be thus zealous and so if it be for the name of our Father or any of those that we receive benefit by wee will thinke ill of our selves if we take not the quarrell upon us God is not to be accused to punish those that take his name in vaine To conclude as it is most certaine that Gods name is glorious in it selfe Psal 8.1 How glorious is thy name in all the World So it must be in every one of us If thou wilt it shall be glorified by thee willingly if thou wilt not in spite of thy teeth whether thou wilt or no he will be glorified Exod. 14.4 And I will harden Pharaohs heart so I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his Host Deut. 14.2 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord. We must be as the Israelites or wee shall be as Pharaoh Hee that will not glorifie Gods name with the Israelites shall glorifie it with Pharaoh that is by suffering Gods punishing hand For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse The end of the third Commandement The IV. Commandement Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. THE outward worship was divided into the generall or state and temporall worship The reason is this because whereas God commandeth the inward worship of the Soule in the first Commandement both of knowledge and will and in the second hee would have manifest and knowne outwardly the submitting of our knowledge wisedome and reason by reverence a worship the submitting of our affections or will by yeelding reverence of gesture and for this outward gestnre because it could be performed onely to him he would not have it done then onely but when wee were dealing with others and to others that the glory of his name might be magnified in speech and therefore the duties of the third Commandement are injoyned and these three perpetuall and generall besides these three in the fourth Commandement he taketh order that there be not onely a generall profession but also a set day a solemne profession wherein there should be a publique profession of these duties and those and wherein they should all be brought to â—ight Levit. 23.2 3. The feasts of the Lord which ye shall call the holy assemblies even those are my feasts Six dayes shall worke be done but the seventh shall bee the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall doe no worke therein It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings The end of the Sabbath A great and holy assembly for this end either that they might be sanctified and all taught or that they might practice them to his glory in the great congregation It is true and that the Heathen man saw well Publicorum cura minor the common care is not the best care But that that is looked to of all is cared for of none and cometh to be regarded of none and so no doubt would men have dealt with God had not he provided a particuler day for himselfe and setled it by a Commandement and that in very particuler manner By that continuall and generall Sabbath they have no day of rest The drift of God in adding this Commandement shall be seene For the Commandement it selfe generally it is full out as long and longer then the second Commandement of many words and therefore moveth us to a due and no lesse consideration of it We see for the duties of the second Table foure of them are ended in a word because common honesty and writers as Philosophers politick and civill Lawes have taken order for them as in manslaughter whoredome and theft c but the fifth because God seeth there is an humour in us that will not willingly yeeld to subjection therefore it was necessary that God should fence it with a reason So likewise in the tenth there is a great particularity used in it because men thinke that their thoughts are free and not to come into judgement and therefore they may have their Concupiscence and Will free But now in the first Table every Commandement hath his reason but above them all in particular this Commandement it includeth six respects that are not found in any of the rest 1. That where the rest runne either barely affirmative as the fifth or barely negative as the rest in this both parts are expressed Affirmative in these words Remember thou keepe holy c. Negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. So that our desire and inclination to the breach of this Commandement is both wayes met withall 2. That not onely to our selves but to all others that pertaine to us which in a full ennumeration and a wonderfull kind of particularity God proceedeth here to reckon them up that with us or by us may be violators of this Commandement 3. In the other we see how the case standeth they all are imperative and they runne peremptorily the word here used though it be of the Imperative Moode yet it is rather a word of intreaty Remember and may be a note of separation from the rest this Commandement therefore imperat persuadet doth both command and perswade in the word Remember 4. Againe beside the Commandement it yeeldeth a reason and perswadeth but not with one reason as the other but with one maine reason indeed and three others so that this exceedeth all by the multitude of perswasions 5. Another is this that we see in the former Commandement the reason is fearefull so it is in the second Commandement In this it is a farre more easie and reasonable for the great and maine reason is this that we should doe no more then God hath done 6. That as we see by the preface annexed Recordare Remember when we know it is that word that we expresse an especiall charge by because we thinke that it maketh no matter that it is but a trifle whether a duty be broken or kept and therefore he wileth and chargeth us to have an especiall regard of it and not forget him The Commandement as it standeth is divided into the 1. Precept and 2. Aetiologie that is the reason or perswasion First the Precept Remember that thou sandine a day unto me a day of rest to the Lord. For the understanding of it wee must know what is meant first by day of rest or Sabbath secondly what by sanctifying A day of rest or Sabbath properly in the Originall tongue betokeneth such a rest as there hath a worke gone before it Cessaâ—iâ— such a rest is plainely set downe Levit. 25. When the Land hath beene laboured and tilled six yeares he chargeth it to be suffered to rest the seventh yeare and lye fallow a politick Law So that after a labour of six dayes this is it that God requireth that there should be a day of ceasing Sanctifying is here attributed to two in this Commandement in the end that the Lord sanctifyed the Sabbath here in the beginning that wee must remember to sanctifie it The
that Saul is heterogeneum amongst the Prophets it will fall against order for a Ceremoniall precept to stand in the middest amongst morall commandements For every Ceremonie or Type because it was a foretelling of the Gospell therefore must bee referred to the Gospell as the shadow to the bodie for indeed Ceremonies are Evangelicall So there is not onely this but also a Confession of the Law and the Gospell in the Decalogue Againe this being helde as a principle that the Law of Moses is nothing else but the Law of Nature revived and that a resemblance of GODs Image if that wee say that this Precept is Ceremoniall then must wee say that in the Image of GOD some thing is Ceremoniall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to abide but for a time But all things in him and in his image are eternall according to his nature And so consequently in the Law of Grace Againe when CHRIST delivereth to the Scribes the summe of the ten Commandements Thou shalt love the LORD c. It is no question but it is a summe of the Commandements Then in that part of the summe Thou shalt love the LORD c. Wee must finde the religious observation of the Sabbath and so Morall the love of GOD in which it is contained else our Saviour had delivered an imperfect summe Lastly a dangerous way is taken for bringing in one Ceremonie and the Papists as Parosius and Politian◠they will bring in another for they will have the second Commandement also to bee ceremoniall and there is no reason why there may not bee as well three as two and so foure and five and so all Therefore the best institution the best way for upholding the duties Eternall and to keepe them without blemish is to hold that part of the ten Commandements to deny all Ceremonies in the law as comming of the nature of the Commandement but they are plainly Morall 6. To come to the time of the Gospel Eph. 2.15 wee hold that all ceremonies are ended and abrogated by CHRISTS death but the Sabbath is not which is plaine by Matth. 24.20 for there CHRIST denouncing the overthrow of Jerusalem bids them pray that their calamitie befall not in the winter or on the Sabbath day Wee know this destruction fell out long and many years after CHRISTS death when all ceremonies were ended the Vaile rent c. Now then if hee should have prayed that their flight might not bee on the Sabbath and that were abrogated as a Ceremonie hee should have prayed that it might not have beene on that day which indeed should have beene no day Therefore it is necessarie that it bee counted no Ceremonie 7. Another is that to chop and change one day for another is not abrogatio but commutatio Judaismi 2. So the Seales of the Covenant of their owne nature are thinges morall though in regard of some other respect they bee ceremoniall Yet in the other that are meere typicall there is no manner of commutation but they are cleane taken away for if wee grant that the waxe candles the copes c. are not the Jewes but changed where as Judaisme is not to bee but as it is Eph. 2.15 Hee hath broken downe the wall hee hath taken away c. It is manifest that in stead of the Jewes seventh day in the Apostles dayes another seventh day was ordained Therefore it was not as the Ceremonies but as the Ministerie of the Covenant and Seales of the Covenant and the Day of the Covenant For wee see Act. 20.7 where as the Apostles called together the Disciples in the first day of the weeke which is our Sabbath now to heare the Word and breake bread And 1. Cor. 16.2 hee willeth them in their meetinges they should every one in the first day of the weeke put aside by him and lay up as GOD had prospered him that there might not bee gatheringes when hee came And Revel 1.10 it is plainelie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The LORDS Day So then we see plainly in the whole time the Apostles lived it being changed by them and not taken away Therefore not of the nature of the Types of the Law But when the old Covenant ceased then ceased the Ministerie of the old Covenant The Priesthood of Levi was changed and given to all Tribes and in stead of it is our Ministerie And as the Seales of the Covenant ceased the Ceremonies of the Covenant as Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe and in their place our Sacraments Baptisme and the LORDS Supper so the Day of the Covenant is taken away and in place of it is put the LORDS Day None of them being in his first end ceremoniall but as having a continuall use the Sabbath lasteth as long as the Church militant The reason which might seeme to have moved the Apostles to change this day De ratioue mutationis Sabbath may bee 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 his Creation so when it pleased GOD that old thinges should cease there was a benefit that did overshadow the former Therefore from that day wee now celebrate the memoriall of CHRISTS Resurrection and became of the other worke also concurring fifty dayes after the great and inestimable benefit of Sanctification and the people by speaking with strange tongues and the memorie of the benefit of creation being as well shewed in the first day of the weeke as in the last and so have wee it by great reason established of the Creation Redemption Sanctification of the three speciall benefites wrought by the three Persons And so much for the clearing of that place The three Verses that follow 9.10.11 they are thus divided First they give light to the Commandement thus the 9. and 10. is nothing els but an expounding what the LORD meaneth And secondly at the eleventh Verse There is a reason yeelded why they should yeeld obedience to this And in the first there is an order taken as well concerning Works as concerning Persons For works sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thou hast to doe For persons thou thy sonne c. Againe in the first part there is an affirmative six dayes shalt thou labour c. and a negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. 2. There is a permission sixe dayes thou shalt worke and doe all c. Sixe dayes hath GOD bestowed on thee but the seventh day hee hath kept to himselfe hee hath bestowed sixe dayes on thee the seventh is GODS Now in these two oppositions there are two by-reasons included for the maine reason is in the 11. Verse 1. By right of Creation we are GODS and all ours for he made us of nothing and so might challenge us and our dayes so that standing in this case we could not challenge one day to our selves insomuch as if it had pleased GOD but to give us but one
day and had reserved the other sixe to himselfe wee had no just cause of complaining But if hee had dealt thus liberally with us to grant us day for day wee should not have murmured but have opened our mouthes to prayse Him then the order hee hath taken now if we be not cleane voyde of good nature must needs content us in granting to us six and reserving to himselfe but one Wee see likewise GODS bountifulnesse with Adam Gen. 2. When hee granted him all the Trees in the Garden except one then presently the Devill was at him and upbraided him with GODS niggardnesse that he had not granted him all the Trees of the Garden may yee not eat of all the trees c. And so no doubt the Devill useth this pollicie now a dayes in this May yee not doe what yee will all the dayes of the weeke The consideration of this the great bountie of GOD. That wee cannot say but that wee are well dealt withall having granted to us two times and a time six dayes to his one time and consequently that wee bee carefull to give him his And that by this great liberalitie wee may learne to make him a better answer then Adam did and say as Joseph to his Mistris Gen. 39.9 All that is in the house my Master hath granted mee onely thee hath hee reserved for himselfe how then can I doe this thing So that our answer bee all the dayes of the weeke hee hath granted us onely one day hee hath reserved to himselfe how then can I bee so unkinde as not to let him have that Hee having granted so richly and largely And if not that then to paterne our selves by David 2. Sam. 12.5 hee being so richly provided for of GOD if that one sheepe the poore man hath he will not suffer but pull it out of his bosome so we if we cannot suffer that one sheepe but plucke it out of GODS bosome and make it common to our selves having many of our owne making it onus servile that because wee deale so wee are worthie a thousand times to bee the children of death And this is one first reason that might move us 2. The second is the greatnesse of the permission of GOD of these dayes one is permitted to thee to doe as that in Gen. 2. of all shalt thou eate there is not a necessitie Though one thing bee handled in divers Commandements as prayer was handled in the first Commandement as a part of inward worship in the second as a part of outward worship in the third as a sacrifice of the lippes and heere as it is an exercise of the Sabbath Where in there is an vneven proportion Hee hath but one to our six And therefore the seventh day to that one So that the vice of idlenesse of forbearing of worke is forbidden in the eight Commandement and so doeth Paul put it Eph. 4.28 to stealing is opposed painfull working So then this liberall permission of GOD wherein there is such an vnequall and vneven proportion if it bee broken wee are to bee charged of great wickednesse That that followeth And doe all thy worke The meaning of it is this that indeede GOD might have dealt with us as before hee might have made all our life to bee bestowed on musing of his will but hee is content to forbeare us and to spare us the rest of the weeke that in those dayes all our businesse might bee dispatched and none to bee done on His day As Nathan said to David So much have I given thee and more would I have done if this had not beene sufficient so certaine it is hee saw in his wisdome that this was sufficient Therefore hee willeth us to remember when it is a comming that wee may ende all according as the thing sanctified requireth Then in the tenth Verse there followeth another opposition which comprehendeth a second reason But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD c. idest If as GOD hath permitted you sixe dayes so likewise Hee had made the seventh day yours to then in it yee might have done as in the other but now hath hee reserved this seventh day from you and hath kept it to himselfe and therefore you cannot without open stealth breake upon this day to doe your worke wherein you have no manner of right as much as if a man should say You may weare that which you have bought but this that I have bought with mine owne money you cannot without violent injurie plucke it from mee So because his dealing is liberall you cannot without manifest injurie to GOD take it away from him And because this is his hee will keepe it and wholly to himselfe Therefore is it that followeth In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke This for the first part of the tenth Verse Now to the other to the Persons They stand in five rankes 1. Thou 2. thy children 3. thy servants 4. thy cattell 5. strangers within thy gates 1. Thou Matth. 24.45 it is said that it is a preferment to one to bee set over the familie of the LORD and therefore Cui plus datur plus ab eo petetur Luke 12.48 unto whom much is given of him shall much bee required Therefore the first charge is in this Even upon him that is Chiefe As there is in this upon Jos 24.15 so long as a man is alone in the state of a sonne or servant hee may answer Ego serviam I will serve but if hee come once to have a charge a familie then hee must say Ego domus mea I my house will serve the LORD Because CHRIST as Luke 19.9 When hee had once converted Zacheus sayd This day is salvation come to this whole house Why Because this man that is chiefe is become the childe of Abraham Eexmplum dedi vobis So Gal. 2.13 Whereas the principall fall away there all the other even Barnabas himselfe will bee drawne away so though hee discharge the dutie himselfe yet if hee see not that other discharge it hee is a debter id est hee ought to bee so farre from giving occasion to others and not onely that but from sitting them on his businesse that hee ought to see that both hee and they discharge it 2. Concerning Children The argument of Augustine is good on Deut. 20.15 After a man had builded a new house the manner was to consecrate If a care lye upon him to consecrate the workes of his hands much more to consecrate those which are the fruit of his loynes as his Wife Sonnes Daughters and the affection of Abraham Gen. 18.19 Where the greatest love is there is the greatest desire as well of conjunction in Spirit as in Body It is true naturall love Curare liberos to have a care of our children as of our selves 3. Concerning Servants because Col. 3.11 God knoweth no servants that is he hath no respect of persons in this regard all bound to worship him therefore it
is that he bringeth in that thy man servant and thy mayde may rest as well as thou Another is added Deut. 5.15 the estate of servants Gods care of the Common-wealth and we know that in the Spartane and other Common-wealthes there hath beene Insurrection by reason of overburthening of servants therefore is this put in a preservation of the Common-wealth Gods providence is great in providing of this 4. So likewise of the next member of Beasts Psal 36.6 his mercy and providence is extended to the beasts so Prov. 12.10 to the soule of the beast that is he will take order that the beasts be not tired because the earth shall have her Sabbath One end of Gods providence for them is the restrayning of our covetous humour who rather then we will omit any little gaine we will put our land and cattell to the uttermost and wee care not to what paines Againe another that by beholding the beasts doing their duties we might be the more moved to the doing of ours We must therefore note that God commands not their rest as delighted therewith even as Jonah 3.5 the beasts commanded to fast not that God was delighted with their abstinence or was acceptable to him but onely this that as the Ninivites seeing their beasts pyned before them they might consider of it and be moved the more so here seeing the beasts to keepe Sabbath they might remember to keep it 5. The last is the stranger within thy gates The Gates of an House or a Citie in Scripture signifieth Jurisdiction or Defenced protection That as then he is in his Gates so he is in his Jurisdiction so whosoever commeth under anothers Gates as he cometh for protection if he be be injured so he must confesse that hee must be under his Jurisdiction that for any godly duty hee may command him and Gen. 19. Lots intercession for the Angels Therefore came they under my roofe that they might receive no harme and as he had a care that they might receive no injury so ought we have a care of their soules As Nehem. 13.19 the men of Tyrus and Ashdod so long as he had any hope to reclaime them he suffered them to bring in their Wares but after hee saw they would bring in their Wares for all his warnings and threatnings he tooke order that the Gates of Jerusalem should be shut against them in the end of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation of the Sabbath And so we see both for Workes and for Persons in severall and particuler The maine reason is vers 11. For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven c. As wee said before that a rule for discerning precepts is Ratio immutabilis praecepti facit praeceptum immutabile if the reason of a Commandement be immutable it maketh the commandement to be immutable and so consequently because the reason is to sanctifie Gods name when we shall be glorified in Heaven we shall there doe it we shall there onely intend it untill we come thither we have but finite soules and canot intend it wholly this reason being immutable that it shall there be done of us in the state of glory when we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One to One So may we likewise say of this it being a reason abexemplo from Gods owne example For concerning that this axiome The Creatour is to be followed of the Creature in that he commandeth it is an immutable reason for as much as it is the example of God nor can receive any time of exception because I have rested I propound the same to thee Therefore it pleased God to use this reason as most forcible He maketh use of others besides this Exod. 23. and Deut. 5.15 those he useth as proper to the Jewes this reason of the benefit of the Creation is here forced being greatest as well for the use as the duties which God that day cals for to be performed by us in an especiall manner the consideration of his goodnesse wisedome power and eternitie So also for the meditation of it in that day as the 92. Psalme was made for that day As for the continuance of the memorie of the Creation and keeping men from Paganisme for if it had been duly kept then that great doubt that troubled all the Philosophers so much Whether the World had a beginning had beene taken away And therefore this day being one especiall meanes that men might not fall into Atheisme is therefore sanctified of God to be a day of Rest Augustine on Genesis intreating of the Creation saith That it is true that it might have pleased God to have said Fiat totus Mundus let all the World bee made in one moment as Fiat lux let there be light in the first it had beene all one to his Omnipotencie to have made it as well in a moment as in six dayes his inquisition is What then should move God and hee findeth no reason but this that men might proceed in the musing of and meditation of the Creation in the same order that God hath taken in the Creation else they should have been in a maze Therefore Psal 104. David when he entreth a discourse of the Works of God he useth an order and Basil and Ambrose have written bookes of it that men might begin to thinke and give themselves to necessary thoughts and wholesome cogitations And this is thought to be the course that was in the Primitive Church For the substance of the reason it selfe generally to move all to doe as God hath done nothing moveth a man so as a notable example as Christ John 13.16 Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example When he saw his Disciples given to pride and would have them brought to Humility What way taketh he He taketh up a bason of water and a towell and putting off his upper garment washeth their feet and when he had done vers 15. he saith Wott yee what I have done Exemplum dedi vobis Yee call me Lord and ye doe well for I am so If I that am your Lord wash your feet how much more ought you to wash one anothers feet And in the 1 Cor. 11. Paul propoundeth a marveilous example Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ And therefore he himselfe may doe that I have done my selfe and because I that needed not have rested therefore must thou rest that needest it The last reason of the three Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day he did not onely rest himselfe but he hath consecrated it also and besides his example hee hath annexed a solemne Institution So that it shall be to us a Mercatura animae the market day of our soule both for amendment of the weeke that went before and for a better life in the weeke to come But this is not the reason the force of the reason is in this because God hath blessed and hallowed it therefore this is a marveilous strange kinde of opposition Seeing
