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
that superstition of the Iewes which that graue father singularly wel deseruing of al the Church of God Beza in Cantic SoloÌ„ Homil. 30. Master Beza speaketh of When it is counted such a great sinne to open a shop windowe Non item si lusum si potatum si scortatum fuerit But not so great if a man vpon this day giue himselfe to gaming to swilling and to playing the harlot Yea as another learned diuine sayth Gualt in Act. 13. Homil. 88. Hodie eò res deuenit In our time things are so come to passe that amongst Christians they may be accounted very good men who breake the Sabbath by their handie labor when they most doe prophane it with horrible wickednes neither at any time doe they more offend in pride and disdaine in drunkennes ryot lust then vpon that day which should be wholly consecrated vnto God and to the meditation of his workes and of our eternall rest And seeing these thinges are done openly and commonly sayth hee doe we yet maruaile what is the cause of the calamities of our time And Master Bucer complaineth yet a great deale more Bucer in Psal 92. I am nihil ferè scelerum est Now there is almost no wickednes which is not especially committed vpon the Lords holy day there is opâ—â—â—â—ying drinking filthy dauncing harlotting fighting and quarrelling and I would to God greater things then these were not committed I will not say as he sayth Et nusquam ferè licentiùs quam in ipsis principum Episcoporum aulis For I hope better things of them and such as accompanie saluation but in too many places of towne and countrie So that I may say of them as father Chrysostome doth Chrysost de Lazar. conciâ— pri Thou hast receiued the Sabbath day of God to clense thy soule from sinne and thou vpon that day dost most of all â—ommit sinne Whereupon it comes to passe that all the weeke following they are so much the more wicked bâ— how much that which was appointed for their good they haue turned into sin vnto themselues so that as the Gospell which in it selfe is the sauour of life vnto liâ—e by mens abuse is turned into the sauour of death aâ—d the bread of the Lords table which is the food of life is turned into poyson when men doe not rightly therein discerne of the Lords body and so by eating it and driâ—king the Lords cuppe 1. Cor. 11.29 they procure his iudgement against â—hemselues so this day of the Lords resurrection which is therefore the day of life vnto vs is by their wickednes â—ade vnto them the day of euerlasting death Euen as Master Caluin sayth Caluin vpon Deut. 5. ser 34. When the Sunday is spent not onely in games and pastimes full of vanitie but in things which are altogether contrary vnto God that men thinke they haue nâ—t celebrated the Sunday except GOD therein be by many and sundrie waies offended when men I say vnhallow in such sort this holy day which God hath instituted to leade vs vnto himselfe is it any maruaile if wee become brutish and beastlie in our doings all the rest of the weeke But to reserue all such prophane beasts vnto the iudgement of God whose holy daye of rest as they doe despise so vnlesse they repent and amend GOD hath sworne long agoe Heb. 3.18 that they shall neuer enter into his heaueÌ„ly rest There are others of whom in the same place he speaketh Caluin ibid. Who glut themselues by ryotting and are shut vp in their houses because they dare not shew a manifest contempt of their duetie in the open streetes so that the Sunday is to them a retreat to withdraw themselues from the congregation of God whereby one may see what affection they haue to all Christianitie and the seruice of God when by this which was giuen vs for an aide and helpe to drawe neerer vnto God they take occasion to withdraw themselues the further from him For as he sayth a little before if we imploy the Sunday to make good cheere to sport our selues to goe to games and pastimes shall God in this bee honoured Is not this a mockery Is not this an vnhallowing of his name But let vs that be Christians be of another minde and let vs as Saint Augustine sayth shewe our selues Christians by keeping holy the Lords day August ad Casul â—pist 86. vnto whom so manie as feare God let me say as they did at the Councell of Paris Concil Paris lib. 3. cap. 5. Salubriter admonemus We do admonish all the faithfull for the saluation good of their soules that they would giue due honour and reuerence vnto the Lords day because the dishonour of it is both contrarie vnto Christian religion and doth without all doubt bring destruction to the soules of all that continue it And there is great reason of it For seeing that daye is appointed for all the partes of Gods worship Bulling in Ier. câ—ncio 65. He that despiseth the Sabbath makes no great account of the true religion as master Bullinger very wisely noteth and therefore the Sabbath is many times put for the practise of all religion and the Prophets when they complaine of the decay of all religion say that the Sabbaths are polluted as hee also obserueth in the same place according to which rule if wee will iudge of the religioÌ„ of men we shall find that amongst a great many it is very little or none at all because they haue not that due care of the Sabbath that they should And thus saith Master Caluin Caluin vpon Deut. 5. ser 34. that the Prophet Ieremie in many places rebuking the Iewes for breaking of the Sabbath speakes vnto them as if they had in generall broken the whole law and not without cause for he which setteth at naught the Sabbath daye hath cast vnder foote all Gods seruice as much as is in him and if the Sabbath daye be not obserued all the rest shall be worth nothing Now besides seeing the end of all is that the fruit of Gods worship might appeare in our godly conuersation to the glorie of his name and our eternall saluation euen as it was ordayned of God at the first to keepe Adam in his integritie if we by the grace of God escape all these horrible prophanations of this daye and haue attained vnto some tolerable care of keeping holy the day then let vs see what we are bettered thereby and what is the fruite of our profession thereon For then may wee haue comfort that we vse it aright when there proceeds that good of it thereby for which God ordained it and which wee see it bringeth forth in many others And therefore I may say with Master Bucer Bucer in Mat. 12.11 if we do truely and religiously serue God vpon the Lords day aboue all others Declarent hoc mores Let our manners shewe it let the holinesse
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
so straightly requireth at their hands As we may see in the scriptures how they that feared God liuing in the corrupt times of the Church and so not hauing their ordinarie teachers haue vpon the Sabbath day frequented those places though farre off where by the doctrine of the word they might sanctifie the day in some good acceptable manner In which consideration the Shunamite as it is recorded in the second booke of the Kings when his wife tolde him that she was going to the Prophet 2 King 4.23 but concealed the cause from him which was for the restoring of her sonne to life which she had obtained by his meanes before he demaundeth of her why she should goe that day seeing that it was neither new moone nor the Sabbath day as though he had sayd if it had been any of these daies which the Lord had commanded to be kept holy then no maruaile if she hastened thitherward so fast For so it ought to be and so it appeareth she vsed to doe that by hearing of his doctrine she might keepe holie the day and so thereby bee furthered in all other holie dueties In this respect I would to God wee might say of our time Iustin Martyr Apolâ—g 2. as Iustine Martyr doth of his Die qui solis dicitur omnes qui in oppidis vel agris morantur in vnum locum conueniunt Vpon the day that is called Sunday all that dwell in the townes or villages doe meete in one place and for the space of an houre the canonical scriptures of the Prophets Apostles are read It is a Canon in the prouincial Councell of Malisgon That if any man haue a Church neere them they should goe together and there vpon the Lords day to bee occupied in prayer c. Where their meaning was not to dispense with them that were further off but to inioyne all to goe to their next Churches And in another Councell this is the maine reason why they should giue ouer all worldly affayres Quo facilius ad ecclesiam venientes Concil Alater 3. cap. 27. That they might the more easily come to the Church and pray c. And vnto this doth that learned father and Bishop Augustine exhort his auditors in a sermon which I haue often alleadged which is worthie of all men for this purpose to be read ouer August de teÌ„p sermon 251. Let no man separate himselfe from diuine seruice Neque otiosus quis domi remaneat neither let any man tarrie idling at home Idle when other are gone to the Church Which also as it is very Christianly prouided for vnder her most excellent Maiestie both by statute and also by her Iniunctions Q. Iniunct articl 46. that all should resort vnto their parishes vpon all Sundaies and there to continue the whole time of godly seruice vnder the paine of penaltie So it had been happie for this land if in all places it had been executed but with halfe that care that it was first meant But I may complaine of it with Master Caluin Caluin vpon Deut. 5. Ser. 34 rather theÌ„ amend it That whereas if we were so feruent in the loue of God as wee should all would morning and euening assemble themselues together to the end they might be edified more and more in the seruice of God we see that with much adoe men will assemble themselues on the Sunday and that many are to bee holden to this order by force and violence and a little after it sufficeth not that euery one withdraw himself to his owne house either to reade the holie scriptures or to pray vnto God but it behoueth that we come into the companie of the faithfull and there declare the concord and agreement we haue with the whole bodie of the Church and celebrate in such wise this order as the Lord hath commaunded So then as wee haue seene heretofore that it is lawfull vpon these occasions to trauaile vpon the day of rest now we learne that it is necessarie not only tolerated but inioyned vnto vs because it is the day that must be sanctified and therefore all labours commanded whereby wee may hallowe it in the best manner Therefore let vs in all conscience and care to serue God cast away such vaine pretences as that the weather is too hot or too cold the wayes are too foule the iourney too long and a thousand more which might hinder vs at any time froÌ„ the preaching of the word and common prayer in which consisteth the head and the foote of keeping holie the Sabbath day For these are so necessarie and haue been so continually practised of the Church by succession as it were from hand to hand deliuered to the posteritie that wee should too much degenerate from them if wee should debarre our selues from these holie things The Apostle writing to the Corinthians where he had before taught euery Sabbath day and so by his example and doctrine shewed them the right manner of keeping holie the day when afterwards some great abuses were crept into the Church he writeth vnto them and correcteth the faults that were in their solemne assemblies vpon the Lords day as appeareth most plainly in the processe of the whole chapter but more especially when he so many times repeateth their generall comming together Corin. 11.17.18.20 seeing then he findeth fault with the corruptions in prayer prophecying or preaching and the Sacrament it is most euident and must needes bee granted that these were the holie exercises vpon that day vsually in their common meetings whereby the day was made holie vnto the Lord and most glorious to them If theÌ„ it be so as it cannot be denyed vnles we will denye the cleere light of the Sunne at midday that the chiefest poynt of hallowing the Sabbath day consisteth in comming to Gods house where he offereth vnto vs the speciall parts of his seruice to be occupied in and no where so much as there Where the word is not preaâ—hed or men come not to it this day cannot be hallowed as it ought then it must needes bee subscribed vnto that in Poperie and al false religion there is nothing els but a meere prophaning of the day by abominable idolatrie and superstition and so many daies as we were vnder that intolerable bondage we were set free from Gods seruice and so long liued wee in a continuall breach of this Commandement And not onely so but wheresoeuer the preaching of the word is not or where men haue it and come not to it there can they not sanctifie the day in that manner that they should because they want the principall part of Gods seruice and that which should direct them in all others and make them most profitable vnto them Which if it be so as wee cannot with the least shew of reason deny it then what cause haue wee to be sorrie for our selues and others Which haue so many times broken this law by wilfull absenting
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
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
in that place where he hath the greatest blessing of being profitable to others that any can haue in the world and none so great as hee wee haue departed and that vpon the Sabbath without any profite at all wherein our sinne is so much the greater that for the most parte men doe not see it and so cannot be grieued for it And what is the cause of all this S. Augustine in his time complaineth of many great abuses in the Churche which hinder men from profiting all which and many more are true in our time when hauing spoken before of them that are ranging in the fieldes when they should be at Church addeth Adhuc quod detestabilius est August de tēp serm 251. Besides which is worste some comming to the Church doores enter not in or tarrie not there with silence to the ende but when there is diuine reading within then they abroade are talking either of other matters or quarelling one with another or playing To whom he saith afterwardes Do not giue your selues to playing abroade but to praying and singing within And afterwardes in the same place he speaketh to them that are in the Church saying Doe not talke one with another while you are at Church but bee quiet for there are many especially certaine women Quae ita in ecclesia garriunt who so chat in the Church and are so full of words that neither themselues heare that which is read nor suffer others to heare and then hee concludeth Should there bee such meetings in the house of God in such an order or should they so behaue themselues in the sight of God and of his holy Angels It is prouided by publike authoritie That no man woman Q. Iniunct articl 38. or childe should be otherwise occupyed in the time of seruice then in quiet attendance to heare marke and vnderstand that that is read preached and ministred but how pitifully the execution of this is neglected in many places it is too lamentable to consider And if this were all wee might holde our peace The Ministers in many places are the cause why the people doe not profit but this mischiefe stretcheth it selfe out further for alas many of Gods people liue vnder such vnprofitable Ministers that it is not so much as to be hope for ordinarily that any profit should come from them at all for besides that that many cannot so much as distinctly read so that they may profitably be vnderstood I would to God it were not so there are many that can but reade and what is the profit of that though I confesse it is great in it selfe vnto the endlesse profit that commeth by preaching And let them but one shew vs the spirit of God who must be the onely iudge in this matter euer speaking so magnificenlty of the one as of the other Others that doe preach had as good almost holde their peace for they cannot deuide the word of God aright 2. Tim. 2.5 neither are they the mise dispensers of Gods mysteries Matth. 