his fauor more assured of his promises and made more fit to serue him Euen as in the scriptures The seruants of God haue greatly profited in faith obedience by the consideratiō of his creatures we may see many times how the spirit of God sendeth vs to the creatures to bee confirmed by them in the things that are spoken of God in the word and the seruants of God haue by them strengthened their faith in the promises which they had learned out of Gods word before The Prophet Esay chap. 40. propoūding vnto the people most excellent promises whereof they should bee made partakers in the time of the Gospell which hee doth in the former part of the chapter frō the 12. verse he beginneth to confirme them in the certaine trueth of the same by the consideration of Gods omnipotent power whereby hee made all things at the first in such a wonderfull order that thereby they might bee assured that nothing should bee able to hinder him from bringing that to passe which he haid promised to his Church but that they should looke most certainly for it saying Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heauen with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and waighed the mountaines in a waight and the hils in a ballance So likewise the Prophet Ieremie in his 33. chapter promising mising vnto the church deliuerance out of their trouble doth perswade them of the infallible truth of Gods word herein by setting before their eyes the immutable course of nature in the continuall interchange of the day and night Thus sayth the Lord Iere. 33.20 if you can breake tny couenant of the day and my couenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season 21. then may my couenant bee broken with Dauid my seruant that he should not haue a sonne to raigne vpon his throne and with the Leuits and Priests my ministers 22. As the armie of heauen cannot be numbred neither the sand of the sea measured so will I multiplie the seede of Dauid my seruant and the Leuits that minister vnto me The Psalmes most of all are full of this matter and as it is a booke of practise especially so it is plentifull in these meditations and the treatise would be long if I should but in order reckon vp the principall places there tending to this purpose yet the waightines of the matter will not suffer me to passe ouer them all It is most apparant how Dauid in the 8. Psalme stirreth vp himselfe and all mankinde to praise the Lord for his great liberalitie towards them appearing in this that as he made him at the first Lord and ruler ouer all his creatures in heauen and earth so he hath restored him into the same dignitie by Christ when he had iustly lost it before because of his sinne when he thus beginneth and endeth the Psalme O Lord our gouernour Psal 8.19 how excellent is thy name in all the world And in another Psalme the Prophet complaineth of the greatnes of his affliction and being almost discouraged because the Lord deferred his helpe so long that he might not vtterly sink down vnder the heauie waight of his grieuous tentation Psal 77.10 strengtheneth his faith by remembring Gods former works that he might haue hope of his mercie towards himselfe I remembred the yeares of the rtght hande of the most high 11. I remembred the workes of the Lord certainly I remembred thy wonders of old 12. I did also meditate of all thy workes and did deuise of thine acts So likewise in the 22. Psalme the man of God being in such extremitie that he was almost past all hope beginneth with this heauie complaint Et. 21.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so farre from my health and from the voyce of my roring But afterwards commeth to this verse 4. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliuer them 5. They called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded And then he sayth vers 10. I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers bellie Where we see he getteth hope at the last of being heard and deliuered by the consideration of Gods workes both generally done to his seruants in times past and particularly shewed to himselfe heretofore And there is great reason of this for the Lord is alwaies like himselfe and Iesus Christ is yesterday and to day and the same for euer and therefore will doe as he hath done for there is no respect either of persons Psal 25.10 or times with him but all the wayes of God are mercie and trueth not only mercie in the beginning but trueth in the midst and ending For this cause the seruant of God thus praieth in the Psalme 119. Et. 119.132 Looke vpon me and be mercifull vnto me as thou vsest to doe vnto those that loue thy name And vers 149. Heare my voyce according to thy louing kindnes O Lord quicken me according to thy custome In both which places we see how he prayeth to God that he would shewe him that mercie which he was wont to shew to him himselfe others in the like case heretofore so by the former works of God strengtheneth himselfe in prayer Thus wee may easilie vnderstand what profit we might get by the earnest meditation and wise conference about the works of God which are done in great wisedome thereby to confirme vs in the trueth of those things that are written in the word and to draw vs to those dueties that are required of vs in the same and so generally to further vs in all godlinesse and therefore a thing not to bee neglected at any time but most of all to bee practised vpon the Lords day that we might leaue nothing vndone which might make all Gods worship most profitable vnto vs and make vs fitter vnto all other dueties which is the end why the Sabbath was ordained In the 104. Psalme the Prophet speaking of the wonderfull workes of God and the marueilous gouerning preseruing of them beginneth thus Et 104.1 My soule praise thou the Lord and towards the midst breaketh forth into this speech O Lord how manifold are thy workes vers 24. in wisedome hast thou made them all And in the end concludeth with Glorie be to the Lord for euer And 33. I will sing vnto the Lord all my life I will praise my God while I liue Hereby declaring what ought to bee wrought in all men by the reuerent cōsidering of Gods works and that we should not muse or speake of them vnprofitably but with that glorie vnto God and comfort to our selues which he requireth of vs and no doubt many of his children doe But that I might drawe to an ende one word of that which as it is most plaine so it is most comfortable
stande still in his proper force and that it appertaineth to vs Christians now most euidently appeaâ—eth by that authoritie and credite which it receiueth â—rom the Gospell and newe Testament also in which it is so highly commended vnto vs that I might not in this place speake of the manifold other testimonies that it hath in the old And by name we may see how our Sauiour Christ all his Apostles establisheth it by their â—ractise for they vpon the Sabbath ordinarily enter into â—he Synagogues of the Iewes and preach vnto the peoâ—le doing such things vpon those dayes as appertaine â—o sanctifying of them according to the commandement Obiect Against which lest we might except that our Redeemer Christ Iesus being made vnder the law as the Apostle sayth came to fulfill the whole law for vs Galath 4.4 and therefore he indeede submitted himselfe vnto the obseruation of the least ceremonie therof al his life long till at his death he cryed out It is finished Ioh. 19.30 Math. 27.51 when the vayle of the Temple rent in twaine from the top to the bottome to shew that all types and figures were abrogated and taken away and therefore that his obseruation of the Sabbath maketh no more for the certaintie of it then his obseruing of Circumcision keeping the Passeouer and offering vp of â—â—crifices doe make for their continuance now vnder the Gospell Answer Wee must further consider that the Apostles themselues long after Christs death and after they had receiued the holy Ghost Iohn 16.13 euen the spirite of truth that should leade them into all trueth doe by their practise and writings shewe that the Sabbath stoode vpon a surer ground then the whole ceremoniall lawe and therefore could not with it bee taken away Acts 13.14 Paul and Barnabas as it is in the Acts comming into Antiochia went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day and sate downe and after the reading of the Lawe and the Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if ye haue any worde of exhortation to the people say on then Paul stoode vp and beckened with the hand and sayd Men of Israell c. going on forward with that notable sermon that is set downe there and when hee had ended verse 42. as it is in the same chapter The Gentiles besought them that they would preach those words vnto them the next Sabbath day which also they did And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie together to heare the word of God verse 44. Moreouer the same Apostle at Thessalonica Acts 17 2. went into the Synagogue of the Iewes and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures And thus hee did not once or twise but continually and ordinarily shewing the ordinary continuance of the Sabbath and the sanctifying of it as the Euangelist precisely noteth saying Paul as his manner was went in vnto them Now though we are to presume that Paul neither taught nor practised any thing contrarie to the rest of the Apostles but that they agreed in one vniforme order of doctrine and gouernement of the Church as who had receiued of one and the selfe same spirite and therefore this might bee sufficient to shew their consent herein Yet notwithstanding wee may reade how in the last booke of the Bible and by the last Apostle I meane who liued longest the same thing is confirmed where he is so farre from teaching that the Sabbath for the space of 97. yeares after Christ was taken away about what time it is thought that hee wrote that booke that â—â—e plainly auoucheth the coÌ„tinuance of it in the Church â—y this new and honourable name Reuel 1.10 The Lords day where â—â—ne of purpose noting the time that he receiued those Reuelations in calleth it by that name that was best known to the Church at that time otherwise he should not so fitly haue expressed his mind to those to whoÌ„ he wrote which day thus called all writers doe agree vpon it new and old yea the Papists themselues to bee this