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
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
wisedome in our calling and so we shall be deliuered from that necessitie of working many times which otherwise we doe voluntarily pull vpon our selues Thus wee may conclude this point that seeing the Lord of his great liberalitie euen vpon that day wherein hee requireth our rest most precisely hath not cast vs into that bondage that we should doe nothing at all but hath left vs that freedome that in needfull things we may labour it standeth vs in hand so much the more carefully to looke to our selues that wee be sure the things we go about could not haue bin done before not deferred any longer and therefore were necessary to be done at that time which when wee bee throughly persuaded of by Gods word then may wee in faith and a good conscience take them in hand knowing that the Lord exempteth vs as it were at that presēt from the generall lawe of resting and by some speciall occasion calleth vs to worke and therefore wee doe it as vnto him Works of necessitie vpon the Lords day must not be done for gaine but of mercy and pitie In which consideration wee ought not to take any thing for our worldly labours vpon the Sabbath and we should not make a gaine of our trauaile vpon that day if necessitie driue vs vnto it for we do it not as a worke of our calling from the which wee must cease nor as that by the which wee get our liuing with which wee must not meddle but only because some of the creatures doe stand in neede of our helpe for whose preseruation the day of rest is appointed and therefore in pitie and compassion vnto them we yeelde them our labour and doe it as a deed of mercy and vnto the Lord. And therfore though that constitution of Gregorie the 9. Cent. 13. cap. 6. be not in all points sound when he saith Let men and cattell rest vpon the Lords day vnlesse vrgent necessitie compell them vel nisi gratis fiat or vnlesse it be done freely for the poore or for the Church because the free doing of a thing will not excuse it when there is no necessitie or when it is not a worke proper vnto this day yet it seemeth that herein he aymed at the truth when he requires that that which is done should not be for gaine but of loue to the poore and to the Church of God and therefore freely And this is that indeed which commonly men do pretend when they are charged with their needlesse trauailings that it was a good deed to help such a one in miserie and it did lye vpon his vndoing and hee could not but doe it for very pitie and a great deale more they can say for themselues Therefore let it appeare by their doings that nothing mooued them but pitie and that of very conscience to relieue the necessity of others thy were mooued vnto it by not onely not receiuing but not looking for any reward of men no more then you doe of the almes which you giue and for visiting the sicke and imprisoned that so it may be counted as an holy worke indeed when you doe it not respecting your owne profite in it but onely the good of others Therefore let the Phisition or chirurgian and such as attend vpon the sicke or are any wayes imployed about him take nothing for their paines vpon the Sabbath but let them doe it freely that it may be a gift and not accounted as a work of their calling but a deede of loue and the apothecarie though he receiue money for his stuffe yet let his labour be free The like must be vnderstoode of all other works of necessitie And therefore if the lawyer counsellor or sergeant will needs trauaile then about his clients cause let him doe it onely for Gods sake and not bee occupied about it as a worldly thing and a matter of gaine for that is proper to the sixe daies in the which God would haue them in the sweat of their face to eate their bread Obiection But if they say it may be the men with and for whom we deale stand in no such need of our liberalitie nay they would thinke scorne of it and they may better giue vs a pound then wee them a penny Answer then yet at least wise dedicate it to the poore and taking it with the one hand giue it with the other that you may haue the testimony of a good conscience the spirite of God bearing you witnes that your worke was onely for the Lorde as this day is appointed out wholly for his seruice and that no priuate commoditie of your owne mooued you vnto it for the Lord hath giuen you the sixe dayes to make prouision for yourselfe for otherwise we shall make no difference betwixt the sixe daies and the seuenth the works of the one and of the other if we shall in all of them alike be conuersant in the same things with the same minde and for the same ende and purpose Therefore that I might end this matter we doe see that excepting these cases of necessitie in which the Lord would haue vs thus cheerefully to be occupied as about the works of mercy and his seruice onely from whence no gaine is to be looked for 1. Tim. 6.6 though godlines indeed be great gaine and he that hath