might be occupied about worldly busines when other men should rest from them For the Lord beginneth with them first saying Thou euen thou that art a father a master a gouernour and hast any within thy gouernment and vnder thy hand as it were within thy gates And al that be in subiection And as the gouernour may not pretend his authoritie for excuse as though hee might escape by that no more may the inferiour his subiection as though that should hide him seeing the Lord who is gouernour of both speaketh vnto both and nameth both whether he be sonne or daughter manseruant or maydseruant bond or free borne at home or a stranger as it is in the words of the text And there is great reason of this if we consider the subiects themselues and especially the seruāts As seruants especially whose condition were intolerable and not to be borne if when they haue for many daies been wearied with continuall labour they should not haue some good time to rest in and the Lord in his wisedom hath appoynted one whole day in seuen and therefore no lesse can be giuen And seeing that the rest was made for man that is Mark 2.27 appointed for the benefit and commoditie of man there can be no shewe of reason that they should want it who doe stand in most neede of the benefite of it but because it is most commodious vnto seruants it ought especially to be affoorded vnto them And therfore Exod. 23. Exod. 23.12 where this lawe is repeated hee bringeth this reason That the sonne and the mayd and the stranger should rest namely Arias Mont. Vattabl Tremel Deut. 5.14 that he might bee refreshed thereby and as it were take his breath as the word doth import and is so translated by the most skilfull in that tongue And in Deut. when Moses would perswade the gouernours willingly to bestow vpon their seruants this benefit of rest he willeth them to remember the heauie bondage of Egypt in the which they had no rest that by their own experience they might confesse that it was equall and iust before God and men that the wearied seruants should haue rest Master Caluin vpon this place sayth Let thy seruant rest and why For thou wast sometime in bondage Caluin vpon Deut. 5. Ser. 35 the time hath been thou couldest haue wished that one had giuen thee some rest and release from thy labours thou oughtest then to vse such gentlenes towards them which are vnder thy hand If thou wert in bondage wouldest thou not that one should giue thee some release Wouldest thou alwayes bee oppressed with labour and trauaile Surely by thy good will thou wouldest not it behoueth then that thou beare also with others And how full of discomfort and continuall miserie should their liues be if this comfortable refreshing common vnto all the creatures euen to the oxe and the asse should bee denied vnto them Moreouer if the masters doe but looke to their owne priuate gaine they may bee induced to shewe this mercie vnto their seruants that thereby they might be more inabled vnto all new dueties of their calling the weeke following hauing thereby renewed their strength which otherwise would haue decayed which when it is not in that conuenient measure extended towards them that the Lord requireth some of them fall into sicknes others into great weakenes and manifold aches lamenes in their limmes or haue their bodies consumed and their bloud dried vp before the naturall terme of their life bee expired wherein besides the crueltie offered vnto their persons they doe wrong vnto themselues that they cannot inioy their labours so long and with so great profite as otherwise no doubt they might doe And this is that which Master Caluin in the same place obserueth Caluin ibid. When you shall haue this consideration namely of dealing thus mercifully with your seruants then shall you knowe that this day shall further serue you for some earthly profite and commoditie albeit in the meane time this is not that you ought to seeke after To speake in a word our Lord in this place declareth vnto vs that which in like manner hath been pronounced by Iesus Christ Matth. 6.33 that when we shall seeke the kingdome of God all other things shall be cast vpon vs. But last of all if wee looke into that which is the chiefest the honor and seruice of God in sanctifying the Sabbath which he as straightly requireth at the hands of the seruants as of the masters Ephe. 6.9 Coloss 3.11 seeing there is no respect of persons before him neither Grecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond or free For he that is called in the Lord being a seruant 1. Cor. 7.22 is the Lords freeman Likewise also he that is called being free is Christs seruant Therefore that they might serue their high Lord and heauenly master who is aboue all and Lord ouer al vpon the seuenth day as they haue serued their earthly masters vpon the sixe we must needes confesse that they also ought to rest from those workes of their calling which otherwise would hinder them in it or altogether keepe them from it vnles besides the hinderance of their saluation wee would set our selues against the glorie of God to our endles confusion whilest wee hinder them from doing that seruice that he requireth of them seeing because of our busines they can in no wise performe it vnto him The like is to bee sayd in some part of the beasts The cattell must rest vpon this day as the oxe and the asse or any other cattell as wee haue alreadie heard it Deut. 5.14 that they also might haue the benefite of rest which they cannot want that so they might more commodiously be preserued for the vse of man for the which purpose they were made in the beginning and which is the very end of this rest And therefore it is sayd of them also In the seuenth day thou shalt rest Exod. 23.12 that thine oxe and thine asse may rest and be refreshed But chiefly and aboue all this was commanded vnto them that thereby as by a sure bond themselues might bee kept vnder obedience of this rest whom it did most of al concerne when they did see that the beasts themselues might not breake beyond the libertie of it of whom notwithstanding the Lord had a lesse principall regard but as they might be seruiceable vnto men in this behalfe Euen as Master Caluin doth very plainly lay it foorth intreating of this matter Caluin vpon Deut. ◠ser 35. This was to the end the Iewes seeing the stables closed vp should be put in minde to say God setteth here before our eyes this signe euē in the bruit beasts and this is to the end that wee on our part should be the better kept and holden in his seruice Thus it behoued the Iewes deeplie to weigh euen in the bruit beasts this visible
quaest 123. art 4. Opus seruile ad salutem alterius non violat Sabbathum A bodily labour that is taken in hand for the health of another doth not breake the Sabbath inde est and hereunto it is lawfull to giue phisicke vnto all men vpon the Sabbath day And that I might not staÌ„d long in the particulars which are infinite if there bee any sodaine interruption of waters if any casualtie by fire vpon mens houses or gooâ—â— if any breaking into shops or houses by theeues or such like we ought so to meete with these present occasions which by no wisedome could haue beene preuented at another time for they were but nowe seene nay they did but euen nowe offer and shewe themselues as may most seem for the benefit of men in preseruing the creatures which as they were made in the beginning so are still to be preserued for his vse neither can they decay without his great losse and hinderance in so much that vpon these occasions men may not only be absent from the Church but also if they were nowe in the mids of Gods seruice might safely depart from it yea somtimes vnto the leauing of no one person in the Church And to this purpose is the similitude of a learned man Beda in Mar. 2. Talis haec causa c. Herein the cause that mooues men is such as in the day of a publike fast wherein Si quis aeger leiuniuÌ„ corrumperet nulla ratione reus tenetur If any man through sicknes be driuen to eate and so breake the fast in no wise he is to be condemned Last of all not onely men Many things of necessitie must be done to the cattell vpon this day but the bruite beasts must haue all such dueties performed vnto them which of necessitie they cannot want without their perill as the cattell must bee foddered in the winter time and the beasts must be milked at all times of the yeare and the oxe must be loosed from the stall and driuen to the water Luk 13.15 And this is that which our Sauiour Christ me liueth when he sayth in this chapter of Matth. