for the eating and consuming of meate but that in enioying the coÌ„forr of God his creatures he might praise the Lord the more freely Neither can any man hereof iustly gather that therfore on this day he may fil himselfe with meate as he lusteth because that were rather to vnable than to enable him to keepe holy the Sabbath Againe we say in like maner that labour that is the commoditie that commeth by labour was made for man not man for the labour but for the glorie of God which by labour in his lawfull calling he may gaine to the Lord. Wherefore seeing the rest was appointed only but as meanes wherby man may the more fitly sanctifie the Sabbath and the disciples did eate this corne that they might be the fitter thereunto it is manifest they did not violate the sanctifying of the Sabbath Besides though no man can say that the Sacraments are figuratiue yet the Sacraments were made for man not man for the Sacraments that is for the bare vse of the elements although it must needs be graunted that to vse the word and Sacraments in purenes and holines for the further strengthening of our faith is one of the chiefest and most principall duties of man How be it in respect they be but meanes and are to giue place to the end to the which they are ordained I am perswaded that though the congregation were busie either in hearing the word preached or in receiuing the Sacraments ministred yet if an house being on fire were in loue to be helped the former actions were to giue place to the latter For we reade Act. 20. 10. where Paul being occupied in preaching and espying a young man who was in a dead sleepe fallen downe dead made no conscience to cease from speaking to goe downe to lay himselfe vpon the young man to imbrace him vntill his spirit returned into him and afterward went vp againe and continued his preaching Wherefore in all these reasons we may see how Christ did shew vnto the Iewes that they peruersly did stand in the ceremonie and did not abrogate the Sabbath Here then is a farre contrarie argument to that which these men affirme For seeing our Sauiour Christ might in one word haue shewed it to be a ceremonie if he had purposed any such thing and not haue so amplified the matter we see he rather speaketh against their superstitious opinion and abuse of the Sabbath than affirmeth any such thing as these men do surmise To these former reasons we may adde that which is Matth. 24. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day This say they sheweth that the persecution of Ierusalem should be by so much the more grieuous to the Iewes if it fell on the Sabbath because then it was not lawfull for them to flie so that if they stayed they were like to lose their liues by falling into the hands of their enemies if they fled they should breake the Law of God so become subiect to the punishment thereof But this was nothing in the purpose of our Sauiour Christ who therefore forewarned them to pray that the destruction of the citie should not fall on the Sabbath because then it would be the more grieuous punishment vnto them when besides the hauocke of their owne bodies they should see the glorie of God thrust through the sides the Temple polluted the worship of God prophaned the word of God blasphemed and the Sabbath of the Lord defiled The truth whereof appeareth in this that troubles the time of their visitation should come vpon them when the Sabbath should not be ceremoniall as now it was when Christ spake vnto them but at such time as men should worship God in spirit and trueth without all shadowes and figures when Christ should be ascended into heauen as indeed it came to passe So that this should increase the griefe of so many as sincerely worshipped the Lord that when they should reioyce in the holy worship of God they should mourne and lament for the enemies horrible blaspheming the name of God and that when they should sing the praises of God they would sigh and houle to see the open despite of God and his trueth In respect of which miserable calamities our Sauiour Christ foresheweth the wofull estate that should be in those daies of them which were with child and gaue sucke For though the fruite of the wombe and multiplying of children in respect of themselues were the good blessings of God yet the estate of those times should be so dangerous that euen the blessings of God should be turned to curses and the children which otherwise were a comfort vnto them should now increase their trouble discomfort and sorrow Wherefore it is certaine that Christ neither meant that euery day should be alike for then he would not distinctly haue pointed at this day neither did he thinke it to be a ceremonie because he knowing the time when ceremonies should cease would haue been so farre off from nourishing them in their superstition that being the Prophet of God he would in this as in other things rather teach them the pure vse of the Sabbath Thus hauing spoken of those places in the Gospell which might seeme to make against the Sabbath now let vs speake of those places in the epistles of the Apostles that we may see whether they containe any sound trueth for their purpose howsoeuer they be thought to haue some hold in shew These allegations are either out of the epistles of Paul or the epistles to the Hebrues out of the epistles of Paul which he wrote to the Romans to the Galathians or to the Colossians The place which they bring out of the epistle to the Romans is in the 14 chap. vers 1. Him that is weake in the faith receiue vnto you but not for controuersies of disputations 2. One beleeueth that hee may eate of all things and another which is weake eateth hearbes 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him 4. Who arâ— thou that condemnest anothâ—r mans sâ—ruant he standeth or fallâ—th to his â—wne maister yea he shall be established for God is able to make him stand 5. This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another man counteth euery day alike lâ—t euery man be fully perswaded in his minde 6. He that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it â—â—t to the Lord c. In this last verse they would gather that a man might make choise of daieâ— as he will and as in a thing indifferent And some learned expositors affirme that the Apostle in this chapter intreateth of things which in their owne nature are indifferent and therefore here we are to vse theÌ„ in loue As I grant this to be the general scope of the place so I deny it to
whereas the Lord might absolutely command vs yea he affoords not onely a reason but many reasons as foure in number which is to none else that euery way we might be perswaded Now he vseth the word of remembring for a speciall watchword of watchfulnes which importeth thus much Whatsoeuer ye do do this and do it with care haue a speciall regard to this in any case forget it not that so we might thinke the breaking of this day to be no trifle it is taken carefully froÌ„ vs when we giue a special charge Deut. 5. Take heed to this day remember it ere it come ye may be ouertaken By the Sabbath is meant the holy rest so the land hath a Sabbath and this day is exempted by God from the rest to this end Indeed by nature all daies were alike and common till God seuered one which for his sake and the ends sake must be distinguished from the ordinarie daies so all men and creatures were common vntill the Lord set them apart to speciall vses The Sabbath is wholy morall tows and to our Fathers partly morall and partly ceremoniall to the Iewes vnto whome euery commaundement had a ceremonie first by reason of their weaknes secondly because they were vnder the clowde Now they are cut off But before them was the morall vse of this precept euen from the beginning Exod. 16. nay Gen. 2. and no tradition quenched it So our Sabbath continues and takes hold on the conscience True it is euery day we are bound to sacrifice and not to forget our dutie Psal. 1. 2. we must pray continually and Dauid sacrificed thrise a day Psalm 55. but this day must be wholly sanctified no part of it must be giuen to other things to look to our selues in So Adam had a vocation and a rest in part and wholy for nature distract can doe nothing well As for the cremonie of the day it was in the seuenth day but that is altered into the day wherein our Redemption was finished and the world renewed and therefore by the Apostles themselues this day was instituted 1. Cor. 16. Actes 20. 7. For the name it is plaine Apoc. 1. 10. The rest of it in regard of the straight-yoke was from gathering sticks Numb 13. 32. from kindling a fire Exod. 35. 3. and the sanctifying of it was in killing of Lambs and offering flowers The Sabbath is a signe but not a ceremonie as the tree in Paradise it doth admonish of the true Rest is a pledge of the euerlasting Rest. It is the agreement betweene the Lord and vs Exod. 31. 17. Ezech. 20. 12. It is the market-Market-day of the soule to gather Manna which is the bread of life Well we must first rest from what froÌ„ our owne worke works words and delights for the Law is spirituall Esai 58. 15. First we must rest from the works and labours of the sixe dayes which are heere opposed to rest from bearing burthens Iere. 17. from gathering Manna Exod. 16. which was their foode from treading the wine-presses and making bargaines Nehem. 13. from bringing sheaues Ibidem both in Earing time and Haruest Exod. 34. 21. To worke on the Sabbath is to defile it Exod. 3. The plague of fire is God his iudgement of it Ierem. 17. 27. Gods seueritie by death Exod. 35. As for the sanctifying of it GOD hath made it holie Gene. 2. 3. By his blessing he associateth vs to make it holy as well as himselfe that is by our obedience He hath done what he can to make it holie let not vs prophane it he will not account it holy vnles we so vse it We must therefore separate it from the comon vses as the Church the font the cup which are pu to holy vses to the worship of GOD the furthering of religion First we must seperate into Gods worke as preaching Luc. 4. 16. Reading Acts. 13. 13. Prayer 16. 13 conference Mala. 3. Meditation Psalm 92. or any good worke Matth. 12. 12. whatsoeuer sheweth in vs the power of Christ his Resurrection Now to the reasons It were a great sinne not to yeeld to his Commaundement a greater not to yeelde to his perswasionss His first eason is Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. This is rather a permission than a commandement as was that of eating of the Trees in Paradice If GOD had giuen vs one for our selues and kept sixe for himselfe it had bene equitie in him to command and dutie in vs to obey now he hath kept but one for himselfe and that for profite too To breake the commaundement in respect of such liberalitie were great sinne as we may see in Nathans conference in Aeuaes reasoning and in Iosephs argument with his Mistris as also in Ioâ—s speach to his wife And doe all that thou hast to doe That is Finish all ere this day come Reserue this wholy to GOD vse not this to performe any part of thy busines For therefore haue I parted the sixe dayes and giuen thee them that this one may be wholy mine Secondly the Lord saith it is his Sabbath therfore not ours neither to vse it in our Fayres our Haruest or our plaies So that the offence reboundeth vp to heauen Rom. 13. 2. In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke Here is the negatiue part worke sixe dayes Rest the seuenth in them doe all in this doe none a flat antithesis GOD hath dealt prodigally with vs let vs not deale sparingly with him Thou thy sonne We see he begins with the superiour ergò he ought to be so far from hindering that he must looke to the sanctifying of this day and prouide that his inferiours and they in his gouernement rest as well as hee both from their owne and from their Maisters busines The practise whereof we may reade Nehem. 13. And the reason is good because in respect of God and his seruice there is no respect of Master and seruant so that though the superiour rest himselfe if he prouide that all his house doe rest as well as himselfe hee violateth the Lords rest Deut. 6. 7. Thy cattell for bodily rest This sheweth Gods mercie to be great which prouideth for man and beast and this hee doth that too much might not be exacted of the creature but that they might haue a breathing time And secondly that wee seeing them rest might the more effectually be moued to rest our selues as the King of Niniuie Thy stranger We must haue Lots care ouer the bodie of our strangers they are of our iurisdiction whiles they are vnder our roofe and wee must sanctifie our house much more euery man must be sanctified GOD thus in setting downe euery particular takes away all occasion of quarrelling in the breach of this law For in sixe dayes This is set downe that in the Lords method wee might consider of his workes as Dauid Psalm 139. and Iob chapt 10. Wee haue the example and practise of it in GOD
For of this be assured in that measure we like of sinne in that measure is hypocrisie in vs. Secondly we must haue a single care to approue our selues vnto God himselfe and to set forth his glorie in wel-doing without hope of reward albâ—it trouble come vpon vs for it And here saith hee where as Pharisaicall Papists which neuer knewe the the true efficient nor matter nor forme nor ende of a good worke haue in elder ages farre past many of our cold Gospelâ—ers it is a signe there be but a fewe righteous men on earth And if here wee shall finde in our selues much rebellion and hypocrisie yet marke euer our chiefest drift in all our actions for it is one thing to doe a thing for hypocrisie and another thing mixt with hypocrisie The third marks is euen to proceede on in euery good grace and in all obedience not to stay in the beginning or to â—ide backe when we are gone somewhat forward And here yet Goâ—s children may both linger and fâ—ll but they mislike and mourne for their lingering and if they fall they take better hold of Christ in a new repentance and because by their fall they haue lost much ground they runne the faster and cheerefuller in the rest of their raâ—e The fourth note of a righteous man is to loue righteous manners and righteous matters as wel in others as in our selues we must loue our superiours before vs to follow them our equals to confirme them and to be confirmed by them our inferiours to instruct them and to helpe them forward in the waies of godlines And thus farre this treatise The fourth portion of this booke containeth his short notes of election The fift treatise is of a contract before mariage And here first for the commendation of this holy contract he vseth these arguments 1. That it seemeth the light of nature commends it for that the very Heathen did like it and approue it 2. Our bâ—essed presidents set before vs in holy Scripture they likewise recommend it in their practise 3. The holy law instituting the same punishment for the pollution of parties contracted which it doth vpon adulterers argueth a contract to bee a speciall promise greatly respected of God In the next place hee sheweth that a contract is a preparation of the parties contracted by prayer and instruction to present themselues for mariage in a speciall time appointed publikely before God and his congregation Lastly he giueth the parties contracted many holy instructions and exhortations all grounded vpon the articles of faith and the decalogue Thus â—at the contract an argument greatly desired I am well assured of many because so fewe in our age haue written of it Now the sixth part followeth and that is a very large and learned treatise of the Sabbath the principall contents whereof as briefly as I could contract them I haue disposed in this order First he sheweth the necessitie of this argument from the inconuenience of breaking and the commodities and blessings of keeping the same â— Inconueniences are many set downe in respect of the wicked and vnbeleeuers as also the true beleeuers in the Church of God which moue many scruples concerning it for that they are not throughly taught nor perswaded of it The commodities and fruites also which follow the right vnderstanding and obseruation of the Sabbath are mâ—ny and great for that this day is the Lords market day wherein he laies open the manifold graces of his holy spirit 2. The method of handling this argument may be thus 1. This Commandement is 1. Affirmatiue and 2. Negatiue The rest not so 2. The reasons for confirmation 1. From the end in the word Remember 2. From the authoritie of the Law-giueâ— The seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord. 3. From the equitie of it Sixe dayes thou shalt worke 4. From proportion of the Lords owne example in the creation For in sixe dayes c. A fift reason may be couched vnder all from the time of the first institution if before the law it was so effectuall to keepe out sinne then much more needfull now to recouer vs from sinne and to keepe vs being recouered 3. Generally he noteth how this commaundement is for words larger and for reasons fuller than any other commaundement because men will neither in reason so soone admit it nor in affection be so readie to embrace and practise it For thus hath hee done with all the rest of the Commandements which finde entertainment and loue among men 4. This Commandement alone hath a preface in the word Remember where wee be taught in this first reason that if we desire to knowe and to obey God according to the first and second tables remember this law set as it were betweene both Secondly that this law was giuen before and alwaies practised in the Church of God Exod 16. before the promulgation in Sinaâ— Wherefore it is not ceremoniall as some phantâ—stically haue conceiued He addeth many reasons this speciall argument is one The first ende is the principall sanctifie the Sabbath was the first end and it is the principall 5. The secoÌ„d reason is from the equitie of the law that the Lord granting vs freely sixe dayes to trauell to merchaÌ„â—ize for our selues we should not presume to intermeddle â—or inuade the Lords owne day the seuenth day reserued for himselfe And here againe against the adâ—â—â—saries he sâ—ith if these Commaundements be ceremoniall then the permission of sixe daies for worke alsâ— is but of the same nature 6. The third reason is taken from the authoritie of the law giuer The Sabbath of the Lord because it must be wholy spent vpon the Lord or attending and waiting â—n him If the Ieweâ— had neede of this whole day for their instruction c. then haue we neede as well as they that being freed from the manifold distraction of our callings we might wholy giue our selues to the worship of God commanded in the Gospell 7. The fouâ—th and last reason is drawne from the proportion of Gods owne example In sixe daies God made c. where he sheweth that God hath promised a speciall blessing to this day in the true sanctification of it 8. After all this he meetes with very speciall obiections which are brought by aduersaries to preiudice the doctrine of the Sabbath against the morall obseruâ—ion of it And here to know what is morally and ceremonially commanded in the Old Testament he giueth vs this speciall rule when a thing is vrged to the Iewes and hath a peculiar reason made properly to the Iâ—w then as it begun with the Iewes it ceased with the Iewes but when the reason of the thing vâ—ged is not peculiar to the Iewes but also belongeth to the Christians then the thing commandeâ— is common to Iew and Gentile 9. The Gentiles by the light of nature can no more see the true Sabbath of the Lord than the pure meanes and manner which the Lord hath appoynted for
