vses and respects As for the other we rest vpon the word of God hold it with Paul a doctrine of Deuills to command forbearance of meates in regard of conscience 1. Tim. 4. 3. But to this place of Paul they giue answer and say that it is spoken of Heretikes such as the Manichees Novatiās c. were that held meats in their own nature vnclean We on the other side reply and say that this text condemnes those that make meates any way vncleane And that the Papists doe put this difference in way of Religion and conscience as appeareth by their strait prohibitions of flesh as vncleane and that for conscience sake And this text they shall neuer be able to shift off for it plainely condemneth any such distinction seeing to the pure all things are pure and euery creature of God is good and nothing to be refused so it be receiued with thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 4. Furthermore this difference of meates is also foolish For first the light of nature and common sense teacheth that in such meates as they permit there is as much delicacie pleasure and contentment yea as much if not more strength for example in some fish fruits and wines as is in flesh by them forbidden Yea S. Paul ascribes flesh vnto fishes 1. Cor. 15. 39. There is one flesh of men an other of beasts an other of fishes c. Secondly I call it foolish because in their set Fasts they forbid flesh but permit diuers wines and the daintiest iuncates that the Apothecaries shoppe can affoarde whereas in a solemne fast all meates drinks and all other delights of what kinde and nature soeuer are to be forborne For this was the practise of the Church in former times to forbeare not onely ordinarie foode but soft apparell sweete oyntments and whatsoeuer it was that serued to refresh and cheare the heart as hath beene shewed The third Reason The Church of Rome giueth to their fastings false and erroneous endes as namely to merit something at the hands of God thereby to satisfie his iustice for sinne and to be true and proper parts of his worship And that these are false and erronious I prooue by these reasons First they do wholly frustrate the death of Christ which is the onely thing in the world appointed by God to be meritorious and satisfactorie Secondly Fasting of it selfe is a thing indifferent neither good nor euill For though it be referred to a religious end which is the humbling of the soule yet it is not good in it selfe but onely in regard of the end Neither is it any part of Gods worshippe beeing so referred but only a proppe and furtherance seruing in the right vse thereof to make a man more fit for the duties of Gods seruice Thirdly these ends if they be well considered cannot be the true ends of fasting as will appeare by this example A begger at our doores entreats an almes we giue it and he receiues it But will any man say that by begging he doth merit or deserue his almes In like manner we are all beggers that haue nothing of our owne neither food nor raiment nor any other blessing we doe inioy but all we haue commeth vnto vs onely from God Well vpon iust occasion we giue our selues to fasting we pray earnestly vnto him for mercie in the pardon of our sinnes In this case is it not great madnesse to thinke that we by begging mercie can merit mercie at the hands of God But praier saith the Papist as it is praier merits nothing but as it is a good worke Ans. Praier as it is a good worke is no other then begging and then it is vnpossible that it should be meritorious vnlesse it be granted that begging is meritorious which cannot be These reasons considered I conclude that Popish fasts which stand in force among them at this day are wicked and damnable and consequently to be abolished if it were no more but for the blasphemous ends which they make of them And thus much touching this point of Fasting as also concerning the other Heades of Gods outward worship CHAP. XVI Of the Sabboth day THe fourth maine Question touching man as he stands in relation to God is concerning the Time of Gods worship Wherein certaine particular questions are to be resolued touching the Sabboth day The First and most principall of all the rest is this Whether it be in the libertie of the Church of God vpon earth to alter the Sabboth day from the seuenth day to any other In answering to this Question I will not resolutely determine but onely propound that which I thinke is most probable First therfore I answer negatiuely That it is not in the Churches libertie to alter the Sabboth from the Seuenth day The reasons are these I. Reason The substance of the fourth commandement is vnalterable Now the sanctifying of a rest vpon the seventh day is the substance of the fourth cōmandement Therfore the sanctifying of the rest of the seuenth day is vnalterable in regard of any creature That the truth of this reason may appeare two things are to be considered First what is changeable and temporarie in the Sabboth and then what is morall and perpetuall Sect. 1. The things which are temporarie and ceremoniall in the Sabboth day are these I. That rigorous and precise rest prescribed to the Iewes which stoode in the strait obseruation of three things First the Iewe might not on the Saboth goe forth or take a iourney any whether for any matter or busines of his owne For of this there was a speciall commandement giuen Exod. 16. 29. Tarry euery man in his place let no man goe out of his place the seuenth day namely to doe any worke or busines of his owne whatsoeuer Secondly the Iewe might not kindle a fire vpon the Sabboth day For so saith the Lord by Moses Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations c. Exod. 35. 3. It will be then said How did they for meate and fire in winter Ans. They prepared and dressed their meat the day before as they were commanded Exod. 16. 24. And for fires in winter if they had any vpon the Sabboth it was necessarie as I suppose that as they drest their meate the day before so they should then beginne their fire also which beeing then begunne might be preserued on the Sabboth Thirdly the Iewe might not carrie a burden This the Lord did expressely forbidde them by the Prophet Ieremie Thus saith the Lord Carrie no burdens vpon the Sabboth day neither bring them in by the gates of Ierusalem c. Ier. 17. 21. And Nehemiah charged the men of Iudah with the prophanation of the Sabboth in that kinde Neh. 13. 15 16 17. In these three particulars stood the strict obseruation of the Iewish rest which is altogether temporarie and doth not concerne the times of the New Testament because it was onely typicall the Sabboth beeing in regard of that manner of
indifferencie and may be done vpon any day as well as vpon the Sabboth To this I answer that Paul cōmands the Corinths to doe it as he had ordained it in the Church of Galatia whereby he makes it to be an Apostolicall and therefore a diuine ordinance Yea that very text doth in some part manifest thus much that it is an ordinance and institution of Christ that the first day of the weeke should be the Lords daie For Paul commaundeth nothing but what he had from Christ. III. Christ and his Apostles kept the first day of the weeke as the Sabboth For Christ rose againe the first day of the weeke and appeared to his disciples Ioh. 20. 19. and eight daies after he appeared againe to Thomas ver 26. which was the next first day of the weeke And this hath beene the opinion of sundrie ancient diuines Cyrill vpon Iohn saies that this eight day was without doubt the Lordes daie and so ought to be kept because it is likely Christ himselfe kept it holy And the same is affirmed and taught by Augustine and Chrysostome Again the Apostles also kept it For when the Holy Ghost descended vpon them they were againe assembled vpon this day Act. 2. v. 1. which I prooue thus The day of Pentecost was the first day of the weeke for the Iewes were commanded to bring a sheafe of their first fruits the morrow after the Sabboth in the passeouer Levit. 23. 10. c. and betwixt that and Pentecost they were to reckon fiftie daies Hence it followeth that the day of Christs resurrection falling the morrow after the Iewes Sabboth which is the first daie of the weeke Pentecost must needes fall on that day and therefore the Apostles met that same day and not they onely but also the whole Church gathered themselues together and celebrated this day with preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments Act. 20. 