so straightly requireth at their hands As we may see in the scriptures how they that feared God liuing in the corrupt times of the Church and so not hauing their ordinarie teachers haue vpon the Sabbath day frequented those places though farre off where by the doctrine of the word they might sanctifie the day in some good acceptable manner In which consideration the Shunamite as it is recorded in the second booke of the Kings when his wife tolde him that she was going to the Prophet 2 King 4.23 but concealed the cause from him which was for the restoring of her sonne to life which she had obtained by his meanes before he demaundeth of her why she should goe that day seeing that it was neither new moone nor the Sabbath day as though he had sayd if it had been any of these daies which the Lord had commanded to be kept holy then no maruaile if she hastened thitherward so fast For so it ought to be and so it appeareth she vsed to doe that by hearing of his doctrine she might keepe holie the day and so thereby bee furthered in all other holie dueties In this respect I would to God wee might say of our time Iustin Martyr Apolâ—g 2. as Iustine Martyr doth of his Die qui solis dicitur omnes qui in oppidis vel agris morantur in vnum locum conueniunt Vpon the day that is called Sunday all that dwell in the townes or villages doe meete in one place and for the space of an houre the canonical scriptures of the Prophets Apostles are read It is a Canon in the prouincial Councell of Malisgon That if any man haue a Church neere them they should goe together and there vpon the Lords day to bee occupied in prayer c. Where their meaning was not to dispense with them that were further off but to inioyne all to goe to their next Churches And in another Councell this is the maine reason why they should giue ouer all worldly affayres Quo facilius ad ecclesiam venientes Concil Alater 3. cap. 27. That they might the more easily come to the Church and pray c. And vnto this doth that learned father and Bishop Augustine exhort his auditors in a sermon which I haue often alleadged which is worthie of all men for this purpose to be read ouer August de teÌ„p sermon 251. Let no man separate himselfe from diuine seruice Neque otiosus quis domi remaneat neither let any man tarrie idling at home Idle when other are gone to the Church Which also as it is very Christianly prouided for vnder her most excellent Maiestie both by statute and also by her Iniunctions Q. Iniunct articl 46. that all should resort vnto their parishes vpon all Sundaies and there to continue the whole time of godly seruice vnder the paine of penaltie So it had been happie for this land if in all places it had been executed but with halfe that care that it was first meant But I may complaine of it with Master Caluin Caluin vpon Deut. 5. Ser. 34 rather theÌ„ amend it That whereas if we were so feruent in the loue of God as wee should all would morning and euening assemble themselues together to the end they might be edified more and more in the seruice of God we see that with much adoe men will assemble themselues on the Sunday and that many are to bee holden to this order by force and violence and a little after it sufficeth not that euery one withdraw himself to his owne house either to reade the holie scriptures or to pray vnto God but it behoueth that we come into the companie of the faithfull and there declare the concord and agreement we haue with the whole bodie of the Church and celebrate in such wise this order as the Lord hath commaunded So then as wee haue seene heretofore that it is lawfull vpon these occasions to trauaile vpon the day of rest now we learne that it is necessarie not only tolerated but inioyned vnto vs because it is the day that must be sanctified and therefore all labours commanded whereby wee may hallowe it in the best manner Therefore let vs in all conscience and care to serue God cast away such vaine pretences as that the weather is too hot or too cold the wayes are too foule the iourney too long and a thousand more which might hinder vs at any time froÌ„ the preaching of the word and common prayer in which consisteth the head and the foote of keeping holie the Sabbath day For these are so necessarie and haue been so continually practised of the Church by succession as it were from hand to hand deliuered to the posteritie that wee should too much degenerate from them if wee should debarre our selues from these holie things The Apostle writing to the Corinthians where he had before taught euery Sabbath day and so by his example and doctrine shewed them the right manner of keeping holie the day when afterwards some great abuses were crept into the Church he writeth vnto them and correcteth the faults that were in their solemne assemblies vpon the Lords day as appeareth most plainly in the processe of the whole chapter but more especially when he so many times repeateth their generall comming together Corin. 11.17.18.20 seeing then he findeth fault with the corruptions in prayer prophecying or preaching and the Sacrament it is most euident and must needes bee granted that these were the holie exercises vpon that day vsually in their common meetings whereby the day was made holie vnto the Lord and most glorious to them If theÌ„ it be so as it cannot be denyed vnles we will denye the cleere light of the Sunne at midday that the chiefest poynt of hallowing the Sabbath day consisteth in comming to Gods house where he offereth vnto vs the speciall parts of his seruice to be occupied in and no where so much as there Where the word is not preaâ—hed or men come not to it this day cannot be hallowed as it ought then it must needes bee subscribed vnto that in Poperie and al false religion there is nothing els but a meere prophaning of the day by abominable idolatrie and superstition and so many daies as we were vnder that intolerable bondage we were set free from Gods seruice and so long liued wee in a continuall breach of this Commandement And not onely so but wheresoeuer the preaching of the word is not or where men haue it and come not to it there can they not sanctifie the day in that manner that they should because they want the principall part of Gods seruice and that which should direct them in all others and make them most profitable vnto them Which if it be so as wee cannot with the least shew of reason deny it then what cause haue wee to be sorrie for our selues and others Which haue so many times broken this law by wilfull absenting
