Works
Thus having spoken of those places in the Gospel, which might seem to make against the Sabbath, now let us speak of those places in the epistles of the Apostles, that we may see whether they contain any sound truth for their purpose, howsoever they be thought to have some hold in show. These allegations are either out of the epistles of Paul, or the epistles to the Hebrews: out of the epistles of Paul▪ which he wrote to the Romans, to the Galatians, or to the Colossians. The place which they bring out of the epistle to the Romans is in the 14▪ chap. verse. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive unto you, but not for controversies of disputations. 2. One believeth that he may eat of all things: and another which is weak, eateth herbs. 3. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and let not him which eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4. Who ar • thou that condemnest anoth • r man's s • ruant? he standeth or fall • th to his • wne master: yea he shall be established: for God is able to make him stand 5. This man esteemeth one day above another day, and another man counteth every day alike: l • t every man be fully persuaded in his mind▪ 6. He that observeth the day▪ observeth it to the Lord: and he that observeth not the day, observeth it •• t to the Lord, &c. In this last verse they would gather, that a man might make choice of day • as he will, and as in a thing indifferent. And some learned expositors affirm, that the Apostle in this chapter entreateth of things, which in their own nature are indifferent: and therefore here we are to use thē in love. As I grant this to be the general scope of the place, so I deny it to be the principal end. For as the Apostle speaketh of things indifferent, so he also speaketh of things not indifferent. And this we shall see, if we consider of the last verse of the chapter going before, and of the first of the chapter following. Thus it is written, chap. 13. verse. 14. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, & take no thought for the fl • sh to fulfill the lusts of it. The effect whereof is thus much, if it be compared with the first verse of the chapter following. Although ye have put on Christ, & truly know him by his word: yet if another man professing the same Christ with you, hath not attained to the like measure of knowledge and the same proportion of faith, which ye have, I would ye should not judge him for his wickedness anymore, than ye would he should judge you for your strength: but rather bearing with his infirmity, which in time may be changed to a more perfect strength, labor by all means to win him to soundness of judgment. Wherefore in that he saith: Him that is weak in faith, receive unto you: he meaneth them that are not established in the doctrine of the Gospel, not them that are weak in a ceremony, or in things indifferent: so that if any be found weak in the doctrine of Christianity, I mean in some point of it, and yet be sound in all other things, they should not be further entangled with intricate controversies, which they cannot conceive: but so gently entreated, and mildly dealt withal, as both the good things which are in them may be nourished and confirmed, as also they may be won to the sight and sense of things, wherein as yet they be weak. Neither must we think, that the Apostle meaneth here such imperfections, as may be in the most per • ect, but rather such weakness • s, as are foū • in most Christians. This is the general scope of the Apostle in this place: whereu • to also agreeth the conclusion, which is in the first verse of the chapter • ollowing: We w • i • h are strong, ought to bear • the infirmities of the • e • ke, and not to please our s • l •• s. 2. Theref • re let every man please his neighbor in that, that is good to • difi • a • ion. 3. For Christ all • o would not please himself, but as it is written, The rebukes of t •• m that rebuke thee, fell on m • . Where P •• l his sense is such: If we have gotten more knowledge, and attained higher graces than other men have, we are not in respect thereof to despise others: but we must in wisdom and patience sustain their error a while, and strongly support their weakness, not that we should nousl • & nourish them in their error or weakness, but that by humility and patience we might the better build them up in knowledge and true godliness. To this end • e allegeth the example of our Savior Christ, who did not only bear with the infirmities of his friends, but also with the errors of his enemies. So that this then is the true use of Christian faith mingled with love, that who so is come to Christ, as we are, our wisdom may sustain their error, and our strength may support their weakness, and as Christ did bear with his weak disciples, so must we with our weak brethren, not counting them as no Christians, because of infirm judgment they dissent from us in some particular, but in love overcome their infirmities, because they consent with us in the general The sum hereof is also set down 1. C •• . 3. 11. Other foundation can no man l • y, than that which is •• id, Jesus Christ. 12. And if any man build upon this foundation▪ gold, silver, precious s • ones, timber, h • y, • r •• u • ble, 13. Eu • ry man's wor • e shall be made manifest: for the day s • all declare it, because it shall be revealed by the fire: and the fire shall • rie every man work, of what sort it is. 14. If any man's work that he hath built upon, abide, he shall receive wages: 15. If any man's work burn, he shall lose, but he shall be safe himself: neuerth • l • ss • yet as it were by the fire. In which place we see, that so long as we be in Christ by faith and repentance, although our faith be mingled with some weakness, and our repentance with some error, though we build with our gold, silver and precious stones, some timber, hay, or st • bble; yet the Lord will bear with us, much more then for this respect in like causes must we • ear one wi • h another Now for example sake the Apostle bringeth in this instance: On • bel •• u • th t ••• he m • y •• te of all things, and an • t •• r which is we • ke, eateth herbs▪ &c. Some think that this eating of all things was meant of the Romans, and that the eating of herbs was vnde • stood of the Jews then being at Rome. But this seemeth not to be a • ound opinion, in that we read not in any Ecclesiastical history, that the Jews were at Rome: neither doth the Apostle write a mixed epistle partly to the Romans and partly to the Jews, but writ • th it w • olly▪ and intitul • th only unto the Romans. Again, we cannot gather out of any records of the writers, that the Jews did • ate herbs alone. True it is that pedagogically the use of many creature • was forbidden to the Jews: howbeit it doth not seem likely that they were tied so strictly to the eating of herbs. This I am sur • of, that even now adai • s the devil hath persuaded many Christians newly come to Christ, that if they eat anything either in quality more delicatly, or in quantity more liberally than bare necessity doth require, they have sinned. And yet in these men there is, no doubt, a general good meaning: but yet in this particular they hold an error. In this exampl • the Apostle setteth down the stronger part, and the weaker; the stronger part is prefixed, which is a work of faith: the weaker part followeth after, which is the weakness of faith. For mark, he saith, One bele • ueth that he may eat all things: here is a work of faith, because •• hath the word for his warrant: and then he saith, another eateth herbs, he saith not he believeth, that may eat herbs, for he doth it in weakness of faith, and hath not the word for his warrant, neither doth he believe that he can use other meats. This example inferred, the Apostle useth this exhortation; Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: as if he should have said, let not him that is so strong in faith, therefore think him to be no Christian, that hath this error, to think himself more holy, i • he eat nothing but herbs. It is added, Let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth, and this is very necessary. For it is much incident to the young ones in Christianity to judge others, who are not so abstinent as they are. Here is not then the person so much condemned, as the fact. For though we may judge his sin, and rebuke his error, yet must we not judge his person, as though God were not able to recover him. Now to prove this, the man of God bringeth an argument only for confirmation of the doctrine immediately going before, & it is drawn from the greater to the lesser. This man esteemeth one day above another day, and another man acounteth every day alike. Which reason is thus much in effect: although there should be some so weak in knowledge, that they should make no difference of days in respect of their uses, which undoubtedly is a great error: yet I would not that for this respect a man should count him for no Christian, much less then must this be done to one, that of infirmity eateth herbs, which is a less error than the other. The stronger opinion is set in the first place, the weaker in the last. For as this is the stronger, one believeth that he may eat all things: so this is the weaker, another eateth herbs: as this is the work of faith, this man esteemeth one day above another: so this is the weakness of faith, another counteth every day alike. He that observeth the day, saith Paul, he doth it not without knowledge and judgment, but observeth it to the Lord: so that the Sabbath day is the Lord his day. This is the strong opinion, I say, to distinguish one day from the residue, which was unknown to the Gentiles, who although they had many holy days through a corrupt imitatiō of the Jewish observation, which they had heard of, yet were they ignorant of the true day. But now hearing of the Lord his day, some among them began to doubt of it, with whom the Apostle willeth the stronger to deal in love. In our days we see that because there hath been much crying out against holy days, some also will not stick to cry out against the Sabbath. Well, if a papist in all other general points of doctrine should be truly converted unto Christ, and for want of instruction doubteth of the Sabbath, we are in love to deal with him, and for a season to support his weakness. How be it we must remember that the weak must not always be borne with, as appeareth by the Apostles words chap 15. 2. Let every man please his neighbor in that, that is good to edification. So long then as the error is of weakness, and that it is but an infirmity in the man, from which by the knowledge of the truth he would be rid and be delivered, he must be borne with. But if it proceed of illusiō, obstinacy, & of a prefract judgment as deceived by the devil, then he must not be borne with, no not even now a days: nay, if we be herein faulty, the error is not so tolerable in us, as it was in them, in that they wanted the old and New Testament, both which are so abundantly opened unto us. But if one truly repenting him of his sins, & faithfully believing in Christ, shall through ignorance be afraid of the Sabbath, as of a servile ceremony, he is so far to be borne with, as he desireth to come to the truth, & if he come once to be obstinate, he is no longer to be borne with. But how prove you that this is the stronger opiniō to esteem one day above another day, and that this is the weaker to count all days alike? I answer, the Apostles did observe one day, and commended it unto us by their own practice, which no doubt they would not have done, had it been the weaker part. Besides it is not unlike but a law for observing this day was also made by them, Act. 15. and therefore it must be the stronger part. And although the Jews could not be brought from their day, yet: the Apostles might have one day. Again, in that the Apostle would have none judged, that of weakness shall not observe the Sabbath, & yet he doth not only himself judge the Galatians, but also as being jealous over them, he telleth thē that he feareth their falling away, because they observed days, and months, and times, and years; it is apparent that this is the stronger opiniō, especially seeing that Coloss. 2. 16. he saith. Let no man condemn you in respect of an holy day, or of the Sabbath days: that is, if ye will not use their solemn Sabbaths of their ordinary feasts, yet are ye free, and the Church must not judge you No • , that the Apostles practiced this day, it is evident. Revel. 1 10. where it is called the Lord's day. As also 1. Cor. 16. 2. Every first day in the week, which in an ancient Greek copy is called the Lord's day. Moreover, Act. 20. the Church kept this day, because in it the Lord drew light out of darkness, and CHRIST on this day rose from the dead, and the holy Ghost was sent in it, whether we may call to mind in it our Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification. And where it is commonly translated, 1. Corinth. 11. When yes come together, in the Syriac translation it is found, O • the Lord's day, when ye meet. Wherefore it is like, that the Apostles observed this day, and therefore also it appeareth in this place, which we handle, that it is the stronger opiniō, wherein though a man fail through in firmity, he is not to be judged. Thus we see, how this place maketh nothing for the purpose of them, that would disannul the Sabbath, but is brought in rather by the way of an argument, that if a brother counted all days alike, which was a great weakness, yet should he not be judged: so far off should they be from judging him, that of weakness eateth herbs, which is the less error.
Here, if any shall object, that our first parents did eat nothing but herbs & fruits, and therefore we should content ourselves therewith: I answer, that their nature being in innocence, was so sound, whole and perfect, that they needed not other nourishments, as we do, who by reason of our weakness and frailty, which accompany sin, had need of other creatures, all which are pure unto us by the word & by prayer. Now, if our fathers not needing other creatures for their corporal food, stood in need of the Sabbath, much more we standing in need of our creatures, have need of the Sabbath.
The second reason is taken out of Galath. 4. 10. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11. I am in fear of you, least I have bestowed on you labor in vain. To this I answer, that we must not stand upon the titles of letters, but observe the scope of the writer, and weigh the drift of the epistle. The state of the cause is this; the Galatians were Gentiles, who by Paul his ministry had received the Gospel: afterward certain false Apostles, as all the learned agree, crept in, who did make them believe, that because the same civil policy of religion should be there, which was among the Jews, besides the purity of Christianism, went about to intermingle the superstitions of Judaism. The Apostle therefore showeth, that Christ being come to put away figures, all that maintained such days, months, and times, which the Jews observed, as they were Jews, should obscure Christ. The Jews had their solemn assemblies and convocations, Levite. 23. 2. certain times in the year, the first and last days whereof, they kept as Sabbaths to the Lord, of which Paul here speaketh, and therefore he saith ye observe Sabbaths, he saith not, a Sabbath, for which assuredly he is not here grieved with them. For Paul had planted this day among them, as appeareth 1. Corin. 16. 1. Concerning the gathering for the Saints, as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia, so do ye also. Where we may see that ancient custom of the Primitive Church, which was, that after the word read for the space of an hour, after the ••• mon ended, and the Sacraments administered; many did use to give not of constraint, but of good will to the poor. Now seeing he had appointed the Lord's day in Galatia, it is not like that he would so sharply have reprehended them for his own ordinance, as to say unto them, that he feared their backsliding from the truth by it, but rather of those Jewish holy days, which being peculiar unto the Jews, had their beginning and their ending with them. And if we say, that that day should not be kept for a ceremony, but some other, that were not to abrogate but to change the ceremony: as he that stripping himself of one sort of clothing, and for pride inuesteth himself with a new suit, putteth not away but changeth his pride: or as he that of a filthy lecher is become a covetous miser, riddeth not himself from sin, but changeth from one suit of sin, whereof he is weary, to some other. The Papists therefore, though they have not the same days, yet having new days in their stead, have not abrogated, but altered Judaism. Justinus Martyr affirmeth, that they had no holy day but one in the Primitive Church. He speaketh then flatly against the ceremonies, which by the eternity and perfection of Christ his sacrifice are abolished, Heb. 9 and 10 Our first father Abraham, when he believed, received circumcision as the seal of his faith, to which Baptism is subrogated unto Christians. The particular sign that appertained to the posterity of Abraham, is gone: but the water in Baptism doth appertain to all in a general equity. Likewise as the Sabbath did put them in mind of their deliverance, it is gone: but as by it we remember Christ his resurrection, we retain it. To conclude, the Apostle meaneth not in this place that Sabbath, but those holy days of the Jews, which being the beginning and ending, the first day and last day of their feasts were Sabbaths.
The third reason, Coloss. 2. 16. Let no man condemn you in meat and drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath day • s, 17. Which are but a shadow of things to come▪ but the body is in Christ. This is also understood of the Jewish distinguishing of meats and days. For the Colossians were troubled with false Apostles, as were the Galatians. And what is the reason that they were so encumbered with Jewish observations▪ Forsooth the religion of Christians, which rather consisteth of pure simplicity than pompous solemnity, hath but the word barely preached, the Sacraments without vain shows administered, prayers in humility offered: and therefore it seemeth not so polished, so glorious, and so garnished, as the Jewish religion, which did draw the greater part of men after it. Thus our fathers seeing the Jewish religion so vernished, and the Gentiles religion so pompous, and Christian religion full of simplicity, drew the Gentiles from the simplicity of Christianism, and brought in this heap of ceremonies. Wherefore here Paul telleth them, that these things were but instructions for a time, and pedagogical: and therefore did not so appertain unto them, as they should need to trouble their consciences about them, though they observed them not. Let no man condemn you, saith the Apostle, in such Jewish ceremonies, as for the not observing of them they should count you no Christians. Here is the same drift of the matter, which was of the former; here the Apostle descendeth from generals to particulars, there he ascendeth from particulars to generals. Let no man condemn you in respect of an holy day, which was an octonarie: for eight days long did the feasts of the Jews last, or of the Sabbath days, he saith not of the Sabbath: for he meaneth those Sabbaths, which were appurtenances of the former holy days, not that holy Sabbath which was common to the • ewes, with all other the people of God. And whereas in the former part of the verse it is said, Let no man condemn you in meat and drink, he showeth, that the Jews had certain beasts and birds unclean, and drink-offerings, which were forbidden them, howbeit unto Christians all things are pure.
But some will say: what need we now to fast, who will censure us? I answer, the Lord himself. For albeit we that are Christians, are not to be charged as the Jews were, with one special day: yet as the Jews, with all God his people, did humble themselves before the Lord, either for the removing of some judgment which presently did lie upon them, or for the preventing of some perils which were towards them, or for the obtaining of some grace, which they wanted, (and yet without all observations of days (so we must join with them. And therefore whosoever refuseth the exercise of humbling either privately or publicly, the same is to be controlled by the word. If any be commanded publicly by the Magistrate, whether the cause be just or not just, we are to obey; if the cause be just, it is not the commandment of the Magistrate, but of God, and who so breaketh this, is surely to be condemned. The similitude here annexed of the Apostle, is very fit: for as the skillful painter first portraiteth, and then painteth with fresh and lively colors, that which before more rudely and obscurely he did frame and fashion with a black coal: so these rudiments more darkly did represent that which now is lively described unto us, the truth of all things in Christ. The body is Christ: as if he should say, ye have received Christ, and the things which he hath prescribed: and though ye have not the Sabbaths, and holy days of the Jews, yet have ye the true Sabbath, & pure holy day, which Christ hath left unto you. Here then the Apostle is so far from abrogating of the Sabbath, that he maketh no mention, nor includeth any meaning thereof in these words. And thus much for the reasons, which they think they have gotten out of the epistles of Saint Paul.
Now let us consider of that place, which is in the epistle to the Hebrews, chap 4 verse 3. For we which have believed, do enter into rest, as he said to the other, As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter thereinto, and they to whom it was first preached: entered not therein for vnbeleefes sake. 7. Again, he appointed in David a certain day by To day, after so long a time, saying, as it is said, This day if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not after this day have spoken of another. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10. For he that is entered into his rest, hath also ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11. Let us study therefore to enter into that rest, least any man fall after the same example of disobedience. Behold, say they, the Sabbath which Christians must observe, is to rest from sin. I answer, this is not proved. For this was as well to the Jews, as it is to the Christians. For it is said, Psal. 95. To day, if ye will hear his voice, 8. Harden not your heart, &c. This the Prophet wrote after Caleb and Joshua had entered into Canaan, whither though many entered not, yet some entered: so that they had even that rest then, as well as we have now. Wherefore it doth not follow, because the resting from sin is also enjoined to the Christians as a pure use of the Sabbath, therefore it taketh away the other. Again, the resting of God from his works, cannot be a figure of resting from sin, no more than God his works can be a figure of sinful works. Now seeing the Lord here useth an argument of proportion between his works, and our works, his ceasing from his works, and our ceasing from our works, because between the figure and the thing figured, must be some proportion and resemblance, I pray you what proportion is there between God his works and our sins? what analogy betwixt God his resting from his works, and our resting from sin? Again, that it cannot be here meant of the rest from sin, it is manifest, because that which is here spoken, is set down to Adam, Genes. 2. 2. 3. at what time there was no sin in the world, and therefore no resting from sin, & therefore no figure of resting from sin, because all the learned herein agree, that there were no figures before sin. Besides, and fourthly the Apostle showeth, that this rest is meant of the kingdom of heaven. For as David spake this of the land of Canaan, so the Apostle speaketh it of the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore he concludeth; Let us study therefore to enter into that rest, where we shall not only rest from sin, but from all our ordinary works of our callings, where shall neither be eating, nor drinking, nor marrying, nor giving in marriage. And as the people before were threatened, that for their unbelief and disobedience they should not enter into the land of Canaan: so we are here threatened, that unless we study and strive against these things, we shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Howbeit, although the Sabbath was not a figure unto Adam of resting from sin, yet it was unto him a sign, that he should come to the kingdom of God, where should neither be eating, nor drinking, nor marrying: all which seeing Adam had, it is manifest that he was not in the kingdom of God as yet. The Sabbath then did put him in mind, that he should not always be working, but that he should be translated, though not die: (for although he was created in innocence, yet not free from being translated to a better place at God his good time) but, as the Apostle saith, he should have been changed as were En • ch and Elijah, though after a more excellent manner. We have now the Lord's day, which assureth us, that as now by faith and hope we enjoy the life to come: so hereafter these two ceasing, we shall more fully and perfectly enjoy the same: and as our Sacraments purely used, show a thing not to come, but already past; so this day truly kept, is a resemblance of a thing not past, but to come. For as on this day from the morning to evening we praise God, if we keep the day holy, and yet withdrawn and interrupted with many by-thoughts, and secret distractions: so in heaven being freed from worldly, carnal, fearful, and manifold affections and troubles, we shall more continually praise the Lord. What is then the alluding of this word rest? This it is. As God rested from his works, after he had made the world: so we must rest from our works. What from the works of sin? no, from the works of our callings, and consequently from the works of sin much more. So the analogy betwixt the Lord his rest and ours, teacheth us that we must rest from our ordinary works, and this rest putteth us in mind of that continual Sabbath, wherein when we cease from working, eating, drinking, sleeping, marrying, and all such works, as we are subject unto with corruption: then also shall we undoubtedly cease from sin, which kind of rest in fullness we must not look for in this life.
This is a general rule in Divinity to be observed, that of one place of Scripture there is but one natural and proper sense: although by consequence, searching out the contraries, the causes, the effects, and such like, other things may be also gathered out of it. If the words be more proper and natural, the sense is more proper and natural: if the words be borrowed and metaphorical, then is the sense borrowed and metaphorical. Now allusions are not so much for the proof & confirmation of the matter, as for the amplifying and illustrating of the same. For example, 2. Corinth. 13. 1. the Apostle saith: This is the third time I come unto you. Where we must understand, how the Apostle had been with them once in bodily presence, and twice wrote unto them, and yet he saith, this is the third time I come unto you. He alludeth then to this, as ye see, O Corinthians, in the law, that two or three witnesses were sufficient to confirm the good, and condemn the evil: so I have been with you thrice, which is sufficient to confirm the faith of the godly, & to leave the ungodly without excuse. Again, Rom. 10. 18. we read, But I demand, Have they not heard? No doubt their sound went throughout all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world. Here we see the Apostle alludeth to that Psal. 19. 4. which is meant of the day and the night. This is then the allusion, As the day and the night spread over the whole world, so the Apostles were sent to preach over the whole world. Again, Galat. 4. Paul alludeth to Agar and Sarah, in which place he showeth, that as in Abraham's family was the image both of the true Church and malignant Church, the one persecuted of the other: so like should be the estate of the Church continually even unto the end. In like manner the author to the Hebrews useth an allusion, that as God rested the seventh day from the works of the creation: so we also should rest from the works not of sin, as these men would have it, but of our calling. For this Adam should so have done, though he had not sinned, and therefor • it is not meant of resting from sin. Thus we see, where the Christian Be gathereth honey, there the heretical Spider sucketh poison, who affirmeth, that in this life they rest from sin, and here they have their heaven.
