Joh. 20. 19-26 Acts 20 7. And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech until midnight 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 1 Cor. 11. 23. But Eighthly Consider such things as are named the Lords in Scripture are ever of the Lords institution As the Word of the Lord 1 Tim. 6. 3. The Cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 27. The Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 20. And so the Lords Day Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day Now why does John call it the Lords day but because it was a day known to be generally kept holy to the honour of the Lord Jesus who rose from death to life upon that day throughout all the Churches which the Apostles had planted which St. John calls the Lords day that he might the better stir up Christians to a thankful remembrance of their Redemption by Christs Resurrection from the dead But Ninthly Consider that a right sanctifying of the Sabbath is one of the best signs in the Bible that God is our God and that his sanctifying work is past in power upon us Ezek. 20. When the primitive Christians had this question put to them Servasti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords day answered Christianus sum omittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot but keep it 20. And hallow my sabbaths and they shall be a sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God So Exod. 31. 13. Speak thou also unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Look as Circumcision and the Passeover were signs that the Jews were in Covenanâ— with God so likewise was the Sabbath Ezek. 31. 13. and because it was a sign of the Covenant between God and them Vers 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant God tells them that they must observe it for a perpetual Covenant and hence it was that when they violated the Sabbath God accounted it the violation of the Covenant between him and them The sanctifying of the Sabbath in the primitive times was the main Character by which sincere Christians were differenced from others they judged of mens sanctity by their sanctifying of the Sabbath And indeed as there cannot be a greater argument or evidence of a prophane heart then the prophaning the Sabbath so there cannot be a greater argument or evidence of a gracious heart then a right sanctifying of the Sabbath But Tenthly Consider a right sanctifying of the Sabbath will 10. be a most sure and certain pledge pawn and earnest of our keeping of an everlasting Sabbath with God in Heaven Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God Gr. a sabbatism an eternal rest a sabbath that hath no evening Now mark if this Sabbath be a sign and pledge of Heaven then we must keep it till we come there For if we lose the pledge of a benefit we lose the evidence of that benefit whereof it is a pledge A man that is in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. he is in Heaven on the Lords day there cannot be a more lively resemblance of Heaven on this side Heaven then the sanctifying of the Sabbath in a heavenly manner What is Heaven but an eternal Sabbath And what is a temporal Sabbath but a short Heaven a little Heaven on this side Heaven Our delighting to sanctifiâ— Gods Sabbath on Earth gives full assurance to our faith grounded upon Gods infallible promise that we shall enter into Gods eternal Rest in Heaven for so runs the promise Isa 58. ult Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The former part of the verse relates to earthly blessings but these words I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father that is with a heavenly inheritance for what is the heritage of Jacob but Canaan in the Type and Heaven it self in the Antitype But should I thus sanctifie the Sabbath should I be sure of going to Heaven yes for so it roundly follows in the next words The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it But Eleventhly Consider that of all days God hath put the highest honour upon his Sabbaths by appointing his precious Ordinances in a special manner to be used on those days The Sabbath is a gold Ring and the Ordinances are as so many costly sparkling Diamonds in that Ring All the works of the new Creation are commonly wrought on this day this is the joyful day wherein ordinarily God gives spiritual sight to the blind and spiritual ears to the deaf and spiritual tongues to the dumb and spiritual feet to the lame That Exod. 12. 42. is here applicable It is a night to be much 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 generation Those that are new-born are commonly new-born on this day and therefore 't is a day to be much observed to the Lord. Those that are converted are ordinarily converted on this day and therefore 't is that day of the Lord that ought to be observed by all the converted Israel of God Those that are edified are commonly most edified on this day O the sweet communion O the choice converse O the singular discoveries O the blessed manifestations O the excellent enjoyments that Christ vouchsafes to his people on this day O the discoveries of Grace O the exercise of Grace O the increase of Grace the progress in Grace O the comforts of Grace that God vouchsafes to his Chosen on this day Experience shews that the right sanctifying of the Sabbath is a powerful means under Christ to sanctifie us and to increase our faith and raise our hope and inflame our love and to kindle our zeal and to enlarge our desires and to melt our hearts and to weaken our sins But Twelfthly and lastly Consider this that a right sanctifying of the Sabbath will cross Satans grand design it will spoil his plot his master-piece Satan is a deadly enemy to the right sanctifying of the Sabbath witness the many temptations that many Christians are more troubled with on this day then they are on any other day in the whole week and witness the many vain wandring and distracting thoughts that many precious Christians are more afflicted with on this day then they are on all the days of the week beside and witness that high and hot opposition
set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart THE Lord in this Chapter by the Prophet Esay doth foretell heavy things against the people and by the way marks the Lords dealings he ever gives warnings before he sends any plagues he lightens before he thunders that the people might not say they did not hear of it and that the wicked might be the more inexcusable and that the godly might make an Ark to save themselves in These words contain in them five â—â—veral things 1. The Author of this Destruction or Judgment 2 The Causes of it 3. The Judgment it self 4. Wâ—â— they were on whom this Judgment was inflicted 5. The Effect of it Now by Divine permission I will open these wordâ— in order to you For thâ— first the Author of it Now this is laid down by Quâ—stion and Answer Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the Robbers there 's the Question Did not I the Lord there the Answer God is the Author of all the Plagues and Judgments that befal a Nation Secondly The Causes why the Lord did this to a people that he had chosen to be a special people unâ—o himself to a people upon whom he had set his love to a people that he Deut. â— 5. 7. 8. Deut. 32. 10 11 12. had owned for his portion and that he had formerly kept as the Apple of his Eye and carried as upon Eagles wings Now the causes are set down fiâ—st more generally in these words Because they have sinned agaâ—nst the Lord. Secondly more particularly in these words For they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient to his Law The third thing observable in the words is the dreadful Judgments themselves that God inflicted upon his sinful people his sinning people and these you have in vers 25. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger not only his anger but the fury of his anger to shew the greatness of it the extremity of it Mark he doth not say that God did drop down his anger but he poured down hiâ— anger and indignation This Phrase he poured out is an allusion to the clouds pouring down of water violently all at once in an instant as they do many times in the Levant Seas in Egypt at the Indies and in several other parts of the Gâ—n 6. 11. world as they did in the Deluge when the windows of Heaven were broke open Now by this similitude the Lord shews the dreadfulness the grievousness the suddenness and the vehemency of the Judgments that were fallen upon them And the strength of Battel The Lord appears in Arms against them in the greatness and fierceness of his wrath he sent in a very powerful Enemy upon them that with fire and sword over-ran them and their Country and destroyed them on every side as you may see by comparing the 2 Kings 23. 33. ult with the 24. and 25. Chapters following And hath set him on fire round about That is say some all the Countries Cities and Towns round about Jerusalem were set on fire Yet be knew not Though God had burnt them up on every hand yet they took no notice of it they regarded it not they were not at all affected with the fiery Dispensations of Diod orus Siculus writes that in Aethiopia there is such a sottish insensible people that if you cut them with a drawn sword or slay their wives and children before their faces they are not at all affected with it nor moved at it Such brutes were these Jews God O the dulness the insensibleness the sottishness of the Jews under the most awakning and amazing Judgments of God! And it burned him This some apply to the City of Jerusalem it self God did not only fire the Cities and Towns round about Jerusalem but he also set Jerusalem it self into a flame Jerusalem which was beautiful for situation the joy of the whole Earth the Paradise and Wonder of the world is turned into ashes Yet be laid it not to heart or upon his heart as the Original runs O the monstrous stupidity insensibleness and blockishness of this people Though God had brought them low though their Crown was fallen from their head though their gloriâ—us City was turned into ashes and though they were almost destroyed by many smarting miseries and dreadful calamities yet they were not affected with the stupendious Judgments of God they were not awakned by all the flames that God had kindled about their ears they did not lay the Judgments of God to heart nor they would not lay the Judgments of God upon their hearts The fourth thing observable in the words iâ— the persons the people that were spoiled destroyed and consumed by fire and they were Jacob and Israel Who gave Jacob for a Isa 58. 2. Zach. 7. 5. Exod. 19. 5. spoil and Israel to the Robbers They were a praying people a professing people a fasting people a peculiar people a priviledged people and yet for their sins they became a destroyed people a consumed people a ruined people The fifth thing observable in the words is the little Effect the Judgments of God had upon them Now they were under such monstrous stupidity that they were not all awakned nor affected By Tiâ—us Vespasian their land became astage of blood and of all kind of barbarisms and now their so renowned City their Temple and Sanctum Sanctorum so fam'd all the world over was turned into ashes and laid level to the ground Buxtorf Synag Judaica cap. 5. c. 36. with the Judgments of God they regarded them not they laid them not to heart And as stupid and senseless were they when Titus Vespasiâ—n had laid their City desolate by fire and sword and sold thirty of them for one piece of silver as Josephus and other Historians tell us O Sirs since their crucifying of the Lord of Glory they have never laid their finger upon the right sore to this very day they wo'nt acknowledge their sin in crucifying of the Lord of Glory They confess they have sinned more then ever and therefore 't is that God hath more sorely afflicted them then ever but their cruelty to Christ their crucifying of Christ which ushered in the total ruine of their City and Country they cannot be brought to acknowledge to this very day though the Lord hath burnt them up on every hand and hath scattered them as dung all over the earth to this very day A Learned Writer tells us that they call Christ Bar-chozab the Son of a Lye a Bastard and his Gospel Aven Gilaion the Volume of Lyes or the Volume of Iniquity and us Christians Goiiâ—n that is Gentiles Edomites when they salute a Christian they call him Shed that is Devil They hate all Christians but none so much as those that are converted from Judaism to Christianity and all this after so great a burning and desolation that
