it selfe but the Lord as he is the searcher of the harts and reines so his law reacheth thither and findeth out sinne in the very beginning of it when it first lifteth vp the head and tarrieth not to giue sentence against it till it bring forth the vnsauoury and vnfruitful fruits of it but proceedeth in iudgement against it when it is but in the blossome and bud nay in the very first rooting of it which if it bee true in all other commandements why shuld we imagine that the bounds of this are so straight that it will not reach so farre Obiection If the commādement be thus straite who is able to abide it And whereas men are afraid to say what they thinke and to confesse this trueth which they are conuicted of because they doe not see how then they shall be able to keepe this law we know that this is the thing in controuersie betweene vs and the Papists whether the lawe of God may be perfectly kept or no and therefore though they abhor all poperie yet if they stand vpon this point they shall fall into a popish opinion agree with them who when they haue set it downe Concil Trident. sext sess Canon 18. as a lawe of the Medes and Persians that may not be changed that the law of God may be fulfilled of vs then they must needes giue such an interpretation of this lawe as might carry with it some shew of possibilitie that it may bee fully kept indeede Answer For if we conceiue of the law of God to bee so loose as that it should onely restraine the parts of the bodie then wee may perceiue that the heathen Philosophers by the light of nature haue seene further into the truth of it then we haue done by the bright beames of the worde who sayd that a good man must haue not onely his hands and eies continent and free from sinne but also his minde And wee must endeuour our selues so much the more carefully to dispossesse our minds of all earthly matters because it is so hard a thing to attaine vnto For wee cannot so easily cast all worldly imaginations out of our heads as we can cast the things themselues out of our hands neither can we so farre remoue our affections from them as wee can separate our bodies from them which notwithstanding vnlesse we doe all the other is but popish and ceremoniall and whereby we cannot attaine vnto the sanctification of the Sabbath in any tolerable measure But let vs consider sayth Master Caluin whether they which call themselues Christians Caluin vpon Deut. 5. sermon 34. acquite themselues in this point as were requisite a great part of men thinke they haue the sunday that the better to attēd on their worldly affaires they reserue to themselues this day as if they had no other to deliberate for the whole weeke to come nowe though the bell should to a sermon they thinke they haue no other thing to doe but to thinke on their busines and to make the account of this and of that Therefore whatsoeuer hath beene spoken before of resting from the vsuall workes of our calling the same is true of the ordinary speaking common thinking of them all which because they be of the same nature must needes come vnder one and the same law and therfore looke what libertie the Lord hath giuen vs We may speak and thinke of thinges that be necessary for the workes of our calling in the time of necessitie as it hath declared vnto vs before the same haue we for our recreations our speeches our thoughts and desires that so farre we may be occupied about them all manner of waie in soule and in body as they shall not hinder vs but rather bee meanes to further vs in the true manner of sanctifying the day And we haue here so much the more libertie because we cannot do our necessarie busines but we must speake and thinke of them not onely in the doing of them but also before and after them But because I haue alreadie made a seuerall treatise before of the workes which necessitie maketh lawfull I will not here enter into it again left I should be confused and tedious but referre you vnto that place for guiding of your speeches and studies as well as your labours and works only desiring you to remember that which is there set down also that we iudge those things onely necessary for the time present which could not haue been thought vpon spoken of and done before neither might be put off to bee studied for conferred about or put in practise till afterward A conclusion of al that went before with an application of it to our selues And so we conclude the former part of this commandement in which we haue beene something the longer because it was needfull seeing it is so large and as it were the ground of all the rest wherein wee haue seene what kind of rest the Lord requireth euen such a one not as we might grossely dreame of because of our blindes but as is plainly and truely published in his word in the which he hath declared what is the height the bredth the depth and the length and the full measure of it And this the Lord requireth of all and euery one of vs continually from the beginning to the end of our liues without any interruption vnder the paine of euerlasting condemnation as it is alledged by the Apostle to the Galathians out of the law Galat. 