of his worship But the Sabboth of the new Testament though it be a necessarie time of Gods worship yet it is not a part thereof If it be said that it is commanded therfore 〈◊〉 must needs be a part of Gods worship I answer It is commanded not as Gods worship for substance but in respect of the duties of the worship that are to be kept and performed in it And hence it is manifest that in regard of Gods worship there is no difference of daies in the new Testament but in regard of order Thirdly they obiect that Paul kept the Iewes Sabboth as well as the Lords day For he and Barnabas came to Antiochia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabboth day Act. 13. 14. And againe he and Timothie conuerted Lydia vpon the same day Act. 16. 13. Ans. The Apostle did this vpon very good ground not because he held the obseruation of it as necessarie as the other but in regard of the weaknes of the Gentiles and Iewes newly called For the Church that consisted of such persons in those daies was not yet fully perswaded and resolued of the abrogation of thâ—â—e wish Sabboth and therfore for the time he yeelded to their weaknes and obserued it as well as the other But afterward when they were confirmed in that point he forbare that libertie taught the full abolishment both of it and other Ceremonies Fourthly Act. 18. 3 4. Paul is said to come to Corinth to Aquila and Priscilla and to worke with them in their trade of tent-making and further it is said that he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabboth day that is on the Iewes Sabboths and exherted the Iewes and Grecians Hence it is gathered by some that Paul did onely keepe the Sabboth of the Iewes and that both on the Lords day and on the weeke daies he wrought with Aquila and Priscilla Ans. First we must remember this Rule That Charitie and Necessitie doe dispense with the Sabboth and with Ceremonies If a Towne should be on fire or if a Citie or countrey should be presently assaulted by the enemie in the time of the word preached on the Sabboth day the preaching of the word in these cases must cease for a time till by conuenient helpe the fire be quenched and the enemie be taken or driuen backe Now whereas Paul in the ordinarie daies of the weeke made tents and on the seauenth too not obseruing it but the Iewes Sabboth we must know that he did it vpon necessitie for the saluation of the Iewes For Priscilla and Aquila were Iewes vnconuerted and Christ was not yet reuealed vnto them And if Paul had but once named Christ he could haue done no good among them Yet afterward when he saw better opportunitie at the comming of Silas and Timotheus from Macedonia then he could no longer containe himselfe but burned in the spirit and testified to the Iewes that Iesus was the Christ vers 5. Now if there was cause why he did not speake of Christ for the time then was there cause also why he did not make profession of a Sabboth Secondly I answer though Paul did not then openly sanctifie the Sabboth yet it is to be supposed that he kept it priuately by himselfe reseruing some speciall time for that purpose and the contrarie cannot be shewed The Second Question touching the Sabboth How the Sabboth of the New Testament is to be obserued Ans. In obseruing a Sabboth of the new Testament there are two things required a Rest and a Sanctification of the same rest to an holy vse This Answer is made out of the very substance of the fourth Commandement which is morall and hath nothing ceremoniall in it And the fourth Commandement for substance consists in a ceasing froÌ„ labour and a holy dedication of our rest to holy vse that is to the worship and seruice of God Sect. 1. Now touching the first point the Rest of the Sabboth there are three seuerall Opinions whereof two are contrarie and the third is a meane betweene both The first Opinion is that we are bound as strictly to keepe the outward rest of the Lords day as the Iewes were to keepe the Sabboth and sundrie men are of this minde But I take it this opinion is not warrantable For as we said before the Iewish manner of keeping the Sabboth in straitnes is a Ceremonie And if we be bound to keepe it as straitly as the Iewes did then Iudaisme must still remaine and the ceremoniall Law at least in some part must still be in force But in fauour of this opinion it is alleadged First that the fourth Commandement is a Law giuen as well to ChristiaÌ„s as to Iewes and therefore it binds both alike Ans. The fourth Commandement bindeth Christians to keepe a seauenth day for the Sabboth both in respect of Rest as also in regard of Sanctification thereof but that it bindeth them to the same strait manner of keeping the rest as it did the Iewes we vtterly denie Secondly That the reasons vsed to inforc the Commandement doe equally binde all therefore the Commandement it selfe Ans. It is true for the dutie commanded but not for the manner of performance Againe the reason alleadged doth not follow for sometimes the holy Ghost vseth a reason that is perpetuall to inforce a Ceremonie That Levi should haue no part nor inheritance amoÌ„g his brethren was a Ceremonie commanded by God and yet the Lord inforceth it with a reason that was perpetuall namely because himselfe was the part and inheritance of Levi among the children of Israel Numb 18. 20. Thirdly that the Sabboth is a signe to beleeuers in the new Testament that God is their God and they his people and the same it was to the Iewes therefore the bond is as strict to the one as to the other Ans. 1. Beleeuers vnder the Gospel haue two onely signes of the Couenant Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more 2. The Scripture restraineth the Sabboth as a signe onely to the Iewes It is a signe betweene me and you in your generations Exod. 31. 13. Againe v. 16. the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabboth for an euerlasting couenant 3. The Sabboth was not a signe in the first institution in Paradise For the Couenant of grace was made after the fall of man and the signe thereof must needes be appointed after it considering that before the fall Ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place And this is the first Opinion The second Opinion touching the Rest of the Sabboth is flat contrarie to the former namely that on the Sabboth day after the publike worship of God is ended and the Congregation dissolued men haue libertie either to giue themselues to labour or to honest pleasures and recreations This Opinion doth quite abolish one of the Commandements of the Decalogue For it presupposeth all daies to be alike this onely prouided that the publike worship of God be solemnly kept Now this may be done in any
rest a figure of the most strict spirituall rest from all sinne in thought word and deede required of cuery true beleeuer II. Againe in the Sabboth this was ceremoniall and temporarie that it was a speciall signe betweene God and his people of the blessings that were propounded promised in the Couenant Exod. 31. 13. And these were principally two First it was a signe of their sanctification to teach them that as the Lord had set apart a day of rest so he did and would sanctifie the obseruers thereof vnto himselfe by forgiuing their sinnes and receiuing them into his fauour in and by the Messias to come Secondly it was ordained by God to figure and signifie the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Of this the Prophet Esay speakes when he saith that from moneth to moneth and from Sabboth to Sabboth all flesh shall come to worship before God Esa. 66. 23. And the author to the Hebrewes There remaineth therefore a Sabbatisme or rest to the people of God Heb. 4. 9. III. Furthermore this was temporarie in the Sabboth that it was to be obserued vpon a set day namely the seauenth from the Creation and that with set rites and ceremonies So saith Moses The seauenth day is the Sabboth Deut. 5. 14. Againe On the Sabboth day ye shall offer two lambes of a yeare old without spot and two tenth deales of fine flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offering thereof and the burnt offering of euery Sabboth beside the continuall burnt offering and the drinke offering thereof Numb 28. 9 10. IV. This also was Ceremoniall that it was to be obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt Remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hand and stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to obserue the Sabboth day Deut. 5. 15. Sect. 2. Now as there were some things temporarie and Ceremoniall in the Sabboth so there are some things in it perpetuall Morall and those I take it are three especially First that there should be a day of rest in which man and beast might be refreshed after labour Secondly that this day should be sanctified that is set apart to the worship of God These two first are therefore morall because they are expressely mentioned in the Commandement touching the Sabboth Thirdly that a seauenth day should be sanctified to an holy rest and that this holy rest should be obserued in a seauenth day I say not in this or that seauenth day but in one of the seauen Now that this also is morall it appeares by these reasons First the Sabboth of the seauenth day was instituted and appointed by God in Paradise before the fall of man and the reuealing of Christ yea euen then when there was one condition of all men This is plainly set downe in Gen. 2. as also in the fourth Commandement And vpon this ground it is manifest that a Sabboth of a seauenth day cannot be a Ceremonie simply considering the ordination thereof was in time long before all Ceremonies If it be obiected that it was made a Ceremonie afterward I answer that the reason is naught For Matrimonie was ordained in Paradise and afterward made ceremoniall to signifie the spirituall vnion betweene Christ and his Church and yet Matrimonie is perpetuall and so is a Sabboth of a seauenth day If it be againe alleadged that God did then keepe a seuenth day in his owne person and afterward inioyned it to man by his commandement I answer that the institution of the Sabboth in Paradise consisted of two parts Blessing and Sanctification and the meaning of the Holy Ghost is that God did both blesse it in regard of himselfe because he kept it in his owne person and hallowed it also in regard of man by commanding it to be sanctified and kept in performance of holy duties Secondly the reasons of the fourth Commandement are generall and the equitie of them is perpetuall and they haue this ende to vrge the rest of a seauenth day Let them be considered in particular The first in these wordes Sixe daies shalt thou labour Which some take to be a permission as if God should haue said thus If I permit thee sixe thou shalt allow me a seauenth But they may be also taken for a commandement inioyning labour in the sixe daies first because they are propounded in cōmanding termes secondly because they are an exposition of the curse laid vpon Adam Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweat of thy face namely in the sixe daies and thirdly because idlenes the spoile of mankind is there forbidden This beeing so there must needes be a seauenth day not onely of rest to ease them that labour in the sixe daies but also of an holy rest that God might be worshipped in it The second reason is taken from Gods example For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth c. That which the Lord himselfe hath done in person the same must man doe by his commandement But the Lord himselfe in sixe daies laboured and rested the seauenth Therefore man must doe the same This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not done nor doth If then these reasons doe not onely inforce a rest and an holy rest but a rest on the seauenth day then this lest on the seauenth day is a part of the fourth Commandement and consequently the Church can not alter it from the Sabboth day because they can not alter the substance of that Commandement which is eternall II. Reason The Sabboth day in the new Testament in all likelihood is tied to that which we call the Lords day and that as I take it by Christ himselfe The Reasons thereof are these I. The sabboth day of the new Testament is called the Lord daie Apoc. 1. 10. Now I suppose for in these points still wee must goe by likelyhoods its called the Lords day as the last Supper of Christ is called the Lords Supper for two causes First as God rested the seauenth day after the Creation so Christ hauing ended the worke of the new creation rested on this day from his worke of redemption Secondly as Christ did substitute the last supper in roome of the passeouer so he substituted the first day of the weeke in roome of the Iewes Sabboth to be a day set apart to his owne worship II. The Church of Corinth everie first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore as we may read 1. Cor. 16. 2. and this collection for the poore in the primitiue church followed the Preaching of the word Praier and the Sacraments as a fruite therof Act. 2. 42. For these be Sabboth exercises that went alwaies together in the Apostolicall Church But it will be saide that collecting for the Saints is a matter of
