time of this distresse did he trespasse yet more against the Lord This is that King Ahaz XLV PROPOSITION As the sanctifying and religious observing of the Sabbath day doeth not exempt and excuse Christians from the performance of some religious duties upon the sixe working daies as it hath beene shewed and proved above Proposit 7. so neither doeth the performance of some religious duties on the sixe working daies morning and evening usually and at other times of the day or whole daies occasionally give any exemption or liberty unto them from their sanctifying oâ— the Sabbath day wholly But they are bound to keepe the Sabbath day holy both in a forbearance of all civill works recreations and also in an applying of themselves to pious services throughout the day either in publick or private or secret as occasion and opportunity serveth PROOF This is the maine scope of the fourth commandement of the Decalogue Exod. 20.8 10. Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy In it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant c. And thus the godly have been wont to approve themselves both in the old and new Testament See this in the religious Eunuchs and sons of strangers who kept Gods Sabbath and did not pollute it Isaiah 56.4 6. The Apostle John being in the Isle called Patmos was in the spirit or spiritually exercised on the Lords day Revel 1.10 The disciples at Troas observed the first day of the weeke or Lords day comming together to the word and Sacrament and conversing therein throughout the day I. REAS. Because the Lord hath blessed and hallowed the Sabbath day unto religious exercises and propounded his owne example to be a president herein See Exod. 20.11 And he rested the seventh day Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it II. REAS. Because such families as keepe the Sabbath day holy doe thereby declare themselves to be the people of God forâ— hallowing the Sabbath is an indicant signe of acknowledgment of respect unto the affirmative parts of the three first commandements of the first Table viz. of having the Lord to be ones God and worshipping and honouring him c. See Ezek. 20.19 20. I am the Lord your God walke in my Statuteâ— keepe my Iudgments doe them And hallâ—â— my Sabbaths and they shal be a signe betweeneâ— and you that ye may know that I am the Lorâ— your God III. REAS. Because the Lord hath made very precious promises to all such as doe conscionably keepe and sanctify the Sabbath day See Isa 58.13 14. If thou turne away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor finding thine owne pleasure nor speaking thine owne words Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth anâ— feede thee with the heritage of Jacob thâ— father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This goodnesse of God shoulâ— prevaile with his people to feare him anâ— keepe his commandements See Hos 3.5 IV. REAS. Because of the severity of God against profaners and breakers of the Sabbath day manifested by his threatning and executing of punishments See Jerem. 17.27 But if you will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day and not to beare a burden even entring in at the gates of Ierusalem on the Sabbath day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devoure the palaces of Ierusalem and it shall not be quenched Exod. 35.2 Whosoever doeth worke therein shal be put to death Numb 15.36 And all the Congregation brought him the Sabbath breaker without the campe and stoned him with stones and he died as the Lord commanded Moses This terrour of the Lord should perswade men See 2 Cor. 5.11 I. OBSERV The law of the Sabbath day is one of the ten commandements Exod. 34.28 It is one of the lawes of nature written in mens hearts that sufficient time be taken unto Gods solemne worship which God according to his infinite wisdome hath appointed determined shal be one of seven See Rom. 2.14 15. Eccles 3.1 compar Exod. 20.10 11. Act. 20.7 II. OBSERV The doing of the works of piety mercy and necessity on the Sabbath day in a due way are not any breach or profanation of the day but rather such duties as ought to be done which doe also tend to the sanctifying thereof as being agreeabâ—â— to the minde of God who is the Lord 〈◊〉 the Sabbath day and will have mercy anâ— not sacrifice inasmuch as he made the Sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath See Math. 12.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Mark 2 2â— Luk. 13.15 16. III. OBSERV It is a vaine sinfull pretence of Anabaptists and Libertines that iâ— these daies of the Gospell our Christian lâ—berty freeth us from the strict observation of any one day of the weeke unto the Lord more then any other of the sixe pretending that every day ought to be a Sabbath day to Christians alledging and objecting Coloss 2.16 Hebr. 4.10 in defence of their errour and so for want of understanding learning and stability doe wrest these other places in the Apostle Pauls Epistles to their owne destruction as the Apostle Peter sheweth 2 Pet. 3.15 16. The text Coloss 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meate or in drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies is to be understood of Jewisâ— festivities in their severall kindes and not of the morall