that he blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it and that in it God rested from all his worke which he made to teach vs assuredly that this Commandement of the Sabbath * P. Martir in Gen. 2. was no more then first giuen when it was pronounced from heauen by the Lord then any other the Morall precepts nay that it hath so much antiquitie as the seuenth day hath being for so soone as the day was so soone was it sanctified that wee might know Rulling in Rom. 4.5 that as it came in with the first man so it must not goe out but with the last man and as it was in the beginning of the world so it must continue to the ending of the same and as the first seuenth day was sanctified so must the last be and as God bestowed this blessing vpon it in the most perfecte estate of man so must it be reserued with it till he be restored to his perfection againe The Church of God did keepe the Sabbath from the beginning before it was pronounced vpon Mount Sinai And we shall be so much the rather perswaded of this if we consider how the Church of God vpon the consideration of the first institution of the Sabbath did retaine by tradition the true knowledge and practise of this Commandement as well as any other part of the word from Adam vnto the comming of the Israelites into the wildernesse passing ouer the red sea from out of Egypt before the giuing of the law as appeareth in Exodus when Moses exhorting them vpon this new occasion of gathering and preparing Manna to the sanctifying of the Sabbath still notwithstanding that as they had done before and therefore to rest now from both saying Bake that to day which you will bake Exod. 16.23 and seeth that which you will seeth and all that remaineth lay it vp to be kept till the morning for you first speaketh of the Sabbath immediatlie following as of a knowne thing vnto them in the former part of the verse to morowe is the rest of the holie Sabbath vnto the Lord vpon which bare notice of the Sabbath next ensuing hee could not haue so forcibly required the â—â—sting from worke if it had not been a thing that they â—ere long acquainted with Besides in this same place he perswadeth them vnto â—t with the same reason that the Lord vseth in promulgating of it and almost in the same wordes sauing that that which is there generally spokeÌ„ is here applyed to the particular occasion Sixe dayes shall you gather it verse 26. but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath to shew vs also that they knew the equitie of this commandement from the beginning Moreouer when some did breake this commandement so reasonable so well knowne in seeking for Manna Moses reprouing them at the worde of the Lord sayth in the words following verse 29. Behold how the Lord hath giuen you the Sabbath speaking of the time past therefore he giueth the sixt day bread for two daies tarrie therefore euery man in his place Last of all Moses testifieth of the people in the 30. verse Tremelius Iunius that afterward they rested euery Sabbath as some doe reade it and as yet the law was not giuen And therefore vnder correction I thinke it not true that is auouched by a learned man when hee saith Conuinci non potest Muscul loc com praecept 4. c. It cannot be proued that the Sabbath or rest of the seuenth day was kept before the giuing of the law either from Adam before the floud vnto Noah or after the floud vnto Moses or of Abraham and his posteritie For as a learned and ancient father and Bishop saith Iam hîc ab initio c. Here now euen from the beginning God hath insinuated this doctrine vnto vs teaceing vs In circulo hebdomadis dieÌ„ vnuÌ„ Chrysost in Gen. 2. Homil. 18. that in the â—oÌ„passe of a weeke one whole day is to be put apart for a â—pirituall rest vnto God Vnto all which may be added â—â—at for proofe that this commandement is naturall morall and perpetuall that I say may bee added which was practised among the Gentiles and all the heathen concerning the keeping holy of certaine dayes though altogether ignorant of the lawe of Moses The Gentiles by the light of nature kept some daies holy for though it was so that they knew not the institution of the seuenth day much lesse did they keepe it yet some daies by a common consent they seuered from their worldly affaires and dedicated them to the seruice of their Gods nay though they did altogether so hate the onely true holy day that neither would they obserue it themselues and also mocked the Iewes for obseruing it Iere. Lament 3.7 yet of themselues they erected other dayes which they appointed to a holy and religious vse which euidently declareth that the lawe of the Sabboth was so deeply grauen in the hart of man at the first by God himselfe that howsoeuer the print of it was by the fall of Adam and by sin growing in the posteritie was I say greatly mangled and defaced so that it could not be read yet it was not so wholly raced out but that some deformed scratches and is it were scarres of it did appeare And therefore though they could not attaine to the knowledge of the day much lesse the true maner of sanctifying it without the word yet that there should be a day differing from other in vse sequestred from the common affaires of the world and consecrated to the worship of God this was that which did shew it selfe to them whether they would or no. Herein therefore I agree with the Schooleman who sayth Thom. Aquin. 2 a. 2 ae quaest 122. art 4. That the commandement of sanctifiyng the Sabbath is partly morall morall in as much as a man doth appoint a certaine time of his life to attend vpon heauenly things for there is a naturall inclination in man to depute a certaine time for euery necessary thing as for the receiving of his meate for sleepe and for other such things and therefore he doth according to the direction of naturall reason appoint a certaine time for his spirituall refreshing wherby his soule is refreshed in God And as in the secoÌ„d commandement though they knew not the true seruice of God as being without his word yet that hee should some wayes outwardly beworshipped they were fully assured as apâ—eareth by their superstition and Idolatrie So the very â—ay that God had blessed to this ende they vnderstood not neither could doe without the lawe yet that there â—ought to be some day they held vndoubtedly as appeareth by their practise when they had sanctified so many daies to themselues And that this Sabbath day The Gospell hath not taken away the obseruation of the Sabbath which hath that commendation of antiquitie and consent which wee haue heard ought to stande still in his proper force and that it appertaineth to vs Christians now
that superstition of the Iewes which that graue father singularly wel deseruing of al the Church of God Beza in Cantic SoloÌ„ Homil. 30. Master Beza speaketh of When it is counted such a great sinne to open a shop windowe Non item si lusum si potatum si scortatum fuerit But not so great if a man vpon this day giue himselfe to gaming to swilling and to playing the harlot Yea as another learned diuine sayth Gualt in Act. 13. Homil. 