day of the weeke and there will be no neede of appointing a set time for Gods seruice if all daies be equall without any difference or distinctioÌ„ But the fourth CoÌ„mandement for substance is eternall and requireth vpon paine of the curse both rest from labour and a setting apart of the same rest to the duties of holines religion And if it command abstinence from ordinarie abour then much more from pleasures and recreations The third and last Opinion holdes the meane betweene the two former extremities and that I take to be the best and safest The substance hereof consists of these two conclusions 1. That vpon the Sabboth day of the new Testament men are to rest from the ordinarie labours of their callings Thus much is commanded in the fourth commandemeÌ„t For the rest it selfe was not a ceremonie as I said before but the straight precise manner of resting Againe it is most necessarie that religion and the power thereof should be maintained amongst Gods people which cannot possibly be vnlesse men at sometimes set themselues apart vnto it The student that desires learning doth not attaine vnto knowledge vnlesse he doe daily consecrate and devote himselfe to the studie therof In like maner religion cannot be preserved and maintained in the Church except men doe whollie and continually employ themselues in the practise of the same Furthermore it is the libertie that Gods lawe giues to seruants yea and to beasts that they shall not be oppressed with labour by working on the Lords day this liberty is grouÌ„ded vpon the law of nature coÌ„mon equity Here the common sort are wont to reply and say If we must rest from the labour of our callings the whole day we shall not be able to maintaine our selues and our families To which it may be answered that they which gathered Manna onely in the sixe daies had as much as they that gathered it on the seuenth day that which they gathered the seuenth day did not remaine sweete but stanke and perished They therefore which rest on the Sabboth daie must not be distracted with needelesse cares but liue by by faith and depend vpon Gods providence for meate drinke and clothing And the labour of the calling then vsed when it is expressely forbidden by God bringeth rather a curse with it then a blessing Againe such persons must remember that Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and the life to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. and if they will first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all things necessarie shall be cast vnto them in way of aduantage Mat. 6. 33. Therefore if they keepe his commandement and rest vpon the seuenth day God will in mercy giue a blessing and they shall no lesse receiue from him their daily bread in that day then in any other II. Conclusion In this Rest sundry kindes of workes may be done and that with good conscience principally two The first are workes both holy and of present necessitie And they are such as cannot be done before or after the Sabboth These are likewise of two sorts The first are those that doe necessarily pertaine to Gods worshippe so as without them God cannot be worshipped Of this kind is the Sabboth daies iourney Act. 1. 12. allowed among the Iewes to the people to goe and heare the word preached Thus we read that the Shunamite went ordinarily vpon the Sabboth and new Moone to the Prophet to heare him For when shee demanded leaue of her husband to goe to the Prophet he askes her Why wilt thou goe seeing it is neither newe Moone nor Sabboth day 2. King 4. 23. Of the same sort were the killing and dressing of sacrificed beastes in the time of the law wherof our Sauiour saith Haue ye not read in the law how that on the Sabboth daies the Priests in the temple break the Sabboth and are blamelesse Mat. 12. 5. The next sort of workes of present necessitie are those that belong immediately to the preseruation of the temporall life of man and beast or that serue to the good estate of them both Such are workes of mercie as the watering of cattell Mark 12. 11. the drawing of a beast out of a pitte Luc. 14. 5. and such like The second kind of workes that may be done vpon the Sabboth are workes of Christian libertie out of the Case of necessitie These were such as the Iewes might not doe and yet we in the new Testament may doe them For example prouision and dressing of meate making fires and carrying of burdens Yet vpon this libertie men ought not to gather that they may doe what they will because they must cease from the ordinarie execution of the works of their callings For the word of God giueth no such warrant men are in this case to submit themselues to his will expressely reuealed and to vse their libertie according to the same Here two Cases are propounded I. Case Whether we may not lawfully vse recreations on the Sabboth day as shooting bowling hunting hawking wrastling c Ans. I take it we are not denied to reioice and solace our selues vpon this day For to some men at some times recreation may be more necessarie then meat in case of weakenes for present preseruation of health And though not in that regard yet beeing well â—sed it may be a furtherance to men in the performance of the duties of godlines as well as in the duties of their calling But this reioycing must be such as was the reioycing of the Iewes Nehem. 8. 12. which was onely spirituall and in the Lord. For they reioyced onely for this that they vnderstood the law of God that was taught them But as for the recreations and pastimes aforenamed as bowling and such like they are not at this time to be vsed My reason is this That which is the more principall and necessarie namely labour in the execution of a mans calling is forbidden recreation therefore which is for labour must cease on that day when labour ceaseth Againe if the duties of the ordinary vocation otherwise lawfull and commendable be therefore forbidden because they destroy the rest commanded and take vp the mind that it cannot be freely emploied in the affaires of God then much more are workes of pleasures forbidden because they doe the same things much more though otherwise in themselues they be not vnlawfull Obiect Seruants must haue recreation otherwise how shall they be able to worke in the weeke day Ans. True but their recreation must be granted them in the daies of labour For recreation pertaineth not to rest but to labour and is therefore vsed that a man by it may be made more fitte to labour II. Case Whether men vpon any occasion may not doe a worke of their callings in the morning or euening of the Sabboth day as Tradesemen for example I answer that they may so be it they obserue foure caveats I. That the worke done be no scandall to
any person II. That it withdraw not the mind of the worker or any other from sanctifying the Sabboth either publickely or priuately III. That it be not a worke of gaine but a worke of mercie or tend to a worke of mercie IV. That it serue for the immediate preseruation of life health or goods Of life thus Elias continued his flight from Iezabel many Sabboths together 1. King 19. 8. And the reason is good the Sabboth was made for man saith Christ that is not for the hurt but for the good of man Of health and thus our Sauiour Christ visited the sicke Ioh. 5. 3. and cured the blind man vpon the Sabboth Ioh. 9. 14. By whose example the Phisitian the Chirurgion may lawfully goe not onely to giue necessarie counsell but to minister necessarie phisicke and doe cures Lastly of goods which are in present danger of loosing Thus Christ would haue the oxe presently pulled out of the pit Luk. 14. 5. and the shippe on the shore full fraught with wares requires present helpe if it be in apparent danger of sinking Thus much concerning the first thing required in the observation of the Sabboth Sect. 2. The second thing required in the halowing of the Sabboth of the new testament is the Sanctification of rest which is nothing els but the dedicating of it to a religious vse that is to the practise of diuine worshippe This sanctification is either publicke or priuate The publike is the solemne performance of spirituall workes commanded in the second and third Commandements and tending to publike worship And this may be reduced to foure principall heads I. The reading or preaching of the word when the Minister publikely in the Congregation assembled doth faithfully deliuer vnto the people pure and sound doctrine and applies the same as necessitie requireth and occasion serueth to the edification and saluation of all and euery hearer in publicke audience and the people on the otherside do reuerently and attentiuely heare the same word read and preached II. The administration of the Sacraments according to Gods institutioÌ„ by the Ministers of the Church lawfully called III. Publike praier wherein the Minister calleth vpon the name of the Lord the whole congregation in feruent affection lift vp their hearts vnto him and in mind giue assent to the praiers made in the name and behalfe of them IV. Collection and giuing of almes for the reliefe of the poore whether they be captiues and strangers or those that dwell among vs the sicke the needie orphanes and widowes and such like Vpon these foure heads doth stand the whole publike worship of God For proofe and declaration hereof read these places Neh. 8. Act. 2. 42. Act. 13. 14. 15. Act. 16. 13. Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. c. Priuate sanctification which serueth to answer the second opinion stands in these things I. That euery man in the beginning of the Sabboth in the morning do priuatly prepare himselfe to the publicke seruice that followeth by priuate prayer by examination and humbling of himselfe before God in respect of his particular sinnes This the wiseman exhorteth vnto when he saith Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God Eccles. 4. 17. and his meaning is that before a man betakes himselfe to the publicke congregation there to perform seruice and worship vnto God he should looke into his heart and examine his affections and thoughts that he come not vnprepared which duty though it be alwaies to be done yet principally on the Sabbothday The childreÌ„ of Israel rose vp early in the morning on the Sabbothday to offer vp burnt offrings peace offerings to an Idol Exo. 32. 5. 6. much more ought wee c. And it is said of our Sauiour Christ that he arose very early in the morning before day and went into a solitary place to pray and the day following was the Sabboth when he preached in the Synagogues Mar. 1. 35 36. II. That when the congregation is dissolued we spend the rest of the Sabboth in meditation and conference of the word before preached and of the creatures Thus it is said of some that heard Paul preach that they receiued the word with all readines and searched the Scripture whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. And the whole 92. Psalme was penned that it might be a song of the Sabboth and it containes nothing but a meditation of the workes of God III. That men priuately exercise themselues in the workes of charitie and mercie as in visiting the sicke in making peace betweene those that are at discord in releeuing the poore in teaching and instructing the ignorant in coÌ„forting those that are distressed and comfortlesse Neh. 8. 