the two verses before recited v. 17 18. is contained Nehemiah's contending or arguing the case by strong and solid reasons with the Nobles who either had a hand in this evil as being Actors in it themselves or at least were under the guilt of it for want of being the restrainers of it being it's like intrusted with the care of such things in Nehemiah's absence This contention is made good by the great evil that there is profaning the Sabbath day which is twofold 1. The evil of sin v. 17. What evil thing is this that ye do 2. The evil of punishment Did not your fathers do thus and did not God bring all this evil upon us v. 18. The former of these sheweth that It is an evil thing to profane the Sabbath day I use the word Sabbath not as intending to speak of or to give any countenance to the observation of the Jews Sabbath now but as purposing to speak of the Christian Sabbath and to take in that only of the Jews day which sometime belonged to it in the general nature and notion of a Sabbath and with respect to that observation of a Sabbath which being prescribed in the fourth Commandement belongs to every Sabbath of Gods appointment Nor do I while I make use of the name Sabbath deny the Lords day to be the more Evangelical name but I call it a Sabbath because it will never be the Lords day unless it be a Sabbath day that is it will never be a day of holy Rest unless it be a day of rest which the word Sabbath signifieth Concerning which I shall mention these three particulars 1. The Rest enjoyned 2. The thing intended in that rest to wit Holiness 3. The Extent both of the rest and the holiness it is for the whole day First In a Sabbath rest is required and that so as to do no manner of work the meaning is not that we are to abstain from sinful works only which though they be eminently unlawful on that day yet are truly unlawful any day and are forbidden in all the other Commandements Nor is it the meaning that we should abstain from servile work only that is worldly works painful and gainful which are allowed on other days for howsoever such works be in special manner forbidden as being named in the fourth Commandement yet that 's but by a Synechdoche or a figure whereby more is meant for if they only were forbidden then the Sabbath might be spent in things easie liberal and ingenuous without blame and then God should have the day no more or little more then if it were spent in servile works when yet it must be a Sabbath of or to the Lord The thing therefore required is that all manner of work be forborn by what name or title soever it be called that is ours and not Gods that depriveth God of his day or is an hinderance of that holiness which is intended in the Sabbath or day of rest Of this Rest there are divers reasons As 1. The solemnity of the day for it 's one of Gods solemn dayes Psal 81. 5. that the celebration thereof may be more fair and full by laying aside all work and the whole Creation as it were to wait on the Creator Levit 23. 3. 2. As in point of solemnity so In point of mercy for the relief refreshing and taking breath of the toiled creature after six dayes labour which is said of God himself after his work but it is spoken after the manner of men Exod. 31. 17. On the seventh day he rested and was refreshed 3. And especially In point of Piety for the sanctification of the day in the holy services thereof and that not without need For if we look to innocent Adam albeit some question Whether the Law of the Sabbath were given to him before the Fall yet there 's no cause to question but that it would have been useful to him though he had not faln because he could not at once dress and keep the Garden and have that compleat and indistracted communion with God which it was easie for him to enjoy in a time of rest and separation from all such earthly and heterogeneal imployment But now man being faln this Rest is of more absolute necessity because both humane infirmity and corruption so compass and cleave to us that we cannot with full intention of mind be in Heaven and Earth both at once that is we cannot at the same time apply our selves intirely to matters of so different a nature and operation as heavenly and earthly things are which apparently carry our hearts contrary wayes whereof there needs not further proof then the dayly experience we have of the dividing of our hearts and the withdrawing of them from things spiritual or at least the eclipsing of them by the interposition of earthly things which if they be earthly thoughts hinder spiritual thoughts and disturb heavenly meditations if they be earthly words they cool spiritual communications a man cannot speak two different languages both at once and if they be earthly Actions they weaken spiritual exercises and thrust aside heavenly transactions For this reason Play also and Sports are forbidden for God forbids not work for the thing He likes work better then play but for the end to wit because it hinders the intire imploying of the day in holy things which Play doth much more because of a greater delight in it and for that the heart is more taken up with it and stollen as the hearts of the men of Israel were by Absaloms kisses 2 Sam. 15. 5 6. from the son of David the Lord of the Sabbath by it Now Albeit there might be some rest out of the fourth Commandement appendant to the Jews day and proper to them as appertaining to their Education which I conceive it will be hard to find that which is produced for it being as probably answered as urged yet all that rest which is enjoyned in the Commandement and is necessary for Sabbath-sanctification belongeth to us as well as to them for As the observation of the Sabbath prescribed in the fourth Commandement being spiritual argueth the Law that requireth it to be both moral and eternal so with respect thereto the bodily rest also becometh moral and therefore a common and continuing thing to us as well as to the Jews Nor need this rest seem tedious if we consider what works God requireth and alloweth on the Sabbath-day As 1. Works of Religion Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work saith the Commandment but on the Sabbath-day we may and must do Gods work Hence it 's said The Priests profane the Sabbath that is materially by doing those works that would profane it if God had not commanded them for his service but being that he hath so done those Priests are blameless because those works though servile in their nature yet were sacred in their end and
application Such a work was the infirm mans carrying his bed on the Sabbath when Christ had healed him The bearing of burthens on that day for worldly lucre is one of the things that Nehemiah here contends against but that mans carrying his bed became a religious action by being an appurtenance of the Miracle and an open declaration to all men who on that day did more flock together of the grace and power of God by which he was cured under this head may be comprehended those bodily provisions that are truly needful and helpful for our more able and vigorous performance of religious duties or for the glory of God some other way 2. Works of necessity to wit real not feigned and present and apparent not possible only and which may be or not be To this we may refer the Disciples plucking and eating the ears of corn whom Christ excuseth because at that time they as David needed sustenance And add thereto the other plain instance of a Sheeps falling into a pit Matth. 12. 11. which they that so quarrel'd with our Saviour made no scruple to pull out on the Sabbath day 3. Works of mercy as the healing of the woman bound by Satan Lo eighten years Luk. 13. 15 16. A Saviour so merciful would not stand upon healing on the Sabbath day in a case so pitiful for The Sabbath is made for man Mar. 2. 27. that is the rest of the Sabbath is to give place to mans relief And though God propound to us his example of rest on the seventh day for our resting yet we have his example of working also for mans benefit for saith Christ my Father worketh hitherto no Sabbath day excepted to wit in the preservation government and for the good of his Creatures Thus of the first thing belonging to a Sabbath to wit rest Secondly The thing further and chiefly required and which is intended in this rest is holiness Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy wherein is contained 1. A reverent opinion of it to wit as the Lords holy and honourable day There will never be a good observation of it in our practise without an estimation of it in our judgement Men will not leave the world with which nature closeth nor close with God in those holy things which nature is opposite to and in the best too averse from I say they will not do this on a day and that every week which they care not for on which they see no divine character and in the service whereof they expect no divine blessing 2. A dear affection to it calling it a delight and loving to be in the spirit on that day Revel 1. 10. No delight is the companion of contempt but Delight is so far from despising service that it doubleth it 3. An holy imploying of the rest and bestowing of our selves in the duties belonging to such a day This is well express'd in those considerable Articles of Ireland thus The first day of the week which is the Lords day is wholly to be dedicated to the service of God and therefore we are bound therein to rest from our common and daily business and mark what followeth to bestow that leisure upon holy exercises both publike and private Publike exercises are the principal In reference to which publike worship especially the Sabbath is as I conceive said to be a Sign that is an open declaration Whose we are and whom we serve Jona 1. 9. Act. 27. 23. For it doth not follow from the word Sign that the weekly Sabbath is a typical Ceremony If it were so then it should be a sin to observe a Sabbath now since all Ceremonies end in Christ in whom notwithstanding the Christian Sabbath begins as to the day and by whom it is confirmed as it is a weekly day which the fourth Commandement requireth because he declareth that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it It is not therefore a ceremonial sign any more then the signs in the Sacraments are ceremonial but rather a moral and real sign and demonstration how things stand between God and his people which will further appear by looking more narrowly into that place of Ezekiel where it is called a Sign for thus the Prophet expresseth it I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them which words are also mentioned and applyed to the weekly Sabbath Exod. 31. 13. 15 16 17. When the Sabbath is said to be a sign the meaning is as some do most probably expound it that it is a document or an instructing Sign and that between God and his people me and you saith the Lord it teacheth and sheweth that which is common to us both to wit on my part that I am your Creator and Sanctifier on your part that you are a people by Me created and sanctified And that it is thus an instructing sign appears by the words following that ye may know as if the Lord had said Look on the Sabbath as a monument of the relation between me and you I would have you know and observe it so to be Upon a nearer view of the words it will be found a teaching sign of these three lessons 1. That God is the Lord that is that Lord who is the only true God Jer. 10. 10. and that because he hath made the Heaven and the Earth v. 11 12. Which the observation of a Sabbath that is resting a seventh day every week in relation to six dayes work clearly holdeth forth for it is in imitation of that God who in six dayes made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh who can be no other then the true God and Lord of all The second lesson is that this great Lord is the God of his Church or a God in Covenant with them for thus the Lord speaks I am the Lord your God Hallow my Sabbaths and they shall be a sign between me and you that ye may know and learn this lesson that I am your God for Why do they wait upon him a whole day every week but to shew that they own him as their God and that they believe he owns them as his people Hence the Scripture saith They sit before thee as my people and hear thy words The third lesson is that he is the Lord that sanctifieth them which may be understood two wayes 1. Of a sanctification to himself by a separation from the world so as to enjoy the priviledg of his Covenant and so the Scripture speaks Ye shall be holy to me for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that ye should be mine Lev. 20. 26. Exod. 33. 16. 2. And also of an internal renovation and sanctification in spirit and soul and body 1 Thess 5 23. by the Word preached on that day through the
agree with the Word of God and the general Doctrine of Religion as it hath a just influence into this particular Sabbath-subject But withal let it be observed that if a man will lean to his own understanding and entertain a conference with flesh and bloud with an accounting of the great things of Gods Law as a strange thing he may easily and think he doth it very substantially dispute God out of his time and make himself believe that he hath more days in a week for his own use in worldly thoughts words and actions then six yea and that pleading so much for the Lords-day is but preciseness and rather a weak then a wise mans work arguing at best only a good meaning but a shallow brain Whereas on the contrary he that saith unto Scripture Wisdom Thou art my Sister and calleth spiritual Vnderstanding his Kinswoman he that feareth to be disobedient to the heavenly Vision he that counteth godliness gain and knoweth how much godliness gaineth by a godly observation of the Lords-day will soon see cause of being of another mind considering how much the Word of God pleadeth for Sabbath-holiness and how on and by that day and the duties thereof the interest cause and concernments of godliness are principally promoted I wish all good Christians therefore that are of doubtful mindes in this matter to try the more strict doctrine of the Sabbath whether it be of God or no by betaking themselves to the holy practise of those things that are taught them concerning that Day Experience useth to put an happy end to endless disputes about practical truths and things otherwise hardly determinable for the result and good effect thereof is this Behold Now I know c. Some may say as Nathaniel Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth so out of such sowre Sabbath-strictness This is a question that may be long under the debate of humane reason that is as proud as blind the easiest way to decide it is Come and see Let every sincere Nathaniel put it to the trial and then the conclusion will be like to be such a resolution about the Lords-day as there was in Nathaniel about the Lord of that day which in allusion to what he said may be expressed thus Thou art the Day of God Thou art the Queen of Dayes Could we but call the Sabbath a delight Did we but know it to be so experimentally the comfort of it would soon answer all Lion-like arguments that rise up and roar against it and rent them as one would rent a Kid if not by just solutions and formal answers which belongs to the learned who have done it and will do it yet by firm resolutions and just detestations and that not without reason enough founded on the sense of the sweetness they have found in their conversing with the holy God on his holy day so that an Advocate for the Sabbath shall never be wanting till the godly man ceaseth whose delight it is I say whose delight it is Not that I think it an easie or common thing to call the Sabbath a delight or that all that fear the Lord have the like delight in the Lords-day affectionate Christians feel it most and in old Disciples it lies deepest the more maturity the more complacency and the more acquaintance with God the more delight in him for the delight followeth the acquaintance Nor do I mean that they who do delight in it delight alike in it at all times and on all Sabbath-days corruption and tentation yea and the various operations and incomes of the Spirit who bloweth where and in whom it listeth and in them when it listeth make a great difference Besides that age or distemper of body or oppression of spirit by some heavy burthen that lies upon it are great impediments to delight And they that are in affliction and need Gods Ordinances most rellish them best to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet and so every sweet thing is more sweet and delightsom such things as these must be granted that the Doctrine of Sabbath-delight may not be rejected nor they dejected who reach not so far as others do in their rejoycings on that day But yet that there is truly a delight in that day and the service thereof in those that truly fear the Lord and think upon his Name sufficiently appeareth in that they bless the Lord with all their hearts and souls for appointing such a day for when should we have set a part a whole day in any due distance for God and for the enjoying of God if God had not done it himself And in that they would not for all the world be without it for what 's the world without the Sun or without the Sabbath wherein the Sun of Righteousness shineth out and that the day throughout and that with a special blessing of God following and improving the beams thereof for our spiritual benefit and soul-refreshing We may very well say that no Sabbath passeth without some delight and satisfaction to the true Disciples of Jesus Christ But at times they are taken up with Christ on that day as it were into an high Mountain apart where they see his face shine as the Sun and are so extraordinarily taken and delighted with what they see and feel that they say feelingly It is good for us to be here In brief The Sabbath with the prescribed Ordinances and Exercises of that day is towards their latter end especially like Mount Abarim to Moses wherein they see much of the Heavenly Canaan And at any other time when they that walk with God being clog'd and dull'd with corruption sorrow affliction tentation delight less in it they do then and therefore delight less in themselves But that there should be any true delight in God and his Ordinances and no delight in that day wherein they are most dispensed and best attended is as unlike as that a Jew should be without rejoycing at their great Festival days or that it should not be merry when friends meet or that Simeon should not take pleasure in that day wherein he took up the child Jesus in his arms for the Lords-day is Christians Feasting-day Christians gladsom meeting-day and the day wherein they being met together Christ who is the Consolation of Israel promiseth to be in the midst of them Is 't possible that on the day wherein they sit under the shadow of their dear Lord wherein they tast of his sweet fruit wherein he brings them to the Banqueting-house and spreads his Banner of Love over them they should then be without Cordial-content That they are not without such content appears because all the six days Sollicitors that is all worldly things and carnal company are kept off on that day of retiredness with God yea and charged and even adjured not to disturb their sweetest
PRACTICAL PIETY OR THE PASTOR'S Last Legacy TO HIS BELOVED PEOPLE Directing how to Walk with GOD in these Apostatizing Times WITH Two most Serious Exhortatory Epistles to Satisfie the Christian Readers concerning the Whole WORK To which is Added Morning and Evening PRAYERS for Private Families By that Reverend Divine Mr. William Thomas late Rector of the Church of Ubley in the County of Somerset after his 44 years Labours in the Ministry in that Place Acts 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in Breaking of Bread and in Prayer London Printed for Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain 1681. To my dearly beloved the Church and Congregation belonging to my Charge inhabiting within the Parish of Ubley in the County of Somerset Grace and Peace Dearly beloved in the Lord IT was for your sakes that I first set my thoughts on this ensuing Treatise For having lived and laboured so many years amongst you already I cannot look to abide long with you and therefore have thought it meet to do my endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have those things alwayes in remembrance which you have been formerly and continually taught Divers of which you will meet with in the reading of this Book whereof because I am willing to give you a taste I shall reckon them up unto you in that order wherein you shall find them hereafter handled First You know I have laboured much with you for the reading of Scripture and to train up your children to be able to read it Let me now leave it with you not only to set your Eyes upon this Word of God but to set your Hearts unto it and as much as in you lies to draw and win the hearts of those belonging to you to it for it is your life and their life Secondly I have taken much pains both publikely and from house to house to teach you admonish you and perswade you to a reverent receiving of the Lords Supper And now shall desire you to keep in mind that which you often have been minded of which is that they who come to that Sacrament should be before God twice the first time preparing the second time receiving Neglect not to prepare for Sermons especially on the Lords-Day but double your preparation at Sacraments because there is a double work to be done in regard of the meeting of two distinct Ordinances that is the Word and Sacrament to be partaked in together Wash your hearts as you do your Vessels every day but scour them and make them bright for the Lords use on Sabbath and Sacrament-dayes Thirdly You have heard especially in late times wherein the shameful and shameless misusing of Ministers hath enforced them to plead for their Calling I say you have heard many things to move you to a due estimation of the Ministry concerning which I shall say no more here but only this Take heed of esteeming too much of such Teachers as are not lawfully called or too little of such as are If painful teaching be not continued unto you remember you had it If it be do not despise it If you cannot have it at home be not content to be without it look not one upon another but where you see there is Corn repair thither Better stir then starve Fourthly Of our Lords Sabbath-day very much hath been spoken to you the holy observation thereof being the Seed-plot and support of all Piety It is not a day of idleness but of spiritual action And you that have need to work for your Bodies and Families all the six dayes have the more need to lay all other work aside on the Sabbath-day and to look after your souls making it your great and even your only work then to labour not after the food that perisheth but the meat that endureth to everlasting life To be very diligent all the Week dayes and to idle out the Lords-day is to be good Husbands and bad Christians and such bad Christians are never good Husbands for they will be undone at last Fifthly You have still seen that I have made Catechising your Children and Servants one part of my work of which I shall say but a word now namely that it is so hard a thing to get any knowledge and sense of Religion into the heads and hearts of ancient people that therein all may see and you that are Parents and Housholders should take notice of it what a necessary thing it is to begin betimes with those that are young and to instruct them in that knowledge and fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom Sixthly Family-Prayer hath been often taught and sought amongst you for How can Housholders expect the protection and success of their persons and labours in the day or the safe keeping of themselves their children servants and substance in the night yea comfort and welfare day or night without God or How can they look to enjoy God without Prayer for He will be sought by the House of Israel and we may say by every house in Israel Zech. 12. 12. Seventhly Repetition of Sermons amongst you hath been my continual custom that the things publikely delivered might be better understood better remembred better settled in your hearts and that the power thereof might be more and better expressed in your lives which you know hath been the usual Prayer before Repetition Lastly I have encouraged and excited you to the duty of Singing of Psalms And of late it hath been my manner in publike to give you a short Exposition of every Psalm before the singing of it that you might better understand and mind the matter contained in it Now all these things I do here recommend unto you and again set before you because spiritual things though delivered often to weak hearers are not quickly understood are hardly committed to memory are soon forgotten or mistaken when a printed Paper may easily be looked upon seriously thought upon and by often recourse to it a fruitful and more full use may be made of it And whatsoever the things I here communicate and do as it were bequeath to you as my dear children in the Lord shall be found in themselves yet the relation of Pastor and People under which we stand and which is now of forty and four years standing hath I trust such an endearment in it as to render what I have written more profitable to you by being more acceptable more helpful by being more grateful and by your looking upon it with an Eye of Love Having mentioned the time of my abode among you It shall not be tedious to me nor wil it I hope be grievous to you to review and run over in a generality what hath passed in it And therein will be found something to be observed and marked something to be humbled for and something to praise God for That
