creatures of water bread and wine in the Sacraments but acknowledge all inward grace to proceede from God his blessing and institution so we promise vnto our selues on the Lord his day a greater blessing not for any thing in the day it selfe but by reason of God his owne ordinance and promise of a blessing to the same And as we denie not a blessing from the Lord on priuate prayer reading and conference but acknowledge a greater blessing to be due euen by the Lord his owne promise to these exercises publike in cōparison of the other so wee denie not the grace of God to be vpon those houres redeemed from our outward callings and consecrated to the Lord but confesse a more speciall blessing from God to belong to that whole day which the Lord hath taken vp to himselfe alone and that for his owne promise sake vnto all them which come with simple hearts to obey his holy commaundement Now hauing gone through these reasons which proue the Sabbath day to be morall and that this commaundement is no lesse to be obserued than the other nine before we enter into the exposition of the law it selfe it shal be cōuenient to meet with such reasons as some men bring to preludice the trueth of that which hath beene alreadie spoken which being done by God his grace we will come to the other The reasons against the Sabbath may briefely be reduced into such as either seeme to be drawne out of the expresse words of the Scriptures or else by some consequence to be gathered from the Scriptures The arguments borrowed from the written word are either out of the olde Testament or out of the new they which are contained in the olde are taken either out of the lawe or out of the Prophets Out of the lawe they make much a doe about that which is written Exod. 31. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. where the Lord faith this vnto Moses Speake thou vnto the children of Israel and say Notwithstanding keepe ye my Sabbaths for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that ye may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you Ye shall therefore keepe the Sabbath for it is holy vnto you he that defileth it shall die the death therefore whosoeuer worketh therein the same person shall be euen cut off from among his people Sixe daies shall men worke but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the holy rest to the Lord whosoeuer doth any worke on the Sabbath day shall die the death Wherefore the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath that they may obserue the rest throughout their generations for an euerlasting couenant It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and in the seuenth day hee ceased and rested Out of these words they snatch these three reasons First they triumph before the conquest and say it is manifest that it is a signe and therefore as they please to conclude it is a figure True it is that it is here called a signe vers 13. as also Ezech. 20. 12 it is plaine howbeit this is no good reason that seeing the Sabbath is a signe therefore it is a figure or shadowe For although euery figure and shadowe be a signe yet euery signe is not a figure or shadow A figure foresheweth a trueth afterwards to be reuealed a shadow betokeneth a bodie hereafter to be exhibited but a signe as it doth sometimes signifie a thing afterwards to be looked for so it doth sometimes assure vs of a thing alreadie performed The figure ceaseth when the trueth commeth there is no vse of the shadow when the body is present but the signe and the thing signified may be ioyned together and both of them serue for a present vse Againe they gather out of the 16. verse of the chapter which we haue in hand where it is said The children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath that they may obserue the rest through their generations for an euerlasting couenant that because the Sabbath of God is his couenant for euer that is vntill Christ it is ceremoniall True it is that the lawe admitteth this phrase of speech sundrie times to say for euer that is vntill Christ in whom al things are fulfilled But we must obserue this general rule as our guide when we will know what figures and ceremonies end in Christ and what morall precepts belong vnto vs. When a thing is vrged to the Iewes and hath a peculiar reason made properly to the Iewe and appertaineth nothing to the Christian then as it begunne with the Iewes as they were Iewes it ceased with the Iewes but when the reason of the thing vrged is not peculiar to the Iewes but also belongeth to the Christians then the thing commanded is not proper to the Iew but common to the Iew and Gentile Wherefore let vs square out the reason by the line of this generall rule It is here added v. 17. For in six daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and in the seuenth day he ceased and rested Where if it had beene said they shall obserue the rest for an euerlasting couenant because they were brought out of Egypt I would haue graunted it to haue beene peculiar to the Iewes but seeing this is the reason the Lord rested which is common not to the posteritie of Abraham alone but to the whole posteritie of Adam the commaundement must be granted generall both to Iew and Gentile For it is a common instruction to all men in all ages to labour six daies wherein the Lord made the heauen and the earth and to cease from labour the seuenth day because in it the Lord rested The plaine sense then of this place is briefly this as if the Lord should say I made this law in the beginning of the world and it shall last to the end of the world I made it to Adam the father of all generations and it shall endure to the last of all his posteritie from generation to generation I made this law to ease my selfe after my great paines taken in the creating of the world in sixe daies and you shall keepe it to ease your mindes which are fraught with many distractions by reason of your ordinarie callings in those daies Neither would I haue any to thinke that the Lord had neede of any refreshing who being infinite cannot be subiect to distractions or wearines but we must know that where the Lord is said that he refreshed himselfe by taking view of his creatures he commendeth his loue to vs ward in shewing rather what ought to be in vs than what was in him For such alacritie and diligence should we vse in our callings as we should be glad when the Lords day commeth that in it we shall recouer our selues and ease our mindes of those distractions which burthen vs in our outward calling and so
shall enter into my rest although the workes were finished from the foundation of the world 4. For hee spake in a certaine place of the seuenth day on this wise And God did rest the seuenth day from all his workes 5. And in this place againe If they shall enter into my rest 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter thereinto and they to whom it was first preached entred not therein for vnbeleefes sake 7. Againe hee appointed in Dauid a certaine day by To day after so long a time saying as it is saide This day if yee heare his voyce harden not your hearts 8. For if Iesus had giuen them rest then would hee not after this day haue spoken of another 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God 10. For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his 11. Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest least any man fall after the same example of disobedience Behold say they the Sabbath which Christians must obserue is to rest from sin I answere this is not proued For this was as well to the Iewes as it is to the Christians For it is said Psal. 95. To day if ye will heare his voyce 8. Harden not your heart c. This the Prophet wrote after Caleb and Ioshua had entred into Canaan whither though many entred not yet some entred so that they had euen that rest then as well as we haue now Wherefore it doth not follow because the resting from sinne is also enioyned to the Christians as a pure vse of the Sabbath therefore it taketh away the other Againe the resting of God from his workes cannot be a figure of resting from sinne no more than God his workes can be a figure of sinfull workes Now seeing the Lord here vseth an argument of proportion betweene his workes and our workes his ceasing from his workes and our ceasing from our workes because betweene the figure and the thing figured must be some proportion and resemblance I pray you what proportion is there betweene God his workes and our sinnes what analogie betwixt God his resting from his workes and our resting from sinne Againe that it cannot be here meant of the rest from sinne it is manifest because that which is here spoken is set downe to Adam Genes 2. 2. 3. at what time there was no sinne in the world and therefore no resting from sinne therefore no figure of resting from sin because all the learned herein agree that there were no figures before sinne Besides and fourthly the Apostle sheweth that this rest is meant of the kingdome of heauen For as Dauid spake this of the land of Canaan so the Apostle speaketh it of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore he concludeth Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest where we shall not onely rest from sinne but from all our ordinarie workes of our callings where shall neither be eating nor drinking nor marying nor giuing in mariage And as the people before were threatned that for their vnbeleefe and disobedience they should not enter into the land of Canaan so we are here threatned that vnlesse we studie and striue against these things we shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Howbeit although the Sabbath was not a figure vnto Adam of resting from sinne yet it was vnto him a signe that he should come to the kingdome of God where should neither be eating nor drinking nor marying all which seeing Adam had it is manifest that he was not in the kingdome of God as yet The Sabbath then did put him in minde that he should not alwaies be working but that he should be translated though not die for although he was created in innocencie yet not free from being translated to a better place at God his good time but as the Apostle saith he should haue been changed as were Enâ—ch and Eliah though after a more excellent manner We haue now the Lords day which assureth vs that as now by faith and hope we enioy the life to come so hereafter these two ceasing we shall more fully and perfectly enioy the same and as our Sacraments purely vsed shew a thing not to come but alreadie past so this day truly kept is a resemblance of a thing not past but to come For as on this day from the morning to euening we praise God if we keepe the day holie and yet withdrawne and interrupted with many by-thoughts and secret distractions so in heauen being freed from worldly carnall fearefull and manifold affections and troubles we shall more continually praise the Lord. What is then the alluding of this word rest This it is As God rested from his workes after he had made the world so we must rest from our workes What from the workes of sinne no from the workes of our callings and consequently from the workes of sinne much more So the analogie betwixt the Lord his rest and ours teacheth vs that we must rest from our ordinarie workes and this rest putteth vs in minde of that continuall Sabbath wherein when we cease from working eating drinking sleeping marying and all such workes as we are subiect vnto with corruption then also shall we vndoubtedly cease from sinne which kinde of rest in fulnes we must not looke for in this life This is a generall rule in Diuinitie to be obserued that of one place of Scripture there is but one naturall and proper sense although by consequence searching out the contraries the causes the effects and such like other things may be also gathered out of it If the words be more proper and naturall the sense is more proper and naturall if the words be borrowed and metaphoricall then is the sense borrowed and metaphoricall Now allusions are not so much for the proofe confirmation of the matter as for the amplifying and illustrating of the same For example 2. Corinth 13. 1. the Apostle saith This is the third time I come vnto you Where we must vnderstand how the Apostle had been with them once in bodily presence and twice wrote vnto them and yet he saith this is the third time I come vnto you He alludeth then to this as yee see O Corinthians in the law that two or three witnesses were sufficient to confirme the good and condemne the euill so I haue beene with you thrice which is sufficient to confirme the faith of the godly to leaue the vngodly without excuse Againe Rom. 10. 18. we reade But I demaund Haue they not heard No doubt their sound went throughout all the earth and their words into the ends of the world Here we see the Apostle alludeth to that Psal. 19. 4. which is meant of the day and the night This is then the allusion As the day and the night spread ouer the whole world so the Apostles were sent to preach ouer the whole world Againe Galat. 4. Paul alludeth
day of toyling The equitie of the not kindling of a fire must binde Christians although the sanction doth not constraine them whereas the Israelites of an inch of libertie would take an ell for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them And although we haue a further libertie to kindle a fire for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were yet the equitie of the law must teach vs that we ought not to turne this libertie to be seruant of our wanton desires or to foster carnall licentiousnes and hinder the worship of God If it be demaunded whether this day be fit for mariage or no I answere it is because on that day as it is a day of reioycing there is a more lawfull libertie of speech and a more liberall vse of cheerfull behauiour Howbeit let them not on that day if they marrie make their solemne cheere but seeing they may haue a conuenient companie some other day let them either both marrie and feast some other day or marrie on the Lords day feast another And if it be demanded whether Loue feasts may be kept on this day or no I an swere there is difference betweene loue-feasts and solemne feasts And if men were as wiseas they were in the times of Poperie they would be politike to finde out some meanes to prouide for the glorie of God and yet not altogether neglect the conuenient furniture for their table I am not to appoint neither doe I vndertake to prescribe how meate should be prepared or how offices should be deuided yet by experience I can giue testimonie of some who for their religion beare credit in the Church and for their authoritie carie some countenance in common wealth and yet on the Lords day haue their tables both Christianly and worshipfully furnished without any hinderance of the worship of God at all notwithstanding the number of their daily retinue ordinary familie is great It is one thing to prouide feasts of intertainement more than competent and another thing to vse loue-feasts nothing lesse than is conuenient the one oppressing and disabling vs to holy exercises the other refreshing and enabling vs to the duties of religion Now concerning the exercises pleasures of the body leauing all vaine pastimes at all times vnlawfull but most especially on the Sabbath and to speake of such recreations as in themselues are lawfull and may lawfully be vsed of the children of God in their time and place as those of shooting training vp of souldiers and such like all which their pleasures carie a profit either present or in time to come to the Church or common-wealth we denie not simplie then their places but thinke them conuenient and commendable with the testimonie of the holy Ghost 2. Sam. 1. where Ionathan is commended of Dauid for his shooting Howbeit the Sabbath day is no fitte time for these vses which we will shew briefly First we must know that the Lord hauing forbidden the workes of our ordinarie calling which carie with them a more speciall promise of profit and warrant of reward in their time forbiddeth also lawfull pleasures because if the vse of those be forbidden being lawfull and necessarie for the vpholding and maintaining of mans life then these things not so needfull though conuenient for recreation are much more inhibited And this we shall see more plainely if we remember that rest is so farre commanded as it is an helpe and furtherance to sanctification and labour so farre is forbidden as it is an impediment of the same In regard whereof if pleasures be no lesse lets and impediments to the hallowing of the Sabbath than bodily and ordinarie labours then pleasures haue no more libertie on the Lords day than our outward workes Furthermore we must be circumspect not to rest in any drowsie or sleepie securitie of the flesh but in what measure soeuer we detract from the ordinarie workes of our calling in that proportion must we adde to the sanctification of the day not much vnlike to good Christians who bestow on their soules whatsoeuer they take from their bodies Which wisedome and diligence though we vse most carefully yet for as much as we shall leaue as many duties vnperformed as we shall haue performed I see not what leisure we can lawfully lend to recreations If any carnall professor shall presse this thing more vehemently me thinketh he may blush at the defence of it seeing this kinde of keeping holy daies in pleasures and playing was vsed euen of the Heathen who sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play first balacing their bellies with feastes then refreshing themselues with play Wherefore as we now denie Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen so we denie holy-day playes as remnants of ancient prophanenesse But if it be here obiected that the Iewes had their solemne feasts musicall instruments and exercises of pleasure yet the men alwaies by themselues and the other sexe by themselues not with that monstrous mixture of men and women which is a chiefe sinne and arch-enemie to religion of our age and that with holy Psalmes made by Dauid and Moses not with vaine minstrelsie vsed of prophane Atheists I answere as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth 13. of his owne person that they being as children spake as children they vnderstood as children they thought as children being but in the rudiments but we becomming men must put away childish things Againe the superstition of the Papists checketh this abuse who would admit none outward exercises on their Easter Whitsontide and holy Thursday at what times they thought a bird would scarsely build her nest Did not the Papists breake their superstitious holidaies and shall we so prophanely pollute the Lord his Sabbath Our Easter day our Ascension day our Whitsontide is euery Lords day and therefore we ought to make a speciall care of sanctifying of this day What shall I say of the zeale of worldlings which may controll by contraries the securitie of our sinnes For all worldly men seeke neuer for pleasure whilest profit doth drop as we may see in them that liue on Faires and Markets as Chapmen and Inholders So long as they hope to gaine a penie how waite they how diligent are they how little play they how busie are they And why Forsooth it is their haruest it is their market which say they they must attend vpon whilest occasion lasteth Behold the policie painefulnesse of the world may teach vs what we ought to doe for our soules Is not the Sabbath the haruest time and market day for the soule wherein we should gather in whilest the Sunne shineth wherein we we should be very diligent whilest our gaine is promised wherin we must prouide for a liuing and maintenance and lay vp store laying all pleasure aside vntill the time to come And to returne to the Papists what posting Priests what mumbled masâ—es what hunting praiers what hastie seruice had
subiect to distractions is no lesse hindred by pleasure then burdened with worldly cogitations yea and so many are the exercises of religion and loue both priuate and publike appertaining to that day that a man is not able to performe all the number of them in one day much lesse then hath he time to follow his delights 25 Vpon a great raine falling in a Fayre time not long after the Sabbath which by the Faire was broken hee had this working in his heart how one should order his affections in such a case First in respect of God whether one should not reioyce seeing men would not be taught by so long preaching to keepe the Sabbath that the Lord euē by his afflictions should teach men his holy ordinance Secondly in regard of men whether he should not pittie them for that their goods were subiect to such dangers True it is that men are to be pittied but when the question is of Pietie towards GOD and pittie towards men it were better to reioyce that the Lord will through some hindrance of worldly things tender the obeying of his owne ordinance than pietie should decay and so many soules perish 26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial we must first marke that the Prophets are continuall vrgers of the morall lawe as for the ceremonies when they came to them they passe them ouer saying that God hath no pleasure in them as Esay 2. and 66. and among the rest nothing is more namely and precisely vrged than the Sabbath therefore it is no ceremonie Againe grant it to be ceremoniall and yee shall make God a confounder of the Law and Gospell a mingler of the ceremoniall law with the morall and admitting one ceremonie in the Decalogue why may there not be two or three or moe Concerning this mixture many heresies hereby haue crept into the Church and it cannot be auoided if we make the fourth Commandement ceremoniall We know that whē Saul was among the Prophets 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying Is Saul among the Prophets as if it were no good order but the Prophets should be among themselues and Saul with his companions A third reason may be that Christ in the Gospell deliuereth a summe of the whole law Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe But this summe of the law is meerely morall therefore the lawe whereof this is a summe is meerely morall except wee will accuse Christ for giuing vs a morall summe of a ceremoniall thing Besides the Commandements were but a renuing of the law of nature for it was written in the brest of Adam by the finger of God Now there became a declining from this lawe of nature by the negligence of them that should haue taught it to their children Therfore would the Lord haue it written once for all But in the lawe of nature there is no ceremonie for it is the image of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is altogether holy and for euer and ceremonies are holy but for a time therefore in the image of God in the Decalogue there is no ceremonie and consequenly the Sabbath is not ceremoniall A fift reason is this they that affirme the Sabbath to be a Ceremonie must either say that the Ceremonie is in the word Sanctifie or in the word Sabhath for this is the Commandement Sanctifie the Sabbath as for Remember it is but a prouiso and no part of the Commandement but the force of the Commandement stands in the word Sanctifie and it is a Verbe transitiue and therefore cannot be without an Accusatiue case as Day or Sabbath and in sanctifying is no ceremonie Therefore the Commandement is no Ceremonie Moreouer it must needs follow that that which is concluded by a reason is commaunded by ◠precept but in this it is concluded by reason your labour and rest must bee scanned by Gods labour and rest and the Lord laboured sixe daies and tested the seuenth day therefore you must worke al your workes in sixe and rest the seuenth As much reason is this that as Christ reasoneth how the Diuorce being a thing brought in vpon occasion did not therefore bind the conscience of the Iewes because from the beginning it was not so which was as much as if he should say or insinuate by the contrary whatsoeuer was from the beginning it bindeth the conscience So we say of the Sabbath that it being from the beginning not onely printed in the breast of Adam but also sounded in his eares must therefore binde the conscience CHAP. LXIX Of Thankesgiuing and right vse of the creatures NOne can euer praise the Lord till he be rauished with his greatnesse and goodnesse and the want of this feeling causeth vs to be cold in thanksgiuing euen as our praiers be cold when we haue but small feeling of sinne 2 And that wee doe in truth of heart acknowledge God to be the preseruer of vs from all euils and giuer of all mercies we may trie by our thankfulnes and prayer 3 The sin that was in the Israelites is in vs for the want of one good thing doth make vs rather to mourne than the hauing of many good things doth make vs thankfull 4 We must be thankfull presently and speedily when wee wil long keepe the remembrance of any mercie 5 Because our faith yeeldeth but drops of thankfulnes the Lord is constrained to yeeld but drops of his mercies 6 Being with one afflicted in body and minde vnto whom the Lord had shewed great tokens of saluation and fruitfull to sanctifie the present afflictions he said I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts and graces of God but rather I feare least the time of their deliuerance should be tainted with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they purchased of the Lord. 7 Wee haue no continuing citie now but we looke for another not that wee may not call these things ours which are sanctified vnto vs by the word and prayer and in a good conscience vsing them but that we should not set our harts vpon them further than they are sanctified vnto vs we should not desire to vse them 1 These outward benefits are promised with a condition that so far we shall haue them as is for his glorie and our good with which condition we are commanded to aske them if then we want any thing we must know it is not good for vs but hurtfull we are to magnifie his mercies which holdeth those things from vs which are not for our good and yet giueth vs that by the want thereof which by the thing enioyed wee could not come vnto For the thing doth not hurt vs but our corruptions which abuse it therefore he keepeth promise when he taketh it away for he hath made the promise for our good 9 It hath been the order of the
whereas the Lord might absolutely command vs yea he affoords not onely a reason but many reasons as foure in number which is to none else that euery way we might be perswaded Now he vseth the word of remembring for a speciall watchword of watchfulnes which importeth thus much Whatsoeuer ye do do this and do it with care haue a speciall regard to this in any case forget it not that so we might thinke the breaking of this day to be no trifle it is taken carefully froÌ„ vs when we giue a special charge Deut. 5. Take heed to this day remember it ere it come ye may be ouertaken By the Sabbath is meant the holy rest so the land hath a Sabbath and this day is exempted by God from the rest to this end Indeed by nature all daies were alike and common till God seuered one which for his sake and the ends sake must be distinguished from the ordinarie daies so all men and creatures were common vntill the Lord set them apart to speciall vses The Sabbath is wholy morall tows and to our Fathers partly morall and partly ceremoniall to the Iewes vnto whome euery commaundement had a ceremonie first by reason of their weaknes secondly because they were vnder the clowde Now they are cut off But before them was the morall vse of this precept euen from the beginning Exod. 16. nay Gen. 2. and no tradition quenched it So our Sabbath continues and takes hold on the conscience True it is euery day we are bound to sacrifice and not to forget our dutie Psal. 1. 2. we must pray continually and Dauid sacrificed thrise a day Psalm 55. but this day must be wholly sanctified no part of it must be giuen to other things to look to our selues in So Adam had a vocation and a rest in part and wholy for nature distract can doe nothing well As for the cremonie of the day it was in the seuenth day but that is altered into the day wherein our Redemption was finished and the world renewed and therefore by the Apostles themselues this day was instituted 1. Cor. 16. Actes 20. 7. For the name it is plaine Apoc. 1. 10. The rest of it in regard of the straight-yoke was from gathering sticks Numb 13. 32. from kindling a fire Exod. 35. 3. and the sanctifying of it was in killing of Lambs and offering flowers The Sabbath is a signe but not a ceremonie as the tree in Paradise it doth admonish of the true Rest is a pledge of the euerlasting Rest. It is the agreement betweene the Lord and vs Exod. 31. 17. Ezech. 20. 12. It is the market-Market-day of the soule to gather Manna which is the bread of life Well we must first rest from what froÌ„ our owne worke works words and delights for the Law is spirituall Esai 58. 15. First we must rest from the works and labours of the sixe dayes which are heere opposed to rest from bearing burthens Iere. 17. from gathering Manna Exod. 16. which was their foode from treading the wine-presses and making bargaines Nehem. 13. from bringing sheaues Ibidem both in Earing time and Haruest Exod. 34. 21. To worke on the Sabbath is to defile it Exod. 3. The plague of fire is God his iudgement of it Ierem. 17. 27. Gods seueritie by death Exod. 35. As for the sanctifying of it GOD hath made it holie Gene. 2. 3. By his blessing he associateth vs to make it holy as well as himselfe that is by our obedience He hath done what he can to make it holie let not vs prophane it he will not account it holy vnles we so vse it We must therefore separate it from the comon vses as the Church the font the cup which are pu to holy vses to the worship of GOD the furthering of religion First we must seperate into Gods worke as preaching Luc. 4. 16. Reading Acts. 13. 13. Prayer 16. 13 conference Mala. 3. Meditation Psalm 92. or any good worke Matth. 12. 12. whatsoeuer sheweth in vs the power of Christ his Resurrection Now to the reasons It were a great sinne not to yeeld to his Commaundement a greater not to yeelde to his perswasionss His first eason is Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. This is rather a permission than a commandement as was that of eating of the Trees in Paradice If GOD had giuen vs one for our selues and kept sixe for himselfe it had bene equitie in him to command and dutie in vs to obey now he hath kept but one for himselfe and that for profite too To breake the commaundement in respect of such liberalitie were great sinne as we may see in Nathans conference in Aeuaes reasoning and in Iosephs argument with his Mistris as also in Ioâ—s speach to his wife And doe all that thou hast to doe That is Finish all ere this day come Reserue this wholy to GOD vse not this to performe any part of thy busines For therefore haue I parted the sixe dayes and giuen thee them that this one may be wholy mine Secondly the Lord saith it is his Sabbath therfore not ours neither to vse it in our Fayres our Haruest or our plaies So that the offence reboundeth vp to heauen Rom. 13. 2. In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke Here is the negatiue part worke sixe dayes Rest the seuenth in them doe all in this doe none a flat antithesis GOD hath dealt prodigally with vs let vs not deale sparingly with him Thou thy sonne We see he begins with the superiour ergò he ought to be so far from hindering that he must looke to the sanctifying of this day and prouide that his inferiours and they in his gouernement rest as well as hee both from their owne and from their Maisters busines The practise whereof we may reade Nehem. 13. And the reason is good because in respect of God and his seruice there is no respect of Master and seruant so that though the superiour rest himselfe if he prouide that all his house doe rest as well as himselfe hee violateth the Lords rest Deut. 6. 7. Thy cattell for bodily rest This sheweth Gods mercie to be great which prouideth for man and beast and this hee doth that too much might not be exacted of the creature but that they might haue a breathing time And secondly that wee seeing them rest might the more effectually be moued to rest our selues as the King of Niniuie Thy stranger We must haue Lots care ouer the bodie of our strangers they are of our iurisdiction whiles they are vnder our roofe and wee must sanctifie our house much more euery man must be sanctified GOD thus in setting downe euery particular takes away all occasion of quarrelling in the breach of this law For in sixe dayes This is set downe that in the Lords method wee might consider of his workes as Dauid Psalm 139. and Iob chapt 10. Wee haue the example and practise of it in GOD
