Works, Part 2 · Treatise 4 (3 of 3)
Now seeing old and young, men & women, masters and seruants, fathers and children,Baptisme. cannot so generally & conueniently meet on the weeke daies, by reason of their callings, as they can on the Lords day, their busines set apart: it seemeth by good reason that the Sabbath is the fittest day for this Sacrament. Againe, if the Lord in his infinite wisedome and goodnes commanded Circumcision to be vsed on the eight day, both for the auoyding of superstition, if any tied the grace of God to the outward signe, as also for a sufficient time, wherin the children might gather some strength to the cutting off of their flesh; why were it not a thing requisite, that Baptisme should be deferred to the Lords day, bothChildren dying before Baptisme. for the remouing of their superstitious opinion, who think the childrē dying vnbaptized to be but damned; and also for the better enabling of the child to be dipped in the water, according to the ancient maner and pure nature of Baptisme? Wherefore for these causes Baptisme cannot be denied to be a publike dutie of the Sabbath. Cōcerning priuate exercises on the Sabbath, they are either going before the publike, or following after, or commingPriuate exercises on the Sabbath. betweene. The duties going before are either in examining our selues, or stirring vp of our selues. The examination of our selues consisteth partly in surueying our estate past, and partly in considering of our present condition: in surueying our estate past, we are to call to minde either what sinnes the weeke before we hauehave committed, to the more humbling of our selues in prayer: or we must remēber, what graces of God in our soules, what benefits of God on our selues or in our friends we hauehave receiued, to the better prouokingPreparation to obseruation of the Sabbath. of our selues to thanksgiuing: in considering of our present condition, we are to examine how we stand affected, whatmeasure of faith, repentance and godlines is in vsus: if there be any special want or occasion of publike prayer, we must craue the prayer of the Pastor and congregation: if any peculiar cause of a solemne thanksgiuing be offered, we must giuegive the Preacher and people word of it: as also if there be occasion of some want, we are to pray for the Minister that his mouth may be opened, to make some happy and holy supply by the word of it. How requisite this examination is, our ciuill practises may declare. We see worldly thriuing men, if not eueryevery day, yet at the least once in the weeke they search their bookes, cast their accounts, conferre with their gaine their expences, & make euen reckonings, whereby they may see whether they hauehave gained, or whether they hauehave lost, whether they are before hand or come short: and shall not we much more, if not once a day, which were expedient, yet once in the weeke at the least, call our selues to a reckoning, examining what hath gone from vsus, what hath come towards vsus, how we hauehave gone forward in godly proceedings, or how we hauehave gone backward, that if we hauehave holy increases,Examination. we may giuegive thankes and glorie to God; if we come short, we must humble our selues, and endeuour the weeke following, to trauaile with our selues the more earnestly to recouer our former losse. This examination had, we are further to stirre vp our selues before we come to the publike exercises. This consisteth in reading, meditating and praying, whereby we may prouoke a spirituall appetite the more hungerly, desirously, and louingly to resort to the congregation. How necessarie this is, the long and wofull experience of non-proficients in the schoole of Christ, doth lamentably shew. For what isNon proficients in the Church. the cause why in the prayers of the Church we so little profit? What causeth the word to be of so small power with vsus? whereof commeth it that the Sacraments are of such slender account with vsus? Is it not because we draw neere to the Lord with vncatechised hearts, and vncircumcised eares, without prepared affections, and vnschooled senses: so that we come vntounto, and depart from the house of God with no more profit, than we get at stageplaies, where delighting our eyes and eares for a while with the view of the pageants, afterward we vainely depart? If we at any time are to entertaine some speciall friend or stately guestes, it is ciuilitie to auoide all things noysome, and to procure all things handsome in our houses: and shall we not thinke it Christianitie at such times as the Lord hath made speciall promise to visit vsus, and to become our friendly guest, to purge the loathsome affections of the heart, & dispose our soules in some holy order for his entertainement? Are we so diligent to present our selues on the Sabbath in our best attire, because then we shall come before the whole congregation: and shall we be negligent to attire our soules, seeing we are to appeare before God and his Angels? Doe we outwardly professe this day to be a more solemne time than any other day of the weeke: and shall we in inward practise denie the same? Wherefore in this holy preparing of our selues, we are to imitate the wisedome of worldly men, who hauing a suite to the Prince, or some noble personage,Simile. which hath not that happie successe and issue, which was hoped for, by and by beginne to call themselues to account, to consider with themselues in what circumstance they failed, whereby lesse circumspectly, and lesse aduisedly they attempted their enterprise, accusing themselues of folly, and vnconsiderate dealing in their cause, whereby, a… wofull experience teacheth them, their request fell to the ground. VntoUnto these men herein we must not be vnlike, when in dealing with the Lord we profit not so much by hearing, reading, praying, or any other publike exercise, as we should: neither must we sticke to reason with our selues, and to contemne our selues as faultie, either in omitting something to be done, or committing something to be vndone, before we addresse our selues to our publike duties.
Now that this examining and stirring vp of our selues may the better be done, it is requisiteTo rise early on the Sabbath. (contrarie to the long and loathsome practise of the most part of men) that we rise earely on the Sabbath day. We see young men will rise earely to resort to matiages, to feastings, to goe a maying, to ringing of bels, or such like vanities: the Papists will breake their sleep, that more timely they may hauehave their Masses, & popish practises: the here tikes also to attend on their vaine reuelations, will recouer sometime by early rising: all which are to our shame, that for holy & heauenly exercises, to serue the Lord in spirit and truth, will redeeme no time, whereby the Lord his Sabbath may be the better sanctified: but on the contrary, by bathing our bodies in our beds on that day more than on any other, as perswading our selues too great a libertie therein, we make it a day of our rest, and not of the Lords rest.
