but as it is a help to sanctific us and a furtherance to true holinesse for if it be a hindrance to piety or a cause to make us lesse holy rest is evill and farre worse than work and honest labour Wherefore they which spend the Sabath day not in the publique Congregation but privatly at home in their houses and chambers doe ill and were condemned by that ancient Conncell of Gangren which was holden in France And we read in 44. of Ezecbiel 19. that there were Officers to look that the Sabath day should be well kept it must much lesse then be made a Sabath of belly cheer spent in no other then such as whereof commeth nothing but dung being the only fruit of their festivall and holy-dayes and God so hated it that he cast it in their faces that so kept it neither must it be spent in wanton recreation and lascivious pastime Nor yet as the men of Ashedod did Nehem. 13. 15. by making it a Market day and Faire to sell their Merchandises for this is to make our purse and our belly Mammon and Bacchus our Gods and to consecrate a holy-day to them Nor as Shiloh did to dancing Nor as our L. in frequenting Theaters and Playes Bear and Bull baiting for this is to turne away our foot from the Sabath and from doing Gods will on the holy-day We must not doe so but we must call the Sabath a delight to consecrate it to the Lord and honor it not doing our own wayes nor seeking our own will nor speaking a vain word I say 28. 13. but we must I say delight in the Lord upon that day and then his blessings of all sorts shall light upon us verse 14. But let us come now to speak of these two things apart which respecteth our sanctification and observation of the Sabath to see what we should not doe and then what we should doe as is required of us Touching the rest from things inhibited it is somewhat dangerous to speak of it because our nature is given to such extremes for there are two ancient Councels which doe bewray our corrupt disposition The one is Concilium Aurelianense in France which sheweth that in those dayes the People were so straight laced that they were perswaded that it was utterly unlawfull to doe any thing either Adjutorem or ad necessitatem to trim up their houses and themselves or to dresse meats We read again within fourty years after that their mindes were so 〈◊〉 gone wide from that that they fell into the other extreme clean contrary that they thought it was lawfull for them by Christian liberty to doe in it what they list To 〈◊〉 which foul error there was made the second Counsell of Mascon which made a Cannon That the people should sequester themselves from all mechanicall works of their vocations Hinderances to the observation of the Sabbath The things which are now interdicted to Christians as hindrances of this holy 〈◊〉 six in number 1. The first is bearing of burdens Jer. 17. 24. 2. The second is travailing journeyes Exod. 16. 29. 3. The third is earing ploughing carting or taking in of harvest Exod. 34. 21. 4. The fourth for bearing merchandizes buying and 〈◊〉 Nehem. 13 15 16 17. c. 5. The fifth not to build Temples or Churches Exod. 31. 13. c. 6. The sixth idle playes and pastimes to which men are too much given at such times Which because they are divers and men are diversly given thereunto in sundry places I will name some which the Fathers in their times have sharply reproved and inveighed against as the abuses and prophanings of Sabaths in their ages and severall places in which they lived for we read that the Councels of the Church doe not only concur joyntly with Gods word in interdicting the former things but also other particular abuses of their age and place As proper then St. Jerome upon the 20. of Ezekiell sharply reproveth stage playes on that day Augustine 119. Epistle inveigheth against Dauncing Gregorie against Hunting and Hawking which great personages then used Leo spake against Dice and Cards by which the Sabbath was prophaned in his time I will come to the Heathen and we will see the things which they by the light of reason condemned on their holy-dayes as prophane abuses of them which did 〈◊〉 them as they thought Of the which this is one of their rules die sacra requiescat aratrum for they thought it a pollution to their holy-dayes for though they were lawfull and necessary on their dayes yet they thought them not ad decorem hujus diei They which doe these things inhibited and forbidden by God as a hinderance of sanctification God so misliketh that he appropriateth to this sinne a speciall punishment Jer. 17. 27. and that is to send fire to their Cities As this is against the one extreme so we are to give a caveat for the other least while men avoid prophanesse Precisenesse â—…ching the Sabbbath they fall into that precisenesse of the Jews as to think it death and deadly sinne to doe any thing at all on the Sabbath day This was the jewish error of Kiffon a 〈◊〉 who held it necessary that on the evening before the 〈◊〉 if any man were found siting in the same place and state he must remain sitting untill the end of the Sabbath But Origen speaking of him as too strickt expoundeth that place of Exod. 16. 