this one day to holy and spirituall exercises Q. Are we so tied in the sixe daies to labour in our calling that we may not in them resort to places where Gods word is preached and taught A. No For the knowledge and seruice of God must chiefly be sought for of vs Mar. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse saith our Sauiour Christ Wée sée GOD himselfe who gaue this charge to the Israelites commanded also his holy seruice to be performed of them somtime on the sixe daies as namely it may appeare Leuit. 23. and Numb 2. but most plainely in the story of Ester the fourteenth and fifteenth daies of the Moneth Adar with feasting and ioy were kept by Mordecai his commandement no doubt Ester 9.22 their ioy and reioicing was seasoned with thanksgiuing to God for their deliuerance from so imminent danger and is left vnto vs as a patterne to follow in like case and is also obserued of vs on the 5. of Nouember in giuing thankes to our most gracious God who saued vs from the most vnnaturall Gunpowder-Treason And they who in sincerity of heart seeke after the knowledge seruice of God at such times will also the more diligently early or late follow the works of their calling to supply their wants and such faithfull care of seruing GOD shall not want a blessing from God Q. But may a pretence of following such holy exercises be any excuse to such as will perchance bestow a little time that way and then the rest of the day they imploy in idlenesse A. It seemeth there were some such whereof the Apostle admonisheth Timothy 1. Tim. 5.13 and they were young widdowes but Saint Paul liked not of their doings and would not in any wise that such should be tolerated among Christians Q. But what thinke you of these words Sixe dayes shalt thou labour They seeme to be a Commandement and to require the labour of sixe daies euery man in his calling A. They are vnto the godly a toleration or permission to follow their vocation and to worke for the maintenance of themselues and their families But they haue also the force of a commandement to the condemnation of the vngodly that spend their life in loitering and idlenesse and may worke in them a sting of conscience when they shall remember that God saith Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and their own heart telleth them they haue not wrought but loitered For séeing God hath after mans fall set this downe as a Decrée that may not be altered vnlesse we spend our time in some religious exercise as before I sayd In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread Gen. 3.19 good and godly is the exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians to worke with their hands as hee also before had commanded them 1. Thes 4.11 that nothing bee lacking to them Verse 12. And iust cause hee hath to giue that heauy charge which hee afterwards giueth vnto them 2. The. 3.10 If there were any that would not worke that he should not eat So hateful is the idle life to God and good men and so vnséemely for any Christian Q The Commandement of God if there were no other thing to moue GODS people to obedience in this thing ought to be sufficient but much the rather seeing God hath dealt with them so fauourably as to haue consideration of their wants that they might haue time to supply them A. There is yet a third reason to moue them then and vs also now to sanctifie the Sabbath in these words But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God For God challengeth this day as his due and not to be spent but as he appointeth that is in holinesse and sanctification Q. But the seuenth day which is here commanded is not that which now we call the Sabbath day so that it seemeth wee transgresse this Commandement howsoeuer we keepe our Sabbath A. Indéede the day here commanded as that also wherein God rested was the seuenth day of the wéeke and the day that we keepe and indeuour to sanctifie is the first day of the wéek For that seuenth day being ceremoniall and so by the comming of Christ abolished for he was the end and fulfilling of all the ceremoniall Lawe needefull it was that the chiefe and most substanciall end of that ceremonie should bee still retained that is that one day should bee wholly consecrated to Gods seruice And this day which we now solemnize being the first day of the wéeke was vpon good ground thought to be fittest because as God rested the seuenth day from his worke of creation and therefore that day was then thought most conuenient to bee vnto his people a day of rest So Christ rising againe from his worke of redemption vpon the first day of the wéeke the Apostles being directed by the Spirit of God vpon this first day of the wéeke had their holy assemblies as is most plaine Ioh. 20.19.26 Acts 23.7 and in other places and of the worke that Christ wrought in rising againe it is called The Lords day Reu. 1.10 And by this is there as it was fit a difference put betwéene the Sabbath of the Iewes and that which we kéepe Q. Almost in the very beginning of handling this fourth Commandement you sayd that there was a principall end why wee should keepe this day of rest which I think is this that you haue spokē of already the sanctifying it Declare then if there be any other end of keeping the Sabbath though not of such importance as this is A. Moses a true expositor of Gods meaning expresseth it in these words That thy man-seruant and thy mayd may rest as thou dost Deu. 5.14 Not giuing therein liberty to any seruants to rest from bodily labour