Lord upon this day drew forth most infallible testimonies of the truth of his resurrection and so left not onely to his present Disciples but to his succeeding servants a more firm foundation for their faith in himself and a more strong Argument to inforce their following observance of the same day Joh. 20.26 27 28 29. August detempore Ser. 25. Bellarm de cultu sanctorum l. 3. cap. 11. Tertul. li. de carne Christi 3. The Mission or Christs sending down of the holy Ghost was upon this day It appears the Apostles met upon the day of Pentecost Act. 2.1 this was a day instituted in remembrance of the Law delivered to Moses in the Mount fifty dayes after their departure out of Egypt Answerably whereunto the holy Ghost and Gods love thereby Rom. 5.5 is sent out and shed abroad the fiftieth day after Christ our Passeover was Sacrificed for us which by computation of the learned both Orthodox and Popish was the first day of the week Christ being gone up the holy Spirit he comes down A blessed bargain saith an ancient Writer hereby was made betwixt heaven and earth to triumphing Saints was given the presence of Christs body and to Militant Saints was sent the comforts of Christs Spirit The Spirit of Christ the Comforter came down upon this day That cannot but be a holy day wherein the holy Ghost came down There be 3. works of excellency applyed to the three Persons in Trinity to wit The work of Creation to God the Father The work of Redemption to God the Son And The work of Sanctification to God the holy Ghost Times and things Persons and seasons he sanctifies The holy Spirit passing through this day hath made it holy This being the day of the Lord his thus doing 't is THE LORDS DAY 2. To the Lord upon this day hath been done Sabbath-service In the Primitive times and In posteriour times The holy Apostles punctually set apart this first day of the week for the worship of God And they were men eminently endowed with the Spirit of Christ Yea men intimately acquainted with the secrets of Christ men immediately instructed by the person of Christ Christ in his own person before his death did discover things to them as to no other men John 15.15 and after his resurrection they were the men whom he did commissionate to erect a Gospel-Church and to order all things therein and therefore he did continue with them for the space of forty dayes before he ascended that he might fully furnish them for those great appointments wherein he found them faithfull And how successeful they were we see Act. 2. when on this same day were gained three thousand souls at one Sermon O blessed day blessed day And as for the Apostle Paul I shall pray you to ponder both His practice and His precept binding the day His practice in the day is plainly expressed Act. 20.7 And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together Paul preached unto them and continued his speech till midnight being to depart on the morrow c. His precept for the day is plainly implyed 1 Cor. 16.1 2. the Apostle there speaking of Collections for Saints upon the first day of the week when they should meet about the works of Gods worship adds this As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia Piscator in Gene. 2.3 fol. 52 c. even so do ye In that He Ordains such duties for the day He Ordains the day for such duties And above fourty years after this as Chronologie saith Saint John tells us in the text of such a continued day The Lords day And as for other good Authors since the holy Apostles they report concerning the Christian Sabbath upon the first day of the week things of two sorts Some more remote as being a Preparance for it and Some more immediate asserting the observance of it Some things they recite as referring to this first-dayes-Sabbath August de tempo Ser. 25. Austin notes that this very day was the first day of the Worlds Creation when Angels Elements and lights were made and that of all the six dayes-works the work of the first day was greatest because then the first matter and Model the principals and Platform of all was laid Austin also observes that this was the day of Noahs entring into the Ark August de civit Dei lâ—b 16. cap. 26. of Infants receiving Circumcision of Mannas first falling in the Wildernesse Origen before him saith that if the Manna were gathered six dayes together as the Scripture declares Origen Homil. 7. in Exod. and it ceased upon the seventh day which was the Sabbath without doubt it began on the first day which is the Lords day and so he concludes the Lords day to be more excellent then the Jewish Sabbath This was the day say others of Christs Nativity and Baptisme of the Stars appearing at Bethlehem to the Wise men of Christs feeding five thousand persons and other particulars which are in this case collected But I proceed to such as insist upon matters more immediate affirming this first day of the week to be celebrated for the Sabbath of Christians In Eusebius we read the witnesse of Dionysius the Corinthian that they diligently kept holy this Lords day in those times Tertullian naming the Solemnities of Christians begins first with the Lords day which they he saith most carefully kept declaring their exercises theron Justin Martyr names the same day and shewes their works Ignatius against some that being Christians would retain the Jewish Sabbath saith in plain terms Plinius sub Trajano scripsitsolitos hoc stato die convenire Christianos ancle lucem carmenque Christo quasi â—eo communi voce dicere postea Sacramento se obstringere non in scelus aliquod ne furia ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent c. Magdeb. cent 2. cap. 6. We celebrate no longer the Sabbath of the Jewes but every one that loves Christ keepeth now holy the Lords day An Historian writes of the Christians custome in the Emperour Trajans time how they met upon this same set day early in the morning sung a Psalm received the Sacrament and bound themselves in Covenant to fly sin c. And t' was a common question put to Christians when they were brought before Pagan Governours Dost thou observe the Lords day and the ordinary answer then was I am a Christian and I dare not intermit it I shall shut up my discourse about this setling the Christian Sabbath onely by considering Something that Christ himself said concerning that and Something concerning that Christ said of himself That which our Saviour saith of the Sabbath we find Matth. 24.20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day We may observe the Sabbath our Saviour means it was for such as were converted to the faith of Christ and 't was for to remain long after the death of
their estate to be sinful And towards both there 's a necessity of Sabbaths 1. For such men as are sinfull and do not know it but are utterly in the darke Gen. 1. we find that at the beginning there was darknesse as a black vaile drawn over the face of the deepe but God upon the first day in the week created light which was exceeding good God upon the first day of the week our Christian Sabbath creates that good light which scatters darknesse that before covered the face of the soul and causeth such discoveries of things never before seen 1 Cor. 14.23 24 25. If the whole Church be come together viz. on the Lords day there comes in one ignorant and he hearing the Word is convinced is judged the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling down he worships God c. And indeed this is one great end of Sabbaths and Sermons Act. 26.18 2 Cor. 4.4 5 6. 2. For such men as know themselves sinful Sabbath-service is necessary that they may consider how sad it is to persist in known sins Luk. 12.47 Joh. 15.22 24. Jam. 4.17 For some our Saviour sayes Father forgive them they know not what they do but of several we may say Father affright them they know what they do They transgresse Gods Lawes abuse his mercies they oppose his Servants and they know what they do The former need Sabbaths to convince them of the evil they know not And these latter need Sabbaths to convert them from the evil they know Yea to all sorts of sinners there 's such a necessity of these dayes and duties as that there is little likelyhood of any saving good to the souls of such as lay aside the Lords day but they who come not within Sabbath-compasse their case becomes incurable Though a man be never so diseased and sick yet as long as he lyes at Physick keeps his purging dayes and uses good means for health there is hope he may do well but when he neglects his healing time lets his disease run will not come under the Physicians hands then his case growes desperate and dye he must Even so though a man be never so sinful yet as long as he keeps within Sabbath-compasse and comes under the means of soul-cure there is hope he may amend but if he neglects the Lords day leaves off holy duties damne he must 2. For men in a regenerate estate the Lords day is of necessary use Of whatsoever sort we consider them Of such Some are in sins relapsed and Others are in sorrowes distressed All need these Sabbath-helps 1. Relapsed Christians need Sabbath-relief Whether their spiritual decay be In opinion In affection Or practice The service of the Lords day is of necessary concernment to clear truth clouded to quicken love deaded and to introduce the duties of a holy life neglected 2. Distressed Christians need Sabbath-succours Sabbath-Cordials are required for the recovery of fainting spirits and the reviving of drooping dying hearts Again Gods Saints are to be considered either As more weak Or more strong And unto them all the Lords day is a day of deep concernment 1. For weak ones they need Sabbath-supplies Dayes wherein they may draw near and derive virtue from Christ into all their feeble parts Dayes wherein as babes from the breasts of the Lord they may suck in soul-nourishing milk of grace and mercy to breed them up 2. For strong ones they need Sabbath-supports that they may stand fast in their good estate and plight The highest and holiest of Gods Saints ought to be under Sabbath-observance 't is a reserve for heavens priviledge to be above Ordinances and present Administrations 'T is the City of the Heavenly Jerusalem that needs not the light of the Sun neither of the Moon Revel 21.22 While we live as we need the Moon viz. the world with its creatures and comforts for the bearing up of our bodies So we need the Sun viz. Christ with his holy times and things for the well-being of our souls Some say of the time that is spent upon the service of Christ as they said of the oyntment poured out upon the body of Christ What need this waste Matth. 26.8 But as St. Paul said A necessity is laid upon me and woe to me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 So may every one say A necessity is laid upon me and woe to me if I sanctifie not the Sabbath The sanctifying of the Sabbath is as the One thing needfull to Christians in religion and unto the religion of Christians 'T is said of Jacob that his life was bound up in the life of his son Benjamin So the life of a Christian and the life of his religion is bound up in the life of Sabbaths As Rachel said Give me children or else I dye so a Christian sayes Give me Sabbaths or else I dye Religion sayes Give me Sabbaths or else I die The Sabbath is as the soul of Christian-Religion if that departs all becomes as a Carcase upon which the Vermin of corrupt opinions prey 't is necessary then this continue 2. Of losing the Lords day there is danger And here we shall discover The grounds of the losse and The greatnesse of the losse The grounds on which we may see the Sabbath in hazard to be lost and the Lords day in our dayes likely to cease are The sinfulnesse of men and The righteousnesse of God 1. Men being monstrously sinful put upon us this present peril of being deprived of the Lords day to wit Wicked men against us more remote and Wicked men amongst us more immediate 1. Men of the Romish Religion in remote Nations are they not bigg with a design to make our Sabbaths cease As some of the Powder-Traitors 1605. Confessed the cause why they sought to blow up the Parliament-house was because that was a place wherein against the Romish Religion so many Lawes were made And do not Popish parties in all places plot against the Sabbath day because that is the time wherein against their Idolatrous worships so many truths are taught And are not now their hopes high by our present Wars to deprive us of our precious times and things to raise Rome in the ruines of poor Protestant Nations Does not Antichrist crow ovet these Christian Kingdomes as once Tyrus over Jerusalem Aha aha she is broken that was the gates of the people she is turned unto me I shall be replenished now she is laid waste 2. Among our selves how many seek to set us beside our Sabbath-mercies As Both Papists And Atheists Papists Who secretly consult in our chief Cities to lay us Sabhath-waste Jesuits who can cunningly comr like Countrey-men and be seen like Souldiers Citizens Lawyers Preachers in any posture to promote their projects Atheists These like Pharaoh's-frogs are found covering the land and croaking against the Lords day in every Pond in every Parish Men that would have no God for a Sabbath would have no Sabbath for
cattell upon a thousand hills and all the Fowles of the Mountaines are mine Verse 10 11. But yet those Bullocks and sheep that were set apart for Sacrifice were more immediately the Lords And thus all time is the Lords there is not a day in a thousand years nor an houre in ten thousand dayes but to the least minute all is the Lords Yet there is a day so set apart for holy service That 't is THE LORDS DAY I shall reduce things to a threefold Thesis or Position 1. Pos That God hath one day in seven set apart for his solemne service is sure even from the beginning 2. Position That Christ also should have one day in seven solemnely set apart for his service is sure 3. Position That this day viz. the first day in the week which Christians have commonly kept is that day assuredly THE LORDS DAY First God from the beginning did ordain such a day for religious duties a holy Sabbath This we shall consider As first sanctified And after ratified The consecration of it to Adam in Paradise And The promulgation of it to Moses on the Mount 1. God did establish a seventh day for a sacred Sabbath Gen. 2.2 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it c. As God appointed Adam his work to wit on the week-dayes to dresse the ground so God provided him a Sabbath a seventh day of holy rest The ground indeed did not then as now need tillage but the first man must be an Exemplar or pattern to Posterity Neither did Adam need rest by reason of any bodily wearinesse in Innocency presupposed but God would have him full and whole to set himself one day in seven to serve him and in a holy communion then more immmediately to meet his Maker which might be unto him a Paradise in Paradise This Sabbath for his souls solace was as the sweetest flower in all his Garden This Seventh day God had bâ—â—ssed and man was bound to keep As there was a speciall Tree whereof Adam might not eate So there was a speciall time that Adam might not break Though he should live without sin Yet he must not live without a Sabbath Secondly God did publish his Sabbath-pleasure more plain to his People upon Mount Sinai Exod. 20.8 9. ver Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy c. Which words as they concern a Set-seventh-day-sabbath so they seem to look towards it with a two-fold aspect Both backward And forward Backward As reflecting upon the Sabbath for meer entrance Such a day already instituted the Seventh day God in mercy had made it holy and man must remember to keep it holy Some especially Popish Writers say there was no Sabbath set before the Lord had proclaimed his Law upon Mount Sinai but all the most Orthodox determine otherwise Besides that in Genesis precited we see Exod. 16.23 To morrow sayes Moses is the rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. It appears 't was a preappointed day Forward As directing to the Sabbaths further continuance A day that must be remaining Some would make the fourth commandement to be a meer transient ceremonie to live and die with the Jewish Church But if they graunt that the other nine are morall and perpetuall Then this For 't is comprised among them Yea 't is advanced above them This is set in the middle of all as the very heart of the whole as if the Sabbath on the seventh day were the centre in which all the lines of Gods Law meet Yea this is set beyond them as we may see if we observe with what a word 't is inforced in the preface and with what words 't is inlarged in the progresse Remember it stands at the door to invite Calvin Musculus Zanchius c. 't is a word of great weight as our late VVriters observe And in the precept as we passe the roomes there we meet with many words to welcome The Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work c. As saint Paul said of himself considered with the other Apostles 2. Cor. 11. Are they Israelites So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham So am I. Are they the Ministers of Christ I am more In labours more abundant In prisons more frequent So may the Sabbath-precept say of it self in respect of the other commandements Were they written with the finger of God in stone so was I. Were they put into the Ark safe to be preserved So was I. In reasons more urgent In circumstances more aboundant more particulars pressing practise then in any of the other precepts The whole Decalogue or holy Law of God was delivered in thunder and the loudest and longest clap seemed to lie upon the fourth commandement As if at this the Trumpet gave the largest and shrillest sound to set it forth and to settle it fast So we see God had for his service a Sabbath the seventh day From the creation setled and so to proceed Secondly that our dear Saviour should have such a set day of holy rest and religious labour as relating to him suits with Scripture and agrees with grounds of reason For Christ he hath wrought as God the Father did and Christ is to be honoured as God the Father was First the same works have been done by Christ the Son as were done by God the Father John 5.19 Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto you The Son does nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do For whatsoever things he doth the same doth the Son likewise Did God the Father blesse and sanctifie a seventh day for his sacred service and shall not the Son do the same Is there not a set day which the Son hath sanctified As God the Father rested from his works so hath Christ the Son ceased from his Heb. 4.10 Therefore Christ is to have his Sabbath of rest as well as God the Father in the first age of the world Yea the work of Redemption done by the Son doth it not surpasse the work of the whole Creation Being In it self most precious Upon Christ more pressing and Unto us more profitable First most precious is this work in it self viz. Christs recovering souls above Gods creating the World As mans gaining the world cannot recompence the losse of his soul so Gods making the world does not equalize Christs redeeming the soul To draw men out of an enthralled bondage is more then to bring matters out of a confused Chaos In the former God was to deal with no enemy but in the latter Christ was put to combate with all the Divells in hell yea and to overpower men opposing their own mercies 2. Most pressing was this work to Christ it made his very soul heavy unto the death Mat. 26.38 In this Christ did not onely fight with the Divell but God herein fought with Christ bruised him and put him to grief Isay 53.10 The worlds creation was done without
