this sin against God in Sabbath-abuse is abominable and inexcusable because we are charged only with one day weekly to be kept as holy unto the Lord. I remember Deut. 5. that Moses maketh mention of this as an Act of Gods great indulgence towards man and that having written the ten Commandments he added no more And should not we with obediential submission acknowledge the same concerning the Sabbath Upon the second consideration men may without uncharitablenesse be censured also as inexcusably regardlesse of their own soules good both in regard of grace and comfort here and hereafter who disrespect the Sabbath day which is the Market-day of the soul as worthy Mr. Rich. Rogers was wont to call it And that smart sentence which was misapplyed unto Christ for he strictly kept the Sabbath of the Lord his God may be applyed to that person who is a wilfull ordinary profaner of that holy time Joh 9.16 This man is nor of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day According to a mans regard or disregard of the Sabbath is his respect or disrespect unto all the rest of Gods Commandements Here I might take occasion to bewail bitterly Englands wofull declinings both in matters of doctrine and practice concerning the Sabbath In former times no Reformed Church was so famous either for soundnesse in judgment or exactnesse in conversation in relation to the Lords Day But our Apostasie began to be Notorious when the Book for the allowing of sports on that day was promoted to gratifie the profane and Popish party then predominant in England And hereupon many both Bishops and others for alas how apt are men even Ministers among others to swim down the tide with them who bear rule appeared in the Pulpit and in the Presse to decry the moralitie and exact observation of the fourth Commandment Many worthy servants of Christ looked upon Germanies Warres as a fruit of this high provocation there and they have judged our late-yeares troubles an effect of the like profanation At this day notwithstanding our Covenanted Reformation how wofully is Gods Sabbath neglected every where and may we not say that the loosenesse of them who are Atheistically wicked is not so dangerous to poor England as the carnal liberty of such who pretend unto the highest pitch of sanctitie How many even amongst them under pretence of Gospel immunities and of observing every day as a spiritual Sabbath do both take and plead for that libertie on the Lords Day which old Puritans amongst whom the power of godlinesse shined gloriously did decry and abominate Many years since I heard this speech uttered with much affection from famous Mr. John Rogers Take away the Sabbath and Religion will soon wither And is not this too much verified amongst our selves in England at this day We have had and we have Acts Ordinances Orders for the better keeping of the Lords Day but who knoweth not that the life of the Law lyeth in the execution Proclamations and Papers will not pluck down profanenesse except they be strengthened by the vigorous actings of persons in power The Lord threateningly complaineth of the Priests in former times because they hid their eyes from the Sabbath Ezek. 22.26 The meaning of the complaint is judged to be either more generally their regardlesnesse thereof 〈◊〉 more particularly their not taking notice when and how and by whom profaned that they might by roproof seek redresse This I mention that we Ministers may mind our Duties in this regard more The Reverend Authour of this Usefull Treatise hath expressed vigorous affections with forcible arguments to awaken quicken and encourage people unto the better keeping of the Christian Sabbath And what considerations can be more commanding and conquering unto an ingenuous experienced Christian then those two hinted and handled from the Text which this godly man undertaketh and pursueth to good purpose in this present Treatise viz. 1. Christ whose Day the Sabbath is in a way of sanctified peculiarity 2. Spirituall joy with which the Lord is wont to crown the sanctifiers of this his holy Day The former usefull Works of this my worthy good friend have found so good acceptance amongst Gods people that I hope this piece for its own sake rather then for my poor Testimony will also be welcomed and improved I commend this savoury Treatise to thy serious perusal and thy self therein to the blessing of God Almighty I am Thy friend and servant in and for Jesus Christ Simeon Ashe August 7. 1654. THE Contents of the first Part. 1. HOw God from the Beginning before the Law ordained a set Day for Religious Duties pag. 6 2. How God after under the Law did more unfold and confirm the same pag. 7 3. Why Christ under the Gospel should have a set Day for his Service p. 10 4. Wherein the work of Redemption surpass'd the work of Creation p. 11 5. Wherefore the first Day of the week is called The Lords Day p. 15 6. What warrant for the change of the Sabbath from tke last to the first Day p. 34 7. Their Objections answered who oppose the Doctrine of the Lords Day p. 36 c. 8. Of the Lords-Day-Duties what they are and where to be perform'd p. 58 125 9. Their Objections answered who neglect the Duties of the Lords Day p. 65 c. 10. The Multitudes of sinners against the Lords Day discovered p. 20 c. 11. The Magnitude of their sin opened in several respects p. 83 c. 12. The sad Judgments to which Sabbath-breakers are subject p. 96 c. 13. Gods Delay of executing Judgment upon many that mis-spend his Day why p. 110 c. 14. What all are to do to help on due Sabbath-observance p. 120 c. 15. What especially some are to do that the Sabbath-Day may be duly observed p. 132 c. 16. The Necessary Use of the Sabbath To whom and for why p. 138 c. 17. The probable losse of the Lords Day when and wherefore p. 148 c. 18. How the Lords Day being removed may be long before its return p. 160 c. 19. How the Lords Day may remain amongst some as a sore curse p. 166. c. 20. How equal it is to observe one Day in seven holy to God p. 169 c. 21. The excellency of the Lords Day being well observed p. 179 c. 22. The commodity of well keeping this our Christian Sabbath p. 196 c. 23. The comforts of the Christian Sabbath well kept p. 214 24. Their Objections answered who cannot find the comfort and profit p. 225 c. 25. How the Lords Day in the worst times may be certainly and sweetly continued p. 244. THE CONTENTS of the second Part. 1. TO be in the Spirit on the Lords Day as S. John was what it is p. 259 2. Why some of Gods Servants are on the Lords Day in the Spirit p. 281 3. How any others of the servants of God may be in the
Popish the Apostle plainly prohibits this Rom. 14.6 Gal. 4.10 Colos 2.16 Yet by these places the Apostle doth not forbid a distinct observance of the Christian Sabbath for then should he contradict himself as Zanchius well observes and others before him clear those Scriptures from any relation to the Lords day Let him blesse the Lord sayes Luther that knowes how to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel Likewise let him thank God who hath learned to distinguish between several Sabbaths under the Law and this Lords day under the Gospel they being abolished weare not bound to observe them or to make any difference between those dayes and others of equal concernment But for the Christian Sabbath it abides and a difference of that day from others we ought to observe This is that day set apart By the holiest Person and For the holiest purpose Psal 4.3 Know ye that the Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himself So know ye that the Lord hath set apart the day that is holy for himself Here not to distinguish is to abolish As God will have his Servants to be separated from other men So he will have his Sabbath to be differenced from other dayes As men must not divide what God hath joyned so men must not mingle what God hath separated or debase what God hath elevated 4. Object Every day ought to be a Sabbath Answ True the whole term of our life should be a continued Sabbath in two respects Viz. Cessation from the service of sin and Disposition to the service of God 1. To serve sin we should be ever averse and O how glad would God's Saints be to keep such a perpetual Sabbath as alwayes to rest from sin and O how sad have some of Gods Saints been because such a Sabbath comes so seldome How does the Apostle complain Rom. 7. That though with his mind he served the Law of God yet with his flesh he served the Law of sin Thus Austin condoles his own condition Alas sin follows I fly and yet I fall I fight and yet I am captive I run from it and yet I am drawn to it I would rest but I cannot be quiet one day one hour c. To have such an uninterrupted rest as to be every day at a distance from sin is a very desirable Sabbath 2. To serve God we should be ever prepared Though we are not alwayes in Sabbath-day-time yet our hearts should be alwayes in a Sabbath-day-frame in such a blessed bent as is fit for all holy businesse Some expound that precept of the Apostle Paul Pray continually Have a continual frame of heart sit for holy prayer And that of St. James Be swift to heare Have alway an open ear ready to hearken to the holy Word of God We find Ezek. 1. Angels described under the form of Beasts Having four faces and four wings vers 6. Faces Ready to mind Wings Ready to move into any part of the World about any portion of work God pleases to appoint them Thus Gods people should be in a prepared posture at all seasons for Sabbath-service Yet if we respect the performance of the solemn works of Gods worship or the forbearance of the lawful works of mens callings we are not required to keep an every day Sabbath Exod. 20.9 Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work vers 10. