So much for the Preparation THE EXPOSITION OF THE First Commandement CHAP. I. Of the Preface to the Decalogue Two things required in a Lawgiver 1. Wisdom 2. Authority Both appear here Gods authority declared 1. By his name Jehovah which implyes 1. that being himself and that all other things come from him 2. His absolute dominion over all the creatures From which flow two attributes 1. His Eternity 2. His veracity or truth 2. By his jurisdiction thy God by creation and by covenant 3. By a late benefit Their deliverance out of Egypt How all this belongs to us THe Lord spake c. From the second to the eighteenth verse of this Chapter the words which inded are the body of the Law contain in them two things 1. The Stile I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 2. The Charge Thou 〈◊〉 have no other gods before me c. To the perfect enabling of every Law-giver to make Laws is required 1. Wisdom 2. Authority 1. For the wisdom of God it appears in the Laws themselves Moses justifieth it and challengeth all the Nations of the earth to match them What Nation saith he is there so great that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this Law And the wisdom of a Law is best seen in the equity of it But a little before to shew more plainly his wisdom he tels them that it was their wisdom to keep them for the Nations which should see that they were kept would presently conclude and say Surely this Nation is a wise and understanding people which they would never do if they had not conceived wisdom in the framing of them So that certainly we must needs confesse with the Prophet that it came from the Lord who is wonderfull in counsel 2. For his Authority which is rerum agendarum telum it is plainly demonstrated by God himself in the second verse and manifested by the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt by strong hand In every Edict and Law proclaimed the beginning is with the stile of the Prince intimating thereby his Prerogative Royal to make Laws and to publish and see them obeyed And therefore his authority is annexed as to the Law in general so to those particular Laws which have a reason annexed As to the second For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. To the third For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse c. To the fourth For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. and it is the Sabbath of the Lord. Now if it be true that men expect no reason to perswade them to lay hold of a benefit then there needs none to make them observe the Law because it is a benefit for the Psalmist so accounts it He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the Heathen knowledge of his Laws Yet it pleased God to adde his reason from his own person though indeed profit be a sufficient Orator And thus doth God in divers places as Levit. 21. 8. 12. 15. 23. As also S. Paul mentioneth it for the New Testament As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God which words are taken out of the Prophet In this stile or authority are three points according to the titles 1. Of name Jehovah Thy God which brought thee c. the last benefit they had received out of Egypt 2. Of jurisdiction Jehovah Thy God which brought thee c. the last benefit they had received out of Egypt 3. Of benefit Jehovah Thy God which brought thee c. the last benefit they had received out of Egypt And such Prefaces do earthly Princes use in their writings 1. Of Name as Caius Caesar. 2. Of jurisdiction Imperator 3. Of the last benefit Caesar Germanicus for conquering Germany the last triumph obscuring the former 1. For the title of his Name it is I Jehovah not I am Jehovah which argueth 1. His Nature 2. His Power 1. That it is the name of his Nature it cannot be denied They shall know saith the Psalmist that thou whose name is Jehovah art onely the most highest over all the Earth Concerning the word Jehovah which is Tetragrammaton consisting of four letters much hath been written and many speculations have been gathered from it As namely that there are three distinct letters according to the number of persons in the Trinity and of these three the first signifieth power the proper adjunct of the Father the second wisdom and knowledge proper to the Son and the third love the proper adjunct of the Holy Ghost And that the second letter is doubled to denote the two natures of the second Person But this may be sufficient for us that it is a name from being or a name of existence and that he is of himself and from none 〈◊〉 but that all things are through and from him Omnia beneficio illius ipse beneficio nullius Bern. And as it 〈◊〉 his being of himself so his absolute dominion and power over all and therefore we translate it Lord following the Septuagint who render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. And as there is no exception in his title as to be commanded of or by any other All earthly Princes derive their power from him as his Delegates by commission As our Prince hath in his title Dei gratia Angliae By the grace of God King of England c. and is ab aliq from another viz. from God Onely God rules without commission from any but is within and of himself a supream head commandeth simply and absolutely hath no dependance upon any other either of being or power but all things depend on him as their essence powers or faculties and operations This the Prophet sheweth forcibly that streams proceed from him to every creature which being stopped they perish When thou hidest thy face saith he they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they dye and are turned again to their dust And in the next verse he saith that he is the onely breath of the world his breath giveth life When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made Now if we did conceive that any man in the world had our life at such an advantage that with his very countenance he could make or destroy us certainly we would be marvellously cautelous to offend him and very obsequious to please and observe him Yet such is our dependance upon God The word Jehovah as it hath these two significations so hath it two consectaries that follow thereupon in Scripture 1. The eternity of God 2. The truth of God in giving a being to his promises by his performance of them 1. For his Eternity he calleth himself I am Say I am Ero hath sent thee unto them and howsoever there