The Israelites are said to hauehave risen very early to their idolatrie: the Prophets are reported to hauehave stretched out their hāds betimes in the morning. Wherefore for shame of the one, for the imitating of the other, let vsus stirre vp our selues more early on the Lord his day, as making the Sabbath our delight, Esay. 58. wherby we may be no lesse carefull to bestow the first fruits of the day and the sweetnes of the morning in the pure seruice of God, than Idolaters in their Idolatrie, young men in their vanities, wordly men in their couetousnes, & here tikes in their heresies vse to do. If we thus shall examine our selues in our sins committed, & gifts of God receiued; if we shall humble our selues for the one, and be thank full for the other; if we shall suruay our wants, pray for our pastors, prepare out selues, and vse all these exercises in wisedome, and rising early (vnlesse vponupon some speciall cause or weaknes, which requireth rather our wholy keeping of our beds, than our2 vprising) let the experience of the after fruits and good increases of the publike exercisesExercises after and betweene the publike. speake, and let triall report, if the word be not more precious, our prayers more powerfull, our receiuing of the Sacraments more effectuall, more profitable vntounto vsus. Now concerning those exercises which follow after, or come betweene those publike meanes, they are either for the increase of faith and repentance to make the publike means more profitable to vsus, or the exercises of louelove, whereby we may shew some fruit of the other. The exercises of faith and repentance are reading, comparing of things heard, examining and applying them to our selues, praying, thankesgiuing, and meditating. First, I say, after our publike hearing we must priuately giuegive our selues to reading of those things especially, which when we heard, we did not sufficiently vnderstand: also to the comparing of place with place according as they were alleaged, to the better triall of the doctrine receiued, and more establishing of our faith therein. To this end we must vse priuate prayer for a sound iudgement & pure affections, that the Lord would vouchsafe to worke that vponupon our affections, which in iudgement we hauehave receiued. Neither must we forget to be thankfull, in praising of God & singing of Psalmes, for those things, whereby we either see our knowledge to be bettered, or our cōscience touched. To these we must ioyne meditation, either about the means of our saluation, or about the works of God: vponupon the meanes, as in accountingMeditation. with ourselues, what things being read & preached, chiefly did touch and concerne vsus, what speciall feelings, & comforts the Lord gaue vsus in our prayers, what increase of faith in God his promises, and of repentance in purposing a new life we had in the Sacraments, that thus we may make a priuate and peculiar vse of the publike and generall means. About the workes of God, partly concerning those properties which are in himselfe,Meditation concerning Gods workes as his mercy, iustice, wisedome, trueth, power & prouidence, partly concerning his creatures, and workes of his hands, wherein he hath left certaine impressions and qualities necessarie for our vse, & profitable for our instruction. For the former, the practise of the Prophet and dutie of all good professors, Psal. 92. doth sufficiently shew, that it is one speciall worke of the Sabbath to commend & declare the kindnes of the Lord, to reioyce in the works of his hands, to praise his truth and to shew forth his righteousnes. In which Psalme the man of God protesteth that the works of God are only glorious to the godly, and how the vnwise and wicked men cannot consider of God his workes, nor discerne his iudgements, because they measure the condition of men by their present estate, not looking either how God hath dealt before, nor considering how that though the faithfull seeme to wither, and to be cut downe by the wicked, yet they shall grow againe and flourish in the Church of God, as the cedars doe in mount Lebanon. Now as with the exercise of the word we hauehave the Sacraments to strengthen our faith: so with the meditating of the workes of God we are to strengthen our selues with the beholding of God his creatures, as the heauens and the scope, beautie, and continuall course thereof, and the earth, which should hauehave been all as pleasant as the garden of Eden, if Adam had continued in his innocencie, whose worke as it was by the light of nature to view the creatures of God, so also is it our worke by the light of Gods grace and holy spirit to doe the same. To this ende the Propheticall king, Psal. 19. setteth downe the exquisite workemanship, proportion, and ornaments of the heauens, saying, The heauens declare the glory of God, and the firmamènt sheweth the works of his hands. 2. Day vntounto day vttereth the same, and night vntounto night teacheth knowledge. 3. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4. Their line is gone forth through all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world: in them hath hee set a tabernacle for the Sunne. 5. Which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber, and reioyceth like a mighty man to run his race. 6. His going out is from the ende of the heauen, and his compasse is vntounto the endes of the same, and none is hid from the heat thereof.
The Prophet Esay. chap. 1. 2. 3. saith, Heare, O heauens, and hearken, O earth, &c. The oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters crib: but Israel hath not knowne: my people hath not vnderstanding. In which place we are schooled of insensible creatures, how we should doeConsider how obedient in sixe daies the beasts hauehave been vntounto vsus, and on the seuenth how disobedient we be to God, our dutie vntounto God. Wherefore it is good to consider, how in sixe daies we hauehave had our …east obedient vntounto vsus, and how disobedient we are to the Lord. O God how hauehave thy creatures attended on vsus, when we speake to them, they heard vsus, when wee did whip them, they followed vsus, in al our busines they attended on vsus, and yet we hauehave not listened to the calling vsus by the word, wee hauehave not profited by thy chastisements, nor attended vponupon thy commandements. The stork, saith the Lord by Ieremiah the prophet, knoweth his time, but my people knoweth not me. And experience may make vsus blush to see, how the birds against the stormy winter may conuey themselues vntounto warmer climates vntill the spring time, and man alone either vnsensibly doth not foresee, or vnaduisedly will not auoide the perillous times to come. To conclude, Matth. 16. 2. 3. our Sauiour Christ reprehendeth the follie of Pharisies, saying, When it is euening, ye say, Faire weather: for the skie is red. 3. And in the morning ye say, To day shall be a tempest: for the skie is red and lowring, O hypocrites, yee can discerne the face of the skie, and can ye not discerne the signes of the times? True it is, that this spirituall vse and holy meditation of the creatures of God should be our whole life: howbeit because our distractions in our lawfull and ordinarie callings will not permit this so fully in respect of our finite nature, we must remember on the Sabbath day to vse a recouery, and by Christian diligence to make recompence for our former negligence herein. And in so heauenly a varietie, which both by precept and practise we hauehave receiued of our forefathers for this purpose, we shall much profit and set forward this exercise, if in wisedome of the spirit we endeuour to frame our meditations especially about those things, whereof by reason of our callings, in respect of our countries, in consideration of the season of the yeere we hauehave most speciall occasion offered. Now if by reason of some dulnes or deadnes, by the corruption of nature and secret punishment often incident to the dearest children of God, we cannot so reuerently, cheerefully and comfortablyTo auoid dulnes and deadne… in the priuate exercises of the Sabbath, seeke to the communion and fellowship of the godly. doe these duties required by our selues alone, we may humbly vse the remedie, which by the communion of Saints the Lord in this case hath prouided, that so frequenting the holy companie of the godly, learned and zealous, vntounto whom the Lord hath giuen greater libertie both of graces and of spirit, we may be humbled in regard of our owne wants, and take the supplie by them & in them, that if we cannot either for ignorance or blockishnes reade the things heard, compare the places by publike ministerie receiued, pray for the fruite of them; if we be not able to refresh our selues with considering the workes of God: then we must attend vponupon the reading, conferring, and praying, thanksgiuing, singing, and meditations of others; that so at the least we may either hauehave our iudgements cleered, or our affections better stirred vp. Neither must we blush or be abashed to acknowledge our wants vntounto our brethren, but with all humilitie earnestly deale with them, and enquire of them, how they can compare and reconcile the places deliuered, how they can amplifie it by meditation, how they feele their affections renued, how they can frame a prayer of it, how they can gather of the creatures and workes of God some fruitfull matter of thanksgiuing, that by their godly participation we may hauehave either our ignorance helped, or our infirmities relieued. For vndoubtedly this is the cause, why so many doe rather in ignorance and deadnes beare the Sabbath as a burthen, euen in that they are ashamed by asking the helpe of others to bewray their ignorance, or display that corruption of nature, which indeed they see and seele in themselues. Against which worldly and carnall shame we must fight, if euer we will triumph ouer that endlesse shame of the wicked, and prouoke our selues by that wholesome and mutuall societie, which becommeth the children of God, either for the increase of spirituall gifts, or for a charitable supporting of the infirmities one of another. And these briefly be the exercises of faith and repentance, whereby we may either stirre vp our selues, or be stirred of others.
