A VERIE PROFITABLE AND NECESSARIE DISCOVRSE CONCERNING THE obseruation and keeping of the Sabboth day seruing as well to confute the superstition of the Iewes which obstinately vrge the strict keeping of the seuenth day as also to ouerthrowe the vaine and godlesse reasons of others that stiffely at this day maintaine that Christians ought to keepe no set or appoynted time to worship and serue the Lord in in his Church and faithfull Congregation WRITTEN IN LATINE BY ZAcharias Vrsinus sometimes Reader of the Diuinitie lecture in the Vniuersitie of Heidelberg in Germanie and very nevvly turned into English by Iohn Stockvvood Schoolemaster of Tunbridge AT LONDON Imprinted for Iohn Harrison the yonger 1584. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND VERtuous Ladie the Ladie Pellam of Laughton in the Countie of Sussex Iohn Stockwood Schoolemaster of Tunbridge vvisheth a plentifull increase of all spirituall and heauenly graces and in the life to come the perfect and ful fruition of ioyes euerlasting BEing not ignorant right worshipful and vertuous Ladie of the manifolde disputations not onely among the learned but also of the great varietie diuersitie of opinions among the vulgar people and simple sorte concerning the Sabboth day the right vse of the same some with the wayward and superstitious Iewes obstinately and stifly maintaining the ceremonial obseruation of the seuenth day Sundry opinions concerning the Sabboth daye the which they hold in no wise to be mutable or to be altered and changed others with the Atheists and godlesse Epicures vtterly denying that there ought to be any obseruation and keping of any day at all as wholly dedicated vnto the Lorde his seruice and yet moreouer some others who albeit they graunt it meete requisite that there should be some certain set day of the week seuered out frō the rest for the vse of the ministerie Church meetings yea and the same also to bee that daye which we cōmonly call the Sunne-day or Lords day yet holding it lawfull as well on the same day as any other day in the week to exercise the customable vsual works euery man of his ordinarie trade vocation I haue thought with my selfe that I could not do better thē to see out a remedie for the staying of the cōsciences of the weaker number in this great varietie and doubtfulnes of assertions tending to the ouerthrow of religion and impeachment of gods seruice Meeting therfore with a godly learned Worke of one Vrsinus a German in the which are profoūdly pithily handled many theologicall discourses and points of religion among the rest this of the Sabboth in his expositiō of the 4. cōmādement finding the argumēt sit for the circumstance of the time I haue turned the same into our mother tongue for the further benefit of the godly christianly disposed that they may haue in this poynt wherwith to satisfie both thēselues and others For in this smal treatise is debated the right vse of the Sabboth day The Argument and contents of this treatise what exercises on the same are allowable what to be refrained wherin it is kept wherin it is brokē their argument cōfuted that think it not lawfull for Christians to keepe the the Lords day their reasons also answered which so stoutly cōtend for the Iewish obseruatiō of the seuēth day al these things being proued with most strong euident proues out of the word of God and holy scriptures that in such sort that the lyke is hardly to be met withall in so briefe short a Pāphlet or treatise The necessitie heerof is apparant in regard of the time wherein is so diuersly disputed concerning this questiō the profit likewise shall easily I doubt not be reaped of all such as with single harts vpright mindes shal diligētly and without parcialitie peruse the same This my small labour such as it is simple slender I confesse in regard of my pains in trāslating but much behoueful auailable in regard of the matter for the church people of god I make bold to offer vnto to the gentle acceptation of your good Ladiship for manie causes First that besides the manie other heauenlye graces of faith knowledge of the will of God loue vnto his euerlasting truth and holy Scriptures care to walk in life and conuersation accordingly with making much of the professors and chiefly the preachers of the same it maye be a further spur vnto you to the stirring vp increasing of your godlye zeale for the Lord his seruice carefull sanctifying of his holy Sabboth not onely in your owne person but also in your whole familye so that it may be truly said of you to the glorie of God comfort of his people as we read of that good vertuous captaine Iehoschuahh I my houshold wil serue the Lord. For albeit the nūber be smal the people few that haue a due regard of christian spending the Lordes daye in hearing the word preached in receiuing the sacraments in praier supplication thanks-giuing in priuate cōferring with their families at home of the word publiky preached the greatest multitude both of men and