AS in the first Commandement , the substance of Gods worship is set downe , and in the second the manner of it , in the third the end : so here the time when , and how long this should be openly and publikly thus practised . In giuing of which Commandement , the Lord vseth such manner of words and matter , as might most stirre vs vp to the carefull keeping of it : for in the practise of it , consisteth the practise of all the other , and in the neglect of it is the neglect of all religion . Our naturall corruption & rebellion therefore against this Commandement especially appeareth , in that the Lord stirreth vs vp to it so many wayes , yea in the first pronouncing of it .

How this Commandement differeth from all the rest . For first , whereas in the other Commandements he contenteth himselfe with bare commanding this , or forbidding that , yet to this he putteth an especial marke , saying , Remember , that is , thinke of it afore hand : for indeed the want of remembring it in due time , is many times one cause , that it is no better obserued when it commeth : And in Deuter. Deut. 5.12 . Moses repeating the Law , forgetteth not this word but vseth another of like importance , saying , Obserue or looke vnto the Sabbath to sanctifie it : and further addeth . As the Lord thy God commandeth thee , referring them to the first giuing of it , yea euen in this marking .

Secondarily , in all the other Commandements , when he simply forbiddeth a sinne , it is to be vnderstood , that he commandeth the contrary vertue , though not expressed ; and when he willeth the good to be done , he forbiddeth the contrary euill , though it bee not named , as wee haue seene in expounding the other Commandements : yet in this not onely the good is plainly commaunded , Keepe holy the Sabbath day , but the euill is expresly forbidden , In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke .

Thirdly , it differeth from all other Commandements , in that the Lord hath adioyned more reasons to it , then to any other , because our nature is most against the obseruation of it : for whereas some Commandements haue no reason at all ioyned vnto them , and especially in the second table , ( in which our nature is not so corrupt , as hauing the light of it shining more cleerely within vs , for the preseruation of the societie of mankinde in Common-wealths ) as , Thou shalt not kill . Thou shalt not commit adulterie . Thou shalt not steale , &c. yet in the first table ( in which we are as blind as beetles ) euery Commandement hath some reason annexed vnto it : As in the first , The first Commandement hath one re●son ioyned to it . I the Lord am thy God , which brought thee out of &c. Where because of that mercifull Couenant that he hath made with vs , to blesse vs in all things eternally ( which as he first made it in Christ , so he confirmed it in our miraculous Redemption wrought by him , whereof the deliuerance out of Egypt was a type and figure ) therefore he requireth , that wee should serue him with all that wee haue , and none but him , and so that we should take him only to be our God . And the third Commandement one . In the third Commandement there is one reason vsed , namely , that the Lord will most assuredly and seuerely punish all them that do dishonor his name , and therefore we are charged not at any time to empaire his credit , but rather most highly to aduance it , as the very end wherefore we were first created .

Yet the second Commandement is more fortified , The seconde Commandement hath two . and hath as it were a double barre , I meane two reasons , as against the which the vanitie of our reason , and crookednes of our heart hath yet more appeared in so cunningly deuising and willingly embracing so many kinds of false religion , neither conceiuing nor liking that true manner of Gods seruice , which he hath prescribed in his holie word . And therefore as he requireth , that neither in an Image , nor in any thing els deuised by vs , we should serue him , but according to his owne wisedome and wil made knowne vnto vs in his written word : so he first wil plentifully reward in mercie , euen to the thousand generation them that shall in loue thus serue him according to his Commandement : and secondarily , ( howsoeuer passing ouer many other sinnes ) yet as a louing and iealous husband , will prosecute to the full the punishment of that spirituall adulterie , whereby the hatred vnto God appeareth in that the heart is stolen away from him by a false worship .

