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
stande still in his proper force and that it appertaineth to vs Christians now most euidently appeaâ—eth by that authoritie and credite which it receiueth â—rom the Gospell and newe Testament also in which it is so highly commended vnto vs that I might not in this place speake of the manifold other testimonies that it hath in the old And by name we may see how our Sauiour Christ all his Apostles establisheth it by their â—ractise for they vpon the Sabbath ordinarily enter into â—he Synagogues of the Iewes and preach vnto the peoâ—le doing such things vpon those dayes as appertaine â—o sanctifying of them according to the commandement Obiect Against which lest we might except that our Redeemer Christ Iesus being made vnder the law as the Apostle sayth came to fulfill the whole law for vs Galath 4.4 and therefore he indeede submitted himselfe vnto the obseruation of the least ceremonie therof al his life long till at his death he cryed out It is finished Ioh. 19.30 Math. 27.51 when the vayle of the Temple rent in twaine from the top to the bottome to shew that all types and figures were abrogated and taken away and therefore that his obseruation of the Sabbath maketh no more for the certaintie of it then his obseruing of Circumcision keeping the Passeouer and offering vp of â—â—crifices doe make for their continuance now vnder the Gospell Answer Wee must further consider that the Apostles themselues long after Christs death and after they had receiued the holy Ghost Iohn 16.13 euen the spirite of truth that should leade them into all trueth doe by their practise and writings shewe that the Sabbath stoode vpon a surer ground then the whole ceremoniall lawe and therefore could not with it bee taken away Acts 13.14 Paul and Barnabas as it is in the Acts comming into Antiochia went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day and sate downe and after the reading of the Lawe and the Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if ye haue any worde of exhortation to the people say on then Paul stoode vp and beckened with the hand and sayd Men of Israell c. going on forward with that notable sermon that is set downe there and when hee had ended verse 42. as it is in the same chapter The Gentiles besought them that they would preach those words vnto them the next Sabbath day which also they did And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie together to heare the word of God verse 44. Moreouer the same Apostle at Thessalonica Acts 17 2. went into the Synagogue of the Iewes and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures And thus hee did not once or twise but continually and ordinarily shewing the ordinary continuance of the Sabbath and the sanctifying of it as the Euangelist precisely noteth saying Paul as his manner was went in vnto them Now though we are to presume that Paul neither taught nor practised any thing contrarie to the rest of the Apostles but that they agreed in one vniforme order of doctrine and gouernement of the Church as who had receiued of one and the selfe same spirite and therefore this might bee sufficient to shew their consent herein Yet notwithstanding wee may reade how in the last booke of the Bible and by the last Apostle I meane who liued longest the same thing is confirmed where he is so farre from teaching that the Sabbath for the space of 97. yeares after Christ was taken away about what time it is thought that hee wrote that booke that â—â—e plainly auoucheth the coÌ„tinuance of it in the Church â—y this new and honourable name Reuel 1.10 The Lords day where â—â—ne of purpose noting the time that he receiued those Reuelations in calleth it by that name that was best known to the Church at that time otherwise he should not so fitly haue expressed his mind to those to whoÌ„ he wrote which day thus called all writers doe agree vpon it new and old yea the Papists themselues to bee this very Sabbath which wee obserue Thus it is sufficiently proued that the Sabbath was none of those Ceremonies which were iustly abrogated at the comming of Christ as being appoynted of God for no further time but that it coÌ„tinued in the practise of the Church when all other ceased yea was kept faithfully in the Church by al them who had with one consent shut out all the rest And that it is so commanded in the first booke of holy scriptures Genesis where is shewed what was from the beginning that it wanteth not his due praise in the last booke of the same Reuelation where is a prophesie of things to bee fulfilled vnto the ende and therefore wee must hearken vnto the trueth of this doctrine so much the rather least that fearefull iudgement doe fall vpon vs which the Lord Iesus himselfe threatned to bring vpon them that shall diminish any thing contained in this booke and therefore which shall in whole or in part take away this day which is so honored there when he sayth Reuel 22.19 If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke But that I might not seeme tedious vnto you we shall further heare in one word that the Sabbath still bindeth vs and that it ought to stand in his greatest force That two ends of ordayning the Sabbath sheweth the continuance of it that euer it had and that we haue as great neede of it as euer any people had in the world and that our posteritie shall haue so likewise and therefore cannot be without it if we consider the principall ends of the first instituting and ordaining of it by God vnto Adam in Paradise A day of rest is necessarie Commanding him to rest vpon that day and to keepe holie the day of rest And first of all to rest because he was not of an infinite nature though perfect and therefore could not be occupied wholly about many I doe not say contrarie but sundrie and diuers things at once as about the busines of this world and the worship of God wherefore being bound by his calling to dresse and keepe the garden Gen. 2.15 verse 3. and yet charged to keepe holie the seuenth day meditating vpon the wisedome and mercie of God appearing as in all the creatures so especially in himselfe and thus beholding the inuisible things of God in them Rom. 1.20 giuing thankes to God for them praying for the continuance of them teaching them to his posteritie c. it was needfull that the seuenth day should bee vnto him as it was indeed a Sabbath day that is a day of rest resting from all his other necessarie businesse that so he might
reuerenced the Catholike custome of the Church which was from the Apostles time rather then that hee did euen thē first ordaine it Bucer in Mat. 12.11 For as Master Bucer sayth The Lords day was appointed by the common consent of the Christians for the publike assemblies of the Church ipso statim tempore Apostolorum euen at the first in the Apostles time Nowe seeing the alteration was made in the Apostles time And by the Aposles themselues Ioh. 16.13 they did yeeld vnto it by their practise by whom can we imagine that this shuld be done but by thē who had receiued the spirite that should leade them into all trueth then by them I say who for their excellent giftes were able to see further into things then all the Church besides who for their great and Apostolicall authoritie would preuayle more then any other who were appoynted by Christ to be the chiefe builders and planters of the Churches both in doctrine and discipline And therefore S. Augustine saith plainely August de temp serm 251 Dominicum diem Apostoli Apostolici viri c. The Apostles and men of Apostolicall authoritie did ordaine this day in the Church M. Fox in Apoc. 1.10 And M. Foxe concluding out of his words saith From hence it is manifest that the obseruation of this Lords sabbath Aucoritate niti Apostolicae institutionis doth leane vpon the authoritie of the Apostles institution If indeed they had resisted it as they did many other things that crept into the Church in their time we would haue suspected it or rather vtterly refused it but seeing they haue commended it vnto vs by their practises as appeareth in that Scripture which we know to be Canonicall and Authenticall wee doe acknowledge that the Lorde furnishing them with his holy spirite as he vsed them according to his good pleasure like worthie instruments to conuey vnto vs the holy scriptures which wee receiue from their hands without all gaine saying so we beleeue that they had his extraordinarie direction in abrogating the former day and placing this in the roome of it For as the learned Doctor Fulke sayth D. Fulke vpon Rhem. Test. Apoc. 1.10 Acts 1.2 Now for the prescription of this day before any other of the seuen the Apostles had without doubt either the expresse commaundement of Christ before his ascension when hee gaue them precepts concerning the Kingdome of God and the ordering and gouernment of Church or else the certain direction of his spirite that it was his will and pleasure that it should bee so and that also according to the Scriptures And as we doe not dispute of the authoritie and credite of their writings which wee know not to haue proceeded from the spirite of man so wee doe not call into question the lawfulnes of this change which wee see in their writings allowed and by themselues commended vnto vs in the same So that I may conclude with him that saith Wolph Chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. Fecerunt hoc Apostoli The Apostles did make this change as appeareth by their writings whose examples wee doe well to follow as of whom it is sayd Iunij praelect in Gen. 2.3 hee that heareth you heareth mee And so concludeth Iunius Quamobrem cum dies Dominicus c. Wherefore seeing the Lords day is both by the fact of Christ s his resurrection and often appearing to his Disciples vpon that day by the example and institution of the Apostles and by the continuall practise of the ancient Church and by the testimonie of the scripture obserued substituted into the place of the Iewish Sabbath Ineptè faciunt They do very foolishly who say that the obseruation of the Lords day is of tradition not from the scripture that by this meanes they might establish the traditions of men And that it might be fully known to the whole church in time that the day was changed indeed they gaue it a new name calling it the Lords day that the very name it selfe might proclayme with a loude voyce as it were with the sound of a Trumpet thus much vnto the whole world yea among them which had not yet submitted themselues to the obseruation of this day For thus Saint Iohn calleth it in the Reuelation Reuel 1.10 I was rauished in the spirite on the Lords day by which as it is agreed vpon of all sides that hee meaneth this very day which wee obserue so when he giueth it this name writing vnto the Church to whom he would commend this prophecie he sheweth that then it began at least to bee so called and was in his time known by that name to some he liuing longer then the rest of the Apostles And so as the bounds of the Gospell were enlarged and it was by little and little in more places intertained neither could so great a thing in all places be done at once so with it also was the obseruation of this new day together with the change of the name thereof in the same places intertayned also And therefore Ignatius Bishop of Antioche liuing in the time or this Apostle Ignat. ad Magnes saith of it Omnis qui Christum amat Let euery one that loueth Christ keepe holy the Lords day renowned by his resurrection which is the Queene of all dayes in which death is ouercome and life is sprong vp in Christ. And so after him in other places it was thus called and kept Euseb lib 4. cap. 22. For as Eusebius makes mention in his Ecclesiasticall historie Dionisius Bishop of Corinth who liued about the yeare of Christ 106. speaketh thus Hodie to day we haue celebrated the Lords holy day And Iustinus Martyr Iustin. apol 2. not long after him doth not onely name the Lordes day but sheweth how it was obserued then euen as it is of vs when he saith That they met in one place to heare the writings of the Prophets c. Tertul. lib. de Idololat And Tertullian after him among the solemne dayes of the Christians then obserued doth first of all name the Lords day Thus wee may see that this change was made and approued of the Church from the beginning and so hath continued vnto our time But least it shuld seeme strange vnto vs Then also was changed the Ministers and the ministerie of the lawe that any such change should be made in the day we must call into our remembrance how many things were changed at that time For first of all the Ministers were changed and in stead of Priests and Leuites there were giuen Apostles Ephes 4.11 Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Teachers Secondarily all the sacrifices were changed so that we doe not offer vp the dead bodies of Rams Calues goates and such like but we giue vp our selues a liuing sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable vnto God Thirdly the Sacraments were changed for in stead of Circumcision and the Passeouer wee haue Baptisme and the
