trayterous And it pleaseth the Holy Ghost throughout the whole course of the Bookes of Samuel and the Kings to leave this as a blemish for wicked Kings Quia non c. That they tooke not away the groves and high places c. that they permitted the high places to stand Therefore Augustine saith very well Tu imple personam tuam alioqui Deus de te de illo implebit suam Performe thou thy part otherwise God will performe his both upon thee and upon him Thou shalt be punished with the offender and its better ut sentiam lenitatem patrie quam severitatem judicis that I feele the lenity of a father then the severity of a Judge 3. Provocation The other goe before action 3. Provocation provoking to sinne Provocation is by two means whether it be of a superiour or inferiour 1. By daring as Jobs wife Iob 2.9 Dost thou continue in thine uprightnesse blaspheme God and die Or as when men be provoked to sweare to anger c. 2. To provoke by alluring meanes 1 Kings 21.25 Iezebel Ahab sold himselfe to doe evill whom Iezebel his wife provoked And Iob if he had beene tempted no doubt his wife had beene guilty of it And God is so farre from provoking that he taketh it cleane from the superiours to their inferiours Ephes 6.4 Fathers provoke not your children but bring them up in the feare of God Generally Galat. 5.26 Le ts not be desirous of vaine-glory provoking one another 4. Malum consilium Evill counsel envying one another 4. Evill counsell or advice Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the ungodly Genes 49.6 Iacob lying in his deathbed and calling his sonnes together to blesse them saith Simeon and Levi into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou joyned with their assembly For in their wrath they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall The same prayer maketh Iob 21.16 Loe their wealth is not in their hand therefore let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me Ezra c. 4. v. 5. Privy Counsellers hired to hinder the building of the Temple 2 Sam. 16.21 Absolon committed the incest with dis fathers concubines but the incest is layd to Ahitophel that did put the counsell into his head Marke 6.24 Herods wifes daughter asked John Baptists head in a platter but Herodias the mother counselled her to aske it and the blood of that godly man is laid to her charge Iohn 11.49 50. The sinne of the Jewes in desiring Christ to be crucified came upon Caiphas his head that gave them the advise Acts 19.25 The uproare against Paul is laid to Demetrius the Silversmith that counselled the rest of the handicrafts men c. These by extension are also condemned 5. Consensus Consent Consensus interpretativus Consent by interpretation These two goe before 5. The fault of consent Consilium est instar agentis principalioris consensus instar instrumenti Counsell is like the principall agent consent like the instrument Rom. 1.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but consent with them that doe them Consensu peccatur men sinne by consent whether it be as the Lawyers say consensu directo vel vero vel interpretativo by plaine consent or consent by interpretation 1 Tim. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure Consent by interpretation is when a man is instrument of an evill deed by his action though in words he mislike it 2 Sam. 11.16 Ioab is an instrument of evill namely Davids instrument to kill Vriah 2. And not onely that but approbation also Acts 8.1 Saul is said to have beene consenting to Stephens death by onely keeping their clothes that stoned Stephen Num. 16.26 Moses maketh all consenters to the rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram which stood by and would not depart from their tents 3. Taking part in the gaine Ps◠50.18 When thou sawest a Thiefe thou consentedst to him and hast beene partaker with the adulterers 4. Casting of lots Prov. 1.14 Cast in thy lot among us we will have all one purse 5. Another is consensus silentii consent by silence When a man is bound to withstand another mans sinnes and doth it not be doth after a sort consent to it That he is bound to it Levit. 19.17 a flat precept This is commonest of all the reason why this consent by silence is a sinne is this Augustine ut malus sermo inducit in peccatum sic malum silentium relinquit in peccato as evill counsell leads men into sinne so evill silence leaves men in sinne 6. Is no doubt a kind by consent by interpretation but it s so speciall 6 Defending c. that it may be a kind of it selfe namely a defending commending flattering of other in their sinnes excusing of them when they are done c. Pro 24.24 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him Prov. 16.29 Lactant amicos suos ducunt per viam non bonam with faire words they deceive their friends and lead them by a way which is not good This lactatio peccatorum this deceiving of sinners is the way that leades to destruction Ps 55.22 Habent verba butyrina they have words as smooth as Butter but warre in their hearts Their words were softer to him then Oyle yet very swords Let not their sweet words breake my head but rather let the godly reprove me friendly Rom. 16.