CHAP. I.

§. Sect. 1 THe whole law (which is a doc­trine requiring what men ought to be, and condemning them for not being perfectlie such as they ought) being at large deli­uered in the whole volume of the Scriptures, is notwithstanding for the helpe The distribu­tion of the whole law. of mans memorie abridged by God himselfe in those tenne words, which he spake on the Mount Sinai, and writ in two tables of stone, as it were [Page 2] in a booke of two leaues. In the first leafe where­of, is written the dutie of man to God, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God: and this Christ calleth the first and great commandement. And in the se­cond (because God will not be loued alone, but will haue man also loued with him) is written the dutie of man to man, Thou shalt l [...]ue thy neighbour as thy selfe. Now in the first of these, which tea­cheth mans dutie to God, are contained foure commaundements. The first whereof teacheth Gods inward worship: the second, his outward worship: the third, the reuerent vse of them both: and the fourth, the time when his worship is especially to be performed. And in the second table are contained sixe commandements; in the first whereof are taught speciall duties; and these mutuall, as of the superiour to the inferiour; and of the inferiour to the superiour; in these words, Honour thy father and thy mother. In the other fiue are contained generall duties. And first, because life is the ground of all the rest; therefore in the f [...]rst of them, which is the sixth, he taketh order for the preseruation of life. Thou shalt not kill: Se­condly, because as life must be perserued, so he would haue vs liue an honest life. Therefore he giueth a commandement for that, Thou shalt not commit adulterie. Then thirdly, because an honest life must be honestly maintained, God takes or­der for that also, he will haue no stealing, Thou shalt not steale. And as he hath taken order for our goods, so also for our good names: he will haue no false witnesse borne, Thou shalt not beare false [Page 3] witnesse. And last of all, because as when we see many pipes and conduits infected, we goe to the fountaine, because from thence comes the cor­ruption: so sinne being conueighed by the heart, as water by the pipes from the fountaine; be­cause from the heart come euill thoughts (for it is indeed the very puddle and sinke of all sinne) God therefore giues vs a commaundement, to keepe vs from the first motions and ticklings of sinne, although neither heart consent, nor deed follow; In these words, Thou shalt not couet. And this is the generall straine of these ten words, as Moses calleth them, Deut. 4. 13: vpon which hang the whole law and the Prophets, Matth. 22. 40.

§. Sect. 2 But now betweene the commaundements of the first table, and of the second, there is great difference. For they of the first table are hedged All the com­mandement [...] of the first table haue their reasons added, so haue not these of the second, ex­cept the first. in with many reasons: The others are barely set downe without any reasons added: whereof I take this to be the cause: for that these of the se­cond table are such things, as euen a naturall man in a sort consenteth easily vnto. For say vnto him, Thou shalt not kill: content (saith he) for then shall no man kill me. Thou shalt not commit a­dulterie: agreed (saith he) for then shall not my wife or daughter bee defiled. Thou shalt not steale: I like it well (saith he) for then I shall keepe my goods; and so of the rest. But come vnto the commaundements of the first table, it is not so: here is more adoe to perswade men to obedi­ence. Must we loue God aboue all? We loue pleasures more than God, 2. Tim. 3. 4. Must we [Page 4] serue God as he requireth in his word? We will not serue him but as we please; as those 2. King. 17. 41. that feared the Lord and serued their ima­ges also. Must his worship bee done with reue­rence? that is precisenes. Must we serue him on the Sabbath? why when shall we play then? God seeing this our peruersnesse in things concerning him; vseth reasons, and those most effectuall to perswade vs vnto the obedience of them, they being such things as a naturall man doth not ea­sily admit.

§. Sect. 3 But amongst them all, in no one commande­ment hath God vsed more effectuall reasons to The reasons of this com­mandement of great force to perswade. perswade by, than in this: it needing indeed grea­ter fortification than any of the rest, because the assault against it is stronger than against any of the rest. For the diuell hath stirred vp some that denie that there should be any Sabbath at all; but that euery time should be alike. Others ac­knowledge a time, but cannot agree vpon the day. Others confesse the day; but yet denie that the whole day should be kept holy: God shall haue but one houre, or two of the day. And we are almost of the Iewes minde, the time is not yet come, Hag. 1. it is too soone to goe to Church, too soone to heare, too soone to pray. In regard of which slacknes of ours, he vseth foure reasons, all of great moment to perswade vs. And first be­cause he knoweth that nothing will perswade so well with vs as a benefit: therefore in the first 1 place he vseth this argument of his bountie; he giues thee sixe daies to keepe one: where if he should [Page 5] commaund thee to keepe sixe daies and giue thee but one, thou oughtest to haue done it for that ones sake: how much more then sith he hath gi­uen thee sixe daies to keepe one? Secondly, lest 2 thou shouldest doubt of the equitie thereof, he sheweth thee what right he hath vnto it, in that he saith it is his Sabbath: It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. And wilt thou then withhold the right from the owners thereof? Prou. 3. 27. Or, as the Apostle reasoneth, shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an har­lot: so, wilt thou take the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, and make it the Diuels Sabbath? which if thou keepest not vnto the Lord, thou keepest vnto the Diuel; as the Idolaters that sacrificed vnto their Idols, sacrificed vnto the Diuels, 1. Cor. 10. 20. Thirdly, lest thou shouldest say that 3 hee is like the Pharisies, that bound heauie bur­dens and grieuous to bee borne, and laid them vpon other mens shoulders, but would not themselues mooue them with one of their fin­gers: he sheweth that it is no other thing that he commandeth, then that which himselfe did, for he kept it holy. And therefore as Abimelech said, What ye see me to do, do ye the like: so what you haue seene God to doe, doe yee the like. Lastly, if 4 none of these will perswade, yet let that mooue thee to regard it, which moueth all men, their be­nefit: for Gods blessing resteth vpon them that keep it.

§. Sect. 4 Now this is not all, that God vseth a greater number and weight of reasons to perswade by; but he hath more specially dealt in this comman­dement [Page 6] than in any of the rest. For first if you 1 marke it, in the very entrance God setteth a What things this comman­dement con­taineth in it in speciall. watch as it were in the gate, which all the rest of the commandements want, though neuer so or­derly set downe; Remember (saith he) the Sabbath. As if he should say, think on this day afore hand, and prepare thy selfe before it come: for thou art forgetfull that there is any difference betwixt this and other daies; therefore (saith he) remem­ber. This is as it were the first stake. Secondly, he 2 doth not only giue this commandement, but he afterwards explaines it to the full; sheing not on­ly what workes are forbidden vpon this day to be done, but also vnto whom, and why. Thirdly, least thou 3 shouldest bee drawne away by the example of great men to breake it, hee sets before thee the example of him that is higher than the highest, who did keepe it; God himselfe did keepe it. A rare example and a thing that he specisies not in any of the rest, nor scarce againe in the whole Scrip­ture: so that in these three things this comman­dement is alone; and neither these nor the like things may be found in any of the rest expressed. You must thinke God had a meaning in it, and what else can it be, but that hee would haue this commandement vnderstood and remembred, as being most necessarie for vs to know? because vpon this day we are taught how to walke in the obedience of all the rest. Which that wee may the better attaine vnto, let vs see what things of­fer themselues in this commandement to be exa­mined and considered of.

CHAP. II.

§. Sect. 1 THese words being thus vnfolded, it now remaineth that we proceede to the handling of them. And first of the Sabbath day, or day of rest (that I may bee vnderstood of what rest I intreate.) How many sorts of Sab­baths there were amongst the Iewes. We are to consider, that amongst the Iewes there were two kinds of Sabbaths: one of yeeres, ano­ther of daies. That of yeeres was euery seuenth yeere, in which they might not sowe their land, but let it rest: or euery seuen times seuen yeeres, which was the yeere of Iubile: in which bond­men went out free, and alienated possessions re­turned againe vnto the owners, Leuit. 25. 10. Of these Sabbath of yeeres we intend in this place no further discourse, we come therfore vnto that other part of the diuision, namely the Sabbath of daies. And here againe I must distinguish: for the Sabbath of daies was also two-fold; ceremo­niall, and morall. Now of the first sort were all the Sabbaths that were instituted by Moses in the ceremoniall law: such as were the Passeouer, Pentecost, the new Moone, and the feast of Ta­bernacles; [Page 8] which, Leuit. 23. are called Sabbaths. Of the second sort, which wee call morall, is that Sabbath which is commanded in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements: of which here in this treatise our purpose is to write.

§. Sect. 2 Now betwixt this morall Sabbath (which we so call, because it is a part of that law which gi­ueth instruction for manners) and these other ceremoniall Sabbaths, there is great difference, which Moses Leuit. 23. 37, 38 pointeth at: where The differēce betwixt the morall and the ceremoniall Sabbaths. hauing spoken before in the chapter both of this Sabbath and of those feasts before named, hee concludeth his speech of the feasts thus: These are (saith he) the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall call holy conuocations, &c. besides the Sabbath of the Lord, that is, besides those Sabbaths which they were to keep euery seuenth day. Now the difference was: First, this morall Sabbath God himselfe spake it immediatly, Exod. 20. 1. and afterwards writ it in tables of stone with his owne finger, Deut. 9. 10. and therefore Exod. 32. 16. these tables are said to be the worke of God, and this writing to be the writing of God ingrauen in the tables. And this he writ not once, but when the tables were broken, he wrote in the second time, Exod. 34. 1. And lest any man should say, that God also spake and writ the rest when Moses Deut. 5. 22. had rehearsed the tenne Commandements vnto the Israelites, he addeth that all these words God spake, and added no more, but wrote them vpon two tables, and when he had writ­ten them, as appeareth Deut. 4. 13, 14. hee com­manded Moses at the same time that he should teach [Page 9] them ordinances and lawes, which they should obserue in the land which they went to possesse. So that this is manifest that the Decalogue or tenne words was only spoken and written by God; but all the rest added by Moses, which is the first difference. Se­condly, this morall Sabbath was more ancient. For it had his institution, as appeareth Gen. 2. 2, the very next day after mans creation: yea and his obseruation together with his institution: for God himselfe rested vpon it, where as those ce­remoniall Sabbaths tooke their beginning but from Moses. Thirdly, it was also more holy: for where as vpon this day it was not lawfull for the Iewes to dresse their meate, Exod 16. 23. nor to kindle a fire, Exod. 35. 3. vpon these ceremoniall Sabbaths, it was permitted vnto them to doe it, Exod. 12. 16. And lastly, it was more durable: for the couenant of the moral Sabbath was an euer­lasting couenant, Exod. 31. 16. as also shall anon further appeare: whereas the other was but a vanishing shadow, and to last but vnto the com­ming of Christ: for it was foretold by Daniel, that the Messiah should cause the sacrifice to cease, Dan. 9. 27. And that the Iewes knew well enough, in that Iohn being demaunded by them what he was, and denying that he was either the Christ, or Elias, or any of the Prophets. They de­manded again of him why he did then baptize: thereby intimating y^t vnles he were one of these, he might chaunge nothing in the Law: wherin they secretly graunted that these might doe it. And as the Messiah had authoritie in himselfe to [Page 10] change the ceremoniall law of Moses, so might he also change these ceremoniall Sabbaths; they being a part of that law which was ceremoniall; which also hee did. And therefore saith the A­postle, Let no man condemne you in respect of an holie day, or of the new Moone, or of the Sabbaths: which were but a shadow of things to come, namely of our eternall rest in heauen, which wee obtaine by faith in Christ. Which Sabbath the Iewes thought did shadow out on­ly their rest in Canaan: but the Apostle Heb. 4. vers. 8. confuteth them, for (saith he) if Iesus (that is Iosua) had giuen them rest, then Dauid would not after that day haue spoken of another rest; saying, that God sware in his wrath that the vnbelee­uing should not enter into his rest, for their vnbeliefe sake: yet this rest in heauen remaineth now vn­to the children of God, that is, to the beleeuers; although the shadowes thereof be done away, the bodie which is Christ, being come.

§. Sect. 3 Indeede it pleased God, in the minoritie as it were of the Iewes, to traine them vp like chil­dren The vse of ce­remonies vnto the Iewes. vnder the pedagogie of the law: and to this end hee prouided diuers outward ceremonies representatiue, that might bee alwaies before their eyes: to put them in remembrance of the inwarde graces signified and represented by them. Insomuch that whither soeuer they did cast their eyes, there was something to teach them. For if they looked vpon their bodies, then circumcision offered it selfe; if vpon the coue­rings of their bodies, the fringes taught them; if [Page 11] vpon their tables, there was choise of meates; if they came into their houses, the Law was writ­ten vpon the lintles of their doores; if they went into the fields, there were the first fruites; if vnto their flockes, there were the first borne to be re­deemed; if they brought foorth children, then the first begotten; if they thought vpon the times, there were also remembrances for them. In the week, the seuenth day; in the moneth, the first day; and in the yeere the seuenth, and the fiftith were to be kept holy: but if they came in­to the Temple, then the shadowes were in num­ber without number, there was the Altar, the sa­crifice, the vaile, the mercie seate, and a number such like which did most liuelie shadowe out Christ vnto them. For in all these ceremonies Moses wrote of him, Ioh. 5. 46. but now all these shadowes are ended: for the bodie which is Christ is come. And hee hath taken them away, and therefore now wee must not any more bee lead as children, but as men of a riper age. For if wee should yet hold these things, it were to bee feared that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell that haue troden in their footings, had bestowed their labour vpon vs in vaine, Galat. 4. These feasts therefore and ceremoniall rites, and ritely ceremonies, the date of them being out long agoe, the writings razed, and the seales can­celled; we intend not to spend any longer time in the suruey of them.

§. Sect. 4 Come wee therefore now from the shadow to intreate of the substance; and from the cere­moniall [Page 12] Sabbaths to intreate of that Sabbath which is morall: which is here commanded in the Decalogue to be kept holy. For of this only is mention made in this place, and not of the o­ther Sabbaths. Therefore the Lord saith, Remem­ber the Sabbath, speaking of one: and not, remem­ber the Sabbaths, as intending to establish and per­petuate many by his commaund. And that hee meaneth this morall Sabbath, appeareth by the reasons; where he sheweth that it was that Sab­bath which was to be kept one day of seuen. In­deede I confesse that the other Sabbaths were here by a figure called Synecdoche inclusiuelie commaunded, so long as the ceremoniall law continued: euen as in the second commaunde­ment were also commanded all the ceremonies in Gods outward worship, so long as the cere­moniall law was to continue: but when there was another kinde of outward worship institu­ted, the former fell away; and yet the second commaundement continued a lasting precept euen vnto vs for euer: so also might these cere­moniall Sabbaths, for the time they lasted, bee here in the fourth precept commaunded: and yet when the ceremonies were to haue an end, they were to determine with the ceremonies: the commaundement notwithstanding to re­maine for euer; and as effectually and fully to commaund these other times that should after­wards be appointed by Christ or his Apostles in the steede of the Sabbaths, as euer it did com­maund the former.

§. Sect. 5 Hence therefore wee may obserue that being the Sabbath, is expresly commanded in that law which is perpetuall, and is a part of that law, That the Sab­bath is perpe­tuall. that therefore the Sabbath is also perpetuall. Now that it is here commanded, and is a part of this morall law, I thinke no man will be so blunt to denie. And that this law is perpetuall, appea­reth, first in that it is the same with the law of na­ture, that is written in the hearts of all men. For The morall law the same with the law of nature. what else is the law of nature, but a diuine rule written in the hearts of all men, more or lesse, by God himselfe; by which they know in generall what is good, and what is euill. Now that this law is the very selfe same with it, who seeth not? Only there is this difference, that the one is writ­ten in stone as well as in the harts of men: where­as the other is onely written in the stonie hearts of men: which difference is onely in the man­ner, but as touching the substance they are all one. And therefore the Apostle Rom. 4. 14. saith, that the Gentiles which were without the law, (vnder­stand, written in stone) yet did by nature the things contained in the law, which (as he saith) shewed the effect or sentence of the law written in their hearts. Which he proueth by the working of their own consciences, that did both excuse and accuse them. And (were it not a thing superfluous in a matter so euident, and so often done by others) if a man should but a little examine the records and wri­tings of the ancients, he might find the very selfe same things with Moses law, written and confes­sed by the Heathens themselues. And first to let [Page 14] passe these things which wee haue in common with the beasts, as that euery nature seeketh the preseruation of it selfe, and the propagation of it kinde: come wee first vnto the first table; for if the Heathens were ignorant in any thing, it was in things concerning God. Wherein I confesse the law of sinne after the fall had much ouer growne the law of nature: yet notwithstanding God would not in this leaue them without testimo­nie, Act. 14. 17, to the intent that they might bee without excuse, as he saith Rom. 1. 20: and there­fore that which might be knowne of God, was manife­sted vnto them: for God had shewed it vnto them, Rom. 1. 19. And that it was so, appeareth in the records that yet are extant, and are alleadged by the Fathers to that purpose. And to begin with the very first commaundement, which teacheth the true knowledge and inward worshippe of God. Haue not the Philosophers themselues, as Plato, Pythagoras, and the rest, written whole dis­courses of his nature, attributes, and worship? which if a man desire to know, hee may either reade in their own writings, or find them vrged to that purpose by the Fathers that had this con­trouersie with the Heathen that knew not God. And for the second commaundement, let Numa Pompilius by name testifie what he thought of it: who, as Plutarch witnesseth in his life, would not so much as suffer an image in Rome to be erec­ted. For (saith he) being that God is an inuisible spirit, hee was not to bee figured by any visible image. And this was so generally receiued a­mongst [Page 15] them, as that for the space of 170. yeeres there was no image of God erected in Rome. And as touching the third commandement, the name of God was with such religion regarded a­mongst them, as that there were some found a­mongst them, that did chuse rather to die, than to breake their oath, as Regulus: which also their lawes yet extant against periuries and blasphe­mies, doe sufficiently testifie: which, were they in force amongst vs, wee should not haue oathes so rife as now they are, euen as our steps, or as the stones of the streetes: or if we had, yet we should haue law to punish the blasphemer, wheras now we haue none: but of this sufficient. There re­maineth onely the fourth commandement, that a time, all businesse set apart, is to be sanctified to Gods seruice. Wherein let their Feriae and dies festi, that is, their holy daies and daies of rest from labour, testifie that they held a time, all businesse set apart, to be kept holy vnto the Lord. Now as for the second table I hope I shall not be put vn­to much businesse in it, seeing the Philosophers intreate most of the duties commanded therein; yea they were in y^e knowledge therof so exact, as that it is possible to find amongst them some one precept that containeth in it the effect of the se­cond table: namely, that sentence which was so rife amongst them: Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris, that is, That which thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe, that thou shalt not doe to another. Now what else is this but the same with that Matth. 6. which Christ calleth the law [Page 16] and Prophets? Whatsoeuer (saith he) ye would that men should do vnto you, euen so doe you vnto them, for this is the law and the Prophets. So then the Deca­logue being the same with the law of nature, is one and the same for euer. It followeth necessa­rily that the Decalogue is to remaine for euer, and consequently the Sabbath (being a part of that Decalogue) is to remaine for euer.

§. Sect. 6 And to put this matter out of doubt that the Decalogue is to remaine for euer, and is not abo­lished: the Apostle himself auoucheth it Rom. 3. the last verse, where disputing of iustification by faith, without the workes of the law; he putteth The conti­nuance of the law warranted by the Apostle this question; Doe wee then (saith he) make the law of none effect? God forbid: thereby accounting it as a most sinfull thing once to be conceited: yea he is so farre from that minde, as that hee resol­ueth it quite to the contrarie: We establish it, saith he. Now that which is established is made more sure, than it was before. And therefore those that say the moral law is abolished by the law of faith, speake like Peter in the transfiguration, they wote not what they say. For the Apostle saith it is esta­blished, and not abolished by faith.

Neither yet is the Apostle alone in this case; The law war­ranted to continue by Christ. but he followeth therein the example of his ma­ster Christ, who expreslie affirmeth so much, Matth. 5 17. where speaking of the morall law, he saith, Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets, I am not come to destroy them but to ful­fill them. The occasion of this doctrine, as it should seeme was thus, because hee had found fault ma­ny [Page 17] times with the Pharisies for their ouer strict keeping of the Sabbath, preferring the rest of the day before the good of man, as if man had been made for the Sabbath, and not the Sabbath for man, the Pharisies therefore began to accuse him as a breaker, or rather as an abolisher of the law: And as it may seeme some of his Disciples also began to drinke in this opinion and to promise libertie vnto themselues, as if Christ had come to put an end vnto the law; especially seeing hee went about to establish iustification by faith; which Christ obseruing, directeth this speech vnto them: Thinke not (saith he) that I am come to dissolue the law: as opposing this his speech di­rectly vnto their conceit, which they had of the abolishing of the law. Neither yet doth he here rest: but in the second place he sheweth that he is so farre from the destroying of it, as that hee came to a quite contrarie end; namely to ful­fill it. Now he which doth fulfill it doth not de­stroy it: for these are opposed by him as being contrarie the one to the other. For it were im­possible for him both to destroy the law, and yet to fulfill it. Neither yet doth hee here content himselfe to shew the end of his comming, name­ly to fulfill the law; but when he hath done, hee sheweth in the third place the durablenes of this law, and that there is nothing so lasting as it; no not the heauens, though neuer so constant in their motion; nor the earth, though neuer so fixed a center: for they shall both passe away be­fore; the whole law doth he say shall passe? Nay [Page 18] rather than the least iot or title of it shall escape or fall. And therefore whereas some say so much of the morall law shall stand, as Christ hath reestablished in the new Testament, therein they graunt the very thing in question: namely, that the Sabbath shall remaine: for Christ hath established the whole law; yea and hath warran­ted euery iot or title of it to be as durable as the heauens: and therefore vnlesse wee can turne heauen and earth vpside downe, let vs beware to take one iot or title from the law of God. Fourth­ly, that wee may certainly know that neither this law, nor any part of it is dissolued, hee sheweth, that he that shall breake one of the least commaunde­ments, As in Luke, thou childe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest, that is, shalt be. and teach men so, shall be called (that is, shall be) the least in the kingdome of heauen: as also on the contrarie, he that shall &c. And lastly, he is so farre from the breaking of it, that he requireth a more exact keeping of it. For (saith he) if your righteousnesse exceede not the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies, ye cannot enter into the king­dome of heauen. Now as for those that are of opi­nion that this place is to be vnderstood of the ce­remoniall law which Christ did fulfill: though it be true that Christ did fulfill that also, yet that hee meaneth the ceremoniall law in this place, I cannot see how they will be able to prooue: vn­lesse they will also hold, first, that the ceremonial law is not abolished: secondly, that it shall last as long as the world lasteth: thirdly, that if a man breake the least ceremonie thereof, and teach men so, that he shalbe the least in the kingdom of [Page 19] heauen: fourthly, that if hee obserue and teach them, he shall be the greatest in the kingdome of heauen: and fiftly that we are more bound vnto the obseruation of them than were the Scribes and Pharisies, if wee will enter into heauen. All which things Christ verifieth here of that law of which hee maketh mention. All which if any dare be so shamelesse as to affirme of the ceremo­niall law, yet they shall be vndone and proue no­thing thereby against vs, but all for vs: namely, that the Sabbath shall continue; it being as they say ceremoniall. But the truth is, it cannot be vn­derstood of any other law than of the Deca­logue or tenne Commaundements, as I haue al­readie shewed. And yet further to shew that Christs meaning was so, he presently falleth in­to an exposition of certaine precepts of the De­calogue, wherein the Pharisies had taught a­misse.

But now will some man say, he doth not there expound the Sabbath; and therefore the Sab­bath is not reestablished. Answ. Besides that hee little considereth what I haue shewed, that euery iot and title thereof is established as firme as the heauens: and that he that breakes the least com­maundement and teacheth men so, shall bee the least in the kingdome &c. Besides all this, I say, he may abolish by this reason the rest of the com­mandements that are not there expounded. He must therfore know that there was another rea­son that caused Christ not to speake any thing of the Sabbath: for it was Christs intent and [Page 18] [...] [Page 19] [...] [Page 20] purpose there to shew how they came short in the exposition of the law, and made the com­mandements speake lesse than they did; whereas they extended the Sabbath too farre, as touch­ing the outward ceremonie, and made it speake more than in truth it did. And therefore his in­tent being to shew how they came short in the exposition of the law; it was not meete to bring in an instance quite besides his intention.

§. Sect. 7 And that it was the minde of our Sauiour Christ that the Sabbath should continue, as it ap­peareth The Sabbath continued by Christ. by that which I haue alreadie alleaged: so also by that Matth. 24. 20. (where he wils that his children which should liue about 40. yeeres after his ascention, should pray that their flight might not be vpon the Sabbath) hee doth suffi­ciently declare that he held not this commande­ment in account of a ceremonie, but of a morall precept. For first, if it had been ceremoniall, they might haue fled without any care; for it had bin abolished fourtie yeeres before. Secondly, hee should haue done ill to haue vsed this as a scar­crow, or as a bugge to fray children with, when there was no such thing. Yea thirdly, if this com­mandement had been ceremoniall, hee should haue contradicted his owne doctrine, in esta­blishing that which himselfe did take away by his death. And last of all, had he held it a ceremo­nie, hee should rather haue taught them not to haue stood vpon the keeping of it, being it had been a great sinne for them to haue retained it, and made an account of it, it being abolished [Page 21] and done away before. Now as for those that would qualifie Christs speech, by saying that he spake not as he meant, but according vnto the su­perstition of the Iewes, that held it vnlawfull (as they say) to flee vpon the Sabbath, and that ther­fore his speech was directed vnto them which held this error. First, this their euasion hath no ground. For how will they make it appeare that the Iewes held it vnlawfull vpon the Sabbath to flee for preseruation of life, being they had no ground for it in the Scriptures? Secondly, their owne practise was to the contrary: for they fled out of Egypt vpon the Sabbath, Exod. 12. And as for that in the book of Macchabees, that some would not fight vpon the Sabbath, (besides that it is no scripture) we see them in the same place condemned for it, and the case generally resol­ued by their brethren to the contrarie, as they might well doe hauing such presidents in the Scriptures for their so doing; as 2. King. 11. and in the destructiō of Iericho, Iosh. 6. and elswhere. Thirdly, if there had bin any infected with that error, he would rather haue willed them to haue prayed for the change of their mindes, than for the chaunge of their flight. Fourthly, be it that some held it vnlawfull to flee vpon the Sabbath; yet what was that vnto his Disciples, who were not possessed with that error? for this was spo­ken vnto his disciples apart, as we see vers. 3. And lastly, if hee had spoken to such as had held that error, he would rather haue continued his forme of speech which he vsed in the former verse; and [Page 22] as there hee saith, Woe be vnto them which are with childe in these daies, manifestly speaking of others: so he would rather haue continued that forme of speech, and haue said, Woe bee vnto them that in these daies shall hold it vnlawfull to flee vpon the Sabbath; for then had the speech been plaine. But it is certaine that as the forme of Christs speech was altered, so the words loo­ked quite another way: as namely vnto the hin­drances and lets that might befall vnto them. And first to the bodily lets, if their flight should fall in the winter, the shortnes of the day, toge­ther with the foulenesse of the way, might bee combersome: Therfore pray (saith he) that your flight be not in the winter. And with this it well fitted, that hauing set downe their bodily lets and grieuances, he should in the second place set downe the spirituall lets and grieuances, which might befall them if their flight should bee vpon the Sabbath. For how could this but grieue them to see not onely abomination, or desolation, in the Temple? but abomination of desolation to be set vp in the high places, euen in place and steede of Gods worship, and that in the time of his worship also; how could this I say be any o­ther than grieuous vnto them? and therfore ex­ceeding grieuous, because then also vpon the sight thereof they were to bee depriued both of Gods word and worship, and to bee driuen out into exile. Yet if troubles and afflictions must needs come, a man would desire that they might not come at the worst, or in the middest of his [Page 23] happinesse. And if a man must needs die, yet he would desire to end his prayers first, and first to be prepared thereto. In regard of which Christ willeth them to pray that their flight might not be vpon the Sabbath: that is, that though it were vneuitably decreed, that their flight should bee; yet that the extremitie of it might be something mitigated for the elects sake. And this I hope that notwithstanding these wrenches, it is eui­dent that Christs meaning was that the Sabbath should continue.

§. Sect. 8 The more iniurie therefore they offer vnto God that would nullifie this his commaunde­ment, The morall law was long before the ce­remoniall. and make it stand but as a Iewish ceremo­nie: when as yet it is more anciently descended, than to take his beginning with the ceremoniall law. For in the writings of Israel mention is made of the keeping of the Sabbath by that patterne that cannot erre, euen by God himselfe, before the giuing of the ceremoniall law: or be­fore Israel was a people, or called after the name of their father Iacob: yea I say long before there was any promise made vnto Abraham their fa­ther. Neither yet alone did God then keepe it, but did also institute it to be kept. Yea but it was not kept, will some man say. What then? shall the disobedience of some make the law of God of none effect? God forbid: though neither yet can I yeeld that it was not kept. For what if the keeping of it bee not mentioned? doth it there­fore follow that it was not kept? Were all things that were done by the Fathers written by Moses? [Page 24] If they should, I suppose the world it selfe would not haue contained the bookes: but these things which are written are written for our leraning, Rom. 15. 4. And to this end is the institution of the Sabbath recorded by Moses, that we might thence learne the obseruation therof, seeing that God did institute it to that end to bee obserued; vnlesse wee will say that God did institute a day for rest, which yet he would haue no man to rest vpon. But to take away all wrangling; the truth is, the obseruation of this day is also shewed by Moses before the giuing of the law, aswell as the institution; and so shewed, as that he sheweth it not once to be kept by God himselfe in the crea­tion, Gen. 2. 2, but againe in the wildernesse; in that he ceased to raine downe Manna vpon the Sabbath, Exod. 16. 15. Loe thus twice hee obser­ueth God keeping of it. And to this hee addeth the practise of man also: for Exod. 16. he sheweth how the Israelites kept it in the wildernes, when as yet the ceremoniall law was not giuen; by which it is certaine that this law was perpetuall.

§. Sect. 9 And that it is so, me thinkes I neede bring no other proofes than the reasons themselues. For The reasons of the precept proue the per­petuitie of the Sabbath. where the reasons be generall, do they not binde in generall from one to euery one, euen from the free denison to the straunger? And where the reasons bee perpetuall, doe they not implie the perpetuitie of the commandement? otherwise the reasons should perswade when the comman­dement were ended. Now the reasons that here are vsed to perswade vnto the keeping of the [Page 25] commaundement being perpetuall; what shall we iudge of the commaundement, but that it is also perpetuall? and bindeth vs aswell as the Iewes: for are not these reasons to all men and at all times alike? Doth not God giue vnto euery one sixe daies aswell as vnto the Iewes? and then is not euery one bound to keepe a seuenth aswell as the Iewes? Is not the Lord thy God aswell as theirs? and must not thou then keepe his Sabbath aswell as they? Or did he rest onely for their ex­ample, and not for thine also? Or haue they need onely to be blessed and not thou also? Then these reasons perswading thee aswell as them, and now aswell as then; doe they not pleade for the per­petuitie of this commandement, and proue that it is no vanishing shadow, but a lasting precept and to remaine for euer?

§. Sect. 10 But what neede I to alleage so many reasons to perswade in a thing so apparant? were there The perpetual vse of the Sab­bath prooueth the Sabbath perpetuall. no more but this one reason, namely the conti­nuall vse and neede wee haue of the Sabbath to perswade the perpetuitie of the Sabbath, it were sufficient. For if there were no time to call vs backe, how farre would that corruption where­with wee are warmed in our mothers wombes carrie vs, like a mightie streame or current from all godlinesse? How deepe would we diue into the things of this world, if wee should neuer bee pulled out? If there were no time to water that seede that is sowen in our hearts, wee should be­come as a garden that hath no water, Isai. 1. 31. where euery thing dieth. Yea how easily would [Page 26] our hearts become like vnto the sluggards garden that is ouergrowne with thornes and nettles, which couer the face thereof? Pro. 24. 31. And if the best men notwithstanding the best meanes be many times ouertaken; Lord, what shall we poore men thinke shall become of vs? If there were no time set downe by God vnto vs for his seruice, and if it were left vnto our owne discretions, when should wee finde a time? would wee not pleade as the Iewes in the building of the Temple, The time is not yet come? Hag. 1. 2. And therefore I say, being wee haue such continuall vse and neede of it, what doth it els but perswade the continuance of it vnto vs?

To conclude therefore this point; if this law The conclu­sion of all. be the same with the law of nature; if established by the Apostle; if confirmed by Christ; if insti­tuted before the people was, to whom the cere­moniall law was giuen; if warranted fortie yeres after the ceremoniall law was abolished; if the reasons be now as effectuall to perswade vs to the obedience thereof as euer, and the vse also now as great as euer: we may truly conclude, that see­ing in the institution it was not ceremoniall; it cannot in processe of time become ceremo­niall; but as it came in with the world, so it must end with the world. And from this must not a Christian be driuen, no not for all the world.

§. Sect. 11 But notwithstanding the euidence of this truth, yet there haue bin obiections of two sorts Arguments pretending to prooue the law to be abolish­ed, answered. found out to weaken the trueth thereof: some whereby they endeuour to prooue the whole [Page 27] law abolished: others, that if not the whole law, yet at least that y^e Sabbath is abolished. Now, to prooue that the whole law is abolished, they al­leage that 1. Tim. 1. 9. To the iust there is no law; and that Rom. 6. 14. We are not vnder the law, but vnder grace. To which to answere in a word; it is true that we are not vnder the correction of the law: For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus, Rom. 8. 1. Yet we are vnder the dire­ction of it. For ibid. ver. 7. the flesh is condemned as an enemie vnto God, in that it is not subiect vnto the law. Secondly, wee are not vnder the law as it was giuen by Moses, but as it is warran­ted by Christ. Thirdly, wee are not vnder the ri­gor of the law: for Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law, Galath. 3. 13. from the curse of the law (saith the Apostle) not from the law. And ther­by it is that now his commaundements are not grie­uous vnto his, Ioh. 5. 3: but wee willingly subiect and giue our selues seruants vnto it; to receiue direction from it, &c. But of this sufficient, it be­ing something besides my purpose.

