THE SABBATHS Sanctification Herein I. The Grounds of the morality of the Sabbath II. Directions for sanctifying it III. Proofs that the Lords day is the Christians Sabbath IIII. Aberrations about the Sabbath V. Motives to sanctifie the Sabbath By W. G. LONDON Printed by G. M. for Joshua Kirton and Thomas Warren at their shop in Pauls Church-yard at the white Horse 1641. To the Reader Christian Reader THis Treatise of the Sabbaths Sanctification hath in the private family of the Author and in other families of his pious Friends beene taught and learned many yeares together They who have beene made partakers thereof and made conscience of well using it have found a singular help thereby for a comfortable and profitable passing thorow that day which unto too too many seemeth very tedious and if at least they be under the Ministery or government of such as restraine them from those sensuall workes that satisfie the flesh makes them complaine and say as the Iewes of old did Amos 8. 5. when will the Sabbath be gone But they who take notice of the variety of duties therein set downe and of their fit dependance one upon another shall rather find want of time for a due performance of them then superfluity By care and conscience in aright observing of them the Lords day will prove an holy spirituall market day wherein we may procure weeke after weeke such spirituall provision for our soules as will nourish and cherish them unto eternall life The very life of piety is preserved by a due sanctification of the Lords day They put a knife to the throat of religion that hinder the same Let such as desire and expect the blessed fruition of the eternall Sabbath to come make conscience of well sanctifying the Christian Sabbath while here they live for an help whereunto this Treatise of the Sabbaths Sanctification is published To it is added another Treatise about Apostasy which two may fitly goe together because a conscionable sanctifying of the Lords day will be an especiall meanes to keepe men from Apostasy THE SABBATHS SANCTIFICATION 1 Q. IS the Sabbath morall or ceremoniall A. Morall That is accounted morall which as a rule of life bindeth all persons in all places at all times 2 Q. How appeares it to be morall A. 1 It was sanctified in Adams innocency Gen. 2. 2 3. Adam in his innocent estate was a publick person and bore in his loynes all man-kinde and that without distinction of Jew and Gentile That therefore which was given to him in chardge appertained to all that in any age should come from him 2 It is one of the ten precepts of the morall law Ex. 20. 8. It is not an appendix to another precept but an intire precept in it selfe If it be abrogated or made ceremoniall there are but nine precepts of the morall law contrary to these expresse Scriptures Exod 34. 28. Deut. 4. 13. 10. 4. 3 Q. Of how many houres doth the Sabbath day consist A. Of foure and twenty Gen. 2. 3. The Sabbath is called the seventh day so as it is a seventh part of the weeke therefore so many houres as make up every of the other dayes which are foure and twenty must be accounted to this day 4 Q. Are all those houres to be sanctified A. Yes Exod. 20. 11. The Lord rested the whole seventh day and all the time wherein he rested he sanctified Gen. 2. 2 3. 5 Q. How can all that time be sanctified A. 1. By observing things commanded Jer. 17. 22. 2. By observing things permitted Exod. 12. 16. Duties commanded by reason of Gods supreme soveraignty must be done They are so proper to the day as in a right performing of them the sanctification of the Sabbath consisteth Matters permitted by reason of Gods tender indulgency having respect to our infirmity and necessity may be done And though the Sabbath be not properly sanctified in them yet is it the better sanctified by them 6 Q. What are the heads of Duties commanded A. 1. Duties of Piety Luk. 4. 16. 2. Duties of Mercy Mark 3. 4. Isa. 58. 13. Duties of Piery are such as immediately tend to Gods honour wherein and whereby he is worshipped and withall they are such as directly tend to our spirituall edification Wherefore the wise Lord who affordeth us six dayes for secular and temporall affaires seeth it meet that every seventh day should be set apart for divine and spirituall matters And because the workes of our calling wherein we are most employed in the six dayes tend especially to our owne profit God will have us on his day to shew mercy to others that stand in need of our helpe Many are the works of mercy which Christ did on Sabbath dayes as appeareth Mark 1. 21 25 29 34. 3. 2 5. Luk. 13. 10 11. 14. 1 c. Joh. 5. 9. 7. 23. 9. 14. 7 Q. What kindes are there of workes of Piety A. 1 Publick Act. 15. 21. 2. Private Act. 16. 13. 3. Secret Mar. 1. 35. The severall duties of piety which are comprised under these heads are very helpfull one to another and cause the Sabbath to be more comfortably passed over without any seeming tediousnesse or wearisomenesse 8 Q. Where are publick duties of piety done A. In the Church 1 Cor. 4. 17. 11. 20 22 14. 19 28. Heb. 2. 12. Churches are publick places where many of severall families meete together There use to be most frequent assemblies to worship God The doores of Churches use to stand open for any that will to enter in There the most solemne duties of piety are performed 9 Q. By Whom are they performed A. 1 By the Minister Act. 13. 16. 2 By the People Act. 20. 7. 