thou rather disobey God than chastise thy sonne Yea haddest thou rather let him stand vnder the heauie wrath of God which burneth vnto the bottome of hell for breaking his Sabbath than to correct him then woe worth the time may thy childe say that euer hee knew the that lettest him thus to die for want of correction And this much shortly concerning the duties of parents towards their children in compelling them to keepe the Sabbath § Sect. 3 The next dutie is of Masters towards their seruants who are so farre foorth bound to see The master must see that the seruant keep the Sabbath their seruants keepe the Sabbath as themselues For God will haue them his seruants aswell as theirs and to doe his businesse vpon the seuenth day aswell as their masters vpon the sixe daies And this in truth wee ought to doe if not in this regard that God commaundeth vs whose commaund should be of greatest authoritie with vs yet at least that we may shew our selues good gouernours and that we gouerne them as tendring their good ouer whom we are set and wherein can we more tender them than in bringing them vnto the knowledge of the chiefe good euen vnto the sauing knowledge of God in Iesus Christ And if we will not yet gouerne as tendring their good yet at least let vs doe it as tendring our owne for be yee well assured that he that is not faithfull to God will neuer be faithfull to thee and that hee that will not serue God truly will neuer ferue thee truly Well hee may serue thee so long as thine eye is vpon him but when thy backe is turned his seruice is ended But the seruant that feareth the Lord will be as faithfull vnto thee when thou lookest off as when thou lookest on for hee knowes well that a greater than thy selfe looketh vpon him to whom hee must answere for his seruice done to thee Let this therefore at least teach thee thy dutie to thy seruants Yea but will some Master say my seruants wil not thus be held in by you No will who holds them in then to their worke in the weeke daies If any shall then start aside from your businesse you will easily finde meanes to inforce him and can you finde no meanes to inforce him to Gods businesse Yea but they will not vpon the Sabbath bee held in but they will then haue their libertie Then let them haue it altogether and discharge them For wilt thou haue him that will not serue God to serue thee thou oughtest at least to be as carefull for Gods seruice as for thine owne Now thou wilt not keepe a seruant that will not faithfully doe thy businesse how much lesse then shouldest thou keepe one that will not serue the Lord Dauid would neuer haue done it for saith he a wicked person shall not dwell in my house Psal 101. Yea but how shall my worke bee done then Get thee such seruants as doe feare the Lord that was it that Dauid purposed first with himselfe Mine eyes saith he shall be vnto the faithfull of the land And He that walketh in a perfect heart he shall serue me vers 6. ibid. And they indeed bee the best seruants for they serue not with eye seruice but as the seruants of Christ as seruing the Lord in thy businesse and not thee Ephes 6. 6. Yea but wee cannot get such It may be so because you do not walke as Dauid did in the middest of your house with a perfect heart vers 2. Therefore they will not dwell with you which if you did you should not neede to seeke for seruants would seeke you fast enough Yea if you did so walke by Gods blessing though you did not finde them such yet you would make them such but this is the miserie of it our seruants must bee sent abroad euery Sabbath in errands and trifling businesses riding and running and posting as if it were for life as if it were on other daies in the weeke as if no commandement were from God to the contrarie So our owne turnes be serued wee care not how God be serued wee shew thereby that wee loue our selues more than God And our seruants seeing vs not to make conscience of Gods businesse they grow to make as little conscience of ours especially they being by this meanes depriued of the benefit of the word whereby they should bee taught better to discharge their duties towards their masters And thus much for that that the master ought to see that his seruant keepe the Sabbath And as this instructeth the master in his dutie to his seruant so also it containeth in it matter of comfort for the seruant For they may hence obserue the kindnes and loue of God towards him that notwithstanding their seruitude yet hee is mindfull of them they think poore wretches that because God hath laid this state of seruitude vpon them therefore hee regardeth them not no no it is not so but he thinkes vpon them and remembers them euery Sabbath vouchsafing as it were to looke downe from heauen vpon them in giuing them a rest promising them as it were in that rest that one day they shall thoroughly rest from their labours and rest with him in heauen where they shal be no more in seruitude but shall be the Lords free men Therefore you seruants thinke of this and learne to serue him on his Sabbath that hath not alone in his flesh serued you but will assuredly in that flesh saue you and giue you a perpetuall rest if you serue him And behold this he requires at your hands then doe it for you cannot serue a better master Lay aside then your foolish vanities your idle delights and impertinent sports be no more the seruants of sinne but as in the whole course of your liues so on this day especially bee yee the Lords seruants loe hee offers it Now who is it that would not serue his Prince if he might but their seruice is nothing to this for euen Princes themselues sue to bee Gods seruants as Dauid though it were but in a meane place as to bee a doore-keeper yet he would thinke himselfe happie let this therefore be your resolution to serue the Lord. You will say peraduenture you would but you cannot your masters lay such burthens vpō you And surely this I know many masters lay greater burthens vpon their seruants on the Sabbath than in any daies of the weeke besides they deale therein like Pharaoh when the people desired to go to serue the Lord then he laid more worke vpon them Exod. 5. 9 so when they should goe to heare the word of the Lord then they lay more businesse vpon them In this case what shal the poore seruant doe shall hee doe Gods businesse or his masters Surely whether it be better to obey God or man masters iudge you Act. 4. vers 19. Though neither herein doe I intend to exempt the seruant from being subiect to his master
the Pope is indeede the butcher and the Prince but his boy to hold the sheepes legges whilest the butcher cuts his throte I will not dispute this question neither but I come vnto that which I proposed that is how farre Princes may meddle in matters of religion to compell thereunto First therefore the Prince must especially see that his people bee taught the law of God and that was the reason why Iosiah caused the law to be read vnto all the people 2. King 23. 1. Secondly in the same place for that almost teacheth a King his dutie when he hath caused them to bee taught he bindeth them by couenant vnto the same yea and himself also vers 3. Thirdly hauing thus done then hee goes to reformation and there hee begins with the Priests First hee makes them bring out of the Temple all the vessels that were made for Baal vers 5. Then he destroyes their Idols and their houses vers 6. When he hath so done for this was not all for he had a greater toyle with them than euer King Henry had with the Abbeys in England hee comes to the Kings houses and there first hee breakes down the Altars of the Kings of Iudah ver 10. He breakes downe Manasses altar vers 12. Then the high places that Salomon had built for Asteroth and Chemos And lastly the Calues of Ieroboam vers 15. Now hauing taken away all these abominations then fourthly he brings the people backe againe vnto the obseruation of the true worship of God and commaunds all the people to keepe the Passeouer vers 21. Thus farre went Iosiah But now what if they had refused this what then Surely hee would then haue ranne a further course with them he would no doubt haue inforced them by punishment which is the fifth dutie and the last in a Prince when no course will serue then to inforce by laying punishment vpon them either in their goods as Saul Those that come not foorth after me saith he thus shall his oxen be killed 1. Sam. 11. 7 or else hee would haue laid hands of them to haue imprisoned them Nehe. 13 or if all this would not haue serued he would haue punished with losse of life it selfe And so Asa decreed that those that would not seeke the Lord that is that were obstinate they should be slaine 2. Chro. 15. 15. And thus farre I take it a Prince hath power to proceede against an obstinate contemner of Gods truth And so much for this that we are to compell others vnto the obseruation of the Sabbath as well as to keep it in our owne persons THE FOVRTH BOOK TREATING OF THE REASONS MOVING TO THE sanctifying of the Sabbath CHAP. I. The first reason because God hath giuen vs sixe daies to labour in Sect. 1. Whether it be lawfull to vse recreation vpon any of those sixe daies Sect. 2. Whether it be lawfull to consecrate any one or more of those sixe vnto the seruice of God Sect. 3. § Sect. 1 YOV haue heard in the former booke of the persons that must obserue the Sabbath Now it remaines that I shew the reasons which are vsed in the commaundement to inforce thereunto and there are foure deliuered in this commandement The first is in these words Sixe daies The first reason of the keeping of the Sabbath shalt thou labour c. and it is an argument à fortiori perswading from the greater to the lesse thus If I haue giuen thee sixe daies to worke in them then thou oughtest of conscience to rest one day but I haue allowed thee sixe and therefore rest the seuenth This is the manner of this argument but me thinkes it is proposed by way of answer as it were vnto some question that might be obiected vpon the former words for where as God had in the commandement required to rest the seuenth day some might obiect as many doe that it were very hard to rest a whole day To which hee answereth that they ought at least to rest one whole day being that God had bestowed vpon them sixe to their owne vses So that here I might take an occasion to answere those that thinke it sufficient on the Sabbath if they come to the publique exercise though they spend the rest in sports but this naile I haue driuen before come we now to the words Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. First in that that he giues vs sixe daies to doe our businesse in therein hee lets vs see that sixe daies are sufficient for vs to do our businesse in and for the dispatch of all our works and if that he had seene that we should haue needed more hee would haue giuen them but seeing sixe were sufficient he gaue no more though in respect of himselfe as hee is Lord of the Sabbath and so is he also of all the rest of the daies of the weeke hee could haue giuen vs more And therefore as he saith Psal 50. 10. All the beasts of the forrest are mine so may he say All the daies of the weeke are his by which right hee might haue craued of vs euery second or third day Yet hee deales more liberally with vs and requireth but the seuenth Then hence to perswade you to keepe this Sabbath let me reason with you as Naamans seruant did with his master What saith he if the Prophet had commaunded thee a greater thing than this wouldest not thou haue done it how much more then when he saith Wash and be cleane 2. King 5. 13. So I say if the Lord had commaunded thee a greater thing than this wouldest thou wouldest thou do I say nay oughtest thou not to haue done it how much more then when he saith keepe the seuenth And if we refuse this to keepe one of seuen what would we doe if he should require one of three or foure So that Gods liberalitie in this case doth much aggrauate the sinne of man when restraining him but in one and giuing him plentie of others yet hee will not be restrained from that one This was it that made Adams sinne out of measure sinfull that hauing plentie of all the trees of the garden both for varietie and sacietie Genes 2. 9. yet he must needes taste the forbidden fruite So was this also that which made Dauids sinne a notable sinne that hauing many wiues of his owne yet hee could not be content with all these but hee must take the wife of poore Vriah 2. Sam. 12. 9. Well I know not how deepe this argument sinketh into the hearts of Sabbath-breakers their consciences are so seared and so hardened with the custome of that sinne and their hearts so couered as it were with a shield of brawn that they are growne past feeling of it but I am verely perswaded at the day of account it shall stick vnto them neerer than the marrow cleaueth vnto the bones and it shall bee more sensible vnto them than the tenderest bile in the world When I say they shall