Now it remaineth to intreate of the duties of louelove, because the Lord his Sabbath is not a day of knowledge alone, but of louelove; not onelyonly of hearing the word by preaching, butOf the duties of louelove. also of doing the word by practising: and these duties either respect the persons of our brethren, or they concerne such things as are about our brethren. The things concerning their persōs, are either in regard of their soules or of their bodies: the exercises respecting the things that are about them, are either appertaining to their goods, or to their credite. The duties vntounto the soules of our brethren, are to teach the ignorant, to bring sinners to repentance, to bind vp the wounds of them that are afflicted in spirit, to comfort the weak, to strengthen the hands that fall downe, and the knees that are readie to faint, to stirre vp them which be dul, to admonish the vnruly, to confirme the faith of them that beleeue, to encourage them in weldoing, which hauehave begun well, and to rebuke the wilfull offenders▪ And though these should be the exercises of eueryevery day, yet especially they belong to the Sabbath, wherein we make a supplie of the wants, which we hauehave on the weeke daies. The duties of louelove required to the bodies of our brethren, are the visiting of the sicke, the relieuing of the imprisoned, the helping of the poore and miserable, the feeding of the hungrie, the cloathing of the naked, the comforting of the distressed, the bestowing of our goods on them that are needie.
In the primitiue Church as they did eueryevery Sabbath receiue the Sacrament, so they laideCollections for the poore on the Sabbath. something downe to the vse of the poore, which they did both to giuegive some thankefull testimonie how the Lord the weeke before had blessed them, as also to shew some godly token of their pittie to their afflicted brethen. Concerning the exercises of louelove towards the credit of our brethren, if we shall heare of any secret reports tending to the discredite of others, wee must not onelyonly carefully suppresse it, but wisely endeuour to recouer their former credite. This requireth heauenly wisedome, both to admonish the author of euill reports, as also to signifie vntounto the man euill spoken of, what hazard and shipwrake of his good name is pretended: yet still concealing the person, and vrging the report, that if the partie be guiltie, he may the sooner step out of his sinne, the Lord hauing discharged suchTo disgrace others by reports. a warning peece against him; or being guiltlesse, that he rather seeke to proue by the rumor, than to pursue the author. But alas, the sinne of our age hath not onelyonly brought in the ignorance, and banished the practise of this Christian dutie: but also which more is, in stead of healing, we would the credite of others, and it is hard to discerne whether there are more willing to report euill, or not vnwilling to heare euill reports of others. WhoPsal. 15, 3. Note. seeth not the common profession of our Sabbath to be a table talking and vaine babling of the infirmities of others, tossing to and fro the credit of our brethren as a tennis ball: and this not onelyonly vsed among brainsicke and vnstable women, whose tongues labour of some greater infirmitie, but also of men, who vndiscreetly either set abroch, or draw out to the full measure and past measure the discredit of their neighbours, so that they are so farre from saluing such sores, and stopping such breaches, that they lance deeper and roade further, then any hauehave done before them.Two things in these duties to be obserued.
Furthermore, in all these exercises both publike and priuate, both concerning faith, and the duties of louelove, both with our selues and with others, two things especially of vsus must bee obserued. First, we must at night trie our hearts, with what truth, with what care, and with what sinceritie we hauehave done these things: because as God abhorreth hypocrisie in eueryevery thing, so especially he cannot abide it in his owne worship. Secondly, wee are to examine our selues, with what profit either to our selues or to others, with what comfort, with what increase of good things we hauehave been conuersant in these dueties, that wee rest not in the work wrought, but that we may offer vp the fruits of our holy increase in a good conscience to the Lord. The first thing then is to trauaile with our hearts for sincerity, because though generally all the cōmandements require spiritual obedience, yet those more peculiarly which immediatly do binde vsus to our God. This we shall do, if we do the dutiesSincerity in all duties. of faith faithfully, the exercises of repentance carefully, & the duties of louelove louingly. On this manner then may we expostulate with our selues: Hath the Lords increase of merciemercy brought me a daies increase of holines? how is my knowledge increased, my affectiōs touched, my faith strengthened, my repentance renewed, the louelove of the Saints in me confirmed? How did the word pricke my heart? how were my affections quickned by prayer? how much was my faith strengthened in the Sacraments? Hath the Sabbath been our delight? are we nearer to God in faith and repentance? are we nearer our brethren in louelove and beneuolence? are wee better affected to the glorie of God? is sinne more grieuous vntounto vsus, than it hath been? If it be, giuegive God the glory in Christ; if not, let our losses cause vsus to make some godly recouery in time to come. These things little thought of, is the cause why for the most part and almost generally we rest in the ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath. Now let vsus consider a little of the goodnesse of God in giuing so holy a varietie of good things, the consideration whereof partly may humble vsus, and partly comfort vsus. For in so rich and princely vicissitude, though we doe many things, yet some duties priuate or publike,Outward actions without inward affections. with our selues or with others, may be left vndone; if we doe the outward actions, we faile in inwerd affections: & this ought to humble vsus. Howbeit, wee may here also sucke out some comfort, to the more alluring of vsus to these holy exercises, in that though we be weary of one exercise, we may refresh our selues with another: if we profit not by one, we may profit by another: so that if we be altogether voide of delight, and reape no profit at all, we cannot but excuse the Lord, & accuse our selues. For if we cannot thriue in priuate exercises, we may gaine by the publike meanes: if we can finde no delight by ourselues, we may ioyne with others; if we cannot profite by reading, we may profite by praying: if not by praying, then by meditating; if not by meditating, then by conferring; if not by conferring, yet by singing; if not by singing, yet by viewing the creatures of God; if not by these, then by teaching, admonishing, and visiting of others; if not herein, by suffering our selues to be taught, admonished, and instructed of others. Wherefore as in a solemne banket furnished with diuers meates, the weakest stomacke not liking one dish, may refreshSimile. it selfe with another, vnlesse the appetite bee altogether gone: so in this heauenly varietie the Lord hath prouided, that the most weake may comfort his conscience, if not with one spirituall daintie, yet with another, vnlesse it bee so sicklie, that it is altogether gracelesse, and voyde of hope of recouerie, which the Lord in his merciemercy keepe from vsus. And thus hauing shewed what is commanded, let vsus goe forward to those things which are forbidden.