read Scripture in regard of their many and pressing imployments Answ 1. They who frame this Objection had need to take heed that it be not made a protection for omitting Prayer also and so letting pass some dayes without having any thing to do with God such may know that it is to be but peny-wise to be so thrifty of time for worldly business as to have no leisure to look up to God If they did read Scripture well they would find such good Husbandry put under the head of Vanity for Except the Lord build the House keep the City and so carry on and prosper mens affairs it is in vain to rise early to sit up late or to bestow a mans labour in them A man had better gain some time from his sleep then to have no time for the service of God and to leave some business undone then to have all ill-done or to be undone because he prospers so well without God Prov. 1. 32. 2. I answer That although Christians will find it both profitable and needful to set apart certain times and that ordinarily every day for reading Scripture lest there be a loss of the duty for want of an appointed time to do it in yet I shall not prescribe any particular time nor how much of Scripture any should read at that time the division of the Scriptures into Chapters will help that way but that which I press as necessary is the thing it self and that every Christian be a serious Reader of Scripture I deny not but some are so hurryed with the necessary occasions of their Calling that it is not easie for them to have a time perhaps in a whole day to read a Chapter I mean to have a time at times and on some days but yet at other times they may and by enjoying a freer opportunity make themselves and their souls some recompence in regard of former omissions which I advise them to do and withal wish them to remember that it is as hath been said the mark of a blessed man to meditate in Gods Word day and night and that David that was still taken up with the persecutions of a King that is of Saul or with the imployments of a King when he was King himself and a man of War also yet was very much in the meditation of the Law of God yea it was his meditation all the day that is he took all occasions to exercise his thoughts in it reading it no doubt as Kings were commanded to do Deut. 17. 19. and then reading it in his heart in his recurrent meditations according to all opportunities There is but one thing that hinders Davids imitation and the following of so good an example and that is the want of Davids affection which breathes and breaks out in this holy exclamation O how I love thy Law and thence follows his meditation all the day Love desires union and longs to be much with the thing loved Gods great complaint is I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Divers now a dayes look strangely upon Scripture their countenance as it is said of Laban in regard of Jacob is not towards it as it was yesterday and the day before but would they claim kindred of it and say unto Wisdom thou art my Sister and to Vnderstanding thou art my Kinswoman and so grow into an holy familiarity with it then as neer kinred love to look much one upon another so would they look often and with delight into the Book of God and by the frequent reading of it supply themselves with the matter of that heavenly meditation which the Scripture marks in and makes the marks of the choisest servants of God I come now to the Objections of the other sort and which ordinary people use to make to whom I do especially direct this discourse Object 2. We hear the Scriptures read in the Congregation and may not that suffice for us who must of necessity follow our Callings that we may live in the world Answ 1. We cannot but think that the Eunuch coming to Jerusalem to worship Act. 7. 27. heard the Scriptures read there that being one part of the service performed at their Feasts as is expresly declared at the Feast of the Passover when it is said that Hezekiah spake comfortably to the Levites that taught the good knowledge of God In which teaching reading is presupposed for we find it express'd otherwhere and namely that in the Feast of Trumpets the Law was brought before the Congregation and was read from the morning until the mid-day And it is more like it was read at the Feast of Pentecost to which the Eunuch came because in that Feast they remembred the singular benefits of the Lords giving of the Law in Mount Sinai unto them at that very time and their freedom from the cruel Laws of the Egyptians under which they had lived before But though the Law were thus read and heard read in publick yet a good man though a great man is not content to sit and hear the Word read in the Congregation which is I grant a great duty Neh. 8. 3. but he reads also in private yea the Eunuch returning from the Feast and the Reading there reads also sitting in his Charet and Philip is sent to joyn himself to the reading-Charet Answ 2. As for those that say They are imployed all the week in worldly business they ought to know that they have so much the more need to read Scripture that in the crowd of earthly cares and concernments they may not lose their God and their Souls It 's true that ruder people are ready to resolve that it is to be left to Ministers and Monks as Chrysostom relates their words to read Scripture I have wife and children and houshold care sayes one and another why do you press me to read it Now it 's true that it doth most and very highly concern Ministers to read Scripture And that not only for guarding themselves against those Errors which men of better parts then hearts ensnare novices in by abusing their own Reason and Gods Word but also that they be throughly furnished for every good work belonging to them as they are men of God for which though they may be competently enabled and so as to make a good shift by searching the Scripture as they have occasion for their business yet they will never be so compleatly habituated for it unless the ordinary reading and study of Scripture be made their business Ministers therefore are in special bound to give themselves to reading and meditating Scripture that their profiting may appear to all yea that 's in a manner their whole work But this will not excuse People for not reading Scripture unless their mind be that Ministers should be wise to Salvation and not themselves
that night because of the help we have had for better thoughts the day before Yea I shall not fear to say further that in them that have observed the day as they ought there will be such an holy habit and frame of heart left behind as that though they sleep and take their rest yet even the dreams of that night I do not say alwayes will but divers times will be like to relish of the holiness of the day which though some are willing to make sport with and to count worthy of derision yet herein they call in question not only their Piety but their Reason for Nature it self and common Experience teacheth that things acted and most affected in the day leave such impressions as that they are ordinarily represented by the phansie in the dreams of the night I have thus far enlarged in describing the Sabbath out of a desire to establish the holy observation of the Lords day which will best be discerned by that respect reverence and observance that is due to the weekly Sabbath according to the fourth Commandement Now when we know what is meant by Sabbath and by the observation of it it 's easie to know what is meant by the profanation thereof mentioned before which is the applying of it to common use as we do the other six dayes when God hath set it a part for holy and heavenly imployments see Act. 10. 15. This profanation must needs be as I have said an evil thing because it is a transgression of the moral Law of God which Law though it be short yet the Precept concerning the Sabbath is full and large If that law be holy and just and good then the profanation opposite to it must needs be evil Hence the Lord himself said of old when that which was commanded on the Sabbath was not obeyed How long refuse ye to keep my Commandements and my Laws Exod. 16. 28. Ezek. 22. 18. Thou hast profaned my Sabbath is in the catalogue of their sins But because there are two things about the Christian Sabbath much disputed one the divine institution and appointment of a Sabbath day in every week for all ages by vertue of the fourth Commandement the other the divine constitution or Gods ordaining of that weekly day for a Sabbath which we now observe that is the first day of the week commonly called the Lords day I shall therefore endeavour as I am able to speak something in way of resolution to these two proposals that so Sabbath-doubts may not hinder Sabbath-duties For the former of these I propound this question Quest How doth it appear that the Law of the Sabbath contained in the fourth Commandement continueth and is in force in Gospel times for the observing of one day in seven as a Sabbath or day of holy rest Answ If it be not of any force then we have not now a Decalogue that is there are not now in the time of the Gospel Ten Commandements but nine only If it be said That doth not follow because something of that Commandement remains and is in force for ever to wit that some time should be set a part for the publike worship of God To this I answer That it is manifest to him that reads the fourth Commandement that the thing required in it is not a time at large which the second Commandement that prescribeth the Worship of God supposeth because nothing can be done unless there be a time set apart for the doing of it but that which is enjoyned is a day Nor is it a day at large but a day in every week for it is opposed to six working dayes Nor is it a day in a week at large but such a day as may challenge this title The Sabbath of the Lord thy God that is it must be a day of Gods appointment When a Master saith to his servant wait on me every week in the day I appoint you and lay before him great reason for it If the servant should say My Master looks for no more but that I should wait on him one time or other it would be but a poor account 2. If any of the ten Commandements be taken away it must be taken away by Christ that is by his order or by some declaration from him But he saith he came not to take away but to fulfil the Law And to prove that he instanceth in divers Precepts of the Moral Law which he presseth in the greatest height of spiritual observation Why should the fourth Commandement be taken away any more then the fifth which yet the Apostle urgeth strongly upon children and that from the moral and perpetual reason thereof which though it be delivered in a Jewish phrase relating to the land of Canaan yet for the substance of it it concerns all men that live on the earth Ephes 6. 1 2 3. Object There is this difference between the fourth and fifth Commandement That Nature teacheth men to obey their Parents but to observe a Sabbath one day in seven it teacheth not Answ In regard of a day of holy Rest in general Nature is not silent for it granteth a God and that that God is to be worshipped and therefore that a time must of necessity be set a part for it and that a convenient time and in such a distance that we may neither neglect our God nor our affairs And taking it for granted that the Creation is known that is that God did make the world in six dayes and rest the seventh Nature hath a fair copy to write by and a glorious example before it to work upon and to take a light from to work and to rest in such a proportion of time I say to rest for Nature speaks out this fully that the time consecrated to God must be a time of rest because we cannot serve God in holiness and be about profane and common imployment both at once 2. If we take in to the light and principles of Nature the assistance of divine Revelation then Nature will say all that needs to be said for a Sabbath to wit that it is fit God should appoint his own time for his own service and therefore he in his Word having appointed a weekly time such a time ought to be observed 3. Setting aside all the natural morality that may be pleaded for a weekly Sabbath it sufficeth that the spending of one day in seven in holy Rest is enjoyned by the positive Law of God for why shall not the Law of the God of Nature revealed from Gods mouth or written in the Word bind as well and as much as the Law of Nature written in the heart especially considering that what is spoken or written by God especially by his own finger as the Ten Commandements were is pure and incorrupt as that is not which is written in mans heart though it were so when it was first written Yea Why may we not
say in some respect that it is worse to disobey a positive law then a law of Nature and that because where Nature saith nothing but God saith all there 's a greater tryal whether Gods Word his naked Will and Prerogative Royal is of any weight with us or no and in the despising of such a command a greater indignity is offered to the Supream Law-giver as if a Law of his mouth were not worth the marking unless Nature and Reason open their mouths also unto which we may add that he who disobeyeth a positive law alwayes disobeyteh a natural to wit this that it is meet and necessary that God should have his will and retain his soveraignty which by transgressing a plain precept wherein Nature can say nothing is more violated Hence that first sin in eating the forbidden fruit for the forbearing whereof being considered in it self Nature had not what to say did undo us all there being thereupon this charge drawn up against all mankind in the first man Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat The like whereof we find in the business of the Sabbath but I instance in the former because of the weight that lay upon it and because of the resemblance there is between forbidden work and forbidden fruit by which the disobedience receives a great aggravation namely thus Was there liberty for all the Trees of the Garden and couldst thou not forbear one upon my precise command so Have I given thee six dayes to work for thy self and canst thou not rest with me one day Object But if the fourth precept stand still established yet all it commands is the observing of the seventh day from the Creation Answ 1. If it be supposed that the fourth Commandement enjoyneth the seventh day from the Creation which I grant not save only in that sense which I shall afterward express yet that hindereth not but that it remaineth also firm and in force for one day in seven as well as the reason of the fifth Commandement is a moral and perpetual reason though it be delivered in a Jewish phrase and concern in the first place and in the form of words the Jewish people and therefore the Apostle to extend the force of the reason to all places and persons thus explaineth it That it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the Earth as was touch'd before 2. I answer That the fourth Commandement layes down and prescribes how God would have his Sabbath observed but it doth not command or institute any particular or individual day save only in the generality that is as it falls under the general notion of being a day of Gods appointment which day of Gods appointment was well known to the Jews otherwhere and before the fourth Commandement was delivered and therefore it is spoken of in the sixteenth of Exodus as a known law and the people on the sixth day gathered twice so much bread two Omers for one man when on other dayes they gathered but one as being accustomed to observe the Sabbath at least as knowing that God required it should be observed that day being set a part for a Sabbath ever since and by reason of the Creation of the world Gen. 2. 3. Heb. 4. 3. And as the day the Jews observed and spent in holy rest was known otherwise and needed not to be expressed in the fourth Commandement so also the day that we Christians observe though it be not mentioned in that Commandement yet is otherwise sufficiently made known to be the day that God hath ordained for his weekly Sabbath in Gospel-times as shall appear hereafter 3. This being premised I shall grant as others do who have with much diligence and satisfaction searched into this argument that the seventh day Sabbath was to be observed by vertue of the fourth Commandement yet not as instituted there directly but as belonging to it reductively that is by way of argument and consequent namely thus One day in seven of Gods appointment is directly and for ever required to be observed as a Sabbath by the fourth Commandement Now the seventh-day-Sabbath that is the seventh from the Creation is that one of seven that God appointed from the foundation of the world till our Saviours coming suffering and rising again It therefore followeth that that seventh was for all that time to be observed as the Lords Sabbath and that by necessary collection from the fourth Commandement As in like manner our first-day-Sabbath is grounded on the fourth Commandement because it is that one of seven which God hath appointed to be observed since Christs Resurrection The sum is The genus or general name of Sabbath is common to each Sabbath day of Gods institution and so comprehends both the Jews Sabbath and ours 4. I answer as before that otherwise then thus the fourth Commandement requireth not any particular day but that which it commandeth is to come more closely to the question one day in seven in relation to six working dayes as the Commandement it self expresseth saying Six days shalt thou labour but the seventh is the Sabbath as if it had been said Divide the week and there being seven dayes in it take thou the sixth and give me the seventh and namely that seventh which I appoint and give order for And that the Commandement is thus to be interpreted may appear both by the first words thereof Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy he saith not the seventh day but the Sabbath day as also by the last words wherein it is said the Lord blessed and hallowed not the seventh day but the Sabbath day which sheweth that the main drift and intent of the Commandement was not the institution of the Jews seventh or any other particular day but of a weekly Sabbath or of one day in every week such as then was or afterward was to be specified and declared of God to be his day of rest yet such as may be called the seventh day because it must be the seventh part of the weekly time Object But it is said in the latter part of the Commandement and brought in also as a reason to observe it that God rested the seventh day whence it is thus argued That day is meant in the body of the Commandement as the day enjoyned to be the Sabbath or day of Rest wherein God himself rested But that was the seventh in order from the Creation Therefore that 's meant by seventh day in the body of the Commandement yea in the whole Commandement for God blessed and sanctified that day for the Sabbath whereon himself rested Answ I grant that God rested that seventh day and that he blessed and sanctified it but How Not meerly as that particular seventh but as a Sabbath for so as it was but now said the Commandement expresseth it only the blessing and sanctification
