labour which this is one doubt that sticketh vp like a thorne in a drunkards hand wherewith hee hurteth himselfe and others namely that euery day is a Sabbath or rest from sinne and that therfore now wee are not any more bound to keepe any particular Sabbath Now to proue that we must keep euery day a Sabbath they alleage that Heb. 4. 10. where it is said that he that is entred into this rest hath ceased from his owne workes as God did from his and that therefore we must euery day keepe a rest from sinne To which I answere Were it so that all they that vrge this did it of a desire and loue they haue to the Lords Sabbath they were the lesse to bee blamed howbeit it is certaine that they pleade this most that least delight in the Sabbath when it comes and they doe it not that they would haue other daies to be kept as the Sabbath but because they would haue the Sabbath to be kept but as another day But howsoeuer yet I do not see how out of that place they may make this appeare For first I see not how Gods resting from his workes may be a figure of our resting from our sinfull workes there being no proportion between them which alwaies is betweene the signe and the thing signified Secondly if this rest were a signe or figure of our rest from sinne it must be so vnto Adam also for the law was giuen vnto him Now how could that be a figure vnto him of his resting from sinne when as yet hee had not sinned Thirdly be it that there were such a rest yet what doth the keeping of this rest morally hinder the keeping of that from sinne nay rather is it not a principall meanes for the furtherance thereof For doth not rest from wordly affaires and imployment in holie duties take away all occasions of sinne Fourthly were it granted that we must rest euery day from sinne yet this their collection that therefore wee should not rest from labour to keepe the Sabbath holy followeth not therupon no more than because a man is bound to receiue euery morsell of meate with giuing thankes that therefore he should say he were not bound to receiue the Lords Supper otherwise than as common bread or rather not to receiue the Lords Supper at all because he euery day receiueth bread with giuing of thankes Fiftly that which in that place is made significant was the seuenth day from the creation for the text saith he speaketh in a certaine place of the seuenth day not of the Sabbath Whereby it is plaine that that which was significant was the seuenth day from the creation on which God is there said to rest and it might be this was a signe that they should in the like manner rest vpon the seuenth day from their works as God did from his to which end Gods example is brought as a reason to perswade vs to rest because God rested as also it might bee a signe of our eternall rest in heauen And that indeede the Apostle meaneth there when hee saith vers 10. that hee which hath entred into his rest that is into heauen hath ceased from his owne workes What of sinne No but of his calling for this rest Adam should haue entred into though he had neuer sinned But last of all be it that in this place he meaneth this rest from sinne to bee shadowed out yet that rest is in heauen but in this life no man hath or indeed can rest from his sinfull workes as God did from his workes which the Apostle affirmeth of those that haue entred into his rest But this argument how wind-shaken it is I hope euery man seeth I will spend therefore no more time to pluck this thorne out of the drunkards hand It resteth that I should here answere that which is vrged by some out of the Epistle vnto the Coloss chap. 2. vers 16 17. Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbaths But because we shall haue a more fit oportunitie offered to speake of it in the next chapter I therefore thither remit the reader That which remaineth to be spoken of last of all is the vse of this that being the Sabbath is perpetuall therefore men take heed how they suffer this truth to be wrested away from them by the cunning sleights of Sathan or be drawne on by the alurements of euill men to abuse it to their owne pleasures or profits to runne ride or sport themselues vpon it as if it were lawfull as vpon another day or as if God had neuer said the word keepe it holy And this much as touching the first point namely that the Sabbath is perpetuall CHAP. III. The time of the rest not perpetuall Sect. 1. It was meet the Sabbath day should be changed Sect. 2. How the Sabbath is changed and yet perpetuall Sect. 3. The Sabbath changed from the seuenth day to the first Sect. 4. The reasons of that change Sect. 5. 6. 7. 8. Obiections to the contrarie answered Sect. 9. 10. Whether wee may call it still the Sabbath day Sect. 11. Whether the time of the Sabbath may not be changed againe Sect. 12. § Sect. 1 BVt now as is the rest so is not the day or time of the rest perpetuall The time of the rest not perpetuall for if you marke God saith not remember the seuenth day to rest vpon it but remember the day of rest which is the second thing that we obserue in this commandement and giueth vs occasion to consider of another question Which is whether the Apostles might chaunge the Sabbath vnto any other day then that which the Iewes kept Which they might doe first because the seuenth day kept amongst the Iewes was ceremoniall and did shadow out vnto vs our eternall rest as appeareth Heb. 4. 4. 10. which was one cause that moued the Apostles to chaunge the day As also they might doe it because they found no limited day set downe in the commaundement For as for that which followeth afterwards the seuenth is the Sabbath it is no part of the morall precept but onely an explication of it For if that were a part of it then this also must be a part sixe daies shalt thou labour which to graunt were absurd because then we should make duties betwixt man and man to bee taught in the first table which onely teacheth man this dutie to God and the second the dutie of man to man as Christ sheweth Matth. 22. 38. as also they being two things so contrarie as rest and labour I cannot see but they must also be two commaundements Besides all this in the reasons there be many things that concerned onely the Iewes as in the fifth commaundement Honour thy father and mother the reason is that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Now it is certaine that this promise had only reference vnto
Sabbath day there ought to bee an assemblie is more euident than We must vpon the Saâ—bath be assembled togetâ—er wiâ—h the coâ—gregation can be denied the word sounding it with shriller trumpet than that wherewith the congregation was wont to bee assembled euery Sabbath day and new Moone Num. 10. 10. For God himselfe requireth Leuit. 23. 3 that there be vpon that day an holy conuocation And Luk. 4. 16 wee see it was their practise this day to assemble and to that end they had houses built them which were called Synagogues borrowing their names from their assembling in them And Paul sheweth that at Antiochia he found the whole citie assembled vpon the Sabbath Act. 13. 43 44 which assemblie Psal 110. ver 3 is called Gods armie God as it were taking a muster of them there and as this was in the time of the law solemnely assembled so was it in the Gospell when though the ceremonies of the law were done away and the Sabbath chaunged into the first day of the weeke yet they retained their manner of assembling as a morall dutie to bee kept for euer Of which meeting there is not onely mention made 1. Cor. 11. 17 18 but also the time set downe euery first day of the weeke 1. Cor. 16. 1. Then if this assemblie be commaunded of God practised by Christ and the faithfull also in the time of the law and since the law most religiously obserued I marueile with what face these time-seruing and place-seruing Papists and these statute-protestants I may say Atheists well enough for they are without God in this present world being without his worship will stand vp before God to answere whose feete seldome or neuer tread in the Lords courts or weare the thresholds of his Sanctuarie but only when the law bindes them thereunto It was Dauids desire when he was banished and that aboue all things he did desire Psal 27 that he might dwel in the house of the Lord for euer And Psal 87. when he sheweth it noâ— his desire longing as of women but euen fainting as of the hungrie soule or chased Hart that is falling for thirst yea hee thinketh the sparrow in better case than himselfe that might lay his young neere the Lords altar The Iewes came earlie vnto Ierusalem though dwelling in the vttermost lists and bounds of the land The Queene of Sheba came out of her own countrie to heare the wisedome of Salomon yea the beasts came to the Arke to be saued but these will not come to the Church to bee saued It was well wished of good Master Latimer that men would come to the Church though it were but to sleep for these he thought happely might be caught napping but these men will not doe so much Well let them know that as Saul marked Dauids place when hee was absent 1. Sam. 20. 27 so will God much more marke their emptie seates and solitarie pewes when they are absent But they that are so cold when God and Prince require their presence what would they doe thinke you if the line of France should be stretched ouer our land when men should be killed with Bibles in their hands and their blood should be sprinkled about the seates they sit on Well I desire not to be ominous but if it should come so to passe which God forbid how easily would they conclude as that euill messenger 2. King 6. 33. Commeth not this euill of the Lord and doe we waite on him any longer Though neither yet is this sufficient for them We must come timely to the church that they come but that their comming be timely that they may preuent the preacher as Cornelius and his kinsmen did Peter Act. 10. 33. Now wee are all here present before God to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God and that they might stay as the cripple waited for the mouing of the waters at the poole of Bethesda considering that God hath promised that they that seeke him early shall finde him Prou. 8. And that it is a note or a marke of true Christians that they come willingly at the time of the assembling Psalm 110. 3 which if they did they would as timely come vnto it as any should make haste to see a shew or to come to a good market But let them know that are late commers that as they come so they shall speede and as they doe Gods worke to holinesse so they shal finde comfort to holinesse The next thing is how wee ought to demeane our §. Sect. 5. selues when wee bee assembled which consisteth in these three things reuerence attention and consideration Reuerence attention and consideration required in hearing Reuerence in regard of the maiestie before whom wee stand attention in regard of the thing which wee heare and consideration in respect of our selues whom those things so much concerne All which 3. things are taught Eccl. 4. 17. When thou entrest into the house of the Lord take heed vnto both thy feete there is reuerence Secondly Be more neere to heare than to offer the sacrifice of fooles there is attention Thirdly Be not rash with thy mouth there is consideration All which if they will not preuaile yet heare the reason God is in the heauens but thou art on the earth thou a base sillie weake worme of the earth standest before the greatest maiestie which the world is not able to comprehend This should make thee to feare and quake as it did Iacob at Bethel that is at the house of the Lord if thou diddest consider How fearefull is the place saith Iacob Surely it is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heauen This I say if thou diddest consider would make thee to bee readie as Cornelius to heare whatsoeuer is commaunded thee of God But it befalleth to the most part of men as it befel to Iacob while he slept The Lord was there but he was not aware Genes 28. So the Lord is there but they wist it not they stand gazing about the Church as if they should be asked that question when they come home What went you to the Church to see and not what to heare their eyes are on euery one saue on the teacher on whom they should be fastned as the peoples were on Christ Luk. 4. 16 but as for the Preachers though they sit before them yet as Phineas wife they neither aske nor regard though they speake comfortably vnto them But doe these men thinke that God is present that they stand before his Angels Surely they wist it not if they did they would not doe it Neither would others so soundly sleepe as though the Preacher came to make their funerall sermon if they wist that God were there least in his wrath hee should make them sleepe their last and should make them fall downe dead in the place as he did Eutychus for their prophanation of his Sabbath Act. 20. The next and last point
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH HANDLED IN FOVRE SEVERALL BOOKES OR TREATISES The first of which intreateth of the day of rest The second of the duties of the day The third of the persons whom these duties concerne And the fourth the reasons vsed to perswade all persons to the practise of these duties vpon that day Written by G. W. Master of Arts and Minister of the word of God in Portsmouth Isaiah 58. 13 14. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath a delite to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him nor doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will or speaking a vaine word Then shalt thou delite in the Lord â—nd I will cause thee to mount vpon the hie places of the earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iaakob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man dwelling in Paternoster row at the signe of the Talbot 1604. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE CHARLES BLVNT Earle of Deuonshire Lord Mounioy Lieutenant generall of Ireland Master of the Ordinance Gouernour and Captaine generall of the towne and Garison of Portsmouth and the I le of Portsey Knight of the noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honorable priuie Councell RIght Honorable and by right most worthie to be honorable because deserts haue made you truly honourable The wisest hath said it that much reading Eccl. 12. 22. is a wearisomnes vnto the flesh And therefore in this scribling age wherein presses be oppressed with the number of bookes without number it may seeme a thing not meete any more to write vnlesse for the sufficiencie of the worke it might be in steed of all other writings and so the reader might be eased of the labour of much reading Notwithstanding by the iustnes of the cause which I neither might if I could because it is iust nor could if I might hauing in a publique assemblie taught it forsake I haue been drawen to publish this treatise that what I haue taught may here be made more fully to appeare to any that is otherwaies minded Now whereas it may seeme ouer great boldnes for me to presse your Honour with these my labours that are alreadie ouer pressed with your owne if yet they may be said to be yours and not rather the labours of the Church and Common-weale yet I haue presumed to doe it vpon these two reasons First in respect of the cause which I manage Secondly in respect of my dutie vnto your Honour And first in respect of the cause the Sabbath being a principall meanes whereby the seede of religion is sowen in our hearts and the holie fire as it were is kept in amongst vs. It being assailed by aduersaries of diuers sorts to whom should it flee as vnto a Sanctuarie for succour rather than vnto your Honor who haue alreadie taken home vnto your honourable familie the truth like as the beloued Disciple did the Ioh. 19. 27. mother of Iesus being recommended vnto his care Yea being your Honor haue not alone taken home the truth but also publiquely in the highest and solemnest assemblie of this land vndertaken the maintenance and the defence of the same truth against the common aduersarie the Papist In regard whereof as the eare that heard you blessed you and the eye that seeth Iob. 29. 11. you giueth witnes vnto you and the hearts of all well affected Christians to whom the report thereof hath come applaude it shouting and crying as in the Prophet Grace grace vnto it So could I ioyning in Zach 4. 7. heart and affection with them doe no lesse than testifie the same by presenting these my labours vnto your Honour to whom of right they appertaine as a part of that truth which is vndertaken by your Honour but gainsaid by these aduersaries For first they hold the Sabbath Rhem. in annot in Mat. 15 sect 3. Rhem. annot in Reu. cap. 1. sect 6. to be but a tradition Secondly the alteration of the day to be without scripture or commandement yea plainly otherwise than prescribed by God himselfe in the 2. Commandement for so it pleaseth them to terme this fourth commandement Thirdly the rest but perfunctorie and sleight for they allow such workes to be done vpon the Sabbath as shall be permitted by their Prelates that is such as please Bellar. lib. 10. de cultu imag themselues or such as by custome which euer declineth haue preuailed And lastly the holinesse of the day to consist in comming to shrift and hearing of Catechis Rom. quaest 21. de Sabbath Masse Against all which falshoods this truth of the doctrine of the Sabbath flieth vnto your Honour for patronage and after a sort maketh supplication vnto your Honour to be a meanes that as by the Kings most excellent Maiesties proclamation it hath alreadie so by law it may further be prouided for at least vt ne quid Sabbathum detrimenti capiat for Gods lawes to many are but as cobwebs to the great flyes which they easily breake without they be strengthened by the Princes lawes as with other nerues and sinewes for want of which we see that the Sabbath the best day of seuen is more prophaned in most places than all the other seuen as though God had made it to be prophaned and not to be kept holy And this in respect of the cause Now in respect of my selfe also I could doe no lesse for being imbarked in that ship whereof your Lordship vnder the Kings most excellent Maiestie as the master Pilot holdeth the helme I meane your Lordships garrison towne of Portsmouth and succeeding others a teacher in that Lecture whereinto your Lordship first breathed life I could doe no lesse than in dutie present these firstlings of my labours vnto your Honour especially hauing alreadie receiued fauours from your honourable selfe as also no small incouragements from Sir Beniamin Berry and Master Anthony Ersfâ—eld these your Lordships worthies and notable instruments of gouernment in that place So that I thanke my God vpon the point of whose prouidence I haue alwaies steered on my course I may most truly say that of them my conscience bearing me witnesse that I lie not which once Tertullus spake with another mind of Felix that by them wee haue receiued these two benefits great quietnes and many worthie things haue been Act. 24. 2. done vnto vs onely that which followeth wholy and alone appertaineth vnto your Honor that this is wholie by your prouidence And therefore should not I as in particular for my selfe or as the mouth of many others wholy acknowledge it we might yet be more vngratefull vnto your Honour than Tertullus to Felix By these reasons therefore right Honourable I being lead haue presumed to approach so neere vnto your Honour as to put foorth
