should bee of this mind for if he do as he professeth indeede loue god aboue all ought he not to be more carefull of Gods glory then of his owne commodity more see to gods seruice then his own gaine now we know that masters suffer not their seruants to be idle on the weeke days therfore if he loue god he shuld be so much more diligent ouer them that they neglect not the word of God on his day by how much the glory of God is more deare and precious to him then his priuate commoditie For as he that is a true subiect to the prince loues him indeed wil not keepe such a man in his house that will not bee subiect to his lawes so hee that is himselfe rightly affected to God and his glory will not suffer such a prophane person vnder his roofe that will dishonour him openly and not care to obserue his sabboth Secondly if one beare any loue to his seruants or children euen for their owne sakes hee must see to them that they breake not the sabboth but that they come to such exercises where they may receiue the spirit of God and the chiefe good to their soules alwaies a good gouernour must gouerne for the good of those that bee vnder him now what greater good can hee doe to them then to vse those meanes whereby they may know God in Christ Iesus and bee brought to saluation So that if one will not shew a disloyall hart against God and vnlouing and vnfaithfull hart to his people that hee cares not for their saluation hee must see that they keepe the sabboth so farre as it belongs to him namely by being outwardly present at the workes of religion Thirdly in regard of our owne good to such as be masters must bee carefull ouer their seruants in this regard for take this for a generall rule hee that will not bee faithfull to God will neuer bee faithfull to man hee that hath no care to serue God in duties of religion will haue lesse care to serue his master in the duties of his calling as indeede they haue for if the honour of God and their owne saluation will not moue them why should they bee moued for their masters profit or businesse but hee that serues God with a good conscience will serue his master with a good conscience and though his master bee not present to rebuke him his owne conscience will checke him and when the feare of his master will not keepe from idlenesse and vntrustinesse the feare of God will keepe him and the commandement of God will restraine him else either they will doe nothing or what they doe is all for eie seruice to bee seene of men and when the masters eie is off then by idlenesse or wastfulnesse or pilfering they will hurt one more then the faithfull keeping of the sabboth can hinder them for that will not hinder them at all but bee a meanes to bring the blessing of God on their labours in the weeke day As Iacob a faithfull seruant to God was blessed in all Labans businesse and Ioseph a true worshipper of the Lord had prosperitie to follow him and accompanie him in all his trauailes Therfore if wee will shew our loue to God and to them and desire that they bee faithfull to vs and God should blesse their labours in our affaires bring them to the seruice of God and exercises of religion on the sabboth and haue a care that they breake not the holy day of the Lord. This serues for the reproofe of those men which beare this minde toward their seruants that so their owne worke be performed they care not how Gods worke is neglected let their seruants bee carefull to doe their businesse on the sixe daies let them bee as carelesse as they list of Gods on the seauenth day let them spend it euen how they will they haue free libertie from the masters This shewes men to bee louers of themselues more then louers of God and proues that they loue filthie lucre and gaine of the world more then the glorie of God for if Gods glorie were but as deere to them as their monie they would bee as impatient at his dishonour by their seruants negligence as at losses that come to themselues by their seruants negligence Oh but they say they be rude youthes and will break out from vs we cannot keepe them in Be not these deepe dissemblers is not this grosse hipocrisie can you not keepe them in Who keepes them in on the sixe dayes can you make them tarry at home then can you set them to their businesse and not suffer them to be gadding yet that is for sixe dayes space this is but for one that labour which then they doe is far more toylesome to the bodie can you make them will they nill they spend sixe whole dayes in more painefull tedious work can you not constraine them to keepe at home and doe more easie works in respect of bodily labour and that but for one whole day this is miserable shifting plaine halting these excuses will not holde before God he will shew you that you had made as much account of seruing his honour and glory and obeying his commandement as you doe of seruing your owne filthie couetous lust and obeying the diuell if his name had bene as deere to you as gayne you might with as much ease cause your seruants to spend the seauenth day in his seruice to his glory as sixe before it in your owne seruice to your profit But what is the cause that