Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 34
On Thursday the xx. of Iune. 1555. The xxxiiij. Sermon, which is the fifth vponupon the fifth Chapter.
12 Keepe the day of rest, to hallowe it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee.
13 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour, and doe all thy businesses:
14 But the seuenth day is the rest of the Lorde thy God, Thou shalt not doe any worke therein.
AFter that he had spoken of the pure worshipping and seruing of GOD, to the glorifying of his name, without taking of it either in othes or in other thinges, otherwise than in way of honour, nowe mention is made of Gods seruice accordingly as he hath required it in his lawe, and of the order which he hath set downe for the faithfull to exercise themselues in. As for example, the [Sabaoth or] day of rest was a figure, partly to shewe that men could not serue God duetifully, but by mortifying all that euer is of our owne nature, and by dedicating themselues therewithall in such sort vntounto him, as they may bee as it were quite separated from the world. Secondly the day of rest was a Ceremonie to bring the people togither, that they might heare the Lawe, and call vppon the name of GOD, and offer the sacrifices, and all other thinges that concerne the spirituall gouernment. Thus then wee see nowe after what sorte the Sabaoth day was spoken of: but yet would it not be well vnderstoode without distinction, and without laying forth of the said two partes by peece meale. Therefore we hauehave to note, that the Sabaoth or day of rest, was a shadow vnderunder the Law till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, to doe mē to vnderstand that God requireth that they should vtterly ceasse from their owne workes: and that is it which I meant in one word, when I said yt we must mortifie all that euer is of our own nature, if wee will conforme our selues to our God. And that it is so, Saint Paule declareth: and besides that, wee hauehave recordes ynow thereof in the newe Testament. But it shall suffice to hauehave alledged that which is most apparant, namely to the Colossians,Col. 2.17. where it is saide that wee hauehave the substance and the body of the thinges that were vnderunder the Lawe, wee hauehave it (sayeth he) in Iesus Christ. And therefore it was requisite for the fathers of old time to bee trained in this hope, as well by the day of rest, as by some other Ceremonies. But nowe that the thing it selfe is giuen vntounto vsus, wee must no more stay vppon the shadowes. In deede the lawe is not so abolished, but that we ought to holde still the substance and trueth of it:Matt. 5.18. Eph. 2.15. Col. 2.14.17. but yet is the shadowe of it done away by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ If it bee demaunded how the fathers of olde time knewe that: Moses hath giuen vsus vnderstanding thereof, as is shewed sufficiently in the Booke of Exodus,Exod. … 17. For God hauing set foorth his Lawe in the twentieth of Exodus, which hee vttered vntounto Moses, telleth him to what ende it tended, saying that he had ordeyned the Sabaoth daye, to bee as a warrant of the sanctifying of the people of Israel vntounto him. It is (sayeth he) a badge of my holynesse which I hauehave ordayned among you. Now when as the scripture speaketh to vsus of being made holy vntounto GOD: it is to separate vsus from all thinges that are contrarie to his seruice. But where is such purenesse to bee founde? Wee bee in the worlde, and wee knowe that in the worlde there is nothing but vtter frowardnesse and naughtinesse as sayeth Saint Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle.1. Ioh. … But men neede not to goe out of themselues to hauehave battell against God and his righteousnesse: for all our senses and all our affections (sayeth Saint Paule in the eyght to the Romanes) are enemies vntounto God.Rom. … When men giuegive heede to their owne thoughts, desires, likings, and lustes: they make open warre against God. Wee knowe howe it is tolde vsus in the sixth of Genesis, that all that euer man can imagine is alwayes euill,Gen. ….… and that all that euer man deuiseth in himselfe and hath of his owne store, is vtterly vntowarde and corrupt afore God. So then, wee see well that wee cannot bee sanctifyed to our God, that is to say, wee cannot serue him vndefyledly, except wee bee separated from the defylings that are contrarie to him, and that the thinges which are of our owne nature bee abolished. Nowe it was requisite that all these thinges should bee figured to the auncient fathers, bicause Iesus Christ was not yet fully reuealed vntounto them. But wee in these dayes hauehave the full accomplishment and performance of all thinges in Iesus Christ. And for proofe thereof,Ro…. … Saint Paule saieth that the olde man is crucified with him. Whereas Saint Paul speakes after that sort of the olde man, he meaneth the things that we hauehave from Adam, all which must be rypened and done away. Not as touching the substance of our bodie or