brethren yea for men to despise their owne saluation The auncient Church had respect of these considerations Anacletus sith Anacletus the second Romaine Bishop is affirmed to haue decreed That after the consecration was ended all should communicate that would not want entrance into the Church and assemblies thereof Conc. Antio can 2. Sith also the Councell of Antioch decreed That such as come into the Church and heare the holy Scriptures and doe not communicate but do of a certaine intemperancy turne themselues away from the receiuing of the holy Communion should be remoued out of the Church till they had amended this fault Which though in the first Councell of Toledo it were mitigated or at the least propounded with some more milde words yet there also it was decreed Concil Tolita 1. can 13 That they that come into the Church and are found seldome or neuer to communicate should be admonished And if they doe abstaine after admonition giuen let them be separated from the fellowship of the Church And what meaneth this that euen yet to this daye in the reformed Churches such as yeeld not to the ministers and elders a iust cause of their absence and doe rashlie withdraw themselues from the vse of the holy Supper are therefore admonished and for the same ecclesiastically reproued Metaphrastes writing the life of one Iohn Eleemosynar Metaphra in vit Iohn Eleemosy or almes giuer as we would say reporteth that seeing all his hearers whilest the Supper was in celebrating to depart out of the Church hee also leauing the action went his way speaking thus That he had no neede of that labour but that hee administred the Supper for the benefit and profit of the people And that therefore seeing they would not voutchsafe to bee present hee went about a needeles worke Why they should be present at the catechising of children Furthermore if men dealt well and christians had that zeale they should none of them that were of the yeares of discretion or parents should depart out of the Church no not when the nouices were to be examined instructed For the holy Scripture is wont to call such children not only as are so in yeares but such rather as are so in vnderstanding and in the knowledge of Gods word and of the way of trueth But how many are there the greater is our griefe that euen amongst them that are of the yeares of discretion yea that are of great yeares and haue hoare haires are not at this day found infants and children as in this behalfe These interrogations can hardly be answered Why therfore should not such suffer themselues to be catechised and though they would refuse to be examined to yeeld confession of their faith as commonly they do why do they not yet by their hearing and presence indure at the least wise that instruction which is bestowed vpon children For those catechisings of children because they are performed by continuall course of questions answers and in the same al things be childishly and rudely handled in a shorter maner dispatched may more easily be cōprehended in memorie than Sermons that are made in a continual tenor course of speech and are with greater labour beautified and adorned Parents duetie And to prouoke the greater better attention to all the things that in this behalfe shall bee performed there must bee no small care and regard in parents for their children which are to be instructed that they may satisfie the questions demaunded and may proceede in the course of faith godlines and saluation that they themselues might not be constrained to blush to be ashamed if their children be silent at the demaunds and fowly giue ouer And because this is the chiefest part of the dutie of parents towards their children to bring them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord Ephes 6.4 a double care and respect should in this behalfe stay hold thē fast not to depart from the catechisings or instructions of youth The one is Two excellent respects that they might publikely heate iudge with what faithfulnes the Ministers of the church do their duty in instructing their children that so if they perceiue any thing to be wanting in thē they might think vpon and prouide some other way course that their childrens saluatiō might not be neglected and troden vnder foote The other that if they themselues be not so well instructed in the points which they shuld powre into their children as it were beat vpon at home as I feare me certainely A lamentable thing very many parents the more is the pitie and with griefe wee may speake it are as yet very rude and ignorant of heauenly things concerning their owne saluation they notwithstanding might yet learne such things as are needefull for them both for the better doing of their dutie towards their children and also more fitly belong to their owne saluation A very strong reason forcible to perswade An argument from profit to the people to the Ministers which also by the benefit of these catechisings almost without any labor sure I am without any shame or confusion of them themselues they may attaine vnto And vnles my iudgement vtterly faile me youths such as are of the yeres of discretion and parents also may in some manner profit more by these catechisings than by Sermons in so much that the Ministers of the Church should at no hand loose their