youth is so rude is it not because they haue learnt it of age Why be inferiours so prophane but because they follow the patterne and tread in the steps of their superiours how come the branches to bring such ill fruit but that the root hath no better sap for if the seruants might but see so much loue of God and care of keeping gods commandements appeare in the conuersation of their masters and dames as they see of the world and eagernesse after lucre they would at least for outward shew be better But now that they see their masters and know his disposition they frame themselues thereafter to serue him in his couetous lust rob God of his honour If the seruant should but leaue his businesse one or two houres in the weake and runne hoyting about some sports and vanities when hee comes home his master will bee vpon his backe his dame would haue a saying to him hee should be so bayted with rebukes and chiding as if it were a beare with dogs so that though hee had a good minde to bee abroad and had no great hart to stand sweating at his businesse yet miserable feare would make him tarrie at home rather then he would endure the sharp sauce that must come after and bee chidden thus againe hee will keepe within doores but let him be where hee will and doe what hee will vpon the
that with a true hart is willing to be taught and to confound also and condemne and leaue without excuse before Gods judgement seat such as will not yeeld to playne and strong reasons drawne out of the word of God but continue obstinate in their false conceits But because the point may be more plaine and manifest it is good to answere some of their objections whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth Now the grand obiection is because we keep not the same sabboth that the Iewes did but the day is altered therefore they say we must keepe none This is their argument of so great waight but how foolish it shall appeare easily if we examine it a little more narrowly For though we keepe not the selfe same day that they did yet we haue the same commandement authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day in Reuel 1. Where Iohn saith He was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Afore it was called the day of rest because God rested on it from the work of creation but now it is called the Lords day because Christ Jesus instituted it as a speciall memoriall of his resurrection perfecting of the work of our redemption For the Apostles by the authoritie of that spirit which alwaies assisted them in their ministeriall office did alter the day themselues kept ordained it to be kept in all the churches As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he saith The first day of the weeke when yee meet together c. Where the Apostle shewes that the congregations of Christ were wont on the first day of the weeke to meet together for the performance of all holy duties of the number whereof collection for the poore was one because of the manifold persecutions wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe This was the first day of the Iewish weeke our Lords day So also in the Acts. Paul himself kept this day which he spent in preaching till midnight and after administred the sacramēt in which two exercises he cōtinued till the dawning of the day So that the keeping of this day was instituted by God in the ministrie of the Apostles and kept by them and the churches in their time therfore as strongly commands vs as the Iewes and is of no lesse force now then before Then secondly the reason of the chaunge and of our keeping this day is no lesse then of their keeping that day For when the creation of the world was the greatest work that euer was done then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded But now that a greater more excellent work was done namely the redemption of the world it was reason that the greatest work should carry the credit of the day They rested the seauenth day because on that God rested from the work of creation wee this eight day because in it Christ rise againe from the work of our redemption which being a greater work caused a chaunge of the day Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and strong reason that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement And wheras they say that the church may at their pleasure alter it that is not so for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apostles nor a cause greater then the resurrection of Christ and the redemption of the church and therefore neither can the day be chaunged for to make a new day where no such warrant did allow nor no cause occasion it were to take more vpon them then is fit For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy hauing onely the creation of the world to think vpon and to remēber by the celebrating of their seauenth day then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater sith besids this benefit of our making we haue a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Christ added vnto it so that any one of the two ought to sanctifie it more rather then to cast it of all together and