methodically in the interpretation of the Commandement we must first enquire what the scope is at which it aimes The appointing of a day of rest cannot be the scope of the fourth Commandement For all Laws being rules directed to some end proposed cannot so well be interpreted any way as by the end unto which they are directed Now the appointing of a day of rest cannot possibly be the last scope of this Commandement seeing we know rest from labour is enjoyned to give us freedome for holy duties and the exercising of our selves therein But of rest for holy duties which consequently must be the principall thing intended in the fourth Commandement But then it will be questioned to what kind of holy duties this day is consecrated For there are many that imagine that God hath set it apart only for duties of publike worship Publick and private But this opinion seemes not to agree with the letter of the Law which in expresse tearms gives the whole day unto the Lord for his own immediate service in religious worship Now we know publike worship takes not up the whole day It must needs be granted therefore the Lord appointed that day of holy rest for the performance of something more unto God then publike worship and so much is expresly affirmed Isa 58.13 where we are forbidden to find our own pleasure or speak our own words upon that day which as all men must acknowledge must needs extend to the ordering of our carriage in private as well as in publike so that the setting apart of a whole day of rest unto God for his publike and private worship seemes to be the full scope of this fourth Commandement Next to the scope of this Law 3 Parts of the fourth Commandement the 1. Summe 2. Explication 3. Reason we are to consider advisedly the frame and composure of it and therein we are first to take notice of the principall parts of the Law which we shall find to be three First we have laid down unto us the summe of the Law Exod. 20.8 Secondly we have the explication of that sum ver 9. Thirdly we have the reason of all v. 11. Each of these two first parts containe three heads of duties pointed out in the summe and opened and unfolded in the explication and confirmed in the reason of the Law The first duty is Preparation intimated in the word Remember The second the Sequestration from ordinary employments implied in the word Sabbath The third is Sanctification of that rest expressed in the phrase to keepe it holy All these are explained in their order Our Preparation must be by the dispatch of all our Secular affaires in six daies Our rest must be a cessation by all persons from our usuall labours and imployments in secular affaires The Sanctification of our rest must be by employing our selves in holy duties The confirmation of all follows in the reason of the Law of Preparation and rest from Gods own Act of Creating the world in sixe daies and ceasing from his work on the seventh and the Sanctifying of that rest from Gods Commandement and ordaining the seventh day to be a day of rest unto us for ever Now wherein the strength of that Confirmation lies will be the maine point in question of which hereafter To come now to the Explication of the words and phrases in this Commandement The first word in the summe of this Law Remember is diversly interpreted some conceive that it implies the importance of the duty commanded as that word is used many times to intimate some matter of speciall observation as Deut. 9.7 Others there are that think it points at the Antiquity of that Law given many ages before and therefore to be called afresh to minde as the Psalmist saith he will remember the works of the Lord his wonders of old Psal 177.11 and 143.5 and withall some conceive that he taxeth the peoples forgetfulnesse of that Law and neglect of the observation of it in the time of their bondage in Aegypt Some or all of these senses may be implied in this word Remember but beyond all these we may probably conceive that it may import Remember implies Think upon and by dispatching of thy busines provide for the Sabbath Think upon and accordingly before-hand provide for the observation of this holy rest by dispatching of all the works of thy calling that nothing may be undone which providence and diligence might prevent that might hinder thy rest on the seventh day As for those which conceive that in this Law labour upon the sixe daies is commanded as well as rest upon the seventh they are much mistaken The precept for labour is delivered in the eight Commandement as the Apostle interprets that Law Eph. 4.28 In this place is commanded the dispatch of our secular affaires before the Sabbath whether it be done in six daies or fewer it is not materiall as to this Law The next tearme to be explained Sabbath is a day of rest which only and not seventh is expressed in sum and conclusion of the Commandement is the name of the Sabbath or day of rest and easing from labour as that word properly signifies which is repeated againe in the conclusion of the Commandement And it is not to be passed by without observation that whereas the old Sabbath from the beginning till Christ came was the seventh day or last of the weeke and both in the explanation and reason of the Commandement is appointed to be one of the seven yet God mentions not the name of seven either in the Summe or in the Conclusion of the Commandement We have therefore reason to conceive that seeing God in this Law was to prescribe something of the Law of Nature The day of rest being of the law of nature the set day of positive institution which is the appointing of a day of holy Rest to be consecrated unto God for his worship which the very light of nature teacheth and in the explanation and reason of the Law to adde something which is of positive Institution namely the proportion of the time and the set day wherein this rest was to be observed he first settles that which is of the Law of nature and afterwards establisheth that which is Positive God purposely makes choise of such fit expressions especially in his Law in which he is most exact as may best acquaint us with his minde Wherefore seeing this is a fit Method to be observed by him and seeing the composure of this Law agrees with it we have reason to conclude that the Lord himselfe intended it in this place The last phrase in the sum of this Commandement remains which is To keep it holy To keep holy is to employ the day in holy duties of Gods immediate worship Now to keep a day holy is to employ it in holy actions directed to the immediate service and worship of God in the use of such
are in the right way when they are wide of it yet that lets not another man who is in the right way to know and be assured that he is in it This large Description of the nature of a Spirituall man The use of this description of a spirituall man is of singular use both for the encouragement of those that find themselves in some good measure answerable to this patterne that is here set before them to goe on with cheerfulnesse in the study of the Scriptures and in all other holy duties required of them As also for the awakening of others who when upon examination they finde themselves out of this blessed condition may labour with earnest desires and fervent prayers to beg that Spirit at Gods hands that may make them such as finding themselves while they remaine otherwise in a dangerous condition in which neither Gods word nor any of the rest of his ordinances can profit them as they ought CAP. VIII Of the choice of fit Times and Seasons for Reading the Scriptures THere is a season to every purpose under the Sunne saith the wise man Eccl. 3. the observation whereof not onely addes grace unto every good action but many times facilitates the work it selfe which we have in hand and makes it more easie to be compassed The consideration whereof ought to move us in such a weighty work as is the study of the Scriptures to enquire what times and seasons may be most conveniently chosen out and set apart for the exercising of our selves in this so holy a duty No time limited by God for the study of the Scriptures but the Sabbath It is true that besides the Sabbath day God hath limited to men no certain time for the duties of Prayer and study of the Scriptures only we have generall commands to be frequent and continuall in Prayer Eph. 6.18 1 Thess 5.17 and diligent in meditation of the Word Iosh 1.8 of both which we have examples in the practise of holy men Only in generall the often exercising of our selves therein is required Psalme 58.17 Dan. 6.10 Psal 119.97 But the particular times for either duty which are impossible to be directed by any generall rule are left to be determined by Christian wisdome Now times either for Prayer or Reading may be either constant and set Times for studying the Scriptures are 1. Occasionall or uncertain and occasionall For there are times wherein God calles us extraordinarily to Prayer Isa 22.12 either in afflictions felt Iames 5.13 or feared Psalme 116.3.4 and 50.15 or for mercies expected Dan. 9.2 3. or already received Psal 18.1 and 116.12 13. The like occasions we may meet withall for searching the Scriptures to resolve us in doubts Psalme 73.17 To comfort us in afflictions Psalme 119.50 To direct us in matters of advice Psalme 119.24 To guide us in our way verse 105. To assist us in temptations Eph. 6.17 Such or the like occasions may cause us to have recourse to the word extraordinarily besides the ordinary studies of it to make us wise unto salvation and furnish us to every good work 2 Tim. 3.15.17 For the constant and daily study of the Scriptures is required 2. Set and constant And that for All men not onely of the Ministers of the word Tim. 4.15 17. Magistrates Deut. 17.19 although indeed it concernes them above others but besides of all John 5.33 and that by a kind of necessity considering mens ignorance in matters appertaining to godlinesse Psal 73.22 Prov. 30.21 the difficulty of understanding things that never entred into mans heart 1 Cor. 2.9 and the great necessity of attaining the knowledge of those things which are the grounds of Faith the Rules of practice and the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Nay Even such as have attained some good measure of knowledg if we had attained to some good measure of the knowledg of the Mysteries of godlinesse by the Word yet how we should be ready in the use thereof either for directing our own waies Psal 119.50.105 for admonishing others Col. 3.16 for defence in time of temptation with our Saviour Mat. 4.4.7.10 for comforting our Brethren 1 Thess 4.18 for examining our teachers doctrine with the Bereans Acts 17.11 unless besides the knowledge of the Scriptures we keep them fresh in memory by continuall meditation and often perusing of that volume which being so large as it is must of necessity take up some reasonable portion of time daily for this exercise In limiting this time for Reading the Scriptures respect must be had both to Order In choosing times for reading Scriptures we must respect and Proportion For the former godly men have accustomed to begin the day with religious exercises as with Prayer Psal 5.3 and 88.13 and Psal 55.17 1. The Order 1. The morning is a sit time for Prayer Reading the Morning was one of the three times wherein David presented his prayers unto God Now although Prayer and Reading of the Word be two distinct exercises yet that they mutually help one another is most manifest and consequently are fit to be joyned together For the Word ministers matter of Prayer and is the ground of our Petitions who have no promise to be heard unless we ask according to Gods wil 1 Io. 5.14 which is no where revealed but in the word which therefore strengthens our faith in Prayer Again Prayer must needs awe us with the reverence of Gods Majesty and consequently prepare our hearts to tremble at Gods word in reading it which God is well pleased withall Isaiah 96.2 The fitnesse of the Morning for these exercises is evident 1. As it is fit to honour God with the first of our time not only because the first of our time as of all things else belongs unto God whose service ought to be our speciall and chiefest care but besides 2. The heart in the morning is freest from worldly thoughts because the heart being then most free from worldly thoughts is fittest for holy meditations And withall when in the beginning of the day the heart of a man is seasoned with holinesse and with the feare of God he findes himself the better fitted to walk humbly with him all the day after It is very fit to close up the day with these duties wherewith we began it 2. It is good to close up the day with these holy exercises The Evening was one of Davids times for Prayer Psalme 55.17 and 141.2 and Isaaks as it seemes Gen. 24.63 Then indeed it is fit to passe our accompts with God concerning our carriage the day before that having made all our reckonings even with him we may with assurance lay down our selves to rest in peace Now we have already intimated how fit it is to joyne Prayer and Reading together so that if the Evening be a fit time for Prayer it must be acknowledged to be fit for Reading also The Mornings then and Evenings
2. The proportion of time to be allowed for holy duties wherein we must respect 1. The Duty and therein 1. What must be done We must study the whole Scripture are our fittest times for Prayer As for the proportion of time to be allotted for this exercise it must indifferently respect both the Duty and the person that undertakes it In the exercise it must be considered both what must be done and in what manner For the former seeing all Scriptures were written for our Instruction 1 Cor. 10.11 not onely the Laws and Commandements which we are to doe and obey Deut. 29.29 but Examples too not only the New Testament but the Old also it must needs be our duty to know and consequently to study them all wherefore we must so proportion our time for this exercise that we may often goe over by reading the whole body of the Scriptures The manner of Reading the Scriptures 2. In what manner With great deliberation as holding out 1. Things weighty must be with great deliberation and that not onely because the matter contained in them is weighty and of a mysterious nature the Phrases significant the expressions briefe and sometimes by the propriety of the language wherein they were written unusuall and therefore not easie to be understood of the vulgar 2. And nearly concerning our selves but also because that which we read so nearly concerning us and must be carefully laid up in our hearts and written there Pro. 2.5 and 7.1 and be hidden in them Ps 119.11 that it may be our continuall meditation ver 97. and dwelling in us Col. 3.16 may not onely furnish us for every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 but also enable us to instruct our friends and neighbours talking unto them upon all fit occasions of wisdome and judgement Psal 37.30 31. and at home our families as we sit in the house and walke by the way Deut. 6.7 This time allotted for the reading of the Scriptures must not onely be proportioned to the worke And allot time accordingly but to the persons too that study them and that with due respect had Having respect 1. To mens abilities both to their abilities and employments The weaknesse of mens abilities whether of naturall understanding and memory or of knowledge gotten by learning which must needs be weak in young beginners especially imposeth on them necessarily the more labour and paines in study and consequently requires more expence of time in reading If the Iron be blunt and one whet not the edge he must put to the more strength saith Solomon Eccl. 10.10 As for mens callings 2. And emploiments 1. Requiring more study by Ministers Magistrates Husbands Parents and employments Ministers who need to be furnished with all knowledge are required to give themselves wholly to this study 1 Tim. 4.13.15 Magistrates to have the book with them to read in it all the dayes of their life Deut. 17.19 Iosh 1.8 Husbands who must teach their wives at home 1 Cor. 14.35 Parents who must bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and talke of the Law in their family Deut. 6.7 As they need a greater measure of knowledge 2. More time to be allotted where mens callings are easie for the necessary discharge of their duties so must they allow the more time that they both attaine it and have it ready for daily use Again seeing all mens Employments are not alike but some are more toilesome and others being more easie afford more leasure for the attending of those holy duties it must be considered how much may be conveniently spared from such necessary businesses as their callings cast upon them seeing God requires Mercy and not Sacrifice Mat. 9.13 Howsoever Yet all must set a part some time for this duty even those who are most straightned by the businesse of their imployments must notwithstanding so order their affaires that they spare some fit portion of time for these duties of Gods service who can easily recompence it unto them by prospering their labours and assures us that he will be no mans debtor for the least service done for him Mal. 1.10 Of two things men are to be admonished First Three caveats to avoid 1. Negligence 2. Incombrance with too much businesse that they bring not themselves into straights of time either by negligence in their callings which often puts them to labour at unseasonable times or by loading themselves unnecessarily with multiplicity of businesse and worldly imployments which when they have undertaken being not able to dispatch in convenient times they take liberty to make use of those times for worldly affaires that are fit to be set apart for holy duties By either of these wayes men being drawn to omit these duties at the first at last by disuse of practise lose withall the very desire and resolution to performe them These must know that God in matters of his service dispenseth with inevitable but not with voluntary necessities He will indeed have Mercy and not Sacrifice but neither negligence nor covetousnesse rather then Sacrifice Secondly 3. Not to mistake suspension for a discharge frō the duty men must take heed that they mistake not a dispensation for suspending these duties for a full discharge from them Employments in secular affaires are not better then holy duties neither is the service of men better then the service of God Consequently the one ought not to be left for the other Onely whereas our affaires are so limited to their season that they must sometimes be done at present or not at all whereas holy duties suspended for a time may be performed afterwards God is pleased that his Services shall give precedence to our urgent necessities not that they shall be excluded by them Wherefore he that by inevitable necessity is enforced to omit Prayer or Reading in the time appointed must redeeme the first opportunity for the performance of them as soone as he may afterwards This holy exercise of Reading the Scriptures daily being every way so necessary so comfortable so profitable let all that desire to grow in knowledge Faith and Obedience that expect Gods blessing upon their soules and labours attend daily at the gates of Wisdome Pro. 8.34 encouraged by that gratious promise We shall know the Lord if we follow on to know him Hos 6.3 Especially in these times under the Gospell wherein it is promised that all the earth shall be filled with knowledge as the waters cover the Sea Hab. 2.14 CAP. IX Of the Manner of Preparation before the Reading of the Scriptures OF what necessity carefull Preparation is to the Reading of the Scriptures hath beene sufficiently manifested in the first Chapter wherein we shewed that the Truths revealed in Scripture are in themselves deepe and great Mysteries that our understanding is shallow and full of darkenesse and thereby unable to comprehend them Lastly that our rebellious carnall dispositions are with