7. And according to this institution of Christ and the examples of his Apostles hath beene the constant practise of the Church from their times vntill now IV. That which was prefigured in that it was prefigured was prescribed but the Lords day was prefigured in the eight day wherein the children of the Iewes were circumcised therefore it was prescribed to be kept the eight day Thus the ancient fathers by name Cyprian and Augustine haue reasoned and taught Againe the day of Christs resurrection was prefigured by that day wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner Psalm 118. v. 24. and in that it was prefigured it was appointed by God For then it appeared to be true which Peter saith of Christ that god had made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. And the same may be said of the Sabboth of the new testament that it was in the figure preordained and therefore limited and determined by our Sauiour Christ vnto the Lords day Other reasons might be added but they are onely coniectures these be the principall III. Reason God is Lord of times and seasons and therefore in all equitie the altering and disposing therof is in his hands and belongs to him alone Act. 1. 10. Times seasons the father hath kept in his owne hand Againe Christ is called the Lord of the Sabboth And Autiochus Epiphanes is condemned by the Holy Ghost because he tooke vpon him to alter times Dan. 7. 25. Besides that Daniel saith that it is God alone that changeth times and seasons Dan. 2. 21. Now if it be proper vnto God as to create so to determine and dispose of times then he hath not left the same to the power of any creature And therfore as the knowledge thereof so the appointment and alteration of the same either in generall or particular belongs not to the Church but is reserued to him The Church then neither may nor can alter the Sabboth day And this is the first part of the answer Sect. 2. The Second is this If the Church had libertie to alter the Sabboth then this alteration must be made within the compasse of the weeke to the sixt or fift or fourth or second or third or first daie and not to the eight or ninth or tenth daies without the compasse of the weeke The reason is plaine The Church of the New Testament hath more knowledge and more grace then the people of the old Testament had and in that regard ought to haue more zeale and greater alacritie in the worship of God then they had that it may exceede the Iewes according to the measure of grace receiued And thus the first and principall question touching the Sabboth is answered and resolued Sect. 3. Now before I come to the next let vs in the meane while see and examine the Reasons that are brought against the answer presently made First therefore it is alleadged that in the new Testament there is no difference of daies For if we haue or make difference of daies we are in truth no better then Iewes That there is no distinction of daies they prooue out of two places The first is Col. 2. 16. where the Apostle saies Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabboth day The second Gal. 4. 10. where the same Apostle reprooues the Galatians for obseruing daies and moneths and times and yeares To this I answere that both the places speake of the Feasts of the Iewes and of difference of daies that stands in force by the Iewish Ceremoniall law Paul to the Colossians warnes them to giue no occasision to others whereby they might iustly condemne them for obseruing of daies in superstitious manner vpon opinion of holines and necessitie as if mens consciences were bound to such obseruation And he reprooues the Galatians for obseruing daies as it is likely they did not onely in the Iewish but also in the Heathenish manner To which purpose Paul saith v. 11. He is afraid of them His meaning was because they placing their saluation in part in their Iewish obseruation of daies after they had beene informed touching their libertie in Christ did thereby mixe the Gospel with the Law and therefore he feared least by that meanes Christ should become vnto them vnprofitable and so his preaching to small or no purpose Againe they alleadge Rom. 14. 5. where Paul saith One man esteemes one day better then an other and an other man counteth euery day alike In which words the Apostle blameth not them which thinke all daies as one Ans. In the New Testament all daies be as one in regard of the aptnes thereof to the worship of God and yet there may be a difference of daies in regard of order and this Paul no where condemneth That we may the better conceiue this distinction we must consider a difference betweene the Iewes Sabboth and ours which is this That the Iewes Sabboth was both the time of the worship of God and also a part
of his worship But the Sabboth of the new Testament though it be a necessarie time of Gods worship yet it is not a part thereof If it be said that it is commanded therfore 〈◊〉 must needs be a part of Gods worship I answer It is commanded not as Gods worship for substance but in respect of the duties of the worship that are to be kept and performed in it And hence it is manifest that in regard of Gods worship there is no difference of daies in the new Testament but in regard of order Thirdly they obiect that Paul kept the Iewes Sabboth as well as the Lords day For he and Barnabas came to Antiochia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabboth day Act. 13. 14. And againe he and Timothie conuerted Lydia vpon the same day Act. 16. 13. Ans. The Apostle did this vpon very good ground not because he held the obseruation of it as necessarie as the other but in regard of the weaknes of the Gentiles and Iewes newly called For the Church that consisted of such persons in those daies was not yet fully perswaded and resolued of the abrogation of thâ—â—e wish Sabboth and therfore for the time he yeelded to their weaknes and obserued it as well as the other But afterward when they were confirmed in that point he forbare that libertie taught the full abolishment both of it and other Ceremonies Fourthly Act. 18. 3 4. Paul is said to come to Corinth to Aquila and Priscilla and to worke with them in their trade of tent-making and further it is said that he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabboth day that is on the Iewes Sabboths and exherted the Iewes and Grecians Hence it is gathered by some that Paul did onely keepe the Sabboth of the Iewes and that both on the Lords day and on the weeke daies he wrought with Aquila and Priscilla Ans. First we must remember this Rule That Charitie and Necessitie doe dispense with the Sabboth and with Ceremonies If a Towne should be on fire or if a Citie or countrey should be presently assaulted by the enemie in the time of the word preached on the Sabboth day the preaching of the word in these cases must cease for a time till by conuenient helpe the fire be quenched and the enemie be taken or driuen backe Now whereas Paul in the ordinarie daies of the weeke made tents and on the seauenth too not obseruing it but the Iewes Sabboth we must know that he did it vpon necessitie for the saluation of the Iewes For Priscilla and Aquila were Iewes vnconuerted and Christ was not yet reuealed vnto them And if Paul had but once named Christ he could haue done no good among them Yet afterward when he saw better opportunitie at the comming of Silas and Timotheus from Macedonia then he could no longer containe himselfe but burned in the spirit and testified to the Iewes that Iesus was the Christ vers 5. Now if there was cause why he did not speake of Christ for the time then was there cause also why he did not make profession of a Sabboth Secondly I answer though Paul did not then openly sanctifie the Sabboth yet it is to be supposed that he kept it priuately by himselfe reseruing some speciall time for that purpose and the contrarie cannot be shewed The Second Question touching the Sabboth How the Sabboth of the New Testament is to be obserued Ans. In obseruing a Sabboth of the new Testament there are two things required a Rest