88. Hodie eò res deuenit In our time things are so come to passe that amongst Christians they may be accounted very good men who breake the Sabbath by their handie labor when they most doe prophane it with horrible wickednes neither at any time doe they more offend in pride and disdaine in drunkennes ryot lust then vpon that day which should be wholly consecrated vnto God and to the meditation of his workes and of our eternall rest And seeing these thinges are done openly and commonly sayth hee doe we yet maruaile what is the cause of the calamities of our time And Master Bucer complaineth yet a great deale more Bucer in Psal 92. I am nihil ferè scelerum est Now there is almost no wickednes which is not especially committed vpon the Lords holy day there is opâ—â—â—â—ying drinking filthy dauncing harlotting fighting and quarrelling and I would to God greater things then these were not committed I will not say as he sayth Et nusquam ferè licentiùs quam in ipsis principum Episcoporum aulis For I hope better things of them and such as accompanie saluation but in too many places of towne and countrie So that I may say of them as father Chrysostome doth Chrysost de Lazar. conciâ— pri Thou hast receiued the Sabbath day of God to clense thy soule from sinne and thou vpon that day dost most of all â—ommit sinne Whereupon it comes to passe that all the weeke following they are so much the more wicked bâ— how much that which was appointed for their good they haue turned into sin vnto themselues so that as the Gospell which in it selfe is the sauour of life vnto liâ—e by mens abuse is turned into the sauour of death aâ—d the bread of the Lords table which is the food of life is turned into poyson when men doe not rightly therein discerne of the Lords body and so by eating it and driâ—king the Lords cuppe 1. Cor. 11.29 they procure his iudgement against â—hemselues so this day of the Lords resurrection which is therefore the day of life vnto vs is by their wickednes â—ade vnto them the day of euerlasting death Euen as Master Caluin sayth Caluin vpon Deut. 5. ser 34. When the Sunday is spent not onely in games and pastimes full of vanitie but in things which are altogether contrary vnto God that men thinke they haue nâ—t celebrated the Sunday except GOD therein be by many and sundrie waies offended when men I say vnhallow in such sort this holy day which God hath instituted to leade vs vnto himselfe is it any maruaile if wee become brutish and beastlie in our doings all the rest of the weeke But to reserue all such prophane beasts vnto the iudgement of God whose holy daye of rest as they doe despise so vnlesse they repent and amend GOD hath sworne long agoe Heb. 3.18 that they shall neuer enter into his heaueÌ„ly rest There are others of whom in the same place he speaketh Caluin ibid. Who glut themselues by ryotting and are shut vp in their houses because they dare not shew a manifest contempt of their duetie in the open streetes so that the Sunday is to them a retreat to withdraw themselues from the congregation of God whereby one may see what affection they haue to all Christianitie and the seruice of God when by this which was giuen vs for an aide and helpe to drawe neerer vnto God they take occasion to withdraw themselues the further from him For as he sayth a little before if we imploy the Sunday to make good cheere to sport our selues to goe to games and pastimes shall God in this bee honoured Is not this a mockery Is not this an vnhallowing of his name But let vs that be Christians be of another minde and let vs as Saint Augustine sayth shewe our selues Christians by keeping holy the Lords day August ad Casul â—pist 86. vnto whom so manie as feare God let me say as they did at the Councell of Paris Concil Paris lib. 3. cap. 5. Salubriter admonemus We do admonish all the faithfull for the saluation good of their soules that they would giue due honour and reuerence vnto the Lords day because the dishonour of it is both contrarie vnto Christian religion and doth without all doubt bring destruction to the soules of all that continue it And there is great reason of it For seeing that daye is appointed for all the partes of Gods worship Bulling in Ier. câ—ncio 65. He that despiseth the Sabbath makes no great account of the true religion as master Bullinger very wisely noteth and therefore the Sabbath is many times put for the practise of all religion and the Prophets when they complaine of the decay of all religion say that the Sabbaths are polluted as hee also obserueth in the same place according to which rule if wee will iudge of the religioÌ„ of men we shall find that amongst a great many it is very little or none at all because they haue not that due care of the Sabbath that they should And thus saith Master Caluin Caluin vpon Deut. 5. ser 34. that the Prophet Ieremie in many places rebuking the Iewes for breaking of the Sabbath speakes vnto them as if they had in generall broken the whole law and not without cause for he which setteth at naught the Sabbath daye hath cast vnder foote all Gods seruice as much as is in him and if the Sabbath daye be not obserued all the rest shall be worth nothing Now besides seeing the end of all is that the fruit of Gods worship might appeare in our godly conuersation to the glorie of his name and our eternall saluation euen as it was ordayned of God at the first to keepe Adam in his integritie if we by the grace of God escape all these horrible prophanations of this daye and haue attained vnto some tolerable care of keeping holy the day then let vs see what we are bettered thereby and what is the fruite of our profession thereon For then may wee haue comfort that we vse it aright when there proceeds that good of it thereby for which God ordained it and which wee see it bringeth forth in many others And therefore I may say with Master Bucer Bucer in Mat. 12.11 if we do truely and religiously serue God vpon the Lords day aboue all others Declarent hoc mores Let our manners shewe it let the holinesse
by his word and by his works and therefore made him but am Idoll they by their practise in obseruing that seuenth day did shewe that they did know him aright and so made him knowne vnto others the glorie of which worke had beene obscured and darkened if they had changed the number of that day which the Lord in wisedome left to his Church to bee obserucd in the policie and discipline of it when hee might haue appointed some other that so the benefit of our creation might alwaies with praise be remembred in the Church according as it is said in the words of the commaundement In sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth Exod. 20.11 the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it which in the verse going before hee calleth the seuenth day Thus we learne that God did not onely blesse it but blesse it for this cause and so wee see that the Sabbath must needs be still vpon the seuenth day as it alwaies hath beene But now concerning this very speciall seuenth day Why we keep another seuenth day and not that which was from the beginning that now we keepe in the time of the Gospell that is well knowne that it is not the same it was from the beginning which God himselfe did sanctifie and whereof hee speaketh in this Commandement for it was the day going before ours which in latine retaineth his ancient name and is called the Sabbath which we also grant Dies Sabbathi but so that we confesse it must alwaies remaine neuer to be changed any more and that all men must keepe holy this seuenth day and none other which was vnto them not the seuenth but the first day of the weeke as it is so called many times in the new Testament and so it still standeth in force that we are bound vnto the seuenth day though not vnto that very seuenth Concerning the time and persons by whom and when the day was changed it appeareth in the new Testament that it was done in the time of the Apostles by the Apostles themselues and that together with the day the name was changed and was in the beginning called the first day of the weeke afterwards the Lords day It was changed in the Apostles time Acts 20.7 Now that it was changed in the Apostles time it appeareth by that which we reade in the Acts. The first day of the weeke the disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued the preaching vnto midnight In which Scripture we see that now at this time the Churches in some places vsed to haue their publique assemblies vpon this day and that all the parts of Gods worship proper to the Sabbath were exercised vpon this day as the preaching of the word receiuing the sacraments and common prayer and that the Apostles consented to the practise of this for Paul preached at this generall meeting And it appeareth by the circumstance of the story that this was then ordinarie though not in all places at the first for this meeting was not vpon this speciall presence of Paul for hee had taryed there now seuen dayes in all but they met to receiue the sacrament as it may bee gathered that it was an vsuall thing in the Church to receiue it euery sabbath and vpon this occasion