to be so much the more carefull to giue this day wholy to God by how much he hath shewed a greate mercie to vs so that we should neuer speake or think of this chaunge but we should also call to minde this great benefit which was the cause of it If Adam had cause to spend a day in praysing God for his creation then wee haue greater cause seeth besides that we haue also the redemption to bee thankefull for And if this bee a good argument wee keepe not the selfe same day that the Iewes did therefore the dutie is abollished and wee are bound to keepe none then by the same reason one might conclude thus you see wee haue not the same sacraments for the outward seales that the Iewes had for they had circumcision and they had the pascall Lambe what tell you mee of the consecrate water and of the bread and wine hallowed the Iewes had no such matter sith these signes be altered I think it was but a ceremonie and wee neede not regard baptisme the supper this were no good argument in this case for though the shadowes bee other yet the substance bee the same Christ Iesus is signified by our bread and wine as well as by their Lambe and our baptisme is the sacrament of regeneration as well as their circumcision Therefore wee should not despise them but so much the more bee carefull to prepare our selues for them because the seruice is more easie the promises more lightsome If then it will not hold that we haue no sacraments because the outward seales bee altered then it is as weake a consequence that wee haue no seauenth day to bee sanctified because the day is altered and wee keepe not the same that they did So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie that the dutie is abolished because the authoritie is as strong the reason as good and the same reason doth not hold in other things Againe they object that to a christian euery day is a sabboth day and therefore wee should not restraine it to one day more then another but the answere to this is that it is most false for God doth not require neither is a christian able to keep euery day a sabboth day so long as they remain on earth indeede in heauen hee shall keepe a continuall sabboth vnto the Lord but now so long as wee liue there is as much difference betwixt the sabboth day and otheir daies as betwixt the consecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table This is true that euery one must serue God on the sixe daies and all his life long but on the seauenth day wee must not onely serue God
warrant for vs to breake Gods commandement because wee had forgot that which God bids vs remember this is euen as if a man should forget his purse behind him when hee went to the market and when hee came to buy things wanting mony of his owne should goe and cut another bodies purse and then if one come and tell him this is not honest dealing it is plaine theft and why would you bee so bold to cut your neighbours purse why alas neighbour I hope I was in no fault necessitie drew mee to it for I had left my purse at home and I knew not how to doe for mony to buy my things and to haue gone backe againe would haue beene to much paines Why but doth this make it lawfull to cut your neighbours because you had forgotten your owne nay who should haue remembred it and not come to make such shifts and euen so men deale with God oh they cannot chuse but breake the sabboth they are driuen to it of force necessitie compels them and what necessitie why such things lie to bee done that will bee spoiled else why but why did you forget them before now shal your former forgetfulnesse bee a warrant for you to steale Gods holy time and abuse it to vnholy things Some hath a bonde to pay that will bee forfaited else and why did you not remember before to make your condition with such an exception vnlesse it were on the sabboth and then to defer it for some reasonable time after or some such like condition and so I haue this and this thing that must bee done and why did not you thinke of this before to preuent it as it is sure you might if you did serue God in your calling and not couetousnesse so others say it is so tedious and irksome to spend that day holy that they cannot endure it and why is it tedious to you is it not because you prepared not your soule to keepe it you let sinne keepe dominion in your hart all the weeke and then it must needes bee dull and dead to all goodnesse on the seauenth day but those that doe labour to walke vprightlie purely before God sixe daies finde such comfort thereby as no outward pleasure can bring nor anie thing in this world but onely the ordinances of God can afford Secondly this teacheth vs to lay as a dutie euery one vpon his owne conscience to remember this day in all our affaires to haue this in our minde that wee entangle not our selues by any businesse which might hinder vs from keeping of it first because wee haue so direct an item as wee call it to remember this day secondly because whereas God contented himselfe in all the other commandements to set them downe either onely affirmatiuely or onely negatiuelie hee hath not done so in this commandement but to set the deeper