Christ 1. The Persons that the Sabbath was for appears to be the praying Saints of God though Jewes by Nation Christians by profession and therefore the day they ought to observe was suitable 2. The season of this sabbath-Sabbath-day was during that Sabbath which should be at the time of the sacking and sad desolating the City Jerusalem About fourty years after Christs death that dreadful and terrible time came when according to the voyce heard in the Temple Let us depart hence Gods people departed thence to Pella and other places and for the Unconverted Jewes as Eusebius reports whereas they had sold Christ for thirty pence thirty of them were sold for a peny and so many hundreds of them who crucified Christ were crucified themselves in one day that there were not places enough for Crosses not Crosses for bodies Then then were Gods faithful ones fain to fly for their lives yet then were they to be serious and incessant in Sabbath-day-duties then all Ceremonies were abolished And that special day which the Jew had observed being Ceremonial was before abrogated and a seventh day as a holy Sabbath upon an another account then kept and so to continue 2. That which our Saviour saith of himself as concerning the Sabbath we see Mark 2.28 The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath-day Which notes in Christ touching this day two things His Authority for it and His Propriety in it The Sabbath is such a day that the Lord Christ For it gives a special command and In it keeps a special Interest Other time the Lord allots and allows men for their ordinary affairs but this day he reserves as his proper and peculiar Portion Truly may we say of the Sabbath as 't is said of Jacob Psal 135.4 The Lord hath chosen it unto himself for his peculiar treasure Vox segulah significat rem quandam auctam charam sive the saurus fuerit sive res aliae quae cunquâ— His Segullah Time the Lord gives out but this he keeps as his store and as that which to him is most dear THE LORDS DAY Christ he is clearly the Lord of all but especially THE LORD OF THE SABBATH The Sabbath at first considered with other dayes As Christ hath separated it from them So Christ hath elevated it above them Above all dayes he doth estimate this 't is emiminently his And he the Lord of this day It being from him in respect of its Rise And it being for him in respect of its Use Christ was the raiser of it and Christ is the ruler in it This is that high day he hath set upon stable grounds This is that great day he doth guide unto noble ends The grounds on which this day is erected are The Lords abundant care of And His abiding Covenant with his Church and people throughout all ages Such is the care the Lord hath for the spirituall profit of his People and to perpetuate the Practice of Religion as thereupon he appoints this present day Yea and that it might abide he hath bound it by covenant to continue through all generations Vid. Willets Hexapla in locum Exodus 13.16 17. The ends to which this day is directed are The honour of God And The happinesse of man Hence is that Isay 58.13 If thou call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him And hence is that Isay 56.2 Happy or blessed is the man that doth this the son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it To say now no more this is that sweet day upon which Saint John had such Soul-ravishing-Revelations in the Spirit I was in the Spirit upon the Lords Day The Use two-fold Of Information Of Exhortation First we are here informed of mens fearful evills relating to the Lords Day viz. Both The sinfull evill they are guilty of The Penall evill they are subject to First to set out the sinfulnesse of men against the Sabbath I shall consider and clearly discover The Multitude of the sinners And The Magnitude of the sin Sinners against the Holy Sabbath are of severall sorts Some sinning against the doctrine of the day And Some sinning against the duties of the day 1. Some that in point of judgment lye crosse to the Lords Day Of such There be some grosse in their opinion And others in their opinion more loose The former deny the day Positively and in whole The latter deny the day respectively and in part Those that do not at all believe the Lords Day are of two sorts Some that more Sordidly declare it Some that more subtilly conceale it 1. There be some that publiquely proclaime their denyall of this Holy Day and of them we may observe two sorts Some that did never better appear in time past And Some that in time past did much better appear Some that have been so Sottishly and abominably bred up that a conviction of the Lords Day they never let in Sabbath-Principles they never laid up And some whose education and profession hath formerly declared their belief of the Lords Day but now run in ranting and riotous waies publishing their opinions against all Sabbath-observance yea are come to scorn and mock at the Sabbaths of the Lord like those Lam. 1.7 Of such what shall I say But declare them utterly unclean because the Leprosie is in their heads I allude to that Levit. 13.44 verse Secondly there be others that carrie Some Sabbath-day-shew they abstain from their ordinary works and meet where some matters of Religion are managed but not from any tye upon conscience or obedience to any divine Authority The Papists upon an Ecclesiasticall and others upon a Politicall account and because of the civill power otherwise in their own opinions they are set Sabbath-free They do not embrace the Sabbath that 's crosse to their inward principles yet they doe not disclaim the Sabbath that may prove their outward Prejudice This is plain hypocrisie in the Lords Day and woe to such hypocrites in the Day of the Lord. I proceed next to consider them that assent somewhat to a Sabbath-day but their assent thereunto is not right and through Of such there be two sorts Some which deny that this is the Day And Some who deny that of the Day which is Some grant the Lord hath a Day for his service but they plead against the first and for the last day in the week the particular day which the Jewes kept to be still the standing Sabbath-day In this is a subtile design of Satan when he sees as Sabbath-men will have he seeks to set it where it may be sure to fall and though about this scruples may be in some consciencious yet the principall Patrons for the Jewish Sabbbath do it out of a secret design to lay waste the Lords Day Conatus eorum tanquam Pestilentissimus est retundendus Musc Loc Com. Part. 1. fol. 148. This made Musculus to
Sabbath 'T is necessary for a man to follow his lawfull calling and to be diligent in his worldly businesse When we read sayes Bernard that Adam in the pleasant place of Paradise was appointed to work shall we think that the sons of Adam in the troublesome Wildernesse of this world are placed for play No 't is necessary for the sons of men to be industrious in their lawful affairs Moses putting his hand in his bosome 't was leprous but putting it out 't was made whole God hath given men hands for a threefold work sayes one To lift them up in prayer to God To stretch them out in charity to the poor and To put them down by labour in a lawful calling So that for a man in his lawful calling to labour it is necessary viz. in its season But herein to labour upon the Lords day is dangerous The gain of this day may be as the gold of Tholosse as the cole brought to the nest setting the young and all on fire Luk. 10. Reproof is given to Martha by our Saviour for her being about ordinary affairs assuring her that One thing was needfull Needfull it was for Martha to be about her houshold businesse Yea but not then when Christ was present and an opportunity served for soul-advantage which her sister Mary minded Thus though 't is needfull for Christians to look after their lawfull occasions in the world yet not upon the Lords day the season for soul-advantages 4. Are such wordly walks and works necessary and are the works of Gods worship arbitrary yea upon the Sabbath is not the service of God much more necessary As the Apostle said Act. 4. Whether it be more needfull to obey God or men judge ye So say I Whether it be on the Sabbath more needfull to serve God or your selves judge ye whether more needfull to take care for your temporal or your eternal being judge ye Among necessaries that which is most necessary is to be first minded Object We see none so exact our neighbours are not so nice but take their liberties on the Sabbath and why not we the same Answ 1. We must live by precept not by example 't is the Law of God and not the lives of men that must be our rule As he that will be for God must crosse the most of men so he that would go to heaven must leave the greatest part of the world behind him He shall never write a good hand that makes the world his Copy nor shall he ever well observe a Sabbath who frames himself unto the common platforme 2. If patterns are to bo followed Be ye then followers of God as dear children Ephes 5.1 In six dayes God made heaven and earth and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hollowed it Likewise let us look unto the Lord Christ Luk. 4.16 He went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day as his custome was c. Learn we ought of Christ though not as Austin observes to walk on the waters yet to work in Gods worship upon the Sabbath-day 3. If we will take our Model herein after the manner of men 't is best to look back to preceding Saints Gods Church and people considered as past and present may be compared to that cloud Exodus 14. which was partly bright and partly dark The bright part was before to give light to the Israelites and the dark part behind to blind the Egyptians The Saints and people of God aforetime were as the bright side of the cloud shining clear in Chistianity strict in all the waies of God and most exact in Sabbath-service such as now professe themselves the Saints of God are as the following dark side of the cloud more dim and dull in holy duties more loose upon the Lords Day having lesse of the life and lustre of religion O let us but think what was the care of Christians not many years ago to improve Sabbaths and all the service of God such follow with holy Apostles and Martyrs and the spirits of just men made perfect 4. If herein we will take such as are present for our pattern Blessed be the Lord some are left that hold up religion to the life and with great care look to the Lords Day and the duties thereof Indeed there are divers of whom we may complain Chrysost in Matth. Hòm 3. as Chrysostome of some in his time Whereby sayes he shall I know you to be Christians Do you not delight in any place more then in the Courts of the Lords house and take pleasure in any time more then in the hours of the Lords day Yet some few are found faithfull to the Lord and his Day and such we should duly observe 5. When an age is in religion loose 't will be the more any mans credit and comfort to be exact and strict To be a precise Sabbath-keeper in a Sabbath-breaking-age that 's a mans honour For a man to remain sound in his principles and punctuall in the practicall observation of the Sabbath when opposite evills are high and huge August de Tempo Serm. 23 2◠in times and places that strange birds build their nests when multitudes in Townes and Parishes as Austin resembles them are like Toades and Frogs in fens and puddles Croaking against the Lords Day When many as Musculus upon the fourth commandement complaines Beza in Cant. Solo Hom. 30. Bucer◠in Psal 92. the like Beza Bucer and others laments pittifully prophane the Lords holy Day this is praise then to be painful pure and permanent in the practice of all the Lords-Day-duties Object We for our selves observe the Sabbath but there are some with us that will have their liberties and who can help it Answ Superiours must help as much as is possible that others under them as well as themselves observe the Lords Day Therefore as many of us as have others within our gates and under our government we ought as much as in us lyes upon the Lords Day to endeavour the drawing them to holy duties which may appear plain through a double proof The precept of God about them The property of God in them 1. God gives his precept for them herein as we find in the fourth Commandement The Seventh day is the Sabbath in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant c. If it be our duty to keep them from ordinary work for the case of their bodies then to bring them to holy ordinances for the good of their Souls and the bodily rest we are to allow them lyes upon this account they are to rest from the common works of their vocation in order to the exercises of religion in private and publike upon the Lords Day Luke 13.15 Doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his oxe or his asse from the stall and lead him away to watering and ought not each one of
of heaven hold off the sight of such a dismal day We read Gen. 21.15 16. of Hagar when the bread and water in the bottle was spent and her son ready to famish she went and sate her down at a distance saying O let me not see the death of my child And she looked toward him and left up her voyce and wept When Spiritual food shall faile will not a faithful Minister sit down sorrowfully saying O let me not see the death of my people Yea when holy Ordinances are gone how will other Christian Churches look over to England and lament saying VVe have a sister and she hath no breasts Can. 8.8 These are the deserved effects of our lamentable neglects of the Lords day when men cease from Sabbaths then God makes Sabbaths to cease Hosea 2 11. Men sinfully forget Gods Sabbaths and then God as a punishment causes Sabbaths to be forgotten Lam. 2.6 The Lord hath violently taken away his Tabernacle destroyed the places of assembly and caused the Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion 2. The principal of all precious things is hereby brought to depart even God himself When Gods Sabbaths service and servants leave a Land the Lord goes along with them I read of Nazianzene who being about to go from a place where he had Preached for some time a good man comes crying unto him O Nazianzene wilt thou go away and carry the holy Trinity with thee Father Son and holy Ghost all forsake such as are Sabbath-forsaken the Gospel of God and the God of the Gospel goes together In the departure of the Lords day the Lord of the day departs 2 The positive punishments for Sabbath-sins are considerable Both in their Diversity And in their Severity 1 God does execute divers judgements upon the neglect of the Lords day when God himself with his Sabbaths and service forsake a Land he lets in lamentable calamities and makes men suffer several wayes 2 Chron 15.5 6 7. For along season Israel was without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vexe them with all adversity Gaulter in Act. 13. Homil. 88. A learned Expositor thus speaks In our dayes even among Christians the Sabbath is sinfully broken that blessed day abused which should be wholly consecrated to God and do we yet marvel what is the cause of our calamities I have heard that in Germany under their woful Wars there was at a time a very great convention sitting to consult what should be the cause of their calamities and the Major part pressed the not trimming of their Churches and adorning them with Images not considering how carelesse they were of the Lords day and the due worship of God The error with us is slighting of all publike places painful Preachings pure Administrations Gods holy Institutions of times and things yet we are not aware that these things work our wo. Let 's look into Levit. 26.2 Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary What if not I will make your Sabbaths to cease and bring your sanctuaries into desolation and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours vers 31. And is that all I will set my face against you they that hate you shall reign over you I will send wilde beasts among you and I will bring a sword upon you and several other sad miseries we meet in the Chapter The like Lamentations 2. The Lord hath violently taken away his Tabernacle caused his Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion and hath despised or suffered to be despised in the indignation of his anger the KING and the PRIEST contempt to be cast upon all that are appointed to rule and govern both in Church and State A great sin a grievous punishment and what further The wall of the Daughter of Zion is fallen her gates are sunk her bars are broaken the LAW is no more vers 7 8 9. Alas O the breaches God makes and bloodsheds God brings for breaking his Sabbaths The Christian world is filled with wars when the Lords day growes dimme When the Sun is darkned the Moon is turned into blood Joel 2.13 2. God does execute severe judgements for the Non-sanctifying of his Sabbaths In general upon people And also on particular persons Jer. 17.27 If you will not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day then will I kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem and it shall devour the Palaces thereof and it shall not be quenched Fire it holds forth the fierceness of anger evidenced in its most fearful effects The Lord by the mouth of the Prophet threatens fire fire Fire in the Palaces and Fire in the Gates Palaces Places of honour the beauty and ornaments of a City upon these shall be fire Gates Places of power where the strength of a City is laid and where justice is done here also fire Fire in the Palaces No keeping in and also Fire in the Gates No running out A devouring fire round about that all must feel and none can quench and all this comes for not keeping the Sabbath holy See how Nehemiah contends with transgressors against this holy time of the Sabbath What evil is this that ye do and profane the Sabbath day did not your fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon them and upon this City yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath This sin heightens the wrath of God and causes great fires Nehem. 13.17 18. Not onely Nations but Particular persons have also been severely punished upon the same account as ther have been sad instances in several ages men made as monuments of Gods dreadful anger in divers places Tacit. Histor lib 5. Josephus Antiq. lib. 12 cap. 13. lib. 16. cap. 11. Pompey that great Souldier is reported sorely to suffer for defiling of Gods Sabbath and Sanctuary 'T is written of Herod the King who appointing some to pull up the Sepulchres of Gods Saints and to search for supposed treasures therein God made fire to rise out of the earth whereby such as searched were devoured Ecclesiast Histor 12. centur Magdeb. cap. 6. Histories are found full of examples of Gods fearful judgements upon such who upon supposals of earthly pleasure and profit have presumed to pull down the Sahbath of his Son in the solemn service thereof Joh. Fincel lib. 3. de mirac Many make mention of that miserable Woman who upon the Lords day dressing her flax fire flamed out thereof and the third Sabbath it so burned in the house that her children and self was consumed therewith Discipul de de tempore Serm. 117. Another carrying in his Corn upon the Lords day fire kindled in his Barn and burnt it to the ground I have