29. Maneat quisque in loco suo thus in his place saith he that is within the space of two thousand Cubits So that he thought it no breach of the day to keep within that compasse but this is to strain at a Gnat c. For God hath not made restraint of works in such labors in matters of piety and necessity For Christ saith That Priests in the Law did break their bodily rest And yet were blamelesse as in blowing of Trumpets in stead of ringing of Bells in fetching water carrying of wood and killing of oxen These things being sacrorum causa were accounted holy labors as to goe about to see the Sabbath day kept Ezech. 44. 14. He made custodes Sabati to the which use are our Church-wardens to attend So say we also for necessity for the Maccabes 1. Book condemneth those which on the Sabbath day would not fight to resist the rage of the enemy then presently setting upon them Elias walking fourty dayes must needs travail some Sabbath and break the bodily rest In this case of absolute necessity the labor of Midwives and such as are attending on so needfull and present a businesse may not be deferred Periculum animae pellit Sabatum for it is a work of mercy to save a mans life God will have mercy rather than sacrifice yea Christ will excuse them which doe toyle and labor on the Sabbath day to pull a beast out of the mire Matt. 12. 11. But let not this liberty give occasion to the flesh to make us carelesse of our duty on
the Sabbath day for we must so doe all things as abigail said to David 1 Sam. 25. 31. ut postea non sit singultus cordis That there may be in us no scruple of conscience nor sobbing of the heart for the breach of the Sabbath Time Now for the time of the rest The Counsell at Orleance Decreed that the Sabbath should begin a vespere and some were so scrupulous in numbers of time that because they would be sure to begin it time enough began it an hour before Sunset the Eve before But we must not tye our dutyes so to times and places for Ireneus in his fourth Book saith that they kept diem unam integram and that their duty of serving God had perseverantiam diei Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 8. saith that the Church then kept it ab ortu solis ad occasum not two or three hours which we scarce can endure to doe Thus we see the manner and time of this rest Now for the speciall duties in this rest which is the chiefe end The first Counsell of Paris setteth down sanctification in these two points in imprimendo exprimendo exercitia pietatis The means to imprint holynesse in Adam being yet in Paradise is called contemplatio hymnus Meditatio gratiaâ—…ctio legere aeudire verbum Dei The Jews doe think that the 92. Psalm was made in Paradise by Adam as the title sheweth it for it is a Psalm of the Sabbath and it calleth men to the meditation of Gods works of Creation and preservation and then a praise of thanksgiving for it Oratio besides meditation of Gods works the reading and hearing of Gods word is an exercise of godlynesse to be used on the Sabbath day and so likewise prayer is an excellent exercise Act. 16. 25. Communitas Sacramentorum Likewise the receiving of the Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist or breaking of Bread a notable sanctitying of the Sabbath So that by these four means sanctification is impâ—…ed in us on this day in respect of the preacher But there are other duties to be performed in respect of the hearers to imprint and fortifie godlynesse more deeply in them 1. The one is ruminating and calling to minde again by serious meditation that which we have heard for we must not only goe to hear what God will say to us concerning our good Psal. 85. 8. but also meditate what the Lord hath said unto us 2. The other is conferrence after hearing to reason and talk and commune of that we have heard for by that means the disciples came to the certain knowledge of that which they doubted of before Luke 24. for Christ will come and become a teacher within to such Thus much of imprinting Now a word of expressing sanctification as the Psalm of the Sabbath 92 beginneth with meditation so the end is to tell men that they must be like good trees to bring forth good fruit for having holynesse in us we must bring forth fruit in holynesse Rom. 6. 22. It should seem John 13. 29. that it was Christs usuall manner on the Sabbath day to give somewhat to the poor and I would men were perswaded in their mindes that the observation of of the Sabbath consisted as well in ostendendo as imprimendo sanctitatem for by this means the poor should have somewhat towards their relief So would the 2 Benefacitote of St. Peter 2 Epist. 