and spend their time in idlenesse but their rest must be such as their masters rest ought to be a rest from seruile work that they may the more carefully and seriously bend themselues wholly to the sanctifying of that day I am not therefore of that minde that this part of this commandement belongeth to the second table as some thinke but rather that Moses expounding those former words Thou shalt do no work therein c. giueth them to vnderstand that the rest which in these words God commandeth them to giue their seruants must be to that very end that themselues also must rest that is to sanctifie that day And to the end they might more willingly giue this time of holy rest vnto their seruants hee putteth them in minde of their seruitude in Egypt Deut. 5.15 wherein they liued in such thraldome that they could not haue liberty to serue the Lord from which if they acknowledged truly as they ought confessed Gods great goodnesse in that he deliuered them then must they also thinke that their seruants must not alway bee tyed to their worke but that they as
know themselues and holdeth that for a dishonouring of his name whereof they make no reckoning will both charge them and punish them too vnlesse speedily they repent for their grieuous transgressiō Q. You told vs in the beginning that the fourth Commandement if it bee well obserued is a very good meane to instruct vs how wee may performe these duties vnto God and to furder vs in doing the same A. It it most true for it commandeth the sanctifying of the Sabbath that is vpon that day the occupying of our selues about such holy exercises as might rauish our hearts with a consideration of Gods goodnesse towards vs and his wisedome in all his works Q. This Commandement as it is repeated by Moses in the fift of Deuteronomy is this Keep the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God commanded thee and so forth from the beginning of the 12. verse to the end of the 15. wherein I obserue some things that seem not to belong vnto the first table of the Commandements wherof as yet we speake A. That is truely obserued And for your better vnderstanding of this commaundement you must remember that first the commandement it selfe is giuen in these words Keepe the Sabbath day Then is the chiefe and principall end why it should bee kept mentioned Afterwards the commandement it selfe is explained namely what God requireth of vs or what hee meaneth by these words Keepe the Sabbath In it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou thy son c. And by this occasion is shewed a second end of giuing this Commandement That thy man seruant and thy mayd seruant may rest as well as thou Fourthly diuers reasons are scattered here there in these words some inducing to obedience in respect of the principall end which is the sanctifying of the Sabbath others in regard of the second end of this day of rest for the Sabboth day in the true signification of the word and the day of rest is al one namely that seruants might haue a day of rest as well as their masters Q. That I may particularly bee instructed in this Commandement I pray you first to teach mee the precept it selfe what is thereby meant Thou shalt keepe the day of rest Are all workes forbidden in these words A. The Prophet Moses is informed from God himselfe concerning this point Leuit. 23 8 The seuenth day is a holy conuocation in it thou shalt doe no seruile worke Q. But what are those seruile workes A. The works of euery mans seuerall vocation wherein he is to bestow his labour either for the good of the common-wealth wherein hee liueth or the maintenance of his owne estate and of his family Which workes because they are especially wrought in respect of this present life that here wee liue in comparison of those that aime at the euerlasting life are worthily called seruise because that curse of God belongeth to these our bodily labours In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 3.19 vntill thou returne to earth And seruile also they may be called because for the most part they are not wrought with such sincerity respect to Gods glory as they ought but sauor somewhat of our corruption and are too much inthralled to either our gréedy desire to inrich our selues by painful trauel or ambitiously seeking prayse of men or are otherwise sowred with some such leauen and so serue in some part at the least our polluted and naughty affections Q. But being commanded to keep the day of rest we are not forbidden all kind of workes A. No. For there are workes of Religion such as were circumcising the children which if the eight day wherein by Gods Law they were to be circumcised fel vpon the Sabbath was to bee performed without transgression of this Law Ioh. 7.22 as our Sauiour Christ affirmeth And the killing of the Sacrifices vpon the Sabbath day must be done Mat. 12.5 So the paines or labor in comming to Church vpon the Sabbath day is a labour not only lawful but commanded and necessarily required of all Christians as a duety that they must performe Some other are workes of necessity as if an Oxe be fallen into a pit vpon the Sabbath day it is no breach of this Commandement to pull it forth Luke 14.5 But here we must deale wisely and sincerely For if any businesse may without great danger bee put off vntill another time then this is not a work néedfull to be done that day so that euery occasion cannot make a worke of necessitie but only danger of great hurt or losse There are also works of charitie whereof