men to rest from such workes and pleasures as wee haue seene We must rest also from speaking and hearing of worldly matters but also from speaking and talking of them seeing his purpose is not onely to restraine the hand and the foote but the lippes and tongue also because they hinder our selues and others from keeping holy the day as well as any thing else For vnlesse we will restraine and shorten this commandement more then all the other why should not idle words bee forbidden here as well as in all the rest And seeing in the first both Atheisme prophane speeches are forbidden it is a sin against the second cōmandement to name false gods vs well as to worship them Psal 16.4 and in the third the name of God is dishonoured by our vngodly conuersation and by our vaine and false othes why should not the lawe of the Sabbath bee as large in forbidding long communication and large discourses about worldly busines and pleasures as well as the things themselues especially when wee see the same equitie and proportion in the lawes of the second table also In which not only murder is forbidden but all rayling words Math. 5.22 proud and scornefull speeches and that lawe which forbiddeth adulterie Ephes 4.29 ◠3 sayth that no filthy communication must proceed out of your mouthes therefore seeing the other commandements are giuen to frame the whole body of man and euery part of it vnto obedience why should it not be presumed of the commandement of the Sabbath also that it ordereth our words as well as our works especially seeing the one is more disordered then the other and they which can rule their hands and their feet cannot so well gouerne their tongues of which trueth seem it neuer so new and strange vnto vs though no truth indeede be new we shall so much the rather be persuaded if we consider that much talke about worldly matters doth as well hinder the sanctification of the day as much worke and so much the more because wee may worke with our selues alone yet cannot talke but with others and so doe hinder both our selues and them For our mindes cannot bee wholly set vpon the worship of God as they should and at the same time bee speaking of and listning vnto the affaires of this life euen of our commodities profites and pleasures Besides that the Lord would haue our mouthes and eares otherwise occupied vpon this day as well as our handes and feete as shall more fully appeare hereafter So that vpon this day men must cease from making of bargaines and broaking of matters from talking about their marchandise trades from questioning and debating of things about their cattel corne and white meate and generally from all worldly matters incident to our calling and then we must speake with new tongues as it were and put newe words into our mouthes as well as new works into our hands that it may appeare vnto all men which beholde vs that it is a day of rest indeede when wee thus rest in whole not in part and that it is a new day differing from the other sixe when we are so altogether made new and as it were differ from that which we were before both in worde and deede And therefore we must be farre from the practise of a great many who make this the onely day of reckoning with their seruants and of accounts with their labourers and chapmen and bestow it for the most part in hearing what hath been done the weeke before and prescribing what should be done the weeke following Much lesse should we draw neere the practise of such who as they know no end of their pleasures so they can neuer make an end of talking and hearing of them so ouerfilled are they with them that out of the aboundance of their hearts their mouthes must needes speake and as they haue many fruitles discourses abuot their hawking and hunting at home in their houses before and after it besides that which they haue abroad in their fields when they are in the game so that there is more time and words mispent afterwards about it then was well spent before in it euen so they make all daies alike and looke how farre their hawkes are from their fists and their dogges from their heeles vpon that day so farre are the vnprofitable and endlesse tales concerning the same from their mouthes and cares and a little lesse because when necessitie driueth them to leaue the one because they are at their meate such like yet they cannot giue ouer the other but pursue it to the vttermost euen to the disturbance of others and filling their heads so full of vanitie as their own are besides their owne sinne in abusing of the time and the dishonor of Gods name in breaking of the Sabbath And now if vnto all this which hath been spoken you will giue me leaue to adde but one thing more you shall see how absolute and perfect this lawe is euen like vnto the lawgiuer himselfe who as he is a spirit so will bee worshipped in spirit and trueth in all the seuerall parts of his worship which he requireth in euery one of his commandements For this is that which was deliuered vnto vs in the first entrance into the Commandements namely that the whole lawe of God was giuen vnto whole man and as the Lord God created him both in soule and bodie redeemed him by Christ Iesus sanctifieth and preserueth here and is purposed elsewhere to glorifie him in both for euer so he hath set him down that forme of obedience whereby in both he might bee reformed to that image according to the which hee was first created in righteousnes and true holines and therefore in this commandement doth shew vs And from hauing our minds occupied about the same what in bodie and soule wee should keepe vs from euen that we must rest from hauing our mindes occupied about all those things