12. Then all the people went to eate and to drinke and to send parâ— abroad to the poore and to make great ioy The Tthird Question touching the Sabboth When the Sabboth doth beginne To this some doe answer in the euening and some in the morning My answer is this that the Sabboth of the new Testament amongst vs is to beginne in the morning and so to continue tâ—l the next morrow not in the euening till the euening The reasons be these 1. The Sabboth is to beginne when other ordinarie daies begin according to the order and account of the Church wherein wee liue 2. It was the practise of Christ and the Apostles For Christ as it hath beene thought of auncient times consecrated the Sabboth in that he rose from the dead early in the morning when the first day of the weeke beganne to dawne Matth. 28. 1. and therfore it is fitte that the Sabboth day should then beginne when he rose for as much as it is kept in remembrance of his resurrection The same was the practise of the Apostles For Act. 20. 7. the first day of the weeke the Iewes came togither at Troas in the morning there Paul preached from that time till midnight beeing the next morning to depart hauing staid there as is plaine out of the 6. v. seuen daies In that text I noâ—e two things First that the night there mentioned was a part of the seuenth day of Pauls abode at Troas For if it were not so then he had staied at least a night longer and so more then seuen daies because he should haue staied part of another day Secondly that this night was a part of the Sabboth which they then kept For the Apostle keepes it in manner of a Sabboth in the exercises of pietie and diuine worshippe and namely in Preaching Yea further he continues there till the rest was fully ended He communed with them till the dawning of the day and so departed vers 11. Besides this text Dauid saith in his Psalme of the Sabboth that he will declare Gods louing kindnes in the morning and his truth in the night Psal. 92. 2. making the night following a part of the Sabboth Against this doctrine it is alleadged first that
127 7 18 21  19 166. 184  1 27  30 74  16 75  28 130. 124  26 286. 277 1 20 204 11 15 95 12 3 480 13 12 417  10 ibid. 14 15 450  23 46  vlt. 70 16 26 95  5 541 13 14 581 1. Cor.   2 15 619 3 18 291 5  324 6 7 30  18 494 7 9 412  27 413  30 530 8 vlt. 69 9 27 427 11 26 340. 337 13 5 496 15 31 389 2. Cor.   1 23 384. 4 17 362 7 9 99 Galat.   3 26 82 4 10 449 5 1 414  12 272 Ephes.   4 26 510 5 18 553  29 419 6 18 282 5 16 479 Philip.   1 10 531 4 8 634. 481  12 531  5 497 Coloss.   1 26 95 2 16 414 3 16 296 1. Thess.   4 11 481 5 17 282  20 294  23 186 2. Thessal   7 8 227 1. Tim.   1 1 19 2 4 94  15 362 4 8 404  5 544  22 32 5 12 420  24 33  19 622  21 389  23 537 6 8 564  9 524  17 18 19 615 2. Tim.   2 19 85 4 14 273 Titus   1 15 544 Hebr.   3 11 383 5 7 288 12 11 126 Iames.   1 15 38  19 291 〈◊〉 2 362  10 64  1 624 5 16 5 1. Peter   2 1 292 3 15 360 2. Peter   1 10 86 1. Iohn   3 2 81  14 9 5 11 15 79. 289 Apocal.   19 10 355 21 6 98 THE FIRST BOOKE of the Cases of Conscience concerning Man simply considered in himselfe without relation to an other The Preface declaring the Ground and Order of the Treatise following Isaiah 50. 4. The Lord God hath giuen me a tongue of the learned that I should know to minister a word in due time to him that is wearie IN that part of the Prophecie which goes before the holy Ghost setteth downe and foretelleth the Calling of the Gentiles which was to beginne at the death of Christ and from thence to continue vnto this day and so consequently to the ende of the world In the former verses of this Chapter there is mention made of the reiection of the Iewes I meane not a generall but a particular rejection namely then when they were in affliction in the daies of Isaiah Now in this and so in all other Prophecies of the like kind which intreat of this point Christ himselfe is brought in speaking in his owne person and the words of this Chapter from the beginning to this present verse and the rest that follow are the words of Christ the Mediatour In the verses going before he disputes the case of their rejection and and the summe of the whole disputation is that either he or they themselues were the causes thereof but he was not the cause therfore they themselues by their sinnes The reason whereby he prooues that they themselues were the cause is framed in this sort You Iewes caÌ„not bring any writing or bill of diuorce to shew that I rejected you therfore I appeale euen to your owne consciences whether you haue not brought this iudgement vpon your selues by your iniquities vers 1. On the other side the reasoÌ„ why God was not the cause is because he for his part called them in great mercie and ioue but when he called they would not obey ver 2. Now in the ende of the second verse is contained an answer to a secret reply that some obstinate Iewe might make after this manner God hath not nowe the like power in sauing and deliuering vs as he hath had in formâ—r times therefore we cannot hope or expect any deliuerance from him and howe then shall we doe in the meane while To this the Lord himselfe makes answer ver 2 3 4. that his hand is not shortned nor his power lessened in regard of greater workes much lesse in respect of their deliuerance and though the present affliction which they indured was great and tedious yet they were not to be ouermuch dismayed in themselues but rather to be comforted because God had giuen him the tongue of the learned to minister a word in season to the wearie and distressed and consequently that he had power to case and refresh that their wearines and affliction In this text then there is set downe one principal dutie of Christs propheticall office by allusion to the practises of the Prophets in the old Testament especially those which belonged to the schooles of Elias and Elizeus who are here tearmed the learned And out of the words thereof one speciall point of instruction may be gathered namely That there is a certaine knowledge or doctrine reuealed in the word of God whereby the consciences of the weake may be rectified and pacified I gather it thus It was one speciall dutie of Christs propheticall office to giue comfort to the consciences of those that were distressed as the Prophet here recordeth Now as Christ had this power to execute and performe such a dutie so he hath committed the dispensation therof to the Ministers of the Gospel For we may not thinke that Christ in his owne person ministred and spake words of comfort to the wearie in the times of the Prophets because he was not then exhibited in our nature and yet he did then speake but how in the persons of the Prophets So likewise because Christ now in the new Testament speaks not vnto the afflicted in his owne proper person it remaineth therfore that he performes this great worke in the Ministerie of Pastours and Teachers vpon earth to whom he hath giuen knowledge and other gifts to this ende and purpose There must needes therefore be a certen and infallible doctrine propounded and taught in the Scriptures whereby the consciences of men distressed may be quieted and releeued And this doctrine is not attained vnto by extraordinarie reuelation but must be drawne out of the written word of God The point therfore to be handled is What this doctrine should be It is not a matter easie and at hand but full of labour and difficultie yea very large like vnto the maine sea I will onely as it were walke by the banks of it and propound the heads of doctrine that thereby I may at least occasion others to consider handle the same more at large That I may proceede in order First I am to lay downe certaine Grounds or Preambles which may giue light and direction to the things that follow and in the next place I will propound and answer the maine and principall Questions of Conscience CHAP. I. Of the two first Grounds of Cases Confession and the degrees of Goodnes THe Grounds or Preambles are especially foure The first touching Confession The second touching the degrees of
to make it his instrument to distinguish the day from the night as also for other ends and vses And therfore it is no marueile though the day was created before the sunne the instrumentall cause thereof considering that it was created before the sunne was set in the heauen by the Creatour himselfe Secondly we must distinguish of times which are either of creation or gouernment and there is one regard to be had of things while they were in making and another after they were created Now it is true the sunne is the cause of the day and the night in the time of the gouernment of the world but it was not so in the time of the first making of all things For in the three first daies of the world there was day and night without the sunne by a viciâ—â—itude of light and darkenes which the Lord made and nature could neuer haue found out had not the word reuealed it But since the creation in the time of gouernment the sunne is but an instrument appointed by God to cary light and he that made the light can now in the gouernment of the world if it pleased him put downe the sunne from this office and by some other meanes distinguish the day from the night therefore no marueile though he did so in the beginning The second Obiection is touching the light of the Moone Moses saith it is one of the great lights which God made Now say they in all reason according to humane learning it is one of the least of the planets and lesse then many starres Answ. It is true which the holy Ghost saith by Moses and yet the Moone is lesse then the Sunne yea then many of the starres For one and the same starre in a diuers and different respect may be tearmed greater and lesser And in that place the Scripture speaks of the Moone not in regard of other starres greater then it but in respect of our seâ—se because it appeareth greater in quantitie and really communicateth more light yea it is of more operation and vse to the earth then any of the starres in the heauen sauing the Sunne The third Obiection Moses saith Man Beast were made of the earth and Fishes of the waters But all humane learning auoucheth that the matter of euery creature consisteth of all the foure Elements earth water fire and â—â—re Ans. Moses speaketh onely of two which were the principall and in them includes the other because they are impure mixt with the other since the fall Againe some learned auouch that all creatures are made of earth water only as being the two maine materiall principles of the all and not of ayre nor of fire And this accords with Moses and is no doubt a truth that he speaks onely of the principall matter of these creatures yet the fire and ayre are and may be called elements or beginnings because they serue to forme preserue and cherish the creatures The fourth Obiection Gen. 3. it is said that Eue before her fall was deceiued by the Serpent Now this saith the Atheist is absurd For euen in the estate of corruption since the fall there is no woman so simple that will either admit speech or suffer her selfe to be deceiued by a Serpent much lesse would Eue in the estate of her innocencie Answ. Though Adam and Eue in their innocencie had excellent knowledge yet they had not all knowledge For then they should haue beene as God himselfe But in that estate ignorance befell Eve in three things For first though Adam himselfe was a Prophet in the time of his innocencie yet both he and shee were ignorant of the issue of future things which are contingent Secondly they knewe not the secrets of each others heart For to know the euent of things contingent certainely and the secrets of the heart belongs to God only Thirdly though Eue knew the kinds of creatures yet shee knew not all particulars and all things that were incident to euery kind of creature but was to attain vnto that knowledge by experience and obseruation Neither may this seeme strange for Christ as he was man had as much yea more knowledge then our first parents had in their innocency and yet he knew not all particulars in all singular creatures For seeing a fig-tree by the way as he went to Ierusalem he thought it had borne fruit and yet comming towards it he found none thereon And in like manner Eue might know the serpentine kind and yet be ignorant whether a serpent could speake Besides that the naming of the creatures which argues knowledge of them was not giuen to Eue but to Adam And therefore it was not so strange that Eue should be deceiued by a serpent considering that to know that a serpent could speake or not speake came by experience which shee then had not Iâ— will be said that all ignorance is sinne but Eue had no sinne and therefore shee could not be ignorant Answ. Ignorance is twofold some ignorance ariseth of an euill disposition when as we are ignorant of those things which we are bound to knowe and this is sinne properly But there is another ignorance which is no sinne when as we are ignorant of those things which we are not bound to know And this was in Christ for he was ignorant of the figtrees bearing fruit and he knew not the day of iudgement as he was man And this also was in Eue not the other The fift obiection is about the Arke Gen. 6. 