them Exod. 31. 13. of which opinion seem to be Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 30. and Euseb. hist. 1. cap 4. And thus that of Genesis 2. of Gods blessing and sanctifying the seventh day may be expounded cleerly and litterally without any forced interpretation that God did then sanctifie and appoint that day to be kept holy by a joyful remembrance of the creation and by other holy duties solemnly to be performed to him as Creator of all that being the birth day of the world which God the Lord of all would have observed as Princes who appoint the birth-day of their sons to be kept by their subjects For though I know diverse learned men both ancient and modern do otherwise expound the words either of Gods sanctifying the day in himself by a rest or cessation from those emanations of his power and goodnesse or by destinating the day to be observed afterwards or that the words are spoken by anticipation viz. that Moses writing that history after the Sabbath was given saith that Gods resting on the seventh day was the cause why afterwards viz. when the Law was given he sanctified that day yet the other exposition seems to be more cleer and genuine that the sanctification by holy duties was commanded then and that the rest from all labours was one of the ceremonies given afterwards to the Jews And to this those words of Moses Deuter. 5. 12. seem to relate when after the Commandment of sanctifying the Sabbath day he addes As the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to wit long before from the beginning of the world and in Exod. 20. 10 I take the same to be the meaning of the words the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God that is the day consecrated to God from the beginning Therefore 〈◊〉 collects from those words in Job 38. 4. 7. where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth when the morning stars sung together and all the sons of God shouted for joy that upon the seventh day when the world was finisht the Angels who who are stiled the sons of God kept the sabbath And though I will not peremptorily affirme that the Angels kept it yet I take it to be very probable that the people of God the Patriarches and other holy men as they had publick sacrifices and forms of worship so they had some set times for the ordinary performance thereof which is most likely to have been on this day it is hardly credible that in the time of Enoch men should separate themselves from the sons of Cain by calling upon the name of the Lord that is by some publick worship and as learned Drusius thinks by some publick forms or liturgies without some set and solemn time for the performance thereof And Calvin himself though far from the sabbatarian errors yet thinks that the frequent sacrifices performed by Abraham and the other Patriarches were usually upon this day and therefore concludes it probable that the sanctification of it was before the Law And seeing there never was any nation in the world but had some certain and set dayes for their religious exercises can it be imagined that the people of God for those many hundred years before the flood and after even when they were grown into great multitudes in Egypt when they lived for divers hundred years should all that time be without any certain time when to worship God that they should have their sacrifices their priests viz the eldest of the family their altars and consecrated places their tithes which was Gods portion appointed by divine positive law from the beginning as may be elswhere proved and yet have no certain dayes for solemne worship this seemes to me altogether incredible especially if we consider that it is morally impossible that religion should long continue and be preserved among any people without some certain time for the publick exercise thereof And therefore though there be no expresse mention of any such dayes yet I make no question but they observed some and if any then surely this day Besides the ceasing of the manna to fall upon the seventh day for some time before the Law was given is an argument that the sabbath was known before as a day sacred to God though it begun then first to be kept as a day of rest which was afterwards prescribed by a law And hence it was that some relicks of this day were found among the Heathen though much obliterated because not written in their hearts by nature and a high esteeme they had of the seventh day as appears by Clem. Strom. 5. Euseb. praepar l. 13. c. 12. who out of Hesiod mencions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lux septuma sancta 10 Septius Adv. Appi. l. 2. circa finem Philo de die septimo shew that there was no nation so barbarous but that they honoured the seventh day and that it was the holy day not for one nation but for all the world The same is gathered from Homer and Callimachus by Clem. Alex. Strom. 5. The like we finde in Theophilus Ant. lib. 2. ad Autolicum Suetonius in Tiberio 32. Philostratus l. 3. c. 13. Dion Carthus l. 33. Lucian Tibullus and others And wheras Iustine Martyr Tertullian and others of the fathers say often that before the law holy men pleased God without keeping the sabbath they understand by sabbatizing not the publick praise and worship of God but the Jewish rest upon the sabbath which its true was proper to them and symbolical and was not observed by the Patriarchs And that they mean this may gathered from Tertull. l. 4. contra Marcion Hoc priviliigium donatum sabbato a primordio quo dies ipse compertus est veniam jeiunii dico where we see he derives the sabbath as a day of rejoycing from the beginning of the world and thereupon grounds the custom of not fasting on that day and yet the same man denies that the Patriarchs kept the sabbath that is the Jewish symbolical 〈◊〉 4. The fourth conclusion which I shall propound likewise as probable at least is that the Lords day which the Christian Church observes instead of the sabbath is of divine institution that as the seventh day from the Creation was instituted by God himself by a positive law obliging all the world so the Lords day is by positive Law obliging all Christians to the end of all the world instituted by authority from Christ who changed the day by his resurrection from the seventh to the first day of the week and that the Apostles published and ordained it not as ordinary rulers and gouernours of the Church but as speciall extraordinary legates of Christ by order from him and therefore the Church now hath no power to alter this day This assertion follows upon the former for if the sabbath was instituted by God before the Law and did oblige all mankinde as we have shewed already for
of the Councel of Laodicea more ancient then the first of Nice and of so special account as we finde it cited by S. Basil nay as we finde four of the Canons made in this Council taken out of it and transferd and made four of the Canons of the great Council of Nice such was the Authority it was had in It is in the twenty ninth Canon and of the authentical great book acknowledged in that of 〈◊〉 the 133. Thus it is That Christen men may not 〈◊〉 or grow 〈◊〉 that is not make the Sabbath or Saturday their day of rest but they are to work that day this comes home giving their honour of celebration to the Lords day And if any in this point be found to 〈◊〉 let them be Anathema a Deo christo to God and Christ both Thus far this learned 〈◊〉 by which discourse made and penned in his latter years it appears fully what his opinion was in this point of the Sabbath and how his meaning is to be expounded in this point of the morality of the day See more of this subject in the third Chapter per totum There is here besides in the Commandment another word Remember which because it is properly of a thing past it referreth us to some time or place before and there is no mention of the sabbath but in two places before the one of them is in Exodus but that is not the place here meant for God in the end of the Commandment adding God 〈◊〉 it c. referreth us to that other place where those words are namely to Genesis 2. 3. And by this occasion falleth in that first question about the morality of the day many think the sabbath is meerly a ceremony and are perswaded that it is so and therefore hold that men are not bound to sanctifie it since Christs time it being abrogated by him In answer whereto we are to follow our Saviours rule who in the case of Polygamie bids us inquire how it was ab initio from the beginning to call it to the first institution for the first institution is that which will inform our judgements best and the first end which appears by the institution is the true end A thing is not said to be meerly ceremonial if a ceremonial use or end be annexed to it for then scarce any of the ten Commandments but should be ceremonial for they have many of them some ceremony annexed to them But that is to be accounted ceremonial whose first and principal end is to be a ceremony and to type out something which this day of rest cannot be said to do The reason is because Paradise and mans perfection cannot consist with ceremonies a ceremony cannot agree to the state of mans innocency This is to be understood of such Ceremonies as had reference to Christ as a Redeemer and so the ensuing words expound these for otherwise ceremonies which have a moral signification or were instituted for other ends might stand with mans estate in Paradise for what was the tree of life but a ceremony And the reason of that is because that before there was a Saviour there could not be a type of a Saviour as ceremonies were and before there was sin there needed no Saviour and so consequently needing no Saviour there needed no ceremony and needing no Saviour nor ceremony it could not be ceremonial But this was it that Adam having in the six dayes a natural use in his body of the creatures should for the glory of God on the seventh day have a spiritual use and consideration of them in a more special manner And although there might be a worship performed to God on other dayes yet that it might be more solemn publick and universal and the heart of man more free from distraction and wordly avocations God therefore would have a speciall day dedicated to his honour and service wherein the Creature should solemnly performe his homage to the Creator and this was the first generall end though other ends were after added as in Deuteronomie it pleased God to adde this reason that the People should remember their Delivery out of Egypt but this was but finis posterior a particular and after end and accessory And it were well if we might adde to our dayes of rest the memory of benefits received And in Exodus God yieldeth a reason taken from a politick end that our family and cattel may rest and return more fresh to their labour And if any will say that besides these ends there was prefigured by this rest that rest we shall have from sin It s true but yet that is but an accessory end As in the Sacraments of Circumcision and Passeover besides the general ends of their institution which were to seal and signify Gods preventing and following grace there were other ends typical and accessory as that of Circumcision did signifie the Circumcision of the heart and the Passover the sacrifice of Christ offered upon the cross In which respects though those two Sacraments are abolisht yet the Sacrament of initiation and another of our confirmation in grace are still continued to wit Baptism and the Lords supper according to the general ends of the two former Sacraments which ends do still remain So though the Sabbath or seventh day from the Creation be ceased yet there is another day still remaining because the end of keeping a day is immutable from the beginning to wit that God might be honoured by a solemne and publick worship This reason of it self is so forcible and plain that without bringing in a manifest absurdity it cannot be denyed and avoided When they see these ends carry us to the Institution and that in Paradise where no type or Ceremony was they seek to avoid it by saying It s true that God sanctified it in Paradise but Adam never kept it neither was it kept till immediately before the Law was given which may seem to be a very absurd thing that God should sanctifie a thing two thousand years before it was to be put in practise This is like to that assertion of those Hereticks that held the materia prima to be made by God many years before the world it self and that it abode by him till the world was made But they are confuted by the Fathers thus That no wise man will make any thing to be many years by him before he shall have occasion to put it to any use And therefore much lesse would God bless this day before there should be any use of it to make rem ante usum 1. We must understand that God in Deuteronomy seemeth to make a distinction between Ceremonies and the Moral Law Deuteronomy 4. 13 14. as that the one proceeded from himself immediately the other by the ministery of Moses so also Deuteronomie 5. 31. 2. Again it breeds confusion and breaks order a thing which God misliketh if any thing meerly ceremonial and not in some sort moral should
any good thing so well as we would And he alledgeth that place of Saint Paul I do not the good things that I would That tie that 〈◊〉 upon us in the other sabbath cannot be so well performed by us as it ought to be and therefore multo 〈◊〉 frequentius 〈◊〉 oportet we have cause to glorify God oftner by this sacrifice of humiliation for attonement then by the other So that as the other tendeth to initiation of the joyes to come for praise is the exercise of the Saints and Angels and herein have a heaven upon earth so this to mortification of our earthly members in this life and it is the ordinance of God that each of these sacrifices should have its day And though some doubt of the morality of the sabbath yet that 〈◊〉 is a moral duty there can be no doubt The reason is because whatsoever was a meer ceremony might not be vsed at any other time or in any other place or order then was prescribed by God in the book of Ceremonies but this of fasting hath been otherwise for upon extraordinary occasions they had special fasts as in the fist and seventh and tenth moneth none of which were prescribed by the law and had not bin lawful if fasting were a ceremony for ceremonies in the time of the law were tyed to certain times and places Again though our Saviour gave a reason why his disciples should not then fast yet he shewed plainly that after the Bridegroom should be taken away from them after his taking up into Glory they should fast and that this duty should continue And we see it was the practise of the Church at the sending forth of Paul and Barnabas And Saint Paul himself had his private fastings in multis jejuniis in fasting often And his advise was to married people to sever themselves for a time to give themselves to fasting and prayer which sheweth plainly that it was accounted a necessary duty and therefore practised Now for the other times of the Primitive church the books of the fathers are exceeding full in praise of fasting and they themselves were so addicted to it and did therewith so consume themselves that they might well say with David Their knees were made weak with fasting and their flesh had lost all their fatnes The day of humiliation or day of fast receiveth a division of publick and private 1. For the first it was lawful to blow the Trumpet at it And secondly for the second it was to be kept as privately as might be none must know of it but the ends and parts of both were alike Now the reasons of the publick fast were these 1. Either for the averting of some evil 2. Or for procuring some good And because malum est aut poenae aut culpae evil is either of punishment or of sinne this duty was performed against both these but especially against punishment either of our selves or others And in both it is either present which is Malum grassans or hanging over heads which is impendens 1. A present evill is when the Church or commonwealth hath any of the Lords arrows or shafts sticking in their sides as Chrysostom saith well on Jos. 7. 6. As when the men of Ai had discomfited the children of Israel Josuah and the People humbled themselves before God by a publick fast And upon the overthrow given them by the Benjamites the people likewise besought the Lord in a publick fast So in the time of their captivity under the Philistims the prophet Samuel proclaimed a publick fast And the like upon a dearth in the time of Joel 2. When as yet the judgement of God was not come upon them but was onely imminent a fast was proclaimed by Jehosaphat upon the Ammonites and Moabites coming against him He feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah Also upon Hamans decreegotten against the Jews before it was 〈◊〉 in execution Esther caused a general fast to be 〈◊〉 among the Jews And when Niniveh was threatened with destruction to come upon it within 40 days the king caused a publick fast to be held So when this punishment lieth not upon our selves but upon the Churches about us the like duty is to be performed We have an example in this 〈◊〉 for the Jews dispersed through Babylon and Chaldea in the Prophet Zachary 2. To come to malum culpae the evil of sinne In regard of our offences against God and that they deserve to be punished we are to performe this duty obtain pardon and to pacifie his wrath We see that the Jews having offended God by taking wives of the Gentiles though there was yet no visitation 〈◊〉 them yet Esra and those that feared God assembled and humbled themselves by fasting and Jesabells pretence for a fast was fair if it had been true viz. that God and the king had been blasphemed by Naboth 2. As it is a dutie necessary to the averting of evil so is it for the procuring of some good For which purpose we finde several fasts kept in the Apostles times One at the sending forth of two of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas and the other at the ordination of elders to desire of God to make such as were ordained painful and fruitfull labourers in the work to which they were called Now in this duty of fasting if we looke at the punishments and visitation of God onely which are variously sent it is hard to make Jejunium statum to observe any set and fixed time of 〈◊〉 but as the occasion is special and extraordinary so must the fast be but if we look at the sins we daily fall into and our own backwardnes to any thing that is good and consider that fasting is a great help in the dayly progresse of mortification and sanctification As under the law they had their set dayes of expiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein they did afflict their souls expiare 〈◊〉 sua jejunio and expiate their sinnes with fasting so no question 〈◊〉 that now we having the like daily occasions of fasting set times of fasting may be appointed by the Church and that it is very expedient it should be so and that every true member of the Church ought to observe the same And as upon these publick causes and calamities the whole people ought to make a solemne day of fasting wherein every one is to beare a part so when the same causes concern any private person he ought to keep a private fast and humiliation which brings in the second part of a fast Namely the private 2. The causes of a private fast are the same with those of the publick 1. Either for Malumpoenae the evil of punishment or secondly Malum culpae the evil of sin And the first in respect of our selves when we are either under Gods
