should have been notes well yet all outward duties lose their end and their estimation yea they serve as sad witnesses against them that use them most if the reality of Religion and the power and exercise of grace doth not appear in their conversation for The exercises of Religion are for the exercise and are not to be performed much less to be rested on in stead of Godliness but to nourish Godliness and to stead us in the way of Holiness When Paul plants and Apollo waters the Lord give the increase And so sanctifie unto you these poor labours that thereby one cubit may be added to your spiritual statute May I attain that end and obtain your earnest prayers for the passing of the little remainder of my pilgrimage here in fear and faith and faithfulness you will abundantly recompence him who is and shall remain Yours sincerely in the service of the Gospel as long as God shall think fit to imploy so unworthy a servant William Thomas The Contents of the several Parts and Chapters of this Treatise The First Part. Of Christian-Duties CHAP. 1. A Call to Reading of Scripture Which is urged 1. FRom Scripture-Commands pag. 1. 2. From Scripture-Reasons drawn from the end nature use and profit of the written Word of God 5. 3. From Scripture-examples and the efficacy of that duty 8 4. From that blessedness whereunto the Reading of Gods Word is Gods way 11. 5. By answering Objections made against it 11. to 16. 6. By two motives provoking to it 18. CHAP. II. Instructions about the Lords Supper Wherein 1. Reasons of sollicitousness for Sacrament-Preparation are rendred viz 1. Imitation of the antient Church 21. 2. Christs strict command for it ibid. 3. The distinction of that Sacrament from other Ordinances 23. 4. The judgement of the Church of God 26. 2. A short Catechism followeth of the general grounds of Religion 32 3. A larger Catechism is added concerning the Lords Supper 37. CHAP. III. Of the Estimation of Ministers Where the Scripture on which it is grounded to wit 1 Thess 5. 12 13 is 1. Recited and explained briefly 2. More largely insisted on by declaring how Ministers are 1. To be known in their places viz. by a knowledge 1. Of Observation 48. to 52. 2. Of Approbation 3. Of Imitation 2. To be esteemed viz. 1. For the degree very highly set forth in seven Evidences of it 53. to 56. 2. For the nature and quality of it in love 57. 3. For the ground of it for their works sake Where is shewed 1. That men seem to esteem Ministers when it is neither in love nor for their works sake 59. 2. What reason there is why they should be esteemed for their works sake pag. 60. 3. The grounds and motives to this estimation 63. to 68. CHAP. IV. Of the Lords-day Sabbath Where 68. 1. The Scripture chosen to treat upon viz. Neh. 13. 17 18. is 1. Vindicated 69. 2. Explained 2. The Sabbath-subject is treated on in general And therein three things handled 1. The Rest required on the Sabbath and why and with what allowances 72. 2. The thing intended in that Rest viz Holiness both in publike and private duties 75. 3. The extent of the Rest and Holiness viz. for a whole day notwithstanding Objections 81. 3. How the fourth Commandement is in force for observing one day in seven for ever is declared with objections answered 85. to 92. 4. The Lords day is proved to be of Divine Institution 92. to 97. 5. An Exhortation is annexed for the due esteeming and observing of the Lords-day-Sabbath urged From 1. The necessity of it 97. 2. The commodity 100. 3. The commendation 102. to 105. 4. The judgements of God on Sabbath-profaners 105. to 108. 5. The blessing of God on Observers 108. to 118. 6. A conclusion inciting to Lords-day-love 118. to 131. The Second Part. Of Family-duties CHAP. I. Of Family-Catechising And therein 133. 1. Several Texts of Scripture in the Old and New Testament are brought to prove it And the common objection of taking Gods Name in vain by Catechising little Children is answered 137 2. Arguments are added to confirm it As 1. The necessity of it 144. 2. The profit both in regard of 1. Children 146. 2. the Church of God 148. 3. And the motives to perswade to it viz. 1. Examples of godly Parents in Scripture 149. 2. The benefit of children 152. 153. 3. The profit of Parents themselves CHAP. II. Of Family-Prayer Where there is p. 155. 1. Proofs for it and the establishing of it 1. On Scripture-grounds in four Propositions viz. 1. The general doctrine of Scripture binds in all particulars rightly deduced from it Which Proposition is 1. Confirmed by divers instances 157. to 160. 2. Made use of by reciting general Scripture-grounds for Family-Prayer viz. 1. Gods greater glorry 161. 2. Our greater good 162. Wherein an Objection is answered drawn from the incapacity of several Members of Family for that duty 163 164. 