was at first fixed on the seventh from the Creation because that was the day set a part to be the Lords Sabbath for that first age of the world I grant also that Gods resting is brought in as a reason of the Commandement But then the question is Wherein the force of that reason lyeth To which I say that it is not brought in as a reason of resting on that individual and precise day wherein God rested save only under this notion and consideration that it was the day at that time and for that first world appointed of God to be his Sabbath For it is not a cogent or inforcing argument We must rest one day in every week and never work more then six because God rested the last day of the week but this is a strong and convincing reasoning We must rest one day in seven perpetually and work but six because God our great Lord and Maker did only work six dayes and make the remaining day which was then the seventh in order a Sabbath holding forth that his example for our imitation I shall say this over again in some other words more fully to open my mind and the matter in hand and therefore express it thus The argument drawn from Gods Example is not for the same day that is for that very seventh wherein He rested determinately as if it reached and extended it self to no other day in the week but it is for a seventh or for the day wherein God rested as a seventh comparatively that is in relation to his six working dayes and therefore they are compared together both in the body of the Commandement where it is said Six dayes shalt thou labour but the seventh is the Sabbath and in the conclusion wherein it is not barely said God rested the seventh day but it is brought in with this In six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth that is ended his work and rested the seventh Sanctifying that day as his Sabbath for those times and therein any other seventh which Himself should appoint for his Sabbath in after-times for any other day of the week may be called the seventh day as it is set against six working dayes To conclude the reason is not for that peculiar portion of time wherein God rested as if God meant no more but to reason men into the observation of that seventh day for then the fourth Commandement is gone or else the Saturday-Sabbath is to be observed still but it is for the proportion of time that is for a weekly day or one day in a week and for the portion and particular day only according to Gods appointment which appointed time to the Jews was Saturday to us now it is the Lords day Of the Christian Sabbath-day or the Lords-day HAving spoken thus far of the Sabbath in general and in its common nature or of the Christian Sabbath as a Sabbath I come now to speak of that particular day which we call the Christian Sabbath that is the first day of the week about which this great Question ariseth Why should this day be so much stood upon when we find not in Scripture when we find not in all the New-Testament any divine Institution of it In answer unto this I shall be brief both because I have been so large already and because others have written so largely and so convincingly concerning the Lords-day and the divine Institution thereof with a full answer to the Objections made to the contrary yet it being needful to say something and other Books not coming to the hands of all I shall endeavour to give some satisfaction to Christians as to the former Proposal in the ensuing particulars Answ 1. It hath been declared before that the proportion of time that is the observing of a Sabbath weekly or one day in seven is required of God in the fourth Commandement wherein also hath been shewed the manner how it is to be observed and that we are not to spend it as we do the six working-days in our ordinary and earthly imployments but in religious Exercises as a day of holy rest to the Lord. I mention this though it be not so proper to the question yet as pertinent to it for if it be once granted that by the Commandement of God himself one day in a week must be kept as a Sabbath it will quickly be found that the Lords-day will make the best plea for that priviledge But I go on Answ 2. As to the portion of time and the particular day about which the question is moved to that I answer That a thing may be said to be commanded of God two wayes 1. In express words as if it should be said I require all men to observe in the time of the New-Testament the first day of the week for my Sabbath We do not say that the Lords-day is thus commanded to be observed as a Sabbath 2. By necessary collection or collation and comparing one Scripture with another and so a divine Command and Institution is divers wayes gathered and by strong arguments and consequences concluded as our Saviour proves the Resurrection and as it is proved that there was a Precept for Sacrifices before the Law and before any such Precept is found because God accepted the Sacrifice offered by Abel which shews it was not Will-worship but Word-worship that is guided by a word known to them though not revealed to us After this manner and by sound reasoning from things revealed in Scripture the divine Institution of the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath sundry wayes appeareth Namely by these ensuing Evidences 1. A divine ground and foundation of setting apart that day in special and above all other dayes for that use and that is the divine work of raising up the Lord Jesus from the dead As the first Sabbath had its rise from the work of Creation and Gods resting on that day as the fourth Commandement declareth so hath the New-Testament-Sabbath its rise from the work of Redemption and our Saviours rising and resting when that work was finished wherein we may be the more confirmed because the Scripture so highly extolleth our Saviours Resurrection that being the great thing which the Apostles in their Preaching were to stand upon Act. 1. 22 and did stand upon and stand for Act 3 4 as that without which all Preaching and Faith is vain and the Apostles would be found false Witnesses who made it their business to publish and testifie it Declaring the promise to the Fathers to be fulfill'd in raising up Jesus again as it is written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begetten thee that is That was the great day like the day when the Crown was set on David's head wherein notwithstanding all his humiliation in his life and death He that was made of the seed of David before was declared to be the
general appearing to do homage to God which is one improvement of worship on that day 2. It is more attended because a Sabbath is a day of rest and receding from worldly works that we may better apply our selves to divine Worship And though there be a necessary use of natural supports yet the fear of God writes Holiness to the Lord upon them and takes care they be so used that the Service of God may be better attended 3. It is more intended or performed with more power and vigour because our minds are or should be discharged of all those creature-cares and cogitations wherewith on other dayes on which though we leave the world a little yet we do not so take leave of it as on the Lords day our hearts use to be and that in the Worship of God encumbred and weakened yea besides this the private religious Exercises of that day both before and after the publike Service namely Meditation and Prayer make us come with better affections to it lay an ingagement upon us to stir up the grace of God in us when we are about it draw from God vertue in it and a blessing of Heaven upon it Of the third Commandement Because the Sabbath is a day appointed for the honour of God and the greatning of his Name in the publike Ordinances God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are about him Hence it is that on the day of publik and solemn Assemblies that is on the Sabbath now the Lords day the Name of God is most set up because by most and among most In the multitude of people is the Kings honour and then the multitude go to the House of God to the Temple to the Congregation wherein every one speaks of his glory Thus doth the fourth Commandement assist for the performance of the first Table 2. Of the Second Table To speak to every Commandement thereof would be too long It may suffice to say what all men may see and hear That is that on the weekly Lords day all sorts of persons are acquainted with their duty towards men by the instructions then especially delivered and are also stirred up thereunto by the Exhortations added And are or may be much furthered therein by the Repetition of Meditation and Prayer for a blessing upon such Instructions and Exhortation The fourth Commandement standeth in the middle as it were between the two Tables to be a Bond of Perfection and to link together Piety towards God and Charity towards men What is said of the Magistrate may be truly also said of the Sabbath He is and It is the Keeper of both the Tables Thus of the Commodity of the Christian Sabbath 3. The Commendation The Sabbath hath a preheminence above other dayes in regard of Gods Institution of it for each Sabbath is the Sabbath of the Lord our God and that makes it glorious in it self and hath the blessing of God annexed and assured to the observers of it And that as it maketh also for the advancement of it in it self so it giveth a reason why it should be precious to us yea the very largeness of the Law of the Sabbath and the Lords using so many words about it may shew as our weakness who need it so the weight of that Law and worth of that Day in asmuch as in a Law of Ten Words so much is said of this one Word and particular Precept It is observed out of the Hebrew Doctors That the Sabbath and the Precept against Idolatry each of these two is as weighty as all other the Commandements of the Law for confirmation whereof they add this The Sabbath is a sign between God and us for ever and that other place of Isaiah Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Aynsworth on Exod. 31. 13. And sure that weekly day of our solemn appearing before our God ought to be honourable in our account That is a sign and assurance that we are Gods Covenant-people and peculiar treasure for therein lies our safety our glory and our felicity Who is it that desires not to be known by his attendants that he is Kings the Servant Well may we say also that 's a blessed and glorious day that makes the observers thereof blessed yea if by keeping the Sabbath from polluting it be insinuated or described a respect to all Religion even that also makes greatly for the honour of the Sabbath that godliness in the generality is thereby set forth because thereby so much set forward It 's very observable that Gods people reckoning up in their miseries Gods mercies do mention as the chief thereof Gods Commandements and among those Laws and Commandements single out the Sabbath speaking thus honourably of it in reference to their Fathers And madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath as if there were an eminency in that above other Laws as indeed there is in this regard because as on Fairs and Markets men are furnished with commodities of all sorts so on this day principally all spiritual good things are offered with an invitation to the buying and for the enjoying of them and that good knowledge of God is more aboundantly dispensed whereby all other Commandements are better performed O How little is God known to them to whom no Sabbath is made known or that will not be made to know any Sabbath The reason whereof is because on that day of Rest and Religion there is an opportunity offered of the freest fullest and highest Communion with God without those interruptions that we have on other days by the crowding in of our earthly occasions yea and that into the inner chamber and closet of our hearts which is the retiring room wherein God is pleased to communicate himself abundantly to the faithful soul when all worldly things and thoughts are had out and dismissed for that day yea charged and as it were conjured not to disturb the intimate society of the Lord Jesus with the soul that hath found him and fastened on him Thus of the Sabbath in general As to the Christian Sabbath a great glory is put upon it in the Scripture-title it being called the Lords day and that name and title being continued and applyed unto it to this day The Lord Jesus hath put his own Name and stamp upon it It is the day of that Lord who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1. 5. Of the Jews Sabbath and of our Lords day there is as St. Austin speaks one and the same Lord but now is the Lords-day prefer'd before that Sabbath as the same Father speaks by the faith of the Resurrection Unto this Resurrection day is that honour given to have this said of it Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Act. 13. 33. For by his Resurrection on that day he
was manifestly and mightily declared to be the only-begotten Son of God Rom. 1. 3. Unto this may be added that this day hath been ever of high account in the Christian Church Let every one saith Ignatius that holy Martyr that loveth Christ keep the Lords day holy the Queen and Supreme of all dayes Hierom saith Among all dayes this day hath the primacy or holds the preheminence This is the day saith he that the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it If we celebrate our birth-dayes saith Chrysostom How much more is this day to be observed which if any shall call the Birth-day of all mankind he shall not erre therein for we were lost and are found were dead and are alive were Enemies and are reconciled But it is with spiritual honour that this day is to be honoured not with feasting profuse drinking of Wine much less with drunkenness and dancing c. Chrysost Serm. de Eleemosyna I shall close up this with a later witness of the worth of the Sabbath yet not to be contemned it being the testimony of a very learned man and Martyr of Jesus Christ His words are these The Sabbath is the school-School-day wherein we are to come to the Lords School to be acquainted with the Lords law and will When therefore the Sabbath is so much commended in the Old Testament the Lords School is especially commended The Vniversity not of Plato or Aristotle but of the Omnipotent God is commended The knowledge of the Law and the understanding of the Covenant of God with Man is commended What was spoken therefore of the City of God we may apply to his Sabbath Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou day of God Nor is there any thing on Earth liker Heaven then the enjoyment and we may say the beat fiâ—al Vision of God on that day in those publike Ordinances and private Spiritual Exercises and Addresses unto which devout Christians devote themselves which may be confirmed unto us by this That the heavenly State and the weekly day of publique and private Worship go under one and the same name that is both are said to be a keeping of a Sabbath Heaven being in this here as that shall be in Heaven hereafter There followeth 4. The Judgements of God threatned against and inflicted upon Sabbath-profaners Here I shall make use of the Text in hand and Nehemiahs relation v. 18. which sheweth that their Sabbath-profanation was not only evil in them but was and they might fear it would be very evil to them The judgement described in this Scripture hath four sad things in it 1. It is hereditary As when a disease is hereditary and passeth from Father to child the pain of that disease is hereditary also so is it in this case Did not your Fathers do thus And where the sin is continued the judgement is entailed yea it is said further Did not God bring this evil upon us When there is a generation of Sabbath-breakers they pay for their Fathers sin and their own both together as it was in this long captivity And now they had cause to fear further judgement They being risen up in their Fathers stead an increase of sinful men to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel Numb 32. 14. 2. It is very harmful It is not only said this evill but all this evil for God chastiseth his people as their Congregation hath heard And they had heard besides what they heard at other times a little before these utmost miseries that the Lord for not hallowing the Sabbath would kindle a fire in the palaces of Jerusalem which should burn seventy years together and not be quenched We find in former times how severe the sentence of God himself was upon him that did but gather sticks on the Sabbath day And about the same time when they greatly polluted the Lords Sabbaths he said He would powr forth his fury upon them to destroy them in the Wildernesse wherein there were mighty slaughters made of them but all that evill was little to all this evill Neh. 9. 32. 36 37. for the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people saith the Prophet is greater then the punishment of the sin of Sodom that was overthrown in a moment And again Behold and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow Godly Magistrates make laws for the holy observation of Gods holy day and ungodly Officers leave them unexecuted but the Supream Power will look to it and the highest God will animate his Laws by Executions which should make all of us fear and tremble and say If we rebell to day and Sabbath-breaking is Rebellion Ezek. 20. 13. Exod. 16. 28. God will be wroth to morrow Yea and that with the whole Congregation For 3. It is diffusive It spreads far Here is wrath Upon Israel Woe to him that commits Folly in Israel For that 's a people near to God and therefore should not be defiled So woe to him that brings trouble on Israel which Achan found for Israel is a people dear to God and therefore he would not have them to be wasted and consumed by those sins that send for general judgments An Ague is one thing the Pestilence another he that brings the Plague into a City may be an instrument of much mortality and misery Now Sabbath-pollutions are pestilential that is they destroy many and make havock in Israel They that set a City on fire are most mischievous persons to be an Incendiary is a name of infamy but Sabbath-breakers set the whole Nation on fire and for their sakes amongst other notorious and Israel-ruining sinners Zion is plowed as a field and Jerusalem becomes heaps for by reason of this sin God threatens such fury as shall consume his people and that he will accomplish his anger against them Ezek. 20. 13 21. 4. It is cumulative that is profaning the Sabbath layes on more weight on those who are heavy laden with the burthen of judgement already For here it is said by them that had been very long in a very sad condition Ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath-day There 's never so much affliction but God can send more and being further provoked by this sin he will send more seven times more They that be in a prosperous estate should keep the Sabbath that they may keep well when it is well and they that be in an evil case should keep it to prevent their being in a worse The wrath of the King of Heaven is as the roaring of a Lyon and more wrath is as a more dreadful roaring the fore-runner of renting Judg. 14. 5. with Hos 13. 8. In all this it is to be remembred that the fourth Commandement still continuing as there is now also a weekly Sabbath-day so there is a like Sabbath-danger
we may not therefore shift or shake off the former threats and judgements as not belonging to these times but rather consider that Whatsoever things were written or acts of divine Justice recorded aforetime were written for our learning and all those things which befel the transgressors of the Law of the Ten Commandements in former ages of the World happened to them us Types that is they are our examples and warnings and plainly lay before us what we also must expect to suffer if we do as they did even we upon whom the ends of the world are come for like sin like judgement Nor can any just reason be given why judgements of old for the breach of the fourth Commandement should not be our admonitions as well as those for the breach of the second Commandement which Paul mentioneth because there is not only much of that which is positive and not so clearly natural belonging to the second as well as to the fourth Commandement but also it is evident that as the second Precept for the way of Religion so the fourth for the Day is written among the Ten words of the Moral and ever-abiding Law of God with the finger of God himself Exod. 31. 18. That which remaineth to incite to Sabbath-sanctity is 5. The blessing and promises of God annexed and assured to that Day and the Observers ther of It is said in the Commandement The Lord blessed the Sabbath day It 's true that he blessed that seventh day whereon he rested but not as a Seventh day but as a Sabbath day and so the blessing is entailed as it were and passeth from the Jews Sabbath on the Christian Sabbath Now what is the meaning of this blessing but that it was Gods mind that it should be honourable and glorious amongst and have singular priviledge preheminency above other days for which end therefore he sanctified it that is set it apart to be wholly consecrated to Him and to his holy Service In which way it is not only lift up and honored above other dayes and so a blessed day but is a blessed day also to the people of God by the use and benefit of his Ordinances Psal 65. 4. wherein a blessedness is laid up In regard of this Prerogative of the day of Rest and Holiness a Christian seeing that day approach hath great cause to say with an holy chearfulness Come in thou blessed of the Lord And they that appear before God on that day to receive soul-sustenance from him may say within themselves as David's servants that sought bodily relief Let us now find favour in thine eyes for we are come in a good day in the Lords great Feast-day wherein they of his Family even the whole Houshold of Faith are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house and are made to drink of the river of his pleasures It 's a day wherein we may be spiritually enriched for it is a blessed day the blessing of the Lord maketh rich It is a day wherein the people of God meeting and being united together in his service God commandeth the blessing Psal 133. 3. And wherein from our great Lord and head glorious high Priest the Oyl of Grace runs down abundantly as Aarons Oyl sometimes did to the very skirts that is to the very lowest of his true Members to make them joyful for it is the Oyl of gladness Psal 45. 7. and as the dew of Hermon to make them fruitful Psal 133. 1 2 3. The prerious promises inviting to and incouraging in the Sanctification of the Sabbath are presented to us from the mouth of the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 58. 13. 14. which Text of Scripture is so often made use of in this argument of the Sabbath that I cannot leave it though I have spoken much more then I thought to have done already withour looking a little into it For which purpose I shall 1. Speak something to both the verses in general 2. And something to that Sabbath-Piety described v. 13. 3. And then come to the Sabbath-promises v. 14. 1. Of the Text in general Wherein two things lie in the way to hinder the use that divers godly and learned Writers have made of it for establishing the Lords Sabbath-day now the Lords day 1. Some hold that the Sabbath is here named by way of allusion and by a Synechdoche and that the thing intended and designed in that description v. 13. and so in the promise v. 14. is to take men off from their own wits and wayes and to stir them up to obedience and holiness in the whole course of their lives And the truth is that in the Sabbath all Religion is wrapt up for God is eminently acknowledged worshipped professed and praised as the three first Commandements require upon that day And all other Commandements are better observed by the good knowledge of God dispensed and dispersed then especially in the Ministry of the Word acquainting men with their duties towards God and Man But we may not mistake here for albeit it be supposed that all Religion is spoken to yet it doth not follow from thence that the Sabbath day in the setting forth whereof the Text is so full is to be excluded nay rather it is thereby the better established As when a Father takes order in his last Will that his Son shall go to the University his meaning is that his Son shall be a Scholar but withall his mind is that he shall go to the University because that 's the way to make him a Scholar and therefore he expresseth nothing but that for that contains the other So it is here We may observe casting our eye upon this whole chapter that as in the former part of it the Prophet shewed their Religion was not to be placed in fasting so here he declareth that the observation of the Sabbath is not to be placed in resting to which the Jews used to ascribe so much but in the spiritual sanctification of that rest which indeed hath and ought to have an influence and to extend its vertue into our whole life to make it the more holy But now mark that as the Prophet before in his Doctrine of a Fast and his disciplining of their Fast did not exclude the day of their Fast and the observation thereof but saith plainly In the day of your Fast v. 3. so neither doth he here where he delivereth the doctrine of the Sabbath shut out the day of the Sabbath but only sheweth that the Rest and leisure of that day is to be bestowed in spiritual things appertaining to the substance and tending to the furtherance of true Religion 2. Some others may say that if the Text be to be understood of the weekly Sabbath yet it speaks to the Jews only not to us and of their day not of ours Unto which it may suffice to say that as the fourth Commandement belongs to us
