputed a busy justice then quiet Gentleman: to restrain justice is to support si●ne, and not to correct is to consent to the crime: nay he he is so fare from breaking this Commandment by drawing out his sword, that he is guilty of the breach of it, if he draw it not, neither is it so great a fault to kill a Lamb out of the flock, as to let a wolf go free, Qui parcit Lupo macta● greg●m, he that forgives the bad, doth wrong the good.  
Hemingius maketh mention of a felon, who was indicted of seven murders▪ while the judge was studying what grievous punishment should be inflicted upon such a bloody vil●aine; an Advocate steps to the bar, and pleading for him, proved that the judge was guilty of six of the murders, for that the felon was not put to death for his first offence: therefore let not judges, which are appointed of God to prosecute the wicked with the sword, drawn for favour keep it clean from blood, let it neither surfeit of blood through cruelty, nor yet rust for want of use through partiality; let them be as ready to execute a rebel, as defend an innocent, let them cut off those limbs, which lack blood and life, and hurt other parts of the body, let them root out the wicked, lest the harvest of weedy nature be over plenteous, when they sit at the bench: let every one of them lay aside the personage of a friend, if their nearest kindred, their greatest acquaintance come under trial, let them say, I know you not, especially let them not pardon such as offend often, lest they fall to further boldness, and sins unpunished become exemplary.  
Neither is this Commandment a Bar to lawful war, for when men are ripe or rather rotten in sin, so that the stinch of their iniquity ascendeth up unto heaven: God sendeth many times a foreign power as a vulture to prey upon such carrions, and saith, 
g Ez. 14. 17.  sword, go through the land.  
The Lord will hisse, 
a Esa. 7. 18  for the flies of Egypt, and for the Be●● of Assiria to destroy Israel: and it is a judgement, 
b Esa. 3. 2.  when God doth take away the man of war, and Captain of fifty, and yet 
c Esa. 9 5:  every battle of the warrior is with noise, and with tumbling of garments in blond: and therefore when the war is just, and God's cause is in hand, be pressed and ready to come forth to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty, break the arm of the wicked, break their horns, break their bars, destroy all their munitions, as 
d Hos. 10. 14.  Shalman destroyed Arbel in the day of battle; let the horsemen lift up both the bright sword and glistering spear, let the footmen bend their bows, and make ready their arrows upon the string, let them press forward with their boy strous bills and piercing pikes: let not Gilead abide beyond jordan, nor Dan remain in ships, nor Asher sit on the Sea shore, let the people offer themselves willingly, let them all come as a whirlwind to scatter God's enemies, and cry down with them, down with them, even to the ground: this may they do any thing in this commandment notwithstanding it.  
Thou shalt not kill: men's laws extend but to the outward man, condemning him only as guilty of murder, who pollutes and defiles his hands in an others blood: The Pharisees and best expounders of the law, did but bite about the bark of this law, not enter into the marrow of it, but the law is spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AND 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of great affinity, and therefore our Saviour Christ tells us, that this Commandment doth bind the heart and the tongue, as well as the hands to the good abearing, the heart condemning him of the breach of it, who is angry with his brother. Anger is a malicious desire of revenge, and will exercise the arms of the strong, and tongues of the weak; it is a sin that lieth grinding in the entralles, and persuading reason to dissemble and the party wronged to be avenged, and if it finde no vent the heart will cleave asunder, as the waters undermine when they cannot overflow: the angry and malitions man (for anger and malice differ but in time, and as old new wine) cannot ●igest nor cast up the least displeasure, but will be violent in pursuit of small indignities, and use what means he can to put in practice that which desire of revenge doth put into his head: A sin directly against God, for he that revengeth, steps into God's chair of estate, and takes the sword out of his hand, who saith, 
e Rom. 12 19  vengeance is mine. A sin against a man's own self, not only for loss of patience, but for that the remembrance or requital of a wrong doth many times hurt as much as the receipt of it: how many have been seen to lie dead, because they would not take the Lie? how many had their blood seen, because they would not have their backs seen? The Bee might keep her sting still, and not live a drone, did she not in her anger employ it to enuenome the flesh of him that puts her from him, it is safer to forget an injury or smother it, then go about to avenge, it every revenge giveth occasion of new cruelties, & therefore one saith, if thine enemy be little, let him alone, and thou dost him a favour, but if he be great, let him alone, and thou dost favour thyself: it is good counsel therefore which the Holy Ghost giveth, 
f Rom. 12. 19  give place to wrath.  Dum furor in cursu est, currenti cede furori, 
Neither look so much on him that doth thee wrong, as on God who suffreth him, and raiseth up an enemy as a scourge to chastise thy faults, and know that if any wrong can conquer thee, thou hast not conquered thyself. Again this Commandment ties up the tongue, so that reproachful and contumelious words go not out at the doors of our lips, as 
g Mat. 5. 22  Racha thou fool, or like words of disgrace, which choleric men shoot forth, when anger hath inflamed their hearts, and made their mouths hotter than 
a Dan. 3. 19  Nabucadnezzars' Oven, when it is made seven times hotter than it is wont; not but that a man may be angry when God's cause is in hand, with advised speech and in a seasonable time, as was 
b Ex. 32. 19  Moses, 
c Nu. 25. 8.  Phinehes and 
d joh. 2. 15  Christ himself, impatience in God's injuries is as commendable, as patience is laudable in our own wrongs, and they whose blood doth not rise when they hear God rend and torn in pieces with carrion and stinking mouths, are as much to blame as they, who prodigal of their blood, do point the field to revenge a disgraceful word against themselves, nor yet but that a man may utter some contumelious word, so it be by way of advice to direct or correct, for Paul 
e Gal. 3. 1.  called the Galathians fools 
f Luc. 13. 32.  Christ, Herod a fox, even let thy friends see, that thou lovest them by thy approbation, and that thou lovest not their faults by such sharp reproofs; otherwise that curse will light upon thee, which did upon the in habitants of Meroz, which came not forth 
g jud. 5. 23.  to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty: always see that sharp words which proceed of some heat come not of any hate, except it be of the sin thou see committed.  
Michael the Archangel, when he said unto Satan, 
a Iud 9  the Lord rebuke thee, would teach us not to avenge ourselves by evil speaking, but refer the matter to God: when it was told Aristotle, that one railed on him behind his back, when I am away (saith he) let him beat me too. When one asked Octavian the Emperor, why doing good to all men, he suffered some to murmur against him, he answered, he that hath made Rome free from enemies, hath also set at liberty the tongues of malicious men. The answer of Beza to a Spanish jesuite is worth the observation, worthy the imitation, the jesuite, saith he, disputing about the Eucharist called us (this is in an Epistle which he writeth to Caluin) vulpes, et serpents, et simias, Foxes and Serpents and Apes: my answer was this, non magis nos credere quam transubstantiationem, we did no more believe this, than we did transubstantiation: this man was made of a mettle more flexible than hard, his shoulders were broad enough to bear the foul words were offered unto him, he was like the waters of Siloe, at the foot of Zion 
b Esa. 8 6.  which run softly, he made but small noise though he heard great words, whose example may teach us not to be so light as to be moved with the breath of man's mouth so shall we be above Nature, while we seem below ourselves.  
Lastly as this Commandment ties up the tongue, that it burst not forth into words, before a conceiving spirit hath delivered them, that it be not like Gunpowder, which touched with the least spark will instantly be in the face, so it sets a watch before the eyes, that they do not sparkle with rage, that the brows be not bend, as if anger had there ploughed the furrows of her wrath, it keeps our countenance that we do not swell like toads, when they be touched, it bindeth other members of the body from all froward disposition whatsoever: if our blood boy let at the heart, as brimstone at the match, if our perturbations boil our hearts into brine, and eat the moisture out of our flesh, if 
c Gen. 4. 6.  cain's countenance be cast down, that he doth lowerlooke his brother Abel, if they 
d Mat. 27. 30. 39  spit upon Christ, bow their knees, and do him reverence, if they who go by at his passion wag their heads, if the jews 
e A●.▪ 7. 5●.  gnash upon Steven with their teeth: if the tyrant that martyred Saint Laurence stamp and stare, ramp and far as one out of his wits, if his eyes glow, his teeth grind like an hellhound, his mouth foome like a boar, if any, naso suspendit, as it is in the proverb, or medium ostendit digitum which Martial calls impudicum. These & every one of these, though their sin grows to no further height, are guilty of the breach of this Commandment, when the mind and members of the body be thus out of tune, men are like a troubled spring, wherein if a man look thinking to behold the image of a man, he can see no part of his right composition, in this case men make themselves fools, which otherwise are not, and show themselves fools which are so, did I say fools? nay very beasts, and the devils are again entered into a heard of swine, when some being gluttons feed greedily, some being thankless, look not up to God the giver of goodness no more than the swine to the tree from whence their acorns come, when some being covetous are still moiling & rooting in the earth, when some being angry are still foaming by malice: be therefore neither chafed in the mind as a bear rob of her whelps in the field, neither let anger be in the eyes, look not with a sour countenance, with 
f Num. 24. 10.  angry Balak do not smite thy hands together, let thy carriage be courteous, and thy dealing without disdain, be amiable and affable to all, look for an answer, a contemptuous carriage of the body is a preparative to hatred, and murder which this Commandment forbiddeth.  
Thou shalt not kill: As men must not bathe their butcherly swords in the precious life of man, nor compass them about to take away their souls; so on the other side the souls of men (to 
g 1. Sam. 26. 21.  use Saules words unto David) being precious in our eyes, and their lives much set by, must carefully be preserved to this end God commanded that he 
a Deu. 22. 8  which builded a new house, (houses than were so builded that men might walk upon them, as 
b ●. San. 11. 2.  David did upon the roof of the King's Palace) should make a battelment on the roof lest he did lay blood upon his house, if any fell from thence: again 
c Deu. 20. 10.  that before war, their should go a Proclamation of peace, again that if a Servant did fly from his Master not for any theft, whoredom or notable offence, but because his Master was cruel, 
d Deu. 23. 15.  he to whom he did fly should be as his sanctuary, and he should not deliver him to his Master: but what need further proof hereof when we see that God commanded 
e Ex. 23. 5.  to help up our enemy's Ass, if he did lie under his burden.  
First therefore our own lives must be dear unto us, and our bodies being ruinous houses must have cost bestowed on them, to keep them tenentable and in good reparations, and therefore miserable minded men are much to blame, who spare not their bodies, but pinch and defraud them of due nourishment, whereby they so dry their brain that they soon bring their days to an end: The Apostle Paul as he will not have men take thought for the flesh 
f Rom. 13. 14.  to fulfil the lusts of it: so he blameth those 
g Col. 2. 23.  which have not the body in any estimation to satisfy the need of it, and therefore he biddeth Timothy, 
a 1. Tim. 5. 23.  he should drink no longer water, but use a little wine for his stomaches sake, and his often infirmities: Again some Scholars are too blame who surfeit of immoderate study, neglecting their bodies to satisfy their minds, when their weakness checks them, and their bodies control them, they should not affect so much knowledge, but debar themselves of their chosen felicity, having more respect to the health of the body, than wealth in the brain.  
Again we must carefully look to the safety of our brothrens, that their days may be long in the land, that fulfilling the number of their years, they may go to the grave in a full age. 
b Mat. 15. 22.  The Cananite is careful for her sick daughter, 
c joh. 4. 47.  the ruler for his sick son, the 
d Mat. 8. 5.  Centurion for his sick Servant: 
e Luc. 10. 33.  the Samaritan for the wounded stranger, 
f Mat. 4. 24  the multitude for all sick people, that were taken with diverse diseases and gripings, and them that were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the Palsy: Pompey, when there was a great dearth in Rome, having provided store of corn abroad shipped the same intending presently to relieve the hungry and thirsty, whose soul fainted in them, and while the mariners were backward in hoisting sail, by reason of a tempest, he himself being ver● forward first entered, using these words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it were better for us to dye, than not set forward, preferring the relief of many before the safety of a few. Nature hath ingraffed in beasts without reason, a care to preserve one another's life; and therefore Hearts swimming over great Rivers, when they go to rut in some Isles, place the strongest foremost, the second stays his neck on the back of the first, the third on the second, so all to the last: and the first being weary, an other takes his place, thus (like 
g Act. 27. 44  Paul's company on boards and certain pieces of the ship) they come all safe to land: that there may be this care one of another's welfare, we must love one another, for where love is not, men are so fare from seeking to preserve life, that they seek to take it away: 
a Amos 5. 10.  they hated him (saith the Prophet) that rebuked in the gate: 
b Es. 29. 21  they took him in a snare (saith another Prophet) which reproved them in the gate: 
c Gen. 27. 41.  If Esau hateth jacob, he will make reckoning to kill him: 
d Gen. 37. 18.  If joseph's brethren hate joseph, they will lay their heads together to slay him, malice would dispatch him whom it hateth, and therefore Saint Paul reckoning up a bead-roll of sins against charity, 
e Gal. 5. 20  gins with hatred, and ends with murder, for the one by degrees and steps, riseth up to that cruel height of iniquity: but where love is, there is compassion: when our brethren undergo any loss or any cross, if they are set as a mark to shoot at, and hunted as a Lion, if the arrows of the Almighty are in them, and the venom thereof doth drink up their spirits, if we love them, they do not more feel the burden of their misery, than we are grieved to see their distress: neither are we only fellow commoners with them in their sufferings, but are as active in kindness, as passive in a sensible feeling of their sorrow, we are not in stile, but indeed serui sernorum Dei, and therefore if God visit any with sickness, so that either with the 
f 2 K. 4. 19  Shunamites son they cry out, my head▪ my head▪ or with, Asa, 
a 2 Mac. 9 5.  my feet, my feet, or with 
g 2 Chr. 16. 12.  Antiochus, my bowels, my bowels, if 
b Mat. 8. 14  with Peter's wives mother they complain of a fever, with the 
c Mat. 8. 5.  Centurion's servant of a palsy, if diseases bereave them of their appetite, so that they surfeit of the very smell, nay of the very sight, nay of the very thought of the best dishes, if sickness bereave them of rest, so that they weary themselves with changing sides, and counting the lingering hours, think that the sun stands still, 
d Ios. 10. 13  as it did in the days of joshua, or 
e 2 K. 20 11  go back, as it did in the days of Ezechias; if we love them, we will with the 
f Mat. 8. 5  Centurion go and speak for them: 
g Mat. 2. 4.  with the Porters we will for their recovery set too our helping hands.  
Rise, while it is yet dark, not put out our candle by night, we will gird our loins and strengthen our hands to good: Again if they be oppressed, so that great men with their talones and paws catch at them, prey upon them, make havoc of all they have, and like the sea, making a rapture leave neither land nor house nor trees, but play sweepe-stake, if we love them, we not only grieve to see charity, (which in Christ's days was waxen cold, and in Basils' days was dried up) to be now quite dead, to see how much more cunning men are in substraction then division; but we are painful to help them, and so willing, that no pain can wear us, we use all good means we can to deliver them from their oppressors, 
a Esa. 1. 15.  whose hands are full of blond, whose hearts are as hard as iron, and as the nether millstone, who thinking themselves ill seated while they dwell by neighbours, depopulate Parishe●s, and being caterpillars and cormorants of the earth, like whales of the sea, swallow up quick other little fishes, who like Lions devour other beasts, like Kites seize, plume and prey upon other birds, like greedy wolves devour all, and are indeed like the Asses jawbone 
b jud. 15. 15  with which Samson flew a thousand men. Again, if they suffer want of things necessary, so that being hungry and thirsty their soul faint in them, if we love them, our plenty shall supply their penury, according to our abllity, we will fulfil their want, as rivers fill up the empty places as they pass by, love will drive us to compassion, and compassion to relief, and therefore to conclude, by love be linked one to an other, as by faith you are united to God, 
c Ex. 26. 6.  like the curtains of the Tabernacle, be twisted and knit together, be always paying this debt, yet think you are debtors still, put on this livery coat, 
d joh. 13. 35.  whereby you are known to be the servants of God, 
e Rom. 13. 8.  this is the compliment of the law, 
f joh. 13. 34  the supplement of the Gospel, the fulfilling of this Commandment, Thou shalt not kill.   