of our soule, but as touching ye naughtines that is in vsus. The blindnes that maketh vsus to go astray, and the wicked lustes & likings which are vtterly disobedient to Gods rightuousnesse, must be beaten downe, bicause they be drawen frō Adam. And how is that done? Not by our owne power or policie: but by our Lorde Iesus Christ:1. Cor. …. who by dying for vsus,Rom. … to wipe away our sinnes yt they might no more bee imputed vntounto vsus, hath also purchased vsus this prerogatiue, yt by ye power of his holy spirit we be able to forsake the world & our selues, so as our fleshly affectiōs shall not ouermaister vsus. And although we be ful of disobedience: yet shall Gods spirit ouerrule vsus, to hold them downe & to keep thē in awe. And therefore it is sayd yt wee be risen againe with him,Col. 2.12. as S. Paul declareth lykewise in ye forealledged text to ye Colossians. But this was not yet manifested vnderunder ye Law. Therfore it was requisit yt the fathers which liued at ye time, shold hauehave some help, such as ye sacrifices were, to feed thē in the hope of the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ, so as they might know yt their sinnes were cleansed away by ye bloud of ye mediator▪ Likewise they had ye Saboth day as warrāt of the grace yt was purchased vsus to mortify our thoughtes & affections, that God might liue in vsus by ye power of his holy spirit.Gal. 2.19.20
Now we hauehave som entrance to cōceiue yt which was touched briefely before: yt is to wit, yt the Saboth day was as a figure, to represēt ye thing yt was fulfilled in deede at ye comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And therefore let vsus marke wel, yt the Saboth day extēded to ye whole seruice of God, to shewe that men could not honor him purely, but by renouncing thēselues, & by being separated from the defilemēts of ye world & of their owne flesh.Eze. 20.21. & 22.8. & 32.38. And for the same cause were the Iewes rebuked lykewise by the prophet Ezechiel for not keeping the Saboth day. And it is tolde them in such wise as if they had broken the whole lawe generally. And not without cause: for he yt despiseth the Saboth day, hath (as much as in him lyeth) thrust the whole seruice of God vnderunder foot. And if the day of rest be not kept: all the residewe is nothing woorth, according to this saying of ye Prophet Esay, yt men must bereaue themselues of their owne vertues,Esa. 58.13. and be contented to forgoe them: or else it is not the Lordes Saboth, neither doth he lyke or alowe of it. Hereby we see yt it is to no purpose to obserue the ceremonie alone. For had the Iewes kept the ceremonie neuer so straitly in assembling together on the Saboth day, without stirring one finger in their housholde businesse, & yet in the meane while nourish their own wicked affectiōs, & afterward put them in effect: it had bin but a mocking of God, by abusing of his name, and by defacing and falsifying the whole order that he had ordeined accordingly also as he vpbraideth them. But the chiefe thing was to hauehave an eye to the true meaning of the figure: that is to wit, to the spirituall seruing of God. And yet therewithal it behooued the Iewes to keepe the ceremonie also that was commaunded them. For God did so bridle them, as he vouchsafed not to let them hauehave the substance of things [alone by it selfe,] but he would that they should also hauehave the shadowes of them therewithall, vntil the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ.
…ol. 2.20.And hereby wee see the thing that S. Paul speaketh: namely that as now we be no more tyed to the old bondage of keping the Saboth day. For we must doe so much honor to Iesus Christ, as to holde our selues contented with that which hee hath brought vsus in his owne person, without the hauing of the outward thinges any more yt were vnderunder the law. Now we see how this obseruation concerneth vsus at this day. As touching the ceremonie it selfe, it is past as I sayde, and therefore wee must come to the substance: which is, yt to serue God wel, wee must learne to forbeare al our own wils, & all our own thoughts & affections. And why? Because yt when wee will needes be wise in our owne conceites to imagine this or yt to serue God withal, we marre al. Therfore our own wisedom must be layd down, & we must heare God speake, without following our own wil or fancie. Thus the first entrāce to keep the Saboth day as we ought to doe, is, not to beleeue the thing yt seemeth good to our selues: for wee must rest. And how must we rest? Wee must stand at a stay, so as our thoughtes runne not rouing abroade, to inuent one thing or other. We must (say I) continue quietly at one stay in the obedience of our God.Rom. 8.7. And when wee be tempted by our owne lustes, we must consider that all our lewde and disobedient affections, are enemies to God euerichone of them. Therefore we must rest stil in that behalfe, and referre our selues vntounto God, that he onelyonly may worke in vsus, and guide and gouerne vsus by his holy spirit.
