Concerning the Lords Day, State of the Church of Rome, Execution of Priests, Title page – Dedication
THREE POSITIONS Concerning the
1 Authoritie of the Lords day.
2 State of the Church of Rome.
3 Execution of Prieſts.
ALL WRITTEN VPONUPON SPEciall occaſions by IAMES BALMFORD Minister.
2. Tim. 2. 7. Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord giuegive thee vnderstanding in all things.
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for RICHARD BOYLE. 1607.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, AND VERTVOVS LADY THE LADY MARGARET Countiſſe of Cumberland; IAMES BALMFORD (an vnprofitable ſeruant of Ieſus Christ) wiſheth all true honor in this life, and eternall glorie in the life to come.
I Will honor them, who1. Sam. 2. 30 honor me, ſaith the Lord of Lords: but in no one thing is that Lord more honored, than in a religious ſanctifying of the Lords day, which is an holy SigneExod. 31. 13 betweene the Lord and vsus, that he doth ſanctifie vsus to be his people, and that we ſanctifie him to be our God. Of which day it is thus written; If thou turne awayIſa. 58. 13. 14. thy foote from the Sabbath, frō doing thy will on mine holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight to cōſecrate it as glorious to the Lord, and ſhalt honour him, not doing thine owne waies, nor ſeeking thine own wil, nor ſpeaking a vaine word, Then ſhalt thou delight in the Lord, and I will cauſe thee to mount vponupon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father: For the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it. In which words we may obſerue, 1. How highly the Lord esteemeth his Sabbath. 2. How religiouſly the people of God are to ſanctifie the ſame. 3. That they, who make no conſcience of ſuch ſanctifying the Sabbath, can neuer delight in the Lord, what profeſsion ſoeuer they make: and 4. That religious ſanctifying the Sabbath, as it is a principall part of Godlineſſe, ſo it hath a ſpeciall promiſe of ſpeciall bleſsings, euen in this life. With theſe, and many other moſt gracious words, would God perſwade man to bee holy. But man hath ſought out many inuentions, and amongſt the reſt, this conceipt; That the Lords day is not the ordinance of God. VponUpon which ground many make no more conſcience of ſanctifying the Lords day, than of keeping holie daies (ſo called) ordained only by humane authoritie; and ſome, by writing, not yet publiſhed, hauehave opened a gappe to much licentiouſneſſe. To ſloppe which gappe (as I may) I hauehave endeuoured to proue; That the Lords day is an ordinance of God. Which Poſition, with two other, concerning the Church of Rome, and Execution of Prieſts (written vponupon iuſt occaſions, and by perſwaſion, the former of your Honor, the other of that right Chriſtian Noble-man, of moſt honorable memorie, Henry late Earle of Huntington) I houe publiſhed vnderunder your Right Honorable name; As knowing your well informed zeale for the Lords day, and against the Synagogue of Rome to be ſuch, that England were the happieſt nation in the world, if all noble perſonages were indued with the like; And (withall) hoping, that by theſe, and other more Diuine Treatiſes, the ſame ſhall be yet more and more inflamed, to the glorie of God, and comfort of your owne Soule.