The seventh Commandment.  Exod. 20. 14, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. 
CHildren and the fruit of the womb, are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord; but because 
a Ps. 127. 3.  
b Mal. 2. 15  God sought ᶜ a Godly seed, such as should be borne in lawful wedlock; in this Commandment he ●or biddeth us to run upon the rocks of uncleanness, & so make shipwreck of all honest behaviour, and commandeth us to keep ourselves chaste, as undefiled members of Christ's body: This is (as the Apostle speaketh) to possess our vessels in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles, which knew not God. 
1 Thos. 4. 4.   
Saint Paul maketh the breach of this Commandment to branch itself into these parts, Adultery, Fornication, uncleanness, wantonness; on each of which I must be resident in this discourse, 
Gal. 5. 19  as they present themselves in order to your view.  
Adultery is the infringing of the faith plighted in marriage, when the husband shall turn to evil, and commit a trespass against his wife or the wife shall turn to evil & commit a trespass against her husband, for Adulterium is quasi ad alterius 
Gen. 49. 4.  torum, the going up to another's bed, as jacob saith of Reuben, when man and wife forgetting their faith plighted one to another shall turn to uncleanness one from another: A sin worse than simple fornication, for herein is a breach of covenant, herein is an intrusion of the base borne into the inheritance or possessions of the children, which are lawfully begotten): 
Deu. 23. 22 29.  and therefore by the law a sorer punishment was inflicted upon it, for the Adulterer was put to death, and the fornicator to his fine.  
If a rich man steal, men think he deserves to be punished, seven times more than the poor man, who stealeth to satisfy his need, when he is hungry, for he having means to maintain himself is without excuse. In nathan's parable David sets his face against the man, and thinks him worthy to be cut off from among his people, who having many Sheep 
2 Sam. 12.  and Oxen, took the poor man's Sheep to dress for his stranger: if lust doth lodge whithin the married man's breast and the vehemency of affection would persuade him to folly, God hath given him a wife, good means, and a lawful remedy to cause evil to departed from his flesh, now if such a one embrace the bosom of a stranger, and will have the same conjunction with an harlot in wickedness, which he might have with his lawful wife in holiness, & by the appointment of God, this man, or rather this beast is like a rich thief which stealeth.  
If a man falsify a covenant in bargaining, either by subornation of witnesses, or conveying under hand some secret title, it may be made a Star-chamber matter: marriage is 
a Mal. 2. 14  a covenant betwixt man and wife, 
b Pro. 2. 17  a covenant of God, a covenant made before God and his Congregation, whereby man and wife promise to keep themselves one to an other, and to no other, so long as they both shall live: If now either of them shall break their faith and troth thus plighted, what can be pleaded in their defence? what but blood can expiate this sin? therefore judah, ᶜ though there was little honesty in his fact, yet desired not the company of an other woman, till 
Gen. 38. 12  his own wife had yielded up her spirit, and gone the way of all flesh.  
〈◊〉 maketh protestation of his innocency in this respect, desiring God, that if he be guilty this way, his wife might be made a sla●e, and other men might ᵈ bow down upon her. The beasts by nature make difference betwixt these sins, for they say that 
job 31. 9  the Lion, if he meets with an Adulterer, knows him, sets upon him, and tears him in pee●es, not using the like rage against single fornicators: It is written of the Stork, that wheresoever he flies, he comes in no nest but his own, and if any of their company leaving his own mate, joineth with any other, all the rest fall upon him, beat him, and pluck his feathers from him.  
This condemneth the Nicholaita●es, a sect of Heretics, which held that wives should be common, who took their beginning from Nicholas one of the seven Deacons, for he being blamed for jealousy, brought forth his beautiful wife among all the Disciples, saying who so would, should use her: 
Reu. 2. 6.  the holy Ghost commendeth the Church of Ephesus for disliking this sect. Again this condemneth the Anabaptists who treading in the steps of the Nicholaitans argue thus, all things should be common, therefore wives, but one writeth of them that they be like the fox in the fable, who having lost her tail, would have all the foxes cut off theirs, that so her private shame might be the less, when the calamity was common to them all. In a word, it condemneth all such as being hot as an Oven, like fed horses neigh, every one after his neighbour's wife, who delighting in dalliance and looking on strange women croak in the Chambers like the frogs of Egypt. Yet what fault so common as this, it may be said of some Cities (I would it were proper to Cities) as it was sometime of Rome, urbs est iam tota lupanar: the whole City is nothing else but a common stews men hold it the safest way to drink of a covered cup, and whereas Plato held, all things should be common but wives (Clemens the first did not except them) now nothing so common as they, many are become like Cuccoes', which lay their eggs in other birds nests, Servants are not now of joseph's mind, who was backward in yielding to his 
Gen. 39 12  Mistress, though she caught him by his garment, saying sleep with me: considering the time is short, they which have wives should be 
1. Cor. 7. 29.  as though they had none: but now they which have no wives be as though they had wives, such a one was he who bragging of the villainy he had done, and happily more than he had done, would say, that though he were never married, yet he had two or three or four wives: Onan would not raise up seed to 
Gen. 38. 9  another man, and therefore sinned as much as a woman, which destroys the fruit of her body, but now men, laying wait at their neighbour's door, are ready to raise up seed to other men, let therefore wedlock be chaste, let the window of the Ark be shut, that the waters of the flood do not enter into it: God hath set bounds to the sea, and said here shall stay thy raging waves, so hath he made the wife a bound for man's raging affection: and when man is joined to a woman in marriage he must think he is at a non plus, and learn to direct humours to their right courses and draw the flood of affections to their own channel: The wife is a vine, and the husband must bind 
●sa. 128. 3.  his affection to her, as judah tie his Ass unto the Vine. In the 
Gen. 49. 11  Ark were no more men, than women, no more women than men, four for four, that each might learn to content himself with one, and it is worth the observation, that when they enter into the Ark, the holy Ghost putteth the men by themselves, and women by themselves: as Noah and his sons: Noah's 
Gen. 7. 7. 13  wife and his son's wives: to show that when judgement is toward, they which have wives should be as though they had none, that they may give themselves unto prayer: but when they go out of the Ark, God joins them together, go forth of the Ark, thou and thy wife: thy sons and thy son's wives with thee to show that when judgement is past they must come together again, that Satan tempt them not for their incontinency, 
1. Cor. 7. 5.  but this note came but in by the way, and shall not carry me so far out of the way, but I will keep myself resident upon my Text: let every man have his wife saith Saint Paul, his wife, 
1. Cor. 7. 2.  not his concubine, his wife, not his wives, and they two, not they three, shall be one flesh: to show that none must be sick of a Pleurisy, 
Edh. 5. 31.  or be like the devil which sowed another man's ground: 
Mat. 13. 25  if God had dispensed with any, it is like Kings should have had this privilege, that they might have had an heir of their own body to succeed them, when their own, wives went childless: but even Kings come within the compass of this prohibition, neither shall any of them take him many wives: when 
De●. 17. 17  a man seethe his flesh grow proud and boileth unto lust, of necessity he must take a wife, or else fall, but if he fall having taken a wi●e, he is like a Pilot, which suffereth shipwreck, when he is come to the haven, or like Lot's wife which is cast away though she hath escaped out of Sodom and might have been saved in Z●ar. It was therefore a good answer which a 
Gen. 19 29  married woman in Lacedemonia, made to a young man who desired her company, young man, quoth she, I would grant that thou askest, were it mine to grant, but that which thou demandest, while I was single, was my parents, they had a care to preserve it, now I am married, it is my husbands, only he must have it: it was as good which the Lady Gray made unto King Edward the 4, the first of our English Kings, who married a subject: for when he, being enamoured of her, would have proceeded further, she hearing of a marriage concluded for him in France, and of a precontract with the Lady Lucy, plainly told him, she knew herself too simple to be his wife, and thought herself to good to be his concubine: The example of Alexander is worth the remembrance who having conquered Darius, and always having in his host the wife of the same Darius, would after he had once seen her beauty, never after have her once come in his presence, saying, it would be a great shame to him, who had conquered the husband, now to be subdued by the wife. It is written of the Parthians, that they forbidden their wives not only to converse with men, but not so much as to talk with them, or cast an eye upon them, yet they themselves marching under Venus' banner, will have many wives, but this is as much as if they should bid them fight against enemies, fight against pleasures, to which they would yield themselves: the man is the head of the woman, the head 
1. Cor. 11. 3  should go before, the members follow after, if the woman live more chastely than the man, the house is out of order, and the head doth hang downward.  
The means to keep chastity is love betwixt man and wife, for as he, which love's an harlot hates his wife, so he which love's his wife hates an harlot, and therefore Solomon dehorting from the strange woman, wisheth us to rejoice with the wife of 
Pro. 5. 8. 18 19  our youth, and delight in her love continually: this love is armour of proof, and will not suffer unchaste thoughts to enter into the heart: First therefore knit hearts before you strike hands, first be heart fasted, than hand fasted, first chose your love, then love your choice, like the bridegroom and the spouse in the Canticles. call one another love: therefore the husband the first year he was married was freed from the war, that 
Deu. 24. 5.  love might grow up as the water cresses, little by little but with a deep root, where this is in the man another woman's person shall not be the prison of his heart, nor lodge within his breast, his eyes shall not look upon strange women, nor his flesh yield to the service of Venus: where this is in the woman she girdeth her loins with strength, her heart is not deceived by a man, where this is wanting in man or woman, they are ready to embrace the bosom of strangers, to overflow the banks of chastity, to set fire to their honesty, to violate the rites of matrimony, and set forth marriage to all reproach and villainy: for though they dwell together in one house, yet are they like two poisons in one stomach, one is sick of another like Eels in the pot which would fain be out, like Spaniel's coupled, which hale, one one way, another another way, and if they go any time quietly together, it is because they cannot go a sunder, and though matrimony be a conjunction, yet in such it is a conjunction disinuctive, as are joined in body, but disjoined in affection: hereupon it comes to pass that some in these days are as ready to venture their lives for a common wench, as other in former times, have been forward to hazard them for the commonwealth: hereupon it comes to pass that man and wife, alleging some foul plea to clout up their foul play seek to be separated one from the other: those whom God hath joined together man should not put a sunder, the woman is bound by the law to the man while 
Rom. 7. 2.  he liveth: and on the other side, the man to the woman: Kings are bound with these chains and Nobles with these links of iron, but when man and wife love not, they will not be tied with this tackling, they break these bonds a sunder, & cast away these cords from them, the hart of the husband must cleave to his wife, the heart of the wife must cleave to her husband: the wife is the glory of the man, every man loveth his glory: they two are one flesh, & as God at first made two of one by resolution, 
Gen. 2. 22.  so marriage makes one of two by composition: they are two boughs of one tree, & together bear one fruit, as a sience taken from one tree and grafted in another stock, and as children are a man's self multiplied, so the wife is a man's self divided: Adam saith she is flesh of my flesh, if any man hateth 
Gen. 2. 23.  his own flesh, he is carried to Bedlam, and is like 
c 1. Kin. 18. 28.  the Baalits' which wounded their own bodies, 
d Leu. 19 28.  contrary to the Commandment; Man had his make made of his own flesh, and so had no creature beside, and therefore man should exceed all other creatures in the love of his make: and therefore Darius' aforesaid, when Alexander the great had overcome him, yet shown himself stout and invincible, till he understood his wife was taken prisoner, at hearing whereof his heart did melt, his knees did smite together, sorrow was in all his loins, being more grieved for her imprisonment, than loss of his own liberty, victory, credit and estimation.  
Again, concerning the woman, she was taken out of the side of man near the heart, when she was first made, and when she is married, there is a ring put by her husband on the fourth finger of her left hand, where there is a vein which goes to the heart, to teach their to love him from the heart.  
The Chronicle stores us with a cluster of many singular examples of this love: some for love to her husbands have been content to hazard their estate as:  
Some have been content to leave their Country, when L●ntulus Crustelio was banished into Sicily, Sulpicia followed 
Gen. 12.  her husband, like Sarah, for when Abraham by God's commandment left his Country, she without commandment left her Country also: as if she should say to her husband, as Ruth to Naomi, whither thou goest, I will g●●, and where thou dwellest, 
Ruth. 1. 16. 17.  I will dwell, where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried, the Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death depart thee and me. Some have been content to lose their goods, to lose their good name, to lose their lives. When Guelfus and other Noble men with their wives were taken prisoners, after a siege in the Castle of Winsberg, the women having leave to go away, and carry with them, whatsoever they could bear on their shoulders, they leaving all other things, took up their husbands, and away they went.  
A woman (as we read in the Acts and Monuments) defamed herself to deliver her innocent husband, it was Calaway a Goldsmith in London, who should have been cast away, had it not been for his wife, for he being indicted of a crime, which was death by the law, and might not have the benefit of his clergy, because he had married a widow (for the law was that Bigamus might not have his book, and he was accounted bigamus, who had been twice married himself, or else had married a woman, whose former husband was dead) his wife came forth before the judges and deposed, that she never was married to him that was accounted her first husband, but lived in adultery with him. When Nero condemned Seneca to dye, he gave him leave to choose what death he would dye, whereupon he caused his veins to be opened in a Bath, his wife Paulina of her own accord did the like, choosing rather to dye with him, then live without him. I cannot omit one example of an English Queen, and that is Eleonor wife to King Edward the first, for when he going to the holy Land was wounded by a Morian with a sword so envenomed, that art and medicine could not cure him, this good & loving wife with her own mouth, did day by day suck and draw out the venomous humour, and without hurting herself helped her husband, cured and closed his wound, in remembrance of whose great affection, King Edward did build her many monuments.  
A second breach of this law, and branch to be cut off is Fornication, which though it be not so great sin as Adultery, as I have already proved, yet fly Fornication: for these 
1 Cor. 6. 18  things are common to both these sins, a diseased body, a damned soul, a poor purse, a shameful name, a wronging of posterity, and of the party with whom the folly is committed: For the first, these fin against their own bodies, wasting their strength in pleasure, as the flame consumeth the candle, and therefore are like Sparrows, which Aristotle saith, do therefore live but a short time, because of their common copulation: they procure to themselves such infectious diseases, as will hasten their death, and such as will stick by them, when their best friends give them over.  
Concerning their souls, Saint Paul excludeth them from 
1 Cor. 9 6  the Kingdom of heaven; as he will have them separated from 
1 Cor. 5. 9 11. 13.  the company of men upon earth.  
Concerning their estate, poverty cometh upon them as one that travaileth by the way, and necessity like an armed man: this sin is purgatory to the purse, though it be paradise to the desires, Danae doth then like jupiter, when he comes unto her in the form of a shower of golden rain, and therefore the Poet saith;  
Nuda Venus picta est, nudi pinguntur amores:  
Nam quos nuda capit, nudos dimittat, oportet.  
How soon had the prodigal child consumed his portion, 
Luc. 15. 14  when once he light among harlots; but you will say, this sin may bring a mean man to poverty, and a poor man to beggary, but great ones may wallow in this sin, and yet their estate never be impaired, nay women are like enough to gain by the trade, for they be receivers, with 
e Mat. 26. 15.  judas they are at their Quantum dabis? as if their lovers bring any thing, they are welcome, if any of them say with Peter, 
g Act. 3. 6.  Silver and 
f Gen 38. 16.  gold have I none, ibit for as, there is no entertainment for him, 
f Thamar.  the string of their hearts reach to the pulse of their hands, and must be rubbed with gold.  
