of his worship But the Sabboth of the new Testament though it be a necessarie time of Gods worship yet it is not a part thereof If it be said that it is commanded therfore 〈◊〉 must needs be a part of Gods worship I answer It is commanded not as Gods worship for substance but in respect of the duties of the worship that are to be kept and performed in it And hence it is manifest that in regard of Gods worship there is no difference of daies in the new Testament but in regard of order Thirdly they obiect that Paul kept the Iewes Sabboth as well as the Lords day For he and Barnabas came to Antiochia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabboth day Act. 13. 14. And againe he and Timothie conuerted Lydia vpon the same day Act. 16. 13. Ans. The Apostle did this vpon very good ground not because he held the obseruation of it as necessarie as the other but in regard of the weaknes of the Gentiles and Iewes newly called For the Church that consisted of such persons in those daies was not yet fully perswaded and resolued of the abrogation of thâ—â—e wish Sabboth and therfore for the time he yeelded to their weaknes and obserued it as well as the other But afterward when they were confirmed in that point he forbare that libertie taught the full abolishment both of it and other Ceremonies Fourthly Act. 18. 3 4. Paul is said to come to Corinth to Aquila and Priscilla and to worke with them in their trade of tent-making and further it is said that he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabboth day that is on the Iewes Sabboths and exherted the Iewes and Grecians Hence it is gathered by some that Paul did onely keepe the Sabboth of the Iewes and that both on the Lords day and on the weeke daies he wrought with Aquila and Priscilla Ans. First we must remember this Rule That Charitie and Necessitie doe dispense with the Sabboth and with Ceremonies If a Towne should be on fire or if a Citie or countrey should be presently assaulted by the enemie in the time of the word preached on the Sabboth day the preaching of the word in these cases must cease for a time till by conuenient helpe the fire be quenched and the enemie be taken or driuen backe Now whereas Paul in the ordinarie daies of the weeke made tents and on the seauenth too not obseruing it but the Iewes Sabboth we must know that he did it vpon necessitie for the saluation of the Iewes For Priscilla and Aquila were Iewes vnconuerted and Christ was not yet reuealed vnto them And if Paul had but once named Christ he could haue done no good among them Yet afterward when he saw better opportunitie at the comming of Silas and Timotheus from Macedonia then he could no longer containe himselfe but burned in the spirit and testified to the Iewes that Iesus was the Christ vers 5. Now if there was cause why he did not speake of Christ for the time then was there cause also why he did not make profession of a Sabboth Secondly I answer though Paul did not then openly sanctifie the Sabboth yet it is to be supposed that he kept it priuately by himselfe reseruing some speciall time for that purpose and the contrarie cannot be shewed The Second Question touching the Sabboth How the Sabboth of the New Testament is to be obserued Ans. In obseruing a Sabboth of the new Testament there are two things required a Rest and a Sanctification of the same rest to an holy vse This Answer is made out of the very substance of the fourth Commandement which is morall and hath nothing ceremoniall in it And the fourth Commandement for substance consists in a ceasing froÌ„ labour and a holy dedication of our rest to holy vse that is to the worship and seruice of God Sect. 1. Now touching the first point the Rest of the Sabboth there are three seuerall Opinions whereof two are contrarie and the third is a meane betweene both The first Opinion is that we are bound as strictly to keepe the outward rest of the Lords day as the Iewes were to keepe the Sabboth and sundrie men are of this minde But I take it this opinion is not warrantable For as we said before the Iewish manner of keeping the Sabboth in straitnes is a Ceremonie And if we be bound to keepe it as straitly as the Iewes did then Iudaisme must still remaine and the ceremoniall Law at least in some part must still be in force But in fauour of this opinion it is alleadged First that the fourth Commandement is a Law giuen as well to ChristiaÌ„s as to Iewes and therefore it binds both alike Ans. The fourth Commandement bindeth Christians to keepe a seauenth day for the Sabboth both in respect of Rest as also in regard of Sanctification thereof but that it bindeth them to the same strait manner of keeping the rest as it did the Iewes we vtterly denie Secondly That the reasons vsed to inforc the Commandement doe equally binde all therefore the Commandement it selfe Ans. It is true for the dutie commanded but not for the manner of performance Againe the reason alleadged doth not follow for sometimes the holy Ghost vseth a reason that is perpetuall to inforce a Ceremonie That Levi should haue no part nor inheritance amoÌ„g his brethren was a Ceremonie commanded by God and yet the Lord inforceth it with a reason that was perpetuall namely because himselfe was the part and inheritance of Levi among the children of Israel Numb 18. 