a stranger in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out from thence by a mighty hand and a stretched out arme Therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to observe the Sabbaoth day d 1. Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of this life present and of that that is to come Matt. 6.33 First seeke yee the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred vnto you Levit. 25.18 Yee shall obey mine ordinances and keepe my lawes and doe them and ye shall dwell in the land in safetie 19. And the land shall give her fruit and yee shall eate your fill aad dwell therein in safetie e Levit. 25.20 And if ye shall say what shall we eate the seventh yeare for we shall not sowe nor gather in our increase 22. I will send my blessing vppon you in the sixt yeare and it shall bring forth fruit for three yeares 23. And ye shall sowe the eight yeare and eate of the old fruit vntill the ninth yeare till the fruit thereof come ye shall eate the olde f Acts 4.19 But Peter and Iohn answered vnto them and said Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God iudge ye 20. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen heard The second part of the fourth Commaundement requireth the sanctifying of the seventh daies rest Of the sanctifying of the Sabboth in generall CHAP. VIII COncerning the sanctification of the Sabbaoth day foure things are to be cōsidered of 1 Of the meaning of the word Sanctifie which in Scripture is applied 1. To such things as are separated from common and profane vses and consecrated to vses a holy and religious 2 To all other things which are made lawfull for beleevers to vse to their owne benefite by the rule of the b word and prayer 2 That the sanctification of the Sabbaoth standeth in two points 1 In not vsing it about the affaires of this life eyther for carnall pleasure or profit 2 In consecrating it generally to holy vses for the keeping of a Rest without a sanctification of it to holy exercises is but to retaine a shadow without a body specially to Gods worship and service and to nothing else for 1 This is the law of things consecrated to the Lord that they may not be imployed to any other vse but the Lords 2 For this cause it is called a holy Sabbaoth and the Sabboth of the Lord not onely because the Lord did ordaine it but cheefely because it was ordained to the Lords vse 3 By what meanes the Sabbaoth day must be sanctified and those meanes are two fold 1 By assembling our selves together in Gods house or c sāctuary 2 By doing such duties as God in his Sanctuarie shall by his ministers teach vs which duties are two fold 1 Publike and those be also two fold viz. exercises 1 Of pietie and religion 2 Of charitie and compassion 2 Private viz. religious exercises to be practised when the congregation is dissolved great reason for 1 It is against reason to think a little peece of the Sabboth day enough for Gods service and to bestow the rest of the day at our owne pleasure 2 It is not simply said Remember the Sabbaoth but the Sabbaoth day that is the whole day to sanctifie it 4 By whom it must be sanctified viz. by all both governours and all that bee in subiection See chap. 14. THE PROOFES a Exod. 29.44 And I will sanctifie the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar I will sanctifie also Aaron and his sonnes to be my Priests Exod. 40.13 And thou shalt put vpon Aaron the holy garments and shalt anoint him and sanctifie him that he may minister to me in the Priests office Levit. 27.28 Nothing seperate from the commen vse that a man doth seperate vnto the Lord of all that he hath whether it be man or beast or land of his inheritance may be sold nor redeemed for every thing seperate from the common vse is most holy vnto the Lord verse 30. Also all the tithe of the land of the seede of the ground of the fruit of the trees is the Lords it is holy to the Lord. b 1. Timoth. 4.4 Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanks giving 5. For it is sanctifyed by the word of God and prayer c Levit. 19.30 Ye shall keepe my Sabbaoth and reverence my sanctuarie And chap. 23.3 In the seventh day shall be the Sabbaoth of Rest an holy Conuocation or Assembly Of the publique duties of Pietie CHAP. IX COncerning the publique duties of Pietie and Religion which are to be practised in the open assemblies of the Church we are to see three things 1 How it can be proved that God will be served by publike assemblies 2 Why hee will be worshipped in publike assemblies 3 How wee must frequent the publike exercises of the Church Of the first That God will be served in the publike assemblies of his people may be proved two waies 1 By the Commandements of God in the holy Scripture requiring the a same 2 By the practise of Churches First of the Iewes after the b captivitie Secondly of the c Christians Of the second Why God will be worshipped in the publique assemblies of his people there may be many reasons yeelded and principally these five which follow 1 That the Church may be discerned a farre off from the Synagogs of idolaters and conventicles of Schismatikes for which cause the visible Church of God is called in Scripture 1 A Mountaine d exalted 2 A e Holy mountaine 2 That Gods dispearsed people spying the Church a farre off might