15. God commaunded Noah to make an Arke of 300 cubits long of 50 cubits broad and of 30 cubits high This Arke saith the Atheist beeing so small a vessell could not possibly containe two of euery sort of creatures with their foode for the space of a yeare The first author of this cauill was Apelles the hereticke that cauilled with Christians about the Arke And the answer is as ancient as the heresie namely first that the cubit of the arke must be vnderstood of the Egyptian cubit which is with some sixe foote and with others nine foote by which measure the Arke would be in leÌ„gth half a mile at the least And by this means any man may see a possibility in reason that the Arke might containe and preserue all creatures with their fodder and roome to spare The second answere is that as the Iewes had a shekle of the sanctuary which was greater then the ordinary shekle so they had beside the ordinary cubit a sacred cubit the cubit of the sanctuary where of mention is made in the prophecie of Ezekiel Chap. 40. and that was bigger by the halfe then the ordinarie cubite And by this measure some say the Arke was made But both these answeres are onely coniecturall without good ground in the scripture To them therefore I adde a third In the daies of Noah the stature of man was farre bigger then it is at this day And looke as the stature
indifferencie and may be done vpon any day as well as vpon the Sabboth To this I answer that Paul cōmands the Corinths to doe it as he had ordained it in the Church of Galatia whereby he makes it to be an Apostolicall and therefore a diuine ordinance Yea that very text doth in some part manifest thus much that it is an ordinance and institution of Christ that the first day of the weeke should be the Lords daie For Paul commaundeth nothing but what he had from Christ. III. Christ and his Apostles kept the first day of the weeke as the Sabboth For Christ rose againe the first day of the weeke and appeared to his disciples Ioh. 20. 19. and eight daies after he appeared againe to Thomas ver 26. which was the next first day of the weeke And this hath beene the opinion of sundrie ancient diuines Cyrill vpon Iohn saies that this eight day was without doubt the Lordes daie and so ought to be kept because it is likely Christ himselfe kept it holy And the same is affirmed and taught by Augustine and Chrysostome Again the Apostles also kept it For when the Holy Ghost descended vpon them they were againe assembled vpon this day Act. 2. v. 1. which I prooue thus The day of Pentecost was the first day of the weeke for the Iewes were commanded to bring a sheafe of their first fruits the morrow after the Sabboth in the passeouer Levit. 23. 10. c. and betwixt that and Pentecost they were to reckon fiftie daies Hence it followeth that the day of Christs resurrection falling the morrow after the Iewes Sabboth which is the first daie of the weeke Pentecost must needes fall on that day and therefore the Apostles met that same day and not they onely but also the whole Church gathered themselues together and celebrated this day with preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments Act. 20. 7. And according to this institution of Christ and the examples of his Apostles hath beene the constant practise of the Church from their times vntill now IV. That which was prefigured in that it was prefigured was prescribed but the Lords day was prefigured in the eight day wherein the children of the Iewes were circumcised therefore it was prescribed to be kept the eight day Thus the ancient fathers by name Cyprian and Augustine haue reasoned and taught Againe the day of Christs resurrection was prefigured by that day wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner Psalm 118. v. 24. and in that it was prefigured it was appointed by God For then it appeared to be true which Peter saith of Christ that god had made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. And the same may be said of the Sabboth of the new testament that it was in the figure preordained and therefore limited and determined by our Sauiour Christ vnto the Lords day Other reasons might be added but they are onely coniectures these be the principall III. Reason God is Lord of times and seasons and therefore in all equitie the altering and disposing therof is in his hands and belongs to him alone Act. 1. 10. Times seasons the father hath kept in his owne hand Againe Christ is called the Lord of the Sabboth And Autiochus Epiphanes is condemned by the Holy Ghost because he tooke vpon him to alter times Dan. 7. 25. Besides that Daniel saith that it is God alone that changeth times and seasons Dan. 2. 21. Now if it be proper vnto God as to create so to determine and dispose of times then he hath not left the same to the power of any creature And therfore as the knowledge thereof so the appointment and alteration of the same either in generall or particular belongs not to the Church but is reserued to him The Church then neither may nor can alter the Sabboth day And this is the first part of the answer Sect. 2. The Second is this If the Church had libertie to alter the Sabboth then this alteration must be made within the compasse of the weeke to the sixt or fift or fourth or second or third or first daie and not to the eight or ninth or tenth daies without the compasse of the weeke The reason is plaine The Church of the New Testament hath more knowledge and more grace then the people of the old Testament had and in that regard ought to haue more zeale and greater alacritie in the worship of God then they had that it may exceede the Iewes according to the measure of grace receiued And thus the first and principall question touching the Sabboth is answered and resolued Sect. 3. Now before I come to the next let vs in the meane while see and examine the Reasons that are brought against the answer presently made First therefore it is alleadged that in the new Testament there is no difference of daies For if we haue or make difference of daies we are in truth no better then Iewes That there is no distinction of daies they prooue out of two places The first is Col. 2. 16. where the Apostle saies Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabboth day The second Gal. 4. 10. where the same Apostle reprooues the Galatians for obseruing daies and moneths and times and yeares To this I answere that both the places speake of the Feasts of the Iewes and of difference of daies that stands in force by the Iewish Ceremoniall law Paul to the Colossians warnes them to giue no occasision to others whereby they might iustly condemne them for obseruing of daies in superstitious manner vpon opinion of holines and necessitie as if mens consciences were bound to such obseruation And he reprooues the Galatians for obseruing daies as it is likely they did not onely in the Iewish but also in the Heathenish manner To which purpose Paul saith v. 11. He is afraid of them His meaning was because they placing their saluation in part in their Iewish obseruation of daies after they had beene informed touching their libertie in Christ did thereby mixe the Gospel with the Law and therefore he feared least by that meanes Christ should become vnto them vnprofitable and so his preaching to small or no purpose Againe they alleadge Rom. 14. 5. where Paul saith One man esteemes one day better then an other and an other man counteth euery day alike In which words the Apostle blameth not them which thinke all daies as one Ans. In the New Testament all daies be as one in regard of the aptnes thereof to the worship of God and yet there may be a difference of daies in regard of order and this Paul no where condemneth That we may the better conceiue this distinction we must consider a difference betweene the Iewes Sabboth and ours which is this That the Iewes Sabboth was both the time of the worship of God and also a part
the Sabboth is to begin in the euening because in the first of Gen. it is saide fixe seuerall times the euening and the morning made the first day and so the second and third c. Ans. First in that text when it is said the euening and the morning made such such daies by the euening is vnderstood the night and by the morning the day and the euening was the end of the day and the morning the end of the night This exposition is auncient and yet in Scripture we find not one place where the euening is put for the night Secondly I answer that the collection from that place is of no force For thus the reason must needs be framed That which God did in appointing of daies the same must we doe in vsing of them But God in appointing of daies began the day at the euening Ergo c. The consequent is false For the case is otherwise in the constitution of time then it is in the vse of time constituted and there is not the same reason of things in doing as there is of the same things in beeing and vse Thirdly this did not bind the Iewes For they in all likelyhood began their Sabboths in the morning Indeede their solemne feasts as the Passeover and such like beganne and were kept from euening to morning as we may read Levit. 23. 5. But their ordinarie Sabboth was kept from morning to morning Whence it is that Saint Matthew calls the dawning of the first day of the weeke the ende of the Sabboth of the Iewes Matth. 28. 1. and there is nothing I take it that can be brought to the contrarie It is obiected that Moses saith Leuit. 23. 32. From euen to euen shall ye celebrate your Sabboth Ans. The words must be vnderstood of the feast of reconciliation beeing the tenth day of the seuenth moneth which was solemnized and kept from euen to euen And it is called a Sabboth because it was by speciall commandement appointed to be kept as the Sabboth day and that in two respects First because it was to be kept holy by the Iewes in humbling themselues and offering Sacrifices vers 27. Secondly because vpon that day it was not lawful to doe any seruile worke vpon paine of death vers 25. 