1. 19. and St. Paul Phil. 4. 18. agree well in commending or hallowing this day For by these two means we shall come to be inheritors of both blessings Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Law c. And blessed is he which considereth the poor and needy Psal. 41. 1. For if we thus honour God in this Sabbath here it will come to passe that God will requite it with this rebound honorificantes me 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 15. which we may be sure of when Gods institution and our observation doe concurre and agree together that is when we shall apply and spend the day and rest to that holy end and in those holy exercises to which God hath ordained it and which God requireth at our hands Istae sunt generationes coeli terrae quando creata sunt quâ die Jehova Deus fecit terram coelum Et omnem stirpem agri qui nondum fuisset futurus in terra omnemque herbam agri quae nondum fuisset oritura quum non demisisset Jehova Deus pluviam super terram nullus homo fuisset ad colendum terram Gen. 1. 4 5. verses May 4. 1591. THESE verses as I told you in the beginning of this Chapter doe contain in them the generall conclusion rehearsall or recapitulation of the discourse of the six dayes work specified before For after Moses had told us that the Camp and the Capitall were finished that is the place of labor and rest and that the Armies of Heaven and Earth were ranged in their proper places and man the Lieutenant of God had his charge injoyed to rule the hoasts of the earth and to sanctifie the Sabbath what now should he say more But shut up all in a short sum or conclusion which may best serve for a transition to the rest that followeth In this fourth verse we first see the three generall terms used in the former Chapter Barah 1. created Gnasha 1. made and Cagash 1 brought forth that is creavit fecit generavit the last whereof is the wheel of generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. James calleth it 3. 6. by whose continuall course all things continued till now The first is creavit that is God alone doth create and produce a thing of nothing The second fecit The third genuit that is God and the kind doth bring forth and this is the course of nature in generation Which three words doe proclaim that which Moses and the Prophets could never as they thought sufficiently speak of The first is against and refelleth the error of the heathen Pagans which held that the world was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not begotten but without be-beginning But in principio creavit she weth that God was the father that begat this world and that it had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a birth day wherein it began to be The true meaning of which is that this world which now we see so old and as it were doting for age and with increasing is now almost spent and yet the time hath been when it was but a young world in his infancy and youth it may seem that it was but a young world Exod. 18. For then men were so simple and Childe like that they would be content quietly to be under government but now the world is grown wiser and every one thinketh it a childish thing to be governed by others thinking themselves old enough to rule others it was but a young world when Kings
which is taxatio diet 1. For the first we see That reason consenteth to that which Salomon saith Preach 8. 6. That there is an appointed time for every action under the Sunne but especially 〈◊〉 it be a matter of weight and serious businesse indeed Then reason wills that we should make speciall choyce of a time when secluding all other things we may intend only and wholly to it alone For if we should not have a certain time appointed to us we of our selves are so carelesse that we would make accompt of very few dayes or none at all to sanctifie unto the Lords worship This matter then of Gods worship and Religion being a matter of our soul is the most weighty and serious businesse that can be in as much as the soul is the worthiest part of us And therefore it concerneth the freehold of our souls so neerly that if we neglect or set light by it Agitur de anima our soul is in jeopardy But if we set light of our soul which being so precious a thing is worth looking to yet in another regard it is a weighty duty and therefore we ought to be carefull of it because God is worthy of this service and duty which is opus Sabati wherefore indeed there is no time of our life but that we should think chiefly of this as the 〈◊〉 held That a man ought perpetually to be present and conversant with God And in our words send up short prayers and praises to God And that this is a bounden duty daily to be performed it is agreeable to the word of God Numb 28. which was shewed in their daily sacrifice every morning and evening offering oblations and incense to God But who is it that is able all the dayes of his life night and day to intend his businesse as he ought for this belonged as a duty not only unto the Jews but unto every Christian now Seeing this one businesse is to be intended above all other and every thing is then best ordered when we appropriate and apply the time and our studies only and wholly to it as the proverb is Quod unice id unum quod solicite id solum agas for this is the wisdome of man in matters of this life Then we must needs hearken to the counsell of the Prophet Psal. 46. 