heare God out of his law to reason in this sort against them I gaue you sixe daies to doe your worldly businesse in to labour to ride to runne to buy to sell to sow to reape to solace your selues to see your friends to make merrie c. and yet cannot you bee contented with them but that you must incroach vpon me to take my holy day also and to spend it I say not vpon your labours but that which is more vntollerable vpon your lusts and delights This I say cannot but strike them thorough and make their harts to fall in sunder like water when they shall consider their great ingratitude towards him that when he of seuen could affoord to giue them sixe they of seuen cannot affoord to giue giue doe I say out vpon it nay cannot suffer him to enioy one The scarre of churlishnes sticketh like a starre in the forhead of Nabal and shall to the worlds end 1. Sam. 25. 3. that Dauid when in regard of his kindnes shewed vnto his shepheards in the wildernesse requiring him to giue him a present of any thing that came next vnto his hand the churle refused to doe it Now Nabal how soeuer churlish yet this was his owne it was in his power and it was prouided for his shearers yet for all this is hee iustly condemned for a chrule in that hee sent not a present vnto Dauid that had so well deserued it With what words then may this sinne of ours be sufficiently aggrauated that whereas God of his bountie of seuen hath giuen vs sixe if we also should take away from him that one If a poore man on the way as thou trauellest should come vnto thee and craue of thee for Gods sake to bestow vpon him something to relieue him and thou out of thy liberalitie and compassion towards him shouldest giue him all the money in thy purse reseruing onely a very little for thine owne vse to bring thee home if hee I say should catch thy purse and that also and run away with it wouldest thou not account him very vngratefull Yet thy vngratitude to God is as great as his and more for in very truth thou art so bound vnto God as that if thou shouldest giue halfe of thy daies yea all of them back againe vnto him thou couldest not sufficiently recompence him To conclude therefore this point let that reason which mooued Ioseph not to consent to his Mistris preuaile with thee My master hath committed all into my hand and hath kept nothing from me but onely thee because thou art his wife how then shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Genes 39. So shouldest thou answere thy companions when they shall allure thee on the Sabbath to sinne The Lord hath giuen me all the daies in the weeke to doe my workes in sauing onely this one he hath reserued vnto himselfe how then can I do this great wickednesse and sinne against the Lord in breaking his Sabbath And thus much for the manner of the reason how it inforceth vs to the keeping of the Sabbath The doctrine that we learne hence is first that the commandements of God stand all of them and are grounded vpon good reason and therefore that all his commandements are not onely true Psal 119. 86 but righteous also vers 106. Yea they are all most iust vers 128. And there is nothing in the world that standeth with such reason as the seruice of God which maketh the Apostle to call it our reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12. 2. And therefore Ezec. 18. 25. God blames those that say his waies are vnequall and no lesse worthie of blame are such as thinke that it is vnreasonable to keepe a whole day holie vnto the Lord. Why then how should their businesse goe forward why then when should they haue any time for recreation What is all this but to finde fault with Gods law as if it were not iust as if it were not equall But what saist thou is it not equall and is it not meete that thou shouldest haue thy sixe daies to doe thy businesse in which God hath allowed thee And is it not as meete that God should haue one Let this therefore cease thy murmuring against Gods law seeing it standeth with such good reason The second doctrine that wee note in these words Sixe daies shalt thou labour is this that as it is sinne for vs ordinarily to worke on the seuenth day so also is it sinne for vs through negligence or idlenes not to dispatch our worldly businesse in the sixe daies seeing he hath allowed them vnto vs for that purpose And therfore on them we ought to labour and it behoueth vs so much the more carefullie to labour in them seeing that God hath enioyned man to labour in the sweate of his browes Genes 3. Yea seeing as Iob saith he is borne to labour as the sparkles flie vpward Iob. 5. 7. And hence it is that God hath left him so many precedents of labour before his eyes the oxe is made to till the land and tread out the corne the asse is to stand vnder the burthen the heauens are still in their motion as it were still a working the Angels are ministring spirits Psal 104. 4 and when man was in the state of perfection God would not haue him idle Gen. 2. though God had no neede of his worke nor the garden for it brought out all things without planting yet hee would haue man to labour because man had neede of it and therefore sets him his taske to dresse and trimme the garden Nay God himselfe in his owne person wrought sixe daies in making of the heauens and the earth Hee could indeed haue finished it in one or at a words speaking but yet he would worke sixe daies to leaue vnto vs an example to doe the like Then here are those slow bellies and idle Abbey lubbers condemned that spend whole daies in doing nothing that are like paralitique and gowtie members loose and vntied in the ioynts of obedience that say vnto the head commaund vs not for we will not moue neither will we stir But shal not God curse them as he did the fig tree that bare no fruite cut it downe why combreth it the earth And were it not that these words did stand vp so pregnantly against these men yet the very euils that accompany idlenes were sufficient to make it to be detested for what sinne is it almost that groweth not out of this as out of a nurcerie of all sinne Idlenes causeth to fall asleepe Pro. 19. 15. then idlenes is the cause of drowsinesse So is it of beggerie He that will 〈…〉 in winter shall begge in summer Prou. 20. 4. Idlenes is the cause of ill husbandrie His land cries out against him and the furrowes thereof complaine that haue not their water courses Iob. 31. 38. Thornes and nettles couer the face thereof Prou. 24. 4. So is idlenes the cause of drunkennes Amos
idle word especially for those that they shall thus vainly babble foorth vpon the Sabbath And so much touching the outward breach of the Sabbath But yet here is not all for a man to cease from §. Sect. 4. these outward workes for these concerne the very beasts as well as man we must therefore consider that as a man doth consist of two parts a bodie and a soule so God hath a regard vnto them both and as he requires of the bodie an externall rest that no labour may hinder holinesse so he requires of the soule an internall rest from all sinne and that rest indeed is proper to man and it is to rest from the workes of the flesh which Esay 58. 13. are also called our waies or workes and these are properly and indeede seruile and the worst kinde of seruile workes of all others And therefore as other thy workes are here forbidden which are seruile because they hinder holinesse so these kinde of seruile workes aboue all others are forbidden because they not onely hinder holinesse but are opposite vnto it so farre foorth as hee which is subiect vnto them is free from holinesse Rom. 6. 20. Against these therfore it is that Esay so bitterly inueigheth I cannot abide your Sabbaths c. Esai 1. 13. But why so vers 15. he giueth a reason for your hands are full of blood And Esai 58. when they come vnto him in hypocrisie and seemed to finde fault with God that he would not accept their fast which had the nature of a Sabbath and as appeareth in the end of the chapter is called his holy day God yeeldeth them a reason why he did not accept it Behold saith he ye fast to strife and vnto debate to smite with the fist of wickednesse vers 4. Hauing thus shewed their fast then he rates them for it vers 5. Is it such a fast saith he that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day call yee this a fast or an acceptable day vnto the Lord c. And hauing thus rated them then he shewes them what a true fast is to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthens to take away the yoke and putting foorth of the finger vnderstand to any euill work and wicked speaking if any man doe these things hee keepes a true rest I know well this rest from our sinnes must bee kept in the whole course of our liues yet vpon the Sabbath aboue all wee must take heede that sinne enter not vpon vs because it is opposite vnto the sanctitie thereof § Sect. 5 And as wee must haue a speciall care of committing any sinne because that is truly seruile so must we take heede that we doe not make the duties of holinesse seruile also by not regarding the manner of doing them which is that they bee done in faith and in obedience to Gods commandement For if wee shall doe these workes to that end that we may merit by the doing of them either the fauour of God or man then they become seruile works also and we haue our reward Or if wee doe them in hypocrisie the manner of doing them aright not obserued then God regardeth them not For he that in this manner killeth an oxe is as if hee slew a man and he that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogges head his oblation is as swines blood and his incense as the blessing of an Idoll Esai 66. 3. And therefore Matth. 7. Christ calleth such workers of iniquitie because though they did good workes for they prophecied and cast out diuels yet they did them not well but in hypocrisie for God doth not onely require at a mans hands that he doe good but also that he doe it well for if thou doest well saith God to Cain shall it not be accepted He doth not say if thou doest good it shall be accepted but if thou doest well to shew that good things must be well done And that he meaneth so appeareth in that which he presently addeth But if thou doest not well saith he sin lieth at the doore thereby putting it out of doubt that if a good thing be not well done it is sinne and in regard hereof it is that Esai chap. 58. reckoneth the hypocrite a Sabbath-breaker though hee did humble himselfe by fasting c. And therefore let the hypocrite and popish meritmonger bee well assured that though they digge deepe to couer their sinnes and dissemble deeply with God at the Church yet let them be well assured I say that their owne sinne will finde them out Num. 32. 