Concerning Name, men have a care of their credit, and would have a good reputation among men, next to the approbation of God and the testimony of a good conscience, for if a man's name be once tainted with just reproach, postea nullus erit, but is like a garment, which once rend is like to be torn on every nail; now he that committeth adultery with a woman looseth his name, a bad report is his portion while he liveth, a bad heir when he is dead, and such a one as shall outline all his posterity, his reproach shall never be put away: and 
●ro. 6. 33.  it were well, if only he himself did pay for it, but this is not all, but even the children unlawfully begotten do feel the smart of it; for first the stain remaineth to them, and bastardy is their blemish, than which, what can be a greater, and therefore when the holy Ghost would brand the Israelites with a mark of greatest reproach, he calls them the seed of 
Esa. 51. 3.  the Adulterer, and of the whore: Again parents are not so careful of the good education of such children, their birth is not so base, but their bringing up is as base as their birth, such fathers care not, though with the Israelites they offer such sons and daughters unto devils, they have no care to correct them, they care not though they have their swinge, though it be in an halter, and therefore the Lord compareth those, whom he corrects not unto bastards, If ye be without 
Heb. 12. 8.  correction, then are ye bastards and not sons: besides all this the jewish law doth not allow such children the same privileges, which it doth those, which are lawfully begotten, for first they were not called to places of public government, either in Church or common wealth; and secondly, they were excluded from inheritance: and therefore when Iphthas' brethren were come to age, they thrust out Iphtah (the only base borne in the Scripture which we read of came to good, and he is set down lest bastards should despair, and none but he, lest parents should presume) and said unto him, thou shalt not inherit in 
Iud 11. 2.  our father's house, for thou art the son of a strange woman.  
A wise traveller when he cometh to his Inn, though many pleasant dishes be presented to his sight, yet he forbeareth them in consideration of the price: we are here travellers towards jerusalem which is above, this world is but a baiting place to go to another, here the harlot saith, as in the Proverbes, I have Peace offerings: meat at home to make good cheer, I have decked 
Pro. 7. 14  my bed with ornaments, etc. Come let us take our fill of love until the morning, let us take our pleasure in dalliance: all this found'st well, but taste of her cates and delicates, and how hard is the reckoning? the body must pay for it, for howsoever Dalilah speaks fair, yet in the end she bereaves Samson of 
jud. 16. 19  his strength, of his sight and of himself: and yet the shot is not paid, but thy soul must go to the reckoning, for thou postest to hell on the back of uncivil pleasures, if thou thinkest that now all is discharged, thou reckonest without thy host and therefore must reckon twice, thy goods must go to the payment. This sin maketh even the covetous man prodigal, as thy goods so thy good name must make up the shot: & when thou thinkest all is discharged, there comes an after reckoning, and thy posterity must pay it, thy bastardly generation, & the children which are not yet fashioned in their mother's womb▪ I had rather want a little honey, than thus be stung with the payment, I like not the Scorpion, which goeth over the body very smothily, but stingeth with the tail, nor yet the gnats, which making music about the ears, do evermore sting or they part, nor yet such pleasures, as like tragedies have as bitter ends, as they have sweet beginnings. When that famous or rather infamous harlot Lais demanded of Demosthenes a round sum of money for one night's lodging, he gave off his suit with these words, Nolo tanti emere poenitentiam, I will not buy repentance so dear: If one single cord was strong enough, to draw Demosthenes from fleshly delights, then what shall a threefold cord do us, nay a cord which is five times doubled? When the mother of Lemuel would dissuade him from giving his strength unto women, she puts him in mind that he is a man 
Por. 31. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 20.  of worth: We are men of worth, bought with a price, but if we yield to fleshly delights, we show ourselves base, pleasures, they say, are for the body and the body for the soul, and therefore if this sin reign in us we are become servants to our servant's servant.  
And therefore the law of Nature, before the law of God was written, did punish this sin with death, judah, when he heard his daughter Tamar had played the harlot, and with playing the harlot was with child, gave this sentence, bring 
Gen. 38. 24.  her forth, and let her be burnt.  
The Egyptians cut off the woman's nose, and the men's members, Augustus Caesar permitted the father to kill his daughter taken in adultery, Canutus a Danish King in this land did banish them. Tenedius a King in another land did cut them in sunder with an axe: Lex julia and the law of Romulus, did put them to death, and therefore the Pope is to blame, who alloweth of Courtesans, which pay tribute for licence to be comen whores: Much to be misliked was that judgement given against Theodora in the 7. persecution of the primitive Church, who because she refused to do sacrifice to the Idols, was therefore condemned to the stews, though by the policy of Dydimus a Christian, who came and took on him her apparel, and sent her out in his, she kept herself chaste: let the Church, which is a Virgin married to Christ keep one faith, and let all that are married one to another keep the same office in flesh, which the Church keepeth in faith, let young men with joseph strive manfully to subdue this sin 
Cen. 39 9  knowing that chastity is grace to the body, beauty to the soul and peace to the desires.  
A third sin which the Apostle reckons among the works of the flesh is uncleanness, which is a general word comprehending the two former sins and stretcheth yet further, condemning the sin of the Sodomites when man with man works filthiness. and therefore to blame was Sixtus the 4. who built a costly Stews in Rome appointing it to be both maseuline and feminine, making a gain of that most beastly sin, giving the whole family of the Cardinal of Saint Luce free leave in june, july and August to use that sin for committing whereof God reigned upon Sodom and Gomorah fire and brimstone from 
●en. 19 24  heaven, A bird of the same feather was john Casus Archbishop of Beneventane, the Pope's Legate to the Venetians, who magnified this sin not in word alone, but commended the same in writing: but as Pho●ion did think he had spoken somewhat amiss, because the common sort commended his Oration: so think the worse of this sin, because such lewd persons give it such allowance and so great commendation.  
Buggery with beasts is another sin comprehended under this uncleanness a sin so hated of God, that the innocent 
Leu. 20. 15.  and harmless beast should dye as well as the party that committed the fact: Other sins of like sort, which nature doth abhorred and chaste ears will not willingly hear, the very thought whereof woundeth the heart with horror, I purposely pass over, and come to the last branch which is wantonness, and this is either inward or outward, inward in the heart, for he that lusteth after a woman hath committed adultery with her 
Mat. 5. 28.  already in his heart, and God did punish the resolution 
a Gen. 12. 17  in Pharaoh and 
b Gen. 20. 3  Abimelech though neither of them had come nigh unto Abraham's wife: we have a saying: thought is free: but the Apostle saith, I had not known that lust had been sin, except the 
Rom. 7. 7.  law had said, thou shalt not lust: I know this sin shrouds itself under the habit of virtue, and as cleanliness doth cover pride, thirst doth cover covetousness, so the conveyance is not cleanly, except the outside of love doth cover the inside of lust, thus the devil will not show us sin in it right colours, but with the spider weaves a fine web to hang the fly withal, and with Alcibiades imbroyders a curtain with Lions and Eagles to cover his pictures of Owls and Apes: but we must take the visor from this sin, that it may appear as it is, reject it though it comes with a mask, give it no countevance though under a good colour it would insinuate itself: The best weeding is to pluck up the roots, lust is the root of sin, which bringeth forth a bitter fruit, the holy Ghost will not suffer a 
Deu. 29. 18  root that springeth forth Gall and Wormwood, but will have it weeded out: When the trees did see that iron mills consumed them so fast, they laid their heads together and concluded upon this, they would not lend to any axe so much as an helfe, we are as trees, Gods judgements an axe, our sins yield matter sufficient to cut us down, conclude upon this not to yield so much as a thought, it is as easy to quench the flame of Aetna, as the thoughts set on fi●e by affection.  
Outward wantonness is either in the body or the appurtenances, in the body, when the eye is wanton, the ear is wanton, the tongue is wanton, or when there is a wanton carriage of the whole body: The wanton eyes like jacob's sheep, too firmly 
Gen. 30. 39  fixed upon beautiful objects, make the affections bring forth spotted fruit: the eyes of Putiphars' wife caused her to step awry, uritque videndo famina for glancing forth their beams on joseph's beauty, they made their reflection on her heart with 
Gen. 39 7.  hot burning lust: sight is set down as the original both of 
Gen. 34. 2. 2. Sam. 11.  Shechems' and David's fall, the foolish eye like the spider gathers poison of the best flowers, as the wise eye like the Bee gathers honey of the worst weeds.   vidi, ut perij, ut me malus abstulit error. 
And therefore when there were some who seemed to have compassion upon a one eyed man, he told them, he had lost one of his enemies, a very thief which would have stolen away his heart; an I●●enall makes it a wonder, that a certain man who wanted both his eyes should be addicted to this sin.  Qui nunquam visae flagrabat amore puella. 
For true is the proverb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lust creeps in at the window of this sense, as the enemy at the gates of jerusalem, and picks the lock of the strongest heart: 
Lam. 4. 12. job. 31. 1.  therefore with job, we must make a covenant with our eyes, since C●rce will inchaunt all that behold her, having faculty attractive with the jeate, and retentive with the Diamond, whose face is like a glass, wherein while the La●kes gaze, they are taken in the day net.  
Again a wanton ear lets in lust: The Basilike or Cockatrice 
Pro. 7.  is so venomous, that he slayeth with his sight: the Sirens sing so sweetly, that they allure all that lend them their ea●es, to come unto them, as Venus is a Basilisk, and men must shut their eyes, and not gaze at her, lest they perish, so is she a Siren, and men must stop their ears at her melody, like Ulysses soldiers, or the deaf Adder which refuseth to hear the voice of the Charmer, charm he never so wisely: the care must be like a s●rue which keeping in the good seed casteth out the dust and ivory, and if with the draw-net in the Gospel, it hath taken all manner of things, with the men in that place, it must keep the good as in a vessel and cast the bad away.  
A wanton tongue either in reading or in common talking, is another cord, which draweth on adultery, and a passage whereby it enters into the heart, evil speech corrupt good manners, 
1. Cor. 15. 33.  what contents the tongue, to that consent the heart, & therefore if in reading any book we meet with, any thing which may make way for this sin, we must pass by it, as the Priest and 
Luc. 10. 31.  Levit by the wounded man, or deal as the Israelites with the 
Deu. 21. 1●.  captive woman, pair away that which is superfluous lest we be like the Prodigal Child, who desired to be refreshed with the husks that the swine did eat.  
As for wanton words, refuse them as much in thy talk, as poison in thy meat: how foul a fault is it to be like the ducks, which still have their bills in the mire? if thy tongue would fain run over, with job, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, be like David, who, as he desired to be a doorkeeper in God's 
Psa. 141. 3.  house, so desired God to be a doorkeeper in his house: Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. I will not speak here of a wanton hand, either in writing or being worse employed only it grieveth me, to see the best wits, lose themselves in the vainest follies, to see good Clerks serve Venus in Mineroves' raiment to see great scholars long in travail, to be in fine delivered of some lewd and idle fancy: to see Ovid spill much art in his book de arte amandi, for which Augustus banished him, as knowing that young minds would thereby be stirred up unto wantonness: As the members of the body severally, may be arraigned and found guilty of this transgression, so jointly together they may be indicted for it, when there is a wanton carriage of the whole body at the same time, 
Psa. 3. 16.  such as the daughters of Zion used who walked with stretched out necks, and with wand'ring eyes, walking and mincing as they went, and making a tinkling with their feet: such as Dancers commonly use, and therefore Diogenes being asked what he thought of dancing answered, the better, the worse, as though he thought the best dancers the worst men: Chrysostome seemeth to dislke dancing, we read, saith he, of 
f joh. 2. 1.  a marriage feast, 
g Mat. 22. 11.  of marriage garments, of 
a Mat. 25. 7.  Virgins going before with lamps, but of dancing at marriages, saith he we read not, as though he though it had not a just warrant, because it wanted express mention.  
Now wantonness in the appurtenances, and things belonging to the body, shows itself in wanton apparel, and strange diet, both these are instruments to strike up a dance for adultery: apparel whether we consider the cost or the fashion: the cost, and therefore Lysander would not suffer his daughters to wear gorgeous attire; saying it would not make them so comely as common. Men therefore are to blame, which have the cunning, that they can turn two or three hundred acres of ground, into two or three trunks of apparel, who to set ou● themselves gorgeously sell away their land so long by the yard, that they leave not for themselves a foot; who can as easily carry many Oaks and Woods on their backs, ᵃ as 
1 Sa● 1●. ●  Goli●h carried in his hand a spear, as big as a weaver's beam: to blame are women, who tyre not themselves as holy women in times past, ᵇ who trusted in God, and were sub●ect 
1 Pe●. 3. 5 Esa. 3 1●.  to their husbands; but like the ᶜ daughters of Z●on, must have too much variety, and clothe their flesh like the Rainbow with garments of diverse colours. Not but that men of degree and calling may wear sumptuous habits according to the custom of the Country, and honour of their place, as in King's houses ᵈ they wear soft raiment without reproof; but when 
Mat. 11. ●. Luc. 16. 19  men beyond their degree and place must like the ᵉ rich man be clothed in purple for ostentation, and fine linen for delectation: when they must have their faced and defaced garments, when they must apparel their apparel with ruffs on ruffs, laces on laces, cuts on cuts, when they must have pearls to adorn the body, though the soul be rob of her jewels, when they must have rich ornaments, not so much for use and profit, as for a brag, and to serve other men's eyes, this, this is liable to reproof, and they which put on this light attire, cannot lightly put on honest and chaste conversation.  
Now for the fashion, attire is as strange in fashion, as the Giants were monstrous in nature: and Adam was not so much ashamed of his nakedness, as now men may be of their clothing: Honesty first invented the seemly garment, to cover our unseemly parts; Necessity the profitable garment, to defend us from the injury of the weather, but riches and riot did find out the precious, which vanity did fashion to her trick: & howsoever this land hath given other nations the foil, yet they have given us the fashion, the pride of all countries' sits in our skirts, the follies of all Nations are fallen upon us, if there be a new toy or a new fashion, men, but especially women be sick of the fashions, and never well till they have it, though some of them with their fashions grow clean out of fashion. But, ad quid perditio hac? whereto serveth this waste? there is no building to that, which is made without hands, no joy to a quiet conscience, no clothing to the righteousness of Christ, put on therefore the Lord jesus Christ, and let 
Rom. 13. 14  not unchaste behaviour show itself in the gawdines of attire, what are silks, but the excrements of worms? what is gold, but the dregges of the earth? what are precious stones, but the rubble of the sea? compound thy garment of all these, and make it of the best fashion, yet art thou not clothed like ᵍ the lilies of the field. Nature hath clad beasts with an hair 
Mat. 6. 29.  skin, and fowls with feathers, but man, because he is endued with reason, it brings forth naked, leaving his covering to good discretion, let apparel therefore be such, as shall not so much satisfy a curious eye, as bear witness of a sober and chaste mind.  
Now for Diet, a full belly makes a foul heart: gluttony and drunkenness lead the dance, chambering and wantoness follow forthwith, fullness of bread bred uneleannes in the Sodomites: 
Rom. 13. 13 Ez. 16. 49.  when the mouth is a tunnel, the throat a winepipe, the belly a barrel filled to the full, whoredom works out: the rankest weeds grow out of the fattest soil: and therefore as the ᵇ Apostle Saint Paul speaking of purity, speaketh first of 
2 Cor. 6. 6 jer. 5. 7. 8.  fasting, so the Prophet ⁱ jeremy speaking of impurity and uncleanness, speaketh first of feeding to the full: The body is a seething pot, concupiscence is a fire, plentiful and costly diet doth kindle the fire: Venus in vinis: Venus warms herself at the sign of the ivy bush, and sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus, not but that Paul and his acquaintance may meet at the market of ᵏ Appins, and at the three taverns▪, for as we may eat 
Act. 28. 15. 1 Cor. 10. ●5.  whatsoever ˡ is sold in the shambles (though Pythagoras would eat of no living creature: as Essei people of Palestine would never eat Pigeons) and as the disciples might eat and drink whatsoever was ●et before them, ordinary and common victuals, 
Luc. 10. 7.  so God hath given ᵐ wine to make glad the heart of man, and oil to make him a cheerful countenance: only we 
Ps. 104. 19  must take heed we be not irregulares gulares, and making the corpse a cloak-bag, and the gut a gulf abuse Gods good gifts, and take thereby occasion to sin.   

The eight Commandment.  Exod. 20. 15. Thou shalt not steal. 