of our life testifie it let our workes proue it for who will beleeue that hee hath beene present at the assemblies of the Church and hath heard the worde of God with a syncere heart and a true faith who bestowes the rest not onely of that day as he sayth but of his life not onely more vainely but more wickedly Let vs therefore in the feare of God and as wee haue a care of our owne soules repent vs earnestly of that that is past and praye vnto him that in all time to come we might make more conscience of obseruing the Lords day in all the parts of his worship publikely and priuately and that wee may bring forth the fruite of them all more plentifully all the daies both of the weeke following and of our whole life to the glory and praise of his holy name the vnspeakable comfort and endlesse saluation of our owne soules the good example of his Church the stopping of the mouthes of the wicked and the leauing of them without excuse and that in and by our onely Lorde redeemer and mediatour Iesus Christ through the operation of his holy spirit to which blessed Trinitie in vnitie for his grace vpon me in finishing this work and for all other his mercies bee ascribed as most due all honour glorie and praise both now for euermore Amen FINIS A Table of the principall matter contained in the first Booke THis Commandement in foure things differs from al the rest pag. 1. 2. 3. 4 That there ought to be a Sabbath day continually kept of al men to the end of the world pag. 5 The Sabbath day was kept from the beginning of the world before it was pronounced vpon Mount Sinay pag. 6 The lawe of the Sabbath is naturall ibid. 7. 8 The Gospell hath not taken away the obseruation of the Sabbath pag. 9. 10 The Sabbath was ordained for 2. principall ends pag. 11. 12 It is necessarie that there should be one day of rest in the weeke ibid. 13 It is necessarie that one day in the weeke shoulde bee sanctified pag. 14. 15. 16 If there were no Sabbath Gods worship would bee altogether neglected pag. 17. 18. 19 Obiections to disproue the continuāce of the Sabbath vnder the Gospell answered p. 20. 21. c. The Sabbath ought to be vpō the seuenth day and vpon none other pag. 30. 31. 32 And vpon this seuenth day that we now keepe pag. 33. 35 This change of the day was made by the Apostles p. 36. 38 Why the Apostles chaunged the Iewish Sabbath into this day that we now keepe rather then into any other p. 42. 43. c. This day must neuer be changed but continue to the end of the world pag. 47 It is and must now bee called the Lords day pag. 48 The first thing commaunded is to rest vpon this day pag. 51 A very exact and precise rest must be kept pag. 53. 54 The causes of this rest p. 57. 58 From what things wee ought to rest pag 63. 64. c. All sorts of men high and low are commanded to rest p. 82 c. The cattell must rest pag. 85 Wee must not compell others to worke for vs. p. 89. c. They that be in authority must restraine other from working pag. 93. c. Obiect how shall men liue if they worke not Answered p 98. c. What bodily labour may bee vsed vpon this day p. 102. c. Euery man in the sixe dayes may doe all his worke pag. 119 Obiection If wee bee bound thus straightly to rest wee are in as great bondage vnder the Gospell as the Iewes Answered pag. 124. c. Sundry iudgements of God vpon the breakers of the Sabbath pag. 128. 129. c. Wee ought to rest also vpon this day from al honest recreations and lawfull delights p. 131. c. And from speaking and hearing of worldly matters p. 137. c And from hauing our mindes occupied about the same p. 140 Obiection Who is able then to keepe this Commandement Answered pag. 144. An application of all this to our selues pag. 146 FINIS The principall matters in the second Booke THe second thing in the Commandement is to sanctifie the day of rest pag. 149. 150 It is then sanctified c. ibid. Which is principally required in this Commandement 153. c. We must remember the Sabbath to this end especially p. 156. c. The sanctificatiō of the day is precisely vrged in many c. p. 158 Then the daylie seruice of God was doubled p. 161 Our Church assemblies ought to be vpon this day p. 162 At which time men ought to bee there present p. 164 Then ought Gods worde to bee preached p. 166. c. All men should goe where they may heare it p. 169 c. Where it is not preached heard the day cannot be hallowed as it should p. 172 They that cannot or will not preach are causes of vnhallowing this day p. 173 Wee must be present at the rest of diuine seruice frō the beginning to the end therof p. 174 175. c. God would haue vs to serue him publikely in the Church p. 177 Sundry reasons to perswade therunto p. 178 After what manner and to what end we ought c. p 183 Wee must repent for our vnprofitable comming to church 188 Publike collection for the poore ought to be made c. p. 191 How wee ought priuatly to spend the rest of the day 194 Wee must prepare our selues before we come to church c. 195 How we ought to prepare c. 198 We must reade the scriptures priuatly at home 200 Wee must vse priuate meditation vpon that we haue c. 203 What meditation is and the great fruits thereof 203. 205 How vnprofitable we are for want of meditation 207 Wee ought priuatly to talke and conferre c. 210 The profit of such cōferēces 219 What hinders men frō thē p. 216 With whō we ought to cōfer 220 Wee ought to meditate and conferre also of Gods works 222 Which will teach vs to profit by al things and in all estates 230 There ought to be singing c. 235 The fruit of singing Psalmes 239 Singing of Psalmes is greatly decayed 241 The cause of this decay 242 The praise and commendation of singing Psalmes 244 The workes of mercie ought to bee practised especially on this day 246 We ought then to visit them that be in miserie 252 The spiritual works of mercie are then especially to bee done to mens soules 255 All superiours ought to bee careful that their inferiours c 258 In our time this is greatly neglected c. 263 Lawes should bee made and well executed c. 274 The great good that redounds to the cōmon-wealth thereby 275 A Conclusion with an application of al to our selues others 281 FINIS
God to the stoping of the mouthes of them that gainsay it the 〈◊〉 condemnation of them that enquire not after the â—eth of it and the praise of our God not onely that the â—â—bbath ought to be continued but that wee take it as a â—â—incipall mercie that the Lord hath reserued it vnto 〈◊〉 Now it remaineth that I should descend into the particulars of this Commandement which also I would presently doe were it not that certaine obiections which men make against this trueth which doubtles also may arise in your mindes did lye in the way It is dangerous to reason against a known trueth which are first to 〈◊〉 remoued wherein generally wee are to bee aduised and carefull how at any time wee dispute against any trueth plainly proued and when the doctrine is substantially confirmed how wee stande reasoning against it which as I haue often taught so I take it to bee a safe way least when we will not receive the trueth in loue 2. Thess 2.10.11 that we might be saued God giue vs ouer to effectuall illusions that wee might beleeue lyes then shall wee thinke euery shew of reason that either our owne corrupt vnderstanding shall teach vs or any wicked man shall buzze in our eares the diuell working in both by Gods iust iudgement to bee of more force for the ouerthrowing of that which is taught then al that hath been spoken or can be to vphold it But if in this case any reason be offered vnto vs let vs first of all suspect it draw our hearts to a misliking of it so shall we be fitter to reason against it as the Apostle teacheth vs in many places and namely in the 6. to the Romanes Shall we continue still in sinne Rom. 6.1 that grace may abound God forbid As if he should say fie vpon that God keepe vs from it Secondly let vs know that though wee cannot answere the doubt that yet we must not giue ouer our perswasion in the trueth For if it be a principle in Philosophie that a foole may obiect more sometimes then a wise man can answere much more is it true in Diuinitie that wee hauing sinne in vs out or measure and the spirit of God but in measure the one can teach vs to obiect or conceiue more against the trueth then by the other wee shall bee able to answere and say for it Last of all let vs say with the Apostle 2. Cor. 13.8 I can doe nothing against the trueth but for the trueth and therefore that wit and reason wee haue let vs rather spende it in learning the proofes to maintaine the trueth which is the safest way to continue in it then to intangle and as it were to snarle our selues in those doubts against the trueth which as they be many so are they endles and dangerous But concerning the obiections against this speciall truth my purpose is not to meete with euery one of theÌ„ for I knowe them not neither can any man for as the trueth is one and certaine so errors are infinite and without number in so much that looke how many men there bee in the world so many obiections there bee made against one principle in religion and so many moe as that euery man may haue a world of doubts within himselfe yet some I will briefly remember and those especially which I haue obserued to bee most rise in the mouthes of that people with which I haue had most dealing in this matter Obiect 1 The Sabbath belongs onely to the Iewes First of all they ignorantly say as all obiections doe arise from the ignorance of the trueth that the Sabbath is a Iewish thing beloÌ„ging only to that people so not appertaining vnto vs. Against which all that that wee haue alreadie spoken and heard doth most euidently and openly and as it were with a lowd voyce speake For it hath been substantially proued Answer that this Commandement did no more begin with the people of the Iewes then any other may that it was 2000. yeares and more before euer they were a people and it hath continued now 1500. yeares and more in the Church since the Iewes were no people and when all Iewish things haue been abrogated onely this hath continued still in the Church in his owne proper force that it might appeare that it was of a nature farre differing from them hauing neither beginning nor ending together with them And this is that which a learned man master Wolphius saith when hauing before spoken of other festiuall daies of the Iewes now abrogated hee addeth Wolph Chronol lib. 2 cap. 1. Sabbathum autem dierum ordinarium perpetuum c. But the ordinary and perpetuall Sabbath of daies that is the seuenth day by this name hee opposing it to the Sabbath of weekes and yeares is not to bee reckoned among the figures and ceremonies of the Iewes both because it was ordained in Paradise before the fall of man for the worship of God and also it is commanded in the Decalogue which containeth in it nothing ceremoniall nothing typicall nothing to be abrogated for in that I hold the position of the Schooleman to be true The precepts of the Decalogue are indispensibilia not to be dispensed withall Thom. 1ae 2ae quaest 100. And therefore the vrging of this commandement vpon the Church of God at this day so straightly is not to bring them into the intollerable bondage of the Iewes from which they are deliuered by Christ nor to lay vpon them that yoake which neither they nor their fathers were able to beare Acts 15.10 but to chalenge them with that ancient obedience which God alwaies required at their hands and from which they were neuer free Nay to shake off our obedience to that whereunto the Church hath alwaies yeelded vnder this pretence in so waightie a matter is to abuse our libertie to turne it into licentiousnes and to set open a windowe vnto all kinde of prophanenesse Obiect 2 Moreouer whereas others are driuen to confesse that there ought to be a Sabbath still remaining with vs because they cannot deny a thing so euidently proued in the olde and newe Testament yet notwitstanding they say it is to be vnderstoode The Sabbath is a continuall resting from sinne not so much of any one day nor the resting from any speciall worldly labour as of the whole life of a Christian and the continuall resting from sinne which is the spirituall and true Sabbath and so not any one day but euery day is commended vnto vs that in them wee should rest from our owne workes which is sinne and so keep a continuall Sabbath sanctifying euery day and putting it apart to the doing of Gods holy seruice and that alone which if we doe then doe we truely keepe the Sabbath though we be occupied in the affaires of our calling For this is that say they which the Prophet Esay commendeth vnto vs when he sayth that
Lords Supper Why then might not the day be changed nay 1. Cor. 10. was it not the great wisedome of God to change the day with all these to shewe that there was a thorowe change indeede in the whole gouernmeÌ„t of the Church of the Iewes wheÌ„ the day it selfe vpon which all the other things were practised was changed together with them And whereas all other things were so chaÌ„ged that they were cleane takeÌ„ away as the Priesthood the sacrifices and sacraments this day was so changed that it yet remaineth which sheweth that though all the other were ceremoniall and therfore had an ende this onely was morall and therefore abideth still So saith Master Gualter Gualt in Mal. 3. Homil. 23. The Primitiue Church thought it did abolish the Iewish Sabbath Olim illud sacruÌ„ non aboleuit yet it tooke not away the holy day of rest but did translate the obseruation of it vnto the day following therefore there is the same vse of it now which was of the Sabbath in times past among the true worshippers of God Why the Apostles changed the sabbath of the Iewes into this day that we now keep rather then any other When thus it seemed good to the Apostles vpon these waightie considerations being herein gouerned by the holy Ghost to change this day they were directed by the same spirite aduisedly to chuse this day which we now keepe and must keepe to the end of the world rather then any other vpon speciall groundes and most singular reasons laide open to the Church who seeing into them and being perswaded by theÌ„ gaue their free consent vnto it For seeing that our God and sauiour Iesus Christ taking vpon him the wonderfull worke of our Redemption did finish and make an ende of it vpon that day when he did most victoriously rise from the dead and so declare that he had conquered all and that he dying in the state of a condemned sinner for vs taking vpon him all the punishment that was due to vs euen to the ransaking and confounding of all the partes of his soule and bodie Luk. 22.41.44 with droppes of water and blood trickling down from him when hee kneeled vpon the colde grounde and to the powring forth of that lamentable crie with great anguish My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And being thus caried to the graue Math. 27.46 and put vnder the ground as a man forlorne and cast away death holding him fast and chayning him vp as it were for the space of three dayes and three nights hee did notwithstanding all this at the time appoynted Act. 2.24 euen vpon this very day loose the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that hee should be holden of it and rising vp with wonderfull great glorie dâ—d shew that all things were ended and that hee had redeemed mankinde and all the Creatures into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 according as it is set downe in the Gospell When the first day of the weeke began to dawne Math. 28 1. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre and behold there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lord descended from heauen and came and rolled backe the stone from the dore of the sepulchre and sate vpon it and sayd to the women feare ye not for I knowe that you seeke Iesus that was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he said Now that it might appeare that all the Ceremonies of the Iewes were at this time ended in him that was the fulfilling of them and that all those shadowes were taken away by his death who was the substance and bodie of them Because Christ did rise from the dead on that day they did make choyse of that day specially vpon which he rising againe from all things which he suffered did declare that he had ouercome and ended them indeede And besides that it might be an effectuall teaching to the Church that al the libertie and freedome from sinne from hell and death and from the eternall wrath of God is purchased vnto them by the accursed death shamefull sufferings of Christ Iesus vpon the Crosse by none other and that all glorie happines and life commeth vnto them from his righteousnes and glorious resurrection they did preferre this day aboue any other as most worthie in the which he hauing before suffered all these intolerable things for them and being pressed downe with them euen vnto death did afterwards recouering himselfe as it were and gathering new strength like vnto the most victorious lyon of the tribe of Iuda did I say Reuel 5.5 Rom. 1.4 mightilie raise vp himselfe in glorie for their sakes by the inuincible power of his Godhead Chrysostome among the sundrie names which he reckoneth vp that this day had in the Primitiue Church sayth it was therefore called the Lords day Chrysost serm 5. de resur Quia solemnis erat memoriae resurrectionis Christi because was solemnely appoynted for the memorie of the resurrection of Christ August epist ad Ianuar. 119 cap. 13 ad Casul 86. Whereunto agreeth S. Augustine The Lords day was declared vnto the Church by the resurrection of the Lord vpon that day And in another place The Apostles did appoynt the Lords day in stead of the Iewish Sabbath Idem de temp serm 251. Quia in eo redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit because vpon that day our redeemer did rise from the dead which also therefore is called the Lords day So that not so much the Apostles as Christ himselfe brought in this chaunge and was the author of this day And this is that which one sayth Wolph chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. Nouum Christus Sabbathum substituit Christ did appoynt the new Sabbath when our last enemie death being ouercome he made an end of the labors of our redemption which in his humanitie were to be borne and the next day with the new man restored he brought out of the graue a new time the time of our redemption and of the new Couenant and did prepare an euerlasting Sabbath into the which himselfe then entered for vs also at the time appoynted by vertue of his resurrection to be entered into therefore as in the time of the Creation that day which was first of the Creation finished was made holiâ— for the worship of God so now in the time of the redemption that day which is first after the finishing of it is to bee accounted holie of vs. August de teÌ„p serm 251. It appeareth in the Scripture sayth S. Augustine that this day is of great account for it is the first day of the world in it were formed the Elements in it were created the Angels in it Christ rose from the dead in it the holie Ghost descended vpon the Apostles and God first rained Manna in the wildernesse so that by these and
vs to doe all such things as doe not directly hinder the sanctification of the Sabbath or if they bee against it in their owne nature yet necessitie that could not bee foreseene nor deferred crauing them at our hands they are iudged to be farre vnlike vnto themselues and haue as it were a new qualitie put vpon them And here is the olde prouerbe of the heathen true Necessitas non habet ferias Necessitie as it is without lawes so without holie daies And though it bee so that we are giuen to take too much libertie to our selues and therefore had neede to bee restrained vnto the full and it were more profitable for vs to heare from what things wee should rest then wherein wee may labour yet there is a trueth in all things which must bee knowne and though some are readie to abuse it yet therefore it must not be kept from them who haue care rightly to vse it For though they that bee ignorant will be ignorant still yet wisedome shall be iustified of her children Which is to be considered of vs the rather least any through a grosse superstition should fall into the extremitie of the Iewes of whom it is written and namely of certaine heretikes called Essaei Cent. 1. lib. 1. cap. 5. that they are ouer precise in this rest so that they dresse all their meate the day before vpon that day they kindle no fire they remoue no vessell Aluum non purgant they doe not ease themselues And in this respect Mac. 2.3.4 Mattathias and the rest of the Iewes condemned iustly the fact of their brethren who for lack of defence suffered themselues their wiues and children to the number of 1000. soules to bee slaine of their enemies vpon the Sabbath day P. Ram. comment de rellig lib. 2 cap. 6. Concerning which fact of theirs also a learned man sayth Superstitio fuit ex ignorantia It was a superstition bred in them for want of the true knowledge of the law of God Hereunto also may bee referred that which the most famous Historiographer and Diuine Master Foxe reporteth in his worthie booke of the Acts and Monuments of the Church sayth hee Master Foxe Some English histories make mention of a Iew who about the yeare of our Lord 1257. fell into a priuie at Tâ—kesbury vpon a Sabbath day who for the great reuerence he had to his holy Sabbath would not suffer himselfe to be plucked out and so Lord Richard Earle of Glocester hearing of it would not suffer him to bee drawne out vpon the Sunday for reuerence of the holie day and thus the wretched superstitious Iew remaining there till munday was found dead in the dung Therefore let vs acknowledge the bountifulnes of God there where it might seeme vnto vs that we are most of all restrained and let vs not breake his hands and cast his cords from vs but vse his freedome well that he hath set vs in and seeing we haue libertie to doe things of necessitie let vs not venture vpon them too boldly but first of all be sure that they be necessarie and therefore lawfull And let vs not imagine a necessitie and dreame of it when there is none nor bee of the number of those whom Salomon of in the Prouerbes Prou. 20.25 Who deuoure the holie things and then inquire after the vowes that is first doe the thing and then inquire whether it be lawfull or no but let vs see in the wisedome of Gods spirit What workes are necessarie and therefore lawfull vpon this day and what are not whether it may not conueniently bee deferred vntill some other time and therefore not necessarie so no worke of the Sabbath and therefore abstaine from it For the wise men of this world make many things necessarie which indeede are not by doing many things then when the ought not to bee done to preuent a necessitie which they haue imagined may fall out in time But if they will say it is now necessarie they must bee sure that it cannot bee deferred For what maketh a thing necessarie in this time but that no other time will serue coÌ„ueniently for it To this agrees that which a learned writer sayth Si quis roger If any man demaund Wolph lib. 3. in Nehe. 9.14 what is lawfull or not lawfull to be done vpon the Sabbath sayth he Tenendum est respoÌ„sum Sceuolae he must answer as Sceuola did who being asked what was lawfull to be done vpon the holie daies it is reported that hee made answere Euen that which would haue hurt if it had not been done Which is true Exod. 54.21 if it be rightly vnderstood Therefore they which in the time of haruest and hayfield worke vpon the Sabbath contrarie to the expresse words of God as we haue seene heretofore for feare of the change of weather and least that happily some thing might be lost vnlesse they can say certainly that to morowe there will be such weather and therefore it will be lost how can they tell that onely this present time is necessarie for it and that no other time in the world can serue for it and therfore it must needes then be done For how if it fall out otherwise on the morow Shall not both other men condemne them of follie and themselues also bee iudges against themselues that the things might haue been deferred and therefore that there was no such necessitie as they presumed vpon Obiection But say they vnto vs how if it had fallen out so and so Was it not good to prouide for the best We answer them as it is in the coÌ„mon prouerbe Answere How if the skie had fallen As no man that hath any religion and care of his dutie to God will voluntarilie absent himselfe froÌ„ church for feare of that which might come to passe he knowes not when as that if theeues come he may call for helpe or if he spye his neighbours house on fire hee may giue warning of it or will wander vp and downe in his pastures fearing least a sheepe should be fallen into a ditch that he might helpe it out so ought we not in any other time of an imagined necessitie and without iust cause suspected doe that vpon the sabbath which otherwise wee will confesse ought to haue been done neither would we haue taken it in hand at all but taking the occasion of that which present necessitie doth offer vnto vs in deed we must committe the successe of those things vnto the Lord which we could by no wisedome foresee though he hath giuen vs libertie to iudge of the time present yet he hath reserued this preeminence to himselfe alone to be iudge of the time to come and he would haue vs for the dispensation of that to depend vpon his prouidence in obedience to his commandement who hath promised to giue vs fit times for the accomplishment of all things here below so farre forth as he knoweth it to be
men to rest from such workes and pleasures as wee haue seene We must rest also from speaking and hearing of worldly matters but also from speaking and talking of them seeing his purpose is not onely to restraine the hand and the foote but the lippes and tongue also because they hinder our selues and others from keeping holy the day as well as any thing else For vnlesse we will restraine and shorten this commandement more then all the other why should not idle words bee forbidden here as well as in all the rest And seeing in the first both Atheisme prophane speeches are forbidden it is a sin against the second cōmandement to name false gods vs well as to worship them Psal 16.4 and in the third the name of God is dishonoured by our vngodly conuersation and by our vaine and false othes why should not the lawe of the Sabbath bee as large in forbidding long communication and large discourses about worldly busines and pleasures as well as the things themselues especially when wee see the same equitie and proportion in the lawes of the second table also In which not only murder is forbidden but all rayling words Math. 5.22 proud and scornefull speeches and that lawe which forbiddeth adulterie Ephes 4.29 ◠3 sayth that no filthy communication must proceed out of your mouthes therefore seeing the other commandements are giuen to frame the whole body of man and euery part of it vnto obedience why should it not be presumed of the commandement of the Sabbath also that it ordereth our words as well as our works especially seeing the one is more disordered then the other and they which can rule their hands and their feet cannot so well gouerne their tongues of which trueth seem it neuer so new and strange vnto vs though no truth indeede be new we shall so much the rather be persuaded if we consider that much talke about worldly matters doth as well hinder the sanctification of the day as much worke and so much the more because wee may worke with our selues alone yet cannot talke but with others and so doe hinder both our selues and them For our mindes cannot bee wholly set vpon the worship of God as they should and at the same time bee speaking of and listning vnto the affaires of this life euen of our commodities profites and pleasures Besides that the Lord would haue our mouthes and eares otherwise occupied vpon this day as well as our handes and feete as shall more fully appeare hereafter So that vpon this day men must cease from making of bargaines and broaking of matters from talking about their marchandise trades from questioning and debating of things about their cattel corne and white meate and generally from all worldly matters incident to our calling and then we must speake with new tongues as it were and put newe words into our mouthes as well as new works into our hands that it may appeare vnto all men which beholde vs that it is a day of rest indeede when wee thus rest in whole not in part and that it is a new day differing from the other sixe when we are so altogether made new and as it were differ from that which we were before both in worde and deede And therefore we must be farre from the practise of a great many who make this the onely day of reckoning with their seruants and of accounts with their labourers and chapmen and bestow it for the most part in hearing what hath been done the weeke before and prescribing what should be done the weeke following Much lesse should we draw neere the practise of such who as they know no end of their pleasures so they can neuer make an end of talking and hearing of them so ouerfilled are they with them that out of the aboundance of their hearts their mouthes must needes speake and as they haue many fruitles discourses abuot their hawking and hunting at home in their houses before and after it besides that which they haue abroad in their fields when they are in the game so that there is more time and words mispent afterwards about it then was well spent before in it euen so they make all daies alike and looke how farre their hawkes are from their fists and their dogges from their heeles vpon that day so farre are the vnprofitable and endlesse tales concerning the same from their mouthes and cares and a little lesse because when necessitie driueth them to leaue the one because they are at their meate such like yet they cannot giue ouer the other but pursue it to the vttermost euen to the disturbance of others and filling their heads so full of vanitie as their own are besides their owne sinne in abusing of the time and the dishonor of Gods name in breaking of the Sabbath And now if vnto all this which hath been spoken you will giue me leaue to adde but one thing more you shall see how absolute and perfect this lawe is euen like vnto the lawgiuer himselfe who as he is a spirit so will bee worshipped in spirit and trueth in all the seuerall parts of his worship which he requireth in euery one of his commandements For this is that which was deliuered vnto vs in the first entrance into the Commandements namely that the whole lawe of God was giuen vnto whole man and as the Lord God created him both in soule and bodie redeemed him by Christ Iesus sanctifieth and preserueth here and is purposed elsewhere to glorifie him in both for euer so he hath set him down that forme of obedience whereby in both he might bee reformed to that image according to the which hee was first created in righteousnes and true holines and therefore in this commandement doth shew vs And from hauing our minds occupied about the same what in bodie and soule wee should keepe vs from euen that we must rest from hauing our mindes occupied about all those things which are not lawfull to be done vpon that day and that we must not only lay our worldly busines out of our hands but put them out of our heads so that we may not spend our time in studying about the workes of our calling nor beate our heads about thē laying platformes as it were for the weeke following and so haue our heads fully fraught with thē but wee must haue our vnderstanding and affections cleane emptie voyd of them that there may be roome for such heauenly meditations to dwell in vs as the Lord would haue vs to be filled with them Caluin in Gen. 2.3 Master Caluin expounding these words The Lord blessed the seuenth day sayth this blessing is nothing els but a solemne consecration Qua sibi Deus studia occupationes asserit die septimo whereby the Lord doth chalenge to himselfe vpon the seuenth day all our studies and labours and therefore wee must not be such grosse hypocrites as to imagine that if