women of all degrees and callinges letting loose the raynes and giuing out the bridle vnto all kinde of vanities licentiousnesse yet let this be your crowne and glorie good madame letting these go to haue imitated and followed the example of those vertuous gentlewomē of Thessalonica whose praise is in the Gospel Act. 17.2 3.4 for their great diligence in reuerent obseruing the Sabboth day in vsual frequenting resortīg to heare the word for the great cōfort of their soules And further in the same place is the example of the godlye womē of Beroea cōmended who not of custōe Act. 17.10.11.12 but of zeale not of constraint but with all willingnesse not as sad heauie but with all readynesse and ioyfulnesse not onelie heard the word preached by Paule and Silas at the publike assemblies and meetings of the Church but also vsed dailie and priuate conference in their houses at home in serching the Scriptures whether the things were so or no. How comfortable is that also which we read in the 16. of the Acts Act. 16.12.13.14.15 of the practise of the zealous women of Philippos who in the coldnesse and slacknesse of men as may appeare very probablie be gathered customablie assembled to the riuer without the Citie to heare Paule preach on the Sabboth where by the opening of the heart of Lydia it pleased the Lorde by the conuersion of one poore woman to beginne his kingdome in Macedonia which woman is praised not onelie for religiousnesse in her selfe but also for her whole familie beeing godlie and christiālie disposed For the text doth mention that she was baptised all her house which Sacramēt no doubt the holy Apostle would not haue administred vnto thē vnlesse he had found in them the fruites testimonies of
all die as our brethren are dead For the defence of their life and religion they saie well that they may sight euen on the Sabboth daie With the same reasons Christ defendeth himselfe and his Disciples Math. 12. rehearsing a saying out of the 6. Chapter of Oseas But if yee had knowen what this is I will haue mercie and not sacrifice yee woulde not haue condemned the innocents and guiltlesse And Marke 2. The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth that is the ceremoniall workes ought to giue place vnto the morall that rather the ceremonies bée omitted then the workes of loue the which either our owne necessitie or of our neighbour doth require And Math. 12. Haue yee not read in the lawe that on the Sabboth the Priestes in the Temple prophane the Sabboth and are without faulte And I saie vnto you that one greater then the Temple is heere Also Iohn 7. On the Sabboth yee circumcise a man If a man receiue circumcision on the Sabboth and yet the lawe of Moses is not broken are yee offended with mee that I haue cured an whole man on the Sabboth In which wordes hee teacheth that such workes as hinder not the exercise of the Sabboth but rather set foorth and confirme the same such as are â—he workes pertaining vnto the worship â—f God or vnto holie ceremonies or vnto â—he loue of our neighbour in such sorte that necessitie will not suffer them to bée put off vntill another time doe not break the Sabboth but are especiallie required to the right obseruation and kéeping of the same Families He will haue our families also and our children to cease from labours for two causes first and principallie that these also by their parents and masters maye bee brought vp and instructed in the worship of God and to be admitted â— accustomed vnto the exercise of the ministerie of the church for he wil haue these also reckoned among the members of his Church and doth exhort them by the example of his rest vnto the 〈◊〉 of the Sabboth Secondlie because he wil haue loue and bountifulnesse towardes our neighbours to bée exercised and seene in his Church boâ—h in our whole life and also especiallie on the Sabboth Therefore hee reciteth this cause also of the outward rest or sabboth albeit it be accidentall and a second came 〈…〉 rest from labours might be gâ—aunted vnto seruant and our familie by calling to remembraunce the bondage in Aegâ—pt hée exhoâ—teth the Iewâ—â— to vse câ— rtesie toward their seruants the which they in bondage wished to be shewed vnto themselues Deut. 5. That thy man-seruaunt and thy maide-seruant may rest as well as thou remember that thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee thence by a strong haÌ„d and a stretched out arme Therefore the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee to keepe the Sabboth daie Hée commaundeth also straungers to leaue off their labours Strangers such as were conuerted vnto true religion like as Israelites and of the householde of the Church and such as were still Infidels he also coÌ„maundeth to cease from labour not in regard of themselues but in respect of the Israelites and that for two causes first least by their example they should giue offence vnto the Church secondlie least their libertie might bee an occasion vnto the Iewes by them