worke but the seuenth daye is the sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke that is any of that worke which thou vsest to doe vpon the sixe dayes which is also proued by the example and patterne of Gods Rest who in sixe dayes made the Heauen and the earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day from which time he hath not rested from doing euery thing for he preserueth and gouerneth the things that hee hath made but hee resteth from such workes as he did vpon those sixe dayes namely of making new kindes of creatures or framing any more worlds which example of his must be our imitation for he rested for our sakes to teach vs that though we haue our seuerall callings wherein we must be diligently occupyed in the sixe dayes yet we must rest vpon the seuenth and rest from those things which we vsually doe vpon the sixe dayes by vertue of our calling for so hee rested himselfe Therefore whereas one man is occupyed in this thing and another in that and euery man hath or ought to haue some speciall businesse to attend vpon in the sixe dayes and being in an honest calling hee should labour in it diligently that he might not eate the breade of idlenes he ought vpon the seuenth day to put himselfe apart from all those affayres and as though they did not appertaine vnto him to haue no dealing with them And this is that which TertulliaÌ„ saith speaking of the seuenth day Tertul. aduers Marcion lib. 3. In it thou shalt not doe any worke Quod vtÃque tuum What worke saith he thine owne worke Consequens n. est vt ea opera sabbatho auferret quae sex diebus suprà indixerat for it must needes follow that he should forbid those workes vpon the sabbath day which he had before appoynted for the sixe dayes and therefore hee further addeth Tua id est humana quotidiana I say thine owne workes are forbidden that is worldly and dayly businesse So that here wee neede not to descend further into particulars or to vse many words for the opening of this matter it doth so plainely offer it selfe vnto vs that it may bee both seen and felt of vs and here needeth no great capacitie for the conceiuing of this poynt For if we liue not altogether in idlenes vnprofitably spending away the time and our selues and be as it were an heauie and vnprofitable burthen vpon the earth whereof there be two many in the world and it is one of the greatest sinnes of our time if I say we can but tell what is our daylie businesse and wherein we are or should be occupyed euen these are the things that be ment in this commandement that we should rest from So that here we had neede rather of a good conscience that might moue vs in the feare of God in a carefull obedience to his commandements to enter into this rest which we haue seen so many waies commended vnto vs and that euery one must examine his owne proper workes and so hee shall easely discerne what be the very special things from which he must rest as though they did not belong vnto him at all Thus shall the labourer perceiue that vpon this day he must rest from his dayes labour whether it be digging or thrashing or hedging or any thing else and the artificer from his dayly crafte and trade of making such things as bee incident to his calling and the husbandmen from sowing and tilling and manuring the earth and gathering the fruites of it and such like yea euen in the time of haruest as we haue seene Exod. 34. To this end besides that that hath been alleaged heretofore for this purpose I may put you in minde of one of those worthie Lawes which Charles the Emperor deliuered vnto his visiters whom he sent with his authoritie to reforme the Church Item we decree Centur. 8. Eccles luster c. 6. that as God hath commanded no seruile worke be taken in hand on the Lords day as also the Prince my father of blessed memorie gaue charge by his Synodall edict to wit no kinde of husbandrie neither cutting of vines nor tilling the ground neither reaping nor mowing nor hedging neither rooting or felling of trees nor digging in rockes nor building nor gardening nor hunting The women likewise to forbeare al Manuall worke as weauing sowing embroydring kemming of woll dressing of flaxe shearing of sheep and washing of clothes c. The Marchant and chapman must rest from buying and selling of wares making of bargaines vpon this day yea euen from buying of victuals fish or flesh meate breade or drinke for the sixe dayes are giuen them to make their prouision in as it hath been alreadie declared vnto vs out of Nehemiah 13. And whereas this abuse was common among the Iewes in the time of their captiuitie by reason of the great ignorance and because they were mingled with the heathen after their returne vnder Nehemiah when things began to be reformed they bound themselues by couenant to redresse this fault also for this was one article in the couenant Nehem. 