haue release from any creature Therefore our Sauiour Christs commandement is Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thy oathes to whome to the Lord. Math. 5. 33. And the oath that passed betweene Dauid and Ionathan is called The Lords oath 2. Sam. 21. 7 and 1. Sam. 20. 8. God will haue the oath to binde as long as seemeth good vnto him yea and cease binding when it pleaseth him And that which himselfe bindeth or will haue to be bound no creature can loose The things which God hath coupled let no man separate Math. 19. 6. And herein the Pope shewes himselfe to be Antichrist in that he challengeth power to dispense with a lawfull oath made without error or deceit of things honest and possible Out of this answer another Question may be resolued namely when doth a man commit Periurie Ans. 1. When a man sweares that which he knowes to be false 2. When he sweares that which he meanes not to doe 3. When he swearing to doe a thing which he also meanes to doe yet afterwards doth it not In these three the not performing of an oath made it flat periurie That we may yet be informed concerning the sinne of Periurie one Question of moment is to be skanned In Societies Corporations there be Lawes and Orders to the keeping whereof euery one admitted to an office takes a corporall oath Afterward it falls out vpon occasion that he breakes some of the saide Statutes The Question is whether he be not in this case periured Ans. Statues are of two sorts Some are principall or fundamentall which serue to maintaine the state of that bodie or Corporation Others lesse principall or mixt that serue for order or decencie In the statutes principall the lawmaker intends obedience simply and therefore they are necessarie to be kept But in the lesse principall he exacts not obedience simply but either obedience or the penaltie because the penaltie is as much beneficiall to the state of that body as the other The breach of the former makes a man guilty of periurie but it is otherwise in the latter so be it the delinquent party be content to beare the mulct if it be imposed Thus students and others belonging to such societies may in some sort excuse themselues from the sinne of periurie though not from all fault in breaking some of the lesser locall statutes els few could liue in any societie without periurie Yet one more Question is propounded touching periurie whether a man may exact an oath of him whome he feares or knowes will forsweare himselfe Ans. A priuate man must not but a Magistrate may if the partie offer to take his oath not beeing vrged therto and be first admonished of the greivousnesse of the said sinne of periurie In the execution of Ciuil Iustice Magistrates must not stay vpon mens sinnes Moses expected not the Israelites repentance for their Idolatrie but presently proceeded vnto punishment Neither must the publicke good of the Common wealth bee hindred vpon the likelyhood or suspition of a mans periurie CHAP. XIIII Of Vowes THe Seuenth head of the Outward worship of God is concerning a vowe All the Questions whereof may be reduced to these foure I. Question What is a Vowe Ans. A Vowe is a promise made to God of things lawfull and possible I call it a promise to distinguish a vowe from a single purpose For a purpose may be chaunged but a vowe lawfully made cannot Againe there is great difference betweene these two for in a vowe there is first a purpose to doe a thing secondly a binding of our selues to doe that we pupose For this cause I tearme it a promise because it is a purpose with a bond without which there can be no vowe made In the next place I adde a promise made to God not to Saint Angel or Man The reasons are these First a vowe is properly the worke of the heart consisting in a purpose Now God alone knowes the heart and he alone is able to discerne of the purpose and intent of the same which no Angel Saint or other creature can possible doe Secondly when the vow is made none can punish and take revenge of the breach therof but God Thirdly in the old Testament the Iewes neuer vowed but to God because the vowe was a part of Gods worshippe Deut. 23. 21. When thou shalt vowe a vowe vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not bestack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and so it should be sinne vnto thee Where by the way we may take notice of the superstition of the popish Church that maketh vowes to Saints and Angels which is in effect to make thē gods to worship thē as the Iewes worshipped God in the old Testament II. Question Whether a vowe be now in the newe Testament any part of Religion or Gods worship The answere is threefold First if a vowe be taken for a promise of morall obedience the answer is that a vowe is indeed the worship of God and so shal be to the ende of the world For as God for his part promiseth mercie in the couenant of grace so wee in Baptisme doe make a vowe and promise of obedience to him in all his commandements and therefore Peter calleth Baptisme a stipulation that is the promise of good conscience to God This promise once made in Baptisme is renewed so oft as we come to the Lords Supper and further continued in the daily spirituall exercises of Invocation and Repentance But it may be said we are already bound to the obedience of the Law by order of diuine Iustice therefore we cannot further binde our selues Ans. He that is bound by God may also bind himself Dauid though he was boūd by god in conscience to keepe the Law yet he binds himselfe freely by oath to helpe his own weaknes to keepe himselfe from falling when he saith I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal. 119. 