as well as to Jews and the holy observation required there belongs to us in regard of our Sabbath as well as to them in regard of theirs so in this Scripture and in the whole Scripture of the Old Testament whatsoever thing is Spiritual and of an Evangelical nature it belongeth to us as well as to them and may upon just accounts be more pressed on us then on them because it is our happiness to have more means for and therefore out duty to make further progress in all things appertaining to godliness It were very strange to say or think the Jews were to abstain from their own self-pleasing thoughts words and actions on their Sabbath and yet that Christians may think speak and do as they please on the Christian Sabbath What must the Sabbath be the Jews delight and not ours There is so much of Gospel in these things that a learned Divine saith What can be spoken more like then this is to the perfect Precepts of Christ This will surther appear by what follows to be spoken 2. Of the Sabbath-duty as it is prescribed in way of Supposition vers 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath or as some render it for or because of the Sabbath that is If thou keep the Sabbath from polluting it as it is before chap. 56. 2. to wit by doing any act treading any step unsutable to it and tending to the profanation of it as we find other-where the lifting up of ones hand and foot to be a Proverbial expression of enterprizing or attempting any thing Here the foot is named and in Isa 56. 2. the hand and both put together may shew that both hand and foot the great Instruments of action are to be kept for the Sabbath sake from doing any evil Ask therefore whatever thou art about Is this a fit walk or work for the Lords Sabbath day else Turn hand and foot from it What followeth will confirm this Exposition which is this From doing thy pleasure on my Holy-day that is any thing which pleaseth thy self and pleaseth not God on that day so that to turn away the foot is to keep from doing that is from doing any thing agreeable to our wills and not to Gods it 's true of things sinful which on that day are out of measure sinful but there is no cause to restrain it and apply it only to things sinful in themselves for the six dayes work is not so which yet the Commandement will have us to set aside There are divers things not evil in their nature which yet like the counsel of Ahitophel 2 Sam. 17. 7. are not good at that time It is not enough that things done on that day be good for their matter but they must be some way or other for God whose day it is it must be his work and not a product of not a thing arising from and done for thine own pleasure one writing upon this saith Whatsoever shew of holiness there is in any work yet if thou aim at thy own commodity in it it is a servile work and violates the Sabbath of the Lord Every day but especially on the Lords day we should be like the Angels and those Ministers of his that do his pleasure Psal 103. 21. for then we wait on our Lord at his own appointed time It cannot be well therefore to do what we please our selves when we attend our Lord not on our working-day but on his Holy-day or the day of his Holiness But Negative holiness or to forbear evil is not enough it is further added and call the Sabbath a delight that is as one speaks making the holy things of that day our delight and exercising our selves about those delightsom things with delight of heart such as we see in David unto whom the Tabernacles of God were amiable and he most glad to go to Him and them Psal 84. 1. 122. 1 2 c. The meaning of this and the former part of the verse is well and plainly expressed thus If thou restrain thy foot on the Sabbath so as that thou do not whatsoever pleaseth thee and if thou take delight in keeping it according to the Law and Will of God calling it the holy that is the holy day of the Lord or a day consecrated unto him and therefore honourable or glorious As a man of God is an honourable man so is the day of God an honourable day Every day may be said to be glorious because a pleasant thing it is to the eyes to behold the Sun but this among other dayes is like Solomon's Queen among other honourable Women that is it excels in glory because on that day the Sun of Righteousness shines forth in his brightness that into our hearts in the use of Ordinances to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ so that our eyes may see the King in his beauty and so be our selves beautiful and shalt honour him that is by honouring it for when the holy things of God are profaned He is profaned whence it is said in the case of Eli his sons Them that honour me I will honour That which followeth is but a repeating of what went before yet so as that what was laid down in the former part of the verse more generally is laid forth in this later part more distinctly a law being laid on our wayes wills and words on the Lords Holy-day 1. On our wayes not doing thine own wayes for How is God honoured if we do what we list When Eli his sons would have and do what they pleased not observing Gods order in his own Institutions the Lords interpretation of it is a despising of him Now in proper speech we are said rather to go rhen to do our wayes but because by a mans wayes in Scripture and in our common speech also are meant mens actions and course of life therefore this fitly expresseth unto us that Gods mind is that we should not act according to our own minds nor do our own acts on Gods day I say on Gods day for albeit it be true that God binds us out from walking according to the world and the flesh any day yet speech being made here of a special day which God appropriateth unto himself therefore another interpretation seems more proper which is this not doing thine own ways that is not doing thy usual works On the six dayes we may do what we our selves have to do but on Gods day we must do what God hath for us to do All done on Gods day must be Gods not our own 2. On our wills not finding thine own pleasure or thine own will but the Hebrew word signifieth such a will as wherein there is a delight and complacency This is before applyed to the Fast and this reproved that on the day
of their Fast they found their pleasure v. 3. And it is easily transfer'd and by the same reason applyed to the weekly Sabbath for howsoever the Fast was a day of Soul-affliction and the Sabbath of soul-delight and so there was a difference between them yet they were also so much alike that their solemn Fast-day hath the name of Sabbath imposed upon it And all their fasting dayes were separating days wherein they separated sequestred themselves not only so as not to do any sin but so as that they were also precisely required not to do any work no not to give way to their own will or find their own pleasure on the Sabbath therefore it is Gods will that we should not only watch over our wayes without but look to our wills within which as far as they are our own and not Gods should not be sought or found by us or with us on that day they are on that day as other creatures to Adam not found meet companions for us but too low Gen. 2. 20. In sum No self-delight is to be admitted that is against Sabbath-delight Ne diem sanctum Domini suis commaculet voluntatibus Hieron in Isa 58. 3. Our words not speaking a word which is well explained from the words going before where our own is expressed by the supplying of the same here and saying our own words for the meaning is not on that day we should be mutes and say nothing Now our own words may be said to be of two sorts 1. Such as are simply unlawful in themselves which are evil any day and worse on that day 2 Such as are relatively unlawful that is in relation to that day as being unsutable to it and opposite to that holiness and godly communication that is required on it And that this is here comprehended for I do not exclude words simply evil but reckon them on this day most abominable I say that this is here comprehended to wit the prohibition of common as well as condemned words may appear because here is a day evidently separated and marked out from common dayes on which notwithstanding there must be none of our own that is no sinful words and therefore it 's reasonable and congruous to conceive the meaning in this place to be that we must speak none of our own words that is of our every dayes words but that a more holy and refined language is to be used on that holy day Briesly no words are to be spoken that day which are meerly our own and not some way Gods and relating to his honour and service whose day it is It is not a day to make Bargains take Accounts to talk of Kine Horses Hawks Hounds c. which on other dayes there 's liberty to do but all the leisure we have for communication or otherwise should be sanctified for the Rest must be holy the whole day Yet I do not mean that every word is unlawful on the Sabbath that is in its nature earthly or an expression of some worldly thing for our necessities require some such words and works also as are in themselves of a worldly and common nature as about Apparel and Dyet or other incidental things But that which I humbly conceive is required is this That on that day our discourse and conference generally should be of a more holy and heavenly strain and that if other working dayes words be used it may truly be put on the account of necessity mercy Christian civility tending to the honour of Religion the doing of good the winning of others to goodness or some other end fit to be intended on that day and which cannot be so well attained but in that way that is by using vulgar and common-words no way to be numbred among spiritual expressions unless in regard of the end which an heart wherein there is an habit of holiness directs them unto And whosoever give themselves leave to talk of what they please assoon as they are out of Church will be like to find less good by their having been in it and less fitness to return again profitably unto it or to be about any private religious Exercise which that holy Day calleth ' them unto for as evil communications corrupt mens minds and manners so worldly discourse useth to make the heart more worldly and less apt for things heavenly because prepossessed with earthly which agreeing better then that which is better with our natures the heart is therefore more hardly won from them to a due attending to and affecting of the things of God Thus this later part of the verse expounds the former for he truly turns not away his foot from the Sabbath who in word thought and work doth not his own will but the will of God Now all this easily passeth from the day to the way of God and that substance of Piety which is every day a necessary duty yet so as that the spiritual observation of Gods holy day is a special means thereof and help thereunto I say the spiritual observation and desire that should be observed because they who speak more meanly of the Sabbath day do seem to take the word Sabbath in a strict sense and to mean thereby an exact but idle observing of a day of rest without further reference end due respect to that sanctisication of the Rest which the fourth Precept plainly expresseth I say I suppose they that speak less honourably of the day of the Sabbath look at that empty Sabbatizing for otherwise if any man shall plead for a resting from sin and the practise of holiness every day with the sleighting of the weekly Sabbath as it ought to be observ'd he plainly destroys what be pretends to build and weakeneth Religion every day by weakning the reverence of that day the which Sabbath-reverence and real respect to all Religion are so linked together that howsoever there is a difference in regard of the degree yet few or none are found to regard either who regard not both As they regard not Learning that regard not Schooling nor House-keeping that keep not Market-dayes so they regard not godliness any day who regard not the Sabbath-day wherein it is taught and wherein all provisions are laid up for a godly life And on the other side As they go not to School as they should but loiter there that get no learning nor spend their time well at the Market that bring home no Provision so they never keep the Sabbath day rightly whose desire and care is not to live every day religiously and Christianly I shall add only this They who carry this Text to mens general carriage say There is an allusion in it to the Sabbath-day and saying so they must needs I think grant that the Sabbath to which the Prophet alludeth had these things in it that is holiness of heart tongue and carriage as in the Epitome which are afterward to be spread forth at
should have been notes well yet all outward duties lose their end and their estimation yea they serve as sad witnesses against them that use them most if the reality of Religion and the power and exercise of grace doth not appear in their conversation for The exercises of Religion are for the exercise and are not to be performed much less to be rested on in stead of Godliness but to nourish Godliness and to stead us in the way of Holiness When Paul plants and Apollo waters the Lord give the increase And so sanctifie unto you these poor labours that thereby one cubit may be added to your spiritual statute May I attain that end and obtain your earnest prayers for the passing of the little remainder of my pilgrimage here in fear and faith and faithfulness you will abundantly recompence him who is and shall remain Yours sincerely in the service of the Gospel as long as God shall think fit to imploy so unworthy a servant William Thomas The Contents of the several Parts and Chapters of this Treatise The First Part. Of Christian-Duties CHAP. 1. A Call to Reading of Scripture Which is urged 1. FRom Scripture-Commands pag. 1. 2. From Scripture-Reasons drawn from the end nature use and profit of the written Word of God 5. 3. From Scripture-examples and the efficacy of that duty 8 4. From that blessedness whereunto the Reading of Gods Word is Gods way 11. 5. By answering Objections made against it 11. to 16. 6. By two motives provoking to it 18. CHAP. II. Instructions about the Lords Supper Wherein 1. Reasons of sollicitousness for Sacrament-Preparation are rendred viz 1. Imitation of the antient Church 21. 2. Christs strict command for it ibid. 3. The distinction of that Sacrament from other Ordinances 23. 4. The judgement of the Church of God 26. 2. A short Catechism followeth of the general grounds of Religion 32 3. A larger Catechism is added concerning the Lords Supper 37. CHAP. III. Of the Estimation of Ministers Where the Scripture on which it is grounded to wit 1 Thess 5. 12 13 is 1. Recited and explained briefly 2. More largely insisted on by declaring how Ministers are 1. To be known in their places viz. by a knowledge 1. Of Observation 48. to 52. 2. Of Approbation 3. Of Imitation 2. To be esteemed viz. 1. For the degree very highly set forth in seven Evidences of it 53. to 56. 2. For the nature and quality of it in love 57. 3. For the ground of it for their works sake Where is shewed 1. That men seem to esteem Ministers when it is neither in love nor for their works sake 59. 2. What reason there is why they should be esteemed for their works sake pag. 60. 3. The grounds and motives to this estimation 63. to 68. CHAP. IV. Of the Lords-day Sabbath Where 68. 1. The Scripture chosen to treat upon viz. Neh. 13. 17 18. is 1. Vindicated 69. 2. Explained 2. The Sabbath-subject is treated on in general And therein three things handled 1. The Rest required on the Sabbath and why and with what allowances 72. 2. The thing intended in that Rest viz Holiness both in publike and private duties 75. 3. The extent of the Rest and Holiness viz. for a whole day notwithstanding Objections 81. 3. How the fourth Commandement is in force for observing one day in seven for ever is declared with objections answered 85. to 92. 4. The Lords day is proved to be of Divine Institution 92. to 97. 5. An Exhortation is annexed for the due esteeming and observing of the Lords-day-Sabbath urged From 1. The necessity of it 97. 2. The commodity 100. 3. The commendation 102. to 105. 4. The judgements of God on Sabbath-profaners 105. to 108. 5. The blessing of God on Observers 108. to 118. 6. A conclusion inciting to Lords-day-love 118. to 131. The Second Part. Of Family-duties CHAP. I. Of Family-Catechising And therein 133. 1. Several Texts of Scripture in the Old and New Testament are brought to prove it And the common objection of taking Gods Name in vain by Catechising little Children is answered 137 2. Arguments are added to confirm it As 1. The necessity of it 144. 2. The profit both in regard of 1. Children 146. 2. the Church of God 148. 3. And the motives to perswade to it viz. 1. Examples of godly Parents in Scripture 149. 2. The benefit of children 152. 153. 3. The profit of Parents themselves CHAP. II. Of Family-Prayer Where there is p. 155. 1. Proofs for it and the establishing of it 1. On Scripture-grounds in four Propositions viz. 1. The general doctrine of Scripture binds in all particulars rightly deduced from it Which Proposition is 1. Confirmed by divers instances 157. to 160. 2. Made use of by reciting general Scripture-grounds for Family-Prayer viz. 1. Gods greater glorry 161. 2. Our greater good 162. Wherein an Objection is answered drawn from the incapacity of several Members of Family for that duty 163 164. 2. Approved examples of Scripture are binding in those things wherein the case is alike whereof use is made by reciting and illustrating divers Scripture examples tending to the confirmation of Family-Prayer 165. to 168. 3. Every Promise of Scripture contains in it a virtual command 168. 4. And every Threatning a real prohibition of the thing threatned which is made use of by opening that Scripture-threat Jer. 10. 25. 169. 2. On Scripture reasonings viz. Because 1. God requires Society-service as well as single 172. 2. There are many common concernments of Families that require joynt Prayer 173. 3. The persons neglecting and causes of the neglect of this duty are both sad 174. to 177. 2. A declaring of the time to be allotted to it Where is shewed that it should be 1. Every day 177. 2. More particularly Morning and Evening 179. CHAP. III. Of Family-Repetition of Sermons Where are laid down 182. 1. Grounds of Scripture for Sermon-Repetition The first Scripture Jer. 36. 2 6. where writing Sermons as an help to Repetition is argued for 182. to 187. The second Scripture Col. 4. 6. 187 2. Reasons thereof 1. In General 188. 2. More Particularly in regard of our selves and others 189. CHAP. IV. Of Singing Psalms namely in Families Wherein 192. 1. Objections against Singing of Psalms are answered 192. to 195. 2. The Exercise it self is pleaded for 1. More generally from Scripture which 1. Declareth it to be necessary and profitable pag. 195. 2. Giveth rules that it may be profitable 3. Sheweth it to be used in Christian Meetings 2. More particularly and with respect to Families 1. Because the use of it is so profitable 196. to 199. 2. No where limited to Publike Meetings 3. Confirmed by our Saviours example 4. Called to by Family-mercies 5. Justified from Ephes 5. 18 19. Â 3. With Reasons annexed it being an Exercise 1. Making much for the glory of God 2. For the spiritual profit of right Performers For it is an Exercise 1.