20. Thirdly that the Sabboth is a signe to beleeuers in the new Testament that God is their God and they his people and the same it was to the Iewes therefore the bond is as strict to the one as to the other Ans. 1. Beleeuers vnder the Gospel haue two onely signes of the Couenant Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more 2. The Scripture restraineth the Sabboth as a signe onely to the Iewes It is a signe betweene me and you in your generations Exod. 31. 13. Againe v. 16. the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabboth for an euerlasting couenant 3. The Sabboth was not a signe in the first institution in Paradise For the Couenant of grace was made after the fall of man and the signe thereof must needes be appointed after it considering that before the fall Ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place And this is the first Opinion The second Opinion touching the Rest of the Sabboth is flat contrarie to the former namely that on the Sabboth day after the publike worship of God is ended and the Congregation dissolued men haue libertie either to giue themselues to labour or to honest pleasures and recreations This Opinion doth quite abolish one of the Commandements of the Decalogue For it presupposeth all daies to be alike this onely prouided that the publike worship of God be solemnly kept Now this may be done in any
goodnes to any worke Christ saith of the Pharises that they worshipped him in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men He therefore that will doe a worke tending to the worship of God must doe that which God commandeth Now actions expressely commanded are the duties of the morall Law Actions generally commanded are all such as serue to be helpes and meanes to further the said morall duties And here we must remember that actions indifferent in the case of offence or edification cease to be indifferent and come vnder some commandement of the morall Law To which purpose Paul saith If eating flesh will offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth his meaning is that though his eating of flesh was a thing indifferent in it selfe yet in case of offence his minde was to abstaine from it as much as from the breach of the Law of God Againe if an action indifferent comes within the case of furthering the good of the Commonwealth or Church it ceaseth to be indifferent and comes vnder commandement and so all kind of callings and their works though neuer so base may be the matter of good workes This point is to be remembred for it serueth to incourage euery man of what condition soeuer he be in the diligent performance of the duties of his calling as also to confute the doctrine of the Popish church which teacheth that onely almes deedes and building or maintaining of Churches and religious houses are the matter of good works Now to the manner or Forme of a good work there is required Faith For as without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. 6. so whatsoeuer worke is vndertaken without faith cannot in any sort be acceptable vnto him What faith then is required in this case I answer First a general faith whereby we are perswaded that the thing to be done may lawfully be done and of this the Apostle speaketh when he saith whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly a particular or iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and maketh it fit to bring forth a good work for it giues a beginning to the worke and also couers the wants and defects thereof by apprehending and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits Againe a good worke for the māner thereof must be done in obedience For knowing that the thing to be done is commanded of God we must haue a minde and intention to obey God in the thing we doe according to his cōmandement If it be here demanded seeing workes must be done in obedience how and to what part of the word we must direct our obedience I answer to the Law But howe not considered in his rigour but as it is qualified mollified and tēpered by the gospell for according to the rigour of the Lawe which commandes perfect obedience no man can possibly doe a good worke Furthermore touching the maner it must be done to good and lawfull ends The Ends of a good worke are manifold First the honour and glory of God Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly the testification of our thankfulnes vnto God that hath redeemed vs by Christ. The third is to edifie our neighbour and to further him in the way to life euerlasting Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works glorifie your father which is in heauen The fourth is to exercise and increase our faith repentance both which be much strengthned and confirmed by the practise of good workes Fiftly that we may escape the punishment of sinne the destruction of the wicked and obtaine the reward of the righteoūs life euerlasting This was the end that Paul aymed at in the course of his calling to which purpose he saith From henceforth there is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day 2. Tim. 4. 8. Sixtly that we may be answerable to our calling in doeing the duties thereof and in walking as children of light redeemed by Christ Iesus When Dauid kept his fathers sheepe he behaued himselfe as a sheepheard but when he was annointed King ouer Israell God gaue him an heart resolution to carry himselfe as a King gouernour of his people Looke then as Dauid did so ought we euen by our workes to be answerable to our callings Seuenthly that we may pay the debt which we owe vnto God For we are debters to him in sundry regardes as we are his creatures as we are his seruants as we are his children In a word as we are redeemed by Christ and our whole debt is our dutie of praise and thanks giuing After the worke is done then comes the acceptation of it God accepts of our works diuers waies First in that he pardoneth the fault which comes from vs. Secondly in that he approoues his owne good worke in vs. Thirdly in that he doth giue vnto the doers of them a crowne of righteousnes and glorie according to his promise 2. Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. We then after we haue done the work must humble our selues and intreat the Lord to pardon the wants of our workes and say with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant with Daniel Lord vnto vs belongeth open shame confusiō but to thee righteousnes compassion and forgiuenes And the reason is plaine because in vs there is no goodnesse no holinesse no righteousnes nor any thing that may present vs acceptable in his sight for this cause Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not therby iustified Great reason then that we should hūble ourselues before God for our wants and pray vnto him that he will in mercie accept our indeauour and confirme the good worke begunne in vs by his holy spirit CHAP. VI. Of the second maine Question touching assurance of saluation II. Question How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation Before I come to the Question it selfe this conclusion is to be laid downe as a mayne Ground That Election vocatiō faith adoption iustificatiō sanctification eternal glorification are neuer separated in the saluation of any man but like inseparable companions go◠hand in hand so as he that can be assured of one of them may infallibly conclude in his owne heart that he hath and shall haue interest in all the other in his due time This is plaine by the words of S. Paul Rom. 8. 30. Whome he predestinate them also he called whome he called them also he iustified whome he iustified them also he glorified In which place the Apostle compares the causes of saluation to a chaine of many linkes whereof euery one is so coupled to the other that he which taketh hold of the highest must needes carrie all the rest with him Againe amongst these linkes Faith is one a principall grace of God whereby
they were olde To adde no more examples by these we see the Lords dealing euen with holy men and women his owne deare seruants that he doth not alwaies grant their requests nor condescend to their desires at the first but as it were holds them off and suspends his grace and fauour for a time And therefore if it shall please him thus to deale with any of vs we must from these examples be taught to possesse our soules with patience resting contented in his will and waiting on his good pleasure to the ende To conclude this point Suppose that the condition of Gods seruants be such as that they finde no ende of their afflictions but that they doe continue euen vnto death what shall they doe in this case Ans. Besides that which hath beene said before for the resolution of this Question I answer further that first they must still euen vnto death liue by faith and say with holy Iob Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Secondly they must stay and releeue their soules in the meane time with these and such like meditations I. That it is the will and pleasure of God that we should through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14. 22. Now it is the propertie of a true child of God to rest content in his fathers good will and pleasure euen when he is afflicted Prov. 3. 11. My sonne be not grieued at my correction that is let it not be tedious vnto thee be content to beare it Our dutie therefore is meekely to subiect our selues vnto the hand of God as the child doth vnto the correction of his father II. That though afflictions be long and tedious yet God will at length giue a ioyfull and comfortable issue For so himselfe hath promised Math. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord wil deliuer him out of them all Psal. 37. 73. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the ende of that man is peace III. Afflictions be they neuer so heauie in regard of continuance yet they are in no sort comparable to those eternall ioyes that God hath prepared for them that loue him This was Pauls meditation who indured the crosse euen to his dying day Our light affliction saith he which is but for a moment worketh vnto vs an excellent and eternall waight of glorie And else where he professeth that he did not count the afflictions of this present time answerable in value to the glorie which shall be reuealed vnto Gods children Rom. 8. 18. Saint Peter tells them to whome he wrote that in regard of their assured hope of eternall life they should reioyce though now for a season they were in heauines through manifold tentations 1. Pet. 1. 6. Lastly the Author to the Hebrewes comforteth the Church by this reason because it is yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie IV. Though God withholdeth his hand in respect of deliuerance euen to death yet his loue is constant and vnchangeable and the crosse which we vndergoe cannot separate vs from that loue wherewith he hath loued vs in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. 