repaire togither vnto f it 3 That the wicked which through contempt should not ioyne themselves vnto the Church or throgh Apostasie should revolt from it might be left without all excuse it being so visible vnto them 4 To shew that we must be no more ashamed of the true service of God then we are of that which we do openly and in the view of all the world 5 To represent vnto vs our vnitie with Christ and of one with another in the g Gospell of Christ Therefore they doe erre which hold 1 That the publike exercises of religion are needelesse which Christ did vsually h visite and had not so much neede of them as we have which David also made so i speciall account of and for want whereof he was so k exceedingly greeved 2 That it is not fit for great persons to goe to the common Assemblies of the Church as if any were better than our Saviour Christ or the Prophet David who was also a Prince as well as a Prophet Of the Third How we must frequent the publike exercises also is a point necessary to be considered For it is not enough as many imagine to come to some part of them onely nor to
vnto the Lord bake that to day which ye will bake c. c Luke 4.16 And hee came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and as his custome was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbaoth day and stoode vp to reade d Acts 13.14 But when they departed from Perga they came to Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbaoth day and sate downe ver 15. And after the lecture of the Law and Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if yee have any word of exhortation for the people say on Then Paul stoode vp c. verse 42. And when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach these words to them the next Sabbaoth day verse 44. And the next Sabbaoth day came almost the whole Citie together to heare the word of God Chap. 17.2 And Paul as his manner was went in vnto them and three Sabbaoth daies disputed with them by the Scriptures e Sixe daies thou shalt d ee thy worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest that thy Oxe and thy Asse may rest and the sonne of thy maide and the stranger may be refreshed Deut. 5.14 But the seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any worke therein nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy man servant nor thy maide nor thy one nor thy usse neither any of thy cattell nor the stranger that is within thy gates that thy man servant and thy maide may rest as well as thou Marke 2.27 And he said to them the Sabbaoth was made for man and not man for the Sabbaoth Of the day that the Sabbaoth must be kept vpon CHAP. III. AS there must be a Sabbaoth or day of rest continued in the Church of God while the world continueth so this Sabbaoth must be vpon one certaine day of the weeke and that is the seventh day for so God hath appointed first at the creation a secondly at the giving of the Law in Mount Sinai b But not that seventh day which was from the first creation of the world for that was once changed vnto the first day of the weeke the day after the Iews Sabbaoth which we now keepe for the Sabbaoth day Acts 20.7 concerning which change three things are diligently to be considered 1 That it was made by the Apostles could be made by none so fitly as by them and that for two causes 1 Because they had the best gifts for they had the spirit of truth to leade them into all truth c And therefore could see further into things thē the rest of the church 2 Because by reason of their great Apostolicall authority they could prevaile more then thers 2 That the Apostles made this change of the day vpon good reasons made knowne to the Church and those were cheefely two 1 In memorie of the second creation of the world by Christ because on that day the Lord Iesus did most gloriously rise againe and so conquered death sinne and hell and finished the worke of mans Redemption which was a second creation 2 Then the Lord Iesus having as it were made the world new againe hee did 1 Cease suffering as God at the end of the first creation ceased working 2 Begin his glorious rest and so continueth in rest and glorie for ever In which respects 1 The time of the Gospel is called the world that was to come d The heavens and the earth are called New e and all things men all are called new f creatures 2 This new Sabbaoth also is called by a new name viz. the Lords day g of the Lord Iesus concerning which name two things are to be noted 1 That it must be retained with the day because part of the honour and estimation of the day consisteth in giving it his right name 2 That it dooth no whit abate the glory of the first creation nor of the first Sabbaoth but being added vnto it as a further honour doth increase the dignitie of it even as Iacob was more renowned of God when he was also called Israel 3 That this first day of the Iewes weeke which we now keepe for the Sabbaoth is that Sabbaoth day which was ordained by the Apostles through the direction of Gods spirite and therefore must remaine for ever and never more be changed For 1 Vppon this day the Primitive churches with the consent of the Apostles vsed to assemble and to exercise all the parts of Gods worshippe which were proper to the Sabbaoth day h 2 The Apostle Saint Paul willeth that to be done vpon this day which is most fit for the Sabbaoth day and that is collecting for the poore i as more at large is shewed in chapter 10. 