And thus much for those reasons, which are out of the very words of the Scripture: no • of those arguments which are drawn by consequence out of the Scripture. Their main reason is this, which deceiveth many: That which is gr • ffed in man's nature, whereof the Gentiles were not ignorant, and which continueth to the kingdom of Christ at his second coming is moral▪ and that which was not natural, unknown to the Gen • iles, an • lasted but unto the first coming of Christ, was ceremonial: but such was the Sabbath, therefore the Sabbath is a ceremony▪ and not a moral precept. I answer first, that natural and moral, which they make all one, must not be confounded▪ True it is, that our first parents had the law of God written in their hearts, before it was promulgated in the mount: whereunto, as we said, the ceremonies (serving as rudiments for a time, and as appertinances) of the law were adjoined. And albeit the moral law be the explaining of the natural law: yet it doth not follow, that that which is in the moral law, is no more than that which is in the natural law. We know our first father Adam, besides the law of nature, had the Sabbath in express words given him: and although he had the great books of God's works, yet he had the Word and Sacraments also: both which were without his nature, and had them not in his own nature. So the things here spoken renew that which was given, besides that which he had by the law of nature. The Gentiles then can no more by the light of nature see the true Sabbath of the Lord, and the time wherein he will be worshipped, than the pure means and manner which the Lord hath appointed for his worship: and therefore both Papists, Heretics & Gentiles, are as well deceived by ignorance in this observation of the fourth Commandment, as they be in the second. Again, I may answer, that in some manner both the second and fourth Commandments are engraffed in man's nature. For never any were found so profane, which would not grant that God ought to be worshipped, and that not only inwardly but outwardly also by means. And the Gentiles by the instinct of nature would acknowledge, that as there was a God to be worshipped, so there should be some time which should be sequestered from other business, and should be bestowed on matters concerning the worship of God. But to discern aright what these means be, wherewith the Lord will be served, and what this time is which the Lord will have for his honor, the Heathen were so far off, that how many nations so many heads, how many heads so many kinds of religion. The Gentiles, whose vain traditions were but disordered imitations of Moses laws, which they had heard of, had indeed their holy days, which not being used in faith by reason of their ignorance of the word, could nothing please God. Yea we may read how strictly and superstitiously the Gentiles kept their holy days: so that with all other they agreed after a sort in this general point, that there should be both appointed means, and certain set times for the worship of God. Again, it is like that the Gentiles were not ignorant of the law of fasting, as may appear by the Niniuits: but how to order it a right to the glory of God, they were altogether ignorant, because they wanted the word. Wherefore herein we count the true glory of Christians to consist that the Lord hath given us the truth, and hath not left us to our own inventions in the means of God's worship: and herein is Christian dignity, that as we have the manner of our religion prescribed of God himself; so we have also the time, which he for that purpose hath himself sanctified. It followeth not thē, because the Sabbath is not engraffed in man's nature, therefore the Sabbath is not moral, because in truth neither were the laws of the means of God's worship, nor of fasting so engrafted, although in some manner they were. Their reasons by consequence are either from the Old Testament, or from the new. Their argument from the Old Testament is this: We read not, the law of the Sabbath was put in practice before the law was promulgated in mount S • nai: therefore it is not moral but ceremonial▪ This is no good reason, we find it not written, therefore it was not. For so they may argue against • asting, and many other things which were used, and yet the practice of them not left in writing Who can disallow of marriage and of spousals? do not the Gentiles, the laws civil, and the Roman law approve them? and yet what record have we left concerning these things in writing before the law? Look into the history of the Kings and Judges, in the books of the Chronicles, where you shall find mention made but once of the Sabbath, and we have it once commanded by precept, Gen. 2. 2. and commended by practice, Exod. 16. 26. in which place the man of God speaketh in the preterperfect tense, Behold how the Lord hath given you the Sabbath. Their second reason is drawn from the streightnes of the law to be executed (Exod. 35. 2. 3.) on him that gathered sticks, which they say must not be enjoined us. Concerning this, it maketh no more against the moral observation of this precept, than the other ceremonies did against the other precepts, whereunto they were joined. The Jews being in their nonage had rules peculiar to themselves, with these we are not entangled: how beit they had other general commandments, which being common to us with them, appertain still unto us. As for example, to teach our children the commandments of the Lord, appertaineth to us, Deut. 6. 7. but to bind them upon our hands for a sign, & as frontlets between our eyes, appertaineth to the Jews: to bury the dead belongeth unto us▪ but to enbalme them with spices, who had not so clear a testimony of the resurrection, belongeth to the Jews. Is not the law of murder as well enjoy • ed us, as to the Jews? yet we may eat blood, which they could not. We ought to be as temperate as they, yet we may eat the fatness of meat, which was forbidden them. And so in all the commandments the moral observation belongeth to us as well as to them, the ceremonial keeping, to them and not to us. And the same we conclude of this place concerning the fire making on this day.
Out of the New Testament they also gather two reasons. First, they say it is not mentioned nor urged so much in the New Testament, as are the other precepts I an answer, this is no good reason: but is rather to be returned to the Anabaptists, who reason that the judicial laws are not to be used, because they are not urged. Nay rather look what the holy Ghost hath set down more sparingly in the Old Testament, he hath more fully & plainly supplied it in the New Testament, and what thing the law containeth more fully, that the Gospel handleth more sparingly▪ because the Lord in his heavenly wisdom would not trouble us much with one thing. But we know it is named, Matth. 12. and 24. Mar. 2. John. 5. Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16 and 16. Revelation. • .
The second argument is this: The Apostles changed the day, which (say these men) they never would have done, had it been moral. I answer, it was never commanded nor appointed what one certain day should be kept among seven, but that there should be observed a seventh day: which being kept it is sufficient▪ and the law remaineth unviolated. And yet we permit not, that any man at his pleasure should now change this day. For that which the Apostles did, they did not as private men, but as men guided by the spirit of God, they did it for the avoiding of superstition, wherewith the Jews had infected it. Again, as the Jews used the other day, which is the last day of the week, because it was the day wherein the Lord made all things perfect: so the Apostles changed it into the day of Christ his resurrection, who was the beginner of the new world, on which day we received a more full fruit and possession of all the benefits in Christ his conception, birth, life, and death. Besides, this was the first day of the creating of the world, wherein the Lord drew light out of darkness. Lastly, the holy Ghost is said on this day to come down upon the holy Apostles. So that this day doth fitly put us in mind of our creation to be thankful to God the Father, of our redemption to be thankful to God the Son, and of our sanctification to be thankful to God the holy Ghost.
Now if any can allege more effectual or equal reasons unto these, he may alter the day so it be with the consent of the Church. Wherefore the equity of the law remaining, it is not abrogated▪ Circumcision, as we have shown, is considered two manner of ways, either as the seal of Faith, Rom. 4. or as a sign of that circumcision which we have in Christ made without hands. In this manner considered, it is ceased, as it is a seal of Faith it remaineth, not the same in form and manner, but the same in effect. For although we have not the same help of our Faith, yet we have a help. The Jews had Sacraments moe in number, but we more excellent in signification. Though we have not many Sacraments and holy-days, yet we have two Sacraments, and one day more effectual, than all they were which the Jews had. We see therefore in truth no reason as yet, why we should not observe the Sabbath as Moral.
Thus having confirmed the doctrine of the Sabbath by the holy Scriptures, and proved that there is a moral use of the same, as well for us as for the Jews; and having answered all the contrary objections, that might seem to make against this doctrine: it followeth now according to our first division, that we should speak of the observation of the Sabbath it self, showing how it is kept, and wherein it is broken. For both these are expressed in the Commandment: wherein is set down the affirmative, to teach how to keep it; and the negative, to show how we break it. First then we will show, how the Sabbath ought to be kept: then afterward, we will declare how it is broken. Where it is said in the beginning of the precept, Remember to keep holic: and in the ende thereof, the Lord hallowed the Sabbath: so that it is not simply said, Remember to keep: but to keep holy: neither is it simply mentioned, that the Lord left the seventh day, but blessed the seventh day & hallowed it. Hereby is insinuated unto us, that in this day we should grow in love towards God, & tender affection to our brethren, we are taught that then we keep the Sabbath aright, when we use it to that ende for which it was ordained, that is, when we use in it (as we have before shown) th • se exercises, whereby we may be the more sanctified, and God the more glorified both on this, & in the other days of the week. These exercises be such, as are either private or public. The public exercises are twice at the least to be used every Sabbath, and they be these. First the word read and preached▪ then prayers fervently made with thanksgiving, singing of Psalms, reverend administration of the Sacraments.
And first, for reading and preaching of the word, we read, Nehem. 8. 8. And they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. Also we may see this in the practice of the Apostles, Act. 13. verse. 15. And after the lectures of the Law and Prophets, the rulers of the Synagogue, sent unto them, saying: Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. And as the Ministers did read and preach the word, so it was the practice of the Church to hear, as Eccles. 4. verse. 17. Take heed to thy foot, when thou enterest into the house of God, and be more near to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools. And it is said, Nehem. 8. 3. The ears of all the people hearkened unto the book of the Law. And concerning praying, thanksgiving, & singing, the Prophet of God useth a vehement exhortation to the Church, Psal. 92. 1. Come (saith he) let us rejoice unto the Lord: let us sing aloud to the rock of our salvation. 2. Let us come before his face with praise: let us sing aloud unto him with Psalms. And Psal. 65. 1. O God, praise waiteth for thee in Zion, &c.
Now for the Sacraments generally we are to mark, that as in the time of the law the sacrifices were most used on the Sabbath day: so our Sacraments succeeding the sacrifices are then most to be frequented. As for the supper of the Lord, it appeareth Act. 18. 1. Cor. 11. (as it seemeth) that it was administered every Lord's day, although nowadays the ministers may not so do, for the great ignorance & carnal security of people. For the administration of Baptism, although there be no express places of the scriptures showing the practice of it on this day: yet there are many good reasons agreeable to the word, which will prove the same. First, we know Circumcision was used on that day, & therefore Baptism which is come into the place of Circumcision, is to be used on the Sabbath day. Again, Baptism is a public action of faith, whereby a member is to be received into the Church, and therefore the prayers of the whole congregation ought to be made for it: all must be hereby put in mind of the benefits which they have reaped by Baptism, and so make a double profit of their presence hereat.
Now seeing old and young, men & women, masters and servants, fathers and children, cannot so generally & conveniently meet on the week days, by reason of their callings, as they can on the Lord's day, their business set apart: it seemeth by good reason that the Sabbath is the fittest day for this Sacrament. Again, if the Lord in his infinite wisdom and goodness commanded Circumcision to be used on the eight day, both for the avoiding of superstition, if any tied the grace of God to the outward sign, as also for a sufficient time, wherein the children might gather some strength to the cutting off of their flesh; why were it not a thing requisite, that Baptism should be deferred to the Lord's day, both for the removing of their superstitious opinion, who think the childrē dying unbaptized to be but damned; and also for the better enabling of the child to be dipped in the water, according to the ancient manner and pure nature of Baptism? Wherefore for these causes Baptism cannot be denied to be a public duty of the Sabbath. Cōcerning private exercises on the Sabbath, they are either going before the public, or following after, or coming between. The duties going before are either in examining our selves, or stirring up of our selves. The examination of our selves consisteth partly in surveying our estate past, and partly in considering of our present condition: in surveying our estate past, we are to call to mind either what sins the week before we have committed, to the more humbling of our selves in prayer: or we must remember, what graces of God in our souls, what benefits of God on our selves or in our friends we have received, to the better provoking of our selves to thanksgiving: in considering of our present condition, we are to examine how we stand affected, whatmeasure of faith, repentance and godliness is in us: if there be any special want or occasion of public prayer, we must crave the prayer of the Pastor and congregation: if any peculiar cause of a solemn thanksgiving be offered, we must give 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 civil practices may declare. We see worldly thriving men, if not every day, yet at the least once in the week they search their books, cast their accounts, confer with their gain their expenses, & make even reckonings, whereby they may see whether they have gained, or whether they have 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 week at the least, call our selves to a reckoning, examining what hath gone from us, what hath come towards us, how we have gone forward in godly proceedings, or how we have gone backward, that if we have holy increases, we may give thanks and glory to God; if we come short, we must humble our selves, and endeavor the week following, to travail with our selves the more earnestly to recover our former loss. This examination had, we are further to stir up our selves before we come to the public exercises. This consisteth in reading, meditating and praying, whereby we may provoke a spiritual appetite the more hungerly, desirously, and lovingly to resort to the congregation. How necessary this is, the long and woeful experience of non-proficience in the school of Christ, doth lamentably show. For what is the cause why in the prayers of the Church we so little profit? What causeth the word to be of so small power with us? whereof cometh it that the Sacraments are of such slender account with us? Is it not because we draw near to the Lord with vncatechised hearts, and uncircumcised ears, without prepared affections, and vnschooled senses: so that we come unto, and depart from the house of God with no more profit, than we get at stageplaies, where delighting our eyes and ears for a while with the view of the pageants, afterward we vainly depart? If we at any time are to entertain some special friend or stately guests, it is civility to avoid all things noisome, and to procure all things handsome in our houses: and shall we not think it Christianity at such times as the Lord hath made special promise to visit us, and to become our friendly guest, to purge the loathsome affections of the heart, & dispose our souls in some holy order for his entertainment? Are we so diligent to present our selves on the Sabbath in our best attire, because then we shall come before the whole congregation: and shall we be negligent to attire our souls, seeing we are to appear before God and his Angels? Do we outwardly profess this day to be a more solemn time than any other day of the week: and shall we in inward practice deny the same? Wherefore in this holy preparing of our selves, we are to imitate the wisdom of worldly men, who having a suite to the Prince, or some noble personage, which hath not that happy success and issue, which was hoped for, by and by begin to call themselves to account, to consider with themselves in what circumstance they failed, whereby less circumspectly, and less advisedly they attempted their enterprise, accusing themselves of folly, and vnconsiderate dealing in their cause, whereby, a • woeful experience teacheth them, their request fell to the ground. Unto these men herein we must not be unlike, when in dealing with the Lord we profit not so much by hearing, reading, praying, or any other public exercise, as we should: neither must we stick to reason with our selves, and to contemn our selves as faulty, either in omitting something to be done, or committing something to be undone, before we address our selves to our public duties.
Now that this examining and stirring up of our selves may the better be done, it is requisite (contrary to the long and loathsome practice of the most part of men) that we rise early on the Sabbath day. We see young men will rise early to resort to matiages, to feastings, to go a maying, to ringing of bells, or such like vanities: the Papists will break their sleep, that more timely they may have their Masses, & popish practices: the here tikes also to attend on their vain revelations, will recover sometime by early rising: all which are to our shame, that for holy & heavenly exercises, to serve the Lord in spirit and truth, will redeem 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 persuading our selves too great a liberty therein, we make it a day of our rest, and not of the Lord's rest.
The Israelites are said to have risen very early to their idolatry: the Prophets are reported to have stretched out their hands betimes in the morning. Wherefore for shame of the one, for the imitating of the other, let us stir up our selves more early on the Lord his day, as making the Sabbath our delight, Isaiah. 58. whereby we may be no less careful to bestow the first fruits of the day and the sweetness of the morning in the pure service of God, than Idolaters in their Idolatry, young men in their vanities, worldly men in their covetousness, & here tikes in their heresies use to do. If we thus shall examine our selves in our sins committed, & gifts of God received; if we shall humble our selves for the one, and be thank full for the other; if we shall suruay our wants, pray for our pastors, prepare out selves, and use all these exercises in wisdom, and rising early (unless upon some special cause or weakness, which requireth rather our wholly keeping of our beds, than our uprising) let the experience of the after fruits and good increases of the public exercises speak, and let trial report, if the word be not more precious, our prayers more powerful, our receiving of the Sacraments more effectual, more profitable unto us. Now concerning those exercises which follow after, or come between those public means, they are either for the increase of faith and repentance to make the public means more profitable to us, or the exercises of love, whereby we may show some fruit of the other. The exercises of faith and repentance are reading, comparing of things heard, examining and applying them to our selves, praying, thanksgiving, and meditating. First, I say, after our public hearing we must privately give our selves to reading of those things especially, which when we heard, we did not sufficiently understand: also to the comparing of place with place according as they were alleged, to the better trial of the doctrine received, and more establishing of our faith therein. To this end we must use private prayer for a sound judgment & pure affections, that the Lord would vouchsafe to work that upon our affections, which in judgment we have received. Neither must we forget to be thankful, in praising of God & singing of Psalms, for those things, whereby we either see our knowledge to be bettered, or our conscience touched. To these we must join meditation, either about the means of our salvation, or about the works of God: upon the means, as in accounting with ourselves, what things being read & preached, chiefly did touch and concern us, what special feelings, & comforts the Lord gave us 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 private and peculiar use of the public and general means. About the works of God, partly concerning those properties which are in himself, as his mercy, justice, wisdom, truth, power & providence, partly concerning his creatures, and works of his hands, wherein he hath left certain impressions and qualities necessary for our use, & profitable for our instruction. For the former, the practice of the Prophet and duty of all good professors, Psal. 92. doth sufficiently show, that it is one special work of the Sabbath to commend & declare the kindness of the Lord, to rejoice in the works of his hands, to praise his truth and to show forth his righteousness. In which Psalm the man of God protesteth that the works of God are only glorious to the godly, and how the unwise and wicked men cannot consider of God his works, nor discern his judgments, 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 faithful seem to wither, and to be cut down by the wicked, yet they shall grow again and flourish in the Church of God, as the cedars do in mount Lebanon. Now as with the exercise of the word we have the Sacraments to strengthen our faith: so with the meditating of the works of God we are to strengthen our selves with the beholding of God his creatures, as the heavens and the scope, beauty, and continual course thereof, and the earth, which should have been all as pleasant as the garden of Eden, if Adam had continued in his innocence, whose work as it was by the light of nature to view the creatures of God, so also is it our work by the light of God's grace and holy spirit to do the same. To this ende the Prophetical king, Psal. 19. setteth down the exquisite workmanship, proportion, and ornaments of the heavens, saying, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth the works of his hands. 2. Day unto day uttereth the same, and night unto 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 he set a tabernacle for the Sun. 5. Which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth like a mighty man to run his race. 6. His going out is from the ende of the heaven, and his compass is unto the ends of the same, and none is hid from the heat thereof.
The Prophet Isaiah. chap. 1. 2. 3. saith, Hear, O heavens, and hearken, O earth, &c. The ox knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters crib: but Israel hath not known: my people hath not understanding. In which place we are schooled of insensible creatures, how we should do our duty unto God. Wherefore it is good to consider, how in six days we have had our • east obedient unto us, and how disobedient we are to the Lord. O God how have thy creatures attended on us, when we speak to them, they heard us, when we did whip them, they followed us, in all our business they attended on us, and yet we have not listened to the calling us by the word, we have not profited by thy chastisements, nor attended upon thy commandments. The stork, saith the Lord by Jeremiah the prophet, knoweth his time, but my people knoweth not me. And experience may make us blush to see, how the birds against the stormy winter may convey themselves unto warmer climates until the spring time, and man alone either vnsensibly doth not foresee, or unadvisedly will not avoid the perilous times to come. To conclude, Matth. 16. 2. 3. our Savior Christ reprehendeth the folly of Pharisees, saying, When it is evening, ye say, Faire weather: for the sky is red. 3. And in the morning ye say, To day shall be a tempest: for the sky is red and lowering, O hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and can ye not discern the signs of the times? True it is, that this spiritual use and holy meditation of the creatures of God should be our whole life: howbeit because our distractions in our lawful and ordinary callings will not permit this so fully in respect of our finite nature, we must remember on the Sabbath day to use a recovery, and by Christian diligence to make recompense for our former negligence herein. And in so heavenly a variety, which both by precept and practice we have received of our forefathers for this purpose, we shall much profit and set forward this exercise, if in wisdom of the spirit we endeavor 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 year we have most special occasion offered. Now if by reason of some dullness or deadness, by the corruption of nature and secret punishment often incident to the dearest children of God, we cannot so reverently, cheerfully and comfortably do these duties required by our selves alone, we may humbly use the remedy, which by the communion of Saints the Lord in this case hath provided, that so frequenting the holy company of the godly, learned and zealous, unto whom the Lord hath given greater liberty both of graces and of spirit, we may be humbled in regard of our own wants, and take the supply by them & in them, that if we cannot either for ignorance or blockishness read the things heard, compare the places by public ministry received, pray for the fruit of them; if we be not able to refresh our selves with considering the works of God: then we must attend upon the reading, conferring, and praying, thanksgiving, singing, and meditations of others; that so at the least we may either have our judgments cleared, or our affections better stirred up. Neither must we blush or be abashed to acknowledge our wants unto our brethren, but with all humility earnestly deal with them, and inquire of them, how they can compare and reconcile the places delivered, how they can amplify it by meditation, how they feel their affections renewed, how they can frame a prayer of it, how they can gather of the creatures and works of God some fruitful matter of thanksgiving, that by their godly participation we may have either our ignorance helped, or our infirmities relieved. For undoubtedly this is the cause, why so many do rather in ignorance and deadness bear the Sabbath as a burden, even in that they are ashamed by asking the help of others to bewray their ignorance, or display that corruption of nature, which indeed they see and feel in themselves. Against which worldly and carnal shame we must fight, if ever we will triumph over that endless shame of the wicked, and provoke our selves by that wholesome and mutual society, which becometh the children of God, either for the increase of spiritual 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 stir up our selves, or be stirred of others.
