A MODEST PLEA FOR THE LORDS DAY OR RATHER The Summe of the PLEA made by Divines for the Lords Day as the Christian Sabbath AGAINST Those who contend for the Old Sabbath of the Seventh Day in other 〈◊〉 in the Creation By J. C. D. D. Mar. 2.28 The Son of Man is Lord also of the Saâ—â—â—th Acts 6.14 We have heard him say That this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the Customs which Moses delivered us Gal. 4 10. You observe DAYES and Moneths and Times and Years 〈◊〉 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed labour in 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed in the Year 1669. To those Christians especially my Neighbours in the County of Norfolk who are zealous for the Observation of the Seventh Day Sabbath Brethren MY heart's desire and prayer to God for you all is that you might be saved For I bear you record that you have a zeal of God only if I make a doubt whether it be according to knowledge or no yea if I tell you I verily believe it is not according to knowledge I am sure your ingeunity is such that you will pardon it to me considering that my own perswasion and practice is differing from you and Charity which alwayes begins at home will not allow me to judge my self to practise upon ignorance though I am also one oâ— them who but know in part yet 〈◊〉 hope I desire to practise according to my knowledge Which if you will bâ— so charitable as to suppose I must judgâ— your zeal not to be according to knowledge And let me tell you as there is no more sacred fire than that of zeaâ— when it hath its due fuel and is exercised in a just and good cause sâ— there is no more dangerous fire when iâ— hath a mistaken object The zealouâ— soul runneth and as the man who runneth if he be in a right way come quicker than another to his journey end but if he be out of his way â— is sooner than another at a further distance from home So it is with thâ— zealous spirit I must profess let 〈◊〉 person be of what perswasion he will I must have a reverence for him if perceive that he differeth from me ouâ— of Conscience because he dareth not tâ— sin against God It is a noble temper to be afraid of sin If a person pretends conscience for a particular opinion and practice and in the mean time be a common drunkard swearer liar blasphemer unclean person one that lives as it were without God in the World making no conscience of reading the Scripture praying bringing up and governing his Family in the nurture and fear of the Lord only pretends conscience as to baptizing of Children keeping the Seventh day Sabbath this man is an hypocrite and dissembles with God and men for there is an uniformity in conscience and it would certainly oblige him to avoid known and confessed sins as much as what he doth fancy is a sin and as much oblige him to all as to any known duty But where I see a Christian walking close with God in the general of his conversation and differing from me in this or that point because he thinks he cannot without sin believe and practise what I do I cannot but love and honour him and be very far from their Religion who think it the best and most Gospel way to cudgel him into my Perswasion A Gaol or a Fire and Faggots never yet cured an erring Conscience Such Brethren though overtaken with a fault are certainly according to the Apostles counsell to be restored in the spirit of meekness and to be dealt with like rational Creatures argued and treated and perswaded out of their mistakes not cudgelled out of them This Brethren hath caused me to send this little Book amongst you so penned as I think you will not judge it to have any thing of bitterness in it and in so small a volume as I cannot despair but that you will bestow the reading of it nor will it ask you long time You will find in it the most of what hath been said by Divines in this case I have contracted their larger Discourses that I might not tire your patience and made what they have said in Latine or in more Scholastick terms plain to you by a free and familiar style The singularity of your dissent doth certainly call to you for the use of all possible means to finde out what indeed is the Truth of God in this point and there cannot be a greater witness against you of your want of sincerity than an unwillingness to read or hear what hath been or is or shall be said against you For though indeed there be some Articles of Faith some Principles of Religion about which it is a Christians wisdom not to admit disputes yet this is not such 't is no Fundamental in Religion that the seventh Day from the Creation is the Sabbath It is none of those points in which you cannot erre without breaking your union with the Head Christ yet is it no light point for it breaks communion with all Churches and that is no light matter And the Scripture sayes we are members of Christ and members one of another Although an erring Conscience obligeth him that is troubled with it to do nothing against it yet certainly he that hath it or hath reason but to suspect he hath it stands highly obliged to use all means to reform it and although the differing complexion of a Christians Conscience may oblige him for a time to walk divided from his Brethren yet he ought not to do it without many thoughts of heart because of his division and while he walks alone in obedience to his Conscience he ought also to sit alone and to keep silence To sit alone pondering with himself what is said on both sides and without prejudice weighing arguments in the ballance of the Sanctuary comparing spiritual things with spiritual And to keep silence both as to the publishing his singular and novel â—â—â—â—â—â—ns keeping to that excellent 〈◊〉 of the Apostle Rom. 14.22 Hast thou faith have it to thy self before God It is a mad fancy of some who think that every opinion in Religion is worth breaking the Churches peace for and also keeping silence as to inveighing against and reviling others otherwise perswaded and practising For which way went the Spirit of God from the multitudes of their Brethren unto them And besides who knowes not that there is the same distance betwixt their brethren and them and none can usurp such authority but those who will arrogate to themselves infallibility and take away the judgement of discerning which is the very root and basis of the Protestant Religion You know Brethren what Fetters I have upon me as to my publick Ministry If I were free I question whether I by it should have any capacity to serve your souls while you are under this mistake If I may do it with these
brightness of his Fathers Glory the express image of his person as the Apostle speaketh And that in pursuance of an Eternal Covenant he was in the fulness of time â—â—nt into the world not only to work out mans redemption by his Active and passive obedience to the Law But also as the first Minister of the Gospel as the head and Law-giver of the Gospel Church to reveal his Fathers will for the Worship of God in it to this purpose he tells us Matth. 11.27 That all things were delivered him by the Father Accordingly Matth. 26. he instituteth the Lords Supper and in Matth. 28.18 he instituteth the Ministry preaching the Gospel and Baptisme and Matth. 28.20 he authorizeth his Apostles to teach whatsoever he had commanded them And lest we should think that although the alteration of the Acts of Worship were within Christs commission yet the alteration of the solemn time of Worship was not he hath inspired three of the four Evangelists to tell us what he asserted that he was Lord of the Sabbath Matth. 12.8 Mar. 2.28 Luk. 6.5 Texts which I wonder Mr. Titham should fancy to have any thing in them for the old Sabbath For he who reads any of the Evangelists must yield the sense to be this at first sight That he had authority to expound the Law of the Sabbath contrary to the rigid sense of the Doctors of those times so as it should allow a liberty for acts of necessity piety and mercy The words do plainly assert our Saviour an Authority to alter the Sabbath for he is Lord of it Our Brethren by their daily practice yield our Saviour a liberty to alter the Acts of Worship hence they do not offer Sacrifices as the Jews did though by the way observe our Saviour never said to us You shall no longer Sacrifice they allow of Baptisme instead of Circumcision though it be worthy of our Brethrens observation that Mr. Titham and Mr. Pooly fell to Circumcision and consequently to a denyall of Christ and under the terror of that Text If you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Our Brethren also allow the Ordinances of the Lords Supper and Preaching and certainly it is very unreasonable for our Brethren to allow their Lord and Saviour the authority to alter the Acts of Worship and to deny him a power as to the time of Worship Certainly the time is not so considerable as to the glory of God as the Acts of Worship are besides that as I said before to deny our Saviour this Authority is to deny him to be God Equall with his Father and to deny what three of the Evangelists expresly assert with an even and also The Son of Man is Lord even or also of the Sabbath day CHAP. V. That the Lord Jesus Christ in pursuance of his Commission for establishing the Gospel Church did alter the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the Week How this appears THis being obtained we have nothing to doe but to prove That our Lord did alter the Sabbath day In order to which proof Sheppard Thes Sab. th 24. what that holy and learned man Mr. Sheppard hath said is to be observed We are not to expect such evidence from Scripture concerning this change as fond and humorous wits sometimes plead for in this controversie Namely that Christ should come with Drum and Trumpet as it were upon Mount Zion and proclaim by word or writing in express words The Jewish Sabbath is abrogated and the first