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of tht Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work God could in the Creation as Austin observes have made an immediate dispatch of all with a word but he took six dayes about the works of the World that he might allot men six dayes time for worldly works Yea before the Law this was laid upon man In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy Bread * Cumlegatur Adam in Paradiso positus ut operaretur quis sanum sapiens filios ejus in hoc mundo positos ad sudendum arbitraretur Bern. Serm. And after the Law under the Gospel We command saith the Apostle men to work with quietnesse and to eat their own bread So that if men should not be in their worldy businesse upon the week-dayes they would sin in a defect falling short of what is commanded And if they should be every day in the set service of a Sabbath they would sin in an excesse going beyond what is required which would be but will-worship unwarranted by the Word and unpleasing to God But with men this is but a meer pretence to evade and avoyd all Sabbath-observance As Polytheisme is the way to Atheisme an omni-Religion to no-Religion so a pretended every-day-Sabbath and then really no Sabbath at all Next we come to consider such as sin against the Lords day in point of practice Such are of two sorts Some doing upon this day what they should not and Some upon this day not doing what they should The works that men should not do on the Sabbath day are double Servile and Sinnefull or Worldly and Wicked works And accordingly those that do upon the Lords day what they be bound to forbear are of two sorts Those that then be about Est triplex servitus unde opus dicitur servile c. Thom. Aqui. 22. qu. 122. art 4. either The evil works of sin or The servile works of the world In evil actings there are those that sin out the Sabbath day passing away this precious time Some in sinful pleasures and Some in the pleasures of sin Pleasures that are in themselves lawful yet are sinfull upon the Lords Day 'T were better Sayes Austin for a man to dig and plow August in tit Psal 91. then to dance and play upon the Sabbath day that to the Common-wealth may be a benefit but of this there is no advantage yet this is one of Satans stratagems to make men mindlesse of Sabbath duties he pleases them with sinful delights Justin lib. 1. As Cyrus dealt with the Lydians when he had conquered them in battel he allowed them liberty for all sports and pastimes and so more fully subdued them that they became his servants for ever Thus Satan in policy puts men upon sinful pleasures even upon Sabbath daies that for ever he may make them his assured and setled Servants How contrary is this to what God in the Prophet expresses Isay 8.13 Thou shalt not find thine own pleasure upon my holy day But there are some who do exceed these passing Sabbath-daies in the down right pleasures of sin in lasciviousness wantonness surfeiting drunkennesse and such like sinfull actions that 't is rather the Divells day then the Lords Day Plutarch thought that the Sabbath of the Jews was from Sabbos a name of Bacchus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jovialiter vivere that signifies to live riotously jocundly merrily and the like And indeed the Sabbath of Christians as some keep it may seeme to have such a derivation for they make it the day of
their mad merriments when they are most Jovial vain and voluptuous And were it not for Gods wonderful Patience while they are thus polluting the holy seasons of God it should be to them as to Belshazzar when he was abusing the holy vessels of God In the same hour came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote upon the plaister of the wall MENE MENE TEKEL c. Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another Danniel 5.3 4 5 6. To be sinful upon the Sabbath-day Hieron in Isaiam cap. 5. August Tract 4. in Joan. 'T is an aggravation of sin And 'T is an assimilation of Satan Thus a man greatens his sin by sinning upon the Sabbath a man not only offends against the fourth Commandement but other Commandements by such sins are also violated which makes the offence more deep and double As to be good in evill dayes is that which heightens a mans praise and declares the eminency of his grace so to be evill on good dayes sinfull upon the sacred Sabbaths of the Lord is that which makes a mans case more culpable and his sin the more abominable Thus a man likens himself to Satan who is ever bad but worst upon the best dayes The wickedest act that ever the Divell did was when he met man in the holy place of Paradise and O what sinfull designs hath Satan upon the sons of men when he meets them upon the holy time of Sabbaths Of all sins such Satan is most prone to promote that will most provoke God and such are the sins of the Sabbath 1. Cor. 6.15 Shall I sayes the Apostle take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid so should a man say Shall I take the dayes of Christ and make them the dayes of sin and vanity of gluttony and drunkennesse God forbid Unto God sin is ever offensive but to sin upon the Sabbath does most incense God Ezra 9.13 Seeing O Lord thou hast given us such a deliverance as this should we break thy commandements and joyn affinity with the people of these abominations wouldest not thou be angry till thou hadst consumed us and so as there should be no escape Thus ought men to argue O Lord seeing thou hast given us such A DAY as this should we transgresse thy commands and practise abominations thereupon would'st not thou be very angry c. Chrysost de Lazar. con c. 1. Chrysostome well observes that the Sabbath is the Day God appoints to purge and cleanse men from sin and therefore on that day for men to mix themselves in sin is exceeding sinful Secondly in earthly actings there are those that spend out the Sabbath-Day ravelling and running out this rich and precious time of the Lords Day Some upon their worldly businesse Others about their businesse in the world In Sabbath-time are some set upon their ordinary affaires As Sea-water it will not abide in its own banks but beats and eates upon the Land and drownes the dry ground so many mens worldly callings will not keep within their weeks compasse but eate upon the Lords Day and drown up Sabbath-time God in the creation went on through all the works of the World till he had made man and then he took his Seventh Dayes rest and sanctified it how sad is it to see man stay in worldly works and never care to come at God in a Sanctified-Seventh-Days-rest True there are some who though they will not be in the open Sabbath upon their ordinary week-day-work yet they will be about such things as have tendency thereunto We find in the 14. of Luke of some that when they were sent to at Super-time they made their excuse One said I have bought a piece of ground and I must needs go and see and another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them The one sort did not at that very time purchase their Farme but went then to see it nor the other did not then buy their Oxen but went then to prove them Thus some in Sabbath-time though they are not upon the common work of their Trades yet then they go to see and are busie about the disposing of their week-day-works As God in the Creation wrought out the works of the World in six several dayes but the very first day he fitted and ordered the matter for the whole frame Thus men upon the first day of the week OUR LORDS DAY are busie about the ordering of matters for their earthly affairs in the following dayes All this proceeds from Satan that evil one and from covetousnesse the root of all evil 1. The Divel upon the Lords day when he cannot draw to that which is wicked he will to what is worldly Thereby To augment the sin of man and To prevent the service of God 1. Hereby Satan encreases the sin of man he well knowes those works which are upon the week dayes lawful are upon the Sabbath sinful and so sets men thereupon 2. Hereby Satan opposes and suppresses the Service of God God upon this account requires as Austin excellently notes men upon the Sabbath to forbear their worldly businesse August de civit Dei lib. 6. cap. 11. Idem de tempore Serm. 25â— that they may then be the more free and full prompt and ready for religious service and fot this cause thâ— Divel puts people then upon their earthly businesse that he may beat them off from Gods blessed service upon his holy Sabbath day The Divel does not like diligence in a lawfull calling but upon sinful designs he unseasonably sets men thereupon I could report of a poor woman oft under strong temptations whom I have heard sometimes sadly say she was not able all the week to go about the necessary works of her calling but when the Lords day was she knew not how to keep from her worldly work being violently provoked thereunto True the more common case is for Satan upon the Sabbath to hold men on in their earthly affairs who are eagerly bent thereabout all the week besides As the subtile Serpent said to Eve Gen. 3. Yea hath God said ye must not eat of every tree so Satan subtilly sayes to men Hath God said Ye shall not work upon every day ye may work 't will be for your benefit Yea should Satan be silent to survile work on the Sabbath 2. A principle of covetousnesse puts men hereupon What made Eve to eat of the tree thâ—â— was forbidden of God And what caused Achan to take the wedge of gold that was otherwise disposed and set apart of God but covetousnesse And whence is it that men upon the Sabbath day which God hath separated for himself are so carried about their own common business but from covetousnesse Covetousness Colos 1.5 is called Idolatry This Idol the world it takes up that time of service
the week see Joh. 20.19 23. Therein directing them as on this day to exercise that power and that power it does appear was upon this present day principally put in execution afterward thus Origen Cyprian and others relate Orig. can Cels lib. 3. Cypr. ad Pomp. Epi. 62. Greg Nys orat And O how pure and clean would our waters boyl could we on this day so cast off our scum Help Lord c. Necessities The duty of charitable relief is proper for the Lords day 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Tertullian tells in his Apologie for Christians how carefull the Christian Churches were to works of mercy on the Lords day whereby their Brethren in bonds were bountifully supplied and the bellies of the afflicted refreshed Irenaeus contra Valenti lib. 4 cap. 19â— Another of the Ancients does excellently note from the example of our Saviour Luk 13.15 that the right sanctifying the Sabbath day does consist in acts of pitty works of mercy and how charitable deeds become this comfortable day Luk. 14.1 2 3 4 5. is full These Sabbath-duties some way concern the whole body of a people more promiscuously 2. There be some duties on the Sabbath that do concern some persons principally as Magistrates and Ministers Parents and Masters All ought to concur in their care for the keeping of this day Indeed the Lords day is the Fort-royal of Religion let all stand to it in their places we be not beaten out of that especially now when so many lay siege thereunto Some set their wits awork and oppose the doctrinal part of it Others set their wills awork and impugne the practical part of it and as they will not rest on the Lords day so they will not let the Lords day to be at rest but mount their Cannons and make what batteries they can c. O let all and especially such as may do more then others now bestirre themselves to raise the Sabbath siege and to maintain our Sabbath Fort if we dye let us dye in a couragious keeping of this indeed if this be taken all is lost hold this and yet there is hope Let us that are in publike places play the men As the two milch-kine 1 Sam. 6. being coupled together they bore up and carried on the Arke of God Thus let Magistrate and Minister be united to hold up the holy day of God and the holy worship of God upon his day Let Sabbath-breakers for multitude be like a numerous Army if Magistrate and Minister would but joyn we should route them all O how commendable were it if these two in this regard would agree like Joab and Abishai his brother 2 Sam. 10.11 12. If the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will come and help thee onely be of a good courage let us quit our selves like men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good So let us do what we are able to the utmost for the Sabbaths and the service of our God and then the Lord do with us what seems him good O that those who bear the sword were fired with some of that Sabbabth-zeal that once Nehemiah had Chap. 13.17 18 19. 