10.31 That if the peâ—ple of the land brought ware on the sabbath or any victuals to sell that they would not take it of them on the sabbath and on the holy dayes Wolph lib. 3. in Nehem. 10. And M. Wolphius very excellentlie vpon this place Ijs vtuntur verbis They vse such wordes as doe somewhat declare that this custome had been among them that if other forraine people who had no conscience of the sabbath had brought any corne or wares vpon the sabbaths they preferring their owne commoditie and lusts before the obseruation of the sabbath they did not sticke to buy all that of them whatsoeuer it was By what meanes both the religious obseruation of the sabbath and the number of them that offered sacrifices and heard the word of God was greatly decayed because they were occupied about other things And whereas they speake of the people of the land thereby meaning other nations they secretly preuent their obiection who might reply that the strangers in no case were to bee tyed vnto the Lawes of the Iewes and that this delay was to their hinderance if they might not be ridde of their wares before the day following and that many of them did offend of ignorance and that if they should be thus hindered it would come to passe in time that they would bring nothing and by that meanes the Citie should want victuals and things necessary all which did cary with it a very probable shew of reason Nehemias aliam rationem init Nehemias he taketh another course sheweth that the ancient lawes of our forefathers yea of God and for religion ought to be so esteemed of vs that we should not suffer them to be broken for any strangers sake And the same Wolphius doth further adde That this people doth promise
reuised mine owne labours in which hauing at the first contented my selfe with the bare proofes out of the scriptures which I then thought sufficient especially for that auditorie to whome they were first ment did now compare the seuerall positions therein contained with the doctrine of former times and other Churches as I found the same set downe in the writings of the fathers Greeke and Latine new and olde so many as I had or could conueniently get and as I had time to reade them whom I finding to agree with me in the same points or rather my selfe with them was thereby the rather confirmed therin and thought that by their testimony and consent as it were by the pillar of truth I might sustaine and defend the same against al those that should oppugne or gainsay it Thus hauing so many learned men on my side managing the same cause with me or rather my selfe fighting vnder their colours haue at the last brought foorth this treatise vnto the view of the world and haue adventured it vnto 〈◊〉 the censures and speeches of all men wherin as I haue sought the â—â—ory of GOD in the publishing of his truth so I pray the same â—ord to maintaine defend and blesse the same so far foorth as it 〈◊〉 his trueth And here derely beloued in the Lorde as I haue â—â—imply and as it were with a naked breast declared vnto you the â—auses of my beginning and proceeding in this worke and that I â—aue not rashly and on the sodaine fallen into these opinions and â—hrust foorth my selfe into the world so I most humbly craue of â—ou this fauoure that all preiudice and sinister affection being â—ayd aside al things might be weighed in an euen ballance before they be refused as not hauing their iust weight euen there where they might cary some shew of vntruth according to the Canoniâ—all rule of the Apostle much more that al friuolous wranglings contentions gaine saying ambitious desire to ouercome and peruerse drawing of things to a wrong sense beeing forborne where I seeme to erre as I acknowledge my selfe subiecte vnto it I might charitably and Christianly bee admonished by your godly wisdomes that so I might also either by better proofes second the truth or els vpon more mature deliberation retract mine errour â—f there be anie For I doe most willingly submit my selfe vnto the Church of God by it in all things to bee censured and reformed according to his word Which I doe so much the more earnestly entreate at your hands because besides the conscience of my great vnsufficiency to deale in so weightie a matter before so many hundreths as the Lord in our time hath raysed vp fit for euery purpose I am not ignorant that this argument of the Sabbath is full of controuersie aboue many other points of diuinitie wherein many learned godly men dissent one from another which as I was perswaded of at the first so now of late since I attempted the â—ublishing of this booke I haue founde it to bee true by a most â—nwilling experience euen among those who for their great vaâ—ietie of all learning deserue singularly to bee admired And â—â—ough it were to be wished that we should be like minded being â—â—one accord and of one iudgement yet seeing wee are men and haue but our measure of knowledge and that in euerie thing and so may easily dissent in that whereunto wee are come let vs proceede by one rule and if any be otherwise minded GOD shall reueale the same vnto him Thus commending my selfe vnto your praiers and these my labours vnto your fauourable good liking I bid you most heartily farewell in the Lorde who keepe vs alwaies his and one anothers in Christ Norton in Suffolke Iune 27. 1595. next after the yeare of Gods heauie and vnknowen iudgements by sundrie tempestes continued and renewed of boysterons windes great raine and outrage of waters fearefull thunders and lightnings pintching dearth and vntimely fruits to the destruction and losse of men cattell and goods Your dutifull brother and fellow seruant in the Gospel of Christ NICHOLAS BOVVNDE The first booke shewing the Institution and necessarie Continuance of the Sabbath and from what seuerall things we are commanded to rest vpon that day Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holie 9. Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke 10. But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy manseruant nor thy mayd nor thy beast nor the stranger that is within thy gates 11. For in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it AS in the first Commandement the substance of Gods worship is set downe and in the second the manner of it in the third the end so here the time when and how long this should be openly and publikly thus practised In giuing of which Commandement the Lord vseth such manner of words and matter as might most stirre vs vp to the carefull keeping of it for in the practise of it consisteth the practise of all the other and in the neglect of it is the neglect of all religion Our naturall corruption rebellion therefore against this Commandement especially appeareth in that the Lord stirreth vs vp to it so many wayes yea in the first pronouncing of it How this CoÌ„mandement differeth from all the rest For first whereas in the other Commandements he contenteth himselfe with bare commanding this or forbidding that yet to this he putteth an especial marke saying Remember that is thinke of it afore hand for indeed the want of remembring it in due time is many times one cause that it is no better obserued when it commeth And in Deuter. Deut. 5.12 Moses repeating the Law forgetteth not this word but vseth another of like importance saying Obserue or looke vnto the Sabbath to sanctifie it and further addeth As the Lord thy God commandeth thee referring them to the first giuing of it yea euen in this marking Secondarily in all the other Commandements when he simply forbiddeth a sinne it is to be vnderstood that he commandeth the contrary vertue though not expressed and when he willeth the good to be done he forbiddeth the contrary euill though it bee not named as wee haue seene in expounding the other Commandements yet in this not onely the good is plainly commaunded Keepe holy the Sabbath day but the euill is expresly forbidden In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke Thirdly it differeth from all other Commandements in that the Lord hath adioyned more reasons to it then to any other because our nature is most against the obseruation of it for whereas some Commandements haue no reason at all ioyned vnto them and especially in the second table in which our nature is not so corrupt
vnperfect that thereby wee might be brought vnto our first perfection againe Yes surely vnlesse we be too much louers of our selues and ouerweaned with the pride of our nature must wee beleeue that if the perfect image of God in Adam not lightly shadowed but drawen out with most liuely and orient colours by the finger of God himselfe could not continue in his first beautie except by the pure meanes of Gods worship as â—t were by the first colours it were now and then refreâ—hed or at the least wise kept in the same freshnes then â—hen this goodly Image is so fowly defaced with sinne that not so much as the first draught thereof doth appeare nay all the colours of it are by Sathan sullied with iniquitie or rather cleane put out haue we much more neede to sanctifie many daies by the word Sacraments and prayer c. that so the Image of the first man might be renued in vs Coloss 3.10 Ephes 4.24 in knowledge in righteousnes and in true holines after the Image of him that created him euen as the Lorde God himselfe doth make this the vse of the Sabbath saying Keepe yee my Sabbaths for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations Exod. 31.13 that yee may know that I am the Lorde which doe sanctifie you calling it a signe that is an instruction or that which teacheth because by the obseruing of it they should be taught that it was the Lorde that created them and would sanctifie them and therefore he saith that hee would haue them obserue and keepe the Sabbaths that therby they might know that the Lord which made them would also sanctify them by those meanes and so by a new birth shape them into that Image whereinto hee had created them at the first Vnto which agreeth that which the Prophet Isayah speaketh in the 56. chapter where hee promiseth vnto the barren in stead of sonnes and daughters that this shall bring them a better and more lasting name then they if they will in true knowledge of his will and holines of life serue him as hee requireth of them in his couenant and that they might doe so will diligently keepe the Sabbaths Esay 56.4 saying Thus saith the Lord vnto the Eunuches that keepe my Sabbath and chuse the thing that pleaseth me and take holde of my couenant euen vnto them will I giue within my house and within my walles a place and a name better then of the sonnes and of the daughters and I will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not be put out In which words we see he requireth this of them if they would enioy the promise that they should serue him in knowledg in holines according to his couenant and therfore that they would keepe the Sabbaths whereby the Lorde himselfe would giue vnto them that which he also promiseth in his couenant eueÌ„ that knowledge and holines which hee requireth and according 〈◊〉 which they were first created whereby they might â—nioy all other promised blessings Thus then we ought to bee so farre from the brutish minde of a great many who minding nothing but their backe and their belly know no vse of the Sabbath sauing â—hat they see it is thus commanded by authoritie and â—hus publikely obserued as that wee should acknowâ—edge it to be the singular mercy of God towards