as it were take our markes amisse of it Master Caluin vpon these words sayth Hinc colligimus Wee gather from hence that God speakes not of a small matter Caluin in Exod. 20.8 when he commends the sanctification of the Sabbath not in a word but doth exhort them vnto the diligent marking of it and so doth pronounce that their want of care to marke is a breach of the commandement And Master Musculus vpon the same words saith Notādum quod It is to be noted that he doth not simply say Sanctifie the Sabbath day but remember to do it This kind of commanding is not light but waightie hereby is signified Muscul in eundem locum that a matter of great importance is commaunded and that which by no meanes is to bee neglected but with great care to be kept For so do parents and masters vse to commend the doing of those things vnto their seruants children which aboue all other things they would haue least of all neglected So then if it be necessary to rest vpon this day as it hath been strongly prooued vnto vs then is it much more necessary to sanctifie the day as we haue seene in part and it shall more fully appeare vnto vs hereafter Which wee had need so much the more carefully to take heede vnto because the common practise of men is so cleane contrarie vnto it and the sinne as it is more common so it is greater and more dangerous And now we may more plainely vnderstand the great necessitie of that precise rest which hath beene so often spoken of and is so hardly receiued euen for because that otherwise we cannot so keepe it holy vnto the Lord as we ought to doe For this is the law of things consecrated vnto the Lord that they may not otherwise be imployed thē to his vse they must not be partly his partly ours but altogether his if they be holy to him therfore seeing the day must bee hallowed it must not be vsed in other affaires sauing in the lords busines it must not be partly ours by dooing our owne worke and partly the Lords by dooing his but his alone as it is called a Sabbath vnto the Lorde and therefore we are willed to doe no manner of worke in it And that the truth of this doctrine might appeare vnto vs so clearely as the noone daye The sanctification of this day is very precisely vrged in the Scriptures euen that the Sabbath ought most vndoubtedlie to be sanctified of all sortes let vs vnto all this which hath been alreadie spoken adde the consideration of so many scriptures wherein the spirit of God speaking of the Sabbath doth in most significant words commende according to our capacitie this truth againe and againe to vs. And first of all in the sixteene chapter of Exodus Exod. 16.23 vers 25. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath vnto the Lord and afterwards To day is the sabbath vnto the Lord in both which places he calleth it a Sabbath vnto the Lord and in the former place an holy rest not onely shewing that they should rest vpon it but especially to what ende namely that they might keepe the day holy vnto the Lord by seruing of him and therefore he standeth vpon it calling it an holie rest and further adding a Sabbath vnto the Lord as purposing to let them see into the most especiall end of their resting euen the sanctification of the daye in the holy seruice of God Moreouer in the thirtie one chapter of the same booke Exod. 31.14.15 Ye shall keepe the Sabbath for it is holie vnto you Sixe dayes shall men worke but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the holy rest vnto the Lord where he calleth it both holie and holy vnto the Lord shewing what manner of rest it must bee not an idlenes or sleepie taking of our rest and ease but a carefull spending of that time in Gods seruice in which we must rest from all other things especially for that purpose Likewise in the 35. chapter of the same booke Sixe dayes shalt thou worke Exod. 35.2 but the seuenth day shall be vnto you the holy day of rest vnto the Lord where Moses declaring that message vnto the people which he had receiued before from the Lord for them telleth it to them fully and in the same number of wordes almost straightly requiring at their hands the keeping holy of the Sabbath day as a thing of great importance as appeareth by his speech so earnest and doubled calling it an holy Sabbath and then a day of rest vnto the Lord. But what should I here stand vpon all the places of Gods word in the olde and new testament which are infinite giuing most certaine testimonie and authenticall credite to this doctrine the time would not serue and the treatise would grow into a greater volume then I am willing it should these may suffice to shew vnto vs that the keeping holy of the Sabbath day must be the principall matter in this commaundement and as it were stand in the first ranke when it is in so many places and in such ample wordes commended and recommended vnto vs. For if it be the wisdome of a seruant there to be very attentiue where his master vseth many words and to be assured that that is a matter of great waight then much more ought wee to iudge the hallowing of the Sabbath daye to bee a thing then the which nothing ought more to be regarded of vs when vnto the words of Remembring and Marking that are set in the beginning of the commandement this thing also is in so many words spoken vnto vs and as it were beaten into our eares That I might not speake any thing of such other places wherein the seruing of God in the place appoynted by himselfe is adioyned vnto such exhortations as are made for the keeping of the Sabbath thereby declaring by what meanes especially the Sabbath is kept holie Leuit. 19.30 as ye shall keep my Sabbath and reuerence my sanctuarie where the Prophet Moses exhorting the Israelites to the diligent keeping of the Sabbath daye speaketh vnto them of that worship of God which was practised in the sanctuarie as the onely way to keepe it Vnto which agreeth that which is set downe in the 23. chapter of the same booke Sixe dayes shall worke be done Leuit. 23.3 but in the seuenth day shall be the sabbath of rest an holy conuocation Ye shall do no worke therein it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings For in this place hee doth not onely call it a sabbath vnto the Lorde so many times before but also saith Holy assemblies were cōmanded to be kept vpō these dayes that vpon it must be an holie assemblie which assemblie then should be holie because they must meete for an holy purpose not to deale about any worldly affayres which notwithstanding they did at
from hence forth mâ—ght be no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men and with craftines whereby they lay in waite to deceiue but might follow the truth in loue in al things grow vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the body vnto the building vp of it selfe in loue Seeing then there are so many excellent and glorious things spoken of the preaching of the word by the spirit of wisedome and truth it selfe the like whereof cannot be verified of any thing else vnder heauen namely that it should be the principall and most ordinary meanes to begin to continue to increase and make perfecte in vs faith and all other graces of God which accompany saluation and this can no where be had but at the handes of the ministers Whose lips must preserue knowledge Malac 2.7 and the people must seeke the lawe at his mouth for hee is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Therefore it is as needfull for vs nowe still to come to the place of common preaching as it hath beene for any people heretofore and to serue the Lorde with this part of his worship which hee hath appointed for our most especiall good besides that in so doing we shall drawe on our brethren by our example and as it were giue light vnto them to see where the mountaine of the house of the Lorde doth stand and shall rise vp in iudgement against them who willingly stops their eyes against so cleere a light that they might not be saued But that we might yet the rather be encouraged vnto this There also are the sacraments administred there haue we the benefite of coÌ„mon prâ—yer and see the necessitie of that to bee so great as it is we must further consider that there also are the sacrameÌ„ts administred which are most sure pledges and seales as it were of all that good which is offered vnto vs in the word and whereby the deliuery of them is confirmed vnto vs. 1. Cor. 11.20 And these were so vsually celebrated in the primitiue Church vpon the Lords day as also appeareth in the scripture that it had his name of them For Chrysostome writeth Chrysost de resâ—â— serm 5. that it had three names The Lords day because of Christs resurrection and dies panis dies lucis The day of bread because of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and of light because of Baptisme There wee are holpen not onely with the prayers of so many of our brethren and sisters by whose meanes that which was wanting in vs is supplyed by them and that which with many striuings we haue not obtained alone by their helpe we shall more easily attaine vnto but also and especially our prayers are offered vp by the minister of God who is appointed to that end and in respect of which his ministerie is a thousand times more acceptable vnto GOD then Aaron with his rich attyre was beautifull in the eyes of men Therefore I may say as that graue and learned man sayth Ph. Melancth in praecept 3. Master Melancthon His atque alijs rationibus By these and such like reasons euery man should stirre vp himselfe to loue the societie of the Church in which there is so much good that if there bee any commoditie in other societies it is but a shadow of that and they are beholding to that for it Which if they doe not then let them heare what the Apostles say Constit. Apost cap. 63. Quam excusationem afferre potest What excuse can he pretend before God who commeth not diligently vpon the Lords day to praise God and heare his word I doubt not but they please themselues in many their excuses and thinke that thereby they bee able to satisfie men but I say as before how can they excuse it before God All which shall moue vs to bee willing to come to the Church vpon those daies For as a godly man sayth It must needes bee a very great contempt of God Bucer in Psal 92. not to bestowe one day in the whole weeke in the knowing and seruing of our creator of whom wee haue receiued our selues and all things els that we enioy Master Musculus writing of these words of the Gospell that our Sauiour Christ Luk. 4.16 when he came to Nazaret as his custome was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day sayth Considerandum hic Wee must here consider what vse was of the Sabbath amongst the Iewes which Christ himselfe did diligently keepe as we see here when it is written that according to his custome he went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day If Christ did thus keepe the Sabbath day and went into the Synagogue that it is written that this was his custome when he had no neede of the lecture of Moses what excuse shall they haue in these dayes who either by too much disdaine or contempt vpon the Lords dayes doe neglect the Church in which the doctrine of life is deliuered Who doth not see here sayth he that Christ by his presence doth confirme a good custome And Melancthon speaking of the sundrie breaches of this Commaundement reckons vp this Seldome Mâ—lancth in praecept 3. or neuer to come to the publike ministerie of the Church where it is rightly taught and by their example to draw away others from that ministerie which is not defiled with impietie All which wee stand in great neede of as the Donatists and Brownists of our time haue done Now least we might grossely imagine that wee stand in no neede of all these things wee must soberly and in godly trembling and holy feare remember that he in his wisedome hath appoynted them and therefore to refuse them were to make our selues wiser then he and he that hath established the ends of al things hath also ordained all the meanes to bring euery thing thereunto and therfore as hee hath chosen vs to saluation in Christ so hee hath in great wisedome and mercie prouided these rare and wonderfull meanes which he hath made to be effectuall and mightie by his blessing to bring that most happily to passe and therefore we in voluntarily neglecting the meanes doe bereaue our selues of our saluation and shall iustly perish whatsoeuer we may fondly dreame or others vainly perswade vs to the contrarie For if the nature of man was such in the beginning as wee haue alreadie seene that in Adam that in his most perfect and blessed estate he stoode in neede of all those holy exercises wherein he was commanded to sanctifie the Sabbath for the better preseruation of himselfe in his first perfection and happines how must not wee needes be perswaded that we being fallen so cleane away from it as we be