35. And thus much of the first particular distresse of minde arising of outward afflictions Sect. 3. The Second particular distres is bodily and temporarie Death which consisteth in the separation of the soule from the bodie And touching this affliction it is demanded How any seruant of God may be able to indure with comfort the pangs of death For the answer hereof two things are required a preparation to death and helps in the time of death Concerning preparation there are three duties to be performed The first and most principall is commended vnto vs in the booke of Psalmes where Dauid praies vnto God Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my daies And Moses in like manner Lord teach me to number my daies that I may applie my heart vnto wisdome In which places is remembred a notable dutie of preparation to wit that a man should resolue himselfe of death continually and before-hand number his daies This is done by esteeming of euery day as the day of his death and accordingly doing alwaies that which he would doe if he were now to giue vp the ghost Secondly in way of preparation we must endeauour to disarme and weaken death who is as an armed man that hath his weapons whereby he seekes to destroy vs. And in this case we must deale with death as the Philistims dealt with Sampson They saw by experience that he was a mightie man and by his power and strength had giuen them many foyles and therefore they laboured to know in what part of his bodie his strength did lie And after inquirie finding it to be in the haire of his head they neuer rested till they had spoiled him thereof And questionlesse the time will come when we all must encounter with this strong powerfull Sampson Death In the meane while it is a point of wisdome to inquire wherein his power and might consisteth When this search hath bin made we shall finde that his weapons are our manifold sinnes and corruptions both of heart and life For as Paul saith The sting of death is sinne Therefore that we may spoile him of this his furniture we must exercise our selues in the practise of two duties First vse all meanes for the cutting off of the locke of our sinnes whereby alone Satan hath the vantage of vs and these means are the duties of humiliation inuocation and true repentance We must therefore humble our selues before God be instant in praier for the pardon of our sinnes past and present and in this point giue the Lord no rest vntill we haue obtained in our consciences the sweet certificate of his fauour and mercie in Christ whereby our mindes may be staied and comforted This done it stands vs in hand to turne vnto God to be carefull to leaue sinne to entertaine in our hearts a resolued purpose and intention of new obedience and conformitie to the will and commandement of God in all things And this is the onely way in the world to bereaue this our enemie of his armour to pull the sting out of the mouth of this serpent and consequently euen in death to prèuaile against him Thirdly in way of preparation our dutie is euen before-hand while we liue in this world to indeauour to haue some true taste of life euerlasting and the ioyes of heauen The due consideration whereof will be of great vse For it will stirre vp in our hearts a desire and loue of perfect happines in heauen yea a feruent expectation of Christs comming to iudgement and it will further cause vs to say with Simeon Lord now let thy seruant depart in peace and with the Apostle I desire to
therto when he graÌ„teth not the thing it selfe Thus Christ was heard in that which he feared Heb. 5. 7. He prayed to be deliuered from that cuppe which notwithstaÌ„ding he drank of How theÌ„ was he heard Though he had not that which he asked yet God granted him the thing which was proportionable to his request namely strength and power whereby he was inabled to ouercome the woefull pangs of that death IV. We must thinke this sufficient that we can and doe pray vnto God though we neuer haue any request in this world graunted For by whose grace haue we alwaies continued in praier but by the gift and grace of God Paul in the like case was answered by God My grace is sufficient for thee that is thine infirmitie shall not be remooued content thy selfe in this that thou art in my fauour and hast receiued my grace by which thou doest withstand this Temptation To this purpose S. Iohn saith If we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions graunted which we desired of him 1. Ioh. 5. 15. His meaning is if we can perceiue and discerne that God listneth to our praiers hereby we may assure our selues that he graunts our requests Now by this we may perceiue that he doth listen and giue eare to vs because the grace whereby we pray is from him alone CHAP. VII Of the second head of Gods worship the hearing of the word preached THus much touching the first head of Outward worship namely Prayer Nowe followes the next which is the Hearing of the Word preached The Questions concerning this point are of two sorts Some concerne the Preachers of the word and some the Hearers The first sort I omit and reserue them to a more proper place For the second sort concerning Hearers one Question may be mooued How any man may profitably to his owne comfort and saluation heare the word of God The necessitie of this Question appeares by that speciall Caueat giuen by our Sauiour Christ Luk. 8. 18. Take heede how ye heare Ans. To the profitable hearing of Gods word three things are required Preparation before we heare a Right disposition in hearing and Duties to be practised afterward I. In Preparation sundrie Rules of direction are to be obserued First Rule We must be swift to heare Iam. 1. 