2. Approved examples of Scripture are binding in those things wherein the case is alike whereof use is made by reciting and illustrating divers Scripture examples tending to the confirmation of Family-Prayer 165. to 168. 3. Every Promise of Scripture contains in it a virtual command 168. 4. And every Threatning a real prohibition of the thing threatned which is made use of by opening that Scripture-threat Jer. 10. 25. 169. 2. On Scripture reasonings viz. Because 1. God requires Society-service as well as single 172. 2. There are many common concernments of Families that require joynt Prayer 173. 3. The persons neglecting and causes of the neglect of this duty are both sad 174. to 177. 2. A declaring of the time to be allotted to it Where is shewed that it should be 1. Every day 177. 2. More particularly Morning and Evening 179. CHAP. III. Of Family-Repetition of Sermons Where are laid down 182. 1. Grounds of Scripture for Sermon-Repetition The first Scripture Jer. 36. 2 6. where writing Sermons as an help to Repetition is argued for 182. to 187. The second Scripture Col. 4. 6. 187 2. Reasons thereof 1. In General 188. 2. More Particularly in regard of our selves and others 189. CHAP. IV. Of Singing Psalms namely in Families Wherein 192. 1. Objections against Singing of Psalms are answered 192. to 195. 2. The Exercise it self is pleaded for 1. More generally from Scripture which 1. Declareth it to be necessary and profitable pag. 195. 2. Giveth rules that it may be profitable 3. Sheweth it to be used in Christian Meetings 2. More particularly and with respect to Families 1. Because the use of it is so profitable 196. to 199. 2. No where limited to Publike Meetings 3. Confirmed by our Saviours example 4. Called to by Family-mercies 5. Justified from Ephes 5. 18 19. Â 3. With Reasons annexed it being an Exercise 1. Making much for the glory of God 2. For the spiritual profit of right Performers For it is an Exercise 1.
Son of God with power and so that person in and by whom that which God had promised before in the holy Scripture was fulfilled and that 's it which makes the mercies of David sure mercies We find also a yea rather put upon the Resurrection Christ being thereby a Conquerour and our Justifier Rom. 4. 25. when as if Christ were not risen we were yet in our sins 1 Cor. 15. 17. All this may shew of how great weight the Resurrection is in the work of our Redemption and therefore how worthy it is to have a day set a part for the rememberance of it and therein for the remembrance of the Redemption it self and of our glorious Redeemer And that it was for that reason so set apart the testimony of St. Augustine is clear who thus witnesseth The Lords-day was declared to Christians or declared to be the Christians day by the Resurrection of our Lord and from that time it began to have its Festivity or to be the Christians Festival 2. We find A divine name or denomination The first day of the week being generally agreed upon to be that day which is called the Lords-day Rev. 1. 10. If we would know why it is called the Lords-day the like name given to the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ may inform us It s true it may be said to be the Lords-day because our Lord rose on it and so the Eucharist the Lords Supper because our Lord is remembred in it But besides this As we know the Sacrament to be the Lords Supper because he instituted it for the remembrance of his Passion So we have great cause to think that the first day of the week is called the Lords-day because our Lord appointed and took order to have it set apart for the remembrance of his Resurrection and our Redemption for the Lords-day doth not only imply an acting on it but an owning of it for his use even as the old Sabbath day being said to be the Sabbath day of the Lord Exod. 20. 8 10. was so called because God did appropriate it to himself as the special time of his service And this is the more confirmed because the Service of God was already used among the Christians on that day instead of the Sabbath as all the ancients Doctors witness and is to be gathered besides from Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. in which places we find Christians assembling together and provision made for Collections for the Poor as on the day already known to be consecrated to God for such uses yea it is very probably conceived that since John could not be in his banishment present in body in the publick Congregation he therefore set himself to holy meditations that he might be present with them in spirit and whilest he was thus intent on Soliloquies with God as he was most fit for so he