The Sabbath (wee say) is broken either by generall impediments and lets, whereby weHow the Sabbath is brokē. cannot sanctifie the day: or else by those euill fruits, which follow the not keeping of the same. For as there be two things commanded, to wit, rest, and sanctification of the rest: so two things are forbidden, namely, labour and trauaile, so farre as either they hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath, and the prophaning of the Sabbath rest. First of the impediments of sanctifying of the Sabbath, which in their owne nature are indifferent, wee must know, that as the furtherances of this sanctification are commanded, so the hinderances are forbidden: and as rest is so farre commanded, as maketh to the sanctifying of the day▪ so our works are not simply forbidden, but so farre forth as they be hinderances to the holy obseruation of the same. And these be either lawfull workes, or lawfull recreations and pleasures. And therefore, as wee say in the Commandement going before, that all vaine,Workes how farre forbiddē on the Sabbath. light, vsuall, and accustomed othes are forbidden, and yet affirme, that all such othes are commaunded, as are taken vp in the defence of God his glorie, our brethrens welfare, or in any other cases of weight and importance, when the things must needs be knowne, and otherwise than by an oth cannot be knowne; so wee say in this precept, all vsuall affaires on the Sabbath are here forbidden, and we grant, that if these fall out for the glory of God in the preseruation of his creatures necessarily to be done; or so, as they may enable vsus the more to any duties of the Sabbath, then they are not onelyonly not forbidden, but also more streightly enioyned vsus. And therfore as no others creeping in vnderunder pretence are allowed, but such as are weightie, likewise we permit no works of pretended necessitie, but such as in that they cannot be done the day before, nor the day after, are for the former considerations necessarily required. And whereas the Lord doth not onelyonly giuegive leaue to draw the Oxe or the Asse out of the ditch to preserue their liues, but also to lead them to the water to make their liues more comfortable to them: so we permit not only things needfull toThe dressing of meates on the Sabbath. the life of man, but also things conuenient to the vse & comfort of man, as the dressing of conuenient meates, whereby a man may be made more cheerfull in the duties of sanctification; so that both in vsing them we refresh & not oppresse our selues, and in preparing them we vse the time before, after, or betweene the publike exercise. But as God hath permitted this leaue: so we on our parts are to take heede that we abuse not this libertie. For when the Lord is so equall, liberall, and fauourable in granting and pardoning our necessitie, and furthering our conueniences; he will not doubtlesse leaue vnpunished the greedy gaine-feekers, which vnderunder the forge of necessitie abuse their libertie & his liberalitie. The lawfulnes of which permission is taught vsus by Christ himselfe, the faithfull interpreter of the law, and that not onelyonly by precept, but by practise. For in that he healed the sicke, and cured the diseased on the Sabbath, allowing the people on that day to resort vntounto him, he sheweth how things concerning the glorie of God are lawfull to be done on the Sabbath. And we see in that the law permitted the leading of the oxe to the water, how things conuenient are not at that time vnlawfull, so that thy be not abused, or ouerused.Things forbidden on the Sabbath.
This moderation prefixed, let vsus sift more narrowly the things that are forbidden. These are either the works of our calling, or lawfull recreations. The workes be such, as either are more vsuall in the sixe daies, or being but at certaine speciall times in the moneths or yeers vsed lesse vsual. First cōcerning the works hauing their ordinary course in the weeke daies, as plowing, sowing, vsing of handierafts, and such like, there is no question, and the most prophane person will not call them into questiō, but it is taken as granted, that these workes must giuegive place to the worship of God, that men being freed from them may bee the more sanctified. And these things are flatly forbidden in the Law and in the Prophets, who would not suffer a burthen to be caried on the Sabbath, by which one worke they did more secretly point at all the rest. But the words of this cōmandement are a sufficient demonstration of this matter. Who so thē make the Lords day a packing day for their earthly busines, either in making it a custome to hauehave their seruants follow their callings, or trauaile in their affaires, or else when they themselues will doe that that day, which they will not doe at other times, when in spirituall disposing of their busines they might prouide better, they are prophaners of the Sabbath, and shal be iudged for contemners of this law. And whatsoeuer these kindes of professors pretend in word, and brag of knowledge and Christian liberty, they cloake their sinne vnderunder religion, & draw the curtaine of Christian profession to couer the lewdnes of their vnchristian conuersation, and so liuing as beasts they shall dye as beasts, or worse than beasts, in that they shall goe to the hels, when the beasts shall goe to the earth. It is too too lamentable, that in a Christian common-wealth, where Christ and none before Christ is to be preferred, where the fruit of so many yeeres, teaching this dutie, ought to bee shewed: that men as Heathen, who neuer knewe of the creation of heauen and earth by God, or neuer heard of the redemption of man by Christ, or neuer tasted of the sanctifying power of the holy Ghost, nor at any time vnderstood of the mysterie of the Trinitie; should make no conscience of the Sabbath, but onelyonly vouchsafe it worthie of a eiuill dutie.
But some will pretend a more vsuall necessitie in certaine and peculiar callings, of which, as they say, standeth a further question, as among makers of coale, and iron, Heardsmen, Shepheards, Carriers, Drouers, and traffique men, all which indeede hauehave great and laborious callings: yet must wee say, and hold this ground, that in these & like ordinarie callings, the ordinance of the Lord doth not hinder the good order of man, but they are soWhether it be hard for some callings to keepe the Sabbath. subordinated the one to the other, as if we giuegive to each of them their time and their place, the workes of man may be vsed, and yet the worship of God preferred: because as our callings serue to Gods worship, so Gods worship sanctifieth our callings. True it is, that the Lord requireth not onelyonly the worship of the Sabbath day, but also of other week daies either priuatly at the least, or publikly, if our callings so permit: and howsoeuer we deny not vntounto these men some larger liberty on the sixe daies, yet they must not be exempted from the duties of the Sabbath day, which generally is laid vponupon all men, and especially on these men, whose labours as they are the more troublesome and continuall in the weeke daies, so they ought the rather to rest on the Sabbath daies. And seeing they will not discharge themselues of the like graces with other men concerning their creation, redemption and sanctification, if they make not a supplie on the seuenth day for their libertie in the sixe dayes, they are inferior to the condition of beasts: for the beasts on that day hauehave their rest, and they hauehave not. Besides in pretending such excuses, they openly bewray their want of spirituall wisdome. For there is no such calling: But if they were as wise to God, as they are politike in increasing their riches, they could tell how to deuide their times & seasons for the easing of their bodies, and refreshing of their soules on the Sabbath. And here men are to be charged with looking to their seruants. For the commandement is flat and expresse▪ Of seruants.euen thou and thy seruant. It is not sufficient for men to come to the Church themselues, but they must bring their seruants also. The Lord saw how men would be ingenious in deceiuing their own soules, by not bringing their charges and families with them to the congregation, who notwithstanding being created, redeemed and sanctified, are as highly indebted to the worship of God as the masters. But let them not beguile themselues, for the blood of their soules shall be required at their hands, who being too lordly and tyrannous gouernours, make their seruants either equall to beasts, or worse than beasts, caring for nothing but for the world, neuer thinking on hell, whereunto they are hastening.
This law doth here also attach Shepherds, and Heardsmen, Bakers and Brewers, whichOf shepheards, heardsmen, &c. kinde of men if thou hast retained, then art thou charged to bring them to the house of prayer as well as thy selfe. For God hauing made thē men, would not that thou shouldest vse them as beasts for thee; neither must thou abuse his trauaile to make him like the oxe, whereon he tendeth. But worldly wise men will prouide by changing of their places, that their busines may be done cheerfully: and why then should they prouide for the worship of God so carelesly? Againe, if Shepheards & Heardsmen can finde meanes to goe to faires and markets▪ if they can picke out time to goe visit their friends: why may they not also prouide to heare the word of God on the Sabbath day? Well, be not deceiued, God is not mocked. Looke how a man soweth, so shall he reape. In some places Brewers and BakersBakers and Brewers. pretend great necessitie. If it be so, then our generall rule permitteth a libertie, but yet on this manner: if they cannot dispatch their busines on the sixe daies, they should rise betimes on the Lords day, that they may do all they hauehave to do with as little losse as may be: and if they must needes begin their worke against the day next after the Sabbath, let them doe it as lately in the euening as they can, that at the publike exercises they bee not interrupted nor drawne away. Thus much therefore we say, that as we prescribed in the other callings, so for milking of kine, making of beds, and dressing of meates, as for trauailers, Bakers and Brewers, that their busines, if it be necessarie, must bee done either early in the morning, or lately in the euening.