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By good words and faire speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple A woe pronounced against them Esay 5.20 Woe to them that speake good of evill and evill of good which put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter And Ezek. 13.10 they are said to be dawbers up of other mens sins And therefore because they have deceived my people saying peace when there is no peace and one built up a wall and behold the other dawbed it with untempered morter and in the 18. verse they are called sowers of pillowes under other mens elbowes We have example of this 1 Kings 22. in Ahabs false Prophets verse 6. Goe up for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King And especially in Zidkiah verse 11. that made himselfe hornes of Iron saying Thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push at the Aramites untill thou hast consumed them And because Micaiah stood against him he was smitten on the face and sent away to prison The reason why this sinne is so grievous when a man commeth to commend sinne it s a signe that his judgement and conscience are corrupt Non autem semper corrupta est mens
4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditate upon these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conference Gal. 2.2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I went up by revelation and communicated unto them Luk. 24.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another Mal. 3.16.17 Then spake they that feared the Lord every one to his neighbour c. Though they say that experience is the mother of knowledge yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation is the grandmother for it begetteth the experience and in our owne reason the practice is all and fruit of all Esay 27.9 hic est omnis fructus ut auferatur omne peccatum this is all the fruit to take away his sinne As in diseases there are bastard feavers which have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 febrium verarum tokens of true feavers Sic spuria est pietas so is there a counterfeit piety Thus for these two points Venite auscultate Come and hearken The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether there be prophecies they shall faile whether there be tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away But Christ saith Luke 10.42 Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken from her 2. Prov. 1.28 Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me Therefore God will not heare them because they heard not him 3. 1 Sam. 2.25 They hearkned not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them Ideo non audiunt quia Deus interficiet cos Therefore men heare not because God will slay them 4. Labour for knowledge Phil. 2.16 Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine That it may be with us as with the Romanes of whom the Apostle saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rom. 6.17 But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine which was delivered you Thus we conclude as Cyrill did Meum est docere vestrum auscultare Dei perficere It is my part to teach yours diligently to heare Gods to perfect Religion a building the principles the foundation In teaching religion where we are to begin The course of Religion which we are to intreate of is compared to a building Matth. 7.24 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hath built his house upon a Rocke c. the teacher to a builder 1 Cor. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a wise Builder The principles of Religion to a foundation Heb. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God Col. 3.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe it heartily In a building the chiefest thing is that the foundation be layd deepe enough Our warrant out of Luke 6.48 Non super arenam Not upon sands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but as it is in the same place He digged deepe and laid the foundation c. This is spoken â—o this end for that the builders in our age digge not deepe enough till they come to the hard rocke 1. If any ground of Religion be set downe it is asked how we know that it is true 2. How we know that these Scriptures are the words of God And if they be how we can prove ipsum propositum the purpose or aime it selfe by the Scriptures Lastly how we know that there is a God and if what is the regard of him towards man whether such as that he would afford him his word and what is the regard of God But they without further examination presuppose these bookeâ— to be true and the Word of God and digge to build no further then the earth leaving advantage for the undermyner And we know that many have undermined the very foundation and have flatly denyed that there is a God and so when the divell shall bring with him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inundations and floods He will shake the foundation of Religion as heretofore he hath plunged the dearest of Gods children 4 questions that we way come to the rocke it selfe These are taken for granted by Catechists without any examination Therefore that we may begin at the hard rocke we will adde these foure questions 1. Whether there is a God against the Atheists 2. Whether he hath a care of man and such as that he would deliver his word unto him against the Semi-atheists Epicures 3. Whether the Scriptures we use be his word and true against the Turkes and Pagans 4. Whether this being the Word of God our