doe stand in neede to sanctifie the Sabbath againe and againe in all the meanes of Gods worship and especially then in the most principall that thereby happily we might be recouered into our former estate Nay what a blockish presumption were it for a man to thinke that Adam was bound to sanctifie the Sabbath according to the Commandement that being holie and righteous still he might haue been preserued in the fauour of God for euer and that we our selues being through sinne fallen away from his loue might make lesse account of these meanes whereby he doth first of all offer himselfe to be recōciled vnto vs and then neuer to fall away from that estate as though it were not so needfull for vs to sanctifie the day by them Therefore let vs confesse that these are though not all yet the most especiall parts of Gods seruice wherein wee are to bee occupied vpon the Sabbath and without which we are nothing neere that manner of keeping holie the day which the Lord requireth at our hands And so I conclude this poynt with the saying of Master Gualter Dei bonitatem exosculemur Gualt in Mark 1. Homil 11. Let vs thankefully acknowledge the goodnes of God who hath consecrated vnto his seruice that rest which wee stand in neede of for the refreshing of our bodies least that it should degenerate into filthie and hurtfull idlenes And here because wee speake of the Lords seruice which onely sanctifieth the day wee must consider All these parts of Gods seruice must be performed with our whole hearts and not onely outwardly of a custome Ioh. 4 24. that he is a spirit and therefore will be worshipped of vs in spirit and in trueth and therefore in all the aboue named parts of his worship we must performe a spirituall obedience if we will serue him so that whensoeuer the word is read preached or heard the Sacraments ministred and receiued and prayers made vpon the Sabbath of custome and not for conscience sake because we would doe as others doe and would not be noted to be singular and so in doing of these things we as it were doe them not For hearing we vnderstand not reading we conceiue not praying we desire not and all is done in the letter and not in the spirit wee serue our selues rather then God and so though the day bee holie wee make it not holie to him and for his sake Thus many when they haue seemed most of all to haue kept holy the day haue done nothing lesse thē that Therefore as wee must repent vs of all our hypocrisie in Gods seruice so wee must at all times endeuour that the holie exercises bee not vnhallowed of vs least the Lords seruice being neglected which is spirituall in al things we be found breakers of the Commaundement in that very thing wherein we did most of all presume that wee had kept it and if the best things that wee doe bee thus iustly refused what shall become of those which in our owne eyes carrie not that credite with them much more in the eyes of the Lord who examineth all things more narrowly Furthermore And so as by them we may be furthered in our saluation because the Lord in commanding vs to serue him hath not so much respect to himselfe who hath no neede of vs as to our owne good which may by this meanes be procured we must so behaue our selues in all the parts of Gods worship as may bring greatest profite to our soules health 1. Cor. 14.26 For in the Church of God all things must be done to edifying that al may learne and haue comfort as it is in the 31. verse of the same chapter And therfore in the 11. chapter finding fault iustly with the abuses that were in their meetings generally he chargeth thē with this 1. Cor. 11.17 that they came not together with profite Therefore both minister people must so behaue themselues in Gods house that they may depart with profit to themselues others Which that they might attain vnto they must vse all such good meanes priuatly both before and after the publike exercises as might make thē most profitable which what they be we shall hereafter see more particularly and in the very worship it selfe behaue our selues so reuerently and attentiuely as whereby greatest commoditie might redound to vs. And indeed as Master Caluin sayth Caluin in Exod. 20.8 in this Commandement is included a promise For God promiseth that as he hath sanctified the seuenth day for his seruice so he will thereby sanctifie them that rightly keepe it and therefore the promise of this blessing should be a principall motiue to our obedience And if in all other things we are carefull not so much to vse them as to vse them to the best aduantage why should we not put that out to the greatest gayne which in it owne nature is most gainfull indeede For seeing that there is nothing in the world that hath so great a promise made vnto it as the publike seruice of GOD should we not so behaue our selues in it that wee might be made partakers of it And whereas it is blessed for our sakes with the full treasure of all Gods graces in this life and eternall happines in the ende can it bee but a most grieuous sinne by our negligence to spoyle it of that honour and to make it vnprofitable to our selues Wherefore though I am not ignorant that the proper place to speake of the manner of Gods worship is in another Commaundement where also it hath been handled at large yet because all things comprehended in the other Commandements must bee practised vpon the Sabbath we must vnderstand that it is not impertinent to this treatise and that the Sabbath is then onely truely sanctified when of Gods worship there commeth some fruite and commoditie vnto vs. For this cause the Prophet Esay telleth the Iewes that then they shall haue truely sanctified the Sabbath and made it holie to the Lord when thereby they are made more able to rest from vanitie and sinne both in word deede and be made more fit to serue the Lord in all dueties afterwards Esay 58.13 If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will vpon my holie day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shall honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word Where his meaning is not that the whole sanctifying of the Sabbath consisteth onely in these as though he would exclude all the Sacrifices the reading and the preaching of the lawe prayer and the whole ministerie of that time established by the Lord whereof he speaketh not a word but he rather aimeth at this to correct their hypocrisie in these things and to shewe them that all was to no purpose vnlesse this fruite followed of it for which cause the whole worship of God and
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
disposed and euery thing in the Church so gouerned and so blessed vnto vs by his spirit as might make not onely for our good in generall and the good of others but in these speciall things that we stand in most neede of 2. There is great cause to pray before we come to the Ministerie of the word And so let vs pray for our selues and others and that we might be holpen by them but especially let vs praye for the Minister of Gods word that to it might bee ioyned the ministerie of his spirit which when we doe the Lorde that heareth our prayers that knoweth our wants will cause vs to heare that which we most of all desired and that which is spoken generally the spirit will applie vnto vs particularlie euen as many eating of one meate receiue sundrie kindes of nourishments from it and he will cause the steward of his house to giue vnto vs that meat which he most of all knoweth wee stand in neede and then we shall heare him speake as though he were in our bosome 1. Cor. 14.22 and the secrets of our hearts shall bee made manifest not that he knoweth what is within vs but the Lord knoweth whose minister he is for our good and the holy Ghost dooth which accompanieth Gods ordinance and in the word doth which is preached Heb. 4.12.13 For the word of God is liuelie and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sworde and entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of he ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto is eyes with whom we haue to doe And that we might the rather be perswaded that wee ought thus in the feeling of our wants praye vnto God wee must remember that wee cannot so much as vnderstand the word vnlesse Gods spirit doe teach vs Ephes 5.8 For wee are darkenes it selfe And the naturall man perceiueth not things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spirituallie discerned and besides the word of God is high and there are many mysteries contained in it and a wisedome that is hid which many princes of this world doe not know Vers 7.8 as it in the same chapter and all the articles of our faith are aboue our reason nay we account them foolishnes Therefore both in the inward seeing of our own blindnes and in a reuerent estimation of Gods holy word we had neede pray for the inlightening of his holy spirit which searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God Vers 10.11 and no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God as it is most liuely set forth vnto vs in this very chapter And so let vs praye with the Prophet in the 119. Psalme in a great many places O Lord teach me thy statutes and open mine eyes that I might see the wonders of thy law and make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts and teach mee good iudgement and knowledge and giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements 16. and deale with thy seruant according to thy mercie and teach me thy statutes And when wee doe vnderstand thorow the blessing of God obtained by prayer we must pray further that our affections might be framed according to our knowledge which we had need to doe so much the more because it is harder then the other and yet our affections doe more ouercome vs then our knowledge in so much that wee doe not many times that we know to be best but which wee like best and so at some other time fo the daye wee must praye that these things might be called into our remēbrance and that we might be transformed into not onely the knowledge but obedience of them which is the end of all and generallie that the fruite of all things might appeare in our liues to our owne vnspeakeable comfort the benefite of others and Gods glorie most of all which without the especiall assistance of his holie spirite wee cannot obtaine by the most excellent giftes and most painefull endeauors of his best seruants 2 Cor. 3.5 For who is Paul and who is Apollo but the ministers by whom yee beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euery man I haue planted Appolos watered but God gaue the increase so then neither is hee that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giueth the increase saith the Apostle Therefore as the Ministers pray much for his people if euer hee will doe any to them euen as it is said of the prince of pastours Luke 21.37 Marc. 14.23 that in the day time hee taught in the temple and at night went vp into the mountaine to praye so the people must pray much more for the ministers and themselues both before and after both that they might bee prepared obtaine and continue in that good which they haue gotten Many doe wrongfully complaine that their minister is vnprofitable vnto them hee dooth them no good they cannot conceaue him I doe not say but that the complaintes of some are iust yet let them consider whether some great part of the fault be not in themsleues We ought to read the Scriptures priuatly at home namely the want of prayer before and their negligence afterward vnto priuat prayer must be adioyned priuat reading of the Scriptures at such times of the daye as they shall finde it most conuenient both that they might generally bee acquainted with the bodie of the Scripture and also that they might haue some more speciall vse of certaine partes as they shall stand in neede either to bee confirmed in any poynte of doctrine publikely taught or might thereby receiue any speciall comfort humiliation or increase of such graces as they labour most for or might be quickened vp vnto prayer And hereunto may bee referred that saying of Theophylacte Theoph. in Marc. 1.21 The lawe hath commanded men to rest vpon the Sabbath vt lectioni vacent homines that men might attend vpon reading which is true not onely of the publike reading in the Church especially but also of priuate reading at home For so it is that in most places the people doe heare the scriptures seldome in the Church and then but certaine portions of them and not the whole worde reade ouer whereby it commeth to passe that they are vtterlie ignorant in and neuer so much as haue hard before of many textes that are alleaged in the sermons for proofe of any doctrine whereby they are not onely not furthered but hindered wondering at such strange and seldome hard things so the thing is more obscure vnto them thē it was before being proued by that which they vnderstand not Nay the cōmon stories of the bible they are