24.45 and stewardes of his house who should giue to euery one of his people their owne meate in due season Zach. 11.15 but haue taken vnto themselues the instruments of a foolish shepheard whose right armes is dryed vp and their right eye is cleane put out that they haue no skill to discharge their dueties in any profitable measure neither doe they make it part of their care and studie to speake most profitably to their people but either care not what they saye or else seeke their credit and estimation in that which they doe say What shall wee saye then to these vnprofitable men which cause so many of Gods people to bee vnprofitable and euen in those things from whence greatest profite should redound vnto them and vpon that very day which is especially appoynted for their profit How will they wash their hands of so many vnprofitable assembles whereof they haue been the very cause themselues nay they haue brought vp a vile slander vpon the house of God which is the most beautifull and fruitfull place in the world because they haue shut out the profitable preaching of the word which maketh all other things more profitable In so much that many say what good shall I get by going to the Church what can I heare there which I may not heare or read at home Haue I not the Bible and booke of common preyer at home which saying of theirs though I doe not allow of yet you see whence it ensueth and woe bee to them by whom such offences come but this one thing will require a seuerall treatise and I must remember my purpose though I haue well remembred it all this time I meane I must bee as briefe in euery thing as the time doth require the waightines of the matter wit permit There are yet other holy dueties publikely to bee performed vpon the Sabbath day whereby it is sanctified but I haue stood the longer vpon these because they are most principall most common vnto all least regarded of all I will bee shorter in them which followe Vpon the Lords day the poore ought publikely to prouided for To make common prouision for such poore as be in euery congregation or if they bee able to haue a care of others adioyning vnto them is a worke most acceptable vnto God profitable to our brethren commanded to be done and practised of the Church most of all vpon the Sabbath For this is that order which the Apostle established in the Churches of Galatia and at Corinth for the relieuing of the poore saintes at Ierusalem much more then did they it for those that were amongst themselues Euerie first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside and lay vp as God hath prospered him 1. Cor. 16.2 that then there bee no gatherring when I come When men haue beene prospered the whole weeke before and they come vpon the Lords day to acknowledge it and to giue tha thanks vnto God for the same the lord would haue thē declare their faith namely that they haue receiued all from him by bestowing vpon them who are in great neede the which that they might doe the rather they haue the worde that might prouoke them vnto it wherein are many goodly promises concerning the fatherly prouidence of God watching ouer them for good in this life that serue him and that he hath prouided for them a kingdome in heauen that he will requite it them double whatsoeuer they giue vnto the poore in his name and for his sake in so much that the giuing of a cup of cold water shall not be lost Math. 10.42 for he that hath pitie vpon the poore Prou. 19.17 lendeth vnto the Lord and looke whatsoeuer he layeth out it shall be repayed For the Lorde Iesus Christ will account Math. 25.40 whatsoeuer wee haue done vnto the least of his brethren as though we had done it vnto
so I conclude with P. Martyr Of euery seuen daies one must be reserued to God P. Martyr in Gen. 2. he meaneth one whole day not a peece of it Therefore there must needes be certaine other holie dueties and parts of Gods worship which wee must walke in the rest of the day when the congregation is dissolued and when wee are alone by our selues which are the priuate religious exercises of a Christian man in which he sanctifieth the rest of the Sabbath and they are all such parts of Gods seruice which a man can doe by himselfe alone or with others of his houshold or neighbours whereby he might prepare himselfe or them for the publike ministerie which is the chiefest or afterwards make it most profitable to himselfe or them Vnto which it seemeth Master Bucer had respect whē as he speaking of such things as are to be done vpon the Sabbath and hauing named those that are publike Bucer in Matth. 12.11 as to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments to prouide for the poore vnto them addeth In the first part of the day wee ought to prepare our selues for the publike assemblies Instituere ad pietatem familiam to instruct a mans houshold vnto goldines In the former part of the day therefore euery one must prepare himselfe for the Church that hee might come thither with profite for if in all worldly things that bee of any moment we doe prepare our selues then much more ought we to doe it in heauenly whereunto wee are most vnfit as they in themselues are the greatest especially when the benefit of them is so great if we be prepared and the daunger is so perilous if we be vnprepared for the preaching of the word is the sauour of life vnto life 2. Cor. 2.15 or the sauour of death vnto death And in the Sacramēt is offered vnto vs the bodie and bloud of Christ 1. Cor. 11.24 to nourish vs vp vnto euerlasting life but if we eate and drinke vnworthily we procure Gods iudgement against our selues 29 The Lord in speaking to his people from heauen in an extraordinarie manner Exod. 19. did command them to be prepared extraordinarily by which practise of his he declared that in the ordinarie ministerie of the word there ought to bee some ordinarie preparation if wee will bee partakers of it with profite The ground is prepared for the seede the stomacke for meate the whole bodie for phisicke this is the immortall seed 1. Pet. 1.23 whereby we are begotten into an assured hope of a farre better life This is the food and phisick of our soules whereby our life is preserued and we kept from eternall death therefore we must bee prepared for it The want of which preparation is the cause that the word is so vnprofitablie heard of a great many And this is so much the more diligently to be marked because it is so little known lesse practised in the world For if the daye were as long againe as the longest in the middest of Sommer a great many would spend away the time I know not how and neither at home nor in the way nor at the Church thinke to prepare themselues one whitte And if they haue made a few prayers at their first comming in then if seruice bee not begunne they are as ready to talke of any worldly matter with any that will giue them the hearing as euer they were if it were halfe an hower together yea though the minister be there vntil he begin the first word for want of which preparation either they can receiue nothing or it dooth them no good which is the very chiefe cause of so much fruitlesse hearing of so many good sermons as is euery where that they which otherwise haue good wits and great affections here are both senselesse and without feeling so that they sit more be like stockes then men conceiuing no more then the very stooles they sit vpon carrying away no more then they brought with them And if it be not so what is the cause that many reasonable men hearing one man at one time speaking one and the same worde of God so plainly that if it were possible young children might vnderstand it some shal so greatly profit by it Matth. 11.19 that wisedome should be iustified of her children others shall so meerely not conceiue one word as though they had been deaffe a sleepe or in a trance or starke dead all the while And that it is so indeed let the intolerable ignorance of men euery where after this long preaching of the word Vnder the most happie raigne of her gracious Maiestie whome God still long preserue to that ende and ad as many happie yeares vnto he raigne as may be speake for it and see whether wee complaine before wee haue cause Nay let mens owne wofull experience tell themselues that when they haue most prepared themselues they haue most profited by the publicke ministerie and contrariwise then haue they been most vnprofitable at it when they haue come most vnreuerently and vprepared to it In so much that a man of meaner giftes shall some times bee more profitable to them when they are thus prepared then another that hath more excellent graces at whom they may well wonder but receiue no profit by him when they be not propared for it I know the Lord is mercifull and he doth not alwayes deale with men according to their deserts therefore many times when they come vnprepared he blesseth his owne ordinance vnto thē Matth. 28.20 that he might performe the trueth of that promise which hee hath annexed vnto it and his mercie is aboue al our sinnes but how can men looke for any such thing ordinarilie And doth he not it vnto them to teach them that he would bestow vpon thē greater mercie by these meanes if they would prepare themselues for it How wee out to prepare our selues before wee come to the Church But how shall men prepare themselues Surely first of all let them bee perswaded that they ought to prepare themselues and this is the beginning of their preparation then let them examine themselues not onely how they haue spent the weeke past and euery daye in it calling themselues to an account before God what sinnes they haue committed day or night to bee humbled for them what benefites receiued that they might bee thankefull and what dueties they haue done that they might bee comforted therein all which though they bee shortlie spoken they are not so soone done here is not so much neede of a good capacitie to conceiue as a good conscience to practise but also generally what is their estate what graces they want what bee their sinnes past what their infirmities present and because the Lorde hath appoynted his worship to comfort vs ouer these let vs pray vnto God before hand that the prayers of the Church might be directed the Minister of the word so
I shuld obstinately coÌ„tend with any where â—he Lord hath giuen any authoritie to his Church ordiâ—arily and perpetually to sanctifie any day except that â—hich he hath sanctified himselfe For I holde this with â—ther learned men as a principle in diuinitie that it belonâ—â—th onely to God to sanctifie the day as it belongeth to him to sanctifie any other thing to his owne worship Muscul loc com praecept 4. Deus est qui sanctificat sayth Musculus Jt is God that doth sanctifie that is who of common or prophane thinges makes holy it is duetie religiously to obserue according to his word the things that are sanctified of him nostrae potestatis non est sanctificare it is not in our power to make holy at our pleasure the things that God hath not sanctified if any man shall attempt it hee not onely therein is superstitions and not religious but also doth therein chalenge that to himselfe by a rashnes that cannot be excused which belongeth onely vnto God And as wee know not how to worship him but that we are sure by his worde that hee hath sanctified such and such things to that end namely hath appointed the preaching of his word the administration of the Sacraments and calling vpon his name for that purpose and therefore in vsing of these we promise our selues to be blessed of him for he hath himselfe established them by his owne mouth and therefore his blessing must needes accompany them So at what time we should neglect all other things and wholly apply our selues vnto these wee are wholly ignorant but that we know he hath sanctified the seuenth day and blessed it for this cause and it was as needfull for the Lord in respect of our selues to tell vs which was the day as to tell vs that there ought to be a day and so much the more by how much our nature is more corrupt in one then in the other For all they which either by the light of reason or knowledge of Gods worde haue attained to this trueth that there ought to be a day seuered from the rest to this ende yet haue not gone so farre with one consent to set downe this very seuenth day For that I might not speake of the Gentiles who kept so many holydaies as we know they did yet could not away with the Sabbath of the Iewes which was vpon the seuenth the very practise of the Papists doth declare how blinde wee are in this matter who vnto the seuenth day which the Lord hath sanctified haue adioyned so many other daies as the second third or fourth day of the weeke and all of them indifferently as they fall out and made them equal with the seuenth in sanctifying of them nay many times preferring them aboue it in that they haue appointed a more solemn kind of seruice vpon some of theÌ„ then vpoÌ„ the seuenth and iudging it a greater sinne to trauell or worke vpon some of them then vpon the seuenth wherin yea if their religion were good they could not ordinarily looke for such a blessing of God as vpon the other Besides there bee other who iustly condemning the Papists for this intrusion of dayes yet are persuaded not onely that the day which wee nowe keepe may bee changed by the Church without any offence but that the number of seuen may bee altered contrary to that which hath continued from the beginning Therefore we must needes acknowledge it to be the singular wisedome and mercy of God towardes his Church thus by sanctifiyng the seuenth day to ende the strife For as we see in Gods seruice when men goe away from his word there is no end of deuising that which hee alloweth not and they fall vpon euery thing sauing vpon that they should so in appointing the day if wee be not ruled by the worde wee shall find by experience that euery day will seeme more conuenient to vs then that at leastwise we shall seeme to haue as good reason to keepe any other as the seuenth Now seeing it appertaineth onely vnto God to blesse vs It belongeth onely to God to sanctifie any creature it caÌ„not belong to any but him to appoint the meanes whereby hee will conuey this blessing vnto vs and hee hath not onely sanctified the meanes but hath especially blessed the seuenth day for those purposes and dealing with it we deale with that which hath an especiall blessing vpon it for our sakes For this cause we vse in the sacraments the water the bread the wine rather then any other thing in the world we look assuredly to receiue that blessing from these creatures which we cannot from any other because GOD hath sanctified them for this purpose and hath put that rich blessing vpon them for our good which no other creature hath vnder the sunne In so much that if any one would minister or receiue the Sacraments in any other elements then these he should not finde that blessing of the forgiuenes of sinnes and newnes of life which the Lorde doth by these meanes conuey vnto his Church For as no man in the worlde can of himselfe make this promise vnto men that they shall bee washed and clensed from their sinnes by the bloud of Christ and that by his body and bloud they shall be nourished in soule and in body vnto euerlasting life so none in the worlde can appoint out the meanes whereby God will conuey these inestimable treasures vnto vs put vs into the possession of them and make vs assured of them which when himselfe hath done wee cheerefully looke for that good from them because hee is faithfull and true that hath sayd hee hath thus blessed them for vs. In regard of which as the Iewes did faithfully keepe that seueth day to the end which they knew by the word which onely God blessed and sanctified for their vse so it was vnlawfull for them to change it for any other because they had not that warrant that they should be specially blessed vnto them as they had for this which being that very day vpon which the Lorde himselfe rested from all his worke which hee made hee did therefore blesse this seuenth day and sanctified it Gen 2.2 because that in it hee had rested from all his worke that God had created and made to that ende that they obseruing that day rather then any other might therein bee made like to their creator and might shewe by their practise that they worshipped him whom they knew euen him that as he had made an especiall couenant with them to saue them so he was able to doe it for it was euen hee who when he had made the whole worlde in sixe daies rested vpon the seuenth and therefore sanctified it and none but that that this work of his might be had in an euerlasting remembrance And when all the Gentiles round about sayd that they worshipped euery one of them the true God and yet they did not thus knowe him