106. And the same bond is no lesse necessary and behooffefull for vs if we consider how prone and readie we are to fall from the worshippe of God The second Answere If a vowe be taken for a promise of some ceremoniall dutie as of Sacrifices and Oblations or of giuing house lands and goods to the Temple then we must put a difference betweene the Olde Testament and the New In the Old Testament the vow of such duties was part of Gods worshippe but in the Newe it is not and that for these Reasons First The Iewish ceremonies were to the Iewes a part of Gods worshippe but to vs Gentiles they are not cōsidering they are all in Christ abolished and none of them doe now stand in force by Gods Law to vs. Thus the Passeover was a ceremonie or seruice appointed by God to be obserued of the Israelites and their posteritie Exod. 12. 24. 25. and therefore stood as a part of Gods worshippe to them
make a daily supplie by his grace Fourthly Satan seekes by all meanes to ouerthrow our soules continually and in that regard it behooueth vs alwaies and vpon euery occasion to lift vp our hearts to God for his mercifull protection Fiftly the gift of faith must grow and increase in vs day by day And the meanes whereby it groweth and thriueth in vs are the exercises of faith not seldome and rare but daily and continually vsed Now of all the exercises of faith none is more exceilent then Invocation and Thanksgiuing The Second kinde of prayer is set and solemne when a man sets himselfe apart to pray vnto God vsually and feruently or when men come reuerently and solemnely together into the congregation to call vpon the name of the Lord. The word of God appoints no set time for this kind but leaues it to the libertie wisdome and discretion of men And the ground of this Libertie is this There is now no difference betweene time and time in regard of Conscience for performing the worship of God and the duties of religion the Saboth onely excepted but the principall and onely difference is in regard of outward order and conueniencie whereby one time may be thought fitter then an other and that must be discerned by the wisdome of men In the New testament the distinction of daies and houres is taken away Paul was afraid of the Galatians because they made difference of daies times moneths and yeares in respect of holines and religion Gal. 4. By this doctrine we may see what to iudge of the Romane religion touching set times of prayer They prescribe certaine houres which they tearme Canonicall and they distinguish them in this manner The first they call the Matutine before the sunne rising The second the Prime from the first houre of the day to the third The third from thence to the sixt hower The fourth from the sixt to the ninth The fift from the ninth to the twelfth which they call the None The fixt is in the euening about the Sunne-setting The seuenth and last is after the Sunne-setting which they call the Completorie Now in these seauen prescribed howers by the doctrine deliuered I note three notable abuses First in that the Popish Church binds men in Conscience to obserue them vpon paine of mortall sinne Whereas in regarde of Conscience there is no difference of times Secondly they bind the Masse-priest the Deacon Subdeacon and the Beneficed man onely to Canonicall houres whereas those houres differ not from others in regard of performance of Gods worship neither are these men more bound to pray in them then others Thirdly that a man may say and read his Canonicall houres this day for the morrow and in the morning or after dinner for the whole day wherein we may see their grosse superstition IV. Question touching prayer is How their mindes are to be pacified which are troubled by sundry accidents that fall out in their praiers These Accidents are principally three First when they should pray they cannot frame or conceiue a forme of praier as other men doe For remoouing of which trouble let them remember this one thing That the vnfeigned desire of the touched heart is a praier in acceptance before God though knowledge memorie and vtterance to frame and conceiue a forme of prayer in words be waÌ„ting Ps. 10. 17. God heares the desire of the poore that is of humbled persons and them which are in distresse Psal. 145. 19. God will fulfill the desire of them that feare hiâ— he also will heare their cry and will saue them Rom. 8. 26. We know not how to pray as we ought but the Spirit of God that is the spirit of adoption maketh requests for vs by grones sighes which cannot be vttered Where we may obserue that the prayer of the Holy Ghost which must needes be an excellent prayer is made by grones which cannot be vttered in words The second Accident is that they finde them selues full of heauines and deadnes of spirit and their minds full of by-thoughts and wandting imaginations This trouble may be remooued vpon this ground that the defects of our prayer shall neuer condemne vs if we be heartily displeased with our selues for the same and by prayer and other good meanes doe struggle and striue against them Rom. 8. 