declares made by the Heathen the reproach of Christ himself Quomodo bonus magister cujus tam pravos videmus discipulos How can we think the Master to be good whose Disciâ—les we see to be so bad Epiphanius saith that in his days many shuâ—'d the society of the Christians because of the loosness and luxuriousness of their lives And Augustin confesseth that August de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 34. in his time the loose and luxurious lives of many who profest the Christian Religion gave a great advantage to the Manichees to reproach the whole Church of God and the ways of God The Manichees were a sort of people who affirmed that there were two principles or beginnings of things viz. a summum bonum and a summum malum A summum bonum from whence sprang all good and a summum malum from whence issued forth all evil Now the loose and luxurious lives of such as had a profession upon them hardned these in their errours and caused them with open mouth greatly to reproach and deeply to censure the sincerest Saints And Chrysostom preferred brute beasts before luxurious persons for they go from belly to labour when the luxurious person goes from belly to bed or from belly to Cards or Dice if not to something that is worse And Augustine well observes that God hath not given to man talons and claws to rent and tear in pieces as to Bears and Leopards nor horns to push as to Bulls and Unicorns nor a sting to prick as to Wasps and Bees and Serpents nor a bill to strike as to Eagles and Ostriches nor a wide mouth to devour as to Dogs and Lyons but a little mouth to shew that man should be very temperate both in his eating and drinking How applicable these things are to the luxurious persons that lived within and without the Walls of London before it was turned into ashes I shall leave the wise in heart to judge But Thirdly Those great and horrid sins that were to be found in maâ—y mens Callingâ— viz. excessive worldliness Prov. 28. 20. 22. See Josh 7. 15. 21. 24. 25. extortion deceit bribery c. these brought the sore Judgment of Fire upon us When men are so greedy and mad upon the world that they make haste to be rich by all sinful devices and cursed practices no wonder if God burns up their substance and turns their persons out of house and home The coal the Eagle got from the Altar the Sacrifice and carried it to her nest set all on fire So that Estate that men get by sinful ways and unwarrantable courses first or last will set all they have on fire He that resolves to be evil may soon be rich when the spring of conscience is screwed up to the highest pin that it is ready to crack when Religion is lock'd up in an out-room and forbidden upon pain of death to look into the Shop or Ware-house no wonder such men thrive and grow great in the world but all the riches such men store up is but fuel for the fire Hab. 2 9. Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousnâ—ss to his house that he He saith Chrysostom that locks up ill-gotten riches in his counting-house locks up a Thief in his countenance which will carry all away and if he look not the betteâ— to it his precious Soul also may set his nest on high that hâ— may be delivered from the power of evil Verse 11. For the stone shall cry out of the wall the beam out of the timber shall answer it Verse 13. Behold is it not of the Lord of Hâ—sts that the people shall labour in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity They had got great Estates by an evil covetousness and God was resolved that he would make a bon-fire of all their ill gotten goods and though they should venture their lives to save â—heir goods and quench the flames yet all should be but labour in vain according to that word Jer. 51. 58. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken and her high gates shall be burnt with fire and the people shall labour in vain and the folk in the fire and they shall be weary Though Babylon was a City of great same and state and riches and deservedly accounted one of the worlds nine wonders though the compass of the Walls was 365 furlongs or 46 miles according to the number of the days in the year and the heighth 50 cubits and of so great a bredth that Carts and Carriages might meet on the top of them yea though it was so great and vast a City that Aristotle saith that it ought rather to be called a Country then a City adding withal that when the City was taken it was three days before the furthest part of the City could take notice of it Yet at last according to the Word of the Lord it was set on fire and though the Inhabitants did weary and tire out themselves to quench the flames and to save their stately houses and ill-gotten riches yet all was labour in vain and to no purpose In the days of Pliny it was an utter desolation and in the time of Hierom it was turned into a Park in which the King of Persia did use to hunt So Ezek. 28. 18. Thou hast defiled thy Sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities by the iniquity of thy traffick therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee it shall devour thee and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee Verse 19. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee thou shalt be a terrour and never shalt thou be any more Tyruâ— among the Sea-bordering Cities was most famous and renowned for Merchandise and Trade for thither resorted the Merchants of all Countries for Traffick of Palestina Syria Egypt Persia and Assyria They of Tarshis brought thither Iron Lead Brass and Silver The Syrians brought thither Carbuncles Purple broidered Work fine Linnen Coral and Pearl The Jews brought thither their Honey Oyl Treacle Cassia and Calamuâ— The Arabians brought thither Lambs Muttons and Goats The Sabeans brought thither their exquisite Spices and Apothecary-stuff with Gold and precious Stones Now by fraud and deceit they grew exceeding rich and wealthy which in the close issued in their total ruine according to that of the Prophet Zacha. 9. 3 4. And Tyrus did build her self a strong hold and heaped up silver as the dust and fine gold as the mire of the streets Behold the Lord will cast her out and he will smite her power in the sea and she shall be devoured with fire The Tyriâ—ns did hold themselves invincible because of their siâ—uation being round about environed by the Sea but yet the Prophet tells them that though they were compassed about with deep waters yet they should be destroyed by
will not speak the truth they have taught their tongue to speak lyes and weary themselves to commit iniquity Verse 9. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this Verse 10. For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation because they are burnt up so that none can pass through them neither can men hear the voice of the cattel both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts are fled they are gone Verse 11. And I will make Jerusalem heaps as London is this day and a den of dragons and I will make the cities of Judah desolate without an inhabitant Verse 12. Who is the wise man that may understand this and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken that he may declare it for what the land perisheth and is burnt up like a wilderness that none passeth through The Jews had so inured and accustomed Jer. 13. 23. their tongues to speak lyes they had got such a haunt a habit and custom of lying that they could not leave it And â—his was the procuring cause of that dreadful and utter devastation that befel their City and Country Hes 4. 1 2 3. Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood touchâ—th blood Therefore shall the land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven yea the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away This people made it their common practice to lye they were given up to a course a trade of lying which God here threatens to punish with an extream and universal desolation A lye is a voluntary and wilful telling of an untruth with a purpose to deceive so that three things are required to the nature of a lye 1. There must be an untruth and falseness in the thing 2. This untruth must be known to be so he must be conscious to himself that it is false 3. He must have an intent and purpose to utter this falshood with a desire or design to deceive another by it Augustine makes eight sorts of Lyes but the School-men reduce all to three 1. Is jocosum the sporting Lye 2. Is officiosum the helpful Lye 3. Is perniciosum the pernicious and hurtful Lye First There is mendacium joâ—osum the sporting Lye and this is when men will lye and tell untruths to make men sport to make men merry Of this sin the Prophet Hosea complains Chap. 7. 3. They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lyes Courtiers frame It is a received opinion in these days that Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere fictions and tell ridiculous stories to delight Princes Among many Courtiers loud lyes are esteemed ornaments and elegancies of speech and none are accounted sosweet and pleasant in their discourse as those that can tell the most pleasing lyes but such Mirth-mongers and Mirth-makers may do well to remember that such kind of mirth will bring bitterness in the end If for every idle word that men shall speak Math. 12. 36. Phil. 5. 4. they must give an account in the day of Judgment then surely much more for every lying word And if foolish talking and jesting be condemned then surely lying talking and jesting shall be much more condemned if not here yet in the great day when all lying Jesters shall hold up their hands at Christs Bar. Now were there none within nor without the Walls of London that were guilty of merry lyes of sporting lyes But Secondly There is mendacium officiosum the officious lye the helpful lye and that is when a man lyes to help himself or others at a pinch at a dead lift When men lye either Exod. 1. 15. to the 20. Josh 2. 1. to vers 9. 1 Kings 13. 14. to 27. to prevent some danger they fear or else to bring about some good they desire then they tell an officious lye Thus the Egyptian Midwives lyed and thus Rahab lyed and thus the old Prophet lyed who contrary to the command of God perswaded the man of God to go back and eat bread with him under the pretence of a divine Revelation And thus Gen. 27. 19. Jacob told his father an officious threefold lye but he hardly ever had a merry day a good day after it for God followed him with variety of troubles and his sorrows like Jobs Messengers came posting in one after another even to his dying day that both himself and others might see what bitterness is wrapt up in officious lyes Solon reproving Thespis the Poet for lying Thespis answered him that it was not material seeing it was but in sport then Salon beating the ground with his staff said If we commend lying in sport we shall find it afterwards in good earnest In all our bargains and dealings let us make it our wisdom and our work to remember That we must not do evil that good may come yea we Rom. 3. 8. must not tell a lye to save all the Souls under Heaven The Prisciallanists in Spain a most pestilentious Sect taught in Augustines time That it was lawful to lye for the helping of a good cause and for the propagating of the Gospel and for the advantage of Religion But Augustine consuted them and stoutly asserts in two Books That we are not to tell an officious lye to tell a lye for no hurt but for good though it were to save all the world Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him saith Job to his Job 13. 7. friends A man may as well commit fornication with the Moabites to draw them to our Religion or steal from the rich to give to the poor as lye to do another man a good turn Nepos reporteth of Epaminondas a noble man of Thebes and a famous Warriour that he would never lye in jest nor in earnest either for his own or anothers gain This refined Heathen will one day rise in Judgment against such kind of Christians who take a great pleasure in officious lyes Now were there none within nor without the Walls of London that delighted themselves in officious lyes But Thirdly and to come closer to our work There is mendacium perniciosum the pernicious and hurtful Lye and Gen. 39. 13. to the 20. 2 Kings 5. 22 23. this of all lyes is the worst When men will lye out of a design to hurt to cheat to defraud or to make a prey of those they deal with this is the forest of all lyes Now how rampant was this sort of Lying among all sorts of Citizens before London
that he in his instruments Rev. 2. 10. makes against the strictest observers of that day and witness his constant prompting and spurring such on to the prophanation of the Sabbath whose examples are most dangerous and encouraging to wicked men as Magistrates Ministers Parents and Masters c. and witness his strong endeavours constant attempts crafty devices and deep policies that he has made use of in all the Ages of the World to keep people off from a religious observation of the Sabbath yea and to make them more wicked on that day then on any other day of the week May I not say then on all other days of the week I have been the longer upon this ninth Particular partly because of the weightiness of it and partly to encourage the Reader to a more close and strict observation of the Sabbath and partly to justifie those that are conscientious observers of it and partly to justifie the Lord in turning London into ashes for the horrible prophanation of his day The Sabbath-day is the Queen of days say the Jews The The Sabbath-day differs as much from the rest of the days as the wax doth to which a Kings Great Seal is put from ordinary wax Sabbath-day among the other days is as the Virgin Mary among Women saith Austin Look what the Phenix is among the Birds the Lyon among the Beasts the Whale among the Fishes the Fire among the Elements the Lilly among the Thorns the Sun among the Stars that is the Sabbath-day to all other days and therefore no wonder if God burn such out of their habitations who have been prophaners of his day Ah London London were there none within nor without thy Walls that made light of this Institution of God and that did offer violence to the Queen of days by their looseness and prophaneness by their sitting at their doors by their walking in Moor-fields by their sportings and wrestlings there and by their haunting of Ale-houses and Whore-houses their tossing of Pots and Pipes when they should have been setting up God and Christ and Religion in their Families and mourning in their Closets for the sins of times and for the afflictions of poor Joseph How did the wrath and rage of King Ahasuerus smoak against Haman Esth 7. 8 9 10. when he apprehended that he would have put a force upon the Queen And why then should we wonder to see the wrath of the Lord break forth in smoak and flames against such a generation that put a force upon his day that prophaned his day the Queen of days Ah Sirs you have greatly prophaned and abused the day of the Lord and therefore why should any marvel that the Lord has greatly debased you and laid your glory in dust and ashes In these late years how has prophaneness like a flood broke in upon us on the Lords day and therefore it highly concerns all the prophaners of the day of the Lord to lay their hands upon their hearts and to say the Lord is righteous the Lord is righteous though he has laid our habitations desolate Who is so great a stranger in our English Israel as not to know that God was more dishonoured on the Sabbath-day within and without the Walls of London then he was in all the other six days of the week and therefore let us not think it strange that such a fire was kindled on that day as has reduced all to ashes What Antick habits did men and women put on on this day what frothy empty airy discourses and intemperance was to be found at many mens Tables this day How were Ale-houses Stews and Moor-fields filled with debauched sinners this day No wonder then if London be laid desolate Now this abominable sin of open prophaning the Sabbaths of the Lord I cannot with any clear evidence charge upon the people of God that did truly fear him within or without the Walls of London For first they did lament and moâ—rn over the horrid prophanation of that day Secondly I want eyes at present to see how it will stand either with the truth of Grace or state of Grace for such as are real Saints to live in the open prophanation of Gods Sabbaths Thirdly because an ordinary prophaning of the Lords Sabbaths is as great an Argument of a prophane heart as any that can be found in the whole Book of God Fourthly because Sabbath-days are the Saints Market-days Prov. 10. 