all sound learned whereof I haue read some there were no figures vntill sinne came into the world from which our Parents were yet free but a meane to keepe them in innocencie in that notwithstanding their excellent creation they were subiect to falling therefore this ende must be the chiefest This was not onely giuen to the posteritie of Abraham but to the whole posteritie of Adam and therefore it was not proper to the Iewes being first begunne in Paradise and then afterward renewed in Mount Sinai So that this morall ende was the first ende and common ende and although as the Iewes had a more speciall cause of worshipping God in that they had receiued a more peculiar deliuerance when they could haue no rest in Egypt they on this day did remember their rest yet neuertheles this was not the ende but rather a reason why they did keepe the Sabbath as we may see also Exod. 23. 12. where the Lord commandeth the seuenth day to rest adding as a reason not as an end that thine Oxe and thine Asse may rest the sonne of thy Mayde and the stranger may be refreshed Where this sparing of the beasts is added as a reason drawne from that humanitie which is in the Law not as a thing for this speciall end in this precept commanded which is proper rather to the sixt Commaundement and but accessarie vnto this For which cause this ceremonie being but accessarie cannot take away the principall and being the latter it cannot take away the former It is no good reason that the accessarie being taken away the principall should also be abrogated but rather on the contrarie the accessarie remooued the principall may remaine the appertinance being past the more general substance may continue and though the latter be disanulled the former may be vnabolished Wherefore though the ceremoniall ende which was but an accessarie and added afterward as a thing peculiar to the Iewes is gone with them to whome this law was made yet the morall ende which was the principall and first giuen out as a thing generall to all appertaineth still vnto vs. Lastly whatsoeuer seuereth either God from man or man from man the same is abrogated the law Morall which is free from all ceremonies and through Christ requireth nothing but a sincere thogh imperfect obedience as being voyd of all rigour and exempted from the curse doth not seuer God from man nor man from man Therefore the Lawe morall is not abrogated For nothing is disanulled but the rigour and curse of the Lawe which made a diuorcement betweene God and man and the ceremonie of the Law which made a separation betweene man and man that is betweene the Iewe and the Gentile as we may gather Coloss 2. and Galat. 4. Wherefore we affirme that as it was peculiar to the Iewes as concerning their deliuerance that ende of the Sabbath is ceased but as it is common to vs with them and all others to bee preserued in the meanes of true worship the Sabbath is to bee obserued So that not the doctrine and sincere obedience of the Sabbath but the curse of the Lawe and rigorous keeping of the Sabbath is abrogated When one thing hath diuers endes if one ende be remoued the other may remaine For as the Sacraments in the time of the law had two ends the one to foreshew that Christ should come the other to assure them what they should haue in Christ when he came and in that they did foreshew Christ to come they are gone as they assured vs what we haue in Christ they remaine still with vs. And as for one example we may see in the Sacrament of Circumcision two ends the one a signe of the circūcision of the flesh which is now ceased the other a seale of Repentance and Faith and so it is vnto vs remaining a token of imitation though not in the same manner of administration that is in circumcision yet in the same matter to that effect to wit in Baptisme so likewise the Sabbath hauing two endes the one morall the other ceremoniall As it was ceremoniall and was giuen to the Iewes as they were Iewes it was proper to the Iewes but as it was morall not giuen to the Iewes alone but to our first fathers before the Iewes and to the Gentiles after the Iewes it remaineth no lesse to all men after the Iewes ceased to bee a peculiar people then the comming together to one place doth yet appertaine vnto vs. For although in that the Iewes came together to one place as it represented the Church of God it is taken away because God is present with vs in all places yet as they had it to establish them in their worship and we need as necessary helps for religion as euer they needed the same remaineth with vs. Now if the Sabbath were but a signe of spirituall rest as some haue phantasticallie thought and not rather an holie schoole to teach vs the worship of God we would graunt it ceremoniall but sceing this is according to the first institution and that ceremony but in time and for a time was added vnto it though we haue not their day yet we haue a resting day as though we haue not their seales yet wee haue seales and though the accessarie bee gone and ended with them yet the principall continueth to vs and remaineth after them Wherefore wee conclude this first reason that as the Sabbath is morall we must keepe it in truth though in weaknes knowing that the rigour of the Law being gone with the curse and ceremonie we haue a promise to haue our weaknes and defects heerein forgiuen vs in Christ as we haue in all other things Now let vs come to the second reason drawne as wee haue shewed from the equitie of the law and contained in these words Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day c. This appeareth to be no hard law nor burthensome but easie and such a one as all may yeeld vnto it For seeing the Lord hath giuen vs six daies for our calling then let vs not thinke it strange or straight that he hath reserued and taken vp the seuenth day to himselfe who if hee had cōmanded one day to worke and another to be bestowed in his worship for the glorious profession of his Name might iustly haue challenged it This reason then is such that for iustice and equitie cannot bu◠prouoke our obedience and more forcibly chargeth vs if we be disobedient This kind of argument is vsuall in the booke of God as Genes 3. 2. 3. where our mother Euah frameth this reason to the Serpent very well had she stood to it Wee eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden but of the fruite of the tree which is in the middest of the garden God hath said Ye shall not eate of it c. Wherein as she commendeth the mercie of God in giuing them so largely
creatures of water bread and wine in the Sacraments but acknowledge all inward grace to proceede from God his blessing and institution so we promise vnto our selues on the Lord his day a greater blessing not for any thing in the day it selfe but by reason of God his owne ordinance and promise of a blessing to the same And as we denie not a blessing from the Lord on priuate prayer reading and conference but acknowledge a greater blessing to be due euen by the Lord his owne promise to these exercises publike in cōparison of the other so wee denie not the grace of God to be vpon those houres redeemed from our outward callings and consecrated to the Lord but confesse a more speciall blessing from God to belong to that whole day which the Lord hath taken vp to himselfe alone and that for his owne promise sake vnto all them which come with simple hearts to obey his holy commaundement Now hauing gone through these reasons which proue the Sabbath day to be morall and that this commaundement is no lesse to be obserued than the other nine before we enter into the exposition of the law it selfe it shal be cōuenient to meet with such reasons as some men bring to preludice the trueth of that which hath beene alreadie spoken which being done by God his grace we will come to the other The reasons against the Sabbath may briefely be reduced into such as either seeme to be drawne out of the expresse words of the Scriptures or else by some consequence to be gathered from the Scriptures The arguments borrowed from the written word are either out of the olde Testament or out of the new they which are contained in the olde are taken either out of the lawe or out of the Prophets Out of the lawe they make much a doe about that which is written Exod. 31. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. where the Lord faith this vnto Moses Speake thou vnto the children of Israel and say Notwithstanding keepe ye my Sabbaths for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that ye may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you Ye shall therefore keepe the Sabbath for it is holy vnto you he that defileth it shall die the death therefore whosoeuer worketh therein the same person shall be euen cut off from among his people Sixe daies shall men worke but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the holy rest to the Lord whosoeuer doth any worke on the Sabbath day shall die the death Wherefore the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath that they may obserue the rest throughout their generations for an euerlasting couenant It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and in the seuenth day hee ceased and rested Out of these words they snatch these three reasons First they triumph before the conquest and say it is manifest that it is a signe and therefore as they please to conclude it is a figure True it is that it is here called a signe vers 13. as also Ezech. 20. 12 it is plaine howbeit this is no good reason that seeing the Sabbath is a signe therefore it is a figure or shadowe For although euery figure and shadowe be a signe yet euery signe is not a figure or shadow A figure foresheweth a trueth afterwards to be reuealed a shadow betokeneth a bodie hereafter to be exhibited but a signe as it doth sometimes signifie a thing afterwards to be looked for so it doth sometimes assure vs of a thing alreadie performed The figure ceaseth when the trueth commeth there is no vse of the shadow when the body is present but the signe and the thing signified may be ioyned together and both of them serue for a present vse Againe they gather out of the 16. verse of the chapter which we haue in hand where it is said The children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath that they may obserue the rest through their generations for an euerlasting couenant that because the Sabbath of God is his couenant for euer that is vntill Christ it is ceremoniall True it is that the lawe admitteth this phrase of speech sundrie times to say for euer that is vntill Christ in whom al things are fulfilled But we must obserue this general rule as our guide when we will know what figures and ceremonies end in Christ and what morall precepts belong vnto vs. When a thing is vrged to the Iewes and hath a peculiar reason made properly to the Iewe and appertaineth nothing to the Christian then as it begunne with the Iewes as they were Iewes it ceased with the Iewes but when the reason of the thing vrged is not peculiar to the Iewes but also belongeth to the Christians then the thing commanded is not proper to the Iew but common to the Iew and Gentile Wherefore let vs square out the reason by the line of this generall rule It is here added v. 17. For in six daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and in the seuenth day he ceased and rested Where if it had beene said they shall obserue the rest for an euerlasting couenant because they were brought out of Egypt I would haue graunted it to haue beene peculiar to the Iewes but seeing this is the reason the Lord rested which is common not to the posteritie of Abraham alone but to the whole posteritie of Adam the commaundement must be granted generall both to Iew and Gentile For it is a common instruction to all men in all ages to labour six daies wherein the Lord made the heauen and the earth and to cease from labour the seuenth day because in it the Lord rested The plaine sense then of this place is briefly this as if the Lord should say I made this law in the beginning of the world and it shall last to the end of the world I made it to Adam the father of all generations and it shall endure to the last of all his posteritie from generation to generation I made this law to ease my selfe after my great paines taken in the creating of the world in sixe daies and you shall keepe it to ease your mindes which are fraught with many distractions by reason of your ordinarie callings in those daies Neither would I haue any to thinke that the Lord had neede of any refreshing who being infinite cannot be subiect to distractions or wearines but we must know that where the Lord is said that he refreshed himselfe by taking view of his creatures he commendeth his loue to vs ward in shewing rather what ought to be in vs than what was in him For such alacritie and diligence should we vse in our callings as we should be glad when the Lords day commeth that in it we shall recouer our selues and ease our mindes of those distractions which burthen vs in our outward calling and so
shall enter into my rest although the workes were finished from the foundation of the world 4. For hee spake in a certaine place of the seuenth day on this wise And God did rest the seuenth day from all his workes 5. And in this place againe If they shall enter into my rest 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter thereinto and they to whom it was first preached entred not therein for vnbeleefes sake 7. Againe hee appointed in Dauid a certaine day by To day after so long a time saying as it is saide This day if yee heare his voyce harden not your hearts 8. For if Iesus had giuen them rest then would hee not after this day haue spoken of another 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God 10. For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his 11. Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest least any man fall after the same example of disobedience Behold say they the Sabbath which Christians must obserue is to rest from sin I answere this is not proued For this was as well to the Iewes as it is to the Christians For it is said Psal. 95. To day if ye will heare his voyce 8. Harden not your heart c. This the Prophet wrote after Caleb and Ioshua had entred into Canaan whither though many entred not yet some entred so that they had euen that rest then as well as we haue now Wherefore it doth not follow because the resting from sinne is also enioyned to the Christians as a pure vse of the Sabbath therefore it taketh away the other Againe the resting of God from his workes cannot be a figure of resting from sinne no more than God his workes can be a figure of sinfull workes Now seeing the Lord here vseth an argument of proportion betweene his workes and our workes his ceasing from his workes and our ceasing from our workes because betweene the figure and the thing figured must be some proportion and resemblance I pray you what proportion is there betweene God his workes and our sinnes what analogie betwixt God his resting from his workes and our resting from sinne Againe that it cannot be here meant of the rest from sinne it is manifest because that which is here spoken is set downe to Adam Genes 2. 2. 3. at what time there was no sinne in the world and therefore no resting from sinne therefore no figure of resting from sin because all the learned herein agree that there were no figures before sinne Besides and fourthly the Apostle sheweth that this rest is meant of the kingdome of heauen For as Dauid spake this of the land of Canaan so the Apostle speaketh it of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore he concludeth Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest where we shall not onely rest from sinne but from all our ordinarie workes of our callings where shall neither be eating nor drinking nor marying nor giuing in mariage And as the people before were threatned that for their vnbeleefe and disobedience they should not enter into the land of Canaan so we are here threatned that vnlesse we studie and striue against these things we shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Howbeit although the Sabbath was not a figure vnto Adam of resting from sinne yet it was vnto him a signe that he should come to the kingdome of God where should neither be eating nor drinking nor marying all which seeing Adam had it is manifest that he was not in the kingdome of God as yet The Sabbath then did put him in minde that he should not alwaies be working but that he should be translated though not die for although he was created in innocencie yet not free from being translated to a better place at God his good time but as the Apostle saith he should haue been changed as were Enâ—ch and Eliah though after a more excellent manner We haue now the Lords day which assureth vs that as now by faith and hope we enioy the life to come so hereafter these two ceasing we shall more fully and perfectly enioy the same and as our Sacraments purely vsed shew a thing not to come but alreadie past so this day truly kept is a resemblance of a thing not past but to come For as on this day from the morning to euening we praise God if we keepe the day holie and yet withdrawne and interrupted with many by-thoughts and secret distractions so in heauen being freed from worldly carnall fearefull and manifold affections and troubles we shall more continually praise the Lord. What is then the alluding of this word rest This it is As God rested from his workes after he had made the world so we must rest from our workes What from the workes of sinne no from the workes of our callings and consequently from the workes of sinne much more So the analogie betwixt the Lord his rest and ours teacheth vs that we must rest from our ordinarie workes and this rest putteth vs in minde of that continuall Sabbath wherein when we cease from working eating drinking sleeping marying and all such workes as we are subiect vnto with corruption then also shall we vndoubtedly cease from sinne which kinde of rest in fulnes we must not looke for in this life This is a generall rule in Diuinitie to be obserued that of one place of Scripture there is but one naturall and proper sense although by consequence searching out the contraries the causes the effects and such like other things may be also gathered out of it If the words be more proper and naturall the sense is more proper and naturall if the words be borrowed and metaphoricall then is the sense borrowed and metaphoricall Now allusions are not so much for the proofe confirmation of the matter as for the amplifying and illustrating of the same For example 2. Corinth 13. 1. the Apostle saith This is the third time I come vnto you Where we must vnderstand how the Apostle had been with them once in bodily presence and twice wrote vnto them and yet he saith this is the third time I come vnto you He alludeth then to this as yee see O Corinthians in the law that two or three witnesses were sufficient to confirme the good and condemne the euill so I haue beene with you thrice which is sufficient to confirme the faith of the godly to leaue the vngodly without excuse Againe Rom. 10. 18. we reade But I demaund Haue they not heard No doubt their sound went throughout all the earth and their words into the ends of the world Here we see the Apostle alludeth to that Psal. 19. 4. which is meant of the day and the night This is then the allusion As the day and the night spread ouer the whole world so the Apostles were sent to preach ouer the whole world Againe Galat. 4. Paul alludeth