of families must upon the Lords day be diligent in houshold-duties We find in the 4 th of Mark yea and likewise Luke 14. how our Saviour on the Sabbath day when he had publikely preached to the people as a Minister of the Gospel he after privately examined his Disciples and further instructed them as a Master of a family From which example of Christ an excellent Expositor observes Chemnit examen cap. de dieb fest how unto the sanctification of the Sabbath besides publike duties there is work to be done in Families as instructing servants repetition of Sermons reading Scriptures counselling and quickning such as are under our care that all may keep holy the Lords day So we see the matters men are exhorted unto I come now to consider the motives by which hereunto men are to be exhorted These are of two sorts Some more driving and Others more drawing Motives that more drive unto diligence in these Duties may arise by observing concerning the Christian Sabbath these four things The necessity of it's continued being The Jeopardy of its future losing The uncertainty of its sudden regaining and The possibility of its present cursing 1. The being of the Lords day is necessary note Negatively and Affirmatively Not that God needs any Sabbath-service or such holy duties as additionals to his Dignity Indeed as to us the honour of God seems to sink when Sabbaths cease And the supporting of Sabbaths seems the advancing of Gods glory but the intrinsecal glory of God can receive no increase God would be infinitely happy though men keep no day holy we need his service not he our obedience When our Saviour sent Luk. 19. to unloose the Colt the Disciples were to give the owner this reason thereof The Lord hath need of him We call indeed to a careful keeping of the Sabbath but we do not say the Lord hath need of it The gods of the Heathen need the supports of such as serve them but so does not the God of heaven Hence sayes the holy Apostle Act. 17.24 25 God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth dwells not in temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things One well observes of the Angels Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 9 they are not poor though they have no flocks of sheepe they are not in want though silver gold they have none they do not need these things because they have better things abide them Thus God does not want our service in Sabbaths neither needs he any of our duties on holy dayes because of those most perfect felicities and glorious excellencies that are in himself abiding As the Lord is omniscient and needs not any man to assist his knowledge So the Lord is all-sufficient and needs not any thing to help his happinesse And therefore the necessity of Sabbath-observance does not referre to God But to observe Sabbaths the necessity is in reference to us for a double cause viz. Necessitas duplex Praecepti Medii Gods Injunction towards us and Our condition towards God 1. 'T is necessary for us to observe the Sabbath day in all its duties because of Gods injunction And here 't is meet of two things to take good notice to wit Every command of God causes a necessity of our obodience and here is a necessity of our obedience because of Gods expresse command 1. Whereever God gives a word of command there is a work of our obedience necessary I had rather sayes Luther obey the Lords commands then to work Miracles If Miracles need be wrought God will do his own work but 't is needfull we obey commands for God will not do mans work As God by his promises binds himself to vouchsafe mercy So God by his precepts binds us to perform duty As God promising mercy requires our faith so God commanding duty requires our obedience Obedience 't is a debt which as we certainly owe so we must necessarily pay Some they owe to God the debt of passive obedience as they are his prisoners all they owe to God the debt of active obedience as they are his creatures 2. Here God gives a word of manifest command and therefore visibly to obey is necessary Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 Touching this commandement That the Sabbath day be kept holy we may observe Who was the Giver of it Mediatorem hic appellat Christum declarans quòd ipse ante legem fuerit legem tulerit Chrysost In principio mundi Christus Mediator erat hominum etfi nondum erat homo c. Orig. Ambros lib. 4. in Luc. and To whom it was given 1. He who gave this Sabbath Command was Christ the Mediatour He who came down upon Mount Sinai and gave the whole Law is called Jehovah Exod. 20.2 Deut. 4 11. This the Septuagint translate Lord And the same the holy Apostle applies to the Mediatour our Lord Christ Gal. 3.19 And Origen Chrysostome Ambrose with almost all the Ancients in expounding that place of the Apostle do affirme that 't was Christ the Mediatour both of the Old and New Testament by whom the Law was given So Calvin Junius Marlorat and other able Writers since assert upon the same text We are therefore to look upon this sanctifying the Sabbath as that for which Christ hath given a positive Command 'T was not a Mosaical Ceremony pointing to Christ but 't is a Moral duty appointed by Christ and so to remain under the Gospel and government of Christ untill Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father and set an end to all times and things in this world 2. He to whom this Sabbath-Command was given is every one Individually Thou Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Thou Not as a Jew but as a man every man both Jew and Christian Herein whosoever exempts himself deceives himself Yea and of all the commands not any have such a Memorandum upon it as that which concerns the sanctifying of the Sabbath Remember As it related to a duty to be performed in dayes past so it related to a people that in dayes past should still perform that duty A Christian Church to come Remember If men forget all the rest yet let them remember this and if they well remember this not any of the rest will be forgoten That which Luther affirms of the first may wel be referred to the 4. Commandment that in the observance of that obedience to all the rest is comprized 2. The Sabbath day in all its duties is necessary for men to sanctifie because of their condition whether they be considered As unregenerate Or as regenerate 1. For men in an unregenerate estate they need to have a holy Sabbath observed And of such there are two sorts Some in a sinful estate and know it not and others that know
the day of his Birth but I never read of any that cursed the day of his New Birth This is the day of rescuing the prey from the mighty the day of opening the Prison-dores and setting the captive free Exod. 12.42 It is a night much to be observed to the Lord for bringing them out from the Land of Egypt This is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations So may we say of the Sabbath 'T is a day much to be observed to the Lord for bringing souls from the bondage of sin This is the day much to be observed to the Lord of all the children of God throughout all generations This hath been the day of many a spiritual Marriage or the day of Gods espousing many souls to Christ Thus hath God honoured this his holy day highly And as for this holy day it doth highly honour God exalting all that appertains to God It beautifies the service of God It dignifies the servants of God 1. Hereby the service of God is beautified Eccles 3.11 Every work sayes the Wise man is beautiful in its season Holy duties are best in season upon holy dayes Preach the Word sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 42. Be instant in season and out of season rebuke exhort c. In season That is upon the Sabbath day Out of season That is in the week-time So several sound Expositors upon the place Prov. 25.11 Words spoken in season are like apples of gold in pictures of silver Thus Prayers made and Sermons preached in season are as golden apples in silver pictures one helping to honour the other The golden apples grace the silver pictures and the silver pictures set out the golden apples Thus the Sabbath-service advances the Sabbath-season and the Sabbath-season exalts the Sabbath-service and all lifts up the honour of God who hath prepared silver dishes for golden apples and put golden apples into silver dishes Appointing blessed dayes for sacred duties and sacred duties for blessed dayes 2. Hereby the servants of God are dignified God in giving the whole Law and so in proclaiming the Command for the sanctifying of the Sabbath made use of the Ministery of Angels not for necessity to him but dignity to them 'T was an honour to the Angels to be present and assistant when the Sabbath was set forth Gala. 3.19 .. Thus God in the continued management of the Sabbath and carrying on the sanctification thereof in the world makes use of the Ministery of men as a dignity to them Among other respects there are two most remarkable things that do dignifie the office of Ministers above all other Functions The subject they are imployed for viz. The Souls of men And the Season they are imployed in viz. The Sabhaths of God Other callings their work lies upon the week-daies but the Minister in his businesse lies bound for the Sabbath O let not any earthly discouragements sink the soules of my dear brethren but let 's honour that God who hath so honoured us as to bend and bind our businesse to this blessed Day Hath God magnify'd our office to labour on this day Let us magnifie our office by this days-labour Steadfast immoveable abounding in the Lords work upon the Lords day That God who hath blessed the day for our work will blesse our work in the day 2. The Sabbath consider'd as Christian hath honour Christianity brings on dignity Theodosius accounted himself more noble as he was a Christian then as he was an Emperour Hence Luther professed He had rather be a Christian beggar then Heathen Alexander Our Sabbath is Christian and therefore excellent The excellencie of our Christian Sabbath may be seen by two sorts of things Some more Principal Some lesse Principal The principall things that put a price upon the Sabbath lie In the appointing of it and In the abyding of it This day may appear precious if we ponder The person by whom and The reason for why 't was appointed 1. The person through whom this appointment came was Christ and his Institution August de temp Serm. 36. To this Austin applies that prediction of the Prophet Psal 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad therein Jesus Christ himself set out this Sabbath-time Christ in person Christ in the Apostles THE LORD CHRIST Coelum eâ— Christus non patiantur hyperbolen O how excellent is he Christ and Heaven says Luther in their praise can be no excesse Too little we may speak never too much All the excellencies of God and man meet in Christ That then must needs be excellent whereof Christ is the Author That Child is nobly born which can call Christ Father The Sabbath derives its pedigree from Christ 2. The reason upon which this Day was ordained was Christ in his Resurrection The Resurrection of Christ was the first degree of his exaltation Had he not risen from the dead he had never ascended into heaven never sat down at the right hand of God And therefore his rising day may well be our resting day that day on which Christ took the first step to all his great honours is an honourable day and a day much to be honoured God hath highly honoured this day As by converting on it the Souls of men So by raising on this day the Body of his Son 2. We may see this days excellency in its permanency As the Priesthood of Melchizedeck was more excellent then the Priesthood of Aaron because of its order for ever Hebr. 7.17 So the Sabbath of Christians is more excellent then all the Sabbaths of the Jews because it continues To this Sabbath it might be said in regard of all the Jewish Sabbaths They shall perish but thou remainest and they shall all wax old as doth a garment As a vesture shalt thou roul them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail Heb. 1.11 12. To this day all the powers of earth hell shall never put a period Lastly we may look into the large dignity of this Day From the timing of it and From the naming of it 1. This day is so tim'd as is a help to its honour 'T is the first day in the week We have a rule That the first in every kind is more excellent then all the rest August de civit De. ili 11. Cypria Serm. de Spir. S Austin Cyprian and other of the Ancients much advance the excellency of the Sabbath from the circumstance of time That 't is the seventh Day The number seven being most perfect that which they say comprises many mysteries of moment But that which is more meet for us to consider is the settling of our Christian Sabbath upon the first day of the week Luke 2.23 we read how 't was written in the Law that every Male that first opened the womb was called holy to the Lord our Sabbath it is
A Sabbath well spent As it is formidable to the Devil So 't is acceptable to God We go from Sabbath-day-duties Prayer well made Sermons well heard and Sacraments well received sayes Chrysostome as Lyons breathing fire terrible to the Devils themselves But that which is bitterly displeasing to the Devil is most sweetly pleasing to God So Calvin expounds that place of the Prophet Isay 58.13 Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight Or Delights in the plural as that worthy Interpreter renders it from the Hebrew and refers it not to men but to God saying That the right observation of the Sabbath is the delights of the Lord nothing to God more grateful And indeed no lesse from the place appears Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord HONOVRABLE and shalt honour him The Prophet seems to set down a double reason why the Sabbath should be the delights of the Lord viz. 'T is the holy of the Lord and 'T is the honour of the Lord. That sure is the delight of the Lord which is the holy of the Lord. A holy God cannot but delight in a holy day That which is so suitable to him must needs be acceptable with him And that which is the Lords honour is certainly the Lords delight The Sabbath it is the honour of God displayed 't is the great Engine God moves in this world to make out his honour As God hath honoured this day by making it holy for us so we much honour God by keeping it holy to him What is his honour is his pleasure 2. The Angels of God are greatly delighted to see Sabbaths observed which may arise from a double advantage viz. To themselves and To others Through our Sabbath-day-exercises Angels do much advantage themselves in that their knowledge comes hereby constantly to encrease Austin well observes that the Angels of heaven have Both their Morning and Also their Evening-knowledge Their morning-knowledge This they have by Creation from the Worlds beginning as soon as they were made they were able knowingly to contemplate God heavens glory and their own felicities Their evening-knowledge This they have by inspection and diligent observation of the affairs of the Church and Mysteries of the Gospel made manifest in the end of the World Ephes 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Those Gospel-discoveries of Christ upon the Lords day the Angels delight fully to look into and enlarge their knowledge by 2. Through Sabbath-day-exercises Angels see great advantage to others and this makes the day their delight This being the day wherein lost Goats are found strayed sheep are brought home and prodigal sons return to their Fathers house O the musik it makes in heaven and joy among the Angels of God Luk. 15. Luk. 2. we see what rejoycing was among the Angels upon the day of Christs Birth singing Glory be to God good will to men Tydings of great joy To you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. If Angels reioyced at the day when Christ is born to men do they not rejoyce on the day wherein men are born to Christ Ut homâ—nes nascerentur ex Deo primo ex ipsis natus est Deus August in Joan. c. 2. The very end as Austin observes why God was first born of men was that after men might be born of God Therefore Angels who rejoyced at the other may well rejoyce at this Yea Angels who are present in the publike Assemblies of Gods Saints 1 Cor. 11.10 not only to observe but to assist them in Sabbath day-duties O how much is it Angels delight to find us this day fervent in praying painful in preaching diligent in hearing c Persons inferiour that herein find pleasure are Faithful Ministers and Faithful Christians 1. To Ministers that are faithful the Sabbath is a day of sweet delight Upon the Lords day labouring Either they have herein their desired successe Or they have not that successe herein they do desire Sometimes God gives them good successe in their Sabbath-Day-endeavous that is their delight Austin having preached an excellent sermon some of his hearers thinking to please him with their applause fell into his high praises the good man sighed saying Alas these are but leaves it is fruit we delight in The peoples fruit and profit is the Ministers delight and pleasure Let a faithful Minister meet with never so many molestations all the week yet if upon the Sabbath God prospers and the peoples profit lo this is his delight and comfort this his crown and joy John 16. it is said of a Mother she forgets her pain and travels for joy that a man-child is born into the world Thus a good Minister forgets all his week-day-difficulties and discouragements in the world for joy that a soul on the Sabbath is born again to God And if they have not such successe yet the day of their labour is the day of their delight 2 Cor 12.15 I will very gladly spend and be spent for your soules though the more abundantly I love you the lesse I be loved Here the Apostle in all his Ministerial paines seemes to have poore successe cold encouragement Little love for great labour Yet for the desired good of souls he gladly yea very gladly spends himself is spent Faithfull Ministers if they find good successe of their Sabbath-service then they rejoyce because they have a sure reward from God If upon the service of the Sabbath they have no such successe yet they can rejoyce because they have asure reward with God Isay 49.4 I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought yet SVRELY my Judgement is with the Lord my REWARD with my GOD. Vers 5. Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord. If Israel be gathered then are we glorious in the eyes of men If Israel be not gathered yet are we glorious in the eyes of God who looks more to our sincere intent in our work Nos octavâ die quae ipsa prima est perfecti Sabbeti festivitate laetamur Hilar Prolog in Psal pag. 335. then at the successeful event of our work We may well therefore make our labouring day our delighting day The day of our greatest paines the Day of our sweetest Pleasure 2. To Christians that are fruitful the Lords Day is a day of large delight This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psal 118.24 As there is not a day which the Lord hath not made So there is not a day wherein Saints may not be glad but as the Lord hath made this DAY to differ from all the rest so saints may be otherwise glad on this day then at any other times Which will be evident if we consider 2. The properties of Sabbath-joyes as to Gods Saints They are The safest and The sweetest They are The firmest and The fullest joyes 1. These are the safest joyes