Paul preached and because hee was to depart on the next daye and so they knew not when they should heare him againe therefore hee continued preaching so long as hee did Vnto which may be adioyned that which he writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 16.2 Euery first daye of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come where he willeth them to do that vpon this day which is most agreeable to the sabbath Namely to gather for the poore which is the fittest day for that purpose and therefore no doubt chosen out by the Apostle both for that reason he alleageth that the weeke being ended and a man seeing how God hath blessed him in it hee might accordingly extend his liberalitie and chiefly because it ought to be then when wen heare the word that by it they might be most of all stirred vp vnto it and are made partakers of the Sacraments and prayers of the Church and so thereby receiue most mercies at Gods hand that out of their abundance they might supply the necessitie of others Seeing then in the wisedome of the spirite it seemed good vnto the Apostle that there should bee a common gathering among the Corinthians as well as among others for the persecuted Saints we must needes presume of him that hee did chuse out the fittest time to further so waightie a matter and wee haue heard that that is the most conuenient time when the Church being met together they are ocupied in so many parts of Gods seruice which might moue their hearts to greatest pity and liberalitie and seeing hee appointeth this collection to be made the first day of the week we may be most assured that this day was allotted out vnto all the forenamed things among them also though they bee not here specefied in expresse words especially when wee haue the like alreadie in the place of the Acts aboue mentioned And vnto this practise of theirs the Apostle consenteth and as it were giueth his voice for hee willeth them to doe it vpon the day All which doe shewe at least wise thus much that this alteration and change was made in the time of the Apostles and while they liued the Sabbath day of the Iewes by little and little wearing away with the rest of the Iewish worship Neither could so great a matter be done all at once anl generally be practised in euery Church together seeing the Magistrates were not then Christians and so they could not haue the help of ciuill authoritie for the establishing of this constitution by lawe compelling all men thereunto but as the Gospell did enlarge it selfe further spread abroad men did willingly giue their names vnto it so they did consent vnto this exchange as vnto other decrees of the Church M. Fox in Apoc 1.10 Vnto this agree all the learned Master Foxe that worthie historiographer and diuine as hee alleadgeth it out of Saint Augustine sayth Hereby wee doe vnderstand that the first institution of the Lords day Vel ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus c. Is deriued euen from the very Apostles time vnto vs. Sozom. eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 8. Therefore whereas Sozomene in his ecclesiasticall historie reporteth that the first Christian Emperour Constantine the great did by law establish the Lords day which was of the Gentiles called Sunday as he saith Master Bullinger saith it is to be vnderstood that he Bulling in Apoc concio 4.
reuerenced the Catholike custome of the Church which was from the Apostles time rather then that hee did euen thē first ordaine it Bucer in Mat. 12.11 For as Master Bucer sayth The Lords day was appointed by the common consent of the Christians for the publike assemblies of the Church ipso statim tempore Apostolorum euen at the first in the Apostles time Nowe seeing the alteration was made in the Apostles time And by the Aposles themselues Ioh. 16.13 they did yeeld vnto it by their practise by whom can we imagine that this shuld be done but by thē who had receiued the spirite that should leade them into all trueth then by them I say who for their excellent giftes were able to see further into things then all the Church besides who for their great and Apostolicall authoritie would preuayle more then any other who were appoynted by Christ to be the chiefe builders and planters of the Churches both in doctrine and discipline And therefore S. Augustine saith plainely August de temp serm 251 Dominicum diem Apostoli Apostolici viri c. The Apostles and men of Apostolicall authoritie did ordaine this day in the Church M. Fox in Apoc. 1.10 And M. Foxe concluding out of his words saith From hence it is manifest that the obseruation of this Lords sabbath Aucoritate niti Apostolicae institutionis doth leane vpon the authoritie of the Apostles institution If indeed they had resisted it as they did many other things that crept into the Church in their time we would haue suspected it or rather vtterly refused it but seeing they haue commended it vnto vs by their practises as appeareth in that Scripture which we know to be Canonicall and Authenticall wee doe acknowledge that the Lorde furnishing them with his holy spirite as he vsed them according to his good pleasure like worthie instruments to conuey vnto vs the holy scriptures which wee receiue from their hands without all gaine saying so we beleeue that they had his extraordinarie direction in abrogating the former day and placing this in the roome of it For as the learned Doctor Fulke sayth D. Fulke vpon Rhem. Test. Apoc. 1.10 Acts 1.2 Now for the prescription of this day before any other of the seuen the Apostles had without doubt either the expresse commaundement of Christ before his ascension when hee gaue them precepts concerning the Kingdome of God and the ordering and gouernment of Church or else the certain direction of his spirite that it was his will and pleasure that it should bee so and that also according to the Scriptures And as we doe not dispute of the authoritie and credite of their writings which wee know not to haue proceeded from the spirite of man so wee doe not call into question the lawfulnes of this change which wee see in their writings allowed and by themselues commended vnto vs in the same So that I may conclude with him that saith Wolph Chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. Fecerunt hoc Apostoli The Apostles did make this change as appeareth by their writings whose examples wee doe well to follow as of whom it is sayd Iunij praelect in Gen. 2.3 hee that heareth you heareth mee And so concludeth Iunius Quamobrem cum dies Dominicus c. Wherefore seeing the Lords day is both by the fact of Christ s his resurrection and often appearing to his Disciples vpon that day by the example and institution of the Apostles and by the continuall practise of the ancient Church and by the testimonie of the scripture obserued substituted into the place of the Iewish Sabbath Ineptè faciunt They do very foolishly who say that the obseruation of the Lords day is of tradition not from the scripture that by this meanes they might establish the traditions of men And that it might be fully known to the whole church in time that the day was changed indeed they gaue it a new name calling it the Lords day that the very name it selfe might proclayme with a loude voyce as it were with the sound of a Trumpet thus much vnto the whole world yea among them which had not yet submitted themselues to the obseruation of this day For thus Saint Iohn calleth it in the Reuelation Reuel 1.10 I was rauished in the spirite on the Lords day by which as it is agreed vpon of all sides that hee meaneth this very day which wee obserue so when he giueth it this name writing vnto the Church to whom he would commend this prophecie he sheweth that then it began at least to bee so called and was in his time known by that name to some he liuing longer then the rest of the Apostles And so as the bounds of the Gospell were enlarged and it was by little and little in more places intertained neither could so great a thing in all places be done at once so with it also was the obseruation of this new day together with the change of the name