in it we must labour earnestly to work our hearts to the love of those Counsells of God which we embrace by faith for their Righteousnesse Psal 119.128 Purity ver 140. Perfection ver 96 97. and especially for the usefulnesse and wonderfull benefit of them to our selves that we may desire them with all our soules Psal 119.131 and delight and rejoyce in them ver 162.174 To this purpose it will be needfull to set before us the wonderfull efficacy of the Word which not only counsells Psal 119.24 and directs us in our waies v. 105. but helps us farther in clensing them ver 9. in quickning the spirit ver 93. giving wisdome v. 98 99 100. converting the soul Ps 19.7 bringing great reward that we obtained by observing them ver 11. and great peace which they have that love them Psal 119.165 These eminent excellencies of the Word set before us in such particulars cannot choose but make these heavenly counsells precious in our eyes as they are to holy David Psal 119.72.127.162 and bring the soule to delight in them exceedingly Such fervent affections This will make us serious in devising how we may put the counsels of God in practise if they once quicken a mans spirit cannot choose but move him to advise seriously with himselfe how he may bring both his heart and practise to conforme to those holy counsells and directions which he finds laid before him in Gods Word wherupon he must necessarily fall to the considering of his disposition condition employments and occasions and to the devising of a way how to frame out of the Word rules to himself for the ordering of them aright according to the mind and will of God with the Prophet David Psal 119.59 bethinking himself what means he may make use of to that purpose taking the Word with him as a light in his hand to guide his steps Psal 119.105 joyning to the company of godly persons v. 63. chasing away the wicked that might withdraw him vers 115. and this he doth with all speed vers 60. with a resolution to hold on in this holy course to the end vers 112. unto which he binds himself by a solemn vow and covenant v. 106. A man having thus resolved upon the practise of such duties as the Word prescribes For which end we are to take hold of the first Opportunities offered must embrace the first opportunity offered unto him to put his resolution in execution Partly because Opportunities are not alwaies presented and besides because the time of this life which is allotted for the practise of the duties required is short and the duties themselves are many wherein the more we abound the more we increase our reward and further our account at the last day 2 Cor. 9.6 And lastly because the inlargement of the heart is requisite to the running of the way of Gods Commandements Psalme 119.32 which therefore it will be needfull for us to make use of when it comes upon us knowing that we cannot command it when we will Now in setting to the Practise of such duties as the Word prescribes although we must have respect to all Gods Commandements after Davids example Psalme 119.6 for that is our Righteousnesse Especially for those duties which are layed before us in Reading the Word Deuteronomy 6.25 yet seeing all duties cannot be performed at once we must take more speciall care for the present not only of those things which our imployments in our particular callings or incident occasions press upon us but of those also which the Word which we have read or heard directs unto conceiving that God thereby more especially commends them unto us for that present We know that we are not onely to do what God hath commanded In all our Practise we must observe not only what is commanded but withall as it is commanded but besides to do it as he hath commanded Deut. 5.25 without turning aside to the right or left hand verse 32. that is to perform the duties which God prescribes in such Manner Forme and Order as he requires them to be done Wherefore he that desires to be accepted in his Obedience ought to set the Word of God before him as David doth his judgments Psalme 18.22 as a man doth the coppy by which he writes This is done by keeping the rules given us in the Word fresh in our memories reviving them by often meditation This use David made of the Word which he caryed alwaies with him as a Lanthorne to direct him in every step Psalme 119.105 having it ever with him verse 98. and having respect to his statutes continually verse 117. Thus it behoves us to make use of the Word after we have read it Examining our waies how neere they come up to the rule or come short of it But withall because we know the rules thereof are not only given for direction but besides for examination of our waies it will be good for us to call our selves daily to account how our practise answers the rules that are from time to time set before us in reading or hearing the Word Both that on the one side we may be incouraged in conforming our practise to the Law and rejoyce in the grace of God working in us with thankfulnesse That wee may be either thankfull or humbled and on the other side when we find that we have swarved from the duty required and the rule set before us we may be humbled and grieved for our failings and driven to seek unto Christ to make up our peace and may pray more earnestly for Gods assistance to look better to our waies for time to come as David doth Psal 119.131 132 133 176. I make no question but that the consideration of these directions given for the profitable reading of Scriptures will work diversly upon divers persons * 1. Obj. Such a strict rule will discourage some 1. As conceiving it impossible to be followed 2. Or requiring more time then can be spared 2. Object And others to mourne when they come short of what is prescribed To the first 1. The difficulty ariseth from their unwilling minds 2. As much time may be spared from their vanities To the second 1. We deal with a gratious Father who accepts a willing mind 2. Only we must endevour to come as neer to the rule as we may Some conceiving the rules impossible to be observed in that exact manner as is prescribed or at least that such a strict observation of them will cause greater expence of time labour then they are willing to spare are deterred from the performance of the duty as the Jewes were from following our Saviour upon the hearing of his Sermon Joh. 6.60 61. Some others men of tender hearts may pondering all these duties in their thoughts be driven to mourn in secret when they find their own performances so unanswerable to the rules formerly delivered and may doubt whether they are accepted or no. To
most employed in secular affairs are said to sanctifie a day by leaving of their labours in secular things that they may spend their time in holy duties And how can God sanctifie a day by his act of resting But how God can be said to sanctifie one time above another seeing he is holy in all his works Ps 145.17 who can imagine Others interpret the words Sanctified and Blessed 2. Sanctified means that he decreed to do it only as Jer. 1.5 to expresse not what God did at present but what he decreed then to act and do afterward viz. when he gave his Law to his people by the hand of Moses upon mount Sinai And to give the better countenance to this interpretation they parallel it with another place Jer. 1.5 where God tels Jeremiah that he sanctified him before he came out of the womb In which place Sanctified can signifie no more Answer then he decreed to sanctifie Now to forbear all other exceptions against that parallel place in Jeremiah Where doth Blessed signifie Decreed to blesse admit the word Sanctifie signifie decree to sanctifie where doth the word Blessed signifie decree to blesse But admit such an instance might be found for that also Again it is taken so in one proves not that it must be so in this This were a mad form of reasoning The words Sanctified and Blessed in one place signifie Decreed to sanctifie and blesse where the circumstances of the Text admit other interpretations therefore the same words where they may have a better construction according to their usuall and proper signification must be interpreted in a sense lesse proper and usuall though no necessity urge us thereunto If such a liberty as this were admitted we should never be able to draw any certain conclusion out of any place of Scripture whatsoever A third sort there are who acknowledge that these words 3. It is related in Genesis by anticipation Gen. 2.3 import an institution but that is say they related in that place by way of anticipation referring and pointing out unto us a time when this was done more then 2400 years after when the Law was given by Moses upon mount Sinai Now this interpretation must suppose the whole third Verse Gen. 2. to be inserted there by a Parenthesis and then some clause must be added by way of supply to make up some such sense as this But what enforceth to admit an anticipation This resting of God upon the seventh day was the reason and ground of Gods sanctifying and blessing the seventh day in the Law which God gave unto his people by the hand of Moses upon mount Sinai But first what incongruity with the scope of this place or with any circumstances of the Text in which this is related or with any other place of Scripture or with any principle of faith enforceth us to allow such an anticipation in this place as we are forced to admit in some other places because we cannot otherwise find how they may agree either the words with themselves or with some other place of Scripture without which necessity to admit anticipations were to confound all order of Scripture For the countenancing of this anticipation they say that Moses Gen. 2. having mentioned Gods rest vers 2. upon the seventh day had thereupon a fit occasion to point at the Law which being given afterwards It cannot be proved that the Law was given before Genesis was written was grounded upon that rest of God which is here related To which we answer First this conceit supposeth that which no man in the world shall be ever able to prove that the book of Genesis was written by Moses after the giving of the Law otherwise how could Moses in this place give a reason of that Law which was not then in being but it seems more probable if conjectures may have any place in reasoning that the book of Genesis as it is placed first in order The contrary seems more probable so was first written For it is manifest by Saint Stephens words Act. 7.25 that God had revealed himself to Moses before he went out of the land of Aegypt into Midian and had designed him to be the deliverer of his people Again that Moses during his abode in Midian had leisure enough to pen that history it is evident in it self Lastly that the penning and reading of that history might be of singular use to stir up the children of Israel to go up out of Aegypt to take possession of the land of Canaan in which their Fathers had been so long a time sojourners and so blessed and advanced by God that they were esteemed as Princes amongst those with whom they lived especially God having so freely and fully given that land to them and their posterity is so evident that no man can with any colour deny it So that it must needs follow that in setling their anticipation upon such a supposition they build at the best upon a very uncertain ground Besides 2. The pointing at the Law in Genesis had been superfluous it had been meerly superfluous to have pointed at the ground of instituting the Sabbath in this place in Genesis seeing it is cleerly expressed in the body of the Law given by Moses Now whosoever considereth what brevity Moses useth in penning the history of the world allowing but 6 Chapters to the setting out of an history of 1650 yeares must needs judge it to be very improbable that he would lengthen it with needlesse and uselesse repetitions Lastly all that can be inferred on it the fairest that are produced to countenance this fained anticipation proves no more but this if all were granted that they alleage that there may be an anticipation but how will they prove that it must be and that is it which it concerns them to make good especially seeing there are so many strong if not convincing arguments which prove the contrary as we have shewed already Hitherto there appears for ought that we see no great occasion Arguments against the giving of the Law of the Sabbath to Adam or use at all of this pretended anticipation Gen. 2.3 which notwithstanding we must be enforced to acknowledge if it can be proved that the Sabbath was not Instituted before the giving of the Law by Moses upon mount Sinai or till the first intermission of the raining of Manna which was not long before it Wherefore they endeavour to prove that the Law neither was nor could possibly be given to Adam in Paradise This maintainers of that opinion labour to make good by three Arguments First 1. It was impossible for Adam to observe the Sabbath that it were absurd to conceive that God would give Adam a law which was impossible for him to observe Secondly that he should give him a law 2. It was needlesse which to him in the state of innocency 3. The Patriarchs till Moses his time never kept