which are not lawfull to be done vpon that day and that we must not only lay our worldly busines out of our hands but put them out of our heads so that we may not spend our time in studying about the workes of our calling nor beate our heads about thē laying platformes as it were for the weeke following and so haue our heads fully fraught with thē but wee must haue our vnderstanding and affections cleane emptie voyd of them that there may be roome for such heauenly meditations to dwell in vs as the Lord would haue vs to be filled with them Caluin in Gen. 2.3 Master Caluin expounding these words The Lord blessed the seuenth day sayth this blessing is nothing els but a solemne consecration Qua sibi Deus studia occupationes asserit die septimo whereby the Lord doth chalenge to himselfe vpon the seuenth day all our studies and labours and therefore wee must not be such grosse hypocrites as to imagine that if
stande still in his proper force and that it appertaineth to vs Christians now most euidently appeaâ—eth by that authoritie and credite which it receiueth â—rom the Gospell and newe Testament also in which it is so highly commended vnto vs that I might not in this place speake of the manifold other testimonies that it hath in the old And by name we may see how our Sauiour Christ all his Apostles establisheth it by their â—ractise for they vpon the Sabbath ordinarily enter into â—he Synagogues of the Iewes and preach vnto the peoâ—le doing such things vpon those dayes as appertaine â—o sanctifying of them according to the commandement Obiect Against which lest we might except that our Redeemer Christ Iesus being made vnder the law as the Apostle sayth came to fulfill the whole law for vs Galath 4.4 and therefore he indeede submitted himselfe vnto the obseruation of the least ceremonie therof al his life long till at his death he cryed out It is finished Ioh. 19.30 Math. 27.51 when the vayle of the Temple rent in twaine from the top to the bottome to shew that all types and figures were abrogated and taken away and therefore that his obseruation of the Sabbath maketh no more for the certaintie of it then his obseruing of Circumcision keeping the Passeouer and offering vp of â—â—crifices doe make for their continuance now vnder the Gospell Answer Wee must further consider that the Apostles themselues long after Christs death and after they had receiued the holy Ghost Iohn 16.13 euen the spirite of truth that should leade them into all trueth doe by their practise and writings shewe that the Sabbath stoode vpon a surer ground then the whole ceremoniall lawe and therefore could not with it bee taken away Acts 13.14 Paul and Barnabas as it is in the Acts comming into Antiochia went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day and sate downe and after the reading of the Lawe and the Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if ye haue any worde of exhortation to the people say on then Paul stoode vp and beckened with the hand and sayd Men of Israell c. going on forward with that notable sermon that is set downe there and when hee had ended verse 42. as it is in the same chapter The Gentiles besought them that they would preach those words vnto them the next Sabbath day which also they did And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie together to heare the word of God verse 44. Moreouer the same Apostle at Thessalonica Acts 17 2. went into the Synagogue of the Iewes and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures And thus hee did not once or twise but continually and ordinarily shewing the ordinary continuance of the Sabbath and the sanctifying of it as the Euangelist precisely noteth saying Paul as his manner was went in vnto them Now though we are to presume that Paul neither taught nor practised any thing contrarie to the rest of the Apostles but that they agreed in one vniforme order of doctrine and gouernement of the Church as who had receiued of one and the selfe same spirite and therefore this might bee sufficient to shew their consent herein Yet notwithstanding wee may reade how in the last booke of the Bible and by the last Apostle I meane who liued longest the same thing is confirmed where he is so farre from teaching that the Sabbath for the space of 97. yeares after Christ was taken away about what time it is thought that hee wrote that booke that â—â—e plainly auoucheth the coÌ„tinuance of it in the Church â—y this new and honourable name Reuel 1.10 The Lords day where â—â—ne of purpose noting the time that he receiued those Reuelations in calleth it by that name that was best known to the Church at that time otherwise he should not so fitly haue expressed his mind to those to whoÌ„ he wrote which day thus called all writers doe agree vpon it new and old yea the Papists themselues to bee this very Sabbath which wee obserue Thus it is sufficiently proued that the Sabbath was none of those Ceremonies which were iustly abrogated at the comming of Christ as being appoynted of God for no further time but that it coÌ„tinued in the practise of the Church when all other ceased yea was kept faithfully in the Church by al them who had with one consent shut out all the rest And that it is so commanded in the first booke of holy scriptures Genesis where is shewed what was from the beginning that it wanteth not his due praise in the last booke of the same Reuelation where is a prophesie of things to bee fulfilled vnto the ende and therefore wee must hearken vnto the trueth of this doctrine so much the rather least that fearefull iudgement doe fall vpon vs which the Lord Iesus himselfe threatned to bring vpon them that shall diminish