away thy soul and then whose shall all these things be c. or 2. that they may be kept therewith in the day of sicknesse here likewise they fail of their ends when they are in sponda languoris upon their sick bed they can have no comfort in their riches their wealth cannot ease them of their pain they grow worse and worse and ofttimes though they spend all their money upon the Physitians as the woman that had the issue of blood yet they are never the better as the Rabbins use to say they shall not shift from the sick mans pallet to the bed of health or 3. that they may leave great estates to their children in this also God often crosses them so that as Elihu speakes Their Children shall seek to please the Poore they shall be 〈◊〉 as we see by common experience that a prodigal son is usually the heir to a niggardly father 2. The other extream is profusenesse or prodigality He that rightly uses his riches is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a steward and his work a dispensation but he that runs into this extream is a prodigal and his work is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wasting he flings his money from him as if he cared not for it or were angry with it as Seneca saith Ita se gerit ac si iratus esset pecuniae he behaves himself as if he were fallen out with his money As the inordinate desire of riches began from that other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lust mentioned in the foregoing Commandment so lightly it ends in the same when men spend what is unjustly got in lusts and pleasures vain and sinful and sometimes monstrous and unnatural And herein the prodigal as well as the covetous is fur sui a thief of his own for being profuse and prodigal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he needs not he steals from himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he may need he wastes and consumes himself in superfluities so that at last he wants such things as are necessary The Philosopher observed that they which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quick and eager in such things as concern themselves and the satisfying their own lusts and pleasures are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dull and heavy in any thing that is good when any charitable or good work is offered to them as the redeeming a captive c. they are very sparing and backward though profuse and prodigal in other matters as in a riotous supper But as we must remember that as justice justice must be our condus our layer up so we must have a promus a layer out too and who that is the Heathen man tells us in that speech of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperance be thou my steward And that to avoid this extream of prodigality we must avoid that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whetstone of ryot which is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain glory which if one can take away he may know the Compasse of his own 〈◊〉 and so shall never fall into this sin And although it be true which some may say that how much soever they spend yet they have enough they are able to do it though they do with the rich man in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fare deliciously every day yet their abundance will not excuse them from riot seeing they are but stewards and must give accompt to God of what they have and how they use it The Heathen man could say of those that spend profusely because they have enough that this is no reason for saith he if you should allow your Cook a bushel of salt for the use of your house and he by putting too much into the pot should make the Pottage too salt if he should answer and say he did it because he had enough you would not be satisfied with such a foolish answer No more will God who hath given abundance to some men be satisfied with their answer that they spend riotously and say they may do it because they have enough And if this be a sinne in those that abound and have 〈◊〉 much more grievous is the sin of them that spend above their ability whereby they spend that which is another mans and run themselves into debt to the ruine of themselves and those that depend upon them Now of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prodigality and excesse there are two degrees 1. When they spend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonably upon no just occasion dayly or oftener then needs as the rich Glutton who fared deliciously every day 2. When they spend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above their strength which is either above their means and faculties further then their estate will beare or else above their condition though their estate will beare it of the former we have an instance in him that began to build 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tower which he was not able to finish of the other in Nabal who though he were rich yet it was above his condition to make a feast like a king it is not lawful though a man be able to live above his rank and condition much lesse if his purse will not reach Therefore David prayed that his enemies table may become a 〈◊〉 to them because by excesse it becomes a snare both to the soul and body to the soul which will hereby despumare in libidinem wax wanton and to the body by bringing diseases upon it for as 〈◊〉 saith such shall 〈◊〉 at the last when the flesh and their body is consumed and not onely to soul and body but to the estate also which is hereby wasted and consumed Thus that speech of Zophar is made good though wealth unjustly got be weet in the mouth and the covetous hide it under his tongue though it bee sweet in the getting and we may adde in the spending too yet it shall be bitter at the last Though he swallow down riches yet he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his belly c. And thus much for the first use of riches which concerns our selves 2. Come we now to the second use of our outward estate viz. That which concerns others As we must provide for our selves so we must give to the poor we must sow to the spirit and not spend all upon the flesh and as we must drink out of our own Well so we must let our Fountain run abroad Now a dayes men sow onely to the flesh though as we shewed before this ground brings forth nothing but rottennesse and corruption meat is for the belly and the belly for meat but God will destroy both the belly and it But we must sow to the spirit if we would reap eternal happinesse Our Saviours saying was Beatuis est dare quam accipere it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive and this it seems was his common saying
he bids rest then we labour è contra Six works in particular forbidden the Jews Whether the same be absolutely now forbidden the Christians Rest necessary onely for the means of sanctification or the practise of it as in works of mercy or necessity Sabbatum Bovum Asinorum Sabbatum aurei vituli Sabbatum Tyri Sabbatum satanae CHAP. VI. page 285 The second thing commanded is sanctification which is the end of the rest The kinds of sanctification publick and private How the holy Ghost works in us sanctification The special acts wherein the sanctification of the day consists 1. Prayer 2. The Word read and preached 3. Meditation of what we have heard and upon the works of God out of Psal. 92. 4. Conference 5. Praise 6. Sacraments and discipline at special times The end of these means our sanctification and Gods glory CHAP. VII page 291 Works of mercy proper for the Lords day They are of two sorts 1. First Corporeal feeding the hungry c. Burying of the dead a work of mercy Such works proper for a festival Objections answered 2. Spiritual 1. To instruct counsel and exhort 2. Comfort 3. Reproof 4. Forgiving 5. Bearing with the weak 6. Prayer 7. Reconciling those that are at odds CHAP. VIII page 294 The second rule of Homogenea Fasting reduced hither Commanded under the Gospel 1. Publick fasts for averting of evil of punishment which is either malum grassans or impendens or of sin for procuring of good 2. Private fasts and the causes of them The parts of a fast 1. External abstinence from meat sleep costly apparel pleasure servile work almes then to be given Secondly internal humiliation for sin promise of reformation The third rule our fast and observation of the Lords day must be spiritual CHAP. IX page 298 The fourth rule of the means and helps to keep this Commandement viz. 1. Places 2. Persons 3. Maintenance 1. Of publick places for Divine worship The place as well as the time holy and both to be reverenced Addition 25. out of the Authors other works concerning the adorning of Gods house and against Sacriledge in prophaning it Addition 26. Further additions concerning Churches or places of Gods worship set places used from the beginning the necessity of them from natural instinct Their dedication and the use of it God is sole proprietor as of places so of all the Churches patrimony All humane propriety extinct by dedication the Clergy have only usum ac fructum no fee-simple by the Law Civil or municipal in any man but a quasi feudum onely CHAP. X. page 280 Of persons set apart for Gods service The mission choice the reverence due to them The benefit received by them spiritual and temporal Preservers of Kingdoms Humane laws and policies not sufficient without a teaching Priest c. Examples in divers Monarchies and Kingdoms CHAP. XI page 304 Of maintenance for such as attend at the Altar Schools and Colledges seminaries of the Church The ancient use of them among the Jews when they were in Egypt and afterward in Canaan In the Primitive Church care to be taken against admitting Novices or young men into the sacred Calling Maintenance due by the Ordinance of Christ is 1. Tithes Reasons that the tenth is still due under the Gospel to the Priesthood of Christ. Addition 27. About Tithes That the tenth part was sacred to God from the beginning by positive Divine Law obliging all mankinde and still in force The Law of Nature dictates not the proportion Humane Laws and Customs about the modus decimandi to be followed provided that they give not lesse then the true value of the tenth if otherwise they are void 2. Oblations alwayes in use in the Church Addition 28. about Oblations some may be due and limited by Law Customs Contract or necessity of the Church others voluntary and free No power in the Magistrate to alienate things dedicated to God CHAP. XII page 308 The two last rules 1. The signes of keeping the day 2. Of procuring the observation by others The conclusion The Exposition of the fifth Commandement CHAP. I. page 310 Of the sum of the second Table The love of our Neighbour How the second Table is like the first 1. Of the act Love How Christian love differs from other love The fruits of it The parts of it 2. The object our Neighbour Who is our Neighbour Degrees of proximity and order in love 3. The manner of love as thy self This must appear in 1. The end 2. The means 3. The manner 4. The order CHAP. II. page 318 The division of the Commandments of the second Table Why this is set here between the first and second Table The parts of it 1. A precept 2. A promise In the precept 1. The duty Honour 2. The object Father and Mother The ground of honour 1. Excellency 2. Conjunction The order of honouring differs from that of love Why God did not make all men excellent and fit to be superiours All paternity is originally and properly in God In man onely instrumentally The Hebrew and Greek words translated Honour what they properly signifie The necessity and original of honouring Superiours Government a Divine Ordinance Power Principality and Excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ Honour due to them all To natural Parents to the Country where we live to Princes to spiritual Fathers to Magistrates In respect of excellency of gifts honour due 1. In respect of years 2. Of the gifts of the minde 3. Of outward estate 4. Of benefits received CHAP. III. page 325 The mutual or reciprocal duties of superiours and inferiours 1 Love 2. To wish well and pray for one another The duties of inferiours 1. Honour Inward and outward 2. fear 3. Subjection and obedience active and passive 4. The protestation of our subjection by honouring them with our estates The manner how this duty must be performed CHAP. IIII. Page 330. The duties of superiours in four things Addition 29. Of the end of government and whether the people be above their governours The manner how they must govern Whether honour be due to one that is evil Whether he must be obeyed in maio Of disobeying the unlawful commands of a Superiour Add. 30. Of obedience in things doubtfull CHAP. V. Page 341 The first Combination between man and wife The special end of Matrimony implied in three words 1. Conjugium 2. Matrimoniam 3. Nuptiae The office of the husband 1. Knowledge to govern his wife 2. Conjugal love 3. To provide for her and the family The wives duties answerable to these officia resultantia Duties arising from these The duties of Parents and children The duties of Masters and servants CHAP. VI. Page 355 Of Tutors or Schoolmasters and their Scholars or Pupils The original of schools and Vniversities Mutual duties of Teacher and Scholar as the choice of such as are fit and capeable The particular qualifications of a Scholar Solertia
Creation by positive Divine Law obliging all mankinde Instead whereof the Lords day is set apart for the day of publick worship by the Apostles as extraordinary Legats of Christ in memory of the Resurrection which is to continue unchangeable to the end of the World This as it is shewed out of the Authors other writings so for the more full clearing of all questions upon this subject there is added a large discourse containing the whole Doctrine of the Sabbath and Lords day laid down in seven Conclusions Chap. 7. in Com. 4. wherein I conceive there is some thing offered which may givc some satisfaction to those that are moderate of both sides 5. For the better help of the Reader every Commandment is divided into Chapters and the Sum or Contents of each Chapter with the method how they stand are prefixt to every Chapter or Section All which Contents together with the Supplements or Additions are set together at the beginning of the Book that so the Reader may at once have a general Idaea of the whole Book and of what is handled in each Precept and so may the more easily finde any thing he desires to read without much Labour or enquiry Thus the Reader may in part conceive what is done to render this work the more useful to him And if the stile be not so accurate and exact as in the Authors other sermons he must consider that as it was not polisht by the Author nor fitted by him for the Presse and that in the revising thereof there was more regard had to the matter then to words so having passed through diverse hands it cannot seem strange if some incongruities of speech do still remain Errours we know of one concoction are not easily corrected in an other and waters will contract some tincture from the Minerals through which they passe besides that the errours and mistakes of the Printer which could not easily be prevented may in many places obscure or pervert the sence Let this therefore be taken in good part which is intended for the publick good and what shall be found needful to be corrected as who can walk in so rough a path and never stumble shall God willing be rectified in the next Edition in the mean time make use of this and if it shall contribute any thing to promote the practise of Religion which is the scope of the work the Publisher hath the fruit of his Indeavours and ends of his Desires who desires further the benefit of their Prayers that shall reap any benefit by his Labours AN INTRODVCTION To the Exposition Of the DECALOGUE Containing certain Generall pracognita about Catechizing Religion the Law c. CHAP. I. 1 That Children are to be taught and instructed in Religion proved out of Heathen Philosophers out of the Law the Gospel 2 That this instruction ought to be by way of Catechism What