b Psal 32. 1. 2. happinesse to haue our sinnes couered and not imputed it must needs bee extreame miserie to haue them reckoned and imputed vnto vs. Therefore the transgressors of this Commandement the more free that vsually they are from the iudgements and punishments of men the more heauie plagues and vengeance will surely light vpon them from God except they repent Q. What is summarily required in this Commandement A. The setting apart of a speciall day euery weeke Neh. 13. 15. 23. Esay 58. 13. wherein we are to separate our selues from our worldly businesses and ordinarie callings concerning this life that we may wholly attend to the seruice and worship of God alone Q. What need is there of one whole day in a weeke to serue God in seeing we may serue him euery day A. To the end that wee should not plunge our selues so deepely into the affaires of the world as that we should not recouer our selues the wisdome of God hath thought it good that one day in seuen there should bee an intermission from them that wee might wholly separate our selues to the seruice of God and with the more freedome of spirit performe the same Secondly for that a whole day is needfull for the performance of all the parts of Gods worship as hearing of publike Prayer and the Word preached Catechizing administration of the Sacraments exercise of holy Discipline consideration of the glory of God in the creatures Thirdly If Adam in his perfection had need of this helpe much more haue we who are so grieuously corrupted Q. Is there any one speciall day of the weeke set apart by God himselfe A. Yea. Q. What day is that A. The first day in the week called the Lords day 1. Cor. 16. 2. Reuel 1. 10. Act. 20. 7. Q. VVas this day set apart thereunto from the beginning A. No for from the first Creation till the Resurrection of Christ the last day of the weeke commonly called Saturday was the day that was appointed thereunto and that which the people of God constantly obserued Q. And why so A. Because vpon that day God ceased from the Gen. 2. 2. worke of Creation Q. How came this day to be changed A. By Diuine Authority Q. How doth that appeare A. First by the a Ioh. 20. 19. 26. Act. 2. 1. 20. 7. practice of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles which should be a sufficient rule vnto vs b 1. Cor. 16. 1. especially the Apostles hauing added a commandement thereunto Secondly there is no reason why it should bee called the Lords day but in regard c Reuel 1. 10. of the speciall dedication thereof to the Lords seruice For otherwise all the daies of the weeke are the Lords daies and hee is to bee serued and worshipped in them Q. What was the cause why the day was changed A. Because it might serue for a thankfull memoriall of Christs Resurrection for as God rested from his labour on the last day of the weeke so Christ ceased Mat. 28. 1. Gen. 2 1. 2. from his labour and Afflictions on this day as the one therefore was specially sanctified in regard of the Creation of the world so was the other in respect of the restauration and Redemption thereof which is a greater worke then the Creation it selfe Q. Cannot this day then be altered A. No not by the power of any creature in heauen or earth Q. But doth not this Commandement directly require the seuenth day from the Creation A. No but the seuenth day in generall Q. But doth not the reason annexed where the Lord is said in sixe daies to make heauen and earth and to rest the seuenth and therefore to hallow it confirme so much A. No not necessarily for it doth not thence follow that we should rest the same day the Lord rested but that wee should rest from our workes the seuenth day as he rested from his which seuenth as vnder the Law hee appointed to bee Saturday so nothing hindreth but that by his speciall appointment vnder the Gospell it may bee Sunday and yet the substance of the Commandement nothing altered Q. Why doth not the New Testament specially mention this change A. Because there was no question moued about the same in the Apostles times Q. Is not this Commandement Ceremoniall A. No First if it were so then the Morall Law should consist but of nine words or Commandements which is a Deut. 4. 13. contrarie to Gods word Secondly this Commandement amongst the rest b Exod. 31. 18. was written by the finger of God whereas no part of the Ceremoniall Law was Thirdly it as well as the other was written c Deut. 5. 22. in Tables of stone to signifie the continuance of this Commandement as well as the rest Fourthly d Gen. 2. 3. it was before any shadow or Ceremony of the Law yea before Christ was promised whom all Ceremonies of the Law haue respect vnto Q. But it sometime shadowed our a Coloss 2. 16. 17 Exod. 31. 13. Eternall Rest and is therefore Ceremoniall A. That followeth not for the ceremoniall representation of our Eternall Rest came after the Commandement of the Rest and therfore is accessorie and accidentall for which cause b Dan. 9. 27. Matth. 11. 13. Act. 15. 6. Coloss 2. 13. 14. Heb. 10. 14. Gal. 5. 