Hereby we see God ouerslipped not any thing, when hee ordeined the Saboth day. And sith it hath so large a scope: what want wee more to teach vsus a perfect doctrine of holynesse, when we hauehave the thinges which the holy Ghost hath set before vsus? The matter is that we shoulde liue holily in the obedience of our God. And how is that to be done? Euen by receiuing his single worde, and by fashioning our selues according to his righteousnesse. Now forasmuch as the thinges which we hauehave of our owne nature, are cōtrarie thereunto:Matt. 6.14. Luk. 9.23. we must begin at this end of renoūcing our selues. That being done, we hauehave all that is requisite to the seruing of God. But yt is very hard to be done. And therefore when we heare yt God commandeth vsus to keepe the Saboth day, let vsus looke that we marke, and consider that it wil not be done with playing, but yt we must inforce our selues: & we shall hauehave profited greatly all our lyfe, if we keepe it well, that is to wit by renouncing whatsoeuer wee hauehave of our owne, and by dedicating our selues wholy vntounto our God. And we ought to bee the more inflamed to the spirituall keeping of the Saboth of the Lord, seing we be set free frō the slauish subiection of the law, and God hath graunted greater priuiledge to vsus, than he did to the fathers of olde time: insomuch that hee is contented with our mortifying of the old man, to be renewed again by the power of his holy spirit, & we be no more boūd to the ceremonie that was kept so straitly vnderunder the law. Seing yt God handleth vsus so louingly: it bindeth vsus the more to hauehave an eye to the principal, yt we may obserue it duely. Yea & we must not alledge yt the aūcient fathers had ye ceremonie to quickē thē vp, which serued thē as a spurre: for inasmuch as our Lord Iesus Christ is come, we hauehave much more than the outwarde and visible signe. And forasmuch as al the things that were figured in those shadowes, are accomplished in him:Col 2.17. we must not craue stil the thinges that were vnderunder the lawe. Thus ye see how the thing that is ordeined here concerning the Saboth day, is nowe fulfilled, at leastwise as in respect of the truth of the figure, which the fathers had but in shadowe. And in very deede looke what was commaunded concerning the day of rest, must needes belong to vsus as well as to thē. For let vsus take Gods lawe in it selfe, and we shall hauehave an euerlasting rule of righteousnesse. And it is certeine that vnderunder the tenne commaundementes, God intended to giuegive a rule that should indure for euer. Therefore let vsus not thinke that the thinges which Moses speaketh of the Saboth day,Psal. 19.8.9.10. Matt. 5.18. are needelesse for vsus: not for that the figure remaineth still in force, but because we hauehave the trueth thereof. And for the same cause the Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrewes, applyeth the thinges that were spoken of the Saboth day,Heb. 4.3.10. to the instruction of the Christians and of the new Church. For hee sheweth vsus that we must fashion our selues lyke to our GOD, and that this is our full felicitie and perfection, because the whole souereigne welfare of man consisteth in being created after the image of God. What is to be done now, seeing that the said image is defaced by sin, but that it may bee repaired againe? Ye see then that the way for vsus to atteine to perfection, is to fashion our selues lyke to our God and to yeelde to his will, and to inquire of his workes: that wee may doe the lyke. Wherefore let vsus vnderstand that to serue God well, we at this day be commaunded to streine our selues to the vttermost of our power, to subdew our owne thoughtes, affections and desires, that God may reigne in vsus and rule vsus by his holy spirit. And therefore it is in vaine for all hipocrites to glose, & to set a faire countenance vponupon their doinges. For so lōg as wicked couetousnesse lyeth lurking in their heartes: so long as they bee ful of enuie, rancor, ambition, crueltie, or guile: it is certeine that they do nothing else but breake the Saboth day. And therefore we may conclude that they ouerthrow the whole seruice of God, according to that which I alledged afore out of Ezechiel. As much is sayd thereof in Ieremy.Iere. 17.24. And in deed that is ye cause why the ceremonie was so straitly looked to vnderunder ye lawe. Thinke we that God did euer take