Jer. 17. 24. which if it shall be done Jer. 17. 25. Si custodieâ—ur Sabbatum Hierusalem flarebiâ— templum mirè frequentabitur This City shall remain forever Nothing can better encompass a City with walls barricado a City against danger preserve a City from decay and secure a City from ruine then when the Citizens are not more industrious in their shops on the week day then they are zealous in the Sanctuary and in their families upon the Sabbath God watcheth over that City for good where the due observation of the Lords day is most strictly practiced and the prophanation of it is most severely chastised The sanctification of the Sabbath can cause the state to Flourish It can fill the Court with splendor and glory Jer. 17. Extendit deus fructus hujus promissionis ad totum corpus postquam de proceribus locutus est simul adjungiâ— plebem fore fociam hujus benedictionis gratiae dei Calv. 25. If ye hallow my Sabbaths then shall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes sitting on the throne of David riding in Chariots and on Horses c. Indeed Religion and so that eminent branch of it Sabbath-holiness is the beauty and lustre of Courts and that which fills them with glory as Gods presence in the cloud filled the temple with amazing and astonishing glory 1 Kings 8. 10 11. God indeed keeps Nations as they keep his day and when they are loose upon his Sabbath God is more indifferent in his protection over them and benedictions upon them It is very observable that God did most complain of Sabbath-pollution Ezek. 20. 13 16 21 24. Ezek. 22. 8 26. Ezek. 23. 38. immediately before the Jews going into Captivity When a people despise Gods Ministers and prophane Gods Sabbaths then there is no remedy Nay in our Nation of England immediately after the Book of sports was set forth for recreations and liberty upon the Lords day that bloudy civil War began which turned England into an Aceldaniaâ— 2. Chron. 36. 26. and it was infinite mercy that that field of bloud was not like that floud of waters in Noah his time to drown all the Nation and leave only one family surviving The sanctification of Gods day can bring prosperity to the Church It cannot only fill the throne but the temple with Deus erit modis omnibus beneficus ad populum si modò Sabbatum observent et puro corde se addicunt ad dei cultum cùm in templum ascendunt hilaritèr offerunt juge sacrificium ex vicinâ regione advenient cultores dei qui dres festos celebyem et pro more florebit Religio et vigebit in Sabbato observando immò et sacrificia laudis offerentur huc spectant omina sacrificia ut nomen dei celebretur c. Calv. glory and bless not only the shop but the sanctuary Our spiritual priviledges shall be like Aarons rod blossoming Numb 17. 8. If the Sabbath like the Sun shine hot with zeal and devotion Let us hear God speaking by the Prophet Jer. 17. 24 26. If they shall hallow my Sabbath c. They shall come from the Cities of Judah and from the places about Hierusalem and from the land of Benjamin and from the plain and from the south bringing burnt-offerings and sacrifices and meat-offerings and incense and bringing sacrifices of praise unto the house of the Lord. In this glorious promise are comprised all the Characters of a flourishing Church 1. Here is a multitude of worshippers they should flock to the house of God from all circumjacent parts from all adjacent quarters from the plain and from the mountains from Judah and from Benjamin the two most considerable tribes from the South c. And indeed a confluence of proselytes is the glory of a Church when believers are as the corn of the valley and not as grapes after a vintage Mic. 7. 1. Then the primitive Church became glorious to a wonder when thousands were added to it Acts 2. 41 47. Acts 4. 4. Acts 5. 14. Churches are then prosperous when believers flock as Doves to the windows Isa 60. 8. 2. Here is the variety of sacrifices burnt offerings meat offerings emblems of legal worship sacrifices of praise the evidence of worship Evangelical Gods Altar ever flourishes when there is most incense offered and the Church is in its best estate when the Saints have liberty to worship God in every Ordinance Variety of Ordinances is the joy and harmony of the Church 3. Here is likewise observable in this precious promise Christiani charitate et spiritu sancto ferveant quasi igne impetu quodam animi sint succensi ferveant ad officium faciendum the zealous affection of the profelytes they shall come from the Cities of Judah c. And indeed zealous Saints make a prosperous Church Zeal is the natural heat of holy duties and speaks us to be living sacrifices Rom. 12. 1 11. And our services to be lively services Heat is alwayes a sign of life as in naturals so in spirituals Nor is it to be over-passed that in this promise there is implyed Gods presence which is the true glory and flourish of every Church Levit 26. 2 11 12. so the text They shall come to the house of the Lord where the Lord will give them a meeting else these words were an Irony not a promise For to come to Gods house and he withdraw this is a judgment not a promise for the Sun may sooner want light then a promise sweetness If then the Divine Presence be inclosed in the promise what a glorious Psal 63. 