day of the week instituted in its room to be observed of all Christians to the end of the world For it is not the Lords manner to speak so in many things concerning his Kingdom but as it were occasionally or in way of history or Epistle to some particular Church or people c. The Scripture saith that Christ after his resurrection continued upon the Earth forty dayes speaking of things concerning the Kingdom of God Acts 1.3 and St. John chap. 21. tells us that all things which he said were not written for the World would not have held the books Indeed it is not expressely said that in that time he instructed them as to the change of the Sabbath as it is not said he any time spake to them about the ceasing of Circumcision Sacrifices the Paschall Lamb c. nor is it said what in particular he taught them within those forty dayes But certainly a moderate degree of charity will inforce us to believe that what we shall find in Holy Writ the Apostles and primitive Churches exemplarily practising in this thing they learned either by word of mouth or by infallible inspiration from their Lord and Master which is all one to us and we must be very uncharitable to think that those first and greatest Ministers of the Gospel the greatest Light ever set upon the Lords Hill should by word of mouth or practice teach the Primitive Christians so weighty a thing as the change of the Sabbath without any direction or authority from the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostles in what they did were followers of Christ Jesus and upon this account 1. Cor. 11.1 the Apostle calls to the Corinthians to be followers of him and Phil. 4.9 Those things which you have learned and heard and seen in me do ye It is true the Examples of the Apostles are not in all things our rules nor by us to be imitated But in those things which they did not upon some special reason and wherein we can imitate them unquestionably they are to be imitated and that in force of many Scriptures speaking to that purpose And in such things their example unquestionably amounts to a divine Institution What have we more than the example of the Apostolical Churches practice for our use of Water in Baptisme administring the Lords Supper to Women c. So that the business in question will much lye upon these two things Whether we can shew any Institution of Christ or practice of the Apostolical Churches in this case Here we will also freely grant our Brethren That the exercise of holy dutyes on a day will not argue such a day was observed as a Sabbath But if we will prove that the first day of the week was by the Apostolical Church observed as the Christian Sabbath we must prove That Day set apart for Sabbath Services more than any other day in the Week and honoured above any other day for that end To this purpose there have been three more eminent Texts in the New Testament insisted on almost by all Divines who have handled this controversie I shall not pretend to add any thing much considerable to what hath been largely and learnedly said by Dr. Young Mr. Caudry Mr. Sheppard Mr. Warren c. but I shall gather what they have said into fewer words and give it my Brethren in their own tongue and it may be more in their own dialect in a plain and familiar style for I write not
it is said v. 7. Vpon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread So as plainly their designed meeting to break bread was upon the first day ot the week I clearly think the second breaking of bread v. 11. was not any religious duty but a bodily refreshment Paul took before his journey the phrase is so used besides the manner of the phrase methinks in this place plainly enough signifieth it When he had broken bread and eaten and talkt with them When all the Religious duties of the day were over and Paul had refreshed himself with some Victuals and discoursed with his friends he took his journey The sense of the Text is plainly this Paul religiously with them kept the first day of the Week preaching administring the Lords Supper and he being to leave them preached something longer than usually Eutichus falls asleep falls from the window where he was and was taken up dead Paul the duties being done recovers him to life again refresheth himself with Victuals and discourseth with them till break of the day and then departeth Lastly Mr. Titham is mistaken to say St. Pauls once preaching at Troas is so stood upon as canonizing a Sabbath That which is insisted upon is this That Paul staying at Troas seven dayes no mention is made of the Christians there meeting together any other day but on the first day of the week upon which it is evident that they met and met on purpose for the most solemn Gospel-services and brake not up from them till midnight yea and the Holy Ghost mentions their meeting that day as an usual customary thing Mr. Brabourn puts us to too hard a task to prove that they abstained from their servile labour We hope our Brethren will not think that they were at their servile labour whiles Paul was preaching or while they were me◠together to partake of the Lords Supper And it is not very charitable for us to think if they had not kept this day as the Christian Sabbath that so near a solemn service which requireth preparation they should be distracting themselves with secular labour Besides that this will fall as heavy upon our brethren What one Text have our Brethren to prove that Paul or any Christians abstained from all servile labour on the seventh day which was the Jewish Sabbath or that they kept it It is indeed said Acts 13.14 15. That Paul coming to Antioch went into the Synagogue and sate down and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets upon the desire of the Rulers of the Synagogue Paul preacht a notable Gospel-sermon to them to convince them of their errors V. 42. The Gentiles desired that those words might be preached to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it the next Sabbath and I must ingenuously confess that if that translation were necessary it would have more colour for an argument on our Brethrens side than any place I know in Scripture will afford them that the Christians when the Jews were gone should pitch upon the next Sabbath above other dayes to hear Paul again But as there is no necessity to translate it so so neither is that translation of the particle I think to be justified by any like usage of it We translate it Between generally See Matth. 18.15 Between thee and him alone Matth. 23 35. Luk. 11.51 Between the Temple and the Altar Luk. 16.26 There is a gulf between me and thee Joh. 4.26 In the mean while that is in the time between Acts 12.6 Peter was sleeping between two Souldiers Acts 15.9 betwixt us and them Rom. 2.15 Their thoughts in the mean while or between themselves as it is in the Margent So as to this very Text. The Margent tells you it may be read In the week between or in the Sabbath between If our Brethren will allow the latter which is justifiable there was a Sabbath between that and the next Jewish Sabbath which must be the Christian Sabbath but if they take it in the former sense the Gentiles did not desire Paul to preach the next sevent◠day those words but in the week between so the words are And the Margent of ou◠Bibles tell us the Translators saw thus it might be read nor could any thing lead them to this translation but v. 44. where it is said that the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to hear the word of the Lord which they might do yet that not the day which the Gentiles before mentioned desired to hear the same things again Acts 16. Paul comes to Derbe and Lystra quarters very full of Jewes for the Text saith for that very reason Paul circumcised Timothy though his Father was a Greek v. 3. Thence they go to Philippi there v. 13. It is said that on the Sabbath day they went out of the City by the River side where Prayer was wont to be made It is not indeed said it was by the Jews but Lydia is called one that worshipped God who but Jewes in Macedonia should worship God at that time I cannot tell for we never read before that the Gospel was preached in those parts Whereas Mr. Brabourn objects so it is said Cornelius Acts 10 2. was one who feared God with all his house it is true but he lived in Caesarea a place not so far from Hierusalem where the Apostles had so abundantly preacht the Gospel as Philippi in Macedonia was and therefore far more likely to be a Gentile Proselyte than Lydia was but at once to answer this objection of the Apostles going into the Jewish Synagogues and preaching on their Sabbath day either there or elsewhere where they were met 1. It is most evident that the Lord indulged the Christians a time to be satisfied that those things in this Rule of Worship given to the Jews which were ceremonial and temporary had an end during which time it was lawfull for them to observe them Though they all died with Christ yet the Lord allowed them having his own ancient Institution a time for honourable Burial Hence Acts 16. Paul circumcised Timothy as well as kept the Sabbath day and in the first Councel the Apostles injoyn'd the Gentiles to abstain from blood and things strangled and Rom. 14.6 gives a liberty to the Christian to observe the Jewish dayes This liberty did not last long for the Apostle tells the Galatians Acts 15.2 That if they were circumcised Christ should profit them nothing And in this very point of dayes Gal. 4.13 he tells them that he was afraid of them because they observed dayes and months and years It is manifest this Epistle to the Galathians was one of his last it was written from Rome where as he tells us he was then in bonds and as judicious Interpreters think not above two year before his death which was about 65 years after our Saviour That to the Romans was wrote long before so was his circumcising Timothy Acts 16.