There are two kindes of calling of more difficultie, the one by sea, the other by land, theMariners and Posts. one of Mariners, the other of posts. For men being on the Seas, cannot come conueniētly to the publike places of religion, and in ciuill matters there are often great necessities and vnknowne to priuate men. Concerning the first, we say they are either in necessary affaires, or they are not; if not, they are to be counted as flat breakers of the Sabbath; if they be in their lawfull and necessarie callings, the times must bee so diuided, that their bodies may be cased, and their soules refreshed. Howbeit, if the present necessitie grow to be more violent, then holds the generall rule of things that cannot be done before or after. To this we adde, that in some respect, because the Mariners hauehave intermissions by reason of their oftMariners. changing, there might be meanes appointed for the worship of God priuately. For there be vicissitudes of labouring spent in quaffing, drinking, and sleeping; which leisure they might hauehave as free for the worship of God priuately, as any on the land. Besides the proportion of sixe and seuen obserued, that they may doe some one day in seuen, which they should do on the Sabbath it selfe. For then the Lord accepteth the equitie of the law when vponupon necessitie we cannot obserue the prescript time of the law. Furthermore, when theirNote. ships lie at roade and at ancker, when they either are staied by tempest, or mend their tackling, or waite long at hauens for their traffique, then what time hath before been lost, it is now to be redeemed; if it be not at the set times, yet as we saide, at some times obseruing the proportion of the law. Thirdly, if they were as prudent in heauenly things, as politike in earthly, though they cannot so conueniently hauehave accesse to the publike meanes, yet in the whole companie (for feare of pirates they goe for stronger fence many together) by a generall contribution they might allow a Minister among them. Againe, considering that the Mariners are either such as be of the richer fort, or such as bee of a meaner condition; we say, that the richer and more wealthie Merchants swimme so in their gaines, as if theyPreachers by sea. hauehave but hearts to pay the tithe of their increase, they may not onelyonly conueniently finde a Minister in the ship, but also liberally prouide for the worship of God on the land. As for the poorer fort▪ if they cannot offer an oxe, let them offer a turtle doue; if they cānot offer a doue, let them offer a little fine wheate flower: I meane, if they cannot prouide a graue preacher, yet at the least, they may procure some good man to read the holy word of God vntounto them, to deliuer the plaine and pure sense of the Scriptures to them, and to help themSimili…. in prayer and other holy exercises of religion. For if they can in their seuerall ships maintaine a guide skilfull in seafaring to conduct them in ther nauigations, then by a generall purse they may farre more easilie sustaine the charges of a teacher, who in great dangers may strengthen & comfort them, in all estates may guide and safegard them to the hauen of heauen. Fiftly, in respect that they hauehave greater blessings on the Seas, receiue greater testimonies of Gods fauour, taste more bountifully of Gods power in imminent and fearfull dangers, and more liberally hauehave experience of his prouidence in their marueilous preseruation, than their brethren on the land; I thinke they ought not to be lesse zealous, but more carefull of the worship of God, than others on the land. Though then the prescript forme of the law cannot alwaies be vsed, and yet the proportion of the law may beeThe prophanes of many seafaring men. obserued: and seeing God is the Lord of the seas as well as he is the gouernour of the land, he is no lesse to be worshipped in the one than in the other▪ & yet the want of this his worship hath distinguished the seafaring men from others by their monstrous prophanenes, and brutish irreligiousnes. And yet in that this euill is not so generall, but that euen in that calling there are some that feare the Lord, it is manifest that the fault is not in the calling, which in it selfe is lawfull, but in the corruptions of the persons, who are degenerated into an hellish atheisme.
Now concerning Posts thus much briefly: Either the Posts trauaile on the Lords dayPosts: vponupon necessitie, or without necessitie. If they goe on the necessarie affaires of the land, and such as by foreslacking would be more dangerous, and the speedie dispatching of them would be more profitable to the whole bodie of the realme, the libertie is permitted, and is greater or lesser according to the grauitie and slendernes of their affaires: but if they hauehave no necessitie, the rule of God his lawes take hold on them. Howbeit for the most part subiects are not so precisely to iudge of them, because Princes matters are not knowne to all men: but they are rather to pray, that both the Princes heart may be right herein, and that the Lord would moue them euermore to vse those waies which are most conuenient.
And thus much generally of the vsuall workes of our calling. It remaineth to speake of those works which hauehave not the ordinary course of the weeke daies, but are neuerthelesse vsed at certaine set times and seasons, as Faires in certaine moneths and quarters of the yeere, as the seeding in the winter and in the spring time, and the haruest in summer & in Autumne. Hereunto we may adde speciall iourneies taken in hand not vsually, but extraordinarily, & the gathering of Saffron at the time of the yeere. Al which things hauehave their seuerall seasons, and are vnnaturally thrust on the Lords owne times, howsoeuer men hauehave pretended a necessitie, & flesh and blood hunting after liberty, disputeth to the contrary. First as for Faires and Markets, which by politike, wise, and worldly men on the LordsOf Faires & Markets. daies are maintained: it argueth the want of godly wisedome where they be vsed, because without any preiudice to the worship of God they may not conueniently bee obserued. For if no necessitie, profit, nor pleasure could cause the Papists to hauehave their Faires on their Christmas day, Easter day, holy Thursday, and Corpus Christi day; then it is a shame for vsus, that in truth and zeale ought to goe before them, to defile the Lords day herewith: yea I adde, it is intollerable, because a firme statute & ciuill law enforceth a plaine inhibition of all such worldly conuents and assemblies on that day. These faires are for the most part either solemne Marts and of greater continuance, or petie Markets and of lesse resort: if they be more solemne Markets, then the continuance of the gaine in the weeke daies may easily affoord the Lord his right on the Sabbath daies: if they bee the petie Markets, then they are within the compasse of seuen daies, and they may bee vsed on the sixe daies betweene the Sabbaths, not charging the Lords day with them.