§. Sect. 12 Come wee therefore vnto those that more neerely concerne the matter in hand; amongst Our rest from sinne taketh not away our rest from la­bour. which this is one doubt, that sticketh vp like a thorne in a drunkards hand, wherewith hee hur­teth himselfe and others, namely, that euery day is a Sabbath or rest from sinne; and that therfore now wee are not any more bound to keepe any particular Sabbath. Now to proue that we must keep euery day a Sabbath, they alleage that Heb. 4. 10. where it is said, that he that is entred into this [Page 28] rest hath ceased from his owne workes, as God did from his: and that therefore we must euery day keepe a rest from sinne. To which I answere: Were it so that all they that vrge this did it of a desire and loue they haue to the Lords Sabbath, they were the lesse to bee blamed: howbeit, it is certaine that they pleade this most that least de­light in the Sabbath when it comes; and they doe it not that they would haue other daies to be kept as the Sabbath; but because they would haue the Sabbath; to be kept but as another day. But howsoeuer, yet I do not see how out of that place they may make this appeare. For first, I see not how Gods resting from his workes, may be a figure of our resting from our sinfull workes, there being no proportion between them, which alwaies is betweene the signe and the thing sig­nified. Secondly, if this rest were a signe or figure of our rest from sinne, it must be so vnto Adam also; for the law was giuen vnto him. Now how could that be a figure vnto him of his resting from sinne, when as yet hee had not sinned? Thirdly, be it that there were such a rest, yet what doth the keeping of this rest morally hinder the keeping of that from sinne? nay rather is it not a principall meanes for the furtherance thereof? For doth not rest from wordly affaires and im­ployment in holie duties take away all occasions of sinne? Fourthly, were it granted that we must rest euery day from sinne; yet this their collec­tion, that therefore wee should not rest from la­bour to keepe the Sabbath holy, followeth not [Page 29] therupon; no more than because a man is bound to receiue euery morsell of meate with giuing thankes, that therefore he should say he were not bound to receiue the Lords Supper otherwise than as common bread; or rather not to receiue the Lords Supper at all, because he euery day re­ceiueth bread with giuing of thankes. Fiftly, that which in that place is made significant, was the seuenth day from the creation: for the text saith, he speaketh in a certaine place of the seuenth day, not of the Sabbath. Whereby it is plaine, that that which was significant was the seuenth day from the creation, on which God is there said to rest; and it might be this was a signe that they should in the like manner rest vpon the seuenth day from their works as God did from his; to which end Gods example is brought as a reason to per­swade vs to rest, because God rested: as also it might bee a signe of our eternall rest in heauen. And that indeede the Apostle meaneth there, when hee saith vers. 10. that hee which hath entred into his rest, that is into heauen, hath ceased from his owne workes. What of sinne? No, but of his calling: for this rest Adam should haue entred into though he had neuer sinned. But (last of all) be it that in this place he meaneth this rest from sinne to bee shadowed out, yet that rest is in hea­uen: but in this life no man hath, or indeed can rest from his sinfull workes, as God did from his workes; which the Apostle affirmeth of those that haue entred into his rest. But this argument how wind-shaken it is, I hope euery man seeth. I [Page 30] will spend therefore no more time to pluck this thorne out of the drunkards hand. It resteth that I should here answere that which is vrged by some out of the Epistle vnto the Coloss. chap. 2. vers. 16, 17. Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day, or of the new Moone, or of the Sabbaths. But because we shall haue a more fit oportunitie offe­red to speake of it in the next chapter, I therefore thither remit the reader.

That which remaineth to be spoken of last of all, is the vse of this, that being the Sabbath is per­petuall, therefore men take heed how they suffer this truth to be wrested away from them by the cunning sleights of Sathan, or be drawne on by the alurements of euill men, to abuse it to their owne pleasures or profits, to runne, ride, or sport themselues vpon it, as if it were lawfull as vpon another day: or as if God had neuer said the word, keepe it holy. And this much as touching the first point, namely that the Sabbath is perpe­tuall.

CHAP. III.

§. Sect. 1 BVt now as is the rest, so is not the day or time of the rest perpetuall: The time of the rest not perpetuall. for if you marke God saith not, re­member the seuenth day to rest vpon it, but, remember the day of rest; which is the second thing that we obserue in this com­mandement and giueth vs occasion to consider of another question. Which is, whether the A­postles might chaunge the Sabbath vnto any o­ther day then that which the Iewes kept. Which they might doe: first, because the seuenth day kept amongst the Iewes was ceremoniall, and did shadow out vnto vs our eternall rest, as ap­peareth Heb. 4. 4. 10. which was one cause that moued the Apostles to chaunge the day: As al­so they might doe it, because they found no li­mited day set downe in the commaundement. For as for that which followeth afterwards the seuenth is the Sabbath, it is no part of the morall [Page 32] precept, but onely an explication of it. For if that were a part of it, then this also must be a part, sixe daies shalt thou labour; which to graunt were absurd: because then we should make duties be­twixt man and man to bee taught in the first table, which onely teacheth man this dutie to God: and the second the dutie of man to man, as Christ sheweth Matth. 22. 38. as also they be­ing two things so contrarie as rest and labour, I cannot see but they must also be two commaun­dements. Besides all this in the reasons, there be many things that concerned onely the Iewes, as in the fifth commaundement, Honour thy father and mother; the reason is, that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee. Now it is certaine that this promise had only reference vnto the Iewes, whom the Lord brought out of the land of Egypt, and whom the Lord would bring into the land of Canaan. But vnto vs it is as the Apostle vrgeth it Ephes. 6. 3, that thy daies may be long vpon earth. So in the first commande­ment, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the bondage of Egypt: but wee may rather say, which brought vs out of the bondage of sinne, or out of the bondage of Poperie. And Deut. 5. 15. he vseth another reason to perswade the Iewes, which doth not appertaine vnto vs; which was, that they should keepe the Sabbath, because they were seruants in Egypt. All which reasons we see are vr­ged in respect of them, as being the fittest to per­swade them, being taken from the present bene­fit, which either they had, or were shortly to en­ioy. [Page 33] And what letteth but that the like respect shuld be had in this commandement of thē as in the former? You will happely say then, that there is somthing in the commandement that concer­neth not vs, but the Iewes. Not so neither: for though there might bee some particular reasons vsed that might more concerne them than vs, yet the commaundements might concerne vs both alike, they being the same with the law of nature written in our hearts, as also they being warranted vnto vs in the Gospell to remaine. Though neither, yet if we should graunt these words to bee part of the precept, doe they tye vs to keepe that seuenth day from the creation, but onely require of vs a seuenth to bee kept, which wee willingly embrace, as being the fittest time and the meetest for Gods seruice. And the ra­ther because the Apostles haue retained, and still kept a seuenth day for Gods seruice; from whose example we may not varie.

§. Sect. 2 But now as (I haue shewed) that the time of the Sabbath might be changed without any ra­zure of the commandement: so also it is meete It was meete that the Sab­bath day shuld be changed. that it should be chaunged vnto another day for these reasons. For first, seeing the seuenth from the creation was ceremoniall, and did figure out our rest in heauen by Christ, as appeareth Heb. 4 ver. 8; why should it not by the same reason bee thought meete to be abolished, by which other shadowes are abolished; namely, that the people might be thereby kept from Iudaizing; as also they being shadowes must necessarilie giue place when the [Page 34] body commeth, Coloss. 2. 17. Thirdly, seeing that when Christ rose it was a new world, Heb. 2. 5. and olde things were past, and all things become new, 2. Cor. 5. 7: was it not then meete that as the old couenant had the old day, and the old feales; so this new couenant should haue this new day and his new seales, especially seeing that in the contracts and couenants renewed between man and man, we require that as they be new drawne, so they be new dated and new sealed?

§. Sect. 3 But here I know it may seeme straunge vnto some, how this may be that the Sabbath should How the Sab­bath is perpe­tuall, and yet changed. be perpetuall and to remaine for euer, and yet to bee chaunged. For if it bee perpetuall, how is it chaunged? if chaunged, how is it perpetuall? For answere whereunto, it is to be vnderstoode that there is a two-fold consideration or respect of the Sabbath; either as touching the substance of this commaundement, which is contained in these words, Remember thou keep holy the day of rest, which is the same with the law of nature, and is so farre foorth warranted by Christ, as I haue al­readie heretofore prooued: or else, as it was gi­uen vnto the Iewes by Moses, and had many ce­remonies and shadowes annexed vnto it, both 1. in the manner, 2. in the end, and 3. in the time. 1. In the manner, first they were to keepe it with offe­ring vp of sacrifices vpon that day, as two lambes of a yeere old, two tenth deales of fine flower, &c. Numb. 28. 9. Secondly, that they were more strictly to keepe the rest, so as they might not kindle a fire vpon that day, Exod. 35. 3. nor dresse [Page 35] their meate, Exod. 16. 23: which strictnes of rest was ceremoniall, and after the law was gi­uen, was added by Moses, and therefore is aboli­shed; the morall rest required in the commaun­dement notwithstanding remaining, as being a thing so vnseparably ioyned vnto holinesse, as that wee cannot keepe the day holy without it. 2. In the end also there was something ceremo­niall: for the Sabbath was made vnto them part­ly memoratiue; as Deut. 5. 15. it was to bee kept in remembrance that they were seruants in Egypt: and partly it was representatiue; for Exod. 31. 13. it was to be kept as a signe of their sanctification. 3. And last of all, in the time, as I haue alreadie shewed, in that they kept the seuenth day from the creation. As al­so in that they kept their Sabbath from euen to euen, Leuit. 23. 32. whereas the Church now keepeth the day first, and the night following. Whereof more hereafter.

Now all these additions concerned the Iewes onely, vnto whom they were giuen in charge to bee obserued; yet no longer neither than vntill the comming of Christ, which was the bodie of all these shadowes. And therefore as touching al these complements of the Iewes: significations of the rest, sacrifices of the day, obseruation of the time from the creation; wee know them not hence-foorth, and therefore in respect of these let no man condemne vs. Yet let no man so much as imagine, that because that which was ceremonial in it is done away, therefore the day, the rest, the sanctification of that day of rest, or [Page 36] any substantiall thing in that law commaunded is done away. For as no man may say the Sacra­ment is abolished, because the signe is chaunged; no more may any man say the Sabbath is aboli­shed, because the time is chaunged: for if euerie commandement that hath a ceremony annexed vnto it, should therefore presently be done away, or should with the ceremonie become also cere­moniall; it should follow that most of the com­mandements should be done away; for they had ceremonies annexed vnto them. As the sixth Commandement had the ceremonie of things strangled and of blood: for as they might not kill, so they might not strangle or eate the blood. The fifth Commandement had the ceremonie of writing the law vpon their post, or of binding them vpon their hands: for as they were to teach the law, so by this ceremonie to teach. And all the ceremonies in Gods worship appertained vnto the second, which commanding Gods out­ward worship, must necessarily commaund these ceremonies by which he would be worshipped: yea the whole law had the ceremonie of the parchment lace. Now, will you therefore say that all the law is ceremoniall and done away, because these ceremonies are done away? If not, no more may you prooue that this commande­ment is done away, because the ceremonie is done away. And therefore as this law was kept thousands of yeres before these ceremonies were added: so I see no reason but that they may cōti­nue thousands of yeres after they be done away.

§. Sect. 4 In the assured ground of which truth, the A­postles being well setled and grounded by the great teacher of the world, retaining the rest, change the time, from the seuenth that the Iewes The change of the time of the Sabbath. kept, vnto the first day of the weeke. Which change of theirs appeareth in their practise that vpon this day they did vsually assemble, as wee may see first, Ioh. 20. 19. that day vpon which Christ rose they were assembled together: then eight daies after, which was the next first day of the weeke, they were againe assembled, vers. 26: and Acts 2. 1. when the holie Ghost descended vpon them, they were again assembled vpon this day: where although the first day of the week be not named; yet Pentecost is which fell vpon the first day of the weeke, as appeareth by that Leuit. 23. vers. 15. where they were required to bring a sheafe of their first fruits the morrow after the Sabbath in the Passeouer; and betwixt that and Pentecost they were to reckon fiftie daies: so that the day of his resurrection falling the morrow after the Iewes Sabbath, which is the first day of the week; Pen­tecost must needs also fall the first day of the weeke. And as the Apostles did practise this, so did also the whole Church, Act. 20. 7. Yea and the A­postle himselfe doth there celebrate this day with the administration of the word and Sacraments. As also 1. Cor. 16. 1. hee doth vpon this day ordaine col­lections in the Church of Corinth: like as hee there testifieth he had done in the Church of Galatia. And last of all, to giue the greater assurance of this, Rom. 1. 10, the Apostle calleth it the Lords day: [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38] thereby as it were vpon his new institution to grace it the more, the time being changed: as he did the Sacrament, in the like manner by calling it the Lords Supper, the signe being chaunged. 1. Cor. 11. 20.

§. Sect. 5 Now this they did vpon these reasons. First, to put a difference betwixt the Iewish Sabbath The reasons of the change. and the true Christian Sabbath. Secondly, be­cause as God the Father did sanctifie the seuenth from the creation, by his resting vpon it from the work of the creation; so did God the Sonne sanctifie this seuenth from the redemption, by his rising againe and resting vpon it from the worke of the redemption. Thirdly, because that this worke of the redemption being a greater work than that of the creation; and his rest from affliction being a greater rest than that from la­bour; it better deserued to beare the name and credit of the day, than that from the creation. Fourthly, because Christ did vouchsafe also to honour this day aboue all the other daies of the weeke, by his seuerall appearings vpon it, as well as by his rising againe vpon it. For vpon this day when hee rose hee appeared foure times: first, to Mary Magdalen in the morning, Ioh. 20. 1. & 14. Secondly, vnto the other women as they were going to relate vnto the Apostles his resurrec­tion, which the Angels had told them of before at the sepulchre, Matth. 28. 9. Thirdly, to the two Disciples going to Emmaus; which also was the same day: for they said it was the third day since these things were done, Luk. 24. 21. And lastly, [Page 39] the same day at night hee appeared vnto his Dis­ciples, Ioh. 20. 19. but afterwards though Thomas his faith wanted confirmation in the matter of the resurrection, yet hee did not againe manifest himself, vntill the returne of the same day: which Iohn noteth when he saith, hee appeared againe eight daies after vnto them, when Thomas was present. Fiftly, as Christ did vouchsafe to honor this day by his resurrection, so also doth the ho­lie Ghost by his descention vpon it; for Whit­sontide or Pentecost did fall vpon that day, as be­fore is manifest. And last of all, vpon this day be­gan the creation of the world; so that vpon this day wee haue to meditate both vpon our crea­tion, redemption, and sanctification. Now vpon all these reasons the Apostles changed the Sab­bath into the first day of the weeke.

Now had they done it because they might do it by their authoritie Apostolique, for they were lead into all truth by that spirit which could not erre: or had they onely done it because it was meete to be done, that the people might be kept from Iudaizing, which in trueth inclined too much that way: or had they done it because hap­pely the day was ceremoniall; who could haue iustly accepted against it? But now being they haue done it vpon such reasons as you haue heard, it were intollerable for any to call their doings againe into question; especially when as yet if we should goe about to mend the choise, wee should certainly marre with mending, and put out a better and fitter day, than wee should [Page 40] put in the roome thereof. For if we should place in the roome thereof a shorter time, men would crie out wee cannot dispatch our businesse be­tweene the Sabbaths: if a longer, then Gods bu­sines should be too much slacked; let vs therfore hold the meane which the Apostles haue kept, and in truth which euer hath been kept, namely one day of seuen holy.

§. Sect. 6 Yea, but will some man say, all this while wee see no Apostolicall institution for this day. A strange case when wee pleade the institution of the Sabbath to prooue the perpetuitie of the Sabbath; then men call for the practise thereof: now we vrge the practise of the Apostles, for the chaunge of the day they call for the institution. But as Christ answered the Pharisies when they accused him falsely of breaking the Sabbath: Haue you not read what Dauid did? how that when he was hungry, &c. thereby defending that his do­ing by the example of Dauid in the like case: so may we answere those that accuse vs for the kee­ping of the Sabbath vpon this day, Haue you not read what the Apostles and the Church did? how they did assemble vpon this day to heare the word and re­ceiue the Sacraments, I say haue you not read it? If you haue, then what meane you yet to call for an institution, whose practise alreadie you see, and whose example being not against the word, is a word? Although neither yet doe I doubt but that they being lead by the spirit into all truth, they had a warrant for their so doing; if not then from that spirit, yet from him who was [Page 41] Lord of the spirits, and of the Sabbath too: who had before his departing sufficiently instructed them what to doe. Which I rather think, because I see the practise of their assembling vpon that day before the holie Ghost was descended. Though in very deed I take this to be very great curiousnesse to inquire for their word, when we see their practise in assembling vpon this day; and if not the institution, yet at least an argument that there was such an institution amongst them, in that it was called the Lords day.

§. Sect. 7 But here I know I shall be required to make good two things before I may proceed any fur­ther: the first whereof, is to maintaine our tran­slation. The second, is to maintaine that by the Our transla­tion iustified. Lords day in the Reuelation is meant the first day of the weeke. That which will be put vnto me as concerning the translation, will be, how I can maintaine that in the Acts, chap. 20. 7. [...] signifieth the first day of the weeke: and that 1. Cor. 16. 1. [...] signifieth euery first day of the weeke. When the one should rather signifie the first of the Sabbaths; and the other some one of the Sabbaths. For the iustifying of our transla­tion, thus I answere, that [...] must be vnder­stood either properly, as the words themselues do signifie, the Sabbaths: or els they must be figu­ratiuely vnderstood, and signifie the whole weeke: now the first I thinke they will be vnwilling to graunt, least these places should speake too lowd for the perpetuating of the Sabbaths that should successiuely follow in ranke and order the one [Page 42] after the other. It must therefore be vnderstood of the second, that is, of the whole weeke; which I thinke they will not denie, in that elsewhere in the Scripture it is so taken, as Leuit. 23. 15. Seuen Sabbaths shall be compleate, that is seuen weekes. And Luk. 18. 12. [...], I fast twice in the Sabbath, that is in the weeke; for it is impossible to fast twice in one day: so in this place I take it, that by Sabbath the weeke is meant: though to retaine the proper signification would be more aduantagious for vs. Yea, but yet the doubt is behinde: for how come wee (say they) to tran­slate it the first day of the weeke? when the words seeme rather to signifie some one day of the weeke. First, we translate it so, because the Apostle see­meth to note out some set time of the Disciples assemblie; which if it were so translated, some one day of the weeke could not import that which the Apostle meant. Secondly, [...] is an Hebraisme: and the Hebrues vse often by one to signifie the first; as Gen. 1. 5. the euening and the morning are said to be [...] one day, that is the first day. And Gen. 10. 25. Heber had two sons, [...] the name of one, that is of the first, for hee na­meth afterwards his brother. So, one moneth for the first moneth is an Hebraisme. And to translate it thus, we are lead by that Matth. 28. 1. where he saith in the end of the Sabbath, [...], vsing the same phrase that here is, which we must needs translate thus as we doe, in the end of the Sabbath, when the first day of the weeke began to dawne; for that day must needes bee the first day [Page 43] of the weeke insuing, that dawneth first next af­ter the week past: and that this is out of question true, appeareth Mark. 16. 4. where that which hee calleth vers. 2. [...], one day of the weeke; he calleth afterwards vers. 9. [...], the first day of the weeke. And thus I hope I haue iustified our translation.

§. Sect. 8 The second question is, how it may appeare that by the Lords day was meant the first day of the That by the Lords day is meant the first day of the weeke. weeke, seeing that the Lord had so many daies, as some say, as the day of his birth, the day of his death, the day of his resurrection, and the day of his ascention, &c. Therfore to make this appeare; first it is most certaine, that as in generall all the beasts of the field are said to be his, Psalm. 50. so all the daies of the weeke may bee said to be his. But more properly that day which is set apart to his seruice, is said to be his. And in this sense that sup­per (wherein Christ departing did institute the Sacrament) is called the Supper of the Lord, 1. Cor. 11. 20; the table, the Lords table; the cup, the cup of the Lord, 1. Cor. 11. 21, &c. because they were all more specially consecrated vnto the Lords ser­uice. So must it also necessarily here be taken that by the Lords day, the Apostle meant some one day that was famously knowne in the Church, to be consecrated to his seruice, or else he would not so barely and nakedly haue passed it ouer; especially if that were true that there had been so many Lords daies at that time kept as they would thrust vpon vs; the Apostle had neede to haue made his speech plaine vpon which of these hee [Page 44] was rauished in the spirit. But it is most certaine that in the Scripture there is not any other day mentioned than this; and therefore it must con­sequently bee vnderstood of this. It being then kept (as I haue shewed) in the Apostles times, and the other daies then not obserued, but brought in afterwards: And that it was so it will appeare yet more plainly, if we giue any cre­dit vnto that which Master Beza noteth, which is that he found in a certain ancient Greeke cop­pie these words, [...], that is, the Lords day ad­ded in the text, 1. Cor. 16. 2. which words being added, the text must runne thus, euery first day of the weeke which is the Lords day, &c. And so it is plaine that by the first day of the weeke, must be meant the Lords day. As also is euident by that which Master Iunius obserueth out of the Syriak translation; which is, that whereas it is in the Greeke, when yee are come together in the Church; in the Syriak it is, when yee are come together on the Lords day; which maketh the truth of this fullie to appeare, that this first day of the weeke, vpon which we keepe our Sabbath, was the Lords day.

And further to make it euident that this day That the first day of the weeke is the Lords day, shewed also by the Fathers. was the Lords day, the Fathers who came neerest vnto the Apostles times, giue euident testimony. As Iustinus Martyr in Apol. 2. who setting downe first the meetings of the Church. Secondly, the greetings of the Church, with an holie kisse. Thirdly, their prayers. Fourthly, their admini­stration of the Sacraments. Fiftly, the reading of the Scriptures; then exhortation by the Pastor. [Page 45] Lastly, deliuereth the time of all this their mee­ting, which was vpon the Sonday, as he calleth it: first, because on it God began to create the world. Secondly, because on it Christ rose again from the dead; by which it euidently appeareth that this day was then kept. And Ignatius as an­cient as he, sheweth in his Epistle ad Magnesianos, not only that this day was chosen of the Church, but also why it was done: namely, that all occa­sions might be cut off from the Christians of Iu­daizing. And August. tom. 2. ad Ianuar. Epist. 119. saith, that the Lords day was deliuered to Christians by the Lords resurrection, and thereof it began to be celebrated. And last of al, Cyril in Ioh. lib. 17. cap. 58. saith, it must needes bee that the eighth day on which Christ appeared to Thomas, must bee the Lords day. Loe thus haue you a clowde of wit­nesses, all testifying this day to bee the Lords day: but of the other daies which they call feasts, no such matter. Neither yet had these feasts been so ancient, would any of them so iustly deserued the name of the Lords day as this: because in no­thing he did so much shew himselfe to be Lord, as in this his rising againe from the dead: for therefore hee died and rose againe, that hee might bee Lord of the quick and dead, Rom. 14. 9. And there­fore as the Lord would haue the Israelites after their comming out of Egypt, there and then to begin the account of their moneths in remem­brance of their great deliuerance from their bon­dage, in which they were in vnder Pharaoh, Exo­dus 21. 2. so would hee haue vs, in remembrance [Page 46] of our great deliuerance from the thraldome of sinne and spirituall bondage of the diuell, by Christs suffering and rising againe, there and then to begin our account.

The conclusion then of this point is, that see­ing the seuenth from the creation was not com­manded in the morall law, but was ceremoniall, and therefore meete to be changed, and being it might bee done without any preiudice to the commaundement. The Apostles did well to change the time of the Sabbath, which was kept euery seuenth from the creation, into the se­uenth from the redemption.

§. Sect. 9 Hauing thus made the truth of this point eui­dent, it remaineth now that we remoue such lets, Obiections answered. and cleere such doubts, as may any waies seeme to arise in the hearts of men, whereby they might be hindred from admitting this truth. And here first may these places of the Apostle, Galat. 4. 10. and Col. 2. 16, 17. incomber some, whose mindes are not so well established in the present truth: in the first of which places the Apostle seemeth to condemne all set times; and in the second, to cleere men from any iust imputation, or con­demnation for the not keeping of them, and by name of the Sabbaths; so that it may seeme we are set free from keeping any Sabbaths at all: for saith the Apostle, Let no man condemne you in re­spect of the Sabbath. For answere whereunto, as I will not greatly contend for the time of the Sab­bath, it being (as I haue alreadie shewed) done a­way, and the abolishing thereof may by this [Page 47] place iustly be warranted; for hee here speaking against the obseruation of times, especially those that were Iewish, it may as iustly be extended a­gainst the time of the Iewish Sabbath, as any o­ther feast amongst them; especially being that the time of the Sabbath is called the Sabbath, as in this commandement the seuenth is the Sabbath; that is the time of the Sabbath: and Leuit. 23. 3. The seuenth shall be the Sabbath of rest, that is, the time of rest, or the time of the Sabbath. As (I say) I will not contend with them for the day which the Iewes kept, it being abolished: so by no meanes can I be drawne so much as once to ima­gine that therefore the Sabbath should be toge­ther with the Iewish day abolished, being that Christ hath warranted the whole law and euery iot or tittle of it to remaine.

Yea, but you will say the Sabbath it selfe is ce­remoniall; for Exod. 31. 13. it is made a signe of our sanctification. A signe; what then? Is it therefore a ceremonie, and shadow? Is there no difference (thinke you) betweene a signe and a shadow? For my part I haue euer held, that shadowes signifie things to come, but signes things alreadie come aswell as to come. Againe, shadowes and the bodie or substance of them can neuer bee together, but when the one is come the other is gone; and where the one beginneth, there the other en­deth: but the signe and the thing signified ne­uer agree better than when they goe together. Indeede I confesse the shadowes may in some sense bee said to bee signes: but that all signes [Page 48] should bee shadowes, that will neuer bee made good by the dint of any argument, be it neuer so sharpe. As for example, the signes in Egypt were tokens of Gods anger, yet they were not sha­dowes: the Sacraments are signes confirming our faith, Rom. 4. 10. yet no shadowes: the mi­racles that Christ wrought were signes shewing foorth his glorie, Ioh. 2. 11, yet no shadowes: the Rainbow was a signe, putting God in minde of his couenant that hee would not againe the se­cond time drowne the earth, Gen. 9. 13. and 15; and then may not the Sabbath also be a signe? that is, a document or instruction to teach vs our sanctification; or a signe memoratiue to put vs in minde of our sanctification, but that it must presently therewith become a shadow? Why then become not all these signes shadowes aswel as it? Indeede I confesse that the strict keeping of the rest by the Iewes, commanded Exo. 16. 23. was a shadow as also was the seuenth day: yet that the rest commanded in the precept was so, or had any ceremonie annexed, that I denie. But be it so, that the rest in the commandement had also a signification added vnto it; yet from the be­ginning it was not so, but came afterwards and was made so vnto the Iewes, (who were to be lead on vnto Christ by these things, as children by their A. b. c. and first elements as it were of religion) and may not this that is meerely accidentall and added vnto it fall away, but that it must destroy that also with it which is substantiall? If this should be graunted, I see not but that the whole [Page 49] law must also be abolished, because there was no commandement but had some ceremonie or o­ther (as I haue alreadie prooued) added vnto it. Yea and the Sacraments must also bee done a­way, because the outward signes were shadowes; and so we should be without either word or Sa­crament, with which this would suite well to a­bolish the time of them both, that there might not bee so much as any speech of God or godli­nesse. But how farre much better haue the A­postles done? who haue abolished that which was ceremoniall and added vnto the morall law, retaining and keeping still the substance and law it selfe: as also they doe in retaining and kee­ping the same Sacraments which the Iewes had, 1. Cor. 10. 3, 4, though they chaunge the signes which they had. And what I pray you hath this commaundement deserued why it should not finde the like fauour with the rest, to remaine, al­though the day bee changed; but that together with the day it must be quite cashered from the rest of the cōmandements, as vnprofitable? This it is, the diuell knoweth that by y^e keeping of this commandement, his kingdom is most of all sha­ken; and therefore hee laboureth aboue all to shake at least, if not to ouerthrow this time ap­pointed for the worship of God.

§. Sect. 10 Yea, but in that place of the Galatians the A­postle seemeth altogether to disallow set times, That of the Galatians falsely vrged by some, an­swered. in so much as he saith, he is afraid that he hath be­stowed his labour vpon them in vaine, because they ob­serue daies and times. But of those that vrge this, I [Page 50] would know whether they thinke that the A­postle in this place condemneth all set times, or some onely: if they shall say all indifferently; then it shall not be lawfull for the Church at all to appoint any set times, no not for the deliuerie of the word and Sacraments: which whosoeuer maintaineth is an absolute Atheist, and seeketh no lesse than the ruine of Christ and his king­dome, and of all religion amongst men. How be it, this I know those that vrge this will not allow of it, to haue a day set for Gods worship, being a thing both tending to edification, and good or­der. Now if they will say, that it condemneth but some set daies, then it either condemneth those which the Church then kept, or those which the Iewes kept; for there were not a third sort of daies at that time. If they shall say those which the Church then kept, I would know of them whether the Church might not then as lawfully appoint daies for Gods seruice as now, the Apostles being then of the Church, and lead by that spirit that could not erre. And secondly, whether they might not appoint the first day of the weeke as well as any other, all daies being (as they say) indifferently alike. Both which things if they will graunt, I see not how the Apostle might iustly blame them for vsing their christian libertie, in making choise of some day for to keepe the Lords Sabbath vpon. Whom if hee might not iustly blame for vsing their libertie, much lesse then might hee so sharply rebuke them, as to stand in feare of them for the keeping of [Page 51] such a day, as if by it all his labours had been to none effect, or purpose. Yea, if the keeping of such times had been so bad; he should haue yet done much worse, himselfe to haue kept it with them, which yet hee doth Act. 20. 7. But this hee should haue added aboue all, that hee should speake against times set, and yet should himselfe set times, as we see he did (in the Church of Co­rinth, yea and in this very Church of Galatia) appoint collections to be made euery first day of the weeke, as wee may see 1. Cor. 16. 1: all which things or any of them once to conceiue of so great an Apostle, were intollerable. It remaineth therefore necessarily, that they must bee vnder­stood of those Iewish daies and times and yeres. And that they were such, appeareth euidently Col. 2. 17, where he sheweth that these daies were shadowes of things to come, which onely was proper to those Iewish daies, and no other. And indeed the truth was thus, there were crept into these Churches certaine false Apostles, that la­boured to ioyne Moses with Christ, and to inthral their consciences with the ceremoniall yoke, as though they were in conscience bound yet to keep the ceremonial law: the retaining of which was no lesse than in effect to denie Christ to bee come, who was the bodie of all those ceremo­niall shadowes. Which he obseruing, beginneth to be afraid of them, as he saith, least they should by this meanes haue made his preaching of Christ Iesus to haue been of none effect vnto them. Now as for our parts we are so farre from [Page 52] Iudaizing, as that we retaine neither any consci­ence of their daies, nor yet the daies themselues. And therefore we obserue the Sabbath vpon the first day of the weeke, whereas they kept it vpon the seuenth (as hath been heretofore sufficiently declared) that thereby we may be sure to auoide all Iudaisme.

Moreouer being the day is chaunged, it will §. Sect. 11. be demanded, and of some is, whether we ought not for the auoiding of Iudaisme, to forbeare to call it the Sabbath day? Whereto for my part I answere, that although I know that all things ce­remoniall in the Sabbath bee abolished, yet I could neuer learne that the name was any cere­monie, and therefore I see not but that it may bee vsed with that indifferencie as wee vse other names, it being fit and apt to expresse the nature of that which we would signifie by it. Secondly, being the rest is perpetuall (as I haue prooued) why should it not carrie with it the perpetuitie of the name of rest? But why then were new names giuen vnto it? Not because the old names were abolished, or might not bee vsed, but they were inforced to vse other names for distinctions sake: for if they had not called the Sabbath by some other name, they could not haue been so wel vnderstood whether they had spoken of the Iewes Sabbath that was to bee abolished, or of ours; therefore to auoide this ambiguitie they call it by another name, that they might thereby be the better vnderstood. But now being that the Iewes Sabbath day is quite abolished, and that [Page 53] custome hath made it familiar, and vse carried it vnto our Sabbath: I see not but that we may in­differently vse the name of Sabbath, euen as any of the rest of the names of the day: especially then when wee doe desire most to expresse the rest of the day, as when wee would expresse the change of it, to call it the first day of the weeke; and when the reason of the change, to call it the Lords day: so when we would expresse the rest, to call it the Sabbath day. And this much as touching the chaunge of the Sabbath vnto the first day of the weeke.

§. Sect. 12 But now vpon this which I haue shewed that the time of the Sabbath might be and was iustly changed by the Apostles, it will be demaunded, and of some is, though ouer busily I confesse (for we should be more readie to keepe, than to alter the constitutions of the Apostles; yet I say it will be demaunded) whether the Church may not chaunge the day of the Sabbath vnto any other day of the weeke? To which I answere, that al­though the Church hath power, Gods warrant going before, vpon some extraordinarie occa­sion, as plague, famine, sword, or such like, vpon any of the weeke daies to institute a fast, as in Ioel. 2. 15. Sanctifie a fast: or a feast, as Hest 9. The feast of Purim is instituted: or to turne a fast into a feast, Zach. 8. 19. The fast of the fourth moneth and the fast of the fifth shall be vnto the house of Iudah ioy and gladnesse. Yet to chaunge this day, they may not: for this were to become as the Princes of Iudah to change the land-markes, Hos. 5. 10, and [Page 54] to plucke vp Gods stakes and bounds which hee hath set for his Sabbath: yea to take away his Sabbath, and to appoint a day of our owne in steed thereof, were yet to come neere vnto the fact of Nadab and Abihu, who in steede of fire from heauen brought straunge fire, Leuit. 10. 1. which sinne God punished with death; and may not we feare the like at his hands, if in steed of that day which he hath appointed, we shal in­stitute vnto him a day of our owne? for which if hee punish vs not, yet hee may iustly returne it vpon vs with this reproofe; Who required this at your hands? Isai. 1. 12. But be it graunted, were it so that the Church might alter this; yet they must bee lead thereto by some great reason that may ouerwaigh that, for which it was instituted to bee kept vpon this day: but greater reasons cannot bee yeelded for any day than for this of which wee haue spoken before, which being considered, there cannot another day be placed in the roome thereof; neither yet if another day might be placed could a fitter day be placed, and therefore not another so well. And therefore be­ing it is so that this day is set apart by the church, I say more (though yet that were sufficient) by the Apostles to be kept holie; let vs be conten­ted to keepe it holie, as the Apostles haue left it: knowing that although we may sometimes san­ctifie that which is common; yet wee haue no power to make that commō which is sanctified. For that is a destruction or a snare vnto a man, to deuoure that which is sanctified, Prou. 20. 25.

Now that which may seeme to make against That place of the Romanes chap. 14. ex­planed. this which I haue written, is that of the Apostle, Rom. 14. 5, 6; where hee seemeth to make all daies alike, either to bee obserued or not obser­ued. True it is that hee saith some men count them so, but yet the Apostle maketh no such ac­count: for the question moued there, being, not betwixt the Iew and the Gentile, as some would haue it, but betwixt the stronger and the weaker, as appeareth chap. 15. 1. about eating of hearbes and keeping of daies, which arose as may seeme vpon this occasion, that forasmuch as the restitu­tion of our former estate was now wrought by Christ: therefore wee, as in the beginning our fathers did, should eate hearbes, and no flesh. Now as in these controuersies he setteth downe their tenents on both sides, both what the stron­ger held, and what the weaker; so he sheweth ei­ther of them their duties towards other. Now the tenents were thus; The stronger beleeued that they might eate all things, the weaker he eateth herbes. He doth not say beleeueth, as to the former, but eateth, thereby distinguishing it from the other. So againe vers. 5. This man esteemeth one day aboue another, that is the stronger, which appeareth in that there was a day both commaunded, recei­ued, and approoued in the Church, as I haue al­readie shewed: and therefore that must bee the stronger, then the weaker must needes be to hold euery day alike. So then if men count all daies a­like, it is an argument of their weaknesse: yet we that are perswaded that one day is aboue ano­ther, [Page 56] as the Lords day aboue all the rest, ought not to despise the weaker, but to beare with their infirmitie, so long as it may be for their good to edification, chap. 15. 2. And this is our minde to­wards those that through ignorance or weaknes account of the Lords day but as of another day. So long as it may bee for their good to edifica­tion, wee will beare with their infirmitie: which yet if they shal hold obstinately and defend with an high hand, we are to rebuke them sharply, that o­thers may feare. Now if any man to auoide the point of this argument shall say, that the Iewes are they which are meant by the weake, because they did eate herbes and obserue daies. First, I would haue them to shew me, where it may appeare, that they were restrained of eating flesh. Se­condly, if they were those whom the Apostle meant that kept and obserued daies: I would know of them also whether they thinke they kept them to the Lord, which the Apostle affir­meth; which if they say, I see not how the A­postle might be afraide of them so farre, that hee might thinke he had laboured amongst them in vaine, in that they kept a day holy vnto the Lord. And this much touching this question, whether the day of rest may be chaunged againe, or not.