3.10 Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them in which curse is contained all the punishments of soule and bodie which can bee deuised in the greatest measure as it is most largely opened in many places of the scripture Deut. 29.20 namely in Deut. 29. where he threatneth to bring vpō thē euery curse written in that book and euery plague that is not written in the booke of the law 28.61 According to which rule if wee will examine our whole life past wee shall see howe great is our deserued miserie because of the infinite breaches of this commandement For first of all we are by nature altogether ignorant of the truth of it and when it is taught vs wee haue no conceiuing of it and lesse liking vnto it but all our reason and affections are cleane contrarie vnto it so that we haue many waies broken it in thought word and deede not onely in the dayes of our ignorance but since our knowledge and therefore there must needes bee a great handwriting of accusation against vs and wee may here truelie say Psalm 19.12 O Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of this life for setting all other sinnes apart the Lord hath many waies to pleade against vs in this one thing so that we must needes confesse that if he winke at all other our sinnes and yet marke narrowlie what wee
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
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH Plainely layde forth and soundly proued by testimonies both of holy Scripture and also of olde and new ecclesiasticall writers Declaring first from what things God would haue vs straightly to rest vpon the Lords day and then by what meanes we ought publikely and priuatly to sanctifie the same Together with the sundry abuses of our time in both these kindes and how they ought to bee reformed Diuided into two Bookes by Nicolas Bownde Doctor of Diuinitie Hieron Prolog Galeat In the Church of God euery one doth offer that which he is able some gold siluer and pretious stones others blew silke and purple and skarlet and fine linen t is well for our part if we offer skinnes and goates haire AT LONDON Printed by the Widdow Orwin for Iohn Porter and Thomas Man 1595. HONI SOYT QVY MAL Y PENSE TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD ROBERT Deuoreux Earle of Essex Ewe Vicount of Hereford Lord Ferrers of Chartley c. Master of the Q. Maiesties horse Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsel the increase of all true honor and fauour with God and men RIght Honorable if there were so many good reasons to moue your Honour graciously to accept these my labours as I haue iust causes to induce me to preferre them to your Honor then I should haue good hope that as they haue most willingly come from mee so they should haue good countenaunce at your Honors hands For besides your late Honorable fauour extended vnto me requireth this and al other duties of me wherby I might shew my selfe thankefull to your Honour for the same euen so the desire also that I haue that this truth of GOD might come forth with the best credite hath moued me in the conscience of mine ovvne tenuitie to become humble sutor in the behalfe thereof for your honorable gracious protection Wherein if I haue intruded my selfe further then I ought and pressed neerer to your Honor then it becommeth mee crauing your Honorable pardon for this my boldnes I beseech your Honor to accept either my feruent desire to tender all duties vnto you or my great care to purchase best fauour for this worke or both vvhich haue compelled me hereunto And herein I am so much the more importunate vvith your Honor not for my selfe but for this part of Gods holie truth that it might be countenanced as one of your Honors fauorites because as wee be fallen into these euil daies wherin too many are readie vnaduisedly to set themselues against whatsoeuer they dislike and therfore the best causes are driuen to seeke patronage where it maie doe them most good So the Lorde hauing inlarged your honorable name aboue a great manie which as a precious ointment flowing from your selfe comfortablie refresheth and perfumeth a great number this part of Gods trueth also might enioie the common benefit of it with other to be ouershadowed thereby and by that meanes haue entertainment there where otherwise happily it should be finally regarded And so it becomming for your Honors sake a welcome guest vnto them it might deliuer vnto them in the name of God as sent by your Honor that message of his that it centaineth to the honor of his name to whom all honor is due from whoÌ„ all honour commeth whome trulie to honour is the greatest honor Thus ceasing anie further to interrupt your Honor from your weightie affaires my praier vnto God is long to preserue your Honor zealous of the glorie of God faithful to her Maiestie