and a Sanctification of the same rest to an holy vse This Answer is made out of the very substance of the fourth Commandement which is morall and hath nothing ceremoniall in it And the fourth Commandement for substance consists in a ceasing froÌ„ labour and a holy dedication of our rest to holy vse that is to the worship and seruice of God Sect. 1. Now touching the first point the Rest of the Sabboth there are three seuerall Opinions whereof two are contrarie and the third is a meane betweene both The first Opinion is that we are bound as strictly to keepe the outward rest of the Lords day as the Iewes were to keepe the Sabboth and sundrie men are of this minde But I take it this opinion is not warrantable For as we said before the Iewish manner of keeping the Sabboth in straitnes is a Ceremonie And if we be bound to keepe it as straitly as the Iewes did then Iudaisme must still remaine and the ceremoniall Law at least in some part must still be in force But in fauour of this opinion it is alleadged First that the fourth Commandement is a Law giuen as well to ChristiaÌ„s as to Iewes and therefore it binds both alike Ans. The fourth Commandement bindeth Christians to keepe a seauenth day for the Sabboth both in respect of Rest as also in regard of Sanctification thereof but that it bindeth them to the same strait manner of keeping the rest as it did the Iewes we vtterly denie Secondly That the reasons vsed to inforc the Commandement doe equally binde all therefore the Commandement it selfe Ans. It is true for the dutie commanded but not for the manner of performance Againe the reason alleadged doth not follow for sometimes the holy Ghost vseth a reason that is perpetuall to inforce a Ceremonie That Levi should haue no part nor inheritance amoÌ„g his brethren was a Ceremonie commanded by God and yet the Lord inforceth it with a reason that was perpetuall namely because himselfe was the part and inheritance of Levi among the children of Israel Numb 18. 20. Thirdly that the Sabboth is a signe to beleeuers in the new Testament that God is their God and they his people and the same it was to the Iewes therefore the bond is as strict to the one as to the other Ans. 1. Beleeuers vnder the Gospel haue two onely signes of the Couenant Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more 2. The Scripture restraineth the Sabboth as a signe onely to the Iewes It is a signe betweene me and you in your generations Exod. 31. 13. Againe v. 16. the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabboth for an euerlasting couenant 3. The Sabboth was not a signe in the first institution in Paradise For the Couenant of grace was made after the fall of man and the signe thereof must needes be appointed after it considering that before the fall Ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place And this is the first Opinion The second Opinion touching the Rest of the Sabboth is flat contrarie to the former namely that on the Sabboth day after the publike worship of God is ended and the Congregation dissolued men haue libertie either to giue themselues to labour or to honest pleasures and recreations This Opinion doth quite abolish one of the Commandements of the Decalogue For it presupposeth all daies to be alike this onely prouided that the publike worship of God be solemnly kept Now this may be done in any
the Sabboth is to begin in the euening because in the first of Gen. it is saide fixe seuerall times the euening and the morning made the first day and so the second and third c. Ans. First in that text when it is said the euening and the morning made such such daies by the euening is vnderstood the night and by the morning the day and the euening was the end of the day and the morning the end of the night This exposition is auncient and yet in Scripture we find not one place where the euening is put for the night Secondly I answer that the collection from that place is of no force For thus the reason must needs be framed That which God did in appointing of daies the same must we doe in vsing of them But God in appointing of daies began the day at the euening Ergo c. The consequent is false For the case is otherwise in the constitution of time then it is in the vse of time constituted and there is not the same reason of things in doing as there is of the same things in beeing and vse Thirdly this did not bind the Iewes For they in all likelyhood began their Sabboths in the morning Indeede their solemne feasts as the Passeover and such like beganne and were kept from euening to morning as we may read Levit. 23. 5. But their ordinarie Sabboth was kept from morning to morning Whence it is that Saint Matthew calls the dawning of the first day of the weeke the ende of the Sabboth of the Iewes Matth. 28. 1. and there is nothing I take it that can be brought to the contrarie It is obiected that Moses saith Leuit. 23. 32. From euen to euen shall ye celebrate your Sabboth Ans. The words must be vnderstood of the feast of reconciliation beeing the tenth day of the seuenth moneth which was solemnized and kept from euen to euen And it is called a Sabboth because it was by speciall commandement appointed to be kept as the Sabboth day and that in two respects First because it was to be kept holy by the Iewes in humbling themselues and offering Sacrifices vers 27. Secondly because vpon that day it was not lawful to doe any seruile worke vpon paine of death vers 25. 30. Againe it is alleadged that Ioseph of Arimathea could not embaulme Christ by reason that the Sabboth was at hand and this was the euening I answer that the Iewes Sabboth there ment concurred with the day of their passeouer and hence it was that their Sabboth beganne in the euening By this that hath beene said the answer to the third Question is plaine to wit that in the new Testament the Sabboth is to begin at the morning and so to continue to the next morning and not as some suppose to begin at the euen and continue till the next euen And thus much touching the speciall Questions of Gods worshippe as also generally concerning those that belong to Man as he stands in relation to God The ende of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Cases of Conscience concerning Man as he stands in relation to man CHAP. I. Of the Nature and Differences of Vertue and the Order of the Questions THVS farre we are proceeded in the handling of two sorts of Questions whereof some doe concerne man as he is considered apart by himselfe without respect vnto another some againe concerne man as he stands in the first relation namely to God Now we come by order to speake of the third and last head of Cases propounded by the Conscience of man as he stands in the second relation to man And vnder this Head are comprehended all those Questions of Conscience that are incident to the liues of men and which doe belong vnto man as he is a member of some Societie whether it be the Familie the Church or the Common-wealth For the better and more orderly proceeding in this Discourse some conuenient Subiect or Matter is to be propounded whereunto all the Questions that followe may fitly be reduced Now of all other the most conuenient Subiect in this kind is Vertue and therefore according the differences of Vertue we will distinguish the Questions into three seuerall sorts But before we proceede to particulars it shall not be amisse to speake somewhat generally of Vertue so farre forth as the knowledge thereof may giue light to the things that follow Touching Vertue two things are briefly to be remembred first what it is and then what be the distinct kindes thereof Vertue is a gift of the Spirit of God and a part of regeneration whereby a man is made apt to liue well I call it first a gift of the Spirit of God because in whomesoeuer it is whether in Christians or in Heathen men it hath the nature of a gift that floweth immediately from the spirit of God And this I put in the first place to confute the receiued errour of the wisest Heathen Philosophers which call Vertue an habite of the minde obtained and confirmed by custome vse and practise Secondly I call it such a gift as is also a part of regeneration and this is added for two causes First that we may put a differēce between Christian