10. Desistite be still or leave off other things that ye may know I am the Lord c. And to the advise of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 5. we may leave off other matters and must consent so to doe for a time that the more fully and wholly we may be given to prayer and fasting This is called of some Induciae seculo a truce taken with the world for a time that not being troubled with the affairs thereof we may only set before us as much as our weak natures can our duty in the service of God which is our sanctification Therefore God appointed to this spiritual work a time at large that is appointed some time in which only and wholy Adam by necessity was enjoyed to this work Wherefore by all conveyance of reason by a much greater necessity must we know that we also must have a time at large for this businesse 2. The second point is That it was necessary not only that there should be a time at large that is some time of our dayes but also a certain set time or day appointed for it for otherwise God should have slender service or scarce any at all for if it were left at our liberty we would take liberty to serve him when we list and when we could intend it and when we had nothing else to doe Therefore one said well according to St. Peter Christiana libert as pallium est pessimis moribus And I referre me to your judgement how well God will be served if there were no time certainly appointed seeing this which is set down is so ill kept Those therefore which urge Christian liberty and would not have a set certain day but every day a Sabath they would have God stand at that portion of time and service which mens devotion and liberality would afford This then would be the inconvenience of uncertainty in this matter that perpetuum Sabatum jejunium would prove none at all And therefore God saw it necessary that we must have a set and a certain time And in this the Law of Nature agreeth with the Law of God for the Heathen had their statae feriae set and appointed holy dayes and the Hebrews call their holy-dayes by the name of Mogne which is a staid certain time still unmovable not at random but set down and appointed firm and perpetual 3. Now we are come to the third point That it must be one of the seven in the week which came not by natures light but by Gods ordinance his word setting it down therefore was it told Adam that he should tell it to the Posterities to come By which means the Gentills came to the knowledge of it and held it by tradition for in their books we shall plainly see it Lucianus testifieth that as the Jews kept their holy-day in which they worship God on the Saturday the Turks on the Friday the Egyptians on the Thursday the Assyrians on the Wednesday the Persians on the Tuesday The Grecians on the Monday And Christians now doe keep their day of worship the Sunday and first day of the week So that in all quarters and parts of the Earth every day and part of time is kept as a set day of divine worship And for the seventh day we shall see that the Pythagoreans had received a glimmering of this knowledge for they called the number of 7 numerum quietis and the number hallowed of God and the divine number or Gods number which they had no doubt not by the light of Nature and reason but by tradition from their Elders and so delivered it to their Posterity It is strange which Eusebius recordeth out of two Heathenish Writers 13. de preparatione Evangelii The one of Linus verse 2. That God made and finished all things the seventh day the other of Hesiod we agreeing to that saith that therefore the seventh day is the Lords holy-day And on the seventh day therefore the Gentiles called on their Gods and had their meetings in it and called the number of 7 Minerva by the name of their God Macrobius affirmeth that the Gentiles did mean by Pan and Jano and all other names of Gods only the great God Apollo as their chief God whom they served the seventh day But this is our rule most plainly revealed from Gods word that it is his will that we should keep the seventh day holy for seeing all the dayes are his he should have done no injurie if he had appointed and dedicated all the dayes of the week to be spent and imployed on his service yet he hath not done so St. Augustine saith That if God had