Now it remaineth to entreat of the duties of love, because the Lord his Sabbath is not a day of knowledge alone, but of love; not only of hearing the word by preaching, but also of doing the word by practicing: and these duties either respect the persons of our brethren, or they concern such things as are about our brethren. The things concerning their persons, are either in regard of their souls or of their bodies: the exercises respecting the things that are about them, are either appertaining to their goods, or to their credit. The duties unto the souls of our brethren, are to teach the ignorant, to bring sinners to repentance, to bind up the wounds of them that are afflicted in spirit, to comfort the weak, to strengthen the hands that fall down, and the knees that are ready to faint, to stir up them which be dull, to admonish the unruly, to confirm the faith of them that believe, to encourage them in well-doing, which have begun well, and to rebuke the willful offenders▪ And though these should be the exercises of every day, yet especially they belong to the Sabbath, wherein we make a supply of the wants, which we have on the week days. The duties of love required to the bodies of our brethren, are the visiting of the sick, the relieving of the imprisoned, the helping of the poor and miserable, the feeding of the hungry, the clothing of the naked, the comforting of the distressed, the bestowing of our goods on them that are needy.
In the primitive Church as they did every Sabbath receive the Sacrament, so they laid something down to the use of the poor, which they did both to give some thankful testimony how the Lord the week before had blessed them, as also to show some godly token of their pity to their afflicted brethren. Concerning the exercises of love towards the credit of our brethren, if we shall hear of any secret reports tending to the discredit of others, we must not only carefully suppress it, but wisely endeavor to recover their former credit. This requireth heavenly wisdom, both to admonish the author of evil reports, as also to signify unto the man evil spoken of, what hazard and shipwrake of his good name is pretended: yet still concealing the person, and urging the report, that if the party be guilty, he may the sooner step out of his sin, the Lord having discharged such a warning piece against him; or being guiltless, that he rather seek to prove by the rumor, than to pursue the author. But alas, the sin of our age hath not only brought in the ignorance, and banished the practice of this Christian duty: but also which more is, instead of healing, we would the credit of others, and it is hard to discern whether there are more willing to report evil, or not unwilling to hear evil reports of others. Who seeth not the common profession of our Sabbath to be a table talking and vain babbling of the infirmities of others, tossing to and fro the credit of our brethren as a tennis ball: and this not only used among brainsicke and unstable women, whose tongues labor of some greater infirmity, but also of men, who undiscreetly either set abroch, or draw out to the full measure and past measure the discredit of their neighbors, so that they are so far from saluing such sores, and stopping such breaches, that they lance deeper and road further, then any have done before them.
Furthermore, in all these exercises both public and private, both concerning faith, and the duties of love, both with our selves and with others, two things especially of us must be observed. First, we must at night try our hearts, with what truth, with what care, and with what sincerity we have done these things: because as God abhorreth hypocrisy in everything, so especially he cannot abide it in his own worship. Secondly, we are to examine our selves, with what profit either to our selves or to others, with what comfort, with what increase of good things we have been conversant in these duties, that we rest not in the work wrought, but that we may offer up the fruits of our holy increase in a good conscience to the Lord. The first thing then is to travail with our hearts for sincerity, because though generally all the commandments require spiritual obedience, yet those more peculiarly which immediately do bind us to our God. This we shall do, if we do the duties of faith faithfully, the exercises of repentance carefully, & the duties of love lovingly. On this manner then may we expostulate with our selves: Hath the Lord's increase of mercy brought me a days increase of holiness? how is my knowledge increased, my affections touched, my faith strengthened, my repentance renewed, the love of the Saints in me confirmed? How did the word prick my heart? how were my affections quickened 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 love and benevolence? are we better affected to the glory of God? is sin more grievous unto us, than it hath been? If it be, give God the glory in Christ; if not, let our losses cause us to make some godly recovery in time to come. These things little thought of, is the cause why for the most part and almost generally we rest in the ceremonial use of the Sabbath. Now let us consider a little of the goodness of God in giving so holy a variety of good things, the consideration whereof partly may humble us, and partly comfort us. For in so rich and princely vicissitude, though we do many things, yet some duties private or public, with our selves or with others, may be left undone; if we do the outward actions, we fail in inwerd affections: & this ought to humble us. Howbeit, we may here also suck out some comfort, to the more alluring of us to these holy exercises, in that though we be weary of one exercise, we may refresh our selves with another:
The Sabbath (we say) is broken either by general impediments and lets, whereby we cannot sanctify the day: or else by those evil 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, labor and travail, so far as either they hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath, and the profaning of the Sabbath rest. First of the impediments of sanctifying of the Sabbath, which in their own nature are indifferent, we must know, that as the furtherances of this sanctification are commanded, so the hindrances are forbidden: and as rest is so far commanded, as maketh to the sanctifying of the day▪ so our works are not simply forbidden, but so far forth as they be hindrances to the holy observation of the same. And these be either lawful works, or lawful recreations and pleasures. And therefore, as we say in the Commandment going before, that all vain, light, usual, and accustomed oaths are forbidden, and yet affirm, that all such oaths are commanded, as are taken up in the defense of God his glory, our brethren's welfare, or in any other cases of weight and importance, when the things must needs be known, and otherwise than by an oth cannot be known; so we say in this precept, all usual affairs on the Sabbath are here forbidden, and we grant, that if these fall out for the glory of God in the preservation of his creatures necessarily to be done; or so, as they may enable us the more to any duties of the Sabbath, then they are not only not forbidden, but also more straitly enjoined us. And therefore as no others creeping in under pretence are allowed, but such as are weighty, likewise we permit no works of pretended necessity, 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 only give leave to draw the Ox or the Ass out of the ditch to preserve their lives, but also to lead them to the water to make their lives more comfortable to them: so we permit not only things needful to the life of man, but also things convenient to the use & comfort of man, as the dressing of convenient meats, whereby a man may be made more cheerful in the duties of sanctification; so that both in using them we refresh & not oppress our selves, and in preparing them we use the time before, after, or between the public exercise. But as God hath permitted this leave: so we on our parts are to take heed that we abuse not this liberty. For when the Lord is so equal, liberal, and favorable in granting and pardoning our necessity, and furthering our conueniences; he will not doubtless leave unpunished the greedy gain-feekers, which under the forge of necessity abuse their liberty & his liberality. The lawfulness of which permission is taught us by Christ himself, the faithful interpreter of the law, and that not only by precept, but by practice. For in that he healed the sick, and cured the diseased on the Sabbath, allowing the people on that day to resort unto him, he showeth how things concerning the glory of God are lawful to be done on the Sabbath. And we see in that the law permitted the leading of the ox to the water, how things convenient are not at that time unlawful, so that thy be not abused, or ouerused.
This moderation prefixed, let us sift more narrowly the things that are forbidden. These are either the works of our calling, or lawful recreations. The works be such, as either are more usual in the six days, or being but at certain special times in the months or years used less usual. First concerning the works having their ordinary course in the week days, as plowing, sowing, using of handierafts, and such like, there is no question, and the most profane person will not call them into questiō, but it is taken as granted, that these works must give place to the worship of God, that men being freed from them may be the more sanctified. And these things are flatly forbidden in the Law and in the Prophets, who would not suffer a burden to be carried on the Sabbath, by which one work they did more secretly point at all the rest. But the words of this commandment are a sufficient demonstration of this matter. Who so thē make the Lord's day a packing day for their earthly business, either in making it a custom to have their servants follow their callings, or travail in their affairs, or else when they themselves will do that that day, which they will not do at other times, when in spiritual disposing of their business they might provide better, they are profaners of the Sabbath, and shall be judged for contemners of this law. And whatsoever these kinds of professors pretend in word, and brag of knowledge and Christian liberty, they cloak their sin under religion, & draw the curtain of Christian profession to cover the lewdness of their unchristian conversation, and so living as beasts they shall die as beasts, or worse than beasts, in that they shall go to the hells, when the beasts shall go 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 years, teaching this duty, ought to be shown: that men as Heathen, who never knew of the creation of heaven and earth by God, or never heard of the redemption of man by Christ, or never tasted of the sanctifying power of the holy Ghost, nor at any time understood of the mystery of the Trinity; should make no conscience of the Sabbath, but only vouchsafe it worthy of a eiuill duty.
But some will pretend a more usual necessity in certain and peculiar callings, of which, as they say, standeth a further question, as among makers of coal, and iron, Heardsmen, Shepherds, Carriers, Drouers, and traffic men, all which indeed have great and laborious callings: yet must we say, and hold this ground, that in these & like ordinary callings, the ordinance of the Lord doth not hinder the good order of man, but they are so subordinated the one to the other, as if we give to each of them their time and their place, the works of man may be used, and yet the worship of God preferred: because as our callings serve to God's worship, so God's worship sanctifieth our callings. True it is, that the Lord requireth not only the worship of the Sabbath day, but also of other week days either privately at the least, or publicly, if our callings so permit: and howsoever we deny not unto these men some larger liberty on the six days, yet they must not be exempted from the duties of the Sabbath day, which generally is laid upon all men, and especially on these men, whose labors as they are the more troublesome and continual in the week days, so they ought the rather to rest on the Sabbath days. And seeing they will not discharge themselves of the like graces with other men concerning their creation, redemption and sanctification, if they make not a supply on the seventh day for their liberty in the six days, they are inferior to the condition of beasts: for the beasts on that day have their rest, and they have not. Besides in pretending such excuses, they openly bewray their want of spiritual wisdom. For there is no such calling: But if they were as wise to God, as they are politic in increasing their riches, they could tell how to devide their times & seasons for the easing of their bodies, and refreshing of their souls on the Sabbath. And here men are to be charged with looking to their servants. For the commandment is flat and express▪ even thou and thy servant. It is not sufficient for men to come to the Church themselves, but they must bring their servants also. The Lord saw how men would be ingenious in deceiving their own souls, 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 themselves, for the blood of their souls shall be required at their hands, who being too lordly and tyrannous governors, make their servants either equal to beasts, or worse than beasts, caring for nothing but for the world, never thinking on hell, whereunto they are hastening.
This law doth here also attach Shepherds, and Heardsmen, Bakers and Brewers, which kind of men if thou hast retained, then art thou charged to bring them to the house of prayer as well as thyself. For God having made thē men, would not that thou shouldest use them as beasts for thee; neither must thou abuse his travail to make him like the ox, whereon he tendeth. But worldly wise men will provide by changing of their places, that their business may be done cheerfully: and why then should they provide for the worship of God so carelessly? Again, if Shepherds & Heardsmen can find means to go to fairs and markets▪ if they can pick out time to go visit their friends: why may they not also provide to hear the word of God on the Sabbath day? Well, be not deceived, God is not mocked. Look how a man soweth, so shall he reap. In some places Brewers and Bakers pretend great necessity. If it be so, then our general rule permitteth a liberty, but yet on this manner: if they cannot dispatch their business on the six days, they should rise betimes on the Lord's day, that they may do all they have to do with as little loss as may be: and if they must needs begin their work against the day next after the Sabbath, let them do it as lately in the evening as they can, that at the public exercises they be not interrupted nor drawn 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 meats, as for trauailers, Bakers and Brewers, that their business, if it be necessary, must be done either early in the morning, or lately in the evening.
There are two kinds of calling of more difficulty, the one by sea, the other by land, the one of Mariners, the other of posts. For men being on the Seas, cannot come conueniētly to the public places of religion, and in civil matters there are often great necessities and unknown to private men. Concerning the first, we say they are either in necessary affairs, or they are not; if not, they are to be counted as flat breakers of the Sabbath; if they be in their lawful and necessary callings, the times must be so divided, that their bodies may be cased, and their souls refreshed. Howbeit, if the present necessity grow to be more violent, then holds the general rule of things that cannot be done before or after. To this we add, that in some respect, because the Mariners have intermissions by reason of their oft changing, there might be means appointed for the worship of God privately. For there be vicissitudes of laboring spent in quaffing, drinking, and sleeping; which leisure they might have as free for the worship of God privately, as any on the land. Besides the proportion of six and seven observed, that they may do someone day in seven, which they should do on the Sabbath it self. For then the Lord accepteth the equity of the law when upon necessity we cannot observe the prescript time of the law. Furthermore, when their ships lie at road and at ancker, when they either are stayed by tempest, or mend their tackling, or wait long at hauens for their traffic, then what time hath before been lost, it is now to be redeemed; if it be not at the set times, yet as we said, at sometimes observing the proportion of the law. Thirdly, if they were as prudent in heavenly things, as politic in earthly, though they cannot so conveniently have access to the public means, yet in the whole company (for fear of pirates they go for stronger fence many together) by a general contribution they might allow a Minister among them. Again, considering that the Mariners are either such as be of the richer fort, or such as be of a meaner condition; we say, that the richer and more wealthy Merchants swim so in their gains, as if they have but hearts to pay the tithe of their increase, they may not only conveniently find a Minister in the ship, but also liberally provide for the worship of God on the land. As for the poorer fort▪ if they cannot offer an ox, let them offer a turtle dove; if they cannot offer a dove, let them offer a little fine wheat flower: I mean, if they cannot provide a grave preacher, yet at the least, they may procure some good man to read the holy word of God unto them, to deliver the plain and pure sense of the Scriptures to them, and to help them in prayer and other holy exercises of religion. For if they can in their several ships maintain a guide skillful in seafaring to conduct them in there nauigations, then by a general purse they may far more easily sustain the charges of a teacher, who in great dangers may strengthen & comfort them, in all estates may guide and safeguard them to the haven of heaven. Fifthly, in respect that they have greater blessings on the Seas, receive greater testimonies of God's favor, taste more bountifully of God's power in imminent and fearful dangers, and more liberally have experience of his providence in their marvelous preservation, than their brethren on the land; I think they ought not to be less zealous, but more careful of the worship of God, than others on the land. Though then the prescript form of the law cannot always be used, and yet the proportion of the law may be observed: and seeing God is the Lord of the seas as well as he is the governor of the land, he is no less 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 profaneness, and brutish irreligiousnes. And yet in that this evil is not so general, but that even in that calling there are some that fear the Lord, it is manifest that the fault is not in the calling, which in it self is lawful, but in the corruptions of the persons, who are degenerated into an hellish atheism.
Now concerning Posts thus much briefly: Either the Posts travail on the Lord's day upon necessity, or without necessity. If they go on the necessary affairs of the land, and such as by foreslacking would be more dangerous, and the speedy dispatching of them would be more profitable to the whole body of the realm, the liberty is permitted, and is greater or lesser according to the gravity and slendernes of their affairs: but if they have no necessity, the rule of God his laws take hold on them. Howbeit for the most part subjects are not so precisely to judge of them, because Princes matters are not known to all men: but they are rather to pray, that both the Princes heart may be right herein, and that the Lord would move them evermore to use those ways which are most convenient.
And thus much generally of the usual works of our calling. It remaineth to speak of those works which have not the ordinary course of the week days, but are nevertheless used at certain set times and seasons, as Fairs in certain months and quarters of the year, as the seeding in the winter and in the spring time, and the harvest in summer & in Autumn. Hereunto we may add special iourneies taken in hand not usually, but extraordinarily, & the gathering of Saffron at the time of the year. Al which things have their several seasons, and are unnaturally thrust on the Lord's own times, howsoever men have pretended a necessity, & flesh and blood hunting after liberty, disputeth to the contrary. First as for Fairs and Markets, which by politic, wise, and worldly men on the Lord's days are maintained: it argueth the want of godly wisdom where they be used, because without any prejudice to the worship of God they may not conveniently be observed. For if no necessity, profit, nor pleasure could cause the Papists to have their Fairs on their Christmas day, Easter day, holy Thursday, and Corpus Christi day; then it is a shame for us, that in truth and zeal ought to go before them, to defile the Lord's day herewith: yea I add, it is intolerable, because a firm statute & civil law enforceth a plain inhibition of all such worldly conuents and assemblies on that day. These fairs are for the most part either solemn Marts and of greater continuance, or petty Markets and of less resort: if they be more solemn Markets, then the continuance of the gain in the week days may easily afford the Lord his right on the Sabbath days: if they be the petty Markets, then they are within the compass of seven days, and they may be used on the six days between the Sabbaths, not charging the Lord's day with them.
Concerning seeding time and harvest, we have heard them on the Sabbath by express words forbidden in Exodus. And here one thing maketh me to marvel, why men plead rather for the liberty of the harvest, than of the seeding time, whē the time is alike for the one and for the other, and he that restrained the one, restraineth the other: yea and there is more wisdom and less labor required in the seeding, and there is less heed & more labor used in the reaping time. And yet many think it strange to sow and plow on the Sabbath day, who make no conscience to mow, reap, and cart it on that day. But here to the commandment let us join the promise. If we be careless to provide for the worship of God, the Lord will ease himself for caring for us. But, if we first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, all these things shall be given unto us. And intruth the necessity of the harvest rather chargeth us with many moe duties on the Lord's day, thā dischargeth us of any one. First the labor of the six days at that season is so great, as men cannot conveniently give themselves to the worship of God, either publicly or privately, and in that respect especially in that time they are to make conscience of the Sabbath, wherein they must endeavor to make some godly supply for their former defects. Under this we may couch another reason. Although greater possessors have larger liberty in the works of this calling, yet have they servants and cattle, which at harvest time especially labor: for whose good and ease seeing the Lord hath provided in every Sabbath, we cannot without unmercifulness to the creatures, and the controlling of God his ordinance, in these busy times especially, deny our servants and cattle their rest, because they had then most need to cease on the Sabbath day, when they most travail on the week days. Again, experience teacheth us, that if the weather in this quarter of the year be more unseasonable, men are then most ready to vnclaspe their hold on God's providence by their carnal diffidence. Again on the other side, if the times are more temperate, and the fruits of the earth more abundant, then we securely hide our hearts in the earth, and tying our affections to our enlarged and full fraught barns, we vomit out our surfeiting conceits with the rich man, and say, O my soul take thy rest, thou hast store laid up for many years: and so we bury our souls in the abundance of our increase. But what is it to have a handful of corn, & to gain therewith a vial of the wrath of God? What doth it help, when the Lord either to correct our sins, or make trial of our faith, doth send foul weather, that a man should blot out the print, & rub out the mark of God's work with such contemptuous disobedience? Ought we not rather in such a scarcity, as the Lord appointeth by Joel, to erect a new Sabbath in prayer and fasting, than to pull down the old Sabbath by toiling and laboring, that the Lord seeing our repentance, might stay the windows of heaven, and surceasing from his punishment might leave some blessing behind him▪ Now therefore to cure our diffidence, to help our impatience, and to correct our covetousness, as also to witness our subjection to the blessed will of God, the Lord often sendeth this trial in the time of harvest. Again, if according to the largeness of God's liberality we may enlarge our taidour, if as the Lord reacheth out his benefits to us, we ought to reach out our obedience unto him: at what time of the year do men more abundantly receive God his mercies than now, when the providence of God cometh to the issue, and groweth to a perfect accomplishment; when the earth is ready to travail and to bring forth of her bowels, whatsoever by the blessing of God it hath before received and conceived? And consequenly at what time is required of us a greater measure of thanksgiving, and when doth the Lord more deeply charge us with a care of his worship, than when he doth as it were surcharge us with the weight of his benefits? If then either the commandment of God may bind us, or the promise of God touch us, either the toiling of our bodies may pity us, or the distractions of our minds may move us: if either the wants of our souls may enforce us, o • the benefits of God ravish us, we shall confess, that though at all times carefully, yet at this time of the year most carefully and specially we should provide for the worship of God, the refreshing of our souls, & the relieving of our bodies. Besides, if the calling of justice, which for the worthiness of it is more necessary; if the tilling of ground, which is a thing more needful, on this day stoop and surcease, to give place to the worship of God; then reaping and carting, for which neither dignity nor necessity can so well be pretended, must needs cease: and better it is that man should reap somewhat less of his private gain, than that so deep a wound should be stricken into the sides of God's public glory: and more convenient it is that a few should smart, than a great many should be offended. And yet true it is, that our axiom of necessity hath it virtue as well at this time, as at another. Howbeit, I hope, I need not here put you in mind of the distinction of necessity present and necessity imminent, the one granted, the other denied. A present need requireth a present help, as an house being fired, our aide forthwith is required: for that God in this case hath subordinated us as his Bailiefes and Lieutenants for the preservation of his creatures. But, if we presuppose and forecast dangers to come, God maketh men's doings dotings, and infatuateth their devises, for that seeing he openeth & shutteth the windows of heaven, and the closets of water, seeing he can make the heavens as brass, and the earth as iron, and sendeth the first and the latter rain: so these things are not in our hands, but in the Lord's power, who either proveth their faith, or punisheth our sins, and trieth us whether we will serve him more sparingly when he punisheth us, or more securely when he spareth us.
The other question following is of gathering a saffron. If men be wise and provident to serve God, the Saffron grounds, I think, may also be so kept, as that there will be no such loss as worldly men pretend. But if the nature of it be such, as some do affirm, that on that day it perisheth, if it be ungathered, on which day it cometh forth; then I do think, that by the law of necessity this thing happening, it may be gathered on the Sabbath: yet with these conditions, that as many gather as can conveniently be gotten, that no public exercise of the worship of God be omitted, that their minds be holy and spiritually occupied that gather it. Now if some will object, that there is somewhat in the order of nature, which fighteth with the ordinance of this law: I answer, for as much as this thing cometh on the Lord's day but seldom times, that therefore it is not a thing ordinary, but as a work of necessity. Now to fold up this question, we required in gathering that we should be spiritually minded, which they may show in giving it a mark of separation, that is, that they bestow it on the poorer, if the be of they more wealthy sort: if they be of meaner condition, yet they may impart something to their more needy brethren, as testifying thereby that they seek not their gain, but the glory of God.