5. Prov. 17. 16. Isa 25. 6. Math. 5. 47. the Saints harvest-days the Saints summer-days the Saints seed-days and the Saints feasting-days and therefore they will not be such fools as to sleep away those days much less will they presume to prophane those days or to toy and trifle away those days of Grace Fifthly what singular thing do they more then others if they are not strict observers and conscientious sanctifiers of the Lords day â—ixthly and lastly of all the days that pass over a Christians head in this world there are none that God will take such a strict and exact account of as of Sabbath-days and therefore it highly concerns all people to be strict observers and serious sanctifiers of that day Now upon all these accounts I cannot charge such throughout Saints as lived within or without the Walls of London with that horrid prophanation of the Sabbath as brought the late fiery Dispensation upon us and that turned a glorious City into a ruinous heap Whatever there was of the hand of man in that dreadful Conflagration I shall not now attempt to divine but without a peradventure it was Sabbath-guilt which threw the first Ball that turned London into flames and ashes When fire and smoaking was on Mount Sinai God was there but when London was in Exod. 19. 18. flames and smoak Sabbath-guilt was there Doubtless all the power of Rome and Hell should never have put London into flames had not Londons guilt kindled the first coal But We come now to the Use and Application of this important Point Tenthly The prophaneness lewdness blindness and 10. wickedness of the Clergy of them in the Ministry brings the Judgment of Fire and provokes the Lord to lay all waste before him Zeph. 3. 4-6 Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary they have done violence to the law I have cut off the nations their towers are desolate I have made their street wâ—ste that none passeth by their cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is none inhabitant Their Prophets and Priests were rash heady and unstable persons they were light faithlâ—ss men or men of faithlesness as the Hebrew runs They were neither faithful to God nor faithful to their own Souls nor faithful to others Souls they invented and feigned Prophesies of their own and then boldly maintained them and imposed them upon their Hearers they were prophane and light in their carriages they fitted their Doctrines to all fancies humours parties and times
Pet. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. James 1. 1â— 1 Pet. 5. 4. White Stone that none knows but those that are the favourites of Heaven To have time to make sure a City that hath foundations a Kindgom that shakes not Riches that corrupt not an inheritance that â—adeth not away a house not made with hands but one eternal in the heavens To have time to make sure to your selves a Crown of Righteousness a Crown of Life a Crown of Glory a Crown of immortality are mercies bâ—yond all the expressions and above all the valuations of the Sons of men The Poets paint Time with wings to shew the volubility and swiftness of it Sumptus pretiocissimus tempus time is of precious Sophocles Phocilides cost saith Theophrastus Know time lose not a minute saith Pittacus Aelian gives this testimony of the Lacedaemonians That they were hugely covetous of their time spending it all about necessary things and suffering no Citizen either to be idle or play Titus Vespasian having spent a day without doing Suetonius any man any good as he sate at Supper he uttered this memorable and praise worthy Apothegme Amici diem perdidi My friends I have lost a day O Sirs will not these poor Heathens rise in Jâ—dgement against all those that trifle and fool and sin away their precious time Take heed of crying cras cras to morrow to morrow O play not the Courtier with your precious souls the Courtier doth all things late he rises late and dines late and supps late and goes to bed late and repents late Remember that Manna must be gathered in the morning The Orient Pearl is generated of the morning dew There is nothing puts a more serious frame into a mans Spirit than to know the worth of his time 'T is very dangerous putting off that to another day which must be done to day or else undone to morrow Nunc aut nunquam Now or Never was the saying of old If not done now it may never be done and then undone for ever Eternity depends on this moment of time What Beroaldus speakâ— of a Fool who cried out Oh Repentance Râ—pentance where aâ—t thou where art thou Repentance would not many a man give for a day when it is a day too late Whilst many blind Sodomites have been groping to find a door of hope God has rained Hell out of Heaven upon them The seasons of Grace are not under your locks and keyes Many thousand poor sinners have lost their seasons and their souls together Judas repented and Esau mourned but neither timely nor truly and therefore they perished to all eternity The damned in Hell may weep their eyes out of their heads but they can never weep sin out of their souls nor their souls out of Hell c. O that the flames of London might be so sanctified to every poor sinner who have had their lives for a prey in that doleful day that they may no longer neglect those precious seasons and opportunities of Grace that yet are continued to them lest God should swear in his wrath that they should never Heb. 2. 3. Heb. 3. 18. enter into his rest O Sirs yet you have a world of gracious opportunities and O that God would give you that heavenly wisdom that you may never neglect one gracious opportunity though it were to gain a whole world God by giving you your lives in the midst of those furious and amazing flames has given you time and opportunity to secure the internal and the eternal welfare of your precious and immortal souls which is a mercy that can never bâ— sufficiently prized or improved But Secondly What a mercy was this to poor doubting staggering Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames For by this means they have gained time to pray down their doubts and to argue down their doubts and to wrestle and weep down their doubts c. Christ ascended to Heaven in a cloud and the Angel ascended Acts 1. 9 10. Judg. 14. 20. to Heaven in the flame of the Altar 'T is ten to one out this had been the case of many doubting trembling Christians had they dyed when London was in flames I know 't is good getting to Heaven any way though it be in a whirlewind of affliction or in a fiery Chariot of temptation or in the flames of Persecution or in a cloud of fears doubts and darkness but yet that man is more happy that gets to Heaven in a quiet calm of inward peace and The whole Scripture saith Luther doth principally aim at this thing that we should not doubt but that we should hope that we should trust and that we should believe that God is a merciful a bountiful a gracious and patient God to his people in the fair Sunshine of joy and assurance 'T is a good thing for a man to get into a safe Harbour though it be in a Winter night and through many Storms and tempests hazards dangers and deaths with the loss of Masts Cables and Anchors but yet he is more happy that gets into a safe Harbour in a clear calm fair Sun-shiny day top and top-gallant and with Colours flying and Trumpets sounding The prudent Reader knows how to apply it O that al poor doubting Christians would seriously lay this to heart viz. That for them to have time to have their judgements and understandings enlightned their doubts resolved their objections answered their consciences setled and their souls assured that all is well and shall be for ever well between God and them is a mercy more worth than all the world But Thirdly What a mercy was this to poor languishing declining and decaying Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames There werâ— a great many in London who were fallen from their first love and whose Sun was set in a cloud There were many whose Graces were languishing whose comforts were declining Rev. 2. 4. whose souls were withered and whose communion with God was greatly impaired Many within and without the Walls of London had a Worm knawing at the root of their Graces they had lost their spiritual rellish of God of Christ of Ordinances as dying men lose their rellish Dying men can rellish nothing they sip or eat or drink they had lost theâ—â— spiritual strength and they knew it not as Sampson had lost hâ—s natural strength and knew it not O what an Image of deaâ—â— Judg. 16. 20. was upon their highest professions Now for these men to livâ— for these men to have time to get their Graces repaired their comforts revived their spiritual strength restored their soulâ— fatned and their communion with God raised O what a matchless what an incomparable mercy is this But Fourthly What a mercy was this to poor clouded deserted and benighted Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London
was in flames Beloved 't is saâ— dying under a cloud 't is sad dying when he who should comfort a mans soul stands afar off Some think that the Lam. 1. 16. Psal 39. 13. face of God was clouded when David thus prayed O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more And some think Hezekiahs's Sun was set in a cloud Isa 38. 1 2 3. See more of thâ—s in my Mute Christian under the smarting Rod pag. 279. 304. Judg. 16. 18 19 20 21. and God had drawn a Curtain between Hezekiah and himself when being under the sentence of death He turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the Lord and said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore or with great weeping as the Hebrew runs It is with clouded and deserted Christians as it was with Sampson when his locks were cut off his strength was gone and therefore though he thought to go out and do wonders as he had formerly done yet by sad experience he found himself to be but as another man So when God dos but withdraw the best of Saints have their locks cut their strength which lyeth not in their hair but in their head Christ Jesus is gone and they Phil. 1. 22 23. are but like other men They think they speak they act they walk like other men Christians under real disertions commonly fall under sore temptations great indispositions barrenness flatness dulness and deadness of Spirit And is this a fit season for such to die in Christians under a cloud usually have their joyes eclipsed their comforts damped their evidences for Heaven blotted their communion with God impaired and their title to Heaven is by themselves in such a day much questioned And is this a case for them to die in O clouded and deserted Christians who have had your lives for a prey in the midst of Londons flames and ever since those flames what a great what a glorious obligation has the blessed God put upon you to labour to recover your selves from under all clouds and desertions and to spend your dayes in a serious and deep admiration of that free that rich that infinite and that Soveraign Grace that spared you and that was active for you in that day when you were compassed about with flames of fire on every hand But Fifthly What a mercy was this to poor solicited tempted Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames For by this means they have gained See my Mute Christian pag. 260. to p. 279. Our whole life is nothing but a temptation saith Aâ—stin time to strengthen themselves against all Satans temptations The â—aily Bâ—lâ—s that were given in to pray for poor tempted Christâ—ans did sâ—fficiently evidence how active Satan was to distrâ—ss and perplex poor Christians with all sorts of hideous and blasphemous temptations Were there not many tempted to distrust the power of God the goodness of God the faithfulness of God Were there not many tempted to deny God to blaspheme God and to turn their backs upon God Were there not many tempted to slight the Scriptures to deny the Scriptures and to prefer their own fancies notions and delufions above the Scriptures Were there not many tempted to have low thoughts of Ordinances and then to leave Ordinances and then to vilifie Ordinances and all under a prâ—tence of living above Ordinances Were there not many tempted to presume upon the mercies of God and others tempted to despair of the Grace of God Were there not many tempted to destroy themselves and others tempted to destroy their relations Were there not many tempted to draw others to sin and to uphold others in sin and to encourage others in sin and to be partners with others in sin Were there not many tempted to have hard thoughts of Christ and others to have low thoughts of Christ and others to have no thoughts of Christ Now for these poor tempted souls to have their lives for a prey and to have precious seasons and opportunities to recover themselves out of the snares of the Devil and to arm themselves against all his fiery daris is a comprehensive mercy a big-bellied mercy a mercy that has many thousand mercies in the womb of it But Sixthly and lastly What a mercy was this to all slumbering slothful sluggish lazy Christians who had blotted and Matth. 25. blurred their evidences for Heaven and who instead of runing their Christian race were either at a stand or else did but Heb. 12. 1. halt in the way to Heaven that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames and that they have had time to clear up their evidences for Heaven and to quicken Psal 119. 32. up their hearts to run the wayes of Gods commands Surely had all the world been a lump of Gold and in their hands to have been disposed of they would have given it for a little time to have brightned their evidences to have got out of their sinful slumber and to have set all reckonings even between God and their poor souls And let thus much suffice for this second support The third Support to bear up the hearts and to cheer up the Spirits of all that have suffered by the late fiery dispensation is this viz. that this has been the common lot the common case both of Saints and sinners God has dealt no more severely with you than he has with many others Have The commonness of our sufferings doth somewhat mitigate the sharpness of our sufferings c. you lost much so have many others Have you lost half so have many others Have you lost all so have many others Have you lost your Trade so have many others Have you lost yoour goods so have many others Have you lost your credits so have many others Have you lost many friends who before the fire were very helpful to you and yours so have many others Have you lost more than your all so have many others This very Cordial the Apostle hands out to the suffering Saints in his time 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is commâ—n to man by temptation he means affliction as the word is used Jam. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 6. that is there hath no affliction befallen you but that which is incident either to men as men or to Saints as Saints or thus there hath no affliction befallen you but such as is common to man that is there is no affliction that hath befallen you but such as men may very well bear without murmuring or buckling under it So 1 Pet. 5. 9. Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished or finished in your brethren that are in the world or in your brother-hood that is in the