the Sabbath was altogether needlesse and superfluous Thirdly they insist strongly upon this that if God had given Adam such a law at that time then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of that law Now say they if the Patriarchs had been bound to the observation of that law they had certainly kept it but that neither all or any of them observed any such is manifest by the history of their lives written by Moses wherein there is no mention of any such thing For the first of these three arguments which is Answer to the first that it was impossible for Adam in Paradise to keep a Sabbath they reason thus The Sabbath say they was appointed for the publike worship of God 1. That supposeth publick worship to be the whole duty of the Sabbath as all men must needs acknowledge But Adam and his wife could not make a publike assembly nor consequently worship God publikely nor by the same observe a Sabbath according to the Law To this we answer in the First place Though publike worship be the principall yet it is not the sole duty of the Sabbath Honoring God forbearing to do ones own waies or to find his own pleasure or to speake ones own words are duties of such an holy day of Rest as God delights in Isa 58.13 as well as publike worship And the Fourth Commandement which sets apart an whole day unto the Lord entirely and commands therein a totall cessation from all our employments in our ordinary calling makes it evident The sequestring of our selves from our ordinary secular affaires for religious duties is the full scope of that fourth Commandement which if a single person shut out by sicknesse or any other casuall accident from publike Assemblies perform he keeps an acceptable Sabbath unto God though he cannot joyne with the Congregation in the duties of publike worship Againe why may not two persons where there are no more 2. Two where no more are may be esteemed a publike assembly be esteemed to be a publike Assembly It is cleare that our Saviour esteems the meeting of two or three for prayer a gathering together Mat. 18.20 And then it 's plaine that Adam and Eve meeting together in Paradise and employing the whole day in prayer and other holy and religious exercises may in a true and proper sense be said to worship publikely so that in this argument brought against possibility of keeping a Sabbath by Adam and Eve in Paradise 3. It is no good argument Adam could not then keep the Sabbath therefore he had no Law for it the propositions are both faulty Besides this is no good argument Adam and Eve could not at that present keep a Sabbath therefore they had no Law given them by God to command it The fifth Commandement prescribing the duties of Parents to their Children is questionlesse a Law of nature shall we say that this Law was not at the least written in Adams heart from the beginning because he had then no child We think it wisdome to make laws for warres in time of Peace although there can be no execution of them for the present The Next Argument against the Institution of the Sabbath in Paradise Answer to the second is that then Adam needed no Sabbath neither for his body nor for his mind For his body they say he needed no Sabbath because that he being exercised in no painfull or toylsome labour but exercised only in such work as might be accounted rather a recreation then a labour needed no rest at all or refreshing of his body thereby 1. Ease by rest though it be a consequent is not the scope of the Sabbath To this we answer that the ease of man and beast from labour although it be a consequent of the rest of the Sabbath yet was it never the scope of it seeing the moderation of labour belongs properly to the same commandement which enjoynes labour that is unto the Eight as the Apostle also interprets it Eph. 4.28 The Fourth Commandement forbids labour indeed but not so much for mercy as for Piety nor so much for easing of the toyle of the body as for the preventing of the distraction of the mind by labour seeing we know the body cannot labour but the mind must needs be more or lesse employed withall which therefore at that time cannot so freely be wholly exercised in Spirituall duties as it ought So that Adam might have use of a Sabbath in Paradise although he needed it not for the ease of his body 2. Adam might make use of the Sabbath in respect of his minde Yea but say they Adam much lesse needed a Sabbath in respect of his mind then he did in respect of his bodie because his mind in that state of Innocency being continually filled with heavenly thoughts he could not choose but keep a perpetuall Sabbath To this Objection we have answered in part already that the Sabbath requires of us not only the filling of the mind with heavenly Meditations but besides a totall sequestration of the whole man to the exercise of all holy duties forbidding us to finde our own pleasure or our own waies Isa 58.13 that is take up any employment either of body or minde about any of those affaires which may properly becalled our own such as are all our secular affaires Now although Adam in Paradise had not in that ease and pleasure of his in keeping the Garden his minde so wholly taken up with that businesse as ours are now in our more toylsome works yet it must needs be and was his duty too to attend and to have his minde exercised in the thoughts of those things that he tooke in hand which on the Sabbath ought to be wholly laid aside In one word Adam was and ought on other dayes to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of earthly things but on the Sabbath day he was to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of heavenly things All then that can be made good in this parcular is only this that Adam in some respects lesse needed a Sabbath then we doe whence cannot possibly be inferred that he therefore needed none at all nay upon the same ground it will follow that because he being riper in knowledge stronger in faith and more quickned and fervent in affection lesse needed the Sacraments or other like helps as we doe it was not fit for him to have any Sacrament at all As well as of the Sacraments c. Rather we may conclude that because Adam infinitely excelled us in all these abilities therefore though he lesse needed yet he was more fit to keep a Sabbath then we are having more leisure and being more heavenly minded then we are All this while we speake of the Sabbath as if it were given to man only for his own good whereas the principall scope of it is the honouring of God which was Adam duty as well as ours So that in respect of
the principall end of the Sabbath Adam needed that Law for the observation thereof as well as we In the last place it is urg'd that if the Sabbath had been instituted in Paradise Answer to the third then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of it and had certainly observed it Now that the Patriarchs did not observe it it is evident say they because we find no mention upon record of the observation thereof by any of them either before or after the Flood till Exod. 16. immediately before the giving of the Law We answer that if they can make it appeare that none of the Patriarchs did observe the Sabbath we will be willing to grant them that they had no Law that bound them to any such observation But it will be a very hard matter to make that appeare by any convincing argument Yes say they if they had observed it there would have been left some record of it by Moses who wrote their lives as say they he hath left us instances of their observing of the other Nine Commandements but for their observation of the Sabbath day he makes not so much as the least mention at all To this we answer divers things First 1. It followes not we have no recording of the Patriarchs observing the Sabbath therefore they observed it not we except against this form of arguing from Negative authority which according to the sentence of Logicians proves nothing at all and hereof though we might give other instances we will content our selves with one only concerning the point which we have in hand In all the Books of Ioshua Iudges Ruth For 550 years after Moses we have no record of keeping the Sabbath the two books of Samuel and the first booke of Kings containing the history of the Church for 550. yeares and written much more largely then the books of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus we finde not upon record so much as the very name of the Sabbath shall we therefore conclude from thence that the holy men of those times especially Ioshua Samuel and David kept not the Sabbath when we know they had a Law that bound them thereunto and yet we have instances enough out of the same books of their keeping of the other nine Commandements It will not be sufficient to except against the instance produced by us that we know these holy men kept the Sabbath though there be no record of their keeping of it because we are sure that they had a Law that bound them to keep it but the Patriarchs had no such law this I say is no just exceptiō against our instance for it is to beg the point in question All that they can gaine by this Allegation is that it is not so certaine that the Patriarchs kept the Sabbath because it is not so certaine that they had a Law that bound them to observe it Now this is a wild form of arguing It is not certaine though we prove it is or at least not so certaine that the Patriarchs had a Law that bound them to keep the Sabbath therefore it is certaine that they kept it not As for that colour that they make use of for the strengthning of their exception against our instance that Moses records the Patriarchs keeping of the other nine Commandements It were enough that we have said already that we have the like evidences in the books of Ioshua Objection Iudges c. of those holy mens keeping of the other nine Commandements We have records of the Patriarchs keeping the other nine Commandements But to give a fuller answer I conceive they will not say that in the book of Genesis there be instances of the Patriarchs observing of every duty required and prescribed in those Nine Commandements Answer but will name us some duties only which they performed in obedience to every one of them Not of all the duties of all those nine 4. And we have records of the Patriarchs publike worship And we say that we finde instances of the Patriarchs observing of the Fourth Commandement for we read that they worshipped God publikely Gen. 4.26 chap. 12.8 which that phrase of calling upon the name of the Lord implies as I conceive they themselves will not deny And I am sure they acknowledge that publike worship is a duty of the Sabbath But hereunto they will reply that the performing of this publike worship proves not the observation of the Sabbath or seventh day for that worship To which we answer that using of publike worship necessarily supposeth a time a fit time and a time of Rest for that worship for so much themselves acknowledg to be of the Law of Nature And it is probable on the seventh day Adde hereunto what is recorded of the sending out of Noahs dove just at the distance of seven daies Gen. 8.10 12. Surely this could not be done casually that they should accidentally light just upon the distance of seven daies so many times together If then it were done purposely why was that number chosen above all others was there any mysterious holinesse in that number If conjectures might take place we might with great probability conceive that Noah and his children had upon those daies dedicated to his worship been suing for peace and sent out to see whether there might be any tydings of a comfortable answer to their prayers These I confesse are no infallibly-concluding arguments to prove the Patriarchs observation of the Sabbath or seventh day but seeing it is possible nay more very probable that Moses in this relation points at some such thing it is enough to overthrow the opposites conclusion which must be this That it is certaine that Moses makes no mention of the Patriarchs observation of the seventh or Sabbath day Secondly we answer that the place Exod. 16.23 2. It appeares Exod. 16.23 that the Sabbath was known before the Law was given proves evidently that the observation of the Sabbath was a thing sufficiently known to the children of Israel before the Law was delivered unto them upon Mount Sinai For when the Elders of Jsrael wondering that the people had gathered twise so much Manna on the sixth day as they had done each of the five daies going before come to Moses to enquire of him what the reason of that strange event might be ver 22. he answers them presently To morrow is the holy Sabbath of the Lord c. which is all one as if he had said as he doth afterwards in expresse termes ver 29. that the Lord gave them on the sixth day a sufficient portion of bread for two daies that no man might breake the rest of the Sabbath by going out to gather food upon that day In that place you see Moses speaks of the Sabbath as of a thing which the children of Israel well knew beforehand or else he had spoken Parables to them in naming a day and referring the into an Ordinance of which
ordinances as he hath left unto his Church and to passe our time therein in holy speeches and meditations Actions may be holy either in the manner of doing them as when we performe duties either to God or men in obedience to Gods will in a reverend and holy fear of his name in thankfulnesse for mercies received and for the advancement of his glory which ought to be our maine scope in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 And so we are redeemed out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holinesse all the daies of our lives as Zachary tels us Luke 1.75 which reacheth to all our ways and actions Or else actions are holy besides in the matter or subject of them In meditations conferences prayer hearing reading c. as divine meditations conferences prayers reading or hearing Gods word c. These duties or the most part of them must have a place in our daily employments but must be so our whole work upon the Sabbath day as the works of our ordinary callings ought to be on the other six days This then is the brief sum of the law after which there follows a larger explication thereof describing more fully and cleerly what God means by that day which he calls the Sabbath what manner of rest it must be and within what compasse and revolution of time it must be observed In the explication is assigned the proportion of time for this rest a day of seven namely that it must be one day in seven or one day in every weeke And in the limiting and assigning of that proportion of time that he may shew unto us at once not only the meaning but also the equity of this Law he makes a distribution of the week into seven parts whereof he allowes unto us sixe for our ordinary labours and employments in our severall callings and contents himselfe with the seventh day only which he appoints to be a day of holy rest for his owne immediate worship which is notwithstanding not a day lost unto us but indeed a day of blessings a day of thriving in grace and a day of enjoying an holy Communion with our God and rejoycing in him a day of enjoying heaven upon earth if it be observed as it ought to be To take up the words themselves in order as they lie before us Sixe daies allowed for labour whether the sixe first or last is not expressed it followes sixe daies shalt thou labour which sixe daies those daies of labour shall be he expresseth not whether the sixe first or the sixe last but speaking indefinitely he leaves the words to be understood indefinitely Questionlesse the maine thing that he prescribes in this explication is the proportion of time to be set apart for this holy rest the order to be observed therein he sets down afterwards in the reason of the Commandement wherein he leaves a rule to direct us which of the seven daies we are to set apart for this holy rest But in this explication the chiefest thing that God sets before us is the equity of reserving this proportion of time that is In this proportion of time the equity of the Law appeares one day of seven for his own worship which will be sufficient for that use and yet lea ves sufficient time for the dispatch of our own affaires Day here is a naturall day such as the other sixe are By a Day he means a naturall day consisting of foure and twenty houres which is the seventh part of the week Shalt is as much as Maiest a word rather of permission then command God in this place having no purpose to order any thing concerning our secular affaires farther then they have relation to his own worships and to the making way for the better observation of this holy day of rest It follows And doe all thy work in which if in any clause of this Law Doe all thy work is dispatch thy work that thou maist be free to keep the Sabbath lies the force of a command but that command is not so much to require us to labour as by labour to dispatch all the businesse of our secular employments leaving no needfull thing undone that by care and diligence might have been finished in the sixe daies precedent the neglect whereof might be an occasion of violating the rest of the Sabbath Our works are the works of our secular callings excluding businesses which our callings lay not upon us By all our work he meanes all the work that our particular callings lay upon us in which God hath placed us and which alone are properly called our own works So that by this clause he excludes all businesse that cannot properly be called our own as not imposed on us by God in the callings assigned us by him and by consequent prohibits intermedling with unnecessary businesse Three things layed before us in this explication 1 A command to dispatch our works 2 A promise implied that we shall be able to do it 3. The manifestation of the equity of this Law and overlading our selves with many employments which may be more then sixe daies labour can dispatch So that in this clause we have three things laid before us First a direction or command expressed to dispatch our works in sixe daies Secondly we have a promise implied that by Gods prospering hand assisting us we shall be able to compasse our works for he saith we shall doe c. a word that includes a promise as well as it expresseth a command Thirdly we have Gods equity in the command who requires no more time of us then we may spare without prejudice God then having allowed us a sufficient proportion of time for our own employments in the next place takes order for his own worship in the words following But the seventh day c. Seventh is an ordinate number signitying one of seven Now the word Seventh being indeed an ordinate number may either signifie one in seven and so note out only the proportion of time which God reserves to himselfe as the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.16 and the third part of an Hin Numb 15.6 7. signifie no more but such a proportion of either measure Or it may note the seventh in order as when David is named the seventh Son of Jesse 1 Chro. 2.15 we are to understand the last youngest of seven in this sense our opposites generally take it in this place but in whether of the senses it must be taken here we are now to examine the determination of this point being of great importance to guide us aright in the interpretation of this Commandement Objection 1 Those who take Seventh in this place Ha prefixed before Seventh notes a particular day for the seventh in order or the last of seven strengthen their opinion with a double reason First say they here is Ha Notificative prefixed before Shebigni Answer of purpose to point out
