Commentary on Numbers

BEfore we saw how Moses began to handle the daily sacrifice, and the monthly and yearly feasts and solemnities of the Jews: this Chapter is of like argument with the former, describing three other solemn feasts, or rather three yearly sacrifices, one to be offered at the feast of Trumpets, another at the feast of humiliation, the third at the feast of Tabernacles: all these fell out in one and the same month, called of the Hebrews Thisri, which answereth in part to our September. Touching the first, it was to be celebrated on the first day of that month, which was holden sacred in two respects, both in regard of the feast of the New Moon, and then for the feast of Trumpets, so that three ordinary sacrifices were to be offered in it, the daily sacrifice, the monthly, & then that which is proper to this feast, to wit, a young Bullock, a Ram, and seven Lambes of the first year for a burnt offering, &c,

Let us first speak of this feast of Trumpets. Some of the Rabbin's fantastically suppose, that it was instituted in remembrance of the offering up of Isaac, or of deliverance from being offered, which conceit is idle and nothing at all to the purpose. Others imagine, that it was appointed upon occasion of the wars that the Israelites had with the Amalekites and other Nations under the conduct of God, to put them in remembrance that the whole life of man is nothing else but a continual warfare, Job 7, 1. 2 Timoth. 2, 1. Of this feast we read, Levite. 23, 24. This was accounted as a Sabbath, an holy convocation, wherein they must do no servile work. Therein the trumpets or cornets sounded allowed, and the sound thereof was heard far and near. Of this also in part we have spoken before, chap. 10.1.

Let us come to the Uses hereof in regard [Use 1] of our selves, which served of purpose to stir up the people to return unto God praise and thanksgiving with joyfulness of heart for all his benefits, according to that in the Psalms, Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob, take a Psalm, and bring hither the Timbrel the pleasant Harp with the Psaltery; blow up the Trumpet in the new Moon, in the time appointed on our solemn feast day, Psal. 81, 1, 2, 3. So David having experience of God's good hand toward him in many preseruations, composed the 18 Psalm, as a testimony of his thankfulness for his deliverance from the hands of all his enemies & from the hand of Saul. So I should think that the cause of this feast was to be a feast of remembrance for his manifold mercies received in the wilderness, that thereby they might stir up themselves to be united in God. And the cause of the institution of this feast seemeth to be contrary to that which followeth, w ^c is the feast of fasting. For as the Jews had a day to humble themselves by fasting, so they were also to have a day of rejoicing, y ^t when they heard of those Trumpets, they should stir up themselves to return to GOD with joy of heart. And albeit we neither hear nor have these Trumpets sounding in our ears to call us to the Temple and place of his worship, yet ought we to praise his name cheerfully and readily, with spiritual joy and gladness continually, Isaiah 35, 2, 3, 10. with singing & thanksgiving, Isaiah 49, 20, 21: for it is certain the faithful only have true cause to rejoice, Psal. 32, 11. & 33, 1: the ungodly have no cause at all, Isaiah 48, 20, 21, 22: but rather to weep and lament, Luke 6, 25.

Secondly, it reproveth the Popish sort, who [Use 2] endeavor to follow this commandment, as if it belonged to Christians as a precept in our days, and therefore have a resemblance of it once a year by ringing of bells; yea at every solemn feast they think God is well paid & pleased, when they have rung their bells loud and lustily, and thereby wakened the ghostes of such of their friends as are dead. Such practice is no better then sorcery and witchcraft, which is retained among them. And hence it is, that they ascribe more force to their hallowed and consecrated bells, then ever GOD gave to the sound of these Trumpets. For they ascribe unto them (being once hallowed) a spiritual power against thunder, lightning, and evil spirits: & for that cause they are not ashamed to baptize them, and to exact great sums of money of the people for that purpose, which was one of the greeuances whereof the Princes of Germany complained in the assembly at Noremberg. But this feast served only for the people of old time, and therefore they mingle the Law & the Gospel together, and bring in a Linsy-wolsy religion contrary to the will and commandment of God.

[Use 3] Thirdly, this warneth us of the preaching of the Gospel, concerning Christ the Savior of the world, the conqueror of all our enemies and of them that hate us, Isaiah 58, 1, Zach. 9. For this was a warlike instrument, Num. 6.31 Josh. 6. God hath caused the doctrine of salvation to be sounded out in the world, so that all have heard the sound of it, Psal. 19, 4. Rom. 10, 18, Such a Trumpet was John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, who was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, Mark 1, 1, 2: & to call upon them to repent, because the kingdom of God was at hand. And this commendeth to the Ministers in the execution of their office, diligence, carefulness, continuance, cheerfulness, and zeal, 1 Cor. 9, 17. 1 Pet. 5, 2.

[Use 4] Lastly, as the Ministers must be the Lord's Trumpets, so indeed ought every faithful soul to be a Trumpet. For when this feast was yearly observed, such as heard the trumpets were warned by it all the year after to stir up and awaken themselves, remembering that God doth call them as with a loud voice daily, that they should yield up themselves souls and bodies unto him to worship and serve him as he requireth. When this feast was celebrated & solemnized, all the males were not commanded to repair to Jerusalem, as they were at the three more solemn feasts, Exod 23, 17: to wit, if they were free-men and in health, able to go to the place of his worship Deut. 12, 6: & 16, 2. And hence it is, that the Jewish Doctors out of that Law, of all males appearing before rhe Lord three times in the year, do exempt and discharge eleven sorts; and therefore they say that women & servants are not bound, but all men are bound, except the deaf and the dumb, and the fool, & the little child, and the blind, and the lame, and the uncircumcised, and the old man, and the sick, and the tender or weak which are not able to go and travel upon their feet: nevertheless, though the people were far from Jerusalem when this feast was holden, and that they could not resort thither daily to do sacrifice in the Temple, yet they were to consider in their absence, that sacrifices were offered there even in their behalf, and God was worshipped there in the behalf and name of all the Tribes. True it is, this figure is passed away, and utterly abolished by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, howbeit this remaineth that we our selves should serve for trumpets. For as the Temple being destroyed, we must be spiritual Temples unto God: so y ^e Trumpets being taken away, everyone of us must be spiritual Trumpets, that is, we should rouse up our selves, because we are naturally so besotted and wedded to the world, and unto the vanities here below, that it seldom cometh into our minds to think of God, of the Gospel, of the kingdom of heaven. Our ears are so possessed with the sound of earthly things, and our eyes so dazzled with the pleasures of the flesh, that we are as deaf and blind men, that can neither hear nor see what God saith unto us. He calleth unto us daily, and maketh the Gospel sound aloud in the midst of us, that we might have the inward remorse of a good conscience, to repent us of all our evil ways, yet we notwithstanding this summoning of us do remain dull and deaf, & dumb and blind. Wherefore we must not look till there be a solemn holyday to call us unto the Church, there to keep a feast of Trumpets, but it must serve us all the days of our life as a spur to cause us to return to God.

The next feast is the feast of affliction or humiliation, otherwise called the feast of fasting. The Jews themselves were so superstitious in the observation of this feast, that (as Munster testifieth) they thought it not lawful for them to read anything that might make themselves merry, or rejoice their harts; as the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt, their entrance into the land of Canaan, or their deliverance from the tyranny of Haman, and such like: but only mournful things, that may serve to make them heavy and sorrowful: as the threatenings of the Prophets, the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the destruction of Jerusalem, and other Scriptures of like argument. This feast was not ordained without cause. Many surmise that it had his original for the Lord's forgiving the Israelites their sin of idolatry, committed in making and worshipping the golden Calf, Exod. 32, Of this we read more at large, Levite. 23, 26, 27, 28. It was solemnized on the tenth day of the seventh month, to be a day of atonement, an holy convocation to afflict their souls, and to offer an holy offering by fire to the Lord, and whatsoever soul shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. This yearly feast of expiation is also described. Levite, 16, 29: and it is made an everlasting statute to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. This was not ordained without cause, forasmuch as we see how men do naturally cover their faults as much as they can. So the Prophet Zacharias testifieth, that while the people were in captivity and banishment in Babylon, all that whole time they had kept their extraordinary fasts very strictly, chap, 7, 5.

[Use 1] But let us proceed to the Uses. Heereby the Jews and all men to the end of the world are put in mind; that we must seriously bethink us of our sins, both of the greatness and number of them which we commit, and humble our selves for them. It was the will of God to establish amongst his own people a year-mind of them, by teaching them to humble themselves by fasting, and acknowledging their sins, and making a solemn confession of them, and craving pardon and forgiveness of them. We cannot think of our sins aright without grief of heart, neither ought we to be grieved for this grief, 2. Cor. 7, 8. This sorrow is of God, and for our good, and therefore called godly sorrow, and is not to be shunned or shaken off by us. It pleaseth God greatly, and maketh glad the Angels in heaven, Luke 15, verse 17: and bringeth us unto infinite joy and peace of conscience in the latter end. Such then as can be glad and rejoice at it exceedingly when they have offended God, and wounded their own souls, their sin is deep, their heart is hard, and their condemnation shall be double in hell, of whom Christ saith, Luke 6, 25. Woee be to you that laugh, for ye shall weep and wail. So then, their public and solemn fasting was a protesting of themselves to be guilty in God's fight of horrible offenses, and they were put in mind when they were come home to their houses, to consider that it is not enough for them to hang down their heads like a bullrush for a day, and to crave forgiveness: for we provoke God every day, and as it were, enter into a new band with death. True it is we are washed, but we defile our selves again: God hath pardoned us, yet we return to our sin as to our vomit again, and we make no end of sinning. So long as we live in this world, we have some corruptions lurking in us, and it is impossible for us altogether to abstain from evil. Thus were the Jews taught to look upon themselves, and into thenselves, and upon their sins by this feast, which haply otherwise they would never have thought upon: and thus it serveth for our instruction also.

Secondly, we see hereby what superstition [Use 2] remaynerh amongst the Romanists, who have turned this feast of Affliction and humiliation, into their Lenton-fast: then they hang down their heads, and acknowledge their sins, and punish themselves with fasting, & pretend for it the example of the Jews, and the practice of Christ. Thus they make us no better for the coming of our Lord Jesus in the flesh, Galath. chap. 5, verse 4. and 4, verse 2, who hath shown himself unto the world. They pretend themselves to be Christians, but make themselves Jews. Neither is it any whit better to maintain their Fast of forty days, by an apish imitation of Christ Jesus. For if they will be like unto him, let them abstain from all manner of meat and drink, let them during those days eat nothing at all, and then let them boast that they have fasted and fashioned themselves like unto him. But their manner is to feed themselves unto the full at dinner, that they are like to surfeit, and they cram their bellies that they leave no room for anymore.

Again, the Fast of Christ was not an abstinence from flesh only, and a taking liberty to eat fish, to drink wine, and to feed upon all kind of the most delicate dishes, which is the Romish Fast; he did eat nothing at all in those days. Moreover, he did this but once in all his life, and that to show his divine power, and to magnify the majesty of the Gospel; whereas these scorners will seem to go beyond him by many degrees, and not to resemble him. And wherefore do they take up the fashion of the Jews to afflict themselves, but to have freer scope to despise & despite God himself all the year after? They make sour faces, and disfigure themselves, & play the notable hypocrites when Passion-sunday cometh, I think to mock at the passion of Christ. Lastly, they make their Fasting to be meritorious, and to deserve remission and forgiveness at the hands of God, and so prefer their own traditions before the precepts and commandments of God.