1. There is no coÌ„demnation to them that be in Christ. In which place it is not saide They doe nothing worthy of coÌ„demâ—ation but thus There is no condemnation to them being in Christ though they deserue it neuer so much The third accideÌ„t is that though they pray they receiue not the fruit of their praiers For the remooueall of this distresse we may consider these foure things I. The man that is thus troubled is to examine himselfe whether he hath made his praier to God aright or no For if he pray amisse he may pray long and neuer be heard Our Sauiour would not grant the request of the sonns of Zebedeus because they asked they knew not what Matt. 20. 22. Iam. 4. 3. Ye aske receiue not because ye aske amisse that ye might consume it on your lusts Paul prayed three times and had the repulse because he asked things inconuenient for him to receiue therefore answere was made My grace is sufficient for thee 2. Cor. 12. The man therefore that would make a praier aright must haue respect vnto the matter and forme thereof as also to the disposition of his owne heart If he faile in any of these then God will not heare or if he doth he heares in iustice II. Though men make lawfull praiers vnto God aske things that are to be asked and which God will grant yet God will sometime deserre the accomplishment of their praiers and not giue eare vnto them at the first Dauid prayed night and day and yet was not heard Psalm 22. 2. Againe his eies failed his throat was drie while he waited for his God by prayer Psal. 69. 3. The Angel Gabriel said to Zacharie Luk. 1. 13. Thy prayer is heard Now in all likelihood that prayer of Zacharie was made long before euen in his youth yet it was not granted him till he was olde The Lord deferres the graunt of our requests vpon good reason For hereby he stirreth vp the dulnes of our hearts and quickeneth our faith and hope Againe he makes vs when we enioy the blessings desired to haue them in higher estimation and to be more thankefull vnto him yea in the want thereof to striue the more earnestly with him by praier for them The woman of Canaan was repulsed and called a dogge by our Sauiour Christ not for that he intended to reiect her prayer but to stirre vp her faith to make her more earnest in asking as also more thankefull for the benefit when shee had receiued it III. The Lord vseth to graunt our petitions two manner of waies First by giuing the very thing we aske Secondly by giuing something answerable
2. Ans. That this field was bought twice First by Abraham and then afterward recouered by Iacob that he might maintaine his fathers possession 3. Answ. That Abrahams name is here put for his posterity as Israels name is otherwhere giuen to his children yea not only to his children but also to his fathers Isaack and Abraham For Exod. 12. 40. it is said The abode of the children of Israel while they dwelt in Egypt was 430. yeares which cannot be true vnlesse the abode of Abraham and Isaack be therein included Now if the name of the successour may be giuen to his auncestors much more may the name of the auncestors be giuen to the posteritie CHAP. IV. Of Religion THe third Question concerning man as he stands in relation to God is touching Religion where it is demanded What is that Religion that is due vnto the true God Answ. The name Religion is not alwaies taken in one and the same sense For sometime it is vsed to signifie the whole bodie of doctrine reuealed in the written word that teacheth and prescribeth whatsoeuer is to be beleeued or practized as necessary to saluation Otherwhiles it is put for the inward vertue of the mind where the same doctirne is beleeued and the duties therein required practised and performed to the Maiestie of God And beeing thus taken it is called by the name of Pietie or Godlinesse in the Scripture And in this second sense I take it in this place Now Religion or Pietie hath two distinct parts The first is knowledge of God the second the worship of God These two are notably described by Dauid in his last will and Testament wherein he commends vnto Salomon his sonne before all other things the care and ioue of Religion and Pietie the summe whereof he reduceth to these heades the knowledge of God and worship of God 1. Chron. 28. 9. And thou Salomon my sonne KNOWE thou the God of thy father and SERVE him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind According to this difference of heades are the Questions concerning religion to be distinguished and these are principally two First how God is to be knowne and then how he is to be worshipped I. Question How God is to be conceiued in our mindes when wee performe any seruice or worship vnto him FOr answer hereunto this ground is first to be laid that we must not neither can possibly knowe or conceiue God as he is in himselfe For God in himselfe is infinite and therefore incomprehensible in regard of vs. But we are to conceiue him so as he hath doth reveale himselfe to vs in his creatures principally in his word The truth herof may appeare in this one example to alleadge no more when Moses desired to see the glory Maiestie of God for a further confirmation and assurance of his calling answer was made him by God that he could not see his face but he should see his back parts as he passed by him The meaning of this answer is that God would manifest his glorie vnto him by his effects by which as by a glympse or imperfect representation he might discern some part of his Maiestie so farre forth as he was able in the infirmitie of flesh and blood to behold the same But the perfect and full sight thereof no creature was euer able to attain vnto it beeing reserued for the life to come when not before they shall see him as he is in himselfe face to face This Ground beeing laid the full answer to the Question I propound in foure rules I. Rule When we are to pray or to worship God we must not conceiue him in the forme of any earthly or heauenly bodily or spirituall creature whatsoeuer for thus not to conceiue him is a degree of conceiuing him aright II. Rule God must be conceiued of vs not by his nature but by his attributes works By his attributes as that he is infinite in mercie iustice goodnes power c. By his works of creation and gouernement of the world of redemption c. Thus the Lord reuealed himselfe to Moses Exod. 6. 