23. and that it will waite and tarrie them like their dogges at the doore yea and will hunt them and neuer leaue them vntill it haue brought them vnto destruction if they learne not to serue the Lord aright And lastly as the soule must keep this Sabbath or rest from sin vpon this day especially so must we look also that our minds and thoughts be not carried away with the meditation of worldlie matters For God requireth not onely thy bodie but thy soule yea thy very thoughts Luk. 10. 27. And howsoeuer vpon the weeke it be lawfull for thee to ponder these things yet vpon the Sabbath thou must not thinke thine owne will Esai 58. 13. A man must not therefore busie his head vpon the Sabbath about his worldly businesse nor about the effecting of his delights in the weeke following but he must bee wholie as it were another man from that which he was in the weeke before and he must vpon the Sabbath let fall the care of these earthly things as Elias did his mantle when hee was rapt vp into heauen To conclude therefore this point of the rest whosoeuer vpon the Sabbath doth no seruile worke of his ordinarie vocation neither in his house at home nor in the citie nor in the fields abroad nor at sea sauing onely such as are of necessitie to be done or are for the performance of Gods worship commanded or else warranted by his extraordinary command and also forbeareth all recreations sports playes or pastimes keeping his tongue from vaine words and his heart from wickednesse and worldly cares hee truly and in deede keepeth the rest of the Sabbath And this much touching the first dutie required in the obseruation of the Sabbath which is to rest CHAP. IIII. The rest of the Sabbath must bee sanctified Sect. 1. What it is to sanctifie a thing Sect. 2. The duties of the Sabbath are publique priuate or mixt Sect. 3. On the Sabbath there must be a publique assemblie Sect. 4. How we are to behaue our selues in it Sect. 5. The publique duties are preaching and hearing Sect. 6. Administring and partaking the Sacrament Sect. 7. Execution of discipline Sect. 8. § Sect. 1 THat rest is here commanded we haue alreadie seene but that is not all this The rest of the Sabbath must be sanctified rest must bee sanctified For it is not
as the Israelites kept a fast in Mispeh 1. Sam. 7. And Hest 4. 16. there is a fast kept of three daies long yea Daniel keepes a fast of three weekes of daies Dan. 10. 3. Neither in so doing is there any breach or alteration of Gods ordinance but rather an obseruation For as Christ brake not the commandement when he neglected his dutie to parents to performe his dutie to God so neither doe we breake this ordinance of God when wee on any of the sixe daies neglect our owne businesse to serue God the cause and necessitie so requiring for if necessitie may cause vs to breake the Sabbath for the good of man may not necessitie aswell dispense with our daies and cause vs to sanctifie a Sabbath for the good of man Nay further I take it that this commandement being a Synecdoche and but a part put for the whole as are all the other commaundements doth warrant yea and commaund such time conuenient in the weeke daies to be set apart vnto Gods seruice And we see that Christ and the Apostles preached on these daies as well as vpon the Sabbath which they would not haue done if it had been vnlawful for the people to heare And as I thinke that any of these daies may by the Church be set apart to Gods seruice the cause so requiring so also doe I perswade my selfe that some part of euery one of these daies should be set apart to holy exercises as morning and euening to pray with our families And of these wee see Isaac had one hee went out in the euening to pray Gen. 24. 63. Daniel had three for he prayed three times a day Dan. 6. 10. And Dauid prayed seuen times a day Psal 119. 164. And thus much as touching the second question and so consequently of the first reason to perswade to the keeping of the Sabbath for as for such things as be here obserued about the rest I haue handled them before in the discourse of the rest of the day CHAP. II. The second reason because it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Sect. 1. Holy daies are to bee consecrated onely to the Lord Sect. 2. § Sect. 1 THe second reason followeth and is drawne from the end and institution of the Sabbath contained in these words It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God And it may be thus gathered If the Sabbath bee consecrate vnto the Lord and his worship then you must rest on it from your works but the former is true for it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and therfore it followeth that you must rest from your works And here marke with me first the workmanship of this reason how fitly it is framed for first least any man should bee so bold as to aske him for his commission as Exo. 2. one demaunded of Moses Who made thee a Iudge or as Mat. 22. 23. the Priests demanded of Christ By what authoritie doest thou these things Therefore he shewes his authoritie namely that he is authoritie it self and he may command for he is Lord and no man will say vnto him vnlesse he be a diuell What hast thou to doe with vs Matth. 8 for he hath to doe with vs for he is thy Lord and that diuers waies First hee is thy Creator hee made thee and therefore looke how the vessell is in the potters hand so art thou in his Rom. 9. This Dauid knew well enough when he said Come let vs fall downe before the Lord our maker Psal 95. 6. Secondly as he is thy Lord by creation so also is he by redemption He hath bought thee with a price 1. Cor. 6. 20. a price not of gold and siluer but with his most pretious bloud 1. Pet. 1. 18. And therefore this is rendred as a reason of his dying and rising again that he might be Lord ouer vs Rom. 14. 9. Thirdly as by his redemption so by his soueraigntie rule and authoritie in that he is absolute in his commaund and doth whatsoeuer he will both in heauen and in earth Psal 115. 3. No man can stay his hand neither dare any say vnto him what doest thou Dan. 4. 32. for he is Lord of Lords Rom. 17. 14. and his hests stand like the lawes of the Medes and Persians that cannot be recalled Dan. 6. 12. Yea a degree further he is the Lord of spirits Num. 16. 22. and therefore will commaund not as other Lords thy bodie onely but thy soule too Matth. 21. 37. Thou must serue him with all thy soule and if it please him he can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire Mat. 10. 28. Now then if he be thy Lord and master in so full and so absolute a manner what then why then where is his feare Malac. 1. 6. He calles for that and good reason for if there bee no master but will haue some seruice shall God so great a Lord and master be without it No he will not and therfore he here requireth it of thee on this day to serue him Now there is one thing which the master oweth vnto the seruant and that is protection and euery man harpes vpon that string if he stands in need of his helpe then Master saue vs we perish Matth. 8. 25. But there is another thing that the seruant oweth to his master and that is obedience and there wee breake with him He saith goe and we goe not come and wee come not doe this and we doe it not wee keepe his commandements with notes as the Atheist beleene the Articles of faith But may it not be that there is cause as that he is a hard man or hee will not stand by his seruants to defend them or else he giues not so good wages as others Surely it is not so for first Dauid tels vs that he will not alwaies chide nor keepe his anger for euer Psal 103. 8. Yea if he see vs once to fall downe before him and to craue him to appease his anger he forgiues vs all Mat. 18. 27. then he is no hard master And as for defence he will suffer no man to doe vs wrong but wil reproue euē kings for our sakes Psal 105. 14. And as for his hire there is no seruice like vnto his no not the seruice of the King You cannot say of him as Saul said of Dauid will he giue euery one of you fields and vineyards will hee make you Captaines ouer thousands c Yea he will and more than that he makes all his seruants Kings Reu. 1. 6. and giues euery one of them a crowne of life 2. Tim. 4. yea an euerlasting kingdome that withereth not reserued in heauen 1. Pet. 1. 4. All this hee giueth and he giueth it liberally not reproching and casting men in the teeth with it as Saul did his followers why then what shall let vs to serue such a master Yet behold and wonder let a flattering diuell a little intice vs with a shew of any matter or
THE DOCTRINE OF THE SABBATH HANDLED IN FOVRE SEVERALL BOOKES OR TREATISES The first of which intreateth of the day of rest The second of the duties of the day The third of the persons whom these duties concerne And the fourth the reasons vsed to perswade all persons to the practise of these duties vpon that day Written by G. W. Master of Arts and Minister of the word of God in Portsmouth Isaiah 58. 13 14. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath a delite to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him nor doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will or speaking a vaine word Then shalt thou delite in the Lord â—nd I will cause thee to mount vpon the hie places of the earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iaakob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man dwelling in Paternoster row at the signe of the Talbot 1604. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE CHARLES BLVNT Earle of Deuonshire Lord Mounioy Lieutenant generall of Ireland Master of the Ordinance Gouernour and Captaine generall of the towne and Garison of Portsmouth and the I le of Portsey Knight of the noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honorable priuie Councell RIght Honorable and by right most worthie to be honorable because deserts haue made you truly honourable The wisest hath said it that much reading Eccl. 12. 22. is a wearisomnes vnto the flesh And therefore in this scribling age wherein presses be oppressed with the number of bookes without number it may seeme a thing not meete any more to write vnlesse for the sufficiencie of the worke it might be in steed of all other writings and so the reader might be eased of the labour of much reading Notwithstanding by the iustnes of the cause which I neither might if I could because it is iust nor could if I might hauing in a publique assemblie taught it forsake I haue been drawen to publish this treatise that what I haue taught may here be made more fully to appeare to any that is otherwaies minded Now whereas it may seeme ouer great boldnes for me to presse your Honour with these my labours that are alreadie ouer pressed with your owne if yet they may be said to be yours and not rather the labours of the Church and Common-weale yet I haue presumed to doe it vpon these two reasons First in respect of the cause which I manage Secondly in respect of my dutie vnto your Honour And first in respect of the cause the Sabbath being a principall meanes whereby the seede of religion is sowen in our hearts and the holie fire as it were is kept in amongst vs. It being assailed by aduersaries of diuers sorts to whom should it flee as vnto a Sanctuarie for succour rather than vnto your Honor who haue alreadie taken home vnto your honourable familie the truth like as the beloued Disciple did the Ioh. 19. 