01.C 00. Upon the Commandments

Upon the Commandments I am the Lord thy God, Which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, &c.

O good Lord and dear Father, who brought thy people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and a stretched-out power, who gayest thy law upon Mount Sinai in great thundering, lightning, and fire; who spoke by the prophets, and did send thy dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ, co-equal and co-substantial with thee in power, majesty, and glory, to take upon him our nature by the operation of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of whose substance he was made and born man, but pure, without sin; that we, by birth children of wrath, by him might be made thy children, children of graceócommunicating with him righteousness, holiness, and immortality, by the working of the Spirit, as he communicated with us flesh and blood (but not infected with sin, as ours is,) by the working of the same Holy Spirit; which Spirit, after his bitter death, resurrection, and ascension into the heavens, he sent plentifully, and by a visible sign, unto his apostles and disciples; by whom he published the gospel throughout the whole world, and so continually has done from age to age, does, and will do unto the end of the world, by the ministry of preaching. Thou would that we should know and believe that thou, this Almighty Lord and God, who hast thus revealed and opened thyself, art the one only, very true and eternal almighty God, who made and rules heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible, together with this thy dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit, con-substantial and co-eternal with thee, dear Father. And not only this, but also thou would that I should know and believe, that by the same, thy dearly beloved Son, thou hast brought me from the tyranny and captivity of Satan and this sinful world, whereof the captivity of Egypt under Pharaoh was a figure; and in his blood shed upon the cross thou hast made a covenant with me, which thou wilt never forget, that thou art and wilt be my Lord and my God; that is, thou wilt forgive me my sins, and be wholly mine, with all thy power, wisdom, righteousness, truth, glory, and mercy. Wherefore. although I might confirm my faith by the innumerable mercies hitherto poured upon me most abundantly, as thy children of Israel might have done, and did confirm their faith by the manifold benefits poured upon then in the desert; yet specially the seal of thy covenant, I mean thy holy sacrament of baptism, wherein thy holy name was not in vain called upon me (O dear Father, sweet Son and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and most gracious good Holy Ghost,) should most assuredly confirm, and even on all sides seal up my faith of this covenant, that thou art my Lord and my God. Even as Abraham and thy people of Israel did by the sacrament of circumcision, which as the apostle called the seal or signal of righteousness, so dost thou call it; being but the sign of thy covenant indeed, yet thy very covenant; because as thy word is most true and cannot lie, as thy covenant is a covenant of peace infallible and everlasting, even so the sacrament and seal of the same is a most true testimonial and witness thereof.

Thou, the Almighty God, of thine own goodness hast vouchsafed not only to make me a creature after thine own image and likeness, who might have made me a beastó to give unto me a reasonable soul endued with memory, judgment, &c. who might have made me an idiot, without wit or discretion, &c.óto endue me with a body beautified with right shape, limbs, health, &c. who might have made me a cripple, lame, blind, &c.ógraciously to enrich me concerning fortune, friends, living, name, &c. who might have made me a slave, destitute of all friends and helps for this life. But also thou hast vouchsafed that I, being a miserable creature, born in sin, conceived in iniquity, to whom nothing is due (more than to a Turk, Jews or Saracen) but eternal damnation, should be called into the number of thy people, enrolled in thy book, and now in thy covenant, so that thou, with all that ever thou hast, art mine; for which cause’s sake hitherto thou hast kept me, cherished, defended, spared, and fatherly chastised me, and now graciously dost keep me and care for me, giving me to live, to be, and move in thee, expecting also and waiting how thou might show mercy upon me. (Isaiah 30:1-33) In consideration of this, most justly and reasonably thou requires that, as thou art my Lord God, so I should be thy servant and one of thy people. As thou hast given thyself wholly unto me, to be mine, with all thy power, wisdom, &c. (for he that gives himself gives all he has,) so should I be wholly thine, and give over myself unto thee, to be guided by thy wisdom, defended by thy power, helped, relieved, nod comforted by thy mercy.