thereof in the same places intertayned also And therefore Ignatius Bishop of Antioche liuing in the time or this Apostle Ignat. ad Magnes saith of it Omnis qui Christum amat Let euery one that loueth Christ keepe holy the Lords day renowned by his resurrection which is the Queene of all dayes in which death is ouercome and life is sprong vp in Christ. And so after him in other places it was thus called and kept Euseb lib 4. cap. 22. For as Eusebius makes mention in his Ecclesiasticall historie Dionisius Bishop of Corinth who liued about the yeare of Christ 106. speaketh thus Hodie to day we haue celebrated the Lords holy day And Iustinus Martyr Iustin. apol 2. not long after him doth not onely name the Lordes day but sheweth how it was obserued then euen as it is of vs when he saith That they met in one place to heare the writings of the Prophets c. Tertul. lib. de Idololat And Tertullian after him among the solemne dayes of the Christians then obserued doth first of all name the Lords day Thus wee may see that this change was made and approued of the Church from the beginning and so hath continued vnto our time But least it shuld seeme strange vnto vs Then also was changed the Ministers and the ministerie of the lawe that any such change should be made in the day we must call into our remembrance how many things were changed at that time For first of all the Ministers were changed and in stead of Priests and Leuites there were giuen Apostles Ephes 4.11 Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Teachers Secondarily all the sacrifices were changed so that we doe not offer vp the dead bodies of Rams Calues goates and such like but we giue vp our selues a liuing sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable vnto God Thirdly the Sacraments were changed for in stead of Circumcision and the Passeouer wee haue Baptisme and the
called the Lords day because it declareth vnto vs Christ crucified and raised vp againe and it is worthilie commanded to bee kept as the Lords day that wee might giue thankes vnto thee O Lord Christ for all these benefites for say they there is that grace bestowed vpon vs by thee Quae sua magnitudine omnia beneficia obscurat which by the greatnes and as it were brightnes of it doth obscure and darken all other So that though the day was once changed vpon these considerations nay they being such as they be it could not but be changed yet for so much as the like cause cā neuer be offered vnto men to moue them to enter into this consultation therefore the day must not onely not be changed any more but it must not so much as enter into mens thoughts to goe about to change it And therefore I doe so much the more maruaile at him who sayth That the keeping holie of the Lords day is not commanded by the authoritie of the Gospell Brētius in Leuit 23 2. but rather receiued into vse by the publike consent of the Church And a little after The obseruation of the Lords day is profitable not to be reiected but yet it is not to be accounted for a commandement of the Gospell but rather for a ciuill ordination And That the Church might haue appoynted but one day among ten or foreteene Idem in Leuit. 25.8 for the publike rest and Gods seruice And That herein consisteth part of our Christian libertie that it is lawfull if so be it be done by publike authoritie to keepe holie weekelie not onely not the Lords day but as they call them Munday Tuesday or any other day Wherein that we might be the rather established we must remember that not only that name of the day was changed together with it but it was changed into that very name it hath now vpon these speciall reasons that we haue alreadie heard The name of the Sabbath was changed into the name of the Lords day which also must be retained For it is called the Lords day euen of the Lord Iesus and it hath the honorable name of him who vpō that day did arise in greatest honor in so much that we ought not onely to keepe the day but to keepe it in his right name especially seeing part of the honour of it is in the name For as we doe breed reuerence of the Sacrament in mens hearts by speaking of it after his owne proper name the Lords Supper the cuppe of the Lord the Lords table 1. Cor. 11.20.27 and 10.21 so it maketh the day more highly to bee esteemed as it ought when we call it by his right name religiously the Lords day and doe not miscall it by a wrong name as the heathen haue done prophanely the Sunday who hauing ascribed the gouernment of the seuen daies in the weeke vnto the seuen Planets and hauing accordingly giuen them their names as appeareth more euidently in the Latin Dies solis Lunae Martis c then in our English names yet so it is that any of the daies might be called Sunday as well as that which is without any offence But it is not so in the name of the Lords day for as by it can bee ment no other day but that which wee keepe for our Sabbath so the name cannot be imparted to any other day without sacriledge Therefore as the Iewes did carefully retaine the name of the Sabath according to the first institution so ought we to acquaint our selues with the name of the Lords day Thus did the Christians vse to call it in former times as it is well obserued by that ancient writer Beda Mos Christianus appellat Beda in Luk. 24.1 It is the manner of the Christians to call it the Lords day because of the resurrection of our Lord where he sayth that not onely now and then they did so speake but that it was an vsuall maner among them And we had need to doe it so much the more because it behooueth vs to vse al good meanes to aduance the credite of this day in mens consciences in these prophane and irreligious times especially wherin as the contempt of all religion appeareth in many places so especially it bewrayeth it selfe in this that the Lords day is euery where so vnhallowed Nowe if the wisedome of the world hath taught the heathen to be so circumspect in their generations as by the false names of dayes to keepe the memorie and honour of their false gods should not the wisedome of Gods spirite teach vs to bee as carefull in our generations to take into our mouthes that holy name of the Lords day which as it is commended vnto vs in the word not deuised by man as the other so it doth greatly aduāce the dignity of the day as that which is deriued from the name of the most high And if a mortall man doth take himselfe to bee disgraced Therein consisteth part of the honor of this day not onely when hee is called by a wrong name but also when hee hath not his right name and iust titles giuen vnto him so no doubt the honour of the day appeareth not to be so great as it is when it wanteth that most excellent name by the which it is commended vnto vs in the scriptures I grant indeed it will seeme strange vnto vs at the first to change the name as all new things for a while bee strange but wee knowe that euery thing must haue a beginning and that which is at the first begun in a fewe particulars is afterwards in time receiued of multitude so by custome groweth into a law that hardly can bee changed Therefore as there was a time in which the names of the heathen were vnknowen and yet by the obstinatee endeuours of some when they were begun they were receiued and so continued euen so if any man would begin himselfe thus to ve the name of the Lords day though he were alone at the first I doubt not but in a fewe generations the true and holy name should be receiued among vs. But to returne to that which we spake of before wee haue plainly seene that the day and the name ought thus to bee changed whereby the Sabbath is made now so much the more excellent and renowmed vnder the Gospell then it was in the time of the law because that wheras the one caried vpon it indeed the badge of the creation of the world which made it famous vpon this is engrauen the liuely Image of the redemption of the world which maketh it so much the more famous by howe much the benefite of the one exceedeth the benefite of the other not onely that but it freshly representeth the memorie of the first creation also and so by a double marke is more highly commended that being the very day in which the creation of the first and olde world was begun and the