Take week-day-delights as in worldly matters and ordinarily there is a deadly hook within a pleasant bait Our Mother Eve Gen. 3. looked upon the fruit of the forbidden tree and it was pleasant for her eye Ai Ai but that which was pleasant for her sight it was perillous for her soul It was but week-day-pleasure in a Garden-tree had she continued innocent and tasted of Sabbath-day-delights in a glorious God of that fruit she might have eate and at that Fountain she might have drunk safely 2. These are the sweetest joyes Weekday-sports in lawful delights are but as pills rolled up in Sugar bitter-sweet sweet without bitter within As the Prophets Book that was as honey in the mouth and as gall in the belly These earthly pleasures are as garden-Roses which as they have their pleasant leaves so they have their pricking stalks Whereas true Sabbath-delights are throughout sweet Some bitter drops may possibly fall in them but they are not properly of them For as there is saltnesse in every drop of Sea-water So there is sweetnesse in every dram of true Sabbath-comfort 3. These are the firmest joyes Unto sinful men their week-delights are weak delights that rise and soone fall that spring up and soone wither away One blast of Gods displeasure it blowes out those Candle-comforts One drop of a troubled conscience sayes Luther swallowes up a Sea of worldly joy Whereas to Gods Saints Sabbath-delights are surer delights stable and strong As the strength of the Lord is their joy So the joy of the Lord is their strength Their delights in the Sabbath of the Lord Is by delighting in the Lord of the Sabbath Isay 58.13 Thou shalt not do thy pleasure on my holy day but call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor speaking thine own words What then Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. I will cause thee to ride upon high places and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father Here is a firme foundation for Saints Sabbath-delightings viz. God and his gracious dealings 4. These are the fullest joyes Sabbath-feasting-delights are soul-filling-delights Week-day-pleasures in worldly matters are ever swelling but never filling They are windy and empty and so apt to swell men with pride and self-conceits But they do not fill men so as to give them any good satisfactions Soul-satisfying joyes are Sabbath-sanctifying joyes Comforts in and communions with God give full content Some of Gods Saints who have had their souls filled with sorrowes all the week yet upon the Sabbath God hath turned their water into wine August de tempore Serm. 154. Austin is of the judgement that that Marriage in Cana of Galilee Joh. 2. was upon the Sabbath-day when the six water pots being fill'd with water to the brim Christ made all into wine When with some the six-week-dayes have been like those six water pots all fill'd brim full with the waters of sorrow the Lord upon the day of our Christian Sabbath hath changed all into the best wine of soul-refreshing comfort Joseph de bello Judaico lib. 7. cap. 24. Josephus writes of a River near Jerusalem that upon the six dayes in the week was dry through the failing of the water from the spring head but upon the Sabbath which was the seventh day the springs sent out so fast that the banks were filled whereupon it was commonly called The Sabbath-River I cannot affirm the truth of this But this is truth There are that can by experience speak it When little hath come from the spring head of comfort all the week yet upon the Sabbath day soul-eomforts have flowed in and filled up amaine About the tents of the Jewes Manna fell from heaven onely upon the week-dayes none was found upon the Sabbath 'T is otherwise with Christians that Manna of heavenly joy that falls not all the week is to be found upon their Sabbath day so as that therewith their souls are safely sweetly and firmely filled O how much might this promote among us the careful keeping of our Christian Sabbath viz. The profitable comfort and the comfortable profit that may in the same be possessed Yet upon the souls of several of Gods Saints some things may be supposed sadly to sit Some complain that though past there hath been a long continuance of the Sabbath yet they have found no such profit and comfort Others confesse they have found much comfort and profit but they fear a short continuance of the Sabbath for the future The former are damp'd in the duty and service of the day because they feel no present profit and comfort coming The latter are damp'd in their comfort and profit for present because they fear the day will not publickly endure But that neither the want of the comfort of the day may dishearten the duty Nor the doubt of the continuance of the day may diminish the comfort Some things suitable to both sorts may be said to help in such cases of sadnesse First for such of Gods Saints as are under temptations discouraging from the service of the Sabbath because they have not had such good successe in Sabbaths observed 1. Be it so yet such ought in the Sabbath-day-duties to continue their diligence We are bound to perform duty though we should not receive mercy 't is the mark of meer Mercenaries without some recompence no obedience Indeed the recompence of reward may be in our eye though it be not our end In our work we do we may have a love to the reward but for meer love of the Reward we are not to do our work God is our great Lord and Master though 't is not servile obedience yet 't is obedience of servants we owe to him daily and much more upon his holy day If he should not be as a liberal Master to pay us wages for it yet we must be as loyal servants to perform his work in it A learned Author reports Cassianus lib 4 cap. 24. that he knew a young man who meerly in obedience to a superiours command for a whole year together he went two miles every day onely to poure water on a dry withered stick We ought every Lords day to come under Gospel-waterings though our hearts should remain as withered dry and dead sticks or hard stones though we should feel no softenings quickenings comfortings 't is enough we have a command the duty is ours the day is Christs who is over all God above all blessed for ever 'T is a favour God will imploy us though he should not reward us Angels are glad God will send them on his businesse though they have no new recompence They are chearful to increase their duty though they do not enlarge their glory We be not to conceive of the Angels that some God hath to stand up by him and others are sent out of him for sayes the Apostle Are they not all ministring spirits sent
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-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
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
darknesse might be over all the Land for some few years Those strange astonishing turnings which we have seen in our times whether they tend to the overturning of the holy times and things of God God knows Should we have our deserts and some their desires there would soone be seen a sad sinking of Sabbaths Should some succeed in their designs yet the Day of God might say as the Church of God Mieh 7.8 Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise c. Yea and 't is hopeful it would not be long after its falling before it is rising We are in the last times wherein God as he hath great works to do so great works he may permit men to do yet in all he will have quick dispatches Should the Gospel-Sabbath and the Gospell with the Sabbath be beaten down in England yet mangre the might and malice of all their enemies we have some grounds to hope it would not be long before the Lord lifts them up again The time for the conversion of the Ancient Jews and the subversion of the Antichristian Rome now draws nigh for the batteries of whose external part God will make use of Externall Powers And it appears by consulting Revel 17. that these Nations of Europe who have taken part with the beast and born her up shall beat her down The most Orthodox that I meet make England one of those ten hornes which shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Now sure it will be England beset with Sabbaths that shall send out and be assistant in this Service When Joshuas shall be forth abroad with their armies in the valleys many Moses's shall be at home in the mount especially on the Lords Day preaching and praying with hands lifted up unto the most High God then shall be the ruine of this Romish Amalek this day drawes near I think indeed it is impossible punctually to determine the time of Romes finall fall except we could be exact in the time of Antichrists first originalls but certain that time does apace approach Therefore should any party acted by the Spirit of Antichrist for a time interrupt the Lords Day and oppresse the precious priviledges thereof yet they shall not long prevail they shall prove but as Athanasius said of Julians power A cloud that will presently passe Indeed should Sabbaths fail and fall in respect of sinfull men as I have said before there would be grounds of great fear that it might be a long time before God returns them but in respect of good men there is and will be good grounds of hope God will shorten that sad time For the Elects sake those daies shall be shortened Matth. 24.22 Our Saviour there speaks of such a sad time as even upon Sabbath-days there might be such dangers that men instead of resting and serving God they should then be running to preserve themselves verse 20. Ai but such a time should not be long For the Elects sake God would cut it short Indeed as the least time of the Lord of the Sabbaths absence So the least time of the Sabbath of the Lords hinderance to gracious hearts will be grievous long Bernard upon that saying of our Saviour John 16. Yet a little while and ye shall see me and a little while and ye shall not see me A little while Lord says he A little while Thou canst not be gone the least while but it will be a long time So the Sabbath cannot cease the smallest season but the time to Gods Saints will seeme exceeding long and therefore that time which in it self and to others would indeed be long God for their sake makes it short 2. There is a possibility notwithstanding the projects of men and perils we are in to preserve with us the present liberties of the Lords Day But then let us observe Some things towards the Sabbath of the Lord And some things towards the Lord of the Sabbath Towards the Sabbath of the Lord let us labour To advance Sabbath-esteemes and To revive Sabbath-decays The Sabbath we ought all to consider in respect Of its worth And its work In its worth let us rise to higher opinions and In its work let us strive to quicker affections 1. Let our opinions rise higher in the worth of the day Indeed with the best Gods holy times are of too low esteemes but with the most Gods glorious Day is covered with great contempt buried in the minds of men under the Tombestone of deep forgetfulnesse or under heapes of base and unbeseeming thoughts Lamentations 4.2 The precious stones of Zion comparable to fine gold how sayes the Prophet are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers the work of the hands of the Potter So may I say the precious Sabbaths of God better then the finest gold how are they esteemed as ordinary week-dayes fit onely for the common work of mens labouring hands But let us estimate this above all other times and things Let God and his holy Sabbath have the highest roome in our hearts and the chief place in the prime of our thoughts The Jewes were wont to call the whole week by the name of the Sabbath and to say Chrysost in 1. Cor. 16. Hom. 43. Hieron ad Hedibi Quaest 4. Theophyl in Luc. 18. Lyra. in eundem Beza in 1. C. 16. 1. Tremel in Syriac Paraphras Matth. 28.1 c. the first second third c. Day of or after the Sabbath and so the Greek in some texts of the New Testament reads it as Luk. 18.12 Mark 16.2 c. This they did as learned Writers observe 1. For to discriminate themselves in calling the dayes of the week otherwise then the Gentils who called them by the names of their Idols 2. For to demonstrate the dignity of the Sabbath-day and that above all the dayes of the week it was with them of the greatest account they had that reverend esteem thereof as to denominate the whole week thereby And ought not Christians much rather to hold up an high and honourable esteem of the gospell-Gospell-Sabbath as a more glorious day 2. Let our affections become quicker in the work of the day O how of late hath the Lords day layen a dying through the dulnesse yea deadnesse of Christians in the duties thereof The way to revive the Sabbaths of God is to revive the service of God and the way to revive the service of God is to revive Gods Saints in the service And if that we would have such Sabbath-revivings Therein Let our visions of God be clearer And our approaches to God be closer 1. The clearer upon the Sabbath we can see God the better will our revivings be It is said Gen. 45. that when Jacob saw the waggons that Joseph his Son had sent his spirit within him revived Did his spirit revive when he saw the waggons his Son had sent O what were his revivings of spirit when he saw