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice In the which place he doth not refuse sacrifices for they were commanded by God but he speaketh in comparison as though he had sayd The Lord had rather haue mercie shewed to men then sacrifice offered to himselfe so that comparing these dueties mercie with sacrifice he preferreth the one before the other and sayth hee had rather haue this then that when both of them cannot be had together but if the one but performed the other must bee neglected then would he haue vs leaue the sacrifice and shew mercie in helping others Gen. 2.24 So that as it is sayd in another case A man shall leaue his father and mother and cleaue to his wife Not meaning the he should altogether forsake them but shewing that the bond of marriage is greater then the bond of nature betweene parents and children and therefore the duties more necessarily required he compareth the one with the other and sayth that if present duetie be required of me to my parents and yet at the same time my wife standeth in neede of my helpe so that I cannot doe both together but must needes leaue one vndone I must make choyce of the wife as the principall and forsake the father in comparison of her Euen so the spirit of God here by sacrifice at by one kinde meaning generally the whole worship of God he would haue vs so to offer it vnto him as that in the meane season wee neglect no occasioÌ„ of shewing mercie vnto any of his creatures which he offereth vnto vs but rather first of all to shew mercie and then to offer sacrifice As he sayth in another place First be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Matth. 5.22 For seeing that the whole seruice of God is ordained for this cause among many others that we might be made more fit to helpe our brethren and to shewe all dueties of mercie vnto them all other must giue place vnto this when necessitie so requireth According to that which Master Gualter sayth Gualt in Marc. 2. Homil 22. Omnia externa All outward things must giue place vnto loue least wee lay a snare vpon them quos necessitas ineuitabilis aliò vocat whom ineuitable necessitie doth call another way or at whose hands the present necessitie that cannot bee auoyded doth require another thing And that this is the true meaning of the lawe of resting appeareth more cleerely by that which Christ Iesus speaketh of it in the Gospell after S. Marke Mark 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath That is the day of rest was appointed for the benefite of man not onely of him but of all other creatures and therefore it must bee so obserued as may be most beneficiall vnto them and the rest in it must giue place to them and not they to it so that it were against the meaning of the law-giuer to abuse the rest vnto the hurt of them and that men should vnder the pretence of resting withdrawe all their labour from them who by present necessitie did call for it and require it at our hands For seeing that the end of it is that the creatures might bee preserued in their best estate which without some rest could neuer long continue if now by labouring I preserue that which otherwise if I rested from helping it would perish I haue by labour attained vnto the very end of rest which without labour I could not and thus in labouring I haue not broken the commandement of rest but kept it in one of the principall ends for which it was instituted namely the profit and commoditie of all the creatures here belowe In which respect our Lorde Christ maintaineth the doing of his Disciples in gathering the corne and eating it for that thereby their fraile and wearie bodies being refreshed and getting new strength which otherwise would haue fainted as wanting their ordinarie food were made stronger and more able to follow their master Now seeing that the Lord in commaunding to rest had regarde to his creatures that could not want it namely that the breasts might be made more seruiceable vnto men and men more fit to doe duties vnto their brethren and vnto God in their calling because his Disciples were fitted vnto this by that labour which necessitie put vpon them and if they had not so laboured they should haue been more vnfit therefore in this worke the commandement of resting was not broken nay it was especially obserued Thus as we haue seene the commandement of resting is so straight indeed as it seemed best vnto his wisedom who made all things for himselfe yet in giuing it he hath had regard vnto our good and therefore hath made it so large that within the compasse of it there is libertie giuen
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH Plainely layde forth and soundly proued by testimonies both of holy Scripture and also of olde and new ecclesiasticall writers Declaring first from what things God would haue vs straightly to rest vpon the Lords day and then by what meanes we ought publikely and priuatly to sanctifie the same Together with the sundry abuses of our time in both these kindes and how they ought to bee reformed Diuided into two Bookes by Nicolas Bownde Doctor of Diuinitie Hieron Prolog Galeat In the Church of God euery one doth offer that which he is able some gold siluer and pretious stones others blew silke and purple and skarlet and fine linen t is well for our part if we offer skinnes and goates haire AT LONDON Printed by the Widdow Orwin for Iohn Porter and Thomas Man 1595. HONI SOYT QVY MAL Y PENSE TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD ROBERT Deuoreux Earle of Essex Ewe Vicount of Hereford Lord Ferrers of Chartley c. Master of the Q. Maiesties horse Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsel the increase of all true honor and fauour with God and men RIght Honorable if there were so many good reasons to moue your Honour graciously to accept these my labours as I haue iust causes to induce me to preferre them to your Honor then I should haue good hope that as they haue most willingly come from mee so they should haue good countenaunce at your Honors hands For besides your late Honorable fauour extended vnto me requireth this and al other duties of me wherby I might shew my selfe thankefull to your Honour for the same euen so the desire also that I haue that this truth of GOD might come forth with the best credite hath moued me in the conscience of mine ovvne tenuitie to become humble sutor in the behalfe thereof for your honorable gracious protection Wherein if I haue intruded my selfe further then I ought and pressed neerer to your Honor then it becommeth mee crauing your Honorable pardon for this my boldnes I beseech your Honor to accept either my feruent desire to tender all duties vnto you or my great care to purchase best fauour for this worke or both vvhich haue compelled me hereunto And herein I am so much the more importunate vvith your Honor not for my selfe but for this part of Gods holie truth that it might be countenanced as one of your Honors fauorites because as wee be fallen into these euil daies wherin too many are readie vnaduisedly to set themselues against whatsoeuer they dislike and therfore the best causes are driuen to seeke patronage where it maie doe them most good So the Lorde hauing inlarged your honorable name aboue a great manie which as a precious ointment flowing from your selfe comfortablie refresheth and perfumeth a great number this part of Gods trueth also might enioie the common benefit of it with other to be ouershadowed thereby and by that meanes haue entertainment there where otherwise happily it should be finally regarded And so it becomming for your Honors sake a welcome guest vnto them it might deliuer vnto them in the name of God as sent by your Honor that message of his that it centaineth to the honor of his name to whom all honor is due from whoÌ„ all honour commeth whome trulie to honour is the greatest honor Thus ceasing anie further to interrupt your Honor from your weightie affaires my praier vnto God is long to preserue your Honor zealous of the glorie of God faithful to her Maiestie profitable to the whole realme and comfortable to your owne soule most humblie with all dutifulnesse taking my leaue Your Honors most humble at commandement alwaies in the Lord Nicholas Bownd Norton in Suff. Iune 1595. To the Godlie and Christian Readers and namely to the reuerend wise and godly learned Fathers and brethren Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell grace and peace hee multiplied RIght reuerend and welbeloued in the Lord when as about nine yeeres since I was solicited to publish my Sermons vpon the tenne Commaundements by certaine of my godly brethren auditors then of the same I had manie reasons that preuailed to disswade me from that enterprise and especially beâ—ause I thought it superfluous in such great variety of learned writers of that matter especially wherein I haue been since more â—onfirmed by all those who of later times haue trauailed in that â—â—nde And moreouer besides mine own vnsufficiencie for so great 〈◊〉 matter J was of opinion that hee that bendeth himselfe vnto â—riting had neede to haue some relaxation from preaching vnâ—esse hee bee of great gifts and meruailously fitted for both and â—herefore being necessarilie tyed vnto the one I durst not vnderâ—ake the other yet their importunitie preuailed thus farre with â—â—ne as to make triall what I could doe in