religion be truly grounded on it against the Jewes Papists and other heretickes 1. Whether there be a God For the first our warrant Heb. 11.6 wherein the two first are set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that commeth unto God Heb. 6.11 handled Three things to be observed in Heb. 11.6 must beleeve that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Wherein these three things are to be noted 1. the fruit of Religion of all our doings and our life i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come unto God 2. The meanes to attaine this fruit i. by beleeving 3. What we are to beleeve 1. That there is a God 2. That he is a rewarder of good to the good and evill to the evill Or first the end of our journey 2. The way it selfe 3. The two stations In the first is contained the short summe of the felicity of man able to stirre him up to give care 2. The snatching of the people at that which they suppose it to be 3. The great breaking of the braines of men about the seeking out of it 1. The fruit of religion or the summe of mans felicity That this happinesse is God every mans desire sufficiently testifieth it And David saith Psal 4.6 Who will shew us any good Augustine alledgeth out of Varro 288. severall opinions of Philosophers concerning this felicity August de civit Dei lib. 19. cap. 1. from Varro out of his booke De philosophia First then that man is not happy in his owne estate it is too plaine by the Epithetes that the heathen give to man Nudus miser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naked wretched a most weake creature A patterne of imbecillity Therefore seeing that it is not in man himselfe it must be in comming to another thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come This phrase also of comming is used in the vulgar tongue comming to wealth honour learning c. The opinion therefore of Christian wisedome is this That whilst man kept Gods Commandement and submitted his wisedome to him he was partaker of
man and when we have obtained them and peradventure shall not get them without much labour they may Esay 59.5 be as a spiders webbe to us that may suddenly be swept away They are uncertaine 1. money for theeves 2. merchandise for the winds 3. building for fire 4. possessions for unrighteous Judges and all these for the bands of the Sabees that is our enemies Or as a Cockatrices egge which he that eateth of dieth and that which is trodden upon breaketh into a serpent Augustine Habent si non sinem suum finem tuum habent si non finem tuum finem suum quisquis est contemptor vitae suae est dominus tuae They have if not their owne end yet thy end they have if not thy end yet their owne end whosoever is a despiser of his owne life is Lord of thine 1. The uncertainty of many in danger of the seas winds stormes of unrighteous Judges the bands of the enemy Mans life hath 300. diseases and odde A little poyson overcommeth it if one care not to be hanged he will not care to kill thee Augustine proveth that a man is brickle in respect of them by his great grandfathers glasse that lasted three or foure mens ages Divintiae autem fragillimae ergo in his nulla faelicitas but riches are most brickle therefore in them is no felicity But in comming to God there is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full contentment and perfection Stability ergo felicitas summa unica therefore both chiefe and onely felicity For as Christ said to the woman of Samaria if thou wilt have the water of life you must goe to God the fountaine of all goodnesse God is universale bonum Iohn 4.14 primum bonum fons boni primum ens fons essentiae aeterna mens God is the universall good the first good the fountaine of goodnesse the first being the fountaine of being the eternall mind Experience of the true waies of comming to God 3. Ab experientia From experience in David Psal 16.12 In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure forevermore Experience of the false waies of cōming to God in Salomon who through the whole booke of the Preacher confessed that in the whole world he found 1. inanity 2. vanity 4. Confessed also by the heathen before Christs time 4. The confession of the heathen in Sybils oracles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be happy to live happily declareth the felicity of man to be the union to God Pythagoras his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 golden sayings Plato 10. of the rep and in his phaedo Hermes Plutarch Simplicius upon Epictetus Iamblichus of the Egyptian mysteries Cyrill against Julian No felicity but in comming to God Thus is hath beene proved 1. By particular exceptions 2. by demonstrative arguments 3. by experience 4. by the confession of the heathen Augustine in his meditations saith Domine creâsti nos ad te nunquam ergo quietum erit cor donec pervenerit ad te O Lord thou hast created us to thy selfe the heart therefore will never be at rest till it shall come unto thee To come velest in itinere vel in appulsu is either 1. in the journey or 2. in the arriving The last steppe is commonly adventus the advent or comming There is duplex felicitas a twofold happinesse Viae vitae of the way of the life of the way which is penultimus finis the penult end and of the life which is finis ultimus the last end Walking and going in the way of