of bels or such like vanities the Papists will breake their sleep that more timely they may haue their Masses popish practises the here tikes also to attend on their vaine reuelations will recouer sometime by early rising all which are to our shame that for holy heauenly exercises to serue the Lord in spirit and truth will redeeme no time whereby the Lord his Sabbath may be the better sanctified but on the contrary by bathing our bodies in our beds on that day more than on any other as perswading our selues too great a libertie therein we make it a day of our rest and not of the Lords rest The Israelites are said to haue risen very early to their idolatrie the Prophets are reported to haue stretched out their haÌ„ds betimes in the morning Wherefore for shame of the one for the imitating of the other let vs stirre vp our selues more early on the Lord his day as making the Sabbath our delight Esay 58. wherby we may be no lesse carefull to bestow the first fruits of the day and the sweetnes of the morning in the pure seruice of God than Idolaters in their Idolatrie young men in their vanities wordly men in their couetousnes here tikes in their heresies vse to do If we thus shall examine our selues in our sins committed gifts of God receiued if we shall humble our selues for the one and be thank full for the other if we shall suruay our wants pray for our pastors prepare out selues and vse all these exercises in wisedome and rising early vnlesse vpon some speciall cause or weaknes which requireth rather our wholy keeping of our beds than our vprising let the experience of the after fruits and good increases of the publike exercises speake and let triall report if the word be not more precious our prayers more powerfull our receiuing of the Sacraments more effectuall more profitable vnto vs. Now concerning those exercises which follow after or come betweene those publike meanes they are either for the increase of faith and repentance to make the publike means more profitable to vs or the exercises of loue whereby we may shew some fruit of the other The exercises of faith and repentance are reading comparing of things heard examining and applying them to our selues praying thankesgiuing and meditating First I say after our publike hearing we must priuately giue our selues to reading of those things especially which when we heard we did not sufficiently vnderstand also to the comparing of place with place according as they were alleaged to the better triall of the doctrine receiued and more establishing of our faith therein To this end we must vse priuate prayer for a sound iudgement pure affections that the Lord would vouchsafe to worke that vpon our affections which in iudgement we haue receiued Neither must we forget to be thankfull in praising of God singing of Psalmes for those things whereby we either see our knowledge to be bettered or our coÌ„science touched To these we must ioyne meditation either about the means of our saluation or about the works of God vpon the meanes as in accounting with ourselues what things being read preached chiefly did touch and concerne vs what speciall feelings comforts the Lord gaue vs in our prayers what increase of faith in God his promises and of repentance in purposing a new life we had in the Sacraments that thus we may make a priuate and peculiar vse of the publike and generall means About the workes of God partly concerning those properties which are in himselfe as his mercy iustice wisedome trueth power prouidence partly concerning his creatures and workes of his hands wherein he hath left certaine impressions and qualities necessarie for our vse profitable for our instruction For the former the practise of the Prophet and dutie of all good professors Psal. 92. doth sufficiently shew that it is one speciall worke of the Sabbath to commend declare the kindnes of the Lord to reioyce in the works of his hands to praise his truth and to shew forth his righteousnes In which Psalme the man of God protesteth that the works of God are only glorious to the godly and how the vnwise and wicked men cannot consider of God his workes nor discerne his iudgements because they measure the condition of men by their present estate not looking either how God hath dealt before nor considering how that though the faithfull seeme to wither and to be cut downe by the wicked yet they shall grow againe and flourish in the Church of God as the cedars doe in mount Lebanon Now as with the exercise of the word we haue the Sacraments to strengthen our faith so with the meditating of the workes of God we are to strengthen our selues with the beholding of God his creatures as the heauens and the scope beautie and continuall course thereof and the earth which should haue been all as pleasant as the garden of Eden if Adam had continued in his innocencie whose worke as it was by the light of nature to view the creatures of God so also is it our worke by the light of Gods grace and holy spirit to doe the same To this ende the Propheticall king Psal. 19. setteth downe the exquisite workemanship proportion and ornaments of the heauens saying The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmamènt sheweth the works of his hands 2. Day vnto day vttereth the same and night vnto night teacheth knowledge 3. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard 4. Their line is gone forth through all the earth and their words into the ends of the world in them hath hee set a tabernacle for the Sunne 5. Which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber and reioyceth like a mighty man to run his race 6. His going out is from the ende of the heauen and his compasse is vnto the endes of the same and none is hid from the heat thereof The Prophet Esay chap. 1. 2. 3. saith Heare O heauens and hearken O earth c. The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstanding In which place we are schooled of insensible creatures how we should doe our dutie vnto God Wherefore it is good to consider how in sixe daies we haue had our â—east obedient vnto vs and how disobedient we are to the Lord. O God how haue thy creatures attended on vs when we speake to them they heard vs when wee did whip them they followed vs in al our busines they attended on vs and yet we haue not listened to the calling vs by the word wee haue not profited by thy chastisements nor attended vpon thy commandements The stork saith the Lord by Ieremiah the prophet knoweth his time but my people knoweth not me And experience may make vs blush to see how the birds against the stormy winter may
and stopping such breaches that they lance deeper and roade further then any haue done before them Furthermore in all these exercises both publike and priuate both concerning faith and the duties of loue both with our selues and with others two things especially of vs must bee obserued First we must at night trie our hearts with what truth with what care and with what sinceritie we haue done these things because as God abhorreth hypocrisie in euery thing so especially he cannot abide it in his owne worship Secondly wee are to examine our selues with what profit either to our selues or to others with what comfort with what increase of good things we haue been conuersant in these dueties that wee rest not in the work wrought but that we may offer vp the fruits of our holy increase in a good conscience to the Lord. The first thing then is to trauaile with our hearts for sincerity because though generally all the cōmandements require spiritual obedience yet those more peculiarly which immediatly do binde vs to our God This we shall do if we do the duties of faith faithfully the exercises of repentance carefully the duties of loue louingly On this manner then may we expostulate with our selues Hath the Lords increase of mercie brought me a daies increase of holines how is my knowledge increased my affectiōs touched my faith strengthened my repentance renewed the loue of the Saints in me confirmed How did the word pricke my heart how were my affections quickned by prayer how much was my faith strengthened in the Sacraments Hath the Sabbath been our delight are we nearer to God in faith and repentance are we nearer our brethren in loue and beneuolence are wee better affected to the glorie of God is sinne more grieuous vnto vs than it hath been If it be giue God the glory in Christ if not let our losses cause vs to make some godly recouery in time to come These things little thought of is the cause why for the most part and almost generally we rest in the ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath Now let vs consider a little of the goodnesse of God in giuing so holy a varietie of good things the consideration whereof partly may humble vs and partly comfort vs. For in so rich and princely vicissitude though we doe many things yet some duties priuate or publike with our selues or with others may be left vndone if we doe the outward actions we faile in inwerd affections this ought to humble vs. Howbeit wee may here also sucke out some comfort to the more alluring of vs to these holy exercises in that though we be weary of one exercise we may refresh our selues with another if we profit not by one we may profit by another so that if we be altogether voide of delight and reape no profit at all we cannot but excuse the Lord accuse our selues For if we cannot thriue in priuate exercises we may gaine by the publike meanes if we can finde no delight by ourselues we may ioyne with others if we cannot profite by reading we may profite by praying if not by praying then by meditating if not by meditating then by conferring if not by conferring yet by singing if not by singing yet by viewing the creatures of God if not by these then by teaching admonishing and visiting of others if not herein by suffering our selues to be taught admonished and instructed of others Wherefore as in a solemne banket furnished with diuers meates the weakest stomacke not liking one dish may refresh it selfe with another vnlesse the appetite bee altogether gone so in this heauenly varietie the Lord hath prouided that the most weake may comfort his conscience if not with one spirituall daintie yet with another vnlesse it bee so sicklie that it is altogether gracelesse and voyde of hope of recouerie which the Lord in his mercie keepe from vs. And thus hauing shewed what is commanded let vs goe forward to those things which are forbidden The Sabbath wee say is broken either by generall impediments and lets whereby we cannot sanctifie the day or else by those euill fruits which follow the not keeping of the same For as there be two things commanded to wit rest and sanctification of the rest so two things are forbidden namely labour and trauaile so farre as either they hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath and the prophaning of the Sabbath rest First of the impediments of sanctifying of the Sabbath which in their owne nature are indifferent wee must know that as the furtherances of this sanctification are commanded so the hinderances are forbidden and as rest is so farre commanded as maketh to the sanctifying of the day so our works are not simply forbidden but so farre forth as they be hinderances to the holy obseruation of the same And these be either lawfull workes or lawfull recreations and pleasures And therefore as wee say in the Commandement going before that all vaine light vsuall and accustomed othes are forbidden and yet affirme that all such othes are commaunded as are taken vp in the defence of God his glorie our brethrens welfare or in any other cases of weight and importance when the things must needs be knowne and otherwise than by an oth cannot be knowne so wee say in this precept all vsuall affaires on the Sabbath are here forbidden and we grant that if these fall out for the glory of God in the preseruation of his creatures necessarily to be done or so as they may enable vs the more to any duties of the Sabbath then they are not onely not forbidden but also more streightly enioyned vs. And therfore as no others creeping in vnder pretence are allowed but such as are weightie likewise we permit no works of pretended necessitie but such as in that they cannot be done the day before nor the day after are for the former considerations necessarily required And whereas the Lord doth not onely giue leaue to draw the Oxe or the Asse out of the ditch to preserue their liues but also to lead them to the water to make their liues more comfortable to them so we permit not only things needfull to the life of man but also things conuenient to the vse comfort of man as the dressing of conuenient meates whereby a man may be made more cheerfull in the duties of sanctification so that both in vsing them we refresh not oppresse our selues and in preparing them we vse the time before after or betweene the publike exercise But as God hath permitted this leaue so we on our parts are to take heede that we abuse not this libertie For when the Lord is so equall liberall and fauourable in granting and pardoning our necessitie and furthering our conueniences he will not doubtlesse leaue vnpunished the greedy gaine-feekers which vnder the forge of necessitie abuse their libertie his liberalitie The lawfulnes of which permission is taught vs by Christ himselfe
doe affirme that on that day it perisheth if it be vngathered on which day it commeth foorth then I do think that by the law of necessitie this thing happening it may be gathered on the Sabbath yet with these conditions that as many gather as can conueniently be gotten that no publike exercise of the worship of God be omitted that their mindes be holy and spiritually occupied that gather it Now if some will obiect that there is somewhat in the order of nature which fighteth with the ordinance of this law I answere for as much as this thing commeth on the Lords day but seldome times that therefore it is not a thing ordinarie but as a work of necessitie Now to fold vp this question we required in gathering that we should be spiritually minded which they may shewe in giuing it a marke of separation that is that they bestow it on the poorer if the be of they more wealthie sort if they be of meaner condition yet they may impart something to their more needie brethren as testifying thereby that they seeke not their gaine but the glorie of God It remaineth briefly and in a word to speake of trauailing which if it bee ordinarie and vsuall is in no case lawfull but if it be extraordinarie and necessarie as often it happeneth to Lawyers or Physitions the according to the necessitie it is more or lesse permitted We see that many Papists wil not stirre out on their Saints daies whereby is detected the want of our spirituall loue which make no conscience to cease on the Lords day And so the religion deuised by man findeth better entertainment a further practise than that which was ordained by God If any man obiect the losse of his liuing if he should not labour on this day I oppose against that the losse of God his glorie and that with his interrogatory whether the miserable pelfe of man should not giue roome to the immortal glorie of God And experience confirmeth the trueth of Gods word that in vaine men rise early and so late take their rest in vaine they build and take so great paines when the Lord denieth the blessing And what were it to bee rich by policie and poore by God his displeasure What though the bagge be heauie and their consciences troubled What if they be rich with men and poore with God Againe who is it that so disposed of his iournies and his affaires so as some making conscience of their Sabbath are in their iournies in one day better prospered in their affaires in one houre more furthered than many others contemning the ordinance of God are in many houres and in many dayes Who directeth men to bee prouident in their sales and bargainings Who besotteth and infatuateth others Who sendeth a man that not for a simple desire of gaine but for a single care to walke in his calling vseth the trade of buying and selling moe chapmen in one houre than another man hath in an whole day whose heart is inflamed whose eyes are inkindled with louing gaine and looking for profit howsoeuer it come by hooke or by crooke Men ascribe this to chance and so they oft by the iust iudgement of God receiue a blanke that is trusting to the blind world they receiue not so much gaine as will acquite their charges Can men trauaile day and night by sea and by land and that for a thing transitorie and will they reach out no houres for the defence of God his worship Doe they feare theeues if they inlarge their iourney for the keeping of a good conscience are they not afraid of theeues when for their worldly affections they can trauaile early and late Because herein the terror of their owne consciences will preach more forcibly to them than I can speake I will leaue them to that practise of the man of God which is vsed Nehem. 12 And thus hauing spoken of the workes of our callings now wee are to speake of the workes of our pleasures Concerning the lawfull recreations of this life which Christianity doth permit and not forbid for of vnlawfull pleasures being alwaies out of season and especially on the Sabbath we haue nothing to say whether they may haue place and time on the Lords day or no here is the question In this part of the treatise I say wee doe not speake of prophane idle pleasures but of them which bring some further vse after they be vsed which are permitted by the word of God so measure in them may be vsed and they be sanctified vnto vs by the word and by prayer And yet euen for these we dare not giue the time consecrated to God vnto playing and pleasures Neither are we curiously to frame any exquisite diuision in this matter but first we will consider of the feasts and bankets accustomed on this day and afterward of other recreations and exercises at that time frequented and vsed which though in their time place and persons they are not vnlawfull yet at this time on the Lords day we denie them to be lawfull As for feasts we may part them into Loue feasts Church feasts sumptuous feasts which carie with them some further expences and larger liberalitie as are those which are vsed at mariages at the admitting of men into their ciuill offices or else are taken vp for some speciall benefits receiued or some extraordinarie iudgements remoued or some other causes like vnto these as when men carying some port and countenance in the common wealth according to their degrees and callings at some times doe ordaine Touching these solemne and sumptuous feasts thus much we affirme briefly Such as on the Lords day institute such solemnities and stuffe euery office and bumbast euery corner of the house with men and women are to be admonished duly to consider of that which is reported of Dauid both in the historie of the Kings and in the booke of the Chronicles who hauing a vaine desire and superfluous appetite would not deferre but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced citie and from whence water could not be conueied by hand without some ieopardie to them that fetcht it Wherfore three of his most worthie men haue this busines assigned them to the compassing whereof their liues were hazarded At their returne grace making his after fruites better than the former after better deliberation vsed he powred forth the water on the ground saying God forbid that I should drink the blood or the liues of these three men shewing thereby both his offence in sending them the free mercie of God in sauing them Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot cōueniently be vsed on the Sabbath without the hazard of mens soules though the Lord in mercie may saue their soules as in that diuers offices in great families require diuers persons to performe diuers duties and so that which is a day of rest is made a