by the name of the day precedent And so much for the day of rest THE SECOND BOOK TREATING OF THE DVTIES OF THE SABBATH CHAP. I. Of the preparation vnto the Sabbath by remembring it before hand Sect. 1. 2. The things to be remembred are to settle our affaires Sect. 3. And our affections Sect. 4. § Sect. 1 IN the former discourse we haue seene these foure things handled First that the Sabbath is perpetuall Secondly that the day is changed Thirdly that it cannot againe be changed And fourthly that the whole day must be kept holie All which things being discussed it remaineth that we proceede vnto the handling of the duties of the day And first I will speake of the preparation vnto the Sabbath which we are put in minde of when he wils vs to remember this day which words import so much as if hee should haue said Thou art by nature forgetfull and negligent in the performance of any holie dutie and therefore thou haddest neede to thinke vpon this day before hand and to remember it that thou Why the word remember is placed before the commandement maist bee prepared to keepe it holie And me thinkes God deales in this like a Master that giuing many things in charge vnto his seruants yet one thing in speciall aboue all saith he remember this So dealeth God in this case Thou shalt haue none other Gods Thou shalt not make any grauen image Thou shalt not take my name in vaine these commaundements thou shalt obserue but especially remember this to sanctifie my Sabbath And although this word remember bee placed but in the beginning yet it hath a reference vnto euery word in this commandement for he requireth not onely that we should remember the day when it is comming but also we must remember to rest vpon it when it is come Neither is it sufficient that we rest on that day but we must remember to sanctifie that rest and that thou must remember to do thy self and not that alone but that thy children and seruants also doe it Indeed were it not that wee were more negligent in this than in any other dutie God would not haue vsed this speciall remembrance but seeing in good things wee are like the Disciples that slept though thrice admonished when the Pharisies could wake well enough without any admonition at all God therfore willeth vs to remember the Sabbath thereby as it were stirring vs vp to the performance of our duties And as God willeth vs to remember in regard of our forgetfulnesse in good matters so doth he will vs much more to remember in regard of the easinesse that is in our nature to bee drawne away to that which is euill from Gods seruice When Balaam heard a messenger sent with that ambassage I will promote thee to great honour what haste made hee to bee gone to Balac though hee went vpon the point of a sword Numb 22. 21. The young man as soone as euer hee heard that Syren in the Prouerbs sing Come let vs take our fill of loue hee followes her straight way though as an oxe vnto the slaughter Pro. 7. 12. Which easinesse of ours to bee insnared and inticed God obseruing as a most louing friend willeth vs to be aduised and before hand to remember that we who by nature are so facill and easie be not abused § Sect. 2 But much more doth he will vs to remember in regard of our manifold lets and excuses which we pretend and to let passe those lets which one once sported himselfe merrily with as the couerlet the partlet the phillet and the frontlet which things many times bee le ts vnto vs as when wee lie too long in bed or stand a good part of the day in trimming yet they bee not the greatest lets How say you to those lets which kept those that were bidden vnto the wedding that they could not come as merchandise a farme fiue yoke of oxen a wife and such like Are not these things many times le ts vnto vs that we cannot keepe the Sabbath Now for the preuenting of all these God willeth vs to remember that it is his Sabbath thereby shewing vs that the very respect of the Sabbath must weigh downe all our worldly lets O but faith the master when hee should goe to Church I must needes goe talke with my seruants and tell them what they shall doe the next weeke Yea but thou must remember to goe to Church for God will talke with thee and tell thee what thou shalt doe the next weeke I but saith the seruant my master commaunded me and I must go do my masters businesse Yea but God saith thou must goe doe his businesse hee commaunds both thee and thy master too and therefore remember the Sabbath saith hee Yea but will some man say I must needs go doe a thing I forgot to doe the last weeke The more shame for thee for doth not God will thee to remember it Yea but I had forgotten it and therefore now I must goe doe it Indeed as if because through negligence thou going from home and leauing thy cloake behind if it should chance to raine and thou wanting thy cloake shouldest therefore meeting thy neighbour take away his were it therefore lawfull because thou haddest forgotten thine So wilt thou because through thy negligence thou forgettest thy businesse when thou shouldest haue done it wilt thou I say therefore take Gods time and imploy it about thy businesse Well I dispute not whether it be lawfull to doe it but this I am sure it is sinfull for thee to forget to doe it before for thou shouldest haue remembred it and indeede this doth nothing but argue thy vnto wardnes vnto good things for thou vsest not so to pleade in the weeke daies when thou shouldest goe about thy worldly businesse Sir I haue forgotten this day to pray with my familie to instruct them to reade some part of the Scripture c. Thou neuer remembrest this in the weeke or if thou doest thou presently dispensest with thy selfe for the omission of it but on the Sabbath thou easily remembrest any of thy worldly businesse and thou wilt not omit to do them though holinesse it selfe attend thee in the meane season Which easily sheweth what it is that runneth in our minds namely our worldly affaires for these we remember at euery turne and not onely so but we forecast all inconueniences before hand As for example is a man going to a market or faire before he goes he sits down first and forecasts what things he lackes where and of whom he may buy them at the best hand yea he remembers all his wants and rather than hee will forget any of them when he comes thither hee will set them downe in writing tables or binde a threed about his finger to put him in remembrance or else commaund some of his seruants to remember him when he cōmeth thither that he may be sure to dispatch all his
more will I thinke that when God did forbid works of our ordinarie vocation that he meant to allow works of pleasure such as are our works of recreations and pastimes as we call them Which will the better appeare if wee consider the reason why these workes of our ordinarie vocation are forbidden vs vpon the Sabbath which is not that they are vnlawfull in themselues but because they destroy the rest and take vp the mind that it cannot be imployed in Gods businesse now these doing the same things are by the same reasons forbidden Wee must vnderstand therefore that this commandement is of the same nature with the rest and as in them by one sinne forbidden are vnderstood all of the same kinde as by murther is forbidden all crueltie whether inward or outward and by adulterie all wantonnes and vncleannes as offending against chastitie Matth. 5. so by these seruile workes named as breaking the rest of the Sabbath are forbidden al workes that breake the rest of the Sabbath onely those excepted which God hath dispensed with of which before And therefore all such workes as are done for recreation as bowling shooting hunting hawking wrestling playing at cat and such like howsoeuer in the weeke they may be allowed yet are vpon this day vtterly vnlawfull and forbidden Yea and me thinks the reason standeth more strongly against them for as from that Leuit. 19. 15. Thou shalt not fauour the poore in iudgement A man may implie a portion from the stronger that hee must then much lesse fauour the rich So here thou maist not doe any worke of thine ordinary vocation vpon the Sabbath which yet at other times thou art commaunded to doe then much lesse maist thou doe the workes which no where are required of thee but onely by way of permission are at sometimes allowed And surely if you marke it you shall finde more danger in these of the last sort than in the other for that they more carrie away the minde from God than these of our ordinarie vocation doe for who is it that had not rather goe to Church than goe to work but who is it I speake of the multitude that had not rather goe to play than goe to Church But when then will some one demaund shall wee haue time for recreation if not vpon the Sabbath If thou wilt haue time for that allow part of thine owne for that is thy worke and therfore thou must allow part of thy time to doe it in but Gods time thou maist not for that he hath reserued for his owne businesse Let me aske thee one question If thou shouldest allow vnto thy seruāt of thy sixe daies fiue whole daies to do his businesse and to recreate himselfe in them and shouldest reserue vnto thy selfe but one wouldest thou take it well at his hands if thou chiding him for neglect of thy businesse vpon that day he should answer when should I vse recreation if not now Which answere if thou wilt not take at thy seruants hands doest thou thinke that God will accept of it at thine that hath dealt more liberallie with thee than thou with thy seruant And therfore out vpon it that thou shouldest offer this vnto him vpon his Sabbath to pleade thus for libertie and recreation when yet in truth all the recreations in the world cannot be answerable vnto the recreations of the Sabbath for what can recreate or refresh a man more than to drinke of the waters of life What can glad a man more than to heare of the forgiuenes of his sinnes To one that is in prison fast bound in fetters what greater recreation than to heare of his inlargement and what greater comfort than to come vnto the sealing of his pardon And are these things offered vnto vs vpon the Sabbath and yet doe we like children runne after butterflies and let these things alone If wee doe it well shewes that since we were created we neuer were yet recreated and borne againe for if we were the enioying of these things would be vnto vs aboue all the recreations in the world But then here it will be demaunded of me Not al recreations at all times vpon the Sabbath vnlawfull whether I doe vtterly disallow all recreations vpon the Sabbath Not so neither for it may sometimes come so to passe that recreation may bee more necessarie for a man than his meate as also it may so fall in the weeke daies yea and sometimes the setling of a mans minde free such is partly the corruption and partly the weaknes of our nature may bee a furtherance vnto vs in the performance of the duties of godlinesse as well as in other duties of our owne And therefore so farre foorth as it is either of necessitie for the present preseruation of our health or of necessitie for the present furtherance and fitting of vs vnto the seruice of God we may vse it But by this allowance will some say euill men will take liberty vnto themselues vnder these pretences to prophane the Sabbath by their sports Answ It may well be so that they which stumble at Christ to their ruine and they that wrest his word to their owne condemnation will also wrest this libertie to bring themselues into the bondage of sinne yet must not this let vs to giue that allowance vnto Gods children which hee hath left him in his word But as for such as abuse their libertie I admonish them in the feare of God that they make not Gods commandements like cheuerell laces to stretch them euery waie to their owne bents and purposes For if they doe I appeale vnto the highest Iudge of all the earth that they haue no such libertie giuen them And therefore if they take it their blood bee vpon their owne heads if they bring themselues by their libertie to bee the sonnes of bondage But as for the children of God I know they will and shall finish their saluation with feare and trembling And thus wee haue seene how these workes of recreations are also forbidden vs vpon the Sabbath § Sect. 2 The third sort of workes which are here forbidden vs are our sports which commonly wee Pastimes vnlawfull vpon the Sabbath call pastimes which indeed though they be but recreations in their owne nature yet as wine by his long standing becommeth vineger so doe these sports and recreations by the excessiue vse or rather abuse of them become sinfull that is when wee vse them not to make our selues thereby fit to redeeme time which the Apostle requireth but rather to spend time and vainely to passe it And therefore if the former were vnlawfull which did after a sort build vp a man then how much more these that destroy a man who by the excessiue vse of them is made vnfit vnto the performance of any duties of which sort of pastimes are stage-plaies cards and dice-playing vpon the Sabbath as also Beare-baitings Cock-pits and such like All which in particular to confute were