by his word and by his works and therefore made him but am Idoll they by their practise in obseruing that seuenth day did shewe that they did know him aright and so made him knowne vnto others the glorie of which worke had beene obscured and darkened if they had changed the number of that day which the Lord in wisedome left to his Church to bee obserucd in the policie and discipline of it when hee might haue appointed some other that so the benefit of our creation might alwaies with praise be remembred in the Church according as it is said in the words of the commaundement In sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth Exod. 20.11 the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it which in the verse going before hee calleth the seuenth day Thus we learne that God did not onely blesse it but blesse it for this cause and so wee see that the Sabbath must needs be still vpon the seuenth day as it alwaies hath beene But now concerning this very speciall seuenth day Why we keep another seuenth day and not that which was from the beginning that now we keepe in the time of the Gospell that is well knowne that it is not the same it was from the beginning which God himselfe did sanctifie and whereof hee speaketh in this Commandement for it was the day going before ours which in latine retaineth his ancient name and is called the Sabbath which we also grant Dies Sabbathi but so that we confesse it must alwaies remaine neuer to be changed any more and that all men must keepe holy this seuenth day and none other which was vnto them not the seuenth but the first day of the weeke as it is so called many times in the new Testament and so it still standeth in force that we are bound vnto the seuenth day though not vnto that very seuenth Concerning the time and persons by whom and when the day was changed it appeareth in the new Testament that it was done in the time of the Apostles by the Apostles themselues and that together with the day the name was changed and was in the beginning called the first day of the weeke afterwards the Lords day It was changed in the Apostles time Acts 20.7 Now that it was changed in the Apostles time it appeareth by that which we reade in the Acts. The first day of the weeke the disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued the preaching vnto midnight In which Scripture we see that now at this time the Churches in some places vsed to haue their publique assemblies vpon this day and that all the parts of Gods worship proper to the Sabbath were exercised vpon this day as the preaching of the word receiuing the sacraments and common prayer and that the Apostles consented to the practise of this for Paul preached at this generall meeting And it appeareth by the circumstance of the story that this was then ordinarie though not in all places at the first for this meeting was not vpon this speciall presence of Paul for hee had taryed there now seuen dayes in all but they met to receiue the sacrament as it may bee gathered that it was an vsuall thing in the Church to receiue it euery sabbath and vpon this occasion Paul preached and because hee was to depart on the next daye and so they knew not when they should heare him againe therefore hee continued preaching so long as hee did Vnto which may be adioyned that which he writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 16.2 Euery first daye of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come where he willeth them to do that vpon this day which is most agreeable to the sabbath Namely to gather for the poore which is the fittest day for that purpose and therefore no doubt chosen out by the Apostle both for that reason he alleageth that the weeke being ended and a man seeing how God hath blessed him in it hee might accordingly extend his liberalitie and chiefly because it ought to be then when wen heare the word that by it they might be most of all stirred vp vnto it and are made partakers of the Sacraments and prayers of the Church and so thereby receiue most mercies at Gods hand that out of their abundance they might supply the necessitie of others Seeing then in the wisedome of the spirite it seemed good vnto the Apostle that there should bee a common gathering among the Corinthians as well as among others for the persecuted Saints we must needes presume of him that hee did chuse out the fittest time to further so waightie a matter and wee haue heard that that is the most conuenient time when the Church being met together they are ocupied in so many parts of Gods seruice which might moue their hearts to greatest pity and liberalitie and seeing hee appointeth this collection to be made the first day of the week we may be most assured that this day was allotted out vnto all the forenamed things among them also though they bee not here specefied in expresse words especially when wee haue the like alreadie in the place of the Acts aboue mentioned And vnto this practise of theirs the Apostle consenteth and as it were giueth his voice for hee willeth them to doe it vpon the day All which doe shewe at least wise thus much that this alteration and change was made in the time of the Apostles and while they liued the Sabbath day of the Iewes by little and little wearing away with the rest of the Iewish worship Neither could so great a matter be done all at once anl generally be practised in euery Church together seeing the Magistrates were not then Christians and so they could not haue the help of ciuill authoritie for the establishing of this constitution by lawe compelling all men thereunto but as the Gospell did enlarge it selfe further spread abroad men did willingly giue their names vnto it so they did consent vnto this exchange as vnto other decrees of the Church M. Fox in Apoc 1.10 Vnto this agree all the learned Master Foxe that worthie historiographer and diuine as hee alleadgeth it out of Saint Augustine sayth Hereby wee doe vnderstand that the first institution of the Lords day Vel ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus c. Is deriued euen from the very Apostles time vnto vs. Sozom. eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 8. Therefore whereas Sozomene in his ecclesiasticall historie reporteth that the first Christian Emperour Constantine the great did by law establish the Lords day which was of the Gentiles called Sunday as he saith Master Bullinger saith it is to be vnderstood that he Bulling in Apoc concio 4.
such like markes the Lords day is made famous And in another place he saith further Idem de temp serm 154. This is the day in which the children of Israel passed through the red sea drie foote in which the Lord Iesus was baptised in Iordan in which he turned water into wine in Cana of Galile in which he fedde 5000. men with fiue loaues in the desert in which he came into his Disciples when the doores were shut in which we hope that he shall come to iudgement Many other things are spoken of this day as that vpon it Christ was borne vpon this day the old Couenant and Testament was changed into the new especially of some of the Rabbins Wolph chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. as Wolphinus obserueth Vpon this day Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated to their office and the Princes did begin to offer to the Tabernacle So that as the Psalmist sayth of Ierusalem Glorious things are spoken of thee thou citie of God so we may say many excellent things are spoken of this day All which whether they be true or no we cannot tel and yet if they were they are all nothing to this The resurrection of Christ which alone hath made it famous and hath giuen it that honor which all the other besides are not able to doe So that in this respect it may bee truely sayd of this day as it is in the Psalme Psalm 118.15 This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs be glad and reioyce in it For this Psalm principally pertaineth vnto the Messiah of whom Dauid was a type and figure as Master Beza noteth Beza paraphr in hunc Psal So that here the day of the Lords resurrection is commended vnto vs wherein he being deliuered from death is made the head of the corner as Dauid being deliuered from his enemies was made the head of the people So that I say as for the memorie of the first Creation that seuenth day was sanctified by the Lord in which he rested from his work and thereby declared that al things were most perfect when hee wrought no more vpon which consideration the whole worlde was bound to keepe that day vntill the comming of Christ euen so he at his comming taking vpoÌ„ him the creating as it were of a new world I meane the renewing of it and redeeming of it from sin and from that bondage Rom. 8.21 corruption and vanitie as the Apostle speaketh wherein all the creatures were by reason of sinne and faithfully performing all things to the full not leauing of any iot or title thereof from the beginning of his life to the last moment of his death yea and in his death and buriall and Resurrection most of all after which time he suffered no more but entered into his rest and vpon that day he began and so continueth it for euer that the most famous and worthiâ— memorie of his second creation might not bee inferiour to the first but that the beautie and glorie of it might shine more excellently in the Church Therefore this day was appoynted and none but this could be ordained then that of the other as indeede it was greater therefore this day was ordained by speciall aduice and none but this day could be chosen to be the Sabbath and day of Rest which Christ Iesus the Creator of the new world rested from his work of the new creation for thus indeede the Prophets doe speake of the time of the Messiah that then all things should be made new Esay 65.17 I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde because the price of their renewing was then fully payed And againe for this cause when the sayd Prophets doe speake but of the time vnto Christs comming they expresse it in these words for euer as they are willed to keepe the holie feast of the Passâ—ouer vnto the Lorde throughout their generations by an ordinance for euer Exod. 12.12 and so likewise the other sacrament of Circumcision is called by the Lord an euerlasting couenant Gen. 17.14 because then the first world had an end that I might so speake and the new world began in which respect the time of the Gospell is called the world to come Heb. 2.5 And therefore as the Church by keeping the first seuenth day did testifie that they worshipped and depended vpon that God which rested himselfe vpon that day from the work of creation and therefore sanctified it so we by keeping this seuenth day doe witnesse not onely to all the Church but to all Turkes Infidels Panims and Atheists in the world that we serue and looke assuredly to be saued by that Lord Iesus Christ and by none other who by his resurrection vpoÌ„ this day did rest froÌ„ the worke of our Redemption which he had fully ended and brought to perfection Neither did the Church iudâ—e amisse P. Martir in Gen. 2. sayth P. Martir if in obseruing the Lords day it preferred the memorie of our present restoring that is the resurrection of Christ before the finishing of the workmanship of the world And againe For this cause saith a learned writer euen because of Christs resurrection when the day was changed the change was made Wolph Chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. A feria septima in primam From the seuenth day of the weeke into the first and the beginning of the Sabbath is not now from the euening but from the morning at what time the Lord did rise againe And lastly The cause of this change sayth Iunius is the resurrection of Christ Iunij praelect in Gen. 2.3 and the benefite of the restoring of the Church by Christ the remembrance of which benefite did succeede into the place of the memorie of the creation Non humana traditione sed Christi ipsius obseruatione instituto not by the tradition of man but by the obseruation appointment of Christ who both on the day of his resurrection and on euery eight day after vnto his ascension into heauen did appeare vnto his Disciples and come into their assemblie Like vnto the which This day must neuer be changed but continue vnto the ende of the world because nothing can euer fall out in the world comparable vnto it in glorie and power therefore this day must continue in his first honor of sanctification vnto the end of all things and no day bee set vp like to it or it changed into any other day least the wonderfull glorie of that thing bee darkened and the infinite power of it weakened I meane the glorious and mightie worke of our Redemption which by the sanctification of this Sabbath is commended vnto vs and we by keeping that holie still do commend it to our posteritie And this is it which is alleadged as a reason of the obseruation of this day in the Apostles constitutions Constit. Apostol lib. 7. c. 37. It is
called the Lords day because it declareth vnto vs Christ crucified and raised vp againe and it is worthilie commanded to bee kept as the Lords day that wee might giue thankes vnto thee O Lord Christ for all these benefites for say they there is that grace bestowed vpon vs by thee Quae sua magnitudine omnia beneficia obscurat which by the greatnes and as it were brightnes of it doth obscure and darken all other So that though the day was once changed vpon these considerations nay they being such as they be it could not but be changed yet for so much as the like cause cā neuer be offered vnto men to moue them to enter into this consultation therefore the day must not onely not be changed any more but it must not so much as enter into mens thoughts to goe about to change it And therefore I doe so much the more maruaile at him who sayth That the keeping holie of the Lords day is not commanded by the authoritie of the Gospell Brētius in Leuit 23 2. but rather receiued into vse by the publike consent of the Church And a little after The obseruation of the Lords day is profitable not to be reiected but yet it is not to be accounted for a commandement of the Gospell but rather for a ciuill ordination And That the Church might haue appoynted but one day among ten or foreteene Idem in Leuit. 