The triall of truth Containing a plaine and short discovery of the chiefest pointes of the doctrine of the great Antichrist, and of his adherentes the false teachers and heretikes of these last times.

Div. 4.

That all the Lordes people ought especially vpon the Lordes day religi∣ously to frequent the publike assemblies, and ••oyne togeather in their common praiers, and in preaching and hearing Gods most sacred worde, that thereby they may be stirred to the exercise of all chri∣stian duties, and so therein not serue their owne ••ustes, but keepe that day holy vnto the Lord.

THE ground of this commandement is: God is in∣finite in wisedome, and onely knoweth himselfe & all such things as belong to his owne worship & service: Neither is he rightly knowen of vs, but so farre forth as it pleaseth him to open himselfe * 1.1 by his spirit speaking vnto vs in his word, & so re∣vealing himselfe vnto vs. And therefore are we cōmanded on the Lords day to rest from all our bodily labours, and much more from such exercises as tend to the stirring vp of our corrupt lusts, and to the satisfying of our fonde fancies, and to come with the residue of the Lordes people to the publike assemblies in the Lordes house, that his holy spirit may sanctifie our spirites, and by his holy word stirre and excite vs vnto all holy exercises, and so cause vs to keepe the Lordes day holy vnto the Lord. Contra∣rily the church of Rome depriveth the people of the benefite of publike pra••er, and of the worde of GOD, by locking them vp from them in a strange tongue, and so taketh avvay the meanes whereby that day should be sanctified, and in steed thereof hath brought in such abuses, as vvhereby it cannot be but greately prophamed. For the practise of her greate Masters in former times hath beene to solemnize the greate feast of the Lordes Nativity vvith a LORD of misrule: as if our Saviour had come in the flesh to deliver vs from obedience to all good lawes, and to procure a dispensation for all disorder: as also to cele∣brate that other greate feast of VVhitsuntide (at vvhat time our LORD and Saviour CHRIST Iesus to make manifest

his great power that hee had in heaven and earth sent downe in forme of cloven tongues his holy sp••rite vpon his Apostles) with a freer vse of all such exercises, as kindle the coales of vncleane lustes, and blow the bellowes to al filthy communication, which are things well-pleasing to the vncleane spirite, but most offen∣siue to the holy Ghost, and no way tending to the sanctification but rather to the prophanation of the Lords day. VVhereas the purpose of the church of Christ, in forbidding Marriages about the times of the three great solemnities of Christians was, lest by the more free vse of these earthly pleasures and delightes which abound most commonly at marriage feastes, the peoples mindes should bee somewhat hindered from the carefull preparation to receaue the holy sacrament, which was most vsually celebrated at those times, and from the thankefull commemoration of those great benefites which are then also especially to be most religious∣ly remembred. Moreouer whereas the Lord in this commaun∣dement giveth a speciall charge to all his people that in no vvise they forget, but carefully remember to obserue and keepe holy the Sabboth day by frequenting the publike assemblies, and by ioyning vvith the congregation in praier and in hearing the word of God, and in causing those of their families to do the like: as also on the other sixe da••es to vvalke paine••ullie in their severall cal∣lings to his honour, and the good of his people, vvhat shall vvee thinke of the Monkes, Eremites, and An••chorists of the church of Rome, which are had in so high reputation for their extraordina∣ry, and, as it is thought, Angelicall holines, vvhich liue in the open and manifest breach of both the partes of this commaundement? For they both forsake the publike assemblies, contrarie to the Apo∣stles * 1.2 commandement, on the Lords day and do not performe on the other sixe daies the painefull vvorke of any profitable calling to the Lords church: and yet they are put in great hope by their holy mother the church of Rome, that by omitting these so ne∣cessary dueties so straitly enioined by the Lord himselfe, for the better perfourming of their ovvne vvill-vvorshippes, they are in the readiest way to the greatest perfection.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Cor. 2. 11 2. Tim. 3. 16 2. Pet. 1. 20
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. 15.