profitable to the whole realme and comfortable to your owne soule most humblie with all dutifulnesse taking my leaue Your Honors most humble at commandement alwaies in the Lord Nicholas Bownd Norton in Suff. Iune 1595. To the Godlie and Christian Readers and namely to the reuerend wise and godly learned Fathers and brethren Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell grace and peace hee multiplied RIght reuerend and welbeloued in the Lord when as about nine yeeres since I was solicited to publish my Sermons vpon the tenne Commaundements by certaine of my godly brethren auditors then of the same I had manie reasons that preuailed to disswade me from that enterprise and especially beâ—ause I thought it superfluous in such great variety of learned writers of that matter especially wherein I haue been since more â—onfirmed by all those who of later times haue trauailed in that â—â—nde And moreouer besides mine own vnsufficiencie for so great 〈◊〉 matter J was of opinion that hee that bendeth himselfe vnto â—riting had neede to haue some relaxation from preaching vnâ—esse hee bee of great gifts and meruailously fitted for both and â—herefore being necessarilie tyed vnto the one I durst not vnderâ—ake the other yet their importunitie preuailed thus farre with â—â—ne as to make triall what I could doe in this commaundement which I had then in hand whereunto also I was the rather induâ—â—ed because it contained that argument which as it is of all oâ—her most excellent so it was least of all dealt in by anie largely â—â—nd of purpose Hauing then within a fewe moneths at my best â—â—asure finished this treatise as diuers of my fellowe Ministers â—â—n whose hands it hath bin are sufficient witnesses and by them further encouraged to communicate it vnto all men I yeelded thereunto slowly indeede because I knewe a reuerend godly M. Robert GreenchaÌ„ and learned father who for the most part of his life time greatly trauailing in this matter by his own reading meditation and conference with sundrie learned men had long before finished a great volume and wayted but his opportunity to furnish it to the presse though I neuer read one leafe of that booke whome I did for iust cause so highly reuerence that I was vnwilling to preiudice any of his godly proceedings especially in this thing wherein I knewe he had trauailed aboue most of his time and thereupon suspending my purpose for a time when I had imparted vnto him what I had done he gaue me this aduise to take his booke and to compare it with mine owne and to make one of them both which I refusing as being vnmeete for such a purpose and not knowing how I should well sorte out to the Reader such varietie of matter as was like to arise out of them both nor cunningly to fit the one to the other as it were to put a new piece of cloth to an old garment determined wholly to suppresse mine own expecting the comming foorth of his in time whereunto also I solicited him by writing and that also was my iust defence to those that still called vpon me for the comming foorth of mine owne In which expectation I continued vntill most vntimely I vnderstoode to my great grief and to the vnspeakable losse of the Church of God that hee was fallen a sleepe in the Lord And then I reuiued my former purpose and
other times but to bee occupied altogether in the holy seruice of God and in an holy place And this was a thing not peculiarly belonging to some one day but generallie commanded and practised vpon euery Sabbath day namely to haue holy meetings that the day might be kept holy And indeed it was so inseparably adioyned vnto the Sabbath that it was not onely ordinarie vpon the seuenth day which is onely properly called the Sabbath but vpon all other festiuall dayes of the Iewes commanded by God vnto them to obserue which had also the nature of the first and true Sabbath as appeareth most plentifullie in this one forenamed chapter of Leuiticus in many verses where their seuerall feastes are reckoned vp of which as he afterwards speaketh in particulars Leuit. 23.4 so thus of them all in generall These are the feasts of the Lord and holy conuocations which yee shall proclayme in their seasons calling them feastes vnto the Lord that is dayes of reioycing before him thanksgiuing to him for his benefites and praying to God for the continuance of them wherein that they might bee furthered they had the exercises of the worde and offering vp of sacrifices euen as they did rest from their other busines that they might wholy attend vpon these and so the conuocations or assemblies of the people were holie which if it were true of those daies that were but appurtenances vnto the weekely Sabbath then must it needes much more be verified of it whereunto all the other were referred And if the other dayes could not be feastes vnto the Lord as they are called vnlesse they were holie assemblies then much lesse can this bee a Sabbath vnto the Lord which is the very name of it vnlesse