catechizing is How it differs from Preaching Reasons for abridgements or 〈◊〉 of Religion Catechizing used in all ages Before the flood After the flood Vnder the Law Vnder the Gospel After the Apostles In the Primitive Church Reasons for this custome of Catechizing BEfore we proceed to the ensuing Catechism we will first premise something concerning the necessity of Catechizing Youth and the duties of the catechised by way of preface And for this we have sufficient warrant not onely humane but divine also Clemens Alexandrinus Tutor to Origen intending to write his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or three books of Pedagogy or instruction of Children prefixed before it his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or admonitory Oration And Cyrill Bishop of Jerusalem writing twenty four several Catechisms in the front of them hath a preface which maketh up the twenty fift which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Introduction or Preface And both these are built upon the example of King David who being at one time among others determined to catechize Children calls them to him saying Come ye children and hearken unto me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord a plain preface before catechizing The like introduction did his Son make Hear O ye children the Instruction of a father and give ear to learn understanding So that you see our warrant for an introduction or preface Now out of these texts three points naturally arise 1. That it is a thing not onely pleasing to the Lord but also commanded by him that children be instructed in the fear of God 2. That their teaching must be by way of catechizing 3. What is required of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the catechized that the catechizing may be fruitful and not in vaine viz. to come and hearken or giue eare There have been some of opinion as may be seen as well in the writings of the Heathen as in the story of the Bible that Religion should not descend so low as to children but that they are to be brought up licentiously and allowed liberty while they are young and not to be instructed before they come to riper years and then they should be instructed in Religion 1. The heathen tell us of that 〈◊〉 is in the beginning of the Philosophers moral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man is not a proper and fit Auditor of Moral Philosophy And it was the Orators opinion in his defence of Caelius Dandum est aliquid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deferbuerit Liberty is to be given to Youth till its heat be abated And one of their Poets Qui deos voluptuarios contempsit juvenis is aut amabit aut 〈◊〉 senex He that despiseth pleasure while he is young will either dote or be mad when he comes to be old To answer this we say that if there were any weight or moment in the authority of the Heathen the whole consent and practise of them in general were to be preferred before some few mens opinions And for their practise it is certain that catechism or instruction of youth was ever in use among the Gentiles for we finde in Porphiries questions upon Homer this saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things we understand by the instruction of our childehood And Salons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred admonitions learn't by Eschines shewed that it was usual in Athens for youth to be taught The history also of the Heathen makes it plain that their children were instructed and so dealt with for it was a custome among them not to poll their childrens heads till they were instructed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sacred admonitions from which time they were allowed to carry tapers in their shows and festival solemnities then were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Torch or Taper-bearers Phocylides also saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary to teach a childe while he is young to doe well And 〈◊〉 in his golden verses and Plutarch in his booke of the education of youth and Plato in Euthym. are all of the same opinion
a passage to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may catechize others We finde three eminent persons noted to us in Scripture that were catechumeni catechized The first was Theophilus of whom Saint Luke testifieth It seemed good to me saith he to write to thee in order that thou mightest know the certainty of those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning which thou wert catechized or instructed The second was Apollos of whom also Saint Luke gives this commendation that he was mighty in the Scriptures and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this man was catechized or instructed in the way of the Lord. The third was Timothy of whom saint Paul testifies that he had known the the Scriptures from a childe And in one place mention is made both of the Catechist and Catechized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. After the Apostles times the first Catechist of any fame was the Evangelist Mark in Alexandria after him Pantenus then Clemens Origen Cyril of Jerusalem Gregory Nyssen Athanasius Fulgentius S. Augustine and others And that there were catechumeni in the Church in all ages may appear by the canons of diverse Councels Hegesippus converted from Judaism to Christianity in his Ecclesiasticall story reports that this work of catechizing wrought so great effect that there was no known commonwealth inhabited in that part of the world but within fourty years after our saviours passion 〈◊〉 superstition was shaken in it by Catechizing So that Julian the Apostata the greatest enemy that ever Christians had found no speedier way to root out Christian religion then by suppressing Christian schools and places of catechizing and if he had not been as a Cloud that soon passeth away it might have been feared that in a short time he had overshadowed true Religion 1 And when Catechizing was left off in the Church it soon became darkned and over-spread with ignorance The Papists therefore acknowledge that all the advantage which the protestants have gotten of them hath come by this exercise and it is to be feared that if ever thy get ground of us it will be by their more exact and frequent Catechizing then ours 3. Concerning the third quaere The reasons why this custome of catechizing by way of question and answer hath ever been continued seem to be these 1 Because of the account every one must give Our Saviour tells it us reddes rationem we must render an accompt And every man will will be most wary in that for which he must be accomptable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Because we are all young and old to give an accompt of our faith Be ready saith Saint Peter alwayes to give answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you a solid reason not a phanatique opinion And by this we shall be the better fitted to these four necessary duties 1 of examining the doctrine we heare 2 Of examining our selves before we heare the word and receive the sacrements 3 Of admonishing our brethren which we cannot doe unlesse we be fitted with knowledge 4 Of adhering to the truth Because being children we doe imbibere errcres ergo exuendi sunt et induendaveritas we drink in errours which must be shaken of and our loynes must be girt with truth The Heathen man adviseth us that in all our actions we propound to our selves Cui bono What good will arise by that we goe about In this certainly the fruit is great diverse wayes 1 It will be acceptable to God to spend our hours in his service 2 We shall learn hereby to know God and his son Jesus Christ. Whom to know is life eternal 3 It will procure length of happy dayes in this life 4 Lastly the fruit of it is holines and the end everlasting life Now 〈◊〉 the fruit is so great we are to take especial care that the hours we spend in this exercise be not lost and so we be deprived of the fruit For as in natural Philosophy it is held a great absurdity ut aliquid frustra fiat that any thing be done in vain or to no purpose and in morall ut sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there be a vain and fruitlesse desire so in divinity much more S. Paul useth it as an argument to the corinthians to prove the resurrection that if there should be none then both his preaching and their faith were in vain And in another place he did so forecast his manner of the conversion of the gentiles ne forte currat in vanum lest he might run in vain Therefore as the same Apostle desired the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God in vain so are we to be careful that we heare nothing in vain lest we be like those in Jeremy that let the bellows blow and the lead consume in the fire and the founder melt in vain upon which place saith the glosse that all pains and labour which is taken with such people is in vain and lost But the word of God cannot be in vain in three respects 1 In respect of it self 2 In respect of the Catechist 3 In respect of the Catechized 1 In respect of it self it cannot be in vain For God himself maintaineth the contrary As the rain cometh down saith he by the Prophet and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and budd that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall the word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return to me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it 2 Nor can it be in vain in respect of the Catechizer or him that delivereth it I have laboured in vain saith the Prophet I have spent my strength for nought and in 〈◊〉 yet surely mark that my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God The paines which the Catechizer takes is not in vain because God seeing he hath done his part will accept of his endeavours though his 〈◊〉 reject and 〈◊〉 them And if the son of peace be there 〈◊〉 peace shall rest upon him if not redibit ad vos it shall returne to you again saith Christ to his disciples And the Apostle most plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Therefore we ought to be very carefull how we behave our selves in hearing 3 Lastly it cannot be in vain to the Catechized If we come to heare with a good intent the spirit of God takes order that the word shall be profitable and fruitful like good seed sowed in good ground And to this purpose it is that Saint Gregory saith Cum verbiboni auditores 〈◊〉 pro reficiendis eis majora
the City of Jerusalem or the Temple which they say should be no bigger then it was be able to contain all the Jews that ever were 7. Lastly they are by this position utterly injurious to the soules of the faithful to call them out of a heavenly paradise Abrahams bosome to an earthly Paradise Their second erroneous tenet is That Jesus is not that Messias 1. It is said in the prophecy of Jacob. The Sceptre shall not depart from Judea nor a Lawgiver from betwixt his feet untill Shilo come It is certain that before the captivity it was alwayes in Judah and in the captivity they had one of their brethren who was called Rex captivitatis the king of Captivity After the Captivity it continued till Arostobulus and Hyrcanus striving for it they were both dispossest and Herod an Idumean placed in their room in whose time Christ came according to the prophecy and then the Scepter departed quite from Judah The Jews denied Christ their king and ever since have bin subject to the Scepters of several Gentiles 2 If they object against this prophecy that the Maccabees were not of the Tribe of Judah but of the Tribe of Levi we answer that we must distinguish of the prophecy thus That either a king or a Lawgiver should be of the Tribe of Judah and it is apparantly manifest that there was a Lawgiver in that Tribe till Christ came For they confesse that Simon Justus whose Nune dimittis we have in our Liturgie was the last of them and that ever sincee the whole company of their Sanedrim was dispersed and the number never made up again 3. And if they understand or conceive that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie a Scepter but a Tribe and that it is meant that Judah should be and continue a Tribe till Shiloh come they assent to us Christians for the Tribe of Judah continued distinct and unconfounded till Christ the true Messias came so that our Saviour Jesus was known to be of the Tribe of Judah of the City of Bethleem and of the posterity of David Nor did the Jews ever in the Gospel cavil at this which they would have attempted had the confusion of this Tribe given them just occasion But not long after Christs death all the Tribes were confounded And the Emperours of Rome after they had heard that Ex Judea nasceretur Dominus orbis that in Judea the Lord of the world should be born presently laboured to root out the Tribe of Judah and forced them to confound their Genealogies and upon all miscariages and rebellions of the Jews slue many thousands of them and caused the rest to be dispersed into all coasts adjoyning or to live in miserable slavery in Palestine 4 The Prophet Daniel receiveth an Oracle from God by the Angel that from the time the Oracle was given there should be seven weeks and 62. weeks and one week in the latter half of which last week Christ the Messias preached and was slain and put an end to all sacrifices Now what these weeks are is shewed in the scripture that they should signifie so many weeks of years not of dayes so accounting every week for seven years it makes 49. years and so many years was the Temple in building for three years were spent in providing materials and gathering themselves together and 46. years in building as the Jews told our Saviour After the 〈◊〉 of the second Temple and the wals of Jerusalem there followed 62 sevens and one seven So that from that time to the Death of the Prince Messiah were 490 years or 70 times seven times 5 The prophet Haggai saith That the glory of the latter house shall be greater then the glory of the former Now in the first Temple were glorious things As the Ark of the Lord The Pot of manna Aarons rod the shew-bread c. And the second Temple had none of these and yet the prophet saith that the glory of the Latter should exceed the glory of the former how this prophecy should hold they will never shew unlesse in the time of Christ the Messias whose presence made it more glorious then the other things did the former for we know that 40 years after our Saviours death the Latter Temple was destroyed 6 Petrus Galatinus saith that the disciples of Rabbi Hillel considering these prophecies though they lived 50 years before Christs time hoped the Messiah should be born in the age that they lived being induced thereunto by the saying of Esay in the person of the Lord I the Lord will hasten it And especially by Daniels 〈◊〉 of the seventy sevens 7. That in Esa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 final was apprehended by them for a great mystery and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place signifieth 600. for 600 years between Esayes time and Christs 8. The Jews say further that the prophecy of the second Temple which was a still voice coming from the Lord should not cease and that the Temple should not open till the Messias came And they have confest that this voice ceased in Christs time and in Herods dayes and that the veile of the Temple rent in two pieces and never after came together 9. Besides these the continual sending to and fro by the Jews and John Baptist and the disciples questions to our Saviour argues that there was a 〈◊〉 expectation that the messiah should come at that time As also the speech of Simeon his waiting for the consolation of Israel And the speaking of Anua of the Messiah to all that Looked for redemption in Jerusalem and Lastly Joseph of Arimathea's looking for the kingdome of God to appeare shew that in those very times many religious men had great hope of comfort to be brought to them by their Messiah 10. Again there were at that time more then at any other many counterfeit and salse Messiah's either eight or ten as Josephus testifies As Herod from whom the Herodians Judas Theudas and others and among them Bar Cosba the younger who was in such estimation among them that all the Rabbins save one confest him to be the Messiah 11. Suidas reporteth that it was related to Justinian the Emperour by Philip a merchant of Constantinople who had the report from one Theodosius a Jew that in the Catalogue of the Jews Priests was found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus the Son of God and Mary and that he had been admitted into the society of the Priests also else he could not have been permitted to preach either at Nazareth or Capernaum being of the tribe of Judah 12. To these we may adde that which they hold that after Malachy in the second Temple they should have no Prophet till the Messiah and that the Temple should stand till he should come And we see that our Saviour prophesied of the destruction of the Temple which accordingly came to