to the hearing of the Law grounded on Exod. 19. and for the hearing of the Gospell Iohn 3. Two daies a preparation to Christs passion And albeit Iohn 1.5 darknesse could not comprehend light yet the light shone in darknesse Now the exposition of the law But before the particular exposition of the law there must be a preparation There is no benefit of God to be received of us before we are prepared for it Exod. 19. A preparation of the people before the receiving of the law The hearing of the Gospell no lesse plaine by John the Baptist Parate vias Domini c. Prepare ye the ways of the Lord. Proportionable to these prepared the Church her Vespera Sabbathi the evening of the Sabbath and for their holy daies and also for there solemne feast daies at the first instituted for a good end after there grew a superstition of it and was abused Observe two things First forasmuch as the Sacrament is but appendix verbi a dependent of the word and the seale of it surely we cannot be justified for our doings that prepare our selves for the one and not to the other Secondly that we may know that a preparation is required necessarily of the hearer as of the speaker according to that Preach 4.17 Take heed to thy foote when thou enterest into the house of God and be more neere to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe evill The preparation of the law hath his ground in Exod. 19.4 Ye have seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on Eagles wings and brought you to me 10. More over the Lord said to Moses goe to the people and sanctifie them to morrow and let them wash their clothes 12. And thou shalt set markes to the people round about saying Take heed to your selves that ye goe not up to the Mount nor touch the border of it whosoever toucheth the mount shall surely die Three meanes are set downe by God directly to be practised three daies before the publishing of the law and the fourth may be added drawne out of a circumstance i. Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel in every action 1. Voluntatem promovere To move forward the will A man must as well number as value the benefits of God innumerable the will is to goe first the first therefore is to make the Israelites willing to heare and receive the message that should come Therefore first he maketh a Catalogue of the benefits and goodnesse of God So that the ordinary meanes to stirre up a will in us to embrace the Law of God is that we enter into a mediation with our selves concerning the benefits that our countrey parents friends kinsfolkes have received that either respect us or them that touch us The Lord by that right interest he hath in us by vertue of creation that we are as pots in his hands to be either made or broken as he will and that we are as sons and as born subjects he may command us to doe this and need not to reward the doers of it as Dan. 3. Nebuchadnezzar his subjects had nothing for doing his commandement but if they did it not the Oven should be heated seven times hotter yea we are Deivernae Gods bond-men and as the Poet saith A fourefold consideration of the mercies of God Quis praemia vernae who gives a reward to his slave We are bought In the law nothing so humbleth No matter that a man may sooner fall into then the consideration of the Lords benefits This is a large and great sea and first if we consider our selves as we are creatures Psal 148. the dragons winds stormes snow haile c. are bound to praise him so that if it pleased the Lord to make us wind or hailestones yet in that respect also we ought to praise the Lord. How much more then for giving us a living soule 2. For the use of naturall functions for the use of all our members if we were bereft of the use of an arme or an eye or any one member how exceedingly beholden would we thinke our selves to be to those that could restore the use of this member by reason of the grievousnesse of the want of the use thereof Much more ought we to be thankefull to him that hath given us the use of all 3. But when we consider that he hath given us a reasonable soule that being a third degree of thankfulnesse and Augustine saith Quisque optat cum sanâ mente perpetuò lamentari quà m cum insanâ ridere each man had rather be in perpetuall sorrow with a sound mind then in joy with an outragious But the fourth swalloweth up all the rest namely if we consider the goodnesse and glory of all things though the earth be the Lords and all that therein is yet that he hath chosen us above all to be of his Church and to pertaine to him All the other be extreme miseries without this And this we shall learne thus to valew If we consider the Saints of God that were wiser then the sonnes of men how they have chosen him with infinite calamities and have refused places of great preferment rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season as Moses to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to be called Pharaohs daughters sonne Now afterward he divideth his benefits into 1. Past 2. To come The benefits past are either the taking away of evill or giving of good Those that are past he subdivideth into 1. Deliverance 2. Eagles wings In the deliverance it is either generall to us with many more in this is the spirituall deliverance besides a temporall in this generall either of the Common-wealth or of the Church Particular to every one either in regard of himselfe or of those that be neere him by the bond of blood or of duty or of love or of league or friendship For deliverance we need to take no other argument then that which God here useth You have seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried c. And going to the Egypt spirituall how we are delivered from the Kingdome of sinne and of Satan from the shadow of death from Gods judgements which doe incomparably passe Pharaoh and his servants Psal 91.3 Surely he will deliver thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence by the day c. And though the hunter did set a snare yet the Lord hath delivered us from all his snares à terrore nocturno liberavit à sagitta diurna He hath delivered us from the terrour by night and from the arrow that flieth by day On our right hand thousands have fallen and on our left ten thousands and yet the danger never came neere us Multi undiquaque ceciderunt nos autem stamus many have fallen on each side but we stand Eagles wings Revel 12.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of the Rocke so they had also the signes of the Gospell Their being under the Cloud and passing through the Sea like to our baptisme Manna to Christ his body the water out of the rocke to his blood The order of the uses of the law Opoâ—tet vocare ad calculum We must câ—ll to an account 1. Vse of the law Yet two necessary points That where there is no perfection in the law through the imperfection of nature yet it is â—aedagogus ad Christum a schoolmaster to Christ To make this more plaine Christs wise dome must be ours That a man must often call himselfe to accounts how he hath used his talent Matth. 25.14 God is compared to a Housholder that will take account of his servants of those talents that he delivered to them at his departure We must vocare talenta nostra ad calculum call our talents to account and not doe as the wicked and foolish servant that is noted of great folly for hiding his talent in the ground Then for the first use of the law it is our Tabula supputationum table of accounts It containeth our credita debita what things are owen to thee and what thou owest it s the table that we must cast our accounts by it sheweth us where we are and telleth us our accounts est remedium ignorantiae a remedy of ignorance Now because it sheweth us that our debt is much greater then we are able to pay and that it sheweth us the strength of sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 that it is so strong that it bringeth us to that Revel 2.5 Memor esto unde excideris remember whence thou art fallen shewing us our miserable estate the image of God from whence we are fallen and hell into which we shall fall whereof the one will worke in us a griefe the other a horrour the law is that if our debt be greater then we are able to pay our goods children and our selves must be sold and payment made 4. When it hath once gotten us to this that we may be condemned in the whole summe Secundus legis usuâ— ducit nos ad Christum ducit nos ad aeneum serpentem 2. Vse of the law leads us to the brasen serpent Christ The covenant of faith being entered into us then have we this use of the law 1. It puts us in mind of the great deliverance of Christ from the law 2. It granteth grace in that measure that is required in this life The law sheweth the finne and the remedy Exod. 20.1 c. when sinne and we have reckoned it hath her minister and Scrivener the conscience to subscribe and set seale to this great debt And thus will the 3. use of the Law come that it will be humiliator an humbler And so as it is Gal. 3.23 It shutteth us up in the dungeon and imprisoneth us and this is a remedium superâ—iae a remedie of pride Then commeth in the second use of the law That forasmuch as we see our condemnation is just and that we can never discharge so great an account it maketh us seeke for a surety to defray the whole summe for us It doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drive us to thinke of a surety namely to the brazen Serpent as Moses did the Jewes that is Christ And of these two uses two other uses will follow 1. It serveth us as an Arrow shot into us to put us in remembrance of our great deliverance and guideth us over the billes of accounts that we seeing that much is forgiven us might love much The other Psal 119.59 to teach Quid retribuam Domino What shall I render to the Lord to turne our selves into his pathes and to draw no more debt upon Christ then needs The preface of the Law ANd God spake all these words and said c. till the 18. verse The summe of all these words and in effect the body of the law containes two parts The style verse 2. I am the Lord thy God c. 2. The charge which receiveth the whole ten precepts In every law according to the positions in mans law is required 1. Wisedome 2. Authority For the wisdome of God Deut. 4.8 And what Nation is so great a Nation that hath Ordinances and Lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day Moses challengeth all the lawes and the Nations of the World The wisdome of a law is best seene and tryed by the sufficiency of it For his authority it is rerum agendarum telum This is alwaies the preface of every law and is here in the second verse In every edict and Proclamation the beginning is with the stile of the Prince whereby he challengeth by his prerogative Royall to doe what he list For this authority is the common reason of the whole charge of the law and is annexed to every Commandement that hath a reason as to the 2 Where there is a reason given it is from hâ—s authority 3 4. For I the Lord thy God c. For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse For in six daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. And if it be true that men need not a reason to perswade them to a benefit then surely not to this because it is a benefit and a priviledge as Psal 147. v. last He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the Heathen knowledge of his lawes Yet it pleaseth God to adde his reason from his owne person though indeed profit be a sufficient Orator Chap. 19 v. 2 3 4 10 12 14 16 18 25 28 30 31 32 34 37. Chap. 20. v. 7 24 26. Chap. 21. of Leviticus v. 8 12 15 23. The reason of the new Testament annexed Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow unto me of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and every tongue shall confesse to God The parts of the preface In this stile or authority are three parts according to three titles The first title of his Name Jehovah Secondly the title of his jurisdiction Thy God Thirdly the title of that notable act he did last Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt c. Such prefaces in their Edicts and Statutes doe earthly Princes use 1. Is the name of the Prince Caius Caesar 2. The jurisdiction Emperour or King of such a Countrey 3. The last noble act he did as when the Romans had overcome Germany every Caesar was called Germanicus or when they had overcome Affrica Scipio Affricanus Scipio the conquerour of Affrica And alwaies the last triumph did drive out all the former For the Name first Jehovah I Jehovah not I am Jehovah It argueth his nature power and benefits Thou art Lord. The name of his nature it cannot be denied Psal 83.18 That they may know that thou whose Name is Jehovah it is communicable to no
Christ Joh. 17.3 Of God the Father and the Deity we read 1 Tim. 6.16 that no man hathever seen him And Moses could see but his back-parts and when he saw them he was afraid and did hide his face Therefore 't is sufficient for us to know them For as much as our knowledge is to be referred to our worship we must labour for no more then must serve for his worship i. things revealed to us in the Scriptures The I. Commandement Thou shalt have no other c. COncerning God for the Unitie of his Essence and Trinitie in Persons and so what he is to us we are bound to know And that is set downe Exod. 29.46 The rule of our knowledge Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God that brought them out of the Land of Aegypt that I might dwell among them I am the Lord their God The Scripture doth not onely set downe what he is in himselfe but what he is in relation to us So in Exod. 34.6 God maketh Proclamation of his owne Attributes The Lord There be in the Scripture certaine things set downe concerning his nature also concerning his attributes wee are also to know his actions then besides what the goodwill of God for us to be directed whether in generall as wee are Christians or in particular as wee are every man in our severall vocations the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgression of sinne not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the children and upon childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Besides these that God hath done for us what we are to doe for him namely the knowledge of his will both in regard of the generall what all are to doe and in regard of the particular calling which every one hath what we are to doe Now the meanes whereby we come to this It is well said of the Heathen Ponenti finem ponenda media he that would attaine unto the end must use the meanes In them the order must bee thus 1. To remove the impediments removenda impedimenta 2. That must be first placed which is first primo prima 1. For the first In Pro. 1.16 is set downe there is a company that will not sticke to draw evill upon evill Prov. 1.16 My sonne if sinners intiee the consent not c. such as will lactare hominem intice a man unto evill it is called Evill counsell or as it is Pro. 19.27 my sonne if thou wilt remove the impediment heare no more the instruction that causeth thee to erre from the words of knowledge The instructions that cause us to erre Instructions causing us to erre or the impediments to be removed be threefold either 1. In our selves or 2. Without our selves 1. 1. Our owne reason Within us our owne reason That which is set downe Deut. 12.8 ye shall not doe after all these things that we doe here this day that is every man whatsoever seemeth good in his owne eyes And Ephes 4.17 in the vanity of our owne reason This therefore I say and witnesse in the Lord that yee walke not henceforth as other Gentiles walke We must give over our reason for that was the errour of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vanities of their mind 2 Cor. 10.5 for heavenly knowledge all our strong holds all our mountaines of reason must be cast away or throwne downe and brought into captivitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and every thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pulling downe of strong holds and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a bringing into Captivity Where it doth resist we must cast it downe as in the mystery of the Trinitie where it striveth with us it must bee brought into captivity 2. Those that are without us are two First in the 1 Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tradition of Elders tradition of our Elders least we take Religion by inheritance a great impediment Such as our Fathers have taught us we will doe Our rule must be Scrutamini Scripturas Search the Scripture and we must receive nothing by tradition so farre as it standeth not with this rule 2. And secondly in the 2 Chron. 17.4 of Jehosaphat But sought to the Lord God of his Father 3. The fashion of the world and walked in his Commandements and not after the trade of Israel to doe as they doe now adayes and after the manner of the place The common trade of the World must be no rule for us unlesse it agree with our rule it must be removed for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fashion of the people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof hath beene spoken before and a sharp wit to doe whatsoeuer our reason will tell us are the rules of mans wisedome these must be cast away 1 Cor. 3.18 If any man will be wise let him be a foole in this world let him give over the rules of mans wisedome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was Luthers rule Si quis vult were sapiens esse in Aristotele stultisicetur in Christo and the rules of worldly wisedome must be received so farre forth as they be equall to the foolish rules for if we become not little ones in our owne wisedome and fooles in regard of mans wisedome Christ will not account us among them that he speaketh of Mat. 11.25 for whom he thanketh God that he hath revealed his mysteries unto them and not to the wise of the world Rom. 1.22 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this professing themselves to be wise was the cause why the wise men of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 became such fooles Now to the meanes themselves they were partly before handled Therefore we will be shorter in them But if any desire a direction for this part first we must be perswadad thus of Gods knowledge We must have the perswasion of the necessity of it Luke 10.42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the one needfull thing and that no vocation can be more necessarie Though civility will not let men say that they spend more time in that that shall not profit and lesse upon that which is necessary because they thinke good to spend some times in it yet they shew that this in respect of other things is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a by-worke they are meere Scepticks in this one needfull thing their study is a studying for pride or discoursing at table they read Authors as the Butterflie suckes the flowers to paint her wings but this must not be so spent on the tongue No other knowledge shall prosper without this Christs counsell Mat. 6.33 that this must first be sought and then other things will follow Primum quaerite Regnum c. First seek the Kingome of God
I have done it see you doe not resist me but see yee submit you selves to my ordinance that is God is resisted if his Ordinance be resisted and Rom. 13.2 he that despiseth his ordinance despiseth him therefore that God hath hallowed we must not pollute We see then how farre this rest is to be kept and what is required to the sanctification The substance of the fourth Commandement consisteth especially in these two things 1. in the outward rest of the body 2. the other the End to Sanctifie it As before we must Remember it both in the weeke before the day come partly because then we are to yeeld account of the former dayes workes to God In singultu scrupulo cordis with sorrow and trouble of heart partly also as Augustine saith Ne quid operis rejiciatur in diem festum that we put not off any businesse untill the Sabbath and when it is come as Gregorie 11. Mor. 3d. Epist because there are two things the one Aliorum exempla the example of others will make us forget duely to sanctifie it The other Ludorum spectaculorum studia the desire we have after sports and pastimes wee are therefore then the rather to sanctifie it for Esay 58.13 Delicatum Domini Sabbatum the Sabbath of the Lord is a delicate thing Because these two therefore engender a forgetfulnesse we must both remember it aforehand add then also when it commeth The thing that we are to remember is a day of rest to sanctifie it Augustine in two words comprehendeth it well Otium sanctum a Holy Rest or returning from labour And if we aske A returning from what labour the words following shew from what workes A Canon of the Church sheweth it Quod ante fieri poterat quod post fieri poterit What might have beene done before and what may be done afterward must be rested from And whatsoever is meant by the labours and works of the weeke dayes that must be ceased from of us on the contrary Ab eo quod nec ante fieri poterat nec postea poterit non est ita avertendum that which could not be done before and that which cannot be done afterward may on that day be done by us The reason why it must be thus Aug. Epist 157. ad Optatum and Jerome upon Ezek. 20. concerning that the distinction of the bodily rest is for sanctification For out of Eccl. 3. they take this for a ground that there is nothing but must have his time and consequently that we appoint certaine times for our bodies for repast as of sleepe c. in which time we take such order as that we be not let by any thing and as he saith there the more serious a thing we are to deale with the more we seeke that nothing be done with it but that onely and wholly The cheifest care to be had of the soule that nothing trouble it frō his whole meditation but to this end it is meet wee be even solitarie as Augustine saith and we thinke we take a good order in it so So in the Law of Nature there is a time for the soule and the building of the same for procuring holinesse to it for declaring holinesse in it and so consequently that wee are because it is a serious matter to use no lesse diligence in the cases thereof then that there may be no other thing to hinder us And it is a matter so plaine that we see even the councell of Trent taking order for keeping of holy dayes hath set downe Quae abhis qui humanarum occupationum negotio detinentur omnino praestare non possent that this body entermeddle not it selfe with worldly affaires So many of the Fathers as write upon that Psal 46.10 Vacate videte quod ego sum Dominus be still and know that I am God shew by the course of wisedome the same that the Philosophers require that Postulandum secessum ut melius intendamus a full Vacation from cares that a mans head be not occupied with thoughts in worldly matters but that his soule might wholly intend this day and the body might be at command with the soule therefore the forbidding of workes in this Commandement is not therefore because the workes of themselves are evill but onely because they would distract the minde and would not suffer the whole man wholly to intend the workes of the Sabbath The substance of this Commandement I sayd consisteth of these two parts Rest and Sanctification The Rest is the first part otium It is a very strange thing that the nature of man is so altogether given to be contrary to Gods will and wisedome so that it falleth out on both sides contrary Where the precepts are laborious Nota. and of travell and paine there they will be idle and where the precepts are not laborious and of no paine there rather then they will not breake the Commandement they will take paines and wee will even against our natures make our selves businesse and we will pick out that day of all dayes of the weeke that he hath chosen so that we make it a kind of pollicie to make advantage of that day and to find labour in that day which hee hath denyed us to labour in This for the easinesse of the Commandement and perversenesse of man Concerning this rest there are six Countermands The first thing that wee finde Countermanded here is Exod. 16.26 there God taketh order in Elim before the Law was given that from their very necessary labour from gathering Manna they should cease the reason is because it is mercatura animae the soules Market there is a better thing then Manna John 6.58 and 1 Pet. 2.3 speaking there of the heavenly food of that day doth preferre it before Manna 2. A second forbidding in Nehem. 13.15 not onely the gathering of Manna or the going out to gather but though it bee brought us yet a plaine countermand and execution upon it sheweth that it is unlawfull So we are forbidden as from gathering of Manna so from buying of Manna To this belongeth Buying and Selling all Markets and Faires on that day forbidden 3. From carrying burthens Jer. 17.21 22. there is a great commination against those that carryed burthens on that day that made it their carriage day that hee would bring a plague upon them and that such as is there mentioned that is Captivity So we must not carry on that day except we will that God give us a burthen that is Captivitie 4. A fourth thing forbidden Exod. 34.21 because this carriage and inninge of harvest and grapes might seeme to be a matter of great necessity therefore he saith that both in Seed-time and Harvest and Vintage his Sabbaths should be kept that is so as that the provision of the whole Common-wealth must give place to the Rest of the Lord. And that is for carriage 5. For journeying and travelling on the Sabbath day Exod. 16.29 Cras erit