very Sabbath which wee obserue Thus it is sufficiently proued that the Sabbath was none of those Ceremonies which were iustly abrogated at the comming of Christ as being appoynted of God for no further time but that it coÌ„tinued in the practise of the Church when all other ceased yea was kept faithfully in the Church by al them who had with one consent shut out all the rest And that it is so commanded in the first booke of holy scriptures Genesis where is shewed what was from the beginning that it wanteth not his due praise in the last booke of the same Reuelation where is a prophesie of things to bee fulfilled vnto the ende and therefore wee must hearken vnto the trueth of this doctrine so much the rather least that fearefull iudgement doe fall vpon vs which the Lord Iesus himselfe threatned to bring vpon them that shall diminish any thing contained in this booke and therefore which shall in whole or in part take away this day which is so honored there when he sayth Reuel 22.19 If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke But that I might not seeme tedious vnto you we shall further heare in one word that the Sabbath still bindeth vs and that it ought to stand in his greatest force That two ends of ordayning the Sabbath sheweth the continuance of it that euer it had and that we haue as great neede of it as euer any people had in the world and that our posteritie shall haue so likewise and therefore cannot be without it if we consider the principall ends of the first instituting and ordaining of it by God vnto Adam in Paradise A day of rest is necessarie Commanding him to rest vpon that day and to keepe holie the day of rest And first of all to rest because he was not of an infinite nature though perfect and therefore could not be occupied wholly about many I doe not say contrarie but sundrie and diuers things at once as about the busines of this world and the worship of God wherefore being bound by his calling to dresse and keepe the garden Gen. 2.15 verse 3. and yet charged to keepe holie the seuenth day meditating vpon the wisedome and mercie of God appearing as in all the creatures so especially in himselfe and thus beholding the inuisible things of God in them Rom. 1.20 giuing thankes to God for them praying for the continuance of them teaching them to his posteritie c. it was needfull that the seuenth day should bee vnto him as it was indeed a Sabbath day that is a day of rest resting from all his other necessarie businesse that so he might
To morowe is the rest of the holie Sabbath vnto the Lord where he is not contented to say to morowe is the Sabbath which was as much to them and was so knowne as the day of rest to vs but he doubleth the word and sayth It is the rest of the holie Sabbath as though he had sayd It is a day of rest euen of the holie rest indeede noting out ths necessitie of the rest and how straightly the Lord requireth it of them and that the rest might not be omitted at all Exod. 31.15 Vnto which agreeth that which is in the 31. chapter where he doth not onely say that he that worketh about the Tabernacle vpon the seuenth day should dye the death but also addeth as it were giuing a reason of it the seuenth day is the the Sabbath of the holie rest vnto the Lord. Where he both calleth it the Sabbath day as it were expounding it the day of rest and though in the first tongue both the words be of one nature and signifie one thing yet it hath seemed good to the Interpretors thus to translate them that retaining the proper name of the day in one the other might shew the nature of it and both of them ioyned together might declare how necessarily the rest is to bee adioyned vnto the day and what a principall regard the Lord hath vnto that in this Commandement which is of men least of all considered And as Moses in the Mount had receiued this from God in so plaine words that notwithstanding all that was to bee done the Sabbath must be a day of rest So in Exod. 35.2 he comming to declare all that should bee done beginneth with this namely with resting vpon the Sabbath in so many words giueth it in charge vnto the people in how many he had receiued it from the Lord in the chapter mentioned before Sixe daies thou shalt worke but the seuenth day shall be vnto you the holie Sabbath of rest vnto to the Lorde whosoeuer doth any worke therein shall dye where besides the ciuill punishment of death vpon those that did not rest which he forgetteth not as he had receiued it he doubleth the word rest vnto the people as the Lord did to him before Leuit. 16.31 calling it the sabbath of Rest So in Leuit. 16. though he speaketh not of this very seuenth day but of the day of pacifying as wee haue seene before yet because it had the nature and name of the Sabbath he doth not only say In it doe no worke at all but also calleth it a sabbath of Rest Leuit. 23.18 as also in the 23. chapter of the same booke where he speaketh of it againe and with more words standeth in requiring the Rest at their hands as you shall doe no worke the same day vers 30. and euery person that shall doe any worke that same day the same person also will I destroy from among his people ver 31. you shall doe no worke therefore and in the ende concludeth 32. this shal be vnto you a sabbath of rest Out of which places wee must needes confesse that the Lords meaning is not to fray vs with a vaine shew of words but that he as earnestly commandeth the thing as the words bee many that he vseth for our dulnes sake For if the wisedome of a man bee discerned in that his words be proportionall vnto his matter and that thereby wee know the matter is waightie when his words are many then much more must we be perswaded that the holie scripture was written by such a heauenly wisedom that it containeth not a confused heape of vaine and vnprofitable wordes and that it is full of idle repetitions which were blasphemie to thinke but that the Lorde hath in wisedome tempered his speech for our good and framed it to our capacitie and therefore foreseeing the pronenes of our nature to breake out in this Commandement hath set vp so many barres as it were against vs and doth thus beate that into our eares which we are so vnwilling to heare and more loth to followe And here that I might not seeme tedious vnto you let vs in one worde consider of that which is in this same chapter spoken of the seuenth day it selfe therfore no exception can bee made against it in the 3. chap 23 3. verse of the same chapter where the Lord speaking of the yearely feasts which they should keep beginneth with that which was the chiefest euen the Sabbath and commanding them first of all to rest vpon it which is indeede the first thing required vpon that day vseth thus many wordes Sixe daies shall worke be done but in the seuenth day shall be the sabbath of rest you shall doe no worke therein it is the sabbath of the Lord in dwellings where he is not contented twise to haue repeated the word sabbath which signifieth rest and further to adde that no worke should bee done therein but repeateth the wordes as wee haue seene heretofore calling it the sabbath of rest that is the rest euen the most notable rest giuing them to vnderstand that vpon that day they must rest yea they must rest indeede But I will shut vp this poynt with that which is in the 25. Leuit. 25.4 chapter of the same booke of Leuiticus where the Lord speaking of that rest that should be giuen vnto the land euery seuenth yeare which was a childish instruction to them of the nature of the Sabbath according to the dispensation of those times that they might knowe how necessarie it was for them to rest vpon the seuenth day doth very straightly require that the land should rest vpon the seuenth yeare and therefore doth so speake of the rest of the land as of the rest of the Sabbath because that was a figure of it The seuenth yeare shal be a sabbath of rest vnto the land it shall bee the Lords sabbath thou shalt neither sowe thy field nor cut thy vineyard where as we see he doth not only call that yeare twise a Sabbath that is a rest and forbiddeth them vnder two kindes that were the chiefe all manner of worke but calleth it the sabbath of rest vnto the land Shewing how necessarie a thing it was that the land should rest that the shadowe might bee like the bodie and that this rudiment might teach them that for the which it was ordained he telleth them that vnto the land a singular rest is to bee performed vpon the seuenth yeare because the like speciall rest is to bee obserued vpon the seuenth day Thus wee haue hetherto seene concerning this matter not onely that the Lord requireth in this Commandement that we should rest vpon the seuenth day but how necessarily he requireth it of vs and what great care we ought to haue of it and that it is a greater sinne to work vpon that day then it is taken to be and that it is not an indifferēt thing to work or