Lord but mediately from God to his people by the ministerie of Moses For it is said Deutero 5. 22. These words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the middest of the fire the clouds and the darknesse with a great voyce and added no more thereto In which place the man of God speaketh of the tenne commaundements which a little before he had repeated as they were published generally to all by the Lord himselfe which therefore are prepetuall to all people nations and languages not onely to the Iewes but also to the Gentiles The ceremonies as we know were not vniuersall but beginning with the Iewes they ended with them neither were they perpetuall but in Christ his comming were abrogated This difference is yet more plainely set downe Deutero 4. 13. 14. Then the Lord declared vnto you his couenant which he commaunded you to doe euen the tenne Commaundements and wrote them vpon two tables of stone And the Lord commaunded me the same time that I should teach you ordinances and lawes which yee should obserue in the land whither ye goe to possesse it Where Moses maketh a flat difference of those lawes which God gaue in his owne person and them which were giuen by his ministerie By this word ordinances which is in this verse are signified as some affirme those lawes whereby the Iewes did differ from other people Thus we see how Moses was the minister of the ceremoniall law which was giuen but vnto some and lasted but for a season but the morall law which appertaineth to all men and is in vertue for euer the Lord himselfe did giue it forth Now as we answere the Papists in defending against them the second precept as morall and not ceremoniall so we likewise stand against them in this For looke what straying and vnstaied mindes were in the Iewes concerning the worship of God the same also is in vs by nature and what helpes soeuer they needed therein either to be put in minde of their creation or to the viewing of God his workes or sacrificing to the Lord the same are as needfull for vs to helpe vs in our sacrifices for we neede a perfect rule as well as the Iewes to preserue vs from idolatrie and heresie Againe seeing we haue as great neede of a solemne time for these things wherein we may giue our selues wholly to hearing praying and receiuing of the Sacraments as they had for their worship we are subiect to as great distractions of minde in our callings as they were and being with them of a finite nature can no more than they doe infinite things It is as requisite for vs as for them to haue a lawe as well for the time as for the manner of worship wherein laying aside our ordinarie workes we should chiefely and principally wholly giue our selues to those exercises of Religion and duties of loue which onely in part we did before and so more freely espie our sinnes past eschue our sinnes present and strengthen our selues against the sinnes to come Wherefore to shut vp this argument we affirme against the wicked heretikes of our time that so long as we stand in neede of corporall meanes as meate drinke apparell and sleepe for the continuing of our corporall estate so long we shall also neede the spirituall meanes as the word the Sacraments and prayer for the continuing of our soules And as it is not ceremoniall for these considerations to vse these meanes so it is morall to haue a time commaunded and obserued wherein these things should be practised It remaineth to speake of the fourth last reason drawne from the proportion of God his owne example as may appeare in these words Exod. 20. 11. For in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Wherein we haue thus much in effect as the Lord made the creatures in sixe daies so wee in sixe should haue a naturall vse of them And as he sanctified that is put a part the seuenth day to his owne worship and blessed it with a peculiar blessing giuen to his worship appointed so we also setting this day apart from the ordinarie workes of our calling should wholly and onely consecrate it to the worship of God So that as God made all things in sixe daies so wee may vse them sixe daies as Adam did in the garden and as the Lord rested from his workes of creation though not from his worke of prouidence and administration so must we set a part this day to looke for a speciall blessing and speciall benediction of God his worship because of his owne promise and institution Why did the Lord this to our first father he beheld the workes of euery day and blessed euery day We must note that he gaue a speciall blessing aboue the other daies vnto this day Now therefore admit that a man should graunt this much to an heretike that we should be as perfect as Adam in his innocencie which is a manifest heresie yet they must graunt that we stood in need of the word and Sacraments the vse whereof they deny seeing Adam had neede of the vse of all these things being yet without sinne We therefore oppose thus much vnto them that so long as they will acknowledge a neede of corporall helpes by calling for meate sleepe apparell so long their soules stand in need of spirituall meanes as of the word Sacraments and prayer because their soules must as well be preserued as their bodies nourished Our first father then had a Sabbath to be put in minde of the Creator and that without distraction he might the better be put in minde of the glorious kingdome to come that more freely he might giue himselfe to meditation and that he might the better glorifie God in sixe daies As the heretikes then denie the necessitie of the word prayer and Sacraments so we looke for a new heauen and a new earth and then we hope and acknowledge that we shall keepe a continuall Sabbath But in the meane time seeing the Sabbath which we now haue was before sinne we since sinne came into the world haue much more neede of it because that which was needfull to continue Adam in innocencie is also as needfull to recouer vs and to continue vs in our recouerie The Lord then hauing sanctified this day it is not our day but the Lord his owne day But some will say How is God better serued on the Sabbath than on any other day I answer not that we put religon in that day as it is a day more than in any other but that on that day we are freer from distractions and set at more libertie to the worshipping of God than we are on the other sixe daies wherein we are bound to our ordinarie and lawfull calling Wherefore as we put on holinesse in the
to Agar and Sarah in which place he sheweth that as in Abrahams familie was the image both of the true Church and malignant Church the one persecuted of the other so like should be the estate of the Church continually euen vnto the end In like manner the author to the Hebrues vseth an allusion that as God rested the seuenth day from the workes of the creation so we also should rest from the workes not of sinne as these men would haue it but of our calling For this Adam should so haue done though he had not sinned and thereforâ— it is not meant of resting from sinne Thus we see where the Christian Bee gathereth honey there the heretical Spider sucketh poyson who affirmeth that in this life they rest from sinne and here they haue their heauen And thus much for those reasons which are out of the very words of the Scripture noâ— of those arguments which are drawne by consequence out of the Scripture Their maine reason is this which deceiueth many That which is grâ—ffed in mans nature whereof the Gentiles were not ignorant and which continueth to the kingdome of Christ at his second comming is morall and that which was not naturall vnknowne to the Genâ—iles anâ— lasted but vnto the first comming of Christ was ceremoniall but such was the Sabbath therefore the Sabbath is a ceremonie and not a morall precept I answere first that naturall and morall which they make all one must not be confounded True it is that our first parents had the law of God written in their hearts before it was promulgated in the mount whereunto as we said the ceremonies seruing as rudiments for a time and as appertinances of the law were adioyned And albeit the morall law be the explaining of the naturall law yet it doth not follow that that which is in the morall law is no more than that which is in the naturall law We know our first father Adam besides the law of nature had the Sabbath in expresse words giuen him and although he had the great bookes of Gods workes yet he had the Word and Sacraments also both which were without his nature and had them not in his owne nature So the things here spoken renew that which was giuen besides that which he had by the law of nature The Gentiles then can no more by the light of nature see the true Sabbath of the Lord and the time wherein he will be worshipped than the pure meanes and manner which the Lord hath appointed for his worship and therefore both Papists Heretikes Gentiles are as well deceiued by ignorance in this obseruation of the fourth Commandement as they be in the second Againe I may answere that in some manner both the second and fourth Commaundements are engraffed in mans nature For neuer any were found so prophane which would not grant that God ought to be worshipped and that not onely inwardly but outwardly also by meanes And the Gentiles by the instinct of nature would acknowledge that as there was a God to be worshipped so there should be some time which should be sequestred from other businesse and should be bestowed on matters concerning the worship of God But to discerne aright what these meanes be wherewith the Lord will be serued and what this time is which the Lord will haue for his honour the Heathen were so farre off that how many nations so many heads how many heads so many kindes of religion The Gentiles whose vaine traditions were but disordered imitations of Moses lawes which they had heard of had indeed their holie daies which not being vsed in faith by reason of their ignorance of the word could nothing please God Yea wee may reade how strictly and superstitiously the Gentiles kept their holie daies so that with all other they agreed after a sort in this generall point that there should be both appointed meanes and certaine set times for the worship of God Againe it is like that the Gentiles were not ignorant of the law of fasting as may appeare by the Niniuits but how to order it a right to the glorie of God they were altogether ignorant because they wanted the word Wherefore herein wee count the true glorie of Christians to consist that the Lord hath giuen vs the truth and hath not left vs to our own inuentions in the meanes of Gods worship and herein is Christian dignitie that as wee haue the manner of our religion prescribed of God himselfe so we haue also the time which he for that purpose hath himselfe sanctified It followeth not theÌ„ because the Sabbath is not ingrasfed in mans nature therefore the Sabbath is not morall because in trueth neither were the lawes of the meanes of Gods worship nor of fasting so ingrafted although in some maner they were Their reasons by consequence are either from the old Testament or from the new Their argument from the old Testament is this We reade not the law of the Sabbath was put in practise before the law was promulgated in mount Sâ—nai therefore it is not morall but ceremoniall This is no good reason we find it not written therefore it was not For so they may argue against â—asting and many other things which were vsed and yet the practise of them not left in writing Who can disallow of mariage and of spousals doe not the Gentiles the lawes ciuill and the Romane law approue them and yet what record haue we left concerning these things in writing before the law Look into the historie of the Kings and Iudges in the bookes of the Chronicles where you shall finde mention made but once of the Sabbath and wee haue it once commanded by precept Gen. 2. 2. and commmended by practise Exod. 16. 26. in which place the man of God speaketh in the preterperfect tence Behold how the Lord hath giuen you the Sabbath Their second reason is drawne from the streightnes of the law to be executed Exod. 35. 2. 3. on him that gathered sticks which they say must not be enioyned vs. Concerning this it maketh no more against the morall obseruation of this precept than the other ceremonies did against the other precepts whereunto they were ioyned The Iewes being in their nonage had rules peculiar to themselues with these wee are not intangled how beit they had other generall commandements which being common to vs with them appertaine still vnto vs. As for example to teach our children the coÌ„mandements of the Lord appertaineth to vs Deut. 6. 7. but to bind them vpon our hands for a signe as frontlets betweene our eyes appertaineth to the Iewes to burie the dead belongeth vnto vs but to enbalme them with spices who had not so cleere a testimonie of the resurrection belongeth to the Iewes Is not the law of murder as well enioy â—ed vs as to the Iewes yet we may eate blood which they could not We ought to be as temperate as they
and stopping such breaches that they lance deeper and roade further then any haue done before them Furthermore in all these exercises both publike and priuate both concerning faith and the duties of loue both with our selues and with others two things especially of vs must bee obserued First we must at night trie our hearts with what truth with what care and with what sinceritie we haue done these things because as God abhorreth hypocrisie in euery thing so especially he cannot abide it in his owne worship Secondly wee are to examine our selues with what profit either to our selues or to others with what comfort with what increase of good things we haue been conuersant in these dueties that wee rest not in the work wrought but that we may offer vp the fruits of our holy increase in a good conscience to the Lord. The first thing then is to trauaile with our hearts for sincerity because though generally all the cōmandements require spiritual obedience yet those more peculiarly which immediatly do binde vs to our God This we shall do if we do the duties of faith faithfully the exercises of repentance carefully the duties of loue louingly On this manner then may we expostulate with our selues Hath the Lords increase of mercie brought me a daies increase of holines how is my knowledge increased my affectiōs touched my faith strengthened my repentance renewed the loue of the Saints in me confirmed How did the word pricke my heart how were my affections quickned by prayer how much was my faith strengthened in the Sacraments Hath the Sabbath been our delight are we nearer to God in faith and repentance are we nearer our brethren in loue and beneuolence are wee better affected to the glorie of God is sinne more grieuous vnto vs than it hath been If it be giue God the glory in Christ if not let our losses cause vs to make some godly recouery in time to come These things little thought of is the cause why for the most part and almost generally we rest in the ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath Now let vs consider a little of the goodnesse of God in giuing so holy a varietie of good things the consideration whereof partly may humble vs and partly comfort vs. For in so rich and princely vicissitude though we doe many things yet some duties priuate or publike with our selues or with others may be left vndone if we doe the outward actions we faile in inwerd affections this ought to humble vs. Howbeit wee may here also sucke out some comfort to the more alluring of vs to these holy exercises in that though we be weary of one exercise we may refresh our selues with another if we profit not by one we may profit by another so that if we be altogether voide of delight and reape no profit at all we cannot but excuse the Lord accuse our selues For if we cannot thriue in priuate exercises we may gaine by the publike meanes if we can finde no delight by ourselues we may ioyne with others if we cannot profite by reading we may profite by praying if not by praying then by meditating if not by meditating then by conferring if not by conferring yet by singing if not by singing yet by viewing the creatures of God if not by these then by teaching admonishing and visiting of others if not herein by suffering our selues to be taught admonished and instructed of others Wherefore as in a solemne banket furnished with diuers meates the weakest stomacke not liking one dish may refresh it selfe with another vnlesse the appetite bee altogether gone so in this heauenly varietie the Lord hath prouided that the most weake may comfort his conscience if not with one spirituall daintie yet with another vnlesse it bee so sicklie that it is altogether gracelesse and voyde of hope of recouerie which the Lord in his mercie keepe from vs. And thus hauing shewed what is commanded let vs goe forward to those things which are forbidden The Sabbath wee say is broken either by generall impediments and lets whereby we cannot sanctifie the day or else by those euill fruits which follow the not keeping of the same For as there be two things commanded to wit rest and sanctification of the rest so two things are forbidden namely labour and trauaile so farre as either they hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath and the prophaning of the Sabbath rest First of the impediments of sanctifying of the Sabbath which in their owne nature are indifferent wee must know that as the furtherances of this sanctification are commanded so the hinderances are forbidden and as rest is so farre commanded as maketh to the sanctifying of the day so our works are not simply forbidden but so farre forth as they be hinderances to the holy obseruation of the same And these be either lawfull workes or lawfull recreations and pleasures And therefore as wee say in the Commandement going before that all vaine light vsuall and accustomed othes are forbidden and yet affirme that all such othes are commaunded as are taken vp in the defence of God his glorie our brethrens welfare or in any other cases of weight and importance when the things must needs be knowne and otherwise than by an oth cannot be knowne so wee say in this precept all vsuall affaires on the Sabbath are here forbidden and we grant that if these fall out for the glory of God in the preseruation of his creatures necessarily to be done or so as they may enable vs the more to any duties of the Sabbath then they are not onely not forbidden but also more streightly enioyned vs. And therfore as no others creeping in vnder pretence are allowed but such as are weightie likewise we permit no works of pretended necessitie but such as in that they cannot be done the day before nor the day after are for the former considerations necessarily required And whereas the Lord doth not onely giue leaue to draw the Oxe or the Asse out of the ditch to preserue their liues but also to lead them to the water to make their liues more comfortable to them so we permit not only things needfull to the life of man but also things conuenient to the vse comfort of man as the dressing of conuenient meates whereby a man may be made more cheerfull in the duties of sanctification so that both in vsing them we refresh not oppresse our selues and in preparing them we vse the time before after or betweene the publike exercise But as God hath permitted this leaue so we on our parts are to take heede that we abuse not this libertie For when the Lord is so equall liberall and fauourable in granting and pardoning our necessitie and furthering our conueniences he will not doubtlesse leaue vnpunished the greedy gaine-feekers which vnder the forge of necessitie abuse their libertie his liberalitie The lawfulnes of which permission is taught vs by Christ himselfe
meate which though he eate against his stomacke and presently feeleth no benefite of it yet we knowe by experience it doth him good and himselfe afterward shall receiue the same In our great feare we are lesse to be feared those are to feare which feare not Sometimes the Lord doth bring vnbeleeuers that wander from him by crooked waies vnto himselfe Reuerence those words and workes of God which you vnderstand not As the sense of an aguish man is corrupt so is the iudgement of one that is in temptation Muscul. so that things that are either seeme not to be or not such as they are The patient bearing of miserie is an acceptable sacrifice vnto God When the Goldsmith putteth a peece of gold into the fire to make better vse of it it seemeth to the vnskilfull that he vtterly marreth it so the children of God in affliction seeme to the iudgement of the naturall man vndone and brought to nothing but spirituall things are spiritually discerned As none can discerne of the Sunne but by his owne light so neither of the Spirit Hereof arise the diuers iudgements of the tempted of themselues because sometime the good spirit doth inlighten them and other times they are left in their naturall blindnes and Satan also easily deluded them Beleeue alwaies your estate to be the worke of God and varie not therein for your humiliation your consolation the glorie of God and the good of others Beware that you doe not often alter your iudgement of your estate as saying sometimes it is God his worke sometimes Melancholie sometimes your weaknes and simplicitie sometimes witcherie sometimes Satan for these diuers thoughts will much trouble you you may thinke Melancholie may bee an occasion but no cause and so of the rest Looke stedfastly to the hand of God surely resting on this that hee not onely knoweth thereof but that whatsoeuer is done directly or indirectly by meanes or immediatly al is done and gouerned by him Beware of reasoning of musing of solitarines of impatiencie of spirit of murmuring of anger enuie wishes suspitions ielousies too often eating c. or fastings much medling with wordly businesse or much idlenes lying musing in bed vaine mirth Say not you cannot be helped for that may hinder the worke of God Say not if I were in such and such a place I should be well Whereas in consideration of the falling away of many excelling you both in the ages and graces of the new birth you feare you shall not perseuere to the end your meditation and collection is good so long as it preserues you from the carelesnesse of your flesh but it is euill when it would dissolue the assurednes of your faith Indeede so long as you looke vpon your selfe you haue cause of feare because you are vnable to prolong as you are to begin new birth but if you looke to God you haue nothing but matter of faith for that whom he once loueth he loueth for euer Againe as a man swimming in deepe waters is neuer in danger of drowning so long as his head continueth aboue the waters so though you swimme in deepe feare of dangerous temptations yet you are sure and secure because Christ Iesus your head is still aboue all your troubles and therefore is able to draw you his member to the shore of saluation without all perill of perishing It is hard to take vp and beare the yoke of Christ but much harder it is to continue drawing and panting in it vnto the end This caused a godly father to pronounce that in godlines not so much the beginnings as the endings are to be looked to Iudas began gloriously but he ended shamefully Paul began ill but he ended well Then let vs say to our owne soules Good Lord what if our first loue be growne cold how fearfull is it to come a great way out of Sodome and in the end to become a pillar of salt Oh let vs neuer put our hand to the plough and looke backe keepe vs deare God from the beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh Oh suffer vs not to be the first in outward vocation and the last in inward sanctification let vs feare hauing beene once lightned to be darkened Remember how sometime thy heart hath wrought and trauelled in prayer how the springs of your ioy haue beene in the Lord and his Christ how all thy delights haue been in his Saints how it hath beene thy glorie in singing and praising to be familiar with thy God These former fruites make me looke for after fruites A streight course of religion is somewhat an vncomfortable companion but blessed be that mortificatioÌ„ which so farre estrangeth vs from the world that it chaÌ„geth vs to the similitude of Christ to whom we must be coÌ„formed in sufferings that we may be like him in glorie Suffer not your heat to bee straight narrow and vncomfortable in heauenly things this draweth away both the breath and bud and the life of true godlinesse The Lord keepe you from euill and the Lord satisfie you with gladnesse the Lord giue you the spirit of prayer and heare your prayers the Lord bee your teacher your guide and your comfort oh pray pray pray it is the best sacrifice to God and the most comfortable duty you can doâ— I am not loth to put you in minde of these things you haue many carefull for you in other things O pardoÌ„ me if I be bold in this one thing I trust I reioyce more in the good of your soule than euer I should reioyce in the fruite of mine owne bodie it would be a thousand deaths to me as tenne thousand hels to see your soule miscaâ—ie O let me be accepted more than a ciuill friend more than a friend of the world giue me this benefit to be thought further than a friend in the flesh No griefe shame or sorrow pleaseth the Lord which goeth altogether separated from a sweete perswasion of his fauour Againe no pleasing our selues in the assurance of pardon is acceptable to God which altogether reiecteth the care of espying bewailing and auoiding of sinne Wherefore let this be the barre and bound of your affections in these cases so long as Christ goeth with you so long as the mercies of God accompanie you so long as the grace of the Spirit shineth vpon you be dealing with your sinnes and condemne them to death likewise while you are tender of conscience afraide of sinne reuerently prepared to walke holily with your God laugh at Sathans accusations despise destruction and set at nought the terrors of hell You neuer erre one way or other but by failing of one or both of these that is either in your griefes you are grieued without comfort or in your ioyes you reioyce without reuerence whereby it falles out in the end that as in vnnecessarie griefes you can finde no spirituall pleasure
it must be ioyned with the word 775 â—36 with faith and knowledge 711 it must be seruent 56 wee must stirre vp our selues in prayer 84 how to pray against enemies 5â—â— rules thereof ibid. how many waies God heareth our prayers 409 why God heareth not our prayers alwaies at the first ibid. in the soule 317 what the Lord requireth of vs therein 237 hard to performe 238 circumstances in prayer 240 taken for the whole worship of God 8â—9 Predestination 764 popish 770 Preferments how often bestowed 668 Preparation to holy exercises 709 Presumption a remedie against it 40. what it is 141 two waies of presuming 765 difference betweene it and faith 622 Pride 212 4â—0 how it is corrected 34 priuie pride 269 it consumes many good gifts 80 it is the last sinne 306 it is in foure things 711 spirituall pride 272 Profession double 801 verball 819 Promise 12â— Gods promises vnder the Gospell 481 Gods promises ought to stirre vs to obedience 753 â—81 how hard to rest on Gods promises 490 Prophets why called Seers 6â—7 what prophecie is 7â—0 the dutie of a Prophet 771 three kindes of false Prophets 771 prophecies tried notes betweene the true and false Prophets 772 what they respected in their teaching 519 Prophanenes 54 Proâ—perity hath no feeling of good things 27 not to desire it too greedily 272 in it to think on aduersitie 710 766 it should draw vs neere vnto God 770 it is dangerous vnto some 116 Protestants most bound to good workes 827 ignorant 807 carnall Protestants 70â— 464 4â—5 false Protestants 119 Prouidence â—â—â— 184 4â—6 5â—â— 316 faith in it is a remedie against murmuring 252 it is generall and particular 253 in it is a trial of our faith 644 it is admirable 677 the worldlings know it not 731 how to depend on it 774 God in his prouidence wil watch ouer vs 486 God is iust in it 5â—5 how great it is towards maÌ„ 850 Seuerall punishments for seuerall sins 500 R RAce how the Race of Christianitie is â—unne by Christians 413 Reading 38 ioyned with preaching 15â— publikely 225 directions for the reading of Scriptures 174 175 176 who should reade Scripture 6â—4 Reason naturall is against faith â—43 645 18â— it must be renounced 298 to fight with it a hard matter 299 how to striue against it 467 4â—7 Rebuking of sinne 257 who ought to be reproued 633 Reconciliation 798 Recreation 169 on the Lords day vnlawfull 839 840 Regeneration 6 good natures doe not further it nor euill natures hinder it 29 it can neuer be vtterly lost â—45 feeling of sinne an earnest thereof 11â— farre more excellent than our first creation 4â— meditations of the regenerate 453 482 how wonderfull it is 803 strife in the regenerate 785 Relapse cautions obserued therein 13 58â— the state of men after it 249 how to rise againe 64â— Religion not to haue it in respect of persons 119 we must not be of a darke religion 801 a singular grace to loue it wheÌ„ it is commonly hated 515 triall of it 803 better to be religious than seeme 305 to be truely religious is to haue the meanes in due estimation 384 Religion is the way to happines pag. 380 Religion corrupt life caÌ„not be vncorrupt 454 the true religious and irreligious discerned in temptations 455 Remedies against troubles of minde 102 See conscience afflicted Against vncleane lusts 635 Remission of sinne and mortification 105 See pardon Repentance 282 what it is how to begin it and to continue it 281 282 283 284 285 286 6 7 87 notes of it 780 it must be speedie and continued 781 it is the gift of God 782 fruites of it 796 the necessitie of it 46 48 61 late repentance 799 Reports euill the vse that is to be made of theÌ„ 64 65 how an euill report should be staied 161 how it should be borne 652 two occasions of euill reports 266 false reports the vse of them 267 Reproches trials in it 29 Riches 624 no argumeÌ„ts of Gods fauour 251 the nature of them how they are thornes 643 their vse 644 they haue two ends 735 their abuse 783 how to haue earthly and heauenly riches 784 the vnworthie possession of them daungerous 78â— Righteous markes of a righteous man 613 118 680 839 See Iustification Rule for a man to examine himselfe 516 Restitution 78 Resurrection 252 178 coÌ„forts arising froÌ„ it 85 few doe truely beleeue it 180 of the rest of Enoch and Eliah 180 Gods iudgement and mercy require it 183 Reuelation ordinary or extraordinarie 770 Reuenge 68â— remedie for it 727 against desire of reuenge 481 S SAbbath inconueniences and commodities in keeping it 128 how it is prophaned 138 what it is to sanctifie it 132 809 when first ordained 133 not a signe onley 134 no ceremonie yet rest as needfull for vs as for the Iewes 132 a Sabbath daies iourney 14â— workes of the Sabbath 144 prophaning of it in haruest 146 the speciall vse to remember three benefits 156 priuate exercises before and after the publike 157 158 workes forbidden on the Sabbath 162 whether all callings ought to rest 306 609 c. the breach of it punished 810 8â—9 meanes for the sanctification of it Ibid. SacrameÌ„ts 30 687 825 in time of the Law had two ends 133 neglect contempt punished with death 787 sacramentall phrases why vsed 788 We renew our couenant so oft as we come to the Sacrament 478 Sacriledge of our time to be spokeÌ„ against 749 Sadnes 29 not to be sad 782 Saffron not to be gathered on the Sabbath 167 Saluation 36 notes thereof 171 the golden chaine therof 207 ioy thereof how great 293. See Ioy. A desire thereof 610 assurance see Assurance Sanctification euident tokens thereof 13 241 246 247 it cannot be vtterly lost 245 how wonderfull 803 it must not be of one part 80â— it must be continuall 806 Sathan is maister of all sinners â—9â— their seruices to him their reward for their seruice ibid. Satan and his practises 35 796 55 â—11 â—12 in temptation â—99 hee is a Surgeon to cure the faithfull 618 how to answere him in temptation 111 112 Sathan and melancholie disquiet afflicted soules 86â— 868 how he fighteth 90 his policie 801 of diuers names giuen him in scripture 845 Schisme 39 37 647 796 Scorners who are scorners 623 112 â—01 Scripture a generall rule concerning it 153 directions for reading of it publikely in the Church 173 priuatly euery day 174 generall obseruations for it 7â— abused 757 the certaintie of it â—71 scripture for a weake conscience 854 apâ— similitudes for all degrees therein 844 why we profit not in them 519 Secret corruption threatneth a downfall 103 hindreth successe in good actions 27 comfort for Gods children when they feele it 681 Carnall securitie 46â— Securitie a forerunner of grosse sinne or of some crosse eueÌ„ the causes of it 30 how daungerous 274 116 659 79â— in publike calamities 767 a signe of securitie 792 heresie or prophanenes like