was suddenly taken with that divine rapture wherein those heavenly Revelations that the Scripture records were communicated to him In brief Nothing hath this Title Dominical in Scripture but either Christs day or Supper to shew that is taken alike in both saith a Bishop of great note Now we know that being applyed to the Supper it implies an Institution any why it should not do so also being applyed to the Day we know not 3. We find as hath been touched in that next before a divine Practice and Observation for it was observed as the noted day for Christian Assemblies and Exercises by the Apostolical Churches Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. and therefore it was ordained to be so by the Apostles for who else guided those Churches I have given order saith the Apostles for those Collections that were on that day because their meetings were on that day for publike works of Piety and Charity Now If it were ordained by the Apostles then was it ordained by the infallible Spirit of Christ for what else guided the Apostles in their Church-constitutions I add lastly that if the Apostles directed the Churches to this day as being guided by that extraordinary and un-erring Spirit that they had then it was ordained and appointed by Christ himself for of that guiding Spirit it is that our Saviour saith He shall not speak of himself that is not of himself only without the Father and the Son but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak And again He shall receive of mine take of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16. 13. 14 15. So that Athanasius that excellent light in the Church of God is like to be found as right as resolute in pronouncing roundly and plainly that the Lord translated the Sabbath into the Lords-day For the confirming of which that the translation of the Sabbath from the Jewish day to the first day of the week was by the Lord himself or divine Authority I thus argue The seventh-day Sabbath from the Creation was expresly commanded the people of God in the Old-Testament therefore the people of God in the New-Testament could not desist from the Observation of that day making it a working-day and take up a new day and make it of a working-day a perpetual holy day and that in all the Churches as this day hath been still continued in the Church-Catholick I say this could not be done unless by a new command of like authority either formal or virtual that is either in express words or collected by necessary and convincing arguments and evidences And this appears because every Law bindeth till it be repealed and repealed it cannot be but by an Authority equal to that by which it was first made especially with taking another day into its place and priviledge Who could so change the Sabbath but Christ himself the Lord of the Sabbath Unto this I add for further confirmation of the divine authority of the Christian Sabbath the constant observation of the Lords-day unto this day by the Christian Church which Christian Church if it have not observed a right day that is a day appointed of God for his Sabbath every week then hath it neglected in all this time and stands guilty of not observing the fourth Commandement for that Commandement requireth as hath been proved a weekly day of Gods appointment to the end of the world That which remaineth for the closing up of this necessary part of Christianity is An Exhortation to the reverent Estimation and Observation of the Christian Sabbath From 1. The Necessity 2. The Commedity 3. The Commendation of it 4. The Threats and Judgements of God denounced and executed on profaners of the Sabbath 5. The Promises Priviledges and Blessings assured to the reverent Observers thereof 1. The Necessity of a Sabbath Wherein it might suffice to say that the only wise God who never did any thing whereof there was no need instituted in the beginning of the World and afterwards prescribed in the
27. c. Dan. Cawd Hen. Palm 4. part c. 1. Ham L'estrange p. 59. c. p. 95. Answ 1. Answ 2. 1. 2. o Mat. 22. 29 31. p Col. 2. 23. 1. q Cujus beneficti commemoratio successit memoriae Creationis non traeditione humana sed Christi ipsius observatione atque instituto Jun. praelect in Gen. 2. r 1 Cor. 15. 14 15. Å¿ Act. 13. 32 33. Vid. Camer Myrothec in loc t Rom. 1. 3 4 v. 2. u Act. 13. 34. x Rom. 8 34. Vid. Piscat in Rom. 10. 11. in analysi y Aug. Epist 119. ad Januar c. 13. 2. z 1 Cor. 11. 20. a 1 Cor. 11. 23. b It being not called Dies Domini but which is more Dominicus not of the Lord but which is the Lords c Dutch Annotat on Revel 1. 10. Apostoli illum diem haud dubie tanquam ex Domini instituto observarunt ad agendum in eo conventus Ecclesiasticos Piscat in Luc. 14 Obs d See Marlorat in Rev. 1. 