the Iudges to heare the controuersies of men pleading before them And generally in one word that I might not stand vpon the particulars which are infinite euery man in his seuerall roome place or calling high or low bond or free olde or yong ruler or ruled one and other Yet in themselues they are good necessary and lawfull but not vpon this day euen from him that sitteth vpon the throne to the maid seruant that is at the Mill and the captiue that is in prison must rest from their ordinarie works which are vpon other dayes not onely lawfull and commendable but also necessary yet vpon this day are so wholly to be left that they can in no wise agree with it no more then light agreeth with darknes and resting with working So that when wee doe forbid men all worldly trauell and labour vpon the Lordes day as the thinges from which God their creator would haue them rest according to the plaine words of his Commandement we do not finde fault with such works wee doe not condemne the things we iudge them not to be wicked and vngodly but we confesse with all humilitie as becommeth vs that they bee lawfull commodious and necessarie and wee will ascribe as much vnto them as themselues can iustly chalenge but wee say at this time and vpon this day they are vnnecessary vnfruitfull and vnlawfull because the Lorde hath forbidden them that other thinges might be done The circumstances of time place c. change the nature of our actions Neither must it seeme strange vnto vs that the time should thus change and alter the nature and qualitie of things making that vnlawfull which was lawful before for so we see it is in all other circumstances of places persons and ends according to the diuersitie of which one and the same thing is not onely diuerse from but also cleane contrarie to it selfe Many things are commendable in the Magistrate and doe deserue great praise as the cutting off of the malefactor Rom. 13.4 that so sinne might bee taken away seeing hee beareth not the sworde in vaine which if a priuate man shuld but attempt it were a thing intollerable most seuerely to be punished as our Sauior Christ saith Mat. 26.52 All that take the sworde shall perish with the sword So in other thinges we know that to giue almes is a sacrifice Prou. 19. that the Lorde is well pleased with in so much that he accounteth all that wee giue to the poore as lent to himselfe and he promiseth to repay it vs in the greatest time of our neede but to giue it before men that we might be seen of them doth so defile and staine this most excellent vertue and as it were change the nature of it Matth. 6.1 as that it hath no promise of reward from God at all nay it is plainely forbidden of him For men to sleepe in their houses vpon their beds or otherwise to take their naturall rest is allowable and that without the which they cannot continue but to sleepe in the Church Act. 20.9 and in the time of diuine seruice and ministery of the word sacraments and prayer is not only forbidden but hath been most seuerely punished Euen so that worke which is not onely permitted but also commanded vpon the sixe dayes and which might not bee left vndone yet is altogether forbidden on the seuenth day as vnlawfull that with the denouncing of most fearefull punishments vpon them that will not obey as wee haue seene heretofore in the gathering of Manna building the Tabernacle buying of victuales and selling Therefore as no reasonable man will saye this or that is lawfull in it owne nature therefore euery man may doe it and euery where and at all times so it is no good reason to say God hath commanded vs to doe these things therefore why should we rest from them vpon this day vnlesse wee can shew that vpon that day also he hath commaunded them but let vs rather say as the truth is The Lord hath commanded vs to doe these things vpon the sixe dayes therefore we must rest from them vpon the seuenth And in so dooing our purpose is not to perswade men to idlenes and to do nothing neither is it the meaning of the commaundement but to rest from those workes of our owne that are forbidden that we might wholy and without all lette be occupied about those workes of God which hee hath prescribed as shall hereafter more euidently appeare vnto vs. But that we might yet more deepely consider of this and be more fullie perswaded that the Lord would haue this generall rest from euery thing so carefully obserued and that no kinde of worke should be done by any besides the first and generall commandement of resting that we haue seene All degrees of meÌ„ both high and lowe are commaunded to rest vpon the Lords day he more particularlie forbiddeth all estates and degrees of men as well the principall as the accessorie and helpes all manner of worke and not onely them but all other creatures which are most fit for it and whose labour man might be most readie to abuse for the breaking and interrupting of this rest as it appeareth in the wordes following as they are set downe in the 10. verse of this 20. chapter of Exodus In it thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy manseruant nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy stranger which is within thy gates And is repeated againe Deut. 5.14 in as many or more wordes Thou shalt not doe any worke therein thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy manseruant nor thy maide nor thine oxe nor thine asse neither any of thy cattell nor thy stranger that is within thy gates that thy manseruant and thy mayde seruant may rest as wel as thou In which places we doe see that there is none of any calling or estate whatsoeuer nor of any kinde or sexe or age that may be exempted from this rest but that particularlie and by name all gouernours both in the familie and common wealth and all vnder gouernment are charged with it whether it bee father or childe sonne or daughter mayster or seruant man or mayde magistrate or people freedenison or borne without the liberties euen to the stranger and so many as be within their gates that is within the compasse of their iurisdiction and gouernement yea and the very beastes themselues whereof some are named as the Oxe and the Asse which are the chiefe and were most vsually occupyed among the Iewes and therefore no worke is to bee done any where seeing there is none to doe it for euery one is by name expressely forbidden without the exception of any person Therefore concerning these particulars more fully we may perceiue As the Magistâ—ate and gouernour that the magistrate and gouernour in authoritie how hye soeuer cannot take any priuiledge vnto himselfe whereby he
teach vs that these are the meanes to sanctifie it by and that they are proper vnto the day Now though prayer be not here named yet we are to presume that neither the word nor sacraments were ministred withouth it seeing the fruite of both dependeth vpon the blessing of God which is obtained by prayer and seeing that in other places they are ioyned together And that the ministrie of the word is so vnseparably ioyned to the Sabbath and hath alwaies beene further appeareth by that which is most plainely in many words set downe in the 13. Acts 13.14 chapter of the same storie where it is thus written When Paul and Barnabas departed from Perga they came to Antiochia a citie of Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sate downe 15. And after the lecture of the law and Prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent vnto them saying Ye men and brethren if yee haue any worde of exhortation for the people say on 16. Then Paul stood vp and beckened with the hande and sayd Men of Israell c. as followeth in that chapter to the 42. verse where againe it is written that when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach these wordes to them the next Sabbath day 44. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie to heare the world of GOD which words doe sufficiently shew that it hath alwaies beene diligently obserued of the Church to sanctifie the Sabbath day in the publike reading and preaching of the word as in the most singular part of Gods seruice For Paul came and founde the Church alreadie met together vpon the Sabbath and reading the lawe and the Prophets and then was desired to preach and afterwards being desired to preach againe they came and heard him vpon the Sabbath And in the 15. chapter wee haue heard alreadie That Moses hath of old time Acts 15.21 in euery citie them that preach him seeing he is read euery Sabbath day in the Synagogues Besides that which is written of Paul in the 17. Chap 17.1.2.3 chapter that he comming to Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Iewes as his manner was went in vnto them and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must haue suffered and risen againe from the dead and this is Iesus Christ whom sayd he I preach vnto you But it were an endlesse labour though profitable in order to reckon vp all the seuerall places which shewe that these are the holy works of the Sabbath which the Lord requiteth all men to bee occupied in if they will sanctifie the day according to his commandement and as the practise of the Church giueth vs example And vpon these considerations it seemeth it was enacted in a councell held in Germanie vnder Charles the great for the maintaining of the publike preaching euery Lords day Concil Mogūt cap. 25. that Si forte Episcopus If the Bishop be not at home or be sicke or vpon any other vrgent cause be not able himselfe Nunquam tamen desit diebus Dominicis qui verbum Dei praedicet Yet let it bee so prouided that there neuer want one to preach the worde of God vnto the people on the Lords daies Phil. Melanct. in praecept 3. Master Melancthon reckoning vp many parts of sanctifying the Sabbath sayth Piè fungi ministerio where he makes this not onely one but the principall thing for a man well to discharge his ministerie in which answer he includeth the preaching of the word because a little before he sayth that the Prophets when they lament the desolation of the Sabbath they complaine Abolitum esse ministerium docendi That the ministerie of teaching was abolished and that the priests lips did not keepe knowledge But as themselues say they were dumme dogs and delighted in sleeping Bucer in Mat. 12.11 And Master Bucer in this argument writing of the practise of that Church wherein himselfe liued sayth Dominicis diebus in singulis Parochijs ad minimum duae si non tres habentur conciones Vpon the Lords dayes in euery parish there are two sermons at the least if not three Which also as it may be truely sayd of a great number of Churches in England for the space of these many yeares vnder the most happy raigne of her maiestie to the great glory of God her singular renowne and the saluation of many soules so in that respect we are to bow our knees vnto God day and night for the preseruation of her royal maiestie that it may be so by her meanes for euer as also that in those places where it is yet wanting it might be brought in in Gods most blessed time if our vnthankfulnes doe not hinder vs euen as that zealous and good King Iehosaphat could not doe all things in his time that he would for the reformation of the Church because the people then had not prepared their hearts to serue the GOD of their fathers 2. Chron. 20.33 Therefore to be short let vs looke vnto that which is in the chapter immediatly following Chap. 18.4 That Paul abiding at Corinth disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day and exhorted the Iewes and the Grecians Here the holy Ghost witnesseth of him that hee did openly teach the scriptures euery Sabbath day and in the forenamed place that it was his manner so to doe then it must needs be the custome of the Church to come to the publike ministrie of the word vpon those dayes Al men ought to resort to those places where the word is preached and it must be a common manner with them which is spoken to this end that we might not be of that brutish mind that some are of that know no other thing to do vpon the Sabbath but to rest and take their ease and therfore lye many times at home sleeping most prophanely and so their oxe and their asse in ceasing from their worke keepe as good a Sabbath as they neither to be so ignorant as others are who content thēselues with their owne priuate readings at home or with the bare reading of the word in the Church neglecting the preaching of it not labouring to procure it to themselues nor repairing to those places in the meane season where it is though it be the chiefest part of Gods seruice and therefore the most especiall meanes whereby the Sabbath is sanctified and without the which all other things in the seruice of God are lesse accepted of God and more vnprofitable to our owne selues Therefore how many places of scripture haue wee seene before commanding vs so straightly to sanctifie the Sabbath so many are there binding all men of what estate and cōdition soeuer to listen after the preaching of the word and to be at it euery Sabbath if they haue any care to discharge themselues of that obedience vnto God which he