that the drought was so great that all the Fountains and Rivâ—rs except Iber and Beâ—is were dried up so that the earth gaped in several places that whole fields were parted and that many who had thought to have fled into other parts were hindered and could noâ— get passage over these fearful openings of the earth Hereby Spain especially those places nearest the Mediterranean Sea being stripped naked of all Herbs â—nd the glory of Trees being dâ—yâ—d up exâ—ept a fâ—w Tâ—ees which were preserved upon the banks of the River Betis men and Beasts being consumed with thirst and famine was â—urned by this Jâ—dgement into a misâ—rable solitude and Wilderness The Royal line of the Kings was by this means All these things do the Histories of Spain report extinct and the poorer sort of men whose means were â—hort and provision small went into other places as they could conveniently and with all spâ—ed not being able to stand or stay out this six and twenty years misery In the Thâ—cyd Pelâ—ponnâ—sâ—an War at Potidea men eat one another When Vtica was besieged by Amilcar the Father of Hâ—nnibal men Polâ—b at one another the famine was so great amongst them At Antioch in Syria many of the Christians in the Holy War Turk Hist Fol. 18. through famine devoured the dead bodies of the late slain enemies At the siege of Scodra Horses were dainty meat yea thâ—y were glad to eat Dogs Cats Rats and the skins of beasts sod A little Mouse and Puddings made of Dogs Ibid. 4â—6 guts was sold at so great a price as exceeds all credit When Hâ—nnibal besieged Cassilinum the famine was so great that Val. Max. l 7 â—ap 6. Turk Hist a Mouse was sold for two hundred groats that is for three pound eighteen shillings and eight pence That was a sore famine in Samaria when an Asses head was sold for 2 Kings 6. 25. eighty pieces of silver that is say some for four or five pound Others say ten for a shekel of silver was with the Jews as much as two shillings six pence with us by this account an Asses head was sold for ten pound sterling In Edward the Seconds time Anno 1316. There was so great a famine that horses dogs yea men and children were stoln for food and the Thieves newly brought into the Parch Pilgrim p. 289. Spâ—ed 6. 4 Gaols were â—orn in pieces and eaten presently half alive by such as had been longer there In War Oppression Capâ—ivity and many other calamities much of the hand of man is to be seen but Famine is a deep evident and appâ—renâ— Judgement which God himself brings upon the sons of men by his own high hand Many or most of those calamities that are brought upon us by humane means are avoidable by humane helps but famine is that comprehensive Judgâ—ment that the highest power on earth cannot help against If the Lord do not help thee whence shal I help thee 2 Kings 6 27 out of the barn flâ—or or out of the Wine-press said the King of Israel in the famine of Samaria Ah London London if the Lord had inflicted upon thy inhabitanâ—s this sore Judgement of fâ—mine making the Heavens as Iron and the Earth as Brass Lev. 26. 19. Hab. 3. 17. Deut. 28. 23. If the Lord had cut off all thy delightful and necessary provisions and thy Citâ—zens had been forced to eat one another or every one to eat the flesh of his own arms and the fruit of his own body how dismal would thy condition have been Certainly such as have been swept away by the raging Pestilence ashore and such as have been slain by the bloody sword at Sea might very well be counted happy in comparison of those who should live and die under that lingering Judgement of a famine Doubtless famine is a sorer Judgement than either Sword Fire or Pestilence There be many deaths in a Dearth Famine is the top of all humane calamities as Bâ—sil termeth it extream hunger hath made Mothers Murtherers and so turned the Sanctuary of life into the Shambles of death Thirdly God might have overturned London and her inhabitants in a moment by some great and dreadful Earthquake as he hath done several great rich strong and populous Isa 13 1â— Psalâ— â—8 7. Cities and Towns in former times Under Tiberius the Emperour thirteen Cities of Asia fell down with an Earth-quake and six under Trajan and twelve under Constantine In Campania Ferraria in Italy 1569. in the space of forty hours by reason of an Earthquake many Palaces Fardentiâ—s Temples and houses were overthrown with the loss of many a man the loss amounting to forty hundred thousand pâ—unds In the year 1171. there was such a mighty Earthquake that the City Tripolis and a great part of Damascus in Antiochia and Hulâ—ipre the chief City in the Kingdom of Loradin and other Cities of the Saracâ—nâ— either perâ—shâ—d utterly or were wonderâ—ulâ—y defacâ—d In the year 1509. in â—he monâ—â—h of September theâ—e was so gâ—eat an Earthquake at Bodiâ— Constantinople thaâ— there were thâ—rtâ—â—â— thousand men destroyed by it and 〈◊〉 City mâ—sâ—râ—bly shattered and â—uâ—ned by it In tâ—e 〈◊〉 â—f Henâ—y the first the earth moved with so great a 〈…〉 many â—uildings were shaken down Sr. 〈◊〉 Bakers Chrâ—nocâ—e p. 47. and Mâ—lmâ—sbuâ—◠〈◊〉 â—hat the house wherein he sate was lifeed up wiâ—â— a 〈…〉 and at in third time settled again in the pâ—â—pâ—r plaâ—e Aâ—so in divers places it yiâ—lâ—ed forth a hidâ—oâ—â— no iâ— and cast â—â—rth flâ—mes In Lâ—mbardy there was â—n Earthquake that continued forty dayes and removed a Town â—â—to the place where it stood a great way off In Hoâ—eden the elevâ—nâ—â— year of the Reign of King Henry the second on the six and twentiâ—th dâ—y of January was so great an Earthquake Sr. Richaâ—d Baâ—â—rs Chronâ—cle p. 65. in Ely Nâ—rfolk and Suffolk that it overthrew them that stood upon their feet and made the Bells to ring in the Steeplâ—s In the four and twentieth year of his Reign in the Territory of Derlington in the Bishopwrick of Durham the earth lifted up her self in the manner of an high Tower and so remâ—iâ—ed unmoveable from morning till evening and then fell with so horrible a noise that it frighted the inhabitants thereâ—bouts and the earth swallowing it up made there a deep pit which is seen at this day for a testimony whâ—reof Leyland saith he saw the Pits there commonly calâ—ed See the Relation in Print Hell-Keitles In the year 1666. the Câ—ty of Raguzâ— was overthrown by a most dreadful Earthquake and all the inhabitants which were many thousands except a few hundred were destroyed and buried in the ruines of that City At Bâ—rn Anno 1584. near unto which City a certain Hill carried violently bâ—yond and over other Hills is reported by Polanus who lived in those parts to have covered a whole Polan Syntag. â—41 Village that had
deep and wide and dark and out of which the Prisoners could never get and therefore it was called by them Lethe Forgetfulness this Prison was a Paradice to Hell Mark every thing that is conducible to the torments of the damned is eternal 1. God that damns them is eternal Isa 33. 14. Rom. 16. 26. 2. The fire that torments them is eternal Isa 30. 33. Cap. 66. 24. Jude 7. 3. The Prison and Chains that holds them are eternal Jude 6 7 13. 2 Pet. 2. 17. 4. The Worm that 1 Pet. 3. 19. Lâ—cian saith that it was the common opinion among them that the wiâ—ked were held in chains by Pluto so thâ—y call the Prince of Devils in chainâ— which cannot be loosed gnaws them is eternal Mark 9. 44. Melancthon calls it a Hellish fury 5. The sentence that shall be passed upon them shall be eternal Matth. 25. 41 42. The fire of Hell is called a Burning Lake Râ—v 20. 15. Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire You shall know that fire is the most tormenting Element Oh the most dreadful impressions that it makes upon the flesh The Schoolmen distingish thus of fire they say there is ignis ardoris foetoris terroris fire of heat of stench and of terror of heat as in Mount Aetna of stench as in Mount Heda of terror and fear as ignis fulguris the fire of lightning in America All these fires they say are in Hell But to let the Schoolmen pass It is disputed among many of the learned Whether there be material fire in Hell or no. That 't is very probable that there is material fire in Hell or that which is full as terrible or more terrible may I suppose be thus evidenced First The fire of Hell is frequently mentioned in the blessed Scripture Who shall say to his Brother thou Fool shall be in danger of Hell fire At the day of Judgement the tares are Matth. 5. 22. Chap. 13. 40. burnt in the fire Into this fire offending members are cast Matth. 18. 18 19. To this everlasting fire the Goats are adjudged Matth. 25. 41. In this fire those that worship the Beast are tormented Rev. 14. 10. And the Sodomites at this very day suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Into this fire shall all barren and unfruitful Christians be cast Matth. 3. 10. And now also the Ax is laid unto the root of the trees therefore every tree which bringeth forth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Negative goodness will never secure a man either from the Ax or from the fire Yea every man and woman under Heaven that keeps off from Christ and that lives and dies out of Christ and that are never entered into a marriage union with Christ they shall all be cast into this fire John 15. 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Thus you see how the Scripture runs Now you know that ' t ist safest for us to adhere to the very letter of the Scripture unless evident and necessary occasion draw us from a literal interpretation of it But Secondly To this fire is ascribed Sulphur flames wood Isa 30. 33. For Tophet is ordained of old that iâ— Hell those 2 King 23. 18. terrible allusions to Tophet to the shrieks and yellings of those children that were sacrificed there are but dark representations of the pain and miseries of the damned yea for the King it is prepared If Princes be wicked 't is neither their Power nor their Policy their dignity or worldly glory that can secure them from Tophet he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Now he shall be an Apollo to me that can shew me where the Lord in his Word gives such properties to immaterial fire that are here given in the Text. But yet remember this that that God that makes the damned live without food is able to maintain this fire without wood But Thirdly Fire is the most furious of all Elements and therefore the bodies of men can't be more exquisitely tormented than with fire The bodies that sinned on earth Water doth only kill but fire doth vex terrifie and torment in killing Act. Mon. shall be punished and tormented in Hell Now what can be more grievous and vexatious more afflicting and tormenting to the bodies of men than material fire Bilney the Martyr could not endure to hold his finger in the flame of a Candle for a little while for a quarter of an hour though he tryed to do it before he burnt at the stake O then how will the bodies of men endure to dwell in unquenchable fire to dwell in everlasting burnings The Brick-kilns of Aegypt the Furnace of Babel are but as the glowing sparkle or as the blaze of a Brush-faggot to this tormenting Tophet that has been prepared of old to punish the bodies of sinners with But Fourthly Several of the Fathers Schools generally agree that the fire which shall torment the wicked in Hell shall be material fire but yet they say that this material fire shall wonderfully Zaach Austia Peter Lumbard Tho. Aqu. Gregory c. exceed ours both in degree of heat and fierceness of burning Our Elementary or Culinary fire is no more to be compared with the fire of Hell than fire painted upon the Wall is to be compared with fire burning in our Chimneys Si igne damnabit reprobos quare non in igne cruciabit damnatos sayes one of the Antients If he will judge the reprobates in fire why not condemn them to fire But if it be material fire then it may be quencht besides we Object see by common experience that material fire in a short time will consume and spend it self Neither can we see how material fire can make impressions upon Spirits as the Devils and souls of men are First Don't we find that the Bush burned and was not consumed Answ Though all cloaths by daily experience wax old Exod. 3. 2 3. yet when the Israelites were in their wilderness condition their clothes did not wax old Deut. 8. 4. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee neither did thy foot swell these forty years Neh. 9. 41. Yea forty years didst thou sustain them in the Wilderness so that they lacked nothing their clothes waxed not old and their feet swelled not Their clothes were never the worse for wearing God by his Allmighty Power kept their clothes from waxing old and so God by his Allmighty Power can keep the fire of Hell unquenchable But Secondly Such as thus object draw things to the scantling of their own Reason which may be many wayes of a dangerous consequence both to themselves and others Certainly such