AMong other reasons why God would have his 
Leu. 11. 1●.  people Israel, abstain from fowls living upon prey, this was one, to teach them, they should not pray one upon another, they should not take away one another's goods, and feed themselves by offending him, who feedeth all: This is also the mark at which this Commandment doth level: which forbiddeth us to have vnc●s ungues, to be light fingered, to increase that which is not our own, by putting our hands to our neighbour's goods; and secondly, inioyneth us to content ourselves with our own estate, to get our own living with our sweat, and as much as we may, to procure the good and the welfare one of another.  
Two sorts of men live upon prey, the first more public, and these are they, which prey upon Church or common wealth: upon the Church, these are either grubbing Patrons of benefices, and their sacrilegious brokers, who rob the Clerk whom they intent to present, or else greedy Parishioners, who spoiling the Lord in Tithes and offerings, rubbe the Clerk presented: the first of these resembles the horseleech, 
a Pro. 30 15  which cries, give, give, resembles judas, who saith, 
b Mat. 26. 15.  what will ye give, resembles the devil, who saith, 
c Mat. 4. 9  all these will I give, if: and before matters be concluded Magus must offer money, the purse must pay for it, or else the wings of the benefice must be clipped: Tithes must be compounded for, or else abated, the palmer worm must have his part, the grasshopper his part, the canker worm his part, the caterpillar her part, and all that remain shall be but Reliquiae Danaum atque immitis Achyllis; and the quotum shall consist in a great number of small Tithes: the Clerk shall have a Camel's skin stuffed with straw: a great Canon that gives a monstrous crack and shoots but paper, with Ixion he must embrace a cloud for Inno, and with Narcissus make much of a shadow in stead of a water Nymph: he shall have the shell when Ichnewmon hath sucked out the egg of the crocodile, or the shells of the Oyster, when the Latron hath had the flesh of the fish: small matters like the skabbard shall remain untouched, when thunder hath destroyed the sword. The Statute of Mortmain provided they should give no more to the Church, and therefore like Moses it cried Ho, but tempora mutantur, & nos mutantur in illig. These latter times have seen the springs of bounty like Iorden turned back, which heretofore did run fresh and fast into the Church.  
Our father's forefathers put too much blood into the Church's veins, succeeding ages for her good, that it might not dye of a pleurisy; let it blood in the swelling vein of her excess, these times are so fare from stopping the issue, that they prick it still and suffer it to bleed to death. The Egyptians dealt hardly with the Israelites, when they took away their straw, and so do these Gipcies, which take away the corn, and allow nothing but straw: they are sick of the dropsy, and a cup as big as a Church will scarce satisfy it; so they may be golden Patrons, they care not though they present leaden or wooden Priests, they are content with Michaes Priests, so they may have them for Michaes wages, they prefer even light angels before Angels of light, and care not how little reckoning the Clerk be, so they may sell their presentation at a great price, they do not so much regard aram dominicam, as haram domesticans, these are not Papistae but Rapistae, Merchants broken into the Church, a great deal more intolerable, than those which Christ whipped out of the Temple: This sacrilege is theft in the highest degree, in revenging whereof 
d Act. 5. 3.  Peter useth his key, in mentioning whereof, 
e Rom. 2●. 2●.  Paul maketh it a match or overmatch for idolatry, and indeed, if covetousness, be Idolatry, and theft the daughter of covetousness, and sacrilege the eldest daughter of theft, than he that committeh sacrilege may be said an Idolater: besides he is a means of Idolatry in bringing in ignorance and superstition, and though there be great fault in the Clerk, for he should say, by the grace of God I am that I am, not by my smooth tongue, not by my great friends, not by my bribing purse, yet Sacrilege is a beam in respect of this mote, and though the beam and mote must both be cast out, yet 
f Mat. 7. 5.  first cast out the beam 
g Mat. 2●. 12.  though sellers and buyers must both be cast out of the Temple, yet the sellers have the first place: and therefore ye Patrons, be no longer Pirates of the Church, neither mangle nor sell that liberal allowance that is committed to your trurst, do not under colour of taking away the superfluity, leave to little for the necessity of the Minister, be somewhat more friendly to the Church than the East wind to the fruits of the earth, do not 
h 1. Kin. 14. 17.  with Rehoboham give her shields of brass for her shields of gold, make her not a mark to shoot at, pull not still the forbidden fruit, despoil not the Church which your fathers clothed, rob her not of her possessions and endowments, let not your Levits purchase your Cures, let him have his penny that labours in the Vineyard, the false prophets made a spoil of you, do not you make a spoil of the true, if you are merchants of souls, you are enemies of religion, you consume the zeal of God's house, and are harbingers to take up Chambers for the devil.  
Again the Parishioners which withhold their tithe are said to rob or spoil 
i Mal. 3. 8. 10.  the Lord in tithes and offerings: God as he will have the seventh of your time, so he will have the tenth of your living, Moses gives a strict charge for this in the Old Testament, and 
k Gal. 6. 6.  Paul as strict in the New: The Minister is borne for the good of many, and many for the good of him to Minister to him temporal things, as he to them spiritual, and therefore do not ye like Caterpillars cleave to the fruits of the Church, say truly with the Pharisee 
l Luc. 18. 12  I give tithe of all that ever I possess, and give it with a willing mind.  
Others like greedy cormorants and falcons seize, and plume and prey upon the common wealth, such are they who make a private gain of that which should be for the public good, such as depopulating Parishes think themselves ill seated, when they dwell by neighbours, such as grating upon poor trades with hard engrossing, to get much wealth, put in hazard all their credit and estimation: even Tully a heathen Philosopher, in his third book of offices, thought this pulling, this catching and snatching from other did overthrew common society, and that the whole body must then needs be weak and perish, when every part thereof did think it might be strong, if it had conveyed to itself the strength of the next lives, but let this suffice to have spoken of public theft, either in spoiling Church or common wealth: there is a more private theft, when a man is a thief to himself, or to his neighbour or to both, to himself, either to his body or his goods, to his body, when he doth not minister to it things necessary, but will be always indebted to his back and to his belly, and so as he may have his purse full, he cares not though he keep his back bare and belly thin, and cares not how poor he live, so as he may dye rich. The good man having nothing is Lord of all things, ˡ habet ●mina, quia habet habentem omina, he hath all 
2. Cor. 6. 10.  things because he hath the Lord of all things, the father the most ancient of days filleth his memory, the son the wisdom of the father filleth his understanding, the holy Ghost the comforter filleth his will: on the other side the miserable man hath all things, yet of all he hath, he hath nothing, he is good to none but worst to himself: he is like the Cornish-chough, which will steal a piece of money and hiding it in some hole, will never help herself with it afterward, unlike the deluer of the earth, for he with his mattock draws relief and nouriture out of the earth, but this man hides that in the earth, which should be a means ●● nourish and relieve him, if he wants any thing his spirit is troubled with restless thoughts to get it, if he hath any thing, he comforts not himself with it, but accounts it lost that he bestows upon himself, he is afraid he should hinder himself of a chick, if he should but eat an egg, and thinks himself half undone, if he makes a good meal on his own trencher: this is an evil, which Solomon saw under the sun and it is much among men: ᵐ A man to whom God hath given 
M. Eec. 6. 1  riches and treasure and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that it desireth, but God giveth him not power to eat thereof: the body is a servant, let it feel the sweet of it sweat, let it have which is sufficient for quantity, and wholesome for quality. let a 
n Ecc. 2. 24 & 3. 22.  man eat and drink and delight his soul with the profit of his labour, and know that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his affairs,  
Again a man may be a thief to himself in his estate, either when he shall foolishly hazard his goods for others, as in rash and unadvised surety ship, or else when he shall prodigally waste them upon himself upon back, belly, or building, these three b b b; like the daughters of the Horse leech suck out the very blood of many a man's substance: The Prophet Hosee speaking of the destruction, that the Assyrans' and babylonians, should bring upon Israel, saith 
o Hos. 7. 9  strangers devour their strength: so still strangers devour men's strength: strange apparel, strange diet, and strange building impair many particular men's estates, and take their pu●ses from them: strange apparel, when a man's attire shall be more worth than himself, and change of garments shall cover a threadbare purse: strange diet, when frugality is not the purse-bearer and hunger the cook which assigns the diet, when men have velvet mouths and sweet teeth, which must be furred with excess of meat and drink, when making their senses their purveyors, and appetite their stewards, they draw their goods through their throats. whose purses may be said poor for the great going out, while their bellies may be said rich for the great coming in: strange building picks a man's purse making some like the builder in the Gospel, who began to build, but was not able to make an end, others to leave their houses desolate, for they spew out the owner, so that they are like the slothful man's Vineyard: 
p Pro. 24 3. 1  the nettle possesses the pleasant places of their silver, the thorn is in their Tabernacles, and grass groweth at the doors, or if they be resident on their houses, they keep but few fires in many chimneys, the smoke comes all out at one hole, and though a man may see them a fare of, yet they cannot smell them nigh hand, bread and beef is turned into stones: the stately ro●fe, the costly parements, the curious workmanship, hath chased away hospitality, rob the purse, and brought it into a consumption not to be recovered.  
Of those which put their hands to their neighbour's goods, some are notorious thiefs, as on Shooter's hill or in Stangate hole, which take up such purses as fall in the laps for want of sufficient defence, some whereof are like the Owl, which preys in the dark, who turning the order of Nature upside down, watch the night and sleep the day, others like the Kite prey in the light both sorts watch for a man: and as fowlers take birds, so are they 
q Hos. 6. 9  a snare on Mizpha, and a not spread upon Tabor: God to show that he would not have any man spoilt of that which was his, took order that the wife should not marry to a stranger, if her first husband died childless: that if a man had builded an house, 
r Deu. 20. 5  planted a Vineyard, betrothed a wife, he should not go to war, till he first had had the use of them all: that the father when he died, should not give to one son, that which of right belongeth to another: he should not give away the inheritance from the first borne, though happily he bore more affection to one of his younger sons, except 
6. 7.  he had just cause to do it: as jacob had, who therefore set his eldest son 
s Deu. 21. 6  Reuben besides the cushion, because he went up to his father's bed to defile, it if God would not suffer the father to dispose of that which was his own, much less will he have on man's goods to be at another's disposition: and therefore when 
● Gen. 49.  a prigging fellow said to Demosthenes (who took him up short for fingering that which was none of his own) nescieba● quod h●● tuum esset: I did not think it had been yours: Demosthenes well replied, at tuum non esse satis sciebas, but thou knewest well enough it was none of thine, & therefore hand off, thou shouldest let it alone: neither let any say, God commanded the Israelites to rob the Egyptians, for God's commadement against his law is no warrant for any to break the law. Besides the common Gailebirds which are limefingred, and spoil them that pass by peaceably, as though they returned from the war, there are others which rob men privily and more closely increase that which is not theirs: I will not speak here of the Lawyer, who is little better than a thief, if his hand be open to receive a fee, and his mouth be shut, when he should speak in his Client's cause, nor yet of the Physician, who is little better than a thief, if of purpose he keeps his Patient low, that he may be still in request nor of the Minister, who if he enters not in by the ●oore into the sheepfold, if he takes the 〈◊〉 and feeds not the flock, is a thief and a robber: I come to those, who though they have no calling, can make an occupation of close theft, either in taking from other that which they have, or keeping back that which they should have: in the first rank is the usurer, who breeding money of money, to the third and fourth generation proves like the butler's box, which at last draws all the counters to it. The Canon law makes this man a thief, and therefore doth not only excommunicate him, detain him from the Sacraments, deny him burial, but makes his will, no will, as though his goods were not his own: and therefore when an usurer asked a prodigal man, when he would leave spending; I will then, saith he, leave wasting that, which is mine own, when thou dost give off stealing from others. Saint Luke makes this man worse than other sinners, when he saith, 
a Luc. 6. 3●  Sinners lend to sinners to receive the like: but these to receive more.  
The ancient law of the Romames makes him worse than other thiefs, therefore whereas it enjoined thiefs to restore double, the usurer should restore fourfold. The Hebrews make him a biting thief, who gnaweth the debtor to the very bones, yea the most roothles usury hath sharp gums, which bite as sore as an old dog, or an hungry fly, and under show of licking whole sucks out the heart blood, and therefore when on a time the bill and bonds of usurers (for these men turn their estate into obligations) were at Athens all heaped together in the market place, and burnt before their faces, Alcibiades laughing, said, he never saw a clearer or purer fire. There is a spiritual 
b Mat. 25.  usury, God delivers his talents he lets out his gifts and looks for increase, and we must pay it, he is n●uer needy yet delighteth to gain, neu●r covetous yet he demandeth usury: and Bornardine thought a man might let his money to use without offerce, but it was when he let it out to such, as were never able to return the principal, as for other usurers, one saith, they are the very vermin of the earth, whom God never made, but when the flood ceased, they rose up a other v●rmine of the sl●me of the earth, and ever since held by intrusion.  
But what saith the usurer? the law of the land will allow ten of the hundred: therefore you do not well to inveigh against it: first concerning the argument, the law of the Lord, not of the land, must be the square of our lives, else are we like the jews, who when they would crucify Christ, said, 
c joh. 19 7  We have a law, and by our law he ought to die: Now concerning the Proposition, the law is wronged, for it alloweth not ten for lone of an hundred, but punisheth him which extorteth more, neither shall a man by law recover ten, if he put it in suit but forfeit his principal, if he compound for more than ten.  
Another saith: I may let or lend other things, and take rend, or have for the lone, and why not for my money? the reason is not alike: for other things are the worse for wearing, not the money, as good current money must be returned as was let out: Again though a man let out other things, yet is he Lord of them still, so is not the of his money, after that he hath parted with it: again other things yield a commodity of their own nature, so doth not money, the labour and travail of him which borrows it, brings in all the profit; Lastly, if a man let other things, the borrower doth not bear the loss if they miscarry, except it be by his default, as for example, the sea makes a rapture into a piece of ground, the lessor, who owes the ground shall bear the loss, the lessee who rends the ground shall not be constrained to it. A man lets a Horse, which falleth sick and dieth, if the owner knows there was no fault in the borrower, the borrower 
d Ex. 22. 15  shall not make it good for it was an hired thing, and went for his hire, but let money miscarry any way: he that lends it will look it should be repaid.  
An other saith, it is lawful to give use, ergo to take it: rhis Argument is as weak as the rest: A true man may deliver his purse, as many times he doth to save his life, or prevent a further mischief, this doth not prove it lawful for a thief to demand or to take his purse. A man may suffer wrong, is it therefore lawful to do wrong? Saint Paul commands the 
● 1 Cor. 6. 7 8.  one, and condemns the other: do not therefore let money, sell not time for price, make not a gain of uncharitable charity free not a man from one band and wrap him in many; 1. be not worse than a jew, one jew will not take use of another; be not like ᵇ joseph's brethren, who comforted their 
d Gen. 37. 35.  father, yet caused his woe, nor the Iuy, which killeth by culling, nor the Asp, which with his sting casteth a man into a pleasant sweet sleep, but disperseth his venomous infection into every member of the body to the loss of life: be not a legal thief, do not breed money of money, as soon as it hath any being, set it not to beget more, like the hare, which while she brings up one, brings forth an other, and conceiveth an other young after her first conception, lay not this heavy burden upon thy brethren, much less look for a secret gratuity besides the main interest: usury is a trade too easy to be honest, the bane of charity, and very death of life, and therefore as other Nations did punish this sin, some with Zachees restitution, as the Romans', some with banishment as the Lacedæmonians, some with burning bands, as the Athenians so God mentioning the cruelty of jerusalem, in taking 
e Ez. 22. 12 13.  usury and the increase, like a man in a rage imites his hands together, that they may be sure, he will be avenged of it.  