of the Laws of the twelve Tables at Rome Qui falsum testimonium dixerit Tarpeio Saxo dejiciatur Hee that shall beare false witnesse let him be cast down from the Tarpeian Rock And Phocylides counselleth not to utter lyes but to speak the truth in all things Now in the other four they had a dimmer light for they were not so manifest to them 1. For the first though wee finde most of them speaking of gods in the plural number yet it was well known to the Philosophers that there was but one God and especially to Pythagoras who could say Si quis se deum dixerit paepter unum qui omnia fecerit novum faciat mundum If any one shall say that he is a god but he that made all things let him prove it by making a new World And so Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unus in veritate unus Deus There is one in truth there is one God and so said Orpheus and Varro and this they maintained in their Schools 2. For the second they agreed that every god should be worshipped according to the manner that himself should think best So Socrates in Plato's Respublica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every god should be worshipped as he liked And this is the very foundation of the second Commandement But for the thing it self S. Augustine out of Varro saith That Varro did much approve of the Jews religion because it excluded Images holding it the best way to keep Religion undefiled by excluding them and that if all people else had taken that course it had been a means to take away much trifling 4. For the fourth very little is to bee found and yet they had this Canon among them that numerus septenarius the number of seven was numerus quietis a number of rest and that it was Deo gratissimus a number pleasing to God From which and from the report they heard of the Jews observing the seventh 〈◊〉 rest they might have gathered a conclusion that God would have rest upon that day And it was their practise in their funerals to have their 〈◊〉 the seventh day aster a mans death and seven dayes together they would mourn and they gave their children names the seventh day after their birth and all this because they held it Saturns number 10. For the tenth Menander hath this saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not concupiscere or desire so much as another mans pin or button And indeed though in their Lawes they never touched this yet the scope of them all did tend and drive to this end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non concupiscere they were against concupiscence And hence we may conclude with Saint Paul Rom. 2. 15. That the Gentiles having the Law written in their hearts were inexcusable Now to shew that the Heathen had also the rules and grounds before mentioned we may thus prove 1. There was written upon the door of the Temple of their god Apollo at Delphos in the upper part of it the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Thou art shewing thereby that God alone hath a being of himself and that we depend on him and that if any did ask 〈◊〉 at the Oracle they should do what the god commanded and that was subdere deo quod commune habes cum angelis to subject their Angel-like reason to God 2. Secondly upon one leaf of the door was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosce reipsum know thy self that man should take notice how much better he was then beasts and his minde then his body and knowing his soul to be better then theirs he should not abase it with vile things and that was subdere rationi quod commune habet cum brutis to subdue to reason those faculties which were common with beasts 3. Thirdly upon the other leaf was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rule of sober living against covetousnesse and profutenesse fac quod vis pati doe as thou wouldst have done unto thee to avoid injustice Besides this they had legem 〈◊〉 a law of retaliation like for like nemo facit injuriam qui velit idem sibi fieri no man commits an injury or doth wrong that would be willing to have the like done to himself And therefore when the Emperour Alexander Severus heard this sentence Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris do not that to another which thou wouldest not have done to thy self he ever after used it to malefactours and caused it to be graven in his plate And thus we see the Heathen had rules for their actions and for the whole substance of their obedience So much then for the Action Secondly for the manner Toti Totum Semper or Toto tempore 1. For Toti they had this rule among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must do it with all our minde strength heart and affection else not at all 2. For Totum the whole duty T is Plutarchs comparison if we eat not up the whole fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will do us no good but harm but if we eat it all it will be wholsome and medicinable both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they found fault with Caesar for using this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum in 〈◊〉 rebus pietatem colas If justice be to be broken it would be for a kingdom in other things live godly And this is the case of every sinner so the unclean person saith If ever chastity be to be violated it is for Bathsheba in others it shall be kept So Plautus Solis amatoriis perjuriis dii dabunt veniam the gods will pardon perjuries in lovers only But justice must be totally kept and not broken for any respect nor any other vertue if we so do we omit part of the whole and entire duty required of us this the Heathen knew 3. For Semper or toto tempore all the dayes of our life They held that a good man should continue so to his end they resembled him to a tetragonism all sides alike like to a Dye they would have him to be homo quadratus ever like himself never like to a Camelion often changing his colour inconstant sometimes good sometime bad now in now out but he must continue ever one and the same 1. For the reward we see that they held that their god Jupiter had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sheet of Parchmine made of the skin of that Goat that nourished him wherein he wrote all mens deeds and for those that had done well he had his three graces to reward them in this life and his Elisian fields in the world to come answerable to Paradise in Scripture 2. And for punishment they likewise held that he had his three Erinnyes or Furies in this life and Tartarus Styx and Cacytus in the life to come according to Tophet and Gehenna in Scripture And thus we see that the 〈◊〉 are
equality in respect of the bond of observing the Law of God not any one is excepted more then another As we see in that Commandment Non maechaberis Nathan said to King David Tu es bomo thou art the man And John Baptist to Herod though a King too Non licet tibi c. it is not lawful for thee c. So neither do the Commandments leave us in a generality that so we may slip our necks from them but they are in the second person that whosoever heareth or readeth them they shall be as strong to him as if there were as many Tues as persons that hear them Therefore every one upon reading or hearing the Law in the second person ought to apply it to himself and the speaking of it in this manner is as forcible as if God himself did speak to every particular man By the using a negative or countermand there is implicitely a confirmation of that which is contrary It is held in Logique that ad plura se extendit negatio quam affirmatio It was Gods purpose to have his commandments beaten out as far as the rules of extension used by Christ would permit and his intent is that affirmative duties should be done after the impediments are removed And though ad negationem non sequitur affirmatio oppositi yet the Rule of Logick holds onely in bare affirmative and negative propositions not in affirmative or negative precepts for in these Qui negat prohibens jubet promovens In Laws Qui prohibet impedimentum praecipit adjumentum he that forbids the obstacle commands the helps And this also serves to shew how full of weeds our nature is that it is not capable of a command but first of a countermand We are not capable of good before that which is ill in us be weeded out of us 1. That the future tense is so much used in the Commandments it is an implicite touch of our transgressions past and that for the time to come it is doubtful and uncertain what we will be for the time past it shews that we have been grievous transgre ssours and is withall a warning of the pronenesse of our nature to ill for the time to come that even then we will be as ready to do wickedly as ever before for as there is one that will say facies so there is another as ready to say faciam Evil suggestions evil examples our own corrupt natures and Sathan besides will egge us forward and therefore we must keep a diligent watch and abridge our selves of things lawful we must flee from the smoak abstain from all appearance of evil as the Apostle speaks that the body of sin reign not in us 2. And in the second place it imposeth a continual keeping of the Law so long as we live It is for to day to morrow and to our lives end and therefore our warfare against sin must be to blood and death and before such time we are not discharged from the obligation of the Law Now for the commandments themselves The end of the Law is to make a man good and here also are some things to be noted from the order here observed 1. Impediments are to be removed that we may keep the Law therefore this first Commandment runs negatively As when the frame of a building is to be erected if a tree be standing in the way it must be cut down or if the ground be not sure and dry it is not meet to 〈◊〉 an house upon or as in a cure in Chyrurgery if the whole Body be corrupt or some member be dead and the flesh 〈◊〉 that must first be cut away before any thing be applyed to the grieved part Ground must be fallowed before corn be sowen And so God hath provided by his Law running negatively and that in the front of it Non habebis c. false Gods must be renounced that the worship of the true God may take place 2. The second observation followeth that that be done first which is first in Order As in a building the foundation is first laid and in natural generation the heart is first this also is done here First Non habebis deos alienos coram me thou shalt have no other Gods before me This is the foundation of all worship inward or outward and therefore in the first place mentioned We are to observe our former rules fines mandatorum diligenter observandi sunt we must therefore know what intent God had in giving this Commandment One end of the Law as is said is to make men good And the ultimate end or scope of this and all other Commandments is the glory of God The whole first Table refers to Godlinesse Holinesse Religion Now Religion being an action it mvst needs proceed from some inward principle and so doth it which is from the soul of man and principally from the spirit of it which in this regard is compared to a Treasury out of which good men bring good and evil men evil things Our worship and service of God will be according to the treasurie of our hearts the spirit if that be good our outward worship will be so too We see then that inasmuch as the spirit is the chief and principal thing in Gods worship our chief and principal care too ought to be had for this spiritual worship And indeed it is the scope of this first Commandment It is said that according to the superiour end the Commandment is to be esteemed Quo prior finis 〈◊〉 prior necessitas hence it is that the first Table is to be preferred before the second because spiritual worship required in the first is before outward worship prescribed in the second Commandment So man was made the end of the Sabbath not the Sabbath the end of man Mark 2. 27. therefore the breach of the external part of the Sabbath must yeeld to the necessities of man Whereas the worship of God is commonly divided into spiritual and bodily or inward and outward and the one said to be commanded in the first the other in the second Commandment this must not be so understood as if they were several kindes of worship for the same act of Religion may be both inwardly and outwardly performed as we see in mental and vocal prayer but they import onely the different manner of performing as either by the heart alone which is onely spiritual or by the heart and outward man which is the same spiritual worship performed by the body and therefore called outward for the outward worship of the body proceeding from the heart or spirit may be truely called spiritual because the exteriour act proceeds from the spirit and God accepts such worship though it be outward in respect of the act as a worship in spirit and truth when it is accompanied with truth and sincerity of heart and therefore as all worship and obedience is the same both inward and
suffer us to be tempted above that we are able And either our strength shall encrease with the strength of our crosse or as our strength so our crosse shall diminish The enemy shall not be able to do us violence 2. We are to deprecate temporal dangers as Jehosbaphat did We know not what to do hoc solum restat ut ad te oculos dirigamus Domine Our eyes are upon thee O God And then in our trouble and distresse Nomen Domini shall be turris fortissime The Name of the Lord will be a strong tower to us But yet concerning temporal evil we must stand affected as the three children were who answer'd K. Nebuchadnezzar our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery fornace but if not because the promise and covenant is conditionall we will not serve thy God c. And thus far and no farther went our Saviour when he used deprecation Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not my will but thine be done The second branch of Invocation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precation which is the desiring of some thing that is good There is no one thing more common in the Psalms then this as 1. Give me understanding So 2. Establish the thing that thou hast wrought in us c. As the first prayer is to give what we want so the second is establish and confirm it in us when we have it 3. The third is that of the Apostles to our Saviour Lord increase our faith in us We must not keep at a stand in grace but desire an increment that we may grow in grace as the Apostle counselleth us Concerning this part of prayer petition of the good we want It is true our desires are not alwayes granted for as Christ answered the sons of Zebedee ye ask ye know not what so it may be said to us we often desire 〈◊〉 that which is agreeable to our own humours then to Gods will as Chrysostome reports of a Thief who purposing to continue in his sin orabat Deum ut non caperetur eo citius capiebatur he prayed that he might not be taken and was taken so much the sooner because he so prayed Therefore the rule we must follow and whereon we must ground our prayer is that promise Quicquid secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever we ask according to his will he will grant us such are the graces of his spirit and whatsoever is necessary to salvation as the Word Sacraments publique Worship c. These are that unum 〈◊〉 which the 〈◊〉 so earnestly begged unum petii a Jehovah One thing have I desired of the Lord. He desired many things but one thing especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dwell in the 〈◊〉 of God all the dayes of his life to continue in the Church of God all his life where he might glorifie God and work out his own salvation Whatsoever is absolutely necessary to these ends we may safely ask and be sure God will grant and therefore our Saviour tells us that God grants his Spirit to those that ask him this is one thing which he will not deny us Now with these or after these we may pray for temporal things that is we may pray first for a competency not for superfluity The 〈◊〉 Jacob prayed onely for food and raiment and Agur the son of 〈◊〉 prayes Give me neither poverty nor riches but sufficientiam victus a sufficiency onely whereupon S. Augustine faith non indecenter petit quia hoc petit non amplius it is no unbeseeming prayer because he asks onely so much and no more 2. We must desire them with condition if God see it expedient submitting to his will as Christ If it be possible and if it be thy will so did David praying for restitution to his kingdom If I have found favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again c. if not here I am let him do what seemeth good to him He resignes all to Gods will and there is no more compendious way to obtain what we need then to resigne all to Gods pleasure whatsoever means we use or however we struggle nothing will avail without this Now that which was mentioned before concerning omnis omnia falls in best to be expounded here It seems strange that every one that asks shall have and that whatsoever he asks he shall have seeing it is certain that many ask and have not 1. We must remember that of S. Augustine that our duty is to pray however for as he saith Jubet ut petas si non petis displicet non negabit quod petis si non petes doth God command thee to pray and is he displeased if thou prayest not and will he not deny thee what thou prayest for and yet dost thou not pray 2. We must know that the cause why we receive not is not in his promise but in our asking Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse saith S. James For it is not a demonstrative signe of Gods favour to us to have all we desire granted for we see that the Israelites desired flesh and flesh God sent them but is was with displeasure for while the meat was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God came upon them and flew the mightiest of them and smote down the chosen men of Israel And upon the peoples violent desire to have a king God gave them one but in displeasure Nay it is so far from a favour that God sometimes grants the Devils whom he favours not their requests as in the case of Job and the Swyne 3. And as this is not an absolute signe of favour so Gods denying of our requests is not alwayes a signe of his displeasure This we may see in S. Paul who obtained not that he desired concerning the prick in the flesh 1. One reason S. Isidore and S. Aug. give Saepc multos Deus non exaudit ad voluntatem ut exaudiat ad salutem God oft-times hears not many as they desire that he may hear them to their good 2 Another reason is given by S. Aug God denies not but only defers to grant that we might by his deferring them ask and esteem of them more highly Desideria delatione crescunt cito data vilescunt desire encreaseth by delay and things soon given are of light esteem and therefore he adds Servat tibi Deus quod non vult cito dare ut tu discas magna magis desiderare God keeps for thee that he will not give thee quickly that thou mayest learn with more affection to desire great things 3. A third reason is that we might the more earnestly ask for them which our Saviour intimates in two parables to us one of the unjust judge and the importunate widow and the other