this commaundement which I had then in hand whereunto also I was the rather induâ—â—ed because it contained that argument which as it is of all oâ—her most excellent so it was least of all dealt in by anie largely â—â—nd of purpose Hauing then within a fewe moneths at my best â—â—asure finished this treatise as diuers of my fellowe Ministers â—â—n whose hands it hath bin are sufficient witnesses and by them further encouraged to communicate it vnto all men I yeelded thereunto slowly indeede because I knewe a reuerend godly M. Robert GreenchaÌ„ and learned father who for the most part of his life time greatly trauailing in this matter by his own reading meditation and conference with sundrie learned men had long before finished a great volume and wayted but his opportunity to furnish it to the presse though I neuer read one leafe of that booke whome I did for iust cause so highly reuerence that I was vnwilling to preiudice any of his godly proceedings especially in this thing wherein I knewe he had trauailed aboue most of his time and thereupon suspending my purpose for a time when I had imparted vnto him what I had done he gaue me this aduise to take his booke and to compare it with mine owne and to make one of them both which I refusing as being vnmeete for such a purpose and not knowing how I should well sorte out to the Reader such varietie of matter as was like to arise out of them both nor cunningly to fit the one to the other as it were to put a new piece of cloth to an old garment determined wholly to suppresse mine own expecting the comming foorth of his in time whereunto also I solicited him by writing and that also was my iust defence to those that still called vpon me for the comming foorth of mine owne In which expectation I continued vntill most vntimely I vnderstoode to my great grief and to the vnspeakable losse of the Church of God that hee was fallen a sleepe in the Lord And then I reuiued my former purpose and
any of you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine And so telleth vs that a maÌ„ may be sayd to be of a good religion indeed when he serueth God in the word Sacraments and prayer so that thereby he is made more fit to doe all dueties vnto men especially to shew mercie to the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie So that a man can no more vnder that fore-named pretence out of Esay take away the obseruing of one particular day distinct and put apart from the rest to Gods vse in his seruice and yet to imagine that the law of the Sabbath should not bee broken then bee may from this other place of Iames conclude that to heare the preaching of the word to receiue the Sacraments to pray vnto God are none of the things which God requireth neither doth pure region consist in them but as wee would rightly iudge â—im to mistake the scripture that should vpon this or any such place as certaine schismatikes or rather heretikes haue done seuer and cut themselues off from the publike meetings of the Church and that manner of Gods seruice which is now receiued among vs. So that we say that hee is led with some priuate sense of his owne and dooth not wisely consider the circumstance of the text nor indifferently compare it with the bodie of the rest of the Scriptures which shall vpon that other place of Esay disanull the keeping of any one certaine daye and so to race out as it were that Commandement out of the Canon of the Scripture But that I might not stand too long in one thing I will hasten to that which followeth Obiect 3 The aduersaries of this truth haue also snatched something out of the new Testament to impugne it and haue left no corner vnsought from whence they might gaine any thing to confirme them in their error They say Christ hath taken away the Sabbath in the Gospell Mark 2.27 that Christ taketh it away in the Gospell of Marke and other places where he saith that the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath therefore it must serue man and not man be bound vnto it it is at the will and disposition of man and is to bee ordered by him and he not to be brought into the seruitude and bondage of it it is in his power to keepe it or not to keepe it and how and after what manner to keep it seeing it was made for him Answer For answere vnto which first I may say as Master Caluin sayth vpon the miracle of healing him that was sicke of the palsie Videndum c. We must remember what kinde of defence Christ doth vse Caluin in Ioh. 5.17 he doth not say that the law of keeping the Sabbath was temporarie and now to be abrogated but rather doth denye that he hath broken this law Then the same Master Caluin sets downe his iudgement plainly of this matter Caluin in hunc locum Falluntur meo iudicio c. They are deceiued in my opinion who thinke that here the Sabbath is altogether abrogated seeing that our Sauiour Christ doth but simplie teach what is the right vse of it for although he had sayd before that he was the Lord of the Sabbath yet the time of abrogating things was not yet come because the vaile of the Temple was not rent in sunder And therefore wee must further remember that our Sauiour Christ being the onely Prophet of the Church and perfectly knowing the will of his father Iohn 1.18 1.2 as being in his bosome and a teacher sent of God into the world at that ignorant time when the trueth was so darkened by the false glosses and corrupt interpretations of the teachers yea almost put out doth in this and other like places entreating of the Sabbath interprete the true meaning of the law bringing it into light and redeeming it as it were from the thicke mists of ignorance into which the Rabbins and Doctors of the Church had throwne it And as in that notable sermon which he maketh Matth. 5.6 â—nd 7. chapters he doth not dispute against the law but against their false meaning and corrupt sense vnto which they had wrested it so here he sheweth that it was neuer the meaning of this Commandement that the rest vpon the Sabbath day should bee so seuerely required that for want of things necessarie man should take hurt â—hereby seeing that the Sabbath and day of rest was ordained by God for the profite and commoditie of man and not for his hinderance and so iustifieth the doing of â—is Disciples in gathering corne preparing and eating it because that otherwise they should haue fainted in their iourney for so it was that they so followed their Lord and master trauailing from towne to towne to preach that they had no leisure to eate their meate therefore going through the corne fields they gathered here and there to satisfie their weake and wearie bodies Now whereas the Pharisies that were present were offended at it because â—t stood not with their tradition of resting from all bodily â—abour our Sauiour Christ vpon that occasioÌ„ teacheth the â—rue maner end of resting vpoÌ„ the Sabbath which was â—om the beginning bringeth not in any new libertie which was not granted before saying The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath where we must vnderstand that by Sabbath he meaneth the Rest euen as the word doth import and so it is true indeede that God ordained a time of rest for mans sake that he being holpen thereby and his nature refreshed might bee made more fit to doe the workes of God and his owne workes in his calling So that the Pharisies did peruert the right end of resting when they turned it to the hurt of man for want of doing such things as the nature of man did presently stand in need of as now the Disciples being readie to faint if they had not gathered for themselues they should haue been more vnfit to serue God in their callings And this selfe same thing Master Gualter very learnedly obserueth Gualt in Mar. 2. Homil. 22. Sabbathi otium Deus hominis causa instituit God hath ordained rest or ceasing from worke vpon the Sabbath for man We must vse rest and all Gods creatures to fuâ—ther vs in his seruice So to draw these things into a narrow roome I grant vnto them that rest was made and ordained for man as meate and drink apparrel and sleep and all other things here belowe and man was made to glorifie God and therefore he is so to eate and drinke sleepe and rest as he thereby may bee furthered in the seruice of God and a man can no more from hence gather that a man may vse the day of rest at his pleasure and that it is in his owne power to dispose of it as it liketh him best then