light matter that I may escape eternal torments â— can endure the stinging of Gnats that I might not endure the stinging of conscience and the gnawing of that Worm that never dies this heat thou thinkâ—st griâ—vous I can easily endure when I think of the eternal fire of Hell these sufferings are but short but the sufferings of hâ—ll are eternal Certainly infernal fire is neither tolerable nor terminable The extremity and eternity of hellish torments is set forth by the Worm that never dieth Christ at the close of his Sermon makes a threefold repetition of this Worm Mark 9. 44. Where their Worm dieth not And again ver 46. Where their Worm dieth not And again ver 40. Where their Worm dieth not and their fire goeth not out Certainly those punishments are beyond all conception and expression which our Lord Jesus doth so often inculcate within so small a pace In Hell there 's nothing heard but yells and cryes A Pentelogia dolor inferni In Hell the Fire never slacks nor Worm never dyes But where this Hell is plac'd my Muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where To Worm and Fire to torments there No term he gave they cannot wear Prudentius the Poet. If after so many millions of years as there be drops in the Ocean there might be a deliverance out of hell This would yield a little case a little comfort to the damned O but this word Eternity Eternity Eternity this word Everlasting Everlasting Everlasting will even break the hearts of the damned in ten thousand pieces There is scarce any pain or torment here on earth but there is ever some hope of ease mitigation or intermission there is some hope of relief or delivery but in hell the torments there are all easeless remediless and endless Here if one fall into the fire he may like a brand be pulled out of it and saved but out of that fiery Lake there is no redemption That Majesty that the sinner hath offended and provoked is an infinite Majesty Now there must be some proportion betwixt the sinners sin and his punishment and torment Now the sinner being a finite creature he is not capable of bearing the weight of that punishment or torment that is intensively infinite because it would be his abolishing or annihilating and therefore he must bear the weight of that punishment or torment that is extensively infinite namely duratione infinita infinite in the continuance and endurance What is wanting in torment must be made up in time Everlasting Fire and everlasting punishment in the New Testament Matth. 25. 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9 10 c. Vide August l. 21. c. 23. c. 24. de civitate Dei is directly opposed to eternal life to that blessed state of the righteous which will never have an end And therefore according to the Rules and Maximes of right reason doth necessarily import a punishment of the same duration that the reward is Now the Reward of the Saints in that other world is granted on all hands to be everlasting to be eternal and therefore the punishment of the damned can't be but everlasting and eternal too The Rewards of the Elect shall never be ended therefore the punishment of the damned shall never be ended because as the mercy of God is infinite towards the elect so the Justice of God is infinite towards the Reprobate in hell The Reprobate shall have punishment Drexel without pity misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without compassion mischief without measure and torment without end All men in misery comfort themselves with hope of an end The Prisoner with hope of a Gaol-delivery the Marriner with the hope of his arrival in a safe harbour the Souldier with hope of victory the Prentice with hope of liberty the Gally-slave with the hope of ransome only the impenitent sinner hath no hope in hell He shall have end without end death without death night without day mourning without mirth sorrow without solace and bondage without liberty The damned shall live as long in hell as God himself There is not a Christian which doth not believe the fire of heâ—l to be everlasting Dr. Jackson on the Creed l. 11. c. 23. shall live in heaven their imprisonment in that Land of darkness in that bottomless pit is not an imprisonment during the Kings pleasure but an imprisonment during the everlasting displeasure of the King of Kings Suppose say some that the whole world were turned to a Mountain of Sand and that a little Wren should come every thousandth year and carry away from that heap one grain of sand what an infinite number of years not to be numbred by all finite beings would be spent and expired before this supposed Mountain could be fetcht away Now if a man should lye in everlasting burnings so long a time and then have an end of his wo it would administer some ease refreshment and comfort to him But when that immortal Bird shall have carried away this supposed Mountain a thousand If the fire of Hell were terminable it might then be tolerable but being endless it must needs be easeless and â—emediless We may well say of it as one doth O killing life Oh immortal death Bellar. de arte moriendi l. 2. c. 3. times over and over alas alas man shall be as far from the end of his anguish and torment as ever he was He shall be no nearer coming out of hell than he was the very first moment that he entered into hell Suppose say others that a man were to endure the torments of hell as many years and no more as there be sands on the Sea-shore drops of water in the Sea Stars in heaven leaves on the trees piles of grass on the ground hairs on his head yea upon the heads of all the sons of Adam that ever were or are or shall be in the world from the beginning of it to the end of it yet he would comfort himself with this poor thought Well there will come a day when my misery and torment shall certainly have an end But wo and alas this word Never Never Never will fill the hearts of the damned with the greatest horror and terror wrath and rage amazement and astonishment Suppose say others that the torments of hell were to end after a little Bird should have emptied the Sea and only carry out her Bill full once in a thousand years Suppose say others that the whole world from the lowest earth to the highest heavens were filled with grains of sand and once in a thousand years an Angel should come and fetch away one grain and so continue till the whole heap were spent Suppose say others if one of the damned in hell should weep after this manner viz That he should only let fall one tear in a hundred years and thesâ— should be kept together till such time as they should equâ—l the drops of water in the
hath hewen out her seven pillars Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chakmoth the Hebrew word is Plural wisdoms Wisdoms hath built her a house By Wisdoms some understand the Trinity of persons but most Col. 2. 3. conclude that by wisdoms is meant our Lord Jesus Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge The word is Plural for honour sake As Princes write we command the Lord Jesus Christ is said to be Wisdoms in the Plural number to note that he is the soveraign and supream wisdom and that he is instead of all wisdoms and comprehends all wisdoms in himself all the world being â—ools in comparison of him Wisdoms hath built her a house 1. Some take this house to be the Humane nature of Christ but that was not then built 2. Others understand it of the work of Grace in mans soul but this Gal. 5. 22 23. the Spirit commonly works in this house by the Ministry of the word 3. Others by this house understand Heaven that upper house that house of State in which Christ saith there are many Mansions but this can't because the house in the Text is such a house to which Wisdom doth immediately invite and call all her guests But 4. and lastly Others by house understand the Church of Christ on earth for the Church Militant is a house built up of many lively stones 1 Pet. 2. 5. and with these I close Now by these Scriptures it is very plain that Gods house is his Church and his Church his house Now if you were enemies to Gods house if you hated his house and designed and endeavoured to pull down his house no wonder that the Lord has laid your Mat. 23. 37 38. Zech. 12. 2 3 6 9. houses desolate Such who cry out concerning his house rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psal 137. 7. may one day want a house to live in It is observable that in private houses Christ his Apostles and particular Churches and Primitive Christians frequently used to meet when the times were dangerous Joh. 20. 19. Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week Luke 24. 33. when the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you Verse 26. And after eight dayes again his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you This was the usual manner of salutation among the Jews whereby they wâ—shâ—d one another all happiness and prosperity The doors of the room where they were together were shut for the more secrecy and security to avoid danger from the Jews saith Dâ— Hammond on the words Acts 1. 13 14. And when they were come in they went See the Dutch Annotations up into an upper room where abode both Peter and James and John and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholomew and Matthew James the Son of Alpheus and Simon Zâ—lotes and Judas the brother of James These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary thâ— Mother of Jesus and with his brethren Acts 20. 7. And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together tâ— break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on thâ— morrow and continued his speech until midnight Verse 8. And See the Dutch Annotations and Diodation on Acts 20. 7 8 9 10 11 12. here were many lights Gr. many Lamps in the upper chamber whither they were gathered together Verse 9. And there sate in a window a certain young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead Verse 10. And Paul went down and fell on him and embracing him said trouble not your selves for his life is in him Verse 11. When he therefore was come up again and had broken bread and eaten and talked along while even till break of day so he departed Verse 12. And they brought the young man alive and were not a little comforted Acts 5. 42. And daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Acts 12. 12. And when he had considered the See Dr. Hammond on the words the English Annotations things he came to the house of Mary the Mother of John whose surname was Mark where many were gathered together praying or where many thronged to pray as it runs in the Original Acts 20. 20. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and have taught you publickly and from house to house Acts 28. 30 31. And Paul Vide Dr. Hammond of Acts 28. 30 31. dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him Preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him Luke 10. 38 39. Now it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain Village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house And she had a sister called Mary which also sate at Jesus feet and heard his word Beloved by these Scriptures â—is most evident and clear that our Lord Jesus Christ and his Disciples and Apostles and those Christians that lived in their times did frequently meet in private houses and there performed acts of publick Worship viz. such as preaching hearing praying breaking of bread c. How the primitive Christians in those hot times of persecution met in the nights and in woods and houses and obscure places they best understand who have râ—ad the writings of Tertullian Cyprian Chrysostome Theodoret Austin Eusebius Justin Martyr Pliny c. But this to some being an unpleasing Theam I shall not enlarge my self upon it Only remember this that there was never yet any Town City oâ— Country Kingdom or Common-wealth that did ever fare the worse for an holy praying people Frequent and fervent prayer be it in publick or in private in a Synagogue or in an upper Room never did Jam. 5. 17 18. nor never will bring misery or mischief upon those places where such exercises are kept up Such Conventicles of good fellowship as some call them where there is nothing but swearing and cursing and carousing and gaming and all manner of filthiness and prophaneness are the only Conventicles that bring desolating Judgements upon Princes People and Nations as is most evident throughout the Scriptures Take two texts for all 1 Sam. 12. 25. But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your Kings When Several hundred Scriptures might be produced to make good the Assertion Remember what one Achan did and what one Manasseh did 2 Kings 21. 11