3. thing is Sabbath-holiness For what can we enjoy more then a God His smiles are heaven his frowns are hell Our condition is calculated and computed according to the nearness of God to us or his remoteness from us if God be with us saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 31. Who can be against us I may say who can be above us Communion with God is our throne his absence is our dunghill Our condition 1 John 1. 3. is gradually advanced or depressed according to the degrees Omnia possidet qui illum possidet qui omnia possidet Aret. of Gods approach or retirement The hiding of his face is the blackness of darkness and his presence is the sweetness of every mercy the fulness of every Ordinance nay the glory of heaven it self It is the presence of God which fills the hearts of glorified ones with perpetual joy and their tongues with perpetual Hallelujahs And it is this presence which invites our holy observation of Gods Sabbath It is an elegant note of Origen I demand saith he When Manna first began to fall from heaven and it is apparent from the holy In nostrâ etiam die dominicâ semper pluit dominus Manna de coelo Orig. Scriptures that Manna was first given upon the Lords day for if as the Scripture saith
Jewes which onely typisied and prefigured a better Country a Country to come saith that excellent Father To the same purpose speaks Cyril and Procopius Those who conscienciously observe the Sabbath they shall have outward enjoyments and they shall be onely pledges of 1 Cor. 2. 9. Vides hîc ô Christiane quanta deus stâ—tuerit praemia misericordiae et pietati better enjoyments the pawns and earnests of enjoyments more glorious As if the Lord should say As I led Jacob from the temporal promise of an earthly Canaan to the promise of a heavenly so will I do with thee if thou observe my Sabbaths thou shalt have a Jacobs reward and what that is our Saviour instructs us Luk. 13. 28. where he saith Luke 13. 28. You shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God Thus God he reduplicates his better promises on the heads of those who carefully keep his Gen. 25. 33. Gen. 22. 36. Gen. 32. 28. Sabbath they shall have the Heritage of Jacob who gained both the Birth-right and the Blessing they shall enjoy the Primogeniture the first born of Mercies nay Mercies with the Blessing with the Fathers Benediction too they shall succeed in Jacobs Heritage who was mighty and prevailed with God who foyled the Angel in his spiritual Combat and had the honour to have his Name and Cùm haec verba ex animo simulque oculos circumfero videoque quà m pauci sunt qui delectentur in Domino sabbatique c. Escucheon changed and into such a name as included the Name of God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 El being the close of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 El is one of Gods own Titles And truly here we may take up the contemplation of a learned man who examining and surveying these pretious promises was taken with a great admiration that so few should act the Duty in the Text should be conscientious in Sabbath Observances Hoc lugendum est et magnoperè plangendum inquit Forerius perswading himself that the diviness of these promises might captivate the most refractory and disingenious and at last he concludes with moans that so few in the world should be taken with so rich a bait To which I shall only add we may here see how much infidelity influences the hearts of most for surely did we not look upon these rare promises as bonds without a seal the Revenue of them would bride us to the most accurate and spiritual observation of Gods holy day our reward would make the Sabbath our delight and the greatness of the gain would inforce Mat. 16. 8. us to attempt this excellent piece of godliness But the Quando doctrinam Christi intra animum non perpendimus nec ad praxinreducere nitimur ex hoc oritur occaecatio cordis et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chemnit 1 Sam. 15. 29. world is fallen under the same rebukes as once the Disciples did O ye of little faith why reason you among your selves saith Christ why question you the publick faith of Heaven to the neglect of a duty so transcendently beneficial And in the conclusion of the whole Text we have the seal and confirmations of this Charter of blessings for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and let us be fully assured with the greatest certainty that the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent CHAP. IX The Doctrinal observation comprised in the Text propounded and proved HAving thus taken in pieces the Text by a large and copious explication I shall now set it together again in a solemn and serious observation viz. Doctr. That God hath lockt up many rich blessings in sweet and sure promises for those who spiritually and conscientiously observe his holy day Thus the Inventory in the Text presents us with delights for the inward man with supplies for the outward Isa 56. 