of the Lords day as Abbas Panormit in c. 3 de Feriis Anchor and others and of the latter canonists 〈◊〉 at large proves the festivtiy of the Lords day ab Apostolis divina institutione edoctis 〈◊〉 fuisse that it was appointed by the 〈◊〉 instructed therein by divine institution Variar 〈◊〉 l. 4. c. 19. n. 5. and that to make it a humane institution were nimis indecorum wch he makes to be the opinion of some men and not generally received And though most of the Schoolmen following Aquinas herein make it onely an ecclesiastical constitution of the Apostles which they do upon this ground that Christ gave no special precepts but onely about faith and the sacraments which if it could be here insisted upon might ealsiy be proved false yet even of them some are for the divine right as Augr. l de verbo Feri e. ss 3. and Sylvest verb. Dominica who affirmes it to be the common opinon in his time and for the rest who are for the jus ecclesiasticum diverse of them say that though the day be absolutely alterable yet morally and practically it is immutable because this change can never be put in practise as Suarez saith and that it is so fixed and deeply rooted and so agreeable to right reason that it can never be changed ob defectum causae because there be no such cause to change it as there was to fix it on this day and that therfore the holy Ghost would never permit the Church to change it because such a change could not be for edification so Fileucius tract ' 3. cap. 2. n. 16. 17. and Ballarmine saith 〈◊〉 divinum requirebat ut 〈◊〉 dies Hebdomadis dicaretur cultui divino that by divine right one day of the week ought to be consecrated to divine worship Decultu sanct lib. 3. cap. 11. de die Dominico If we come lower down divers eminent divines of the reformed Churches go this way though its true that both of Luthers and Calvins followers some seeme to encline to the other opinion as Peter Martyr loco citato Junius in his notes upon 〈◊〉 in cap. 16. Apol. And in his lectures on Gen 23. Piscator in Apoc. 1. 10. Tylnus syntag loc 44. p. 276. to whom diverse others may be added If we come to our own church The homily of the time and place of prayer is full and copious expressely affirming and that often that God hath commanded the observation of the Sunday or Lords day which being the publike voice of the Church ought in points doubtful to have so much weight with every son of the Church as to turn the scale when it hangs in aequilibrio to which we may adde our learned Author that great light of this Church in the places forequoted and that judicious and 〈◊〉 Hooker that Malleus Schismatieorum who is very peremptory in the point as having studied it throughly Eccles. Polit. lib. 5. n. 17. to whom may be added Doctor Fullk on Revelation 1. Doctor Hackwell 〈◊〉 with many others of great learning and judgement not to mention that Rabble of our disaffected Clergie whose Schismatical and factious practises together with that ignorance and pride which is generally seen in most of them and their Jewish principles which they go upon may justly render their judgements suspected so that their authority can be of little weight with judicious pious and peaceable men and therefore I should suspect this opinion if it were not 〈◊〉 by better reasons and authority then these men bring Now to these reasons and testimonies if we adde How Christ honoured that day with his resurrection his apparitions to his Disciples after and sending the Holy Ghost on that day the practise of the Apostles and the first Christians having their religious meetings on that day the title of the Lords day which it had given in S. Johns time together with those high titles and encomiums of the day given by Ignatius Chrysostome Athanasius 〈◊〉 S. Augustine Leo and others of the Fathers calling it the Queen and Princesse of dayes the Royal day the most holy Festival the first and chief of all dayes the venerable day c. we may well conclude both that it was the will of Christ that day should be kept holy to him and that the Church esteemed it no lesse then divine not a humane constitution 5. Fiftly concerning the fourth Commandment whether it be in force or what we are tied to by vertue of the fourth Commandment I answer 1. It is certain there is a moral equity in the fourth Commandment which extends to us under the Gospel viz. that some time be set apart for publick worship and that not lesse then a seventh part for if God thought it fit in his wisdom to require a seventh part before Christs coming in all reason we that live now after his coming ought to give him as much at least we having received greater benefits then they that lived before Christ by Christ now exhibited and having better and clearer promises with a greater measure of the 〈◊〉 now ordinarily given