an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath daies For he speaketh of many euen of all those which vnto the Iewes were commanded vpon the same condition that the Sabbath day was and were of like nature to it and therefore he findeth fault with the Galathians for obseruing them Galat. 4.10 vers 9. saying Ye obserue daies and moneths and times which he calleth weake and beggerly rudiments because now there was no vse of them but all of them being taken away onely the Sabbath is reserued for vs. Therefore who is so blind that will not see and so obstinate that will not confesse that though we be bound to the keeping of the Sabbath as the Iewes were yet neither the libertie of the Gospell is taken from vs nor the bondage of the law cast vpon vs. Nay who is so vnthankfull for this great libertie in these daies aboue that which the first people of God had that vnder the pretence of it he will breake out to the doing of whatsoeuer liketh himselfe vpon the day of rest and set open a doore of all licentiousnes vnto others Matth. 18.6.7 but woe be vnto the world because of offences it is necessarie that offences should come but woe bee vnto them by whom they doe come it were better for them that a milstone were hanged about their neckes and they were drowned in the bottome of the sea Therefore let vs be otherwise minded and take it to be our bounden duetie most carefully to rest from the ordinarie workes of our calling vpon the Sabbath whatsoeuer may be spoken or imagined to the contrarie And the rather that wee might doe it Gods punishments vpon the breakers of the Sabbath let vs consider of the iudgements of God that haue come vpon men for breaking the Sabbath By which sensible kind of perswasion euen experience the mistresse of fooles they in the Councell at Paris laboured to perswade vnto a more religious keeping of the day Concil Paris lib. 1. cap. 50. when after they had iustly complained that as many other things so also the obseruation of the Sabbath was greatly decayed through the abuse of Christian libertie in that men too much followed the delights of the world and their owne worldly pleasures both wicked and dangerous they further adde Multi nanque nostrum visu multi etiam quorundam relatu didicimus c. For many of vs haue beene eye-witnesses many haue intelligence of it by the relation of others that some men vpon this day being about their husbandrie haue been striken with thunder some haue been maimed and made lame some haue had their bodies euen bones and all burnt in a moment with visible fire and haue consumed to ashes and many other iudgements of God haue been and are daily whereby it is declared that God is offended with the dishonour of so great a day And the Centuriators of Magdeburge Cent. 12. cap. 6. intreating of the manners of Christians made report out of another historie that a certaine husbandman in Parochia Gemilacensi grinding corne vpon the Lords day the meale began to burne Anno Dom. 1126. Which though it might seeme to bee a thing meere casuall yet they set it downe as a iudgement of God vpon him for breaking the Sabbath As also that which they speake in the same place of one of the Kings of Denmarke Ecclesiast hist Centur. 12. ibid. who when as he contrarie to the admonition of the Priests who desired him to deferre it would needes vpon the day of Pentecost make warre with his enemie dyed in the battell But that may be better knowne vnto vs all which is written in the 2. booke of Macchabees of Nicanor the Iewes enemie who would needes set vpon them on the Sabbath from which when other the Iewes that were compelled to be with him could by no meanes disswade him hee was slaine in the battell and himselfe most miserably but deseruedly handled euen the parts of his bodie shamefully dismembred as in that historie you may reade more at large And I am sure our time hath not wanted examples in this kinde whosoeuer hath obserued them when sometimes in the Faires vpon this day by sudden floods the wares haue swumme in the streetes sometime the scaffolds at playes haue fallen downe to the hurting and endangering of many sometime one thing some time another hath fallen out of which we must say as Christ saith of the Galileans they were not the greatest sinnes in England Luk. 13.2.3 but vnlesse wee repent and amend we must all likewise perish He punishes some to shew the rest what they must looke for if they continue hee punisheth not all here in this world to teach vs there is a day of iudgement reserued for the rest And therefore it was well alleaged in a prouinciall councell to perswade vnto the better obseruation of the Sabbath Matisconens concil 2. cap. 1. Haec omnia By dooing of these things wee shall both pacifie the wrath of God towards vs and also turne away and remoue his heauie plagues as sicknesses and scarsitie And here I may remember vnto you if it be not altogether out of place the historie of him Numb 15.32 who in the time of the law gathering stickes was stoned to death for it by the iudgement of Moses from the mouth of God of which M. Caluin saith That this is the summe of the historie Cal. in hunc locum that by the death of this one man was ratified the religious obseruation of the sabbath day that afterwardes it might haue more reuerence by which seuere punishment it is apparant that he did not so much offend of ignorance as of a grosse contempt of the law whereby it came to passe that he made none account to subuert and corrupt all holie orders As it appeareth also by the circumstance of the text going immediatlie before where is set down the difference of punishments vpon malefactors who sinne of ignorance and of contempt or as it is saide there with an high hand which latter should be punished with death and then followes immediatlie this historie as an example or proofe of it whereby it appeareth that though not euery breach of this commandement is to bee punished with death yet the open and contemptuous breaking of it doth deserue it as all other sinnes of the like nature in other the Commandements of the first and second table as an Atheist he that offereth vnto other Gods that blasphemeth the name of the liuing God that curseth father and mother that committeth murther c. which iudgements when the magistrates doe fayle to execute then the Lord doth it himselfe vpon some few to shewe what should bee done to all the rest and what they may looke for if they doe not repent But to proceede in this matter according to my purpose Vpon the Lords daye we ought to rest from al honest recreations and lawfull delightes it
we haue washed our hands clean from the workes of our calling so that none of them do cleaue to our fingers that this were an acceptable obedience vnto God when in the meane season our mindes are as worldly as euer they were and our thoughts bee as fresh vpon them and our affections are raysed vp to as great delight in them as though wee were in the middest of them But as the whole lawe is spirituall so this commandement hath a spirituall trueth in it and contenteth not it selfe with an outward obedience but requireth the inward truth of the heart that as we make a shew of resting from earthly things so we should doe it indeede without the which the other is but a fruitlesse and idle ceremonie For seeing this is the very end of putting our selues apart from all worldly busines that our mindes might not be entangled with them which because they must needes be so long as wee are dealing about them such is our nature that we cannot doe things and haue no feeling of them as though we were a sleepe or in a traunce therefore doe we dispatch our hands of them that our mindes might not bee disturbed by them Seeing then this is the principall ende that wee aime at to vnburden our mindes of these earthly cares that we might bee more quicke and free in Gods worship wee must especially labour for it and not stay in these other which though they be great in themselues yet are they but helpes and