'T was a high praise that Ambrose gave of Theodosius that he was more solicitous to preserve the things of God as a Magistrate then to preserve himself as a man And it was a good caution that Austin gives upon Psal 2. Magistrates are to be admonished Vid. Pet. Martyr in judg cap 1. saith he as not to grant men immunity to any false worship so not to allow men liberty to leave the true worship of God The Magistrate upon the Lords day is not onely to see men forbear the outward works of their callings but to see that they be about the visible works of Gods worship August Bonif. comiti Epi 50. praecip Tom. 7. Cont. epist Parmeniani lib. 1. cap. 7. Tom. 7. lib. 2. contra Epist Gaudentii cap. 16.17 Austin more then once commends Imperial Lawes against the Donatists for separating from the publike worship of God and gathering into private houses upon the Lords day there to promote their Anti-magisterial opinions Which Lawes were to punish the ordinary people with fines of Money their leaders with banishment the places of their meeting to be forfeited to the Emperour and that none of them should have power to bestow their goods by will or to enjoy any Legacy to them by will bequeathed And he gives Instances of the execution of these Laws and the good successe thereof encouraging the Magistrate therein And when people are brought to the publike Pool Joh. 5.2 3. the Minister is as the Angel that upon this Sabbath-season must move and work in the waters to wit be active in all the Ordinances of God that such as by divine assistance step close in may meet God for the cure of their souls And as the Minister is more immediately to manage the worship of God upon this holy day yea his place is to presse that men do not on this day of the Sabbath satisfie themselves in a bare bodily way to worship God but to see they on the Sabbath serve God in Spirit and truth Thus these two as the two Cherubims that looked one towards another and both upon the Mercy-seat they should with respect look one upon another and both upon the service of the Sabbath that so the Lord may have his day and his due Lastly Let governours of families Parents and Masters contribute their best assistance to see the Sabbath well observed for which end towards their children and servants there is required upon the Lords day a double duty A taking of them to the publike means And a taking with them private pains 1. You are to bring them with you unto the publike Ordinances In the time of the Old Testament people that went to worship God they carried their flocks and their herds with them Hose 5.6 that in sacrifice they might offer them up to God In these times of the New Testament men are to carry their children and servants with them to the worship of God upon his holy day offering them up with themselves as a sacrifice to God When 't was required that the whole body of the Israelitish people should go out from their dwellings in Egypt to serve the Lord together in the Wildernesse Pharaoh called Moses and said Go ye serve the Lord but let your flocks and your herds be stayed but what sayes Moses We will go with our flocks and our herds with our sons and our daughters with our young and with our old will we go there shall not a hoofe be left behind for we must hold a feast unto the Lord and serve the Lord our God Exod. 10.9 24 26. Such Religious resolutions become Christians in the present case 2. Such of you as are heads
hand of Christ As by force none can pluck him from the strength of Christs hand So by fraud none can take him out of the lov of Christs heart In Christ Not onely as a man But as a member Not the least bone of Christs mysticall body can be broke off nor the smallest stone be struck out of this building The weakest branch ever abides in this vine 3. In the Spirit there the believing soul lives Gala. 5.25 If ye live in the spirit walk in the spirit That life by which the soules of Saints live Both for its entrance And its progresse It is in the Spirit the Spirit being the Principle From which their life was first received And by which their life is after preserved As man is kept alive by his soules being in the body So a Saint is kept alive by his souls being in the Spirit It is through the Spirit that converted Christians are set into God and put into Christ Therefore sure the holy Spirit does not leave their soules out of himself but they are likewise in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit In the Spirit thus are not onely some but all the Saints of God And in the Spirit thus are Gods servants not onely upon the Sabbath-day but at all other times they are never out of the Spirit nor ever shall Yea in the Spirit thus is the whole man of every good man The man whole if Not the whole man The man whole is so in the Spirit as that he is a spiritual man Gal. 6.1 Take him with his bodily part and about his weekly work yet he is a spiritual man and a man that is in the Spirit Now to be in the Spirit on the Lords day though 't is to be in the Spirit thus yet it is more then thus to be on the Lords day in the Spirit So in the Spirit signifies the spiritual transactions of mans sanctified soul as it is moved and acted by the Spirit of God and as mans renewed spirit through the Spirit of God moves and acts upon the Lords day exercised in the Spirit That is In the graces of the Spirit and In the comforts of the Spirit 1. In the Spirit That is in the graces of the Spirit exercised all the Lords day then acting in graces Various and Vigorous On the Sabbath the soul is set a work in several graces and such as seem to be of a differing nature as faith and fear heavenlinesse of mind and humblenesse of heart repeatings for sin yet relyings on God Tremblings of soul yet restings on Christ Dreading God in the justnesse of his Judgements yet loving God whose judgements are just A real longing for promised mercies and yet a quiet staying for those mercies long By hope expecting good things to come and yet by faith possessing the same things at present Utterly unsatisfied in Gods hiding his face yet patiently waiting for God while his face is hid And though this be the continued posture of gracious souls yet into this they are put and on in this they are kept through Sabbath-day-quicknings In the Spirit On this day grace is enlivened in them and they lively in grace In gracious actings their hearts were before as the Chariots of Pharaoh that drove heavily now in the activities of grace their hearts are as the Chariots of Amminadib that ran swiftly Before the members of the new-man were as the lame Cripple that lay at the gate but then they became as the cured Cripple Whose ancle-bones receiving strength he stood up and went on leaping and praysing God Act. 3.8 Yea upon the Lords day the soul of a sincere Saint may be in the lively actings of grace Both reflect And direct 1. Reflect actings That soul which in the week-season walks out in with the body about the businesse thereof upon the Sabbath-day it turns in upon it self most seriously considering its own concernments Gregor moral lib. 31. cap. 17. An ancient Writer spiritually expounding that place Prov. 24.27 Prepare thy work without in the field and afterward go in and build thine house Understands by the field man's body and by the house the heart and soul of man In the week a mans work more lyes in the field viz. about the businesse of his bodily being but upon the Lords day his work more lyes in the house viz. the work of the soul is more gathered then within it self And as Christs Spouse-sayes Cant. 1.7 They have made me to keep other Vineyards but mine own Vineyard have I not kept So upon the Sabbath sayes a good mans soul within him all the week I have been made to minde a multitude of worldly affairs but mine own concernments have been set aside Now return into thy self O my soul O my soul now bethink thy self And is not this to be in the Spirit upon the Lords day the soul of a Saint being then seriously set Upon deep intuitions and Diligent Inquisitions Narrowly looking in it self and Throughly searching of it self One of the Ancients compares holy men on the earth Gregor moral li. 19. Sect. 30. unto those holy Angels of heaven Revel 4.8 that are said to be full of eyes within and without In the week Gods Saints make use of their eyes without looking after their necessary callings and occasions in the world but upon the Sabbath they more solemnly set a work their eyes within looking inward upon the true estate of their souls Upon the Sabbath are a Saints most serious soul-searches and heart-discourses I communed with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search sayes David Psal 77.6 Upon the Lords day with great diligence is the soul of a Saint set To find out things that are and To find up things that were Within he finds so much of sin and so little of God as makes his heart lie low and brings him to be in spirit poor Matth 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit August lib. 1. de Serm. Do. in monte Ambros lib. 5. in Luc. cap de beatit Basil in regulis contract quaest 205. Not poore of spirit as if any without the Spirit of God were blessed but poor in spirit that is good men poore in the spirit of their own mindes out of a sight of soul-sins and sense of soul-wants or poor in spirit That is sayes one poore for the spirit Of the spirit they may discern little but desire much That good they seek after which they never possesse And that good they seek for which seemes to be lost The woman in the Parable Luk. 15. having lost a piece of silver She lights a candle and sweeps the house and seeks diligently till she finds it O this is good seeking in the spirit upon the least losse of God to go into the house of the Heart and there using The candle of knowledge and The Besome of Repentance Diligently seeking till somewhat more of God may appear When hearts
and hopes have been down and dead yet then to look back and call to mind mercies of old tracing the former foot-steps of God in their soules looking up and reading over the Lords love letters long since sent and then comes quickening life into their hopes and hearts Psal 77.5 6 7 8. Lam. 3.18 19 20 21 22. And though these gracious actings may be at other times yet I appeal to the most experienced Christians whether they have not found themselves best bent about such Soule-work upon the sabbath-Sabbath-day 2. Direct actings Upon the day of the Sabbath the soules of Gods Saints may be set a work Onwards towards the People of God and Upwards towards the God of his People In grace admirably acting towards their Brethren Both in sufferings scattered And in service assembled 1. Where ever a good mans body be found or fixed yet in spirit he goes visiting his fellow-servants in prisons and the forreign Churches of Christ in all their afflictions Beza reports of Calvin That he was so tenderly affected to Christian Churches remote as if he had carried them on his shoulders or born them in his bosome often sighing out Vsque quo Domine How long Lord more lamenting the Churches calamities then his own adversities Thus the holy Apostle 2 Cor 11.28 29. Besides those things that are without viz. severall sad afflictions upon his own body that which cometh upon me daily more then all the rest the care of all the Churches Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not c. Yea and in such Christian compassions to others in affliction Gods dear Saints are most deep upon that day wherein they see their own sweet liberties priviledges and Gods precious things peaceably possessed 2. Where ever a good mans body abides yet in