CHAP. IIII.

§. Sect. 1 BVt now there is another sleight of Sathan, and that is when he cannot The whole day must be kept holie. leade vs beyond the marke, then he labours to haue vs come short of it. And to that end he beareth thou­sands in hand, that they are not bound to rest the whole day and keepe the whole day holie; but onely the time of the publike exercises. But for this they are to know, that God requireth in the commandement that we rest the whole day, and that we keepe the whole day holy: for if he had meant but a part of the day, he could haue said so much; but in that he requireth a day in the com­mandement he putteth it out of question. If thou thy selfe shouldest hire a man to worke with thee a day, wouldest thou not looke that hee should worke with thee a whole day? Or a seruant to dwell a yeere with thee, wouldest thou not looke that hee should dwell a whole yeere with thee? How is it then that thou vnderstandest God to halfes, when his word is as plaine as thine? Doest thou not think that Ananias was iustly punished, because he brought but a part, when hee should haue brought the whole? And shall not God as iustly punish thee, if thou keepest but a part, [Page 58] when thou shouldest keepe the whole? Indeede this word whole is not expressed, but yet it is im­plied and necessarily vnderstood, in that hee re­quireth a day. And that his meaning is so, appea­reth euidently also by the reasons hee bringeth afterwards, to perswade thee thereunto. For first thou knowest the whole weeke consisteth of se­uen daies. Of these he giues thee sixe, and keepes one for himselfe; now such daies as he giues thee to doe thy businesse in, such and so long a day he reserues for himselfe; but euery one of thy daies hath foure and twentie houres: and therefore he must haue so many to his day, or els thou hast more than sixe daies giuen thee; or if not giuen, then thou takest it as Hophnie did the flesh: and then thou robbest God of part of his day, and so thou committest theft; which, were the case thine owne, thou wouldest not endure. For if thou hauing seuen pounds in thy purse, shoul­dest giue sixe of them to some debaushed soul­dier; if hee should wastfully spend that thou ga­uest him on harlots, and then afterwards should come and take from thee all the remainder sa­uing two or three shillings; wouldest thou not thinke that he did incroch two much vpon thee? wouldest thou not say he hath robbed me? And bee not these as great theeues that rob God, as those that rob men? Doubtlesse they be greater; and therefore take no part of this day from God to spend vpon thy lusts; for it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; and take heede how thou wrong him, and curtoll his day, as Hanun did [Page 59] Dauids seruants garments, 2. Sam. 10. 4: for hee will not take this wrong at thine hands. Againe, in the third reason where God proposeth him­selfe vnto thee for an example to follow; looke how long a time God rested, so long a time must thou rest. But hee rested the seuenth day wholy, for he made nothing the seuenth day, but finish­ed all in sixe daies: and therefore must thou rest a whole day as hee did. Lastly, in the last reason, looke what time God blessed and sanctified to be kept holie, that time ought in right to be kept holie, (for this is the nature and propertie of things sanctified, they being set apart from the common vse, may not otherwise be imployed than vnto his honour, as appeareth Leuit. 27. 28. Yea Nebuchadnezzar as very a beast as he was, yet would not put the vessels of the house of God to a common vse; but put them in the house of his God, Dan. 1. 2.) but now (I say) God blessed and sanctified the whole day which he rested on, and therefore the whole day must be kept holie. And in very truth is not a whole day needfull for the performance of a whole seruice and worship of God? to heare the word, and minister the Sacra­ments, pray, reade, meditate, conferre, instruct? And why then doe men thinke that they haue sufficiently kept the Sabbath if they heare diuine seruice, as they call it, in the forenoone, and in the afternoone? thinking that they may doe all the rest of the day what they list; as though God forsooth would take that at mans hands, which a man will not at his seruants; to worke an houre [Page 60] or two, and to play all the rest of the day. But the Apostle, you will say, willeth that we should con­demne no man in part of an holie day, Col. 2. 16. True; neither in respect of an whole holie day, such as hee there meaneth; that is, a Iewish holie day; which, as I haue shewed before, you are not bound vnto. But this is the Lords day, and it is the Lords Sabbath which you must keepe holie, and wholie holie vnto him; as you haue seene alrea­die prooued: for 1. the day, 2. preparation there­unto, 3. rest, and 4. holinesse; these foure things being in the commandement expressed, we must obserue for euer, as being morall and not cere­moniall.

§. Sect. 2 Though neither, yet is this sufficie to keepe the Sabbath day from morning to night (for they are deceiued that thinke that the Sabbath is ended when the Sunne is fet) but wee must keepe the night also, for it is a part of the day na­turall, of which here is mention: for so Moses Gen. 1. accounteth the euening and the morning but one day: so that the artificiall day and the night make but one day naturall, which is the se­uenth part of the weeke, and is Gods: and there­fore the night must bee kept holie aswell as the day, for that is a part of the Sabbath. Therefore Psalm. 92, which is called a Psalme of the Sabbath, Dauid saith, not onely that he will declare Gods lo­uing kindnes in the morning, but his truth also in the night. And Paul being at Troas, taught vntill mid­night, and then celebrated the Lords Supper, which was a Sabbath daies exercise, thereby shewing [Page 61] that the night was a part of the Sabbath also. Though neither yet doe I speake it to this end, that wee should keepe it in the same manner as Paul did, I know it well it was extraordinarie, but yet neuerthelesse in the nature of a night we are more holily to repose our selues that night, than at other times. A fault in those that other nights pray with their families, but this night ouerpasse it, esteeming it sufficient that they haue prayed at the Church.

§. Sect. 3 But here I know it will be demaunded when the Sabbath beginneth, and whether wee must keepe the night before the Sabbath, or the night following. Answ. True it is that the Iewes kept their Sabbath the night before the day; for Le­uit. 23. 32. from euen to euen shall you celebrate your Sabbath; but wee begin our Sabbath at the daw­ning of the day, for these reasons: first, because 1 Christ rose in the dawning it was necessarie (our Sabbath being to be kept in remembrance there­of) that our day should then begin. Secondly, to 2 put a difference betwixt the Iewish Sabbath, and the true Christian Sabbath, it was needfull that ours should begin at morning, when by the re­surrection of Christ the world began to bee re­newed: whereas the other began at night, when the world in the creation was finished. Thirdly, 3 that the night following is accounted a part of the day precedent, we see Act. 20. vers. 7. where it is said that Paul preached at Troas vntill mid­night, being the next morning to depart, hauing staied there, as the text sheweth, vers. 6. seuen [Page 62] daies: but if the last night had not been a part of the seuenth day, then he had staied at least a night longer than seuen daies, and so more than seuen daies, for hee should haue staied part of another day. But that this night was a part of the Sab­bath which they then kept, doth yet further ap­peare, in that the Apostle keepeth this night in the manner of a Sabbath, with performing the exercise of holinesse therein; as also in that be­ing to depart, hee would not depart till the rest were ended. Which I obserue in that it is said, ver. 11, that he communed with them till the dawning of the day, and so departed; both which circumstan­ces concurre well with this, to prooue that hee held the night following to be a part of the Sab­bath. Now if any man will say, that by this rea­son we may iustifie the deliuerie of the word and Sacrament in the night; I graunt it, the time be­ing as this was, a time of persecution: otherwise not. But this, to keepe the night of the Sabbath in the nature of the night, I take to be no extraor­dinarie, but an ordinarie thing, such as is now al­so required of vs; and I presse it no further than to shew the practise of the Church, from which wee ought not rashly or vnaduisedly to dissent. And this hath been obserued euer sithence the Apostles times to be iust, who keep the day first, and call the night following by the name of the day precedent. And so much for the day of rest.

CHAP. I.

§. Sect. 1 IN the former discourse we haue seene these foure things hand­led: First, that the Sabbath is perpetuall. Secondly, that the day is changed. Thirdly, that it cannot againe be changed. And fourthly, that the whole day must be kept holie. All which things being discussed, it remai­neth that we proceede vnto the handling of the duties of the day. And first I will speake of the preparation vnto the Sabbath, which we are put in minde of when he wils vs to remember this day: which words import so much as if hee should haue said, Thou art by nature forgetfull, and neg­ligent in the performance of any holie dutie; and [Page 64] therefore thou haddest neede to thinke vpon this day before hand, and to remember it, that thou Why the word remember is placed before the comman­dement. maist bee prepared to keepe it holie. And me thinkes God deales in this like a Master, that gi­uing many things in charge vnto his seruants, yet one thing in speciall; aboue all (saith he) re­member this. So dealeth God in this case, Thou shalt haue none other Gods, Thou shalt not make any grauen image, Thou shalt not take my name in vaine; these commaundements thou shalt obserue; but especially remember this to sanctifie my Sabbath. And although this word remember bee placed but in the beginning, yet it hath a reference vnto euery word in this com­mandement: for he requireth not onely that we should remember the day when it is comming, but also we must remember to rest vpon it when it is come. Neither is it sufficient that we rest on that day, but we must remember to sanctifie that rest; and that thou must remember to do thy self, and not that alone, but that thy children and ser­uants also doe it. Indeed, were it not that wee were more negligent in this than in any other dutie, God would not haue vsed this speciall re­membrance: but seeing in good things wee are like the Disciples that slept, though thrice admo­nished, when the Pharisies could wake well e­nough without any admonition at all; God ther­fore willeth vs to remember the Sabbath, there­by as it were stirring vs vp to the performance of our duties. And as God willeth vs to remember in regard of our forgetfulnesse in good matters; [Page 65] so doth he will vs much more to remember in re­gard of the easinesse that is in our nature, to bee drawne away to that which is euill, from Gods seruice. When Balaam heard a messenger sent with that ambassage, I will promote thee to great ho­nour; what haste made hee to bee gone to Balac, though hee went vpon the point of a sword: Numb. 22. 21. The young man as soone as euer hee heard that Syren in the Prouerbs sing, Come let vs take our fill of loue, hee followes her straight way, though as an oxe vnto the slaughter, Pro. 7. 12. Which easinesse of ours to bee insnared and inti­ced, God obseruing, as a most louing friend wil­leth vs to be aduised, and before hand to remem­ber, that we who by nature are so facill and easie, be not abused.

§. Sect. 2 But much more doth he will vs to remember in regard of our manifold lets and excuses which we pretend; and to let passe those lets which one once sported himselfe merrily with, as the couer­let, the partlet, the phillet, and the frontlet: which things many times bee lets vnto vs; as when wee lie too long in bed, or stand a good part of the day in trimming; yet they bee not the greatest lets. How say you to those lets which kept those that were bidden vnto the wedding, that they could not come? as merchandise, a farme, fiue yoke of oxen, a wife, and such like? Are not these things many times lets vnto vs that we cannot keepe the Sabbath? Now for the preuenting of all these, God willeth vs to remember that it is his Sabbath; thereby shewing vs that the very re­spect [Page 66] of the Sabbath must weigh downe all our worldly lets. O but faith the master (when hee should goe to Church) I must needes goe talke with my seruants, and tell them what they shall doe the next weeke. Yea but thou must remember to goe to Church; for God will talke with thee, and tell thee what thou shalt doe the next weeke. I but (saith the seruant) my master commaunded me, and I must go do my masters businesse. Yea but God saith, thou must goe doe his businesse, hee commaunds both thee and thy master too: and therefore remember the Sabbath, saith hee. Yea but, will some man say, I must needs go doe a thing I forgot to doe the last weeke. The more shame for thee; for doth not God will thee to remember it? Yea but I had forgotten it, and therefore now I must goe doe it. Indeed as if be­cause▪ through negligence thou going from home, and leauing thy cloake behind, if it should chance to raine, and thou wanting thy cloake, shouldest therefore meeting thy neighbour take away his; were it therefore lawfull because thou haddest forgotten thine? So, wilt thou because through thy negligence, thou forgettest thy bu­sinesse, when thou shouldest haue done it; wilt thou (I say) therefore take Gods time, and im­ploy it about thy businesse? Well, I dispute not whether it be lawfull to doe it; but this I am sure it is sinfull for thee to forget to doe it before: for thou shouldest haue remembred it; and indeede this doth nothing but argue thy vnto wardnes vnto good things: for thou vsest not so to pleade [Page 67] in the weeke daies, when thou shouldest goe a­bout thy worldly businesse. Sir, I haue forgot­ten this day to pray with my familie, to instruct them, to reade some part of the Scripture, &c. Thou neuer remembrest this in the weeke; or if thou doest, thou presently dispensest with thy selfe for the omission of it: but on the Sabbath thou easily remembrest any of thy worldly busi­nesse, and thou wilt not omit to do them, though holinesse it selfe attend thee in the meane season. Which easily sheweth what it is that runneth in our minds, namely our worldly affaires, for these we remember at euery turne: and not onely so, but we forecast all inconueniences before hand. As for example, is a man going to a market or faire? before he goes, he sits down first and fore­casts what things he lackes, where and of whom he may buy them at the best hand; yea he re­members all his wants, and rather than hee will forget any of them when he comes thither, hee will set them downe in writing tables; or binde a threed about his finger, to put him in remem­brance; or else commaund some of his seruants to remember him when he cōmeth thither, that he may be sure to dispatch all his arrands. But in Gods seruice no such care, it is the easiest thing in the world to forget that, wee are so slacke, so cold, so frozen, that wee forget any thing. In re­gard whereof our memories may not vnfitly be compared vnto siues, which easilie holde the chaffe, when they let the good corne goe by; which weaknesse God obseruing in vs, willeth

onely so farre they vse them as their beasts to do their businesse, and no more. But what shall the poore sea-man doe in this case? Surely, first to importune the Merchant for instruction: which if it will not be granted, let him not depriue him­selfe of Gods blessing for a warme sunne, let him tarrie at home. Or if it be so that he will needes goe, yet let him haue a speciall care in some mea­sure at least as hee may, to sanctifie that day vnto the Lord. And this much as touching the rest in generall, that must bee kept both at home and a­broad.

§. Sect. 13 But yet I know there be some particular doubts that trouble many men, and often leade them to the breach of the Sabbath. For sinne is spunne many times of a fine thred, and hath such a glasse set vpon it, that we cannot easily discerne it. Som­times the diuell pleadeth vnto vs the smalnes of the sinne, as thus, Thou maist doe this vpon the Sabbath well enough, this is but a small matter; and, I pray God you neuer do worse, &c. Indeed I confesse all sinnes bee not of one sise, some bee gnats, and some bee cammels; some be moates, No breach of the Sabbath is to be counted small. and some be beames; they being compared be­twixt themselues; but yet the maiestie being con­sidered against which they bee committed, they appeare in their owne shapes euery one of them infinitely great: and they bee not as they seeme vnto vs light (being waighed in the ballance of our owne priuate conceit); but being waighed in the ballance of the Sanctuarie they are infinit­ly waightie, euery sinne deseruing death: and [Page 87] therefore wee must not account sinne light, be­cause it seemeth so vnto vs; but we must reckon and account of them as God hath taught vs to account of them, in his word. Cast wee our eyes vpon the Israelites in gathering Manna vpon the Sabbath: what great matter think you was it for them vpon the Sabbath day in the morning to stoope and gather Manna, that lay before them at their feete? they might haue done it and kept the Sabbath too; yet God takes this most hei­nously, How long (saith he) will this people breake all my commandements? reckoning that breach of the Sabbath, as the breach of his whole law. Againe, what great sinne was it for a man to step ouer the threshold of his doores, and to gather a handfull of sticks to make a fire with? would any of these men that reckon sinnes small haue accounted him worthie of death, though happely hee had done it presumptuously? yet God adiudgeth him to dye for it; and therefore that work which thou presumest to doe, is it seruile? is it forbid­den? Count it not light then, for the breach of Gods law is no small matter, especially if thou presumest to doe it because it is a small sinne, or disorder.

§. Sect. 14 Yea but, will some man say, this which I doe is very requisite and meete to bee done, and I No pretence of meetnes must make vs breake the Sabbath. know not whether I shall againe haue a time to doe it if I neglect this: as for example, in the time of haruest, the weather is catching, the corne is readie to grow in the gripes, and the hay to rot in the swath: and now the Sabbath is a faire day, [Page 88] and is it not meete to gather it vp? Yet I say for all this, thou must let it alone; for in seede time and in haruest thou must rest, Exod. 34. 21. Yea, but I know not whether I shall haue another time so fit to take it vp. Why who taught thee to di­strust? especially when thou seest faire weather comming. Doth not the same God giue the se­cond day that gaue the first? and diddest thou hang vpon his prouidence so long as it rained; and now it shineth wilt thou presently vnclaspe thy hold by thy carnal distrust? Yea but the wea­ther is very catching, and the scarcitie is great; and therefore it is best to take the opportunitie. What? still, is thy soule buried vnder a loafe of bread? and wilt thou haue bread, or else thou wilt make it of stones? If thou doest remember what Salomon saith of the bread of deceit, it is sweet, but afterwards it filleth their mouthes with grauell; Such shall this bread be vnto thee that is gotten with the breach of the Lords Sabbath. Yet it were better to be without it than to haue it in his anger, least he smite thee whilest the meate is in thy mouth, and make it come foorth againe at thy nostrels, for thy contempt of his law, as hee did the Israelites, Numb. 11: yet rather so long as it perisheth not by thy default, throw thy selfe vpon the Lord, and resolue that as he gaue, so if it please him to take it thou wilt be content, knowing that hee is able to giue much more. If not, yet in thy obedience is his loue, Ioh. 15. 10. and in his loue is life, Psal. 35. And last of all, let this rather make thee to erect a new Sabbath, than to [Page 89] destroy the old, as in Ioels time in a great scarci­tie they did, as appeareth Ioel. 1. 14. Sanctifie a fast, call an assemblie. What is the matter? see before vers. 10. The field is wasted, the land mourneth, for the corne is destroyed. So that Gods punishments must leade vs to the keeping of his Sabbath, or rather vnto the erecting of a new: but by no meanes vnto the breach of the old.

But, wil another say, that which I do is a good No pretence of the good­nesse of the worke, must cause vs to breake the Sabbath. worke, and it tends to the glorie of God, and to his seruice; and therefore I trust you will not de­nie but that a man may doe such workes vpon the Sabbath. To which I answere, is it a worke of thine ordinarie vocation? and is it seruile? I say then for all this glorious shew thou maist not doe it; for God would not haue them worke a­bout the Tabernacle vpon the Sabbath day, Ex. 31. 13, though the businesse were no lesse than to make a house for him to dwell in. And the wo­men that followed Christ out of Galilie, would not imbaulme the bodie of Christ vpon the Sab­bath, though it might haue been thought a work of great consequence; but how great soeuer in the eyes of men, yet they would not doe it; and least they should bee blamed as being ouer cu­rious and strict in not doing of it, the holy Ghost defends them, and shewes they did well in for­bearing; for they rested (saith the text) according vnto the commandement, Luk. 22. 56.

§. Sect. 15 But now vpon this which I haue written, it will happely be deemed that I hold it vtterly vn­lawfull vpon the Sabbath to doe any kinde of [Page 90] worke at all. Which, that I may not be mistaken, I will now set downe what kinde of works vpon What workes may be done vpon the Sab­bath. the Sabbath be lawfull to be done, and in what cases. For this wee must know, that there is no commandement so generall but it hath some ex­ception; especially those which are affirmatiue, for they are alwaies more milde, and binde not alwaies and at all times; of which sort in the De­calogue there bee two, the fourth, and the fifth, both which haue exceptions; as in the fifth, Thou shalt honour thy father and mother, this is generally true: yet it may so fall out in some cases that thou maist be exempt from thy dutie, if the honoring of them may dishonour God: and therefore thy honour is limited in the Lord, Ephe. 6. 1. So here thou shalt doe no manner of seruile worke: yet (saith Christ) which of you is it that hauing an oxe, or an asse, fallen into the ditch on the Sabbath, doth not presently help him out? Matth. 12. 11. Where Christ doth not, as some foolishly furmise, abolish the Sabbath as a ceremonie; but sheweth that hee did no more in healing vpon the Sabbath, than they themselues did in plucking the oxe or asse out of the ditch: thereby indeede making a te­nise ball of their argument, and retorting it vpon themselues which they banded at him. But had Christ held the Sabbath to haue been abolished, when they charged him with the breach there­of, he might easily haue answered, it is abolished: but hee sheweth quite contrarie that hee did no more breake the Sabbath in healing, than they did in plucking the oxe out of the pit: so that he [Page 91] doth not here abolish the Sabbath, but rather e­stablish it by shewing the right obseruation ther­of. And to speake the truth, Christ neither did, nor could abolish the ceremonial law, but by his death. Therefore hee is said, Coloss. 2. 14. in his crosse to take away the hand-writting which stood in or­dinances, and to naile it vnto the same his crosse: but in his life hee was obedient vnto it euen in all things: which I thinke no man will be so impu­dent as to denie. This therefore being plaine, let vs returne vnto the exceptions which this com­maundement admitteth: for notwithstanding that the Lord commaundeth that ordinarilie a man may doe no seruile work vpon the Sabbath; yet this commandement admitteth three excep­tions.

First, if God extraordinarily commaund vs to 1. We may worke if God command vs. worke vpon the Sabbath, we may worke: for he is Lord of the Sabbath, and therefore may giue a dispensation when he list. And therfore the man did well, Ioh. 5. 11. that at Christs commaunde­ment tooke vp his bed and did walke. So also did the Iewes that compassed Iericho on the Sabbath: for they were commaunded to compasse it seuen daies, whereof then the Sabbath must needes be one, Iosh. 6. 14, 15. This is the first exception.

The second is, that if the worke be necessarily 2. If the worke be necessarily required for the perfor­māce of Gods seruice. required to the performance of the seruice of God, seruile or not, it must be done. As Circum­cision on the eighth day, if it fell vpon the Sabbath it was to be done, Ioh. 7. 22. And the Priests on the Sabbath killed the sacrifice, and were blamelesse, [Page 9] Matth. 12. 5. And in this respect the Minister on the Sabbath is allowed to go to preach, as Christ did vpon the Sabbath, Matth. 12. and the people are to goe to heare. An example whereof wee haue in the Shunamite, that went ordinarily vp­on the Sabbath and new Moone to the Prophet: For when she demaunded leaue of her husband to goe to the Prophet, Why wilt thou goe (saith he) seeing it is neither Sabbath nor new Moone: intima­ting thereby that vpon those times she went to heare him. And in this regard was the Sabbath daies iourney allowed, Act. 1. 12. And therefore whosoeuer shall breake the rest of the Sabbath in this respect is blamelesse. For, the Sabbath was made for man, that hee might keepe it holie vnto the Lord. Now, if it may so fall that the rest it selfe should any way bee a let to the keeping of it holie, then the rest it selfe is to be broken: and they that so doe are blamelesse. For the end of the law in this respect is to be regarded, and not the letter. For the Sabbath was made for man, that is, for the good of man; and not man for the Sabbath, that is for the rest. And this is the mea­ning of that place, Mark. 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Thirdly, if it be a worke of necessitie; that is, 3. If it be of necessitie we may worke vp­on the Sab­bath. a worke which the time present doth necessarily require to be done, and cannot be deferred vnto another day, without losse or hindrance; that same worke, whether it bee for preseruation of life, health, or goods, must be done vpon the Sab­bath. All which I will shew. And first, for preser­uation [Page 93] of life it is lawfull to breake the rest of the Sabbath: for Elias continued his flight from Iezabel many Sabbaths together, 1. King. 19. 8. And this was the fault of the Iewes; but afterwards corrected by Iudas Macchab. that they would not fight on the Sabbath, for the preseruation of their liues: for the Sabbath was not made for the hurt, but for the good of man.

And as it is lawful to break the Sabbath for the Labour lawfull for preserua­tion of health vpon the Sab­bath. preseruation of life, so is it for the preseruation of health. Therefore the Physition may goe to visit the sicke. Christ himselfe did so, Ioh. 5. 3. He went vnto the poole of Bethesda, where lay a great com­panie of sicke folkes. And it is not onely lawfull to visit, but also to cure; for he cured the blind man vpon the Sabbath, Ioh. 9. 14. The same is also war­ranted vnto the Chirurgion by Christs example to dresse the wounds, and temper the salues, Ioh. 9. 6. He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and annointed his eyes. And as these things may be done for the recouerie of health: so also may a man doe that which is conuenient, for the preseruation and continuance of his health: for God would not allow that a man should liue, but also that he might liue cheerfully: & therfore the oxe was to be lead to the water, Luk. 13. 15. though he might haue liued one day without water. Now if this may be allowed for the good of the beast; then how much more for the good of man? In this case therefore it is lawfull vpon the Sabbath for a man to doe workes of comelinesse, as to cloathe himselfe. Secondly, to do things for our [Page 94] present vse, as to dresse his meate, which is also warranted by the Disciples pulling and rubbing of the eares of corne. Wherein also respect may be had of his place and degree, as Nehemiah had daily an oxe and sixe sheepe, besides birds prouided for him, Nehem. 5. 18. Now if euery day, then on the Sabbath: yet here we must take heede that wee make not the Sabbath a day of feasting, as in ma­ny places in the countrey they doe, keeping their feasts not like Iobs children euery one his day, but euery one his Sabbath day. A good rule there­fore for the ordring of this, will be vpon the Sab­bath not to exceede our ordinarie. Thirdly, this also giueth libertie for the dressing of our cattell, milking of our kine, and such like; without which things life it selfe is not so comfortable vnto them. Last of all, as all these things may be done for preseruation of health; so also may we labour vpon the Sabbath for the preseruation of Labour vpon the Sabbath for preserua­tion of goods, lawfull. our goods, being in danger of losing them. Which of you is it (saith Christ) that hauing an oxe or an asse fallen into the ditch, doth not pull him out? All which things as they may bee done vpon the Sabbath, so if necessitie be, they must presently bee done; and the exercises of the Sabbath neglected for the doing of them; for Christ will haue the oxe pul­led presently out of the pit, Luk. 14. 5. And in regard of this it is that he requireth mercie and not sacri­fice; not but that hee will haue both: but if the case so stand that hee cannot haue both at once, but must content himselfe with one, hee had ra­ther haue mercie than sacrifice. And therefore Paul [Page 95] when Eutiches was fallen downe dead, left prea­ching to recouer him to life: and the Israelites, though they were commaunded not to touch a carrion, yet they must take vp Iosephs bones, Exo. 13. 19. And Mat. 5. though he commands thee to offer sacrifice, yet if thy brother haue ought against thee, thou must first goe and be reconciled, and then come. So that in all these respects, howsoeuer the law commaunds a precise rest; yet as we say, Ne­cessitie hath no law; so truly may wee say, it hath no Sabbath daies.

§. Sect. 16 But yet in doing these workes of necessitie, three things must diligently bee taken heed of. Cautions to be obserued in doing the workes of necessitie. First, that we send not for excuses, and make mat­ters of necessitie, when before hand wee might haue preuented the necessitie. As for example, if a man owe a summe of money vpon a band, and neglect the taking of order for the paiment of it, vntill the day be so neere that he must needs tra­uaile on the Sabbath to discharge his band. Also when a man is serued with processe to appeare on such a day at Westminster, hee hauing time enough deferreth it so long, that he must needes trauaile vpon the Sabbath to come there by his day, and by this meanes bringeth a necessitie vpon himselfe, which God neuer laid vpon him; all which necessities, if men did well consider before hand, might be easily auoided. Well, but when a man hath negligently runne into this ne­cessitie, whether may hee then trauaile vpon the Sabbath? I say, if it bee of necessitie to be done, thou maist doe it: but thou must withal remem­ber [Page 96] to crie to God for mercie for forgetting his Sabbath, which thou shouldest haue remem­bred. The second thing that must be taken heed of is, that no recompence be taken for the labour which thou doest vpon this day: for by that meanes thou makest it a seruile worke. Second­ly, it will be a meanes to leade thee on to this sin of Sabbath-breaking: for rewards do blinde the eyes. And thirdly, be well assured that God will neuer blesse that hire, but it shall be vnto thee like the Manna that the Israelites gathered more than needed, that rotted and stunke, Exod. 16. The last caution is, that when we are thus forced by necessitie to breake the Sabbath, that then we haue an especiall care sometime of the weeke to repay that time, which we tooke on the Sabbath, by imploying so much of the weeke vnto holie exercises; so that although God hath not the pre­cise time prescribed which he requireth, yet hee may haue at least the equitie thereof; so much time.

Now there be, I know, that vnto these workes All workes of mercie may not be done vpon the Sab­bath. which God hath in his word dispensed with to be done vpon the Sabbath, doe adde moreouer all works of mercie, which I take may no further be done vpon the Sabbath, than they come with­in one of the foresaid limitations, that is, that they be either in speciall commanded, as 1. Cor. 16. 1. As first, collections for the poore; of which kinde also are visiting of the poore, and sicke, and such like: or such as godlinesse requireth, as a man may trauaile to bring others vnto the exer­cises [Page 97] of religion, or necessitie inforceth vs vnto; of which before. But if neither of these leade vs thereunto, though they be workes of mercie, yet they must be deferred. As for example, a poore man hath an aker of corne to bee cut, who is not able to pay for y^e cutting of it, neither yet to cut it himself. Now to help such a man, there is no man but wil say it is a deed of charity to cut his corne; yet if his neighbours should, some sixe or seuen of them, euery one take his sithe, and cut downe his corne vpon the Sabbath, they should breake the Sabbath, and should cleane contradict Gods commandement, that forbiddeth them to doe a­ny seruile worke vpon the Sabbath; for this cha­ritie to our neighbour must not take away our dutie to God, nor hinder it, vnlesse as before.

The conclusion then of this point is this: That no kinde of ordinarie or seruile worke may bee done vpon the Sabbath; neither in the house, nor in the citie, nor in the fields; nor vpon the seas, be they neuer so small, or neuer so meete, or neuer so glorious in shew, except either God commaund it extraordinarily; or that the worke tend directly to Gods worship: or be of necessi­tie either for the preseruation of life, or health, or goods; in which respects God hath giuen vs al­lowance vpon the Sabbath to worke, and not otherwise. And this much touching the first kind of workes here principallie and by name for­bidden.

CHAP. III.

§. Sect. 1 BVt now doth God meane that these workes of our ordinarie vocation Pastimes vpon the Sabbath vnlawfull. are only forbidden, and no others? Surely no: for as I will neuer think that when Dauid prayed, Lord turne away mine eyes that I behold not vanitie, Psal. 119. 37; he meant that his eares should stand open to heare vanitie: no more will I thinke that when God did forbid works of our ordinarie vocation; that he meant to allow works of pleasure, such as are our works of recreations, and pastimes, as we call them. Which will the better appeare, if wee consider the reason why these workes of our or­dinarie vocation are forbidden vs vpon the Sab­bath: which is, not that they are vnlawfull in themselues, but because they destroy the rest, and take vp the mind that it cannot be imployed in Gods businesse; now these doing the same things, are by the same reasons forbidden. Wee must vnderstand therefore that this commande­ment is of the same nature with the rest, and as in them by one sinne forbidden, are vnderstood all of the same kinde: (as by murther is forbidden all crueltie, whether inward, or outward: and by [Page 99] adulterie all wantonnes, and vncleannes: as of­fending against chastitie, Matth. 5.) so by these seruile workes named, as breaking the rest of the Sabbath, are forbidden al workes that breake the rest of the Sabbath: onely those excepted which God hath dispensed with, of which before. And therefore all such workes as are done for recrea­tion, as bowling, shooting, hunting, hawking, wrestling, playing at cat, and such like; howsoe­uer in the weeke they may be allowed, yet are vp­on this day vtterly vnlawfull and forbidden. Yea and me thinks the reason standeth more strongly against them; for as from that, Leuit. 19. 15. Thou shalt not fauour the poore in iudgement; A man may implie a portion from the stronger, that hee must then much lesse fauour the rich. So here thou maist not doe any worke of thine ordinary voca­tion vpon the Sabbath, which yet at other times thou art commaunded to doe: then much lesse maist thou doe the workes which no where are required of thee, but onely by way of permission are at sometimes allowed. And surely if you marke it, you shall finde more danger in these of the last sort, than in the other: for that they more carrie away the minde from God, than these of our ordinarie vocation doe: for who is it that had not rather goe to Church, than goe to work? but who is it (I speake of the multitude) that had not rather goe to play, than goe to Church? But when then (will some one demaund) shall wee haue time for recreation, if not vpon the Sab­bath? If thou wilt haue time for that, allow part [Page 100] of thine owne, for that is thy worke, and therfore thou must allow part of thy time to doe it in, but Gods time thou maist not, for that he hath reser­ued for his owne businesse. Let me aske thee one question; If thou shouldest allow vnto thy seruāt of thy sixe daies, fiue whole daies to do his busi­nesse and to recreate himselfe in them, and shoul­dest reserue vnto thy selfe but one; wouldest thou take it well at his hands, if thou chiding him for neglect of thy businesse vpon that day, he should answer, when should I vse recreation if not now? Which answere if thou wilt not take at thy ser­uants hands, doest thou thinke that God will ac­cept of it at thine, that hath dealt more liberallie with thee than thou with thy seruant? And ther­fore out vpon it, that thou shouldest offer this vn­to him vpon his Sabbath, to pleade thus for liber­tie and recreation, when yet in truth all the re­creations in the world cannot be answerable vn­to the recreations of the Sabbath: for what can recreate or refresh a man more, than to drinke of the waters of life? What can glad a man more than to heare of the forgiuenes of his sinnes? To one that is in prison fast bound in fetters, what greater recreation than to heare of his inlarge­ment? and what greater comfort than to come vnto the sealing of his pardon? And are these things offered vnto vs vpon the Sabbath, and yet doe we like children runne after butterflies, and let these things alone? If wee doe, it well shewes that since we were created we neuer were yet re­created and borne againe: for if we were, the en­ioying [Page 101] of these things would be vnto vs aboue all the recreations in the world.

But then here it will be demaunded of me, Not al recrea­tions at all times vpon the Sabbath vnlawfull. whether I doe vtterly disallow all recreations vp­on the Sabbath. Not so neither; for it may some­times come so to passe, that recreation may bee more necessarie for a man than his meate, (as also it may so fall in the weeke daies) yea, and some­times the setling of a mans minde free (such is partly the corruption and partly the weaknes of our nature) may bee a furtherance vnto vs in the performance of the duties of godlinesse, as well as in other duties of our owne. And therefore so farre foorth as it is either of necessitie for the pre­sent preseruation of our health, or of necessitie for the present furtherance and fitting of vs vnto the seruice of God, we may vse it. But by this al­lowance, will some say, euill men will take liberty vnto themselues vnder these pretences to pro­phane the Sabbath by their sports. Answ. It may well be so, that they which stumble at Christ to their ruine; and they that wrest his word to their owne condemnation; will also wrest this libertie to bring themselues into the bondage of sinne: yet must not this let vs, to giue that allowance vn­to Gods children which hee hath left him in his word. But as for such as abuse their libertie, I ad­monish them in the feare of God, that they make not Gods commandements like cheuerell laces, to stretch them euery waie to their owne bents and purposes. For if they doe, I appeale vnto the highest Iudge of all the earth, that they haue no [Page 102] such libertie giuen them. And therefore if they take it, their blood bee vpon their owne heads, if they bring themselues by their libertie to bee the sonnes of bondage. But as for the children of God, I know they will and shall finish their salua­tion with feare and trembling. And thus wee haue seene how these workes of recreations are also forbidden vs vpon the Sabbath.