though it concern Magistrates more then others yet all have need enough to nourish humility especially that are in any higher place and order and that he turn not aside from the commandement to the right hand or the left These being the reasons why Kings are required to read Scripture Who shall exempt himself from it for Are notall bound to fear the Lord yea all the Inhabitants of the world are to stand in awe of him And doth not the Scripture require of all to walk in all the wayes that God hath commanded without turning aside to the right hand or the left What is spoken therefore to the King doth for the same common reasons concern all as if a King be perswaded to eat and drink that he may have strength when he goeth on his way as Saul sometimes was no man sayes That belongs to a King and not to me but every man for the same reason eats and drinks likewise This is put out of question because there is an express command to gather men women and children to hear the Law read upon the very same account that the King is called to read it that is that they might learn to fear God and observe to do all the words of that Law It 's true that Great-men and Gentlemen have some greater cause in regard of their greater tentations to exercise themselves in the reading of Scripture as that their hearts may not be lift up though God knows that divers of them who need it most use it least the more they have to answer for but it no way followeth that because a man that hath a great journey to go had need to eat more as Elijah had that therefore he may let eating and drinking alone that stayes at home 3. It may further be added that a motive to perform a duty if it be common to all is a good plain proof that the duty belongs to all and so it is here for the King is encouraged to read the Law and to observe it by proposing to him this end That he may prolong his dayes in his Kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel which is other-where assured to all the people of God on the same ground according to their place and quality and in the land which they possess Deut. 5. 33. 6. 2. Secondly The reading of Scripture is enjoyned on Ministers for to them it is said Give attendance to reading It is not said indeed to the reading of Scripture but though that be not expressed yet that it is meant appears by the following words to exhortation to doctrine that therefore is the reading principally at least intended which is helpful to a Minister for the two great parts of his Ministery Exhortation and Doctrine and what that is we find by the Apostle writing to Titus which applyeth it to the faithful Word and tells him that that Word is to be held fast and therefore to be read that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Object Great reason a Minister should read Scripture but that proves not that People are bound to do it His work lies there theirs other-where Answ It proves not indeed that they should give such and so much attendance to reading as a Minister ought to do but yet it proves sufficiently they should attend it because it belongs to all Christians as well though not as much as to a Minister to exhort and admonish which is done best in the words of Scripture yea they that have spent some good time in Religion ought to be teachers of others also I do not mean as intruding to the office of Preaching but in a way of charity and brotherly assistance And moreover since it belongs to Saints to contend for the faith committed to their trust it will follow from thence that they should have some convincing skill also for the better maintaining of the truth of God which is to be had by reading and searching the Word of God by which Aquila and Priscilla were enabled to instruct Apollo and that old Confessor spoken of in the Ecclesiastial Story to convince that subtile Philosopher that opposed Christianity in those times Thirdly The reading of Scripture is commanded the People of God generally for unto them it is said Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgements The intent of which Scripture is this that since they were to be many years without Prophets to preach to them Malachi being the last Prophet of the Old Testament therefore that they might neither lose their Religion nor forget their consolation they should diligently read and study the Scriptures which are called the Law of Moses not as excluding the Prophets for under the name of the Law the Prophets are also contained insomuch that what was written in the Psalms and in the Prophet Isaiah is said to be written in the Law but as making the Law whereof the Prophets were the Interpreters and Appliers the sum of the Old Testament-doctrine to be remembered and therefore to be read the often reading thereof being the best way to keep it in mind and that by the generality of Gods people when their Teachers were gone Unto this we may add that when there were again Teachers in Israel yet our Saviour saith and he saith it to the Jews generally Search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. meaning the Scriptures of the Old Testament And they that are bound and commanded to search a Book are sure therewithal bound and commanded if they can to see and read it We say He 's well read in a Book that hath well searched it And for the New Testament and Gospel-Word the Apostles counsel and command to Christians is Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly Now though the Word may dwell plentifully in a good Hearer yet by hearing and reading both it must needs dwell in him more richly Experience shews that religious Readers are rich and ripe in Scripture-knowledge Thus for Scripture-commands Now for Scripture-reasons for Scripture-reading First The Scriptures are written for the use of the whole Church either for their use or to leave them without excuse and therefore it 's urg'd as a great aggravation of Israels sin I have written to himthe great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing God might have continued to make known his mind as at first he did by tradition and delivering his Will by word of mouth from one to another had it not been for this as for one reason that by writing the Word of God might be more exposed to the veiw of Ministers and People that both might read it and so the better study it and meditate upon it And wherefore did the Apostles write their Epistles to
of Aethiopia and that had the charge of all her treasure yet had another treasure for sitting in his Charet he read the Prophet I saith something no doubt he understood and read that he might understand more The noble Beroeans are commended for searching the Scriptures and how shall Christians when they have heard a Sermon search the Scriptures best but by taking a Bible into their hands and reading them there How shall a thing be searched that is not viewed Unto which we may add the example of Timothy from a chila saith Paul thou hast known the holy Scriptures which knowing was in all probability by Reading as one special means Still the Scripture hath been dear to Gods dear children as being accounted better then gold or silver though never so much better then thousands Psal 119. 72. Sweeter then Honey though never so good and which drops of it self from the Honey-comb Psal 19. 10. more valuable then their food yea then their necessary food Job 23. 12. See what a Reader Joshua was though a Prince Josh 8. 34 35. And amongst us Christians heretofore though now that first love be lamentably lost were inquisitive how much they should read every day that so the Scriptures might be read over in a year which shewed they were in the way to be truly good because the Scriptures make wise to Salvation and if they did read them with reverence and delight that shewed them to be good already it being used as a good reason to prove the Scriptures are the Word of God because there was never any Book that had wisdom in it but natural wise men liked it unless it were Gods Book or Books framed out of that which shews that none can like the Word of God but by the Spirit of God and that they that like it have that Spirit yea we may count it a clearer sign of grace to delight in reading Scripture then in hearing Sermons viz. in this respect because in Sermons there is a mixture of humane sufficiency and so it is not so easily discerned whether that which draws the ear and heart of the Hearer be Gods Word or mans wit but to read and to be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatness with the pure Word of God who though he condescends to Readers weakness yet never condescends to their wantonness this shews a man or woman to be much after Gods heart Fifthly The efficacy of Scripture read is an effectual argument for the reading of Scripture Famous is the story of Austin whose conversion was wrought or at least compleated in this way for he on a time full of grief and lifting up his heart to God saying How long Lord How long wilt thou be angry with me Why shall not this hour put an end to my filthiness at length he heard a voyce as from Heaven calling to him in these words Take up and read take up and read Thereupon he took the Book opened it and read in that Chapter which he first cast his eye upon these words Not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof and then read no further nor was there saith he any need for as he had made an end of reading that sentence all his doubts and darknesse did as by a light cast into and clearing up his heart suddenly vanish away Upon this occasion he remembred and relates the story of Antonius who happening to read some part of the Gospel was admonished that what he read was spoken to him and it was this Go sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me and upon this he was forthwith converted Aug. confess lib. 8. cap. 12 But we need not go further then Scripture to be perswaded of the power of Scripture being reverently read Upon the reading of the Law by Shaphan the Scribe Josiah rent his clothes and his tender heart was much humbled for his ear affected his heart and so may their eyes that read it themselves Yea in so bad a time as that was wherein Jeremiah lived yet the Princes hearing the words of the Lord read by Baruck were afraid both one and other And after they were come out of the captivity we find that all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law It 's true the sense was given and they were made to understand the reading but that hinders not the business in hand but sheweth the power of the Word when it is read with understanding and that the better it is understood the more powerful it is Now if the Word so work upon the heart when it is read by others why may not the same effect be wrought when a man reads it himself yea rather then because he may read it over and over again and hath more time to ponder upon it Hereunto we may add that when Christians heard that read which the Apostles decreed for the Churches resolution they rejoyced for the consolation And O how many in our dayes dwelling in the dust and in a most dejected condition have found themselves strangely revived by reading some place of Scripture which the hand of Providence hath directed them unto And what did the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes for their mutual comfort but write over and over in their Letters those Scriptures that made most for consolation and constancy that by the reading of them they might hold up and hold out in their honourable but hard condition Sixthly It makes much for reading and studying Scripture that it is Gods way to blessedness for Blessed is he whose delight is in the Law of God and that doth meditate in his Law day and night Yea Blessed is he that readeth It 's true it is not only said Blessed is he that readeth but also they that hear and keep the words of that Prophesie but yet the reading is named and hath a part in the blessedness pronounced to wit as it is together with hearing a means of keeping And this we see God made to be the way to the Eunuchs blessedness The reading Eunuch that could not at first see Christ in the Scripture he read yet saw so much by the help of Philip whom God sent to him when he was reading that he believed with all his heart and came to Jesus by Baptism unto eternal life for believing and blessedness comming to Christ and life go together Luk. 1. 45 Joh. 5. 40. 20. 31. After these reasons of reading Scripture I shall proceed to the answering of some Objections the first whereof concerns those that are higher the other such as are meaner and lower Object 1. Men that have their heads and hands full of business may perhaps plead that they have no time to
Quest Is nothing required in Christians but faith Answ Yes we are to know also that we are bound to lead a godly life that is a life ordered according to the Word of God in righteousness and holiness without which none shall see the Lord 19. Quest But in many things we offend all What are we therefore to mind further in regard of our sin and manifold disobedience Answ In regard of our sinful estate naturally and our failings continually we are further to know that Repentance is necessarily required for without that we must perish And is to be still renewed for in that way we must look for pardon and yet ever come to Christ for procuring life Joh. 5. 40. Mat. 11. 28. 20. Quest What are we to know concerning our estate after death Answ That the souls of the faithful do immediately after death live with Christ in blessedness but the souls of the wicked go immediately into Hell-torments 21. Quest And what shall become of the bodies of both Answ There shall be a resurrection of the bodies of the just and the unjust at the last day at which time all shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ in their own persons to receive the things done in their bodies according to that they have done whether it be good or bad 22. Quest What doth the Scripture declare concerning the last and everlasting disposal of the persons of men at that day Answ As they are and as they die so they shall be disposed of hereafter The wicked therefore and such as would do nothing for Christ shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal Having spoken thus far concerning the General Doctrine of Scripture and the Main Points of Religion the knowledge whereof is more necessary to Salvation I shall now proceed to speak more particularly of the Sacraments and in special of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper of which I should have made mention and inserted them in the fore-going general Instructions but that I purposely reserved them to a peculiar and larger Explication in the now ensuing Questions and Answers An help for unlearned Christians that they may not be unworthy Receivers 1. Quest What is mans chiefest happiness and only blessedness Answ To approach unto God in and through Jesus Christ and to partake in a near acquaintance and fellowship with him Job 22. 21. 2. Quest Why should all happiness be summ'd up in the enjoyment of God Answ If they were blessed who continually stood before Solomon how much more they who enjoy the only wise God with Jesus Christ his Son and together with him all things also which are laid up in him which we shall have here as is needful from him and shall have for ever hereafter in all fulness with him 3. Quest Who are they that are partakers of this blessedness Answ They whom God is pleased to choose and to take into Covenant with himself not only as persons called but as persons chosen 4. Quest What are the means whereby we are partakers of the benefit of the Covenant of Grace for our everlasting blessedness Answ This is done by the Ordinance of God and more especially by the Word and the Sacraments 5. Quest What difference is there between these two Ordinances Answ The Word is the Writing reporting and declaring and the Sacraments are the Seals confirming and assuring the benefits of the Covenant unto us 6. Quest Shew more fully what a Sacrament is Answ It is a special Ordinance of God signifying and setting before our eyes sealing unto our hearts and conveying into our souls through the Spirit the singular and saving benefits of the Covenant of Grace 7. Quest What be the parts of a Sacrament Answ The outward sign which we see and the inward grace which we do not see unless by the eye of faith As in our bodily sustenance there is the food upon the Table which we see but the strength and life which that food gives us we see not but yet feel and find it afterward 8. Quest How many Sacraments be there Answ No more then Christ hath appointed for Sacraments that is to say Two only Baptism and the Lords Supper 9. Quest What is the difference between these two Answ By Baptism there is an ingrasting into Jesus Christ and a right solemnly manifested unto the Covenant and so the whole benefit thereof is in Gods good time enjoyed by every Infant that belongs to Him and by all them that keep the vow of their Baptism By the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the same Covenant is renewed and the good things thereof are more abundantly afforded to all that are by Baptism received into Christ and his Church for their spiritual nourishment and increasing with the increases of God 10. Quest Since there is so much good continually coming in by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper What course is to be taken that we may enjoy it Answ The course which God hath prescribed and which therefore shall certainly be blessed to make this Sacrament beneficial to us is this Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup 1 Cor. 11. 28. 11. Quest What are the things belonging to this Examination Answ We are to be taught and to learn these two things especially What we are to receive and how we are to receive it And then to examine whether those things be in us that are in worthy Receivers of so great mysteries 12. Quest What is it that we do receive in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Answ We receive Bread and Wine as the outward signs and together with them if we receive as we ought the Body and Bloud of Christ as the thing signified 13. Quest Since Christ's natural Body and Bloud are not to be looked for in the Sacrament shew more plainly what is meant when it is said We receive his Body and Bloud Answ The meaning is that every worthy Communicant receiveth Jesus Christ with all his benefits He receiveth not only the benefits but Christ himself crucified for As in our bodily nourishment we have not only sustenance by it but receive into our bodyes the substance of it And as the Graffe wholly lives the same life with the Stock to which it is united so we being united to Christ do so eat his flesh and drink his bloud and by our faith feed so upon him as to live the same life with him partaking in all his benefits for our spiritual relief because we have communion with Him first For we must have the Son before we have life 1 Joh. 5. 12. 14. Quest Declare yet more fully how we can receive Christ since we are here on Earth and he is in heaven Answ
or in what way may this Repentance be attained Answ By seeing what and how great our offences are by the Law and whom and how gracious a God we have offended by the Gospel whereupon ariseth through the grace of God for Repentance is his grant a true trouble and grief of heart for so great offences committed against so gracious a God look'd upon with the eye of faith which together with a real purpose of amendment for time to come is the sum of true Repentance 30. Quest How shall I know that I do truly and in an acceptable measure mourn for my sin Answ By three things First If I grieve for sin as I use to do for an outward cross or some lamentable loss Secondly if when I cannot reach that sorrow that I find in my self in outward afflictions I mourn over the hardness of my heart and am sorry that I can be no more sorrowful Thirdly if there be such a measure of sorrow as makes Christ precious and sin odious 31. Quest How shall I know whether I do really and stedfastly purpose amendment of life Answ I may know by this that I have steadfastly purposed to turn to God before the Sacrament if no perswasion be able to draw me away from God after the Sacrament or if there be any failing I find it to be extreamly bitter 32. Quest What is further required in us when we come to partake in the Lords Supper Answ A chief thing required is that excellent and necessary grace of Faith whereby being able upon good grounds to apply unto our selves the writing and promises of Gods Word summed up in Christ we may boldly come and take the Sacrament which is the Seal of the Promises that thereby we may be further assured and poslessed of all the good things which God hath promised 33. Quest What marks are there of this faith Answ Faith when it is exercised about Gods Ordinances works in the Believer First a longing after them Secondly a purifying of the heart that he may be fit for them Thirdly a great rejoycing in them 34. Quest Is there yet any other thing required that the Sacrament may be worthily received Answ In regard of men there must be Charity that as we meet together in one House and at one Table and eat together of one Bread and Body and drink together into one Spirit so we may be all united together in love yea be of one heart and soul Act. 4. 32. 35. Quest What special mark is there of this charity Answ Prayer for all shews love to all In particular for those who have wronged us formerly it will be great proof of our love if when we come to the Sacrament we can pray for them heartily 36. Quest What necessity is there of making it such a business to prepare for this Sacrament Answ Because they who through neglect of Preparation eat and drink unworthily eat and drink judgement and without repentance damnation unto themselves 1 Cor. 11. 29. And preparation is better then damnation 37. Quest But what on the other side shall men gain by it if they do thus religiously prepare themselves Answ Who so eateth the Flesh and drinketh the Bloud of the Son of God as in a spiritual manner every worthy and well-prepared Receiver doth he shall have yea he hath that which every man so much desires to have even eternal life Joh. 6. 54. CHAP. III. Of the Estimation due to the Ministers of Christ Considering the great dishonour that hath been poured upon Ministers of late I mean not only a rude reproach of their Persons such as there hath ever been by profane men but a deliberate and studied contempt both of their Persons and their Calling not only vomitted as it was wont to be out of the Tavern or Alehouse but vented from the Pulpit and Press and that by men professing godliness there will therefore be need enough after I have spoken of the Word and Sacrament to write something to reduce and compose the mindes of Christians to that reverence that is due to the Lords Officers who are by his appointment and authority to preach the Word administer the Sacraments and generally the persons to whom the dispensation of Church-Ordinances is committed For which purpose my work shall be only to open and treat upon one Text of Scripture which fully and powerfully sets forth the honour due from the people of God unto the Ministry and in special such as labour amongst them The Text is 1 Thess 5 12 13. And we besetch you Brethren to know them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake In which words we have set down both Ministers office and Peoples duty The Office of Ministers is described and set forth in three things 1. They are such as labour which is principally in the Word and Doctrine 2. They are over the people of God that is it is their office to rule over them to w. t in the Lord which shews that it is by authority from the Lord and that it must be according to Gods Word and Will unto which all their ruling power whether in Doctrine or Discipline is to be conformed and thereunto to be confined 3. They are to admonish to wit for the better speeding of their work in the two former parts of their office that is Preaching and Ruling For 1. Teaching shews the right and the good way and then admonition is as a goad and a nail to hasten the Travellour and fasten the Truth in the heart of the Hearer Teaching informs and Admonition forms the minds and manners of the people of God to what is taught them from God 2. Ruling chargeth and presseth upon People the command of Christ with presenting and inflicting if there be a necessity of it Church-censures Now in this case admonition is of use to prevent rigor as Parents warnings are to prevent correction or to sweeten severity if it be not prevented by letting men know the good and gain that is in it as the sweet words of parents heal the stripes of children And lastly it serves to procure the better success to any severer course John 5. 14. 2 Thess 3. 15. Of the Office of Ministers I shall say no more but to make the better way to peoples duty must needs grant that if a Minister perform not takes no care to perform makes no conscience of performing these parts of his office then though honour be alwayes due to his calling yet he deprives himself of that honour which otherwise would accrue and be due to his person in reference to that calling for the honour is tied to the well-performing of the office The Elders that rule well are they that are worthy of