Lastly, we must learn the true use and end of fasting, and the nature of it. To this [Use 3] purpose we must know what kinds there are of it, what it is, what are the parts of it, and the sundry corruptions wherewith it hath been stained.

First, there are diverse sorts of fasts: there is a fast prescribed by the learned Physician, to preserve or restore health, when the body is troubled with repletion.

Secondly, the fast of sobriety and temperance, Romans 13, 13, 1 Corinthians 9, 25. 1 Thessalonians 5.6. 1 Peter 5, 7. Of this Bernard speaking saith, Let the eyes, ears, tongue, hand, and soul it self fast: let the eyes fast from curious sights and all wantonness: let the ears fast from fables and evil reports: let the tongue fast from slander, and murmuring, and railing speeches: let the hands fast from evil works, and the soul from sin and doing our own will, Luke 21, 34. Ezekiel 16.49.

Thirdly, there is a forced and constrained fast, as in time of famine, when we can get nothing to feed upon: to this we may add the poor man's fast, who often fasteth because he hath nothing to put in his belly.

Fourthly, there is the miraculous fast, which cannot be brought into imitation; such was the fast of Moses, of Elias, and of Christ himself, Exodus 34, 28, 1 Kings 19, 8. Matthew 4, 2. But of these we have nothing to say at this present. There is another fast that is pointed out in this place, which is the religious fast.

The Lord commanded by Moses, that every soul once in the year should humble it self in fasting before the Lord in one of the great assemblies of his people, Levite. 16, 29, 30, 31, and 23, 27, 28, &c. And albeit the ceremony of the day be taken away, Galatians 4, by the coming of Christ, yet the thing it self remaineth and continueth in force, as well as a day of rest for God's service • , albeit the Jewish Sabbath be abolished. The circumstances of moral duties may be changed, but the substance may not be abrogated.

For where the same causes continue, there the thing it self abideth. We have as great cause of humiliation as ever the Jews had, of making our prayers fervent, being as much subject to coldness as they were; and as great cause to be careful, that the wrath of God do not break out upon us, or being broken out to desire to have it returned back, and the sword of God put up again into his sheath.

And therefore this holy exercise is of as great and necessary use as ever it was, and it remaineth in as full force and strength as ever it did, Joel 2, 12. Luke 5, 33. 1 Cor. 7, 5. Acts 13, 2, 3.

Let us therefore in the next place see what it is. Fasting is an abstinence for one day, commanded of the Lord, from all meats & drinks and delights of this life, thereby to make solemn profession of our humiliation. It is an abstinence from all meats and drinks: All the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, but David sware, saying, So do God to me and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else till the Sun be down, 2 Sam. chapter 3, 35. Ion. chapter 3, verse 7. They were commanded to put away their best raiment: Exod. chapter 33, verses 5, 6. The Lord said unto Moses, say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people, I will come suddenly upon thee, and consume thee: therefore now put thy costly raiment from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. So the childrē of Israel laid their goodly raiment from them, &c. To abstain from mirth & music, from pleasures and all recreations, Joel 2, verse 16. 1 Chron. 7, verse 5. Dan. chapter 6, 18: and instead of these, to give themselves to weeping, mourning, and lamentation, Nehem. chapter 1, verse 4. For this cause they had their sackcloth and ashes, to signify that they were not worthy of any attire, and that they were no better then dust and ashes. This was to continue one whole day, 2 Sam. 3, 35. Judge. chapter 20, verse 26. 1 Sam. chapter 14, verse 24. 2 Sam. chapter 1, verse 12: and at even when they came to eat, they did not seek delicate meat, or fill themselves with wine or strong drink, or fare daintily to pamper the flesh, but were content with such as came to hand, and used that sparingly also: they fed upon the bread of tears, Psal. 80, 3: and mingled their drink with weeping, Psal. 102. Sometimes indeed they continued their fast longer, as occasion served, and upon extraordinary causes, Ester 4, 16, Acts 9, 9. Neh. 1, 1, 2. 2 Sam. 12. Dan. 10.1, 2.

Furthermore I add, it was commanded of God both in the Law, as we shown before, and in the Gospel, Luke 5, 33, 35. The end of this ordinance is for our further and better humiliation, Leviticus 23, 27, 16, 29, Psal. 35, 13. Deuteron. 10, 12, 1 Kings 21, 27, 28, 29, 2 Chron. 12, 6, 7. Ezra 8, 21.

Of this there are two sorts: for the religious fast is either private performed by one or moe in a family, that our prayers may be more effectual, Nehem. 1, 4. 2 Sam. 12, 16. Psal. 35.13. 2 Sam. 3.35. Psal. 69, 10. Dan. 9. and 10. Acts 10.2.30. Luke 2.36. Ester 4.16: or else public, performed by the whole congregation, Joel 2.12, Jonah 3, 7: It ought not to be used of a few; and therefore all sorts of people should come to the same as on the Sabbath day, and none absent themselves from the assemblies.

Now of both these fasts we must consider the parts, that some are outward, and some inward.

The outward parts pertain to the body, and are called a bodily exercise, 1, Timothy 4.8: as to abstain from meat and drink, watching in prayer, abridging of our sleep & such like commodities, delights and pleasures of this life, thereby to make us fitter for the inward grace of the mind; that the body being thereby humbled and the flesh pulled down, the soul may also be humbled before the Lord.

[Objection] But it will be objected, that God being a Spirit regardeth not these outward things, forasmuch as he will be served in spirit and truth, John. 4, 24. Rom. 14.17. 1 Cor. 8.8. Mat. 15, 11.

[Answ.] I answer, we must consider that fasting is the Lord's ordinance, and he commandeth this abstinence, and therefore it ought not to be left undone, because we are bound to all that which he commandeth.

And as GOD requireth it, so he will accept of it, and give a blessing unto it, and to all those that with care and conscience shall use it. Albeit it be of small value in it self, yet GOD hath ordained it to an excellent end, even to humble the soul; and it shall be available to that purpose, which is no small benefit.

As water in Baptism, and the bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord are little or nothing worth considered in themselves; and as the rest appointed on the Sabbath, can little further us, if we go no further: howbeit they bring a great blessing to such as use them with reverence, faith, and repentance. Nevertheless, we are not to trust in these outward things, but these outward ceremonies must lead us by the hand to higher matters, lest God send us away empty as we came, Ezra 6, 21; or else the fast of the beasts in Nineveh shall be as good as our fast, Jonah 3, 7: for they were covered with sackcloth, and did neither feed, nor drink water.

These virtues are the acknowledging of our own unworthiness: also watchfulness, humility, zeal, & hope of mercy at the hands of God, and assurance to obtain that which we ask of him in prayer. These are no small graces and benefits. For the servants of GOD by their abstinence from meat and drink confessed themselves unworthy so much as of a crumb of bread, or of a drop of water: by putting on sackcloth, unworthy of the worst rag to cover their shame and nakedness. They deprived themselves of the benefit of sleep, and cut themselves shorter of it then at other times, to stir up themselves to perseverance and watchfulness in prayer and other holy duties. They put dust and ashes upon their heads, to testify what they had deserved, even to be as far under the earth as they were above it, yea to be deprived of life, and to be stricken with death for their sins, and to be worthy of eternal condemnation.

And for the practice of all these, they quickened their prayers, and as it were added wings unto them, that they might more easily pierce the heavens, and present themselves in the presence of God, and therefore prayer and fasting were joined together, Ezra 9, 5. Nehem. 1, 4. Dan. 9, 3. Judge. 20, 26, Luke 2, 37, and 5, 33. 1 Cor. 7.7. True it is, prayer is available without fasting; but fasting is never available without prayer. For fasting is not the worship of God, but only an help to it.

But here observe, that notwithstanding this exercise of our faith be so often commanded, so often commended, so often practiced, so often blessed, yet Satan hath not ceased from time to time to mingle darnel, yea poison with it; so though it remain, yet it remaineth without profit. As he hath corrupted prayer it self, so he hath blended and infected the exercise of holy fasting. If he should have gone about utterly to take them away, his craft would soon have been espied, therefore he goeth about another way. And let us a little see what the Popish fasting is, according as it is delivered and practiced by themselves. For contraries set together do serve to illustrate one another. Their fasting is defined to be a subtraction or diminishing of our meat or diet, according to the institution or doctrine of the Church, at times appointed, under pain of mortal sin, to make satisfaction for sins, and to merit the grace of God and life everlasting.

Thus by appointing fasts, they overturn the right ends of fasting: and by their intention of satisfaction for sin, and procuring of eternal life, and such like horrible, detestable, and intolerable blasphemies, they destroy the only sufficient satisfaction of Christ.

The Church of Rome charge us to be enemies to fasting, and that our doctrine is a doctrine of liberty: but we are enemies only to their abuses and corruptions, not to fasting it self, neither do we allow the breach of fasting days: We hold that it is a Christian exercise needful to be used for the humbling of our souls, and the enabling of our selves to the duties of prayer and repentance, as often as the time shall require: besides, our Church hath public fasts in the time of any general infection or affliction, and our people are instructed and called upon to fast privately also, when the cause is more private.

The difference between them and us is this; We reject their set days, and their name of fast upon those days by distinction of meats for conscience sake, wherein they place the worship of God, and in the ends which they propound to themselves, to wit, merit and satisfaction.

And as they bring in these inventions, so they neglect such exercises of Religion as of right ought to be joined with the outward abstinence.

Their fasting is only a forbearing of flesh and things that come of flesh on certain and set days, allowing to themselves instead thereof, not only fish which is as good and nourishable as flesh, but that which is daintier, as wines, march-panes, conserves, and such like sweet meats, in as great measure as can be; so that they eat as often and as good as we do (even when they profess to fast) if not better.

The last feast mentioned in this chapter is the feast of Tabernacles, and of ingathering of the fruits of the land in the end of the year, when they had gathered in their labors out of the field, Exod. 23, 16, and 34, 22. This also was kept in the seventh month for the space of eight days, and therefore how they should come before the Lord, and what they should offer every day, is particularly remembered to the end of the Chapter. And lest they should bring little unto GOD, and think to please him with a small pittance (as many hold it well saved which can be saved from the worship of God) he stinteth them what they shall bring, and setteth down the number of bullocks, rams, and lambes which they should offer every day. This feast began upon the fifteenth day. The Jews have mingled this day with many superstitions. The Lord set down particularly unto them what they should do, and left nothing to their own choice; howbeit they have found out many inventions and traditions, & would not content themselves with the simplicity of the Scripture. But the right use thereof is expressed in sundry places of the Law, Levite. 23, 34. Deut. 16, 13. It is called the feast of Tabernacles, because during the days of this feast they were to live in tents or Tabernacles, it being a memorial of God's preserving of them in the wilderness where was no house for them in which to rest and inhabit. This was a most holy feast to remember them when they had no dwellings, and therefore Moses doth so largely dwell upon the solemnities of it: then they were especially enjoined to read the Lew, at this feast, when all Israel was to appear before the Lord, Deut. 31, 10, 2. Chron. 8, 13, Ezr. 3, 4. Nehem. 8, 14, 15, John. 7, 2.

