to rest but that euen to rest froÌ„ labour though it be a meere worldly thing in it owne nature yet is a singular part of our obedience to God vpon that day when it is so many times required so often vrged and as it is neere pressed vpon vs with words doubled and tripled yea and that by God himselfe who is not flowing with words in a barren cause but sheweth vnto vs the waightines of his Commandement by the force of his words and the seueritie of his lawes by his most significant and patheticall speeches The reason why the Lord would haue men to rest vpon this day is manifold The chiefest cause of resting is that we might wholly attend vpon Gods worship the first and principall is that which was from the beginning that men might be the more fit to sanctifie it in the holy seruice of God which because they could not doe with all the powers of their soule and bodie as the worship of God requireth so long as they are about their worldly businesse because they must needes take vp their wits and their willes the vnderstanding and the heart either in whole or in part so long as they bee conuersant in them therefore that wee might so doe as hee requireth hee would haue vs rest from that which might hinder vs from it and because the affayres of this world and his worship are two distinct things he would haue vs rest from the one that we might bee occupied in the other Thus speaketh S. Augustine August de teÌ„p serm 251. Sciendum est fratres charissimi We must vnderstand dearly beloued brethren that it was therefore commanded not onely of our holie fathers as he saith there but of God that we should rest especially on the Lords day that ceasing from all worldly busines we might be more prompt and readie for the worship of God when we should haue no let to hinder vs from it For as wee haue seene alreadie our nature is not onely â—o now but was so in Adam that he could not doe both these at once and therefore as he was willed by God to sanctifie the seuenth day so he willed him therefore to rest from dressing the garden in that he called it a Sabbath day that is a day of rest and this reason as it did straightly binde Adam to rest vpon it so doth it all his posteritie much more Afterwards there were other causes adioyned vnto this which made this necessitie of resting a great deale stronger A lesse principâ—ll cause is the retayning of our bodily strength and by name for because that through sinne the bodie of man is weakened all the naturall humours of it being corrupted and hauing lost the first vigor and strength of it and therefore is now subiect to paine to wearisomnes to sicknes and to death and so standeth in neede of ease and craueth rest as that without the which it cannot long continue therfore in respect of this men had need to rest so much the more that by the rest of the seuenth day they being refeshed might bee more enabled euen in the strength of their bodies to do the works of their calling cheerefully Adam and his posteritie if they had continued in their first estate should haue labored vpon the sixe daies but their labour should haue bin no labour vnto them I meane they should not haue laboured with wearisomnes and with payne for these are the punishments of sinne and the forerunners of death threatning a dissollution of the bodie in time but then there should haue been no death yet they were bound to this rest for the forenamed cause but now when as besides that labour is through Gods iust punishment become so laboursome vnto vs and work is so full of paine and trauaile maketh wearie according as it is sayd In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate bread Gen. 3.19 then wee see there is greater cause we should rest on this day and we are as it were with a double chaine bound vnto it Therefore in thâ— 5 of Deut. where Moses repeateth the law shewing hâ—â— great cause there is why they should rest vpon the Sabbath he alleadgeth this in the end of the 14. verse that thy manseruant and thy mayd may rest as well as thou speaking of them who as they are most subiect to labor so therefore doe most of all stand in need of this benefite of rest Afterwards when this law was giuen to the Iewes by the hand of Moses as in the obseruation of it they had many Ceremonies proper to themselues so in the ende and cause of this rest there was something ioyned vnto it which bound them vnto it most straightly and yet appertaining to no other people but them and though all the people in the world were equally bound to rest vpon the Sabbath day and there was great reason to binde euery one of them vnto it yet the Iewes had moe reasons then any other and in their rest was some speciall consideration which could not enforce or compell any other but themselues And of this nature is that whereof Moses speaketh in the next verse of this very chapter Deut. 5.15 Remember that thou wast a seruant in the Land of Aegypt and that the Lorde thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hand and stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to observe the sabbath day The Iewes were bound to it more specially for a memorial of their deliuerance out of Egypt and a seale of their deliueraÌ„ce by Christ In which place he maketh the day of rest to bee a memoriall to the Iewes of their resting from their heauie burthens and intolerable labours in the land of Egypt when the Lorde ridde them out of the cruell hands of Pharaoh and so because that benefite was a pledge vnto them of their eternall deliuerie and redemption by Christ from sinne and the miserable thraldome of it euen the Lord did assure them of it by this miraculous deliuerance according to the manner of teaching in those times wherein the truth of this doctrine was not so plainely reuealed therefore this rest also vpon the sabbath was vnto them a type and figure of that eternall rest from sinne which they should haue by the Messiah and the one was most liuely shadowed out vnto them in the other for these causes also were they bound to rest vpon the sabbath which bound none but them because they onely were partakers of the redemption from Egypt wherein they onely were in bondage and so to rest vpon it that in resting they might both thankefully remember the happie and often desired rest from the endles worke in Egypt that oppressed them which none other could doe but they and also with faith to meditate vpon the hoped and eternall rest from the deadly workes of sinne in themselues by Christ and to behold the performance of the one in the other euen the bodie in
