by Moses it being therefore not perpetuall must necessarily follow to be ceremoniall Why is there so large a rehearsall of works and persons in this Commandement To take away all excuses from all persons for the Lord did see the corruption of men who if they themselues come to the Church would thinke it sufficient tewing and wearying their seruants at home with continuall labour as many doe so that it were better to be such mens oxen then seruants for the small care they haue of their soules What is the vse then of this rehearsall That euery one is bound to yeeld a dutie vnto God Was it not ordained also for rest vnto beasts and honest recreation for men especially seruants They that say it was a policie for the rest and refreshing of men and beasts which could not otherwise continue without it say little or nothing to the purpose sith all things here contained do concerne the worship of God but that tewing and wearying of seruants and beasts is against the sixth commandement Why doth he then make mention of the beast in this Commandement Because of the whole imployment of men in the Lords seruice for that beasts cannot bee trauelled vnlesse man be withdrawne from Gods seruice yea though the beast could labour without mans attendance yet his mind would be caried thither But to whom specially is the charge of this Commandement directed To Housholders and Magistrats What is the charge of Housholders That not onely himselfe keepe the Lords day but his wife and all his children and seruants for as they serue him in the weeke so must he see that they serue God on the Sabbath What gather you of this That a Housholder should at least be as carefull of the Lords businesse as of his owne and if hee will not keepe such a seruant as is not faithfull in his ordinarie worke much lesse should he keepe any that will not be carefull in the Lords worke how skilfull soeuer he be in their owne VVhat is the Magistrats part To see that all within his gates keepe the Lords day which sith he must doe to strangers as Turkes and other infidels by causing them to cease from labour and to restraine them from all open and publike contrarie worship of God much more to all the subiects vnder him whom hee ought to force to heare the word So much of the things that are forbidden and of the persons whom this Commandement concerneth What is to be done on the Lords day We must wholly exercise our selues in the holy seruice of God partly in the Church which is the proper vse of the Sabbath and partly out of the Church and in the familie the better to performe the exercises in the Church before they bee done and the more to profit by them after they are done What must we doe in the Church 1. Cor. 16. Heare the word preached pray with the congregation receiue the Sacraments in the appointed time and to giue vnto the poore according to our wealth and the blessing of God vpon vs. What must be done out of the Church Luk. 14.7 to 16. Examination of our selues and those that belong vnto vs what wee haue profited familiar talke of things belonging vnto the kingdome of heauen Psal 80. also we must meditate vpon the exercises and vpon the creatures Psal 92. and vpon the prouidence especially that in the gouernment of the Church and visit the sicke for that is a worke of the Sabbath What further proofe haue you of this continuall exercise In the Law euery euening and euery morning were sacrifice swhich on the Sabbath were multiplied and the Psalme appointed to bee sung that day declareth that it is a good thing to begin the praises of God early in the morning Psal 92. and to continue the same till it be night What gather you of this That al exercises which serue not to make vs more fit to the Lords work are vnlawful vpō the Lords day What difference do you make between Sabbath nights and other nights Great for we should lay our selues down in greater quietnesse that night vpon the sense and feeling of the comforts of the former exercises So that our sleepe should be more quiet by so much as the former exercises of the day haue bin more holy otherwise we should declare we haue not kept a holy day to the Lord. So much of the commandement What is the reason A secret reason of comparison of the lesse that for so much as God hath giuen man sixe daies to doe his owne businesse in whether in labour or honest refreshing which might haue giuen but one hee ought not to grutch vnto God the seruice of one whole day in seuen who might haue taken sixe to himselfe and left one onely to him What gather you from thence The inequall and niggardlie dealing of men with God How so For that by this commandement asking at their seruants hands the worke of a whole day yet in the Lords day are contented both for themselues and those vnder them to measure the day at three or foure houres vsing one measure to mete the seruice due vnto them and another to mete the seruice due vnto God which thing is abominable before God Prou. 11.7 and so much the more as the things are greater wherin the vnequalitie of measure is What is the other reason A reason expressed which depēdeth vpon the example of God That as God hauing made all things in the sixe daies rested the seuenth from creating any more so should we rest from all our owne works Was the Lord idle on the seuenth day No verilie he did a great work in preseruing the things created So must we learne not to be idle vpon the Lords day but to attend vpon the Lords seruice by whose example wee may saue things on that day but no waies get or