his commandements Or as the Rabbins there is felicitas atrii triclinii the happinesse of the porch and of the parlour In respect of these two felicities 1. in itinere 2. in appulsu 1. in the journey 2. in the approach No perfect felicity in this life Ratio nil ab omni parte beatum neque quicquam ab omni parte miserum The reason there is nothing absolutely happy nor is there any thing in every respect miserable Children are accounted free men quia spe liberi because free through hope we in this life are happy quia spe felices because happy through hope The reason quia vita quam sic vivimus non est vita nostra sedvia ad vitam caetera habent hîc vitam suam Because the life we thus live is not our life but the way to life all others have here their owne life 2. It is not possible to come to felicity in this life Heb. 6.19 the state of man is compared to a ship felicity to an anker hope to a cable The way to come to God Now the way to come to God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve Comming to any thing is a motion Omnis motio est ab appetitu ut moveatur appetitus cognoscenda ipsa via Ignoti enim nulla cupido Every motion is from the appetite that the appetite be moved the way must be knowne for there is no desire of a thing unknowne Therefore the way must be knowne Via ad Deum accedendi duplex the way to come to God is twofold 1. By reach of mans reason 2 By beleeving The Manichees according to S. Augustine in a bravery against the Christians The heresie of the Manichees next to Atheisme held that errour that men were to come to God by reason not by beliefe Atque adeo dicere solitisunt Christianos imponere jugum credendi non autem aperire fontem sciendi And so they were wont to say that Christians did impose the yoke of beleeving but did not open the fountaine of knowing This way because it best pleased man did most and longest prevaile atque adeo hi haeretici apud omnes omnium aetatum homines valuerunt plurimum ubique floruerunt And indeed the Heretickes prevailed exceeding much amongst all men of all ages and flourished every where In so much that if any Philosophers had associated themselves to religion they were first Manichees This also is manifest from this for that Faustus his errour was most dangerous and of longest continuance The like sect is in our daies The way of beliefe the best way to come to God of reason worst Quaeristae querists who will have a reason of every thing and so farre as you can goe with them by reason so farre will they goe with you no further Then we must prove that the way of beleefe is most convenient and necessary of reason most inconvenient and worst 1. If we come to God by reason then should none but excellent wits be saved because none beside them are capable of demonstrative reason But that way is inconvenient which but few can goe in Such is the way of reason of saith contrariwise if this were it were all one as if a company should take a journey and because some of the company could leape over hedges and ditches they should still make a high way through hedges and
Psal 101. 131. he condemeth a proud and high stomacke Esay 3.16 He condemneth the walking with the necke stretched forth and with a foolish strange gate 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the frizeling of the haire Oversumptuous aparrell plates c. Zeph. i. 8 strange apparrell because they are not the signes of Gods gifts and rather are of pride then of decency ye ought not to seeme that which ye are not Sarahs modest lookes modest apparrell commended by the Apostle Sarah went modestly so should you God will have the signe to goe with the thing signified The sixt rule 6. Rule the rule of mans lawes Accessorium sequitur naturam principalis Agentes consentientes pari poena plectuntur The accessory followeth the nature of the principall doers and consenters suffer or are punished alike The reason Quia lex non solùm observanda sed etiam conservanda We must see that not onely our selves be observers of the law but that others also observe it We must understand that God will have glory from us and not for us and from others by us Sic luceat lux vestra sicut ego sicut tu ego sicut tu tu sient ego So let your light shine c. for as I as thou I am as thou and thou as I not that you might be glorified but that men seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Therefore there must be in us a care that God might be glorified both in our selves and in others and consequenly we must not be accessary to any evill nor command any whereby other mens sinnes may become ours This sinne it is committed either in things lawfull or unlawfull unlawfull is called peccatum alienum Quot modis rei fimus peccati alieni How many waies we become guilty of another mans sinne 1. Iussio In commanding men sin 1. By ungodly statute 2. Without statute by word of mouth 3. Commandement of one present 4. Absent by writing A man may commit sinne being farre of a strange sinne lawfull is called scandalum offence 1. In unlawfull things For which they set downe nine waies which may be brought to six whereof the two first concerne Magistrates the other foure concerne all men alike In them this sinne is extended if they command any thing that is evill either in manner of a law Esay 10.1 Woe to them that decree wicked decrees and write grievous things c. Dan. 3.4 5 6. Nebuchadnezar made the law for idolatry the people are commanded by an Herald at the sound of a Trumpet c. to goe fall downe and worship the golden image that he had set up 2. 