disposed and euery thing in the Church so gouerned and so blessed vnto vs by his spirit as might make not onely for our good in generall and the good of others but in these speciall things that we stand in most neede of 2. There is great cause to pray before we come to the Ministerie of the word And so let vs pray for our selues and others and that we might be holpen by them but especially let vs praye for the Minister of Gods word that to it might bee ioyned the ministerie of his spirit which when we doe the Lorde that heareth our prayers that knoweth our wants will cause vs to heare that which we most of all desired and that which is spoken generally the spirit will applie vnto vs particularlie euen as many eating of one meate receiue sundrie kindes of nourishments from it and he will cause the steward of his house to giue vnto vs that meat which he most of all knoweth wee stand in neede and then we shall heare him speake as though he were in our bosome 1. Cor. 14.22 and the secrets of our hearts shall bee made manifest not that he knoweth what is within vs but the Lord knoweth whose minister he is for our good and the holy Ghost dooth which accompanieth Gods ordinance and in the word doth which is preached Heb. 4.12.13 For the word of God is liuelie and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sworde and entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of he ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto is eyes with whom we haue to doe And that we might the rather be perswaded that wee ought thus in the feeling of our wants praye vnto God wee must remember that wee cannot so much as vnderstand the word vnlesse Gods spirit doe teach vs Ephes 5.8 For wee are darkenes it selfe And the naturall man perceiueth not things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spirituallie discerned and besides the word of God is high and there are many mysteries contained in it and a wisedome that is hid which many princes of this world doe not know Vers 7.8 as it in the same chapter and all the articles of our faith are aboue our reason nay we account them foolishnes Therefore both in the inward seeing of our own blindnes and in a reuerent estimation of Gods holy word we had neede pray for the inlightening of his holy spirit which searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God Vers 10.11 and no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God as it is most liuely set forth vnto vs in this very chapter And so let vs praye with the Prophet in the 119. Psalme in a great many places O Lord teach me thy statutes and open mine eyes that I might see the wonders of thy law and make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts and teach mee good iudgement and knowledge and giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements 16. and deale with thy seruant according to thy mercie and teach me thy statutes And when wee doe vnderstand thorow the blessing of God obtained by prayer we must pray further that our affections might be framed according to our knowledge which we had need to doe so much the more because it is harder then the other and yet our affections doe more ouercome vs then our knowledge in so much that wee doe not many times that we know to be best but which wee like best and so at some other time fo the daye wee must praye that these things might be called into our remēbrance and that we might be transformed into not onely the knowledge but obedience of them which is the end of all and generallie that the fruite of all things might appeare in our liues to our owne vnspeakeable comfort the benefite of others and Gods glorie most of all which without the especiall assistance of his holie spirite wee cannot obtaine by the most excellent giftes and most painefull endeauors of his best seruants 2 Cor. 3.5 For who is Paul and who is Apollo but the ministers by whom yee beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euery man I haue planted Appolos watered but God gaue the increase so then neither is hee that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giueth the increase saith the Apostle Therefore as the Ministers pray much for his people if euer hee will doe any to them euen as it is said of the prince of pastours Luke 21.37 Marc. 14.23 that in the day time hee taught in the temple and at night went vp into the mountaine to praye so the people must pray much more for the ministers and themselues both before and after both that they might bee prepared obtaine and continue in that good which they haue gotten Many doe wrongfully complaine that their minister is vnprofitable vnto them hee dooth them no good they cannot conceaue him I doe not say but that the complaintes of some are iust yet let them consider whether some great part of the fault be not in themsleues We ought to read the Scriptures priuatly at home namely the want of prayer before and their negligence afterward vnto priuat prayer must be adioyned priuat reading of the Scriptures at such times of the daye as they shall finde it most conuenient both that they might generally bee acquainted with the bodie of the Scripture and also that they might haue some more speciall vse of certaine partes as they shall stand in neede either to bee confirmed in any poynte of doctrine publikely taught or might thereby receiue any speciall comfort humiliation or increase of such graces as they labour most for or might be quickened vp vnto prayer And hereunto may bee referred that saying of Theophylacte Theoph. in Marc. 1.21 The lawe hath commanded men to rest vpon the Sabbath vt lectioni vacent homines that men might attend vpon reading which is true not onely of the publike reading in the Church especially but also of priuate reading at home For so it is that in most places the people doe heare the scriptures seldome in the Church and then but certaine portions of them and not the whole worde reade ouer whereby it commeth to passe that they are vtterlie ignorant in and neuer so much as haue hard before of many textes that are alleaged in the sermons for proofe of any doctrine whereby they are not onely not furthered but hindered wondering at such strange and seldome hard things so the thing is more obscure vnto them thē it was before being proued by that which they vnderstand not Nay the cōmon stories of the bible they are
that he blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it and that in it God rested from all his worke which he made to teach vs assuredly that this Commandement of the Sabbath * P. Martir in Gen. 2. was no more then first giuen when it was pronounced from heauen by the Lord then any other the Morall precepts nay that it hath so much antiquitie as the seuenth day hath being for so soone as the day was so soone was it sanctified that wee might know Rulling in Rom. 4.5 that as it came in with the first man so it must not goe out but with the last man and as it was in the beginning of the world so it must continue to the ending of the same and as the first seuenth day was sanctified so must the last be and as God bestowed this blessing vpon it in the most perfecte estate of man so must it be reserued with it till he be restored to his perfection againe The Church of God did keepe the Sabbath from the beginning before it was pronounced vpon Mount Sinai And we shall be so much the rather perswaded of this if we consider how the Church of God vpon the consideration of the first institution of the Sabbath did retaine by tradition the true knowledge and practise of this Commandement as well as any other part of the word from Adam vnto the comming of the Israelites into the wildernesse passing ouer the red sea from out of Egypt before the giuing of the law as appeareth in Exodus when Moses exhorting them vpon this new occasion of gathering and preparing Manna to the sanctifying of the Sabbath still notwithstanding that as they had done before and therefore to rest now from both saying Bake that to day which you will bake Exod. 16.23 and seeth that which you will seeth and all that remaineth lay it vp to be kept till the morning for you first speaketh of the Sabbath immediatlie following as of a knowne thing vnto them in the former part of the verse to morowe is the rest of the holie Sabbath vnto the Lord vpon which bare notice of the Sabbath next ensuing hee could not haue so forcibly required the â—â—sting from worke if it had not been a thing that they â—ere long acquainted with Besides in this same place he perswadeth them vnto â—t with the same reason that the Lord vseth in promulgating of it and almost in the same wordes sauing that that which is there generally spokeÌ„ is here applyed to the particular occasion Sixe dayes shall you gather it verse 26. but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath to shew vs also that they knew the equitie of this commandement from the beginning Moreouer when some did breake this commandement so reasonable so well knowne in seeking for Manna Moses reprouing them at the worde of the Lord sayth in the words following verse 29. Behold how the Lord hath giuen you the Sabbath speaking of the time past therefore he giueth the sixt day bread for two daies tarrie therefore euery man in his place Last of all Moses testifieth of the people in the 30. verse Tremelius Iunius that afterward they rested euery Sabbath as some doe reade it and as yet the law was not giuen And therefore vnder correction I thinke it not true that is auouched by a learned man when hee saith Conuinci non potest Muscul loc com praecept 4. c. It cannot be proued that the Sabbath or rest of the seuenth day was kept before the giuing of the law either from Adam before the floud vnto Noah or after the floud vnto Moses or of Abraham and his posteritie For as a learned and ancient father and Bishop saith Iam hîc ab initio c. Here now euen from the beginning God hath insinuated this doctrine vnto vs teaceing vs In circulo hebdomadis dieÌ„ vnuÌ„ Chrysost in Gen. 2. Homil. 