gaine more What is meant by sanctifying Setting apart from worldly busines to the seruice of God What by blessing Not that this day in it selfe is more blessed then other daies but by blessing it hee meaneth those that keepe it shall be blessed Wherein are they said to be blessed that keep the Sabbath day First in al the holy exercises of the Sabbath which shal serue to their further increase both of the knowledge and feare of God secondly in matters of this life we shal not onely not be hindred by keeping the Sabbath but more blessed then if we did worke that day as of the other side the gaine on the Lords day shall by the curse of God melt and vanish away what shew of profit soeuer it haue So much of the first table concerning pietie whereby God as a King or father of a houshold doth teach his subiects or familie their duties towards himselfe What is taught in the second table Iustice set downe in sixe commandements Wherby he teacheth his subiects and family their duties one towards another What is generall to them
for the whole contained in this commandement yea it reacheth also to the times which the familie appointeth that euery one for his priuate and lone prayer purposeth although the bond to that time is not so strict as is the bond to obserue daies of rest VVhat need is there euery sennight of a whole day to serue God in seeing we may serue God euery day That is not enough for to the end we should not plunge our selues so deeply into the affaires of the world from whence wee should not recouer our selues the wisedome of God hath thought good that one day in seuen there should be an intermission from them when wee should wholly separate our selues to the seruice of God What other can you alleage For that a whole day is needfull for the performance of the whole seruice of God hearing of publike prayer and the word preached catechising administration of the Sacraments exercise of holie discipline and consideration of the glorie of God in the creatures What further For that if Adam in his perfection had need of this helpe much more we which are so grieuously corrupted You are then of iudgement that the rest of the Lords day and of the seuenth day cannot be taken away Yea verely as that which is constantly and perpetually to be obserued How proue you that this commandement is not ceremoniall but perpetuall First no Ceremonie hath place in the morall Law whereof this is a part otherwise if this be Ceremoniall then there are but nine words Secondly for that it was written by the finger of God which the Ceremonies were not Thirdly it was written in tables of stone as to signifie the hardnesse of our hearts so to signifie the continuance of it Fourthly it was before any shadow or ceremonie yea before Christ was promised whom al ceremonies haue respect vnto But sith it sometime shadowed our eternall rest is it not therefore ceremoniall That followeth not for that the ceremonie of representation of the spirituall rest came after the commandement of the rest and therefore is accessorie and accidentall for which cause the time of correction and of abolishment of ceremonies being come that ceremonie may well fall away and yet the Commandement remaine as being not of the substance of the Commandement Haue you yet any further reason to confirme the perpetuity of the rest of the seuenth day Our Sauiour Christ willing his children which should liue about 40. yeeres after his ascension Mat. 24. to pray that their flight might not bee vpon the Sabbath thereby to hinder them in the seruice of God doth thereby sufficiently declare that hee held not this Commandement in the account of a ceremony But is our rest vpon the Lords day or Sunday perpetuall and vnchangeable or may not another seuenth day be placed in stead thereof No creature in heauen or earth can alter it Why so Because as God ceased from his labors on the Saturday so Christ ceased from afflictions on the Sunday As the one therefore was sanctified in regard of the creation much more should the other bee sanctified in respect of the restoring and redemption of the world being a greater worke then the creation Is there any further proofe hereof The continuall practise of our Sauiour Christ Iob. 20.19 and 26. and of the Apostles should bee a sufficient rule vnto vs Act. 2.1 and 20.7 c. Reuel 1.10 1. Cor. 16.1 much more when the Apostles haue added a commandement thereof When doth this our Sabbath begin At the dawning of the day for Christ rose in the dawning and to put a difference between the Iewish Sabbath and the true Christian Sabbath it is needfull that ours should begin at morning when by the resurrection of Christ the world began to be renued whereas the other began at night when the world in the creation thereof was finished Declare that by some example Act. 20. Paul being at Troas after he had preached a whole day vntill midnight celebrated the supper of the Lord the same night which was a Sabbaths day exercise and therefore that night following the day was a part of the Sabbath for in the morning he departed hauing stayed there seuen daies whereof it is euident that it was done on the Lords day How is the Commandement set forth First in a short summe and after declared by parts What is the short summe Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day What is to be obserued in the word Remember That although all the Commandements are needfully and diligently to be remembred yet this more specially Why so First because this Commandement hath least light of