soul he will be sure at some place in which Gods People publikely meet for Sabbath-service David when in body he was banished and lay hid in the Land of Hermon yet he was in spirit at Jerusalem and went with good people to the Temple for the service of the Sabbath My soul sayes he thirsteth for God for the living God Oh when shall I come appear before God viz. In body also When I remember these things I pour out my soule within me for I had gone with the multitutde I went with them to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept Holy Day Psal 42.1 2 3 4. The Jewes that were bodily at Babylon yet in soule they kept their Sabbaths at Jerusalem Psalme 137.5 6. Jonah though his body was in the bottom of the sea and belly of the Whale yet in spirit he was in the Temple at Jerusalem Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple Jonah 2.4 Though the body of Saint John was a prisoner at Patmos an Island as some write near Affrica yet was he in spirit with the Churches of Christ at Asia and with them he kept the Lords Day When Saint Paul was in body at Philippi yet in spirit he was with Gods Saints in their assemblies at Corinth I verily as absent in body yet present in spirit have judged concerning him that hath done this deed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ when viz. on the Lords Day ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan c. So when he was in body at Rome yet in spirit he was with Gods assembled Saints at Colosse Though sayes he I am absent from you in the flesh yet I am with you in the spirit rejoycing to behold your order viz. in their Church-assemblies c. Colossians 2.5 But above all are the soules Sabbath-actings in Grace God-ward Though the body is then carried out by the soul Yet the soule to God is then carried beyond the body A mans soule is then so set as that it incites the body and the body is so brought on that it sayes to the soule as Ruth to Naomi Whither thou goest I 'le goe where thou stayest I will stay thy God shall be my God and thy people my people nothing but death shall part thee and me As Joseph and Mary went together to seek Christ So on the Sabbath soul and body in publike and private go together to serve God Even upon week-dayes when the body as Martha is about worldly and household-businesse the soule as Mary sits at the feet of Christ But upon the Sabbath when they be both serving of God yet the soul does the most and the best work Body and soul are upon the Sabbath as those two Disciples that went out to Christs Sepulchre but the soule is as that Disciple which out-ran his fellow John 20.4 It comes quickest in and closest up to Christ Yea. suppose the heart and mind of a good man may all the week-time be as a boat that beares upon the ground yet upon the Sabbath the soule may be set as a boat upon a strong stream and goes as a Ship full saile for God In meditations of him And applications to him O the admirable meditations this day on God! The mind that in the week hath been as the foot of Jacobs ladder standing upon the earth upon the Sabbath the soule hath been as the top of that ladder reaching up to heaven in high thoughts of God One observes of the Virgin Mary Hieron Epist 17. when the holy Ghost had over-shadowed her and that holy thing was conceived in her womb she arose went up into the hill-countrey Luke 1.39 When the holy Spirit comes upon the soule of a Saint and holy thoughts are conceived in the heart O how the mind mounts up hill to God in heaven Such a soule-frame is most frequent in Sabbath-time And O the close applications this day made to God In prayer and In praises A good Expositor gives this glosse upon what the Apostle does here expresse Vid. Aret. in Locum I was in the Spirit That is he was in prayer upon the Lords Day It is one thing to be at prayer And another to be in prayer There is never a day comes over a good mans head but he is at prayer Bernard in Fâ—st Pen-Pentec Serm. 1. but to be in prayer on the Lords Day that is more Not only praying by the Spirit but in the Spirit of prayer Prayer does not onely ascend to God from the soule but the soule it self ascends to God in prayer In prayer wrestling with God and With God reasoning in prayer So that such beames break out Greg. Orat. de laudib Basilii as make the mans heart burn and his face shine It is reported of Basil that the Emperour Valence coming in upon him while he was in prayer he saw such lustre in his face as struck him with terrour that he fell back Luk. 9.29 And Jesus went up into
that he had sometimes found things so with himself Hieron in lib. de virgin Seru. that it seemed to him as if he had been triumphing among Troops of Angels and singing Hallelujahs with the Saints in heaven Yea walking arme in arme with Christ in the Galleries of eternal glory The Apostle is to this purpose 2 Cor. 12.2 3. I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell God knowes such a one caught up into the third heaven And I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knowes how he was caught up into Paradise heard unspeakable words c. This of the Apostle St. Paul does import the highest pitch of a persons being in the Spirit And of such a being in the Spirit the Apostle St. John does here speak his experience I was in the Spirit on the Lords day This for Explication Now for Confirmation Upon the Lords day good mens thus being in the Spirit See Why 't is sensible to some and How 't is possible to others 1. Some of Gods Saints are sensibly in the Spirit upon the Sabbath-day Indeed This day is fittest for the Spirits working yea And they are fittest this day for the working of the Spirit The Sabbath it is a fit day for the Spirit thus to work for 'T is a day blessed Gen. 2.3 and 'T is a day sacred Exod. 20.11 1. The Sabbath being a blessed day it is fit for the blessed Spirit to be about his work Day blessed Note The blesser of it and The blessing on it The blesser of this Sabbath-day is God God above all blessed for ever hath made this day blessed As that is cursed which God curses So that is blessed which is blessed of God The blessing of this Sabbath-day is great As God hath blessed his Servants above other men So he hath blessed his Sabbaths above other time As Isaac had a blessing for Esau but no such blessing as had passed upon his brother Jacob So God hath a blessing for every day but no such blessing as he hath passed upon his Sabbath The very blessing of blessings is the blessing on the Sabbath so that well now may the blessed Spirit be about his most blessed works this being the most blessed day 2. The Sabbath being a sacred day a day sanctified and made holy it is meet for the works of this holy Spirit The holy Ghost As he loves to live in holy persons So he loves to move in holy seasons And so working there is Holy Holy Holy Viz. Gods holy Spirit the work is by Gods holy servants the work is in Gods holy Sabbath the work is on God hath poured out the holy oyl upon the head of the Sabbath as the precious oyntment upon the head of Aaron some drops of which may indeed run down upon the other dayes Upon the head of this day God hath set the holy Crown whence the Ancients well call it The King of dayes The Spirit of God t is termed a Kingly or Princely Spirit Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit Or as the Septuagint reads it Thy Princely Spirit The works of Gods Princely Spirit are most proper for this Princely day this high and holy day it best suites to the work of the most high and holy Spirit of God Gods holy Spirit may its true take A sinful subject to work in And yet a holy Sabbath to work on But his best works in souls sanctified are most seasonable upon this sanctified day Yea and the holy Spirit being now about his best businesse Both honours the Lord of the Sabbath And honours the Sabbath of the Lord. The Lord is highly honoured in the holy Spirits workings for He brings in Christs presence through his Ordinance And he drawes up Christs Ordinance through his presence The presence of Christ is by the Spirit so brought in by the Spirit the Ordinance of Christ is so wrought up as lifts up the Lords honour high The Lord never hath so high honour in a Sabbath-Ordinance as when therein appears his Sabbath-presence The holy Spirit by Christs presence supplies the want of an Ordinance improves the worth of an Ordinance by the presence of Christ And by all this is Christs honour held up in being the Lord of the Sabbath Yea the Sabbath it self is much honoured thereby Gods people whose hearts have been made to sparkle and spring through the Spirit of God upon the sabbath-Sabbath-day they esteem the day of the Sabbath Not onely as their resting day But rather as their rising day A day Not so much for the earthly easing of their bodies As for the heavenly actings of their souls This day in their hearts they so highly honour that for it they long and in it they labour and all with delight O how honourable in the heart of this Holy Apostle was the Christian Sabbath having there on been ravished in the Spirit He writing to the Churches of Christ first gives it this high Title THE LORDS DAY For the honour both of the Lord and the day Upon such accounts the Holy Ghost may well to chuse take up this as a day most fit for his great and wonderfull works 2 The Sabbath it is the day wherein Gods Saints are most fit for these wonderfull workings in the Spirit This day they being From the world most severed And with themselves best gathered 1. Upon the Sabbath Gods Saints are most remote from the world Greg. Moral lib 1. and so meetest for the Lord and fittest for intimate converse with God One observes that our Saviour being entred into a ship Mark 4. He commanded his Disciples to put a little from the shoare but not to lanch out into the deep Thus true Christians in the week-time may put the ship of their soules a little off from the land removing so far from their worldly affaires as by and by to step back into the businesse of their lawful callings but on the Sabbath they put the ship further off from the shoare and lanch out into the deep withdrawing themselves quite from their earthly occasions and applying themselves wholly to the solemne service of God Another speaking to the Church of Christ does something thus expresseâ— himself O chaste and holy spouse Bernard Christ thy heavenly Husband that will not all the week crowd in to thee through a throng of worldly cares yet upon the Sabbath will give thy soule most sweet visits While Zaccheus was among the presse of people he could not behold Christ but climbing up into a sycomore-tree then he saw him a good man in the presse of his week-day-imployments can get no view of Christ yet then the Sabbath-day is as the sycomore-tree on that he climbes and comes close to Christ Then his heart is in the best frame freest for God being furthest from the world 2. Upon the Sabbath