vnacquainted with feare thē with this or that iudgement executed vpon such a people comfort them with such a mercie shewed vnto such a man it moues thē not they know no such thing they are altogether strāgers in those matters nay some cānot tell in what part of the Bible any such book as is alleaged stands Therfore wheras we may obserue it in the new Testamēt that our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles in alleaging the places of the olde Testament doe generally say thus it is written Matth. 21.13 Luke 20. 42. Act. 1.23 cap. 2 16. Matth. 15.7 or as it is written in the book of the Psalmes or this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel or well prophesied Esaias of you c. Now men are driuen to name the book the chapter the verse and all too little to helpe men to finde it out so vnacquainted are they with searching the Scriptures by priuat reading no not vpon the Lords daie which is one of the peculiar workes of it Moreouer though wee bee something skilfull in the Scripture we cannot well presently in the Church stand reading euery place that shall bee alleaged least in the meane season some other most necessarie doctrine ouerslip vs and we not marking what went before followed after cannot tel to what ende the place was alleaged and so we lose the profit of it therefore dooing our endeauours to marke the Scriptures alleaged it shall bee profitable for vs afterwards at home to reade them ouer when wee shall bee more free from distraction and haue more leasure to doe it conueniently which is that that is commended vnto vs by the practise of the church in Berea that when Paul had preached vnto them Christ Iesus and had proued him to be that Sauiour of the world that was promised Act. 17.11 they reade ouer those Scriptures to see whether it were so or no according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5.39 searche the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me Therfore so many as can read let them doe it vpon the Lordes daye and they that cannot let them see the want of it to be so great in themselues that they bring vp their children vnto it and in the meane season repayre to those places where they may haue the Scriptures read vnto thē let them get the bible into their houses that when any come that can read they may haue it in a readines lose not the oportunitie that is offered euen as they are contented to haue many other things in their houses which though they knowe not how to occupie themselues yet some of their friends may when they come especially when the benefite of it shall redound not onely to him that occupieth it but to himselfe and all his household Vnto the forenamed exercises wee must ioyne meditation as a most notable part of Gods seruice We must vse priuate meditation vpon that which we haue heard and read which is the very life and strength of the former and without the which they are made weake and vnprofitable vnto vs. For meditation is that exercise of the minde whereby we calling into our remembrance that which we know doe further debate of it as it were with our selues reasoning about it so and applying it to our selues that we might haue some vse of it in our practise and therefore it frameth the affections of our harts accordingly so that it is an occupying of the whole minde both of the reasonable part whereby we doe remember some thing and furthermore we being reasonable creatures do gather some other things vpon it by finding out the causes of it espying the fruite of it or considering the properties of it and so doe make some profitable vse of it to our selues whereby also our affections must needs be framed some one way or other to loue ioy desire hatred feare c. according to the diuersitie of our meditations and all those affections in their seuerall kindes shall be so much the more vehement by howe much the meditation is more serious and earnest As for example What meditation is how vntoward naturally we are thereunto to meditate vpon the word is diligently to call into our remembrance that which wee haue learned by hearing or reading before and to muse vpon it so that we be able to goe from point to point then to apply the generall thing to our selues and be persuaded that we must make our vse of it and therefore wisely to examine howe the case standes betweene the Lord and ourselues in that very thing and then what is like to follow vpon it whereby our hearts being stirred they might driue vs to put some thing in practise And here I would gladly speake as plainely as possibly I might euen to the capacity of the most rude and ignorāt because I know that it is so little practised of men that they are not so much as acquainted with it to know what it meanes I confesse it is an hard thing indeed but most profitable and therefore we are almost vnfit vnto it and the diuell laboureth most of all to hinder vs in it in so much that if he cannot keepe vs from hearing and reading the word and receiuing the sacraments at the time appointed yet hee will endeuour as much as may be to hinder vs from meditating vpon these that wee might lose the profit of them And if we marke our selues narrowly we shall finde our vntowardnes this way most of al for when we haue gone cheerfully vnto the church and there with the rest of Gods people behaued our selues orderly because these are outwarde things and in them it might seeme vnto vs that we haue had to deale but with men it is that which is not so yrksome vnto vs and wherunto the wickedest man may very easily come but afterwards to take some fit time to our selues wherin wee will seuer our selues from men and call ourselues to an account before Gods iudgement seate for that which we haue heard and to deale with our owne harts in good earnest for the doing or not doing of that which we haue learned and casting off al the cloakes of hypocrisie to lay our hearts naked before God accusing our selues where we come short of any thing praying vnto him for his grace therein confessing our sinnes that we haue beene rebuked of crauing the forgiuenes of them acknowledging his mercy where we haue receiued any thing intreating him for the continuance of it and so to depart away either more humbled in our selues to auoide sinne more carefully or comforted in the Lord to goe on forward in well doing more couragiously this I say as it doth especially builde vs vp in godlines so by due proofe we shall find that without the especiall assisstance of Gods holy spirit there is nothing more lothsome in the world and more tedious vnto vs. And I am assured that it is a thing so
altogether abhorred of the greatest part of the worlde that they will not so much as haue a purpose once to meddle with it yea and many that doe make a profession to serue God in the other parts of his worship and that as wee are to presume of them in a good measure of trueth yet haue an euill opinion of this and so bereaue themselues of much profit For they purposing to passe away their time in as much mirth as may bee and hauing determined to abandon all sorrowe 2. Cor. 7.9.10 yea though some be godly and necessarie as far from them as they can will not thus straightly deale with themselues least it should make them melancholie as they say and driue them into their dumps And left happily at any time they might through Gods mercy towards them vnwittingly fall as it were into this meditation they wil cut off al the meanes that might procure it and therefore be in merry company as they call it continually that they might not so much as be alone at any time and if perhaps they be and so this ouercreepe them the Lord seeking by all meanes possible to doe them good then fearefully they hasten out of it as fast as may be and for that purpose some that are of great calling are contented to maintaine at their charges one or other in their houses that can best feed their humor to be merrie companions or rather iesters vnto them to pull them away from this good though they will not be at halfe the cost yearely in making prouision for some godly bookes and learned preachers when they haue none of their owne that might bring them to the best mirth and might shewe them wherein the greatest ioye and soundest comfort doth consist euen that that would endure with them when all other shall forsake them and most of all accuse them But that we might be persuaded of the excellēcy of it The great good that may redound vnto vs by godly meditation let vs heare what the spirit of wisdom iudgment speaks of it First of all the Lord commandeth Ioshua that vnto the reading of the lawe he would ioyne meditation as an especiall meanes to keepe him in the continuall practise of it Iosh 1.8 saying Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein Then the Prophet Dauid in the first Psalme maketh it an especiall token of a godly man and also commendeth it as a most singular meanes of his godlines vnto euerlasting life Psalm 1.2.3 when he sayth Blessed is hee whose delight is in the lawe of the Lorde and in his law doth meditate day and night for he shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that shall bring foorth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade for whatsoeuer hee shall doe shall prosper More ouer is wee looke but vnto the 119. Psalme and so content our selues with that wee shall see howe many times the man of God commendeth this vnto vs when first of all in the 15. verse he speaketh thus I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes and 23. Princes did sit and speake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes and 78. Let the proud bee ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsly with me but I meditate in thy precepts But aboue all that is most notable which is in the 13. part of that Psalme where with I will end Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually where wee may plainly see what is the iudgement of the scriptures concerning this thing which doe so often and so highly cōmend the continuall meditation of the word And it is to bee obserued that this may and ought to be continuall that is vey often for when wee lacke oportunitie to reade and heare the word yet then may we meditate vpō some thing profitablie which that we might doe let vs remember what great things the Prophet speaketh of it in the verse following which he found true by his owne experience Psal 119. part 15. I haue had more vnderstanding sayth hee then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation Wherein he doth assure vs that if we will meditate vpon those generall rules which wee haue heard out of Gods worde wee shall many times see more cleerely into the trueth of it then he that preacheth it at least wise more then he expressed vnto vs for by the spirite of God we shal be taught to apply it mote particularly to our selues then he did or could because wee are most priuie vnto our owne estates For as in all liberall Arts and Sciences nothing can be taught so plainly vnto which the scholler by meditation reasoning about it shall not be able to adde something and without the which the easiest teaching shall seeme somewhat hard so is it in Diuinitie that by Gods holie spirit vsing earnest and diligent meditation in the scripture wee shall most easily perceiue how to applie that to our own practise which hath been publikely taught and none can teach vs to haue so many sundrie vses of it in our lives and conuersation as our selues when wee giue our selues to the profitable meditation of it Without the which all that we reade and heare is but in a generall and confused knowledge How vnprofitable men are to themselues and others for want of meditation wee haue little comfort or edification thereby especially seeing Gods blessing is vpon his owne ordinance and his curse is vpon the neglect of the same This maketh great hearers and great readers to bee vnprofitable to themselues and others because for want of meditation they knowe not how to vse their knowledge thereupon it commeth to passe that many preachers can say no more then they finde in their bookes and therefore they tosse ouer so many Commentaries as they doe that they might haue matter enough and so can go no further because without meditation all reading is vaine whereas it would minister aboundant matter vnto their former readings Besides that they bring themselues into a bondage to beleeue that whatsoeuer their writer sayes because they do not meditate vpon it and they hinder their memories because they trust all to their bookes so that if they haue time sufficient and store of bookes they are able to speake with great admiration to the profite of the hearers and yet of the same matters can scarsely speake to a priuat man vpon the sudden tolerably to his ecdification and comfort because he hath but spoken it of the booke as it were and not laboured to make it his owne by meditation and thereby to finde out how he might apply it to his owne vse and the benefit of others And this thing is so much the more daungerous because it hath infected also many of the best students in
the Vniuersities Hereupon it commeth to passe that many of the best people can say no more then they haue heard and they will alleadge that thus they haue been taught but how to vse that they know not nay they forget a great deale of that which they haue learned So then as it is in the common prouerbe not the greatest Clerkes are alwaies the wisest men nor they that haue most knowledge are alwaies fittest to gouerne but they who labour to bring their knowledge into practise and applie it vnto the time by comparing things past with theÌ„ that be present and foreseeing as much as they can what will followe afterward So not the greatest hearers and readers of the word are the godliest men and like to doe most good vnto themselues and others but the greatest musers and meditatours thereupon and they are like to bee so much the more profitable because that whereas reading indeede doth better our affections but most of al doth increase our knowledge this so increaseth knowledge in vs as that it especially breedeth good affections in vs and quickeneth them vp most effectually wheÌ„ they be begun before and we know that our affections be as it were the feete of our soules and doe more carrie vs to euery thing then our knowledge Therefore seeing the profite of meditation is so great and the neglect of it bringeth so great losse it standeth vs in hand that so all the parts of Gods publike worship might be as profitable to vs as they be in their owne nature that we should not only prepare our selues to them before we come as wee haue seene heretofore but also diligently meditate vpoÌ„ euery thing done in the Church afterwards But I pray you let vs consider of it a little further and so we shall soone and this matter let vs presume the best â—eacheth that is hauing a scholer of a most excellent wit very apt to receiue any thing that is taught yet if he doe not vse to meditate vpon that which hath been read vnto him what great learning can he attaine vnto nay how little hope must there needes be of him How much more then must it of necessitie bee that wee being so blind and dull of conceiuing in Gods worship as wee be should not be vnprofitable partakers of euery thing that is done most profitably in the Church when wee neglect meditation that is the chiefest thing to keepe it and to bring it vnto profit Therefore vs be sorie that in times past we haue made the seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day so vnprofitable to our owne soules as wee haue done by neglecting this part of Gods worship vpon it which as it is most worthie in it selfe so would haue brought great commoditie to our selues and let vs purpose hereafter that wee will not passe away the Sabbath without godly meditations and that this shall bee one thing wherein will spend the time that we haue free from the publike exercise in meditation of things read and heard before and let vs pray vnto God for his holie spirit that we may performe our godly purposes The which that wee might doe euery one of vs