nature to direct vs to the obseruation of it Secondly for that wee are naturally most negligent in the obseruation of this in suffering our selues to be with drawne by our worldly businesse from Gods seruice vpon the Lords day therfore this speciall warning is added to it What is it wee should here remember for the better sanctifying of the Sabbath That we should compasse all our businesse within the working daies that the worldly affaires enter not or encroch into possession of the Lords day not onely willingly but not so much as by any forgetfulnesse as when for want of foresight the payment of money due by obligation falleth out on that day What are the parts of the Commandement They consist partly in declining from things vnlawfull and partly in doing the dutifull workes of this day What must wee decline and leane vndone on the Lords day Generally all our workes Numb 15.32.33 Exod. 31.10.11.12 and particularly those of the least importance as gathering of stickes also those of greatest weight as to worke in haruest or on the Tabernacle and building the Temple What gather you from hence In the forbidding of the gathering of stickes Exod. 34.21 that the rest of the Lords day is broken by the smallest workes and in that it was forbidden to build the Lords house vpon the Lords day that the greatest and most important businesse as working in seed time and haruest is forbidden Is it meerely vnlawfull to doe any bodily worke on the Lords day Things belonging to common honestie and also to necessity for preseruation of life health and goods which otherwise would perish if they were not saued on that day are excepted Are we as strictly bound to keepe this Commandement as the Iewes Yes verily so farre as the Commandement reacheth and more then they because of the greater measure of Gods graces vpon vs aboue that which was vpon them Exod. 35.3 and 16.23 What do you say to the making of a fire and dressing of meat vpon the Lords day for neither of these were lawfull to the Iewes Not to make a fire or dresse meat on the Sabbath were proper to the Pedagogie or maner of the gouernment of the children vnder the Law as may appeare in that there was no Commandement of such strict obseruance of the Sabbath before the Law was giuen
CHRISTIAN RELIGION SVBSTANTIALLY METHOdicalliâ—â—â—â—nlie and profitablie Treatised BY PEACE PLENTY BY WISDOME PEACE LONDON Printed by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man 1611. CHRISTIAN RELIGION SVBSTANTIALLY methodicallie plainlie and profitablie treatised E◠〈◊〉 â—hap 3. vers 13.14.15 13 Then Moses 〈◊〉 vnto God Behold when I shall come vnto the children of Israel and shall say vnto them The God of your fathers hath sent me vnto you if they say vnto me What is his Name what shall I say vnto them 14 And God answered Moses I AM THAT I AM. Also he said Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me vnto you 15 And God spake further vnto Moses Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel The Lord God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Izhak and the God of Iaakob hath sent me vnto you this is my Name for euer and this is my memoriall vnto all ages WHat learne you out of the 13. verse In the thirteenth verse in the question of Moses two things are to be obserued One that we be carefull to be instructed in all things concerning our calling thereby to be able to answere all doubts that may be moued Secondly that asking any thing concerning God as of his name or nature we must aske it of himselfe who because now he speaketh not but by his Ministers 2. Cor. 5.20 Hos 12.10 Interpreters of the Scriptures wee must haue our recourse vnto them What learne you out of the 14. verse He sheweth what is his proper name saying I am c. I am that I am or as the Hebrew soundeth I will be that I will be sauing that the Hebrewes vse the future time for the present as that which noteth a continuance What is meant by these words Hereby is set foorth the manâ—â—â—â—f the Being and Essence of God farre otherwâ—â—â—â—â—en the proper names of men which declare either nothing of their nature and being or else not the whole and full thereof Is there nothing of God to bee knowne besides his name Nothing as touching his Being falling vnder our weake and shallow capacitie What names of God in the Scripture are deriued from these words Two the name Iehouah and the name Iah both which being drawne from this description of God doe set forth the manner of his Essence and Being Is there nothing that hath a being but God Esay 40.17 Nothing in comparison and therefore the Prophet saith that all nations before him are nothing yea to him lesse then nothing and if men be nothing for whom the world was made how much more are all other creatures in heauen and earth nothing before him and to him lesse then nothing Can you from hence define what God is He must haue the Art and Logick of God himself that must giue a perfect definition of God but hee may in such sort be described as he may be discerned from all false gods and all creatures whatsoeuer What is that description God is a spirit which hath his being of himselfe What meane you by that addition of himselfe It hath a secret opposition to all creatures which haue a Being but not of themselues Acts 17.28 whereas God alone is he in whom we liue and moue and haue our being which proueth that he alone hath his Being of himselfe PSAL. 145.