3 This day hath beene kept of all Churches ever since the Apostles time and in all the new Testament is nothing found to controle the same neither was it ever resisted by the Apostles but hath beene by their writings approved and by their practise confirmed vnto vs. THE PROOFES a Gen 2.3 So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it c. b Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbaoth day to keepe it holy c. verse 10. But the seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God c Iohn 16.13 Howbeit when hee is come which is the spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth d Heb. 2.5 For he hath not put in subiection vnto the Angells the world to come whereof we speake e Esa 65.17 For loe I will create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde verse 18. But be you glad and reioyce for ever in the things that I shall create for behold I will create Ierusalem as a reioycing and her people as a ioy f 〈◊〉 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new g Apoc. 1.10 And I was in the spirit on the Lords day h Acts 20.7 And the first day of the weeke the Disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them i 1. Corin. 16.2 Euery first day of the weeke let every one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come What manner of rest must be kept CHAP. IIII. IT is not enough to keepe a rest but we must keepe a most precise and exact rest and that may appeare vnto vs two waies 1 By the manifold Commaundements even for the keeping of the Sabbaoth 2 By the vrging and repeating of the word Rest in so many words so often and so a particularly All the Commandements given for the keeping of the Sabbaoth are two fold Generall whereof some be without b penalties expressed and some be with c penalties annexed Speciall wherein the Lord forbiddeth his people to worke
on such things and at such times as might carry the greatest shew of being exempted as namely 1 Gathering of Manna d when they were fed but from hand to mouth as they say 2 Making of the Tabernacle e thogh it were the place wherein the Lord should be served 3 Working in harvest time f yea though it commeth but once a yeare and for mans life is most necessary 4 Keeping of faires and markets g carrying of things to be sold and selling of victualls there though then indeed much might be gained As it appeareth by the manifolde Commandements both generall and speciall for the Sabbaoth what manner of rest it is that must be kept so also is it made evident by the vrging and repeating of the word so often in so manie words and so particularly as we have seene before in Exod. 16.23 c. which rest thus vrged is two fold 1 Outward and of the whole body and that is two fold 1 From doing any of the foresaid things forbidden by speciall commaund or other workes whatsoever we vse or may doe lawfully on the sixe daies and they be of two sorts 1 Works of our Vocation And therefore it is not lawfull on the Sabbaoth day for Carriers to travell with their carriages h for Schoolemaisters to teach or studie humanitie for Physitians to reade bookes of surgery or physicke for Lawyers to studie the case peruse evidences c. nor for Iudges and Iustices to ride their circuites or sit in iudgement because all these are the ordinarie duties of their vocation which belong to the sixe daies except in cases excepted in the next chapter 2 Works of our Recreation yea though they be honest and at other times lawfull For 1 If the duties of our vocation without which a Common-wealth cannot stand must cease when we should attend vppon the Lordes worke much more must our pleasures cease without which men may continue though not well 2 As the works of our recreation are lesse needefull than those of our vocation so they doe more hinder vs from the sanctifying of the Sabbaoth by reason of the excessive delight which our corrupt nature doth take in them 2 From speaking and hearing of worldly businesse and that for two causes 1 Because much talking and hearing of worldly businesse doe as much hinder the sanctifying of the Sabboth as much working doe for 1 We may worke alone we cannot talke but with others and so wee hinder both our selves and others too 2 Our mindes cannot be set wholly vpon the worship and service of God as they should and at the same time be talking and hearing of i worldly matters 2 Because this Commandement must be no more restrained then the other And therefore vaine wordes and worldly speeches are heer also forbidden k as well as profane speeches in the first as naming of false gods in the second as vaine othes in the third as contemptuous speeches in the fift as railing wordes in the sixt as filthy words in the seventh as covetous speeches in the eight slandrous words in the ninth 2 Inward and of the minde viz. from studying and thâ—â— â—â—th day worldly matters and great 〈◊〉 there is so to beleeve For 1 The whole law was given to the whole man 2 The creation redemption and preservation to the glorification both of body and soule do bind vs to obey God both in bodie and minde 3 The law cannot else be perfect and absolute like the Law-giver who as he