his son who sent the waggons The Ordinances upon the Lords day they are the waggons that for us God hath sent it is some reviving to see them O but to see God whence these waggons are and whose the Ordinances be how reviving is that O sayes David to God that I may see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 63.2 2. The closer upon the Sabbath we can draw to God the better will our revivings be We read 2 King 13.21 of a dead man that being let down into the Sepulchre of Elisha as soon as he touched the bones of the dead Prophet he presently revived Thus Christians whose hearts are dead yet coming close to God in the Sabbath have sudden soul-revivings and most comfortable quicknings And this is the way to recover the life of the Lords day and so to settle the liberties thereof which at least to some seem to be shaking Towards the Lord yet further that his day may endure let us Keep in the presence of the Lord Keep up prayer to the Lord. 1. The presence of the Lord kept in with us will hold holy Sabbaths amongst us Indeed let the Lord depart and then the dayes of grace and means of grace will immediately remove When Christ goes he calls Come with me my Sabbaths Ordinances and all my holy Institutions Time was Christ walked in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.13 That is those seven once famous Churches of Asia had the presence of Chirst with them and the Ordinances of Christ among them the Lords day was a known day But now the Sabbath of the Gospel and the Gospel with the Sabbath is gone because Christ there was not kept O sayes Martha Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died If thou hadst been present my brother had not departed So may those Asian people now say to Christ Lord if thou hadst aboad with us thy holy Times and Things had never been stirred Matth. 28.20 Christ there hath promised his presence even in the use of Ordinances unto the end of the world The way to retain Christs presence Is to believe his promise No hands like faith to lay hold upon Christ Faith sayes Luther is like the beloved Disciple it leans in Christs bosom it will not leave him nor let him go Faith it produces A vigorous love and A vertuous life Unto a people both will bind Christ 2. Prayer to the Lord kept up by us will hold holy Sabbaths amongst us In the land were the Spirit of prayer up Sabbaths would never go down Indeed it will be a hard matter to make Sabbaths stand if still praying hands fall O pray pray pray And in prayer plead with God To send out more Sabbath-labourers and To blesse Labourers more in the Sabbath 1. Pray that more may be sent out who will be faithful in the labours of the Sabbath Matth. 9.37 38. The harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth lavourers into his harvest Many places in this Land are as fields of ripe Corn and alas how do the Divels those fouls of the air Math. 13.4 and wicked men those swine of the earth Matth. 7.6 wholly waste and spoil all for want of Sabbath-labouring men to gather into Gods Barn In divers places upon the Lords day O what dark doings people being as a black Lanthorne without any Candle And shall not we pray that God would set up lights and send out labourers that his day may be duly observed and that we may pre his day 2. Pray that those who are sent out may be fruitful in their Sabbath-labour that they may see the travels of their souls and be satisfied That Gods good work may prosper in their hands and their peoples hearts That every Sabbath they spend and every Sermon they preach may prove as the bowe of Jonathan which from the Battel never returned empty There is a precious promise fit in prayer to be pressed Esay 54.10 11. As the rain comes down and the showers from heaven and returns not thither but watereth the earth making it bud and bring forth seed to the sower and bread to the eater So sayes God shall my Word be that goes out of my mouth it shall not return to me void O pray we that neither the Red or the Black horse be harnessed out to the Battel But that Christ on the white horse may conquer Rev. 6. Many souls in the Sabbath by the Gospel may be gained over to God This would perpetuate Sabbaths and make the Lords day lasting Last of all unto Gods Saints a Sabbath in some sense is sure never to cease Gods people Shall either have the Sabbath of the Lord Or to them the Lord will be a Sabbath Ezek. 11.16 Thus saith the Lord I will be to them as a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come Gods people in Babylon when they could not go to worship God in the great and beautifull Temple at Jerusalem yet then God was as a little Temple to them And this little Temple was better then the great Thus the Saints of God when they cannot have the Sabbath that is present God will be to them a Sabbath more precious God is the best Sabbath 1 Sam. 1.8 Elkanah sayes to Hannah his Wife Am not I better to thee then ten sons One God better then ten Sabbaths and twenty Sermons to the souls of his Saints No Sabbath of God is like God a Sabbath no Sabbath-rest like to the rest that is in this Sabbath no comfort in a Sabbath like this Sabbath of comfort Yea let Gods sincere Saints live or die they have a Sabbath will last an everlasting Sabbath If they live their Sabbath will be ever with them and If they die they shall be ever with their Sabbath Ambros in Psal 119. August de cavit Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Some of the Ancients were wont to call that eternal life God gives in heaven The great Sabbath And That long Sabbath-day that hath no night O but then God himself who in heaven gives life eternal what a Sabbath is he O the height and depth breadth and length of this Sabbath Christus est magnum sempiter-numque Sabbatum cujus parvum illud Judaicum exemplar in illo siquidem Sabbato requiescimus cum in illo solo spem ponimus cum hunc toto cordis amore diligimus c. Epiphan lib. 1. Haeres 30 Greg. Nyss de Resurre Orat. 1. Yea I find of the Ancients who affirme that to Gods dear Saints in the dayes of the Gospel there is a double enduring Sabbath viz. Christ And a good conscience Christ is the great and eternal Sabbath which in the Gospel God hath set up and in this Sabbath we rest when we repose our hearts and hopes upon him This is an unchangeable Sabbath Christ the same yesterday to
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
rest in Ordinances that therefore they are not upon the Lords Day in the Spirit This may be considered Both in respect of the Ordinances they use And in respect of their use of Ordinances 1. The Ordinances that some upon the Sabbath use are of a lower rank viz. Reading of Scriptures Hearing of Sermons and Prayer to God In these they rest and do not rise to duties of a higher sort viz. Sequestred Meditation Sacramental participation and Solemn congratulation These three duties are as Davids 3. Worthies that outwent all their fellowes 2. Sam. 23.23 In reading and hearing Gods Word truths are more transient but in meditation they are more stayed and established In the Word are rare things uttered and opened But in the Sacrament they are also sealed and settled In prayer to God we seek the supplying our wants and serving our present necessities c. But in prayses of God we set up Gods worth exalting his Bounty and Beauty In the Ministery of the Word God comes as it were down into the world to us In meditation we go as it were out of the world up to God Of Isaac 't is said he went into the field to meditate but of a Christian it may be said he goes out of the field viz. out of the world to meditate dilate and delight his thoughts upon God Of God he cannot take in so much by the hearing of the ear as he doth by the thoughts of his heart In the Word we hear discovered the Love of God by his voice In the Sacrament we see uncovered the Love of Christ in his Crosse herein the soul by a working faith walks into the wounds of Christ banquets upon his bruised body and bathes it self in his blessed blood By prayer we receive mercy from God By Praises we give glory to God Now 't is more excellent to give then to receive Prayer is the sole work of Saints militant on earth praises is also the work of Saints triumphant in Heaven As in an Orchard the ripest and sweetest fruit and that which is most pleasant to sight and taste is to be gathered from off the upper boughs of trees So the sweetest comforts of the Spirit that most refresh the heart and ravish the soules of Saints are to be found in these upper duties upon the Day of the Sabbath Now because Christians do not rise unto these higher performances but rest in those lower services therefore they are not in the Spirit upon the Lords Day 2. The use that some upon the Sabbath have of sacred Ordinances is onely in a lower way viz. so as that their hearts in holy duties Are heavy and sad Or lazie and dead And empty of God Thus they rest and do not rise to that higher way of using Gods holy Ordinances viz. so as in religious exercises to have their hearts Cheered Fixed and Filled with God First they perform the Service of the Sabbath all with sadded hearts in a lumpish way Their spirits bowed down with a burden of black apprehensions so as that all the Lords day long they have no list to lift up themselves Fishermen when upon the waters of the Sea they cast out their nets they not onely hang on lead but they put on cork that they may the better bear them up and bring them out whereas when Christians upon the duties of the Sabbath draw out their hearts having no cork of encouraging hope but all lead of desponding thâ—ughts and distrusting feares they cannot bear up their souls sink in the service of God Matth. 28.8 it is said of some good women that they went from Christs Sepulchre upon his Resurrection-day with fear and great joy but some Christians they come and go from Gods Ordinances upon the Lords Day with great fear but no joy so that when they should be in the triumphs of the Spirit thâ—â—r spirits are filled with troubles Tâ—â— Sabbath it is the day whereon Christ came up from his Sepulchre in which before he lay dead and buried buâ— the Sabbath 't is the day whereon some Christians go down into the Sepulchre of sorrowes and bury their soules under sad doubts in which graves of darknesse they rest when from them they ought to rise Upon the day of the Sabbath the soules of Gods Saints should send out sweet comforts as the conduits of a City that run with wine upon the day of some triumph Upon this day the minds of all good men should mount up into heaven and comfortably converse with God from morning to night drinking deep of those rivers of pleasure that are in Gods presence Now this Christians do not whose hearts are upon this day down in deep fears and sorrows 2. Gods Saints may sometimes transact the duties of the Sabbath with deadnesse of heart in a livelesse and luke-warm way Dead Sacrifices and Jewish Sabbaths suited but dead services and Christian Sabbaths do not accord Gospell-Sabbaths require living Sacrifices yea a lively soul in every service As the true mother in the Kings could not be content with a dead child in her bosome no more should a true Christian be satisfied with a dead heart in holy duty especially upon the Lords Day The day wherein deadnesse should be turn'd into life weaknesse into strength and earthly coldnesse into heavenly heatings For want of this Sabbaths passe with small profit The day may be long yet little work done Souldiers who meet and muster upon a training day and diâ—charge their Muskets withâ—ut bullet or shot they make a noise but no execution is done Christians meet and gather on the Sabbath day discharge their duties without feâ—vour and heat some noise is made but little work wrought no rising of heart no ascending of soul no being in the Spiâ—it on the Lords Day As Christians should not rest in livelesse low or weak graces but labour to enliven and still more to strengthen those divine qualities so they should not rest in livelesse low and flat performances but endeavour to grow to greater life warmth and strength in all holy duties Not sloathful in businesse but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. For want of fervency of Spirit there is so much sloathfulnesse in the businesse of Gods blessed Day Fervency or zeal is to duty as the soul to the body without which all is but a cold carcase Zeal is to the Soule as oyl to the wheele whence it goes quick and is agil in all the waies of Gods worship This is that Pillar of fire which as it must go along with us in the night of our suffering so in the day of our service Service and soul and all dies as this decayes As upon the wasting of radicall heat the body growes into weaknesse sicknesse and death so in the soul of man and Service of God all languishes and declines as spiritual heat abates It is said of John the Baptist he was a burning and a shining light When Christians are before men shining in actions
but are not towards God burning in affections they keep dayes and carry on duties in a spiritlesse way And for lack of such sparklings and springings of soul they are not in the Spirit on the Lords day 3. Pious men may possibly passe Sabbaths resting in Gods Ordinance without enjoying Gods presence God having made those heavenly creatures Sun Moon and Stars yet rested not till he had created man so man having used holy duties Word Sacraments and Prayer yet therein should not rest till he can attain God When the Jewes were gone out of Egypt and were in their way to Canaan God told them they should have his Angel to go before them but himself would not go with them which when they heard they all mourned and none would put on his Ornaments Exod. 33.2 3.4 Gods servants in Sabbaths should not be satisfied though they had the Ministery of Angels except God himself be present When Rebecca was in her journey to Abrahams house with his servants she rode on the Camel but she did not rest on the Camel when she saw Isaac who was to be her husband she lighted down and modestly met him Gen. 24.63 64. Jacob rejoyced to see the wagons his son Joseph had sent yet was not the seeing of them nor being in them that satisfied Jacob but thereby to go into Egypt and see and enjoy Joseph himself It becomes Christians to rejoyce when God gives them Ordinances to use yet is not the highest Ordinances they can have upon this holy day wherein they should rest contented except thereby they can come to some communion with God It is reported of Master Bradford the Martyr that he would never leave off in holy duties till he found therein somewhat of God as in prayer he would not give over till he had some intimation from God of his love in meditation till he had some manifestation of Gods presence quickening and quieting his heart Gods servants even upon Sabbath dayes when duties are most solemn and settled should not rest satisfied except God shewes upon them some token for good and seals upon their souls some impression of his presence which they may carry with them all the week The Church Cant. 3. being at a losse for her beloved she goes to the watchmen and enquires of them And 't was but a little said she tâ— at I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth We are not so far to passe Instruments and Ordinances as not to make use of them or attend in them but we are to passe them a little in respect of any relyance on them or resting in them As evil things unrepented of carry us from God so good things rested in keep us from God It is for Pharisees and Papists to rest in good works done Christians should rise higher and reach at a GOD in every good work at Christ a Saviour in every service of the Sabbath When Samuel was to anoint one of the family of Jesse to be King over Israel Jesse made seven of his sons to passe before the Prophet and as they passed one after another the Prophets word was This is not he Neither this he c. Then sayes Samuel Is there not yet another And Jesse said There remains yet the youngest and behold he keeps the sheep And Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither And Jesse sent and brought in David Then sayes the Prophet This is he and he anointed him 1 Sam. 16. Thus upon a Sabbath when Instruments Ordinances Ministers Scriptures Prayers Sermons Sacraments and all passe one after another the souls of Gods Saints should secretly say Is there not yet another The Lord our righteousnesse we cannot sit down till he comes hither And when the Lord himself appears in an Ordinance each soul should say This this is he Some they sit down in Ordinances though no Christ comes in little or nothing of the Lord himself is seen and so their hearts rise not The Virgin Mary comming into the house where Elizabeth was she being with child the babe leaped in her womb and she was filled with the holy Ghost and said with a loud voice Whence is this that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luk 1. Now it was not so much the Mother of the Lord as the Lord in his Mother that made the child in Elizabeth leap 'T is not the Ministers of Christ nor the Ordinances of Christ but Christ in his Ministers and Christ in his Ordinances that makes the hearts of holy men to leap upon the Lords day Thus they are filled with the holy Ghost and fixed with the Spirit of God Now because Christians do not rise to a high minding the presence of Christ but rest in a low using the Ordinances of Christ they are not in the Spirit on the Lords day Use Exhortion Let this incite all Gods Saints to such a spiritual spending of the gospel-Gospel-Sabbath that upon this day they may be in the Spirit Two things 't is here meet to mark Viz. The matter whereof this is comprised and The motives whereby this is enforced Spiritually to spend the Lords day does comprise principally these two things viz. The influence of Gods Spirit with us and The concurrence of our spirits with God 1. The inflowings of Gods Spirit so as to work in a double way viz. Of Resistance And Assistance There being mighty oppositions against us we need the Spirit of God for their resisting and There being many imperfections about us we need the same Spirit for our assisting 1. The blessed Spirit upon the Sabbath to resist Satan and what he secretly suggests to damp the duties of the day Indeed the Divels design is not onely to dull us in but if possibly to drive us from this day in all the duties thereof And when he cannot keep off our bodies to carry away our hearts he comes oft like a flood a flood of water to hinder a flame of zeal Revel 12.15 And the Serpent cast out of â—is mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood When Satan sees that upon the Sabbath we will go out to the Ordinances of God to quench and carry away our hearts he then causes temptations to come as a flood viz. Both in abundance And with violence Against this the best helper is Gods holy Spirit Esay 59.19 VVhen the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him Thus ate the billowes beat back and the floods dryed up and Satans designs dashed and our souls upon the Sabbath set in a more hopeful way for Spiritual work 2. The Spirit of God upon the Sabbath to assist and help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Our infirmities likewise the Spirit helpeth for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self makes intercession for us with groanes that cannot