so that a greater measure of mortification to the world is now required and therefore we ought as little or rather far lesse then they to minde worldly affairs and to have our thoughts more raised up to heavenly things In regard of which moral equity this precept extends to all times and persons and is therefore put among the other Commandements which are purely moral and so retaines its power of obligation and therefore the Church hath just cause to retain it in the Liturgie and by that usuall Antiphona at the end of this Commandment as well as of the rest to pray Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law 2. Secondly in regard of the particular day litterally enjoyned by this Commandment it is certain it doth not oblige any since Christ for the special day here required is the seventh from the Creation not a seventh day in general as some without any ground affirme but that seventh day in special which was then observed which was no other then the seventh from the Creation for though the first part of the Commandement specifies not the day but requires onely to sanctifie the Sabbath yet the reason added doth plainly limit the day to the seventh day from the Creation and cannot be extended to the Lords day without manifest absurdity for who would not think this reason ridiculous God made heaven and earth in six dayes and rested on the seventh therefore we ought in imitation of him to rest on the first day when he began to work besides that the text saith expressely that the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it that is not a seventh day but that seventh day viz. the seventh from the Creation And therefore those who would ground the Lords day upon the letter of the fourth Commandment must of necessity fall into Judaisme and observe the Saturday Sabbath which was the errour
as well in spirit as in body and in grace and holines and the means thereof the service of God as in nature even natural love if it be true and rightly guided teaches man curare 〈◊〉 to take care for their childrens good as well as their own and that for their souls as well as their bodies 3. In the third place Servants are prohibited from work on that day We see in the place before quoted that Abraham was commended by God for the care 〈◊〉 took for his household to do his service And the Apostle saith that in the service of God God takes no notice of the difference of 〈◊〉 from others in Christ is no difference of bond or free thy servants must rest as well as thy self And God elsewhere gives another reason for it Remember thou wast a servant where thou wast opprest with labour God hath a care of them and charity and humanity requires that we weare not out our family with too much toyle lest the Common-wealth be endangered by their hard vsage We read that in the Spartan and other common-wealths diverse insurrections have troubled the states by overburdening of servants therefore God for the preservation of commonwealths provides here that they may have a day of rest and refreshment 4. So likewise of 〈◊〉 Gods mercy care and providence extends likewise to them Thou Lord saith the psalmist shalt save both man and beast how excellent is thy mercy O God it extendeth to the bodies and lives of them for A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast saith Solomon God therefore here takes order that the beast be not overtired He hath also charged that the earth shall have its sabbath if it have not it will cry against us and the furrows there of will complain as holy Job speaks for Quod caret alterna requie durabile non est neither land nor cattel if they rest not sometimes cannot hold out one end of Gods providence herein is to restrain our covetous humour and desire which is such that rather then lose the least gain we will put our land and cattle to the utmost therefore by this clause God takes order to restrain it Another end is that by beholding the beasts to rest we might be the more stirred up and moved to sanctifie a rest our selves not that the rest of beasts is acceptable to God or required for it self but that we may be affected therewith and put in minde of our duties we read that in the fast of Nineveh command was given let neither man nor beast herd nor flock tast any thing let them not feed nor drink water not that God tooke any delight in the fasting of beasts nor that it was acceptable to him but that the 〈◊〉 seeing their beasts pined before them 〈◊〉 be moved the more to repent and humble themselves for their sinnes so here 〈◊〉 Jews seeing their beasts to keep a kinde of sabbath might the better 〈◊〉 to keep it themselves 5. The last is the stranger within thy gates Now the gates of a house or of a city 〈◊〉 scripture signifie a jurisdiction or protection He that is within anothers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under his jurisdiction and as he enjoys thereby protection against injuries by coming within anothers gates so also he must be subiect to his jurisdiction when God told Abraham that his seed should possesse the gates of his enemies his meaning was they should conquer and be Lords of their cities And when Lot told the 〈◊〉 that the Angels came under his roof he signified that they came thither to be under his protection So that if a stranger come to remain within our 〈◊〉 or under our roof he is to be under our government as well as he enjoys our protection and therefore is to be under our care in point of religious duties 〈◊〉 case of jurisdiction Nehemiah as long as he had hope to reclaime the men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ashdod 