is not so lawfull upon any day si autem pro necessitaâ—â— corporis c. But if it be for the necessitie of the bodie we doe not forbid it upon the Lords day for no man hateth his owne flesh 2. If it be a sinne to wash upon the Lords day neither is it lawfull so much as to wash the face Si hoc in corporis parte conceditur cur hoc exigente necessitate toti corpori negatur If this be permitted in one part of the bodie why necessitie so requiring should it be denied to the whole bodie So then neither were the Jewes so strictly bound from all corporall labour as they superstitiously observe as may appeare by Ioshuahs and the whole hosts compassing of Jericho seven dayes together Iosh. 7. and by the Macchabees fighting upon the Sabbath 1 Macchab. 2.41 And Christians have more libertie herein than the Jewes had for it is lawfull for them to prepare their food upon the Lords day which it was not lawfull for the Jewes to doe upon their Sabbath for as Thom. Aquinas well resolveth Opus corporale pertinens ad conservandum salutem proprii corporis non violat Sabbatum A corporall worke belonging to the conservation of the health of ones bodie doth not violate the Sabbath and this is grounded upon that saying of our blessed Saviour The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Mark 2.27 God would not have the Sabbath which was made for mans benefit to be used to his hindrance Lyranus yeeldeth this reason betweene the strictnesse imposed upon the Jewes and the libertie of Christians quia illa vacatio figuralis erat because their resting was figurative and therefore was most strictly to be kept à figura quantumcunque modico subtracto mutatur tota significatio and take never so little from a figure the whole signification is changed as if you take l. from lapis or s. from stone that which remaineth signifieth nothing but though somewhat be taken from the substance of a stone it is a stone still 4. Conf. Against the Anabaptists that would have no day kept holy unto the Lord. IN the next place are the Anabaptists to be met withall and who else doe condemne the observation of the Lords day among Christians because the Apostle reproveth the Galathians for observing of dayes and moneths Galath 4. and in other places Contra. 1. The observing of dayes is not simply prohibited by the Apostle sed cum opinione cultus vel necessitatis but with an opinion of religion placed in the day and necessity the Jewes kept their Sabbath as making the observation of the day a part of Gods worship and they held it necessary to keepe that day unchangeable It was also unto them a type and figure of the spirituall rest But the Christians now keepe not the Lords day in any of these respects either as a day more holy in it selfe than others or as of necessitie to be kept but onely for order and decencie sake because it is meet that some certaine day should be set apart for the worship of God Vrsin 2. As in the practice of Physicke and in politike affaires and in the trade of husbandrie there is both a lawfull observation of dayes and an unlawfull for to observe seasons of the yeate for the earth and for ministring unto the bodie of man as also to make choice of the most convenient times for civill businesse is not unlawfull yet the superstitious respect of dayes as making some fortunate some unfortunate and to depend wholly upon the aspects of starres is a vaine and idle thing So likewise in the businesse of religion as dayes may bee superstitiously kept so they may also for order sake and to other good uses bee distinguished 3. Like as then though Christians yeeld a comely reverence unto the publike places of prayer yet not in like sort as the Jewes accounted of their Tabernacle so according to the same rule there is a preeminence given unto the Lords day but not with the like difference of dayes as the Jewes esteemed their Sabbath Simler 5. Conf. Against the Zuincfeldians that hold the preaching of the Word superfluous whereby the Lords day is sanctified THe Zuincfeldians doe also faile in the manner of celebrating the Lords day counting the ministery of the Gospell and preaching of the word of God whereby the Lords day is sanctified a superfluous thing cleaving wholly unto their vaine speculations and phantasticall visions and revelations whereas it is evident out of the Scriptures that both the old Sabbath of the Jewes was solemnized and kept in hearing Moses read and preached Acts 15.21 and the Lords day in like sort was sanctified by the Apostles with preaching Acts 20.7 ex Bastingio Now proceed we on to deale against the Romanists who diversly erre as touching the Lords day 6. Conf. That the Lords day is warranted by Scripture and not by tradition onely FIrst they hold that the keeping of the Lords day in stead of the Jewish Sabbath is not warranted by Scripture but onely by tradition from the Apostles To this purpose the Rhemists Matth. 15. sect 3. And there are other beside in these dayes that make the observation of the Lords day onely an Ecclesiasticall constitution Contra. 1. There are three most evident texts of Scripture usually alleaged which doe make it evident that this change of the Sabbath began in the time of the Apostles and so by their Apostolike authoritie being thereto guided by the Spirit is warranted and so declared and testified in Scripture These are the places Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Revelat. 1.10 In the first we have the exercises of religion preaching and ministring the Sacraments which were peculiar to the Sabbath transferred to the first day of the weeke In the second publike charitable collections for the poore which was also used upon the Sabbath In the third the very name of the Lords day is set downe 2. And further that this day was consecrated by divine authoritie the great works doe shew wherewith this day from the beginning hath beene honoured as Augustine hath sorted them together Venerabilis est hic dies in quo transgressi sunt filiâ— Israel mare rubrum c. This day is to be reverenced wherein the Israelites passed over the red sea wherein Manna first rained upon the Israelites in the desert our Lord was baptized in Jordan water was turned into wine in Cana of Galile wherein the Lord blessed the five loaves wherewith he fed five thousand men wherein he rose againe from the dead entred into the house the doores being shut wherein the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles c. Serm. 154. 3. This reason also may perswade it because the Lords day is now sanctified to holy uses as the Sabbath was to the Jewes but it belongeth onely unto God to sanctifie by his word as the Apostle saith Every creature is sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5
Therefore the Lords day must be warranted by the word before it can be sanctified and set apart to holy uses 5. And seeing the Jewes Sabbath is warranted by the word it must also be changed by the word there must bee the same authority in the alteration of it which was in the first institution The Lords day then was not appointed by the ordinary authority of the Church for then the Church by the same authority might constitute another day if there were cause which cannot be admitted but as Vrsinus saith Apostolica Ecclesiae pro libertate sibi à Christo donata c. The Apostolike Church according to the liberty given them of Christ did make choice of the first day for the seventh The Church then by the extraordinary power of the Apostles directed specially thereunto by the Spirit of God did alter the day and Tostatus saith well Tota Ecclesia Spiritu sancto ducta hunc deem instituit The whole Church being led by the holy Ghost did institute this day quaest 11. 7. Conf. Of the preeminence of the Lords day beyond other festivals ANother errour of the Romanists is that they require sanctification and necessary keeping of all holy dayes as making a necessity of keeping all alike Rhemist annot Galath 4. sect 5. Contra. 1. The same difference that was betweene the legall Sabbath and other their festivals remaineth still betweene the Lords day observed among Christians and other holy dayes but the Sabbath day was more strictly observed than the greatest festivals besides for on their Sabbath it was not lawfull to kindle a fire Exod. 35.3 nor to dresse their meat Exod. 16.23 but on other festivals they were not forbidden to doe such works as were to bee done about their meat Exod. 12.16 they were onely restrained from doing servile works Levit. 23.7 but the works about their meat and drinke were not servile 2. The observation of the Lords day doth simply binde every Christian in conscience though there were no positive Law of the Church for it that wheresoever a Christian liveth in any part of the world it is his dutie in remembrance of the resurrection of our blessed Saviour to sanctifie the Lords day but other festivals of Saints a man is not bound in conscience simply to keepe but as hee is bound in generall to yeeld obedience to the superiour authoritie in lawfull things for onely Gods immediate Commandements doe simply bind in conscience in respect of the thing commanded as the Apostle saith There is one lawgiver that is able to save and destroy Iam. 4.12 and no more but he alone therefore by this reason the Lords day hath a preeminence before other festivals 3. Hereunto I will adde Tostatus reason Sabbatum vel una quaecunque esset dies in hebdomada observanda videbatur dependere à ratione naturali The Sabbath or what other day is to be kept in the weeke seemeth to depend upon naturall reason as is shewed before quest 5. Caetera observationes sunt magis ex voluntate legislatoris Other observations depend rather of the will of the lawmaker Tostat. qu. 13. So our Lords day succeeding the Jewish Sabbath is grounded in part even upon the law of nature but other festivities depend ab arbitrio Ecclesiae of the determination of the Church So then to conclude this point as Augustine saith Quomodo Maria virgo mater Domini inter omnes mulieres principatum tenet sic inter caeteros dies haec omnium dierum mater est As the Virgin Marie the mother of our Lord is the principall among women so among other dayes this day is as the mother of the rest Sermon de temper 36. 8. Controv. To commit any sinne upon the Lords day is a double transgression THe Romanists here have another erroneous assertion that the internall act of religion pertaineth not to the keeping of the Sabbath but the externall and so consequently they denie that any sinne committed upon the Sabbath is thereby the greater Bellar. de cult sanctor lib. 3. cap. 10. prop. 4. Contra. 1. But the contrarie is evident out of Scripture that it belongeth to the rest of the Sabbath to abstaine from the works of sinne ut vacantes à pravis actionibus c. that being vacant or ceasing from evill actions they might suffer God to worke in them by his Spirit therefore the Lord saith speaking of his Sabbath It is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that I the Lord doe sanctifie you Exod. 31.13 And to the same purpose Ezechiel chap. 20.12 I have given them also my Sabbath to be a signe betweene me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that doe sanctifie them These places are urged to this purpose by Pelargus Bastingius 2. So the Fathers expound that precept of doing no servile worke upon the Sabbath Ne nos voluptas corporis libido succendant That the pleasure and lust of the bodie should not inflame us upon this day qui enim facit peccatum est servus peccati for he that committeth sinne is the servant of sinne So Hierome in Esaiam cap. 59. Likewise Augustine thus writeth Spiritualiter observat sabbatum Christianus abstinens se ab opere servili c. A Christian man doth spiritually observe the Sabbath in abstaining from servile worke what is this from servile worke from sinne Tractat. 4. in Ioann So also Thomas Est triplex servitus una qua homo servit peccato c. There is a threefold service one when a man serveth sinne altera qua homo servit homini c. another when man serveth man and this service is according to the bodie not in the minde tertia est servetus Dei the third is the service of God If we understand servile worke this last way it is not forbidden upon the Sabbath day sed alia opera servilia primo vel secundo modo c. but other servile works the first or second way are contrary to the keeping of the Sabbath Sic Thomas 2.2 quaest 122. art 4. addit 3. 3. Hereunto I will adde Tostatus reason Hence it followeth that hee which committeth adulterie killeth or is drunken upon the Lords day magis peccat quà m si aliis diebus idem ageret sinneth more than if he should doe the same thing upon other dayes quia sic est transgressor duplicis praecepti because he so transgresseth two Commandements that precept Thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill or any other and this of sanctifying the Sabbath Tostat. qu. 12. See more of this question elsewhere Synops. Centur. 2. err 70. 4. Morall observations 1. Observ. Against hypocrisie and vaine glorie Vers. 8. REmember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it c. Rupertus applieth this text against the doing of any thing for vaine glorie or to bee seene of men but wee should referre all to the praise of God In omnibus operibus tuis Deiretributionem attende c. In all thy works wait for
is not to play the Jew but a Christian may as lawfully doe it as to sweare upon the Gospels or any other part of the divine Scriptures 2. Dare favorem errori Iudaeorum c. To give way or shew favour unto the errour of Jewes is sinne but a Christian swearing upon the Thora should give way unto the Jewish errour Ergo. Answ. To sweare upon the Thora where any scandall or offence may grow unto the weake or any occasion of hardning to the Jew it is unlawfull yet this sheweth not but that where no such danger is simply so to take an oath is not unlawfull 3. To make this a lawfull act then for a Christian to take an oath upon the Jewes Thora these things must be considered 1. If he sweare upon it not as upon any other booke of the same contents that is comprehending the five bookes of Moses but as it is a monument of the Jewes bound up in silke and laid up in their Synagogue so is it not lawfull because to be addicted to such superstitious observations is sinne 2. Though there be no difference betweene their Thorah which is written in Hebrew and our Pentateuch in Latine or English in respect of the substance but one indifferently may lay his hand upon the one or the other for there is no difference of languages before God yet if a man make difference in his owne opinion thinking the one not as lawfull as the other herein he should offend doing against his owne conscience 3. Or if an Hebrew should require a Christian to sweaâ—e upon his Thorah rather than upon the Gospels it were not lawfull for hereby we should confirme him in his errour 4. Or if one Christian should require another to sweaâ—e rather upon the Jewish Thorah than upon the Gospels it were not safe so â—o doe because such an one giveth occasion of suspition that he doth not firmely and stedfastly beleeve the contents of the Gospell 5. But if a Christian of himselfe without any such motion made by another doe willingly take his oath upon the Thorah either of necessity because there is no other booke of Scripture present or because he maketh no difference betweene one booke of Scripture and another he may doe it lawfully so it be done without offence unto others Sic Tostat. quaest 16. QUEST XXIX That it is not lawfull for a Christian to sweare upon the Turkes Alcaron or Mahomets thigh nor for a Turke himselfe BUt though a Christian may sweare upon the Jewes Thora the former considerations being observed yet is it altogether unlawfull for him to sweare either upon Mahomets thigh which is kept as an holy relique among the Saracens and Turkes or upon their Alcaron 1. The first is evident because this being a morall precept to sweare by the name of God only and not by the name of any strange gods bindeth all beleeving people for ever now to sweare by Mahomets thigh is to sweare by a strange god and therefore it is unlawfull as well for the Jew as the Christian to take such an oath seeing they are both bound to keepe the morall precepts and Commandements Tostat quaest 19. 