given us but one day of the seven to work in for our own commodity it had been more than he had owed us it had not been given of duty but of his largesse and liberality But now seeing he hath not given us one or two or every other day for our businesse but the whole six and reserved but one of the seven for himself to be served in this is so equall that none can complain or think to be hardly dealt withall If any man shall now be so sacrilegious having six dayes given him freely as to take from him that hath but one reserved to himself it is intollerable injury and not to be excused and as David saith 2 Samuell 12. 5. he may well be called the Child of death The fourth and last point is taxatio diei As the World had the knowledge of the former three points so this point standeth upon very good and sufficient reason for seeing that the day is or deined in remembrance of this work and benefit of Creation for that is the end why the Turks and Jews did celebrate holy-dayes in them to remember some notable work and benefit therefore it is reason that God should make choise of such a day in which the benefit might be best remembred And of all the dayes in the week we shall see the seventh day to be the fittest to retain and keep in memory the commendation of this benefit and work of Creation When God had performed this great work of Creation he took order also because it was the greatest benefit which as yet the World had or knew of that the seventh day should be alwaies had in remembrance because he had fully perfected all the work in it and the very same reason which made the Jews Sabath on the seventh day doth now also move Christians to keep it on the first day in the week for it is Gods will that the lesser benefit should surcease and give place to the greater Jer. 23. 7. and that the benefit of Creation as the lesser should yeeld and give place to the work of Redemption which is the greater benefit When Christ cometh we shall not then extoll and magnifie the deliverance out of Egypt but that shall cease and not be counted the greatest benefit But we shall talk of Christs work and deliverance from Hell and Satan So the day of Creation must give place to the day of Redemption Wherefore the Apostles after Christs Ascention changed the seventh day unto the first day of the week which we shall see is most fit to keep in memory this greatest work and benefit of Redemption as Athanasius and Ambrose doe hold and prove Because if B were the Dominical letter when Christ was borne his Nativity was on the first day of the week his Resurrection Apparition of the Holy-Ghost and Ascention was also on the first day in the week And also the first day is most fit to retain in minde the restauration of the World So it is not unmeet to remember the Creation which was begun the first day And besides all this it may serve as the fittest time to cause us to remember the benefit of glorification for seeing our Inheritance is in light Coll. 1. 12. And God made light the first day to come out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. 6. Gen. 1. 3. therefore it is most fit to put us in minde of that also We will beginne the next time where we now leave And you remember the last time according to the division we then made we spake somewhat of the institution and observation or use of the Sabath The former being implyed in the word blessing the other in the word sanctifying Touching which we say with the ancient Fathers that quodlibet officium Dei est beneficium nostrum Therefore Adam having received so many benefits of God was bound by necessarie duty to performe some service to God for them which every day in part he should have done as duty required But some one day he ought wholly to apply all the powers of his minde and all the parts and members of his body about it alone Wherefore we have shewed 1. first That there must be some one day or time set a part to the solemne intending of the work and worship of God 2. Secondly That it ought to be some certain day 3. Thirdly That God measuring out his vectigal temporis the tribute of time due to him did assigne it to be once in seven dayes which revolution of seven hath a special use both in things natural and in things spiritual for in Religion as in seven dayes is the Sabath so in the feast of the seventh moneth is the feast of the Tabernacle or the feast of weeks 4. The last point is a positive day and time namely the seventh day which God chose as most fit for his work Touching which the Jews themselves did not so much stand in the strict limitation of the set day For they held That if a man by sleep or 〈◊〉 knew nor certainly which was the seventh day it was not a matter absolutely necessary so that he kept one day of the seven To this end therefore of worshipping God he would have us make a truce with the World And as Augustine saith we must have a vacation from the works of our Vocation And as Christ would have us Luke 10. 