this is foolish curiositie or to be knowne this is vanitie or to gaine by this is couetousnes but to edifie our selues this is wisdome and to edifie others this is charitie The woman of Samaria had no sooner a knowledge of Christ Iohn 4 but thee runnes into the Cittie leauâ—s her pitcher and saith Come see a man that hath told me all that I haue done Is not he the Christ Am I my brothers keeper was Kayns speech Gem4 But he that belieueth in me saith Christ out of his belly shal flow riuers of the water of life â—oâ—â— I will mâ—ditâ—â—e Three things saith Luther make a good diuine Prayer affliction meditation this last is as the chewing of the cud which we reade of in Lâ—â—â—tâ—cus Meditation without reading is often erroneous reading without meditation makes a barren student In thy wonderous workes Or wonders that is either of those wonderfull things that are contained in thy law as verse 19. of this Psalme and verse 129 which being high and hidden mysteries did cause him to haue them in admiration and reuerence or of those wonderfull workes which God before had done in the world and daylie did amongst the sonnes of men and which ought to be had in perpetuall remembrance Note we first first that Gods word is wonderfull because it containeth in it such things as transcende the reach of mans capacitie and without illumination from aboue cannot be vnderstood by the wisest in the world But especially if we consider the power of this Word in that it is that immortall seede by which we are begotten againe that sincere â—ilke by which wee are nourished that siluer Trumpet by which wee are awakened that Christ all glasse in which wee may behold what manner of persons we are and that mightiâ— arme of GOD by which we are corrected for sinne and protected from sinne we must needes say that this Word is wonderfull Giue mee a man as lasciuious as a Goate as rauâ—â—â—â—â— as a Wolfe as couetous as Hell as prosuâ—e euery way as the prodigall sonne if this Word assisted by Gods spirite seize vpon his soule it will chaunge him as if hee were a newe man and to say as one once did to his wanton louer it is not I. Now as for the workes of God whether wee looke vpon them in the creation or preseruation of them they are euery way wonderfull Dauid could not looke vpon them but hee cryeth out Psal 8. O Lorde how wonderfull are thy workes throughout the worlde And Psal. 139. But considering the frame of his owne bodie he saith I will praise thee O Lorde for I am wonderfully and fearefully made ¶ Vers. 28. My soule melteth for heâ—â—ines raise me vp according vnto thâ— Word ME thinks I see Dauid here resolued into teares and pouring them out at his cies as at â— well with two buckets by reason that the hand of God was heauy vpon him Hee can find no comfort but in the word of God therefore he to be raised vp by it be taketh himselfe to this ciaculatory prayer He thought it not enough to say My soule cleaueth to the dust vers 25. but here wil he adde that it melted for heauines The spirit of a man may beare his infirmities but a wouÌ„ded spirit who can beare saith the wise man Prou. 18 14 There is much in this booke concerning afflicted consciences therefore I need not to adde much In all those sorrowes which the soule hath arising from the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne the first consolation is from the word of God in which is promised grace and forgiuenes of our sinnes Thus it will quicken and comfort vs in trouble and assure vs of this haruest that though we sowe in teares we shall reape inioy But because wee can neither apprehend nor apply this word further then wee receiue grace from God wee must with Dauid pray to the Lord that hee would so guide vs that wee wander not vphold vs that we fall not confirme vs that wee funt not encourage vs that wee despaire not and quicken vs that wee dye not This verse requires rather the meditation of a penitent conuert then the Exposition of a learned Diuine as for the wicked they vnderstand not what is here written Though the righteous fall hee shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Psal. 37. 24. ¶ Vers. 29. Take from mee the way of lying and graunt mee graciously thy lawe AS before hee prayed to vnderstand the way of Gods precepts so here hee would bee kept from the way of lying and because they whom God keepeth are best kept he therefore continues his prayer to God desiring so to bee instructed by his word that his minde being purged from all vanitie he may be taught to obey Gods word The way of lying is that which the Prophet calleth vaine inuentions Vers. 113. falshood Vers. 163. the way of the wicked Psal. 1. Our owne wayes Ezech. 18. In a word the Prophet here desireth to be confirmed by God against all corruptions in doctrine and disorder of conuersation which Sathan by his wittie and wilie instruments doth seeke to set abroach in the world These are called the way of lying 1. Because they are inuented by Sathan the father of lies 2. They are countenanced by mans witte the store-house of lyes 3. They seeme to bee that which they are not which is of the nature of lyes 4. They are contrary to God and his truth the discouerers of lyes This way of lying before sinne came into the world it was a way so vnknowne to man that indeede it was as a desert wildernesse in the which neuer any foote had troâ—e but now it is so broade and wide a way that the most in the world walke in it The heathen by his Idols the Turke by his Alcoran the Iesuite by his newe Gospell the Lutheran by his Contransubstantiation the Protestant by his denying the power of godlinesse the Schismatike by his pretenced puritie haue walked so along in this way that the way of trueth they will not knowe Wee haue wrangled so long about trueth in religion that as hee could not finde Rome in Rome so wee cannot finde Religion in Religion And wee haue cloaked so long trueth in conuersation that true dealing is banished from the sonnes of men hee that will vse it must dye a begger Hijs diebus iam peractis nulla sides est in factis mâ—l in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis Helpe Lord for good and godly men doe perish and decay And faith and truth from mortall men is banisht quite away Had we not neede then with this holy Prophet to hate al vaine inuentions but to pray most earnestly with him to the Lord that he will take from vs this lying way and to teach vs that good and olde way in which if we walke all the dayes of our life we shall in the end finde rest to our soules
to the posteritie of Abraham but of Adam * Whatsoeuer seuereth â—ither God froÌ„ man as the curse of the morall Law or man from man as the ceremoniall doth the Iew froÌ„ the Gentile that only is abrogated The morall law being made our good friend and guide in and by Iesus Christ doth not separate vs from God nor froÌ„ man Iews or Gentiles which are in Christ. Ergò it is not abrogated * What is abrogated SacrameÌ„ts in the time of the law had two endes Rom. 4. The Sabbath not a signe only of spiritual rest as some would haue it The second reason drawn from the equi tie of the law If the Lord giue vs sixe dayes for our ordinary worke good reason is there he may chalenge the seuenth day for his seruice But he permits vs sixe dayes Ergò it is right we giue him the seuenth Hee meaneth the Cathedrall Churches The tithe of our time to be afforded for Gods worship Not euery day a Sabbath Fasting * Or commanded The 3 reason If the Sabbath be ceremoniall then the Lord gaue but nine commandements But he gaue ten Ergo the Sabbath is not ceremoniall Note The difference betweene the ceremonies and the tenne commaundements Ordinances what they signifie The rest of the Sabbath as needfull for vs as for the Iewes The 4 reason from Gods owne example God gaue a speciall blessing to the Sabbath day Obiection Answere Note Answere to the reasons that by some are brought against the Sabbath 1. Ob. out of the old Testa ment Euery signe is not a figure or shadowe as before To know things morall and ceremoniall Note well How God is said to rest after the creation The second obiection out of the Prophets 1. Out of Esay a resting from sinne The true interpretation of Esay 56. 1. 2. Obiection Answere 1 2 Preaching The interpretation of Esay 58. 1. 3 Fasting 〈◊〉 PresumptioÌ„ The interpretation of Esay 66 2â— A rule for the interpretation of Scriptures Answere to their arguments taken out of the new Testament And Luk. 6. 1 it is said Sabatum secuÌ„dâ— primum so it seemeth this is vnderstood of a ceremoniall and not of a morall Sabbath The examination of Matth. 12. 1. 2. A Sabbath dayes iourney what The second reason Worke of the Sabbath The third reason 1 Prophaning the Sabbath haruest how great a sinne 2 3 Two kind of necessitie The fourth reason The fift argument The sixt argumen Answere to places taken out of the Epistles The exposition of Rom. 13. 14. How the strong is to helpe and not to despise the weake * Yet we reaâ— Acts 28. 17. of Iewes at Rome Of meats When we beleeue we haue the wâ—rd for our warraâ—t * Or more truly read these words thus Another eateth herbs he doth it in weakenes of faith not beleeuing that he may vse other meatâ— The nouices in religion are commonly hastie in iudging The second reason out of the Epistle * Publike fast coÌ„manded by the Magistrates must be kept Simile The interpretation of Hebrues 4. A Sabbath in heauen A generall rule concerning Scripture Of their arguments drawne by consequence out of the Scripture Obiect The Sabbath vnknowne to the Gentiles ergo ceremoniall How the morall and naturall law differ Rom. 3. 1. Psal. â—47 The first obiection Answere The second obiection Answere What things appertaine to the Iewes only and what to vs with them Kindling of fire on the Sabbath day lawful to vs. Out of the Testament The first obiection Answere The second obiection Answere 2 3 4 Aspeciall vse of the Lords day to remeÌ„ber three great benefits Change of the day Of the obseruation of the Sabbath How the Sabbath is truely kept Note Reading and preaching The great ignorance and carnall securitie of the people must cause vs to be more wary whom we admit to the Sacraments Baptisme Children dying before Baptisme Priuate exercises on the Sabbath Preparation to obseruation of the Sabbath Examination Non proficients in the Church Simile To rise early on the Sabbath 2 Exercises after and betweene the publike Meditation Meditation concerning Gods workes Consider how obedient in sixe daies the beasts haue been vnto vs and on the seuenth how disobedient we be to God To auoid dulnes and deadneâ— in the priuate exercises of the Sabbath seeke to the communion and fellowship of the godly Of the duties of loue Collections for the poore on the Sabbath To disgrace others by reports Psal. 15 3. Note Two things in these duties to be obserued Sincerity in all duties Outward actions without inward affections Simile How the Sabbath is brokeÌ„ Workes how farre forbiddeÌ„ on the Sabbath The dressing of meates on the Sabbath Things forbidden on the Sabbath Whether it be hard for some callings to keepe the Sabbath Of seruants Of shepheards heardsmen c. Bakers and Brewers Mariners and Posts Mariners Note Preachers by sea Similiâ— The prophanes of many seafaring men Posts Of Faires Markets Seed time haruest Blindnes of men How wee ought more carefully to obserue the Sabbath in the haruest than any other time of the yeere 1 2 3 4 Simile Double necessitie Of gathering Saffron Of trauelling Of the works of our pleasureâ— Of feasting and banketting â— Sam. 22. 25. Obiection Of pastimes and recreations If trauell be forbidden in seede time and haruest much more pleasures all the yeere long The vnclean sinne of dancing Esai 58. Obiection Answere Sicke persoÌ„s How the Sabbath is prophaned in thought word c. The differeÌ„ce between the not sanctifying and prophaning of the Sabbath Prophanation of the Sabbath Thought Word The nourishing and harbouring of euil thoughts in our hearts on the Sabbath will depriue vs of all fruit of Gods worship Preaching Gods ordinarie meanes to saluation Reading of the Scriptures publikely in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matter Order Simile Time Nulla dies sine linea Feare How to attaine a clâ—â—re vnderstanding sound iudgement and good affections 1. Cor. 2. Good heart Meditation False feares and false ioyes 2. ConfereÌ„nce 3. Faith Supra Of preparation A generall faith 4. Practise Want of practise makes men blinder after some measure of knowledge S. Prayer Many rest in knowledge and want faith why Thanksgiuing Meditations of death A dull kinde of death Great quietnes mâ—â—knes in the death of many sinners Simile The death of Heretikes Note The implicit popish faith cannot helpe in temptation Hereticall opinions concerning the resurrection Few Christians doe truly belieue the resurrection The parts of speciall points handled 1 2 3 Translation of Enoch His opinion concerning Enoch and Eliahs bodie Heb. 11. 33. Matth. 22. 32. Iob. 19. 25. What is meant by soule Psal. 16. Places of the new Testament Note Note this interpretatioÌ„ of Heb 11. 39. 2. Pet. 3. 10. Reuel 10. 11. 2 ConfirmatioÌ„ 1 2 3 4 1 We must beleeu what the Lord saith how contrary soeuer it seem to naturall reason Matth. 25. 33. Luke 16. 23. Gods iustice and mercie
Familie and Fathers 684 Chap. 30. How to profit and examine our selues when friends forsake vs. 685 Chap. 31. Of Godlinesse and by what meanes we must draw neere to God 689 Chap. 32. Of Gods free Grace Iustice and Mercie and how wee may try our loue to God 692 Chap. 33. Of Gods wrath Iustice and Mercie 695 Chap. 34. Teaching vs why we are specially to keepe watch and ward ouer our harts 700 Chap. 35. Where is taught how wee must narrowly watch ouer our hearts and ouer our affections for many causes 703 Chap. 36. Of hearing Gods word 707 Chap. 37. Of Humilitie and pride 711 Chap. 38. Of hypocrisie and hardnesse of hart 715 Chap. 39. Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the Diuell pestereth the Churches with euill teachers 720 Chap. 40. Of the Iudgements of God and how iust he is in iudgement and how his promises and threatnings to Israel appertaine to vs. 722 Chap. 41. Of Ioy and Sorrow 724 Chap. 42. Of iniuries offences and controuersies 727 Chap. 43. Of Iudgement and Folly 731 Chap. 44. Of Knowledge and Ignorance and how to seeke God and of Sathans Sophistris c. 733 Chap 45. Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes 736 Chap. 46. Of Magistracie or gouernment 739 Chap. 47. Of Matrimonie and of the Duties which belong to that state 742 Chap. 48. Of the Ministerie 743 Chap. 49. Of the Ministerie 747 Chap. 50. Of Gods promises excellencie and truth of Gods word and how the wicked abuse Scriptures 753 Chap. 51. Of Murmuring 758 Chap. 52. Of patience vnder the Crosse. 761 Chap. 53. Of predestination perseuerance and presumption 764 Chap. 54. Of Prosperity and Aduersity and of griefe and of the Temptations incident to it 766 Chap. 55. Of Prosperity and Aduersity 769 Chap. 56. Of Prophecie and Preaching 770 Chap. 57. Of Gods Prouidence 773 Chap. 58. Of Prayer and Meditation 775 Chap. 59. Of Repentance 779 Chap. 60. Of Riches and their abuse 783 Chap. 61. Of Sacraments 786 Chap. 62. Of sinne and how to abstaine from the least and of iniquitie and the punishments thereof 788 Chap. 63. Of Phisicke and Diet. 794 Chap. 64. Of Sathans practises of Schisme and security 796 Chap. 65. Of Parents Education of Children Gouernours of youth and care of Posterity 798 Chap. 66. Of Gods worship and of Religion true and false 801 Chap. 67. Of Regeneration and Sanctification 803 Chap. 68. Of the Sabbath 809 Chap. 69. Of Thanks giuing and the right vse of the Creatures 812 Chap. 70. Of Temptation 813 Chap. 71. Of Truth and errors sincerity and contempt of the word 817 Chap. 72. Of Witchcraft and vnbeliefe 821 Chap. 73. Of the word of God and of the confirmation thereof by signes and wonders 822 Chap. 74. Of good workes and our obedience to Gods word 826 Chap. 75. Of Zeale 829 Next vnto these follow other diuine arguments and common places in Religion contained in 22. Chapters Chap. 1. OF Conscience 832 Chap. 2. Of Order how necessary in all things 833 Chap. 3. Of hearing Gods word 834 Chap. 4. Who be Swine and who be Dogges 837 Chap. 5. Of vnmercifulnesse ead Chap. 6. Of Workes 838 Chap. 7. Of Policie ead Chap. 8. Of speciall notes of a man truly righteous and religious 839 Chap. 9. Of the Sabbath 839 Chap. 10. Of Discipline and Excommunication 842 Chap. 11. Of Meanes 844 Chap. 12. Of diuers names applyed to the Diuell in Scripture 845 Chap. 13. Of the contempt of the Ministerie 846 Chap. 14. Of shame and shamefastnesse 847 Chap. 15. Of Iustification 848 Chap. 16. Of Parables and Similitudâ—s ead Chap. 17. Of Gods Prouidence 850 Chap. 18. Of Seeking God 851 Chap. 19. Of Sinne. ead Chap. 20. Of profit and pleasure 852 Chap. 21. Of Christs power 852 Chap. 22. Of Temptation 853 A Short Direction for the comfort of afflicted consciences 854 Rules for an afflicted minde concerning seuerall Temptations 855 Rules concerning the power and priuiledges of Gods word 857 A short direction for one troubled in minde 871 Lastly diuers Letters and a very zealous Prayer of M. Greenhams 881 EPIGRAMMA IN OPERA Pijssimi doctiss Theologi M. Ric. Greenham labore ac studio M. Hollandi diuini verbi apud Londinates Ministri fideliss edita post obitum Authoris per F. Hering D. Med. MEntibus afflictis grauis haec afflictio cessit Greenamum è medio tolli qui saepè solebat Eregius mentis Medicus solatia mira Dexteritate sacris virtus depromere chartis Sicque pias animas vitiorum mole grauatas Implicitas Satanae laqueis misereque agitatas Infernis furijs exemit faucibus Orci Antidotos quippè hic varias ac pharmaca norat Coelica antiqui technasque dolosque colubri Hinc tristes moerent mentes geminant que querelas Quod mala permaneant Medico pereunte sed ecce Hollandus pius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respicit illas Greenamumque loqui rursus post funera fecit Alloquio duros solito muleâ—re labores Gaudete attonitae mentes lamentaque crebris Suspirijs alijsque remissa relinquite vester Grenamus praestò est vobis pretiosaque secum Balsama in Elysijs portat nascentia campis Floruit in terris olim Greenamus in alto Nunc floret coelo terraque virescere rursus Incipit Hollandi studio curaque sagaci Scilicet haec verae merces pietatis vt ipsam Conculcet mortem satanam ruptisque Gehenna Aeteroum vireat vinclis post fata superstet IN OBITVM ET OPVS Richardi Greenhami NOn erat hic celebri Greenhamus stemmate natus Ast pictate sua nobilitatus erat Huius ego laudes si forsan fingere credar Vita fiet testis testis istud opus Vita fiet testis cuius radiante nitore Vtilitas populo gloria nacta Deo Testis istud opus mira pietate refertum Quod digito monstrat Religionis iter A. R. ON THE DEATH AND WORKS OF MASTER GREENHAM SOme skilfull Caruer helpe me to endorse The blessed stone that hideth Greenhams corse Make me a tree whose branches withered beene And yet the leaues and fruit are euer greene The more the stocke dyes let them flourish more And grow more kindly greene than â—arst before Set Time and â—nuie gazing at the roâ—e Cursing their â—ootlesse hand and sliding foote Let all the Graces sit them in the shade And pull those leaues whose beautie cannot fade Greenham if this cannot thy worth descriue That thou once dead thy works are still aliue Would I might say thy selfe could neuer die But emulate thy workes eternitie VPON HIS SABBATH WHile Greenham writeth of the Sabbaths rest His soule inioyes not which his pen exprest His worke inioyes not what it selfe doth say For it shall neuer finde one resting day A thousand hands shall tosse each page and line Which shall be scanned by a thousand eyne That Sabbaths rest or this Sabbaths vnrest Hard