to the posteritie of Abraham but of Adam * Whatsoeuer seuereth â—ither God froÌ„ man as the curse of the morall Law or man from man as the ceremoniall doth the Iew froÌ„ the Gentile that only is abrogated The morall law being made our good friend and guide in and by Iesus Christ doth not separate vs from God nor froÌ„ man Iews or Gentiles which are in Christ. Ergò it is not abrogated * What is abrogated SacrameÌ„ts in the time of the law had two endes Rom. 4. The Sabbath not a signe only of spiritual rest as some would haue it The second reason drawn from the equi tie of the law If the Lord giue vs sixe dayes for our ordinary worke good reason is there he may chalenge the seuenth day for his seruice But he permits vs sixe dayes Ergò it is right we giue him the seuenth Hee meaneth the Cathedrall Churches The tithe of our time to be afforded for Gods worship Not euery day a Sabbath Fasting * Or commanded The 3 reason If the Sabbath be ceremoniall then the Lord gaue but nine commandements But he gaue ten Ergo the Sabbath is not ceremoniall Note The difference betweene the ceremonies and the tenne commaundements Ordinances what they signifie The rest of the Sabbath as needfull for vs as for the Iewes The 4 reason from Gods owne example God gaue a speciall blessing to the Sabbath day Obiection Answere Note Answere to the reasons that by some are brought against the Sabbath 1. Ob. out of the old Testa ment Euery signe is not a figure or shadowe as before To know things morall and ceremoniall Note well How God is said to rest after the creation The second obiection out of the Prophets 1. Out of Esay a resting from sinne The true interpretation of Esay 56. 1. 2. Obiection Answere 1 2 Preaching The interpretation of Esay 58. 1. 3 Fasting 〈◊〉 PresumptioÌ„ The interpretation of Esay 66 2â— A rule for the interpretation of Scriptures Answere to their arguments taken out of the new Testament And Luk. 6. 1 it is said Sabatum secuÌ„dâ— primum so it seemeth this is vnderstood of a ceremoniall and not of a morall Sabbath The examination of Matth. 12. 1. 2. A Sabbath dayes iourney what The second reason Worke of the Sabbath The third reason 1 Prophaning the Sabbath haruest how great a sinne 2 3 Two kind of necessitie The fourth reason The fift argument The sixt argumen Answere to places taken out of the Epistles The exposition of Rom. 13. 14. How the strong is to helpe and not to despise the weake * Yet we reaâ— Acts 28. 17. of Iewes at Rome Of meats When we beleeue we haue the wâ—rd for our warraâ—t * Or more truly read these words thus Another eateth herbs he doth it in weakenes of faith not beleeuing that he may vse other meatâ— The nouices in religion are commonly hastie in iudging The second reason out of the Epistle * Publike fast coÌ„manded by the Magistrates must be kept Simile The interpretation of Hebrues 4. A Sabbath in heauen A generall rule concerning Scripture Of their arguments drawne by consequence out of the Scripture Obiect The Sabbath vnknowne to the Gentiles ergo ceremoniall How the morall and naturall law differ Rom. 3. 1. Psal. â—47 The first obiection Answere The second obiection Answere What things appertaine to the Iewes only and what to vs with them Kindling of fire on the Sabbath day lawful to vs. Out of the Testament The first obiection Answere The second obiection Answere 2 3 4 Aspeciall vse of the Lords day to remeÌ„ber three great benefits Change of the day Of the obseruation of the Sabbath How the Sabbath is truely kept Note Reading and preaching The great ignorance and carnall securitie of the people must cause vs to be more wary whom we admit to the Sacraments Baptisme Children dying before Baptisme Priuate exercises on the Sabbath Preparation to obseruation of the Sabbath Examination Non proficients in the Church Simile To rise early on the Sabbath 2 Exercises after and betweene the publike Meditation Meditation concerning Gods workes Consider how obedient in sixe daies the beasts haue been vnto vs and on the seuenth how disobedient we be to God To auoid dulnes and deadneâ— in the priuate exercises of the Sabbath seeke to the communion and fellowship of the godly Of the duties of loue Collections for the poore on the Sabbath To disgrace others by reports Psal. 15 3. Note Two things in these duties to be obserued Sincerity in all duties Outward actions without inward affections Simile How the Sabbath is brokeÌ„ Workes how farre forbiddeÌ„ on the Sabbath The dressing of meates on the Sabbath Things forbidden on the Sabbath Whether it be hard for some callings to keepe the Sabbath Of seruants Of shepheards heardsmen c. Bakers and Brewers Mariners and Posts Mariners Note Preachers by sea Similiâ— The prophanes of many seafaring men Posts Of Faires Markets Seed time haruest Blindnes of men How wee ought more carefully to obserue the Sabbath in the haruest than any other time of the yeere 1 2 3 4 Simile Double necessitie Of gathering Saffron Of trauelling Of the works of our pleasureâ— Of feasting and banketting â— Sam. 22. 25. Obiection Of pastimes and recreations If trauell be forbidden in seede time and haruest much more pleasures all the yeere long The vnclean sinne of dancing Esai 58. Obiection Answere Sicke persoÌ„s How the Sabbath is prophaned in thought word c. The differeÌ„ce between the not sanctifying and prophaning of the Sabbath Prophanation of the Sabbath Thought Word The nourishing and harbouring of euil thoughts in our hearts on the Sabbath will depriue vs of all fruit of Gods worship Preaching Gods ordinarie meanes to saluation Reading of the Scriptures publikely in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matter Order Simile Time Nulla dies sine linea Feare How to attaine a clâ—â—re vnderstanding sound iudgement and good affections 1. Cor. 2. Good heart Meditation False feares and false ioyes 2. ConfereÌ„nce 3. Faith Supra Of preparation A generall faith 4. Practise Want of practise makes men blinder after some measure of knowledge S. Prayer Many rest in knowledge and want faith why Thanksgiuing Meditations of death A dull kinde of death Great quietnes mâ—â—knes in the death of many sinners Simile The death of Heretikes Note The implicit popish faith cannot helpe in temptation Hereticall opinions concerning the resurrection Few Christians doe truly belieue the resurrection The parts of speciall points handled 1 2 3 Translation of Enoch His opinion concerning Enoch and Eliahs bodie Heb. 11. 33. Matth. 22. 32. Iob. 19. 25. What is meant by soule Psal. 16. Places of the new Testament Note Note this interpretatioÌ„ of Heb 11. 39. 2. Pet. 3. 10. Reuel 10. 11. 2 ConfirmatioÌ„ 1 2 3 4 1 We must beleeu what the Lord saith how contrary soeuer it seem to naturall reason Matth. 25. 33. Luke 16. 23. Gods iustice and mercie
the one and reiect the other but most principally respecteth in the whole to edifie the heart and conscience being well assured that this part hath most neede in most Christians of direction and consolation and as we be in this part affected so be we in substance and veritie before God For this cause hee desireth and laboureth most in all these workes to stirre vp the heart and to quicken the affections to embrace true godlines that so being freed from sin by the blood of Christ made the seruants of God we might haue our fruit in holines and in the end eternall life In this Impression I haue carefully reuised and corrected in the whole worke all the faults which either by mine owne priuate reading or by the helpe of other louing friends I could obserue in word or matter Here I rest for a time requesting thy prayers good Christian Reader that now all these holy workes thus knit together may serue to Gods glorie and to the further building of the Church of God in our Land Thine in the Lord Iesus HENRY HOLLAND CHristian Reader thou hast here all Maister GREENHAMS workes as they haue beene heretofore gathered and published by the industrie of that worthy and painefull Preacher Maister Henry Holland In this edition thus much is performed viz. the 119. Psalme perfected a praier of Maister GREENHAMS in the end of his workes added and the whole Booke reduced into a more methodicall order which would haue beene dâ—â—e by Maister Holland if he had longer liued all which hath now beene thought fit to be published in this manner as may appeare in the contents following A SHORT AND GENERALL VIEVV OF ALL SVCH MATTERS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THE VVHOLE VVorkes of Mr. Greenham digested after a more Methodicall manner then heretofore The whole Booke is diuided into fiue seuerall parts as hereafter followeth with their particular Titles contained vnder euery one of the said Parts THE FIRST PART Wherein are contained these Titles hereunder following 1 THE first portion is of graue Counsels page 1 2 Another or second portion of an hundred and one and fifty graue Counsels or diuine Aphorismes page 44 3 A third portion likewise of an hundred graue counsels and diuine directions for the attaining and retaining of faith and a good conscience page 51 4 A short forme of catechising page 71 THE SECOND PART Wherein are contained these Treatises following 1 A Sweet comfort for an afflicted Conscience page 95 2 A second Treatise of the same argument page 112 3 The markes of a righteous man 118 4 Sweet and sure signes of Election to them that are brought low 122 5 A Treatise of Contract before marriage 122 6 A Treatise of the Sabaoth 128 7 Notes of saluation with the necessitie and notes of a true vpright hart 171. 172 8 A direction for the reading of the Scriptures page 173 9 A Treatise of the Resurrection 178 10 A Treatise of examination before and after the Lords Supper 187 11 A Treatise of Gods feare 194 12 A Treatise of Hypocrisie 200 13 A Treatise of Anger 204 14 A Treatise of Blessednesse 207 15 A Treatise of Fasting 210 16 A Treatise of sending the Holy Ghost 216 17 A short treatise of prayer vpon the words of the Prophet Ioel chap. 2. ver 32. alledged by Peter Acts 2. ver 21. 236 THE THIRD PART Wherein are contained these Sermons following 1 THE first Sermon of Quenching the the Spirit vpon 1 Thes. 5. ver 19. 241 2 Of murmuring on Exod. 16. v. 2. 249 3 Of Zeale Reue. 3. v. 19. 255 4 Of a Good name Prou. 22. v. 1. 259 5 Of Humilitie Prou. 18. v. 12. 268 6 Of the education of children Prou. 17. ver â—1 276 7 Of Repentance and true sorrow for sinne Acts 2. ver 37. 281 8. 9. 10. Of the heauenly purchase in three Sermons on Mat. 13. 44. 287 11 Of Christian warfare on Ephe. 6. ver 10. 11. 307 12 Of diuers Christian instructions on Psal. 16. 316 13 Of flying ill company Idolatry and Sweareing on Gen. 42. v. 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 332 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and the people on Heb. 13. ver 17. 339 15 Of the Confession of sinnes how many kindes of Confession how truly to confesse and the necessary vse thereof on Pro. 28. 15. 359 16 Of the first effect of Christs crosse what is meant thereby how rightly to professe this Doctrine the loue that we should beare thereunto the ioy that ariseth therefrom on Gal. 6. ver 14. 15. 363 17 Of the latter or second effect of Christ his crosses which is the power of Christs Resurrection how and by what meanes men are made new creatures on Galat. 6. ver 15. 370 THE FOVRTH PART Wherein are contained certaine Meditations on diuers portions and parts of Scripture 1 MEditations on the. 119. Psal. 381 2 Meditations on Pro. 4. vers 13. to 23. 609 3 Meditations on Prou. 14. ver 5. 6. 7. 8. 622 4 The summe of the Epistle to the Hebrewes 627 5 A briefe summe of Ecclesiastes 628 THE FIFT PART Wherein are contained godly instructions for the due examination and direction of all men to the attayning and retayning of faith and a good conscience reduced into diuers Chapters and common places as followeth Chap. 1. OF Christian Admonition 629 Chap. 2. Of the Forme and Rules of Christian Admonition 631 Chap. 3. Of Adultery and youthfull affections 635 Chap. 4. Of Affection 638 Chap. 5. Of Affliction ibid. Chap. 6. Of Anger 641 Chap. 7. Of Angels ead Chap. 8. Of Baptisme 642 Chap. 9. Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches 643 Chap. 10. Of Care couetousnesse and Contentation 644 Chap. 11 Of our generall and speciall calling 645 Chap. 12. Of conference and godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue 647 Chap. 13. Of the Church ead Chap. 14. Of the confession of sinne 649 Chap. 15. Of Conscience 650 Chap. 16. Of censure and correstion 651 Chap. 17 Of ceremonies things indifferent and of turning Christian libertie into vnchristian licentiousnesse 652 Chap. 18. Godly Meditations concerning Christs power against Sathan loue to the faithfull and how hee is our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of our communion with him 654 Chap. 19 Of Death and Iudgement 656 Chap. 20. Of the shortnesse of our life and the Meditation of Death how profitable 659 Chap. 21. Of dulnesse of spirit and of feeling 662 Chap. 22. Of Catechizing and instruction of youth 662 Chap. 23. Of Examples and how wee must not sinne vpon Example 666 Chap. 24. Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the eyes 671 Chap. 25. Of the Exercises of Religion Fasting c. and of the carefull vse of the meanes at all times 673 Chap. 26. Of the Gouernment of the Eyes 675 Chap. 27. Of Faith Iustification by faith of Iustice and iust men and of Feeling 678 Chap. 28. Of Feare 682 Chap. 29. Of Friendship Familiaritie
Familie and Fathers 684 Chap. 30. How to profit and examine our selues when friends forsake vs. 685 Chap. 31. Of Godlinesse and by what meanes we must draw neere to God 689 Chap. 32. Of Gods free Grace Iustice and Mercie and how wee may try our loue to God 692 Chap. 33. Of Gods wrath Iustice and Mercie 695 Chap. 34. Teaching vs why we are specially to keepe watch and ward ouer our harts 700 Chap. 35. Where is taught how wee must narrowly watch ouer our hearts and ouer our affections for many causes 703 Chap. 36. Of hearing Gods word 707 Chap. 37. Of Humilitie and pride 711 Chap. 38. Of hypocrisie and hardnesse of hart 715 Chap. 39. Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the Diuell pestereth the Churches with euill teachers 720 Chap. 40. Of the Iudgements of God and how iust he is in iudgement and how his promises and threatnings to Israel appertaine to vs. 722 Chap. 41. Of Ioy and Sorrow 724 Chap. 42. Of iniuries offences and controuersies 727 Chap. 43. Of Iudgement and Folly 731 Chap. 44. Of Knowledge and Ignorance and how to seeke God and of Sathans Sophistris c. 733 Chap 45. Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes 736 Chap. 46. Of Magistracie or gouernment 739 Chap. 47. Of Matrimonie and of the Duties which belong to that state 742 Chap. 48. Of the Ministerie 743 Chap. 49. Of the Ministerie 747 Chap. 50. Of Gods promises excellencie and truth of Gods word and how the wicked abuse Scriptures 753 Chap. 51. Of Murmuring 758 Chap. 52. Of patience vnder the Crosse. 761 Chap. 53. Of predestination perseuerance and presumption 764 Chap. 54. Of Prosperity and Aduersity and of griefe and of the Temptations incident to it 766 Chap. 55. Of Prosperity and Aduersity 769 Chap. 56. Of Prophecie and Preaching 770 Chap. 57. Of Gods Prouidence 773 Chap. 58. Of Prayer and Meditation 775 Chap. 59. Of Repentance 779 Chap. 60. Of Riches and their abuse 783 Chap. 61. Of Sacraments 786 Chap. 62. Of sinne and how to abstaine from the least and of iniquitie and the punishments thereof 788 Chap. 63. Of Phisicke and Diet. 794 Chap. 64. Of Sathans practises of Schisme and security 796 Chap. 65. Of Parents Education of Children Gouernours of youth and care of Posterity 798 Chap. 66. Of Gods worship and of Religion true and false 801 Chap. 67. Of Regeneration and Sanctification 803 Chap. 68. Of the Sabbath 809 Chap. 69. Of Thanks giuing and the right vse of the Creatures 812 Chap. 70. Of Temptation 813 Chap. 71. Of Truth and errors sincerity and contempt of the word 817 Chap. 72. Of Witchcraft and vnbeliefe 821 Chap. 73. Of the word of God and of the confirmation thereof by signes and wonders 822 Chap. 74. Of good workes and our obedience to Gods word 826 Chap. 75. Of Zeale 829 Next vnto these follow other diuine arguments and common places in Religion contained in 22. Chapters Chap. 1. OF Conscience 832 Chap. 2. Of Order how necessary in all things 833 Chap. 3. Of hearing Gods word 834 Chap. 4. Who be Swine and who be Dogges 837 Chap. 5. Of vnmercifulnesse ead Chap. 6. Of Workes 838 Chap. 7. Of Policie ead Chap. 8. Of speciall notes of a man truly righteous and religious 839 Chap. 9. Of the Sabbath 839 Chap. 10. Of Discipline and Excommunication 842 Chap. 11. Of Meanes 844 Chap. 12. Of diuers names applyed to the Diuell in Scripture 845 Chap. 13. Of the contempt of the Ministerie 846 Chap. 14. Of shame and shamefastnesse 847 Chap. 15. Of Iustification 848 Chap. 16. Of Parables and Similitudâ—s ead Chap. 17. Of Gods Prouidence 850 Chap. 18. Of Seeking God 851 Chap. 19. Of Sinne. ead Chap. 20. Of profit and pleasure 852 Chap. 21. Of Christs power 852 Chap. 22. Of Temptation 853 A Short Direction for the comfort of afflicted consciences 854 Rules for an afflicted minde concerning seuerall Temptations 855 Rules concerning the power and priuiledges of Gods word 857 A short direction for one troubled in minde 871 Lastly diuers Letters and a very zealous Prayer of M. Greenhams 881 EPIGRAMMA IN OPERA Pijssimi doctiss Theologi M. Ric. Greenham labore ac studio M. Hollandi diuini verbi apud Londinates Ministri fideliss edita post obitum Authoris per F. Hering D. Med. MEntibus afflictis grauis haec afflictio cessit Greenamum è medio tolli qui saepè solebat Eregius mentis Medicus solatia mira Dexteritate sacris virtus depromere chartis Sicque pias animas vitiorum mole grauatas Implicitas Satanae laqueis misereque agitatas Infernis furijs exemit faucibus Orci Antidotos quippè hic varias ac pharmaca norat Coelica antiqui technasque dolosque colubri Hinc tristes moerent mentes geminant que querelas Quod mala permaneant Medico pereunte sed ecce Hollandus pius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respicit illas Greenamumque loqui rursus post funera fecit Alloquio duros solito muleâ—re labores Gaudete attonitae mentes lamentaque crebris Suspirijs alijsque remissa relinquite vester Grenamus praestò est vobis pretiosaque secum Balsama in Elysijs portat nascentia campis Floruit in terris olim Greenamus in alto Nunc floret coelo terraque virescere rursus Incipit Hollandi studio curaque sagaci Scilicet haec verae merces pietatis vt ipsam Conculcet mortem satanam ruptisque Gehenna Aeteroum vireat vinclis post fata superstet IN OBITVM ET OPVS Richardi Greenhami NOn erat hic celebri Greenhamus stemmate natus Ast pictate sua nobilitatus erat Huius ego laudes si forsan fingere credar Vita fiet testis testis istud opus Vita fiet testis cuius radiante nitore Vtilitas populo gloria nacta Deo Testis istud opus mira pietate refertum Quod digito monstrat Religionis iter A. R. ON THE DEATH AND WORKS OF MASTER GREENHAM SOme skilfull Caruer helpe me to endorse The blessed stone that hideth Greenhams corse Make me a tree whose branches withered beene And yet the leaues and fruit are euer greene The more the stocke dyes let them flourish more And grow more kindly greene than â—arst before Set Time and â—nuie gazing at the roâ—e Cursing their â—ootlesse hand and sliding foote Let all the Graces sit them in the shade And pull those leaues whose beautie cannot fade Greenham if this cannot thy worth descriue That thou once dead thy works are still aliue Would I might say thy selfe could neuer die But emulate thy workes eternitie VPON HIS SABBATH WHile Greenham writeth of the Sabbaths rest His soule inioyes not which his pen exprest His worke inioyes not what it selfe doth say For it shall neuer finde one resting day A thousand hands shall tosse each page and line Which shall be scanned by a thousand eyne That Sabbaths rest or this Sabbaths vnrest Hard
is to say whether is the happiest I. Hall ANOTHER IN ENGLISH IN COMMENDATION of Maister Greenham and his godly and learned workes set forth by Maister Holland Preacher of Gods word GReene yet I am may Greenham say and greene shall flourish still Though World Sicknes Death and the Graue on me haue wrought their will The Apostate world me wore with griefe and troubles manifold Whilst that I sought with all my strength her pillers to vphold Then Sicknes came Deaths Sergeant grim my â—arkesse craz'd t' arrest And Death at sheeles with gaping graue receiu'd me for their guest But great Emmanuel mark'd and smilde to see them take this toyle To roote and race out Greenham quite and gaue them all the foyle My soule he plants in Paradise there greene to flourish aye And charg'd the graue my body safe to keepe till the last day And least Death should suppose on earth h 'had blotted out my name He stirs vp Hollands louing minde for to renue the same So that as oyntments precious my workes on earth doe smell Refreshing poore distressed soules whom Sathan seekes to quell Loe here the fruit of godly zeale and zealous pietie In Greenham who triumphs against all Sathans tyrannie In spite of world Sicknes Death Graue and all the powers of Hell With godly Men aliue and dead it alwaies shall goe well F. Hering TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIR MARMADVKE DARRELL AND SIR THOMAS BLOOTHER KNIGHTS SVRVEYERS GENERALL FOR THE VICTVALING OF HIS MAIESTIES NAVIE Stephen Egerton wisheth increase of all true comfort in this life and euerlasting felicitie in the life to come through our Lord Iesus Christ. PVblius Virgilius Prince of Latine Poets being demaunded why he read the writings of old Ennius made this answere Aurum colligo ex Ennij stercore that is I gather golde out of Ennius his dunghill meaning thereby that though Ennius his Poems were not so exquisitely penned as they might haue been by Virgil himselfe yet much good matter might be picked out of them Surely right VVorshipfull if one heathen man could gather gold out of the writings of another how much more may we being Christians gather not gold only but pearles and pretious stones out of the religious and holy labours of Master Richard Greenham though not all polished by his owne penne being a most godly brother yea more than a brother euen a most painefull Pastor zealous Preacher and reuerend Father in the Church of God of whom I am perswaded that for practicall diuinity which ought worthily to haue the preheminence he was inferiour to few or none in his time VVherefore the same prouidence of God which moued that faithful Minister Master Henry Holland to collect and publish so many of his worthie labours for the good of the Church doth call and allure others to the reading of them and namely you right VVorshipfull who haue shewed singular kindnes as Naomi saith of Boaz both to the liuing and to the dead that is both to good Master Holland while he liued and to his desolate widow and fatherles children since his death In respect whereof shee desired by my hand to testifie hir thankfulnes to both your VVorships as it were by these two mites of this dedicatory Epistle which office of loue to my deare brother deceased and to his widow and children liuing I doe the more willingly tender to your VVorships because I am partly priuie to your kindnes and bountie both towards them towards others The Lord giue mercie saith Paul to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me c. The same might faithful Holland say and the same may his widow and children say The Lord giue mercie to your houses and posteritie for you haue often refreshed them which being done as I doubt not in faith and from loue out of a pure heart shall be put to your reckning and brought in as a cleare euidence for a comfortable sentence to passe on your side in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ To whose most gratious direction and blessing I commit you both with the vertuous and Christian Ladies your wiues and whole families From my house in the Black Friers this third day of Aprill 1605. Your VVorships readie to be commanded in the Lord STEPH EGERTON GRAVE COVNSELS AND GODLY OBSERVATIONS SERVING GENERALLY TO DIRECT ALL MEN IN THE WAIES OF TRVE GODLINES BVT PRINCIPALly applyed to instruct and comfort all afflicted consciences Affections HE vsed this triall of his affections as of anger griefe ioy or such like in this manner If by them he was made lesse fit to pray more vnable to do the good he should lesse carefull to auoid sin then he thought his affection carnall and euill and not of God but when his anger loue grief and other affectioÌ„s prouoked him more to pray and made him fitter to do good then he thought his affections to be sent from God as a blessing vnto him 2 God sheweth vs often in our affections what we may doe in our outward actions 3 Some labour more for knowledge lesse for affection some more for affection lesse for knowledge some busie themselues in Church-discipline and are slender sighted in their priuie corruptions some be diligent to espie things in others abroad and negligent to trie themselues at home but it is good to match both together 4 Rare good things are pleasant but by vse they are lesse esteemed and rare euill things are fearefull but by vse they become lesse grieuous This comes to passe because we rather bring with vs naturall affections of ioy and sorrow and feare than spirituall meditations which are onely of the true ioy and sorrow 5 We must euer learne to suspect our owne opinion and affection when the case any thing concerneth vs. 6 He said that when for some causes naturall affection deceiued him yet the ordinance of God caused him to doe duties 7 He thought it not good at table to be extraordinarie either in ioy or sorrow vnlesse it were for some special cause but rather it were conuenient priuately to a godly friend or before the Lord to powre out our hearts and after the example of Ioseph to make our affections knowne as little in companie as may be Afflictions 1 HE thought all afflictions to be puttings of him to God from slothfulnes 2 It is a most certaine thing in Gods children that the more their afflictions grow the more their faith groweth the more Sathan striueth to draw them from God the more they draw neer to God although indeed in feeling they caÌ„not see somuch 3 Many can speak faire things in the eares of God so long as they be in affliction but afterwards they will speake euill things in the eares of heauen and earth 4 He said to one complaining of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie Of sudden â—eares in the minde that we should make our vse of them and though it were hard to search the particular
all ioy so God would not haue vs to murther all griefes but that the remembrance of our bodies turned to moules and of soules called to the booke should correct our vnruly hearts remembring in our deepest ioyes the lamentable cries of Syon and accompting our delight to be but as the ruines of Babell 12 Oh that men would feare and follow the Lorde Well follow they must one way or other If wee will not follow the shepheard to the folde we must follow the butcher to the shambles if we chuse rather to goe to the shambles then to the fold we are sheepe indeede and worse then sheepe too But men haue gotten an old distinction when they are not able to turne their sicke bones on their beds they then will bring a dish of sinnes and dryed skinnes to the Lorde but how vnacceptable a sacrifice such refuses are Malachit doth tell them and they shall one day trie it 13 If yee aske whether a man may not lawfully desire to be in the Ministerie or no I answere that in the Ministery are two things a worke and a worship a dutie and a dignitie the worke or dutie to the glorie of God and good of his Church a man may desire but the worship and dignitie to serue our owne loose mindes is not to be desired 14 It is the wisedome of God in his holie word not onely to instruct vs in things concerning our saluation but also to teach vs in things of this life For although all things be good in the ordinance of God yet they are not good to vs vnlesse by knowledge and faith we be able to vse them according to the ordinance of God with prayer and thanksgiuing And as it is not sufficient to be a good man onely but a good man must vse good things So it is not enough to vse good things alone but he that must vse them must see himselfe to be a good man that is to haue his heart clensed by faith and by prayer whereby he is assured that he hath fetched the interest from Christ who hath and giueth title to all being himselfe the heire of the world 15 When we examine our selues we are to sit in iudgement on our selues and to keepe a solemne court in our owne consciences to suâ—uay our memorie our wit our senses our members and to see how we haue vsed them but yet so as least we should be too faâ—ourable to our selues either in not espying out our sinnes or in not condemning our sinnes still we remember to make the law the Iudge but Christ the answerer of tâ—e Iudge 16 If God his children are readie to slip in a moment how much more dangerous is the estate of the wicked who are willing to fall continually 17 It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner readie to swound and fall dead almost at euery little sinne when nothing in the world doth feare him or driue him to this feare and yet when aduersitie strange iudgements of God persecution death come to be exceeding patient and comfortable couragious and valiant and againe it is straunge to see others who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinne and aske what men meane to stand trembling at the word yet let sicknes come or if the hand of God be vpon them or let death come towards theÌ„ they quaile at the name of sicknes hell or death and either they proue very senselesse blocks or else they be in a most desperate estate Yea if God begin to reckon with them euery stirring of a mouse shaking of a leafe mouing of a shadow euery noise of the eare euery countenance of a godly man euery chirping of a bird or drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them appalles their courage and makes them most fearefull cowards They most feare when God his iudgements are executed which feare least when they are threatned and they feare least when God his iudgements are accomplished which tremble most when his wrath is denounced Wherefore as we most long for courage and most lothe cowardlines when the euill day approcheth so let vs labour for a good conscience which breedeth tâ—ue boldnes flie far from sinne which bringeth a spirit of feare on vs. And surely experimentall wisdome may teach vs that it is better to feare the euill to come when onely feare and no euill is vpon vs than to feare then when besides the feare the affliction itselfe so sorely presseth vs that we haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comforts or to hope for any deliuerance 18 We are wont to ascribe the afflictions of the Church or Common-wealth the defect of right discipline and gouernment to the sinnes of the Magistrates when rather if we consider things with a single eye our owne sinnes haue begot such fruites For that God who rather loueth many than one that God who for tenne good men would haue spared whole Sodom who rather taketh away Saul a sinful gouernour than punisheth his louing Israel being humbled subiects knoweth rather to take away the King if the subiects be good than he desireth to alter the whole estate for the sin of one vnlesse it be when both Prince and people agree together in sin That God which euen in the time of the Church remaining but in a few families would rebuke Kings as Pharaâ—h and Abimelech that they should doe his Prophets Abraham and Isaac no harme â—oubtlesse the sinnes of the people doe breede defects of well doing in Princes When Israel began to sinne the Lord withdrawing his grace from Dauid left him to the numbring of his people The Altars were not taken away and why in the time of Iosiah The holy Ghost saith the people had not prepared their hearts to walke with the Lord their God 19 It is farre otherwise in our Christian profession than in the profession of other Arts. Physitians loue to haue some secret experiments wherein they haue a singularitie and which in their life they will communicate to none Lawyers haue some points which they will not make common but keepe for present and priuate gaine But this is rather a note of pride and of a conceited minde in heauenly things than of godlinesse For as true godlinesse forewarneth others of that sinne the sting torment filthinesse whereof we haue found so it traineth vp others to that fruit of holinesse whose beautie glorie and excellencie we haue both tasted and proued 20 It euer hath beene and is that prayer or comming to the diuine Seruice as they call it and resorting to the Sacraments haue beene more accompted of than the word hearing of it preached Many of superstition may thus come to prayer and of custome resort to the Sacrament who either doe not at all heare the word or else they heare it at their leisure or else they doe it but in ceremonie without vnderstanding or if they vnderstand it
his worship The morall law and the naturall law differ for alâ—eit the morall law be the explaining of the naturalâ— lâ—w yet it doth not follow that thâ—t which is in the morall law is no more than that which is in the law of nature 10. Hauing shewed the morall vse of the Sabbath to concerne the Gentiles as well as Iewes and answered all obiections to the contrarie In the next place he teacheth the obseruation of iâ— how it is to be kept and how it is broken what are the publike exercises of the Sabbath with what care and conscience we should prepare our selues to meete the Lord on the Sabbath how we must attend vpon him for the time present in the congregation and lastly what our priuate exercises must be after our departure from the publike assemblie 11 In the second part or negatiue â—e sheweth vs in this law what workes are forbidden and them all he referreth to these two heads First all workes of our ordinarie calling Secondly all lawfull recreations Concerning the first kind be they more vsuall or lesse vsuall â—â— question would be made if men were as wise to serue God in diâ—iâ—ing the times and seasons for the â—asements of their bodies and refreshing their soules on the Sabbath as they bâ— politike for the increase of their worldly substance And as concerning lawfull recreation on the Sabbath day If labour be forâ—iâ—den in seede time and haruest much more pleasuâ—â— all the yeere long iâ— things more needfull for the preseruation of lifâ— to the glorie of God be disallowed then assuredly these lesse needfull cannot be allowed Againe saith he the zeale of worldlings may shame vs in our securitie for so long as any profit drops on them they giue no place to pleasure Behold the policie and painfulnes of the world may teach vs what we ought to doe for our seules And thus farre of the compendious summe of the treatise of the Sabbath Of this argument I found three very good copies after due examination and conference had I haue here published the best in my iudgement both for matter and forme in the best manner that I can This worke hath beene in many hands for many yeeres and hath giuen light to some and I trust shall giue further occasion to others to trauaile yet more herein for the good of posteritie And whereas so many in all Churches in these daies passe by this argument of the Sabbath and that other of Titâ—e is meere shadowes and ceremonies it were to be wished that as this reuerend man of God and Maister D. B. haue painfully trauailed in the one so the learned and faithfull seruants of Christ would communicate their knowledge and iudgement of the other vnto the Church and people of God The seuenth portion is short but containeth very good notes of saluation and of an vpright heart The eighth and last part oâ— treatise teacheth vs very profitable and necessarie rules for the reading and vnderstanding of the holy Scripture which be these 1. That Gods people which will profit by prâ—â—â—â—ing must 〈…〉 the reading of the holy Scriptures for that none saith he â—ar so wâ—ll profit by preaching as they that hâ—â—e beene iâ—â—iâ—â—d vp in reading the Scriptures or hearing thâ—m râ—â—d 2 Next to profit by reading of the Scripture â—e requireth â—â—â—â—â— speciall things to be obserued 1. Diligence 2. Wisedome 3. Preparation 4. Meditation 5. Conference 6. Faith 7. Practise 8. Prayer 1. Diligence maketh a rough way plaine and easie here keepe an euen course and perseuere without wearines or starting from it 2. With diligence desire to ioyne wisedome for choise of matter what of order how of time when to reade For matter search things reuealed and hunt not after things not reuealed In things reuealed seeke after things most necessarie and then things lesse necessarie For order first desire to lay the foundation of Christian religion then build vpon it as God giues thee increase of faith and knowledge For time we must not reade alwaies but keepe our appointed times The Sabbath day we may spâ—â—d a great part of it in reading the nâ—â—â—â— daies in the morning at noone and euening when we may redeem the day from the workes of our calling 3. Againe a due preparation is required whereunto appertaine first the feare of Gods maiâ—sâ—â—â— wâ—ich serues well to correct the pride of reason and to subdue our â—ffâ—ctions â—nd so to fit vs for the châ—le of Christ Secondly faith in Christ for that he alone opâ—â—â—th â—ur vnderstanding that we may vnderstand the Scriptures Thirdly great desire in the heart 〈◊〉 vpon the good word of God 4. The fourth propertie is meditation which is the life of all good learning and makes that we haue heard to be our owne and this is two-fold first of the minde or vnderstanding discoursing of things read or heard Secondly of the affection when liking any thing in iudgement we labour that it may worke also vpon our affections Here this rule is to be noted that meditation without reading â—â— câ—râ—neous and reading without meditation barren 5. The fifth helpe here is conference For if in naturall things and in all things appertaining to this life man standeth in neede of the helpe of other men much more in spirituall things 6. The sixt propertie after reading meditation and conference is faith which he requires as an increase of that aforegoing preparation We must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse saith he all the meanes before named to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars after 7. The seuenth is practise for this is a good way to increase our store to put to good vse that mediocritie of knowledge and gifts we haue receiued And assuredly according to Christs words we see by daily experience their gifts decay which put them not in practise 8. The eight rule or propertie is prayer and thankesgiuing With this he wilâ— vs to begin to continue and to end this whole worke Like as we haue no title to meate and drinke without our prayer so saith he they be impudent that doe touch Gods booke without prayer And here he requires also a spirituall thank sgiuing for saith he if this be needfull for corporall foode how much more for spirituall be thankefull for any light and for euery good motion which proceedeth from Gods spirit And thus farre the compendious summe of all these treatises Now Right Worshipfull this holy worke I recommend to your protection first because I knew not any in heart more affected towards that reuerend man Maister R. Greenham who was the author of them all Againe this worke in part appertaines to one of your Worships by a former dedication And therefore I am the more bold to recommend it thus amplified and inlarged vnto you both And the rather for that Gods good spirit hauing so knit your hearts together in the holy faith of Christ I may not doubt