any thing contained in this booke and therefore which shall in whole or in part take away this day which is so honored there when he sayth Reuel 22.19 If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke But that I might not seeme tedious vnto you we shall further heare in one word that the Sabbath still bindeth vs and that it ought to stand in his greatest force That two ends of ordayning the Sabbath sheweth the continuance of it that euer it had and that we haue as great neede of it as euer any people had in the world and that our posteritie shall haue so likewise and therefore cannot be without it if we consider the principall ends of the first instituting and ordaining of it by God vnto Adam in Paradise A day of rest is necessarie Commanding him to rest vpon that day and to keepe holie the day of rest And first of all to rest because he was not of an infinite nature though perfect and therefore could not be occupied wholly about many I doe not say contrarie but sundrie and diuers things at once as about the busines of this world and the worship of God wherefore being bound by his calling to dresse and keepe the garden Gen. 2.15 verse 3. and yet charged to keepe holie the seuenth day meditating vpon the wisedome and mercie of God appearing as in all the creatures so especially in himselfe and thus beholding the inuisible things of God in them Rom. 1.20 giuing thankes to God for them praying for the continuance of them teaching them to his posteritie c. it was needfull that the seuenth day should bee vnto him as it was indeed a Sabbath day that is a day of rest resting from all his other necessarie businesse that so he might
I shuld obstinately coÌ„tend with any where â—he Lord hath giuen any authoritie to his Church ordiâ—arily and perpetually to sanctifie any day except that â—hich he hath sanctified himselfe For I holde this with â—ther learned men as a principle in diuinitie that it belonâ—â—th onely to God to sanctifie the day as it belongeth to him to sanctifie any other thing to his owne worship Muscul loc com praecept 4. Deus est qui sanctificat sayth Musculus Jt is God that doth sanctifie that is who of common or prophane thinges makes holy it is duetie religiously to obserue according to his word the things that are sanctified of him nostrae potestatis non est sanctificare it is not in our power to make holy at our pleasure the things that God hath not sanctified if any man shall attempt it hee not onely therein is superstitions and not religious but also doth therein chalenge that to himselfe by a rashnes that cannot be excused which belongeth onely vnto God And as wee know not how to worship him but that we are sure by his worde that hee hath sanctified such and such things to that end namely hath appointed the preaching of his word the administration of the Sacraments and calling vpon his name for that purpose and therefore in vsing of these we promise our selues to be blessed of him for he hath himselfe established them by his owne mouth and therefore his blessing must needes accompany them So at what time we should neglect all other things and wholly apply our selues vnto these wee are wholly ignorant but that we know he hath sanctified the seuenth day and blessed it for this cause and it was as needfull for the Lord in respect of our selues to tell vs which was the day as to tell vs that there ought to be a day and so much the more by how much our nature is more corrupt in one then in the other For all they which either by the light of reason or knowledge of Gods worde haue attained to this trueth that there ought to be a day seuered from the rest to this ende yet haue not gone so farre with one consent to set downe this very seuenth day For that I might not speake of the Gentiles who kept so many holydaies as we know they did yet could not away with the Sabbath of the Iewes which was vpon the seuenth the very practise of the Papists doth declare how blinde wee are in this matter who vnto the seuenth day which the Lord hath sanctified haue adioyned so many other daies as the second third or fourth day of the weeke and all of them indifferently as they fall out and made them equal with the seuenth in sanctifying of them nay many times preferring them aboue it in that they haue appointed a more solemn kind of seruice vpon some of theÌ„ then vpoÌ„ the seuenth and iudging it a greater sinne to trauell or worke vpon some of them then vpon the seuenth wherin yea if their religion were good they could not ordinarily looke for such a blessing of God as vpon the other Besides there bee other who iustly condemning the Papists for this intrusion of dayes yet are persuaded not onely that the day which wee nowe keepe may bee changed by the Church without any offence but that the number of seuen may bee altered contrary to that which hath continued from the beginning Therefore we must needes acknowledge it to be the singular wisedome and mercy of God towardes his Church thus by sanctifiyng the seuenth day to ende the strife For as we see in Gods seruice when men goe away from his word there is no end of deuising that which hee alloweth not and they fall vpon euery thing sauing vpon that they should so in appointing the day if wee be not ruled by the worde wee shall find by experience that euery day will seeme more conuenient to vs then that at leastwise we shall seeme to haue as good reason to keepe any other as the seuenth Now seeing it appertaineth onely vnto God to blesse vs It belongeth onely to God to sanctifie any creature it caÌ„not belong to any but him to appoint the meanes whereby hee will conuey this blessing vnto vs and hee hath not onely