30. Againe it is alleadged that Ioseph of Arimathea could not embaulme Christ by reason that the Sabboth was at hand and this was the euening I answer that the Iewes Sabboth there ment concurred with the day of their passeouer and hence it was that their Sabboth beganne in the euening By this that hath beene said the answer to the third Question is plaine to wit that in the new Testament the Sabboth is to begin at the morning and so to continue to the next morning and not as some suppose to begin at the euen and continue till the next euen And thus much touching the speciall Questions of Gods worshippe as also generally concerning those that belong to Man as he stands in relation to God The ende of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Cases of Conscience concerning Man as he stands in relation to man CHAP. I. Of the Nature and Differences of Vertue and the Order of the Questions THVS farre we are proceeded in the handling of two sorts of Questions whereof some doe concerne man as he is considered apart by himselfe without respect vnto another some againe concerne man as he stands in the first relation namely to God Now we come by order to speake of the third and last head of Cases propounded by the Conscience of man as he stands in the second relation to man And vnder this Head are comprehended all those Questions of Conscience that are incident to the liues of men and which doe belong vnto man as he is a member of some Societie whether it be the Familie the Church or the Common-wealth For the better and more orderly proceeding in this Discourse some conuenient Subiect or Matter is to be propounded whereunto all the Questions that followe may fitly be reduced Now of all other the most conuenient Subiect in this kind is Vertue and therefore according the differences of Vertue we will distinguish the Questions into three seuerall sorts But before we proceede to particulars it shall not be amisse to speake somewhat generally of Vertue so farre forth as the knowledge thereof may giue light to the things that follow Touching Vertue two things are briefly to be remembred first what it is and then what be the distinct kindes thereof Vertue is a gift of the Spirit of God and a part of regeneration whereby a man is made apt to liue well I call it first a gift of the Spirit of God because in whomesoeuer it is whether in Christians or in Heathen men it hath the nature of a gift that floweth immediately from the spirit of God And this I put in the first place to confute the receiued errour of the wisest Heathen Philosophers which call Vertue an habite of the minde obtained and confirmed by custome vse and practise Secondly I call it such a gift as is also a part of regeneration and this is added for two causes First that we may put a differēce between Christian and Heathen vertues For howbeit the same vertues in kind and name are and may be found both in them that professe Christ and those also that are ignorant of the true God yet they are in them after a diuers manner For in Heathen men they are the gifts of God but not parts of regeneration and new birth but in those that be true Christians they are indeede not onely the gifts of Gods spirit but also essentiall parts of regeneration That we may the better yet conceiue this difference we must vnderstand that the grace of God in man is two-fold restraining and renewing Restraining is that which bridleth and restraineth the corruption of mens hearts from breaking forth into outward actions for the common good that Societies may be preserued and one man may liue orderly with another Renewing grace is that which doth not onely restraine the corruption but also mortifieth sinne and renewes the heart daily more more The former of these is incidēt to Heathen men the Vertues which they haue serue onely to represse the act of sinne in their outward actions but in Christians they are graces of God not onely bridling and restraining the affections but renewing the heart and mortifyin all corruption And though those vertues of the Heathen be graces of God yet they are but generall and common to all whereas the vertues of Christians are speciall graces of the spirit sanctifying and renewing the minde will and affections For example chastitie in Ioseph was a grace of Gods spirit renewing his heart but chastitie in Xeuoerates was a common grace seruing onely to curbe and restraine the corruption of his heart And the like may be saide of the iustice of Abraham a Christian and of Aristides a
of inuocation of the name of God for this end that he in mercie would mortifie all our affections especially this corrupt violent affection of vniust wrath And this must we doe as at all times so then especially when anger is creeping vpon vs. It will be saide of some Our anger is violent and comes vpon the sudden and therefore these remedies will doe vs no good Ans. Such persons when their mindes be quiet must often read and meditate of the foresaid remedies and by this meanes they shall be able to preuent hastines But what if we be ouertaken with anger what must we then doe Ans. If thou fall into it through infirmitie yet remember thy selfe let not the sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath Eph. 4. 26. Consider with thine owne heart that anger is as a poison if a man drinkes poison he must not suffer it to rest and flow into the bodie veines but with all speede must purge it out and so must anger be dealt withall wheÌ„soeuer we are ouertaken with it CHAP. IIII. Of Questions concerning Temperance TEmperance is a vertue that moderateth appetite or lust And this moderation of appetite stands in foure things I. In the vse of Riches II. In the vse of Meat and Drinke III. In the vse of Apparell IV. In the vse of Pleasures wherein Recreations are to be considered Sect. 1. Concerning the Moderation of Appetite in the vse of Riches there are two maine Questions I. Question How farre a man may with good conscience proceed in the desiring and seeking of Riches The Answer of this Question is the rather to be considered because this doctrine rightly conceiued and vnderstood serues greatly for the direction of the whole course of our liues vnto the ende Here therefore I will first set downe the Ground of the Answer and then the Answer it selfe The Ground of the Answer I propound in fiue Rules I. Rule We must consider that riches and goods are of two sorts some are necessarie some are more then necessarie which the Scripture calls Abundance Goods and riches are two waies necessarie necessarie to nature or necessarie to the person of a man Goods necessarie to nature are those without which nature and life cannot be well preserued and these are most needefull Necessary in respect of a mans person are those goods without which a mans state condition and dignitie wherein he is cannot be preserued Now Riches more then necessarie I terme those without which both the life of man and his good estate may well be preserued And whatsoeuer is besides them is necessary For example To the calling of a Student meat drinke and cloth are necessarie in respect of nature besides these other things as bookes and such like are also necessarie for him in respect of his condition and place II. Rule Things and goods are to be iudged necessarie and sufficient not by the affection of the couetous man which is vnsaâ—â—able but by two other things the iudgement of wise and godly men and the examples of sober and frugall persons III. Rule We must not make one measure of sufficiencie of goods necessarie for all persons for it varieth according to the divers conditions of persons according to time and place More things are necessarie to a publicke man then to a priuate and more to him that hath a charge then to a single man IV. Rule That is to be iudged necessarie which in some short time to come may be needefull though it haue no present vse For example the dowrie that a father giues to his daughter at the day of mariage though it be not presently needefull yet because in short time it may be necessarie therefore it is to be reputed amongst necessarie goods V. Rule We our selues doe often erre in iudgement in determining of things necessarie and sufficient for our selues therfore when men seeke things competent necessarie they must alwaies pray to God to giue them that which he knowes in his wisdome to be meete and necessarie not prescribing a measure vnto him I come now to the Answer of the Question which is twofold The first is this Man may with good conscience desire and seeke for goods necessarie whether for nature or for his person according to the former rules but he may not desire and seeke for goods more then necessarie for if he doth he sinneth The reasons of this answer are these First Deut. 17. 16. 17. the commandement is giuen to the King that hath most neede of abundance that he should not multiply his horses or his siluer or his gold That which the King may not doe the subiects ought much lesse to doe therfore they are not to multiply their goods For this cause it is a great fault in subiects remaining as they be subiects to seeke to attaine to the riches of Princes Againe Paul saith 1. Tim. 6. 8. Hauing foode and raiment let vs be therâ—ith content Besides that in the petition Giue vs this day c. we craue but onely bread for our substance that is meete to preserue vs for nature in that calling wherein we serue God day by day The prayer of Agur is that God would giue him foode conuenient for him or as the wordes signifie bread of his statute that is which God in his counsell had appointed and ordained for him Prov. 30. 8. Secondly seeking of abundance is a hazard to the saluation of the soule by reason of mans corruption Therefore Matth. 13. Riches are called thornes that choke the word of God sowen in the heart And 1. Tim. 6. 9. They that will that is desire to be rich and content not themselues with things necessarie fall into the snare of the Deuill Thirdly seeking of abundance is a fruite of diffidence in the prouidence of God Now all frutes of vnbeleefe must be cut off we must not therefore desire more then necessarie In the next place for the better clearing of this doctrine the Obiections of Couetous men are to be answered Obiect I. Good things are to be sought for but abundance is a good thing and a blessing of God Ans. Good things are of two sorts Some are simply good that is to say good both in themselues and to vs as remission of sinnes holinesse righteousnesse and life euerlasting in the kingdome of heauen and such like these may we desire and seeke for Som again are good onely in part which though they be good in themselues yet are not alwaies good to vs. Of this kind is abundance of riches and store of wealth more then necessarie for nature and person For which cause riches in abundance are as the knife in the hand of a child likely to hurt if it be not taken away because they are in some men occasions of sinne vnlesse God in mercie preuent and hinder them And for our selues what know we whether God will keepe and preserue vs from sinne when we seeke and labour for abundance Obiect II. It is the
spoken of actuall but of habituall hatred And this stands in a readinesse and inclination of the heart to hate if neede be father and mother yea our owne life for Christ and the Gospels sake To this purpose the Apostle saith They that buie must be as though they possessed not 1. Cor. 7. 30. that is in respect of moderation of the affection and the disposition of the heart For otherwise it is the Law of nature that he that buies must possesse Example of this moderation of the affection we haue in Moses who esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Hebr. 11. 26. And in Dauid who though he were a King and a Lord in the earth yet saith of himselfe that he was but a pilgrime and soiourner in it as all his fathers were Psal. 39. 13. And he speakes this in respect of the affection of his heart and moderation thereof because he did not fixe the same vpon abundance And of Paul who professeth in this manner I haue learned to be full and to be hungrie in all things I am instructed or entred in this high point of Christian practise to be hungrie and to be full Philip. 4. 12. In which text two things are set down First that Christian moderation or contentment is a high mysterie yea that it requires much skill arte to know how to be poore and how to be rich Secondly that himselfe was a learner of this art and that he had bin but entred and initiated into the knowledge thereof Now that this Moderation of minde may be learned and practised we must remember that two especiall meanes are to be vsed First we must labour to be able to discerne betweene things that differ Philip. 1. 10. How is that by iudging aright betweene riches temporall and the true riches that will make a man rich before God This gift of discerning was in Moses who vpon a right iudgement in this point accounted the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Hebr. 11. 26. In Dauid who saies that the Lord was his portion when he was a King and euen in the middest of his riches Psal. 119. 57. In Paul who esteemed the best things that were but base yea drosse and dung that he might winne Christ Phil. 3. 8. The Second meanes of Moderation is to consider that we are in this world as pilgrimes and straungers 1. Pet. 2. 