eate the Lords Supper And hereupon doth the Church define a Sacrament to bee a publike action And in the Primatiue Church it was vsually deliuered vpon the Sabbath therefore it was called dies panis In regard of this no complaint can sufficiently bewaile the backwardnes of this age whereinto we are fallen that some scarce once in a whole Iubile of Sabbaths nay if law had not prouided to the contrarie scarce once in a whole Iubile of yeeres would bee partakers of the Sacrament which we see euidently in that they come no oftner vnto the Lords table than they are compelled Moses was like to haue bin slaine for the neglect of circumcision What shall wee thinke the neglect of this will bring vpon vs And if vnworthie taking make vs liable vnto iudgement 1. Corinth 11 what shall we thinke of this not taking at all When Christ talked with the Iewes of a bread from heauen euery man would haue it Ioh. 6. 34. This is so and yet no man calleth for it though the price bee vnualuable and the vertue no lesse than the communion of the bodie and blood of Christ And if the very hemme of his garment had vertue to heale vncurable diseases how much more shall this his bodie heale vs if we be truly partakers of it But surely for such as take it onely by constraint and compulsion well they may finde the cloathes where Christ his bodie was but not his bodie And because they receiue it not worthily and with comfort but of constraint therefore in steed of a seale of his mercie they may receiue a pledge of his wrath And so much for the second dutie § Sect. 8 The third publique dutie is the administration of discipline admonition reprehension excommunication The execution of discipline a dutie of the Sabbath c. A publique worke also of the Sabbath to looke vnto the manners of men to admonish them that are vnruly 1. Thess 5. and to deliuer the obstinate sinner vnto Sathan that his soule may be saued And this the Apostle sheweth also to be a worke of the Sabbath 1. Cor. 5. 5. where he willeth them that when they were gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus they should deliuer ouer the incestuous person vnto Sathan Now their assemblie was vpon the Sabbath as before hath been shewed and therefore that should then also be done as a worke of the Sabbath CHAP. V. Of mixt duties Sect. 1. Namely prayer Sect. 2. Reading the Scriptures Sect. 3. Singing Psalmes Sect. 4 Catechising Sect. 5. And shewing mercie Sect. 6. § Sect. 1 THE next duties that follow to bee handled are such as are mixt of which sorte are prayer thanksgiuing singing of Psalmes catechising almes c. which I terme mixt because they are such as may bee done in publique or in priuate which also are to bee performed vpon the Sabbath as they shal be best fitting with the time and place Now many men when they haue bin at Church they thinke they may doe all the rest of the day what they list As the harlot when she had payed her vowes she thought she might play the harlot Prou. 7. So do many they serue God in the forenoone and the flesh and the diuell in the after-noone But they must know that God doth require the whole day to be spent in holy duties And therefore as thou maist in no part of the day breake the rest by labour so much lesse maist thou breake the holinesse for God commaundeth the one aswell as the other holinesse aswell as rest nay rest should not haue been commaunded but for holinesse And therefore as I haue shewed before it was a sin to breake the rest so is it much more to breake the Sabbath by omitting the duties of holinesse Indeed thou art not tied to spend the whole day in the publique exercises before mentioned neither were the Iewes for they had but their sacrifice euening and morning Numb 28. and prayers with their sacrifice as appeareth Luk. 1. 10 in that the people prayed whilest the incense was a burning Then they had a lecture of the Law and Prophets Act. 13. 15 after that preaching For when they had read the Law they gaue the sense thereof and caused the people to vnderstand the reading Nehem. 8. 8 and then thanksgiuing All which cōtinued not the whole day but the congregation was dismissed at mid-day Nehem. 8. 10. 12. And they returned at three of the clocke at what time Peter and Iohn went vp to pray which is called the ninth houre answering vnto our third at what time also was the euening sacrifice But yet the interim before betwixt and after was spent either in priuate exercises of godlinesse or else in these which are both priuate and publique which are therefore noted and obserued in the practise of the Church that wee might draw them also into imitation which being at other times of the weeke to bee done so much more were they on the Sabbath and the exercises of religion being vpon that day doubled Numb 28 why should God bee now lesse serued vnder the Gospell than hee was vnder the Law § Sect. 2 To come therefore vnto these duties which we call mixt first of prayer Which that it is an exercise The mixt duties are first Prayer of the Sabbath is euident in that his house is called the house of prayer Ioh. 2. and the word cannot be without it Therefore Neh. 8. Ezra before he preached praised God And though Christ would haue vs to pray in priuate Matth. 6. yet God requireth the same to be done also in the assemblies Psal 107. 32 and that not alone by the teacher as Dauid in the midst of the congregation would praise the Lord when hee did declare his name Psal 22. 22. but by the people also Therfore when Zachary was burning of incense within the people were in prayer without Luk. 1. 10 which as it must bee done in the morning so also at night For Dauid would haue his prayer as the incense which was the first thing the Priest did when hee came into the Temple and the lifting vp of his hands as the euening sacrifice Psal 142. which was on the Sabbath at night offered so must our prayers be It maketh me the more to marueile at some kinde of men that thinke if they haue been at seruice as they call it in the fore-noone that God is beholding vnto them for that and that they are not bound to returne againe in the after-noone but that they consecrate vnto some pastimes as though they had been at Church in the morning to aske God leaue to goe to play in the after-noone Now as this is a publique exercise of the Sabbath and must go before and after the word so also at other times or else why are wee commaunded to pray continually 1. Thess 5. 17. and in all things to giue thankes Yea God to shew how well he likes it compares it to
as the Israelites kept a fast in Mispeh 1. Sam. 7. And Hest 4. 16. there is a fast kept of three daies long yea Daniel keepes a fast of three weekes of daies Dan. 10. 3. Neither in so doing is there any breach or alteration of Gods ordinance but rather an obseruation For as Christ brake not the commandement when he neglected his dutie to parents to performe his dutie to God so neither doe we breake this ordinance of God when wee on any of the sixe daies neglect our owne businesse to serue God the cause and necessitie so requiring for if necessitie may cause vs to breake the Sabbath for the good of man may not necessitie aswell dispense with our daies and cause vs to sanctifie a Sabbath for the good of man Nay further I take it that this commandement being a Synecdoche and but a part put for the whole as are all the other commaundements doth warrant yea and commaund such time conuenient in the weeke daies to be set apart vnto Gods seruice And we see that Christ and the Apostles preached on these daies as well as vpon the Sabbath which they would not haue done if it had been vnlawful for the people to heare And as I thinke that any of these daies may by the Church be set apart to Gods seruice the cause so requiring so also doe I perswade my selfe that some part of euery one of these daies should be set apart to holy exercises as morning and euening to pray with our families And of these wee see Isaac had one hee went out in the euening to pray Gen. 24. 63. Daniel had three for he prayed three times a day Dan. 6. 10. And Dauid prayed seuen times a day Psal 119. 164. And thus much as touching the second question and so consequently of the first reason to perswade to the keeping of the Sabbath for as for such things as be here obserued about the rest I haue handled them before in the discourse of the rest of the day CHAP. II. The second reason because it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Sect. 1. Holy daies are to bee consecrated onely to the Lord Sect. 2. § Sect. 1 THe second reason followeth and is drawne from the end and institution of the Sabbath contained in these words It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God And it may be thus gathered If the Sabbath bee consecrate vnto the Lord and his worship then you must rest on it from your works but the former is true for it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and therfore it followeth that you must rest from your works And here marke with me first the workmanship of this reason how fitly it is framed for first least any man should bee so bold as to aske him for his commission as Exo. 2. one demaunded of Moses Who made thee a Iudge or as Mat. 22. 23. the Priests demanded of Christ By what authoritie doest thou these things Therefore he shewes his authoritie namely that he is authoritie it self and he may command for he is Lord and no man will say vnto him vnlesse he be a diuell What hast thou to doe with vs Matth. 8 for he hath to doe with vs for he is thy Lord and that diuers waies First hee is thy Creator hee made thee and therefore looke how the vessell is in the potters hand so art thou in his Rom. 9. This Dauid knew well enough when he said Come let vs fall downe before the Lord our maker Psal 95. 6. Secondly as he is thy Lord by creation so also is he by redemption He hath bought thee with a price 1. Cor. 6. 20. a price not of gold and siluer but with his most pretious bloud 1. Pet. 1. 18. And therefore this is rendred as a reason of his dying and rising again that he might be Lord ouer vs Rom. 14. 9. Thirdly as by his redemption so by his soueraigntie rule and authoritie in that he is absolute in his commaund and doth whatsoeuer he will both in heauen and in earth Psal 115. 3. No man can stay his hand neither dare any say vnto him what doest thou Dan. 4. 32. for he is Lord of Lords Rom. 17. 14. and his hests stand like the lawes of the Medes and Persians that cannot be recalled Dan. 6. 12. Yea a degree further he is the Lord of spirits Num. 16. 22. and therefore will commaund not as other Lords thy bodie onely but thy soule too Matth. 21. 37. Thou must serue him with all thy soule and if it please him he can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire Mat. 10. 28. Now then if he be thy Lord and master in so full and so absolute a manner what then why then where is his feare Malac. 1. 6. He calles for that and good reason for if there bee no master but will haue some seruice shall God so great a Lord and master be without it No he will not and therfore he here requireth it of thee on this day to serue him Now there is one thing which the master oweth vnto the seruant and that is protection and euery man harpes vpon that string if he stands in need of his helpe then Master saue vs we perish Matth. 8. 25. But there is another thing that the seruant oweth to his master and that is obedience and there wee breake with him He saith goe and we goe not come and wee come not doe this and we doe it not wee keepe his commandements with notes as the Atheist beleene the Articles of faith But may it not be that there is cause as that he is a hard man or hee will not stand by his seruants to defend them or else he giues not so good wages as others Surely it is not so for first Dauid tels vs that he will not alwaies chide nor keepe his anger for euer Psal 103. 8. Yea if he see vs once to fall downe before him and to craue him to appease his anger he forgiues vs all Mat. 18. 27. then he is no hard master And as for defence he will suffer no man to doe vs wrong but wil reproue euē kings for our sakes Psal 105. 14. And as for his hire there is no seruice like vnto his no not the seruice of the King You cannot say of him as Saul said of Dauid will he giue euery one of you fields and vineyards will hee make you Captaines ouer thousands c Yea he will and more than that he makes all his seruants Kings Reu. 1. 6. and giues euery one of them a crowne of life 2. Tim. 4. yea an euerlasting kingdome that withereth not reserued in heauen 1. Pet. 1. 4. All this hee giueth and he giueth it liberally not reproching and casting men in the teeth with it as Saul did his followers why then what shall let vs to serue such a master Yet behold and wonder let a flattering diuell a little intice vs with a shew of any matter or
it Isai 58. 14. § Sect. 2 Now the vse of this is two-fold First it notablie meeteth with the error of the multitude that thinke if a man serue God he shall neuer thriue as though God were like an euill master that vseth to reward him worst that doth him the best seruice But these blinde bayards that thus beate their heads against the wall little think vpon this that God here promiseth that those which keepe his Sabbath shall bee blessed if they did they would neuer goe stumbling on But to the keeper of the Sabbath this is a most sure word that if a man keepe it the Lord will make him to mount vpon the high places of the earth and wil feede them with the heritage of Iacob And therefore by this a man shall know when hee is at the sermon how well he thriueth at home for if he truly serue the Lord in the Church God will truly blesse him at home for hee hath promised it and hee cannot goe from his word no more than hee can denie himselfe happely hee may sometimes denie some worldly blessings when he seeth it not good for thee to haue it but then assure thy selfe he will giue thee that which is ten times better and that thou shalt in this life finde and assuredly know And therefore thinke not that if thou lose an houre or a day that thou shalt be vndone but waite vpon the Lord for it is his blessing that maketh rich and not thy labour And if he blessed the Manna that was gathered on the sixt day that it should be enough for the seuenth also and if he made the earth in the sixth yeere to bring forth food sufficient for two yeeres Leuit 25 why shouldest thou distrust his bountie towards thee Therefore cast thy care vpon him for if thou wilt keepe his Sabbath he will care for thee The second vse is to informe the Sabbath breakers of their estate in which they stand and I would to God they would take notice of it that they are in a cursed estate for if the Sabbath keepers be blessed then the Sabbath breakers by the law of contraries must bee accursed And so they are indeede And Nehemiah is not afraide to tell them so much to their faces Did not saith he your fathers thus that is breake the Sabbath and did not God therefore bring all these plagues vpon vs and will you yet increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabbath Nehe. 13. And as Nehemiah told them what they had alreadie felt so Ier. 17. vlt. tels them what they shall further looke for If saith he you will not heare me to sanctifie the Sabbath and to beare no burthen What then then the Lord will kindle a fire in the gates of Ierusalem Yea but it shall not come into the high streetes Yes saith he for it shall deuoure the palaces thereof But we will quench it first before it goe so farre Nay saith he it shall not be quenched as though the fire thereof should burne like wilde fire or rather like hell fire that is vnquenchable Mat. 3. And of this there is good reason For if for the neglect of the building of the Lords house the Lord cursed his people so that when they sowed much they brought in little that when they eate they were not satisfied when they dranke their thirst remained c. If I say the Lord cursed them thus for the neglect of the building of the materiall Temple what will he doe for the neglect of the building of the spirituall Temple which is certainly neglected where as the Sabbath is neglected And although happely it sometimes come to passe that the Sabbath breaker may prosper in worldly matters yet they are but blessings of Gods left hand Prou. 3. 16. which many times hee giues to the ruine of the owners thereof Eccl. 5. 12. He giueth them as he gaue a King to the Israelites in his anger and in his wrath he takes them away againe But how soeuer this is certaine that though he giues them their hearts desire yet with the gift he sendeth leannesse into their soules as Psal 106. 15. and they shall finde one day the euill of their riches when they shall weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon them when I say their consciences shall crie out against them Wee haue gotten this money by breaking the Lords Sabbath and when the rust of the same shall testifie so much against them then shall they finde that true which euen now I cited that their riches was giuen them for their euill § Sect. 3 Loe thus as you see that I may conclude haue I troden foorth before you the path of the Sabbath that was I confesse hard and difficult to finde by reason of so many by-paths and waies of error And herein I haue shewed first the perpetuitie of the Sabbath Secondly the change of the time of the Sabbath Thirdly that it may not againe be changed Fourthly that the whole day must bee kept and this in the first booke In the second I haue shewed the duties of this day which consist first in preparation to the Sabbath Secondly in obseruation which contained two things first to rest vpon it when it is come from all workes words or thoughts that might be a let to the performance of the holy duties that were required of vs which duties were of three sorts either publique or priuate or mixt and this was the summe of the second booke In the third I haue shewed the persons to whom these duties doe appertaine which were either vnto vs or those that were vnder our gouernment And last of al in the fourth the reasons that might inforce vs to the keeping of this day holy that which remaineth is that euery one of vs in regard of the time past fall downe before the Lord in the feeling and acknowledgement of this great sinne of Sabbath breaking and that with purpose of heart hence-foorth wee endeuour with all our might both in our owne persons and by all meanes we may to prouoke others also to keepe the Sabbath with vs and then shall the Lord euen our God assuredly blesse vs with the riches of his mercies reserued from euerlasting in heauen for vs which the Lord graunt vnto vs for Christ his sake Amen FINIS The Errata Pag. 16. lin 4. reade which is one p. 50. l. 10. put out not p 7. vlt. reade Reu for Rom p. 93. vlt. r. our p. 99. l. 15 r. à fortiori p. â—â—1 â— 9. r. setting l. 26. reade them p. 117. l. 3. r. not to commit any sâ—â— p. 126 l. 25. 26. r. halues