impression in our harts hath set it downe both affirmatiuelie and negatiuely keepe it holy saith hee and as though that were not inough doe no manner of worke in it and then wheras other of the commandements for the most part haue no reasons annexed to them in the decalogue though in the scripture else where they haue this and the second commandement haue diuers reasons added vnto them that men might haue a greater regard vnto it Therefore if wee will doe any thing for Gods sake then doe this for his sake if a friend should come to vs and say I haue some ten errands which I would haue you doe for mee and I will recompence you throughly for your paines but of all the ten there is one amongst the rest which I would haue you especiallie to remember and of all loues see that you forget it not would not one thinke him verie negligent and vnmindfull of his friend that would forget this of which he had such a speciall charge especially if his friend should in most of the other giue but the bare commandement and thing set downe without any more words but should insist vpon that and giue him reason vpon reason why hee should haue a speciall care of it but so God saith to vs hee giues vs warning before shewing that wee are ready to forget it but hee would haue vs striue against this forgetfulnesse and then because wee should not forget but doe it hee vrgeth it with many reasons now then to forget this is it not a plaine contempt and neglect It followes To keepe it holy NOw the Lord shewes what is to bee done on the sabboth day namely wee must keepe it holy it is not inough to forbeare our owne worke and so to keepe it idly but wee must bee as carefull to doe Gods worke and so to keepe it holy Hence then wee learne this doctrine that the sabboth must bee imployed in holy exercises it must not bee a bare rest but a sanctified rest so ceasing from worldly things as that we be taken vp in heauenly things for idlenes is a sin euery day but much more on the sabboth No man hath alowance in gods word to spend any time idly but it is a damnable sin in the weeke daies much lesse are we warranted to spend Gods time vnprofitablie and idly of the twaine it were better leaue ones owne worke vndone vpon ones owne daies permitted for his labour then Gods worke on Gods daie appointed for his seruice Now the reasons why this must bee spent onely in holie exercises are taken from the ill effects that will follow if wee doe not spend it in these workes These ill effects wee shall see in Exod. 31. 12. Where God commands them that they should abstaine from all workes and keepe it an holy for if they doe worke euen in making garments and things for the temple which seemed to pertaine to god much more in things of their owne these two euils will follow first they shall die the death their life shall bee taken away they must die a naturall death and then secondly they must bee cut off from their people j. bee subject to the curse of God and bee cast off from the people of God by solemne excommunication These bee the punishments of polluting the Sabboth no small punishments and these God doth execute daily euen among vs for though the law of the land takes not hold on such persons to put them to death yet God giues them ouer to commit some sinne which mans law punisheth with death and the first cause of all and that at which God strikes and which their owne soule feeles most heauie as appeares by the daily complaints when they bee brought to execution is that they neuer regarded the sabboth had no care to heare Gods word to spend the day in duties of religion in prayer but followed after vanitie and their owne lust and therfore God meets with them And though the minister cannot by law excommunicate them and cast them out of the congregation yet God excommunicates them that in the
counsell of his word and of his seruants If you had taken this course which is the right course you had beene safe but now that you are falne the best way is not to lye crying and exclaiming against him that was an occasion of your fall but seeke how to rise vp againe take the right phisicke and goe to the right phisition God is the phisition true repentance and prayer for helpe is the right medicine and if one vse these meanes they shall find helpe the hurt is cured Thus much for wastfulnesse the next is niggardlinesse A base couetous needie and euill eye when one cannot finde in his heart to take his part of the things God hath bestowed vpon him but will serue and pinch himselfe and rob himselfe of the vse of that which he hath in his owne keeping this is as bad as if he should doe the same to an other all is one to bring pouertie vpon an other by wronging him and to bring a needlesse need vpon himselfe by wronging himselfe It is a most miserable and base thing for one to restraine himselfe of his lawfull libertie in meat drinke apparell and honest recreation where God hath not abridged him This sinne the wise man sets forth Eccles 2. 