Concerning seeding time and haruest, we hauehave heard them on the Sabbath by expresseSeed time & haruest. words forbidden in Exodus. And here one thing maketh me to marueile, why men plead rather for the libertie of the haruest, than of the seeding time, whē the time is alike for the one and for the other, and hee that restrained the one, restraineth the other: yea and there is more wisedome and lesse labour required in the seeding, and there is lesse heed & more labour vsed in the reaping time. And yet many thinke it strange to sowe and plow on the Sabbath day, who make no conscience to mow, reape, and cart it on that day. But here toBlindnes of men. the commandement let vsus ioyne the promise. If we be carelesse to prouide for the worship of God, the Lord will ease himselfe for caring for vsus. But, if we first seeke the kingdome of God, and his righteousnes, all these things shall be giuen vntounto vsus. And intruth the necessitie of the haruest rather chargeth vsus with many moe duties on the Lords day, thā dischargeth vsus of any one. First the labour of the sixe daies at that season is so great, as men cannotHow wee ought more carefully to obserue the Sabbath in the haruest than any other time of the yeere. 1conueniently giuegive themselues to the worship of God, either publikely or priuatly, and in that respect especially in that time they are to make conscience of the Sabbath, wherein they must endeuour to make some godly supply for their former defects. VnderUnder this wee may couch another reason. Although greater possessors hauehave larger libertie in the workes of this calling, yet hauehave they seruants and cattel, which at haruest time especially labour:2 for whose good and ease seeing the Lord hath prouided in eueryevery Sabbath, we cannot without vnmercifulnes to the creatures, and the controlling of God his ordinance, in these busie times especially, deny our seruants and cattell their rest, because they had then most neede to cease on the Sabbath day, when they most trauaile on the week daies. Againe, experience3 teacheth vsus, that if the weather in this quarter of the yeere be more vnseasonable, men are then most readie to vnclaspe their hold on Gods prouidence by their carnal diffidence. Again on the other side, if the times are more temperate, and the fruits of the earth4 more abundant, then we securely hide our hearts in the earth, and tying our affections to our enlarged and full fraught barnes, wee vomit out our surfetting conceits with the rich man, and say, O my soule take thy rest, thou hast store laid vp for many yeeres: and so wee burie our soules in the abundance of our increase. But what is it to hauehave a handfull of corne, & to gaine therewith a viall of the wrath of God? What doth it helpe, when the Lord either to correct our sins, or make triall of our faith, doth send foule weather, that a man should blot out the print, & rub out the marke of Gods worke with such contemptuous disobedience? Ought we not rather in such a scarcitie, as the Lord appointeth by Ioel, to erect a new Sabbath in prayer and fasting, than to pull down the old Sabbath by toyling and labouring, that the Lord seeing our repentance, might stay the windowes of heauen, and surceasing from his punishment might leaue some blessing behinde him▪ Now therefore to cure our diffidence, to helpe our impatience, and to correct our couetousnesse, as also to witnes our subiection to the blessed will of God, the Lord often sendeth this triall in the time of haruest. Againe, if according to the largenes of Gods liberalitie we may enlarge our taidour,Simile. if as the Lord reacheth out his benefits to vsus, wee ought to reach out our obedience vntounto him: at what time of the yeere doe men more abundantly receiue God his mercies than now, when the prouidence of God commeth to the issue, and groweth to a perfect accomplishment; when the earth is readie to trauaile and to bring foorth of her bowels, whatsoeuer by the blessing of God it hath before receiued and conceiued? And consequenly at what time is required of vsus a greater measure of thanksgiuing, and when doth the Lord more deeply charge vsus with a care of his worship, than when hee doth as it were surcharge vsus with the weight of his benefits? If then either the commandement of God may binde vsus, or the promise of God touch vsus, either the toyling of our bodies may pitie vsus, or the distractions of our mindes may moue vsus: if either the wants of our soules may inforce vsus, o… the benefits of God rauish vsus, we shal confesse, that though at all times carefully, yet at this time of the yeere most carefully and specially we should prouide for the worship of God, the refreshing of our soules, & the relieuing of our bodies. Besides, if the calling of iustice, which for the worthines of it is more necessarie; if the tilling of ground, which is a thing more needfull, on this day stoope and surcease, to giuegive place to the worship of God; then reaping and carting, for which neither dignity nor necessitie can so wel be pretended, must needes cease: and better it is that man should reape somewhat lesse of his priuate gaine, than that so deepe a wound should bee stricken into the sides of Gods publike glorie: and more conuenient it is that a few should smart, than a great many should be offended. And yet true it is, that our axiome of necessitie hath it vertue as well at this time, as at another. Howbeit, I hope, I neede not here put you in mind of the distinction of necessitie presentDouble necessitie. and necessitie imminent, the one granted, the other denied. A present neede requireth a present helpe, as an house being fired, our aide forthwith is required: for that God in this case hath subordinated vsus as his Bailiefes and Lieutenants for the preseruation of his creatures. But, if we presuppose and forecast dangers to come, God maketh mens doings dotings, and infatuateth their deuises, for that seeing he openeth & shutteth the windowes of heauen, and the closets of water, seeing he can make the heauens as brasse, and the earth as iron, and sendeth the first and the latter raine: so these things are not in our hands, but in the Lords power, who either proueth their faith, or punisheth our sinnes, and trieth vsus whether wee will serue him more sparingly when hee punisheth vsus, or more securely when he spareth vsus.
The other question following is of gathering a saffron. If men be wise and prouident toOf gathering Saffron. serue God, the Saffron grounds, I thinke, may also be so kept, as that there will be no such losse as worldly men pretend. But if the nature of it be such, as some doe affirme, that on that day it perisheth, if it be vngathered, on which day it commeth foorth; then I do think, that by the law of necessitie this thing happening, it may be gathered on the Sabbath: yet with these conditions, that as many gather as can conueniently be gotten, that no publike exercise of the worship of God be omitted, that their mindes be holy and spiritually occupied that gather it. Now if some will obiect, that there is somewhat in the order of nature, which fighteth with the ordinance of this law: I answere, for as much as this thing commeth on the Lords day but seldome times, that therefore it is not a thing ordinarie, but as a work of necessitie. Now to fold vp this question, we required in gathering that we should be spiritually minded, which they may shewe in giuing it a marke of separation, that is, that they bestow it on the poorer, if the be of they more wealthie sort: if they be of meaner condition, yet they may impart something to their more needie brethren, as testifying thereby that they seeke not their gaine, but the glorie of God.
It remaineth briefly and in a word to speake of trauailing, which if it bee ordinarie andOf trauelling. vsuall, is in no case lawfull: but if it be extraordinarie and necessarie, as often it happeneth to Lawyers, or Physitions, the according to the necessitie it is more or lesse permitted. We see that many Papists wil not stirre out on their Saints daies, whereby is detected the want of our spirituall louelove, which make no conscience to cease on the Lords day. And so the religion deuised by man findeth better entertainment & a further practise, than that which was ordained by God. If any man obiect the losse of his liuing, if he should not labour on this day, I oppose against that the losse of God his glorie, and that with his interrogatory, whether the miserable pelfe of man should not giuegive roome to the immortal glorie of God. And experience confirmeth the trueth of Gods word, that in vaine men rise early, and so late take their rest, in vaine they build and take so great paines, when the Lord denieth the blessing. And what were it to bee rich by policie, and poore by God his displeasure? What though the bagge be heauie, and their consciences troubled? What if they be rich with men, and poore with God? Againe, who is it that so disposed of his iournies and his affaires? so as some making conscience of their Sabbath, are in their iournies in one day better prospered, in their affaires in one houre more furthered, than many others contemning the ordinance of God are in many houres, and in many dayes? Who directeth men to bee prouident in their sales and bargainings? Who besotteth and infatuateth others? Who sendeth a man (that not for a simple desire of gaine, but for a single care to walke in his calling, vseth the trade of buying and selling) moe chapmen in one houre, than another man hath in an whole day, whose heart is inflamed, whose eyes are inkindled with louing gaine, and looking for profit howsoeuer it come by hooke or by crooke? Men ascribe this to chance, and so they oft by the iust iudgement of God receiue a blanke, that is, trusting to the blind world they receiue not so much gaine, as will acquite their charges. Can men trauaile day and night by sea and by land, and that for a thing transitorie, and will they reach out no houres for the defence of God his worship; Doe they feare theeues, if they inlarge their iourney for the keeping of a good conscience; & are they not afraid of theeues, when for their worldly affections they can trauaile early and late? Because herein the terror of their owne consciences will preach more forcibly to them, than I can speake, I will leaue them to that practise of the man of God, which is vsed Nehem. 12,
And thus hauing spoken of the workes of our callings, now wee are to speake of theOf the works of our pleasure… ▪ workes of our pleasures. Concerning the lawfull recreations of this life, which Christianity doth permit and not forbid (for of vnlawfull pleasures being alwaies out of season, and especially on the Sabbath, we hauehave nothing to say) whether they may hauehave place and time on the Lords day or no, here is the question. In this part of the treatise, I say, wee doe not speake of prophane & idle pleasures, but of them which bring some further vse after they be vsed, & which are permitted by the word of God, so measure in them may be vsed, and they be sanctified vntounto vsus by the word and by prayer. And yet euen for these we dare not giuegive the time consecrated to God, vntounto playing and pleasures. Neither are we curiously to frame any exquisite diuision in this matter, but first we will consider of the feasts and bankets accustomed on this day, and afterward of other recreations and exercises at that time frequented and vsed, which though in their time, place and persons they are not vnlawfull, yet at this time on the Lords day we denie them to be lawfull. As for feasts, we mayOf feasting and banketting. part them into LoueLove feasts, Church feasts, & sumptuous feasts, which carie with them some further expences and larger liberalitie, as are those which are vsed at mariages, at the admitting of men into their ciuill offices, or else are taken vp for some speciall benefits receiued, or some extraordinarie iudgements remoued, or some other causes like vntounto these, as when men carying some port and countenance in the common wealth, according to their degrees and callings, at some times doe ordaine.