Christ giueth this example Luk. 13.15 Doth not euery one of you loose an Asse or Oxe from the stall and lead him to the water on the Sabbath day Such workes are the visiting of the sicke comforting of them that are in heauinesse and such like works Q. Among the workes of charity many reckon this that they make drinkings gather great companies together vpon the Sabbath day to benefit som poore man as their pretence is may not this be truly accounted among the works of charitie that this day may be performed A. No. For when a worke that seemeth to proceed from a charitable affection toward man is crossed by some commandement of the first table all which belong to the immediate honor of God thou must rather shew thy loue to God then to man And indeed they who will not choose other daies wherein they may performe duties of loue towards their neighbour then that which God appointeth for to honour him in doe plainly shew they loue their owne profit better then either God or their neighbor because they take such time only to do good to their neighbour as God challengeth to be honoured in being loth to leese the work of a day appointed for labour Q. Is there then great necessity in consecrating the Sabbath day to a day of rest A. Very great as may appeare by the charge that is giuen For the word Kéep the Sabbath the word I say vsed in the Hebrew requireth oft a great and diligent care in kéeping that which is there commanded as Deutero 8.11 24.8 1. Kings 2.3 2. Kings 11.5 In all which places and many such like the selfe same word is vsed that here Moses hath to shewe the watchfull care wee should haue to kéepe this day of rest Yea God himselfe in giuing this commandement Exod. 20 giueth it with a memento Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Remember not onely when it commeth to keepe this day of rest from bodily labour but thinke of it before hand As a wise builder wil prouide his stuffe néedful for his building that when the work is in hand nothing bee wanting Or a discreet Captaine purposing to fight with his enemy will muster his Souldiers appoint his Captaines and Officers furnish them with armour weapons and victuall and all
things needfull that when hee goeth to encounter his aduersary there be no want euen so God would haue vs to consider all the weeke before what we haue to doe on the Sabbath day that wee might so dispose of our sixe dayes of work that the seuenth might bee wholly bestowed without any let vpon Gods seruice Q. This Commandement requireth not onely the rest of the masters or chiefe of families but of seruants too that they should not be appointed to any labour that day And therefore they who send their seruants vpon errands vpon such daies which is a sin wherein too many offend transgresse this Commandement They likewise who appoint thē that are vnder them so they worke not their wonted worke to doe other businesse either at home or abroad and thinke they breake not the Sabbath are much deceiued A. It is so Yea God hath such care that seruants shuld also rest that day that hee would the cattell should rest lest by any meanes the seruants if the cattel rested not should be constrained to work And that this commandement might more religiously be obserued euē the stranger though hee were not tyed to such lawes as Gods people were yet being then among Gods people might not worke that day lest his example might bee hurtfull or offensiue to other Q. I see then that there must bee rest from our ordinary labour vpon the Sabbath day But is it enough that wee rest from worke is that a sufficient sanctifying that day A. No for the end why we should rest from bodily worke is that wee might be wholy occupied in Sanctifying it and apply our selues to heauenly meditations Q. Then to bee idle is not the rest that is heere commanded much lesse to bestow that day or any part of the Sabbath in excessiue drinking feasting or gaming A. You say truely for the rest from bodily labour is to this end onely that the mind of men being occupied in spirituall and heauenly meditations they might more assuredly inioy that sweet rest and quietnesse of conscience which is that Peace that the world cannot giue Ioh. 14.27 as our blessed Sauiour telleth vs in such sort as he giueth it Q. I pray you then teach vs how wee may sanctifie this day of rest in such sort as that wee may find this heauenly rest A. Wée must vnderstand that this Commandement as it was giuen vnto all that God brought out of the house of bondage euen to Moses and Aaron aswell as to the people so is it generall now and belongeth vnto all states of life to all callings to Men and Women and euery body in his place must seeke to further this worke The Magistrate and the Minister the Pastor and the People the Master and the Seruant must indeauour to helpe forward as the Prophet Zephanie speaketh Chap. 3.9 with one shoulder this sanctifying the day of rest Q. Hath the ciuill Magistrate any thing required at his hands in this sanctifying of the Sabbath but that for his owne selfe and his household hee be carefull to resort to the holy exercises of that day A. Yes he is also bound euen by this Commandement in respect that the talent of gouernment is committed to him from God first to haue a care that good lawes be made against the prophanation of the Sabbath secondly to take order that such Laws be duely executed and punishment inflicted against offenders as Law commandeth Heereof wee haue in Nehemiah a godly patterne for Magistrates who