these my labours vnder the liuerie of your honourable fauour Wherein although there be nothing answerable vnto your greatnes yet if as the finger serueth to point vnto the Sunne and the iuyce of a Limmon to ingraue aswell as Aqua fortis so this may serue to point vnto that which I would but cannot attaine vnto sufficiently to make knowne your Honours worthinesse and something to expresse the thankfulnes of my heart I wanting better meanes to vtter it I shall thinke my selfe not to haue attained the lowest degree of happinesse in my low estate And thus humbly crauing of your Honour pardon for my boldnes I cease any further to interrupt you from your waightier affaires yet not ceasing in my best wishes vpon my knees to pray vnto that God who is good without qualitie great without quantitie infinite without place and euerlasting without time that hee would long preserue your Honour amongst vs that the Prince may long enioy you such a subiect the Common-wealth such a Councellour the Church such a stay the truth such a Champion the souldier such a Leader and learning such a Patron and after this life here ended there to enioy with him another that neuer shall haue end Your Honours in all dutie most bounden GEORGE WIDLEY A TABLE OF ALL SVCH THINGS AS ARE contained in the seuerall chapters of euery booke The first booke CHAP. I. HOw the whole law is distributed pag. 1. 2 How the first table hath reasons annexed which the second for the most part wanteth pag. 3 What force these reasons of the fourth Commaundement haue to perswade vs to obedience 4 What things this Commaundement containeth in it in speciall aboue the rest 6 How this fourth Commandement is analysed or diuided 6 CHAP. II. How many sorts of Sabbaths there were among the Iewes 7 How the morall and ceremoniall Sabbaths differ 8 What vse the ceremonies had vnto the Iewes 10 Whether the Sabbath be perpetuall 13 CHAP. III. The time of the Sabbath or rest changed 31 To what day it was changed 37 Why the time of the Sabbath was changed 38 Whether it may be changed againe 53 Whether we may still call it the Sabbath 52 Whether by the Lords day Reue. 1. 10. be meant our Sabbath or day of rest 43 Obiections against the Sabbath answered 46 CHAP. IIII. Whether the whole day naturall be to bekept 57 How the night is to be kept 60 When the Sabbath beginneth and endeth 61 The second booke CHAP. I. That wee must prepare our selues to sanctifie the Sabbath and why 63 Wherein this preparation doth consist 68. 69 CHAP. II. Rest commanded 72 This rest must be a solemne rest 73 What workes are forbidden to bee done vpon the Sabbath 74. 75. 76. 77 What works be allowed to be done vpō the Sab. 90. 91. 92. 93 With what cautions workes of necessitie must be done 95 CHAP. III. Whether recreations may be allowed vpon the Sabbath 98 Whether pastimes as dauncing c. vpon the Sabbath may be allowed 102 Whether the Sabbath may be broken by our speech 113 Whether it may be broken in thought 118 Whether a man may doe the things commanded to be done vpon the Sabbath and yet breake the Sabbath 117 CHAP. IIII. Whether the rest of the Sabbath must be sanctified 119. and how 120 What these duties are which be required to the sanctitie of the Sabbath 123 Whether we be enioyned to come to the publique assemblie vpon the Sabbath 224. and how to demeane our selues there 126. 127. 128 Whether the word must be preached vpon the Sabbath 130 Whether the people be bound to heare it vpon the Sab. 132 Obiections to the contrarie answered ibid. Whether the Sacraments and discipline bee duties of the Sabbath 136. 137 CHAP. V. Duties both publique and priuate to be done vpon the Sabbath as first prayer 138. 139 Reading of the Scriptures 141 Singing of Psalmes 144 Catechisme 145 Workes of mercie 149 CHAP. VI. Priuate duties vpon the Sabbath which are meditation 152 Conference 156 Sloth pride dumme Ministerie le ts to the sanctification of the Sabbath 150. 161 The third booke CHAP. I. Whether euery man is bound in his owne person to keepe the Sabbath 164 Whether euery man be bound to see those that are vnder him to keepe the Sabbath 166 Whether the father be bound to see that the sonne keepe the Sabbath 169 Whether the master be bound to see that the seruant keepe the Sabbath 171 CHAP. II. Whether wee be bound to see that our cattell rest vpon the Sabbath and why 177 Whether we be bound to see that the stranger rest that is within our gates and why 179 Whether euery man be bound to hinder the iustruments of euill 182 Whether we be bound to labour to bring others to the knowledge of God 186 Whether toleration of a false religion may not be suffered 186 Whether the gouernours be bound to compell Idolaters to worship the true God 190 The fourth booke CHAP. I. In what manner the first reason of this Commandement perswadeth to the keeping of the Sabbath 195. 196. 197 Whether all Gods commandements are grounded vpon reason 199 Whether it bee sinne not to dispatch our worldly businesse vpon the sixe daies 200 Whether it be not lawfull vpon any of the sixe daies to vse recreation for the health of the bodie 203 Whether a man may consecrate any one or more of the sixe daies to Gods seruice 206 CHAP. II. How the second reason of this commandement perswadeth to the keeping of the Sabbath 208 How God is our Lord and how he is our God and what we thence learne 209. 211 To whom we must consecrate daies 215 CHAP. III. How the third reason perswadeth vs to keepe the Sab. 216 How farre we are to follow examples 217 Wherein we are to imitate God and wherein not 221 How God may be said to rest and the vse of the words 222 CHAP. IIII. How the fourth reason here brought perswadeth to the keekeeping of the Sabbath 228 What it is to blesse and ballow the Sabbath namely to blesse the keepers of it 219 Whether the breakers be accursed 219 The end of the Table THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH HANDLED IN FOVRE BOOKES THE FIRST BOOKE TREAting of the Sabbath day CHAP. I. The distribution of the whole law Sect. 1. The Commaundements of the first Table haue their reasons annexed Sect. 2. The reasons annexed to the fourth Commaundement Sect. 3. The contents of the fourth Commaundement Sect. 4. The analysis of it Sect. 5. § Sect. 1 THe whole law which is a doctrine requiring what men ought to be and condemning them for not being perfectlie such as they ought being at large deliuered in the whole volume of the Scriptures is notwithstanding for the helpe The distribution of the whole law of mans memorie abridged by God himselfe in those tenne words which he spake on the Mount Sinai and writ in two tables of stone as it were in a booke of two
the name of God was with such religion regarded amongst them as that there were some found amongst them that did chuse rather to die than to breake their oath as Regulus which also their lawes yet extant against periuries and blasphemies doe sufficiently testifie which were they in force amongst vs wee should not haue oathes so rife as now they are euen as our steps or as the stones of the streetes or if we had yet we should haue law to punish the blasphemer wheras now we haue none but of this sufficient There remaineth onely the fourth commandement that a time all businesse set apart is to be sanctified to Gods seruice Wherein let their Feriae and dies festi that is their holy daies and daies of rest from labour testifie that they held a time all businesse set apart to be kept holy vnto the Lord. Now as for the second table I hope I shall not be put vnto much businesse in it seeing the Philosophers intreate most of the duties commanded therein yea they were in the knowledge therof so exact as that it is possible to find amongst them some one precept that containeth in it the effect of the second table namely that sentence which was so rife amongst them Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri ne feceris that is That which thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe that thou shalt not doe to another Now what else is this but the same with that Matth. 6. which Christ calleth the law and Prophets Whatsoeuer saith he ye would that men should do vnto you euen so doe you vnto them for this is the law and the Prophets So then the Decalogue being the same with the law of nature is one and the same for euer It followeth necessarily that the Decalogue is to remaine for euer and consequently the Sabbath being a part of that Decalogue is to remaine for euer § Sect. 6 And to put this matter out of doubt that the Decalogue is to remaine for euer and is not abolished the Apostle himself auoucheth it Rom. 3. the last verse where disputing of iustification by faith without the workes of the law he putteth The continuance of the law warranted by the Apostle this question Doe wee then saith he make the law of none effect God forbid thereby accounting it as a most sinfull thing once to be conceited yea he is so farre from that minde as that hee resolueth it quite to the contrarie We establish it saith he Now that which is established is made more sure than it was before And therefore those that say the moral law is abolished by the law of faith speake like Peter in the transfiguration they wote not what they say For the Apostle saith it is established and not abolished by faith Neither yet is the Apostle alone in this case The law warranted to continue by Christ but he followeth therein the example of his master Christ who expreslie affirmeth so much Matth. 5 17. where speaking of the morall law he saith Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them The occasion of this doctrine as it should seeme was thus because hee had found fault many times with the Pharisies for their ouer strict keeping of the Sabbath preferring the rest of the day before the good of man as if man had been made for the Sabbath and not the Sabbath for man the Pharisies therefore began to accuse him as a breaker or rather as an abolisher of the law And as it may seeme some of his Disciples also began to drinke in this opinion and to promise libertie vnto themselues as if Christ had come to put an end vnto the law especially seeing hee went about to establish iustification by faith which Christ obseruing directeth this speech vnto them Thinke not saith he that I am come to dissolue the law as opposing this his speech directly vnto their conceit which they had of the abolishing of the law Neither yet doth he here rest but in the second place he sheweth that he is so farre from the destroying of it as that hee came to a quite contrarie end namely to fulfill it Now he which doth fulfill it doth not destroy it for these are opposed by him as being contrarie the one to the other For it were impossible for him both to destroy the law and yet to fulfill it Neither yet doth hee here content himselfe to shew the end of his comming namely to fulfill the law but when he hath done hee sheweth in the third place the durablenes of this law and that there is nothing so lasting as it no not the heauens though neuer so constant in their motion nor the earth though neuer so fixed a center for they shall both passe away before the whole law doth he say shall passe Nay rather than the least iot or title of it shall escape or fall And therefore whereas some say so much of the morall law shall stand as Christ hath reestablished in the new Testament therein they graunt the very thing in question namely that the Sabbath shall remaine for Christ hath established the whole law yea and hath warranted euery iot or title of it to be as durable as the heauens and therefore vnlesse wee can turne heauen and earth vpside downe let vs beware to take one iot or title from the law of God Fourthly that wee may certainly know that neither this law nor any part of it is dissolued hee sheweth that he that shall breake one of the least commaundements As in Luke thou childe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest that is shalt be and teach men so shall be called that is shall be the least in the kingdome of heauen as also on the contrarie he that shall c. And lastly he is so farre from the breaking of it that he requireth a more exact keeping of it For saith he if your righteousnesse exceede not the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Now as for those that are of opinion that this place is to be vnderstood of the ceremoniall law which Christ did fulfill though it be true that Christ did fulfill that also yet that hee meaneth the ceremoniall law in this place I cannot see how they will be able to prooue vnlesse they will also hold first that the ceremonial law is not abolished secondly that it shall last as long as the world lasteth thirdly that if a man breake the least ceremonie thereof and teach men so that he shal be the least in the kingdom of heauen fourthly that if hee obserue and teach them he shall be the greatest in the kingdome of heauen and fiftly that we are more bound vnto the obseruation of them than were the Scribes and Pharisies if wee will enter into heauen All which things Christ verifieth here of that law of which hee maketh mention All
meate which is also warranted by the Disciples pulling and rubbing of the eares of corne Wherein also respect may be had of his place and degree as Nehemiah had daily an oxe and sixe sheepe besides birds prouided for him Nehem. 5. 18. Now if euery day then on the Sabbath yet here we must take heede that wee make not the Sabbath a day of feasting as in many places in the countrey they doe keeping their feasts not like Iobs children euery one his day but euery one his Sabbath day A good rule therefore for the ordring of this will be vpon the Sabbath not to exceede our ordinarie Thirdly this also giueth libertie for the dressing of our cattell milking of our kine and such like without which things life it selfe is not so comfortable vnto them Last of all as all these things may be done for preseruation of health so also may we labour vpon the Sabbath for the preseruation of Labour vpon the Sabbath for preseruation of goods lawfull our goods being in danger of losing them Which of you is it saith Christ that hauing an oxe or an asse fallen into the ditch doth not pull him out All which things as they may bee done vpon the Sabbath so if necessitie be they must presently bee done and the exercises of the Sabbath neglected for the doing of them for Christ will haue the oxe pulled presently out of the pit Luk. 14. 5. And in regard of this it is that he requireth mercie and not sacrifice not but that hee will haue both but if the case so stand that hee cannot haue both at once but must content himselfe with one hee had rather haue mercie than sacrifice And therefore Paul when Eutiches was fallen downe dead left preaching to recouer him to life and the Israelites though they were commaunded not to touch a carrion yet they must take vp Iosephs bones Exo. 13. 19. And Mat. 5. though he commands thee to offer sacrifice yet if thy brother haue ought against thee thou must first goe and be reconciled and then come So that in all these respects howsoeuer the law commaunds a precise rest yet as we say Necessitie hath no law so truly may wee say it hath no Sabbath daies § Sect. 16 But yet in doing these workes of necessitie three things must diligently bee taken heed of Cautions to be obserued in doing the workes of necessitie First that we send not for excuses and make matters of necessitie when before hand wee might haue preuented the necessitie As for example if a man owe a summe of money vpon a band and neglect the taking of order for the paiment of it vntill the day be so neere that he must needs trauaile on the Sabbath to discharge his band Also when a man is serued with processe to appeare on such a day at Westminster hee hauing time enough deferreth it so long that he must needes trauaile vpon the Sabbath to come there by his day and by this meanes bringeth a necessitie vpon himselfe which God neuer laid vpon him all which necessities if men did well consider before hand might be easily auoided Well but when a man hath negligently runne into this necessitie whether may hee then trauaile vpon the Sabbath I say if it bee of necessitie to be done thou maist doe it but thou must withal remember to crie to God for mercie for forgetting his Sabbath which thou shouldest haue remembred The second thing that must be taken heed of is that no recompence be taken for the labour which thou doest vpon this day for by that meanes thou makest it a seruile worke Secondly it will be a meanes to leade thee on to this sin of Sabbath-breaking for rewards do blinde the eyes And thirdly be well assured that God will neuer blesse that hire but it shall be vnto thee like the Manna that the Israelites gathered more than needed that rotted and stunke Exod. 16. The last caution is that when we are thus forced by necessitie to breake the Sabbath that then we haue an especiall care sometime of the weeke to repay that time which we tooke on the Sabbath by imploying so much of the weeke vnto holie exercises so that although God hath not the precise time prescribed which he requireth yet hee may haue at least the equitie thereof so much time Now there be I know that vnto these workes All workes of mercie may not be done vpon the Sabbath which God hath in his word dispensed with to be done vpon the Sabbath doe adde moreouer all works of mercie which I take may no further be done vpon the Sabbath than they come within one of the foresaid limitations that is that they be either in speciall commanded as 1. Cor. 16. 