double honour There 's a sad saying for bad Ministers and that is that they are made contemptible and base before all the people by the Lord of Hosts himself I shall now somewhat more largely insist on the duty of people towards Ministers which is 1. more general viz. to know them 2. More particular so to know them as to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake This precept of knowing the Lords labourers may be laid open in three particulars 1. know them with observation 2. with approbation 3. with imitation First know them with observation or with good consideration for they are said not to know that do not consider first God sayes They regard not they consider not and then they have no knowledge so that this knowledge hath in it a considerate taking notice of those that labour in the work of the Ministry As to name some particulars there should be an observing of their calling doctrine and carriage 1. Of their calling for a right and religious respect to Ministers is founded in knowing and observing that God hath called them to an office distinct from all other offices and which it is not lawful for any to meddle with but such as are duly called To omit other parts of a Ministers calling it were well if it were known That the preaching of the Word belongs to them only yet I shall not deny but that in some extraordinary cases as in time of persecution and when Ministers cannot be had and on some special occasion as for tryal of those that are towards the Ministry and with some extraordinary caution that is there being hearers able and appointed to judge of what they speak I say in such cases something may be granted and there may be some allowance to speak in publick given to persons uncalled or not yet called But ordinarily and when there is a setled state of things a Ministers calling is distinct from all other callings as to the matter of publick preaching as appears evidently by those Scriptures which present the preaching of the Word as the principal and most considerable part of a Ministers work for to them it is that Jesus Christ who hath all power given him giveth out power and commission to go and teach as well as administer the Sacraments so that others may no more teach as Gods officers do then baptize yea Paul saith Christ hath sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel that is not chiefly to baptize for otherwise the Apostles were both to teach and baptize but Preaching was their chief work And the name of those whom Christ hath given to his Church for continuance are Pastors and Teachers that 's their distinct office all Saints are not such but there are some such for the perfecting of the Saints and the work of the Ministery so that their work lies in teaching they are men that labour in the Word and Doctrine that 's their great business And to them the Word of reconciliation is committed not to all nor any other unless they can prove themselves the Lords Ambassadors Against this it may be objected That Christians also are to teach and admonish Unto which I answer 1. That it doth not appear in Scripture that it is committed to them to declare all the counsel of God to the people of God which yet is a Ministers work Act. 20. 27. Nor can they be ordinarily able to do it being not educated to it and having or being such as ought to have other callings so that they cannot give themselves wholly to this work as a Minister is bound to do and therefore cannot sufficiently and constantly perform it especially considering that when it comes to be looked upon as a common priviledge to appear in publick teaching the more insufficient will step up first 2. Nor is it any where required of private Christians to open and apply Scripture to a Congregation met together for the solemn worship of God for then it were a an in them not to do it and would cast many under a great and long guilt 3. Though they may and ought to teach as it is a Christian duty yet they neither may nor can preach with Ministerial authority and as in Christ's stead because they be not Ambassadours they have no call to it nor commission for it And others being commanded to whom it appertaineth even that excludes them It may be said It pertaineth not to thee O private Christian though a King Thou art not separated from the Congregation of Israel to preach to a Congregation If it be said That they profess they preach only as gifted Brethren and challenge not to themselves the calling and authority of Ministers To this I answer That notwithstanding this there are two evils attend their preaching a loss and a danger 1. There is a loss in it if there be any in office to teach and that because they have no such promise of direction assistance and blessing as called Ministers have for doing good to those to whom they speak so their heaâ—ers are losers 2. And a danger also for if they happen to deliver any thing unsound as such divers times do either through ignorance or faction then common hearers as we see by sad experience in these late times will be more ready to receive an Error from them then a Truth from a Minister and when they have received it they do so eagerly run away with it that there will hardly be any prevailing means to get it out For such is the corruption of nature and so doth Satan put on because it makes for his Kingdom that an uncalled person is by many better accepted then one called and the novelties and curiosities which such use to vent take more with them then the solid doctrine and plam and saving truths delivered by the Lords Messengers But may some say It is not good that the Church should want the benefit of their gifts I answer That besides the making use of them in their Families a duty I fear too much neglected by those that are forward to shew themselves in publick they have further liberty and opportunity to exercise them in Christian meetings and conferences And yet there also is a danger for weak Christians that have honest hearts are soon missed by men high in their parts but not right in their judgement nor low in their hearts if there be not Ministers or others sound in the faith present in the meeting to prevent infection Unto this I add That if there be indeed any private Christians that are eminently gifted the Press is open though the Pulpit be shut Thus far of the first thing that is of knowing Ministers with a knowledge of observation in regard of their calling wherein I have been more large because of the experience we have had
of late of the extreme evils of arbitrary and licentious preaching which hath fill'd the Land with absurd and dangerous Errors from the one end of it to the other yea and other Countries also I come now to speak of the observing 2. Of their Doctrine The Apostle is plain in this when he saith Consider what I say yea our Saviour himself who saith Take beed what you hear Christians are so to heed what they hear as to search it as the Bereans did and finding it by search to be sound and good to hold it fast This shews Prophesying is not despised 1 Thess 5. 20. 3. There should be an observing of their carriage of this knowledge the Apostle speaks when writing to Timothy he tells him Thou hast fully known not only my doctrine which belongs to the former branch but also my manner of life c. And in another place Mark them that walk so as ye have us for an ensample of which this construction may be made Take it for an assured sign of good Pastors when they study to conform themselves to mine example in all things And so one good use of observing their carriage is discovered which is thereby to be confirmed in this that they are faithful Ministers and accordingly to be respected Hitherto of the knowledge of Observation Secondly Ministers are to be known with a knowledge of approbation And thus this word know is often used in Scripture as when it is said The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is approves it and David I will not know a wicked man that is shew him any countenance so saith Paul That which I do I know not that is I allow not In like manner the word used here doth not signifie simply to know that 's soon done but to acknowledge own them and to see that be given them every way which is due to them in their places In such a sense the original word here used is taken 2 Cor. 5. 16. We know no man after the flesh that is do not esteem reckon or judge of him according to his outward and carnal relations In like sort a Minister is not to be judged of according to the outward appearance but to be known and look'd upon with all approbation in regard of his Office if he be duly called and of his doctrine if it be the Word of God and his carriage if it be according to that Word 1 Sam. 12. 4. Thirdly There should be also a knowledge of imitation thus Timothy was to know Paul's manner of life or so as to imitate it and make Paul his pattern Thus all Christians are to remember and observe Church-guides so as to follow their faith and mark them so as to be like them in an holy and heavenly life Phil. 3. 17. One way wherein Ministers are over their People is to go before them as good examples their Hearers therefore should hasten after them I come now to the next duty of Christians to their Ministers which is to esteem them highly in love for their works sake which yet may be comprehended under the knowledge already spoken of because a right affectionate and effectual knowledge brings forth this estimation Concerning which observe that for the degree of it it must be very high for the nature and quality of it it must be in love and for the ground of it for their works sake 1. The Degree The due esteem of Ministers appears to be great and high for it is expressed and required in very high words in the Original shewing they are to be esteemed exceedingly as the same words are translated 1 Thess 3. 10. One sayes More then exceedingly as you would say excessively not as excess is a vice but as it implies an height and exuberancy of respect That which comes nearest the letter of the Text is Esteem them above that which is abundant or which most exceeds or as Beza above redundantly This high Estimation is seen and shewed in many particulars 1. In looking upon them as servants of the most high God which shew unto men the way of salvation for although those words were spoken from the Devil who never meant that God should be a gainer by his being a Professor yet they do as others in such sort spoken of Christ Luk. 8. 28. contain in them a clear truth And the Spirit of God also speaks in Scripture of the Ministers of Christ to the same effect Mark 16. 15 16. Rom. 1. 1. 16. Servant of the Lord is a Ministers name 2 Tim. 2. 24. and to shew the way of salvation that 's his Office Luk 1. 76 77 79. 1 Cor. 15. 1 2. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 2. In giving them reverence so it is said that the Corinthians received Titus with fear and trembling that is with much reverence The titles and usage of the Old Testament may shew this where one Prophet is called an honourable man 1 Sam. 9. 6. another an holy man of God 2 King 4. 9 And respect was shewed unto them accordingly and very abundantly 1 King 18. 7. 2 King 4. 37. Not but that there is a difference between extraordinary Officers and ordinary and therefore we press not the same expressions of reverence but yet the Calling and substance of the Office being the same to wit inasmuch as both are sent of God to deliver his mind and message to his people a suitable reverence is still required that is in the generality and for the reality of it In the New Testament Ministers are called Stewards and that 's an high office and Ambassadors and that 's an honorable Office especially it being in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. In the Old and New Testament both the ordinary title is a man of God Now all are men of God i.e. of his making and good men more because they are twice made Ephes 2. 10 but Ministers most being not only of God by creation or sanctification but by separation and designation to a peculiar Office wherein their whole work is to deliver those errands and do those acts between God and man which are charged upon them by their highest Lord. Is a Minister thus a man of God then reverence the man because of the God 3. In seeking and having recourse to them It 's an honor to have Patients and Clients and hearers 1 King 4. 34. 10. 3. This address to Ministers may be 1. for counsel instruction and resolution because God gives Pastors to feed with knowledge and understanding and people should seek the Law at their mouth Thus did the woman of Samaria when she perceived Christ was a Prophet Joh. 4. 19 20. Thus were the Apostles sought when Christians dissented Act. 15. 2. And thus Paul was written unto by the Corinthians 1 Cor. 7. 1. 2. For comfort so did the Elders of
speak honourably of it It 's a great work saith he for it is not for man but for the Lord God such is the work of the Ministry it is to bear the name of God before the children of men and by sowing the seed of the Word to be instruments of bringing forth those fruits of righteousness that are for the glory of God Luk. 8. 15. Phil. 1. 11. Col. 1. 6. Thus is God the Alpha and Omega of the Ministers Office 2. By the subject matter of it for the work of a Minister of the Gospel is to preach the high hidden and manifold wisdom of God and that among those that are perfect who alone can receive are capable of such heavenly mysteries It is to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ In sum It is to preach Christ that mens eyes may see that King in his beauty This is Angels work Luk. 2. 10 11 14. yea Angels wonder and sweetest study Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. 3. By the object of it as to men and that is their everlasting salvation 1 Tim. 4. 16. Obad. v. 21. How did men honour in the Old Testament their temporary Saviours How have men still honoured Physitians and bodily Saviours Hence Paul was honoured with many honours Act. 28. 10. If they be thus esteemed out of the principles of nature that save mens lives how much more should they be reckoned of out of the principles of grace that are Instruments to save mens souls unto which soul-salvation bodily cures do but hold the Candle to shew in a small degree how great it is as we see our Saviours own bodily healings which were but obscure expressions to mens sense of his soul-healing vertue Mat. 8. 17. Thirdly It 's their work that is besides the work and worth thereof they are called to it If others uncalled to that Office do the work the honor is not due it appertaineth not to them any more then the work doth Who commends a busie body in other mens matters But if they be duly called and the Word of Reconciliation be committed unto them as the Lords Ambassadours then they are to be highly esteemed both because of the work and the right they have to administer it All this is cold comfort for such as are call'd to the Ministry and yet are careless of doing their Office for the worth is joyned to the work and the doing of the work insomuch that Idol-shepheards fall under the most heavy and dishonorable judgements And unsavoury Salt is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dunghil when it hath once lost its savour it is thence-forth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot So great is the infamy of Ministers that are the Salt of the Earth when they are quite destitute of Ministerial vertue Mat. 5. 13. Luk. 14. 35. Yet let all take heed of contemning the Office because of the person say not if you see some or many bad These be your Ministers But so manage the dis-estimation of ill-deserving Ministers as alwayes to preserve the estimation of the ever-honourable Ministry Having thus opened the Text I shall shut up all with an earnest Exhortation to Christians to make conscience of performing the duty which it doth so manifestly and fully mind them of In this Exhortation because our desire is not to have an estimation forced but flowing from light and love I shall therefore speak in the Apostles language We beseech you Brethren know those that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you Know them 1. As the great gift of Christ who when he ascended up on high gave gifts unto men Amongst the rest he gave some to be Pastors and Teachers to continue to the end of the world Not only the abilities of Ministers are Christs gift to his Church but their Office according to the old Prophesie I will give you Pastors Let none therefor call in question the wisdom or love of Christ as if he knew not what was best for his Church or were loth to give it but prize the gift for the Giver and consider how much they are like to stead you whom he hath left in his stead Christ is the great gift of God and Ministers the great gift of Christ 2. As Ambassadours for Christ in whom God is pleased to treat with you and by them in Christs Name to offer conditions of peace unto you yea God doth as it were beseech you by us to accept of his terms and to be reconciled to himself Unto Ministers is committed the Word of reconciliation that you may enjoy and be happy in the work of reconciliation O How beautiful to a sin-sick-soul that labours under the sad sense of Gods anger are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace 3. As your great comforters in your most grievous afflictions It is the misery of misery that there is no more any Prophet but though the Lord give you the bread of affliction and the water of affliction and your Teachers be not removed into a corner but your eyes behold your Teachers how great cause is there to say Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear Mat. 13. 16. The sight of Christ in the Gospel-Ministry makes believing souls not only desirous to depart out of the world in peace but willing to live in the world in trouble Phil. 1. 24. 4. As your soul-guard and defence against false Teachers who like subtile Foxes deceive first and like grievous Wolves devour after A Minister is an Over-seer that people may not be over-seen and over-reached by Church-cheaters that by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. even as of old the Serpent beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. 5. As the Charers and Horsemen of Israel as your Life-guard and the best Militia of the Nation who do not only prevail in the behalf of a weak Church over every Amalâ—k and so procure their peace but so wrestle as to prevail with God it is not hainous to say over God Hos 12. 4 in the behalf of a sinful Church and so obtain their pardon How often had Israel been burnt up by the fire of Gods anger had not Moses stood in the gap and the Ministers of the Lordwept and prayed between the Porch and the Altar The last and best refuge is Go to Isaiah Isai 37. 3. 6. As the Angels of the Churches and the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. Yea the Galatians did not over-do their fault was to give over when they received Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 14. O how far short do Ministers now come of Paul which makes us tremble to speak of these high things but yet the Gospel-Ministry being for substance
operation of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 2. Act. 20. 32. 26. 18. So that God hath not only made the Sabbath an holy day but also makeeth men holy by his Ordinances on that day principally dispensed I have been the longer in this because hereby it appeareth what a necessity there is of a weekly Sabbath as being a most signal Declaration and Representation of what God is in himself that is the maker of Heaven and Earth his distinguishing character and what he is to his Church that is a God in Covenant with them and every way a Sanctifier of them and that 's their distinguishing character Exod. 33. 16. Isa 63. 19. Now to return to the thing in hand since the Sabbath becomes of this use especially by the general and solemn meeting of Gods people together to Publike Service as Prayer Reading the Scripture Preaching administration of the Sacraments c. therefore the rest and leisure we have on that day is principally to be bestowed in and sanctified by such duties And therefore the Sacrifices appointed for the Sabbath day were full double to those appointed for every day for the Sabbath being a sign of more then ordinary favour from the Lord he required greater testimonies of their thankefulness and sanctification And the Prophet Ezekiel speaking of the state of the Church in the time of the Messiah under the figure of legal Ordinances mentioneth a yet greater oblation to be offered on the Sabbath day signifying that in the time of the Gospel the spiritual service should exceed the legal the grace of the New Testament being greater then that of the Old Now if we bring this greater service to the great day of service that is the Lords day it will fairly follow that the rest of that day should be fill'd up with holy duties especially in publique for in those duties the Sabbath is most a sign of the relations betwen God and us Private duties also are necessary because the whole day cannot be spent in publike service conveniently and yet it is to be spent holily Before we come to the Congregation therefore considering how holy a God that is before whom we come and how serious a service that is about which we come there is great need to spend some time in repentance especially of the sins committed the week before for how can we stand before God in our sin Ezra 9. 15. And since God requires the heart How much need is there to purge it for he endures not a filthy heart but cryes out upon it Mat. 23. 25. nor will the seed of the Word prosper in it How much need also to adorn it with humility faith fear of God holy desires and affections for God likes not an empty heart but requires to be greatly feared in the Assembly of his Saints to come with hungring thirsting and the desire of new-born-babes and especially with faith without which neither Gods Word to us nor our words in Prayer to him can ever profit Heb. 4. 2. James 1. 6 7. O how empty do we go away from Ordinances either because full of that which we ought to lay aside or void of that which we ought to provide when we come into Gods presence what need therefore of preparation And After we have been before God in Publike Exercises we are not left at liberty to do and speak as we please for it is the Sabbath of the Lord our God still and therefore must have continued in it that rest which is the body of it and that holiness which is the soul of it As therefore before the Publike Service we are to get a stomack and then feed on the heavenly Manna at it so we are to ruminate and chew the cud after it that is we are to consider what God hath said to us meditate and ponder upon it We should be in the spirit on the Lords day that is taken up with spiritual Meditations Rev. 1. 10. or spiritual Conference such as our Saviour used with the men of Emmaus on the day of his Resurrection sutable to what he did before on the Jews Sabbath when going into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread he teacheth one good lesson to the guests that were bidden another to him that bade him them he teacheth Humility and him Charity And a third that sate at meat with him and in him all other men Piety and providence that no worldly encumbrances hinder from spiritual Ordinances It 's true that Christ spake of good things every day but we being taken up with other things on our ordinary dayes have the more need to follow his holy example in speaking of things godly on the Sabbath day Wherein we are not so free to talk of what we list as some may imagine for if there be a liberty for working-day words and any every-dayes discourse how will the rest of that day be holy If two or three hours be spent in worldly talk or tales and not in Christian Colloquies and Communications such as Paul so persisted in on the Lords day Where will the holiness of those hours be found and What distinction will there be for that time between that and the working dayes Unto these godly Meditations and Conferences are to be added holy Actions As 1. Works of Piety Reading Praying Admonishing Singing Psalms Catechising children and servants And in special repeating the Sermons preached for the good of the Family or of other Christians who finding how frail their memories are will be glad of such an assistance 2. Works of Charity as laying up or laying out for the use of the poor as God prospereth us visiting and helping the sick spiritually and outwardly as our Saviour used to heal on the Sabbath day yet not so as to make more work then we need but doing any good to poor creatures which will not be so much for God's glory and the winning of others to Religion who are at leisure to look out that day or for their comfort that are in distress if it be not on the Lords day done and dispatch'd Hitherto of the Rest and Holiness of the Sabbath Thirdly There remaineth to be considered the extent of this rest and holiness which is for a whole day for the Commandement saith Remember the day of rest to keep it holy There is some question when the Christian Sabbath begins some will have it to begin in the evening and so the night shall be first and the day after Others I conceive more probably hold that it beginneth in the morning because then and that very early when it was yet dark Joh. 20. 1. our Saviour was risen and in his Resurrection that work which gave occasion of the institution of the day was finished and so the Lords day is reckoned from morning to morning or as some account it from midnight to midnight conceiving that the morning