séeing the Sabbath day when the people of the Iewes were returned from the captiuitie of Babylon wickedly prophaned by treading Wine-presses selling Grapes and such like labours earnestly reproued them for it yea and the Magistrates too with these words Nehe. 13.15.17 What euil thing is this that ye do and breake the Sabbath day And the night before the Sabbath he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be shut and set his seruants to watch the gates that none should open the same but they should be kept shut vntill after the Sabbath day so that he kept the Marchants which by their bearing of burthens prophaned the Sabbath day without the walles all night once or twice But seeing them somewhat obstinate and loth to be restrained he also threatned them that if they came any more in such sort to offer such prophanation on the Sabbath day hee would force them by violence to depart By which Story that is left vnto vs as a commendable fact for all Magistrates to imitate wee see how carefull and how earnest Magistrates should bee to shew themselues as the LORD hath appointed them Conseruatours of his Sabbath Q. As for Ministers of the word we know that their vocation is holy and should especially bee directed to the true sanctifying the day of rest A. It is most true that wee haue a holy calling which that wee also should walke in holily it were to bee wished But as this Commandement was giuen to Aaron as well as to Moses or the people so no doubt wee must haue great regard to the sanctifying the Sabbath day and go before other therein our selues I meane and our housholds that by our example other may the rather be moued to this holy rest And besides those duties that God requireth of vs in regard of our generall calling to Christianity wee haue a speciall calling vnto the Ministerie whereby we must striue to the vttermost of our power to call our people to the sanctifying the Sabbath day to teach them how the day is to bee sanctifyed to exhort such as are slack to reproue such as obstinately offend therein and by all extremity that we can to compell men to the sanctifying thereof And wee must do this as God hath inabled vs sincerely and seeking only the glory of GOD not our owne praise or moued by any other corrupt affection if we will truly and effectually teach our people to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath For how much the more zealously and from a sanctified heart the word is deliuered the more powerfully no doubt will it worke a godly reformation Q. Magistrates and Ministers I see must vse their talents of authority and gifts to sanctifie the Sabbath and themselues by their example also must moue other thereto haue not any other charge to helpe forward herein A. All Parents and heads of housholds must further this duty likewise to haue a great care that their children and seruants prophane not the day that God commandeth to bee kept holy Yea one neighbour ought to stir vp another as Gods people did Come Esay 2.3 let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his paths Come let vs go to the Church let vs reuerently heare his word let vs not spend the day in drinking wantonnesse or idlenesse that God bids vs bestow in holinesse yea and seruants and children should frame themselues willingly
to perform this duty Q. Wee haue heard what persons should be furtherers to this worke of sanctifying the Sabbath Now let vs heare what duties are required of vs to the sanctifying thereof A. If wee will holily as wee ought apply our selues to this holy seruice wee must beginne with our selues for vnlesse wee be first sanctified Mat. 7.18 our seruice cannot be holy An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith He that cannot lye The Priests in the Leuiticall Law when they went about that holy seruice that belonged to their office must first themselues bee sanctified Exod. 28.41 And therefore Iosiah that good King minding to haue the feast of the Passeouer kept 2. Chro. 35.6 commanded the Priests to sanctifie themselues for that seruice And God commanded the people of Israel to be sanctified Exod. 19.10 when he appointed to declare to them his Law Good Ezechia therfore intreated God to be mercifull to some that came out of some Tribes of Israel to the feast of the Passeouer that prepared their whole heart to seeke the LORD 2. Chro. 30.19 although they wanted the Legal sanctification This good foundation of sanctifying our selues beeing thus layd all that wee doe will bee better accepted with God Then must wée carefully follow all the holy exercises of that day such as are these hearing of the Word attentiuely and as men greedy to learne Praying to GOD feruently for the assistance of his holy Spirit in all our godly indeuours yeelding to him most hearty thankes for his graces bestowed vpon vs godly conference when wee are out of the Church one with another of the lessons that we haue heard by the Ministery of the Word company with such as can and will instruct vs either by reading to vs good Bookes or by godly talk either of Gods goodnes to our selues or his mercy shewed to others or his fearefull iudgments against the wicked for contempt of Him and his truth or generally of his wonderfull works in creating all things in such order as they are and all for our vse Q. I perceiue they that are sanctified and with sanctified hearts doe keepe the Sabbath day may find much comfort in such holy exercises but how may wee sanctifie our selues A. It is a harder worke then