2. the time of correction and of abolishment of ceremonies being come that vse may well fall away and yet the Commandement remaine it being not of the substance of the Commandement Q. Haue you yet any further reason to confirme the perpetuitie of the Rest of the seuenth day A. Our Sauiour Christ willing his followers which Matth. 24. 20. should liue about 40. yeeres after his ascension to pray that their flight might not be vpon the Sabbath to the end that they might not be hindred in the seruice of God doth thereby sufficiently declare that he held not this Commandement in the account of a ceremonie Q. When doth this our Sabbath begin A. At the dawning of the day for Christ rose in the dawning thereof whereby is put a difference betweene the Iewish and the true Christian Sabbath for as the Iewish Sabbath began in that part of the day in which the Creation of the world was ended and consequently in the euening so the celebration of the memorie of Christs Resurrection and therin of his Rest from his special labors being the ground of the change of that day into this it also by the same proportion of reason is to begin when the Resurrection began which was in the morning Q. Can you shew this by example A. Yea Paul being at Troas after hee had preached Act. 20. 7-10 a whole day vntill midnight celebrated the Supper of the Lord the same night which was a Sabbath daies exercise and therefore that night following the day was a part of the Sabbath for in the morning he departed hauing stayed there seuen daies
then all the Starres besides and exercising more vertue vpon these terrestriall bodies Secondly for that they seeme so to vs it being the purpose of the holy Ghost by Moses to apply himselfe to the capacity of the vnlearned Q. VVhat is the vse of them A. First to distinguish the times as Spring Summer Gen. 1. 14. 18. 9. 1. Psal 136. 8. 9. Autumne and Winter from whence their work and naturall effect vpon the earthly creatures is gathered also to distinguish the night from the day the day from the moneth the moneth from the yeere last of all to giue light to the inhabitants of the earth Q. Haue they not operation also in the extraordinarie euents of singular things and persons for their good and euill estate A. No verily there is no such vse taught of them in Esay 47. 12. 13. Ierem. 10. 2. the Scriptures Q. VVhat was the worke of the fifth day and night A. The creation of the Fishes and Birds Q. What were the fishes made of A. Of all foure Elements but more as seemeth of the waters then other liuing things Q. What were the birds made of A. Of all foure Elements yet haue more of the Gen. 2. 19. earth and therefore that they are so light and that their delight is in the aire it is so much the more maruellous Q. What is the worke of the sixth night and day A. In the night thereof as is probable hee made the beasts of the earth both tame and wild going and creeping CHAP. 7. Of the Creation of Man Wherein note Generally of the image of God and therein the Parts Inward Outward Effect More specially the Creation of the Man his Body Soule Woman the Ende of her Creation Manner GENES Chap. 1. vers 26. 27. 26. And God said Let vs make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them haue dominion ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the foule of the aire and ouer the cattell and ouer all the earth and ouer euery creeping thing that creepeth vpon the earth 27. So God created man in his owne Image in the Image of God created he him male and female created he them GENES chap. 2. vers 7. and vers 18. to the end 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a liuing soule 18. And the Lord God said It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an helpe meet for him 19. And out of the ground the Lord God formed euery beast of the field and euery foule of the aire and brought them vnto Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoeuer Adam called euery liuing creature that was the name thereof 20. And Adam gaue names to all cattell and to the foule of the aire and to euery beast of the field but for Adam there was not found an helpe meet for him 21. And the Lord God caused a deepe sleepe to fall vpon Adam and he slept and he tooke one of his ribs and closed vp the flesh in stead thereof 22. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her vnto the man 23. And Adam said This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman because shee was taken out of man 24. Therefore shall a man leaue his father and his mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife and they shall be one flesh 25. And they were both naked the man and his wife and were not ashamed Q. VVHat was made the sixth day A. Man in both sexes that is both man and woman Q. Why was he made last of all A. First because he is the end for whose vse vnreasonable creatures were made and therefore that he might glorifie God for all Secondly for that hee would haue him first prouided for ere hee brought him into the world whereby wee may gather that if he had such care of man before hee was made much more will he care for him being created Q. What is to be obserued in his Creation A. That heere in regard of the excellencie of the worke God is brought in as it were deliberating Gen. 1. 