It remaineth briefly and in a word to speak of travailing, which if it be ordinary and usual, is in no case lawful: but if it be extraordinary and necessary, as often it happeneth to Lawyers, or Physicians, the according to the necessity it is more or less permitted. We see that many Papists will not stir out on their Saints days, whereby is detected the want of our spiritual love, which make no conscience to cease on the Lord's day. And so the religion devised by man findeth better entertainment & a further practice, than that which was ordained by God. If any man object the loss of his living, if he should not labor on this day, I oppose against that the loss of God his glory, and that with his interrogatory, whether the miserable pelf of man should not give room to the immortal glory of God. And experience confirmeth the truth of God's word, that in vain men rise early, and so late take their rest, in vain they build and take so great pains, when the Lord denieth the blessing. And what were it to be rich by policy, and poor by God his displeasure? What though the bag be heavy, and their consciences troubled? What if they be rich with men, and poor with God? Again, who is it that so disposed of his journeys and his affairs? so as some making conscience of their Sabbath, are in their journeys in one day better prospered, in their affairs in one hour more furthered, than many others contemning the ordinance of God are in many hours, and in many days? Who directeth men to be provident in their sales and bargainings? Who besotteth and infatuateth others? Who sendeth a man (that not for a simple desire of gain, but for a single care to walk in his calling, useth the trade of buying and selling) moe chapmen in one hour, than another man hath in an whole day, whose heart is inflamed, whose eyes are enkindled with loving gain, and looking for profit howsoever it come by hook or by crook? Men ascribe this to chance, and so they oft by the just judgment of God receive a blank, that is, trusting to the blind world they receive not so much gain, as will acquit their charges. Can men travail day and night by sea and by land, and that for a thing transitory, and will they reach out no hours for the defense of God his worship; Do they fear thieves, if they enlarge their journey for the keeping of a good conscience; & are they not afraid of thieves, when for their worldly affections they can travail early and late? Because herein the terror of their own consciences will preach more forcibly to them, than I can speak, I will leave them to that practice of the man of God, which is used Nehem. 12,
And thus having spoken of the works of our callings, now we are to speak of the works of our pleasures. Concerning the lawful recreations of this life, which Christianity doth permit and not forbid (for of unlawful pleasures being always out of season, and especially on the Sabbath, we have nothing to say) whether they may have place and time on the Lord's day or no, here is the question. In this part of the treatise, I say, we do not speak of profane & idle pleasures, but of them which bring some further use after they be used, & which are permitted by the word of God, so measure in them may be used, and they be sanctified unto us by the word and by prayer. And yet even for these we dare not give the time consecrated to God, unto playing and pleasures. Neither are we curiously to frame any exquisite division in this matter, but first we will consider of the feasts and banquets accustomed on this day, and afterward of other recreations and exercises at that time frequented and used, which though in their time, place and persons they are not unlawful, yet at this time on the Lord's day we deny them to be lawful. As for feasts, we may part them into Love feasts, Church feasts, & sumptuous feasts, which carry with them some further expenses and larger liberality, as are those which are used at marriages, at the admitting of men into their civil offices, or else are taken up for some special benefits received, or some extraordinary judgments removed, or some other causes like unto these, as when men carrying some port and countenance in the common wealth, according to their degrees and callings, at sometimes do ordain.
Touching these solemn and sumptuous feasts, thus much we affirm briefly. Such as on the Lord's day institute such solemnities, and stuff every office, and bumbast every corner of the house with men and women, are to be admonished duly to consider of that, which is reported of David both in the history of the Kings, and in the book of the Chronicles, who having a vain desire and superfluous appetite, would not defer, but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced city, and from whence water could not be conveyed by hand, without some jeopardy to them that fetched it. Wherefore three of his most worthy men have this business assigned them, to the compassing whereof their lives were hazarded. At their return, grace making his after fruits better than the former, after better deliberation used, he poured forth the water on the ground, saying, God forbid that I should drink the blood or the lives of these three men: showing thereby both his offense in sending them, & the free mercy of God in saving them. Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot cōueniently be used on the Sabbath without the hazard of men's souls (though the Lord in mercy may save their souls) as in that diverse offices in great families require diverse persons to perform diverse duties, and so that which is a day of rest, is made a day of toiling. The equity of the not kindling of a fire must bind Christians, although the sanction doth not contstrain them: whereas the Israelites of an inch of liberty would take an ell, for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them. And although we have a further liberty to kindle a fire, for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were, yet the equity of the law must teach us, that we ought not to turn this liberty to be servant of our wanton desires, or to foster carnal licentiousness, and hinder the worship of God.
If it be demanded whether this day be fit for marriage or no: I answer, it is, because on that day as it is a day of rejoicing, there is a more lawful liberty of speech, and a more liberal use of cheerful behavior. Howbeit, let them not on that day, if they marry, make their solemn cheer: but seeing they may have a convenient company some other day, let them either both marry and feast some other day, or marry on the Lord's day, & feast another. And if it be demanded, whether Love feasts may be kept on this day or no; I an swear, there is difference between love-feasts and solemn feasts. And if men were as wiseas they were in the times of Popery, they would be politic to find out some means to, provide for the glory of God, and yet not altogether neglect the convenient furniture for their table. I am not to appoint, neither do I undertake to prescribe how meat should be prepared, or how offices should be divided: yet by experience I can give testimony of some who for their religion bear credit in the Church, and for their authority carry some countenance in common wealth, and yet on the Lord's day have their tables both Christianly and worshipfully furnished without any hindrance of the worship of God at all, notwithstanding the number of their daily retinue & ordinary family is great. It is one thing to provide feasts of entertainment more than competent, and another thing to use louefeasts nothing less than is convenient, the one oppressing and disabling us to holy exercises, the other refreshing and enabling us to the duties of religion.
Now concerning the exercises & pleasures of the body, leaving all vain pastimes at all times unlawful, but most especially on the Sabbath, and to speak of such recreations, as in themselves are lawful, and may lawfully be used of the children of God in their time and place; as those of shooting, training up of soldiers, and such like, all which their pleasures carry a profit either present or in time to come, to the Church or commonwealth; we deny not simply then their places, but think them convenient, and commendable with the testimony of the holy Ghost: 2. Sam. 1. where Jonathan is commended of David for his shooting. Howbeit, the Sabbath day is no fit time for these uses, which we will show briefly. First we must know, that the Lord having forbidden the works of our ordinary calling, which carry with them a more special promise of profit and warrant of reward in their time, forbiddeth also lawful pleasures: because if the use of those be forbidden, being lawful and necessary for the upholding and maintaining of man's life, then these things not so needful, though convenient for recreation, are much more inhibited. And this we shall see more plainly, if we remember that rest is so far commanded, as it is an help and furtherance to sanctification, and labor so far is forbidden, as it is an impediment of the same. In regard whereof, if pleasures be no less lets and impediments to the hallowing of the Sabbath, than bodily and ordinary labors; then pleasures have no more liberty on the Lord's day, than our outward works. Furthermore, we must be circumspect not to rest in any drowsy or sleepy security of the flesh: but in what measure soever we detract from the ordinary works of our calling, in that proportion must we add to the sanctification of the day: not much unlike to good Christians, who bestow on their souls whatsoever they take from their bodies. Which wisdom and diligence though we use most carefully, yet for as much as we shall leave as many duties unperformed, as we shall have performed, I see not what leisure we can lawfully lend to recreations. If any carnal professor shall press this thing more vehemently, me thinketh he may blush at the defense of it, seeing this kind of keeping holy days in pleasures and playing, was used even of the Heathen, who sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play: first balacing their bellies with feasts, & then refreshing themselves with play. Wherefore as we now deny Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen: so we deny holy-day plays, as remnants of ancient profaneness.
But if it be here objected, that the Jews had their solemn feasts, musical instruments, and exercises of pleasure, yet the men always by themselves, and the other sex by themselves; not with that monstrous mixture of men and women, which is a chief sin and arch-enemy to religion of our age, and that with holy Psalms made by David and Moses, not with vain minstrelsie used of profane Atheists: I answer, as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth. 13. of his own person, that they being as children spake as children, they understood as children, they thought as children, being but in the rudiments: but we becoming men, must put away childish things. Again, the superstition of the Papists checketh this abuse, who would admit none outward exercises on their Easter, Whitsuntide, and holy Thursday, at what times they thought a bird would scarcely build her nest. Did not the Papists break their superstitious holidaies, and shall we so profanely pollute the Lord his Sabbath? Our Easter day, our Ascension day, our Whitsuntide is every Lord's day: and therefore we ought to make a special care of sanctifying of this day. What shall I say of the zeal of worldlings, which may control by contraries the security of our sins? For all worldly men seek never for pleasure, whilst profit doth drop; as we may see in them that live on Fairs and Markets, as Chapmen and Inholders. So long as they hope to gain a penny, how wait they, how diligent are they, how little play they, how busy are they? And why? Forsooth it is their harvest, it is their market, which (say they) they must attend upon whilst occasion lasteth. Behold the policy & painfulness of the world may teach us, what we ought to do for our souls. Is not the Sabbath the harvest time and market day for the soul, wherein we should gather in whilst the Sun shineth, wherein we we should be very diligent, whilst our gain is promised, wherein we must provide for a living and maintenance, and lay up store, laying all pleasure aside until the time to come?
And to return to the Papists, what posting Priests, what mumbled mas • es, what hunting prayers, what hasty service had they, when any other solemnity should be used? What then, will some say, no use of recreations? I do not simply deny profitable exercises, but what shall we do with them on the Lord's day? If all our delight were in the Sabbath, if all our springs were in it, if we made it our chiefest joy, what place should or ought to be left to such carnal delights, to such fleshly pleasures? If any shall object, that it was not a necessity to lead the ox to the water, and yet it was lawful, and therefore things convenient in some cases permitted: men have the use of pleasures convenient. I answer, that the ox 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 convenient, as eating and drinking moderately, may on that day be used, 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 God's sake, if without hurt we can forbear it an whole week for the worlds sake. To be short, spiritual wisdom ma provide both for the Lord his worship, for our callings, & for the laws. And like as in regard of inconvenience, the politic laws restrain bowling in some men, not that in it self it is merely unlawful, but that for all estates for certain causes it is not convenient, in that they would detain some from their callings: from which if they should rest, they should incur both the loss of better things, the misspending of time, and hindrance of their honest gain. In which respect of hindering better things, we deny playing on the Lord's day.
Yet there may remain a question, whether sick persons may have their exercises on this day, or no? We answer, if they be extremely sick, it is a time of praying, and not of playing, according to the axiom of James, chap 5. If they be not so dangerously sick, they need i • not: for if they can bu • ie their hearts, hands, bodies and minds about playing, then their late visitation and the fruit of it should rather cause them to refresh themselves with reading, singing, or a more liberal exercise of conferring with them that be godly. And to knit up this part, let us remember in the former objection drawn from the law of the Realm, that the civil law doth not so much permit the liberty, which good men know to use well, as it doth restrain the licentiousness, which evil men use badly: because better it is that good men should want their liberty, which they may do, than evil men should be confirmed in their licentiousness, which they ought not to do: so that evil men may be made good, and good men are nothing hurt. And because love asketh not her own, but is content for the good of others to depart from it own liberty, though we could (which indeed we cannot) use recreation without the hindrance of God his worship; yet we should not use it being a grief to the godly, an offense to the weak ones, a matter of rejoicing to the ungodly.
It remaineth in the last place to show, how the Sabbath is profaned either in thought, in word, or in deed. For there is a difference between the not sanctifying, and the plain profaning of the Sabbath, in that the one is not altogether desirous to break it, the ether hath no desire at all to keep it. Neither is the Sabbath only broken by profaneness, but also by idle works, and not careful keeping of it Some profane the Sabbath by corrupt judgment, as Heretics: some by a corrupt life, as carnal professors; the one a high malice of Satan, the other a dangerous deceit o • the devil. When men too worldly minded, make the Lord's day a day of riddance, a packing day, a counting day to make odds even with all men, but even things odd with God. And it is the lamentable sin of our age, to press the Lord's ordinance & appointed day with all relics of law matters; with the dregs of ancient quarrels, or new broached brawlings, with posting to Justices; not to be reconciled, but to be avenged, not to finish, but to re • iue controversies, and to • ub old injuries until they bleed: so as that day that is sanctified & ordained for love, is a day of hatred; of a day of reconciliation, it is made a day of dissension; and this cannot but proceed from a profane stock. Others as seeming more favorable, 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 darkness, which should be a day of bright shining light: by hunting of bears, by haunting of plays, and such like, that if they begin the day in the spirit, they w •• l end in the flesh, receiving some good motions in the morning▪ they bury them in the evening, and giving the Lord the forenoon, they recompense the devil with the afternoon. Yea in some place the Lord's day is the Devils day, being fraught with so many fraies, stained with such filthy fornication, and burdened with the sins which their ordinary callings on the week days spew • out, in that on those days they cannot be frequented for want o • company. Now whether we speak of the not sanctifying, or of the profaning of the day, we affirm the Sabbath to be broken in thought, word and deed. For the whole law being spiritual, Rom. 7. and this being a principal part of that law, it must needs be that this precept, as well as the rest, taketh up as well the inner as the outward man. Besides, it is a general rule in the law, that whatsoever is unlawful to be done, the same is unlawful to be thought or spoken of: and look in what measure the wicked actions of men are forbidden, in the same manner is the wicked affection and communication forbidden also. Many have notwithstanding made such proceedings in sin, that when they should reckon with their souls, they reckon with their servants, and when they should make even with their consciences, they strike even with their chapmen, and yet persuade themselves of small breach of the Sabbath, because (as they say) they do but speak a little with their tongue, and scribble with their pens. Then we must know, that as what we may do, that we may talk of: so what we may not do, that may we not talk of. Wherefore laying aside our filthy songs, our table talk of worldly matters, our carnal devices and worldly compasses, which we are fetching in our thoughts, whilst we sit in the congregation, our privy discourses of our success in our callings, and our politic disposing of our week following; all which shut out of the doors better things, and ouerquel the vigor of good things. Wherefore as the nourishing of ill thoughts is at all times unseasonable: so to harbor them on this day is most abominable. Many will temper their tongues, and stay their hands, but yet will give some liberty to their hearts: as though the Lord condemned not as well the hypocrisy of the one, as the wickedness of the other. Now we must remember to every general point to join our particular practice, that we may obtain the blessings laid up for the obedient, and avoid the curses laid up for the disobedient: which the Lord assist us in, for Christ his sake our Lord and only Savior.
NOTES OF OUR SALVATION.
- L Ikewise these be true notes of our salvation, when we search the Scriptures, in them to find Christ, and in him eternal life, as men search for silver and gold, Prouerb. 2. 4.
- 2 When we esteem the word of God more than our appointed food, Job. chap. 23. verse. 12. and covet so to be fed with it that we may grow thereby, 1. Pet. 2. ver. 1. 2. 3.
- 3 When we are swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath, laying apart all mailciousnesse, and the ex • rements of sin, and receive with meekness the word that is grafted into us, that it may save our souls, I am. 1. verse. 21. and obey from the heart unto the form of doctrine whereunto we are delivered. Rom. 6. 17.
- 4. When we meditate in it day and night, Joshua 1. Psalm 1. 2. desiring that all our actions, words and thoughts may be directed by it. Psal 1. and 119.
- 5 If we long after the holy assemblies, Psal. 84. Psal. 122. 1. and make the Sabbath our delight, Isaiah. 58.
- 6 When the Ministers are most dear unto us, Act. 10. 16. Rom. 10. 15. and we most joyfully minister unto them in all our goods, Gal. 6.
The necessity of an upright heart is thus by these consequents thereof proved.
- 1 WIthout it we cannot assure our selves to be justified and sanctified in Christ Jesus, Psal. 32. 2. Heb. 10. 22.
- 2 Without it we cannot assure our selves, that we have truly repented us of our sins, Joel. 2. 12. Ezech. 18. 22. 23.
- 3 Without it we cannot assure our selves that our ways do please God, Psalm 119. verse. 1. 5. 10. 11. 80.
- 4 Without it we cannot hear God's word fruitfully, Luk. 8. verse. 12. 16.
- 5 Without it we cannot pray unto God acceptably. 1. Tim. 2. 8. Psalm. 119 58. and 145. and 66. 18.
- 6 Without it we cannot be assured that we are truly baptized. 1. Pet. 3. 21. Matth. 3▪ 8. Rom 2 29.
- 7 Without it we cannot receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to our comfort. 2. Chron. 30. 18. 19 Psal 4▪ 45.
- 8 Without it we cannot fast Dan▪ 10. 12.
- 9 Without it we cannot worship God at all truly. 1. John. 4. 24. Isaiah. 29. 13. Psalm. 15. 2. Psalm 24 4.
- 10 Without it we shall never see God. Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Psal. 15, 2. and 24. 4.
- 11 Without it we shall never receive blessing from God, but look for confusion and destruction. Psal. 125. verse. 4. 5. Psal 119. verse. 6. and Psal. 80 Psal. 7. verse. 10.
Notes of a true and upright heart.
- 1 WHen we are persuaded that God the Father, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the working of the holy spirit doth cleanse us from our sins.
- 2 When we are persuaded that the spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son, doth by the word thus cleanse us, and therefore make conscience of all things in the said word, without respect unto man's advice, counsel or commandment, without the same or contrary to the same word of God▪ Respecting, I say, all the Commandments of God, without preferring one before another, laboring to know them, if we do not: and if we do, to do after them according to the measure of grace we have received.
- 3 When we are truly desirous, and labor to avoid all the outward occasions which might either bring on, foster, or bring us back to any sin we have fallen into, or may fall into hereafter.
- 4 When we mourn for the very first motions of sin whereunto we have yielded, or we fear we may yield unto hereafter.
- 5 When we are desirous and labor to use all and every of those means, which God hath ordained in his word to bring us unto purity of heart.
- 6 When we do all those former things as well secretly by our selves, as before others.
- 7 When in doing these things we simply and singly seek to approve our selves unto God, without either looking for praise or profit, rebuke or loss from men, not seeking chiefly these outward things at God's hands: but principally his kingdom and the righteousness thereof. Matth. 6.
A PROFITABLE TREATISE CONTAINING A DIRECTION FOR THE READING AND VNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES: BY MAISTER Greeneham.
T Hose things which God hath joined together, no man may sever a sunder. Therefore preaching and reading of the holy Scriptures being of God joined together in the work of our salvation, may not be severed asunder. In all Sciences, Arts and Trades, teachers and masters are requisite ordinarily for the sound learning and practicing of them: we must be persuaded much more that it is necessary to have guides to go before us in the way to salvation. That preaching is the most principal means to increase and beget faith and repentance in God's people, must be granted, Deuteron. 18. 18. 33. 10. Levite. 10. 11. Mal. 2. 6. 7. 2. Chron. 36. 15. Isaiah. 50. 5. 57 8. 53. 1. 55. 10. 11. 57. 19. 58. 1. 61. 1. 62. 15. 6. 7. Mat. 13. 3. 28. 19. 20. Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. 14 Rom, 10. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 1. 21. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 25. And where this ordinary means of salvation faileth, the people for the most part perish: Prov. 29. 18. Hos. 4. 6. 2. Chro. 15. 13. Isaiah. 56 9. Matth. 15. 14 Luk. 11. 52. But that the reading of the Scriptures publicly in the Church of God, and privately by our selves, is a special and ordinary mean, if not to beget, yet to increase faith in us, it is likewise proved, Deut. 6. 6 11. 18. Psal. 1. 2. John. 5. 39. Mat. 14. 15. Rom. 15 14. 2. Pet. 1. 19. Nehem. 88. Act. 13. 15. 15. 21. The manifold fruit which comes of the reading of the Scriptures prove the same.
Reading rather establisheth than derogateth from preaching▪ for none can be profitable hearers of preaching, that have not been trained up in reading the Scriptures, or hearing them read. Many inconveniences come from the neglect of reading, as that the people cannot tell when a sentence is alleged out of the Canonical Scriptures, when out of the Apocrypha, when out of the Scriptures, when out of other writers, that they cannot discern when he speaketh his own, or a sentence of the Scripture.
Again, reading helpeth men's judgments, memories and affections, but especially it serveth for the confirmation of our faith: which may be proved by the example of the men of Beroea, Act. 17. 13. It serveth to discern the spirits of men, 1. John. 4. to make soūder confession of our faith, to stop the mouths of our adversaries, and to answer the temptations of Satan and the wicked.
But because men sin, not only in neglect of hearing and reading, but also in hearing and reading amiss: therefore the properties of reverent & faithful reading and hearing, are to be set down, which are these that follow: they be eight in number.
- 1. Diligence.
- 2. Wisdom.
- 3. Preparation.
- 4. Meditation.
- 5. Conference.
- 6. Faith.
- 7. Practice.
- 8. Prayer.
The three first go before reading and preaching. The four next come after them. The last must go before, and be with them, and come after them.
1 If diligence be necessary in reading profane authors, then much more in reading the Scriptures. Diligence maketh a rough way plain and easy, and of good taste, which otherwise is hard and vnfauourie. In our diligence we must keep an even course, and not to be like those who upon some sudden good motion, or by reason of some good company, or by reason of some good action draw near, or for fear of danger, &c. read for a time, and soon after give over again. Read Prov. 2. 12. Matth. 13. 54.
2 With diligence must be joined wisdom, which is in choice of
- Matter.
- Order.
- Time.
For want of wisdom in the matter they read, many sin in studying other books before the Scriptures, and in the Scriptures in searching things not revealed, and pretermitting things revealed, as John and James sought who should sit at Christ's right hand, and left hand: but they sought not to come thither. And the Disciples said, Act. 1. Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? not asking the means to come to the kingdom of heaven. And in things revealed many will curiously and busily search for things not profitable, as genealogies, and caresly neglect the things that are to be searched. And some ignorant how to reform themselves, will be talking of reforming the Church. And if the Preacher must give milk to the weak, and stronger meat to the stronger Christians: if he must thus apply his doctrine to the hearers, then much more the hearers themselves must apply their own reading to their own capacities.