furtherances vnto this in so much that if on the Sabbath we leaue all our worke at home and come neuer so farre from it to the Church yet if our mindes be working as it were because they are occupied about it and wee would bee working if wee might and if we might not be knowne and if wee might not be punished or blamed and our mindes haue carried vs this way that wee would gladly haue stollen a working cunningly as wee say if wee might not haue been spied all that we doe is but meere hypocrisie so farre are we from the true obedience of this commandement And this wee haue seene sufficiently proued heretofore that we therefore rest from all worldly things Vt paratiores promptiores ad cultum diuinum as sayth S. Augustine in that excellent sermon of his That we might be more readie fit for Gods seruice Agust de tēp serm 251. when there is nothing to encomber vs and wee leaue at that time terrenam sollicitudinem the care of earthly things that wee might the more easily attend vpon the word of God which we cannot if still our mindes haue these burthens vpon them and be not released from worldly thoughts which presse them downe from being lifted vp vnto that heauenly life Master Caluin in his Sermons vpon Deut. giueth this reason why Christians should not goe to lawe vpon the Sabbath Caluin vpon Deut. 5. Ser. 39. Because vpon that day euery man ought to withdraw himselfe to Godward to minde his works that we may all of vs be prouoked to serue and honour him And afterwards addeth Common meetings are made that mē might heare the common doctrine of saluation and it is good reason that on the Sabbath day all other cares and thoughts should be layd aside And in another Sermon he sayth For we must rest Idem serm 34. and how rest forsooth wee must abide still and quiet our thought must not stirre to wander and deuise this and that Gualt in Act 13. Homil 88. For as Master Gualter sayth God doth therfore call the Sabbath his day that wee might knowe when that day is Ab omnibus alijs curis studijs abstinendum est that wee ought to abstaine from all other cares and dueties According vnto which exquisite rule if we doe measure out the obedience of all men we shall easily see how short they are of that perfect righteousnes which is here required and that many shall bee euen then found breakers of this commandement when they did most of all presume of the keeping of it and were puffed vp with a speciall pride for it For let vs graunt it vnto them which it may bee is true that they haue borne themselues in an euen and ciuill course not breaking out into any open contempt or wilfull and grosse breach of this Commandement yet if they will call themselues before Gods iudgement seate they shall find that many of these times they had a good desire to worke and would faine haue been at it if they might haue been couered and as wee say their fingers did tickle at it which as it hath been true at other times so most of all when as wee imagined that we might haue gained something if we would haue wrought and our ceasing from it was something vnprofitable vnto vs as in the time of any common Fayres or in the dayes of haruest of whom the Prophet Amos iustly complaineth speaking in their person Amos. 8.5 When will this new moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate But if we iudge this doctrine too seuere and we cannot yeeld vnto it let vs compare this Commandement with the other which bee of the like nature with it and it may be they will perswade vs and leade vs into the trueth of it In the second Commandement we know that not only the making and worshipping of Images is forbidden but also to set vp an Idoll in our heart and to wish that we had it and to bee desirous to returne vnto Poperie liking of those times better then of this time of the Gospell and to be gaping after the Masse so that we are readie to imbrace it if it were thrust vpon vs againe and we could be very well contented with it so that we want but the oportunitie to furnish a Masse So in this not onely the bodily labour is forbidden which the lawes of men may prouide for but also the cogitations and desires of the minde towards them which none is able to meete with but the Lord that this law might bee like vnto himselfe And seeing that as our Sauiour Christ expoundeth the law he that is angrie with his brother vnadauisedly is guiltie of the law of murther Matth. 5.22 vers 28. And whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie alreadie with her in his hearte why should we not say that hee that looketh on his busines with a mind desirous to bee occupied about them hath broken the commaundement of resting alreadie in his heart vnlesse he will make the one vnlike the other and to bee as it were of another broode For is not this that dignitie and preferment which wee giue to all the whole lawe of God aboue all the lawes of men that as they doe behold but the words and works of men therefore their lawes can forbid and punish sinne but when it thus breaketh out bewrayeth
other times but to bee occupied altogether in the holy seruice of God and in an holy place And this was a thing not peculiarly belonging to some one day but generallie commanded and practised vpon euery Sabbath day namely to haue holy meetings that the day might be kept holy And indeed it was so inseparably adioyned vnto the Sabbath that it was not onely ordinarie vpon the seuenth day which is onely properly called the Sabbath but vpon all other festiuall dayes of the Iewes commanded by God vnto them to obserue which had also the nature of the first and true Sabbath as appeareth most plentifullie in this one forenamed chapter of Leuiticus in many verses where their seuerall feastes are reckoned vp of which as he afterwards speaketh in particulars Leuit. 23.4 so thus of them all in generall These are the feasts of the Lord and holy conuocations which yee shall proclayme in their seasons calling them feastes vnto the Lord that is dayes of reioycing before him thanksgiuing to him for his benefites and praying to God for the continuance of them wherein that they might bee furthered they had the exercises of the worde and offering vp of sacrifices euen as they did rest from their other busines that they might wholy attend vpon these and so the conuocations or assemblies of the people were holie which if it were true of those daies that were but appurtenances vnto the weekely Sabbath then must it needes much more be verified of it whereunto all the other were referred And if the other dayes could not be feastes vnto the Lord as they are called vnlesse they were holie assemblies then much lesse can this bee a Sabbath vnto the Lord which is the very name of it vnlesse their meetings be in the Lord and for his worships sake For this cause the Prophet Esay calleth it the Lords holie day and a day consecrated as glorious vnto the Lord saying If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath Esay 58.13 from doing thy will on my holie day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord and shalt honour him c. whereby he doth declare that the especiall thing in the Sabbath day is the honor and seruice of God vpon which we must so altogether attend that it may appeare that wee haue dedicated the day vnto him indeede and made this the chiefe glorie of it that it is holie vnto him Therefore it was commanded in the lawe that the sacrifices and so consequently al other parts of Gods worship which were neuer seuered from them should bee doubled vpō the Sabbath day And then the daily seruice of God was doubled that so they might altogether be occupied about them and doe nothing els the whole time being taken vp with them as is in expresse words set downe by Moses Numb 28. Num. 28.9.10 where hauing spoken before of the daily morning and euening sacrifice he addeth But on the Sabbath day ye shall offer two lambes of a yeare old without spot and two tenth deales of fine flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offering thereof this is the burnt offering of euery Sabbath beside the continuall burnt offering and drinke offering thereof