Reddes rationem that of Christ Thou shalt give an account and every one will give morâ—â—ttention to that which he knoweth he shall after give account for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Because we are all bound to give account of our faith 1 Pet. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Oportet reddere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non stultam vanam inanem opinionem you must render a reason not a foolish and vaine opinion Therefore it is best to render a reason before Agrippa our Countreyman before we come to Caesar Forasmuch as Christ is become not onely our King and Priest We must be Prophets Our prophecying in foure things but also our Prophet we must become Prophets Our prophecying must stand in these foure things 1. In examining the doctrine that we heare 1 Iohn 4. 2. In examining our selves before the word and Sacraments 1 Cor. 11.28 2 Cor. 13.5 3. In admonishing our brethren which we cannot doe without catechising Rom. 15.14 and able to admonish one another 4. Forasmuch as when we are children we doe imbibere errores drinke in errors We must learne to put them off while we are children and have truth in their place The fruit of the first that knowing that judgement waiteth for us we may be carefull of our duties and so to practise them Of the second Forasmuch as we see of the Church in all ages that it is a thing especially commanded of the Lord we must know that those houres which we bestow on this exercise we bâ—stow them on a thing most pleasing to God Veniendum ergo alacriter cum venerimus ita nos gerere oportet ut decet scilicet ut arrectis auribus intentis animis auscultemus We must therefore come cheerfully and when we come so behave our selves as it becometh namely we must heare with attentive eares and earnest hearts Paul asketh the Romans some fruit of their former life Paul Rom. 6.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed and secondly in the 22 verse he setteth the fruit downe to be holinesse of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto holinesse And the heathen wisheth us in all our actions to aske this question Cui bono to what good admonishing us to enquire what good commeth to us by our exercises Even that which Paul setteth downe 1 Tim. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come In this life the fruit length of daies as Deut. 11.21 In the life to come John 17.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall life Having seene the fruit we are to take care that those houres which we spend in this exercise we mispend not least we be deprived thereof For as in naturall philosophy it is a great absurdity ut quid frustrafiat that any thing be in vaine and in morall ut sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaine desire In divine things much more Ne frustra audiamus Let us not heare in vaine 1 Cor. 15.14 Paul useth no other argument to prove that Christ is risen then that else his preaching and their hearing should be in vaine Gal. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I went up by revelation and communicated unto them that Gospell which I preach among the Gentiles but severally to them which were of reputation Ratio the reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest by any meanes I should run or had runne in vaine 2 Cor. 6.1 as he desired the Corinthians that they received not the grace of God in vaine so wee are to looke that we heare nothing in vaine least we be like those Ier. 6.29 that let the bellowes burne and the lead consume in the fire and the founder melt in vaine The word of God not in vaine in respect of it selfe The word of the Lord is not in vaine either in respect 1. of it selfe 2. Preacher 3. hearer In respect of it selfe it cannot be in vaine Esa 55.10 11. As the raine and snow commeth from Heaven and returneth not againe but watereth the Earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to him that eateth 11. So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne to me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I will and shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it therefore by every hearing we are either bettered or hardened 2. Neither in regard of the preacher And as the word in respect of it selfe cannot be in vaine so neither in regard of the preacher Esay 49.4 I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nothing but my judgement and worke is with the Lord. It is also warranted Luke 10.6 If the sonne of peace be there your peace shall be upon him if not it shall returne to you againe More plaine 2 Cor. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Great care then is to be taken how we behave our selves in hearing 3. Pars. The third part Venite auscultate come and hearken It s the manner of the holy Ghost to comprise many things in one word In the first required presence to come the beginning of Christs obedience Psal 40.7 8. Then said I loe I come c. The action Psal 122.1 I rejoyced when they said unto me we will goe into the house of the Lord. Esay 2.2 3. And many people shall say come let us goe up to the house of the Lord c. And the Hebrew proverbe is Blessed is he that dusteth himselfe with the dust of the temple alledging the Psal 84.10 For a day in thy Courts is better then 1000 otherwhere The cause of our comming Because it is to be feared lest wee concurre with those Esay 29.23 that came rather for feare of disfavour or mulct then for any godly respect to such the Word shall be as a sealed booke that shall not be opened Therefore though all mens censure were removed and it were free for us to come or not to come yet are we so to be affected seeing the Lord hath said venite come in respect of God The Centurion Matth. 8.9 saith that they which were under him when hee called them came c. Therefore it is but a small service which we doe to the Lord in comming The people made three daies journey after Christ into the wildernesse Act. 20. Paul prolonged his speech till midnight but our comming and attention is but small to these Psal 105.31 34. Grashoppers Flies Lice Caterpillers come at the commandement of the Lord therefore if we come behind these unreasonable creatures we shall not need
to have sentence pronounced against us for our owne consciences will condemne us For comming 2. Assiduity Because in the second place we see by Act. 17.21 an humour in the Athenians whiles Pauls doctrine was they came gladly as Luk. 23.8 Herod rejoyced when Christ came to him hoping to see some miracle wrought by him Augustine calleth the three daies journey of the people monstrum diligentiae the wonder of diligence therefore as they Acts 2.46 daily continued and resorted together c. and Pro. 8.33 Waiting daily at my doores and giving attendance at the posts of my doores so are we to doe the like and never to intermit this exercise Cyrill Villa non est peccatum sed si impediat est peccatum The Farme is no sinne but if it hinder that is a sinne Excuses ordinary Not to be admitted 1. Businesse 2. Play Math. 20.6 He reprehended them that stood in the market idle Non sunt istae institutiones sicut homiliae these institutions are not as Homilies for if we misse a Sermon we may redeeme it if we once misse this exercise we cannot have a perfect building Comparatur enim aedificio si vel una desit pars totum sit imperfectum aedisicium necesse est it is compared to a building in it if one part be wanting then of force the whole Fabricke is imperfect Therefore we are to follow the Apostles counsell Ephes 5.16 Redeeming the time because the daies are evill Then are we not to excuse our selves whether it be by excuse or businesse as Matth. 22.5 for though the things of themselves be lawfull and good yet where they come to hinder the knowledge of God they become sinne Or by play Gen. 25.27 no other reason given of Esaus idlenesse then that he was a man of the field and loved his pastime and gaming Or by Idlenesse Exod. 32.16 The people sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play Or by a spirit of unlustinesse as Esay 29.10 The Lord hath covered you with the spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes Ergo deponenda quaelibet impedimenta therefore all impediments must be laid aside Yet if sicknesse or any other impediment hinder us then are we to follow the counsell of the Apostle Eph. 5.16 of redeeming the time 3. Forasmuch as we see by Matth. 22.11 that every commer is not welcome 3. Idlenesse but he that hath his wedding garment and commeth prepared as he ought 4. Spirit of unlustinesse Videndum quomodo audiamus Take heed how we heare Bona bene good things well 2 Chron. 29.34 the Priests being too few adhuc imperfecta existente religione to slay all the burnt-offerings their brethren the Levites helped them till they had done the worke and other Priests were sanctified for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves then the Priests And seeing 1 Chron. 29.18 when David had taken as good order as he could he directed his prayer to God that it would please him to prepare the hearts of the people And for the Gospell Matth. 3.3 the office of John was to prepare the way of the Lord and to make streight his pathes Therefore we are to be prepared as the Lord requireth which though it be so manifold that the wise men of Israel have set downe 48. things to be used yet may they be reduced to two First Wherein our preparation to hearing doth consist 1. The purpose of the heart that which the light of nature hath set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the purpose of our heart to frame our lives accordingly Act. 11.23 Barnabas his first exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. And this is the first whosoever will heare must heare with this condition that he convert it to his life and put it in practice quia hic finis est for this is the end Psal 119.9 A young man must rule his life according to the word to this end to cleanse his waies Ergo he that practiseth not that which he heareth faileth in this first point Luke 12.1 Christ calleth the doctrine of the Pharisees there leaven Sic dici potest doctrina Christi fermentum Christi so the doctrine of Christ may be called the leaven of Christ whose property is as 1 Cor. 5.6 to turne the whole lumpe into the property of it selfe So if we heare the doctrine of Christ it must be leaven to us But the leaven turneth the taste of the lumpe into the taste of it selfe To this purpose a most fearefull place Deut. 29.18 That there be not among you man or woman nor family nor Tribe which should turne his heart this day from the Lord our God to serve the gods of these Nations and that there be not any roote among you that bringeth forth gall or wormwood The second thing is prayer ◠Prayer Because as David saith Psal 10.19 when the Lord hath prepared ones heart then he bendeth his eares to his prayers Againe the feare of God is wisedome wisedome cannot be got except it be asked for of God as Iames 1.5 If any one lacke wisedome let him aske it of God c. Practise whereof in Salomon 1 King 3.9 praying to the Lord for wisdome and the Lords approbation that he required wisedome in the same place vers 10. Matth. 21.13 Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur My house shall be called the house of prayer These short prayers are those the fathers call ejaculationes Of such is the Psal 119. full as vers 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law And in the middest when he feeleth himselfe dull vers 37. he saith O turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in the way And in the same place concludeth with thankesgiving saying I will thanke thee with an unfained heart when I shall have learned the judgements of thy righteousnesse By these and such like we must seeke to be upholden Effect of our prayer preparing to the catechisme For the effect of our request that forasmuch as Eccles 12.11 the words of the Lord are likened to goades and nailes as on the contrary Psal 19.10 to Honey-combes we are to pray that it would please the Lord that we may as well feele the nayles of his threatnings as the Honey-combes of his mercy Thus must we believe that there be such things in the word though we have no feeling of them yet the Saints of God have felt them If this might also be in us it would pricke us forward as Genes 32.11 Jacob prayeth to be delivered from the hands of his brother Esau but contrariwise If we might feele the sweetnesse and delight of this Honey-combe so that we might have a love to them the diligence would necessarily follow for Delectatio diléctio diligentia ex se pendent Dilectio
naturall affection be a vice and reprehensible no doubt it cannot fall in Deum upon God therefore we must give him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affection over his creatures 2. No workman will give over his worke till he hath brought his worke unto perfection But generation of things is not yet compleat and every day he bringeth forth some new thing therefore yet God hath not given over his providence Dilucidius apparebit in singularibus this will more clearely appeare in particulars 1. Arist de motu animalium argues of the providence of God the Sea being higher then the Land and the waters farre above the brimmes of the earth and no Philosopher being able to give a reason why it should not overflow the earth especially seeing the nature of it is to overflow it must needs be of Gods providence which doth limit its bounds that it cannot passe 2. Plotinus from plants They without any direction if they stand betweene two soyles the one dry and barren the other moyst and fruitfull they will shoote their roote from the dry and barren to the moyst and good ground 3. From the Flowers that shut themselves in the night lest they should receive corrupt and evill moystures in the day they open themselves for to receive the heate of the sunne Psal 147.9 4. In the Birds The yong Ravens saith David cry unto the Lord and he feedeth them being as yet scarce covered with the white mosse and forsaken of the old Raven from their dung there ingendereth a worme that creepeth up to their bill and so are fed 5. Arist that the little fish Pimotheca entreth league with the Sea-crabbe and taking a stone in his mouth when the Oyster openeth it selfe against the sunne swimmeth in with the stone in her mouth so that the Oyster cannot shut againe so the Crabbe pulleth forth the meat and they both fall to their prey 6. In Beasts The wild beasts are not so fruitfull and generative as the tame least all things should be overrunne with them therefore there is something that taketh their fruitfulnesse from them namely God 2. Whereas their natures are to pray therefore by all likelyhood they should love those places that are fittest to pray in yet they love desert places dennes 3. Psal 104. When man is to goe forth to his worke all the day time they lie in their dennes at night when man is to take his rest they goe forth to seeke their prey Generally in all the discerning the places of nourishment and the meanes how to get nourishment out of it the knowing of the motions of the musculs without a teacher 2. When a man of great experience and knowledge may easily be confounded and deceived in a great company of sheepe in seeking every Lambs ewe the Lambe in the thickest of them will finde out her owne ewe 3. In discerning of hurtfull things at the voyce of a Kite the Chicken at the smell of a Woolfe the Lambe will flie though they never had experience of any hurt by them 4. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affection of the parents toward mishapen children though to every one else most odious yet no lesse loved of their parents then if they had all the gifts of nature perfect 5. The sudden cry of every creature affrighted with any griefe by all mens confession it cannot be voluntary no reason can be given of it and it hath made the heathen confesse that it was Vox naturae vel amantis dominum naturae the voyce of nature or of one loving the Lord of nature So we see that there is a providence both by argument and also by practise in the Sea Plants Flowres Fishes Wild-beasts c. Theodoret Bishop of Sirus hath taken paines about this point in his ten Sermons de providentia concerning providence The second opinion The second point To that imagination that granteth providence but such onely as is in a Clocke the plummets weighing downe by little and little so that the providence is in the second causes 1. The meanes worke nothing but as the Prophets say there is beside the bread the staffe of bread Ezech. 4.16 5.16 14.13 Matth 4.4 Psal 17.14 Hag. 1.6 which Christ calleth the World of God David Gods hidden treasure which if it be not we shall as Haggai saith put money into a bottomlesse purse The meanes alwaies worketh not because there is not a thing added to the meanes that giveth strength The Philosophers have acknowledged it and called it the infusion of strength and efficacy into the creatures This is the first cause not of the secondary causes that if without meanes divers things have beene brought to passe not onely Genes 1. because men should not thinke that the sunne is cause of light he made the light before the sunne nor thinke that the seed is cause of fruit therefore he made with the seed fruit but also in these daies we see preferment cast on them that never sought for it Second causes withstanding yet the effects are brought forth Christ used clay to open eyes which is rather a meanes to put them out Helias put Salt into Salt water to make it fresh and sweet Iohn 9.6 2 Reg. 2.20 Gen. 40. 41. Iason Phereus healed by a sword thrust into his belly Iosephs imprisonment the meanes of his preferment the first bringing in of the Christian faith doth most firmely shew this Then by want of learning They had not onely no meanes but also meanes against them great learning confounded by weaknesse strength by nothing something 2. Fortunes commission it is not issue of warre of which though many profane mouthes have given forth this that Sors Domini campi fortune is Lady of the field yet there never was any but before he entered battell vowed and after payed his vow So in drawing of lots which a man would thinke especially to be of chance Ionah 1.7 c. 5.16 c. yet the Marriners in the shippe with Ionas used this as being of the providence of God Cassena in Plutarch 3. Ihado when the Heathen could not finde out any thing but was in doubt used to fall to lots as if God would answer them in their doubtfull lots 3. From chaunce medly Herodotus Cambyses lighting off his horse his sword falling out of the Scabbard ranne him into the groyne and he ascribeth this to providence for his evill behaviour in Egypt Lastly the Philosopher concludes That casuall things are nothing else but effects of causes farre off removed if of these much more the things concurring neere together are referred to providence That is a greater argument of providence to joyne things farre asunder then those that be neere But that which proves all fully Prophecy cannot be brought to passe withall the plummets but that is of the providence of God Having shewed that there is a providence of God in generall 2. That it dealeth her selfe and hath her owne hand in bringing things to
delivered from the curse of the Law 2. In 2 Pet. 1.10 How we may be sure that this deliverance pertaineth to us if we make our calling and faith sure 3. Quid retribuam what we are to performe i. true obedience not secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jus plectorium secundum jus praetorium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not according to the extremity of the Law the Law punishing but according to praeter Law equity and right in Christ Now for the Law naturall we learned in the generall prooemium or preface that we depend of Gods providence and therefore we must thinke of God as of a King For so it is Revel 19.16 and therefore as he hath rewards from us Revel 19.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King of Kings and Lord of Lords In every law foure things are required 1. The worke 2. The manner 3. The reward 4. The punishment so he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his worke house to try us in and this is the world Then we being in a work house must have our agenda things we are to doe and the Law being defined doctrina agendorum the doctrine of things which are to be done it is our agenda thing we are to doe And as there are foure things in every Law in mundo in the world so doth this which is Lex creatoris mundi the law of the Creator of the world containe them all 1. The worke this you must doe 2. The manner thus you shall doe 3. Reward in palatio in Court 4. Carcer the prison punishment in the prison All these are in every law and so are they in Gods law In the law of Moses who hath set downe in the decalogue a perfect pandect of all the workes and duties that God requireth at our hands These are the true Ethica Christiana Christian Ethickes passing all others Ethickes In this thing are they of the Church of Rome to be commended that teaching their youth Logicke Physicke and Metaphysicke three yeeres because they are not compleately to be found in these bookes referre them to these bookes for Ethiks propter regulam morum for the rule of manners For this is the just square of all our actions it ought neither to be longer or shorter then this This law was given by Moses saith he here Gods Law is the rule of our life in regard of the first of the foure things it is called our agenda or things to be done In respect of the other the rule or cubit of the Sanctuary Here may a doubt arise Seeing that the law was not given till 2600 yeeres after the creation it might seeme that men might aswell live still without the Law But to shew how the world was governed by the law and that which is Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles both before and after doing the things that belong to the law are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law to themselves not to doe what they list but to doe the workes of the Law how that can be it is thus that they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. they had the effect of the law written in their heart which was equivalent to the law it selfe This he proveth because they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the accusing or excusing of their thoughts and that they had their conscience for a witnesse to them both Gen. 3. Man is the image of God Col. 1.10 The Image of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge of God And therefore Augustine of the Trinity Ioh. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the light shineth in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Psal 119.142 Thy Law is from everlasting as concerning thy testimonies I have knowne long since that thou hast grounded than forever Effectumlegis praestitum esse ante legis traditionem Gen 31.53 Laban sware by the God of Abraham and Nahor and of their fathers but Iacob sware by the feare of his father Isaac lib. 14. ch 14. saith That every man had it in his heart which must be understood after the fall For before it was all perfection Mali multa rectè laudant rectè reprehendunt Quibus regulis hoc faciunt ubi habent hoc quod homines sic vivere debent cum ipsi sic non vivant hae regulae sunt justae mentes corum injustae hae regulae immutabiles mentes eorum mutabiles Evill men praise many things rightly and reprehend rightly upon what ground doe they this where have they this that men ought thus to live and yet they themselves live not so these rules are just their minds unjust these rules unchangeable their minds changeable then he concludeth Vident eas in libro lucis they see them in the booke of truth which truth being in God as a seale maketh a print in the mind of man and yet keepeth it it selfe which print they can never plucke out and so by this meanes all men have the effect of the Law in them To prove that this effect was performed before the giving of the Law For the first Commandement not so manifest Gen. 11.13 by the departure of Terah with Abraham Sarah and Lot out of Vr of the Chaldees from their idolatry into Canaan Gen. 35.2 Jacob said to his houshold and to all that were with him put away the strange Gods that are among you and clense your selves and change your garments For the second ibidem verse 5. where Jacob buried the idols under an Oake More plaine Gen. 31.34 Rachel hid her fathers idols in the Camels straw For the third Gen. 24 3. Abraham made his eldest servant to put his hand under his thigh and sweare by the Lord God of Heaven and earth that he should not take a wife to his sonne of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt Gen. 31.53 The solemne oath betweene Laban and Iacob For the fourth Gen. 2.2 God hallowed the seventh day 2600. yeeres before the delivery of the Law God useth not to sanctifie a thing so long before when there shall be no use of it Gen 16.23 Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that to day which ye will bake and seeth that ye will seeth and all that remaineth lay it up to keepe till the morning for you Gen. 2.2 For in the seventh day God ended his worke which he had made and in the seventh day he rested from all his workes that he had made For the fifth Gen. 27.28 Esaus howling and crying for his fathers blessing Verse 41. He stood in aw of his father though otherwise prophane For so long as his father lived he would not kill Iacob For the sixth a plaine precept Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed For the seventh Gen. 38.24 Of Thâ—mar whom Iudah would have burned for playing the whore Gen. 34.31 The answer of Simeon and Levi that had put a whole Citty to the sword for their sister