There are other Takers which job ranketh among thiefs, and of these he sets those in the forward, which take away a man's land, not only such as do this under colour of law, as 
d ● Ki. 21. 16  Ahab took away Naboths' vineyard, but such as by displacing bounds, encroach one upon another's ground: ome, saith he, 
f job 24. 2.  remove the landmarks, that rob the flocks and feed thereof: God who set bounds to the Sea appointed bounds betwixt land and land: what a care God had of upright dealing, herein we see by the curse upon them, which would set in or out the bound at their pleasure, ᶠ Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's mark: what a care man had hereof, we see 
g Deu. 27. 17.  by the laws and constitutions made for this purpose; for not only the Canon law taketh order for perambulations, but there is a writ in England de perambulatione facienda. Even among the heathen there was an Idol or god Terminus, whom they supposed to have the preeminence over bounds of lands, to him they dedicated a Temple, which always had a hole in the roof, to show the bounds of land should not be covered or hid, and besides this, they were wont, as Siculus Flaccus saith, to put under bounds either ashes or coals, or potsherds or broken glasses, or burnt bones or lime or plaster; and therefore Mr. Cambden in his Britannia is of this mind, that a certain little hill or barrow near Lilborre in Northhamptonshire, was some bound, for that when men digged into it, upon a conceit to find great riches, in stead of gold they found coals, & exijt ridiculus mus, and he is rather induced to be of this opinion, for that Saint Augustine writing of coals saith: Nun miranda res est, etc. is it not a strange thing that coals, which are so weak, that they are broken with the least stroke, and crushed in pieces, if you do but tread upon them, should notwithstanding never be worn out in any age, which was the cause that they which set up bounds, were wont to put coals under them, for if a troublesome fellow, saith Saint Augustine, should rise up in succeeding ages, and standing in contention should say, that the bond set up, were not the true bound, he might be convinced hereby, when by digging they found coals under it: that we run not into this fault, we must remember the Proverbes, Feed within thy teather, cut within thy leather.  
There are others who break this Commandment by taking pledges when cruel covetous misers will take for pledges those things, with which poor men get their living, or which they cannot lack without danger of life and health: the first of these job layeth to the charge of the wicked, 
h Deu. 24. 6 17.  they lead away the Ass of the fatherless, and take the widow's Ox to pledge: with the latter Elyphaz, though most untruely, chargeth 
i job 24. 3.  job himself, Thou hast taken the pledge from thy brother for 
k job. 31. 19 20.  naught, and spoilt the  of the naked: this was one of the 
l job 22. 6.  transgressions of Israel, for which God would not turn to it: 
m Amos 2.  they lay down upon  laid to pledge by every Altar: First they take any thing, not having respect to the necessity of the party that parteth from it, whereas by the law 
n Deu. 24 10. 11.  they should stay the deliverance, and take that which might best be spared: Secondly 
o Ex. 22. 26  they lay down upon it: and so keep it longer than the law will allow: Thirdly, they use it as their own, and that publicly, even in their solemn Feasts: this is a kind of theft, of which this Commandment doth make restraint.  
Others break this law by taking and making unlawful gain in bargaining: as the buyer, when to have a thing under value, will say, 
p Pro. 20. 14.  it is naught, it is naught but when he comes home, be praiseth his penny worth: the seller, when to fetch the buyer off, will lad him with deep and unseasonable prices, when he will make him pay dear for days, when he will conceal the fault of that he selleth, when with fair words, false measures, light weights, forsworn valuations, adulterate wares he shall empty his purse to fill up his own: to avoid this fault we must use that simplicity and plainness in buying and selling which was between 
q Gen. 23. 15. 16.  Ephron and Abraham: for the one in few words tells the true value what the thing is worth, and the other, letting pass the vain words and idle oaths, which commonly pass between us in the like exchanges, presently tenders the money.  
This is another kind of theft when a man shall keep hack that which of right belongeth to another, as when he shall deny unto his 
r Leu. 6. 2. 3.  neighbour that which was taken him to keep, or that which was put to him of trust, or that which he hath found, or that which is strayed into his ground or that which he hath gained by false reckoning, or that which is worse, when he shall keep back the wages of his hired servant, for this is one of the four sins which cry to God for vengeance.  
Clamitat in calum 
a Gen. 4. 10  vox sanguinis, 
b Gen. 18. 21.  et Sodemorum,  

c Ex. 2 23.  Vox oppressorum: 
d ja. 5, ●  merces retenta laborum.  
And it is worth the observation, that God is never called the Lord of Hosts in the New Testament, but when Saint jaws makes mention of this sin, to show that, though he may wink at many other sins, yet to be avenged of this, he will awake as a man out of sleep and as a Giant refreshed with Wine. I will not speak here of bad Executors, which keep back the right from poor Orphans, which never knew the price of their father, who (when they should become the heirs of the father's affection, and the burden of his cares, when they should bring up his children in instruction and information of the Lord, and deliver them their portions in due season) never regard with what liquour they season them: like Vultures they pray upon the dead, and as the Phanix rise on others ashes: these and the like thefts, though they may be commited closely, and the world takes not like notice of these den thiefs▪ as it doth of those which as wild Asses in the Wilderness go forth to their business & rise early for a prey; yet God will reprove them, & set before them the things which they have done: God & a good conscience detesteth close evils: Moses and the Craftsmen might have made a privy gain of such offerings as the people would have brought for the Tabernacle, but this they thought no good and honest course, and therefore, when they saw that the people offered themselves willingly and their hands had ministered enough, and more then enough, they said not still, as those rulers in Hosee 
e Hos. 4.  bring ye: nor cried as the daughters of the Horseleech▪ in the Proverbs 
f Pro. 30. 15. 16.  give give: they were not like the grave, the barren womb, the earth & the fire which never say, it is enough though they might closely have licked their own fingers with the overplus but on the contrary side, they cried 
g Ex. 36. 6.  Ho, and caused proclamation to be made, that neither man nor woman should prepare any more work for the oblation of the sanctuary: so the people were stayed from offering: they said in effect, as the Lord to the Angel in another case 
h 2. Sam. 24 16.  it is sufficient, hold now thy hand: and now I hold my tongue from further speech of this vice, and come to those who are both thiefs to themselves & to others, and these are the idle loiterer and common gamester. The loiterer saith 
i Pro 6. 10.  a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: in the shortest days he will have the Sun witness of his rising, loving to keep his bed warm, not so much for will to sleep, as unwillingness to dress himself, but Solomon tells his fortune ᵏ the sleeper shall be clothed with rags: by doing nothing, he brings himself to nothing: thus is he a thief to his own estate, who getteh naught, as much as the spendall who wasteth all: In like manner he doth rob others while he life's by the sweet of others sweat: this would Paul insinuate when he would have those which work 
l 2. Tim. 3. 12.  not at all, to work with quietness and eat their own bread: as if he should say, they which work not, eat not their own bread, but eat up other men's store, as the Drones the Bees honey, 
m Gen. 42. 7.  and the seven thin ears, the seven full ears of corn, let every one therefore walk diligently in the vocation whereunto he is called: every one must be a factor, occupy till I come, man is borne unto labour, therefore nulladies sinelinea: let the tradesman keep his shop, the seaman his ship, let the dresser of the Vineyard say I will dig about it, let the shepherd follow the Ewes great with young, let the husbandman sweat his brows, the scholar his brains, let every one go forth unto his labour until the evening and if necessity compel, encroach upon the night for time, let labour and sweat, hunger and thirst be spices to season and relish our meats: if we be dumb shows on God's stage, false lights in his house, blanks in his Calendar, cyphers in his Arithmetic, mutes in his Grammar, idle in his Vineyard, if work be the greatest torment we can dream off, we rob ourselves we rob others, and do as much lose the cords of the commonwealth as they which take pain, raise up the pillars of it: if we will take rest or recreate ourselves, we must as well measure our case as our pain: Christ permitteth his Disciples to ease themselves, but limiteth the permission 
k Mar. 6. 35  Rest awhile.  
The common gamester is also a bird of this feather, and therefore Solomon reading his destiny saith, 
l Pro. 21. 17  he that loveth pastime shall be a poor man: a sweet tooth and velvet mouth make some begger-bare: disease or pennery is the best end of aduletrers, and a gamesome hand doth as soon impoverish a man, as a lickerous tongue or a wanton eye, but some will say they pick out a pretty living by play, indeed they cannot use a fit term, for now they pick and prey upon others, but let them cast their account and in the end they shall find, that they put their win into a broken bag, and may say of such get as Nabucadnezzar did of his dream. I had a dream, but 
m Dan. 2. 8  the thing is gone from me, and of all goods they which are thus gotten may be said movable, for that they are like the clouds which fall as they climbed, and therefore make not an occupation of play and pastime, God in the beginning did not make man for disport, who would have him work in his Paradise, and when men were multiplied upon the earth, he never said, feast and play, but fast and pray, and though thou mayest sometime recreate thyself, (for a bow to much bended may break) yet make not an habit, no not of generous delights, much less of base disports: make not an habit of Card-play: make not a habit of Diceplay, thou shalt pick thine own or another's purse, thou shalt hurt thy conscience, lose thy time, look ou●● pale with fear to lose, or be overhot with desire to win, thou shalt fret and fume, disquiet thyself, make thy heart shake within thee, and rage as if thou we●t bit with a mad dog, and therefore if thou hast been to much addicted to this vanity, leave off, and know for a surety that the best cast at Dice is to cast them quite away.  
I speak not here of a greedy desire of other men's goods which the Scripture comprehendeth under theft, and therefore though judas did not steal yet because he would have had the price of the ointment come ●o his bag, he is accounted 
n joh. 12. 6  no better than a thief, and therefore let every man cleanse himself of this sin, and draw gold out of the heart, as cunning Alchemists draw it out of the earth, and now I draw to an end of the prohibition, and come to the injunction which is the second stream that issueth from this fountain, and a bough into which this law doth branch itself.  
The first virtue therefore which this Commandment requireth is contentation: we must learn with Paul in what estate soever we are therewith to be content, if we sustain want, we must not by unlawful means seek to enrich ourselves, but bear poverty with patience: A rich man which looseth that he hath is not so happy, as he that hath nothing to lose: again, the blessings that poverty brings, overmatch the evils and discommocities that come with it: say a poor man's fare is homely, yet it is wholesome, and better relished to him then dainties to the rich, because it is sauced with hunger which is a better spice than the other hath, optimum cibs condimentum fames and an Onion pleaseth him better than an Olive, say his lo●ging is not soft, yet his sleep is sound, say his apparel be plain, yet it keepeth out cold, say he labours and takes pay n●. yet his life is quiet, his mirth is free, he is witkout fear, without care, without suspicion: say he drinks no Wine not strong drink, now he is not troubled with the Gout, say he doth not barrel up in his belly that variety of God's creatures which other d●e, now he doth not surfeit with excess: we are here travellers to the spiritual Canaan 
o Gen. 28. 20.  and with jacob must be content, if God give us bread to eate, and  to put on. We are here as on a sea, and must be content, if we have but water enough to carry the ship: Why should we desire other men's goods, and seek to get them by hook and by crook, seeing we shall carry with us at last nothing but our winding sheet; why should we encroach upon other men's land, and seek quovis iure, quavis iniuria, to join land to land, since at last we shall have but each of us seven foot of earth? God hath cast every man's lot, if the lot doth not fall to one in so good a ground, as it doth unto another, or in so plentiful manner, yet seek not to better it by entering upon another man's right, but be content with the portion which is allotted, for as the greatest evils are beneath our sins, so the least favours are above our deserts.  
The second virtue required is restitution: The best thing is to do no man wrong, and the second best is, to make him amends: and therefore the law required restitution of stolen goods, whither a man had stolen 
p Ex. 22. 1.  either great beasts of the heard, or small beasts of the flock, neither did it only compel him to make restitution, which had rob another, 
q Ex. 22. 5.  but him also which had any way damnified his neighbour, and not him only which had damnified another, but him also, 
r Ex. 21. 33  which had any way been a cause of his impoverishing: and if you will have all; take nine together in these two old verses,  
jussio, consilium, consensus, palpo, recursus:  
Participans, mutus, non obstans, non manifestans.  
A good man cannot take taste in goods wrongfully gotten, it takes away the contentment of the thing, to think when, and by what means he came to it, and though 
s Gen. 43. 21  jacob's sons were not faulty this way, yet they could not be quiet, till they had carried back the money, which they found in their sacks mouths: therefore 
t Gen. 12. ●9  Pharaoh restoreth Abraham his wife, therefore 
u Luc. 19 8  Zachee righteth those, whom he had wronged, and repaieth them with the usury, which he himself would not take.  
Diseases of the body are healed by contraries, so are the soars of the mind, covetousness by liberality, whoredom by chastity, oppression by restitution, this is as the Prophet speaketh an 
x Dan. 4. 24  healing of the error, neither is there any other way to cure it according to that saying:  
Non tollitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum.  
Wrong offered is an imposthume, contritum pricks it, confessum lets out the filth, restitution layeth on the plaster, this is unica tabula post naufragium, the only board whereby with 
y Act. 27. 44  Paul's company we escape shipwreck: this is that which Theodorie told a Bailie of his, who like the 
z Luc. 16. 6  unjust Steward had made an unlawful gain of his master's goods: A serpent, saith he, finding a viol full of wine, went in at the mouth of the glass, and sucked it up, and now being all belly and stuffed like a Tun he could not get out: the owner of the glass coming, and seeing what was done, thus he saith, miser, evome quod hausists, etc. thou art now in a pitiful case, the way to get out and save thyself is, to cast up which thou hast sucked up, and therefore as the chains did fall from Peter's hands, and then he 
a Act. 12. 7.  came out of prison: so let the chains of covetousness with which our hands and hearts are bound fast fall from us, then shall we make free restitution: But as every one is not a good archer, which can draw a strong bow, which hath a fair lose, which can shoot fare, for all this a man may do, and yet not shoot near the mark, so a man's hands may restore his substance, yet his hands may miss the mark, and his good deed be like a good tale marred in the telling, and therefore as Paul takes the Christian before his race and gives him this watchword, 
q 1 Cor. 9 24.  so run: so that this good deed may be well done, that a man may do iustum just, let me tell him to whom, and when he must restore.  
Some restore ill gotten goods, but as though they had mistaken the party, they rap at the wrong door: judas when 
● Mat. 26. 48.  he had wronged Christ did not make him amends, but restores the money to the Temple, some utterly spoil and undo their neighbours, by usury, by extortion, by racking of rents, by enclosing of commons, and then with the superfluity of their sin, they will build an Almshouse, and if they have spoiled many and made them beggars, now they will keep some, & relieve them with the plasters of their bounty: but as if one wrong us, we do not seek to right ourselves upon another, for than we take the wrong sow by the ear, and are much like the fool, which smites his next fellow, so if we wrong any, we must right the party wronged, else we rob Peter and pay Paul: justice goeth before mercy, and as justice gives 
d Mi. 6. 8.  of it own, so it gives every one his own, it gives it (according 
e Leu. 6. 5.  the Commandment) unto him to whom it pertaineth.  
Others will make restitution, but they will linger like Lot, 
f Gen. 19 16  they will do it in their last will and testament. I knew a man, who among other legacies gave two thousand pounds to satisfy those, which could make any just proof that he had wronged them, better late than never, but better soon then thus late, gratia, quae tarda est, ingrata est gratia, restitution after death is lead, in sickness is silver, but in health is gold, and therefore with Zachee make present pay, in this case let our own hands 
g Luc. 19 8  be our executors, and before we die, let us see this will proved before our face, proportioning our restitution at least, according to the wrong we offered, else are we deceitful upon the balance, and false balances are an abomination unto the Lord, but a perfect weight pleaseth him. Herein we must observe the measure of tantum quantum, and observing the times toties quoties, deliver a tot quot: and as Peter 
a Pro. 11. 1 Mar. 14 68  who denied thrice, 
b Io. 21. 15  confesseth thrice as Paul 
c Act. 26. 11  who persecuted more than they all, 
d 1 Cor. 15 10.  laboured more than they all, and as 
e ● Cro. 33. 12.  Manasses made the prison of Babylon run with tears, 
f 2 K. 21. 16  who had caused the streets in jerusalem to flow with blood, 
g Luc. 7. 38  as Mary who sinned much wept much, so they which have rob often, must restore often, and they which have done much wrong, must make much satisfaction; this is the revenge of a Christian, which ᵃ Sain Paul speaketh 
h 2 Co. 7. 11  of, this is according to john Baptists counsel, to bring forth fruits 
b Mat 3. 8.  worthy amendment of life; this is as Daniel speaketh, to break of 
c D●● 2 24  our sins by righteousness; this is not to go the same way we 
e Mat 2. 12  came (according to the 
d 〈◊〉 13 9  charge given to the man of God) but with the wise Men to return into our Country another way.   