necessarie vse whereof we shall more plainely perceiue if wee doe wisely consider either the lamentable inconueniences which accompanie the want of the pure vnderstanding thereof or the manifold commodities which ensue the right embracing of the same The inconueniences are partly to be obserued in the wicked and partly to be noted in the children of God In the wicked who either are seduced by false doctrine or else which are carelesse of true doctrine They that are deceiued by false religion be either Papists on the one side the Families of loue with such like heretikes on the other side whereof the one that is the Papists make the Sabbath day but an ordinance and ceremonie of the Church and therefore obserue it but as a thing taken vp and retained by the Church of Rome as also they do many other holie daies in the yeere The other seeing no further into it than as it is an ordinance and ceremonie and thinking it to containe nothing morall crie out against it as willing to haue it wholie abrogated seeing all ceremonies haue had their end in Christ alleadging though nothing to the purpose that God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and therefore the obseruation of a day is nothing auailable to his worship Againe what credit it hath in them that are carelesse of religion all men may see Tush say these men the Sabbath is too â—ewish and full of superstition and therefore vnto them it is all one with other common holie daies sauing that peraduenture they had rather haue it than want it not for any loue of religion but for easing of their flesh and the more in-glutting themselues with carnall pleasure by meanes whereof they make it a day of the world not a day of the Church a time rather dedicated to the pampering of the flesh than sincerely coÌ„secrated to the building vp of the soule and spirit In the children of God otherwise well instructed haue also arisen many scruples concerning this matter how it is ceremonious how it is not which kinde of men keepe the Sabbath not as grosse heretikes and yet not as carefull obseruers by reason that they are not throughly taught in it nor fully perswaded of it Wherefore we may see how needfull this doctrine is yea although we had no care of them that are not in the Church yet in respect of them of whom we haue most care being in the Church of God with vs. And this necessitie we shall also obserue if in truth we marke the seuerall commodities which proceede from the right vnderstanding hereof For seeing the Sabbath day is the schoole day the faire day the market day the feeding day of the soule when men purely knowing the vse of it separate it wholy from other daies they shall see how they may recouer themselues from sinnes alreadie past arme themselues against sin to come grow in knowledge increase in faith and how much they shall be strengthened in the inner man Wherefore in the booke of God when the Lord will vrge the obseruation of the whole law he often doth it vnder this one word of keeping the Sabbath Againe when the Prophets sharply rebuke the people for their sinnes they particularly lay before them how the Sabbaths of the Lord are broken And to speake the truth how can a man lie long in the liking of sin who embraceth this doctrine in conscience who willingly would haue his sinnes discouered his conscience vnripped the iudgements of God against his sinnes threatned wherby he might come to a loathing grow to a further misliking of his sinnes daily Sure it is indeede that as in other things so in this the ceremonial vse little auaileth Howbeit if for the ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath because many so vse it therefore we should leaue it we might as well by the same reason put out of the doores of the Church the administration of the Sacraments the making of prayer the preaching of the word because the most part of men vse these things for a fashion neither is it the question which we haue in hand what men doe but what they ought to doe in the obseruation of the Sabbath In the setting downe whereof this order doth offer it selfe to be obserued first to speake of the commandement it selfe and then of the reasons thereof The commandement as we see is deliuered both affirmatiuely and negatiuely whereas all other the commandements are but either affirmatiuely or negatiuely expressed so that where it is said the Sabbath day keepe holie the holie vse of the Sabbath is flatly and straightly vrged where it is added in it thou shalt not doe any worke the irreligious breach of the same is plainely restrained The reasons be in number foure The first is included in the word remember and is drawne from the end which is thus much in effect Wilt thou worship me purely and loue thy neighbour vnfainedly then obserue this one thing which I haue therefore placed indifferently betweene those commaundements which concerne mine owne honour and the comfort of thy brethren The second reason is deriued from the authoritie of the lawgiuer whereby the Lord vrgeth our obedience and is expressed in these words the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The third is inferred of the equitie of this law wherein the Lord dealeth with men as it were by conference and disputeth by plaine reason that iustly we cannot denie him the seuenth for his owne glorie who hath not denied vs sixe daies to trauell in our owne affaires And this is gathered when he saith Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day c. The fourth and last reason is borrowed from proportion of the Lords own example that as in sixe daies he made all things and in the seuenth ceased from creating though not from preseruing them so in sixe daies we may haue a naturall vse of the creatures of God but on the seuenth day we ought to haue a spirituall vse of them Vnder these may be couched another reason deriued from the time wherein the Lord first commanded the Sabbath which was in mans innocencie so that if before transgression it was an effectuall meanes to keepe out sinne then after mans fall it must needes be of force to withstand sinne It may seeme the best way to some first to intreate of the commandement it selfe and then of the reasons Howbeit because the Lord his wisedome sometime prefixeth the reason as in the first commandement and seeing it is a thing of small effect to vrge the vse to them who are not grounded on the doctrine and it is hard to ouermatch the affection vntill iudgement be conuinced we will first arme the matter with reasons and then shew both how this law is kept and how it is broken This order is commended vnto vs by the holy Ghost 2. Timoth. 2. 16.
all sound learned whereof I haue read some there were no figures vntill sinne came into the world from which our Parents were yet free but a meane to keepe them in innocencie in that notwithstanding their excellent creation they were subiect to falling therefore this ende must be the chiefest This was not onely giuen to the posteritie of Abraham but to the whole posteritie of Adam and therefore it was not proper to the Iewes being first begunne in Paradise and then afterward renewed in Mount Sinai So that this morall ende was the first ende and common ende and although as the Iewes had a more speciall cause of worshipping God in that they had receiued a more peculiar deliuerance when they could haue no rest in Egypt they on this day did remember their rest yet neuertheles this was not the ende but rather a reason why they did keepe the Sabbath as we may see also Exod. 23. 12. where the Lord commandeth the seuenth day to rest adding as a reason not as an end that thine Oxe and thine Asse may rest the sonne of thy Mayde and the stranger may be refreshed Where this sparing of the beasts is added as a reason drawne from that humanitie which is in the Law not as a thing for this speciall end in this precept commanded which is proper rather to the sixt Commaundement and but accessarie vnto this For which cause this ceremonie being but accessarie cannot take away the principall and being the latter it cannot take away the former It is no good reason that the accessarie being taken away the principall should also be abrogated but rather on the contrarie the accessarie remooued the principall may remaine the appertinance being past the more general substance may continue and though the latter be disanulled the former may be vnabolished Wherefore though the ceremoniall ende which was but an accessarie and added afterward as a thing peculiar to the Iewes is gone with them to whome this law was made yet the morall ende which was the principall and first giuen out as a thing generall to all appertaineth still vnto vs. Lastly whatsoeuer seuereth either God from man or man from man the same is abrogated the law Morall which is free from all ceremonies and through Christ requireth nothing but a sincere thogh imperfect obedience as being voyd of all rigour and exempted from the curse doth not seuer God from man nor man from man Therefore the Lawe morall is not abrogated For nothing is disanulled but the rigour and curse of the Lawe which made a diuorcement betweene God and man and the ceremonie of the Law which made a separation betweene man and man that is betweene the Iewe and the Gentile as we may gather Coloss 2. and Galat. 4. Wherefore we affirme that as it was peculiar to the Iewes as concerning their deliuerance that ende of the Sabbath is ceased but as it is common to vs with them and all others to bee preserued in the meanes of true worship the Sabbath is to bee obserued So that not the doctrine and sincere obedience of the Sabbath but the curse of the Lawe and rigorous keeping of the Sabbath is abrogated When one thing hath diuers endes if one ende be remoued the other may remaine For as the Sacraments in the time of the law had two ends the one to foreshew that Christ should come the other to assure them what they should haue in Christ when he came and in that they did foreshew Christ to come they are gone as they assured vs what we haue in Christ they remaine still with vs. And as for one example we may see in the Sacrament of Circumcision two ends the one a signe of the circūcision of the flesh which is now ceased the other a seale of Repentance and Faith and so it is vnto vs remaining a token of imitation though not in the same manner of administration that is in circumcision yet in the same matter to that effect to wit in Baptisme so likewise the Sabbath hauing two endes the one morall the other ceremoniall As it was ceremoniall and was giuen to the Iewes as they were Iewes it was proper to the Iewes but as it was morall not giuen to the Iewes alone but to our first fathers before the Iewes and to the Gentiles after the Iewes it remaineth no lesse to all men after the Iewes ceased to bee a peculiar people then the comming together to one place doth yet appertaine vnto vs. For although in that the Iewes came together to one place as it represented the Church of God it is taken away because God is present with vs in all places yet as they had it to establish them in their worship and we need as necessary helps for religion as euer they needed the same remaineth with vs. Now if the Sabbath were but a signe of spirituall rest as some haue phantasticallie thought and not rather an holie schoole to teach vs the worship of God we would graunt it ceremoniall but sceing this is according to the first institution and that ceremony but in time and for a time was added vnto it though we haue not their day yet we haue a resting day as though we haue not their seales yet wee haue seales and though the accessarie bee gone and ended with them yet the principall continueth to vs and remaineth after them Wherefore wee conclude this first reason that as the Sabbath is morall we must keepe it in truth though in weaknes knowing that the rigour of the Law being gone with the curse and ceremonie we haue a promise to haue our weaknes and defects heerein forgiuen vs in Christ as we haue in all other things Now let vs come to the second reason drawne as wee haue shewed from the equitie of the law and contained in these words Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day c. This appeareth to be no hard law nor burthensome but easie and such a one as all may yeeld vnto it For seeing the Lord hath giuen vs six daies for our calling then let vs not thinke it strange or straight that he hath reserued and taken vp the seuenth day to himselfe who if hee had cōmanded one day to worke and another to be bestowed in his worship for the glorious profession of his Name might iustly haue challenged it This reason then is such that for iustice and equitie cannot bu◠prouoke our obedience and more forcibly chargeth vs if we be disobedient This kind of argument is vsuall in the booke of God as Genes 3. 2. 3. where our mother Euah frameth this reason to the Serpent very well had she stood to it Wee eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden but of the fruite of the tree which is in the middest of the garden God hath said Ye shall not eate of it c. Wherein as she commendeth the mercie of God in giuing them so largely
the Gentiles but as they may see their estate in the Iewes in which respect it may be profitablie applied to the Gentiles but euident it is that here properly it was spoken to the Iewes For in this place the Prophet sharply reprehendeth them because they kept not their fastings and holy daies aright Howbeit they did not sticke to complaine among themselues that they had fasted that they humbled themselues and vsed all the meanes which their fathers before them had done but all in vaine in that they felt not the like effects which their fathers did Wherefore the Lord by his Prophet answereth them in this sort True it is that yee fast indeed but therewithall yee lie and liue still in your sinnes yee fast but without repentance and so farre are yee from true forsaking of your sinnes that on your fasting daies howsoeuer like hypocrites ye vse the outward action ye exercise crueltie oppression debate and strife and doe ye looke that this holy hypocrisie should be acceptable vnto me No If ye will please me with your fasting repent ye of your sinnes shew foorth your sorrow by the fruits of loue in exercising the works of mercie and compassion which things when I shall behold in you with an vpright heart then I will accept your offering and be pleased with your fasting Againe doe not thinke that I will looke vpon your holidaies so long as ye vse them but vpon custome in hypocrisie making them vnprofitable for my worship and your saluation and repentance vntill such time as ye endeuour a better and more holie vse of them both concerning the pure honouring of my name and the furthering of your owne saluation Behold here say they the Sabbath is abrogated than which they can affirme nothing more contrarie out of this place For here is no abrogating of the Sabbath but an establishing of the true celebrating of the Sabbath with a sharpe reprehending of their corrupt and present estate And as he speaketh against their corrupt Sabbath so he taxeth them for their hypocritical fasting so that if they will haue the Sabbath to be abrogated much more must they driue fasting out of the doores of the Church against which he is most earnest and telling them that their fasts are not in truth the Lord sheweth them with what fasting he is pleased Againe say they see here it is manifest that to cease from sinne in our Sabbath which we must keepe I answere it is the fruite of the Sabbath which we must keepe and therefore because where the meanes are vsed without any effect or fruite there the meanes are nothing the Lord rather vrgeth them to the effects and keeping of the Sabbath with fruite then disanulleth the Sabbath And it is vsuall in the word of God to vse the effect for the cause and the fruite for the meanes as we may see Iam. 1. 27. Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Which briefely is as if the Apostle should say this is the effect of true religion when faith doth purely shew it selfe in the workes of loue Againe Ioh 6. 47. 48. He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life I am the bread of life Where our Sauiour Christ sheweth that the effect of faith is the eating of Christ his flesh and drinking of his blood So that to vse the meanes without the effect is hypocrisie as also to looke for the effect without vsing of the meanes is foolish presumption Wherfore we affirme that from the mouth of the Lord by his holy Prophet that to rest in fasting and in the Sabbath an outward meane is of no value being separated from good workes the issue and the effect of the same that if we would God should be mercifull to vs we should also shew our selues mercifull to others So then the Lord taketh not here away the one but sheweth the one to be fruitlesse without the other and is so farre from taking away the Sabbath that rather he goeth about to informe them in the true vse of the Sabbath The meaning therefore of the Prophet his word is this If thou wilt not rest in the bare ceremonie of thy holie daies but wilt do thy holy seruice to me and duties of loue to thy brethren then shalt thou shew thy selfe to take true pleasure in God and his worship Where we must learne so to delight our selues with the meanes of our saluation that seeing we can but iâ—part giue our selues vnto them in the weeke daies we should greatly reioyce when the Sabbath day commeth contrary to the practise of the people â—â— Amos his time who would say Amos 8. 5. When will the new moneth be gone that we may â—â—â—â— corne and the Sabbath that we may let forth wheate and make the Ephah small and the shekâ—â— great and falsifie the weights by dâ—â—â—it Wherefore we conclude that here is not the abrogating but the pure celebrating of the Sabbath which appeareth by effect when it draweth vs neerer to God and causeth vs to take greater pleasure in his waies There remaineth that which is Esai 66. 23. And from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord Where it is said from Sabbath to Sabbath behold say they here is set downe a continuall Sabbath to be obserued euery day in the kingdome of Christ and therefore there ought not to be one prescript day onely in the whole weeke But the reason is most weake and containeth a manifest absurditie For if euery day should be a Sabbath and we in the Sabbath are commaunded to doe no manner of worke when should we trauell in our ordinarie callings whereunto the Lord himselfe hath permitted vs sixe daies Thus we see the sixe daies of our ordinarie callings should be pulled away If they say that a man may follow his calling and yet worship God sufficiently and as becommeth the holy Sabbath then they must graunt that we may doe our ordinary workes on the Sabbath as also they suspect the Lord of want of wisedome But if we should looke narrowly into these mens liues we should finde that whilest they crie out to keepe euery day a Sabbath they in trueth in the meane time obserue no Sabbath at all Besides in that there needeth one particular day wholy to be giuen to the Lord it is certaine that the dearest children of God who vpon the other daies redeeme time to Gods worship earnestly desire this Now concerning the place it selfe which they seeme much to misconstrue we must vnderstand two things First it is not simply to be taken but in the way of comparison secondly it is meant of the kingdome of glorie and of the second comming of Christ. In the way of comparison it is vnderstood thus that the people of God should not content themselues to
worship him on the Sabbath onely but also in the other sixe daies it should be lawfull for them to haue holy assemblies and Christian meetings which though they now should doe but in part by reason of their ordinarie calling hereafter they should doe it both continually and perfectly in the kingdome of heauen Which thing was performed euen of the Apostles who although they obserued one solemne day yet had they their godly assemblies for holy exercises on other daies also True it is that the Family of loue pretends a shew of the kingdome of God in this life by rising from sinne saying that we here sit in heauenly places But the scriptures in this case speake of the begining not of the consummation of God his children in glorie For in this life we possesse but in hope that which perfectly we shall enioy We be here admitted but into the entrie of this kingdome we here take vp our hold we receiue our deedes our lease and euidence are giuen vs in this world to assure vs that hereafter we shal haue the full fruition perfect possession Wherefore another Prophet saith Ierem. 31. 33. 34. This shall be the couenant that I shall make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts c. 34. And they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying I know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest saith the Lord. Where we may see that though the full accomplishment of our glorie and knowledge is in heauen yet true it is that here it is begun and shall be finished hereafter when we shall perfectly know God whom now we know but in part and as it were in a mirrour For euery one as it is Hebr. 5. 12. concerning these times should be able through God his spirit to teach others according to that calling wherein the Lord hath placed him And as that place reacheth not that all should be Doctors but that there should be knowledge in all though in greater measure in some so our Prophet meaneth not that euery day should be a Sabbath but that Christians in euery day of the weeke should prouide for the worship of God in some measure though more fully and more solemnely on the Sabbath So we see the force of this to be in the way of a comparison that Christians should not satisfie themselues concerning the worship of God with the Sabbath but that also as their calling would permit they should worship from Sabbath to Sabbath As for the second answere to proue against the maintainers of a continuall Sabbath that this place is meant of the Church triumphant and not of the Church militant it shall easily appeare if we consider diligently what goeth before what commeth after which rule is worthilie to be followed in sifting out the true sense of the places in the Scriptures Now in the verse going before mention is made of the new heauens and the new earth whereby he meaneth not the first appearing of Christ in humilitie but his second comming in glorie as may appeare 2. Pet. 3. 13. where the Apostle repeateth the same words saying We looke for new heâ—uens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Surely if the Prophet had meant this to haue beene in Christ his comming in the flesh it is most like it should haue beene in the flourishing estate of the Church and glorious times of the Apostles but that it was not so it is manifest by the Apostle his owne words We looke for new heauens c. In the verse following the Prophet speaketh of the worme that shall not die and of the fire that shall not be quenched which vndoubtedly is vnderstood of the hels whereinto the wicked shall be cast at the last iudgement day as may be gathered by our Sauiour Christ his words Mark 9. 43. 44. where he maketh mention of hell Where the worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out Wherefore by the premises and sequele we conclude with the learned that the Sabbath here mentioned must be kept in the kingdome of heauen And therefore their continuall Sabbath which they should haue in this life is a deuise of their owne braine and not gathered out of this place And thus much of the reasons which seemed to proue the Sabbath ceremoniall taken out of the prescript words of the olde Testament As for that which we alleadged out of Ezechiel chap. 20. it is alreadie answered sufficiently in confuting their first reason which was drawne out of Exod. 32. Now it remaineth in like manner to consider of their arguments which they take out of the new Testament and that either out of the historie of Christ or from the writings of his holy Apostles And because the foure Euangelists agree in one harmonie we will briefly reduce all their reasons into one or two principall places namely Matth. 12. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Marke 2. 27. In Matth. 12. it is said At that time Iesus went on a Sabbath day through the corne and his Disciples were hungry and began to plucke the eare of corne and to eate 2. And when the Pharisies saw it they said vnto him Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawfull to do vpon the Sabbath 3. But he said vnto them Haue ye not heard what Dauid did when he was an hungred and they that were with him 4. How he entred into the house of God and eate the shewe bread which was not lawfull for him to eate neither for them which were with him but onely for the Priests 5. Or haue yee not read in the Law how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple brake the Sabbath and are blamelesse 6. But I say vnto you that here is one greater than the Temple 7. Wherefore if yee knew what this is I will haue mercie and not sacrifice ye would not haue condemned the innocents 8. For the sonne of man is Lord euen of the Sabbath The occasion of this doctrine of Christ is that he going abroad to preach with his Disciples they for huÌ„ger pulled the eares of corne Hereof arose by the Pharises this Controuersie who accused the Disciples for trauelling on the Sabbath day as though they had done a worke on the Sabbath which was not lawfull to de done because the Law said that no man should trauaile on that day Our Sauiour Christ hearing this accusation defendeth his Disciples whereof some conclude that our Sauiour here abrogated the Sabbath But what could they haue forged more vntrue For if as they say he now had abrogated the Sabbath then our Sauior Christ did not obey euery part of the ceremonies vnto death which to affirme let them tell the danger of it Nay rather according to the iudgement of the better learned we affirme that Christ is so farre off
from speaking against the Sabbath in this place that hee setteth downe the pure obseruation of the same against them who peruersely and vntruely did iudge of it And here we see the Pharisees deale very cunningly with them For they might as well haue accused the Disciples of theft as of breaking the Sabbath had they not knowne that as the Lawe permitted a man to goe into the vine-yard for to gather grapes so hee caried no clusters away So they to satisfie their hunger might presently eate of the eares of corne carying none away with them Howbeit they could not see that this their trauell was not like their ordinarie trauelling on the other dayes and that it was agreeable to the Sabbath the Lawe permitting a Sabbath dayes iourney This some curiously haue defined to bee the space of a mile some two â—ome three miles vnto whom as I doe not denie the libertie of their iudgement so I thinke it to consist of that distance as a man may conueniently trauell for some holy purpose without anie hinderance of the ordinarie exercise of that day and without wearisomnes either to bodie or minde whereby he should be the vnfitter for the Lords worship or his duties And therefore they that dwelt but so farre from Ierusalem that they might oâ— that day conueniently goe to the Sacrifices and returne home without any of the former hinderances made a Sabbath daies iourney And now in our times a man may lawfully go so farre for the more comfortable or holie vse of the day in hearing so that neither his bodie be ouerwearied nor any due time of hearing be pretermitted and that without preiudice or breach of the Lords day Wherefore seeing our Sauiour CHRIST and his disciples trauelled to so holie an ende and no further then by a Sabbath dayes iourney was lawfull the end of the iourney which ought to measure this and like actions proueth that herein there was no breach of the Sabbath Neither is it likely that the Pharisees reproued and controlled the Disciples for trauelling seeing euen they themselues with them were companions in the iourney but rather they did it for their plucking the eares of corne whereby they shewed that the ceremonie of resting was not the chiefe thing in the Sabbath as now a dayes some doe thinke it but rather because they made prouision for their bodies contrarie as they imagined to Exod. 16. 24 Well it is most probable that the Disciples beeing gone farre from the place from whence they did set out because if they had then fainted they would there haue recreated themselues and farre distant from aniâ— place where they might eate for if they had bene neere any place they might rather haue refreshed themselues with other things then with corne they through fainting for want of other necessaries were constrained to satisfie their present necessitie with these things which if they had not done they shuld not haue been able to persist in their calling which was agreeable to the Sabbath the workes whereof did neuer restraine from eating which notwithstanding they might as iustly haue reprehended in the Disciples as their plucking the eares of corne The arguments whereby CHRIST doth answere them may briefly be referred to fiue heads The first is set downe in these words vers 3. Haue yee not heard what Dauid did when he was an hungred and they that were with him 4. How hee entred into the house of God ate the shewe-bread which was not lawfull for him to eate neither for them which were with him but only for the Priests Behold he speaketh here of the ceremonie of shew-bread which was broken for the preseruation of mens liues whereby hee sheweth that Ceremonies as a thing of lesse importance must giue place for lifes sake So that this is spoken of the end because the thing which is forbidden for a common end is not brokeÌ„ for a particular vse Wherefore Dauid and his companie did eate the shewe-bread to serue their necessitie and that without breach of the Law how much more may my Disciples eate the eares of corne to enable them the more to attend vpon the ordinaÌ„ce of God It is a rule in the ciuill law that it is against ciuilitie too greedily to hunt after the syllables of their Maximes and too carelesly to neglect and permit the true sense of the Law In which thing our Sauiour trappeth the Pharisees who were too seuere censurers of the letter and too seuere obseruers of the matter of the Law Our Sauiour therefore in effect meaneth thus much that as it was not lawfull to eate the shew bread vsually or ordinarily and yet to eate it vpon necessitie it was not vnlawfull so vsually to gather corne on the Sabbath euen in time of Haruest it was not lawfull and yet extraordinarilie and vpon necessitie to gather it was not vnlawfull on the Sabbath which permitted the works of necessitie whereby men might bee the better enabled and the lesse hindered to doe the workes of that day And for this cause seeing the Disciples without this helpe should haue beene vnfitter either to haue preached to others or heard our Sauiour and by it were enabled the more to either of these things it is euident that they were so farre off from breaking the Sabbath in so doing that rather they should haue broken it in not so doing So that Christ doth onely not abrogate the Sabbath in this place but also reprehending the Pharisies for their misconstruing of the Lawe and too strickt taking it without due consideration of the ende thereof he setteth downe a more pure obseruation of the same The second reason which is drawne from the Lawe it selfe and from the Priests owne practise may bee gathered out of the fift and sixt verses Haue yee not read in the Lawe how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple brake the Sabbath and are blamelesse 6. But I say vnto you heere is one greater then the Temple As if hee should haue saide Verilie yee misconstrue the Sabbath yee must better consider what kinde of works the Sabbath forbiddeth to wit the workes of mens ordinarie callings not beeing fitte for the dignitie of the Sabbath and nothing tending to the worship of God but if they beseeme the dignitie of that day and are done for God his holy worship they are not vnlawfull Aduise your selues I pray you doe not euen your owne Priests on the sabbath-Sabbath-day slay their beasts to sacrifice Doe they not circumcise on that day And doe yee not carie your children to the Temple to be circumcised which are workes both in respect of your Priests and you and yet in that in these things yee are made the fitter to serue God in his worshippe yee thinke them not vnlawfull Likewise knowe that this plucking of the eares of corne in my Disciples is no worke of their ordinarie callings but to make them more able for the worship of God In that hee nameth the