But yet in this fourth Commandement the Lord goeth beyond all that hath been spoken , The 4. Commandement hath three . and bindeth vs vp with a threefold cord that can hardly be broken . For he setteth downe three reasons , not onely to commend vnto vs the excellencie , and to shew the necessitie of keeping of it , but also to giue vs to vnderstand , how rebellious and corrupt our nature is here especially . As it is indeed : for many are not perswaded , that there should be any day at all kept : others doe not agree vpon the day , which it should be : some preferre other daies before it , or make them equall with it : they that are otherwise minded , yet are not established in the precise resting and straight ceasing from so many things as God requireth : much lesse doe men agree vpon the publike and priuate manner of sanctifying and keeping it holie . Therefore the Lord doth not onely command it , but also first sheweth vs the equitie of it , in that he hath giuen vs sixe daies to be occupied in for our selues : and therefore it is good reason that we should rest vpon the seuenth , to attend vpon his busines , as it were . Secondarily , we should doe it so much the rather , because he hath gone before vs in his owne example , who therefore rested vpon the seuenth day , when he had created the whole world in sixe , that wee thereby might the rather be allured vnto that order , which he was purposed to establish , namely , that wee should rest vpon the 7. day from our owne works , as God did from his , and so be like vnto our Creator . Thirdly , and most especially , that we should doe thus , because God hath bestowed an especiall blessing vpon this day distinct from the rest , euen the blessing of sanctification : and therefore it is not lawfull for vs to vse it to any other end , but to this holie & sanctified end , for which God in the beginning created it .

The fourth difference of this commandement from all the rest . Last of all , whereas all the other Commandements are giuen forth in such manner of words , as binde onely our selues , Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord thy God in vaine , Thou shalt not steale , &c. though I grant that more is implyed , and they not only binde vs thus to looke to our selues , but to so many also as bee committed to our ●●arge ( the Lord hauing giuen vs authoritie ouer them , ●●at we might see them practise all the lawes of both Ta●●les so much as lyeth in vs ) yet I say , much is not ex●ressed in the deliuerie of them : but in this Commandement in expresse words God speaketh to vs , and chargeth vs with the care not onely of our selues , but others ●lso , saying , Thou , and thy son , & thy daughter , thy manseruant , thy maidseruant , thy cattell , & the stranger that is within thy gates . Thus we see how many waies this Commandement is charged vpon vs by the Lord , how straightly he requireth it at our hands , & how in the very giuing of it , al things are ioyned vnto it by God himself , that might commend ●●t vnto vs with greatest credite and care of obedience .

It remaineth that wee should see , That the Sabbath ought to be continued . what are the speciall things contained in it : but first of all , it is needfull to proue vnto you , that the Sabbath ought still to be continued with vs , because without this perswasion , all doctrine or exhortation tending to the true manner of sanctifying it , falleth to the ground and is vnfruitfull . First of all therefore , it appeareth in the storie of Genesis , that it was from the beginning , Gen. 2.3 . and that the seuenth day was sanctified at the first , so soone as it was made : in so much that Adam and his posteritie , if they had continued in their first righteous estate , should haue kept that day holie aboue the rest , seeing the Lord sanctified it for their sakes : and though it be so indeede that they should haue been occupied in some honest calling and work vpon the sixe daies ( according as it is sayd to Adam , that the Lord put the man into the garden of Eden , Gen. 2.16 . that he might dresse it and keepe it ) yet notwithstanding , vpon the seuenth day they ●hould haue ceased from all wordly labour , and giuen ●hemselues to the meditation of Gods glorious workes , and haue been occupied in some more immediate parts of his seruice , according to the former Commandement . And that we might vnderstand indeede , that the law of sanctifying the Sabbath is so ancient , the Prophet Moses in Genesis doth of purpose vse the same words , which the Lord God himselfe doth in pronouncing it , ( as it is set downe in Exodus ) namely , that he blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it , and that in it God rested from all his worke which he made : to teach vs assuredly , that this Commandement of the Sabbath , * * P. Martir in Gen. 2. was no more then first giuen when it was pronounced from heauen by the Lord , then any other the Morall precepts , nay that it hath so much antiquitie , as the seuenth day hath being : for so soone as the day was , so soone was it sanctified , that wee might know , Rulling . in Rom. 4.5 . that as it came in with the first man , so it must not goe out but with the last man , and as it was in the beginning of the world , so it must continue to the ending of the same , and as the first seuenth day was sanctified , so must the last be : and as God bestowed this blessing vpon it in the most perfecte estate of man , so must it be reserued with it , till he be restored to his perfection againe .

The Church of God did keepe the Sabbath from the beginning , before it was pronounced vpon Mount Sinai . And we shall be so much the rather perswaded of this , if we consider how the Church of God vpon the consideration of the first institution of the Sabbath , did retaine by tradition the true knowledge and practise of this Commandement , as well as any other part of the word , from Adam vnto the comming of the Israelites into the wildernesse , passing ouer the red sea from out of Egypt , before the giuing of the law , as appeareth in Exodus : when Moses exhorting them vpon this new occasion of gathering and preparing Manna , to the sanctifying of the Sabbath still , notwithstanding that , as they had done before , and therefore to rest now from both , saying , Bake that to day which you will bake , Exod. 16.23 . and seeth that which you will seeth , and all that remaineth lay it vp to be kept till the morning for you : first speaketh of the Sabbath immediatlie following , as of a knowne thing vnto them , in the former part of the verse , to morowe is the rest of the holie Sabbath vnto the Lord : vpon which bare notice of the Sabbath next ensuing , hee could not haue so forcibly required the ●●sting from worke , if it had not been a thing that they ●ere long acquainted with .