26. with himselfe the Father with the Sonne and the holy Ghost and they with him for where the other creatures were made suddenly man was as wee shall see not so but with some space of time Hitherto also belongeth that the holy Ghost standeth longer vpon his Creation then vpon the rest Q. What learne you from thence A. That wee should marke so much the more the wisedome and power of God in the Creation of him thereby to imitate God in vsing most diligence about those things which are most excellent Q. Wherein doth his excellency stand A. In the perfection of his nature indued with excellent gifts which is called the Image of God Q. Wherein doth that Image consist A. In that which is inward and that which is outward Q. Wherein standeth that part of the Image of God that is inward A. First in knowledge of all duties either concerning Coloss 3. 10. God his neighbour or himselfe vnto which knowledge may be referred wisedome to vse knowledge to discerne when where and how euery thing should be done conscience to accuse or excuse as his doings should be good or euill memorie to retaine prouidence to foresee what is good to doe it what is euill to auoid it Reason to discusse of the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of euery particular action of a mans owne selfe Hitherto referre the knowledge of the natures of the creatures whereby hee was able to name them according to their nature Secondly in holinesse of mind and will whereof it is that God saith Be ye holy as I am holy Thirdly in Iustice or vprightnesse of desires and affections Q. So much of the inward gifts what is the outward Image of God A. That God set such a grace and maiesty in the person especially in the face of man as all the creatures could not looke vpon without feare and trembling as appeareth when they all came before man to receiue their names From all which both inward and outward riseth the dominion that God gaue him ouer all the creatures of which dominion the authority to name them was a signe Q. Hauing heard before of Gods counsell and deliberation touching the making of man in that excellencie as wee haue heard let vs now consider of the execution of that counsell And therein first of the Creation of the Man and then of the woman therefore I aske you when was man made A. The sixth day howsoeuer the story of his creation more at large is placed after the Lords rest in the seuenth day Q. VVhat parts doth he consist of A. Of two parts of a body and of a soule Q. VVhereof was his body made A. Of the very dust of the earth in which respect
by which it is euident that that which was done was vpon the Lords day Q. Is the Lords day only to be separated to Gods seruice A. No for of this nature also are a Leuit. 23. 27. Ioel 2. 12. holy Fasts obserued for the auoiding of some great euill present or eminent and holy b Zach. 8. 19. Hest 9. 17. 18. 19. Feasts for the thankfull remembrance of some speciall memorable mercies obtained Q. How is the Commandement set forth A. First in a short summe and after declared by parts Q. What is the short summe A. Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Q. What is to be obserued in the word Remember A. That although all the Commandements are needfull diligently to be remembred yet this more specially Q. Why so A. First because this Commandement hath least light of nature to direct vs to the obseruation of it Secondly for that we are naturally most negligent in the obseruation of this suffering our selues to bee withdrawne by our worldly businesse from Gods seruice vpon the Lords day and therfore such a speciall warning is needfull to be added Q. What is it that wee should heere remember for the better sanctifying of the Sabbath A. That we so compasse all our businesse within the sixe working daies that our worldly affaires enter not or incroch into the possession of the Lords day not onely willingly but not so much as by any forgetfulnesse as when through want of foresight or fore-casting the payment of money due by obligation or any such businesses that might bee preuented shall fall out on that day Q. What are the parts of the Commandement A. They are two the first sheweth what works we are to decline vpon this day the other what duties we are to performe Q. What are the workes that we must decline and leaue vndone on the Lords day A. Not onely the works of sinne which we ought Mark 3. 4. Ezech. 23. 37. 38. Numb 15. 32. 33. Exod. 31. 13. 14. 34. 21. Neh. 13 15. c. Esay 58. 13. to leaue vndone euery day but also the workes of our ordinarie callings concerning this life and all bodily exercises and labours which vpon other daies are lawfull and necessarie to be done Q. Is it vnlawfull to do any bodily worke or worldly businesse on the Lords day A. Yea excepting those workes which belong to Luk. 13. 15. 16. common honesty and are necessarie for the preseruation of life health and goods which otherwise would be in great danger to perish if they were not saued on that day or those which are requisite for the performance of Gods seruice Q. Are we as strictly bound to forbeare all worldly labour vpon this day as the Iewes A. Yes verily so far as the Commandement reacheth and more then they because of the greater measure of Gods graces vpon vs aboue that which was vpon them Q. What doe you say to the making of a fire and dressing Exod. 35. 