2. The other also is unlawfull as it may thus be shewed for an oath is made three wayes either 〈◊〉 God alone without any other externall signe or symboll which is a lawfull and sufficient oath or by the creature alone which is an unlawfull oath for so the glory which is onely due unto God should be given unto the creature or by God and some creature together with reference unto God as when in taking an oath the hand is laid upon a booke But such a creature is used as an externall symboll in an oath as in quo nihil est mendacii wherein there is no lye and it must immediat è nos ducere in cognitionem Dei bring us immediatly to the knowledge of God therefore we lay not our hand upon a stone because it hath no instruction in it as a booke hath But the Gospell hath both these properties there is no falsehood or untruth in it and it doth bring us immediatly and directly to the knowledge of God The Turkes Alcaron hath neither for both it containeth many falsehoods fables and untruths and it can never bring us to the knowledge of the true God having many errours in it So then a Christian taking his oath upon the Alcaron thereby should confesse all to be true which is there contained and so blaspheme God and beside give great offence unto Christians and so secondly his brethren therefore it were better for a Christian to chuse rather to dye than to take such a blasphemous oath Tostat. qu. 20. The like judgement is to be given of the Jewes Talmud which containeth many fables and blasphemies against Christ. And for the same reasons before alleaged even a Turke or Saracen sinneth in taking an oath upon Mahomets thigh though he directly make it not God because he useth such an unholy superstitious and abominable thing in taking of a sacred oath likewise he offendeth in swearing upon his Alcaron which containeth abominable lies and the same most pernicious even concerning the end of all our happinesse in blessednesse in the next world which their Alcaron placeth and maketh to consist in the carnall pleasures of eating and drinking and the use of women Tostat. quaest 21 22. QUEST XXX Why three feasts are only named wherein they had more Vers. 14. THree times thou shalt keepe a feast unto mee in the yeere 1. They had divers other festivall dayes beside these three which are here named the Pasch called the feast of unleavened bread Pentecost named the feast of first fruits and the feast of Tabernacles called here the feast of gathering fruits in the end of the yeere which said three feasts are not named because they were more strictly observed than the rest for the Sabbath was more straitly kept wherein it was not lawfull to kindle a fire Exod. 35.3 nor consequently to doe any worke about preparing of their meat neither in the feast of reconliation was it lawfull to doe any worke at all Levit. 23.28 whereas in other feasts only servile workes are forbidden and in the feast of the Passeover such workes as were about their meat and drinke were permitted Exod. 12.16 But therefore are these three feasts named because in them onely the people were bound to come up before the Lord. 2. And these three were speciall feasts above the rest for these causes 1. Because in them onely the people were required to appeare before the Lord. 2. Speciall oblations were offered in these feasts In the Passeover was offered a sheafe of the first fruits Levit. 23.10 in the feast of Pentecost they presented the first fruits of their wheat harvest faire flower baken with leaven Levit. 23.17 And in the feast of Tabernacles they were commanded to make them boothes of boughes ibid vers 40. 3. Those feasts excelled the other in respect of the
times upon the Sabbath 3. Calvin affirmeth that this is so straitly commanded Vt dies septimus servetur etiam sub periculo communis jacturae That the seventh day should be observed even with the hazard and danger of the common losse But Gallasius better concludeth out of Christs words The Sabbath was made for man that the Jewes were not tied to such necessity in keeping the Sabbath in harvest and seed time but that in any common and apparent danger they might periculo occurrere prevent it 4. Some of the Hebrewes therefore understand this precept of the carnall act of generation which they would have here insinuated by the sowing of seed But beside that if the Scripture here had any such meaning it would have expressed it in plaine words for of such things the Scripture useth to speake exactly and plainly this were to make matrimony and the use thereof unholy Tostat. Though it must be confessed that greater moderation in such carnall delights is to be used when solemne and publike prayer is offered unto God according to S. Pauls counsell 1 Cor. 7.5 5. Therefore the better opinion is that even the rest of the Sabbath was dispensed withall to the Israelites in the times of seed time and harvest upon urgent necessity to prevent some common and imminent danger as if suddenly any inundation were feared which breaking in would destroy the seed or corne or any enemies should attempt to destroy the corne or it should chance to be set on fire it was lawfull even upon the Sabbath laborando succurrere to helpe to save it by labour for if it were lawfull to lead their cattell to water and helpe them out of the ditch upon the Sabbath as our blessed Saviour sheweth Luk. 13 and 14. which concerned but the state of private men much more for the common good was it permitted Tostat. qu. 18. Gallas R. Salom. thinketh it was lawfull upon the Sabbath to gather a sheafe of corne for the first fruits But he hath no warrant for that out of Moses QUEST XLII Whether now Christians are necessarily tyed to keepe the Lords day in seed time and harvest 1. THe Jewes to this day thinke that these workes to sow and reap are by no meanes upon any occasion never so necessary now to be dispensed with and some Christians are as strict now in the keeping of the rest upon the Lords day But this were to Judaize and to enthrall our Christian liberty and to bring us in bondage unto the service of dayes which were appointed for mans benefit as our blessed Saviour saith that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Mark 2.21 2. Some on the other side give too great liberty upon the Lords day As Calvin hath these words writing upon Exodus chap. 31 1â— Sabbatum quamvis hodâ—t non sit in usu ejus externa observatio aeternum manet ipso effectu sicut circumcisio The Sabbath although the externall observation thereof be not now in use yet it remaineth in the effect as circumcision doth c. This permanent effect of the Sabbath is our cessation and rest from sinne This seemeth to give too great liberty to say that all externall observation of the Sabbath that is of the day of rest should now be out of use and that the Sabbath all rest how no more remaineth than circumcision for this were to make it arbitrary and indifferent whether Christians now should observe a day of holy rest unto the Lord at all or not 3. Oleaster goeth not so farre but he thinketh that though it were not lawfull for the Jewes to intermit the Sabbath then in earing time and harvest yet it is lawfull for Christians now Gallasius giveth this reason Quia ceremoniali observatione liberati sumus Because we are freed from the ceremoniall observation of the Sabbath and therefore he taketh it to be a needlesse question to dispute whether Christians are now bound to keepe the day of rest in seed time and harvest But this is no ceremoniall thing but morall to abstaine from all such workes upon the Lords day which may hinder the service of God 4. Osiander thinketh that by this instance of earing time and harvest all kinde of works were not forbidden the Jewes upon the Sabbath but onely quotidiana illa profana those daily prophane works which might hinder them from the service of God and the same reason may seeme to hold now But there are certaine bodily works which are a greater prophanation of the Lords day than the ordinary works of the calling as to dance to play at football and such like are worse than to dig or delve as Augustine saith of the Jewes Melius toto dit ararent quà m toto die saltarent It were â—etter for them to plow all day than to dance all day 5. I therefore rather condescend to Simlerus that thinketh these things given in instance to be lawfull now upon the Lords day necessitate id postulante necessity so requiring longe arctior fuit observatio Sabbati in lege c. the observation of the Sabbath was more strict in the Law than now under the Gospell c. But men must take heed in earing time and harvest that they make not a necessity without a necessity it ought to be an urgent and extreme necessity indeed which should cause the service of God either wholly to be intermitted or in part hindred QUEST XLIII Why the people were charged to goe up thrice in a yeere to the feasts Vers. 23. THrice in a yeere shall all your men children appeare c. 1. There is a spirituall worship of God which the Israelites were to exhibite unto God at all times and in all places but the externall service which consisted in sacrifices and other solemnities was only to be performed in the Tabernacle whither the people were commanded to resort thrice in a yeere that whereas in their Synagogues at home they had nothing but Moses read unto them lest that they might by discontinuance grow into oblivion of the sacrifices and other solemnities prescribed for the Lords service they were commanded to that end to goe up to revive the memory of them 2. They went up alwayes with some gift as they were not to appeare before the Lord empty ut populus Deo praestaret obsequium that the people might shew their duty unto God 3. And because there was a collection yeerely in the feast of Tabernacles gathered of the people toward the maintenance of the Tabernacle and the services thereof the people were to goe up to contribute to that end Tostat. quaest 20. 4. Necessarium erat ad mutuum consensum in religione fovendum It was necessary also to maintaine a mutuall consent in religion Gallas Whereas if they should have had their severall places of meeting they might have devised new rites 5. And by this meanes the Lords feasts were celebriora more solemne and kept with greater majesty 6.
an account of yet this is not the meaning here 3. But it is an hyperbolicall speech which is often used in Scripture whereby it signified not indeed that they should bee in number as the dust for all the people in the earth put together cannot compare with the dust in number but they should be a very great people not compared with others for so many people were greater than they Deut. 7.1 but considered in themselves QVEST. XII Of the divers reading of this word gnolam ever in Scripture Vers. 15. TO thy seed forever 1. This word in the Hebrew gnolam which the Septuagint translateth by the word haâ—on ever doth not alwayes in Scripture signifie an everlasting time without end as Exod. 15.18 The Lord shall reigne for ever and ever The first word is gnolam the other gued this latter signifieth true eternity as the Lord is said to dwell in eternity Isay 57.15 the other seemeth to imply the age of this world the Lord shall reigne then for ever during this world and the next thus the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken by forren writers Aristotle defineth it to be periodus durationis cujusque rei the period or time of continuance of any thing lib. 1. de coelo So Horace useth the word aeternum Serviet aeternum qui parvo nesciatuti He shall ever be a slave or servant that cannot tell how to make much of a little as hee is alleaged by Augustine 2. Yet Hieromes observations doe not alwayes hold that gnolam is with van signifieth eternity without van the yeare of the Jubile for Deut. 15.17 gnolam is with van and yet it betokeneth the Jubile he shall be thy servant for ever 3 Wherefore this word is diversly taken in Scripture beside that it signifieth an everlasting time without end 1. It is used for the duration or continuance of the world as the Rain-bow was a signe of Gods everlasting covenant that is so long as the world continueth 2. It signifieth the whole time of a mans life Psal. 89.1 I will sing the mercies of the Lord for ever that is as long as I live So Anna promised that Samuel should abide before the Lord for ever 1 Sam. 1.22 3. It signifieth a long indefinite time though not infinite without end as Gen. 6.4 which of old time were men of renowne 4. It was used to signifie the yeare of Jubile which was the space of fifty yeares 5. That is called eternall whose time is not prefixed with man though it be with God as circumcision is called an everlasting covenant because it was not to be altered by man 6. Some thing is called eternall not in respect of it selfe but that which it signifieth as some thinke the land of Canaan is called an everlasting possession Gen. 17.8 because it was a figure of the celestiall Canaan Pererius QVEST. XIII How the land Canaan was given for ever to Abraham and his seed NOw in that the Lord saith The land which thou seest I will give to thee and thy seed for ever These words are taken by some literally by others spiritually by others partly literally partly spiritually 1. Augustine thinketh that it may be understood simply because the Jewes dwelt in some Cities of Canaan still though they were expulsed Jerusalem but though it were so yet the Jewes were not Lords or possessors of all that land and howsoever it was in Augustines time that Countrey is not possessed of them now and indeed long before Augustines time the Jewes were expelled by Adrian the Emperour 2. Some doe take these words literally but with a condition that the land of Canaan should be so long their possession as they walked in obedience before God as Deut. 4.25 If yee corrupt your selves c. ye shall perish from the land Iun. Mercer Cajetane to this purpose hath a good conceit as if the Lord should say quamdiu erit semen tuum c. as long as they shall be thy seed I will give them this land therefore when they beganne to degenerate from Abraham and were not his right children God was no longer tied to his promise 3. Some further that like best of the literall sense doe by ever understand a long continuance of time for so the Israelites the seed of Abraham possessed Canaan 1640. yeares Perer. But this doth not fully satisfie that the space of lesse than two thousand yeares should be counted an everlasting time 4. Others by ever doe take all the time of the law till the Messiah come that should renew the world by his comming as Samuel saith that God would have established Sauls Kingdome for ever 1 Sam. 13.13 Musculus Oecolampad This sense may very well stand concerning the ceremonies that were to give place unto Christs doctrine but the possession of Canaan if the Jewes had beleeved should have beene no impediment to Christs Kingdome 5. Some doe understand here the spirituall seed of Abraham and the spirituall or celestiall Canaan which the faithfull shall possesse for ever but this were to turne an history into an allegory 6. They which interpret these words partly spiritually partly literally some take the land of Canaan for that Countrey which was shewed Abraham but by the seed they would have understood the faithfull the spirituall kindred of Abraham and so Augustine saith that the Christians inhabited that Countrey after the Jewes but the Christians inhabit it not now for Saracens and Turks have subdued it therefore it was not their possession for ever 7. Others understand the land promised spiritually but the seed literally for Christ who was truly descended of Abraham Matth. 1.1 and so Saint Paul by seed insinuateth Christ Galat. 3.16 so unto Christ his members the promise of the heavenly Canaan belongeth Iunius This sense is confirmed by the Prophet Ezechiel 37-24 David my servant shall be King over them c. they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Iacob my servant where your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein they and their sons and their sons sons for ever Saint Paul also by seed understandeth Christ Gal. 3.16 Thus we see that not only the land of Canaan but the whole earth is inhabited by the Christians the spirituall seed of Christ their David and King and to them appertaine the promises of the celestiall Canaan whereof the terrestriall was a type and figure Mercer This sense together with the second before alleaged of the hypotheticall that is conditionall promises seeme to be most fit and proper and before the rest to be preferred QVEST. XIV Whether Abraham walked thorow the land as the Lord bid him Vers. 18. THen Abraham removed his tent and came and dwelt in the Plaine of Mamre Abraham did not presently as some Hebrewes thinke goe over all the land of Canaan neither is it like as Tostatus collecteth because Abraham dwelt in this Plaine that he did not walke thorow the land as the