we haue washed our hands clean from the workes of our calling so that none of them do cleaue to our fingers that this were an acceptable obedience vnto God when in the meane season our mindes are as worldly as euer they were and our thoughts bee as fresh vpon them and our affections are raysed vp to as great delight in them as though wee were in the middest of them But as the whole lawe is spirituall so this commandement hath a spirituall trueth in it and contenteth not it selfe with an outward obedience but requireth the inward truth of the heart that as we make a shew of resting from earthly things so we should doe it indeede without the which the other is but a fruitlesse and idle ceremonie For seeing this is the very end of putting our selues apart from all worldly busines that our mindes might not be entangled with them which because they must needes be so long as wee are dealing about them such is our nature that we cannot doe things and haue no feeling of them as though we were a sleepe or in a traunce therefore doe we dispatch our hands of them that our mindes might not bee disturbed by them Seeing then this is the principall ende that wee aime at to vnburden our mindes of these earthly cares that we might bee more quicke and free in Gods worship wee must especially labour for it and not stay in these other which though they be great in themselues yet are they but helpes and furtherances vnto this in so much that if on the Sabbath we leaue all our worke at home and come neuer so farre from it to the Church yet if our mindes be working as it were because they are occupied about it and wee would bee working if wee might and if we might not be knowne and if wee might not be punished or blamed and our mindes haue carried vs this way that wee would gladly haue stollen a working cunningly as wee say if wee might not haue been spied all that we doe is but meere hypocrisie so farre are we from the true obedience of this commandement And this wee haue seene sufficiently proued heretofore that we therefore rest from all worldly things Vt paratiores promptiores ad cultum diuinum as sayth S. Augustine in that excellent sermon of his That we might be more readie fit for Gods seruice Agust de tēp serm 251. when there is nothing to encomber vs and wee leaue at that time terrenam sollicitudinem the care of earthly things that wee might the more easily attend vpon the word of God which we cannot if still our mindes haue these burthens vpon them and be not released from worldly thoughts which presse them downe from being lifted vp vnto that heauenly life Master Caluin in his Sermons vpon Deut. giueth this reason why Christians should not goe to lawe vpon the Sabbath Caluin vpon Deut. 5. Ser. 39. Because vpon that day euery man ought to withdraw himselfe to Godward to minde his works that we may all of vs be prouoked to serue and honour him And afterwards addeth Common meetings are made that mē might heare the common doctrine of saluation and it is good reason that on the Sabbath day all other cares and thoughts should be layd aside And in another Sermon he sayth For we must rest Idem serm 34. and how rest forsooth wee must abide still and quiet our thought must not stirre to wander and deuise this and that Gualt in Act 13. Homil 88. For as Master Gualter sayth God doth therfore call the Sabbath his day that wee might knowe when that day is Ab omnibus alijs curis studijs abstinendum est that wee ought to abstaine from all other cares and dueties According vnto which exquisite rule if we doe measure out the obedience of all men we shall easily see how short they are of that perfect righteousnes which is here required and that many shall bee euen then found breakers of this commandement when they did most of all presume of the keeping of it and were puffed vp with a speciall pride for it For let vs graunt it vnto them which it may bee is true that they haue borne themselues in an euen and ciuill course not breaking out into any open contempt or wilfull and grosse breach of this Commandement yet if they will call themselues before Gods iudgement seate they shall find that many of these times they had a good desire to worke and would faine haue been at it if they might haue been couered and as wee say their fingers did tickle at it which as it hath been true at other times so most of all when as wee imagined that we might haue gained something if we would haue wrought and our ceasing from it was something vnprofitable vnto vs as in the time of any common Fayres or in the dayes of haruest of whom the Prophet Amos iustly complaineth speaking in their person Amos. 8.5 When will this new moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate But if we iudge this doctrine too seuere and we cannot yeeld vnto it let vs compare this Commandement with the other which bee of the like nature with it and it may be they will perswade vs and leade vs into the trueth of it In the second Commandement we know that not only the making and worshipping of Images is forbidden but also to set vp an Idoll in our heart and to wish that we had it and to bee desirous to returne vnto Poperie liking of those times better then of this time of the Gospell and to be gaping after the Masse so that we are readie to imbrace it if it were thrust vpon vs againe and we could be very well contented with it so that we want but the oportunitie to furnish a Masse So in this not onely the bodily labour is forbidden which the lawes of men may prouide for but also the cogitations and desires of the minde towards them which none is able to meete with but the Lord that this law might bee like vnto himselfe And seeing that as our Sauiour Christ expoundeth the law he that is angrie with his brother vnadauisedly is guiltie of the law of murther Matth. 5.22 vers 28. And whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie alreadie with her in his hearte why should we not say that hee that looketh on his busines with a mind desirous to bee occupied about them hath broken the commaundement of resting alreadie in his heart vnlesse he will make the one vnlike the other and to bee as it were of another broode For is not this that dignitie and preferment which wee giue to all the whole lawe of God aboue all the lawes of men that as they doe behold but the words and works of men therefore their lawes can forbid and punish sinne but when it thus breaketh out bewrayeth
the Sabbath was first of al ordained For as when Dauid sayth Psal 40.6 Sacrifice and burnt offering thou diddest not desire but mine eares hast thou prepared burnt offering and sinne offering hast thou not required then sayd I loe I come to doe thy will O my God as it is written of me in the roule of thy booke for thy law is within my heart He doth not say that the Lord required no sacrifice and burnt offering at all for he had commaunded them in his word but he testifieth that all sacrifice and all the outward worship is nothing accepted when it is seuered from obedience and when wee thereby are not made more fit to obey God in all other dueties euen as it is expounded in another place 1. Sam. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of rammes So the Prophet Esay in the place aboue mentioned expounding the lawe as it was the chiefest office of a Prophet preacheth vnto them the true interpretation of it that though all Gods seruice bee obserued in euery outward poynt vpon the Sabbath yet all is ceremoniall without these fruites appearing in vs afterwards neither is it done in that manner that GOD alloweth or that they thereby could looke to inherite that promise which in the same place hee maketh to them that shall truely keepe holie the Sabbath And thus are all other places to bee vnderstood which are of the like nature in this Prophet and others neither doe they proue that to rest from sinne is a proper duetie of this Commandement more then any other to which purpose they are alleadged of some that I may speake it with their fauour but onely shewe what should bee the fruite of these exercises both vpon that day and all other besides And therefore in like manner the same Prophet exhorting the Iewes to vnfained repentantance for their sinne and a diligent care to please God framing their liues according to his word in all dueties to his maiestie and to their brethren and then promiseth all manner of blessings vnto them so doing in the midst of this exhortation once or twise speaketh of sanctifying the Sabbath day as a chiefe meanes to bring them to this saying He that keepeth the Sabbath and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from doing any ill And verse Esay 56.2 4. He that keepeth my sabbaths and chooseth the thing that pleaseth me and taketh hold of my couenant Wherein as he declareth vnto them that this is the way to come to this faith and repentance which hath those promises annexed vnto them euen to serue God in all parts of his worship vpon the Sabbath so he there requireth this at their hands that they would in such wise sanctifie the day that they may be thus altered and chaunged thereby Whereunto agreeth that which is in the Prophet Ezekiell where he telleth the Iewes how many meanes the Lord had bestowed vpon them to doe them good and yet how vnprofitable they were vnder them and therefore that their sinne was so much the greater and their punishment so much the more due speaking of their forefathers I gaue them my statutes Ezek. 20.11.12 and declared my iudgements vnto them which if a man doe hee shall