vs in Christ Iesus that hee hath giuen vs his Sabbaths giuen them to vs I say who when wee were plunged in the bottomlesse pit of all miserie and there pressed downe with the weight of our owne sins had no meanes to be raysed out of it againe as from the dead sauing his holy word and blessed Sacraments in which he offereth vnto vs assuredly Christ Iesus to bee our Sauiour and redeemer hath together with them giuen vs his Sabbaths that vpon them we being so fully and altogether occupied in â—hese meanes as we should be and as we can not bee in â—he other daies because of our callings might through the blessing of God be made partakers of him who was made of God the father for vs wisedome righteousnes 1. Cor. 1.30 holines and redemption and so be saued by him And indeede what would become of vs If there were no Sabbath Gods worship would be altogether neglected if wee had not the Sabbaths For that I might not speak of the wicked who vpon the sixe dayes seldome or neuer pray neuer reade the worde neuer giue themselues to any good meditation or conference of the Scriptures as the things not appertaining to those dayes but are wholly possessed and caried away with the profits and pleasures of this worlde as it were with a streame yet through Gods mercifull ordinance are driuen to heare vpon the â—abbath and doe that which otherwise they would not whereby happily some good is wrought in them or else are left more without excuse before Gods iudgement seate to their iust condemnation That I might not speak of these wee may pitifully behold the children of God themselues many times neglecting the publike and priuate exercises of religion euen of the word and prayer in the weeke dayes being partly distracted in their callings for want of heauenly wisedome to diuide out their times and partly hindered by that vntowardnes and vnaptnes that is in their nature to all goodnes and partly by a carelesse forgetfulnes the world thrusting it out of their minds the diuell stealing it away wherby they do not so grow in the graces of God as they might therefore they are to too vnthankfull if they doe not acknowledge with thankes this vnspeakable benefite of the Sabbath in which God hath commanded them for their good to supply their former wants to make vp the breaches as it were of the other dayes and to build vp the decayes of them and to doe that wholly which before they did but in part and to doe that an whole day which before they did but by peeces and to doe nothing but that which before they ioyned with other thinges that so they might come to that happines which GOD would haue them to the which otherwise they could not come For lamentable experience in themselues doth teach them that though they obserue the Sabbath neuer so diligently according to Gods good commandement yet by reason of sinnes which is so bred in the bones that it will not out in the flesh they finde themselues failing in many dueties to God and men very vnto ward many times to those that they doe and so corrupting them falling into many sinnes prone vnto a great many moe and so hardly with great striuing to keepe an eeuen course of life that in their consciences they doe assuredly subscribe vnto this truth that if there were no Sabbath at all they were most miserable and should become like vnto the rest of the world And so let vs conclude this matter confessing and acknowledging vpon the premisses with all the Church of
he may perswade himselfe to eate what and when and where and how it pleaseth himselfe but as the Apostle saith All the Creatures of God are sanctified our vse by the word and by prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 and thefore if we will haue the right vse of them wee must so vse them as the worde requireth and pray vnto GOD for his blessing in the sober vsage of them so must we say of the Rest which God hath commanded vs to sanctifie and keepe holy the sanctification of which was the highest and most principall end of it according to the Commandement Remember the sabbath day that is the day of Rest to kâ—epe it holy and therefore though the Rest was made for man and man hath the disposition of it yet man being made for the glorie 〈◊〉 God he must so vse his Rest as by the sanctifying of it â—e may bring glorie to God indeed And therefore the â—ame Master Gualter a little after saith Gualt ibid. These things are â—ot so to be vnderstood as though it were lawfull for vs in â—hese things to appoynt or doe at our pleasure what liked vs â—est but Christ doth here teach the right vse of all outward â—hings least that we should through superstition abuse those â—hings vnto the hurt of our selues or other men which God â—ath appoynted for our safegard and good Therefore let vs marke how our sauiour Christ doth saye Man was not made for the sabbath or rest but he doth not say man was not made for the sanctifying of the Sabbath or keeping â—oly the day of Rest For as it is true that all the Creatures were made for mans vse and therefore they were made before him that he being made might vse them so man was made that hee might keepe the whole lawe of God â—nd euery part of it and therefore it was not giuen out â—ill man was made so man is aboue the Creatures but â—he lawe is aboue him and hee is made to worship God to â—allow his name and to sanctifie his sabbath And so I may say with Peter Martir Here consider the order of things P. Martir in Gen. 2. some things are created for man therefore man was made â—fter them but man was made for the seruice of God thereâ—ore straight way after the Creation was brought in the â—lessing and sanctification of the sabbath And thus wee may conclude the truth of this doctrine â—hat wee haue