pleasure in mens idlenesse? no surely. But he punished the partie as sore yt wrought vppon the Saboth day, as him that had murdered a man. And why so? It seemeth to be a crueltie, that a man should bee put to death for cleauing of a litle wood vppon ye Saboth day,Num. 15.32.35. as if he had cōmitted a murther. But yet doth God condemne him to death yt cleaued wood vponupon ye Saboth day. And why? Because ye vnderunder that figure was cōprehended ye whole seruice of God. And for ye same cause is it sayd in Ieremie,Ier. 17.21.22.28. yt they bare burthens, and went to cart vponupon the Saboth day. And why? It should seeme that God stādeth too much vponupon a trifling and childish matter: but he had an eye to the thing that was betokened by the Saboth day▪ and when that was so despised by the Iewes, it was a trayterousnesse, whereby they shewed that they made no reckoning of the lawe at all. So then, to come againe to our selues, seeing that wee hauehave not this figure so straitly nowadayes, but God hath giuen vsus a greater libertie,Col. … which was purchased for vsus by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ: let vsus learne to giuegive our selues earnestly vntounto him, and to vnderstand (as I sayd afore) that we may all trauel in all the residewe, and yet it shalbe to no purpose vnlesse our affections be brideled, so as wee striue to renounce all our owne thoughtes and desires, in such sort as God may hauehave the whole gouerning of vsus, and we protest that we desire nothing else than to rest in him. And for the same cause also doth God set foorth himselfe to vsus for an example. For hee thinkes it not enough to commaund men to rest: but also sheweth them the way.Gen. … For after he had created the worlde and all that is therein, hee himselfe rested. Not that he was weary or had any neede of rest: but to allure vsus to behold his workes▪ that we might rest in them, and therewithall fashion our selues lyke vntounto him. Wil we then keepe the spiritual rest? lyke as it is said that God rested frō his workes: so must we rest also, ceasing to doe what seemeth good to our selues, and whatsoeuer our owne nature coueteth. If this example of God prouoke vsus not: wee shewe well thereby that we neither seeke nor in any wise couet our owne welfare, but that we will needes continew wilfully in our wretched and cursed state. The souereigne welfare of men (as I sayd afore) is to sticke vntounto God & to be knit vntounto him. Beholde, our Lord calleth vsus to him, & telleth vsus that wee can hauehave no true holynesse nor vnion with him, but by resting from our owne workes. Now if we be so vnruly, that we will alwayes be occupying of our armes & legges, & be still doing what wee thinke good: surely it is as a breaking of ye band that is betweene God and vsus, & a separating and estranging of our selues from him as much as in vsus lyeth. And doth it not appeare thereby, yt we seeke to be left vp as a pray to Satan, to be caryed & haryed away by him, for want of being any more vnderunder the protection of our God? Yes: but what for that? There are very fewe yt thinke of yt. The world sees what libertie al men take to thē selues. If one come & tel a man that he must not walke after his owne fancie. Tush (saith hee) I knowe how to behaue my selfe. But a man could not deuise to spite God more manifestly, than by such rebelliousnesse. It is all one as if we woulde needes shewe that wee will not yt he should hauehave any superioritie ouer vsus. In deede men will not be acknowē yt it is so: but yet it is so in very deede. For (as I hauehave sayd already) it is no seruing of God, vnlesse we begin at the absteyning frō our owne thoughtes & affections. Therefore when men will needes be selfwise & trust to their owne wit, so as they take leaue to doe what they list, & to follow their own affections & fancies▪ & labor not to represse thē, but are offended whē others goe about to reclaime them: it is a signe yt they neuer wist what it is to serue God, nor yt it is the chiefest poynt of the lawe. And therefore let vsus marke wel, yt whereas God alledgeth his owne example: it is to allure vsus gently to ye keeping of yt spiritual Saboth or rest, yt we might thinke our selues vnhappy to be separated frō him, as I touched afore. And behold, ye band of this cōiunctiō is yt we withdraw not our selues from his religion & trueth, but suffer our selues to be ruled by him.