prince of the Iewes Nehe. 13.15 after their returne from the captiuitie as it is set downe in the last chapter of that booke where he thus speaketh of himselfe In those daies saw I them in Iudah that trode wine presses on the sabbath and that brought in sheaues and which laded asses also with wine grapes and figges and all burdens and brought them into Ierusalem vpon the sabbath day and I protested to them in the day that they solde victuales 16. There dwelt men of Tyrus also therein which brought fish and all wares and solde on the sabbath vnto the children of Iudah and in Ierusalem 17. Then reproued I the rulers of Iudah and saide vnto them What euill is this that ye doe and breake the sabbath daye 18. Did not your fathers thus and our God brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon this citie Yet yee encrease the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the sabbath 19. And when the gates of Ierusalem began to be darke before the sabbath I commanded to shut the gates and charged that they should not bee opened till after the sabbath and some of my seruants set I at the gates that there should no burdē be brought in on the sabbath day 20. So the chapmen and marchants of al marchandize remained once or twise al night without Ierusalem 21. And I protested among them and said vnto them why tarrie ye all night about the wall if ye doe it once againe I will lay hands vpon you From that time came they no more vpon the sabbath In which words is fullie described vnto vs a most liuely picture both of that religious boldnes and zealous courage that should be in a magistrate bending al his force to the suppressing of such abuses as doe most dishonour the name of God as the breaking of the sabbath and also of the good blessing and prosperous successe of God vpon the worthie labours and Christian interprises of all such For though this abuse of prophaning the sabbath by breaking the rest of it so many waies as we see was so vniuersall and that through the iniquitie of the time preuayled so long that it had gotten a strong head and could not bee bridled at the first for though the gates were shut yet they tarried without at the wals all night hoping to come in in the morning with the formost according to their former custome so obstinate and peruerse were they in their wickednes yet when hee was as constant in Gods cause which he knew he had taken in hand as they were froward in their sinne God gaue him to deale so wisely being not discouraged first by proclayming the lawe of resting which he knew before was in the word then by threatning imprisonment vpon them that would not keep it commanding the inferiour magistrates to looke to the execution of it and rebuking them for their negligence and sloth in it in former times fearing them by the consideration of Gods iudgement euen their present captiuitie which came vpon their forefathers from the which they were not all returned and into the which or some other they might fall againe because of this one sinne that hee preuayled with them euen as it is set downe to his great commendation and to the singular incouraging of all Christian Magistrates in their offices What good successe God gaue him in it to the vnspeakeable comfort of the church and the immortall prayse of God that from that time they came no more vpon the sabbath A worthie rewarde for so noble an enterprise an honourable triumph for so rare a conquest And if we doe see so happie an ende of the trauaile of one man in so corrupt a time dealing against a sinne so deepelie rooted so publickely defended by the practise of the common people so generallie winked at by the inferiour magistrates and that in Iudah and in Ierusalem what hope might wee haue of the blessed endeuours of so many Nehemias in a time more religious among so many worthie gouernours in the Church and common-wealth if our sinnes did not hinder it and if they would deale in the faith and zeale and constancie of Nehemiah and wee would helpe them with our prayers That so first of all it might bee established by a generall meeting of all estates ciuill and ecclesiasticall as it was in his dayes by the Priests Leuits and chiefe of the people that none should doe any thing contrarie to the obseruation of the sabbath Nehe. 10.8.9.14 no not vnder the pretēce of dealing with strangers and then that those lawes might be diligently executed with great seueritie vpon all transgressors yea though they were strangers as they were in his time rebuking and sharplie punishing all inferiour officers by whose negligence the faulte should bee committed as hee did with great grauitie and moderation So then to drawe this whole treatise into a narrowe roome and to shut it vp in a worde the summe of all is that the Lord hath commanded so precise a rest vnto all sortes of men that it may not by any fraude deceite or circumuention whatsoeuer be broken but that hee