liue in them Moreouer also I gaue them my sabbaths to bee a signe betweene mee and them that they might knowe that I am the Lord that sanctifie them Which mercie of his he continued with their posteritie for he said vnto their children in the wildernes verse 19. Walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them 20. And sanctifie my Sabbaths and they shall be a signe betweene me and you that yee may knowe that I am the Lord your God c. His meaning is that hee offered vnto them life euerlasting in his holy worde hee gaue them also the Sabbaths wherein they being wholly and profitably occupyed in all the exercises of religion might thereby knowe that the Lorde their God would by his holy spirite worke in them all that faith and obedience which he required of them that they might come to life euerlasting So then he required of them so to behaue themselues on the Sabbaths as that thereby they might attaine vnto that for which he especially gaue them vnto them But this may bee sufficient to let vs see into so playne and easie a matter as this namely that though we come to the Churche all our life euery Sabbath and remaine there from the beginning to the ending yet onely so many dayes no more haue we kept holy as we ought by how many wee haue been bettered and furthered I meane in the waies of our saluation and made more fit to serue God and our brethren thereby Here we haue cause to repent vs of our vnprofitable cō ming to the Church what shall wee say then to all our vnprofitable wandrings to the Church and home againe And how shall we giue an account to the Lord for them And if the case stand so betwixt the Lord vs that many times when we thought our selues best occupied euen that is turned into sin vnto vs what great cause haue we to be truely humbled before him by repentance for our sinnes that so wee might bee exalted of him in due time And in deede this is so great an euill that wee cannot tell where to make an ende of it For letting passe all the dayes of our vanitie and ignorance spent either in poperie or in the light of the Gospell wherein wee were alwaies vnprofitable in the seruice of God wee may with heauie hearts remember how many times since our calling we haue met in the Church with the least profit that may be or rather none at all in respect of the meanes that did offer vnto vs so great profite in so much that though our profiting in worldly things haue been so great that it may be seene a farre off yet our increase in heauenly things is so small or rather none at all that it cannot bee descryed come as nere as you will And when as in all other things we doe reioyce at the greatnes of our gayne whether wee looke within the doores or without in the house or the fieldes to our cattell or to our goods onely in spirituall matters I will not say our gayne is so small but our decaye and losse is so great that wee haue great cause to be ashamed of it And though from the markets and fayres we come not without some prouision yet vpon the Sabbath which is the market day for our soules we come home many times and carrie nothing whereby we might liue the better the whole weeke following To be short though from a common person we haue not many times departed without some profit yet from the minister of Gods word euen
whereof there are so many kinds as appeareth by the diuers words hee vseth in this place Whereunto agreeth that which hee writeâ—h vnto the Ephesians Bee not drunke with wine Ephe. 5.18 wherein is excesse but bee filled with the spirite 19. Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melody to the Lorde in your hearts 20. Giuing thanks alwaies for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Where in like manner hee sheweth them howe they should behaue themselues in the aboundance of al Gods blessings that whereas the wicked are ready to abuse them and by ouercharging themselues with them doe fall into an immoderate profusion and laughter they should in the middes of these thinges being guided by Gods spirite burst forth into the prayses of God through Iesus Christ and testifie their holy mirth not of the flesh but of the spirite by singing Psalmes whereof there are so many sundry kinds that for euery time wee shall bee fitted with some one or other Let vs not therefore deny so manifest a trueth but acknowledge as the word doth teach vs that the Lorde requireth of vs in our priuate meetings vpon the Lordes day and when we are alone by our selues to sing Psalmes as well as in the Church And though I doe not binde men vnto this for bee it farre from me that I should lay any heauier burden vpon any then the worde of God it self doth bind them I say vnto this that in all their mirth they should sing Psalmes as it might seeme the places alledged doe import Yet this the Lorde requireth of vs that in all our lawfull pleasures we should looke vp vnto him and so reioyce in them that wee especially reioyce in him and so from them to be led to him and by them to be made fitter to serue him And whereas it falleth out thus with the wicked that all pleasures draw them away from God take away from them the remembrance of him and driue them into sinne we contrariwise should by all of them come neerer vnto God set him before our eyes and make our selues fitter to serue him praise him For as that is a godly sorrow that driueth vs to prayer a blessed heauinesse that maketh vs seeke vnto the Lord so that is a godly mirth that endeth with singing with Psalmes and an heauenly ioy that at least wise maketh vs more fit to serue God And otherwise as we may suspect our sorow to be but worldly so our ioy to bee but fleshly and carnall And this is that whereunto the Apostle Saint Iames hath respect saying Is any amoÌ„g you afflicted let him pray Is any merry Iam. 5.13 let him sing Where he telleth the dispersed Iewes how they should behaue themselues priuately in all estates namely that though the vngodly in their affliction doe murmure impatiently and breake out into blasphemous othes they should not onely abstaine from those things but in all humilitie should go to prayer that they might obtaine mercy at Gods hande and then being deliuered of him that they should auoyd the prophane carelessenes of the wicked and stirre vp themselues to sing prayses vnto God and so both commendeth this duetie vnto vs and sheweth whereunto all our mirth should leade vs. In which place though he doth not tye the singing of the Psalmes to the time of prosperity for there are songs of mourning no more then he doth prayer vnto the time of affliction 2. Chro. 35.25 yet he sheweth which are the fittest times for both and besides that as no man can truely pray without the feeling of his wants so no man can sing from his heart vnlesse hee haue some perswasion of Gods fauour and so as affliction driueth him to pray so mirth mooueth him to sing Therefore when the Lorde dealeth so fatherly with his children that hee tempereth their afflictions with the ioy of the spirit then he giueth vnto theÌ„ iust occasion both to pray sing vnto him Thus we reade that Paul and Sylas being in prison ioyned them together Acts 15.25 At midnight Paul and Sylas prayed and sang a Psalme vnto God Being first of all beaten very sore and then cast into a dungeon with their feete in the stocks it was then time to pray but considering the goodnes of their cause for which they suffered all these things and finding the Lord present with them by his fauour assuring them of his defence there was iust cause of ioy and in ioy to sing as they did So then seeing to sing Psalmes is a part of Gods seruice as we haue seene it in so many places of the word commended vnto vs it must needes be put in practise vpon that day which is dedicated to his seruice and especially when we consider that the fittest time for it is the time of ioy and there is no ioy comparable to that which we haue in Christ Iesus and we neuer inioy that so fully as by the meanes whereby he conueyeth it vnto vs and we neuer haue all the meanes so plentifully and so continually as vpon the Sabbath Therefore as the Lord then offereth himself wholly vnto vs and his sonne Christ Iesus to be made ours with all his merits in the worde the Sacraments and prayer and so thereby doth fill our hearts with the ioye of the holy Ghost euen that ioy that is vnspeakable and most glorious so then especially we ought to sing for ioye of the Lord if euer wee will doe it And not onely in the Church which we ought to doe especially where the greatest ioy is bestowed vpon vs but also because by the forenamed priuate exercises this ioye is renued and sometimes increased wee must priuately renue our thanksgiuing Singing of Psalmes testifieth and increaseth spirituall songs and sing vnto God againe especially when wee haue seene that these places of scripture doe commend vnto vs the priuat exercise of singing Psalmes And that we might doe it the more cheerefully let vs knowe for a suretie that though wee cannot sing at all where there is no whit of ioy so let this ioy bee neuer so little by singing we shal increase it For euen as al knowledge is increased especially by hearing reading and conferring about the scripture so all affections are most of all stirred vp by meditation prayer and singing of Psalmes And because vpon the Lords day we must labour to build vp our selues in both wee must neglect no meanes whereby we might attaine vnto our full growth in either Therefore euen then are wee iustly punished with deadnes and dulnes vpon the Sabbath because we neglect al those meanes or els doe not ioyne them together So then we haue great cause to be sorrie that wee haue so many times neglected this seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day and though wee had not spent away the time in a prophane mirth as many times wee haue done yet there is