It is objected that the Rest commanded in the fourth Commandement was a figure of Christs rest in the grave and therefore is now banished with the rest of those shadowes We answer this typicall relation to Christ Answer was accidentall to the Sabbath not essentiall That was accidentall to the Sabbath it was a Sabbath before it was a Type for it was a Sabbath before Christ was looked upon as a sacrifice for sin that is before man had fallen and consequently before there was any need of our Saviours resting in the grave Seeing therefore it was a Sabbath before it was a type it may remaine a Sabbath though the type be taken away They will it may be grant that there must be a rest from labour upon the Sabbath day Objection 2 but the strictness of that rest such as the Jews observed The strictnesse of the rest enjoyned the Jewes is taken away is ceremonious and abolished The rest say they to be observed of us Christians is only for publike worship and no longer so that the remainder of the day after publike duties are ended is free and then men are at liberty to make use of the time remaining for recreations or for any secular affaires as occasion shall required In answer hereunto we have shewed already that although publike worship be principally yet it is not solely provided for in this Law which as we have proved out of Esay 58.13 reacheth to our private carriage also And the Law calls the whole day the Sabbath or rest of the Lord that is both commanded by him and consecrated to him For the whole week being distributed into seven parts sixe are allowed for labour and the seventh is consecrated unto God which therefore must be a naturall day as the other sixe are To replie that we are not bound by that Law is to begge the question But why should not Christians be bound to rest the whole day as well as the Jews The Jews not bound to rest but for holy duties Surely if the Sabbath were a type of Christs rest in the grave yet there could be no type in a whole day as there was in Jonas his three daies So the rest of the whole day having no type in it is not abolished for that cause What then was it a part of the burthen of those ceremonious observances from which Christ hath freed us To give the fuller answer hereunto let us examine what rest was enjoyned the Jewes that we may discover wherein the burthensomenesse of that rest consisted First I conceive no man will think that the Jewish rest was a totall cessation from all action like that in the Aegyptian darknesse Exod. 10.23 as if men after the publike exercise were to sit still and to do nothing Was it then a ceasing from labours to follow sports that the Sabbath might be like the feast of the Calfe Exod. 32.6 or was it rest from worldly labours to fit men give them the more leisure to attend holy duties Such a rest indeed the Law requires For which we have as much need of rest as they and the Sabbath to be kept holy Now if this were all that God required of the Jews to rest that they might be exercised in hearing reading praying c. Is this the liberty Christ hath purchased unto us that we may be lesse godly then they lesse frequent in prayer and other holy duties then they For if we are bound at least to equall if not to go beyond them in our exercise in those holy duties we have as much need of rest from ordinary employments as they had This will be made more evident unto us if we lay before us these five particulars First 1. As having a more weighty ground for observing this holy rest our ground of consecrating the Sabbath is as great and weighty and more cleer and evident to us then it was to the Jews seeing Gods mercies towards man are more cleerly represented us in mans redemption then they could be to them in the worlds creation and conservation Secondly 2. And are as much bound to advance Gods majesty as they 3. And more helps then they 4. And as much need to prevent distractions as they 5. And our duties are as many or more then theirs the majesty and greatnesse of God to whom we consecrate this day is as fully manifested to us as to them Thirdly our helps and means for the raising up of our spirits to an holy rejoycing in God are greater and more effectuall then they were unto them Fourthly we need as much as they all helps to prevent the distraction of our minds and to the quickning of our spirits Lastly our exercise in spirituall and holy duties is in all respects as much or more then theirs So that if all be laid together the observing of a whole day of rest for our exercise in holy duties is as usefull and as needfull to us Christians as it was heretofore to the Iews To cleer this point yet more fully 1 Private prayer and reading let us lay before us the right manner and order of performing the duties in which the Sabbath day is to be sanctified First therefore all men must needs grant that the private exercises of prayer reading Gods word and meditation which are constantly to be used on other daies are not to be neglected but ought rather to be enlarged on the Sabbath day 2. Recordation of Gods mercies generall and Particular Again as the Sabbath ought to be a day of gladnesse and rejoycing in God Psalm 118.24 for all his mercies to man in generall so it is a time of recounting his extraordinary favours to our own souls in particular which will be of speciall use to quicken and fill our hearts with the love of God by tasting the sweetnesse of his goodnesse and to carry us on with more cheerfulnesse and life of spirit in the performance of all the duties of that day both private and publike Thirdly 3. Preparation to publique duties for the publike duties themselves they can never be rightly performed without precedent preparation David will wash his hands in innocency and so compasse Gods Altar Psal 26.6 and Solomon tels us we must take heed to our feet when we enter into Gods house Eccles 5.1 and bethink our selves of the majesty and greatnesse of that God before whom we present our selves and of our own vilenesse that are but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 nay which is worse unclean and filthy persons Isa 64.6 unworthy to stand before a God that hath pure eyes and the Apostle tells us of superfluity of naughtinesse that must be laid aside when we come to hear that we may receive the word with meeknesse Jam. 1.21 into an honest and good heart Luk. 8.15 Meditations by which we must prepare our hearts in our private exercises of reading Gods word and prayer much more in these which are more solemn and publike Again
A VVAy to the Tree of 〈◊〉 Discovered in Sundry DIRECTIONS for the Profitable Reading OF THE SCRIPTVRES Wherein is described occasionally The nature of a Spirituall Man And in a Digression The Morality and Perpetuity of the Fourth Commandment in every circumstance thereof is discovered and cleared BY IOHN WHITE Master of Arts and Preacher of Gods Word in Dorchester in the County of Dorset Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have Eternall life Iohn 5.39 LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Royston at the signe of the Angel in Ivy-lane 1647. TO The right Worshipfull the Mayor Recorder Bailives Burgesses and the rest of the Inhabitants in the Burrough of Dorchester in the County of Dorset Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ NO man I conceive will wonder Right Worshipfull and Dearely Beloved in the Lord that I present you with this small Treatise being an accompt of some of my labours which I have taken amongst you I know not of whom they are likely to finde nor desire they may have better acceptance then of those of whose love manifested unto me in so many honours and favours by which you have so many waies engaged me now neere these two and fourty yeares wherein I have continued amongst you I have had so aboundant and full experience Besides in presenting you with this poore Treatise I give you of your own as I may truely say with the Prophet David 1 Chron. 29.14 although not altogether in his sense For am not I yours as S. Paul tels the Corinthians that himselfe and Apollo and Cephas were theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 And by consequent the issues of all my weake abilities you may as justly challenge to be your own as the Master might claime the issues of the bondslaves borne in his house to be his and as in true estimation it is such so I desire you to accept it as an acknowledgement although in no proportion a satisfaction of that great Debt which I owe unto you And to speake truth it will be of speciall use to you to accompt this labour of mine such as it is as your own that you may so entertaine and embrace it so use husband and employ it to your best advantage as we use to doe those things that are our own For the chiefe reason wherefore the manifold helps which God is pleased to afford us by the labours of other men usually profit us so little is because men looke not on them as matters wherein themselves have a peculiar interest and so neglect them as we too usually doe those things which are of common and generall concernement As for the matter handled in this short Treatise I desire you to take notice that of all the Truths that I have delivered unto you in so large a time of my Ministery continued amongst you I have chosen this above all other subjects to recommend unto you in a more especiall manner and to leave with you as a memoriall of my tender affection towards you for these two weighty reasons First because this duty of studying the Scriptures whereunto this Treatise is intended as an help is of all others of most generall concernement and of most necessary and common use Secondly because it hath pleased the Lord to cast us into dangerous times wherein some men endeavour what they can to bring the Scriptures into contempt crying down that sacred booke as containing nothing else but a dead letter and being a beggerly element fit for none but the lowest forme of Christians Others that are unstable and unlearned as the Apostle tearmes them 2 Pet. 3.16 wrest them at their pleasure to their own destruction and the endangering of their brethrens soules Let me therefore in the bowels of Christ beseech you Brethren as you ever hope to get any power of grace into your hearts to have your spiritual life quickened your comforts assured and your wayes directed to take heed to this Sure and Infallible word of Truth as to a Light shining in a darke place as the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 1.19 as containing in it your Food your Physick your Evidences your Comforts your Armes both for offence and defence and in a word which is the very life of your Soules the Light of your Vnderstanding the Director of your Wills and the Moderator of your Affections Study this Word which our Saviour tearmes Searching of the Scriptures Iohn 5.39 which is done not by Reading them over cursorily but by examining them diligently comparing Scripture with Scripture that we may know the full minde of God revealed therein who many times layes not down the whole truth together in one place but leaves us to take in some other clauses out of other places to make up the full of that truth which hee would reveale unto us For want of this care of laying Scripture to Scripture many taking up the truth of God by parts ground thereupon dangerous errours wronging God in making him to speake what he never meant and overthrowing their own Faith to the hazard of their owne Soules Of one thing we must be very carefull that we bring with us our minds free and not prepossest with any Opinion which we have either framed in our owne phantasy or received from others A mind forestalled by an erroneous conceipt is no fit Judge of any Truth or of any Testimony cōcerning Truth but as coloured glasse transmits the light and represents it to the eye infected with the same colour with which it selfe is dyed Or as the taste distempered by some ill humour relisheth all things which it receives according to that humour with which it selfe is infected so happens it with a minde prepossest with any phantasie it apprehends and judgeth of all things according to that opinion which it selfe hath entertained Lastly the Scriptures being in themselves exceeding broad to use the Psalmists expression Psal 119.96 that is of large comprehension and withall very mysterious containing in them wonders as they are tearmed ver 18. there needs together with our reading much Meditation upon what we have read as the same Prophet tells us that he did meditate upon Gods Law all the day Psal 119.97 much conference especially with Ministers and other experienced Christians much use of learned mens writings which give great light to the understanding of darke places in Scripture which wee shall often meet withall But above all fervent and continuall Prayers wherein acknowledging our owne blindnesse and inability of our selves to search into the deep Mysteries revealed in the Word with Agur Prov. 30.2 3. we beg earnestly the assistance of Gods Spirit to open our eyes Psal 119.18 to make us to understand the way of his precepts ver 27. to give us understanding that wee may know his testimonies ver 125. being assured that as there is no other meanes to reveale unto us the mind of God but his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 so God will not deny that
Cap. 5. That the Scriptures containe all things necessary to salvation Pag. 63 Cap. 6. Of the scope of the Scriptures which is Gods Glory and mans Salvation Pag. 70 Cap. 7. That they which read the Scriptures must be men of spirituall mindes Pag. 76 Sect. 1. The description of a spirituall man Pag. 78 Sect. 2. Of the spirituall mans operations Pag. 86 Sect. 3. Of Faith and the two sorts of Faith Historicall and Iustifying Pag. 90 Sect. 4. Of Spirituall experience other meanes of comprehending things spirituall Pag. 115 Cap. 8 Of the choice of fit times for reading the Scriptures Pag. 125 Cap. 9. Of particular preparation before reading Pag. 133 Cap. 10. Of reverend attention and heedfull observation in reading the Scriptures Pag. 141 Cap. 11. Of duties after reading the Scriptures especially Meditation and Prayer Pag. 149 Cap. 12. Directions for the right interpretation of the Scriptures Pag. 160 Cap. 13. Directions for raising observations out of the Scriptures for our owne instruction and edification Pag. 169 Sect. 1. Of the Subject matters handled in the Scripture and first of workes Pag. 172 Sect. 2. Of the Laws given by God to his Church and recorded in Scripture Pag. 197 Concerning the Morality of the fourth Commandement Sect. I. That the Law of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandement is Morall and therefore perpetuall Pag. 213 Sect. II. Answer to the Arguments against the institution of the Sabbath in Paradise Pag. 133 Sect. III. The morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath proved out of the fourth Commandement Pag. 253 Sect. IV A continuation of the consideration of the rest of the Laws recorded in the Scripture with such instructions as may be drawn from them Pag. 300 DIRECTIONS FOR THE PROFITABLE Reading of the Scriptures CAP. I. Of the necessity of preparation thereunto THat the reading of the Scriptures is nothing else but a kind of holy conference with God Preparation in the reading of the Scriptures wherein we enquire after and he reveals unto us himself and his will we shall manifest more fully hereafter when we shall shew that these holy writings are the Word of God himself who speaks unto us in and by them 1. Inforced 1 t Frō the presence of God with whom we confer in reading Wherefore when we take in hand the Book of the Scriptures we cannot otherwise conceive of our selves then as standing in Gods presence to hear what he will say unto us So much the Prophet seems to imply Psal 73.17 when he expresseth his consulting with Gods Word by that phrase of going into the Sanctuary of God for there indeed was Gods Word kept that is going in unto God as going into the Sanctuary is tearmed 2 Sam. 7.18 these kinds of expression seem to imply that when we betake our selves to the reading of the Scriptures we come in unto God or stand in his presence to enquire at his mouth Now with what reverence it becomes us to stand in Gods presence Requiring therefore of us due reverence in performing that duty 1. From the Majesty of God appears not onely by Jacobs fear after he knew God was in the place where he lay Gen. 28.16 17. but farther by the caveat given by Solomon to take heed to our feet when we enter into Gods house Eccles 5.1 and that upon a double ground partly because God is in heaven ver 2. that is high and full of Majesty and consequently to be attended with reverence 2. From the sense of our defilements and inabilities and fear and partly because we have shooes on our feet which God warns Moses to put off Exod. 3.5 when he stood in his presence that is to speak in S. James his phrase we have filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse in our hearts which must be laid aside that when we come unto God to be taught by him we may receive his word with meeknesse James 