the law of nature obligeth us to worship him and by consequence to set some time apart for it for all humane actions must be done in time yet nature directeth us not to a seventh nor to this seventh nor yet to those acts of worship which God requireth of us We are I suppose agreed that both the old and new Testament ought to be eyed as our rule in the case and indeed the old testament is most full in its directions of this nature In the new we find the Sabbath altered the Jewish superstitions and mis-interpretations corrected the practical observation of it justified by the Examples of our Saviour the Apostles and others but the rules about it are but few Our Lord intending to leave his people as in many other points of the moral Law to the fuller direction of the Laws and the Prophets Now in the old Testament we find somthing in the Law in the five books of Moses something in the Prophets The Original Law we find Exod. 20. for concerning the Sabbath in the Patriarchs time I shall say nothing it being not my question to examine when the observation began but how it should be observed The fourth commandment plainly requireth that it should be kept as on holy rest it requires it to be kept as a day of rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and requireth us to keep it holy so Exod. 35.2 an holy day a Sabbath of rest Rest is opposed to Motion and Action Holiness is opposed to idleness and filthiness I say first Rest is opposed to Motion Action yet it is apparent from scripture that neither all Motion nor all action fall under the prohibition of that precept We shall find both our Saviour and his Apostles going into the Synagogues on the Sabbath day and the latter going out of the City Acts 16.13 hence Act. 1.13 we read of a Sabbath dayes journey i. e. such a journey as a man might lawfully take on the Sabbath day what length that might be hath possibly unnecessarily troubled many doubtless so much is to be understood as one might conveniently go to attend upon the worship of God it is no improbable conjecture That the phrase hath reference to the first settlement of the Jewish Church upon their march in the wilderness There were to be 200 hundred Cubits between the Arke and the Camp Josh 3.4 And in probability when they rested they were to keep the same distance this some interpret one mile others two miles On the Sabbath day they all were to come up to the Ark to worship which was 200 hundred Cubits distant from the nearest of them and at a far greater distance from those who incamped farthest off the Ark. Godwin's Jewish Antiquities l. 2. cap. 3. Besides this we shall easily understand what Motion is lawful on the Sabbath day if we understand what Action is lawful For such Motion as is necessary to such Action must also be lawful So it is lawful for a Physitian to go to his patient For a man having a beast fallen into a pit to go to help it out c. Secondly as all Motion from our places is not prohibited so neither in all action Our Actions are divided into such as are Natural flowing from a principle and necessity of nature and serving to the upholding and conservation of nature As eating drinking sleeping c. Under the notion of moral actions we comprehend all our actions of worldly labour in our callings and places By religious actions we understand acts of worship by which we give an homage to God The fourth commandment requires that we should do no manner of work but it is apparent from other Scriptures that all actions all work is forbidden To open to you the mind of God in this thing a little 1. Acts of Religious worship or tending directly to it are so far from being forbidden that they are commanded The Jews might kill and offer beasts for sacrifices 1 Chron. 23.31 Num. 28.9 10. The Priests might order the lamps set on the new bread the Jews might circumcise an infant The Scribes might expound the Law They might blow their trumpets to call the assembly Num. 10.2 10. Watch to prevent the profanation of the Sabbath c. Neh. 13.22 Whence the Jews were wont to say that In the temple there was no Sabbath no rest there all were at work In analogy to this there can be no doubt but it is lawful to study preach read hear pray sing baptize on the Lords day in order thereto to ring Bells to call people together to be imployed in seeing to others observation of it These sort of actions is so far from being unlawful that they are actions for the Sabbath Opus diei in die suo 2. A second sort of action lawful on the Sabbath day are such as are necessary to preserve the being or well-being of creatures Thus it is lawful for Physitians or Chirurgions to apply medicines to their patients Our Saviour abundantly vindicates this Joh. 3.5 9. Luk. 13.12 13. Luk. 6.10 Joh. 9.6 Mat. 12.10 And so for nurses to attend those that are sick or young children to go for a Physitian to prepare physick let blood c. To save the life of another to indeaâ—our to preserve our own lives by fighting in opposition to an enemy by fleeing from an enemy to be in arms for the desence of our Prince or Country 1 Kings 20.9 2 Kings 11.5 6. For the Magistrate to commit malefactors Numb 15.34 To dress meat our Saviour justified the disciples rubbing ears of Corn Mat. 12 1 2 3. We find our Saviour at a feast on the Sabbath day Luk. 14.1 2 3. and others were bidden v. 7. To feed and water cattle justified by our Saviour Luk. 13.15 To keep our goods from being lost upon which our Saviour Job 5. justified the lame man carrying of his bed Undoubtedly actions that tend to preserve the being or usefulness of a thing of which we have a moral certainty that without such labour on the Sabbath the creature would perish or be unuseful and corrupt are lawful on the Lords day This all stands upon that principle That God loves mercy rather than sacrifice And upon that principle 3. Actions also of mercy and charity are by all Determined lawful Such as are visiting the sick c. Many of those which come under the Schoolemens two verses Visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo Giving bread to the hungry beer to the thirsty burying the dead relieving the captives c. So as we find the rest commanded in the fourth commandment limited by these exceptions and it must remain unlawful in any other causes to labour From whence we may gather That the prohibitions we read of in Scripture of not kindling a fire on the Sabbath day Exod. 35. and Exod. 16.29 For not going out of their place on the seventh day to gather manna must not be taken in that strictness in which some would
urge them or at least only concerned the Jews in that time not afterward The fire forbidden to be kindled must necessarily be understood 1. Either in reference to the making the Tabernacle of which he there speaks or 2. more largely of any trade-fire kindled for men to work with to get a livelihood not such as is kindled for dressing of meat refreshing us in cold weather or when we are sick 1. It is not probable there was no fire in the Jews houses that made the feast at which our Saviour was Luk. 14. besides we find works paralell to this justified in Scripture Though going out of their doors on the Sabbath must be understood to gather manna Exod. 16.29 or upon other ends than in order to actions of piety neâ—ssity or preservation and mercy for that â—â—stance Numh. 15.32 33. The Scripture so shortly relates that story of the mans being put to death for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day as to the cause of it that it is hard to give a satisfactory answer Stoning to death was a punishment used in the highest cases as that of blasphemy c. with which our reason would not judge such a violation of the Sabbath as gathering sticks was to be put in the ballance but in the Judgement there could be no error for it was given by the Judge of the whole Earth who cannot err in appointing punishments to sins That he gathered sticks on the Sabbath and this was the matter of his guilt is plain but whether it was after some special command of Moses to the contrary which the scripture saith not or to assert a profane liberty and his not regarding the commandment of God when he had no need to it Or whether it was in order to kindle some fire for labour contrary to the precept Exod. 35.3 Or what other circumstance fell in to aggravate the action to such a degree of guilt we cannot tell Suppose it was to kindle a necessary fire yet we are sure it might have been done before the Sabbath so as it was an unnecessary labour as to any necessity but what a former neglect had created something was doubtless in it more than we have in