other Imperat suadet it both commands and intreats 4. And whereas the reasons of the former Commandments are terrible fearful and threatning in this they are easy and reasonable the main reason of this being that no more is required to be done by us then was done by God himself we ought to do it because God hath done it 5. Whereas none of the rest have above one reason to perswade and move us to the duty this hath besides one principal tria statumina three other props or reasons so that it exceeds them all in the multitude of reasons to perswade us to the observance of it 6. Lastly to move and stir up our regard to this Commandment in a more especial manner and that it might not be thought a light matter either to break or keep it as we are apt to think God hath in the very 〈◊〉 of it set notas non leves no slight notes Recordare remember and observa keep it We must have a special care of the keeping of it and to that end we must remember it The Commandment hath two parts 1. A Precept 2. The Aetimologie that is the Reasons or the perswasions to keep it The Precept contains in it an affirmative part and a negative The affirmative in the eighth verse Remember the sabbath day to keep it 〈◊〉 The Negative in the ninth and tenth verses in it thou shalt do no manner c. For the first that we may understand it the better we must know what is meant by sabbath and what by sanctifying 1. Sabbath in the original signifieth rest and such a rest which some labour hath gone before a rest after labour 〈◊〉 a ceasing or intermission from labour Such a rest is described in the law When the land had been laboured and tilled six years before God gave the people charge that it should lie fallow and rest the seaventh year and this was a politick law So after the labour of six dayes God requireth here a cessation from work the seventh day let that be a day set apart rest on that day 2. The word Sanctifie is twice used in this commandment in the beginning and in the end and is applied to two 1. To God in the end verse 11. The Lord blessed and sanctified it 2. To man vers 8. remember the sabbath to sanctifie it Now it is a rule in divinity that when any word is given to God and man both it is to be applied in a different respect and so here this word ascribed to God is to be understood sub modo destinandi by way of appointing it so to be and to man sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of applying it to that it was appointed So when God appointeth any thing to an holy vse he is said to sanctifie it and when man applieth it to the use to which God hath so appointed it he is said also to sanctifie it As it is sure that by nature all men are alike before God and differ not by nature so may it be said of bread water wine dayes c. by nature all are alike and one is not more holy then another Yet in the law saith God concerning the Israelites I have separated you from other people that you should be mine When God setteth man a part that he should be his either as a minister in the Church or as a Magistrate in the commonwealth then this his separation or putting a part is the beginning of his sanctifying So water which is separated from common uses and destinated to 〈◊〉 and the Creatures of Bread and wine in the administration of the Lords supper there is naturally no more in them then in the other of the like kinde till they be so separated and set apart from the other and appropriated to God and holy vses So may we likewise say of dayes naturally there is no more holines in one then in another onely Gods ordinance by separating one day from another for himself makes it to be more holy then the rest Now it is the nature of such things whether it be man or beast so separated from common vse and thereby sanctified to the Lord that they must continue so and be neither bought nor sold nor other wayes alienated Therefore we finde that under the Law the Tabernacle and whatsoever was vsed in it about the service of God must be put to no other use the fire-pans flesh-hooks 〈◊〉 made for the sacrifice yea the basest instruments to stir the fire and the meat in the caldron whereof a libamen or offering was to be should not be put into any other nor the pots on no other fire nor the snuffers to any other lamp but to these in the Tabernacle So this is the nature of a thing sanctified and it therein differeth from other things that what is sanctified or separate for God must not be converted or applied to any other use and so for dayes such as are sanctified or set apart for God must be applied to no other use unlesse God himself or his church by authority from him and that upon grounds warranted by God dispence therein in some special cases Other things may bedone in part upon other dayes but not upon this The Psalmist as before saith he will meditate every day and night and every day he wil praise God and give thanks to him and in the evening morning and at noon day thrice a day he will pray Nay seven times a day he will praise God yet all these are but on part of the day for in the six dayes other things may be joyntly done with those holy exercises and may lawfully take up a part of the day but this day being a most holy day as separated to Gods use and service must be sanctified not in part or joyntly with other imployments but must solely be kept to his service and use Now a question may arise whether God sanctified this day to himself or to us Certainly the Apostle tells us that omnia munda mundis all things are cleane to the clean and God is most pure and holy and therefore needs nothing to be sanctified to him therefore this sanctifying must needs be for us And the same Apostle 〈◊〉 this is the will of God even your not his sanctification for without holines none shall see God and therefore to the end that we might be holy did he sanctifie this day his word and other things c. And so by the second part of sanctification by annexing a blessing to this day he blessed it and made it holy as in the Sacrament of the Eucharist he blessed the bread and his dicere is facere he gave it power to increase holines in us And as to the bread there so to this day here he hath annexed a special blessing whereby it is sanctified to us and that in a twofold respect 1. Relative as applied to the means of holines
prayer word c. As a thing may be said to be holy as the place where Moses stood as also all that belonged to the Tabernacle because they were applied to the means of holines 2. Effective in regard of the fruit of holines which is wrought in us on that day and practized in our selves Sanctificamini et sancti estote Be sanctified and be holy So that all which hath bin said amounteth to thus much God hath set apart or sanctified this day to the end that it may be applied wholly either to the means of sanctification as hearing the word prayer meditation and other religious duties or to the practize of sanctification by these means wrought in us And he sanctified it or gave it a blessing that what means we use this day of sanctification shall be two fold blessed and of more effect and force to us then what we do upon another day not sanctified and set apart as this is Now seeing God hath so sanctified it it is our duties that as he hath sanctified it with is blessing we must do the like and sanctifie it too which consists in two things 1. In our estimation and accompt of it which is for our judgement 2. Secondly in the use of it which is for our Practize 1. We must account of it in our judgement as a day holy unto God not as a common day but as a Prince is sacred among men so this is to be reputed holy among dayes a day of dayes that of God to S. Peter must be our Rule What God hath sanctified make not thou common 2. For use that we so use it This use is well set down by the Prophet We must not do our own work No common thoughts are to exercise our brains and as our thoughts must be taken up with common affairs so neither must our communication be of such things nor our practise but our thoughts words and actions must be sanctified and such as tend to the practise of holinesse For according to that of the Prophet If that which is sanctified touch that which is common it imparteth not holines to the thing prophane or common but the common polluteth the thing which is sanctified so that the touching or dealing in any unholy action that day is a polluting of the day This we must take heed of else as our Saviour saith in another case A woman may be chast yet adultery may be committed if a wicked eye look upon her to lust after her so though holy things remain holy in themselves yet we may pollute them and make them unholy as much as in us lieth by our polluted actions CHAP. II. What is commanded here 1. A rest 2. Sanctification Rest is required not for it self but for the duties of sanctification Reasons that the Sabbath is not wholly nor principally ceremonial Addition 21. out of the Authors other works declaring his meaning in two things 1. That the Lords day is jure divino 2. That the 〈◊〉 Sabbath is abolisht by Christs death proved by him at large out of Scriptures and Antiquity in his speech against Trask in Star-Chamber NOw here are two things and both commanded but not alike or equally but the one for the other 1. The first is Sanctification which is the last end and drift of God in this commandment and that which is required for it self 2. The other which is the means subordinate to it is Rest without which sanctification of the day cannot be had as God requireth To make it plain The heathen by the light of nature could see that every thing is then best ordered when it hath but one Office and is ordained to do but one thing at once for whatsoever would be throughly done would be done alone the reason is because we are res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatures and if two things be done at once and together one will be done imperfectly because our thoughts will be distracted between both for part of our thoughts will be taken of when they are set upon several objects so that we cannot wholly intend two things at once It was Adams case in the state of Inno cency for he having a natural soul and finite was not able to intend the dressing of the garden commanded him and the sanctification of the sabbath together and therefore God would have him imploy six dayes upon the first and blessed the seventh day to be bestowed in his worship And this was the end why God instituted blessed and sanctified the seventh day for a remedy against distraction especially in the solemne worship of God which is enough to take up the whole man and ought to be without all distractions and therefore permitteth none to be intent to any other thing during the performance of it Now if Adam in that estate could not be free from distraction much more have we need of remedy against it And therefore is this rest and ceasing from servile work commanded to free us from it and to further our sanctification and thus cometh in this rest because this total sanctification cannot be performed without ceasing from labour and doing our own works for without rest we cannot sanctifie and if our rest should hinder our sanctification it ought to be taken away and omitted And indeed our Saviour Christ acknowledgeth that man was not made for the rest but for sanctification Sanctification was his end and man was created and made for that Rest is but a subordinate end and man was not made for it but rather rest was made for man Rest is but the means to attain to sanctification which is mans end and that for which he was made For as the Apostle saith of bodily exercise it profiteth 〈◊〉 so it may be said of bodily rest that bodily rest profiteth little or indeed nothing at all except it be applied to sanctification which is the end nor doth God approve of it without this but wholly disliketh it The scope of this reverend Author is not here to prove that the command of the sabbath is wholly Moral and in no part ceremonial but to prove against the Anabaptists Familists aud other sectaries who denie all distinction of dayes under the Gospel that it is not wholly or principally ceremonial as his reasons do plainly shew for that it is so in part is confessed afterwards where the Author saith that the strict rest enjoyned the jews of not 〈◊〉 a fire nor dressing meat on the sabbath was ceremonial and obliged onely the jews Nor can it be imagined but that he know very well that as the sabbath was a type of Christs rest in the grave of our daily rest from sinne and of our eternal rest Heb. 4. And as it signified a rest from the Egyptian servitude Deut. 5. That in these respects it was ceremonial and is abolisht And although his opinion seems to be that the Lords day which we observe instead of the
sabbath is jure divino in which point learned men do differ and of which we shall speak something hereafter yet that the 〈◊〉 sabbath which as it concerned the jews in a perculiar manner is litterally injoyned by the fourth Commandment is abolisht by the death of Christ is his opinion clearly expressed elswhere Of the 〈◊〉 he speaks in one of his sermons of the resurrection on 1 Cor. 11. 16. where labouring to prove the feast of Easter to be as ancient as the Apostles among other arguments he brings one from the Lords day in these words But we have a more sure ground then all these The Lords day hath testimony in Scripture I insist upon that that Easter day must needs be as ancient as it For how came it to be the Lords day but that as it is in the Psalm The Lord made it And why made he it but because the stone cast aside that is Christ was made the head of the corner that is because then the Lord rose because his resurrection fell upon it Where he plainly affirmes the Lords day to be so made by the Lord himself and that because Christ rose upon that day Now for the other point that the jews sabbath was ceremonial and abrogated by Christs death is proved at large by his speech in star-chamber against Trask published inter opera posthuma where among other things he speaks 〈◊〉 The Apostle inter alia reckoning up diverse others concludes with the sabbath and immediately upon it addes Which all are but shadows of things to come Sabbath and all but the body is Christ. The body had the shadow to vanish that which was to come when it is come to what end any figure of it it ceaseth too That to hold the shadow of the Sabbath is to continue is to hold Christ the bodie is not yet come It hath been ever the Churches doctrine That Christ made an end of all Sabbaths by his Sabbath in the grave That Sabbath was the last of them and that the Lords day came presently in place of it Dominicus dies Christi resurrectione declaratus est Christianis ex illo caepit habere festivitatem suam saith Augustine The Lords day was by the resurrection of Christ declared to be the Christians day and from that very time of Christs resurrection it began to be celebrated as the Christian mans festival For the Sabbath had reference to the old creation but in Christ we are a new Creature a new creation by him and so to have a new Sabbath and vetera transierunt no reference to the old We. By whom he made the world saith the Apostle of Christ. So two worlds there were The first that ended at Christs Passion saith Athanasius And therefore then the Sun without any eclypse went out of it self The second which began with Christs resurrection and that day initium novae creaturae the beginning and so the feast of them that are in Christ a new creature It is diduced plainly The Gospels keep one word all four and tell us Christ arose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 una sabbatorum that is after the Hebrew phrase the first day of the week The Apostles they kept their meetings on that day and S. Luke keeps the very same word exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exclude all errour on that day they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is held their synaxes their solemn assemblies to preach to pray to break bread to celebrate the Lords supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords supper on the Lords day for these two onely the day and the supper have the Epithet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicum in the scriptures to shew that Dominicum is alike to be taken in both This for the practise then If you will have it in precept The Apostle gives it and in the same word still that against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of their assembly every one should lay apart what God should move him to offer to the collection of the Saints and then offer it which was so ever in use that the day of oblations so have we it in practise and 〈◊〉 both even till Socrates time who keeps the same word still 〈◊〉 5. cap. 22. This day this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to have the name of Dies Dominicus in the Apostles times and is so expressely called then by Saint John in the Revelation Revel 1. 10. And that name from that day to this hath holden still which continuance of it from the Apostles age may be deduced down from father to father even to the Council of Nice and lower I trust we need not to follow it no doubt is made of it since then by any that hath read any thing I should hold you to long too cite them in particular I avow it on my credit there is not any ecclesiastical writer in whom it is not to be found Ignatius whom I would not name but that I finde his words in Nazianzen Justin. Martyr Dion sius Bishop of Corinth in Euseb. lib. 4. Irenaeus Clemens Alexandr Tertull Origen Cyprian every one And that we may put it past all question Justine Martyr who lived in the very next age to the Apostles and Tertullian who lived the next age to him both say directly 〈◊〉 solemn assemblies of the Christians were that day ever on Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justine die solis saith 〈◊〉 and leave the 〈◊〉 to their Saturn either in their Apologies offered by them to the Emperours Justine made two in his second Tertullian but one the sixteenth chapter of his that of the true day there can be no manner of doubt A thing so 〈◊〉 so well known even to the Heathen themselves as it was in the Acts of the Martyrs ever an usual question of theirs even of course in their examining What Dominicum servasti Hold you the Sunday and their answer known they all aver it Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot intermit it not the Lords day in any wise These are examples enough I will adde but an authority and a censure and so end The authority I will refer you to is of the great Athanasius great for his learning for his vertue for his labour and for his sufferings but above all great for his Creed Tertullian had written a book de cibis Judaicis which we have so another de 〈◊〉 Judaico which we have lost but it is supplied by Athanasius his book de sabbato circumcisione for he puts them and so they must go together Circumcision and the Sabbath In which he is so clear and so full for the abolishing of the 〈◊〉 day and the succeeding of the Lords day in place of it as no man can wish more and the treatise is no long one neither Now as in the other of meats so in this will I end with censure It is
