Divinity-knots vnloosed: or a cleare discovery of truth; by resolving many doubts, according to scripture, orthodox divines, and sound reason, so as weake capacities may receive satisfaction therein. To which purpose, a number of points are explained by familiar simile's. A treatise intended specially for the instruction of young Christians in Rothstorne parish in Cheshire: but published for a further extent of the benefit thereof, to the Israel of God. By Adam Martindale, one of the meanest labourers in the Lords harvest.

CHAP. XII. Of Religious Worship, and of the sabbath-day.

51. Doubt. TO what purpose should Christians pray for any thing, seeing God hath promised they shall want nothing? Can God forget his promise? Or needs he any remembrancer?

Resol. Prayer is a duty incumbent to all men, especially Christians, and the way wherein God is pleased to make out such promisesa ; and therefore you must not thinke that Gods absolute promises tye him to give such and such things, whether they will aske or nob, but that he will enable his people to pray, that they may receive the promised merciesc? He having resolved he will be sought unto for the accomplish∣ment of his promisesd.

52. Doubt. Some scruple the singing of Davids Psalmes, saying they were onely penned for the present occasion, and conceive that the Psalmes mentioned in the New Testament were not Davids, but such as men assisted by the spirit

of God, composed for the particular occasione : But what thinke you of it?

Resol. Though Davids Psalmes were pen∣ned for the particular occasion, yet the use of them still remained, and some of them were sung many Ages afterf, nor can it be proved that they ever ceased to be Gods Ordinance.

As for the New Testament, we often read the word [Psalmes] therein, and for the most part in such a sense, that Davids Psalmes must needs be thereby meantg, but never (to my remembrance) in the sense you speake of; for such occasionall com∣posures are rather called Hymnes, or Spi∣rituall songs, and distinguished from Psalmsh. To that place you cite, Viz. 1 Cor. 14.26. I answer:

First, The Apostle there speakes of a∣buses and d sorders, and therefore it is hard thence to prove a duty: It is rough Logick to say, the Apostle reproves them that they had each of them a Psalm; therefore Chri∣stians must (or may) have each of them a Psalme.

Secondly, Admit that Paul reproves them not for any faultinesse in the matter of their worship, but the manner of per∣formance (which I confesse is likely to be

his meaning) our opinion may well stand with it; for he might well meane Davids Psalmes, and so the sense will be this, Every one chooseth what Psalme himselfe plea∣seth, &c.

Thirdly, Suppose he meant any other kind of Psalmes then Davids, yet he excludes not them, neither in this place, nor else∣where.

Fourthly, If those which had the ex∣traordinary gifts of the spirit, to compose such spirituall Songs, as abovesayd, made lesse use of Davids Psalmes, by reason of their owne extraordinary abilities, it were no warrant to us, which pretend to no such gifts, to neglect, such excellent helpes as Davids Psalmes are.

53. Doubt. How doe you know that this day which we celebrate, is the first day of the weeke which the Apostles kept, and is called the Lords day?

Resol. As well as the Jewes in Christs time, that they kept the seventh, or you that you are baptized: We must not think our Ancestors were so silly, that they could not count seven.

54. Doubt. I, but that is not all, let them account as well as they can, the time will vary much in the revolution of one thousand,

six hundred, forty eight yeares; and therefore how can this be sayd to be the same, considering with all, that in Countreys farre distant it may he night in one, when it is day in another?

Resol, I confesse, I am neither Astrono∣mer, nor Geographer, nor doe I thinke we stand in need of such Calculations: Let yeares revolve whither they can, the dayes of the week will still follow one another in the same order they doe. The Jewes Sab∣bath was above twice as old as ours is, when Christ was on the Earth, and the course of the Sunne twice interrupted in the meane timei : Yet Christ never reproved them for observing a wrong day, but he, and his, observed it, till it was changedk, which they would not have done, had there been any errour in the Jewes account. The di∣stance of place (I confesse) may alter the time much, yet I verily beleeve that hee, which in all his travells (or wheresoever GOD placeth him) shall observe a day weekly, beginning with the first, and so holding on, keepes it seasonably: And if this be not allowed, I see not how the Pa∣triarcks in their Pilgrimages, or Proselytes, which dwelt in all parts of the Worldl ; (to say nothing of the distance which some conceive, was between Canaan it selfe, and

Paradise, where the Sabbath was institu∣ted) could observe the seventh day Sab∣bath in its season.

55. Doubt. Might we not, as Master Cal∣vin wished, appoint a part of each day, or as o∣thers think, any other day (so it be one in se∣ven) in stead of the first day of the weeke, seeing that day is not positively set downe to be kept?

Resol. Though I reverence Master Calvin as highly as any man that was alive this hundred yeares; yet I cannot comply with him nor any men else, in judging another time so fit for Gods service, as that which by the Apostles themselves was set apartm, whose example (they being inspired by the holy Ghost) may as well in this, as many other things supply the want of a preceptn.

56. Doubt. How should I know when to begin and conclude the Lords day?

Resol. It it a great question among Di∣vines: For mine owne part (with sub∣mission) I thinke it begins at the dawning of the day, when Christ aroseo : I know it is sayd (Gen. 1.) The evening and the morn∣ing; and not The morning and the evening; nor dare I say it is an Histero proteron, for the often inculcating of it seemes to point

at some Mystery: But this I say, that though it be granted that the naturall day and particularly the Sabbath, containing foure and twenty houres, had its revolution from evening to evening; yet nothing hin∣ders why the Christian Sabbath may not be from morning to morning; for seeing the Lords day is kept in memory of Christs re∣surrection, why should it not as well be∣gin at the houre and minuite, as be cele∣brated on the day that he rose from the dead?

Notes

• a

  Mat. 7.7.
• b

  Jam. 4.2.
• c

  Isa. 51.9.
• d

  Ezek. 36.37.
• e

  1 Cor. 14.26.
• f

  2 Chron. 20.21. & 29.30.
• g

  Luke 20.42. Acts 1.20. & 13.33. Eph. 5.19. Col. 3.16. and else∣where.
• h

  Eph. 5.19. Col. 3.16.
• i

  Jos. 10.13 2 King. 20.11.
• k

  Luke 23.56.
• l

  Acts 2.9. & 8.27.
• m

  Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2
• n

  Phil. 3.17
• o

  Mat. 28.1