The ninth Commandment.  Exod. 20. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 
THe Philosopher said, that man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little world in the great, and the holy Ghost saith, that the tongue is a great world in the little: 
f ja. 3. 6.  A world of wickedness, an unruly evil, full of deadly poison to govern this world, and to rule this unruly evil, as nature hath fenced it in with a double bar, so the law hath made for it a bit and a bridle, by setting down a double restraint: A bit, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God invaine: therefore let not thy tongue rend and tear God in pieces, or cast up choler against his Majesty: A bridle in this place, Thoushalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour: therefore sit not & speak against thy brother, poison him not with the venomous sting of thy tongue, whet not thy tongue like a sword, nor shoot for thy ar● owes bitter words.  
Thou shalt not bear, etc. As Abraham sinned both by his speech, and by his silence, and therefore Pharaoh expostulating the matter with him, blames him for both, for his speech, 
g Gen. 12. 18. 19  why saidst thou (speaking of Sarah thy wife) she is my sister: for his silence, wherefore didst thou not tell me, that she was thy wife? so do men transgress this law, both by speech and by silence: by speech publicly or privately, publicly when in open assemblies, or at judgement seats a child of Beliall shall come forth, and give false evidence, an unconscionable Counsellor shall plead and further a bad case, a jury shall pass a wrong verdict.  
The giver in of false evidence, because he cuts the throat of all good proceed, and is the beginner and first cause of turning justice topsie turuy, worthily deserveth the first place.  
This man slaieth as much with his tongue, as the bloodsucker with his sword, and therefore the holy Ghost couples ●hem together in the Prohibition, Thou shalt keep thee fare from a false matter, and 
h Ex. 23. 7  shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous: The two wicked men that witnessed against Naboth in the presence of 
i Kin 21. 13  the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King, they were the men that cast him, for upon their false accusation he was stoned to death.  
God to restrain this sin would have those to execute the punishment, which did bring the accusation, for many men's tongues are a two ●dged sword, and some will wound him with their words, whom they dare not touch with their fingers, and therefore if any did accuse any man of such or such a crime, the law did bid them take heed what they did, for if their tongues did cast any man, their hands should execute the punishment: If they cahrged any man with Idolatry, because the Idolater must be put to death, 
k Deu. 17. 7  their hands shall be first upon him to kill him, and then the hands of all the people: 
l joh 8. 7.  If they accused any of adultery, they like the accusers in ● the Gospel, should throw the first stone.  
2. The punishment which the law of God inflicted on this sin, is sufficient to restrain it, for he which did falsely accuse another of any crime, should endure the punishment, 
m Deu. 19 19  which the other should have incurred, if he had been found guilty, as if he accused any of adultery, if the party accused could be proved clear, the accuser (because adultery was death by the law) should dye himself, which judgement we see executed upon the two Elders in the Story of Susanna; God will not suffer this sin to go unpunished, and therefore, though Haman, who oppressed the innocent 
n Est 3. 8. ●.  jews with false accusations and lies, that they might be rooted out and destroyed, was not for those unjust and slanderous speeches put to death, yet was he oppressed himself and falsely accused of a fact which deserveth the Gibbet: for his intent was not to force the Queen, when he fell down at her beds feet or couch whereon she sat, but to make supplication for his life, when he saw the mischief was towards him, howbeit the King taking and making the matter worse than he meant it, will he (saith the King) 
o Est. 7. 8.  force the Queen also before me in the house? marry hang him: so they covered haman's face and hanged him on the tree, that he had praepared for Mordecai.  
3 Whereas a man may deal against his neighbour two manner of ways, either by way of denunciation and telling him of his fault and in this case one man is sufficient, 
p Mat. 18. 15. 16.  if thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him: or else by way of accusation, and in this case there must be two at the least, neither should one 
q Deu 17. 6  witness be sufficient to condemn a man, or rise against 
r Deu. 19 15.  him for any trespass or for any sin, or for any fault he offended in, but two or three should concur together, tha● every one might be circumspect what testimony he gave, lest any one should be found a false witness, if, as at the passion of Christ, the witnesses agreed not together: let not therefore them which are produced as witnesses in any kind of trials, by perjury sin against God in despising his presence, sin against man by taking away his life, his goods, or good name, sin against the jury, by leading them into by paths out of the King's high way, nor sin against the judge in deluding him with falsehood and lies, but without hope of gain or fear of punishment, without favour on the right hand, or malice on the left hand, let every one speak the truth from his heart: sell not the truth like judas, deride not the truth, like the thief on the left hand, testify not against it, as the jews at the passion of Christ, neither conceal it, as did the keepers of the Sepulchre being corrupted with money, but speak the truth and nothing but the truth, refraining thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. That Lawyer who pleads a bad cause, and knows it to be a had cause, is the second person who runs into the public breach of this Commandment, neither is there any great odds betwixt doing of a wrong and maintaining it, and therefore the Scripture condemneth as well ˢ him that shall put his hand with the 
Ex. 23. 1.  wicked, as him that shall give a false report.  
The Lawyer should be a true glass, and by him should judge and jury see the truth of the cause, as it is, but if with his smooth tongue and good utterance he makes falsehood have ●ore show of truth than truth itself, he is a crystal glass, which howsoever il favoured ● man be will show a fair face: I speak in the honour of good pleading, where by mere Narrations, men unfold the equity of the cause, when truth stripping herself naked comes to the bar, this is a thing most honourable, but false glasses and glosses varnishing and garnishing, false bodies and counterfeit colours are stains and blemishes: I speak not against plausible speech, let men martial their words the sooner to overthrew a bad cause and to win the truth, but let not a rotten cottage be well hanged: let a fair body have a well fashioned garment, smooth thyself at Tully's glass, speak not only scripta, but sculpta, make not a good cause har●h to the hearers by slubbering it up in rude & careless words, but never set a good coat on a misshapen, body never garnish a ragged house with fair paintings, if the cause be bad, let not thy speech be full of flourishes, like the first letter of a Patent to better it, seek not to lead judge or jurors out of the way with a golden chain, which comes from thy tongue to their ears, let thy eloquence, Rhetoric and Art of persuading serve only for Clients of truth. Again the jurors publicly break this law, when they being corrupted shall give up a false Verdict, when they do not inquire diligently of the fact, and truly relate to the judges what they find that they may do justice and judgement, (judices n. apud no● iuris solum, non facti sunt iudices, judges with us do not so much inquire of the fa● whether such a thing were done, as set down the law, what the fact deserveth, if it were done: to refrain this sin, even the law of our land doth punish it with great severity, for if but one jurour in any inquest shall take money of one party or the other to give his verdict, there lies a Writ against him called D●cies tantum, and he shall pay ten times as much as he received, but if a false verdict given by twelve men be found, the 12. men be attaint & their judgement shall. be this, their Meadows shall be ar up, their houses broken down, their Woods turned up, and all their Lands and Te●ements forfeited to the King.  
Lastly, judges they must hear and consider, and then after give sentence because they represent Gods own person: Be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be learned ye that are judges of the earth, let your skill in discerning be answerable to your power in commanding: put on justice let it cover you, let judgement be your robe and crown▪ though the mat●er be known, yet let the party offending come to his answer that other may hear● an● fear, 
t D●●. ●●. 21.  joshua examines Achan & will have him confess that which he knoweth already, if the matter be doubtful, commandment of God is, 
u Deu. 13. 14.  thou shalt seek and make search, and inquire diligently: this was jobs practise 
x job. 29. 16.  when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently, God the judge of all the world would teach particular judges of several circuits to prefer consideration before conclusion, when he saith 
a Gen. 18. 21.  I will go down and see. In the law if a man were suspected to have the Leprosy he should be sh●t 
b Leu. 13. 4.  up seven days, and the Priest should view him again and again before he gave judgement, a lucky traveller sets not forth while it is yet dark, but stays till the day Star appears 
c Ecc. 18. 18.  get thee righteousness (saith the son of Sirach) before thou come to judgement, learn before thou speak, give not a certain sentence in a doubtful matter, 
d Cor. 4. 5.  judge nothing before the time: before the time, either collatae potestatis or cognitae veritatis: say one man doth accuse yet the matter may be doubtful, P●tiphar cannot be excused, who upon the accusation of his wife cast joseph his true and faithful servant into prison▪ nor yet Assuerus, who decreed against the jews upon the accusation of wicked Haman: say many do accuse, yet thou shalt not 
e Ex. 23. 2.  agree in a controversy to decline after many and overthrew the truth Elihues' anger was kindled against jobs three friends 
f job 3●. ●. 11. 12.  Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar, because they could not find an answer and yet condemned job: Behold saith he, I did wait upon your words and hearkened to your knowledge, whiles you sought out reasons, yea, when I had considered you, lo there w●s none of you that reproved job nor answered his words. As Elihu is to be commended in this, that he heard all parties, as 
g Kin. 3. 16.  Solomon did the two harlots, and then blamed the accusers, who would condemn a man yet could not answer him, so Pilate is to be condemned, who did not oppose himself against the accusers of Christ, but to please the people condemned the innocent, for though he sought means to deliver Christ, first by comparing him with Barrabas, secondly by delaying the sentence, thirdly by pronouncing him guiltless, what 
h Ma●. 15. 12. 14.  evil hath he done ● yet because the high Priests accused him, the Elders did witness many things against him, the people cried out for judgement, he forgot to put on righteousness on the right hand or on the left, in that against his own conscience, he loosed the wicked and condemned the innocent.  
Sometime there is no evidence, yet many times the party but suspected is guilty, in this case wise Solomon found out the truth by making show of dividing the living child: I read of a judge, who having sundry persons convented before him, among whom it was well known, that one must needs be guilty of a murder that was committed, and yet no sufficient proof to convince any one; laid his hand on every one's heart, and at last found him guilty, whose heart did butt and pant more than the rest, for an accusing conscience did work some distemper within him: I know this is no sufficient argument to condemn any man, except it be a means to wring from him his own confession, yet is it as strong to argue a man guilty, as that in Tully, to prove the two young men guiltless of a murder committed in their chamber, because they were found quietly asleep in the morning: Now as a man may be guilty, though there be no sufficient proof to convince him: so he may be guiltless, though evidence be brought against him: false witnesses may rise up, and lay to his charge things that he knows not: and therefore let judges hear and consider, and give sentence: let them try the spirits of accusers, whither they be of God or no; happily they may be of the same spirit that james and john were, who desired vengeance, 
Luc. 9 54. Mat. 26. 59  and with the high Priests, may rather seek to put a man to death, then desire to have the truth known: let them be like the Grecians, who when they were v●ged to give overhasty sentence, answered, Patres suos apud Antipodes  non vidisse, sed semper expectasse donec & ipsis oriretur. Life is precious, 
1 Kin. 2. 18. etc.  all that a man hath will he give for his life, pull not men from it with violence, as joab from the horns of the Altar: cut not off the limbs, except it be well known they lack blood and life, as you would say, and also hurt other parts of the body.  
Again, this Commandment is broken by speech privately, when men either shall report the truth to a bad end, as those malicious flatterers, which come and accuse the jews of ingratitude and rebellion, or else report that which is false, 
Dan. 3. ●●  either of themselves (when they shall too much magnify themselves, and boast of those gifts they have not, or on the other side too much vilify themselves, and extenuate the gifts they have) or of others, when they shall disgrace worth by malice, or smooth and grace unworthiness by flattery, ●●uour or affection: the Prophet Esay dislikes both sorts, as well 
Esa. 5. 20.  condemning those, which speak evil of good, as those which speak good of evil: the first sort which speak evil of good, are liars and slanderers, of which some rob the renown of the dead, other sack the good name of the living: the first sort are like Hyenae that wolvish beast, which untombes the bodies of the dead, that he may feed himself with putrified flesh like the dogs, not the dogs which did li●ke the sores of Lazarus to heal them, but the dogs which did eat jezabel by 
Luc. 16. 21. 1 King. 9 35.  the walls of Israel, and like the Raven who having found the dead carcase doth rest upon it, such a one gave occasion of the proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because they are the scourge of the dead, while they delight to die their tongues in their blood: on the one side therefore paint not the Sepulchre of the deceased with false colours, in giving him that tribute which belongs not unto him; make him not white as snow, that was as black as the black Horse in the Revelation, as now and then a black 
Reu. 6. 5.  prophet, will for a black gown, on the other side, bury that with him which was blame-worthy, repeat it not either to blot the name of the dead, or disgrace his kindred he left behind him: much less make his good evil, by setting thy foot on his carcase.  
Others sack the good name of those which be alive 
a jer. 9 3.  they bend their tongues like their bows for lies, 
b Psal. 11. 2  Then they make ready their arrows upon the string 
c Psa. 120. 3.  even mighty and sharp arrows, which will pierce like the quills of a Porcupine, these they shoot sometime against those that are present as Eliphaz doth against job: thus and thus thou hast done, 
d job. 22. 6.  Thou hast taken the pledge from thy brother for nought, and spoilt the clothes of the naked, etc. Sometime against the absent, as Haeman in his Oration against the jews, who lets his tongue run too much at liberty, that they might be rooted out to avoid this sin; let the accuser with the wise Man, affirm no more 
H●s. 3. 8.  than he knows; with the good man, no more than standeth with charity, but if his tongue like the clacket of a Mill will still be wagging, if he doth what he can to grind to powder the good name of his neighbours; let the accused learn to make this use of an enemy, so to live, as no credit shall be given unto him.  
They which make evil good, are either the inferior sort which smooth unworthiness by flattery, whose tongs are willing slaves to other men's ears, and so as they may speak that which can please, much regard not how little truth is in their words: such were those parasites who did gather about Herod when he made an Oration, and as though nothing proceeded from him unworthy of admiration 
a Act. 12. 22.  gave a shout, saying, the voice of God and not of man: There 
b Math. 9 23.  were Minstrels about the dead maid, so let great men be dead in trespasses and sins, yet shall they have Trumpeters to sound out their commendation: the very spots of Cato were beauty, and if any objected drunkenness unto him, Citius efficeret crimen honestum, quam turp●m Catonem: to avoid this sin, praise not every action as good, nor the best too much, and in presence.  
As the meaner sort sooth & smooth, and with Nephthali, 
Gen. 49. 21.  give goodly words, blessing with their mouths those whom God accurseth, so the richer sort for favour & affection will be heralds to blaze the praise of those which deserve it not, & so are found false witnesses. God forbidden (saith job to his friends, when he knew them faulty) 
c job 27. 5.  that I should justify you: so should every great man say, when he is solicited to speak or write in a bad man's cause: God forbidden that I should justify the wicked, I were as much to blame to justify the wicked, as to condemn the innocent, I will testify the truth, 
d job 27. 3. 4  so long as my breath is in me, and: he spirit of God in my nostrils, my lips surely shall speak no wickedness, and my tongue shall utter no deceit. And thus much of the breach of this commandment by speech, it is broken by silence, either in suffering, when we shall lend our ears without reproof to those which shall give false report, either of ourselves, or of others, or secondly in doing, when (though our voice be not heard) we shall vilify our neighbour either outwardly by our gesture, or inwardly in our heart.  
Men give false report of us two contrary ways, either by untrue commendation, or unjust accusation: the first sort are flatterers, which will commend in us those qualities we have not, or too much extol those we have, which will commend all our actions as good, and the best with wondering interjections, which will make us believe we know not our own worth, & bless themselves with both their hands, if any thing proceed from us worthy, but mean commendation: We must not give ear to these clawbacks, but stop their passage, and bend our brows upon excessive praise, never courting it otherwise then it follows upon good courses. There be three special reasons which should move us to open our lips, and reprove these kind of persons: some of them level at their own profit, their Art is nothing but delightful cozenage; the Fox in the Fable commendeth the Crow, to see if he can make him open his mouth and let fall the prey; these men will spend their tongues to maintain their teeth; they are Moths which will eate out a liberal man's coat, Vines which will creep to the stakes that stand by them, not for love to the stakes, but to uphold themselves; therefore Antishenes would say, it were better for a man to fall among Ravens then among flatterers, for Ravens will eat none but the dead, but these will eat out a man while he is alive.  