labour if in the summer season and in the assemblies that are made vpon the Lords daies in the afternoone in which many men as we well perceiue The good vse of catechising are so farre from fitting themselues to good exercises that they doe of purpose giue themselues ouer to sleeping and snorting they would sometimes omit Sermons of instruction and giue themselues onely to the catechising of children and vse withall some more plentifull exposition of the Booke of the Catechisme which might euidently stand in steed of the Sermons omitted and satisfie such as were of the yeares of discretion and had made further proceedings than other And so the Church might at the last Why men should stay the blessing of the Church vpon good ground receiue and be partaker of the blessing of the Church before the congregation were dissolued In the olde Testament God himselfe ordained that all holy exercises and duties being done the assemblie should not be dimissed till it had receiued a solemne blessing from the priestes whereof also God himselfe put downe a solemne forme for the priests to vse as may appeare by these words where he saith Thus shall ye blesse the children of Israell and say vnto them Num. 6.23.24 The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face to shine vpon thee and giue thee peace To which ordinaunce and commaundement of God the Psalmist doubtlesse alludeth in one of his Psalmes where the priestes
it selfe corrupteth the rest of the bodie as we may easily see in the stomacke for if it alone keepe the food to it selfe it both killeth the rest of the bodie with famine and destroieth it selfe with it owne neuer satisfied corruption whereas on the other side if it receiue that which is sufficient for the satisfying thereof and sendeth the rest to the other members it preserueth both it selfe and the rest of the bodie in good state and health euen so thou also if thou keepe to thy selfe the things which thou hearest from vs The reddition with the reason of it and doest not communicate the same vnto others thou both hurtest them and also corruptest thy selfe because thou dost foster within thee these two sore diseases of slothfulnesse and enuie for it will suffice for thy destruction either through wickednesse or enuie or if ye will through sloth not to communicate them to others Thus farre Chrysostome Fiftly men after the Sermons which they haue heard vpon the Lords daie 5 Vpon the Lords daies after the Sermons are done men must not meddle with any profane businesses must not vndertake or treat of worldly and profane affaires belonging to this life as vpon markets mariage feasts dancings pressing or swearing of souldiours vnlesse the enemies power and presence and as we may say assault vrge and presse the same bargaines of buying and selling diuiding of inheritances casting of accounts about money matters or other things and such as be like to these by which the Lords Sabbath is profaned and the Lords day is not dedicated to God as it should be but to our selues and to the world No these things must be left and the Sermons which we haue heard must at home be repeated and rehearsed againe and againe Priuate exercises on the Sabbath and we must read the holy Bible and other profitable bookes touching Christian religion we must exercise holy singing of Psalmes and parents must vndertake to repeat with their children the points of the Catechisme and these things must be performed in euerie house and familie The preuention of an obiection But if in some houses there be not any that be learned or can read some of the neighbour families which can doe that dutie shall meet there and lend them their labour and aide as in this behalfe For as we take vnto our selues and imploy about our owne businesses A iust and a verie weightie reason all the rest of the sixe daies of the weeke and that many times from daie peepe as we say till it be verie late in the night so surely it behoueth vs no lesse to dedicate and consecrate the Lords daie wholly to God himselfe to holy actions and such exercises as are good for the health of our soules For what if God had claimed to himselfe and to his holy seruice sixe daies and had left vs only one for our vse and the affaires of this life what would we haue done then A worthie inference vpon the premisses As therfore this is a great argument of his singular goodnesse and mercie that here yeelding much of his owne right and authoritie he hath appointed but one day only for himselfe so of what great ingratitude vngodlinesse and of neuer satisfied couetousnes is this a testimonie that we will not or can not leaue no not the seuenth part of our whole life to God and our owne soules vntouched and vndefiled For good Lord with what deceits crafts vsuries lyings A vement exclamation thefts bankettings drunkennesses wanton songs blaspemies cursings by the holy name of God braulings blowes fightings whordomes adulteries wantonnesses vanities murthers and ten thousands besides of most grieuous wickednesses doe faires mariages markets dancings and the other things aboue rehearsed pollute and defile the Lords daies in so much as we may say that they are rather consecrated to Venus and Bacchus yea to the diuell himselfe than to God God verily will haue his people on the Sabbath