14. I AM hath sent me vnto you that is one which hath his beeing in himselfe and of himsefe that giues being to all creatures by creation and continues the same by his prouidence one that giues a beeing and accomplishment to all his mercifull promises When the Lord appeared to Moses he shewed not his face vnto him but passed by him with a voice The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious long suffering and plenteous in goodnes and truth In which place the Lord proclaimes his name by his attributes So in the prophecie of Ieremie I am he that shewes mercie iudgement and iustice in the land The same Daniel confesseth in his praier when he saith O Lord God which art great and fearfull keeping couenant and mercie toward thē that loue thee keepe thy commandements And lastly the author to the Hebrewes He that comes to God must beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him III. Rule God must not be conceiued absolutely that is out of the Trinitie but as he subsisieth in the person of the Father Sonne and the Holy Ghost so he must be knowne and conceiued of vs. The auncient rule of the Church is that the vnitie must be worshipped in Trinitie and the Trinitie in Vnitie By this doe the protestant Churches differ from all other assemblies of worshippers The Turke conceiues and worships a God creator of heauen and earth but an abstracted God which is neither Father Sonne nor Holy Ghost The Iew worshippeth God but out of Christ and therefore a feigned and Idol God The Papist in word acknowledgeth and so worshippeth God but indeede makes God an Idol because he worships him not in a true but in a feigned Christ that sits at the right hand of the father in heauen and is also in the hands of euery Masse-priest after the words of cōsecration But the Protestant knowes God as he will be knowen and consequently worships him as he wil be worshipped in Father Sonne and Holy Ghost IV. Rule When we direct our praiers or any worship to any one person we must include the rest in the same worship yea further we must retaine in minde the distinction and order of all the three persons without severing or sundring them for so they are named and propounded in the Scriptures The reason is because as they are not seuered but conioyned in nature so they neither are nor must be seuered but conioyned in worship For example the man that praies to God the Father for the forgiuenes of his sins must aske it of him for the merit of the sonne and by the assurance of the Holy Ghost Againe he that praies for remission of his sinnes to God the Son must pray that he would procure the Father to graunt his pardon and withall assure it by his
vpon defect of memory and vtterance c. vse a set forme of prayer Sect. 2. The second Circumstance is the Gesture Concerning which it is demanded what kind of gesture is to be vsed in praier whether kneeling standing sitting or the holding vp the hands or head to heauen or bowing the body to the earth Answ. God in his word hath not prescribed any particular gesture of the body and therfore our consciences are not bound to any in particular Besides that Religion stands not properly in bodily actions and gestures Yet touching gesture the word of God giues certaine generall rules to be obserued in prayers both publicke and priuate In Publicke praier these rules of Gesture are prescribed First when publicke praier is made in the congregation our gesture must alwaies be comely modest decent SecoÌ„dly all gesture vsed publickely must serue to expresse as much as may be the inward humility of the hart without hypocrisie Now these kinds are manifold Some concern the whole body as the bowing thereof the casting of it downe vpon the ground some againe concerne the parts of the body as lifting vp of the head the eies the hands bowing the knees c. Touching these the scripture hath not bound vs to any particulars but in them all we must haue regard that they serue alway to expresse the humilitie of our hearts before God Thus haue the Holy men of God behaued themselues yea the Holy Angels standing before the Arke doe couer their faces in token of reuereÌ„ce of the maiestie of God Esay 6. 2. Thirdly we must in publicke praier content our selues to followe the laudable fashion and custome of that particular Church where we are For to decline from customes of particular Churches in such cases often causeth scisme and dissensions In priuate praier done in priuate and secret places there is more liberty For in it we may vse any gesture so it be comely and decent and serue to expresse the inward humility of our hearts An auncient writer is of opinion that it is an vnreuerent and vnlawfull thing to pray sitting But both the learned before in and after his time haue iudged his opinion superstitious specially considering that Religion stands not in the outward gesture of the body and it skills not much what that is so the inward humility of a syncere heart be expressed therby Sect. 3. The third Circumstance is the place Where Question is made In what place we must pray Answ. In regard of conscience holines and religion all places are equal and alike in the New Testament since the comming of Christ. The house or the field is as holy as the Church And if we pray in either of them our prayer is as acceptable to God as that which is made in the Church For now the daies are come that were foretold by the Prophet wherein a cleane offering should be offered to God in euery place Mal. 1. 