Besides , in this same place , he perswadeth them vnto ●t with the same reason that the Lord vseth in promulgating of it , and almost in the same wordes , sauing that , that which is there generally spoken , is here applyed to the particular occasion : Sixe dayes shall you gather it , verse 26. but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath : to shew vs also that they knew the equitie of this commandement from the beginning . Moreouer , when some did breake this commandement so reasonable & so well knowne in seeking for Manna , Moses reprouing them at the worde of the Lord , sayth in the words following , verse 29. Behold how the Lord hath giuen you the Sabbath , ( speaking of the time past ) therefore he giueth the sixt day , bread for two daies : tarrie therefore euery man in his place . Last of all Moses testifieth of the people in the 30. verse , Tremelius . Iunius . that afterward they rested euery Sabbath , ( as some doe reade it ) and as yet the law was not giuen .

And therefore vnder correction , I thinke it not true , that is auouched by a learned man , when hee saith , Conuinci non potest , Muscul . loc. com . praecept . 4. &c. It cannot be proued that the Sabbath or rest of the seuenth day was kept before the giuing of the law , either from Adam before the floud vnto Noah , or after the floud vnto Moses , or of Abraham and his posteritie . For as a learned and ancient father and Bishop saith , Iam hîc ab initio , &c. Here now euen from the beginning God hath insinuated this doctrine vnto vs , teaceing vs In circulo hebdomadis diem vnum : Chrysost. in Gen. 2. Homil. 18. that in the ●ompasse of a weeke , one whole day is to be put apart for a ●pirituall rest vnto God . Vnto all which may be added ●●at , for proofe that this commandement is naturall , morall , and perpetuall : that I say may bee added , which was practised among the Gentiles , and all the heathen , concerning the keeping holy of certaine dayes , though altogether ignorant of the lawe of Moses : The Gentiles by the light of nature kept some daies holy . for though it was so , that they knew not the institution of the seuenth day , much lesse did they keepe it , yet some daies by a common consent they seuered from their worldly affaires , and dedicated them to the seruice of their Gods : nay though they did altogether so hate the onely true holy day , that neither would they obserue it themselues , and also mocked the Iewes for obseruing it ; Iere. Lament. 3.7 . yet of themselues they erected other dayes , which they appointed to a holy and religious vse : which euidently declareth , that the lawe of the Sabboth was so deeply grauen in the hart of man at the first by God himselfe , that howsoeuer the print of it was by the fall of Adam , and by sin growing in the posteritie , was ( I say ) greatly mangled and defaced , so that it could not be read : yet it was not so wholly raced out , but that some deformed scratches , and ( is it were ) scarres of it did appeare . And therefore though they could not attaine to the knowledge of the day , much lesse the true maner of sanctifying it without the word : yet that there should be a day differing from other in vse , sequestred from the common affaires of the world , and consecrated to the worship of God , this was that which did shew it selfe to them whether they would or no.

Herein therefore I agree with the Schooleman , who sayth , Thom. Aquin. 2 . a. 2.ae . quaest. 122. art 4. That the commandement of sanctifiyng the Sabbath is partly morall : morall in as much as a man doth appoint a certaine time of his life to attend vpon heauenly things : for there is a naturall inclination in man to depute a certaine time for euery necessary thing , as for the receiving of his meate , for sleepe , and for other such things : and therefore he doth according to the direction of naturall reason , appoint a certaine time for his spirituall refreshing , wherby his soule is refreshed in God . And as in the second commandement , though they knew not the true seruice of God , ( as being without his word ) yet that hee should some wayes outwardly beworshipped , they were fully assured , as ap●eareth by their superstition and Idolatrie . So the very ●ay that God had blessed to this ende they vnderstood not , neither could doe without the lawe , yet that there ●ought to be some day they held vndoubtedly , as appeareth by their practise , when they had sanctified so many daies to themselues .