of his spirit and that we are too much possessed with the delights of this world and so lye in some one sinne or other whereas on the contrarie then may wee be assured that our desire is to please God that willingly we doe not continue in any sinne that wee vse the creatures and blessings of God aright that the spirit is in vs gouerneth vs by the word when we find our hearts in the midst of our mirth sweetly moued to sing spirituall songs spiritually But to make an ende of this matter that wee might take vpon vs this duetie so cheerefully as we should let vs in a word consider of that which the Prophet speakes of it Psal 147. that I might not stand vpon euery place that commendeth it vnto vs Praise the Lord sayth hee there for it is a good thing to sing vnto our God Psal 147.1 for it is a pleasant thing and praise is comely where the Prophet exhorting men vnto it To sing Psalmes is good pleasant and comely sayth it is good pleasant and comely And first of all it is good for it is commanded of God and looke how many times it is commended vnto vs by precept or practise in the scripture so many proofes are there of the goodnes of it Then it is not only good but pleasant for many things are good but bitter as afflictiō and some things are pleasant which are not good as sinne and so though the beginning bee sweete the ende is sower and when the pleasure is ended the payne abideth but here is pleasure without payne and of this the good fruite and pleasure abideth euer Last of all it is comely as he sayth in another Psalme also it becommeth the righteous to bee thankefull Psalm 33.1 and to sing praises Vnto which agreeth that of the Apostle Let no filthie communication Ephe. 5.4 nor foolish talking nor iesting proceede out of your mouthes which things are not comely but rather giuing of thankes as it becommeth the Saints For this commendeth vs vnto God and vnto men and herein are wee like vnto the Angels in heauen who sing vnto the Lord a new song continually Reuel 14.3 So that euen as the vngodly haue a grace in their wickednesse and are the better liked of among the vngodly though indeed they are then most deformed so this maketh vs comely before God and louely in the eyes of his Church when we hauing prepared our hearts thereunto doe sing with affection with reuerence and with vnderstanding For otherwise euen as a costly garment may be comely in it selfe yet it shal not become vs vnlesse we be fit for it What maketh it comely it be wel put vpon vs so though to sing be neuer so comely in it owne nature yet it becommeth not vs except wee bee prepared for it and doe sing Dauids Psalmes with Dauids spirit Therefore the Apostle writing to the Ephesians willeth them in singing to make melodie in their hearts to the Lord not to sing with their tongue Ephe. 5.19 and frō the lips outward as we say And to the Colossians Coloss 3.16 To sing with a grace in their hearts to the Lord that it might not only come from the inwarde feeling of their heart but also bring grace and profit to the hearers when as they doe not vtter an vnprofitable sound but their heart going before their tongue and it mouing their lips they might themselues bee first of all affected therewith and so beget the like affections in others Seeing then that goodnes pleasure and comelines do all of them meet together in this one thing let vs the rather be in loue with it set our hearts vpon it and whereas these are the things most of all regarded and especiallie sought for of all men and yet seldomest found now that they doe all of them meete with vs as it were and ioyntly offer themselues vnto vs in this one thing let vs be rauished with the loue of it vnlesse we be men voyd of al affections or such as haue set our hearts vpon other things before and let vs intertaine this seruice of God into our houses and giue credit vnto it that we might be bettered with the goodnes that it bringeth and be more comfortable with the true pleasure that it affoordeth and more comely with the excellent beautie that it will put vpon vs. And so I conclude with the confession of Augustine who by his owne experience greatly commendeth the singing of Psalmes when he sayth August lib. 9. confess cap. 6. that oftentimes for ioy he wept in the Church of God being moued with sweet melodie that was made there And for this cause Dauid is called the sweete singer of Israel 2. Sam. 23. ◠because of the excellent and heauenly Psalmes which he as a Prophet made for the Church of God 2. Chron. 29.30 whereby they were raised vp to all spirituall mirth in singing of them The last thing of all is that wee remember especially to put all things in practise which wee haue learned out of the word The workes of mercie are to be practised vpon this day and that wee begin vpon that very day to doe all dueties of loue vnto men and that wee shew mercie vnto them then especially Whereunto that we might be made the more fit the whole worship of God and the Sabbath it selfe is ordained in so much that the Lord would haue euery whit of it to cease euen vpon the Sabbath rather then mercie should not be shewed to the full or any dutie of it neglected to our brethren when both of them cannot bee done together as wee haue seene it before more at large And seeing it is the Lords day and therefore we must bee occupied about all his worke wholly and he hath in his word commended to our care the widowe the fatherlesse the poore and the stranger as those whom he especially regardeth we ought vpon this day most of all to feede the hungrie to clothe the naked to lodge the harborlesse to visit the sicke and the prisoners when besides that we haue rested from all our owne workes that wee might be occupied about the workes of the Lord we haue so much mercie of the Lord God shewed vnto vs that wee might shewe it vnto others and hee doth after an extraordinarie manner open vnto vs al the treasures of his goodnesse that thereby we might be moued to take pitie vpon others So that he which is then hard hearted to his brother there is no great pitie to bee looked for at his hands and he which then neglecteth to testifie his loue aboundantly to men whē he should of purpose giue ouer himself to all dueties of godlines what hope can there bee that he will doe them vpon other dayes in the weeke when he shall haue fewer meanes to further him thereunto and more to withdrawe him there from And that this is an especiall thing
the ignorant to admonish the vnruly to bring home them that goe astray to bind vp the broken hearted to strengthen the feeble to encourage theÌ„ that be occupied in well doing and in one worde so to helpe them in the lesse that the chiefe and principall bee not neglected wherein true loue especially doth consist and wherein the Lord is serued of vs most of all And this is that which is spoken of our Sauiour Christ in the place aboue mentioned that hee not onely healed the woman vpon the Sabbath of her bodily disease Luk. 13.16 but deliuered her from the chaynes of the diuell with which she had beene long held For it is euident in the Gospell that besides the infirmitie of her body there was an extraordinary worke of Sathan wherby as she was strangely possessed so it wrought in her many strong passions from all which she being deliuered by Christ Iesus receiued euen in that especialy the most mercy at his hands Therefore among al the works of God we must be persuaded that this is none of the least to shewe mercie vnto the distressed soules of our brethren for this is the mercy of the most mercifull euen Christ Iesus himselfe from whom as we haue receiued many great mercies so none to this that he hath redeemed our soules from eternall destruction and when we were sunke downe into the bottomlesse pit of all misery hee came thither in vnspeakable loue to fetch vs out and reconciled vs to his Father and hath made vs heires of euerlasting life And let vs be so much more mindfull of this duetie by how much the fewest in the worlde doe thinke of it no not they that otherwise are mindfull to shewe mercy in all outward things And thus wee see that none can