This feast is now abrogated, and belonged not to the Gentiles that were converted to the faith, after the passion and ascension of Christ, Coloss. 2, 17. Acts 15, 10. Heb. 10.1. Notwithstanding we must consider the inward signification of this ceremony, and see what uses remain thereof to our selves. And therefore the Prophet Zacharias, chapter 12, 16, describing the calling of the Gentiles to the true God, and their gathering into the true Church, setteth it forth according to the manner of God's service used in the Law, that they should go up from year to year to worship the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles: alluding to the ceremony of the Law, as our Savior doth, Matth. 5, 23, 24, meaning that they should worship GOD according to his commandments, and not after their own fancies.

First, we learn hereby, that it is a duty [Use 1] belonging to all to remember the days of their troubles and afflictions, from which GOD in great mercy hath delivered us.

Hence it is, that GOD doth put his people in remembrance so oftentimes of their deliverance out of Egypt, yea even when they were settled in safety, and planted in the land of Canaan: they must call to mind, that they were sometimes strangers in the land of Egypt, Deuteron. 4, 20, and 6, 12, 20, 21, 22, and 10, 19: and therefore GOD wrote this with his own finger in the Law, Exod. 20, 2, that they should always have before them the iron furnace, how he brought them forth to be unto him a people of inheritance. We are ready to forget our former condition, when GOD hath given us rest: and as the wise virgins themselves slumbered Math. 25, 5: so we are very prove to security when once he hath removed our sorrows and sufferings from us. So then, the Lord GOD would have his own people year by year to depart out of their houses, and dwell in tents, that is, under the open firmament in arbors made of boughs and branches.

I will not stand to recount the foolish and apish toys, which the Jews at this day take upon them to observe; as that their Cabbines be not too close, but made full of holes: they are careful & diligent to provide y ^t the boughs be not too thickly plotted together: they must have loop-holes to see the stars, whereas in the mean season they little consider whereunto God meant to direct them, & what lesson he meant to teach them: so that we might say unto them, as Paul sometimes did to the men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious, Acts 17, 22. Thus doth the Evangelist tax them for the holiness that they put in their often washings, Mar. 7, 3, 4. The Pharisees and the Jews except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the Elders; and when they come from the market, except they wash they eat not: and many other things there be, which they have taken upon them to observe, as the washing of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and of tables. In all which it may be truly said of them, that they lay the commandment of God apart, and observe the traditions of men.

But in this feast, the purpose of God was, that they should call to mind, both where they were, and where they had been; that albeit they were at rest and ease in the land of Canaan, yet they had not always been so, for GOD had carried them as it were upon Eagles wings and led them in a strange and miraculous manner in the wilderness for forty years.

Thus ought we to consider what we have been in times past, as well as what we are at the present, and thereby be provoked to serve and glorify him in time to come. Thus doth the Lord deal with Saul, 1 Sam. 15, 17, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast not thou made Head of the tribes of Israel? &c. Thus he dealeth with David, 2. Sam. 12, 7, 8. Thus he sendeth his Prophet to tell Jeroboam what he was, and to call him back to the consideration of his first beginning, 1 Kings 14, 7, I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee Prince of my people Israel, and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee; and thou hast not been as my servant David, which kept my commandment, and followed me with all his heart, and did only that which was right in mine eyes; but hast done evil above all that were before thee: (for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me, and hast cast me behind thy back) &c. We ought also to consider what we have been in regard of temporal deliverances, and in regard of spiritual deliverances from the bondage of sin, Ephes. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13: for their deliverance from the slavery of Egypt did figure out our deliverance by Christ from the bondage of sin, Satan, and hell it self.

[Use 2] Secondly, observe from this feast that GOD evermore preserveth his Church, even when it is oppressed with greatest dangers and troubles, nay then his power and mercy is made most manifest: his power shineth brightest in our weakness, and his mercy appeareth most of all in our misery. The people of Israel had notable experience hereof in the wilderness, when they removed from place to place, and had no leisure to build, neither had they stuff wherewith to build. They were a wonderful multitude of people, by reason whereof it may seem incredible, that God should preserve them and their children in Boothes and Tents, without houses to cover and keep them. We know that houses serve to defend from cold and heat, from wind and weather, and many other discommodities: yet did GOD nourish and maintain them without any houses, and therefore his goodness was to be acknowledged in that behalf. It had been no better then a plain mockery or may-game to have come to Jerusalem, and there to punish themselves and dwell a while in Cabines and to shift places, except it had been to some ende, and they had been taught to magnify the Name of God, and to put their trust in him. For all ceremonies did aim at some instruction, that the faithful might thereby be edified, and learn to live in the fear of God: otherwise they are not only unprofitable, but also abhominable in the sight of God. So then, we must acknowledge where and whence we have our deliverances, and learn to give God praise, as also for the fruits of the earth that we have received.

Thirdly, though the feast of Tabernacles [Use 3] be not any longer in use, that we should be bound to the keeping of it, yet the doctrine arising from it concerneth us as much as ever it did the Jews. Our keeping of this feast must not be for a week or twain, but all our life, so long as we live upon the earth. We must acknowledge that we are Pilgrims in this world, Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 16, & if we be not strangers in this present world, we have no part in the kingdom of heaven. If then we will have God to accept and avouch us for his children, we must assure our selves, that this life is nothing to us but a way or rather indeed a race toward our heavenly Country. It is not enough for us to go fair and softly (as the most do) but we must always run apace, pressing forward with all our strength and force, holding on our way, and straining our selves to attain to the ende of our course. For this is certain, except we use might and force, we shall never get one step forward, but we shall retire four back for it. We are of slow pace, and creep as it were upon all four, and Satan useth many means to hinder us, and therefore we must fight as good soldiers of Jesus Christ against all such impediments.

Albeit therefore God do house us and harbor us in this world, yet it is as he did to his people in the wilderness: so that he would not have us to nestle here, nor to be entangled in the snares of it, neither to make it our everlasting resting place; but to be ready to fly upward: not to be as swine looking down to the ground, but rather as Larkes, mounting upward from the earth. Some have here no resting place at all, but are tossed and turmoiled up and down as waves of the sea, and so Paul speaketh of himself, 2, Cor, 7, 5: others never remove out of the place where they are borne, but live peaceably among their own people, and continue at home in their own house without any trouble to themselves or others: yet must all account their chief resting place to be in heaven, out of which we shall never be removed, and when once we are clothed with it as with a garment, we shall never be unclothed or dismantled to be found naked, 2 Cor. 5, 6. Heb. 11, 13. Thus it was with all the Patriarchs and holy fathers from the beginning of the world, and so it ought to be with us.

[Use 4] Lastly, we are hereby put in mind of the shortness of this life, we are here for a season, and by and by near gone. And albeit we make our houses never so strong, and build them up with brick and stone to continue, yet our bodies are all as Tabernacles always decaying. For what is our life but a vapor? and what are our bodies but dust and ashes? We may well frame our houses of square stone, and make us palaces of marble; but our bodies cease not to be of this clay; and what is all flesh but grass, and what is all the glory of man but as the flower of the field, which flourisheth today, and tomorrow withereth away? The rich men of this world build them towers and castles that top the skye, and lay their lands about them, and call them oftentimes by their name, as Absalom did his pillar: their building is sound and substantial, and able to endure many years, and standeth out against all weather for many generations, and at the end of them is as firm and fast as at the first day. But in the mean season what are the Tabernacles of their and our bodies, but a simple cottage or cabbine, ever defaying and declining; having his foundation in the dust? A man may easily erect such building as shall remain: but can we build our bodies, so as they may be of any long continuance? and make our houses of clay to be as pillars of marble? what shall it profit us to build fair houses and pleasant gardens, & fruitful fields, and to forget the frailty of our bodies which must shortly fall into the dust, and be consumed to ashes? Let us therefore learn the doctrine of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5, 1. If our outward man decay, we have a building prepared for us in heaven. And we must say with Peter, I must shortly put off this my Tabernacle; as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me, 2 Pet. 1, 14, when this lodging of ours shall decay, we shall dwell in an house incorruptible. Our bodies are but as arbours made of green leaves, which are of no continuance, one blast of wind is strong enough to blow them away, Isaiah 40, 6. Every man hath some disease or other about him, that will not suffer him to endure long: our humors are not so equally tempered, where the best constitution is, but one of them threateneth destruction to the other, and strive which of them shall prevail and overcome, howbeit all is one to man; for whether of them soever do gain, man receiveth the loss, even the loss of his life. And if he had no disease or distemper, yet wait but a while, and age it self will be a disease, and as the messenger of death unto him, that even without sickness he slideth away, as the fruit of a tree, when it is ripe, falleth down of it self, though there be no hand to pluck it, or wind to shake it, or thief to steal it, or tempest to drive it. When we diligently consider this, then we have indeed learned to keep this feast of the Tabernacles spiritually. To conclude therefore, let every man beware that he seek not his own ease overmuch.

This is one rule, that we do not pamper or cocker our own flesh in the lusts thereof, Rom, 13, 14. If we should give the bridle to our flesh, it is as a bottomless pit that will never be filled. Secondly, such as are planted commodiously in this world, must beware that they do not forget the world to come: and they that enjoy the earth at will, must remember the kingdom of heaven, wherein they must only place the top of their happiness. If we seek heaven upon earth, we shall never find it in the next life. Thirdly, let us use this world, as though we used it not; rejoice as though we rejoice not, and weep as though we weped not, considering that the fashion of this world vanisheth away, 1 Cor. 7, 30, 31.

Here can be no certainty, nor assurance of anything, but in health we have one foot in sickness, and in life we be at the brink of death. In joy and gladness we are near to the house of sorrow and affliction, Lastly we must account of every day as our last day; what is present we see before our eyes, but what is to come we see not, we know not. The rich man built, and planted, and plotted for many years, and promised to himself a long life upon the earth, but it was said unto him, This night shall they take away thy soul from thee, &c. Luke 12.

CHAP. XXX.