First therefore to begin withal, thou commands that I should have none other gods in thy sight; that is to say, I should have thee for my Lord and God, and look for all good things most assuredly at thy hands, and therefore I should put all my trust in thee, be thankful unto thee, love thee, fear thee, obey thee, and call upon thy holy name in all my needs; and I should give this faith, love, fear, obedience, thankfulness and invocation, or prayer, to none other, no, not in my heart, but only to thee or for thee, where thou commands. To do all this, O Lord God, and that with most joyful heart, I have great cause. For what a thing is it, that thou, Jehovah, would vouchsafe to make me, as thou hast done; to give thy Son for me, and to become my God! Oh! what am I, that thou would I should put my trust in thee? This thou does, that I might never be confounded, but might be most happy. What am I, that thou would I should fear thee, when the only cause why thou requires this of me, is not only because thou hast power to cast both body and soul into hellfire, and because they that fear thee not shall perish, but also that thou might give me thy wisdom, that it might go well with me in the evil day, that thou might reveal thy Son to me, and that thy mercy might be upon me from generation to generation. Oh! what am I, that thou would have me obey thee, not only that I should never perish with the disobedient, but that thou might give me thy Holy Spirit, and rewards innumerable? Oh! what am I, that thou would I should love thee? which thing thou dost that I might fully and wholly enjoy and possess thee; and therefore dost thou require my whole heart, that I might dwell in thee, and thou in me. What am I, that thou would I should call upon thee: Verily, because thou wilt give me whatsoever I shall ask of thee in the name of thy dear child Jesus Christ; even so thou would have me thankful, that thou might pour out upon me, yet more plentifully, all good things. So that I have great cause to put my trust in thee, to love, fear, and obey thee, to call upon thee, to be thankful unto thee, not only in respect of the hurt which else will ensue, but also in respect of the advantage which hereby comes unto me; but most of all, yea, alone for thy own sake, for thy goodness, wisdom, beauty, strength and power, truth and great mercies.

But, alas! dear Father, what shall I say? As in times past I have horribly broken this thy law, by trusting in the creatures, calling upon them, loving, fearing, and obeying many things besides thee, and rather than thee; even so at this present time I am a most miserable wretch: I am blinded through unbelief and mine own wickedness; so that I see not firmly this thy power, wisdom, goodness, &c., but waver and doubt of it. I love thee little or nothing; I fear thee less, I obey thee least of all; thankfulness and prayer are utterly quenched in me; and therefore I deserve eternal damnation. If thou shalt deal with me only according to thy justice, I am, O Lord, condemned and lost for ever, for I am very wicked; but yet, inasmuch as thou hast given thy Son Jesus Christ to be a propitiatory sacrifice slain for the sins of the whole world, so that he which believes in him shall not perish, but be saved (for so thou hast promised,) thy truth now requires thee to save me. Howbeit, here thou may say to me, that I do not believe; and therefore, notwithstanding thy truth and promise, since I believe it not, thou may most justly, according to thy justice, condemn me. O Lord God, to this I cannot otherwise answer, (my unbelief is so great,) but because thy mercy is over all thy works, and all creatures most highly commend and magnify thy goodness and love, as wherefore thou art called God; because thou art right good, and love itselfóbecause of this thy mercy, gracious God, if thou wilt look thereon, and unite thy truth therewith then, good Lord, I shall be saved, and praise thy named for evermore.

Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, &c. As the first commandment teaches me, that thou art my God, and what God thou art, and therefore I ought to have none other gods but thee. That is, I should hang on thee alone, trust in thee, love thee, serve thee, call upon thee, obey thee, be thankful to thee, so because thou did reveal thyself visibly, that thou might visibly be worshipped, this commandment is concerning thy worship, that in worshipping thee, in no point I should follow the device or intent of any man, saint, angel, or spirit, but should consider all such to be idolatry and image-service, be it ever so glorious. And why? Forsooth because thou would I should worship thee, as thou hast appointed by thy word; for if service is acceptable, it must be done according to the will of him to whom it is done, and not of him who does it; but inasmuch as none knows the will and pleasure of a man but his spirit, except he reveal the same by word or sign; much more, O Lord, none knows thy will, except thy Spirit, and they to whom thou dost reveal the same. And therefore all those things which are abominable in thy sight, are in most force and estimation with men, because they are not according to thy word; so that the meaning of this precept is, that as in the first I should have none other gods but thee, so I should have no worship of thee, but such as thou appoints. Hereby therefore I see great cause of thankfulness for this commandment, since thou would have mine outward service, and that after thy appointment; lest I should busy my brain how best to serve thee. Good Lord, thou needs not my service: thou was perfect before I was in existence, therefore it is for my own advantage, that thou commands me, yea, even for my own wealth. Thou might have let me stand all day idle; but such is thy love, that thou would I should go into thy vineyard, that with thy servants I might receive the hire of blessedness. And how great a benefit is it, to deliver me from so great a burden, wherewith I should have been cambered, if I should have served thee in any point after my wit and reason, But, alas! I, not considering what a promotion thy service is, nor what an easy service it is, and (for one may well know what to do, and when he pleases thee, namely, when he serves thee as thou host appointed) simple as I am, and always have been unthankful; so I am, and always have been, a grievous transgressor of this thy law. For as in times past, when I did not know this commandment, I was an image-worshipper of stocks, stones, &c., yea, of bread and wine; so now I am a worshipper of mine affections, offering to them the service due unto thee, though not thereby to worship thee, as I thought when I kneeled to stocks and stones, bread and wine, &c., yet with no less transgression of thy law: for which I have deserved, and do deserve, everlasting damnation. Of thy goodness and great mercy, dear Father, I beseech thee forgive me, for Christ’s sake, whom thou did give to be the fulfilling of the law, to all them that should believe. O Father, I believe, help mine unbelief. As thou hast of thy goodness hitherto spared me, though transgressing this thy holy precept; so of thy goodness forgive me, as well mine idolatry done in time past, as that which of late time I have committed, and do commit. And as thou by this commandment hast delivered me from the one, that is, from bowing myself to stocks and stones, so, dear Father, deliver me from all other bowing myself after mine oven will, to mine own affections; that I may have none other God in my heart but thee, nor do service to any other, but only to thee, and for thee, after thy word, as thou commands. Oh! open mine eyes, to see thy will in this thy gracious precept. Give me a will to love it heartily, and a heart to obey it faithfully, for thy dear Son’s sakes Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. By this commandment I perceive, O Lord, that as, in the first, thou would that in the outward service of thee I should utterly abandon mine own will and reason, and all the reasons or good entreaties of man, and wholly give myself to serve thee, after thy will and word; so here thou dost begin to tell me, how thou wilt have my tongue to be exercised in thy service. And therefore thou bids me not to take thy name in vain; as by rash or vain swearing, by cursing; praying without sense, as those do that pray in a tongue they know not; praying without faith or consideration of the thing desired; without hearty desire and certain expectation of obtaining that which is to thy glory and my salvation; also by jesting or foolish abusing; or negligent reading or hearing of thy holy word; (by which thou, as by thy name, art known;) and in like manner, by denying thy truth and word, or concealing it when occasion is offered to promote thy glory, and confirm thy truth. By reason whereof I may well see that thou would have me use my tongue, in humbly confessing thee and thy word and truth after my vocation; in praying heartily, and calling upon thy name; in reading and hearing thy word, and speaking thereof, with all reverence, diligence, and attention; in thanksgiving and praising thee, for thy great mercy; in instructing my brother, and admonishing him when he errs, after my calling and vocation, with all humbleness, gentleness, and love.

Thus would thou have me exercise my tongue, and not think that the exercising of it in this manner is vain and unprofitable; but what pleases thee, and profits myself and others. And forasmuch as thou knows that our tongue is a slippery member, and we very negligent over it, and of the great advantage that might come to us and others by using it in thy service; thou hast added a fearful and most true communication, that though men find no faults or punish us therefore, yet wilt not thou hold him guiltless that takes thy name in vain, (Leviticus 23:1-44) as by many examples we are taught, in thy holy word, and by daily experience, if we would consider the same. And therefore I have great cause to give praise and thanks to thy most holy name, for many great benefits, which by this commandment I receive, and ought with thankfulness to consider. First, that it pleased thee, not only to give me a tongue, whereas thou might have made me speechless; but also that thou would have it sanctified to thy service. Again, chat thou would not only reveal thy name unto us, but also would give me leave to call upon it, and praise and publish it; yea, thou hast commanded me so to do, and not only commanded but hast promised that thou wilt hear my prayer; and that my praising of thee, and confessing thy word and truth, shall not be in vain.