bee exempted from these dueties for though euery one cannot goe into the houses of the poore neither is it meete that some should because of their personages and calling yet they may make enquirie of them and send vnto them and exhort others to do the like and pray for them and may with their equals haue such profitable conferences that they may shewe great mercy to their soules by drawing them neerer to the kingdome of heauen and drawing them further off from the pit of hell And they that be poore and therfore it may be imagined they can shew no mercy at all for they haue not wherewith must first of all consider Mark 12.43 the poore widowe that gaue but two mytes how it was accepted and that the Lord accepteth of euery one not according to his deedes but according to his good will and secondarily that if they will instruct admonish comfort their brethren and pray for them they shall shewe the greatest mercy vnto them that may bee and doe that worke which is most acceptable vnto God and therefore most peculiar to the Sabbath So then that we might be persuaded of the excellency of this duty aboue all others let vs coâ—sider of that which the spirite of God speaketh of it Iam. 5.19 Brethren if any of you haue erred from the trueth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that he which hath conuerted the sinner from going out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes And indeede all our profession is nothing and the shew of religion that we make is vaine except it bring forth these fruites in vs as the same Apostle witnesseth Chap. 1 27. Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widowe in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Not that there is no religion but this but that by these fruits it shall appeare whether our religion be good or no and whether we be profitably occupied therein or no euen when all the publike and priuate exercises of the same doe prepare vs to shew mercy vnto our brethren and make vs more fitte thereunto Therefore whereas wee haue seene in the former part of this treatise that notwithstanding the precise commandement of resting such dueties were permitted as the preseâ—t necessitie of any creature did require now wee doe furâ—her vnderstand that they be by the commandement of God necessarily laid vpon vs that they are in the number of those works of God which that we might wholly doe we are commanded to rest from our owne All superiours ought to be carefull that their inferiours do keepe holy the day as well as themselues Now the Lord would not onely haue vs to keepe holy the Sabbath our selues in all the partes of his worshippe publike and priuate which wee haue seene heretofore but also that euery one shoud in his seueral place and roome carefully take order that so many as bee committed to his charge should sanctifie the daye as well as himselfe which though it be true in all other commandements namely that whatsoeuer we are bound to do our selues we must bee meanes to further other in doing the same because the loue of God and of our neighbours spreadeth it selfe ouer all the commaundements and therefore though it be not expressed it is necessarily vnderstood yet in this commaundement it is so much the more required because besides the analogie and proportion betweene it and the other commandements doth inforce it the very words themselues doe bind vs thereunto For when it is said Thou and thy sonne thy daughter thy manseruant and thy maide though he speaketh by name onely of resting vpon the Sabbath yet because the ende of that is that the day might be sanctified looke howe many reasons we haue seene before binding the inferiours to rest and the superiours to prouide that they doe so indeed so many are there compelling them to sanctifie the day in their own persons and in so manie as belong vnto them Therefore when first of all it is generally sayde in the commandement Remember the Sabbath daye to keepe it holy and afterwards The seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God that is which must bee dedicated vnto his seruice and in the end you must therefore rest that you might serue him in it as hee requireth and then nameth the seuerall parties that should rest his meaning is to declare vnto them the right ende of their resting and so speaking by name to the gouernours saying Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy manseruant and thy maid the stranger that is within thy gates to shewe vnto them that it is not sufficient for them to looke that they vnder their gouernement should rest vnlesse they sanctifie the day of rest also which they must be so much carefull of by how much the sanctification of the day is greater theÌ„ the ceasing to worke vpon it as the end whereunto this is but referred and therefore if it bee a sinne in them at any time not to haue a sufficient regard vnto them that they do not worke then
such calling vpon any man that should keepe him in a continuall breach of the Sabbath and therefore both master and seruant may suspect that he is in such a calling as is not agreeable to Gods word or that he vseth it not aright when it maketh him if not wholly yet for the most part to neglect the seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day And I know where there is a great care to serue please God by prayer the Lord will giue to them such wisedome that they shal be able to redeeme if not the whole yet at least a great parte of the daye which otherwise will be mispent namely by letting passe many needlesse things preparing so much before as conueniently may be rising so much the more early in the morning and by the interchangeable helpe of other seruants especiallie when they will for these causes bee contented with so much the lesse though not in quantitie for the reliefe of others yet lesse exquisite and curious dressing which especially taketh vp the time and so I am sure and they that will trie it in the feare of God and in a care to serue him and in a loue to the soules of their brethren shall find it to be true by experience that many might keepe holy the Sabbath which do not now at all others might keepe it more then they doe Which if yet it be thought vnpossible because we goe not about to practise it let vs but obserue that which we shall see done in the house when the seruant is very desirous to goe to a faire and the maister is as willing to let him goe you would wonder to see how things shall be dispatcht vp sodainely and in good order they shall be absent many houres and yet not greatly missed if any thing be otherwise then is vsuall it is borne with because it is a day of making prouisios for themselues and that day is not euery day So then if the maisters were perswaded of the Lords day as they ought to be euen that it is the time of making prouision for the soule and were as carefull for the soules of their seruants as they are for their bodies and did esteeme it more for their worship and credite that their seruantes were religious then that they were costly and well set out in apparell they would be better contented to spare them during the time of that market where they may buy without money all the graces of Gods spirite and the riches of the kingdome of heauen whereby they should not onely saue their owne soules but bee made more fit to doe dueties to their maisters of conscience The gouernours of families should take order that they and their whole houshold might come to church together Therfore to make an end of this matter it is the duty of al houshold gouernors to cause the whole family to be in a readines to attend vpon them to and fro the Church and that it bee not left at euery mans discretion to come when hee will but that they should goe together And indeed this hath beene the orderly comming of Gods people in times past to the place of his worship that they haue not come scattered and alone but many together and by companies whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalm 42.4 When I remembred these things I poured out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a feast In which place the man of God complaining that he was banished from the holy assemblies sayth that hâ—s griefe was increased by remembring his former estate when he vsed to goe with a great many to the Temple euen as to a feast whereby hee declareth what was the manner of their going euen as men go to a market or to a feast not onely with ioye but also by companies and so many of one house as goe will goe together so they did not onely goe to the house of God cheerefully but many of them together euen as to the market feast of their soules By which practise of theirs as the doings of many are condemned so it appeareth that the men of our time are led by another spirite then they were and are otherwise perswaded of the worship and place they goe vnto For all the people nay the seuerall housholds come not together but scattered and one dropping after another in a