and Heathen vertues For howbeit the same vertues in kind and name are and may be found both in them that professe Christ and those also that are ignorant of the true God yet they are in them after a diuers manner For in Heathen men they are the gifts of God but not parts of regeneration and new birth but in those that be true Christians they are indeede not onely the gifts of Gods spirit but also essentiall parts of regeneration That we may the better yet conceiue this difference we must vnderstand that the grace of God in man is two-fold restraining and renewing Restraining is that which bridleth and restraineth the corruption of mens hearts from breaking forth into outward actions for the common good that Societies may be preserued and one man may liue orderly with another Renewing grace is that which doth not onely restraine the corruption but also mortifieth sinne and renewes the heart daily more more The former of these is incidēt to Heathen men the Vertues which they haue serue onely to represse the act of sinne in their outward actions but in Christians they are graces of God not onely bridling and restraining the affections but renewing the heart and mortifyin all corruption And though those vertues of the Heathen be graces of God yet they are but generall and common to all whereas the vertues of Christians are speciall graces of the spirit sanctifying and renewing the minde will and affections For example chastitie in Ioseph was a grace of Gods spirit renewing his heart but chastitie in Xeuoerates was a common grace seruing onely to curbe and restraine the corruption of his heart And the like may be saide of the iustice of Abraham a Christian and of Aristides a
pray and heare the word cheerefully when their stomacks are emptie These persons may eate in the day of a solemne fast so that they obserue the caueats before remembred It is not with vs in these countries as it was with the Iews They could fast one two or three daies together without any inconvenience we cannot doe the like And the reason is plaine Men that liue in those hotte countries haue colde stomackes and so may fast the longer but in colder climates such as ours is in respect of theirs men beeing of hotter stomackes are not able to continue fasting so long as they Sect. 3. The third point is concerning the Right endes of a religious fast and they are foure The first is to subdue the flesh that is to bring the body and so the bodily lusts into subiection to the will and word of God By eating and drinking the body is made heauie the heart oppressed the senses dull and the whole man vnfit for the duties of humiliation praier and hearing of the word Luk. 21. 24. That therfore this vnfitnesse may be taken away not onely the body it selfe but the vnruely lusts of the flesh are to be mortified and subdued by this exercise of fasting The second end is to stirre vp our deuotion and to confirme the attention of our mindes in hearing and in praier To this purpose in the Scripture fasting and prayer are for the most part if not alwaies ioyned togither because when the stomacke is full the body and minde are lesse able to doe any good dutie and contrariwise when abstinence is vsed the heart is lighter the affections in better order the whole man more quicke and liuely in the seruice of God For this very cause Anna is saide to worshippe God night and day with fasting and praier Luk. 2. 37. And the intent of the Holy Ghost there is to commend her for the feruencie of her praier which shee testified in that by such exercises shee stirred vp and increased the attention of her minde The third ende is to testifie the humilitie and contrition of our hearts that is to say our inward sorrow and griefe for sinne and our repentance and effectuall turning vnto God Without this ende the fast is but a vaine ceremonie And therefore the Prophet Ioel calls vpon the people to turne vnto the Lord with all their hearts with fasting weeping and mourning to rent their hearts and not their garments c. Ioel 2. 12 13. The Prophet Esay in like manner reprooveth the Iewes because when they fasted they would afflict their soules for a day and how downe their heads as a buâ—rush and lie downe in sackcloath and ashes But made no conscience to turne from their euill waies Esay 58. 5 6. Therefore their outward humiliation was but hypocrisie The fourth end of a fast is to admonish vs of our guiltines before the Lord and to put vs in mind of the acknowledgement of our sinnes wherby we become vnworthy of any blessing gift or mercie yea vnworthy to goe vpon the ground to breath in the aire to eate drinke sleepe or inioy any other benefit In a word that we haue deserued by our sinnes all the plagues and punishments threatued in the Law against sinners The Malefactor in the day of Assises cannot giue greater testimonie of the true confession of his guiltines then by comming before the Iudge with the rope about his neck neither can we bring a more notable signe of our true humiliation before God then by comming before him in the day of the solemne fast with open confession and Proclamation of our guiltinesse both of sinne and punishment Hence it was that in the fast of Nineueh not onely men but euen the beasts were forbidden to feede or drinke water for this very end that the Niuevites might acknowledge their sinnes to be so great and heinous in the sight of God that in regard therof not onely the reasonable creatures themselues but also the beasts of the field for their sakes were vnworthy of life and nourishment III. Question Whether Popish Fasts be lawfull and approoued of God Ans. They are wicked and therefore neither approoued of God nor to be obserued by man and that for three speciall causes First the patrons maintainers of them doe appoint set times of fasting which are necessarily to be kept vpon paine of mortall sinne And abstinence from flesh with them is made a matter of conscience Now to prescribe set times necessarily to be obserued is contrarie to that libertie which the Church of God and the gouernours thereof haue for this purpose onely vpon speciall occasion When the question was mooued to our Saviour by Iohns Disciples Why they and the Pharises fasted often whereas his fasted not Answer was giuen in this manner Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne as long as the bridegrome is with them But the daies will come when the bridegrome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast Mat. 9. 15. From whence we may gather that times of fasting must be according to the times of mourning For Christ giues them to vnderstand that they were to fast as occasions of mourning were offered As therefore there can be appointed no set time for mourning no more can there be enioyned a set time for fasting but must be left to the libertie of the Church to be prescribed as God shall giue occasion Againe the Apostle reprooueth the Church of Galatia for obseruing set daies and moneths times and yeares in way of Religion Gal. 4. 10. Montanus the Hereticke is thought in Ecclesiasticall stories to haue beene the first that made lawes for set-fasting And the Churches of God in ancienter times fasted of their own accords freely not inforced by law or commandement but as time and occasion serued It is alleadged that this doctrine seemes to chalenge the Church of England of Heresie for it appointeth and obserueth set times of fast Ans. Nothing lesse For our Church inioyneth and approoueth these times not vpoÌ„ necessity or for religions sake but for ciuill and politicke respects whereas the Romish church holds it a mortal sinne to put off a set fast appointed so much as till the next day following The second reason They of the Church of Rome make a distinction of meates For they wholly forbid flesh to be eaten vpon daies of fast and allow whit-meates onely then to be vsed and that of necessitie Now this difference of meates is partly impious partly absurd and foolish Impious it is because they make it for Religions sake For since the coÌ„ming of Christ there is a libertie giuen to all men whatsoeuer to eate of all kindes of meates without any distinction commanding abstinence froÌ„ nothing which God hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing It is true indeede we hold a difference betweene meate and meate but how not in way of religion but in regard of temperance health for ciuill and politike