and after God Whom have I in heaven but thee and who on earth do I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 Others they desire God but there is somewhat besides their soul is set upon In their affections or resolutions God he hath not the whole heart or whole soul and spirit Neither do those good motions they have reach out to all the precious things of God Something of God they would have but not whole God O how are they delighted to hear of the loving kindnesse patience pity mercy of God But the omniscience omnipresence purity holinesse of God they are not so taken with or stirred at pleased with The Death of Christ for their salvation Not the life of Christ for their imitation Fain have that of Christ which justifies But care not for that of Christ which sanctifies A Saint of God spiritually moved desires to know nothing but Christ and him crucified And God forbid sayes the Apostle I should glory in any thing save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Gala. 5.14 Moses can prize the reproaches of Christ Heb. 11.26 Others onely regard somewhat of Christ the honours of Christ the happinesse of Christ the comforts of Christ but to bear the Crosse of Christ and to possesse the Grace of Christ and to stoop to the yoak of Christ this is grievous For height Those spirituall movings that are in carnal hearts cause them Heaven-ward to make some assayes but up to heaven they do not in soule ascend as Gods Saints who mount up and have communion with Christ 1 John 1.3 and have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 sitting down in heavenly places with Christ Eph. 2.6 Upon some movings of the Spirit others hearts and minds like Grashoppers leap up but fly not far Or as a vapour that ascends out of the earth into the lower regions of the air but never rises to get up into the highest region but when the heat or force is a little over as a heavy body it falls back again and that which was like to be fire proves but water When the minds of carnall men are most mounted and their hearts most heightened yet they do not come to that pitch of pious affections and positive resolutions as whereunto Gods people are raised They do not so highly admire nor so highly desire nor so highly esteem the holy things of God as do the dear Saints of God in their heavenly converses with God when God by his Spirit carries them as upon Eagles wings For length Those Spiritual movings that are in carnal hearts are for the most part sudden and short as sparks of fire that are soon quenched out Esay 50.11 Or as morning dewes that are soon dried up Hose 6.4 Through the workings of the holy Spirit O in what a hopeful way for heaven are the hearts of men sometimes set but things do not abyde all being by and by beate down This made Chrysostom observe a sad difference between the work of the Minister in his calling and the work of other men in their earthly trades and ordinary imployments Men commonly as they leave their work so they find it But the Ministers work who is a Co-worker with God for peoples spirituall good it is one day set forward and another backward Upon some Sabbath O how mighty are men moved how sweetly are their soules disposed how are their affections fixed and their resolutions raised as if the new building would pass on apace but by that time a Minister comes again to his work all is dashed down so broken as not a stone is left upon a stone The work is new to begin yea the case perhaps worse then it was before As water once warmed being ward cold some say is afterward the more hardly heated Those holy heatings warmings workings movings meltings mountings and meetings of God which good men have through the help of Gods holy Spirit are more remaining and better abyding such good things are stablished and nourished in them that are vanishing and perishing in others Luk. 8.13 John 6.67 60. Gala. 4.15 16. The Spirit does so act and stir in the hearts of holy men and their soules upon the Sabbath may so act and stir in the Spirit as is not possible for any other persons The peculiar priviledge of pious men to be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 2. We yet grant there be severall of Gods Saints who though they possibly may yet upon the Lords day in the Spirit they actually are not Because Either they go from Ordinances Or they rest in Ordinances Some upon the Sabbath forsake Gods publike Ordinances and for that cause they are not in the Spirit The wise God will so honour his own holy appointments that such as sinfully desert them shall not comfortably possesse him But they shall comfortably enjoy him who carefully attend them O how much of Gods good Spirit have good men met when they have been on the Sabbath assembled in the use of Ordinances John 20.19 upon the first day in the week when the Apostles were gathered together The Greek word does signifie such a gathering as in Church-Assembly it being a word of Ecclesiasticall use and so applyed in severall texts Act. 4.31.11.26.13.44.14.27.20.8 1 Cor. 5.4 Then the Lord breathed on them and they received the Holy Ghost When Peter was preaching the Gospel the holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the Word Act. 10.44 It is in the use of Ordinances Christ hath promised his Spirituall presence Matth. 28.19 20. As the presence of Christ in body is not enjoyed but in the heavenly Jerusalem Grego Moral lib. 18. et cap. 15. the generall Assembly the Church of the first-born where are gathered an innumerable company of Angells and the spirits of just men made perfect Hebr. 11.22 23 24. So the presence of Christ in Spirit is not to be expected but in the holy Assemblies of Gods Militant Saints met to honour God gathered to glorifie God in the way of his Ordinances Word and Sacraments c. It is true divers of Gods dear Saints can by experience speak that they have met with much of Christ in Spirit and much of the Spirit of Christ in private duties as Meditation and Prayer c. But then this comfortable experience hath been to Christians Either while publick Ordinances also were attended Or when Ordinances in publick could not be enjoyed 1. Christians while they remain upon the Lords day diligent in publick duties may in duties private meet with much of Gods Spirit Christians may even in the week-time have sweet incomes of Spirit in their private Closets the better to prepare them for encourage them to and carry them through the publick service of the Sabbath when the Lord with enlarged measures of refreshing mercies may more fully flow in upon them 2. The souls of sincere Christians may have in the private exercises of religion large enjoyments of God through the Spirit being deprived of publick Ordinances
himself unto his Disciples Joh. 20.19.20 Upon this first day of the week when they were assembled he shewed them His hands and His side Then were they glad Thus upon the Sabbath the Lord shewes to his servants Both his hands And his side His hands That is the great things he hath wrought in them and for them acts of his glorious Attributes His side That is the good thoughts he hath further towards them intendments of eternal good will All which makes for the manifestation of Gods great glory And although we can never mention that glory which God did nor before possesse yet we may manifest that glory of God which our souls did not before perceive We never see the Sun of Gods glory to shine so bright as upon this blessed day It being the very end why this day was blessed that thereon the brightnesse of Gods glory might be the better seen 2. The Sabbath is set up to promote mans good In his spiritual part and In his spiritual estate To wit his soul in the concerments of grace thar he may be cast into a spiritual mould and become a spiritual man The appointments of Sabbath-time is to set and keep souls in a spiritual frame Both by the first infusions of grace And by the further additions of grace Mans heart is hardly put into a spiritual temper and as hardly kept in a spiritul order It would never rise from corruption or soon fall into confusion were it not for Sabbath-assistances Should we have onely week-time and be all for worldly things and have no time of Sabbath for soul-concernments into what an ill case would our souls soon sink As Abraham accounted all his earthly comforts nothing while he went childlesse sonlesse so should we esteem all our worldly enjoyments nothing if we went Sabbathlesse Indeed did we go Sabbathlesse we should be in danger to go Saviourlesse Christlesse heavenlesse to lose God and all that is spiritually good But that we may not lose but gain God and all spiritual good this day is drawn out from the common lump of time and set apart to advance as Gods spiritual praise so mans spiritual profit Thus the ends of the Lords day are spiritual 4. The opposites are spiritual against the day As Satan and Seducing men 1. Satan against the Sabbath-day as he is a spiritual he is a spiteful foe he knowes if he can make this fall other things will fly As the Assyrian General said to his forces Fight neither against great nor small but against the King of Israel So sayes Satan to all his instruments Contend neither with great nor small but with the day of the Sabbath down with it down with it Satan against the Sabbath seeks Either to beat it out from men Or to beat men off from it Here may I make a mournful mention of a good woman who by reason of her soul safflicted condition I have had with her the occasion of many a sad conference and though her usuall estate was full of extreame strange assaults yet I have frequently observed and the same her self hath oft freely confessed that still as the Lords day grew nearer her temptation grew stronger Never such sad bouts and sore buffets as upon some Saturday-nights Whereby she hath been ordinarily unfitted for the following Sabbath and oft times violently hindred especially from the publick Ordinances for divers Lords dayes together unto her after great grief Wherein I cannot but conclude the wiles and subtil works of Satan as the Sabbaths great enemy Yea Satans design is Either that men may not at all mind it Or that they may not spiritually spend Either to draw them from the day in its duties Or to dull them in the duties of the day A zealous sanctification of the Sabbath Satan to his utmost power opposes He cannot abide the spirit of burning should be upon us in the businesse of Gods blessed day As the holy Spirit puts us into the fire the unclean spirit oft casts us into the water so that our hearts heavenly kindled are commonly cooled The Divels Ephes 6.12 are called spiritual wickednesses or the spirituals of wickednesse as t is in the Greek As they are wicked Spirits So they are the spirits of wickednesse And as they are so spiritually bad so they cannot abide what is spiritually good As spiritual sinning against God they most seek to provoke so spirituall serving of God they most seek to prevent The divel can be content men should forbear bodily acts of filthinesse if they will but pursue spiritual sinfulnesse so can he be content men should perform outward acts of Religion if they will but cease from spiritual service they may be at all thâ— Ordinances of God upon the Lords day so they be not spiritual in any not misse a Sabbath so they passe not any spiritually 3. Seducing persons are Sabbath-opposers These are called spirits 1 Tim. 4.1 Because there be spirits that act them And becaâ—sâ— they act like spirits They be men whom spirits act viz. the spirit which iâ— of the world the spirit of the Divel the spirit of pride and falsehood â—â—e spirit of error and Antichrist c. They be men who act as spirits with subtilty sedulity agility restlesse and unwearied creeping up and down compassing places to and fro abusing Scripture to propagate error c. These oppose Gods precious Sabbath seeking Either directly to overturn it Or remotely to undermine it Directly By Atheistical arguing against all Gods holy times and things professedly and profanely despising of and disputing against as the doctrine of Sanctification so the day which God hath sanctified Remotely By setting against such as are Sabbath supports viz. Against Ordinances used in publick And against instruments of publick use Ordinances they clamour down especially some as singing of Psalmes administring of Sacraments c. endeavouring if possible to pull away one Ordinance after another till they leave the day destitute of all As Rachel weepiâ—g for her children Hence there is such a sad ceasing of several Ordinances in some Congregations that the Lords day may speak like Jacob Joseph is not and Simeon is not and will ye take Benjamin away also all tâ—is is against me Gen. 43. Instruments theâ— thrust sore at that are for Sabbath-Use Ministers by their law must be laid in the dust Their endeavours are to deal worse with the Servants of Christ then Hanun with the servants of David 2 Sam. 10.4 He shaved off the one half of their Beards and cut off their Garments in the middle c. But these seek to shave and cut off all both countenance and maintenance and to leave Ministers under poverty and perpetual reproach And are not these Enemies to Sabbaths and publick Assemblies And are all these Sabbath-ward spiritual The Ordainer of it spiritual The Ordinances in it spiritual The ends for it spiritul The opposites against it spiritual And shall not we be spiritual so as that we may be