so small an infirmitie in my body but the same is vnto me a messenger of dissolution Yet for all this I shall see my God and when I am couered in the belly of the graue with mouldes I am assured that he will reach me his hand to lift me vp againe to the beautie of his inheritance so that this small cottage and shed of leaues being brought to the graue shall be caried into an incorruptible tabernacle Thus communing with our owne harts and being still in the peace of a good conscience concerning our outward sufferings we shall finde that the Lord by his fatherly louing chastisements intendeth nothing more than to proue our obedience as good reason it is that he should and to confirme our faith as also is most necessarie How be it still as I said he vseth a fatherly correction that is in mercy measure and iudgement For as he striketh vs downe in anger for our sinnes with the one hand so he raiseth vs vp againe in loue for our saluation with the other hand For albeit his corrections be wearâ—some wounds to flesh and blood yet are they soueraigne medicines to the soule and conscience especially when the Lord giueth vs that priuiledge of his children that by his holy spirit he doth ouermaster vs least that finally we should be his iudge and he not ours And for this cause the Lord is often times prouoked to put on as it were a contrary face and to locke vs vp in a prison of aduersitie to restraine vs from the libertie of our sins which Sathan faine would make vs violently to rush into And surely though the wisedome of the flesh perswadeth vs that nothing is better than to be spared and not to be espied when the Lord calleth vs to reckoning yet the spirit shewing our desperate estate without the sieue of affliction and boulter of aduersitie teacheth vs that we cannot of all the blessings of God sufficiently esteeme this being the mother of humilitie and nurce of true repentance Againe the Lord often by inward temptations and outward crosses draweth vs from the stake of securitie and vntowardnes to good workes least in time we should loose the experience of our knowledge and faith in Christ and seeke some easier kinde of life for flesh and blood Neither can we truely repent vntill by some crosse we know this world to be a place of sorrow and not of mirth and delight For so long as we make our prosperitie a bulwarke to beate downe all harmes we are to looke for aduersitie to beate downe the high saile of our proud hearts whereby we gad after our owne lusts and leaue the anchor of peace which is our trust in God Let vs learne then when the world beginneth to fauour vs and we haue as it were an hundreth thousand souldiers to beare vs vp not to be secure for there is nothing more easie for a man than for to make himselfe beleeue that he shall alwaies continue in happie estate and thinke he shall die in the nest But we must be as birds on a bough to remoue at Gods pleasure and that without resistance when the Lord shall visite vs. And because we are giuen too much to thinke that we haue the things in our owne right which we hold of the free goodnes of God we are taught in affliction how hainous vnthankefulnesse it were to binde the Lord continually to entertaine vs in this life at so full charge and cost without respect of his free and vndeserued gifts or to hold plea against and sue him as it were by an obligation at whose hands we ought to begge daily and at whose gate we receiue all our maintenance or to make a rent charge of all that which he giueth of his free liberalitie Thus in the ende we chalenge Gods gifts as our owne and make account to haue their companie to the graue whereby we prouoke the Lord often to proue to our faces that all that we haue is but lent and borrowed Let vs then haue such an eye to euery blow that whensoeuer the Lord shall lay any crosse vpon vs we be readie to receiue it and to yeeld vp our bonds vnto him the condition whereof is that we be readie to remoue whensoeuer he pleaseth knowing that Gods prouidence forceth vs alwaies to the best and as most may make for the hastening of our soules to our euerlasting in heritance Let vs learne not to recken without our host and that we hold our prosperitie of the Lord not in fee simple but as tenants at will that is from day to day resigning to God the soueraigntie of reuoking vs when it pleaseth him Thus it becommeth the Lord to change our estate that we become not snared in the gifts of prosperitie and become so foolish as not to keepe on our way to the heauenly life Our naturall inclination is to forget that we are on earth as pilgrims to leape vp into the clowdes and to promise vnto our selues the whole course of our liues to be in prosperitie and so long as God letteth vs alone at our case we take our selues as it were to be pettie Gods But when we see our selues shut vp and know not what will be the ende of our miserie finding our selues to be intertained in this life but as iourney men waged for the present day but not knowing what will become of vs the day following we desire to take our rest in the bosome of Gods prouidence and so much we strike our sailes the lower when the Lord proclaimeth warre with our secure prosperitie which perswadeth vs that we shall liue for euer and driueth vs from bethinking vs of our miseries and frailties Wherefore let vs cut out our prosperitie by the patterne of humilitie and in our best estate put our selues in readines to suffer aduersitie and when we are well to looke for worse and keepe a good watch when God handleth vs most gently that in abounding we may foresee our wants in health our sicknes and in prosperitie our calamitie for concerning things of this life the faithfull are to stand in a doubt that that which they hold with one hand may be taken away with the other We must not thinke that we shall euer enioy our libertie that we shall see no crosse but we must lay open our selues to receiue stripes from the Lord knowing that our least cries will stay his greatest scourges Let vs looke to be assaulted but not vnmeasurably because God will assist vs. Let vs looke to fall but on our knees because Gods hand doth hold vs vp Let vs looke to be humbled but in mercie because the Lord sustaineth vs as we are assured where mercie hemmeth vs about on euery side it is our part continually to confesse before the Lord that we euer giue new occasions that he should follow vs with new punishments and that our sinnes doe often shake off the wings of Gods mercie
the vse of all the trees excepted onely one so from the law of equitie she exaggerateth their sinne if hauing so bounâ—â—full an vse of many trees lawfull they should eate of the one tree that was forbidden The same reason alleageth Ioseph to restraine his Mistresse of her lewd and loth some purpose Genes 39. 8 9. Behold saith he my Maister knoweth not what he hath in the house with mâ— but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand there is no man greater in his house then I â—â—â—ther hath hee kept any thing in his house but onely thee because thou art his wise how then can I dâ— this great wickednes c In which place as he on the one side commendeth his Masters liberalitieâ— so on the other side he sheweth how his sinne should euen by the rule of iustice be more â—ainous and horrible if not contenting himselfe with his Maisters curtesie hee should intrude himselfe into his owne possession Againe from hence Iob reproueth his wife and sheweth her blasphemie Iob. 5. 10. Thou speakest said Iob like a foolish woman what shall wee receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill Thus by the square of righteousnes the man of God proueth her offence to be the greater in that hauing receiued so manie blessings shee could not away once to taste of the crosse Out of the mouthes of these two or three witnesses we may gather how hainous an euill it is that not contenting out selues with the large measure of sixe dayes trauaile we should be so bolde as to inuade the Lord his seuenth day reserued for himselfe Thus wee see how the Lord granteth vs sixe dayes for our bodies and the seuenth day for our soules not that we must thinke that other dayes are to be separated from this vse but that this day must be wholly seuered from other for that vse For if it were possible or could be conuenieÌ„t either in respect of our calling or the places where we dwell twice to meete euery weeke day as it is yet vsed in some places though more of custome and fashion then in faith and of conscience in most of those places it were nothing but equall For looke what proportion is from sixe daies to the seuenth the same may be gathered from nine or rather twelue houres to the tenth whereby the tithe at the least may be affoorded for the Lord And herein is the onely difference betweene the sixe daies and the seuenth that the worship of God must in the sixe daies be vsed at such seasons as in wisedome are so separated and diuided to that end without any hinderance of our lawfull and necessarie callings as it doth not take vp the principall but shredeâ— and ouerplus of our vocation but on the seuenth day we must make such a separation from other daies that what we did but in part in the weeke or working daies we may doe in whole on the seuenth and Sabbath day True it is that this equitie of twice meeting euery day is more conuenient for Cities and populous townes where many dwell together than in other places and situations which for distance of place haue not the congregation so dwelling together Heere our common distinction of calling the weeke daies working daies and the Sabbath daies holy daies taketh away their friuolous assertion who thinke that euery day should be our Sabbath day as though we should confound and shuffle together our working daies and resting daies Now if the permission of the sixe daies appertaine to vs is not the sanctifying of the Sabbath day also coÌ„manded to vs And if those things be permitted vs which coÌ„cerne our calling are not much more those things commaÌ„ded which respect our sanctification Wherfore if any say the commandement is ceremoniall may not the same say the permission is ceremoniall For who so affirmeth the one may affirme the other but both falsely If we should admit these daies were to be restrained in some respects and for some speciall causes we affirm this restraining must be for a time but not continuall that when the reasons of the exceptions should cease then the exceptions themselues should cease also But some will say what will you not allow some day of rest for humbling fasting or allowing some daies for humbling will you not allow one also for thanksgiuing reioycing To this I answere that concerning fasting when there is a speciall need of a day appointed this is no commandement of man or of the Church but of God himselfe who as he hath laid vpon vs the neede of the remedie so hath he also commanded vs to vse the remedie And as for the day of reioycing I thinke it may be put on the Sabbath which we make our daies of thanksgiuing For as the Iewes vsed the Sabbath as a day to remeÌ„ber with thanksgiuing their creation so we may vse that day for a thankful remembrance of our redemption because in it we may meditate of all those benefits which our Sauiour Christ by his natiuitie circumcision passion resurrection ascension hath purchased for vs. But if any man obiect that this is too niggardly and sparingly because as God is extraordinarie in mercie so we should be extraordinarie in thankesgiuing I graunt that Christian Magistrates may for necessarie occasion in wisedome of the spirit alter the times and appoint some seasons for that purpose so it be done for a while and continue not as perpetuall for in sixe daies as we taught before we must chiefely labour in our callings and bestow some part of time in God his worship and on the Sabbath day we must chiefely waite on God his worship and bestow no time on other things but vpon necessitie because we are no lesse charged on the Sabbath to worship God than we are permitted on the other daies to follow our ordinarie callings Now let vs proceede to the third reason taken from the Law-giuer or author of the commandements For it thus followeth Exod. 20 vers 6. But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God c. This argument we knowe to be vsed seuerely in the three precepts going before In the first it goeth before the commandement in the second it commeth after in the third it is more neerely adioyned And here it is called the Lords Sabbath which proueth that therefore it must be wholly spent vpon the Lord. Now were it ceremoniall then it should followe that there were but nine commandements seeing Deutr. 4. 13. Moses affirmeth that the couenant which the Lord commaunded his people to doe were tenne commaundements where we see that not the Church but the word of God setteth downe this computation And albeit the ceremonies be also the commandements of the Lord neuerthelesse we must wisely distinguish betweene the one and the other The commandements were immediately giuen out by the Lord himselfe the ceremonies were giuen immediately to Moses from the
the faithfull interpreter of the law and that not onely by precept but by practise For in that he healed the sicke and cured the diseased on the Sabbath allowing the people on that day to resort vnto him he sheweth how things concerning the glorie of God are lawfull to be done on the Sabbath And we see in that the law permitted the leading of the oxe to the water how things conuenient are not at that time vnlawfull so that thy be not abused or ouerused This moderation prefixed let vs sift more narrowly the things that are forbidden These are either the works of our calling or lawfull recreations The workes be such as either are more vsuall in the sixe daies or being but at certaine speciall times in the moneths or yeers vsed lesse vsual First cōcerning the works hauing their ordinary course in the weeke daies as plowing sowing vsing of handierafts and such like there is no question and the most prophane person will not call them into questiō but it is taken as granted that these workes must giue place to the worship of God that men being freed from them may bee the more sanctified And these things are flatly forbidden in the Law and in the Prophets who would not suffer a burthen to be caried on the Sabbath by which one worke they did more secretly point at all the rest But the words of this cōmandement are a sufficient demonstration of this matter Who so thē make the Lords day a packing day for their earthly busines either in making it a custome to haue their seruants follow their callings or trauaile in their affaires or else when they themselues will doe that that day which they will not doe at other times when in spirituall disposing of their busines they might prouide better they are prophaners of the Sabbath and shal be iudged for contemners of this law And whatsoeuer these kindes of professors pretend in word and brag of knowledge and Christian liberty they cloake their sinne vnder religion draw the curtaine of Christian profession to couer the lewdnes of their vnchristian conuersation and so liuing as beasts they shall dye as beasts or worse than beasts in that they shall goe to the hels when the beasts shall goe to the earth It is too too lamentable that in a Christian common-wealth where Christ and none before Christ is to be preferred where the fruit of so many yeeres teaching this dutie ought to bee shewed that men as Heathen who neuer knewe of the creation of heauen and earth by God or neuer heard of the redemption of man by Christ or neuer tasted of the sanctifying power of the holy Ghost nor at any time vnderstood of the mysterie of the Trinitie should make no conscience of the Sabbath but onely vouchsafe it worthie of a eiuill dutie But some will pretend a more vsuall necessitie in certaine and peculiar callings of which as they say standeth a further question as among makers of coale and iron Heardsmen Shepheards Carriers Drouers and traffique men all which indeede haue great and laborious callings yet must wee say and hold this ground that in these like ordinarie callings the ordinance of the Lord doth not hinder the good order of man but they are so subordinated the one to the other as if we giue to each of them their time and their place the workes of man may be vsed and yet the worship of God preferred because as our callings serue to Gods worship so Gods worship sanctifieth our callings True it is that the Lord requireth not onely the worship of the Sabbath day but also of other week daies either priuatly at the least or publikly if our callings so permit and howsoeuer we deny not vnto these men some larger liberty on the sixe daies yet they must not be exempted from the duties of the Sabbath day which generally is laid vpon all men and especially on these men whose labours as they are the more troublesome and continuall in the weeke daies so they ought the rather to rest on the Sabbath daies And seeing they will not discharge themselues of the like graces with other men concerning their creation redemption and sanctification if they make not a supplie on the seuenth day for their libertie in the sixe dayes they are inferior to the condition of beasts for the beasts on that day haue their rest and they haue not Besides in pretending such excuses they openly bewray their want of spirituall wisdome For there is no such calling But if they were as wise to God as they are politike in increasing their riches they could tell how to deuide their times seasons for the easing of their bodies and refreshing of their soules on the Sabbath And here men are to be charged with looking to their seruants For the commandement is flat and expresse euen thou and thy seruant It is not sufficient for men to come to the Church themselues but they must bring their seruants also The Lord saw how men would be ingenious in deceiuing their own soules by not bringing their charges and families with them to the congregation who notwithstanding being created redeemed and sanctified are as highly indebted to the worship of God as the masters But let them not beguile themselues for the blood of their soules shall be required at their hands who being too lordly and tyrannous gouernours make their seruants either equall to beasts or worse than beasts caring for nothing but for the world neuer thinking on hell whereunto they are hastening This law doth here also attach Shepherds and Heardsmen Bakers and Brewers which kinde of men if thou hast retained then art thou charged to bring them to the house of prayer as well as thy selfe For God hauing made thē men would not that thou shouldest vse them as beasts for thee neither must thou abuse his trauaile to make him like the oxe whereon he tendeth But worldly wise men will prouide by changing of their places that their busines may be done cheerfully and why then should they prouide for the worship of God so carelesly Againe if Shepheards Heardsmen can finde meanes to goe to faires and markets if they can picke out time to goe visit their friends why may they not also prouide to heare the word of God on the Sabbath day Well be not deceiued God is not mocked Looke how a man soweth so shall he reape In some places Brewers and Bakers pretend great necessitie If it be so then our generall rule permitteth a libertie but yet on this manner if they cannot dispatch their busines on the sixe daies they should rise betimes on the Lords day that they may do all they haue to do with as little losse as may be and if they must needes begin their worke against the day next after the Sabbath let them doe it as lately in the euening as they can that at the publike exercises they bee not interrupted nor drawne
they when any other solemnitie should be vsed What then will some say no vse of recreations I doe not simply denie profitable exercises but what shall we do with them on the Lords day If all our delight were in the Sabbath if all our springs were in it if we made it our chiefest ioy what place should or ought to be left to such carnall delights to such fleshly pleasures If any shall obiect that it was not a necessitie to leade the oxe to the water and yet it was lawfull and therefore things conuenient in some cases permitted men haue the vse of pleasures conuenient I answere that the oxe so led to water is not to play and friske on that day because that may without detriment be deferred and the other cannot and the pleasures conuenient as eating and drinking moderately may on that day be vsed in that without them followeth some detriment yet we permit not to play which is a thing that without hurt may be for borne on that day for Gods sake if without hurt wee can forbeare it an whole weeke for the worlds sake To be shorte spirituall wisedome ma prouide both for the Lord his worship for our callings for the lawes And like as in regard of inconuenience the politike lawes restraine bowling in some men not that in it selfe it is meerely vnlawfull but that for all estates for certaine causes it is not conuenient in that they would detaine some from their callings from which if they should rest they should incurre both the losse of better things the misspending of time and hinderance of their honest gaine In which respect of hindering better things we denie playing on the Lords day Yet there may remaine a question whether sicke persons may haue their exercises on this day or no We answere if they be extremely sicke it is a time of praying and not of playing according to the axiome of Iames chap 5. If they be not so dangerously sicke they neede iâ— not for if they can buâ—ie their hearts hands bodies and mindes about playing then their late visitation and the fruite of it should rather cause them to refresh themselues with reading singing or a more liberall exercise of conferring with them that be godly And to knit vp this part let vs remember in the former obiection drawn from the law of the Realme that the ciuill law doth not so much permit the libertie which good men know to vse well as it doth restraine the licentiousnesse which euill men vse badly because better it is that good men should want their libertie which they may doe than euill men should be confirmed in their licentiousnesse which they ought not to do so that euill men may be made good and good men are nothing hurt And because loue asketh not her owne but is coÌ„tent for the good of others to depart from it owne libertie though we could which indeed we cannot vse recreation without the hinderance of God his worship yet we should not vse it being a griefe to the godly an offence to the weake ones a matter of reioycing to the vngodly It remaineth in the last place to shew how the Sabbath is prophaned either in thought in word or in deed For there is a difference betweene the not sanctifying and the plaine prophaning of the Sabbath in that the one is not altogether desirous to breake it the ether hath no desire at all to keepe it Neither is the Sabbath onely broken by prophanenesse but also by idle workes and not carefull keeping of it Some prophane the Sabbath by corrupt iudgement as Heretikes some by a corrupt life as carnall professors the one a high malice of Satan the other a dangerous deceit oâ— the diuell When men too worldly minded make the Lords day a day of riddance a packing day a counting day to make oddes euen with all men but euen things odde with God And it is the lamentable sinne of our age to presse the Lords ordinance appointed day with al relicks of law matters with the dregs of ancient quarrels or new broched brawlings with posting to Iustices not to be reconciled but to be auenged not to finish but to reâ—iue controuersies and to â—ub old iniuries vntill they bleed so as that day that is sanctified ordained for loue is a day of hatred of a day of reconciliation it is made a day of dissension and this cannot but proceed from a prophane stocke Others as seeming more fauourable though they make not this day a time of paÌ„pering of the flesh which is a time of purging the flesh yet they make it a day of palpable darkenes which should be a day of bright shining light by hunting of beares by haunting of playes and such like that if they begin the day in the spirit they wâ—â—l end in the flesh receiuing some good motions in the morning they burie them in the euening and giuing the Lord the forenoone they recompence the diuell with the afternoone Yea in some place the Lords day is the Diuels day being fraught with so many fraies stained with such filthie fornication and burthened with the sinnes which their ordinarie callings on the weeke daies spueâ—out in that on those daies they cannot bee frequented for want oâ— companie Now whether we speake of the not sanctifying or of the prophaning of the day we affirme the Sabbath to be broken in thought word and deede For the whole law being spirituall Rom. 7. and this being a principall part of that lawe it must needes be that this precept as well as the rest taketh vp as well the inner as the outward man Besides it is a generall rule in the law that whatsoeuer is vnlawfull to be done the same is vnlawfull to be thought or spoken of and looke in what measure the wicked actions of men are forbidden in the same manner is the wicked affection and communication forbidden also Many haue notwithstanding made such proceedings in sinne that when they should reckon with their soules they reckon with their seruants and when they should make euen with their consciences they strike euen with their chapmen and yet perswade themselues of small breach of the Sabbath because as they say they do but speake a little with their tongue and scribble with their pennes Then wee must knowe that as what we may doe that we may talke of so what we may not doe that may we not talke of Wherefore laying aside our filthie songs our table talke of worldly matters our carnal deuices and worldly compasses which we are fetching in our thoughts whilest wee sit in the congregation our priuie discourses of our successe in our callings and our politike disposing of our weeke following all which shut out of the doores better things and ouerquel the vigour of good things Wherefore as the nourishing of ill thoughts is at all times vnseasonable so to harbour them on this day is most