deferred like as the eating of the Passeover might bee put off to the second moneth upon extraordinary occasion as if a man were uncleane or in his journey Num. 9.10 This also appeareth in that for the space of forty yeares all the while that the Israelites sojourned in the wildernesse their children were not circumcised till Iosua his time Iosua 5.5 and the reason is given vers 7. They did not circumcise them by the way they were continually in their journey to remove from place to place and therefore could not conveniently be circumcised But if Moses example be objected whom God would have killed because his sonne was not circumcised the answer is ready that the case is not alike for Moses might either have circumcised his childe before he came forth or he had not such great haste of his way but might have stayed to performe so necessary a worke 6. But whereas the Lord prescribeth the eighth day both some Hebrewes are deceived that thinke the sonnes of bond-servants might be circumcised before and the Ismaelites that circumcised at the age of thirteene yeares QVEST. IX Circumcision found among those which belonged not to the covenant Vers. 13. HE that is borne in thy house and bought with thy money c. All which belonged to the covenant or would have any part among the people of God were circumcised but on the other part it followeth not that all which were circumcised did belong to the covenant as the Ismaelites Egyptians Ammonites Moabites and other people inhabiting neare to Palestina were circumcised as Hierome sheweth upon the 9. chap. of Ieremie vers 26. These people retained circumcision as a rite and tradition of their fathers but not as a signe of the covenant or profession of their faith and obedience QVEST. X. Circumcision not imposed upon strangers FUrther it is here questioned whether the Hebrewes were to compell their servants that were strangers to take upon them the profession of their faith and to be circumcised 1. Tostatus thinketh that their servants might be compelled but not other strangers that dwelt among them but that it is not like for seeing he that was circumcised was a debter of the whole Law Galat. 5. and circumcision was a badge of their profession it was not fit to force any man to take upon him a profession of religion against his desire 2. Cajetane thinketh that servants might be forced to take the outward marke of circumcision though not the spirituall profession thereunto annexed in 12. chap. Exod. But these two cannot be severed as whosoever is now baptized must needs also enter into the profession of Christianity 3. Pererius thinketh aright that the necessity of circumcision was not imposed upon any beside the posterity of Abraham neither that the Hebrewes might force their servants to take circumcision yet he saith that it was lawfull for them to use the ministery of servants uncircumcised as now Christians have Moores and Turks to serve them Perer. disput 5. But herein Pererius is deceived and I preferre the opinion of Thomas Anglicus which he misliketh that it was dangerous for the Hebrewes to be served with men of a divers religion lest they also by them might have beene corrupted 5. Wherefore the resolution is this that as no stranger servant or other was to be forced to circumcision but it must come from his owne desire as it may be gathered Exod. 12.48 so neither were they to receive any uncircumsed person into their house that would not be circumcised this is evident by Abrahams practice that circumcised all his servants both borne and bought with money who no doubt would not have served him if they had not submitted themselves to Gods ordinance againe seeing every one in the house must eat the Passeover Exod. 12.4.19 neither stranger nor borne in the house must eat any leavened bread for the space of seven dayes and yet none could eat the Passeover that was not circumcised vers 48. it followeth that no uncircumcised persons were to bee entertained unlesse they were contented to be circumcised QVEST. XI The penalty for the neglect of circumcision afflicted onely upon the adulti Vers. 14. THe uncircumcised male shall be cut off c. Saint Augustine following the reading of the Septuagint in this place who adde the man childe which is uncircumcised the eighth day which addition is not in the originall doth understand this place of infants and their cutting off he interpreteth of everlasting death to be cut off from the society of the Saints and by the breaking of the covenant would have signified the transgression of Gods commandement in paradise for the not being circumcised saith he Nulla culpa in parvulis Is no fault in little ones and therefore not worthy of so great a punishment and so he urgeth this place against the Pelagians to prove that infants are guilty of originall sinne and therefore have need of remission Lib. 16. de Civit. Dei cap. 27. 1. In that Augustine expoundeth this cutting off of separation from the society of the Saints he interpreteth right some take it for the corporall death some for the extraordinary shortning of their dayes some for excommunication but it is better taken for the cutting off from the society of Gods people now and the fellowship of the Saints afterward for he that should contemne circumcision being Gods ordinance doth consequently refuse the covenant and grace of God whereof it is a seale and pledge 2. But that exposition of Augustine seemeth to be wrested to referre the breaking of the covenant to Adams transgression 1. The Apostle saith that they sinne not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam Rom. 5.14 2. The Scripture calleth not that prohibition given to Adam a covenant 3. The Lord calleth circumcision his covenant vers 20. what other covenant then is broken but that which the Scripture treateth of here 3. Neither can this place be understood of infants that are uncircumcised 1. That addition the eighth day is used onely by the Septuagint it is not in the Hebrew 2. the words are qui non ciâ—cumciderit hee which shall not circumcise c. so readeth the originall the Chalde paraphrast Iunius c. which sheweth that it must be understood of them that are adulti of yeares of discretion not of infants 3. Abrahams practice sheweth as much who circumcised those that were of yeares 4. Againe to breake the covenant is not incident to children the punishment therefore is not to be inflicted where the offence cannot be committed 5. If Infants be not circumcised it is the parents faults for omitting it not the Infants as may appeare in the example of Moses whom the Lord punished and not the childe for the neglecting of that Sacrament QUEST XII Whether Abraham laughed through incredulitie Vers. 17. ABraham fell upon his face and laughed 1. This was not onely an inward rejoycing of the minde as the Chalde translateth for Abraham indeed laughed
effect 3. Doct. To love our enemies Vers. 21. FEare not I will nourish you Thus we are taught by Ioseph to love our enemies to doe good to them that hate us according to the doctrine of our Saviour 〈◊〉 44. For so Ioseph was a foster-father unto them that would have starved him in the pit Muscul. 5. Places of Confutation 1. Confut. Against Masses and Trentâ—li for the dead Vers. 3. THe Egyptians bewailed him 70. dayes Petrus Comestâ—r divideth this number into 40 dayes and 30. dayes the first was the time of the Egyptians mourning the other of the Hebrewes whereupon he groundeth the superstitious use of the Christians in mourning and saying Masses 30. dayes for the dead cap. 114. histor scholastic in Genes Contra. 1. The text saith that the Egyptians not the Hebrewes mourned these 70. dayes and that use taken up afterward by the Hebrewes was borrowed from the Egyptians for the stint of mourning used among the faithfull was but for seven dayes so long mourned Ioseph ver 10. 2. Though the Hebrewes mourne 30. dayes yet did they not pray for their soules or offer any sacrifice for them nor yet doe any penance for the dead which seemeth to be directly forbidden that they should not cut their haire or their beard or make any print in their flesh for the dead Levit. 19.28 as though the dead were profited by any such afflicting of themselves 2. Confut. Against the superstitious choice of the place of buriall Vers. 13. THey buried him in the cave of the field c. Thus was it the use among the Hebrewes to bury their dead without the Cities as we may read Luk. 7.12 where our Saviour did meet the people at the gate of the City carrying a young man to be buried This custome of a long time was reteined among the Gentiles as among the Athenians who would by no meanes grant to Servius Sulpitius a place of buriall within the City Cicer. epist. famil lib. 4. Plato also prescribeth that the dead should be buried in the fields and such as were barren and good for nothing else lib. 2. de legib It was also forbidden by the Romane Jewes Hominem mortuum in urbe ne sepelitâ— Bury not a dead man in the Citie The Christians were the first which buried the dead in their Churches not as Tostatus which first buried them within their Cities or houses as Pererius therein confuting him sheweth out of Diodorus that it was the manner of the Egyptians to keepe their dead in coffins at home placing them upright and to give their bodies as pledges to their creditors Diodor. lib. 2. cap. 11. and out of Herodotus how the Egyptians doe inclose their dead in vessels of glasse in their houses and make pictures of them Herod lib. 3. But this use to bury the dead in Churches and neare unto them for more holinesse of the place was first taken up by superstitious Christians which respect of the place if it be onely civilly used wee condemne not as Lycurgus ordained that the dead should be buried neere unto the Temples that others passing by might be stirred up by the sight of their monuments to imitate their vertues Plutar. in Lycurg But to place the dead in Church or Church-yard to be helped by the prayers of the living as Tostatus and Pererius is a superstitious device of fantasticall men without any warrant of Scripture for if they died in the Lord they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Revel 14.13 If otherwise they are in the place of torment from whence is no returne Luk. 16.26 and our prayers can doe them no good 3. Confut. Against traditions and visions Vers. 25. GOd will surely visit you Ioseph though he had received no vision or revelation from God concerning this yet he did verily beleeve the word and promise of God which hee had heard of Iacob which sheweth their errour that as not contented with the Scriptures seeke other helps as the Papists by their blinde traditions the Anabaptists by their fantasticall visions Calvin But wee are taught that the Scriptures are sufficient to lead us into all truth and that they which do teach otherwise though an Angell from heaven are to be held as accursed Galath 1.8 4. Confut. Against prayer for the dead Vers. 25. YE shall carry my bones hence The Patriarkes Iacob and Ioseph desired to be buried in the Land of promise 1. Because that was the place which the Lord did choose for his people to dwell in 2. They did hereby testifie their faith in Gods promises that he would bring their seed thither 3. They desired to be buried with their fathers as having the same hope of the resurrection 4. They foresaw by the spirit of prophecie that the Messiah should be borne there 5. But this was no cause as Bellarmine imagineth that they might receive benefit by the prayers and sacrifices of the dead 1. For at this time and 200. yeeres after Iacobs death there was no worship of God nor publike prayer professed in Canaan till the Israelites returned out of Egypt 2. And if prayer were availeable for the dead it might profit them which were buried in Egypt farre off as well as neere hand 3. No example can be produced out of the Canonicall Scriptures of the old Testament that ever any prayed for the dead 5. Confut. Against the carrying about of relikes Vers. 26. THey put him in a chest in Egypt Ioseph was layed up in a coffin and there kept they did not rake in his ashes and take out his bones and carry them about to worke miracles as they serve the bodies of Saints in the popish Church if they be their bodies Plinie maketh mention of Pyrrhus that his great toe on the right foot could not be burned with his body and that it gave helpe being touched to those which had the swelling of the splene whereupon it was laid up in the Temple Plin. l. 7. This whether it were an imposture of Sathan or one of Plinies fables I cannot say many like tales are current among the Romanists But Iosias practised the contrary who would not suffer the bones of the Prophet of Iudah to be removed that prophesied of him by name 2 King 23.17 6. Places of morall observation 1. Moâ— To mourne moderately for the dead Vers. 3. THe Egyptians bewayled him 70. daies But Ioseph onely mourned for his father seven daies vers 10. wherein appeareth the difference betweene the mourning of the faithfull which have hope and of infidels which have no hope of the resurrection the one is moderate the other excessive So the Apostle teacheth that wee should not mourne for the dead as those that have no hope 1 Thess. 4.13 but with sobriety and in measure 2. Mor. Vnity of religion the bond of peace Vers. 17. FOrgive the trespasse of the servants of thy Fathers God there is nothing which ought more to perswade men to unitie than that they worship one and the