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. c. to the end 1 O my God and King I will extoll thee and will blesse thy Name for euer and euer 2 I will blesse thee daily and praise thy Name for euer and euer 3 Great is the Lord and most worthie to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible 4 Generation shall praise thy workes vnto generation and declare thy power 5 I will meditate of the beautie of thy glorious maiestie and thy wonderfull works 6 And they shall speake of the power of thy fearefull acts and I will declare thy greatnesse 7 They shall breake out into the mention of thy great goodnesse and shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse 8 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of graat mercie 9 The Lord is good to all his mercies are ouer all his works WHat doe you meane by this word thy Name In that the name of God is distinguished from God himself in this verse the Prophet thereby setteth forth the things whereby God doth manifest himself amongst which the chiefe and principall are his properties What are the properties of God They are essentiall faculties of God according to the diuers manner of his working which are vncommunicable with the creatures notwithstanding that there are some shadowes and glimpses of them in men and Angels How may they be considered Either in themselues as they are essentiall or in their works or effects which are all perfect What are the principall propeâ—â—â—â— in God Ioh. 4.24 Simplenes and infinitenes aâ—â—â—â—se which are not only vncommunicable themselues but which make all other properties of God incommunicable What is simplenes in God Exod. 33.19.20 It is an essentiall propertie in God whereby euery thing that is in God is God himselfe Therefore vncompounded without parts inuisible impassible all essence whereof it is not only called holy but holinesse not only iust but iustice c. What learne you thereby Comfort vnto the faithfull for strength of their weake faith whilest they consider that the mercie and clemencie of God is in all perfection and without change vnto them as also terror vnto the wicked whilest they consider his wrath and seueritie against them to be in most full measure the one and the other being God himselfe What doe you say of his infinitenes It is either in quantitie and greatnes or in time and eternitie What is his infinitenes in quantitie and greatnes It is an essentiall propertie in God whereby hee containeth all things Psal 139.7 Iob 11.7 Esay 66.1 1. Kings 8.17 Esay 40.12 and is contained of nothing that either is or may be imagined What learne you from hence That considering the infinite greatnesse of God wee should be put in minde that nothing which is vile and base should bee offered vnto God in the worship of him What is his infinitenes in time or eternitie It is an essentiall propertie in God Reuel 1.8.11 Esay 44 6. Psal 90.2 1. Tim. 1.17 whereby he is the first and the last What learne you hereby Wee are strenâ—â—â—ned hereby not only in the immortalitie of our soule but also in the immortalitie of our bodies after the resurrection considering that by his euerlastingnes he giueth continuall being to such of his creatures as he is pleased to giue a continuall continuance vnto What is the life of God It is an essentiall propertie of God whereby he liueth of himselfe whereof he is said only immortall Psal 36.9 Iohn 5.26 1. Tim. 6.16 1. Tim. 6.16 What is the knowledge of God It is an essentiall propertie of God whereby hee knoweth
almes c. thereby deceiuing the people to enrich themselues Are all the duties of the first table greater then all the duties of the second Yea if the comparison be equall as the chiefe of the first table with the chiefe of the second the middle duties of the one with the middle duties of the other and the last and least of the former with the last and least of the latter otherwise not For if the murther of a man be compared with the least abuse of the name of God or adulterie with the least breach of the Sabbath these of the second table are greater How is this worship of God diuided Into that which is shut vp in the minde only and that also which is declared by outward actions What consider you in these words I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt c. First the preface to all the ten Commandements and then the first commandement How is the preface set as a reason to the obseruation of all the Commandements Thus If I be the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt thou must then keep al my commandements but I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt therefore thou must keepe all my commandements How can this belong vnto vs which are not Israel But wee are the Israel of God and it serueth further for a note vnto vs to distinguish the true God from Idols of all sorts VVhy doth the Lord make choice of that benefit which nothing belongs vnto vs rather then of any other wherein we communicate with them First because it is the manner of God to allure the Israelites as children with temporall benefits hauing respect to their infirmitie and childhood whereas we are blessed of God with greater knowledge and therefore are men in respect of them Secondly because it was fittest to expresse the spirituall deliuerie from Satan by Christ which was thereby represented and so it belongeth no lesse yea more to vs then to them And being freed from the slauerie of our enemies whereunto wee were so neere more then once and which wee iustly had deserued euen that is matter of a great bond vnto our God Thirdly because it was the latest benefit the sweetnes