42. we must lay aside Martha's part that not being troubled with many things we might attend to Mary's part The better for separating our selves from worldly things and dedicating our selves to heavenly things is the ground of this institution Sabatum Ptradisi and this is the end and observation of the Sabath of Paradise Sinai But the Sabath of Sinai had three other accessory ends added to this 1. The first is Politicall set down Exod. 23. 12. 2. The second is Theicall or Ceremoniall which Ceremonies are excellently well divided thus 1. Some closures or fences Some were appointed as closures or fences to inclose and defend or aid the Law Ceremonies of Sinay as the sixth Precept had this Ceremonie for his fence That men should eat no blood to signifie 〈◊〉 them how greatly they should abhor murder 2. Rudiments to the Gospell The other Types or Ceremonies were rudiments and instructions leading us darkly as by Riddles and 〈◊〉 to some necessary points of the Gospel So the Ceremonie of the Saboth taught us a double Lesson and Document the one of a benefit already past and exhibited as of the Creation done on the seventh day The other of a benefit to be exhibited hereafter and perfected also on the seventh day that is the work of Redemption and Regeneration So now the promised Saviour being come that Ceremony of the set seventh day 〈◊〉 and the first day in the week is in its stead There was also another Ceremonie Heb. 4. 9. and that taught us to rest from finne in this life and
which assurance we are likewise to gather to our selves in this 〈◊〉 that as surely as we corporally doe taste of the bread and wine so sure it is that we spiritually feed on the body and blood of Christ which is communicated unto us by these elements as the Apostle 〈◊〉 in the first to the 〈◊〉 the tenth chapter and the fifteenth verse that the bread broken is the communion of the body of Christ that the cup blessed is the communion of his blood that by partaking of this spirituall food we may be fed to eternall life Thirdly this act was performed with speed the Ceraphin came flying with wings and being 〈◊〉 he hath a present effectuall power to take away his sinne for a little before he that cried out that he was in woefull case verse the 〈◊〉 Vae mibi by and by being touched and revived with comfort of forgivenesse saith Ecce ego mitte me in the eighth verse whereby we learn that the touching with the coal thus taken from the Altar and the participating of the body and blood of Christ hath a power not only to purge and heale the sore of our nature but that it giveth a 〈◊〉 to serve God more cheerfully and carefully than we did before 〈◊〉 us serventes spiritu servent in spirit Rom. the twelfth and the 〈◊〉 verse so that we care for nothing nor count our live 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 may finish our course with joy Acts the twentieth and the twenty fourth verse The summe of all is that seeing it is a fearfull thing to appear in the presence of Gods Majesty and knowing that one day we must all appear before his tribunall seat and throne of glory we do 〈◊〉 with the Prophet that albeit we have lived never so upright a life yet if we have beene silent when we should have spoken to his glory if we have omitted never so little a duty which we ought to have performed for all that our case is miserable untill it please God by the burning coale of his Altar and by the sacrifice of Christs body offered up for us upon the crosse to take away our sinnes And that if we 〈◊〉 humble our selves before God and acknowledge our sinnes then our sinnes shall be purged by the death of Christ and by partaking of the sacrament of his bodie and blood the rather because in the sacrament we doe touch the sacrifice it self whereas the Prophets sinne was taken away with that which did but touch the sacrifice Then after the receiving of this sacrament we must take a view of our selves whether we can say Nonne cor 〈…〉 in nobis Did not our heart burn within us Luke the twenty fourth chapter and the thirty second verse because in this sacrament we finde a fire of Christs love towards us And whether we finde in our selves that willingnesse to serve God aright which was in the Prophet in the eighth verse Behold send me Ecce mitte me As in regard of our misery we made the confession of sinfull men so having experience of Gods mercie in taking away our sinnes we must make the confession of Angels crying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Lastly We must not only shew forth the heat of our love to our needy and poor Brethren by doing the works of mercy but even to our enemies as both Salomon and the Apostle teach If thine enemie hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for so thou shalt heap 〈◊〉 of fire upon his head Proverbs the twenty fift chapter and the twenty first verse and Romans the twelfth chapter and the ninteenth verse For so as thouarta burning coale in thy self so thou shalt kindle in him the coals of devotion to God and of love to thy self Attendite ne justitiam vestram exerceatis coram hominibus ut spectemini ab eis alioquin mercedem non habebitis apud Patrem vestrum qui est in Coelis Matth. 