to doe workes on the Sabboth which by themselues it was not lawfull for them to doe and so iniurie should bée done vnto the lawe of GOD Note this vvell the which forbiddeth not onelie by our selues but also by others to do such works and businesse on the Sabboth as call men awaie from the worshippe of God and studying vpon the workes and will of God Three questions And héere out appeareth an answere vnto thrée questions or obiections Whether other nations also were bound vnto the Iewish ceremonies if they dwelled amongst the Iewes Whether straungers from the Church may or ought to bee compelled vnto religion And whether the Sacraments amongst the which also the Sabboth was ought to be common vnto the Infidels with the Church Ansvvere vnto the first and second question For as concerning binding and constraint the straungers which dwelled among the Iewes were not constrayned either vnto al ceremonies or religion but vnto the outward discipline the which was necessarie for the auoiding of offences of the Church in which they liued for the magistrate ought to be the kéeper of discipline according vnto both tables of the Decalogue or ten coÌ„mandements amoÌ„gst his subiects both to forbid manifest idolatrie and blasphemies and also concerning forrainers strangers so far as he may to take héed that open offences be not giueÌ„ vnto his subiectes Furthermore as touching binding ther was an especial consideratioÌ„ of the Sabboth the which was not at length by Moses but euen from the beginning of the world commaunded vnto all men by God and therfore bound all men vnto the comming of the Messias albeit that this commandement was so farre growen out of vse among them that it was reckoned among the chiefe reproches wherewithall they mocked and taunted the Iewes 3 Vnto the third The Sabboth was no Sacrament vnto the Infidells But this ceremonie was no Sacrament vnto the Infidels because that neither this promise appertained vnto them that the Lord would be the sanctifier of them neither were they constrained to cease from their ordinarie workes for the testifying or professing of this promise but onelie to auoid offence and occasion of sinning which by them might bee giuen vnto the people of GOD for so Nehem. 10. The people promise by oath that on the Sabboth and holie daies they woulde not receiue anie thing of the people of the lande the which brought merchaundise or victuall to sell on the Sabboth daie And Chap. 13. Nehemias by shutting the gates and garrison of souldiours kéepeth the Tyrians dwelling at Ierusalem and bringing in wares to be solde on the Sabboth from comming that day into the Citie least occasion might be giuen vnto the Iewes to breake the Sabboth Cattell These things are better vnderstood by this that the Cattell also are commanded to rest whose rest had no signification eyther of the worship of God or any sacrament but was commanded in regarde of the men first that occasion of working might be cut off from them the labour or vse of their cattell being forbidden and secondly that sparing their brute beasts they might learn how great a regard god would haue of gentlenesse and equitie to be vsed towards men the which cause also Paule alledgeth of the commandemeÌ„t of not musâ—ing the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne 1. Cor. 9 Hath the Lord a care of Oxen or doth he not altogether say this for vs For for vs is this written that he which ploweth ought to plow in hope and he that treadeth out the corne in
do wish well vnto the faithful ministers of the church not onely in respect of the dutie of loue but also in regard of the ministerie which they execute Psal 84. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hostes My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the Lord my heart my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Psal 122. I reioyced with them that sayd vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord. Also For my bretheren sake I will now speake peace of thee because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good Thirdly obedience in those thinges 3 Obediēce which appertaine vnto the ministerie Hebr. 4. Obey your Rulers Hethertoo appertaine the workes of loue towardes God and towards our neighbor that is the whole life of a Christian which is the spirituall Sabboth For it is nothing els to kéepe a spirituall Sabboth To keepe a spiritual Sabboth then in the ordering of our life to obey the voyce of God sounding by the ministerie of the Church For God will haue the doctrine learned to this ende that it may be obeyed Iam. 1. Performe ye the word in deed and be not hearers onely deceiuing your selues because if a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer he shall be compared vnto a man beholding the countenance of his birth in a glasse for hee hath behelde himselfe and went his waye and by and by forgetteth what manner one he was And for as much as he will haue this Sabboth to be kepte all our life time hée will haue the examples and testimonies of the same especially to be shewed forth on the outward or ceremoniall Sabboth day that is at those times which are appoynted for the teaching and learning of the word of God He that hath no care to serue the Lord on the Sabboth day vvill not serue him at other times For if a man al the time doo not shewe foorth a desire to obey God when as the doctrine ringeth in his eares and when as other cares being laid aside God will haue vs to thinke vpon godlynesse and repentance he sufficiently declareth that he will not doo it at another time There it hath alwayes bene the manner in the Church on the Sabboth day to giue almes to exercise the workes of loue towardes the néedie Nehem. 