19. And this we shall doe by disburdening our selues of all impediments which may hinder the effectuall hearing of the word These Impediments are especially three all which are named by the Apostle Iames together with their seuerall remedies The first is Presumption when the hearer presumes of his wisdome knowledge and abilitie to teach if neede were his teachers The remedie hereof is to be slowe to speake that is not to presume of our owne gifts thinking our selues better able to teach others then to be taught by them For so the Apostle afterwardes expoundes himselfe when he saith My brethren be not many masters Iam. 3. 1. let not priuate persons take vpon them to become instructers of other men but as Paul saith 1. Cor. 3. 18. If any man among you seeme to be wise let him be a foole that he may be wise that is let him be willing to learne euen of his inferiours And in this regard let him follow the practise of Naaman who submitted himselfe to the aduise and counsell of his maide The second Impediment is troubled affections specially rash anger either against the Teacher or others The remedie of this also is laid downe in the place before alleadged Be slow to wrath v. 19. The third is superfluitie of malitiousnes that is the abundance of euill corruptions and sinnes which hearers shall by experience find in their owne hearts and liues This Impediment hath many branches principally three 1. Hardnes of heart noted by the stonie ground in the parable of the lower Matth. 13. 20. 2. The Cares of the world signified by the thornie ground v. 22. 3. The itching eare 2. Tim. 4. 3. when a man will heare no other doctrine but that which is sutable to his corrupt nature not beeing willing to frame his heart to the word but to haue the word framed to his wicked heart The remedies of this Impediment are these First euery hearer of the word must lay apart all supersluitie of malitiousnes that is cut off as much as in him lieth all corruptions both of heart and life Hence it is that God speaketh thus to the wicked man Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to doe to take my word in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee To this purpose the Prophet Ieremie exhorteth the Iewes to be circumcised to the Lord and to take away the foreskinnes of their hearts c. Ier. 4. 4. And Moses by Gods commandement was to sanctifie the people three daies before they came to heare the Law deliuered by himselfe in Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 11. Again euery man will and ought to haue a care to prepare himselfe more or lesse to the receiuing of the Lords Supper which dutie is as well to be performed before the hearing of the word considering that in substance it differeth not from the Sacraments they beeing the visible and preaching the audible voice of God Secondly euery hearer must receiue the word with meekenes that is with quietnes subiect himselfe to the word of God in all things Esa. 57. 15. I dwell with him that is of an humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble c. The second Rule of Preparation Wee must lift vp our hearts in praier to God that he would giue vs the Hearing eare This hearing eare is a gift of God inabling the heart when it heareth to conceiue and vnderstand the doctrine taught and to yeeld obedience thereunto The third Rule The hearer must in hearing set himselfe in the presence of God Now therefore saith Cornelius to Peter Act. 10. 33. are we all here present before God to heare all things commanded thee of God The reason is because God is alwaies in the congregation where the word is preached II. The second thing required to profitable hearing is a right disposition Wherein two rules are to be obserued First when the word of God is in deliuering euery hearer must heare with iudgment But some will say many preachers bewray faults and infirmities in their preaching To this Paul answereth notwithstanding Despise not prophecie 1. Thess. 5. 20. Yea but what if they deliuer vntruthes Paul answeres againe in the next verse Try all things and keep that which is good and Saint Iohn to the like purpose 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God Herâ—… by the way we must remember one cauâ—at There be three kinds of iudgement The one is a priuate wherby euery priuate person may iudge of the doctrine which is taught For he must not heare hand ouer-head but iudge of that which he heareth
day of the weeke and there will be no neede of appointing a set time for Gods seruice if all daies be equall without any difference or distinctioÌ„ But the fourth CoÌ„mandement for substance is eternall and requireth vpon paine of the curse both rest from labour and a setting apart of the same rest to the duties of holines religion And if it command abstinence from ordinarie abour then much more from pleasures and recreations The third and last Opinion holdes the meane betweene the two former extremities and that I take to be the best and safest The substance hereof consists of these two conclusions 1. That vpon the Sabboth day of the new Testament men are to rest from the ordinarie labours of their callings Thus much is commanded in the fourth commandemeÌ„t For the rest it selfe was not a ceremonie as I said before but the straight precise manner of resting Againe it is most necessarie that religion and the power thereof should be maintained amongst Gods people which cannot possibly be vnlesse men at sometimes set themselues apart vnto it The student that desires learning doth not attaine vnto knowledge vnlesse he doe daily consecrate and devote himselfe to the studie therof