§. Sect. 2 The third sort of workes which are here for­bidden vs, are our sports, which commonly wee Pastimes vn­lawfull vpon the Sabbath. call pastimes; which indeed though they be but recreations in their owne nature, yet as wine by his long standing becommeth vineger; so doe these sports and recreations by the excessiue vse, or rather abuse of them, become sinfull: that is, when wee vse them not to make our selues there­by fit to redeeme time, which the Apostle requi­reth, but rather to spend time and vainely to passe it. And therefore if the former were vnlawfull which did after a sort build vp a man; then how much more these that destroy a man, who by the excessiue vse of them is made vnfit vnto the per­formance of any duties? of which sort of pa­stimes are stage-plaies, cards and dice-playing vp­on the Sabbath; as also Beare-baitings, Cock­pits, and such like. All which in particular to con­fute were infinite, the mysterie of vanitie is so large. Yet there is one aboue the rest, (which be­cause it so much troubleth the ministerie of the word, and because it hath gotten her a whorish forehead, so that though we haue spit 7. times in her face, yet she blusheth not, but walketh like a [Page 103] daughter of Sion with a stretched out necke, and a wandring eye, mincing it, and making a tinck­ling with her feete as she goeth) me thinks I haue named her already (it is wanton dancing); I can not chuse but speake of it, the rather because she is degenerated so much from that manlike kind of actiuitie, and nimblenes, into a nice and effe­minace wantonnes; as also because she seemeth now to get her a shelter and couering vnder the lap of Dauids garment: Did not Dauid (say they) dance? True, but yet Dauid did not thus daunce as they now doe. For first, it was in those times extraordinary, and not vsed, vnles vpon some great deliuerance, as when the damsels met Dauid and Saul in a daunce, 1. Sam. 18. 6: or vpon some great reioy­cing, as at the bringing home of the Arke, 2. Sam. 6. But as for our dauncing, there is nothing so com­mon as it: no sooner can the fidler sound, but straight we fall a frisking, as if wee had neuer felt our feete before that day. Secondly, Dauid daun­ced before the Lord, 1. Sam. 6. 14. that is, to glorifie him; we before our mates, with whom we seeke to grace our selues. Thirdly, Dauid daunced to a­base and humble himselfe; I will yet (saith he) be more vile than thus, and low in mine owne sight, 2. Sam. 6. 22. But we daunce to aduance and set foorth our selues. Lastly, Dauid daunced alone, as the man­ner amongst them was, the men by themselues, and the women by themselues, Exod. 15. 20. First Moses and the children of Israel sang and daunced, vers. 1: then vers. 20. Miriam the Prophetesse came forth with a timbrell in her hand, and all the women followed af­ter [Page 104] her, with timbrels and daunces, and they answered the men. And so 1. Sam. 18. 6. The women met Saul and Dauid singing and dauncing. But wee daunce promiscuously men and women together, nay good and bad together (if peraduenture there be any good amongst them.) These differences then I see not how any man is able to make to a­gree: which if he cannot, he can no more iustly alleage his example to prooue our wanton dan­cing by, than if he should bring the coniunction of man and woman in Paradise, to prooue the coniunction of them in the stewes lawfull: and therefore if any shall draw any dart out of Dauids quiuer, I doubt not but I shall be able to returne the point vpon himselfe; as Amos vpon those that alleaged Dauids example for the inuenting of instruments of musicke to this purpose, allea­ging that they did it like Dauid, or as Dauid did: but though they held out Dauid for a buckler in this case, yet it would not beare off the woe hee pronounced against them, Amos 6. 5. Yea but, will they say, can I shew any place in the Scrip­ture where dauncing is expressely forbidden? no more can they shew me in the Scripture, where it is expressely forbidden a man should robbe vp­on Salisbury plaine: yet he which saith, Thou shalt not steale, doth consequently say, thou shalt not robbe vpon Salisburie plaine. And when as the Prophet Amos saith, that for three and for foure abominations God would not turne vnto Damascus; he saith as much as if hee had said for seuen abomi­nations; so when God forbiddeth wantonnesse, [Page 105] Rom. 13. 13. when he forbiddeth foolish, nay plea­sant iesting, [...] Ephe. 5. 4; doth he not then for­bid our wanton and pleasant dauncing? You will say, dauncing is not wantonnes, though wanton­nes bee in dauncing. Be it so, because it pleaseth you thus to runne betweene the barke and the rinde; yet I perceiue that the bodie is sicke that hath such euils accompanying it, and I feare me when you shall seeke to sunder dauncing from euill (I speake of it as it is commonly vsed) you shall finde them like thornes folded one in another, that will hardly be sundred. But be it so that dan­cing is but a thing indifferent; yet for my part I haue alwaies been of this minde in things indif­ferent, not to fetch the good or euill of them from their nature, but from the vse or abuse of them. I know well it cannot be denied, but that wine is good in it owne nature, but yet wee giue it not to one that is sicke of a feuer, not for that it is naught, but for that it agreeth not with the bo­die so affected. It is no good standing for one that hath a giddie head vpon a pinacle, that is no fit place for such a one: Pleasure is not comely for a foole, Pro. 19. 10; and ambitious men we say are not fit for honour, because after too much desire followes abuse; and a man that is very thirstie of­tentimes drinketh till he bee drunken: therefore in respect of the great desire that is in many of this, so farre as they know no meane in it, on the vse there followeth abuse, and they adde drunken­nesse to thirst; as the Prophet speaketh: And this (as I take it) was the reason why God would not [Page 106] permit Lot to see the smoake of Sodome, because he delighted in the soyle too much; which yet he granted vnto Abraham, a man not so addicted thereunto. Young heads for the most part (which are the greatest dauncers) are so vnruly and wai­ward, by reason of the corruption wherewith they are warmed in their mothers wombes, as that they turne grace it selfe many times into wantonnes; how much more will they turne this dalliance into further wantonnes? A safer way therefore shall be to keepe them and it a­sunder. For, cast a coale into flaxe, or a sparkle in­to tinder, or a burning match into gunpowder, bring fire into the winde, and you shall see how easily it burneth and bloweth vp all. Now as the coale is vnto the flaxe, a sparkle vnto tinder, a match to powder, winde to the fire; so are these sports to their nature, which is as soone set on fire, as flaxe, or tinder, or gunpowder. It is there­fore the rule which the Wise man giueth to such as are wantonly giuen, Pro. 5. 8. that they come not neere the doore of an harlot. He speaketh, me thinks, as though the plague or some infection were in the house, which wee vse to auoide: I say not all that goe vnto them be naught; but yet let them take heede of the infection. And I thinke verely that these Sommer-houses and May-poles may deserue more iustly to haue plague-bils written vpon them, than any house that is infected with the plague: for the infection and plague of sinne is greater in them than in these. Said he well that said, Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of [Page 107] darknes? Ephes. 5. 21. By workes of darknes hee meanes the workes of euill men, as appeareth vers. 8. Ye were once darknes. Now that it is a worke of euill men, appeareth, in that the worst men for the most part most desire it, and that it is vnfruitfull (I meane as touching any fruite vnto godlinesse) who seeth not, seeing no man is made the better, the wiser, the holier, or more religious thereby. No man is drawne thereby to reforme any euill in himselfe, no corruption reprooued, no sin abated, no repentance wrought, no feare: Seeing then no grapes grow on these thornes, nor figs vpon these thistles; but that as the tree is, so is his fruite, and as his fruite is so is the tree: it follow­eth that as the Apostle willeth, wee haue no fellow­ship with these vnfruitfull works of darknes, but rather reprooue them. Which wee shall the sooner doe, if wee consider how disagreeing they are with the profession of a Christian, who is willed to be sober, to gird vp the loynes of his minde, Luk. 17. to crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof, Galath. 5. 24. to seeke those things which are aboue, Coloss. 3. 2. All which, or any one, how doth a Christian practise in his wanton dauncing? But were there no other rea­sons but this one, that it is offensiue vnto good men, and especially vnto Gods ministers; it ought to bee left. For as the Apostle would neuer eate meate while the world stood, rather than hee would of­fend his brother; so doubtlesse, had they the A­postles minde that vse it, they would neuer daunce whilest they liue, rather than they would offend their brethren. Indeede were it a dutie that were com­manded, [Page 108] then they were to doe it whosoeuer said to the contrarie; and the offence was not giuen but taken, but being a thing indifferent, which wee may doe or not, we ought to leaue it, in that our brethren are offended at it. And yet further to shew the euils of dauncing, I might alleage the euill of the punishment that is oftentimes vpon them. First in their bodies, by their vnmeasurable toyle, aches, surfets, and so consequently deadly feuers; are ingendred; in their soules, that what­soeuer they haue composed and ordered in the day or time before, they shall finde it all troubled and out of course; in their goods, a thriftlesse and prodigall wasting and spending of them; as also losse of their time, that can neuer be recouered. If they thinke that I speake not the truth herein, let them no more but when they lie downe vpon their beds examine their own consciences, whe­ther it he not so. As also oftentimes, the wrath of God lighting vpon them in the middest of their sports. In a daunce the daughters of Shilo were all defloured, Iudg. 21. 21. In a daunce the men of Siglag were all slaine, 1. Sam. 30. 16. Whilest the Israelites daunced about the calfe, the wrath of God grew hot amongst them, Exod. 32. And Iob sheweth how the wicked goe to hell in a daunce, Iob. 21. Is not all this sufficient to prooue it euill▪ if not, yet it is certaine that it hath an appearance of euill, and therefore wee must abstaine from it. For 1. Thess. 5. 22. the Apostle willeth vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill. But howsoeuer at other times it may be held (circumstances considered) [Page 109] an exercise not so euill: yet vpon the Sabbath I will iustifie it to be a notable euill. First, because by this the rest is broken, as farre foorth as by any other labour. Secondly, the minde is distracted and lead away to pleasures, when as it should bee wholy intent to Gods worship. But they serue God (will some say) although they daunce. Sure­ly no more than they can goe two waies at once, or indite a letter, and tell a tale: no more can they minde their pleasures and serue God too. It is Christs rule, a man cannot serue God and riches, no more can hee serue God and pleasures. Yet my soule weepeth in secret, to see, that whereas God hath appointed his Sabbath to be sanctified and kept holie, and his word then to bee taught; this wantonnes hath miserably incroched vpon him, and taken his right, and part, and giuen it to sports and pastimes; to kissings and imbracings, and wrung his righteous scepter out of his hand, and giuen it vnto Lords of Misrule, euen so farre foorth, that now the striuing is for these things. For this sinne of wantonnes hath set vp a monar­chie in the mindes of men, and beginneth now to striue with God for his day: for when (say they) should we do these things if not vpon the Sondaies? But as for the preaching of the word, catechising and instruction, these are but the lesser things of the law, they are but mint and cummin; but the great things of the Sabbath are their sports; though God requireth that his kingdome should first be sought, and that all other businesses and delights too, should be set aside for his seruice. And ther­fore [Page 110] as here he dispenseth with our workes for a day, so 1. Cor. 7. 4. he dispenseth with the very du­ties of mariage it selfe for a time, that the married may giue themselues to prayer: yea Ioel. 2. 15. he calleth the bride and the bridegroome out of their bed chamber, who though hee would not haue sundred the first yeere, for any affaires of warre, yet they must come foorth into the assem­blie: and doth hee not then call vs much more from these foolish vanities? Will he restraine the bride, and the bridegroome, from delighting one in anothers loue for a season, that his seruice may be performed? and will he then (thinke you) al­low these foolish vanities vpon the Sabbath? Of which I may say as Ionah; They that waite vpon them forsake their owne mercie, Ion. 2. 8. But you wil say, all doe not this. Tell not me what some doe not, but tell me what the most part doe: to proue a disease contagious, it is sufficient to shew that many bee infected by it, and in matters of perill what commeth often, not alwaies to passe; though in this I dare say, it fareth as in a common plague, in which it is no wonder to see many die, but it is a wonder to see any escape the infection. For shew me almost one that is a common daun­cer, that preferreth not his pleasure before Gods seruice. Yea but, you will say, be it that dauncing is euill, yet were not a man better to daunce vpon the Sabbath, than to doe worse? Answ. First, I would know of such whether there be a necessi­tie laid vpon them to doe naught? must they needes doe this, or else will they doe worse? Are [Page 111] they Ieremies Negroes that neuer wil be washed white? And haue they so accustomed themselues to do euill that they can doe no good? Iere. 13. 23. Second­ly, if it be so, I would know of them because they will do bad, or else they will doe worse; whether the Magistrate must therefore suffer them to doe bad? were it not to giue the way vnto all sinne and iniquitie? But thirdly, how in this reasoning is goodnesse and badnesse tied by the tailes like Sampsons foxes, to worke mischiefe withall? Bet­ter (doe you say) to doe this, than to doe worse? Indeede I know that of euils some are worse than others; but for their degrees in goodnesse I think of them as of the foxes whelpes, there is neuer a better: for there is neuer a good; but they bee all naught. And therefore this thou maist truly say, it is not so bad to doe this, as to doe worse: but this cannot iustifie the doing of either. Indeede we vse to say of euils, the least must be chosen; but if the euils bee sinnes, then I say of euils neither must bee chosen. And therefore this is a foolish kinde of reasoning to iustifie euill by worse; as whoredome by the stewes. Tell me if a theefe should set vpon thee in the way, and should vse this argument: Sir, it is better to robbe you, than to kill you, and therefore giue me your purse; wouldest thou be so sheepish, vnlesse he brought club arguments to beate thee downe with, to yeeld thy purse? or if thou diddest let him haue thy purse; might he not be hanged for all his Lo­gicke? But if this be a good kinde of reasoning, I dare vndertake to maintaine and iustifie any sin [Page 112] in the world by that which is worse, the worst sin onely excepted. But I am wearie of turning this dung, and therefore I end.

To come therefore vnto a conclusion of this point, though dauncing be not expressely in the Scripture forbidden; yet if wantonnes be, if foo­lish iessing, if it bee an vnfruitfull worke of dark­nesse, if not agreeing vnto our Christian profes­sion, if dangerous in regard of the corruption of our nature that is soone set on fire; if hurtfull to our health, and to our wealth, a spending of our time, an offence to our brethren, an appearance of euill, a breach of the rest of the Sabbath, a de­straction of the minde from holy duties, nay a fighter against holinesse; then I pray you leaue it and pleade no more for it: for will a Christian pleade Baals case, euen against the ministers of God? who haue so often beaten your eares (I mistake) the ayre with these arguments that I haue now alleaged against it, who although they haue been heretofore vnto you as Physitions of no value, prescribe what they will, yet you will doe what you list; and you haue snuffed in these words as the wilde asse doth the ayre, that wil not be taken; for who can turne her backe? Iere. 2. 24. Yet my comfort is that there are twelue houres in the day, and though you cannot be taken in the first, yet you may in the last houre, which I now come vnto you in, and that at least for all your wildnesse, yet you may bee taken in your moneth, ibid. that is, when you shall finde Gods hand heauie vpon you. And then I pray you at [Page 113] least think vpon it, as Iosephs brethren, when they were in miserie, remembred that they had sinned against their brother, and there thought that that trouble came vpon them. For they said one to another, Wee haue sinned against our brother, in that wee saw the anguish of his soule, when hee besought vs and wee would not heare him, therefore is this trouble come vpon vs, Gen. 42. So should you say, we haue sinned against God in breaking his Sabbath; and when wee saw his ministers in anguish of their soules, beseeching vs that wee would not breake his Sabbath, we would not heare them, and ther­fore is this trouble come vpon vs. For euen for breaking of the Sabbath in this manner, doth God often plague you. And this much of pa­stimes, and especially that dauncing is vnlawfull vpon the Sabbath.

§. Sect. 3 Now as I haue shewed hitherunto how the Sabbath is broken, by doing vpon it either the The Sabbath must not be broken by our words. workes of our ordinarie vocation, or else the workes of pleasures; so let vs now see how the Sabbath is broken by our words: for our tongues also are bound vnto the good behauiour vpon this day, that they speak not a vaine word. And good reason it should be so: for when as all the other commandements take order for the tongue; as the first forbiddeth Atheisme; the second, ma­king mention of our Idols; the third, blasphemy; the fifth, cursing of parents; the sixt, brawling; the seuenth, wanton speech; the eighth, deceit­full speech; the ninth, false speech, &c: may it be thought that this commaundement onely giueth [Page 114] the raines vnto the tongue? or may it be thought that when y^e Lord giueth a quietus est vnto all the members, as to the hand, and foote, yea to the whole bodie, that it rest vpon the Sabbath, that it giueth libertie to the tongue, which hath more neede to bee restrained than any of the rest; be­cause it is an vnruly euill, and therefore cannot be ruled vnlesse he charme it; and full of deadly poyson, and therfore cannot be emptied vnlesse he purge it, Iam. 3. The Psalmist maketh as it were a procla­mation after a man that desireth to liue and see good daies. Then as if some man had answered him, that doe I, he presently directeth him what he shall doe; Keepe thy tongue from euill, saith he, Psal. 34. And that which here he teacheth others, Psal. 39. he resolueth to practise himselfe, namely, to keepe his tongue, and to hold it backe as it were with a bridle: and least hee should not be able to curbe the vnruly beast, hee prayes God to helpe him; Keepe the doore of my lips, saith he, Psal. 141. 3. And it hath indeed great neede to be kept; for death and life are in the power of the tongue, Prou. 18. 21. But as it must be kept in all the commandements, so a­boue all in this commandement: because in any one vaine or sinfull speech vpon the Sabbath, we sinne twice: first, against the commaundement that forbids that sinne: secondly, in that it is a breach of the holinesse of the Sabbath. There­fore Esay, the best expounder of this law, when he sheweth wherein this commaundement is bro­ken, among other things forbiddeth a man the speaking of a vaineword, Isai. 58. 13.

And therefore here are first condemned all such worldly men, who although vpon the Sab­bath they will not for shame bee seene to worke, yet they make it an ordinary day of accounts and reckonings with their workmen, and to direct them what they shall doe the next weeke; are there not sixe daies allowed for men to doe these things in? and yet must Gods day be made a day of our accounts?

Vnder the like condemnation also come all those that vpon the Sabbath talke of nothing but their pleasures and sports, that rehearse and tell nothing but gossips tales, and newes, that loue to haue their tongues to runne through the world, and to be medling in other mens matters; if any question shall be put as concerning religion, they grow as mute as fishes. But let these men and wo­men know, there is a time when they shall answer for euery idle word, especially for those that they shall thus vainly babble foorth vpon the Sabbath. And so much touching the outward breach of the Sabbath.

But yet here is not all for a man to cease from §. Sect. 4. these outward workes, for these concerne the ve­ry beasts as well as man: we must therefore con­sider that as a man doth consist of two parts, a bo­die and a soule; so God hath a regard vnto them both: and as he requires of the bodie an exter­nall rest, that no labour may hinder holinesse; so he requires of the soule, an internall rest from all sinne, and that rest indeed is proper to man; and it is to rest from the workes of the flesh, which [Page 116] Esay. 58. 13. are also called our waies or workes, and these are properly and indeede seruile; and the worst kinde of seruile workes of all others. And therefore as other thy workes are here for­bidden which are seruile, because they hinder holinesse; so these kinde of seruile workes aboue all others are forbidden, because they not onely hinder holinesse, but are opposite vnto it, so farre foorth as hee which is subiect vnto them is free from holinesse, Rom. 6. 20. Against these therfore it is that Esay so bitterly inueigheth; I cannot abide your Sabbaths, &c. Esai. 1. 13. But why so? vers. 15. he giueth a reason; for your hands are full of blood. And Esai. 58. when they come vnto him in hypo­crisie, and seemed to finde fault with God that he would not accept their fast, which had the na­ture of a Sabbath, and as appeareth in the end of the chapter is called his holy day: God yeeldeth them a reason why he did not accept it; Behold (saith he) ye fast to strife and vnto debate, to smite with the fist of wickednesse, vers. 4. Hauing thus she­wed their fast, then he rates them for it: vers. 5. Is it such a fast (saith he) that I haue chosen, that a man should afflict his soule for a day? call yee this a fast or an acceptable day vnto the Lord? &c. And hauing thus rated them, then he shewes them what a true fast is; to loose the bands of wickednesse, to take off the heauie burthens, to take away the yoke, and putting foorth of the finger (vnderstand, to any euill work) and wicked speaking; if any man doe these things, hee keepes a true rest. I know well this rest from our sinnes must bee kept in the whole course of [Page 117] our liues; yet vpon the Sabbath aboue all wee must take heede that sinne enter not vpon vs, be­cause it is opposite vnto the sanctitie thereof.

§. Sect. 5 And as wee must haue a speciall care of com­mitting any sinne, because that is truly seruile; so must we take heede that we doe not make the du­ties of holinesse seruile also, by not regarding the manner of doing them, which is, that they bee done in faith, and in obedience to Gods com­mandement. For if wee shall doe these workes to that end that we may merit by the doing of them, either the fauour of God, or man; then they be­come seruile works also, and we haue our reward. Or if wee doe them in hypocrisie, the manner of doing them aright not obserued, then God re­gardeth them not. For he that in this manner kil­leth an oxe, is as if hee slew a man, and he that sacrifi­ceth a sheepe, as if he cut off a dogges head, his oblation is as swines blood, and his incense as the blessing of an Idoll, Esai. 66. 3. And therefore Matth. 7. Christ calleth such workers of iniquitie, because though they did good workes, for they prophecied and cast out diuels: yet they did them not well, but in hypocrisie: for God doth not onely require at a mans hands that he doe good, but also that he doe it well: for, if thou doest well (saith God to Cain) shall it not be accepted? He doth not say, if thou doest good it shall be accepted; but if thou doest well, to shew that good things must be well done. And that he meaneth so, appeareth in that which he presently addeth. But if thou doest not well (saith he) sin lieth at the doore: thereby putting it out of doubt, that [Page 118] if a good thing be not well done, it is sinne; and in regard hereof it is that Esai. chap. 58. reckoneth the hypocrite a Sabbath-breaker, though hee did humble himselfe by fasting, &c. And therefore let the hypocrite and popish meritmonger bee well assured, that though they digge deepe to co­uer their sinnes, and dissemble deeply with God at the Church; yet let them be well assured I say, that their owne sinne will finde them out, Num. 32. 23. and that it will waite and tarrie them like their dogges at the doore, yea and will hunt them and neuer leaue them, vntill it haue brought them vn­to destruction, if they learne not to serue the Lord aright.

And lastly, as the soule must keep this Sabbath or rest from sin vpon this day especially; so must we look also that our minds and thoughts be not carried away with the meditation of worldlie matters. For God requireth not onely thy bodie, but thy soule, yea thy very thoughts, Luk. 10. 27. And howsoeuer vpon the weeke it be lawfull for thee to ponder these things, yet vpon the Sabbath thou must not thinke thine owne will, Esai. 58. 13. A man must not therefore busie his head vpon the Sab­bath about his worldly businesse, nor about the effecting of his delights in the weeke following; but he must bee wholie as it were another man from that which he was in the weeke before; and he must vpon the Sabbath let fall the care of these earthly things, as Elias did his mantle, when hee was rapt vp into heauen.

To conclude therefore this point of the rest, [Page 119] whosoeuer vpon the Sabbath doth no seruile worke of his ordinarie vocation, neither in his house at home, nor in the citie, nor in the fields a­broad, nor at sea (sauing onely such as are of ne­cessitie to be done, or are for the performance of Gods worship commanded, or else warranted by his extraordinary command) and also forbeareth all recreations, sports, playes, or pastimes, keeping his tongue from vaine words, and his heart from wickednesse and worldly cares, hee truly and in deede keepeth the rest of the Sabbath. And this much touching the first dutie required in the ob­seruation of the Sabbath, which is to rest.

CHAP. IIII.

§. Sect. 1 THat rest is here commanded we haue alreadie seene: but that is not all, this The rest of the Sabbath must be sanctified. rest must bee sanctified. For it is not enough for vs to forbeare our works and so to keepe it idly, but we must rest to keep it holily: therefore it is called a holie Sabbath, and a holy rest: and here remember to keepe holy the rest. [Page 120] It is true that the first thing that is here comman­ded is rest: but it is not the principall thing. Rest is but the huske, but sanctification is the almond; rest is but the shadow, but sanctification is the bodie; rest is but the meanes, but sanctification is the end; and if wee doe but cease from our la­bours, and do no good, it is nothing but the oxes Sabbath; if we come to Church for nothing but to sleepe, that is Eutychus Sabbath; if wee cease from our labours and follow riotousnesse, that is worse, that is the golden calses Sabbath; they sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play, Exo. 32; or if we keepe it onely vpon constraint, that is the Princes Sabbath and not Gods. Lament. 1. 7. it is said that the enemies of the Church of God see­ing their Sabbaths, they laughed at them, how iustly I know not; but this I am sure, if the diuell see vs keepe such Sabbaths he wil laugh at them: but the Lord will say, Goe your waies I know you not, nor your Sabbaths: and, Who required these Sabbaths at your hands? Esai. 1. 12, 13. It behooueth vs therefore to doe that which hee exhorteth vs vnto in so many places of the Scripture, namely to sanctifie his Sabbath.

§. Sect. 2 But here I know it will bee demaunded; how is this day sanctified, seeing all daies are alike, and What it is to sanctifie a thing. one hath no more holinesse than another, in themselues? The bread and the wine in the Lords Supper haue no more holinesse in them, of themselues, than other bread and wine; the water in Baptisme is in it selfe but as other water: the trees in Paradise, of life, and of the knowledge [Page 121] of good and euil, in themselues were but as other trees; what is it then that maketh them holier? namely this, that they are put apart from other things vnto a holy vse; and so are the bread and wine ho­lie in the Lords Supper: so is the water in Bap­tisme; so were the trees in Paradise; so were the Priests holie; so were their garments holie; so was the Temple holie; and so is this day holie.

But this way the day is rather said to be holie, in regard of the institution which is from God, who hath only power thus to sanctifie; but there is another holinesse which is in the obseruation, and in that respect wee are said to keepe it holie. The manner of which sanctification the Prophet Esay expresseth thus: If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will vpon mine holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord, and shalt honour him, not doing thine owne waies, nor seeking thine owne will, nor spea­king a vaine word, then shalt thou delight in the Lord, &c. Esai. 58. 13. In all which words hee doth no­thing else but set downe the keeping of the Sab­bath. And first, to shew the rest of this day, he cals it a Sabbath. Secondly, to shew it must be sancti­fied, hee calleth it his holy day. Now as touching the rest of this day, first he requireth a bodily rest of thee, to turne away thy foote from it, that thou breake it not, viz. by any bodily labour. Second­ly, hee requireth a spirituall rest from sinne also, thou must not doe thine owne will vpon it. Hauing thus shewed the rest, then he sheweth the sancti­fication of this rest. First, it must bee called a de­light: [Page 122] so that we must take comfort in the appro­ching of it, and our hearts must leape within vs, as the babe did in Elizabeth at y^e approching of Ma­ry. For this is the day of our prouision; this is the market of the soule, wherein we must furnish our selues of that spirituall Manna, the foode of our soules, in the strength of which wee must walke all the weeke following, as Elias did after his re­fection by the Angell. Secondly, it must not bee our delight, as some delight in that day to spend it on their lusts; but it must be a delight to conse­crate it; and that not vnto our Whitson Lords, and Ladies; vnto our groues, and hill-altars, vn­to our May-bowers, and shreenes of pleasure; not vnto our Theaters to gaze in, nor vnto our fields to walke in; but it must be consecrated as glorious vnto the Lord. And therefore as Hanna desired her sonne that she might offer him vp vnto the Lord, 1. Sam. 1: so must we this day that wee may conse­crate it vnto the Lord. Lastly, because y^e nature and propertie of things consecrate vnto the Lord is, that they may not be other waies imployed than vnto his honour and vse; therefore hee addeth, that thou shalt honour him vpon this day, to serue him, and to giue worship vnto his name: and that wee may the more safely keepe it, he shewes how wee breake it. For danger is not well auoi­ded, vnlesse it be foreseene, and knowen; he set­teth downe therefore three things, which must be looked vnto that wee breake not his Sabbath, our workes, our thoughts, and words: and first, for our workes, wee must not doe them; not doing (saith [Page 123] he) thine owne waies. Secondly, for our thoughts wee must not thinke them: thought is not free, neither are our tongues our owne; for wee must not speake a vaine word. So then to conclude, will you know who keepeth holie the Sabbath; Esay telleth you, he that keepes the rest of this day, that keepes it as the Lords holy day, that cals it his de­light, that consecrateth it as glorious vnto the Lord, that doth not his owne waies, that thinketh not his owne thoughts, that speaketh not a vaine word; he is the man that keepeth the Lords Sab­bath, and he it is whom the Lord wil honour and make to mount vpon the high places of the earth, and heauen also.

§. Sect. 3 Hitherto hath the Prophet giuen vnto vs the true patterne of a Sabbath, which euery Chri­stian is bound to obserue, as being both the summe of this, and the same with this precept of the Sabbath which we haue in hand, the keeping of which holy consisteth in the performance of the duties of holinesse; which are of three sorts, publique, priuate, or mixt: of all which wee will seuerally speak, and first of the publique. And be­cause these duties cannot bee well performed without the helps and meanes conducing there­unto, wee will therefore first shew the things re­quired to the performance of these publique du­ties, which are in this precept commaunded, as well as the duties themselues; and they be these foure: First, that we assemble our selues; for there can be no publique exercise without a publique assemblie. Secondly, that the assemblie must bee [Page 124] timely. Thirdly, our demeanour whilest we be in the assemblie. And fourthly, our continuance in the assemblie.

§. Sect. 4 And first, that vpon the Sabbath day there ought to bee an assemblie, is more euident than We must vpon the Sa [...]bath be assembled toget [...]er wi [...]h the co [...]gregation. can be denied, the word sounding it with shriller trumpet, than that wherewith the congregation was wont to bee assembled euery Sabbath day, and new Moone, Num. 10. 10. For God himselfe requireth, Leuit. 23. 3, that there be vpon that day an holy conuocation. And Luk. 4. 16, wee see it was their practise this day to assemble, and to that end they had houses built them which were called Synagogues, borrowing their names from their as­sembling in them. And Paul sheweth that at An­tiochia he found the whole citie assembled vpon the Sabbath, Act. 13. 43▪ 44: which assemblie, Psal. 110. ver. 3, is called Gods armie, God as it were taking a muster of them there: and as this was in the time of the law solemnely assembled, so was it in the Gospell; when though the ceremonies of the law were done away, and the Sabbath chaunged into the first day of the weeke, yet they retained their manner of assembling as a morall dutie to bee kept for euer. Of which meeting there is not onely mention made, 1. Cor. 11. 17, 18, but also the time set downe, euery first day of the weeke, 1. Cor. 16. 1. Then, if this assemblie be commaunded of God, practised by Christ, and the faithfull also in the time of the law, and since the law most reli­giously obserued; I marueile with what face these time-seruing, and place-seruing Papists, and these [Page 125] statute-protestants (I may say Atheists well e­nough: for they are without God in this present world, being without his worship) will stand vp before God to answere, whose feete seldome or neuer tread in the Lords courts, or weare the thresholds of his Sanctuarie: but only when the law bindes them thereunto. It was Dauids desire when he was banished, and that aboue all things he did desire, Psal. 27, that he might dwel in the house of the Lord for euer. And Psal. 87. when he sheweth it no [...] his desire longing as of women, but euen fainting as of the hungrie soule, or chased Hart, that is falling for thirst: yea hee thinketh the spar­row in better case than himselfe, that might lay his young neere the Lords altar. The Iewes came earlie vnto Ierusalem, though dwelling in the vtter­most lists and bounds of the land. The Queene of Sheba came out of her own countrie, to heare the wisedome of Salomon; yea the beasts came to the Arke to be saued, but these will not come to the Church to bee saued. It was well wished of good Master Latimer that men would come to the Church, though it were but to sleep, for these he thought happely might be caught napping: but these men will not doe so much. Well, let them know that as Saul marked Dauids place when hee was absent, 1. Sam. 20. 27: so will God much more marke their emptie seates, and solita­rie pewes when they are absent. But they that are so cold when God and Prince require their pre­sence; what would they doe, thinke you, if the line of France should be stretched ouer our land▪ [Page 126] when men should be killed with Bibles in their hands, and their blood should be sprinkled about the seates they sit on. Well, I desire not to be omi­nous; but if it should come so to passe (which God forbid) how easily would they conclude, as that euill messenger, 2. King. 6. 33. Commeth not this euill of the Lord, and doe we waite on him any lon­ger?

Though neither yet is this sufficient for them We must come timely to the church. that they come, but that their comming be timely, that they may preuent the preacher, as Cornelius and his kinsmen did Peter, Act. 10. 33. Now wee are all here present before God, to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God; and that they might stay as the cripple waited for the mouing of the waters at the poole of Bethesda: considering that God hath pro­mised, that they that seeke him early shall finde him, Prou. 8. And that it is a note or a marke of true Christians, that they come willingly at the time of the assembling, Psalm. 110. 3: which if they did, they would as timely come vnto it, as any should make haste to see a shew, or to come to a good market. But let them know that are late commers, that as they come, so they shall speede: and as they doe Gods worke to holinesse, so they shal finde com­fort to holinesse.

The next thing is, how wee ought to demeane our §. Sect. 5. selues when wee bee assembled, which consisteth in these three things, reuerence, attention, and conside­ration. Reuerence, at­tention and consideration required in hearing. Reuerence in regard of the maiestie before whom wee stand; attention in regard of the thing which wee heare; and consideration in respect of [Page 127] our selues, whom those things so much con­cerne. All which 3. things are taught Eccl. 4. 17. When thou entrest into the house of the Lord, take heed vnto both thy feete; there is reuerence. Secondly, Be more neere to heare, than to offer the sacrifice of fooles; there is attention. Thirdly, Be not rash with thy mouth; there is consideration. All which if they will not preuaile, yet heare the reason; God is in the heauens, but thou art on the earth: thou a base sillie weake worme of the earth, standest be­fore the greatest maiestie, which the world is not able to comprehend. This should make thee to feare and quake, as it did Iacob at Bethel, that is, at the house of the Lord, if thou diddest consi­der. How fearefull is the place? saith Iacob. Surely it is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heauen. This (I say) if thou diddest consider, would make thee to bee readie as Cornelius, to heare whatsoeuer is commaunded thee of God. But it befalleth to the most part of men as it befel to Iacob while he slept; The Lord was there, but he was not aware, Genes. 28. So the Lord is there, but they wist it not: they stand gazing about the Church, as if they should be asked that question when they come home, What went you to the Church to see? and not what to heare: their eyes are on euery one, saue on the teacher, on whom they should be fastned, as the peoples were on Christ, Luk. 4. 16: but as for the Preachers, though they sit before them, yet as Phineas wife they neither aske nor regard, though they speake comfortably vnto them. But doe these men thinke that God is [Page 128] present? that they stand before his Angels? Sure­ly they wist it not; if they did, they would not doe it. Neither would others so soundly sleepe, as though the Preacher came to make their fu­nerall sermon, if they wist that God were there; least in his wrath hee should make them sleepe their last, and should make them fall downe dead in the place, as he did Eutychus, for their propha­nation of his Sabbath, Act. 20.