8. Send parts vnto him for whom nothing is prepared because it is an holy daye vnto our Lord. God himselfe also doth witnesse Deut. 5. that he will haue the Sabboth kept that rest maye be giuen to seruaunts and to our familie least that with the continuaunce of laboures they should be too much brought downe And 1. Corinth 16. Furthermore as concerning the gathering for the Saintes as I haue appoynted vnto the Churches of Galatia so doo yee also Euerie first daye of the weeke let euerie one of you laye a side with himselfe laying vp that which thorough the gentlenesse of GOD he maye And Actes 2. all these works of the Sabboth are ioyntly expressed together The Disciples were abiding in the doctrine of the Apostles and in fellowshippe and breaking of bread and prayers Fourthlye 4 Thankfulnesse honour comprehendeth also Thankfulnesse that is duties concerning the preseruation of the Ministerie and Ministers For if GOD will haue a Ministerie to be in the Church hée will also that euerye one according to their abilitie doo further the maintenaunce of the same that is that they bestowe theyr money and trauayle vpon the nourishing and defending of godly Ministers and teachers Hethertoo appertaine the lawes of Moses concerning the first borne first fruits tenthes and very many offerings the which were appointed vnto the Priestes Leuites in steade of a stipend wherewithall to maintaine the life of them and theirs that they might attend vppon the ministerie Albeit the circumstaunces of these lawes be abolished taken awaie yet the generall remaineth for euer because God will haue the ministerie preserued euen vntill the end of the worlde Deu. 12. Take heed vnto thy selfe that thou forsake not the Leuite all thy daies vppon thy land 1. Cor. 9. Who goeth on warfare at anie time vpon his owne charges Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke Doth not the lawe also saie these things For it is written in the lawe of Moses Thou shalt not musle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Also If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great matter if we reap your fleshlie things Again Are ye ignorant that they which serue about holie thinges doe eate of the thinges which are of the altar And they that serue at the altar doe take parte of the altar So the Lord hath ordeined that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell 1. Tim. 5. The elders which doe rule well let them be counted worthie of double honour especiallie those that do labour in the word and in doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not musle vp the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And the worke-man is worthie of his hire Math. 10. He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue the reward of a Prophet Héerevnto also pertaineth the examples of the widowe of Sarepta nourishing the Prophet Elias 1. King 17. Of Obadiah sauing the Prophets whome Iezabel did persecute 1. King 18. Of the Church of Damascus letting downe Paule by the wall Acts. 9. In this part of the honour towardes the ministerie is also conteined the maintenaunce of schooles Schooles inasmuch as without the studies of learning and arts men are neither fit to teach neither can the puritie of doctrine be preserued and defended against Heretikes Therefore Christ Math. 11. promiseth a reward vnto those the which for the furtherance and imparting of doctrine do well vnto those which doe either alreadie teach or which are in time to come to teach or whose trauaile doth serue or shall héereafter serue for the preseruation of doctrine 5 Gentlenesse tovvardes the infirmities of ministers Fiftlie and lastlie vnto this honour of the ministerie is also required vprightnes or gentlenesse in bearing with the infirmities of the ministers the which doe not notoriouslie or manifestlie corrupt or forslow their office hurt the Church with offence 1. Tim. 5. Receiue not an accusation against an Elder but vnder two or three witnesses Cōtraries repugnant vnto the vvorkes of the Sabboth Forasmuch then as this is the sanctifiing or hallowing of the Sabboth it followeth that the thinges wherewith the Sabboth is prophaned or broken are contrarie vnto these workes Against the teaching of doctrine is set the leauing or forslowing of the duetie of teaching 1 Vnto doctrine either priuatelie or publiklie Esa 56. All her watch-men are dumbe dogges which are not able to barke sleeping taking their ease verie diligent