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle c. God saith to the woman that is the Church that he will give her two wings even the wings of a great Eagle These two wings by the interpretation of the learned are 1. the providence of God 2. His especiall grace Dei providentia in hoc seculo ala una gratia Deispecialis ala Ecclesiae altera The providence of God in this world is the one wing his speciall grace the other wing of the Church As in a wing there is an infinite number of feathers so in each of Gods wings infinite number of particular benefits but especially these three 1. Gods care over us whereby he abaseth himselfe to number the haires of our head to our dough bread c. 2. The use of all his creatures both for necessity and pleasure 3. The gard of his Angels for us base matter wormes compassed about with sinne His providence is thus considered He being a God infinite and eternall yet he considereth to looke upon every particular little thing of ours Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. to our dough our bread Psalm 41. to the turning and making of our bed In the Gospell the number of the haires of our head which we never doe Last of all he hath allotted to us poore wormes an handfull the most excellent guard of his Angels Heb. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation He hath commanded them to waite on us Yea he hath made this goodly Theater and all creatures and hath given them for our use Adeo ut sit inexhaustus fons divinae bonitatis so that the fountaine of the goodnesse of God is inexhaustible For his speciall grace in vouchsafing his sonne to redeeme the world by his death 2. A measure of sanctification and vertue to doe well 3. The outward ministery of his Word and Sacraments are as seales of his promises 4. Revel 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man will heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will suppe with him and he with me Pulsationes spiritus good motions to doe well Generall grace is first preventing 2. Following God bestoweth his benefits on us before we looke for them they are acceptable and accepted by the following The use of his meanes his Word Sacraments and motions of the Spirit the judgements of God Particular grace In particular the good gifts of nature of grace of those among whom we live of whom we have benefit Beside these if we come in particular to weigh every man by himselfe Gods particular graces 1. by bond of nature 2. of charge 3. of friendship in these graces particular we are to consider 1. that God seeing he hath done thus much for us must needs love us 2. That loving us he will command us no other thing then that which is good and profitable for us But adde to those benefits that are promised the promises that are to come Prae his illa nihil sunt in comparison of these those are nothing namely beneficia futura in futuro seculo benefits to come in the World to come The Prophet Esay 64.4 valueth them by the eye eare heart and he denieth that eye hath seene or eare hath heard or that it hath entred into the heart of man to understand those joyes that are for them which seeke him For since the beginning of the World they have not heard nor understood with the eares neither hath the eye seene another God beside thee which doth so to him that waiteth for him The eye may see much for Christ saw all the world 1. Cor. 2.9 The place of Esay recited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The eare can heare many things but the heart can conceive infinite things Therefore the joyes of the World to come must passe infinite being compassed about with the flesh when as yet it was never seene heard nor conceived of any And this is that name which is said Revel 2.17 No man knoweth it but he that receiveth it Revel 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and will give him a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it No knowledge of it till we receive it But for some taste of it whereas this Earth and this Heaven is too good for us yet he promiseth that he will make a new Heaven and indeed the uttermost of his power will he shew in heaping joyes and creating anew for those that seeke him so it is proved by manifest demonstration that he will shew the uttermost of his power in increasing our pleasures Therefore this is it that we conceive of it that it is more then we can conceive So that this shall be more then excellent or over-excellent because we are not able to conceive it All this tendeth to this end to stirre up in us a love and if that come we shall finde ease and delight these will diligence and continuance follow And there are but three things to move us to love 1. Pulchritudo the beauty of that we are to love 2. Consanguinitas neerenesse of kindred 3. Beneficentia benefits these make the most savage beasts to love For the excellency of the beauty of the Lord and his house his creatures and the sparkes we have by nature will sufficiently shew us 2. For the neerenesse what greater can be then betweene creature and Creator and then by the second bond of adoption we shall be his sons 1 Sam. 18.18 What am I and what is my life that I should be sonne in law to the King David maketh it a wonderfull great matter to be sonne in law to the King much more to God 3. For Benefits The Asse knoweth the Masters Cribbe and the Oxe the Stall he hath not onely bestowed on those that were before rehearsed but his love was such to mankind that he was faine to have his onely begotten sonne to come downe and die for us And if this move us not then let Jeremies saying take place Obstupescat coelum terra let Heaven and Earth be astonished And thus much to make us willing The second point is in the 10. vers Moreover the Lord said to Moses 2. Point goe to the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their clothes and let them be ready on the third day For the third day the Lord will come downe in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai As the first was to make us willing so the second is to make us able and giveth us ability Before in the preface was said Sacta sanctis
we may seeke and finde naught for they should finde none yet verse 27. they would needs goe out to seeke and found none This is a curious inclination of our nature it cleaveth fast to us 1. Sam. 6.19 The men of Beth-shemesh would needs know what was in the Arke but they payed well for it 50070. men of them were slaine for that one action so here God enacted that none should touch the mountaine and that for the beast much more for man Numb 14.45 the people of Israel that would enter into the Land contrary to Gods Will are soone slaine Verse 44. yet they presumed obstinately to goe up to the top of the mount But the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses departed not out of the Campe. 45. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites which dwelt in that mountaine came downe and smote them Two things 1. To goe up into the mount 2. To touch the mount It s nâ—t tâ—e law that these men have desire to know it s but to goe up into the mount to gaze which was altogether unprofitable They have omitted the thing and searched for the times and places and consumed them to Hormach It was no necessary thing for the people to ascend the mountaine yet the people itched after it and when they should come there they would not be so hastie to know as to gaze so that the knowledge was not so much sought of them as the place therefore it was an idle thing and odious to God We see the very same hath raigned among the sonnes of men Acts 1.6 Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Matth. 24.3 Tellus when shall these things be and what signe shall be of thy comming and of the end of the World But as Christ answereth them there It s not for you to know the times and the seasons which my heavenly Father hath put into his owne power So Moses here It s not for you to touch or ascend into the mountaine it pertaineth not to you This then must be our wisedome as it is Deut. 29.29 Hiddâ—n things belong to God and those that are manifest to us We must say to our selves as Moses said to the people It s not for you to ascend up into the mountaine More excellently Rom. 12.3 Not to be wise above that we ought but to be wise unto sobriety We must therefore keepe our selves in the limits which the Holy Ghost setteth downe As temporall death or punishment here is for trangressors and those that be over-curious in seeking out quiddities so Pro. 25.27 Qui scrutator est majestatis divinae opprimetur a gloria The curious inquirer after divine Majesty shall be overwhelmed of glory Those that are overcurious in seeking things unnecessary shall seeke with ignorance and lose the knowledge they had of necessary things 1 Tim. 6.4 they shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 languish they shall be sicke with foolish questions deceiving others and themselves to They shall be alwaies a learning but never know any thing A fearefull example of Salomon Preach 1 17. I gave my heart to know wisedome and knowledge madnesse and foolishnesse I knew also that this is a vexation of the Spirit August Qui inventa veritote aliud quaerit mendacium quaerit He that having found the truth seeketh any thing else seeketh a lie This overmuch curiosity made Salomon subject to the grievous points of Idolatry We are then to know our barres about the law unum est necessarium One thing is needfull Fourth point of the del very or the law There is added of the learned another point not as a point of preparation but as a necessary motive in the delivery of the Law necessary meditation of the law gathered out of the delivery of it and it may be comprehended in the points of the delivery of the law Heb. 12. à v. 17. to the end whatsoever terrible thing there was the Lord caused them to concurre at the delivery of the law vers 9.16 first in a thicke cloud secondly with thunderings and thirdly lightnings fourthly the sound of a Trumpet sounding exceeding loud 18. fifthly Mount Sinai on fire and a vapour of smoake sixthly the quaking of the mount and as David Psal 20.8 The voice of the Lord made the wildernesse to tremble the wildernesse of Cades All these as they are fearefull sights and objects of the cogitation of man so it was the purpose of God to shew his law in terrible things to terrisie them withall And we see it tooke effect For first the mountaines and rockes trembled in the next chapter the people fled and desired Moses that they might heare God speake no more to them And Moses himselfe Heb. 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So terrible was the sight that Moses cried out and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I exceedingly feare and quake This fourth point is a circumstance of the manner of delivery which though it be not of requiring the preparation yet Heb. 12. the Apostle useth it as a great argument to stir us up effectually For whatsoever thing is terrible either to the eye to behold or to the heart to thinke 18. v. 31. Mount Sinai was all on a smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire and the smoke therof ascended as the smoke of a furnace and all the mount trembled exceedingly So that this wrought such a requisit reverence in the people that the Lord said Deut. 5.29 O that my people had alway such an heart to feare me c. These sights and sounds because they are past affect us not But yet that argument of the Apostle Heb. 12.25 26. may affect us If the delivery of the law be so terrible if the law Act. 7.53 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it being delivered by the hands of Angels be so dreadfull when God in the power of his Majesty shall come to require it how dreadfull shall it be And this shall more plainely appeare by the conference of circumstances of the delivery of the law and of the day of judgement 1. The delivery of the law was done by Angels A collation of circumstances in the delivery of the Law and in the day of judgement 1. By Angels 2. Darknesse the requiry shall be by God himselfe 2. Here is mention made of a thicke and darke cloud Amos 5.18 that it shall be a darke and gloomy day that there shall be darknesse and no light Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord what have you to doe with it the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light 19. As if a man did flie from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even darknesse no light in it Jude v. 13.
saith that then shall be blacknesse of darknesse and that because as it is in Joel 3.15 The Sunne and the Moone shall be darkned and the Starres shall loose their light For the third namely 3. Thunder-claps Thunderclaps 2. Pet. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up The beames of the earth shall cracke in pieces And no doubt the noyse of the Heavens passing away of the elements melting of the earth burning must needs be greater then a thunderclap That spectacle both to the eye and eare must needs be much more fearefull then this The effect of this last day not temporall for the other 4. Fire they had a remedy but for this they had none at all 4. For fire It was then but on one simple mountaine Sinai but here it shall be on all the earth this fire was but as the fire in the bush the bush was not a whit consumed by it no more was Sinai by it But our God Heb. 12. v. last is himselfe a consuming fire and such Revel 19.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And her smoke rose up for ever and ever As it shall inflict on us paines for ever so the smoke of it shall ascend forever 5. Earthquake and the flame never be quenched 5. For the shaking of the earth this shall passe that there one mountaine quaked but here both Heaven Earth shall shake Heb. 12.26 27. Whose voice then shooke the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also heaven c. So as that there shall be a manifest moving of them Hag. 2.7 Yet a little while I will shake the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and dry Land Whereas this hill standeth stil as it did before 6. Sound of Trumpet in the wildernesse 6. For the sound of the Trumpet that pierced the eares of the living this shall raise up the dead also Here shall be the Trump of the Archangell That removed not the mount nor the wildernesse but here shall be such a sound that it shal raise the dead And as we compare the circumstances of both so may we compare the effects of both The giving made Moses to shake and tremble but at the requiring againe of it as it is 1 Pet. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare There shall be a like trembling of all For Justus vix servabitur the righteous scarce shall be saved And as for the unjust they shall smite their knees together and shall cry to the mountaines though in vaine for they cannot be heard to fall on them and to cover them from the face of the just judge Apoc. 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they said to the mountaines and rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe So that thus we see by way of comparison that the delivery did in some part answer the requiring of it but the terriblenesse of that day cannot be expressed Let us therefore say as the people to Moses Lord let us heare the ministerie of man Hebr. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdome which cannot be moved Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godlinesse for Deut. 33.2 The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them and appeared clearely from mount Paran and he came with 10000. of Saints and at his right hand a fiery law for them No doubt when Christ commeth from Heaven he shall bring with him a fiery law executed with fire and brimstone And thus much for the preparation The use and end of the Law 4. Circumstance THere is yet one thing to be considered namely the use or end of the law which shall be explained out of the circumstances of a proposition of the giving of the law The proposition is Heb. 7.19 Heb. 7.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh unto God The end of the law bringeth two uses 1. It bringeth us to know perfection it selfe 2. It leadeth us to a better thing it is our schoolemaster to Christ 1. For the first though it be a law that carrieth with it the marke of the Law-giver as Solons lawes a marke of their giver to wit mildnesse and Dracoes lawes cruelty and stubbornnesse And that it is Mandatum sanctum a holy commandement in respect of the duties to God Justum just in respect of the duties to other men bonum good in respect of our selves Rom. 7.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good yet by occasion of transgression and infection it bringeth no perfection with it as may be shewed out of the circumstances 1. Of the place a waste and barren Wildernesse that yeelded no fruit which signifieth that the law should be so barren that it should not yeeld so much as one soule to God Legem non perficere è circumstantiis legis cum traderetur 1. á loco That the law bringeth no perfection appeares from the circumstances of the law when it was delivered 1. From the place Secondly this Agar Galat. 4.25 standeth in Arabia therefore it holdeth of Ishmael the sonne of Agar the bond-woman And the effect and right of bond-men is to be cast out with their children and not to receive the inheritance due to Isaac so those that thinke to bring forth fruit of their owne righteousnesse they are as Ishmael which was borne by nature and not by promise not as Isaac whose birth was supernaturall not consisting in the likenesse of the parents but in the promise and the inheritance is by promise therefore the children of the law because they cannot be perfected by it are to be cast out with their mother Those that seeke to bring forth fruit by their owne nature must be cast forth for the inheritance is not by nature but by promise 3. Againe this mountaine namely Sinai none might ascend into none might touch it but the condition of the Gospell is contrary Sion the hill of grace must be gone up to and many have ascended it Esay 2.3 And many people shall goe and say come and let us goe up into the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us his waies and we will walke in his paths For the law shall goe forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Salvation is from Sion the Law unperfect before it was perfectly delivered 2. A
Lord have spoken it in my zeale when I have accomplished my wrath in them Thou shalt bring thy judgement upon them and they shall know that thou art Iehovah 2. Title Thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy God This is the title of his jurisdiction to which title he hath claime in a double respect 1. Generall 2. Particular Generall Psal 148.5 6. For he spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created He hath made them fast for ever and ever he hath given them a Law which shall not be broken So this jurisdiction is over every thing as it is a creature The creatures as they have their law so we see 2 Pet. 3. vers last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him be glory both now and for ever All the creatures have their rule from him Esay 1.2 Heare O Heavens and hearken O Earth for the Lord hath said I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me Deut. 32.1 Hearken O Heavens and I will speake and let the Earth heare my words The creatures of the Lord are called to beare witnesse against Israel that they were breakers of the Law of God But that law or jurisdiction being broken it gave occasion to the second namely the particular which is conditionall 1. God is our Iehovah by covenant Deut. 5. Heare O Israel the Lawes and Ordinances which I propose to you this day that you may learne them and take heed to observe them Audis sum Deus non audis non sum Deus hearest thou I am God hearest thou not I am not God Hereupon saith a Father Audias Deus sum ne audias Deus non sum If thou hearest I am God Ierem. 31.33 if thou dost not heare I am not God Ierem. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my people Meum and tuum are relatives But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people He is ours and we are his so long as we keepe his Commandements Deut. 10.14 Behold Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords thy Gods and the Earth with all that therein is 15. Yet the Lord hath set his delight in thy fathers to love them and did choose their seed after them even you above all people as appeareth this day In which words Moses telleth the children of Israel a strange thing Behold saith he the Heavens and the Heavens of Heavens is the Lords and the Earth with all therein and yet hath he separated thee from the rest even an handfull for so is the Church to make a covenant with thee And this is a marvellous strange mercy of God that when he will be described he will condescend to come into our description He rejecteth all his excellent titles that he might have of his most excellent creatures as the God of Heaven of Earth c. onely to have this his jurisdiction being so vile in nature and so wicked in our workes which is a great argument of his goodnesse to us ward Heb. 11.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now they desire a better Countrey that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God was not ashamed to be called their God And as one saith very well Conjunxit utilitatem tuam cum gloria sua He hath joyned thy commodity with his own glory So he might better have said Conjunxit gloriam suam cum gloria tua He hath joyned his owne glory with thy glory So will that be verified Psal 144.15 Happy are the people that be in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God 3. Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt 3. Title c. A title from the last act he did but yet it serveth for a proofe of both the former in two points 1. By their estate in the house of thraldome Their estate was miserable they were servants in the servilest worke that could be they were put to the Furnace to make Bricke Exod. 5. They were in servitude unto their enemies yea to cruell enemies yea in servitude not to be rewarded but to be punished daily They were compelled to worke and yet they had no instrument provided for them for their worke they were faine also to gather their owne straw By his contemptible creatures that the delivery might be more strange and yet nothing of their tale of Bricke that they made before when they had their straw gathered them was diminished They had their children drowned before their eyes every day 2. The delivery with a mighty hand and stretched-out arme out of Egypt most strange in drowning Pharaoh and all his host by a most contemptible creature in the red Sea His two first titles have alwaies stood this last in respect of his last noble act it hath alwaies beene altered First after the worke of his creation he was called God the Creator of Heaven and Earth Secondly after the flood he was called Iah paean i. as was among the heathen Io paean Dominus dispersor aquarum The Lord that scatereth about commandeth the waters To the daies of Abraham 3. Genes 15.7 I am the Lord that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to the time of Moses In his time Exod. 3.6 The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob till the delivery out of Egypt here The Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Ierem. 16.14 When God should deliver them from the captivity of the North it is said that the other title should perish and it should be said The Lord that delivered us out of the captivity of Babylon and this lasted till the daies of Christ The last is prophecied of Ierem. c. 23. v. 6. Jehovah justitia nostra God our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 For Christ is become to us righteousnesse Gal. 1.8 The Father of Christ Now this great benefit being not full six weekes before the delivery of the law it must needs sticke greatly in their minds and now they being in the wildernesse where they were wholy to depend on the safegard of God so that in regard of Memoria recentis beneficii spe◠jamjam futuri the memory of a new received mercy and the hope of a future as also the place where they could rest nothing on themselves that was both a fit time and place to give the law in So that seeing the Law could not well be given in Egypt for they had evill will to goe thence nor in Canaan for there they murmured against God it was most fitly given here For their delivery was not that they should be