rest a figure of the most strict spirituall rest from all sinne in thought word and deede required of cuery true beleeuer II. Againe in the Sabboth this was ceremoniall and temporarie that it was a speciall signe betweene God and his people of the blessings that were propounded promised in the Couenant Exod. 31. 13. And these were principally two First it was a signe of their sanctification to teach them that as the Lord had set apart a day of rest so he did and would sanctifie the obseruers thereof vnto himselfe by forgiuing their sinnes and receiuing them into his fauour in and by the Messias to come Secondly it was ordained by God to figure and signifie the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Of this the Prophet Esay speakes when he saith that from moneth to moneth and from Sabboth to Sabboth all flesh shall come to worship before God Esa. 66. 23. And the author to the Hebrewes There remaineth therefore a Sabbatisme or rest to the people of God Heb. 4. 9. III. Furthermore this was temporarie in the Sabboth that it was to be obserued vpon a set day namely the seauenth from the Creation and that with set rites and ceremonies So saith Moses The seauenth day is the Sabboth Deut. 5. 14. Againe On the Sabboth day ye shall offer two lambes of a yeare old without spot and two tenth deales of fine flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offering thereof and the burnt offering of euery Sabboth beside the continuall burnt offering and the drinke offering thereof Numb 28. 9 10. IV. This also was Ceremoniall that it was to be obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt Remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hand and stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to obserue the Sabboth day Deut. 5. 15. Sect. 2. Now as there were some things temporarie and Ceremoniall in the Sabboth so there are some things in it perpetuall Morall and those I take it are three especially First that there should be a day of rest in which man and beast might be refreshed after labour Secondly that this day should be sanctified that is set apart to the worship of God These two first are therefore morall because they are expressely mentioned in the Commandement touching the Sabboth Thirdly that a seauenth day should be sanctified to an holy rest and that this holy rest should be obserued in a seauenth day I say not in this or that seauenth day but in one of the seauen Now that this also is morall it appeares by these reasons First the Sabboth of the seauenth day was instituted and appointed by God in Paradise before the fall of man and the reuealing of Christ yea euen then when there was one condition of all men This is plainly set downe in Gen. 2. as also in the fourth Commandement And vpon this ground it is manifest that a Sabboth of a seauenth day cannot be a Ceremonie simply considering the ordination thereof was in time long before all Ceremonies If it be obiected that it was made a Ceremonie afterward I answer that the reason is naught For Matrimonie was ordained in Paradise and afterward made ceremoniall to signifie the spirituall vnion betweene Christ and his Church and yet Matrimonie is perpetuall and so is a Sabboth of a seauenth day If it be againe alleadged that God did then keepe a seuenth day in his owne person and afterward inioyned it to man by his commandement I answer that the institution of the Sabboth in Paradise consisted of two parts Blessing and Sanctification and the meaning of the Holy Ghost is that God did both blesse it in regard of himselfe because he kept it in his owne person and hallowed it also in regard of man by commanding it to be sanctified and kept in performance of holy duties Secondly the reasons of the fourth Commandement are generall and the equitie of them is perpetuall and they haue this ende to vrge the rest of a seauenth day Let them be considered in particular The first in these wordes Sixe daies shalt thou labour Which some take to be a permission as if God should haue said thus If I permit thee sixe thou shalt allow me a seauenth But they may be also taken for a commandement inioyning labour in the sixe daies first because they are propounded in cōmanding termes secondly because they are an exposition of the curse laid vpon Adam Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweat of thy face namely in the sixe daies and thirdly because idlenes the spoile of mankind is there forbidden This beeing so there must needes be a seauenth day not onely of rest to ease them that labour in the sixe daies but also of an holy rest that God might be worshipped in it The second reason is taken from Gods example For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth c. That which the Lord himselfe hath done in person the same must man doe by his commandement But the Lord himselfe in sixe daies laboured and rested the seauenth Therefore man must doe the same This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not done nor doth If then these reasons doe not onely inforce a rest and an holy rest but a rest on the seauenth day then this lest on the seauenth day is a part of the fourth Commandement and consequently the Church can not alter it from the Sabboth day because they can not alter the substance of that Commandement which is eternall II. Reason The Sabboth day in the new Testament in all likelihood is tied to that which we call the Lords day and that as I take it by Christ himselfe The Reasons thereof are these I. The sabboth day of the new Testament is called the Lord daie Apoc. 1. 10. Now I suppose for in these points still wee must goe by likelyhoods its called the Lords day as the last Supper of Christ is called the Lords Supper for two causes First as God rested the seauenth day after the Creation so Christ hauing ended the worke of the new creation rested on this day from his worke of redemption Secondly as Christ did substitute the last supper in roome of the passeouer so he substituted the first day of the weeke in roome of the Iewes Sabboth to be a day set apart to his owne worship II. The Church of Corinth everie first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore as we may read 1. Cor. 16. 2. and this collection for the poore in the primitiue church followed the Preaching of the word Praier and the Sacraments as a fruite therof Act. 2. 42. For these be Sabboth exercises that went alwaies together in the Apostolicall Church But it will be saide that collecting for the Saints is a matter of
to make it his instrument to distinguish the day from the night as also for other ends and vses And therfore it is no marueile though the day was created before the sunne the instrumentall cause thereof considering that it was created before the sunne was set in the heauen by the Creatour himselfe Secondly we must distinguish of times which are either of creation or gouernment and there is one regard to be had of things while they were in making and another after they were created Now it is true the sunne is the cause of the day and the night in the time of the gouernment of the world but it was not so in the time of the first making of all things For in the three first daies of the world there was day and night without the sunne by a viciâ—â—itude of light and darkenes which the Lord made and nature could neuer haue found out had not the word reuealed it But since the creation in the time of gouernment the sunne is but an instrument appointed by God to cary light and he that made the light can now in the gouernment of the world if it pleased him put downe the sunne from this office and by some other meanes distinguish the day from the night therefore no marueile though he did so in the beginning The second Obiection is touching the light of the Moone Moses saith it is one of the great lights which God made Now say they in all reason according to humane learning it is one of the least of the planets and lesse then many starres Answ. It is true which the holy Ghost saith by Moses and yet the Moone is lesse then the Sunne yea then many of the starres For one and the same