25.8 for the publike rest and Gods seruice And That herein consisteth part of our Christian libertie that it is lawfull if so be it be done by publike authoritie to keepe holie weekelie not onely not the Lords day but as they call them Munday Tuesday or any other day Wherein that we might be the rather established we must remember that not only that name of the day was changed together with it but it was changed into that very name it hath now vpon these speciall reasons that we haue alreadie heard The name of the Sabbath was changed into the name of the Lords day which also must be retained For it is called the Lords day euen of the Lord Iesus and it hath the honorable name of him who vpō that day did arise in greatest honor in so much that we ought not onely to keepe the day but to keepe it in his right name especially seeing part of the honour of it is in the name For as we doe breed reuerence of the Sacrament in mens hearts by speaking of it after his owne proper name the Lords Supper the cuppe of the Lord the Lords table 1. Cor. 11.20.27 and 10.21 so it maketh the day more highly to bee esteemed as it ought when we call it by his right name religiously the Lords day and doe not miscall it by a wrong name as the heathen haue done prophanely the Sunday who hauing ascribed the gouernment of the seuen daies in the weeke vnto the seuen Planets and hauing accordingly giuen them their names as appeareth more euidently in the Latin Dies solis Lunae Martis c then in our English names yet so it is that any of the daies might be called Sunday as well as that which is without any offence But it is not so in the name of the Lords day for as by it can bee ment no other day but that which wee keepe for our Sabbath so the name cannot be imparted to any other day without sacriledge Therefore as the Iewes did carefully retaine the name of the Sabath according to the first institution so ought we to acquaint our selues with the name of the Lords day Thus did the Christians vse to call it in former times as it is well obserued by that ancient writer Beda Mos Christianus appellat Beda in Luk. 24.1 It is the manner of the Christians to call it the Lords day because of the resurrection of our Lord where he sayth that not onely now and then they did so speake but that it was an vsuall maner among them And we had need to doe it so much the more because it behooueth vs to vse al good meanes to aduance the credite of this day in mens consciences in these prophane and irreligious times especially wherin as the contempt of all religion appeareth in many places so especially it bewrayeth it selfe in this that the Lords day is euery where so vnhallowed Nowe if the wisedome of the world hath taught the heathen to be so circumspect in their generations as by the false names of dayes to keepe the memorie and honour of their false gods should not the wisedome of Gods spirite teach vs to bee as carefull in our generations to take into our mouthes that holy name of the Lords day which as it is commended vnto vs in the word not deuised by man as the other so it doth greatly aduāce the dignity of the day as that which is deriued from the name of the most high And if a mortall man doth take himselfe to bee disgraced Therein consisteth part of the honor of this day not onely when hee is called by a wrong name but also when hee hath not his right name and iust titles giuen vnto him so no doubt the honour of the day appeareth not to be so great as it is when it wanteth that most excellent name by the which it is commended vnto vs in the scriptures I grant indeed it will seeme strange vnto vs at the first to change the name as all new things for a while bee strange but wee knowe that euery thing must haue a beginning and that which is at the first begun in a fewe particulars is afterwards in time receiued of multitude so by custome groweth into a law that hardly can bee changed Therefore as there was a time in which the names of the heathen were vnknowen and yet by the obstinatee endeuours of some when they were begun they were receiued and so continued euen so if any man would begin himselfe thus to ve the name of the Lords day though he were alone at the first I doubt not but in a fewe generations the true and holy name should be receiued among vs. But to returne to that which we spake of before wee haue plainly seene that the day and the name ought thus to bee changed whereby the Sabbath is made now so much the more excellent and renowmed vnder the Gospell then it was in the time of the law because that wheras the one caried vpon it indeed the badge of the creation of the world which made it famous vpon this is engrauen the liuely Image of the redemption of the world which maketh it so much the more famous by howe much the benefite of the one exceedeth the benefite of the other not onely that but it freshly representeth the memorie of the first creation also and so by a double marke is more highly commended that being the very day in which the creation of the first and olde world was begun and the
sabbath is ordayned of God not for rest in it selfe for he no where alloweth idlenes therefore the rest of the sabbath is commanded for another end namely for the diligent studie of religion for it is therefore commanded to rest from handy labours vt hoc totum tempus impendamus that wee might bestowe this whole time in the exercise of Religion And this wee doe see that as to rest vpon that day is the first thing required so for what cause it was appoynted which as it did bind men from the beginning so we can neuer looke to be exempted from it And that we might yet bee the more throughly persuaded of this one point From what things particularly wee are commanded to rest and more cleerely see into the trueth of it let vs vnto all this that hath beene spoken adde that for a further proofe which we find in the scripture that the Lorde doth not onely thus often require that men should rest that they should doe no worke doubling the word Rest in many places and going ouer it againe and againe that if it were possible we might conceiue it and yeeld vnto it though not at the first yet at the last but also more largely and fully descendeth into particulars forbidding them by name to worke in such and such things and at such times as might carrie with them the greatest probabilitie of being exempted and might make the greatest shew of giuing priuiledge to worke that all excuse might bee taken from them who in the pride of their wittes cannot conceiue nor in the stubbornnes of their harts will yeelde vnto this commandement of so precise a rest neither will haue their handes and their feete so shortly tyed vp but will needes breake out vpon that day most vngodlily to the doing of that which seemeth good in their owne eyes 1 From gathering and preparing Manna Exod. 16.23 This is that which is spoken Exod. 16. concerning the gathering and preparing of Manna which was their dayly food that vpon the seuenth day they should rest from both To morrowe is the rest of the holy Sabbath of the Lord bake that to day which you will bake and seeth that which you will seeth and all that remaineth lay it vp to bee kept till the morning for you And afterward verse 26. Sixe daies shall ye gather it but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath in it shall be none Here you see that hee would not haue them worke about the prouision of their foode when it might bee done the day before and that now when they were fed from hand to mouth as it were because they were not made to feede themselues but to liue to Gods glorie he would haue them so to eate and so to prouide for their eating that the rest vpon the Sabbath might not be interrupted and therefore not to gather or prouide vpon that day which would haue taken vp a great part of it and so they could not haue sanctified it as they ought Whereunto wee may adioyne that which is spoken concerning the making of the Tabernacle 2 From doing any thing about building the Tabeâ—nacle Exod. 31.13 first by the Lord himselfe vnto Moses in many words Speake then also vnto the children of Israell and say notwithstanding keepe you my Sabbath vers 14 Whosoeuer worketh therein the same person shall be euen cut off from among his people vers 15. Sixe daies shall men worke but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the holy rest vnto the Lord whosoeuer doth any worke in the Sabbath day shall dye the death vers 16. Wherefore the children of Israell shall keepe the Sabbath that they may rest throughout their generations for an euerlasting couenant Where the Lord doth teach theÌ„ that the rest of the Sabbath was of such importance that hee would haue the making of the Tabernacle to giue place vnto it and though it was the place wherein the Lord should be worshipped and therefore much might haue been sayd for the defence of those that should haue wrought vpon the Sabbath about it yet because it was not alreadie sanctified to that end and so was not holy and therefore the working about it in it owne nature meerely ciuill and worldly therefore he would not haue it hinder them from that which was aboue all worldly things euen his owne seruice which that they might performe in such wise as they should he willeth them to rest from all other worke yea from working about the Tabernacle And afterward when Moses commeth to speake vnto the people of the same matter hee forgetteth not this charge but placeth it in the beginning of his speech vnto them as a thing most waightie as appeareth in the same booke Exod. 35.1 These are the wordes which the Lorde hath commanded that you should doe them 2. Sixe daies thou shalt worke but the seuenth day shall bee vnto you the holy Sabbath of Rest vnto the Lorde whosoeuer doth any worke therein shall die 3. You shall kindle no fire throughout all your habitations vpon the Sabbath day and so goeth on to the declaration of that which appertained to the Tabernacle as followeth in that chapter As though he should haue sayd notwithstanding all this which you are to do about the rearing of the Tabernacle you must obserue the rest vpon the Sabbath as you had wont to do the sixe daies are appointed for it but vpon the seuenth doe nothing no not so much as make a fire to heate any tooles or to prepare and dresse any thing that belongeth vnto it And though I am not ignorant that some doe otherwise expound this last verse whom I doe esteeme in the Lord as I ought yet considering the place that it occupieth and that it goeth immediately before his speech concerning the Tabernacle I am persuaded that this is the true and natiue sense of it Must we not needes then think that to rest vpoÌ„ the sabbath is a thing that the Lord highly regardeth when hee would haue it kept yea to the delaying as it were of the building of the Tabernacle And what excuses shall men haue before God for their needlesse working and superfluous trauailes when so excellent a worke as this might not be excused And here we may not let that passe which is so worthy remembrance concerning this matter spokeÌ„ by the Lord himselfe as it is by Moses set downe Sixe daies shalt thou worke Exod. 34.21 and in the seuenth day thou shalt rest both in earing time and haruest thou shalt rest Where besides that in so few words 3 In the time of sowing and haruest he doth twise vse this word rest it is to be marked that to rest vpon the seuenth day is so necessarie that hee of purpose chuseth out the fittest times for men to worke in and those that might seeme most to be excepted as seed time and haruest and forbiddeth them by name to worke vpon the Sabbath yea in these times
it themselues and it is accounted vnto them as their owne worke hee forbiddeth them also to doe their worldly busines vpon the Sabbath by their seruants by their cattel and by the stranger and contrariwise commandeth them to rest as it were in the persons of euery one of these So that the ample and full meaning of this comandement concerning the rest is that wee worke not at all We must not compell others to worke for vs and so to do our busines by them neither directly nor indirectly in our owne persons or by others openly or couertly or vnder hand as it were not onely abstayning from worke our selues but not setting labourers to worke for vs not thinking it to bee sufficient if we trauell not our selues when in the meane season we cause others to runne and ride and goe for vs which is to bee marked of vs so much the rather because that in any which make some shewe of religion and would seeme to be deuout in this do notwithstanding through a grosse ignorance palpable hypocrisie deceiue themselues and others in doing many thinges by their seruants and others sending them to fayres causing them to worke in haruest appointing them to other busines which themselues are ashamed of and therefore will not so much as once bee seene in them Therefore wee must not compell others to worke for vs as for example that we might see it in one kind and thereby iudge of the rest I will take that which is too common euery where wee must not enforce Taylors and shoomakers to worke for vs vpon the Sabbath by too straitly exacting that we haue our apparell vpon that day though they truly tell vs and we should in loue beleeue them that they cannot compasse it against such a time or cause them to trauell for vs vpon that day in bringing home of our stuffe whereas other daies are appointed for such purposes And that wee might yet better vnderstand it in another kinde the master when hee is driuen of necessitie to leaue some of his seruants at home when the rest goe to the Church may not vnder this colour inioyne him so many thinges to doe in his absence that he cannot in any tolerable manner sanctifie the Sabbath and obserue the rest though he would but leauing onely such things as of necessitie must be done it is in his choice to rest if he will Obiection And whereas men doe reply that it is all one whether they command them any thing to doe or no because they be not so wel occupied as they shuld it were better for them to be doing somthing then to sit idle Answer Surely if we compel them to work by ouer charging them they cannot rest though they would but if wee giue them libertie and there be no default in vs then if they will not make conscience of keeping this commaundement at least wise our handes are free from their bloud it shall be vpon their owne heads And when wee thus giue them libertie to rest our meaning is not to nourish them in idlenes but to set them free from all other thinges that they might attend vpon the works of the Lord. Many do thus abuse their seruants Neither must masters deale so cruelly with their seruants as to ouerlay them with their owne busines the whole weeke and to holde them to it so straitely that they will giue them no time to doe any thing for themselues though there be neuer so great need but onely the Sabbath day and so hinder them from keeping their rest and indeede for the most part this is onely the seruants day what time soeuer hee can gaine vpon it from his masters busines that is his own and none but that and therfore many of them are driuen to doe many thinges vpon that day for themselues vnwillingly which otherwise they would not doe at all as trauelling to their friends mending their apparell and such like So that in this respect we haue iust cause to complaine as they did in the councell at Paris Dies Dominicus vtcunque à quibusdam dominis venerandò custodiri videtur Concil Paris lib. 1. cap. 50. à conseruis seruitio eorum pressis perrarò debito honore coli videtur Howsoeuer it may appeare that the Lordes day is some thing reuerently kept of some masters yet of their seruants whom they abuse and oppresse in their seruice we see it very seldome times to be kept as it ought But the maisters are guiltie of their sinne But this commandement doth teach vs that masters and gouernours must be so farre from causing their seruants to work vpon this day for themselues and others that they must not leaue it indifferently to their seruants to chuse whether they will worke or no but they are charged to ouersee them and looke vnto them so that they may be sure that they doe rest indeede and to keep them from work yea though they would fall vnto it of their owne accord For though the commaundement of resting belongeth generally to all and therefore the seruants and children are named yet the speech is directed vnto the father and the master that they might looke to the execution of it when as it is sayd In it thou shalt doe no worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy manseruant and thy maid-seruant And as they haue authoritie ouer their seruants and children to commaund them and to punish them if they disobey so he chargeth them to exercise their dominion ouer them in this in compelling them to obey the commandement of God who hath set them ouer them in his roome to that end which if they neglect to doe the sinne of the children and of the seruants shall kindle the fire of Gods wrath against them the flame of which shall breake out to the destruction of the fathers and masters also because they haue their part in the sin by not keeping them in obedience vnto God whom he placed vnder them for the same purpose Thus wee may vnderstand that this commandement of resting is so large and stretcheth it selfe out so farre that it reacheth vnto men of all sorts ages degrees sexes and callings in so much that none can be aduanced so high that he should bee without the reach of it nay the higher hee is in calling and the more he hath vnder his gouernement the more straightly is hee bound vnto it not onely to obserue that in his owne person The commandement of superiours doth not excuse the inâ—eriours in working for them vpon the Lords day but in all them that bee committed vnto him and concerning all inferiours either seruants children labourers artificers or any other that do not worke for themselues but for others that their inferioritie and subiection will not excuse them in doing any worke for they also are especially some of them particularly named in the commandement and the other are included in it and they must remember that which