the story It is certain Moses brings this example next after the Law against presumptuous sinners Num. 15.30 31 32. Nor do we read afterwards of any such examples of sevâ—rity But enough is said to shew how the Sabbath should be kept as a rest from labour 2. But this is not all it is called an holy rest the rest of the holy Sabbath and the commandment expresly saith Remember to keep it holy Now an holy rest certainly stands distinguished from a rest meerly natural when our bodies cease from action and worldly labour 2. A rest that is profane By which I understand not only a sinful rest unlawful on any day but a rest from recreations and pastimes lawful enough on other dayes We read not in the old Law of any toleration for sports on the Sabbath we read on the contrary that it was to be an holy rest kept holy c. To which sports cannot contribute It seems unreasonable to think that labour should be forbidden in order to our more serious and solemn service of God and yet sports should be allowed which every way as much distract and unfit the Soul for acts of solemn worship But the prophets are best interpreters of the Law Now the prophet Isaiah Isa 58.13 expounding this Law saith If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy-day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thy own pleasure nor speaking thy own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it There is a precept v. 13. and a promise annexed to the due observance of that precept v. 14. The precept is directive for the sanctification of the Sabbath which is called the Sabbath the Lords holy day The end of the Sabbath for which God instituted it and which every one ought in the observation of it to aim at and shalt honour him the honouring and glorifying of God that is the end Then you have the manner directed how you should honour God in it 1. By a reverent esteem of it calling it Honourable 2. By a free and chearful entertaining it calling it a delight 3. By an abstaining from our own pleasure our own words our own wayes and turning our foot from it Our own pleasure word wayes certainly signify such pleasure such words such wayes as we meerly serve and gratifie our selves by and bring no immediate honour and glory to God Now whether this be not as exclusive of all recreations sports pastimes c. as of all laborious actions other than those before excepted by warrant from the word of God I leave to every conscientious and sober Christian to consider with himself and judge I shall only further add that what Divines truly say of all other moral precepts must be true of this That where an action is in any precept forbidden all words and thoughts relating to it are also forbidden and this is also hinted by the prophet in special in those words not speaking thy own words I am not ignorant that many of our brethren in the other reformed Churches are not of our minds in this point of the Sabbath But 1. It is therefore to be observed that they do not think the Sabbath moral we do and â—rge it as commanded us in the fourth Commandment 2. And secondly upon inquiry we may possibly find that both amongst their Ministers and People those who are most strict in their lives lament the looseness of others of their Brethren in this thing and order their personal demeanours and their Families after another rate However we are to live by rule and not by example I have thus as shortly as I could opened your duty and shewed you how the Sabbath is to be kept as a rest as an holy rest unto the Lord. Let me now plead with my brethren that knowing our Masters will we may do it I will urge a few arguments in the case 1. It is a piece of Religion by which the people of God have formerly more honoured God in these Nations than in most if not than in any other places Professors strict observation of the Sabbath in England hath even from the beginning of the Reformation been their Crown and their Glory Oh let not this Crown in our dayes fall from our heads God hath alwayes had in this Nation a strict Sabbath-observing people in the worst of times There have been of late greater light greater means more preaching more Profession than in former times oh let there not be a less strict Sabbath-keeping
of the Apostles you read of the Apostles and other Christians exact as to the keeping of the Sabbath nor is it at all to our disadvantage that the women Luk. 23. rested on the Jewish Sabbath according to the Commandment for at that time there was no other to rest upon We plead for no sanctification of any other day than what God hath commanded and fall under the fourth Commandment which we have already proved that the Christian Sabbath doth 8. After all this may it not be worth your while to consider the difference of that return which your awakened conscience will make to you when you have spent a Sabbath according to this rule from that which your conscience will make after a looser observation Do not your Consciences sometimes check you when you have taken up too much of that sacred time in sleep in dressing and trimming up your selves or houses in needless labours in foolish pleasures in worldly discourses c. possibly they may smite you in the actions or presently upon them but if you cast up your accounts at night will they not chastise you bâ—fore you go to bed will they not sometimes tell you you have that day done or spake what you ought not to have said or done The testimony of Conscience is not wholly to be slighted in the case 9. Lastly shall I referr you to those who have taken notice of the Judgements of God upon Sabbath breakers How many have perished in their pleasures in their labours on that day Dr. Beard Mr. Clark Mr. Bernard have collected many of them I am aware that too too many abuse a Text of Solomon to avoid any force of this argument All things come alike to all men Enough hath been spoken by other holy men to shew that the Judgements of the Lord are not so to be slighted 'T is but very few years since that many prodigious appearances in the Air Water c. and two or three Comets one after another were slighted and laught at but the dreadfull Judgements of the Plague the Warr the Fire of London quickly baffled those men of reason and shewed us that God doth not ordinarily go out of the course of Nature but to shew some extraordinary work he is about and to warn men to prepare to meet him Certainly Lots Wife being turn'd into a Pillar of Salt though our Saviour had not fixed a Remember to it might have taught people that it is a dangerous thing contrary to a Divine Precept to look back We have a Precept to Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day there are some that will not believe this obligeth us but will adventure to work to sport and take their usual Recreations as on other dayes God in these actions strikes them lame dead c. Let who will slight these extraordinary Dispensations of God My soul entâ— not thou into their secrets unto their Assemblies mine honour be not thou united They shall all to me sound That Israel may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly It is time for me to finish this Discourse Will now any of you say to me What would you have us to do in this business how would you have us sanctifie the Sabbath unto the Lord I answer 1. I would have you the day or night before the Sabbath put all that business relating to your Familes in reference to the Sabbath in as great a readiness as you can The women prepared their spices and oyntment over night which they were to use early in the morning after the Sabbath Luk. 23.56 God allows us on the Sabbath to do things that are necessary but we must take heed of creating necessities needlesly We may make things necessary It may be necessary I should kindle a fire on the Sabbath and so must have fuel but not necessary I should go that day to buy Coals or cut down Wood that might have been done the day before There 's nothing truly necessary on that day but what could not have been done before nor cannot be put off longer 2. I would have you get up from your beds as soon that day as you use to do on other dayes if not sooner It is a day of holy spiritual rest not of sensuall carnall rest It is a wretched profanation of that day for people to make that day their sleeping time above all other dayes it speaks a soul not well awakened with the Conscience of its duty on the sabbath-Sabbath-day Certainly we had rather need be up sooner from our beds that morning that we may neither come late to Worship nor make more haste than good speed going out without any preparation without any Family dutyes c. 3. For