6. 1. Octob. 15. 1598. THE drift of our Saviour in these words is to separate that which is vile from the pretious Jeremiah the fifteenth chapter to sever the tare of vain glory from the good corne of righteousnesse and mercie But as Christ gives charge That while his Disciples laboured to gather away the tares they should beware that they pluck not up the good corne Matthew the thirteenth chapter So while we labour to pluck up the tares of vain glorious intentions we must take heed that we doe not withall pluck up the good corne of good works for heretofore the good seed of the Doctrine of good works was not so soon taught but presently the Devil sowed in mens hearts the wicked opinion of merit of works as tares among good corne And while men laboured to take away the opinion of merits then he takes away out of mens hearts the care of works In the counsel of Christ two things are to be noted First the corn must be sowed take heed ye doe good works Secondly the 〈◊〉 must be plucked up but doe them not to be seen We must doe righteousness both privatly in our own consciences and publiquely before men as the Apostle sheweth Provide for things honest before all men Romans the twelfth chapter But the tares are to be avoided that is to be seen ut videamini where we have a command First Christ will not have us doe good works to this end to be seen Secondly That we may not we must take heed as if he should say My will is ye shall not give almes to this end to be seen Thirdly That ye may avoid this fault ye must take heed Whereby he signifieth that to doe almes to this end to purchase praise to our selves is a hurtfull thing And to avoid this fault is a matter of great difficul y. For the first point Christ saith When ye give almes doe not blow a trumpet when ye fast or pray let not all the world know of it neither let the end be ut videamini Touching which we are to know that our good works are not worse in themselves for being seen but are the better even as the goodnesse of a colour stands in the lightnesse of it so our good works are more commended if they be known And they of themselves desire the light as Christ sheweth in John the third chapter and the twenty first verse But such is our corruption that if we think our works are known we with our pride doe corrupt them For as pride is the way to dry up the fountain of Gods grace as James saith God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble James the fourth chapter So the sight of good works is a means to overthrow our humility The Pharisees knew this full well which purposing to tempt Christ covered their hooks with praise Seeing we know that thou art a teacher come from God and regardest no man tell us is it lawfull Matthew the twenty second chapter But Christ to teach us what a dangerous thing it
verse they say Angells were created yesterday as it were the next day before after David saith in the hundred fourty eighth Psalm and the second verse Praise ye him in the high places he saith first Praise him all his Angells In six dayes the Lord made the Heaven and the Earth and all that in them are in making Heaven he made all things as Angels in the Heaven Exodus the twentieth chapter As Hell hath been prepared of old so the Devill hath been a murtherer from the beginning John the eighth chapter and the fourty fourth verse It hath been questioned whether the fall of Angels was the first or second day Secondly They say there is no mention made of goodnesse because division was in the second day and therefore no goodnesse but notwithstanding the division there is a union In the dayes of Peleg the earth was divided the tenth chapter and the twenty fift verse At the building of Babel was the division of tongues which was confusion the eleventh chapter and the ninth verse This division of the second day is of things of diverse natures therefore good Likewise they say there is no mention of good because that was made that day namely the divided waters the upper and nether waters were the deluge and destruction of the world afterward But by them he punished mans wickednesse and the worlds sinfulnesse but to give to give to each his reward and desert to the godly glory to the wicked punishment this his Justice is full of Goodnesse Num 〈…〉 is Infâ—…stis say the Papists yet Matrimonium eft binorum So litarinesse is not good which God perceiving he made to man an helper the twenty eighth verse