〈◊〉 them to come within the gates of Jerusalem with their 〈◊〉 ut when he found that notwithstanding his threats they would come in and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 markets upon the sabbath he shut the gates against them at the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation of the sabbath And thus we see the meaning of 〈◊〉 Commandment for works and persons in general and particular Now there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasons for it 〈◊〉 first which is the general and main reason is for in six dayes the Lord 〈◊〉 heaven and earth c. the rule as we said before of 〈◊〉 precepts is 〈◊〉 be observed that a moral reason is often given of a ceremonial precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ceremonies there is a general moral equity 〈◊〉 instances may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law but when a reason is given as a ful and adequate cause of such a precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the immediate and essential cause of 〈◊〉 it is true that if such a reason be moral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there the precept is so too Besides it is observed by Maimonides and others that the cause why a rest is enjoyned and the cause why it was upon this day are two different things The first 〈◊〉 was the true and original cause of the rest is expressed Deut. 5. because of their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage to keep a memorial of it The other is expressed here for whereas any other day might have been chosen for this rest yet God thought fit to pitch upon this day because it had been consecrated for a day of joy and praise from the beginning by a greatful remembrance of 〈◊〉 creation and because on that day God gave over and finished his work So Aben-Ezra presat in Decal Isaac Arania and others and hence it was called the sabbath But yet though it were granted that Gods rest from the creation was the principal and immediate reason of this precept yet this makes it not so simply moral or immutable as 〈◊〉 law of nature for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still a positive precept jure divino positivo which may be changed by the same authority that made it and soits certain that the day is de facto changed and 〈◊〉 it was by divine authority is most probable as is formerly proved in the 〈◊〉 observations 〈◊〉 immutabilis precepti facit preceptum immutabile If the reason of the commandment be immutable as this is then it makes the commandment unchangeable for the substance of it Because I have rested saith God therefore shalt thou rest in honour of me Creator imitandus a creatura the Creator is to be imitated by the creature is a firme reason and immutable 2. Another reason may be gathered out of the same words namely the benefit that 〈◊〉 to mankinde by that which the Lord did in these six 〈◊〉 Other reasons elsewhere God vseth as proper and peculiar onely to the Jews but this benefit by the creation being general is most fit for all and may be a
this will appear more plainly by comparing the circumstances in the delivery of the Law with the day of judgement 1. That which is first mentioned is a thick and dark cloud And the Prophet speaking of the day of judgement saith The day of the Lord is darknesse and no light S. Jude cals it the blacknesse of darknesse And the Prophet Joel gives the reason because the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the stars shall withdraw their light 2. The second there were thunder-claps And S. Peter saith that when the day of the Lord shall come the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with servent heat and the Earth shall be burnt up And no man doubts but these things are more terrible to the eye and the ear then the noise of a thunder-clap 3. The third is lightning or fire which then was but upon the mount of Sinai only but at the last day it shall be all over the Earth This fire was but as that in the Bush which was not consumed by it nor Sinai by this But our God is a consuming fire and such a fire as will torment for ever S. John saith the smoke of it shall ascend for ever and the fire shall never be quenched 4. The fourth is the sound of a trumpet that pierced the ears of the living onely but there shall be a more shrill trumpet that shall be heard not by the living onely but by the dead in their graves The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised saith S. Paul 5. Another thing which was an effect of the former was the shaking of the Earth there but one mountain quaked but at the last day it is said Yet once more I shake not the Earth but also Heaven This removed not the mountain but that shall remove both Heaven and Earth Thus we see the circumstances of both conferred now let us compare the effects of them The giving of the Law made onely Moses to shake and tremble but at requiring of an account of it there shall be like trembling of all the very just shall tremble too but the wicked they shall smite their knees together They shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth And as our Saviour quoting the words of the Prophet speaks They shall say to the mountains coverus and to the hils fall on us and that to hide them from the wrath of the angry Judge So that we see by these comparisons that the delivery did in some sort prefigure the requiring of it but the terriblenesse of that day cannot be expressed This sound may awake us now and therefore let us say as the people said here to Moses let us hear it by the ministery of man and