Touching these solemne and sumptuous feasts, thus much we affirme briefly. Such as on the Lords day institute such solemnities, and stuffe eueryevery office, and bumbast eueryevery corner of the house with men and women, are to be admonished duly to consider of that, which is reported of Dauid both in the historie of the Kings, and in the booke of the Chronicles,… ▪ Sam. 22. 25. who hauing a vaine desire and superfluous appetite, would not deferre, but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced citie, and from whence water could not be conueied by hand, without some ieopardie to them that fetcht it. Wherfore three of his most worthie men hauehave this busines assigned them, to the compassing whereof their liues were hazarded. At their returne, grace making his after fruites better than the former, after better deliberation vsed, he powred forth the water on the ground, saying, God forbid that I should drink the blood or the liues of these three men: shewing thereby both his offence in sending them, & the free merciemercy of God in sauing them. Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot cōueniently be vsed on the Sabbath without the hazard of mens soules (though the Lord in merciemercy may saue their soules) as in that diuers offices in great families require diuers persons to performe diuers duties, and so that which is a day of rest, is made a day of toyling. The equitie of the not kindling of a fire must binde Christians, although the sanction doth not constraine them: whereas the Israelites of an inch of libertie would take an ell, for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them. And although we hauehave a further libertie to kindle a fire, for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were, yet the equitie of the law must teach vsus, that we ought not to turne this libertie to be seruant of our wanton desires, or to foster carnall licentiousnes, and hinder the worship of God.
If it be demaunded whether this day be fit for mariage or no: I answere, it is, because onObiection. that day as it is a day of reioycing, there is a more lawfull libertie of speech, and a more liberall vse of cheerfull behauiour. Howbeit, let them not on that day, if they marrie, make their solemne cheere: but seeing they may hauehave a conuenient companie some other day, let them either both marrie and feast some other day, or marrie on the Lords day, & feast another. And if it be demanded, whether LoueLove feasts may be kept on this day or no; I an swere, there is difference betweene louelove-feasts and solemne feasts. And if men were as wiseas they were in the times of Poperie, they would be politike to finde out some meanes to, prouide for the glorie of God, and yet not altogether neglect the conuenient furniture for their table. I am not to appoint, neither doe I vndertake to prescribe how meate should be prepared, or how offices should be deuided: yet by experience I can giuegive testimonie of some who for their religion beare credit in the Church, and for their authoritie carie some countenance in common wealth, and yet on the Lords day hauehave their tables both Christianly and worshipfully furnished without any hinderance of the worship of God at all, notwithstanding the number of their daily retinue & ordinary familie is great. It is one thing to prouide feasts of intertainement more than competent, and another thing to vse louefeasts nothing lesse than is conuenient, the one oppressing and disabling vsus to holy exercises, the other refreshing and enabling vsus to the duties of religion.
Now concerning the exercises & pleasures of the body, leauing all vaine pastimes at allOf pastimes and recreations. times vnlawfull, but most especially on the Sabbath, and to speake of such recreations, as in themselues are lawfull, and may lawfully be vsed of the children of God in their time and place; as those of shooting, training vp of souldiers, and such like, all which their pleasures carie a profit either present or in time to come, to the Church or commonwealth; we denie not simplie then their places, but thinke them conuenient, and commendable with the testimonie of the holy Ghost: 2. Sam. 1. where Ionathan is commended of Dauid for his shooting. Howbeit, the Sabbath day is no fitte time for these vses, which weIf trauell be forbidden in seede time and haruest, much more pleasures all the yeere long. will shew briefly. First we must know, that the Lord hauing forbidden the workes of our ordinarie calling, which carie with them a more speciall promise of profit and warrant of reward in their time, forbiddeth also lawfull pleasures: because if the vse of those be forbidden, being lawfull and necessarie for the vpholding and maintaining of mans life, then these things not so needfull, though conuenient for recreation, are much more inhibited. And this we shall see more plainely, if we remember that rest is so farre commanded, as it is an helpe and furtherance to sanctification, and labour so farre is forbidden, as it is an impediment of the same. In regard whereof, if pleasures be no lesse lets and impediments to the hallowing of the Sabbath, than bodily and ordinarie labours; then pleasures hauehave no more libertie on the Lords day, than our outward workes. Furthermore, we must be circumspect not to rest in any drowsie or sleepie securitie of the flesh: but in what measure soeuer we detract from the ordinarie workes of our calling, in that proportion must we adde to the sanctification of the day: not much vnlike to good Christians, who bestow on their soules whatsoeuer they take from their bodies. Which wisedome and diligence though we vse most carefully, yet for as much as we shall leaue as many duties vnperformed, as we shall hauehave performed, I see not what leisure we can lawfully lend to recreations. If any carnall professor shall presse this thing more vehemently, me thinketh he may blush at the defence of it, seeing this kinde of keeping holy daies in pleasures and playing, was vsed euen of the Heathen, who sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play: first balacing their bellies with feastes, & then refreshing themselues with play. Wherefore as we now denie Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen: so we denie holy-day playes, as remnants of ancient prophanenesse.
But if it be here obiected, that the Iewes had their solemne feasts, musicall instruments, and exercises of pleasure, yet the men alwaies by themselues, and the other sexe by themselues; not with that monstrous mixture of men and women, which is a chiefe sinne and arch-enemie to religion of our age, and that with holy Psalmes made by Dauid and Moses, not with vaine minstrelsie vsed of prophane Atheists: I answere, as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth. 13. of his owne person, that they being as children spake as children, they vnderstood as children, they thought as children, being but in the rudiments: but we becomming men, must put away childish things. Againe, the superstition of the Papists checketh this abuse, who would admit none outward exercises on their Easter, Whitsontide, andThe vnclean sinne of dancing. holy Thursday, at what times they thought a bird would scarsely build her nest. Did not the Papists breake their superstitious holidaies, and shall we so prophanely pollute the Lord his Sabbath? Our Easter day, our Ascension day, our Whitsontide is eueryevery Lords day: and therefore we ought to make a speciall care of sanctifying of this day. What shall I say of the zeale of worldlings, which may controll by contraries the securitie of our sinnes? For all worldly men seeke neuer for pleasure, whilest profit doth drop; as we may see in them that liue on Faires and Markets, as Chapmen and Inholders. So long as they hope to gaine a penie, how waite they, how diligent are they, how little play they, how busie are they? And why? Forsooth it is their haruest, it is their market, which (say they) they must attend vponupon whilest occasion lasteth. Behold the policie & painefulnesse of the world may teach vsus, what we ought to doe for our soules. Is not the Sabbath the haruest time and market day for the soule, wherein we should gather in whilest the Sunne shineth, wherein we we should be very diligent, whilest our gaine is promised, wherin we must prouide for a liuing and maintenance, and lay vp store, laying all pleasure aside vntill the time to come?