11. which Paul expoâ—…ds 1. Tim. 2. 8. of pure and holy praier offened to God in euery place To this purpose Christ said to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 25. that the tyme should come when they 〈◊〉 not worship in Ierusalem or in Samaria but the true worshippers of God should worship him in spirit and in truth wheresoeuer it be Yet neuerthelesse for order decency and quietnes sake publicke prayer must be made in publicke places as Churches and Chappels appointed for that vse And priuate praier in priuate houses and clozets Mat. 6. 5. Now the opinion of the Papist is otherwise For he thinkes that in the new TestameÌ„t hallowed Churches are more holy then other places are or can be and doe make the prayers offered to God in them more acceptable to him then in any other and herevpon they teach that priuate men must pray in Churches and priuate prayers must be made in Churches if they will haue them heard For proofe hereof they alleadge the practise of some particular persons in the Scriptures Of Anna who praied priuately in the temple Luk. 2. 37. Of Dauid who in his exile desired greatly to haue recourse vnto the temple And of Daniel who is saide to looke out at the window toward the temple and pray Dan. 6. 10. Answ. These places are abused by the Popish Church For there is great difference betweene the temple at Ierusalem in the old Testament and our Churches in the new That was built by particular commandemeÌ„t from God so were not our Churches That was a type of the very body and manhood of Christ. Heb. 9. 11. And of his misticall bodie Col. 2. 7. Againe the Arke in the temple was a pledge and signification of the couenant a signe of gods presence a pledge of his mercie and that by his owne appointment for it was his will there to answere his people but the like cannot be shewed of our Churches or Chappell 's It will be saide that the Sacrament is a signe of Gods presence for in it God is present after a sort Ans. It is true Christ is present in the Sacrament but when not alwaies but then onely when the Sacrament is administred And the Administration beeing once ended Christ is no more present in the Elements of bread and wine And in the very act of celebration he is not carnally but spiritually present Sect. 4. The fourth Circumstance is the Time Quest. What are the times in which men are to make prayers vnto God For answer to this question it is first to be considered that there is a twofold manner of praying and consequently two kindes of prayer The first is the secret and sudden lifting vp of the heart to God vpon the present occasion The second is set or solemne prayer The first sort of praiers haue of auncient time beene called Eiaculations or the darts of the heart And the time of this kind of prayer is not determined but is and may be vsed at any time without exception This point I make plaine by these reasons The first is the commandement of God 1. Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Eph. 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance for all Saints In both these places by praier and supplications Paul vnderstandeth the sudden lifting vp of the heart vnto God Secondly whatsoeuer we speake thinke or doe we must doe all to the glorie of God Now God is glorified when we doe in all things from our hearts acknowledge his power wisdome iustice mercie prouidence and goodnes And these we doe acknowledge when we daily and howerly lift vp our hearts to him in petition for some blessings and in thanksgiuing for his mercies Thirdly we are subiect to innumerable infirmities frailties and wants so as we cannot of our selues so much as thinke one good thought therefore we are euery day and hower to lift vp our hearts to God partly in praier partly in giuing of thankes that he would
day of the weeke and there will be no neede of appointing a set time for Gods seruice if all daies be equall without any difference or distinctioÌ„ But the fourth CoÌ„mandement for substance is eternall and requireth vpon paine of the curse both rest from labour and a setting apart of the same rest to the duties of holines religion And if it command abstinence from ordinarie abour then much more from pleasures and recreations The third and last Opinion holdes the meane betweene the two former extremities and that I take to be the best and safest The substance hereof consists of these two conclusions 1. That vpon the Sabboth day of the new Testament men are to rest from the ordinarie labours of their callings Thus much is commanded in the fourth commandemeÌ„t For the rest it selfe was not a ceremonie as I said before but the straight precise manner of resting Againe it is most necessarie that religion and the power thereof should be maintained amongst Gods people which cannot possibly be vnlesse men at sometimes set themselues apart vnto it The student that desires learning doth not attaine vnto knowledge vnlesse he doe daily consecrate and devote himselfe to the studie therof In like