Thirdly, thou would all men should use their tongue so that thereby I might be the better instructed, admonished, and occasioned to use myself well, and in the obedience of this thy holy precept. But why go I about to reckon the causes of thanks for this commandment, seeing that they are innumerable, if a man should but look upon thy word, by which, as by thy name, thou art most truly known. Which word thou commands unto us in this commandment, as thou dost preaching, private admonishing, thanksgiving, and prayer; than which, nothing is more profitable to us, in this vale of misery. But, gracious good Lord, I acknowledge myself not only to be a most unthankful wretch, for this thy holy precept, and the great mercy which herethrough I perceive thou hast most graciously poured upon me, and dost yet still offer unto me; but also that I am a miserable transgressor of this thy most holy, good, and blessed commandment, as I have always been in times past. Horribly have I abused thy name in swearing, cursing, and jesting wickedly. I have called upon other names than thither as the names of Peter, Paul, Mary, &c., yea, of some whose salvation is to be doubted of (he means the Romish saints, editor). I have foolishly prayed in such a tongue as I knew not what I prayed and said; with many other transgressions of this precept, wherein yet I am conversant; as in seldom praying, and when I pray I am not intent, nor very desirous of the thing I ask with my tongue. After prayer I do not earnestly look for the good things asked and prayed for; and therefore, when I obtain my request, I am most unthankful; thy word I read little, and most negligently, forgetting forthwith what I read; I admonish not others when I hear them abuse thy holy word; I am afraid, for fear of loss of friends, name, or life, to confess thy truth, gospel, and name, which was called upon me in baptism, and not in vain, if I did not thus make it in vain. But, alas! I can in no wise comprehend the multitude of my transgressions concerning this thy law. But this is a sin above other sins, that under thy name, word, and gospel, I play the hypocrite, having more care for mine own name, than for thine; for if my name were evil spoken of, it would grieve me, and I should defend it; but, alas! I hear thine daily evil spoken of, and see it profaned by false doctrine and evil living, but it grieves me not. I seek not, and do not endeavour to redress these things in myself and in others, according to my duty. And why? because, good Lord, I love myself better than thee, and not thee with my whole heart. Thy first commandment has no place with me, as it should have; it possesses not my heart, mind, and will, as thou requires, most to my own advantage; by reason whereof I am worthy of eternal condemnation. Oh! what shall I do, gracious God, who not only have been so grievous and filthy a swearer, curser, &c., so great a caller upon dead creatures (he means the Romish saints, editor), and so heinous a transgressor of this law; but also at this present time do so horribly and hypocritically offend thee, in taking thy name in vain, and that in so many ways, in praying and not praying; in reading and not reading; in speaking and not speaking; and not confessing simply, and from my heart, thy doctrine, truth, and name; but regarding mine own name far above it. Shall I fly from thee? then undoubtedly I am more guilty, and shall more disobey this thy holy precept, adding sin to sin; whereas, thou would I should call upon thy holy name, dear Lord, who hast given thy dear Son Jesus Christ to be a Mediator for us; that through him we might find, not only grace for the pardon of our sins past, but also for the obtaining of thy Holy Spirit; as well the better to understand, as also the better and more frankly to obey this thy holy precept for ever. For his sake, therefore, dear God, pardon my sins, past and presents whereof this law accuses me, and grant, most gracious Father, that I may be endued with thy Holy Spirit, to know and love thy holy name, word, and truth in Jesus Christ; that I may be zealous, wise, and constant; and that my tongue may be sanctified henceforth, and guided by thy Holy Spirit and grace, to publish, confess, and teach thy truth and gospel, after my vocation, to others, as occasion is offered; to call upon thy name in all my need, to give thanks unto thee, praise thee, magnify thee, and to sanctify thy holy name, as a vessel of thy mercy, for ever and ever.

Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day, &c.