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
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
partakers of the benefit of it also Therefore vnlesse wee will chaunge the name which wee ought most precisely to keepe as a chiefe honour of it wee must retaine the seruice of it without the which the name is idle and fruitlesse For as S. Augustine sayth Tantum diuinis cultibus seruiamus dantes scilicet huic diei reuerentiam We rest sayth he from other things August de teÌ„p serm 251. that wee might onely serue God therein giuing honour and reuerence vnto this day Shewing that the honour of the day consists in seruing God vpon it For as the Apostle Paul writing of the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ doth vse these words the Lords Supper and the cup of the Lord 1. Cor. 11.20.27 and the Lords table not onely because this was instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ but also because he is there most truely present and doth there wholly offer himselfe vnto vs to bee made partakers of him and because we ministring and receiuing of it do yeeld him that seruice which he requireth of vs according to his Commandement Luc. 22.19 Doe this in the remembrance of me Euen so it is called the Lords day both in the olde and new Testament because of the seruice in it done vnto the Lord as the Church also therefore is called the Lords house 1. Tim. 3 15. Matth. 21.13 because it is the house of prayer vnto him All which places seuerally by themselues and ioyntly together doe beare witnesse vnto the thing wee haue in hand namely that here is commended vnto vs not only the carefull abstayning from all worldly busines but especially and aboue al the holy spending of the time in the diuine seruice of God which is so much greater then the other by how much the principall in euery thing is greater then those that are but helpes and furtherances vnto it And here I may put you in minde of that which Augustine sayth to this purpose August de teÌ„p serm 251. Let vs take heede that our rest be not idle and vaine but being seuered from al other busines Solo diuino cultui vacemus let vs attend only vpon the worship of God Therefore let vs in the feare of God be perswaded that it is our bounden dutie vpon this day to ioyne our selues to the holie assemblies of Gods people in the Church Therfore vpon this day wee ought to come to Church to be occupied in all the parts of Gods worship which is his house there to serue him and to come thither as it were to his schoole there to heare his voyce to learne his most holie will to doe it that so also we might make prouision for our soules that we might be the fitter to serue him the whole weeke following And this is that which an eloquent and diuine Philosopher writeth When the Sabbath is so greatly commended in the old testament P. Ram. comment de rellig lib. 2 cap. 6. Schola Domini praecipue commendatur Academia non Platonis vel Aristot The schoole of God especially is commended vnto vs not the schoole of Plato or Aristotle but of almightie God the knowledge I say of his law and the vnderstanding of the heauenly couenant betweene God and man is commended vnto vs. And this was the practise of the Primitiue Church as it appeareth by the constitutioÌ„s of the Apostles if they bee these wherein it is thus decreed Constit. Apost cap. 63. Verùm in die Dominico diligentius conuenite Come together more diligently vpon the Lords day to giue thankes vnto God who hath made all things by Iesus Christ and hath sent him vnto vs and hath suffered him to dye and raised him from the dead For what excuse say they can he bring vnto God who vpon this day doth not come to heare the wholsome word of the resurrection of Christ But if we further demaund what are the pars of Gods seruice that we should be occupied in surely to speake of the true manner of worshipping God doth not properly belong to this place it was sufficiently opened vnto vâ—in the second commandement but generally whatsoeuer is the true worshippe of GOD in that wee are bound to serue him publikely and priuatly as at all other conuenient times so wholly and altogether vpon this day and to doe nothing but that that so it might be an holy day indeede consecrated vnto the Lorde and the Lords day alone as wee haue seene it to bee called in the scriptures Therefore whereas the Lord is serued in the ministrie of his word sacraments prayer al other parts of his holy discipline and gouernement which hee hath appointed for his Church these are the very thinges in which the day is to be consumed and without the which we cannot sanctifie it in the least tolerable measure In so much that as we haue seene the sanctifying of this day so highly coÌ„mended vnto vs in the word so we shal see the practise of all these set downe in particulars in sundry places of the same worde as the onely meanes whereby it is sanctified of vs. Therfore we haue seen already Numb 28 9. that many sacrifices were then to bee offered which were neuer truely performed without the word which gaue life vnto them and without prayer that they might bee accepted and confession of their sinnes that thereby they might be assured of the forgiuenes of them So that in commanding the one by name he includeth the other which were neuer seuered from it especially seeing that in so many places of the scripture they be ioyned together And this is that which the Prophet Ezechiel speaketh of Ezek. 46.1.2.3 shewing both the Prince and the people what they should doe vpon the Sabbath namely that the gates of the Temple being set open they should repaire thither and there the Priests should offer their burnt offeringes and they should worship the Lorde But it is more plainely set downe in the newe Testament that it was the ordinary custome of the ministers and people to meete together and ioyne in the word sacrament and prayer For in the 20. chapter of the Acts it is reported by Saint Luke Act. 20.7 that the Church of God at Troas vpon the first day of the weeke which is the Lords day came together to breake bread that is to receiue the sacrament There ought to be the preaching of the worde vpon this day in all places hee noting for breuitie sake vnder one kinde the whole action and he taketh that rather then any other to shewe vs that this was one of the vsuall partes of Gods seruice in the primitiue church to receiue the sacrament euery Lords day as well as to serue him in any thing else and Paul being there then preached where hee alledging no other cause of both these then that it was the first day of the weeke whâ—ch was then appointed to bee sanctified doth
teach vs that these are the meanes to sanctifie it by and that they are proper vnto the day Now though prayer be not here named yet we are to presume that neither the word nor sacraments were ministred withouth it seeing the fruite of both dependeth vpon the blessing of God which is obtained by prayer and seeing that in other places they are ioyned together And that the ministrie of the word is so vnseparably ioyned to the Sabbath and hath alwaies beene further appeareth by that which is most plainely in many words set downe in the 13. Acts 13.14 chapter of the same storie where it is thus written When Paul and Barnabas departed from Perga they came to Antiochia a citie of Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sate downe 15. And after the lecture of the law and Prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent vnto them saying Ye men and brethren if yee haue any worde of exhortation for the people say on 16. Then Paul stood vp and beckened with the hande and sayd Men of Israell c. as followeth in that chapter to the 42. verse where againe it is written that when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach these wordes to them the next Sabbath day 44. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie to heare the world of GOD which words doe sufficiently shew that it hath alwaies beene diligently obserued of the Church to sanctifie the Sabbath day in the publike reading and preaching of the word as in the most singular part of Gods seruice For Paul came and founde the Church alreadie met together vpon the Sabbath and reading the lawe and the Prophets and then was desired to preach and afterwards being desired to preach againe they came and heard him vpon the Sabbath And in the 15. chapter wee haue heard alreadie That Moses hath of old time Acts 15.21 in euery citie them that preach him seeing he is read euery Sabbath day in the Synagogues Besides that which is written of Paul in the 17. Chap 17.1.2.3 chapter that he comming to Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Iewes as his manner was went in vnto them and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom sayd he I preach vnto you But it were an endlesse labour though profitable in order to reckon vp all the seuerall places which shewe that these are the holy works of the Sabbath which the Lord requiteth all men to bee occupied in if they will sanctifie the day according to his commandement and as the practise of the Church giueth vs example And vpon these considerations it seemeth it was enacted in a councell held in Germanie vnder Charles the great for the maintaining of the publike preaching euery Lords day Concil Mogūt cap. 25. that Si forte Episcopus If the Bishop be not at home or be sicke or vpon any other vrgent cause be not able himselfe Nunquam tamen desit diebus Dominicis qui verbum Dei praedicet Yet let it bee so prouided that there neuer want one to preach the worde of God vnto the people on the Lords daies Phil. Melanct. in praecept 3. Master Melancthon reckoning vp many parts of sanctifying the Sabbath sayth Piè fungi ministerio where he makes this not onely one but the principall thing for a man well to discharge his ministerie in which answer he includeth the preaching of the word because a little before he sayth that the Prophets when they lament the desolation of the Sabbath they complaine Abolitum esse ministerium docendi That the ministerie of teaching was abolished and that the priests lips did not keepe knowledge But as themselues say they were dumme dogs and delighted in sleeping Bucer in Mat. 12.11 And Master Bucer in this argument writing of the practise of that Church wherein himselfe liued sayth Dominicis diebus in singulis Parochijs ad minimum duae si non tres habentur conciones Vpon the Lords dayes in euery parish there are two sermons at the least if not three Which also as it may be truely sayd of a great number of Churches in England for the space of these many yeares vnder the most happy raigne of her maiestie to the great glory of God her singular renowne and the saluation of many soules so in that respect we are to bow our knees vnto God day and night for the preseruation of her royal maiestie that it may be so by her meanes for euer as also that in those places where it is yet wanting it might be brought in in Gods most blessed time if our vnthankfulnes doe not hinder vs euen as that zealous and good King Iehosaphat could not doe all things in his time that he would for the reformation of the Church because the people then had not prepared their hearts to serue the GOD of their fathers 2. Chron. 20.33 Therefore to be short let vs looke vnto that which is in the chapter immediatly following Chap. 18.4 That Paul abiding at Corinth disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day and exhorted the Iewes and the Grecians Here the holy Ghost witnesseth of him that hee did openly teach the scriptures euery Sabbath day and in the forenamed place that it was his manner so to doe then it must needs be the custome of the Church to come to the publike ministrie of the word vpon those dayes Al men ought to resort to those places where the word is preached and it must be a common manner with them which is spoken to this end that we might not be of that brutish mind that some are of that know no other thing to do vpon the Sabbath but to rest and take their ease and therfore lye many times at home sleeping most prophanely and so their oxe and their asse in ceasing from their worke keepe as good a Sabbath as they neither to be so ignorant as others are who content thēselues with their owne priuate readings at home or with the bare reading of the word in the Church neglecting the preaching of it not labouring to procure it to themselues nor repairing to those places in the meane season where it is though it be the chiefest part of Gods seruice and therefore the most especiall meanes whereby the Sabbath is sanctified and without the which all other things in the seruice of God are lesse accepted of God and more vnprofitable to our owne selues Therefore how many places of scripture haue wee seene before commanding vs so straightly to sanctifie the Sabbath so many are there binding all men of what estate and cōdition soeuer to listen after the preaching of the word and to be at it euery Sabbath if they haue any care to discharge themselues of that obedience vnto God which he
he be let him goe to the Church vpon the Lords daye And they bring their reason For it is iust that wee all celebrate this daye vnanimiter with one consent or all together in which we are made that which wee were not before for wee were the seruants of sinne but by it we are made the children of righteousnes August de temp serm 251 S. Augustine complaineth in his time of this abuse in one kinde Adhuc quoque quod valde dolendum est conqueri vobiscum volo I will further complaine vnto you of one thing for which there is great cause to bee grieued that there are some especially the great mightie men of this world who when they come to the church haue no deuotion to praise God but compell the Minister to curtall the seruice and to saye it accordiog to their pleasure and will not permit him to follow the order of the Church for their bellies sake and coueteousnes as though but one little parte of the daye were appoynted for Gods seruice and all the rest of the daye together with the night were ordained for their pleasures See how truelie hee setteth out as it were in their colours the manner of a great many in our time So that how many times soeuer we haue made vnnecessarie delayes and haue been afraide as it were least wee should come too soon though in al worldly matters we suspect that wee should come too late and wee are loath to lose the least part of that which might make for our profite we haue hindered our selues from dooing some parte of Gods seruice which the rest of our bretheren haue been occupied in and so haue not done vnto him all that same seruice which he required of vs vpon that daye which must be dedicated vnto him alone And least that we might imagine that the Lorde doth not so strictly require this seruice at our hands besides that wee must remember that it hath been proued vnto vs out of the word and declared how the practise of the Church in all times hath yeelded vnto it if wee doe further consider the reasons why the Lord would be thus openly and together of all his seruants worshipped wee shall easilie perceiue that they stand still in force and binde vs as much as euer any before so that wee cannot iustly say it is true in deed it was thus once God would haue vs to serue him publikely in the Church but now it is not so necessarie we haue more libertie then others and so discharge our selues of our obedience to God at least wise of some part of it For first of all the Lorde would haue such solemne assemblies of his people in one place worshipping him together in those principall partes of his seruice which otherwise cannot bee done and hath not left it to euery mans discretion alone in some corner to serue him when it pleaseth himselfe though hee require that of euery one also Mâ—tth 6.6 euen that entring into his chamber hee should shut the dore and there praye vnto him in secret which will rewarde him openly but would haue all resorte to the common meetings and there ioyntlie to agree in his seruice praysing him in the assemblies Psal 107.31.32 and declaring his name vnto our brethren in the middest of the congregation that thereby his Church might be knowne and discerned in this world from the synagogues of the idolaters and conuenticles of the Schismatickes that so it being as a citie set vpon an hill which cannot bee hid Matth 15.14 and the mountaine of the house of the Lorde being prepared in the top of the mountaines and exalted aboue the hils Esay 2.2 all nations might slow vnto it and they descrying it a farre off might repayre vnto it as the Eagles doe resorte thither where the dead carcas is Luk. 17.37 And so not onely the godlie might incourage one another saying Come and let vs go vp to the mountain of the Lord Esay 2.3 to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his pathes For the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem but also that all the wicked which should by apostasie forsake it and reuolt from it or through contempt not ioyne themselues vnto it as too many haue and doe still in our time might iustly be condemned and left without all excuse where it should be so visible and as it were palpable vnto them Gualt in Marc. 3. Homil. 