times for then as at that time the promise concerning the Messias was not yet giuen and there was one the same condition estate of all mankind the which was comprehended in our first parents but the Sabboth of the seuenth day was ordained of God after the creation of the world was finished before the fall of mankinde therefore it is vniuersall and perpetuall Ansvvere We answere by distinguishing of the Maior the which is true concerning morall lawes the natural knowledges wherof were imprinted in the mind of man in the creation but is not true as touching the ceremonie or kéeping of the seuenth day as which after the fall in the lawe of Moses was made a figure of the benefites to be receiued in the Messias and therefore lyke as other ceremonies either then or before ordeined was made subiect vnto chaunge by the comming of the Messias For God woulde not haue shadowes of things to come to remain the things theÌ„selues being exhibited and giuen alredie Albeit therefore that we graunt that the exercises of the worshippe of God on the seauenth day were to be obserued kept by the commandement of God as wel as if men had not sinned like as the exercise of absteining from the trée of knowledge of good and euill as after they had sinned yet after that God placed this ceremonie among the shadowes of the Messias to come by this selfe same new lawe giuen by Moses he made the same chaungeable together with the other Ceremonies Obiect ∣ on 5 The ende of this precept may bee obtained anie daye If fifthly it be obiected The cause of a law being perpetuall maketh the lawe also to be perpetuall but the cause of halowing the seuenth daye namely the remembraunce and setting forth of the creation and the meditating and thinking vpon the workes of God is perpetuall Therfore the law of the seuenth day eueÌ„ after that Christ is come is vnchangeable c. Ansvvere Héere also we distinguish the Maior namely that the law is vnchangeable in regard of the cause or end vnchangeable if that cause or ende doo necessarilye and perpetually require this law as an effect or meanes but not so if at other times and by other means we may better come vnto that end or if the law-maker by an other law may as well attaine vnto the same end Forasmuch then as there may be a meditation and setting forth of the workes of God as well vppon an other day as vpon the seuenth day as at the beginning for a cause applied vnto the first times God ordeined the seuenth daye for the ministerie so afterward for a cause applied vnto the times of the Messias being come he abrogated or toke away the same lawe and lefte it at libertie vnto the Church to choose other dayes Which Church for a probable and reasonable cause chose the first day on the which the rising againe of Christ fell by the which a spiritual euerlasting Sabboth is begun in vs. The Lord his daye ordeined in the time of the apostles And that this change alteration was made by the Church in the times of the Apostles it appeareth out of the 20. chapter of the Acts The first day of the weeke the Disciples being gathered together to break bread Paule preached Apoc. 1. I was taken in the spirite vpon the Lords day Against the reason of those which dispute against the obseruation or keeping of the first day of the weeke commonlye called the Sunday ObiectioÌ„ But against this kéeping also of the first day among the christians some haue disputed saying that Paule Colos 2. Gal. 4. Rom. 14. forbiddeth in the Church of Christ difference of dayes and therefore that the kéeping of the first day or Sunne day is no lesse to be disallowed then the obseruing of the seuenth day Ansvvere Our obseruation of the Lord his daie differeth from the Ievvish Sabboth Vnto these we must answere by the difference of the Iewish and Christian obseruation The kéeping of the Lorde his day doth differ froÌ„ the Iewish Sabboth first for that the Sabboth of the seuenth day as a ceremonial part of the worship of God might not be omitted of the Iewes or chaunged because of the expresse commandement of God but the Church of Christ 1 In respect of vvorship and necessitie whether it appoint the first day or anie other day for the ministerie doth it without the breach of her libertie to do otherwise if there be iust cause that is to say without the opinion of necessitie or worship Secondly 2 In respect of the figure the old Sabboth was a figure or shadow of things in the new testament to be fulfilled by Christ but in the new testament the signification hath ceased regard is onely had of order comelinesse without the which there can be either no ministerie of the Church at all or els not ordered wel and as it ought to be As concerning the words of the commandement Fiue significations of the vvord Sabboth this name Sabboth is first of all peculiarly