pitie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lorde and looke what he layeth out Prou. 19.17 it shall be repayed him wee are bound most straitly in this commandement to rest and that the Lord looketh for a rare and singular kinde of rest euen such a one as wee haue heard out of his worde and that hee will not dispence with vs in any wise but as it hath beene shewed and therefore that wee ought to haue a principall respect and regard vnto it as to the thing that doth most neerely concerne vs. And in this one point though I am not ignorant that I haue a great cloud of aduersaries against me who are otherwise minded and cannot be thus persuaded as indeed many things in this commandement are greatly controuersied yea among the learned as in any one that I know yet I desire them in the feare of God that as they will obserue the rule of the Apostle Iames 1.19 who would haue vs swift to heare slowe to speake and slow to wrath they would indifferently and as it were in an eeuen ballance weigh such things at haue been alreadie alledged for the proofe of it before they begin to giue out their censures against it Obiection If we be thus straitly bound to rest we are still in as great bondage as the Iewes were vnder the law Therefore whereas some men might hereupon gather that if the case be thus betwixt the Lorde and vs in the matter of the Sabbath and that the commandement of resting doth stand in such force and strength and bindeth vs so strongly as it doth then our estate is no better then the Iewes the same
reuised mine owne labours in which hauing at the first contented my selfe with the bare proofes out of the scriptures which I then thought sufficient especially for that auditorie to whome they were first ment did now compare the seuerall positions therein contained with the doctrine of former times and other Churches as I found the same set downe in the writings of the fathers Greeke and Latine new and olde so many as I had or could conueniently get and as I had time to reade them whom I finding to agree with me in the same points or rather my selfe with them was thereby the rather confirmed therin and thought that by their testimony and consent as it were by the pillar of truth I might sustaine and defend the same against al those that should oppugne or gainsay it Thus hauing so many learned men on my side managing the same cause with me or rather my selfe fighting vnder their colours haue at the last brought foorth this treatise vnto the view of the world and haue adventured it vnto 〈◊〉 the censures and speeches of all men wherin as I haue sought the â—â—ory of GOD in the publishing of his truth so I pray the same â—ord to maintaine defend and blesse the same so far foorth as it 〈◊〉 his trueth And here derely beloued in the Lorde as I haue â—â—imply and as it were with a naked breast declared vnto you the â—auses of my beginning and proceeding in this worke and that I â—aue not rashly and on the sodaine fallen into these opinions and â—hrust foorth my selfe into the world so I most humbly craue of â—ou this fauoure that all preiudice and sinister affection being â—ayd aside al things might be weighed in an euen ballance before they be refused as not hauing their iust weight euen there where they might cary some shew of vntruth according to the Canoniâ—all rule of the Apostle much more that al friuolous wranglings contentions gaine saying ambitious desire to ouercome and peruerse drawing of things to a wrong sense beeing forborne where I seeme to erre as I acknowledge my selfe subiecte vnto it I might charitably and Christianly bee admonished by your godly wisdomes that so I might also either by better proofes second the truth or els vpon more mature deliberation retract mine errour â—f there be anie For I doe most willingly submit my selfe vnto the Church of God by it in all things to bee censured and reformed according to his word Which I doe so much the more earnestly entreate at your hands because besides the conscience of my great vnsufficiency to deale in so weightie a matter before so many hundreths as the Lord in our time hath raysed vp fit for euery purpose I am not ignorant that this argument of the Sabbath is full of controuersie aboue many other points of diuinitie wherein many learned godly men dissent one from another which as I was perswaded of at the first so now of late since I attempted the â—ublishing of this booke I haue founde it to bee true by a most â—nwilling experience euen among those who for their great vaâ—ietie of all learning deserue singularly to bee admired And â—â—ough it were to be wished that we should be like minded being â—â—one accord and of one iudgement yet seeing wee are men and haue but our measure of knowledge and that in euerie thing and so may easily dissent in that whereunto wee are come let vs proceede by one rule and if any be otherwise minded GOD shall reueale the same vnto him Thus commending my selfe vnto your praiers and these my labours vnto your fauourable good liking I bid you most heartily farewell in the Lorde who keepe vs alwaies his and one anothers in Christ Norton in Suffolke Iune 27. 