And that this Sabbath day , The Gospell hath not taken away the obseruation of the Sabbath . which hath that commendation of antiquitie and consent which wee haue heard , ought to stande still in his proper force ; and that it appertaineth to vs Christians now , most euidently appea●eth by that authoritie and credite which it receiueth from the Gospell and newe Testament also , in which it is so highly commended vnto vs , ( that I might not in this place speake of the manifold other testimonies that it hath in the old : ) And by name we may see , how our Sauiour Christ & all his Apostles establisheth it by their ●ractise , for they vpon the Sabbath ordinarily enter into ●he Synagogues of the Iewes , and preach vnto the peo●le , doing such things vpon those dayes , as appertaine ●o sanctifying of them , according to the commandement .

Obiect . Against which , lest we might except that our Redeemer Christ Iesus being made vnder the law ( as the Apostle sayth ) came to fulfill the whole law for vs , Galath. 4.4 . and therefore he indeede submitted himselfe vnto the obseruation of the least ceremonie therof al his life long , till at his death he cryed out , It is finished , Ioh. 19.30 . Math. 27.51 . when the vayle of the Temple rent in twaine from the top to the bottome : to shew that all types and figures were abrogated and taken away , and therefore that his obseruation of the Sabbath maketh no more for the certaintie of it , then his obseruing of Circumcision , keeping the Passeouer , and offering vp of ●●crifices , doe make for their continuance now vnder the Gospell . Answer . Wee must further consider that the Apostles themselues , long after Christs death , and after they had receiued the holy Ghost , Iohn 16.13 . euen the spirite of truth , that should leade them into all trueth , doe by their practise and writings shewe that the Sabbath stoode vpon a surer ground then the whole ceremoniall lawe , and therefore could not with it bee taken away . Acts 13.14 . Paul and Barnabas , ( as it is in the Acts ) comming into Antiochia , went into the Synagogue vpon the Sabbath day , and sate downe , and after the reading of the Lawe and the Prophets , the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them , saying , Yee men and brethren , if ye haue any worde of exhortation to the people , say on : then Paul stoode vp , and beckened with the hand , and sayd , Men of Israell , &c. going on forward with that notable sermon that is set downe there , and when hee had ended , verse 42. ( as it is in the same chapter ) The Gentiles besought them , that they would preach those words vnto them the next Sabbath day : which also they did . And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole citie together to heare the word of God . verse 44. Moreouer , the same Apostle at Thessalonica , Acts 17 2. went into the Synagogue of the Iewes , and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the scriptures .

And thus hee did not once or twise , but continually and ordinarily , shewing the ordinary continuance of the Sabbath , and the sanctifying of it , as the Euangelist precisely noteth , saying : Paul as his manner was , went in vnto them . Now , though we are to presume that Paul neither taught , nor practised any thing contrarie to the rest of the Apostles , but that they agreed in one vniforme order of doctrine and gouernement of the Church , ( as who had receiued of one and the selfe same spirite ) and therefore this might bee sufficient to shew their consent herein : Yet notwithstanding wee may reade how in the last booke of the Bible , and by the last Apostle ( I meane who liued longest ) the same thing is confirmed : where he is so farre from teaching , that the Sabbath for the space of 97. yeares after Christ was taken away , ( about what time it is thought that hee wrote that booke ) that ●●e plainly auoucheth the continuance of it in the Church , ●y this new and honourable name , Reuel. 1.10 . The Lords day , where ●●ne of purpose noting the time that he receiued those Reuelations in , calleth it by that name that was best known to the Church at that time , otherwise he should not so fitly haue expressed his mind to those , to whom he wrote , which day thus called , all writers doe agree vpon it new and old , yea the Papists themselues to bee this very Sabbath which wee obserue . Thus it is sufficiently proued , that the Sabbath was none of those Ceremonies , which were iustly abrogated at the comming of Christ , as being appoynted of God for no further time , but that it continued in the practise of the Church when all other ceased , yea was kept faithfully in the Church by al them who had with one consent shut out all the rest . And that it is so commanded in the first booke of holy scriptures , Genesis . where is shewed what was from the beginning , that it wanteth not his due praise in the last booke of the same , Reuelation . where is a prophesie of things to bee fulfilled vnto the ende : and therefore wee must hearken vnto the trueth of this doctrine so much the rather , least that fearefull iudgement doe fall vpon vs , which the Lord Iesus himselfe threatned to bring vpon them , that shall diminish any thing contained in this booke , and therefore which shall in whole or in part take away this day which is so honored there , when he sayth , Reuel. 22.19 . If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie , God shall take away his part out of the booke of life , and out of the holy citie , and from those things which are written in this booke .