27. mother of Iesus being recommended vnto his care Yea being your Honor haue not alone taken home the truth but also publiquely in the highest and solemnest assemblie of this land vndertaken the maintenance and the defence of the same truth against the common aduersarie the Papist In regard whereof as the eare that heard you blessed you and the eye that seeth Iob. 29. 11. you giueth witnes vnto you and the hearts of all well affected Christians to whom the report thereof hath come applaude it shouting and crying as in the Prophet Grace grace vnto it So could I ioyning in Zach 4. 7. heart and affection with them doe no lesse than testifie the same by presenting these my labours vnto your Honour to whom of right they appertaine as a part of that truth which is vndertaken by your Honour but gainsaid by these aduersaries For first they hold the Sabbath Rhem. in annot in Mat. 15 sect 3. Rhem. annot in Reu. cap. 1. sect 6. to be but a tradition Secondly the alteration of the day to be without scripture or commandement yea plainly otherwise than prescribed by God himselfe in the 2. Commandement for so it pleaseth them to terme this fourth commandement Thirdly the rest but perfunctorie and sleight for they allow such workes to be done vpon the Sabbath as shall be permitted by their Prelates that is such as please Bellar. lib. 10. de cultu imag themselues or such as by custome which euer declineth haue preuailed And lastly the holinesse of the day to consist in comming to shrift and hearing of Catechis Rom. quaest 21. de Sabbath Masse Against all which falshoods this truth of the doctrine of the Sabbath flieth vnto your Honour for patronage and after a sort maketh supplication vnto your Honour to be a meanes that as by the Kings most excellent Maiesties proclamation it hath alreadie so by law it may further be prouided for at least vt ne quid Sabbathum detrimenti capiat for Gods lawes to many are but as cobwebs to the great flyes which they easily breake without they be strengthened by the Princes lawes as with other nerues and sinewes for want of which we see that the Sabbath the best day of seuen is more prophaned in most places than all the other seuen as though God had made it to be prophaned and not to be kept holy And this in respect of the cause Now in respect of my selfe also I could doe no lesse for being imbarked in that ship whereof your Lordship vnder the Kings most excellent Maiestie as the master Pilot holdeth the helme I meane your Lordships garrison towne of Portsmouth and succeeding others a teacher in that Lecture whereinto your Lordship first breathed life I could doe no lesse than in dutie present these firstlings of my labours vnto your Honour especially hauing alreadie receiued fauours from your honourable selfe as also no small incouragements from Sir Beniamin Berry and Master Anthony Ersfâ—eld these your Lordships worthies and notable instruments of gouernment in that place So that I thanke my God vpon the point of whose prouidence I haue alwaies steered on my course I may most truly say that of them my conscience bearing me witnesse that I lie not which once Tertullus spake with another mind of Felix that by them wee haue receiued these two benefits great quietnes and many worthie things haue been Act. 24. 2. done vnto vs onely that which followeth wholy and alone appertaineth vnto your Honor that this is wholie by your prouidence And therefore should not I as in particular for my selfe or as the mouth of many others wholy acknowledge it we might yet be more vngratefull vnto your Honour than Tertullus to Felix By these reasons therefore right Honourable I being lead haue presumed to approach so neere vnto your Honour as to put foorth
prepare thy selfe before it come for thou art forgetfull that there is any difference betwixt this and other daies therefore saith he remember This is as it were the first stake Secondly he doth not only giue this commandement but he afterwards explaines it to the full sheing not only what workes are forbidden vpon this day to be done but also vnto whom and why Thirdly least thou shouldest bee drawne away by the example of great men to breake it hee sets before thee the example of him that is higher than the highest who did keepe it God himselfe did keepe it A rare example and a thing that he specisies not in any of the rest nor scarce againe in the whole Scripture so that in these three things this commandement is alone and neither these nor the like things may be found in any of the rest expressed You must thinke God had a meaning in it and what else can it be but that hee would haue this commandement vnderstood and remembred as being most necessarie for vs to know because vpon this day we are taught how to walke in the obedience of all the rest Which that wee may the better attaine vnto let vs see what things offer themselues in this commandement to be examined and considered of CHAP. II. The diuerse kindes of Sabbaths Sect. 1. The difference betwixt the morall and the ceremoniall Sabbaths Sect. 2. The vse of the ceremonies to the Iewes Sect. 3. That the Sabbath is perpetuall Sect. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Arguments to the contrarie answered Sect. 11. and 12. § Sect. 1 THese words being thus vnfolded it now remaineth that we proceede to the handling of them And first of the Sabbath day or day of rest that I may bee vnderstood of what rest I intreate How many sorts of Sabbaths there were amongst the Iewes We are to consider that amongst the Iewes there were two kinds of Sabbaths one of yeeres another of daies That of yeeres was euery seuenth yeere in which they might not sowe their land but let it rest or euery seuen times seuen yeeres which was the yeere of Iubile in which bondmen went out free and alienated possessions returned againe vnto the owners Leuit. 25. 10. Of these Sabbath of yeeres we intend in this place no further discourse we come therfore vnto that other part of the diuision namely the Sabbath of daies And here againe I must distinguish for the Sabbath of daies was also two-fold ceremoniall and morall Now of the first sort were all the Sabbaths that were instituted by Moses in the ceremoniall law such as were the Passeouer Pentecost the new Moone and the feast of Tabernacles which Leuit. 23. are called Sabbaths Of the second sort which wee call morall is that Sabbath which is commanded in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements of which here in this treatise our purpose is to write § Sect. 2 Now betwixt this morall Sabbath which we so call because it is a part of that law which giueth instruction for manners and these other ceremoniall Sabbaths there is great difference which Moses Leuit. 23. 37 38 pointeth at where The differēce betwixt the morall and the ceremoniall Sabbaths hauing spoken before in the chapter both of this Sabbath and of those feasts before named hee concludeth his speech of the feasts thus These are saith he the feasts of the Lord which ye shall call holy conuocations c. besides the Sabbath of the Lord that is besides those Sabbaths which they were to keep euery seuenth day Now the difference was First this morall Sabbath God himselfe spake it immediatly Exod. 20. 1. and afterwards writ it in tables of stone with his owne finger Deut. 9. 10. and therefore Exod. 32. 16. these tables are said to be the worke of God and this writing to be the writing of God ingrauen in the tables And this he writ not once but when the tables were broken he wrote in the second time Exod. 34. 1. And lest any man should say that God also spake and writ the rest when Moses Deut. 5. 22. had rehearsed the tenne Commandements vnto the Israelites he addeth that all these words God spake and added no more but wrote them vpon two tables and when he had written them as appeareth Deut. 4. 13 14. hee commanded Moses at the same time that he should teach them ordinances and lawes which they should obserue in the land which they went to possesse So that this is manifest that the Decalogue or tenne words was only spoken and written by God but all the rest added by Moses which is the first difference Secondly this morall Sabbath was more ancient For it had his institution as appeareth Gen. 2. 2 the very next day after mans creation yea and his obseruation together with his institution for God himselfe rested vpon it where as those ceremoniall Sabbaths tooke their beginning but from Moses Thirdly it was also more holy for where as vpon this day it was not lawfull for the Iewes to dresse their meate Exod 16. 23. nor to kindle a fire Exod. 35. 3. vpon these ceremoniall Sabbaths it was permitted vnto them to doe it Exod. 12. 16. And lastly it was more durable for the couenant of the moral Sabbath was an euerlasting couenant Exod. 31. 16. as also shall anon further appeare whereas the other was but a vanishing shadow and to last but vnto the comming of Christ for it was foretold by Daniel that the Messiah should cause the sacrifice to cease Dan. 9. 27. And that the Iewes knew well enough in that Iohn being demaunded by them what he was and denying that he was either the Christ or Elias or any of the Prophets They demanded again of him why he did then baptize thereby intimating that vnles he were one of these he might chaunge nothing in the Law wherin they secretly graunted that these might doe it And as the Messiah had authoritie in himselfe to change the ceremoniall law of Moses so might he also change these ceremoniall Sabbaths they being a part of that law which was ceremoniall which also hee did And therefore saith the Apostle Let no man condemne you in respect of an holie day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbaths which were but a shadow of things to come namely of our eternall rest in heauen which wee obtaine by faith in Christ Which Sabbath the Iewes thought did shadow out only their rest in Canaan but the Apostle Heb. 4. vers 8. confuteth them for saith he if Iesus that is Iosua had giuen them rest then Dauid would not after that day haue spoken of another rest saying that God sware in his wrath that the vnbeleeuing should not enter into his rest for their vnbeliefe sake yet this rest in heauen remaineth now vnto the children of God that is to the beleeuers although the shadowes thereof be done away the bodie which is Christ being come § Sect. 3 Indeede it pleased God in the minoritie