sanctified the meanes but hath especially blessed the seuenth day for those purposes and dealing with it we deale with that which hath an especiall blessing vpon it for our sakes For this cause we vse in the sacraments the water the bread the wine rather then any other thing in the world we look assuredly to receiue that blessing from these creatures which we cannot from any other because GOD hath sanctified them for this purpose and hath put that rich blessing vpon them for our good which no other creature hath vnder the sunne In so much that if any one would minister or receiue the Sacraments in any other elements then these he should not finde that blessing of the forgiuenes of sinnes and newnes of life which the Lorde doth by these meanes conuey vnto his Church For as no man in the worlde can of himselfe make this promise vnto men that they shall bee washed and clensed from their sinnes by the bloud of Christ and that by his body and bloud they shall be nourished in soule and in body vnto euerlasting life so none in the worlde can appoint out the meanes whereby God will conuey these inestimable treasures vnto vs put vs into the possession of them and make vs assured of them which when himselfe hath done wee cheerefully looke for that good from them because hee is faithfull and true that hath sayd hee hath thus blessed them for vs. In regard of which as the Iewes did faithfully keepe that seueth day to the end which they knew by the word which onely God blessed and sanctified for their vse so it was vnlawfull for them to change it for any other because they had not that warrant that they should be specially blessed vnto them as they had for this which being that very day vpon which the Lorde himselfe rested from all his worke which hee made hee did therefore blesse this seuenth day and sanctified it Gen 2.2 because that in it hee had rested from all his worke that God had created and made to that ende that they obseruing that day rather then any other might therein bee made like to their creator and might shewe by their practise that they worshipped him whom they knew euen him that as he had made an especiall couenant with them to saue them so he was able to doe it for it was euen hee who when he had made the whole worlde in sixe daies rested vpon the seuenth and therefore sanctified it and none but that that this work of his might be had in an euerlasting remembrance And when all the Gentiles round about sayd that they worshipped euery one of them the true God and yet they did not thus knowe him
as it were take our markes amisse of it Master Caluin vpon these words sayth Hinc colligimus Wee gather from hence that God speakes not of a small matter Caluin in Exod. 20.8 when he commends the sanctification of the Sabbath not in a word but doth exhort them vnto the diligent marking of it and so doth pronounce that their want of care to marke is a breach of the commandement And Master Musculus vpon the same words saith Notādum quod It is to be noted that he doth not simply say Sanctifie the Sabbath day but remember to do it This kind of commanding is not light but waightie hereby is signified Muscul in eundem locum that a matter of great importance is commaunded and that which by no meanes is to bee neglected but with great care to be kept For so do parents and masters vse to commend the doing of those things vnto their seruants children which aboue all other things they would haue least of all neglected So then if it be necessary to rest vpon this day as it hath been strongly prooued vnto vs then is it much more necessary to sanctifie the day as we haue seene in part and it shall more fully appeare vnto vs hereafter Which wee had need so much the more carefully to take heede vnto because the common practise of men is so cleane contrarie vnto it and the sinne as it is more common so it is greater and more dangerous And now we may more plainely vnderstand the great necessitie of that precise rest which hath beene so often spoken of and is so hardly receiued euen for because that otherwise we cannot so keepe it holy vnto the Lord as we ought to doe For this is the law of things consecrated vnto the Lord that they may not otherwise be imployed thē to his vse they must not be partly his partly ours but altogether his if they be holy to him therfore seeing the day must bee hallowed it must not be vsed in other affaires sauing in the lords busines it must not be partly ours by dooing our owne worke and partly the Lords by dooing his but his alone as it is called a Sabbath vnto the Lorde and therefore we are willed to doe no manner of worke in it And that the truth of this doctrine might appeare vnto vs so clearely as the noone daye The sanctification of this day is very precisely vrged in the Scriptures euen that the Sabbath ought most vndoubtedlie to be sanctified of all sortes let vs vnto all this which hath been alreadie spoken adde the consideration of so many scriptures wherein the spirit of God speaking of the Sabbath doth in most significant words commende according to our capacitie this truth againe and againe to vs. And first of all in the sixteene chapter of Exodus Exod. 16.23 vers 25. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath vnto the Lord and afterwards To day is the sabbath vnto the Lord in both which places he calleth it a Sabbath vnto the Lord and in the former place an holy rest not onely shewing that they should rest vpon it but especially to what ende namely that they might keepe the day holy vnto the Lord by seruing of him and therefore he standeth vpon it calling it an holie rest and further adding a Sabbath vnto the Lord as purposing to let them see into the most especiall end of their resting euen the sanctification of the daye in the holy seruice of God Moreouer in the thirtie one chapter of the same booke Exod. 31.14.15 Ye shall keepe the Sabbath for it is holie vnto you Sixe dayes shall men worke but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the holy rest vnto the Lord where he calleth it both holie and holy vnto the Lord shewing what manner of rest it must bee not an idlenes or sleepie taking of our rest and ease but a carefull spending of that time in Gods seruice in which we must rest from all other things especially for that purpose Likewise in the 35. chapter of the same booke Sixe dayes shalt thou worke Exod. 35.2 but the seuenth day shall be vnto you the holy day of rest vnto the Lord where Moses declaring that message vnto the people which he had receiued before from the Lord for them telleth it to them fully and in the same number of wordes almost straightly requiring at their hands the keeping holy of the Sabbath day as a thing of great importance as appeareth by his speech so earnest and doubled calling it an holy Sabbath and then a day of rest vnto the Lord. But what should I here stand vpon all the places of Gods word in the olde and new testament which are infinite giuing most certaine testimonie and authenticall credite to this doctrine the time would not serue and the treatise would grow into a greater volume then I am willing it should these may suffice to shew vnto vs that the keeping holy of the Sabbath day must be the principall matter in this commaundement and as it were stand in the first ranke when it is in so many places and in such ample wordes commended and recommended vnto vs. For if it be the wisdome of a seruant there to be very attentiue where his master vseth many words and to be assured that that is a matter of great waight then much more ought wee to iudge the hallowing of the Sabbath daye to bee a thing then the which nothing ought more to be regarded of vs when vnto the words of Remembring and Marking that are set in the beginning of the commandement this thing also is in so many words spoken vnto vs and as it were beaten into our eares That I might not speake any thing of such other places wherein the seruing of God in the place appoynted by himselfe is adioyned vnto such exhortations as are made for the keeping of the Sabbath thereby declaring by what meanes especially the Sabbath is kept holie Leuit. 19.30 as ye shall keep my Sabbath and reuerence my sanctuarie where the Prophet Moses exhorting the Israelites to the diligent keeping of the Sabbath daye speaketh vnto them of that worship of God which was practised in the sanctuarie as the onely way to keepe it Vnto which agreeth that which is set downe in the 23. chapter of the same booke Sixe dayes shall worke be done Leuit. 23.3 but in the seuenth day shall be the sabbath of rest an holy conuocation Ye shall do no worke therein it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings For in this place hee doth not onely call it a sabbath vnto the Lorde so many times before but also saith Holy assemblies were cōmanded to be kept vpō these dayes that vpon it must be an holie assemblie which assemblie then should be holie because they must meete for an holy purpose not to deale about any worldly affayres which notwithstanding they did at
from hence forth mâ—ght be no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men and with craftines whereby they lay in waite to deceiue but might follow the truth in loue in al things grow vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the body vnto the building vp of it selfe in loue Seeing then there are so many excellent and glorious things spoken of the preaching of the word by the spirit of wisedome and truth it selfe the like whereof cannot be verified of any thing else vnder heauen namely that it should be the principall and most ordinary meanes to begin to continue to increase and make perfecte in vs faith and all other graces of God which accompany saluation and this can no where be had but at the handes of the ministers Whose lips must preserue knowledge Malac 2.7 and the people must seeke the lawe at his mouth for hee is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Therefore it is as needfull for vs nowe still to come to the place of common preaching as it hath beene for any people heretofore and to serue the Lorde with this part of his worship which hee hath appointed for our most especiall good besides that in so doing we shall drawe on our brethren by our example and as it were giue light vnto them to see where the mountaine of the house of the Lorde doth stand and shall rise vp in iudgement against them who willingly stops their eyes against so cleere a light that they might not be saued But that we might yet the rather be encouraged vnto this There also are the sacraments administred there haue we the benefite of coÌ„mon prâ—yer and see the necessitie of that to bee so great as it is we must further consider that there also are the sacrameÌ„ts administred which are most sure pledges and seales as it were of all that good which is offered vnto vs in the word and whereby the deliuery of them is confirmed vnto vs. 1. Cor. 11.20 And these were so vsually celebrated in the primitiue Church vpon the Lords day as also appeareth in the scripture that it had his name of them For Chrysostome writeth Chrysost de resâ—â— serm 5. that it had three names The Lords day because of Christs resurrection and dies panis dies lucis The day of bread because of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and of light because of Baptisme There wee