After thou hast told me, how in the external service of thee, gracious Lord, thou wilt have my tongue used, so dost thou now teach me, how thou wilt have mine ears and all mine whole body occupied, namely, in sanctification and holiness; that is, in those things, which thou peculiarly hast appointed, to be means immediately to help to that end. As in hearing thy word preached, and using the ceremonies appointed by thee, even as thou hast commanded; for which things to be exercised of thy people, thou at the first did appoint a certain day namely, the seventh day, which therefore thou calls thy sabbath, that thereby they with their children resting from all exterior labour, which hinders the meditation of the mind, might not only be more able to go on with their travail and labour (for without some rest, nothing can endure, in respect whereof thou would that the very beasts which were exercised in labour should have the privilege of this sabbath,) but also and much rather, that thy people with their families and children might be taught, first, by the ministry of thy word in preaching and catechising: secondly, by the using of thy sacraments appointed after thy commandment and institution, that they might be assured of thy promises; thirdly, by praying that they might be augmented in all godliness: and, last of all, by their meeting together and exercising all these thy works of sanctification, that they might increase in love and charity one towards another, as members of one body, and fellow heirs of one inheritance; and thus by meeting together, praying, and using thy sacraments, they might be instructed in thy law and of that sabbath, whereunto thou thyself did enter, after thou had made the world, ceasing from thy works, not of preservation, but of creation. Into which as after this life, and the works of this time, they should enter; so now they begin spiritually to enter, in resting from their own works, which the old man moves them unto. Not that, good Lord, thou would these works, appointed for the sabbath day, should not be exercised at any other time, but only on the seventh day; but because thou did as well ordain them for a policy (an observance, or a method of governance, editor), to endure till the coming of Christ, as also according to the revelation of thee in that time, did open thyself, beginning them in figures and shadows, whose verities at thy time were to be opened. Therefore it pleased thee to appoint then the seventh day, which seventh day, although by reason of the policy being by thee destroyed, and by reason of Christ, the verity and body of all shadows, it is abrogated from us; yet this commandment stands in force; as well for the works of sanctification, that is, for preaching thy word, coming to hear it, for praying, using thy sacraments, and coming together to that end; as also for those days which by common order, and on good ground are ordained and received;: howbeit with this liberty, that necessity of our faith, and sanctification and charity, may dispense therewith, occasion of wilful and witty offence being avoided, &c. So, that hereby I perceive thy will and pleasure to be, that I should at all times, as much as charity and necessity will permit, give over myself, and cause all others over whom I have charge, so to do, especially on the Sundays, and other holy days received, and to that end appointed, to the resorting to the temple and places appointed to prayer; to hear with meekness thy holy word, and use thy sacraments and ceremonies as thou hast commanded; and to exercise all things which might be to the confirmation and propagating of thy holy religion, or make to the increase of love and charity; as giving to the poor, reconciling such as are at variance, visiting the sick, and even (as it were) beginning that sabbath whereof Isaiah speaks. (Isaiah 56:1-12) By reason whereof I have great cause to thank thee, most gracious Father, that thou would appoint me to be in this time, wherein thou hast more fully revealed thyself than thou did, not only before Christ’s coming, but also since Christ’s ascension. Never since England was England, did thou so manifestly reveal thy truth, as thou hast done in these days. Great cause I have to thank thee, that thou would institute the ministry of thy word and sacraments, as means whereby thy Holy Spirit is effectual to work sanctification in our hearts. Great cause have I to thank thee, that thou would preserve the books of the prophets and apostles until this time. Great cause have I to praise thee, that thou would give me such knowledge in them as thou hast done, of thy great mercy; great cause have to thank thee for the good and true ministers and preachers of thy word, which thou hast sent amongst us, and that thou hast given me grace to hear them.

Great cause have I to thank thee, that in this religion thou hast given such long quietness and harbourage (shelter, editor) to thy church; great cause have I to thank thee, for that thou would make me such a man, in whom thy Holy Spirit might work. Great cause I have to thank thee, who would call me into thine eternal sabbath and rest, full of all joy, such as the eye has not seen, and the ear has not heard. Great cause have I to thank thee, that so many days are appointed for this end, that we should meet together to hear thy word and receive thy sacraments; great cause have I to thank thee for the institution of thy sacraments, which thou hast ordained as thy visible and palpable words, to the obsignation (sealing, editor) and confirmation of the faith of all such as use the same after thy commandments. But infinite are the causes for which I ought to give thee thanks for this commandment.