in the spirit on the Lords day Thus are the antecedent arguments arguments from things subsequent let us see viz. what desirable effects will follow upon spiritual spending of the Lords day Hereby we shall raise Our souls advantage The Sabbaths excellency The Lords acceptance and The Lands concernments 1. To be spirituall in the Sabbath will be exceedingly for our souls advantage It will be operative for our present good on earth and It will be preparative for our future good in heaven This will work us much spiritual good on earth For hereby Grace shall be encreas'd into Comforts and Comforts shall be encreas'd through Grace 1. Hereby comes a comfortable encrease of Graces for if we be spiritual upon the Lords Day in duties Then Grace is acting in Us and We are then acting in Grace The which actings makes for the augmentings of it Grace it acts in Us. When we are spiritual on the Sabbath then grace is not in the Spark but in the Flame and so rises and runs on Grace is then not barely in the root but in the branch so that it springs and spreads out We act in Grace This addes to its further degrees The way to enjoy that Grace we have not is to imploy that Grace we have While we are spiritually spending the Sabbath we are in the Imployments and so in the Improvements of grace Grace is greatned in us and we do great things through Grace Elisha when he had not onely the Mantle but the Spirit of his Lord Elijah he went and wrought wonderful works When upon the Sabbath we have not barely the Mantle viz. the Ordinance of Christ but also the Spirit of Christ yea wrapp'd in the Spirit as a Mantle then are we meet to leap Mountains and look Devils in the facâ— To Triumph in the Lord and tread Death in the dust 1 Cor. 15.54 2. Hereby comes in a gracious encrease of Comforts Comforts spiritual are springing While the Lords Day is spiritually spending Being in the Spirit which is the Comforter we cannot but be in the Comforts of the Spirit 'T is a true Rule That most cheeres the heart which best clears the estate But spiritually to spend the Lords Day it clears a Christians good estate God-ward An external observing of the Sabbaâ—h does distinguish us fâ—om Pagans But a spiritual spending the Sabbath does difference us from Hypocrites An Hypocrite in the Sabbaths outward observation may seem very precise Luk. 13.14 15. But he never rises to be spiritual in the Sabbaths of God and service of God A spiritual-spent Sabbath is a sure sign of a sincere heart and saving estate This therefore may well be a cause of the Incomes of Comfort Would we have the profit peace and comfort of the Lords Day let us be spiritual then in our Duty They who spend the Sabbath spiritlesse they passe the Sabbath profitlesse comfortlesse The more we have of the Spirit on the Sabbath the more we shall have of profit by the Sabbath and comfort in the Sabbath This will secure us from the worst of Judgments And the best of Mercies this will assure us of The worst of Judgments to wit such as are spiritual hereby we escape and the best of Mercies that is such as are spiritual through this we partake Divers that come out on the Sabbath and do the outward service yet they fall short of spiritual Mercies and they fall under spiritual Miseries because they rise not to spiritual Duties By being spiritual in the service of the Sabbath O the sweet Soul-advantage that is unto the Saints of God! Yea this it fits us for all spiritual good in Heaven puts into us Heart-capacities for Heaven-felicities In Heaven all is spiritual enjoyments spiritual imployments spiritual company comforts spiritual To be spiritual in the holy Sabbath As it best declares the Heavenly estate So it best prepares for the state of Heaven That Sabbath which Saints shall for ever have with God will all be spiritual That this Sabbath may be as a resemblance of that and an Introduction to that we ought to be spiritual 2. To be spiritual will much advance the Sabbaths excellency O how much is the Beauty and Glory of Gods-Day gone the honour and lustre of the Lords-Day lost Undoubtedly our Duty is as together To condole the Dignity of it down So to endeavour to raise up the Dignity 'T is matter of bitter sorrow to see the Sabbath so Eclipsed One writes of the Barbarians in the East-Indies that seeing the Sun Eclipsed in the year 1600. they fasted wept and cry'd all the day long O we miserable people the Dragon hath devour'd the Sun alas alas we have lost the Sun c. O how much may we lament in England to see the Brightnesse of Gods blessed Day dimm'd the light and life of the Lords Day lost How hath the Devil with his doctrines and the doctrines of Devils almost devoured the Sabbath We have the Body of the Day but the soul of the Day the Spirit of the Day is gone with the greatest part even of professing Christians who though they retain the Truth they have let go the life of Religion and may well weep over dead Dayes and Duties To recover amongst us true Sabbath-life 't is requisite That God enliven the Day to us and That we towards God be lively in the Day 1. We must labour with the Lord who quickens the Dead to enliven this Day When the Ruler of the Synagogues Daughter was dead no sooner did our Saviour say Damsâ—l arise but her spirit came into her again and she arose straightway Luk. 8.54 55. Let but our Lord say over his Dead Sabbath Day arise and the Spirit will come into it again and straightway all will be well O what quickenings kindlings when the Spirit of life and the Spirit of burning from above shall abide upon Sabbaths the service and servants of God setting all on a fire When Elijah Elisha were going together there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and a whiâ—lwind came which caught up Elijah and he was carried into heaven 2 King 2.11 Thus upon the Sabbath when Gods servants are together and there appear Instruments and Ordinances all on a fire Ministers on fire and Sermons on fire and the Spirit as a whirlewind comes O what carryings then up of hearts into heaven This is the Honour of the Day 2. We must labour with our selves in all the Lords Dayes-Duties to be lively and with the Spirit of the Lord to act high for God and to be heart-warm at work All the Sacrifices of the Sabbath must be Burnt-offerings Every service fir'd with zeal Indeed for Christians while they are on the Week-dayes in worldly company to be cool'd is common Peter never gat such a cold as at the High Priests fire among those servants he warm'd himself till he lost his heat but for Christians when they are together on the Sabbath in holy Assemblies to have
is not all my duties on the Sabbath will satisfie thee nor is it thy Sabbath with all its duties or mercies can satisfie me except thou give me thy SELF Now such as in the Sabbath seek God giving himself unto them and in the Sabbath seek to give themselves unto God Oh how well pleasing is this In Cains sacrifice God took no content but to Abel and his offering God had respect August de civit Dei lib. 1. cap. 7. Gen. 4. Austin renders this reason Cain gave some sacrifice but not himself unto God Abel offered up himself to God with his sacrifice O how sweetly does God accept such in the service of Sabbaths though in Sabbath-service such cannot find sweet refreshings from God Gods face towards them hath smiles in it although a vail over it Though Gods mercy is not perspicuous to them Yet their duties are wel-pleasing to God Object Ai but alas I cannot believe it and whosoever is not in the faith cannot please God Answ It is very requisite here to distinguish Between the state of faith And the acts of faith True it is not possible a person should please God that is not set into a state of faith but God may possibly be pleased with a person that does not move in some acts of faith A true Christian though all the Lords day long he hath no fiducial acts as are comfortable to himself yet he doth such obediential acts as are acceptable to God 5. All those that are faithfull in performing upon the Lords day their duty though comfortable successe Is not sensible for present Yet 't is certain for future 'T is the fault of some Christians as Luther upon Esay 54. and vers 7 th observes that they will close with nothing learn nothing meditate nothing hear nothing see nothing but what suites with present sense and according to what feeling affords Feeling and sense set aside faith in the Lord as well as obedience to the Lord especially upon the Lords day should be drawn out so as that what comfort we cannot by sense perceive we should by faith believe Because we suddenly see not our selves successeful in our services shall we think God is unfaithfull in his promises In promises God hath engaged himself certainly to reward a good man for all that good seed which he upon the Sabbath sowes Vnto him that soweth righteousnesse shall be a sure reward Prov. 11.18 A Christian sincere every Sabbath day he sowes the seed of joy and God will assuredly reward him with the sweetest fruits of joy And though he hath not comfort in his way yet he is in the way of comfort For as God hath bound man to transact Sabbath-duties so he hath bound himself to vouchsafe Sabbath-mercies And though upon this day mans discharged duties may not leave in his soul the sense of sweet delight yet Gods engaged mercies they lay the sure grounds of sweet delight in his soul And as none shall receive the mercies but who performs the duties So whoever faithfully performs the duties shall assuredly receive the mercies And the lesse mercy good men meet for present the more is to come Many men upon the Lords day do the works of the Devil yet for present they have no punishment of body no perplexity of soul Ai but there is the more terror and torment to come So there are some of Gods Saints