attributed vnto the seauenth daye because of God his resting froÌ„ the creation of the world because of the rest of the people of God that day to bee obserued Secondly it signifieth also other feasts in which the people were to rest as well as on the 7. day as for the first day of Easter Leui. 23. The next day after the Sabboth the Priest shall offer a Gomer For the feast of trumpets in the same place In the seauenth moneth on the first daie of the same you shal haue a Sabboth a token of sounding with trumpets an holy conuocation or assembly Also for the feast of Tabernacles The fiftéenth day of the fifth moneth ye shall kéepe a feast vnto the Lorde seuen dayes on the first daie shall be a Sabboth and on the eight daie also shall be a Sabboth In this sense and signification the name Sabboth agréeth also vnto the daies in which in the new Testament the Church doth exercise the publike worship of God Thirdlie by a figure called Synechdoche they also call a weeke of daies a Sabboth as Leuit. 23. From the daie in which ye offer a Gomer of lifting vp there shall be seuen full weekes Math. 28. On the last Sabboth when as it dawned into the first daie of the Sabboths that is to saie of the wéeke Marke 16. Verie earlie the first daie of the Sabboths that is of the wéeke they came vnto the Sepulchre And from hence by a figure called Cathacresis it is takeÌ„ also for a wéeke of yeares Leuit. 25. Thou shalt number vnto thee seauen Sabboths of yeares that is to saie sâ—uen times seuen yeares the which daies of seuen Sabbothes of yeares will make 49 yeares Fourthlie it is taken for euerie seuenth yeare in which the people of the Iewes was commaunded to leaue off the tilling of their ground Leuit. 25. When as yee shall enter into the land
the which I giue vnto you then the land shall keepe a Sabboth vnto the Lord. Sixe yeares thou shalt sowe thy ground c. but in the seauenth yeare there shall be a Sabboth of rest vnto the land a Sabboth vnto the Lorde thou shalt not sowe thy field nor cut thy vineyard And Chap. 26. Then the land shall finish her Sabbothes all the daies in which she hath bene desolate and wast because she rested not in your Sabboths whilest ye dwelled in her Fifthlie by this word Sabboth is vnderstoode spirituall rest that is to say A Spiritual Sabboth ceasing from sinne or the leauing off of our owne workes and the execution or dooing of the workes of God that is of such as are by him commaunded vnto vs and doo appertaine vnto his worship and glorie This spirituall Sabboth is begun in this life in them that are conuerted and is finished in the life euerlasting and is termed a Sabboth or rest both because this is indeede a true rest from labours and miseries and our hallowing and dedicating vnto the worshippe of God and also because that in times past it was signified by the ceremonial Sabboth Heb. 4. There is therfore lefte some rest vnto the people of GOD. For hee that is entered into his rest rested also himself from his works as God rested from his Let vs studie therfore to enter into that rest c. Ies 66. And it shall come to passe that from moneth to moneth and from Sabboth vnto Sabboth all flesh shall come worship before me sayth the Lord. With this commandement agreeth the 1.2 â— signification of the vvorde Sabboth Out of these significations of the word the first and the second haue place in this coÌ„mandement as coÌ„cerning the wordes the fifth by an allegorie This also doth the manner of the figures shew in the ordeining of the which God will alwayes haue their signification to bée vnderstoode and obserued And Esayas chapter 28. If thou tourne awaie thy foote from the Sabboth that thou doe not thine owne will on mine holie daie and call the Sabboth thy delight that it be holie honourable vnto the Lord and shalt honour it that thou doo not thine owne wayes that thine own will be not found and that thou finde not a word And therefore with a vehemencie he saith as of a thing most straightlie commaunded Remember that thou keepe holie the Sabboth daie that is that with greate care and religion thou hallowe it And Exod. 31. Hée commaundeth him to be put to death which shall breake the Sabboth Also Ezech 20. and 22. When as he complaineth of the corruption of the whole worshippe of God he sayth that the Sabboth is broken of which straightnesse in requiring of the kéeping of the Sabboth there are euidentlie apparant two causes especiallie The one for that the neglecting of the ministerie of the Church doeth verie easilie corrupt and blot out the doctrine and worshippe of GOD The other for that by the straight requiring of the figuratiue Sabboth GOD woulde declare the greatnesse and necessitie of the thing signified to wit of the spirituall Sabboth The same may bée vnderstoode by the ende of the ceremoniall and morall commandement touching the Sabboth For GOD will haue the externall or outwarde Sabboth to serue vnto the beginning and finishing in vs of the spirituall Sabboth Hée will not