labour which this is one doubt that sticketh vp like a thorne in a drunkards hand wherewith hee hurteth himselfe and others namely that euery day is a Sabbath or rest from sinne and that therfore now wee are not any more bound to keepe any particular Sabbath Now to proue that we must keep euery day a Sabbath they alleage that Heb. 4. 10. where it is said that he that is entred into this rest hath ceased from his owne workes as God did from his and that therefore we must euery day keepe a rest from sinne To which I answere Were it so that all they that vrge this did it of a desire and loue they haue to the Lords Sabbath they were the lesse to bee blamed howbeit it is certaine that they pleade this most that least delight in the Sabbath when it comes and they doe it not that they would haue other daies to be kept as the Sabbath but because they would haue the Sabbath to be kept but as another day But howsoeuer yet I do not see how out of that place they may make this appeare For first I see not how Gods resting from his workes may be a figure of our resting from our sinfull workes there being no proportion between them which alwaies is betweene the signe and the thing signified Secondly if this rest were a signe or figure of our rest from sinne it must be so vnto Adam also for the law was giuen vnto him Now how could that be a figure vnto him of his resting from sinne when as yet hee had not sinned Thirdly be it that there were such a rest yet what doth the keeping of this rest morally hinder the keeping of that from sinne nay rather is it not a principall meanes for the furtherance thereof For doth not rest from wordly affaires and imployment in holie duties take away all occasions of sinne Fourthly were it granted that we must rest euery day from sinne yet this their collection that therefore wee should not rest from labour to keepe the Sabbath holy followeth not therupon no more than because a man is bound to receiue euery morsell of meate with giuing thankes that therefore he should say he were not bound to receiue the Lords Supper otherwise than as common bread or rather not to receiue the Lords Supper at all because he euery day receiueth bread with giuing of thankes Fiftly that which in that place is made significant was the seuenth day from the creation for the text saith he speaketh in a certaine place of the seuenth day not of the Sabbath Whereby it is plaine that that which was significant was the seuenth day from the creation on which God is there said to rest and it might be this was a signe that they should in the like manner rest vpon the seuenth day from their works as God did from his to which end Gods example is brought as a reason to perswade vs to rest because God rested as also it might bee a signe of our eternall rest in heauen And that indeede the Apostle meaneth there when hee saith vers 10. that hee which hath entred into his rest that is into heauen hath ceased from his owne workes What of sinne No but of his calling for this rest Adam should haue entred into though he had neuer sinned But last of all be it that in this place he meaneth this rest from sinne to bee shadowed out yet that rest is in heauen but in this life no man hath or indeed can rest from his sinfull workes as God did from his workes which the Apostle affirmeth of those that haue entred into his rest But this argument how wind-shaken it is I hope euery man seeth I will spend therefore no more time to pluck this thorne out of the drunkards hand It resteth that I should here answere that which is vrged by some out of the Epistle vnto the Coloss chap. 2. vers 16 17. Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbaths But because we shall haue a more fit oportunitie offered to speake of it in the next chapter I therefore thither remit the reader That which remaineth to be spoken of last of all is the vse of this that being the Sabbath is perpetuall therefore men take heed how they suffer this truth to be wrested away from them by the cunning sleights of Sathan or be drawne on by the alurements of euill men to abuse it to their owne pleasures or profits to runne ride or sport themselues vpon it as if it were lawfull as vpon another day or as if God had neuer said the word keepe it holy And this much as touching the first point namely that the Sabbath is perpetuall CHAP. III. The time of the rest not perpetuall Sect. 1. It was meet the Sabbath day should be changed Sect. 2. How the Sabbath is changed and yet perpetuall Sect. 3. The Sabbath changed from the seuenth day to the first Sect. 4. The reasons of that change Sect. 5. 6. 7. 8. Obiections to the contrarie answered Sect. 9. 10. Whether wee may call it still the Sabbath day Sect. 11. Whether the time of the Sabbath may not be changed againe Sect. 12. § Sect. 1 BVt now as is the rest so is not the day or time of the rest perpetuall The time of the rest not perpetuall for if you marke God saith not remember the seuenth day to rest vpon it but remember the day of rest which is the second thing that we obserue in this commandement and giueth vs occasion to consider of another question Which is whether the Apostles might chaunge the Sabbath vnto any other day then that which the Iewes kept Which they might doe first because the seuenth day kept amongst the Iewes was ceremoniall and did shadow out vnto vs our eternall rest as appeareth Heb. 4. 4. 10. which was one cause that moued the Apostles to chaunge the day As also they might doe it because they found no limited day set downe in the commaundement For as for that which followeth afterwards the seuenth is the Sabbath it is no part of the morall precept but onely an explication of it For if that were a part of it then this also must be a part sixe daies shalt thou labour which to graunt were absurd because then we should make duties betwixt man and man to bee taught in the first table which onely teacheth man this dutie to God and the second the dutie of man to man as Christ sheweth Matth. 22. 38. as also they being two things so contrarie as rest and labour I cannot see but they must also be two commaundements Besides all this in the reasons there be many things that concerned onely the Iewes as in the fifth commaundement Honour thy father and mother the reason is that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Now it is certaine that this promise had only reference vnto
arrands But in Gods seruice no such care it is the easiest thing in the world to forget that wee are so slacke so cold so frozen that wee forget any thing In regard whereof our memories may not vnfitly be compared vnto siues which easilie holde the chaffe when they let the good corne goe by which weaknesse God obseruing in vs willeth onely so farre they vse them as their beasts to do their businesse and no more But what shall the poore sea-man doe in this case Surely first to importune the Merchant for instruction which if it will not be granted let him not depriue himselfe of Gods blessing for a warme sunne let him tarrie at home Or if it be so that he will needes goe yet let him haue a speciall care in some measure at least as hee may to sanctifie that day vnto the Lord. And this much as touching the rest in generall that must bee kept both at home and abroad § Sect. 13 But yet I know there be some particular doubts that trouble many men and often leade them to the breach of the Sabbath For sinne is spunne many times of a fine thred and hath such a glasse set vpon it that we cannot easily discerne it Somtimes the diuell pleadeth vnto vs the smalnes of the sinne as thus Thou maist doe this vpon the Sabbath well enough this is but a small matter and I pray God you neuer do worse c. Indeed I confesse all sinnes bee not of one sise some bee gnats and some bee cammels some be moates No breach of the Sabbath is to be counted small and some be beames they being compared betwixt themselues but yet the maiestie being considered against which they bee committed they appeare in their owne shapes euery one of them infinitely great and they bee not as they seeme vnto vs light being waighed in the ballance of our owne priuate conceit but being waighed in the ballance of the Sanctuarie they are infinitly waightie euery sinne deseruing death and therefore wee must not account sinne light because it seemeth so vnto vs but we must reckon and account of them as God hath taught vs to account of them in his word Cast wee our eyes vpon the Israelites in gathering Manna vpon the Sabbath what great matter think you was it for them vpon the Sabbath day in the morning to stoope and gather Manna that lay before them at their feete they might haue done it and kept the Sabbath too yet God takes this most heinously How long saith he will this people breake all my commandements reckoning that breach of the Sabbath as the breach of his whole law Againe what great sinne was it for a man to step ouer the threshold of his doores and to gather a handfull of sticks to make a fire with would any of these men that reckon sinnes small haue accounted him worthie of death though happely hee had done it presumptuously yet God adiudgeth him to dye for it and therefore that work which thou presumest to doe is it seruile is it forbidden Count it not light then for the breach of Gods law is no small matter especially if thou presumest to doe it because it is a small sinne or disorder § Sect. 14 Yea but will some man say this which I doe is very requisite and meete to bee done and I No pretence of meetnes must make vs breake the Sabbath know not whether I shall againe haue a time to doe it if I neglect this as for example in the time of haruest the weather is catching the corne is readie to grow in the gripes and the hay to rot in the swath and now the Sabbath is a faire day and is it not meete to gather it vp Yet I say for all this thou must let it alone for in seede time and in haruest thou must rest Exod. 34. 21. Yea but I know not whether I shall haue another time so fit to take it vp Why who taught thee to distrust especially when thou seest faire weather comming Doth not the same God giue the second day that gaue the first and diddest thou hang vpon his prouidence so long as it rained and now it shineth wilt thou presently vnclaspe thy hold by thy carnal distrust Yea but the weather is very catching and the scarcitie is great and therefore it is best to take the opportunitie What still is thy soule buried vnder a loafe of bread and wilt thou haue bread or else thou wilt make it of stones If thou doest remember what Salomon saith of the bread of deceit it is sweet but afterwards it filleth their mouthes with grauell Such shall this bread be vnto thee that is gotten with the breach of the Lords Sabbath Yet it were better to be without it than to haue it in his anger least he smite thee whilest the meate is in thy mouth and make it come foorth againe at thy nostrels for thy contempt of his law as hee did the Israelites Numb 11 yet rather so long as it perisheth not by thy default throw thy selfe vpon the Lord and resolue that as he gaue so if it please him to take it thou wilt be content knowing that hee is able to giue much more If not yet in thy obedience is his loue Ioh. 15. 10. and in his loue is life Psal 35. And last of all let this rather make thee to erect a new Sabbath than to destroy the old as in Ioels time in a great scarcitie they did as appeareth Ioel. 1. 14. Sanctifie a fast call an assemblie What is the matter see before vers 10. The field is wasted the land mourneth for the corne is destroyed So that Gods punishments must leade vs to the keeping of his Sabbath or rather vnto the erecting of a new but by no meanes vnto the breach of the old But wil another say that which I do is a good No pretence of the goodnesse of the worke must cause vs to breake the Sabbath worke and it tends to the glorie of God and to his seruice and therefore I trust you will not denie but that a man may doe such workes vpon the Sabbath To which I answere is it a worke of thine ordinarie vocation and is it seruile I say then for all this glorious shew thou maist not doe it for God would not haue them worke about the Tabernacle vpon the Sabbath day Ex. 31. 13 though the businesse were no lesse than to make a house for him to dwell in And the women that followed Christ out of Galilie would not imbaulme the bodie of Christ vpon the Sabbath though it might haue been thought a work of great consequence but how great soeuer in the eyes of men yet they would not doe it and least they should bee blamed as being ouer curious and strict in not doing of it the holy Ghost defends them and shewes they did well in forbearing for they rested saith the text according vnto the commandement Luk. 22. 56. § Sect.