wherof was yet as it were in their mouth And herein the Lord respected our corrupt nature that are readie to forget old benefits how great so euer So much of the preface What is the commandement Thou shalt haue no other gods before me What is to be considered in this commandement The inward worship of God as appeareth by the words before me that whereof I alone take notice Where we must take heed we imagine no likenes of God thereby setting vp an idoll in our hearts if wee liken him to any thing whatsoeuer For the better auoidance whereof we must settle our mindes vpon Christ in whom only God is comprehensible How many things are to be considered in the inward worship Two according to the inward man the former of the vnderstanding the other of the will and affections What is required touching the vnderstanding Knowledge first of the properties and actions of God as is before said his Substance being past finding out of man or Angels Secondly faith both in beleeuing the things that are written of him and applying to our selues that God is good What is contrarie to this To put our trust in our selues or in our friends honour wisedome money learning or credit which are but meanes giuen vs of God to glorifie him the better What is our dutie concerning this and all other good meanes To trust in God no lesse when wee haue them then when we want them VVhat vertue ariseth of this trust and inclination Hope whereby we patiently attend for all things that we neede at Gods hands not only when wee haue the meanes but also when wee see no apparant meanes as the Israelites did in the desert and when the meanes seeme contrarie as the three companions of Daniel and Daniel himselfe and Iob I will trust in God although he kill me VVhat further ariseth of these former vertues Humilitie whereby we cast our selues down before God to acknowledge our insufficiencie in our selues and so all our behauiour should be seasoned with humilitie Contrarie whereunto is presumption whereby we glorie and boast of our selues VVhat say you of the will and affections In the will and affections is required first loue that because wee know and beleeue that he is good we loue him aboue all which loue for that we cannot loue God in himself is then in truth in vs when we loue his word and commandements VVhat is contrary to this loue of God The loue of our selues and of worldly pleasures for whose cause wee leaue those duties which God craueth of vs whereas loue requireth that with Moses and Paul wee should wish our selues to be damned and accursed rather then the glorie of God should any whit be stained VVhat further is required To feare him Matth. 10. 1. Pet. 3.6 because we know and beleeue he is iust aboue all In which feare two things are required first that this feare be stronger to good then feare of men to euill Secondly that we doe not the good we doe onely or principally for feare of danger but for feare of God What is yet further required in the inward worship The reuerence of the Maiesty of God in regard whereof we should carrie such shamefastnes in all our actions that no vnseemely behauiour may proceed from vs which if men striue to do before Princes much more ought we to striue to doe the same before God How was this prefigured in the Law That when men would emply themselues according to the course of nature they should goe without the host carying a paddle with them to couer their feet because saith the Lord I am in the middest of you whereby the filthinesse of the mind was forbidden more then of the body which equitie reacheth also vnto vs. What is contrary to this reuerence of the Maiesty of God Irreuerence or prophanenesse of men to God-ward What is the second Commandement Thou shalt not make thee any grauen Image nor likenesse of things c. What obserue you in that this Commandement is next That the inward and outward worship of God must needfully go together so those that dare present their bodies to a Masse or any other false worship and say that they keepe their hearts to God are here conuicted of falshood What is the summe of this Commandement The outward worship of God as appeareth by the words make bow worship What is forbidden in this Commandement All will-worship how great a shew soeuer it haue What are the parts of that wil worship The outward worship of any besides God God any otherwise then he cōmandeth You haue spoken of things generall in the outward worship
offender both in himselfe and children to many generations the greatnesse whereof he shewes by comparing his wrath to the rage of a ielous husband vpon the vnchast behauiour of his wife Declare the same more at large If any are ioyned vnto God in Christ and promised in Baptisme to serue him alone yet notwithstanding will serue others how good soeuer they be Angels or Saints they shall not escape Gods wrath for if corporall adulterie be so seuerely punished much more spirituall But how doth that agree with the righteousnesse of God to punish one for another Very well for if Princes whose iudgements are not so deepe as Gods which are past finding out yet do disinherit and put to shame the posterity of Traitors the Lord may doe it more iustly For the wicked child following his fathers steps is a Traitor himselfe hauing both his fathers sin and his owne vpon his head Is there any that hate God Yes verily for so many as loue otherwise then God hath commanded hate him for although euery Idolater will say that hee loued God yet heere God witnesseth of him that he is a lier and