Wisdom is in order: as that men must be first grounded in the principal points of doctrine: first we must lay the foundation and build upon the same: also we must keep an order in our readings, and not be now in this place, now in another: for order is the best help for memory and understanding: he that readeth little after a good manner, profiteth more than he that readeth much otherwise: as he that • impeth in the way, doth better than he that runneth in another way, or out of the way. Therefore for want of order many read much, but profit little.
Wisdom must be used in discerning the times: for we must not read always, and do nothing else, as some offending in the one extreme, are after driven by Satan to the other. The Sabbath is wholly to be spent in such exercises: on other days, in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, that is, when we may redeem the day from the works of our calling, as David and Daniel did pray at these three times, under which is contained all the worship of God. We must do as much as we can every day, and no day must pass without a line. God hath made everything beautiful in his time, Ecclesiast. 3. verse 11.
3 Preparation followeth: If any man go away without any profit, and either understandeth not, or understandeth amiss, want of preparation is the cause.
Preparation is
- 1 In fear of God his Majesty.
- 2 In faith in Jesus Christ.
- 3 In a good and honest heart, with a greedy desire to eat up God's word.
In all apparitions God always sent fear before, as his apparitor, it engendereth teachablenesse, and meekness of mind, as we see in Isaac, who (as it is said) feared, and then he said, I have blessed Jacob, and he shall be blessed. We see it also in the woman of Samaria, John. 4. 7. and in the men Act. 2. From want of this reverent fear, cometh all checking of God his word, and that men dare be so bold with it: but they that fear will be swift to hear, and slow to speak, James. 1. 19. and will lay up his word in their heart, with the Virgin Mary. Though they understand it not, though they kick at the word and spurn against it, yet if God once teach them with his fear, then will they acknowledge it to be the blessed word of God.
Fear cometh upon men sometime they know not how: and if then they go to God, they shall find some excellent blessing, either in having their understanding enlightened, or some good affections put into them.
This fear is in respect of God his Majesty and our own corruption, to correct the pride of reason, and to control our affections: and experience will show, that when our reason and affections are tamed by misery, calamity, sickness, and inward grief, then we are very teachable. And when men err, then the pride of their reason is punished, as in heretics and profane persons▪ Contrarily, God his good spirit resteth upon the humble to clear their understandings: but they first crucify their understanding and affections, and offer them up in a sacrifice to God.
Faith in Christ is the second thing in this preparation, we must bring that with us when we come to read, looking on him as on the Messiah, that must teach us all things: he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, to whom it is given to open the book of God. He opened the hearts of the Disciples going to Emmaus. Preachers build hay and stubble, because they do not only glory in him, but do seek credit and preferment by preaching themselves. All heretics differ among themselves, yet they all agree in this that they e •• e from Jesus Christ.
A heart prepared to learn is required, Pro. 17. 16. Wherefore is there a price in the heart of a fool to get wisdom, and he hath no heart▪ Our Lord Jesus Christ saith, that those that brought forth fruit (when they had heard) some thirty, some sixty, some an hundred fold, they were such as received the word with a good and honest heart, Luc. 8. Here saith a godly and learned man, men are shut out because they come without a heart
Now follow the properties that must follow our readings: Whereof the first is meditation, the want of which makes men depart without fruit, though they read or heat diligently. Meditation makes that which we have read to be our own. He is blessed which meaitates in the law, day and night. Psal. 1. 2.
Meditation is either of the
- Mind and understanding.
- Heart and affections.
Meditation of the understanding, is when reason discourseth of things read, or heard, which the wise of the Heathen call, the refining of judgment, the life of learning. They that want this, how much soever they have heard or read, yet shall they never have sound and settled judgment. And this is one cause why it is said, that the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men.
Meditation of the affections, is when having a thing in judgment, we ever digest it and make it work upon our affections. It is continual searching of our selves, and laboring to lay up all things in the treasures of our hearts. The other will go away except this be joined with it: for judgment will away except we frame our affections unto it.
Meditation in judgment goeth before: then this must follow, that we may be sound in judgment before we either fear or cheer up our hearts, least we have false fears or false joys. Many are of sound judgment, and yet have not their hearts purged and touched: they can give counsel to others, but cannot follow it themselves, because they join not affection with judgment. Meditation without reading is erroneous, and reading without meditation is barren.
The next thing is conference. In natural things man standeth in need of help, then much more in spiritual things he standeth in need of others. And as iron sharpeneth iron: so one friend another, Pro. 27. And as two eyes see more, two ears hear more▪ and two hands can do more than one, so this is a special communion of Saints, & God hath promised, that when two or three are gathered together in his name, that he will be present with them by his spirit, as he was corporally with his Disciples going to Emmaus.
Conference is either with
- Ministers of God.
- Our equals.
- Or others.
This rule must be kept, that conference with our equals must be of those things which we heard of our Ministers, as it must be kept also in meditation, which is a conference with our selves. We must for a time like babes hang at the mouths of the Ministers, because we cannot run before we go: nay we cannot go without a leader. No man may presume to understand above that which is meet to understand, but labor to understand according to the measure of sobriety, as God hath dealt to everyone the measure of faith: and when they have laid the foundation, then build the walls and pillars. The Eunuch would not interpret the word without a guide, but he laid it up in his heart, as the Virgin Mary did. For want of true humility conference is slandered, because it is used after an evil manner, as before they be surely grounded in principal points of religion, to talk of other matters above their capacity and knowledge. Secondly, we must come in love without anger, envy, or desire of victory: therefore in conference we must use the preparation spoken of before: the want of which maketh much • anglings and wranglings in company.
Lastly, we must procure things honest before men, that it may be done wisely, without confusion and destruction: and not by too great a multitude, that we may afford our doings before men; not with the doors shut, least any man should hear. This is the difference between the conference of the godly and religious, and the conuen • cles of Heretics.
The next thing is faith: The word must be mixed with faith: Heb. 42. The word which they hear a profited them nothing, because it was not mixed with faith. But all have not faith: therefore the Prophet Isaiah said, Lord who will believe our report? And Luke 18. 18. Suppose ye that the Son of man when he cometh shall find faith on the earth? All the former must be used to refine faith: for as gold before it be pure is seven fold tried in the fire, so faith which is much more precious than gold, must go through all these means.
Faith here is an increase of all that in * preparation. A Merchant must have something before he be a Merchant, but he occupieth to increase and get more: so we must believe in Jesus Christ by a general faith going before: but we must use all the forenamed means to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars. One may be a faithful person generally, and yet an unbeliever in particulars. As Christ's Disciples to whom he said, If •• had faith but as much as a grain of mustard seed, &c. As Abraham, Rebecca, and Zechariah had.
There is a difference between faith and opinion or knowledge: for our knowledge and opinions vanish away in afflictions: but as gold is tried in the fire, so faith will abide the fire of affliction. Satan winowed Peter, but his faith failed not: for Christ failed not, for Christ prayed for him, and for his Disciples, and for all believers, that their faith should not fail.
Next followeth practice: That we have a desire that the word may bring forth increase of faith and repentance, Psal. 119 98. By thy commandments thou hast made me wiser than my enemies, for they are •••• with me. The practice of Infidels is nothing, because it is not joined with faith. But Christ saith, Blessed are they which hear and do. And so saith Iame • , that this is that assureth us that we have faith. He that doth this, is compared unto him that buildeth his house upon a rock, and our works are not the foundation of the house, but then we have built upon Christ when we join the fruits of our faith with knowledge, they will speak for us to our consciences, and to others. Our Savior Christ saith, That that servant that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes: for it is worse to offend of knowledge than of ignorance. And why should he give us anymore, if we practice not that we have? For to him that hath shall be given, but from him that hath not shall be taken away, &c. Why do many hearing the word, either continue or increase in their blindness, but because they would not practice that they knew, and also even that they had is taken from them? If a good conscience be not joined with faith, faith shall be taken away and errors succeed. If then we be forgetful, we must confess that the want of practice is the cause thereof. The rule of reason in all things is, that the best way of learning is by practice: then how much more if we practice will God increase our talents?
The last thing is prayer, which must be used both in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. Prayer must be in all the former means: for without it we can never use them, nor have any blessing by them.
Prayer containeth under it,
- Prayer.
- Thanksgiving.
For prayer, that it must be used when we read, it is plain, 1. Cor. 2. The eye hath not seen, &c. meaning not only the joys contained in the kingdom of heaven, but even those that are contained in the word. And again in the same place, As no man knoweth the heart of a man, but the spirit of man: so no man knoweth the meaning of the Lord in his word, except God give him his spirit to declare it unto him. And if we must pray when we come to our meat and drink, that God may give nourishment to us by them, then how much more must we pray God to nourish us by his word: for else we cannot profit thereby; And as no man dare touch meat and drink before he pray, and we have no title to it before it be sanctified to us by prayer: how impudent are they that dare touch God's book without prayer, or think that otherwise they have title unto it? Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but God giveth the increase: so if any be senseless still, and yet have heard long, it is because God hath not revealed his will unto them. Men may be diligent, yet they shall err if God give not his spirit: and though they meditate and confer, yet they shall be punished for▪ giving liberty to their roving brain and to their tongue, except they pray for God's spirit.
Many rest in knowledge, and want faith, because they want prayer: and we rest in knowledge, and never practice, because we pray not to God to write his law in our hearts by his spirit, that now, not we, but he may work in us. They that take anything in hand without prayer, howsoever they say they abhor Popery, yet they practice it, because they take upon them to have some power in themselves.
For thanksgiving, if we be bound to praise God whē he hath fed our bodies, how much more when he hath fed our souls? And shall God be justly offended with us, if we thank him not for our refreshing, with meats, sleep, &c? and shall we not tremble for fear of revenge, if we have not praised God for any light, or any good motion that he hath put into us? For want hereof, • fter some lightning followeth some darkness, and after much feeling cometh deadness: and by this means Satan goeth about to take all God's graces from us. David saith, Blessed art thou Lord, O teach me thy statutes. This showeth that we must ever praise God before we come to read. Many are fervent in asking, but cold in giving thanks. And if we would give thanks to God, it would much ease us in asking, and God would not punish us in taking his graces from us.
A TREATISE OF THE RESVRRECTION
Psalm. 16. 10.
Philip. 3. 20.
Vers. 21.
A Re we persuaded with the Prophet of God Psalm. 16. that we shall be raised and freed from corruption? that our death is a sleep, our grave as a bed? and that, that God, that raiseth the Sun daily out of his den, will draw us also out of the earth? then have we true faith, which undoubtedly we shall find more strong, if long before death come, we would exercise our selves with the meditations of death. Many we see by deferring all unto the last ende, die heathenishly; many, who would seem to have more heroical spirits, desire unnaturally to die, not that they are surcharged with the burden of their rebellion and corruption, but because as beasts, they neither can rejoice in things in heaven, nor fear the pains in hell. These are more drowsy and senseless beasts, than those, who are more loath to depart, in whom appeareth more nature, and some conscience; but the other degenerating from nature, are a far more monstrous and dangerous kind of people. Howbeit the common sort of people commend this kind of death, they say thus, he departed as meekly as a lamb, he went out of the world as a bird goeth out of the shell, he died very quietly never speaking a word; nay they might say more truly, he died beastlike, he gave no token of repentance, in acknowledging his sins, he shown no fruit of faith how he was saved in Christ, he gave no testimony of his hope in witnessing a joyful resurrection, and changing to a better life. Thus we see, how ready we are to extremes, either fearing death too much, or fearing it too little. Well, if we will be rid of that fear in excess, behold here is a remedy: My flesh doth rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in grave. But there are othersome, who can yield quietly to death also; what is their reason? what is their faith? forsooth they say, they must pay that willingly, which is due of necessity; and seeing they owe God a death, they had as lieue die at first, as at last, when the debt is paid, it can be no more required. It is far otherwise with the children of God, who of all others have the greatest preferment by death, yet having tasted of the land of the living even in this life, cannot satisfy themselves in the multitude of many days with the sweet s • ppe thereof, until their measure be brim full. Then they dying in the ripeness of years, and in the fullness of days, are gathered in their due time into the Lord his barn, as a ricke of corn. Then they having fought a good battle, run their full race, and kept a true faith, can with joy in Christ look for the crown of glory which is prepared for them. To this wholesome meditation and fore-thinking of death, the daily mortality and dropping away of others ought to stir us up. For we see many round about us of the same complexions, of the same age that we are of, breathing, of the same air, using the same diet which we do, who go before us, and are gleaned from those miserable calamities, which our long contempt of the word hath threatened to fall upon us. Let us labor then to lay up our flesh in hope, that our departure from hence, may be as the sailing over the Seas; as the travailing of a woman; as a delivery out of prison, and a returning from exile. Certainly a man is never more tried to be a Christian, than in contemning death: for Heretics concerning other things, may have as great gifts as other professors, but in death they will bewray their hypocrisy, either in murmuring as dogs, or in vnsensiblenes as blocks. But in Christians there appeareth such an heroical alacrity, tempered with so gracious humility, that they desire not to live, but to keep a good conscience; they refuse not to die for nothing, but for hope of a more happy inheritance. It may be, that others, as we said, may show some cheerful countenance to die, but it either proceedeth of some frenzy unadvisedly, or of rashness especially, or of numbness carelessly.
Neither would I have any to accelerate their death, or to read me as some have read Plato, that thereby they should hasten the time of their deliverance; but that we should learn, when God doth beck for us, we should be ready to remove; and that for none other causes, but for faith, and in hope of God's promises; a full feeling of our sins discharged; a sure confidence of God his power in raising us up again; and a steadfast hope of a more glorious possession after this life. By these means we shall so rest in the hands of God, that when nature decayeth, we shall have our departure with calmnes, and in a good time shall through a natural ripeness rather voluntarily fall of, than violently be pulled off. Wherefore we see that this rash and indiscreet desire off death, is either in minds that are abject, or in men, in whose flesh their spirits are already buried: as also that the triumph of the godly proceedeth from hence, even a full assurance, that he which raised them up every morning will raise them in the last day; and that he which raised Christ their head, will also raise them his members. This is that which will stay all quiuering of the flesh, wherewith many are so benumbed, that they cannot with gladness drink of that cup whereunto the Lord allotted them. If ever this doctrine of the resurrectiō was needful, it is nowadays most needful, wherein wicked Heretics would deprive us of the comfort of it. It will not serve in the time of temptation, whether it come immediately from the devil, or med •• tly by his instruments, to rest in our infolded faith with the Papists, or to say we believe as it is in the Creed, we believe as the Church believeth. But to leave the devil himself, he hath suborned such privy and treacherous adversaries of this doctrine, as with impudent faces will agree with us in matter, and in word will grant the resurrection; and yet shift away in their manner, and in sense and truth blasphemously deny the power of the same. Thus Hymineus and Philetus would not flatly deny the resurrection, nay they would grant it, but how? they said it was past. Thus cunningly Satan would overthrow the manner of the resurrection, by permitting them to dally in the matter.
Again, shall we think that the Sadducees did generally resist it? no: they had their false glosses, and their forced interpretations, with whom Satan in policy would pretend a maintaining of that, which in purpose he sought to mangle and mar. The Philosophers had many glancing and glorious speeches of the immortality of the soul; but when they came to this point, concerning the rising again of the flesh, nothing was more ridiculous and incredible unto them. In so much that many of them, of the Epicures and Stoics, mocked Paul disputing of this matter, and said, What will this babbler say, as we may read Act. 17. verse. 18. And when he spake of the resurrection from the dead, some mocked, and others said, we will hear thee again • f this matter. Surely if the rising again had been nothing, but the renewing of the mind, as some fondly dream and falsely affirm, it may be thought, that the Academics would have conceived this doctrine, and Platoesidaea hath as great secrets. But here is the point which they stick at, and can by no means digest it, that the natural body, after it is consumed into the air, fire, water, or earth, should afterward revive, and receive supernatural qualities: and as Philosophers and Heretics cannot brook this kind of teaching, so sure it is, that few of the common professors receive it in truth, as their lives do manifestly prove.
Besides, there is another evil more perilous than these. Through the close subtlety of Satan this mystery of iniquity is cunningly conveyed into the heads of the more learned sort, to discourse of certain places of the Old Testament, which godly, learned, and ancient Fathers have construed of the resurrection, and are denied of these men. As these places, Job. 19. 25. 26. 27. and Esaj, 26 19. and Daniel, 12. 2. It may be, and I do think, their intent and purpose was not to misconstrue the places. Howbeit, it was Satan's policy to abuse the truth, and undermine our faith: it was the secret judgment of God to suffer Satan so far to buffet them. Wherefore that we may the better be armed against the day of trial, and that we may stand strongly in the day of temptation, in our possession; we will by God his assistance, first set down those express testimonies in the word of God: whereby this doctrine is confirmed. Secondly, we will allege those reasons out of the Scriptures, which imply this thing, though they do not plainly affirm it. Afterward we will vn • ase the shifting visard of Heretics, whereby they would counsel men to some liking of their opinions. Wherefore, that we may the better answer the devil and his limbs, let us first consider of that translation of Enoch, Genes 5. 24. wherein the Fathers have observed a manifest testimony of the resurrection: with whom I agree in part, but not in general: because I dare not affirm with them, that the body of Enoch is in heaven, seeing as yet Christ alone is risen from the dead, and was made the first fruits of them that slept. And albeit that Enoch and Elijah did not fall asleep as did the other Fathers, yet because it is said, Hebr. 11. 39. that the Fathers in old time, among whom Enoch is mentioned, received not the promise, that is the fullness of the promise, it cannot be, that Enoch his flesh is yet in heaven. And howsoever he was taken away by unknown means, nevertheless that GOD that could so hide the body of Moses, that even the devil looking for it could not find it, hath also laid up the bodies of Enoch and Elijah, in such means, a • are hid from us. And as the Lord hath infinite means of hiding, so hath he incomprehensible means of finding as well of the body of Enoch, as of the body of Moses. Now whereas it is said, Heb 11. 33. that they suffered that they may receive a better resurrection, it must needs be that there is a rising again of the flesh. Again, we read Exod. 3 6. that the Lord said unto Moses, I am the God of thy Fathers, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. In which place it may seem not a sufficient proof to confirm so great a matter. Howbeit our Savior CHRIST useth it as a bulwark against the Sadducees, Matth 22 32. where our Savior Christ to prove the resurrection, inferreth the same words, adding to them thus much, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: where we see how Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob being alive, have their bodies in the Lord his hands in keeeping, as well as their souls. Wherefore seeing both the Prophets and Christ himself have used this place to that ende, we also may safely use it to prove the Resurrection.
It is said moreover, Job. 19 25. I am sure that my Redeemer liveth, and he shall stand the last on the earth. 26. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet shall I see GOD in my flesh. 27. Whome myself shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none ot • er for me, though my reins are consumed within me. This place the very Heretics will grant after a fashion, that is, with a most wicked mind, understanding it only of that rising again unto sanctification, which is in this life. Others there be, which are of a reverent judgment in other things, who expound this of the renewing and restoring of his flesh to freshness and soundness, after that it was corrupted with sores, and eaten with cankers. But▪ admit it were so, which in truth cannot bear that exposition; how could he have believed that? but that he, being persuaded that God, who when his body should wholly be resolved into corruption, would raise it to a more glorious perfection, could much more▪ restore soundness to his body now, whilst this corruption was but in part on him? How could he do it? but by hope in the power of GOD, which with greater case could renew his flesh and bones, being but corrupted, than revive the same being altogether dead▪ and thoroughly consumed? as we read, Ezech. 37▪ 5. 6. wherein is set down a notable type of this rising again. 5. Thus saith the Lord, unto these bones: Behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. 6. And I will lay sinews upon you, and make flesh grow upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, that ye may live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. True it is, that the chief purpose of the Holy Ghost is, to foreshewe the bringing again of the people out of captivity, howbeit under a most excellent figure of the rising and restoring of the flesh in the last day. So that the place importeth thus much: if the Lord could restore sinews, flesh, skin, breath, and life to rotten bones; much more he could restore the Israelites to their country. The same sense may be applied to that, Isaiah. 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live: even with my body shall they rise. Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs: and the earth shall cast out the dead. In which place is signified thus much: As herbs in time of winter seem dead, and yet in the spring time sprout again, by reason of that sap, that lay hidden in the root; and as the bodies of the faithful seem utterly to perish, when they are in the earth, and yet in the last day shall rise again, through that seed which is given in Christ: even so the Israelites, who in time of their banishment, seemed to die as winter herbs, and to perish as dead bodies, should be brought home again, and restored to their former liberty. Which place could not but show the return of the people under the type of the resurrectiō, in that the Prophet saith, Even with this body shall they rise. Notable is that place, Daniel 12. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to perpetual shame and contempt. Whereunto agreeth that saying of our Savior Christ, John. 5. 28. Maruaile not at this: for the hour shall come, in which all that are in the graves, shall hear his voice. 29. And they shall come forth that have done good, unto the resurrection of life: but they that have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. Now whē we shall see that there is nothing more clear of the doctrine of faith, contained in the New Testament, than that of the resurrection, and that there is no new doctrine in the same, but it is also in the Old Testament; although indeed that is more manifestly, and in more perfect beauty set down by the Prince of Prophets, than by the Prophets his forerunners; what shall we say there is in the New Testament not proved in some measure already in the old? The Jews believed no one article more, than that of the resurrection, as may appear by that ready answer of Martha, John, 12 24. at what time our Savior Christ came to raise up Lazarus her brother: for he saying unto her in the verse going before, Thy brother shall rise again, by and by she answered: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day. Again, we read Act. 23. 8. that the Pharisees confessed the resurrection.