In like maner religion cannot be preserved and maintained in the Church except men doe whollie and continually employ themselues in the practise of the same Furthermore it is the libertie that Gods lawe giues to seruants yea and to beasts that they shall not be oppressed with labour by working on the Lords day this liberty is grouÌ„ded vpon the law of nature coÌ„mon equity Here the common sort are wont to reply and say If we must rest from the labour of our callings the whole day we shall not be able to maintaine our selues and our families To which it may be answered that they which gathered Manna onely in the sixe daies had as much as they that gathered it on the seuenth day that which they gathered the seuenth day did not remaine sweete but stanke and perished They therefore which rest on the Sabboth daie must not be distracted with needelesse cares but liue by by faith and depend vpon Gods providence for meate drinke and clothing And the labour of the calling then vsed when it is expressely forbidden by God bringeth rather a curse with it then a blessing Againe such persons must remember that Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and the life to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. and if they will first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all things necessarie shall be cast vnto them in way of aduantage Mat. 6. 33. Therefore if they keepe his commandement and rest vpon the seuenth day God will in mercy giue a blessing and they shall no lesse receiue from him their daily bread in that day then in any other II. Conclusion In this Rest sundry kindes of workes may be done and that with good conscience principally two The first are workes both holy and of present necessitie And they are such as cannot be done before or after the Sabboth These are likewise of two sorts The first are those that doe necessarily pertaine to Gods worshippe so as without them God cannot be worshipped Of this kind is the Sabboth daies iourney Act. 1. 12. allowed among the Iewes to the people to goe and heare the word preached Thus we read that the Shunamite went ordinarily vpon the Sabboth and new Moone to the Prophet to heare him For when shee demanded leaue of her husband to goe to the Prophet he askes her Why wilt thou goe seeing it is neither newe Moone nor Sabboth day 2. King 4. 23. Of the same sort were the killing and dressing of sacrificed beastes in the time of the law wherof our Sauiour saith Haue ye not read in the law how that on the Sabboth daies the Priests in the temple break the Sabboth and are blamelesse Mat. 12. 5. The next sort of workes of present necessitie are those that belong immediately to the preseruation of the temporall life of man and beast or that serue to the good estate of them both Such are workes of mercie as the watering of cattell Mark 12. 11. the drawing of a beast out of a pitte Luc. 14. 5. and such like The second kind of workes that may be done vpon the Sabboth are workes of Christian libertie out of the Case of necessitie These were such as the Iewes might not doe and yet we in the new Testament may doe them For example prouision and dressing of meate making fires and carrying of burdens Yet vpon this libertie men ought not to gather that they may doe what they will because they must cease from the ordinarie execution of the works of their callings For the word of God giueth no such warrant men are in this case to submit themselues to his will expressely reuealed and to vse their libertie according to the same Here two Cases are propounded I. Case Whether we may not lawfully vse recreations on the Sabboth day as shooting bowling hunting hawking wrastling c Ans. I take it we are not denied to reioice and solace our selues vpon this day For to some men at some times recreation may be more necessarie then meat in case of weakenes for present preseruation of health And though not in that regard yet beeing well â—sed it may be a furtherance to men in the performance of the duties of godlines as well as in the duties of their calling But this reioycing must be such as was the reioycing of the Iewes Nehem. 8. 12. which was onely spirituall and in the Lord. For they reioyced onely for this that they vnderstood the law of God that was taught them But as for the recreations and pastimes aforenamed as bowling and such like they are not at this time to be vsed My reason is this That which is the more principall and necessarie namely labour in the execution of a mans calling is forbidden recreation therefore which is for labour must cease on that day when labour ceaseth Againe if the duties of the ordinary vocation otherwise lawfull and commendable be therefore forbidden because they destroy the rest commanded and take vp the mind that it cannot be freely emploied in the affaires of God then much more are workes of pleasures forbidden because they doe the same things much more though otherwise in themselues they be not vnlawfull Obiect Seruants must haue recreation otherwise how shall they be able to worke in the weeke day Ans. True but their recreation must be granted them in the daies of labour For recreation pertaineth not to rest but to labour and is therefore vsed that a man by it may be made more fitte to labour II. Case Whether men vpon any occasion may not doe a worke of their callings in the morning or euening of the Sabboth day as Tradesemen for example I answer that they may so be it they obserue foure caveats I. That the worke done be no scandall to