will most seuerely require it at their hands vnder the payne of his euerlasting displeasure And this is the first duetie here required that both wee our selues and all vnder vs doe vpon the seuenth day rest from all such workes as by vertue of our callings appertaine vnto vs vpon the other sixe and this is the thing that wee should bee perswaded of Obiection If men should thus rest from all worke how should they liue But now if any vngodly man through the coueteousnes that is in him cannot yeeld vnto this because hee sauoureth not the things that bee of God but is worldlie minded and therefore is ready to obiect and say if we doe not labour how shall we eate you see the world is hard and things are at a great price and we haue a charge of wife and children that must bee cared for and when wee haue wrought sore the whole sixe dayes it will scarsely find vs bread therefore what reason is it to binde vs from working vpon the seuenth And why may not a poore man then earne a pennie as well as at any other time What I thinke you would haue vs to starue It is true in deede as M. Caluin saith Caluin vpon Deut. 5. serm 35. That all of vs naturally are of that minde that if we endeuour to mounte on hye to the heauenlie life and bestowe our studies herein we thinke we shall dye for hunger and this shall be to turne vs from our profites and commodities For as hee further saith the diuell commeth alwaies to perswade vs vnder this shadow and wilines that if we imploy our selues to the seruice of God we must needs dye of famine and that we liue to be pittied of others for our miserie Answer Therefore for answer I first of all say as he doth Of a truth we cannot serue
haue done amisse in this we shall not be able to abide it or to answer one worde for a thousand so great cause haue wee to be humbled before God and to repent vs not onely for our sinnes generallie but particularlie for breaking the Sabbath that so we might see how greatlie we do stand in neede of Christ Iesus without whom we should haue perished so many thousand times and how vnspeakable the loue of God is towards vs in him in deliuering from so endlesse miserie so many times deserued by the testimonie of our owne conscience more by the iudgement of him who is greater then our conscience 1. Iohn 3.20 and knoweth all things And thus we truely vnderstanding and rightly applying the lawe it shall be indeed as it is most properlie called our schoolemaster vnto Christ Gal. 3.24 that wee might bee made righteous by faith and leade vs by the hand vnto our Sauiour when it letteth vs set as in a glasse how in our selues we are more then lost and that none can saue vs but onely he who is truelie called Matth. 1.21 Iesus because hee saueth his people from their sinnes Of whose saluation then may we bee assured that we are truelie partakers when besides the perswasion of the forgiuenes of our sinnes we haue power from him to dye vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnes as well in this commandement as in any other seeing that he hath not onely borne the punishment of sinne but also tooke it away and as he became a sacrifice for sinne 1. Iohn 3.8 Ephes 4.8 Coloss 2.15 so he came to destroy the workes of the diuell and hauing ascended vp on high hath led captiuitie captiue and spoyled the prince of darkenes who is throwne out and hath giuen rich giftes vnto men not onely vnto his church generallie but particularlie to euery member of the same so that now if any man be in Chrst Iesus he is a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 and he himselfe now liueth no more but Christ Iesus liueth in him Galat. 2.20 But if we be the olde men wee had wont to bee and bee no more carefull to obserue the rest of the sabbath then we haue been in times past then are we not as yet partakers of the benefite of Christ and so are vnder the curse of the lawe which one daye will sease vpon vs to our endlesse confusion 2. Pet. 1.10 Therefore let vs labour to make sure our election and calling by Gods workes and let vs striue to be perswaded that the Lord hath passed ouer the faultes of our youth wherby we haue infinitelie broken the holy rest of the Sabbath in thought worde and deed in the blindenes of poperie and light of the Gospell openlie and secretlie at home and abroad alone by our selues and with others and that the Lord hath receiued the sacrifice of his sonne as a ful recompence for them by that same second grace which wee haue receiued from the strength of his sacrifice that we doe giue our selues whollie to serue him in all holy obedience vnto this commandement more carefullie in all time to come and that by his grace wee are inabled thereunto and to desire continually to growe in it all which wee know can come from none other then from him who hath obtained it of his father for vs. And thus the lawe shall keepe vs also with Christ that we fall not away from him when it teacheth vs daylie to growe in humilitie for our sinnes past and maketh vs to be carefull of dueties to come Phil. 2.12 labouring to finish out our saluation in feare and in trembling The second booke declaring the seuerall parts of Gods worship whereby we ought publikely and priuately to sanctifie and keepe holy the Lords Day with other and by our selues Deut. 5.12 Keepe the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee 13. Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and doe all thy worke 14. But the seuenth day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God thou shalt not do any worke therein thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy manseruant nor thy mayde nor thine oxe nor thine asse neither any of thy cattell nor the stranger that is within thy gates that thy manseruant and thy mayde may rest as well as thou 15. For remember that thou wast a seruant in the landâ— of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hand and a stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to obserue the Sabbath day THe second and last part of this Commandement is The second part of the Commandement is to sanctifie the daye of Rest that wee carefullie spend the day of Rest vpon the holy seruice of God alone which though it be last in order yet is the chiefe and principall thing in the Commandement and that whereunto the ceasing from labour is to be referred and without which the other is vnperfect and as it were a shadowe without the bodie Which that it is so indeede do appeareth by the very wordes of the Lord and the order of them pronounced from heauen as we haue alreadie seene Remember the Sabbath daye to keepe it holy which also Moses preciselie commandeth in repeating the Law to the Israelites before his death Deut. 5.12 Obserue the Sabbath day to sanctifie it â—s the Lord thy God hath commanded thee which daye wee are then rightlie said to sanctifie or keepe holy when we bestowe it vpon the seruice of God which is most holy and so by making it proper vnto that which is holy both we and the daye are hallowed thereby Iohn 10.36 Zanc. de tribus Eloh pan 2. lib. 3. cap. 9. That great learned man Master Zanchius the diuinitie reader at Heidelberge entreating vpon that place of Iohn whom the father hath sanctified saith that to be sanctified signifieth to bee consecrated vnto God and to bee put apart from other things vnto an holy vse and so is God said to haue sanctified vnto himselfe the Sabbath daye that is to haue selected it from the other dayes and to haue consecrated it to himselfe And this significatioÌ„ is very common in the scripture wherupon the people also of God are said to be sanctified vnto God and in this sense Christ taketh where when he saith that he was sanctified of the father for he alone of all the three persons and of all other creatures was ordained vnto the office of the mediator and to be the head of the Church euen before he tooke vpon him our flesh Chrysost in Gen. 2. Homil. 10. Whereunto agreeth that of Chrysostome Quid est What is the meaning of this He hath sanctified it he hath distinguished it from other dayes and we see to what end For as M. Bullinger saith God hath sanctified the Sabbath not that one day in it owne nature Bulling in Rom. 14.5 is better then another or because he delighteth
honour of his name and dedicated vnto his seruice And as he giueth vs libertie to worke our owne worke vpon the sixe dayes so he commaundeth vs straightly to cease from them vpon the seuenth that we might worke for the Lord seeing it is appointed to bee a day of resting from all other affaires for the Lords busines sake And last of all hee addeth that whereas the Lorde did create the worlde in sixe daies hee himselfe entered into a new worke distinct from the former vpon the seuenth and therefore bestowed an especiall blessing vpon that day which all the rest haue not euen the blessing of sanctification that it might be kept holy to himselfe For as Master Caluin sayth Benedixit sanctificauit Caluin in Gen. 2.3 secundum verbum est exegeticum prioris Of these two words the Lord blessed and sanctified the latter doth expound the former Pet. Mart. in Gen. 2. Whereunto agreeeth Peter Martyr To blesse is to giue and bestow something this did he chiefly giue vnto it that therein wee should rest and apply our selues to the seruice of God which so many words aboundantly testifie that the waightiest thing in this commandement is that the day of rest should bee bestowed vpon Gods seruice in so much that if we had attained vnto the perfect obseruing of the rest yet we are not come to the end and goale as it were of this commandement no not vnto the midde way of it which is so much the more diligently to be taken heed vnto because many through a grosse and palpable ignorance and want of religion as they cannot be persuaded of that precise rest which we haue seene here commanded so more prophanely dreame that though not all yet the greatest part of obedience vnto this commandement consisteth in abstaining from al worldly busines and therefore they that haue some care of this yet neuer or very seldome thinke of the other and making some conscience of working that day thinke it to bee a veniall or no sinne at all to neglecte the seruice of God which is most especially required or at least wise not to be throughly occupied about it Cal in Exod. 20.12 as the Lord on that day doth require For as Master Caluin sayth God was not delighted with the idlenes of his people but when hee bad them rest vpon the seuenth day there was relation to an other end For as the same man saith in another place This were a very bare and naked thing Idem vpon Deut. 5. ser 34. that our hands onely and our feete should rest and that nothing else should bee done What must we doe then wee ought to apply this rest vnto a more high and excellent thing And a little after he shewes it more particularly saying When our shop windowes are shut in on the sunday when wee trauaile not after the common order and fashion of men this is to the ende wee should haue more liberty and leasure to attend on that which God commandeth that is to wit to be taught by his word to assemble our selues together to make confession of our faith to call on his name to exercise our selues in the vse of his sacraments Therefore the seruant of God Moses to meete with this grosse corruption in the 5. of Deuteronomie doth not onely vse the forenamed word of sanctifying the day but further addeth in the same place As the Lord thy God hath commanded