Now it is known, that the faith of the Jews was grounded on the word, which as yet was only in the administration of the Old Testament, and not in the new: for as yet it was not extant, or in no credit at the least with them: wherefore seeing not only the primitive Church hath believed herein, by the evident light of the New Testament, and the Jews before believed it by the light of the old, it is manifest, that the doctrine of the resurrectiō is proved in the old: and among many places, this of our Psalm is not the least, where it is said, Thou shalt not leave my soul in grave, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption. By soul, we must understand, he meaneth his natural life, as it is taken in the Scripture, 1. Cor. 15. 45. where the Apostle borrowing his speech from the second chapter of Genesis and seventh verse saith, The first man Adam was made a living soul: and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. The reason why he proved the rising again of his flesh, is here drawn from the power of our Savior Christ, of whom these words are meant, Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption, as both Peter in his notable Sermon, Act, 2. and Paul Act. 23. do plainly affirm: for the Apostle saith, that David was buried, and saw corruption, and therefore he spake not this of himself, but of Christ his head, in whom was found no quality of corruption at all: so that David as a member of Christ, gathered this by the eye of faith, that there should come an holy one out of his loins, who by his own mighty power should raise up his own body from seeing any corruption, and by the same power should also raise his body, which should see corruption, that it might rest with his, and be made like his, as we may read, Philip. 3. 20. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Savior, even the Lord Jesus Christ. 21. Who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like to his glorious bo • ie according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. So that the Prophet looketh for a resurrection of the flesh, after it shall be corrupted, contrary to the heretiqu • s, who dream of a spiritual resurrection from sin, which by no means can be understood of Christ, in whom was no sin, and therefore no rising from sin. And thus much for the places of the old testament, now we will allege those places of the new. First, let us consider of the words wherewith our Savior Christ confu • eth the Sadducees: Math. 22. 32. I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob. God cannot be said to be the God of Abraham being dead, except he raise his body again, which he hath in keeping, as well as his soul. For he saith not I am the God of Abraham's soul, but I am the God of Abraham, the God of his whole man: wherefore it must needs be that Abraham must rise again. M • t. 25. 31. When the Son of man cometh in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. Likewise Luke 14. 13. When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the l • me▪ and the blind, 14. And thou shalt be blessed, because they cannot recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just As if our Savior Christ should say, although thou mayest think, that all the things thus given are lost here, yet there cometh a time when thou shalt reap the recompense plentifully, and have thy reward with the just, John. 5. 28. 29 The Lord showeth the resurrection of both estates and willeth them not to marvel, that he should raise their souls to life, which would raise their bodies from death. • 8. Marueil • not at this, saith he, for the hour shall come, i. the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of man. • 9. And they so • ll come forth that have ••• : good, unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of condemnation. John. 11. Martha (as we shown before) plainly testifieth of the resurrection, and confesseth her faith therein. Act. 3. 19. The Apostle Peter calleth this rising again, the time of refreshing: a thing most comfortable; for as the wearisome way sa • ing man recreateth himself with his Inn at night; so the godly shall surely, after their troubles be renewed and refreshed at the presence of Christ. Act. • 3. 6. Paul showeth to the Pharisees, how he was accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead. And Act • 4. 15. Paul protesteth his faith of the resurrection, that it should be both of the just and the unjust, which thing wrought in him, as it ought to do in all, a careful conscience of well doing: and therefore he addeth in the verse following. 16. And herein I endeavor myself, to have always a clear conscience toward God, and toward men. What is more largely proved and confirmed than this, 1. Cor. 15. 10. in the whole chapter throughout? Besides, 2. Cor. 5 10. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, saith the Apostle, that everyone may receive the thi • gs that are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. Philip. 3. 21. it is said, that Christ shall change our vile bodies, the place is set down before. The manner and end of this resurrection is also set down, 1. Thes. 4. 14. 15. 16. 17. If we believe (saith Paul) that Jesus is dead and is risen, even so them which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. 15. For this say we unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which live, and are remaining to the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which sleep. 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, &c. The Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11. painteth out the manifold martyrdoms of the saints, and showeth how some were racked, and would not be delivered, others were tried by mock • and scourgings, by bands and imprisonments, they were stoned, they were hewn in sunder, they were tempted and so forth, and why did they endure these things? The Apostle telleth us, verse. 35. That they might receive a better resurrection, than any deliverance they could have here. Again, verse. 39. These obtained not the promise, that is, not the accomplishment of the promises, verse. 40. Why? God providing a better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect, for even the first member of Christ dying many thousand years ago, shall not receive the fullness of the promise, that is, in body and soul, until the last member be ready. But of all places most excellent are these, 2. Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a noise: and the elements shall melt with heat, and Reve. 20. 11. And I saw a great white Throne, and one that sat on it, from whose face fled, both the earth and the heaven, and their place was no more found. 12. And I saw the dead, both great and small, stand before God, &c. 13. And the Sea gave up her dead which were in her, and death and hell delivered up their dead▪ which were in them.
Now as we here have received the truth of the doctrine, so now let us see into it further by reason: that as on the one side we cannot deny there is a resurrection, seeing the word doth confirm it, unless we will depart from the faith, and deny the word: so on the other side, when we shall see, how these things are, we cannot withstand it even with reason, unless we be senseless. The reasons therefore which we will use, are partly drawn from God himself, partly from the order of nature, and from the creatures, & partly from the commodities, which accompany the truth of this doctrine, and from the inconveniences, which ensue the contrary. Those proofs, which are drawn from the Lord himself, are to be considered, either in his own person simply, or as we consider of him in his Mediatorship, and as the second person in the Trinity. Concerning those things, which are in his own person, we must observe his truth, his justice, and his power: his truth, because heaven and earth shall pass, but no title of his word shall fail; and his promises in Christ Jesus are Yea and Amen. Wherefore, whatsoever the Lord hath set down • in his word to be done, it must bear with us that credit, that it is our part with Abraham to yield to it, though outward means seem clean contrary, and with Marie to believe it, although no visible means are apparent His justice is so espoused to his truth, that whatsoever we have heard out of the word, the equity of his justice doth require both to the accomplishment of his promises in rewarding the godly, and the fulfilling of his threatenings in revenging the ungodly. This we see Matth. 25. 33. where, by the rule of righteousness, he se • teth the sheep on the right hand, and the goats on the left. Luk. 16. 23. it is set down, how, the rich man being in hell torments, lifting up his eyes, and seeing Lazarus a far off in Abraham's bosom, cried, Father Abraham have mercy upon me, &c. But Abraham answering him according to the proportion of God his Justice, said, ver. 25. Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst pleasures; and likewise Lazarus pains, now therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented. To this effect, worthy to be observed, is that place, 2, Thess. 1. 6. it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. 7. And to you which are troubled; rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven, &c. Where we see, how it standeth with God his righteous judgment and justice, that his persecuted Church, and afflicted Saints, who in this world go for naught, should in time be refreshed with a recompense of glory, and that their cruel persecutors being wanton in their sins, and triumphing in their cruelty; should have their crown of shame and endless contempt in torments. The equity of which justice is in this, that seeing the wicked have not only dishonored God in their souls, through all the fruits of reprobation, but also have used the members of their bodies as instruments of sin, & weapons of iniquity, unto the full number of sins; so they should not only suffer the vengeance of God in their souls, but also in their bodies: and as God's graces have shined, not only in the souls of his Saints before him and his Angels, but also have much beautified their bodies, and have taken up the members also as instruments of God's glory; so the Lord will not only advance the souls of his, but also their bodies.
If this were not, where were the fulfilling of God his promises▪ where should be the executing of his threatenings? for Abram, Isaac, Jacob, Lot, Joseph, Job, David; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, & all the rest of the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, & holy men and women, in the world were but as Pilgrimes, and desiring a better and heavenly Country, suffered in this world troubles, persecutions, trials and all manner of evil. Again, the wicked prosper in their goods, bodies, wives, children, they have no bands in their death, they are lusty and strong, they feel not the sores of Job, nor the miseries of Joseph, pride is a chain unto them, and cruelty covereth them as a garment, their eyes stand out for fatness, they have more than heart can wish. So in this world the faithful feel not the promises: the unfaithful feel not their punishments. It must needs be therefore by God his justice, as it is certain by his word, that seeing in this life the holy ones are not fully rewarded, nor the wicked ones fully revenged, in the life to come the one should rise to heavenly io • es, the other should rise to hellish torments. And as we see, that there shall be a resurrection of the flesh, because the word hath said it, which is true, and justice will put it in practice, because it doth require it; so the power of God is able to perform whatsoever the word doth show, or justice doth desire to be done. It is not without great cause, that in the entrance of our Confession, we acknowledge the Lord to be almighty. For what were his mercy, or what were his justice, if he could not perform that with might, which he doth promise, nor bring to pass with power, that which he threateneth? Howbeit when we say God is almighty, we give to understand, that he can do whatsoever he will do. For true it is, he cannot fail in his truth, he cannot alter the covenant gone out of his mouth: what then? is there anything impossible to the Lord? no: the Lord will do what is good & can do what he will. Neither doth it anymore derogate from God his almighty power, to say, he cannot lie; than it doth extenuate the commendation of a mighty Captain, to say, he cannot be conquered. This power of God is either seen in his Creation, or in his Providence, or Preseruation. In his Creation thus, if God our of nothing could draw out heaven and earth; if out of the earth, which being a formele • se mass and sumpe, was by the spirit of God hatching over the waters brought a comely order; if out of the darkness the Lord drew light; if of the dust of the earth God made man, and out of his rib drew a woman: is it not as easy for him, drawing these and all other things out of nothing, to draw our flesh, being made, out of the earth, in which it was corrupted? is it not as easy to draw a man out of the earth again, as to make a man of the earth at first? Is it not as easy, though rottenness doth seem to hinder the resurrectiō, to renew a body out of many bones, as out of one bone to frame a whole body? Is not the Lord as able to restore the body, which he dissolveth into the elements, being made into it former fashion, as before it had any being, to tie the flesh together with sinews, to convey strength into the bones, and to beautify all with a skin Let us as well consider God his power, in reducing men's bodies into their former estate, as his mighty hand in vnloosing them. For as he bringeth flesh to rottenness, the rottenness to worms, the worms to dust: so can he if he would reduce and bring backward the dust to the worms, the worms to a putrefied matter, the putrifaction to flesh, the flesh to immortality.
The providence of God doth teach us herein, if we either consider of it in the course of nature, or in governing his Church. In the course of nature, as Isaiah 26. 19. Awake and sing, ye that awe • ll in the dust▪ for the dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead▪ Here the Prophet showeth▪ that that God, that made Aaron's rod to bad, and that draweth out lively colors of dead flowers, and flourishing branches out of withered herbs, will also raise us in our bodies to the brightness of his glory, which have been laid in the filthiness of the dust. Again, 1. Cor. 15. 35. But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? & w ••• what body come they forth? 36. O fool, that which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it di • ▪ 37. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body, that shall be, but bare corn, as it fa • eth, of wheat, or of some other. 38. But God giveth a body at his pleasure, even to every seed his own body, &c. See, the Lord calleth them fools, that will not believe this. Can the Lord raise grain out of the earth, & will he not raise man out of the earth, for whose sake the grain is renewed? Again, shall we doubt, that he, who holdeth the waters in his fist, and swadleth the main seas (which in their own nature are above the earth) that they should not pass their bounds, break out of their bottles, cloisters, and chambers to ou • rflow all; is unable to draw our bodies out of the dust? Sure it is, that flesh and blood can hardly admit this doctrine; and therefore we had need to arm our selves with these and such like meditations. If we weigh more deeply the providence of God in his Church, either whilst it was more particular in one family, or more general in moe, we shall have our faith in this doctrine the more confirmed. For he who accomplished his promise made unto Abraham, in blessing all the nations of the earth in his seed, even when the ordinary course of nature was dead both in Abraham and Sarah, by bringing Isaac out of their loins; and fulfilled his covenant unto David his servant, in bringing Jesus into the womb of Mary, whilst as yet she knew no man, who was the promised seed to bruise the Serpents head: is no less able to take us out of the dry womb, and dead bowels of the earth, according to his promise▪ Gen. 22. Abraham at God his commandment is ready to offer up his son Isaac, in whom all the promises were to be accomplished, neither was he hindered by unbelief: & why? The Apostle saith, Heb. 11. 19. He considered, that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from whence he received him also after a sort: neither would he tie the power of God to ordinary means. Thus we see he overcame all unbelief by faith in the resurrection. What if we consider, how mightily the Lord restored and multiplied his Church, after he had overflowed the whole earth with water? What if we call to mind the mighty preservation of the Church, in delivering them through the red sea, when the waters dividing themselves stood as a wall on either side of the Israelites? What if we consider how mightily the Lord cōducted his people safely thorough the wilderness forty years, giving them Manna from heaven, water out of the rock, healing them that were stung of Serpents, with the beholding of a dead Serpent, and preserving their apparel, that it was not worn in so long a time? Shall we not think that the same God is able to raise the bodies of his Saints out of the earth? It is recorded, 2. King. 4. 36. that Elisha, the man of God, restored to the Shunamite her son being dead: and 2. King. 13. 21. we read that a dead man being cast into the sepulcher of Elisha, and touching his bones, revived, and stood upon his feet. Did God thus confirm the doctrine of Elisha, and will he not much more confirm the doctrine of his dear Son? Could Elisha by the power of God give life unto others, & shall not the Lord advance his own person in himself, at the last day? Daniel 3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refusing to serve the false gods, and the golden Image, which Nebuchadnezzar had set up, who might have had policy to have kept their faith to themselves, as our Familists do nowadays, were cast into the hot fiery furnace, and yet by belief in God were so preserved from it, that the fire had no power over their bodies, not an hair of their head was burnt, neither were their coats changed, nor any smell of fire came upon them. Dan. 6. the Prophet of God refusing the commandment of the King, was cast into the den of Lions, who by faith obtained the Angel of the Lord to shut up the Lyōs mouths, that they could not hurt him. Jonah 2. we read, how he being in the fishes belly three days and three nights, at the commandment of the Lord was cast out upon the dry land. Matth. 27. 52. it is said, that the graves did open themselves, and many bodies of the Saints that slept arose: 56. And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. What shall we say of these things; Did the fire, contrary to it nature, cease to burn the bodies in it at the presence of an Angel, & will it not restore the bodies, being burnt, at the power of God & presence of Christ? Did the Lions spare the body from devouring, and shall they not deliver again the bodies having devoured them? Can the Whale deliver Jonah after three days, and will not the sea surrender her dead? Did the dead arise before their time, to show Christ his passion, & shall they not arise at their time to appear at his glorious coming? Cannot that God, that made Angels to appear in human shape, make men appear out of the earth in their own shape? And why did the Angels from heaven, the dead bodies from earth, so suddenly receive that estate, and so suddenly lay it down, but to show, that their time of perfection was not yet come?
Now let us see those reasons, which are drawn from God as he is our Mediator, wherein we will consider certain things done in his own person, and things to be observed in the means which lead us unto him. Luk. 8. 55. Our Savior Christ ariseth from death to life the daughter of Jairus. And which is a further degree, Luke. 7. 14 he revived the widows some lying on the bear in a coffin ready to be buried. Nay, which yet is a further degree and more marvelous, John. 11. 44. he raiseth Lazarus, (Marthaes brother) having been dead four days. Lastly, Matth. 26. he mightily raiseth himself, having been dead three days and three nights, and that without all quality of corruption. Who then dare doubt, under pain of damnation, that the same Jesus Christ can raise our mortal and corruptible bodies, or that he will not change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, by tha • mighty power, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself? Behold Pilate sealeth the stone which covereth Christ in his burial, armed men are prepared, and watchmen sit at the grave, neither could all these things keep under the power of Christ from rising What then? Forsooth (which is most unlike) they invented, that poor silly souls came & stole him from the armed men. Well, he was seen first of Mary, then of certain Disciples, afterward of moe than five hundred We see now his rising was corporal, it was no spiritual resurrection; in what sort he rose, in like manner shall we rise also: but he rose in the flesh, then shall we rise in the flesh, and therefore not in the spirit alone, as our brainsicke heretics imagine. Now he rose not for his own cause, no more than he was purely borne, holily lived, and innocently died: all these things he did for us, that we might be sanctified, that we might be justified, that we might be glorified. Neither did he suffer in the body alone, but in the soul also: whereby he shown, that he freed not the soul alone, but the body also, because the body as well as the soul was guilty and punishable for sin. He rose not in soul alone, but in body also, whereby he brought grace, and restored holiness as well to the body as the soul, seeing both body and soul had lost the same by transgression. He ascended not only in soul but in body also, because he would give glory to the body and the soul, seeing he had purchased them both. Wherefore it must needs follow that there shall be a resurrection of the flesh. For if by faith we are made bone of his bones, and by faith are made partakers of his flesh, John. 6. and Christ did all these things in his body, the virtue whereof we must receive from him: how should all this be, if there were no resurrection? The means, whereby we come unto Christ, require also that this should be so. First we know, the word pierceth our bodies, as well as our souls: for the eye is to see the Sacraments, the ear to hear, the tongue to speak the word, and the body hath it duties as well as the soul in receiving and obeying of the word: and therefore the force and fruit of the word, shall as well be shown on our bodies as on our souls. Likewise in offering our prayers we have the use both of the soul and body. For we lift up pure hands, and kneel with our knees, we eleuate our eyes, we cry with our voices, we prostrate our whole bodies: and therefore as God hath made both for his glory in this life, so hath he appointed to glorify both in the life to come. Again, in the Sacraments there are actions of the body as well as of the soul, for the body is dipped into the water and taken out again in the sacrament of Baptism: and therefore if Baptism be a token of our resurrection to grace, and that in body and soul, we are not to doubt, but that the body shall rise again as well as the soul. In the Eucharist also we are solemnly occupied in both parts: for as the soul in believing, so the eyes in beholding the bread broken, and wine poured out, the ears in hearing the word, the hands in handling the outward elements, the mouth in tasting them, are devoutly occupied: and therefore the fruit of it must appear as well in the body, as in the soul.
Now to prove this by other creatures of God; the Angels desire this day, and the other creatures sigh and groan waiting when the Son of God shall be revealed: the devils fear it, and therefore they cry to our Savior Christ, Why persecutest thou us before our time? Again, the very confusion, which is in things, showeth that there is a time when they shall be brought into order again, as they were created in order at the first. And man himself especially must look for it, and cannot be without it, whether we look to the manifold profits which come by it, or to the wonderful inconveniences by the want of it. Why do men endure the cross so patiently? why do they abstain from evil so carefully? why do they follow that which is good so cheerfully, but that because they look for a glorious resurrection, which is the full end of all God his promises, & without the which the most godly are most miserable, and the most wicked less unhappy? For if this were not, what sanctification would appear, what sin would not appear, how few would be good, how many would be ill, how should God be dishonored, how should good men be disinherited, who would care to worship God in their bodies, or who would make conscience to keep their bodies from sin?
A TREATISE OF EXAMINATION BEFORE AND AFTER THE LORD'S SUPPER.
1. Cor. 11. 28.
T Hese words are ordinary and well known: and they contain a sanction or decree, whereby the Apostle taketh order for every man's examination before the participation of the mystery of the Supper. And two things chiefly are to be stood upon in these words. First, the necessity of examination, and then the manner of it. For the first, it may seem, speaking in the phrase of our teaching: Let a man examine himself, that it is but an advising, or a counsel rather than a commandment: yet in the original tongue, the word runs in that term that Princes Parliament laws, and commandments do use to run in: the word, I say, is as much as if it were said: Be it enacted, be it decreed, or provided; so that the indifferency in our tongue, in the original seemeth a necessity. Now albeit the commandment ought to be of sufficient credit with us, and we without all ado to yield unto it: yet having received it by faith, we are to enter into the reasons of this straight examination, and find out the causes of the execution hereof.
The reasons may be reduced into two heads: it standeth either upon a great reverence of the person with whom we are present, as we see men busilie prepare themselves when they are to come before some honorable personage: or beside the dignity of the person, upon the excellency of the profit of the things received, in respect whereof we are also to prepare our selves, as in receiving Physic we prepare our selves that the prescript may more effectually work upon us, so that for both these things we prepare our selves, and they both meet together in the Lord his Supper.
For though we should not have an eye at all to the profit, yet the very reverence of the person with whom we sit, ought to make us have regard to this thing according to that rule, Prov. 23. 1. When thou sittest at meat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee, and prepare thyself well to sit at the table with such a man. Albeit Joseph when Pharaoh sent for him, knew not why he was sent for, and thought little of that success of his going which sell out afterward; yet because he was to stand before a King, and because he was a miserable prisoner, he shaved his head and changed his raiment, to go to so high and royal a personage. The same is confirmed unto us in that parable, where we see that not only they are rejected which make excuses and refuse to come, but such also as having once been admitted, come unprepared without their marriage garments to honor the marriage of the Kings Son, because they did not orderly address themselves. Therefore this table in the Church being but a representation of the table, whereat our hearts do communicate in the kingdom of heaven, where is present not only the beloved spirits & host of Angels, but the glorious Trinity, we are, I say in respect of God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, and all the Court of heaven with great solemnity to prepare our selves.
But yet we ought to do it more, if we consider what great preparation hath been used in things inferior to this in the law; though then there were no commandment for this, yet by right of proportion a most reverent respect should be had thereof, & therefore we ought to yield unto it. As for example, thus we are to think, that if it be eating of the Paschal Lamb (which seal compared with this seal in the Gospel, there is no comparison indeed) they were some days before prepared: the same regard of reverence should be had of us in the participation of the Lord's table, & so reasoning from the less to the greater, from the Law to the Gospel, from the passover to the Supper, it may be an argument unto us to prepare our selves thereunto. We need not stand long on this comparison, seeing a thing of less account, I mean the show-bread, would not be given to David without some stipulation, that is, without he were in some respects made fit to receive it; so that here we are gone a degree lower. But if we will go yet lower than this, come to the Ark it self, and see how he handled Uzzah, who put his unprepared hands to the Ark, for which the Lord was so mightily displeased, that he slew him for it. Nay which is more, if we shall come down to the very ground of God's presence, where Moses could not appear until his shoes were off: nay if we go to the snuffers and pannes and candlesticks, which none could meddle withal without sanctification: we may rise now upward as before we came down, and we may reason from these small things to the Ark, and from the Ark to the show-bread, and from the show-bread to the Passover, & from the Passover to the thing we have in hand to learn an argument of preparation. And if Joseph of Arimathea and others of the godly men and women which were with him, committing the body of Christ to the grave, would wrap it not only in a clean cloth, nor in every kind of linen, but in a clean syndon, which is a very fine linen: then what reverence are we to use in taking not the dead body, but the living body, yea the glorified body of the Lord in heaven?