wee are able to performe yet if we heartily call vpon God for his grace intreating Him to worke that in vs which wee of our selues are no way able to doe and then keepe a carefull watch at the dore of our lips that we speake not vnaduisedly and haue a watchfull eye vnto our waies that we walke warily if I say in sincerity of heart wee thus seeke to prepare our selues to sanctifie our selues to this holy rest no doubt God wil giue a blessing to these our good indeuors Q. Alasse then how lamentable is the case of many in our dayes who spend scarcely one hower of the day in the Church and thinke that time also how short soeuer long and tedious But in the Ale-howses or the vngodly feasts and meetings which too many resort vnto they willingly tarry very long yea the whole day seemeth too short when it is bestowed so rebelliously against Gods expresse Cōmandement A. In truth the carelesnesse and supine security of men in these our dayes is much to be pittied wherein many who haue the name of Christians would scorne to be deemed not to be so haue onely heard of GOD and are acquainted with the name of Christ and so by continuall company among Christians haue some generall knowledge of good words but yet are so carelesse to attaine to any true knowledge by the light of Gods word so godlesse and irreligious in prophanation of the Sabbath day so wholy deuoted to such vnchristian méetings and so loose lewd in behauiour when they are there that if any Turkes or Infidels should behold their conuersation at such times they would then detest the very name of Christianity such staines are they to the very profession Q. But God forbid all that resort to such meetings were so vnruly some are more moderate and come but at the intreaty of their friend or for company of their neighbours or fellowes not delighting much in drinking A. True some are more moderate but he that is most moderate if he trust too much in himselfe that he can in such dangerous meetings carry himselfe soberly may soone bee deceiued and therefore may seeme by his ouerboldnesse to tempt God as presuming of his own naturall disposition And let all men assure themselues heereof that God in his iust iudgement forsakes them and leaues them to themselues who contemptuously do breake his Law And therfore if their friend intreat them to disobey Gods Commandement in resorting vpon the Sabbath day to such feasts it is the part of a good Christian rather to moue his friend to detest his wicked prophanation of the Lords Sabbath but in any wise let not the seruant of God consent to his wicked perswasion Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do euill much lesse one seducing friend And since they say they go with their friend and thinke that should serue to make their fault lesse I would all Christians should remember 1. Thes 5.11 their duty is to exhort one another to good and to edifie one another in the things that belong to godlinesse but to suffer thy selfe to be drawne away to wickednesse is a token of great weakenesse and to consent to such perswasion procureth Gods wrath to bee short séeing the godly must abstaine from all shew of euill 1. The. 5.22 and must in all their doings as the third Commandement teacheth glorifie God it is most certaine that the resort to such vngodly méetings vpon the Sabbath day how moderately soeuer they carry themselues is a breach of Gods Commandement and therefore God in his iustice may and will in his good time punish such offenders vnlesse they repent and take a new course Q. What are the reasons whereby the Israelites are mooued to obey this Commandement A. The first reason is the Commandement of God which Moses heere in repeating the Law setteth forth and strengtheneth partly in respect of the authority of the Commander in calling him Lord partly hee allureth them to performe vnto this Commandement willing obedience because he hath many waies declared himselfe to bee their good and gracious God whom they cannot disobey without great note of vnthankfulnes Secondly in giuing them 6. daies to supply all wants of their body and for dispatch of their worldly affaires hee reserueth onely one to be wholy imploied in his honor and seruice the bestowing of which day in such sort as wee ought to doe is also most to our owne good because it is the gaining our soules to God I say by this his large allowance of so many daies for bodily labours they iustly are to be charged with a staine of ingratitude if they willingly giue not
if it were a token of valor yet such men howsoeuer they seeme perchance many of them to feare no man yet the lest breath of GODS mouth Psal 76.12 who cutteth off the spirit of Princes and is terrible to the Kings of the earth shall make them tremble and quake as the Aspe-leafe Dan. 5.6 as did Bellshazzar in all his royalty But may Gods name be taken in vaine any other way then by swearing A. Yes If wee thinke or speake of Gods works with lesse reuerence and due consideration then we ought to do thereby is the second Commandement broken For as men by their names so is the glory and Maiestie of GOD apparant vnto vs by his works so that his power and might his wisedome his mercy may easily bee seene to them that reuerently consider of his creation of all things of nothing of the order wherein hee hath made and appointed them how he hath made all his creatures for our vse And in his gouerning the world as hee doth both his iustice and his greatnesse may be seene So that to talke of his works and not