thee Deut. 5.12 making the greatest part of the commandement to consist in hallowing of the day For when God sanctified the day Iunij praelect in Gen. 2.3 he commanded man to sanctifie it that is to bestowe it in holy exercises So then looke howe many reasons there were before for the establishing of the day of rest so many more are there for the keeping it holy seeing this is the principall end of resting that it might be hallowed which because it cannot be in that manner that it should vnlesse we doe rest for we cannot wholly bestow it vpon Gods seruice if wee bestowe it vpon our busines in whole or in part therefore that this principall might haue his due roome al other things must giue place vnto it And though there were many other causes of ordaining the day of rest as we haue alreadie seene yet none so chiefe and principall as this For Adam being in paradise whiles he had not yet sinned though he was therefore exempted from many causes of resting which his posteritie did stande in need of yet for this cause was bound vnto it as much as any that resting from the works of the garden he might sanctifie it according to the commandement which otherwise he could not doe And therefore in the wordes of the commandement we are willed to remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Therefore we ought to remember the Sabbath to this end especially not so much remembring that we rest vpon it as that we sanctifie the time of our rest and therfore remember to rest before hand that nothing might hinder vs from the worship of God vpon the day of rest but therfore rest and therefore remember to rest that the seruice of God might bee taken in hand And as it is a sin not to be carefull of the Sabbath that we might rest vpon it so it is a greater sinne not to obserue it that it might be a Sabbath vnto the Lorde by sanctifying of it and if for want of heedfulnes any thing do compell vs to worke vpon the day of rest it is our sinne in not marking the Sabbath day so if by our negligence we cannot sanctifie the day of rest vnto the Lorde it is a greater sinne of not remēbring to keepe it holy which is the first greatest thing in this commandement Master Musculus sayth Polluitur Sabbathum cum cuius gratia instituitur Muscul in Math. 12.11 à plerisque plane non curatur The Sabbath is broken of many when they consider not to what end it was ordained How many in the world can and do remember well enough the Sabbath day to rest vpon it but how fewe doe remember to imploy that time about the Lords busines and so to keepe it holy One maketh account of the Sabbath day for this ende another reckoneth of it for that and euery one remembreth it for some purpose but the Lord would haue vs to remember it that wee might altogether bestowe it vpon his worship yet none almost looketh vnto that Therefore it was the wisdome of God to meet with this blockishnes of our who remember euery thing sauing that that we should and those good things which we doe remember wee thinke of them to farre other ends then wee ought to doe and to tell vs plainly that this is the chiefest ende of marking the Sabbath that we might keepe it holy which if we doe not as we cannot so well marke it as we should so wee doe marke it to a wrong ende and doe
our selues from the Church without any iust cause or by not seeking to the Prophets to teach vs when wee had not them at home and which doe so continuallie see our brethren in many places for want of teaching willingly to breake this law and which must needes foresee ours and their posteritie to fall into the same sinne nay to continue and dye in it vnles by establishing a preaching ministrie euery where which all are commanded publikely to pray the disease be now cured and so to be preuented in time to come In our English Letanie And if this be the estate of the poore people The ministers that cannot or wil not preach are special causes of vnhallowing this day that haue not the preaching of the word among thē that by breaking the Sabbath continually they must needes prouoke the most patient Lordes wrath at the last and endanger their owne soules health what can bee saide or thought sufficiently and answerably vnto the sinne of them who being called the ministers of God as they that should be the chiefe in his seruice and goe before others in it by preaching vnto them are able and willing to do nothing lesse in the world then that For partlie they are ignorant and cannot doe it partlie they are giuen to ease and will not doe it and partly they haue so many charges to looke vnto that they know not where to begin to doe it And so doe not onely vnhallow euery Sabbath daye that the liue and doe bestow no daye in the weeke so ill as that which they should bestow best of all because they neglect that which God requireth most of all at their hands but also are the onely chiefe causes euerie where of vnhallowing the Sabbath and doe compell the people to breake it whether they will or no which sinne is yet so much the greater in them because it is not accounted of and so there is no care to amend it But let them bee assured that all the charges giuen concerning the sanctifying of the Sabbath in the scripture must bee double charged vpon them for themselues their people and looke how earnestlie this is by the Lord commanded so seuerely will it one day bee required at their hands when they shall haue no bodie to speake for them nay they shall pleade against themselues and better were it for them a thousand times to begge in the meane season then to eate vp and to liue vpon as it were their owne sinnes and the sinnes of their people and to carry about with them their owne bayne not by slipping into of humaine frailty but stubbornely