in hand notwithstanding any thing that â—ath been spoken against it namely that as there hath â—een a sabbath day from the beginning so there is great â—â—ason that it should continue to the ending and though had neuer so many aduersaries that haue bent their â—â—ree against it yet they are not able to ouerthrowe it as â—â—ing that which is strengthened by Gods Commandeâ—â—nt and as it were fortified by his owne hand yet I am not ignorant that it hath many and mightie enemies â—nd those that haue a great deale more to say against it then I haue vttered nay I doe not thinke that there is any one poynt of our Religion that is so in controuersie among the learned of all sortes as this of the sabbath wherein many friendes doe disagree but my purpose is not to deale so farre which thing I leaue to them that haue trauailed a great deale more then my selfe in this matter and I doe praye that this my labour might bee a spurre to the godly learned to take more paynes in so worthie an argument and to publish abroad that which I knowe some haue in their handes concerning this doctrine though I haue not read the same and then I would thinke I had reaped a sufficient fruite of my labour and in the meane season I will remember my purpose to conteine my selfe within the compasse of my first preachings Now as we haue hitherto seen that there ought to be a Sabbath day so it remaineth that we should heare vpon what day this Sabbath should bee kept and which is that very day that is sanctified for that purpose For I know it is not agreed vpon among them that doe truely hold that there ought to be a Sabbath which is that very day vpon which the Sabbath should alwaies bee Herein the Lord hath beene mercifull vnto his Church and succoured the infirmitie of man in this behalfe and decided the endlesse contention that might haue beene about this matter The Sabbath ought to be vpon the seuenth day and vpon none other Gen. 3.2 Exod. 30.10 Deut. 5.14 in that he hath told vs that it is the seuenth day which he hath sanctified for that purpose For it is in expresse words sayd in Genesis that God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it and in Exodus The seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and afterwardes the same words bee repeated by Moses in Deuteronomie Therefore it must needes be vpon that day and vpon none other for the Lord himselfe sanctified that day and appointed it for that purpose August epistol ad â—anisar 119 cap. 10. and none but it And therefore it is truely said of that great clerke Saint Augustine De solo Sabbatho dictum est c. This is said onely of the Sabbath GOD sanctified the seuenth day In so much that a man being in conscience persuaded that he shuld keepe holy vnto the Lord some one day or other should ignorantly chuse out some other day neglecting the seuenth to sanctifie it by resting from his labours and wholly applying himselfe to Gods seruice he could not looke for that blessing from GOD which no doubt the Church of God doth find at his hands vpon that day by vertue of his especiall promise for he blessed that day and sanctified it Pet. Mart. in Gen. 2. And as Peter Martyr alledgeth it out of Rabbi Agnon This blessing doth light vpon those who obserue and sanctifie the same Sabbath that God hath appointed and wee doe not reade that hee bestowed that blessing vpon any other day which we know he did vpon the seuenth So that the substance of this law is naturall as Master Iunius sayâ—h Iunij pralect in Gen. 2.3 and to bee obserued of all men alike namely that euery seuenth day should bee holy vnto God And so it is true not onely that of euery seuen daies as Peter Martyr saith one must bee reserued vnto God Pet. Mart. in Gen. 2. and a little after it is perpetuall that one day in the weeke should bee reserued for the seruice of God but that this must be vpon the seuenth In setting downe of which I doe not so farre forget my selfe but that I remember that some whom with all humilitie I doe reuerence in the Lord and giue thankes vnto him for their labours that I say they are otherwise minded and do not thinke that the Church is necessarily tyed to the number of seuen in obseruing the day Yet I doe not see bee it farre from me that
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
the promises of this life and the life to come So then by all this it may most euidently appeare both by the words of the commandement and by the practise of the best men in the old and new Testament that this duetie is layd vpon all householders diligently to ouersee the wayes of their familie that they serue God as in all other dueties so especially in sanctifying the Sabbath as they will answere to the contrarie at their perill to him that hath put them in authoritie and as they will giue an account for their soules which otherwise might perish through their default Which though it bee so seuerely inioyned in all men But in our time it is for the most part wholly neglected and vnder so great a paine layd vpon them yet it is so generally neglected of the greatest part that we may rather complaine of it iustly with griefe then haue any hope of the speedie reforming of it For besides that a great many haue no care to sanctifie the day themselues and therefore cannot with any conscience require it of their seruants and children but either set them to worke or to play and to do any thing vpon that day sauing that which they should and doe encourage them thereunto by their owne ill example and words there be others also who though they seeme to haue some care to keepe holie the day themselues and haue indeede yet either through ignorance or negligence do not once looke to their housholde whether they