as the Apostle saith let us have grace to serve God with reverence and fear For no doubt when Christ shall come from Heaven he will bring with him a fiery Law even fire and brimstone like to the Law mentioned and foretold by Moses So much for the circumstances and effects in the manner of delivering the Law CHAP XX. The end of the Law as given by Moses 1. It brings none to perfection and that by reason of mans corruption as appears 1. by the place a barren wildernesse a mountain which none might touch 2. By the mediatour Moses 3. By the breaking of the tables c. 2. It brings us to Christ because given by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour It was to be put into the ark Given fifty dayes after the Passeover Moses had a veyl The fiery Serpent Our use of the Law to know our debts as by a book of accounts then to drive us to seek a surety to pay the debt viz. Christ and to be thankful and take heed of running further into debt THere is yet one thing to be considered namely the use and end of the Law which we will collect from the words of the Author to the Hebrews It bringeth no man to perfection The Law that is the Mosaical Law or the Covenant of works but not the moral Law considered as it is a part of the Covenant of grace made nothing perfect but it was the bringing in of a better thing So that 1. It brings no man to perfection 2. It brings us to a better thing that is as it is in another place the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ but the principal end of the Law as it is delivered by Christ and become a part of the Gospel is to be a rule to direct us and the way to leade us by walking therein to life and salvation Mat. 5. 6. 7. 1. For the first end Though it be a Law which carrieth with it the character of the Lawgiver as those of Solon did which was mildenesle and of Draco which was cruelty So this of God holinesse justice goodnesse c. And though it be mandatum sanctum an holy Law in respect of the duties to God and justum 〈◊〉 in respect of the duties to men and bonum good in respect of our selves yet by occasion of our corruption and transgression it bringeth no perfection with it which appears by seven circumstances 1. The first is of the place where it was given That was a vast and barren Wildernesse yeelding no fruit to signifie that the Law should be so barren of fruits that it should not yeeld one soul unto God 2. The second is of the Mountain which was Sinai And this S. Paul acknowledgeth to have relation by way of allegory to Agar It is a mountain in Arabia and therefore holdeth of Ishmael the son of Agar the bondwoman and therefore to be cast out with her children and not to receive the inheritance with Isaac So they which think to bring forth fruit by their own righteousnesse are like Ishmael who was born by nature not by promise as Isaac was whose birth was supernatural therefore the children of the Law are to be cast out with their mother because they cannot be perfected by it 3. Thirdly none might go up to this mountain none might touch it And so concerning the Law none hath gone up to it none could so much as ever touch it as he should But the condition of grace the Gospel is otherwise We must ascend to Sion the hill of grace and that with boldnesse And many have gone up to it The Prophet speaking of the Gospel of grace saith Many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord c. 4. The fourth is of the person that was minister of it Moses And if any man should have received perfection by the Law no doubt but he that gave
and for God And as these ten precepts are divided into the two Tables by God so in the sorting of the precepts to each Table arises some doubts 1. Between Jews and Christians and 2. between Christians themselves 1. The Jews make an even division of them five in one Table and five in the other and they take their warrant from the Psalmist I have said ye are Gods and ye all are Children of the most Highest therefore they infer that the fifth Commandment must be referred to the first Table which immediately concerns God But seeing in that precept inferiours also are included and they are no Gods we must exclude out of the first Table the fifth Commandment as not pertaining directly to God but man And the Apostle Ephes. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 this in expresse words making this Commandment the first with promise that is the first of the second Table for otherwise it is not the first with promise 2. The Church of Rome and some Protestants as the Lutherans make the two first Commandments but one and the last they divide into two against the consent of most of the Fathers whom they pretend in other things to follow thus they make the coveting of Neighbours house or goods the ninth and the coveting or lusting after his wife the lusts of the flesh the tenth That it cannot be thus besides the reasons against it in the tenth Commandment as you shall hear hereafter the whole current of the Church hath consented to the division of four and 〈◊〉 onely S. Augustine excepted and Origen hom 8. in Exod. with some others and disallow this division of theirs As among the Jews Josephus lib. 3. of the Commandments Philo Judeus in Decalog Aben Ezra Rabbi Solomon upon the 20. of Exodus Among the Christians Clemens 6. Stromat Chrysostome in Matth. Athanasius de sacris script Ambrose Jerome and Nazianzen onely S. Augustine de decem preceptis 〈◊〉 of theirs Yet himself in his questions veteris novi testament q. 7. divideth them plainly as we and the reason that moved him to the contrary was but weak