Sabbath day But if the morall Sabbath day be at all meant then it is only in respect of observing the last day of the weeke sith the first day of the weeke was now appointed to be observed for the Sabâ—ath day in the daies of the new Testament â—ee Act. 20.7 1 Corinth 16.2 Revel 1.10 The text Hebr. 4.10 For he that is entred â—nto his rest he also hath ceased from his owne â—orke as God did from his is to be understood â—ouching the state condition of the people â—f God that did live and were under the old Testament aswell as of their state that doe â—ive and are under the new Testament and â—herefore ought not to be restrained unto â—hese daies and times of the Gospell For so â—he scope and coherence of the text doeth â—asily and plainly make manifest to any considerate and judicious reader thereof XLVI PROPOSITION The religious duties and services which Christian families ought to observe and attend on the Sabbath day are cheifly those which ought to be performed conversed in in the publick and solemne assemblies of the Church or Congregation assembled together to such end PROOF The members of the Church at Troas and other brethren occasion there assembled on
offering themselves See Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealâ—â— affected alwaies in a good thing c. And therefore according to just occasion may oâ—â— to enlarge their religious services and tâ—â—â— more time thereunto See 2 Chron. 30. â—â— And the whole assembly tooke counsell to keepe oâ—â—â— seven daies and they kept other seven daies 〈◊〉 gladnesse XL. PROPOSITION Moreover it is not only lawfuâ—â—â— and expedient but also usefâ—â—â— and necessary that the goveâ—nour of a family sometimes 〈◊〉 extraordinary occasions require and opportunities serve thereunto do call for and crave thâ— company and assistance of somâ— godly brethren and Christiaâ— neighbours for the more solemne performance of religion duties together PROOF It having beene an usuall counâ— in the primitive Churches planted by the Apostles in the purest times that godly neighbours did come and meet together for their mutuall edification as occasion served but as it seemeth being begunne to be neglected by some of theÌ„ the Apostle Paul therefore endeavoureth to quicken and stirre them up againe thereunto in that his most effectuall exhortation Hebr. 10.24 25. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love to good works Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the maner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approching And this duty is implied also in an admonition given by the Apostle James chap. 5. vers 16. Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another For how could the duty of mutuall confession accompained with mutuall prayer be performed unlesse there had beene a meeting together to such end and purpose I. REAS. Because it is lawfull and may be requisite upon speciall or extraordinary occasion to invite and call friends and neighbours to rejoyce feast together as appeareth by that which is written of our Saviour Christ and his Disciples who being called to a mariage feast in Cana of Galilee were present at it See the history John 2.1 2. And the third day there was a mariage in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there Aâ—â— both Jesus was called and his disciples to the â—â—â—riage c. Therefore also upon speciall 〈◊〉 extraordinary occasion it is lawfull to inâ—â—â— Christian friends and neighbours to 〈◊〉 mournfully and to pray together For thâ—â— is the same reason of contraries This argument is excellently illustrated in that demand and answer to it propounded Maâ—â— 9. vers 15. Can the children of the bride chamber mourne as long as the bride groome is with them But the daies 〈◊〉 come when the bridegroome shal be takâ—â— from them and then shall they fast 〈◊〉 that hence it followeth that according 〈◊〉 occasion justly offered as friends and neighbours may feast and rejoyce together so likewise according to occasion they may fast 〈◊〉 pray together For it is a divine advise aâ—â— monition Rom. 12.15 Rejoyce with them 〈◊〉 rejoyce and weepe with them that weepe II. REAS. Because it may sometime come to passe that one family is too little sâ—â— the performance of some kindes of religion services to God Thus God himselfe 〈◊〉 suppose and foresee it might happen in the celebration of the Passeover and therefore it was one of his ordinances in the institution thereof that there should be some assistance accordingly See Exod. 12. vers 4. And if the houshold be too little for the lambe let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the soules every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lambe As it was in the Passeover so on like occasions it might be in other services III. REAS. Because God doeth graciously accept and is very well pleased with all those who doe apply themselves to edifie one another in the waies of godlinesse as it is most remarkably expressed Malach. 3.16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord that thought upon his Name And they shal be mine saith the Lord of hosts in the day when I make up my jewels I will spare them as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him See also Math. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them saith our Lord Jesus Christ I. OBSERV The more weighty and extraordinary any imployment and service for God is the more need there is of helpe and assistance even as Moses his father in law doeth convince perswade at large Exâ—â— 18. vers 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. And accordingly the godly-wiâ—â— have beene wont to menage their weighâ— affaires See Judg. 1.3 And Judah saidâ— Simeon his brother come up with 〈◊〉 into my lot that we may fight against tâ—â— Canaanites and I likewise will goe wiâ—â— thee into thy lot So Simeon went wiâ—â— him vers 17. And Judah went with Sâ—â—meon his brother and they slew c. II. OBSERV Two are better then one becâ—â—â—â— they have a good reward for their labour For 〈◊〉 they fall the one will lift up his fellow but woâ—â—â— him that is alone when he falleth for he hath 〈◊〉 another to lift him up Againe if two lie together 〈◊〉 then they have heat but how can one be waâ—â—â— alone And if one prevaile against him two shâ—â—â— withstand him and a threefold coard is not quickâ—â— broken See Eccles 4.9 10 11 12. XLI PROPOSITION Religious fasting is a singular helpe and meanes ordained by God to promote and further a due performance of the extraordinary occasionall services of prayer and exercise in the Word PROOF This is expressely set downe Joel 1.14 Sanctify ye a fast c. See also Joel 2.12 Turne ye to me saith the Lord with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And according to this ordinance the people of God have been wont to frame their course See Dan. 9.3 And I set my face unto the Lord God to seeke by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes c. 2. Sam. 12.16 David therefore besought God for the child and David fasted and went in and lay all night upon the earth I. REAS. Because fasting being an abstinence from all the helps and comforts of this life so farre as necessity and decency will suffer as is to be seene Levit. 23.28 Exod. 33.5 Dan. 10.3 doeth argue and imply a selfe accusing and selfe judging in a holy revenge so as the heart is thereby wrought to humiliation and stirred up to devotion See this in Nehemiah and Cornelius who when they fasted were thereby quickned to pray more fervently and effectually upon their speciall occasions as appeareth Nehem. 1.4 Act. 10.30 II. REAS. Because fasting and prayer are most powerful meanes to effect some things of great and weighty consequence and that
Church ought to have Elders I. REAS. Because if the directions in the holy Scripture should not be aswell gathered and drawne by just consequence from Promises Threatnings and Examples as from Doctrines and Precepts then it would follow that sundry portions of the Scriptures could not be applied for common instruction which yet is a principall end of all Scripture See Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 1. Corinth 10.11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come II. REAS. Because such directions as are implied by good consequence in the holy Scriptures by way of Promise Threatning or Example may be said to be the exposition or intimation of some commandements the which are not directly expressed As namely the observatiō of the Lords day or first day of the weeke instead of the seventh day or Sabbath of the old Testament Revel 1.10 Act. 20.7 1. Corinth 16.2 The baptising of womē aswell as men Act. 16.15 c. For our Saviour Christ after his Resurrection before his Ascention spake unto his Apostles of things perteining to the kingdome of God as it is written Act. 1.3 So that doubtlesse things practised by them afterwards which are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles were observed by vertue of such his direction And whereas it is said 1. Iohn 3.4 Sinne is the transgression of the law The meaning seemeth to be extended thus farre that the law is transgressed not only in sinning against expresse precepts but also against implied commandements in any of the forementioned waies of Promises Threatnings or Examples recorded in the Scriptures I. OBSERVAT. The ten commandements being exceeding broad Psal 119.96 cannot be interpreted according to their just latitude unlesse their exposition be extended unto Promises Threatnings Examples c. throughout the Scriptures implying the true and full meaning of them in sundry particulars As is most evidently to be seene in the affirmative part understoode of the second and third commandements of the first table II. OBSERVAT. The Examples registred in the holy Scriptures may be said to be imitable or that ought to be imitated against which no just exception can be takē nor any good reason given why they should not belong apperteine unto all the people of God indefinitely aswell as to them themselves which have so walked and practised True it is God did some things which men cannot imitate neither is it lawfull for any to seeke to enterprise Christ likewise being God the Messias did such things which Christians neither may attempt nor can effect The Patriarchs Prophets Jews Apostles Evangelists did some things as Patriarchs as Prophets as Jews as Apostles as Evangelists wherein it is not lawfull to imitate them Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters c. have done and may doe some things which their inferiours subjected to them may not doe But in some other things God and Christ and the Patriarchs and the Prophets and the Jews and the Apostles and the Evangelists and the Magistrates Ministers Parents and Masters may ought to be followed being of generall or of speciall concernment for all or severall sorts of persons See Ephes 5.1 1. Corinth 11.1 Iames 5.10 Hebr. 6. 