therefore haue that obserued and kepte without this Finallie héereby this same is manifest in that he commaundeth the Sabboth to bée hallowed that is not to bée spent in lasie idlenes but to haue sinne to be auoyded and holy workes to be done therein VVhat it is to keep holy the Sabboth For God is sayd to halow the Sabboth because he appoynteth it vnto the worship of God men also are commanded to halow it that is to say to apply it vnto that ende wherevnto it is ordeined by God or to doo those things the which God hath coÌ„manded in the same to be done Héerevnto apperteyneth that he saith that it is a Sabboth vnto the Lord that is dedicated vnto his worship Sixe daies of vvorke And therefore appointing sixe dayes for other labours and the seuenth vnto the worship of God his meaning is not that the other dayes the worship of God and thinking vppon the workes of God should be omitted or lefte off For it is said Deut. 6. and 11. Thou shalt rehearse them vnto thy sonnes and shalt speake of them wheÌ„ as thou shalt sit in thine house and when as thou shalt walke by the way and when as thou shalt lye in thy bed and when thou shalt arise And Psalme 1. His pleasure is in the lawe of the Lord Tvvo things required 1 and hee meditateth and studieth thereon daye and night But he requireth these two things the first that on the Sabboth daye not onelie the priuate as at other times 2 On the Sabboth the works of our ordinarie calling ought to cease but also the publike worship of God be exercised in the Church the other that at that time other labours which on other daies euerie man doth exercise according vnto his vocation calling should giue place as well vnto the priuate as publike worship of God Yet Iewish superstition is to bée taken héede off It is lavvful on the Sabboth to doo vvorks the vvhich do not hinder the exercise of the ministerie the which also Christ in the Gospell doth often confute namelie that it was vnlawfull on the Sabboth daye to doe anie workes appertaining vnto the necessitie of their owne lyfe or the life of others for it appeareth by the end of the commaundement that onelie seruile workes or such as hinder the exercise of the ministerie are forbidden by God and not such as doe not hinder the publike worshippe of God or else doe further nourish and set forth the same So Math. 12. Christ defendeth his Disciples plucking the eâ—res of corne on the Sabboth daie to driue awaie hunger healeth him that had a withered hand Luke 13. Healeth a woman that had béene sicke 18. yeares And Chapter 14. Healeth one sicke of the dropsie Iohn 5. Healeth one that had an infirmitie 38. yeares and biddeth him carrie awaie his bed And Mathew 12. Luke 14. sayth That without anie sinne on the Sabboth daie cattell or beastes falling into a ditch are thence drawen out and Luke 13. That cattell are loosed and driuen to water And Iudas Machabeus fought on the Sabboth that there might be some to kéepe the Sabboth 2. Machab. 15. And of this and such like acts two reasons are giuen 1. Machab. 2. If we so do as our brethren haue done that wee fight not against the Gentiles for our life religion they will now on a sodaine driue vs out of the land Therefore they appointed within theÌ„selues within with these words what meÌ„ so euer shall by battaile set vpon vs on the Sabboth daie we wil fight with them least we
hope ought to be partaker of his hope c. The reason which is added The reson of the cōmandement the rest of God taken from God his resting apperteineth vnto the circumstance or ceremoniall precept concerning the seuenth day God rested on that day that is to say he ceased to make new parts of the world as which was alreadie perfected and finished and such as God would haue it for to be This daye therefore he dedicated or appoynted vnto the worship of God first VVhy the seauenth day vvas appoynted vnto the vvorship of God that by the example of his rest as by a most effectuall and strong argument he might exhort men vnto the following of him in leauing off of the ordinarie works of the 6. dayes as God on the seuenth daye rested from the workes of the sixe dayes that is from the creating of newe partes of the world Secondly that this rest of the seuenth day might be a monument and token of the perfecting and fi◠ishing of the creation by God and of the continuing on that day of the perpetual preseruation and gouerning of his workes vnto his glorie benefit of his elect and chosen and therefore might be a spur vnto the consideration and setting forth of these works and benefites towardes mankinde for whose sake all other things are made and preserued by God that out of the same mankinde made and formed after his owne image he might gather and preserue a Church vnto himselfe the which in this life and for euer might praise him The resting of mē tvvo-fold Now the imitation and following of his rest vnto the which by his owne example he doth exhort vs is of two sorts ceremoniall and signifying and morall or spirituall