26. Where he speakes of two sorts of people the one which God loues and to those he giues not onely riches and aboundance of all things but also the right and ioyfull vse of the same that they shall be able with comfort to vse that which God hath giuen them But there is an other kind of people whom God hates and how shall they speed thus They shall haue payne to gather and heape vp wealth which must be bestowed vpon those that be holy and good in Gods sight God hath certaine enemies in the world vpon whom he purposeth to be auenged in this life and how will he plague them This shall be their curse he will appoint them to be slaues and drudges and lay vp wealth great store but they shall want a liberall and a good vse they shall toyle and moyle and tumble and tosse and carke and care and struggle and striue for earth a great deale more then Gods children can doe for heauen and when they haue beene at all this labour and spent themselues thus they shall see no good day nor haue one houre of comfort an other must enioy all Likewise in Eccles 6. 1. Salomon speakes of the same sinne he cals it an euill sicknesse a plague of the soule and a pestilence of the conscience And yet it is verie common among men that a man should haue good and wealth enough enough to serue the husband and wife to spend to their daies merily together and to suffice the parents to reioyce with their children and gouernours to liue quietly among and with their seruants if they had a heart to take their part but through the vnsatiablenesse of the mind there are such seares such cares such wishing such desiring such wrestling such wrangling with wife and chafing with seruants that it is a house of disquiet and vexation and in the midst of all outward meanes of comfort they liue all without comfort This is a sicke family this house is infected with the plague of God that vpon the soule this is a most miserable and grieuous disease Therefore we must all learne to beware of this basenesse which is ordinarie with men of most abilitie of all in the parish you shall haue them come seldomest to Church vpon the sabboth daies no more then needs they must but vpon the weeke day neuer at all not once in a twelue month and if you aske them why what is the reason you can finde no leisure to come to heare Gods word and to seeke the meanes your saluation vpon the weeke daies why alasse we haue such a deale of buisinesse so much rrouble as that we cannot dispatch it in anie time we must needs follow our calling and see to our household and thus commonly it is seene that those which haue most land liuing haue most paines and vexation all lies vpon them and all must come through their own hands they haue no seruants none to helpe themselues and they must needs looke to it but who puts them to all this trouble who laies such a burthen vpon them surely this it is that eyther they be so miserable and close fisted that ye will not lay out any thing to hire helpe or else if they doe entertaine a seruant they punish him so miserably in his diet deale so deceitfully with him in his wages or oppresse ouercharge him so cruelly with labour as that he that hath had experience of them one yeare will not be perswaded to liue with them the second and thus they trouble themselues with plaine nigardise and no necessitie that God hath imposed vpon them This men commonly call good husbandrie and thrift for a man to lay about him so and take on and doe all himselfe but it is plaine theft before God for one to spend himselfe pull a want vpon himselfe when he may liue in plenty Gods marks be found vpō him for a wicked man and a cursed sinner when he hath much but can vse nothing That he which hath a verie small portion may liue more comfortably sleepe more quietly pray more cheerefully and sing Psalmes with greater ioy then he that hath so much abundance as nothing hurts him but too much These therfore that be such miserable bondslaues to lucre and couetousnes as that they be as much at the command of gaine both for their bodie their sleepe and euerie thing as the saints of God be vnto Christ Iesus let them repent of there theeuerie and not bragge of their honestie say they will desie him that will call them theeues for then they must desie God for he will tell them they be theeues that will not thankefully vse his benefits but pinch and sterue themselues We would thinke that it were an ill member in the bodie that would not be content that any other member should haue any thing but would be scraping all to it selfe and nothing was well which was not bestowed vpon it For the bodie hath seuerall parts and euery one hath his proper vse that is fittest for it selfe and so in the mamilie the husband and wife haue both their duities and there is a place for seruants to and those that one for couetousnesse will weare himselfe and spend himselfe and spend his strength and spirits that all must goe through his hand and nothing can be well vnlesse it be of his owne doing this misdeeming of others and ouercharging of himselfe is a damnable sinne and vnlesse he repent for it God will proceed against him at the day of iudgement as against as base a theefe as any vnder heauen Thus much for theft in ones owne goods Now for theft of an other mans goods And first of that which is done with