Some of them intent mischief, as the pharisees, who like Bargemen look one way when they row another, who under enticing baits have entangling hooks, who in propounding a question to Christ concerning paying tribute, give him great commendation that they may the sooner entangle him in 
Math. 22. 16.  his answer. joseph's words to his brethren were rough, but his meaning was smooth, he carried a brotherly affection towards 
Gen. 42. 7.  them, but these men's words are soft as oil, when they be very swords: this fawning hypocrisy, this Court holy water, this dishonest civility, this base merchandise of words is nothing but gilded treason, carrying us up as they in the Synagogue did Christ to the top of the hill, to throw us down 
●uc. 4. 29.  headlong: therefore Diogenes being asked what beast biteth sorest, answered, of wild beasts, a backbiter; of tame beasts, a flatterer; he is like the luie, which killeth with culling.  
Lastly, all of them make us forget ourselves, for pride seaaeth upon us, when we are commended through flattery, as the two Elders did on Susanna, when she was anointed with oil: therefore one saith, if they among whom thou livest, do not commend thee, when thou deservest well, they are in fault, but if they commend thee, thou art in danger, for men are blown up with praise, as it were with Gunpowder: the people in saying, after Herod had ended his Oration, Nec vox hominem sonat, committed verbal simony; so Herod depending on vulgar breath, was too well conceited of himself, and robbing God of his honour, committed sacrilege, therefore he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. This flattery 
Act. 12. 22. 23.  what can it not? therefore Alexander the great, though at first he delighted in those which said he was filius jovis, yet being wounded with an Arrow at the siege of a City, he regarded no longer the false colours of adulation, with which others are tickled to death; therefore Canutus, a King of this Land, about thirty years before the conquest, did break that false glass, which presented him a face not his own; for when as one, to soothe him up, told him, he was as God, and all things were at his beck and command, he caused his Chair of estate to be brought to the Sea shore at Southampton, and as the water flowed, thus he said, Tu me ● ditionis es, etc. Thou art under my dominion, never any one who disobeyed me, went ▪ I charge thee enter no further on my land, presume not to wet the robes or any member of me thy Lord & Master. The Sea notwithstanding keeping it course, without doing any reverence, wet the King's feet: whereupon he giving back, said, The Lord is God, and him only do winds and Sea obey: and after to know what he was, he would give no credence to other. Thus if within thyself thou dost not behold thyself; if thou, who art most privy, and shouldst be least partial to thine own worth, restest on others commendation, and standest not on thine own bottom, if thou canst be silent when others flatter with their tongue, and feed thee with the wind, thou consentest with those which against this law by flattery bear false witness.  
Contrary to these are another sort, whose tongues are ever walking in the tract of unjust accusations. job would not be silent in this case, for if he had held his tongue, it would have been thought he had been even such a one as they said; therefore when Elyphaz charged him with cruelty, injustice, and oppression, that he had spoiled the  of the naked, that he had not given to the weary water to drink, that he had withdrawn bread from the hungry, 
g job 22, 6. 7.  job clears himself, and saith, he did not eat his morsels alone, the fatherless did eat thereof, that the loins of those which wanted clothing, blessed him, because they were covered with the fleece of his sheep: so when 
h job 3●. 17. 20  Festus said of Paul, Thou art besides thyself, much learning doth make thee mad. Paul is as ready to make his Salve, as Festus is to give the wound: I am not mad 
i Act. 26. 25.  O noble Festus (saith he) but I speak the words of truth and soberness. Christ was a Lion and a Lamb, so is every Christian, patiented as a Lamb to suffer in his innocency, bold as a Lion to plead and defend it, not a Lion in his conversation, nor sheepish when slandered; he sets his foot by his, that shall wrongfully accuse him: when his accusers, as busy as Flies, will light, where there is no sore, his tongue shall be a flap to fray them away, and now is his speech powdered with salt. Indeed Mary was accused three several times. 
k Luc. 7. 39  The Pharisie accused her of presumption that being a sinner she would touch Christ: 
l Luc. 10. 40.  Secondly, Martha accused her of idleness, that she suffered her to serve alone: Thirdly, 
m joh. 12. 5.  judas accused her of prodigality, that she wasted the ointment: she was always patiented, and put up all, she knew herself a stranger even at home, and let the dogs of the world bark at her, she was a woman, and would be seen and not heard, her sex required the more silence, besides her Saviour did at all times answer for her, according to that saying in another case: 
n Exod. 14. 14  The Lord shall fight for you therefore hold you your peace.  
Again, if any wrong other, by scandalous imputation, and open, their mouths boldly to sound out detraction and slander, as some will sit and speak against their Brother, and 
Psal. 50. 20.  slander their own Mother Son; we sin by silence, if we do not with courage bear out the accused, whom we know then Innocent, and therefore when Peter heard that the Apostles were accused of Drunkenness as being full of new Wine, his spirit was hot within him; and while he was musing, the fire kindled, and at last he spoke with his Tongue. 
p Act. 2. 15.  These are not Drunken, as ye suppose, since it is but the third hour of the day, etc. If a malicious man be given to traduce a man's name, we cannot stop his mouth from speaking ill, yet must we open our mouths to reprove him, else lending him a willing ear we consent with him, and have been partakers with the backbiter, bearing the Devil as much in our ears as the other in his tongue, h●rting our neighbour as well by receiving as the other by giving out and dispersing spiteful narrations, and therefore this giving forth and receiving, in the Law are coupled together, or rather meet in one word, 
q Exod. 23. 1.  Thou shalt not report or receive a false tale: You will blame a Thief for stealing, and will not you blame him that receiveth stolen goods? Were there no Receivers there would be no Thiefs: You will blame a man that robs one of his▪ good name, and will you not blame him that opens his ears to take in the theft? There would not be so many to broach false rumours, were it not that they see they please other men's taste: ye will blame him that robs God of his honour, else the Curse will come upon you which doth upon the men of Meroz, because they came not forth 
r judg. 5. 23.  to he●pe the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty: blame him likewise which wrongeth man by false report, wink not at his folly, smother not his fault; do not swallow it, do not digest it; reprove such a man, tell him his own; there is little difference Faveas ne scelus an illud fa●ias, if the Backbiter shall see by thy face, that he hath a room in thy heart, thou art an abetter of evil, a Pander to his sin, a good Nurse of ill fame, a Wolf to thy Brother, and in a word, possessed with a dumb Devil.  
Again, other break this Commandment by silence, either outwardly in their gesture, when indeed they do not scourge with their Tongue, nor speak words like the prickings of a Sword, when they do not dig up evil, neither is there in their lips like burning fire, but though they shoot not out the venomous sting of their Tongue, yet they nip men by their gesture, and spit out their venom by the malicious carriage of their bodies, the Prophet complaineth of such, 
a Psal. 22. 13  They gaped upon me with their mouths as it were a ramping and roaring Lion, 
b Psal. 35. 15.  making mows at me and ceased not, such were they 
c Math. 27. 39  which wagged their heads as they passed by at the Passion of Christ, and before that 
d joh. 13. 18.  judas who lift up his heel against Christ, and after that the jews 
e Act. 7. 54.  who gnashed at Stephen with their teeth, if we shall hisse or point at any with our finger, or shake our heads against them without any offence or fault of theirs, we disgrace them with this kind of gesture, and are a kind of false witnesses while we make them vile in other men's eyes: or else we break this Law inwardly in our heart, when though we neither whet our tongue like a Sword, and shoot for our Arrows bitter words, though we shoot not out the venomous sting of a reproachful gesture, yet we have a hard conceit of our neighbour, when he deserves it not: Abraham faulted this way when he thought the Egyptians would have killed him, if they did but know that 
f Gen. 12. 11.  Sarah was his wife: So did joseph's Brethren, who though they saw that joseph was made of a mettle not so hard as flexible, though he let all their injuries go as they came, though he would not go beyond the word of the Lord, but render them good, when they had rendered him evil, yet when their Father was dead as though before that he made but small noise as the waters of Sil●● at the foot of Zion, because he was unwilling to trouble or grieve the Old man, they thought he would deal more roughly with them, and pay them again all the evil, that they had done unto him: So 
g Gen 50. 15.  Pharaoh, though he had no cause to distrust the Israelites, yet he 
Exod. 1. 10.  thought they would watch a time, and set themselves against him when they could find opportunity to rebel. 
Math. 9 3.  So the blasphemous Scribes slandered our Saviour, because he said he had authority on earth to forgive sins, but their malice against Christ caused them to take all his sayings, all his doings with the left hand; whereas if we have love, all our constructions are full of charity and favour: and if any thing be spoken which may cari●e a double sense, our gloss shall not corrupt the Text, we w●ll make a good exposition, if we have but a good disposition.   

The tenth Commandment.  Exod. 20. 17. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's house, etc. 
THis Commandment is as the Sunbeam, in which the least mote may be discerned; Paul had not known lust had been sin, except this Commandment had said, Thou shalt not lust; it plucks up every root, that it bring not forth Gall or Wormwood, it breaks the Egg, that sin hatch not, with the Physician it takes the Viper in the springe, and presently cuts it in pieces, it shutteth up every vain thought, as in an Ephah, and casteth a Talon of Lead upon the mouth of it, it speaks with our enemies in the gate, and with Lot, will not suffer them to enter, it stoppeth not the watercourse, but drieth up the fountains head, it killeth the first begotten of the Devil, & slays Goliath by hitting him on the forehead: in a word, it is a sword which cuts asunder the heart strings of every fleeting imagination, though we yield no consent, or cast & plod how to bring it into act.  

The things forbidden us to covet, are set out  
Particularly 

as that which our neighbour hath 

at home 

his house.  
his household 

his wife.  
his servants 

man-seruamt. maid.        
abroad, 

his Ox.  
his Ass.        
Generally any thing that is his.   
Thou shalt not covet.] The other Commandments will not let Satan have a chamber to dwell in the heart, this thrusts him out as soon as he looks in at the door, and therefore the word used is inceptivum, to show that the very first motion is sin, though no consent be yielded, though it conceives not, though it passeth away like Lightning, which oritur, moritus, is but a flash and away, though like a Post upon the spur, it stayeth not to drink at the door, though presently we give it over, as the Physician doth his Patient, when he lies a dying. Here we see the perfection of God's law, here need no statute of Addition to keep man within the compass of his duty: Laws of men look but into words, or prune only the outrage of evil actions, at most they punish but the intent, & never that, except it be confessed, as the Parliament of Paris put a Gentleman of Normandy to death, for that he confessed to a Franciscan Friar, he was once minded to have killed King Francis the 2. And therefore Sen●ca said, Quam a●gusta est innocentia ad legem bonum esse; it is but half a man's honesty to be no better than the Law maketh him, but the Law of God cuts in sunder as well the cords of vanity, as cart-ropes of iniquity, and is not only severe against the actions of ●u●ll, but against the affections, condemning every idle thought, though it be concealed within us, though it make not so long abode with us, as the small flies do by the river Hipanis, which are bred in the morning, are in their full strength at noon, and gone at night but though they be but as a Divedapper, which peereth up and is down again in a moment, though they be but as a dream, not 
a Gen. 41. 8  Pharaohs dream, which he could remember to tell his Wisemen the next morning, but 
b Dan. 2. 5.  Nabuchadnezzars' dream, which he had presently forgotten. This teacheth us to humble ourselves before God, not relying on our own worth, but God's mercy: A good man happily may say for the fact, as the elder son, 
a Luc. 15. 29  never broke I at any time thy Commandment; or as Paul, 
b 1 Cor. 4. 4.  I know nothing by myself. And for his words, happily he may say with David, 
c Psal. 39 1.  I kept my mouth as it were with a bridle, and so with job, 
d job. 2. 10.  not sin with his lips: but who can say My heart is clean, that, though filled with the holy Ghost, hath it blemishes, as the full Moon it dark spots, therefore David having spoken of the righteousness of the Law, cryeth out, 
e Ps. 19 12.  Who can tell how oft he offendeth: O cleanse thou me from my secret faults 
f job. 23. 4. . job is overseen when he speaketh as though a righteous man might plead with God, and make his farthing good silver; his friends tell him in effect, all he faith is but prittle prattle, and if God should enter into judgement with him, who did think so well of himself, he were not able to abide it, for though it were so that he had brought forth no evil fruits in the boughs, yet God might cut him down, because he was faulty at the root.  
Thy neighbour's house. Not naming house first, because we should set more by the house, then by the wife, for God repeating this commandment 
g Deu. 5. 21  in Deuteronomy, and setting down all things according to their due estimation, puts the wife in the first place, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's house: but here for order's sake, he sets down first contineus', then contentum, first the house, than the householder, and in very deed, though a wife be prior honore, and more to be esteemed, yet a house is prior tempore, and first to be provided, neither will a wise man take a wife before he hath a house, though some be so undiscreet, that when they be single, they think they lack nothing but a wife, and when they have a wife, they lack an house and all things besides.  
House. God in his Law would not allow that a man should take for a Pledge any thing in the house, which was necessary for sustentation of life & health 
h Deu. 24. 6. : for this is to kill the borrower, he doth but change the kind of death, as if one should be in danger to be hanged with his own hands, one should come and untie the rope, but yet cut his throat; if we must not take such a Pledge in the house, much less the house itself. If a man did meet his enemy's Ass going astray 
i Exo. 23. 4. , he should bring him home to him again, then must he not make his neighbour an Ass, turn him out of house and home and send him a begging. This condemneth such as never think themselves well seated while they dwell by neighbours, and therefore depopulate Parishes, as though they would dwell alone upon the earth. Zophar showing how Cormorants devour other, saith, 
k job. 20. 19  they spoil houses which they builded not. As if he should say, their predecessors had a care to set up houses, and were glad to have their poor Tenants dwell by them, but their posterity, a preposterous and pitiles generation, do pull down their houses, with down with them, down with them even to the ground: job speaketh of such as 
l job. 3. 14.  builded themselves desolate places: not only meaning such as builded in barren places, to get them a name, nor such as having builded houses, did leave them desolate, but such as by pulling down neighbour houses did dwell alone, like master-Hares, which are of this property, that if there be a buck or a female which keep one quarter commonly together, they will not suffer any but their own young to sit by them, or abide near them. This hath been noted as a great fault in our Nation, and therefore Goropius thinketh the English men were called Angli, because they were good Anglers, and had skill to lay diverse baits, when they fished for other men's livings: which though it be not true (for therefore were we called Angli, of a people so called, which came in with the Saxons, who were numerosissimi and fortissimi, more for number, and stronger for power, than the rest) yet hath it a semblance of truth, for men draw unto them other men's liuings by hook & by crook, and devour houses, even widow's houses, as great fish devour the small: the fault and cause hereof in Sr Thomas Moores Utopia is laid upon sheep, which (as it is there said) were wont to be Mites & exiguo all, gentle, and contented with a little food, but now are so great feeders, and so unruly, that (as it followeth) they eat up men, fields, houses, and lay whole Villages waste: insomuch, as some market Town in our Country do take their names of the abundance of Cattles, as, Shipston, and Kineton in Warwickshire, in or by the vale of Redhorse.  