hearts cold and affectiont flat as 't is a dishonour to the Lord of the Sabbath so 't is a dishonour to the Sabbath of the Lord. Christians should be like Angels who are called Seraphims for their fiery zeal in the service of God And so to be zealous in Sabbath-Duty will raise the Dignity of the Sabbath This will admirably evidence As Gods Interest in the Day So the excellency of this Day of God The more we have herein of Heat and fervour life and vigour the better we demonstrate the Day is Gods As the true Mother in the Kings cry'd The living son is mine so sayes God The living Sabbath is mine As when Christ was raised from the Dead then he was declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 So let the Sabbath rise from the dead to its due life and lustre and then 't will appear to be the Day of God Yea the more Vigorous and Spiritual we be in the Day the more glorious and excellent will the day be O what advantage is to the bodies of men when after death they are rais'd again Read 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It is sowen in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it is raised in honour it is sowen in weaknesse it is raised in power it is sowen a natural body it is raised a spiritual body Thus will it be with the Lords Day when it shall be raised from the dead as it will be more spiritual in its Nature so it will be more transplendent in its Lustre greater in power higher in honour all redounding to the dignity of it This will bring the Sabbath as the Sun to break forth from under those black clouds with which it is now darkened 3. The Lords acceptance will be certain if we spiritually sanctifie the Sabbath This with the Lord will be acceptable because it is suitable As to the precepts which God gives So to God which gives the precepts 1. The precept or command given of God requires a spiritual care in Sabbath-keeping Remember the Sabbath-day to keep iâ— holy This implies a remembrance of the Sabbath day to keep it spiritually let the spirituality of the day be raised and the sanctitie of the day will not sink but be better seen This will hold out the dayes-hidden holinesse and meet Gods command that calls to keep it holy And such Sabbath-keeoing is to God well-pleasing Esay 56.4 It being that which complies with Gods prescribed Will Esay 58.13 2. God himself from whom such precepts proceed is hereby resembled God is a Spirit and a spiritual being so that spiritual-spent Sabbaths and spiritual-performed duties do best suite a Spiritual God and so are accepted A good God being spiritual spiritual good is most acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God Acceptable because spiritual With such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 That best likes God Which is most like to God To be spiritual on the Sabbath the Lord likes it and loves it it is so pleasing to God that he does highly prize it and praise it As it is a thing for the praise of God So it is a thing with God of praise To be in the spirit of the Sabbath and to be on the Sabbath in the spirit As it will make for Gods praise from us So it will prove our praise with God The Apostle declaring who are now to be accounted Jewes and what is circumcision under the Gospel sayes Rom. 2.28 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision that is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So may we say He is not a Sabbath-keeper that keeps it onely outwardly but he is a keeper of the Sabbath that keeps it inwardly and that is observation of the Lords day that is in the heart and in the spirit whose praise though it may be not of men it will be of God God at the great day will give him praise in the presence of men and Angels Yea present praise will God by his Spicit speak to such as spiritually spend his holy day And O how sweet will it be for God in a Sabbath to say to our souls Well done well prayed well preached well heard to day my dear servants Now that which the Lord thus praiseth we may be sure much pleaseth the Lord. Yea to sanctifie the Sabbath in a spiritual way the Lord is so pleased with it that he takes pleasure in it then the Lords day is the Lords delight The Sabbath so kept on earth causes joy in heaven It is meet sayes the Father in the fifteenth of Luke to his friends about him It is meet we should rejoyce for this my son was dead and is alive was lost and is found So sayes God Blessed for ever to all in blisse about him T is meet we should rejoyce for this my Sabbath was dead and is alive the glory of it was lost and gone but is now returned again 4. The Lands general concernments will through the Sabbaths spiritual observance be much promoted Both in the Ecclesiastick And in the Civil State Let the spirit of the Lords day be well up in the Land Then will Gods Ordinances remaine that are present And God will remaine present with his Ordinances 1. Gods Ordinances with us will abide What makes God remove precious means from among a people but their dulnesse in his Sabbaths and service their falling from their fervent affections their leaving their first love and life as we see in the case of that languishing Church Revel 2.4 5. I have somewhat sayes Christ against thee thou hast left thy first love Remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first works or I will come and remove the Candlestick out of his place Let Christians be carried out with a spirit of love and life in the Sabbaths and service of the Lord and though the Lord may lay some sad afflictions upon them yet he will continue the means of Grace among them And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner but thine eyes shall see thy teaches And thine ears shal hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it Esay 30.20 2. God himself will also abide with his Ordinances Let the Sabbath be so spiritually sanctified Then as God will be with the Ordinances his people use So God will be with his people in use of Ordinances Then may Ordinances say to Gods Saints and Saints may say to Ordinances Emmanuel God with us God with us in service and suffering makes all sweet That is a precious promise Esay 43.1 When thou art in the water I will be with thee and when thou art in the
fire I will be with thee Water and fire both may referre to afflictions be they various and violent God will be with Yea in the waters of suffering and in the fire of service God is with us Or though we cannot say God is with us when we are in the water to wit when we be cold or lukewarme in his work Yet we may be sure God is with us when we are in the fire to wit fervent and zealous in the works of his worship Is God with us in the fire of heavy afflictions And is not God with us in the fire of holy devotions And let the Lord thus abroad in the Land be with his service and servants and with his servants in service O what great and good things will follow As the cleansing out of pollutions And the closing up of divisions Pollutions cleansed Were the holy Spirit thus up in the Nation the unclean spirit would be soon forced to passe out of the Land Zach. 13.2 This would not onely keep informing Ordinances that are but reforming Ordinances that are not would be also brought in In our English-house we might hope to have the Besome as well as the Candle Luk. 15.8 As the Candle of good Doctrine So the Besome of good Discipline The Besome of Discipline to sweepe out dust As well as the Candle of Doctrine to drive out darknesse 'T is lamentable to see how the Leprosie hath taken our house Levit. 14. And O what an infection hath broke out even in the new building Infliction of due censures would be a good means to remove the plague-stones out of the wall and so to heal the house and help its standing Could we but encrease our Sabbath-zeal sure Church-Keyes would not lie so rusty yea the civil sword would have a sharper edge When God came down upon Sinai in thunder and lightning fire and much smoak God commanded Moses to set bounds about the Mount that the people might not presumptuously break in Thus were there for the Sabbath that fire of zeal that is fits the Civil Power would set bounds that persons might not so profanely break out Those intolerable tolerations we now see would soon cease Those Anti-Congregations that are now Assembly against Assembly in the same place at the same time It is the cause of many sad evils Hence is it that if there be any that will not afford their presence at the publick preaching of the Word or if there be any that cannot abide the power of the Word publickly preached there be those by that will invite them from us and abet them against us Hence is it that the common sort account Sabbath dayes and duties but as indifferent things matters they may use or omit if they please Hence is it that the vilest of men have learned to vilifie and blaspheme the wayes which God hath blessed to speak evil of the Instruments and Ordinances God hath sanctified and by which God is glorified and which of God shall one day be justified c. Did but the spirit of the Lords day rule in the Land those that are opposite we should either reduce or restrain Those grosse abuses and great prophanenesse that is grown amongst us would be either redressed or suppressed Divisions closed If Christians on the Sabbath were higher raised by a spirit of fervency they would at other times be better ruled by a spirit of unity Were there in men more of the spirit of life upon the Lords day there would be more among men of the spirit of love all the week long Men are not spiritual but carnal which is the cause divisions are common There is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 4. To heal the Land of divisions will be Both the beauty and The safetie of it Beauty Rents and divisions are to a Land as fits of convulsions to a child which draws the mouth awry and pulls parts out of their place and causes all to be uncomely cure the Convulsions and the beauty of the Babe returns Safety Rents and divisions are to a Nation as cracks and clifts in a building which yet Art may stop and the house may be strong and the dwellings therein may be safe and sweet Now that which will most powerfully repair our breaches is the Spirit of the Lord which is a Spirit of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 As it is a spirit of love it unites affections and As it is the spirit of a sound mind it unites opinions And so brings all into one Nothing can so cause union of spirits as the spirit of union Were we more carried out by a spirit of power we should be more carried on with a spirit of peace This spirit would be in us out of Sabbath-service were we in the spirit upon the service of the Sabbath yea O the abundant benefits that would abide our Nation upon this spiritual being and being in the Spirit Then would the works of the Divel be dissolved the darknesse of ignorance dispelled Errors outed blasphemies banished the Gospel cherished truth established iniquity would be lesse the love of many would wax warme formalities would fall and the power of Godlinesse rise Ministers would be vigorous and Magistrates valorous and Christians in Gods cause Couragious Inferiours well governed and Families well ordered so that Old England would become New and we should find New England in Old O happy day O let me beseech all that my weak words may reach for our souls sakes for the Sabbaths sake for the Lords sake and the Lands sake let us be spiritual spiritual in Sabbath-service O let us be like St. John in the text upon the Lords day in the Spirit I was in the Spirit on the Lods day Now that the Lords day may be thus spiritually spent there be duties of three sorts to be observed Anteceden t Concomitant Consequent Antecedent duties Before the Sabbath comes Christians that would well keep the day are required to be Both valiant in resisting temptations against it And diligent in making pâ—eparations for it Temptations that may turn soulâ— aside from this observing the Sabbath may proceed From some more remote or From some more immediate There be some remote that may suggest what may draw off from the Lords day and its spiritual duties There be evil spirits now abroad whose bent is to beat down the day of God and to beat off from the soul-benefitting duties thereof As the spirit of Atheisme And the spirit of Sectarisme The spirit of prophanenesse and The spirit of separation The former fight against the Sabbath day and its due observers in open field by professed battels The latter labour to cut off the Lords day and all its lovers by secret and subtill Stratagems Men that separate from our settled Congregations and run wilde in their opinions
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
House of God upon his Holy Day Meet God himself in the use of Holy Things 2. God must be seriously sought unto Prayer in this preparative work hath a Principal Task Our Prayer should precede the Sabbath In Sunder If not Together It hath been the manner of some the day before the Sabbath to meet and spend some time in seeking God by Prayer and quickening one another This fervently perform'd would lay a great Ground of a GOOD DAY indeed to follow Melancthon who lived with Luther in lamentable times though his heart was ordinarily oppressed with fears yet finding on a time a company of good Christians together praying Now sayes he there be some good dayes coming Say dayes be evil yet how would this raise hopes in hearts that there be many good dayes coming if the Lords Day this good Day were by a holy prayer duly prepar'd for Indeed for want of prayer-preparation Gods good Day may be as to us an evil Day But upon due preparing Prayer we may safely say of an approaching Sabbath Behold even as to us there is a Good Day coming O pray pray pray before-hand pray that Ordinances may be accompanied Instruments encouraged pray that there may be dischargings of sins enlarging of soules Seek to set our hearts well upon the wheeles Pray that we may be upon the wing in the work Pray sayes our Saviour that your Flight be nâ—t on the Sabbath day Matth. 24. But thus pray that your Flight may be on the Sabbath day to wit from earth to Heaven holding a holy converse with God 2. Towards the world what we are to do in this due preparing for the Lords Day is Sequestration from the Matters of the World And Reconciliation with Men in the World 1. We must make off from worldly Hinderances As Mariners that intend a Voyage to Sea they put the Ship off from the Land so if we mean to serve God on the Sabbath our hearts and minds must be put off from the world Put off thy shoes sayes God to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Exod. 3.5 We must put off earthly affections for the Sabbath we are to observe is a Holy Day The affaires and cares of the world we must cast off for 't is not fit with them to come before the Lord in the Day of the Sabbath Joh. 5.10 the Jewes said unto the man whom Christ had cured It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed because it is the Sabbath day Upon the day of the Sabbath it is not lawfull for to carry about us our worldly minds and matters Therefore from these we must get free before A bird sayes a learned Writer that she may fly Musculus loc comm praecept 4. she flutters with her wings and frees her self all she can from what may hinder her flight And shall not we when we are to come to Gods service on the Sabbath labour aforehand to deliver our selves from all earthly lets who are in our spirits upon the Lords day to be lifted much higher sayes he then birds can fly It was Nehemiahs care when the Sabbath came on to have the Gates of the City shut up that not any might enter in with their burdens It ought to be our course to shut up the Gates of our souls when the Sabbath is at hand that no burdensome cares may come in That Christ might make us a Sabbath to keep in body he first rose from the earth In heart we must rise from the earth before ever we can well keep the Sabbath Christ hath made 2. We must make up earthly differences before the Lords day comes While we are at a sinful distance with men we shall hardly make any good Sabbath approach to God Some they come to Sabbath-day-service in weekday-malice So that on the Sabbath thougb their bodies be together their hearts are asunder When you come together in one place sayes the Apostle I hear there be divisions among you This is not to eat the Lords Supper 1 Goâ— 11. Though on the Sabbath we meet in one publick place yet if we have our private grudges amongst us and unreconciled dissensions betwixt us this is not to keep the Lords Sabbath If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and remember thy brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift and go first and be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy sacrifice Matth. 5.23 If men unreconciled were unmeet for a legal sacrifice how unmeet then are unreconciled Christians for a gospel-Gospel-Sabbath It sets us off from God and gives way to the Divel to end a day in strife and wrath but in an angry case to end a week is worse then to let the Sun go down upon our wrath gives place to the Divel against the next day Ephes 4.27 There is no Sabbath-duty but strife and wrath renders us unfit for unfit to hear unfit to pray I will sayes the Apostle that men pray lifting up pure hands without wrath 1 Tim. 2.8 They that will be swist to hear must be slow to wrath Jam. 1.19 O then especially when the Lords day approaches we should put away all bitternesse wrath and anger and evil speaking and kindly close one with another Did we thus at the end of every week make up breaches distances would not grow so great and Lords dayes would be better spent Thus much for Antecedaneous duties to the day of the Sabbath Let us now consider the dayes Concomitant duties These referre To the entrance The progresse and To the end of the day 1. For the right entring of the Lords day our duty is That our bodies be early up and That our hearts be largely ope Bodies up early A great ground of our Christian Sabbath is Christ his Resurrection upon this day Now Christ he rose early in the morning Before the rising of the Sun our Saviour was risen Matth. 28.1 Mark 16.1 It is the judgment of Orthodox Authors that our Sabbath day begins in the morning when Christ rose Shall a Christ be quick to get out of his grave and shall a Christian be slow to get out of his bed Shall the Lord make haste to begin the day even soon after midnight say some And shall we make no haste when the day is begun When our Saviour saw Zaccheus in the Sycomore-tree he said to him Make haste and come down fot this day I must abide at thy house O the haste that he then made to get down c. Luk. 19.5 6. A Christian in the morning as he lies in his bed should think as if the Lord looked down from heaven saying Make haste and get up for this day I must abide in thine heart and this day thou must meet me in mine house When Abraham was to offer his son in sacrifice to God He rose early in the morning and sadled his Asse and took two of his servants and Isaac his son with wood cleaved for a burnt-offering