1595. next after the yeare of Gods heauie and vnknowen iudgements by sundrie tempestes continued and renewed of boysterons windes great raine and outrage of waters fearefull thunders and lightnings pintching dearth and vntimely fruits to the destruction and losse of men cattell and goods Your dutifull brother and fellow seruant in the Gospel of Christ NICHOLAS BOVVNDE The first booke shewing the Institution and necessarie Continuance of the Sabbath and from what seuerall things we are commanded to rest vpon that day Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holie 9. Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke 10. But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy manseruant nor thy mayd nor thy beast nor the stranger that is within thy gates 11. For in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it AS in the first Commandement the substance of Gods worship is set downe and in the second the manner of it in the third the end so here the time when and how long this should be openly and publikly thus practised In giuing of which Commandement the Lord vseth such manner of words and matter as might most stirre vs vp to the carefull keeping of it for in the practise of it consisteth the practise of all the other and in the neglect of it is the neglect of all religion Our naturall corruption rebellion therefore against this Commandement especially appeareth in that the Lord stirreth vs vp to it so many wayes yea in the first pronouncing of it How this CoÌ„mandement differeth from all the rest For first whereas in the other Commandements he contenteth himselfe with bare commanding this or forbidding that yet to this he putteth an especial marke saying Remember that is thinke of it afore hand for indeed the want of remembring it in due time is many times one cause that it is no better obserued when it commeth And in Deuter. Deut. 5.12 Moses repeating the Law forgetteth not this word but vseth another of like importance saying Obserue or looke vnto the Sabbath to sanctifie it and further addeth As the Lord thy God commandeth thee referring them to the first giuing of it yea euen in this marking Secondarily in all the other Commandements when he simply forbiddeth a sinne it is to be vnderstood that he commandeth the contrary vertue though not expressed and when he willeth the good to be done he forbiddeth the contrary euill though it bee not named as wee haue seene in expounding the other Commandements yet in this not onely the good is plainly commaunded Keepe holy the Sabbath day but the euill is expresly forbidden In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke Thirdly it differeth from all other Commandements in that the Lord hath adioyned more reasons to it then to any other because our nature is most against the obseruation of it for whereas some Commandements haue no reason at all ioyned vnto them and especially in the second table in which our nature is not so corrupt
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
signe which was giuen to the ende this might restraine them so much the more and that they should be admonished by this meane to obserue the Sabbath day with all reuerence Ionah 3.7 And thus as in the daies of Ionah when the King of Niniue proclaimed a fast he sayd Let neither man nor beast bullocke nor sheepe taste any thing neither feede or drinke water but let man and beast put on sackcloth that by the sight of it they might be taught the greatnes of their sinnes and be the rather moued thereby to a more earnest repentance for the same Exod. 19.12 And as in the giuing of the law when the Lord would strike into the hearts of all the people a reuerence of his maiestie that they might the more obediently receiue his worde and content themselues with that manner and measure of reuealing himselfe vnto them that hee was then purposed in his wisedome to vse towards them and knew to bee most expedient for them and therfore would not haue them come neere the mountaine to gaze and too curiously to search after that which was not lawfull for them to know and therefore commanded Moses to set vp markes vnto the people round about the Mount charging them also not to breake out beyond them vnder the paine of a most execrable death and therefore would haue the very beast that should touch the mountaine bee stoned or striken through with darts to moue the people vnto a deeper consideration of it for whose sake onely euery thing there was then done Euen so here that all men might most carefully obserue that rest vnto the Lord which is so acceptable vnto him hee commaunded the bruit beasts and vnreasonable creatures to rest not that he had any care of them in giuing his law to whom it doth not appertaine but hauing a singular regard of his people and therefore taking away from among them all things that might bee any occasion to withdraw them from the