NOw Moses cometh to speeke of such Laws as are voluntary, that is, of vows, whereof he setteth down two sorts; one concerning men, the other concerning women, and showeth in what persons they are ratified, and in what persons they are frustrated. Touching the man which is the head of the woman, he is charged not to falsify his word or his oath, lest he profane the Name of GOD which he hath taken in his mouth, but to perform his promise that he hath made, as Psal. 15, 4, he shall dwell in the holy hill of GOD, that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. Touching the woman, she is ordinarily and by the Law of nature under the power and authority of another. Wherefore touching their vows we must give judgment according to the place which they hold, and the calling into which they are entered. For the woman that taketh an oth, or maketh a vow, either is in the power of her father, or in the power of her husband, or in her own power, or else in the power of one when she vowed, and in the power of another when she is to perform it. A woman in her fathers power is bound to perform that which she hath sworn or vowed, but conditionally, if the father allow of it, either by his word or by his silence; so that the vow standeth, if he approve of it either by speaking or by holding his peace. For here the common proverb is verified, He that wittingly & willingly holdeth his peace, doth closely & secretly give his consent. But on the other side if the father dislike and disallow the vow, she is freed because she is not free. And if the woman be married, and at the disposition of her husband, it followeth by proportion of the former Law, that if her husband approve her vow, either openly or secretly, directly or indirectly, by speaking or holding his peace so soon as he heareth it or heareth of it, she is bound to keep it: but if he consent not, but disallow and disavow it, her vow is void, and she is to ask pardon of her rashness. If she be a widow and set free, being at her own liberty, and not under the jurisdiction of father that bestowed her, or of the husband to whom she was bestowed in marriage, she is bound to perform her vow. The Apostle teacheth, that the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth, but if he be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband, Rom. 7, 2. As she is free to vow, so he is bound to pay that which he hath vowed, because the promise was voluntary and free, and there is none can make it void. Lastly, the widow must not think her self discharged by her new or second marriage, but the time of making her vow, to wit, in her widowhood, must be considered and remembered. But such as are cut of the fathers power, or by death of the husband set free, must pay their vows to the most High, without denying, or delaying, or diminishing, what they have solemnly and advisedly vowed,

From hence we may learn how to answer sundry particular questions touching the vowing of men and women. [Object.] And first the question may be asked, what if it be the vow of a son or of a daughter under their father, or one any way under the power of another, as of a servant under his Master, shall that vow be good, or such person be bound to perform it? I answer, [Answ.] a vow must be of things in our own power: but he that is in the power of his father and of his master, is not at his own hand, his will dependeth upon the will & pleasure of another; and therefore Jonathan telleth his father, that David had asked leave of him to go to Bethlehem, 1 Sam. 20, 28, for their family had a sacrifice to offer in that city. If then, being the servant of Saul, he would not presume to go before he had obtained leave of the Kings son, doubtless such vows are to be held unlawful, unless his governor confirm it, or he that hath vowed ratify it when he cometh to be at his own hand. Again, it may be demanded, whether such do not sin, as vow being in the power of others, in not performing their vow? True it is, they ought not to have vowed, but having made the vow, do they not sin except they perform it? [Answer.] I answer, they sin in vowing, but they do not sin in their not performing of it; wherefore Moses saith afterward, The Lord shall forgive her: he meaneth not her forbearing to perform y ^e vow, forasmuch as if she should perform it, she should set at naught her fathers power & authority, which God by no means will suffer; and consequently add sin unto sin: but God will pardon her rash and unadvised vow which she had uttered. The doctrine from the first words is this, that vows made to God lawfully, are to be performed, Deut. 23.21, Psal. 76, 11, and 66.13, and 50, 14, Deu. 12, 17. This is further confirmed unto us by sundry examples of the faithful, as Jacob, Gen. 28, 20, 21, and 31, 13. Hannah the mother of Samuel, 1 Sam. 1, 11, David, Psal. 22, 25, & 61, 8, & 116, 14, and diverse others.

This truth is plain, because it is better [Reason 1] never to vow, (understand this of lawful vows) then to fail in not performing the vow. For this is to offer the sacrifice of fools, and it may be said to them, as Peter spake to Ananias. Acts 5, 4, Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. If we have a promise made unto us by men, who had not rather never to have had such a promise, then to be deceived? Eccl. 5, 3, 4. Secondly, such do take the Name of God in vain, which is a grievous sin, and he will never hold them guiltless that take his Name in vain, Exod. 20. Thirdly, salvation is of no other then of God; and therefore to him we should return the praise of our deliverance, Jonah 2, 10. Lastly, the Gentiles by the light of nature have used to vow, Jonah 1.16.

This reproveth all unlawful vows, & first [Use 1] of such as are touched in this place expressly, when they take upon them to vow, being under the subjection of others. And here is fitly taxed the doctrine of the Church of Rome, which teach that parents, have no authority to hinder their children from following rash & unadvised vows, and that children are not bound to have their parents consent to enter into cloisters, into which indeed they ought not to enter, no not with their consent. Hence it is, that they maintain and defend, that children may steal away lawfully from their parents, and became Monks and Nuns, not only without their consent, but against it; who indeed ought not to enter into those styes and stables with their consent, neither have parents any warrant or authority to give their consent. And how much do they better many times, then if they should thrust them into the stews to learn honesty? Secondly, such may not lawfully vow as are children in age, though they have no parents living to controlle them, and those that are children in knowledge, who know not what a vow is, or how it bindeth, for how should these bind themselves? Thirdly, such as are foolish or furious; forasmuch as albeit they may be out of the power of others, yet they are not in their own power: and albeit that no man may command them, yet they have not the command over themselves: and therefore may justly be accounted as children. Fourthly such as are rash and unadvised in their vows: such was the vow of Saul, 1 Sam. 14, 24: the vow of the Benjamites, Judge. 21, 1: and the vow of Iephte, Judge. 11, 30, 31. A vow and an oath are of the same nature, and both of them unadvisedly undertaken, do dishonor God. Fifthly, such as are wicked & ungodly vows, and these are of two sorts, either de malo, aut de bono male, that is, made for doing of some evil, or doing some good but not well: as for example, If one vow to kill a man, as they did that bound themselves by a vow, neither to eat nor drink, till they had killed Paul, Acts 23, 12. These bound themselves to do that which is simply in it self an evil thing. Such was Herod's vow or oath, Math. 14. And thus two evils meet together, the one whereof is to vow, the other to perform such a vow; and therefore such vows are not to be kept. This serveth to set before the eyes of many their folly, who never consider what the vow is which they have taken upon them to observe, but if they can say, I have a vow to do this or that, they grow obstinate and settled in evil, and will by no means be removed, yea and think they are bound by virtue of their vow to do it, and are discharged of all fault and offense when they have done it: whereas that which is evil to vow, is much worse to perform; and therefore they must repent of their rash vow, and not proceed to the accomplishment of it, for that were to add one transgression to another, as it were drunkenness unto thirst, and to plunge themselves into endless destruction both of soul & body. This is the case of many young men and women who have entangled themselves in such vows, by promising marriage either to other without the consent of parents; they often pretend great scruple of conscience, which cannot be tied by such evil vows, the vow was evil, and therefore the way is not to go forward, but to crave pardon of GOD for that evil, as here it is prescribed in this Chapter. They also are to be accounted evil vows which are made for the doing of some good, if they be not well and rightly made, and consequently they are not to be broken, as if a man in fasting or any other work should purpose to do that which is above his strength and ability. Sixthly, such are forbidden as are constrained vows and involuntary, when they are undertakē against a man's will, whereas they ought to be free as well as made by them that are free. There must be a willing mind before there can be a lawful vow. Seventhly, they must be of good importance, not of any idle or trifling toys, or of vain and foolish matters, in which the name of God is not to be used. Eighthly, superstitious vows, as to vow abstinence from this or that kind of meat for religion sake; such also as bind themselves to go on pilgrimage, and to offer to this or that holy Saint, or rather image or idol; these and such like observed in the Church of Rome, are reproved in the Sermons de Tempore, ascribed to Agustine: One voweth a cloak, another Oil, a third a wax candle, God careth not for these vows: but offer unto God that which at this day he hath redeemed, to wit, thy soul. The vows of obediance and repentance are the true and the best vows, the offering up of our bodies & souls a living sacrifice is most acceptable to God, and most profitable to our selves. Lastly, such vows as are impossible & above the strength of the undertakers, are also forbidden as unlawful, among which we may range the vow of single life, and abjuring of marriage, which is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, Hebr. 13, 4: so that they sin not against GOD which do contrary to such vows. For continency or single life is not necessarily annexed to the Ministry, neither hath God laid such a yoke upon their necks that enter into that calling. God hath left marriage free unto all, and it is the doctrine of devils to forbid marriage, as the Bishop of Rome doth, who speaketh lies through hypocrisy, 1 Tim. 4, 1, 2. For he will have none admitted into the holy Ministry, but such as are unmarried, or being married promise to live from their wives: as also he excludeth such as have been twice married, and such as have married a widow. But the Apostle telleth the Corinthians, that he had power to lead about a wife being a sister, as well as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas, 1 Cor. 9 5. And he speaketh generally, To avoid fornication let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband, 1 Cor. 7, 2. Again, declaring and prescribing what persons should be chosen to that office, he saith, A Bishop must be the husband of one wife, 1 Tim. 3, 2, 4. Titus 1, 6; one that can rule his own house, having children under obedience with all honesty. Thomas Aquinas confesseth ( Secunda Secundae quaest. 88. artic. 11.) that it is not essentially annexed to holy Orders, that men should contain & live a single life that enter into the Ministry, but by the Decree of the Church only. With him agreeth Cardinal Bellarmine, (Bel. de cleri. lib. 1. cap. 8.) who showeth that there is no prohibition of almighty God found either in the old or New Testament; he might have said infinite examples are found to the contrary, Adam was married in the time of his innocence, and lived in the Garden a married man. Noah a Preacher of righteousness was married: the Patriarchs were married: the Priests & the high Priest himself was married: the Prophets and the sons of the Prophets were married: and many Deacons, Ministers, and Bishops after Christ's time lived married. It were easy to produce infinite examples, but I will content myself with one very renowned & remarkable, touching Synesius, who when they of Ptolemais would needs have him to be their Bishop, which he little desired, he acquainted them with his present condition, and his future resolution, saying, God, the Law, and the sacred hand of Theophilus hath given unto me a wife; I therefore tell all men afore hand and testify unto all, that I will not suffer myself to be altogether estranged from her, neither will I live with her secretly as an adulterer; for the one is no way godly, and the other no way lawful: but I will pray unto God that many good and happy children may be borne unto me. Neither will I have him that is to be chief in ordaining me, to be ignorant hereof. Nay, it may be truly avouched and auerred, that generally there never prevailed any restraint of all Clergy men in all places from marrying and accompanying with their wives which they married while they were lay-men, and the greatest part of the Christian world hath ever from the beginning to this day enjoyed that liberty. Howbeit almost 400, years after Christ, Syricius Bishop of Rome sought to impeach it, and commanded that no such thing should be permitted. Innocentius the first insisted in the steps of his Predecessour, so that in some places, the lawful society and accompanying of Cleargymen with their wives began to be restrained. Afterward whē Hildebrand climbed up into the papal chair, he published a Decree to forbid them to marry, whereupon great confusions, tumults, and hurlyburlyes followed in the Church; for they were so enraged against him, that they cried out, he was an heretic, and a man damnable, erring in his judgment, who forgot the speech of our Lord, All men receive not this saying, save they to whom it is given: & again, Let him that can receive it, receive it, Matth. 19, 11, 12. Likewise the Apostle, Let him that cannot contain, marry, for it is better to marry then to burn, 1 Cor. 7, 9. and thereupon they openly protested against him, that if he proceeded to urge against them the execution of his Decree, they were resolved rather to forsake the Ministry, then their marriage. But to leave this, let us speak of such as have vowed single life, and see what hath been the judgment of the Church touching such vows. I propound this as a ruled case, & set it down as a certain truth, that the marriages even of such as have vowed the contrary are not void and of none effect, as the Jesuits teach. To this purpose Cyprian saith well, (lib. 1. epist. 11.) Si perseuerare nolunt aut non possunt, melius est nubant, quàm in ignem delictis suis cadant, that is, If they will not or cannot persevere, it is better that they should marry, then by their sins they should fall into the fire. Neither can this be understood of virgins that are yet to resolve and are free, as Bellarmine would decline the force of the testimony: ( De Monach. lib. 2. cap. 34.) for Cyprian speaketh of such as have already dedicated themselves to God, & telleth them that they were better to marry then to burn. To him accordeth Augustine in his Epistle to Boniface who had vowed a monastical and single life, and yet afterward did marry: for he telleth him, that being thus hindered and entangled, he could not freely exhort him to that former kind of retired life which he had vowed, because of his wife. His words are these, Thy wife hindereth me that I cannot exhort thee to this kind of life, without whose consent it is not lawful for thee to contain: & therefore he thought not his marriage to be void, or no marriage at all, or that he might lawfully forsake his wife, much less that he ought. The like we might easily show out of Jerome, and out of Epiphanius, haeres. 61: who maketh it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , i. an evil thing, and such as God will judge and punish, not to perform the vow once made to God: but not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, a thing which casteth men into condemnation of hell fire, and plungeth them into everlasting destruction, & therefore he defendeth that it is better to descend to that state of life which is lawful and honorable with one fault of breaking a vow passed to the contrary, and with tears of repentance to wash away that one fault of inconstancy, and so to be saved, rather then to live in sin continually, and so to perish everlastingly. And not only these fathers, but the schoolmen generally resolve, Aquinas excepted, that the Pope may dispense with a Presbyter, Deacon, or Subdeacon to marry, though he have solemnly vowed the contrary, by entering into holy orders, because the duty and bond of containing is not essentially annexed unto orders; and that it is only a canon and constitution of the Church. And the general opinion of them is, that though single life cannot be separated from the profession of a Monk, yet he that is a Monk may be freed from that profession the which he hath made, and so cease to be a Monk. Neither is this the opinion of the schools only, but the practice of the Popes hath concurred with the same, who have oftentimes dispensed with such vows, and given them free liberty to marry, and to forsake their couents and cloisters, where they had been mued up, as were easy to be shown by diverse examples.