2. with a reserve of happiness for them both Such shall succeed in the Heritage of Jacob who keep holily the Sabbath Now to Jacob God was his protection here and his portion hereafter There is no Duty wears a richer Crown in the performance of it then the serious observation of the Sabbath for besides the pleasures riches and grace promised in the Text the Lord Jer. 17. 24 25 26. gives Jer. 17. 24 25 26. us additional promises the words recorded in the Text quoted are these And it shall come to pass if ye diligently hearken to me saith the Lord to bring in no burdens through the Gates of this City on the Sabbath day but hallow the Sabbath day to do no work therein then shall there enter into the Nota hunc locum pro cultu Sabbati apud Judaeos et diei dominicae apud Christianos Alap gates of this City Kings and Princes sitting upon the Throne of David riding in Chariots and on Horses they and their Princes the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and this City shall remain for ever and they shall come from the Cities of Judah and from the places about Jerusalem and from the Land of Benjamin and from the Plain and from the Mountanes and from the South bringing burnt Offerings and Sacrifices and Meat-offerings and Incense and bringing sacrifices of praise unto the house of the Lord. See in this Scripture in these two verses a heap of rich promises more valuable then a pile of Diamonds a mountane of Spices or a rock set with Pearls The promises clustered and piled up in these verses they are considerable in a five-fold notion They are full of pomp and splendour Kings entering into the Gates of the City Where the Sabbath is duly observed Prosperity shall guild that Nation their Princes shall be Pace gloriâ et vebus prosperis erunt affluentes Currus et equi sunt gloria regum Gen. 25. 27. Mat. 6. 29. resplendent their Nobles flourish their Potentates shine in the dazling rayes of glory such a people shall not onely succeed in the heritage of Jacob who dwelt in Tents but in the flourish of Solomon who dwelt in Palaces The holy keeping of the Sabbath sheds beams of honour and renown upon a Nation These promises they are full of largeness and amplitude they are not personal so much as national A good observation of the Sabbath can diffuse mercies scatter them up and Quum nihil aut parum esset praesidiiâ—â— urbe tuendâ et conservando regni statu Jeremias promisit tanquam singulare dei benefiâ—ium Reges fore stabiles cum suis proceribus et extendit Propheta fructum hujus promissionis ad totum corpus non tantùm ad proceres sed ad plebem tanquam sociam hujus benedictionis et gratiae dei Regnum erectum erit et totus populus cognoscet se agere sub fide et tutelâ Dei Calvin down a Land So the Text makes
splendour of England was defaced How deformed is the body without the head And was not London the head of England as Damascus of A Hierusalem plaga dei incipit tum quia illa cognoscens et colens deum plus caeteris gentibus peccavit tum quia caeteris statuitur in exemplum ut ex eâ suum quisque plagam metiatur similemque expectet Alap Syria Isa 7. 8. Nay London was not only the head of England but of the three Nations the two chief Cities of Scotland and Ireland easily yielding to the Glory and Renown of London What the face is to the body that London was to England the beauty and the loveliness of it Londons glory was the sweet complexion of the Land which made strangers and forreigners fall in love with it But now God hath given a scar to Englands face and that must needs be a great blemish Look upon England as Rich and London was the Exchequer of it the Mine to feed that Exchequer Look upon England as Potent London was the Arsenal of it and the Tower was not so much an Honourable Prison as a well furnished Armoury for all military provisions London was a City which could raise an Army and pay it when it had done This Glorious City was the sword and the sinnews of war the very right hand of all publick undertakings But now we are as Samson with his hair cut off enfeebled for want of strength Now England is like the Sichemites Gen. 34. 25. unfit for any invasion Our strength is fallen Lam. 1. 14. The Head of England is made bald both of strength and ornament London the Crown of England hath lost its Jewels of wealth and beauty Now London is rowling in its ashes and we may write Ichabod upon poor despicable England If our Father spit in our face saith God to Moses ought we not to be ashamed seven dayes Numb 12. 14. Ah! God hath spit fire into the face of England London like Job lies on its dung-hill Job 2. 8. and with the afflicted Jews Esth 4. 3. makes its abode in its ashes From the Daughter of Zion beauty is departed Lam. 1. 6. The honour of Renowned England is laid in the dust In Londons fire is observable the greatness of the wind at that time The Lord seemed to prepare bellows to blow this fire that it might not go out till it had accomplished its Execution Winds they are the fan of Nature to cool and purge the Air to maturate and ripen the Corn but here God brought the winds out of his treasury to scatter the flames of his indignation they served only to speed our ruine so that the helps of nature became the hurts of London The fire Psal 18 10. did ride upon the wings of the wind that it might sooner Luke 8. 