The next and last point is our continuance, We must not depart before the publique exercise be ended. which the Prince himselfe is bound vnto. For the Prince shall be in the middest of them, he shall go in when they goe in, and when they goe foorth, they shall goe foorth together, Ezek. 46. 10. Neither yet was this a dutie other than became a King to doe; which made Dauid desire to bee a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord. Now a doore-keeper is first in, and last out. Such a one (saith Dauid) would I bee in Gods house. Neither was Dauid alone in it, but the people. When Zachary saw a vision in the Temple, though he stayed long, yet they waited for him, Luk. 1. 24. they would not depart without the blessing, which the Priest was to pronounce, Numb. 6. 24. We see in the Court great men will not depart without the Princes leaue; but out of Gods court euery whistle of pleasure is sufficient to call vs away: and it fareth with the Preacher oftentimes while hee is in the pulpit, as with Christ while hee wrote with his singer on the ground; they goe out one by one, till he be left alone: especially if he chance a little to sting them (as indeede if hee preach well his [Page 129] words bee like goades, Eccl. 12. 11.) then vp they start as if their seate had been shaken vnder them, and away they fling as if the stout had taken them. One moues this question, what should be the cause a man should talk so long about world­ly matters and neuer bee wearie; but in matters of godlinesse should so soone giue ouer? As for example, let a man reade a storie he will sit vp all night to reade it; and wee can sit a whole after-noone and talke of nothing but of worldly mat­ters, and neuer complaine of being wearie: so can wee spend whole daies and nights at cardes and dice and neuer giue ouer: But come wee vnto matters of religion, come we vnto a sermon, goe we to prayer; good Lord what a businesse is there to keepe open our eyes one houre, it is euen the very time of tediousnesse vnto vs; and wee think of such a time as those in Amos of the new Moone, Amos 8, which was the first day of eue­ry moneth: which they accounted as a whole moneth, When will the new Moone be gone, say they; as if the day had bin vnto thē so long as a whole moneth. What is the reason of this? Surely Sa­than knoweth well that if he let vs alone in these things, downe goeth his kingdome; therefore he setteth vpon vs as soone as may bee, and our cor­ruption, which vnto good is lesse than a will, but vnto euill more than a will, presently like a tray­tor giueth ouer any longer to resist. Now to stay vs against these temptations, let vs bethink our selues when we are assailed by them, as Peter; Lord whither shall wee goe? thou hast the words of eternall [Page 130] life; and promise as Dauid to goe into the house of the Lord, and that our feet shall stand in his gates, Psal. 122. 2. yea that we will dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of our liues, Psal. 27. 4. And this if we did once set down with our selues, we should not so soone be wearie of these things. And this much touching these helpes and meanes condu­cing to the keeping of the Sabbath in publique.

§. Sect. 6 Now it remaineth that we intreate of the pub­lique duties themselues, which are three: the first whereof is the preaching and publique reading The word must be prea­ched vpon the Sabbath. of the word, being sanctified by the publique prayers of the Church. The second, the admini­stration of the Sacraments. And the third, disci­pline: of all which in order. And first, that the word is to bee preached vpon the Sabbath is eui­dent, Act. 15. 21. in that Moses had of old time in euery citie those that preached him, seeing hee is read euery Sabbath in the Synagogue. For it was their manner after they had read it to giue the sense, and cause the people to vnderstand the reading, Nehe. 8. 8. And at Antiochia after the lecture of the Law and the Prophets, the Rulers of the Synagogue requested Paul and Barnabas to preach, Act. 13. 15. If yee haue any word of exhortation for the people, say on. And after they had taught the Iewes, the Gen­tiles requested them to preach the same things the next Sabbath, which they did, vers. 44. Yea and this Christ did ordinarily, for it was his custome, Luk. 4. 16. Neither was it ordinary amongst the Iewes onely, but at Troas the first day of the weeke (which is our Sabbath) they came together, and Paul prea­ched [Page 131] vnto them, Act. 20. 7. And good reason that it should be so: for if the word be the seede of re­generation whereby we are begotten againe, and wee cannot enter vnlesse wee be borne againe, Ioh. 3; how can we be without it? If it be y^t milke whereby we are fed; how can we grow without it? 1. Pet. 2. 2. It is a question that yet in the me­morie of man was neuer assoiled, how a man might bee saued without the preaching of the word. For, how can wee beleeue in him of whom wee haue not heard? and how can we heare without a prea­cher? Rom. 10. 14. And therefore let them that hold faith and denie preaching, answere the A­postle, and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth, and pleade no more for preaching: otherwise I cannot but hold it the ordinarie meanes vnto sal­uation; yea and such a one, as that the world (though it count preaching foolishnes) cannot be saued without it, 1. Cor. 1. 12. Indeed some say, is not reading of the Scriptures and Homilies as good as preaching? Indeed they are good we de­nie not, and a good meanes also to saluation; yet not matchable with the word preached: which if they might be thought so in the iudgement of men, yet must wee not appoint God meanes by which he shall saue vs. But you will say, the word may be preached at some other time. I graunt it; but then much more on the Sabbath, the day be­ing set apart thereunto, and his blessing being most vpon his owne ordinance; wee ought most to expect it vpon that day.

But as by this it appeareth that the Minister is [Page 132] bound to teach, so on the Sabbath the people are The people are bound to heare the word vpon the Sabbath. bound to heare. For hee that saith, the Priests lips should preserue knowledge; saith also that the people must seeke the law at his mouth, Mal. 2. Yea the King himselfe is bound thereunto, although the distra­ctions of his affaires might seeme to let him. And therefore away with these excuses; It is too farre, it is too soone, it is too late, it is too cold, it is too hot; euery excuse will easily let vs; and wee can better away with it to sit at cards on the Sab­bath by a hot fire, than to sit at a Sermon with God in a cold church. Tush, it is enough to serue God in the fore-noone; but to serue him againe in the after-noone is too much: though in the law the sacrifices were doubled that day, Num. 28. yet now to go twice to the seruice and sermon is too much holinesse. But whilest wee will not be too holy, wee are grosly foolish and prophane, kee­ping back halfe, as Ananias, when God requires the whole.

Yea but the world was neuer so bad as since Obiections remoued. there was so much preaching, and there are none so bad as they that runne after sermons. Indeede these are the voices of them that haue sold them­selues to worke wickednesse: and it is no mar­ueile to heare them disclaime preaching; for they whose eyes are sore crie out against the light; yet is there no fault in the light, but their eies be bad: so is it with these men, they are euill themselues, but the word is good, Esay 49. 8. And therfore they crie out against it, because as the light it maketh all things manifest; and therfore it is as welcome [Page 133] amongst them, as a torch is amongst a companie of the eues, which they willingly labor to put out, least their dealings should bee espied; so true is that which our Sauiour saith; Euery one that euill doth hateth the light, neither commeth to the light, least their deedes should be reprooued, Ioh. 3. 20. And this is the cause why the Papists, and the Atheists are so much against the word; because it maketh their dealings to be seene: therefore they put out the light, that they may sinne the more greedily in the darke. Secondly, I answere as the Apostle reasoneth; What if sinne shall take an occasion by the law to be more sinfull; shall we therfore blame the law? God forbid. So, if iniquitie hath neuer been so rife, as now it is in the rifenes of the Gospell; shall we lay the fault vpon the Gospell? we may not doe it, no more than the Apostle might vpon the law; for it is most certaine, the word is as a light vnto our feete, and it sheweth vs what is the will of our Ma­ster. Now whether thinke you is more likely to stumble, he that seeth, or hee that is blinde? and whether is likelier to doe his masters businesse, hee that knowes his will, or he that is ignorant of it. Thirdly, I see not how it may come to passe that men should be the worse for preaching. For doth the preacher teach it? or doth hee not crie out against sinne, against adulterie, oathes, Sab­bath-breaking, oppression, and such like? These cockle and weedes are none of their planting: they sow good seede, faith in Christ, repentance from dead workes, &c. But will you know how this commeth to passe? looke Matth. 13. 28. The [Page 134] enuious man hath done it; the Iesuite hath done it; the Papist hath done it; the Atheist hath done it; the Diuell the father of them all hath done it: for this is their cockle and darnell that they haue so­wen amongst the wheate; and these are they that make men two-fold more the children of hell than they were before. Lastly, as for those that truly im­brace the Gospell, howsoeuer they may and doe a thousand times condemne themselues of sinne before the Lord, and go mourning and hanging downe their heads that it is so; yet they may ea­sily compare with these Blackamoores, these Pa­pists, and Atheists, that haue nothing white be­sides their teeth. And therefore I conclude with Salomon, Eccl. 7. 12. Say not that former times are better than these, for then thou doest not wisely. In­quire, for it is certaine that sinne was as rife here­tofore as now; but not so much seene: for then they liued in blindnesse and ignorance, whereas now they liue in the sunshine of the Gospell. Now, let a man come into a house at midnight, he seeth nothing out of order: but let him come in at midday, he shall espie many faults. So in the time of Poperie, wee liued in darknesse, euen as grosse as that of Egypt, we could not then (as we say) see the wood for trees, nor know sin for sin: all almost was veniall, or rather commendable, (for the Masse an abominable Idoll was counted the highest point of religion:) but now the Sun is risen, we see things to be as they are: and ther­fore howsoeuer they blame preaching; yet must wee lay holde vpon it, as the light that must [Page 135] guide vs through this world full of daungers.

But, will some say, we haue not the word prea­ched where wee are. The more is the pitie: but what shall we doe in the meane time? wee must doe as beggers, wee must seeke it, the law can­not restraine them but they will begge rather than they will starue. Or else as it was said of the people of God in the famine, that they sighed and sought their bread, and gaue their pleasant things for meate, Lament. 1. So must you, the soule being more worth than the body; ye must doe so much for the soule at least, as yee would for the bodie. Giue then your pleasant things for meate. How many Ministers stand idle, I say not in the market place, but in the Vniuersities, that no man hath hired; send for them, shew your selues christians, honour God with your riches, Prou. 3. 9. let him haue the first fruites of your increase. The Israelites for their Calfe plucked off their earings and frontiles; and Michah hired a Leuite for his Teraphim at his owne charge. And shall these Idolaters rise in iudgement to condemne you? But the cost would be great. But if it were a greater matter, were it to haue thy fourth, against thy neighbor thou wouldest bestow it; and wilt thou not be­stow so much to doe him good? no, nor thy selfe neither? Out vpon that money and that treasure that shall lie and rust by thee, when thou shoul­dest dispend it to the aduantage of thy soule; the rust of it shall beare witnesse against thee in the day of vengeance; and then what will it aduan­tage thee to haue a fat purse, and a leane soule? [Page 136] Buy therefore (now whilest thou maist) the truth, but sell it not; buy the field where the treasure is. The good Merchant will doe so; be thou therefore the good Merchant, thou canst be no loser by it: and therefore buy it. And this much touching the first publike dutie, namely the preaching and hearing of the word.

§. Sect. 7 The second publique exercise of the Sabbath, is the right and due administration and recei­uing The admini­stration of the Sacraments a dutie of the Sabbath. of the Sacraments, which being part of the Ministers dutie, Matth. 28. 20, is to haue a place in the Sabbath: and therefore when Paul preached at Troas, they brake bread also. Yea and this is so set downe that it is made the end of their comming together; namely, to breake bread, Act. 20. 7. And 1. Cor. 11. 18. Paul reproouing their faults in their publike assemblies hath these words: When ther­fore yee come together into one place, this is not to eate the Lords Supper. And hereupon doth the Church define a Sacrament to bee a publike action. And in the Primatiue Church it was vsually deliuered vpon the Sabbath; therefore it was called dies pa­nis. In regard of this no complaint can sufficient­ly bewaile the backwardnes of this age wherein­to we are fallen, that some scarce once in a whole Iubile of Sabbaths; nay if law had not prouided to the contrarie, scarce once in a whole Iubile of yeeres would bee partakers of the Sacrament: which we see euidently in that they come no oft­ner vnto the Lords table, than they are compel­led. Moses was like to haue bin slaine for the neg­lect of circumcision. What shall wee thinke the [Page 137] neglect of this will bring vpon vs? And if vnwor­thie taking make vs liable vnto iudgement. 1. Co­rinth. 11; what shall we thinke of this not taking at all? When Christ talked with the Iewes of a bread from heauen, euery man would haue it, Ioh. 6. 34. This is so, and yet no man calleth for it, though the price bee vnualuable, and the vertue no lesse than the communion of the bodie and blood of Christ. And if the very hemme of his garment had vertue to heale vncurable diseases; how much more shall this his bodie heale vs, if we be truly partakers of it? But surely for such as take it onely by constraint and compulsion, well they may finde the cloathes where Christ his bo­die was, but not his bodie. And because they re­ceiue it not worthily, and with comfort, but of constraint, therefore in steed of a seale of his mer­cie, they may receiue a pledge of his wrath. And so much for the second dutie.

§. Sect. 8 The third publique dutie, is the administra­tion of discipline, admonition, reprehension, ex­communication, The execu­tion of disci­pline a dutie of the Sab­bath. &c. A publique worke also of the Sabbath to looke vnto the manners of men, to admonish them that are vnruly, 1. Thess. 5. and to deliuer the obstinate sinner vnto Sathan, that his soule may be saued. And this the Apostle sheweth also to be a worke of the Sabbath, 1. Cor. 5. 5. where he wil­leth them that when they were gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus, they should deliuer ouer the incestuous person vnto Sathan. Now their assemblie was vpon the Sabbath, as before hath been shew­ed: and therefore that should then also be done as a worke of the Sabbath.

CHAP. V.

§. Sect. 1 THE next duties that follow to bee handled are, such as are mixt: of which sorte are prayer, thanksgi­uing, singing of Psalmes, catechi­sing, almes, &c. which I terme mixt, because they are such as may bee done in publique or in pri­uate: which also are to bee performed vpon the Sabbath, as they shal be best fitting with the time and place. Now, many men when they haue bin at Church, they thinke they may doe all the rest of the day what they list; As the harlot when she had payed her vowes, she thought she might play the harlot, Prou. 7. So do many, they serue God in the fore­noone, and the flesh and the diuell in the after-noone. But they must know that God doth re­quire the whole day to be spent in holy duties. And therefore as thou maist in no part of the day breake the rest by labour; so much lesse maist thou breake the holinesse: for God commaun­deth the one aswell as the other; holinesse aswell as rest: nay rest should not haue been commaun­ded, but for holinesse. And therefore as I haue shewed before it was a sin to breake the rest, so is it much more to breake the Sabbath, by omitting the duties of holinesse. Indeed thou art not tied to spend the whole day in the publique exercises [Page 139] before mentioned, neither were the Iewes: for they had but their sacrifice euening and mor­ning, Numb. 28. and prayers with their sacrifice, as appeareth Luk. 1. 10, in that the people prayed whilest the incense was a burning. Then they had a lecture of the Law and Prophets, Act. 13. 15: after that preaching. For when they had read the Law, they gaue the sense thereof, and caused the people to vnderstand the reading, Nehem. 8. 8; and then thanksgiuing. All which cōtinued not the whole day, but the congregation was dismissed at mid­day, Nehem. 8. 10. 12. And they returned at three of the clocke: at what time Peter and Iohn went vp to pray; which is called the ninth houre, an­swering vnto our third, at what time also was the euening sacrifice. But yet the interim, before, be­twixt, and after, was spent either in priuate exer­cises of godlinesse, or else in these which are both priuate and publique; which are therefore no­ted and obserued in the practise of the Church, that wee might draw them also into imitation: which being at other times of the weeke to bee done, so much more were they on the Sabbath: and the exercises of religion being vpon that day doubled, Numb. 28; why should God bee now lesse serued vnder the Gospell, than hee was vn­der the Law?

§. Sect. 2 To come therefore vnto these duties which we call mixt; first of prayer. Which that it is an exer­cise The mixt du­ties are, first Prayer. of the Sabbath, is euident in that his house is called the house of prayer, Ioh. 2. and the word can­not be without it. Therefore Neh. 8. Ezra before [Page 140] he preached praised God. And though Christ would haue vs to pray in priuate, Matth. 6. yet God re­quireth the same to be done also in the assemblies, Psal. 107. 32: and that not alone by the teacher; as Dauid in the midst of the congregation would praise the Lord, when hee did declare his name, Psal. 22. 22. but by the people also. Therfore when Zachary was burning of incense within, the people were in prayer without, Luk. 1. 10: which as it must bee done in the morning; so also at night. For Dauid would haue his prayer as the incense, which was the first thing the Priest did when hee came into the Temple: and the lifting vp of his hands as the euen­ing sacrifice, Psal. 142. which was on the Sabbath at night offered: so must our prayers be. It ma­keth me the more to marueile at some kinde of men that thinke if they haue been at seruice (as they call it) in the fore-noone, that God is behol­ding vnto them for that; and that they are not bound to returne againe in the after-noone: but that they consecrate vnto some pastimes, as though they had been at Church in the morning to aske God leaue to goe to play in the after-noone. Now as this is a publique exercise of the Sabbath, and must go before and after the word, so also at other times; or else why are wee com­maunded to pray continually? 1. Thess. 5. 17. and in all things to giue thankes. Yea God, to shew how well he likes it, compares it to incense. And least we should pleade ignorance, that wee know not how to pray, hee giueth vs his spirit to helpe our infirmities, Rom. 8. yea and promiseth that his [Page 141] eares shall stand open whensoeuer we pray, Psal. 34. 15. This then maketh against those that on the Sabbath, or else neuer pray. But let such know, that it is a certaine token vnto them that they are wicked men. For Dauid going about to describe wicked men, giueth this as a speciall marke of them, they call not vpon the Lord, Psal. 14. 4. Se­condly, it stirreth vs vp to performe this dutie, especially seeing Christ requires it: Cant. 8. 13. My loue let me heare thy voyce. And so much for prayer.

§. Sect. 3 The second exercise that is both priuate and publique is the reading of the Scriptures: which 2. Reading of the Sriptures. appeareth in that Christ willeth vs to search the Scriptures: and Matth. 12. Haue you not read in the law? as though wee were bound to reade it. And in very truth the King himselfe is bound to doe it, Deut. 17. 19. Which wee will yet doe so much the sooner, if we consider that he is blessed that rea­deth, &c. Reu. 1. 2. Which reasons lead the Be­reans, Act. 17. 11. when they had heard Paul, to see whether it were so or no. And as we must reade the word in priuate, so must it be read in publique. Paul would haue his Epistle read in the Church of Lao­dicea, Coloss. 4. 16. And Nehem. 8. the Priests first read the law, and then afterwards gaue the sense. So Act. 13. they had a lecture of the law. And Act. 15. Moses was preached seeing he was read. Now, it may be, many would reade; but as the woman answe­red Christ when hee would drinke, thou hast no­thing to draw; so they would reade, but they haue no bookes. Of those that come to the assemblie, [Page 142] how many can reade? I mistake, I would say of those that can reade, how many haue bookes? If a man haue taken a peece of ground, he is ne­uer quiet, til he haue his lease or coppie or deeds. If he doubt in any clause, he will either looke in it himselfe, or goe to him that can reade. But in these things wee passe not; wee thinke wee shall stumble vpon saluation well enough, though we neuer seek it. It is reported of the Iewes that they Iosephus. knew the Scriptures as well as their owne names; but amongst vs many scarce know the names of the Scriptures. When a booke is named they know not where to finde it. This was the policie of popish times, to keep the people in ignorance; hauing herein followed the policie of the Phili­stines, who because they would keepe the Israe­lites in slauerie, would not allow the vse of any weapons vnto them, (Ionathan and his Armour­bearer, and Saul, onely excepted, whom forsooth they would seeme to grace) nor permit a Smith among them: the reason was, least they should make them swords: and as for their tooles they must come downe to the Philistines to sharpen them. So deale the Papists, they claspe vp the book of God in an vnknowne tongue, and wrest out of lay mens hands the sword of the Spirit, which is the word. Onely they vouchsafe it to some few of their faction, for a mischiefe: but as for the people, they must come downe to the Popes Decrees, and Church-traditions, vnwrit­ten truths, and vntrue writings; and there they must sharpen their tooles: but Smith must they [Page 143] haue none, no Preacher, least hee make them swords.

Yea, but they will say, many grow into errors by reading of the word. Answ. First, I know no greater heresie than Poperie, that is an heresie of heresies. Secondly, if this bee a good reason, that because many abuse it, therefore others may not vse it; I see not but that men must forsake their meate and drinke also, because some be drunken, and some surfet. So the Sacrament should be ba­nished, because some receiue it to their condemna­tion. Nay, so the word, yea Christ himselfe should not be receiued, because he is put for the fall of ma­ny, Luk. 2. They must therefore know, that in things indifferent in themselues, though the a­buse doth take away the vse; yet not so in things commanded vs: yea, but shall we giue holy things to dogges? No; but will you withhold the chil­drens bread, because the dogs catch at it? Should a Captaine, because some be alwaies quarelling, stabbing and killing, therefore presentlie com­maund that all his souldiers should lay aside their weapons? No, but rather that they take armes to beate downe the quarellers. And so wee say that the wearing of weapons breedes peace, and so must we vse our spirituall weapons: but whereas they pre­tend a feare of running into errors, God hath promised to giue his spirit vnto his that shal leade them into all truth; and better they cannot bee lead than by the word: for that is a glasse where­in a man may see what is amisse. Friends dare not tell a man his faults, for feare of displeasing. Ene­mies [Page 144] will not. But reade the word, and thou shalt see there is no fault which thou hast committed in all thy life, but either Moses, or Dauid, or Salo­mon, or Peter, or Paul, or one of the Prophets, or of the Apostles, will tell thee of it. And therefore being that reading shewes a man his error; how can it be that it should bring him into error. And so much for the second dutie that is mixt.

§. Sect. 4 The third dutie is singing of Psalmes, which also is an exercise of the Sabbath; as appeareth in The third is singing of Psalmes. that all are exhorted and stirred vp thereunto: Kings of the earth and all people, Princes and all Iud­ges of the world, young men and maides, old men and children, all must praise the Lord. And againe, Psal. 147. 1, 2, Praise the Lord. Of which he giueth diuers reasons. First, it is a good thing: then, what better time than to doe it vpon the Sabbath? Se­condly, because in good things wee are soone wearie, vnlesse we delight in them: therefore he saith, it is a pleasant thing; so that it is as it were the Sabbaths recreation. Lastly, because there are ma­ny things pleasant, which yet are not seemely; therefore he shewes, that it is such a pleasant thing that is also comely. There are good things that yet are not pleasing; as afflictions, which are grieu [...]us for the present, Heb. 12. 11. And there are pleasant things that yet are not comely; as foolish iesting, Ephes. 5. 4. But this hath all three; it is good, plea­sant, and comely. Good in it owne nature; pleasant to the hearers; and comely to the vser. It is good, there is no euill in it; it is pleasant, there is no harshnes in it; it is comely, there is no affectation [Page 145] in it. In regard hereof Paul and Silas sang in prison, Act. 16. 25. And Christ after supper sang a Psalme or Himne, Matth. 26. It was their exercise, and that in publique, as well as in priuate: as appea­reth Coloss. 3. 16. and Eph. 5. 19. To that end also were the Psalmes made to be sung at any time. A­mongst al others the 92. Psalme is called a Psalme for the Sabbath. But in our congregations, for the most part, they sit as by the riuers of Babylon hanging vp their harpes, and holding downe their heads as in the daies of mourning, not caring to sing these songs of Sion, though we are in the middest ther­of; we are not affected with the goodnesse, plea­santnes, and comelines thereof; but a wilde mor­ris, or a wanton ballad affect vs a thousand times more, though neither good, pleasant, nor come­ly. And this much for the third mixt dutie.

§. Sect. 5 The next dutie is catechising, a thing wondred at by many, for so great is the neglect, that dutie it 4. Catechisme selfe is a wonder: yet in the word taught most plainly. Hebr. 6. 1, the first principles of religion are called the foundation, and the teaching of them the laying of the foundation, and there he rehearseth vp certaine principles, as repentance, faith, baptisme. Now that to catechise is required, both priuately and publiquely, and that as at all other times, so especially vpon the Sabbath I will make to ap­peare. And first that it ought to be performed in priuate is euident, because that all which haue vnderstanding are bound to teach others: Heb. 5. 12. the Apostle blameth them for that when as con­cerning the time they ought to bee teachers, they had [Page 146] neede themselues to be taught the first principles. And 1. Pet. 4. 10. Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift, minister one to another: but yet more specially this is required at the Ministers hand in the congre­gation; and at the parents and masters hand in the house. That it behoueth the Minister to cate­chise, appeareth in that he is not onely required to be diligent to know the state of his flocke, Pro. 27. 23, but much more to feede it, 1. Pet. 5. 1. and not a­lone to feede the sheepe, Ioh. 21. 16. but first to feede the lambes, ibid. vers. 15. And that Christ requireth them to doe euen as they loue him, vers. 17. which made Paul to doe it openly, and from house to house, Act. 20. 20. And this hee did continually: and therfore out of question vpon the Sabbath. And to doe this is the Ministers dutie; for the loue of Christ inforceth them, 2. Pet. 1. 12, 13. And that this dutie may take the better effect, husbands and pa­rents and masters must doe the same. The hus­band must doe it: therefore their wiues are sent to schoole vnto them, they must learne of their husband at home, 1. Corinth. 14. 35: then their hus­bands must teach them. Parents must doe it; for they must bring vp their children in the nurtriture of the Lord, Ephes. 6. 4. And Deut. 6. 7. Thou shalt re­hearse these words continually vnto thy children, &c. Continually, for it must be precept vpon precept. For children come not vnto grace at an instance; but by degrees. They are like narrow mouthed cups; a man cannot powre in all at once into them: but a man must teach them as Christ taught his followers, as they were able to heare, Mar. 4. 33: or as [Page 147] Iacob draue his cattell according vnto their pace. And although I now said that wiues must learne of their husbands; yet wiues must teach their children. Tit. 2. 3. it is required of a woman that she be a teacher of good things. And Prou. 31. it is said, the law of grace is vnder her lips. To what end (I pray you) if not to edifie and teach, her chil­dren especially, as Eunice taught Timothie, 1. Tim. 1. 5. And the wisest childe that euer was, onely Christ excepted, was taught by a woman, Prou. 31. 1. What my sonne, &c. Our children are models of our selues; and we desire to leaue them good portions: now what better portion than the Lord? Kings reioyce in it, The Lord is my portion, saith Dauid, Psal. 119. Let vs therfore labour with them so soone as euer God hath giuen them for sonnes vnto vs, to make them his sonnes: and so soone as they are come into the world, to take them again out of the world by instruction. And what time can bee fitter therefore than the time appointed, which is the Sabbath?

Neither are we to thinke our selues free, if we performe this duty to our sonnes only or daugh­ters: but it must be done vnto our whole fami­lie; that saluation may not alone come vnto vs, but vnto our whole houshold, Luk. 19. 9: which made Io­sua to vndertake for his houshold, I and my house­hold (saith he) will serue the Lord, Ios. 24. And Cor­nelius feared God with his houshold, Act. 10. 2. It should seeme he had taken good paines amongst them, in that they wanting the ministerie of the word (for they were Gentiles) yet were conuer­ted [Page 148] vnto the faith by his industrie, and labour­some instruction. And lastly, this is the cause ren­dred by the holy Ghost why God would ac­quaint Abraham with the destruction of Sodom, for that hee knew he would teach his houshold to walke, &c. Now, are not these things written for our instruction, that wee should doe the like? Why then doe we it not? Indeede there be many that are carefull to prouide meate and drinke for their houshold; but what great thing is that which they doe? Doe not the Publicanes the same? Doe not the Infidels the same? Nay, doest thou not the same things for thine oxe, and thine asse? I speake it to the shame of many, they better prouide for their dogs than their seruants. And if this be all, then as one said of Herod, when he spared not his son that he might be sure to kill Christ, he had rather be his swine than his sonne, because his swine he did not kill, but his sonne he did: so if that be all they prouide for them; better bee their dogges than their drudges or seruants; because their dogges bee better prouided for than they.

But I now speake vnto you children, and ser­uants, and people: Must the Minister, Master, and Parents teach, and you not regard or learne that which is taught you? I take it y^t he that said, the Priests lips should preserue knowledge, appointed the people to seeke the law at his mouth also, Mal. 2. 7: and y^t not only to heare him, but also to answere him. For you must alwaies be ready to giue an an­swere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, 1. Pet. 3. 15. It sufficeth not to answere [Page 149] sometimes when we please; but we must alwaies doe it. And that not to some speciall men whom we please to make choise of in our owne priuate affections; but to euery man to giue a reason. And lastly, because hee knoweth our vntoward­nesse vnto these things, that we come vnto them as a Beare drawne and lead as it were by the nose vnto the stake; he therefore addeth that we must be alwaies readie to doe this, &c. which notablie meeteth with the backwardnes of this genera­tion, that hardly can bee drawne to learne that which in truth they cannot be without. And so much of the fourth mixt dutie.

§. Sect. 6 The fifth and last of these mixt duties is, the shewing of mercie vnto our brethren: for as this is a 5. Duties of mercie. day wherein God sheweth the greatest mercie vnto vs, in that he bestoweth vpon vs his word, a rare and singular blessing, and therefore a singu­lar blessing because it is so rare. For hee hath not dealt so with euery nation, Psal. 147. 20: As, I say, he hath shewed vs this mercie, so should wee shew mercie one vnto another. And here first order must bee taken in publique vpon the Sabbath, that collections bee made for the reliefe of the poore Saints, 1. Cor. 16. 1. And as in publique, reliefe must be made for them; so also in priuate it be­houeth vs to visit and to goe vnto them, as Christ did to the sicke and lame folkes lying at the poole of Be­thesda, Ioh. 5. that by that meanes wee might the better bee acquainted with their wants; as also the more stirred vp to yeeld them some reliefe, and of our superfluitie to send vnto them, as in [Page 150] Nehemiahs time, vpon a Sabbath after they had heard the word they did eate, and sent part vnto them for whom none was prouided, Nehe. 8. 10. But now vpon the Sabbath, what is our manner so soone as we haue dined? No regard is had, but presently we call for cards or tables, or else away we haste to bowles, or to dauncing, or some such like exercises: but vnto the poore, whose bowels sound like shaulmes for want of foode, and whose faces gather blacknes through famine, we haue no bowels of compassion, notwithstanding the pitifull child halfe starued and hanging vpon the mothers breast crieth out ready to giue vp the ghost, where is bread, and where is drinke? and that the hearts of the parents fall in sunder like drops of water, be­cause they haue not to giue vnto them. Be mo­ued with this my brethren, you that are fed with the fattest of the stall, and more than the flower of wheate; spare something of your excesse to relieue their penurie. Behold, shall the mother eate her fruite, and childe of a spanne long? shall they perish and die at your doores, and in their houses? (for some had rather starue at home, than goe abroad to begge) shall they perish (I say) without compas­sion? Will you spare no dishes from your tables, nor morsels from your mouthes, to relieue them? no not though Christ commaund it, and recko­neth what is done vnto them as done vnto himself, Matth. 25. Shall he send them vnto you hungrie, pitifull, naked, and miserable; and will you doe nothing vnto them for his sake, that did so much for yours? If he would, he could haue made you [Page 143] poore, and them rich, or prouided riches enough for all, or made no more than hee had riches for; or he could haue made that the Rauens should feed them, as they did Elias; or that they should haue needed no foode, as Moses in the mount. But hee would haue it thus, to trie what you would doe for him: and therefore to this end he saith, Ye shal alwaies haue the poore with you; why then giue them of your bread to eate, and of your wooll to clothe them. At least if you will not do it for the poores sake, yet do it for Christs sake. Loe he will accept it as done vnto himselfe: for, Matth. 25. 4. when the righteous shall denie that they had either clo­thed him, or fed him, &c. what is his answere? In as much as you haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it vnto me.

But, will some man say, I am a poore man, and I haue nothing for my selfe; and therefore no­thing to giue. Neither had the Apostle; Siluer and gold haue I none, saith Peter, Act. 3. 6. yet such as he had he gaue: so, hast thou no siluer nor gold; yet thou hast instruction, admonition, consolation, and such like; giue these then, for they be almes and duties of mercie, and are most agreeing to the nature of a Sabbath. The other doe good to the bodie, but these doe good both to the bodie and soule; and this thou oughtest to doe. For, if thou must helpe vp thy brothers asse that is downe vn­der his burthen; then how much more thy bro­ther that is downe vnder the burthen of sinne? And if thou must pull a beast out of the mire; then much more a man out of the mire of sinne, 2. Pe­ter [Page 152] 2. 22. And if it be a dutie to make peace betwixt man and man vpon the Sabbath; then much more betwixt God and man. And therefore helpe thy brother with this almes, and relieue his wants: but this if thou hast not to giue, then thou art poore and needest it thy selfe, and therefore must seeke it of others. And so much touching these mixt duties vpon the Sabbath.

CHAP. VI.

§. Sect. 1 THe exercises that are only priuate fol­low, and they are two; meditation, We must vpon the Sabbath meditate vpon that we heare. and conference. That we are bound to meditate vpon the Sabbath, ap­peareth by the practise of one of the best Sabba­thists that euer was, the Prophet Dauid, that pro­fessed it to be his exercise continually, Psal. 119: and if continually, then on the Sabbath much more. As also it appeareth in that God inioyned it to Iosua, that hee should meditate in the booke of the law day and night. I trust then that there is no man but will say that then he was commaun­ded to doe it vpon the Sabbath; and that we haue neede to doe it, it appeareth by the weaknesse of our memories, which may well be compared vn­to ashes, as Iob saith, that easily lose any impression that is made in them; and if wee neuer rehearse that which we haue heard, but suffer all to runne [Page 153] out like leaking tubs, as fast as it comes in, and that the Preachers words make only a thorowfare in our heads, comming in at the one eare and going out at the other: when shall we profit by it? No, no, it is the hiding and not the hearing of the word that makes vs wise. Otherwise, as it was said of the widowes, 1. Timoth. 5. that they were alwaies learning, but neuer comen vnto the knowledge of the truth: so may it be said of many hearers, that they are alwaies hearing, and neuer profiting, because we meditate not on it. Well, the stomack that re­ceiueth meate, and presently putteth it vp againe, we say is sicke. As it fareth with the bodie, so is it with the soule: if it draw no nourishment out of the spirituall foode of the word, it is a sick soule.