And to returne to the Papists, what posting Priests, what mumbled mas…es, what hunting praiers, what hastie seruice had they, when any other solemnitie should be vsed? WhatEsai. 58. then, will some say, no vse of recreations? I doe not simply denie profitable exercises, but what shall we do with them on the Lords day? If all our delight were in the Sabbath, if all our springs were in it, if we made it our chiefest ioy, what place should or ought to be left to such carnall delights, to such fleshly pleasures? If any shall obiect, that it was not a necessitieObiection. to leade the oxe to the water, and yet it was lawfull, and therefore things conuenient in some cases permitted: men hauehave the vse of pleasures conuenient. I answere, thatAnswere. the oxe so led to water, is not to play and friske on that day, because that may without detriment be deferred, and the other cannot: and the pleasures conuenient, as eating and drinking moderately, may on that day be vsed, in that without them followeth some detriment, & yet we permit not to play, which is a thing that without hurt may be for borne on that day for Gods sake, if without hurt wee can forbeare it an whole weeke for the worlds sake. To be shorte, spirituall wisedome ma prouide both for the Lord his worship, for our callings, & for the lawes. And like as in regard of inconuenience, the politike lawes restraine bowling in some men, not that in it selfe it is meerely vnlawfull, but that for all estates for certaine causes it is not conuenient, in that they would detaine some from their callings: from which if they should rest, they should incurre both the losse of better things, the misspending of time, and hinderance of their honest gaine. In which respect of hindering better things, we denie playing on the Lords day.
Yet there may remaine a question, whether sicke persons may hauehave their exercises onSicke persōs. this day, or no? We answere, if they be extremely sicke, it is a time of praying, and not of playing, according to the axiome of Iames, chap 5. If they be not so dangerously sicke, they neede i… not: for if they can bu…ie their hearts, hands, bodies and mindes about playing, then their late visitation and the fruite of it should rather cause them to refresh themselues with reading, singing, or a more liberall exercise of conferring with them that be godly. And to knit vp this part, let vsus remember in the former obiection drawn from the law of the Realme, that the ciuill law doth not so much permit the libertie, which good men know to vse well, as it doth restraine the licentiousnesse, which euill men vse badly: because better it is that good men should want their libertie, which they may doe, than euill men should be confirmed in their licentiousnesse, which they ought not to do: so that euill men may be made good, and good men are nothing hurt. And because louelove asketh not her owne, but is cōtent for the good of others to depart from it owne libertie, though we could (which indeed we cannot) vse recreation without the hinderance of God his worship; yet we should not vse it being a griefe to the godly, an offence to the weake ones, a matter of reioycing to the vngodly.
It remaineth in the last place to shew, how the Sabbath is prophaned either in thought,How the Sabbath is prophaned in thought, word, &c. The differēce between the not sanctifying and prophaning of the Sabbath. in word, or in deed. For there is a difference betweene the not sanctifying, and the plaine prophaning of the Sabbath, in that the one is not altogether desirous to breake it, the ether hath no desire at all to keepe it. Neither is the Sabbath onelyonly broken by prophanenesse, but also by idle workes, and not carefull keeping of it Some prophane the Sabbath by corrupt iudgement, as Heretikes: some by a corrupt life, as carnall professors; the one a high malice of Satan, the other a dangerous deceit o… the diuell. When men too worldly minded, make the Lords day a day of riddance, a packing day, a counting day to make oddes euen with all men, but euen things odde with God. And it is the lamentable sinne of our age, to presse the Lords ordinance & appointed day with al relicks of law matters; with the dregs of ancient quarrels, or new broched brawlings, with posting to Iustices; not to be reconciled, but to be auenged, not to finish, but to re…iue controuersies, and to …ub old iniuries vntill they bleed: so as that day that is sanctified & ordained for louelove, is a day of hatred; of a day of reconciliation, it is made a day of dissension; and this cannot but proceed from a prophane stocke. Others as seeming more fauourable, though they make not this day a time of pāpering of the flesh (which is a time of purging the flesh) yet they make it a day of palpable darkenes, which should be a day of bright shining light: by huntingProphanation of the Sabbath. of beares, by haunting of playes, and such like, that if they begin the day in the spirit, they w…l end in the flesh, receiuing some good motions in the morning▪ they burie them in the euening, and giuing the Lord the forenoone, they recompence the diuell with the afternoone. Yea in some place the Lords day is the Diuels day, being fraught with so many fraies, stained with such filthie fornication, and burthened with the sinnes which their ordinarie callings on the weeke daies spue…out, in that on those daies they cannot bee frequented for want o… companie. Now whether we speake of the not sanctifying, or of theThought. prophaning of the day, we affirme the Sabbath to be broken in thought, word and deede. For the whole law being spirituall, Rom. 7. and this being a principall part of that lawe, it must needes be that this precept, as well as the rest, taketh vp as well the inner as the outward man. Besides, it is a generall rule in the law, that whatsoeuer is vnlawfull to be done, the same is vnlawfull to be thought or spoken of: and looke in what measure the wicked actions of men are forbidden, in the same manner is the wicked affection and communicationWord. forbidden also. Many hauehave notwithstanding made such proceedings in sinne, that when they should reckon with their soules, they reckon with their seruants, and when they should make euen with their consciences, they strike euen with their chapmen, and yet perswade themselues of small breach of the Sabbath, because (as they say) they do but speake a little with their tongue, and scribble with their pennes. Then wee must knowe, that as what we may doe, that we may talke of: so what we may not doe, that may we not talke of. Wherefore laying aside our filthie songs, our table talke of worldly matters, our carnal deuices and worldly compasses, which we are fetching in our thoughts, whilest wee sit in the congregation, our priuie discourses of our successe in our callings, and our politike disposingThe nourishing and harbouring of euil thoughts in our hearts on the Sabbath will depriue vsus of all fruit of Gods worship. of our weeke following; all which shut out of the doores better things, and ouerquel the vigour of good things. Wherefore as the nourishing of ill thoughts is at all times vnseasonable: so to harbour them on this day is most abominable. Many will temper their tongues, and stay their hands, but yet will giuegive some libertie to their hearts: as though the Lord condemned not as well the hypocrisie of the one, as the wickednesse of the other. Now we must remember to eueryevery generall poynt to ioyne our particular practise, that we may obtaine the blessings laid vp for the obedient, and auoide the curses laid vp for the disobedient: which the Lord assist vsus in, for Christ his sake our Lord and onelyonly Sauiour.
Amen.
FINIS.