1. As first collections for the poore of which kinde also are visiting of the poore and sicke and such like or such as godlinesse requireth as a man may trauaile to bring others vnto the exercises of religion or necessitie inforceth vs vnto of which before But if neither of these leade vs thereunto though they be workes of mercie yet they must be deferred As for example a poore man hath an aker of corne to bee cut who is not able to pay for the cutting of it neither yet to cut it himself Now to help such a man there is no man but wil say it is a deed of charity to cut his corne yet if his neighbours should some sixe or seuen of them euery one take his sithe and cut downe his corne vpon the Sabbath they should breake the Sabbath and should cleane contradict Gods commandement that forbiddeth them to doe any seruile worke vpon the Sabbath for this charitie to our neighbour must not take away our dutie to God nor hinder it vnlesse as before The conclusion then of this point is this That no kinde of ordinarie or seruile worke may bee done vpon the Sabbath neither in the house nor in the citie nor in the fields nor vpon the seas be they neuer so small or neuer so meete or neuer so glorious in shew except either God commaund it extraordinarily or that the worke tend directly to Gods worship or be of necessitie either for the preseruation of life or health or goods in which respects God hath giuen vs allowance vpon the Sabbath to worke and not otherwise And this much touching the first kind of workes here principallie and by name forbidden CHAP. III. On the Sabbath we must rest from recreations Sect. 1. And pastimes namely dauncing Sect. 2. Also from wordly words Sect. 3. And thoughts Sect. 4. But aboue all from sinne Sect. 5. § Sect. 1 BVt now doth God meane that these workes of our ordinarie vocation Pastimes vpon the Sabbath vnlawfull are only forbidden and no others Surely no for as I will neuer think that when Dauid prayed Lord turne away mine eyes that I behold not vanitie Psal 119. 37 he meant that his eares should stand open to heare vanitie no
Ye were once darknes Now that it is a worke of euill men appeareth in that the worst men for the most part most desire it and that it is vnfruitfull I meane as touching any fruite vnto godlinesse who seeth not seeing no man is made the better the wiser the holier or more religious thereby No man is drawne thereby to reforme any euill in himselfe no corruption reprooued no sin abated no repentance wrought no feare Seeing then no grapes grow on these thornes nor figs vpon these thistles but that as the tree is so is his fruite and as his fruite is so is the tree it followeth that as the Apostle willeth wee haue no fellowship with these vnfruitfull works of darknes but rather reprooue them Which wee shall the sooner doe if wee consider how disagreeing they are with the profession of a Christian who is willed to be sober to gird vp the loynes of his minde Luk. 17. to crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof Galath 5. 24. to seeke those things which are aboue Coloss 3. 2. All which or any one how doth a Christian practise in his wanton dauncing But were there no other reasons but this one that it is offensiue vnto good men and especially vnto Gods ministers it ought to bee left For as the Apostle would neuer eate meate while the world stood rather than hee would offend his brother so doubtlesse had they the Apostles minde that vse it they would neuer daunce whilest they liue rather than they would offend their brethren Indeede were it a dutie that were commanded then they were to doe it whosoeuer said to the contrarie and the offence was not giuen but taken but being a thing indifferent which wee may doe or not we ought to leaue it in that our brethren are offended at it And yet further to shew the euils of dauncing I might alleage the euill of the punishment that is oftentimes vpon them First in their bodies by their vnmeasurable toyle aches surfets and so consequently deadly feuers are ingendred in their soules that whatsoeuer they haue composed and ordered in the day or time before they shall finde it all troubled and out of course in their goods a thriftlesse and prodigall wasting and spending of them as also losse of their time that can neuer be recouered If they thinke that I speake not the truth herein let them no more but when they lie downe vpon their beds examine their own consciences whether it he not so As also oftentimes the wrath of God lighting vpon them in the middest of their sports In a daunce the daughters of Shilo were all defloured Iudg. 21. 21. In a daunce the men of Siglag were all slaine 1. Sam. 30. 16. Whilest the Israelites daunced about the calfe the wrath of God grew hot amongst them Exod. 32. And Iob sheweth how the wicked goe to hell in a daunce Iob. 21. Is not all this sufficient to prooue it euill if not yet it is certaine that it hath an appearance of euill and therefore wee must abstaine from it For 1. Thess 5. 22. the Apostle willeth vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill But howsoeuer at other times it may be held circumstances considered an exercise not so euill yet vpon the Sabbath I will iustifie it to be a notable euill First because by this the rest is broken as farre foorth as by any other labour Secondly the minde is distracted and lead away to pleasures when as it should bee wholy intent to Gods worship But they serue God will some say although they daunce Surely no more than they can goe two waies at once or indite a letter and tell a tale no more can they minde their pleasures and serue God too It is Christs rule a man cannot serue God and riches no more can hee serue God and pleasures Yet my soule weepeth in secret to see that whereas God hath appointed his Sabbath to be sanctified and kept holie and his word then to bee taught this wantonnes hath miserably incroched vpon him and taken his right and part and giuen it to sports and pastimes to kissings and imbracings and wrung his righteous scepter out of his hand and giuen it vnto Lords of Misrule euen so farre foorth that now the striuing is for these things For this sinne of wantonnes hath set vp a monarchie in the mindes of men and beginneth now to striue with God for his day for when say they should we do these things if not vpon the Sondaies But as for the preaching of the word catechising and instruction these are but the lesser things of the law they are but mint and cummin but the great things of the Sabbath are their sports though God requireth that his kingdome should first be sought and that all other businesses and delights too should be set aside for his seruice And therfore as here he dispenseth with our workes for a day so 1. Cor. 7. 4. he dispenseth with the very duties of mariage it selfe for a time that the married may giue themselues to prayer yea Ioel. 2. 15. he calleth the bride and the bridegroome out of their bed chamber who though hee would not haue sundred the first yeere for any affaires of warre yet they must come foorth into the assemblie and doth hee not then call vs much more from these foolish vanities Will he restraine the bride and the bridegroome from delighting one in anothers loue for a season that his seruice may be performed and will he then thinke you allow these foolish vanities vpon the Sabbath Of which I may say as Ionah They that waite vpon them forsake their owne mercie Ion. 2. 8. But you wil say all doe not this Tell not me what some doe not but tell me what the most part doe to proue a disease contagious it is sufficient to shew that many bee infected by it and in matters of perill what commeth often not alwaies to passe though in this I dare say it fareth as in a common plague in which it is no wonder to see many die but it is a wonder to see any escape the infection For shew me almost one that is a common dauncer that preferreth not his pleasure before Gods seruice Yea but you will say be it that dauncing is euill yet were not a man better to daunce vpon the Sabbath than to doe worse Answ First I would know of such whether there be a necessitie laid vpon them to doe naught must they needes doe this or else will they doe worse Are they Ieremies Negroes that neuer wil be washed white And haue they so accustomed themselues to do euill that they can doe no good Iere. 13. 23. Secondly if it be so I would know of them because they will do bad or else they will doe worse whether the Magistrate must therefore suffer them to doe bad were it not to giue the way vnto all sinne and iniquitie But thirdly how in this reasoning is goodnesse and badnesse tied by
idle word especially for those that they shall thus vainly babble foorth vpon the Sabbath And so much touching the outward breach of the Sabbath But yet here is not all for a man to cease from §. Sect. 4. these outward workes for these concerne the very beasts as well as man we must therefore consider that as a man doth consist of two parts a bodie and a soule so God hath a regard vnto them both and as he requires of the bodie an externall rest that no labour may hinder holinesse so he requires of the soule an internall rest from all sinne and that rest indeed is proper to man and it is to rest from the workes of the flesh which Esay 58. 13. are also called our waies or workes and these are properly and indeede seruile and the worst kinde of seruile workes of all others And therefore as other thy workes are here forbidden which are seruile because they hinder holinesse so these kinde of seruile workes aboue all others are forbidden because they not onely hinder holinesse but are opposite vnto it so farre foorth as hee which is subiect vnto them is free from holinesse Rom. 6. 20. Against these therfore it is that Esay so bitterly inueigheth I cannot abide your Sabbaths c. Esai 1. 13. But why so vers 15. he giueth a reason for your hands are full of blood And Esai 58. when they come vnto him in hypocrisie and seemed to finde fault with God that he would not accept their fast which had the nature of a Sabbath and as appeareth in the end of the chapter is called his holy day God yeeldeth them a reason why he did not accept it Behold saith he ye fast to strife and vnto debate to smite with the fist of wickednesse vers 4. Hauing thus shewed their fast then he rates them for it vers 5. Is it such a fast saith he that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day call yee this a fast or an acceptable day vnto the Lord c. And hauing thus rated them then he shewes them what a true fast is to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthens to take away the yoke and putting foorth of the finger vnderstand to any euill work and wicked speaking if any man doe these things hee keepes a true rest I know well this rest from our sinnes must bee kept in the whole course of our liues yet vpon the Sabbath aboue all wee must take heede that sinne enter not vpon vs because it is opposite vnto the sanctitie thereof § Sect. 5 And as wee must haue a speciall care of committing any sinne because that is truly seruile so must we take heede that we doe not make the duties of holinesse seruile also by not regarding the manner of doing them which is that they bee done in faith and in obedience to Gods commandement For if wee shall doe these workes to that end that we may merit by the doing of them either the fauour of God or man then they become seruile works also and we haue our reward Or if wee doe them in hypocrisie the manner of doing them aright not obserued then God regardeth them not For he that in this manner killeth an oxe is as if hee slew a man and he that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogges head his oblation is as swines blood and his incense as the blessing of an Idoll Esai 66. 3. And therefore Matth. 7. Christ calleth such workers of iniquitie because though they did good workes for they prophecied and cast out diuels yet they did them not well but in hypocrisie for God doth not onely require at a mans hands that he doe good but also that he doe it well for if thou doest well saith God to Cain shall it not be accepted He doth not say if thou doest good it shall be accepted but if thou doest well to shew that good things must be well done And that he meaneth so appeareth in that which he presently addeth But if thou doest not well saith he sin lieth at the doore thereby putting it out of doubt that if a good thing be not well done it is sinne and in regard hereof it is that Esai chap. 58. reckoneth the hypocrite a Sabbath-breaker though hee did humble himselfe by fasting c. And therefore let the hypocrite and popish meritmonger bee well assured that though they digge deepe to couer their sinnes and dissemble deeply with God at the Church yet let them be well assured I say that their owne sinne will finde them out Num. 32. 23. and that it will waite and tarrie them like their dogges at the doore yea and will hunt them and neuer leaue them vntill it haue brought them vnto destruction if they learne not to serue the Lord aright And lastly as the soule must keep this Sabbath or rest from sin vpon this day especially so must we look also that our minds and thoughts be not carried away with the meditation of worldlie matters For God requireth not onely thy bodie but thy soule yea thy very thoughts Luk. 10. 27. And howsoeuer vpon the weeke it be lawfull for thee to ponder these things yet vpon the Sabbath thou must not thinke thine owne will Esai 58. 13. A man must not therefore busie his head vpon the Sabbath about his worldly businesse nor about the effecting of his delights in the weeke following but he must bee wholie as it were another man from that which he was in the weeke before and he must vpon the Sabbath let fall the care of these earthly things as Elias did his mantle when hee was rapt vp into heauen To conclude therefore this point of the rest whosoeuer vpon the Sabbath doth no seruile worke of his ordinarie vocation neither in his house at home nor in the citie nor in the fields abroad nor at sea sauing onely such as are of necessitie to be done or are for the performance of Gods worship commanded or else warranted by his extraordinary command and also forbeareth all recreations sports playes or pastimes keeping his tongue from vaine words and his heart from wickednesse and worldly cares hee truly and in deede keepeth the rest of the Sabbath And this much touching the first dutie required in the obseruation of the Sabbath which is to rest CHAP. IIII. The rest of the Sabbath must bee sanctified Sect. 1. What it is to sanctifie a thing Sect. 2. The duties of the Sabbath are publique priuate or mixt Sect. 3. On the Sabbath there must be a publique assemblie Sect. 4. How we are to behaue our selues in it Sect. 5. The publique duties are preaching and hearing Sect. 6. Administring and partaking the Sacrament Sect. 7. Execution of discipline Sect. 8. § Sect. 1 THat rest is here commanded we haue alreadie seene but that is not all this The rest of the Sabbath must be sanctified rest must bee sanctified For it is not