is a spirit so hee will be served in spirit and mind 4 Except our mindes be emptied of all worldly affaires there can be no roome for heavenly meditations to dwell in 5 The very end why we dispatch our hands of our businesse is that our mindes might not be disturbed with them THE PROOFES a Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabboth vnto the Lord and chapter 〈…〉 daies shall men worke but the 〈…〉 day is the Sabbaoth of the holy rest vnto the Lord whosoever doth any worke in the Sabbaoth day shall die the death and 35.2 as before b Exod. 20.10 But the seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. c Exod. 31.14 Hee that defileth it meaning the Sabbaoth shall die the death Therefore whosoever worketh therein the same person shall be even cut off from among his people Ier. 17.27 But if yee will not heare me to sanctifie the Sabbaoth day and not to beare a burden nor to goe through the gates of Ierusalem on the Sabbaoth day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devoure the pallaces of Ierusalem and shall not be quenched d Exod. 16.26 Six daies shall ye gather it but in the seventh day is the Sabbaoth in it there shall be none 27. Notwithstanding there went out some on the seventh day to gather but they found none 28. And the Lord said vnto Moses How long refuse yee to keepe my Commandements and my lawes 29. Behold how the Lord hath given you the Sabbaoth therefore hee giveth you the sixth day bread for two daies tarry therefore everie man in his place let no man goe out of his place the seventh day 30. So the people rested the seventh day c Exod. 31.12 Afterward the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 13. Speake thou also vnto the children of Israel saying Notwithstanding keepe yee my Sabbaoths for it is a signe betweene me and you c. f Exo. 34.21 Six daies thou shalt worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest both in earing time and in the harvest thou shalt rest g Nehe. 13.15 In those daies saw I in Iudah those that trode wine presses on the Sabbaoth day and which brought in sheaves and laded Asses also with wine grapes and figges and all burthens and brought them into Ierusalem on the Sabbaoth day and I protested to them in the day that they sold victualls 16. There dwelt men of Tyrus also therein which brought fish and all wares and sold on the Sabbaoth day vnto the children of Iudah even in Ierusalem 19. And when the gates of Ierusalem beganne to be darke before the Sabbaoth I commanded to shut the gates and charged that they should not be opened vntill after the Sabbaoth c. h Ier. 17.21 Thus saith the Lord Take heede to your soules and beare no burden in the Sabbaoth day nor bring it in by the gates of Ierusalem 22. Neither carry forth burdens out of your houses on the Sabbaoth day i Math. 6.24 No man can serve two masters k Esa 58.13 If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbaoth from doing thy will on my holy day and call the Sabbaoth a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shall honour him not doing thy own waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word then shalt thou delight in the Lord c. What works may be done vpon the Sabbaoth day CHAP.
that are vnder them That themselves must rest there is great reason for 1 The Law of God doth no more privilege them to breake the Commandements of God than it dooth other a men 2 Their example is dangerous if they doe not keepe the Rest and profitable if they doe keepe it 3 They must punish those that offend in this point which they cannot doe well if they offend themselves therein As they must keepe the Sabbaoth themselves so they must also see it kept by those that are vnder them 1 The Magistrate in the Common-wealth must see it kept and that two waies First by making of good lawes for the preservation of the rest with penalties and punishments for the offenders Secondly by looking diligently to the execution of the same for whose incouragement the Lord hath recorded in his word two singular things 1 A speciall promise of singular blessing vpon themselves and vpon their b people 2 A notable example of Nehemiah doing the like In whom two things are to be observed See Nehe. 13.15 16. c. 1 What zealous courage should bee in a Magistrate for the suppressing of such abuses as do profane the holy Sabboth and dishonour the name of God 2 What a blessed successe God sendeth vpon the godly endeavours and encounters of all such all enemies and hinderances notwithstanding 2 Maisters of families must see it kept and that two waies First by commanding their families to observe the Sabbaoth Secondly by punishing those that disobey their commaundement Provided alwaies that their commandements and punishments be free from hypocrisie and crueltie to which end they must take heede of three things 1 That they cause not their servants or others to worke for them when themselves doe rest as many hypocrites doe which vpon the Sabbaoth day compell their servants to worke in harvest time send them to faires and cause Shoomakers and Tailers and such like c. to worke and bring home their worke on that day 2 That they leave it not to their servants choice to keepe it or not to keepe it but to take an account of them 3 That they overlay not their servants so with