But if the Lord take us a degree lower, and leave his own presence to persuade us, and shall come to our own private practice: if we put not our own commo • meat, our profane meat (for so I think I may call it, and worse too, in respect of that holy mystery) into an unwashen platter, nor a drop of drink into a cup vncleansed; then he that shall put the things exhibiting the very body of Christ into an unprepared heart, and unsanctified soul, shall be most guilty of that judgment which is pronounced for him, that is, He is guilty of the body and blood of Christ: yea, as our Savior Christ, and the Prophets complain that men are too skillful in sky points and in human statutes to take the best advantage they can, but the matters of the law are strange unto them: so may he complain that this is vile meat, and which he himself saith is after cast into the draught, receiveth such estimation at our hands, that we prepare so diligently the very instruments of them; yet when we come to sanctified things, we show our selves as careless in them, as in the knowledge of his commandments. Thus then we see how in these respects the Lord may require due reverence in regard of the things pertaining to him, comparing them especially with the care that we have in our own things.
Now to set the presence of God aside, and to look to our own profit, as before we put apart our own profit to consider of so great a presence: the fruit is great, and so great, that the writers of the Primitive Church, have compared the mystery of the Supper to the tree of life which was in Paradise, and the abuse of this mystery unto the unlawful eating of that tree, because I say they do make Christ that tree of life; so that who so eateth of Christ, shall eat of life. And to the profit, if to the faith of the toucher, the very hem of the garment of Christ did afford such a benefit, as the healing of so grievous a sickness; then we may rise to consider the profit which the touching, nay which more is, the receiving of the body and blood of Christ doth bring us: setting the faith equal in both, it is like that this exceedeth the other by many degrees, and yet few, I doubt, receive the fruit of this woman. We come then now to say that all these profits are lost without preparation; and as one of the Fathers saith, they that come unprepared find not Christ, that is, the body of Christ, but with John they light vpō the napkin or the clothes of Christ, wherein he was wrapped so little fruit they have that come unprepared. The reason is (as Aggeus saith) that if a man be polluted and touch an holy thing, it is certain the thing that is holy becometh polluted too, and unless he be holy that cometh to the holy thing, the thing hallowed doth him no good. So that he that cometh to these holy things unprepared, shall turn the nature of them to himself, & it shall be unto him as it fareth with them that take Physic; if a purgation taken to purge choler, do not work & purge the choler, beside the loss of the benefit, it turneth into a worse choler, and the humor is not only not lessened, but much increased: So if your mind remain polluted and unprepared, those things in the Sacrament besides your not profiting by them (which is to be wished) make us far worse then we were before, & for our unworthy receiving of them bring either temporal or eternal judgments upon us. Therefore for this cause in the Leiturgies of the Primitive Church: the first word was a proclamation of holy things, to wit, that here are Sanctasanctis, that is, holy things for holy men. But is this loss all • no, there is loss of other things, there is I say, a punishment joined with the loss, for it is not as in outward things, if that your enterprise take not effect, it is but the loss of so much labor, but here is purchased an unspeakable punishment, which the Apostle after specifieth, that we eat and drink judgment to our selves, according to the proportion of the fault, as either for neglect of the mean, in which manner Moses offending for not circumcising his son, was corrected: or else for contempt of it: and then are we not acquitted from condemnation, & we are in danger to be with Judas in the full and entire possession of the devil. So then in both these respects jointly now considered, both in respect of the reverence of God himself, and in regard of the profit that we shall surely have, it shall be good for us, duly to prepare our selves, knowing as it is 2. Chro • . 20. that the want of success in things of the Church, dependeth on the want of preparation. For this cause these holy men the virtuous predecessors, were always careful in every particular mean to be prepared, as namely going about to pray, they had their eiaculationes, that is, certain short prayers, before they entered into the solemn action, and they took half the day before the Sabbath to prepare them to it. Now if preparation be necessary at these things in several, seeing all these concur in the Sacraments, excuselesse must he be that runneth to the Sacraments unprepared. Now as the Commandment doth bind us to this Examination: So the contrary inferred, shuts out four sorts of people. First, if any for want of years, as children, be not able to examine themselves, all such are removed: Secondly, if any for want of wit, discretion, judgment, the use of r • sa • on, and such internals, the defect whereof (howsoever they are in age) makes them as children, cannot try themselves, as foolish and furious persons, these are also excluded: Thirdly, if they have a natural conceiving with gifts of reason and human understanding, and yet are ignorant in the grounds of Religion, and in the doctrine of the Sacraments, which chief points of salvation are necessary to be known; if I say, they have not attained to these rules, all such are debarred; And last of all, if they have a general notion of these things, and understanding of these rules, and in the abuse of their knowledge remain wicked, stubborn, and impenitent persons, that never go about to prove themselves, all these also are to be separated, as unfit, and unworthy Guests of this Table.
The subject of Examination is our selves and not others, as the Apostle saith, Let everyone examine himself: As everyone looketh to the preparing of his own meat, so must everyone look to the sanctifying of his own heart; for this spiritual meat is better than the heavenly Manna; if we spoil it not through our own malignity And because if there be but one Publican in the Church we look to him, and our eye cannot easily go from him; therefore the Apostle would have our examination reflexed on our selves, as the Sun-beams in the air.
Touching the manner of examination we must consider the nature and use of the word. The Word in it proper tongue is taken from the Gold-smiths shop, and it is a trying, as it were of mettalles, and therefore the learned would have us try our selves by the rules of Gold-smiths; and this is not by the sound or Echo that it maketh, (for in the best it is deceivable) but setting aside this, they come to the touchstone and furnace (which are two things of proof to try withal) and they match with the touchstone the word, and compare with the furnace the cross. But because those be more universal, I think they may rather try the whole course of a man's life in general, than this several point in hand. Others, because the bread and the wine be food, follow herein the rules of the physicians. If a man have a full body, though his repletion come of a very good humor, as of blood, it needeth not filling but emptying; again, full bodies, if their fullness come of evil humors, are not to be nourished but rather they must be purged, as flegmatike bodies which are full of moisture: Even so fareth it with all those which think themselves full enough of their own righteousness, and such as are stuffed with corrupt humors & gross sins, are not to come hither having no interest or claim therein, until the one be emptied of the fond conceit of his own righteousness, & the other purged of the loathsome disease of his own wickedness. Notwithstanding, if we consider the words that follow, If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged; and again, but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the world, it may appear, that the Apostle understandeth it of a judicial examination, as before a judge. And the very word though it were derived from the gold-smiths, yet the use of it is from a judicial manner of proceeding. Well then, let us take it this way, that in this trial we must so proceed with our selves in judgment, and when we are by our selves alone, we must erect our judgment seat in our selves, and examine our selves precisely whether we eat worthily or unworthily. For the plainness of it, we cannot be better directed than by that rule, 2. Cor. 13. Prove yourselves whether ye are in the faith. that is, (as I interpret it, and most men of sound judgment think with me,) whether the faith be in thee, and whether ye have received the spirit of Christ which is his vicar. For by this ye shall know whether ye are worthy or unworthy, for surely he shall eat Christ's flesh and drink his blood, that hath his spirit, But how shall we try our selves whether we have the spirit, or no? I answer according to that saying Ephes. 3. 17. When Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith. And this now is enough, for having this, we have Christ's spirit, and so Christ himself, and consequently we need not doubt of the other. Here it is good to take this word faith as largely as we can, and take it in as general a sense as the law, that is, for the whole word. And so first we are to sit in judgment on our selves according to the whole form of God's justice, and it is good to take the record of our selves, and that catalogue which the devil himself hath in store against us, which yet indeed he hideth & will bring forth, because he reserveth it to lay it to our consciences in the hour of death, when all our sins shall flock together against us to drive us to despair▪ It is good I say according to the ten words of the law to frame ten several actions, indictments, arraignments, and so many several sentences of condemnation, and then we shall find a great spoil of obedience in us, and we shall see our selves marvelously to be defective, Thus having arraigned our selves, we must further consider how unkindly we have dealt with so kind a Savior since our calling, and so pronounce a perpetual confusion due to us with a shame for that which is past, with a grief for that which is present, and with a fear of that which may come hereafter. And when we can bring our selves out of conceit with our selves, and have brought our selves into the worst taking that can be, then he is in the best taking, that taketh himself to be in the worst. For the principal purpose of our examinatiō is to show us our indignity, and to bring our selves into the lowest conceit of our selves that can be. Having in truth pronounced this shame and confusion of face to be due unto us, God will suspend his judgment and cease from his sentence of anger, nay he will say, This man behold, hath condemned himself, I need not to condemn him: he hath done enough, let my sitting in judgment upon him cease, seeing he hath so straightly examined himself, I remit all, I will examine no further, he is free, let him come and so let him eat and drink. Thus I say our examination must be in a judicial form, that is, we must inquire of our selves whether we be guilty or not guilty, worthy or unworthy. And because every man is ready to persuade himself that he is worthy, to bear out this point we are to try our selves, whether we have faith; and because faith hath relation to the truth, and the truth must try us, which saith, Cursed is he that continueth not in every point of the Law to do it: we must search our books of remembrance, considering what God hath against us, and examine our selves according to every word thereof. Then because we must be constrained to conclude that we be unworthy, we must in the next place go out of our selves, and faint after the righteousness that can make us worthy. For a man that findeth himself to be left in the estate of condemnation, to him will seem a good saying, & worthy to be received, That JESUS CHRIST came into the world to save sinners: and to him the name of a Redeemer will be most precious. And therefore at this second return cometh to be considered of, that Faith which cometh by the blessing of the Gospel, whereby we seeing our own ignorance, do seek wisdom out of our selves, being conscious of our own unworthiness, and sue for obedience in the Son of GOD: and seeing we are altogether aliens from God by reason of these things, we seek for our perfection in CHRIST, & upon this condition is righteousness given unto us. Then because the examination of this standeth in another point, for that a condemned person will redeem his pardon by a price, be it never so great, if by any means he be able to make it, and a man spareth no cost for that which indeed he doth love, as we may see in the example of a vile love of Esau, who setting his love even upon meat, was content with the loss of his birthright to buy it, if we truly esteem Christ his death, we will give anything for it. And truly God requireth nothing at our hands, but even that small condition Ephes. 4. 52. To be courteous one to another, and tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake for gave us. Where we see that as God hath for. given us, so we should forgive others▪ • or a man that purposeth truly to have Christ, it is little to give • oue: that as the Godhead head wrought in love towards us, so we must work in love toward others. This as a necessary thing is first to be required, the rather for that we escaping the sentence of condemnation, and that by no other means but by remission, which is as a bridge to escape by, it were very rigorous and hard dealing, we our selves having gotten over, & others being as desirous to come over, if we should pull up the bridge from them: this would be too savage even among the heathen. This point of loving others, God so loveth, and so accounteth of, that if a man were ready to come to the Lord his immediate worship, he is content this duty should rather be left to him undone, then that duty should be undone to our brethren. And in the parable of the debtor we see this more effectually. For so long as the debt is directly the Lord's, he breaketh out into no such words, as he doth when the servant taketh his fellow servant by the throat: saying, Pay me that thou owest; So that the retaining of enmity to our brethren doth after a sort more offend God, then our offending against God himself. This is all the Examination before hand.
When a man hath by due Examination found himself unworthy, and unworthy in respect of himself, then is he to be transformed. And here note a thing contrary to our common diet. Though in our ordinary food our meat is changed into us, and becometh of our substance, not we are changed into it: here in this meat, I say, it is contrary, we are transformed into it, not it into us; so that we may say of this spiritual food, as of the nature of the leaven. The leaven is not unleavened and changed into the meal, though it • eth hid in the meal, but the meal is transformed into it, and leavened by the leaven. So may we say of this sacramental food, we are trāsformed into it. Wherefore seeing the Apostle saith, Le • a man examine himself, and so let him eat; our examination must end in eating and drinking, and not in abstaining. They then, that thought they honored the Sacrament with abstinence, they by this rule plainly dishonor it: for it is said, Let him examine himself, and so eat: not so let him abstain. And the Sacrament is abused, as well by forbearing, having examined our selves, as by receiving it unworthily.
The things received are called Bread and Wine. Concerning the nature whereof, better relation we cannot have, then Psalm. 104. where seeing the use of Bread and Wine to be to nourish, to strengthen, and to comfort, we shall the better mark the Analogy in this. The body of Christ represented by Bread, must have that effect in the soul, which bread hath in the body; but bread hath this effect, to strengthen the body of man, as appears by the cited testimony of the holy Ghost, therefore our souls by CHRIST receive strength against sin. We read in Genesis, that Abraham's servant returning from their pursuit, had their hearts strengthened by bread, which they had of Melchizedek, and we know that the Paschal Lamb was to give strength to the eaters thereof; so our Savior CHRIST calleth us unto him, that he may give us spiritual strength for newness of life, in the strength whereof we must so labor for righteousness, as if heaven were to be purchased by our works. For CHRIST his body is not only quickened, but quickening, not only sanctified, but sanctifying. And as in the body, such be the humors, as in the mea • e; so in the soul, in the active parts of righteousness, we receive such meat as may enable us to labor for the kingdom of heaven. This is that, which the holy men did take in the Sacrament. On the other side, the blood of CHRIST must work that effect in our souls, which wine doth in our bodies. The effect of wine is also set down, Psalm. 104. but more lively, P • ou. 31. it is said, wine is to comfort them that are in the present estate of death: for such wine was ordained, Then look what the gladness is of the body after the wine received, so there is the same analogy by spiritual comforts in the blood of Jesus Christ, seeing that we can no more go through that absolute righteousness than the Angels, than the heavens, which are impure in the sight of God, and in whom he findeth imperfection. We must therefore come to the passive righteousness, we must have the blood of Christ sprinkled abroad in our hearts. By the one we must labor so, as if we would overmatch the righteousness of the Pharisees, & of the most Iu • ticiaries in the world: but when it comes before God, to live or to die by our righteousness, then we must let go the old Testament, and take care for the blood of the New Testament, which is given us by the ministry of Faith. For our action of eating and drinking, as the Church hath retained it, there is a commandment given, that we lift up our hearts unto the Lord, and we must be as Eagles flying up to heaven, by having careful meditation at that time of things invisible, of setting before us the suffering of CHRIST, in breaking of the body▪ in shedding of the blood of CHRIST, which being ruminated, is the sending up of our Faith, by the working of the HOLY GHOST.
The principal end, is the remembrance of the death of CHRIST, which he did commend to us, at his last parting from us, which ought much to stick in our minds, because the last words of a friend, ready to depart, do oft leave both impressions and affections in us. Indeed, when we read of his death, it doth somewhat move us; when we hear of it, it moves us more; to meditate of it, moves us in a third degree; but besides all these, to have as it were before our eyes a visible Crucifying of Christ, doth move us most of all. This in wisdom he used, that we might not forget him, as before, GOD the Father after the great deluge drowning the whole world, for a remembrance of the work of delivering us from water, he left us a Rainbow. And when he had supernaturally fed the Israelites with Manna from heaven, he would have a pot full of it reserved in the Ark of remembrance, for a memorial of so great a work. We being delivered by the blood of Christ from the floods of our sins, have received Baptism to keep us in remembrance thereof. We being nourished with the Manna of Christ his body, are commanded to use this mystery, to continue an holy remembrance of the same.
Now for that union, which is betwixt CHRIST and us, as we have nothing in Adam, but that which conueyth death to us: so it is needful that we should be joined to one that may give light to us, the means to be thus united, is this sacrament. And what union can be greater then that, which is between the thing nourishing, and the thing nourished? This union, though by no reason it can be expressed, must be believed, how Christ by being borne of Mary, hath united our nature to him: and this union hath every reprobate with Christ, in that he hath taken upon him the shape of man: and so far any cast-away may be said to have interest in the flesh of Christ. Where is then the difference? Truly here is a difference, if the arm joined to the body have no life, no sense, no benefit of vital spirits, it may be indeed united to the body: but it is not a part of the body▪ so the wicked living without Faith, have no soul as it were, but are as it were senseless, and liveliness hang-byes, and therefore are no true members of Christ. We must not then think it sufficient to be joined to the flesh of Christ, as the kinsmen of Christ, who speaking of this spiritual conjunction with him pointed unto them, that by faith received his word, saying, These are my brother, my sister, & my mother: These have the true union with Christ: the other have affinity with Christ in his flesh only, in his incarnation. Therefore with the symbols, to a true receiver Christ is really given, & so all whatsoever belongeth to Christ in the purchase of his redemption. Neither are we to look only to our union with Christ, but to that joining of our selves with them, that are of the same mystical body, be they never so many, that receive with us. For this tries all, and it is an union of love, and in respect here of this mystery hath been called a Communion. And because our union with Christ doth nothing profit God, though a thousand worlds of men were united to him, he hath set over the profit to others; so that (if I may so say) is Christ is meat and drink to us, so we should be meat and drink as it were to others: for that whatsoever we have in wisdom, we should bestow to the behoove of the ignorant; whatsoever we have in holiness, we should make the best of it to the winning of others; whatsoever we have in outward things, we should communicate it to others, according to the quantity of their wants & our abundance. So shall we be members not only of the natural, but also of the mystical body of Christ. There is yet another ende, Seeing there is such a nature in the creatures, that the outward things have suffered many injuries, before they became good food, as the corn being cut down in it per • ite age, pressed out of the husks with the flail, loosing all his intralles with the violence of the Mill, and after passing through the parching heat of the Oven, is made good bread: so the flesh of Jesus Christ went under many pains, and the blood of Christ as the grape in it most flourishing estate was pressed out of the veins, and sustained hard passions, and shall nothing of us then suffer with him? Because we cannot wreak ouranger on the Jews, as Pontius Pilate, as Caiaphas, and the rest, for that they are dead and gone, and yet to say the truth, they were no more the crucifiers of Christ than the nails, the cross or the hāmer, but it was our sins which did crucify him, it was our vile thoughts, our corrupt speeches, and our own sins which did set Caiaphas, Pilate and Judas, on work, and they were but our servants and hirelings in the action of his crucifying. Therefore as we would wreak our anger on them, seeing they I say, were but hired, and we have the things in our selves, which did chiefly crucify him, let us do that despite to our sins, let us arraign thē, let us crucify them, let us nail them to the cross, let us kill them, & bury them forever. This is that, whereon we should spend our choler, and let us beware of crucifying of Christ again, which thing though it cannot be indeed, because all the Deputies & high Priests are gone, yet we may be truly said to crucify him again, when we bereaving him of the fruits of his death, put new passions of grief vpō him. For though it was no grief to Christ to die, so he might enjoy the thing he died for; yet to loose the fruits of his torments, this doth in a second degree torment him. This is an active crucifying, now comes in a passive crucifying. And this is a cup not of the Communion (for that needs the son of thunder, the child of Zebedee ) but it is the cup of the cross, whereof he himself did drink: this is the Baptism, wherewith we must be baptized as he was, that is, not with the water of Jordan, for every child of a seven-night old may be washed with it, but of affliction, whereof we must taste. And as Christ hath now a Crown of glory, but he had another crown before, even a crown of thorns: so in this feast we have a cup without bitterness, but there is a cup of bitterness, which either we have drunk or must drink, or both. The drinking of that cup binds us to drink of this. And surely suffer we must, some have their passion in death and inwardly, and that is most sore; better it is to have it before death and outwardly, for surely drink we must: if we participate of the one, we must also participate of the other.
But as it is good to use this trial before, so there is another examination more profitable that follows after. A man may by the sight of the soil gather by some guess what fruit will come up, and what it will bear; A man may by the ingredience of the medicine conjecture what effect will ensue upon it: But when we see the fruit come up, it is far more sure; and when the purgation hath wrought, we may more certainly judge of the effect of it. And because these accidēts of repentance from dead works, faith in Christ, & love toward men going before, may deceive us: it is good to put the matter out of all doubt to try our selves afterward, if we can hear the word more joyfully, if we travel for righteousness of Faith more soundly, and make the score of our sins less then they were before, they are comfortable fruits of the truth of our hearts.
Now if any say that these signs antecedent, the beginning whereof is in repentance and sorrow for sin, the end whereof is charity, and these also that follow after are very good things, and yet entering with himself into the trial, he findeth himself more discouraged than encouraged: to him I say, if a man had Repentance and Faith in most perfect and ample manner, that man were not to receive with the Saints: for these mysteries were provided for their help which have wants, and therefore for imperfections no man must discourage himself to come hither. Only let him look to this, that he do whatsoever he doth, though not perfectly, yet sincerely. Then as it is most sure that by our examination we should fall into the agony of Christ to sweat blood, and if it were possible even to be covered with the drops of blood: so because man's nature cannot be brought to this, by reason of that cold sweat and cold repentance that is in us. Christ therefore was brought into this sweat by a glooming heat: Christ I say, who enduring this agony, became not only a satisfaction for our sins, but also for our imperfections in good things, he doing good things absolutely; therefore Christ fell into these bathes, that his perfection in suffering might satisfy for our imperfection in well doing. The rather we are to stick to this, because if we cannot bring our selves immediately into the first degree of sorrow, yet that we stay not to come to the second degree; that is, that we be grieved, that we can be no more grieved, and if we come to this, this shall be sufficient. And to all such as thus in truth shall prepare themselves, do those prayers of Hezekiah, 2. Chron. 30. belong, that the Lord will fulfill the measure of their righteousness, and pardon their sins that prepare their whole hearts to seeeke him. And thus much for the trial before and after the Lord's Supper.