such businesses as are acts of mercy to man or beast or necessary for preservation of either I would have you do them without doubting Our Saviour hath licensed both these What is necessary for decency is as little to be doubted of but take heed of spending too much time in trimmings and dressings or being excessive in provisions of meat c. 4. Spend your time before you go to the Congregation which you can spare from necessary actions before mentioned in private Reading Meditation Prayer or in instructing the Families reading the Word to them praying singing Psalms with them c. 5. After you have heard the Word preached spend again your intermediate time in like manner privately or with your Family Discoursing also upon the Word which you have heard or upon other spiritual subjects as occasion offers it self 6. After your hearing in the latter part of the day do the same again Read hear pray catechize sing Psalms read good Books discourse upon spiritual subjects what you have read or heard 7. You need not doubt on this day if occasion be offered to visit the sick or the Prisoners to feed the hungry to cloath the naked with such sacrifice God is well-pleased yea he loves this mercy better than other sacrifice 8. You must have your times on that day to eat and drink by it your liveâ— are upheld and your strength and you refreshed and made fit for your duties But while you are eating and drinking remember our Lords discourses under the same circumstances Luk. 14.1 2 3. when he was at the Feast in the Pharisees house He discourseth of things lawfull on the Sabbath concerning humility charity to the poor concerning the Wedding Supper of the Gospel c. This it is to sanctifie a Sabbath unto the Lord to keep a day as the Lord hath chosen I beseech you be not so vain as to think that it is enough to rest from sin which is your duty every day and cannot be all the rest of the Sabbath Nor that it is enough to rest from labour and you may spend the day in sleep or idleness or sports and pastimes None of all these I am sure can be named an holy or spiritual rest Nor that it is enough to spend part of the dayâ— in religious duties God will not halve with you that day he requires a whole day at least a whole artificial day which the Sun measureth to us while we pretend to believe â— Sabbath morall let us live as if indeed we did believe it Whiles we contend for the Christian Sabbath in evidence of our 〈◊〉 of Christs being come in the flesh hâ—â—yling and resurrection against the Jewâ— who deny Christ so come and our Bâ—â—thren who though acknowledging Chrâ—â—â— come yet doubt whether as Lord of the Sâ—â—bath he made a change of the day Lâ— us not our selves run into a greater erroâ— of keeping no Sabbath at all FINIS
If therefore the Apostle did for a time allow the Jewes their Sabbath and go and preach amongst them on that day it was not so much as his circumcising Timothy which yet he did knowing the will of God for indulging his peoples weakness for a time Nor yet is it needfull that we should say the Jewish Sabbath was a Ceremony we say the Sabbath that is one day in seven was Originally morall but the keeping of the seventh from the Creation but a temporary Ordinance for the Jewes therefore Deut. 15. God saith And Remember that thou wert a servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord brought thee ouâ— thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day 2. We say Pauls going into the Synagogue or preaching on that day doth not prove that he or the Christians with him had any conscience or reverence for that day more than another they doubtless prayed and preached other dayes 'T is no where said they kept or observed the Sabbath day the Jews would come together no other day at least in no such numbers Prudence taught this great Fisherman to throw his Net where he saw most Fish and Paul had a great zeal and kindness for his Brethren the Jews as appears from Rom. 9.1 2 3. they might indeed have had hearers other dayes but probably no Jews unless proselyted at least no such numbers as on their Sabbath day Mr. Brabourn talks idly to tell us of Pauls calling Jews together at Rome being their Countreyman and a meer stranger as to his Doctrine but v. 29. they quickly went away And for the Jews Acts 19. that came to hear him they were apparently such as the Gospel had wrought upon but it is plain that the Jews who still kept their Judaical Principles and knew any thing of Paul after his conversion were not likely to meet together upon his invitation So that our brethrens argument for the seventh day Sabbath from St. Paul's and others of the Apostles and Primitive Disciples going into the Synagogues or to other places where they were wont to meet upon that day is no better argument than some bring for our Saviours approbation of the Jewish Feast of Dedication of no Divine Institution or at least so supposed because he was that day found walking in Solomons Porch waiting for an opportunity in that great concourse which that day caused to preach the Gospel or than it would be for a Christian Minister at Constantinople if he had leave on Friday their Sabbath to goe and preach the Gospel That therefore he observed the Saracens Festivall In very deed an argument of no force at all to any sober judicious and deliberate Christian Lastly It is worthy of all our observation that although we read that for so long time as the Apostles had any hopes of gaining the Jews and therefore kept a communion with their Church he did take advantage of their Sabbath to preach the Gospel it being as indifferent for him to do it on that day as on any other yet after that the Apostle had made a perfect separation from the Jewish Church of which we read Acts 19.9 when divers were hardned and believed not but spake evil of that way before the multitude he departed from them and separated the Disciples disputing daily in the School of one Tyrannus though this continued for the space of two years v. 10. yet we never read of any preaching by the Apostles on that day or any thing making the least shew of their observation of it The time of indulgence was now out The Christians were now settled in a distinct Church by themselves and now they keep only to Gospel Institutions there was no more hope of Pauls becoming all things to the Jews to gain some of them So that no instance can be given of any meeting of Christians meerly for performance of Religious dutyes upon the seventh day which our Brethren do contend for so that our Brethren in this point are without any one Scriptural President for a Christian meeting on their seventh day Examples of mixed meetings whiles the Jews were most numerous in places and had their Synagogues indeed they have But an example of a pure Christian meeting they have none but in the very next Chapter after the aforesaid separation Acts 19. we have Acts 20.7 of Christians met on the first day of the week on purpose for religious duties It is very true if we may believe other writings not of divine authority and certainly an humane faith may be allowed them we do find that after the Apostles age the Christians in some Churches did meet on the Jewish sabbath and perform some religious duties but putting a vast difference between that and the Lords day As Dr. Young hath noted 1. It was not a custom in all Churches particularly not in that of Rome or Alexandria saith Sozomen Athanasius and Turtullian both great lights in their times tell us they observed it not Epiphanius condemns the Nazarites and Ebionites for Hereticks for their observation of it But in all Churches the Lords day was observed those that in any degree kept the other day were the Eastern Churches among whom the Jews were most the vail before whose eyes a little for a time hindred the Christians seeing so well as they might and ought 2. Neither did they observe any seventh day but made Canons for omission of some but they never dispensed with the observation of the Lords day 3. Nor did they on that day perform all religious duties they indeed read the word prayed and preached sometimes but never administred the Lords supper on that day If we may believe Athanasius Austine Socrates and Chrysostome quoted all by the Learned Dr. Young in this case on his book called Dies Dominica Chap. 3. 4. They left people at liberty to meet or not to meet on that day as we do on lecture dayes But injoyning the observation of the Lords day without indulging any liberty for peoples absence from the religious services of that day 5. They allowed a liberty to labour on the seventh day yea anathematized those who did not labour but on the Lords day they allowed no labour This and much more is said by the incomparably learned Dr. Young whose skill in antiquities is sufficiently known I have but translated it from him for the sake of those who understand not Latine Our Brethren therefore what ever Mr. Brabourn saith cannot prove that the Apostles ever kept the sabbath so much as once though they can prove they went into the Synagogues that day and heard the word read and preached nor so much as that they once on that day received the Lords supper an ordinance peculiar to Christians 2. nor that they did thus in one unmixed assembly of Christians 3. Nor that they chose that day to preach in only upon desire from the Jews did it 4. Nor that