Yea but, will some man say, my memorie is An obiection remoued. short, and I cannot remember what the Preacher said. I thinke so, vnlesse you meditate vpon it. But sir, as short as your memorie is, if a man anger you, you will hardly forget it. But tell me (I pray you) this one thing, as short as your memorie is: did you euer forget where you laid your trea­sure? No, no, the asse himselfe doth not forget his ma­sters cribbe, Esai. 1. 2. and these things which wee take care of wee can easily remember, bee they done neuer so long since. And therefore blame not thy memorie but thy will; thou giuest not thy heart vnto these things, as Dauid that hid the word in his heart, Psal. 119. 11. and as Mary that kept and pondred the sayings which she had heard of Christ in her heart, Luk. 2. 19. They kept it as it were vn­der locke and key. But diddest thou indeede de­sire [Page 154] to remember these things, thou wouldest vse all meanes to conforme thy memorie, and to helpe it. Amongst the which there is not a grea­ter than this, oftentimes to meditate on it. For, as Salomon saith, If the iron bee blunt, put to the more strength, Eccles. 10. 10. (he speaketh as if hee saw a man cutting of a sticke with a bad hatchet, that he can hardly make to cut, he must strike the oftner or the stronger to cut off the logge) so must wee doe when wee feele the bluntnes of our memo­ries, wee must recompence it by the diligence of meditation, often recalling and repeating the same thing, by which at the last they will become vnto vs as the principles of Grammar vnto the schoolemaster, we shal haue them by heart. Ano­ther meanes also to helpe thy memorie, will be to bring thy heart to the practise of that which thou hadst floting in thy head; and by that meanes thou shalt bee sure to make it thine owne. Ano­ther is to take delight in the things wee heare, as Dauid saith, Psal. 119. 16. I will delight in thy statutes, and I will not forget thy word. Wee forget not the things we delight in. Last of al, if thou hast found thy memorie so slipperie that it wil hold nothing long, then set it down in a note-booke, there lay­ing it vp as in a store-house. For if we be carefull in our worldly matters, that we will not trust our memories with our accounts, but will be sure to note them downe to a farthing, yea and will keep seruants to that purpose: what a shame is it that we should be so negligent in better things.

Though neither when we haue done all this, [Page 155] is our meditation done, but wee must meditate We must me­ditate vpon the workes of God. vpon his workes aswell as vpon his word. The Psal. 92, which is intituled, A Psalme of the Sab­bath, is nothing else but a meditation of the workes of God. And this it seemeth that God would teach vs by his own example; who when he had finished his workes in sixe daies, in the se­uenth he rested to consider the goodnes of them, Gen. 2. Now this we may doe, if wee follow the example of Christ, who drew euery thing of which he talked vnto a spirituall instruction: Ioh. 4. 10, when hee talkes with the woman of Sama­ria that was drawing of water, he falles into a dis­course of the water of life. When the Disciples talke of meate, hee begins to talke with them of another meate, vers. 4. When hee sate at dinner, Luk. 14. 15, he turned his speech vnto a spirituall banquet. So maist thou in the beholding of any of Gods creatures, consider some one thing or o­ther therein. As when thou lookest vpon the grasse, consider thy frailtie that all flesh is grasse. When vpon the dust, thy basenesse; that thou art but as dust, and dust wil returne to the earth, Eccl. 12. 7. When vpon the darknesse; the time of thy igno­rance. Ye were once darknesse, Eph. 5. 8. When vpon the light; the time of the Gospell, and therefore ibid. walke in the light. It is not so much as the Ant, but thou maist learne something from hir, namely diligence: therefore God sendeth the sluggard to schoole to the Ant, Pro. 6. 6. Goe to the Pismire O sluggard, &c. And here I wonder how these earth-wormes, whose mouldie soules are [Page 156] buried vnder their loaues, and whose hearts are pinned and glewed vnto the things of this life, though they nothing but pore vpon the things of this life, yet neuer make any spirituall vse of them, no not vpon the Sabbath; doth not the Lord see it, and will not his soule be auenged for these things? But I had forgotten my self, I speake vnto the bellie that hath no eares. I will therefore ouer-passe them.

§. Sect. 2 Come wee now vnto the last dutie, which is conference. For after meditation that must next We must con­fer [...]e with o­thers, especial­ly those of our famil [...]e. follow: for when Dauid said hee had hid Gods words in his heart, he addeth, that with his lippes he declared his iudgements, Psal. 119. 11. So that as Salomon saith, If the clowdes be full, they will powre soorth raine, Eccles. 11. 3. And if our heart be indi­ting a good matter, the tongue will be the penne of a readie writer; and it will fare with vs as with the Bereans, Act. 17. who when they had heard Paul, they sought whether it were so or no. And as with the Disciples going together to Emmaus that conferred together on the way as they went, about y^e Resurrection, Luk. 24. 13. And in the Pro­phet Malachies time, though the words of the wicked were stout, yet they that feared God spake euery one to his neighbour, Mal. 3. But were there not any scrip­ture to inforce this, yet very reason would proue this meete. For two eyes see more than one, and many torches put together burne lighter, many hands make light worke, and many aduentures a full fraught: euen so also commeth it to passe, that either conferring with other, eithers portion [Page 157] is made others; and so one portion is made a double, by making a double portion one. For as firebrands put together either giueth heate to o­ther, and they burne the better, that the greene wood also may take fire; whereas if they be sun­dred they presently go out as quenched: euen so it fareth with christians in this businesse. Though neither yet doe I speake this to this purpose that men should runne into priuate corners to make conuenticles, as the Brownists; but with their fa­milies and houshold to conferre and reason; or with the Minister that is able to direct them in the truth; or with their neighbours that are better able to instruct them, who thereby also them­selues are bettered: for knowledge in a man is like the widowes oyle, a man may powre out, and yet the vessell will bee neuer the emptier. But is this lawfull (will you say) for euery cobler or tin­ker, for euery botcher and butcher to talke and conferre about the Scriptures? Doubtlesse it is, God himself hath commanded it. Deut. 6. 6. The words that I commaund thee (saith he) this day shall be in thine heart. Nothing else? Yes, presently he addeth, and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children, and shalt talke of them when thou tariest at home, and goest abroad, &c. vers. 7. And so much touching the exercises of the Sabbath.

CHAP. VII.

§. Sect. 1 IT remaineth that we speake of the lets that keepe vs from the sanctifying of the Sabbath. For these also are here forbidden, as is manifest by that ex­position which Christ giueth vpon adulterie, Mat. 5. where he doth not alone forbid adulterie, but also looking vpon a woman to lust after her: whereby hee sheweth, that the occasion must bee shunned, aswell as the sinne it self. Now amongst many lets whereby we are hindred from keeping the Sabbath holie, these foure insuing are special­ly faultie: first, sloth; secondly, pride; thirdly, idle and dumme Ministerie; fourthly, forgetfulnesse of our businesse that is left vndone vntill the Sab­bath. Which vices, although they be forbidden in other commaundements, yet as they bee the occasions of the breach of this, they bee here also forbidden: as in another case to call thy brother foole is a sin against the ninth commaundement, and is a kinde of false witnesse; yet as it procee­deth from anger, it is a breach of the sixth, and Christ reckoneth it murther, Matth. 5. 21. In the 8. of Luke sinne is compared to thornes: now the propertie of thornes is, not onely to wound [Page 159] and prick, but also they are foulded one in ano­ther, Nah. 1. 10. As is sinne, which is the transgres­sion of the law, 1. Ioh. 3. 4: so is the law; a man can hardly breake one commaundement and not all, Iam. 2. 10. And so although these bee sinnes di­rectly forbidden in the other commandements, yet as they be occasions of the breach of the Sab­bath, they are here also forbidden.

And first of all, that sloth is an occasion of the Sloth a let that we keepe the Sabbath no better. breach of the Sabbath, appeareth in that men cannot bee plucked out of their beds vpon the Sabbath, but they turne themselues vpon their beds, as the doore vpon the hinges, Prou. 26. 14. and say, as it is Prou. 6. 10. Yet a little more sleepe, a little slum­ber, as though God had giuen vs one sleeping day in seuen. And so indeede we account of that day as an idle day, and that then wee may sleepe, because wee haue nothing to doe therein. But Christ was of another minde on the Sabbath; for hee rose early in the morning before it was light, and went foorth to pray, and then returned againe into the Synagogue to teach, Mar. 1. 35. 38. And Dauid saith, that his eyes did preuent the morning watch. It beho­ueth vs therefore more timely to arise vpon the Sabbath, that we may both prepare our selues to the exercises of religion, and come timely.

§. Sect. 2 Well, but will some say, they lie the longer in bed, because they be not well, but when they bee Pride a let that we keepe the Sabbath no better. vp then they do better demeane themselues then I speake of. Surely no: for then another let doth presently incounter them, and they be not readie to go to Church; and this way the women espe­cially [Page 160] breake the Sabbath, in that they take more paines in tiffing themselues on that day, than in the whole weeke besides; their haire forsooth must be laid out like rammes hornes (I mistake, it was the fashion indeed, but now it is like goates) their ruffes must be laid out vpon wiers, like poste and raile; and their farthingales bearing vp their cloath like a round table. If God should see his creature, would he know it to be any of his ma­king? And I assure you their attire is so strange, that it puts sober matrons to their wits how to go in their attire, and yet to goe like women of their sort and calling. Now all this while that these gallants are a trimming, holinesse it selfe must waite for them, for her deuotions must not be so­lemnized till they bee readie. At last in comes Bernice and Agrippa with great pompe to heare; and thē must euery bodies eyes be borrowed to look vpon these trim guilded weather-cocks. For this is their follie, or pride shall I say? Surely it is their foolish pride, or their proud follie, to loue to bee noted; and so they be, though it bee but with a black coale: for whereas they think others won­der at their beauty, because they stare vpon them, they wonder at their follie. Well, it was Salomons fault that he was foureteene yeeres a building of his owne house, and but seuen in building the Lords: but I think when God shall come to exa­mine them, they will not be able to giue such an account. I thinke he shall not haue one of three, but scarce one of twentie yeeres, and houres. Well, these sailes of pride they be too bigge, they [Page 161] will ouerturne your barkes; their philactaries be too broad, they hinder your entrance; for the way is narrow, and the gate is straight. Will you stand all day a trimming when God calles you to the sermon? Doth he require these things at your hands, to come thus guised, or disguised rather? No, no, it is your hidden apparell that hee re­quires, an vncorrupt heart, a quiet spirit, that is it that before God is much set by, 1. Pet. 3. Hee lookes vpon the inside, and not vpon the outside. And there­fore throw away these things, as Dauid did Sauls armour; he could not fight with it; no more can you well pray with this, yea if you bee truly tou­ched with the zeale of religion, these things will fall from you: but if they doe not, there is one that hath promised to pull them away, Esay 3. 18.

§. Sect. 3 Wel, but notwithstanding when they become to the Church and set, then they behaue them­selues The dumme Ministerie, a let that we keepe not the Sabbath. Ioh. 5. 7. better. Surely then that excuse of the lame man must serue them; they haue no body to put them into the poole when the water is troubled. Their Mini­ster is some hungrie Legat, or wandring Leuite, that will serue for tenne sheckles by the yeere. For the most think if he be best cheape, he is best; and they require no more at his hands but that hee should say nothing: and this is an especiall cause of the breach of the Sabbath, in that the lea­ders are dumme, and stand in their places onely for a cipher in Augrum, and no number. Well they may weare a blacke garment to deceiue, but he is no Prophet. More than reade he can doe no­thing, and that peraduenture the Clarke or his [Page 162] boy can doe better than hee: It is well for them that the law hath ordained common prayers and chapters and Homilies to bee read; but if these should bee taken away from them, they were no more able to goe on in the worke of the Ministe­rie, than a lame man were to goe without his crutches: they are, or they should be, the salt of the earth, but if the salt season not, you know it is good for nothing, no not for the dunghill. What thinke you then of the Church? is the Church worse than a dunghill, that you season it with such vnsauourie salt? The Ministers should feed and giue the milke of the word vnto the people; but these are more cruell than the very Dragons, for they giue sucke vnto their young, Lament. 4. 3: but these starue and famish them. Well, they are cru­ell Nurses that take a mans childe to nurse, and haue drie breasts. But what are these that take Gods children to nurse and haue no breasts? What shall we doe for them when they shall bee spoken for? There is no father but would say of such a nurse, she hath murdered my childe. And doubtlesse God our father, when he shall make in­quisition for the bloud of his children, will account them no lesse than murderers.

I know what will be answered, they are men and they must liue, they cannot digge, and they are ashamed to begge: what then, must they rob? must they kill? I say more, starue the soules of Gods people? Rather let them returne to their occupations whence they came, and let them that waies shift, if at least they doubt of Gods [Page 163] mercie towards them, or thinke that hee will not regard them: but it were a thousand times better for them to digge, or begge, or starue, than thus to starue the soules of Gods people, and to sell them for morsels of bread and handfuls of barley, Ezech. 13. 19. But I know my words are too weake to pre­uaile in this case. Well, yet let them know, that their sinnes are written before the Lord with the poynt of a Diamond, and that he will neuer forget them, vntill he be auenged of them vnto the full, vnlesse they repent. And so much tou­ching the lets, by which wee are held from the duties of ho­lines on the Sabbath.

CHAP. I.

§. Sect. 1 OF the keeping of the Sabbath holie, we haue alreadie heard; it remaineth that wee consider the persons whom these duties doe concerne: which are ei­ther, thy selfe, or those that are vnder thee. And first he requireth it at thy hands: We must first obserue the Sabbath in our owne persons. because hee would haue reformation alwaies to begin where loue doth, that is, with it selfe; and then with those that are at our elbowes. And of this there is great reason. For if a man be not him­selfe reformed, either hee is remisse in reforming of others, because they are like himselfe; or if he be forwards, yet hee shall be challenged, because he is in his practise vnlike himselfe, and is like the [Page 165] boate-man that fetcheth his stroake one way and looketh another. Therefore God speaketh in the second person of the singular number; the rea­son of which is, that euery man may know that God speaketh vnto him directly. When Princes make a law they vse generall termes, as no man shall doe such a thing, or euery man shall doe such a thing; but these lawes we vse to shift off, as if they concerned vs not. For say we, that which is spoken to all, is spoken to none. This God wisely preuenteth and speaketh to thee directly, thou shalt do no man­ner of worke. The reason why God speaketh in this manner is, because sinne hath gotten her a whores forehead, Ier. 3. 3. it will not blush nor bee ashamed, vnlesse it bee pointed at, and vnlesse a man speake vnto it, as the voyce vnto Nebuchad­nezzar; To thee be it spoken. In deede a good man when he readeth any thing in the Scripture spo­ken in so generall termes, doth sometimes applie it vnto himselfe, as Dauid, Psal. 40. 7. In the volume of thy booke (saith he) it is written of me that I should doe thy will: which though it be no where in par­ticular written of Dauid, yet hee being a man ap­plies it in particular vnto himselfe, as if it had bin spoken vnto him. And there be (I confesse) some like Dauid, but this sect hath not many disciples. For the most are of minde that it concerneth any man rather than themselues; of which mind Da­uid also was when Nathan came vnto him with a parable: which stifnes of ours God obseruing speaketh in particular to euery man, Thou shalt not doe any manner of worke. So that this euery man [Page 166] when he readeth it, must needes confesse as Da­uid, it is written of me; and so must the King say, this is written of me, that I should keepe the Sab­bath; so must the master say, this is written of me that I should keepe the Sabbath: so the Minister, so the husbandman, and so of the rest; for this is spoken vnto euery man of what place or calling so euer he be, of what sexe or age so euer he be. And vnto that purpose in the word we shall find precepts of euery sort to inforce so much. Isai. 56. ver. 5. the Eunuch must keepe the Sabbath. Neh. 13. 15. the victualler must keepe the Sabbath. Exod. 31. 3, 4. the artificer must keepe the Sabbath. Nehe. 10. 31. the buyer and seller must keepe the Sabbath. Ierem. 17. the carriers and porters must keepe the Sabbath. Exo. 34. the husbandman must keepe the Sabbath. Exo. 44. 24. the Priest must keepe the Sabbath. And what shall I more say? if any might except, then the Prince, either by reason of his authoritie, or his distracti­ons in waightie affaires; but the Prince himselfe must be in the middest of them, Ezech. 46. 9, 10. And therefore wee see none is exempt from this dutie; but thou, whosoeuer thou art, must keepe the Sabbath.

Though neither yet art thou alone bound in Those that are vnder vs must keepe the Sab­bath. thine owne person to keepe it; but also in thy place to see it kept. Art thou a father? then thou must see that thy sonne keepe it. Art thou a Ma­ster? then thou must see that thy seruant keep it. Art thou a Prince? then thou must see that thy subiect keepe it: for the commaundement run­neth thus, thou must keepe it and thy sonne, thou [Page 167] and thy seruint, thou and thy cattell, thou and thy stranger. But why is not the husband also in ioy­ned to see his wife keepe the Sabbath? The rea­son is, first, because she is a part of her husband, and they twaine be but one man, Rom. 5. 19. Se­condly, she is a gouernour in the familie with the man, and therefore she is to see that others keepe the Sabbath. Thirdly, all are not mentioned in the commaundement, but it is figuratiue, and a part is put for the whole. For as the master is ouer the seruant, or father ouer his sonne; so is the hus­band ouer the wife, so is the Captaine ouer the souldier, and the master ouer the scholler: and so of the rest. The reasons wherefore this is inioy­ned to the gouernour are two. First, because the gouernour in his place should goe before those that are vnder him in good example, as Paul would haue Timothy to doe, 1. Tim. 4. 12. For as one coale maketh another burne, and wood a fire, Prou. 26: so doth one mans good example in religion bring forward another, especially if they be men of sort and place. For, as the Loadstone draweth the iron, and the Iet the straw; so draw they others of all sorts to follow them. As when Io­siah kept the Passeouer, all the people would keepe it with him, 2. King. 23. When Asa sware to seeke the Lord, all Iudah sware with him, & reioyced at the oath, 2. Chr. 15. 15. God would therefore haue them take on in a good way, least they turning aside to wicked­nesse they should corrupt others; as Rehoboam when he forsooke the law of the Lord, lead away all Is­rael with him, 2. Chron. 12. 1. And Ieroboam bea­reth [Page 168] the memorie of his defection vntill this day, and shall be knowne by it while the world stan­deth, as a man is knowne by his sirname; Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne. One therefore not vnfitly compares them vnto great oakes, that when they fall, beate downe all the vnder wood with them; so doe these. And surely there is no poyson nor pestilence that so infecteth the ayre where it is, as these great ones do the whole countrey, townes and cities round about them where they are, if they be euill. Those therefore that are aboue o­thers, had need to learne Dauids lesson, to be wise. For if they be euill, they shall not be euill alone; and if they fall, they shall carrie a great number with thē to hell, as the great diuel did whē he fel, Iud. vers. 6. Therfore first God would haue those that are ouer others to keepe the Sabbath, that by their example others might bee brought to doe the like.

Secondly, hee laieth the care of those that are vnder them vpon their shoulders, that they might see them to keepe the Sabbath, and if o­therwise they will not, to compell them. And so much the more neede was there that this should be put vpon them, because of their backwardnes to doe it; for they let them runne to all excesse of riot, and to doe whatsoeuer seemeth them good in their owne eyes: they thinke as Caine; Am I my brothers keeper? So they, Am I my seruants kee­per? am I my sonnes keeper? am I my strangers keeper? Yea thou art, and God will not alone aske thee where thou art, as he asked Adam: but also where is [Page 169] thy brother, as he did Caine; where is thy sonne? where is thy daughter? where is thy seruant? for he requi­reth at thy hand that they keep the Sabbath also: the reason is, because in matters of religion there is no respect of persons with God, Act. 10. 34. He will haue all within the couenant, euen from the draw­er of water, and hewer of wood, vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne, Deut. 29. 10, 11. And Iere. 17. 10. hee requireth all that enter in at the gates should keepe the Sabbath. And therefore as Moses when he went to sacrifice vnto the Lord in the wilder­nesse, would not leaue a hoofe behind him, Exo. 10. 26: so here also hee requireth not onely thy sonne, thy daughter, thy seruant, and the stranger to keepe the Sabbath, but also that thine oxe and thine asse keepe it; hee will not haue a hoofe to breake it.

§. Sect. 2 But that we may the more plainly vnderstand this, those of whom thou hast charge in this place giuen thee, are either such as thou must see to keepe the Sabbath in the same manner thou art commaunded to keepe it thy selfe; of which sort are thy children and seruants; or such as if they rest not, may bee an occasion vnto thee, or those that are vnder thee, of breaking the Sabbath, as thy cat­tell; or an offence, as the stranger. But of these in particular: and first of the first sort. That the fa­ther The father must see that the sonne keep the Sabbath. is here charged with his children to see that they keepe the Sabbath, appeareth in that he wils thee to remember that thy son and daughter keepe it aswell as thy selfe. And therefore thou canst no more except against that part of the commande­ment [Page 170] that concerneth them, than that which concerneth thy selfe. Indeede if he had said, thou shalt see that thou thy selfe keepe the Sabbath, and that thou warne thy sonne to doe the same; then when thou hadst warned thy sonne thou hadst discharged thy selfe, but now hee willeth thee to remember that thy sonne keepe the Sabbath aswell as thy selfe, thou canst by no meanes auoide this charge. And in very truth of this there is great reason, because many though they bee ashamed themselues to goe so farre as in Iere. 7. 18, to kindle the fire; yet they can be contented that their chil­dren should gather the stickes, and that their women should kneade the dough to bake cakes to the Queene of heauen; I meane they can be contented to suffer their children to runne into all lewdnes, though themselues bee ashamed to bee scene doing the same things. But God to preuent this, chargeth thein here with their children that they obserue the Sabbath. And therefore as your selues do rest vpon the Sabbath, so must your children; as your selues doe keepe it holie, so must your children: when you goe to the sermon, they must go with you; when you repeate, they must repeate with you; when you goe to prayer, they must to pray­er with you. See not my face (saith Ioseph) if you bring not your brother: so, see not Gods face, vn­lesse you bring your children: if they be wan­ting, God will aske you as he did Caine; Where is thy brother? so, where is thy child? where is thy sonne? where is thy daughter? What make they a dancing when they should bee at the sermon? why are [Page 171] they at play when I commaunded them to rest? If God (I say) should demaund these questions of many parents, how mute would they stand? Well, assure your selues there is a time of ac­count, when (poore soules) they shall stand shi­uering before the greatest Maiestie, and quaking not being able to answere him these questions.

Yea, but what would I haue you to do? your children (you will say) will not be ruled. No wil: then chastise them, and let not thy soule spare for their murmuring, Prou. 19. 18: for if thou set them at libertie, they will shame thee, Pro. 29. 15. Oh (but you will say) you are loath to beate them. Alas, and are you so cockering? I perceiue then you would be loath to cut their throtes, if God should com­maund you, as he once commanded Abraham. Yet Abraham would haue done it, rather than haue disobeyed God; and haddest thou rather disobey God, than chastise thy sonne? Yea, had­dest thou rather let him stand vnder the heauie wrath of God, which burneth vnto the bottome of hell for breaking his Sabbath, than to correct him? then woe worth the time, may thy childe say, that euer hee knew the, that lettest him thus to die for want of correction. And this much shortly concerning the duties of parents towards their children, in compelling them to keepe the Sabbath.

§. Sect. 3 The next dutie is of Masters towards their seruants, who are so farre foorth bound to see The master must see that the seruant keep the Sab­bath. their seruants keepe the Sabbath as themselues. For God will haue them his seruants aswell as [Page 172] theirs, and to doe his businesse vpon the seuenth day, aswell as their masters vpon the sixe daies. And this in truth wee ought to doe, if not in this regard that God commaundeth vs, whose com­maund should be of greatest authoritie with vs; yet at least that we may shew our selues good go­uernours, and that we gouerne them as tendring their good ouer whom we are set: and wherein can we more tender them, than in bringing them vnto the knowledge of the chiefe good, euen vn­to the sauing knowledge of God in Iesus Christ? And if we will not yet gouerne as tendring their good; yet at least let vs doe it as tendring our owne: for be yee well assured that he that is not faithfull to God, will neuer be faithfull to thee; and that hee that will not serue God truly, will neuer ferue thee truly. Well hee may serue thee so long as thine eye is vpon him, but when thy backe is turned his seruice is ended. But the ser­uant that feareth the Lord will be as faithfull vn­to thee when thou lookest off, as when thou loo­kest on; for hee knowes well that a greater than thy selfe looketh vpon him; to whom hee must answere for his seruice done to thee. Let this therefore at least teach thee thy dutie to thy ser­uants.

Yea but, will some Master say, my seruants wil not thus be held in by you. No will? who holds them in then to their worke in the weeke daies? If any shall then start aside from your businesse, you will easily finde meanes to inforce him; and can you finde no meanes to inforce him to Gods [Page 173] businesse? Yea but they will not vpon the Sab­bath bee held in, but they will then haue their li­bertie. Then let them haue it altogether, and dis­charge them. For, wilt thou haue him that will not serue God to serue thee? thou oughtest at least to be as carefull for Gods seruice as for thine owne. Now thou wilt not keepe a seruant that will not faithfully doe thy businesse; how much lesse then shouldest thou keepe one that will not serue the Lord? Dauid would neuer haue done it: for, saith he, a wicked person shall not dwell in my house, Psal. 101. Yea, but how shall my worke bee done then? Get thee such seruants as doe feare the Lord; that was it that Dauid purposed first with himselfe; Mine eyes (saith he) shall be vnto the faithfull of the land: And, He that walketh in a perfect heart he shall serue me, vers. 6. ibid. And they indeed bee the best seruants: for they serue not with eye seruice, but as the seruants of Christ, as seruing the Lord in thy businesse, and not thee, Ephes. 6. 6. Yea, but wee cannot get such. It may be so, be­cause you do not walke, as Dauid did, in the mid­dest of your house with a perfect heart, vers. 2. Therefore they will not dwell with you: which if you did, you should not neede to seeke: for ser­uants would seeke you fast enough. Yea, if you did so walke, by Gods blessing, though you did not finde them such, yet you would make them such: but this is the miserie of it; our seruants must bee sent abroad euery Sabbath in errands and trifling businesses, riding, and running, and posting as if it were for life, as if it were on other [Page 174] daies in the weeke, as if no commandement were from God to the contrarie. So our owne turnes be serued, wee care not how God be serued, wee shew thereby that wee loue our selues more than God. And our seruants seeing vs not to make conscience of Gods businesse, they grow to make as little conscience of ours: especially they being by this meanes depriued of the benefit of the word, whereby they should bee taught better to discharge their duties towards their masters. And thus much for that that the master ought to see that his seruant keepe the Sabbath.

And as this instructeth the master in his dutie to his seruant; so also it containeth in it matter of comfort for the seruant. For they may hence ob­serue the kindnes and loue of God towards him, that notwithstanding their seruitude, yet hee is mindfull of them; they think (poore wretches) that because God hath laid this state of seruitude vpon them, therefore hee regardeth them not: no, no, it is not so, but he thinkes vpon them, and remembers them euery Sabbath, vouchsafing as it were to looke downe from heauen vpon them in giuing them a rest, promising them as it were in that rest, that one day they shall thoroughly rest from their labours, and rest with him in hea­uen, where they shal be no more in seruitude, but shall be the Lords free men. Therefore you ser­uants thinke of this, and learne to serue him on his Sabbath, that hath not alone in his flesh ser­ued you; but will assuredly in that flesh saue you, and giue you a perpetuall rest if you serue him. [Page 175] And behold this he requires at your hands, then doe it, for you cannot serue a better master. Lay aside then your foolish vanities, your idle de­lights, and impertinent sports: be no more the seruants of sinne; but as in the whole course of your liues, so on this day especially bee yee the Lords seruants: loe hee offers it. Now who is it that would not serue his Prince, if he might? but their seruice is nothing to this; for euen Princes themselues sue to bee Gods seruants; as Dauid, though it were but in a meane place, as to bee a doore-keeper, yet he would thinke himselfe hap­pie: let this therefore be your resolution to serue the Lord. You will say (peraduenture) you would, but you cannot, your masters lay such burthens vpō you. And surely this I know, many masters lay greater burthens vpon their seruants on the Sabbath, than in any daies of the weeke besides; they deale therein like Pharaoh, when the people desired to go to serue the Lord, then he laid more worke vpon them, Exod. 5. 9: so when they should goe to heare the word of the Lord, then they lay more businesse vpon them. In this case what shal the poore seruant doe? shall hee doe Gods busi­nesse or his masters? Surely whether it be better to obey God or man, masters iudge you? Act. 4. vers. 19. Though neither herein doe I intend to exempt the seruant from being subiect to his master, in such workes as vpon the Sabbath be lawfull to be done: but if he shall ordinarily vpon [...]mall, or no occasions be depriued of the publique mini­sterie of the word, let him in such a case rather [Page 176] venture his masters displeasure than Gods. And surely in my iudgement if he be beaten for it, hee suffereth for well doing, and therefore let him take it patiently, for it is acceptable vnto God, 1. Pet. 2. 20. yea and let him in this put it vp, not answering a­gaine. For that is required at the seruants hands, Tit. 2. 9: or if he answere, let it be thus in the spi­rit of meeknes; for a soft answer turneth back wrath, Prou. 15. 1. Master, I pray you haue patience this one day with me; I haue serued you faithfully these sixe daies; and I would also doe your busi­nesse this day, but that my great Lord and Master commands me this day to serue him; and there­fore as you would not blame mee if when my Prince commands me, I should leaue your busi­nes vndone, to serue him; how much lesse should you blame me if I let alone your businesse for a while, when God commaunds me to serue him? Thus if seruants would answere their masters, I doubt not but that they would stay their wrath, and call backe their sentence of displeasure gone out against them. But if they will not heare this so reasonable a request, his seruant can iudge no other waies of his master than Nabals seruant did of his master; Surely some euill will surely come vnto my master, and vpon all his familie, for he is so wicked that a man cannot speak vnto him, 1. Sam. 25. 17. And so may such masters thinke of themselues, if they will not heare their seruants intreating them for that which they should inforce them vnto, if of themselues they would not. And thus much of that the seruant should doe.

CHAP. II.

§. Sect. 1 THat which remaineth to be spoken of, is, of those that must rest, least by their labours they should be vnto vs, either an occasion of the breach of the Sabbath, as the oxe: for if the oxe or asse The cattell must rest vpon the Sabbath. worke, man must worke also: or else an offence; as if the stranger should worke, hee should be a stumbling blocke vnto the keepers of the Sab­bath; of both which here wee haue occasion gi­uen vs to intreate. And first of the cattel that they must rest: for the Lord commaundeth here that thine oxe must rest. What, hath God care of oxen? 1. Cor. 9. Yes, he hath. And mercie is to bee shewed vnto them; which the righteous man will doe, for he is mercifull vnto his beast, Pro. 12. 19. But that is not here commaunded, but elsewhere in the sixth precept; Thou shalt not kill: where all crueltie is forbidden euen vnto the creature. But the reason why here he commaunds rest vnto the beast, is, not for the beasts sake, but for the mans sake; least he should be imployed in setting the beast to work, and so should breake the Sabbath. [Page 178] So that God dealeth with vs like as a louing fa­ther dealeth with his children, who forbids him not onely to hurt himselfe, but forbids him also kniues and edge tooles, wherby he might chance to hurt himselfe. So hee dealeth in euery com­mandement. And in the sixth and seuenth com­maundement by name he forbids the meanes of euill: as when hee saith, Thou shalt not kill, he for­biddeth anger, the whetstone of crueltie: when hee saith, Thou shalt not commit adulterie; hee forbid­deth wanton lookes the stall of lust, Matth. 5. And so here the oxe is forbidden to labour; to which there is no law; neither is it sinne to the oxe to worke on the Sabbath; but it is sinne for man to set him to worke; and in that respect labour is forbidden the oxe. Like as Exod. 21. 29. If the oxe push and kill through mans negligence, the owner shall answere for it: So here, if the beast breake the Sabbath through thy default, thou shalt answere for it: for God requires it at thy hands that he rest vpon the Sabbath. To conclude this point then, if any shal come vnto thee vpon the Sabbath, to borrow thy beast to ride to a Wake, or Faire, or such like, wherein the breach of the Sabbath is apparently seene; thy answere must be vnto them, that thou art commaunded to see that thine oxe and thine asse keepe the Sabbath, and that therefore thou maist not lend them about such businesse.

§. Sect. 2 Now as the oxe must keepe the Sabbath, that by his labour he be not an occasion of labour vn­to The stranger must rest vpon the Sabbath. to thee: so also must the stranger within thy gates keepe the Sabbath, that he be not an offence vn­to [Page 179] thee. But here it will be demaunded, what is meant by this speech within thy gates? By it is meant those that are within thy power, as Mat. 16. the gates of hell shal not preuaile against the church; that is, the power of hell: so then, so farre as thy power and authoritie extendeth, so farre extend the limits of thy gates. As for example, the whole familie is Abrahams gates; the whole citie is Nehe­miahs gates; and the whole countrie is Iehosaphats gates. And as the Master in the familie, and the Magistrate in the citie; so is the King in the coun­trie, to see the Sabbath kept. And in very truth this speech concerneth Princes and Magistrates especially: for in this speaking within thy gates; and not, within thy authoritie or power, he alludeth vnto their manner of sitting in iudgement, which was in the gates, and doth thereby as it were se­cretly admonish them that sit in the gates, aboue others, that they see that the Sabbath bee kept. And that which we hence note, is, that the Magi­strate must not alone see that the home-borne and free Denison, but also that the stranger keepe the Sabbath.

But of strangers there were two sorts: some conuerted to the truth, and are called Proselytes, Act. 2. 10: others, that were opposite vnto the Is­raelites in religion, but yet did traffique with them, as, Nehe. 13. those of Tyre that brought wares to sell. Now this commaundement concerned them both, conuert or other. Was he a stranger? was he within their gates? they were to see that they kept the Sabbath; or else to shut them out, as [Page 180] Nehemiah shut out those of Tyre, Neh. 13. But not­withstanding that both these sorts of strangers were to bee compelled to keepe the Sabbath, yet after a different manner. For the Proselyte was bound to keep the Sabbath as farre foorth as any Iew, Numb. 9. 14. there was but one law vnto them both: but the other sort of strangers, though they were bound, I confesse, by nature vnto the morall law (which is nothing else but the law of nature refined as it were by God) and they had the effect thereof written in their hearts, Rom. 2. 15: yet the Magistrate was not to compell them vnto the outward ceremonie thereof, for that was left free Num. 9. 14. vnto them, but they were onely to restraine them from practising any thing to the contrarie; or if they would not be restrained, to punish them for the same accordingly. And for both these points we haue the word plaine and euident. For, that they were restrained in the outward ceremonie, appeareth Exod. 12. 19. where the strangers were inioyned to haue no leuen in their houses; and here they are commanded to see the stranger keepe the rest. Now if this inhibition would not bee suffi­cient to keepe them from the breach of this com­mandement; then they were to be punished for their offence, according vnto the ciuill law of the Iewes; as appeareth Leuit. 23. 16. The stranger that blasphemed was to be stoned. And the Moabitesse suf­fered for her adulterie aswell as the Israelite, Num. 25. vers. 8. And in this very commaundement Nehe­miah (had not the strangers ceased to breake the Sabbath) would haue laid hands vpon them and pu­nished [Page 181] them, Nehem. 13. 16. Which must teach the Magistrate this profitable lesson; not to suffer or permit any thing to be practised or done, that is contrarie vnto religion or holinesse, no not by strangers. And if they may not suffer strangers; then much lesse their owne people. But of this more anon.

§. Sect. 3 In the meane time let vs see the reasons why strangers were restrained. Which was, as I take it, for two causes especially: first, in respect of the Iewes: secondly, of themselues. In respect of the Iewes, lest the libertie of the stranger might haue been an occasion of stumbling vnto the Iewes, and so their manners corrupted. For it is the na­ture of men, when they see others doe euill, they presently pleade vnto it, Why may not I doe so aswell as such a one? But in good things, they haue not this plea: for grace hath not such force in them to draw them from euill, as corruption hath to draw them to euill. And hence it is that they are so soone drawne into the imitation of euill in a­ny, but especially in strangers. Examples whereof wee haue in the Israelites: so soone as euer they saw the new fashions and attires of the Galdeans, that were strangers vnto them, they were in loue with them presently, Ezech. 23. 15, 16. As we here in England are in loue with the fashions of other countries, and wee can no sooner see a new cut, but wee must haue a new garment of the cut, or our garment cut anew, that wee may be in the fa­shion; which is hard to be and not to be in the a­buse also. Which pronenesse vnto euill God ob­seruing [Page 182] in vs, forbiddeth the stranger to worke vpon the Sabbath, least his children should take occasion therby to grow into imitation of them, and so should breake his Sabbath.