day to cease and rest from earing from haruest worke Exod. 34.21 August in Psal 91. August lib. 10. de chordis And yet Augustine vpon the Psalmes and in an other peece of his workes affirmeth that it is better to goe to plow on the Sabbath day than to daunce that it is more meete for women to spinne then than that whole day to daunce vnchastly Yea God would haue the Sabbath vnder the old Testament to be sanctified with so great religion that he would not haue the Jewes so much as to kindle fire thoroughout all their habitations Exod. 35.3 And vpon paine of their soules or as they loue them he commaundeth them to take heed of this Iere. 17.21.27 that vpon the Sabbath day they neither bring in nor bring out any burthen by the gates of Ierusalem But notwithstanding this if they will do otherwise he threatneth that he wil kindle a fire in their gates that shall deuoure the houses of Ierusalem it shall not be quenched Nehem. 13.15.16.17 Wherefore Nehemiah seeing certaine men of Tyrus that in Ierusalem did buy and sell vpon the Sabbath day he reproued the rulers of Iudah and calling to their memorie this threatning of God denounced by Ieremiah he prouided that the gates of Ierusalem should be shut vpon the Sabbath day and set some of his seruants at the gates to watch that there should no burthen be brought in on the Sabbath day Nahum 13.21 Yea he was so zealous in this behalfe that he would not suffer chapmen and merchants no not without the walles of the Citie but protested amongest them that if they did so once againe he would lay handes vpon them There is a notable law of Leo and Antonius the Emperours touching the Lords day In Cod. lib. 3 tit de Feriis and it is this We will not haue holy daies dedicated to the most high maiestie of almightie God to be spent in any pleasures or to be profaned with any troubles of exactions wherefore we decree that the Lords day shal be alwaies so honoured and regarded that it shall be exempted from all executions A worthie and verie religious law no summons shal vrge any man then no demaund shall be made of suretiship all appearance shall be silent all pleading shall be hushed that day shall be farre from taking knowledge of causes the rough voice of the crier shall be silent the parties contending shall cease from their controuersies and haue a space of agreement the aduersaries may come together not fearing one another c An excellent caution And yet giuing libertie to the ease and rest of this religious daie we doe not or will not for all that suffer any man to be detained with filthie pleasures Stage plaies and Theater sighes shall chalenge nothing that day feates of wrastling running c. as also the pitifull spectacle of wilde beastes yea though the solemnitie thereof should fall to be kept for
Lords day in greater companies they be present at the Sermons must at home demaund repetitions of such Sermons as they themselues were absent from and yet some of the family heard the same Besides such as are of great age and full of yeares What old persons must doe must very diligently repaire vnto such Sermons as in the weeke time are made in the seueral villages or hamlets of their parishes And as for those that long and sore sicknesses tie as it were to their beds or keepe in their houses What sicke persons must doe they must prouide to call home vnto them so often as need shal require the ministers of the Church to instruct comfort them They must also send out their children to be instructed in learning at the least wise to schooles of our mother tongue which are almost at euery mans dore that they may also vse their helpe in reading ouer the blessed Bible and other profitable bookes if eyther grieuous diseases be vpon them or extreame olde age approach vnto them And whilest their yeares last so to apply themselues to the hearing learning and speaking of Gods word that from thence they may fetch aid against old age shal come and pleasant comfort to themselues against all daies of danger or distresse But the greatest let of all which alone doth for the most part comprehend all the former Carnall securitie and by which men are eyther vtterly withheld from hearing Gods word or certainely very many of them heare it with no fruit at all is that same naturall or carnall man 1. Cor. 2.14 euen that same olde Adam which lieth dead and as it were buried in securitie impenitencie and the peruerse desires of this world as if it were in a certaine most deepe and dead sleepe for because that God who speaketh with vs by the preaching of his word is exceeding iustice holinesse and puritie and will at no hand communicate himself those his most excellent and heauenly misteries of saluation with the secure impenitent and hogges of Epicures heard neither will manifest vnto them or set before them to be tasted of that hidden wisedome of his word Rom. 1.28 but giueth them vp rather into a reprobate mind void of all iudgement blindeth their eyes and hardeneth their hearts Iohn 12.40 Esay 6.9 least they should see with their eyes or vnderstand with their hearts and so might be conuerted and healed as God in his word threatneth them Againe God himfelfe together with that healthfull wisedome of his word Wisd ◠2.3 c. is found of them that tempt him not and discouereth himselfe vnto thē that