maner religion cannot be preserved and maintained in the Church except men doe whollie and continually employ themselues in the practise of the same Furthermore it is the libertie that Gods lawe giues to seruants yea and to beasts that they shall not be oppressed with labour by working on the Lords day this liberty is grouÌ„ded vpon the law of nature coÌ„mon equity Here the common sort are wont to reply and say If we must rest from the labour of our callings the whole day we shall not be able to maintaine our selues and our families To which it may be answered that they which gathered Manna onely in the sixe daies had as much as they that gathered it on the seuenth day that which they gathered the seuenth day did not remaine sweete but stanke and perished They therefore which rest on the Sabboth daie must not be distracted with needelesse cares but liue by by faith and depend vpon Gods providence for meate drinke and clothing And the labour of the calling then vsed when it is expressely forbidden by God bringeth rather a curse with it then a blessing Againe such persons must remember that Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and the life to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. and if they will first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all things necessarie shall be cast vnto them in way of aduantage Mat. 6. 33. Therefore if they keepe his commandement and rest vpon the seuenth day God will in mercy giue a blessing and they shall no lesse receiue from him their daily bread in that day then in any other II. Conclusion In this Rest sundry kindes of workes may be done and that with good conscience principally two The first are workes both holy and of present necessitie And they are such as cannot be done before or after the Sabboth These are likewise of two sorts The first are those that doe necessarily pertaine to Gods worshippe so as without them God cannot be worshipped Of this kind is the Sabboth daies iourney Act. 1. 12. allowed among the Iewes to the people to goe and heare the word preached Thus we read that the Shunamite went ordinarily vpon the Sabboth and new Moone to the Prophet to heare him For when shee demanded leaue of her husband to goe to the Prophet he askes her Why wilt thou goe seeing it is neither newe Moone nor Sabboth day 2. King 4. 23. Of the same sort were the killing and dressing of sacrificed beastes in the time of the law wherof our Sauiour saith Haue ye not read in the law how that on the Sabboth daies the Priests in the temple break the Sabboth and are blamelesse Mat. 12. 5. The next sort of workes of present necessitie are those that belong immediately to the preseruation of the temporall life of man and beast or that serue to the good estate of them both Such are workes of mercie as the watering of cattell Mark 12. 11. the drawing of a beast out of a pitte Luc. 14. 5. and such like The second kind of workes that may be done vpon the Sabboth are workes of Christian libertie out of the Case of necessitie These were such as the Iewes might not doe and yet we in the new Testament may doe them For example prouision and dressing of meate making fires and carrying of burdens Yet vpon this libertie men ought not to gather that they may doe what they will because they must cease from the ordinarie execution of the works of their callings For the word of God giueth no such warrant men are in this case to submit themselues to his will expressely reuealed and to vse their libertie according to the same Here two Cases are propounded I. Case Whether we may not lawfully vse recreations on the Sabboth day as shooting bowling hunting hawking wrastling c Ans. I take it we are not denied to reioice and solace our selues vpon this day For to some men at some times recreation may be more necessarie then meat in case of weakenes for present preseruation of health And though not in that regard yet beeing well â—sed it may be a furtherance to men in the performance of the duties of godlines as well as in the duties of their calling But this reioycing must be such as was the reioycing of the Iewes Nehem. 8. 12. which was onely spirituall and in the Lord. For they reioyced onely for this that they vnderstood the law of God that was taught them But as for the recreations and pastimes aforenamed as bowling and such like they are not at this time to be vsed My reason is this That which is the more principall and necessarie namely labour in the execution of a mans calling is forbidden recreation therefore which is for labour must cease on that day when labour ceaseth Againe if the duties of the ordinary vocation otherwise lawfull and commendable be therefore forbidden because they destroy the rest commanded and take vp the mind that it cannot be freely emploied in the affaires of God then much more are workes of pleasures forbidden because they doe the same things much more though otherwise in themselues they be not vnlawfull Obiect Seruants must haue recreation otherwise how shall they be able to worke in the weeke day Ans. True but their recreation must be granted them in the daies of labour For recreation pertaineth not to rest but to labour and is therefore vsed that a man by it may be made more fitte to labour II. Case Whether men vpon any occasion may not doe a worke of their callings in the morning or euening of the Sabboth day as Tradesemen for example I answer that they may so be it they obserue foure caveats I. That the worke done be no scandall to