18. that in the â—oÌ„passe of a weeke one whole day is to be put apart for a â—pirituall rest vnto God Vnto all which may be added â—â—at for proofe that this commandement is naturall morall and perpetuall that I say may bee added which was practised among the Gentiles and all the heathen concerning the keeping holy of certaine dayes though altogether ignorant of the lawe of Moses The Gentiles by the light of nature kept some daies holy for though it was so that they knew not the institution of the seuenth day much lesse did they keepe it yet some daies by a common consent they seuered from their worldly affaires and dedicated them to the seruice of their Gods nay though they did altogether so hate the onely true holy day that neither would they obserue it themselues and also mocked the Iewes for obseruing it Iere. Lament 3.7 yet of themselues they erected other dayes which they appointed to a holy and religious vse which euidently declareth that the lawe of the Sabboth was so deeply grauen in the hart of man at the first by God himselfe that howsoeuer the print of it was by the fall of Adam and by sin growing in the posteritie was I say greatly mangled and defaced so that it could not be read yet it was not so wholly raced out but that some deformed scratches and is it were scarres of it did appeare And therefore though they could not attaine to the knowledge of the day much lesse the true maner of sanctifying it without the word yet that there should be a day differing from other in vse sequestred from the common affaires of the world and consecrated to the worship of God this was that which did shew it selfe to them whether they would or no. Herein therefore I agree with the Schooleman who sayth Thom. Aquin. 2 a. 2 ae quaest 122. art 4. That the commandement of sanctifiyng the Sabbath is partly morall morall in as much as a man doth appoint a certaine time of his life to attend vpon heauenly things for there is a naturall inclination in man to depute a certaine time for euery necessary thing as for the receiving of his meate for sleepe and for other such things and therefore he doth according to the direction of naturall reason appoint a certaine time for his spirituall refreshing wherby his soule is refreshed in God And as in the secoÌ„d commandement though they knew not the true seruice of God as being without his word yet that hee should some wayes outwardly beworshipped they were fully assured as apâ—eareth by their superstition and Idolatrie So the very â—ay that God had blessed to this ende they vnderstood not neither could doe without the lawe yet that there â—ought to be some day they held vndoubtedly as appeareth by their practise when they had sanctified so many daies to themselues And that this Sabbath day The Gospell hath not taken away the obseruation of the Sabbath which hath that commendation of antiquitie and consent which wee haue heard ought to
by his word and by his works and therefore made him but am Idoll they by their practise in obseruing that seuenth day did shewe that they did know him aright and so made him knowne vnto others the glorie of which worke had beene obscured and darkened if they had changed the number of that day which the Lord in wisedome left to his Church to bee obserucd in the policie and discipline of it when hee might haue appointed some other that so the benefit of our creation might alwaies with praise be remembred in the Church according as it is said in the words of the commaundement In sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth Exod. 20.11 the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it which in the verse going before hee calleth the seuenth day Thus we learne that God did not onely blesse it but blesse it for this cause and so wee see that the Sabbath must needs be still vpon the seuenth day as it alwaies hath beene But now concerning this very speciall seuenth day Why we keep another seuenth day and not that which was from the beginning that now we keepe in the time of the Gospell that is well knowne that it is not the same it was from the beginning which God himselfe did sanctifie and whereof hee speaketh in this Commandement for it was the day going before ours which in latine retaineth his ancient name and is called the Sabbath which we also grant Dies Sabbathi but so that we confesse it must alwaies remaine neuer to be changed any more and that all men must keepe holy this seuenth day and none other which was vnto them not the seuenth but the first day of the weeke as it is so called many times in the new Testament and so it still standeth in force that we are bound vnto the seuenth day though not vnto that very seuenth Concerning the time and persons by whom and when the day was changed it appeareth in the new Testament that it was done in the time of the Apostles by the Apostles themselues and that together with the day the name was changed and was in the beginning called the first day of the weeke afterwards the Lords day It was changed in the Apostles time Acts 20.7 Now that it was changed in the Apostles time it appeareth by that which we reade in the Acts. The first day of the weeke the disciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued the preaching vnto midnight In which Scripture we see that now at this time the Churches in some places vsed to haue their publique assemblies vpon this day and that all the parts of Gods worship proper to the Sabbath were exercised vpon this day as the preaching of the word receiuing the sacraments and common prayer and that the Apostles consented to the practise of this for Paul preached at this generall meeting And it appeareth by the circumstance of the story that this was then ordinarie though not in all places at the first for this meeting was not vpon this speciall presence of Paul for hee had taryed there now seuen dayes in all but they met to receiue the sacrament as it may bee gathered that it was an vsuall thing in the Church to receiue it euery sabbath and vpon this occasion Paul preached and because hee was to depart on the next daye and so they knew not when they should heare him againe therefore hee continued preaching so long as hee did Vnto which may be adioyned that which he writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 16.2 Euery first daye of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come where he willeth them to do that vpon this day which is most agreeable to the sabbath Namely to gather for the poore which is the fittest day for that purpose and therefore no doubt chosen out by the Apostle both for that reason he alleageth that the weeke being ended and a man seeing how God hath blessed him in it hee might accordingly extend his liberalitie and chiefly because it ought to be then when wen heare the word that by it they might be most of all stirred vp vnto it and are made partakers of the Sacraments and prayers of the Church and so thereby receiue most mercies at Gods hand that out of their abundance they might supply the necessitie of others Seeing then in the wisedome of the spirite it seemed good vnto the Apostle that there should bee a common gathering among the Corinthians as well as among others for the persecuted Saints we must needes presume of him that hee did chuse out the fittest time to further so waightie a matter and wee haue heard that that is the most conuenient time when the Church being met together they are ocupied in so many parts of Gods seruice which might moue their hearts to greatest pity and liberalitie and seeing hee appointeth this collection to be made the first day of the week we may be most assured that this day was allotted out vnto all the forenamed things among them also though they bee not here specefied in expresse words especially when wee haue the like alreadie in the place of the Acts aboue mentioned And vnto this practise of theirs the Apostle consenteth and as it were giueth his voice for hee willeth them to doe it vpon the day All which doe shewe at least wise thus much that this alteration and change was made in the time of the Apostles and while they liued the Sabbath day of the Iewes by little and little wearing away with the rest of the Iewish worship Neither could so great a matter be done all at once anl generally be practised in euery Church together seeing the Magistrates were not then Christians and so they could not haue the help of ciuill authoritie for the establishing of this constitution by lawe compelling all men thereunto but as the Gospell did enlarge it selfe further spread abroad men did willingly giue their names vnto it so they did consent vnto this exchange as vnto other decrees of the Church M. Fox in Apoc 1.10 Vnto this agree all the learned Master Foxe that worthie historiographer and diuine as hee alleadgeth it out of Saint Augustine sayth Hereby wee doe vnderstand that the first institution of the Lords day Vel ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus c. Is deriued euen from the very Apostles time vnto vs. Sozom. eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 8. Therefore whereas Sozomene in his ecclesiasticall historie reporteth that the first Christian Emperour Constantine the great did by law establish the Lords day which was of the Gentiles called Sunday as he saith Master Bullinger saith it is to be vnderstood that he Bulling in Apoc concio 4.