3. 16. 23. of meate vpon the Lords day for neither of these were lawfull to the Iewes A. Not to make a fire or dresse meate on the Sabbath were proper to the Pedagogie or manner of gouernment of the children vnder the Law as may appeare by this that there was no such thing commanded before the Law was giuen by Moses and therefore it followeth that this was Ceremoniall and not Morall Q. Why is there so particular a rehearsall of the Persons in this Commandement are forbidden to worke A. To take away all excuses from all persons for the Lord did see that such was the corruption of men that if they themselues did rest vpon this day from lalour they would thinke it sufficient not caring how they toyled out and wearied their seruants at home with continuall labour as many doe so that it were better to bee such mens oxen then their seruants so small care they haue of their soules Q. VVhat is the speciall vse of this rehearsall A. To teach vs that all sorts and degrees of persons are bound to yeeld a duty vnto God in sanctifying the Sabbath Q. Was not this ordained to this end that beasts might sometime rest and that seruants especially might haue some time for honest recreation without which they could not otherwise continue A. Some thinke so but there is little or no ground for such an opinion for the wearying and toyling out of seruants and beasts is against the sixth Commandement And worke is here forbidden that men might be the more free for the worship of God and therefore though seruants had neuer so much rest and recreation vpon other daies yet they ought to rest vpon this day in that regard Q. Why doth hee then make mention of the Rest of the Beasts in this Commandement A. Because Beasts cannot bee trauelled or vsed in any worke vpon that day vnlesse man be withdrawne from Gods seruice yea though the beast could labour without mans attendance yet his minde would some way or other be so carried away and distracted thereby that it would not bee so fit as it ought to bee for Gods seruice Q. But to whom specially is the charge of this Commandement directed A. To House-holders and Magistrates Q. What is the charge of the Hous-holder A. That not onely himselfe keepe the Lords day but his wife children and seruants as much as may be for as they serue him in the weeke so must hee see that they serue God on the Sabbath Q. What gather you of this A. That a Housholder should at least bee as carefull of the Lords busines as of his owne and if he will not keepe such a seruant as is not faithfull in his ordinarie worke much lesse should he keepe any that will not be carefull in the Lords worke how skilfull soeuer hee be in his owne Q. What is the Magistrates part A. To see that all within his gates keepe the Lords Neh. 13. 15. c. Iosh 24. 15. day euen strangers though Turkes and Infidels causing them to cease from labour and restraining them from all open and publike Idolatrie or false worship of God much more all his owne subiects whom hee ought to force to heare the word 2. Chron. 34. 33. Q. So much of the first part of the Commandement what workes wee are to decline the second part followeth What workes are to be done on the Lords day A. We must wholly a Amos 8. 5. Mal. 1. 13. and without wearisomnes exercise our selues in the holy seruice of God partly publikely in the Church which is the speciall worke and proper vse of the Sabbath and partly priuately out of the Church and in the family both before the publike exercises in the Church the better to performe them and after the more to profit by them Q. What must we doe in the Church A. Heare the word preached pray with the congregation Luk. 4. 16. Act. 13. 14. 15. 15. 22. 1. Cor. 16. 2.
receiue the Sacraments in the appointed time giue vnto the poore according to our wealth and the blessing of God vpon vs. Q. What if wee cannot bee suffered to vse these publike meanes A. We must then humble our selues before God mourning and sorrowing for this restraint and with so Matth. 24. 20. Psal 42. 6. Psal 63. 1. 2. much more care and earnestnesse vse the priuate meanes Q. VVhat is conuenient to bee done priuately out of the Church A. The examination of our selues and those that Luk. 14. 7. â—â— 16. belong vnto vs what we haue profited familiar conference of things belonging vnto the kingdome of heauen also meditation vpon the exercises of Religion Psal 80. and vpon the creatures vpon the prouidence Psal 92. of God especially that which he exerciseth in the gouernment of the Church also visiting the sicke and collecting for the poore a 1. Cor. 16. 2. Neh. 8. 12. for these also are workes of the Sabbath Q. What further proofe haue you of this continuall exercise A. In the Law euery euening and euery morning b Numb 28. 