ever kept the sabbath with Jews and Gentiles together much less Gentiles alone though they sate with them on that day to hear the word read in their synagogues and sometimes preached themselves 5. Nor have they proved that what they did was not to indulge the weakness of the Jews and to gain some of them while the Lords time of indulgence lasted and Christians newly converted might understand their liberty 6. Nor yet that they might have got the Jews together on other dayes which are the things Mr. Brabourn who hath spoken in this case and to better purpose than any other glories in It is true it was Paul the Minister of the Gentiles not Peter that did go into the synagogues and preacht sometimes on the seventh day but it was the same Paul that Acts 16. because of the Jews in those quarters circumcised Timothy as great an enemy as Mr. B. would have us believe him to Ceremonies For Mr. Bs. rule in Divinity That actions of holy men in scripture not contradicted have the force of a precept I doubt the truth of it But will freely yield him That the Actions of the Apostles possible to be done by us and for which there cannot be a particular reason given why they should not alledge or for which there cannot be a reason given why the Apostles at that time did them which reason will not now hold have the force of a precept But we alledge a particular reason viz. to avoid the offence of the Jews and to gain some of them we have no cause now of fear for the one nor hope for the other In the mean time Mr. B. and we are agreed in his other rule That actions of the holy Apostles in Scripture not only not contradicted but also such as in the fourth commandment are commanded have the force of a precept But I have before shewed that the seventh day sabbath is no more commanded in the fourth commandment than sacrificing is in the second Commandment The general is commanded 1. A sabbath 2. A whole day 3. One whole day in seven 4. Such a one as God had appointed or should appoint but not that seventh day further than it was then the appointed day and for so long time as it should so continue But enough is said as to the inforcing of the first main text Act. 20.7 The second text is that 1 Cor. 16.1 2. As to the Collection of the Saints as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia so do you Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Many things are observable from this text as light as some of our brethren make of it 1. Here is a collection for the Saints directed to be against the first day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words so translated are the same with those Mar. 28.1 Luk. 24.1 Joh. 20.1 Act. 20.7 and do out of question signifie that day of the week on which our Lord rose therefore they do but miserably baffle who would translate it one day of the week For it cannot be so read in any of the Evangelists with out manifest injury to the sense That collecting for the Saints is a pious and charitable work fit for the sabbath though such a work as may be done on the day as praying and preaching may is not to be denied 2. It is not necessary we should translate it upon the first day of the week It signifies as well against the first day of the week so Mar. 15.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the feast he released to them one prisoner that plainly is the sense of the text for the Jews would not come into the Judgement Hall upon the first day 3. He doth not only limit the time but he makes an ordinance in the case and that not only for his Church but for the Churches of Galatia also Let any one soberly judge whether they can think that the great Apostle who was so zealous of the Churches liberty and who had so particularly declared his zeal to the Galatians Chap. 5. who also used to deliver unto the Churches what he had received from the Lord. 1 Cor. 11. and so carefully to distinguish betwixt things which he advised as a man without special revelation and what he ordained as given him in charge by his Master as appears in that Epistle to the Corinthians would have made a Law binding the Corinthians consciences to have their charity ready Against the first day of the week If the Lord had not given it him in charge 4. Why doth he limit it to the Lords day the first day of the week But that it was a known day amongst Christians when the Church was wont to meet and they having before against that day laid it by them in store might have a convenient opportunity to bring it with them to the Church meeting and deliver it to the Deacons as an acceptable gospel sacrifice unto the Lord. And when also by hearing the word of God preached and the other spiritual duties which that day should be performed they might have their hearts warmed into that due chearfulness and readiness which became those who gave unto the Lord. 5. Lastly I desire our brethren would seriously consider whether this text doth not imply a sanctification of that day by some former precept of Christ and his Apostles If there were a Law in England that there should be a collection for the Saints made in or against the fifth of November Would not this imply that that day was a known day either in respect of some law setting a mark upon it or some general observation of it But if this were a Church constitution it would yet argue further and that the Church on that day would meet and take an account of it The Apostle orders a collection for the faints to be made in or against the first day of the week This certainly argues a special remark upon that day and an usage for the Church to meet and and so excellently agrees with that Acts 20.7 For what Mr. Tilham or Mr. Brabourn saith to weaken this proof it is of little value Mr. B. saith that this order is but for a single action once to be done To grant him what he saith though the term may as well be expounded of every first day as of one especially that one being no way notified but only guessed by Mr. B. to be the next following the receit of that Epistle For though St. Paul would have no gatherings for the strangers when he came yet there might be collections for their own And we know that having collections every Lords day was in use in the primitive Church after their prayers whence the prayers were themselves called collects But I say to grant this still the question remains why This collection is ordained to be made Against or in the
than formerly This would be but an ill requitall of the God of their mercies Men in other little things have a zeal to keep up the credit and repute of their Countrey certainly it should not in this grow cold None certainly can think this is rather an argument on the other side as intimating that my plea is for an unnecessary strictness If the opinion of duty in such severe observation of Sabbaths should be a mistake yet unquestionably in the practice there can be no considerable mistake on this hand If a man upon any other day of the week in order to the putting his heart into and keeping his heart in the better frame for Religious Worship to be in that day performed should resolve to meddle with no labour to allow himself no diversions by Sports nor to ingage in any worldly or more idle discourse certainly every one would say he did well and can any be condemned either by another or by his own Conscience for doing this on the sabbath-Sabbath-day when by the confession of all they are obliged either by the fourth Commandment as we say or by the custom or command of the Church as others say to more and more solemn acts of Worship than upon the week-dayes Surely if we had not particular Precepts in the cause yet the consideration of the great and solemn services we are that day to perform to God which reason will tell us should be performed with the best attention of minde and intention of spirit and improved when done to the best advantage would oblige us to this