she had been at sactifice she presumes sordidly to sin But 't is the property of persons truly pious whatever good they have done upon the Lords day they labout to compleat the service will not neglect their evening-sacrifice in private prayer meditation conference care of their families keeping up their kindled affections least in the cool of the evening they lose the heat of the day Or lest by neglect of the evening they lose any part of the day Gods sincere servants they keep the Sabbath as Souldiers keep a City they look with care to every Gate and part thereof And such care becomes Christians Sabbath-ward not to watch one Gate and leave another open to work one part and be the other idle To be quick and lively at first and to stagger and grow sluggish at last Yea some experienced Christians can say that upon their continued care throughout the Sabbath though their hearts in the former part of the day have been down dull and dead yet towards the latter end the Lord hath come with large enlivenings of soul As the poor Israelites weary in travel and fainting for food ready all day long to perish with hunger At even there went forth a wind from the Lord that brâ—ught so many Quailes from the Sea as came and covered the Camp O the quickening comforts that God in great abundance hath brought in upon the evening of a Sabbath to the souls of his Saints who before in the day were ready to sink with sadnesse and deadnesse Of this day to some we may say as the Prophet of another day Zech. 14.6 7. It shall come to passe in that day that the light shall not be clear nor dark but it shall come to passe that at evening-time it shall be light and living waters shall go out Christians should never be satisfied to end the Sabbath-day in the dark and in a drought without some sweet refâ—eshings from God Lastly for subsequent duties when the day is done and gone they come forth upon a double case In case it hath not been well with us In case with us it hath been well If we have been dull in our dutie and met with little of mercy then our endeavours should be To enquire the cause and To lament the losse 1. We should reflect to find out the cause of our heartlesse and fruitlesse passing Gods precious day What way layd our work what kept God and our souls asunder all the day long When the Egyptians were pursuing the Israelites God set a cloud betwixt them that darkned the camp of the Egyptians so that they and the camp of Israel came not near one another all the night Exod. 14.20 What hath caused a dark cloud betwixt us and God so that we have not come near one another all the day Enquire this 2. We must sadly bewaile the losse of a Sabbath 'T was the rxpression once of a great man when a day was gone and he had not done that good he was wont he brake out to some about him O my friends I have lost a day The losse of any day is matter of mourning but to lose the Lords day and the Lord in the day may cause a loud cry When Elisha was going with Elijah and a Chariot of fire came and parted them asunder carrying Eijah to heaven and leaving Elisha on the earth he looked up and cryed My Father my Father 2 King 2. Hath God and thee O Christian been parted asunder upon the Sabbath and hath the Lord left thy heart upon the earth and gone himself up into heaven O think so upon this as to cry My Father my Father Repent for the losse of the Lords day and lament after the Lord that on his day thou hast lost If on the Lords day we have been fired in duty and filled with mercy and found much of God both in mercy and duty In that case the things of us required are To be thankfull To be carefull To be faithfull To be fruitful 1. For to be thankful all have much cause Yet some have more cause to be thankful For the space of the Sabbath and the use of Ordinances all ought to be thankful to God Had not our good God prevented evil designs we had had no Sabbaths And had not God preserved us a Sabbath we had been like the places of Papists and Pagans Except the Lord of Hosts had left us a Sahhath we had been as Sodome and had been like unto Gomorrah Rom. 9.29 The Lord hath shewed himself loath to leave us yea expressed his love to our Land in the lengthened liberties of Sabbaths The Sabbath in the first appointment was a pledge of large love but in the perpetuall preserving the Sabbath the pledge of Gods love is larger He is worthy say the Jewes of the Centurion to Christ for whom thou should do this for he hath loved our Nation and built us a Synagogue Luk. 7.5 The Lord is worthy of this praise for he hath loved our Nation and kept us a Sabbath The Prophet reproves the sin of some who say not in their hearts Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth both the former and the latter rain in his season and reserveth the appointed weeks of the harvest Jer. 5.24 O the sin of such who say not in their hearts Let us fear love laud the Lord who reserveth to us the appointed dayes of the Sabbath which is a greater mercy then to reserve for us the appointed weeks of the harvest But how much more thankfull ought some of us to be to our good God who giveth us not onely the space but the grace of the Sabbath not onely the use but the juyce of Ordinances when Sabbaths Sermons Sacraments are to several but saplesse things When the the Lord giveth us with his holy Sabbath his holy Spirit Nehem. 9.14 20. Thou O Lord commandedst thy people precepts and statutes by the hand of Moses thy servant and madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath And thou gavest them also thy good Spirit to instruct them and withheldest not Manna from their mouths but gavest them water for their thirst What cause had they Such cause have we to be thankfull to whom the Lord with a Sabbath of mercy gives the mercies of the Sabbath A comfortable day and the comforts of the day O let the Lord have the high and heated praises of our hearts in heavenly Hallelujahs 2. Let us be very careful to keep off from sin and Satan Satan after the best spent Sabbaths hath oft the worst assaults 'T was the expression of an experienced precious man I look for the Divel every munday-morning I am sure then he will come to rob my soul of Sabbath-good if possible I read of a great Captain who being very sad the day after a mighty victory one enquired the cause who answered Yesterday my heart was too much lifted up I had need lye low to day Have any of our hearts been raised
and ravished enlivened and enlarged upon the Lords day we had need look to it on the following day and keep our selves lowly lest that mind which hath been one day heavenly be the next day haughty Pride is a worme apt to breed within the best wood Beware beware 3. Let us be faithful to keep up the good we have got we are apt to catch cold after the greatest heats And after some close attendance in Gods service to grow more loose and remisse in duty Let us look to our selves we do not lose the things we have wrought we do not break the bounds we have set or slack the holy bonds wherewith we have been begirt To be unloosened on the Sabbath from week-day bonds is comfortable but in the week-time to unloose the Lords-day bonds is abominable 4. Let us be fruitful to bring forth more good for God both in our general and particular callings That our week day carriage may be the springing up of Sabbath-day seed yea our whole lives must be a walking in Sabbath-day strength Tertul. C. Jud. 4. Origen in Numb Hom. 23. cont Cels lib. 8. Pag. 522. c. Chrysoâ—t in Matth. tract 29. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Idem Epist 119. cap. 12. Et de cons Evang. lib. 2. cap. 77. And thus ought we to keep a holy Sabbath throughout the whole course of our dayes Divers of the Ancients dwell much upon this perswading Christians so to practise piety and pursue sanctity as to perpetuate a Sabbath As upon the Lords day we should be full of spirits so after the Lords day we should be spiritual still As on that day we should live in the Spirit so afterward we should walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh If all the week we be carnal how can it appear we are spiritual on the Sabbath A good Author speaks well in this case Have we well served the Lord upon his day Bucer in Matth. 12.11 let our manners shew it let our works prove it let the holinesse of our lives decleare it Who will believe that he hath been present in publick Assemblies and with a sincere heart hath heard Gods holy Word who passes the following part of his life more loosely vainly carnally coveteously c 'T is this will evidence that on the Sabbath we have been with Jesus when afterward our faces and graces shine our lips and lives hold out the praises of Christ and the power of his Gospel When the Lords day comes we should be as lively firy and full as if we were then to begin and end Gods work We should be found in such a frâ—me every Lords day as if that were the first Sabbath that ever we spent and as if it were the last day that we should live on this earth or as if the weight of all our work lay upon that single Sabbath for which we were sent into the World or as if our eternal being were to be determined hereby And yet after the day is over we must endeavour still to be doing as if no work were done For as we must be all abundant and fervent on the Sabbath day in the service of God as if after were no holy duties So we must be as full and forward to all following duties as if there had been no Sabbath before Before the Sabbath day and after we must do all the good we can even as if there were no Christ to be relyed upon and yet our relyance both in life and death must be on our dear Lorld as if there never had been the least good done We must be precise for the Sabbath-day and duty And yet yet Duty shall not be our Redeemer Nor the Sabbath our Saviour Whether Sabbath-day or week-day we will do as much good as ever we are able but begin and end all in Christ The end with us shall be the glory of the Lord And with the Lord in glory shall be our end Amen Amen FINIS AN Alphabetical Table directing to some Principal things in this Treatise A ADam in Innocency to keep the Sabbath pag. 7 175 Advocate how Christ is and for whom p. 402 Angels they have a twofold knowledge p. 216 Angels all Ministring spirits pag. 227 Angels helpers in all holy Duties p. 228 Angels delight in Sabbath-service p. 217. Atheists of two sorts p. 32 Antichrists ruine how wrought p. 198 Augustine's answer to a Manichees p. 328 Assent to Divine truths what p. 121 B BAbylons fall two-fold p. 203 Baptisme of Infants why many against it p. 401 Baptisme of Infants its great use pag. 340 Book of Psalmes how excellâ—nt p. 129 Blood of Christ what it purchased p. 92 Blessing of God how desireable p. 197 Breaches abundance how they come p. 339 C CHange of the Sabbath upon a double cause p. 34 Christian liberty wherein it consists p. 36 37 Charitable Duties how fit for the Sabbath p. 66 132 Church-Discipline exercised on the Lords Day p. 131 Censures in the Church how to be inflicted p. 407 Chearfulnesse in Gods service required p. 462 Collections for the poor how to be managed p. 340 Conscience good what it is p. 253 Conscience troubled how sad p. 222 Contentions of Brethren how bad p. 328 Communion with Christ how sweet pag. 102 Christ spiritual in all his Estates p. 390 Covetousnesse the root of evil p. 50 D DAyes all how they are the Lords p. 4. Difference of Dayes how under the Gospel p. 38 Doctrine of the Lords Day strongly to be held p. 122 Day of Judgment drawes near p. 116 Delights in the Lords Day required pa. 456 Desires after God discovered p. 350 Discipline requisite in the Church p. 429 Divel a bitter enemy to tht Sabbath pag. 410 Divel large in knowledge p. 321 Divels called spiritual wickednesses why p. 412 Divisions the evil of them p. 431 Divisions how closed p 432 E ENgland one of the ten horns p. 241 England old how made new p. 433 Enmities in man against God p. 319 Errours against the Sabbath how sad p 83 F FAther 's of three sorts p. 208 Faith beyond feeling p. 335 Faith hath its Dimensions p 289 Faith its various Vse p. 387 Faith in the state and in the Acts differenced p 235 Faith the best beloâ—ed Grace p. 248 Fervency in prayer how fit p. 398 Forgetfulnesse of God how sinfull pag. 87 Fourth Commandment most excellent pa. 9 G GOd what he best liketh p 424 Gospel whereunto it guideth p. 122 Gospel vailed in the Law p. 177 Gospel it excels the Law p. 190 Government of Christ how ordered p. 394 Grace in its actings most excellent p. 416 Ground why to be till'd by Adam p. 7 H HAnds given for a threefold work p. 75 Hearts of Gods Saints like Vials p 302 Heart is the best part in a Saint p. 305 Heart of a wicked man as a bow p. 321
us on the Lords Day to loose his children and Servants from our businesses and houses and lead them away with us to be instructed should not every one of us publikely present our selves on the Sabbath before the Lord as it were saying Behold here am I and the children and servaants that thou hast given me And if we go before God alone leaving our families to their liberties what will the Lord say As Eliah said to David when he came to the Camp of the Israelites 1. Sam. 17.28 How comest thou down hither where is the flock and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wildernesse And may not God thus question some when they come and on the Sabbath day appear in publike How comest thou hither where is thy family with whom hast thou left thy Children and servants * Euseb de vita Const li 4. Ca. 18. et 19 Eusebius reports of Constantine what good laws he made for the bringing forth of families all sorts of servants yea souldiets and men of war to Gods publike worship upon the Sabbath day And other pious Princes in times past have thought it no lesse a part of their duty 2. God keeps his propriety in them he is the great housholder and all our families are his as Laban said to Jacob Gen. 31.43 These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children and these cattel are my cattel and all that thou seest is mine Thus sayes God to a Governour Thy sons are my sons and thy servants are my servants and all that thou hast is mine Now as by virtue of our interest in them and authority over them they work for us on the week So by virtue of Gods interest in them and sovereignty above them they are bound to serve God upon his holy Sabbath they have a Father in heaven and a Master in heaven whose commands especially on this day they ought to obey which we must further not hinder As the Lord said by Moses to Pharaoh Let my people go that they may serve me so he sayes to us Let my children go and my servants go that they may worship me upon my holy Sabbath Pharaoh against this was froward but think what befell him and let us fear We should be in this case towards all under our charge as the Master of the Colt as soon as he had heard the Lord had sent for him he streight way unloosed him and let him go Luk. 19. Let them be loath herein if we do not put them on the utmost we can our selves fall under sin Thus having seen the several sorts of men sinning against the Lords day and examined the arguments which on each side they urge answering among objections the principal they presse that they may passe without blame Multitudo peccantium auget peccatum I proceed from the multitude of the sinners to discover The Magnitude of the sin Sin that lies against the Lords day is Great Both in judgement And in practice To erre in opinion upon this point as the error Is very senslesse So very sinfull 'T is a senslesse error For such as own the Lord of the day yet to deny the day of the Lord for men to acknowledge themselves under the command of Christ and yet to be above the Sabbath of Christians c. 'T is a sinful error 'T is an error full of sin in judgement to be against the Christian Sabbath for it is A Mother-error A Master-error And therefore a monsterous error men may easily imagine many other errors are under the beck and bred in the belly of this Hence people cry down Sanctification Mortification Repentance practical holinesse publick Ordinances Prayer Preaching Scriptures and all the means of grace c. Yea hence ready to plead for Popery to imbrace Images and advance all Idol-worship At this one door this triple crown will easily come in with all Antichristian yea Heathenish vanities 'T is a fundamental error O what Babels may be built upon this yea by this such batteries may be made as may shake and shatterdown the whole Fabrick of Christian Religion This makes many so miserably misuse Scripture some texts they muzzle their mouthes and will not suffer them to speak other texts they set upon the rack making them speak what God never meant and all to make the Sabbath nothing Satan having not a greater design then to down this day And indeed the Divel well knowes there is not a readier way to rout out all the truthes of God all the world over and to introduce all errors into all parts of the Christian world then to corrupt the judgements of people with an Antisabbatarian principle Therfore to erre herein is a very great sin 2. To erre in point of practice and to transgresse against the Lords day in respect of the duties thereof is a sin exceeding sinful Both for its gradation And for its dilation If we observe How high it riseth and How far it reacheth The sin is great Great is the sinne of Sabbath neglects If we consider How it ascends in height How it extends in breadth 1. For height This sin goes up to God and is a sin of such degrees against him as that therein are not onely many sins enwrapped but each sin rising higher then the other so that the latter is much worse then the former As Austin once aggravated Adams sin in eating the fruit God had forbidden August Enchi ad Laur. cap. 45. so may I aggravate this sin in not keeping the day God hath commanded For therein is Ingratitude Forgetfulness Perfidiousness Theft Robbery Sacriledge Ingratitude God at the beginning gave man a Sabbath but man by sin soon lost his Sabbath-right yet God after gives men a new Charter for Sabbath-priviledges Christ confirmes it the day is sure Consule Ambros Orat. de obitu Satyri the mercy is sweet Lord what is man even a monster in nature sayes one herein to be ungrateful For him that is unworthy of a minute to be unthankful for a day and such a DAY as this a monstrous sin indeed Forgetfulnesse As for God to forsake man is among the sorest judgements So for man to forget God is among the greatest sins When the Scripture would set out the worst of wicked persons and Nations it sayes they are such as forget God Now sure he that does not remember the Sabbath of God he does forget the God of the Sabbath Yea it argues God forgotten all the week when men do not remember the Sabbath day and duty Perfidiousnesse This blessed day is one of those precious things God hath commited to mans trust to keep now to be untrusty and treacherous herein is a most abominable sin Constantine was wont to say Such men I am sure wil never be faithfull to me that are unfaithful to their God No marvel men betray so many trusts in the world when they deal falsely with God in his holy times