Priests he sheweth that he rather speaketh against the persons than against the cause and strangleth them in their owne argument For the answer in effect is this If my Disciples prophane the Sabbath then did your own Priests the same Vnder this we may couch the answer of our Sauiour Christ to the Iewes who accused him for healing of the sicke man on the Sabbath day Ioh. 5. 17. My Father worketh hetherto and I worke that is as my Father ceased from the workes of Creation yet he ceased not from doing good on the Sabbath so though I and my Disciples haue ceased from our ordinarie callings yet cease wee not after the Father his owne example to doe the workes of mercie on the Sabbath For the works of God his prouidence are to be done euery day Seeing he then vouchsafeth to put vs in his stead to doe good things wee may lawfully doe them though with some bodily labour as wee may on that day resort to the imprisoned visite the sicke relieue the needie reconcile the vncharitable and admonish the vnrulie And why wee seeke not heerein our owne profite but the profite of our brethren wee desire not our owne glorie but the glorie of God In which cases wee are not forbidden but commaunded to doe good on the Sabbath If wee looke narrowly into the historie of our Sauiour CHRIST we shall see it was most vsual vnto him to heale the sicke to restore sight to the blinde to open the mouthes of the dumbe and to frequent like exercises on the Sabbath day And for what cause Because on other dayes men following their ordinarie callings could not so well followe him but on the Sabbath day their other busines set apart they attended on him willingly and resorted together so that if he had done these things on the other daies he should haue hindred the ordinary callings of men by the concourse of people or else he should haue done them to the lesse glorie to God if no companie nor concourse had bene made Wherefore as both the people on that day were fittest to come to Christ so Christ was then most ready when his works also might most make for Gods glorie Besides hee did then these things rather that hee might weane the Iewes from their superstitious opinion of the Sabbath and bring in the pure vse thereof in exercising the works of loue Now if the outward rest of the day had been the chiefest thing therin as the Pharisees then dreamed and many now a daies haue thought then how would Christ haue done these things who was to doe and fulfill all things commanded in the morall Law left nothing vndone in any one jote of the ceremoniall Law vntill the vaile of the Temple of his bodie was rent Thus wee see how the chiefe ende was morall and not ceremoniall and as it is morall giuen to all men to further them in the means of their saluation it is as needfull for vs as for the Iewes Againe Christ was asked of no one question more than of the Sabbath and in all his answeres he rather inueigheth against the peruerting theÌ„ intendeth the abrogating of the Sabbath In like manner he meaneth nothing lesse then the abrogating of the day in his Apologie against the Pharisees but rather laieth open their folly in prouing to their faces that they cauill too much for the peruerting of the Sabbath seeing they are driuen to reprehend that in others which they themselues doe The reason of his defence insinuaâ—eth thus much If yee thinke it an holie dutie to cut the flesh of children on the Sabbath because it is done in your Temple which otherwise might seeme a spice of murther and crueltie Againe if yee thinke the Temple commands the worke of slaying your beasts for sacrifice which being done in the market-place were too butcherlike then I giue you to vnderstand that my disciples doe nothing vnbeseeming the Sabbath so long as I am present with them who am greater then the Temple The third reason is contained in the seuenth verse If ye know what this is I will haue mercie not sacrifice yee would not haue condemned the innocents Here our Sauiour Christ as before he had defended his Disciples by testimonies out of the Law so now excuseth them by the witnes of the Prophets and â—iteth a place out of Hosea chap. 6. 6. as if he should say What workes doth the Sabbath forbid are they not the workes of our ordinarie calling What workes doth the Sabbath commaund To sacrifice onely No but to doe the workes of mercie also which is the ende of all our sacrifices Why then seeing the law doth not forbid the duties of loue to be done will yee denie this worke of mercie to my Disciples that when they fainte they might not be refreshed That this place of the Prophet is thus to be construed that the Lord will not haue sacrifice alone but mercie withall wee may proue it by other places of the scriptures as 1. Cor. 1 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell where the Apostle meaneth that he was not chiefly and onely sent to baptize but to preach also So that the place is to be vnderstood in the way of comparison that when one of the things cannot be conueniently done without the other be vndone then mercie which is better than sacrifice must be preferred as being the issue whither Sacrifice is referred And in this respect though simply in themselues considered and in respect of the persons to whom they are performed the first table of the Law and the duties thereof are to be preferred before the second table and the duties thereof yet in comparison when one of these must of necessitie be left vndone because both cannot bee done together seeing the Lord most alloweth of our obedience when testimonie thereof is witnessed by practise to his Saints and in the exercises of loue we performe that in trueth which otherwise wee labour for but by meanes the Lorde desireth mercie and not Sacrifice and the knowledge of his will more then burnt offerings So that heerein the Disciples doe not onely not breake but keepe the Sabbath This argument Christ vseth Mark 3. 4. where hee being reproued because on the Sabbath day hee healed the man that had a withered hand said to his accusers Is it lawfull to doe a good deede on the Sabbath day or to doe euill to saue the life or to kill As also Luke where hee on this manner answered the Pharisees who watched him whilest he healed the man which had the dropsie 5. Which of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen into a pit and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day As if he should say why doe yee watch to take me in this thing Will ye permit the works of mercie to be done to beasts and will ye denie them to be done to men Why will yee helpe your beasts being in
perill and may not I helpe this man being in such danger How beit we must here note that our Sauiour CHRIST in shewing how in this law is humanitie to creatures giueth â—o jot of libertie to worldly men who vnder pretence of this obedience seeke rather their owne priuate gaine in rescuing from perils the creatures then the glory of Almightie God which may redound to him by the more cheerfull comfortable seruice of the creature being thus redeemed Now if any shall here further inquire whether in seeding time or the haruest season when the times before haue been and still are like to be vnseasonable and vntemperate they may somewhat on the Sabbath giue themselues to sowing or gathering of their corne I answere No. For it is by speciall words expressely forbidden Exod. 34. 21. Sixe daies shalt thou worke and in the seuenth day thou shalt rest both in earing time and in the haruest thou shalt rest And surely of all times labouring in haruest seemeth most vnlawfull First if as God his benefits grow on vs we must grow in thankfulnes then reaping at that time we ought to render most thankes and not to thinke the worship of one day sufficient in seuen much lesse to cut it from the Lord in part or in whole Secondly seeing in the weeke going before wee haue euen wearied both our owne bodies by labour and much more the bodies of our beasts in traâ—â—â—le besides that in working on the Sabbath wee contemne the ordinance of God most vnthankefully which so well in his law in this case hath prouided for vs wee deale too vnnaturally with our selues and too iniuriously with our cattell Againe if wee on this day make no conscience of the worship of God contemned by this worldly labouring wee manifestly bewray our want of faith in Gods goodnes wisedome and prouidence as though hee either would not preserue that which hitherto he nourished out of the earth or that he hauing dealt so mercifully in many benefits before should now â—â— one faile vs which vndoubtedly hee would not doe did not our sinnes prouoke him thereunto Wherefore if so it come to passe for our sinnes we must rather in patience repentance and wisedome submit our selues to the punishment than prophanely and obstinately to seeke by such meanes to shake it off True it is as wee haue said before that workes of necessitie bee lawfull on the Sabbath but wee must vnderstand it of necessities present and not of perils which are imminent that is which are like to come but yet are not certaine to come For when the danger is preseÌ„t as an house is on fire bloodshed by reason of a fray is like speedily to bee committed if helpe bee not or in such like cases because the Lord hath as it were cast the remedie vpon vs and put vs in his owne stead for ministring of helpe then may we vse our libertie but wheÌ„ it is to come and it is still in the Lord his hand we must cast the whole remedie vpon him if the danger fâ—â—lâ— knowing that he in his prouidence and mercie will remoue the euill or else in sending it will punish our sinnes But to returne from this to that from which wee a little digressed the reason of Christ here vsed is yet pressed further Luk. 13. 15 where hee answereth the master of the Synagogue who had indignation at him for healing on the Sabbath Hypocrite doth not each one of you on the Sabbath day loose his oxe or his asse from the stall and leade him away to the water 16 And ought not this daughter of Abraham whom Sathan had bound for eighteene yeeres bee loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day That is will ye water your cattel on the Sabbath which thing your Rabbins thinke not vnlawfull and thinke ye that I breake the Sabbath for helping a faithfull beleeuer Is not this rather hypocrisie in you than any new doctrine in me But here some will obiect Christ might haue done this the day after to the woman who in so short a time would no more haue perished than the oxe if hee had not been led to the water vntill the day following To this I answere as the workes which wee doe to God his creatures do not fight with the keeping of the Sabbath because in respect that cattel by not attending on them would be made lesse profitable to their owner though thereby they should not vtterly perish so in respect that this womaÌ„ should haue remained more vnfit for God his glory the keeping of the Sabbath if she had not bin helped although it may be shee should not vtterly haue perished this worke of our Sauiour Christ was nothing against the Sabbath hee not seeking his owne glorie and profit but the glorie of his father and the profit of another Now followeth the fourth reason in the 8. verse The Sonne of man is Lord euen of the Sabbath That is God the Father making the Sabbath is the Lord of the same the Sonne of man is equall with the Father therefore the Sonne of man is also Lord of the Sabbath Againe as the Lord made a law for man but none for himselfe so ye are too presumptuous in the presence of the Lord to controll my disciples For if I beeing the law-maker giue a speciall priuiledge to my Disciples as indeede I may doe vrging the law where I list and dispensing in the law to some as I please is it then meete that you should censure them whom I doe priuiledge Wherefore seeing it is I that haue appointed the Sabbath and therefore best know who keepe it and who breake it I giue you to vnderstand that these men whom yee falsely accuse because ye know not the pure keeping nor breaking of the Sabbath haue not broken it Suffer me then I pray you being Lord of mine owne ordinance to dispose of it as best seemeth to me The fift argument may be borrowed from the second of Mark vers 27 the words whereof are these The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Many thinke this reason to make much for their purpose but they are deceiued in their owne ignoraÌ„ce For saith Christ this is the cause why my disciples haue not rested so much as yee thinke they should haue done the Sabbath that is the rest was made for mans good and comfort and not man for the rest alone but for the sanctifying of the Sabbath so that albeit they haue not for some good cause obserued the rest which must giue place to the profit commoditie of man yet haue they not brokeÌ„ the sanctification of the day which chiefly is required of them in that if they had not eaten this corne they had fainted and so haue beene made vnfit for the hallowing of the same We say meate was made for man that is for the reliefe sustenance and comfort of man not man for the meate to wit
be the principal end For as the Apostle speaketh of things indifferent so he also speaketh of things not indifferent And this we shall see if we consider of the last verse of the chapter going before and of the first of the chapter following Thus it is written chap. 13. vers 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ take no thought for the flâ—sh to fulfill the lusts of it The effect whereof is thus much if it be compared with the first verse of the chapter following Although ye haue put on Christ truly know him by his word yet if another man professing the same Christ with you hath not attained to the like measure of knowledge and the same proportion of faith which ye haue I would ye should not iudge him for his wickednes any more than ye would he should iudge you for your strength but rather bearing with his infirmitie which in time may be changed to a more perfect strength labour by all meanes to winne him to soundnes of iudgement Wherfore in that he saith Him that is weake in faith receiue vnto you he meaneth them that are not established in the doctrine of the Gospell not them that are weake in a ceremonie or in things indifferent so that if any be found weake in the doctrine of Christianitie I meane in some point of it and yet be sound in all other things they should not be further intangled with intricate controuersies which they cannot conceiue but so gently intreated and mildly dealt withal as both the good things which are in them may be nourished and confirmed as also they may be won to the sight and sense of things wherin as yet they be weake Neither must we thinke that the Apostle meaneth here such imperfections as may be in the most perâ—ect but rather such weaknessâ—s as are fouÌ„â— in most Christians This is the general scope of the Apostle in this place whereuâ—to also agreeth the conclusion which is in the first verse of the chapter â—ollowing We wâ—iâ—h are strong ought to bearâ— the infirmities of the â—eâ—ke and not to please our sâ—lâ—â—s 2. Therefâ—re let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to â—difiâ—aâ—ion 3. For Christ alâ—o would not please himselfe but as it is written The rebukes of tâ—â—m that rebuke thee fell on mâ— Where Pâ—â—l his sense is such If we haue gotten more knowledge and attained higher graces than other men haue we are not in respect thereof to despise others but we must in wisdome and patience sustaine their error a while and strongly support their weakenes not that we should nouslâ— nourish them in their error or weaknes but that by humilitie and patience we might the better build them vp in knowledge and true godlines To this end â—e alleadgeth the example of our Sauiour Christ who did not onely beare with the infirmities of his friends but also with the errors of his enemies So that this then is the true vse of Christian faith mingled with loue that who so is come to Christ as we are our wisdome may sustaine their error and our strength may support their weakenes and as Christ did beare with his weake disciples so must wee with our weake brethren not counting them as no Christians because of infirme iudgement they dissent from vs in some particular but in loue ouercome their infirmities because they consent with vs in the generall The summe hereof is also set downe 1. Câ—â— 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lâ—y than that which is â—â—id Iesus Christ. 12. And if any man build vpon this foundation gold siluer precious sâ—ones timber hâ—y â—r â—â—uâ—ble 13. Euâ—ry mans worâ—e shall be made manifest for the day sâ—all declare it because it shall be reuealed by the fire and the fire shall â—rie euery man worke of what sort it is 14. If any mans worke that hee hath built vpon abide he shall receiue wages 15. If any mans worke burne he shall lose but he shall be safe himselfe neuerthâ—lâ—ssâ— yet as it were by the fire In which place we see that so long as we be in Christ by faith and repentance although our faith be mingled with some weakenes and our repentance with some error though we build with our gold siluer and precious stones some timber hay or stâ—bble yet the Lord will beare with vs much more then for this respect in like causes must we â—eare one wiâ—h another Now for example sake the Apostle bringeth in this instance Onâ— belâ—â—uâ—th tâ—â—â— he mâ—y â—â—te of all things and anâ—tâ—â—r which is weâ—ke eateth herbes c. Some thinke that this eating of all things was meant of the Romans and that the eating of herbs was vndeâ—stood of the Iewes then being at Rome But this seemeth not to be a â—ound opinion in that we reade not in any Ecclesiasticall historie that the Iewes were at Rome neither doth the Apostle write a mixed epistle partly to the Romans and partly to the Iewes but writâ—th it wâ—olly and intitulâ—th onely vnto the Romans Againe we cannot gather out of any records of the writers that the Iewes did â—ate herbes alone True it is that pedagogically the vse of many creatureâ— was forbidden to the Iewes howbeit it doth not seeme likely that they were tied so strictly to the eating of herbes This I am surâ— of that euen now adaiâ—s the diuell hath perswaded many Christians newly come to Christ that if they eate any thing either in qualitie more delicatly or in quantitie more liberally than bare necessitie doth require they haue sinned And yet in these men there is no doubt a generall good meaning but yet in this particular they hold an error In this examplâ— the Apostle setteth downe the stronger part and the weaker the stronger part is prefixed which is a worke of faith the weaker part followeth after which is the weakenes of faith For marke he saith One beleâ—ueth that he may eate all things here is a worke of faith because â—â— hath the word for his warrant and then he saith another eateth herbes he saith not he beleeueth that may eate herbes for hee doth it in weakenes of faith and hath not the word for his warrant neither doth he beleeue that he can vse other meates This example inferred the Apostle vseth this exhortation Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not as if he should haue said let not him that is so strong in faith therefore thinke him to be no Christian that hath this error to thinke himselfe more holy iâ— he eate nothing but herbs It is added Let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth and this is very necessarie For it is much incident to the yong ones in Christianitie to iudge others who are not so abstinent as they are Here is not then the person so much condemned as the fact For though we may iudge his sin and rebuke his errour yet must we not iudge his person
the faithfull interpreter of the law and that not onely by precept but by practise For in that he healed the sicke and cured the diseased on the Sabbath allowing the people on that day to resort vnto him he sheweth how things concerning the glorie of God are lawfull to be done on the Sabbath And we see in that the law permitted the leading of the oxe to the water how things conuenient are not at that time vnlawfull so that thy be not abused or ouerused This moderation prefixed let vs sift more narrowly the things that are forbidden These are either the works of our calling or lawfull recreations The workes be such as either are more vsuall in the sixe daies or being but at certaine speciall times in the moneths or yeers vsed lesse vsual First cōcerning the works hauing their ordinary course in the weeke daies as plowing sowing vsing of handierafts and such like there is no question and the most prophane person will not call them into questiō but it is taken as granted that these workes must giue place to the worship of God that men being freed from them may bee the more sanctified And these things are flatly forbidden in the Law and in the Prophets who would not suffer a burthen to be caried on the Sabbath by which one worke they did more secretly point at all the rest But the words of this cōmandement are a sufficient demonstration of this matter Who so thē make the Lords day a packing day for their earthly busines either in making it a custome to haue their seruants follow their callings or trauaile in their affaires or else when they themselues will doe that that day which they will not doe at other times when in spirituall disposing of their busines they might prouide better they are prophaners of the Sabbath and shal be iudged for contemners of this law And whatsoeuer these kindes of professors pretend in word and brag of knowledge and Christian liberty they cloake their sinne vnder religion draw the curtaine of Christian profession to couer the lewdnes of their vnchristian conuersation and so liuing as beasts they shall dye as beasts or worse than beasts in that they shall goe to the hels when the beasts shall goe to the earth It is too too lamentable that in a Christian common-wealth where Christ and none before Christ is to be preferred where the fruit of so many yeeres teaching this dutie ought to bee shewed that men as Heathen who neuer knewe of the creation of heauen and earth by God or neuer heard of the redemption of man by Christ or neuer tasted of the sanctifying power of the holy Ghost nor at any time vnderstood of the mysterie of the Trinitie should make no conscience of the Sabbath but onely vouchsafe it worthie of a eiuill dutie But some will pretend a more vsuall necessitie in certaine and peculiar callings of which as they say standeth a further question as among makers of coale and iron Heardsmen Shepheards Carriers Drouers and traffique men all which indeede haue great and laborious callings yet must wee say and hold this ground that in these like ordinarie callings the ordinance of the Lord doth not hinder the good order of man but they are so subordinated the one to the other as if we giue to each of them their time and their place the workes of man may be vsed and yet the worship of God preferred because as our callings serue to Gods worship so Gods worship sanctifieth our callings True it is that the Lord requireth not onely the worship of the Sabbath day but also of other week daies either priuatly at the least or publikly if our callings so permit and howsoeuer we deny not vnto these men some larger liberty on the sixe daies yet they must not be exempted from the duties of the Sabbath day which generally is laid vpon all men and especially on these men whose labours as they are the more troublesome and continuall in the weeke daies so they ought the rather to rest on the Sabbath daies And seeing they will not discharge themselues of the like graces with other men concerning their creation redemption and sanctification if they make not a supplie on the seuenth day for their libertie in the sixe dayes they are inferior to the condition of beasts for the beasts on that day haue their rest and they haue not Besides in pretending such excuses they openly bewray their want of spirituall wisdome For there is no such calling But if they were as wise to God as they are politike in increasing their riches they could tell how to deuide their times seasons for the easing of their bodies and refreshing of their soules on the Sabbath And here men are to be charged with looking to their seruants For the commandement is flat and expresse euen thou and thy seruant It is not sufficient for men to come to the Church themselues but they must bring their seruants also The Lord saw how men would be ingenious in deceiuing their own soules by not bringing their charges and families with them to the congregation who notwithstanding being created redeemed and sanctified are as highly indebted to the worship of God as the masters But let them not beguile themselues for the blood of their soules shall be required at their hands who being too lordly and tyrannous gouernours make their seruants either equall to beasts or worse than beasts caring for nothing but for the world neuer thinking on hell whereunto they are hastening This law doth here also attach Shepherds and Heardsmen Bakers and Brewers which kinde of men if thou hast retained then art thou charged to bring them to the house of prayer as well as thy selfe For God hauing made thē men would not that thou shouldest vse them as beasts for thee neither must thou abuse his trauaile to make him like the oxe whereon he tendeth But worldly wise men will prouide by changing of their places that their busines may be done cheerfully and why then should they prouide for the worship of God so carelesly Againe if Shepheards Heardsmen can finde meanes to goe to faires and markets if they can picke out time to goe visit their friends why may they not also prouide to heare the word of God on the Sabbath day Well be not deceiued God is not mocked Looke how a man soweth so shall he reape In some places Brewers and Bakers pretend great necessitie If it be so then our generall rule permitteth a libertie but yet on this manner if they cannot dispatch their busines on the sixe daies they should rise betimes on the Lords day that they may do all they haue to do with as little losse as may be and if they must needes begin their worke against the day next after the Sabbath let them doe it as lately in the euening as they can that at the publike exercises they bee not interrupted nor drawne
doe affirme that on that day it perisheth if it be vngathered on which day it commeth foorth then I do think that by the law of necessitie this thing happening it may be gathered on the Sabbath yet with these conditions that as many gather as can conueniently be gotten that no publike exercise of the worship of God be omitted that their mindes be holy and spiritually occupied that gather it Now if some will obiect that there is somewhat in the order of nature which fighteth with the ordinance of this law I answere for as much as this thing commeth on the Lords day but seldome times that therefore it is not a thing ordinarie but as a work of necessitie Now to fold vp this question we required in gathering that we should be spiritually minded which they may shewe in giuing it a marke of separation that is that they bestow it on the poorer if the be of they more wealthie sort if they be of meaner condition yet they may impart something to their more needie brethren as testifying thereby that they seeke not their gaine but the glorie of God It remaineth briefly and in a word to speake of trauailing which if it bee ordinarie and vsuall is in no case lawfull but if it be extraordinarie and necessarie as often it happeneth to Lawyers or Physitions the according to the necessitie it is more or lesse permitted We see that many Papists wil not stirre out on their Saints daies whereby is detected the want of our spirituall loue which make no conscience to cease on the Lords day And so the religion deuised by man findeth better entertainment a further practise than that which was ordained by God If any man obiect the losse of his liuing if he should not labour on this day I oppose against that the losse of God his glorie and that with his interrogatory whether the miserable pelfe of man should not giue roome to the immortal glorie of God And experience confirmeth the trueth of Gods word that in vaine men rise early and so late take their rest in vaine they build and take so great paines when the Lord denieth the blessing And what were it to bee rich by policie and poore by God his displeasure What though the bagge be heauie and their consciences troubled What if they be rich with men and poore with God Againe who is it that so disposed of his iournies and his affaires so as some making conscience of their Sabbath are in their iournies in one day better prospered in their affaires in one houre more furthered than many others contemning the ordinance of God are in many houres and in many dayes Who directeth men to bee prouident in their sales and bargainings Who besotteth and infatuateth others Who sendeth a man that not for a simple desire of gaine but for a single care to walke in his calling vseth the trade of buying and selling moe chapmen in one houre than another man hath in an whole day whose heart is inflamed whose eyes are inkindled with louing gaine and looking for profit howsoeuer it come by hooke or by crooke Men ascribe this to chance and so they oft by the iust iudgement of God receiue a blanke that is trusting to the blind world they receiue not so much gaine as will acquite their charges Can men trauaile day and night by sea and by land and that for a thing transitorie and will they reach out no houres for the defence of God his worship Doe they feare theeues if they inlarge their iourney for the keeping of a good conscience are they not afraid of theeues when for their worldly affections they can trauaile early and late Because herein the terror of their owne consciences will preach more forcibly to them than I can speake I will leaue them to that practise of the man of God which is vsed Nehem. 12 And thus hauing spoken of the workes of our callings now wee are to speake of the workes of our pleasures Concerning the lawfull recreations of this life which Christianity doth permit and not forbid for of vnlawfull pleasures being alwaies out of season and especially on the Sabbath we haue nothing to say whether they may haue place and time on the Lords day or no here is the question In this part of the treatise I say wee doe not speake of prophane idle pleasures but of them which bring some further vse after they be vsed which are permitted by the word of God so measure in them may be vsed and they be sanctified vnto vs by the word and by prayer And yet euen for these we dare not giue the time consecrated to God vnto playing and pleasures Neither are we curiously to frame any exquisite diuision in this matter but first we will consider of the feasts and bankets accustomed on this day and afterward of other recreations and exercises at that time frequented and vsed which though in their time place and persons they are not vnlawfull yet at this time on the Lords day we denie them to be lawfull As for feasts we may part them into Loue feasts Church feasts sumptuous feasts which carie with them some further expences and larger liberalitie as are those which are vsed at mariages at the admitting of men into their ciuill offices or else are taken vp for some speciall benefits receiued or some extraordinarie iudgements remoued or some other causes like vnto these as when men carying some port and countenance in the common wealth according to their degrees and callings at some times doe ordaine Touching these solemne and sumptuous feasts thus much we affirme briefly Such as on the Lords day institute such solemnities and stuffe euery office and bumbast euery corner of the house with men and women are to be admonished duly to consider of that which is reported of Dauid both in the historie of the Kings and in the booke of the Chronicles who hauing a vaine desire and superfluous appetite would not deferre but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced citie and from whence water could not be conueied by hand without some ieopardie to them that fetcht it Wherfore three of his most worthie men haue this busines assigned them to the compassing whereof their liues were hazarded At their returne grace making his after fruites better than the former after better deliberation vsed he powred forth the water on the ground saying God forbid that I should drink the blood or the liues of these three men shewing thereby both his offence in sending them the free mercie of God in sauing them Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot cōueniently be vsed on the Sabbath without the hazard of mens soules though the Lord in mercie may saue their soules as in that diuers offices in great families require diuers persons to performe diuers duties and so that which is a day of rest is made a