most serious in the service of the Sabbath that yet have no sensible peace no soul-satisfying comforts There is the more plenty of peace and comforts to come Christ in the great work of mans Redemption by his death and sufferings his soul was in sorrowes yet there was joy set before him Heb. 12.2 Looking to Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Christians who seek to sanctifie the Sabbath yet can see nothing but their own sadnesse and badnesse however there is joy set before them which may support them against all despondency and encourage them in the course of their duty Luk. 5.5 6. Master sayes Simon to our Saviour we have fished all night and caught nothing neverthelesse at thy Word we will let down the net And when they had this done they inclosed a great multitude of fishes Expositors observe how they fished in the fittest place to take Aretious Hemingius Maldoâ—at in locum viz. the deep the fittest time to take viz. the night yea all night but nothing caught however they go again to work and afterward even with the same net and in the same waters where before they could find nothing they have a very great draught insomuch as their ships were filled with fishes It is the sigh and sad saying of some of Gods Saints Lord we have laboured all the day many dayes and yet got no good in private in publick upon the Sabbath time and place probable for soul-peace and profit yet no successe however let them seek again the next Sabbath in the same Ordinances and by the same Ministery they may find that which will fill their souls with refreshing comforts Abraham when he eyed God and did not meditate his own oldnesse nor the deadnesse of Sarahs womb then he had a son born an Isaac whose name signified laughter joy joy O let none of the sons or daughters of Abraham sit thinking of the late deadnesse of the Sabbath-womb how few births have been brought forth for God upon this day nor so sit thinking of the badnesse and barrenesse of their own hearts as to break off or not to bear up in the businesse of this blessed day Yet Sarah may be fruitfull and an Isaac may be born yet the Sabbath may be successefull and their souls joyful O brethren yet be stedfast immoveable abiding and abounding in the Lords work upon the Lords day your labour shall not be in vain 1 Cor. 15.58 Lastly for them that have drunk deep of the sweetnesse of Sabbath-successe but now find some bitter drops to fall from thoughts of fear lest the present publick use of Sabbaths should cease Let such consider 1. That if in the Land our publike liberties on the Lords Day should be lost and the Sabbaths of God be as it were carried into captivity yet it would not be long before their return Touching that great Question about which are such various apprehensions Whether the witnesses or no be as yet slain should we determine the negative yet after their death it is not long before their resurrection will be Revel 11.11 And then dead Ordinances dead Christians dead Sabbaths will be assuredly raised to their primitive life and lustre O let me not live to preach the Funerall Sermons of Englands Sabbaths that would be a dark day When as the Lord of the Sabbath dyed darknesse was over all the Land for some few hours And should the Sabbath of the Lord die
forth to minister Heb. 1. Yet this is their property they all think themselves happy in that God thinks them worthy to do his work in the world And as there are special persons they are imployed for So there are special seasons they are imployed in Most for Gods servants and Most on Gods Sabbaths Job 1.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Job 2.1 And again There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. This day is by some applyed to the Sabbath on which day the Angels more then ordinary tender themselves to God to go out as Assistants in his Sabbath-service Bernard was wont to say The holy Angels helped him to preach every Lords day Though hereby there be no actual addition to their essential holinesse or Celestial happinesse Their very imployment is their pleasure Suppose hereby they may come to a greater knowledge of Christ yet hereby they do not gain a nearer accesse unto God to see any more of his face then they did or to receive any more glory in heaven then they had What then Notwithstanding they stand ready every Sabbath day if God will send them out then to assist in his service And shall not we be willing to perform Sabbath-works though we receive no Sabbath-Rewards We that are Ministers must not in our places lay by the businesse of the Lords Day because we cannot have that comfortable successe which the Searcher of all hearts knowes is our soules desire in converting sinners to God Chrysost Hom. 15. in Matth. Chrysostom hath a good expression As fountains send out water though no pitcher be brought to fetch from them So Pastors ought to preach though none receive fruit or profit by them And thus other Christians must not cast off the service of the Sabbath which concerns them because they cannot come up to those encouragements they carry in their eye 2. Say some serving of God upon the Sabbath-day should not be successeful in that plenty of peace and profit they expect yet what peace or profit could such expect should they lay aside the service of the Sabbath upon the same account at all other times all the exercises of religion might be left off and what good could then be looked for Jerom upon that place of the Apostle Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Hieron in Psal 107. but of God that shewes mery Sure then says he it is not of him that sleepeth nor of him that idleh nor of him that neglects duty for on such the Lord will have no mercy And Chrysostom well observes upon that saying of our Saviour Matth. 16. If any will come after me Chrysost in Matth. Homil. 56. c. Christ sayes not If any will stand still or sit down for sayes he the Kingdom of God is not given to standers and idlers but to walkers and workers c. So say I the comforts of God are not given to any person upon any pretence whatsoever that shall neglect his duty especially upon the Lords Day For any to pretend they have performed duties but see no good successe what good successe are any like to see upon the ceasing of their duty Non est gloriosa victoria nisi ubi fuerint laboriosa certamina Ambr. If in the Day of battel he that fights may not win the field sure he that is loath to combate will lose the Conquest If such as look well to their seed-time plow and sowe misse their crops what harvest can they hope for who in due time do not sowe their seed If such as are provident and diligent in their callings all the week yet decay and sink in the world are they like to thrive if they throw by their businesse As if some on the Sabbath industrious in duty yet perceive their soules sinking and no comfort comming what comfort is like to come by casting off the duties of the Sabbath If men may use the meanes and yet misse the end sure such must misse the end who do not use the means Let none think to better their soules condition by ceasing Sabbath-transactions 2. When Christians have performed Sabbath-day-duties and do not find such desired successe in comfortable communions with God it should presently put them Upon self reflectings and Not upon Sabbath-neglectings Instantly to enter their own hearts enquiring the cause The Word is a fire why am I cold The Word is quickning why am I dead Ordinances are the meanes of comfort why have I no comfort by the meanes Some are at Sermons and Sacraments with their hearts leaping and go away with their faces shining that such as see them may say They have been with Jesus why go I drooping all the day yea when Christians find their Sabbath-performances yield them no fruit it should presently put them Upon the amending their duties Not upon the omitting their duties As Fisher-men in the use of their Nets having caught nothing they fall to turning and mending of their Nets with care and not to casting away of their Nets with discontent An Archer in the use of his Bow if his arrow flies wide or falls short he shoots again directs his arrow more straight drawes his bowe with more strength that yet if possible he may not misse the mark Thus in the discharge of the Lords-day-duties if we misse Gods desired mercies we must stir up our selves and strive with the more strength quickening up the greater care in a Sabbath-course We must not conclude through humane frailties we will do this dayes work no further but we must resolve through divine abilities to do the work of this day better 4. The Sabbath-performances of soule-afflicted Saints although they are not Sensibly good and comfortable to them yet They are certainly good and acceptable to God God sees that in their aimings which they cannot see in their actings That which they cannot see in their work God sees in their will God knowes after what all the day long the set desire of their soules reacheth not a bare being in duty but therein a clear beholding of God a close comming in to Christ to keep up their entercourse with Father Son and Holy Ghost 'T is not so much the Ordinance of God as God in the Ordinance they look for I know whom you seek sayes the Angel to the women Luk. 24. Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified There they saw the Sepulchre wherein Christ was laid and there they saw the linnen clothes wherein Christ was wrapt but all would not satisfie It was not the Sepulchre of Christ but Christ in the Sepulchre they sought for So 't is not so much the Sabbath of Christ as Christ in the Sabbath nor so much the Gospel of Christ as Christ in the Gospel they groan after Something like that of Bernards is a true Christians cry Lord unlesse that I give thee my self 't