But now it may be demaunded, why ye Iewes were commaunded to rest but onelyonly the seuenth day: for our renowncing of our owne thoughtes & affectiōs, must not be for one day in a weeke: but we must continue in yt minde al ye time of our lyfe. To be short, the rest yt God cōmandeth vsus is euerlasting, and not by pangs or fittes as they say. And why then close he but one day of the week? It was to shew vsus, that when we hauehave done what we can to renounce our wicked lustes, our false pretences, and whatsoeuer else is of our own nature: yet shall we neuer be able to atteine fully thereunto, till we be quite & cleane bereft of our fleshe. True it is ye faithful ought to keepe a continual Sabboth all their life long, by forbearing their own wils and workes, & by indeuoring to giuegive themselues ouer vntounto God wt all humilitie & submission, so as they may obey him quietly: I say we must doe so, or else al ye seruice yt we be desirous to doe vntounto God, shall be but a feining, & he wil disalowe it & reiect it. Neuerthelesse we cannot so discharge our selues in renoūcing our affections, but yt there will alwayes be somewhat worthie of blame in vsus. S. Paul doth in deed glory yt the world was crucified vntounto him,Gal. 6.14. & 5.17. & he vntounto ye world: but yet for al yt, he ceaseth not to say, yt his fleshe fighteth against his spirit, so as there is neuer any agreemēt betwixt thē. Yea and hee confesseth in ye seuenth to ye Romans, that he felt such strife cōtinually in himselfe,Ro. 7.15.19. as he did not ye good yt he would hauehave done, yt is to say, he performed it not wt so earnest affection, nor was so fully determined to walke according to ye will of God, but yt he had alwayes some lets to hinder him, so as to his own seming, insted of running strongly, he did but go limpingly. Sith it is so: let vsus marke yt Gods ordeining of ye seuēth day to rest in, was not wtout cause: for thereby he doth vsus to vnderstand, yt we cannot atteyne to ye perfect holinesse which he requireth at our hands, neither in one day, nor in one monethmonth. Why so? Because yt when we hauehave fought neuer so lustily against the affectiōs of our flesh, & against our wicked thoughts: there will alwayes remaine some dregges stil, till we be fully vnited to our God, & that he hauehave taken vsus vp into his heauenly kingome. Vntill yt time, we shall alwayes hauehave some temptations, trouble, & vnquietnesse in vsus, so as wee shall well perceiue (I meane such of vsus as indeuer to serue God) that we be stil subiect to many tēptations, & to the feeling of a number of stinges whereby we be prouoked to this or that. And are not all those thinges as many hinderances to holde vsus backe frō the spiritual rest? If a man rested himselfe in God as he should doe: he should not conceiue any thing at all in his minde, that might turne him aside from the right way. He shoulde not hauehave any wicked lustes or lykinges. All such thinges shoulde bee farre from him. Now then when as we conceiue a number of lewde imaginations: then doth Satan step in to assaile vsus, & to vexe vsus wt vnquietnesse. And when our minde is once inclined to doe euill: there are a number of thinges in vsus, yt tickle vsus & set vsus still foreward. And although we hate ye euil, yet so it is, yt by such tēptations we are prouoked to goe through with it. And thereby it appeareth yt it is not an easie matter to winde our selues frō our wicked lustes, & to bring to passe yt they may no more reigne in vsus. So then let vsus go foreward with this indeuer of keeping Gods spiritual Saboth, for we shal neuer atteine fully to it, vntill ye end of our lyfe.