upon a bare conjecture that there should be three in the first because there are but three persons in the Trinity but by the same reason we may adde the fourth because of the Unity in the Trinity Canisius hath an argument of great force with them that the reason of the Law must be be annexed to the Commandment but in our division the reason is in the second for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God therefore all before is to be referred to the first commandment But we say that the generall reason went before the Charge viz. in the Preface and was not to be annexed to any of the Commandments and that this is a special reason added to the second Commandment as some other precepts have their special reasons annexed But howsoever they be divided if the whole Law be delivered and we be careful to keep it the matter is not much otherwise it will be to little purpose si bene numeres male vero Custodias as Musculus saith and therefore we come to the precepts themselves 1. The first is the table of Holinesse or Religion and this immediately respecteth God 2. The second is the table of justice and that immediately respects Man 1. This holinesse consists in holy duties to be practised which are either 1. Continual or to be done at all times and that inwardly in heart and minde Commandment 1. outwardly in gesture Commandment 2. speech Commandment 3. 2. Temporary at some special times in the Congregation on set dayes Commandment 4. 2. The Table of Justice concerns either or 1. The Act and that either particularly between Inferiours and Superiours Commandment 5. generally towards all Commandment 5. and this concerns our Neighbour either 1. In his person Commandment 6. 2. Or in his flesh his Wife Commandment 7. 3. In his temporal estate or goods Com. 8. 4. In his good Name Commandment 9. 2. The inward desires restraining the very motion of the heart though they never come to Act. Commandment 10. True Religion generally considered and abstracted from the modifications of Jewish and Christian rested alwayes principally upon four Articles or propositions 1 That there is but one God 2. That none of these visible things we see are God but that he is of a higher invisible nature 3. That his providence extends to humane affairs and 〈◊〉 it self in rewards and punishments 4 That he is the Author and maker of all things besides himself and herein his infinite goodnesse power and wisdom appears These four principles are included in the four first Commandments In the 1. The Vnity of God is openly declared 2. In the second his spiritual invisible nature which is not to represented by an image Deut. 4. 12. Therefore Tacitus saith Judi sola mente 〈◊〉 numen intelligunt profanos qui Deorum imagines mortalibus materiis in speciem homnum effingunt the Jews conceive one onely God in the minde and account them profane who represent him by material images and Plutarch gives this reason why Numa would suffer no images in Temples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God cannot be conceived but onely in the minde 3 The third supposes Gods knowledge of humane actions even of thoughts for this is the ground of an oath 4. In the fourth God is acknowledged the Author of the visible frame of heaven and earth in remembrance of which the sabbath was instituted and that with greater strictnesse then other rites for here the punishment was capitall if any offended in others arbitrary for the wilfull violation of this precept did imply a denyall that God created the world And from these contemplative notions arise those practicall vertues of loving fearing honouring God invocation obedience c. The consideration hereof shews the wisdome of God in the excellent order and perfection of the first table the like may be shewed in the second table when it comes to be handled Vide Hug. Grotium De jure belli pacis lib. 2. cap. 20. n. 45. The Law of the Lord saith the Prophet David is a perfect Law and therefore commandeth all things that we are to do and forbiddeth all things that are not to be done which if it be interpreted onely according to the letter we shall omit the hundreth part of those things which are commanded or prohibited implicitely in them therefore there must be an interpretation of them This we must hold for an infallible conclusion that every Law standeth upon a Synechdoche The reason is because the Law being to take order for actions and the actions of man being infinite both in variety and number because the circumstances objects and degrees are infinite it followeth that the rules also should be infinite and so exceed the memory of man Therefore hath God onely set down generall things and so doth man after his example And these generalls are to receive
he particularly exacts the dutie from five severall sorts of men in one Psalm that are there mentioned as more especially bound to God 1. They that wander in the wildernesse and are harborlesse and in distresse and want and are relieved 2. They that are at the point of death and are restored to life and health 3. They that are in prison and are delivered 4. They that are delivered from shipwrack 5. They that are preserved from the hands of their enemies These several sorts of men as he there speaketh when they cry unto the Lord he delivereth them out of their distresse and therefore he often reiterates this and saith Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnes and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men And this deliverance by prayer hath three effects whereby God is glorified 1. When an humble minded man upon his