the spirits of men 1. Ioh. 4. to make souÌ„der confession of our faith to stop the mouthes of our aduersaries and to answere the temptations of Sathan and the wicked But because men sinne not onely in neglect of hearing and reading but also in hearing and reading amisse therefore the properties of reuerent faithfull reading and hearing are to be set downe which are these that follow they be eight in number 1. Diligence 2. Wisedome 3. Preparation 4. Meditation 5. Conference 6. Faith 7. Practise 8. Prayer The three first goe before reading and preaching The foure next come after them The last must goe before and be with them and come after them 1 If diligence be necessarie in reading prophane authors then much more in reading the Scriptures Diligence maketh a rough way plaine and easie and of good taste which otherwise is hard and vnfauourie In our diligence we must keepe an euen course and not to be like those who vpon some sudden good motion or by reason of some good companie or by reason of some good action draw neere or for feare of danger c. reade for a time and soone after giue ouer againe Reade Prou. 2. 12. Matth. 13. 54. 2 With diligence must be ioyned wisedome which is in choise of Matter Order Time For want of wisedome in the matter they reade many sinne in studying other bookes before the Scriptures and in the Scriptures in searching things not reuealed and pretermitting things reuealed as Iohn and Iames sought who should sit at Christs right hand and left hand but they sought not to come thither And the Disciples said Act. 1. Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel not asking the meanes to come to the kingdome of heauen And in things reuealed many will curiously and busily search for things not profitable as genealogies and caresly neglect the things that are to be searched And some ignorant how to reforme themselues will be talking of reforming the Church And if the Preacher must giue milke to the weake and stronger meate to the stronger Christians if he must thus applie his doctrine to the hearers then much more the hearers themselues must applie their owne reading to their owne capacities Wisedome is in order as that men must be first grounded in the principall points of doctrine first we must lay the foundation and build vpon the same also we must keep an order in our readings and not be now in this place now in another for order is the best helpe for memorie and vnderstanding he that readeth little after a good manner profiteth more than he that readeth much otherwise as he that â—impeth in the way doth better than he that runneth in another way or out of the way Therefore for want of order many reade much but profit little Wisedome must be vsed in discerning the times for we must not reade alwaies and doe nothing else as some offending in the one extreame are after driuen by Sathan to the other The Sabbath is wholy to be spent in such exercises on other daies in the morning at noone and in the euening that is when we may redeeme the day from the workes of our calling as Dauid and Daniel did pray at these three times vnder which is contained all the worship of God Wee must doe as much as we can euery day and no day must passe without a line God hath made euery thing beautifull in his time Ecclesiast 3. vers 11. 3 Preparation followeth If any man goe away without any profit and either vnderstandeth not or vnderstandeth amisse want of preparation is the cause Preparation is 1 In feare of God his Maiestie 2 In faith in Iesus Christ. 3 In a good and honest heart with a greedie desire to eate vp Gods word In all apparitions God alwaies sent feare before as his apparitor it ingendreth teachablenesse and meekenesse of minde as we see in Isaac who as it is said feared and then he said I haue blessed Iacob and he shall be blessed We see it also in the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 7. and in the men Act. 2. From want of this reuerent feare commeth all checking of God his word and that men dare be so bold with it but they that feare will be swift to heare and slow to speake Iames. 1. 19. and will lay vp his word in their heart with the Virgin Mary Though they vnderstand it not though they kicke at the word and spurne against it yet if God once teach them with his feare then will they acknowledge it to be the blessed word of God Feare commeth vpon men sometime they know not how and if then they go to God they shall finde some excellent blessing either in hauing their vnderstanding inlightened or some good affections put into them This feare is in respect of God his Maiestie and our owne corruption to correct the pride of reason and to controll our affections and experience will shew that when our reason and affections are tamed by miserie calamitie sicknes and inward griefe then we are very teachable And when men erre then the pride of their reason is punished as in heretikes and prophane persons Contrarily God his good spirit resteth vpon the humble to cleere their vnderstandings but they first crucifie their vnderstanding and affections and offer them vp in a sacrifice to God Faith in Christ is the second thing in this preparation we must bring that with vs when we come to read looking on him as on the Messiah that must teach vs all things he is the Lion of the tribe of Iuda to whom it is giuen to open the booke of God He opened the hearts of the Disciples going to Emaus Preachers build hay and stubble because they doe not onely glory in him but doe seeke credit and preferment by preaching themselues All heretikes differ among themselues yet they all agree in this that they eâ—â—e from Iesus Christ. A heart prepared to learne is required Pro. 17. 16. Wherefore is there a price in the heart of a foole to get wisedome and he hath no heart Our Lord Iesus Christ saith that those that brought forth fruit when they had heard some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred fold they were such as receiued the word with a good and honest heart Luc. 8. Here saith a godly and learned man men are shut out because they come without a heart Now follow the properties that must follow our readings Whereof the first is meditation the want of which makes men depart without fruit though they reade or heate diligently Meditation makes that which we haue read to be our owne He is blessed which meaitates in the law day and night Psal. 1. 2. Meditation is either of the Minde and vnderstanding Heart and affections Meditation of the vnderstanding is when reason discourseth of things read or heard which the wise of the Heathen call the refining of iudgement the life
should we be burthened with the traditions of Esaues Heremites and Heretikes It is said of Basil the great and Nazianzene the learned that they vse thus to macerate their bodies with very often abstinence but what followes after they were made as a great learned Censurer saith vnprofitable to the Church lying sicke sometimes halfe a yeere sometimes an whole yeere Why then should wee tempt God to lay an yoke vpon the disciples necks which neuer our fathers were able to beare Seeing wee are dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as though wee were in the world should wee bee burthened with traditions as touch not tâ—ste not handle not which all perish with vsing and are after the commandement and doctrine of men which things indeede haue a shâ—we of wisedome in voluntarie religion and humilitie of minde and nâ—t sparing the bodie but are of no value saue for the fulfilling of the flesh Moreouer wee must learne to make a difference betweene a temperate moderate vse of Gods creatures which we call sobrietie and ought alwaies to appeare in the life of Christians and an vtter abstinence from the vse of the creatures called Fasting which neither by Gods word ought nor yet by naturall reason can be continually or daily And here let vs learne to auoide the extremities to keepe the meane in fasting which master Bucer hath taught vs who saith that if we â—schue not fasting at all or fasting too much wee shall fast aright Call they this a fast for a man to abstaine euery day from a meales meate to vse prayer at morning and at night although that hee spend the most part of the day and the whole night in the commodities refreshings and pleasures of this life this is no sound Diuinitie The blessed Baptists course and rusticall diet of locusts and wilde hony which he vsed according to the nature of the barren and wilde soile wherein hee liued maketh nothing for this purpose vnlesse those that will haue it vsed put on also the Camels hayteâ— His disciples which foolishly followed him without a warrant of that which he did vpon good ground are said to fast not euery day but oftentimes The hyperbolicall phrases of praying and fasting and of the continuall abode day and night in the Temple of the ancient Anna a widowe of fourescore and foure yeeres liuing in contemplation will not serue to proue that a daily exercise of fasting should bee vsed of married folkes and others that leade a life actiue either ciuill or ecclesiâ—sticall who for their yeeres may endure the traueiles of their minde and bodie and by their calling are bound sixe dayes in the weeke without some speciall occasion to follow the workes of the same and on the seuenth day to celebrate a feast vnto the Lord and not a fast with the Manicheâ—s Thus the most excellent seruants of God Dauid Daniel and Paul are most notably commended vnto vs for their holy exercises of prayer and fasting whereof one as we read they vsed daily and according to their ordinarie wants the other vpon speciall and extraordinarie needes which God did presse them with These examples are wee bound to followe so farre forth as they followed Christ who although hee fasted no doubt verie manie times yet notwithstanding his life was so farre from a daily fast that it was thought a continuall feaste Indeede the Popish fast may well enough and without danger to the bodie bee continually and daily vsed and yet many wayes dangerous and hurtfull to the soule but other fasting being daily vsed would bee both hurtfull to the bodie in puffing it vp with windes and filling it vp with corrupt humours and also to the soule in that pride would bee ingendred and noisome opinions also nourished in it A true fast requireth not an emptinesse of the bellie onelie because the kingdome of heauen is neither in meate nor drinke and that if wee eate wee are not the worse and if we eate not we are not the better and seeing the bodily exercise profiteth little yea oftentimes hurteth much more in puffing vp the minde than it can doe good in pulling it downe wee must as much and as carefully vse the word and prayer and other holy exercises publike and priuate for the increase of spirituall things as we vse abstinence from naturall adding so many meanes to the inward man as we take from the outward that wee may not onely humble our selues in body but in both together that we waite on Gods good time to receiue from him coÌ„fort to our spirites as wee looke and make account shortly to take sustenance for our bodies Besides the true fast requireth vs to rest from our ordinarie profits and pleasures and if it be publike to heare also two three or foure Sermons in one day with long and feruent prayer and serious meditation before in the midst and after these exercises reuerent reading of the Scriptures of singing of Psalmes ioyned with fasting as it is perfectly taught in the perfect vse and true ende of this exercise The Prophets Isaiah and Ioel thought it not enough to exhort the people to true repeÌ„tance but called also for the publike exercise of the same which doctrine of the Prophets is sealed by Nehemiah and Ezrah and the rest of the people who notwithstanding had their notable profiting in the knowledge of the lawe yet seeing the secret threatnings of the Lord against their spirituall euils added this meane of a fast beyond the ordinarie vse of the word leauing an example to the Church for her instruction in all ages Were we as sharpe sighted as tender conscienced as they we might discerne greater iudgements threatned of the Lord against vs and feele more spiritual euils in our selues than euer they did for to let passe that great plague of the Lord vpon our times as the Ministerie so ignorant and dissolute such sacriledge by impropriations and irreligious Patrons which are not all this while amended the carnall life of Protestants the stifnesse of Papists which cannot thus long be conuerted the dangerous dissembling of Atheists and Machiauelists in the Church and coÌ„monwealth the long bitter contentions of the true professours besides many moe euils not to be spoken and many knowne and professed euils in these dayes against which hitherto neither lawe hath been established nor the preaching preuailed and wee forget our brethrens calamitie in the persecuted Churches with whom we haue thus long and still doe forget to mourne Hath not the Lord himselfe blowne a Trumpet to our Fasts let then those which are the Ministers of the Lord be continually exhorting hereunto God graunt them to rebuke sinne to threaten the law moue Repentance and to vrge Fasting OF THE SENDING OF THE HOLY GHOST Acts. 2. 14 15 16 17 c. 14 But Peter standing with the eleuen lift vp his voyce and saide vnto them Yee men of Iudea and yee all that inhabite in Hierusalem bee this knowne vnto
you and hearken vnto my words 15 For these are not drunken as ye suppose since it is but the third houre of the day 16 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel. 17 And it shall be in the last dayes saith God I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames IN the former part of this chapter is set down the worke of God in sending downe the holy Ghost on the Apostles as also the effects hereof both in the Apostles and in the hearers wonderful in the one diuerse in the other the Apostles speaking with such strage tongues the hearers hitherto not greatly moued but secretly murmuring saying they had drunke deepely and so became eloquent Whereat Peter taking this good occasion confuteth them by two reasons first telling them it was but yet nine of the clock or the third houre of the day at what time men vse not to be drunken Nay saith hee it is so far off that we are drunken as ye suppose that it is with vs cleane coÌ„trarie For the thing is not come to passe that one of your owne Prophets foretold you it is not superfluitie of drink but an aboundance of God his spirit not promised by speciall priuiledge to vs alone but to all sexes conditions and estates of men whatsoeuer if ye be prepared to receiue it For as the Lord hath bestowed the gifts of his spirit on vs so will he also doe it to you if ye wilfully refuse not and therefore the Lord is readie now to worke wonders in the world whoso either wittingly refuseth or carelesly abuseth these graces shall be snared in these iudgements yet so as the Lord being more readie to magnifie his mercie than to shew his iustice will accomplish this that whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall both escape the iudgements threatned and also obtaine these And thus much both generally briefely for the scope of this place More particularly we may obserue three speciall poynts first the liberall testimonie of Ioel and his rich commendation of the grace of God in bestowing such graces on his Church vnder the kingdome of Iesus Christ and this is set downe vers 17. 18. the second thing is that at what time the Lord will thus deale with his people the Lord will send many iudgements as heresies offences dearths plagues and warres which here are declared in figuratiue and borrowed speeches of blood fire vapour of smoke and such like whereby he will punish and auenge himselfe for the contempt of so gracious mercies as vers 19. 20. and the third thing is the meanes how wee shall escape such heauie iudgements and attaine to such heauenly graces and so perseuere in them which is declared vers 21. But before we enter further into the deep discourse of these particular poynts we will obserue the occasion and the circumstances of this speech of Peter the occasion was that the people not profiting by the former and marueilous work of the Lord the Apostle taketh occasion further to instruct them that were teachable and to reproue the scorners and yet he was not so offended at them in that God his wonderfull works did nothing profit them as that therefore he left off all but he stirreth vp himselâ—e the more earnestly and endeuoureth familiarly to teach them Whereby we are to learne not rashly suddainly or vnaduisedly too much to be offended at the not profiting slender profiting or back sliding of some but rather we must labour to attempt the matter with a new onset remembring alwaies that not onely a woe is threatned to them that giue iust occasion of offence but also vnto them that in Christ doe take offence and therefore taking a view of our selues either in naturall or spirituall gifts we must trie our selues how patiently we can susteine without offence either the want or resistance of the like gifts in others and yet we see that if after some meanes vsed men goe slowlie forward and not make such speedie proceedings as is desired men for the most part are readie to leaue off all and are glad to draw out of the yoke of their duetie as thinking themselues well exempted and as it were discharged when as spirituall men in such cases thinke themselues to be stirred vp to the more earnest and painefull vsing of the meanes to which well meaning minds and to men of so vpright an heart the Lord often giueth good increase of gifts that they may imploy the vse of them vnto others And surely if flesh and blood might iudge in such a case we would thinke that this present occasion might haue made Peter giue ouer and goe from the people but he more meekely and modestly as the foreman of the quest followeth the matter and answereth vnto them as we haue heard We may reade Acts 6. how there did arise a murmuring betweene the Iewes and the Grecians in so much as the Apostles credit began to be called into question that they had not care of the widowes which was a dutie belonging vnto them as though they had the faith of God in respect of persons This might seeme to be able to discourage them but contrariwise through the blessing of God his spirit they espied their own wants in themselues and began to seeke a new Ministerie Now if they had taken the matter too much to heart they might haue become vnprofitable but they meekely passing ouer the offence and wisely looking to the counsell of God thought themselues to be but men and that they could not infinitely bee ocupied or busied in many things ordained Deacons in the Church This then we must make a speciall vse of when for some good meanes vsed or otherwise much vnkindnes is offered vs euen of our friends or we find little thankes for our trauell nay sometime reape reproches at their hands for our reward that then we growe not slacker in our duties or waxe colde in loue and droope in our affection towards them which if we doe we shall bewray that our affection was meerely and onely naturall and not spirituall True it is and cannot be denied that a kinde heart and liberall minde is most broken with reproches but yet this offence must be ouercome and striuen against in vs after the example both of Peter in our present text and of the rest of the Apostles in that former place Acts 6. who rather tooke occasioÌ„ to accuse themselues than to cease to be profitable to the Church of Christ. Neither is it neither ought it to seeme to vs a strange thing that the graces and gifts of God haue found such cold entertainement yea which is a thing more contrarie great repulses and reproches Much learning saith Festus Acts 26. 24. maketh Paul mad the workes of God his spirit here are counted drunkennes Ezechiel is thought to sing a
other doctrine Good things cannot long find entertainement in our corruptions vnlesse the holy ghost hath changed vs from our old delights to conceiue pleasure in these things Where loue is there is no lack in pleasure there is no paine and when we finde the pearle of price which passeth all vnderstanding we will sell all our former delights and depart from our vaine pleasures to purchase this It is a continuall ioy that worketh a conscience to vse the meanes of any thing it is an abounding delight that auoydeth and fenceth off all wearisomnes in good things wherefore the holy Ghost saith Be yee filled with the Spirit and in another place Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously In which place we are to gather that there is in vs sometime an emptinesse of the Spirit and a scantnesse of the power of the holy ghost the spirit of God is not so mightie in operation grace is not so plentifull the word is not so powerful in vs and from hence commeth our momentarie ioy and transitorie gladnes And my tongue reioyceth That which in truth is inward will in time shewe it selfe outward as wee may see in these holy affections of the man of God The Prophet himselfe confirmeth this in another place Psalm 116. 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake which the Apostle repeateth in the person of the whole Church 2. Cor. 4. 13. because we haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore we speake And Rom. 10. 10. it is saide With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the tongue man confesseth to saluation and sure it is that of the abundance of the ioy of the heart the mouth reioyceth as coÌ„trariwise of the abundance of the griefe of the heart although there may be for a while an inward deuouring binding and suppressing of sorrow yet it will in time breake forth and wee shall euen rore for disquietnes of minde and cannot hold long vntill we haue eased our hearts with some outward complaint For we see if a man haue a through griefe how it consumeth him vnlesse he vtter it Againe if a man hath conceiued a true ioy how he longeth how hee is rauished how hee trauaileth vntill he hath brought it forth If then in any good measure we feele the ioy of the spirit the tongue will be at commaundement to vtter it Wherefore we are to try our selues and examine our hearts whether we heare reade pray or sing with this grace in our hearts with this ioy in our spirits with this comfort of conscience let vs lament considering how singing and spirituall reioycing is decayed how great a stranger the word is with vs what little delight and alacritie we haue in holy and religious exercises and let vs accuse our selues that therefore our tongues cleaue to the rough roofe of our mouth because our hearts are lockt vp in securitie which vndoubtedly is so open to all men that there is no man but bewaileth his want of inward ioy Many indeed as hypocrites can blow and bellow outwardly who make no melodie in their hearts who sing not in grace who haue not the sweete and naturall voyce which commeth from a well affected and right ordered minde either ioyfully shewing a godly digested mirth or dolefully breathing out into the passions of an exercised minde My flesh also doth rest in hope See his godly ioy made him haue a securitie in his flesh It is our naturally infirmitie that wee haue a trembling of the flesh which hindereth in vs many good actions as may be seene in our thoughts suspecting of dangers scarefull imaginations and wandring conceits forecasting this euill and that euill to the great disturbing and disordering of the peace of our minds all the which excessiue feares were in this man of God wisely corrected though not vtterly remoued but suppressed in him by faith Whereof commeth then our carnall and immoderate feares in dangers but of want of faith This our Sauiour Christ teacheth his disciples at what time they were with him being asleepe in a tempest on the seas when they through vnbeliefe feared his diuinitie to haue slept with his humanitie where he saith vnto them O yee little faith why doe you not beleeue Heere wee see hee rebuketh their excessiue feare which thing hee also doth almost in the same manner When they carnally feared him to haue been a spirit as he walked on the seas they were not throughly perswaded that God was their portion their inheritance and watched ouer them for if they had they would haue corrected these fleshly and immoderate feaâ—â—s that they should not haue hindred their holy meditations of God his powerful prouidence nor their prayers for his gratious assistance nor any other good exercises of their mindes Thus we see how the sure perswasion of God to be his inheritance his mainteiner both in soule and body his reacher both by day and by night both by his word and his spirit made the man of God secure both in soule and body And what caused this partly that which wee spake of before partly that which followeth for thou wilt â—ot leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption so that the promises already tasted of and the sure expectation to haue the good worke begunne to bee finished in him made him rest in hope and hauing God his cause in hand he saw how the Lord would not onely watch ouer him for his present estate but also would guide him to immortalitie Behold how his inward assurance wrought an outward safetie wherby wee plainely see that where there is a want of this comfort and faith in the soule there is a want of peace and securitie in the body It is our vnbeliefe then that hatcheth and nourisheth wandring thoughts and filleth our braine with suspitious phantasies and fruitlesse illusions dreaming of dangers where there are none and imagining mountaines where scarsely are molehils Let vs then strengthen our faith and certifie our soules that our flesh shall stand before God which will so worke in vs that neither flesh and blood shall weigh vs downe with securitie in time of prosperitie nor ouerlode vs with desperate terrours in time of aduersitie Neither as we said must we thinke Dauid to be a senselesse Stoick as feeling no troubles but that by the power of God he was in trouble a triumphant conquerour and in all these dangers through faith more than a victorer For as God reserueth his vnspeakeable ioyes for his children in vntolerable agonies so he neuer armeth them strongly but he prepareth them a field wherethey must fight stoutly Oh that this heauenly ioy were in vs more aboundantly and of moe men more frequented then should not the small remnant that now alwayes vse it be counted and called precisians then should wee giue more liuely testimonies of our effectuall faith to
see many men that will come and are driuen to subscribe to these generall speeches That the righteousnes of the Lord is euerlasting so they will easily be brought to discredit the word whereunto they will not stand For the Turke cleaueth to his dreames the Pope to his traditions the heretikes to their reuelations the heathen to their fantasies the worldlings to their policies Thy word is truth 1. As there is one sure and neuer changing righteousnes so I will not clime vp to heauen to seeke for it there I will not goe down to the low places of the earth to seeke it out there neither will I descend into hell for it but I will looke for it in thy word according to that Deut. 30 11. 12. 13. 14. This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre off it is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who should goe from vs to heauen neither is it beyond the sea c. And Rom. 10. 6. Say nos in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen who shall descend into the depth c. Here then is the difference betweene the heretikes and Christians Idolaters will haue Gods word but ioyned with their traditions heretikes will haue the word but with their reuelations But we say that it is all perfit it is a through truth and all truth hauing nothing too much nor any thing too little For it were a disgrace to adde or detract froÌ„ it to ascribe excesse or defect to it So the Prophet his sense is this Seeing I goe not to the right hand or to the left though I am contemned yet herein I stay my selfe because thou hast one righteousnes which thou hast certainly set down in thy word how thy children shall be gouerned by it Here we may also see the infinite wisedome and goodnes of God because otherwise what misery should we haue been in seeing so many heads there would haue been so many religions Wherefore the Lord hath set downe one perfit rule to gouerne all wherein nothing is either abounding or wanting Our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 17. Father sanctifie them thy word is truth Father sanctifie them and seuer them out being thine with the word it is true Saint Iames saith We are begotten by the pure word this is that sword of the spirite which heretikes cannot abide and putteth Sathan to flight and giueth vs an happie issue and speedie out-gate in all our troubles and temptations if wee stay vpon it This doctrine is as necessarie also for manners euery wicked man will confesse the word to be true yet if we come to examine their life they will faile for if they were perswaded that the word were truth how durst they liue so profane such swearers such murderers such adulterers such theeues and such slaunderers So that we must needs confesse that the word for doctrine preserueth vs from heresies and for life saueth vs from many corruptions We must then labour that the word may haue a credit in our coÌ„sciences that we may not onely confesse God to bee true mercifull iust and righteous which euery of-scouring of the world may doe but let vs beleeue that all is trueth mercie iustice and righteousnesse is sufficiently set downe in the word which word the Lord hath set downe for all vs to beleeue and to obey Vers. 143. Trouble and anguish are come vpon mee yet are thy commaundements my delight SEe here is a further thing The sense then of the words is this Seeing thy righteousnes â—s constant and there is one constant rule of it therefore where besides my contemning I feele also trouble I doe not onely forget thy word but also much delight in it See a rare gift in the man of God for this is a singular gift of God not onely in anguish to bee heauily troubled but also to be comforted not to doe good heauily but to doe it cheerefully In that hee vseth as it were a doubling of the word trouble and sorrowe hee sheweth his griefe to bee the greater It is â—n hard matter not to forget God in trouble but a far greater matter then to haue a delight and a pleasure in the word yet so it is that if we can come neere the one wee shall also come neere the other Here is our strength if wee forget not the word and nourish not vnbeleefe ioy and delight will come after because it is the mercie of the Lord inwardly to recompence that which outwardly hee detracteth from vs. Thy word is my delight or my delight is in thy word This is the same that the Apostle reporteth of himselfe Rom. 7 22. I delight in the law of God concerning mine inner man The way to come to this is to fight against vnbeleefe to beleeue the word is most pure and holy It is a singular comfort to vs though our minde be troubled when we should doe good yet to doe it sith after we haue done it it leaueth a pleasure behinde incontrariwise how sweete soeuer sinne is in committing the pleasure will depart but the sting of sinne remaineth with vs still And surely it is a great quickning to a man when hee doth doe well True it is that this quickning commeth from the peace of conscience But when wee cannot onely reioyce in the forgiuenes of sinnes but feele a speciall comfort arise when wee doe well this is a double quickning For what can bee more comfortable then to be fruitfull in good workes in time of trouble When did faith loue patience constancie meekenes and boldnesse more abundantly flourish in the Church than in trouble In prosperitie wee defer and delay from day to day from to morrow to next day to doe well but when the hand of the Lord is vpon vs it setteth vs forward to the worke This then must mitigate our griefe in time of trouble and make vs iealous of our prâ—spâ—riâ—ie because wee are fuller of the exercise of weldoing in trouble than otherwise Besides a preacher may better perswade good things in time of trouble than in prosperitie Well as it is a generall rule in all things that a good beginning is as good as halfe done so as it is in all godlines likewise is it in this part of godlines What is the cause why men cannot come to this ioy in trouble euen because in the very entrance of it they straight forget the word and so they either despaire or vse vnlawfull meanes This is a thing needfull to be considered of For if a man bee in trouble and hath nothing to ouermatch it then his trouble will ouerquel him For why doe men in trouble lay violent hands on themselues but because they haue nothing in their mindes to comfort them therefore they fal to desperate meanes Wherefore Gods children should soone despaire were it not that they felt comfort in the remission of sinnes and stay themselues on a godly securitie in God his promises and prouidence