But hereby we be put in minde of two things. The one is to mislyke of our selues, & to mourne continually, & to consider that although to our owne seeming we hauehave takē neuer so great pain to obey our GOD: yet notwithstanding we be but yet on our way stil, and we come far short of fulfilling the thinges that are required and commaunded in the lawe. Thus hauehave wee a cause to humble our selues, because God shal always find enough and too much to condemne in vsus as cō cerning our seruing of him, and also because that the spirituall rest is not yet such as he hath commaunded, nothing neere. And lyke as wee hauehave occasion to humble our selues & to be sorie with true repentance: so ought we on the other side to be ye more moued & quickened vp to goe forward, sith we see our owne wants as thus: True it is that God hath giuen me the grace to bee desirous to serue him: but how doe I behaue my self therin? alas I am yet far off frō doing it. Sith we see it is so: what should we do but inforce our selues? Therfore wt our abhorring of ye euil which is in vsus, let vsus also be the more earnest to profit stil in this rest, & to go foreward in it, & let eueryevery of vsus dayly call himselfe to account. Ye see then that God hauing giuen vsus occasiō to humble our selues all the time of our life, sheweth vsus that we must be earnest in correcting our vices, & in mortifying our flesh dayly more & more, & consider yt it is not enough for vsus to hauehave our olde man crucifyed in part, vnlesse we be also quite buried wt Iesus Christ,Rom. 7.4. as saith S. Paul in ye seuenth to the Romans before alledged. Thus much cōcerning ye seuēth day, wherof mētiō is made in this place.
Now must we come to the second point: which is, yt (as I hauehave sayd already) ye Saboth day was a policy or order whereby to exercise the faithfull in the seruice of God. For that day was ordeined for men to assemble in, to heare the doctrine of the lawe preached, to communicate together wt sacrifices, and to call vponupon the name of God. As touching these poyntes, it belongeth as well to vsus as to the people of olde time. For albeit yt the figure be ceased, (I meane the same that S. Paul speaketh of in the episte to the Colossians:) yet notwithstanding, so much as cōcerneth the order, continueth still and hath his vse. And to what end serueth this order? To assemble our selues in the name of God. True it is that this ought to be done cōtinually: howbeit for our infirmities sake, or rather by reason of our slothfulnesse, it is requisite that some one day should be chosen out. If we were as ernest in seruing of God as we ought to bee: wee should not appoynte one day in a weeke, onelyonly but eueryevery man ought to meete both morning and euening without lawe written, to bee edifyed more and more by Gods worde. And truely this exercise is more than needefull for vsus, considering that wee bee so inclined to euill, as there needeth not any thing to thrust vsus out of the way: and therefore it were expedient for vsus to come together dayly in the name of God. But what? We see that men wil scarse meete vponupon the Lord his day, and that moste of them must bee held to it as it were by force. Considering then that there is such infirmitie in vsus: let vsus vnderstand that this order was not made al onelyonly for the Iewes, that they might hauehave some day wherin to come together: but also for vsus, so as it belongeth to vsus as well as to thē.
But yet herewithall we hauehave to marke, that this is not all: for it were a very slender order to hauehave a rest of our handes and feete, and to go no further than so. What then? we must apply this rest to a higher purpose: we must refraine from our owne businesse which might hinder vsus from the minding of Gods workes: and wee must call vponupon his name and exercise our selues in his worde. If wee spende the Lordes day in making good cheere, and in playing and gaming is that a good honoring of God? Nay, is it not a mockerie, yea and a very vnhalowing of his name? Yes. But when the Shopwindowes are shut in on the Lords day, and men trauel not as they do on other dayes: it is to the ende wee shoulde hauehave the more leasure and libertie, to intend to the thinges that God commaundeth: that is to wit, to be taught by his worde, to meete together to make confession of our faith, to call vppon his name, & to exercise our selues in ye vse of his Sacramentes. That is the purpose whereunto this order ought to serue vsus. But now let vsus see if those which name themselues Christians, discharge themselues as they ought to do. Behold, a great number thinke to hauehave ye Lordes day most free to followe their owne busines, & reserue that day for the same purpose, as though there were none other day for them to appoynt vppon of all the weeke long. And though the bell tole to bring them to the sermon, yet it seemeth vntounto them, that they hauehave nothing else to doe, but to thinke vponupon their busines, and to cast vp their accounts concerning this and that matter. Othersome fall to gluttonie, and shut vp thēselues in their houses, because they dare not shewe a manifest contempt in the open streetes: but yet the Lord his day is to them but as a couert to shrinke aside in from the Church of God. And hereby it appeareth what affection we hauehave towardes all Christianitie, & towardes ye seruing of God, seeing we make that thing an occasion of withdrawing our selues further of from God, which is giuen vsus for a helpe to bring vsus neerer vntounto him. And againe, be we once gone astray: it serueth to pul vsus quite and cleane away. And is not yt a diuelish spite of men? yet notwithstanding it is so cōmon a thing, as is pitie to see: and would God that examples were more rare and further of to be found. But ye worlde sees how all thinges are vnhallowed, insomuch that most folke hauehave no regard at al of ye vsing of that day, which was ordayned to withdrawe vsus from all earthly cares and affaires, that wee might giuegive our selues wholy vntounto God.