starre in a diuers and different respect may be tearmed greater and lesser And in that place the Scripture speaks of the Moone not in regard of other starres greater then it but in respect of our seâ—se because it appeareth greater in quantitie and really communicateth more light yea it is of more operation and vse to the earth then any of the starres in the heauen sauing the Sunne The third Obiection Moses saith Man Beast were made of the earth and Fishes of the waters But all humane learning auoucheth that the matter of euery creature consisteth of all the foure Elements earth water fire and â—â—re Ans. Moses speaketh onely of two which were the principall and in them includes the other because they are impure mixt with the other since the fall Againe some learned auouch that all creatures are made of earth water only as being the two maine materiall principles of the all and not of ayre nor of fire And this accords with Moses and is no doubt a truth that he speaks onely of the principall matter of these creatures yet the fire and ayre are and may be called elements or beginnings because they serue to forme preserue and cherish the creatures The fourth Obiection Gen. 3. it is said that Eue before her fall was deceiued by the Serpent Now this saith the Atheist is absurd For euen in the estate of corruption since the fall there is no woman so simple that will either admit speech or suffer her selfe to be deceiued by a Serpent much lesse would Eue in the estate of her innocencie Answ. Though Adam and Eue in their innocencie had excellent knowledge yet they had not all knowledge For then they should haue beene as God himselfe But in that estate ignorance befell Eve in three things For first though Adam himselfe was a Prophet in the time of his innocencie yet both he and shee were ignorant of the issue of future things which are contingent Secondly they knewe not the secrets of each others heart For to know the euent of things contingent certainely and the secrets of the heart belongs to God only Thirdly though Eue knew the kinds of creatures yet shee knew not all particulars and all things that were incident to euery kind of creature but was to attain vnto that knowledge by experience and obseruation Neither may this seeme strange for Christ as he was man had as much yea more knowledge then our first parents had in their innocency and yet he knew not all particulars in all singular creatures For seeing a fig-tree by the way as he went to Ierusalem he thought it had borne fruit and yet comming towards it he found none thereon And in like manner Eue might know the serpentine kind and yet be ignorant whether a serpent could speake Besides that the naming of the creatures which argues knowledge of them was not giuen to Eue but to Adam And therefore it was not so strange that Eue should be deceiued by a serpent considering that to know that a serpent could speake or not speake came by experience which shee then had not Iâ— will be said that all ignorance is sinne but Eue had no sinne and therefore shee could not be ignorant Answ. Ignorance is twofold some ignorance ariseth of an euill disposition when as we are ignorant of those things which we are bound to knowe and this is sinne properly But there is another ignorance which is no sinne when as we are ignorant of those things which we are not bound to know And this was in Christ for he was ignorant of the figtrees bearing fruit and he knew not the day of iudgement as he was man And this also was in Eue not the other The fift obiection is about the Arke Gen. 6. 15. God commaunded Noah to make an Arke of 300 cubits long of 50 cubits broad and of 30 cubits high This Arke saith the Atheist beeing so small a vessell could not possibly containe two of euery sort of creatures with their foode for the space of a yeare The first author of this cauill was Apelles the hereticke that cauilled with Christians about the Arke And the answer is as ancient as the heresie namely first that the cubit of the arke must be vnderstood of the Egyptian cubit which is with some sixe foote and with others nine foote by which measure the Arke would be in leÌ„gth half a mile at the least And by this means any man may see a possibility in reason that the Arke might containe and preserue all creatures with their fodder and roome to spare The second answere is that as the Iewes had a shekle of the sanctuary which was greater then the ordinary shekle so they had beside the ordinary cubit a sacred cubit the cubit of the sanctuary where of mention is made in the prophecie of Ezekiel Chap. 40. and that was bigger by the halfe then the ordinarie cubite And by this measure some say the Arke was made But both these answeres are onely coniecturall without good ground in the scripture To them therefore I adde a third In the daies of Noah the stature of man was farre bigger then it is at this day And looke as the stature
and iudgements of men vpon the place written Iudg. 11. And my purpose is not to examine that which others haue brought in way of resolution but briefly to deliuer that which I take to be the truth I answer therefore that Iephte did not offer his Daughter in Sacrifice vpon his vowe but onely dedicated her vnto God after the manner of the Nazarites to the ende of her daies to lead her life apart in a single estate The truth of this answer will appeare by these reasons First in the 37. verse of the chapter the daughter of Iephte craues leaue of her father to goe apart into the mountaines for two moneths space to bewaile her virginitie Where it may be obserued that she went not to deplore the losse of her life but her future estate and condition because shee was vpoÌ„ her fathers vow to liue a perpetuall single life And why surely because as the text saith vers 39. she had not knowne a man it was accounted a curse in Iudea for a woman alwaies to liue vnmarried Secondly in the last verse it is said in our common English translation that the daughters of Israel went yeare by yeare to lament the daughter of Iephte But I take it it may be as well or better translated out of the Hebrue they went to talke or conferre with her and so to comfort her and that this interpretation may not seeme strange the very same word is obserued in this sense Iudg. 5. 11. there shall they talke or conferre of the righteousnesse of the Lord. Now if they went yeare by yeare to comfort her then shee was not put to death Thirdly Iephte is commended by the holy Ghost for the excellencie of his faith Heb. 11. 32. and that out of the same historie Now the commendation of his faith and the vnnaturall murther of his daughter cannot stand together But it will be said that Iephte vowed that whatsoeuer came out of his dores to meete him should be the Lords he would offer it for a burnt offring v. 31. Ans. The words may more truly be read thus or I will offer it in sacrifice And the meaning of the vowe was this That thing which first meeteth me if it be a thing to be sacrificed I will sacrifice it if not I will dedicate it to the Lord. For it seems to consist of two parts wherof the latter is coupled to the former by a discretiue coniunctioÌ„ as the GraÌ„marians speake In this manner the word is els where taken so as it may either way be expounded In the fourth commandement Exod. 20. 