are holpen not onely with the prayers of so many of our brethren and sisters by whose meanes that which was wanting in vs is supplyed by them and that which with many striuings we haue not obtained alone by their helpe we shall more easily attaine vnto but also and especially our prayers are offered vp by the minister of God who is appointed to that end and in respect of which his ministerie is a thousand times more acceptable vnto GOD then Aaron with his rich attyre was beautifull in the eyes of men Therefore I may say as that graue and learned man sayth Ph. Melancth in praecept 3. Master Melancthon His atque alijs rationibus By these and such like reasons euery man should stirre vp himselfe to loue the societie of the Church in which there is so much good that if there bee any commoditie in other societies it is but a shadow of that and they are beholding to that for it Which if they doe not then let them heare what the Apostles say Constit. Apost cap. 63. Quam excusationem afferre potest What excuse can he pretend before God who commeth not diligently vpon the Lords day to praise God and heare his word I doubt not but they please themselues in many their excuses and thinke that thereby they bee able to satisfie men but I say as before how can they excuse it before God All which shall moue vs to bee willing to come to the Church vpon those daies For as a godly man sayth It must needes bee a very great contempt of God Bucer in Psal 92. not to bestowe one day in the whole weeke in the knowing and seruing of our creator of whom wee haue receiued our selues and all things els that we enioy Master Musculus writing of these words of the Gospell that our Sauiour Christ Luk. 4.16 when he came to Nazaret as his custome was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day sayth Considerandum hic Wee must here consider what vse was of the Sabbath amongst the Iewes which Christ himselfe did diligently keepe as we see here when it is written that according to his custome he went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day If Christ did thus keepe the Sabbath day and went into the Synagogue that it is written that this was his custome when he had no neede of the lecture of Moses what excuse shall they haue in these dayes who either by too much disdaine or contempt vpon the Lords dayes doe neglect the Church in which the doctrine of life is deliuered Who doth not see here sayth he that Christ by his presence doth confirme a good custome And Melancthon speaking of the sundrie breaches of this Commaundement reckons vp this Seldome Mâ—lancth in praecept 3. or neuer to come to the publike ministerie of the Church where it is rightly taught and by their example to draw away others from that ministerie which is not defiled with impietie All which wee stand in great neede of as the Donatists and Brownists of our time haue done Now least we might grossely imagine that wee stand in no neede of all these things wee must soberly and in godly trembling and holy feare remember that he in his wisedome hath appoynted them and therefore to refuse them were to make our selues wiser then he and he that hath established the ends of al things hath also ordained all the meanes to bring euery thing thereunto and therfore as hee hath chosen vs to saluation in Christ so hee hath in great wisedome and mercie prouided these rare and wonderfull meanes which he hath made to be effectuall and mightie by his blessing to bring that most happily to passe and therefore we in voluntarily neglecting the meanes doe bereaue our selues of our saluation and shall iustly perish whatsoeuer we may fondly dreame or others vainly perswade vs to the contrarie For if the nature of man was such in the beginning as wee haue alreadie seene that in Adam that in his most perfect and blessed estate he stoode in neede of all those holy exercises wherein he was commanded to sanctifie the Sabbath for the better preseruation of himselfe in his first perfection and happines how must not wee needes be perswaded that we being fallen so cleane away from it as we be
altogether abhorred of the greatest part of the worlde that they will not so much as haue a purpose once to meddle with it yea and many that doe make a profession to serue God in the other parts of his worship and that as wee are to presume of them in a good measure of trueth yet haue an euill opinion of this and so bereaue themselues of much profit For they purposing to passe away their time in as much mirth as may bee and hauing determined to abandon all sorrowe 2. Cor. 7.9.10 yea though some be godly and necessarie as far from them as they can will not thus straightly deale with themselues least it should make them melancholie as they say and driue them into their dumps And left happily at any time they might through Gods mercy towards them vnwittingly fall as it were into this meditation they wil cut off al the meanes that might procure it and therefore be in merry company as they call it continually that they might not so much as be alone at any time and if perhaps they be and so this ouercreepe them the Lord seeking by all meanes possible to doe them good then fearefully they hasten out of it as fast as may be and for that purpose some that are of great calling are contented to maintaine at their charges one or other in their houses that can best feed their humor to be merrie companions or rather iesters vnto them to pull them away from this good though they will not be at halfe the cost yearely in making prouision for some godly bookes and learned preachers when they haue none of their owne that might bring them to the best mirth and might shewe them