And hence wee are taught a profitable lesson, We must hin­der the instru­ments of euill. by the example of God himself: namely, so much as in vs lieth, to hinder and let such euill men (be they strangers or otherwise) as doe by their euill manners corrupt others. And therefore Asa was commended that tooke away the Sodomites out of the land, 1. King. 15. 12, least by their euill, they might draw others to euill. For this is the nature of sin­ners, they cannot be euill alone, and their sleepe de­parteth, except they cause some to fall, Pro. 4. 16. ther­fore they draw on others; as the harlot the yong man in the Prouerbs; Come, let vs take our fill of loue, Pro. 7. 18. And the eues call their mates; Come with vs, Pro. 1. One sinner (saith Salomon) destroy­eth much good, Eccles. 9. 8; then what do many, thinke you, especially if they be suffered? We see in a citie, if one house be on fire, if it be not quen­ched, it will fire the whole; and one man infec­ted with the plague, is enough to infect a whole towne; one drop of Colloquintida marreth a whole tunne of oyle; and a little leuen sowreth a whole lumpe of dough, 1. Cor. 5. All this we know as well as we know the ioynts of our fingers. And we are rea­die enough to quench this fire, least it burne our houses: and to shut vp those that bee infected. But this fire of sinne is not quenched; neither are men pulled out of it, Iud. 23. Nay rather men be­come cole-carriers, like the Adulemite to Iudah, [Page 183] Gen. 38. 20. and gather stickes to kindle this fire; as in Iere. 7. 18. the children gather stickes, and the fathers kindle the fire, the women make the dough, to bake cakes to the Queene of heauen. Euery one helpeth forward other to euill; and there is no shutting vp in this infection, nor shut­ting out these leapers out of the campe that are infected with sinne. Nay, wee turne not from them; we auoide them not; we passe not by them, which wee should doe, Pro. 4. 14. as wee doe by those that are infected with the plague: but wee take the most wicked by the hand, although wee know their sinnes aswell as if they were stamped in their forheads. And by this doing we streng­then them, least they should returne from their wickednesse, Ierem. 23. 14. The brothell and the harlot haue free scope to allure and intice most flourishing and towardly wits; and no man saith vnto them, what doest thou? Vpon the Sabbath, Lords of misrule, fidlers, Iesters and such like are suffered to prophane the best day of seuen, and to leade our youth into all excesse of riot; and no man letteth; nay rather wee thrust them forward vnto it. But if any man shall be more forward in restraining them, that shall be turned vpon him as a note of a Puritan, he is factious, he is contentious, and he loueth no good fellowship; as though a man could not loue good fellowship, vnlesse hee will suffer Gods Sabbath to be broken: or as though that were good fellowship to breake Gods Sab­bath. But what doe I complaine of these things? seeing it is the time that the Apostle speaketh of [Page 184] 2. Tim. 3. 3. that men shall be despisers of them that are good, traytors, headie, high minded, and louers of pleasure more than louers of God. And so they be; for they preferre their sports before the Lords Sabbath: and therefore though they haue a shew of godlinesse (for they will be called Christians) yet they denie the power thereof: for it shall not allure them to walke in the obedience thereof. And therefore wee passe vnto the second rea­son.

Now as the former reason was in regard of the good of the Iewes; so there was another rea­son in regard of their owne good; and that in respect of the principallest part in them, their soules; of which (though they were strangers) they were to haue a care. For if a man must haue a care of his enemies beast, Exod. 23. 4; must hee not much more haue a care of his soule? And how could they better shew their care than in this, that they might thereby be lead forward to the hearing of the law? For as wee see many worldly men, when they haue nothing to doe will goe heare a sermon with their neighbours, when yet they will not neglect the least wordly businesse, for the best sermon of them all: so doubtlesse fared it with these strangers. And therefore in regard hereof, God vpon the Sab­bath commaundeth them a rest from all their la­bours; and enioynes the Iewes to looke vnto it that they keepe the Sabbath, that at least they ha­uing nothing to doe, might goe heare the word for companie. And so we see many of them did. [Page 188] For, Iosh. 8. vlt. the law was read vnto the stran­ger that was conuersant amongst them.

And from this reason wee are taught another dutie: namely, to labour to bring others, so farre We must la­bour to bring others to the knowledge of God. foorth as we may, to the knowledge of God. As Andrew brought Simon Peter to Christ, Ioh. 1. 42. and Philip brought Nathaniel, ver. 46. So Matthew, whē Christ was to dine with him, had many publicans and sinners there, Matth. 9. And Cornelius, when Peter was to come vnto him, called his friends and kinsfolks together, Act. 10. 24, that they might heare Peters sermon. And herein should Christians bee like vnto those that brought the man sicke of the palsie, that could not goe; that brought him (I say) vpon their shoulders vnto Christ: so should we endeuour vpon our shoulders to carrie them, and to lend them as it were our legges, to bring them to Christ that haue no legges of their own. It is the manner of men when they come vnto any that is sicke, if themselues haue been sick, and receiued health by the hands of any Physition, presently to will the sicke to send vnto them, by whose hands themselues haue receiued comfort: or if they know any medicine that did them good, they will acquaint them with it; and there­of grew that prouerbe partly, either a foole or a Phy­sition; because euery one almost be hee neuer so simple, yet will be prescribing something to the sicke. But in the sicknes of the soule, why doe we not will them to come to our Physition Christ? to whom if they come, it skils not how daungerous the disease be; for hee will ease them, Matth. 11. [Page 186] And why doe wee not acquaint them with our medicines, and shew them the tree of life, which is our physicke; the leaues of which tree will cure all diseases, Reuel. 22. 2. Surely if we euer haue been rightly touched with our owne sicknes, wee will be readie to helpe others. And in the meane time let vs know it is a dutie. And so much for the rea­sons.

§. Sect. 4 Hauing thus in particular shewed the reasons why the strangers are restrained; let vs now see lastly what all these words in the generall, con­taine in them to be obserued. And first, in that he saith, that thou, thy sonne, thy daughter, thy seruant, the stranger; euen all, must keep the Sabbath; note Toleration of a false religion may not be suffered. that diuersities of religions are not to be suffered in one kingdome, citie, or familie. For that were to make it to stand vpon feete partly of iron, and part­ly of clay, and to bring in such a confusion of reli­gions, as there was of languages in Babel; which God who is but one, cannot endure. For either we must worship another besides him; or else there be more waies than one to worship God aright by. But that a man should worship another, that he can in no sort abide: for that were to dispoile him of his glorie. For his worship is his glorie, Psal. 50. 23. and therefore he will not part with it, it be­ing one of the three things which he hath reser­ued vnto himselfe: first, his vengeance: secondly, his iudgement: and thirdly, his glorie. Now as for his vengeance hee craueth that; vengeance (saith he) is mine, Heb. 10. 30. So also is iudgement, hee hath appointed a day for that, and it is not in man to [Page 187] know the time, Act. 1. 7. But as for his glorie, he will in no sort part with that; for he will not giue his glorie vnto another, Isai. 42. 8. and to aske it were to take from him his kingdome. And what could a man desire more to bee God? and therefore hee will not part with his worship. And to say that there be more waies than one to worship God a­right by, is most false. For as there is but one truth, so there is but one faith, and one hope of our calling. The hope of our calling is heauen; that is but one, the entrance is by the Lord Iesus Christ, E­phes. 2. 18. which is the doore, Ioh. 10. And there is but one Lord Iesus Christ, Eph. 4. 5. And the meanes by which we enter is by faith: for we haue entrance by him through faith, Rom. 5. 2. and that also is but one, Ephes. 4. 4, 5. Then if there be but one heauen, and but one way into it, and but one meanes to enter by that way; it cannot be that there should bee more waies to serue God aright by, than one. And therefore diuersities of religion cannot bee suffered: vnlesse also in his worship he will now endure that which in the time of the law hee would not; for then he would not endure them to plough with an oxe and an asse together, Deut. 22. 10. or to sow their fieldes with mingled seedes, or to weare a garment of diuers stuffes: all which though they were ceremonies, lead them directly by the hand to this that now wee treate of, namely that they should not endure diuersities of religion. And if hee did then dislike haulting betweene two opinions, will he allow vs now, thinke you, to pro­fesse Iudaisme and Christianitie, Gospell and tra­ditions, [Page 188] true religion and Poperie? No, no, it can­not be. For betwixt the Arke and Dagon, God and Mammon, Sion and Babylon there is no agree­ment: but they are like poysons in the stomack, the one still sicke of the other: and how then should that bodie bee healthfull that containes them both. Reuel. 2. Pergamus is blamed for maintaining the doctrine of Balaam, ver. 14. Thyaty­ra for suffering Iezabel to teach, ver. 20; and will not the same expositor euen the holie Ghost carrie the same with as readie a hand against such as are Protestants and Papists, Vters and Neuters, Omnifi­dians, Solifidians and Nullifidians? Or was it Paul that would not so much as endure any copart­nership in the Church of Galatia, not so much as to tolerate Iewish ceremonies? Gal. 5. 2; and will he, thinke you, endure that these beggerly rudi­ments of Poperie (I say more) intollerable blasphemies should stand vp by the scepter of his word? No, no: his sheepe will heare his voyce one degree fur­ther: and another they will not heare, Ioh. 10. And therefore if we be Gods sheepe, we will heare his voyce: but another voyce we will not heare. And therfore as Elias said, Why halt you betweene two opi­nions? if God be God, follow him; if Baal of Rome be God, follow him: but both you cannot follow, for a man cannot serue God and Mammon, but hee must forsake the one, and cleaue vnto the other.

Wherefore we disclaime their opinions as pe­stilent, that would sow our field with the mislen of Poperie; and would mingle the pure wine of the word with the water of their inuentions. No, [Page 189] let them perswade this to their Catholique King of Spaine, as they terme him; let him first practise this, y^t will not now endure so much as a book to be brought into his countrie by our Merchants; if it stand any thing against their superstition; let them (I say) perswade him that the Christians may haue toleration of their religion, and then when they haue perswaded him, let them aske vs that question afterwards. In the meane time, we will beleeue that then the bodie is strongest, when the multitude of beleeuers are of one heart, and of one minde, Act. 4. and not as the Iesuites would perswade vs, that diuiding in religion would be an vniting in policie. Yet least they should think we are not able now to returne them an answere; this I say that I see not but that they may with as good reason sue to haue a toleration to murther, commit adulterie, and steale, as to demaund this, for then they should sinne but against man; but this is a sinne directly against God, and against the good both of bodie and soule; this against the first table to suffer any other religion than the true religion; the other but against the second, and not so grieuous. Yea but this would be a quieting of all stirs. Nay, it would be a beginning of all strife; yea it were the way to rend the king­dome in two. An example whereof we finde in Salomon, who suffered two religions, a true which himselfe professed, and a false which his concu­bines held. But what followed? a rending of his kingdome, that as he suffered them to be diuided in opinion, so afterwards by Gods iust iudge­ment, [Page 190] his kingdom was diuided and rent in two. And surely this is it that the Iesuites be sicke of, that either they might bring the Spaniard to be a lawgiuer in England, for they hold him the Ca­tholique King, that is by their owne interpreta­tion vniuersall; or else at the least that they might bring his triplicitie, I meane the Pope, to share a­gaine with the Kings in England; and to ouertop them. And this is the reason wherefore they so much labour this matter to bring in a toleration. From which we ought to be so farre and so wide, as that wee must compell them vnto the truth; which is the second thing here to be noted.

§. Sect. 5 For in that hee saith, thy sonne, thy daughter, thy seruant, the stranger must keepe the Sabbath, hee All must be compelled vn­to the true re­ligion. doth therein manifestly inioyne thee to see that they keep the Sabbath. And although I said euen now that there were some strangers that were not to be compelled vnto the duties of Gods re­ligion; yet that was in this respect, in that they were without the couenant: for then the time was when God would bee worshipped but of whom and where he did appoint: then indeede he chose amongst all the hils Sion, amongst al the riuers Iordan, of all countries Iewry, of all cities Ie­rusalem, of all houses the Temple, and of all people the Iewes: but now euery hill is Sion, euery riuer is Iordan, euery countrie Iewry, euery citie Ieru­salem, euery faithfull companie, yea euery bodie the Temple. And his couenant is to all that are a farre off, euen as many as God shal call, Act. 2. 39. And wee are to inforce all vnto the seruice of the true [Page 191] God, and to goe out into the high waies and to compell them to come in; which yet chiefly is the dutie of the Prince or Magistrate, who is Gods minister to take vengeance vpon them that doe euill, Rom. 13. 4. And therefore Nehemiah, when hee saw men of Tyrus, which brought wares on the Sabbath, though first he reprooues the rulers of the Iewes, vers. 17. for suffering such an abuse; for they should haue looked vnto it, that no stranger nor other should breake the Sabbath: yet when hee had so done, he commaundeth the gates to be shut a­gainst them, vers. 19. Thirdly, he sets aguard at the gates of his own men to keep them out, ver. 19. Fourth­ly, when he sees all this will not preuaile, but that they stay about the walles all night, then hee sets downe an order against them; that if they tarried all night about the walles once againe, they should be punished, for he would lay hands on them, vers. 21. And this I take it must euery Magistrate do aswell as Nehemiah; for he hath the charge of both the Tables committed vnto him; of the first, aswell as of the second. Which thing was figured in that in the Coronation, the Testimonie, and the Crowne were giuen both together vnto the King, 2. King. 11. 12. that hee might know the Crowne was giuen him for this end and purpose, that hee might maintaine Religion. And therefore wee are willed to pray for Kings, that wee may liue a­quiet life vnder them in all godlinesse, as well as ho­nestie, 1. Tim. 2. 2. So that Kings must studie to do both these. They must not bee like vnto Gallio, which had no care of religion, Act. 18. 15. Such are [Page 192] no better than beasts, and so the Prophet reckons of those foure Monarchies in Dan. 7. that cared not for religion, hee compared them vnto foure beasts. And Dauid saith, that man that is in honour and vnderstandeth not, is compared vnto the beasts that perish, Psalm. 49. vlt. Neither is this alone for Kings, but also for our great Lords, that are (as I may say) little Kings; these must bee nursing fa­thers also: and that was signified, as I take it, when the heads and chiefe of the Tribes were placed a­bout the Tabernacle, Numb. 2. As on the East side, were the rulers of Iudah, Isacher and Zebulon. On the South, the rulers of Ruben, Simeon, and Gad. On the West, the rulers of Ephraim, Manashe, and Beniamin. And on the North, the rulers of Dan, Asher, and Nep­thali. Loe thus did the chiefe of the people sur­round and hemme in the Tabernacle. But this is not it that is so much striuen about, the question is how farre Princes may meddle in matters of religion to compell: for Papists say that the Pope hath both swords; and that Princes must not meddle in matters of religion; no not to punish any vntill they be deliuered ouer vnto the secu­lar power. So then they make belike Princes no­thing but the Popes butchers, to cut the poore lambes throte when he will haue it so; or rather the Pope is indeede the butcher, and the Prince but his boy, to hold the sheepes legges whilest the butcher cuts his throte. I will not dispute this question neither; but I come vnto that which I proposed: that is, how farre Princes may meddle in matters of religion to compell thereunto. First [Page 193] therefore the Prince must especially see that his people bee taught the law of God, and that was the reason why Iosiah caused the law to be read vnto all the people, 2. King. 23. 1. Secondly, in the same place (for that almost teacheth a King his dutie) when he hath caused them to bee taught, he bin­deth them by couenant vnto the same; yea and himself also, vers. 3. Thirdly, hauing thus done, then hee goes to reformation, and there hee begins with the Priests. First, hee makes them bring out of the Temple all the vessels that were made for Baal, vers. 5. Then he destroyes their Idols, and their houses, vers. 6. When he hath so done (for this was not all, for he had a greater toyle with them, than euer King Henry had with the Abbeys in England) hee comes to the Kings houses, and there first hee breakes down the Altars of the Kings of Iudah, ver. 10. He breakes downe Manasses altar, vers. 12. Then the high places that Salomon had built for Asteroth and Chemos. And lastly, the Calues of Ieroboam, vers. 15. Now hauing taken away all these abominations; then fourthly, he brings the people backe againe vnto the obseruation of the true worship of God, and com­maunds all the people to keepe the Passeouer, vers. 21. Thus farre went Iosiah. But now, what if they had refused this, what then? Surely hee would then haue ranne a further course with them, he would no doubt haue inforced them by punishment, which is the fifth dutie and the last in a Prince, when no course will serue, then to inforce, by lay­ing punishment vpon them, either in their goods, as Saul; Those that come not foorth after me (saith he) [Page 194] thus shall his oxen be killed, 1. Sam. 11. 7: or else hee would haue laid hands of them to haue impriso­ned them, Nehe. 13: or if all this would not haue serued, he would haue punished with losse of life it selfe. And so Asa decreed that those that would not seeke the Lord, that is, that were obstinate; they should be slaine, 2. Chro. 15. 15. And thus farre, I take it, a Prince hath power to proceede against an obstinate contemner of Gods truth. And so much for this that we are to compell others vnto the obseruation of the Sabbath, as well as to keep it in our owne persons.

CHAP. I.

§. Sect. 1 YOV haue heard in the former booke of the persons that must obserue the Sabbath. Now it remaines that I shew the rea­sons which are vsed in the com­maundement to inforce there­unto, and there are foure deliuered in this com­mandement. The first is in these words, Sixe daies The first rea­son of the kee­ping of the Sabbath. shalt thou labour, &c. and it is an argument à fortio­ri, perswading from the greater to the lesse thus: If I haue giuen thee sixe daies to worke in them, then thou oughtest of conscience to rest one day: but I haue allowed thee sixe, and therefore [Page 196] rest the seuenth. This is the manner of this argu­ment: but me thinkes it is proposed by way of answer as it were, vnto some question that might be obiected vpon the former words: for where as God had in the commandement required to rest the seuenth day, some might obiect (as many doe) that it were very hard to rest a whole day. To which hee answereth, that they ought at least to rest one whole day, being that God had be­stowed vpon them sixe to their owne vses. So that here I might take an occasion to answere those that thinke it sufficient on the Sabbath if they come to the publique exercise, though they spend the rest in sports: but this naile I haue dri­uen before; come we now to the words: Sixe daies shalt thou labour, &c. First, in that that he giues vs sixe daies to doe our businesse in, therein hee lets vs see that sixe daies are sufficient for vs to do our businesse in, and for the dispatch of all our works; and if that he had seene that we should haue nee­ded more, hee would haue giuen them; but see­ing sixe were sufficient, he gaue no more, though in respect of himselfe as hee is Lord of the Sab­bath (and so is he also of all the rest of the daies of the weeke) hee could haue giuen vs more. And therefore as he saith, Psal. 50. 10. All the beasts of the forrest are mine: so may he say, All the daies of the weeke are his; by which right hee might haue craued of vs euery second or third day. Yet hee deales more liberally with vs, and requireth but the seuenth. Then hence to perswade you to keepe this Sabbath, let me reason with you as [Page 197] Naamans seruant did with his master; What (saith he) if the Prophet had commaunded thee a greater thing than this, wouldest not thou haue done it? how much more then when he saith, Wash and be cleane? 2. King. 5. 13. So I say; if the Lord had commaun­ded thee a greater thing than this, wouldest thou; wouldest thou (do I say) nay oughtest thou not to haue done it? how much more then when he saith, keepe the seuenth? And if we refuse this to keepe one of seuen, what would we doe if he should require one of three or foure? So that Gods liberalitie in this case doth much aggra­uate the sinne of man, when restraining him but in one, and giuing him plentie of others, yet hee will not be restrained from that one. This was it that made Adams sinne out of measure sinfull, that hauing plentie of all the trees of the garden, both for varietie and sacietie, Genes. 2. 9. yet he must needes taste the forbidden fruite. So was this also that which made Dauids sinne a notable sinne, that hauing many wiues of his owne, yet hee could not be content with all these, but hee must take the wife of poore Vriah, 2. Sam. 12. 9. Well, I know not how deepe this argument sin­keth into the hearts of Sabbath-breakers, their consciences are so seared and so hardened with the custome of that sinne, and their hearts so co­uered as it were with a shield of brawn, that they are growne past feeling of it: but I am verely perswaded at the day of account it shall stick vn­to them neerer than the marrow cleaueth vnto the bones; and it shall bee more sensible vnto [Page 198] them, than the tenderest bile in the world. When (I say) they shall heare God out of his law to rea­son in this sort against them; I gaue you sixe daies to doe your worldly businesse in, to labour, to ride, to runne, to buy, to sell, to sow, to reape, to solace your selues, to see your friends, to make merrie, &c. and yet cannot you bee contented with them, but that you must incroach vpon me to take my holy day also, and to spend it, I say not vpon your labours, but that which is more vn­tollerable, vpon your lusts and delights. This (I say) cannot but strike them thorough, and make their harts to fall in sunder like water, when they shall consider their great ingratitude towards him, that when he of seuen could affoord to giue them sixe, they of seuen cannot affoord to giue; (giue doe I say? out vpon it) nay cannot suffer him to enioy one. The scarre of churlishnes sticketh like a starre in the forhead of Nabal, and shall to the worlds end, 1. Sam. 25. 3. that Dauid when in regard of his kindnes shewed vnto his shepheards in the wildernesse, requiring him to giue him a present of any thing that came next vnto his hand, the churle refused to doe it. Now Nabal how soeuer churlish, yet this was his owne, it was in his power, and it was prouided for his shearers: yet for all this, is hee iustly condemned for a chrule, in that hee sent not a present vnto Dauid, that had so well deserued it. With what words then may this sinne of ours be sufficiently aggrauated, that whereas God of his bountie of seuen hath giuen vs sixe, if we also should take a­way [Page 199] from him that one? If a poore man on the way as thou trauellest should come vnto thee, and craue of thee for Gods sake to bestow vpon him something to relieue him, and thou out of thy liberalitie and compassion towards him shouldest giue him all the money in thy purse, re­seruing onely a very little for thine owne vse to bring thee home; if hee (I say) should catch thy purse and that also, and run away with it, woul­dest thou not account him very vngratefull? Yet thy vngratitude to God is as great as his and more; for in very truth thou art so bound vnto God, as that if thou shouldest giue halfe of thy daies, yea all of them back againe vnto him, thou couldest not sufficiently recompence him.

To conclude therefore this point, let that rea­son which mooued Ioseph not to consent to his Mistris preuaile with thee; My master hath com­mitted all into my hand, and hath kept nothing from me, but onely thee, because thou art his wife; how then shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God? Genes. 39. So shouldest thou answere thy companions, when they shall allure thee on the Sabbath to sinne: The Lord hath giuen me all the daies in the weeke to doe my workes in, sauing onely this one he hath reserued vnto himselfe; how then can I do this great wickednesse, and sinne against the Lord in breaking his Sabbath? And thus much for the manner of the reason, how it inforceth vs to the keeping of the Sabbath.

The doctrine that we learne hence is, first that the commandements of God stand, all of them, [Page 200] and are grounded vpon good reason, and there­fore that all his commandements are not onely true, Psal. 119. 86, but righteous also, vers. 106. Yea they are all most iust, vers. 128. And there is nothing in the world that standeth with such reason as the seruice of God; which maketh the Apostle to call it our reasonable seruing of God, Rom. 12. 2. And therefore Ezec. 18. 25. God blames those that say his waies are vnequall; and no lesse worthie of blame are such as thinke that it is vnreasonable to keepe a whole day holie vnto the Lord. Why then how should their businesse goe forward? why then when should they haue any time for recreation? What is all this but to finde fault with Gods law, as if it were not iust, as if it were not equall. But what saist thou, is it not equall? and is it not meete that thou shouldest haue thy sixe daies to doe thy businesse in, which God hath allowed thee? And is it not as meete that God should haue one? Let this therefore cease thy murmuring against Gods law, seeing it stan­deth with such good reason.

The second doctrine that wee note in these words, Sixe daies shalt thou labour, is this, that as it is sinne for vs ordinarily to worke on the seuenth day; so also is it sinne for vs through negligence or idlenes, not to dispatch our worldly businesse in the sixe daies, seeing he hath allowed them vn­to vs for that purpose. And therfore on them we ought to labour; and it behoueth vs so much the more carefullie to labour in them, seeing that God hath enioyned man to labour in the sweate of [Page 201] his browes, Genes. 3. Yea seeing, as Iob saith, he is borne to labour as the sparkles flie vpward, Iob. 5. 7. And hence it is that God hath left him so many precedents of labour before his eyes; the oxe is made to till the land, and tread out the corne; the asse is to stand vnder the burthen; the heauens are still in their motion as it were still a working; the Angels are ministring spirits, Psal. 104. 4; and when man was in the state of perfection God would not haue him idle, Gen. 2. though God had no neede of his worke, nor the garden; for it brought out all things without planting; yet hee would haue man to labour, because man had neede of it; and therefore sets him his taske to dresse and trimme the garden. Nay, God him­selfe in his owne person wrought sixe daies in making of the heauens and the earth. Hee could indeed haue finished it in one, or at a words spea­king; but yet he would worke sixe daies, to leaue vnto vs an example to doe the like.

Then here are those slow bellies and idle Ab­bey lubbers condemned, that spend whole daies in doing nothing; that are like paralitique and gowtie members, loose and vntied in the ioynts of obedience; that say vnto the head commaund vs not, for we will not moue, neither will we stir. But shal not God curse them as he did the fig tree that bare no fruite? cut it downe, why combreth it the earth? And were it not that these words did stand vp so pregnantly against these men, yet the very euils that accompany idlenes were sufficient to make it to be detested: for what sinne is it al­most [Page 202] that groweth not out of this, as out of a nur­cerie of all sinne? Idlenes causeth to fall asleepe, Pro. 19. 15. then idlenes is the cause of drowsinesse. So is it of beggerie; He that will [...] in winter, shall begge in summer, Prou. 20. 4. Idlenes is the cause of ill husbandrie, His land cries out against him, and the furrowes thereof complaine, that haue not their water courses, Iob. 31. 38. Thornes and nettles couer the face thereof, Prou. 24. 4. So is idlenes the cause of drunkennes; Amos 6. They liue at ease: and what followeth? vers. 5. They drinke their wine in bowles. Idlenes causeth wantonnes: Dauid af­ter his sleepe in the day time lusteth after Bathsheba, 2. Sam. 11. 12. Idlenes causeth tale-bearing; for they being idle, goe about from house to house, and be­come pratlers and busie bodies, 2. Tim. 5. 13. like Bi­shops in another mans diocesse. What shall I say more? in a word, they are inordinate walkers, as the Apostle calleth them, 1. Thess. 3. and therefore what good may be looked for from them? Then to conclude, seeing such a legion of sinnes waite vpon this one sinne, let vs shunne and auoide it; and let vs walke in that vocation wherein God hath called vs; considering that as the iron that lieth still, rusteth; the water that runneth not, cor­rupteth; and the field that is not manured, brin­geth foorth weedes: so it fareth with the soule of the sluggard; in steede of the good graces of God which rust and decay euery day in him, there ariseth nothing but the affections of an idle braine, as weedes in a land vntilled. Let vs there­fore betake our selues vnto some honest vocation, [Page 203] wherein we may profit either Church or Com­mon-wealth; and let vs know that it is not left in our power to labour, or not; but let vs assuredly know that God enioynes vs labour: for, Sixe daies shalt thou labour.

§. Sect. 2 But here two questions arise to be discussed: First, whether it bee not lawfull for a man vpon any of the sixe daies, to vse recreation for the health of his bodie, being he commaunds him to worke sixe daies. Secondly, whether it bee not lawfull to consecrate any one or more of the sixe daies to Gods seruice.

Touching the first, it is true which the Apostle saith; Bodily exercise profiteth little, 1. Tim. 4. 8. he speakes of fasting, the best of these exercises: yet something it doth profit, and for that profits sake we are allowed at some time to vse it, seeing that God allowes a time thereunto; as Eccles. 3. There is a time vnto euery purpose, a time to laugh, a time to daunce, &c. Yea, and if wee consider the weaknes and corruption of our nature, wee shall finde that we haue neede of such times; for wee are not of such a temper as to hold out still, if our natures bee not repaired and refreshed: but it is like vnto a bow, if it stand long bent, it will cast a­side; and therefore it is allowed vnto vs some­times to vnbend as it were our wits, and to re­fresh our spirits; and as in a great combat, to breathe a while that we may returne with a fresh incounter. And to that end God hath allowed vs exercises both for the bodie and minde; for the minde, as Sampson vsed riddles, Iud. 14. 12. and Da­uid [Page 204] his Harpe, 1. Sam. 16: for the body, as Ionathan his bow, 1. Sam. 20. and Esau vsed hunting, Gen. 27. And this a man may doe, if hee consider these things: First, that the mirth be allowable, or that it be not corrupt or scurrilous: for foolish iesting is condemned, Eph. 5. 4: or dangerous, as Pro. 20. 18. The foole faineth himselfe mad, and casteth firebrands and arrowes and mortall things, and saith, Am not I in sport? Secondly, that wee vse them with modera­tion. We must doe as Salomon; when we giue our selues to these things, we must be sure to leade our hearts in wisedome, Eccl. 2. 1. And though we taste of the hony combe with Ionathan, yet we must not eate too much, Prou. 25. 27. And therefore if wee much desire it, then we must remember Salomons watch-word; Put thy knife to thy throte, Pro. 23. 2. In the vse of these things therefore a man had neede doe as Vlisses, when hee heard the Syrens, first to binde himselfe fast vnto the maine mast, that he might not be drawne away by them: for though these bee not the diuels cart-ropes, yet they be made dangerous cords of vanitie often­times to draw a man to further mischiefe; espe­cially if hee consider not the end of these recrea­tions; that wee vse them in respect of a greater good; and to make vs fitter vnto better things; euen as a man vseth sauce to sharpen his stomack, because it is weake. But many men in their sports know neither end nor measure; whole nights or daies are not sufficient, but that they must change and alter Gods couenant, and turne the nights into daies, to extend their sports vnto the vtter­most [Page 205] limits, yea and to leape from one sport vnto another, as the flye doth from one scab vnto ano­ther. When will these men (I thinke) be wearie? will they neuer haue done? meane they to make it the end of their life, to liue to play? Woe worth such a life, tenne times worse than death; because liuing they die, as the widow that liued in pleasure was dead whiles she liued, 1. Tim. 5. 6. And shall they not then dying die eternally, as the rich man that went to hell, for all his pleasures? Luk. 16. 25. But what speake I? I know my words are too weake to perswade these, they are so deeply set. Well, yet let them remember the voyce that will come at midnight, and happely may speake vnto them in the middest of their pleasures, as the hand­writing appeared vnto Baltasher in the middest of his pleasures. I say no more, but think vpō it. And last of all, weigh well the circumstances of time, place, & persons, with whom thou vsest these re­creations: for there is not the least of thē but may make thy recreations sinfull. As for example, o­ther things cōsidered, it may be lawful for a man to shoote or bowle: but is this lawfull to doe it when the preacher is in the pulpit? or is it lawfull to play in the time of prayer? or to vse it with those whom a man would disdaine that they should sit with the dogges of his flocke, they bee so vile and prophane? But what power or force circumstances haue in things indifferent to make them lawfull or vnlawfull, I haue abundantlie shewed in the beginning of the chapter of rest. [Page 206] Let this therefore suffice for answere to the first question.

§. Sect. 3 The second question is, whether it bee lawfull to consecrate any one or more of these daies vn­to the Lords seruice. The answere is, that vpon some extraordinarie occasion the Church and the Magistrate may appoint one or more of these daies vnto Gods seruice. For although a man may not prophane or make common that which is consecrate, vnlesse in case of necessitie, as Dauid did the shew bread, Matth. 12. yet he may conse­crate vpon a iust occasion that which is com­mon, as appeareth euery where. Yea euen of these sixe daies wee finde some consecrate vnto the Lord, as two daies in Hester called the feast of Purim, Hest. 9. And the feast of Dedication institu­ted by the Macchabees, and obserued by Christ himselfe, Ioh. 10. 22. So also did they consecrate of these daies vnto the Lord by keeping their fasts vpon this day, as the Israelites kept a fast in Mispeh, 1. Sam. 7. And Hest. 4. 16. there is a fast kept of three daies long: yea Daniel keepes a fast of three weekes of daies, Dan. 10. 3. Neither in so do­ing is there any breach or alteration of Gods or­dinance, but rather an obseruation. For as Christ brake not the commandement when he neglec­ted his dutie to parents to performe his dutie to God; so neither doe we breake this ordinance of God, when wee on any of the sixe daies neglect our owne businesse to serue God, the cause and necessitie so requiring: for if necessitie may cause [Page 207] vs to breake the Sabbath for the good of man; may not necessitie aswell dispense with our daies, and cause vs to sanctifie a Sabbath for the good of man? Nay further, I take it that this comman­dement being a Synecdoche, and but a part put for the whole, (as are all the other commaunde­ments) doth warrant; yea and commaund such time conuenient in the weeke daies to be set a­part vnto Gods seruice. And we see that Christ and the Apostles preached on these daies as well as vpon the Sabbath; which they would not haue done if it had been vnlawful for the people to heare. And as I thinke that any of these daies may by the Church be set apart to Gods seruice, the cause so requiring; so also doe I perswade my selfe that some part of euery one of these daies should be set apart to holy exercises, as morning and euening to pray with our families. And of these wee see Isaac had one, hee went out in the euening to pray, Gen. 24. 63. Daniel had three, for he prayed three times a day, Dan. 6. 10. And Da­uid prayed seuen times a day, Psal. 119. 164. And thus much as touching the second question, and so consequently of the first reason to perswade to the keeping of the Sabbath: for as for such things as be here obserued about the rest, I haue hand­led them before in the discourse of the rest of the day.

CHAP. II.