distrust him not for peruerse thoughts separate from God his power when it is tried reproueth the vnwise for wisedome shall not enter into a wicked soule nor dwell in a bodie that is subiect vnto sinne For the holy spirit of discipline flieth from that that is forged withdraweth it selfe from foolish thoughts and then is knowne when iniquitie commeth Repentāce what Therefore in this true repentance which is busied in and manifested by hatred and forsaking of sinne on the one side and in earnest desire of godlinesse and righteousnesse on the other side principally standeth that sanctificatiō vnto which God as in the beginning of this Chapter we haue already declared by the prophets exhorteth his people so often as he calleth them to publike assemblies to heare his word and to worship him To which also pertaineth that worthie precept of Salomon Eccle. 4.17 Take heede to thy foot when thou shalt goe into the house of God and be more readie to heare than to giue the sacrifice of fooles c. And thus farre touching the impediments and lets in remouing of which as if it were in causes corrupting other it behooueth a Christian man to stray labour least otherwise he be eyther altogether beaten backe from hearing of Gods word or else in the holy assemblies of the Church resemble at the best a dease and dead image The father or master must come to the holy assēblies accompanied with his household Wherefore these impediments and hinderances being first remoued a godly father of a familie or master of a houshold must not then thinke that he hath well discharged his dutie if eyther himselfe come alone to heare Sermons or send out into the Church from amongst his seruants some youth or other who is as yet of small proofe or iudgement as we see it sometimes practised whereby the magistrates ordinances and decrees fathers and masters are commaunded to send at the least some one of their families to the weekly Sermons or those that are made vpon some daies in the weeke Which what is it else than pleasantly as it were to scorne both God himselfe the godly lawes of Christian magistrates Nay rather good houshold gouernours as fathers masters c. Haba 2.4 should haue great care of the saluation of all of euery one of their houshold knowing that the iust must liue not by another mans but Rom. 14.12 by his owne faith and that euery one of vs must yeeld an account to God him selfe and the things that he hath done in the flesh And therfore he must bring with him his family to the Sermons or preachings of Gods holy word And if any by reason of their domesticall affaires or other vrgent businesses cannot be present at a Sermon they must indeuor in greater troups and companies to be present at the next Sermons But what meane I to speake of the familie or houshold onely The neighbour must inuite his neighbour to the publike assemblies of the Church Euery faithfull man should both by his example and voice inuite his neighbours and other men to those spirituall tables and heauenly bankets of Gods holy word Euen as Isaiah describing the desires of the people of God which should be manifested vnder the kingdome of Christ ascribeth this vnto them both that they should in great troupes gather themselues to Christes kingdome and also should mutually exhort and prouoke one another thereto saying Come ye and let vs goe vp vnto the mountaine of the Lord Esay 2.3 vnto the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his pathes The like studie and the very selfe same zeale both in flocking together and also in inuiting one another vnto holy assēblies did Zachariah foretel should be likewise in the new Testament and he addeth withall Zach. 8.21 Iohn 1.43.47 that those that were inuited should answere I will go also And so did Philip and Andrew inuite Nathaniel and Simon to come vnto Christ whom they had found before So Ioseph and Mary brought with them to Ierusalem to the feast of the Passeouer there Iesus their sonne Luke ◠42 when hee was twelue yeares olde Church elders or officers Specially this is the dutie of the elders of the Church
to prouoke their neighbours sith the ouerlooking and care of them is committed vnto them to diligent frequenting of holy assemblies Which also the magistrate himselfe should do Magistrats that not onely by publishing lawes and decrees but chiefely aboue the rest by his owne example As Eusebius lib. 4. de vita Constans Cap. 17. 33. reporteth touching Constantine the Emperour that in the Church when it was assembled he euen taking the bookes into his handes beganne the contemplation of the holy scriptures made praiers with the whole assemblie of the Church and being in the middest of the Sermons admonished exhorted c. he would not sit But if any Christian man be readie to goe to ecclesiasticall assemblies Euery Christian man as he goeth to the Temple ought to be occupied with religious thoughts hee must in the third place euen againe and againe thinke vpon this to what ende nowe hee would goe thither and what thinges he is there to doe For euen as the Kinges and Princes of this world are by trumpets and drummes woont to giue signes when and how often they would haue their courtiers come together to eate meate So when we heare the belles ring we should thinke that a signe is giuen vs 1. Tim. 6.15 by which