worthily to praise the workemanship or not to giue honour to the worker thereof is to take his name in vaine because that which may be knowne of God is not so reuerently esteemed of vs as it ought to be Deut. 23.21 Q. Wee read that if the people of God to rouze vp their slouthfulnesse and to reforme their negligence in Gods seruice should vow any thing to God they might not be slacke in performing that they promised doth this any thing belong to this third Commandement A. Very much For a vow is as it were a holy promise not made only before God and whereof hee is a witnesse but also made to him and therefore not without great dishonouring of his name can bee broken or left vnperformed Num. 30.3 Whosoeuer voweth a vow vnto the Lord or sweareth an oath to bind himselfe by a bond he shall not breake promise but do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Therefore the Psalmist aduiseth thus Psa 76.11 Vow and performe vnto the Lord. Q. You meane not heere to commend to the godly the popish vowes wherein they who haue vowed do so much reioyce as if they were the chief professors of Christianity A. No those Popish vowes are commonly to abstaine from things lawful in themselues to be vsed with such a bond of cōscience as that howsoeuer vnable to performe it they find themselues yet must they still striue though altogether against the stream to do that they haue promised Again they thinke to merit thereby and so robbe Christ of the glory of his meriting for vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the fruit of his sacrifice which onely could make the atonement with God for vs. These and many other such superstitions or rather blasphemies do so staine their Popish vowes that they are in the sight of God and all good men most abominable Yet I commend as godly helps against our weakenesse and infirmitie that we shall easily find in our selues in our indeuour to serue God such purposes and promises as with our selues we make vnto God of dayly praying reading abstinence and all other godly exercises whereby wee may grow in knowledge of God and all true obedience For such exercises do not only kéepe vs wel occupied and so are a redéeming of the time from the vaine conuersation that wee haue had in times past but are as a continuall manuring and watering of the godly thoughts which God by his grace hath now planted in our hearts And for such vowes or promises if wee make to God and performe them not wée shall be found guilty of taking the name of the Lord our God in vaine Q. What say you to such godly wishes as are ordinarie in our mouthes godly I say in outward shew Good morrow God speed or such like is there no danger of breaking this Commandement in vttering them A. Yes very great for wee vse them but too often as words of course rather for fashion then with any true deuotion wée tumble them out of our mouthes before wee thinke in our heart of that we speake Nay the solemne Prayers that wee purpose to make vnto God are by this meanes becom as the Preacher termeth them Eccle. 4.17 The sacrifice of fooles for when wee should talke with God if our affections be wandring and our thoughts carry vs sometime to pleasures somtime to profit or to any other worldly things wee performe not heerein our purpose to God and therefore wee take his name in vaine Q. Wee learne then that we haue great need when wee haue a purpose to sue vnto God to free our selues as much as possibly wee can from all thoughts that may hinder vs or cause our hearts to wander from heauenly cogitations Yea do what wee can our heart wil not so be knit vnto God in prayer as it ought to be and therefore it behoueth vs not only to watch and pray Mar. 13.13 Ephe. 6.18 but also to watch vnto prayer that spying the time when we see our selues best inabled thereto by the spirit of God Rom. 8.26 which helpeth our infirmities then wee should take hold of that grace that is offered to vs. A. You say true Q. But what say you of our profession of Christianitie and that wee are the children of God May not this our profession bee a transgression of this Commandement A. Yes and is but too often God complaineth of his people of the Iewes thus Esay 52.5 My Name is all the day continually blasphemed Againe When they entred vnto the Heathen whither they went Ezech. 36.20 they polluted my name And therefore Saint Paul is bold to charge the Iewes to the end hee might humble them and make them know themselues thus The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Rom. 2.24 declaring thereby that profession of seruing God without conuersation somewhat answerable is a taking of Gods name in vaine To this end tend these exhortations Ephe. 4.1 I pray you walke worthy of the vocation whereunto you are called Phil. 1.27 Let your conuersation bee as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Walke worthy of the Lord. Yea Col. 1.10 the Apostle Saint Iames saith plainely If a man thinke himselfe religious Iam. 1.26 and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans Religion is vaine If the not-guiding of the tongue may make vaine all our profession of Religion then much more if our life be polluted and stained with sundry sinnes In what case then are they who go forward in all kind of vncleannesse and wickednesse not in one but in almost all kind of sinnes do not they howsoeuer they professe themselues to bee Gods seruants dishonour him in taking vpon them the name of Gods seruants or Gods children and care not how in life they dishonour