Son nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates Jer. 17. 22. Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath Day neither do ye any work but hallow ye the Sabbath Day as I commanded your fathers Isa 58. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking of thine own words Here are three things distinctly observable in the words 1. Words 2. Works 3. Pleasure Not doing thine own wayes that is works not speaking thine own words not finding thine own pleasure Now mark we have stronger reasons to engage us to a stricter observation and sanctification of the Lords Day than they had for their Sabbath which may be thus evinced Not to speak of their double Sacrifices upon their Sâ—bbath Numb 28. 9 10. which as some think might typifie our double devotion on the Lords Day nor yet to speak of those six Lambs whereby others conjecture was fore-prophesied the abundant services in the time of the Gospel Ezek. 46. 1 -5 First Our Motives are far greater and more efficacious For First Our day hath many priviledges above theirs witness the honourable Tâ—tles given to it by holy and learned men As the Queen of dayes Princess Principal Primate a Royal day higher than the highest the first fruits of the days yea saith Hierom The Lords Day is better than any other common day than all Festivals New-moons and Sabbaths of Moses By these Titles 't is evident that the Ancients had the Lords Day in very hâ—gh esteem and veneration Sirs look what Gold is among inferiour Mettals and what among other Grain c. the same is the Lords Day above all other dayes of the week Secondly Their Sabbath was celebrated for the memorial of the Creation ours for the great work of Redemption But Thirdly Theirs was celebrated for their deliverance out of Aegypt ours for our deliverance from Hell Now if the Jews were bound and that for a whole day not to do their own works nor speak their own words nor find their own pleasure how much more solemnity belongs to our Lords Day O what a day is the Lords Day and how solemnly and devoutly ought it to be observed and sanctified But Sâ—condly We have greater means and helps for the sanctification of the Sabbath than the Jews had for a long time or than the Primitive Christians had for three hundred years Mark the holy observation of the Sabbath among them came in by degrees long after the day was settled and the reason was this because for a good while they had no word written to be read nor no Synagogues built to read it in It was well nigh a thousand years or above a thousand years after the giving of the Law before the reading of the Law in Synagogues came up For a long time they had no Books among them but the five Books of Moses and those Books neither were not well understood by the common people And it is further observable that the children of Israel being in Aegypt under sore pressures afflictions and cruel bondage c. neither did nor could keep the Sabbath in any solemn manner not being permitted either to rest or enjoy any solemn assemblies And when they were in their wilderness condition they had many stations diversions and incursions of enemies so that they could not keep the Sabbath in any solemn publick manner as afterwards they did when they were setled in peace and safety in the Land of Canaan And so the Primitive Christians for three hundred years liveing undâ—r very great and violent Persecutions they neither did nor could keep the Lords Day with that solemnity that they should or would but as for place they met not openly but secretly in Woods and Desarts and Holes and Caves and Dens of the earth and so for time sometimes they met in the day and often they met in the night But as for us who have lived and do live in these dayes of the Son of man what rare means and helps what abundance of means and helps what choice and precious means and helps have we had and still have in spite of all oppositions from high or low to enable us to sanctifie the Sabbath And O that all the means and helps that we yet enjoy may be signally blest to that purpose But Thirdly The Heathens by the very light of nature held it but reasonable that the dayes consecrated to their Gods should totally be observed with rest and sanctity the Flamins which were their Priests affirmed that the Holy-dayes were polluted if any work were done upon the solemn dayes besides it was not lawful for the King of the Sacrifices Macrobâ—us l. 1. c. 16. and the Flamins their Priests to see a work done on the holy dayes and therefore by a Cryer it was proclaimed that no such things should be done and he that neglected the Precept was fined and besides the fine he which did ought unawares on such dayes was to offer Sacrifices for expiation And Scaevòla the High Priest affirmed that the wilful offendor could have no expiation Now shall Heathens be so strict in the observation of their holy dayes and shall not Christians be as strict in their observation of the Lords Day These Heathens will one day rise in judgement against the slight observers and the gross prophaners of the Lords Day But Secondly We must sanctifie the Sabbath by preparing ouâ— selves before hand for that day and all the duties of that day Eccles 5. 1 2. Hence it is that God hath fixt a Memorandum upon this Command more than he hath upon any other Command Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Sabbath dayes are our Market-dayes Now men that are worldly wise they consider before hand what to buy and what to sell The Husband-man dungs dresses plowes harrows and all to prepare it for seed I will saith holy David Psalm 26. 6. wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. Signifying that to holy performances there ought to be holy preparations When the Temple was to be built the Stones were hewen and the Timber squared and fitted before they were brought to the place where the Temple stood The Application is easie First The Jews had their preparations Mark 15. 42. And now when the Even was come because it was the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath c. Their preparation began at three a clock in the after-noon which the Hebrews called the Sabbath Eve The Jews as I have read were so careful in their preparation for the Sabbath that to further it the best and wealthiest of them even those that had many servants and were Masters of Families would chop
encrease the graces the comforts the communions and the enjoyments of his people But Thirdly There is the eye of fury and indignation Gods looks can speak his anger as well as his blows His fury is visible by his frowns Mine eyes shall be upon them for evil Gods sight can wound as deeply as his sword He sharpneth Job 16. 9. his eyes upon me sâ—ith Job Wild Beasts when they fight whâ—t thâ—ir eyes as well as their teeth He sharpneth his eyes upon me as if he would stab me to the heart with a glance of his eye he that waits on God irreverently or worships him car lesly or that prophaneth his day either by corporalla boâ—r or spiritual Idleness may well expect an eye of fury to be fixt upon him Jer. 17. ult Ezâ—k 22. 26 31. Bâ—t Sâ—venthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by pressing after immediate communion with God and Christ in all the duties â—sâ—lm 27. 4. â—salâ— 42. 1 2 â—sâ—â—m 43 4 Psaâ—m 63. 1 2 â—saâ—m 84. 1 2. of the day Oh do not take up in duties or Ordinances or priviledges or enlargâ—ments or meltings but press hard after intimate communion wiâ—h God in all you do Let no duty satisfie thy soul without communion with God in it Câ—n. 7. 4. The King is hil'd in the Galleries that is in his Oâ—dinances The Galleries the Ordinances without King Jesus be enjoyed in them will never satisfie the Spouse of Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. Christ What is a purse without money or a Tâ—ble without meat or a Ship without a Pilot or a fountain without water or the body without the soul or the Sun without light or the Cabinet without the Jewels no more are all Ordinances and duties to a gracious soul without the enjoyment 2 Kings 2. 13 14. The Sea ebbs â—nd flowes the Mâ—on â—ncreaseâ— and decreases so it is with Saints in their communion with God in Ordinances sâ—metimes they rise and sometimes â—hey fall sometimes â—hey have more and sometimes less communion with God of God in them Moses had choice communion with God in the Mount and that satisfied him The Disciples had been with Jâ—sus and this was a spring of joy and life unto them John 20. 20. Then were the Disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Here is the Mantle of Elijah but where is the God of Elijah said Elisha So saith a gracious soul here is thâ—s Ordinance and that Ordinance but where is the God of the Ordinance Psalm 101. 2. O when wilt thou come unto me O Lord I come to one Ordinance and another Ordinance but when wilt thou come to me in the Ordinance when shall I be so happy as to enjoy thy self in the Ordinances that I enjoy The Waggons that Joseph sent to setch his Father were the means of bringing Joseph and his Father together All the Ordinances should be as so many Wagons to bring Christ and our souls nearer together Mans summum bonum stands in his communion with God aâ— Scripture and experience evidences Eâ—ghthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by labouring after the highest pitches of grace and holiness on this day Every Christian should labour after an Angelical holiness on Isa 58. 13. this day on this day every Saint should walk like an earthly Angel Mark the Sabbath is not only called holy but holiness to the Lord Exod. 31. 15. Six dayes may work be done but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holy to the Lord or as the Hebrew runs holiness to the Lord which shews that the day is exceeding holy and ought to be kept accordingly The Sacrifices on this day was to be double Numb 28. 9. And on the Sabbath day two Lambs of the first year without spot and two tenth deals of flower for a meat-offering mingled with Oyle and the drink-offering thereof The Sacrifices here appointed for every Sabbath day are full double to those appointed for every day ver 3. and yet the daily sacrifices the continual burnt-offering ver 10. was not omitted on the Sabbath day neither So that every Sabbath in the morning there was offered one Lamb for the daily sacrifice and then two Lambs more for the Sabbath and this was appointed 1. To shew the holiness of that day above other dayes and that God required more service from them on that day than he did on any other day Secondly To testifie their thankfulness for the worlds Exod. 20. 11. creation Thirdly To put them in remembrance of Gods bringing them out of Aegypt by a mighty hand and by a stretched Deut. 5. 15. out arm Fourthly For a sign of their sanctification by the Ezek. 20. 12. Heb. 4. Lord. Fifthly and lastly for to be a figure of grace and a sign of that rest in Heaven that Christ hath purchased for his people with his dearest blood Now mark as this day was a sign of more than ordinary favours from the Lord so he required greater testimonies of their thankfulness and holiness on this day than he did on any other day Every day should be a Sabbath to the Saints in regard of their ceasing to do evil and learning to do well but on the seventh day Sabbath our dutiâ—s and services should be doubled In Psâ—â— 92. which Psalm is titled a Psalm for the Sabbath there is mention made of morning and evening performances the variety of duties that are to be performed on this day may very well take up the whole day with delight and pleasure on this day in a more especial manner we should labour to do the will of God on earth as the Angels and Spirits of just men Heb. 12. 22 23. made perfect do it now in Heaven viz. wisely freely readily cheerfully saithfully seriously universally and unweariedly If we are not wanting to our selves God on this day will give out much of hâ—mself and much of his Christ and much of his Spirit and much of his grace into our souls But Ninthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by managing all the duties of the day with inward reverence seriousness John 4. 23 24. and spiritualness 'T is the pleasure of God that we reverence his Sanctuary Lev. 19. 30. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. Twâ—ce in this Chapter the observation of the Sâ—bbath is commanded that it may be the better remembred and that men may know that it is not enough to rest on that day but that rest must be sanctified by a reverent management of all their soul concernments in all our drawings nigh to God We must look that our hearts lye under a holy awe and dread of his presence To the commandment of sanctifying Gods Sabbath this of reverencing his Sanctuary is joyned Gen. 28. 16 17. because the Sabbaths were the chief times whereon they resorted to the Sanctuary The Jews made a great stir about reverencing the Temple they tell us that they were not to go in with a
staff nor shoes nor to spit in it nor when they went away to turn their backs upon it but go sidelong But doubtless the great thing God points at and expects from his peoples hands on this day is that they do worship him with inward reverence seriousness and spiritualness All other Worshâ—p abstracted from this will neither pleasure God nor profit us 1 Tim. 4. 8. For bodily exercise profiteth little Oh labour to be very spiritual in all the duties of this day Christ the Luke 1. 35 36. Matth. 3. 16. John 1. 32. Chap. 6. 36. Heb. 7. 26. Chap. 9. 14. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Lord of the Sabbath was spiritual in his conception in his life and conversation in his death and passion in his resurrection and ascension he was spiritual in his words in his works in his wayes and in his worship and therefore let us labour to be very spiritual in all we do on that day Again all the Ordinances of the day are spiritual viz. the Word Prayer Sacraments singing of Psalms c. and therefore we had need to be spiritual in all the services of that day Again the ends for which the Lords Day was appointed are all spiritual viz. the glory of God the illumination conversion and salvation of sinners and the edification confirmation consolation of Saints And therefore we had need be spiritual Ephes 6. 12. in all the duties of the day Again the grand enemies that we are to encounter with on this day are spiritual sin within and Satan without and therefore we had need be spiritual in all we do For there is no way to conquer spiritual enemies but by spiritual weapons and by spiritual 1 Cor. 10. 13. exercises Again grace thrives most and flourishes best in their souls who are most spiritual in their duties on the Lords Day Again the more spiritual any man is in his duties on the Lords Dayes the more secured and armed he will be against all spiritual judgments which are the sorest and dreadfullest of all judgements Again the more spiritual any man is in the duties of the Lords Day the more that man acts like the Angels in Heaven and like the Spirits of Heb. 12. 22 23. just men made perfect Again this will dâ—fference you from hypocrites formalists and all prophane persons An external observation of the Sabbath will difference you from Heathens but a spiritual spending of the Sabbath will difference you from hypocrites An hypocrite never rises so Luke 13. 14 15. high as to be spiritual in the Sabbaths of God Mark Sabbaths spiritually spent are a sure sign of a sincere heart and of a saving estate Now Oh that all these considerations Exod. 31. 13. might greatly provoke you and mightily encourage you to be very spiritual on the Lords Day and in all the duties of that day But Tenthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by being spiritual 10. tual in all natural actions and holy and heavenly in all 1 Cor. 10. 13. earthly enjoyments It is reported of a Scotch Minister that he did eat drink and sleep eternal life Luther tells us that though he did not alwayes pray and meditate but did sometimes eat and drink and sometime sleep yet all should further his account That 's a Christian worth Gold that hath learned that heavenly art so to spiritualize all his natural actions as that they shall turn to his account in the great day Zach. 14. 