Secondly, from hence everyone should learn to know how to behave themselves in [Use 2] vowing, that they may use this doctrine lawfully. To this purpose we must be instructed in these particulars; what a vow is: what are the conditions of it: what is the right manner of vowing: and what should be the ends of our vowing. Touching the first, a vow is a solemn promise made to GOD, binding our selves to the doing or leaving undone of some special thing that is acceptable unto GOD. Vowes thus taken are not merely ceremonial or pertaining to the times of the Law, but are a constant and perpetual ordinance of God to be observed and practiced under the Gospel. Howbeit seeing the Jews were tied to sundry legal observations, whereby upon occasion they testified their thankfulness, we may not unfitly hold that vows were partly ceremonial, and partly moral; partly they were abrogated, and partly they continue and remain in full force to the end of the world, because the spiritual duties shadowed thereby bind all persons. Such vows I call a solemn promise made to God, as appeareth by the vow of Jacob, Gen. 28, 30, going from his fathers house to avoid the fury of his brother Esau: and of the Israelites, who having received an overthrow at the hands of their enemies, vowed to God that if he would deliver them, and overthrow those that stood against them, they would utterly destroy their cities, and reserve the spoil to be consecrated to him, Numb. 21, 2, of the which we have spoken before. Hannah, upon condition of having a son granted unto her, vowed him a perpetual Nazarite unto the Lord, 1 Sam. 1, 11. Psal. 66, 12. 2 Sam. 13, 8. From hence we gather two things: first, that in the breach of an holy and religious vow there is a double trespass, because to the observation of the vow a man is tied by a double band, both absolutely by duty, and respectively by covenant and promise, and thereby violateth his duty and fidelity unto GOD. When David saith to GOD, Psal. 119, I have sworn, and will perform it: who seeth not, y ^t he tieth himself to the observation of the Law by a special band, besides the general that tieth all others? Hence it is, that God doth so oftentimes charge and challenge his people in special manner to have dealt unfaithfully & treacherously with him, as false and lying children in whom is no faith, upon promise made to keep his Laws, Deut. 5, 27, & 32, 20. Psal. 78, 8. Isaiah 30, 9, and 57, 4. Secondly, it reproveth the superstitious vows of the Romanists, who vow not to God only, but to the Saints, of which sort was no practice among the Jews, Psal. 76, 11, Isaiah 19, 21, no not when vows stood in greatest force, and were in largest sxtent. They teach that vows are a substantial part of the worship of God; and therefore by their own confession they commit manifest and abominable idolatry, because they communicate this honor to the Saints, and thereby make them to be gods, making vows to them of fastings, prayers, pilgrimages, Churches, Colleges, altars, tapers, and such like. Hence it is, that Bellarmine is content to say, that when the holy Scriptures were written, the custom of vowing to saints was not yet begun. To God we owe all that is in us, who is the searcher of the hearts, and hath power to punish the willful breach of a lawful vow; and therefore to him only we are to make our vows, He will not give his glory to any other. Again, in the description of a vow, we bind our selves to the doing or leaving undone some special thing that is acceptable to God, because he alloweth not of our will-worship, Col. 2, 23, Math. 15: wherefore we are not left free to vow what we list, for then we can have no assurance that God will accept them: but it will be said to us, Who required these things at your hands? Isaiah 1, 12: and again, In vain they worship me, teaching the precepts of men, Math. 15, 9. The Church of Rome offendeth herein many ways, and is almost endless in their errors touching this part or point of vows. I will briefly touch them & run them over. First, they maintain that young men and women, to wit, such as are come to the years of discretion, may vow single life, and that because they must suffer little children to come to Christ, Mat. 19, 14. As if none could come to Christ, [Answer.] but such as can look through a Monks cowl, or as if the kingdom of heaven belonged to none but to professed Monks and Friars, who haply have themselves the least part therein. Besides, the Text speaketh of little children, which can have no trial or experience of themselves, whereas the Apostle appointing widows to attend upon the sick and poor Saints, admitteth none under the age of threescore years, 1 Tim. 5, 9, & exhorteth the younger women to marry, to bear children, to guide the house, and to give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully, verse 14. Secondly, they permit children to enter into religious, or rather their irreligious houses, without consent of their parents and governors, and that parents have not any authority to take away their sons or daughters out of those dens & Cloisters. As this doctrine is most strange so their reasons are most weak. They pretend that Abraham was commanded of God to go out of his Country, [Object] & from his fathers house, Gen. 12, 1. and that Christ saith, Whosoever loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me, [Answ.] Math. 10, 37. I answer, the commandment of God to Abraham was special, and a special trial of his faith and obedience: let these show the like particular commandment to them, and then let them follow that example. As for the words of Christ our Savior, they are understood of the times of persecution, when we must prefer the love of Christ before the love of our best and nearest friends: to omit, that a man may leave his parents and kinsfolks in his affection that is set upon heavenly things, even while he dwelleth with them in the same house. But of this more afterward. Thirdly, they permit the husband and wife to separate themselves by mutual consent, to depart one from another and to vow continency so long as both of them shall live. For this they produce and urge the example of Joseph and Mary, who lived continently all their days. [Answ.] But it is plain, that Joseph purposed and intended that they should come together, Math. 1, 18. Again, he is expressly admonished by the Angel to take Mary his wife: neither is it necessary to believe it as an article of faith, that Mary the mother of Christ lived always a Virgin. Again, the Apostle wisheth that all men were even as he himself, 1 Cor. 7, 7, but he addeth in the next words, Every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. Besides, in those words he speaketh directly to the widows, and them that are unmarried, verse 8: and he hath an express commandment, verse 10, I command, not I, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband. And everyone must abide in the calling, to which he hath been called, verse 24. To this purpose he saith, verse 27. Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. And in the words going before, he exhorteth all married persons not to defraud one another except it be with consent, so that with consent he alloweth a separation: howbeit he addeth immediately, for a time, and after he willeth them to come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your inconstancy, verse 5. Moreover Christ himself teacheth, Math. 19, 6, What God hath coupled together, let no man put asunder: but married persons God hath coupled together; therefore they may not be separated, nay they may not separate themselves, neither can they without breaking the ordinance of God and the institution of marriage. Hence it is, that it is called The Covenant of God, Prov. 2, 17: not only a covenant between themselves, but such as God is therein interested, and therefore it lieth not in their power to dissolve that covenant. Lastly, they maintain that if the marriage be only contracted, and not consummated or finished, one may lawfully leave another, without consent one of another, to vow single life: to color this, they pretend that it is lawful to pass from a state of life less perfect, to that which is more perfect: and so they define a vow to be a promise to God of some better good. But this is a false surmise. [Answ.] For how doth he vow a better good, who in the vow of continency burneth with carnal and fleshly lusts, and is scorched in the flames of his own concupiscence? as the Apostle teacheth directly, It is better to marry then to burn, 1 Cor. 7, 9. In the time of the Law, the vow oftentimes was sacrifice, & the common duty belonging to all believers was showing of mercy: how then was the special vow better then the common duty, forasmuch as God saith, I will have mercy and not sacrifice? Hos. 6, 6. And how can they be said to vow a better good, that vow voluntary poverty and beggary, when Christ himself saith, It is a more blessed thing to give, then to receive? Act. 20, 35. Or how can the blind vow of the Jesuits touching obedience to their superior, be a tying of themselves to a greater or better good, seeing the Scripture saith, Be ye not made the servants of men? 1 Cor. 7, 23: forasmuch as they make themselves slaves to the rules and precepts of an Order altogether devised by mē. So then we must know that single life is not always, nor in all, a perfecter state of life then marriage: and it is to be presumed that such as are contracted to others have not that gift, for otherwise what needed such contracting?

The next point in a lawful vow, is to consider what are the conditions of it, which may better appear by the contrary prohibitions; wherein consider both how to make them, and how to pay them. First it must be made by him that is free, & in his or her own power, and not under the jurisdiction of another: so that the vow of the wife that is under her husband, of the son and daughter under their parents, of the servant under his Master, cannot be allowable, but is void and frustrate. [Object.] If any ask, Is it not lawful for the wife, or the son, or the daughter, or the servant to vow to serve the Lord, except the husband, the father, the mother, the master give their consent? Is the power of these greater then the power of God? or is the worship of God subordinate to the will and pleasure of superiors? or may they hinder their inferiors from serving the Lord? I answer, [Answ.] the worship of God is not bound and tied to vows: and inferiors may serve the Lord fully and faithfully, and walk before him in faith, obedience, prayer, and love without the band of vows. The obedience and subjection which he hath laid as a duty upon inferiors is more acceptable to him, then any vow whatsoever. Secondly, vows must be made only to God not to other creatures, as we shown before, and therefore they offend that vow to Saints departed, for they cannot make such to be vows to God. Thirdly, they must be of things possible, for it is foolish, if not impious to vow that which we are not able to perform. Fourthly, they must be godly and religious vows, not of such things as are forbidden of God. Fifthly, they must come from a free heart, performed willingly and cheerfully to GOD. Sixthly, we must place no opinion of merit therein, as the Romanists do; but tender our duty and thankfulness to God. Lastly, they must be advised and of great importance. These considerations we must set before us in making a vow: in paying and performing thereof we must consider, first, it must be performed fully & wholly, not maimed or to halves. Therefore Moses in this place saith, He shall do all that is gone out of his mouth, verse 2. It is not enough for us to do a part, and to leave a part undone, but we must do it perfectly. These are like to Ananias and Sapphira, who vowed unto God the whole price of their possession, but when they came to perform their vow, they kept back apart, & thought to please GOD with another part, Acts 5, 3. The manner of many is to be large in promising, but to be sparing in performing. This is a token of lightness and inconstancy, and more displeases God then if they paid nothing at all, because it is joined with hypocrisy. Secondly, we must pay our vows without delay, we must not put off the time, Genesis 33, 1, Eccles. 5, 3, Deuteron, 23, 21. Delay in all duties is dangerous, and bewrayeth an unthankful heart. For as he that giveth quickly, giveth twice; so he that giveth leysurely, it is all one as if he gave not at all. Thirdly, we must perform our vows from our heart, willingly & cheerfully, not grudgingly or mutteringly, like the bad debtor, that payeth indeed the money he borroweth at the appointed day, but not with a willing mind, and therefore he had rather he were not bound to pay it, and knew how to avoid it. God requireth a cheerful giver, & therefore such payment of vows as otherwise, is is not allowed and approved of God,

Thirdly, we must learn what is the right manner of vowing, wherein also observe, how it was wont to be made, and then how performed. The making thereof was wont always to be joined with prayer, to note that y ^e faithful always lifted up their hearts to GOD, craving his blessing, Psalm. 61, 5. Gen. 28, 20. Judge. 11, ver. 30, 31, so that such as were fit to vow, must be faithful & justified before God, and reconciled unto him, otherwise they can never call upon him aright. And as they must be made with prayer, so they must be performed with thanksgiving, Psal. 61, 5: otherwise it were better never to have vowed and promised unto God that cannot be deceived.