25. come to its journeys end The Apostle James speaks of Christus loquitur mari et ventis quia majestas dei habet absolutum imperium in creaturas rationales et irrationales Par. fierce winds Jam. 3. 6. And such were these to scatter the fire and so make the destruction Epidemical He that commands the winds now gave them a Commission in wrath for the purposes of his severe vengeance the winds indeed were high and that raised the storm which shipwrackt famous and renowned London It was very remarkable That the season should be so hot and dry at the time of this fire God seemed to make the houses of the City like tinder before he struck fire that it might be sure to take and that intemperate heat as it fitted our dwellings for sudden waste so it dried up the springs insomuch Vt sâ—lis venustas gloria dâ—pingatur solem Jovis oculum appellavit antiquitas that little water could be had where usually there was the greatest plenty This parching season fought against London with a two-edged sword it prepared the houses for fuel and it kept back the remedy those needfull streams which should have grapled with this devouring fire This is worthy Macrob. our observation In the time of our need we have a burning sun instead of a moistning showre That Sun which rules the day guilds the world guides man and fructifies the earth was an an open enemy to London so that we may say that when London was on fire it was not a pleasant Eccles 11. 7. thing to behold the sun That glorious luminary in which at other times we see the glory of God Psal 19. 4 at this time Psal 19. â— we might see the wrath of God That which was observable in Londons fire was That the waâ—eâ—-house which served much of the City with water was onâ— of the first things which was set on fire O tremendous wrath Our help was removed that our hurt might be amplified God betimes in the very first commencing of this O lachryma hâ—miâ—is â—â—a est potentia si sola intres non râ—libis vaâ—uâ— â—â— vincis inviâ—cibilem et ligâ—s omnipotenâ—eâ— et filium vâ—ginis incliâ—as in misericordiam Just judgement took away our relief We had nothing to quench our flames but our tears and if they before had been seasonably poured forth happily the first flames had been prevented When God was highly incensed against Israel he took away their weapons they must go down to the Philistines to sharâ—en â— Coulter 1 Sam. 13. 20. They had enemies to assault but no swords to defend And in this judgement God took away our remedy we had fire to devoure but no water to quench the Lord threw fire upon our houses and he broke our Buckets We may read Gods heavy displeasure in the very preface of this judgement The fire licked up our 1 Kings 18. 38. water as in Elijahs sacrifice but with this difference that was a sign of Gods favour but this the token of his wrath God stripâ— us as soon as he struck us and took away our defence that his judgement might fall with the greater force The infatuation of the people in not being industrious to quench the fire was most remarkable When formerly fire seized upon the City every one was an instrument to suppress it and every passenger an Engine to quench it there was labour in the hand and meltings in the heart of every person to put a stop to the devouring flames But in this tremendous fire the question of the Angel to the Disciples was very seasonable Acts 1. 12. Why stand ye gazing The feebleness of a Samson when he had lost his hair the distraction Judg 16. 19. Dan. 5. 6 7. Acts 24. 25. of a Belshazzar when he had lost his wits and the trembling of a Foelix when he had lost his design seized upon the inhabitants of London their frights were great but their help was small and they knew better how to weep then to work Magistrates themselves were wrapt up in confusion and their Authority did only accent their misery that they
the Church But the Lords day was alwayes celebrated in the Church with joy and unanimity nor ever was the spring of controversie or contention This glorious day alwayes shone bright in the Church without the ecclipse of contempt or disuse And indeed our sweet and lovely Sabbath is a Jewel of inestimable worth a golden stream dissolving and running by us for us to make use of for our passage to a glorious eternity Man never forgets himself more then when he knows not his time and falls below the brute Creatures who understand their seasons Jer. 8. 7. How many observe not the time of Christs coming to meet his people upon his own Eccles 9. 12. blessed day David was wont to say One day in thy Courts is Psal 63. 2. better then a thousand Psal 84. 10. And the same judgement Psal 42. 4. must we pass upon the Lords day before we shall come to a Jer. 8. 7. due observation of it Sabbaths are kept as they are valued And as is our apprehension so is our observation We should look upon the Sabbath as one of the dayes of the Son of man a season put into our hands for life and salvation Luke 17. 22. Luke 19. 