3. Wherefore it is like that the Elders also went in but Moses and Aaron onely are named as the principall as vers 4. Pharaoh in saying get ye to your burthens speaketh not to Moses and Aaron onely but to the other Israelites with them Iunius Simlerus QUEST III. Whether Pharaoh were altogether ignorant of God Vers. 2. I Know not Iehovah 1. Paulus Burgens thinketh that Pharaoh so spake because the name Iehovah was not knowne to him But it is not like that Moses would use a strange name of God which Pharaoh understood not 2. Thostatus thinketh that hee simplie denied not God but that he was Iehovah that is the ruler and governour of the world that seeth and beholdeth all things But this is too curious and it seemeth that Pharaoh had no good opinion of the Godhead and divine power 3. Therefore whereas there is a twofold knowledge of God the one naturall by the creatures the other spirituall by the word of God the first onely sheweth that there is a God the other teacheth who that God is and how to be served it is like that Pharaoh was not altogether void of the first which he abused detracting from the true God and giving the divine honour unto filthie Idols but the true God he was utterly ignorant of Borrh. 4. So that beside his grosse ignorance hee in pride of heart contemneth and despiseth the true God Simler Hee acknowledgeth the God of the Hebrewes to bee no God and inferiour to the Idols of Egypt Perer. and of no such power to command him being King of Egypt Pellican and afterwards by plagues and judgements hee is taught to confesse and acknowledge God Ferus 5. And there are foure causes that for the most part doe bring men to denie God either feare as Peter denied Christ or grosse ignorance as the wicked thinketh there is no God Psal. 10.4 or corruption and wickednesse of life as the foole saith in his heart there is no God Psal. 14.1 or abundance of prosperitie which maketh a carnall man thinke that hee is sufficient of himselfe without God and therefore the Prophet prayeth that God would not give him too much Lest I be full and denie thee Prov. 30. 6. These three last did concurre in Pharaoh his ignorance wicked life and abundance of prosperitie Perer. QUEST IV. Why mention is onely made of going three dayes journey Vers. 3. LEt us goe three dayes journie into the desert c. 1. Some doe mystically apply these three dayes journie as Augustine to the Trinitie Ferus understandeth it of the purging of our thoughts words and works Perer. Of the way of Christians by faith hope and charitie Borrhaim observeth the like number of three dayes as chap. 19. when they are bid to sanctifie themselves against the third day Ionas was three dayes in the belly of the whale Christ rose the third day But such mysticall applications are but mens wittie devices 2. Neither is the conjecture of the Hebrewes sound that whereas it was not three dayes onely but three moneths journey unto mount Horeb where they sacrificed as appeareth chap. 19. they say a day is taken here for a moneth for thus Moses request should have beene captious and full of deceit 3. Therefore Moses maketh mention onely of three dayes journey as the Lord commanded him who knew that Pharaoh would not grant so small and reasonable a request that his inhumanitie might bee made manifest and so Gods judgements to be just Thostat Lyran. 4. And though God purposed that Israel should never returne into Egypt againe yet it was not necessarie nor convenient that all the Lords counsell should bee revealed to such a cruell Tyrant and herein Moses told no untruth but onely prudently concealed some part as the Lord directed him Simler QUEST V. What other things were said and done by Moses before Pharaoh COncerning other things said and done by Moses 1. Neither is it likely that Moses rehearsed unto Pharaoh the benefits which the Egyptians had received of him as Iosephus but rather he might make mention of Iosephs worthie acts done in Egypt 2. Neither is any credit to be given to Artapanus report alleaged by Eusebius how Moses caused fire to come out of the earth that being committed to prison his keepers were suddenly slaine and the gates opened of themselves and he came into Pharaohs chamber without any let and how certaine Priests for deriding the name Iehovah which Moses had written in a table were sudenly striken dead it is like if such memorable things had beene done Moses would not have omitted them Perer. Therefore to know the summe of Moses acts it sufficeth us to have recourse to the storie here pâ—nned by himselfe QUEST VI. In what sense Pharaoh saith they were much people Vers. 5. BEhold now much people is in the land and would ye make them leave their burthens 1. Some referre it to that which was said before vers 13. Moses gave this reason of his request that the people might be dismissed to sacrifice to God lest he come upon them with the pestilence and so Pharaoh should answer that although the pestilence came upon them he could spare many of them because they were a great multitude 2. Some thinke that Pharaoh objecteth to them rebellion that they being confident upon the strength and multitude of the people did gather them together and caused them to remit their works intending some mutinie Vatab. 3. Other doe make this to be the sense if the people having beene kept under by sore labour doe so increase how much more if they had their case sic Pellican Osiander Latin interpret 4. But it is best read with an interrogation Seeing they are much people would you hinder them and so their works should be intermitted that were so profitable and of such advantage to Pharaoh Iun. Simler This sense is most fitting and agreeable to the text as may appeare by the scope thereof QUEST VII Why they used straw in making bricke Vers. 7. YE shall give the people no more straw 1. They used straw to make bricke both to temper the clay therewith that it might be firmer Lyran. as also to cover it and keepe it from parching and chapping by the sunne as also to burne the bricke with Simler 2. There was great use of bricke in Egypt not onely because they wanted stone but for that the buildings made of bricke were durable and continued long as the wall that compassed Athens was made of bricke and Iupiters temple Plinl ib. 35. cap. 14. The same author also reporteth from Epigenes that there was bricke worke in Babylon of seven hundred yeeres continuance wherein the observation of the starres were graven Perer. 3. As for the allegories which are here devised as by the strawe to understand evill thoughts by the clay corrupt doctrine by Pharaoh the devill I omit them as humane devices QUEST VIII Whether Moses sinned in expostulating thus with God Vers. 22. MOses returned unto
evening by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morning it cannot be avoided but that S. Matthew meaneth the morning and till the morning of the third day Christ was not risen therefore Pererius without cause findeth fault here with Thostatus yet notwithstanding in this place the eventide or twilight is not taken any of these three waies but properly for the shutting in of the day QUEST X. Of the time when the Passeover should be killed betweene the two evenings BUt what should be here meant by the two evenings there are divers opinions 1 Some take these two evenings for the two twilights of the evening and morning Lippoman But that cannot be for so he alloweth the whole night for the killing of the paschall lambe which was to bee counted with the fifteenth day following whereas they are commanded to kill the Passeover on the 14. day at even 2. Masâ—uâ— in 5. Iosua reporteth this to be the opinion of most of the Hebrewes that the evening is to be taken from the first declining of the sunne in the afternoone untill it set and they are the two evenings the first when the sunne beginneth to turne in the afternoone the other when it is in the setting so also Rabbi Salomon But this seemeth to be somewhat hard to take halfe the day for the evening for after the sunne beginneth to decline there is much day behind as it is called Gen. 29.7 haioâ— gadol which cannot be said to be any part of the evening 3. Some doe take these two evenings the one to begin at the sunne set the other when it beginneth to be night and the space betweene which we call the twilight to be those two evenings Aben Ezra Oleaster Bâ—rrh Which space they define to containe about an houre and a third part Pellican But this interpretation cannot hold for after the sunne set began the 15. day to be counted when they were first to eat unleavened bread Levit. 29.9 which was upon the eve of the fourteenth day chap. 12.18 that is presently following the 14. day but they were to kill the paschall lambe upon the 14. day before the 15. day came so the times must be distinguished betweene the killing of the lambe which was betweene the two eventides upon the 14. day and the eating thereof with unleavened bread which was in the evening following after the sunne set Perer. 4. Wherefore there remaineth a fourth exposition which is this They divided the naturall day from sun to sun into foure parts which each of them containeth three houres and the first part was from the breake of day for the three first houres and was called of the last houre tertia the third houre the second part sexta the sixth houre the third nona the ninth houre and the fourth from thence unto night and was called vespera the evening the first evening was toward the sunne set some two houres before Cajetanus or three and the other at the sun set in this space they were to kill the paschall lambe of this opinion is Iosephus a most expert and skilfull man in the Jewish rites and observations who writeth that the Priests used to kill the paschall sacrifice from the ninth houre to the eleventh lib. 7. de bel Iud. c. 17. and it seemeth that in the twelfth houre which was the last they did rost and dresse the lambe and after sun set eat it And this interpretation may be thus further confirmed 1. Because they were to kill the paschall lambe on the 14. day but after the sunne was set the fifteenth day began Perer. 2. If they should not have killed the lambe till the sunne set they should not seeme to have sufficient time the night then comming upon them to kill the lambe dresse and prepare it 3. The example of our Saviour doth warrant it who sent his Disciples before the evening to prepare the Passeover and when even was come he sate downe with the twelve to eat it Matth. 26.14 The Passeover was killed and made readie before the evening came Masius 4. Beside the phrase of Scripture doth also approve and justifie this interpretation for when as our Saviour fed the five thousand before they sat downe it is said the even was come Matth. 14.11 when the sun was not yet set for the time would not then have served to have placed them all upon the ground and given them all bread there being so few servitors none but Christs Disciples and beside S. Marke saith this was done when the day was farre spent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 6.35 This then was one evening when the sunne began to draw low then afterward it is said When the evening was come Christ was in the mountaine alone Matth. 14.23 this was the other evening when the sunne was set Perer. Iun. Simler QUEST XI Whether the Passeover was killed in the first evening when the foureteenth day began or the latter BUt whereas the Hebrewes counted the dayes and so observed their Feasts from evening to evening so that every day civill had two evenings the one where it began the other where it ended the question is whether the paschall lambe were to be killed on the evening when the 14. day began or when it ended But it doth evidently appeare that was to be killed in the end of the 14. day and so in the latter evening and not in the first 1. Because they were commanded to eat unleavened bread in the end of the 14. day at even chap. 12.18 when the fifteenth day began for they were not to eat unleavened bread till the fifteenth day Levit. 13.6 But if they were to take the first evening when the fourteenth day began then they were to eat unleavened bread all the 14. day 2. Againe it is said that they should eat the flesh the same night with unleavened bread that is the same night after they killed the Passeover but if they killed it the evening before when the 14. day began then they did eat unleavened bread upon the 14. day and so eight dayes in all for from the evening before the 14. day till the evening after the 21. day are eight dayes but they were commanded onely to eat unleavened bread seven dayes from the 14. at even till the 21. day at even chap. 12.18 3. Beside the practice of our Saviour Christ sheweth how the Passeover was to bee kept according to the law hee did eat the Passeover the same night wherein he was betraied 1 Cor. 11.23 and the next day he suffered which was the 15. day of the moneth for it is the generall received opinion that Christ suffered upon the 15. day of the first moneth insomuch that Beda saith Nulli licet dubitare Christiano No Christian ought to doubt thereof it must be then of all confessed that Christ in all respects observed the law if he suffered upon the 15. day and the eve before eat the Passeover being immediatly before prepared and made readie for him then
from abstinence from the marriage bed to conclude perpetuall forbearance is absurd Ferus one of their owne writers is more equall who writeth thus Non est malum matrimonium sed tamen accessuri ad Deum etiam à licitis temperare debent Matrimonie is not evill yet they which come unto God ought to abstaine even from things lawfull Which kind of abstinence is by the Apostle required not onely of Ministers but of all in generall in the foresaid place 1 Cor. 7.5 5. Cont. Against the distinction of counsels and precepts RVpertus further hath this note upon this text Ad sanctificationem non satis est fecisse praceptum nisi adjicias facere consilium To sanctification it is not enough to fulfill the precept unlesse you adde to performe the counsels also And in that place he sheweth what a precept is to abstaine from things unlawfull and what a counsell is abstinere à licitis to abstaine from things lawfull Lib. 3. in Exod. cap. 26. Contra. 1. Though the use of the wife were in it selfe lawfull yet upon this prohibition it was unlawfull therefore it was no counsell now but a precept 2. That distinction of precepts and counsels is not sound nor consonant with the Scriptures as they call those precepts which are commanded of God and which to leave undone is sinne The counsels are not enjoyned and to leave them undone is no sinne but in keeping of them there is greater reward For whatsoever we doe or can doe it is but our dutie to doe Luk. 17.10 and if we come short in doing those things which are commanded it is not possible for any to doe more than is required And seeing our Saviour biddeth us to be perfect as his heavenly father is perfect and we are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart and all our soule then the counsels which they call of perfection if they proceed from the love of God are commanded also 6. Morall observations 1. Observ. We must be as ready to performe as promise obedience Vers. 8. ALl that the Lord hath commanded will wee doe The people are ready to promise obedience and that without any limitation to all that God commanded but they soone forgat their promise and they were afterward as slow to performe as here they are ready to vow obedience whereby we learne Nullius momenti esse subitum affectum nisi accedat perseverandi constantia That a sudden affection is of no moment unlesse constancie in persevering be added Calvin to the same purpose Oleaster As in the parable the sonne that said to his father when he was bid to worke in his vineyard and made answer hee would not yet after repented and went is commended before him that gave faire words and said he would but went not Matth. 