day wherein the redemption and the second and the newe world was ended Euen as not only Iustine Martyr doth ioyne both these together when hee sheweth that in his time the Church did publikely meet vpon this day Iustin. Mart. Apolog. 2. doth because it was the first day wherin God beganne to make the world and also because vpon that day Iesus Christ our Sauiour did rise froÌ„ the dead but also Saint Augustine speaking many excellent things in the commendation of this day August de teÌ„p serm 251. ioyneth these together It is apparant that this day is famous in the scriptures seeing it was the first day of the world and the day of Christs resurrection And so the memory of the one doth not put out the glory of the other but being added vnto it as a further honour doth increase the dignitie of it so much the more euen as Iacob was more renowmed of God when he was also called Israell Gen. 32.28 Thus we doe conclude this matter in one word that this very day which the Church obserueth in all places is that which must endure to the end of the world as hauing his authoritie not from man but from God himselfe and is that very day which is now commended vnto vs in the commandement And now all these things being thus premised which of necessitie must first haue beene spoken of the order and time and my purpose requireth that I should according to your expectation proceede in the wordes of the coÌ„mandement it selfe as it was first pronounced by the Lord froÌ„ heaueÌ„ after written by Moses in the 20. chap. of Exodus ver 8. Diuision of the text into the commandement and the reasons of it Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy c. to the ende of the 11. verse In all which words we haue two principall things to consider of the first is the commandement it selfe in the 8. verse the other is the reasons which are vsed to persuade men vnto the obedience of it in the other three verses Concerning the commandement it selfe as it consisteth of two wordes as it were so in the true vnderstanding of them two consisteth the whole meaning of the commandment The first is the Sabbath day or day of rest which wee are willed to remember the second is the sanctification of the Sabbaâ—h or keeping holy the day of rest which we are willed to be carefull of The Sabbath day As by it is noted out one speciall day namely the seuenth as it is afterwards declared The seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God yet because it hath the name of the nature of it for it is so called because of the rest that is proper vnto it it doth shew vnto vs The first thing in the commaÌ„dement is to rest vpon the seuenth day what is the first thing required in this commandement namely that vpon the seuenth day we should rest for the Sabbath day in the first tongue wherein it was pronounced and written signifieth as much as the day of rest yet so as that in the beginning it was the proper name of the seuenth day because there were no other dayes of rest appointed by God but onely that But afterwardes when the Lorde gaue vnto the Iewes the ceremoniall law hee appointed also vnto them certaine other daies in the yeare as appeareth in the bookes of Moses and is well knowne vnto men in which he commanded them to rest and to keepe them holy therefore they hauing the nature of the first and onely Sabbath are called in the scriptures Sabbath daies as the yearely day of purifiyng and clensing the people as it is set downe in Leuiticus Leuit. 13.31 is called a Sabbath because that in it they were commanded to doe as vpon the Sabbath according as it is written The tenth day of the seuenth month you shall humble your soules and doe no worke at all this shall bee a Sabbath of Rest vnto you And so the first and last day of euery other feast had the same name because it was of the same nature whereunto the Apostle hath respect Colos 2.16 Let no man therefore condenme you in meate and drink or in respect of an holyday or of the newe Moone of the Sabbaths speaking of many in the plural number where hee proueth that Christ hath set vs free from all the ceremonies of the Iewes and that they are in no wise to be a dioyned vnto the Gospell in so much that we are not bound to that distinction of meates and daies that they were no not of the Sabbath daies neither to keepe that one which we do in that manner and to that end that they did in euery point neither to keepe the other Sabbath dayes at all which they had Thus generally the name of Sabbath was giuen vnto euery day of rest but principall and in it owne nature it noted out that Sabbath day which was the seuenth and more improperly by a tropicall speech that was made common to all the other But yet so as that alwaies the name did declare the nature of it and doth shewe vnto as that the Lords requireth of vs that vpon that day wee should rest indeede For though it bee not alwaies true among men who may be deceiued that the things which they name haue those properties in them which their names doe import as when Dauid named his sonne Absalom he was nothing lesse then his fathers peace yet when the lord giueth names vnto things who fully knoweth what is the nature of euery thing and maketh it to bee that which hee calleth it it is alwaies true that the name is not frustrate and idle making a shewe of more then the thing can affoord and therefore as when he named the child that should be borne of the Virgin Mary Iesus he made him a Sauiour indeede according to his name so when he called the seuenth day a Sabbath day he willed and commanded that men shoul rest vpon it and that men can no more take away rest from it then they may alter and change the name of it And that there ought to be a most notable and singular rest vpon this day A very exact and precise rest must then be kept and that it should be nothing els but a day of rest and though men may rest vpon the other sixe daies for their benefite and good yet that the rest vpon this must be a most carefull exact and precise rest after an other manner then men for the most part doe performe it appeareth very plainly in the scripture where besides the manifold Commandements of keeping the Sabbath which is a day of rest this very thing is so particularly and so often and in such expresse words vrged and repeated that men should then rest As Exod. 16. Exod. 16.23 when he would perswade the people to rest vpon the seuenth day from gathering and preparing Manna he telleth them
altogether abhorred of the greatest part of the worlde that they will not so much as haue a purpose once to meddle with it yea and many that doe make a profession to serue God in the other parts of his worship and that as wee are to presume of them in a good measure of trueth yet haue an euill opinion of this and so bereaue themselues of much profit For they purposing to passe away their time in as much mirth as may bee and hauing determined to abandon all sorrowe 2. Cor. 7.9.10 yea though some be godly and necessarie as far from them as they can will not thus straightly deale with themselues least it should make them melancholie as they say and driue them into their dumps And left happily at any time they might through Gods mercy towards them vnwittingly fall as it were into this meditation they wil cut off al the meanes that might procure it and therefore be in merry company as they call it continually that they might not so much as be alone at any time and if perhaps they be and so this ouercreepe them the Lord seeking by all meanes possible to doe them good then fearefully they hasten out of it as fast as may be and for that purpose some that are of great calling are contented to maintaine at their charges one or other in their houses that can best feed their humor to be merrie companions or rather iesters vnto them to pull them away from this good though they will not be at halfe the cost yearely in making prouision for some godly bookes and learned preachers when they haue none of their owne that might bring them to the best mirth and might shewe them wherein the greatest ioye and soundest comfort doth consist euen that that would endure with them when all other shall forsake them and most of all accuse them But that we might be persuaded of the excellēcy of it The great good that may redound vnto vs by godly meditation let vs heare what the spirit of wisdom iudgment speaks of it First of all the Lord commandeth Ioshua that vnto the reading of the lawe he would ioyne meditation as an especiall meanes to keepe him in the continuall practise of it Iosh 1.8 saying Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein Then the Prophet Dauid in the first Psalme maketh it an especiall token of a godly man and also commendeth it as a most singular meanes of his godlines vnto euerlasting life Psalm 1.2.3 when he sayth Blessed is hee whose delight is in the lawe of the Lorde and in his law doth meditate day and night for he shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that shall bring foorth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade for whatsoeuer hee shall doe shall prosper More ouer is wee looke but vnto the 119. Psalme and so content our selues with that wee shall see howe many times the man of God commendeth this vnto vs when first of all in the 15. verse he speaketh thus I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes and 23. Princes did sit and speake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes and 78. Let the proud bee ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsly with me but I meditate in thy precepts But aboue all that is most notable which is in the 13. part of that Psalme where with I will end Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually where wee may plainly see what is the iudgement of the scriptures concerning this thing which doe so often and so highly cōmend the continuall meditation of the word And it is to bee obserued that this may and ought to be continuall that is vey often for when wee lacke oportunitie to reade and heare the word yet then may we meditate vpō some thing profitablie which that we might doe let vs remember what great things the Prophet speaketh of it in the verse following which he found true by his owne experience Psal 119. part 15. I haue had more vnderstanding sayth hee then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation Wherein he doth assure vs that if we will meditate vpon those generall rules which wee haue heard out of Gods worde wee shall many times see more cleerely into the trueth of it then he that preacheth it at least wise more then he expressed vnto vs for by the spirite of God we shal be taught to apply it mote particularly to our selues then he did or could because