1.21 So that both the Majesty and Holinesse of God whose eyes are purer then to behold evill Hab. 1.13 and the corruptions and defilements of our own hearts necessarily require an heedfull 2ly Frō the inconveniences that follow neglect of such preparation and carefull preparation of our selves before we enter into Gods presence to enquire at his mouth and look into his word The necessity of this preparation when we read the Scriptures will be yet more evident if we observe the ill consequents which follow the neglect of this duty in such persons as either wholly or too often omit it who boldly entring into Gods presence 1 Unfruitfulnesse in our selves and handling the holy things of God with unwashen hands that is reading his word with unsanctified and unprepared hearts as they come unto the work without due reverence so they return for the most part without fruit 2 Discredit of the word it self and by that means bring up an ill report upon the sacred ordinance of God as if it were a dead letter without any quickning power at all unsavoury food without nourishment unfruitfull seed that yeelds no encrease Secondly 3 Discouragement to others by the same means they weaken the hearts of such as might be encouraged to undertake this holy exercise from the use whereof they are much deterred when they observe some of those that are frequent in the practise of this duty remain still ignorant unfruitfull dead-hearted and disconsolate And lastly 4 Discomfort to our selves they occasion discomfort to themselves when notwithstanding the use of this means they finde themselves ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth remaining still either in ignorance or in disobedience of heart at least in much deadnesse of spirit without zeal life or activity in holy duties Thus we cannot but observe with grief of heart an exercise in it self every way usefull fruitfull and comfortable if it be duly and conscionably performed by the neglect of carefull preparation become not onely unfruitfull and unprofitable but besides by necessary consequent unpleasant distastefull and burthensome to those that use it To manifest the necessity of due preparation in reading the Scriptures much more might be spoken and many more ill consequents might be observed that are occasioned by the neglect thereof But the considerations already mentioned are sufficient to evince the usefulnesse and necessity of such a preparation Taking that therefore for granted that this duty of preparation when we undertake the reading of holy Scriptures must be performed our next work must be to give directions for the manner and order how the Readers heart must be fitted to the performance of this task which cannot well be done without taking knowledge of the nature of that word which is to be read and of the end and scope at which it aims That the observation of the nature of Gods word which we read 2 Directed by considering 1. the nature of the Scriptures may much farther us in this duty of preparation to the reading
Neither indeed are their writings compared with the Scriptures revealing the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 so much as the light of a candle to the Sun shining at noon day As for the mystery of the Trinity it is generally acknowledged to bee a secret unsearchable by naturall reason or discoverable any way but by the revelation of the Word and Spirit Next unto God 2. The Creation of the world with the manner order of it may follow the Creation of the world which we likewise beleeve by faith Heb. 1.3 which although the Heathen upon the consideration of the creatures by the light of naturall reason were forced to acknowledge and consequently that it must be the work of a God yet that the creatures were made by Gods meere word finished in sixe days and created in such order as we finde mentioned Gen. 1. no Heathen man ever took upon him to relate neither seeing man was made the last of all creatures was it possible for him to divine what was done before he had any beeing wherefore the Scriptures so exactly describing the time means and order of the Creation must needs be the Word of the Wisdome of the Father who was brought forth ere the mountains were setled Prov. 8.25 present when he prepared the heavens ver 27. by his Father when he appointed the foundations of the earth ver 29 30. Thirdly the state of man before his fall 3. The history of mans fall and the consequents of it the whole history means and manner of his fall with all the circumstances thereof especially the corruption that it brought upon the whole nature of man which we tearm Originall sin together with the subjection of all men to the curse and wrath of God thereby and the manner how it is propagated both in the stain and guilt of it to posterity as they are things unsearchable by naturall reason so the memory of them being once lost together with the antiquities of the first times of the world or at least imperfectly and uncertainly delivered and related to posterity through so many hands as it must needs passe before the time of Moses it was impossible but the full and certain knowledge of them must be hidden from such as had no better light then that of nature to search them out wherefore we find that they are wholly passed over in all writings of Heathen men but in the Scriptures are clearly opened as far as they are necessary to be known which shews them to be the Word of God seeing they reveal these things that cannot be taught by humane reason Fourthly 4. Mans Redemption by Christ that wonderfull mystery of mans Redemption by Jesus Christ being a secret that never entred into mans heart 1 Cor. 2.19 was never so much as dreamed of by any naturall man neither doe we finde the least syllable of it in any Heathen mans bookes The truth is it seems so incredible a thing to flesh and blood that the Prophet not without cause when he begins to speak of this wonder asks who hath beleeved his report Esa 53.1 and the Apostle tels us that when it was preached the learned Grecians accounted it foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.27 or a meere phantasie Now that which seems incredible to reason when it is known was very unlikely to be found out by reason at the first before it was known If there were no more but this that this wonderfull work proceeded meerly from the free motion of Gods will without any other cause moving thereinto then his own love and compassion as Christ himself affirms Iohn 36.16 And the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 how could any man divine what God purposed in his own heart before he had wrought it unlesse himself had revealed it So that it must needs be granted that this word which sets out unto us the mystery of our Redemption by Christ must be the Word of God himself Lastly 5. The benefits thereof the condition into which man is redeemed by Christ is another mystery hidden from the eyes of all that see by no clearer light then that which naturall reason yeelds them It was utterly impossible for any man Uniō with Christ Adoption Justification Renovation by the light of nature to have discovered our mysticall union into one body with Christ by the Spirit our adoption by grace to be the sons of God our Justification by faith through the imputation of Christs righteousnesse our Renovation or new birth wherein our hearts are changed by the effectuall working of the spirit Resurrection of our bodies to glory the restitution of our bodies to life again with a change from the state of corruption to incorruption of naturall and earthly bodies to spirituall and heavenly and our glorious and ever blessed condition to be enjoyed hereafter in the immediate and everlasting fruition of God in the highest heavens Wherefore we finde not so much as any mention of these things among any of the Heathen unlesse perhaps they stumble upon the immortality of the soul which yet they rather dream of then understand distinctly Wherefore the Scriptures revealing unto us so clearly all these things which naturall reason could neither teach nor comprehend must needs be acknowledged to be the Word of God It appears then hitherto 2ly Many rules of life 1. The inward disposition of the heart toward God in fear love faith that the principles of faith laid down in the Scriptures must needs be acknowledged to be revealed by God and not by man The same truth will be evidently manifested in the rules of practise if they be duly weighed To begin with the duties to be performed unto God and first with the affections and right disposition of the heart The Apostle tels us we cannot beleeve on him of vvhom vve have not heard Rom. 10.14 and the Psalmist affirms that they onely trust in him that know his name Psal 9.10 and we know that it was the lively representation of God unto him that strook that deep impression of fear into Iobs heart and made him vile in his own eyes To bee wrought in us only by the full discovery of God unto us Iob 40.4 42.5 6. The truth is those holy affections of love fear and affiance in God cannot be grounded on any other then a true and distinct knowledge of him which as we have seen already the light of naturall reason could never discover so that none can prescribe unto us the right disposing of the heart towards God in those holy affections of love fear and faith in him but the same that can reveal unto us the right knowledge of himself As for the outward duties of worship 2. And outward duties of worship that they cannot be devised by men but must be appointed by God himself the very light of nature taught Heathen men themselves Wherefore we finde that those forms of worship which they observed the wisest amongst
cranall men lose all the benefits that Christ brings with him because thay refuse Christ and his yoak which they cannot brooke by any meanes The second difference betweene a true and temporary Beleevers taste The first relisheth Christ him selfe A Second Difference between a True and Temporary beleevers taste is in the Proper object of them both For that which a true beleever findes sweet unto him is Christ himselfe and the heavenly and spirituall Treasures that he brings with him In which a temporary beleever findes no relish at all but that which affects him is some supposed carnall commoditie or Temporall good which he hopes to gaine by Christ Like one who taking Pills wrapt in Sugar tastes onely the Sugar but not the Pill it selfe The other some outward good which he hopes to gaine by him the bitternesse whereof which he can by no meanes brooke is such that if he tasted it it would cause him to spit it out againe Thus farre we have described the Temporary Beleevers taste of the heavenly gift the like relish unto this he hath of the good Word of God The difference of true and temporary Beleevers taste in the Word of God Now that may arise either from the Novelty of the knowledge revealed therein which affected the Iewes in Iohn Baptists Ministery as our Saviour tells them John 5.35 As it did likewise the Athenians in S. Pauls Acts 17.20 21. or at the most from the large promises expressed therein which also as hath beene intimated he understands carnally and hoping to gaine to himselfe an interest in them upon that false supposisition he is transported with a carnall joy and delight Mat 13.20 which is soone altered into a discontented humour when he finds himselfe mistaken in his hopes The next thing that affects a temporary Beleever is the powers of the world to come Their different taste of the powers of the world to come So he cals that future heavenly blessed condition of the Saints called the power of an endlesse life Heb. 7.16 not like this present estate weake and infirme but full of power and glory called therefore a glorious inheritance 1 Eph. 18. and Glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 whereunto our bodies laid downe in Weakenesse shall be raised up in Power 1 Cor. 15.43 Now a temporary beleever mistaking and apprehending this estate to be some outward happinesse and hoping to have some title to such a Glorious Condition may please himselfe with that phantasie for a season and so may seeme to finde some sweetnesse in the powers of the World to come which if he understand aright he would finde no delight in as being unsutable to his disposition The Last clause How a temporary Beleever may be partaker of the Holy Ghost that they are partakers of the Holy Ghost may be probably meant of the gift of Tongues and Prophesying which they that have are said to receive the Holy Ghost Acts 8.17 and 11.1 because even these common graces are reckoned amongst the gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.10 11. which he bestowes sometimes even on unregenerate persons as appeares Mat. 7.22 and 1 Cor. 13.12 the Apostle supposeth one may have all these gifts without true love that is without true Sanctification So that in all these Clauses there is nothing affirmed of a temporary beleever but that which may be without true Sanctifying Grace for ought appeares to be contrary These temporary beleevers our Saviour Mat. 13.20 21. A Temporary Belcever like Stony ground and Marke 4.16 17 18. resembles to the Stony and Thorny ground neither of which brings any fruit to perfection and yet the latter goes farther in entertaining and cherishing the seed of the Word then the former The stony ground which is soft above and hard underneath represents unto us an heart moved with fodaine affection Having his affections somewhat moved but the depth of his soul his Understanding and Will hardned still by the hearing of the Word Mat. 13.20 whereupon without any setled judgement or well grounded resolution or any great examination of the way that he chooseth he entertaines the Word and seemes to embrace the rules that it prescribes So that it falls out that the principall parts or depth of the soule the Understanding and the Will are not wrought upon to any purpose in this seeming change but remaine hard and untractable as they were before Hence it comes to passe Whence it is that he shews himselfe sodainly and at first cheerfully in profession that as corne which is covered with a shallow earth shootes up and shewes it selfe quickly above ground Mat. 13.5.20 whereas that which hath depth of earth spreading the roots downwards is longer ere it appeare and shew it selfe above the earth So he that entertaines the Word onely with a slight and ungrounded affection sodainely appeares and shewes himselfe in outward profession falling on to the practice of holy duties before his heart be setled in the love of the truth as it fell out in Herod Mark 6.20 This notwithstanding he seemes to set upon with much cheerefulnesse and present delight either for the novelty of the way or for the advantage which he hopes to gaine thereby such a person Simon Magus is described to be Acts. 8.13.19 The third resemblance between this ground and the Temporary Beleever is that as in the stony ground wanting depth of earth the seed can take no strong roote in it to yeeld sufficient nourishment that it may hold out when the heate comes So the Word which enters not into the depth But having not sentertained the Word with a well setled judgement and resolved will or middest of the Heart as it ought to doe Prov. 4.21 that is which wants firme setling in the judgement which must approve it upon good knowledge as David doth Psal 119.97.128 and in the well setled resolutions of the will upon that approbation ver 106.111 reckoning before-hand what it will cost according to our Saviours counsell Luke 14.28 whereof S. Must needs fall off in time of Triall Paul warnes the Disciples Acts 14.22 shewing himselfe a precedent thereof unto them Acts 20.23 24. upon which firme resolution must be setled must needes wants meanes to hold a man fast to it in time of triall This is the Nature and fault of the Stony ground but that which is Thorny A Temporary Beleever resembled to Thorny ground and the Temporary beleever resembled thereby goes a step further for the Seed that lights upon it meeting with a deeper earth neither shoots up nor vanisheth so sodainly as the former and yet though it wither not Which bath more depth of earth more setlednesse in judgement and resolution But for the want of cleansing the heart of worldly cares and preasures failes in the end Wanting a cleare light to discover fully the excellency of Christ and the vanity of the