to the greatest profite let tho simpler sort consider this An example to teach the simpler sort how to meditate for whose sake I speake it which the learned knowe very well alreadie that when they will meditate they must so call things into their remembrance as that they stay not there but then applying the same further vnto themselues they consider whether it was a vertue that was commended vnto them then to examine whether they finde it in themselues or no if yea then giue thanks to God for it and vse them meanes to continue it seeing it it so excellent if no then be sorrie for it and pray to God that he might giue it if it be a sinne condemned if you finde in your selfe present or that it hath been in times past then whether you haue â—epeniâ—d you of it sufficiently and pray to God for the forgiuenes of it if not giue thankes to God that hath kept you from it and beware least you fall into it hereafter seeing it is so dangerous If they bee the promises of God that haue been preached unto you then coÌ„sider how you beleeue them and what comfort you take in them and labour to enioy them If they bee the threatnings of Gods iudgements looke vnto this what feare is wrought in you thereby hatred of sinne to anoyd them euen as the promises doe bring forth a loue vnto godlines with a great many meditations more which the spirit of God will teach vs if we pray to him for it and bee acquainted with this exercise all which for breuities fake I omit only these I haue set downe as a taste to leade vs vnto the rest and least that any thing should be left for want of vnderstanding euen of the rudest I had rather seeme tedious trouble some to the learned of whom I am to craue pardon that I haue been so long in this matter then obscure and vnprofitable to the other For I mine owne selfe would not haue thought that the professors of the word lead so neglected this duetie as they haue and were so ignorant in it and therefore so vprofitable in all Gods seruice as I know many of them bo vntil I found it to be most true by that certaine experience which I am sorrie for Therefore to conclude wee may well perceiue what great reason there is that we should account this to be one of those priuat exercises whereby we should sanctifie the Sabbath and keep it holy as we are commanded vnto which wee must adioyne as another part of Gods seruice We ought priuatly to conferre and talke of Gods word one with another and a most excellent helpe of our infrimities the conferring and talking with other of that which wee haue in the word read or heard especially seeing both it is commended vnto vs in the scripture and also by experience we shall finde the profit of it to be so great to our selues and others For first of all this is that which Moses so earnestly commendeth into the Israelites before his death These words which I commaund this day Deut. 6.6 shall be in thine heart 7. And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Then the which charge nothing can bee more plaine as it is most vehement For he would haue them all times and in all places to bee occupied about the wife and sober talking of Gods word The which is afterwards repeated almost in the very same words as a thing especially to bee regarded Ye shall reach these my words vnto your children Chap. 11.19 speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the
way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp In both which places although he doth lay this onely vpon the fathers and children by name yet his purpose is not so to restraine it vnto thē as though others might think themselues free from it especially seeing it is made generall in other places of the scripture but because they are vsually together in one familie he sheweth in their persons what should bee the talke of men in their common meetings as also because by this meanes the feare and seruice of God might bee planted in their ofspring being conueyned as it were by hand from father to son he declareth in them what should be the exercises of all sortes of men that religion might not dye with themselues but might bee established with their posteritie The Prophet speaketh more generally of it in the Psalm With my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth confessing thus much of himselfe Psal 119. part 2. that he vsed to speake of the word of God to others not thereby commending himself vnto men but as the Prophet of God shewing in his owne person what should be the exercise of all the faithfull For when as he had sayd in the former verse that he diligētly sought the Lord in his word wherein especially he is to be found and therefore gaue himselfe to the reading and hearing of it and in both he prayed to him for the direction of his holie spirit that he might not wander from the true meaning and practise of it and that which had thus learned by the blessing of Gods spirit he layd vp in his heart then he sayth He talked of it with others for their benefite and his owne further good And indeede the Prophet Malachie noteth out the godly in his time by this marke that they conferred one with another of the scripture which they had heard whō he thus writeth Malac. 3.16 Then spake they that feared the Lord euery one to his neighbour c. where though it be not precisely named of what they conferred yet in the context and words of the Prophet it is easily gathered For wheras hee prophecieth of the preaching of the Gospell by Iohn the Baptist and our Sauiour Christ wherein saluation is offered to the obedient and destruction threatned to the rebellious the Prophet setteth downe what was the fruite of this preaching namely that the vngodly made a mocke of it whose words are first of al set down and reproued vers 13. Your words haue been stout against me sayth the Lord of hosts c. Afterwards hee declareth what was wrought in the godly namely that they conferred of those things diligently among themselues both of the iudgements denounced that fearing they might auoyd them and of the promises that beleeuing them they might comforted ouer them incourage themselues to waite vpon God for the accomplishment of them Which we know to be so not only by the opposition of them and the wicked whose words must needs bee contrarie but especially for that which followeth where it is sayd that the Lord listened to their conference that is allowed of it and promised to blesse them for it vers 16 And the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought vpon his name 17. And they shal be to me sayth the Lord of hosts in that day that I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Thus we may easily perceiue that it is the duetie of all the true worshippers of God to conferre of his worde which as they ought to doe at other times so most of all Especially vpon the Lords day when they haue lately heard it and so thereby haue some greater occasion to doe it and are thereby as it were the rather prouoked vnto it if they will not doe it then it is to be feared that at other times they will more neglect it and if whensoeuer we heare the word wee ought to talke of it vnlesse we will lose a great part of the fruite of it thē most of all vpon the Sabbath when we haue the word after an especiall manner and besides haue ceased to talke of other worldly matters that wee might attend vpon this the better And this is the chiefe cause why we should leaue talking of worldly maters that neither our mouthes nor eares being filled with them wee might haue all the partes of soule and body taken vp with the seruice of God euen our mouths with speaking of it our eares with listning vnto the worde of God Which as it is a thing of rare profit so it is smally practised of men for how fewe shall you finde that will vpon the Sabbath prouoke themselues Which yet in greatly neglected and stirre vp others to speake of that which they haue heard or that will either offer any occasion of such speech vnto others or take it when it is offered by them Nay wee shall finde that our nature is so wholly corrupt in this thing that wee had rather speake of and listen vnto the things of the world many houres then vnto heauenly things the least moment of time yea euen vpon the Lordes day in so much that some haue tounge at will and words enough till their mouth runne ouer and you shall neuer finde them but they will haue something to say so long as you talke not onely of the lawfull commodities and pleasures of this life but of vaine and friuolous matters yea let any begin to speake of any part of Gods worship then they will either interrupt it by returning to their old matters vnlesse some be as constant in pursuing of it as they will be obstinate in crossing it or else they are sodainely striken into their dumpes and haue not a word to say Psal 19. part 2. The Prophet in the forenamed place first sayth I haue hid thy promise in my heart What is the cause that there is no more talke and conferēce about the word of God that I might not sinne against thee and then addeth with my lips haue I declared all the iudgment of thy mouth By ioyning of which two together in this order he telleth vs that if we wil speak profitably vnto others we must first haue the word within vs that not lightly sloating in our braine but deeply setled and hidden in our hearts Whereunto agreeth that exhortation which the Apostle maketh vnto the whole Church of God at Colossa Colos 30.16 Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plentuously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your selues mutuallie in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songes In which as hee willeth them to conferre of the scriptures to the profit one another so be sheweth them how they shall come vnto it euen that they are filled with it before hand without which a
it For besides all the forenamed places which doe shew that this duetie is generally layd vpon al men we may see that the Apostle writing to the whole Church of God at Ephesus dooth require this of them al alike speaking of it first of all chap. 4. Ephes 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edyfying that it may minister grace to the hearers And in the next chapter Chap 5.18 ver 18. Would haue them filled with the spirit speaking one of them to another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs Coloss 4.6 And then vnto all the Colossians Let your speech bee gratious alwaies and powdered with salte that ye may know how to answer euery man And therefore when we be in the companie of others we must not onlie not leaue it vndone but we may not put it off and as it were straine curtesie to begin I doe not deny but that we must haue wisdome in speaking and that we must be swift to heare Iam. 1.19 and slow to speake especially in the presence of them that haue more knowledge then our selues but we must not lay it so whollie vpon the minister as that if hee neglect it vpon any occasion wee should thinke our selues free from it Iob. 32.4.5 But rather follow the example of the godly man Elihu in the like case Who after hee had waited till Iob had spoken and saw that there was none answer in the mouth of the three men began his speech rather then the truth should not be maintained Vers 6.7 c. First making that preface which is set down of him in the same place Our ignorance ought not to keepe vs from conferring with other Moreouer let vs not bee kept backe from performing this duetie by the guiltines of our ignorance for though it be a sinne in vs in deed that the worde of Christ doth not dwell in vs more plenteouslie and that we bee no more filled with the spirit and so cannot speake so profitablie as we should yet none that is desirous to learne can bee so ignorant but hee may aske a question concerning some thing that hath been taught say what is the meaning of this Or how doe you vnderstand that or how was such a thing proued and so begin the conference and giue occasion to other to prosecute it which if he doe in the feare of God he shal finde his blessing to be such that though he conferre with others that haue as little knowledge as himselfe he shall not depart from them altogether vnprofitable The great benefit of mutuall conference For that which euery man seuerallie cannot doe al of them together as it were ioyning their strengths shall be able to bring to passe and as in a commō gathering though euery one giue but a little yet the summe amounteth to a great deale so the knowledge of many being put together shall increase that which was in euery man before For the meetings of the godlie is like a great many of firebrands layde together in which though there be some heate when they are apart by themselues yet being laid together it is doubled and otherwise euery one would dye of it selfe so though euery man hath some grace of Gods spirit in himselfe yet it is greatly increased by conference as it were by borrowing of the heate of others without the which euen those that they haue would by little little decrease come to nothing Nay it is most true that the blessing of God is so great and so certaine vpon his owne ordinance that all men might bee moued to submit themselues vnto it as that men conferring about things whereof they are altogether ignorant keeping themselues within the compasse of Gods word shall come to that knowledge in them which not onely none of them had before but not any one of them could haue by himselfe alone attained vnto For euen as though there be no fire in the flint stones yet one of them striking vpon another do bring forth fire betweene them which commeth not from any one of them but from both and both of them striken together so by the conference of many that is found out as a totall summe in the end which the seuerall monie as it were of euery one of them was in no wise able to reach vnto Whereunto agreeth that Prouerbe of Salomon Euen as iron sharpeneth iron Pro. 27.17 so doth the face of a man sharpen his friend That is euen as the knife that is blunt being rubbed vpon the whetstone though it be more blunt then it selfe receiueth thereby a sharpnes which it had not before so one man by the presence and conference of another receiueth instruction getteth that which he had not before Which if the children of this world doe finde true by experience in all worldly matters that by debating vpon them they see further into them then at the first why should wee thinke that our conference about heauenly thinges would bee barren which besides the helpes of all naturall guiftes common with other the Lord hath promised to water with the especiall blessing of his holy spirite that it might not be vnfruitfull vnto vs which that we might doe to our greatest aduantage the Lord would haue not onely the people thus to conferre amongst themselues The people ought to conferre with the Minister and he with them and they one with another Malac. 2.7 but all of them with the minister and him with them And that this was the practise of the one and of the other as it appeareth by sundry places of the old and new Testament so by that which the Prophet Malachie speaketh of both 2. 7. The Priests lips should keepe knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth wherunto agreeth thar of the Prophet Haggai Aske now of the Priests concerning the lawe Haggai 2.12 and say 13. If one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or oyle or any meate shall it be holy and the Priests answered and sayd No. In both which places it is manifest that in those daies it was the mnnner of the people and Priests to conferre together about the law of God vnto which if all in our time were compelled as the word of God bindeth them vnto it I knowe very well that the conferences of a great many would be as fruitlesse as might bee For whereas the people should seeke the lawe at their mouthes you may seeke and finde any thing at them rather then that and you may conferre with them rather of the plough and of the flayle then of the worde of God seeing their hands are more fit to hold either of them then their lips to keepe the other Beside others in a stately pride of themselues and a contempt of their brethren will