is our continuance We must not depart before the publique exercise be ended which the Prince himselfe is bound vnto For the Prince shall be in the middest of them he shall go in when they goe in and when they goe foorth they shall goe foorth together Ezek. 46. 10. Neither yet was this a dutie other than became a King to doe which made Dauid desire to bee a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord. Now a doore-keeper is first in and last out Such a one saith Dauid would I bee in Gods house Neither was Dauid alone in it but the people When Zachary saw a vision in the Temple though he stayed long yet they waited for him Luk. 1. 24. they would not depart without the blessing which the Priest was to pronounce Numb 6. 24. We see in the Court great men will not depart without the Princes leaue but out of Gods court euery whistle of pleasure is sufficient to call vs away and it fareth with the Preacher oftentimes while hee is in the pulpit as with Christ while hee wrote with his singer on the ground they goe out one by one till he be left alone especially if he chance a little to sting them as indeede if hee preach well his words bee like goades Eccl. 12. 11. then vp they start as if their seate had been shaken vnder them and away they fling as if the stout had taken them One moues this question what should be the cause a man should talk so long about worldly matters and neuer bee wearie but in matters of godlinesse should so soone giue ouer As for example let a man reade a storie he will sit vp all night to reade it and wee can sit a whole after-noone and talke of nothing but of worldly matters and neuer complaine of being wearie so can wee spend whole daies and nights at cardes and dice and neuer giue ouer But come wee vnto matters of religion come we vnto a sermon goe we to prayer good Lord what a businesse is there to keepe open our eyes one houre it is euen the very time of tediousnesse vnto vs and wee think of such a time as those in Amos of the new Moone Amos 8 which was the first day of euery moneth which they accounted as a whole moneth When will the new Moone be gone say they as if the day had bin vnto thē so long as a whole moneth What is the reason of this Surely Sathan knoweth well that if he let vs alone in these things downe goeth his kingdome therefore he setteth vpon vs as soone as may bee and our corruption which vnto good is lesse than a will but vnto euill more than a will presently like a traytor giueth ouer any longer to resist Now to stay vs against these temptations let vs bethink our selues when we are assailed by them as Peter Lord whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life and promise as Dauid to goe into the house of the Lord and that our feet shall stand in his gates Psal 122. 2. yea that we will dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of our liues Psal 27. 4. And this if we did once set down with our selues we should not so soone be wearie of these things And this much touching these helpes and meanes conducing to the keeping of the Sabbath in publique § Sect. 6 Now it remaineth that we intreate of the publique duties themselues which are three the first whereof is the preaching and publique reading The word must be preached vpon the Sabbath of the word being sanctified by the publique prayers of the Church The second the administration of the Sacraments And the third discipline of all which in order And first that the word is to bee preached vpon the Sabbath is euident Act. 15. 21. in that Moses had of old time in euery citie those that preached him seeing hee is read euery Sabbath in the Synagogue For it was their manner after they had read it to giue the sense and cause the people to vnderstand the reading Nehe. 8. 8. And at Antiochia after the lecture of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue requested Paul and Barnabas to preach Act. 13. 15. If yee haue any word of exhortation for the people say on And after they had taught the Iewes the Gentiles requested them to preach the same things the next Sabbath which they did vers 44. Yea and this Christ did ordinarily for it was his custome Luk. 4. 16. Neither was it ordinary amongst the Iewes onely but at Troas the first day of the weeke which is our Sabbath they came together and Paul preached vnto them Act. 20. 7. And good reason that it should be so for if the word be the seede of regeneration whereby we are begotten againe and wee cannot enter vnlesse wee be borne againe Ioh. 3 how can we be without it If it be that milke whereby we are fed how can we grow without it 1. Pet. 2. 2. It is a question that yet in the memorie of man was neuer assoiled how a man might bee saued without the preaching of the word For how can wee beleeue in him of whom wee haue not heard and how can we heare without a preacher Rom. 10. 14. And therefore let them that hold faith and denie preaching answere the Apostle and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth and pleade no more for preaching otherwise I cannot but hold it the ordinarie meanes vnto saluation yea and such a one as that the world though it count preaching foolishnes cannot be saued without it 1. Cor. 1. 12. Indeed some say is not reading of the Scriptures and Homilies as good as preaching Indeed they are good we denie not and a good meanes also to saluation yet not matchable with the word preached which if they might be thought so in the iudgement of men yet must wee not appoint God meanes by which he shall saue vs. But you will say the word may be preached at some other time I graunt it but then much more on the Sabbath the day being set apart thereunto and his blessing being most vpon his owne ordinance wee ought most to expect it vpon that day But as by this it appeareth that the Minister is bound to teach so on the Sabbath the people are The people are bound to heare the word vpon the Sabbath bound to heare For hee that saith the Priests lips should preserue knowledge saith also that the people must seeke the law at his mouth Mal. 2. Yea the King himselfe is bound thereunto although the distractions of his affaires might seeme to let him And therefore away with these excuses It is too farre it is too soone it is too late it is too cold it is too hot euery excuse will easily let vs and wee can better away with it to sit at cards on the Sabbath by a hot fire than to sit at a Sermon with God in a
cold church Tush it is enough to serue God in the fore-noone but to serue him againe in the after-noone is too much though in the law the sacrifices were doubled that day Num. 28. yet now to go twice to the seruice and sermon is too much holinesse But whilest wee will not be too holy wee are grosly foolish and prophane keeping back halfe as Ananias when God requires the whole Yea but the world was neuer so bad as since Obiections remoued there was so much preaching and there are none so bad as they that runne after sermons Indeede these are the voices of them that haue sold themselues to worke wickednesse and it is no marueile to heare them disclaime preaching for they whose eyes are sore crie out against the light yet is there no fault in the light but their eies be bad so is it with these men they are euill themselues but the word is good Esay 49. 8. And therfore they crie out against it because as the light it maketh all things manifest and therfore it is as welcome amongst them as a torch is amongst a companie of the eues which they willingly labor to put out least their dealings should bee espied so true is that which our Sauiour saith Euery one that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to the light least their deedes should be reprooued Ioh. 3. 20. And this is the cause why the Papists and the Atheists are so much against the word because it maketh their dealings to be seene therefore they put out the light that they may sinne the more greedily in the darke Secondly I answere as the Apostle reasoneth What if sinne shall take an occasion by the law to be more sinfull shall we therfore blame the law God forbid So if iniquitie hath neuer been so rife as now it is in the rifenes of the Gospell shall we lay the fault vpon the Gospell we may not doe it no more than the Apostle might vpon the law for it is most certaine the word is as a light vnto our feete and it sheweth vs what is the will of our Master Now whether thinke you is more likely to stumble he that seeth or hee that is blinde and whether is likelier to doe his masters businesse hee that knowes his will or he that is ignorant of it Thirdly I see not how it may come to passe that men should be the worse for preaching For doth the preacher teach it or doth hee not crie out against sinne against adulterie oathes Sabbath-breaking oppression and such like These cockle and weedes are none of their planting they sow good seede faith in Christ repentance from dead workes c. But will you know how this commeth to passe looke Matth. 13. 28. The enuious man hath done it the Iesuite hath done it the Papist hath done it the Atheist hath done it the Diuell the father of them all hath done it for this is their cockle and darnell that they haue sowen amongst the wheate and these are they that make men two-fold more the children of hell than they were before Lastly as for those that truly imbrace the Gospell howsoeuer they may and doe a thousand times condemne themselues of sinne before the Lord and go mourning and hanging downe their heads that it is so yet they may easily compare with these Blackamoores these Papists and Atheists that haue nothing white besides their teeth And therefore I conclude with Salomon Eccl. 7. 12. Say not that former times are better than these for then thou doest not wisely Inquire for it is certaine that sinne was as rife heretofore as now but not so much seene for then they liued in blindnesse and ignorance whereas now they liue in the sunshine of the Gospell Now let a man come into a house at midnight he seeth nothing out of order but let him come in at midday he shall espie many faults So in the time of Poperie wee liued in darknesse euen as grosse as that of Egypt we could not then as we say see the wood for trees nor know sin for sin all almost was veniall or rather commendable for the Masse an abominable Idoll was counted the highest point of religion but now the Sun is risen we see things to be as they are and therfore howsoeuer they blame preaching yet must wee lay holde vpon it as the light that must guide vs through this world full of daungers But will some say we haue not the word preached where wee are The more is the pitie but what shall we doe in the meane time wee must doe as beggers wee must seeke it the law cannot restraine them but they will begge rather than they will starue Or else as it was said of the people of God in the famine that they sighed and sought their bread and gaue their pleasant things for meate Lament 1. So must you the soule being more worth than the body ye must doe so much for the soule at least as yee would for the bodie Giue then your pleasant things for meate How many Ministers stand idle I say not in the market place but in the Vniuersities that no man hath hired send for them shew your selues christians honour God with your riches Prou. 3. 9. let him haue the first fruites of your increase The Israelites for their Calfe plucked off their earings and frontiles and Michah hired a Leuite for his Teraphim at his owne charge And shall these Idolaters rise in iudgement to condemne you But the cost would be great But if it were a greater matter were it to haue thy fourth against thy neighbor thou wouldest bestow it and wilt thou not bestow so much to doe him good no nor thy selfe neither Out vpon that money and that treasure that shall lie and rust by thee when thou shouldest dispend it to the aduantage of thy soule the rust of it shall beare witnesse against thee in the day of vengeance and then what will it aduantage thee to haue a fat purse and a leane soule Buy therefore now whilest thou maist the truth but sell it not buy the field where the treasure is The good Merchant will doe so be thou therefore the good Merchant thou canst be no loser by it and therefore buy it And this much touching the first publike dutie namely the preaching and hearing of the word § Sect. 7 The second publique exercise of the Sabbath is the right and due administration and receiuing The administration of the Sacraments a dutie of the Sabbath of the Sacraments which being part of the Ministers dutie Matth. 28. 20 is to haue a place in the Sabbath and therefore when Paul preached at Troas they brake bread also Yea and this is so set downe that it is made the end of their comming together namely to breake bread Act. 20. 7. And 1. Cor. 11. 18. Paul reproouing their faults in their publike assemblies hath these words When therfore yee come together into one place this is not to
incense And least we should pleade ignorance that wee know not how to pray hee giueth vs his spirit to helpe our infirmities Rom. 8. yea and promiseth that his eares shall stand open whensoeuer we pray Psal 34. 15. This then maketh against those that on the Sabbath or else neuer pray But let such know that it is a certaine token vnto them that they are wicked men For Dauid going about to describe wicked men giueth this as a speciall marke of them they call not vpon the Lord Psal 14. 4. Secondly it stirreth vs vp to performe this dutie especially seeing Christ requires it Cant. 8. 13. My loue let me heare thy voyce And so much for prayer § Sect. 3 The second exercise that is both priuate and publique is the reading of the Scriptures which 2. Reading of the Sriptures appeareth in that Christ willeth vs to search the Scriptures and Matth. 12. Haue you not read in the law as though wee were bound to reade it And in very truth the King himselfe is bound to doe it Deut. 17. 19. Which wee will yet doe so much the sooner if we consider that he is blessed that readeth c. Reu. 1. 2. Which reasons lead the Bereans Act. 17. 11. when they had heard Paul to see whether it were so or no. And as we must reade the word in priuate so must it be read in publique Paul would haue his Epistle read in the Church of Laodicea Coloss 4. 16. And Nehem. 8. the Priests first read the law and then afterwards gaue the sense So Act. 13. they had a lecture of the law And Act. 15. Moses was preached seeing he was read Now it may be many would reade but as the woman answered Christ when hee would drinke thou hast nothing to draw so they would reade but they haue no bookes Of those that come to the assemblie how many can reade I mistake I would say of those that can reade how many haue bookes If a man haue taken a peece of ground he is neuer quiet til he haue his lease or coppie or deeds If he doubt in any clause he will either looke in it himselfe or goe to him that can reade But in these things wee passe not wee thinke wee shall stumble vpon saluation well enough though we neuer seek it It is reported of the Iewes that they Iosephus knew the Scriptures as well as their owne names but amongst vs many scarce know the names of the Scriptures When a booke is named they know not where to finde it This was the policie of popish times to keep the people in ignorance hauing herein followed the policie of the Philistines who because they would keepe the Israelites in slauerie would not allow the vse of any weapons vnto them Ionathan and his Armour-bearer and Saul onely excepted whom forsooth they would seeme to grace nor permit a Smith among them the reason was least they should make them swords and as for their tooles they must come downe to the Philistines to sharpen them So deale the Papists they claspe vp the book of God in an vnknowne tongue and wrest out of lay mens hands the sword of the Spirit which is the word Onely they vouchsafe it to some few of their faction for a mischiefe but as for the people they must come downe to the Popes Decrees and Church-traditions vnwritten truths and vntrue writings and there they must sharpen their tooles but Smith must they haue none no Preacher least hee make them swords Yea but they will say many grow into errors by reading of the word Answ First I know no greater heresie than Poperie that is an heresie of heresies Secondly if this bee a good reason that because many abuse it therefore others may not vse it I see not but that men must forsake their meate and drinke also because some be drunken and some surfet So the Sacrament should be banished because some receiue it to their condemnation Nay so the word yea Christ himselfe should not be receiued because he is put for the fall of many Luk. 2. They must therefore know that in things indifferent in themselues though the abuse doth take away the vse yet not so in things commanded vs yea but shall we giue holy things to dogges No but will you withhold the childrens bread because the dogs catch at it Should a Captaine because some be alwaies quarelling stabbing and killing therefore presentlie commaund that all his souldiers should lay aside their weapons No but rather that they take armes to beate downe the quarellers And so wee say that the wearing of weapons breedes peace and so must we vse our spirituall weapons but whereas they pretend a feare of running into errors God hath promised to giue his spirit vnto his that shal leade them into all truth and better they cannot bee lead than by the word for that is a glasse wherein a man may see what is amisse Friends dare not tell a man his faults for feare of displeasing Enemies will not But reade the word and thou shalt see there is no fault which thou hast committed in all thy life but either Moses or Dauid or Salomon or Peter or Paul or one of the Prophets or of the Apostles will tell thee of it And therefore being that reading shewes a man his error how can it be that it should bring him into error And so much for the second dutie that is mixt § Sect. 4 The third dutie is singing of Psalmes which also is an exercise of the Sabbath as appeareth in The third is singing of Psalmes that all are exhorted and stirred vp thereunto Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the world young men and maides old men and children all must praise the Lord. And againe Psal 147. 1 2 Praise the Lord. Of which he giueth diuers reasons First it is a good thing then what better time than to doe it vpon the Sabbath Secondly because in good things wee are soone wearie vnlesse we delight in them therefore he saith it is a pleasant thing so that it is as it were the Sabbaths recreation Lastly because there are many things pleasant which yet are not seemely therefore he shewes that it is such a pleasant thing that is also comely There are good things that yet are not pleasing as afflictions which are grieuâ—us for the present Heb. 12. 11. And there are pleasant things that yet are not comely as foolish iesting Ephes 5. 4. But this hath all three it is good pleasant and comely Good in it owne nature pleasant to the hearers and comely to the vser It is good there is no euill in it it is pleasant there is no harshnes in it it is comely there is no affectation in it In regard hereof Paul and Silas sang in prison Act. 16. 25. And Christ after supper sang a Psalme or Himne Matth. 26. It was their exercise and that in publique as well as in priuate as