falling into and more wilfullie lying in so manifest a breach of so great a commandement and that in the highest poynte of it Psalm 95.7.8 2. Thes 2.10.11 Therefore to daye if we will heare Gods voyce let vs not harden our hearts against it but let vs receiue the trueth in loue least he giue vs vp to strong illusions effectuallie to be deceiued and to beleeue a lye and let vs confesse as the trueth is that the Lord would haue euerie Sabbath to bee sanctified by the Minister and the people and that in the Church he ought to preach the word and they to heare it euery Sabbath daye And though we bee not so grosselie blinded to imagine that it is not necessarie one whit vpon that day we must not also be deceiued to thinke that now and then is sufficient once a moneth or twise a quarter and so sometime both Minister and people should be exempted from it as though they could sanctifie the daye after some other manner And though I haue iustly stood vpon the preaching of the worde especially because it is the greatest parte of Gods seruice and yet that which is most neglected my meaning is not to exclude the other as though they appertained not vnto vs for it wholly and euery parte of it doth concerne vs and is to bee practised vpon this daye Therefore wee must also come to the reading of the worde We must be present also at the reading of the worde common prayer and administration of the Sacraments from the beginning to the ende and common prayer and receiue the Sacrament so oft as it is administred yea though we receiued it the Lords day immediatlie before and be present at the Baptisme of others For wee haue in the forenamed places seene all these practised together seeing they be parts of Gods publike worship we must leaue no holy worke of his vndone whereby the day might be sanctified vnto him So we must bee present at the whole action and continue at the diuine seruice from the beginning to the ending as it is prouided by the lawe of the realme which is grounded vpon Gods worde neither foreslowing to come at the beginning nor hastening to depart at the ending which is so much the more diligently to bee taken heede of on euery side because herein many doe offend carelesselie and yet the danger of it is very great Some vnder the pretence of comming to the Sermon tarrie at home a great part of the seruice and so neither are they at the confession of sinnes with Gods people nor are made partakers of the prayers of the Church for the forgiuenes of their sinnes neither doe euer heare much of the scripture read other vnder the colour of being at all these departe away before the blessing is pronounced vpon them and so many times lose the fruite of all as Iudas did or else tarie not the ministring of the Sacrament as though it were a thing impertinent vnto them Therefore it is in expresse wordes set downe by the Prophet Ezekiel cap. 46. Where hee speaketh of Gods worship vpon the Sabbath daye that the prince shall be in the temple in the middest of the people he shall goe in Ezek. 46.10 when they goe in and when they goe forth they shall goe forth together where we see he requireth that all should be present from the beginning to the ending euen the very chiefest in euery congregation as well as the meanest and no priuiledge is to be giuen to any one more then to another for comming vnto abiding at and departing from the seruice of GOD which concerneth them all like in the whole and in euery parte of it then the which nothing can be spoken more truely nor more plainely which the Prophet Dauid as he knew very well so laboured to perswade the people of it Psalm 84.10 when in the Psal 84. He accounteth the dore keepers of Gods house blessed who were first and last in the temple so partakers of the whole worship Wherefore whensoeuer wee doe voluntarilie bereaue our selues of any part of the publike Ministerie we cannot sanctifie the daye so in euery portion of Gods worke as he would haue vs to doe Hereunto it seemeth they had respect in that councell Concil Malisgon 2. cap. 1. wherein they say Si quis whosoeuer
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
hath been declared before that wee must rest in our mindes from the studie and care of worldly things so the end of it is that they might be meditating and occupied about Gods seruice as M. Caluine setteth it out at large Caluin vpon Deut. 5 ser 3â— Let vs know saith he that it is not sufficient that we come to the Sermon on the Sunday to receiue some good doctrine and to call vpon the name of God but we must digest those things and that by this meanes we be so formed and fashioned to the thing that all the rest of the weeke cost vs nothing to aspyre to our good and that wee neede but call to our minde that which we shall haue learned before at good leasure when our mindes were as it were vnwrapped from al those things which hinder vs to recount the worde and workes of God And a little before Although God nourish vs euery day yet notwithstanding we meditate not sufficiently on his goodnes to magnifie him for it True it is that this should be but a poore thing if we should consider of the benefites of God but on the Sundaye but on the other dayes because we are occupied ouermuch about our worldly affayres we are not so giuen to God as on that day which is altogether dedicated vnto this The Sunday therefore ought to serue vs for a tower to mounte on high to view the workes of God from a farre when we are neither hindered nor occupyed with any thing but that we may applie all our senses and our whole vnderstanding to reknowledge the gracious giftes and benefits which he hath bestowed on vs And when we shall haue practised this on the Sunday namely shall haue deepely considered of