23. And therefore as Master Gualter sayth They that vse the Sabbath day rightly Sacros coetus adeunt goe to the publike assemblies to heare the word of God and pray and the same man in another place Idem in Act. 17 Homil. 108. It is euident that it was the ancient custome of the people of God to frequent the holy meetings for which cause we doe reade that holy daies and holy places in time past were ordayned of God Whereupon he inferreth in the same place that their peruersnes is to be detested who doe prophanely scoffe at the publike meetings of Christians wherein they manifestly bewray that they are not touched with any desire of wholesome doctrine or true religion For there the Lord doth offer vnto his Church those most notable and singular meanes of their saluation A commendation of the preaching of the worde which there is to be had Rom. 1.16 which as they cannot want so they can find no where but there for there is the preaching of the word which is Gods owne arme and power to saue all them that beleeue in so much that without the ministerie and preaching of those Rom. 1.16 that haue the publike authoritie and callings of the Church most ordinarily men are not saued Rom 10.14 as the Apostle saith How can they beleeue without a Preacher And how can they preach vnlesse they bee sent 1. Pet. 1.23 For indeede this is the incorruptible seede whereby we are borne againe without which we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Chap. 2.2 and this is that syncere milke whereby as new borne babes we are nourished and grow vnto eternall life Aâ—â—s 8.31 euen that word that is preached in so much that wee cannot vnderstand what is read vnderstande I meane to saluation except we haue a guide to preach vnto vs who may giue the sence Nehem. 8.8 and cause vs to vnderstand the reading For our Lord Iesus Christ when he ascended vp an hye and led captiuitie captiue Ephe. 4.8 vnto 17. gaue rich and plentiful giftes vnto men pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the building vp of the body of Christ til we al meet together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the ful measure of the age of Christ that we
man either can say do thing at all or that which hee doth shall bee very colde and vnprofitable and it may easily bee perceiued that it commeth but from the teeth outward as we say neither hath it that power of the spirite which ought to bee and no doubt is in the communication of many of Gods children And here is that common prouerbe verified that our Sauiour Christ alledgeth in the Gospell Math. 12 34. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh men are not most vsually speaking of that which they know best but vpon which their heart is most set and they take greatest pleasure in or are most afraid of c. Then if wee will by this most certaine rule of truth measure what is in the hearts of men and how they are there mooued at the hearing and reading of the worde either one way or other we shall find that the most part of men if they bee not voyde of the knowledge of it altogether yet they haue no sence or feeling of it in their hearts neither doth it affect them one whit but are benummed as it were that waye seeing that they are no more often in speaking of it And let vs cease maruailing why they are so prodigall of their tongue in all other matters and in these are more niggardly and sparing of it then they should seeing that they are so stuffed with the one but they like vnto vessels filled with new wine which will breake if they haue no vent and of the other they haue so little or rather nothing in them at all that you can scarsely wring out any thing from them Which as it is a great sinne in men an especial neglecting of a notable part of Gods worship vpon this holy day What fruit we might get by such conferences and what we lose by neglecting thē so it is most assuredly a cause why all that which they haue receiued in the publike ministerie is either so soone lost or remayneth so vprofitably with them For what if men heare and read neuer so diligently if he neuer speak of it afterwardes is it possible that he should remember it so fruitefully in time to come as otherwise he might Doth not experience teach all men that those schollers are like to proue best learned which will conferre one with another about that which the master hath read vnto them before And they that doe studie hard thēselues if they doe not conferre with others besides that they shal stick fast many times can goe no further whereas they might be holpen out by others euē that also which they haue gotten cannot bee so deepelie setled in them as otherwise it might So it must needes bee that if wee talke not of the Scriptures wee shall forget much of that which we haue learned neither shall we be so profitable vnto others as the Lord would haue vs. There bee many that complaine they haue ill memories and when they bee iustly founde faulte with for not profiting as they should say they cannot remember it and it is true but in the meane season they marke not how the fault is in themselues that they might amend it for they are not carefull to speak of that which they haue heard and so to remember it to themselues and others but as soone as they are out of the Church doores they fall into other matters and so put the other cleane out especiallie when they continue in the former the rest of the daye and will not giue that time vnto these that they should For presuppose they haue the best memories in the world yet hearing a strange thing if they will neuer tell it vnto others or make reporte of it any more how can they long remember it Nay must they not needes soone forget it On the contrarie we shall finde it to be most true by sufficient trial that they which haue but weake naturall giftes yet through age all are now more weakened and decayed shall notwithstanding be able to tell you along tale with all the circumstances of time place persons c. which they neuer heard but once in their liues and that it may be twentie or fortie yeares since but of the stories of the Bible which they haue that very day read and besides haue heard them twentie times before they shall bee able to say very little or nothing to the purpose And what can we iudge to be the cause of this but that they haue told the one so many times to their neighbours and haue gone it ouer and ouer againe which maketh them so cunning in it and of the other they haue scarce once opened their mouthes to speake and therfore all is so cleane forgotten Thus men may complaine as long as they wil make excuses to blinde the eyes of others and to deceiue their owne hearts but God is not deceiued who seeth the fruitelesse talking vnnecessarie iangling about al other matters euen vpon his own holy day when they haue said little or nothing of those which did most of all concerne them Therefore let vs vnfainedly sorrowfull that wee haue not heretofore so carefullie sanctified the Lords day in this part of his worship as he required of vs and let vs confesse that we haue been iustly punished therein that we haue lost a great part of that fruite which otherwise we might haue reaped our selues from Gods worship and bestowed vpon others let vs hereafter be more carefull to spend some part of the daye in such holy conferences as maybe profitable both to our selues and we discharged of our dueties to God thereby And whereas wee haue a thousand things within vs and without vs to hinder vs from it let vs cast them away and seeing the duetie is so necessarie the commoditie thereof so great also let vs endeauour our selues and call vpon others most earnestly to performe it Some are ashamed to talke of the Scriptures For why should wee bee ashamed of it And seeing that the shame of the worlde hath not kept vs heretofore from vngodly communications vnto which shame iustly belongth why should it hold vs back from all christian conferences of which we shal neuer haue cause to be ashamed Nay why should wee not haue our mouthes filled full of all good words out eares open to heare them from others that it might appeare wee are now ashamed that wee haue spent so much heretofore in speaking and hearing those things whereof there came nothing but hurt to our selues and others And that wee may not bee so ignorant as to imagine Others thinke that it belongs onely to the Minister and not to the common people that to conferre of the Scriptures is proper to the ministers and not belonging to the common people which once to dreame of is a thing more meete for the darke night of poperie wherein it was defended them of the midday of the Gospel which doth so manifestlie gainesay
Psal 147. Sing vnto the Lord with praise Et. 147.7 sing vpon the harpe vnto our God which couereth the heauen with clowdes and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mountaines which giueth to beasts their food and to the young rauens that cry The whole Psalme is a Psalm of praise vnto God for that he watcheth ouer his Church by his especiall prouidence to doe it good and declareth the same to if and to none other by his word And therefore sayth that the Lord will helpe it by his infinit wisedome when it is confounded in it selfe and knowes not what to doe and by his omnipotent power will deliuer it when it is most weake in it selfe which he proueth in these verses that wee haue seene by the wise and mercifull prouidence of God ouer his creatures as if hee had sayd God dealeth well with the creatures made for men much more will be doe good to his Church whereof he hath the greatest care He dooth good to the insensible creatures for when the earth is dried vp in the heate of Summer and gapeth as it were for extreame thirst and the toppes of the mountaines are parched and euery thing seemes withered by the rootes the Lord heareth as it were the cry of the earth prepareth raine and watereth the hilles and so changeth their hewe and maketh them greene and fresh againe then much more will he renewe the face of his Church and make it beautifull though it was deformed and fullied with extreame miserie and calamitie before Nay the Lord feedeth the beasts when they are pinched with hunger and crye for meate euen the young rauens that cry in their nests and must needes famish there if the Lord did not moue the heart of the olde one to finde out meate and bring it to them If he doe so much for them how much more shal his eares bee open to the prayers of men calling vpon him in the name of Christ Iesus according to his promise Ioh. 14.13 that whatsoeuer we aske of him in the name of his son according to his will he will grant it vnto vs. And this is part of that heauenly sermon which our Sauiour Christ maketh vnto the people in the mountaine as it is recorded by the Euangelist S. Matthew where he dehorteth them from too much carefull seeking after the things of this life by the serious meditation vpon Gods prouidence ouer them which that he might perswade them of he sheweth it them by experience in those creatures of God that were common before their eyes Matth. 6.25 Therefore I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor for your bodie what you shall put on Is not the life more worth thē meate and the bodie then rayment 26. Behold the fowles of the heauen for they sowe not neither reape nor carrie into the barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are you not much better then they 28. And why care ye for rayment Learne how the lillies of the field doe grow they labour not neither spinne 29. Yet I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his glorie was not arayed like one of these 30. Wherefore if God so clothe the grasse of the field which is to day and to morrowe cast into the ouen shall he not doe much more vnto you O ye of little faith 31. Therefore take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be clothed 32. For your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue neede of all these things 33. But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you In all which words we see how he draweth his exhortation from the creatures to teach vs that we should not bee idle and vnprofitable beholders of them but as the Lord doth most cleerely manifest himselfe vnto vs in them so wee besides the present vse of them shall open our eyes to behold that which the Lord dooth offer vnto vs by them For this cause the Lord himself after he had made the whole world in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth that by his owne example he might stirre vp mankinde to meditate vpon that wonderfull great frame and euery thing in it that he might giue the glorie vnto God that was due to him for it and serue him carefully that had so wonderfully prouided euery thing for him But I knowe not how it hath come to passe through the great corruption and blindnes that is within vs that in these things wee doe not seeke after God Act. 17.27 though by them we might haue groped after him and found him Nay a great many are like vnto the oxe and the asse who haue the vse of Gods creatures and are filled with them eating and drinking and taking their case yet neuer lift vp their mindes vnto him that sends them to that end that thereby they might inquire after him who is the author of them But contenting themselues with thar profit and pleasure they haue in them are so drowned and ouerwhelmed therewith that whereas they should be guides to direct them more surely to the Lord and glasses to them to see him more cleerely they thereby are either turned out of the way and go further from him or make them vailes before their eyes looking onely vnto them and not vnto the Lord that is in them For wee shall see men that are musing vpon their cattell and vpon their ground the whole day to be so earthly minded that they will altogether sticke fast in them and be as it were fettered vnto them so that they are not able to lift vp their mindes to any heauenly meditation from them but like beasts are still groueling vpon the earth and haue their mindes either wicked and prophane or vaine and foolish And such shall be their communication of them either finding fault at the workes of the Lord or scoffing at them or fondly iangling about them or after a meere worldly manner speaking of them which plainly sheweth how barren they are within of any profit they reape by them And if it be not so what is the meaning of these and such like speeches that are so rife in the mouthes of men Here is a deare yeare it is an hard winter this is a sore frost here is a great drought this raine is like to make a floud c. because I will not so much as name the irreligious speeches of the Atheists which when they haue vnaduisedly cast forth then they can say no more Whereas they should in these things see the iudgements of God against sinne that they might bee drawne to repentance euen as in the rest of his dealings they should behold his mercies that they might bee encouraged to serue him and so speake of them that they might make these things knowne vnto others The meditation of