begins at midnight and that Christ rose not much after midnight Referring this to the Authors mentioned in the margent that are large in it I shall only speak to the thing in hand which is that whensoever it begins it must be a day and such a day as our six dayes are for Gods dividing of the week into six dayes of labour and one intire day of rest must ever stand As therefore we may take the whole six for our labour so we must give the whole seventh to God There are still seven dayes in the week of which God never alloweth us more then six for our ordinary and earthly occasions Quest May not a man read a Letter or answer a Question or a Messenger on that day or do something in an earthly business falling in occasionally Answ 1. I shall not say that 's unlawful for sometimes such a necessity may arise about these earthly things or such a work of mercy may fall in to be performed on that day as may not be deferred in which regard there may be cause to speak and do such things as in themselves are not proper on that day out of such cases not permitted It 's one thing to yield to an extraordinary occasion another to make a common practice of turning aside securely from holy to common things upon the Lords day 2. Yet it belongs to our piety on that day to sabbatize as much as we may those things which are in their nature earthly and to get and use an holy art and skill to turn them heaven-ward which we still find in our Saviour who therefore saith of himself that he spake earthly things Joh. 3. 12. Not that he did use to talk of the world but he set forth heavenly things under earthly similitudes and did weave spiritual instructions within worldly resemblances What our Saviour did every day and every way he went that we should endeavour to do on the Lords day In which diversion and coming off from earthly things to heavenly and setting off heavenly with earthly though some be more happy yet all whose hearts are holy may if they mind it and will make a business of Religion speak one good word or another to let those know that interrupt them by some earthly occasion that even in the managing of such a business they put a difference between Gods day and their own days And so they that come with a worldly message to them may go away with a more heavenly mind from them and an heart better affected to the Lords day then they brought with them And lost any should think that this is a preciseness which an understanding man would not own I shall relate here the words of a foraign and very learned Divine on the Text we have in hand which are these The foolish wisdom of mortal men thinks it a small matter if some work especially some lighter work be done on the Sabbath better do so then worse but Gods will is that mens minds should be taken up on the Sabbath day with other I doubt not but he understands holy and heavenly cares which cares saith he if thou do never so little a thing of another kind are interrupted and by this very thing all use of Religion would be exploded and thrust out of dores unto which he further adds that Those things are to be done on the Sabbath which are sutable to the Sabbath and on the other side things vile and evil are to be taken heed of at all times Wolph Comment in Nehem. 13. 15 16. Quest But if the Sabbath must continue for a natural day of 24 hours What is to be done in the night of that day How shall that be sanctified or what can be done to distinguish it from other nights belonging to our common dayes Answ 1. I doubt not but that they that are conscientiously careful to observe our Gospel-Sabbath all the day will find out wayes to resolve themselves as concerning the night And all Christians would be advised if they propound such a question as this is to see they do it out of conscience and as seeking resolution not out of curiosity and as glad of an objection to make an opposition 2. Let the question be turned from the Sabbath to the working dayes thus Since I ought to labour in my ordinary Calling on the six dayes What shall I do in the night Here this answer may be returned I may and should when the dayes are shorter work part of the night and if there be extraordinary occasion I may work all the night but if I should do so ordinarily I should quickly be unable to do any thing in the day God therefore so requires labour six dayes as to give us leave yea to imply it is our duty to rest in the night because he hath given the night for that end Now if this answer will hold then may the like be said concerning the Sabbath day that is that the Sabbath night as well as other nights is appointed of God for rest but yet if it so fall out that we do not rest that night or in any part of it wherein we do not rest we are to remember that it is a part of time belonging not to a working day but to the Lords day and therefore that it is to be used accordingly that is in one thing or other sutable to a Sabbath and so as that what we do in the light and in the night of such a day may agree together which shall be further opened in the ensuing Answers 3. It is well expressed that the time of observing the Sabbath is our waking time for though we say that the whole 24 hours of that day be taken in of God and set a part for his use yet he may give us again what he pleaseth and he giveth us the night to rest in which may be reckoned among the works of necessity and mercy allowed on that day and that both in regard of the holy labours of that day for it is not an idle day which require rest the night before that we may serve God with more strength and vigour and the night after because of the expence of strength in such service and withall because of the labour of our ordinary Callings the next day which necessarily requireth the rest of the Sabbath night that for want thereof we may not be weakened in our worldly work for as God would not have us to trench on his day of Rest so it is not his mind that we should return faint and feeble to our day of labour 4. I add besides that though we are not to prevent rest and sleep that night by setting our hearts when we lie down upon serious and retentive thoughts yet if we cannot sleep God holding our eyes waking it appertaineth to the holiness of that time to resume and call to mind some godly meditations which is more easily done
large in all godliness of life all the days of the week and of our life only with this difference that things lawful on other days by the allowance of Scripture and needful also are on the Sabbath-day unlawful because of the distinction made in the fourth Commandement between the Rest and holiness of that weekly day and the work and imployment of the six working-days On all days we should be sober righteous and godly but on the Lords-day we should be in the Spirit more high more ghostly more heavenly and as Moses when he was with God in the Mount more resplendent by the beauty of Holiness Thus of the Sabbath-duty I come now as the Text leads me 3. To the Sabbath Promises ver 14. In the opening of these Promises I shall proceed the better by taking along with me an Observation brought to my hand which is this As the Precepts before are Evangelical so the Promises here are not Jewish or earthly but heavenly for the good things mentioned in the former verse are the operations of the Spirit of God unto which the good things of this world being far inferior they are not so sutable a reward nor is it for Him that is most liberal so to reward them Yet there is no cause of excluding those outward comforts which the letter of the Text in the latter part of the verse layeth before us and which are other-where promised to those that hallow the Sabbath-day the contrary evils whereunto came as hath been shewed on the Jews when they did profane it But it 's true that worldly commodities and contentments are not here promised only the first promise is very spiritual nor chiefly but rather when these outward things are mentioned sutable to the Ear and to the Heart and to the state of a Jew and which God was ready to perform to them in the letter I say when these things are mentioned in the Old Testament higher and more spiritual things are usually meant yea a reward reaching to Eternity which through Jesus Christ our Lord is given to the sincere and spiritual observers of Gods Commandements whereof this of the Sabbath is one and therefore the good promises laid down here may well be taken in that extent whereof there is the more reason because the later promises here specified are in the tenour of them and as they stand in the letter proper to the Jewish people and therefore either this Scripture must not be for our use or else some other thing must be meant then the words in themselves express I shall therefore take the Promises as they lie in the Text and take in all the commodity and comfort whether outward or spiritual that may be truly collected from them to encourage all men in the Sabbath duty and consequently in the pursuit of all Religion which is the thing that is intended in and which ariseth from the holy observation of the Sabbath-day Now whereas Pleasure and Preferment and Profit are the great Motives to make men to do willingly what is desired or required of them all these are here set before us as the reward of Sabbath-Piety 1. Pleasure Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord This is a special and most spiritual promise unto that man to whom the study of Vertue and Sanctification of the Sabbath is a delight the Lord himself shall be in stead of all delights which may be said to be especially by a more abundant fellowship with God on that day wherein we lay all aside that we may associate and solace our selves with Him This delightsom Communion with God is enjoyed three wayes 1. In the Ministery of the Word whereby we have fellowship indeed with Ministers but truly their fellowship and so that fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and what 's the effect of it but delight and full joy For the goodness of Gods House is very satisfying and by hearing the Word we eat that which is good and the soul delights it self in fatness 2. In the duty of Private Meditation wherein the faithful soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness by the remembrance of God 3. In Prayer for delight in the Almighty is accompanyed with lifting up the face to God to look for every good thing from Him when on the contrary the hypocrite that delighteth not himself in him will not always call on him but others are joyful in the House of Prayer Isa 56. 7. In such wayes as these God makes his faithful servants to drink of the River of his delights having to do with God their exceeding joy Psal 43. 4. And the delight is more large and full by those many considerations of one kind and another by which this great Lord makes himself most amiable and wholly delectable to those that are acquainted with him as the great benefit of his Providence which makes them resolve to own him and set up their Rest in him together with his safe and sweet protection not only from outward but spiritual Enemies and Evils which makes them sit under his shadow with great delight unto which we may add their outward enjoyments the comfortable use whereof being well sum'd up is nothing else but a delighting themselves in the great goodness of God Briefly the light of Gods countenance the benefit of his counsel here and the assurance of his glory hereafter make his most afflicted servants upon serious consideration and Sanctuary information exceedingly to rejoyce and glory in him and to do as they do who would take their fill of delight one with another and that is to shut all others out and say None but Thee Psal 73. 24 25. Thus the duty and reward have both one name Delight in the Sabbath of the Lord is the duty and Delight in the Lord of the Sabbath is the reward O How poor and base are the delights of those men unto whom the holiness of the Sabbath-day yea by the same reason of any day is a heavy and ill-belov'd business They can delight in a Dinah they have what they would have when they walk in lasciviousness lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings And they that are something better yet rejoyce and delight in a thing of nought as Wealth Power Policy their delights at best are but the delights of the sons of men Eccles 2. 8. not of the sons of God for They say The desire of our soul is to thee and the remembrance of thee This is a well-grounded well-placed and hopeful delight for it is in Him that is Almighty al-sufficient a profitable delight for it 's a very great absurdity and Atheism to say It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God I say to say so deliberately and not in some great tentation It is a sweet delight for it is in him that is altogether
the Lords-day as to retire from secular business and ordinary pleasures and delights that they may more freely attend the service of Christ are to be commended and incouraged Whatever disputes therefore there be yet the Conclusion is that the holy observation of the Lords-day now the weekly Sabbath-day is a commendable thing and redounds to the honour of those that so observe it And it will ever be the honour of the Nation and Church of England that there have been so many religious Acts and actings for the holy and intire observation of the Lords day It may be said I suppose truly and I hope in regard of this matter of the Sabbath inoffensively because other Churches may excel in other things I say it may be said of the Church of England Many Daughters of that Jerusalem which is the Mother of us all Gal. 4. 29. have done vertuously but thou excellest them all Prov. 31. 34. To come now to the last thing 3. Here is Profit and Provision I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father This refers plainly to the Jews whose Father Jacob was who while they observed Gods holy Sabbath and other of his Commandements well were well fed and fill'd and so if they had kept the Sabbath from polluting it and kept their hand from doing any evil might still have been but for want of that and by reason 〈◊〉 their prosaning the Sabbath among other sins Neh. 13. 18. they did pine away for want of the fruits of the field Lam. 4. 9. Thus it concerns the Jews properly But Abraham is our Father also Rom. 4. 16. and by the same reason Jacob or Israel is so likewise for the same Covenant of Grace which was formerly theirs only is now for substance ours and we laying hold on it by faith have the same priviledges and promises albeit with some difference in regard of the diversity of the state of the Church under the Law and the Gospel so that we may claim being such as carefully observe the Sabbath and the Covenant on our parts the benefit even of this outward promise and the comfort of outward Provisions as far as they needful or good for us Hence a learned Divine doth thus expound and enlarge this Promise As I have given to the seed of Jacob a very rich Inheritance so if thou be a godly observer of the Sabbath nothing shall be wanting unto thee of those things that are necessary for thee The same Author affirmeth that this and the like promise in Jeremy are understood also of spiritual gifts which Exposition suiteth well with Gospel-times wherein they that hunger and thirst after righteousness are called to hear the Word and so to eat that which is good and to let their soul delight it self in fatness Yea If we shall follow this promise further and take it in its utmost extent it may lead us into Heaven it self and the reward of inheritance there for otherwise how was Canaan the heritage of Abraham Isaac and Jacob as to their persons when it is said of Abraham that God gave him none Inheritance in it no not so much as to set his foot on and Isaac and Jacob sojourned with him in the land of Promise as in a strange Countrey and place of pilgrimage but they had the promise of it and their posterity possessed it when in the mean time they entered themselves into a better Countrey which they looked most at even the heavenly Canaan whereof the earthly Canaan was a Type Heb. 4 8 9. It 's a comfort to those that fear God and love any thing that hath his Name upon it that the Lords-day being dear to them in order to the upholding of godliness and Gods Kingdom being first sought other things shall be added and easily fall in Mat. 6. 33. when they that steal away sacred time that stir and stickle on the Lords-day in their worldly affairs and designs for their own advantage get as Gehazi did a booty without a blessing for Is that a time to look after Olive-yards and Vine-yards and Sheep and Oxen 2 King 5. 26. As it is said of the Sabbath of the Land enjoyned the Jews that it should be meat for them Lev. 25. 6. because they might on that seventh year feed on the fruits which through Gods blessing grew of themselves so it may be said not without warrant from this Text and present promise which hath its truth still that the weekly Sabbath also shall be meat to them who in the fear of God and faith observe it for they that are willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land Isa 1. 19. And in the keeping of every Commandement of God there 's great reward Psal 19. 11. that is such shall find benefit and gain by their godliness one way or other and shall thrive in worldly things if God see it good for them Nor are profaners of the Sabbath any of the richest men But yet because in Gospel-times which excel in spiritual blessings God is pleas'd to keep his Servants short in things temperal and they have oft but little of the world of whom the world is not worthy therefore we must go on and look to that Land of rest and heavenly Canaan which yet remaineth to be enjoyed wherein when Christians poor in state but rich in grace shall keep Sabbath sitting and resting with Abraham Isaac and Jacob then shall they sure be fed with their heritage Then shall they eat and be for ever satisfied for they shall eat and drink with Christ at his Table in that his Kingdom Now It 's true that all these good things are promised to godliness but of that godliness which hath the promise the holy observation of the Lords-weekly-day is both a part and a promoter yea not only an effectual furtherer but a continual and constant maintainer as both reason and experience shews Mr. Perkins is herein very full giving this reason of his affirming that there is no fear of God where Sabbath-profanation reigneth for saith he the keeping of the Sabbath is the maintaining increasing and publishing of Religion Serm. of Repentance on Zeph. 2. 12. After all this I shall only add something in the close to prevail if it may be with Christians and with teachable and conscientious Christians I hope I shall prevail for the delightsom honourable and profitable observation of the Lords-day Oh that we that know our selves bound to give unto Caesar that which is Caesars would carry our selves so as that all men might see we account our selves bound to give unto God that which is Gods that is his appointed weekly-day I am very apprehensive of divers difficulties in this Sabbath-argument and therefore humbly submit all I have spoken to the search and censure of the learned and godly and desire nothing that I have said should be received but as it is found to
more particularly note out a teaching by way of repetition and going over and over again as men do with Knives when they whet them that so as the Knife by such whetting is more keen and fit to cut so religious Instructions by often turning and returning them on the ears and tongues of children may pierce more deeply into their hearts for their better understanding and affecting of them Parents and those over others like the Heavens over our heads should be still as there is occasion and opportunity distilling and dropping down heavenly Instructions from their own understandings and hearts into their houses and upon their children and inferiours that so they may sink soak by little and little into their hearts for abundant after-fruit And I mention Inferiours that is others that are under the care and charge of Housholders together with Children because of that which is observed on this place out of the Hebrew Doctors to wit that though only children or sons are here named yet under this name they understand not the natural Sons only but Scholars also or Disciples because in Scripture Disciples are called Sons as the Sons of the Prophets so Solomon in the Book of the Proverbs still saith My Son And the extending of the command thus far is favoured by the words following Thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house walkest by the way sittest down risest up and why thus in the house but that the whole house may be edified whilest the holy light of Knowledge in Parents and Housholders is not put under a Bushel but by their Catechising set up in a Candlestick that it may enlighten the whole house which is further also confirmed by the approved example of Abraham in the story of whose Catechising not only his children are mentioned but his houshold also is added Gen. 18. 19. The other Text that I shall alleadge out of the Old Testament is Prov. 22. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go or as it is in the Margin in his way This Precept is well and plainly expressed thus Teach a Boy in the first Principles to wit of the Doctrine of Christ Train him up or as it is in the Margent of our Bibles Catechise him The Hebrew word signifieth the doing of the first things in any thing more particularly it is used for the instructing of others or the entring of them in or delivering to them the first elements and grounds especially of Religion to which it is here applyed It is rendred therefore by some Initiate a child or dedicate him to God being yet a child For further opening hereof It may not be amiss to observe that in former times they did use to dedicate unto God holy things by a sacred Dedication with certain sacred Rites and Ceremonies as the House of God 2 Chron. 7. 7. the Wall of Jerusalem Neh. 12. 27. especially the Altar Numb 7. 8. 2 Chron. 7. 9. So Judas and his Brethren with the whole Congregation of Israel ordained that the Feast of Dedication for the Altar they had newly set up should be kept from year to year 1 Mac. 4. 59. which we find in our Saviours time observed and countenanced with his presence Joh. 10. 22. Yea of old they did use to dedicate their own houses also with a more common but yet religious and pious Dedication as we see David did Psal 30. title to wit as accounting God himself the Lord of their Houses and themselve his Tenants at Will who were therefore to use their Houses as His and according to his will The substance of this we may say concerns us in these times also Now to apply this As godly men in former times have dedicated both holy things and their houses unto God when they were first made and set up so should Christian Parents look upon their children when they are newly brought into the world as those whom by their timely Teaching and Catechising they are to dedicate and consecrate unto that God from whom they have them Yet There is no cause so to limit it to little children or to Parents children as that it should not be extended to other young ones though not so young in the Family since the word that is rendred a child here is translated well otherwhere a young man And indeed Housholders are not only the Fathers of their children but of the Family The servant doth by good reason call the Master Father and that Father should instruct such sons in a way beseeming their age However the duty will further appear by proceeding further in the forecited Text which teacheth to train up a child in the way he should go or as it is in the Hebrew in the mouth of his way that is in the beginning or entry of his worldly race for so the Gate through which persons first enter into the City is called in Scripture the mouth of the City Others explain it thus according to the mouth of his way that is that measure of apprehension and that degree of capacity which he hath in his first entry into his way without delaying till he be grown up or pressing him above that which his age is able to reach Begin with him then as he is able to receive and conceive of things in those beginnings Heb. 6. 1. which hold forth the first light to guide him in his way for Understanding Piety and godly Behaviour is the way even of Younglings and being so it is good to set them forward in so happy a journey in the morning that they may take the whole day beforethem Object But a child hath not so much understanding as to receive and repeat with reverence the things of God and so the Catechising of him will be the taking of Gods Name in vain which is a plain sin Answ If this must hinder Catechising Who knows how long it will be hindred for even children well grown up being not catechised before are not like at their first teaching so to understand what is said to them as to recite and repeat it with due reverence It may something help in this that we find Christ himself instructing Nicodemus in the mystery of Regeneration when he was able to return him only this sorry and unbeseeming Answer How can a man be born again when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb Yea after that we find our Saviour delivering a divine truth to those that were known to be his Disciples and who still accompanyed him and repeated themselves what he spake to them in the very same words wherein he delivered it and yet when all was done confessed they could not tell what he said yet we may not say that by reason of that their ignorance they took that Name of God in vain which is imprinted on every Word of God