the King of Kings and Lord of Lords calleth his familie and household to his spirituall bankets and heauenlie table beeing readie to satisfie and refresh their hungrie fainting and sicke soules with that most sweete foode and immortall drinke of his holy word And therefore being quicke 1. Pet. 3.4 frequent and cheerefull and adorned with that inwarde man and being washed and trimmed wee should with as much delight at the least if not more come to these spirituall thinges euen as courtiers cary with them when they are to sit down and eate at their princes tables We should therfore think that we are about to goe to the house of the God of Iacob that we might pray before the Lord seeke the Lord of hosts euen as the faithfull do prouoke one another Zach. 8.21 in the prophet Zachariah the meaning is that we should set our selues in the sight and presence of Gods most holy and excellent maiestie and should heare this our God speaking with vs by the mouth of his minister and and embassadour and that by his owne word concerning his will both towards vs and touching vs and againe that we our selues should speake with this great God as with our most mercicifull father and yeeld him thankes for the benefits that he hath bestowed vpon vs and vnburthen and powre out our necessities into his bosome and that we should not be in the temple as it were certaine dumbe and deafe images or pictures For as Augustine saith Thy prayer is a familiar speech and talke with God August in Psal 8 5. when thou readest or hearest Gods word God speaketh vnto thee when thou praiest thou speakest with God Yea we should think vpon the ends why God hath created redeemed man which is his own glory and that we should set forth his praise Esa 43.7.21 1. Pet. 2.9 who hath called vs out of darkenesse into his wonderfull light And we should also thinke vpon and remember the meanes by which we may attaine and come to this end namely that according to Christs counsell commandement and rule we should first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that is to say the righteousnesse of faith and of good works Mat. 6.33 which double righteousnesse is set out vnto vs in the Law and the Gospell from whence also it is manifest that for the seeking or searching after this we had need also to search the scriptures and to heare Moses and the prophets Iohn 5.39 Luke 16.29 2. Pet. 1.19 and to attend that most sure word of the prophets yea we must waie and consider throughly the causes that should iustly prouoke and stirre vs vp to the diligent hearing of Gods holy word Amongest which Gods most sharpe and seuere commaundement doth not without cause obtaine the first place who himselfe from heauen crieth and saith touching Christ This is my wel beloued sonne Mat. 17.5 Luke 16.29 Coloss 3.16 1. Pet. 1.19 in whom I am well pleased heare him and will haue vs to heare Moses and the prophets and to haue the word of Christ dwell in vs plenteously with all wisedome and to take heed to the most sure word of prophecie as vnto a light or candle that shineth in a dark place Iam. 1.21 with meeknes to receiue the word that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Next that this is the last end both of our creation of our redemption to acknowledge God our creator and redeemer according to his word manifested by the Prophets Apostles yea by his own sonne that we should glorifie him both in this and the life to come as hath beene alreadie said Thirdly that our saluation and indred our verie chiefe good and felicitie standeth principally in this to obtaine the right knowledge of God out of his word 1. Pet. 1.23 and to be borne againe not by mortall or corruptible seede but by immortall euen the word of God which endureth for euer For in his word hath almightie God set out vnto vs remedies against our sinnes and euerlasting condemnation and that through his son manifested in the flesh By the same word he worketh faith in vs 1. Tim. 3.16 Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.17 without which it is impossible to please God Fourthly we haue not in this very valley of teares and miseries and in the middest of so many and great both spirituall and bodily enemies any sure succour and sounde or liuely comfort against distrust and desperation but from Gods word And this is it that Dauid saith Except thy law had beene my delights I should now haue perished in mine affliction And againe Psa 119. â—â— This is my comfort in mine afflictioÌ„ that thy word hath quickned me Psal 119.53 And Ieremiah the prophet speaking vnto God saith know that for thy sake I suffer rebuke Iere. 15.15 16. O Lord thy words haue beene found and I did eat them and thy word was vnto me for ioy euen for the ioy of my hart Esay 50 1â— Wherupon also it is that Isaiah saith Who is he among you that feareth the Lod Let him heare the voice of his seruant He that hath walked in darknes had not light let him hope in the name of the Lord stay vpon his God Fiftly that Gods word is the only square rule of all Gods worship whether it be inward or outward For in this case it is not at any hand lawfull for vs Num. 15 3â— to looke after our owne heart and after our owne eies that we should go a whoring after theÌ„ neither to do that which seemeth right in our own eies neither to depart