1 Sam. 22 18. Saul himselfe drawes not the sword and falls on the Priests yet for commanding Doeg the murder became his Though the murder of the Priests was committed by Doeg yet the offence rested on Saul for commanding Doeg Acts 23.2 3. Though Ananias rose not out of his seate to strike Paul yet because he was stricken at his commandement Paul calleth him painted wall for it and denounceeth the judgement of God against him This blow was extended to Ananias 3. If we write as David wrote 2 Sam. 11.15 David did not put Vriah in the fore-front of the strength of the battell but Joab but because he wrote to Joab to put him in the fore-front the murther of Vriah is attributed to him by Nathan 1 King 21.10 Jezebel was farre off when Naboth was stoned but because she wrote to the Elders of Israel to proclaime a fast and to set Naboth among the chiefe of the people and to set wicked men to witnesse against him and so to put him to death she was made guilty of his death The second removens prohibens the removing of that which should be an impediment 2. Petmissio conniventia Permission connivence This is a mover to a second sinne namely the sinne of permission or of winking at faults When a man is in authority though he command not an evill thing yet because he is in authority and so hath power to restraine evill doers if he do not he is in fault Levit. 20.4 5. If the people of the land hide their eyes and winke at that man when he giveth his children to Moloch and kill him not 5. Then will I set my face against that man and gainst his family and will cut him off c. That is if the people in whom it lay to redresse the fault neglected to do it and suffered the malefactor to live the fault should have beene on their heads and yet the malefactours should not escape unpunished August Man hath the sword committed into his hands ut malus si non demittat voluntatem amittat facultatem peccandi if a wicked man lay not aside the will let him want the power and faculty of sinning Of the civill Magistrate in a Common wealth Rom. 13.4 the Apostle describing the civill Magistrate he saith that he beareth not the sword for nought and telleth the end wherefore he beareth it namely to take vengeance of the evill doers 2. The Ecclesiasticall Magistrate in the Church 1 Cor. 5.2 There is a rule for Ecclesiasticall Magistrates For he inveyeth against them of Corinth for not executing Ecclesiasticall punishment upon an open offender but suffered him to be in the Church 3. Domesticall censure of the father on his children 1 Sam. 3.13 And I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth Quia vidit filios indignè agere non prohibuit For his sonnes ranne into a slander and he stayed them not was Elies offence for which God told him that he would judge his house for ever So also 1 Kings 20.42 Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I had appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people The punishment that should have lighted on Benhadad for his sinne lighted on Ahab for suffering him to escape He that suffereth an offender to escape unpunished the state of that party shall be as the state of the party permitted Iohn 19.16 Iohn 19 16. Matth. â—7 37 Mark 15. â—1 Luke 23.26 For a perpetuall opprobrie of Pilate there is set downe that he delivered Christ to the Jewes to be crucified What a faire shew made he what a doe kept he in washing his hands before all the people in protesting his innocence of Christs death yet because he was the chiefe of the Province and had authority to withhold the Jewes from killing Christ he was guilty of the death of Christ 1 Kings 1.6 Adoniahs wantonnesse and riot came on this occasion because his father David was loath to displease him from his childhood nor would so much as say why dost thou thus What this permission will worke in the end Adoniah by permission in his youth after became ambitious and
is that he bringeth in that thy man servant and thy mayde may rest as well as thou Another is added Deut. 5.15 the estate of servants Gods care of the Common-wealth and we know that in the Spartane and other Common-wealthes there hath beene Insurrection by reason of overburthening of servants therefore is this put in a preservation of the Common-wealth Gods providence is great in providing of this 4. So likewise of the next member of Beasts Psal 36.6 his mercy and providence is extended to the beasts so Prov. 12.10 to the soule of the beast that is he will take order that the beasts be not tired because the earth shall have her Sabbath One end of Gods providence for them is the restrayning of our covetous humour who rather then we will omit any little gaine we will put our land and cattell to the uttermost and wee care not to what paines Againe another that by beholding the beasts doing their duties we might be the more moved to the doing of ours We must therefore note that God commands not their rest as delighted therewith even as Jonah 3.5 the beasts commanded to fast not that God was delighted with their abstinence or was acceptable to him but onely this that as the Ninivites seeing their beasts pyned before them they might consider of it and be moved the more so here seeing the beasts to keepe Sabbath they might remember to keep it 5. The last is the stranger within thy gates The Gates of an House or a Citie in Scripture signifieth Jurisdiction or Defenced protection That as then he is in his Gates so he is in his Jurisdiction so whosoever commeth under anothers Gates as he cometh for protection if he be be injured so he must confesse that hee must be under his Jurisdiction that for any godly duty hee may command him and Gen. 19. Lots intercession for the Angels Therefore came they under my roofe that they might receive no harme and as he had a care that they might receive no injury so ought we have a care of their soules As Nehem. 