of the next chapter We say in a Proverb Secâ—… omnia sunt prospera yet it was said dies secundâ—… was infâ—…stus But it was Jeroms blemish who is not to be excused for who is blamelesse for he that first devised that opinion did first strangle it Division signifieth as well conformity as confusion and where reward is for desert that is good All that God made was very good the thirty first verse of this chapter The action of goodnesse is suspended the number is suspended till both be perfected which is after in the third day in the which day you shall finde goodnesse twice when the second day as the Seâ— was perfected the day was pâ—…ed but the work was ended This I doe take in the course of 〈◊〉 reason Et fuit ita Nam produxit terra herbulas herbas sementantes semen in species suas arbores edentes fructum in quibus semen suum est in species suas vidit Deus id esse bonum Sic fuit vespera fuit mane diei tertii Gen. 1. 11.12.13 Place this in pag 72 after the Sermon upon Gen. 1. 11 WE have heard of Gods Decree commanding and the returne executing it and his censure approving that is made which in every dayes work is set down in these three phrases fiat erat sic bonum erat Of this third dayes work we have handled before we have heard the first part namely Gods word commanding the Earth to bud forth hearbs and seeds and trees c. now it remaineth to speak of the other two And first of the return and execution And it was so For the Earth according to every 〈◊〉 and title of Gods word fulfilled Gods will and brought forth all sorts of hearbs and trees and buds and fruits and seeds leaving nothing undone which was commanded Touching which besides the obedience of this Element in executing Gods Decree we note a special Certificate under Gods hand as it were for the discharge of this Creature in the dispatch of his work and that without delay with all haste and speed Which reproveth not only our disobedience to God but also our dulnesse and slownesse in doing any thing which God commands For with us it is one thing to doe a thing and another to doe it willingly and quickly with expedition and speed For when God doth command any thing we put it off with this delay erit sic it shall be so hereafter when we can finde leisure and fit time It can seldom be said in the present tense erat sic it was performed without delay For we are as Salomons debtors which bid God stay till tomorrow or the next day Proverbs the third chapter before he can finde leisure to pay this debt and duty of obedience Secondly In that the return in the end of the eleventh verse was erat sic it was so two things are to be noted out of the nature of the word First a congruity of the performance answerable to the commandement in every point for here is specified just so much done as was required nothing too much or too little to teach us that our obedience must be such We must not deficere in necessariis nec abundare in superfluis The other point is for continuance or perpetuity for the word signifieth that it was so surely and firmly done as if it had a sure basis or foundation for continuance that it might never fail we see it holdeth and endureth ad hunc usque diem our eyes and experience seeing that it is 〈◊〉 The last thing we gather by opposition That Gods word was the cause and is that hearbs and trees doe bear fruits and trees So è contra it is the same word of God saying Let not the Earth nor the trees bear which is the cause of 〈◊〉 and want If for our sinne they fail any year ab ejus 〈…〉 interdicto 〈◊〉 If therefore we disobey Gods 〈…〉 be our punishment That his word shall 〈◊〉 the Earth to 〈◊〉 encrease and to deny us his fruits The second part is the censure and approbation of God saying that it was good I said before there are 〈◊〉 sorts of good 〈◊〉 honestum secondly utile thirdly 〈◊〉 each of which we shall see in the earth and the fruits thereof For honesty and moral good we see it is gratefull to the owner or 〈◊〉 which laboureth therein faithfully and gratefully repaying and requiting his 〈◊〉 and labour thereon For profit it veeldeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for man and beast and so necessarily good is it in this 〈◊〉 that without it the King cannot live Ecclesiastes the fift chapter and the eighth verse For pleasure and delight either of the eye to behold it or of the taste to relieve it it is most delicious and delightfull Milk Wine and Oyle Wheat and all other grain which are both for variety and necessity we receive by Gods 〈◊〉 from the fruit and increase of the earth and trees And therefore is every way good Postea dixit Deus Abundè progignunto aquae reptilia animantia volucres volanto supra terram superficiem versus expansi Coelorum Gen 1. 20. Place this in the beginning of pag. 84. THIS verse and the three following 〈◊〉 contain in them the first dayes work by which both the