be placed among the ten Commandments One of the Fathers upon the words Nunquid Saul 〈◊〉 inter Prophetas Is Saul also among the Prophets saith that Saul being no Prophet by profession est heterogeneus of another kinde and an irregular person among the Prophets so it will fall out to be against order for a meer ceremonial Precept to stand in the midst of moral Commandments For every ceremony or type of the Law is as it was a foretelling of something in the Gospel so it must be referred to the Gospel as the shadow to the body And indeed no typical ceremonies are in their own nature for the type or ceremony is to cease when the substance comes as the shadow when the body appears But this Commandment for the substance of it continues in the time of the Gospel 3. Thirdly this being a principle that the Law of Moses expressed in the Decalogue is nothing but the Law of nature revived and the Law of nature being a resemblance of Gods image If we say this precept is in its substance ceremonial then we must also say that in the image of God something is ceremonial not to abide but for a time onely but all things in him and in his image are eternal according to his Nature 4. In the Law of grace Christ delivering the sum of the ten Commandments to the Scribes and Pharisees Thou shalt love the Lord c. there 's no question but that it is the sum of the Decalogue and therefore therein is included the religious observation of the Sabbath and so it will be for the substance moral as the love of God is in which it is contained or else our Saviour had delivered an imperfect sum 5. Again it is dangerous to hold that any precept in the Decalogue is ceremonial for by this the Papists as Parisius and Politianus will bring another of them to be so and will say that the second Commandment concerning images is ceremonial and then why not three as well as two and so four and five and all The best way therefore to hold the duties eternall and to keep them without blemish is to deny that any of these ten precepts is ceremonial in the substance or nature of the Commandment but that they are plainly moral 6. To come to the time of the Gospel We hold that all typical ceremonies of the law are ended and abrogated by Christs death Then if the day of rest be not abrogated by his death it is not a meer Ceremony or ceremonial And that it is not is plain by our Saviour himself for his denouncing the destruction of Jerusalem bids them pray that their calamity fall not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed many years after Christs death when all ceremonies were ended Therefore if Christ knew that the Sabbath as a ceremony should be wholly abrogated by his death his counsel might well have bin spared that they should pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day Matth. 24. 20. which if it had been quite abolished should have been no day Again in things meerly ceremonia ' there is not commutatio a change but abrogatio an abrogating of them wholly but we see in this matter of the Sabbath there is commutatio not abrogatio the Lords day is appointed instead of the Sabbath but no total abrogation of the Sabbath Thus the seals of the Covenant though they had something typical yet being in their general nature moral therefore they are changed but not quite abrogated whereas in things meerly typical there 's no maner of commutation but they are clean taken away for Christ having broken down the partition wall Ephes. 2. 14 15. hath wholly taken away the law of ordinances c. But it is manifest that instead of the Jews seventh day another seventh day was ordained in the Apostles dayes therefore as the ministery and seals of the Covenant and the chief place of it to wit the Temple were not abolished but changed as having a moral 〈◊〉 in them so also was the day of the Covenant for we read Acts 20. 7. that the 〈◊〉 and Disciples came together on the first day of the week to hear the word and to break bread and in 1 Corin. 16. 2. the Apostle wills them in their meetings on the first day of the week to lay aside for the poor and Revel 1. 10. it is plainly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day So that we see in the whole time of the Apostles it was not taken away but changed by them and therefore cannot be a meere ceremonie nor of the nature of the types of the Law But when the old Covenant ceased then ceased the Ministery thereof the Priesthood of Levi was changed and given to choice men of all Tribes and instead of it is our Ministery And as the seals of the Covenant ceased as of Circumcision and the Paschal lamb and in place thereof came our Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords supper so the day of the old Covenant is taken away and instead thereof is put the Lords day none of them in the first end being ceremonial but having a continual use and to last as long as the Church militant The reasons which might seem to have moved the Apostles to change this day may be fitly taken from the Institution of the Sabbath in the time of the law For as then nothing was more memorable then the day of the creation so when it pleased God that old things should cease and that there should be a new creation and that there was a benefit that did overshadow the former the benefit of redemption therefore when that was accomplished by Christs resurrection from that day we celebrate the memorial of it on the first day of the week and whereas that other great work of the sending the holy Ghost which was fifty dayes after concurd on the same day whereby that inestimable benefit of sanctification and speaking with strange tongues was conferred upon the Church and because the memory of the benefit of the creation may also be kept on the first day of the week as well as on the last Hence we may see upon what great reasons this day is establisht wherein do concur the three special works and benefits of the three persons to be for ever thankfully remembred viz. that of Creation by the Father Redemption by the Son and Sanctification by the holy Ghost And so much for the clearing of that point ¶ CHAP. III. Additionall considerations upon the doctrine of the Sabbath laid down in seven conclusions 1. It is certain some time is to be set apart for publick worship 〈◊〉 by School-men Canonists and reasons 2. Certain that the law of nature doth not dictate the proportion of seven or any other in particular 3. It is most probable that the seventh day was appointed by God from the beginning as a day of publick worship in
of Brabourn and 〈◊〉 who were censured the one in the high Commission the other in Star-chamber and were learnedly confuted by two learned Bishops of Winchester and Eli the one in a speech in Star-Chamber now extant the other in a full tract of this subject But though the day be altered from the last to the first day of the week yet I do not therefore say that the seventh day from the Creation was ceremonial or expired as a ceremony at Christs death as is commonly said by some Divines for wherein could the keeping of a seventh day typifie Christ or his benefits but it was observed as a positive Law yet of divine institution and being no natural Law but depending upon Gods will and pleasure might therefore by the same authority when the new creation was finished by Christs resurrection which overshadowed the first creation be altered to another day in memory of that greater benefit and so accordingly it was 6. Concerning the rest observed by the Jews it is certain t was partly moral and partly ceremonial moral in regard that the duties of publick worship cannot be performed without a cessation from other labours and ceremonial as it looked backward and forward backward as a signe of Gods rest after the creation and of their deliverance out of the Egyptian servitude forward as a type of Christs rest in the grave Hebrews 4. of our rest from the servile works of sin in the time of grace as S. Augustine faith and of the eternal rest in heaven 〈◊〉 4. Besides all which it was also a signe to distinguish them from other people Exodus 20. 12. Now for the rest required of us on the Lords day it is not the same with that of the Iews but differs 1. Because rest is now required onely in reference to the holy duties which cannot otherwise be performed not for it self as if it were pleasing to God or the works of mens callings unlawfull but that they might give way to works of a higher nature to sacred duties which if they be not performed the rest is a meere mockery Sabbatum asinorum whereas the rest of the Iewish Sabbath was required for it self they were to rest in their rest and hence it was that the Iewish sabbath is reckoned by S. Paul among the shadows that vanisht at Christs coming and the Fathers generally make the Commandment of the sabbath ceremonial which if any should now observe he should thereby revive Judaisme and in effect deny that Christ the body is come as S. Augustine in the place alledged and elsewhere Quisquis diem illum 〈◊〉 observat 〈◊〉 litera sonat carnaliter sapit whosoever observes that day according to the flesh is carnally wise and hence it is that generally the Fathers 〈◊〉 to call the Lords day by the the name of sabbath for we shall hardly finde in any ancient writers the Lords day called the sabbath till some of late in our Church sprung up who usually stile it by that name against all antiquity and reason whom some others of learning have 〈◊〉 followed being carried by the stream and not foreseeing the evils that have since followed and were then intended by those men 2. Another difference which follows from the former is that because the rest now is not required for it self but as it may further holy duties therefore it is not so strictly required of us as of them They might not do some works which were neither against 〈◊〉 or charity they might not kindle a fire or dresse meat or bury the dead on that day which no doubt are now lawful and the reason is because their rest was symbolical and figurative and therefore that it might the more exactly answer to the thing figured must be the more exact for as Bellar. saith Figurae 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 alioquin non bone significant figures must be exact else they do not well represent the thing signified Now if any shall ask what labours and works we must abstain from and how long seeing to rest onely in the time of publick worship may seem to be enough in reference to the performance of holy duties I conceive it the most probable answer that herein we must be directed in particular by the Laws Canons and Customes of the Church wherein we live and that by divine Law as the sanctifying of the day is required in general so the resting from our ordinary labours in reference to that end is onely required in general by the Law of God but the particular determination of what works and how long and in what manner with 〈◊〉 circumstances of which no general Law could be so fitly given is left to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church for as God hath commanded publique worship by prayer and praises c in general but the modification of it for form order time and manner of performance hath been left to the Church who hath alwayes ordered these things and altered them as there was occasion so for the abstinence from labours what rest may be necessary not onely in the time of publick duties but before and after as preparatives thereto and means of better profiting thereby by meditations and other exercises and for the more solemnity of the day for these and the like I do not finde that Christ hath given any particular rules but that every one is herein to submit to the Canons and orders of the Church and to conform himself thereto and that this conformity in obedience to God who requires us to hear the Church and obey our Pastors is acceptable to God and therefore those that will not rest herein but look for particular directions out of Scripture for every thing which indeed they cannot finde by writing what ever they finde about the Sabbath and applying it to the Lords day do unawares sall into Judaisme and perplex mens consciences into inextricable Laborynths as daily experience shews whereas the constant practise of the Church of Christ in all ages shews that in these things she did use that authority which Christ hath given her as appears by the several constitutions both Ecclesiastical and Civil sometimes enlarging and sometimes restraining the liberty of people in these matters And hence it is that though the Fathers usually say that all the glory of the Sabbath is transferred to the Lords day and though it be commonly said that the Lords day succeeds the Sabbath yet the truth is that it succeeds not properly as the Heir doth his Father at least it is not Heres ex asse as Civilians speak but as the light follows darknes and the substance the shadow in regard that the rest of the Jews Sabbath as it was symbolical is expired and onely what was grounded upon moral equity in it is continued in the Lords day in which for the particular manner of observing we must look to the canons and customs of the Church which are of such force in these things
means to imploy and exercise us in the meditation of Gods works and in his praise for it as the 92. Psalm shews us which psalm was made especially for the sabbath day As also to the continuing of the memory of the Creation to keep us from Paganisme for if the duty of the memorial of the creation had been duly and successively kept from the beginning and so continued that great doubt which troubled all the Philosophers so much whether the world had a beginning had been taken away And therefore this day being one especial means to keep men from Atheisme was therefore sanctified by God to be a day of rest This was one reason why the not keeping this law was so severely punisht by the Mosaical Law as appeares by the man that gathered sticks upon that day and was therefore put to death which was not onely because the law of the sabbath was then newly made to wit for the ceremonial and typical part which consisted in rest and therefore required the severer punishment but also because the not observing of that day was in effect a denial that God created the world Augustine treating upon the Creation saith it is true that God might have been pleased to have said as well fiat mundus totus let all the world be made in a moment as fiat lux let there be light in the first day it had been all one to his omnipotency to have done it at once as in six 〈◊〉 and enquiring further into the cause why he did not so could finde no other reason but that God by creating one thing after another would teach us that we should proceed in the musing and meditation upon the works of creation severally and in order as God made them So did king David and so did Basile and Ambrose who wrote some books of it And this course of meditation was much in use in the primitive Church 3. The last reason is Because the Lord blessed the seventh day He did not onely rest on that day but he consecrated it also Besides exemplum his example there is institutio he hath solemnly instituted it So that it shall be to us 〈◊〉 animae the Market day of the soul for our amendment in that we 〈◊〉 amisse in the foregoing week and for the regulating of us in the week following But this is not all the force of this last reason is in this God saith because have blessed and hallowed it seeing I have appointed it see you do not resist me butsubmit your selves to my ordinance He that keepeth it not and resisteth Gods ordinance resisteth God himself and they that do so receive to themselves damnation Therfore that which God hath hallowed we must not pollute We see the reasons why this rest is to be kept let us now see how far it is to be kept and what is required to the sanctification of it CHAP. V. How far this rest is to be kept Why this word Remember is prefixed Such works to be fortorn