9. were sacrifices which a on the Sabbath were multiplied and the Psalme intituled A Psalme for the Sabbath Psal 92. appointed to be sung that day declareth that it is a good thing to begin the praises of God early in the morning and to continue the same till it be night Q. VVhat gather you of this A. That all exercises which serue not in some degree to make vs more fit to the Lords worke are vnlawfull vpon the Lords day Q. VVhat difference doe you make betweene Sabbath nights and other nights A. Great for wee should lay our selues downe to rest in greater quietnesse that night vpon the sense and feeling of the comforts of the former exercises So that our sleepe should bee the more quiet by how much the former exercises of the day haue been more holy otherwise we should declare wee haue not kept a day to the Lord so holy as we ought Q. So much of the Commandement VVhat are the reasons to inforce the Commandement A. The first is a secret reason of comparison of the lesse that for so much as God hath giuen vs six daies of seuen to do our owne businesse in whether it bee labour or honest Recreation when hee might haue giuen vs but one of seuen and haue taken sixe to himselfe wee ought not to thinke it much to spend the whole seuenth day in his seruice Q. VVhat learne you from thence A. The inequall and wretched dealing of most men with God who by the grant of this Commandement vrge vsually at their seruants hands the work of a whole day in euery of the sixe daies yet vpon the Lords day thinke it enough both for themselues and those vnder them to measure out vnto the Lord three or foure houres onely to his seruice vsing one measure to mete the seruice due vnto themselues and another to mete the seruice due vnto God which is a Prou. 11. 1. thing abominable before God so much the more as the things are greater and of more value which they mete with the lesser measure Q. VVhat is the other reason A. A reason expressed taken from the example of God that as God hauing made all things in the sixe daies rested the seuenth from creating any more so should we rest from all our owne workes Q. Did the Lord cease from all worke on the seuenth day A. No verily he did then and still continueth to do a great work in preseruing the things created And so must we learne not to bee idle vpon the Lords day but to attend vpon the Lords seruice and by his example wee may saue things on that day which otherwise would bee lost but wee may not get or gaine more Q. VVhat is meant by sanctifying it A. The setting it apart from worldly businesse to the seruice of God Q. VVhat by blessing A. Not that this day in it selfe is more blessed then other daies but that in setting it apart and separating it by this Commandement from other daies to bee kept holy by publike exercises of his holy worship and seruice he made it an effectuall meanes of blessing to them that shall sanctifie it as they ought Q. VVherein shall they be blessed that keepe the Sabbath day A. First in an encrease both of the knowledge and feare of God and all other spirituall and heauenly graces accompanying saluation Secondly in matters of this life we shall not onely not be hindred by keeping the Sabbath but more blessed then if wee did worke that day as of the other side the gaine on the Lords day shall by the curse of God melt and vanish away what shew of profit soeuer it haue and bring some curse or other vpon our labours in the weeke daies which in themselues are lawfull and honest So much of the first Table concerning our duties to God the due performance whereof is called Piety wherein God as a King or father of a houshold doth teach his subiects or familie their duties towards himselfe Now follow our duties to our selues and our neighbor taught in the second Table in the sixe other Commandements CHAP. 19. Of the duties to our Neighbour and of the second Table in generall Of the 2. Table First in generall Secondly in speciall the CommaÌ„demeÌ„ts wherof forbid All aduised consent to hurt our Neighbour where First of speciall duties coÌ„cerning special persons Com. 5. Chap. 20. Secondly of generall duties concerning all Com. 6. c. Chap. 21. All motions and thoughts of euill without consent Comman 10. Chap. 25. MATTH chap. 22. vers 36. to the 41. 36. Master which is the great Commandement in the Law 37 Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde 38. This is the first and great Commandement 39. And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 40. On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets Q. WHat is the summe of the second Table A. The duties that one man oweth to another commonly called Iustice Q. What learne you out of the 39. verse where it is said that this second Table is like to the first A. First that according to our measure of profiting in the first Table we profit also in this In which respect we may trie our sinceritie and vprightnesse in the duties of the first Table by our forwardnesse in those which are required in the second Secondly that out of our loue to our neighbour 1. Thess 3. 12. 5. 15. we draw all our duties to all meÌ„ reaching theÌ„ euen to the wicked so farre forth as we hinder not Gods glory nor some great duty to other but especially to the houshold of faith for somtime it may so fall out that that which men require and that otherwise of right may not bee giuen