the workes of God it is certaine that all the rest of our time should bee giuen hereunto and that this meditation shall so fashion and polish vs that all the rest of the weeke we shall be ledde to thanke our God when so before hand wee shall haue premeditated on his workes to make our profite therein But I cannot forget and passe ouer with silence that part of Gods seruice which though it be most excellent in it owne nature acceptable vnto God There ought to be singing of Psalmes in the Church and in mens houses and comfortable to our selues yet it is finally regarded euery where and that is the singing of the Psalmes Of which I rather speake in this place then in the former because though I know there ought to be singing in the Church and that it is one piece of Gods publike worship and the discipline of our Church is such through Gods mercy that the Psalmes are sung in many places after a plaine distinct and profitable manner and may be euery where if men will yet men content themselues with that and are not mindfull to sing at home by themselues alone or with the rest of their houshoulde but contenting themselues that this is receiued in the Church haue no care to bring it into their houses but as though to sing Psalmes were proper vnto the Church doe neglecte this duetie euery where else Therefore wee shall see howe this exercise is commended vnto vs in the scripture as well as any other that we haue heard of before And if we looke into the booke of Psalmes we shall finde not onely a great many which doe generally concerne the estate of the whole Church and therefore are most fit to bee sung in the common assemblies but also a great number which doe most fitly agree with the priuate condition of the seuerall members of the Church To this end is there such varietie of Psalmes agreeing with all times and all mens estates and that in many things so that there is no man which can be at any time in such a case but hee shall see it most liuely set foorth in some one Psalme or other euen as though it were made for him to sing at that very time which it may be agrees not so well with others no nor with himselfe at any other time which no doubt are left vnto vs by the spirite of God that wee might sing to him as well priuately as publikely For this cause also there is such great varietie of Psalmes in such diuers arguments that whether we will giue thanks for some great deliuerance or for the forgiuenes of our sinnes or for the restoring of vs to health or for the graces of Gods spirite receiued for the hope of our resurrection vnto immortall life for the blessing of God vpon our wiues children goods c. We may find some song to sing that so all excuse might iustly be taken away from them that haue no care of this holy duetie And if men will graunt that such Psalmes as doe touch the condition of the Church generally are left in writing that they might bee sung in the Church openly howe can they deny but the like reason bindeth men priuately to sing those Psalmes which do concerne mens priuate estate at seuerall times vnlesse they will say that they onely are vnprofitable or superfluous and commended to the posteritie without cause which once to imagine is so great a sinne as it is not onely because of the contempt vnto Gods word which it carrieth with it but also because it is so contrary vnto the iudgement of the Church euery where which doth acknowledge the vnspeakable mercy of God vnto it selfe as in all the other scripture which he hath left vnto it so especially in the booke of the Psalmes and in euery parte of it and it doth confesse with all thankfulnesse that there is not one Psalme the instruction and comforts of which it could well want nay it doth confesse that the Lord as hee doth continually giue them many causes to prayse him priuately so hee hath left them sundry formes to doe it And if the priuate singing of Psalmes were not so necessary a dutie of Christians as it is to what end serueth that earnest exhortation of the Apostle to the Colossians Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome Colos 3.16 teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songes singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where he teacheth the whole Church howe they should behaue themselues in their priuate meetings What estate and condition of ours is most fit for the singing of Psalmes that they should not bee prophane after the manner of this worlde but tending to the edifiyng one of another in so much that their very mirth should bee profitable to themselues and others And whereas the wicked cannot be merry vnlesse they fall into beastlines and all kinde of wickednes at least wise foolishnes and iesting hee telleth them that they must reioyce in the Lord and be merry and glad in him and therefore wheras the vngodly haue a number of vaine friuolous and lewd songs they should sing spirituall songs