21.29 2. Observ. Due preparation must goe before the hearing of the word Vers. 10. LEt them wash their cloaths Hereupon Origene thus noteth Nemo potest audire verbum nisi sanctificatus id est sanctus corpore mente None can heare the word of God unlesse they bee sanctified that is holy in minde and bodie If any come with unwashen garments that is unprepared it will be said unto him as in the parable to him that had not his wedding garment Friend how camest thou in hither The word of God is not to be handled with uncleane hands neither will enter into uncleane hearts B. Babingt 3. Observ. Our sanctification is not perfected all at once Vers. 10. SAnctifie them to day and to morrow Non enim una die perficitur sanctificatio c. For our sanctification cannot be perfited in one day We must labour and study for it all the dayes of our life Ferus As the Apostle compareth Christians to men set in a race So run that ye may obtaine 2 Cor. 9.24 It is in vaine for a man to set forward in the beginning of his race if hee hold not out to the end so our regeneration is not perfited all at once in the beginning we must goe on still untill the Lord have perfited his worke in us 4. Observ. Against curiositie in divine things Vers. 12. THou shalt set marks unto the people Docet hic locus ne in rebus divinis simus curiosi This place sheweth that we ought not to be curious in the searching out of divine things Ferus and to shew what an odious thing curiositie is in matters forbidden and that we should be content with that which it pleaseth God to vouchsafe to reveale unto us B. Babington As the holy Apostle saith that no man presume to understand above that which is meet to understand but that he understand according to sobrietie as God hath deal◠to every one the measure of faith Rom. 12.3 5. Observ. The word of God had need often to be inculcate Vers. 21. GOe downe charge the people Such is our dulnesse that we had need to have the word of God often inculcate and beaten upon us Men are marvellous apt to transgresse and therefore againe and againe they must bee admonished by Moses B. Babingt Therefore the Apostle saith It grieveth me not to write the same things unto you and for you it is a sure thing Philip. 3.1 As here Moses is commanded to iterate and renew the same charge that the people breake not their bounds CHAP. XX. 1. The method and Argument THis Chapter setteth forth the promulgation of the morall law with certaine effects that followed 1. In the promulgation first there is the preface shewing who was the author and proclaimer of the law God the Lord what hee spake all these words vers 1. and what the Lord had done for his people wherefore they should be willing to heare and receive his law he had brought them out of Egypt vers 2. Secondly the Commandements follow which concerne the worship of God in the first table containing foure Commandements and our dutie toward our neighbours in the six last to vers 18. which make the second table The first table prescribeth both the internall worship of God who is to be worshipped in the first commandement vers 3. and in what manner spiritually in the heart minde not by any Idolatrie or Imagerie where the matter of such images and Idols is rehearsed vers 4. the abuse forbidden vers 5. the reason added partly from a punishment threatned vers 5. partly from mercie promised vers 6. The externall worship of God is prescribed in the reverent profession of his name which is not to bee taken in vaine where there is to be considered first the prohibition then the penaltie in the third commandement vers 7. And in the keeping of the Sabbath in the fourth commandement which consisteth of the constitution thereof by an Antithesis or opposite comparison of the six dayes of labour vers 8 9. then of the prescription both in what manner and by what persons the Sabbath must be kept vers 10. and the confirmation taken
de Sabbato quia quae umbra depingebantur ut futura speculari debebant He saith of the Sabbath remember because they ought to behold the things to come which were described under the shadow Cyril ibid. But this remembrance is to this end as the words of the law shew to sanctifie the Sabbath 4. R. Salomon thus understandeth it that if they had any precious garments or any other thing of price they should remember to keepe them till the Sabbath Lyran. But the Sabbath is not sanctified by the putting on of costly garments 5. Cajetanus giveth this interpretation Vt intelligamus rationem praeceptâ— esse recordationem c. that we should understand that in remembrance consisteth the reason of the precept that the rest from the outward workes is not pleasing to God Nisi ratione memoriae nisi ratione interni cultus But in regard of the memory and inward worship But although the sanctifying of the Sabbath specially consist in the internall worship yet it is not so well gathered out of this word 6. Therefore this rather is the meaning Remember that is Inprimis memoria tenendum esse the keeping of the Sabbath as a speciall thing is to bee remembred Galas And to this end is it so said because a man being hindered by the six dayes workes will hardly dispatch all to keepe the Sabbath unlesse he remember it and cast aforehand for it Oleaster As also they are bid to remember it because of old this day had beene sanctified before by the Lord and accordingly observed by the people of Goâ— QUEST III. Why the Lord thought good to appoint a day of rest and that upon the seventh day THe Sabbath day 1. Some Jewes are of opinion that the Sabbath being the seventh day was appointed to be kept holy because it is Saturnes day which is evill and unluckie to begin any worke in but this is a Heathenish superstition to seeme to worship those things for feare that are thought to hurt aâ— Tullius Hostilius the third King of the Romanes made the Quartane and Timâ—r Pallor Feare and Palenesse Goddesses The Lord taught his people otherwise that they should not be afraid of the starres of heaven nor to worship those things which God had given for the service of men Deut. 4.19 Tostat. 2. The speciall reason therefore why the seventh day was kept holy was grounded upon the Lords example that rested upon the seventh day after the works of the creation were finished 3. But that a day of rest was necessary to be appointed for the people of God divers reasons may be yeelded 1. This day was appointed and given ad destructionem erroris for the destruction of error because the Lord did foresee that divers in the world would make question of the beginning and creation thereof as they 2 Pet. 3. which say Where is the promise of his comming for convincing their error the Lord commanded this day to be kept as a monument of the creation 2. Datum fuit ad instructionem fidei redemptionis it was given to instruct in the faith of our redemption to signifie that Christs flesh should rest in the grave according to that saying in the 16. Psalme My flesh shall rest in hope 3. Datum fuit ad figurandum veritatem promissionis it was given to prefigure the truth of the promise both in our spirituall rest from sinne Corpus à peccatorum jugâ— requiescere facientis Causing our body to rest from the yoake and servitudâ— of sinne Damascen lib. 4. de orthodox fid cap. 24. as also in our everlasting rest in the Kingdome of God Futuram sanctorum requâ—em hinc significans Signifying hereby the rest of the Saints to come Cyril in Ioan. lib. 4. c. 51. And we looke for rest from three things A laboribus hujus vita à tentationum concussione à diaboli servitute From the labours of this life from the trouble of tentation from the service of the Devill Thomas 4. It was ordained ad inflammationem amoris to inflame our love that being free from worldly labours we might better attend upon God 5. Datum fuit ad opera pietatis it was given for the works of pietie for otherwise some would be so covetous that they would never leave working for gaine Thom. in opuscul 6. Vt quietâ— repararentur corpora That the bodies should be refreshed by this rest For some through their insatiable greedinesse could scarse have afforded any rest unto themselves especially unto them which were at the command of others as children and servants Simler QUEST IV. Whether the precept of keeping the Sabbath were altogether ceremoniall 1. SOme were of opinion that the Sabbath was onely temporary that did bind the Jewes for a time thinking that the ancient Patriarks as Adam Evah Noe kept no Sabbath Tertullian Which is not true of the observation of the Sabbath in generall seeing it was sanctified by the Lord himselfe immediately after the creation which the Patriarks were not ignorant of but onely of that strict exact and rigorous observing the Sabbath which indeed was onely enjoyned the Jewes Simler 2. Other seeme to be of opinion that the Sabbath was altogether ceremoniall and that Christians therefore are not now bound unto the observation of dayes as the Apostle for this rebuketh the Galathians Yee observe dayes and mâ—neths times and yeares Galath 4.10 Thus the Anabaptists object But if this precept were altogether ceremoniall it could be no part of the Morall law and seeing the Israelites were charged to keepe other festivals also as well as the Sabbath as the feast of the Passeover of Pentecost and of Tabernacles with others whereof no mention is made in the Morall law but onely of the Sabbath it is evident that the Lord himselfe did make a manifest difference betweene that and all other festivals neither is the keeping of the Lords day now an observing of dayes seeing Christians doe celebrate this day without any opinion of holinesse or necessitie tied unto the day as the Jewes kept their Sabbath But this error of the Anabaptists shall be confuted more at large afterward among the places of controversie 3. Wherefore this precept is partly morall partly ceremoniall as to have some set time to attend the service of God it is morall and naturall Secundùm dictamen rationis naturalis aliquod tempus deputat homo Man according to the device of naturall reason will appoint some time for Gods service Thomas For all nations in the world unlesse they bee these inhumane and savage people which inhabite in the extreme and remote parts of the world as the Garamants and Anthropophagi Men-eaters which dwell toward the South pole and they which inhabite the Islands Orcades and other remote regions toward the North all other nations of any humanitie and civilitie did spend much time in the worship of their gods Tostat. But it is legall or ceremoniall in that some speciall day is prescribed and set apart for the service of God
In quantum speciale tempus determinatur in signum creationis in that a speciall time is determined in signe of the creation it is ceremoniall Thom. And in this manner the Jewes onely kept the Sabbath upon the seventh day and no other nations beside and therefore Seneca derided the Jewes as though they did Septimam partem â—tatis inutiliter amittere Lose the seventh part of their age without any profit because they rested every seventh day unto the Lord and Ovid calleth the Jew virum septimum the seventh man because hee kept the seventh day Tostat. QUEST V. To observe one day of seven unto the Lord is Morall BUt this must be added further that the prescribing of some certaine day for the service of God is not ceremoniall as Thomas before seemeth to affirme but the speciall limitation of the seventh day the prescription and taxation of which day precisely is now abrogated yet so as that still one day of seven must be kept still This then may be safely affirmed that to keepe one day of seven holy unto the Lord is morall and not ceremoniall and although the precise rest of the seventh day which was enjoyned the Jewes be now abrogated by the libertie of the Gospell because it was a type of our rest in Christ and the bodie being come the shadow ceaseth yet Christians are bound to observe one day of seven for the reason annexed to this Commandement taken from the example of God which rested on the seventh day serveth not onely for the ceremonie of the seventh day but is also morall to put us in minde of the creation of the world made in six dayes and beside in regard of the benefit of the creatures which after six dayes labour are to rest the seventh the rule of the Creator in this morall equitie is to be followed not to exceed that time in affording rest unto the creature that laboureth Novit Dominus mensuram virium creaturae for God best knoweth the measure of the strength of the creature Lippom. and hath appointed the time of rest for the same accordingly Yet somewhat more fully to explaine this matter there are some things which are simply morall and simply ceremoniall some things are of a mixt kinde as being partly morall partly ceremoniall simply morall are those things which are grounded upon the judgement of naturall reason as to appoint some time for the service of God is simply morall as is shewed before all nations through the world agree herein that a time must be set apart for the Lord but precisely to appoint the seventh day more than any other of the weeke is simply ceremoniall Quia non habet fundamentum à ratione sed à sola voluntate condentis legem c. Because it is not founded upon reason but upon the will of the law maker Tostat. But to appoint one day of seven and that day wholly for the space of 24. houres to consecrate unto Gods service and therein to abstaine from all kinde of works these things are not purely or simply ceremoniall but partly morall as grounded upon the judgement of reason though not totally and wholly for the first if above one day in seven should be kept perpetually holy gravamen esset laborantibus toties vacare it would bee burdensome to those that labour to rest so often and if but one day in a fortnight or moneth should be appointed Oblivisceremur Dei per desuetudinem cultus ipsius By discontinuing of the worship of God we should grow to be forgetfull of him it standeth therefore with reason that one day of seven should be celebrated to the Lord. Likewise that the whole day should be consecrated to that end though there be somewhat ceremoniall in it yet it is grounded also upon reason because the service of God requireth great attention Et non est rationabile opus Dei facere negligenter And it is not reasonable to doe the worke of God negligently for if but two or three houres in the day were appointed all could not so well prepare themselves for Gods service as now the whole day being set apart And for the third the cessation or resting from all kind of worke it hath this reason because the minde being occupied in other affaires could not be so free for God and therefore abstinence from all servile works is enjoyned Vt sic liberum esset nos tota die vacare Deo si vellemus That so it might bee free for us to acted upon God the whole day if wee would Now then those things which in the Sabbath were meerely ceremoniall are abolished but the other remaine which are not purely and simply ceremoniall Tostat. quaest 12. QUEST VI. What things in the Sabbath were ceremoniall what morall NOw then it may appeare what things in the Sabbath were ceremoniall what morall what mysticall 1. These things in the Jewish observation of the Sabbath were ceremoniall 1. The prescript of the day seventh day 2. The manner of keeping it with sacrifices oblations and other rites 3. The strict prohibition of all kinde of works even concerning their meat as in gathering and preparing of Manna Exod. 16. yea it was not lawfull upon that day to kindle a fire Exod. 35.3 and that under paine of death as he that gathered sticks was stoned Numb 15. 4. The Sabbath was a shadow of our spirituall rest in Christ and of Christs rest in the grave In all these respects was the Sabbath ceremoniall and bindeth us not now 2. These things also in the Sabbath are morall and perpetuall 1. The rest and relaxation of the creatures from their ordinary labour which was not the chiefe and principall but accidentalis finis the accidentall end of keeping the Sabbath that they might better attend upon the service of God Calvin 2. The Sabbath was instituted specially for the service of God for the remembrance of his benefits the setting forth of his praise the meditating upon his works as the creation of the world the redemption the resurrection of Christ. Simler 3. Conservatio Ecclesiastici ministerii The conservation of the Ecclesiasticall ministry was not the least or last end of the Sabbath that there should be in the Church ordained and so preserved Pastors and Doctors who should divide the word of God aright instruct the people and exhort them to repentance Bastingius Vrsinus 3. The Sabbath also as it was unto the Israelites typicall and ceremoniall in shadowing forth first Christs rest in the grave and our spirituall rest in him Marbach so now it is mysticall in shewing our spirituall rest and cessation from the works of sinne as the Prophet applieth it Isai. 58.14 teaching us how to keepe the Sabbath in not doing our owne wayes nor seeking our owne will it is also Symbolicall in being a pledge unto us of our everlasting rest in the Kingdome of God as the Apostle sheweth Heb. 4.9 There remaineth then a rest to the people of God Simler 4. Thomas