obedience of this rest euen the working of the cattell and giuing vnto them all the good meanes that might make for their better proceeding herein euen the resting of the oxe and the asse For which cause also he commanded that the strangers And the strangers that be of another religion borne out of the stocke of Israel nor of the linage of the Iewes yet now adioyned vnto that people and being vnder their gouernment should howsoeuer in other things they knew not the true God of Israel neither did serue him according to his word yet in this should at leastwise bee subiect to the outward discipline and order of the Church and haue their rest common with them that thus the Church whom the Lord especially regarded whither soeuer it did looke and cast her eyes might haue nothing as a snare to entangle her by beholding the strangers and cattle to worke when themselues did rest And for the same cause he bound the strangers as well as his owne people to the outward obseruation of other lawes and statutes so farre forth as did make for the vniformitie of the Church and edification of it in godlines by their example Whereunto agreeth that Caluin vpon Deut. 5. serm 35. and is almost the same in words which Master Caluin writeth in his sermons of this matter For wee know sayth he that if things contrarie to the seruice of God be permitted although one shall happilie say these which offend are not of our societie and companie we shall notwithstanding by their euill examples be induced to follow them if the strangers had beene permitted to labour among the Iewes what might haue happened thereby The Iewes would haue had dealings with them and so haue defiled themselues they would haue made small difference between this day and others For when examples are set before our eies we are easily led away to that which is euill And in the same place a little after hee thus concludes So then to the ende all such occasion of transgressing against this rest might be remoued and that this day might bee obserued with greater reuerence as God willed that the beasts and cattel should rest so commandeth he that the strangers doe the like although they were of another faith and religion And as the Passeouer though it were a Sacrament only belonging vnto the Iewes and the difference of meates and of cleane and vncleane thinges was proper vnto them yet the Lorde would haue the strangers that dwelt among them be subiect to the same lawes for the good of his people and so that otherwise he would not haue them to haue any dealing with them for he threatneth to cut them off from his people which appeareth as in other places of the Scripture so Exod. 12.19 and Leuit. 17.12.15 All which doe euidently declare that the Lorde would haue this holy Sabbath of rest without all interruption and gainsaying to be duely obserued on all sides when vnto the particular commanding of all estates by name to rest he hath adioyned the beasts and the strangers vpon whom be layes the like charge The ground also had her Sabbath rest And to make an end of this matter that the excellencie and dignitie of this rest nay the necessitie of it may be knowne farre and neere to be so great as it is indeed the Lord did commaund the ground to keepe her sabbath and rest and so vpon it did engraue the liuely image of this true rest that by this babish instruction meete for the time they might learne of what moment waight the Sabbath was when as thus al creatures should stoup and doe homage vnto it yea the very insensible ground should not bee free from the subiection of it as it is at large in many wordes set downe by Moses Leuit. 25.3 Sixe yeares thou shalt sowe thy fielde and sixe yeares thou shalt cut thy vineyeard and gather the fruite thereof 4. But the seuenth yeare shall be a Sabbath of rest vnto the land it shall bee the LORDS Sabbath thou shalt neither sowe thy fielde nor cut thy vineyard that which groweth of it owne accord of thy haruest thou shalt not reape neither gather the grapes that thou hast left vnlaboured for it shall bee a yeare of rest vnto the lande All which thinges thus at large vnfoulded and layd forth before our eyes may determine and make an ende of this matter if vnto them I doe adde this one thing that whereas men might haue gone about to withdraw their obedience from this rest defrauding the law as it were vnder a vaine pretence of resting themselues whiles in the meane season they did abuse the labour of their seruants their cattel and the strangers to the doing of many of their owne works vpon the Sabbath contrarie to the true intent of the law giuer hee is not contented to haue in most plaine wordes forbidden them to worke themselues but because whatsoeuer they doe by others they are said to doe
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
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
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
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
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