duties wherein they please him Object But some feele no such Spirituall life in themselves 1 Chron. 29.9 and griefe at sinfull courses Psal 119.136 What shall we thinke then of the condition of those that feele no Spirituall life at all in themselves but are alwayes complaining that they are senselesse and dead I Answer Answ 1. Their cōplaints argue that they have it For dead men as they feele not so they complaine not that a wicked man may judge himselfe to be without Spirituall life by the very judgement of Naturall Reason or being convinced by the Word but such a man feeles not his deadnesse nor is grieved at it though he may be affected with the consequents of it sometimes nor labours to get life but he that grieves and is continually unquiet in such a seeming dead condition and labours all he may to get out of it manifestly discovers to others though himselfe discerne it not that there is yet life remaining in him ◠For he that is once dead complaines nor grieves no more Yea the same persons 2. Their striving to move go on even in their greatest weaknesse farther discover some degree of Spirituall life remaining in them not onely by their striving to walke in God's wayes when they finde no ability to doe it with the Apostle Rom. 7.19 and though they cannot runne the wayes of Gods Commandements with that largenesse of heart they desire Psal 119.32 yet they move forwards according to their ability 3. Their griefe at Gods dishonour by themselves others and in the middest of their senslesnesse can be grieved both at foule dishonours done to God and at the miseries of his people As some persons being so weakned by sicknesse that they know not either what they doe or what is done unto them nor have any sense of their owne life yet are offended at the flashing of a candle in their eyes or a pinch or other violence done unto their bodies Wherefore we must needes grant a Spirituall Sense exercised in discerning good and evill Heb. By this Experience we discern 1. Good 1. God himselfe exceeding good 5.14 and by that a Spirituall Experience of both Of Good the Author whereof is God whom we taste to be Good 1 Pet. 2.3 Psal 33.8 by the experiments of his mercies in generall Psal 145.9 10. and to our selves in particular as David found in his owne case Psal 116.5 7. and righteous as he proves and shews himselfe experimentally by his workes Psal 58.11 especially faithfull to his servants By the same experience we finde the things given us of God to be good his Spirit 2. His coūsells and graces Psal 143.10 his Counsells good and that such bring great peace Psal 119.165 the work of Sanctification in us exceeding good in mortifying our corruptions in quickning to holinesse yea all the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace c. Gal. 5.22 Besides 3. The effects of his ordinances Prayer by this Experience we finde the good effects of Gods ordinances Prayer powerfull with God Psal 18.6 as appeares if not by a direct answer by message as Dan. 9.13 Act. 10.4 or voice from Heaven as Iohn 12.48 yet by reall effects Psal 116.2 3. and evidence to our own spirits Psal 66.19 20. which much easeth the heart The Word 1 Sam. 1.18 The Word searching the thoughts 1 Cor. 14.25 Heb. 4.12 Pricking the heart Act. 2.37 and subduing it to the obedience of Christ Act. 2.37 41. Converting the soule Psal 19.7 yea making wife to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 wiser then all the World Psal 119.98 99 100. Comforting the spirit ver 50. By the same Experience we discerne evill 2ly By the same Experience we discern evill The vanity of all the creatures riches and honour which make one no better then a dogge that dies in a ditch Ps 49.20 and leave him a foole at last Ier. 17.11 Wisdome and whatsoever is admired amongst men Vanity Eccles 2.15 so that by experience one findes an end of all perfection Psal 119.96 the pleasures of sinne leaving a man in all evill Prov. 5.14 without fruit Rom. 6.21 sinne it selfe out of measure sinfull as the Apostle expresseth it Rom. 7.13 making a man a very beast Psal 73.22 Withall it makes one finde the corruption of his whole nature Psal 51.5 Abomination of his righteousnesse Isa 64.6 Inability to any good Rom. 7.18 even so much as to thinke any good thing 2. Cor. 3.5 This Experience wonderfully strengthens Faith This Spirituall Experience much 1. Strengthens faith when by the events we finde all things to be as we beleeved as the Israelites beleeved God when they saw the Egyptians drowned Exod. 14.31 and David knew that God favoured him by his deliverance Psal 41 11. and his confidence that God would deliver him was because God had delivered him 1 Sam. 17.37 see 2 Tim. 2.17 18. Secondly 2. Quickens Affection Experience wonderfully quickens affections by those sensible Objects which it discovers as the sight of Iosephs chariots wonderfully revived Iacobs heart Gen. 45.27 and Gods deliverances of David wonderfully encreased his love Psal 18.1 and 116.1 It is true indeed that Faith workes more stedfastnesse and firmnesse of adherence Markes of Spirituall Affections 1. When they are kindled by Spirituall objects but Experience usually breeds the greater strength of affections These Affections we may know to be Spirituall if First they be kindled by Spirituall objects such as are the Sense of Gods Love manifested unto us in the experiments thereof in pardoning our sinnes Psal 103.3 Luke 7.47 in guiding us by his Counsell Psal 73.24 mastering our corruptions preventing our errours 1 Sam. 25.32 griefe and feare for his displeasure Psal 77.7 8. occasioned by our sins Ezra 9.15 yea for his dishonour by other mens sinnes Psal 119.136.139 Secondly 2. When they are seasonable when they are answerable to Gods dealing with us rejoycing and mourning seasonably when God calls us to either Eccl. 7.14 not preposterously 3. When they keepe the heart humble and tractable as Isa 22.12 Thirdly when they keepe us within our bounds humble and tractable like the Psalmist Psa 131.2 in a reverend feare of Gods Majesty Lastly when they provoke and quicken us to holy duties not onely of Prayer or thankesgiving but generally of all service and obedience as they doe the holy Prophet Psal 116.16 17. It is true that Yet it is only the Spirit of God which must testifie to our spirits that they are such when all is done none can assure us that our affections and motions are Spirituall but the same Spirit which workes them in us which as it testifies with our Spirit that we are Gods children Rom. 8.16 so doth it assure us that we are moved by his Spirit It cannot be prevented but that many men will deceive themselves mistaking carnall motions for Spirituall as Iehu did 2 King 10.16 But although some men think they
great difficulty brought to submit fully to Gods will revealed much more to delight in it as we ought We are now to shew what this Preparation is and wherein it specially consists There needs indeed unto this work a double Preparation Adouble Preparation needfull 1. To the undertaking and resolving upon the duty 1. For the sluggishnes of our nature First to the undertaking Secondly to the performance of this duty For the undertaking of the work it selfe we need to be prepared with a firme and constant resolution before we goe about it Partly because of the sluggishnesse of our carnall natures to holy duties and our inconstancy and unstedfastnesse in persisting and going thorough with them to the end which moved holy David to strengthen himselfe thereunto with a solemne oath Psal 119.106 and partly because we know how dangerous it is to put ones hand to the Plough and looke back againe 2. For the danger of breaking of the work begunne To this resolution we must be strengthened 1. By the sense of our ignorance and perversenesse Luk. 9.62 which moved the same Prophet to resolve and promise to perform Gods Statutes alway even to the end Ps 119.112 Now the grounds upon which our hearts must be setled in the firmnesse of such resolutions must be drawn First from the sense of our own blindnesse and ignorance who of our selves have not the knowledge nor understanding of a man as Agur acknowledgeth Prov. 30.3 as indeed every man is brutish by his owne knowledge Ier. 51.17 and withall by that ignorance of ours being alienated from the life of God and past feeling without speciall grace preventing are given over to all lasciviousnesse as the Apostle sets out such a condition Eph. 4.17 18. made to be ensnared and taken for a prey Isa 42.22 Nay besides that we are men of untractable spirits naturally averse from and opposite to all Gods Counsells Rom. 8.7 and bent in our own resolutions to doe what is good in our owne eyes though we say not so much in expresse tearmes with the Iewes Ier. 44.16 All which considerations laid together are great motives to awaken our hearts to apply our selves to the study of the Scriptures 2. By assurance that this is the onely meanes ordaned by God to help both as the onely meanes to inlighten our eyes Psal 19.7.8 and to subdue the thoughts of the heart to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Secondly we must be well assured that there is no other meanes ordained by God but the Word alone to help us out of this dangerous condition That is the light that shines unto us out of a darke place to which we must take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 the onely light to our steps Psal 119.105 Without which whosoever speakes there is no light in him Isa 20.8 now as there is no other meanes of true knowledge but the Word so we must understand that this is so full of heavenly Wisdome that it is able to make one wise to Salvation 1 Tim. 3.15 Wiser then our teachers then our enemies then the ancient Psal 119.98 99 100. And that it is not more full of wisdome then of power quicke and powerfull Heb. 4.12 the Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1.16 able to clense the wayes even of young men Ps 119.9 in a word sufficient to convert the soule Psalm 19.7 The heart of man being thus once sensible of the miserable and dangerous bondage into which it is brought by ignorance and perversnesse and being with all assured that the Word is both a lampe and light Prov. 6.23 and besides that as a fire and hammer as it is resembled Ier. 23.29 able by the power of God to master and bring under those rebellious thoughts of the spirit which no earthly power can subdue cannot but be effectually moved to a resolution and earnest desire to make use of it for the freeing himselfe in that dangerous condition in which he stands at present by his blindnesse and perversenesse of spirit As it fared with Iacob who seeing nothing before his eyes but famine and death when he had once beene informed that there was corne in Egypt resolved to have it whatsoever it cost yea though he were to hazard his beloved Benjamin in the voyage Gen. 41.1 and 43.24 As likewise upon the same consideration the lepers adventured their lives in the Assyrians campe 2 King 7.4 5. And indeed a desire kindled in the heart of a man upon such effectuall motives will neither suffer him to be idle like the slothfull man who had rather starve then labour Prov. 21.25 26. nor yet wavering and unconstant because he will still finde in himselfe the same powerfull motives urging him forward to goe on in this worke which drew him unto the undertaking of it at the beginning But the most prevalent meanes 3. By the delight which we may finde in the use of it to keep a man on constant in the use of this holy Ordinance especially with desire and cheerfulnesse is not so much the great necessity that drives him to it as the delight that he finds in the Word for the wonderfull wisedome revealed therein Psalm 119.129 the Purity of it ver 140. together with the absolute perfection of it every way which drew holy David to the continuall Meditation of it ver 96 97. yea for the sweetnesse of it ver 103. arising out of the sutablenesse of it to his sanctified Nature but most of all for the great profit that it brings sundry wayes Preparation 2. To the practise of the duty when we goe about it expressed Psal 19.7 8 11. and 119.9.11 50 98 138. Prov. 2.11 12. and 3.18 23 24. and in sundry other places A mans heart being thus confirmed with a full purpose and setled resolution to undertake and continue constantly in the study of the holy Scriptures must be more particularly prepared to the work it selfe when one goes about it In the first place one must be carefull to free himself from all incumbrances that pester the heart Secondly he must awe his heart with a holy reverence both of the Word it selfe and of him that speakes in and by it Thirdly the soule must be quickned with a spirituall appetite and desire after it Fourthly Faith must be stirred up and strengthened ot believe it Fiftly the heart must be made soft and tender to admit and entertain it Lastly all must be closed up with an effectuall prayer for the Spirits assistance to give life and power to the Word to work upon the heart and conscience effectually The first work 1. By cleansing the heart when we come to read the Scriptures is to cleanse the heart as men do the ground where they cast in their seed that we sow not among thornes Ier. 4.3 Unlesse vessels be emptied whatsoever we powre into them runnes over 1. Of all naughtiness Now the heart must be cleared in generall of all superfluity and naughtines Iames
are to labour for and to pray for and indeed when men clearely discerne the glory But when it shines to us clearly transports the heart with spirituall raptures Which sometimes fall on us in reading and necessarily cause some pause in the work in hand 1. Because the minde wholly taken up therewith cannot at present attend other things 2. Because such affections being kindled in a sluggish heart need to be fomented lest they goeout like fire in greene wood and beauty of those heavenly Mysteries and taste the goodnesse of them they cannot but ravish readers with admiration as Psal 119.29 bring the heart to value them at an inestimable rate ver 72.127 transport them with strong and heavenly affections towards them of love ver 97. desire ver 131. and joy ver 111.162 It happens somtimes that such Spirituall Raptures seize on a man even while he is reading the Scriptures as the Disciples hearts burned within them whilest our Saviour talked with them going to Emaus Luke 24.32 whereupon the heart opens it selfe to close with and draw in that ravishing Object as it is probable Davids did Psal 119.131 which will necessarily enforce him to make some pause in the worke which he hath in hand for a little while which must need happen partly because the minde while it is wholly taken up with that truth which it embraceth cannot easily attend any thing else at that present as it falls out that when a mans eyes are dazled with beholding the Sunne they can for the present see nothing else perfectly And partly because such new begotten affections seeing they are kindled in an heart too sluggish of it selfe neede to be cherished and kept alive lest they languish and grow cold againe as fire if it be kindled in greene wood goeth quickly out if it be not quickned a while by blowing Such short pauses upon such occasions if they happen to us in reading the Scriptures rather further then hinder us in our work For a godly spirit quickned by such sweet refreshings receives encrease of alacrity and is thereby strengthened to goe on with much greater life to the end of this holy exercise which by such an help is if not more speedily yet doubtlesse more effectually and to better purpose performed The truth is such a pause neede not detaine us long but the affections being refreshed by some short meditation on that which moves them a man may set on to the worke againe and after that is fully ended he may resume againe into his thoughts and satisfie himselfe with the fuller contemplation of that object that so much affected him CAP. XI Of duties after Reading the Scriptures especially Meditation and Prayer TOo many Readers of Gods Word The error of such as content themselves with bare reading without meditation afterwards are like unto the person described Iames 1.24 who beholding his face in a glasse goeth his way and forgets of what shape he was Or like Ezekiels hearers who as soone as they had pleased their eares with his Sermons laid aside the thoughts of what they had heard out of their hearts and still went on in their old wayes of covetous practise Ezek. 33.31 32. In like manner fares it with these men when the Chapter is read the worke is ended in their opinion the Bible is laid aside and together with it all thoughts of all that they have read as if there were no farther use to be made of that holy exercise It may be probably conceived And the cause of it that these men are drawne to this duty rather out of conviction of conscience that such a duty ought to be performed or by love of the credit either of knowledge or of the forme of godlinesse rather then by any true desire either of a comfortable communion with God in the holy use of his ordinances or of the excellent fruits of this holy exercise the encrease of knowledge of God and Christ which the Word brings Iohn 15.39 with like encrease of every other grace the converting of the Soul Ps 19.7 cleansing of ones wayes Psal 119.9 subduing the thoughts to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 and making the man of God perfect to every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 so that it is no marvell if God in Justice deny these men those fruits of Grace The end of studying the Scriptures is not only knowledge but practise and Sanctification which they never desired Wherefore seeing practise and not bare knowledge is or should be the end and fruit of the study of the Scriptures as Moses expresly tells us Deut. 29.29 we must conceive that after we have read them the greatest and hardest part of the task is still behinde 1. We must therefore Meditate upon what we have read Wherefore after we have read any part of Scripture our speciall care must be when we have done to recount and revolve in our mindes those things that we have read and to meditate on them seriously Herein our first labour must be to finde out the true sense and meaning of the words 2. Searching out the true Sense and scope of the word which we have read 3. Singling out and applying what is of more speciall use to our selves 4. Working those things upon our hearts till they warm our affections 5. Advising how we may bring them into practise together with the scope unto which they are directed Secondly having discreetly chosen out such things as we judge to be of greatest use to our selves for the building of our faith or directing our practise we must carefully apply them to our selves our conditions and occasions Thirdly after that is done we must whet them upon our hearts till they warme and quicken our affections Lastly we must advise about and resolve upon the meanes to bring all into practise Such places of Scripture as either expresse unto us Mysteries hard to be understood or set them out in darke and unusuall Phrases of speech of which sort S. Peter tells there be many in Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3.16 need to be the more diligently scanned and if our own understanding be too weak to search into the meaning of them we may doe well to make use of other mens writings or conference But for finding out of the scope of any place of Scripture there needes a wise Judgement directed by the due consideration of the precedents and consequents Though all Scriptures be usefull every way yet some may concerne us more particularly compared with the substance of the matter handled in that place which we have in hand In the Second place though all Scripture be profitable for doctrine reproofe c. 2 Tim. 3.17 and so no part of it must be slightly passed over yet seeing some things therein delivered may more nearely concerne us in respect of our dispositions condition of life and accidentall occurrents our care must be in reading to single out such things as we finde fittest for our selves