But that I might not seeme tedious vnto you , we shall further heare in one word , that the Sabbath still bindeth vs , and that it ought to stand in his greatest force , That two ends of ordayning the Sabbath , sheweth the continuance of it . that euer it had , and that we haue as great neede of it as euer any people had in the world , and that our posteritie shall haue so likewise , and therefore cannot be without it , if we consider the principall ends of the first instituting and ordaining of it by God vnto Adam in Paradise : A day of rest is necessarie . Commanding him to rest vpon that day , and to keepe holie the day of rest . And first of all to rest , because he was not of an infinite nature , though perfect , and therefore could not be occupied wholly about many ( I doe not say ) contrarie , but sundrie and diuers things at once , as about the busines of this world and the worship of God : wherefore being bound by his calling to dresse and keepe the garden , Gen. 2.15 . verse 3. and yet charged to keepe holie the seuenth day , meditating vpon the wisedome and mercie of God appearing as in all the creatures , so especially in himselfe , and thus beholding the inuisible things of God in them , Rom. 1.20 . giuing thankes to God for them , praying for the continuance of them , teaching them to his posteritie , &c. it was needfull that the seuenth day should bee vnto him ( as it was indeed ) a Sabbath day , that is , a day of rest , resting from all his other necessarie businesse , that so he might with his whole heart and mind attend vpon these , as the worship of God required , which he could not doe , so long as in any part he should be occupied about the other .

Now , if the perfectest man that euer was could not do this , and therefore stood in need of this liberalitie of God , in giuing him a day of rest , how shall not we bee too foolish in thinking , that we ( we I say ) that haue not only lost all the excellent graces , that Adam was furnished with , but also in stead of them , great corruption hath ouerwhelmed vs , so that our mindes are dull in concerning the goodnes of God in his word and workes , and our hearts voyd of the true sense and feeling of it , yet we should bee able to haue all our worldly businesse still in our hands , and in our heads , not resting from them any day , and therewithall to haue the same vnderstanding and wit of ours , so conceiuing and desiring by prayer the mercie of God , in the Worde , in the Sacraments , and in all other things of God requireth , Luk. 10.27 . with all our heart , with all our soule , with all our strength , and with all our thought . Or rather must we not needes confesse as the trueth is , that be●ng more bound to the seruice of God , then Adam was ●n respect of our sinne , yet are lesse able to performe it ●hen he in any tollerable measure , when wee haue done all that we can , and therefore haue more neede of a day of rest then he , that nothing might hinder vs . Muscul . loc. com . praecept . 4. For if the bird ( that she might flye ) must flutter with her wings , and deliuer her selfe from all things that might stay her , shall wee thinke , that it makes no matter , if wee come not to Gods seruice with minds and affections , freed from all lets , in which we must in our spirits bee lifted vp higher , then it is possible for any bird by flying to attaine vnto ? And doth not wofull experience tel vs , that when we haue freed our hands from worldly matters neuer so much , yet wee cannot so soone free our mindes from them ? and being once free , they will yet renew themselues within vs , without any present occasion , by reason of our corruption , euen in the Church , and will iustle out ( as it were ) the meditation of Gods seruice many times , whereof Gods children doe complaine : how vnruly then wrould they be , if there were not a day to rest from the occasions of them , and how should wee euer bee occupied in the word and in prayer , and the other parts of Gods worship , with any good acceptation to God , and comfortable practise to our selues , if we should neuer a day rest in bodie from the labours of this world , that in mind and heart we might be free from the cogitations , studies , delights , and desires of the same ? So that we are not onely not to thinke the Sabbath to be needlesse ( as many Atheists , prophane and ignorant men doe ) but also we are to be perswaded , that we our selues should alwaies haue been ignorant , prophane and Atheists , not seruing God at all , but continually drowned in ●he things of this world , by reason of the workes in the sixe daies , or at the least , dissembling , counterfeit and hypocritical , seruing God rather in ceremonie and in shew , than in that manner of sinceritie & truth , which he requireth , if God had not in respect of our weaknes at first appoynted a day to rest in , from all things that might any way stay and hinder vs in it , and now in regarde of the same weaknes , but much more because of the sin which is within vs , had not commanded the same to bee continued for our further good .