15 But now vpon this which I haue written it will happely be deemed that I hold it vtterly vnlawfull vpon the Sabbath to doe any kinde of worke at all Which that I may not be mistaken I will now set downe what kinde of works vpon What workes may be done vpon the Sabbath the Sabbath be lawfull to be done and in what cases For this wee must know that there is no commandement so generall but it hath some exception especially those which are affirmatiue for they are alwaies more milde and binde not alwaies and at all times of which sort in the Decalogue there bee two the fourth and the fifth both which haue exceptions as in the fifth Thou shalt honour thy father and mother this is generally true yet it may so fall out in some cases that thou maist be exempt from thy dutie if the honoring of them may dishonour God and therefore thy honour is limited in the Lord Ephe. 6. 1. So here thou shalt doe no manner of seruile worke yet saith Christ which of you is it that hauing an oxe or an asse fallen into the ditch on the Sabbath doth not presently help him out Matth. 12. 11. Where Christ doth not as some foolishly furmise abolish the Sabbath as a ceremonie but sheweth that hee did no more in healing vpon the Sabbath than they themselues did in plucking the oxe or asse out of the ditch thereby indeede making a tenise ball of their argument and retorting it vpon themselues which they banded at him But had Christ held the Sabbath to haue been abolished when they charged him with the breach thereof he might easily haue answered it is abolished but hee sheweth quite contrarie that hee did no more breake the Sabbath in healing than they did in plucking the oxe out of the pit so that he doth not here abolish the Sabbath but rather establish it by shewing the right obseruation therof And to speake the truth Christ neither did nor could abolish the ceremonial law but by his death Therefore hee is said Coloss 2. 14. in his crosse to take away the hand-writting which stood in ordinances and to naile it vnto the same his crosse but in his life hee was obedient vnto it euen in all things which I thinke no man will be so impudent as to denie This therefore being plaine let vs returne vnto the exceptions which this commaundement admitteth for notwithstanding that the Lord commaundeth that ordinarilie a man may doe no seruile work vpon the Sabbath yet this commandement admitteth three exceptions First if God extraordinarily commaund vs to 1. We may worke if God command vs. worke vpon the Sabbath we may worke for he is Lord of the Sabbath and therefore may giue a dispensation when he list And therfore the man did well Ioh. 5. 11. that at Christs commaundement tooke vp his bed and did walke So also did the Iewes that compassed Iericho on the Sabbath for they were commaunded to compasse it seuen daies whereof then the Sabbath must needes be one Iosh 6. 14 15. This is the first exception The second is that if the worke be necessarily 2. If the worke be necessarily required for the performāce of Gods seruice required to the performance of the seruice of God seruile or not it must be done As Circumcision on the eighth day if it fell vpon the Sabbath it was to be done Ioh. 7. 22. And the Priests on the Sabbath killed the sacrifice and were blamelesse Matth. 12. 5. And in this respect the Minister on the Sabbath is allowed to go to preach as Christ did vpon the Sabbath Matth. 12. and the people are to goe to heare An example whereof wee haue in the Shunamite that went ordinarily vpon the Sabbath and new Moone to the Prophet For when she demaunded leaue of her husband to goe to the Prophet Why wilt thou goe saith he seeing it is neither Sabbath nor new Moone intimating thereby that vpon those times she went to heare him And in this regard was the Sabbath daies iourney allowed Act. 1. 12. And therefore whosoeuer shall breake the rest of the Sabbath in this respect is blamelesse For the Sabbath was made for man that hee might keepe it holie vnto the Lord. Now if it may so fall that the rest it selfe should any way bee a let to the keeping of it holie then the rest it selfe is to be broken and they that so doe are blamelesse For the end of the law in this respect is to be regarded and not the letter For the Sabbath was made for man that is for the good of man and not man for the Sabbath that is for the rest And this is the meaning of that place Mark 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Thirdly if it be a worke of necessitie that is 3. If it be of necessitie we may worke vpon the Sabbath a worke which the time present doth necessarily require to be done and cannot be deferred vnto another day without losse or hindrance that same worke whether it bee for preseruation of life health or goods must be done vpon the Sabbath All which I will shew And first for preseruation of life it is lawfull to breake the rest of the Sabbath for Elias continued his flight from Iezabel many Sabbaths together 1. King 19. 8. And this was the fault of the Iewes but afterwards corrected by Iudas Macchab. that they would not fight on the Sabbath for the preseruation of their liues for the Sabbath was not made for the hurt but for the good of man And as it is lawful to break the Sabbath for the Labour lawfull for preseruation of health vpon the Sabbath preseruation of life so is it for the preseruation of health Therefore the Physition may goe to visit the sicke Christ himselfe did so Ioh. 5. 3. He went vnto the poole of Bethesda where lay a great companie of sicke folkes And it is not onely lawfull to visit but also to cure for he cured the blind man vpon the Sabbath Ioh. 9. 14. The same is also warranted vnto the Chirurgion by Christs example to dresse the wounds and temper the salues Ioh. 9. 6. He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and annointed his eyes And as these things may be done for the recouerie of health so also may a man doe that which is conuenient for the preseruation and continuance of his health for God would not allow that a man should liue but also that he might liue cheerfully therfore the oxe was to be lead to the water Luk. 13. 15. though he might haue liued one day without water Now if this may be allowed for the good of the beast then how much more for the good of man In this case therefore it is lawfull vpon the Sabbath for a man to doe workes of comelinesse as to cloathe himselfe Secondly to do things for our present vse as to dresse his
meate which is also warranted by the Disciples pulling and rubbing of the eares of corne Wherein also respect may be had of his place and degree as Nehemiah had daily an oxe and sixe sheepe besides birds prouided for him Nehem. 5. 18. Now if euery day then on the Sabbath yet here we must take heede that wee make not the Sabbath a day of feasting as in many places in the countrey they doe keeping their feasts not like Iobs children euery one his day but euery one his Sabbath day A good rule therefore for the ordring of this will be vpon the Sabbath not to exceede our ordinarie Thirdly this also giueth libertie for the dressing of our cattell milking of our kine and such like without which things life it selfe is not so comfortable vnto them Last of all as all these things may be done for preseruation of health so also may we labour vpon the Sabbath for the preseruation of Labour vpon the Sabbath for preseruation of goods lawfull our goods being in danger of losing them Which of you is it saith Christ that hauing an oxe or an asse fallen into the ditch doth not pull him out All which things as they may bee done vpon the Sabbath so if necessitie be they must presently bee done and the exercises of the Sabbath neglected for the doing of them for Christ will haue the oxe pulled presently out of the pit Luk. 14. 5. And in regard of this it is that he requireth mercie and not sacrifice not but that hee will haue both but if the case so stand that hee cannot haue both at once but must content himselfe with one hee had rather haue mercie than sacrifice And therefore Paul when Eutiches was fallen downe dead left preaching to recouer him to life and the Israelites though they were commaunded not to touch a carrion yet they must take vp Iosephs bones Exo. 13. 19. And Mat. 5. though he commands thee to offer sacrifice yet if thy brother haue ought against thee thou must first goe and be reconciled and then come So that in all these respects howsoeuer the law commaunds a precise rest yet as we say Necessitie hath no law so truly may wee say it hath no Sabbath daies § Sect. 16 But yet in doing these workes of necessitie three things must diligently bee taken heed of Cautions to be obserued in doing the workes of necessitie First that we send not for excuses and make matters of necessitie when before hand wee might haue preuented the necessitie As for example if a man owe a summe of money vpon a band and neglect the taking of order for the paiment of it vntill the day be so neere that he must needs trauaile on the Sabbath to discharge his band Also when a man is serued with processe to appeare on such a day at Westminster hee hauing time enough deferreth it so long that he must needes trauaile vpon the Sabbath to come there by his day and by this meanes bringeth a necessitie vpon himselfe which God neuer laid vpon him all which necessities if men did well consider before hand might be easily auoided Well but when a man hath negligently runne into this necessitie whether may hee then trauaile vpon the Sabbath I say if it bee of necessitie to be done thou maist doe it but thou must withal remember to crie to God for mercie for forgetting his Sabbath which thou shouldest haue remembred The second thing that must be taken heed of is that no recompence be taken for the labour which thou doest vpon this day for by that meanes thou makest it a seruile worke Secondly it will be a meanes to leade thee on to this sin of Sabbath-breaking for rewards do blinde the eyes And thirdly be well assured that God will neuer blesse that hire but it shall be vnto thee like the Manna that the Israelites gathered more than needed that rotted and stunke Exod. 16. The last caution is that when we are thus forced by necessitie to breake the Sabbath that then we haue an especiall care sometime of the weeke to repay that time which we tooke on the Sabbath by imploying so much of the weeke vnto holie exercises so that although God hath not the precise time prescribed which he requireth yet hee may haue at least the equitie thereof so much time Now there be I know that vnto these workes All workes of mercie may not be done vpon the Sabbath which God hath in his word dispensed with to be done vpon the Sabbath doe adde moreouer all works of mercie which I take may no further be done vpon the Sabbath than they come within one of the foresaid limitations that is that they be either in speciall commanded as 1. Cor. 16. 1. As first collections for the poore of which kinde also are visiting of the poore and sicke and such like or such as godlinesse requireth as a man may trauaile to bring others vnto the exercises of religion or necessitie inforceth vs vnto of which before But if neither of these leade vs thereunto though they be workes of mercie yet they must be deferred As for example a poore man hath an aker of corne to bee cut who is not able to pay for the cutting of it neither yet to cut it himself Now to help such a man there is no man but wil say it is a deed of charity to cut his corne yet if his neighbours should some sixe or seuen of them euery one take his sithe and cut downe his corne vpon the Sabbath they should breake the Sabbath and should cleane contradict Gods commandement that forbiddeth them to doe any seruile worke vpon the Sabbath for this charitie to our neighbour must not take away our dutie to God nor hinder it vnlesse as before The conclusion then of this point is this That no kinde of ordinarie or seruile worke may bee done vpon the Sabbath neither in the house nor in the citie nor in the fields nor vpon the seas be they neuer so small or neuer so meete or neuer so glorious in shew except either God commaund it extraordinarily or that the worke tend directly to Gods worship or be of necessitie either for the preseruation of life or health or goods in which respects God hath giuen vs allowance vpon the Sabbath to worke and not otherwise And this much touching the first kind of workes here principallie and by name forbidden CHAP. III. On the Sabbath we must rest from recreations Sect. 1. And pastimes namely dauncing Sect. 2. Also from wordly words Sect. 3. And thoughts Sect. 4. But aboue all from sinne Sect. 5. § Sect. 1 BVt now doth God meane that these workes of our ordinarie vocation Pastimes vpon the Sabbath vnlawfull are only forbidden and no others Surely no for as I will neuer think that when Dauid prayed Lord turne away mine eyes that I behold not vanitie Psal 119. 37 he meant that his eares should stand open to heare vanitie no