haue our loue and hatred proportionable to the things loued and hated and our affections must be answerable either in liking the things which are commaunded or in misliking the things which are forbidden If our first loue decay it will first come to be cold and then to be none Wherefore the holy Ghost doth exhort men in the booke of the Prouerbs that their loue should be wholy set on their wiues and so they should not couet any other And Isaac who is said to loue his wife Rebecca deerely neuer fell into the sin of Polygamie or concubines So our loue to the word must be so through a loue that it take vp all our affections and so may shut out all that comes in the way which either might empaire part of our loue or spoyle vs of the whole We see in them that are irreconciliable what hatred is in them We may see how many hauing found sometimes terrour of conscience haue fallen from the hatred of sinne to the like of it and so haue made relapse either into old sins from which they were deliuered or else into some new sins where with before they were not acquainted Wherefore we must pray that our loue to good things and hatred to euill may daily be growing For if we stand at a stay we shall come to lesse and lesse yea in the end we shall shake hands with sinne againe For many are so cold in the pursuite of sinne that it is to be feared that the Lord will plague vs either with heresie or with profanenesse For whereof commeth our commending of Papists and heretikes that we can say Surely he is an honest man it is pitie he is a Papist I knew neuer any ill by him it is to be feared we shall come to be such Papists for want of more feruent hatred against them Vers. 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements AS before the man of God spake of his ioy feare and hatred so now he sheweth his loue which therefore seemeth to be no colde loue because it made him seuen times a day to praise the Lord. As the children of God cannot satisfie themselues in the hatred of sinne no more can they satisfie themselues in the loue of the Lord. And as for their true hatred of sinne they abhor it not onely in themselues but in others so for the true loue of the Lord they loue it not only in themselues but in others wheresoeuer they finde it The meaning of the man of God briefely is thus much because I see O Lord that thou performest thy promise vnto thy children and executest thy threatnings on the wicked I praise thee and when I consider the examples of thy iudgements and see thy truth so iust I delight in praising thee The cause then why we haue no more pleasure in praising God is because we obserue no more diligently Gods mercy and truth fulfilled and executed in our selues or in others Seuen times a day If this be vsed on any day doubtlesse on the Sabbath day because in respect of our callings other dayes are full of distractions neither are the mindes at such libertie as they are at other times The Apostle Ephes. 5. 16. saith Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be ye fulfilled in the spirit 29. speaking vnto your selues in psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs c as if he should say whereas other men cannot be merie vnlesse they be mad and they can finde no solace without their own conceits yet it is good for you in your most mirth to be plentiful in the spirit in good affections The same thing is vrged Colos. 3. 16 Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes c. What shall now become of them who thinke they doe God great good seruice to come twise on the Lord his day to the Church and thinke it a sufficient discharge for them seeing the Prophet protesteth that hee came seuen times a day to praise God that is Often he resorted to this sacrifice for this phrase of speech is vsuall in the word to set down a certaine number to expresse an vncertaine thing These remember not the often frequenting of priuate praier thanksgiuing conference admonitiō preparation visiting of the sicke almes giuing which be duties of loue annexed with the former publike duties of religion and as wel to be vsed in the Lords day as the other If this then be not to be done on the Sabbath day when should we do it True it is that with the good seruants of God Dauid and Daniel wee take vp euery day at morning noonetide and euening to praise the Lord but especially wee must remember to speake of these wonderfull workes of the Lord in the Sabbath as that 92 Psalme which is a Psalme of the Sabbath doth teach vs. Thus see how the Sabbath should wholy from morning to night be spent in these exercises and therefore is it set apart from all other dayes because that worship of God which we doe but in part on other dayes may now wholy be spent on the Lord. We see in time of Poperie how holy men would be at their solemne feasts as at Christ his tide Easter Candlemasse as they call it Holy thursday and Al-saints day Were they so superstitious in ill and shall we be cold in good things were they so feruent in idolatrie and shall we be so zealeles in the Lord his dayes wherein we haue all things doth not this day teach vs the benefits of Christs birth the profit of his Passion the fruite of his Resurrection the glorie of his Ascension the ioy of the comming of the holy Ghost doth it not teach vs how in this world we may praise God with his Angels and how hereafter we shall be occupied in heauen Wherefore let vs pray often in that day let vs examine our hearts what sinnes we haue done what benefits we haue receiued let vs prepare our selues before the congregation is gathered when they are assembled let vs so pray and heare that after the departure we may examine our hearing by meditating applying and conferring the prayers by the effects of them Thus in priuate and publike exercises in matters of religion and practises of loue we are to spend the whole Sabbath Alas how far are they now from praising God now seuen times in the day who passe it ouer in pleasures and so end it in their owne delights who no maruell must needes slip in common life who fall so deepely into God his course Doe I praise thee By naming one part of the exercise of God his worship hee comprehendeth many for it is not like that he contented himselfe with praising of God but that he also prayed heard meditated and conferred of the word and setting downe by name that whereunto we are most vnapt and most hardly drawne he includeth those things which
depriueth himselfe of this meditation weakeneth his faith For it is to our comfort and humbling To our comfort that albeit we be in danger and no man with vs yet God and his Angels be with vs. To humble vs that in euill doing they both see vs and can hurt vs as also the euill angels which still houer ouer vs. And therefore we must knowe that as the good Angels haue appeared to good men for speciall defence so the foule spirits doe appeare also to some men for speciall sinnes And when euill spirits so appeare we may not with the Papists and the Iewes beleeue they be soules departed but the euill spirits in the ayre about vs Epes 6. 11. 12. 13. CHAP. VIII Of Baptisme BAptisme is a pledge of our washing in Christs blood Act. 2. 30. of our iustification Gal. 3. 27. of our ingrafting into Christs body Ephe. 4. 16. of our dying to sinne Rom. 6. 3. of our resurrection 1. Cor. 15. 26. of our vnitie of spirit with our brethren Ephe. 44. of not seeking our owne 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. 24. 2 Of Baptisme in Papistry this we may say for as much as they euer kept the foundation the substance of the institution of Christ that Sacrament was effectuall for more preuaileth the institution of Christ vnto good than the corruption of man vnto euill 3 The example of Zipphorah cannot be followed amongst vs that women should baptize though Papists abuse that example to proue it for the ministration of the Sacrament is ioyned to the ministerie of the word which office none can take except he be called as Aaron was and it is a most waightie and most honourable office to haue the word and seales of our reconciliation committed vnto vs. 4 It is obiected that it is a dangerous matter to want Baptisme it causeth death I answere The child saith the story was not punished but Moses through whom that contempt came for when as it is said Gen. 17. that the man not circumcised shall be cut off the reason is this because he despiseth the couenant of the Lord. Now a child caÌ„not so do therefore the negligent father is punished and if the child come to yeeres continue in his fathers steps he is in the same state of rebellion contempt against God and so it is in our Baptisme Againe this popish opinion of the necessitie of Baptisme is confuted by the Lords institution of Circumcision the eight day for if this necessitie had been in Circumcision which they affirme to be in Baptisme all that dyed before the eight day were condemned The Lords meaning was in appointing this conuenient time to prouide that the child might haue more strength to beare the wound and this regard of time is fit to be obserued also with vs that this holy worke might be done on the Sabbath day in the congregation because it is a publike action by diuine institution 5 Concerning promises in Baptisme and the office of the witnesses which be called Godfathers and Godmothers looke in what things the Scripture giueth general rules the Church may vse the particulars so all be done decently and to edification the law giueth this generall instruction to a man in authoritie to defend the good and to offend the euill he may to this end take some godly man to him for an assistant The law commanding generally to distribute to the poore a man is not able to helpe all particularly therefore he endeuoureth the relieuing of some speciall persons The law commanding generally to helpe one another with godly instructions and no greater need to any than to a father in helping him for the education of children surely this dutie of loue to be an assistant in Baptisme may not be denied Againe to professe ourselues enemies to Arrianisme we vse Glorie be to the Father and to the Son c. all one with that so often in the Psalmes Praise yee the Lord So may we in like manner to auoid Anabaptisme haue witnesses to testifie to the Church that we are Christianly baptized And as we are to renounce all friuolous ceremonies so to keepe the peace of the Church we may not refuse such orders as tend to edification to loue and comelinesse in the Church 6 It is good to teach children while they be young that whereas they haue been baptized and blessed in the name of the Trinitie they should be taught forthwith some questions concerning their creation redemption and sanctification CHAP. IX Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches THere are manie which can be content to make Iacobs vowe that is if they haue meate drinke and cloathing they will serue God but they goe vpwards still in their worldlike accounts and downwards in heauenly things they rise from tens to scores from scores to hundreths they will not goe downeward with Abraham they will haue thousands of sheep els they be but poore they will haue Nabâ—oths vineyard with Ahab and dwell alone els they be sicke Thou hast set vp the heauens high saith the Prophet else surely rich men would haue all the vse of them leese them too So nothing can satisfie mans desire which is infinit but God who infinite And if he haue all the riches in the world he will desire more A very vnnaturall desire is this as the dropsie in desiring drinke when the desire proceeds from fulnes for a man should desire that which he wanteth The minde of a man is not filled with corporall things no more then a chest can be filled with wisdom or spirituall things But presuppose that riches could fill a man if wee had all wealth all riches all apparell wee put not our wealth in our mindes our clothes do vs no good but wheÌ„ they are vpon vs. The possessing of riches doth not so fully possesse the heart but that it can desire a thousand things more 2 Riches are in question whether they be good or no When the Scripture speaks of riches they ioyne alwayes somewhat to them to take away our hearts from them as the deceitfulnes of riches the vncertainty of riches the riches of this world and therfore like the world now here now gone they either haue their own end or our end They make no man good but they are euen like a penie purse which is worth as much as the money that is in it but the money taken out it is nothing worth euen so is the man that hath his good in his riches When they are takeÌ„ from him he is worth nothing he hath no good in him God hath them not and yet he wanteth no good thing It is the common complaint that the worst men doe most abound with them Dauid was faine to goe to Nabal for them Esau had foure hundred men when Iacob lay downe at his feet with a few Sometimes indeed they doe good but that is not sufficient to ground a Maxime they
be saued So that we both by death and in respect of the last day are not to count of any long abode But aboue all there is one principall rule which Christ allowed as an high point of wisdome in Marie in that she made so fit a choise of her times in bestowing them in such a thing as should not be taken from her as no time should bereaue her of it wherin we are taught to thinke that those times which we bestow on God his worship shal not end within the number of our daies but they shal haue their abiding fruit for euer and this wil comfort vs afterwards But when we are occupied in Marthaes busines we may say and what is this what profit will this affoord in death shal not my dayes be cut off what will this auaile me So that it is good to bee exercised in things which concerne the time which runs beyōd the number of our daies shal last as long as God himself shal endure CHAP. XXI Dulnes of spirit and of feeling SVch is the corruption of our nature that albeit we haue beene wonderfully delighted with Gods graces yet when wee abound with them wee lesse esteeme them than when we began to enioy them 2 Wee must desire and endeuour to keepe our selues from deadnes and dulnes and to tie our hearts euer in thankfulnes vnto God After our meats receiued it is good to speake something to the glorie of God If God giue any good matter to take it as offered vnto vs of God If nothing were done or spoken but all silent it were good to seeke some good occasion of speech by reading singing or speaking And we may not tie our selues much to any other meanes for accustomable vse of any one thing bringeth lesse reuerence And then must we endeuour specially to stir vp one another in good speeches when such be present as God makes instruments to teach the same more effectually vnto others and this the Apostle by his example teacheth vs 2. Tim 2. 2. 3 There is a secret inward and spirituall blessing which the elect feele when to the world they seeme accursed and there is a secret curse to the wicked when apparantly they seeme to be blessed 4 As it is no small benefit though we haue not the bright Sun-shining yet to haue the light of it to gouerne the day the heat of it to turne away the cold the effects of it in other workes of nature so it is no small mercie though we haue not the shining countenance of the Lord yet to haue the guiding of our affections by the light of it the possessing of our soules in patience by some feeling of it and the fruits thereof in the peace of our mindes although we feele not the present beames yet we shall see them shine hereafter If we haue not this ioy of our minde as we would in the day of our vocation the Lord wil plentifully giue it vs in the day of our coronation 5 They may bee truely saide to haue profited well which beleeue the word before they feele the effect of it as the threatnings before they feele the smart the promises before they feele the comfort And such as doe not thus beleeue do highly displease God This was the sinne of Thomas which would feele ere he beleeued and this sinne is in vs all therefore all must learne to correct it in themselues And if wee were free from this wee should be free from many euils 6 Although a man do not feele his faith sometimes vnder the crosse as indeede it falleth out often in the best children of God yet when it shall please the Lord to send feeling and deliuerance that man shall see that his faith was great and that the Lord did mightily preserue him from falling yea he shall then perceiue that his faith was stronger when he had not the feeling of Gods fauour than it had beene at some times when hee had great feelings CHAP. XXII Of Catechizing and instruction of Youth THere hath beene a sect both among the heathen and also in our age that thinkes that religion is not to come so low as children but that they are to bee nourished vp boldly and when they come to riper yeeres then to bee instructed in religion and not before So the neathē tel vs as we see in the beginning of the Philosophers morals as also in the opinion of the Orator in the defence of Caelius It is wisedome to let youth haue his course till his heate be abated But if there were any moment in the authoritie of the heathen the whole practise of them were to be preferred before one mans opinion And for their practise certaine it is that the exercise of catechizing was vsed among the Gentiles for we finde it in Porphyries time It was vsuall in Athens for youth to be taught as also the histories of the heathen doe declare that the children were instructed for it was a custome among them not to powle their childrens heads vntill they were taught then to burne their haire as a sacrifice to Apollo who from thenceforth in regard of their skill were allowed to carie tabers in their pompes and solemnities Aristotles meaning in that place is de facto non de eo quod fieri debet Else hee is to be called backe to his seuenth booke de Repub chap. 17. It is expedient for children to bee withdrawne from euil speeches Against the Orator standing at the barre to plead for a lewd young man his owne saying is to be alleaged Offic. lib. 1. That this age must chiefly bee reclaimed from pleasures and lust Exod. 10. 11. Pharaoh being requested of the Israelites that they might goe with their children into the wildernes for to worship maketh a scoffe that their children should go as though religion pertained not to them Matth. 19. 13. When children were brought vnto Christ that he might blesse them his disciples forbad them that brought them as if Christ and children had nothing to do one with another For the first I answere Moses standeth with Pharaoh in that point and will not take so much as he would graunt for the olde except the young may go too And for the second Christ opposeth himselfe to his disciples granting childrē safe conduct to come vnto him pronouncing those accursed that keepe them from him Matth. 18. 6 Psal. 119. 9. The law is not onely giuen for those of ripe yeeres but euen for young men to cleanse their wayes The Iewes note there is mention made of children three times in the Decalogue And though the rest may seeme to admit some doubt yet in catechizing which is comprehended in the Sabbath dayes exercise our sons and our daughters are bound to lesse than wee Exod. 12. 6. If children bee so busie as to aske what is meant by the Passeouer the Lord is so farre from
though they were corrupted for the lord left not his people to worship as they list because Obedience was euer better than Sacrifice The Lord making Lawes respecteth not what any one man needeth but what most stand in neede of therefore seeing there is mention of Priestes Sacrifices Altars Holy-dayes and that the Gentiles which had these borrowed them of the Iewes it is manifest that the Lord neuer left his people to their owne gouernment in his worship 13 The Lord gaue the ten Commandements and spake them himselfe Exo. 20 Deu. 5. Yea Moses added many things hence we may gather that whatsoeues the Lord spake himselfe it belongeth to all that which Moses added was for the Iewes and so is ceremoniall 14 The Lord sanctifieth this day when hee commandeth it to holy vses the people sanctifie it when they so vse it 15 The Iewes were punished not for breaking the ceremonie but for contempt of Gods Commandement and for doing it with an high hand as appeareth there where he that gathered stickes is adiudged to die For first there is a description of the sin and then followeth that in practise which was in word or in precept This is also seene in the lawe of the Fast wherein no man must worke for who so wrought hee should die not for that he wrought but for that he contemned the meanes to be humbled so the like reason generally is for working on the Sabbath and the fasting daies that they were not punished for the ceremonie but for contempt of the ordinance of God so necessary The equirie is in that the Lord giueth sixe dayes to worke and but one to serue him if the first being a permission doth endure for euer then doth the other also remaine for euer And that this permission to worke on the sixe daies cannot be restrained for any religious vse it appeareth as in that Adam had the vse of the creatures the Apostle doth leaue all things free and therefore these dayes came not for any religious vses 16 But some may except the Lord made holy daies and fasting daies therfore we may doe so now Answere first exceptions do not take away a generall rule Secondly the Lord maketh Lawes for men and not for himselfe therefore they may not followe him vnlesse they haue the like reason as in the day of humbling for any singular benefit as in the Coronation of the Prince yet these daies are not taken vp of men but the Lord bloweth the Trumpet and in neglecting them it is sinne for God must haue this prerogatiue onely to make Lawes Seeing the equitie of the Commandement is to vs as well as to them therefore the Sabbath belongeth to vs as well as to them The Lord created all things and gaue them to all and all may haue vse of them therefore this is a sure proofe that the reason is common to vs with them and so this Commandement 17 The exposition of this Commandement sheweth the same for the worship of God is neuer commanded but this also is commanded and the corruption thereof neuer corrected but this also aboue all the rest as may appeare in all places of the Scriptures where mention is made of the Sabbath especially Numb 15. And is all this because of the pretermitting of a Ceremonie Would hee not be euer worshipped in spirit Neuer to delight in the Ceremonie Therefore this was because the meanes of Gods worship were contemned 18 That it should be changed once it was meet but neuer to be changed againe for as then the day of rest for the creation was most fit so now the day of our redemption is most fit seeing now the world is as if it were made new and therefore cannot be changed 19 Then they could not kindle fire which we doe therefore it was ceremoniall First some thinke that commandement was but for time of the wildernes Secondly the Iewes in euery commandement had something ceremoniall which wee haue not now being in CHRIST As in the second commandement we are to reade and teach the word of God it belongeth to vs as well as to them but to haue frontlets we are not bound So of singing we are bound to haue singing as well as the Iewes but yet not with Organes and such like So of burying the dead we are as staightly charged to do it as the Iewes yet not with ointments and such cost as they were at So in euery commaundement they had some thing pedagogicall which is taken away but the commandement it selfe is more streightly required of vs then of them because it is more cleerly set forth to vs then to them 20 Not onely they that spend the Lordes day on their pleasures are to be reproued as breakers of the Lords seruice but they also which worke vpon the same Amongst them those that are the children of God whose hearts God hath touched by his spirit shall see that the Lord will not let them prosper in the same sinne but what they take in hand shall goe slowly forward their bargaines shall bring but small gaine they shall haue but little vse of that which they buy on that day Nay sometimes they shall see that when they have broken the Lords Sabbath some iudgement or other doth light vpon them and their labours so that they will confesse that their Sabbath dayes labors stand them in small stead 21 Manie will obserue streightly their Easter day but wee must haue euerie weeke an Easter day to consider of the benefit of Christs Resurrection not that we must onely that day thinke thereupon For as our Father Adam euery day when hee dressed the Garden should thinke vpon the Creation yet on the Sabbath day he should wholly giue himselfe to obserue the same So must wee euery day consider of Christs Resurrection yet on that day we must doe it wholly that we may recompence the want of the former dayes 22 He that keepeth the Sabbath in truth and in conscience will continually walke vprightly in his calling all the weeke after and on the contrarie hee that is a carelesse prophaner of the Sabbath if his life be examined he shall be found to be a loose liuer if he lie not in some notorious sinne Therefore if any man desire to walke in the commandements of God let him labour in conscience to be a sanctifier of the holy Sabbath 23 Manie will be superstitious obseruers of their popish-holy-daies and streight keepers of their Easter-day and then shall all businesse be done quickly that all may goe to Church but the Lords day is of small account with them Yet must we make euery Sabbath day an Easter-day that is a day wherein we are to record the Resurrection of Christ and all other mercies which God through him hath shewed on vs on those dayes must we labour diligently to feele the fruite of them all 24 Playing should not be on the Lordes day because mans finite nature being
may stay Gods children for a time that they looke not to God nor to their sin yet if the punishment be long vpon them then they lift vp their eyes vnto God Psal. 30. 2 As when a man brought into the iayle conueying him out by bribing the iaylour purchaseth to himselfe greater punishment if after he be taken yet suing to the prince for pardon getteth it and scapeth cleerely so if a man be healed by a witch or wizard which is vnlawfull he deserueth a greater euill if the Lord visit him wherefore let such speedily repent but if we be healed by the Lord and the meanes he hath ordained then wee freely escape and may be thankfull 3 The wise men of Aegypt could not doe as Moses and Aaron in the small creatures where we shall note that witches cannot hurt further than the Lord wil as the diuels paces are also limited and they cannot hurt when nor where they wil but as the Lord is displeased as Balaam confessed And Ahab was not deceiued before the Lord gaue the spirit leaue that so the hypocrisie of men which receiue not the truth in loue may bee detected yea the Lord may afflict his children for a time hereby for to let them see their vnbeliefe and to stay their faith 4 Many not knowing their owne infirmities rashly vow and promise liberally as whores and theeues and therefore anon after returne to their vomit But the children of God knowing their owne weakenes are afraid to make large promises and yet stand more strongly afterwards against sinne CHAP. LXXIII Of the word of God and of the confirmation thereof by wonders THe Lord being about to giue his lawe vnto the Israelites by the ministerie of Moses his seruant doth aforehand warne Moses therof this he telleth him that he wil be seen of him in a darke clowd Of this the Lords strange and wonderfull appearing there are two ends or causes the first was that hee might get more credit to his law and also to Moses the Minister of the law The second was to shew Moses his weakenes infirmitie whereby he might be humbled And for the first wee see that when the Lord would bring to passe any mighty workes he did withall shew such mightie signes as made his works with reuerence to bee receiued and those whom in his businesse hee had appointed Ministers to bee well accepted In the day of Elias when the law had lost credit in the hearts of men and was little or nothing at all regarded then did the Lord wonderfully worke by his seruant Elias and did great things by his hands that credit might once againe bee wonne vnto his law And when hee brought his sonne into the world by whom he would publish the Gospell euen the sauing health of all men such works were shewed as had not beene from the beginnings and such wonders were wrought as made all men amazed at such time as these more than ordinarie mercies were brought and offered vnto the world whereunto these extraordinarie works were coupled and adioyned and therefore such works cannot ordinarily be looked for because they were neuer ordinarie For if such works and signes and wonders should now be looked for and if we should attend vnto them and beleeue them the Lord would then haue warranted them to vs by his word and then hee would haue foretold vs that such things should after come to passe And hath he done this No no hee hath taught vs another lesson and cleane contrarily hath he admonished vs when he biddeth vs beware of false Prophets which come to vs in sheepes clothing and would purchase credit to themselues by lying signes and wonders Seeing therefore that there shall be many such false Prophets especially in the latter daies which shall be sent abroad euen into all places effectually to delude those that haue not receiued the truth in loue And againe seeing the Lord is not bound to meanes but hee will worke when and where and how it pleaseth him that we may wisely iudge of them and discerne the spirit of error from the spirit of Truth and life it shal be profitable for vs to set downe some true notes of those wonders which are set out to vs in the Word if by cōparing them together it may appeare when and how farre they must be receiued and contrarilie when we may and ought to refuse them The first note or difference is in the works themselues the other is in the persons by whose ministery they are wrought for the works themselues which God hath extraordinarily wrought there hath euermore such Maiestie appeared in them that the finger of God might be so plainly seene that all men yea euen wicked sorcerers haue bene brought and forced to acknowledge the same and though the Diuell can turne himselfe into an Angell of Light and his ministers make a shewe as though they were indeede the ministers of righteousnes yet let them worke what they will and say what they can neither their workes nor wordes shall beare such an apparant shewe of Maiestie as the workes of God haue euer done Euery man therefore may plainely see God in his workes and none shall bee deceiued by the othes but those that loue to belieue lyes and are willing to deceiue themselues whome God doth iustlie giue ouer to bee deceiued and to fall from Faith because they loued not to abide and stand stedfast therein For as an Ape of all other liuing things most like a man in shape yet most vnlike of all others in qualitie and condition can deceiue none but euery one will easily know an Ape from a man vnlesse they be fooles or children or such as will bee willingly ignorant so betweene the workes of God and the lying wonders of the Diuell there are so cleare notes of difference that all may easily discerne them but those that shut their eyes that they may not see and harden their harts that they cannot vnderstand The children of God do receiue such wisdome from aboue and such knowledge doth the Lord in mercie bestow vpon them that they are able to discerne the spirits to trie their workes whether they be of God or no and to seuer true doctrine from the false And albeit the Lord sometimes correcting them for their sinnes doe suffer them for a while to bee deceiued and that they might hate falsehood the more doth let them a little bee deluded therewith yet because the Truth of God it cannot faile not an haire of their heads perish it is impossible that they should for euer fall away it is impossible that they should finallie be deceiued and become open enemies of the Trueth or obstinate maintainers of a lye Secondly the Lord did neuer raise vp such extraordinary worke-men or shewe such extraordinarie workes but it was either to confirme the doctrine that had bene taught to get further credite vnto it or else to make it more cleere
earth therfore let vs not grieue him in heauen also Thirdly being the temples of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6. 19. it were a despite against the Lord if we make the house of God the stye of Sathan and sincke of sinne Fourthly the Angels reioyce to see a sinner repent as also there is great sorrow when a Professor falleth away the heauens seeme to be clothed with blacke thereat and the Angels weare mourning attire But to come down from heauen to earth Fiftly whereas the rankest heretikes haue had often great feelings whereby this is no good way to saluation to thinke our selues sure in a carnall securitie Peter teacheth vs another way Make your election sure by good workes 2. Pet. 1. 10. as by a signe consequent not as by a cause antecedent Sixtly we must by good works auoyd the offending of our brethren least that as Lot was vexed among the Sodomites we grieue the hearts of the Saints Seuenthly as we are not to grieue strong Lot so wee must not offend the weake ones for whose sakes wee must abridge somewhat from our libertie in things lawfull and much more cut off our licentiousnesse in things that be vnlawfull Eightly we must do good euen for the wicked Wherefore the Apostle I. Pet. 3. 2. admonisheth wiues so to liue that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues If women are thus charged then much more men Ninthly because the Diuell not barred out by good workes doth make vs his pallace or rather his paunch or his stable and at the fall of a righteous man the damned doe as it were make great bonefires in hell let vs bring forth the fruites of righteousnesse which may make the Diuell to some in fretting and worke more madnes and melancholie in the damned Tenthly for the confusion of the wicked in the last day it shal be good by wel-doing to redeeme some comfortable confidence of our being in CHRIST against that day when the sides of the wicked shall lie panting in paine Now to make vp the number of a douzen wee may be moued to doe good works by considering the ende of the godly and the end of the wicked Mat. 25. These reasons many and waighty shall redeeme vs from this reproch wherewith our enemies doe charge vs. 6 To doe good is worth the doing albeit in vaine and as Sencca saith He is a perfect man that can loose a benefite giue it not to giue loose it But whose is the hurt CHRIST preached in vaine to the Iewes and Noah to the old world and Lot to the Sodomites but were Noah Lot and Christ hurt for it And yet many writers think no good worke is in vaine to him that it is done too But certainely to him that doth it it is not in vaine there is a great reward for them in the life to come And in that respect GOD will haue his children doe manie good works in vaine As to Moses he said Goe preach to Pharaoh he shall not heare thee yet goe Againe that which is well done is better done then not done for then it perisheth with them otherwise it should perish with thy selfe 7 There is none hath a priuiledge whereby he is exempted from doing of good works The Law is giuen to all Iohn 10. Euery one had his Talent Luc. 19. Euery one shall beare his burthen Gal. 6 Euery one shall stand before the Tribunall of GOD euery mans blood shall be vpon his owne head Ezech. 5 Euery Tree that bringeth not forth fruite shall be cut downe Matth. 3. Tribulation and anguish shal be vpon euery soule Rom. 2. Thus wee still see it runnes of all and euery one The reason is God accepteth no persons neither in giftes of Nature nor in giftes of Grace nor in iudgements euen the little Hills the small Trees not one pinne made of an vnfruitfull tree But are the wicked tyed to doe good workes Yea euen they Matth. 11. it is saide it shall bee easier for some then for others which is interpreted Matth. 8. that there is vtter darknes whereas Basil saith the greatest sinnes goe thither and Luc. 7. Hee that knoweth his Mastere will c. Euen the wicked must doe good to make their iudgement easier their stripes feweâ— and their place better Must anie more then others doe good workes yes the Christian must especially bee zealous of good workes Tit. 2. warne them that belieue Tit. 3. 14. and in the ende of the same chapter Let our men learne to shewe forth good works what manner men ought we to bee 2. Pet. 3. If any that is counted a brother I. Cor. 5. Now then among Christians who are most bound Tribulation c. on the Iewe first c. The reason is for they had the Oracles of GOD Rom. 3. 1. 2. Hee that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not that fellow sinneth indeede so then this person on whome the powring of the oyntment hath bene first ought to bee most thankfull in good works We must doe good euen to all Be merciful as â— am Luc 6. and we knowe he suffereth his sunne to shine ouerall The reason is God his image is in all But especially to the faithfull Iob. 22. I cannot profite thee c. Psalm 16. My well doing extendeth not to thee but to thy Saints It is Christ his owne desire Luc. 22. Wheâ— thou art conuerted confirme thy brethren We can doe him no good but in his Saints And yet â—o go further to him most of all that is wounded as to the Samaritane Luke 13. If he neede our helpe though he be a Samaritane God could haue made there should haue bene no neede of them but for that he would trie the liberalitie of the rich and the patience of the poore Then much more to the soule which is the subiect of immortalitie must wee shew well-doing in pittie and compassion CHAP. LXXV Of Zeale THe zeale of Moses and Phineas and CHRIST wee should striue to haue that we may be grieued with the corruption and sinnes of the time but to redresse them belongeth not to vs except we be Magistrates 2 Zeale leaueth in men a great impression being tempted with Faith and loue 3 We must desire to be zealous and earnest in matters weightie concerning the Lord or his people but in small matters our owne affaires and worldly friendes wee must take heede it be not naturall earnestnes or carnall or not sauouring of the Spirit 4 One saying in his hearing that it might be obserued from time to time that men haue bene more bountifull in furthering a corrupt religion then in relieuing the professors of the Gospell he answered his iudgment was the contrary for thogh many in popery giue much yet it is of their abundance but wee read in no place that euer men solde