11. that the best of vs brought nothing into the world neither shal wheÌ„ we dy carry ought out of it III. Rule We must vpon the calling of God forsake our riches and all that we haue in this world not onely in disposition of minde but in deede The word of God teacheth that there be three Cases wherein a man is indeede to forsake all I. If he be extraordinarily and immediately called to publish the Gospel to all nations This was the case of the Apostles and Euangelists who in regard of their calling at least for vse forsooke all that they had Matth. 19. 27. II. In the Case of Confession when for professing the name of Christ a man is depriued of them in the daies of triall Thus when our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer he be that forsaketh not all that he hath c. Luk. 14. 33. the words are spoken of all beleeuers in the Case of Confession when they are called by God vnto it and therefore S. Matthew explaines it thus Whosoeuer c. for my names sake he shall receiue c. Matth. 19. 29. III. When in the time of persecution famine or warre the necessitie is so great that it requires present releefe which can no other way be had but by giuing and selling the goods that a man hath In Psal. 112. 9. the good man is saide to disperse to the poore this dispersing must not be vnderstoode of all times but in case of extreame neede Again when Christ saies Luk. 12. 33. â—ell al that thou hast this coÌ„mandement must be limited for a man is not bouÌ„d to sel al at al times but in the time of great and vrgent necessity Thus the christiaÌ„s in the Primitiue Church in the daies of imminent persecution sold all their possessions Act. 2. And so Paul acknowledgeth that the Church of Corinth releeued the Church of Macedonia euen beyond their abilitie in the daies of extremitie that was in that Church 2. Cor. 8. Here another Question may be mooued Whether a man may voluntarily and of his owne accord giue away all his goods liue vpon almes and giue himselfe to fasting and praier Ans. He may in Popish conceit giue himselfe in this sort to voluntarie pouertie which they hold to be lawfull and which is more a state of perfection We on the contrarie doe answer that this practise is in no sort lawfull vnlesse a man haue speciall calling and warrant from God so to doe For first the Law of nature sets downe and prescribes distinction of possessions and proprietie of landes and goods and the Gospel doth not abolish the law of nature Againe the same distinction and proprietie is allowable by the written Law of God Salomon teacheth Prou. 5. 15. that a man must let his waters flow out of his cisterne but he must keepe the fountaine to himselfe And Prou. 10. 22. It is the blessing of God to be rich and he addeth no sorrowes to it Men must not therefore voluntarily forsake their riches and so bring sorrow to themselues Besides that Agur praies against pouertie Giue me saith he neither pouertie nor riches Prou. 30. 8. Dauid makes it a curse to be a begger Psal. 109. 10. and he neuer saw the righteous mans seede begging their bread Psal. 36. 25. Our Sauiour Christ biddes him that had two coates not to giue both away but one Luk. 3. 11. And Paul saies It is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Act. 20. 35. Therefore he biddes euery man to labour with his owne hands that he may neede nothing that is that he may not neede the releefe and helpe of any man or of anything 1. Thess. 4. 11 12. But it is alleadged to the contrarie Matth. 19. 21. If thou n ilt be perfect sell all Ans. The wordes are a personall and particular commandement For this young Prince whome Christ speakes vnto was called to become a Disciple of Christ and to preach the Gospel Luk. 9. 59. And the commandement is not giuen generally to all men but particularly to him alone and we cannot make a generall rule of a speciall commandement or example Againe further it was a commandement of speciall triall Secondly they alleadge Matth. 10. 9. Possesse neither gold nor siluer nor money in your purses Ans. That commandement was temporall and giuen to the Disciples but onely for the time of their first embassage into Iurie as appeares in the 5. v. where Christ bids them not to goe yet into the way of the Gentiles And the commandements of their first embassage were
reuersed afterward Luk. 22. 36. Considering then that it belonged onely to their first embassage when they preached to the Iewes it was not giuen them for all times IV. Rule We must so vse and possesse the goods we haue that the vse and possession of them may tend to Gods glorie and the saluation of our soules Rich men must be rich in good workes and togither with their riches lay vp a good foundation in conscience against the euill day 1. Tim. 6. 18. For the better pactizing of this rule take these three cautions I. We must seeke to haue Christ and to be in him iustified and sanctified and beeing in him then shall we in him and by him haue the holy vse of all that we haue Some will say Infidels haue the vse of riches Ans. They haue indeed and they are to them the gifts of God Yet they so inioy them as that before God they are but vsurpers They be gifts of God in regard of Gods giuing but they are abuses and thefts in regard of their receiuing because they receiue them not as they ought A father giues a gift vnto his child vpon condition that he shall thus and thus receiue it now the child steales the gift that is giuen him and therefore hath it not in that manner that his father would he should haue it In like manner doe Infidels steale and vsurpe the blessings of God to which they haue no iust title themselues being out of Christ neither doe they vse them in that manner which God requireth sanctifying them by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 5. II. We ought to pray to God that he would giue vs his grace rightly to vse our riches to his glory and our own saluation For Riches and other temporall blessings to sinfull mē that haue not the gift to use thē wel are dangerous euen as a knife in the hand of a child They are thornes and choake the grace of God they keepe those that trust in them from entrance into the kingdome of heauen Yea they are the deuills snare whereby he catcheth the wicked holdeth them in it at his will and pleasure III. Our riches must be emploied to necessarie vses These are First the maintenance of our owne good estate and conditions Secondly the good of others specially those that are of our family or kindred 1. Tim. 5. 8. He that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshould he denieth the faith and is worse then an Infidell Thirdly the releife of the poore according to the state and condition of euery man Fourthly the maintenance of the Church of God and true religion Prov. 3. 9. Honour God with thy riches Fiftly the maintenance of the common wealth Giue tribute saith Paul to whome tribute belongeth Rom. 13. 7. And giue vnto God saith Christ the things that are Gods and vnto Casar the things that are Caesars Matt. 22. 21. Thus much touching the moderation of the appetite in the vse of riches Sect. 2. In the second place follow those Questions that concerne the Moderation of our Appetite in the vse of Meate and Drinke Concerning which there are principally two the answer to the first whereof is the ground of the second I. Question Whether there be any difference in the vse of Meates Drinks now in the times of the New Testament Ans. There is a distinction and difference of Meates to be obserued in sundrie respects I. In respect of man for healths suks Paul counselleth Timothie Drinke no more water drinke a little wine 1. Tim. 5. 23. In which it is plaine that there is a distinction of meates approoued and commended for man For euery kinde of foode fittes not euery bodie meates therefore are to be vsed with difference Man was not made for meate but meate for man II. In respect of scandall Some are not to be vsed at some time and some are at the same time to be eaten Thus Paul professeth that rather then he would offend his brother he would eate no flesh while the world endureth 1. Cor. 8. 13. And in Rom. 14. he disputes the point at large touching the distinction of meates that is to be obserued in regard of offending them that are weake III. There is a distinction to be made in respect of civill and politicke order when for the common good of societies certaine kindes of meates for certaine seasons of the yeare are forbidden Thus in our commō wealth there are appointed daies of flesh daies of fish not in respect of conscience but in regard of order for the common good of the countrie IV. There is a difference of meates which ariseth vpon the bond of conscience so as it shall be a sinne to vse or not to vse this or that meate Touching this difference Before the flood the Patriarches in all likelihood were not allowed flesh but only hearbs and the fruit of the ground Gen. 1. 29. After the flood flesh was permitted but blood forbidden Gen. 9. 3. 4. From that time there was commanded a dististinction of meates wherof some were cleane some vncleane which distinction stood in force till the death of Christ and that in conscience by vertue of diuine Law But in the last daies all difference of meates in respect of obligation of the conscience is taken away and a free vse of all is giuen in that regard This the Scripture teacheth in many places Act. 10. 15. The things that God hath purified pollute thou not Peter in these words teacheth that all meats in the new Testament in regard of vse were made cleane by God and therefore that no man by refusall of any kind of meates should thinke or make them vncleane Againe Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meate or drinke but righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ is acceptable to God and approoued of him Hence it appeareth that in the Apostles iudgement meat and drinke doth not make any man accepted of God whether he vseth or vseth it not but the worship of God is it that makes man approoued of him To the same purpose it is said 1. Cor. 8. 8. Meat doth not commend vs vnto God Again Col. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke c. ver 20. If ye be dead with Christ why as if ye liued in the world are ye burdened with Traditions as Touch not Tast not Handle not All which perish with the vsing Here Paul would not haue the Collossians burdened with rites and Traditions concerning meats so as if they vsed them not they should in cur the blame and condemnation of men but he would haue them to vse them freely and indifferently And his reason is double First because they were now freed in conscience from the bond of the Ceremonial law touching meats and therefore they were in conscience much more freed from mens lawes Secondly because these traditions are not the rules and