Apostle preached Act. 17.11 Contrary hereunto are 1. The negligent resorting to the holy assemblies of the Lords people in carnall men or the wilfull refusall in obstinate recusants who are like unto those in the Gospell who being invited to the marriage feast excused themselves and refused to come Matth. 22.5 2. The carelesse and fruitlesse hearing of the Word as Eutychus fell asleepe while Paul was preaching Act. 20. 4. The reverent and often receiving of the Sacraments is prescribed as Act. 20.6 On the first day of the weeke the Disciples came together to breake bread Contrary hereunto are 1. the neglect of the Sacraments 2. The prophanation of them when they obtrude themselves that are not prepared and so receive unworthily 1 Cor. 11.17 5. Publike invocation upon God and faithfull prayer is another exercise for the Lords day as Act. 16.13 On the Sabbath day we went out of the Citie beside a river where they were went to pray Contrary hereunto are 1. The neglect of publike and private prayer 2. To pray with the lippes and and not with the heart 3. Unfruitfull prayer in an unknowne tongue against the which S. Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 14.17 Thou givest thanks well but the other is not edified 6. Charitie is upon this day to be exercised and extended to the poore as our blessed Saviour healed upon this day Mark 3.3 Contrary hereunto are 1. The omitting of the works of charitie and despising of the poore as the rich glutton did despise poore Lazarus Luk. 16. 2. Or the giving of almes for praise and ostentation as the Pharisies did Matth. 6. Ex Vrsin 7. Meditating upon the works of God is peculiar for the Lords day as Psal. 92. which was appointed for the Sabbath day vers 4. the Prophet saith I will rejoyce in the works of thy hands Contrary hereunto are 1. To be occupied in carnall and worldly thoughts and bodily labour as in buying selling travelling working 2. To follow prophane games and sports to spend this day in quaffing drinking dancing and such like as the Israelites kept an holy day to the golden Calfe They sate downe to eat and drinke and rose up to play Exod. 32.6 2. Doct. How the Sabbath is to be sanctified Vers. 8. REmember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy or to sanctifie it In this precept two things are to be considered quid cavendum quid faciendum what is to be taken heed of and what is to be done The things to be avoided upon the Sabbath day are these 1. All corporall worke and labour So Ieremie saith chap. 17.24 Sanctifie the Sabbath so that you doe no worke therein But yet bodily works may bee done upon the Sabbath upon these foure occasions First propter necessitatem for necessity as our Saviour excused his Disciples for pulling the eares of corne being hungry Matth. 12. Secondly propter Ecclesiae utilitatem for the profit of the Church as the Priests did all necessary things that were to bee done in the Temple upon the Sabbath and were blamelesse Thirdly propter proximi utilitatem for the good of our neighbour as our Saviour healed upon the Sabbath one which had a withered hand Matth. 12.12 Fourthly propter Superioris authoritatem because of the authoritie of the Superiour as the Jewes circumcised upon the Sabbath because the Lord so commanded that they should circumcise their males upon the eight day 2. Debemus cavere culpam we must take heed of sinne as the Lord saith by his Prophet I cannot suffer your new Moones nor your Sabbaths Isai. 1.13 and then he giveth this reason vers 15. your hands are full of bloud 3. Debemus cavere negligentiam We must take heed of negligence and idlenesse upon the Lords day as it is said of the Israelites they sate downe to eat and drinke and rose up to play Exod. 34. The things wherein wee must be exercised upon the Lords day are these 1. In faciendis sacrificiis in offering of our sacrifices that as the Jewes offered up their externall sacrifices so Christians now must present unto God their spirituall sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving as the Prophet David saith Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense 2. We must corpus nostrum affligere humble and afflict the body not pamper it upon this day and make as it were our belly our God so the Apostle exhorteth that we would give our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 3. Dando eleemosynas in giving of almes as the Apostle saith to doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased Heb. 13.16 So Nehemiah adviseth the people Send part unto them for whom none is prepared for this day is holy unto the Lord chap. 8. vers 10. 4. In divinorum exercitiis Wee must bee occupied in divine exercises as our blessed Saviour saith Ioh. 8. He that is of God heareth Gods words for herein consisteth the delight and rest of the soule this is that Sabbatisme or rest which the Apostle speaketh of Heb. 4. There remaineth then a rest to the people of God This pleasant rest of the soule is begun in this life and perfited in the next But before we can attaine to that perfect rest in the Kingdome of God three kinds of rests must goe before 1. Ab inquietudine peccati From the restlesse condition of sinne for as the Prophet saith The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest Isa. 57.20 A passionibus carâ—is from the passions of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Galath 5. Ab occupationibus mundi from the troubles and businesses of the world as our blessed Saviour said to Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things Luk. 10.41 Et tunc post hac anima liberè quiescit in Domino and then after all this the soule shall freely enjoy rest in the Lord Sic ferè Thomas in opuscul 3. Places of confutation 1. Cont. Against the Iewes and the Sabbatarians that contend for the Iewish Sabbath FIrst the Jewes doe thus object against the Christians for the perpetuitie and continuance of their Sabbath upon the seventh day 1. Object The morall law is perpetuall but this Commandement for the sanctifying of the seventh day is part of the morall law Ergo. Answ. This Commandement as it is morall continueth still namely that a certaine day should be set apart for the publike service of God yea and further as Chrysostom saith In circulo hebdomadis diem unum integrum segregandum c. That in the compasse of a weeke one whole day should be severed from the rest Hom. 10. in Genes But the ceremoniall part of this precept in the prescript of the seventh day bindeth us not now as the Apostle saith Let no man condemne you c. in respect of an holy day of the new Moone or of the Sabbath c. Coloss. 2.16 Vrsin 2. Object The lawes which were instituted before Moses are
immutable and perpetuall but such was the institution of the Sabbath Answ. The proposition is not true for the fathers before Moses used to offer sacrifices Circumcision was given to Abraham even from the beginning there was a difference betweene cleane and uncleane beasts and yet all these being types and figures of things to come are abrogated by Christ. Simler 3. Object The lawes given before mans fall in the state of his innocencie could bee no types of the Messiah being not yet promised and therefore they doe bind all Adams posteritie such was the sanctifying of the Sabbath Answ. 1. Such lawes the ground whereof was printed in the soule of man in the creation as are all morall precepts are perpetuall but not all in generall given unto Adam as was the prohibition to eat of the tree of life Vrsin 2. But it may be further answered that the Sabbath was not instituted before mans fall for he is held to have fallen upon the sixth day the same day wherein he was created as it is at large handled in that question upon the 3. of Genesis 3. This law of sanctifying the Sabbath in substance remaineth still though the ceremonie of the day be changed 4. Object The keeping of the Sabbath is called an everlasting covenant Exod. 31.16 it is therefore to remaine for ever Answ. 1. So Circumcision is called an everlasting covenant because they were to continue till the comming of the Messiah and so long as the Common-wealth of Israel continued to them it was perpetuall but now their state being dissolved the covenants made with them are expired also Simler 2. It is called everlasting in respect of the signification and substance thereof our rest in Christ and so it remaineth still and shall for ever as the Kingdome of David in the Messiah shall never have end Vrsin 5. Object The reason and cause of the law is immutable namely the memoriall of the creation therefore the law it selfe also and seeing the knowledge of the creation is necessarie so also is the symbole and monument thereof the celebration of the seventh day Answ. 1. The cause or reason of a law being immutable the law it selfe also is immutable if it bee so tied unto the law as that it cannot stand if the law be changed but so is it not here for the creation may as well be remembred upon another day as upon the seventh Vrsin 2. All the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law were symboles and signes of necessary things as Circumcision the paschall Lambe of the Circumcision of the heart and of the Messiah which things remaine still but the symboles are abolished Simler Now then that Christians are not bound unto the Jewish Sabbath it is evident by these reasons 1. By the doctrine of the Apostles Galath 4.10 You observe dayes and moneths times and yeares I am in feare of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vaine and by name S. Paul speaking of the Sabbaths saith They were shadowes of things to come but the bodie is in Christ Coloss. 2.16 2. The Apostles by their example shewed that the Jewish Sabbath was determined for they began to keepe the first day of the weeke Act. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 3. All types and shadowes were but to continue untill the bodie came which was Christ but the Sabbath was one of those shadowes 4. The Sabbath was a note of cognizance and a worke of distinction and difference betweene the Israelites and other people which difference and partition is now taken away in Christ for now there is neither Jew nor Grecian but all are one in Christ Galath 4.28 Ex Vrsin In Gregories time there were Qui die Sabbati aliquid operari prohiberent which did prohibite to doe any worke upon the Sabbath or Saturday whom he refelleth thus Quos quid aliud nisi Antichristi praedicatores dixerim c. whom what else should I call than the preachers of Antichrist who when he commeth shall cause both the Sabbath and the Lords day to be kept without doing any worke for because he shall faine himselfe to die and rise againe hee shall cause the Lords day to be had in reverence and because he shall compell them unto Judaisme he shall likewise command the Sabbath to be kept And thus he concludeth Nos quod de Sabbato scriptum est spiritualiter accipimus c. We spiritually observe that which is written of the Sabbath for the Sabbath signifieth rest Verum autem Sabbatum Redemptorem nostrum habemus and we have our Redeemer and Saviour our true Sabbath 2. Cont. Against the Iewes carnall observing of the Sabbath BEside this that the Jewes would enforce upon us their Sabbath they have another errour in the manner of keeping their Sabbath which they solemnize in taking their ease in eating and drinking and giving themselves over to all pleasure and licentiousnesse for as Burgensis reporteth of them The Jewes thinke they are bound upon every Sabbath to eat thrice that is one dinner and two suppers and in so doing they shall escape the punishment of hell Burgens addition 4. Contra. 1. Thus their forefathers kept an holy day to the golden Calfe in eating and drinking and rising up to play God will not be so served 2. The way to Paradise is a strait and narrow way by many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of heaven not eating and drinking and taking our pleasure 3. Augustine saith Quanto melius foeminae eorum lanam facerent quà m in neomeniis saltarent How much better might their women spinne than dance in their new moones Tract 4. in Ioan. 4. Chrysostome also thus proveth that the Sabbath is not â—tii but spiritualis actionis materia not an occasion of idlenesse but of spirituall exercise because the Priests were by the law upon that day to offer double sacrifice but if it were a day of ease Oportebat Sacerdotem omnium maximè otium agere it was meet that the Priest most of all should take his ease then Concion de Lazaro 3. Cont. Of the Iewes superstition in the precise and strict keeping of the Sabbath rest AGaine the Jewes were superstitiously addicted to the corporall rest which they would not breake upon any occasion as our Chronicles doe make mention of a Jew that being fallen into a jakes refused to be taken out thence upon their Sabbath day and the next day being the Lords day the Governour would not suffer him to be pulled out upon that day because it was the Christians Sabbath and so the wilfull Jew there perished Of the like strictnesse were some among the Christians in keeping of the externall rest upon the Lords day therein imitating the Jewes as Gregorie in the fore-cited place writeth how some did forbid any to wash themselves upon the Lords day whom he thus confuteth 1. Si pro luxu animi ac voluptatis quis lavari appetit c. If any man desire to be washed of wantonnesse and pleasure it