which may be done before or after Necessity of a vacation from other works that we may attend Holy duties Mans opposition to God when he bids rest then we labour 〈◊〉 contra six works in particular forbidenthe Jews Whether the same 〈◊〉 absolutely now forbidden the Christians Rest necessary onely for the means of sanctification or the practise of it as in works of mercy or necessity sabbatum boum Asinorum Sabbatum aurei vituli Sabbatum 〈◊〉 Sabbatum Satane THe substance of this fourth Commandment consisteth especially in these two things 1. In the outward rest of the body otium 2. In the holy duties which are the end to sanctifie it Sanctificatio 1. As before we are willed to remember it both in the week before the day come partly because in the day it self we are to yield an account to God of the former fix dayes work in singultu scrupulo cordis with trouble and sorrow of heart partly also as Augustine speaketh ne quid operis rejiciatur in diem festum that no work that might be done in the former dayes be put of to the holy day so when it is come we must avoid two things which as Saint Gregory observes may cause us to forget to sanctifie it 1. The one is aliorum exempla other mens ill examples 2. The other is Ludorum spectaculorum studia the practise and desires we have to unlawful sports and sights to which men are more naturally addicted then to the sanctifying of the day And in as much as we are to esteem of the sabbath as Deliciae Domini the delight of the Lord and that these two things are main obstacles and impediments to such estimation of it we must not onely remember it before hand but when it cometh also That which we are to remember is A day of rest and to sanctifie it Augustine comprehends them both in two words otium sanctum a holy rest 1. A ceasing from labour and if we ask from what labour It is as an ancient Canon of the Church sheweth Ab eo quod antea fieri poterat aut quod postea fieri poterit from that which might have been done before and from that which may be done afterward And whatsoever is meant by the labour and work of the week day that must be forborn on this day with this proviso That Ab eo quod nec antea fieri poterat nec postea poterit non est abstinendum such works of necessity which cannot be de done either before or after are not to be forborn The grounds are laid by Augustine and Jerome thus There is nothing as the Preacher saith but must have its time As we destinate a set time for our bodies repast sleep and the like in 〈◊〉 time we usually take order that we be not interrupted or disturbed by any other occasions And so in other temporal things the more serious they are we go about the more care we take that we be not hindred in them but that we may wholly minde them hoc agere So in the case of spirituals there ought to be a set time for the building up of the soul and procuring holinesse to it and exercising holinesse by it wherein we are to use no lesse care being a matter of greatest importance but that in the promoting of it all impediments may be removed that may hinder us in it ut promptiores simus ad divinum cultum cum non habemus impedimentum saith S. Augustine that we may be more ready for divine worship when we have no lets or impediments to hinder us And this is so plain as that we see even the Councel of Trent taking order for observing of holy dayes hath set down concerning the holy duties which are to be performed on those dayes that they are such Quae ab his qui ab humanarum occupationum negotio detinentur omnino praestari non
day consecrate our selves wholly to God Now here will arise some questions Whether the strict Commandment given to the Jews of kindling no fire and consequently of dressing no meat upon the Sabbath be to be observed by us Christians To this we answer Negatively for this was Ceremonial and belonged onely to the Jews For it is a general rule that every moral or eternal dutie of the Law may be performed by all men at all times But they which inhabit under the North-pole as it is well known cannot be without fire one day and to let it go out were to their utter destruction and so they that dwell under the burning Zone under the Equinoctial cannot well keep their meat above one day so that this being Ceremonial the Christian is exempted from the observing of it as being a thing not observable through the whole world though it might have been observed by the Jews and therefore was it a peculiar precept to them onely because they had no obstacle but might have kept it 2. The second question is Whether the six several works formerly prohibited the Jews be absolutely forbidden to Christians as to travail c. For answer to this we will go no further then the Precept it self The Sabbath must be remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our rest must be ad sanctificandum to sanctifie it the outward rest is destinate sanctificationi to sanctity ideo quiescimus ut sanctificemus we therefore rest because we should sanctifie so that where our rest is not destinata sanctificationi applied to sanctification it is not required and where sanctification cannot be sine quiete without rest there a rest is required Certain it is that a man may rest and not sanctifie so likewise he may sanctifie and not rest and therefore in the first case it is said there are many resters and but few sanctifiers Now sanctification consists either 1. In the means of sanctification Or 2. in declaring our inward sanctification by the practise and works of it in our lives And where the rest is not necessary for one of these or not destinated to them it being a subordinate thing it may be forborn The rule in Logick is tantum destinati sumendum est quantum prodest ad finem we must take so much of that which is appointed for the end as conduceth to the attaining of that end As in the case of Medicine so much is to be taken as will serve to the end for which it is taken Again for the means of sanctification Christ defending his Disciples against the Jews who were altogether urgers of the bodily rest onely sheweth that the rest in regard of the sanctification may be broken as in the Priest in sacrificing that time being the most laborious time for him as it is now the greatest day of labour for our Minister was blamelesse because he was in opere cultus Divini imployed in the work of Gods worship We read also in the Acts of the Apostles of a Sabbath dayes journey and of the like in the Old Testament where the Shunamitish woman coming to her husband for the Asse he saith to her Wherefore wilt thou go to the Prophet to day It is neither new moon nor Sabbath as if the custom had been then to go to the Prophet that day when they had no publick meetings elsewhere So that where publick and lawful assemblies are not a man may take a Sabbath dayes journey to joyn in publick worship with others Thus much for the first part of sanctification But this is lesse acceptable to God then the other part which is the practise of sanctification for this is the end the other but the means and therefore our Saviour being reproved by the Pharisees for a work of healing upon the Sabbath tells them that if they had known what this meaneth which he citeth out of the Prophet 〈◊〉 I will have mercy and not sacrifice you would not have condemned the guiltlesse Mercy being indeed a practical work of sanctification and preferred before the means So that in regard of the practise of sanctification a man may leave the very means as to shew a work of mercy As if there should happen a fire or a man or woman to fall into a swoun or a woman to be in travail in time of divine service or sermon we are to leave the means and practise the work in shewing mercy by saving the life or goods of those that need our help and would otherwise have perished for it is a true rule that periculum vitae pellit Sabbatum the danger of life excludes the Sabbath For as God will be glorified on this day for the works of his Creation the memorial whereof was a cause of the institution of this day from the beginning so no lesse is he glorified in the preservation of his creatures We read that our Saviour Christ was careful to save the fragments and commanded them to be taken up and his reason was because he would have nothing lost If not the least much less the life of any thing may be lost and if he be careful of the life of other things how much more then think you is he careful for the life of man He practised himself this work of mercy upon the Sabbath upon the man that was in peril of his life And indeed Necessitas facit legem exlegem Necessity makes law an Outlaw In the Law it is said Thou shalt not see thy brothers Asse or his Ox fall down by the way and hide thy self from them but thou shalt surely help to lift them up again Nay we see in the Law that God himself is not so strict in observing the practise as many now adayes are For in one place where he appointeth the sanctification of the 7 th day Sabbath and prohibits all works yet he hath there a Proviso Save that which every man must eat that may be done of you And in the Gospel our Saviour tells the Jews that they watered their cattel on the Sabbath day But we must take this caution by the way that we use not this liberty according to the flesh nor as a cloak as the Apostles speak and that these works of Mercy in preserving the life of Man and beasts and other of Gods creatures be used presente non imminente necessitate in case of present not imminent necessity As when any present danger appears against my life I am to defend my self for in presenti necessitate quisque Magistratus est quisque personam Dei habet ut potius occidat quam occidatur in urgent and present necessity every one is a Magistrate and representeth the person of God to kill rather then to be killed But if the danger be not present but onely imminent as one tells me there is wait laid to kill me I must then repair to the Magistrate so that for present necessity or peril there is
an exemption the Lord hath resigned his right into our hands but not upon an imminent peril or necessity which may be prevented or avoided On the other side we are to observe another Proviso We must be careful that because God seeth the heart and we are to deal with him we be sure the danger could not be prevented nor the work be deferred but that present danger and necessity enforceth us to it For we must not draw a necessity upon our selves or pretend a necessity when there is none because God will not be mocked though we may delude the eyes of men This is to be remembred because of the practise of some who Inne their harvest on the Sunday pretending that it is not Gods will that any of his creatures should perish which is true and might lessen the offence if they did it onely for preserving the creature and not for their own gain and profit which if they pretend let them know that God sees their hearts and knows their intentions Therefore for tryal of men in this case it were good if to put a dfference between their works on that day and upon other dayes they would do as they did 1 Cor. 16. 2. lay up on the first day of the week whatsoever they gain or save by their work on that day and give it to the poor by this means it would appear with what hearts they wrought on this day whether onely to save the Creature or out of a desire of lucre and gain Thus we see what rest is commanded and how these cases may be resolved 3. But here ariseth another question When we have rested is that all we are to do Surely no. It is not sufficient that we rest if we do not sanctifie too Leo said of the people of his time that on this day their care was bene vestiri nibil agere keep holy day by wearing gay clothes and doing nothing Now as S. Paul said of bodily labour that it profitteth little so we may say of bodily rest that it profiteth lesse This rest is to holinesse and not to idlenesse We must not be 〈◊〉 on that day of rest To keep a Sabbath therefore and not be able to give accompt of some good thing done by us in it is that which the Fathers call Sabbatum boum asinorum the oxen and asses keep as good a sabbath as such do Besides these Idle sabbath keepers there are two other sorts of people that are neither idle nor well imployed 1. Of the first sort Augustine speaks and they were either 1. such as did vacare 〈◊〉 theatris spectaculis choreis spend their time in pastimes shewes stage-playes and dancing or else those that 2. gave themselves on the Sabbath venationi to hunting To which Leo addes such as did vacare chartis rationibus commessationibus passed the day in playing at Cards and in revelling and so addicted were they to these things as that they were not at al occupied in any work ofsanctification These mens Sabbath as Augustine well observeth is like that of the people in Exodus Cras observabimus 〈◊〉 Jebovae To morrow shall be a sabbath to the Lord they would keep a sabbath to him but it should be as in the next verse to eat and drink and play this sabbath I say was kept to the Calf and therefore he calleth it Sabbatum vituli 〈◊〉 the sabbath of the golden Calf For as we may not keep open markets go to plough or to Law on that day so neither should we spend the time in hunting nor yet in dancing and sporting Nor spend our time ordained for sanctification in beholding sights stageplaies and the like Not because these are in themselves evil or unlawful but in that they hinder our sanctification against such prophanation of this day severe order was taken by diverse councels as Concil Gangr 5. Can. 8. Concil Agath 38. Can. 1. Some christians in the primitive times were so far from this that they would sit in the oratory all the Lords day praying and hearing without eating or drinking insomuch as by their long fasting diverse diseases grew among them wherupon the same council of Gangra in Paphlagonia held 〈◊〉 Dom. 327. Was forced to make a Canon with an Anathema annexed to it against those who thenceforward should fast upon the Lords day But though we shall not need to fear such zeal in our times yet it sheweth to us the great and excellent examples of abstinence used in the Primitive Church to make them more fit for the service of God 1. The other sort are they that spend their time this day in gluttony Lust drunkennesse and such like vices which ought not at any time much lesse on that day be practised For if the affaires of our calling or the sports lawful on another day must not be used on this day much lesse any vice which is unlawful at any time for hereby a double iniquity is committed 1. first because the commandment is violated and this day seemes to be picked and singled out of all other dayes despitefully against the Majesty of God 2. Secondly because it is an abuse of the Creatures of God and a breach of other commandments And therefore as the other was Sabbatum Tyri so these do celebrare sabbatum 〈◊〉 keep a sabbath to the devil CHAP. VI. The second thing commanded is sanctification which is the end of the 〈◊〉 The kindes of sanctification publick and private How the holy Ghost works in 〈◊〉 sanctification The special acts wherein the sanctification of the day consists 1. prayer 2. The word read and preached 3. Meditation of what we have heard and upon the works of God out of Psal. 92. 4. Conference 5. Praise 6. Sacraments and discipline at special times The end of these means our sanctification and Gods glory TO what end then must this rest be why to holines we must apply it to that end to which God hath appointed it and use that holily which God hath sanctified The right sabbath is called Deliciae 〈◊〉 the delight of the Lord wherein he taketh pleasure and that is truly observed when we not onely cease from our own work as those of our calling but of those of our corrupt nature and will by ceasing from that which is pleasant in our own eyes this is to keep Sabbatum 〈◊〉 a sabbath the delight of the Lord to make it a day honour God and to learn Gods wil and having learnt it to practise it whereby he may blesse us and bring us to the inheritance of our heavenly rest Whereas on the contrary if the high-wayes of Sion complain that none come to her sanctuary or that if we come we so behave our selves in it that the adversary mock at her sabbaths Then God himself will take acourse as the prophet speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostrarum he will cast dong upun our faces even the