that day which first opened the womb of time that day which first opens the womb of every week and therefore may well be kept holy to the Lord and be accounted honourable in the world Whereas the Jewes Sabbath was upon the last ours is upon the first day of the week So that the Jewish Sabbath might well say concerning the Christian as John Baptist of Christ There comes one after me that is to be preferred before me 'T is more excellent as 't is time 2. Our Sabbath as it is named transcends in excellency Heb. 1.9 't is said of Christ in respect of the Angels He hath obtained a more excellent name then they so may it be said of our Sabbath in respect of all the Judaicall Sabbaths It hath obtained a more excellent name then they it is called THE LORDS DAY True there is excellency in the name Sabbath as it signifies rest Rest is the Centre to which all living creatures move Rest is the perfection and satisfaction of all creatures after their tyring and troublesome motions But in this name excellencie more abounds THE LORDS DAY As it made much for the honour of Jacob when he had another name added Israel Jacob signified The supplanter of weak man Israel signified The prevailer with a strong God The latter the far more excellent name This is the honour of the Sabbath it hath another name and the former was not like this last THE LORDS DAY There is admirable excellency in all that is called the Lords The Lords Gospel The Lords People The Lords Praier The Lords supper 1. The Lords Gospel There is excellencie The Law of God hath beauty but the Gospel excells in glory The Jewish Rabbins were wont to say That upon every letter of Gods Law hang Mountaines of admirable matter But Luther of the Gospel goes further saying That the shortest line and the least letter thereof is more worth then all Earth and Heaven The very Angels look out from Heavens Glory stooping down to see into the glory of the Gospell 1 Pet. 1.12 1. The Lords people There is excellencie They are the honour of the earth the glory of the world the ornaments of Townes and Cities As one pearl says Chrysostome is more worth then a thousand pebbles So one pious man is more precious then ten thousand sinners The whole wicked world may say to a Saint as the people of Israel to David Thou art worth ten thousand of us 2. Sam. 18.3 We may say of Saints in the world as our Saviour said of the Lilies of the field Solomon in all his glory was not cloathed like one of these Matth. 6.29 3. The Lords prayer There is excellency Some have called it The Abridgement of the Bible and others Tertul. li. de orat ca. 1. Cypr. ser de orat Dom. The Epitome of the Gospel And several observe that though it be little for phrase of words yet it is great for matter and sweet for order pithy and precious in every part A short prayer may be full of God as there may be little of God in a prayer that is long The Lords prayer is as it were a Breviary and Compendium of the great God Infolded Gods worth and Mans wants 4. The Lords Supper There is excellency 'T is that Ordinance wherein Saints the most excellent of persons and wherein faith the most excellent of graces hath the highest activities Here the precious blood of Christ and the precious faith of Christians meet Cypr. de coe Dom. Here faith sayes Cyprian layes its mouth close to the wounds of Christ and sucks in sin-killing and soul quickning blood O blessed be God! Thus 't is evident what is the Lords is excellent And is not the Lords day Let us observe All time from the Beginning was precious Gospel-time is more precious then any before it The Lords day is the most precious part of Gospel-time 'T was a brave expression of Galeacius Garacciolus that Italian Marquesse when a great summe of money was offered him to draw him to his own Popish Countrey and kindred Let all their money perish with them who account all the wealth of the world worth one dayes Communion with Jesus Christ One Sabbath-dayes society with a Saviour ought to be of higher esteem then all the honours of the earth O let us not sink down the dignity of this day in our hearts but every way let us labour to lift up its Honour higher and higher For As 't is sad to debase it So to advance it is good 1. To debase and despise the Lords day is common now in our Nation Men for the most part make no more of this then of any other day Cant. 5.9 What is thy beloved more then another beloved say they to the Church extolling of Christ Upon this she fell to a more full discovery of the dignities and excellencies of Christ Some had need set up Gods Sabbath-honour the more there are so many that say in their hearts What is the day of the Sabbath more then another day yea and indeed it is no more as many in their lives sinfully make it Dalilah prevailing upon Sampson he lost his locks and his strength and became like another man The Devil with divers hath prevailed so far against the Sabbath that it hath lost its life and lustre glory and honour and is become like another day which I am sure is no sign of good to come Some say that if the Sun which is the chief of planets be Eclipsed it signifies great Commotions Mutations Destructions I dare say that when the Sabbath which is the chief of dayes is clouded and covered over with black opinions and practices it intimates heavy evils to come O how do men pollute that which God hath sanctified and debase that day which God hath dignified Act. 10.15 What God hath cleansed call not thou common And what God hath honoured O man account not thou base 2. To advance this day is its due and our duty And indeed could we in England but recover the Sabbaths honour that this Sabbath-Sun might shine again in its beauty and lustre and our Horizon be filled with the bright beames thereof it would remove the fogs of filthy errors prevent the inflicting of sad calamities regain the credit of contemned Ordinances Joh. 12.32 as there the Lord of the Sabbath said If I be lifted up I will draw all men to me So may the Sabbath of the Lord say If I be lifted up I will draw all to me Then all the things of God shall rise As when Christ was risen Matth. 27.52 Many bodies of Saints which were asleep in their graves arose and went into the holy City c. Thus were the Christian Sabbath raised the whole body of Christian Religion would be brought out of its grave and many of Gods Saints that are as it were now asleep upon the beds of sad seducing errors would arise and come forth to the holy service of God
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-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
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
and went to the place of which the Lord had told him Gen. 22.5 6. And shall not we on the Sabbath morning be early up our selves and our famlies to go to the place the Lord hath appointed and to offer our bodies and souls in service to God The Israelites who lay in siege against Jericho upon the seventh day they being to compasse the City seven times the text sayes And it came to passe on the seventh day that they rose up early about the dawning of the day and they compassed the City after the same manner seven times Joshua 6.15 Upon the Sabbath day we are to compasse the City of God seven times to encompasse heaven with multiplied prayers and thetefore we stould be early up To helps hereunto let us take to wit A timely going to rest the night before and An entire love to the work of the day that followes 'T is too common a fault even with some professing Christians they clog the night before the Sabbath with a multitude of worldly businesses which brings them to sit up late A Sabbath let And a certain fault Hence in the morning when they should be up with God they lie sleep-bound in their bed And alas we have too little love to the Lords-day-work and so but little list to be at the work of the day Were there love to it we should long to be at it Our minds would be upon it in the night and we should catch the first hour of the day With my soul have I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early sayes the Prophet to God Esay 26.9 Hearts open largely The door of the heart upon the entrance of the Sabbath must be set wide shut to the world but open to God Ezek. 46.1 Thus saith the Lord God The gate of the inner Court that looketh toward the East though shut all the six working dayes yet shall be opened as soon as the Sabbath comes Thus the gate of the heart that is the inward Court however kept shut all the week yet as soon as the Lords day is come it ought to be opened to wit In delights at the day of the Lord and In desires to the Lord of the day Delights at the day should enlarge the heart joy to see a Sabbath appear A learned Author reports that near the Pole where the nights endure divers Moneths the inhabitants in the end of such a night when the Sun begins to be seen they deck themselves in their best apparel and get up to the highest mountains with joy saying Behold the Sun the Sun appeareth The day the day is come Were we for several moneths kept without a Sabbath how would our spirits spring at such a dayes appearance Why should the commonnesse of the Suns shining and the Sabbaths comming diminish the mercie How should we every Lords-day-morning have our minds mounting and say Behold the Sabbath of the Lord It is come it is come Desires to the Lord our hearts should be enlarged in The day being begun we should begin to pour out our hearts and breath out our requests to God in prayer that he would prosper us with his presence O how well will it be if God shall say Go and prosper pray and prosper preach and prosper hear this day and prosper Fear not for I am with thee I will help thee I will uphold thee I will strehgthen thee Thus in the morning we shall have encouraging mercies if we take care to perform our morning duties Moses Exod. 34.4 rose up early in the morning and presented himself before God in the top of mount Sinai with two tables of stone ready hewed in his hand for the finger of God to write what he would Thus a Christian on the Lords-day-morning should present himself before God upon the mount of meditation and prayer with a heart ready for what God will that day write thereupon waxy and willing to take whatever impression God please to stamp therein Not any of us are then to be content to have a heart stiffe and straight hard and dead The true Mother 1 King 3. was filled with trouble when in the morning she found a dead child by her 'T is the trouble of a true Christian when on a Sabbath day-morning he finds a dead heart in him a heart that 's hard cold and closed up His labour is to begin with a heart lowly and lively to feel those quickenings and kindlings of heart as may encourage to the day in all the duties thereof 2. For the progresse and principal part of the Lords day our duties are considerable In their varieties for matter And in our properties for manner For matter the varieties of duties on the Lords day required have been already declared For manner in performing the Lords day-duties we in our properties must be Knowing Willing Unite Fervent Cheerfull Watchfull Knowing Knowledge it must be the Guide Usher Pilote and promptor of practice In mysteries of faith we may as a blind man sometimes not see our way But in matters to obedience we must not go blind-fold but the eye of understanding must see how we ought to go and what we ought to do So in Sabbath-work we must know how to manage the matter of God and actions of Godlinesse We must know how to order and time our duties that each act may go out in its place Ignorant people in the publick Congregation will be reading when they should be praying and praying when they should be hearing c. Every work sayes Solomon is beautiful in its season We must know how to season and proportion our duties not greaten one to straiten another Like one that Artificially drawes out the picture of a man as he sets every part in its place so he gives every part its due proportion which is the beauty of the body So it is the beauty of the whole body of Sabbath-day-duty when every member hath its measure every act is in order and the whole businesse of Religion hath its due proportion We must also know whereat to aime and how to eye God whence to fetch strength and how to go straight wherein lies our wants and where our supplies c. Willing Psal 100.3 Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power or a people of willingnesses in the plural To shew how exceeding willing-hearted the Lords people should be in the day of the Lords power The day wherein the Lord powerfully converts men and that day wherein men by a spirit of power are converted to the Lord a day of Grace a Gospel-day Indeed the day of the Sabbath is a day of the Lords power wherein all the Lords people should be most willing in the work of the Lord. In what we can do we are willing and What we cannot do we are willing to On the Lords day we would do more good and more for God if we could 'T is a complaint that
on the Sabbath a gracious soul sighs up into heaven Lord I would better break out but my sins beset me I would faster run on but my own heart hampers me Lord I would otherwise serve thee but my thoughs hinder me fears and cares encompasse me help Lord. Unite Not onely the will but the whole soul yâ—â— the whole man and the whole might is knit and bound up for God in every good work body and soul must not lie severed nor any heart in it self scattered 'T was a sad sin in him who upon the Sabbath-day gathered up sticks that lay scattered on the ground Num. 15.32 But it is our duty on the day of the Sabbath to gather up together our hearts and thoughts that are scattered upon the earth and wandring about in the world We should say as the Prophet Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me O my soul and all that is within me pray O my soul and all that is within me hearken c. Vnite my heart sayes David that I may fear thy Name So let each soul say Lord unite my heart that I may hear thy Word Unite my heart that I may hold fast thy truth keep holy thy day Fervent The zeal of Gods house and zeal of the Lords day should even eat us up Our hearts should burn within us like fire See what God by Moses sayes to the Jewes Exod. 35.3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your houses upon the Sabbath-day But upon the day of the Sabbath our duty is to kindle a fire throughout all our hearts The fire of zeal fits the service of God On the Sabbath we should go up to God in a Chariot of this fire The force of this fire would carry us into the highest heaven from the lowest earth And from earth to heaven is a good Sabbath-dayes-journey Yea such a burning fire of zeal on the Sabbath would bring heaven as it were down to the earth God into our hearts Exod. 3. we read how the presence of God appeared in a burning Bush In burning hearts in burning prayers appears much of the presence of God 'T was the praise of holy Hezekiah he appointed burnt-offerings for the Sabbath dayes 2 Chron. 31.3 Burning sacrifices for blessed Sabbaths Cheerfull Several of the Ancients much insist upon that care and course which becomes Christians in carrying on the Sabbath more strictly then the Jewes were wont August Enar. in Psal 32. Tom. 8. part Pag. 242. Aug. Tract 3. in Joan. 1. Tom. 9. Ignat. Epist ad Magnes Pag. 57. Hilar. prolog in Psal oper p. 335. Whereas they kept the Sabbath carnally in feasting dancing and sensual delights We Christians must Sabbatize or keep the Sabbath spiritually in holy joyes heavenly contents and religious delights we must feast and dance too but our feasting must be conversing with God our meat and drink to do the will of God Our dancing must be the leaping of soul to see the face of the Lord in the glasse of the Gospel And though on the Lords day we be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse yet we must be filled with the Spirit The comforts of the Spirit are sweeter and better then all the wine in the world and of this we should take our Lords day draughts Cant. 5.3 On this day we should drink wine with our milk eat our hony-comb with our hony be in the Garden and gather Myrrhe with our Spice This is the day that the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psal 118.24 Psal 42. sayes David Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me Himself gives the cause His banishment that he could not now go with the multitude to the house of God with the voyce of joy and praise among them that keep holy day Such as can come to God's house upon his holy day should not come with dejected souls but with the voyce of joy and praise triumphing in God Watchful For our Sabbath day watch observe What we are to watch against and What we are to watch for 1. Against the incursions of the Divel we are to watch all the Lords day long That God who will Revel 20. bind up Satan for a thousand years can easily bind him for Sabbath-dayes But yet even upon such dayes Satan is much let loose Job 1.6 There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them The Sons of God on that day came before God for good but Satan had ill designs to hinder them that would honour God VVhen Joshua the high Priest stood before the Angel of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3.2 'T was the policy of Pompey Vespasian Titus and other enemies of the Jewes soreliest to assault the City Jerusalem on the Sabbath dayes when they refused to defend themselves Upon Sabbath dayes are the Divels most desperate designs He is ever bad but worst upon the best dayes O watch watch A harming Divel on a helping day 2. For the incommings of the Spirit of Christ let us watch upon the Lords day As when the Dove sate upon the Ark Noah put forth his hand took her in When the Spirit of the Lord begins to light upon our hearts we should presently hand it in Embrace his first motions open and give him entrance otherwise Ordinances will do us little good Gen. 1. We find a dark lump of earth and water but if the Spirit of the Lord had not moved upon the face of the water the world had never been made nor living creatures brought forth 'T is the Spirit upon the Word that causes a new creation living Christians O then when we are under the Word and in the midst of the waters of Ordinances waite and watch for the good Spirit of God Other birds drive away but bid the Dove welcome 3. At the end of the Lords day let us see to our duty lest we begin in the Spitit and end in the flesh Nebuchadnezzars Image the head and upper part was gold but the feet and lower part Iron and Clay In the morning and beginning of the Lords day our hearts have heavenly heat and at evening the end of the Sabbath all is Iron and Clay Hearts hard and cold 't is ill when a Christians affections are as the grasse the Prophet speaks of Psal 90.6 In the morning it flourisheth and in the evening it is cut down dryed up and withered Plutarch reports of a River that runneth sweet in the morning but bitter in the evening 'T is the property of some sinful men if they have done somewhat on the Sabbath in the service of God they are the more bold to sin even before the day is gone like the Harlot Prov. 7.14 18. I have peace-offerings with me this day I have payed my vowes come let us take our fill of love till the morning That very day
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