§. Sect. 1 THe second reason followeth, and is drawne from the end and institution of the Sabbath, contained in these words; It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. And it may be thus gathered: If the Sabbath bee consecrate vnto the Lord, and his worship, then you must rest on it from your works: but the former is true; for it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, and therfore it followeth that you must rest from your works. And here marke with me, first the workmanship of this reason, how fitly it is framed: for first, least any man should bee so bold as to aske him for his commission, as Exo. 2. one demaunded of Moses; Who made thee a Iudge? or as Mat. 22. 23. the Priests demanded of Christ, By what authoritie doest thou these things? Therefore he shewes his authoritie, namely that he is autho­ritie it self, and he may command, for he is Lord, and no man will say vnto him (vnlesse he be a di­uell) What hast thou to doe with vs? Matth. 8: for he hath to doe with vs, for he is thy Lord; and that diuers waies. First, hee is thy Creator, hee made thee; and therefore looke how the vessell is in the potters hand, so art thou in his, Rom. 9. This Da­uid knew well enough when he said; Come let vs [Page 209] fall downe before the Lord our maker, Psal. 95. 6. Se­condly, as he is thy Lord by creation, so also is he by redemption; He hath bought thee with a price, 1. Cor. 6. 20. a price not of gold and siluer, but with his most pretious bloud, 1. Pet. 1. 18. And therefore this is rendred as a reason of his dying and rising again, that he might be Lord ouer vs, Rom. 14. 9. Thirdly, as by his redemption, so by his soue­raigntie, rule and authoritie, in that he is absolute in his commaund, and doth whatsoeuer he will both in heauen and in earth, Psal. 115. 3. No man can stay his hand, neither dare any say vnto him, what doest thou? Dan. 4. 32. for he is Lord of Lords, Rom. 17. 14. and his hests stand like the lawes of the Medes and Persians that cannot be recalled, Dan. 6. 12. Yea a degree further, he is the Lord of spirits, Num. 16. 22. and therefore will commaund not as other Lords, thy bodie onely, but thy soule too. Matth. 21. 37. Thou must serue him with all thy soule; and if it please him he can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire, Mat. 10. 28. Now then if he be thy Lord and master in so full and so absolute a manner; what then? why then, where is his feare? Malac. 1. 6. He calles for that, and good reason; for if there bee no master but will haue some seruice; shall God, so great a Lord and master, be without it? No, he will not, and therfore he here requireth it of thee on this day to serue him. Now there is one thing which the master oweth vnto the seruant, and that is protection, and euery man harpes vpon that string; if he stands in need of his helpe, then Master saue vs, we perish, Matth. 8. 25. But there is [Page 210] another thing that the seruant oweth to his ma­ster, and that is obedience; and there wee breake with him, He saith goe, and we goe not; come, and wee come not; doe this, and we doe it not; wee keepe his commandements with notes, as the Atheist be­leene the Articles of faith. But may it not be that there is cause, as that he is a hard man; or hee will not stand by his seruants to defend them; or else he giues not so good wages as others? Surely it is not so: for first Dauid tels vs, that he will not al­waies chide, nor keepe his anger for euer, Psal. 103. 8. Yea if he see vs once to fall downe before him, and to craue him to appease his anger; he forgiues vs all, Mat. 18. 27. then he is no hard master. And as for de­fence, he will suffer no man to doe vs wrong, but wil reproue euē kings for our sakes, Psal. 105. 14. And as for his hire; there is no seruice like vnto his; no not the seruice of the King. You cannot say of him as Saul said of Dauid; will he giue euery one of you fields and vineyards? will hee make you Captaines ouer thousands, &c? Yea he will, and more than that, he makes all his seruants Kings, Reu. 1. 6. and giues euery one of them a crowne of life, 2. Tim. 4. yea an euerlasting kingdome, that withe­reth not; reserued in heauen, 1. Pet. 1. 4. All this hee giueth; and he giueth it liberally, not reproching and casting men in the teeth with it, as Saul did his fol­lowers; why then what shall let vs to serue such a master? Yet behold and wonder; let a flatte­ring diuell a little intice vs, with a shew of any matter; or pleasure of sinne, though it be but for a season; yet we are presently in loue with it, and [Page 211] forsake our old Lord and master to serue him; like children, that though they haue good things in their hands, yet they will cast them away for toyes and trifles; doth not God behold this? and is not this our sin of disobedience written euen with the point of a Diamond before him? Sure­ly he will not forget it, neither shall it bee put out vntill we die, if we repent not, and learne to serue him better who is the Lord of all flesh by crea­tion, but by a more neere band, the Lord of his elect euen by redemption: and therefore much more to be serued by them.

And this is another motiue to moue vs to serue him: for though as a Lord he might onely com­maund, and wee ought not therein to disobey him; yet as a mercifull God in Christ, he had ra­ther perswade; and to that end he vseth an argu­ment drawne from the couenant of grace that he hath made with man, in that he vouchsafeth to be called (to bee called doe I say) nay in that hee vouchsafeth indeed to be his God: for he saith not that it is the Sabbath of the Lord, but in a more par­ticular sort he addeth thy God, pleading as it were thy possession in him, and his interest in thee; and indeede in this the very bowels of Gods mercie and compassion are as it were wound vp, in that hee saith hee is thy God. And it containeth in it plenteous redemption; yea and assurance also. Hee is able to saue, for hee is God; and hee is wil­ling, for he is a God vnto thee. Therefore hee calles himself thy God. Were he a Lord, a God, a Christ, a Iesus; what is that to thee, if he be not thy God, [Page 212] thy Lord, thy Christ, thy Iesus? It would not much profit vs to know that meate is eaten an hundred miles off, if wee perish for hunger. As little would it auaile vs to know that Christ is a God and a Sauiour, vnlesse hee be thy Sauiour. And this is indeede the very marrow and honie combe of the word, to know that the promise is made vnto vs, and to our children, Act. 2. 39; that a childe is borne vnto vs, Isai. 9. 6; that Christ is vn­to vs wisedome, and sanctification, and redemption, 1. Cor. 1. 30; and that he died for our sins, and rose for our iustification, Rom. 4. 25; and here, that he is not ashamed to be called thy God.

But the greatnes of a benefit can neuer be con­ceiued, vnlesse we conceiue first our great neede, and our great vnworthinesse. And first for our basenesse and vnworthinesse, may wee not say as Dauid; Lord what is man, or the sonne of man, that God should be mindfull of him? Psal. 8. that he should vouchsafe to be called his God. Man is a very gras­hopper of the earth, Isai. 40. 22. yea all men together are but as a drop of water, and as the dust of the bal­lance, Isai. 40. 15. and as little goodnesse haue wee as greatnes. The best is but as a brier, and the most righteous as a hedge of thornes, Mich. 7. 4. What were the Israelites themselues? they were but brickmakers and pioners in Egypt; their foode was but onyons and garlicke; their worship but Idolatrie, Gen. 12. their father but an Amorite, their mother but an Hittite, Ezech. 16. 3: then what are wee, who in respect of them are but the wilde branches of the Oliue, and they the naturall? Ro­manes [Page 213] 11. vers. 21. Now, as Dauid saith, seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the Kings sonnes, seeing I am but a poore man and of small reputation? So may we a thousand times more iustly say in respect of the highest Maiestie; Seemeth it a light thing vnto you that God should vouchsafe to be called our God, sec­ing we are poore men and of no reputation? But this was not all; wee were not onely meane, but miserable also: wee were by nature the children of wrath, Ephes. 3. and the fire of Gods vengeance did burne against vs vnto the bottome of hell for our sins. Yet then doth he step in, and becomes vnto vs a sauing God, by his bloud to clense vs from all our sinnes. And not onely so, but in this that he vouchsafeth to be called our God, to giue vnto vs the assurance of the forgiuenes of our sinnes, the assurance of the resurrection of our bodies, the assurance of life euerlasting; yea the assurance of all graces whatsoeuer. That all this is promised in these words, shall appeare: first, that it containeth in it the forgiuenes of sinnes, appeareth in that Dauid saith; The man is blessed whose God is the Lord, Psalm. 33. 12. Now there is none blessed but he that hath his sinnes forgiuen him, Psal. 32. 1. And therfore he whose God is y^e Lord hath his sinnes forgiuen him. Secondly, as it containeth in it forgiuenes of sinnes, so also doth it containe in it the promise of the resurrection of the bodie. And that Christ sheweth, Mat. 22. 32. where he proueth against the Saduces the resur­rection of the bodie by this; God is the God of A­braham, Isaac and Iacob: now he is not the God of the [Page 214] dead, but of the liuing. The reason holdeth thus; whose God the Lord is, hee is their God by an euerlasting couenant, and they shal liue for euer: but hee is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, therefore they shall liue for euer: and so conse­quently if he be thy God, thou shalt liue for euer. And that it containeth the promise of life euerla­sting in it, is manifest, Heb. 11. 16. God was not asha­med to bee called their God: for hee had prepared for them an heauenly citie. The reason is thus conclu­ded; If he had not prepared for them a citie to come, he should haue been ashamed: but their God cannot be ashamed, therefore he prepared a place for them; and so consequently he will for thee, if hee bee thy God. In a word, in this one word thy God, are al the promises of God, Yea and Amen: for as the Apostle reasoneth, He which gaue vs his sonne, how shal he not with him giue vs al things also? Rom. 8. 32. And if God vouchsafe to giue vs himselfe, how shall he not with himselfe giue vs all things also? Let vs then seeke to make this sure, that God is our God, and all things are ours, whether Paul; or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or things present, or things to come; euen all things are ours together with him, and that shall we know by this, if wee be his, 1. Cor. 2. vlt. And his wee are assuredly if his law be written in our inward parts, to doe it, then I say are we sure that he is our God, and wee his people, Iere. 31. 33. So then to conclude this point; if in thy basenes God aduanced thee; if in thy miserie he relieued thee; if he forgiues thee thy sinnes; assureth thee [Page 215] that thou shalt rise againe vnto life; and liuing to giue thee euerlasting life, and with it al happines, (all which he doth assure thee of, when he calleth himselfe thy God) then I say keepe his Sabbath. For this hee requireth at thy hands, who is thy God, and hath done all these things for thee in becomming thy God. And thus much for the motiues that this reason containeth in it to per­swade vs to keepe his Sabbath.

§. Sect. 2 One doctrine hence I note, in that he saith, it is holy vnto the Lord; wee are therein taught to whom to consecrate holy daies, namely vnto the Lord. Therefore Isai. 56. he calles the Sabbath his holy day; and Ezech. 20. 12. his Sabbath. So doth he call the place of his worship his house, Luk. 19. 46. And indeede being his seruice is there and then performed, and that he wil haue no partners therein (for he will not giue his glorie vnto ano­ther, Isai. 42.) ought not the day, and so the place to be consecrated onely vnto him?

The more shame then for the Papists; that con­secrate daies and Churches, to Saints, Angels, A­postles, Martyrs, men, women, of which their Callender containeth aboue an hundred; cer­tainly they are herein worse than the Israelites: for though they set vp an Idoll, yet they would not consecrate a day vnto it; but they said to mor­row is holy vnto the Lord, Exod. 32. 5. not vnto the I­doll: but these institute daies vnto them; yea and powre foorth prayers vnto them: Heare vs Mary, and pray for vs Peter, &c. But doubtlesse did these Saints know it, they would crie out, as in the [Page 216] Psalme 115. 1. Not vnto vs, not vnto vs O Lord: but vnto thy name giue we the glory. Yea I say, howsoe­uer these men giue this worship vnto them, did they know it, they would euen rend their long white robes in an holy zeale, as Paul and Barnabas did their garments: and they would crie out vnto them from heauen, as those did to the Idolaters vpon the earth; O men why doe ye these things? Act. 14. 15. But what needed they when as their prac­tise in the Primatiue Church standeth vp against them? There were I am sure holy men in olde times Patriarkes and Prophets: yet did neither Christ, nor any of his Apostles euer institute any day, or make any prayer vnto them. Which doubtlesse they would haue done, had they held it a matter meete to bee done: onely when they did consecrate a day they called it the Lords day, being lead thereto by this, in that it is called the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. And thus much as concerning the second reason.

CHAP. III.

§. Sect. 1 THe third reason followeth to be conside­red in these words; For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth, &c. And it perswadeth from an example of the like, thus; [Page 217] That which I did for thine example, thou ough­test to doe the like: but I laboured sixe daies and rested the seuenth for thine example, and there­fore thou must doe the like. So that the force of this reason standeth in the example of God him­selfe, the best president that the world or word it selfe can yeeld. Now of what force examples are, wee see in that men are lead by example, rather than by law, and hold it a good warrant for the doing of any thing for that others doe so: but if they be great ones that doe it, then it is put out of question. For would such men doe so, say they, if it were not lawfull? Now God seeing men so to be carried by example, and that this commande­ment is so commonly broken by the example of great mē especially, who esteeme of the Sabbath but as of another day; therefore he opposeth a­gainst their examples, his owne example, who is higher than the highest of them, whose breath is in their nostrels: and his example alone is able to waigh downe all the examples or reasons that can bee brought to the contrarie. And if a man will be lead by example, it is meete he should be lead by the best example, and if it may be by such an example that cannot erre. Now all the ex­amples of men be they neuer so holy, haue much weaknes in them, and in one thing or other they misse. Let vs make proofe of some of the best of them. As for example, Salomon had a wise and an vnderstanding heart, so that there was none like nei­ther before nor after him, 1. King. 3. 12. a very high commendation; yet hee had his blemish, he loued [Page 218] outlandish women, 1. King. 10. 1. Asa did right in the eyes of the Lord: but will you know his fault? he put not downe the high places, 1. King. 15. 14. Da­uid was a man after Gods owne heart, that did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and turned from no­thing that he commanded all the daies of his life; yet in one thing he is chalenged, in the matter of Vriah the Hittite, 1. King. 15. 5. So then wee see the best men come short, and, in many things wee sinne all, I am. 3. 2. And therefore the best dare propose themselues for examples to be followed no fur­ther than they follow Christ, 1. Cor. 12. 1. If a man be iust, another may be as iust as he; if a man be lear­ned, another may bee as learned as he; if a man preach well, another may preach as well as he; if a man write well, another may write as well as he; and often we see the scholler to exceede the master. Now if these be the best examples we can propose vnto our selues, then the best come short of that they should be, and another man may pos­sibly doe as well as they, and so he may haue oc­casion of boasting: but God his example is an example propsed without example; it is so exact, so full, and so absolute, that all the world cannot yeeld the like example; neither can a man take a­ny exception against it: and therefore this is an example aboue all to bee followed. And this his example hee so proposeth here, as first setting it downe for a law, and then afterwards keeping the same law in his owne person: so that if either law or example will doe any thing with vs, hee would by both of them perswade vs to keepe the [Page 219] Sabbath Nay further, whereas in the other com­mandements, you shall not see the example of God obserued in the keeping of them; yet in this one you may obserue a double example giuen by God. For twice in the Scripture his keeping of the Sabbath is obserued: first, in the begin­ning when he created the heauens and earth, then hee rested the seuenth day. Secondly, when hee rained Manna in the wildernesse euery day, yet when the Sab­bath came he ceased. Exo. 16. 26. 27. Well then, hath the lawgiuer himselfe gone before you in kee­ping this commaundement, let me then exhort you as the Apostle doth, Ephes. 5. 1. Be you followers of God as deare children, and walke as ye haue him for an example. Now, louing children will followe their parents; then if you be children, I say if lo­uing children, you wil follow him. Now I know in generall that euery man will subscribe vnto this, that they must follow God in keeping his Sabbath: but yet come and presse them to yeeld obedience in the particular duties, there you shal haue them as the young man in the Gospell; they then depart sorrowfull, that makes them to scratch where it doth not itch. What must they doe no­thing but heare, pray, meditate? &c. Nay, if it had been onely to forbeare the doing of some world­ly businesse, which they greatly cared not for the doing of at any time, they would haue forborne; but now vpon this day to forgo their afternoone sports, and playes, and to sit (as they terme it) mo­ping in a corner; this is too hard. Well, but I say, if you bee Gods children you will follow him; [Page 220] yea and more than any sonne imitateth the fa­ther: for the father begetteth his sonne but like vnto him in substance; but God begetteth his children like vnto him in qualities: They be holy as he is holy, mercifull as he is mercifull, and will imi­tate him in all his doings: and therefore in this they will keepe the Sabbath as he kept it; other­wise they are no children but bastards; I say ba­stards on the mothers side, but not on the fathers; for were they his true children, they would be al­so his deare children, as in this place, and would follow him.

§. Sect. 2 Yea but (will some man say) what a stirre is here about following of God? what would I haue them to doe? and I thinke I would haue them assaile to make a new heauen and a new earth, because God made them both. Not so nei­ther, but I would haue them labour sixe daies, and rest the seuenth as God did. But that they may be the more fully answered, the workes which God hath wrought are of three sorts. Whereof the first are such as are miraculous, as to giue sight vnto the blind, to fast fourtie daies, to walk vpon the waters, to raise the dead, &c. Now these are to bee wondred at, but not to be imitated; be­cause the gift of working miracles ceaseth in the Church, and it is a note of Antichrist now to worke wonders, 2. Thess. 2. 9. The second sort of works are works of our redemption, as the sonne of God to become the sonne of man, to be borne of a virgin, to beare our sinnes, to die for vs, to rise againe and to ascend into heauen. Now these are works to [Page 221] be beleeued, but not to be imitated, vnlesse it bee in a certaine similitude or resemblance; that as Christ was conceiued and borne, so he should bee conceiued and borne in vs, Gal. 4. 19. And as Christ died for sinne, 1. Cor. 15. 3. so we should die to sinne, Rom. 6. 2. As Christ in his flesh was crucified vp­on the crosse; so should we crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof, Galath. 4. 24. As Christ being dead for our sinne was buried; so wee being dead to sin, should also be buried with him by baptisme, Rom. 6. 4. As Christ being buried rose againe; so must we being buried with him by baptisme, rise again to walke in newnes of life, vers. 5. As Christ being risen did ascend; so must we risen from the graue of sinne ascend, by setting our affections on things aboue, Co­loss. 3. 2. And hereupon grew that rule, that what­soeuer Christ did for vs, the same he did in vs. Lastly, the third sort of duties are morall duties com­maunded in the law: and these are the workes wherein he is to bee imitated by vs. Examples whereof he giueth vs, Mat. 11. 29. Of meeknes, Learne of me that I am humble and meeke. In Iohn, of loue and brotherly kindnes, Ioh. 13. 15. I haue gi­uen you an example. And in this place of working sixe daies, and resting the seuenth. Indeede hee could haue finished all his workes in one houre, or with a word speaking; but hee would worke about them sixe daies, and rest the seuenth for our example. And therefore as Christ said, Haue you not read what Dauid did? how when hee was an hungred, &c. So, haue you not read what the Lord did? how when he made the heauens and the earth, he [Page 222] laboured sixe daies and rested the seuenth: haue you not read it I say? if you haue, then againe I say, as Christ in another case, Goe and doe the like, Luk. 10. 37. that is, rest, as he did. For not the worke, but the rest is that which is proposed vnto thee.

§. Sect. 3 But here is one doubt more y^t may be moued in this place; and that is, how God can be said to rest, that is a pure act in himself and alwaies wor­keth; or how he can be said to worke that alwaies resteth in his action. The answere is, he alwaies worketh, and alwaies resteth in himselfe; but in this place he is said to rest or to worke in respect of his creatures. To rest, I say, in that hee ceaseth to make any more creatures; yet not to rest from preseruing them being made. For God was not idle on the seuenth day, but did sustaine and pre­serue the creatures which hee before had made; otherwise they would haue come to nothing. And therein wee are taught, that though on the Sabbath it bee not lawfull to labour to increase that wee haue; yet it is lawfull to saue and pre­serue that we haue: and this he teacheth vs here by his owne example. And so much touching the sense and force of these words.

§. Sect. 4 Now the vse of these words is foure-fold. First they serue to confute those that stand so much vpon the examples of others; let a man demand of thē why they do so prophane the Lords day by their vnlawful games & sports; by their riding and running abroad in errands; by their trudg­ing and posting to Faires and Markets: they will answere, they doe but as others doe, and they that are [Page 223] better men, and haue more knowledge than they, do so; and, if it were not lawfull they would not doe it; would such a Iustice, or such a Preacher bowle or banquet, or ride about vpon the Sabbath, if it were not lawfull? And when they haue thus answered, they thinke they haue spoken to the matter passing well. But I wonder, seeing they will bee lead by example, why they doe not looke vnto God, and follow his example, which is the best of all: for I am sure that there is none of those which they fol­low is worthie to bee named the same day with him; none so learned, none of such authoritie as he: may not a man then returne this their an­swere vpon them, when they shall say, such and such that are learned, and of authoritie do breake the Sabbath? may not wee answere them, I say, and that iustly that their betters doe keepe it; and that therefore they should keep it? Dauid kept it, the Prophets kept it, the Apostles kept it, Christ himselfe kept it, when hee was here in the flesh; nay God kept it, as here we see. Now if they can bring examples for the prophaning of the Sab­bath greater and better than these, let them shew them: but certaine it is they cannot; and there­fore hence foorth let them be ashamed thus to reason; and to offer that measure vnto God, which they would disaine their seruant should offer vnto them. For let thē answer me in the like case; would they be contented, if sending their seruants in their businesse, their seruants should neglect the doing of that wherein they were imployed, and spend the time at cards or dice, or [Page 224] dauncing, or seruing their owne turnes; would they (I say) be contented? if when they should expostulate the matter with them, they should answere, that they did not play alone; but others did play aswell as they. Or if thou shouldest re­proue thy child for swearing, or lying vnto thee, wouldest thou take it well that he should answer; others lie and sweare as well as I? But thou art too cockering of thy childe: I propose therefore another case; If a theefe should answere a Iudge thus, that others did steale as well as hee; would not the Iudge replie, that therefore he should be hanged for example vnto others. And how is it then that wee thinke so basely of God, as that the example of such prophane men (for so I may iust­ly terme them that prophane Gods Sabbath) should bee able to match, yea and ouermatch the example of God himselfe with these men.

Secondly, this also serueth for our comfort, that when others shall vpbraide vs as precise and cu­rious, for that we will not doe vpon the Sabbath as others of our neighbours doe, as to goe to bowles with them, or cards, or to dauncing, or such like vaine sports; I say, when wee shall be thus vpbraided, yet here is our comfort, wee are not alone in this, but God is with vs, and he hath troden the way before vs in his owne person, re­sting vpon the Sabbath, that wee might doe the like.

Thirdly, in that God wrought sixe daies and rested the seuenth, to teach vs to doe the like, we are thence to learne this instruction, that the end [Page 225] of our doings must not bee our selues alone, but we must haue regard of others also, that they by our good example may be moued to well doing, Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes. And for this cause it was that Christ payed tribute, though hee were free. And for the example of others it was, that hee went to heare Iohn, he had no neede to be taught of any, for the spirit was giuen him aboue mea­sure: yet he would goe heare Iohn, to giue an ex­ample vnto vs to imbrace the gifts and graces of God in our inferiours. But of this sufficient.

Fourthly and lastly, in that God within the compasse of sixe daies was able of nothing to create the heauens, and the earth, and all things that are in them contained; we may learne that God is able in a short time to bring wonderfull things to passe. When wee reade the acts of A­lexander, wee wonder to see how that in a short time hee did subdue the greatest part of the world: but what was that to this? it is easier by farre to pull downe and to destroy, than to build vp; to take away life, than to giue. And therefore that God should so soone of nothing make a world, how great was this his power? The Iewes thought it an incredible thing that Christ should say, he would reare the Temple in three daies, that was a building sixe and fourtie yeeres; they misun­derstood him I know: but if he had said it of the materiall Temple, it had been nothing to this, to the frame and workmanship of the world; the Temple was but as the rearing of a molhill, in [Page 226] comparison of the greatest mountaine in the world. Yet see how soon he dispatches this great work, in sixe daies he dispatches the whole frame, though hee had not any matter wherewithall to begin to build: So true is that in the Psalm. 115. 3. he doth whatsoeuer he will. And therfore it skils not how difficult the worke be, so he be the builder; how troublesome the seas, so hee bee the Pilot; how doubtful the conquest, so he be the Leader; nor how dangerous the sicknes, so he be the Phy­sition. And as he is powerfull in sauing, so is hee also in destroying, it being as easie a thing: and therefore let his enemies looke vnto the rod of his power, who is able at an instant to destroy them all. At an instant he disgards Nebuchadnez­zar, and turnes him out of his palace. At an in­stant he smites all the first borne in Egypt. At an instant hee ouerwhelmes Pharaoh and his host, rendeth tenne Tribes from Ieroboam, ouerturneth Sodome, maketh a world, drowneth a world, and saueth a world againe. What shall I say more? as he knoweth all things, so hee can doe all things, both in heauen and in earth, in which he hath all meanes to serue his turne: the very Angels them­selues are his ministring spirits, Psal. 104. 4. and the diuels cannot goe without his leaue, Mat. 8. 32. And as for men he commaunds them much more, for he is the Lord of hosts, Isai. 1. And he hath not on­ly these of men and none other hosts, but he hath armies of frogges and flyes and lice to fight against his enemies, Exod. 8. When he will, the heauens shell take his part, 1. Sam. 7. and the Sunne shall [Page 227] stay his course till he be auenged of his enemies. So then he hath all meanes at his command. And were it so that hee had but small meanes, yet hee can make it serue and hold out. If hee say the word, the meale in the barrell shall not waste, neither shall the oyle in the cruce diminish, 1. King. 17. 14. If he will haue it so, one suite of apparell shall last fourtie yeeres, and yet shall not waxe old. With fiue loaues hee will feede fiue thousand men, Matth. 14. Were it so that meanes should faile, yet he can worke with­out them as well as with them. Asa had said little if he had said it had bin all one to God to saue by few as by many, if he had not added, or by none, 2. Chro. 14. 10. For hee is not tyed vnto the meanes, as a Carpenter is vnto his tooles; but hee can worke aswell without them as with them. For when there was no raine, yet hee made the earth fruit­full, Gen. 2. 5. when there was no Sunne to shine, yet there was light. Then God can worke we see without meanes; and so hee can against meanes. Who would not thinke that clay put in a mans eyes should put out a mans eyes? yet tempering it he giueth sight thereby, Ioh. 9. 6. Who would not thinke that if a man should strike a rocke, that he should rather make fire come out of it, than wa­ter? yet he strikes the rocke and the waters flow, Exo. 17. 6. Who would not thinke that Colloquinti­da should rather poyson a man, than be health­some meate for him? yet he blessing it, there is no euill in it, 2. King. 4. 40, 41. Who would not think that the fire should not burne? yet the three chil­dren put into the fornace were not only not bur­ned, [Page 228] but had not so much as any smell of fire a­bout them, Dan. 3. This therefore hath this vse, to comfort vs, that when comfort shall seeme to stand a farre off, like Abraham in the heauens, yet we be not dismaied; for God is stronger than the Duiell: and therefore though wee be trou­bled, yet wee may be still: comfort is on foote, and in the middest of them we shall finde helpe; in the middest of the wildernesse we shall finde water, as the Israelites; in the Lions belly an ho­ny combe, as Sampson; in the prison an Angell, as Peter; and in the middest of the fire, one like the Sonne of God, as the three children. And so much for the third reason.

CHAP. IIII.

§. Sect. 1 NOw followeth the last reason to bee dis­cussed in these wordes: Therefore the Lord blessed and hallowed the Sabbath day. In which let vs first see what is meant by blessing and hallowing: which two words that I may speak of them to our purpose, haue a double sense and vnderstanding in the Scripture. For first, blessing is vsed to signifie the setting apart of some thing to a holy vse, in which sense the wine in the Lords Supper is called the cup of blessing, when it is set [Page 229] apart to that holy vse; and the setting of it apart to that vse is called the blessing of it, as 1. Cor. 10. ver. 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse, &c. And to the same purpose also is this word sanctifying or hallowing vsed, as Exod. 13. 1. Sanctifie to me the first borne that openeth the wombe: that is, set apart to my seruice. This is plaine, I neede not to shew it further. The second sense of blessing or hallow­ing is, when as some gift is bestowed vpon any one, hee is said therein to be blessed, and so gifts are called blessings, Gen. 33. 11. I pray thee (saith Ia­cob to his brother) take this blessing, that is, this gift. And Iudg. 1. the daughter of Caleb prayed hir father to to giue her a blessing; and what was that? springs of water, Iudg. 1. 15. The same sense also hath sanctifying, when God shal bestow some gift of sanctification vpon vs that day. Now both these waies God doth blesse or hallow this day: first in instituting this day vnto his seruice. Second­ly, in that in this his seruice he doth effectually blesse vs; vs, I say, and not the day: for all daies in their owne nature are alike, and not one more holie than another, more than in regard of the institu­tion, in that it is set a part to holie vses, or of the blessing that is this day bestowed vpon vs aboue any other. Now God doth consecrate it in the first respect; and wee must in the other, that the blessing may bee vpon vs: but take it in which sense you will, yet it standeth as a strong argu­ment to perswade. And if in the first sense, then it is thus gathered: To what end God did blesse and hallow this rest, to that end it must be kept: [Page 230] but God did therfore blesse and hallow this day that it might be kept holy: and therefore so it must be kept holy.

The equitie of this reason is grounded vpon the right and authoritie that God hath to com­maund or institute any law; which if he doe, it is like vnto the lawes of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered but by himselfe: for, thou must put nothing to his word, Deut. 12. 31. The reason is, Pro. 30. 6. Least he reproue thee, and thou be found a lier: neither must thou take any thing there­from: there must be no clipping. The reason also is yeelded, Deut. 4. 2. That thou maist keepe his com­maundement; which thou canst not doe, if thou take any thing there from: and as thou maist not adde, so thou must not alter; but thou must keep his Sabbath as he commandeth, Deut. 5. 16. Yea thou maist not so much as varie from it; for thou must turne neither to the right hand, nor to the left: the reason that is giuen is drawne from the bene­fit that comes thereby, namely that thou maist pros­per, Ios. 1. 7. As who should say, if thou turne ei­ther to the right hand, or to the left, thou shalt not prosper; but if thou keepe it and turne not aside, then thou shalt prosper; for he will blesse thee, as here thou seest. For this is the second significa­tion of blessing or hallowing, and is the thing that God especially here intendeth, to shew, namely that hee will powre foorth his blessing vpon those that keep his Sabbath. And that bles­sing he most fully promiseth, Isai. 58. If thou wilt turne away thy foote from the Sabbath, not doing thine [Page 231] owne waies, nor seeking thine owne will, nor speaking a vaine word; these three things on the Sabbath must bee auoided: but what followeth to bee done? First, we must call the Sabbath a delight. Se­condly, wee must consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord. And thirdly, we must honour him vpon that day. But then what shall they haue that thus ho­nour the Lord? Why God will honour them a­gaine, and make them to mount vpon the high places of the earth; and like a tree planted by the waters side shall they prosper: and not onely so, that they shall be blessed with worldly blessings, which might perswade worldly men; but much more with spirituall blessings (which may per­swade Christian men) he will feede them with the heritage of Iacob: as if hee should haue said; they shall enioy all the priuiledges of his Church; loe thus shall the man bee blessed that shall keepe his Sabbath. And therefore Isai. 56. 3. Let no man that keepeth the Sabbath say, The Lord hath separated me from his people. Why so? For he will feede them with the heritage of Iacob, as now you haue heard; nei­ther let the Eunuch say, Behold I am a drie tree. No, for if he keepe his Sabbath, and chuse the thing that is good, and take heede of his couenant, he shall mount vp­on the high places of the earth; as there he promi­seth. Yea, and as it followeth; he will giue him a place in his house, and a name better than of sonnes and daughters. But can all this be true? Yea certainly make account of it, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, Isai. 58. 14.

§. Sect. 2 Now, the vse of this is two-fold. First, it nota­blie [Page 232] meeteth with the error of the multitude, that thinke if a man serue God, he shall neuer thriue; as though God were like an euill master that v­seth to reward him worst that doth him the best seruice. But these blinde bayards that thus beate their heads against the wall, little think vpon this that God here promiseth, that those which keepe his Sabbath shall bee blessed; if they did, they would neuer goe stumbling on. But to the kee­per of the Sabbath this is a most sure word, that if a man keepe it, the Lord will make him to mount vpon the high places of the earth, and wil feede them with the heritage of Iacob. And there­fore by this a man shall know when hee is at the sermon how well he thriueth at home: for if he truly serue the Lord in the Church, God will truly blesse him at home; for hee hath promised it, and hee cannot goe from his word, no more than hee can denie himselfe: happely hee may sometimes denie some worldly blessings, when he seeth it not good for thee to haue it; but then assure thy selfe he will giue thee that which is ten times better; and that thou shalt in this life finde and assuredly know. And therefore thinke not that if thou lose an houre, or a day, that thou shalt be vndone; but waite vpon the Lord, for it is his blessing that maketh rich, and not thy labour. And if he blessed the Manna that was gathered on the sixt day, that it should be enough for the seuenth also: and if he made the earth in the sixth yeere to bring forth food sufficient for two yeeres, Le­uit. 25; why shouldest thou distrust his bountie [Page 219] towards thee? Therefore cast thy care vpon him; for if thou wilt keepe his Sabbath, he will care for thee.

The second vse is to informe the Sabbath brea­kers of their estate in which they stand; (and I would to God they would take notice of it) that they are in a cursed estate: for if the Sabbath keepers be blessed; then the Sabbath breakers by the law of contraries must bee accursed. And so they are indeede. And Nehemiah is not afraide to tell them so much to their faces: Did not (saith he) your fathers thus? (that is, breake the Sabbath) and did not God therefore bring all these plagues vpon vs? and will you yet increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabbath? Nehe. 13. And as Nehemiah told them what they had alreadie felt; so Ier. 17. vlt. tels them what they shall further looke for; If (saith he) you will not heare me, to sanctifie the Sab­bath, and to beare no burthen; What then? then the Lord will kindle a fire in the gates of Ierusalem. Yea but it shall not come into the high streetes. Yes, (saith he) for it shall deuoure the palaces thereof. But we will quench it first before it goe so farre. Nay (saith he) it shall not be quenched; as though the fire thereof should burne like wilde fire, or rather like hell fire that is vnquenchable, Mat. 3. And of this there is good reason. For if for the neglect of the building of the Lords house, the Lord cursed his people, so that when they sowed much, they brought in little; that when they eate, they were not sa­tisfied; when they dranke, their thirst remained, &c. If (I say) the Lord cursed them thus for the neglect [Page 218] of the building of the materiall Temple; what will he doe for the neglect of the building of the spirituall Temple? which is certainly neglected where as the Sabbath is neglected. And although happely it sometimes come to passe that the Sab­bath breaker may prosper in worldly matters, yet they are but blessings of Gods left hand, Prou. 3. 16. which many times hee giues to the ruine of the ow­ners thereof, Eccl. 5. 12. He giueth them as he gaue a King to the Israelites in his anger, and in his wrath he takes them away againe. But how soeuer, this is cer­taine, that though he giues them their hearts de­sire, yet with the gift he sendeth leannesse into their soules, as Psal. 106. 15. and they shall finde one day the euill of their riches, when they shall weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon them; when I say their consciences shall crie out against them, Wee haue gotten this money by breaking the Lords Sabbath, and when the rust of the same shall testifie so much against them; then shall they finde that true which euen now I cited, that their riches was giuen them for their euill.

§. Sect. 3 Loe thus as you see, that I may conclude, haue I troden foorth before you the path of the Sab­bath, that was (I confesse) hard and difficult to finde, by reason of so many by-paths and waies of error. And herein I haue shewed first the per­petuitie of the Sabbath. Secondly, the change of the time of the Sabbath. Thirdly, that it may not againe be changed. Fourthly, that the whole day must bee kept; and this in the first booke. In the [Page 223] second I haue shewed the duties of this day; which consist first in preparation to the Sabbath. Secondly in obseruation, which contained two things: first, to rest vpon it when it is come, from all workes, words or thoughts that might be a let to the performance of the holy duties that were required of vs; which duties were of three sorts, either publique, or priuate, or mixt: and this was the summe of the second booke. In the third I haue shewed the persons to whom these duties doe appertaine; which were either vnto vs, or those that were vnder our gouernment. And last of al in the fourth, the reasons that might inforce vs to the keeping of this day holy; that which re­maineth, is, that euery one of vs in regard of the time past, fall downe before the Lord in the fee­ling and acknowledgement of this great sinne of Sabbath breaking, and that with purpose of heart hence-foorth wee endeuour with all our might, both in our owne persons, and by all meanes we may, to prouoke others also to keepe the Sab­bath with vs: and then shall the Lord euen our God assuredly blesse vs, with the riches of his mercies reserued from euerlasting in heauen for vs; which the Lord graunt vnto vs for Christ his sake. Amen.