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
whereof there are so many kinds as appeareth by the diuers words hee vseth in this place Whereunto agreeth that which hee writeâ—h vnto the Ephesians Bee not drunke with wine Ephe. 5.18 wherein is excesse but bee filled with the spirite 19. Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melody to the Lorde in your hearts 20. Giuing thanks alwaies for all things vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Where in like manner hee sheweth them howe they should behaue themselues in the aboundance of al Gods blessings that whereas the wicked are ready to abuse them and by ouercharging themselues with them doe fall into an immoderate profusion and laughter they should in the middes of these thinges being guided by Gods spirite burst forth into the prayses of God through Iesus Christ and testifie their holy mirth not of the flesh but of the spirite by singing Psalmes whereof there are so many sundry kinds that for euery time wee shall bee fitted with some one or other Let vs not therefore deny so manifest a trueth but acknowledge as the word doth teach vs that the Lorde requireth of vs in our priuate meetings vpon the Lordes day and when we are alone by our selues to sing Psalmes as well as in the Church And though I doe not binde men vnto this for bee it farre from me that I should lay any heauier burden vpon any then the worde of God it self doth bind them I say vnto this that in all their mirth they should sing Psalmes as it might seeme the places alledged doe import Yet this the Lorde requireth of vs that in all our lawfull pleasures we should looke vp vnto him and so reioyce in them that wee especially reioyce in him and so from them to be led to him and by them to be made fitter to serue him And whereas it falleth out thus with the wicked that all pleasures draw them away from God take away from them the remembrance of him and driue them into sinne we contrariwise should by all of them come neerer vnto God set him before our eyes and make our selues fitter to serue him praise him For as that is a godly sorrow that driueth vs to prayer a blessed heauinesse that maketh vs seeke vnto the Lord so that is a godly mirth that endeth with singing with Psalmes and an heauenly ioy that at least wise maketh vs more fit to serue God And otherwise as we may suspect our sorow to be but worldly so our ioy to bee but fleshly and carnall And this is that whereunto the Apostle Saint Iames hath respect saying Is any amoÌ„g you afflicted let him pray Is any merry Iam. 5.13 let him sing Where he telleth the dispersed Iewes how they should behaue themselues priuately in all estates namely that though the vngodly in their affliction doe murmure impatiently and breake out into blasphemous othes they should not onely abstaine from those things but in all humilitie should go to prayer that they might obtaine mercy at Gods hande and then being deliuered of him that they should auoyd the prophane carelessenes of the wicked and stirre vp themselues to sing prayses vnto God and so both commendeth this duetie vnto vs and sheweth whereunto all our mirth should leade vs. In which place though he doth not tye the singing of the Psalmes to the time of prosperity for there are songs of mourning no more then he doth prayer vnto the time of affliction 2. Chro. 35.25 yet he sheweth which are the fittest times for both and besides that as no man can truely pray without the feeling of his wants so no man can sing from his heart vnlesse hee haue some perswasion of Gods fauour and so as affliction driueth him to pray so mirth mooueth him to sing Therefore when the Lorde dealeth so fatherly with his children that hee tempereth their afflictions with the ioy of the spirit then he giueth vnto theÌ„ iust occasion both to pray sing vnto him Thus we reade that Paul and Sylas being in prison ioyned them together Acts 15.25 At midnight Paul and Sylas prayed and sang a Psalme vnto God Being first of all beaten very sore and then cast into a dungeon with their feete in the stocks it was then time to pray but considering the goodnes of their cause for which they suffered all these things and finding the Lord present with them by his fauour assuring them of his defence there was iust cause of ioy and in ioy to sing as they did So then seeing to sing Psalmes is a part of Gods seruice as we haue seene it in so many places of the word commended vnto vs it must needes be put in practise vpon that day which is dedicated to his seruice and especially when we consider that the fittest time for it is the time of ioy and there is no ioy comparable to that which we haue in Christ Iesus and we neuer inioy that so fully as by the meanes whereby he conueyeth it vnto vs and we neuer haue all the meanes so plentifully and so continually as vpon the Sabbath Therefore as the Lord then offereth himself wholly vnto vs and his sonne Christ Iesus to be made ours with all his merits in the worde the Sacraments and prayer and so thereby doth fill our hearts with the ioye of the holy Ghost euen that ioy that is vnspeakable and most glorious so then especially we ought to sing for ioye of the Lord if euer wee will doe it And not onely in the Church which we ought to doe especially where the greatest ioy is bestowed vpon vs but also because by the forenamed priuate exercises this ioye is renued and sometimes increased wee must priuately renue our thanksgiuing Singing of Psalmes testifieth and increaseth spirituall songs and sing vnto God againe especially when wee haue seene that these places of scripture doe commend vnto vs the priuat exercise of singing Psalmes And that we might doe it the more cheerefully let vs knowe for a suretie that though wee cannot sing at all where there is no whit of ioy so let this ioy bee neuer so little by singing we shal increase it For euen as al knowledge is increased especially by hearing reading and conferring about the scripture so all affections are most of all stirred vp by meditation prayer and singing of Psalmes And because vpon the Lords day we must labour to build vp our selues in both wee must neglect no meanes whereby we might attaine vnto our full growth in either Therefore euen then are wee iustly punished with deadnes and dulnes vpon the Sabbath because we neglect al those meanes or els doe not ioyne them together So then we haue great cause to be sorrie that wee haue so many times neglected this seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day and though wee had not spent away the time in a prophane mirth as many times wee haue done yet there is
great cause of humiliation for not stirring vp our selues by singing Psalmes vnto that spirituall mirth whereby we might haue been more cheerefully occupied in Gods seruice and comfortably to our owne soules And let vs not hereafter continue to prouoke the Lord and bereaue our selues of much comfort by neglecting to sing But when I so earnestly request this vpon the Sabbath my meaning is not to exclude it from other dayes no more then priuat prayer reading c. and the former places of scripture haue proued the contrarie but my purpose is to shew that if at any other time it is to bee practised then especially vpon the Lords day And truelie I am so much the longer in this thing would faine be as importunate in it as I might because as I knowe it to bee a thing of great moment The singing of Psalmes is greatly decaied in all places and amongst al sorts of men so I haue obserued it to be greatly neglected in our time aboue that which had wont to bee at the first restoring of the Gospell and is like to bee lesse regarded in time to come For besides that there bee too many which are of great yeares that neuer sung Psalme in their liues neither can do nor haue any care to learne though they can sing some other vain songs very perfectly and though they cannot reade themselues nor any of theirs yet will haue many Ballades set vp in their houses that so they might learne them as they shall haue occasion but as for the booke of Psalmes it commeth not once into their thought to make prouision for it Besides these men I say of whom it is a lamentable thing to thinke we may finde that the neglect of this duetie hath ouer spread it selfe farre and neere for euen amongst them which are giuen most to sing this is the least thing that they doe and indeed many of the common Singing men are so vngodly that it were better for them to haue their mouthes stopped then once to open them to pollute such holy and sacred songs And as for others though they haue al varietie of Musick both vpon Instruments and with the voyce and that euery day yet many of them very seldome or scarsely once a yeare doe heare a Psalme sauing in the Church I doe not finde fault with this kinde of Musicke but doe esteeme of it as I ought euen of the most exquisite that may be I confesse it to be the especiall gift of God in any I knowe it very well to bee commended in the scripture and that it hath had wonderfull effects in time past as in Saul and Elizeus 1. Sam. 16.23 2. King 3.15 and that men might stil haue great commoditie by it if it were rightly vsed only this I complaine of with griefe that the best Musicke is not cared for and that the singing of other things hath cleane shut out in a great many of places the singing of Psalmes And that you might vnderstand the complaint to be iust you must not onely looke into the houses of great personages where this musick hath ioystled out the singing of Psalmes or rather kept it from euer entring in but also in the shops of Artificers and cottages of poore husbandmen where you shall sooner see one of these newe Ballades which are made only to keepe them occupied that otherwise knowe not what to doe then any of the Psalmes and may perceiue them to bee cunninger in singing the one then the other And indeed I know not how it commeth to passe but you may obserue it that the singing of ballades is very lately renewed and commeth on a fresh againe so that in euery Faire and Market almost you shall haue one or two singing and selling of ballades they are brought vp a pace which though it may seeme to bee a small thing at the first yet I am greatly afrayd of it For as when the light of the Gospell came first in the singing of ballades that was rife in Poperie began to cease and in time was cleane banished away in many places so now the sudden renewing of them and hastie receiuing of them euery where maketh me to suspect least they should driue away the singing of Psalmes againe seeing they can so hardly stand together of which I am so much the more iealous because I see that in other places also where these be not receiued in What is the cause why singing of Psalmes is so decayed yet the singing of Psalmes is greatly left ouer that it had wont to be But if we would search out the cause of this euil disease in our selues and others that so it might bee cured wee shall easily finde it in those places of scripture where this duetie hath been commended vnto vs before For the Apostle sayth to the Ephesians Ephes 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit 19. Speaking one vnto another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts Coloss 3.16 And to the Colossians Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plentiously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace vnto the Lord in your hearts In which places he first of all forewarneth vs vnder one kinde that we bee not ouerfilled with the pleasures of this world but vse them as though wee were readie to leaue them otherwise wee being wholly giuen to our bellies and to our backes shall haue pleasure in nothing but such as will serue them al heauenly mirth shal be sorrow vnto vs as to be called to the word and prayer it shall be a vexation vnto vs and then shall we bee most merrie when we are furthest off from God and then he sayth our mirth shall be excessiue and beastly Secondly he would haue the word of Christ dwel in them plentiously that being perswaded of Gods fauour their harts might not bee vainly merrie but thereby moued to sing vnto him Lastly that they should bee filled with the spirit that should prepare them to spirituall songs for in our flesh dwelleth no good for as the flesh hath no taste of spirituall things so the spirit hath no taste of carnall things and therefore being filled with the spirit it will stirre vs vp to all spirituall exercises Therefore it is no maruell that men are so barren in this thing seeing that they are so drowned with the pleasures of this life that they haue no pleasure but in them and being too ful of them there is no roome in their hearts for the word of God and for his spirit of which they are emptie and therefore can take no delight in the exercises of the word and of the spirit So then howsoeuer the neglect of this duetie may seeme small in our eyes yet it must needs be great when it bewrayeth that we are voyd of Gods word and
such calling vpon any man that should keepe him in a continuall breach of the Sabbath and therefore both master and seruant may suspect that he is in such a calling as is not agreeable to Gods word or that he vseth it not aright when it maketh him if not wholly yet for the most part to neglect the seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day And I know where there is a great care to serue please God by prayer the Lord will giue to them such wisedome that they shal be able to redeeme if not the whole yet at least a great parte of the daye which otherwise will be mispent namely by letting passe many needlesse things preparing so much before as conueniently may be rising so much the more early in the morning and by the interchangeable helpe of other seruants especiallie when they will for these causes bee contented with so much the lesse though not in quantitie for the reliefe of others yet lesse exquisite and curious dressing which especially taketh vp the time and so I am sure and they that will trie it in the feare of God and in a care to serue him and in a loue to the soules of their brethren shall find it to be true by experience that many might keepe holy the Sabbath which do not now at all others might keepe it more then they doe Which if yet it be thought vnpossible because we goe not about to practise it let vs but obserue that which we shall see done in the house when the seruant is very desirous to goe to a faire and the maister is as willing to let him goe you would wonder to see how things shall be dispatcht vp sodainely and in good order they shall be absent many houres and yet not greatly missed if any thing be otherwise then is vsuall it is borne with because it is a day of making prouisios for themselues and that day is not euery day So then if the maisters were perswaded of the Lords day as they ought to be euen that it is the time of making prouision for the soule and were as carefull for the soules of their seruants as they are for their bodies and did esteeme it more for their worship and credite that their seruantes were religious then that they were costly and well set out in apparell they would be better contented to spare them during the time of that market where they may buy without money all the graces of Gods spirite and the riches of the kingdome of heauen whereby they should not onely saue their owne soules but bee made more fit to doe dueties to their maisters of conscience The gouernours of families should take order that they and their whole houshold might come to church together Therfore to make an end of this matter it is the duty of al houshold gouernors to cause the whole family to be in a readines to attend vpon them to and fro the Church and that it bee not left at euery mans discretion to come when hee will but that they should goe together And