20 21. In that day shall there be upon the Bells Calâ—â—â— renders it stables of hoâ—ses which are the most stinking and contemptible places and yet these should be holily used or Bridles of the Horses Holiness unto the Lord. And the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowls before the Altar Yea every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of Hosts Here is holiness written upon the bridles of the horses they ride on and holiness written upon the cups and pots they drink in A holy and heavenly heart will be holy in the use of the meanest things that are for common use Something of sanctity should run through every piece of your civility Something of the spirit life and power of Religion you should shew in all parts of your common conversation on every day but especially on the Lords Day Tâ—rtullian speaking of the carriage of the Primitive Christians Teâ—tul Apollog at their meals saith 1. Our Table resembleth an Altar and our Supper a Sacrifice 2. Our Table hath nothing savouring of baseness sensuality or immodesty we feed by measure we drink by the rules of temperance 3. We speak and converse as in the presence of God every one repeateth what he knoweth out of the holy Scriptures and his own invention to the praise of God 4. As prayer began the Banquet so prayer concludes it If you beheld us you would say that we were not at Supper but at a Lecture of holiness Should not the practice of these Primitive Christians put all such Christians to a blush in our day who on the Lords Day are so carnal in the use of spiritual things and so earthly in the use of heavenly things That is a memorable expression that you have in Exod. 18. 12. And Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses Father-in-law before God Now mark in See Deut. 12. 5 7. 1 Chron. 29. 21 22. The word Bread is used for all meat Gen. 3. 19. Chap. 31. 14. these words you have 1. The greatness of their courtesie for though Jethro was a stranger and no Israelite yet the Elders honoured him with their company And Aaron and all the Elders came to eat bread with Moses his Father-in law 2. The graciousness of their carriage They came to eat bread with him before the Lord. That is saith Calvin on the Texâ— in gloriam honorem Dei to the honor and glory of God Grace must spice every cup and be sauce to every dish or nothing will rellish well with him whose heart is set to sanctifie the Sabbath Aaron and all the Elders of Israel eat bread before the Lord that is they eat bread as in the presence of God Whilst they were eating of bread their hearts were under a reverential awe of God Dianâ—es Temple was burnt down when she was busie at Alexanders birth and could not be at two places together But God is present both in Paradice and in the wilderness at the same time he is present both at board and bed both in the family and in the Closet at the same time O that in all your natural civil Psalm 139. and common actions you would carry it as becomes his eye his presence that fills Heaven and earth with his glory But Eleventhly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by managing all the duties of the Sabbath with a spirit of holy joy and delight There is no garment that so well becomes the upright Psalm
33 1. Psalm 32 11. Phil. 4. 4. 1 Thes 5. 16 18. as the garment of gladness God hath laid his royal command upon us to rejoyce on this day Isa 58. 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight or as the Hebrew runs delights and so Tremelius reads it the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him c. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord c. Psalm 118. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoyce therein Now if you compare this Text with Matth. 21. 22 23. and Acts. 4. 11. you will find that the precedent Verses are a prophetical prediction of Christs resurrection and so this Verse fore-tells the Churches joy upon that memorable and glorious day A feâ—st saith Solomon is made for laughter Eccles 10. 19. Now on this day the Lord of Hosts is pleased more especially and more abundantly to make for his people A feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of Isa 25. 6. marrow of wines on the lees well refined On this day we enjoy the freest and the fullest and the sweetest and the choicest and the nearest communion of Saints And what doth this call for but a spirit of holy joy on this day we enjoy all the precious Ordinances in a most solemn manner and why then should we not be joyful in Gods house of prayer The Isa 56. 7. Luke 2. 10 11 12 13 14. heavenly Host sung at his birth and why should not we sing and rejoyce at his second birth his resurrection from the dead O Sirs Sabbaths are the very suburbs of heaven and who can be in the suburbs of heaven and not rejoyce A beautiful face is at all times pleasing to the eye but then especially when there is joy manifested in the countenance Joy in the face puts a new beauty upon a person and makes that which before was beautiful to be exceeding beautiful it puts a lustre upon beauty And so doth holy joy put a lustre upon the day of God the wayes of God and the people of God It is the duty and glory of a Christian to rejoyce in the Lord every day but especially on the Lords Day God reserves the best wine the best comforts and the choicest discoveries of himself and of his love and of his Christ and of his glory for that day and all to make his people joyful in the house of Isa 56 7. prayer The Manichees were wont to keep their Fasts upon the Lords Day which made Tertullian say that that practice Lect. 15. of theirs was a detestable wickedness To fast on the Lords Day saith Ignatius is to kill Christ But to rejoyce in the Lord this day and to rejoyce in all the duties of this day and to rejoyce in that redemption that was wrought for us on this day this is to crown Christ this is to lift up Christ But Twelfthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by sanctifying of the whole day to Gods service and not by fits and flashes and sudden pangs O Sirs if the Lord was so strict that he would not lose a moments honor in a ceremonial day of rest Lev. 23. 32. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the moneth at even from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath What shall we think the Lord expects upon this day which is mo-Psalm 92. 1 2. It is good to sing of his loving kindness in the morning and of his faithfulness every night Jer. 17. 22. You shall do no work but sanctifie my Sabbath Now that this may the better stick consider First God hath given you six whole dayes that you may Exod. 20. 9. Chap. 23. 12. provide for your selves and families and therefore do not deny him one day in seven What an unrighteous thing is it to buy by one measure which is greater and sell by another which is lesser Do not rob God of his time who hath been so noble as to give you six in seven But Secondly God rested all the seventh day he had finished the creation in six dayes God did not rest on one part of Gen. 2. 1 2 3. the seventh day and work on the other part of the seventh day but he rested all the seventh day And doubtless it is your wisdom duty and glory to write after the coppy that God has laid before you But Thirdly The Sabbath is not to be an artificial day but a natural day viz. twenty four hours together as you may see in Lev. 23. 32. From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath The dayes then were so reckoned But Fourthly You would not take it well at your servants hands if they should only work three or four hours in a day and either trifle away the rest of the time or else spend it in doing their own work when they should be a doing of yours and do you think that the great God will take it well at your hands that when you have spent three or four hours in the duties of his day that then you should either trifle away or fool away or play away or sleep away or sin away the remaining part of his day But Fifthly This hath been the judgement of most judicious Divines in all ages In the Counsel of Mexicon there was an Assembly of Ministers out of all Nations in Christendom and they ordained a Canon concerning the Lords Day The Canon runs thus We ordain that people keep the whole Lords Day holy and that they set themselves the whole day to pray to God and delight in God and hear his word and if a Countrey mans servant break this day his punishment shall be to be beaten with severe blows ictubus gravioribus are the very words of the Councel and if a Lawyer offer to plead this day he shall not have the benefit of his pleading or case and if a Minister break this day he shall be excommunicated half a year and thrown â—ut of the Church and shall not be received into the Church again but upon great humiâ—iation It is a good observation of Musculus upon Exâ—d 20. 8. God doth not say saith he râ—member the Sabbath to keep it holy for he that keeps it an hour or two keeps it holy but remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy he will have not a part of a day only but a whole day kept holy And Calvin upon these words Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy saith we are to keep this day holy and not a part of it but all of it I might produce a cloud of witnâ—sses in the case but let these suffice But Sixthly and lasâ—ly Consider that the very Heathen have kept the whole day to their Idol Gods and not a part And shall
we then put off God with a part of a day Shall we be worse than the Heathens Shall we act below Heathens Shall nature shall blind devotion do more than Grace The Lord forbid But Thâ—rteenthly You must sanctifie the Sabbath by such an abstinence or moderate use of all your lawful comforts conâ—entments and enjoyments as may tender you most apt and fit for the sanctification of the Sabbath Let your moderation â—e known among all men alwayes but especially on the Lords day be moderate in your eating drinking entertainments Phil. 4. 5. c. Oh how do many by their immoderate use of lawful comforts on this day indispose and unfit themselves for the duties of the day It is a Christians duty every day to eat and drink soberly Titus 2. 11 12. The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to us teaching us to live soberly in this present world It is both the duty and the glory The Greeks call Sobriety the Keeper and Guard of Wisdom of a Christian to be temperate in his diet A little will satisfie nature less will satisfie Grace though nothing will satisfie mens lusts Sobriety is a gift of God whereby we keep a holy moderation in the use of our dyet Prov. 23. When thou sittest to eat c. consider diligently what is before thee and put the knife to thy throat That is be very careful and circumspect in taking thy food bridle thine appeâ—iâ—e take heed thou dost not exceed measure He may endanger his health his life his soul that gives way to his greedy appetite Some read the words thus For thâ—u puttâ—â—t a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite Thou shortnest thy life and diggest as it were thine own grave with thine own teeth Meat kills as many as the Musket the Board as the Châ—ysost Sword I know that the bodies stomacks callings constitutions and climates wherein men live differ and therefore In the hot Eastern Countreys men have lived long with parâ—hed Corn and a Cake but their example is no rule for us Phil. 3. 18 19. no such particular Rules as to eating and drinking can be laid down as shall be binding to every one Yet this is certain that a man that eats or drinks so much on the Lords Day as oppresses nature and as unfits him for praying working or hearing work or reading work or closet work that man is guilty of intemperance Such who feed till they unfit themselves for service are Belly-Gods Paul wept over such in his day and so should we in ours Thou shouldst use thy food O Christian as a help and not as a hinderance to thee in thy Christian course A full belly never studies well nor never prayes well nor never hears well nor never reads well nor never repeats well nor never doth any thing well either on the Lords day or any other day What a shame is it to see a Christian a slave to his palate on any day but especially on the Lords day I may use the creatures so as to support and chear nature but not so as to clog it and weaken it and debase it I may use the creatures as my servants but I must never suffer them to be my Lord. Daniel was very temperate in his diet Though there was not a greater born of a woman than John the Baptist yet his Dan. 1. 8. Matth. 11. 11. fare was but Locusts and wild-honey A little bread was Basils provision Hilarion did seldom eat any thing till the Sun went down and then that which he did eat was very mean Jerom lived with cold water and a few dry'd Figgs And Augustine hath this expression concerning himself Hoc Lâ—b 10. Confessionum me docuisti Domine c. Thou Lord hast taught me this that I should go to my meat as to a medicine his meaning was that he went to his meat not to satisfie his appetite but to repair nature And Luther made many a meal with Bread and â— Heâ—ring Socrates Anacharsis Cyrus Caesar Herodicus Augustus and many other Heathens were very temperate in â—hâ—ir diet The old Gaules were very sparing in their diet â—nd used to fine them that out-grew their Girdles These Hâ—athens will one day rise in judgement against those nominal Christians who are intemperate both upon the Lords day and other dayes also But Fourteenthly and lastly You must sanctifie the Sabbath â—y abstâ—ining from speaking your own words The Spouses lips are like a thread of Scâ—rlet they are red like a thread of Cant. 4 3. scarlet in discoursing of a crucified Christ and they are thin like a thred of scarlet and not swelled with frothy empty worldly discourses on the Lords dayes or on other dayes Such words as will neither profit a mans own soul nor better â—thers are not to be spoken on the Lords day It is Gods express pleasure that we should not speak our own words on his day Isa 58. 13. Nâ—r speaking thine own words Caesar passing through the streets of Rome and seeing many of the Ladies Pluta ch in the life of Peâ—icles playing with little Dogs Monkies and Baubones askt them if the women in that Countrey had no children So when men spend the Lords day in playing sporting toying or talking of this or that trifle of this or that person of this or that fashion of this or that vanity we may ask them whether they have no God no Christ no Heaven no Promisâ—s no Experiences no Evidences to talk of There are Matth. 12. 36. Alexander forgave many sharp swords but never any sharp tongues c. many idle talkers of every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account at the day of Judgement An idle word is a profuse or needless word used rashly or unadvisedly wanting a reason of just necessity bringing neither honor to God nor edification to others nor conducing to any profitable end And as there are many idle talkers so there are many over-talkers and they are such who spend a hundred words when ten will serve the turn And as there Eccles 5. 2 3. are many over-talkers so there are many that are only talkers that can do nothing but talk To fall under the power Prov. 14. 23. or scourge of these mens tongues is to fall under no easie persecution And as there are many that are only talkers so there are many that are unprofitable talkers The beginning of the words of their mouth is foolishness and the end of his Eccles 10. 13. talk is mischievous madness And as there are many unprofitable talkers so there are many unseasonable talkers that place one word where another should stand A wise man Eccles 8. 4. discerneth time and judgement And as there are many unseasonable talkers so there are many rash talkers who speak Chap. 5. 2. first and think afterwards God hath set a double bar about the tongue the teeth and