commandements of God but the doctrine and precepts of men Furthermore Paul in 1. Tim. 4. 3. foretells that there should be many in the latter daies that should command to abstaine from meates To which place the Papist answers that that was because such persons taught that meats were vncleane by nature But the words are simply to be vnderstood of meates forbidden with obligation of the conscience and the text is generall speaking of the doctrine not of the persons of those men nor in ciuill respects but in regard of the bond of conscience Lastly it is a part of Christian libertie to haue freedome in conscience as touching all things indifferent and therefore in regard of meates To this doctrine some things are opposed by them of contrarie iudgement Obiect I. Princes doe make lawes and in their lawes do forbidde meates and drinkes and they must be obeyed for consciēce sake Rom. 13. 5. Ans. They doe so but all these lawes are made with reseruation of libertie of conscience and of the vse of that libertie to euery person But to what end then will some say are lawes made if they be made with reservation Ans. The scope of them is not to take away or to restraine libertie or the vse of libertie in conscience but to moderate the overcommon and superfluous outward vse As for that text Rom. 13. 5. It is to be vnderstood for conscience sake not of the law of the Magistrate but of the law of God that bindes vs to obey the Magistrates law Obiect II. There was blood and things strangled forbidden in the counsell at Ierusalem after Christs ascension Act. 15. Ans. It was forbidden onely in regard of offence for a time so long as the weake Iewe remained weake not in regard of conscience And therfore afterward Paul saies that all things euen blood it selfe was lawfull though not expedient in regard of scandall 1. Cor. 6. 12. And to the pure all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. Obiect III. Papists make lawes in which they forbidde some meats onely to restraine concupiscence Ans. Then they should forbid wine as well as flesh For wine spices and some kindes of fish which they permit are of greater force to stirre vp lust then the vse of flesh And hence it is that Saint Paul exhorts men not to be drunke with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5. 18. Againe I answer that Iust may be restrained by exhortation to temperance without prohibitory lawes for the obligation of the conscience which are flat against Christian libertie Vpon this Answer a further Question may be made Whether a man may with good conscience eate flesh at times forbidden Ans. There are two kinds of eating eating against the Law and besides the law Eating against the law is When a man cats and by cating hinders the ende of the law contemns the authoritie of the law-maker frustrates the law it selfe and withall by his eating giues occasion to others to doe the same This eating is a flat sinne against the fift commandement For it is necessarie that the Magistrates laws should be obeyed in all things lawfull Heb. 13. 17. The master and the parent must be obeyed in all lawfull things much more the lawes of Magistrates Eating beside the law is when a man eats that which the law mentioneth and forbiddeth but not hurting the law And that a man may thus eate sundry cautions are to be obserued I. This eating must be vpon iust cause in a mans owne selfe II. It must be without contempt of the lawmaker and with a loyall mind III. It must be without giuing offence to any by his bad example IV. When it doth not hinder the maine end of the law V. When the eater doth subiect himselfe to the penaltie voluntarily and willingly In this eating there is no breach in conscience neither is it a sinne to eate that which the law forbiddeth For man hath free libertie in conscience to eat that which he doth eate Now if he vse his libertie and hurt no law obseruing these cautions his eating is no sinne For example It was Gods law that the Priests only should eat the shew-bread Now Dauid vpon a iust cause in himselfe all the former cautions obserued eates the shew-bread and sinnes not because his conscience was free in these things and therefore Dauids eating was not against the Law but onely beside the law II. Question How we may rightly vse meates and drinks in such sort as our eating may be to Gods glory and our owne comfort Ans. That we may so doe some things are to be done before we eate some in eating some after our eating §ect 1. The thing that is to be done before our eating is the Consecratiō of the food that is the Blessing of the meates which we are to eate 1. Tim. 4. 5 Euery creature of God is sanctified by the word of God and prayer By sanctification there is not meant that whereby we are sanctified by the holy Ghost neither that wherby the bread and the wine is halowed in the Sacrament of the supper But it is this when we are assured that the creature is made so free and lawfull to vs in respect of our vse that we may eate it freely and with good conscience By the word of God Paul meanes the word of creation mentioned in Gen. 1. 28. 29. repeated Gen. 9. 3. as also the word of God touching the libertie of conscience namely that to the pure all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. It is further added and prayer that is prayer grounded vpon the said word of creation and the doctrine touching Christian libertie whereby wee pray for grace to God that we may vse the creatures holily to his glorie The reasons why this sanctification of our meat is to be vsed are these First that in the vse of it we may lift vp our hearts vnto God and by this meanes put a difference between our selues and the brute beasts which rush vpon the creatures without sanctifying of them Secondly that we may be admonished thereby touching the title we haue to the creatures which beeing once lost by the fall of Adam is restored vnto vs again by Christ. Thirdly that it may be an assured testimony to our heartes that we may vse the creature with libertie of conscience when we doe vse it Fourthly that we may be sanctified to the vse of the creature as it is sanctified to vs to the end that we may vse it with temperance and not abuse it Fiftly that when we vse the creature we may depend on God for the blessing of it to make it our nourishment For no creature can nourish of it selfe but by Gods commandement who as Dauid saith Psal. 145. 16. Openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing of his good pleasure And in bread we must not consider the substance onely but the staffe which is the blessing of God vpholding our bodies Sixtly that we may not grow to securitie forgetfulnes
distinctly to be obserued I. That in our eating we practise Iustice. Salomon saith The bread of deceit that is gotten by vnlawfull meanes is sweet vnto a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravell Prov. 20. 17. And Paul giues a rule to the Church of Thessalonica that euery man should eate his owne bread that is the bread which is procured and deserued by his owne iust and honest labour 〈◊〉 Thess. 3. 2. This first thing serues to checke a number of men that liue in the daily practise of iniustice by spending their goods in good fellowship at Tauernes and â—ipling houses neglecting in the meane while the maintenance of their own charge by following their honest labour and by this meanes doe euen robbe their families of their due and right II. That we may eate to the Lord we must practise Loue Charitie in our eating How is that First we must giue offence to no man whatsoeuer It is good saith Paul neither to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth is offended or made weake Rom. 14. 21. Secondly in our eating we must haue respect of the poore Thus Nehemiah exhorteth the Iewes that were mourning for their sinnes to be chearefull to eate of the fat and drinke the sweete and send part vnto them for whome none was prepared that is to them that were poore Nehem. 8. 10. And the Prophet Amos inueigheth against some of the Princes of Israel who drunke wine in bowles and annointed themselues with the chiefe ointments and were not sorrie for the affliction of Ioseph that is did not releeue the poore brethren that were led captiue and wanted foode and maintenance Amos 6. 6. III. We must vse our meate in Sobrietie Sobrietie is a gift of God whereby we keepe a holy moderation in the vse of our diet Prov. 23. 1 2. When thou sit test to eate c. consider diligently what is set before thee and put the knife to thy throat that is be very carefull and circumspect in taking thy foode bridle thine appetite take heede thou doest not exceede measure If it be asked what Rule of moderation is to be obserued of all whether they be men or women young or old I answer First one mans particular example must not be a rule of direction to all In the East countries we read that men haue liued and doe yet liue a great time with a little for example with parched corne and a cake Now this example of theirs is no rule to vs that liue in these parts For their country is hotter then ours and therefore lesse might serue them then vs we are hot within and so our appetite is the more strong Againe in eating we may not iudge or condemne him that eateth more or lesse then we our selues because his eating is no rule to vs in this case Secondly a mans owne appetite is not to be made a rule of eating for others For a maÌ„ must not eate so long as his stomacke craues meate least he fal into the sinne of gluttonie Rom. 13. 13. And this sinne is noted by our Sauiour Christ to haue beene in the old world in the daies of Noah Mat. 24. 38. wheÌ„ they gaue themselues to eating and drinking like the brute beasts for so the word signifies If then neither example nor appetite may rule our eating what be the right rules of Christian moderation in this behalfe Ans. That we may not exceede measure we must keepe or serues within these limits First our food must not goe beyond the condition place abilitie and maintenance that God hath giuen vs. Iohn the Baptist being in the wildernesse contented himselfe with very meane fare agreable both to the manner of that countrey and to his owne calling and condition of life His meate was locusts and wild hony Mat. 3. 4. Secondly it must be framed to the order and difference of time place Against this Rule the rich glutton offended who fared deliciously euery day without any difference of time or place Luk. 16. Salomon pronounceth a woe to that Land whose Princes eate in the morning Eccl. 10. 16. S. Paul notes it a fauit in a Minister to be giuen to wine 1. Tim. 3. 3. that is a coÌ„mon tipler one that loues to sit by the wine morning euening day by day Thirdly euery man must eat and drinke so much as may serue to maintain the strength of his nature of his bodie and mind yea so much as may serue to vphold the strength of grace in him Salomon the King of Israel would haue all Princes to eate in time for strength and not for drunkennes Eccl. 10. 17. Esay notes it as a iudgement of God vpon men when they vse feasting and mirth and haue not grace to consider the workes of God Esay 5. 12. Our Sauiour would haue all men so to eate and drinke that they may be the fitter to watch and pray Luk. 21. 34. 36. And the Apostle Paul exhorteth men not to be drunke with wine wherein is excesse but to be filled with the Holy Ghost Eph. 5. 18. His meaning is that men ought so to eate and drinke that their bodies mindes and senses may not be made thereby more heauie but rather more lightsome and able to performe their duties to God and man For if they so eat as that thereby they be hindred in this behalfe they are guiltie of excesse and riot which is greatly displeasing to God and offensiue to men This rule serueth to admonish somepersons who as the Prouerb is are good forenoone-men but bad afternoonemen because in the morning they be sober but for the most part ouer come with drinke after dinner IV. Euery man must eate his meat in Godlines This is indeed to eat vnto the Lord and it may be done by obseruation of these rules First by taking heed of the abuse of any creature appointed for foode by Intemperance This abuse holy Iob suspected in his sonnes while they were a feasting and therefore he sent day by day and sanctified them and offered vp burnt offerings vnto God according to the number of them all Iob. 1. 5. Secondly by receiuing the creatures as from the hand of God himselfe For this very end did God by expresse word giue vnto Adam euery hearth bearing seede which was vpon the earth and euery tree wherein was the fruit of a tree bearing seed for his meat that he might receiue it as God had giuen it vnto him from his owne hand Gen. 1. 29. Thus Moses said vnto the Israelites touching Manna This is the bread which the Lord hath giuen you to eate Exod. 16. 15. This Dauid acknowledged saying Thou giuest it them they gather it thou openest thy hand and they are filled Psal. 104. 28. and 145. 15. The Lord vpbraideth Israel with this fault by the Prophet Hosea She did not acknowledge that I gaue her corne and wine and oyle and multiplyed her siluer and