And Chrysostome speaking of this thing sayth Chrysost de Lazar. conc 1. The Sabbath was not giuen for idlenes sake but rather that wee being drawne away from the cares of temporall things might bestow all our leisure vpon spirituall things Nam sacerdos eo die duplicat hostiam For sayth he the priest vpon that day doth double his sacrifice And if wee looke into the 17. chapter of the Prophet Ieremie where he promiseth from God a blessing to the Iewes if they would keepe the Sabbath and threatneth a most grieuous destruction to them if they did breake it wee shall finde that in many verses speaking of the true manner of keeping that Commandement how he not onely requireth a resting from bodily labour but also the bestowing of it vpon Gods seruice when alwaies he ioyneth these two together Iere. 17.22 25.27 If ye doe no worke but sanctifie the Sabbath as I commanded your fathers Whereunto agreeth the practise of the whole Church from time to time as appeareth by the very reading of the storie of the new Testament in which from the one end of it vnto the other nothing is more cleare then the ordinarie reading preaching and hearing of the law publikely with all the rest of Gods seruice practised vpon the Sabbath with one consent which as it is confirmed by infinite testimonies so the time would not serue to stand vpon them I will content my selfe with that one which is set downe in the Acts of the Apostles For Moses of old time hath in euery citie them that preach him Act. 15.21 seeing he is read in the Synagogues euery Sabbath day And when the day was chaunged all the exercises of religion were chaunged together with it and did still accompanie it In the time of the Gospell these meetings are and ought to be vpon the Lords day So that the holie meetings of the Church were vpon the first day of the weeke I call them holie as before because they were taken in hand and continued only for the holie seruice of God as it is apparant in the 20. chapter of the same booke besides many other places where the Euangelist S. Luke writeth thus The first day of the weeke the Disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preacheth vnto them Act. 20.7 c. Whereunto no doubt the Apostle S. Iohn had respect in his Reuelation when he calleth this new day Reuel 1.10 by this new name the Lords day deriuing it from the Lord Iesus who was made Lord and heire of all things who as hee did rise againe vpon this day so he did institute a new seruice and a new ministerie and a new day in the honour of the new worke which he had now finished So that it is true which Master Bucer sayth Communi Christianorum consensu dies Dominicus cōuentibus ecclesijs publicis dicatus fuit ipso statim tēpore Apostolorū Bucer in Mat. 12.11 The Lords day was appoynted for the common assemblies of the Church euen in the Apostles time And therefore as it hath been declared before this was not first brought in by the Christian Emperours but allowed and approued by them or rather by publike authoritie established whereas the Christians did without law by the authoritie of Gods word obserue it before So that it may truely be called the Lords day as it is indeed not only because the Lord Iesus did arise from the dead vpon that day and so declared that he had made an end of the worke of our redemption but also and especially because by seruing of him vpon that day in that manner that he hath appoynted not onely the memorie of it is kept but we are made
he be let him goe to the Church vpon the Lords daye And they bring their reason For it is iust that wee all celebrate this daye vnanimiter with one consent or all together in which we are made that which wee were not before for wee were the seruants of sinne but by it we are made the children of righteousnes August de temp serm 251 S. Augustine complaineth in his time of this abuse in one kinde Adhuc quoque quod valde dolendum est conqueri vobiscum volo I will further complaine vnto you of one thing for which there is great cause to bee grieued that there are some especially the great mightie men of this world who when they come to the church haue no deuotion to praise God but compell the Minister to curtall the seruice and to saye it accordiog to their pleasure and will not permit him to follow the order of the Church for their bellies sake and coueteousnes as though but one little parte of the daye were appoynted for Gods seruice and all the rest of the daye together with the night were ordained for their pleasures See how truelie hee setteth out as it were in their colours the manner of a great many in our time So that how many times soeuer we haue made vnnecessarie delayes and haue been afraide as it were least wee should come too soon though in al worldly matters we suspect that wee should come too late and wee are loath to lose the least part of that which might make for our profite we haue hindered our selues from dooing some parte of Gods seruice which the rest of our bretheren haue been occupied in and so haue not done vnto him all that same seruice which he required of vs vpon that daye which must be dedicated vnto him alone And least that we might imagine that the Lorde doth not so strictly require this seruice at our hands besides that wee must remember that it hath been proued vnto vs out of the word and declared how the practise of the Church in all times hath yeelded vnto it if wee doe further consider the reasons why the Lord would be thus openly and together of all his seruants worshipped wee shall easilie perceiue that they stand still in force and binde vs as much as euer any before so that wee cannot iustly say it is true in deed it was thus once God would haue vs to serue him publikely in the Church but now it is not so necessarie we haue more libertie then others and so discharge our selues of our obedience to God at least wise of some part of it For first of all the Lorde would haue such solemne assemblies of his people in one place worshipping him together in those principall partes of his seruice which otherwise cannot bee done and hath not left it to euery mans discretion alone in some corner to serue him when it pleaseth himselfe though hee require that of euery one also Mâ—tth 6.6 euen that entring into his chamber hee should shut the dore and there praye vnto him in secret which will rewarde him openly but would haue all resorte to the common meetings and there ioyntlie to agree in his seruice praysing him in the assemblies Psal 107.31.32 and declaring his name vnto our brethren in the middest of the congregation that thereby his Church might be knowne and discerned in this world from the synagogues of the idolaters and conuenticles of the Schismatickes that so it being as a citie set vpon an hill which cannot bee hid Matth 15.14 and the mountaine of the house of the Lorde being prepared in the top of the mountaines and exalted aboue the hils Esay 2.2 all nations might slow vnto it and they descrying it a farre off might repayre vnto it as the Eagles doe resorte thither where the dead carcas is Luk. 17.37 And so not onely the godlie might incourage one another saying Come and let vs go vp to the mountain of the Lord Esay 2.3 to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his pathes For the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem but also that all the wicked which should by apostasie forsake it and reuolt from it or through contempt not ioyne themselues vnto it as too many haue and doe still in our time might iustly be condemned and left without all excuse where it should be so visible and as it were palpable vnto them Gualt in Marc. 3. Homil. 23. And therefore as Master Gualter sayth They that vse the Sabbath day rightly Sacros coetus adeunt goe to the publike assemblies to heare the word of God and pray and the same man in another place Idem in Act. 17 Homil. 