dung of our solemne feasts that is he will make them as odious to us as dung and we shall loath them Or as it is in another place he will punish it with fire unquenchable The next thing is the kinds of sanctification viz publick and private 1. It must be sanctified in the publick assembly there must be Sacra Synaxis a holy Convocation The heathen man could say that a good thing done and performed dy one is well but better if by many by a whole parish or City together publickly The reason is 1. in respect of God that he might haue the more glory when he is praised in the great congregation and publickly acknowledged before all the world which was the chief end of the 〈◊〉 institution of this day by such publick meetings the day is sanctified to God for to sanctifie a day and to call a solemn assembly are all one as we may see in Joel 1. 13 and 2. 15. 2. In respect the church that all may be known to professe the same faith and to be in one bond of obedience when they all meet in one place at the same time on the same day to glorifie God 2. That the means of sanctification as prayer may be the more effectual for vis 〈◊〉 fortior If the prayers of one just man be so effectual and prevalent with God much more when many meet together their prayers offer a holy violence to God and as it were besiege heaven 3. in respect of the common-wealth the heathen could 〈◊〉 that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meeting together in one place was the means of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it maintained amity And the refore they which bring in tyranny seek to divide and separate men and forbid all meetings and assemblies by that means to cause them to be disjoynted as it were in their affections But God in his service will have men to meet together because they shall be of one minde This 〈◊〉 sanctification There is also private sanctification From those publick meetings which are nundinae sprituales spiritual faires every man must carry away commeatum 〈◊〉 provision for his soul for the informing his understanding reforming his will and regulating his affections and in this we must do as men do at a market provide for our use all the week following And being thus stored and provided that great end will be gained that God may be sanctified that is that he may be magnified as the 〈◊〉 expounds it And as the chief end of this day is that God may be sanctified that is magnified so the subordinate end is that we may be sanctified by the duties which we must then performe The sabbath was a signe between God and his people that they might know that it was he that sanctified them That so they being sanctified might bring forth the fruits of sanctification as Christ saith that he sanctified himselfe for our sakes not for his own Job 17. 19. Now God sanctified it 1. By appointing it to a holy use as the 〈◊〉 was sanctified from the womb 2. By separating it from other dayes for things or persons sanctified are senered from common vse and 3. by giving a special blessing to the holy duties of his worship on that day performed And thus he makes it holy or sanctifies it And as God thus made the day holy we must sanctifie our selves and then sanctifie the day as Hezekias said to the Levites sanctifie your selves and then as it follows sanctifie the house of God what God hath sanctified or made holy that we may reap the benefit of it we must sanctify our selves we cannot make it holy but keep it holy it is our duty to keep holy for if a thing be destinated to an use and be not applied to it it is 〈◊〉 We must not then make that common which God hath sanctified we are to apply it to the end to which God hath destinated it and use that holily which God hath sanctified The destination is from God the application must be from our selves When the instruments of the tabernacle were sanctified whatsoever toucheth them must be holy so here God having sanctified this day all that touch it that live and breath in it that behold the sun or light that day must be holy Now for the means of sanctification it is plain that we are sanctified by the holy Ghost and this sanctifying hath a resemblance to that of the Levitical sanctifying where nothing could be sanctified but it must have unctionem be anoynted with oyle a figure of the spiritual unction which is nothing else but the spiritual working of the holy Ghost in our hearts so that we must first looke whether we have this unction in us that is whether we have the holy Ghost by 〈◊〉 we must be sanctified which as it is the gift of God we have it not of our selves so God denyes it not to those that ask it as our Saviour speaks we must be fitted to receive it As it is God that gives it so he gives it not to any but those that are prepared to receive it that we may understand this we may take notice how the Holy Ghost is compared to fire now the matter must be prepared and gathered by us but it is God that gives the spark and makes it burne and when God hath kindled the spark it must be our duty to blow the spark and look it go not out Quench not the spirit saith the Apostle God will not give the spark it we do not prepare matter and though we prepare matter yet it will not burn unlesse God kindle the fire so that the holy ghost and by consequence sanctification is not got by following the devises of our own brain ye shall not do that which is good in your own eyes saith God but according to the prescript method which God hath set down we must gather matter for this heavenly spark which the holy Ghost must set on fire and this is done by attending to the duties of publick worship on that day for if any shall wilfully keep at home on that day though he be never so well occupied having no just cause of his absence from God house and yet thinks he pleases God the fathers of that ancient councel of Gangra have pronounced an anathema against him For the means to sanctification the special duties and acts wherein the sanctification of the day consists no other directions can be given then what we formerly gave for the means to attain knowledge onely we premise that which Saint Augustine saith of iteration that a man may say Domine scis quia dixi Domine scis quia 〈◊〉 Domine scis quia 〈◊〉 sum Lord thou knowest I have sanctified thy name because I have preached it Lord thou knowest I have spoken of it again and again Lord thou knowest I have been
Men and brethren what shall we do or what shall we leave undone but onely for some sinister ends 2. The second is between the hearers themselves and that 1. either among equalls as S. Paul with S. Peter and Elias and Elizens who communed together and the two Disciples with whom Christ made a third And it was the old Custom as it is in the Prophet that they that feared the Lord spake every one to his neighbour c. to which a special blessing is promised That God would keep a book of remembrance for such men and that he would spare them c. By this means a more general benefit may be reaped of what is heard when many shall lay together what they have observed as in a symbolum or common shot whereby some that had no benefit by the word when they first heard it may receive some good by it afterwards and by mutual conference men may lay open their infirmities and imperfections which hinder them in hearing and applying the word and may receive directions from others whose case hath been the same how they were holpen and freed from the like 2. Or else between superiours and inferiours as the Master and his family And this was Gods Commandement to the Israelites concerning his Law they were to teach their children and to whet it upon them as the word imports Thou shalt talk of it when thou sittest in thine 〈◊〉 and when thoulyest down and when thou risest up c. 5. The fift and last duty for sanctifying the day not to be passed over is praise and thanksgiving Augustine accompteth it to be totum opus Sabbati the whole work of the Sabbath as if the day were made for nothing else And to this end as hath been said before the ninety second Psalm was penned to be sung as a Hymne or song to praise God Now praise and thanksgiving may be either for general or particular benefits For general benefits we have the ninety first sixty eight and hundred and third Psalms For particular benefits as for fair weather after rain or rain after too much drought c. we have the sixty fift Psalm For these we must with David praise God in the great Congregation Especially seeing thanksgiving is accounted by David to be a debt due unto God in respect of his goodnesse in hearing our prayers and it is the very reason the Psalmist gives for it Praise watcheth for thee in Sion or as others read it Tibi debetur Hymnus a hymn is due to thee from Sion the reason is expressed in the next words because thou art a God that hearest prayers Besides all these mentioned the Sacraments and Discipline are parts of the sanctification of the day but are not for every day but to be performed on speciall dayes and by some speciall persons whereas the other duties of the day pertain generally to all and ought to be continually performed So that no man ought to conceive that he hath done enough in performing them once Qui sanctificatus est sanctificetur adhuc he that is holy let him be holy still There is a necessity of continuing in these means of sanctification every sabbath day For as our knowledge is but in part and our prophesying but in part as the Apostle speaks so our sanctification is but in part there will still remain a necessity of that exhortation Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriptures We are continually to wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb that is we must still come neerer and neerer to cleannesse until by continuing in these holy exercises we may at last save our selves And thus much for the several duties wherein the sanctifying of the day consists Now the means are for the end which is the fruit of them Nemo mediis utitur propter media no man ever useth means onely for the means but for some end And therefore he that planteth a vineyard and he that tilleth and soweth his ground hoc est ultimum fructus that which he aimeth at is the fruit and harvest This is the fruit that God expects the great end of this Commandment that his Name may be sanctified in and by us We have the very phrase of speech in the book of Numbers Because ye beleeved me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring the Congregation into the land which I have given them this was Gods speech to Moses and Aaron And in another place the like Sanctificate sancti estote sanctifie your selves and be ye holy Such words in respect of the two fold glory that redoundeth to God have a double sence God is glorified 1. Either by us directly or 2. from us by other indirectly as it is in the Gospel when men seeing our good works are stirred up also to glorifie him And therefore it is that these words Sanctification Glorification c. have a double sense 1. First to signifie a making holy c. and that by means in which respect sanctification is a making holy 2. in regard of others a declaring of this sanctification so made By the first according to S. Peter we make sure to our selves our calling and election And by the second we declare it to others that as we glorifie God our selves so God may be glorified by others also Shew me thy faith by thy works saith S. James Whereby it falleth out that because good works have this operation to stir up others to glorifie God that our Saviour saith That a good work is lawful on the Sabbath day such works discover our regeneration and if we be purged and sanctified we shall be as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepared or made fit for every good work So that when God hath used the means we must bring forth the fruit CHAP. VII Works of Mercy proper for the Lords day They are of two sorts 1. First Corporeal feeding the hungry c. Burying of the dead a work of mercy Such works proper for a festival Objections answered 2. Spirituals 1. To Instruct Counsel and exhort 2. Comfort 3. Reproofe 4. Forgiving 5. Bearing with the weak 6. Prayer 7. Reconciling those that are at odds BUt because the day was chiefly instituted for a memorial of Gods great mercies as 1. For making us when we were nothing 2. Secondly for redeeming us when we were worse then nothing 3. And lastly For the beginning of our sanctification therefore in regard of these three great mercies it is that no work doth so well agree with the day nor that God is so much delighted in as the works of mercy when we shew our thankfulnesse for those great mercies which we celebrate on that day by exercising mercy towards others whose necessity requires our assistance And in this regard it is that there is a special affinity between
them as their own flesh as Moses who carried the people in his bosom as a nurse and made their welfare his scope and as our Saviour snews the example of an hen who gathereth her chickens under her wings to defend them from ravening and strong fowls And this loving nourishing and defending are special ends why superiours were ordained And therefore the reason is added to the Commandment in Exodus 20. and enlarged in Deuter. 5. 16. That thy dayes may be prolonged c. and that it may go well with thee which as was mentioned before is expounded by some not as a promise but as the duty and end of superiours viz. That they under God prolong mens dayes and are or ought to be means that it may go well with them This is one end of their superiority They are not set over the people colligere auream messem to scrape gold and silver for themselves their own profit and ease is not the end of their authority though many times rulers look at nothing else It was the sin of the Princes in Ezekiels time They accounted the city as a cauldron and the people the flesh to be sod in Evil Rulers take their own ease and security while the profit of the people and inferiours is no whit regarded Therefore not without cause are the two heads before named of defending and nourishing inferiours special duties of superiours towards them This which is commonly affirmed that the end of government is the good of the inferiours must be understood cum grano salis for from this principle misunderstood some have collected that because the end is above the means and more noble therefore subjects are above their governours and so may call them to account for their misgovernment and judge or punish them and remove them if they see cause from which false collections made by seditious and turbulent persons infinite troubles confusions rebellions and desolations have followed We must know therefore 1. That to procure the good of inferiours is indeed the duty of superiours and one end why God committed the people to them but not the sole or principal end of their authority for princes receive their power onely from God and are by him constituted and intrusted with government of others chiefly for his own glory and honour as his Deputies and Vicegerents upon earth for they are his Ministers Rom. 13. so that the principal end of their government is the advancement of Gods honour who is the supream King and Lord of all the world and therefore if they fail in performance of this trust they are accountable onely to him who intrusted them and not to the people whom he hath put under them and whom he never authorized to call them to account but to appeal onely to him 2. It is not generally true that all government is onely for the benefit of those that are governed for some government there is meerly for the benefit of the superiour as that of a Lord or Master over his servant for the profit of the servant is herein meerely extrinsicall and advantitious some governments are for mutual good of both as that of a husband over his wife and so some kingdoms may be for the benefit of kings as when they are obtained by a just conquest which are not to be accounted tyrannical because they are just for their may be a just title by conquest when the war is upon just grounds whereas all tyranny is essentially unjust and some kingdoms may respect the profit both of Prince and people as when a people not able to defend themselves commit themselves to a potent prince for protection and safety against potent enemies and so become his subjects 3. Although it be true that in some kingdoms especially elective the benefit of the people is principally regarded and as Cicero saith Fruendae justitiae causa Reges conftituti that kings are appointed for administring of justice yet it follows not hence that the people are above their king for the Tutor or Guardian is for the good of the Pupil and yet the Guardian or Tutor hath power and authority over the Pupil and if any say that the Guardian may be removed if he fail in his trust and therefore the same may be done in Princes L answer that this holds in Guardians because they have some above them but in kingdoms because there cannot be a progresse in infinitum there must of necessity be a stop in some who because they have no superior must if they offend be lest only to God who will either punish them if he see it needful or else suffer them for the punishment and tryal of his people for as Tacitus saith as we bear with the barrennes of the earth or intemperate seasons and the like natural accidents which cannot be avoyded so must they bear with the avarice and lust of rulers Vitia erunt donec homines sed nec haec continua meliorum interventu pensantur there will be faults in government so long as there are men but they are not alwayes nor lasting and besides they are ballanced by the change of good 〈◊〉 intervening And therefore M. Aurelius said that as Magistrates are to judge of private persons so are Princes to judge of Magistrates and God alone of Princes To which purpose is that speech of a French Bishop to their King mentioned in Greg. Turon Si quis de nobis O Rex justitiae tramites transcendere voluerit a te corripi potest si tu vero excesseris quis te corripiet loquimur enim tili sed si volueris audis si autem nolueris quis te damnabit nisi quise pronunciavit esse justitiam If any of us offend O King thou mayest correct us but if thou shalt exceed who shall correct thee we may speak unto thee and if thou wilt thou mayst hear us but if thou wilt not none can condemn thee but he who is justice it self And that of 〈◊〉 is as excellent as common Cujus jussu nascuntur homines hujus jussu Reges 〈◊〉 by whose command or appointment they are born men by his appointment are Kings constituted Nor doth it make against this that the people are sometimes punished for the sins of their Princes as 1 Kings 4. 16. 2 Kings 10. 17. for this was not because the people did not punish or restrain the exorbitances of their Kings but because by tacite consent or otherwise they did communicate in their sins and besides God having supream dominion over the lives of all may make use of it thereby to punish Kings by taking away their Subjects 3. Because God hath made by his Commandment a distinction and 〈◊〉 of degrees as some to be parents some children some superiours and some inferiours Superiours must take heed that none 〈◊〉 this order nor suffer a parity or equality or to submit to those whom God hath placed in a lower rank But why did not