10. ex Seb. Mayer e Bishop of Winch. Opuscula His Speech against Trask in Star-Chamber 3. f 1 Cor. 16. 1. g 1 Cor. 7. 40. 14. 37. Matth. 28. 20. Act. 15. 24. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hom. de Semente i Exod. 16. 28 29. k To change the Lords day the Church hath no authority for it is not a matter of indifferency but a necessary prescription of Christ himself by his Apostles Fulk against Rhem. on Rev. 1. 10. l See the constant observation of the Lords day by the Primitive and successive Churches proved in a Treatise entituled Dies Dominica lib. 1. cap. 2. lib. 2. cap. 1. Edit An. 1639. in quart m Mat. 21. 3. n Mar. 2. 27. o Luk. 10. 42. p Vers 39. q Luk. 11. 28. r 1 Cor. 7. 35. Å¿ 1 Per. 1. 13. t Mal. 4. 2. u Rev. 12. 1. x 2 Chr. 9. 18. y Luk. 19. 4. z Joh. 1. 16. a Luk. 14. 18. b Isa 33. 17. c 1 Tim. 4. 8. d Judg. 9. 13. e Lev. 26. 2. f Ezek. 22. 26. g Lev. 19. 3. h Zec. 14. 20. i Isa 58. 13. k Mal. 1. 11. l Psal 89. 7. m Prov. 14. 28. n Psal 42. 4. o Psal 29. 9. 48. 9. 10. p Ineptè saciunt qui observationem diei Dominici ex traditione non ex Scripura Sacra in Ecclesia perdurare asserunt Jun. praelect in Gen. 2. q Isa 56. 2. r Jer. 2. 3. Deut. 33. 28. Å¿ Luk. 2. 32. t Deut. 33. 29. u Neh 9. 14. x Isa 55. 1 2. Mat. 22. 1 2 3. Rev. 3. 17 18. y Cant. 3. 4 5. Vid. Mercer in loc z Rev. 1. 10. a Et Sabbati Dominici unus est Dominus Aug. Epist 86. ad Casulam b Praeponitur dies Dominicus Sabbato side Resurrectionis Ibid. c Igaat ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Hieron com in Marc. 16. Post Sabbata tristia soelix irradiat dies quae primatum in diebus tenet c. Item Quomodo Matia Virgo inter omnes mulieres principatum tenet ita inter caeteros dies haec dies omnium dierum mater est f P. Ramus in Comment de Relig. Christiana lib. 2. c. 6. Saâ—batum siquidem Scholasticus dies est quo nobis est ad Domini Scholam accedendum ad legem ejus voluatatem cognoscendum c. g Psal 87. 3. h Psal 63. 2. i Heb. 4. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut v. 10 11. 1. 2. k Hos 7. 12. l Levit. 26. 34. m Jer. 17. 27. n Numb 15. 32. 35. o Ezek. 20. 13. p Numb 14. 29. 26. 65. q Lam. 4. 6. 1. 12. r Josh 22. 17 18. 3. Å¿ Judg. 20. 6. 2 Sam. 13. 13. t Josh 7. 25 u Jer. 17. 27. x Mic. 3. 12. 4. y Lev. 26. 21. z Jer. 17. 24 25. a Prov. 19. 12. b Rom. 15. 4. c 1 Cor. 10. 6. 11. d Mercer in Gen. 2. 3. Benedictio ut inquiunt Hebraei est accessio boni faustum felicem Augustum in signem intercaeteros hunc diem esse voluit praecipuo cum favore honore dignatus est e Gen. 24. 31. f 1 Sam. 25. 8. g Psal 36. 8 h Prov. 10. 22. See Aynsw on Gen. 2. 3. It is the abundant wealth of the world h Calv. in locum 1. h 2 Chr. 30. 22. 2. i Occolampad in loc k Gen. 41. 44. Vid. Jun. Trem l Isa 56. 2. m As cruel exactions are bad any day but worst on the Fast day Isa 58. 3. See Ezek. 23. 38. Sins are worse by holy time and place 2 King 21. 4. n Oecolampad in loc o So the Hebrew hath it p Bullinger in loc q Dutch Annotations on Isai 58. 13. r 1 Sam. 9. 6. Å¿ Eccl. 11. 7. t Psal 45. 9. u 2 Cor. 3. 9. x Mal. 4. 2. y 2 Cor. 4. 6. z Isa 33. 17. a 2 Cor. 3. 18. b Ezek. 22. 26. c 1 Sam. 2. 30. 1. d 1 Sam. 2. 15 16 30. e Bulling in loc f Dutch Annot g Voluntates tuas Pagmn h See Gen. 34. 19. Psal 111. 2. where the same word is used So 1 King 5. 8. i Lev. 23. 32. k v 31. 3. l Non requirit Silentium Harpocraticum Bulling m See Dr. Bownd Doctrine of Sabbath I. Book p. 272 c. n Thus by giving way to ordinary words the most confessed Duries of the Day are either marr'd or maim'd o 1 Cor. 15. 33. O Ecolampad p Calv. in Isa 58 13. Altiùs spectavit quà m and externam cae emoni am hoc est otium quietem in quo judaei sanctitatem summam sitam esse putabant Quod nimis crassum est admonet enim Propheta Psal 92. Titulo v. 2 3 4. Sabbatum non rectè coli feriando sed ordinatum esse ut celebretur Dei nomen Calv. in Psalm 92. 2. q Tit. 2. 12. r Rev. 1. 10. Å¿ Exod. 34. 10. t O Ecolampad in loc u Jer. 17. 24 25 26. x Neh. 13. 18. y Rom. 6. 23. Psal 19. 11. z Vid. Scultet in locum Mercer in Job 22. 26. a Bulling in loc b 1 Joh. 1. 3. c Psal 65. 4. 36. 8. d Isa 55. 2. e Psal 63. 50 6. Isa 26. 8 9. f Job 22. 26 27. 10. g Psal 36. 8 Torrente deliciarum tuarum h Cant. 5. 16. i Gen. 28. 21 22. k Cant. 2. 3. l Neh. 9. 25. m Psal 4. 6 7. n Psal 73. 17. o Gen. 3 4. 19. p 1 Pet. 4. 3. the will of the Gentiles q Amos 6. 13. â— r Isa 26. 8. Å¿ Job 22. 26. t Job 34. 9. u Cant. 5. 16. 2. x Psal 45. 4. Revel 6. 2. y Deut. 1. 28. 32. 13. 33. 29. ride on their necks Septuagint as Psal 60. 12. z Psal 66. 12. with Lam. 5. 5 7 8. Neh. 9. 37. a Dutch Annot b 1 Sam. 2. 30. c 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. d Rom. 16. 20. Psal 110.