rest from worldly actions worldly discourses vain and useless pleasures which must necessarily divert our minds from our spiritual employments and take up that time which might be better improved in the concocting the Word we have heard and due digesting of it by meditation and applying it to our hearts Now considering over and above this that this hath been the honour of the Professours of Religion in England it certainly ought to prevail with ingenuous children of so good Parents especially when it is impossible that they should find any errour in the practice if any will fancy that there is a mistake as to the opinion of a necessity of such strictness If any of them can say which I much doubt yea I firmly believe the contrary he that reads and prayes in his family and prayes with the Congregation and hears a Sermon or two in the Sabbath though he also in the vacation of these exercises doth some worldly business and discourseth of it or recreates himself with some sports not sinfull doth well yet they must say he who forbears these sports labours discourses on that day doth better if not with respect to the command strictly yet with reference to the dutyes he is to perform that he may the better perform them and make the better improvement and advantage of them and with reference to scandall and the destroying the Souls of others yea and in reference to his own Soul Reason obliging us in such cases of doubt to take the safest part 2. Secondly Consider I beseech you the influence that it hath upon an holy life and conversation Compare the lives of those that are strict in the observation of the Sabbath with the lives of those that are more remiss in it and where you see an abatement as to strictness in keeping Sabbaths whether you do not find also a proportionable abatement of holiness almost in all their other converse Observe and see if they be as conscientious according to Davids resolution Psal 101.2 to walk in their house in a perfect way To instruct their Families according to Abrahams copy Gen. 18.19 commanding them to keep the way of the Lord. Teaching the Law of God unto their children diligently and whetting it upon them as it is in the Hebrew and talking of it when they sit in their houses and when they walk in the way when they lye down and when they rise up according to Gods command Deut. 6.7 whether they be so diligent and constant in praying with their families so offering up their morning and evening sacrifices to the Lord. Indeed it is not reasonable to presume that those who will not spend the Sabbath thus should spend any considerable time of their working-dayes thus when they have a free liberty to work by the Laws of God and men considering especially that on the Sabbath-day they are restrained from labour not only by the Law of God but by the Laws of the Nation and general usage and custom of the place where they are But I fear upon observation we shall finde that those who are loose in the observation of the Sabbath are not very strict in any other piece of their conversation I remember the learned Junius in his Analytick Explication of Numbers upon the story before mentioned concerning him that gathered sticks starts a question whether then it was such a crime to gather sticks on the Sabbath day He answers it thus That the Precept of the Sabbath was the clausula the conclusion of all the Precepts that concerned the Worship of God in which God would have all exercises of piety imbibed whence it was that he who was in the least guilty of the profanation of that was guilty of a profanation of the whole Worship of God Again that Christian who is possessed with a dread of the Lord as to the Sabbath and walks in that dread all that day will find it influential upon him the whole week so that the strict observation of the Sabbath is both influential upon us as to holiness and is also an indication of holiness which should oblige Christians to the strict observation of it Buxtorf tells us of one of the Jewish Rabbies that wished His portion might be with those that began the Sabbath with those of Tiberias and ended it with those of Tseppore That is who sanctified the Sabbath in the longest proportion of time for Tsephore being a City placed on the top of a Mountain the Sun shined longer upon that than upon others and Tiberias being situated in a valley the Sun appeared to them not so soon as to others I think it may be a good wish for a Christian That his portion might be with them that begin the Sabbath soonest and end it latest and keep it most strictly Thirdly Methinks the typical notion of the Sabbath should something oblige us The Sabbath is not only a consequent and commemorative sign to us of Christs resurrection but it is also a predictional and antecedent sign of that glorious rest which remaineth for the people of God which way soever we look upon it it certainly calleth to us for a strict observation of it 1. Let us look upon it as a consequent sign as a memorial of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ We are said to be risen with Christ whence the Apostle argues our duty to seek those things which are above To set our
affections on things above Certainly as our interest in the resurrection of Christ and the influence it hath upon us should ingage us to seek the things above in the whole course of our lives and at all times to set our affections upon things above so not to do it upon that day which God hath sanctified for our special commemoration of it will speak souls both little sensible of the great mercy of redemption and little influenced from that resurrection not risen with Christ as we ought to be Again let us consider the Christian Sabbath as a sign antecedent and prefigurative The Apostle seemeth thus to argue Heb. 4.8 9. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God For he who is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his own work as God did from his Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest And a little before v. 4 5 6 7. of the same Chapter 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 And in this place again if they shall enter into my rest Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief Again he limiteth a certain day in David saying To day after so long a time as it is said To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts for if Jesus had given them rest he would not have spoken of another day There remains therefore c. The Apostles great business there as is evident is to exhort the believing Hebrews to a perseverance in the profession of the Gospel and to perswade those that yet believed not to imbrace it The argument which he useth is Lest they should fail of an entrance into Gods rest by which rest he undoubtedly means the souls rest in Heaven To this end he tells them 1. That there is such a rest v. 9. 2. That there is a Promise left of entring into this rest 3. That some and those to whom it waâ— first preached entred not in because of unbelief 4. That there is a day limited in which those must hear the Lords voice that will enter into this rest That there is such a Rest he proveth by two types The one that of Canaan the Jews after their laborious travailing in the Wilderness entring into Canaan v. 3. The second is that of the Sabbath for what sense else can those words have in this place He spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his work And v. 10. of Christ he saith he that is entred into his rest he also ceased from his own works as God did from his God the Fathers proper work was Creation the Sons proper work was Redemption When God had finished his work he rested and in commemoration of it he appointed his people to keep a day of Rest When Christ had finished his work of redemption he also rested and appointed us a day to rest in in commemoration of it both the one and the other are by the Apostle made prefigurative of that Rest which God hath prepared in Heaven for us which also it self is called vers 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a keeping of a Sabbath Now certainly the type should bear a proportion to what is signified by it Our rest on Earth should bear some proportion to our rest in Heaven Our rest in Heaven shall not only be a cessation from labour but from all sensual vain pleasure from all worldly discourse a continual pleasure in beholding and injoying God If we would keep a Sabbath perfectly certainly abating what is necessary for our selves or others for the sustentation of our bodyes and the preservation both of our selves and other creatures we should allow our selves no