Fourthly, it behooveth us to know the right ends of vows, which are these; First, concerning God's glory and the advancement of his worship. Secondly, to testify our special thankfulness to God for blessings which we have received at his hands. Thirdly, to chastise our selves, that thereby we may prevent y ^e wrath of God; for by judging of our selves, we escape his judgment, 1 Cor. 11, Fourthly, to make our selves more circumspect and watchful over our own ways; for when we have fallen into some sin, we do hereby make ourselves more wary and heedful for the time to come. Fifthly, to bind our selves more strongly, as by a twofold cord which is not easily broken, to yield obedience to God. Lastly, to strengthen the weakness of our faith, hope, and other spiritual graces, and to give us greater assurance of the mercy of GOD, which we shall receive at his hands.

Lastly, it is a duty belonging to everyone, [Use 3] to consider diligently what vows they have vowed to God. We are ready and not sparing to vow in times of our afflictions & troubles, O that we were as careful to perform them, Psal. 66. But if we have not vowed this way, there is a common vow which we have all undertaken, the vow of our baptism, that we will believe in God and serve him, that we will forsake the devil and all his works; and this is the answer of a good conscience toward God, 1 Pet. 3, 21. The master of the Sentences calleth baptism, The common vow, because therein men protest, promise, and profess to consecrate themselves, their souls & bodies unto God, both which are his, by right of creation and redemption. Jerome maketh holiness in body and spirit, the matter of a Christian vow, In Isaiah, lib. 7. cap. 19. And S. Augustine to this purpose in many places teacheth, that to believe in God, to hope for eternal life, and to live according to his commandments, are the things, which we are to vow to God. And in another place, What do we vow to God, but to be the Temple of God? These Christian duties contain the truth of y ^e Jewish vows. They vowed external sacrifices and oblations, & bound themselves to the outward service, in the exercise whereof it pleased GOD for a time to train that people: howbeit in all these he called them to the true practice of piety, & to the inward affections of praise & thanksgiving. Psal. 4, 5, & 50.14, 23, & 51, 17, & 107, 22, & 115, 17. Jonah 2, 9. Hos. 14, 13. Neither is the holy Scripture silent what their ceremonial vows imported to them and to us. The vow of humbling and afflicting themselves by fasting did teach them, to forbear their own desires, to renounce their own wills, to subdue their own corruptions, and to abstain from cruelty & oppression, Isaiah 58, 6. Mic. 6, as appeareth by the reproof of the Prophet, when he chargeth them that in the day of their fast, they sought their own wills, verse 3. This we see notably in the vow of the Nazarites, a principal one among the rest, of which we have spoken before, whereby they were separated to the Lord, Numb. 6, 2. And this was the chief intendment of that ceremony to signify the common condition of all that people, that the Lord their God had separated them from all other people, and therefore they must be holy unto him, because the Lord himself is holy; and hath separated them from other people, that they should be his, Levite. 20, 24, 26. And this is that which Balaam uttered concerning Israel, Numb, 23, 9, Loe the people shall dwell alone, & shall not be reckoned among the nations. This then was a special vow of ceremonial observations, wherein by abstaining from many outward things, as separating themselves from wine & strong drink, & suffering no rafor to come on their head, and other outward things expressed in that place, they were divided from the common and profane conversation both of themselves and others among that people; howbeit a special & spiritual respect was had of preserving inward piety & holiness toward him, so that such divided persons were so many spectacles and examples of the condition of all the faithful, of whom Christ our Savior hath told us, and taught us, that they are not of this world, but he hath chosen thē out of the world, John 15, 19, they must fly the corruption that is in the world, 2 Pet. 1, 4: and they must hear the voice of God calling and crying unto them, Come out from among them, & separate yourselves from them, and touch no unclean thing, and then he will receive them, 2 Cor. 6, 17. In all which he alludeth to the vow of the Nazarites, who were a separated and selected people, retiring themselves from others, of which see more before, chapter 6. So then the vows that temaine in the Gospel, and belong unto us, are the vows of prayer, of praise & thanksgiving, of obedience to God, of denying our selves, of subduing our sins, of mortifying the corruptions of the old man, of mercy and compassion toward our brethren, and briefly of keeping our selves holy unto God and unspotted of the world, Psal. 27, 8, & 58, 12. & 79, 13. & 80, 17. & 86, 11.119, 34, 35.106, Mat. 16, 24. Col. 3, 5. Rom. 6, 13, & 12, 1. 2 Cor. 6, 20. These are the holy and solemn vows that we promised to God in our Baptism, wherein we were dedicated, and consecrated unto God, and these we do continually renew, when we come to the Table of the Lord. Let us diligently think of these vows, and be careful to practice and perform them, that God may be duly glorified in us.

Now Moses entreateth of such vows as were made by those that are under the authority of others, as children under their parents: concerning which the father hath authority to disannul them. Hereby the power of all parents is so magnified and advanced, that a vow made immediately to God is frustrate, & there is a mere nullity of it, except they confirm it. They have power to make it good, and they have power to make it void. Heereby we learn, that great is the authority and jurisdiction of parents over their children by the Law of God and Nature. The very heathen have this truth shining in their hearts, that parents are to be honored, and that their authority should be inviolable, Exod. 20, 12. Eph. 6, 1, 2. Ierem. 35, 6, 7, 8, &c. Gen. 27, 8, 43. and 28. 2. When the father saith, Go, the child goeth: when he saith, Arise, he ariseth: when he saith, Come, he cometh. Christ our Savior giveth testimony of his perfect obedience, whom all both men and Angels stand bound to worship, and to whom every knee must bow of things in heaven, of things in earth, and of things under the earth, Philip. 2: yet he was subject to his parents and went with them, Luke 2.51. 1. King. 2.19. The reasons are evident.

[Reason 1] First, the precept of honoring parents hath the first place in the second Table, and is set before all other, so that next unto GOD we are bound to reverence them to whom we are most bound: and it is the foundation and band of obedience to all the rest of the commandments that follow. For if men do not stand in awe of the Magistrate the father of the Common-wealth, and the Captain of the people, all the other would soon be violated, 2 Kings 20, 5.

Again, the Apostle teacheth, that this is the first Commandment with promise, Eph. 6, 2: it hath a special promised annexed of long life. Thirdly, children receive great and manifold blessings from the hands of their parents and governors, and likewise are freed from many evils and dangers, that otherwise they might fall into. Fourthly, patents give life, and breath, and being after a sort unto them; for children receive all these from thē. Fifthly, parents are honored by sundry titles and names, the which are given to God himself, Matth. 23.9: One is your father which is in heaven, therefore call no man your father upon earth.

[Object. 1] Touching this impregnable and invincible truth, sundry questions may be asked, and diverse doubts to be removed. As first, seeing their authority is so great, why doeth our Savior speak of hating father and mother, as Luke 14, 26, If any man come to me, and do not hate his father and mother, he cannot be my disciple. [Answ.] I answer, Christ speaketh in that place comparatively, that is, we must not regard them in respect of himself whom we ought to love above all, and so it is expounded, Matthew 10, 37: He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me. To love our parents next after GOD is piety, but to love them more then God is impiety. We hate them therefore when we love them less then God, in comparison of whom we should hate our lives.

[Object. 2] Secondly, Christ forbiddeth us to call any man father, as we have heard before, Matth. 23. [Answ.] I answer, Christ condemneth not the name or appellation given to men simply, for then he should be contrary to himself, where he alloweth the title to earthly fathers, Math. 7, 9. Mark 7, 11: and the Apostle should be contrary to his master, 1 Cor. 4, 15. Therefore he meaneth, that no man is or can be our Father as God is, to wit, that we should trust in them, and make them the authors of our life, and the givers of all good things that come unto us.

[Object. 3] Thirdly, what if our parents be evil persons and ungodly, ought we then to obey them & yield unto their authority, who are by their wickedness unworthy thereof? [Answ.] I answer, It skilleth not whether they be good or evil touching our obedience. For evil parents are our parents, and evil Magistrates are Magistrates, and evil Ministers are Ministers. Servants are commanded to be subject to their masters, not only unto them that are good and gentle, but to them y ^t are froward, 1 Peter 2, 18: so ought children to yield obedience unto their fathers, though they be evil. Hence it is that God saith generally in the Law, Honor thy father and mother, not honor them when they are good only.

But it will be farther objected, What if they [Object. 4] be excommunicate persons, may they then be obeyed, or should children then do any duty to their parents? and is not that to set light by that censure? I answer, [Answer.] Excommunication rightly used, is indeed the most grievous judgment that can be inflicted in this life both in respect of the soul and of the body, and is as it were the messenger of death. It is a great punishment to be banished from a well ordered City: much more to be thrust out of the Church, which is the Common-wealth of God, and of his Son Christ. David did greatly lament his estate and condition, when he wanted the holy assemblies of the faithful among the Infidels, and could not come into the presence of God with his people, and did think himself driven away from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, 1 Sam. 26, 19. Who would not tremble and be afraid to be delivered up unto Satan, 1 Cor. 5, 6. the enemy of God? The children of Israel were delivered over to Nebucadnezzar and other wicked tyrants to be afflicted, and they bewailed exceedingly such bodily captivity, Psalm 137, 1, 2 how much more fearful then ought the excommunicate person to esteem it to be delivered up, not to wicked and ungodly men, but to Satan himself, The prince that ruleth in the heart of the children of disobedience? Notwithstanding all fellowship and familiarity with them is not denied to us. It is lawful for the family to converse with the governors of the family, though they be excommunicate persons. The wife may not deny due benevolence, nor the child dutiful obedience: if he bid them go, they must go; or to come, they must come: neither are they by such behavior culpeable, or guilty of their sin: of which we see more before, chap. 5.