that as they are not to be coÌ„mended so they are not simply to be condemned and if they be vsed they must be vsed very sparingly Yet there be others that hold these mixt games to be vnlawfull and iudge the very dealing of the cards to be a lotte because it is a meere casuall action But as I take it the bare dealing of the cards is no more a lotte then the dealing of an almes when the Princes Almner puts his hand into his pocket and giues for example to one man sixe pence to another twelue pence to another two pence what comes forth without any choice Now this casuall distribution is not a lot but onely a casuall action And in a lot there must be two things The first is a casuall act the second the applying of the foresaid act to the determination of some particular and vncertaine euent Now the dealing of the cards is a casuall act but the determination of the vncertaine victorie is not from the dealing of the cardes in mixed games but from the wit and skill at least from the will of the players But in things that are of the nature of a lot the wit and will of man hath no stroke at all Neuerthelesse though the dealing of the cardes and mixed games be no lots yet it is farre saffer and better to abstaine from them then to vse them and where they are abolished they are not to be restored againe because in common experience many abuses and inconueniences attend vpon them and things vnnecessarie when they are much abused because they are abused they must not be vsed but rather remooued as the brasen serpent was 2. king 18. 4. III. Question How are we to vse recreations For answer whereof we must remember these foure speciall rules I. Rule We are to make choice of Recreations that are of least offence and of the best report Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoeuer things are of good report thinke of them The reason is because in all recreations we must take heede of occasions of sinne both in our selues and others And this mooued Iob while his sonnes were a feasting to offer daily burnt offerings according to the number of them all because he thought it may be my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts Iob 1. 5. And not onely that but I adde further we must take heede of occasions of offence in others Vpon this ground Paul saies that rather then his eating should offend his brother he would eate no meate while the world indured 1. Cor. 8. 13. In this regard it were to be wished that games of wit should be vsed onely and not games of hazard because they are more scandalous then the other Lastly in things that are lawfull in themselues we are to remember Paules rule All things are Lawfull but all things are not expedient 1. Cor. 6. 12. II. Rule Our Recreations must be profitable to our selues and others and they must tendâ— also to the glorie of God Our Sauiour Christ saies that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue an account at the day of iudgement Matth. 12. 36. Where by idle words he meaneth such as bring no profit to men nor honour to God And if for idle words then also for idle recreations must we be accountable to him Againe S. Paul teacheth that whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe we must doe all to the glorie of God 〈◊〉 Cor. 10. 31. Therefore the scope and ende of all recreations is that God may be honoured in and by them III. Rule The ende of our Recreation must be to refresh our bodies and mindes It is then an abuse of recreation when it is vsed to winne other mens money The gaine that comes that way is worse then vsurie yea it is flat theft For by the law we may recouer things stolne but there is no law to recouer things wonne And yet if play be for a small matter the losse whereof is no hurt to him that looseth it and if it be applied to a common good it is lawfull otherwise not IV. Rule Recreation must be moderate and sparing euen as the vse of meat and drinke and rest Whence it followeth that they which spende their whole life in gaming as Players doe haue much to answer for And the like is to be saide of them that haue lands and possessions and spend their time in pleasures and sports as is the fashion of many gentlemen in these daies Now Recreation must be sparing two waies First in regard of time For we must redeeme the time that is take time while time lasteth for the procuring of life euerlasting Eph. 5. 16. This condemneth the wicked practise of many men that follow this game and that to driue away time wheras they should employ all the time that they can to doe Gods will And indeede it is all to little to doe that which we are commanded and therfore while it is called to day let vs make all the hast we can to repent and be reconciled vnto God Secondly Recreation must be sparing in regard of our affection For we may not set our hearts vpon sports but our affection must be tempered and alaied with the feare of God Thus Salomon saies that laughter is madnes Eccles. 2. 2. so farre-forth as it hath not the feare and reuerence of the name of God to restraine it This was the sinne of the Iewes reprooued by the Prophet that they gaue themselues to all manner of pleasure and did not consider the worke of the Lord that is his iudgements and corrections Esa. 5. 12. And thus if Sports and Recreations be not ordered and guided according to this and the other Rules we shall make them all not onely vnprofitable vnto vs but vtterly vnlawfull And so much of the vertue of Temperance CHAP. V. Of Liberalitie HItherto we haue treated of the first sort of Vertues that are seated in the will which doe respect a mans owne selfe namely of Clemencie which standeth in the moderation of the mind in respect of anger and Temperance which consisteth in the moderation of our appetite in respect of riches apparell meate and drinke pleasures and recreations Now we come to the second sort which respect others beside our selâ—es And these belong to the practise either of Courtesie and kindnes or Equitie and right Of the first kind is Liberalltie of the second is Iustice in shewing or giuing Equitie or Fortitude in maintaining the same Of these in order Liberalitie is a vertue seated in the will whereby we shew or practise courtesie and kindnes to others The principall Questions touching this Vertue may be referred to that text of Scripture which is written Luk. 11. 41. Therefore giue almes of those things which ye haue and behold all things shall be cleane vnto you The words are a rule or Counsell deliuered by Christ to the Pharisies and the true and proper sense of them is this You Pharisies giue
in prison and ye came unto me Where obserue what person Christ commendeth vnto vs to be releeued the hungry thirstie naked sicke harbourles and the captâ—ue or prisoner Rom. 12. 20. If thine enemie hunger feede him if the thirst giue him drinke We must not onely supply the need of our freindes but also our enemies 〈◊〉 Tim. 5. 16. If any beleeuing man or woman haue widowes let him minister vnto them c. that there may be sufficient for them that are widowes indeede Here widowes that are desolate without friends and goods are commended to the liberalitie of the Church Leuit 25. 35. If thy brother be impouerished and hath the trembling hand thou shalt releeue him as a stranger or soiourner so shall he liue with thee By the trembling hand is meant the man that workes hard for his liuing and yet cannot by his labour get things necessarie but must needes stretch out his hand to others that are in better state for helpe Here two Questions may further be made First whether we must giue almes to beggers I meane such as goe from doore to doore for they come vnder the degrees of needie persons Ans. Beggars are of two sorts either such as are strong able to labour and doe somewhat for their liuing or such as are weake and impotent vnable to take paines for the maintenance of themselues or those that belong vnto them The first sort are not to be reiceued For touching them the Apostle hath giuen this rule He that will not labour must not eate 2. Thess. 3. 10. 12. Euery man must liue by the labour of his owne hands and feede vpon his owne bread Againe such beggers are theeues robbers because they steale their labour from the Church and Common-wealth which is as profitable as land and treasure In the old Law if two men striued together and the one had wounded the other the offender was inioyned not onely to pay for the healing but for the losse of his time also Exod. 21. 19. And in like manner ought such persons to beare the punishment both of their theft and of the losse of their labour And the truth is they that giue to them in this their loose life doe maintaine them in wickednes Yet here one Caution is to be remembred that if such a man be in extreame neede he must be helped rather then he should perish And the Magistrate is to punish him for his idlenes and to compell him to labour The Magistrate I say for priuate persons haue no authoritie to inflict punishment in this case As for the other sort that are vnable to worke they are not allowed by the word of God to gather their almes themselues by begging from doore to doore but to be releeued at home in their houses Deut. 15. 4. There shall not be a begger in thee v. 11. there shall be euer some poore in the land Here the holy Ghost makes a plaine difference between the poore and the begger forbidding the one and commanding to helpe the other Saint Paul likewise distinguisheth of widowes whereof some haue rich kindred and they are to be prouided for by them 1. Tim. 5. 4. Others are destitute of friends and kindred by whome they may be releeued and such he willeth to be maintained by the Church v. 16. And this is no toleration or approbation of beggers Againe the begging of almes is the very seminarie of vagabonds rogues stragling pâ—â—soÌ„s which haue no calling nor are of any corporation Church or commonwealth Yea it doth proclaime to the world in the eares of all men the shame either of the Magistrate who restraines it not hauing authoritie or of the wealthie and able that they haue no mercy or compassion It is also a great disorder in commonwealths For the boldest and most clamarous begger carries away all the almes from the rest and so releefe is distributed both vnwisely and vnequally And howsoeuer it is the good law of our Land agreeable to the law of God that none should begge that are able to labour and all men are bound in conscience to see it obserued that haue any care of the good of this Church and commonwealth yet it is a plague of our times and greatly to be bewailed that it is neglected and not put iâ— execution In the Second place it is demanded whether we must put a difference betweene persons and persons in giuing our almes Ans. There be three differences of men that are in neede The first is a mans owne And such are they that be of his houshold for which he that makes not provision is worse then an Infidell as the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 5. 8. Those also which are of a mans own blood as father and mother c. Mat. 15. 5 6. Now contrarie to this sort are strangers to whome we must not giue For to neglect a mans own and to bestowe it vpon forrainers vnlesse there be iust and necessarie cause so to doe is a sinne against the law of nature A second difference of men is this Some are of the houshold of faith Saint Pauls rule is this that we preferre them before the other Gal. 6. 10. Doe good vnto all men but specially to them that are of the houshold of faith A third difference Some are our owne poore of our towne land country some be strangers in the same respects Now howsoeuer we are debters to all that we can doe good to yet those that are neerer to vs in habitation or neighbourhood are to be respected and releeued before others This the Lord commandeth Deuâ— 15. 7. If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thy hart and shut thine hand from him And these beeing releeued we may in the next place afford our helpe to others Thus did the good Samaritane in case of necessitie practize his charitie vpon a stranger Luk. 10. 33. and is therefore commended by our Sauiour Christ. III. Question How much releefe must every man giue Ans. We must put a difference betweene the almes of priuate men and of Incorporations or Churches Touching priuate mens almes the Scripture hath not determined how much must be giuen but hath left it to the discreet consideration of euery Christian. And yet it must be remembred which the Apostle saith that he that soweth sparingly shal reape sparingly And againe Let euery man giue as he hath determined in his owne heart Lastly he giues a commandement touching the quantitie of giuing that euery first day of the weeke euery one lay aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that is according to the abilitie wherewith God hath blessed him 1. Cor. 16. 2. But two cautions are proprounded in the word touching this quantitie First that we must not so giue almes that others be â—ased and we our selues grieued 2. Cor. 8. 13. It is not Gods will that we