indeed this hath beene the orderly comming of Gods people in times past to the place of his worship that they haue not come scattered and alone but many together and by companies whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalm 42.4 When I remembred these things I poured out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a feast In which place the man of God complaining that he was banished from the holy assemblies sayth that hâ—s griefe was increased by remembring his former estate when he vsed to goe with a great many to the Temple euen as to a feast whereby hee declareth what was the manner of their going euen as men go to a market or to a feast not onely with ioye but also by companies and so many of one house as goe will goe together so they did not onely goe to the house of God cheerefully but many of them together euen as to the market feast of their soules By which practise of theirs as the doings of many are condemned so it appeareth that the men of our time are led by another spirite then they were and are otherwise perswaded of the worship and place they goe vnto For all the people nay the seuerall housholds come not together but scattered and one dropping after another in a confused manner First comes the man then a quarter of an houre after his wife and after her I cannot tell how long especially the maid-seruants who must needes bee as long after her as the menseruants are after him Wherby it commeth to passe that either halfe the seruice of God is done before all be met or else if the minister tarrie till there be a sufficient congregation the first commers may bee wearie and sometimes cold with tarrying before the other shall bee warme in their seates Nowe if it bee demaunded of the maisters why they alone make such hast and leaue all the rest behind them and they answer truely because the time is come wherin vsually publike prayer beginneth can they bee perswaded that it is time for themselues to come as it is indeed and yet no time for the rest to come with him Hath he no longer time to tarrie and haue they time to tarry so long after him as though there were one lawe for him and another for them or rather that the same law of the Sabbath which mooueth him of conscience to doe that which he doth did not as forcibly bind them all as himselfe nay did not binde him to looke to them that they should keepe holy the day as well as himselfe which if he grant to be true and yet is not able to bring it to passe where the Lord hath giuen him so great authoritie for his owne sake partly through the frowardnes of his wife and partly through the of obstinacy of the rest in the familie his case is to be pitied and he is rather to bee gouerned then to gouerne 1. Cor. 6.4 and he might doe well to set vp one of them in his steed seeing hee doth suffer himselfe wilfully so be abused and is contented to be ouer ruled by them in the chiefest thing Therefore that he might bring this matter happily to passe as he must goe before them by his owne example and be ready betimes euen first of all so he must earnestly call vpon them for this duetie and exhort them vnto it and the slower that they are and the more they drawe backe the more forward must he be and by his practise and words draw them forwards also For this is that readines which Dauid obserued in the people of his time I reioyced when they sayd vnto me Psalm 122.1 we will goe into the house of the Lord or let vs goe into the house of the Lorde for they are words of
way to heauen vnto hell if the Lord bee not more mercifull vnto him and why should we be loath to depart from the seruice of them that haue no care to serue God Or can we looke that they should do any faithful seruice vnto vs that are so vnfaithfull in the seruice of God But as concerning the rest if any bee religious this is the best meane to retaine them if they bee but indifferent this may winne them if they bee falling away To haue such good orders in our houses is not the next way to driue away our seruants from vs. this may recouer them for what shall wee thinke of all the godly fathers in times past That when they vowed diligently to looke to their households that they should serue God with them and did constantly performe it that then they had no seruants at al Was so great a man as Iehoshua without seruants when he promised before so many witnesses that he and his house would serue the Lord Was Dauid left alone and constrained to doe all himselfe when as being a mightie King he bound himself vnto it by that song which he made for the same purpose wherein he sayth Psal 101.6.7 Mine eyes shall be vnto the faithfull of the land that they may dwel with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me there shall no deceitfull person dwell in mine house he that telleth lyes shall not remaine in my sight Had not Abraham a great houshold when he was able of the sudden to carrie foorth with him of them that were borne and brought vp in his house three hundred and eighteene men in armour Gen. 14.14 to rescue his brother Lot of whom notwithstanding it is sayd Chap. 18.19 that he would teach his household the way of the Lord as it appeareth he did indeede when by his onely perswasion at the word of God Chap. 17.23 all the males were contented to be circumcised and to receiue that sacrament vnknowne before and painfull and also ignominious to the flesh if they had looked onely to the outward signe And must not that worthie Captaine of an hundred Italian souldiers needs haue a greater familie then many of these that cauill at this doctrine of whom the spirit of trueth reporteth Acts. 10.2 that he feared God and all his houshold Obiection What shall we thinke of all these men Shall we ignorantly presume to the further deceiuing of our selues hardning of vs in this sinne that the times were then better good seruants were more plentifull Answer Or must we not needes confesse as the trueth is indeede that these men vsed more meanes to make their seruants the seruants of God then men doe now adayes and that so the blessing of God was greater vpon them And is it not set downe in writing for our learning to shew vs what is that which we might looke for at Gods hands if wee would walke in the same way that they did seeing there is no respect of persons times or places with him But this much concerning this matter may be sufficient in which I haue been vnwillingly carried further then I was purposed at the first though now I do not repent me of it because the waightines of the matter is such that I doe not what might haue been well spared and with silence passed ouer Now that all households might be thus prepared vnto and furthered in the true sanctifying of the Sabbath it behoueth all Kings Princes ought to make lawes for the sanctifying of the Sabbath and all inferiour Mâ—gistrates see the same diligently put in execution Princes and Rulers that professe the true religion to inact such lawes and to see them diligently executed whereby the honour of God in hallowing these dayes might bee maintained And looke how straightly euery householder is bound to keepe all his familie in the obedience of this Commandement so seuerely will it be required at their hands if al their people and subiects throughout the whole land or any of them doe faile in it through any default of theirs And the Lord will require it of them so much the more seuerely by how much they haue more power to bring euery thing to passe within their dominion then a priuat man hath in his household and the offence that is publike is greater then that which is priuat And that this is their very duetie indeede appeareth first by the words of the Commaundement where he speaketh generally of them that be within the gates namely either of the house or of the citie which because it is the furthest part of those places therefore by them as vnder one kinde hee comprehendeth all the parts of any their iurisdiction euen the furthest and though it bee spoken by name but of one part of this commandement and that of the least which is to rest from labour yet it must needes be vnderstoode of the other parte which is the greatest and whereunto the other is but referred as it hath been oftentimes alreadie sayd in this treatise For if to abstaine from worke be a thing of such moment before the Lord vpon his Sabbath and day of rest that he will haue gouernours restraine their subiects from it then to sanctifie his holie day and to bestowe it vpon his seruice must needes much more bee a thing of that importance with him that he would haue all rulers compell their subiects vnto it Therfore looke how many reasons and examples haue been before alleadged to proue that they ought to stay men from working vpon that day so many are there to induce them to inioyne all to keepe holie the day for which end especially they command the rest and without which it is meerely ciuill and not religious And for this cause did the Lord command his people Israel Deut. 27.3 to write his lawe vpon the pillars in the borders of their land both that the people might bee kept in the knowledge and obedience of it Ecclesiast hist Cent. 1. lib. 2. cap 4. and that the Magistrates might euery where see the execution of it and knowe that it is their duetie to see it practised in all parts of their dominion euen to the very borders of them And if the Magistrate be truely called as he is indeede the keeper of the tables of Gods law that is one set vp in his roome furnished with his authoritie and power to that end that he might see the whole law of God euen the first and second table and euery Commandement in them put in execution then it must needes appertaine vnto him to prouide that the Sabbath bee hallowed wherein consisteth the obseruation of all the other Commandements in the first table A practise whereof we haue in the daies of Ioash King of Iudah in the very first entrance of his raigne whom when Iehoiadah the hye Priest had by the consent of the Rulers annoynted King 2. King 11.17 he made a
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
of our life testifie it let our workes proue it for who will beleeue that hee hath beene present at the assemblies of the Church and hath heard the worde of God with a syncere heart and a true faith who bestowes the rest not onely of that day as he sayth but of his life not onely more vainely but more wickedly Let vs therefore in the feare of God and as wee haue a care of our owne soules repent vs earnestly of that that is past and praye vnto him that in all time to come we might make more conscience of obseruing the Lords day in all the parts of his worship publikely and priuately and that wee may bring forth the fruite of them all more plentifully all the daies both of the weeke following and of our whole life to the glory and praise of his holy name the vnspeakable comfort and endlesse saluation of our owne soules the good example of his Church the stopping of the mouthes of the wicked and the leauing of them without excuse and that in and by our onely Lorde redeemer and mediatour Iesus Christ through the operation of his holy spirit to which blessed Trinitie in vnitie for his grace vpon me in finishing this work and for all other his mercies bee ascribed as most due all honour glorie and praise both now for euermore Amen FINIS A Table of the principall matter contained in the first Booke THis Commandement in foure things differs from al the rest pag. 1. 2. 3. 4 That there ought to be a Sabbath day continually kept of al men to the end of the world pag. 5 The Sabbath day was kept from the beginning of the world before it was pronounced vpon Mount Sinay pag. 6 The lawe of the Sabbath is naturall ibid. 7. 8 The Gospell hath not taken away the obseruation of the Sabbath pag. 9. 10 The Sabbath was ordained for 2. principall ends pag. 11. 12 It is necessarie that there should be one day of rest in the weeke ibid. 13 It is necessarie that one day in the weeke shoulde bee sanctified pag. 14. 15. 16 If there were no Sabbath Gods worship would bee altogether neglected pag. 17. 18. 19 Obiections to disproue the continuāce of the Sabbath vnder the Gospell answered p. 20. 21. c. The Sabbath ought to be vpō the seuenth day and vpon none other pag. 30. 31. 32 And vpon this seuenth day that we now keepe pag. 33. 35 This change of the day was made by the Apostles p. 36. 38 Why the Apostles chaunged the Iewish Sabbath into this day that we now keepe rather then into any other p. 42. 43. c. This day must neuer be changed but continue to the end of the world pag. 47 It is and must now bee called the Lords day pag. 48 The first thing commaunded is to rest vpon this day pag. 51 A very exact and precise rest must be kept pag. 53. 54 The causes of this rest p. 57. 58 From what things wee ought to rest pag 63. 64. c. All sorts of men high and low are commanded to rest p. 82 c. The cattell must rest pag. 85 Wee must not compell others to worke for vs. p. 89. c. They that be in authority must restraine other from working pag. 93. c. Obiect how shall men liue if they worke not Answered p 98. c. What bodily labour may bee vsed vpon this day p. 102. c. Euery man in the sixe dayes may doe all his worke pag. 119 Obiection If wee bee bound thus straightly to rest wee are in as great bondage vnder the Gospell as the Iewes Answered pag. 124. c. Sundry iudgements of God vpon the breakers of the Sabbath pag. 128. 129. c. Wee ought to rest also vpon this day from al honest recreations and lawfull delights p. 131. c. And from speaking and hearing of worldly matters p. 137. c And from hauing our mindes occupied about the same p. 140 Obiection Who is able then to keepe this Commandement Answered pag. 144. An application of all this to our selues pag. 146 FINIS The principall matters in the second Booke THe second thing in the Commandement is to sanctifie the day of rest pag. 149. 150 It is then sanctified c. ibid. Which is principally required in this Commandement 153. c. We must remember the Sabbath to this end especially p. 156. c. The sanctificatiō of the day is precisely vrged in many c. p. 158 Then the daylie seruice of God was doubled p. 161 Our Church assemblies ought to be vpon this day p. 162 At which time men ought to bee there present p. 164 Then ought Gods worde to bee preached p. 166. c. All men should goe where they may heare it p. 169 c. Where it is not preached heard the day cannot be hallowed as it should p. 172 They that cannot or will not preach are causes of vnhallowing this day p. 173 Wee must be present at the rest of diuine seruice frō the beginning to the end therof p. 174 175. c. God would haue vs to serue him publikely in the Church p. 177 Sundry reasons to perswade therunto p. 178 After what manner and to what end we ought c. p 183 Wee must repent for our vnprofitable comming to church 188 Publike collection for the poore ought to be made c. p. 191 How wee ought priuatly to spend the rest of the day 194 Wee must prepare our selues before we come to church c. 195 How we ought to prepare c. 198 We must reade the scriptures priuatly at home 200 Wee must vse priuate meditation vpon that we haue c. 203 What meditation is and the great fruits thereof 203. 205 How vnprofitable we are for want of meditation 207 Wee ought priuatly to talke and conferre c. 210 The profit of such cōferēces 219 What hinders men frō thē p. 216 With whō we ought to cōfer 220 Wee ought to meditate and conferre also of Gods works 222 Which will teach vs to profit by al things and in all estates 230 There ought to be singing c. 235 The fruit of singing Psalmes 239 Singing of Psalmes is greatly decayed 241 The cause of this decay 242 The praise and commendation of singing Psalmes 244 The workes of mercie ought to bee practised especially on this day 246 We ought then to visit them that be in miserie 252 The spiritual works of mercie are then especially to bee done to mens soules 255 All superiours ought to bee careful that their inferiours c 258 In our time this is greatly neglected c. 263 Lawes should bee made and well executed c. 274 The great good that redounds to the cōmon-wealth thereby 275 A Conclusion with an application of al to our selues others 281 FINIS