or signified For the workes the which are called the workes of men are of two sorts for some are by God commanded vnto euerie particular person but yet hindering the publike worship of God if they be cōtinued without intermission or ceasing namelye the workes of euerie man his proper vocation and calling the ministerie of the church and such things as appertaine vnto the exercise and preseruation of the same excepted Some are forbiddē by God namely sinnes the which are in such sort the proper workes of the diuell and of men that in this respect that they are sinnes they can in no wise be referred vnto God Both these kindes of workes of men are forbidden but in a three-fold difference of forbidding The first is workes are forbidden in a certaine respect Three differēces in vvorkes forbiddē namely so farre foorth as they hinder the ministerie of the church or giue offence but sinnes are forbidden simply The second for that workes are onely forbidden on the Sabboth daye but sinnes are commanded to be lefte at all times The thirde for that the ceasing from workes is a figure but the ceasing from sinnes is the thing signified by the figure and therefore ordeined by the appoynting of this figure according vnto the exposition of the figure set down Heb. 4. He that is entered into his rest rested also himselfe from his workes as God did from his The summe therefore of the commanment is The sum of the 4. commandement that it establisheth the publike worship of god or ministery of the church and the exercise and honour of the same For this is the halowing or holy of vse the Sabboth that is to saye of the time appoynted vnto the ministerie when as on that day holy workes the which God hath commanded at that time to be done are exercised The vvorks of the Sabboth Now the partes of this halowing or the workes of the Sabboth the which on the Sabboth ought to bee done partly by the Ministers and partly by the Church are these especially 1 To teach the church Truly to teach the Church concerning God and his will For in this place is spoken of the dutie of the Ministers of the Church vnto whom it appertaineth not onely in the publike assemblyes of the Church faithfully to deliuer teach true doctrine but as necessitie occasion shall be offered to instruct and admonish euen particular persons and to employ themselues vnto the amendment and saluation of all them that are committed to their charge Proues for publike doctrine Concerning doctrine in the meetings of the Church there is spoken Exod 12. The first and seuenth day of Easter there shall be vnto you an holy conuocation or assembling together Leuit. 10. That ye teach the children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath spokē vnto thē by the hand of Moses Act. 13. They fulfilled the wordes of the Prophets the which are read euery Sabboth And chap. 15. For Moses of olde hath them in euerie Citie which preach him when as hee is read in the Sinagogues euerie Sabboth And cap. 17. And Paule as his custome was went in vnto them and three Sabboth daies disputed with them out of the scripture c. proues for priuate instruction admonition As touching the office of ministers in priuate instruction and admonition we read Act. 17. He reasoned in the Sinagogue with the Iewes and religious persons in the market daily with all that he met And cap. 20. Take heed therefore vnto your selues and vnto the whole flocke in the which the holye Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the church of God c. Againe Watch therfore remembring that I by the space of three yeares ceased not day and night with teares to admonish euerie one 2. Tim. 4. Preach the word bee earnest in season out of season rebuke reprooue exhort with all mildenesse and doctrine But watch thou in all thinges suffer do the worke of an Euangelist 2 To minister the sacraments giue full proofe of thy ministerie To minister the Sacramentes according vnto the ordinance of God And as doctrine so also the administration of the Sacraments is not tied vnto those daies in which the méetings of the Church are made but it is sufficient concerning the publike ministration if it be done by the ministers of the church as those which do represent a publike person and roome of God in the ministerie speaking vnto men and that those things be done in the assemblyes of the Church the which God hath tied vnto the ministers So circumcision was ministred at anye daye which was the eight day after the birth of the childe so baptisme may be ministred on any day Act 8. 10. Yet the ministring of the Sacrament ought especially to bee vsed on the Sabboth daye And therefore Numb 28. and. 29. besides the daily sacrifices there are also set forth certaine sacrifices which ought to be vsed on the Sabboth and other holy dayes And Christ in such sort ordained his supper as the which among other endes ought also to be the sinowe of the Congregation of the church that it might be ministred either in a small or great assembly of