prayer finds this deliverance he is thankful and glad 2. By this sinners seeing Gods goodnesse in hearing the prayers of his servants shall be converted 3 The mouth of all wickednes shall be stopped By all these wayes prayer brings glory to God If then prayer bring such glory to God and that without it God is like to be defrauded of a great part of his honour 2. It concerns us necessarily to practise it and that not onely in respect of God but of our selves too Our Saviour sheweth this by the parable of the widdow and the unjust judge where her importunity prevailing with a wicked judge shewes a majori how powerful prayer is with God a father of tender mercies and that we ought to pray allwayes and not faint And therefore having a care that we should know how to pray he himself who never did any superfluous act and who is our advocate and daily intercessor with God set down a form to our hands to instruct how to pray daily In the use whereof that comes to minde which Chrysostom observes in his first book de orando Deum out of Dan. 6. 10. where bodily death being set before Daniel if he prayed during thirty dayes on the other side tanquam si as if the forbearance for that time would be the death of his soul he chose rather to hazard his life then to neglect his daily custome In the Law besides the observation of the Sabbath there was a morning and an evening sacrifice Which was a type and is explained by the Psalmist to be prayer Prayer as incense in the morning and lifting up of hands which is nothing else but prayer for the evening sacrifice The fathers have for the most part written largely upon the necessity of this duty and call it Clavem diei et seram noctis the key to open the day and the bar to shut in the night Saint Chrysostom calls it signaculum diei the seal of the day out of the Apostle who saith that the creatures are good being sanctified by prayer else not and so it is a seal to confirme a blessing of the Creatures for the day following And in this respect it is said that our Saviour blessed the loaves by looking up to heaven that is by praying as also the meat at supper by blessing it be fore and singing an hymne of thanksgiving after And this is no new thing but a custome as ancient as Abraham as the Jews record who continue it still the chief of the family first takes bread and blesses it by prayer and then breaks it and the last thing is to take the cup and then to give a second blessing this being so holy a practise the whole Church of the Jews to our Saviours time observed it as a thing most necessary from which custome Christ translated the use of it to his own supper The Apostle fits all the rest of the spirituall armour to some speciall part as to the head the breast the feet but specifies no part for prayer because it is to cover all over and to make all the other armour useful Therefore the fathers upon that place of Epes 6. 13. call it Armaturam 〈◊〉 the armour of all other most necessary as if all the other were of no more strength then if we were naked if we put not on this And they stile it also flagellum demonum the Devils scourg Athanasius is confident that the bare but faithful recital of this ejaculation Exurgat 〈◊〉 Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered will make all the devils in hell to quake And Maximus another father affirms that he ever found this verse hast thee O God to deliver me make hast to help me O Lord effectual to deliver him from any temptation And Saint James prescribes no other remedy for afflictions then this Is any among you afflict d Let him pray even when humane hope fails yet 〈◊〉 for that which is impossible by our selves is possibile per alium possible by God to whom we pray And indeed it hath been ever of such power that it hath wrought miracles 1. In the ayre By it Elias the Prophet shut up the middle region that no rain could come down for three years and six moneths and he prayed again and the heavens gave rain c. 2. If we desire to see the like in other elements we may in Fire by the same Prophet for he by prayer brought down fire which consumed the captain and his fifty men 3. In the Earth At the prayer of Moses the earth opened and swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram with their company 4. In the water At the prayer of Moses the red sea divided it self and the waters were a wall to the children of Israel and returned and covered the host of the Egyptians 5. And this efficacie it hath wrought not onely in the elements but in heaven also At the prayer of Josuah the Sun and Moon stood still 6. In putting to flight earthly powers also At the prayer of Moses when he lift up his hands Israel prevailed David stayed the plague By it Hannah of a barren womb became fruitfull The Ninevits escaped the severe judgements of God examples are infinite but these seem lesse because it hath power over spiritual powers death and hell and sathan 7. It hath power over death Ezechias having received a message of death by prayer obtained fifteen years addition to his life I have heard thy prayer and seen thy tears c. 8. Over hell and the devill Our Saviour tells his Apostles that by prayer and fasting the devills were to be cast out 9. And lastly which is the most remarkable it overcometh God himself we read that Moses used no other means but onely Prayer yet God saith Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot as though while Moses prayed God himself could do nothing against the Isrealites or as if Moses by prayer had offered violence to
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