But, alas! I am not only unthankful, but also a most miserable transgressor of it. I will not now speak of my past transgressions concerning this commandment; they are so many that I cannot. For thou knows how I do not only at convenient times, on the work day, keep myself away from common prayers in the congregation and assembly of thy people, and from hearing of thy word, but also on the sabbath-days. I am very ready to ride or go, about this or that worldly business; I am ready at the first bidding to sit down at the tavern, and to go to that man’s table; but, alas! to resort to the table of thy Son, and receive with thankfulness the sacrament of his body and blood, for confirmation of my faith; that is, to learn spiritually to taste Christ’s body broken, and his blood died, for the remission of my sins: to do this, oh! how unwilling am I! To go to mass and sacrings, with such like idolatry, I have often been far more ready than I am now to hear thy word, and use thy sacraments as I should do: thy ministers I pray not for; thy church I am not careful for; no, not now, good Lord, when wicked doctrine prevails, and idolatry, superstition, and abominations abound; when the sacrament and sacrifice of thy dear Son Jesus Christ are blasphemously corrupted: when for preaching there is nothing but massing; for catechising, censing; for reading of the Scriptures, bell-ringing; for singing of psalms and godly songs to our edification, all is done in Latin, with such notes, times, ditties, and descants, that the mind is utterly pulled from the consideration of the thing (if men did understand it) unto the melody. All which my wickedness has brought in, my profaning of this commandment, and my not praying. Thy ministers are in prison, dispersed in other countries, spoiled, burnt, and murdered. Many fall for fear of goods, life, name, &c. from the truth they have received, unto most manifest idolatry. False preachers abound among thy people; thy people, dearly bought, even with thy blood, are not fed with the bread of thy word, but with swillings; antichrist wholly prevails; and yet for all this, alas! I am too careless, nothing lamenting my sins, which are the cause of all this. O dear Father, forgive me, for Christ’s sake, and be merciful unto me; and as of thy mercy thou gave me time to repent, so give me repentance. Grant me the Holy Spirit, to open to me this thy law; so that I may know thy will in it, love it, and always obey it. May thy good Spirit sanctify me, and work in me a true taste of eternal life and pleasure in the meditation of it. Give me, gracious, good Father one little mouthful of the bread that thou did feed Elijah with, (1 Kings 19:1-21) give it to me that with him I may come unto Mount Horeb. Help thy church, cherish it, and give it harbourage here and elsewhere, for Christ’s sake. Purge thy ministry from corruption and false ministers; send out preachers to feed thy people; destroy antichrist and all his kingdom; give repentance to such as are fallen from thy truth; keep others from falling, and by their falling do thou the more confirm us; confirm the ministers and poor people in prison and exile; strengthen them in thy truth; deliver them, if it be thy good will; give them that with conscience they may so answer their adversaries, that thy servants may rejoice and the adversaries be confounded; avenge thou thy own cause, O thou God of hosts, and help all thy people, and me especially, because I have most need.

Honour thy father and mother, that thou mayest live long, &c.