11 12. 12.1 Philip. 3.17 Iosh 24.15 VI. PROPOSITION One important direction and speciall concernment which God requireth in the holy Scripture is That his people shall worship and serve him in some religious performances every day in the whole course of their naturall lives PROOF Zachary the father of John the Baptist filled with the holy Ghost in his prophetical song thus expresseth this lesson Luk. 1.74.75 That we being delivered out of the hands of our enimies might serve him without feare In holinesse righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And thus indeed the godly Israelites were wont to approve themselves as the Apostle Paul testifieth on their behalfe occasionally Act. 26.7 Vnto which promise our twelve tribes instantly serving God day night hope to come I. REAS. Because every day through Gods most wise dispensatiō government doth serve the Lord in its kinde ministring cause and occasion unto his people to serve him daily See this in Psal 19.2 Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night shewed knowledge II. REAS. Because God is the same every day unchangeable in his power in his will in his justice and in his mercy and other his divine attributes See Malac. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not Hebr. 13.8 Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Lament 3.22 23. His cōpassions faile not They are new every morning And therefore his people ought every day in their measure to walke answerably for so they shall walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 III. REAS. Because Mans short life is reckoned by daies See Job 14.1 Man the is borne of a woman is of few daies This is foure times in one sentence mentioned by the Patriarch Iacob Gen. 47.9 Iacob said unto Pharaoh The daies of the yeeres of my pilgrimage an◠an hundred and thirty yeeres few and evill have the daies of the yeeres of my life beene and have not attained unto the daies of the yeeres of the life of my fathers in the daies of their pilgrimage Moreover no man knoweth whether he shall live till to morrow James 4.14 Nor yet what a day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 And therefore it greatly behooveth to redeeme the time Ephes 5.16 for otherwise we may be surprised by the comming of the Lord in a day when we looke not for him and in an houre that we are not ware of Math. 24.50 OBSERVAT. In the old Testament God instituted and ordained that a daily sacrifice should be offered unto him See Exod. 29.36 38. Thou shalt offer every day day by day continually This his ordinance seemeth to signify to teach his people in all ages that no day should goe over their heads without performance of some religious service unto him like as they doe day by day continually expect and seeke daily bread at his hands Math. 6.11 Luk. 11.3 VII PROPOSITION The observing and sanctifying of the Lords day wholly in religious exercises publickly privately by vertue of the fourth commandement of the morall Law viz. Exo. 20.4 Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy doeth not exempt or free the people of God from spending some time in religious exercises every day of the weeke besides according to that which hath beene declared in the sixt Proposition PROOF David a man after Gods owne heart 1. Sam. 13.14 that conscionably observed the Sabbath day as appeareth Psa 9◠1 Title A Psalme or song for the Sabbath day c. was conscionable also of daily service Psal 61.8 I will sing prayse unto thy Name for ever
that I may daily performe my vowes So the Christians in the new Testament had respect not only unto the Lords day to keepe it holy Act. 20.7 Vpon the first day of the weeke the disciples came together to breake bread c. but also to religious exercises daily Act. 17.11 And searched the Scriptures daily I. REAS. Because God is the absolute soveraigne Lord of every day to order and dispose of it as seemeth good unto the will of his divine pleasure Psal 74.16 The day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sunne And therfore he hath authority to command and appoint such service to be done as he pleaseth either in our generall or particular callings II. REAS. Because in the old Testament there were sundry times set apart unto divine worship by Gods owne institution and appointment besides the morall Sabbath day Levit. 