their meetings be in the Lord and for his worships sake For this cause the Prophet Esay calleth it the Lords holie day and a day consecrated as glorious vnto the Lord saying If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath Esay 58.13 from doing thy will on my holie day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord and shalt honour him c. whereby he doth declare that the especiall thing in the Sabbath day is the honor and seruice of God vpon which we must so altogether attend that it may appeare that wee haue dedicated the day vnto him indeede and made this the chiefe glorie of it that it is holie vnto him Therefore it was commanded in the lawe that the sacrifices and so consequently al other parts of Gods worship which were neuer seuered from them should bee doubled vpō the Sabbath day And then the daily seruice of God was doubled that so they might altogether be occupied about them and doe nothing els the whole time being taken vp with them as is in expresse words set downe by Moses Numb 28. Num. 28.9.10 where hauing spoken before of the daily morning and euening sacrifice he addeth But on the Sabbath day ye shall offer two lambes of a yeare old without spot and two tenth deales of fine flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offering thereof this is the burnt offering of euery Sabbath beside the continuall burnt offering and drinke offering thereof And Chrysostome speaking of this thing sayth Chrysost de Lazar. conc 1. The Sabbath was not giuen for idlenes sake but rather that wee being drawne away from the cares of temporall things might bestow all our leisure vpon spirituall things Nam sacerdos eo die duplicat hostiam For sayth he the priest vpon that day doth double his sacrifice And if wee looke into the 17. chapter of the Prophet Ieremie where he promiseth from God a blessing to the Iewes if they would keepe the Sabbath and threatneth a most grieuous destruction to them if they did breake it wee shall finde that in many verses speaking of the true manner of keeping that Commandement how he not onely requireth a resting from bodily labour but also the bestowing of it vpon Gods seruice when alwaies he ioyneth these two together Iere. 17.22 25.27 If ye doe no worke but sanctifie the Sabbath as I commanded your fathers Whereunto agreeth the practise of the whole Church from time to time as appeareth by the very reading of the storie of the new Testament in which from the one end of it vnto the other nothing is more cleare then the ordinarie reading preaching and hearing of the law publikely with all the rest of Gods seruice practised vpon the Sabbath with one consent which as it is confirmed by infinite testimonies so the time would not serue to stand vpon them I will content my selfe with that one which is set downe in the Acts of the Apostles For Moses of old time hath in euery citie them that preach him Act. 15.21 seeing he is read in the Synagogues euery Sabbath day And when the day was chaunged all the exercises of religion were chaunged together with it and did still accompanie it In the time of the Gospell these meetings are and ought to be vpon the Lords day So that the holie meetings of the Church were vpon the first day of the weeke I call them holie as before because they were taken in hand and continued only for the holie seruice of God as it is apparant in the 20. chapter of the same booke besides many other places where the Euangelist S. Luke writeth thus The first day of the weeke the Disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preacheth vnto them Act. 20.7 c. Whereunto no doubt the Apostle S. Iohn had respect in his Reuelation when he calleth this new day Reuel 1.10 by this new name the Lords day deriuing it from the Lord Iesus who was made Lord and heire of all things who as hee did rise againe vpon this day so he did institute a new seruice and a new ministerie and a new day in the honour of the new worke which he had now finished So that it is true which Master Bucer sayth Communi Christianorum consensu dies Dominicus cōuentibus ecclesijs publicis dicatus fuit ipso statim tēpore Apostolorū Bucer in Mat. 12.11 The Lords day was appoynted for the common assemblies of the Church euen in the Apostles time And therefore as it hath been declared before this was not first brought in by the Christian Emperours but allowed and approued by them or rather by publike authoritie established whereas the Christians did without law by the authoritie of Gods word obserue it before So that it may truely be called the Lords day as it is indeed not only because the Lord Iesus did arise from the dead vpon that day and so declared that he had made an end of the worke of our redemption but also and especially because by seruing of him vpon that day in that manner that he hath appoynted not onely the memorie of it is kept but we are made
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
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