admit no conference with their people at all whereupon many of Gods people are driuen to omit this part of Gods seruice whether they will or no to their owne great hinderance But to make an end of this matter we haue seene that it is the duetie of all men to conferre one with another and therefore no man can say I would faine doe it but I haue none that will conferre with me for hee may finde our some one or other that will ioyne with him in it and if not in that manner that hee desireth yet let him begin and it may bee that he may prouoke some that were vnwilling before and if not that if yet he shall finde that the very vttering of that which was taught before with his mouth vnto others shall be a singular helpe to confirme himselfe in it neither let any be so vntowarde Which they may doe though they can say but I or no or aske a question as altogether to drawe backe because they cannot speake so fruitfully of the word as they desire and it may bee they see some others before them doe For if they doe but listen diligently vnto that which is spoken in a desire to learne and will but giue their consent vnto it and seeme to like of it saying I or no they shall draw on the speaker and so continue that conference which may be profitable to them both which I knowe by experience the Lord hath so blessed in some that he hath nowe rewarded their obedience in the kingdome of heauen And we must remember that the Communion of Saints consisteth as well in receiuing as giuing euen in receiuing good from others as wel as in doing it vnto thē And therefore as wee must alwaies carrie about with vs these mindes that our desire is to further our selues or others in godlines so we may be assured wee haue spent the time well when wee haue attayned vnto either of both For as a Prophet must goe in the name of a Prophet to doe the dutie of a Prophet Math. 10.41 so the people that receiue him in the name of a Prophet that is to heare his doctrine to be made partakers of his prayer and to profit by both shall not lose their reward For this cause the Apostle writing to the Romaines sayth Rom. 1.11 He was desirous to come among them for the common good of both saying For I long to see you that I might bestowe among you some spirituall gift to strengthen you 11. that is that I might he comforted together with you through our mutuall faith both yours and mine Thus wee haue seene how we ought to meditate and conferre about the scriptures But wee must further know that though our meditations and conferences must alwaies be kept within the compasse of the worde least they bee wandring and so not onely friuolous and vaine but wicked and vngodly yet they are not so tyed vnto that but wee both may and ought fruitfully to meditate vpon and soberly to conferre about the workes of God that so wee might bee taught not onely by the worde but also by experience seeing that the inuisible things of God are seene by the creation and gouernement of the worlde Rom. 1.20 being considered in his workes We ought to meditate vpon and conferre about the works of God by which he manifesteth himselfe vnto vs. Which without the word I confesse is so litle because of our blindnes that it doth but leaue vs without excuse as the Apostle sayth in the same verse yet being holpen by the benefit of the worde as the dim sight of an olde man is holpen by the benefit of a paire of spectacles we are guided aright and see more cleerely into euery thing thereby especially when we are gouerned by Gods spirite herein For then we shall perceiue the infinite wisedome of God his great mercy and power his iustice and trueth c. which are so plentifully spoken of in the scripture not onely by his iudgements vpon the wicked and his benefites bestowed vpon his children in our owne times and in the dayes of our forefathers but also in all other the dumme and insensible creatures euen in the day and in the night winter and summer heate and cold c. whereby hee doth exercise his iudgements vpon the one or hee brings his blessings vpon the other Euen as the same Apostle testifieth vnto the mē of Lystra saying That God which made heauen and earth the sea Acts. 14.15 and all things that in them are in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies neuerthelesse hee left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnes For by those thinges they might haue seene how he in great wisedome and mercy gouerneth the world for their good so that thereby they shuld haue beene made more carefull to serue him which because they did not they were left without excuse and had nothing to say for themselues before Gods iudgement seate for the things should witnes against them and by the testimonie of their owne conscience they should confesse that the Lorde had by all his creatures sensibly allured and prouoked them to good And if the heathen were iustly condemned because they did not so profite by the view of the worlde as they should how much more shall we be without all shewe of excuse that we doe not labour to behold the inuisible things of God in his works euen his wisedome goodnes and truth and so forth which are so apparant in them and as it were written in great capitall letters to bee reade of the whole world seeing vnto them we haue the light of his word adioyned to helpe the blindnes of our eyes in this behalfe Psalm 92. That Psalme which was specially made to he sung vpon the Sabbath daye as appeareth by the title of it doth sufficiently declare how we ought then to be occupied in meditating vpon Gods goodnes and praysing him for it yea how wee ought to conferre and talke of the same And indeed this is the right vse of the creatures for which they were first made namely to set foorth the glorie of God and to serue man that hee thereby might bee made more fit to serue God therefore then doe wee vse them aright when they leade vs vnto God then are they abused when wee stay in them and so are thereby either turned away from God or at least wise kept from comming vnto him So then let vs account this one part of our duetie and seruice to Iesus Christ vpon his holie day to consider aduisedly of his workes who is now the heire of the whole world and gouerneth euery thing in it for the good of his people that he hath redeemed seeing all power is giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth that wee thereby might be more cōfirmed in
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
way to heauen vnto hell if the Lord bee not more mercifull vnto him and why should we be loath to depart from the seruice of them that haue no care to serue God Or can we looke that they should do any faithful seruice vnto vs that are so vnfaithfull in the seruice of God But as concerning the rest if any bee religious this is the best meane to retaine them if they bee but indifferent this may winne them if they bee falling away To haue such good orders in our houses is not the next way to driue away our seruants from vs. this may recouer them for what shall wee thinke of all the godly fathers in times past That when they vowed diligently to looke to their households that they should serue God with them and did constantly performe it that then they had no seruants at al Was so great a man as Iehoshua without seruants when he promised before so many witnesses that he and his house would serue the Lord Was Dauid left alone and constrained to doe all himselfe when as being a mightie King he bound himself vnto it by that song which he made for the same purpose wherein he sayth Psal 101.6.7 Mine eyes shall be vnto the faithfull of the land that they may dwel with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me there shall no deceitfull person dwell in mine house he that telleth lyes shall not remaine in my sight Had not Abraham a great houshold when he was able of the sudden to carrie foorth with him of them that were borne and brought vp in his house three hundred and eighteene men in armour Gen. 14.14 to rescue his brother Lot of whom notwithstanding it is sayd Chap. 18.19 that he would teach his household the way of the Lord as it appeareth he did indeede when by his onely perswasion at the word of God Chap. 17.23 all the males were contented to be circumcised and to receiue that sacrament vnknowne before and painfull and also ignominious to the flesh if they had looked onely to the outward signe And must not that worthie Captaine of an hundred Italian souldiers needs haue a greater familie then many of these that cauill at this doctrine of whom the spirit of trueth reporteth Acts. 10.2 that he feared God and all his houshold Obiection What shall we thinke of all these men Shall we ignorantly presume to the further deceiuing of our selues hardning of vs in this sinne that the times were then better good seruants were more plentifull Answer Or must we not needes confesse as the trueth is indeede that these men vsed more meanes to make their seruants the seruants of God then men doe now adayes and that so the blessing of God was greater vpon them And is it not set downe in writing for our learning to shew vs what is that which we might looke for at Gods hands if wee would walke in the same way that they did seeing there is no respect of persons times or places with him But this much concerning this matter may be sufficient in which I haue been vnwillingly carried further then I was purposed at the first though now I do not repent me of it because the waightines of the matter is such that I doe not what might haue been well spared and with silence passed ouer Now that all households might be thus prepared vnto and furthered in the true sanctifying of the Sabbath it behoueth all Kings Princes ought to make lawes for the sanctifying of the Sabbath and all inferiour Mâ—gistrates see the same diligently put in execution Princes and Rulers that professe the true religion to inact such lawes and to see them diligently executed whereby the honour of God in hallowing these dayes might bee maintained And looke how straightly euery householder is bound to keepe all his familie in the obedience of this Commandement so seuerely will it be required at their hands if al their people and subiects throughout the whole land or any of them doe faile in it through any default of theirs And the Lord will require it of them so much the more seuerely by how much they haue more power to bring euery thing to passe within their dominion then a priuat man hath in his household and the offence that is publike is greater then that which is priuat And that this is their very duetie indeede appeareth first by the words of the Commaundement where he speaketh generally of them that be within the gates namely either of the house or of the citie which because it is the furthest part of those places therefore by them as vnder one kinde hee comprehendeth all the parts of any their iurisdiction euen the furthest and though it bee spoken by name but of one part of this commandement and that of the least which is to rest from labour yet it must needes be vnderstoode of the other parte which is the greatest and whereunto the other is but referred as it hath been oftentimes alreadie sayd in this treatise For if to abstaine from worke be a thing of such moment before the Lord vpon his Sabbath and day of rest that he will haue gouernours restraine their subiects from it then to sanctifie his holie day and to bestowe it vpon his seruice must needes much more bee a thing of that importance with him that he would haue all rulers compell their subiects vnto it Therfore looke how many reasons and examples haue been before alleadged to proue that they ought to stay men from working vpon that day so many are there to induce them to inioyne all to keepe holie the day for which end especially they command the rest and without which it is meerely ciuill and not religious And for this cause did the Lord command his people Israel Deut. 27.3 to write his lawe vpon the pillars in the borders of their land both that the people might bee kept in the knowledge and obedience of it Ecclesiast hist Cent. 1. lib. 2. cap 4. and that the Magistrates might euery where see the execution of it and knowe that it is their duetie to see it practised in all parts of their dominion euen to the very borders of them And if the Magistrate be truely called as he is indeede the keeper of the tables of Gods law that is one set vp in his roome furnished with his authoritie and power to that end that he might see the whole law of God euen the first and second table and euery Commandement in them put in execution then it must needes appertaine vnto him to prouide that the Sabbath bee hallowed wherein consisteth the obseruation of all the other Commandements in the first table A practise whereof we haue in the daies of Ioash King of Iudah in the very first entrance of his raigne whom when Iehoiadah the hye Priest had by the consent of the Rulers annoynted King 2. King 11.17 he made a