of the tongue Now if these last have hit the mark how highly doth at concern us all to set a watch before the door of our lips at all times but especially on the Lords day Now considering how wonderful apt and prone Christians are to be speaking their own words Yea foolish vain worldly and unprofitable words on the Lords day Give me leave â—o offer to your serious consideration these four things First Where the Lord hath commanded the whole man to rest from servile works there he commands the hand to rest from working the foot from walking and the tongue from talking But in the fourth Commandment Thou shalt do no manner of work the Lord hath commanded the whole Exod. 4. 10. man to rest from servile works And therefore the tongue from talking of this or that worldly business But Secondly Those things which as lets hinder the duties of the Lords day are forbidden But worldly words as lets hinder the duties of the Lords day therefore worldly words are forbidden But Thirdly Where bodily works are forbidden there those things are forbidden which hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath as much or more than bodily works do but bodily works are forbidden in the fourth Commandment therefore worldly words which hinder more the sanctifying of the Sabbath than bodily works do are forbidden in the same Commandment That worldly words do hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath as much or more than bodily works is evident by this among other arguments that might be produced that a man may work alone but he cannot talk alone But Fourthly That Commandment which tyes the outward man from the deed done that Commandment ties the tongue from talking of the same But the fourth Commandment ties the outward man from worldly works and therefore that Command ties the tongue from worldly words Certainly all those persons that make the Lords day a reckoning-day with workmen as some do or a directing-day what shall be done the next week as others do or a day of idle talk about this worldly business or that or about this person or that or about this fashion or that or about this mans matters or that or about this pleasure or that or about this profit or that or about this mans calling or that or about this Gossips Tale or that c. All such persons are prophaners and no sanctifiers of the Lords Day I have been the longer upon this particular to confute and recover those Christians who give their tongues too great a liberty on the Lords Day Now in these fourteen particulars I have shewed you how the Sabbath is to be sanctified O Sirs as you desire to see London rebuilt as you desire to see London in as great or greater prosperity and glory as she hath been in as you desire to see her once more the Bulwark of the Nation As Psaâ— 48. 12 13. Cant. 6. 4. Isa 60. 15. you desire to see her a shield and shelter to her faithful friends at home and a terror and dread to her proudest enemies abroad As you desire that she may be an eternal excellency Zech. 2. 5. a joy of many Generations As you desire the Lord to be for ever a wall of fire about her and a glory in the midst of her Mâ—ke conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath in a right manner Make it your great business and work to sanctifie the Sabbath according to those fourteen Rules which I have now laid down I know there is a desperate opposition and contrariety in the hearts of carnal men to the strict observation of the Sabbath When Moses had first received a Commandment Exod. 16. 25. 31. concerning the observation of the Sâ—bbath his Authority could not so prevail with the Jews but that some of them would be gâ—dding abroad to seek Manna on the Sabbath day contrary to an express prohibition yea when it was death Chap. 31 13 14 15 16. to gather sticks on that day yet in contempt of Heaven it self one ventures upon the breach of the Law How sadly and frequently the Prophets have lamented and complained of the breach of the Sabbath I have in this Treatise already discovered and therefore need say no more of it in this place The horrid prophanation of this day in France Holland Germany Sweden and in thâ—se three Nations England Scâ—tland and Ireland and among all Protestants every where else is and must be for a sore lamentation The Sabbath in all Ages hath been more or less crucified between prophaneness and superstition as Christ the Lord of the Sabbath was crucified between two Thieves When the observation of the Sabbath came to be more sacred and solemn in publick performances which was about Nehemiahs time as is conceived presently after Satan stirred up some Hypocrites who â—un into such an extream of superstition that they held that they might not stir out of their places nor kill a flea and a thousand such like fooleries Yea some dangerous fooleries they laboured to distill into the people as that they might not draw a Sword to defend themselves in a common Invasion c. For a close remember this that there are no Christians in all the world comparable to those for the power of godliness and heighths of grace holiness and communion with God who are most strict serious studious and conscientious in sanctifying of the Lords day Such as are careless remiss light slight formal and carnal upon the Sabbath day they will be as bad if not worse on every other day in the Week The true reason why the power of godliness is fallen to so low an ebb both in this and in other Countreys also is because the Sabbath is no more strictly and conscientiously observed in this Land and in those other Countreys where the name of the Lord is made known The Jews were never serious in the observation of their Sabbaths till they smarted seventy years in Babylon for their former prophanation of it And who can look upon the ashes of London and not see how dearly the Citizens have paid for their prophaning of the Lords day And Oh that all these short hints might be so blest from Heaven as to work us all to a more strict serious and conscientious sanctifying of the Lords day according to those Directions or Rules that I have in this Treatise laid before you And thus I have done with those Duties that are incumbent upon those who have been burnt up by that late dreadful fire that hath turned London into a ruinous heap I come now to those Duties that are incumbent upon those whose habitations are yet standing as monuments of divine Wisdom Power and Grace O Sirs the flames have been near you a devouring fire hath consumed many thousand habitations round about you and you and your habitations have bâ—en as so many brands pluckt out of the fire O how highly doth it concern you seriously and freqâ—ently to lay to heart the singular goodness
ye shall certainly drink ver 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my name and should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts When Jerusalem hath drunk of the cup if God be God the Nations round shall certainly drink of it God hath begun with London poor London hath drunk deeply of the cup of Gods fury and therefore let the Nations round repent or prepare to drink of Londons cup. Most of those sins that bring the fiery Rod if not all are to be found in all the great Cities of the world And therefore let all the great Cities in France Spain Italy Germany Holland England Ireland Scotland c. take warning by Londons desolation and prepare to meet the Lord in the way of his fury let them cease from doing evil and learn to do well let them repent in dust and ashes lest they are laid in dust and ashes Let them break off their sins lest God throws down their walls and habitations by furious and devouring flames Let all those whose habitations are still standing remember that the same sins the same wrath and the same malicious hands that has laid so many thousand habitations desolate can lay theirs also desolate except they reform and turn to the Most High Fifthly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy to shew much love bowels pity Gen. 18. Psal 102. 13. 2 Cor. 11. 29. and compassion to those who are burnt up and turned out of all who are houseless harbourless and pennyless this day God takes it well at our hands when we pity those whom he thinks meet to punish One of Gods great ends in punishing of some is to stir up pity and compassion in others towards them It should melt your hearts to see other mens substances melted in the flames God hath threatned an Obad. 12. 13. evil an only evil without the least mixture of mercy to such as shew no mercy to those in misery Whoever have James 2. 13. behâ—ld London in its former prosperity and glory that cannot lament to see London laid desolate The ashes of London seems to cry out have pity upon me O my friends They that Jâ—b 6. 14. will not lament upon the burnt Citizens as the greatest objects of their pity may one day be ingulfed under the greatest misery He was a Nâ—bal a sapless fellow who shut up all bowels of pity against David in his misery They were cursed â— Sam. 25. 10 â—â— â—salm 137. 6 7 8. Edomites who did behold the râ—iâ—e of Zion and noâ— mourn over it Let all burnt Citizens remember that usually God pities them most whom men pities least but burnt Citizens are not to be mocked or menaâ—ed but mourned over Sixthly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy to lift up a prayer for all those as are fallen under this heavy judgement of fire When Numb 11. 1 2 3. 2 Kings 19. 4. you are in the Mount be sure you bear the sad condition of the burnt Citizâ—ns upon your hearts Nehem. 1. 3. And they said unto me the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the Province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Well what doth Nehemiab do Answ He lifts up a prayer for them verse 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. O Sirs your prayers must not be penâ— or confined to your own private interests but extended to the benefit of all Gods suffering servants Philo the Jew discoursing of Aarons Ephod which he put on when he went to pray saith it was a representation of the whole world having in it all colours to represent the condition of all states of all people whatsoever 'T is brave when we are in the Mount to bear the conditions of others upon our hearts as well as our own especially theirs whom the hand of the Lord hath severely reacht The best of men Rom. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 3. have been much in prayer for others witness Moses David Job Jeremiah Daniel Paul And it is very observable that our Lord Jesus Christ who is our great pattern was very much in this noble work for you shall find in John 17. that he puts up but one petition for himself in verse 1. which petition is repeated again in verse 5. And all the rest of his time he spent in praying both for the converted and unconverted Now shall our Lord Jesus Christ put up many requests for others and but one for himself and shall we put up all our requests for our selves and not one for others Among the Persians he that offered Sacrifice prayed for all Herodot lib. 1. his Countrey men These Persians will one day rise in Judgement against many who are called Christians and yet make no conscience of lifting up a prayer for those that are under the afflicting hand of God He that prayeth for himself and not for others is fiâ—ly compared by some to an Hedge-hogg who laps himself within his own soft down and turns his Brissels to all the world besides The Jews have a saying That since the destruction of Jerusalem the door of prayer hath been shut up Oh that we had not cause to fear that since the burning of London the door of prayer both for our selves and one another hath bâ—en too much shut amongst us O that all you whose habitations are standing would seriously consider 1. That none need prayer more than the burnt Citizens 2. You do not know how soon their case may be yours the same hand or hands that hath made them desolate may make you desolate also 3. Else what do you more than others Matth. 5. 47. 4. To pity and pray for those that are in misery is honourable and commendable 5. 'T is one of the most compendious wayes in the world to prevent all those calamities and miseries that now you fear and that you think you shall shortly feel 6. To lift up a prayer for those whose sufferings have been sore is no costly nor chargeable duty and therefore buckle to it But Seventhly It highly concerns you whose houses are standing monuments of Gods mercy seriously to consider that some mens escaping of very great Judgements is not properly a preservation but a reservation to some greater destruction witness those Kings who escaped the edge of the Gen. 14. and Chap. 19. compared Exod. 14. 28. 1 Kings 19. Sword and were afterwards destroyed by fire and brimstone from Heaven and witness Pharaoh who escaped all the ten plagues of Egypt in order to his being buried with his Host in the red Sea And witness Sennacherib who escaped the Sword of the destroying Angel in order to his falling by the swords of his own Sons Upon what discontentment