wherein the greatest ioye and soundest comfort doth consist euen that that would endure with them when all other shall forsake them and most of all accuse them But that we might be persuaded of the excellēcy of it The great good that may redound vnto vs by godly meditation let vs heare what the spirit of wisdom iudgment speaks of it First of all the Lord commandeth Ioshua that vnto the reading of the lawe he would ioyne meditation as an especiall meanes to keepe him in the continuall practise of it Iosh 1.8 saying Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein Then the Prophet Dauid in the first Psalme maketh it an especiall token of a godly man and also commendeth it as a most singular meanes of his godlines vnto euerlasting life Psalm 1.2.3 when he sayth Blessed is hee whose delight is in the lawe of the Lorde and in his law doth meditate day and night for he shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that shall bring foorth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade for whatsoeuer hee shall doe shall prosper More ouer is wee looke but vnto the 119. Psalme and so content our selues with that wee shall see howe many times the man of God commendeth this vnto vs when first of all in the 15. verse he speaketh thus I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes and 23. Princes did sit and speake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes and 78. Let the proud bee ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsly with me but I meditate in thy precepts But aboue all that is most notable which is in the 13. part of that Psalme where with I will end Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually where wee may plainly see what is the iudgement of the scriptures concerning this thing which doe so often and so highly cōmend the continuall meditation of the word And it is to bee obserued that this may and ought to be continuall that is vey often for when wee lacke oportunitie to reade and heare the word yet then may we meditate vpō some thing profitablie which that we might doe let vs remember what great things the Prophet speaketh of it in the verse following which he found true by his owne experience Psal 119. part 15. I haue had more vnderstanding sayth hee then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation Wherein he doth assure vs that if we will meditate vpon those generall rules which wee haue heard out of Gods worde wee shall many times see more cleerely into the trueth of it then he that preacheth it at least wise more then he expressed vnto vs for by the spirite of God we shal be taught to apply it mote particularly to our selues then he did or could because wee are most priuie vnto our owne estates For as in all liberall Arts and Sciences nothing can be taught so plainly vnto which the scholler by meditation reasoning about it shall not be able to adde something and without the which the easiest teaching shall seeme somewhat hard so is it in Diuinitie that by Gods holie spirit vsing earnest and diligent meditation in the scripture wee shall most easily perceiue how to applie that to our own practise which hath been publikely taught and none can teach vs to haue so many sundrie vses of it in our lives and conuersation as our selues when wee giue our selues to the profitable meditation of it Without the which all that we reade and heare is but in a generall and confused knowledge How vnprofitable men are to themselues and others for want of meditation wee haue little comfort or edification thereby especially seeing Gods blessing is vpon his owne ordinance and his curse is vpon the neglect of the same This maketh great hearers and great readers to bee vnprofitable to themselues and others because for want of meditation they knowe not how to vse their knowledge thereupon it commeth to passe that many preachers can say no more then they finde in their bookes and therefore they tosse ouer so many Commentaries as they doe that they might haue matter enough and so can go no further because without meditation all reading is vaine whereas it would minister aboundant matter vnto their former readings Besides that they bring themselues into a bondage to beleeue that whatsoeuer their writer sayes because they do not meditate vpon it and they hinder their memories because they trust all to their bookes so that if they haue time sufficient and store of bookes they are able to speake with great admiration to the profite of the hearers and yet of the same matters can scarsely speake to a priuat man vpon the sudden tolerably to his ecdification and comfort because he hath but spoken it of the booke as it were and not laboured to make it his owne by meditation and thereby to finde out how he might apply it to his owne vse and the benefit of others And this thing is so much the more daungerous because it hath infected also many of the best students in