Grant some of them meet on Sabbath-dayes in their religious duties yet themselves say they do it not out of obedience to any divine Command or upon the acknowledgement of any Gospel-Canon binding the conscience more to this then to other dayes As for many they pretend to have things so immediate from God that they are utterly against the use of any holy means or times As Ehud told Eglon he had a message from God and in the mean while thrust him through the belly with a Dagger Judg. 3. Some they say they have a message from God and that they alone have the mind of Christ in the mean time they strike through Gods holy day and stab into the very heart of Christian Religion Dear Christians do not hearken to any of these but stoutly withstand them as being strongly resolved for the Lords day and the lively duties thereof 2. Some immediate that may seek to hinder the holy observation of the Sabbath As sinful relations Deut. 13.6 7. If thy brother the son of thy Mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome c. shall intice thee secretly saying Let us seek another God let us set our selves Sabbath-free thou shalt not consent to him nor hearken to him thou shalt not conceal him c. Yea perhaps ancient intimate acquaintance such of whom thou mayest say as David Psal 55.14 We took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company spent many a sweet Sabbath together travelled together many a mile to hear the good Word of God went home with hearts warmed full of comfortable conference by the way c. Now course and counsel is quite contrary all to carry off from Ordinances and to discourage care about the Lods day and duties All such must be stifly withstood and you strongly resolved not to lose the Lords-day priviledge When Ahab sought to perswade Naboths vineyard from him 1 King 21. Naboth answers Ahab saying The Lord forbid it me that I should give away the inheritance of my fathers unto thee Thus if you meet any man that would bereave you of your Sabbath-right say The Lord forbid it me that I should give away the sacred time of God my Father If Divel or World profit or pleasure seek to pull aside say The Lord forbid that I should so give away the day of my dear Redeemer c. Thus must you with courage crush temptations 2. Care must be to make for the day due preparations In order to the Sabbath day a double preparation is due More general and remote More special and immediate Matters must be so ordered every day as to prepare for this day As our whole life should be a preparing for death so the whole week should be a preparing for the Sabbath But as this precious day does more approach so preparative work must more increase For that more solemn preparation when the Sabbath day draws nigh observe Wherefore it is required and Wherein it is performed Things that do require and that may encourage Christians to a right preparation for the Sabbath day are The necessities of it The equities for it and The commodities by it 1 Things necessary that for this day we do prepare are Because This preparation is a duty of the Lords commanding And the Sabbath is the day of the Lords comming 1. Hath not the Lord commanded every man to prepare for the Sabbath before it comes Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy Remembring properly is of things absent not present And words of Remembrance or knowledge do import both affection and action To remember the Sabbath 'T is aforehand to mind and manage matters that concern the Sabbaths sanctification or that when it comes it may be holily kept Yea for every Duty of the Lords day must be a due preparance Yea take up any holy task at any other time and for it we ought to prepare Before we pray we must prepare for prayer and before we hear prepare for hearing Prepare for a Sermon and prepare for a Sacrament Now if God would have us prepare for single Duties when they lye more asunder sure we should prepare for the Sabbath when such duties are laid more together or as Jacob and Esau one hold the heel of the other Yea this Day when we are not onely to be in the Duty but in the Spirit in the prompt and powerful and precise transaction of every service we had need to prepare 2. Doth not the Lord upon this Day come in comfortable visits to the soules of his Saints and must not they prepare for his presence When Christ was to come in the flesh preparation was made And must not we make preparation when Christ is to come in the Spirit 'T was the Opinion of some of the Ancients Lactant. lib. 7. ca. 1. Augu t. De Temp. Serm. 154. that Christs personal coming to Judgment will be on the Sabbath Day Christs Spiritual coming in Mercy is to be sure on the Day of the Sabbath We see when the Bridegroom was to come Matth. 25. the Virgins especially the wise trimm'd their lamps and prepared oyl in their vessels The Sabbath 't is the Day when our Bridegroom comes how ought we to trim our Lamps and get ready oyl in our vessels When a Great Man is to come to our houses how are all the rooms dress'd up When a Great God is to come to our hearts 't is necessary we be well prepared 2. 'T is Equal and Meet for us to prepare upon the Sabbaths approach as may appear if we observe the practice of several Some past and Some present In time past the people of the Jews their practice was to prepare for their Sabbath Luk. 23.54 And that day was the preparation for the Sabbath drew on That day they call'd their Sabbatulum or their little Sabbath on which they made ready against the great Day of their Sabbath came Yea the Jews in honor of their Sabbath and that they might the more mind it and be in the better preparednesse for it they use as some Learned observe to call the whole week a Sabbath P. Mart. in Gen. 1. Tremel in Syriac Paraphr Mat. 28.1 Theophyl Matth. 28.1 The first day of the Sabbath and the second day of the Sabbath and so on And thus much is clear according to the Greek in several Texts in the New Testament Luk. 18.12 24.1 And is it not meet then for Christians whose Sabbath exceeds that of the Jews to prepare themselves thereunto We are eased of the businesse of Sacrifices have no Sheep and Oxen to prepare we have the more time to make ready hearts and soules for spiritual service Secondly The practice of severall present makes such Sabbath-preparation meet as may appear if we ponder Both the good actings of some And the evil of others For good actings in order to the Sabbath Observe Both the good that God doth in his People And the
good that others do for the People of God 1. God puts into his people for their good gracious Habits Principles of holinesse disposing them to all parts of his worship yea the Spirit of holiness to act up those principles that so his people may be ready pressed and prepared alway to every good work much more for the Sabbath in the service thereof 2. Others as Ministers they prepare for the Sabbath-good of Gods people 'T is fit people should prepare to hear as they prepare to preach Gods faithful Ministers before the Sabbath do not onely prepare matter to speak but they prepare their hearts to speak the matter As Cocks when they are about to Crow they lift up themselves and clap thair wings they may be well awake Thus good Ministers when they are to teach they rouse up themselves and strive to raise up their own hearts and that Gods Word it may be as a fire in their bones Bernard in a Sermon breaks out thus to the people Bern. in festo omnium sanct Serm. 1. To prepare you meat my heart all this night hath been seething within me and in my meditations I have been enflamed as with fire Is it not meet that people be prepared when prechers thus prepare for the people And as for the evil actings of some they are sad There are such who on the Sabbath prepare for their worldly work in the week Calvin complaines of some Christians in his time Let us consider sayes he whether they which call themselves Christians do any otherwise regard the Sabath then thereon to attend their worldly affairs Calvin in Deut. 8. Serm. 34. they reserve to themselves this day as if they had no other to deliberate for the whole week to come c. Upon the Lords day men cut out their work and cast their businesse how to have this and that done upon this and that day Shall men on the Sabbath prepare for the week and shall not we in the week prepare for the Sabbath Is Mammon more to be minded then God 3. The profit that will be to our souls by such Sabbath preparance is precious By such a serious preparation our hearts will be well fitted Both with abilities to performe Sabbath-duties And with capacities to receive Sabbath-mercies 1. The duties of the Sabbath will the better and freer come off We shall then with more dexterity agility facility transact the several parts of Gods service A cause why we are so oft upon the Lords day lame in duty drive heavy because we did not aforehand oyl our wheeles inure our selves When David had put on Sauls Armour his helmet sword and coat of Male he assayed therein to go and fight with Goliah but he is at a stand saying I cannot go in these for I have not proved them 1 Sam. 17.39 Thus a Christian when he is to go out in the service of the Sabbath he is so straitened stiffe and bound up he knowes not how to go on in such duties because he hath not proved them or prepared for them We should aforehand put our selves into Sabbath-Armour and see how we can go how we can pray preach hear c. this would much help 2. The mercies of the Sabbath will the larger and fuller come in According to our preparations are our after-participations According to the number and measure of sacks the sons of Jacob prepared and carried with them out of Canaan so were they filled with Corn when they came to Joseph in Egypt Gen. 44.1 According as we prepare our hearts at home in the week-time so our comfortable fillings be when we come before the Lord on his own day He that would have from his field a large crop in harvest-time must aforehand take pains in plowing and well preparing the ground We do not aforehand take preparative pains which is the reason we reap so little in Sabbath-time 2. We are to consider wherein this preparation of our selves for the Sabbath consists Now this work does comprize acts of two sorts viz. Reflect acts on our selves from others and Direct acts towatds others beyond our selves 1. Each man amongst us must act inward upon himself In self-examination And self-humiliation We must diligently examine our selves What sin hath been before the Sabbath And what need we have of the Sabbath Sin before must be found out lest we come to Sabbath-day-work under week-day-guilt If for week day sinnes God be against us when in Sabbath day service we seek to be with God no wonder then if things work crosse The Mariners in Jonah they rowed hard but the Sea wrought and was tempestuous against them and they could not get the ship to shoare till Jonah was found and flung out Thus in the service of the Sabbath we may row hard yet not get ship to shoare heart into heaven by reason of some sin before committed that hath set God against us Yea we must so set into our selves as to discern the necessities that we have of Sabbath-helps Because of the prevalencies of sin And the imbecillities of grace We must also deeply humble our selves and be low in self-abasements Those herbs rise high in the summer-time that in the winter shrink low into the ground Those hearts that in the week-time are laid lowest they rise highest upon the Sabbath day Yea there must be such soul-humblings for sin as there may be sin-removings from the soul else the day of Gods service comes but we cannot serve God in the day Joshua 24.19 Thus before the Sabbath we must bethink our selves commune with our heart and make diligent search with penitent sorrowes 2. We must act onward towards others to wit God-ward and World-ward 1. Towards God we must prepare for the day By consideration of him and By supplication to him 1. God must be seriously thought upon Out of desires to the God of the Day we should long for the Day of God Psal 42.1 2. My soul thirsteth for the living God O when shall I come and appear before God As she said Judg. 5. Why is the chariot so long in coming and why tarrie the wheâ—les of the chariot So let each soul say Why is the Sabbath so long in coming c Amos 8. some say When will the Sabbath be gone that we may sell corn Let us say O when will the Sabbath be come that we may sell all and buy that Pearl When will the Sabbath be come Not that we may sell but onely that we may buy of God wine and milk without money Esay 55.1 That we may buy of Christ eye-salve white rayment and tryed gold Rev. 3.18 O when will the Day come that we may have communion with God Father Son and Holy Ghost As that Martyr with a leap said when he was going to the stake There is but one stile more and I am at my Fathers House A good man on Saturday-evening going to bed leaps saying 'T is but one Night more and I shall be in the