confused manner First comes the man then a quarter of an houre after his wife and after her I cannot tell how long especially the maid-seruants who must needes bee as long after her as the menseruants are after him Wherby it commeth to passe that either halfe the seruice of God is done before all be met or else if the minister tarrie till there be a sufficient congregation the first commers may bee wearie and sometimes cold with tarrying before the other shall bee warme in their seates Nowe if it bee demaunded of the maisters why they alone make such hast and leaue all the rest behind them and they answer truely because the time is come wherin vsually publike prayer beginneth can they bee perswaded that it is time for themselues to come as it is indeed and yet no time for the rest to come with him Hath he no longer time to tarrie and haue they time to tarry so long after him as though there were one lawe for him and another for them or rather that the same law of the Sabbath which mooueth him of conscience to doe that which he doth did not as forcibly bind them all as himselfe nay did not binde him to looke to them that they should keepe holy the day as well as himselfe which if he grant to be true and yet is not able to bring it to passe where the Lord hath giuen him so great authoritie for his owne sake partly through the frowardnes of his wife and partly through the of obstinacy of the rest in the familie his case is to be pitied and he is rather to bee gouerned then to gouerne 1. Cor. 6.4 and he might doe well to set vp one of them in his steed seeing hee doth suffer himselfe wilfully so be abused and is contented to be ouer ruled by them in the chiefest thing Therefore that he might bring this matter happily to passe as he must goe before them by his owne example and be ready betimes euen first of all so he must earnestly call vpon them for this duetie and exhort them vnto it and the slower that they are and the more they drawe backe the more forward must he be and by his practise and words draw them forwards also For this is that readines which Dauid obserued in the people of his time I reioyced when they sayd vnto me Psalm 122.1 we will goe into the house of the Lord or let vs goe into the house of the Lorde for they are words of
are not practised which the law requireth for the helping of it forward thither neither are all things done which might be by lawe for the true sanctifiyng of the Sabbath euerie where whether we respect those things that might procure a learned ministerie in time or compell them to preach oftener that can doe it or make the people come to it more diligently and profite by it more effectuallie then they doe which whiles it be more carefully laboured after what hope can there be that they should be any more committed vnto vs when we are so vnfaithfull in this that we haue For as they preposterously labour to reforme the Church that haue no care to reforme themselues and vndiscreetly complaining of some disorders there doe not practise better orders in their houses vpon themselues and theirs do hinder it and keep them backe so they that labour for more meanes to sanctifie the Sabbath and are carelesse in practising those that they haue doe stay such good blessings as God might otherwise bestow vpon his Church this way Therefore we may conclude that all gouernors in the common wealth must in their seuerall places endeuour by all meanes that GOD hath giuen them The great good that redoundes to the common wealth therby that all the subiects of the land doe ordinarily sanctifie the Sabbath as well as themselues and that it be not vnhallowed of them either for want of good lawes in that behalfe or the due executing of them which that they might the rather doe besides the precise commandement of God binding them thereunto and the examples of godly rulers in times past perswading them likewise that they may in their godly wisedomes consider that then are they most like to bee true subiects vnto them when they do first giue themselues in true subiection vnto the Lord and then are they most readie to withdrawe their obedience from their superiours when they haue withdrawen their hearts from God before by a false religion He that will honor the king must feare God And as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Prou. 24.21 Math. 22.39 The second commaundement is like the first that is the obedience of the second table floweth out of the obedience to the first in so much that they are most like of conscience to serue their prince that of conscience doe serue God and none so readie to rebell agaist them if oportunitie doe serue as those that haue rebelled and hardened their hearts against Gods worde before For proofe of which if wee will but take a short view of all the treacheries and treasons intended against her maiesties most royall person since the beginning of her most happy raigne whom God of his goodnes preserue vnto the full course of nature or rather beyond it we shall finde that they haue beene in those who were either of a false religion and therefore being enemies to God must needs be enemies to his annoynted or else of no religion at all so made no difference of persons but onely sought themselues And besides that all tumults and commotions for the most part haue beene first broached in those quarters of the land where for want of the preaching of the word they were ignorant of their dueties both to God and their Prince and on the contrarie that in those places of her dominion her highnes hath alwaies found the people most truelie and true hearted where the word hath been most syncerely preached and in a godly life most purely receiued And it must needs be so for besides that all dueties to our superiours done of conscience spring of this that we are persuaded by Gods word that they are set ouer vs by God in his roome and therefore for his sake and conscience to him wee doe giue tribute to whome tribute belongeth custome to whom custome feare to whom feare Rom. 13.7 honour to whom honour And where is this wanting which must needes bee where the worde is seldome or neuer taught there euery misliking will mooue to withdrawe duetie besides this I say which is much the Lorde promiseth to honour them that honour him and threatneth to dishonour them that dishonour him 1. Sam. 3. and therefore when they honour him in their subiectes by causing them to serue him and keepe his Sabbath hee will honour them with their obedience so when they dishonour him in their people by suffering them to neglect his seruice and pollute his Sabbaths then he dishonoreth them by their stubornnes and rebellion Thus we haue hitherto seene that it is the duetie of all rulers high and low in the common wealth and in priuate houses to cause them that are vnder their gouernement not onely to rest vpon the Sabbath but also and especially to bestowe the day of rest in Gods seruice and that they must not bee indifferent in this and leaue it to mens choyce but be sure that it be done of them indeed seeing God hath giuen them such authoritie ouer them to that ende and therefore will require it at their handes And this is the second and last part of this commaundement A conclusion with an application of all to our selues and others teaching vs the true manner of keeping holy the day in all the publike meanes of Gods worship and priuate exercises of religion which euery one of vs ought so to walke in that thereby we might be the fitter to do all other dueties especially to shew mercy vnto our brethren as at all other times so most of all vpon this very daye But if we consider how our selues and others haue practised all these parts of Gods seruice publikely priuatly what fruite hath come thereon we shal find that either wee haue for the most part neglected them or vsed them to no purpose and so haue not attained vnto the principall end of the Sabbath which is that whereby we might bee fashioned vnto the image of God and begin that Sabbath here that shall bee for euer continued in heauen And here when I looke to the common course of men on this day I may iustly complaine with the learned man master Musculus Muscul in praecept 4. Non Christo sed nostris delitijs feriamur Men rest not to serue the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne delights in so much that there is no time more prophanely and corruptly spent then the Lords day which in name and shewe is dedicated to religon but men by their deeds openly shewe without all controulment that they doe consecrate them to the pleasures of the fleshe euen to Bacchus and Venus August in Psal 91. So that as Augustine saide Howe much better were it for men to plow vpon the Sabbath daie then to dance so we may say of these men Howe much better were it for them I meane lesse euill to bee occupied about some worldly busines then about these things wherein they serue not Christ but Sathan And yet I am affraide that herein many are fallen into