Furthermore wee must vnderstand, that the Lord his day was not appoynted al onelyonly to the hearing of Sermons: but to the ende wee should apply the rest of the time to ye praysing of God. Yea verily. For although he feede vsus eueryevery day: yet doe wee not minde his gratious benefites sufficiently to magnify them. In deede it were a poore thing if wee minded not Gods benefites but vponupon the Lordes day: But because we be occupied too much about our owne affaires on the other dayes, therefore wee bee not so much giuen to serue God in them, as vppon the day which is assigned wholy therunto. The Lord his day then must serue vsus for a tower to mount vp into, to vewe Gods workes a farre of, as a time wherein we hauehave nothing to let vsus or to keepe vsus occupied, but that we may imploy all our wits to consider the benefites and gratious gifts that he hath bestowed vppon vsus. And if wee can put this thing wel in vre (that is to say, if we can consider Gods workes), vponupon the Lordes day, surely we shall be the more giuen vntounto it all the reste of the weeke after, and the minding thereof wil as it were fashion and polish vsus aforehand, so as our musing vppon his workes long afore to the intent wee may knowe how to fare the better by them, wil leade vsus to yeeld thanks vntounto our God vppon the munday and all the weeke after. But if the Lordes day be spent not onelyonly in games & pastimes full of vanitie, but also in thinges quite contrarie to God, so as men thinke they hauehave not kept holy the Lorde his day, except God be offended diuers wayes: if the holy order which God ordeyned to bring vsus to him, be broken after that fashion: is it any woonder though men play the beastes all the weeke after? What is to be done then? Let vsus assure our selues that it is not enough for vsus to goe to some Sermon vppon the Lordes day, to receiue some good instruction & to cal vponupon the name of God: but we must also digest the same thinges, and bende all our wittes to consider the gratious thinges that God hath done for vsus: and by that meanes wee must frame our selues to the thinges that may leade vsus to our God, without further trauel on ye Munday or of all the weeke after. And to the intent we may not doe aught else than record ye thinges by good leasure, which we had learned afore: let our mindes be discharged of all things that may hinder vsus, or plucke vsus backe from the considering of Gods workes. Thus ye see what the order is which we must keepe at this day. It is not to keepe the ceremonie so straite as it was vnderunder the bondage of ye lawe: for we hauehave not the figure or shadowe any more. But it serueth to cal vsus together, that we may be inured according to our infirmitie, to apply our selues the better to ye seruing of God, and to dedicate that day wholy vntounto him, so as we may bee vtterly withdrawen from the worlde, and the same may stand vsus in stead all the rest of the weeke, as I sayd afore.