more will I thinke that when God did forbid works of our ordinarie vocation that he meant to allow works of pleasure such as are our works of recreations and pastimes as we call them Which will the better appeare if wee consider the reason why these workes of our ordinarie vocation are forbidden vs vpon the Sabbath which is not that they are vnlawfull in themselues but because they destroy the rest and take vp the mind that it cannot be imployed in Gods businesse now these doing the same things are by the same reasons forbidden Wee must vnderstand therefore that this commandement is of the same nature with the rest and as in them by one sinne forbidden are vnderstood all of the same kinde as by murther is forbidden all crueltie whether inward or outward and by adulterie all wantonnes and vncleannes as offending against chastitie Matth. 5. so by these seruile workes named as breaking the rest of the Sabbath are forbidden al workes that breake the rest of the Sabbath onely those excepted which God hath dispensed with of which before And therefore all such workes as are done for recreation as bowling shooting hunting hawking wrestling playing at cat and such like howsoeuer in the weeke they may be allowed yet are vpon this day vtterly vnlawfull and forbidden Yea and me thinks the reason standeth more strongly against them for as from that Leuit. 19. 15. Thou shalt not fauour the poore in iudgement A man may implie a portion from the stronger that hee must then much lesse fauour the rich So here thou maist not doe any worke of thine ordinary vocation vpon the Sabbath which yet at other times thou art commaunded to doe then much lesse maist thou doe the workes which no where are required of thee but onely by way of permission are at sometimes allowed And surely if you marke it you shall finde more danger in these of the last sort than in the other for that they more carrie away the minde from God than these of our ordinarie vocation doe for who is it that had not rather goe to Church than goe to work but who is it I speake of the multitude that had not rather goe to play than goe to Church But when then will some one demaund shall wee haue time for recreation if not vpon the Sabbath If thou wilt haue time for that allow part of thine owne for that is thy worke and therfore thou must allow part of thy time to doe it in but Gods time thou maist not for that he hath reserued for his owne businesse Let me aske thee one question If thou shouldest allow vnto thy seruāt of thy sixe daies fiue whole daies to do his businesse and to recreate himselfe in them and shouldest reserue vnto thy selfe but one wouldest thou take it well at his hands if thou chiding him for neglect of thy businesse vpon that day he should answer when should I vse recreation if not now Which answere if thou wilt not take at thy seruants hands doest thou thinke that God will accept of it at thine that hath dealt more liberallie with thee than thou with thy seruant And therfore out vpon it that thou shouldest offer this vnto him vpon his Sabbath to pleade thus for libertie and recreation when yet in truth all the recreations in the world cannot be answerable vnto the recreations of the Sabbath for what can recreate or refresh a man more than to drinke of the waters of life What can glad a man more than to heare of the forgiuenes of his sinnes To one that is in prison fast bound in fetters what greater recreation than to heare of his inlargement and what greater comfort than to come vnto the sealing of his pardon And are these things offered vnto vs vpon the Sabbath and yet doe we like children runne after butterflies and let these things alone If wee doe it well shewes that since we were created we neuer were yet recreated and borne againe for if we were the enioying of these things would be vnto vs aboue all the recreations in the world But then here it will be demaunded of me Not al recreations at all times vpon the Sabbath vnlawfull whether I doe vtterly disallow all recreations vpon the Sabbath Not so neither for it may sometimes come so to passe that recreation may bee more necessarie for a man than his meate as also it may so fall in the weeke daies yea and sometimes the setling of a mans minde free such is partly the corruption and partly the weaknes of our nature may bee a furtherance vnto vs in the performance of the duties of godlinesse as well as in other duties of our owne And therefore so farre foorth as it is either of necessitie for the present preseruation of our health or of necessitie for the present furtherance and fitting of vs vnto the seruice of God we may vse it But by this allowance will some say euill men will take liberty vnto themselues vnder these pretences to prophane the Sabbath by their sports Answ It may well be so that they which stumble at Christ to their ruine and they that wrest his word to their owne condemnation will also wrest this libertie to bring themselues into the bondage of sinne yet must not this let vs to giue that allowance vnto Gods children which hee hath left him in his word But as for such as abuse their libertie I admonish them in the feare of God that they make not Gods commandements like cheuerell laces to stretch them euery waie to their owne bents and purposes For if they doe I appeale vnto the highest Iudge of all the earth that they haue no such libertie giuen them And therefore if they take it their blood bee vpon their owne heads if they bring themselues by their libertie to bee the sonnes of bondage But as for the children of God I know they will and shall finish their saluation with feare and trembling And thus wee haue seene how these workes of recreations are also forbidden vs vpon the Sabbath § Sect. 2 The third sort of workes which are here forbidden vs are our sports which commonly wee Pastimes vnlawfull vpon the Sabbath call pastimes which indeed though they be but recreations in their owne nature yet as wine by his long standing becommeth vineger so doe these sports and recreations by the excessiue vse or rather abuse of them become sinfull that is when wee vse them not to make our selues thereby fit to redeeme time which the Apostle requireth but rather to spend time and vainely to passe it And therefore if the former were vnlawfull which did after a sort build vp a man then how much more these that destroy a man who by the excessiue vse of them is made vnfit vnto the performance of any duties of which sort of pastimes are stage-plaies cards and dice-playing vpon the Sabbath as also Beare-baitings Cock-pits and such like All which in particular to confute were
lawgiuer himselfe gone before you in keeping this commaundement let me then exhort you as the Apostle doth Ephes 5. 1. Be you followers of God as deare children and walke as ye haue him for an example Now louing children will followe their parents then if you be children I say if louing children you wil follow him Now I know in generall that euery man will subscribe vnto this that they must follow God in keeping his Sabbath but yet come and presse them to yeeld obedience in the particular duties there you shal haue them as the young man in the Gospell they then depart sorrowfull that makes them to scratch where it doth not itch What must they doe nothing but heare pray meditate c. Nay if it had been onely to forbeare the doing of some worldly businesse which they greatly cared not for the doing of at any time they would haue forborne but now vpon this day to forgo their afternoone sports and playes and to sit as they terme it moping in a corner this is too hard Well but I say if you bee Gods children you will follow him yea and more than any sonne imitateth the father for the father begetteth his sonne but like vnto him in substance but God begetteth his children like vnto him in qualities They be holy as he is holy mercifull as he is mercifull and will imitate him in all his doings and therefore in this they will keepe the Sabbath as he kept it otherwise they are no children but bastards I say bastards on the mothers side but not on the fathers for were they his true children they would be also his deare children as in this place and would follow him § Sect. 2 Yea but will some man say what a stirre is here about following of God what would I haue them to doe and I thinke I would haue them assaile to make a new heauen and a new earth because God made them both Not so neither but I would haue them labour sixe daies and rest the seuenth as God did But that they may be the more fully answered the workes which God hath wrought are of three sorts Whereof the first are such as are miraculous as to giue sight vnto the blind to fast fourtie daies to walk vpon the waters to raise the dead c. Now these are to bee wondred at but not to be imitated because the gift of working miracles ceaseth in the Church and it is a note of Antichrist now to worke wonders 2. Thess 2. 9. The second sort of works are works of our redemption as the sonne of God to become the sonne of man to be borne of a virgin to beare our sinnes to die for vs to rise againe and to ascend into heauen Now these are works to be beleeued but not to be imitated vnlesse it bee in a certaine similitude or resemblance that as Christ was conceiued and borne so he should bee conceiued and borne in vs Gal. 4. 19. And as Christ died for sinne 1. Cor. 15. 3. so we should die to sinne Rom. 6. 2. As Christ in his flesh was crucified vpon the crosse so should we crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof Galath 4. 24. As Christ being dead for our sinne was buried so wee being dead to sin should also be buried with him by baptisme Rom. 6. 4. As Christ being buried rose againe so must we being buried with him by baptisme rise again to walke in newnes of life vers 5. As Christ being risen did ascend so must we risen from the graue of sinne ascend by setting our affections on things aboue Coloss 3. 2. And hereupon grew that rule that whatsoeuer Christ did for vs the same he did in vs. Lastly the third sort of duties are morall duties commaunded in the law and these are the workes wherein he is to bee imitated by vs. Examples whereof he giueth vs Mat. 11. 29. Of meeknes Learne of me that I am humble and meeke In Iohn of loue and brotherly kindnes Ioh. 13. 15. I haue giuen you an example And in this place of working sixe daies and resting the seuenth Indeede hee could haue finished all his workes in one houre or with a word speaking but hee would worke about them sixe daies and rest the seuenth for our example And therefore as Christ said Haue you not read what Dauid did how when hee was an hungred c. So haue you not read what the Lord did how when he made the heauens and the earth he laboured sixe daies and rested the seuenth haue you not read it I say if you haue then againe I say as Christ in another case Goe and doe the like Luk. 10. 37. that is rest as he did For not the worke but the rest is that which is proposed vnto thee § Sect. 3 But here is one doubt more that may be moued in this place and that is how God can be said to rest that is a pure act in himself and alwaies worketh or how he can be said to worke that alwaies resteth in his action The answere is he alwaies worketh and alwaies resteth in himselfe but in this place he is said to rest or to worke in respect of his creatures To rest I say in that hee ceaseth to make any more creatures yet not to rest from preseruing them being made For God was not idle on the seuenth day but did sustaine and preserue the creatures which hee before had made otherwise they would haue come to nothing And therein wee are taught that though on the Sabbath it bee not lawfull to labour to increase that wee haue yet it is lawfull to saue and preserue that we haue and this he teacheth vs here by his owne example And so much touching the sense and force of these words § Sect. 4 Now the vse of these words is foure-fold First they serue to confute those that stand so much vpon the examples of others let a man demand of thē why they do so prophane the Lords day by their vnlawful games sports by their riding and running abroad in errands by their trudging and posting to Faires and Markets they will answere they doe but as others doe and they that are better men and haue more knowledge than they do so and if it were not lawfull they would not doe it would such a Iustice or such a Preacher bowle or banquet or ride about vpon the Sabbath if it were not lawfull And when they haue thus answered they thinke they haue spoken to the matter passing well But I wonder seeing they will bee lead by example why they doe not looke vnto God and follow his example which is the best of all for I am sure that there is none of those which they follow is worthie to bee named the same day with him none so learned none of such authoritie as he may not a man then returne this their answere vpon them when they shall say such and such that are learned and of authoritie do breake the