13.19 the men of Tyrus and Ashdod so long as he had any hope to reclaime them he suffered them to bring in their Wares but after hee saw they would bring in their Wares for all his warnings and threatnings he tooke order that the Gates of Jerusalem should be shut against them in the end of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation of the Sabbath And so we see both for Workes and for Persons in severall and particuler The maine reason is vers 11. For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven c. As wee said before that a rule for discerning precepts is Ratio immutabilis praecepti facit praeceptum immutabile if the reason of a Commandement be immutable it maketh the commandement to be immutable and so consequently because the reason is to sanctifie Gods name when we shall be glorified in Heaven we shall there doe it we shall there onely intend it untill we come thither we have but finite soules and canot intend it wholly this reason being immutable that it shall there be done of us in the state of glory when we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One to One So may we likewise say of this it being a reason abexemplo from Gods owne example For concerning that this axiome The Creatour is to be followed of the Creature in that he commandeth it is an immutable reason for as much as it is the example of God nor can receive any time of exception because I have rested I propound the same to thee Therefore it pleased God to use this reason as most forcible He maketh use of others besides this Exod. 23. and Deut. 5.15 those he useth as proper to the Jewes this reason of the benefit of the Creation is here forced being greatest as well for the use as the duties which God that day cals for to be performed by us in an especiall manner the consideration of his goodnesse wisedome power and eternitie So also for the meditation of it in that day as the 92. Psalme was made for that day As for the continuance of the memorie of the Creation and keeping men from Paganisme for if it had been duly kept then that great doubt that troubled all the Philosophers so much Whether the World had a beginning had beene taken away And therefore this day being one especiall meanes that men might not fall into Atheisme is therefore sanctified of God to be a day of Rest Augustine on Genesis intreating of the Creation saith That it is true that it might have pleased God to have said Fiat totus Mundus let all the World bee made in one moment as Fiat lux let there be light in the first it had beene all one to his Omnipotencie to have made it as well in a moment as in six dayes his inquisition is What then should move God and hee findeth no reason but this that men might proceed in the musing of and meditation of the Creation in the same order that God hath taken in the Creation else they should have been in a maze Therefore Psal 104. David when he entreth a discourse of the Works of God he useth an order and Basil and Ambrose have written bookes of it that men might begin to thinke and give themselves to necessary thoughts and wholesome cogitations And this is thought to be the course that was in the Primitive Church For the substance of the reason it selfe generally to move all to doe as God hath done nothing moveth a man so as a notable example as Christ John 13.16 Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example When he saw his Disciples given to pride and would have them brought to Humility What way taketh he He taketh up a bason of water and a towell and putting off his upper garment washeth their feet and when he had done vers 15. he saith Wott yee what I have done Exemplum dedi vobis Yee call me Lord and ye doe well for I am so If I that am your Lord wash your feet how much more ought you to wash one anothers feet And in the 1 Cor. 11. Paul propoundeth a marveilous example Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ And therefore he himselfe may doe that I have done my selfe and because I that needed not have rested therefore must thou rest that needest it The last reason of the three Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day he did not onely rest himselfe but he hath consecrated it also and besides his example hee hath annexed a solemne Institution So that it shall be to us a Mercatura animae the market day of our soule both for amendment of the weeke that went before and for a better life in the weeke to come But this is not the reason the force of the reason is in this because God hath blessed and hallowed it therefore this is a marveilous strange kinde of opposition Seeing