Fourthly, if the son be a Magistrate, & [Object. 5] the father a private man, it may be demanded, whether he be to yield obedience to his father? I answer, [Answ.] though the father must obey the son as he is a Magistrate, yet in another respect the son must obey the father, as he is the father: so that neytner is the son to be deprived of the honor and dignity due unto his place, neither is the father to be denied that duty and respect which is due unto his person. The son may be honored as he is a Magistrate, and the father is likewise also to be obeyed as he is a father. And this the Heathen in former times have both known and practiced. For when Q. Fabius Maximus, in Liuy Decad. 3. lib. 4. was on a time sent Ambassador unto his son then being Consul, he went out to meet his father who was coming to him on horseback: and albeit the Sergeants reverencing the majesty of the father (who before had been Dictator, the highest office in the City) suffered him to pass, yet the son commanded him to alight from his horse if he meant to speak to him. And the old man was so far from being offended with his son, or from thinking it any disgrace to himself, that he leaped from his horse immediately, commending his son, and telling him he meant to try whether he knew himself to be Consul or not. I allege this out of the Roman history, to show that the Heathen themselves knew how to make this difference. Solomon is a notable example of this point, for he knew himself to be a son, yet he forgot not that he was also king of Israel; and therefore when Bathsheba came unto him, albeit he rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her as she was his mother, yet he sat down in his throne again as be was king, and she his subject, 1 [Objection 5] Kings 2, 19: yea he denied her request also.

It may be demanded farther, what if God command one thing, and the parents another, what are the children to do in this repugnancy, whether of them should they obey? I answer, [Answ.] we are charged to love and obey God before and above all things: and therefore to prefer the precept or pleasure of man before the will of God, is no better then to make an idol of our parents, and to honor them as God. True it is, we are bound to obey evil parents, but we are not bound to obey them in evil. If they command and compel in evil, they are rather tyrants then parents, and we must answer with the Apostles, We ought to obey God rather then men, Acts 5, 29. So then we see how far children are bound to obey their parents, to wit, while they keep themselves within their bounds, though they be froward and wayward, peevish and perverse, though they be not endued with virtue, or wisdom, or any other good qualities, yet they must be reverenced, honored, and relieved as parents and the instruments of our life and being: but if they forget their places and command against God, it is better to cleave unto GOD our heavenly father.

[Objection 6] Again, if the Magistrate command one thing, and the father another, here both are men, whether of these two are to be obeyed by the son? Nay in this case, not only both are men, but both of them are fathers, one the father of the country, [Answ.] the other of the family. I answer, if obedience to both cannot stand together, we must obey the Magistrate, because God hath given him a larger commission and greater authority then to the fathers of our bodies, so that he hath power and authority to command the fathers & their children. Again, the Magistrate commandeth for the good of the Commonwealth, the father for the private good of the private house. True it is, we may love our parents better then the Magistrate, howbeit we must obey the Magistrate before our parents. As we may love a good man which is but poor and needy before or better then an evil or wicked man which is in great power and authority; howbeit in respect of his authority, when he commandeth, we must obey him before the other.

Furthermore, suppose a man be a servant [Objection 7] or an apprentice, his master commandeth him one thing, & his father the contrary, whether of them shall he obey, in this repugnancy of commanders and commandments? which of them shall he please, and to which of them shall he cleave? I answer, [Answ.] he must obey his master. For to speak properly, the father hath no power nor authority in such a case: for it may be said, Who art thou that commandest another man's servant? he standeth or falleth to his own master, as Paul speaketh in another case. The father having bound his son an apprentice, and put him into the service of another, hath withal by that act put away his authority, and as it were resigned up his own right to his master. And such a son may wish the good of his father before the good of his master, and the life of his father before the life of his master, howbeit he must obey his master before his father, and endeavor by his diligence, labor, service, and faithfulness the profit of his master before the profit of his father, and not seek the hindrance or loss of his master in one penny to procure advantage to his father in twenty pound, farther then he hath the consent of his master.

Lastly, the question may be asked touching [Objection 8] the daughter of a man given in marriage, the husband commandeth one thing, and the father another, whether of these is to be obeyed, the husband, or the father? I answer, [Answer.] the husband. For, as she must obey her husband before the father, so she is to love the husband better also, and God commandeth the man to leave father and mother, and to clean to his wife, which is also a commandment unto the woman to leave parents, and to cleave to her husband, for they twain shall be one flesh, Matth. 19, verse 5. Ephes. 5. verse 31. 1 Cor. 6. verse 16: therefore in this case the will of the husband is to be preferred before the will of the father. For as it is in the two great lights which God hath set in the firmament, the lesser evermore giveth place to the greater, and when the Sun shineth, the light of the Moon fadeth and vanisheth away: so when the greater authority of the husband cometh in place, the lesser power and authority of the father ceaseth. Besides, his giving of her in marriage to the husband is a giving away of his own right over her, as well as over that portion of goods which he bestoweth with her: so that now his authority is abridged, nay clean abolished. Lastly, it appeareth in this chapter, that if a married woman had vowed a vow to God, her husband only had power to abrogate and disannul her vow, but not her father. That which she doth unto her parents, and for her parents, must be by the consent and allowance of her Husband. Whatsoever is hurtful or any way prejudicial to him, she ought not to do, though it were with a purpose to profit her parents.

[Use 1] Now we come to the Uses. This reproveth diverse and sundry sorts that fight directly against this ordinance of God. In the first place whereof I range the Church of Rome. For, as it abridgeth the authority of Magistrates, so it crosseth the authority of parents over their children. It is notoriously known to the whole world, how the Roman Antichrist that proud beast that sitteth upon the seven hills, hath stirred up the children against their parents, and provoked them partly by promises, and partly by threatenings, to deprive them of their dominions and lives by force of arms; by which means, bloody wars have been raised and waged between the father and the son. Thus they put asunder those whom God and nature hath joined together. In like manner, under the vizard & pretence of Religion, they not only allow, but exhort and entice, and receive into their Monkish Orders, young men at fourteen years, and young women at twelve, without consent of their parents. But in this place, God putteth: power and authority into the parents hands, to disannul the vow which the daughter maketh being in her fathers house; which ordinance is grounded upon the moral Law, which commandeth children to honor and obey their parents: and the Apostle Paul referreth the whole matter of keeping y ^e daughter a virgin, or the bestowing of her in marriage, to the will and determination of the father, 1 Cor. 7, 36, 37.

Moreover, hath not the father as great power over his son, as the master hath over his servant? But it is not lawful for the servant to take upon him the profession of Monkery without the consent of his master, and therefore the child may not do the same. The answer of Bellarmine is nothing to the purpose, that children are not in like subjection to their parents, as servants are to their masters, but have more power over themselves then servants have: because howsoever Children are not in such servile condition as servants (which is not the question, it being out of question) yet parents have as great power over the persons of their children, being within age, as over servants: and the law of nature which bindeth sons, is stronger then y ^e law of men, which maketh servants and parents have greater power over their own flesh then over strangers.

[Use 2] Secondly, this teacheth, that it belongeth as a special duty to children by all means, to honor their parents, to which they are bound with the strongest bands: and this yielding of honor unto them consisteth in many particulars. For we must be subject unto them, and give them reverence, obedience, and maintenance. First, we ought all the days of our lives to esteem reverently of them, as also of their wise devices, of their holy counsels, of their careful instructions. And this we ought to express in gesture, in speech, and in outward carriage: not so much for fear of correction, or looking for benefit from them, but for conscience sake, lest by the contrary we draw the curse of God upon us Prov. 30, 17. Woe therefore unto those ungodly and ungracious children, that do not esteem their parents according to the high place wherein God hath seated them over them, that do despise them because of some infirmities of age, of nature, or otherwise, and therefore mock and scoff at them, Prov. 30, 11. Gen. 9, 22. The second duty is obedience to their lawful commandments in performing of their will, howsoever sometimes they may seem unpleasant and unpleasing unto them, Mat. 21. Col. 3, 20. Jer. 35, Deuter. 21, 18, 19. Thus doth Jacob rest in the counsel of Rebecca his mother, and yieldeth to her wholesome admonition, Genes. 27, 14. And this is one of the chief virtues that can be found among them, and therefore Paul expoundeth Honor by Obedience, Colos. 3, 20. Eph. 6, 1. Thus they ought to submit and subject themselves to their godly government & religious discipline. And as this ought to be yielded to them in all things, so it should be observed in choosing their trade and order of life, and taking upon them a special calling, to be ready to be directed by them, what by their grave censure, wisdom, judgment, & foresight they think fittest for them, Prover. 29, 15: & 15, 5: especially in the greatest matter of all that doth most nearly concern them, I mean their marriage, when they shall begin to think of seeking a companion to live with them in that estate. Thus all faithful children were content to submit themselves to their parents, and to be ordered by them, and never attempt to bestow themselves in marriage without their parents knowledge, Genes. 24, 3. So did Jacob at the commandment of his father, and the advice of his mother, and by consent of them both, Genes, 27, 46. and 28, 1. This was observed of those that otherwise led no sanctified life, Genesis 21, 21 yea of the very heathen themselves. I will produce one testimony among many others, and that is of king Cyrus after he had conquered Babylon, and come home in triumph, his uncle Cyaraxis offered him his daughter unto wife: he thanked his uncle, and praised the maid, and liked the dowry, but for giving consent to marriage, he made him this answer, which I would it were observed and followed of all Christians, O Cyaraxe, to te genos Epainô, kai ten paida, kai dôra; boulomai de, ephê sun tê toû patros gnómê, kai tes metros tanta sunainesai, which is englished in this manner: Uncle Cyaraxis, I commend the stock, & the maid, and the portion; howbeit (saith he) by the counsel of my father and mother I will assent unto you: as if he had said, without their advice I can do nothing. All histories, Philosophers, and Poets in a manner, are full of the practice of this duty. And no marvel, for this is agreeable to the common principle in nature, Whatsoever ye would that other men should do unto you, do ye even so to them, Math. 7, 12. Sampson saw a maid in Timnah that liked him well, notwithstanding he spake not one word to her, but came back to his parents, & desired them to make the marriage for him. They were the first whom he acquainted with his purpose: not as in our days, wherein commonly the parents are the last. Judges 14, 2. Get her to me, for she pleaseth me well. For seeing parents have taken great pains, and bestowed great cost in bringing up their children, it is reason they should reap some fruits of their labor and travail in the bestowing of them in marriage, and thereby be acknowledged more wise and better able to provide and foresee for them, then themselves. This justly reproveth many children in our days, that never regard this duty, and condemneth the common practice of our corrupt age so much degenerated and grown out of course, that they never require nor regard the consent of their parents in their matches and marriages; but make their choice after the lust of their eyes, and the delight of their hearts, in despite of Father, Mother, Governor, Kinsfolkes, Friends, yea God himself, and all good order. These oftentimes run on in haste, and on an head, and learn to repent at leisure. For we live not longer after the holy examples of the Patriarchs in former time, then we come far behind them and live different from their manners and godly discipline. The next duty is thankfulness, requiring all the kindness that we have received from them, & recompensing their goodness toward us to the uttermost of our power, whensoever and wherein soever they shall at any time stand in need of our help and relief, Genes. 45, 11. and 47, 12. Joseph was nourished a child of his father seventeen years, and he again nourished his aged father 17. years in Egypt, Gen, 47, 9, 28. This precept the Apostle setteth down, 1 Tim. 5, 4, Children and Nephews must recompense the kindness of their parents. The practice of this we see in Ruth the Moabitesse, she being young, took pains and traveled and labored for her mother in Law Naomi when she was old, Ruth. 2, 18, and did bring home to her what she had gleaned, and she gave to her that which she had reserved after she was sufficed. This we see also in the example of Christ our Savior, John 19: ver. 27: which condemneth all neglect of aiding them in time of need, and all fraudulent and injurious dealing in keeping back any part of maintenance due unto them, Rom. 1, 30. 2 Tim. 3, 2. Such likewise as run upon their own heads, and will not be advised either in the course of their life, or in the choice of their companion to live withal in married estate, like Esau, that profane Esau, who against the liking and good will of his parents, took Canaanitish women to be his wives, Genes. 26, 35: to the great grief of the hearts of his godly parents.