he commanded all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof to be killed from two yeares old and under Joh. 11.47 the Jewes were afraid that if they suffered Christs doctrine so to prevaile all would beleeve in it and the Romans would come and take away the Kingdome from them 2. Punishment Prov. 10.24 The second the punishment Prov. 10.24 Quod timet impius accidet illi the feare of the wicked it shall come upon him so that thing that these foure most feared that happened to them the Romans came and the Jewes lost their Kingdome Herod mist of his purpose and lost his Kingdome Jeroboam was put out in the next generation and the Israelites increased and prevailed against Pharaoh and the Egyptians 4. Rule Media timoris meanes to beget feare The meanes Seeing how vehement a mover feare is beside that that hath beene spoken before the first way or motive to feare is the weighing of such Scriptures as containe matter that may give occasion of meditation of Gods judgements Heb. 6.4 as that to fall into Gods hands how terrible a thing it is And if God marke what is done amisse no flesh can be righteous in his eyes Esay 66.2 And to him will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my words There must be a trembling at his Words else his spirit commeth not 2 The consideration of the judgements of God and examples in former ages 1 Cor. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All these things having named many are examples for us they are our monitors Quot habetis historias judicii Dei in Bibliis tot habetis conciones so many examples of divine justice as thou meetest withall in the holy Bible they are as so many Sermons of Gods justice and severity unto thee to move you to feare God and to be modest when we see his justice on his Angels on man and his posterity on the whole world in the deluge on the Egyptians on the Jewes on his owne Church Jerusalem and last of all on his owne Sonne Such was the bitternesse of sin that was executed on Christ it pursuing him to the fulnesse of bitternesse insomuch that one of the Fathers saith Magna fuit amaritude propter quam tanta sustinenda fuit amaritudo deadly was the bitternesse of sinne which could not be cured but by the blood-shed passion of the Sonne of God And because the judgements aforetime move not every one hath a great store of judgements in himselfe 1 Inhaerentia 3 So the present judgments in our age and they are three 1 Those that it pleaseth God wee should feele in some measure as feare sicknesse in our bowels 2 Impendentia hunger crosse c. 2 Those that are neere us 3 Excubantia that we see not yet they are hanging over our heads 3 Kind which they call Excubans pro foribus the horrour of a guilty and wounded conscience which as God said to Caine lies at our doore it shall grind them to powder Tria novissima 1 the meditation of the day of ones death 2 Of the day of judgement 3 The horror of the torments following So the other three which they call tria novissima which shal be at the representing of our death Psal 90.12 O teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome The Prophet maketh the speciall meanes to bring us to wisedome or feare of the Lord to number our dayes 2 The consideration of the judgement of God and what account we are to give and that wee are never able to make account if God assist it not 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the judgement seat c. 3 The terrour of the torments which follow the impenitent Esa 66.24 Their worme shall never die but be alwayes gnawing upon their consciences the fire that shall never be quenched the weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth after sentence of eternall death shall passe on them 5 Rule this made the Saints to passe in fear Reg. There was never any apparition of any thing above nature but presently a feare came upon them Luk. 1.30 Then the Angell said unto her Feare not Mary c. Act. 10.4 But when he looked on him he was afraid c. The signes there are so many questions and cavills of duties as its an evident signe there is no feare among us 1 The Heathen man saith Timor est credulus feare is lazie of beliefe Deut. 5.27 that is a true signe of feare giving credit to that is taught by them The true signe is to credit that which is taught that have authority and knowledge to give it not studying after questions and frivolous distinctions and cavils for this questioning is a signe that we have no feare 2 An evill signe is negligence 2 Diligence Wisd 7.19 Qui timet Dominum nihil negligit He that feares the Lord neglecteth nothing Feare is the diligentest that can be Gen. 32. Jacob being in feare of his brother could not rest all the night before but would be either sending messengers before to his brother or ordering his houshold and his goods or praying to the Lord c. 3 Humility 3 That wee must raise out of feare Humility Gen. 33.3 Jacob hee falls seven times to the ground before he comes to his brother For as the Philosopher saith Timor contrahit non extendit Feare it shrinkes not swels the heart Prov. 3.7 There is a plaine medicine for pride Be not wise in thine owne eyes but feare the Lord and depart from evill Nothing so bold as ignorance but knowledge is very fearfull as the Prophets c. that having more knowledge and lesse cause to feare yet feared most He that hath more knowledge and lesse cause to feare he most commonly feareth more When the governour of the ship or mariner feareth then the passenger must needs feare 4 The feare of sinne 4 The surest signe is the feare of sinne and that is all one with the feare of God Psal 34.11 Come yee children and hearken to mee I will teach you the feare of the Lord. They joyne feare of sinnes with the feare of God Job 1.1 Job was an upright and just man one that feared God and eschewed evill Job 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding 5 To fly from sinne 5 Timor est fugitivus ergo non potest armari feare bids us not resist but flee though he put on never so much armour on his backe A theefe being taken in the manner runneth away and if he be chased after hee will dimittere furtum drop the thing that he hath stollen in the way so when God commeth we must be sure not to have that that thing will be to our condemnation with us i. not to have sinne about us if wee do hold
willing to beare the punishment still so onely let me be assured that I shall have forgivenesse of my sinnes the guilt taken away and I am content to let the Crosse lye upon mee still He that is contented he hath laid up a good signe 2. Tolerane amare i. When our bearing and enduring of paines it worketh not in us a murmuring or a discontented mind but so affecteth us as we can notwithstanding love God with his chastisement and for his chastisement Job in the end of his 2. Chap. saith Blessed be the name of the Lord even for his afflictions When it is Benedictus Dominus in donis suis Blessed be the Lord for his gifts then Jobs wife will say that Grace as well as he but when it commeth to ablationibus suis The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away that is it that maketh the true note of difference betweene the true patience and the counterfeit and as it hath beene said of the affections that that turneth it to the contrary is a most sure and true note So from mercy feare Psal 130.4 Mercy that thou mayest be feared Mercy properly stirreth up love and justice feare When an affection is stirred up that properly stirreth up the contrary that is a most true note the love that is in us provoked by the justice of God and the feare by his mercy these are true and uncounterfeit otherwise they are in the wicked sometimes That when 〈◊〉 affection 〈◊〉 wrought pâ—â—â—râ—n â—lâ—â—câ—um sâ—â—â—n that is a â—â—â—ere affection but if it come from a contrarie object that is it as the heathen man saith cum amare possis post injuriam a man loveth him well that can love him that hath injured him So when that that the world counteth injurie is past when a man can amare Deum not post injuriam though we count it so he that can love after that his love is true 3. 4. We have a speciall use of them because the fathers in the Primitive Church had much adoe to make the people understand how the patience of a true Christian and a Donatist should be distinguished and therefore they used these two notes 1. that in the Donatists suffering and you shall find it in them that suffer in our dayes you shall find in them a spirit of vanity and pride The spirit of patience is the spirit of humilitie whereas true patience is humble as the Prophet saith Tacui Domine quia tu fecisli I kept silence O Lord because thou hast done it That humblenesse and silence that appeareth in the martyrs sufferings is a true marke When a man falleth not into disputation concerning the causes for which it is laid upon him nor bursteth into speeches how great torments he hath suffered c. but either tolerat gemit or else respondet pro Deo he either beares it and mourneth in silence or if he reply it is on Gods behalfe as Job 1.22 and 20.10 In all this did not Job sinne with his lips he did not give out that that might bewray his impatience The other is called alacrity for this they coÌ„monly note that in their Circumcellions sufferings that they had not an alacrity but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were not moved but that not being not moved was not with alacrity they grounded themselves upon Rom. 8.37 in all these In some diseases a mans flesh shall be able to suffer any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to overcome is to match them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce for the suffering of them 6. Reg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we do more then overcome he that not onely suffereth but rejoyceth that which is noted in the Apostles Act. 5.41 that they departed from the councell after they had beene whipped not grieved but rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ the other suffering importeth no feare or griefe but it hath no alacrity Last is the precept for procuring it in others for it is not enough for every man to say in his owne soule Why art thou so impatient O my soule c. but also Psal 27.16 that we may be able to say to others Sustine Dominum wait on the Lord that we do what we can by our comfort and gifts to make them patient as on the other side Not to give any words or occasion to move impatience in others if there be any provocation in others to impatiencie as his wife Job 2.10 as if affliction be come upon him and they counsell him to give over if we should continue in uprightnesse till we suffered for it we must answer them as his answer was to his wife that we set our selves against them that hold that we are to beare good things but not afflictions And this is the knowledge that every one is to have so especially it concerneth them Prov. 19.11 Doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur Patience espeally required in the learned and as Gregorie saith Tanto minus quisque cognoscitur esse doctior quanto minus convincitur esse patiens The lesser our patience the lesser our knowledge ever Thus much for the first proposition 1. Thou shalt have a God The 2. Proposition Thou shalt have mee for thy God and that containeth but one vertue Habebis me Dewn called True religion or religion the other are the extremes The 3. Proposition Thou shalt have none other Gods but me 1. Thou shalt have one alone 1 True Religion and thou shalt have me alone and that also containeth one vertue i. sincerity not mingling true religion with any other 2 Sincerity Besides these out of the word gnal panai there is grounded integrity 3 Integrity that we be not hypocrites and lastly in regard of the verbe erunt which runneth through our whole life Perseverance The 2. Proposition 4 Perseverance that it is not enough to have a God unlesse he be the true God 1 That there is no man but that he doth bestow all his affections actions and actions upon some one thing Aug. unusquisque comeditur ab ali quo zelo which is Religion for sure it is that the affections of the mind and actions of the body in every one are all bent to some one thing and that to him that is our God for either they are bestowed upon an idoll a falfe God 1 Cor. 8. which is nothing or else upon the God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 that is the Devill or else as it is Phil. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whose end is destruction whose God is their belly upon the belly the flesh or else Ephes 5.5 on the idoll of the covetous man i. upon money and wealth the service whereof is as he saith there idolatry therefore touching all these Mention of 4. false gods 1 Idols 2 God of this world 3 Their pleasure lust 4 Their owne goods it is that
servant Hee would not eate till his Masters worke was done and under this falleth the commandement of the service of the great worke Deut. 18.5 God saith he hath chosen the Tribe of Levi to serve him at the Altar so that service is the service of choyce howsoever some account of it That desire ought to be in every one The outward behaviour in the outward worship was in bowing downe and in service that is for gesture honor signi which we call a reverent behaviour it had two parts First the laying downe of whatsoever signe of excellency is in us secondly a drawing neare to the earth The other honor facti which is in service which is properly called devotion or devoutnesse that is the promptnesse and readinesse of our will and of our selves to serve God By the service of God we shewed what was meant by a division not given but yet approved of Christ first in going and comming when we are bidden Secondly in doing his businesse preferring it before our owne For the making of this more manifest and plaine and applying it to the former parts you shall understand that the Prophet in Psalm 95.6 which our Church hath used as an antepsalm or introduction to the service of God that there is placed first a comming secondly a worshipping thirdly a falling downe fourthly a kneeling whereby we may see that in the substantiall parts of the service of God first in Prayer secondly hearing the Word thirdly administration of the Sacraments fourthly in the execution of discipline but in the two former especially there is required a due gesture and manner of behaviour And first this as we have our direction according to the councell of James Cap. 5. vers 10. to take the Prophets for examples And 1 Pet. 3.6 that Women are to attire themselves as holy Women in old time Then laying downe this and it being the approved practice of the Church we shall finde that they never came without exhibiting some reverent externall behaviour both in accessu recessu both in comming and going For their comming together 2 Chron. 6.12 and 13. Salomon comming into the Temple of God and standing upon the Altar they all worshipped toward the Prince and he himselfe before all the Congregation kneeled on his knees and stretched out his hands towards heaven and prayed For their departure 2 Chron. 29.29 Hezekiah a devoute King and the people departing they all bowed to the earth and worshipped And so they went to the Lords Temple and returned Then this is the first there must bee a reverent behaviour in accesse and recesse Now in particular for our presence 1. in prayer seeing it commeth as was said partly from humility partly from hope the outward behaviour is to bee conformed to the inward affection therefore in prayer there is an outward signe and behaviour Behaviout in Prayer First for humility there must be depositio magnificientiae which is 1 Cor. 11.4 With uncovered heads in prayer and prophecying and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it came in this respect The other part in humiliation making our selves neare to the ground in kneeling at prayer Gen. 18.2 Abraham first did it to the three men and his servant Gen. 24.26 taught by him performed the like duty In the Law Exod. 12.27 the people bowed themselves and worshipped In the Prophets time Solomon and the people 1 Kings 8.58 the Prophets Dan. 6.10 Daniel kneeled three times a day and prayed After the second Temple Ezra 9.6 Ezra fell on his knees and spread out his hands to the Lord. Christ Luke 22.41 The Apostles Acts 9.40 Peter kneeling downe prayed Paul Ephes 3.14 For this cause I bow my knees Acts 20.36 When he had thus spoken he kneeled downe and prayed there the whole Church of Ephesus Acts 21.5 Wee kneeled downe on the shore and prayed So we see our patterne if we take the Patriarchs or Prophets or Christ or the Apostles or the whole Church and if we doe thus we see what our duty is The word in Hebrew signifieth service which is also in standing True it is that because not onely in kneeling but also in standing before another there is a phrase of servitude because they are both signes of service therefore in many places we reade that the gesture in prayer was standing and that some prayed standing we speake now of it as it is a part of service as Gehezi stood before Elisha and Samuel before the Lord and in no other respect Abraham Gen. 19.27 And Abrahams servant Gen. 24.13 Loe I stand by the Well of water Exod. 33.10 All the people rise up and worship every man in his Tent doore Numb 23.10 Balaam to Balak Stand by the burnt offerings and I will goe c. Psal 135.2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord and in the courts of the house of our God 2 Chron. 23.13 And when shee looked behold the King stood by his pillar at his entring c. These are commonly read for publick prayer In private prayer if he be so affected a man may prostrate himselfe before the Lord as did Moses and Aaron Num. 20.6 Deut. 9.18 and Christ Mat. 26.39 fell on his face and prayed but this to every man as he is affected inwardly Sitting at prayer time is not warranted by the word Balaam willed Balak to stand by his burnt offering Numb 23.15 and being set he willed him to rise up vers 18. Secondly for the signe that hope bringeth Oculus elevatus expectat manus elevata petit postulat a lift-up eye hopeth and expecteth and a lift-up hand beggeth and asketh therefore we lift up our eyes and hands The first is the effect of hope the second the effect of prayer therefore these two gestures are used in prayer and it is used in that part of prayer which is called Petition otherwise in deprecation for herein our eyes may be cast downe with the Publican Luke 18.13 Else when we are to aske or to give thanks Psal 123.1 Unto the Hills lift up mine eyes and of Christ John 11.41 and John 17.1 He lift up his eyes to heaven which shew that it was the usuall behaviour so to doe So for the hand Exod. 17.11 When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed Psal 141.2 Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice and 88.9 I call dayly upon thee I stretch out mine hands unto thee 1 Tim. 2.8 lifting up pure hands These examples are set downe for our instruction In this part there is an evill and corrupt custome come up in our Church Baalam would not suffer Balak to sit but to stand by his burnt offering To pray sitting and covered not warranted by any place or example in the Scriptures In regard of the Angels we should be reverent For outward behaviour at the ministery of the Word it is plaine that in the Old Testament Ezek. 33.31 my people sit before thee so in the New Mar. 3.32 the people
rule in Divinity is that where any word is given to God and to Man that to God is applyed Sub modo destinandi to Man Sub modo applicandi When God doth appoint a thing to an holy use he is said to sanctifie it when a man applyeth it to that end whereunto God hath appointed it he is said to sanctifie it It is sure that by nature all are alike before God and men differ not by nature and so may it be said of Water Bread Wine and Dayes c. by nature all are alike and of it selfe one is not more holy then another but Levit. 20.26 the first action God saith I have put you apart from all people that you should bee mine When God putteth a man apart that he should be his whether his in the common wealth or in the Church to doe it there either Magistrate or Minister then this separation is the beginning of a sanctifying So of that Water that is separated to Baptisme and in the creatures of Bread and Wine there is no more in them naturally then in others till they be put apart from the rest of the Water and Bread and Wine and made Gods that is appointed to an use in his Church And so likewise of dayes naturally there is not more holinesse in one of them then in another onely it is the Ordinance of God that maketh the separation of it from the other to become his The common use that a man doth separate to the Lord of all that he hath whether it be man or beast may neither be sold nor redeemed for every thing separate from the common use is most holy to the Lord. Now the nature of such things is as Levit. 27.28 Every thing that is separate from common use is most holy to the Lord and it must neither be sold nor redeemed therefore we see that Exod. 28 29 30. Chap. For his Tabernacle the fireforks pothooks fleshooks made for the Sacrifice and the basest instruments made for the fire to stirre it up and the meate in the Caldrons whereof a libamen or offering should not be put in any other fire and the Snuffers to no other Lamps but those of the Tabernacle all onely to this So this is the nature of a thing sanctified and how it differeth from other things Other things may serve if they be done in part this it must not be done in part but onely and wholly Psal 1.2 Meditation every day and every night doth well Psal 145.2 Every day he will praise God and Psal 55.17 he will do it thrice a day in the Evening Morning and Noone and Psal 119.164 he will doe it seven times a day because of his righteous judgements Yet all these are but in part for in these dayes other things may be done joyntly with it and they may take also a part of the day lawfully but here is the difference This day the most holy day and separated to Gods use this it must be done onely and wholly not in part nor joyntly with any other exercise Now the question is wherefore it pleased God to deale thus with that day to sanctifie it as we see it was before any sinne came into the World as Gen. 2.3 whether it be for himselfe Tit. 1.25 To the cleane all things are cleane to the holy all things are holy God is most holy and needeth nothing to be sanctified to him if not for him therefore for us 1 Thes 4.3 Our sanctification is the will and pleasure of God And consequently to the end we might be made holy he hath hallowed the day his Word c. So by the second way or part of sanctification by annexing a blessing to them he blessed it and in the Bread of the Sacrament as Mat. 26.26 he blest the bread and his dicere is facere that is he gave it a power of doing good As to his bread so to his day and hath it in two sorts of holinesse First for whereas the place is said to be holy as the place whereon Moses stood and all that belonged to the Tabernacle because they were meanes unto holinesse Secondly so the fruit is another use when as holinesse is wrought and brought forth in practice Sanctificamini sancti estote then it commeth to thus much God hath put apart this day to the end that it might bee applyed wholly either to the meanes of sanctification or to the practice of his sanctification begotten in us Christ Mark 2. did a good Sabbath dayes worke and he hath given it a blessing that is that what meanes of sanctification we use in it the meditation that wee have in it it shall be of more effect and force to us then it should be on any other day not sanctified Then if we see how God hath sanctified it wee must see how we must doe i. e. As he by his blessing sanctifieth it so we must sanctifie it by our obedience In two parts first in estimation or account that is for our judgement secondly in our use that is for our practice First we must account of it as a day holy to God Acts 10.15 we must not count it common What God hath cleansed that must not be counted common our judgement must be of it that it be not common but as a Magistrate is among men so that must be a day of dayes Secondly our use that we so use it The use is excellently set downe Esay 58.13 that wee doe not our owne businesse that thinking of common thoughts take not up our braines nor common communication and that our behaviour be sanctified tending to the practice of holinesse Hag. 2.14 It is plaine that if that that is sanctified touch that that is common it imputeth not holinesse to that that is common but it receiveth unholinesse from it So that the touching of an unholy action in our life that day is a polluting of the day of the Lord. This wee must take heed to as much as in us lyeth else Mat. 5.25 as our Saviour there sheweth a woman may be chaste and yet adultery may be committed if a wicked eye looke on her to lust after her there is adultery though the party remaine chaste so in respect of holy things they remaine holy yet we doe pollute them when as by touching profane things we labour as much as in us lyeth to make them unholy Here are two things and both commanded but not equally but the one for the other for sanctification is the last end and drift of God and the meanes and practice of it onely and wholly is his chiefe end and is the end of the other Now the other the rest is a subordinate end because without it this matter will not be brought to passe in that order that God requireth To the making it plaine thus much that the Heathen men by the light of nature have seene that every thing is then best ordered when it hath but one office and is ordained to doe but