out of that foolishness which is too fast bound in him Prov. 22. 15. correction is the urging of Instruction 3. This word which calls Fathers to look upon their children as children and accordingly to teach them may contain in it a restraint of that provoking before spoken of for it signifieth that the nurture he gives must be a fatherly feeding of such a one as is his child and yet but a child and therefore it must be with that gentleness which is sutable to and agreeth best with the relation and affection of a Father and the tenderness of a child for Angry Catechising quickly becomes an act of Provocation The third word which is used in the Text carries and commands Parents unto the best and highest kind of nurture to wit thatwhich is drawn and fetch'd from the Word of the Lord and so will be most accepted of Him and most profitable to their children This the Apostle speaking to Timothy sets forth plainly in some other words but to the same effect calling it a nourishing in the words of faith and of good doctrine But besides this Paul here goes to the bottom and beginning of all good nurture which is Information or an informing Admonition The word signifies an Instilling or putting a thing into the mind And this infusing or dropping Instruction into the Understanding of a Child helps the Child to help the Father and to carry on his own good Education by his own light because his well-informed reason enableth him to see the necessity and benefit of it The life and manners cannot be good unless the mind be good The mind cannot be good without knowledge Nor will Knowledge be had without Teaching and admonishing In that therefore as in a Golden Mine the riches of religious Education lyeth and is laid up O that so plain and full a Precept might so convince the understandings possess and press the hearts of Christian Parents as to prevail with them for the bringing up of their Children not only in Arts and Sciences to make them wise nor only in mysteries of trading and worldly imployment to make them rich nor only in matters of morality and civil honesty to make them vertuous but in mysteries of Religion in the nurture and information of the Lord to make them truly godly and happy I shall only add this which I touched a little before which is that though children only be named in the Text yet this should not cause Housholders to think themselves discharged if they Catechise their Children and never instruct other young ones that are a part of their Houshold for He that is the Master of the House is the Father of the whole Family and may speak to all the Youth in it as Eli to Samuel whom he called his son and accordingly should disperse knowledge among them that they may not live under his roof care and charge without some acquaintance with God and without being bredd up to do some homage and service to Him It would be a poor business for Mothers to say We need not bring up our children in any good nurture for the Scripture in the New-Testament that especially requires it names only Fathers No more will Fathers be excused because none are named here to be instructed by them but only their children It 's true that under the notion of Fathers of children of whose duty the Apostle here properly speaketh they are called to Catechise their own children but as they are Masters and Fathers of Families a further care and charge lies upon them in regard of other young ones and namely of Servants under them and with them Yet I do not say That Housholders are bound to walk in the same way with those that are elder in the Family as they do with their children or to bestow the same time in instructing servants and children It 's true that to appoint some day or dayes in a week to examine and go on with servants in some sound and plain Catechism as namely the Assemblies short Catechism is a godly Exercise and a provident way to preserve the duty of Family-Instruction and to make it the more minded But yet if Housholders did but upon the Sabbath-day call those that be grown up to give account of the Sermons they hear Chapters read in the Family on the week-days And further If having as they ought an eye upon their carriage and seeing any neglect or fault in them they did take them to task question with them about it reprove and admonish them that for time to come they might amend it and then observe whether they do so or no even this I say with some acquainting them with the very first Principles of Religion in way of conference might pass for that which we call Catechising that word in Scripture being divers times applyed to a more general kind of Teaching But if such a concession as this and yielding to any thing be abused if nothing be done in this duty or nothing to purpose then may one Servant and another if it be possible for an uncatechised Servant to have so much grace come and say seriously and sadly I say sadly both in regard of themselves and the Houholder Master Carest thou not that we perish And let the Master consider how he will answer it Mean-while that I may return to the Text as it stands clear for Parents Catechising let it be in the last place observed that Parents Instruction of their Children is of so great importance that if they therein did their duty then the work concerning Servants were already in a good part done for they should deliver in this way to every Master a catechised Servant and so the Master should have nothing to do but to preserve and carry on that which is already brought to his hand But if for want of this godly care O Christian Master a catechized Servant be not brought to thee let there be so much goodness in thee and so much love to his soul as that he may go a catechized-Servant from thee So much for Texts of Scripture commanding Catechising I now proceed to Arguments or Reasons to confirm Catechising to be a necessary duty Although the former Precepts might fully suffice because all Reason resides and is summ'd up in the Commandements of the only wise God yet because too much can hardly be spoken in a duty wherein many do nothing and all do too little therefore for a further assistance I shall adjoyn these ensuing Arguments drawn from the necessity and benefit of this Exercise 1. The necessity which I lay upon this Ground because all that will be saved in Gods ordinary way must come to the knowledge of the Truth To open this further I shall take in two questions 1. How is this Knowledge to be attained Answ Saving Knowledge is not had by Nature Nature without divine Revelation knoweth nothing of Christ by whom alone we can
Praying Act. 12. 12. are called by the name of Church And then it will shew that it was then the use of Christians to perform religious duties in their Families wherein they were glad to have others accompany them as it is with godly Housholders at this day The third Position Every promise of Scripture made to any duty contains in it a vertual command as every command contains a promise else if that be not done which is the condition of the promise the promise will lie unperformed and so come to nothing Now the promise is that If two agree together on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them in Heaven for where two or three are gathered together in my Name saith Christ there am I in the midst of them It 's true that as the words stand in the Context they have a respect to Church-discipline and are in their more particular Application a Confirmation of that but yet the words being general they are justly applyed to the religious meetings of Gods people in a generality As otherwhere therefore saith Calvin God promiseth to lend a gracious ear to the private prayers of every one of his Servants so here Christ adorns and honours publike Prayers with a singular Promise that thereby he may more earnestly draw us to a regard of them which may appear because Christs speech is so large as that he saith touching any thing they shall ask so that he doth not appropriate the promise to that particular case which is there spoken to but extendeth it to any other thing which shall be presented to God according to his will in the united Petitions of his united Servants Hence I argue that if there be two or three more or fewer in a Family if they will challenge the benefit of this promise they must come together yea by this gracious promise they are call'd together to pray and seek God together for it is union in duty and particularly in Prayer that our Saviour in that Text and Promise doth allure and encourage us unto And what two or three are there who have any acquaintance with God that would be without more of God for want of coming and praying together the more to enjoy him The fourth Position Every dreadful threatning contains in it a real and a moving forbidding of that which will bring upon us the thing threatened Now the Scripture saith Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and the Families which call not upon thy Name who if they be not Heathens yet in that they are like Heathens Here it may be said and I shall grant it that the word Families in Scripture is an expression of Nations for at one time it was said to Abram In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed and at another time all the Nations of the Earth but withall I add that it is an expression and description of Nations as they are distributed as all Nations are into Families and Housholds and so the curse lies as upon such Nations so on all Families not calling upon God as the subordinate bodies of those Nations yea therein it lies most heavily upon the whole Nations Object The Prophet Jeremiah speaks there of Idolaters that call not on the true God Answ I deny not that but here let it be observ'd that the thing which the Prophet mentions is not the worshipping of false gods but the not-worshipping or the not-calling upon the true God which is a thing that nor only Heathens are guilty of but bad men in the Church also withal it is to be marked that he names Families and fixeth the curse on them under this title of not calling on the name of God If then other Families agree with them in their description that is that they do not know and own God in calling upon his Name let them consider whether they be not under the danger of this Imprecation I know there is a further reason of the Curse added in the conclusion that is because they eat devour and consume Jacob but yet the subjects of the curse are such as know not God and call not on his Name And this and opposing and oppressing the Servants of God go together not only out of the Church but in it I am loth to speak over-severely of Families wherein for want of Instruction and acquaintance with the necessity of such a duty Prayer is wanting but let all men mark when there is a persecution Whether Prayerless-Families be not the Persecuting-Families though all of them be not such In this the Scripture is clear which speaks of corrupt men in the Church just as Jeremy speaks of Heathens here describing them to be such as know not God for they say There is no God and that eat up Gods people as bread and call not upon the Lord so that the neglecting of all Religion set forth by calling on God and the hatred and opposition of godly men go together To conclude this What are the Housholds of Christians Are they not or should they not be Families fearing God And the fear of God with all a mans house and praying to God always are joyned together as the casting off fear and restraining Prayer before God though ill applyed to Job elsewhere are Again Should not the particular Houshold of Christians be like the whole Household Housholds of faith And if they be so then surely they will be Praying-Families for trusting in God and pouring forth the heart before him go together From all this it followeth that calling on the Name of the Lord is not only that which putteth a difference between the Church and Heathens and between persons converted and unconverted but which we may observe at this day that which makes a remarkable difference between Housholders fearing God and acquainted with Religion and those that are not such I do not say that all that have Prayer in their Family are truly good but certainly their goodness is very young and very immature that have it not and they have very much cause to inquire Whether they have any at all that care not to have it In such ways as these God calls upon us to call upon Him together with our Family Though it be not said in so many words that every Christian Housholder is to pray with his Houshold yet this is really said in Scripture that they are to glorifie God in their Families And that they are to serve God in their Families by performing that duty of Prayer wherein the whole service of God is held forth And that they should bless their Housholds and take the best course which is the course of Prayer with them to procure Gods blessing upon them If such things as these will not serve to make Housholders godly they will sure serve to make them inexcusable for
upon our ever too-hard-hearts as that we may remember our former evil wayes and doings that have not been good and lothe our selves in our own sight for all our iniquities Nor let us lothe our sins only and our selves for them but leave them also and settle it in our hearts after thou hast spoken peace to us not to turn again to folly And because our own resolutions are soon altered and by our own strength we cannot prevail therefore we beg of thee our God to whom power belongeth so much strength as that though sin while we are here dwell within us yet it may not have dominion over us especially let us be strong in the Lord and the power of his might for the subduing of our special sins and those Goliahs that seem to set at defiance the whole Army of the Graces of God in us Neither let it suffice us to depart from evil unless also we do good and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that this may be better done Good Lord make us mindful of the use of all good means of a godly life such as are the hearing of thy Word heedfully the receiving of thy holy Sacrament preparedly the keeping of thy Sabbath conscionably praying to thy Majesty often and earnestly together with conversing with good company as there shall be liberty and occasion and a gaining of time to commune with our own hearts and so to think on our wayes as that we may turn our feet to Gods testimonies Thus and every other good way O our God lead us by thy good Spirit into the land of uprightness and into a state of blessedness And because it is our duty to pray for thy Church whereof we are members as well as for our selves yea and our honour also who art but dust and ashes to be admitted so to do therefore we beseech thee Do well in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the wals of Jerusalem Make it the study of those that are thy people to be an holy people as thou their God art an holy God Where thy Church hath rest make them careful to walk before thee in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost that so their peace may be continued or they prepared for trouble if their quiet state be altered Where thy Church is in trouble make them mindful of and able for that truly penitent humbling themselves before thee and faithful seeking unto thee whereby their peace and prosperity may be restored Strengthen in all parts their hearts and hands that stand in the just defence of Religion and Right In special manner we beseech thee to have a gracious respect to this sinful Nation with the adjoyned Dominions Enable with all eminent gifts and especially sanctifie more and more with saving grace the Kings most Excellent Majesty our Supreme and most gracious Governour and so pour forth thy Spirit upon all in higher Authority that they may with all wisdom diligence faithfulness and good success manage the great affairs of State Be pleas'd to establish and ever to preserve and stand by the two great Ordinances of Magistracy and Ministry that by the preaching of the one the power of the other and thy blessing on both Errour and Ungodliness may be restrained truth and holiness may be promoted and in that way all outward good things may be ministred Bless we humbly pray thee outwardly as thou seest meet but especially spiritually all that fear thy Name yea have mercy on them call them and put thy fear into them that yet fear thee not In special we desire thy favour in behalf of those to whom we have any relation and whom we are desired or ought to pray for more particularly this Family In singular mercy vouchsafe thy grace to any in it that yet want it and encrease thy grace in those that have it Extend thy compassion O thou that art the Father of mercy to those that be any way afflicted with sickness pain poverty injustice reproach restraint And more especially to those that suffer either in Conscience or for Conscience Give them all wisdom to see what thou intendest grace to give thee what thou expectest strength to bear what thou inflictest and in thine own way and time make them glorious by deliverance And now O Lord we return humble thanks unto thy Majesty for the mercies of this day in regard of our souls and bodies and businesses desiring that we may still make a good use of all our crosses And so craving pardon in Jesus Christ for the sins of this day for which we are here before thee to judge our selves we resign up our persons and all we have into thy gracious hands beseeching thee so to watch over us this night as that our souls may be kept from sin our bodies from sickness our goods from loss and those decreasings that we deserve And withal so to bless our Rest unto us that we may awake with cheerfulness in the morning well enabled for thy Service and the duties of our Callings the day following And all this for Jesus Christs sake in whom we beseech thee to accept these our poor and weak Prayers which we conclude with his absolutely perfect Prayer saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A shorter Prayer for the Morning Most gracious God we do here humbly present our selves before thee to offer unto thee the Sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lips and to give thanks unto thy Name for the rest of the night past and the mercies of this morning We confess thou mightest justly have awakened us out of our sleep at mid-night as thou didst the Egyptians with a great cry or else have made our sleep as when thou smotest their first-born the sleep of death but we have lien down in peace and slept because thou Lord only makest us dwell in safety Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to the eyes to behold the Sun but How excellent is thy loving kindness in causing the Sun of Righteousness to arise unto us with healing in his wings d Blessed be thy Name for giving the Lord Jesus to be a light to lighten us Gentiles as well as to be the glory of thy people Israel And that we have together with him and not without him all things also We praise thee for the health of our bodies the peace of our mindes for our understanding and all the powers of our Souls for our sight and hearing and all the parts of our bodies for the liberty of our Persons the blessings of our Estate and all the comfort we enjoy in our Friends and Relations Yea for all those fatherly Corrections whereby thou hast sought to drive our foolishness far from us and to make us mend our pace in the wayes of
27. c. Dan. Cawd Hen. Palm 4. part c. 1. Ham L'estrange p. 59. c. p. 95. Answ 1. Answ 2. 1. 2. o Mat. 22. 29 31. p Col. 2. 23. 1. q Cujus beneficti commemoratio successit memoriae Creationis non traeditione humana sed Christi ipsius observatione atque instituto Jun. praelect in Gen. 2. r 1 Cor. 15. 14 15. Å¿ Act. 13. 32 33. Vid. Camer Myrothec in loc t Rom. 1. 3 4 v. 2. u Act. 13. 34. x Rom. 8 34. Vid. Piscat in Rom. 10. 11. in analysi y Aug. Epist 119. ad Januar c. 13. 2. z 1 Cor. 11. 20. a 1 Cor. 11. 23. b It being not called Dies Domini but which is more Dominicus not of the Lord but which is the Lords c Dutch Annotat on Revel 1. 10. Apostoli illum diem haud dubie tanquam ex Domini instituto observarunt ad agendum in eo conventus Ecclesiasticos Piscat in Luc. 14 Obs d See Marlorat in Rev. 1. 10. ex Seb. Mayer e Bishop of Winch. Opuscula His Speech against Trask in Star-Chamber 3. f 1 Cor. 16. 1. g 1 Cor. 7. 40. 14. 37. Matth. 28. 20. Act. 15. 24. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hom. de Semente i Exod. 16. 28 29. k To change the Lords day the Church hath no authority for it is not a matter of indifferency but a necessary prescription of Christ himself by his Apostles Fulk against Rhem. on Rev. 1. 10. l See the constant observation of the Lords day by the Primitive and successive Churches proved in a Treatise entituled Dies Dominica lib. 1. cap. 2. lib. 2. cap. 1. Edit An. 1639. in quart m Mat. 21. 3. n Mar. 2. 27. o Luk. 10. 42. p Vers 39. q Luk. 11. 28. r 1 Cor. 7. 35. Å¿ 1 Per. 1. 13. t Mal. 4. 2. u Rev. 12. 1. x 2 Chr. 9. 18. y Luk. 19. 4. z Joh. 1. 16. a Luk. 14. 18. b Isa 33. 17. c 1 Tim. 4. 8. d Judg. 9. 13. e Lev. 26. 2. f Ezek. 22. 26. g Lev. 19. 3. h Zec. 14. 20. i Isa 58. 13. k Mal. 1. 11. l Psal 89. 7. m Prov. 14. 28. n Psal 42. 4. o Psal 29. 9. 48. 9. 10. p Ineptè saciunt qui observationem diei Dominici ex traditione non ex Scripura Sacra in Ecclesia perdurare asserunt Jun. praelect in Gen. 2. q Isa 56. 2. r Jer. 2. 3. Deut. 33. 28. Å¿ Luk. 2. 32. t Deut. 33. 29. u Neh 9. 14. x Isa 55. 1 2. Mat. 22. 1 2 3. Rev. 3. 17 18. y Cant. 3. 4 5. Vid. Mercer in loc z Rev. 1. 10. a Et Sabbati Dominici unus est Dominus Aug. Epist 86. ad Casulam b Praeponitur dies Dominicus Sabbato side Resurrectionis Ibid. c Igaat ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Hieron com in Marc. 16. Post Sabbata tristia soelix irradiat dies quae primatum in diebus tenet c. Item Quomodo Matia Virgo inter omnes mulieres principatum tenet ita inter caeteros dies haec dies omnium dierum mater est f P. Ramus in Comment de Relig. Christiana lib. 2. c. 6. Saâ—batum siquidem Scholasticus dies est quo nobis est ad Domini Scholam accedendum ad legem ejus voluatatem cognoscendum c. g Psal 87. 3. h Psal 63. 2. i Heb. 4. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut v. 10 11. 1. 2. k Hos 7. 12. l Levit. 26. 34. m Jer. 17. 27. n Numb 15. 32. 35. o Ezek. 20. 13. p Numb 14. 29. 26. 65. q Lam. 4. 6. 1. 12. r Josh 22. 17 18. 3. Å¿ Judg. 20. 6. 2 Sam. 13. 13. t Josh 7. 25 u Jer. 17. 27. x Mic. 3. 12. 4. y Lev. 26. 21. z Jer. 17. 24 25. a Prov. 19. 12. b Rom. 15. 4. c 1 Cor. 10. 6. 11. d Mercer in Gen. 2. 3. Benedictio ut inquiunt Hebraei est accessio boni faustum felicem Augustum in signem intercaeteros hunc diem esse voluit praecipuo cum favore honore dignatus est e Gen. 24. 31. f 1 Sam. 25. 8. g Psal 36. 8 h Prov. 10. 22. See Aynsw on Gen. 2. 3. It is the abundant wealth of the world h Calv. in locum 1. h 2 Chr. 30. 22. 2. i Occolampad in loc k Gen. 41. 44. Vid. Jun. Trem l Isa 56. 2. m As cruel exactions are bad any day but worst on the Fast day Isa 58. 3. See Ezek. 23. 38. Sins are worse by holy time and place 2 King 21. 4. n Oecolampad in loc o So the Hebrew hath it p Bullinger in loc q Dutch Annotations on Isai 58. 13. r 1 Sam. 9. 6. Å¿ Eccl. 11. 7. t Psal 45. 9. u 2 Cor. 3. 9. x Mal. 4. 2. y 2 Cor. 4. 6. z Isa 33. 17. a 2 Cor. 3. 18. b Ezek. 22. 26. c 1 Sam. 2. 30. 1. d 1 Sam. 2. 15 16 30. e Bulling in loc f Dutch Annot g Voluntates tuas Pagmn h See Gen. 34. 19. Psal 111. 2. where the same word is used So 1 King 5. 8. i Lev. 23. 32. k v 31. 3. l Non requirit Silentium Harpocraticum Bulling m See Dr. Bownd Doctrine of Sabbath I. Book p. 272 c. n Thus by giving way to ordinary words the most confessed Duries of the Day are either marr'd or maim'd o 1 Cor. 15. 33. O Ecolampad p Calv. in Isa 58 13. Altiùs spectavit quà m and externam cae emoni am hoc est otium quietem in quo judaei sanctitatem summam sitam esse putabant Quod nimis crassum est admonet enim Propheta Psal 92. Titulo v. 2 3 4. Sabbatum non rectè coli feriando sed ordinatum esse ut celebretur Dei nomen Calv. in Psalm 92. 2. q Tit. 2. 12. r Rev. 1. 10. Å¿ Exod. 34. 10. t O Ecolampad in loc u Jer. 17. 24 25 26. x Neh. 13. 18. y Rom. 6. 23. Psal 19. 11. z Vid. Scultet in locum Mercer in Job 22. 26. a Bulling in loc b 1 Joh. 1. 3. c Psal 65. 4. 36. 8. d Isa 55. 2. e Psal 63. 50 6. Isa 26. 8 9. f Job 22. 26 27. 10. g Psal 36. 8 Torrente deliciarum tuarum h Cant. 5. 16. i Gen. 28. 21 22. k Cant. 2. 3. l Neh. 9. 25. m Psal 4. 6 7. n Psal 73. 17. o Gen. 3 4. 19. p 1 Pet. 4. 3. the will of the Gentiles q Amos 6. 13. â— r Isa 26. 8. Å¿ Job 22. 26. t Job 34. 9. u Cant. 5. 16. 2. x Psal 45. 4. Revel 6. 2. y Deut. 1. 28. 32. 13. 33. 29. ride on their necks Septuagint as Psal 60. 12. z Psal 66. 12. with Lam. 5. 5 7 8. Neh. 9. 37. a Dutch Annot b 1 Sam. 2. 30. c 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. d Rom. 16. 20. Psal 110.