may bee prolonged upon the lande which the Lord thy God hath given thee.

r

188. M. What is the meaning of this mile?

prom

C. That God will indue them with a long life, which have their father and mother in due reverence..

189. M. Horve commeth it to paffe, that God promifeth man to prolong his life (as if it were a Speciall benefite) fince this life prefent is fo full of miferie?

C. Though our life bee never fo full Along life, of wretchedneffe, yet it is the bleffing of God unto the faithfull, at the leaft for this one caufe, that it is a token of his Fatherly favour, in that he nourisheth them here and preferveth them.

190. M. May a man gather of the con trarie parte, that hee, who liveth not many yeares, is accurfed of God?

C. No, but rather it commeth to paffe many times, that our Lorde taketh them fooneft of all out of this worlde whom he loveth most dearly.

191. M. In doying thus, it seemeth that he keepeth not alwayes his promife?

C. What promise fo ever God maketh us, touching the benefites of this worlde, we ought to take it with this condition, fo far foorth as it fhal be expedient for the health of our foule: for it were a contrarie order not to have chiefe regarde of the foule.

192. M.

Beats of worlde are promiled

of this

with one

condition.

The punifhment of children

192. M. And what is to be faid of them that be difobedient unto father and mother?

C. God will not only punifh them with everlasting paine in the day of judgewhich dif- ment, but hee will execute his vengeance obey their alfo on their bodies here in this world, either by fhortning their life, either punifhing them by a fhamefull death, or fome otherwayes.

parents.

193. M. Doeth not God Speake exprefly of the land of Canaan in this promife?

C. Yes, as touchinge the Children of Ifraell: but we must now take it in a more generall fignification, fo that in fo much as the whole earth is the Lords, we ought to acknowledge, that what countrey fo ever we doe inhabite, God hath given unto us the fame for a dwelling place. Pfal. 24. 1. & 115. 16.

194. M. Is there nothing else to be underfood in this commandement ?

C. Though no mention be made in it exprefly but of the father and mother, yet we muft understand in them all magiftrates, and fuperiours: for fo much as there is one maner of confideration of them all.

195. M. What is that?

C. Because God hath given unto them preeminence: for there is none authoritie of Parents, of Princes, or Magistrats, or Maifters, neither any other office or title or preeminence, but fuch as God hath erdeined. Rom. 13. 1.

XXIX. SON

XXIX.

SONDAT.

196. M. REhearfe the fixt commandement. The fixth c. Thou shalt not kill. comman

197. M. Is there nothing forbidden here demeut but open murther?

C. Yes verily for confidering that it is God who giveth this in commandement, hee doeth not give us a Lawe to restraine our outwarde deedes, but principally to bridle the affections of our minde.

198. M. Thy meaning is then, that there is a certaine kinde of murther, lying privily in the heart, the which is forbidden here of God?

C. It is even fo: for hatred or rancour and all defire to doe hurt unto our neighbour, is murther before God.

199. M. Is it enough then, if we beare no hatred nor malice towardes any man?

C. No, for in that that God condemneth hatred, it is to be understand also, that he requireth of us to love all men unfainedly, procuring their wealth.

200: M. What is the feventh commande ment?

venth com

C. Thou shalt not commit adul The feterie. 201. M. What is the effect of this comment. mandement ?

mande

All whor

dome is ac

C. All whoredome is declared to be accurfed of God, and therefore it behe- curfed.

The minde

veth us to refraine from it, except wee wil provoke his wrath against us.

202. M. Is there none other thing required in this commandement ?

C. We must alwayes have regarde to of the Law- the Law-maker, who confidereth not bee confi- onely the outwarde worke, but rather the affection of the hearte.

maker is to

dered.

The eight

commandement.

203. M. What is here more required?

C. For fo much as our bodies and foules are the temples of the holy Spirit, that wee keepe them in all pureneffe, and therefore we muft not only bee chaste as touching the carnall acte, but alfo in heart, words, and behaviour, fo that there must be no parte in us defiled or unchafte. I Cor. 3. 16, 17. 2 Cor. 6.

16.

XXX.

SONDAT

204. M. Go on to the eight commande,

ment.

C. Thou shalt not feale.

205. M. Doeth this commandement forbid onely fuch robberies, as be punifbed by common lawes, either doeth it reach any further?

C. This commandement reacheth unto all unlawful and deceivable cccupations, whereby wee plucke unto us any parte of our neighbours fubftance, whether it bee by violence, by fraude, or by any o

the

ther means that God hath not alowed by his worde.

206. M. Is it enough if a man refraine from the deed doing, either is it forbidden alfo to defire any fuch thing?

C. Wee mufte alwayes have a confideration, that God was the maker of this Lawe, who for so much as hee is a Spirite, hath not onely regarde to robberies that bee committed in deede, but hee confidereth afwel our fecrete enterprises, of inwarde our devises, and purposes, and the defires theft. of our mindes, to come by riches thorough our neighbours loffe.

207. M. What behoveth it us then to doe? C. We are bound to doe our endevour, that everie man may have his due and right.

208. M. What is the ninth commande ment?

C. Thou shalt not beare falle wit: The niutk nese against thy neighbour.

209. M. Doeth God forbid in this commandement open perjurie before a judge onely: Either are we charged to make no lie to the difprofit of our neighbours?

comman

dement.

C. Under one kinde hee giveth a ge- A generall nerall doctrine: meaning that we may doctrine. not fpeake any thing to the reproche of our neighbour falfely, and wee may in no wife backbite him or make lies of him whereby hee might fufteine loffe in his goods, or be hindered in his good name. 2 to. M.

N 2