come to Church or no and sit there attentiuely and continue there with profit to the ending nor how they spend the rest of the day but being demaunded where their seruants were how chance they came not to Church c. they answere securely and as they thinke sufficiently as though it were a thing meerely impertinēt vnto them that they cannot tell they do not hinder them from the Church they may come if they will and they are of age to looke to themselues and they are past boyes now and I cannot tell what But they must consider besides that which hath been alreadie spoken concerning this matter that they do too foolishly and grosly imagine to stoppe as it were the mouth of the Lord with that simple answere in his busines which they will not receiue at their seruants hands in their owne For in the sixe dayes when their seruants are in their owne busines they will not let them come and goe at their owne pleasure and content themselues with a bare imagination that they be at their workes but will be sure of it and therfore set them to it looke vpon them in the doing of it call them to an account for it which if it bee well done in themselues because they knowe otherwise they will be negligent how must it not needes then bee a great vnthankfulnes in them vnto God that vpon his day which is but one among seuen his seruice should be so slenderly looked vnto that there is no such diligence vsed towards their seruants that they might performe it And how must it not needes be a great iniurie to their seruants who are naturally for the most part more negligent and carelesse in Gods seruice by reason of their corruption then they can be in the seruice of men to bee depriued of that benefit of their gouernours which is the chiefest and for which cause especially they are committed to their gouernment namely to be furthered by thē in the seruice of God but vse them more like beasts then men euen that they might be seruiceable vnto them and then care not whether they serue God or the diuell We know that seruants looke to be preferred by their masters and so there is good reason when they haue serued them faithfully but what kinde of rewarde is this that when they haue bestowed some earthly benefit vpon them by hauing no care to make them serue the Lord and sanctifie his Sabbaths doe in the ende not onely make them lose the euerlasting reward but preserue them to eternall destruction Moreouer there are a companie of idle seruing men who being brought vp idly all the sixe dayes and in thē hauing nothing at all to doe and are neuer almost looked after vpon the seuenth day are as idle Especially in great households where there are many seruants and as little regarded as vpon the other and as they neuer almost doe any good dayes worke to their masters for they haue nothing to doe so much lesse doe they spend any Sabbath in the Lords seruice but they especially are left to goe and come at their will Others that haue any office of great charge and attendance as the Cookes and Butlers such like in great houses seldome or neuer come to the Church and that but by peeces either when halfe is done or els they are readie to depart before halfe bee ended and so both hinder the Lord from that seruice which he should haue by them and them from that blessing which they should inherit this way and both cause the name of God to be ill spoken of and pul vpon themselues and them that curse which belongeth to the continual polluting of the Sabbath And how can they looke that that seruice and that meate and drinke should doe them good which is thus prepared and bought as it were with the continuall daunger of the soules of their seruants besides the dishonour of the name of God When Dauid had inconsideratly desired to drinke of the water of Bethleem three mightie men brake into the hoste of the Philistines and drew water and brought it to him but he would not drinke thereof but powred it for an offring to the Lord and sayd 2. Sam. 23.15.16 O Lord be it farre from me that I should doe thus is not this the bloud of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues How much lesse then ought men to eate and drinke that for which their seruants doe venture the liues of their soules And besides if we doe iustly finde fault with them who doe neuer or seldome preach to the people committed to their charge and so cause their soules to starue and dye eternally how can they be blameles who seldome or neuer bring their seruants to the preaching of the word And must they not needes be culpable of the same iudgement before God seeing it is all one with the seruants whether they liue in the places where the word of God is not preached at al or if it be yet they come not vnto it Obiection But where as men are readie to obiect that in a great familie many must needs be absent Answer I grant it to be true in some part that is at some time and vpon some occasion but so ordinarily and so continually as they themselues in their owne consciences are priuie of who make this obiection I know no necessitie that can excuse that Nay I am sure that the Lord hath layd no