one thing that is whatsoever is done it must throughly be done it must be alonely done the reason is because we are res integra finita finite creatures and if two things be done at once one part of our thoughts will be taken from the other we cannot wholly intend two things at once this is our case But it was the case of our Father Adam in innocency because he had a naturall soule and finite therefore he was not able wholly to intend the dressing of the Garden in six dayes and to intend the whole sanctification of the day of rest commanded Gen. 2.3 now because of this God would have a solemne profession of body and soule and therefore this was the end why God instituted blessed and sanctified the seventh day so that it commeth for a remedy against distraction to be intended to any other use especially in the solemne worship of the Lord that takes up the whole man and necessarily suffereth no distraction therefore it doth not suffer him to be intended to any other use Now if being then in that case he could not we that have more impediments to withdraw us we had need of a remedy against our distraction And thus cometh the rest in because that this totall solemne sanctification cannot be performed without ceasing from the rest of our workes and labour because unlesse we doe rest we cannot sanctifie Therefore is it that this is commanded with our sanctification a day of rest otherwise whereas our resting hindreth our sanctification it must bee taken away And indeed Christ doth acknowledge Mark 2.27 that man was not made for the rest but for sanctification Sanctification was his end and man was made for it rest is a subordinate end and man was not made for it but rather that for man and as it is 1. Tim. 4.8 a mans bodily labour so his bodily rest profiteth nothing but to this end applyed God liketh it not There is beside in the commandement another word Remember and because that is properly of a thing past therefore it referreth to some place or time before and there is mention of the Sabbath but in two places before one is Exod. 16.23.24.25 but that is not it for God in the end adding God blessed it referreth us to that place where the same words are Gen. 2.3 and so we know that we are referred thither And by this occasion falleth in that first question that many thinke it is a Ceremony and sundry are so perswaded and hold that men are not bound to sanctifie it since Christ Our Saviour in the case of difference and resolution of Polygamie hath taken a good course and order hee goeth to the beginning how it was ab initio non sic ab initio from the beginning it was not so to call it to the first institution for that is it that giveth the best judgement and the last first end is the true end A thing is not said to be ceremoniall if a ceremoniall use or end be annexed to it for then not one of the tenne morall Commandements but it should bee ceremoniall for they have some ceremonie annexed to them but that is a ceremony whose first and principall end is a ceremonie which this day of rest cannot be The reason because Paradise and mans perfection and a ceremony cannot agree in the state of a mans innocencie The reason is because that before there was a Saviour there could not be a type of a Saviour and before there was sin there needed no Saviour So consequently needing no Saviour needed no ceremony and needing no Saviour nor ceremonie it could not be ceremoniall But that was it that Adam having in the six dayes a naturall use in his body of the creatures should for the glory of God on the seventh day have a spirituall use and consideration So that this remedy against Distraction is the first and principall and generall end though other ends were after added as Deut. 5.15 it pleased God to add this reason that they might remember the benefit of the deliverance out of Aegypt but this was but finis posterior a particular and after end and necessary So it were well if we might add to our dayes of rest the memory of our benefits And Exod. 23.12 God yeeldeth a politique end the ceasing of beasts and men that they may returne more fresh to their labour there is moreover no better nor certainer way to keepe off our enemies those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6.12 those spirituall wickednesses the preaching of the Law then is a meane to enable us to withstand the crafty and subtile suggestions of sin and Satan And if any will say that beside these ends there was figured by this rest that rest we shall have from sinne by Christs death True but yet it is an accessorie end in the Sacrament of Circumcision Circumcision is ceased and the Passover so is the Sabbath but the Sacrament of initiation is not ceased there were two ends of it 1. The first was to seale us to his preventing or following Grace 2. The other to bee a figure of the circumcision of the Heart of the Sacrifice of the world this is ceased So the seventh day is ceased but there is another day there is a day remaining because the end of it was immutable from the beginning The reason of it selfe is so forceable and plaine that without bringing in a manifest absurditie it cannot bee avoided when they see these endes to carry us to the Institution and that in Paradise But you will say Adam never kept it neither was it kept till Exod. 16. Which should in the very misliking seeme an absurd thing that GOD two thousand yeares before a thing should bee put in use should consecrate that thing to Sanctification and all that while it should bee to no End And indeed the sort of the Heretikes that held that materia prima was so made of GOD a great many yeares before the world and it abode by him till the world was made They are confounded by the Fathers by this that no man of wisdome doth make any thing to stand by him many yeares before it can bee put to any use Therefore GOD useth not so to doe but when hee shall have use of any thing then to blesse it This prooveth that this day resteth on the consciences of men and that the institution riseth from GOD immediately even in Adams innocencie Wee must understand that Deut. 4.13 GOD maketh there a plaine distinction betweene Ceremonies and the morall law by this manner That the one proceedeth from him immediatelie the other by the ministerie of Moses and that very same is Deuterenom 5.31 Againe beside the Confusion and breach of Order a thing which GOD misliketh one of the Fathers on these words saith Nunquid Saul est inter Prophetas What is Saul amongst the Prophets Not a Prophet by profession they wondred at it that hee should bee amongst the Prophets one saith
sanctification For Christ Mat. 12.9 out of Hosea 6.6 when as he was there reproved for a worke of healing he defends himselfe and biddeth them goe and learne what that saying meant I will have mercy and not sacrifice Mercy being here indeed a worke of sanctification is preferred before the meanes So in regard of the practice of sanctification to shew a worke of mercy a man may leave the very meanes of sanctification for if in Sermon time there should happen a fire or man or woman sounding or travelling the meanes may be left because by this meanes they shew a worke of mercy saving those which should have perished therefore this is the thing that maketh that for the second part the bodily rest may be omitted It shall be convenient to consider this point that as God is glorified in his Creation and the memory of this from the beginning was the cause of this Institution so hath he glory in the preservation of his creatures and so consequently by the preserving of them As Iohn 6.12 Christ bids the fragments to be taken up his reason that nothing be lost and if the least things may not be lost much lesse the life of any thing much lesse mau or the life of man And wee see for mans life Matth. 12.13 and for beasts that serve man Luke 13.15 that hee will have workes of Mercie practised on the Sabbath day as contra for other perill Matth. 12.11 and 13. But wee must with all understand this that those cases of shewing mercie must bee onely praesente necessitate and not impellente or imminente necessitate When any present danger is offered to my life I am to defend my selfe and save my selfe without the helpe of the Magistrate yea even with the the taking away of the life of the other in casu praesentis necessitatis quisque magistratus est personam DEI gerit vt occidat potius quam occidatur But if the perill bee not present but imminent as if it bee tolde me I am way laid c. I may not take the matter into my handes but looke to the Magistrate so for the present perill or necessitie there is exemption and the LORD hath given his right into our handes but not for imminent perill And on the other side wee must marke another thing that because wee have to deale with GOD who searcheth the heart though happily men bee borne in hand that it was a present necessitie and could not bee prevented nor differred whereas before hand wee might have either prevented or differred it it must bee so that wee bee able to justifie our hearts in GODS eyes but that wee have beene carefull and laboured by all meanes possible to prevent that businesse and could not have prevented nor deferred it but that wee were overtaken with present necessitie Else it is no necessitie but we draw it unto us with coards For this ende tell them abroad touching their working in harvest on the Sabbath by what authority they doe these thinges presently they will have their answer that it is not GODS will that any of his creatures should perish And it is true And therefore that which they doe is onely for the preserving of the creatures and not for their gaine Therefore for this case a proviso must bee had and there was a good proviso in the Canonicall Church made for it that because they should make a distinction betwixt the workes of that day and other as 1. Cor. 16.2 Every first day of the weeke let every one as GOD hath prospered him lay up by him c. That whatsoever was then gathered it should bee given to the poore to the Glorie of GOD. And by this meanes the Church shall come to take good order And this shall try with what heart they doe it Wee see then what is commanded and in what cases and how farre in these two points The other Sanctification by what marke it may bee knowne When wee have our rest have wee all wee should have It is sure wee have not Leo hom 3. de quadrages Our people saith hee will hene vestiri nihil agere They thinke they have got enough if they have on their best apparell and doe nothing Whereas 1. â—â—m 4.8 GOD knoweth that as it is not the labour of the bodie so not the rest of the bodie that pleaseth him Hee that can give accompt that hee hath done nothing this the Fathers call Sabbathum boum asinorum c. The oxe and the asse keepe as good a Sabbath as hee Besides there bee yet two sorts they bee neither idle nor well occupied That neither buy nor sell nor yet are idle Augustine in his Booke de decem chordis Cap. 3. and serm 1. on Psal 32. Sheweth who they are 1. Such as did vacare nugis theatris speclaculis choreis such as did spend the day in toyes in running to playes and sights and dancing and 25. hom hee putteth another kinde in Carthage that spent the Sabbath in venatione in hunting Leo. serm 3. de quadrag in this behalfe worth the reading hee putteth more to it for hee saith they did vacare chartis aleis rationibus commessationibus they spent it in playing at dyce and cardes in discourse and feasting But yet so as the LORD knoweth they were not occupied in any worke of sanctification These mens Sabbaths as Augustine alluding to the people Exod. 32. that said cras observabimus sabbathum JEHOVAE they would keepe a sabbath to the LORD it was to eate and drinke and play Sabbathum aurei vituli this is the Sabbath of the golden calfe Against this carnall Sabbath severe order was taken Concil Gangrense in Paphlagonia 5. Can 18. and last and the Councell of Agatho in France 38. Can 1. For the other it was for the worldly sabbath but this for the carnall sabbath Concil Grangren 1. Can. 18. That the people the true Christians they gave themselves so wholly at that time to celebrate the Sabbath and to the sanctifying of it that they would sit all day in the Temple praying and doing other exercises without eating or drinking any thing so as that there grew diseases amongst the people insomuch as the Councell was faine to give such an Edict that hee should bee anathema quicunque remaneret in templo in die dominico that no man should fast so sit in the Temple till night if hee did hee was given over to the Devill These as they fall not into our time so certainly they shew unto us the excellent examples of Abstinence 2. The other sort for if the affaires of our calling bee not lawfull and the recreations at other times and at other dayes beeing lawfull may not bee used then the workes of our owne nature such as Esay speaketh against Cap. 58. much lesse as Gluttonie Lust Grunkennsse and such like Where such are no doubt there is a double Iniquitie 1. Because hee breaketh this Commandement of the Sabbath
our Saviour certainlie as hee is CHRIST when hee shall come to judge it shall be happie for six works that he there reckoneth and the seventh may be added three in Verse 35. first the feeding the hungrie second giving drinke to the thirstie third the mercifull dealing with or good entertayning of the stranger And three in Verse 36. first cloathing the naked second visiting the sicke third succouring them that bee in prison Seventh is the care of the dead 2. Sam. 2.5 Wee see that the Prophet David desireth a blessing of GOD for the men of Jabesh Gilead because they had buried the bodie of Saul Ioh. 12.7 CHRIST commended Maries worke Joh. 19.38 Nicodemus and Joseph are commended the one for begging CHRISTS bodie of Pilate to burie it the other for enterring it with linnen cloathes and with spices Augustine lib. de cura pro mortuis giveth this reason that this care of the dead is a worke of mercie It is done ne pateat miseria sua to make that this miserie of rotting may not bee seene of every man It would grow both loathsome to the eye and nose As also because every man loveth his owne flesh so well that hee would have it well and honestly dealt withall And therefore this is a benefit done to him Now for flesh and bloud it is easie to reason against this They say wee know not whether a man bee hungrie or no and wee see none go naked c. Therefore the Fathers in a Generall Counsell have set downe this Idem est occurrere necessitati quod succurere to keepe from misery and to helpe out of misery is all one For this case of necessity the monuments that they have left behinde them show that they were more given to this than wee Their rule is this In diâ— Domini extende ad DEVM ne extende ad pauperem stretch out the hand to GOD on the LORDS Day and stretch it not out to the poore and yee shall stretch it out in vaine Augustine For he asketh nothing but his owne that which hee gave you and that which yee cannot keepe long doth hee aske of thee but pauxillum a morsell to reward thee centuplum an hundreth folde and but caducum that which fades to reward thee eternally And then because there were then as there are now that would talke of their unablenesse and therefore their answer was Si tibi non susficiunt res tuae ad Christianos vsus parandum est vt tu sufficias illis If thou hast not an estate to bestow vpon thy poore Christian Brother bestow thy selfe vpon him And further because they alleadged that they had but little they would answer that GOD doth not regard quantum but ex quanto what I give but what I have to gives as the Widdowes mite multum obtulit qui parum sibi reliquit hee parts with much that leaveth himselfe but little Last there were some that were able to give and when they had given on the Sunday they would recover it on the other dayes either by dealing hardly and oppressing them if they were under them Thâ—refore The last caution was that Esa 15.16 as that his mercies must not make him vnrighteous Esa 58. So the conclusion is this If a man doe dare rem suam DEO se peccato or Daemoni Give his substance to GOD and himselfe over unto sinne and the Devill and so give quod est minus DEO creatori quod majus est inimico The lesse to GOD and â—he more to the Devill Howsoever hee doth looke for the mercie of the LORD hee shall not keepe his Sabbath Augustine Est quaedam charitas quae de sacculo non erogatur All charitie commeth not out of the purse There are spirituales eleemosynae or misericordiae Spirituall Almes And they are so much better than the other as they doe mederi partis principalioris miseriae They take order for a more principall part id est the Soule 1. They bee seven 1. Amongst which if a man shall * * * Psal 51.13 Dan. 12.3 teach the ignorant 2. †††Prov. 27.9 Give good and christian advise to one that is in doubt 3. or * * * 2 Cor. 13.11 exhort him that is slacke in soome good duetie 2. The second The comforting of those that are in perplexitie and in distresse of minde 1. Thes 5.14 Flere cum slentibus to weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.15 Rejoyce with them that rejoyce Such was made Job 29.13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish 3. The third is the duetie which CHRIST Matth. 18.15 made as a part of Discipline the reproving of our brethren betwixt vs and them 1. Thes 5.14 4. The fourth is Matth. 6.14 The forgivingâ— The perswading with our selves to forgive whatsoever is committed against us of others Greg qui dat non dimittit hee that giveth and doth not forgive upon Matth. 5.23 doeth a worke unacceptable that GOD liketh not of sed si dimittat etiamsi non dat yet hee shall bee forgiven of GOD so often as hee forgiveth others Si tu ponas limitem DEUS tibi ponet limitem but if you forgive sine limite nor put limites to the offence of thy brother GOD will not limit thy sinne 5. The fift is Rom. 15.1 Wee that are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake brethren Gal. 6.2 Alter alterius omnia portate beare yee one anothers burden 1. Thes 5.14 Beare with those that are weake 6. The sixt Jam 5.16 praying one for another Here was a worke but the especiall thing is Matth. 5.44 to pray for our enemies as Luke 23.34 CHRIST did and his example must bee every mans imitation in this kinde Augustine Fortasse causaberis te non posse docere It may so happen that thou canst doâ— no good by thy advice .. Some are as forward to advise you as you them Perhaps you have not the gift of comforting and if you tell them of their fault they will contemne you nunquid dices non possum dimittere offendenti But to forgive one that hath offended thee to beare with or to pray for him this may alwayes bee done vt malitiâ ignoscatur nullâ excellentiâ nulla sapientia nullis divitiis opus est To pardon a wrong done vnto us there is neither excellencie nor wisdome nor riches required of us Therefore these take hold of all 7. Last Matth. 5.9 Reconciling those that are at variance making peace That so wee may shew our selves to bee Children of GOD. Now because here falleth an objection likewise What if they will not Aug lib. 2. contra Parmenian If thou hast done thy good will thou art a peace-maker Tum si aequitate improbas pacificus es These are the seven fruites of spirituall mercie Further then these whatsoever is a worke of the law of GOD is also acceptable but especially these The third Precept is the Rule of HOMOGENEA Where any
thing is commanded there all things are commanded that are of the same kinde And wee finde Levit. 16.31 and 25.32 That the day of Humiliation or a Fast is called there a Sabbath an ordinance or as Augustine sayth well If the estate of Innocencie had continued then there had beene but one onely day to have beene observed of Christians and that had beene wholly spent in the giving of Thankes c. But since the Fall there commeth by the wants wee feele in our soules that GOD is not onely Glorified Sacrificio Eucharistiae with the Sacrifice of Prayse and Thanksgiving but also Sacrificio spiritus tribulati humiliati with the Sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart Quia bonum perfectê vt volumus non possumus And so alleadgeth that place of Paul the bond that lyeth upon us cannot bee so accomplished of us as it ought to bee and so consequently wee have ofter occasions to glorifie GOD in this forme or way of Humiliation for At tonement then wee have of the other and the portion of this Sacrifice Rom. 12.2 is greater then the portion of the other so that as the other tendeth to the initiation of the joyes to come so this tendeth to the mortification in this present life It is the Ordinance of God that there should be a day of both It is strange thing that whereas some doe agree that the exercise of fasting is morall and not a ceremonie yet they will not grant the same performance to the Sabbath it selfe And the reason that it is morall is because whatsoever was a ceremonie it might not at any other time be used in any other place or order then was prescribed of God in the book of Ceremonies but this of fasting hath been otherwise in Joel 2.15 and Zac. 7.5 in the fifth and seventh month they had both upon an extraordinary cause And Zachary not that only but also in the tenth month which had it been a ceremonie had been unlawfull to doe But a ceremonie in the time of the Law was tyed to certaine places and times Againe that our Saviour Luke 5.35 as he doth there give a reason why his Disciples should not fast so he sheweth plainely that after the Bridgroome was taken away from them after his taking up into glory they should fast and so consequently when he should be taken up into glory it should continue Lastly the practise of the Church Acts 13.3 at the sending forth of Barnabas and Paul of private fasting as of Paul 2 Cor. 11.27 In muli is jejuniis in fasting often and his precept 1. Cor. 7.5 even of those that are Marryed that they might sever themselves for a time to give themselves to Fasting and Prayer shew plainely that it was accounted lawfull then and therefore practised And for the later part of the Primitive Church the Bookes of the Fathers are exceeding full of the praise of this exercise herewith they did so consume themselves that they might say with David Psal 109.24 Their knees were made weake with fasting and their flesh had lost all fatnesse This Sabbath of humiliation or day of fast receiveth the division of a publike exercise or private Publike as to which the silver Trumpets must be blowne Joel 2.15 Private which none might know off Matth. 6.16 it must be done as privately as may be so that this is onely the difference for the ends and parts they concurre and are the same no difference The ends and reasons of a publike fast are these 1. Either for the turning away of some evill or for the procuring of some good and because malum is paenae or culpae evill is either of sin or of punishment for both these and specially the punishment either our owne or upon some other Our owne either present mali grassantis or impendentis hanging over our heads For present evill When the Church or Common wealth hath any of the shafts of the Lord sticking in their â—â—â—es as Chrysostome saith very well on Joshua 7.6 a publike fâ—â—â— and upon the overthrow in Judges 20.26 and consequently 〈◊〉 â—he time of Captivity under the Philistims 1 Sam. 7.6 and in 〈◊〉 time of dearth Joel 2.13 When as the judgement of God 〈◊〉 as not yet come but onely imminent 2 Chron. 20.3 and Jehosoâ—hat feared and set himselfe to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah a publike fast Hester 4.16 Goe and assemble all the Jewes that are in Susan and fast ye for me and neither eate nor drinke in three dayes neither day nor night and I and my Maids will fast liken I se c. Jonah 3.5 When Ninive was threatned with destruction within forty dayes When this punishment lyeth not upon us but upon the Churches about us Zach. 7.3 Solemne Fasts for the Churches dispearsed in Babylon and Chaldea To come to Malum culpae to the Fault because there is a great affinitie therefore we see though there was no visitation to the Jewes they matching themselves with strange wives yet therefore Esra 9.12 they are forbidden to match their sonnes with the daughters of the Gentiles And though it be an evill example 1 Kings 21.12 At the command of Jezabell a Fast is proclaimed Last for procuring of some good Acts 13.3 and 14.23 The one at the ordayning of the Apostles the other at the ordayning of the Ministers that it would please God to make them sit for the worke unto which they were called In this duty of fasting if we respect the punishment onely or the visitation of God no doubt it is hard to make it Statarie at a set time a prefixed day neither hath the Lord appointed so for that Jom appormi a day of expiation Expiare peccata sua jejunio and so consequently it hindreth not but that there may be set dayes and a set fast and it is more expedient it should And as these are the causes which when they befall the whole people ought to make a solemne Sabbath to move all so the same causes when they concurre but to a private man then cometh out the second the private exercise of it 2. The causes are the same either when we are under the hand of God 2 Sam. 12.16 there David himselfe alone fasteth when it is not upon us but threatneth us and hangeth over us 1 Kings 21.27 Ahabs Fast though not inward yet not unrewarded of God when as the Prophet Elias threatned for the unrighteous putting of Naboth to death When it is not our owne case but pertaineth to others it may be lawfully used as Psal 35.13 David saith That when they were sick hee fasted When it is no punishment but a fault onely so that it be Propter languorem boni 1 Cor. 7.5 When the prayer loseth some part of his fervencie when it is not so fervent or when there is any tentation Christ saith there was such a kinde of spirits as that without prayer and fasting they could not bee cast out Matth 17.2