23.4 c. These are the feasts of the Lord even holy convocations which ye shall proclaime in their seasons viz. The Passover The feast of the first fruits of Pentecost of Trumpets of Tabernacles the day of atonement c. So that the keeping of the morall Sabbath should be no prejudice to religious service at any other seasonable times OBSERVAT. The meaning of the argument used to perswade unto the religious keeping of the Sabbath day in Exod. 20.9 Sixe daies shalt thou labour doe all thy worke c. seemeth to be that the works of mens particular callings may ought to be done only within the space of the sixe daies of the weeke and not on the seventh or Sabbath day But it doth not follow hence as if men were not allowed to serve God religiously at any time within the sixe daies And this will further appeare if it be also observed that labour in mens particular callings is not commanded in the fourth commandement of the Decalogue sith it is in the first table which enjoyneth our duty towards God but it seemeth to be required in the eight commandement which is in the second table directing our duty towards our selves and our neighbours VIII PROPOSITION The worship and religious seâ—vice which ought to be perfoâ—med unto God every day is tâ— Prayer 11. Some exercise in thâ— holy Scripture and III. Godlâ— Meditation The Proofes and Reasons of this Propâ—sition are to be seene in the declaration 〈◊〉 these kindes of religious services distinctly as followeth IX PROPOSITION Prayer unto God is a princâ—pall part of such religious woâ—ship service as is taught in thâ— holy Scriptures in which the people of God ought to spend somâ—time every day PROOF This Proposition is by goodâ— just consequence implied in the Lords prâ—yer as it is usually styled in that fourth â—â—rection or petition Math. 6.11 Give us 〈◊〉 day our daily bread which is also expressed the same effect Luk. 11.3 For hereâ—â— we are given to understand that it is our duty to seeke unto God every day for a supply of daily requisites for subsistance in this life And this is manifest the rather if we doe observe that the terme or adverbiall particle of time This day or To day implieth Every day as it shall succeed other day by day continually I. REAS. Because whereas the evills miseries of sinne punishment are every day incident Math. 6.34 Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof Prayer to God is a most effectual meanes to prevent or stay or remove the same See this Amos 7.2 3 4 5 6. 1. Chron. 4.10 Amos and Iabez by their prayers prevented stayed and removed invading evills God accepting them And thus much may also be gathered from the following directions and deprecations in the Lords prayer Math. 6.12 13. Forgive us our debts Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill For God is able to keepe from falling Iude ver 24. to subdue iniquity Micah 7.19 to deliver out of temptation 2. Pet. 2.9 to uphold in weaknesse 2. Cor. 12.9 and to stay the course of evills 2. Chron. 30.20 Yet notwithstanding he wil be sought unto therein Ezek. 36. vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them II. REAS. Because Prayer to God that most powerfull way and meanes whicâ— God hath ordained and sanctified for thâ— obteining of such blessings as he purposeâ— to bestow upon his people As it is directâ— taught Math. 7.7 8. Aske and it shal be givâ—â— you seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shâ—â—â—â— opened unto you For every one that asketh â—â—ceiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to bâ— that knocketh it shal be opened Ierem. 29 1â— 13. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go 〈◊〉 pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Aâ—â— ye shall seeke me and finde me when ye shall seâ—â—â—â— for me with all your heart III. REAS. Because Prayer giveth 〈◊〉 sanctified and comfortable use of such blâ—â—sings and mercies as are already possessed aâ—â— enjoyed by the people of God See 1 Tiâ— 4.4 5. Every creature of God is good c. for 〈◊〉 is sanctified by the word and prayer OBSERVAT. When God is sought unâ—â— every day by prayer for a bestowing of daâ—â—â— requisites it is a good testimony that theâ—â— is an acknowledgment and dependance tâ— his gracious providence fatherly dispeâ—sation continually as it is implied in Psal 6 2. O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall 〈◊〉 flesh come The Psalmist David in time of thâ— famine which lasted three yeeres soughâ— unto God for daily bread 2. Sam. 21.1 c And having received an answer of peace he penned as may be probably conjectured the 65th Psalme to expresse his gratitude and to teach others how to demeane themselves in time of straits and wants namely to goe to God that heareth prayers when he is sought unto and called upon X. PROPOSITION The best and most acceptable way and course for the people of God to approve themselves in the performance of the service of prayer is that having a gift of knowledge and utterance they doe not limit stint themselves unto a set forme of words but rather that they doe conceive their Prayer as cause occasion shall justly require PROOF The holy servants of God mentioned and approved of in Scripture in their course of praying have beene wont usually for the most part to coÌ„ceive their prayers Daniel greatly beloved wheÌ„ he understood by his reading in the booke of the prophesy of Jeremiah the number of the yeeres to be accomplished in the desolations of Jerusalem conceiveth his prayer accordingly See Dan. 9.1 c. The booke of God is plentifull in instances of this kinde as may be seene in the booke of Psalmes and otheâ— historicall books I. REAS. Because every gift of God Spirit and consequently the gift of prayer ought to be stirred up and exercised according to just occasions offering themselves See 2 Timoth. 1.6 I