After thou hast told me, good Lord, thy will concerning thy service which thou requires inwardly and outwardly to be driven unto thee, now thou dost begin to tell me what thy will is that I should do and leave undone, for thy sake, unto man. And first thou sets before mine eyes those who for order’s sake and the better advantage of man in this life, thou hast set in degree and authority above me; comprehending them under the names of father and mother, that I might know that as they are commanded by thee, to bear towards me a faithful love and a motherly care, in the very names of father and mother, wherewith thou honours them; so I am commanded of thee to do that which is most equal and just, as the very brute beasts teach usóthat with childlike affection and duty I should behave myself towards them. That is, I should honour them; which comprehends love, thankfulness, reverence, and obedience; and that not so much because they are my parents, and in their offices are careful for me, for it may be they will neglect the doing of their duty towards me, but because thou commands me so to do, howsoever they do to me. So that by this commandments I perceive that thou would I should consider them whom thou hast placed in authority and superior degree; as parents, magistrates, masters, or such-like; and accordingly behave myself toward themóhonour them, that is to say, love them, be thankful unto them, reverence them, and obey them, for thy sake, so long as they pass not their bounds; that is, so long as they require not otherwise than thou hast given them commission or permission to do. And forasmuch as thou sees their care and office is great, and my corruption (unwillingness, editor) to obey is very much; so to encourage them to he diligent in their vocation, and to inflame me to humble obedience unto them, therethrough to make them more willing to sustain cares for me, thou adds a promise, that is, long life; which, so far as it is a blessing from thee, thou wilt endue us withal. Whereby we may gather, that a civil (obedient in civil concerns, editor) life much pleases thee, and receives rewards here, especially if we lead it for conscience to thy law. And on the contrary, a disobedient life to them that are in authority, will bring the sooner thy wrath and vengeance in this life. All which works much to the commendation of the state of political and civil magistrates. By reason hereof, dear Father, I see myself much bound to praise thee, and heartily to obey this thy commandment; for in it and by it thou declares thy great love toward us, who even in this present life, our pilgrimage and passage to our home, would have us to enjoy the benefit of peace, and most seemly quietness and order, and by this order so unite us, that none should contemn or despise another, but even high and low should be and account themselves as parents and children; particularly, for my part, I cannot but say that I have most cause, to thank thee for my parents, schoolmasters, and others, under whose tuition thou hast put me. No pen is able to write the particular benefits which I have hereby received in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, and always hitherto. Oh! how good a Lord hast thou declared thyself to me, who in them and by them hast nourished, fed, instructed, corrected, defended, and most graciously kept me! I could reckon innumerable behind me, and but few before meóso much made of and cared for as I have been hitherto. No small token of thy love towards me is it, that thou would engrave in their hearts, and command them, under pain of condemnation, to be careful over me, to do me good, and provide for me, as they have done, or rather as thou hast done by them publicly. Also for the commonwealth, and such as thou hast placed in authority over me in both thy regiments (he means spiritual and temporal governors, editor), if I considered them that have been, and them that are, I could not but praise thee, good Lord; for no less praiseworthy art thou for thus chastening us, and admonishing us now at present by them that are in authority, for our ingratitude and unthankfulness; than by such as have been, for all kinds of good things. But infinite are the causes of thankfulness, which this commandment, being considered, should stir up in me; but, alas! most merciful Father, as I acknowledge myself most unthankful unto thee for all thy benefits poured upon me in this life by my parents, nurses, tutors, masters, magistrates, bishops, pastors, and good friends, even from my cradle unto this hour, so unto them have I always been and am unthankful in not loving them; as my coldness in praying for them, and my carelessness in helping them, declares. And also my not reverencing them, my contemning them, and my temerariousness (rashness, editor) in mistrusting, or too narrowly and too straitly looking at them and their duties shows; and in not obeying them, as by my contumacy appears, not only when any thing to me unpleasant or unprofitable, but also profitable and convenient, is required; and yet I speak not of evil and muttering reports, or the offences in transgressing the laws about apparel and meats, and other no small offences, which I have committed and given. Oh! this is a sin, dear Father, that I always have been a private more than a common weal man, always seeking for mine own advantage, and contemning that which made to the commodity of others. As for my disobedience and wicked behaviour towards my own parents, and all others whom thou hast set over me, dear Father, no tongue can express it, and therefore I am worthy of condemnation. But, gracious, good Lord and dear Father, I beseech thee, for thy Christ’s sake, to have mercy upon me, and pardon me, as of thy goodness it pleased thee to pardon the patriarchs. Thou hast given this commandment as thy holy law, to open to us how corrupt we are, and how much we swerve from the pattern whereafter we were first made, and once agreed thereto before Adam’s fall, that we might loathe ourselves, and even thereby be driven to seek and set by thy sweet mercies in Christ Jesus, whom therefore thou did send to fulfil the law in his flesh, that we might borrow of him the same, by true faith, which of thy goodness work in us by thy Holy Spirit; and open this law unto us, that we may more and more increase in the knowledge, love, and obedience of it to thy glory and our salvation. Amen. Dear Father, be merciful to our magistrates especially the Queen’s highness, whose heart, with the residue of her counsellors, turn to thy testimonies; give them thy wisdom, and a zeal for the truth according to knowledge, that they may use the power they have received of thee to the cherishing of thy church, that with us here thy word may have free passage, and thy true worship may he maintained; and not only here, but also every where among those whom thou would we should pray for. Be merciful to my poor parents, gracious Lord, with my brethren, sisters, wife, children, family, servants, kinsfolks, neighbours, as thou knows they all have need. Give unto the hearts of all parents, magistrates, and such as are in authority here or elsewhere, that they may, according to that which thou hast entrusted them with, be faithful, diligent, careful, and happy. Grant unto children, servants, and subjects, that every one may render love, obedience, thankfulness, and reverence to all such as thou hast put in authority over them. Bless the church, and send it peace and harbourage (shelter, editor), here or elsewhere; bless the common weal, and send us peace; bless the dioceses and shires, and send them good bishops and justices; bless every household and family, that thy peace may be in the same continually. Finally, write thy law, and all thy laws, in our hearts, we beseech thee, that we may keep them. Amen.