I know it is a great blessing of God when sheep do bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets, for wool is the staple of the land, and one means to raise up the pillars of it, but are not children a greater blessing? the Prophet stampeth this blessing with an 
m Ps. 127. 3.  Ecce, lo, children and the fruit of the womb are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord. In the Catalogue of 
n Deu. 28. 4  Blessings, the fruit of the body is set before the fruit of the cattle, and the devil tempting 
o job. 1. 16. 19  job by degrees, each temptation being greater than other, takes away the sheep b●fore the servants, and servants before the children, is not man (saith our Saviour Christ much) 
p Mat. 12. 12  better then a sheep: doth not the honour and strength of the King and the kingdom consist in the multitude of subjects, let sheep therefore have their coats and their folds, but while sheep are penned in, let not men and children be penned out, let sheep have their pasture, let 
a Exod. 3. 1.  Moses feed the sheep of lethro: let 
b Gen. 29. 10.  jacob roll the stone from the wells mouth and water the flock, but let sheep rather be as much abomination to us as 
c Gen. 46. 34.  shepherds to the Egyptians, let a man rather nourish but one kowe and two sheep, than so many flocks, as he cannot feed, except he pull down neighbour's houses, and joining land to land to feed them, give men as sheep to be eaten up. The people under Moses charge were so many, that Moses saith, shall the sheep and the beefs be slain to feed 
Num. 11. 22  them: as if he should say, there are men enough to eat them up all, and shall now the sheep be so many that they shall eat up the people. He that doth but dream of his neighbours living, and thinks his own habitation would be more pleasant or profitable, if he could once wind out him that dwells near him, though he presently nips this imagination as the frost the forward springs, though he stops this stone at the top of the hill before it be in a violent course, though he suffers not consent to hearten that which he doth imagine, nor his will resolve upon it, yet is he guilty of the breach of this law, and therefore (to conclude this point) never say when thou seest any thing fair or commodious, as men commonly do, I would this were mine, but if thou be ready to draw any thing thou seest to an occasion of offending, stop there as 
d job. 31. 7.  job did, whose step turned not out of the way, whose heart did not walk after his eye, but when it would be gadding, whither it should not, he did presently daunt it with dislike.  
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife. Our adversaries the Papists who take away the second commandment, because it cuts a sunder the heartstrings of their superstition, to fill up the number of Ten, divide this commandment into two, so that thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, shall be the ninth, and this concerning the wife etc. shall be the tenth, but Saint Paul conf●teth them, who speaking of the law in general saith, ᵒ the 
Rom. 7. 12.  law is holy: and of that which forbiddeth concupiscence in particular makes it but one commandment, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an emphasis is holy. iust● and good.  
Not covet thy neighbous wife: The greatest injury and indeed a wrong not to be paralleled upon earth, is when the man shall break the faith plighted to his wife, or the woman be false to her own bosom, God punished this sin in 
a Gen. 12. 17.  Pharaoh, and 
b Gen. 20. 3  Abimelech, though God kept them that they came not nigh Abraham's 
c Gen. 39 9  wife, and therefore when Putiphar committed all that he had into joseph's hand, he barred him of his wife, and in this case Xenophon was put to his non plus, for being asked if his neighbour had a better house than he, whose he had rather have, his or his own? he answered, his: if he had a fairer horse than he, whose had he rather have? he answered, his: if he had a better or fairer wife than he, whose had he rather have? hic Xenophon ipse tacuit: at this Xenophon was silent: a man must hold his own wife for better for worse, so long as they both shall live: corrupt affections like Eve lie in our bosom, and will seduce us: unruly motions are to our understanding as Dalilah to Samson, they burn within us as brimstone at the match, let this law draw out the burning venom of those fiery serpents that lurk in our hearts: if a man be upon a horse that flingeth and kicketh, and doth what he can to run over all the field, the cunning rider will rhene him up) and bring him to a good pace, so a good Christian will overmaster his passions, and suppress them, when they are miscarried to rebel, he will direct humours to their right courses, and draw the flood of affections into their own channel.  
Wife: In that God setting down the household, goods, and chattles and all that a man hath, put the wife in the first place, I note that to be true which Solomon saith 
a Pro. 31 10  the price of a virtuous woman is fare above the pearls: which teacheth first the husband to love his wife more than any earthly thing: when Alexander had overcome Darius, Darius seemed little to regard his estimation, if he were to die, he seemed little to regard his life, but when he heard his wife was taken prisoner, hincillae lacrimae, than his eyes did spout forth tears, as the conduit waters, each tear did overtake other, he did overweepe his weeping, and sighs did break from the centre of his heart, as fast as the tears stole down his cheeks: again it teacheth that of all other things a man should not wrong his neighbour in his wife, as the wife of Hieron was acquainted with no bodies breath, but her husbands, for when he (his enemy casting in his teeth his stinking breath) blamed his wife, who never told him of it, she desired him not to think the worse of her, for she thought every man's breath had smelled like unto his: so on the other side, should the husband be acquainted with no bodies breath, but his wives: she for her part must be as the Marigold, which of all the Plants opens only to the Sun: let not him for his part be as the sed horse, ●eigh after his neighbour's wife, and croak in the chamber like the frogs of Egypt, his eyes must be eyes of Adamant, which will turn only to one point, let not his be wand'ring eyes, let him not make the faces of other men's wives like glasses, which the Larke-taker hath in his day net, lest while like the birds he gaze too much, he be taken in the net: it is set down as one of 
b 2 Sam. 11 4.  David's greatest faults, that suffering lust to enter in at the windows of his eyes he gave way to his sin, till he did lie with the wife of Vriah, and therefore set not the thoughts on fire by affection, much less follow the lusts of the flesh, much less fulfil the lust of the flesh, much less provoke the lust of the flesh, but put the axe of God's judgements to the root of wanton nature and cut it off, circumcise the foreskin of the hart, that is the true circumcision, in the spirit not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God.  
Nor his manservant nor his maid: As well Solomon the divine, as Aristotle and other Humane Philosophers in their Economics, set down not the wife and servants only, but the children also; and God commanding to hollow the sabbath saith, in it thou 
c Exo. 20 10  shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid: a question than may here be asked, why sons and daughters are not mentioned as well as the wife, the manseruant and the maid: the reason I take to be this: men are addicted either to their pleasure or their profit: Pleasure, like ●yr●e, enchanteth the mind, transformeth men into swine, and mastereth reason with sensuality, neither was it a greater miracle to see the three children walk untouched in the midst of the fiery furnace, then to see, how joseph held his body short of pleasures in the present provocation, therefore covet not thy neighbour's wife, was a necessary precept: again for profit, it is true which the Apostle saith, 
d Phil. 2. 21  All seek their own, and therefore like Martha they are 
e Luke 10. ●0.  cumbered with much business, & are so fare from serving one another 
f Gal. 5. 13.  by love, as the Apostle adviseth, that as though they did enure that another should have a better servant than they, they are ready to lay baits to draw him to them, and therefore it was not without need, to say thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's servant: but children are a charge to him that keep them, must be led into wholesome pastures, because they be God's lambs, watered because they be the seed-plot of heaven, they must be kept clean, because they be God's vessels, and kept in, that after flowers of youth, may follow fruits of good living they have no list in age to live as they should, which have liberty in youth to live as they list, because men are loath to take this care and this charge, therefore they never covet other men's children, nay they will hardly be entreated to take another man's son or his daughter, nay let a father give money with his child that another may take him, but as his apprentice, yet hardly will he take him and teach him the trade of his way, and bring him up in instruction and information of the Lord: in a word therefore as well sons as servants are commanded to keep holy the Sabbath, because both sorts are ready to transgress it, but none are forbidden to covet sons, as they are to covet servants, because that without a prohibition men are ready to observe it.  
manservant nor his maid: As God hath made the servant's lower than the wife, so he hath here given them place before the Ox or the Ass, which must teach the master to make more reckoning of his servants, then of any Cattles he keepeth: he must have an especial care of their bodies, and of their souls; of their bodies in sickness, and in health, in sickness not to let God's visitation be an excuse to discard them, that so they may lie at 
g Lu. 16. 20.  the gate with Lazarus, but with the good 
h Mat. 8. 6.  Centurion, let them lie at home with them, and seek the best means they can to recover them: in health, not to lay more on them than they are able to bear, for a good man is 
i Pro. 12. 10  merciful to his beast much more to his brother: 2. with the good householder to give them their penny which labour in the Vineyard: 3. with the good housewife to give 
k Mat. 20. 9  the portion to 
l Pro. 31. 15  their servants, and ordinary to their maids: As he is careful for their bodies, so he must labour to fashion their minds to goodness. 
m job. 11. 14  Zophar telleth job, it is not enough for him to serve God in his own person, but he must see that no wickedness dwell in his Tabernacle: and therefore David had a care to have 
n Ps. 101. 4.  his household well reform, and the care of john for his Disciples was at liberty when he himself was bound in the prison: the reason that the Master should have this 
● Mat. 11. 1.  care is very good, for as it is here said, they are his servants: and in deed, Masters are not more their own, than their servants are theirs, and therefore the faults of the Family reflect upon them, and the sins of their servants are their reproach. Again, they of the family because they are servants must serve, must with the labourers in the vineyard bear the burden and heat of the 
p Mat. 20. 12  day, and when necessity requires, not suffer their eyes to sleep, nor eyelids to slumber, but with jacob encroach upon the night 
q Gen. 31. 40.  for him, they must not be like the servant in the Gospel, who 
r Mat. 24. 49.  plays Rex, as though he would throw the house out at window, but like those, which are under the Centurion, which go when 
s Mat. 8. 9  he bids them go, come, when he bids them come, which do this or that when he bids them do it, neither must they be servants only, but men and not beasts, maids and not strumpets, there be many that will not eat the bread of idleness, but eat the labour and fruit of their hands, who diligently & willingly put their singers to their master's business, who knowing they are borne to labour, as the sparks fly upward, rise up early & late take rest, gird their loins, and strengthen their hands to work, but there is more force in one vice they have, to disgrace all their pains, then in all their pains to maintain that vice.  
Nor his Ox nor his Ass. He hath made a good step to perfection that can say with Samuel 
u 1 Sam. 12 3.  whose Ox have I taken, or whose Ass have I taken: but he that can say thus, may yet say with the young man, 
x Mat. 19 21  what lack I yet, & with Elizabeth he hath 
y 1 Kin. 19 7  a further journey to go: for the law of God is of such perfection, that it not only binds the hand to the good abearing, that it take not, but the heart that it covet not, condemning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though the motion dies in the conception, and the grave preventeth the cradle.  
Nor any thing that is his. The holy Ghost in the Epistle to the Romans, having expressed many Commandments of the second Table, which forbidden special sins by name, at last comes in as it were with a statute of Additions, which cuts off all in general, 
z Rom. 13. 9  If there be any other Commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: so if God hath not set down every particular thing in this Commandment by express name, which we are forbidden to covet, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely; Thou shalt not covet any thing that is his. Some will say, I desire not my neighbour's house, but he hath a piece of land bordering upon my ground, I would that were mine, but this is forbidden by flat statute, 
a Deu. 5. 21  for Moses repeating the Law, saith, Thou shalt not desire thy neighbour's house, his field. And 
b Mic. 2. 2.  Micah chargeth Israel with this, they covet fields: and 
c 1. Ki. 21. 1.  Ahab is much blamed for that he was sick of Naboths' vineyard, which lay near to his house: but were it not expressly forbidden, yet it came within the reach of this addition, Thou shalt not covet any thing that is his. Another saith, I covet not my neighbour's wife, happily he thinks he hath too much wife of his own, as that young man, who at first was in hand with his father to give him two wives, his father because of his importunity, gave him one in hand, promising at the years end to give him another, but when the year was expired, he told his father, he had wife enough, and did find compact in a little flesh a great number of bones, too hard to digest, and if other men's were like unto his, they were all molten out of that salt pillar into which Lots wife was transformed: neither doth he happily covet any servant of his house, but fain he would have some of his householdstuff, his goods or chattels; but Paul, who saith, Be followers of me, doth pattern against this, 
d Act. 20. 33  I have, saith he, coveted no man's silver, nor gold, nor apparel; but were there no particular example or law to the contrary, yet this prohibition meets with it, Thou shalt not covet any thing that is his: Our nature is ready to find a starting hole to get out, when we have offended: sins and shifts are borne at a birth, we will have a salve for every sore, as he that sells Anchusam or Orchanet, complexion for every face: Saul saith, 
a 1 Sam. 15. 13.  I have kept the Commandment of the Lord: 
b Mat. 25. 44.  they on the left hand say, they have ministered unto Christ, though they neglected his members: and were it not for this closing up, some would say with the elder son, 
c Luc 15. 29  at no time broke I thy Commandment: therefore to prevent all pleas, the law saith, he hath transgressed that coveteth not only this thing or that thing, but any thing that his neighbour hath: it is his, therefore hand of, that thou do not take it: it is his, therefore heart of, that thou do not covet it.  
Is his. There be some things in which man hath a property, which maketh against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & community of the Anabaptists, and in deed, if all things were common, what use could there be of charity, which the second Table requireth? How could the Commonwealth endure, who would labour & take pain, if men's goods were mingled altogether, if there were not meum and tuum: indeed in the primitive Church, 
d Act. 2. 44.  the Disciples had all things common, but this community stretched no further than to the relief of those that wanted: for whereas in these times, men are given to hoard up, and like dogs devour, what they can catch, and gape continually for more, so that this is true, Some all, some never a whit; (and this, they say, is good in policy, lest equality should breed confusion, as if there must needs be equality, if there were not so great inequality) in those times it was other wise, for many (as 
e Act. 4. 36.  joses is set down by name, as though he deserved better this way then the rest) when they saw how hard the world went with the poorer sort, would relieve them with their yearly revennewes, if that were not enough, they would sell some part of their possessions, and moderately relieve the necessity of other, according as they saw their want, not that all did this, that were accounted Christians, or that they which did it were compelled to it, for 
f Act. 5. 4.  Peter telleth Ananias, that before he sold his possession, it was his, and after it was sold, it was in his own power, he need not have sold it, or put his money to the common use) or that S. Luke would urge us to take the very same stitches out of their Samplers, and yet, as the inequality is devilish, where one is ready to dye for want of meat, another is killed with surfeit and excess, so that equality is always commendable, where the plenty of one supplies the penury of another: When David stands in need of succour, Nabal is too churlish to stand upon this, 
g 1 Sam. 25 11.  My bread, and my water, and my flesh. In these times rich men would have all waters fall into their sea, & yet their sea is not full; in those times Aaron's oil rested not on his head, but ran down upon his beard, & went down to the very skirts of his clothing. Again, it is a common saying, which Tully, in his first book De legibus, fathers upon Pythagoras, others upon Plato, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all things should be common among friends; What then should there be no enclosures, should no man have any thing private to himself? Aristotle 2ᵒ Politicorum, expounds the saying thus, That should be common for use, which is proper to possess, so that which is one man's quo ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, should be other mens quo ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and indeed, as joseph said to his mistress, My master hath not kept any 
h Gen. 39 9  thing from me, but only thee, because thou art his wife; so should no man keep from other that he hath, but upon reasonable terms let him have according to his necessity, the use of it, except it be the wife, because she is his wife, and this is a virtue enjoined by this commandment, for as we must content ourselves with our own estate, which is a preservative against coveting that which is another man's, so must we have a desire to do our neighbour good, which is a preparative to help him with that which is our own. 
i Exo. 17. 12  Aaron and Hur lent Moses their hands, when he was weary in holding up his hands: 
k Luc. 5. 7.  Peter's partners helped him with their Nets, when his own Net was broken; a good man as he is no man's enemy, so is he not more his own, than another man's friend; thus the Moon receiving light from the Sun, lets it shine unto the world; thus the true lights of the firmament are still in motion for the good of others, thus the hart receiving spirits from the liver, doth minister them to the brain, and the brain to other parts of the body. Nature hath taught the Dear to help one another in swimming; the Cranes one another in flying; one stone bears up another in buildings contrived by art; nothing is made for itself; and nothing is good unto us, except we communicate the same good unto others, and therefore the 
l Gal. 5. 13.  Scripture will have us servants to all, and God binds us unto it by force, and draws us as it were by the hair of the head, in distributing to sundry persons different graces, that they might mutually secure and interchangeably help one another. Of the three 
m 1 Cor. 13  Sisters which never part from one another's sides, faith looks to God and his Word, hope to his gift and reward, charity to the profit and commodity one of another: God make our charity like the lamp of the 
n Ex. 27. 20  Tabernacle, which always burned, and the fire of the Altar which never went out; make our hope as the pillar of fire, which guided Israel to the land of 
o Ex. 13. 21.  Canaan; increase our faith till we receive the end of our faith, even the 
p 1 Pet. 1. 9  salvation of our souls, through jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, three persons and one everliving God, be given all honour and glory, power, praise, & dominion, both now and for ever, AMEN.   
FINIS.