10. in our common translation it is read thou and thy sonne and thy daughter but out of the Ebrwe it may be translated either and or or It will be said againe that Iephte rent his cloathes because his daughter mette him when he returned from the victorie Ans. That was in regard of her vowed virginitie which was a curse among the Iewes And besides he had but one daughter and by this meanes of sacrifâ—ing her all hope of posteritie after him was cut off But it seemes that Monasticall vowes of virginitie by this example are lawfull Ans. Indeed the custome of vowing virginitie beganne in those dayes but they thought it not a state of perfection but rather an estate of miserie as may appeare in that he rent his cloaths when she mette him and the daughters of Israel went to comfort her as being now in a woefull and miserable estate Vpon these Reasons I conclude that Iephte did not offer vp his daughter in sacrifice but onely set her apart to liue a single life to the honour and seruice of God And Iephte might knowe euen by the light of nature that it was a finne to vow hâ—… daughters death and a double sinne to kill her IV. Question Whether Monasticall or Monkish vowes binde or no To this the Papists answer affirmatiuely placing the greatest part of their Religion in practise and observance of these vowes That we may know them the better they are in number three The first is the vowe of continency whereby a man renounceth Mariage for euer and voweth vnto God perpetuall virginitie The second of Voluntarie Povertie which is when a man giueth ouer all propertie of his goods and bindes himselfe to liue by begging The third is of Regular obedience when a man resignes himselfe in conscience to be ruled by another and to keepe some deuised order in all actions and duties pertaining to religion Now the Question beeing whether these vowes binde or no I answer in a word they doe not and that for these reasons I. First they are flat against the law of God which I make manifest in the particulars The vowe of perpetuall chastitie is expressely against Gods commandement 1. Cor. 7. 9. If they cannot abstaine let them marry for it is better to marrie then to burne To this text the Papists answer three waies First they say that this place of scripture is onely a diuine permission and not a commandement we reply againe directly that it is a plaine commandement For the intent of the Holy Ghost in that text and in the whole Chapter is to ordaine a necessarie remedie for incontinencie which Paul calls burning and for the auoiding of fornication which brings destructioÌ„ to the soule And for that purpose he speaks not in permitting maÌ„ner but in imperatiue tearmes Let theÌ„ marry Secondly they answer that the words concerne onely incontinent persons that commit fornication We on the other side affirme that they are not only giuen to them that liue incontinently but to all persons which are subiect to burning which burning may be without incontinencie For the better vnderstanding whereof let it be considered that there be three distinct degrees of lust in man The first is when the temptatioÌ„ is first receiued into the mind The secoÌ„d when the same temptation preuaileth though with some resistaÌ„ce trouble of the minde conscience which also though no outward offence as yet follow is a degree of burning The third is wheÌ„ the temptation so far preuaileth that the heart will are overcome and the duties of religion for the time vtterly hindred This is the highest and worst kind of burning And if we consider these degrees well it will easily appeare that there may be burning without incontinent liuing Thirdly they answere that this text speaketh not of persons that are free but of those alone who are bound from Mariage by solemne vow we contrariwise affirme and hold that the words are generall and plainly directed to all persons bound by vowe or otherwise and that appeares by vers â—…5 where he saies I speake not this to tangle you in a snare These words doe shewe that Pauls mind was touching the vow of perpetuall virginitie For he leaues euery man according to Gods ordinance to his owne libertie willing none by vowe to binde himselfe from the vse thereof Now for the vow of Regular
Religious Fast Ans. It is a voluntary and extraordinary abstinence taken vp for a religious end what this end is we shall see afterward First I call it voluntarie because the time and particular manner of Fasting is not imposed or determined but left free to our owne liberty Againe I tearme it extraordinary to distinguish it from ordinary fasting which stands in the practise of temperance and sobrietie whereby the appetite is restrained in the vse of meates and drinkes that it doe not exceede moderation Now this kinde of fast is to be vsed of all Christians at all times whereas the extraordinarie is not dayly and ordinarily to be practised but vpon speciall occasions and at speciall times in as much as it is a more strait and severe abstinence then the other II. Question How a Religious Fast is to be obserued Ans. For the obseruation of it three things are required I. A iust and weightie cause II. A right manner III. Right ends Sect. 1. Fasting is then to be vsed when a iust and weightie cause or occasion therof is offered There be two iust causes of a fast The First is when some iudgement of God hangs over our heads whether it be publicke as Famine Pestilence the Sword destruction c. or priuate The Prophet Ioel in the name of the Lord calls the Iewes to a strait and solemne fast and that vpon this iust occasion because the Lord had sent a great dearth vpon the land Ioel 2. 14 15 c. Hester and her companie fasted when shee had heard newes of the intended destruction of the Iewes Ester 4. 16. The people of Nineueh which were not Iewes but forreiners in regard of the Couenant when the Prophet came and denounced destruction vnto them for their sinnes they gaue themselues generally to fasting and praier Ion. 3. 5. 8. The second cause of fasting is when we are to sue seeke by prayer to God for some speciall blessing or for the supply of some great want Thus when Daniel desired to obtaine the deliuerance of the children of Israel out of captiuitie in Babylon he gaue himselfe to fasting Dan. 10. 3. Thus Christ fasted and spent the whole night in prayer vnto God before he chose his twelue Apostles Luk. 6. 12. And in like manner Paul and Silas when they were to found and plant Churches vsed praier and fasting Act. 14. 23. because in these matters of so great importance they looked for special direction from God himselfe Lastly Anna that shee might be more feruent in praier fasted night and day in the Temple Luc. 2. 37. Sect. 2. The second point is the Right manner of fasting which stands in three things The Frist is Abstinence from meate and drinke for therein consisteth the very nature of a fast and if that be wanting it is no fast at all Thus Ester commanding the Iewes to fast for her biddes them neither eate nor drinke for three daies Ester 4. 16. The Second is an abstinence from all delights which may any way cheare and refresh nature In this sort Daniel fasted three whole weekes of daies abstaining from all pleasant bread flesh wine and ointments Dan. 10. 3. So when Dauid fasted it is saide that he lay all the night vpon the earth that he neither washed nor annointed himselfe nor changed his apparell 2. Sam. 12. 16 20. In the solemne fast of the Iewes the bridegrome and bride must come out of their chambers Ioe 2. 15 16. By these places it is manifest that in a true fast there is required not onely abstinence from meate and drinke but from all delights recreations other things that might refresh the nature of man By this the Popish Fasting is iustly reprooued wherein though men are inioyned to abstaine from flesh yet there is giuen libertie to vse other delicates The Third thing in the manner of a Fast is so farre forth to abstaine from meate and other delights as the bodie may be thereby afflicted Ezra proclaimes a fast and he giues a reason thereof that himselfe and the people might afflict themselues Ezra 8. 2. This Afflicting of a mans selfe is expoūded by Paul 1. Cor. 9. 27. where he saith I beate downe my bodie and bring it in subiection Now though we must humble and afflict our bodies by fasting yet we ought not to weaken abolish or destroy nature or doe that whereby the strength of nature may be taken away For such afflicting is forbidden Coloss. 2. 23. And contrariwise we are commanded by Christ to pray for daily bread that is such food as is fitte to sustaine our substances and therefore we may by such exercises ouerthrow the same Yet for the better vnderstanding of the manner of Fasting three Questions are to be answered I. Question How long the fast must continue Ans. The beginning and ende of a Fast is left vnto our libertie But it is so long to be kept as the principall actions of the fast that is humiliation and prayer doe continue And though the beginning and ende thereof be free to vs yet it is most meete conuenient that solemne fasts should beginne in the Morning and last till the Euening This was the vsuall custome of the Church in the old Testament II. Question Whether in the day of a solemne fast a man may eate any thing or no and if he may what and how often Ans. We may eate and that if neede require once or twise Yet here we must take with vs two caueats First concerning the quantitie of our meate it must be lesse then ordinarie and onely that which is necessarie to proserue nature and no more for if it be otherwise we abolish our fast Secondly concerning the qualitie of that we eate it must not be daintie and pleasant but the meanest food and such as hath least delightsomnes and delicacie in it Thus Daniel fasted for three weekes of daies from morning to euening in which time he ate but a small quantitie of meate and that which was none of the daintiest Dan. 10. 