c. which notablie meeteth with the backwardnes of this generation that hardly can bee drawne to learne that which in truth they cannot be without And so much of the fourth mixt dutie § Sect. 6 The fifth and last of these mixt duties is the shewing of mercie vnto our brethren for as this is a 5. Duties of mercie day wherein God sheweth the greatest mercie vnto vs in that he bestoweth vpon vs his word a rare and singular blessing and therefore a singular blessing because it is so rare For hee hath not dealt so with euery nation Psal 147. 20 As I say he hath shewed vs this mercie so should wee shew mercie one vnto another And here first order must bee taken in publique vpon the Sabbath that collections bee made for the reliefe of the poore Saints 1. Cor. 16. 1. And as in publique reliefe must be made for them so also in priuate it behoueth vs to visit and to goe vnto them as Christ did to the sicke and lame folkes lying at the poole of Bethesda Ioh. 5. that by that meanes wee might the better bee acquainted with their wants as also the more stirred vp to yeeld them some reliefe and of our superfluitie to send vnto them as in Nehemiahs time vpon a Sabbath after they had heard the word they did eate and sent part vnto them for whom none was prouided Nehe. 8. 10. But now vpon the Sabbath what is our manner so soone as we haue dined No regard is had but presently we call for cards or tables or else away we haste to bowles or to dauncing or some such like exercises but vnto the poore whose bowels sound like shaulmes for want of foode and whose faces gather blacknes through famine we haue no bowels of compassion notwithstanding the pitifull child halfe starued and hanging vpon the mothers breast crieth out ready to giue vp the ghost where is bread and where is drinke and that the hearts of the parents fall in sunder like drops of water because they haue not to giue vnto them Be moued with this my brethren you that are fed with the fattest of the stall and more than the flower of wheate spare something of your excesse to relieue their penurie Behold shall the mother eate her fruite and childe of a spanne long shall they perish and die at your doores and in their houses for some had rather starue at home than goe abroad to begge shall they perish I say without compassion Will you spare no dishes from your tables nor morsels from your mouthes to relieue them no not though Christ commaund it and reckoneth what is done vnto them as done vnto himself Matth. 25. Shall he send them vnto you hungrie pitifull naked and miserable and will you doe nothing vnto them for his sake that did so much for yours If he would he could haue made you poore and them rich or prouided riches enough for all or made no more than hee had riches for or he could haue made that the Rauens should feed them as they did Elias or that they should haue needed no foode as Moses in the mount But hee would haue it thus to trie what you would doe for him and therefore to this end he saith Ye shal alwaies haue the poore with you why then giue them of your bread to eate and of your wooll to clothe them At least if you will not do it for the poores sake yet do it for Christs sake Loe he will accept it as done vnto himselfe for Matth. 25. 4. when the righteous shall denie that they had either clothed him or fed him c. what is his answere In as much as you haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me But will some man say I am a poore man and I haue nothing for my selfe and therefore nothing to giue Neither had the Apostle Siluer and gold haue I none saith Peter Act. 3. 6. yet such as he had he gaue so hast thou no siluer nor gold yet thou hast instruction admonition consolation and such like giue these then for they be almes and duties of mercie and are most agreeing to the nature of a Sabbath The other doe good to the bodie but these doe good both to the bodie and soule and this thou oughtest to doe For if thou must helpe vp thy brothers asse that is downe vnder his burthen then how much more thy brother that is downe vnder the burthen of sinne And if thou must pull a beast out of the mire then much more a man out of the mire of sinne 2. Peter 2. 22. And if it be a dutie to make peace betwixt man and man vpon the Sabbath then much more betwixt God and man And therefore helpe thy brother with this almes and relieue his wants but this if thou hast not to giue then thou art poore and needest it thy selfe and therefore must seeke it of others And so much touching these mixt duties vpon the Sabbath CHAP. VI. Of priuate duties namely meditation Sect. 1. And conference Sect. 2. § Sect. 1 THe exercises that are only priuate follow and they are two meditation We must vpon the Sabbath meditate vpon that we heare and conference That we are bound to meditate vpon the Sabbath appeareth by the practise of one of the best Sabbathists that euer was the Prophet Dauid that professed it to be his exercise continually Psal 119 and if continually then on the Sabbath much more As also it appeareth in that God inioyned it to Iosua that hee should meditate in the booke of the law day and night I trust then that there is no man but will say that then he was commaunded to doe it vpon the Sabbath and that we haue neede to doe it it appeareth by the weaknesse of our memories which may well be compared vnto ashes as Iob saith that easily lose any impression that is made in them and if wee neuer rehearse that which we haue heard but suffer all to runne out like leaking tubs as fast as it comes in and that the Preachers words make only a thorowfare in our heads comming in at the one eare and going out at the other when shall we profit by it No no it is the hiding and not the hearing of the word that makes vs wise Otherwise as it was said of the widowes 1. Timoth. 5. that they were alwaies learning but neuer comen vnto the knowledge of the truth so may it be said of many hearers that they are alwaies hearing and neuer profiting because we meditate not on it Well the stomack that receiueth meate and presently putteth it vp againe we say is sicke As it fareth with the bodie so is it with the soule if it draw no nourishment out of the spirituall foode of the word it is a sick soule Yea but will some man say my memorie is An obiection remoued short and I cannot remember what the Preacher said I thinke
of the Ministerie than a lame man were to goe without his crutches they are or they should be the salt of the earth but if the salt season not you know it is good for nothing no not for the dunghill What thinke you then of the Church is the Church worse than a dunghill that you season it with such vnsauourie salt The Ministers should feed and giue the milke of the word vnto the people but these are more cruell than the very Dragons for they giue sucke vnto their young Lament 4. 3 but these starue and famish them Well they are cruell Nurses that take a mans childe to nurse and haue drie breasts But what are these that take Gods children to nurse and haue no breasts What shall we doe for them when they shall bee spoken for There is no father but would say of such a nurse she hath murdered my childe And doubtlesse God our father when he shall make inquisition for the bloud of his children will account them no lesse than murderers I know what will be answered they are men and they must liue they cannot digge and they are ashamed to begge what then must they rob must they kill I say more starue the soules of Gods people Rather let them returne to their occupations whence they came and let them that waies shift if at least they doubt of Gods mercie towards them or thinke that hee will not regard them but it were a thousand times better for them to digge or begge or starue than thus to starue the soules of Gods people and to sell them for morsels of bread and handfuls of barley Ezech. 13. 19. But I know my words are too weake to preuaile in this case Well yet let them know that their sinnes are written before the Lord with the poynt of a Diamond and that he will neuer forget them vntill he be auenged of them vnto the full vnlesse they repent And so much touching the lets by which wee are held from the duties of holines on the Sabbath THE THIRD BOOKE TREATING OF THE PERsons that must keepe the Sabbath CHAP. I. We our selues must keepe the Sabbath and those that are vnder our charge Sect. 1. The father must see that the sonne keepe the Sabbath Sect. 2. And the master that his seruant keepe it Sect. 3. § Sect. 1 OF the keeping of the Sabbath holie we haue alreadie heard it remaineth that wee consider the persons whom these duties doe concerne which are either thy selfe or those that are vnder thee And first he requireth it at thy hands We must first obserue the Sabbath in our owne persons because hee would haue reformation alwaies to begin where loue doth that is with it selfe and then with those that are at our elbowes And of this there is great reason For if a man be not himselfe reformed either hee is remisse in reforming of others because they are like himselfe or if he be forwards yet hee shall be challenged because he is in his practise vnlike himselfe and is like the boate-man that fetcheth his stroake one way and looketh another Therefore God speaketh in the second person of the singular number the reason of which is that euery man may know that God speaketh vnto him directly When Princes make a law they vse generall termes as no man shall doe such a thing or euery man shall doe such a thing but these lawes we vse to shift off as if they concerned vs not For say we that which is spoken to all is spoken to none This God wisely preuenteth and speaketh to thee directly thou shalt do no manner of worke The reason why God speaketh in this manner is because sinne hath gotten her a whores forehead Ier. 3. 3. it will not blush nor bee ashamed vnlesse it bee pointed at and vnlesse a man speake vnto it as the voyce vnto Nebuchadnezzar To thee be it spoken In deede a good man when he readeth any thing in the Scripture spoken in so generall termes doth sometimes applie it vnto himselfe as Dauid Psal 40. 7. In the volume of thy booke saith he it is written of me that I should doe thy will which though it be no where in particular written of Dauid yet hee being a man applies it in particular vnto himselfe as if it had bin spoken vnto him And there be I confesse some like Dauid but this sect hath not many disciples For the most are of minde that it concerneth any man rather than themselues of which mind Dauid also was when Nathan came vnto him with a parable which stifnes of ours God obseruing speaketh in particular to euery man Thou shalt not doe any manner of worke So that this euery man when he readeth it must needes confesse as Dauid it is written of me and so must the King say this is written of me that I should keepe the Sabbath so must the master say this is written of me that I should keepe the Sabbath so the Minister so the husbandman and so of the rest for this is spoken vnto euery man of what place or calling so euer he be of what sexe or age so euer he be And vnto that purpose in the word we shall find precepts of euery sort to inforce so much Isai 56. ver 5. the Eunuch must keepe the Sabbath Neh. 13. 15. the victualler must keepe the Sabbath Exod. 31. 3 4. the artificer must keepe the Sabbath Nehe. 10. 31. the buyer and seller must keepe the Sabbath Ierem. 17. the carriers and porters must keepe the Sabbath Exo. 34. the husbandman must keepe the Sabbath Exo. 44. 24. the Priest must keepe the Sabbath And what shall I more say if any might except then the Prince either by reason of his authoritie or his distractions in waightie affaires but the Prince himselfe must be in the middest of them Ezech. 46. 9 10. And therefore wee see none is exempt from this dutie but thou whosoeuer thou art must keepe the Sabbath Though neither yet art thou alone bound in Those that are vnder vs must keepe the Sabbath thine owne person to keepe it but also in thy place to see it kept Art thou a father then thou must see that thy sonne keepe it Art thou a Master then thou must see that thy seruant keep it Art thou a Prince then thou must see that thy subiect keepe it for the commaundement runneth thus thou must keepe it and thy sonne thou and thy seruint thou and thy cattell thou and thy stranger But why is not the husband also in ioyned to see his wife keepe the Sabbath The reason is first because she is a part of her husband and they twaine be but one man Rom. 5. 19. Secondly she is a gouernour in the familie with the man and therefore she is to see that others keepe the Sabbath Thirdly all are not mentioned in the commaundement but it is figuratiue and a part is put for the whole For as the master is ouer the seruant or