their best workes yet seeing they haue pure hearts they are happie and blessed and shall finde the good effects of their blessednesse True holinesse and true happines are neuer separated As for perfection God lookes not for it at our hands If sinne hang on vs but we would faine cast it off if we finde vnbeliefe but would most gladly get faith if we be troubled in our hearts with hardnes but are desirous of softnesse if we be humbled for that we cannot be humbled sufficiently nor get such a large heart as we would desire and expect grace from heauen let vs not be discomforted for our defects and frailties for the Lord will spare vs and be gracious vnto vs in his beloued sonne according to that worthy prayer of good King Hezekiah The good Lord be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary Though many haue beene braullers heretofore let them labour to be peaceable though they haue beene worldly let them striue to be heauenly though they haue beene filthy let them endeuour to get chastity though they haue beene ignorant and prophane let them study to obtaine knowledge and holinesse and then they may come to the Lords table and welcome the Lord will haue respect vnto them and grant them pardon for their sinnes and supply all their wants and giue them more grace to doe their dutie in the remainder of their life and in the daies of their pilgrimage that are yet behinde ¶ Vers. 3. Surely they worke none iniquitie which walke in his waies That is they make not a trade and common practise thereof Slip they doe through the infirmitie of the flesh and subtilty of Sathan and the allurements of the world but they doe not ordinarily and customably goe forward in vnlawfull and sinfull courses In that the Psalmist setteth downe this as a part and not the least part neither of blessednesse That they worke none iniquitie which walke in his waies the doctrine to be learned hence is this that it is a maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sin If there were no other reward but this yet it were a happy thing to be religious euen in this respect that we shall be set at liberty from such a seruice This point is euident from the Apostles words where he speaketh thus God be thanked that yee haue beene the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered Wherby we see that this was not the least priuiledge that they had being Gods seruaÌ„ts but indeed a matter for which he was greatly to be magnified that whereas they had beene the slaues of sinne and as base drudges at the command of euery vile and wretched lust by the vertue of the word powerfully preached vnto them faithfully receiued by them they had beene deliuered from that bondage and made the seruants of God in righteousnesse and holinesse of life and conuersation And therefore in that same Chapter verse 14. it is promised vnto Gods children as a speciall fauour That sinne shall not haue dominion ouer them It may sometimes tyrannously vsurpe authoritie in them but the strength of grace and the operation of the holy spirit of God will still diminish and at last abolish the force and violence thereof so that it shall neuer beare such sway ouer them as in the time of their vnregeneracie it did The truth of this doctrine will yet more clearely shine forth if we consider what the maister the seruice and the reward of sinfull persons are As for their maister it is Sathan For he is the God of this world and the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience of whom all vnbeleeuers are held in captiuitie and still imployed according to his will and pleasure Now he is a more cruell and sauage tyrant then euer Pharaoh was though he were very fierce against the Israelites exercised great tyranny ouer them yet Sathan putteth his vassals to carry heauier burdens and to toyle out themselues in baser workes then euer the taskmasters of Aegipt imposed on the poore Israelites For all impenitent sinners are in thraldome to euery brutish lust they must defile their bodies and corrupt their soules and consciences and pollute all their workes and waies when and in what maner soeuer the Diuell will haue them they must conuerse with euery lewd and sinfull companion they must runne vp and downe like drudges to follow euery vaine and base delight to pursue euery meane and trifling commodity and to hunt after euery promotion and dignity that offers it selfe vnto their view They cannot liue peaceably in the day nor rest quietly in the night as we may see in gamesters who breake their sleepe â—â— spend their time and strength depriue themselues of a comfortable estate and bring many miseries vpon themselues and their families by the ouer eager pursuite of their vngodly and vnthrifty courses It is a wofull and lamentable case that frantick persons are in that must haue euery one in the family to attend vpon them and to haue an eye vnto them least they should hang themselues or drowne themselues or get a knife to cut their throates or some way or other worke theÌ„selues mischiefe but farre worse is their case that are possest with a spirituall frenzie and led by the suggestions of Sathan who are euermore labouring to worke out their owne ouerthrow and to bring vpon themselues destruction of body and soule which is the reward that Sathan giueth them for al their paines that they haue taken in seruing him and in fulfilling the lusts of their owne wicked flesh according to the saying of the Apostle the wages of sin is death that is euerlasting death which is an vtter separation from Gods blessed presence from all maner of comforts whatsoeuer to endure vnspeakable and endles torments in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Another reason why it is a great priuiledge to be exempted from the dominion of sin is because it is a testimony that we are the sonnes of God as it is said by the Apostle Iohn He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell and whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not And why because the efficacy of the word and spirit doe restraine him there from A third reason is because that is it whereby we are made conformable vnto Christ Iesus when we are freed from the slauery of sinne we are still translated from glory to glory and haue the Image of God renued in vs daily more and more purging our selues euen as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3. 3. This serueth for our instruction that seeing it is such a preheminence not to be a worker of iniquity therefore we should hereby fence and arme
but if they will tremble at Gods word they shal be children of obedience and not be subiect to this wrath of God Thus Christ also reasoneth Matth. 24 â—7 Luk. 17. 18. As the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee 38. For as in the dayes before the flood they did eate and drinke marrie and gaue in mariage vntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke 39. And knewe nothing till the flood came and tooke all away so shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee Luke 17. 28. Likewise also it was in the dayes of Lot when in Sodome the Sunne shined in the morning and all was well euen then came the wrath of God from heauen When the old world was making mirth and thought of nothing lesse than of drowning vntill Noah went into the Arke suddenly the waters came vpon them Likewise is our estate we know nothing now we see the world is as it was we prouide for our posteritie Thus wee see our Sauiour Christ reasoned much like to Dauid In the peculiar iudgement it shal be like with vs as with Sodome that Citie was destroyed suddenly and so shall we be In the generall Iudgement it shall bee as in the dayes of Noe the water swept them away at vnawares so the fire shall purge vs when we thinke not of it Thou hast saith Dauid troden downe in times past thou wilt tread downe againe 2. Pet. 2. 4. If God spared not his Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell nor the olde world nor Sodome c. Thus our Sauiour Christ and with him his Apostles teach by precepts and confirme by examples and so must all the godly Ministers approue and teach this doctrine that the godly may haue their faith established in Gods promises and to leaue the wicked excuse lesse against the day of iudgement They haue left vs a president to follow whereby we must be awaked from slum bring that Gods children may stoope and the rest be committed to the righteous iudgement of God We see how we may profit by examining seuerall iudgements for seuerall sinnes hath not God appointed in his word and executed from heauen a seuerall punishment for seuerall sinnes Doth God say that Idolaters Heretikes and prophane professors should bee swept away with plagues and warres and hath he not swept away the Egyptians in the red sea Exod. 14 Did the Lord threaten the breach of the Sabbath with death And did he not strike the man that did but in that day gather stickes Numb 15 Whose sinne though men spared on earth yet the Lord punished it from heauen Nehemiah taught his people this doctrine saying Did not the wrath of God fall on our fathers for our example Yet there is to be noted that euermore the Lord hath done and doth fatherly correct and admonish before hee vtterly sweepeth away Shall we thinke that the Lord is altred His long suffering did not presently punish neither after hee had threatned but hee gaue terme to repent hee hath dealt so gratiously with countries nations and people that hee hath not so troden them downe as they haue troden down his glorie but by benefits hath allured them by chastisements driuen them and by examples perswaded them to repent before his plague came The Lord hath appointed for disobedient children death Deut. 21. 18. If any man hath a sonne stubborne and disobedient which will not hearken vnto the voyce of his Father nor the voyce of his Mother and they haue chastened him and he would not obey them and after complaint made to the Elders of the Citie all the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones vnto death And Prou. 20. 20. He that curseth his father or his mother his light shall be put out in obscure darkenes There is among other one wicked generation euen a generation that curseth his father and blesseth not his mother but of such a one let the Eagle put out his eyes Hath God so threatned and will he not punish 2. King 2. Little children who for their age we would thinke to be spared for mocking the Prophet of God Elisha who cried for vengeance by the secret motion of Gods spirit were by two Beares deuoured Did the Lord punish scorners then and will he spare them now For fornication we know twentie foure thousand fell on one day were swept away with the plague and shall fornication now be vnpunished We stand but by grace we are but petitioners we must feare least liuing in these and such like sinnes we be swept away with these and such like iudgements This must make vs to feare our selues to loue and beleeue the word to grow in repentance and make our schooling in the iudgements of God some in one and some in another We haue heard now how the cause of the Prophets prayer was the sight of his infirmities this must stirre vs vp also to priuate prayer For though we haue receiued neuer so many and excellent graces of God yet without prayer shall we not be able to stirre vp our selues by them We must see how the man of God seeing the seuere iudgements of God was moued to prayer that he should not be troden downe and swept away with the wicked We are likewise to sweare to this practise both to make vs cleaue faster to the word also to make vs the more to feare our selues For it is a visible iudgement of God when we see the iudgements of God and are not staied in fixed faith in the Lord and a reuerent feare of our selues We haue bin taught because we are giuen to thinke that the iudgements of God appertaine not to vs that the long suffering of the Lord is to leaue the wicked vnexcusable and not to haue one of his vnsaued and still calleth some and doth not execute his iudgements vntill the measure of sin be fulfilled to the brimme Genet 6. So that he spareth to call his to repentance to leaue the wicked without excuse who would neither be moued with his promises nor feared with his iudgements And although it seeme an easie doctrine that God will by one way or other punish sinne and thinke that we haue learned this before it be taught yet we shall finde our selues ignorant of the practise of it which if we knew it would be a key of the whole Scriptures vnto vs. And thus much of the generall doctrine now of the particular For their deceit is vaine As if the Prophet should say notwithstanding all their high imaginations thou hast destroyed them for they haue but deceiued themselues in false religion and vanitie of life Thus then let vs consider of it that whether our vanitie be in religion or life it is but deceit Heresie and Idolatrie carrie a great sway vnder a colour of godly life but when Gods iudgements sweepe them away they seeme vaine that neither their Idols can
in prayer Wherefore God often denyeth vs our requests because we vse not to pursue and prosecute them with seruent prayer For if we haue prayed twice or thrice for one thing and yet are not heard but receiue as it were the repulse wee straitway surcease and leaue off our prayers contrarie to the practise of this man of God who would not suffer any repulse but still continued his prayer both morning and euening So that wee are to know that if we will obtaine mercie God will sometime deferre his graunt to trie vs whether wee aske carefully or no whether wee truly and reuerently esteeme of the thing prayed for whether wee belieue throughly his mercies and promises and whether wee will as thankefully vse it when we haue it as we did carefully pray for it before we had it The Lord cannot away with our cold asking and when we giue but one sigh and there comes sometime one teare which is as the teare of an harlot he seeth that we feele not our wants throughly wee esteeme not of his mercies reuerently wee make not our request earnestly and therefore he sendeth vs often as emptie away as we came Wee must then giue the Lord no leisure to be free but prosecute our prayers with importunitie as did the Widow mentioned in the Gospell But we must remember in our often prayer to vse the wisedome of the spirit which was the second thing obserued in diligent prayer For some vse prayer often who wanting heauenly discretion turne it to their owne discommoditie For some haue peruerted most wickedly these places before alleaged through too strict a consideration of the assiduitie of praier and thought that they might giue ouer all their callings in an actiue and cruil life and wholy and continually bestow all time on prayer But this was too preposterous a diligence which that wee may auoyd it shall be true wisdome so to deuide the times and seasons as we may impart those times on prayer which most may make for Gods glorie and which best make for our calling And for those places of our Sauiour Christ and the Apostle wherein wee are commaunded to pray continually the meaning is that we should alwayes be ready and affected to pray in prosperitie and aduersitie and at all seasons fit for prayer that is when the Lord doth call vs to it and our estate doth require it This doctrine is easie to be heard but hard to be practised Well then this is true wisdom to choose the Sabbath wholy to be spent in the word and prayer from morning to night and so to deuide the seasons in the other dayes of the weeke as with Dauid and Daniel we may pray at morning noontide and euening and that therewith we haue a speciall care to bestow the rest of our time in walking in our calling For as there is a time of hearing so there is a time of putting that in vse which we haue heard as there is a Sabbath for Gods owne worship so there is sixe dayes for vs to labour in and as there is a time of praying so there is also a time of practising Neither would the Lord haue vs alwayes reading hearing or praying but after we haue read heard and prayed to shew forth the friâ—â— of them in our conuersation to his glorie And as heretikes in the primitiue Church and since that time Monkes and Friers haue laboured to teach a continuall praying so euen at this day Sathan bewitched the hearts of many with that perswasion wherefore wee must knowe that the Lord will haue obedience rather than sacrifice and mercie more than burnt offerings For why doe we heare but to learne obedience and why doe wee pray but to put our prayer in practise or why haue we knowledge but to vse it to Gods glorie Neither doth that saying of our Sauiour Christ to Martha vithstand this doctrine although many heretikes haue both obiected and peruerted this place to make it serue their purpose who falsely alleage the place saying Mary hath chosen the better part whereas the true wordes are Mary hath chosen the good part in which place Martha was not reproued in that shee was a good huswife or for that she entertained Christ but for ouermuch labouring in her huswiferie and entertainement at such time as she should haue been better occupied Neither was Mary commended for that she did nothing but heare and pray but for her wisedome in hearing Christ carefully at that time when he preached and in that she knew that Christ did lesse care and would be better satisfied though her pâ—ouâ—sion was more slender than that to more solemne preparation they should neglect the doctrine which was the fooâ—e of their soules Otherwise it must be supposed that Mary was as carefull an huswife as Martha for els vndoubtedly our Sauiour Christ would not haue so commended her for wisely discerning the times especially seeing the holy Scriptures count them worse than infidels which will not prouide for their families But this doctrine is sweet to them that maintaine it that thereby they might auoide all laborious callings and al crosses which commonly accompanie the same â—or it is the subtill policie of Sathan when hee cannot get vs to neglect prayer to endeuour to bring vs preposterously to vse and frequent prayer by causing vs to lay aside our callings which according to Gods holy ordinance we had professed wherefore let vs labour in this wisedom of the spirit wholy to take vp the Sabbath to the Lord and so dâ—uâ—â—e our other times as we may still perseuere in our callings which if we doe we shal haue better motions and not incurre so dangerous opinions as we should doe if we gaue our selues to continuall reading and praying But shall we speake of this doctrine in this our age which rather needeth a spurre than a bridle wherein many pray but obtaine not because they are not diligent many heare but are fruitlesse because they vse no diligence For besides that they want this wisedome of the Sabbath that that is appointed for the growing of their soules is spent in worldly cares These kinde of men haue their soules very barren who neither vse the Sabbath nor redeeme other times of their callings to bestowe any thing in hearing or praying or if happily they doe heare they rather make it a matter to â—arpe at than to be instructed by it These men as they will heare no true things so they will heare false and though they will marke no good things yet they will marke ill things not that there is any thing false or ill in the word but in that as to an humble spirited man the Lord maketh the word the sauour of life vnto life so vnto them that are ill minded the Lord maketh it the sauour of death vnto death and giueth them ouer in the pride of their hearts vnto Sathan that hee may delude them by deceiueable colours For