4. Recordation and application afterward hearing of the word without recordation meditation and particular application after we have heard profits not much more then our meats do without digestion Adde unto all these 5. Instructions to the family 6. Works of mercy instructions to the family Works of mercy in visiting of the sick comforting the afflicted relieving the poor c. and we shall find little spare-time left on the Lords day for other then religious and holy employments As for the objection that the Jews are precisely restrained from going out of their places to gather Manna on the Sabbath day or kindle a fire throughout their habitations on that day Exod. 35.3 For the restraint from going out to gather Manna we know that must needs be taken away when Manna ceased and bound the Jews no longer who had liberty otherwise not only to go out of their places but to go small journies on the Sabbath daies as appears Acts 1.12 As for the inhibition to kindle a fire on the Sabbath day some conceive it respected only the building of the Tabernacle which work though God would have hastned yet he would not have the rest of the Sabbath violated for the furthering thereof nor so much as a fire kindled in any of their tents about that work to which they alleage that charge of building the Tabernacle and of forbidding work on the Sabbath day go both together both Gods direction to Moses Exod. 13.11 13. and in the delivery thereof to the people Exod. 35.2 3 4. Howsoever that inhibition of kindling fire was but temporary during the Israelites peregrination in the wildernesse The reasons by which it appears that this restraint of kindling a fire on the Sabbath day was only temporary Restraint from kindling a fire on the Sabbath was but temporary 1. It hath not the form of a continuing ordinance 2. It crosseth our Saviours rule The Sabbath was made for man 3. The loosing of a beast on the Sabbath allowed 4. Christ was at a great feast on the Sabbath which could not be without a fire are these First we find not the usuall clause which is added in most ordinances which were to continue added in this restraint that it should be observed throughout their generations Secondly this seems to crosse our Saviours generall rule Mark 2.27 That the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath he means for mans comfort and refreshing for which kindling of fire and dressing of meat may be and are in a sort necessary Thirdly our Saviour allows the loosing of a beast from the stall and leading of him to the water on the Sabbath day now we know the beast might be provided for by setting water in the stall over-night which would refresh it sufficiently and better then meat dressed overnight could comfort many men Fourthly we find our Saviour present at a great feast Luk. 14.1 where many and it seems persons of quality vers 7.12 were bidden now it is very unlikely that the provisions for that feast were dressed over night and if it were dressed on that day neither would the Pharisee have permitted nor our Saviour have countenanced the dinner with his presence if dressing of meat kindling of fires on the Sabbath day had been forbidden by the law Now why the dressing of Manna while the Israelites were in their peregrination in the wildernesse was forbidden though the dressing of other meats might be allowed afterwards there may be some reason given For Manna it may be might be as good and comfortable eaten cold as hot and the preparing overnight might be no inconvenience at all howsoever it is out of question that in that unsetled condition of the Israelites wandring in the wildernesse when they were enforced to pick up fewell where they could get it baking and boyling must needs be more troublesome and laborious then it was afterwards in Canaan where being setled in their dwellings they had all things whereof they were to make use for such works provided and ready at hand But to conclude suppose the strictnesse of the rest unto which the Iews were bound Howsoever such strictnesse of rest was not required of them by the fourth Commandement to have been as great as they imagine it must needs be granted that there is no clause in the fourth Commandement that enjoyns it which requires no more then a rest from our ordinary secular employments that we may be at leisure to attend wholly upon the duties of religious worship that we consecrate the whole day unto God as the words of that law do cleerly expresse it So the rest of the laws that enjoyn such strictnesse of rest being taken away the fourth Commandement may remain fully in force in every clause of it And as it hath been already intimated it concerns us to take speciall notice of Gods expression Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work by which he can mean nothing else but the works of our particular callings which only may be properly called our works for there be generall works which be proper to all callings and subordinate thereunto as to eat and drink and to cloath our selves and to make use of the rest of the comforts of this life by which we are strengthned and enabled to labour in our particular callings These cannot properly be called our works and are as well to be done on the Sabbath as on other days with this difference only that whereas they are done on other days to enable us to labour they are to be done on the Sabbath to strengthen us to holy duties These reasons which we have laid down before amount to little lesse then a Demonstration that the rest of the Sabbath must be the rest of a whole day or the seventh part of the week which we Christians have both as much cause and as much need to consecrate unto God as ever the Iews had in times past And that we may do it with as little detriment to our selves in our secular affairs and with as much assurance to have our labours of six days so blessed that they shall be sufficient for the dispatch of our needfull employments is evident by the reason which is annexed to that Commandement which proves it by the creation of the world by God in six days a ground of faith which concerns us as well as the Iews Wherefore seeing we have as great reason as great helps and as great encouragements by the assurance of Gods blessing upon our six days labour to sanctifie an entire day of holy rest unto God as the Iews had And seeing the expresse words of the law appoint the whole day to be consecrated unto God why should not we take our selves to be as strongly bound as the Iews were to the keeping of the holy rest of this whole day which we call the Sabbath seeing there appears no sufficient reason why we should judge any jot or title of this law
to be taken away For as for those allegations that the rest of the Sabbath was a type of Christs rest in the grave and a part of the Iewish bondage how little force they have we have shewed before Now then if it evidently appear to all that will consider things with any indifferency by all that we have said that neither the resting from our labour one day in seven nor the continuing of that rest for the whole day nor yet the strictnesse of any rest enjoyned by the fourth Commandement are either as ceremonious or upon any other ground to be altered neither that the particular day of rest which now by Christs resurrection is altered from the last to the first day of the week is there commanded otherwise then in a generall rule equally communicable both to the Iewish and Christian Sabbath there appears no necessity of granting any thing to be mutable in this fourth Commandement more then in any of the laws of the Decalogue It hath been intimated before that mens mistake of the right interpretation of the fourth Commandement hath been a great occasion of questioning the perpetuity and immutability of the morall law and of how dangerous consequent it is to admit that there is any thing mutable therein experience teacheth us when we find how ready men are to embrace and hold that dangerous errour of casting aside the whole law and that so far as to deny it to be a rule of direction unto us Christians in the course of our practice whereby they open a wide gap to all licentiousnesse and by that means overthrow the very life and power of godlinesse to the high dishonour of God and to the extream perill of their own souls so that we see how neerly it concerns all such as have any true zeal for the furthering of Gods honour and their own salvation and their brethrens to endeavour by all the means that they can the establishing and maintaining of this truth that the morall law given by God to Adam in the beginning and renewed afterwards by Moses upon mount Sinai is an everlasting rule left by God unto his Church for the right ordering and guiding them in all their ways The premises then being duly weighed and layed together we have a sufficient ground to argue in this manner All the laws written in the Decalogue are morall and immutable in all things But the fourth Commandement concerning the observation of the Sabbath day is one of the laws of the Decalogue Therefore this law of the Sabbath is perpetuall and unchangeable in all things which are concerned therein And so much concerning the morality and perpetuity of the fourth Commandement in the Decalogue by way of digression SECT IV. A continuation of the consideration of the rest of the Laws recorded in the Scripture with such instructions as may be drawn from them HAving now established the perpetuity of that Law which we call Morall in all the Commandements thereof it is time to returne to that from which we digressed namely the delivering of rules for our direction in drawing out observations from the Laws recorded in Scripture for our instruction and there being three kinds of these Laws Morall Judiciall Ceremoniall as we have shewed before of these the Morall law comes first to be considered Now that Law being given to Adam the roote of mankind and that not so much to his person as to the nature of man which was wholly in him when he received this Law from God and consequently binding all those who are partakers of that nature it must needs be acknowledged that whatsoever commands we find therein we must guide our selves by as the rule of our practice Which that we may the better doe it will be needfull to lay before us some rules All duties to God and man are commanded in the Morall Law that may direct us in the right interpretation of these Commandements Before we give these rules it will be necessary to lay before us this evident ground of truth that these ten words as they are called comprise all the heads of duties to be performed both to God and man This is clearly manifested by our Saviours answer to the Lawyer that tempted him Luke 10.26 enquiring what he might doe to inherit eternall life to whom Christ replies that whatsoever duty was needfull to the attaining thereof was to be found in the commandements where he wils him to seek it Now these precepts being delivered in such briefe expressions as they are it must needs follow that every one of the tearms in them must needs be of exceeding large comprehension First therefore Rules for interpreting the Law whereas we find these Laws of the Decalogue penned some in the form of a command and most of them in the forme of a prohibition Rule 1 we must conceive that under every command there is implied a prohibition of whatsoever is contrary to what is commanded All the Commandements forbidding any sinne command the contrary duty and commanding the duty forbid the opposite sin and in every prohibition a command of all duties opposite to that which is forbidden For example in the second Commandement which under the name of Images forbids the inventing or using of any form of worship of mans devising there is withall commanded the worship of God according to his own will in the use of the ordinances prescribed and warranted by his Word as prayer and hearing of the Word receiving the Sacraments c. And in the third Commandement under the prohibition of taking Gods name in vaine is commanded the taking up of it with all holy reverence and feare Secondly Rule 2 under the name of any duty commanded there is required not only the performance of the outward act of that duty The Law besides the outward act requires the obedience of the heart but withall the inward obedience of the heart to the Law which requires it Rom. 6.17 and the letting out of all the affections of the soule in the performance of it as Psal 119.167 the Prophet professeth that his soul had kept Gods Testimonies and that he did love them exceedingly whence it is that both our Saviour Christ and his Apostles after him both comprise all duties commanded in the Law under the name of Love being an affection of the heart and tell us that the holy affection of love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 implying that whatsoever the act be which we perform yet if it proceed not from that holy disposition of the heart And the use of all helps to any duty commanded it is not answerable to the Law Againe together with the duty commanded in any Law there is required the use of all helps and meanes which may further us thereunto on the other side where any sinne is forbidden there the inward roote of that evill And forbids the originall corruption of the heart with all motions flowing from thence even as far