wee are most priuie vnto our owne estates For as in all liberall Arts and Sciences nothing can be taught so plainly vnto which the scholler by meditation reasoning about it shall not be able to adde something and without the which the easiest teaching shall seeme somewhat hard so is it in Diuinitie that by Gods holie spirit vsing earnest and diligent meditation in the scripture wee shall most easily perceiue how to applie that to our own practise which hath been publikely taught and none can teach vs to haue so many sundrie vses of it in our lives and conuersation as our selues when wee giue our selues to the profitable meditation of it Without the which all that we reade and heare is but in a generall and confused knowledge How vnprofitable men are to themselues and others for want of meditation wee haue little comfort or edification thereby especially seeing Gods blessing is vpon his owne ordinance and his curse is vpon the neglect of the same This maketh great hearers and great readers to bee vnprofitable to themselues and others because for want of meditation they knowe not how to vse their knowledge thereupon it commeth to passe that many preachers can say no more then they finde in their bookes and therefore they tosse ouer so many Commentaries as they doe that they might haue matter enough and so can go no further because without meditation all reading is vaine whereas it would minister aboundant matter vnto their former readings Besides that they bring themselues into a bondage to beleeue that whatsoeuer their writer sayes because they do not meditate vpon it and they hinder their memories because they trust all to their bookes so that if they haue time sufficient and store of bookes they are able to speake with great admiration to the profite of the hearers and yet of the same matters can scarsely speake to a priuat man vpon the sudden tolerably to his ecdification and comfort because he hath but spoken it of the booke as it were and not laboured to make it his owne by meditation and thereby to finde out how he might apply it to his owne vse and the benefit of others And this thing is so much the more daungerous because it hath infected also many of the best students in
way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp In both which places although he doth lay this onely vpon the fathers and children by name yet his purpose is not so to restraine it vnto thē as though others might think themselues free from it especially seeing it is made generall in other places of the scripture but because they are vsually together in one familie he sheweth in their persons what should bee the talke of men in their common meetings as also because by this meanes the feare and seruice of God might bee planted in their ofspring being conueyned as it were by hand from father to son he declareth in them what should be the exercises of all sortes of men that religion might not dye with themselues but might bee established with their posteritie The Prophet speaketh more generally of it in the Psalm With my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth confessing thus much of himselfe Psal 119. part 2. that he vsed to speake of the word of God to others not thereby commending himself vnto men but as the Prophet of God shewing in his owne person what should be the exercise of all the faithfull For when as he had sayd in the former verse that he diligētly sought the Lord in his word wherein especially he is to be found and therefore gaue himselfe to the reading and hearing of it and in both he prayed to him for the direction of his holie spirit that he might not wander from the true meaning and practise of it and that which had thus learned by the blessing of Gods spirit he layd vp in his heart then he sayth He talked of it with others for their benefite and his owne further good And indeede the Prophet Malachie noteth out the godly in his time by this marke that they conferred one with another of the scripture which they had heard whō he thus writeth Malac. 3.16 Then spake they that feared the Lord euery one to his neighbour c. where though it be not precisely named of what they conferred yet in the context and words of the Prophet it is easily gathered For wheras hee prophecieth of the preaching of the Gospell by Iohn the Baptist and our Sauiour Christ wherein saluation is offered to the obedient and destruction threatned to the rebellious the Prophet setteth downe what was the fruite of this preaching namely that the vngodly made a mocke of it whose words are first of al set down and reproued vers 13. Your words haue been stout against me sayth the Lord of hosts c. Afterwards hee declareth what was wrought in the godly namely that they conferred of those things diligently among themselues both of the iudgements denounced that fearing they might auoyd them and of the promises that beleeuing them they might comforted ouer them incourage themselues to waite vpon God for the accomplishment of them Which we know to be so not only by the opposition of them and the wicked whose words must needs bee contrarie but especially for that which followeth where it is sayd that the Lord listened to their conference that is allowed of it and promised to blesse them for it vers 16 And the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought vpon his name 17. And they shal be to me sayth the Lord of hosts in that day that I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Thus we may easily perceiue that it is the duetie of all the true worshippers of God to conferre of his worde which as they ought to doe at other times so most of all Especially vpon the Lords day when they haue lately heard it and so thereby haue some greater occasion to doe it and are thereby as it were the rather prouoked vnto it if they will not doe it then it is to be feared that at other times they will more neglect it and if whensoeuer we heare the word wee ought to talke of it vnlesse we will lose a great part of the fruite of it thē most of all vpon the Sabbath when we haue the word after an especiall manner and besides haue ceased to talke of other worldly matters that wee might attend vpon this the better And this is the chiefe cause why we should leaue talking of worldly maters that neither our mouthes nor eares being filled with them wee might haue all the partes of soule and body taken vp with the seruice of God euen our mouths with speaking of it our eares with listning vnto the worde of God Which as it is a thing of rare profit so it is smally practised of men for how fewe shall you finde that will vpon the Sabbath prouoke themselues Which yet in greatly neglected and stirre vp others to speake of that which they haue heard or that will either offer any occasion of such speech vnto others or take it when it is offered by them Nay wee shall finde that our nature is so wholly corrupt in this thing that wee had rather speake of and listen vnto the things of the world many houres then vnto heauenly things the least moment of time yea euen vpon the Lordes day in so much that some haue tounge at will and words enough till their mouth runne ouer and you shall neuer finde them but they will haue something to say so long as you talke not onely of the lawfull commodities and pleasures of this life but of vaine and friuolous matters yea let any begin to speake of any part of Gods worship then they will either interrupt it by returning to their old matters vnlesse some be as constant in pursuing of it as they will be obstinate in crossing it or else they are sodainely striken into their dumpes and haue not a word to say Psal 19. part 2. The Prophet in the forenamed place first sayth I haue hid thy promise in my heart What is the cause that there is no more talke and conferēce about the word of God that I might not sinne against thee and then addeth with my lips haue I declared all the iudgment of thy mouth By ioyning of which two together in this order he telleth vs that if we wil speak profitably vnto others we must first haue the word within vs that not lightly sloating in our braine but deeply setled and hidden in our hearts Whereunto agreeth that exhortation which the Apostle maketh vnto the whole Church of God at Colossa Colos 30.16 Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plentuously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your selues mutuallie in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songes In which as hee willeth them to conferre of the scriptures to the profit one another so be sheweth them how they shall come vnto it euen that they are filled with it before hand without which a
admit no conference with their people at all whereupon many of Gods people are driuen to omit this part of Gods seruice whether they will or no to their owne great hinderance But to make an end of this matter we haue seene that it is the duetie of all men to conferre one with another and therefore no man can say I would faine doe it but I haue none that will conferre with me for hee may finde our some one or other that will ioyne with him in it and if not in that manner that hee desireth yet let him begin and it may bee that he may prouoke some that were vnwilling before and if not that if yet he shall finde that the very vttering of that which was taught before with his mouth vnto others shall be a singular helpe to confirme himselfe in it neither let any be so vntowarde Which they may doe though they can say but I or no or aske a question as altogether to drawe backe because they cannot speake so fruitfully of the word as they desire and it may bee they see some others before them doe For if they doe but listen diligently vnto that which is spoken in a desire to learne and will but giue their consent vnto it and seeme to like of it saying I or no they shall draw on the speaker and so continue that conference which may be profitable to them both which I knowe by experience the Lord hath so blessed in some that he hath nowe rewarded their obedience in the kingdome of heauen And we must remember that the Communion of Saints consisteth as well in receiuing as giuing euen in receiuing good from others as wel as in doing it vnto thē And therefore as wee must alwaies carrie about with vs these mindes that our desire is to further our selues or others in godlines so we may be assured wee haue spent the time well when wee haue attayned vnto either of both For as a Prophet must goe in the name of a Prophet to doe the dutie of a Prophet Math. 10.41 so the people that receiue him in the name of a Prophet that is to heare his doctrine to be made partakers of his prayer and to profit by both shall not lose their reward For this cause the