their worke in the six daies but that they may have some time spared them to doe their owne in as to visite their friends when neede requireth to mend their apparrell and buy their provision c. So much of Governers duties in regard of the holy Rest Now of those that be in subiection and they as they are mentioned in the Commandement are of two sorts 1 Such as are indued with reason 2 Such as are voide of reason Those that are indued with reason are of two sorts 1 Those that are of our familie 2 Strangers Those that be of our familie are likewise two fold 1 Such as are of vs as our wives and children 2 Such as are not of vs but with vs as soiorners and servants That servants should then rest as well as their masters there is great reason and is three fold 1 Their condition were else intollerable c And seeing God hath appointed them one whole day in seven we can give them no lesse 2 The place and calling of a servant requireth great dutie and thankfulnesse both to God and man both which are to be learned vpon the Sabbaoth day and that cannot be done without rest both of body and minde 3 God will be honoured in the sanctification of the Sabbaoth as well by servants as by d masters Strangers also must keepe this Rest with vs of what Country or religion soever they be if they be vnder our government and that for two reasons 1 They being ioyned to Gods people and vnder their government must be subiect at the least to the outward discipline and order of the e Church 2 Otherwise they should become snares to intangle Gods people by working when they rest So much for those that are indued with reason Now it remaineth to see further that those things also which are void of reason must rest when the Sabbaoth day comes and they are also of two sorts 1 Things living as cattell and they must rest for two causes 1 For the renuing of their strength for mans further benefite Exod. 23.12 2 Thereby to keepe men the better vnto the obedience of this rest seeing the beasts themselves might not breake it 2 Things without life as the ground from being f digged tilled c. that men might learne thereby of what weight and moment the Sabbaoth is when all creatures should stoope vnto it yea the very insensible ground not free from the subiection of it THE PROOFES a Esa 30.33 For Tophet is prepared of old it is even prepared for the King Deut. 17.18 And when he shall sit vpon the throne of his kingdome then shall he write him this Law repeated in a booke by the Priests of the Levites 19. And it shall be with him and he shall reade therein all daies of his life that he may learue to feare the Lord his God and to keepe all the words of this Law and these ordinances for to doe them Iere. 17.20 And say vnto them Heare the word of the Lord yee Kings of Iudah and all Iudah and all the inhabitants of Ierusalem that enter in by these gates 21. Thus saith the Lord Take heede to your soules and beare no burden in the Sabbaoth day c. Math. 3.10 And now also is the axe put to the roote of the trees therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire b Ier. 17.25 Then shall the Kings and the Princes enter in at the gates of this Citie and shall sit vpon the throne of David and shall ride vpon Charets and vpon horses they and the men of Iudah c. 26. And they shall come from the Cities of Iudah and from about Ierusalem and from the land of Beniamin and from the Plaine and from the Mountaines and from the South which shall bring burnt offerings and sacrifices and meate offerings and incense and shall bring sacrifice of praise vnto the house of the Lord. c Deut. 5.14 The seventh day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any worke therein nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy man servant nor thy maid nor thy oxe nor thy asse neither any of thy cattell nor the stranger that is within thy gates that thy man servant and thy maid may rest as well as thou Exod. 23.12 In the seventh day thou shalt rest that thine oxe and thine asse may rest and the sonne of thy maid and the stranger may be refreshed d Ephes 6.9 And yee masters doe the same things vnto them putting away threatnings and know that even your Maister also is in heaven neither is there respect of person with him and verse 8. Whatsoever good thing any man doth that same shall he receive of the Lord whether bond or free See Col. 3.11 e Exod. 12.49 One Law shall
Scripture to our further g comfort and instruction 2 The better vnderstand the preaching 3 Make the better vse of that we heare So much of preparation before we goe to the publike exercises of religion Now of meditation when wee are gone from them which dutie that we may the better put in practise we are to know foure things 1 What meditation is 2 How hardly men are drawne vnto it 3 How it is commended in the scripture 4 That we must meditate as well vpon the workes as vpon the word of God Of the first Meditation is an exercise neither of the eye nor of the eare nor of the tong but of the minde onely after speaking reading hearing and beholding whereby 1 We call to minde that which wee have h heard read or seene 2 We doe further muse and reason of the same with our selves 3 We doe apply it to our owne vse and make practise of it Of the second That men naturally are hardly drawne vnto