represented to the Jews Christ to come as did their Passeover sacrifices scapegoat c. or they were outward shadows of inward sanctification such as were many of their washings separating and cleansing of leapers c. As for the former sort of these which under divers types point us out Christ to come we are more particularly to observe that they represent him as a sacrifice for sin a lamb slain from the beginning of the world the scape-goat sets out the fruit of his suffering the utter removing from us carrying away our sins into the wildernesse that they may never appear nor be remembred against us any more the like representations we have in many of the rest By which we learn that as from the beginning there was no other name by which men might be saved but only the name of Jesus Christ promised to our first Parents expected by the Patriarchs and both to them after they were formed into a state represented many ways although under figures and shadows so they were to expect salvation by him no other way but by his death nor any other salvation then by taking our sins upon him and thereby making our peace with God his Father This consideration is a great means to strengthen our faith when we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses testifying that truth which we believe in all ages from the beginning The second sort of ceremonies are such as are under the figures of washings 2. As under legall washing sanctification is shadowed we are taught to cleanse our selves in drawing neer unto God legall separations and purifications and the like represented to the Iews that inward purity and cleansing of the heart which God requires in all his people especially those that draw neer unto him in the performance of such duties of his worship as he hath commanded unto this the Psalmist alludes in that expression of his Psal 26.6 as likewise doth the Prophet Isa 1.16 Now although we are freed from those outward ceremonies the observation thereof notwithstanding seeing we are every way as much bound as the Iews ever were to labour after inward holinesse and the cleansing of our selves from all filthinesse both of the flesh and of the spirit and the keeping of our hearts and consciences pure and undefiled we may and ought by the reading of these laws to be stirred up to the practice of that inward duty of sanctification which those outward ceremonies represented especially when we draw neer unto God in those holy exercises of prayer that we may lift up holy hands as we are exhorted 1 Tim. 2.8 and in hearing purging out of all naught inesse and superfluity of malitiousnesse as we are warned Jam. 1.2 that we may receive the word with meeknesse into honest and good hearts Luk. 8.15 in which only it is fruitfull and so in other like duties In generall all those ceremonies of what kind soever 3. The burthensomnesse of those ceremonies may encourage us to more cheerfulnesse in our more easie services whether types of Christ or shadows of inward holinesse being every way so burthensome as Saint Peter affirms Act. 15.10 both in respect of toilsome labour and of the great charges and expence about them And when all was done being so dark and obscure that the Children of Israel could not look unto the end of that which is abolished as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3.13 that whole frame of service and worship wherein the Iews were exercised being compared with those ordinances which Christ hath left unto us so easie so cheap so few in number and yet so plain that now we behold as with open face the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.13 14. the reading of that law of ceremonies and the comparing of their manner of worship in them with ours may teach us two things Acknowledging thankfully the liberty purchased to us by Christ First to raise up our hearts to a thankfull acknowledgement of Gods great mercy to us who hath been pleased by Iesus Christ to take off that heavy yoke from our shoulders and to set us at liberty in comparison of them Galat. 5.1 which should be a great inducement unto us not only to bear but to take up that easie yoke as he himself calls it Matth. 11.29 and to be constant in the cheerfull use of those holy and quickening ordinances which Christ hath left unto his Church and that without any wearinesse at all or any murmuring at our condition Secondly seeing those laws had no more but shadows of good things to come And bewailing our blindnesse in this cleer sunshine of the Gospel but had not the things themselves as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.1 and even those shadows too but in carnall ordinances as they are called Heb. 9.10 whereas we now have the things themselves and those also represented unto us in a more spirituall way Let it be in the reading of those ordinances and comparing them with the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles wherein both Christs himself and the things freely given us by God in him are so fully and cleerly set before us that he that runs may read them be an effectuall means to move us to reflect upon our selves that bewailing our blindnesse in so clear a light shining out unto us like the Sun in his strength and our deadnesse of heart in the use of these spirituall and quickning means which the Lord hath so gratiously afforded unto us May be stirred up to labour for more knowledge as having more effectuall means to obtain them we may with all earnestnesse and constancy labour to attain to a greater measure of knowledge faith and of every other grace and unto more fruitfulnesse in every good work especially unto more life and fervency of affection in the duties of Gods worship One thing more it may be fit for us to take into consideration in the reading of the ceremoniall law which is this 5. Though we use not the ceremonies themselves yet we may draw rules from them for our direction Howsoever those ceremonies be abolished yet wheresoever they are directed to an end which is common to us with them there though we observe not the ceremony it self yet we from them draw a rule which may be of use unto us in the duties of our worship As for example our Ordinances and the Jewish agree in this that as they are holy so they ought to be kept holy and free from pollution by excluding unclean persons from the use of them The care of this under the law was committed to the Priests who had the charge of the holy things and are therefore justly taxed for neglect of their duty in not keeping strangers and uncircumcised persons from the sanctuary from those holy things that were offered therein Ezek. 44.7 8. Now seeing our ordinances are in all respects as holy as those of the Iews were the charge of keeping their holy things undefiled
pray constantly to him that hath the Key of David to unlock thy Vnderstanding and use such helps as the Lord affordeth thee And when thou Doubtest fail not to goe to the Master of the Assembly Eccles 12.11 Seek the Law at his mouth for so thou oughtest to doe Malac 2.7 To help a bad memory doe this read with Leisure and Intention Meditate with Delight this feeds the soul Conferre with others at all opportunities especially with those whom God hath set neare thee or given thee in Charge as Psal 34.11 Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. c. 11.18 19 20. Apply the Promises to thy selfe with joy Consider the Threatnings with Fear and Trembling Isaiah 66.5 Psa 119.120 But above all Helps if thou wouldest have thy profiting appear indeed when soever God hath taught thee any Duty fall straightway in hand therewith to Practise it thence forward 4. This course if carefully observed will speedily bring thee acquainted with God and his whole Counsell revealed in his Word It will inform thee of his good will towards thee and what great things he hath done for thy soul and likewise what duties he requires at thy hand It will forewarn thee of all the enemies that way-lye thee and of their great wrath malice subtilties and power and not onely so but which is all in all it will furnish thee with Wisedome to foresee with Courage to stand and Power to withstand and Armour even the whole Armour of God Ephes 6.10 17. wherewith to encounter and overcome the World the Devill and the Flesh It will inform thee of the endlesse Ioyes and ineffable Treasures of Heaven that thou mayest covet them earnestly and inherit them and also of the insupportable Torments and unquenchable Fire of Hell to avoid them By this thy Conscionable Practice the work of the Minister shall be more profitable unto thee and lesse grievous to him the word of God shall dwell richly in thee and also thou shalt be able to render a reason of the Faith that is in thee whereas without this Diligence he that is Ignorant doth often live and dye so even under a Powerfull Ministery By this means God blessing it to us Christs kingdome shall come into our hearts with Power and his Scepter which is his Word will bear Sway and Rule in all private Families amongst us even in those Families which hitherto have forgotten the Name of their God and walking on still in Darknesse as without God in the World Have counted those great things of Gods Law as a strange thing Hos 8.12 5. If these Motives availe not to winne thee to a liking of the Word and the Practising of it consider further what need thou hast of it and what it is which thou despisest in rejecting it Thy heart is as hard as a stone in thee but this Word is as a hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Jer. 23.29 It is also a salve to heale and cure a broken and contrite heart Psal 107.20 All holy zeal and Spirituall desires are extinct in thee but this Word is a Fire to kindle Holy Affections in thee it is his Furnace to purge out the drosse of thy Naturall Corruptions Yea it is as water to wash away uncleannesse Iohn 15.3 In a word the Virtues and Operations of it are innumerable and for its worth man cannot utter it It is strengthning as Bread quenching thirst after sinne as Drinke Chearing as Wine Sweet as Honey Enriching as Gold Quick and Powerfull sharper then any two-edged Sword It is the word of Gods power even The power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 6. Up then and be doing Work out thy Salvation They that stand all the day idle receive no wages and the ignorant have no promise of life but they that are wise that turn many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for ever and ever The hand of the Diligent maketh rich but the field of the man void of Vnderstanding is all grown over with Thorns Ignorance of the Scriptures is the mother of Error Matth. 22.29 leaving a gappe open to all Lewdnesse Riot and Exorbitancy Thinkest thou to have Eternall life in the Scriptures and yet art not acquainted with them The Promise is Seek and you shall finde And thou mayest seek Eternall life and Jesus Christ the Authour and giver of Life where he is to be found he commands thee to search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 To goe further yet our Saviour intimates to us that the Iews would never have troubled him so often with sleight questions if they had used to read the Scriptures as diligently as they ought And when they posed him he usually sent them to read the Scriptures for their answer So Luke 10.26 he returns one to learn his Duty What is written in the Law How readest thou And so others of them Mat. 12.3 Have ye not read what David did And vers 5. Have ye not read in the Law c. So likewise Matth. 21.16 So that the reading of the holy Scripture is a Duty that our Saviour pressed often And his exhortation before quoted Iohn 5.39 is to all Neither should thy worldly imployments hinder thy performance of this Duty for even the king though he might plead the greatest hinderances of any whatsoever even the weighty affairs of his Kingdome was not exempted from this daily task the reading of the Word of God Deut. 17.19 Here is both Precept and Promise Yea this Practise hath a Blessing Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth c. 7. And that thou mayst not be discouraged either through thy own incapacity or its obscurity know that this course of exercising in the Word of God is blessed with happy successe from the first medling with it and that even to the weakest Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple But if after all these Incitements thou count thy self unworthy of eternall life and wilt not lay hold of it I must also put thee in mind ere I leave thee that where these Blessings take no place there the Curse enters When they that search the Scriptures finde Eternall life they that neglect them will finde Eternall death When the Wise and Diligent enter into their Masters Joy the Slothfull and Foolish will be thrust into Hell Consider what the Scripture saith and the Lord give thee Understanding in all things  Ianuary A. February D. March D. 1 Gen. 1 2. Mat. 1 13 14. 4 2 3. 16 2 3 4. 2 15 16. 5 4 5. 17 3 5 6. 3 17 18. 6 6 7. 18 4 7 8. 4 19 20. 7 8 9. 19 5 9 10. 5 21 22. 8 10 11. 20 6 11 12. 6 23 24. 9 12 13. 21 7 13 14. 7 25 26. 10 14 15. 22 8 15 16. 8 27 28. 11 16 17. 23 9 17 18. 9 29 30. 12 18 19. 24 10 19 20. 10 31 32. 13 20 21. Joh. 1 11 21 22. 11 33 34. 14 22
some subject or other as that Fire is hot and Snow cold Sometimes the very subject it selfe if it be a thing invisible is likewise discovered by Experience As by Experience I know that there be Windes though I never saw them because I have heard the sound and felt the violence of them as our Saviour speakes Iohn 3.8 So the Experience of Gods Workes manifests that there is a God Ps 58.11 though no man hath seene him at any time John 1.18 That there is such a kinde of Naturall Experience as we have spoken of That there is Naturall Experience all acknowledge all men will readily acknowledge because all men finde it in themselves whether there be any Spirituall Experience it is no marvell though many men doubt because there be so few that have it For if few men had the sense of sight and all the rest of the world were blinde the generality of men that never had the benefit of seeing might perhaps doubt whether there were any such thing as light or colours or sight or no. Now that there must be Spirituall Experience if there be Spirituall Sense no man can deny And that there is such Spirituall Sense is evident by the Apostles Testimonies expresly naming Senses by which men discerne betwixt good and evill Heb. 5.14 And when Moses acknowledgeth that the Israelites had seene Gods wonders And there is Spirituall Experience is proved and yet denies that they had eyes to see Deut. 29.4 he evidently implyes that there is a double Sense one outward and Naturall and another inward and Spirituall To make this truth that there is such a Spiritull Sense yet more manifest If there be Spirituall Sense there must needs be Spirituall Experience There is such a Spirituall Sense let us but consider Godly mens Affections and whence and how they are raised For that affections are most commonly and alwaies most effectually moved by fense it is evident wherefore if there be Spirituall Affections it must needs be granted that there be Spirituall Senses that move them Now that Davids longing after God Psal 42.1.21 Panting after his Word Psal 119.140 Delight in the sweetnesse of it ver 103. 1. Because there are Spirituall Affections Trembling at his presence ver 120. Griefe for breach of his Laws ver 136. Zeale for it ver 139. and for his house Psal 69.9 are Spirituall affections is apparent seeing they were raised by Spirituall objects and consequently the Sense that apprehending them begat these Affections must be Spirituall 2. Because there is an ability to discerne and distinguish both Naturall Affections from Spirituall A farther argument that these Senses are Spirituall is this that by them men are able to discover not onely Spirituall things from Carnall but Spirituall things themselves one from another comparing Spirituall things with Spirituall things as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 2.13 And that not onely in their generall natures for so farre the understanding may judge of them but the very particular subsistence of the things themselves And Spiritual things one from another Thus a Godly man that hath the motions of carnall joyes feares sorrows c. when he feeles the like affections in Spirituall things is able to say of both this feare joy or griefe is Spirituall and that is carnall And when he hath felt Spirituall Agonies and heart-breakings is able to say when they come againe these are the very same that afflicted my soule heretofore as a woman that hath felt the Throwes of Child-birth can say when she feeles them againe these are the paines of travell Againe 3 Because men finde inward comfort and ease by Spirituall objects But none in outward and carnall things when Godly men finding themselves afflicted in spirit finde by their owne experience that carnall comforts releeve and ease them no more then Iacobs Children and Wives did him Gen. 37.35 or then Iobs friends helped him in his distresse whom he calls Miserable comforters Iob 16.2 But for all that carnall reason can say unto them they remaine still in darknesse without light as the Prophet speakes Isa 50.10 till God make them heare the voyce of Joy and Gladnesse Psal 51.8 till a Messenger in his Name assure them that there is a ransome accepted for them Iob 33.24 I say when carnall comforts worke nothing on them but onely Spirituall comforts ease their hearts as Gods word quickned David Psal 119.50.92 it manifestly discovers a Spirituall sense within which is affected with nothing but that which is Spirituall Of this Spirituall Sense 4. Because the same spirituall objects that affect the godly at some times at other times affect them not this is a farther Evidence that the same things proposed to the same or divers men though all godly affect them not alike at all times sometimes moving the heart in a strong manner whereas at another time they have little or no operation at all That message that God had accepted a Ransome had a great effect upon that distressed Man Iob 33.24 in reviving his spirit the same message by the mouth of Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 wrought nothing for the present upon Davids heart which remained broken still Psal 51.8 And generally all godly men finde by their owne experience that those instructions reproofes and consolations which at some times awaken wound and revive their spirits at another move them no more either way then a charme doth a deafe Adder as the Psalmist speakes Psal 58.4 Which must needs happen because Spirituall Sense is at sometimes bepummed and awakened at other times Now they being still men of spirituall mindes and at all times understanding alike those things that are proposed no reason can be given why they are so ineffectuall at one time and powerfull at another but this that at some times Spirituall Sense being benummed they then heare onely by the hearing of the eare as Job speakes Iob 42.5 but at other times when those senses be awakened they taste and see and feele the same and consequently are affected as Iob was in that place and Iacob when he saw the Chariots sent to bring him into Egypt Gen. 45.27 No man knowes that he lives but by sense 5. Because we know that we have in us Spirituall Life which cannot be felt but by Spirituall Sense Naturally by Naturall sense and Spiritually by Spirituall Sense for the Naturall man understands not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 Now godly men know that they live by Faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2.10 and feele in themselves the operations and motions of the Spirituall life both in seeking after those things that cherish it as Gods Law and Word Psal 119.130 131. Good company ver 63. and 101. especially Gods Spirit Psal 51.12 as also by shunning whatsoever might impaire it as evill practises Psal 119.101 wicked company ver 115. and by their delight in things agreeable to them Gods Love Psal 116.7 Holy