Apostle writing to the Romaines sayth Rom. 1.11 He was desirous to come among them for the common good of both saying For I long to see you that I might bestowe among you some spirituall gift to strengthen you 11. that is that I might he comforted together with you through our mutuall faith both yours and mine Thus wee haue seene how we ought to meditate and conferre about the scriptures But wee must further know that though our meditations and conferences must alwaies be kept within the compasse of the worde least they bee wandring and so not onely friuolous and vaine but wicked and vngodly yet they are not so tyed vnto that but wee both may and ought fruitfully to meditate vpon and soberly to conferre about the workes of God that so wee might bee taught not onely by the worde but also by experience seeing that the inuisible things of God are seene by the creation and gouernement of the worlde Rom. 1.20 being considered in his workes We ought to meditate vpon and conferre about the works of God by which he manifesteth himselfe vnto vs. Which without the word I confesse is so litle because of our blindnes that it doth but leaue vs without excuse as the Apostle sayth in the same verse yet being holpen by the benefit of the worde as the dim sight of an olde man is holpen by the benefit of a paire of spectacles we are guided aright and see more cleerely into euery thing thereby especially when we are gouerned by Gods spirite herein For then we shall perceiue the infinite wisedome of God his great mercy and power his iustice and trueth c. which are so plentifully spoken of in the scripture not onely by his iudgements vpon the wicked and his benefites bestowed vpon his children in our owne times and in the dayes of our forefathers but also in all other the dumme and insensible creatures euen in the day and in the night winter and summer heate and cold c. whereby hee doth exercise his iudgements vpon the one or hee brings his blessings vpon the other Euen as the same Apostle testifieth vnto the mē of Lystra saying That God which made heauen and earth the sea Acts. 14.15 and all things that in them are in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies neuerthelesse hee left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnes For by those thinges they might haue seene how he in great wisedome and mercy gouerneth the world for their good so that thereby they shuld haue beene made more carefull to serue him which because they did not they were left without excuse and had nothing to say for themselues before Gods iudgement seate for the things should witnes against them and by the testimonie of their owne conscience they should confesse that the Lorde had by all his creatures sensibly allured and prouoked them to good And if the heathen were iustly condemned because they did not so profite by the view of the worlde as they should how much more shall we be without all shewe of excuse that we doe not labour to behold the inuisible things of God in his works euen his wisedome goodnes and truth and so forth which are so apparant in them and as it were written in great capitall letters to bee reade of the whole world seeing vnto them we haue the light of his word adioyned to helpe the blindnes of our eyes in this behalfe Psalm 92. That Psalme which was specially made to he sung vpon the Sabbath daye as appeareth by the title of it doth sufficiently declare how we ought then to be occupied in meditating vpon Gods goodnes and praysing him for it yea how wee ought to conferre and talke of the same And indeed this is the right vse of the creatures for which they were first made namely to set foorth the glorie of God and to serue man that hee thereby might bee made more fit to serue God therefore then doe wee vse them aright when they leade vs vnto God then are they abused when wee stay in them and so are thereby either turned away from God or at least wise kept from comming vnto him So then let vs account this one part of our duetie and seruice to Iesus Christ vpon his holie day to consider aduisedly of his workes who is now the heire of the whole world and gouerneth euery thing in it for the good of his people that he hath redeemed seeing all power is giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth that wee thereby might be more cōfirmed in
Psal 147. Sing vnto the Lord with praise Et. 147.7 sing vpon the harpe vnto our God which couereth the heauen with clowdes and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mountaines which giueth to beasts their food and to the young rauens that cry The whole Psalme is a Psalm of praise vnto God for that he watcheth ouer his Church by his especiall prouidence to doe it good and declareth the same to if and to none other by his word And therefore sayth that the Lord will helpe it by his infinit wisedome when it is confounded in it selfe and knowes not what to doe and by his omnipotent power will deliuer it when it is most weake in it selfe which he proueth in these verses that wee haue seene by the wise and mercifull prouidence of God ouer his creatures as if hee had sayd God dealeth well with the creatures made for men much more will be doe good to his Church whereof he hath the greatest care He dooth good to the insensible creatures for when the earth is dried vp in the heate of Summer and gapeth as it were for extreame thirst and the toppes of the mountaines are parched and euery thing seemes withered by the rootes the Lord heareth as it were the cry of the earth prepareth raine and watereth the hilles and so changeth their hewe and maketh them greene and fresh againe then much more will he renewe the face of his Church and make it beautifull though it was deformed and fullied with extreame miserie and calamitie before Nay the Lord feedeth the beasts when they are pinched with hunger and crye for meate euen the young rauens that cry in their nests and must needes famish there if the Lord did not moue the heart of the olde one to finde out meate and bring it to them If he doe so much for them how much more shal his eares bee open to the prayers of men calling vpon him in the name of Christ Iesus according to his promise Ioh. 14.13 that whatsoeuer we aske of him in the name of his son according to his will he will grant it vnto vs. And this is part of that heauenly sermon which our Sauiour Christ maketh vnto the people in the mountaine as it is recorded by the Euangelist S. Matthew where he dehorteth them from too much carefull seeking after the things of this life by the serious meditation vpon Gods prouidence ouer them which that he might perswade them of he sheweth it them by experience in those creatures of God that were common before their eyes Matth. 6.25 Therefore I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor for your bodie what you shall put on Is not the life more worth thē meate and the bodie then rayment 26. Behold the fowles of the heauen for they sowe not neither reape nor carrie into the barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are you not much better then they 28. And why care ye for rayment Learne how the lillies of the field doe grow they labour not neither spinne 29. Yet I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his glorie was not arayed like one of these 30. Wherefore if God so clothe the grasse of the field which is to day and to morrowe cast into the ouen shall he not doe much more vnto you O ye of little faith 31. Therefore take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be clothed 32. For your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue neede of all these things 33. But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you In all which words we see how he draweth his exhortation from the creatures to teach vs that we should not bee idle and vnprofitable beholders of them but as the Lord doth most cleerely manifest himselfe vnto vs in them so wee besides the present vse of them shall open our eyes to behold that which the Lord dooth offer vnto vs by them For this cause the Lord himself after he had made the whole world in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth that by his owne example he might stirre vp mankinde to meditate vpon that wonderfull great frame and euery thing in it that he might giue the glorie vnto God that was due to him for it and serue him carefully that had so wonderfully prouided euery thing for him But I knowe not how it hath come to passe through the great corruption and blindnes that is within vs that in these things wee doe not seeke after God Act. 17.27 though by them we might haue groped after him and found him Nay a great many are like vnto the oxe and the asse who haue the vse of Gods creatures and are filled with them eating and drinking and taking their case yet neuer lift vp their mindes vnto him that sends them to that end that thereby they might inquire after him who is the author of them But contenting themselues with thar profit and pleasure they haue in them are so drowned and ouerwhelmed therewith that whereas they should be guides to direct them more surely to the Lord and glasses to them to see him more cleerely they thereby are either turned out of the way and go further from him or make them vailes before their eyes looking onely vnto them and not vnto the Lord that is in them For wee shall see men that are musing vpon their cattell and vpon their ground the whole day to be so earthly minded that they will altogether sticke fast in them and be as it were fettered vnto them so that they are not able to lift vp their mindes to any heauenly meditation from them but like beasts are still groueling vpon the earth and haue their mindes either wicked and prophane or vaine and foolish And such shall be their communication of them either finding fault at the workes of the Lord or scoffing at them or fondly iangling about them or after a meere worldly manner speaking of them which plainly sheweth how barren they are within of any profit they reape by them And if it be not so what is the meaning of these and such like speeches that are so rife in the mouthes of men Here is a deare yeare it is an hard winter this is a sore frost here is a great drought this raine is like to make a floud c. because I will not so much as name the irreligious speeches of the Atheists which when they haue vnaduisedly cast forth then they can say no more Whereas they should in these things see the iudgements of God against sinne that they might bee drawne to repentance euen as in the rest of his dealings they should behold his mercies that they might bee encouraged to serue him and so speake of them that they might make these things knowne vnto others The meditation of