3. These caueats obserued a man may lawfully take some sustenance euen in the time of a solemne fast For there is no kinde of meate but may then be eaten quantitie and qualitie beeing obserued In the old Testament no cleane beast was forbidden to be eaten in the day of a fast And in the New To the pure saith Paul Tit. 1. 15. all things are pure And the kingdome of God stands not in meates and drinkes but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. III. Quest. Whether all persons are bound to keepe the forme prescribed in the day of the solemne fast Ans. All that are able and can abstaine are bound Yet because Gods worshippe stands not in eating or not eating some persons are here exempted First all those that are weake as children aged persons and those that are sickely Secondly they that by reason of the constitution of their bodies doe find themselues vnfit to
any person II. That it withdraw not the mind of the worker or any other from sanctifying the Sabboth either publickely or priuately III. That it be not a worke of gaine but a worke of mercie or tend to a worke of mercie IV. That it serue for the immediate preseruation of life health or goods Of life thus Elias continued his flight from Iezabel many Sabboths together 1. King 19. 8. And the reason is good the Sabboth was made for man saith Christ that is not for the hurt but for the good of man Of health and thus our Sauiour Christ visited the sicke Ioh. 5. 3. and cured the blind man vpon the Sabboth Ioh. 9. 14. By whose example the Phisitian the Chirurgion may lawfully goe not onely to giue necessarie counsell but to minister necessarie phisicke and doe cures Lastly of goods which are in present danger of loosing Thus Christ would haue the oxe presently pulled out of the pit Luk. 14. 5. and the shippe on the shore full fraught with wares requires present helpe if it be in apparent danger of sinking Thus much concerning the first thing required in the observation of the Sabboth Sect. 2. The second thing required in the halowing of the Sabboth of the new testament is the Sanctification of rest which is nothing els but the dedicating of it to a religious vse that is to the practise of diuine worshippe This sanctification is either publicke or priuate The publike is the solemne performance of spirituall workes commanded in the second and third Commandements and tending to publike worship And this may be reduced to foure principall heads I. The reading or preaching of the word when the Minister publikely in the Congregation assembled doth faithfully deliuer vnto the people pure and sound doctrine and applies the same as necessitie requireth and occasion serueth to the edification and saluation of all and euery hearer in publicke audience and the people on the otherside do reuerently and attentiuely heare the same word read and preached II. The administration of the Sacraments according to Gods institutioÌ„ by the Ministers of the Church lawfully called III. Publike praier wherein the Minister calleth vpon the name of the Lord the whole congregation in feruent affection lift vp their hearts vnto him and in mind giue assent to the praiers made in the name and behalfe of them IV. Collection and giuing of almes for the reliefe of the poore whether they be captiues and strangers or those that dwell among vs the sicke the needie orphanes and widowes and such like Vpon these foure heads doth stand the whole publike worship of God For proofe and declaration hereof read these places Neh. 8. Act. 2. 42. Act. 13. 14. 15. Act. 16. 13. Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. c. Priuate sanctification which serueth to answer the second opinion stands in these things I. That euery man in the beginning of the Sabboth in the morning do priuatly prepare himselfe to the publicke seruice that followeth by priuate prayer by examination and humbling of himselfe before God in respect of his particular sinnes This the wiseman exhorteth vnto when he saith Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God Eccles. 4. 17. and his meaning is that before a man betakes himselfe to the publicke congregation there to perform seruice and worship vnto God he should looke into his heart and examine his affections and thoughts that he come not vnprepared which duty though it be alwaies to be done yet principally on the Sabbothday The childreÌ„ of Israel rose vp early in the morning on the Sabbothday to offer vp burnt offrings peace offerings to an Idol Exo. 32. 5. 6. much more ought wee c. And it is said of our Sauiour Christ that he arose very early in the morning before day and went into a solitary place to pray and the day following was the Sabboth when he preached in the Synagogues Mar. 1. 35 36. II. That when the congregation is dissolued we spend the rest of the Sabboth in meditation and conference of the word before preached and of the creatures Thus it is said of some that heard Paul preach that they receiued the word with all readines and searched the Scripture whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. And the whole 92. Psalme was penned that it might be a song of the Sabboth and it containes nothing but a meditation of the workes of God III. That men priuately exercise themselues in the workes of charitie and mercie as in visiting the sicke in making peace betweene those that are at discord in releeuing the poore in teaching and instructing the ignorant in coÌ„forting those that are distressed and comfortlesse Neh. 8. 12. Then all the people went to eate and to drinke and to send parâ— abroad to the poore and to make great ioy The Tthird Question touching the Sabboth When the Sabboth doth beginne To this some doe answer in the euening and some in the morning My answer is this that the Sabboth of the new Testament amongst vs is to beginne in the morning and so to continue tâ—l the next morrow not in the euening till the euening The reasons be these 1. The Sabboth is to beginne when other ordinarie daies begin according to the order and account of the Church wherein wee liue 2. It was the practise of Christ and the Apostles For Christ as it hath beene thought of auncient times consecrated the Sabboth in that he rose from the dead early in the morning when the first day of the weeke beganne to dawne Matth. 28. 1. and therfore it is fitte that the Sabboth day should then beginne when he rose for as much as it is kept in remembrance of his resurrection The same was the practise of the Apostles For Act. 20. 7. the first day of the weeke the Iewes came togither at Troas in the morning there Paul preached from that time till midnight beeing the next morning to depart hauing staid there as is plaine out of the 6. v. seuen daies In that text I noâ—e two things First that the night there mentioned was a part of the seuenth day of Pauls abode at Troas For if it were not so then he had staied at least a night longer and so more then seuen daies because he should haue staied part of another day Secondly that this night was a part of the Sabboth which they then kept For the Apostle keepes it in manner of a Sabboth in the exercises of pietie and diuine worshippe and namely in Preaching Yea further he continues there till the rest was fully ended He communed with them till the dawning of the day and so departed vers 11. Besides this text Dauid saith in his Psalme of the Sabboth that he will declare Gods louing kindnes in the morning and his truth in the night Psal. 92. 2. making the night following a part of the Sabboth Against this doctrine it is alleadged first that