Yea and wee hauehave to marke also, that it is not enough for vsus to thinke vponupon God and his works vppon the Lordes day eueryevery man alone by himselfe: but that wee must meete together vppon some day certeine to make open confession of our faith. In deede this ought to be done eueryevery day as I hauehave sayd afore. But yet in respect of mens rawnesse, and by reason of their slothfulnesse▪ it is necessarie to hauehave one speciall day dedicated wholy thereunto. It is true that we bee not bound to the seuenth day: neither doe wee (in deede) keepe the same day that was appointed to the Iewes: for that was the Saterday. But to the intent to shewe the libertie of Christians, the day was chaunged because Iesus Christ in his resurrection did set vsus free from the bondage of the law,Col. 2.11.12 14. & cancelled the obligation therof. That was the cause why the day was shifted. But yet must wee obserue the same order of hauing some day in the weeke, be it one or be it two, for that is left to the free choyce of Christians. Neuerthelesse, if a people assemble to hauehave the Sacramentes ministred, and to make common prayer vntounto GOD, and to shewe one agreement and vnion of faith: it is conuenient to hauehave some one day certeine for that purpose. Then is it not enough for eueryevery man to withdrawe himselfe into his owne house, whether it bee to reade the holy scripture or to pray vntounto GOD: but it is meete that wee shoulde come into the companie of the faithfull, and there shewe the agreement which wee hauehave with all the whole body of the Church, by keeping this order which our Lord hath so commanded. But what? There a man may see too apparant vnhallowing of Gods seruice. For (as I hauehave touched afore) are there not a great sorte which could well finde in their heartes to shewe that they doe but mocke God, and that they would faine be exempted from the common lawe? It is true that they wil come to a sermon a fiue or sixe times a yeere. And what to doe there? Forsooth euen to mocke at God & at all his doctrine. In deede they be very swine, which come to defile Gods temple, and are worthier to be in stables than there, and they were better to keepe themselues at home in their stinking cabans. To bee short, it were better that such rascals and filthie vila…nes were quite cut off from the Church of God, than that they should come and intermingle themselues after that sort in companie with the faithfull. But yet how many times come they thither? The bel may ring wel enough: for looke where a man left them, there shall he finde thē. So then we ought to bee the more diligent and careful, in quickening vp our selues to make such confession of our faith, as God may be honored with one common consent among vsus. And besides that, all superstitions must bee banished. For we se how it is an opinion is poperie, that God is serued with idlenesse. It is not after that sorte that we must keepe holy the Saboth day. But to the intent it may bee applyed to the right and lawfull vse, we must consider (as I sayd afore) how our Lord requireth to hauehave this day bestowed in nothing else, but in hearing of his worde, in making common prayer, in making confession of our faith, and in hauing the vse of the Sacramentes. Those are the thinges that wee bee called to Howbeit, we see how al things hauehave bin corrupted & confounded in the popedome. For lyke as they hauehave alotted dayes to honoring of their hee Saints and shee Saints, and set vp images of thē: so hauehave they surmised that they were to be worshipped with idlenesse. But seeing that ye world is so giuen to corruption: it standeth vsus so much the more in hand to marke well this discourse concerning the Saboth day, as it is set downe here by Moses. And let vsus consider to what ende our Lorde commaunded the people of olde time, to hauehave one day in the weeke to rest in: to the intent that wee knowing how the same is abolished by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ, may take our selues to the spiritual rest, that is to say, dedicate out selues wholy vntounto God, forsaking all our owne reason and affections. Againe let vsus reteine still the outward order, so farre as is meete for vsus, that is to wit, of forbearing our owne affaires and worldly businesses, that we may intend wholy to the minding of Gods workes, and occupy our selues in the consideration of the good thinges that hee hath done for vsus. And aboue all thinges let vsus streine our selues to acknowledge the grace that hee offereth vsus dayly in his Gospel that we may be strengthened in it still more and more. And when wee hauehave bestowed the Lord his day in praysing and magnifying Gods name, and in minding his workes: let vsus shewe all the weeke after, that wee hauehave profited in the same.
Now let vsus kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgement of our faultes, praying him to make vsus feele them better than we hauehave done. And forasmuch as wee can by no meanes serue him, vntill the frowardnesse that is in vsus be done away, and inasmuch as he hath tolde vsus that wee shall not cease to fight against his righteousnesse, so long as wee giuegive heade to our owne lusts and imaginations: it may please our good God to graunt vsus such grace by the power of his holy spirit, as wee may be fully fashioned lyke vntounto him that dyed and rose again for vsus to mortify vsus and to quicken vsus. So then let vsus beare the marke of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen in renouncing our selues, and let vsus so submit vsus to his will, as our whole seeking may bee to be fashioned lyke to his righteousnesse, that his lawe may bee fulfilled in vsus euen as it is spirituall, and wee be changed from flesh to spirit, to liue vnderunder his obeisance. And because there is alwayes so much in vsus to be mislyked: it may please the same good GOD to beare with our infirmities, vntill his rest be fully brought to passe in vsus, and that he hauehave taken vsus vp into his heauenly kingdome. That it may please him to graunt this grace not onelyonly. &c.