to fall vpon them 7 Where a people hartily desire by prayer the ministerie of Gods word the Lord will send them faithfull ones and will multiplie his graces in them but because people are so full of carnall securitie the Lord sends them such as either for abilitie cannot or for affection will not deliuer the word of God vnto them 8 The Ministers of God are more discouraged by the disobedience of their owne people than by the maliciousnesse of their enemies be they neuer so mighty But let Gods ministers know that they must euer haue some to refuse theÌ„ but let euery child of God take heed that he offend not his godly Minister and if he hath offended let him with submission seeke to please him for as Paul saith If I be sory who can make me glad but those by whom I haue been made forte And let the Minister of the Lord remember that the fruits of his labours amongst the people be as it were the life and crowne of his ministerie so Paul teacheth also in his owne example I doe liue if Christ doe liue in you 9 The Israelites murmured against the Lord though they seemed to repine but against Moses and Aaron Christ saith He that heareth you heareth me c. So loÌ„g as the Ministers of God trust not in themselues nor doe any thing of themselues but that wherunto they are called and ordained if they be resisted the Lord in them is resisted and if we refuse such wee refuse the Lord 2. Sam. 12. But when they be not ordained of God nor bring not the word of God with them then the curse cause lesse shall not fall But if we be assured of their calling or perswaded of their doctrine or if doubting and searching by the Scriptures we finde it true then if we obey not the Lord is highly dishonoured 10 It is necessarie that the Minister of God doe very sharply rebuke the people for their sinnes and that he lay before them Gods grieuous iudgements against sinners for so the Apostle commandeth Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith And again it is needfull for the people that they haue their coÌ„sciences touched and their hearts made knowne vnto them that so they may come out of their sinnes and preuent the heauie iudgement of God 11 The Israelites were sometime at their wits end and therefore could not pray so that they had a singular blessing to haue Moses to pray for them So had Lot when Abraham prayed for him So had the Israelites when Samuel Phineas and Elias were ready to pray for them This must teach vs to set much by Gods seruaÌ„ts among vs which pray for vs and not to haue them in small account Eccl. saith The godly in prosperitie is not regarded but in aduersitie they are sought vnto And indeed they are our chiefest helpe as is said of Elias that he was the chariots horses of Israel this is not onely profitable for whole countries but for euery particular man that when he caÌ„not pray but hath as it were his heart tongue fast looked vp yet then Gods seruants doe pray for them that after they may pray themselues Wherefore let vs euer be readie to pray for others though they be wicked and haue done no dutie to vs yet it is Gods grace that we stand that we might reach a haÌ„d to them and though they haue reiected vs and deale euill with vs yet let vs doe our dutie vnto them as Moses did for this people though they were ready to stone him and so did Samuel pray for the people which had reiected him so that nothing must cause vs to leaue our duties to them but euer labour to haue our harts vpright with God whereof this is a good note if we can pray for others though they haue wronged vs. And that we may do this we must set the glory of God before our eyes which will teach vs not only to loue do good vnto them which loue vs for so do the harlots but euen to help them that hate vs. Therefore when the Lord will haue a punishment brought vpon vs then will hee take the godly froÌ„ vs as he tooke Lot from Sodom And therefore in such cases we haue to feare dangers 12 With what prouision the mightie of the world build their castles and with what consultations the Kings of the Nations proclaime warres with the same prouision with the same consultation and with no lesse should we take the calling of the Ministerie vpon vs which is a masonrie and a warfare both at one time as master Beza well noteth Ephes. 6. 2. continually like the builders vnder Nehemiah holding the trowell in one hand and the sword in the other The ground-worke hereof flesh and blood hath taught vs and set it downe for a corner stone in all serious consultations that whatsoeuer is must be set downe once for all euen for all the life long neuer to be called backe againe That same had need be well breathed vpon and be long in setting downe And this is not onely heathen wisedome but Salomons wisdome a man filled with vnderstanding euen one of his Aphorisms Prou. 25. Prepare thy worke without and make readie all things in the fielde But behold a greater then Salomon Luc. 14. before whom all heathens wisedome all mans wisedome is foolishnes yea brutishnes euen Christ Iesus the only wise God who not in generalitie but in this particular case of the ministerie streightly chargeth and commaundeth vs that not the best of vs all be so hardie as to lift vp an Axe or to stretch a line ouer his building before we haue been at Ephrata and in the woods to see that our prouision be great enough before wee haue set downe and as it were kept straight Audite with our selues and cast all our Reckonings ouer againe and bee sure wee haue sufficient to lay the last stone as wee lay the first If we doe not thus charges will arise more then wee thinke and we shall not be able to holde out to the ende And if wee be not why then all that behold vs all the world all the Angels in heauen CHRIST himselfe shall laugh vs to scorne Christ himselfe shall haue vs in derision this fellow must needes be building c. Oh it goeth sore when CHRIST whose Face was wrinckled with weeping and the shadow of death was on his Eyes for our sinnes when that Christ who in the dayes of his flesh offered supplications with strong crying and teares Heb. 5 When that Christ who in the bitternes of his soule lifted vp his voyce ouer Ierusalem and cried Oh if thou haâ—st but knowne at the least in this day what belonged vnto thy peace and so was saine to lift vp the rest of the Sentence with teares as it was and as not being able to speake on for weeping the teares comming downe so fast
though they were corrupted for the lord left not his people to worship as they list because Obedience was euer better than Sacrifice The Lord making Lawes respecteth not what any one man needeth but what most stand in neede of therefore seeing there is mention of Priestes Sacrifices Altars Holy-dayes and that the Gentiles which had these borrowed them of the Iewes it is manifest that the Lord neuer left his people to their owne gouernment in his worship 13 The Lord gaue the ten Commandements and spake them himselfe Exo. 20 Deu. 5. Yea Moses added many things hence we may gather that whatsoeues the Lord spake himselfe it belongeth to all that which Moses added was for the Iewes and so is ceremoniall 14 The Lord sanctifieth this day when hee commandeth it to holy vses the people sanctifie it when they so vse it 15 The Iewes were punished not for breaking the ceremonie but for contempt of Gods Commandement and for doing it with an high hand as appeareth there where he that gathered stickes is adiudged to die For first there is a description of the sin and then followeth that in practise which was in word or in precept This is also seene in the lawe of the Fast wherein no man must worke for who so wrought hee should die not for that he wrought but for that he contemned the meanes to be humbled so the like reason generally is for working on the Sabbath and the fasting daies that they were not punished for the ceremonie but for contempt of the ordinance of God so necessary The equirie is in that the Lord giueth sixe dayes to worke and but one to serue him if the first being a permission doth endure for euer then doth the other also remaine for euer And that this permission to worke on the sixe daies cannot be restrained for any religious vse it appeareth as in that Adam had the vse of the creatures the Apostle doth leaue all things free and therefore these dayes came not for any religious vses 16 But some may except the Lord made holy daies and fasting daies therfore we may doe so now Answere first exceptions do not take away a generall rule Secondly the Lord maketh Lawes for men and not for himselfe therefore they may not followe him vnlesse they haue the like reason as in the day of humbling for any singular benefit as in the Coronation of the Prince yet these daies are not taken vp of men but the Lord bloweth the Trumpet and in neglecting them it is sinne for God must haue this prerogatiue onely to make Lawes Seeing the equitie of the Commandement is to vs as well as to them therefore the Sabbath belongeth to vs as well as to them The Lord created all things and gaue them to all and all may haue vse of them therefore this is a sure proofe that the reason is common to vs with them and so this Commandement 17 The exposition of this Commandement sheweth the same for the worship of God is neuer commanded but this also is commanded and the corruption thereof neuer corrected but this also aboue all the rest as may appeare in all places of the Scriptures where mention is made of the Sabbath especially Numb 15. And is all this because of the pretermitting of a Ceremonie Would hee not be euer worshipped in spirit Neuer to delight in the Ceremonie Therefore this was because the meanes of Gods worship were contemned 18 That it should be changed once it was meet but neuer to be changed againe for as then the day of rest for the creation was most fit so now the day of our redemption is most fit seeing now the world is as if it were made new and therefore cannot be changed 19 Then they could not kindle fire which we doe therefore it was ceremoniall First some thinke that commandement was but for time of the wildernes Secondly the Iewes in euery commandement had something ceremoniall which wee haue not now being in CHRIST As in the second commandement we are to reade and teach the word of God it belongeth to vs as well as to them but to haue frontlets we are not bound So of singing we are bound to haue singing as well as the Iewes but yet not with Organes and such like So of burying the dead we are as staightly charged to do it as the Iewes yet not with ointments and such cost as they were at So in euery commaundement they had some thing pedagogicall which is taken away but the commandement it selfe is more streightly required of vs then of them because it is more cleerly set forth to vs then to them 20 Not onely they that spend the Lordes day on their pleasures are to be reproued as breakers of the Lords seruice but they also which worke vpon the same Amongst them those that are the children of God whose hearts God hath touched by his spirit shall see that the Lord will not let them prosper in the same sinne but what they take in hand shall goe slowly forward their bargaines shall bring but small gaine they shall haue but little vse of that which they buy on that day Nay sometimes they shall see that when they have broken the Lords Sabbath some iudgement or other doth light vpon them and their labours so that they will confesse that their Sabbath dayes labors stand them in small stead 21 Manie will obserue streightly their Easter day but wee must haue euerie weeke an Easter day to consider of the benefit of Christs Resurrection not that we must onely that day thinke thereupon For as our Father Adam euery day when hee dressed the Garden should thinke vpon the Creation yet on the Sabbath day he should wholly giue himselfe to obserue the same So must wee euery day consider of Christs Resurrection yet on that day we must doe it wholly that we may recompence the want of the former dayes 22 He that keepeth the Sabbath in truth and in conscience will continually walke vprightly in his calling all the weeke after and on the contrarie hee that is a carelesse prophaner of the Sabbath if his life be examined he shall be found to be a loose liuer if he lie not in some notorious sinne Therefore if any man desire to walke in the commandements of God let him labour in conscience to be a sanctifier of the holy Sabbath 23 Manie will be superstitious obseruers of their popish-holy-daies and streight keepers of their Easter-day and then shall all businesse be done quickly that all may goe to Church but the Lords day is of small account with them Yet must we make euery Sabbath day an Easter-day that is a day wherein we are to record the Resurrection of Christ and all other mercies which God through him hath shewed on vs on those dayes must we labour diligently to feele the fruite of them all 24 Playing should not be on the Lordes day because mans finite nature being
subiect to distractions is no lesse hindred by pleasure then burdened with worldly cogitations yea and so many are the exercises of religion and loue both priuate and publike appertaining to that day that a man is not able to performe all the number of them in one day much lesse then hath he time to follow his delights 25 Vpon a great raine falling in a Fayre time not long after the Sabbath which by the Faire was broken hee had this working in his heart how one should order his affections in such a case First in respect of God whether one should not reioyce seeing men would not be taught by so long preaching to keepe the Sabbath that the Lord euē by his afflictions should teach men his holy ordinance Secondly in regard of men whether he should not pittie them for that their goods were subiect to such dangers True it is that men are to be pittied but when the question is of Pietie towards GOD and pittie towards men it were better to reioyce that the Lord will through some hindrance of worldly things tender the obeying of his owne ordinance than pietie should decay and so many soules perish 26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial we must first marke that the Prophets are continuall vrgers of the morall lawe as for the ceremonies when they came to them they passe them ouer saying that God hath no pleasure in them as Esay 2. and 66. and among the rest nothing is more namely and precisely vrged than the Sabbath therefore it is no ceremonie Againe grant it to be ceremoniall and yee shall make God a confounder of the Law and Gospell a mingler of the ceremoniall law with the morall and admitting one ceremonie in the Decalogue why may there not be two or three or moe Concerning this mixture many heresies hereby haue crept into the Church and it cannot be auoided if we make the fourth Commandement ceremoniall We know that whē Saul was among the Prophets 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying Is Saul among the Prophets as if it were no good order but the Prophets should be among themselues and Saul with his companions A third reason may be that Christ in the Gospell deliuereth a summe of the whole law Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe But this summe of the law is meerely morall therefore the lawe whereof this is a summe is meerely morall except wee will accuse Christ for giuing vs a morall summe of a ceremoniall thing Besides the Commandements were but a renuing of the law of nature for it was written in the brest of Adam by the finger of God Now there became a declining from this lawe of nature by the negligence of them that should haue taught it to their children Therfore would the Lord haue it written once for all But in the lawe of nature there is no ceremonie for it is the image of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is altogether holy and for euer and ceremonies are holy but for a time therefore in the image of God in the Decalogue there is no ceremonie and consequenly the Sabbath is not ceremoniall A fift reason is this they that affirme the Sabbath to be a Ceremonie must either say that the Ceremonie is in the word Sanctifie or in the word Sabhath for this is the Commandement Sanctifie the Sabbath as for Remember it is but a prouiso and no part of the Commandement but the force of the Commandement stands in the word Sanctifie and it is a Verbe transitiue and therefore cannot be without an Accusatiue case as Day or Sabbath and in sanctifying is no ceremonie Therefore the Commandement is no Ceremonie Moreouer it must needs follow that that which is concluded by a reason is commaunded by ◠precept but in this it is concluded by reason your labour and rest must bee scanned by Gods labour and rest and the Lord laboured sixe daies and tested the seuenth day therefore you must worke al your workes in sixe and rest the seuenth As much reason is this that as Christ reasoneth how the Diuorce being a thing brought in vpon occasion did not therefore bind the conscience of the Iewes because from the beginning it was not so which was as much as if he should say or insinuate by the contrary whatsoeuer was from the beginning it bindeth the conscience So we say of the Sabbath that it being from the beginning not onely printed in the breast of Adam but also sounded in his eares must therefore binde the conscience CHAP. LXIX Of Thankesgiuing and right vse of the creatures NOne can euer praise the Lord till he be rauished with his greatnesse and goodnesse and the want of this feeling causeth vs to be cold in thanksgiuing euen as our praiers be cold when we haue but small feeling of sinne 2 And that wee doe in truth of heart acknowledge God to be the preseruer of vs from all euils and giuer of all mercies we may trie by our thankfulnes and prayer 3 The sin that was in the Israelites is in vs for the want of one good thing doth make vs rather to mourne than the hauing of many good things doth make vs thankfull 4 We must be thankfull presently and speedily when wee wil long keepe the remembrance of any mercie 5 Because our faith yeeldeth but drops of thankfulnes the Lord is constrained to yeeld but drops of his mercies 6 Being with one afflicted in body and minde vnto whom the Lord had shewed great tokens of saluation and fruitfull to sanctifie the present afflictions he said I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts and graces of God but rather I feare least the time of their deliuerance should be tainted with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they purchased of the Lord. 7 Wee haue no continuing citie now but we looke for another not that wee may not call these things ours which are sanctified vnto vs by the word and prayer and in a good conscience vsing them but that we should not set our harts vpon them further than they are sanctified vnto vs we should not desire to vse them 1 These outward benefits are promised with a condition that so far we shall haue them as is for his glorie and our good with which condition we are commanded to aske them if then we want any thing we must know it is not good for vs but hurtfull we are to magnifie his mercies which holdeth those things from vs which are not for our good and yet giueth vs that by the want thereof which by the thing enioyed wee could not come vnto For the thing doth not hurt vs but our corruptions which abuse it therefore he keepeth promise when he taketh it away for he hath made the promise for our good 9 It hath been the order of the