Lastly, it belongeth to all parents to perform [Use 3] their duties to their children the fruit of their bodies, forasmuch as God hath hedged in their authority with banks and bounds that may not be transgressed or removed. These duties do belong partly to the fowls of their children, & partly to their bodies: partly they concern their salvation, and partly their preservation: some belong to the life to come and some to this present life. Touching the former sort, they must go before them by a good example of life, and walk in their houses in the uprightness of their hearts, that they may see no evil examples to infect and corrupt them, Psal. 101. Our duty is to bring them to the house of God, and to the place of God's worship, and unto the exercises of Religion, where the word is preached, the Sacraments are administered, and where prayers and praises are offered up to God. And doubtless our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. Remember the example of Joseph and Marie the parents of Christ, when they went to Jerusalem to worship God, they led their son with them to train him up in godliness and true Religion, Luke 2. They do not send him thither while themselves abide at home, but they accompany him, nay they go before him and teach him what he should do; contrary to the practice of many that draw them from God, from his word, from godliness, and make thē twofold more the children of hell then themselves. From them and their mouths they do learn to swear and blaspheme, to speak reproachfully of God, of his Word, of his Ministers, and of his children, 2 Kings 2, 23. A second duty is to instruct them in the ways of God, and to pour into their hearts the Doctrine of Christ from the childhood, 2 Tim. 3, 15. Deut. 6, 6, 20: & 7, 3. Prover. 22, 6. Psalm 78, 3, 5, 6, Job 1, 5. Thirdly, they ought to admonish, reprove, and correct them, and that betimes while there is hope, and when there is just cause, Prouerb. 13, verse 24: and 19, 18: and 23, 13. They must do it in love & compassion, not in fury, or with cruelty, or in choler and malice, Col. 3, 21. It is noted of Eli, that because he failed in this one duty, he brought ruin and destruction upon his whole house; he brake his neck from his chair, and his sons were slain in battle, 1 Sam. 2, 24: & 4, 18.

Fourthly, it belongeth to them to provide for those whom they have brought into the world things fit and necessary for this present life. They are flesh indeed of our flesh and bone of our bone, and no man hateth his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it all that he can. As then we provide for our selves, so ought we for them, and not only for the present, but for the time to come, thereby to defend them from dangers & troubles that may befall them. So the parents of Christ when they had gone a days journey, and perceived that the child was not in the company, returned back and sought him with heavy hearts, and never gave over till they had found him three days after, Luke 2, 45, 46. Woe then to all careless parents, that wast all their substance, and swallow it down their throat in all riot and excess, & never provide for their children, but suffer them in a manner to go naked without clothing, hungry without meat, thirsty without drink, harborless without lodging, and destitute without comfort, 2 Cor. 12, 14, 1 Tim. 5, 8. Gen. 42, 2. Jacob sent his sons into Egypt to buy Corn, when they wanted food to nourish their families. Fifthly, all parents are bound, especially they of the poorer sort, to bring up their children to labor and taking of pains, and never suffer them to be idle. Howbeit commonly who more idly and lazily brought up then poor men's children, yea then theirs that are poorest of all? Hence it is that they are clothed in rags, because they lead their lives in idleness. No man should live by the sweat of other men's brows, but should labor the thing that is good, Mark 6, 3. Gen 4, 2. and 46, 33, 34. Idleness is the root of all evil, and the companion of beggary. Lastly, if children have not the gift of continency, they ought to dispose of them in marriage both seasonably and fitly: seasonably, lest by delaying y ^e time ouerlong, they lay their children open unto danger, either of entangling themselves with other against their wills, or of defiling themselves with filthy uncleanness: fitly, that the sons and daughters of God may match together, not the sons of God with the daughters of men, or the sons of men with the daughters of men, or the sons of men with the daughters of God, Gen. 6, 1. and 24, 3. and 28, 2, 3, Ezra 9, 2. & 10, 10: an abuse that continueth in the world unto this day.

In these words Moses proceedeth in the matter of Vowes even to the end of the chapter, concerning the married woman, and concerning the widow. The married woman is bound by the Law so long as her husband liveth, and cannot vow: and if she vow, it is merely void, and such vowing is pronounced unlawful, she hath sinned against God & her husband; howbeit God is merciful, and he will forgive her. From whence we may learn, That the Lord is ready to forgive those that offend. But the Widow that is free and loosed from the law of her husband, is at liberty to vow. This teacheth, that the power and authority of the husband over the wife is very great; for albeit she be at liberty to vow in the Lord when her husband is dead, yet while he liveth he hath power to disannul all her vows, Rom. 7, 2. 1 Cor. 7, 36. The wife is tied by a strong band and obligation unto her husband, 1 Cor. 14, 34. Ester 1, 22. This is not (I confess) the proper place to handle these duties, and therefore I will briefly touch the reasons and the uses.

The husband is the head of the wife, 1 Cor. 11, [Reason 1] 3. Ephes. 5, 23: as Christ is the head of the church to rule it, to defend it, to provide for it: therefore, as the Church is in subjection to Christ, so ought the wife to be to her husband,

Again, mark the order and manner of the Creation, how it was at the beginning, Adam was first formed, and then Eve: and he was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, was in the transgression, and therefore she ought not to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence and subjection, 1 Tim. 2, 12, 13, 14.

Thirdly, in the Law of creation we must observe the preeminence of man, which will evidently appear if we mark the end of it: for man was made to rule, the woman to be ruled: for as the man was not of the woman: but the woman of the man; so the man was not created for the womā, but the woman for the man, 1 Corinth, chap. 11, verses 8, 9.

Lastly, man is the image & glory of God, whereas the woman is the glory of the man, 1 Cor. 11, 7. But was not the woman also made in y ^e image of God? [Object] and hath not God set the print of his glory upon her face also? I answer, [Answer.] the Woman was made in the image of God, as well as the man, Genesis 1, verse 27. But man was made to this end and purpose, y ^e God's glory should appear in his rule and authority: on the other side the woman was made, that by profession of her obedience she might the more honor her husband.

[Use 1] This serveth first for reproof both of the husband and the wife, when they know not their places of commanding or obeying: the husband losing his honor, and the wife usurping above her calling. As God in the creation, of one made two; so in the first institution of marriage he united those two again into one, that the woman joined in marriage with her husband, might not only reverence him as the rock from whence she was taken, but might honor him as her head under whom she liveth. This order is broken, when she will by no means be in subjection, but seeketh to shake off the yoke which God and her calling hath laid upon her. This subjection is made heavier by transgression, then it was by the law of creation. For that which God made very good, Satan quickly turned into evil, so that the woman instead of an helper became a tempter of the man to sin; and the man instead of a defender became an accuser of the woman to God for sin. Thus Satan labored to divide the house, that it might not stand. But Christ Jesus our Lord came into y ^e world to destroy and dissolve the works of the devil, and hath reconciled man and woman with God, that now they should live together as heirs of the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3; 7. Therefore all women should be content with their places, whereof notwithstanding they oftentimes come short, and take upon them to control their husbands, to speak and do what they list. This we see in Vashti mentioned in the book of Ester, when she was commanded by the king to come unto the feast, she disdained and refused to obey, and would not come into his presence, Ester 1, 22: and lest other women should be emboldened by her perverse example, they passed a decree, and gave it the force of a law and a statute, and published the same in all the kings Provinces, y ^t Every man should bear rule in his own house, to wit, under the same penalty inflicted on the Queen, which was, to be divorced from their husbands. Again, it reproveth all husbands that in simplicity are as willing to resign up their places, as their wives in impudency are bold, to usurp them, which is as great a shame and reproach to the husband to lose, as it is for the woman to challenge it. This argueth want of wisdom, courage, and discretion in the husband, and on the other side bewrayeth pride, self-love, contempt, and disdain in the wife; as also forgetfulness of her first creation, at what time she was made of a bone taken out of his side, Gen. 2, 21. I say out of his side to be his companion, and therefore as he is not to make her his footstool to tread upon her, so she should not make her self his head to ouertop him, and so tread upon him.

[Use 2] Secondly, it is the duty of all wives to acknowledge their duty, and to yield without striving the superior place to their husbands, and to be subject unto them without resisting in word and deed. This is commended unto them in the example of Sarah, who is set as a glass before all women's faces to look upon, 1 Pet, 3, 5, 6: to the end, that if any obey not the word, they may without the word be won by the conversation of their wives. Again, the Apostle Paul teacheth the wife to fear her husband, Ephes. 5, 33: and Peter teacheth the same, She must have her conversation with fear, 1 Pet. 3, 2. This duty is seated in the heart, and helpeth to set in order all other duties. This will show it self in meekness of Spirit, which is in the fight of God of great price, and in obedience in all lawful things, & that not by constraint, but willingly and readily, as serving Christ without murmuring or gainsaying. If they perform these things, they shall be Christian wives, and the daughters of Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort. Such will do their husbands good, and not evil all the days of their lives, Prov. 31, 12. Hence it is that Solomon saith, A virtuous woman is a crown unto her husband, Prov. 12, 4: but she that is stubborn and disobedient maketh him ashamed, and is as rottenness in his bones. A good wife is not only an honor, but an ornament unto her husband, and therefore is compared unto a crown of gold. If she had been compared unto the ring upon his finger, it had been a great Ornament: if to a Chaine of Gold about his neck, it had been a far greater: but behold while she keepeth her self in her place, and dischargeth her duty with love and subjection, she is said to be a crown unto him, then which what greater honor and glory can there be? And therefore in another place he saith, Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers, but a provident wife is from the LORD, Prov. 19, 14. On the other side he showeth, that it is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, thē with a brawling woman in a wide house, Prov. 21, 9. And again, A continual dropping in a very rainy day, and a contentious woman are alike, Prov. 27, 15, and 19, 13.

Lastly, it is the duty of husbands seeing [Use 3] authority is committed unto them over their wives, and as it were the brydle put into their hands, to love them tenderly, to defend them from evils, and to cherish them as their own flesh, as Christ Jesus doth the Church, Eph. 5. The heathen king could tell Sarah, that her husband was as a covering of the eyes, Gen. 20, 16. It is his duty therefore to dwell with his wife according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife as unto the weaker vessel, 1 Pet. 3, 7, as being heirs together of the grace of life, that their prayers be not interrupted. And why are they commanded to dwell together, but y ^t the husband should yield to her these 4. things? first good example: secondly, instruction: thirdly, maintenance: & lastly employment in her calling for his good, and the good of his family.

CHAP. XXXI.