such calling vpon any man that should keepe him in a continuall breach of the Sabbath and therefore both master and seruant may suspect that he is in such a calling as is not agreeable to Gods word or that he vseth it not aright when it maketh him if not wholly yet for the most part to neglect the seruice of God vpon the Sabbath day And I know where there is a great care to serue please God by prayer the Lord will giue to them such wisedome that they shal be able to redeeme if not the whole yet at least a great parte of the daye which otherwise will be mispent namely by letting passe many needlesse things preparing so much before as conueniently may be rising so much the more early in the morning and by the interchangeable helpe of other seruants especiallie when they will for these causes bee contented with so much the lesse though not in quantitie for the reliefe of others yet lesse exquisite and curious dressing which especially taketh vp the time and so I am sure and they that will trie it in the feare of God and in a care to serue him and in a loue to the soules of their brethren shall find it to be true by experience that many might keepe holy the Sabbath which do not now at all others might keepe it more then they doe Which if yet it be thought vnpossible because we goe not about to practise it let vs but obserue that which we shall see done in the house when the seruant is very desirous to goe to a faire and the maister is as willing to let him goe you would wonder to see how things shall be dispatcht vp sodainely and in good order they shall be absent many houres and yet not greatly missed if any thing be otherwise then is vsuall it is borne with because it is a day of making prouisios for themselues and that day is not euery day So then if the maisters were perswaded of the Lords day as they ought to be euen that it is the time of making prouision for the soule and were as carefull for the soules of their seruants as they are for their bodies and did esteeme it more for their worship and credite that their seruantes were religious then that they were costly and well set out in apparell they would be better contented to spare them during the time of that market where they may buy without money all the graces of Gods spirite and the riches of the kingdome of heauen whereby they should not onely saue their owne soules but bee made more fit to doe dueties to their maisters of conscience The gouernours of families should take order that they and their whole houshold might come to church together Therfore to make an end of this matter it is the duty of al houshold gouernors to cause the whole family to be in a readines to attend vpon them to and fro the Church and that it bee not left at euery mans discretion to come when hee will but that they should goe together And indeed this hath beene the orderly comming of Gods people in times past to the place of his worship that they haue not come scattered and alone but many together and by companies whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalm 42.4 When I remembred these things I poured out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a feast In which place the man of God complaining that he was banished from the holy assemblies sayth that hâ—s griefe was increased by remembring his former estate when he vsed to goe with a great many to the Temple euen as to a feast whereby hee declareth what was the manner of their going euen as men go to a market or to a feast not onely with ioye but also by companies and so many of one house as goe will goe together so they did not onely goe to the house of God cheerefully but many of them together euen as to the market feast of their soules By which practise of theirs as the doings of many are condemned so it appeareth that the men of our time are led by another spirite then they were and are otherwise perswaded of the worship and place they goe vnto For all the people nay the seuerall housholds come not together but scattered and one dropping after another in a confused manner First comes the man then a quarter of an houre after his wife and after her I cannot tell how long especially the maid-seruants who must needes bee as long after her as the menseruants are after him Wherby it commeth to passe that either halfe the seruice of God is done before all be met or else if the minister tarrie till there be a sufficient congregation the first commers may bee wearie and sometimes cold with tarrying before the other shall bee warme in their seates Nowe if it bee demaunded of the maisters why they alone make such hast and leaue all the rest behind them and they answer truely because the time is come wherin vsually publike prayer beginneth can they bee perswaded that it is time for themselues to come as it is indeed and yet no time for the rest to come with him Hath he no longer time to tarrie and haue they time to tarry so long after him as though there were one lawe for him and another for them or rather that the same law of the Sabbath which mooueth him of conscience to doe that which he doth did not as forcibly bind them all as himselfe nay did not binde him to looke to them that they should keepe holy the day as well as himselfe which if he grant to be true and yet is not able to bring it to passe where the Lord hath giuen him so great authoritie for his owne sake partly through the frowardnes of his wife and partly through the of obstinacy of the rest in the familie his case is to be pitied and he is rather to bee gouerned then to gouerne 1. Cor. 6.4 and he might doe well to set vp one of them in his steed seeing hee doth suffer himselfe wilfully so be abused and is contented to be ouer ruled by them in the chiefest thing Therefore that he might bring this matter happily to passe as he must goe before them by his owne example and be ready betimes euen first of all so he must earnestly call vpon them for this duetie and exhort them vnto it and the slower that they are and the more they drawe backe the more forward must he be and by his practise and words draw them forwards also For this is that readines which Dauid obserued in the people of his time I reioyced when they sayd vnto me Psalm 122.1 we will goe into the house of the Lord or let vs goe into the house of the Lorde for they are words of