42 43. and this would steer our hearts to a Amos 8. 11. devout celebration of it Did we prize the Sabbath as our Rabbini docent Judaeos Sabbatum suum ideò venerasse ut illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnium dierum good wind for our Port our seasonable gale for our coast our indulgent call to our Rest surely we should spend it with God for we know not how soon the things with the day and the day with the things may be past and gone It is observed of the Jews thy so much honoured their Sabbath that they Reginam appellarunt were wont to call the whole week by the name of Sabbath Luke 18. 12. And they were used to say the first second third or fourth day of or after the Sabbath and this they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did as learned men observe not only 1. To discriminate themselves in calling the dayes of the week otherwise then the Gentiles who called them by the names of their Idols But Mark 16. 2. 2. To demonstrate the dignity of the Sabbath day and Luke 18. 12. Hier. ad Hed. quaest 4. Theoph. in Luke 18. that above all dayes it was with them in greatest account And ought not Christians much more hold up an high and honourable esteem of the Gospel Sabbath which is a far more glorious day Most assuredly our practice will keep pace with our repute and if we look not upon the Sabbath as the Tremel in Syriac Para phras day of God we shall never keep it as the day of God And strange it is that the Sabbath should not be precious in our eyes when eternal life is but our great Sabbath our long Sabbath which hath no evening as Ambrose and Augustine Ambros in Psal 119. observe Nay Epiphanius tells us That Christ is but our more durable Sabbath and we rest in this Sabbath when we August de Civ dei repose our hearts and hopes in him Nay a good Conscience as Augustine saith is the bed of God the Palace of Christ the Epiphan lib. 1. Heres 30. Temple of the Holy Ghost the Paradise of Delights and the Sabbatum dei est illud quo ab opere exteriori cessare dicimur et sacramentum interioris Sabbati ubi mens sancta per bonam conscientiam à peccato quiescit Hugo Rev. 2. 10. standing Sabbath of the Saints Thus holy Augustine in his tenth Sermon to his Brethren in the wildernoss A good Conscience indeed is our continual Sabbath our constant feast and rest And therefore in keeping Gods Sabbath let us be faithfull unto death and he will give us a never ceasing Sabbath when we shall wear a Crown of life In the saddest and sorest times when Kingdomes are shaking and Cities sinking nay all Gods Ordinances seem to be taking their leave in a Land yea when all externals in the world are at the worst yet then there may be an internal Sabbath in the heart and an eternal Sabbath in the heavens for all those who are here consciencious in keeping the externall Sabbath viz. the Lords day with all holiness and accurateness of observation Aquinas well observes There is a Sabbath of Sabbatum est duplex Pectoris Temporis time every first day of the week and a Sabbath in the breast inward rest and quietation Now the one leads to the other Aquin. 1mâ— 2dae quaest 100. Artic. 5. when we are Critical in keeping the Sabbath of time we may be confident in the enjoyment of a Sabbath and Rest in our bosoms Piety on a Sabbath will assuredly end and conclude in a Paradise in the bosom and when we have rested with Christ on his day he will certainly sup with us at night and bring grace and peace with him Rev. 3. 20. Let us keep every day as a Sabbath A good week will fore-run Praescrip 4. a good Sabbath as the Sabbath should influence the whole week so the whole week should prepare for the Sabbath And indeed the whole term of our life should be a continued Sabbath in two respects In cessation from the service of sin Sin must always be our corrosive not only on the Lords day but on our day we have no vacation for evil sin is a spot on the week though a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. deeper on the Sabbath as Christ is always the Saints love so sin is always the Saints load How bitterly doth Paul complain of his inbred corruption Rom. 7. 17 18 21 23 24. And so Augustine condoles his condition by reason of sin Alas saith he Sin follows I fly and yet I fall I fight and yet I am captive I run from it and yet I am drawn to it I would rest and yet I cannot be quiet one day nay not an hour Now thus to rest from sin is an every Qui cessat ab operibus seâ—uli spiritualibus vacat iste est qui diem festum Sabbatorum agit neque onera portat in viâ onus est omne peccatum neque ignem accendit c. Et in loco suo sistit neque recedit ab eo Quis est locus animae Justitia est locus ejus veritas sapientia sanctificatio Etomnia c. Orig. days Sabbath there is no day but sin prophanes it sin is the blemish of the shop as well as the Sanctuary and is a brand upon the week as well as the Sabbath It is observable there was no death stigmatized with a Curse but the death of the Cross but on the contrary there is no day but is stigmatized with sin and iniquity Every day must be a Sabbath to us in abstinence from sin It is rarely observed of