of them that haue a care to please God The first is our grosse temptations for many trusting to good talke good education good companie and thinking themselues well setled are content to rest in these meanes and trauell not to see their inward corruptions and priuie temptations which if they be but burthensome vnto vs and make vs as it were sicke to carrie them it is a good token The second thing is by marking our affections if we loue nothing so much as the fauour of God feare nothing so much as the losse of it hauing found it if we carefully keepe it and hauing lost it if we neuer be quiet till we recouer it being content to want all things to haue it not staying in the possession of all things if we want it this is a good signe Thirdly we may comfort our selues if we feare God as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie and loue God as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie For euery man can feare him vnder the crosse as Pharaoh Saul and Balaam and euery man can praise God in abundance as who praised him more than Iobs wife being in prosperitie CHAP. 9. Of the Sabbath BY nature all daies are like as are all men water bread wine vntil God sanctifie them that is put them a part to a seuerall vse As amongst men the Magistrate the water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Supper so among daies the Sabbath Gen. 2. 3. because of Gods appointment are not to be accounted common Acts. 10. 15. What God hath made cleane pollute thou not Pollute thou not that is imploy thou not as thou doest other things to common vses but let it serue to holy vses only For nothing consecrate was euer put to prophane or ordinary vses Exod. 30. 38. To sanctifie is to make holy It is said God hath made holy the Sabbath For himselfe it is superfluous to whom all things are holy for vs and for our selues therfore is the sanctification thereof For 1. Thess. 4. 3. the Apostle saith This is the will of God euen your sanctification therefore he sanctified it for vs that is he blesseth the word which we heare vpon that day after a more effectuall manner and with a more speciall blessing to beget in vs holinesse that we may by it become holy as he is holy God then by his blessing hath sanctified it we by our obedience must sanctifie it that is be occupied in all those exercises of religion whereunto God hath annexed a promise of working in vs true holinesse To doe otherwise is to oppose our selues to the ordinance of God yet though we doe prophane it as much as in vs lieth the day doth remaine holy as Christ witnesseth A man may commit adulterie with a woman and yet she remaine chast Matth. 28. Now I doe say we doe sanctifie the Sabbath day by vsing the meanes by which sanctificatiō is wrought in vs as by prayer Act. 16. 13. priuately or publikely vsed Psal. 122. 1. and secretly among the faithful to be vsed before all other meanes Psal 95. 6. after all other meanes Numb 6. 24 or by reading the word or hearing it read Nehem. 8. 8. in the assemblie Act. 13. 13. or reading it priuately our selues Dan 9. 2. both to the triall of that which we haue heard Act. 17. 11. and for our owne priuate meditation If reading we doe not vnderstand we must prouide vs a guide either by word Act. 8. 19. or writing that is by Analogie or by hearing the word Preached which is the chief means of al the rest Luk. 4. 16. Rom. 10. 14. By singing of Psalms Psal. 92. 1. generally containing the praises of God or more particular as present occasion shall serue By meditation Psal. 92. 2. vpon the word preached or read vpon the creatures Psal. 143. 5. vpon Gods iudgements and mercy towards our selues our fathers house the places wherein we liue and the Church of God elsewhere by conference Malach. 3. 16. of that which hath done vs good or the wants we feele in our selues by vsing practise that is by doing those things which may testifie vnto our conscience and before men that sanctification is wrought in vs and that the meanes haue done vs good Matth. 12. 12. 2. Cor. 16. 1. 2. and that in things corporall which some haue set downe in a Latin verse or in things spiritual vttered in another Latin verse Without bodily rest we cannot thorowly sanctifie this day For Adam in Paradise and in the estate of innocencie could not doe it much lesse we as we are Therefore euen before the fall he had a Sabbath Gen. 2. 3. giuing him therein to intend the seruice of God wholy and only for the other sixe daies he was to dresse the garden Gen. 2. 15. The equitie of this commandement is the rule of nature whatsoeuer must be thorowly done must be wholy done We are to rest from the labour of the sixe daies that is from whatsoeuer might haue beene done or may be done after For which cause we are commanded to remember the Sabbath before it come We must abstaine from bearing of burthens Ierem. 17. 22. from buying and selling euen victuals Nehem. 13. 15. from necessarie labour in necessarie and at necessarie times that is both in seed time and haruest Exod. 34. 2. yea euen from whatsoeuer may seeme to haue a shew of holines in the very building of the Lords sanctuarie Exod. 31. 13. generally whosoeuer doth any worke on the Sabbath defileth it and committeth a sinne worthie of death The punishment which God threatneth to that countrey where this precept is neglected is the plague of fire Iere. 17. 27. And to keepe the Sabbath buying and selling therein is the Sabbath of the men of Ashdod and Tyrus Nehe. 13. If we must cease from our vocation wherein God hath placed vs and the workes thereof then must we cease from feasting games faires and such like of lesse necessitie of greater impediment for the Sabbath such is the Sabbath of the golden calfe Exod. 32. 6. And if we must abstaine from those things which in themselues are not euill then from surfetting idlenes doing of our owne wils and which at no times are lawful otherwise it is the diuels Sabbath not the Lords Es. 58. 13. Neither must we thinke if we precisely keepe the bodily rest and put on our best apparell that we haue satisfied our dutie for as bodily labour so bodily rest profiteth nothing 1. Tim. 4 8. Therefore we must take heed that our rest end in sanctification or else our Oxe and our Ass◠keepe as good a Sabbath as we No commandement is both affirmatiue and negatiue but this to meete euery way with vs euery precept else runnes in this tenour Thou shalt not this requests vs mildly and saith Remember nay it not onely desireth vs but it perswades vs and giues vs a reason
our present trouble and torment of minde seeketh to driue vs vnto despayre we are to vse against him his owne weapons for among many testimonies of our estate in grace fauour with God there is none more euident and sensible than is that conflict which we find and feele in our selues of the spirit against the flesh of faith against vnbeliefe of a sanctified minde against that part that is vnregenerated and finally of the new creature against the old man and of Christ himselfe in vs against the power of Sathan If he replie that this is not so but the contrarie we may answere that albeit there haue been many times wherein we had a more present and mightie hand of the Lord vpon vs yet euen now Satan himselfe cannot denie but we hate sinne and loue righteousnes that we loue God and to our power obey his will and flye the baites and occasions of euill whereof if there were for the present no manifest and apparant effects as yet by the grace of God there are notwithstanding the onely affection and desire of the heart thirsting and longing after Gods kingdome and his righteousnes are sufficient arguments of the worke of grace begun in vs which shall so long bee continued by the good hand of our heauenly father vntill it be consummated and perfected in the life to come For if it be God as the Apostle saith that giueth both the will and the deed he that hath giuen vs to desire to obey his will will also enable vs vnto the doing of the same And seeing the worke of sanctification beginneth in the heart and thence floweth into our whole life wee nothing doubt but God who hath giuen vs ioy in the holy Ghost and therby a loue vnto him vnto his law wil further confirme strengthen vs that we may be vessels of honour vnto his name and glorifie the Gospel of our profession with fruites agreeable and according thereunto Yea the thoughts meditations and desires of the heart are deeds before God and principall parts of that obedience which he requireth at our hands And therefore if the faithfull man should bee taken away by death before he hath done any of the outward works of the law yet should not his faith be without fruites in that being sanctified in the inward man hee doth now in soule spirit serue the Lord and desireth abilitie and oportunitie in act to doe his will and to honour his name as appeared in that penitent malefactor that died with our Sauiour Christ. Another thing I am to admonish you of that you bee not as the couetous men of the world who so gape vpon that they further desire as they consider not but rather forget that which they alreadie haue and hauing much indeede in their opinion haue nothing and to all purposes and vses do as well want that which they haue as that which they haue not So it oftentimes happeneth to the deare children of God that whilest they looke and breath after that which they haue not yet attained vnto they forget and neglect that which they haue receiued and vse it not to their comfort and reioycing as otherwise they should This ouerreaching importunitie of theirs Sathan abuseth against them from the opinion of hauing nothing to blind their eyes not to see the present grace and goodnes of God towards them It is true that the Apostle saith that in the course of godlines and religion we may not thinke we haue attained the goale or are come vnto the ende of our race but forgetting that which is behind vs and endeuouring vnto that which is before must contend as to a marke vnto the reward of the most high calling of God in Christ Iesus But he speaketh it not to this end that wee should not in thankfulnes acknowledge the former mercies of God bestowed vpon vs or not vse them vnto our comfort as testimonies of his loue fauour towards vs but that we may not stay in our present profiting but adde daily a new and fresh increase that as from a larger and greater heape oâ— benefits we may more and more assure our selues that we are beloued of God and shall enioy the inheritance of his kingdome When the Apostle saith Worke your saluation c. and labour to make your calling and election sure though the meaning be not that we should put confidence of saluation in workes yet it telleth vs that the works fruits of our faith are testifications of Gods spirit dwelling in our hearts more euident and pregnant than that Satan himselfe can or dare deny them We may not suffer our selues to be so ouerborne of the enemie vnder the colour of zeale and desire to doe well as not to remember wherein the Lord hath already giuen vs some part of wel-doing not so to striue vnto that we haue not as to forget that which by his grace we already haue but rather with all thankfulnesse acknowledging the goodnes of God from thence assure our selues of the continuance finishing of the worke begun In the courses of the world as slownesse getteth nothing so preposterous haste looseth all It is the subtiltie and malice of the enemie when he cannot hold vs with himselfe to hasten and push vs on so fast and so headlong as by rashnesse we may fall into that which by forwardnesse we had escaped Good things to come therefore we must hold them in hope and pursue them in peace but the good we haue alreadie attained vnto we must so farre reioyce and comfort our selues in as from thence we may be able to sustaine and support our cause against the enemie and from that we haue to let him vnderstand that we doubt not of that which remaineth that the Lord will both continue and confirme the worke of his owne hands and not forsake the same vntil it be accomplished in his kingdome of glory Thus I haue in great hast and confusedly set down so much as presently came vnto minde of those things which often heretofore I haue written vnto you humbly beseeching the Father of all mercy and God of all consolation who hath annointed you with the oyle of his grace sealed you with the spirit of adoption and giuen you a sure earnest and pledge of euerlasting saluation to encrease vpon you and in your heart the measure of faith and multiply your fruits in all manner of well doing make you strong against the face of your enemie crowne you with victorie in the day of battaile that you may praise his name in the day of your deliuerance glorifie him in the whole course of your life and finally enioy with the rest of his Saints that eternall kingdome of glory prepared for all those that loue and feare him Amen FINIS MAISTER GREENEHAMS PRAYER O God most mightie glorious and righteous O father most louing gracious and merciful which keepest couenant and mercy in Iesus Christ
it must be ioyned with the word 775 â—36 with faith and knowledge 711 it must be seruent 56 wee must stirre vp our selues in prayer 84 how to pray against enemies 5â—â— rules thereof ibid. how many waies God heareth our prayers 409 why God heareth not our prayers alwaies at the first ibid. in the soule 317 what the Lord requireth of vs therein 237 hard to performe 238 circumstances in prayer 240 taken for the whole worship of God 8â—9 Predestination 764 popish 770 Preferments how often bestowed 668 Preparation to holy exercises 709 Presumption a remedie against it 40. what it is 141 two waies of presuming 765 difference betweene it and faith 622 Pride 212 4â—0 how it is corrected 34 priuie pride 269 it consumes many good gifts 80 it is the last sinne 306 it is in foure things 711 spirituall pride 272 Profession double 801 verball 819 Promise 12â— Gods promises vnder the Gospell 481 Gods promises ought to stirre vs to obedience 753 â—81 how hard to rest on Gods promises 490 Prophets why called Seers 6â—7 what prophecie is 7â—0 the dutie of a Prophet 771 three kindes of false Prophets 771 prophecies tried notes betweene the true and false Prophets 772 what they respected in their teaching 519 Prophanenes 54 Proâ—perity hath no feeling of good things 27 not to desire it too greedily 272 in it to think on aduersitie 710 766 it should draw vs neere vnto God 770 it is dangerous vnto some 116 Protestants most bound to good workes 827 ignorant 807 carnall Protestants 70â— 464 4â—5 false Protestants 119 Prouidence â—â—â— 184 4â—6 5â—â— 316 faith in it is a remedie against murmuring 252 it is generall and particular 253 in it is a trial of our faith 644 it is admirable 677 the worldlings know it not 731 how to depend on it 774 God in his prouidence wil watch ouer vs 486 God is iust in it 5â—5 how great it is towards maÌ„ 850 Seuerall punishments for seuerall sins 500 R RAce how the Race of Christianitie is â—unne by Christians 413 Reading 38 ioyned with preaching 15â— publikely 225 directions for the reading of Scriptures 174 175 176 who should reade Scripture 6â—4 Reason naturall is against faith â—43 645 18â— it must be renounced 298 to fight with it a hard matter 299 how to striue against it 467 4â—7 Rebuking of sinne 257 who ought to be reproued 633 Reconciliation 798 Recreation 169 on the Lords day vnlawfull 839 840 Regeneration 6 good natures doe not further it nor euill natures hinder it 29 it can neuer be vtterly lost â—45 feeling of sinne an earnest thereof 11â— farre more excellent than our first creation 4â— meditations of the regenerate 453 482 how wonderfull it is 803 strife in the regenerate 785 Relapse cautions obserued therein 13 58â— the state of men after it 249 how to rise againe 64â— Religion not to haue it in respect of persons 119 we must not be of a darke religion 801 a singular grace to loue it wheÌ„ it is commonly hated 515 triall of it 803 better to be religious than seeme 305 to be truely religious is to haue the meanes in due estimation 384 Religion is the way to happines pag. 380 Religion corrupt life caÌ„not be vncorrupt 454 the true religious and irreligious discerned in temptations 455 Remedies against troubles of minde 102 See conscience afflicted Against vncleane lusts 635 Remission of sinne and mortification 105 See pardon Repentance 282 what it is how to begin it and to continue it 281 282 283 284 285 286 6 7 87 notes of it 780 it must be speedie and continued 781 it is the gift of God 782 fruites of it 796 the necessitie of it 46 48 61 late repentance 799 Reports euill the vse that is to be made of theÌ„ 64 65 how an euill report should be staied 161 how it should be borne 652 two occasions of euill reports 266 false reports the vse of them 267 Reproches trials in it 29 Riches 624 no argumeÌ„ts of Gods fauour 251 the nature of them how they are thornes 643 their vse 644 they haue two ends 735 their abuse 783 how to haue earthly and heauenly riches 784 the vnworthie possession of them daungerous 78â— Righteous markes of a righteous man 613 118 680 839 See Iustification Rule for a man to examine himselfe 516 Restitution 78 Resurrection 252 178 coÌ„forts arising froÌ„ it 85 few doe truely beleeue it 180 of the rest of Enoch and Eliah 180 Gods iudgement and mercy require it 183 Reuelation ordinary or extraordinarie 770 Reuenge 68â— remedie for it 727 against desire of reuenge 481 S SAbbath inconueniences and commodities in keeping it 128 how it is prophaned 138 what it is to sanctifie it 132 809 when first ordained 133 not a signe onley 134 no ceremonie yet rest as needfull for vs as for the Iewes 132 a Sabbath daies iourney 14â— workes of the Sabbath 144 prophaning of it in haruest 146 the speciall vse to remember three benefits 156 priuate exercises before and after the publike 157 158 workes forbidden on the Sabbath 162 whether all callings ought to rest 306 609 c. the breach of it punished 810 8â—9 meanes for the sanctification of it Ibid. SacrameÌ„ts 30 687 825 in time of the Law had two ends 133 neglect contempt punished with death 787 sacramentall phrases why vsed 788 We renew our couenant so oft as we come to the Sacrament 478 Sacriledge of our time to be spokeÌ„ against 749 Sadnes 29 not to be sad 782 Saffron not to be gathered on the Sabbath 167 Saluation 36 notes thereof 171 the golden chaine therof 207 ioy thereof how great 293. See Ioy. A desire thereof 610 assurance see Assurance Sanctification euident tokens thereof 13 241 246 247 it cannot be vtterly lost 245 how wonderfull 803 it must not be of one part 80â— it must be continuall 806 Sathan is maister of all sinners â—9â— their seruices to him their reward for their seruice ibid. Satan and his practises 35 796 55 â—11 â—12 in temptation â—99 hee is a Surgeon to cure the faithfull 618 how to answere him in temptation 111 112 Sathan and melancholie disquiet afflicted soules 86â— 868 how he fighteth 90 his policie 801 of diuers names giuen him in scripture 845 Schisme 39 37 647 796 Scorners who are scorners 623 112 â—01 Scripture a generall rule concerning it 153 directions for reading of it publikely in the Church 173 priuatly euery day 174 generall obseruations for it 7â— abused 757 the certaintie of it â—71 scripture for a weake conscience 854 apâ— similitudes for all degrees therein 844 why we profit not in them 519 Secret corruption threatneth a downfall 103 hindreth successe in good actions 27 comfort for Gods children when they feele it 681 Carnall securitie 46â— Securitie a forerunner of grosse sinne or of some crosse eueÌ„ the causes of it 30 how daungerous 274 116 659 79â— in publike calamities 767 a signe of securitie 792 heresie or prophanenes like