couenant betweene the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people likewise betweene the King and the people Where we see there was a plaine law established by the consent of the chief Rulers in the Church and Common-wealth both for the abolishing of al idolatrie and planting of true religion that so the King and the people might be Gods people the execution whereof is set down in the sequent of that chapter and the next immediatly following and also for the loyall subiection of the people vnto their new King and of his defence ouer them that so they might bee his liege people and he their soueraigne Lord and King And indeed this is the chiefest end of al gouernment that men might not professe what religion they list and serue God after what manner it pleaseth them best but that the parts of Gods true worship might be set vp euery where and all men compelled to stoope vnto it and make profession of it at leastwise in the outward discipline of the Church that so thereby we might liue more peaceably our selues and doe more dueties vnto men Euen as the Apostle writeth vnto Timothie in his former Epistle willing him and so in him all Ministers to make supplications 1. Tim. 2.1.2 prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes for Kings and for al that are in authoritie that we by them might leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie In which words as he sheweth the people what they may looke for at the hands of their rulers thereby to moue them the rather to pray for them so he sheweth the rulers what they should procure vnto the people namely that they might liue in the profession of Gods true religion honest dealing one with another maintaining the common peace for these ends both at home and abroad Euseb de vita Const. lib. 4. cap. 18. 19. And this is that good report which Eusebius giueth of Constantine the Emperour that he made lawes compelling all men to the publike seruice of God vpon the Lords day exempting no man there from no not the souldiers in warre so farre forth as they might who prescribed to them for that purpose formes of prayer and commanded them to be occupied in other parts of Gods worship Therefore it ought to bee prouided that the preaching of the word be euery where established for in that especially the sanctifying of the Sabbath consisteth as being the greatest part of Gods worke and which must direct the people in all other parts of his holie seruice and without the which the day cannot be hallowed in the least measure of that which the Lord requireth of vs and all other parts of true religion ought so in all places to bee ordained that none might haue iust cause to complaine that for want of meanes though they rest vpon the Sabbath from their worldly busines yet they cannot sanctifie it as they are commanded Which if it be true then much lesse ought there to be any toleration for the Masse in a Christian Common-wealth or any bearing with such kinde of Idolatrie For beside the plaine Commaundement of God concerning this matter so many times repeated in the word to destroy all remnants of them and cleane to put out the monument of thē as abominable which ought to bee a light and a direction vnto vs wee haue the examples also of many godly kings in the most flourishing Common-wealth of Iudah going before vs and as it were leading vs by the hand thereunto Hezekiah tooke away the hye places and brake the Images 2. King 18.4 and cut downe the groues and brake in peeces the brasen Serpent that Moses had made because the people did burne incense to it But that is most worthie of remembrance which the Holy ghost speaketh concerning King Asa that he tooke away the Sodomites out of the land 1. King 15.12 and put away all the Idols that his father had made and he put downe Maachah his mother from her estate because she had made an Idoll in a groue and he destroyed her Idols and burnt thē by the brook Kidron for which he is highly cōmēded euen for that he would not giue libertie to any no not to his mother to dishonour the name of God by a false shorship and to draw others thereunto by her example Last of all wee haue a most excellent paterne to followe both in abolishing al superstition and planting the true religion in that rare and thrise renowned king Iosiah of happie memorie as it is at large described in the second booke of the Kings 2. King 23. P. Martyr in Iud. cap. 1. Whereunto I may adioyne the iudgement of P. Martyr concerning this matter who sayth Magistratus non potest non damnari c. The Magistrate must needes bee condemned who maintaineth Idolatrie seeing hee hath the sword to punish sinne And a little after he alleadgeth S. Augustine vpon these words of the Psalme Be wise now ye Kings c. They are admonished sayth he in that they are Kings Psal 2.10 to vse the sworde committed vnto them of God for the defence of the Christian faith and for the repressing of the wicked Igitur principibus minime licet vt impuros cultus concedant c. Therefore it is not lawfull for Princes to grant immunitie vnto any false worship yea it doth especially concerne them seuerely to compell all vnto the true doctrine and such rites of the Church as are agreeable vnto the word In which zeale her most excellent Maiestie hath not been behind these worthie paternes of goodnes before named when as besides the vtter abolishing of all idolatrie in one day to the great perill of her estate and life by cutting off the head and taile of it at once she hath since of the like princely goodnesse sundrie times prouided by statute against all such as should in secret corners presume to sing Masse or to be present at it But the aboue named examples are so much the more diligently of vs to bee considered because in them wee haue not only lawes made for the sanctifying of the Sabbath but the execution of them for that which was done then was done by law and though it be a great mercie mercy of God to liue where good lawes bee yet it is greater where they bee well practised in so much that though there be neuer so many good lawes made for the inlarging of the Gospell in any kingdome it is to no great purpose except they be well looked vnto Therefore as wee haue seene that true religion by law ought to be established so that it might by all men bee publikely obserued all magistrates must haue an especiall care of that Of the want of which I am perswaded there is more cause to complaine then of the former For though there bee many things wanting to the perfection of the Church because of our sinnes yet all things