more labour than we shall have in Heaven no other pleasure than the Angels and Saints of God have there all whose pleasure is in the contemplation and injoyment of God Oh that we could thus sanctifie Sabbaths But this is my third argument to press my Brethren to a more strict observation of the Lords holy Day 4. A fourth argument by which I shall preâ— this strict sanctification of the Sabbath shall be the influence which it must necessarily havâ— upon us as to the duties of worship which we perform on that day There is hardly any person unless those given up to riot and wickedness but hath upon him some little awe and dread of the Sabbath Some duties they think should be done in it more than upon another day either out of Obedience to God in the fourth commandment or to the Church or to the state so commanding Indeed some will shuffle off with very little Some think hearing one is enough for their consciences In the afternoon they may labour or sport c. Others think it is no matter whether there be a Sermon or no but they think they should be longer at morning and evening prayer that day than upon other dayes Those who have any degree of sobriety in them judge that the greater part of the day should be spent in the publick or private exercise of Gods worship but we are not so strictly tied up as to abstinence from pleasure worldly labour vain or secular discourse I will for the present give them what I cannot grant them viz. that the precept is not so strictly to be expounded yet me thinks reason is enough in the case to enforce what we plead for It may be Christian thou art one of the latter sort a sober pâ—rson who doest think that the greatest part of that day should be spent in the solemn stated acts of worship but thinkest the intermediate time may be more loosly spent Do but consider what an influence thy strict or looser spending of the intermediate time must necessarily have upon thee 1. In reference to thy acts of worship 2. In reference to the effect and fruit of that worship First I say in reference to thy acts of worship If thou hast any thing of the seriousness of a Christian in thee thou wilt and must acknowledge that God must be served with thy spirit and with the utmost ferventy of thy spirit without distractions without any coldness and deadness of spirit with life love delight in thy approach to God c. Dost thou think that all thy time before thy acts of worship had not need be spent in reading in holy meditations in reading the word c. That when thou comest to serve the Lord in solemn acts of worship thy thoughts may not be scattered thy heart may not be dull and dead certainly a conscientious Christian finds all his time too little before he falls upon his duty to get his heart into such a frame and as he spends his previous or intermediate time less or more spiritually so he will find his heart less or more what
And it shall come to pass if you diligently hearken unto me saith the Lord to bring in no burthen through the gates of the City on the Sabbath day but hallow the Sabbath to do no work therein Then shall enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes sitting on the Throne of David riding on Chariots and Horses they and their Princes the men of Judah and inhabitants of Hierusalem and that City shall remain for ever Here 's a Promise of outward prosperity and a stability in it And they shall come from the Cities of Judah and from the places about Hierusalem and from the land of Benjamin and from the Plain and from the Mountains and from the South bringing burnt-offerings and Sacrifices and Meat-offerings and Incense and bringing Sacrifices of praise unto the Lord our God I will continue my Worship amongst you in your own land in its former purity and glory But what if this people will not sanctifie the Lords Sabbaths it follows v. 27. But if you will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day and not to bear a burden even entring in at the gates of Hierusalem on the Sabbath day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devour the Palaces of Hierusalem and it shall not be quenched I will without remedy destroy your City and deprive you of all the prosperity wherewith I have blessed you Isa 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thy own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father Here is not only a promise of temporall good riding upon the high places of the Earth inheriting the heritage of Jacob which in generall you know was the blessing but also of a spiritual mercy Thou shalt delight thy self in the Lord Now lest any one should think these Promises are debts paid fulfilled to the Jews and concern not us let us consider yet another Text Isa 56.2 3 4 5 â— Blessed is the man that doth this and the Son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and keepeth his hand from doing evil Neither let the Son of the stranger that hath joyned himself to the Lord speak saying The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people Neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a dry tree For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than that of Sons and Daughters I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off v. 5. Also the sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold on my Covenant v. 6. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar for my House shall be called an House of Prayer for all people v. 7. That this is a promise respecting the Gospel-times is plain enough from divers things 1. It is made as a relief for Eunuchs and strangers who in regard of the partition-wall set up by the Ceremonial Law lay under many discouragements from joyning themselves to the Lord. 2. It speaks of a time to come when this Wall should be pulled down I will bring them c. 3. It speaks of a time when Gods House was to be called an House of Prayer for all People which was not till Gospel-times The things promised are great and excellent God promiseth 1. A place in his House 2. A Name better than that of Sons and Daughters even an everlasting Name that shall never be cut off 3. To bring them to his holy mountain 4. To accept their Sacrifices 5. To make them joyfull in the house of Prayer Promises then which God could not promise more Now who shall be made partakers of them Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall abide in thy holy Hill These things are promised To the Eunuchs that keep the Lords Sabbaths To the strangers that keep the Sabbath from polluting it All but those of the Jewish Nation come under the notion of Strangers all we that are Gentile Churches are but Churches made up of Strangers who have joyned our selves to the Lord and taken hold of his Covenant If we would be blessed with these things if we will have a place in Gods house an everlasting name that shall never be cut off if we would be brought to Gods holy Mountain if we would have God accept our services if we would be made joyfull in the house of Prayer we must keep the Sabbath from polluting it 7. Will example move us to say nothing of the example of the servants of God in the Old Testament The example of Nehemiah as a Magistrate is there a famous instance recorded Nehem. 20.32 ch 13 15 16 17 19. but let us look into the New Testament and there first take our Lords example who was a zealous observer of the Sabbath the seventh day Sabbath for the other did not begin till his resurrection Mar. 1.21 He on the Sabbath day went into the Synagogue and taught Mar. 6.2 When the Sabbath day was come be began to teach in the Synagogues Once for all Luk. 4.16 As his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read It remains that we should be satisfied how he spent that time of the Sabbath which he did not spend in acts of more solemn publick Worship Something we find as to what he did he healed the sick Joh. 5.10 11 12 13 14 c. Joh. 9.14 Luk. 6.7 13. 12 13 14. Mar. 3.2 3 c. we find him also on the Sabbath day at a feast Luk. 14.1 2 3 c. and passing through the corn-fields Matth. 12.1 Mar. 2.23 observe but his discourses upon his healing the sick when he was at the Feast Luk. 14.1 2 3. when he passed through the Corn-fields Matth. 12.1 Mar. 2.23 you will find them constantly spiritual and heavenly and suited to the Law of the Sabbath not speaking our own words Concerning others we have no such particular account but in the general Luk. 23.56 The women rested on the Sabbath day according to the commandment they prepared spices and oyntments the night before but they rested the Sabbath day according to Gods command Through the whole history of the Acts