108. It is euident that it was the ancient custome of the people of God to frequent the holy meetings for which cause we doe reade that holy daies and holy places in time past were ordayned of God Whereupon he inferreth in the same place that their peruersnes is to be detested who doe prophanely scoffe at the publike meetings of Christians wherein they manifestly bewray that they are not touched with any desire of wholesome doctrine or true religion For there the Lord doth offer vnto his Church those most notable and singular meanes of their saluation A commendation of the preaching of the worde which there is to be had Rom. 1.16 which as they cannot want so they can find no where but there for there is the preaching of the word which is Gods owne arme and power to saue all them that beleeue in so much that without the ministerie and preaching of those Rom. 1.16 that haue the publike authoritie and callings of the Church most ordinarily men are not saued Rom 10.14 as the Apostle saith How can they beleeue without a Preacher And how can they preach vnlesse they bee sent 1. Pet. 1.23 For indeede this is the incorruptible seede whereby we are borne againe without which we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Chap. 2.2 and this is that syncere milke whereby as new borne babes we are nourished and grow vnto eternall life Aâ—â—s 8.31 euen that word that is preached in so much that wee cannot vnderstand what is read vnderstande I meane to saluation except we haue a guide to preach vnto vs who may giue the sence Nehem. 8.8 and cause vs to vnderstand the reading For our Lord Iesus Christ when he ascended vp an hye and led captiuitie captiue Ephe. 4.8 vnto 17. gaue rich and plentiful giftes vnto men pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the building vp of the body of Christ til we al meet together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the ful measure of the age of Christ that we
himselfe 2. Cor. 9.6 and so hee that soweth plentifully shall reape plentifully Besides all this then are we made partakers of the sacraments wherin the Lord offereth his sonne Iesus Christ crucified vnto vs with all the merits of his death by whō we are made heyres of the whole world and there hee giueth vs libertie to aske of him whatsoeuer wee want and hath promised to giue it vs 1. Ioh. 5.14 when we pray in the name of his sonne according to his will Seeing then we haue so many things in possession and so many more in hope right which as it is alwaies so by faith so we see it most cleerely when by thus many meanes it is testified vnto vs therefore as they that doe come from a rich spoyle doe send gifts to their friends in token of ioy and plenty as Dauid in the spoyle of the Amalekites 1. Sam. 30.26 so the Lorde would haue vs to witnesse vnto the others the ioye that wee haue in his fauour the riches of our inheritance which we possesse already by faith and hope in the end to come vnto as by many other meanes so especially by our liberality to others for his sake whom he to that ende offereth vnto vs as it is sayd Iohn 12.8 The poore yee shall haue alwaies with you Thus after the returne out of captiuitie when Ezra the Priest did vpon the first day of the moneth which was a Sabbath reade and expound the lawe of GOD to the whole congregation of the Iewes for the knowledge of which he exhorted them to bee thankfull among other things he willeth them to haue a care of the poore So eate of the fat Nehem. 8.10 and drinke the sweete and send part vnto them for whom none is prepared for this day is holy vnto our lord Iustine Martyr speaking of the order of Christians vpon the Lords day in his time among other things sayth Conferuntur eleemosynae Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. Almes is giuen according to the discretion of euery man for the reliefe of the poore the fatherlesse the sicke and those that are banished but herein they obserued this order as it is sayd there that it being giuen vnto the custodie of one it was afterwards distributed according to discretion Bucer in Mat. 12.11 And Bucer amongst other dueties to bee performed vpon this day sayth wee ought Conferre in pauperes to prouide for the poore And indeede if men will not be liberall then when they haue so many meanes to drawe them vnto it what hope can we haue that they will bee so at other times when they shall haue none of them Therefore men may say what they will that they doe thus and thus bestow at home but who will beleeue them when they doe finde them so straight handed then when the Lorde doth offer so much vnto them that they might bee more able cheerefully to shew mercy vnto others Therefore though I cannot like of the disordered gathering for the poore that is in many places where in the time of diuine seruice you shall see men go vp and down asking receiuing changing and bestowing of money wherein many times you shall haue them so disagree that they are louder then the minister and the rest stand looking and listning vnto them leauing the worship of God as though it did not concerne them and thus all is confused So yet I am persuaded that this is tire fittest time to make this prouision and I presume that it is not the meaning of our godly wise rulers in the Church and common wealth who are abused herein that any such thing should bee done but that the gathering being made at some other time of the day they might haue it in readines before hand to bestowe at the end of seruice vpon the needie according to their discretion or generally to take some good order that God might bee best serued our brethren relieued and no man iustly offended But wee may say of this thing as the Papists doe of the priuate Masse which they cannot defend that the iniquitie of the people brought it in For when men thorowen couetousnes would not followe the rule of the Apostle 1. Cor. 16.2 to put some thing apart for the poore as they should finde God had blessed them and so bring that with them and haue it in a readines being perswaded that it is a dutie 2. Cor. 9 7. which God requireth of them and so doe it cheerefully as vnto him who hath promised to reward it but it being left to their discretion they haue shifted it off as they might and whē diuine seruice was ended and now nothing more was to bee done in the Church but that they would not carrie it then the collectors for the poore were compelled to take them there in the middest of Gods seruice when for very shame by starting they could not refuse But from the beginning it was not so and seeing God is not the author of confusion 1. Cor. 14.33 40 all things in the Church must be done honestly and in good order And these are the common and publike dueties which are to be performed in the assemblies of the people and which cannot be done but where there is a visible church established How wee ought priuatly to spend the rest of the day when the publike assemblies are dissolued which hath her ordinarie meetings which where it is yet they continue not together the whole day neither can nor indeede is it required of them and yet the whole day must bee hallowed as we haue seene in part and it shall more fully appeare vnto vs here after For God sanctified from the beginning the seuenth day Concil Turon cap. 40. not a parcell of it onely and in the Councel of Turon it was decreed that they should rest from all worke and be occupied in praysing Gods name vsque ad vesperam even vnto the euening Concil Paris cap. 1. And in the Councel of Paris they say Let your eyes and hands be lifted vp vnto God toto illo die August de tēp serm 251. all that day For as S. Augustine very well sayth Wee must not thinke that a little peece of that day is sufficient for Gods seruice and all the rest we may bestow at our pleasures For as we haue seene before therefore are they called the Lords Sabbaths and in the new Testament the Lords dayes because they are wholie to be imployed in his seruice And therefore Master Caluin very excellently sayth Caluin vpon Deut. 5. ser 34. Let vs knowe that the Sunday is not ordained for vs onely to come to the sermon but to the end wee might imploy the rest of the time to laude and praise God For as one as one very learnedly obserueth It is not simply sayd Muscul praecept 4. Remember the Sabbath but the Sabbath day and not the things of the day but the day it selfe And