without prayer and fasting some kinde of tentation not to bee avoyded Last for the procurement of some good and that either in generall Acts 10.13 Cornelius himselfe when hee was to enter into the generall vocation of a Christian Or particular CHRISTS owne example in the entring of his Mediatorship Matthew 4.1 It is the opinion of the Fathers 13. and 14. of the Acts before the Inauguration and calling of the Ministrie This whatsoever the Magistrate doth ought to be done of our selves The Parts are of no other nature then the parts of the Sabbath and they are two First the externall as the rest outward sorrow Secondly internall abstinence as Sanctification The outward they call abstinence or fasting the inward sorrow or mourning or humiliation First in the outward it is required of us that from Even to Even we doe wholly celebrate the Sabbath Levit. 23.32 wholly abstaine from meate and drinke Ezra 10.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever is to be eaten and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is liquid a generall restraint of both Secondly in Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament you Priests howle ye Ministers of the Altar come and lie all night in sackcloth yee Ministers of my God c. An abridgement or breaking off the ordinary course of our sleepe Thirdly in Exod. 33.4 of laying aside of the best apparrell which in Nehem. 9.1 and in sundry other places is expressed by wearing of sackcloth And that we should be without that too but onely for the commandement of God for nakednesse And generally Zac. 7.3 separating our selves from all that is commodious or pleasant to the senses from all commodities and delights of this life Et quia non peccavit sola gula ne jejunet sola Bernard Because the taste hath not sinned alone therefore it must not keepe a fast alone but the rest of the senses must have their separation also And as we are forbidden and restrained all these so Levit. 23.28 are we forbidden any labour or worke of the six dayes and so falleth in that the same rest is required then as on the Sabbath Last of all as we finde Esay 58.10 the precept an example Acts 10.3 the Centurions fasting that it was joyned with almes Canon Quod ventri subtrahitar illud pauperi addatur that which we spare out of our owne bellies must be given to the poore But now because as we said before it is not bodily labour or bodily rest so Rom. 14.17 the Kingdome of God is not in meate and drinke If there we stay and goe no further it will not serve Therefore the Prophet telleth such fasters Esay 58.3 though they lay in sackcloth a whole day yet it was not that God required because the outward action is but ordained for the inward the account that God maketh is of that it is instituted for humbling Matth. 9.13 what is there said of Sacrifice may be said as well of outward mourning And as it is Joel 2.12 not the rending of apparrell but the heart and the fast that he alloweth off must be accordingly And 2 Cor. 7.11 where the Apostle describeth the full course of whatsoever is required of us inwardly in this fast And Rom. 8. it must come from the spirit with such sighings as cannot be expressed Of the sorrow there cannot be an exquisite method but as he setteth them downe there they are in two companies either a working of seare and consequently a sorrow and after that a sorrow that we have been so unkinde to offend so mercifull a Father and then after that we have a while remained that we proceed to a desire of amends and that we be carefull and that care sheweth it selfe zealous and if we chance not to proceed a right then that we be ready to punish our selves In a word the fruit of those actions they tend to this end 1 Cor. 11.31 that we may judge our selves that so we may escape As his policie was 1 Kings 20.31 and as we see the common practise of the rebellious subject if by any meanes he may make the bowels of his Prince to yearne within him But alwayes except the seale of humiliation and fasting be added all is naught Nehem. 9.1 and last Where after a great vow before the Congregation protested that after an exhortation foure times and after a solemne reading of the Law at that time When as ordinarie readings was but twice This was the order for the furtherance of this and when hee had drawne a Covenant they set their hands and seales to it and so bound themselves by an everlasting Covenant Which vow if wee can keepe if we can bring our selves to the vow of obedience if we can doe this unfainedly and doe it so effectually as we promise readily ever afterward it is very certaine that this hath taken a good root in us The fourth rule The spirituall part of the Law Which because Esay knew the value of it in the Fast as Cha. 58.3 and in his Sabbath at the 13. verse of the same nothing did so belong to them as if they would give over their owne corrupt Will if mans corrupt will could be brought under This is that he sheweth 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord your God in your hearts It is a thing that may be performed of man and such as the Lord delighteth greatly in The meanes in which the lord throughout the Scriptures comprehendeth these that whereas there must be a solemne prosession of thankefulnesse and our sorrow for our unthankefulnesse there must be a place also and persons chiefe in these actions of Sanctification And these persons not Ex tumultuario grege they must not be men of the common rout but such as must be trayned up for it And because the trayning up will require cost therefore the order for the maintenance of the Ministers and the Universities which are the places to prepare them for Ministers and Schooles they are commanded alike of God For the place Leviticus 19.30 and 26.2 in both places is this sentence Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuarie making the observation of his day and reverence of the place to runne in one verse and making them of one nature The Sabbath is the day of rest and when we hallow it we call it the Lords rest so Psalm 132.14 we see the Lord will give the same name to the place This is my rest Concerning which as the Apostles tooke order as that the exteriour part of GODS worship might be performed decently and in order So on the other side that the place of GODS worship should bee so homely and so ordered that the Table of the Lords Supper where one saith well Tremenda Dei mysteria the dreadfull mysteries of GOD are celebrated that it were fitter to eate Oysters at to be an Oyster table then to stand in the Sanctuary of the LORD this is so farre from Pompa that it is farre from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decencie that every
touching Joab that had killed Amaza a man better then himselfe he commands he should be killed though he were allyed to David Yet because Amaza was his better 2 Sam. 19.13 hee would have put out his Kinsman and put Amaza in his roome c. 2 Kings 10.3 Jehu his message to the Governours c. Among all your Masters children choose out optimum aptissimum c. the best and meetest of your Masters Sonnes and set him on his Fathers throne there is a plaine direction So if there were a case of perill we should doe But the case of Justice over-ruleth in that we should doe more then the Heathen because Hester was better then Vasthi Hester 2.9 thorefore the King deposed Vasthi and set her up Gen. 41.39 It is Pharoahs reason to Joseph Because God hath endued thee with greatest wisedome c. Though hee were a stranger borne yet hee sets him before all other 1 Sam. 16. The matter there passeth For Samuel being to choose a King at first began to be a little overseene in choosing Eliab but after when God bade him not regard the stature but the gift that is Gods choice then he comes in roundly neque Dominus elegit hunc neque hunc c. the Lord hath not chosen this nor this All denyed till David came and then he saith hic est ipse this is he Esay 58.6 Because yee keepe my Sabbaths and choose those things that please me therefore I will bring you to my holy mountaine So on the other side Esay 41.24 Behold these things are of no value and yee have chosen them that be abomination c. and chap. 65. he sheweth what punishment he would bring on them verse 12. Because yee choose them that I would not therefore you shall leave your names as a curse c. Sowe see what God decideth in this case Now to give the reasons set downe by the Counsels in their Canons in the Primitive Church this is one reason He whom God calleth not ought not to be chosen and he calleth not but when he calleth to a better otherwise he will not blesse them in their calling and therefore when he blesseth them not they are ventres meer Bellies and that is their care and they study for nothing else Zeph. 13.3 they are there called light persons the blessing of God not being with them because they were not called of him Note moreover that it is worse to make an Hophni then not to correct an Hophni Ely was blamed for not correcting in that place therefore much greivouser had his sinne been if he had put in an Hophni whose minde is all on the Pot. Thirdly this is one of their Maxims in Divinity Indignum promovere est decipere to promote an unworthy man is to deceive They deceive the party that gave his goods to be bestowed on them that were worthy and they make a lye to the World and they beare an evident false witnesse For they doe as much as say This man is meetest And if any should come to a temporall Lord and set him an unprofitable servant promising one that should serve his turne this were plaine deceit and there might an Action in Law be had against him And so more treacherous is their dealing that in GODS service place unprofitable Servants Fourthly by these meanes they doe ponere sub periculo they bring into danger the soules committed to them Set an unmeete Workman to any thing and the work will be in danger of marring The danger is foure fold First the persons that come in thus know they come in by favour like clay because the Potters will so have it and they are meere creatures and consequently they must needs be servile and hold that rule for doctorem ballatum Dâ—â—unt quedam the Doctor made by the Popes Bull. Such men sew pillows to their Patrons elbows and sooth them up in their sinnes as he that would hold with the Pope because the Pope held with him therefore seeking to require the Pope he kept this rule Quod Papa approbat nemo potest improbare that which the Pope approveth no man may dislike and so by keeping this rule yee shall bee sure to make him this recompence The second perill is that they have not two Accusative cases they have a quem whom to teach but not a scientiam knowledge whereby and so privately all that are committed to them are spoyled and when they come to doe any thing publickly they are scoffed and laughed at of their Auditors and so there is great perill of losse of time and charges Thirdly that there shall nothing be well done Zeph. 3.1 For when the City is ingluvies onocratili compared to a maw there is sordes nutrimentum both filth and nutriment you shall have a good and a bad joyned together in an exercise and so it cannot be well done but be spoyled For so Philosophy teacheth us because both cannot doe their part Fourthly a perpetuitie of a miserable estate for they cannot but take in such as are like themselves and they cannot for shame take a better then they They will say I was no better It is an hazzard of the estate for ever Thus of the second dishonouring not to choose his neighbour that is better The duty of the Superiour in this regard 1 Sam. 9.21 to think of himselfe as it becommeth him Our Tribe is the least of all the Tribes c. I and my Fathers house the least Familie c. he thinketh that all that is bestowed on him is more then he deserved 1 Sam. 18.18 What am I and what is my Fathers house c. So there is in him appetitus contemptus also honoris there is a desire and also a resusall of honour There is laudabilis appetitus honoris a laudable desire of honour in that he doth nothing contra ipsum male agendo he hath not committed that evill that should barre him of it And there is laudabilis contemptus honoris a laudable contemning of honour because he doth no evill thing for it nihil male agendo propter ipsum ad assequendum ipsum no composition But to preferre one because he is kinne to me or because he is my owne by education or my friends or spes lucri the hope of gaine or last the despight of one that is good a despaire not that he will not be good but that he will not be good for our turne these shoulder out the gifts so he must doe nothing evill whereby he may procure it 2. And when he hath it he must not thinke he is fallen into the Pot that is into a place of rest but that greater preferment may befall him and so may use it as a way to profit more then he could in lower place This ought to be his duty The third point of the Inferiour is to make use of the gifts of one that is better then he or se conferre ubi Deus est to
faith i. they shall be brought even to the estate that they shall not care for the Commandements of God nor his threatnings that was the punishment of Iudas that when he made no conscience of carrying the bagge Iohn 12.6 fur erat loculos gerebat he was a thiefe and carred the bagge we see afterwards he came to make little account of Christ and to sell him And from this which is very heavie they fell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into destruction and perdition that is of substance it selfe as Zach. 5.3 he saith there was a booke flew out that had the curse of God and it should enter into the house of the thiefe and swearer and should consume the house and burne up timber and the stones and there should come no good end of such as the Heathen man saith if you would have your chests full of riches Evill gotten goods will not prosper long to continue see that you get them well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is unjustly brought into the house hath no footing Iob. 20.15 It shall make him cast up his gorge againe So for a mans life Psal 58. vers last They shall not live out halfe their dayes as it is well said dies Domini veniet tanquam fur nulli autem ita tanquam fur ut furi the day of the Lord will come as a thiefe but to none so like a thiefe as to the thiefe But this is not the point of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the casting away and perdition of the soule concerning which Matth. 25.35 40 45. they held it for a rule for those which have beene takers from others non controvertitur de iis there is no question of them but of those that did not give to others is the plea but for eripuistis such as have taken by violence there is no question of them Ezek. 13.19 Then they shall see the truth of the saying of the Prophet that they have gotten an bandfull of barly and have sold the Kingdome of Heaven and they shall see that it advantageth them not to win the whole world and to lose their owne soule Tâ—â—â— covâ—◠〈◊〉 man like hâ—â—d â—nd like will to like And because the wiseman Prov 30. compareth a wicked man to Hell as if he would hold as much as Hell therefore there is an affinity and just adequation betweene them and Hell so the Apostle setteth downe his conclusion 1 Cor. 6.10 he saith no thiefe no covetous man no extortioner c. none of them shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Come now to the roote or place a contented minde or heart and that is the way to avoid and destroy covetousnesse Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse how is that being contented with those things they have i. when a man for personall or naturall necessity hath that that is sufficient 1 Tim. 6.8 that he stay and be contented with them and for the better supply of statuall necessity and of our degree which is a thing that hath not his medium in indivisibili and therefore not so to be regarded for if once he be contented he must stand upon equall conditions if he be not contented Matth. 6.25 Luke 6.22 there commeth in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the division of the soule a disquietnesse he beginneth to distrust the providence of God which the righteous 1 Pet. 5.7 out of Psal 55.23 they cast all their care upon God and Psal 34.9 they have this perswasion that they shall not want a very Lion shall want before they want Now Paul 1 Tim. 5.8 allowing men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence and industry for the necessity of nature and person and if they have not that he saith they have denied the faith But he maketh a difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an anxious care for the one is able to exempt and avoid it selfe cleane out of the soule so that it is a way to give the heart wholly to God in prayer whereas the other taketh up the most part of the heart Ezek. 33.31 Worldly cares compassed their hearts not the exercise of religion that was preached unto them in so much that with their mouthes they made jests and their heart ranne after their covetousnesse and doe what they can they cannot bring it in from thence Hosea saith cor corum divisum est their heart is divided which with a great desire and carefulnesse and distrust withall groweth so strong and so deep that when they present themselves before God he shall not have it hole nay many times it taketh up their heart therefore this contentednesse grounded upon Gods providence not excluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first thing Then the second in Psal 128.1 Feare God and outwardly walke in his wayes i. he must set himselfe in a calling he must eate his bread either in the care and study of his soule or in the sweate of his browes either jure manus or jure oculi by the labour of his hands or of his eyes 2 Thes 3.11 he saith there they be altogether out of order that live idely and they are such persons as must be cast off therefore it is certaine that every man must keepe himselfe in an honest calling Being come to this Calling he must stand thus resolved 1 Thes 3.8 First to have a desire not to be chargeable to others Secondly Ephes 4.28 not onely that but also to be helpfull and beneficiall to others if it please God Now for the attaining of that this we must know Deut. 15.11 that God will have some poore So whosoever is rich and without cares and sorrowes as Aug. saith he hath divitias sine verme he must be perswaded that it is God that maketh rich and poor and therefore that riches is the gift of God that whomsoever God will have to be rich he will also have him to use lawfull and direct meanes in attaining to them 1. doing nothing but according to the strict rule yet God will extraordinarily blesse him Gen. 26.12 wee see it in Isaac God blessed him strangely so that he made him fearefull to the Philistims which was a signe that God would have him rich and so it is said of Iacob Gen. 30.43 that he did labour in righteousnesse and increase in wealth exceedingly and as he confesseth Gen. 32.10 that he went over Iordan onely with a staffe but came backe againe with two great bands and flocks So as God will have some rich and they are divites dei Gods rich men indeed using onely lawfull meanes so there are other that shall not grow up but God will have them poore they shall not have Isaacks increase hee will blesse their labours no further then they need And againe of evill men benedictio Domini ditat the blessing of the Lord enricheth and addeth no sorrowes with it there are some that are rich but with great sorrowes The Heathen
thirdly having found the way we shall intrare ingaudium Domini enter into our Masters joy Matth. 25. If we aske we shall have grace whereby it shall appeare we have not received our soule in vaine Psal 24. secondly seeking we shall finde the helpe and assistance of Gods spirit so that we shall not receive grace in vaine 2 Cor. 6. thirdly by knocking the way of entrance shall be opened unto us so that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. as Aug. saith Non dicitur quid dabitur Christ nameth not what shall be given to you to let us know that that gift is a thing supra omne nomen above all that can be named It is as great a gift as an earthly Prince can give to promise halfe his King dome Marke 6.23 but God hath promised not halfe his Kingdome but all his Kingdome we shall receive of God not onely whatsoever we desire For desiderare nostrum as one saith is not terminus bonitatis Dei our desire is not the limit or bounds of Gods goodnesse but above all that we can aske or thinke Ephes 3. In the confidence of this promise the Saints of God in the time of their misery fly unto God by prayer as their onely ready helpe In the dayes of Enoch which were full of miseries and troubles men began to call upon the name of the Lord Gen. 4.26 and Abraham in every place where he came being departed out of his owne Countrey and living in exile built an Altar and called on the name of the Lord. Gen. 12.8 David saith that his onely remedy which he used against the slander and injuries of his enemies stood herein that he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109. Iosaphat being besieged with enemies on every side used this as a bulwarke against them Lord we have no power to with-stand this great company that are come against us and we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. The like comfort did Ezechiah find in prayer both when Senacherib threatned his destruction and in his sicknesse and it is indeed the City of refuge whither the godly in all times have used to flie for safegard from their miseries It is rete gratiarum situla gratiae the net of graces and bucket of grace Prov. 12.2 by which a good man draweth the grace of God The speciall gift that we can desire of God is Christ himselfe who is Donum illud Dei Iohn 4. Now forasmuch as indeed nothing can be a greater benefit then to enjoy the presence of God as the Prophet saith Whom doe I desire in Heaven but thee Psal 73. and Philip saith Ostende nobis patrem sufficit Shew us the Father and it is sufficient Iohn 14. wee are to consider how we may come to it Christ saith I am the way Iohn 14. ego sum ostium Iohn 10. If he be both the way and the dore then no doubt but if God bestow Christ on us we shall both finde the way to God and enter into his Kingdome by Christ who is the dore for the obtaining of this gift wee must be instant with God in prayer which if we doe he will give us that we aske therefore Augustine saith Domine cupiote da mihi solumie out non dimittamte Lord I desire thee give me thee alone or else I will not let thee goe In the third place our Saviour enlargeth the promise lest we should doubt that God will not heare all manner of persons that pray to him or that he will not grant all our suites therefore in regard of the persons Christ saith Quisquis whosoever asketh receiveth whosoever joyne these three vertues in their prayer Confidence Diligence Perseverance and occupie all the parts of their body in this service of God they shall be sure to receive the thing they aske for the promise is made onely to them that performe Gods Commandement petenti dabitur we must aske and we shall have it for God useth not to cast holy things upon them that make no reckoning of them Matth. 7. Touching the things themselves Hee that is the truth hath said Whatsoever you aske my Father in my name he will give it you Iohn 16. Therefore it is impossible he should lie especially when he confirmeth it with an oath as in that place Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he will give it you But wee must take need what we aske we may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aske without a cause If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 Iohn 5. Therefore our prayers must be grounded upon some just cause we may not aske any childish petition of God for he will revert them If we like children aske we know not what we cannot assure our selves to bee heard for unto such prayers he answereth Yee aske you know not what Matth. 20. Much lesse will he grant hurtfull petitions As he is our Physitian he will not give us cold drinke when we are sick of an ague though we cry for it never so much They that ask vengeance of God and would have him to be the executioner of their wrath shall not be heard Prov. 26.13 but their prayer is turned to sinne Psal 109. So farre is it from the service of God If the child aske fish the Father will not give him a Scorpion no more will God heare us in those things which we aske of him if hee know they will be hurtfull He onely is wise and knoweth what is good for us and if we receive not the thing which we aske yet he as Ierome saith non accipiendo accepit in not receiving he hath received Christ saith not aske and ye shall receive the thing ye aske but aske and it shall be given unto you that is the thing that you desire We all desire those things that be good though outwardly we are not able to discerne what is good but God our heavenly Father as he knoweth best what is good for us so he will give us good things though we be not able alwayes to aske that which is good for our selves Secondly we must pray in such manner and forme as he requireth God doth heare us many times even quando petimus malum in as much as he doth not give us the hurtfull things which we ignorantly aske But he will not heare us cum petimus malè Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iam. 4. Therefore we must beware how we stand affected at the time of prayer if we pray coldly without any great desire to attaine the thing we aske we aske like swine that esteeme not of pearles but trample them under their feet If we draw neare with our lips but our hearts be farre from God Esa 29. then it is not like we shall be heard If we pray as Peter and the other Disciples who being heavie with sleepe asked they