A TREATISE OF GOD'S FEARE.
T He style of Moses, Psal. 90. 11. doth vehemently set down the paucity of them that truly fear God: he saith who feareth, &c. we know the thing sought for and inquired after, is not known to the Asker; for then the question were vain and superfluous, and the very nature and institution of a question is to have relation evermore to the increase of knowledge in something not sufficiently known: wherefore it is like that Moses knew few fearing God aright, and in general this style is very needful in all God's things, for we are slenderly acquainted with them, but in evil things there is no question or enquiry to be made, as being a thing coming into the eyes, ears, and hearts of all men enough, and as we see by daily experience too much. Now if we will go from Moses time, to David's time, we shall see he makes the like question, Psalm, 15. 1. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, &c. as one that saw a great want of men desiring that way, but come to the contrary: and Psalm 14. he showeth that all are gone out of the way, all are corrupt, there needs no question to be made of such. Go yet further to the days of Isaiah, and we see his style to jump with both the former, as Isaiah, 53 Who hath believed our report? as though they could hardly be found that would credit his words, but even in the very first chapter he was not afraid simply and without inquiry to say, that all were so full of sin, that there were no place void of wicked men from top to the toe. If we come to Christ his time, he saith in his days, Who is a true and faithful servant, who is a trusty servant, who when his Lord cometh, he shall find faithful▪ but of the ambitious Pharisees we know there was great store. If we chronicle from Moses to David's time, from David to Esaies time, from Isaiah to Christ his time, and from Christ to the end of the world, we shall find it a matter of controversy to have men fearing God; but of the other sort it is a thing without all manner of controversy. And here we must not think, that it might be, many feared God, but they knew not men's hearts: for God himself, the searcher of the heart, acknowledgeth the same that they do, as Isaiah saith, 59. 4. No man calleth for Justice, no man contendeth for truth. 16. and when he saw there was no man, he wondered that none should offer himself: neither is this excess of evil noted only in the persons, but even the times are full of evil. Genes. 6. 6. It is said the thoughts of men's hearts were evil continually, or every day: Micah saith, they spent the whole night in evil, and so goeth further: so that Moses having set down all the day, and Micah all the night, we may say all time is stuffed with evil; if we have any time, for good it is in purpose, not in practice, it is in the time to come, not in time, present: in regard whereof the Prophet saith, the silly fowls and birds of the air, the Stork, the Dove and others keep their time, but we never can find our time to do well in. Beyond all this, as all persons and times, so all places are tainted with this evil: Heaven it self hath not been void of wickedness; for even from thence fell the wicked Angels: Paradise was not exempted; the Temple was not free from notable hypocrisy; the number exceeded even in the actions themselves: wherefor David crieth out at the view of such a pack, Lord, who doth understand the errors of this life? Our days may be numbered, as we see Psalm. 90. but our sins are without number, and therefore are compared to the sand of the Sea. Then we see in regard of the person, time, places, and actions, few do good, and therefore such is the complaint and question of the men of God in this behalf.
The fruit which we are to reap by this, is thus much: that if we see occasion of offense, and matter of grief be offered us, we see no more than Moses saw long ago, than David, Isaiah and Christ himself saw in their times before us, in comparison whereof we may make our advantage, that seeing the time of Moses was a time of affliction, and the days we live in are days of peace, it is less marvel to see evil in the days of peace than in the time of trouble: and therefore Luther upon this question, who fears? Psalm. 90. maketh this answer, no man before affliction: showing that affliction should specially lead us to fear, and being once affected with fear, we should either say, Lord what shall I do? or with David say, What shall I repay unto the Lord?
Seeing the Lord is fain to complain of the small number of such as fear him, we must take order to mitigate this complaint, that it fall not more justly upon us. In the time of Moses at the least there was Joshua and Caleb; in Christ's time Simeon and Anna: At the least we must look there be one true worshipper, as in Elias time, and so doing we shall make the question vain, and surely if we desire to be such, few will put us by our desire: for as our sins be well called an hereditary sickness, which if it were not so, we would purchase them fast enough: so that knowledge and fear of God not being hereditary, are not withstanding cheapened of few men.
Great cause there is then why we should fear, it is an act of the everlasting Parliament, that we must once die, Hebrews 9. and Job saith that our life is but short, and do we not hear that all of all kinds are gone this way, all wise men, all men of pleasure, no Patriarchs escaped it; no Prophet was exempted, our ears can testify this, do we not daily miss our friends? when God's wrath hath taken them away, and the grave hath buried them in silence. Do we not daily in coming to the congregation, pass over the graves of men, sufficient monuments of the execution of the general day? Do we not use as a general proverb, as sure as death, and yet the servants of God complain, that we know not the wrath of God. Surely we do not know this for all that, which Moses Psalm 90. proves by two reasons: first, he prays to be taught in it; and if it were already exactly known, then should this prayer be superfluous: again, he argueth of the effect, that for so much as there follows no fear, therefore there is no knowledge of the wrath of God, for the want of fear sends a want of faith herein: and were we persuaded that God's wrath were such a thing, we would fear; and therefore we fear not, because we are not so persuaded of the wrath of God in it. In natural things we will not easily run into things feared, nor fear those things which we think not to be evil; and therefore because we fear the fire will burn, the water will drown, we are hardly brought to run into the fire or into the water: much more should we so do in things supernatural, if we did truly fear them, wherefore though we know in some part the wrath of God, yet we are not come to the perfect knowledge of it required at our hands.
Hitherto we must understand, it is one thing for man to determine of knowledge, and another thing for God to judge of it; as Isaiah pronounced a difference between our esteeming of fasting and God's judging of it, Isaiah 58. for that if we see a man abstain from meat, we think he is a good devout faster, but the Lord determines otherwise: so we may pronounce a difference between the valuation of knowledge in our eyes & in the Lord's eyes. It is nothing for us to say, this have we quoted, thus have we read, this have I uttered, and therefore I know this; for this is nothing in God's judgment: for as he determineth of the fast, so will he determine of the knowledge of them that pass the ancient Rabbins of the Jews, and outreach the wise men of the Heathen. And no marvel, for as we say there is a wise kind of ignorance, a learned unskillfulness: so surely there is an ignorant knowledge, a sottish kind of wisdom; and this now possesseth the whole world. And that we may walk within our warrant, we shall fetch our proof from the sixth of Isaiah, which place, for the excellency of it, is oft repeated in the New Testament. Matthew 13. Acts 28. and Rom. 11. where we see there may be a seeing without seeing, a kind of hearing, and yet no hearing indeed: Even so there may be a knowledge, and yet no knowledge before God, the cause is for that the Lord accounts of no knowledge, which comes not into practice: and if we have never so much knowledge, and practice it not, it is nothing in God's book. And according as this is God his reckoning, so it is our usual account; for if we have taken pains to put precept unto precept, and to teach one that hath not profited by our pains, how attentive soever he seem; yet we account him, and accuse him as one that heard not at all. Better is no candle, than a candle under a bushel: and the Lord accounts no light under a bushel for light. Better to have no ears, than the ears of an Idol. And indeed they are no ears, for they hear not: so it is no knowledge that is separated from practice. We do beguile our selves in our accounts, when we think we have a great knowledge, for that we have heard many Sermons, whereunto because we have not joined practice, we may well blot out of the score many of those Sermons: for such Sermons in God's account be to us as no Sermons. We can say and cry, that where there is a want of the means, there is a great token of God's curse; and I will not deny it, it is so indeed: but yet be it known, that with a singularity of the benefit, if none profit by it, there goeth a singularity of judgment where it is abused: and a more notable judgment remaineth for such a place, than for the other, because it had been better never to have heard, than having heard so much, never to profit. It is good saith David, that I have been afflicted, for I have learned thy law: indeed in this respect it was good for him; and yet it is not good for some to be afflicted, who not profiting by it, become the worse for it, as it was to Lots wife, who was made a pillar of salt.
Two things hinder ripeness of knowledge, the one is that men are proudely ignorant, persuading them falsely to know that they know not; the other is hardness of heart, whereby they are obdurated against the true profit of knowledge: for either we think we have some deep knowledge, or else we become stony and senseless; that if God's judgments be spoken we fear not, if his promises be offered we rejoice not, whatsoever is spoken we move not: into such an heart, how much knowledge soever is poured in, though it seem to run over, yet the quantity of it will amount to nothing.
Because we will not see God's wrath, as it is, we see it in justice: for by God's wrath is justice signified unto us. And surely howsoever other qualities in God do not affect us sometime, yet wrath stirs us up. Affections are commonly stirred up by their objects, as fear by wrath: Now if we fear the anger of a man, and specially of a Prince, because the wrath of a Prince seemeth so great a thing to us; what shall we think of the wrath of God, which one way or other we shall surely meet withal, either for to bear it, or else to be reconciled to him for the avoiding of it? Wherefore to reveal to us this wrath, it is Moses his office to teach us to see our sin, & so to bring us within the compass of the law, and of that forfeiture which the law doth award us, that so we may esteem the more of that mercy which is offered in Christ. Now the cause why we esteem not mercy, is because we account so slenderly of our sins, and therefore we do lightly value our sin, because we think no more reverently of God's wrath against sin: for such is the sense of our sin, as is the fear of his wrath And so we esteem peace as we account of war, and make a prize of our plenty, as we do of our scarcity. If we consider rightly of the want and famine of Samaria, or of Idumea, and see the heads of Asses sold for so much; then we shall be fit to judge rightly of plenty: we are therefore in our afflictions to level at the wrath of God, which is the cause, & not to stay in our affliction, but still look to our sin, without the sight whereof, we shall either stand carping at God's judgments with Jonah, or we shall fall to curse the day of our birth with Job: so far shall we be from making our true profit by it.
Therefore we know not how to profit under the cross, because we know not the causes of it, but wedwell in the effects, & complain of the thing done, not looking to the cause and original of it, which we see in that a man being crossed by a wicked man, he storms against the man, but looks not to God: wherein he doth as if a man should quarrel with the staff wherewith he is beaten, and never look to the smiter: for a man is but as the rod of the Lord, or as the staff of the devil; we deal (I say) with the stripe, not with the devil, by whose instigation that is done. And as we deal with the devil in his motives, so we deal with the Lord in his visitations: we could tear the rod, but not be humbled under him that useth the rod. And what do we profit by this behavior? Admit we could wrest the rod out of God's hand, what gain is that for us, against whom he will take up a sword and a mallet, or a great rock, wherewith he will not stand to beat us, but out of hand to break us in fitters? And therefore good wisdom it is not to wrestle with the effect, but to meet with the cause. Now then there are two things which blindfold us, that we cannot see God's wrath in our afflictions: the one, because we are not straight consumed with the anger of God: so long as men waste away by little and little, and are not beaten down at one blow, they put off all suspicion that God is displeased with them, and never acknowledge his wrath, until it come like an ambassador of death. Some are consumed by apoplexies, and suddenly fall dead: some by hecticks, and piece by piece fall away. This is so much the more dangerous, because it is the less sensible, and rather killeth us than forewarneth us. It is as dangerous to molder away, and as easy to die of an hectic, as it is to fall dead and to be taken with an apoplexy: And therefore it is not good to tarry for the dead blow. Another cause is this: that as God's judgment • are to many, mercies, and proceed from his love towards us: so though we see it not, many of his mercies we sent to us in his judgment, and proceed from him in wrath. So Jeremiah saith, that the Lord gave Josiah in wrath to reign over his people: and yet Josiah was a good King. The use of all this is thus much, to show us that the Lord's anger works in him, as do all other affections when they have not their work in us. Hereof it is, that because we are not displeased with our selves for our sins, God is displeased with us; because we mislike not our corruptions, God showeth his misliking of them; because we are not angry with our selves, God is angry with us. Sin deserveth wrath, and sin must have wrath either at our hands or at▪ the Lord's hands. If we be wrathful with our selves, and take an indignation with our own selves, as 2. Cor. 7. the Lord will remit his wrath; if we will judge our selves, God will not judge us.
If at any time we come to judge of God's wrath, we account of it as of an impotent thing: wrath doth work, the wrath of the least doth move, and I would we feared the wrath of the Lord as much as we do the wrath of Princes. But we think of God's wrath as of his mercy, we fear him as one of silly anger and small power, we thank him for his mercies as a niggardly God, and pinching giver. When we deal in duties to Godward, we cut them, we mince with him, we measure and stint him, as though we would be even with him: but when it comes to our wickedness, we are both large and bold: we do as men that thought the Lord was either blind, and could not see our doing, or as though his arms were bound up in a cloute that he could not strike us. The weakness of God is stroger than any strong thing in man, 1. Corinth. 1. the very weakness of God is stronger than the strength of men. But how shall we conceive of this weakness? In a man we account that weakness, which his little finger hardly can touch. Now then if we will come (as it were) to God's little finger, and take but the confession of all the wise men in Egypt, and of their Magicians: and we shall see, that in those rare and notable plagues which came on the land, they said it was the finger of the Lord. Come to the afflictions of Job, wherein he lost goods, cattle, and children, and the devil (I say) makes all that but a touch of his little finger: and yet this spent all. The breath is counted in a man but a weak thing: but come to the very breath of the Lord, & we shall see all that is in a man is as grass, and the best things in him as the flower of grass, when the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. Isaiah. 40. 17. and Psal. 18. 8. it is said, Smoke went out of his nostrils, and a consuming fire out of his mouth: so that great is the power of his very nostrils, and mighty is the very weakness and infirmity of his wrath. If this be the weakness of God, what is his strength, his strength (I say) when he is compared to a giant, or to a lion: to a giant of all men the greatest; to a Lyon of all beasts the strongest? If he be so mighty when he toucheth us but with his finger, how terrible is he if he strike us with his arm? Now what shall we say when he comes not only with strength in himself, in his finger, in his nostrils, and in his arm; but he is armed, he hath his sword whet and his bow bent against us, as a man prepared for the battle? So that if we be far off, then he hath his bow to fetch us; if we be near, then he hath his sword to strike us. But what speak we of a sword, or of a bow, when he hath not only these, but powers & whole armies of his creatures against us, as of fire, of hail, of thunderbolts, yea of the least and vilest creatures, as of lice and flies, to come on us? So that if the sword find us not, his thunder-bolt shall meet us; when the hail doth not make an end of us, the fire will consume us; if the fire would not burn, the mallet would b • uise us: further than all this, he hath his chariots and thousand of chariots in the whirl-wind, and his pillars of fire to terrify us: and which is more, he hath his thousands and twenty thousands of Angels to make a spoil of all at his beck: so great is the wrath of the Almighty, his power will not fail, all his works will assist him, and when one hath done his duty, another will follow: so that we shall surely be weary of suffering, before he be weary of afflicting, or weak in punishing. But to pass over the speaking of his strength: let us look to our own weakness, we are but as potters vessels, if we hit but one against another, we break, we fall into shards at every knock: and if the Lord lift up his rod against us, we shall be brought to dust; if a little rod will not serve to do it, he will take a crow of iron and fling at us. To be short, the Lion cometh before him, the Unicorn serves him: Behemoth is taken with his sword, Leviathan cannot stand before him. And the difference between the power of God, and the power of Princes is as great: Princes can only seize on the body, and all their wrath can go no further than this life: but the Lord attacheth as well the soul as the body, and his anger is as hot and hotter in the life to come, as it is in this life.
Our knowledge must end in fear: that ignorance is bold it is plain: but that experience should tremble at things either imminent or present that is it which Moses thought so strange a thing, that he durst conclude, Psal. 90. that if we fear not we are ignorant. No marvel, it pleaseth the holy Ghost to join fear, and the wisdom of God always together, either as the beginner, or as the finisher of it. That it is the beginning of wisdom it is plain, Proverbs 1. that it is the end of wisdom it is manifest Ecclesiastes 12; so that it is not possible to have true wisdom without this beginning, neither can we attain to the perfection of it without this ending. Now the causes why we do not fear are these, either for that we are wise in our own conceit, or else we be stony hearted, both which evils are cured in us by fear. The first is proved, Prouerb. 21. where it is said: Blessed is the man that feareth: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil: where is a plain opposition between the fear of God and hardness of heart. The second is to be shown Pro. 3. 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes, but fear the Lord: where we see the fear of God correcteth this conceit of our selves in us. This we say then, that he that feareth not, hath either pride or hardness; and if these two, then no wisdom, and consequently he is convinced not to have knowledge. Fear and wisdom makes a man a man: it is the conclusion also, and shutting up of all love; the reason is, love groweth secure without fear, and being secure it loseth her spouse, as we see in the song of Solomon: where the Church bewails the loss of her Love, whilst she fell asleep: wherefore I say, as in the beginning, we must have a fear of wrath; so in the end we must have a fear of losing. In Hebr. 12. when the Apostle b •• ore had spoken of Love, least that we should securely lose it, he ends all with a trembling sentence, and shutteth it up with a fiery clause, God is a consuming fire. It is given to all since Adam, after we have sinned to fear, and to hide our selves, in regard whereof the thief trembles at the sight of the Judge, & the very dead tree strikes a fear into the conscience of the superstitious worshipper. Nay I may say the devil trembleth, and every sinner shaking off fear, after he hath sinned, justifieth the devil himself in this respect, and so in shuffling off the forewarning of God's judgment, he passeth all in wickedness, either in the Church or without the Church, or in hell Neither must we simply fear, but have a certain measure of fear: we may say as Abraham said in Genesis, if there be no fear of God, then there is surely no place left for the Church of God. Through the mercy of God we cannot yet say so: for though the Church at this day be not so justifiable as it should be, nay it is condemnable in respect of that which it ought to be: yet we cannot say but Abraham hath a place with us: wickedness is not yet come to such a pitch, that there is no fear of God with us. How be it herein we be defective, in that our knowledge and fear of God is not proportionable to our teaching, and the justice of God: For setting our continual teaching with our discontinued profit in learning, and seeing the marks of God's judgments are set in the bowels of the Nations round about us, this thing rightly weighed, our fear is nothing, our knowledge is little, the Lord may have his action against us, because though we have some thin fear, yet it is nothing proportionable. Wherefore as it is not sufficient that our meditations in the law be meditations, but that in strength & comfort they exceed all our thoughts of the world; and as God requireth not only an hearing, but such attention in hearing, as we hear nothing more heedily and carefully: so we must fear and that accordingly, and this according is that which will condemnevs, because (I say) our affections are not according to their object. But behold a greater evil, for as we set not our affections high enough in good things, so we rack them too far in evil things. We fear not God enough; we fear the world too much; we love the word too scantly; we love our profits too excessively. So there is a jar in both, our fear in spiritual things is defective, in worldly things excessive. And surely though we could not do it in such measure about the best things, because we cannot reach so high in lesser things (which thing if we could do, it were a great part of an Apology for us) yet for that we fear so much in lesser things, and fear so little in greater, this will indeed accuse us. Again, that our fear is not according to God's wrath, it is known by taking that small measure and scantling of it, which we are wont to do; for whereas the word hath made the fear of God to be our measure for the fear and forsaking of sin, Job. 1. we by making our fear of God light, make also our departing from evil light. Thus we see the Lord must have an order in things; first we will have his kingdom provided for, then other things in their place: we in keeping so low an ebb in his fear, make up his inditement he hath against us.
A TREATISE OF HYPOCRISIE.
T Here are two things required in Religion, the substance and the ceremony or visard, and we have but one of them. The first is a marvelous hard thing to circumcise our hearts, to make them bleed; we think it enough to hear, for opinions carry the common people: for they be like children, if they see a face in a glass, they think it is a man, and begin to talk of it and to it. This ceremonial hearing in times past it would now and then (as they say) do good: but now as one saith, is nothing but to hear, eat, drink, and talk. That a show is sufficient to move the multitude, it appeareth by Absalom, who although he were a beast; yet when he had made a vow, and Jezebel had proclaimed a fast, the people followed them, and said the Queen was become religious, & Absalom was worthy of a kingdom, and so the like hypocrites have an opinion of just men. The duty of reprehending is the duty of a good man, and under the law it was thus: the accuser was wont to throw the first stone: the thief on the cross said; Thou being in the same condemnation, darest thou reprove? Here is a case of premunire, which what it is on earth we know, and what it is in Heaven we shall know at that day: examples we have in Aaron, N • dab, Ab • hu, Uzzah, and Ahaziah.
Seeing there be such a sort of sore eyes, and so few Surgeons, it is good to stay in reprehension, till we have cast out our beams: and this is but reasonable, that a man should first cure himself. But because many will not stay for all this, Christ waxeth angry as it were, and calleth them hypocrites: where saith Chrysostom, he showeth himself very angry: for this word when he useth it or such like, as O evil servant ▪ O painted tombs ▪ generation of vipers, it is not any little offense that he speaketh against.
The name of an Hypocrite is abhorred of God and man. As it was said of Octauius and Antonius, they hate a tyrant, but not tyranny: so it may be said with us, we hate an Hypocrite, but not hypocrisy. Thus we may see first in real hypocrisy, we cannot abide a course clothe with a fine list, nor fruit fair without, and rotten within; nor timber straight without and hollow within; nor light weights and false wares. In the Common-wealth he that poisoneth a man, and he that killeth him with the sword hath not the like punishment, because the first is greater, in that he killeth him hypocritically. In the Church the fathers appointing punishment and penance for diverse sins, set down for hypocrisy, the greatest punishment, in prima quadragesima. Peter was first moved at this against Anani • s and Sapphira, Act. 5. Paul among many dangers, setteth this down as a chief one, that he was in danger among false brethren. S. John the Evangelist in his Revelation proph •