meditation the divell envying the great good of it is most certaine for 1 Most men naturally desire to passe the time as merrily as they can and to avoide muzings and melancholie dumps as they call them Secondly lest they should fall vnawares into meditation they will 1 Cut off all meanes that might procure meditation by being alwaies in pleasant company 2 Maintaine foolish and profane jestures in their houses if they be able of purpose 1 To feede their owne profane and irreligious humors 2 To keepe them from meditating and studying of mortification Of the third Meditation is commended vnto vs in the Scripture as a thing that is 1 A speciall good meanes to cause vs to keepe the Commandements of God and to prosper in that we take in i hand 2 A true note of a man that is both truly godly and truly k happy 3 The practise of the godly when they would withstand the force of slaunderous tongues and other l wicked devises and when they vnderstand more of Gods law than m other men Of the fourth We must not onely meditate vpon the word of God which we reade and heare but also of his workes which we behold in the heavens in the earth in the sea in our selves c. that so wee may 1 Learne the invisible things of God as well by experience as by n doctrine 2 Thereby be confirmed in o godlinesse and be assured of p Gods truth and favour THE PROOFES a Exod. 19.10 Moreover God said vnto Moses Goe to the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their clothes Eccles 4.17 Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God c. b Luke 8.18 Take heede how ye heare 1. Cor. 11.28 Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate c. c Hest 4.10 And fast ye for me eate not nor drinke in three daies day nor night I also and my maides will fast likewise and so I will goe in to the King c. d Ephes 6.18 And pray c. for all Saints 19. And for me that vtterance may be given me that I may open my mouth boldly as I ought to speake e 1. Cor. 2.7 But wee speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie c. 8. Which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne c. f Ephes 5.8 For we were once darkenesse g Acts 17.11 These were also more noble men than they of Thessalonica which received the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so h Luke 2.19 But Mary kept all those sayings and pondred them in her heart i Ioshu 1.8 Let not this booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maiest observe and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou have good successe k Psal 1.2 But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night l Psal 119 23. Princes also did sit and speake against me but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes 78. They have dealt wickedly and falsely with me but I meditate in thy precepts m Psal 119.99 I have had more vnderstanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation n Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of Him that is his eternall power and godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes c. o Psal 92.4 For thou Lord hast made me glad by thy workes and I will reioyce in the worke of thy hands 5. O Lord how glorious are thy workes Psal 77.11 I remembred the workes of the Lord certainely I remembred thy wonders of old I did also meditate all thy workes c. Psal 8.3 When I behold thine heavens the workes of thine fingers the moone and the starres which thou hast ordained 4. What is man say I c. p Esa 40.12 Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heaven with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaine in a weight and the hills in a ballance c. Math. 6.25 Be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate c. 26. Behold the fowles of the heaven c. 28. Learne how the lillies of the field do grow c. Of those duties that are to be performed with others and first of Conference CHAP. XII THose duties which are to be performed with others for the private sanctifying of the Sabbaoth day are two 1 Conference of Gods word and workes which on the Lords day wee reade heare see and heare of 2 Singing of Psalmes See chap. 13. Concerning Conference five things are well to be observed 1 With whom to conferre 2 Why conference must be had vppon the Sabbaoth day 3 Why it is so little vsed 4 How to conferre 5 What is the fruit of conference Of the first point With whom to conferre Conference is to be had with two kindes of persons 1 With our a owne families and that for two causes 1 To whet our own memories 2 To convey religion vnto our posteritie 2 With other persons namely our neighbours b that feare God and our c Ministers Therefore it followeth that the Minister must not be vnlearned for then he cannot resolve mens doubts nor satisfie mens consciences c. nor prowd and disdainefull for then hee will not admit any conference especially with poore simple men Of the second point Why on the Sabbaoth day Conference is good and necessary at all times but especially on the Sabbaoth day and that for two causes 1 Because we have then lately heard the word and after a more speciall manner and so have greater occasion and provocation to confer 2 We have then more leasure by reason that we are not to be interrupted with worldly matters Of the third point Why it is so little vsed The