it no shame to exercise the act of generation whereupon they were called Cynikâ—s because therein they were like unto dogs and Diogâ—nes the first founder and beginner of this beastly errour was thereupon also called Cynicus Tostat. qu. 49. 4. Places of Doctrine 1. Doct. Of the difference of the Law and the Gospell Vers. 18. WHen the people saw it they fled and stood afarre off Here is set forth the difference of the Law and the Gospell for the Law worketh these two effects Terrorem incutit c. It striketh terrour by the manifestation of our sinne as the prodigall childe confessed I am not worthy to be called thy sonne And retrocedere facit it causeth to goe afarre off Hereupon the Publicane stood afarre off beating upon his breast as not worthy to come neere into the presence of God But the Gospell hath two other contrary effects Consolatur allicit It comforteth and allureth as our blessed Saviour saith Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you Mat. 11.28 They that finde not the Law and the Gospell to worke these severall contrary effects doe shew that they understand neither but are like unto those in the Gospell of whom it is said We have piped unto you and yet have not danced wee have mourned unto you and ye have not wept such can neither be wonne by the comfortable promises of the Gospell not terrified by the heavy threatnings of the Law Ferus B. Babington 2. Doct. One truth one religion Vers. 24. AN altar of earth shalt thou make Quòd unum at que â—undeus cultum inter omnes esse vellet c. Because he would have one and the same worship among all he commanded but one altar Gallas He would have but one altar to note one truth and one religion B. Babington as the Apostle saith Ephes. 4.5 There is one Lord one faith one baptisme 5. Places of Confutation 1. Confut. Against Tostatus that it is no more lawfull to make images in the new Testament than it was under the old Vers. 23. GOds of silver or Gods of gold yee shall make yee none c. Tostatus alleaging these two reasons why images were not allowed in the old Testament because Idolatry was then commonly practised among the Gentiles and therefore the Lord would take away all occasion thereof among his people and for that no image could be made to represent God being visible yet he saith that it is lawfull to have images in the new Testament 〈…〉 aliqua prediâ—tarum causarum neither doth any of the former reasons hinder it because now there is no danger of Idolatry in making an image to represent God Quia non est nunc generalis 〈…〉 There is not now a generall custome of the Gentiles leading that way and though in the old Testament there was nothing which could be expressed by an image God being invisible yet in the new Testament Christ truly tooke our flesh Ita ut statua et couveniat quia 〈◊〉 nostrûm 〈◊〉 So that an image may well agree unto him because he is like unto any of us Sunt etiam â—liquâ— sancti viri c. There are also holy men whom though we worship not as Gods yet we have them as intercessors with God and doe make pictures of them to be put in remembrance of them Tostat. qu. 39. Contra. 1. If the forbidding to make any graven image to represent God by be a morall precept as it cannot be denied then it bindeth Christians as well in the new Testament as it did the Israelites in the old 2. And there is more danger of idolatry 〈◊〉 than there was theâ— for the grosse idolatry of the Gentiles was not so dangerous to imitate nor so like to be followed as the coloured superstition and refined idolatry of those which professe themselves Catholikes and Christians the grosse Pagane idolatry is now turned into counterfeit Christian imagery And if the nations which have not yet received the Christian Faith as the Turkes Mahometanes Jewes have renounced idolatry it is a shame for Christians in profession to retaine it still 3. Concerning the other reason first the Godhead and divine nature is no more circumscriptible and to be pictured now than it was in the old Testament And as Christ in the new did take upon him the shape and forme of man so also in the old he appeared in humane shape to the Fathers why might they not then have pictured him according to that appearance as well as now therefore in this respect there is no difference But can they also by any image resemble Christs divine nature If they cannot it is a lying image for either they make a picture of Christ as God and Man and so they with Eutyches will confound the natures of Christ making the Godhead circumscriptible or else with Nestorius they must divide his person making two Christs one as he is Man whom they cannot picture another as he is God who cannot by any image bee resembled And whereas Tostatus himselfe misliketh that any image should be made of the Trinity upon this reason Quia cum nihil tale ut est exprimere in personis divinis valeat solius erroris Arriani occasio est ut tres Deos essentialiter distenctos c. 〈◊〉 Because no picture can expresse any thing in the divine persons as it is and so it would only give occasion of the Arrian errour that wee should imagine three Gods essentially distinguished c. this reason may be returned againe upon him that seeing nothing of Christs divine nature can be expressed by a picture such delineation and portraiting of Christ would give occasion of the Nestorian heresie to make two Christs one which may be pictured as he is man and the other which cannot be pictured as he is God Secondly concerning the images of Saints Were there not glorious and renowned Saints in the old Testament as the Patriarkes Abraham Isaack Iacob with the Prophets Moses and Elias with the rest as the Apostles and Evangelists and holy Martyrs under the New Why then was it not as lawfull to make images and visible representations of the Saints then as now Therefore herein there is no difference betweene those times and these and so notwithstanding all these shifts and evasions it is found to bee no more lawfull to have Images and pictures for religious uses now than it was then 2. Confut. Against the grossenesse of idolatrie BUt this place which forbiddeth any Gods of silver or gold to bee made maketh strongly against all adoration of such Images which by so doing they make their Gods And whereas the Lord saith Ye shall not make with me Hac voce ostendit alios sibi deos adjungi cum eriguntur simulachra By this word he sheweth that other Gods are joyned with him when as Images are erected c. For when they doe bow before them and make their prayers and offer unto them and give that unto dumbe
and necessary or just cause doe so require c. otherwise the Law doth forbid all unlawfull swearing as well as the Gospell 3. And the reason why they ought not to sweare by strange gods is ne frequenti juramento iâ—â—â—cantur ad cultâ—â—◠〈◊〉 c. lest that by often swearing they be induced to worship them Glos. interliâ—â—â—â— 4. And as an Hebrew then and so a Christian now was not himselfe so neither were they to compell a Gentile to sweare by them yet as Augustine determineth it is lawfull for a Christian recipere ab eo juramentum in Deo suo c. to receive an oath of a Gentile by his god to confirme some covenant or contract se Gentilis obtularis se facturum if the Gentile doe of himselfe offer it Lyran Tostat. QUEST XXV Whether a Christian may compell a Iew to sweare by his Thorah which containeth the five bookes of Moses VPon this occasion how farre a Christian may compell another of a contrary religion to sweare as a Jew or Turke Tostatus bringeth in divers questions which it shall not be amisse here briefly to touch as first whereas it is an usuall thing with the Jewes at this day to sweare upon their Thorah which is nothing else but a volume containing the five bookes of Moses yet bound up in silke and laid up very curiously in their Synagogue whereout they use to read the lectures of the Law the question is whether it be lawfull for a Christian Judge to urge a Jew to take his oath upon his Thorah for upon the Gospels he will rather dye than take an oath For the resolution of this doubt divers things are to be weighed and considered 1. That there is great difference betweene the Idols and 〈◊〉 gods of the Heathen and the Jewes Thorah for this 〈◊〉 a part of Gods word and containeth nothing but the truth and it is all one as if the Jew did lay his hand upon the Pentateuch or five bookes of Moses as any Christian may take his oath upon the Gospels or any other part of Gods word 2. And like as a Christian laying his hand upon the Gospels doth not 〈◊〉 by the bookâ— for 〈◊〉 were unlawfull in giving the honour due to the Creator unto a creature but hath relation unto God whose verity and truth is contained in that booke So a Jew swearing upon his Thorah yet sweareth by God the Author of the Law and in so doing sinneth not 3. Yet it may so fall out that a Jew may sinne in swearing upon his Thorah as having an opinion that all the contents of that booke as namely the ceremonials are yet in force which are abolished in Christ and yet the Judge may not sinne in requiring the Jew to sweare upon his Thorah for he doth not consider of those things quae sunt in voluntate agentis sed de ipso actis which are in the minde and intent of the doer but of the act it selfe therefore the act of it selfe being lawfull a Jew may be required to doe it Sic Tostat. qu. 14. QUEST XXVI Whether a Iew may be urged to sweare in the name of Christ. BUt as the Jew may be urged to sweare upon his Thorah which they hold to be a booke of truth as Christians doe yet the case is not alike if a Christian should compell a Jew to sweare in the name of Christ for although Christ be in deed and in truth very God yet the Jewes hold him to be worse than any Idoll and therefore the Jew in taking such an oath should doe against his conscience and consequently commit a great sinne or if a Jew should require a Christian to sweare by the name of Christ whom he holdeth to be no God nor yet a good man therein the Jew should also sinne against his conscience for it skilleth not a thing to be so or so indeed dum aliter concipiatur as long as a man otherwise conceiveth and is perswaded in his minde Tostat. qu. 15. QUEST XXVII Whether a Saracene may be urged to sweare upon the Gospels or in the name of Christ. NOw although a Jew cannot be compelled without sinne to sweare in the name of Christ whom he holdeth worse than an Idoll or upon the Gospels which they thinke containe nothing but fables yet the reason standeth otherwise for a Saracene or Turke he may be required to sweare in the name of Christ or upon the Gospels And the reason is because the Saracens have a good opinion of Christ and beleeve that he was sent of God and that he was a great Prophet and a good man and for the most part they doe assent unto the Gospels and beleeve that Christ spake the truth And therefore they in taking such an oath doe not against their conscience and therein sinne not Now if it be objected that the Saracens differ more from the Christians than the Jewes and therefore can no more lawfully take an oath in the name of Christ than the Jewes the answer is that although the Jewes consent with the Christians touching the canonicall bookes of the old Testament as the Saracens doe not yet as touching Christ they doe totally dissent from the Christians and so doe not the Saracens Tostat. qu. 17. QUEST XXVIII Whether a Christian may sweare upon the Iewes Thora BUt it hath beene before shewed that a Jew may be without sinne urged to sweare upon his Thora which is nothing but the Pentateuch containing the five bookes of Moses another question is moved whether a Christian may safely take his oath upon the Jewes Thora And that it is not lawfull so to doe it may be thus objected 1. It is a sinne Iudaizare to Iudaize to doe as the Jewes doe as to be circumcised to observe the Jewish Sabbath and such like But to sweare upon the Thora is to Iudaize that is to doe as the Jewes doe Ergo c. Answ. 1. To Iudaize is not simply to doe that which the Jewes doe but that which they alone doe and none other as to beleeve that which they only beleeve as that the ceremonies of the Law are still in force or to doe that which they only doe as to be circumcised and to abstaine from certaine kinde of meats as Saint Paul chargeth Saint Peter that he compelled the Gentiles Iudaizare to Iudaize concerning their meats for he did eat with the Gentiles before the Jewes came and afterward he withdrew himselfe from them otherwise to beleeve as the Jewes and others also beleeve and to doe likewise as to hold the world to have beene created the Israelites to have beene delivered and all other things in the Scriptures to be true as they are there set downe this is not to Iudaize 2. So because the Thora which is the Pentateuch is not only received of the Jewes but of the beleeving Gentiles and the truth of the Law we subscribe unto as well as the Jewes therefore simply to take an oath upon their Thora
Confut. No festivall daies to be dedicated to Saints Vers. 17. IT is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel c. If this festivall day of the sabbath was consecrated unto the Lords honour and it was a signe betweene the people and him hence it is evident that holy and festivall daies are not to be erected to the honour of Saints The Lord is the Creator of time and daies and therefore he only must have the honour of them Simler 4. Confut. Against the observation of the Iewish festivalâ— Vers. 17. FOr ever c. Hence the Ebionites grounded their heresie that Christians were bound now to keepe the Jewish Sabbath because the Lord calleth it here and in the former verse an everlasting covenant But this is a weake and slender ground Augustine thinketh it is called an everlasting covenant because the Sabbath was a signe of that which was eternall namely our spirituall rest in Christ or because there is no time prefixed or determined for the continuance of it But rather it is so called not simply but in respect of the policie and state of that Common-wealth that as long as it stood and the time of ceremonies did hold so long should the law of the Sabbath be in force for otherwise they may as well urge the celebration of the Jewish Passeover which is established by an ordinance for ever Exod. 12.17 and Aarons Priesthood by the same reason should continue still of the which the Lord saith Exod. â—8 43 This shall be a law for ever unto him and his seed after him 6 Morall observations 1. Observ. Arts not to be abused to any unlawfull purpose Vers. 2. WHom I have filled with the Spirit of God Seeing humane Arts are the gift of God artificers must take heed that they do not profane Gods good gifts and abuse their trades to pride wantonnes superstition or such like Gallas B. Babingâ— As in these daies many doe make their handicrafts to attend as handmaids upon pride And some thereby set forth superstition and idolatrie as Esay describeth the foolishnes and vanitie of such as carved images to make them gods thereof to worship Isai. 44.13 Such an one was Demetrius who made silver shrines for Diana Act. 17. 2. Observ. Against vaine pompe in the multitude of servant and officers Vers. 4. TO worke in gold silver brasse c. The Lord could have raised up a cunning workman in every one of these but hee rather thought it good to give unto one man skill in all these whereby the pompe of many vaine glorious persons in the world is reproved that will have a severall officer for every service as Oleaster noteth Alius culinam curat aliuâ— equos c. One looketh to the kitchin another to the horse a third waiteth on the table another attendeth in the chamber c. Bernard reproved this pompe in the Abbats of his time whereof some hee noteth to have ridden in the way accompanied with threescore horse Aâ— non unus aliquis minister posset saith he jâ—mentuâ— ligare ad mensam servire lectulum praeparare May not one minister suffice to saddle the horse serve at the table and make the bed But Oleaster here is overseene to checke Princes for this their magnificence and state in having many officers for it is seemely for their high place and calling to bee served in different sort from others In meaner persons it may worthily be noted for a fault if any in the vaine ostentation of servants and officers shall exceed the bounds of their calling 3. Observ. Gifts to be mutually communicated Vers. 6. I Have joyned with him Aholiab Oleaster hereupon giveth another good note Serui Dei societatem admittunt The servants of God refuse not societie though they have never so good gifts yet they desire the helpe of others as Moses envied not that Eldad and Medad prophesied in the campe So then as in the bodie one member standeth in need of another so is it in the diversitie of gifts which are given to the members of Christs mysticall bodie they should communicate them one to another and so use them as best may serve for the common good of the Church CHAP. XXXII 1. The Method and Argument IN this Chapter is set forth the sinne of Israel in committing most grosse idolatries whereof there are foure parts 1. The narration of their wicked fact to Vers. 7 2. The examining of their fact and the knowledge thereof to vers 26. 