thou rather disobey God than chastise thy sonne Yea haddest thou rather let him stand vnder the heauie wrath of God which burneth vnto the bottome of hell for breaking his Sabbath than to correct him then woe worth the time may thy childe say that euer hee knew the that lettest him thus to die for want of correction And this much shortly concerning the duties of parents towards their children in compelling them to keepe the Sabbath § Sect. 3 The next dutie is of Masters towards their seruants who are so farre foorth bound to see The master must see that the seruant keep the Sabbath their seruants keepe the Sabbath as themselues For God will haue them his seruants aswell as theirs and to doe his businesse vpon the seuenth day aswell as their masters vpon the sixe daies And this in truth wee ought to doe if not in this regard that God commaundeth vs whose commaund should be of greatest authoritie with vs yet at least that we may shew our selues good gouernours and that we gouerne them as tendring their good ouer whom we are set and wherein can we more tender them than in bringing them vnto the knowledge of the chiefe good euen vnto the sauing knowledge of God in Iesus Christ And if we will not yet gouerne as tendring their good yet at least let vs doe it as tendring our owne for be yee well assured that he that is not faithfull to God will neuer be faithfull to thee and that hee that will not serue God truly will neuer ferue thee truly Well hee may serue thee so long as thine eye is vpon him but when thy backe is turned his seruice is ended But the seruant that feareth the Lord will be as faithfull vnto thee when thou lookest off as when thou lookest on for hee knowes well that a greater than thy selfe looketh vpon him to whom hee must answere for his seruice done to thee Let this therefore at least teach thee thy dutie to thy seruants Yea but will some Master say my seruants wil not thus be held in by you No will who holds them in then to their worke in the weeke daies If any shall then start aside from your businesse you will easily finde meanes to inforce him and can you finde no meanes to inforce him to Gods businesse Yea but they will not vpon the Sabbath bee held in but they will then haue their libertie Then let them haue it altogether and discharge them For wilt thou haue him that will not serue God to serue thee thou oughtest at least to be as carefull for Gods seruice as for thine owne Now thou wilt not keepe a seruant that will not faithfully doe thy businesse how much lesse then shouldest thou keepe one that will not serue the Lord Dauid would neuer haue done it for saith he a wicked person shall not dwell in my house Psal 101. Yea but how shall my worke bee done then Get thee such seruants as doe feare the Lord that was it that Dauid purposed first with himselfe Mine eyes saith he shall be vnto the faithfull of the land And He that walketh in a perfect heart he shall serue me vers 6. ibid. And they indeed bee the best seruants for they serue not with eye seruice but as the seruants of Christ as seruing the Lord in thy businesse and not thee Ephes 6. 6. Yea but wee cannot get such It may be so because you do not walke as Dauid did in the middest of your house with a perfect heart vers 2. Therefore they will not dwell with you which if you did you should not neede to seeke for seruants would seeke you fast enough Yea if you did so walke by Gods blessing though you did not finde them such yet you would make them such but this is the miserie of it our seruants must bee sent abroad euery Sabbath in errands and trifling businesses riding and running and posting as if it were for life as if it were on other daies in the weeke as if no commandement were from God to the contrarie So our owne turnes be serued wee care not how God be serued wee shew thereby that wee loue our selues more than God And our seruants seeing vs not to make conscience of Gods businesse they grow to make as little conscience of ours especially they being by this meanes depriued of the benefit of the word whereby they should bee taught better to discharge their duties towards their masters And thus much for that that the master ought to see that his seruant keepe the Sabbath And as this instructeth the master in his dutie to his seruant so also it containeth in it matter of comfort for the seruant For they may hence obserue the kindnes and loue of God towards him that notwithstanding their seruitude yet hee is mindfull of them they think poore wretches that because God hath laid this state of seruitude vpon them therefore hee regardeth them not no no it is not so but he thinkes vpon them and remembers them euery Sabbath vouchsafing as it were to looke downe from heauen vpon them in giuing them a rest promising them as it were in that rest that one day they shall thoroughly rest from their labours and rest with him in heauen where they shal be no more in seruitude but shall be the Lords free men Therefore you seruants thinke of this and learne to serue him on his Sabbath that hath not alone in his flesh serued you but will assuredly in that flesh saue you and giue you a perpetuall rest if you serue him And behold this he requires at your hands then doe it for you cannot serue a better master Lay aside then your foolish vanities your idle delights and impertinent sports be no more the seruants of sinne but as in the whole course of your liues so on this day especially bee yee the Lords seruants loe hee offers it Now who is it that would not serue his Prince if he might but their seruice is nothing to this for euen Princes themselues sue to bee Gods seruants as Dauid though it were but in a meane place as to bee a doore-keeper yet he would thinke himselfe happie let this therefore be your resolution to serue the Lord. You will say peraduenture you would but you cannot your masters lay such burthens vpō you And surely this I know many masters lay greater burthens vpon their seruants on the Sabbath than in any daies of the weeke besides they deale therein like Pharaoh when the people desired to go to serue the Lord then he laid more worke vpon them Exod. 5. 9 so when they should goe to heare the word of the Lord then they lay more businesse vpon them In this case what shal the poore seruant doe shall hee doe Gods businesse or his masters Surely whether it be better to obey God or man masters iudge you Act. 4. vers 19. Though neither herein doe I intend to exempt the seruant from being subiect to his master
another they will not heare Ioh. 10. And therefore if we be Gods sheepe we will heare his voyce but another voyce we will not heare And therfore as Elias said Why halt you betweene two opinions if God be God follow him if Baal of Rome be God follow him but both you cannot follow for a man cannot serue God and Mammon but hee must forsake the one and cleaue vnto the other Wherefore we disclaime their opinions as pestilent that would sow our field with the mislen of Poperie and would mingle the pure wine of the word with the water of their inuentions No let them perswade this to their Catholique King of Spaine as they terme him let him first practise this that will not now endure so much as a book to be brought into his countrie by our Merchants if it stand any thing against their superstition let them I say perswade him that the Christians may haue toleration of their religion and then when they haue perswaded him let them aske vs that question afterwards In the meane time we will beleeue that then the bodie is strongest when the multitude of beleeuers are of one heart and of one minde Act. 4. and not as the Iesuites would perswade vs that diuiding in religion would be an vniting in policie Yet least they should think we are not able now to returne them an answere this I say that I see not but that they may with as good reason sue to haue a toleration to murther commit adulterie and steale as to demaund this for then they should sinne but against man but this is a sinne directly against God and against the good both of bodie and soule this against the first table to suffer any other religion than the true religion the other but against the second and not so grieuous Yea but this would be a quieting of all stirs Nay it would be a beginning of all strife yea it were the way to rend the kingdome in two An example whereof we finde in Salomon who suffered two religions a true which himselfe professed and a false which his concubines held But what followed a rending of his kingdome that as he suffered them to be diuided in opinion so afterwards by Gods iust iudgement his kingdom was diuided and rent in two And surely this is it that the Iesuites be sicke of that either they might bring the Spaniard to be a lawgiuer in England for they hold him the Catholique King that is by their owne interpretation vniuersall or else at the least that they might bring his triplicitie I meane the Pope to share againe with the Kings in England and to ouertop them And this is the reason wherefore they so much labour this matter to bring in a toleration From which we ought to be so farre and so wide as that wee must compell them vnto the truth which is the second thing here to be noted § Sect. 5 For in that hee saith thy sonne thy daughter thy seruant the stranger must keepe the Sabbath hee All must be compelled vnto the true religion doth therein manifestly inioyne thee to see that they keep the Sabbath And although I said euen now that there were some strangers that were not to be compelled vnto the duties of Gods religion yet that was in this respect in that they were without the couenant for then the time was when God would bee worshipped but of whom and where he did appoint then indeede he chose amongst all the hils Sion amongst al the riuers Iordan of all countries Iewry of all cities Ierusalem of all houses the Temple and of all people the Iewes but now euery hill is Sion euery riuer is Iordan euery countrie Iewry euery citie Ierusalem euery faithfull companie yea euery bodie the Temple And his couenant is to all that are a farre off euen as many as God shal call Act. 2. 39. And wee are to inforce all vnto the seruice of the true God and to goe out into the high waies and to compell them to come in which yet chiefly is the dutie of the Prince or Magistrate who is Gods minister to take vengeance vpon them that doe euill Rom. 13. 4. And therefore Nehemiah when hee saw men of Tyrus which brought wares on the Sabbath though first he reprooues the rulers of the Iewes vers 17. for suffering such an abuse for they should haue looked vnto it that no stranger nor other should breake the Sabbath yet when hee had so done he commaundeth the gates to be shut against them vers 19. Thirdly he sets aguard at the gates of his own men to keep them out ver 19. Fourthly when he sees all this will not preuaile but that they stay about the walles all night then hee sets downe an order against them that if they tarried all night about the walles once againe they should be punished for he would lay hands on them vers 21. And this I take it must euery Magistrate do aswell as Nehemiah for he hath the charge of both the Tables committed vnto him of the first aswell as of the second Which thing was figured in that in the Coronation the Testimonie and the Crowne were giuen both together vnto the King 2. King 11. 12. that hee might know the Crowne was giuen him for this end and purpose that hee might maintaine Religion And therefore wee are willed to pray for Kings that wee may liue aquiet life vnder them in all godlinesse as well as honestie 1. Tim. 2. 2. So that Kings must studie to do both these They must not bee like vnto Gallio which had no care of religion Act. 18. 15. Such are no better than beasts and so the Prophet reckons of those foure Monarchies in Dan. 7. that cared not for religion hee compared them vnto foure beasts And Dauid saith that man that is in honour and vnderstandeth not is compared vnto the beasts that perish Psalm 49. vlt. Neither is this alone for Kings but also for our great Lords that are as I may say little Kings these must bee nursing fathers also and that was signified as I take it when the heads and chiefe of the Tribes were placed about the Tabernacle Numb 2. As on the East side were the rulers of Iudah Isacher and Zebulon On the South the rulers of Ruben Simeon and Gad. On the West the rulers of Ephraim Manashe and Beniamin And on the North the rulers of Dan Asher and Nepthali Loe thus did the chiefe of the people surround and hemme in the Tabernacle But this is not it that is so much striuen about the question is how farre Princes may meddle in matters of religion to compell for Papists say that the Pope hath both swords and that Princes must not meddle in matters of religion no not to punish any vntill they be deliuered ouer vnto the secular power So then they make belike Princes nothing but the Popes butchers to cut the poore lambes throte when he will haue it so or rather
thine owne thou wouldest not endure For if thou hauing seuen pounds in thy purse shouldest giue sixe of them to some debaushed souldier if hee should wastfully spend that thou gauest him on harlots and then afterwards should come and take from thee all the remainder sauing two or three shillings wouldest thou not thinke that he did incroch two much vpon thee wouldest thou not say he hath robbed me And bee not these as great theeues that rob God as those that rob men Doubtlesse they be greater and therefore take no part of this day from God to spend vpon thy lusts for it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and take heede how thou wrong him and curtoll his day as Hanun did Dauids seruants garments 2. Sam. 10. 4 for hee will not take this wrong at thine hands Againe in the third reason where God proposeth himselfe vnto thee for an example to follow looke how long a time God rested so long a time must thou rest But hee rested the seuenth day wholy for he made nothing the seuenth day but finished all in sixe daies and therefore must thou rest a whole day as hee did Lastly in the last reason looke what time God blessed and sanctified to be kept holie that time ought in right to be kept holie for this is the nature and propertie of things sanctified they being set apart from the common vse may not otherwise be imployed than vnto his honour as appeareth Leuit. 27. 28. Yea Nebuchadnezzar as very a beast as he was yet would not put the vessels of the house of God to a common vse but put them in the house of his God Dan. 1. 2. but now I say God blessed and sanctified the whole day which he rested on and therefore the whole day must be kept holie And in very truth is not a whole day needfull for the performance of a whole seruice and worship of God to heare the word and minister the Sacraments pray reade meditate conferre instruct And why then doe men thinke that they haue sufficiently kept the Sabbath if they heare diuine seruice as they call it in the forenoone and in the afternoone thinking that they may doe all the rest of the day what they list as though God forsooth would take that at mans hands which a man will not at his seruants to worke an houre or two and to play all the rest of the day But the Apostle you will say willeth that we should condemne no man in part of an holie day Col. 2. 16. True neither in respect of an whole holie day such as hee there meaneth that is a Iewish holie day which as I haue shewed before you are not bound vnto But this is the Lords day and it is the Lords Sabbath which you must keepe holie and wholie holie vnto him as you haue seene alreadie prooued for 1. the day 2. preparation thereunto 3. rest and 4. holinesse these foure things being in the commandement expressed we must obserue for euer as being morall and not ceremoniall § Sect. 2 Though neither yet is this sufficie to keepe the Sabbath day from morning to night for they are deceiued that thinke that the Sabbath is ended when the Sunne is fet but wee must keepe the night also for it is a part of the day naturall of which here is mention for so Moses Gen. 1. accounteth the euening and the morning but one day so that the artificiall day and the night make but one day naturall which is the seuenth part of the weeke and is Gods and therefore the night must bee kept holie aswell as the day for that is a part of the Sabbath Therefore Psalm 92 which is called a Psalme of the Sabbath Dauid saith not onely that he will declare Gods louing kindnes in the morning but his truth also in the night And Paul being at Troas taught vntill midnight and then celebrated the Lords Supper which was a Sabbath daies exercise thereby shewing that the night was a part of the Sabbath also Though neither yet doe I speake it to this end that wee should keepe it in the same manner as Paul did I know it well it was extraordinarie but yet neuerthelesse in the nature of a night we are more holily to repose our selues that night than at other times A fault in those that other nights pray with their families but this night ouerpasse it esteeming it sufficient that they haue prayed at the Church § Sect. 3 But here I know it will be demaunded when the Sabbath beginneth and whether wee must keepe the night before the Sabbath or the night following Answ True it is that the Iewes kept their Sabbath the night before the day for Leuit 23. 32. from euen to euen shall you celebrate your Sabbath but wee begin our Sabbath at the dawning of the day for these reasons first because Christ rose in the dawning it was necessarie our Sabbath being to be kept in remembrance thereof that our day should then begin Secondly to put a difference betwixt the Iewish Sabbath and the true Christian Sabbath it was needfull that ours should begin at morning when by the resurrection of Christ the world began to bee renewed whereas the other began at night when the world in the creation was finished Thirdly that the night following is accounted a part of the day precedent we see Act. 20. vers 7. where it is said that Paul preached at Troas vntill midnight being the next morning to depart hauing staied there as the text sheweth vers 6. seuen daies but if the last night had not been a part of the seuenth day then he had staied at least a night longer than seuen daies and so more than seuen daies for hee should haue staied part of another day But that this night was a part of the Sabbath which they then kept doth yet further appeare in that the Apostle keepeth this night in the manner of a Sabbath with performing the exercise of holinesse therein as also in that being to depart hee would not depart till the rest were ended Which I obserue in that it is said ver 11 that he communed with them till the dawning of the day and so departed both which circumstances concurre well with this to prooue that hee held the night following to be a part of the Sabbath Now if any man will say that by this reason we may iustifie the deliuerie of the word and Sacrament in the night I graunt it the time being as this was a time of persecution otherwise not But this to keepe the night of the Sabbath in the nature of the night I take to be no extraordinarie but an ordinarie thing such as is now also required of vs and I presse it no further than to shew the practise of the Church from which wee ought not rashly or vnaduisedly to dissent And this hath been obserued euer sithence the Apostles times to be iust who keep the day first and call the night following