created all things and for his wills sake they all were created Rev. 4.11 So we cannot pray to him aright except above all things and in the first place we seeke for the sanctification of his Name In respect of God himselfe there is no cause why we should make this petition on his behalfe for as the Prophet saith Thou hast no need of any goods Psal 16.1 So he stands not in need of any thing that can come to him by our meanes if we would wish him any profit the earth is his and all that is therein Psal 24. If pleasure there is with him torrens voluptatis a River of pleasure Psalm 16.11 Wherefore albeit that in his owne essence and nature he be perfect yet extrinsecus assumpsit sibi nomen he tooke himselfe a name from without he calls himselfe the Lord Almighty not that any terme can sufficiently expresse him and his essence but to the end that while wee have a reverend regard of his Name hee might receive some service at our hands The account that men do make of their name is such as Salomon saith A good name is more to be desired then great treasure it is more worth then pretious oyntment Eccles 7.1.5 God accounts that we do not onely greatly profit him but do procure great delight and pleasure to him when we reverence his holy name which how pretious it is it doth appeare hereby that he setteth the hallowing of his name before his kingdome Many of the Kings subjects that are in the farthest parts of the land never see his face all their life time and yet in reverence to his name are ready to make long journeyes to appeare when they are commanded in his name and so it fareth with us that live on earth for Deum nemo vidit unquam Joh. 18. Nay very few are admitted to see his back-parts Exod. 33. But though wee cannot see his face yet as those are counted dutifull subjects that do not onely reverence the Princes person but obey such commandements as come in his name so looke what duty wee do to Gods name here on earth he reckons it to be as good service as that which is performed by the Angels in heaven that alwaies behold his face Mat. 18. And reason it is that we should esteeme of Gods name for as in time of trouble Turris altissima nomen Domini the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 So being delivered once of danger yet we are sure of the salvation of our soules and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6. Besides there is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved Act. 4. And therefore ought by good right to receive sanctification of us Howbeit we may not hereupon ground that errour which some gather upon these words Ephes 1. where it is said That God hath thosen us in Christ to the praise of the glory of his grace not that God is desirous of vaine-glory he is not to receive any thing from us but contrary-wise as he is good so he is desirous to communicate his goodnesse to us but the care that he hath for the sanctifying of his name ariseth from the duty which man oweth unto him In which regard such as have beene most religious in all times have reared up Altars and set up Temples in honour of Gods Name The account of this Petition is that which maketh the difference betwixt the Papists and religious people betweene Heretickes and the true worshippers of God that the one esteemeth highly of the Name of God the other doth not We usually account of mens names according to the worth of their persons but God himselfe is holy therefore he tels us that his name also is holy as the Prophet saith Holy and reverent is his Name Psal 111.9 and Psal 9.9 and it is not onely holy in it selfe but it gives holinesse unto all things that are holy The word of God is holy because it is published in nomine Dei wherefore the name of God being holy in it selfe needs not be hallowed by us that can neither adde holinesse to it nor take any from it but when God willeth us to hallow his Name it is to prove us that by glorifying his Name we may shew how we glorifie God himselfe and what reckoning we make of him that God may have proofe how we do with the Virgin magnifie God our Saviour Luk. 2. and how we do glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits 1 Cor. 6. The Name of God must be considered in two sorts either as it is expressed by the terme of Lord Father Lord Almighty or else as it is expressed in such things as beare his name as he speaketh of Moses Exod. 23. Behold I will send my Angel before thee beware of him and heare his voyce c. quia nomen meum est in eo Touching the expressed name of God whether it be Father which importeth his goodnesse or Lord which implyeth his power as we may not account basely of them so we must not use them lightly and negligently but upon just occasion The things that have the name of God impressed and imprinted in them are either those persons which have their denomination of God either joyntly as the Church which is called sancta Ecclesia Dei or severally as the Priest of whom Moses saith Let thy Urim and thy Thummim bee with thy holy one Deut. 33. The Priests are called holy because they are consecrated to the Lord In which respect as in the old Testament they are called viri Dei so in the New they are vasa nominis Dei vessels of the name of God as the Lord speakes in a vision touching Saul to Ananias That he was a chosen vessell to beare the Name of God among the Gentiles Act. 9.15 Secondly those places are said to be Gods which are consecrated to holy uses as the Sanctuary which is Domus Dei and all those places where he puts the remembrance of his Name and whither he promiseth that he will come to blesse his people that are assembled there for his worship Exod. 20. Thirdly those times which are kept holy to the Lord as the Sabbath which is dies Domini Rev. 1. Fourthly the Word of God preached in Gods name Fifthly the Element consecrated in the Sacrament for a holy use called therefore panis Dei Joh. 6. In all these there is an impression of Gods name and therefore we must not lightly account of them but shew great reverence to them that thereby we may testifie the high and reverent regard and estimation we have of God himselfe for sanctification is when God is said to magnifie or glorifie It signifies to make great and glorious so when sanctification is given to him it betokeneth to make holy but when we are said to sanctifie that is to account holy when we magnifie God that is magnifacere Deum to esteeme greatly of God and our glorifying
of God is to account him glorious so that when we pray Hallowed be thy Name our desire is that Gods name which is holy of it selfe may be so accounted of us and be holily used by us And whereas he saith not glorificetur or magnificetur nomen tuum glorified or magnified by thy Name but sanctificetur hallowed or sanctified be thy Name it is to the end that we receiving the sanctification of Gods spirit might have a holy regard of his Name for things may be accounted great and glorious by those which are accounted neither great nor glorious but sanctificetur cannot come from any persons that are prophane but onely such persons as are holy therefore the Angels in heaven cry not Glorious Glorious but Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. The title that Aaron ware upon his breast was not Glory but Holinesse unto the Lord Exod. 28. And the foure beasts ceased not to cry day and night Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4.8 The duties which pertaine to the sanctifying of Gods name are two First that against which we do Deprecari or pray to be removed secondly that for which wee do pray or desire to be granted First wee are to pray that we may not use the name of God which is Wonderfull and Holy either contemptuously to Magicke or cursing or negligently abuse it upon any slight occasion because that holy things are to be separated from a common use and are not to be used but when necessity requireth We see by experience that the holy name of God hath not that reverence which it ought to have and therefore the persons which do take it in vaine do oftentimes pull upon themselves the plagues and vengeance of God by that sinne for God doth in justice punish such offenders not because the name of God can receive any pollution by mens default but because we doe quantum in nobis est as farre as in us lyeth pollute the holy name of God even as hee that looketh after a woman to lust after her hath already committed the sinne of uncleannesse although she be not a whit the lesse chaste for his lust Mat. 5. The Heathen faile in this duty because they do appropriate the name of God to foure-footed beasts Rom. 1.23 And change the glory of God who is incorruptible into the similitude of mortall man The Jew sinneth because he contemnes the name of JESUS which is a name above all names Phil. 2. and despiseth the name of CHRIST the preciousnesse whereof appeareth herein by that that it is Oleum effusum an ointment powred out Cant. 1. But as we are to pray against the contemptuous abuse of Gods name so we are to pray that we do not negligently or carelesly use it without that reverent estimation and regard that is due to it that we tread not under feete the Sonne of God nor account of the blood of the Testament whereby we are fanctified as a common thing Heb. 10.29 Secondly Moses and Aaron were debarred from entring into the land of Canaan not because they polluted Gods name but for that they did not sanctifie the Lord among the children of Israel at the waters of strife Deut. 32.51 Therefore as we pray against the contempt and negligent use of Gods name so we must pray that we may have a due regard of it First that we sanctifie Gods name in our hearts 1 Pet. 3. Secondly we must not use the name of God with our tongues but seriously and therefore we are forbidden to take it in vain in the third Commandement Thirdly in all our actions we must not begin any thing that is extraordinary but in the Name of the Lord that made heaven and earth Psal 124. and men must referre the end of them to the Glory of his name 1 Cor. 10. God whose name is called upon by us is holy and Christ of whom we are called Christians Act. 11. is holy therefore we must sanctifie God in our actions Neither do we pray that we our selves onely may sanctifie Gods name but that others also may do the same for Christ saith not Sanctisicemus let us sanctifie but Sanctificetur let thy name be sanctified This is it whereunto the Prophet exhorteth Laudate Dominum omnes Gentes Laudate Dominum omnes populi Psal 100. and Psal 117. Praise the Lord all yee Nations praise him all yee people that is for persons For places The Lords name be praysed from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Psal 113. Thirdly for the time Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth for evermore Psal 113. But because it cannot generally be sanctified except it be known we must desire that all may know God and pray with the Prophet Let thy way be knowne upon earth and thy saving health among all Nations Psal 67. Secondly not to know it only but cheerfully to go forward in the profession of Gods truth and in the worship of his name Thou hast multiplyed the people but not increased their joy Esay 9.2 But wee are to pray that as all Nations know his name so that they may so carry it and professe it as that the Heathen may not have occasion to say scoffingly Populus Dei est iste Ezek. 36.20 We must desire of God that all that professe his name may so carry themselves that for their sakes the name of God may not be evill spoken of among the Gentiles Rom. 2. But contrariwise that they may shine as lights in the world among a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2. That they may by their good workes stirre up all men to glorifie our heavenly Father Matth. 5. and by their good conversation without the word winne those that obey not the Word 1 Pet. 3.2 We are to desire that such as have not yet cared to performe this duty may now begin that such as have begun to sanctifie Gods name may goe forwards and that such as are fallen away from God and pollute that holy Name which sometimes they did highly esteeme may resipiscere that being renewed by repentance they may recover themselves out of Relapses that they may be of the society of Angels that cry continually Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. Rev. 4. We must be carefull not for our selves onely but for those over whom we have power that they may sanctifie Gods name and account it holy that the Heathen may not take occasion to pollute the holy name of the Lord saying Are these the people of the Lord but that while they behold our good conversation they may have occasion to say Verily God is in you 1 Cor. 14.1 Cor 14.25 Thirdly Tuum nomen thy name men are given generally to give a kind of honour to God but in the meane time they will have themselves honoured but here they are taught otherwise It is our duty to ascribe all glory to God Non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam Not unto us O Lord not unto us
but to thy name give the glory Psal 115. So that all men are no lesse desirous of their owne honour and glory then the builders that built Babell that said Let us get us a name Gen. 11. But such as are thus affected and carried with the love of themselves are not fit to sanctifie the name of God as our Saviour speakes How can yee beleeve seeing yee receive glory one of another and seeke not the glory which is of God Joh. 5.44 As we may not usurpe Gods honour for our selves so we may not defie Princes for we see how ill that voyce was taken Vâ—x Dei non hominis the voyce of God and not of man Act. 12. neither may we give divine honour to the Apostles and Prophets of God The Heathen people said of Paul and Barnabas Gods are come downe to us in the shape of men and they would have sacrificed unto them but the Apostles not willing to admit this sacriledge rent their cloathes and cryed We are men subject to the same passions that you your selves be Act. 14. for we are desirous to give honour if not to our selves yet to others but here Christ tels us that no other name is to be sanctified but the name of God whereof we should be so carefull that we ought to pray that Gods name may be sanctified by others if not by our selves though we in our owne persons cannot hallow it yet sanctificetur nomen tuum Let thy name O Lord be sanctified Hereby as we pray for the gift of the feare of God which is one of the seven vertues which are set downe Esay 11. because wee do truly sanctifie God when we make him our Feare and Dread Esay 8.13 So wee pray against the vice of pride which is the contrary to the vertue of Feare so shall we obtaine the blessings Matth. 5.23 Blessed are the poore in spirit c. And upon this petition is grounded not only whatsoever Hymne or Psalme is sung of the Congregation but even the end of all Assemblies is to ascribe Holinesse to God and to sanctifie his Name for his benefits bestowed upon us And in this they acknowledge first their owne unworthinesse secondly they blesse him for his goodnesse extended toward them thirdly they do not acknowledge it in themselves but do tell it forth as the Psalmist speaketh O come hither and hearken all yee that do feare God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Psal 66. Fourthly to this end they lift up their voyces in singing to the end they may make the voyce of his praise to be heard Psal 66. And among other benefits we are to praise and blesse his name for the benefit of Sanctification which we have in the name of the Lord Jesus secondly for the Meanes whereby this Sanctification is offered and wrought in us which is the Word as Christ saith O Father sanctifie them in thy truth Joh. 17.13 For the perfection of sanctification that we shall have after this life when we shall be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 when we shall continually sing with the heavenly Angels Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Esay 6. And howsoever when we desire of God that his name may be sanctified we seeme like naturall children to forget our owne necessities in respect of the care we have to Gods glory yet even then we pray no lesse for our selves then for God for the Lord hath promised Them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and Christ saith That if the Name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in us we also shall be glorified in him 2 Thess 1.12 Et sanctificando nomen adveniet Regnum In sanctifying his name his kingdome shall come as the next Petition is If while we remaine on earth our whole desire be to sanctifie Gods name we shall at length come to the place where we shall day and night sing as the Cherubims do Esay 6. And with the heavenly Host of Angels sing Glory to God on high Luk. 2. we shall fall down before his Throne saying alwaies Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and praise for ever Rev. 4.11 THE TENTH SERMON Thy Kingdome come HAving intreated of the first petition touching the holy estimation of Gods name we are consequently to speake of those sixe that concerne our selves whereof the first three are spent in praying for that which is good in the other three we pray for the removing of evill The first two petitions or the summe of them is excellently expressed by the Propher Psal 84.11 And by our Saviour Matth. 6.33 for agreeable to the words of David and of Christ our Saviour in the first petition wee aske for glory and seeke for the Kingdome of God in the second for grace and righteousnesse in the third for the good things of this life which shall not be withheld from them that leade a godly life but shall be ministred unto them that upon earth doe seeke Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof Wherefore as of things which concerne our good the first both in order and nature is the Kingdome of God for the first thing in our desire ought to be the Kingdome of God according to the commandement of our Saviour and we are to account all things but dung in respect of it Phil. 3.9 Hereunto is required the spirit of Wisedome and Vnderstanding Isa 11.2 that may teach us to contemne all earthly pleasures in respect of the heavenly Kingdome Here our Saviour condemneth that capitall vice that reignes in those men which in the world live of their owne and take no further care but to establish for themselves a Kingdome upon earth But if according to his direction we fixe our desire upon the Kingdome of Heaven and by despising the world doe labour for the vertue which consists in the purity of the heart then shall we have the blessing that is promised to the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 that is they shall be exalted to see God Now when he saith None shall see my face and live Exod. 33. they that truly make this prayer shall behold his face in the Kingdome of glory These two first petitions have relation to the Invocation for as God by the word Father doth expresse his love to us and for that he is in Heaven doth give us hope for an heavenly estate so we in these petitions doe first desire that whereby our love towards him may appeare while we prefer the sanctifying of his name before the regard of our owne good secondly we declare our heavenly Hope that may come of being partakers of his heavenly Kingdome Howsoever God will not have any mans name Hallowed or Glorirified but his owne as he speakes of himselfe Esa 42. My glory will I not give to another yet he will communicate his Kingdome to us and therefore in our owne behalfe weare taught to pray Thy Kingdome come In the
Sabbathum Jehovae maneat unusquisque in loco suo neque egrediatur quispiam to morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord abide ye every man in his place and let no man go out on the seventh day Which is a great abuse with us 6. In Exod. 31.13 there is a matter that goeth beyond all these neither may the contrary course be taken for there in the Chapters precedent in the 28 29 30. God having set downe this platforme for the building up of his Tabernacle and willed Moses presently to goe in hand with it yet he saith in that thirteenth verse Notwithstanding I will have my Sabbath kept which is as much to say that in that worke that might have best shew and might seeme the best and lawfullest and make most to his glory yet he would have his Sabbath kept and not broken for it because in other matters ye may refraine in this ye may not And so vers 15. he taketh order for the universall day Whosoever he be that doth any manner of worke on the Sabbath day is judged worthy of death Nomanner of worke the universall terme And Numb 15.35 it is executed upon one that brake the Sabbath Jer. 17.27 he there protesteth for polluting the places of his rest that he will visit them with a plague of fire and such a one as should burne up the Pallaces of Jerusalem and should not be quenched The Prophets are great urgers of this Commandement above all other Commandements and where this plague of fire is threatned there goeth before a prophaning of the Sabbath and we may observe that there hath not beene any strange visitation by fire but some notable profanation of this day hath gone before and it is usuall among us also So when it shall please God to visit us with the like judgement wee know where to have the cause of it Therefore to conclude this place those that goe out to gather Manna that carry burthens that buy or sell that gather in harvest or vintage that journey and travell up and downe and to speake as it is Exod. 31. generally let not them thinke it is otium or Sabbatum Jebovae that it is the keeping of the Sabbath Augusline 3. Serm. de quadrages non sabbathum Domini est sed sabbatum Tyri The 37. Canon of the councell of Ments tempore Caroli The 35. Canon of the first councell of Triburia The 1. Canon of the second councell of Mascon injoyne a holy observation of this day In the 37. Canon of Ments there is a deprivation of the Communion for three yeares against that party that goeth to pleade causes or keepe Markets belike it was their custome in those dayes to pleade causes on the Sabbath So in the councell of Triburia the like order was taken and likewise Concil matisconense it was larger for the fault milder for the punishment for it was but for halfe a yeare And as one saith God commanded the rest not for the rest it selfe but onely Quia toto die hoc Deo tantummodo vacandum and to give over himselfe body and soule to God Here then falleth in the question concerning the strict observation of the Sabbath Quest 1. which was injoyned the Jewes and whether the same also doth lye upon the Christians Unto this Commandement Resâ—l as to every Commandement there were ceremonies Two the one for not dressing their meate the other for not building their fire on the Sabbath day Exod. 35.3 which are both ceremoniall The reason for there is no externall duty of the Law but it may be performed of any man of any Nation throughout the World But it is well knowne that those that are under the Poles they cannot live one day without fire and to let their fire goe out it were the utter destruction of them all and therefore because it is such an externall action it is certaine it is not morall The like may be said concerning the provision of meate for they that are under the hot Zone under the Equinoctiall their provision will not last them but one day therefore these Acts cannot be kept in the whole World therefore ceremoniall So the Christian is released not but that they could be performed of the Jewes and therefore a peculiar precept to the Iewes because they had no hinderances To make yet a further question Quest 2. Whether all those six rests are absolutely to be holden or not and whether on the Sabbath all of those before mentioned as to gather Manna to travell c. be simply unlawfull We answer to this No no further then the precept Eth hasshabbath c. for that our rest must be a sanctification the outward rest is Destinatum sanctificationi ideo quiescimus ut sanctificemus So whereas our quies is not destinata sanctificationi where the sanctification can be cum quiete with Rest there it is lawfull where it cannot bee there it is unlawfull Certaine it is that a man may rest and not sanctifie and so he may sanctifie and not rest and therefore it is said there are many resters and few sanctifiers In these cases the sanctification standeth thus either upon the meanes of our sanctification or else in the declaring of our sanctification that is in the practice of it Whereas a mans rest cannot agree with both these the rest because it is not destinated to them may be left the rest being a subordinate end And the rule is in Logick Tantum destinati sumendum est quantum ad finem prodest so much of any thing appointed is to be taken as conduces to the end wherefore it is taken as if you will take a purge you must take so much as will serve to purge and where his end riseth there must also the destinate arise Mat. 12. for the meanes of sanctification Christ defending his Disciples against the Jewes which indeed were altogether urgers of the bodily rest he sheweth that the rest in regard of the sanctification may be broken as of the Priests in sacrificing and indeed it is the most laborious time for the Minister but hereby they are blamelesse because they are in opere cultus Domini exercised about divine worship And so shall you reade Acts 1.12 mention made of a Sabbath dayes journey out of 2 Kings 4.23 for there the Shunamite comming to het husband for her Asse he saith to her Why should you goe to him to day it is neither the Sabbath day nor the new Moone The meaning is this that the Shunamite was wont to goe out to heare the Prophet and because she had not meanes shee would ride forth Therefore where the meanes of sanctification are wanting a man may take a sabbath dayes journey he may goe where they are used to be gotten Thus for the first part of sanctification Now of this first part of sanctification the meanes is lesse acceptable to God then the second part thereof which is the practice of the worke of