3. The punishment inflicted thence to vers 30. 4. A preparation to their repentance vers 30. to the end 1. Their sin is described 1. Both by the counsell and advice which they tookes first the people in propounding the matter to Aaron to make them gods with the occasion moving them therto the absence of Moses then Aaron in setting them a course what to doe vers 2. 2. By the fact it selfe which is either of them apart of the people in bringing their jewels vers 3. of Aaron in making thereof a Calfe and setting up an Altar vers 4 5. or of them both together Aaron proclaimeth an holy day vers 5. The people offer sacrifices eat drinke and play vers 6. 2. The examination cognizance or taking knowledge of this sinne was either while Moses was with God to vers 15. or when he was departed from God and returned to the campe 1. In the first there is first the Lords complaint of the people in generall that they had corrupted their waies vers 7. so also vers 9. in particular by the description of their sinne vers 8. Secondly Moses intercession with the effect thereof Moses intercession is grounded upon three reasons The deliverance of the people vers 11. The blasphemie of the Egyptians which is feared vers 12. The covenant made with their fathers vers 13. Then the effect is God changed his minde vers 14. 2. In the second cognizance there are two degrees first Moses confused knowledge when they were yet a farre off as he went and conferred with Ioshua to vers 19. Then his certaine knowledge 1. By the sight of his eyes vers 19. whereupon followed two effects of his indignation the breaking of the Tables and the burning of the golden Calfe vers 20 21. 2. By Aarons confession whom Moses fifteth and examineth to vers 25. 3. The punishment is thus set forth 1. The reason that moved Moses to take revenge the nakednes of the people vers 26. 2. Moses charge to the Levites vers 26.27 3. The execution vers 28 29. 4. The preparation to their repentance and reconciliation consisteth 1. of Moses admonition to the people vers 30. Of Moses supplication unto God his petition which containeth the confession of their sinne vers 32. and the craving of pardon with a disjunction or else himselfe to bee blotted out c. 2. And of Gods answer wherein the Lord refuseth Moses disjunctive request concerning himselfe and yeeldeth to his request for the people
the true service of God should not be inferiour unto the false worship of the Gentiles and involutum fuit Christi corpus Christs body was wrapped up in these ceremonies they were types and figures of things to come Simler 4. Now such sumptuous cost is not required in Gods service his worship being spirituall for the body being come the shadowes are ceased only a comelinesse and decencie is to be observed in the edifiers belonging to Gods service with seemely ornaments Simler QUEST IV. Whether one may offer himselfe to the calling of the Ministerie Vers. 10. ALL the wise hearted shall come c. Moses willeth such as God had endued with gifts to offer themselves to doe the service of the Tabernacle So it is not unlawfull for those which know themselves to be fitted and prepared with gifts to offer themselves in a modest and orderly sort unto the Ministery of the Gospell these conditions being observed 1. They must humbly acknowledge to have received all their gifts at Gods hands and that without his grace and helpe no vocation or calling can prosper as Iohn Baptist saith A man can receive nothing unlesse it be given him from heaven Iohn 3.27 and therefore their desire must be to referre all their gifts to Gods glory 2. They must submit themselves with lowlinesse to the judgement and triall of those penes quos est legitima vocatio unto whom belongeth the outward lawfull calling and approbation of men for the Apostle saith The spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 3. They must take heed they enter not by unlawfull meanes as by gifts and bribery to corrupt those to whom the allowance and approbation of them belongeth that are to enter In this manner for one to offer himselfe is not to be an intruder but such an one is rather to be held as called of God Marbach QUEST V. Of the liberall and franke offering of the people Vers. 21. THou all the Congregation of the children of Israel departed c. 1. In that they departed from Moses it sheweth their deliberation and consultation with themselves which commendeth their discreet liberality that they would doe nothing rashly for it falleth out oftentimes that hee qui subitâ— fervore beneficus est which is liberall upon a sudden heat doth afterward repent him 2. They came and offered willingly not of constraint Marbach Some thinke this is added Every one whose spirit made him willing came and brought to shew a difference betweene the willing and unwilling but it rather sheweth that there was none found but brought willingly according to their ability 3. As by the manner their liberality appeareth so by the persons that offered not onely men but women not the Princes only but the people and as well the poore as the rich Pelargus 4. So also it is made manifest by the gifts which they offered not onely silver gold but even the Jewels and ornaments of their bodies earings rings bracelets even the nice and dainty women were willing to forgoe such things Marbach 5. And herein their repentance did shew it selfe that quae luxui antea servierunt c. the things which before they abused to wantonnesse and superstition are now consecrated to the service of the Tabernacle Simler QUEST VI. Why the women offered by themselves Vers. 22. THe men came with the women 1. The word is ghal which signifieth upon which Oleaster understandeth thus that the women were most forward and came first and then the men came upon them that is after them 2. Or he thinketh mention is made of men and women to signifie the great throngs and companies that came men and women together 3. But direct mention is made of the women to shew their ardent affection in not sparing to give their owne jewels Marbach And herein also was signified Deum non aspernari operas mulâ—â—rum That God despised not the service of women toward the worke of the Tabernacle Lippom. 4. The women offered by themselves but not without their husbands consent for all things were done in order the superstitious women alleage Ierem. 44.19 That they did not powre out their drinke offerings to the Queene of heaven without their husbands much more would not these devout women offer to the Lords worke without their husbands consent And though the husbands onely should have offered for themselves and their wives by mutuall consent it had come to one effect and should have beene alike acceptable unto God yet it contenteth the devout women better that they offer with their owne hands As when a summe was taken of the people every one put in halfe a sicle for himselfe Tostat. quaest 2. QUEST VII Why the workmen are named Vers. 30. THe Lord hath called by name Bezaleel 1. Marbachius thinketh that this narration of the workmen went before the offering of the people that they knowing who should have the disposing of their gifts might be more incouraged to bring but it is like that as the Lord after the description of the Tabernacle and what every one should bring toward it last of all made mention of the workmen chap. 31. so Moses observeth the same order 2. Cajetane saith that Moses signifieth who should be the chiefe workmen ne â—riatur contentio inter artifices that there should be no contention among the workmen 3. But that other note of Cajetane is not so good that whereas it is said Hee hath filled him with the spirit Elohim of God he by elohim understandeth a Iudge that God had made him a Judge or Umpire relativè ad alios artifices in respect of other artificers 4. I preferre rather Osianders collection that out of these words Iehovah filleth him with the Spirit of God proveth the Trinâ—â—y for there is one person of Iehovah which filleth another of the Spirit wherewith he is filled and the third of the Sonne of God whose Spirit it is 4. Places of Doctrine 〈…〉 Law of the Sabbaticall rest how morall Vers. 3. 〈…〉 The Sabbath is taken two wayes either precisely for the seventh 〈…〉 of the Law and is abolished or simply for a day of rest set apart for the 〈…〉 there is no nation almost which had not some festivall dayes for the 〈…〉 wherein although they diversly erred yet it sheweth that it was 〈…〉 and consequently was morall that some time should be appointed 〈…〉 2. Doct. The libertie of Christians is greater in the Sabbaticall rest than of the Iewes BUt yet the rest of the Lords day is not so strictly now injoyned as under the Law sed nunc liberalius nobiscum agit but now under the new Testament God dealeth more liberally with us some works are such as doe hinder the service of God which are by no meanes now to be done nisi cogat necessitas unlesse necessity constraine other works there are which are not such an impediment unto Gods service which may be done upon the Lords day yet so as God be first
qu. VVhether the owner might redeeme his life with money 67. qu. VVhat servants this law meaneth Hebrewes or strangers 68. qu. VVhy a certaine summe of money is set for all servants 69. qu. VVhat kinde of welles this law meaneth where and by whom digged 70. qu. How the live and dead ox are to be divided where they were not of equall value Questions upon the two and twentieth Chapter 1. QUest Of the divers kinds of theft 2. qu. VVhy five oxen are restored for one and for a stollen sheepe but foure 3. qu. Of the divers punishment of theft and whether it may be capitall 4. qu. VVhy the theefe breaking up might be killed 5. qu. How it is made lawfull for a private man to kill a theefe 6. qu. After what manner the theefe was to be sold. 7. qu. VVhy the theefe is onely punished double with whom the thing stollen is found 8. qu. How man is to make recompence of the best of his ground 9. qu. Of the breaking out of fire and the damages thereby 10. qu. VVhy the keeper of things in trust is not to make good that which is lost 11. qu. How the fraud in the keeper of trust was to be found out and punished 12. qu. VVhat is to be done with things that are found 13. qu. How this law of committing things to trust differeâ—h from the former 14. qu. How the cause of theft differeth from other casualties in matters of trust 15. qu. VVhether it were reasonable that the matter should be put upon the parties oath 16. qu. VVhat was to bee done if the thing kept in trust were devoured of some wilde beast 17. qu. Of the law of borrowing and lending when the thing lent is to be made good when not 18. q. Why such a strait law is made for the borrower 19. qu. Why the hirer is not to make good the thing hired as when it is borrowed 20. qu. Whether the fornicator by this law is sufficiently punished 21. qu. Why the woman committing fornication bee not as well punished by the law 22. qu. What kinde of dowrie this law speaketh of 23. qu. How this law differeth from that Deut. 22.29 24. qu. What was to be done if the fornicator were not sufficient to pay the dowrie 25. qu. What if the fornicator refused to take the maid to wife 26. qu. Whether this law were generall without any exception 27. qu. How farre this positive law against fornication doth binde Christians now 28. qu. Why the law doth require the consent of the father to such mariages 29. qu. Why next to the law of fornication followeth the law against witchcraft 30. qu. What kinde of witchcraft is here understood 31. qu. Whether love may be procured by sorcerie 32. qu. Whether witches can indeed effect any thing and whether they are worthie to bee punished by death 33. qu. Of the odious sinne of bestiall and unnaturall lust 34. qu. The reasons why men are given over to unnaturall lust 35. qu. What is meant by sacrificing to other gods 36. qu. Whether idolatrie now is to bee punished by death 37. qu. Why idolatrie is judged worthie of death 38. qu. Of kindnesse how to be shewed toward strangers and why 39. qu. Why widowes and Orphanes are not to be oppressed 40. qu. How and by what meanes prayers are made effectuall 41. qu. Why usurie is called biting 42. qu. What usurie is 43. qu. Of divers kinds of usuries 44. qu. That usurie is simplie unlawfull 45. qu. Certaine contracts found to be usurie not commonly so taken 46. qu. Whether all increase by the lone of money be unlawfull 48. qu. Whether it were lawfull for the Iewes to take usurie of the Gentiles 49. qu. What garment must bee restored before the Sun set which was taken to pledge and why 50. qu. Who are understood here by gods and why 51. qu. VVhy the Magistrate is not to be reviled and with what limitation this law is to be understood 52. qu. VVhether S. Paul transgressed this law Act. 23. when hee called the high Priest painted wall and whether indeed he did it of ignorance 53. qu. VVhat is understood here by abundance of liquor 54. qu. Of the difference of first fruits and tithes 55. qu. Of the divers kinds of tithe 56. qu. Reasons why tithes ought to be payed 57. qu. VVhether this law bee understood of the redemption of the first borne or of their consecration to Gods service 58. qu. VVhy the first borne of cattell were not to bee offered before the eighth day 59. qu. Of the meaning of this law whether it were mysticall morall or historicall 60. qu. VVhy they are forbidden to eat flesh torne of beasts 61. qu. Of the use and signification of this law Questions upon the three and twentieth Chapter 1. QUest Of raysing or reporting false tales 2. qu. What it is to put to the hand to be a false witnesse 3. qu. How great a sin it is to be a false witnesse 4. qu. VVhether in this law we are to understand the mightie or the many 5. qu. How the poore is not to be esteemed in judgement 6. qu. How person are accepted in judgement and how far the poore may be respected 7. qu. VVhy mercie is to bee shewed toward the enemies oxe and asse 8. qu. VVhether it is to bee read Thou shalt helpe him or lay it aside with him 9. qu. How the poore mans cause is perverted in judgement 10. qu. Against lying in judgement and how it may be committed 11. qu. VVho are meant here by the just and innocent 12. qu. In what sense God is said not to justifie the wicked 13. qu. VVhether a Iudge ought alwayes to follow the evidence when he himselfe knoweth the contrarie 14. qu. A Iudge is not bound of his knowledge to condemne a man not found guiltie in publike judgement 15. qu. VVhat a dangerous thing it is for a Iudge to take gifts 16. qu. VVhether all kinde of gifts are unlawfull 17. qu. VVhy strangers are not to bee oppressed in judgement 18. qu. Of the divers festivals of the Hebrewes 19. qu. VVhy the land was to rest the seventh yeare 20. qu. What the poore lived upon in the seventh yeare 21. qu. VVhether the seventh yeare were generally neglected in Israel 490. yeares together as Tostatus thinketh 22. qu. Why the law of the Sabbath is so oft repeated 23. qu. VVhat manner of mention of strange gods is here forbidden 24. qu. VVhy it is forbidden to sweare by the name of strange gods 25. qu. Whether a Christian may compell a Iew to sweare by his Thorah which containeth five books of Moses 26. qu. VVhether a Iew may be urged to sweare by the name of Christ. 27. qu. VVhether a Saracon may be urged to sweare upon the Gospell or in the name of Christ. 28. qu. VVhether a Christian may sweare upon the the Iewes Thorah 29. qu. That it is not lawfull for a Christian to sweare upon the Turkes Alcaron or