that he hateth God in that he hateth the worship that he commandeth in the loue whereof God will haue experience of his loue So much of the threatning what is the summe of the promise That he will blesse the obedient vnto many generations both in themselues their children and posteritie and in whatsoeuer belongeth vnto them What is the third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord wil not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine VVhat is meant by the name of God The titles and properties of God together with the ordinances workes and the whole outward worship of God as that whereby God is made knowne vnto vs taken from the manner of men which are knowne by their names VVhat is meant by this word in vaine All abuse of them taking the smaller fault to declare the hainousnes of the greater as when it is falsely taken or blasphemed What requireth God of vs in this Commandement Our carefull and heedie watch as to auoide the prophaning and abuse of the things aforesaid by our tongue so to vse them with all reuerence and circumspection to such vses as they are appointed vnto Why was it needfull to haue a speciall commandement for the vse of the tongue in Gods seruice Iames 3. Because it is an vntamed euill and vnbrideled so that one whole Commandement is not employed amisse for the direction of it in the worship of God And seeing in the second table there is a commandement almost wholly imployed about the restraint of the abuse of our tongue to our neighbour there is much more need of the restraint of it in Gods seruice What is here generally to be obserued That sith God without vs is able to maintaine his glorie either by himselfe or giuing it to Angels and that wee are so highly honoured in that we are trusted with the keeping of the honour thereof we should be very charie of it and carefull to discharge our part faithfully in walking worthie of this honour and defence of his name which he vouchsafeth vs. What is that wherein this our carefulnes is required A diligent preparation before we speake of any of these holy things by considering both of the cause that should moue vs to speake of them and of the reuerent manner of mentioning them What are the parts of the prohibition An vnreuerent or a sudden and causelesse speaking of the titles properties actions and ordinances of God as when one will say O Lord O God or in wondring wise good God! in matters light and of no moment What disposition is required of vs in the mention of them To thinke vpon the greatnes of Gods power to punish the taking of them amisse and to blesse the right vse of them For which cause wee ought to remember that which is written Psal 99. ◠that the name of God is fearefull What things are more specially forbidden The abuse of oathes and vowes In taking an oath what chiefly should we regard First whether the matter bee doubtfull whereof wee speake Secondly whether it be weightie and worthie of an oath May then such persons as haue no weightie matters to deale in take an oath at all No verely So it is altogether vnlawfull for children to sweare and also because they cannot thinke sufficiently of the dignitie of an oath Rom. 1.9 and no Atheist or prophane men should sweare because either they beleeue not God or they serue not God In women oathes should be more seldome then in men in seruants then in masters in poore then in rich because they deale not in so weightie matters What thirdly must we regard in taking an oath Heb. 6. Whether the matter may bee passed by Verely or Truly for then by the example of Christ wee must spare the oath Fourthly whether he for whose cause wee giue the oath will rest in it and giue credit vnto it for otherwise the name of God is taken in vaine Fiftly if an oath be giuen we must vse no other then Gods word alloweth although in receiuing an oath of another which is an Infidell a man may receiue it from an Idolater swearing by his false gods VVhat is contrarie to the right vse of an oath First a rash oath Secondly a superstitious oath as by the Masse and our Ladie Thirdly a blasphemous oath Fourthly the opinion of the Anabaptists that an oath is vnlawfull What is the right vse of a vow To cōfirme our faith or to declare our thankfulnes How is it abused Either by vnlawfull vowing or not paying our vowes or else delaying and deferring the paiment Hitherto of the Commandement What is the summe of the Reason By this threat he meaneth extreme vnhappinesse to the transgressors Gen. 35.1 For it being our happinesse to haue our sinnes couered and not imputed it must needes bee extreme vnhappinesse to haue them reckoned and imputed vnto vs. Neither shall the transgressor escape vnpunished although hee flatter himselfe yea and though the Minister also and Magistrate pronounce him as innocent as if then all danger were past when as the heauiest plague from the Lord is yet behind and will surely light vpon him except he repent Rehearse the fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it Psal 32. six daies shalt thou labour c. What is the summe of this Commandement That vpon the Lords day wee separate our selues wholly from all other exercises to the seruice and worship of God alone Is the Lords day only a separation to Gods seruice No for of this nature also are fasts for auoiding of some great euill and thankfull feasts for the obtaining of mercie in that behalfe To what commandement then doe you referre the Churches meeting on the working daies That is also by a manner of speech of one part