himselfe who being aboue all Lawes obserued this to make vs more willing Let vs be like to him for by hauing notable exaÌ„ples we are more effectually stirred vp toe do any thing It is the vse of the Scriptures after reasons to exemplifie as CHRIST Ioh. 15. in teaching humility Paul 1. Cor. 11. Therefore we are to follow God if we be his childreÌ„ who hath for our example vouchsafed this day this great dignitie He blessed it and the works of it making them effectually to worke in vs regeneration and fitting vs for eternall life Hee hallowed it to the ease of seruants and beasts so bridling our worldlines to the Meditation of his creatures to the worke of Faith and charitie Wherefore what God hath hallowed let no man prophane CHAP. X. Of Discipline and Excommunication WHen men are neither profitable for the land nor good for the dunghill they must he cast out This casting out hath a necessary vse in the bodie naturall as where nature cannot doe it of her selfe there she doth it by art in the body ciuill as by exile in the body ecclesiasticall as by excoÌ„munication in the body oeconomicall by suspension or expulsion God cast out Adam from paradise the Angels from heauen Abraham cast out the bondmaide with her sonne Moses separated the leprous persons from the cleane CHRIST cast out buyers and sellers out of the Temple 2 The rulers of the Church are called the Church to whom Discipline appertaineth euen as Mark. 3. not the whole companie of the Iewes but the rulers of the Synagogue are called the Church of the Iews Therfore as we call the Court of Parliament the Realme gathered together although it be but an Epitome to sit and compromise of things so these fewe being a Compendium of the Church haue all things committed vnto them And God himselfe in the Parable doth not bewray this but doth in wisedome conceale it saying They will without peraduenture reuerence my Sonne So without controuersie one would thinke they would heare the Church But as the Iewes made a way with him that was the heire so we say now adayes with the Edomites Psal. 137. down with the Church that there bee no feare of yoake nor the print of the yoake vpon our necke Well how grieuous a thing it is to despise the Church wee will see by the dignitie appointed to the Church in the word of God Tit. 2. it is called a peculiar people and in an ancient tongue The Lords Iewel 2. Cor. 4. All the world was made for the Church for the Churches sake CHRIST was a Christ Heb. 11. Hee that despiseth the Church the world is not worthie to giue him breath Hebr. 1. The Angels of God are seruants to it Cor. 6. the Church shall iudge the whole world and the Angels 2. Pet. 1. 3. 4. The Church is partaker euen of God his owne nature Ephes. 4. The Church is the fulfilling of Christ so that Christ is as it were maimed without it and what can be said more of it 3 An excommunicated person was so odious among the Iewes that besides that they did excoÌ„municate him and shut him out of their Synagogues if they met such a one they thought it a speciall token of some fortune as they tearme it So that among the Iewes excommunication was worse then fiue deaths so much was reuerenced the censures of the Church This did the Church but when men began to be idle they put off this dutie But what is this excommunication A giuing vp to Satan There was a great partition wall between God and vs vntil Christ came and made a breach entered into the place wherein God was shut vp from vs. Christ himselfe became the dore but the keye of the dore hath he committed to his faithful Minister They that are without this wall they are among the Ziims and Iims among the Owles and Dragons they are as in hell and in exile from the congregation of Christ. Eliah made the heauens brasse three yeere so as they gaue no raine but what a thing is it to make God as brasse so that all the spoutes of his mercy be stopped and all conduites of compassion should be dammed vp against vs 4 In the case of discipline we haue to deale with the Lord of heauen and earth It is to good purpose to know with whom we haue to deale for it causeth vs to bestirre our selues in dealing with worldly men then how much more now must it cause vs so to doe This discipline did Christ himselfe put in practise who oft taketh the trouble of his members to himselfe as appeareth in his speech to Paul Paul why persecutest thou me and in the saying of Peter to Ananias Thou hast lied against the holy Ghost And surely at the last day the contempt of the Ministers shall be counted as deepe a sinne as if we had contemned God himselfe which may appeare in Dathan Corah and Abiram And surely God thinketh wee should honour his Church aboue all and yet men say Come lâ—t vs kill the heire Wherefore the Lord will come and note out these husbandmen Howsoeuer men please themselues in doing thus yet God that sitteth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne and vexe them with his sore displeasure in the end 5 The discipline which Christ hath instituted is coÌ„mitted to the Church Behold and heare a miracle heauen placed vnder the earth where as in all other things heauen is aboue earth God made heauen and earth Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen so now with Dauid we must say What is man that thou art so mindfull of him not onely to giue him the rule of earth but euen of heauen yea of Angels yea of God himselfe so that now God cannot loose them whom the Church hath bound so that although he doth many things without vs yet when we haue done this he doth not otherwise c. Else there are many bound in heauen which are not bound in earth especially in these daies when the leaues are fallen from the tree the beautie is gone and the discipline is taken away yet the Angels haue chaines though we cannot see them so that they watch ouer the wicked to bind them and to cast them into hell Thus we see the high dignitie of the Church and yet this is not giuen to euery one but to the Church who though they be base and contemptible yet the Lord coÌ„mitted vnto them the apple of his eye In the Epistle to the Hebr. he saith That the earth the ayre the heauen are not worthie to giue them breath he hath made the Angels to be their seruants to them he hath giuen such authoritie And no marueile for he hath made them more excellent than the Angels he hath made them the bodie of his Sonne yea and the friends of his owne selfe To them he committed his treasures And what be his treasures Surely when Dauid commeth to
and complaining against them O Lord the reuenger of bloud behold these men whom thou hast set ouer vs to giue vs the bread of life but they haue not giuen it vs our tongues and the tongues of our children haue sticken to the roofe of our mouthes for calling and crying and they would not take pitie on vs we haue giuen them the tenths which thou hast appointed vs but they haue not giuen vs thy truth which thou hast commanded them reward them ô Lord as they haue rewarded vs let the bread betweene their teeth turne vnto rottennes in their bowels let them be clothed with shame and confusion of face as with a garment let their wealth as the dung from the Earth bee swept away by their executors and vpon their golde and siluer which they haue falsely treasured vp let continually be written The price of bloud The price of bloud For it is the value of our bloud O LORD if thou didst heare the bloud of Abell being but one man forget not the bloud of manie when thou goest into iudgement CHAP. XIIII Of shame and shamefastnes Rom. 6. 12. 21. 22. THere is is a shame that is two-fold First naturall as in Paradice that is an affection of Nature and this was good Secondly after the fall was shame but that was euill but that shame is of the beginning of that godly shame as temporall losse worldly sorrowe oft brings a partie to that godly sorrowe of which is spoken 2. Cor. 7. So this shame brings men often to that godly shame 2 Wee say in a Prouerbe hee is not past grace he blusheth that is true partly for some good and conscience remaineth in such A heathen Philosopher seeing a yong man come by him blushing saide vnto him Young man be not dismayed be of good comfort there is hope in thee this is the very colour of vertue meaning that blushing is a good signe It is an euill signe when men are past shame As in this Age of ours young men are bold and not afraid of anie Iob chapter 28. saith that young men ran from him for shame ours are impudent of fore-heads of steele out-facing matters with swearing c. I care not say they for them all let them speake what they will it is the saying of the heathen Orator to neglect what euery man saith of him This a point not onely of one that is negligent but of such a one as is altogether dissolute 3 There be manie other fruites of sinne beside shame Gen. 1. at the Creation all was good GOD saw it so therefore all the euill which we see is of sinne as confusion in the World distemperature in the Bodie maladics in the Soule all disorders of the House Towne Common-wealth come hence why then doth not the Apostle say sinne bringeth these The reason is for that these doe not follow the sinner euer presently the Lord doth not euer cast the sinner into prison exile sicknes c. yet this shame euer followeth him if hee run beyond the Seas saile ride goe into darknes yet the Lord is there and thy shame pursues thee Here note the goodnes of GOD and his wisdome after sinne he only giues this shame to vs that we should enter into our selues This first is a most mercifull way for vs if he should either prison vs plague vs with sicknes c. when we sinne it would consume vs we were neuer able to abide it so that this monitor is best Secondly it is a most wise way all haue this in them shame a conscience at all times and places but not so of other punishments we haue them not Againe many a man in prison exile and other plagues haue a stout heart and stomacke but shame makes him hang downe his head and repent none of the other doe so 4 There is a shame of the world such as are ashamed of men not of God in godly shame men are not ashamed of men but of God they cast down their heads goe from chamber to chamber and mourne c. They are ashamed to come before God yet they come vnto him and pray vnto him as Luc. 25. the prodigall sonne Luc. 7. Magdalen that came behinde Christ. Ierem. 13. Ephraims repentance is set downe hee saith I smote on my thigh as one in griefe I was ashamed Dauid Psalm 51. shames himselfe 5 There is a secret hiding of sinne that argues shame in men as in Adam Gen. 3. Dauid 2. Sam. 11. colours his sinne So we finde many excuses and clokes but the fruite of an euill life is shame and this must be voluntarie in Gods children ere they die What fruite hast thou had of a wicked life when as of foure and twenty houres in a day thou hast not bestowed two of them in the Lords seruice Of two and fiftie Sabbaths in the yeare thou hast spent these worse then anie day in the yeare what will become of it ere thou dye shame Sixe dayes the Lord giues to worke in yet serue him on those dayes begin with prayer and end with it Worldly busines distracts men therefore the Lords day is giuen to recouer vs from distraction and wholy on that day to serue the Lord. CHAP. XV. Of Iustification WHen wee speake of growing vp in the feare of God the word so translated seemeth to bee a word of quarrell and controuersie betweene the maintainers of mans iustification by workes and vs who either doe or would seeme to emptie men of all opinion of inherent righteousnesse that there might be nothing left in vs but the glory wholy be giuen to God For they would haue it that we should perfect our holines and so they ground that wee by holines might come to perfection Now concerning this their perfection which like proctours they so patronage if wee aske any of them if he be that perfect man or no there hath not been any found that would take it vpon him they cannot finde vs among their manifold orders one that is so perfect nay they denie them this perfection which thing if they doe in ciuill modestie thinking they can doe it and will not acknowledge it they lye both to God and the world All the quarrell is this I doe not dispute saith the defendant whether I bee perfit or not perfit but I affirme that some haue attained this perfection who be they Here they bring especially their two old fathers Zacharie and Simeon who were men fearing God holy and iust and therefore perfit and thus they thinke men are not so much to be abased as we thinke they are Now to beare out this point if we might stand in it I meane of growing vp to perfection the very opinion of the Catharoi such as were indeede the Puritanes in the Primitiue Church would not challenge this so arrogantly as they doe Many reasons may be made against them but we will vse that one of the
most impatient either of reproches offered vnto vs by our enemies or any iniuries by our friends yet herein we â—eruently aske of thy wise and merciful goodnes that wee may reape a good fruite euen of such euill meanes And because wee grow to bee acquainted with the pride of our spirits and sloath fulnesse of our flesh and few meanes are left vs and many offences by our selues conceiued by others and Sathan offered doe alreadie and are daily like more to assaile vs O Lord thou which hast beene our God euen from our first birth especially since our new birth be thou the God of our middle age yea of our old dayes if we liue so long vntill thou finish the last worke of our new birth begun and continued thus farre in vs. To this ende wee aske of thee that we may vow and receiuing grace from thee wee doe vowe to vse all these forenamed good meanes of our saluation more mercifully than yet euer wee vsed them in vsing of them wee aske more feare of thy Maiestie faith of thy promises purenesse of our hearts loue vnto others and withall blessing and fruite more aboundant that our latter workes may be better then our former Wofull experience O blessed Sauiour teacheth and moueth vs to call vpon thee as for these former things so to be preserued and protected by thy almightie and mercifull grace from our owne corruption to come from all Sathans temptation and accusations from all manner of contagion of the vngodly in their iniuries reproches and their benefits praises their â—orceries inchantments yea from any hurt of thy children as they bee not regenerate and from any hurt by thy creatures so farre forth as any of these things may hurt our saluation Former experience O mightie God and mercifull Father ought not onely to teach but also to enforce vs to giue thee thankes praise and glory for thy former mercies vpon vs and thy Church bestowed but wherein thou hast prouided for vs many arguments of strength of faith or ignorance forgetfulnes negligence and want of reuerence of thy mercies receiued minister iust cause of humiliation and therefore in some faith in and thankfulnesse for thy former mercifull blessings and yet in much weaknesse in the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord with our whole heart wee beseech thee giue vs a good portion of thy spirit to call carefully thy benefites to our remembrance wisely to vnderstand them and reuerently to regard and truly to be thankfull for them in mind in heart in word and deed through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Wee beseech thee most mightie God and mercifull Father to make partakers of our praiers and thankesgiuings all the whole Church and euery member thereof especially where dutie most chargeth promise bindeth necessitie craueth and thy glory chalengeth c. FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHIEFE POINTS OF DOCTRINE HANDLED IN THIS VOLVME GATHERED INTO AN Alphabeticall order A ABstinence vsed 807. want of it hurt the godly 808. Admonition 28. 256 789 to whome it is to be giuen 205. and in what manner 547. 698. 58. of inferiours to superiours 257. how it should be taken 58. Rules of it in generall 629. 630. 631. Adoption what it is and trials thereof 450 Adulterie what it is and how many wayes committed 676. 767. 790. Remedies against it 635. 636. Affection naturall is corrupt 1. 103. 638. 681. 727. 57. 515. 325. alwayes to bee suspected 274. 651. the triall of it 1. 671. 680. how it is renewed 243. 175. 742. goood affections required in good workes 264. 161. Dead Affections 459. 827. Affliction 2. 262. 638. causes of it 35. 640. 197. 234. 235. necessitie thereof 80. how grieuous a thing 97 ioyes in it 686. 782. who are afflicted 95. 96. 639 766. the ende and vse of affliction 1. 2. 112. 686. 533. 334. how to comfort the afflicted 6. 106 1107 114. 116. Affliction soone tries godlie and godlesse 489. three rules for it 864. 865. Ambition 99. how to fight against Ambition 466. Amitie turned into enmitie 798. Anger godlie 243. euill anger 79â— cause of it 466. Triall of anger 3. 641. 204. 547. Angels watch ouer veâ— and how 3. 646 not seene but extraordinarily 641. euill Angels 310. 311. 312. Antichrist 666 Apparell 712. Apostasie how great a sinne 627. An Arrian Heretike 110. Armour of a Christian 308. 309. Assurance of saluation 322. 323. 328. See Saluation Astonishment 24â— Atheisme 3. Austeritie 769. B BAptisme 642. Our vowe in Baptisme euer to bee remembred 477. on what day to be remembred 157. Belieuers like children 18. the belieuer not hastie 408. Blessednes 314. the causes of it 207. the effects of it 209. true blessednes wherein it consisteth 394 Blessing denied because of sinne 784 786. the way to obtaine temporall blessings 644. these are no signes of Gods fauour 645. Blindnes of men 165. causes of it 197. Booke of GOD especiallie to be taken vp with the examples thereof 421. All that can delight the heart of man contained in the booke of God 446 Brethren most vehement in Loue and so in hatred 685. Brownists 258 C CAlamities publike fearefull Tokens thereof 464. causes of it 791. publike most affect vs most 2â— Calling generall speciall 645. misliking thereof dangerous 4. 30. 38. 613. 493. Of calling vpon GOD with diuerse circumstances thereof 449. Care immoderate of outward things hurtfull 464 644 Catechising of Children whiles they are yong required 2 8. 642. 664. families must bee catechized â—9â— how and by whom it must be done 649 6â—5 distinguished from preaching ibid. reasons for it 665 Cause good why it hath ill successe who are enemies to it 8. constancie in it 50 how to prosper in a good cause 461 they may looke to bee potected that haue a good cause and handle that cause well 504 256 651 Censuring of others how it must be done 4 Ceremonies 787 their first originall 152 good and profitable 652 euill and to be hated 353 321 364 Charitie 820 voyde of suspition 79 Chastitie 78 CHRIST 654 his excellencie in all knowledge 751 how and where we must labour to finde CHRIST to apply him 397 his Temptations 490 his Passion in â—oule â—4 186 his Buriall and the vse of it 84 his Resurrection 85 178 he holdeth his Kingdome by two Titles 655 two Crownes 6â—6 his incercession how he must be followed 692 654 his power 852 Christians their estate 308 who bee true Christians 231 A Christians life is the Meditation of the Lawe of GOD c. 459 Difficulties in Christianitic 384 Church why called holie and Catholike the Authoritie and dignitie of it 648 the prospetitie thereof should make vs reioyce 275 a care of the prosperitie a note of Gods children 620 wants in it and yet tollerable 74 648 819 ChildreÌ„ foolish 276 why God giueth such to parents 2â—2 how to be brought vp ibid 662 66â— how to bee corrected 278 marks of Gods children 853 316 their calling and priuiledges
lie in sinne without repentance Repentance defined Note The faithfull haue a cortinuall repentaence all their life Gospell defined Penitence repentance how they differ Foure differences betweene the law gospel Rom. 3. 2. The combat of the faithfull Flesh defined The motions and lustes of the flesh The spirit rebukes and restraines euill motions in vs. The liues of the world Sathan how he fights To resist the inward motions and outward occasions of sinne Prayer defined Part of Lordsâ— * The wound of the spirit By the often checkes of conscience we may know what sinnes sway most in vs. Like reason like law Strange workes as Iron mils such like must rest on the Sabbath I wish that these two arguments of the Sabbath and of Tithe were more fully handled by some godly learned Diuines * Gâ—â—ealogies Luk â—4 45. The minde cast downe what shall comfort vs Parts to be considered Persons afflicted in minde The courage of heathens not disquieted in minde Papists disquieted in mindâ— Iob. Dauid Hezekiah Ieremiah Christ Iesâ—s an example most comfortable for all afflicted conciences True pâ—ace of minde how comfortable attained Nothing can more disquiet vs if we be at peace with God through Iesus Christ and contrarily c. Vnbeleeuers by violent deaths do not ende but begin their torments A tormented conscience cannot flie from God The second part of the first diuision * Or verieshie that is warie How wise many be to preuent many euils and how few labour to preuent afflictions of minde * Or by law In seeking so greedily for earth and so faintly for heauen we thinke we labour for our peace but we hasten this way into many griefes sorrowes 1. Tim. 6. 7. 8. 9. Ambitious How we may be preserued from the wound of conscience Simile Preseruatiues against afflictions of mind Psal. 25. 1. Cor. 11. 29. Sinnes of youth To glorie in sins of youth Rom. 6. 22. The leauing of sinne is not the repenting of sinne For what causes many leaue sinne Examination of sinnes after our calling Sinnes like soreâ— Simile Couer not thy sinne Sinnes after knowledge A blessed thing to be awaked and grieued by checkes of conscience Remedie Sinnes of omission Note The negligent vse of the meanes of saluation * Or wakened and quickened Secret corruption Iusticiarie Pharisies Affections fighting against iudgement Examination hard Returne to sins to come * Or in resemblance The godly iealousie of Gods children Take heede to our libertie The diuell tempting The diuell accusing Note Boldnes in plague Zeale What perfection we haue in this life A scrupulous feare Remission of sinne and mortification of sinne goe together Sixe points which must be knit together 1 2 3 4 5 6 The third part of the first diuision The godly afflicted Salue of this sore How to proceede in comforting the afflicted The vaine â—â—ifts of some in afflictions of minde Note well Meete comforters Pâ—â—â— â—â— Confession â—â— speciall sins Not to eye one sinne onely and to forget the rest Secret motiones vnto sinnes Doubts * Or streÌ„gth Note Two grouÌ„ds to be remembred in the cures of soules afflicted How to begin with the laâ— incuring consciences afflicted An Arian executed at Norwich 1 Good considerations in vrging the law to some afflicted 2 In afflictions euer looke to the end Some haue but a confused conceit of their sinnes in their afflictions Mockers and scorners of the afflicted * Or warraÌ„t The feeling of our sinnes an earnest of our regeneration Note The froth of sinne in the regenerate To feele that we would faine loue the Lord. Sinne and Sathan haue lost the sting in Christ. Note How to answere SathaÌ„ and sinne in temptations Good feare God as a father pitieth vs. Simile Some vtterly ignorant of the afflictions of minde The state of the wicked which sorrow not for sinne How to speak to our owne hearts in afflictions How greatly to account of our afflictions Prosperitie how dangerous to some Securitie Patience vnder the crosse In prosperitie to remember aduersitie I he crosse sent to exercise our faith Abraham Dauid Ezechias 1 Rom. 8. 2 3 1 Who be righteous and who be not 2 â— Pet. 2. Heb 11. Luke 18. Rom. 4. 3 Psalm 3â— Matth. 11. 28. Phil. 3. Luke 18. Rom. 4. Phil. 3. 2. Heb. 4. Gen. 17. Psal. 32. and 129. and 4. Iam. 2. To haue religion in respect of persons False harted Protestants The second note of a righteous man Note Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 12. 7. Prou 4. 18. Phil. 3 15. Heb. 6. Esaiah 28. Reuel 3. Esaiah 28. Heb. 3. 14. Phil. 3 Gods children sometimes linger rather than goe forward Psalm 51. Psal. 119. 8. 6. 10. Psal. 15. 16. How to loue superiours equals inferiours Matth. 10. â— Cor 5. Rom. 15. 14. Iude 20. Gen. 18. Matth. 23. Iam. 5. Dan. 12. Matth. 25. Matth. 5. Psal. 126. 2. Pet. 2. Ezech. 9. 4. Psal. 119. 5. 3. Mark 3. Rom. 15. Psal. 69. Ierem. 12. Th' espousage or betrothing before full mariage knowne by the light of nature A contract is more than a simple promise of mariage How the parties betrothed must be taught to know their duties Note The contracted must remember that God by his good prouideÌ„ce brought them together Faith in Iesus Christ. The wisedome and loue of a good Christian in the gouernment of his wife The communioÌ„ of Saints The fift commandement The second commandement That loue which breeds by gedly meanes will loÌ„gest endure The third coÌ„ mandement * Amos. 7. 16. 17. 1. Sam. 3. 33. The fourth Commandement The fift commandement The obedieÌ„â—e of the wife to the husband How the husband is to rule his wife The sixt commandement No bitternes between man and wife The seuenth commandement True loue Iealousie Note The eight coÌ„mandement The ninth coÌ„mandement Man wife not to lay opeÌ„ the infirmities one of another The tenth coÌ„mandement Then hee prayed Iudg. 14. 21. 2. Sam. 13. 13. The inconueniences and commodities of keeping or breaking the Sabbath Popish Sabbath How men prophane the Sabbath The Sabbath the Lords market day He that keepeth the Sabbath keepeth the whole 1 The order of setting downe the doctrine of the Sabbath 2 1 2 3 Doctrine to informe the iudgement must goe before exhortation to moue affections What is generally to be obserued in this coÌ„mandement 5. Lax. 10. Precept Wherefore some commandements haue reasons some none Of the reasons and first of the first reason Deut. 5. 1 1 The Patriarks knew the morall law of God 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A ceremonie is more then a shadow * Note the difference Why the law is giuen to all Christians as the posterity of Adam What it is to sanctifie the Sabbath * How the Sabbath is called a signe that is a document and not a figure Adam also in Paradise had the tree of life for a signe not for a bare figure No figures till sinne came into the world The Sabbath was not giuen
refresh our selues with spirituall pleasures in the pure worship of God and thankefull beholding of his workes We see how these reasons make rather flatly with vs than against vs. And thus much for their proofes out of the prescript words of the lawe now let vs consider what they alleage out of the Prophets Their reasons out of the Prophets be taken either out of Esay or out of Ezechiel Out of Esay they vse these places Esai 56. 1. 2. and 58. 13. 14. and 66. 13. The wordes of the Prophet chap. 56. vers 1. 2 are these Thus saith the Lord keepe iudgement and doe iustice for my saluation is at hand to come and my righteousnesse is to be reuealed Blessed is the man that doth this and the sonne of man which laieth hold on it he that keepeth the Sabbath and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from doing any euill See say they here is the Sabbath commended as a resting from sinne I denie it not but our controuersie is about the ground of the Sabbath For why doth the Lord so call on his people by the Prophets for keeping the Sabbath and crieth so much against the breach of the same but because it was the especiall meanes of God his worship and their saluation which being contemned they contemned God his worship and their owne welfare And because in this horrible contempt of the holie schoole of the Lord where they should haue learned both their religion towards God and duties to their brethren they gaue a manifest token of carelesnesse in them both they are worthily threatned by the Prophet And concerning the pure interpretation of this place by keeping the Sabbath is meant the obseruation of the first table by keeping their hands from doing any euill is vnderstood the obedience of the second table so that the thing in this place chiefly vrged is this that they should keepe the Sabbath which might nourish them in the worship of God and in duties to their brethren But say they the Sabbath is here ioyned with ceremonies as may appeare in the verses following therefore it is a ceremonie This is no sound argument For in the law is set downe the morall law which teacheth the common duties of all Gods people wherein be also the ceremonies which describe the duties peculiar to the Iewes whereupon we must not conclude that therefore the morall law is ceremoniall Againe these ceremonies containe not only certaine truths of spirituall things which should be accomplished in Christ but also of other meanes which should succeed in their places True it is that if they had onely contained truths of spirituall things in Christ it had beene somewhat that they affirme but seeing they haue also in them such meanes which though not in the same manner yet more effectually are afterward to be vsed the reason is not good Wherefore we reason against them thus that albeit we haue not the manner of their sacrifices yet we haue our sacrifices and meanes of Gods worship succeeding them For though we haue not as they had Priests to offer for vs and such slaine sacrifices as the Priests did offer for them yet we haue the Ministers of the word of God which cut vp mens consciences by whom the secrets of mens hearts are made manifest 1. Cor. 14. 25. By the preaching of the Gospell and word of God which being mightie in operation and sharper than a two edged sword entreth thorough euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. vers 12. And whereby Christ is as it were freshly crucified vnto vs and that by so much the more profitably than if we were present at the thing it selfe as beside the describing of the manner thereof the fruite of it is more effectually preached And certainely we may affirme that then the dumbe sacrifices of the blinde Papists came in when this glorious sacrifice of preaching ceased And where the word is administred in any power and sinceritie there doubtlesse the preaching of the law striketh vs and the preaching of the Gospell bringeth vs to Christ. Herein is the difference betweene the Iewes and vs that they in all their Sacraments and sacrifices represented Christ that was to come and shewed that their sinnes in him should be taken away being yet to come we manifestly in our sacrifices witnesse that he is alreadie come and that our sinnes in his death are fully pardoned Besides to those forenamed sacrifices we haue the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiuing whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalme 141. 2. Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice As also Psalme 119. part 14. vers 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgements Of these sacrifices is mention Malac. 1. Hose 14. 2. Mat. 24. Ioh. Heb. 13. 15. Now in that it followeth Esai 56. 7. that the Lord will bring them to his house of prayer I grant in that they had but one house of prayer which represented to them the Church to be one it was ceremoniall yet I also confesse that in the same was this common truth that it should be a meane to worship God Wherefore in this place the Lord commaundeth and commendeth holie assemblies euen to vs to whom they be as needfull as to the Iewes For though it be not now necessarie nor required that wee should goe vp to Ierusalem to worship after the manner of the Iewes yet besides our priuate houses wherein we may worship the Lord we haue neede of one publike and common place to meete in whereunto the Lord in his Gospel hath made this promise that where two or three shall be gathered in his name he will be in the middest of them This also is commended vnto vs by the example of the holy Apostles who mette together and besides their seuerall houses it is said Acts. 2. 46. They continued with one accord in the Temple so that they had one place where the Word the Sacraments Prayer c were vsed And though we now haue not the same offerings places and sacrifices which the Iewes had yet we haue these things more effectually than they and though we haue not their Sabbath yet we haue a Sabbath The words Esay 58. 13. be these If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate is as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth c. This is spoken to the present estate of the Iewes as then they were and not properly to