Sabbath may not wee answere them I say and that iustly that their betters doe keepe it and that therefore they should keep it Dauid kept it the Prophets kept it the Apostles kept it Christ himselfe kept it when hee was here in the flesh nay God kept it as here we see Now if they can bring examples for the prophaning of the Sabbath greater and better than these let them shew them but certaine it is they cannot and therefore hence foorth let them be ashamed thus to reason and to offer that measure vnto God which they would disaine their seruant should offer vnto them For let thē answer me in the like case would they be contented if sending their seruants in their businesse their seruants should neglect the doing of that wherein they were imployed and spend the time at cards or dice or dauncing or seruing their owne turnes would they I say be contented if when they should expostulate the matter with them they should answere that they did not play alone but others did play aswell as they Or if thou shouldest reproue thy child for swearing or lying vnto thee wouldest thou take it well that he should answer others lie and sweare as well as I But thou art too cockering of thy childe I propose therefore another case If a theefe should answere a Iudge thus that others did steale as well as hee would not the Iudge replie that therefore he should be hanged for example vnto others And how is it then that wee thinke so basely of God as that the example of such prophane men for so I may iustly terme them that prophane Gods Sabbath should bee able to match yea and ouermatch the example of God himselfe with these men Secondly this also serueth for our comfort that when others shall vpbraide vs as precise and curious for that we will not doe vpon the Sabbath as others of our neighbours doe as to goe to bowles with them or cards or to dauncing or such like vaine sports I say when wee shall be thus vpbraided yet here is our comfort wee are not alone in this but God is with vs and he hath troden the way before vs in his owne person resting vpon the Sabbath that wee might doe the like Thirdly in that God wrought sixe daies and rested the seuenth to teach vs to doe the like we are thence to learne this instruction that the end of our doings must not bee our selues alone but we must haue regard of others also that they by our good example may be moued to well doing Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes And for this cause it was that Christ payed tribute though hee were free And for the example of others it was that hee went to heare Iohn he had no neede to be taught of any for the spirit was giuen him aboue measure yet he would goe heare Iohn to giue an example vnto vs to imbrace the gifts and graces of God in our inferiours But of this sufficient Fourthly and lastly in that God within the compasse of sixe daies was able of nothing to create the heauens and the earth and all things that are in them contained we may learne that God is able in a short time to bring wonderfull things to passe When wee reade the acts of Alexander wee wonder to see how that in a short time hee did subdue the greatest part of the world but what was that to this it is easier by farre to pull downe and to destroy than to build vp to take away life than to giue And therefore that God should so soone of nothing make a world how great was this his power The Iewes thought it an incredible thing that Christ should say he would reare the Temple in three daies that was a building sixe and fourtie yeeres they misunderstood him I know but if he had said it of the materiall Temple it had been nothing to this to the frame and workmanship of the world the Temple was but as the rearing of a molhill in comparison of the greatest mountaine in the world Yet see how soon he dispatches this great work in sixe daies he dispatches the whole frame though hee had not any matter wherewithall to begin to build So true is that in the Psalm 115. 3. he doth whatsoeuer he will And therfore it skils not how difficult the worke be so he be the builder how troublesome the seas so hee bee the Pilot how doubtful the conquest so he be the Leader nor how dangerous the sicknes so he be the Physition And as he is powerfull in sauing so is hee also in destroying it being as easie a thing and therefore let his enemies looke vnto the rod of his power who is able at an instant to destroy them all At an instant he disgards Nebuchadnezzar and turnes him out of his palace At an instant he smites all the first borne in Egypt At an instant hee ouerwhelmes Pharaoh and his host rendeth tenne Tribes from Ieroboam ouerturneth Sodome maketh a world drowneth a world and saueth a world againe What shall I say more as he knoweth all things so hee can doe all things both in heauen and in earth in which he hath all meanes to serue his turne the very Angels themselues are his ministring spirits Psal 104. 4. and the diuels cannot goe without his leaue Mat. 8. 32. And as for men he commaunds them much more for he is the Lord of hosts Isai 1. And he hath not only these of men and none other hosts but he hath armies of frogges and flyes and lice to fight against his enemies Exod. 8. When he will the heauens shell take his part 1. Sam. 7. and the Sunne shall stay his course till he be auenged of his enemies So then he hath all meanes at his command And were it so that hee had but small meanes yet hee can make it serue and hold out If hee say the word the meale in the barrell shall not waste neither shall the oyle in the cruce diminish 1. King 17. 14. If he will haue it so one suite of apparell shall last fourtie yeeres and yet shall not waxe old With fiue loaues hee will feede fiue thousand men Matth. 14. Were it so that meanes should faile yet he can worke without them as well as with them Asa had said little if he had said it had bin all one to God to saue by few as by many if he had not added or by none 2. Chro. 14. 10. For hee is not tyed vnto the meanes as a Carpenter is vnto his tooles but hee can worke aswell without them as with them For when there was no raine yet hee made the earth fruitfull Gen. 2. 5. when there was no Sunne to shine yet there was light Then God can worke we see without meanes and so hee can against meanes Who would not thinke that clay put in a mans eyes should put out a mans eyes yet tempering
it Isai 58. 14. § Sect. 2 Now the vse of this is two-fold First it notablie meeteth with the error of the multitude that thinke if a man serue God he shall neuer thriue as though God were like an euill master that vseth to reward him worst that doth him the best seruice But these blinde bayards that thus beate their heads against the wall little think vpon this that God here promiseth that those which keepe his Sabbath shall bee blessed if they did they would neuer goe stumbling on But to the keeper of the Sabbath this is a most sure word that if a man keepe it the Lord will make him to mount vpon the high places of the earth and wil feede them with the heritage of Iacob And therefore by this a man shall know when hee is at the sermon how well he thriueth at home for if he truly serue the Lord in the Church God will truly blesse him at home for hee hath promised it and hee cannot goe from his word no more than hee can denie himselfe happely hee may sometimes denie some worldly blessings when he seeth it not good for thee to haue it but then assure thy selfe he will giue thee that which is ten times better and that thou shalt in this life finde and assuredly know And therefore thinke not that if thou lose an houre or a day that thou shalt be vndone but waite vpon the Lord for it is his blessing that maketh rich and not thy labour And if he blessed the Manna that was gathered on the sixt day that it should be enough for the seuenth also and if he made the earth in the sixth yeere to bring forth food sufficient for two yeeres Leuit 25 why shouldest thou distrust his bountie towards thee Therefore cast thy care vpon him for if thou wilt keepe his Sabbath he will care for thee The second vse is to informe the Sabbath breakers of their estate in which they stand and I would to God they would take notice of it that they are in a cursed estate for if the Sabbath keepers be blessed then the Sabbath breakers by the law of contraries must bee accursed And so they are indeede And Nehemiah is not afraide to tell them so much to their faces Did not saith he your fathers thus that is breake the Sabbath and did not God therefore bring all these plagues vpon vs and will you yet increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabbath Nehe. 13. And as Nehemiah told them what they had alreadie felt so Ier. 17. vlt. tels them what they shall further looke for If saith he you will not heare me to sanctifie the Sabbath and to beare no burthen What then then the Lord will kindle a fire in the gates of Ierusalem Yea but it shall not come into the high streetes Yes saith he for it shall deuoure the palaces thereof But we will quench it first before it goe so farre Nay saith he it shall not be quenched as though the fire thereof should burne like wilde fire or rather like hell fire that is vnquenchable Mat. 3. And of this there is good reason For if for the neglect of the building of the Lords house the Lord cursed his people so that when they sowed much they brought in little that when they eate they were not satisfied when they dranke their thirst remained c. If I say the Lord cursed them thus for the neglect of the building of the materiall Temple what will he doe for the neglect of the building of the spirituall Temple which is certainly neglected where as the Sabbath is neglected And although happely it sometimes come to passe that the Sabbath breaker may prosper in worldly matters yet they are but blessings of Gods left hand Prou. 3. 16. which many times hee giues to the ruine of the owners thereof Eccl. 5. 12. He giueth them as he gaue a King to the Israelites in his anger and in his wrath he takes them away againe But how soeuer this is certaine that though he giues them their hearts desire yet with the gift he sendeth leannesse into their soules as Psal 106. 15. and they shall finde one day the euill of their riches when they shall weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon them when I say their consciences shall crie out against them Wee haue gotten this money by breaking the Lords Sabbath and when the rust of the same shall testifie so much against them then shall they finde that true which euen now I cited that their riches was giuen them for their euill § Sect. 3 Loe thus as you see that I may conclude haue I troden foorth before you the path of the Sabbath that was I confesse hard and difficult to finde by reason of so many by-paths and waies of error And herein I haue shewed first the perpetuitie of the Sabbath Secondly the change of the time of the Sabbath Thirdly that it may not againe be changed Fourthly that the whole day must bee kept and this in the first booke In the second I haue shewed the duties of this day which consist first in preparation to the Sabbath Secondly in obseruation which contained two things first to rest vpon it when it is come from all workes words or thoughts that might be a let to the performance of the holy duties that were required of vs which duties were of three sorts either publique or priuate or mixt and this was the summe of the second booke In the third I haue shewed the persons to whom these duties doe appertaine which were either vnto vs or those that were vnder our gouernment And last of al in the fourth the reasons that might inforce vs to the keeping of this day holy that which remaineth is that euery one of vs in regard of the time past fall downe before the Lord in the feeling and acknowledgement of this great sinne of Sabbath breaking and that with purpose of heart hence-foorth wee endeuour with all our might both in our owne persons and by all meanes we may to prouoke others also to keepe the Sabbath with vs and then shall the Lord euen our God assuredly blesse vs with the riches of his mercies reserued from euerlasting in heauen for vs which the Lord graunt vnto vs for Christ his sake Amen FINIS The Errata Pag. 16. lin 4. reade which is one p. 50. l. 10. put out not p 7. vlt. reade Reu for Rom p. 93. vlt. r. our p. 99. l. 15 r. à fortiori p. â—â—1 â— 9. r. setting l. 26. reade them p. 117. l. 3. r. not to commit any sâ—â— p. 126 l. 25. 26. r. halues