his fauor more assured of his promises and made more fit to serue him Euen as in the scriptures The seruants of God haue greatly profited in faith obedience by the consideratiō of his creatures we may see many times how the spirit of God sendeth vs to the creatures to bee confirmed by them in the things that are spoken of God in the word and the seruants of God haue by them strengthened their faith in the promises which they had learned out of Gods word before The Prophet Esay chap. 40. propoūding vnto the people most excellent promises whereof they should bee made partakers in the time of the Gospell which hee doth in the former part of the chapter frō the 12. verse he beginneth to confirme them in the certaine trueth of the same by the consideration of Gods omnipotent power whereby hee made all things at the first in such a wonderfull order that thereby they might bee assured that nothing should bee able to hinder him from bringing that to passe which he haid promised to his Church but that they should looke most certainly for it saying Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heauen with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and waighed the mountaines in a waight and the hils in a ballance So likewise the Prophet Ieremie in his 33. chapter promising mising vnto the church deliuerance out of their trouble doth perswade them of the infallible truth of Gods word herein by setting before their eyes the immutable course of nature in the continuall interchange of the day and night Thus sayth the Lord Iere. 33.20 if you can breake tny couenant of the day and my couenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season 21. then may my couenant bee broken with Dauid my seruant that he should not haue a sonne to raigne vpon his throne and with the Leuits and Priests my ministers 22. As the armie of heauen cannot be numbred neither the sand of the sea measured so will I multiplie the seede of Dauid my seruant and the Leuits that minister vnto me The Psalmes most of all are full of this matter and as it is a booke of practise especially so it is plentifull in these meditations and the treatise would be long if I should but in order reckon vp the principall places there tending to this purpose yet the waightines of the matter will not suffer me to passe ouer them all It is most apparant how Dauid in the 8. Psalme stirreth vp himselfe and all mankinde to praise the Lord for his great liberalitie towards them appearing in this that as he made him at the first Lord and ruler ouer all his creatures in heauen and earth so he hath restored him into the same dignitie by Christ when he had iustly lost it before because of his sinne when he thus beginneth and endeth the Psalme O Lord our gouernour Psal 8.19 how excellent is thy name in all the world And in another Psalme the Prophet complaineth of the greatnes of his affliction and being almost discouraged because the Lord deferred his helpe so long that he might not vtterly sink down vnder the heauie waight of his grieuous tentation Psal 77.10 strengtheneth his faith by remembring Gods former works that he might haue hope of his mercie towards himselfe I remembred the yeares of the rtght hande of the most high 11. I remembred the workes of the Lord certainly I remembred thy wonders of old 12. I did also meditate of all thy workes and did deuise of thine acts So likewise in the 22. Psalme the man of God being in such extremitie that he was almost past all hope beginneth with this heauie complaint Et. 21.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so farre from my health and from the voyce of my roring But afterwards commeth to this verse 4. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliuer them 5. They called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded And then he sayth vers 10. I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers bellie Where we see he getteth hope at the last of being heard and deliuered by the consideration of Gods workes both generally done to his seruants in times past and particularly shewed to himselfe heretofore And there is great reason of this for the Lord is alwaies like himselfe and Iesus Christ is yesterday and to day and the same for euer and therefore will doe as he hath done for there is no respect either of persons Psal 25.10 or times with him but all the wayes of God are mercie and trueth not only mercie in the beginning but trueth in the midst and ending For this cause the seruant of God thus praieth in the Psalme 119. Et. 119.132 Looke vpon me and be mercifull vnto me as thou vsest to doe vnto those that loue thy name And vers 149. Heare my voyce according to thy louing kindnes O Lord quicken me according to thy custome In both which places we see how he prayeth to God that he would shewe him that mercie which he was wont to shew to him himselfe others in the like case heretofore so by the former works of God strengtheneth himselfe in prayer Thus wee may easilie vnderstand what profit we might get by the earnest meditation and wise conference about the works of God which are done in great wisedome thereby to confirme vs in the trueth of those things that are written in the word and to draw vs to those dueties that are required of vs in the same and so generally to further vs in all godlinesse and therefore a thing not to bee neglected at any time but most of all to bee practised vpon the Lords day that we might leaue nothing vndone which might make all Gods worship most profitable vnto vs and make vs fitter vnto all other dueties which is the end why the Sabbath was ordained In the 104. Psalme the Prophet speaking of the wonderfull workes of God and the marueilous gouerning preseruing of them beginneth thus Et 104.1 My soule praise thou the Lord and towards the midst breaketh forth into this speech O Lord how manifold are thy workes vers 24. in wisedome hast thou made them all And in the end concludeth with Glorie be to the Lord for euer And 33. I will sing vnto the Lord all my life I will praise my God while I liue Hereby declaring what ought to bee wrought in all men by the reuerent cōsidering of Gods works and that we should not muse or speake of them vnprofitably but with that glorie vnto God and comfort to our selues which he requireth of vs and no doubt many of his children doe But that I might drawe to an ende one word of that which as it is most plaine so it is most comfortable