3 By all together 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. A Minister on the one side and people on the other make up a true Church The Minister is the mouth of God in whose roome he stands to the people and by reason thereof he declares out of Gods word Gods will to the people A Minister is also the peoples mouth unto God presenting their mind to God which he doth for order sake For if all should utter their owne mind together by their own severall voices what confusion would there be Yet are there also duties to be performed by the people joyntly among themselves but distinctly from the Minister els that which the Minister doth will be in vaine Yea there are also some duties wherein the Minister joyneth with the people and the people with the Minister even in the same manner of performing them as the particulars following will shew 10 Q. What duties are done by the Minister A. 1 Reading the Word Act. 13. 27. Col. 4. 16. 2 Preaching it Luk. 4. 20 21. Act. 13. 15. 3 Praying and praising God 1 Cor. 14. 15 16. Neh. 8. 6. 9. 5. 6. 4 Administring Sacraments Mat. 28. 19. 26. 26. Act. 20. 11. 5. Blessing the people Num. 6. 23. In performing the
the beginning of those feasts in the evening which did then begin As for the supposed beginnings of the first daies gathered out of this phrase the evening and the morning were the first day they cannot be necessarily concluded to be at evening For the evening and the morning there importeth the moment of the evening and morning parting one from another and the returne to the same period which moment is rather at the beginning of the morning then of the evening The evening useth to be referred to the end of the day and the morning to the beginning as Exod. 29. 38 39. 1. Sam. 17. 16. and 30. 17. Joh. 20. 19. 50 Q. What other reason is there of the Lords daies beginning in the morning A. Christ then rose Mar. 16. 2 9. Of Christs rising in the morning no question can be made all the Evangelists agree in the narration thereof Now the Lords day being a memoriall of Christs Resurrection if it should begin in the evening the memoriall would be before the thing it selfe which is absurd to imagine As all Gods workes were finished before the first Sabbath so all Christs sufferings before the Lords day His lying dead in the grave was a part of his suffering therefore by his Resurrection was all ended With his Resurrection therfore must the Lords day begin To make the evening before the Lords day a time of preparation thereunto is a point of piety and prudence but to make it a part of the Lords day is erroneous and in many respects very inconvenient Hitherto of Directions Aberrations follow Aberrations concerne Mens Opinion Practise Some mens opinion is erroneous in too much loosenesse others in too much strictnesse Errors in too much loosenesse are foure 1. Denying the morality of the Sabbath 2. Accounting the Lords day a matter arbitrary 3. Judging externall rest and rites sufficient 4. Supposing servil works in case of hazard to be lawfull The error in too much strictnesse is this Thinking needfull works to be unlawfull Aberrations in practise respect others or themselves Two respect others viz. Keeping others from sanctifying the day Scoffing at such as make conscience thereof Foure respect men themselves Doing servil works openly Deviding the Lords day betwixt God and themselves Waxing weary of holy duties Profaning the Lords day under a pretence of keeping it 51 Q. What aberrations are contrary to the Law of the Sabbath 1. Deniall of the morality and equity thereof There be many that account it no morall precept but reckon it among the ceremonies which were appropriated to the Jewes Herein they may justly be reckoned in the number of those who make void the law of God Psal. 119. 126. Much more they who account it too heavy a yoke for Christians to beare Indeed the sacrifices and other legall rites which were enjoyned to the Jewes for the manner of solemnizing the Sabbath are too heavy a burden now to be laid on Christians But none of those are mentioned in the Morall Law That which we account Morall and to have a perpetuall equity is the substance of the Law Yet against this doe many also except as a wrong done to Christians in that thereby as they alleadge they are deprived of a seventh part of their time Is man deprived of that time which is best spent which is spent in serving God edifying his soule and promoting the eternall salvation thereof Fie on such sensuall and unreasonable conceits who complaines of being deprived of that time which is spent or rather mispent in idlenesse and wickednesse 52 Q. What is a second aberration A. Making it a matter arbitrary There be that grant it to be a very meet and equall thing that a day should be set apart to Gods honour and our spirituall edification but they hold it too strait a bond to be tied to a set and certaine day they would have it left to the liberty if not of particular men yet of the Church to set apart what time they thinke fit What is this but to suppose tâ—at men may be wiser then God or at least that men who live in after ages when the Spirit hath withheld his extraordinary assistance and immediate inspiration may better know how to order times then they who were in speciall manner inspired and assisted by the Holy Ghost yea what is this but to give liberty to man to breake the Lords bonds and to cast away his cords from them This is a ready way to bring man to teach for doctrines the commandements of men and so to worship God in vaine Mat. 15. 9. 53 Q. What is the third aberration A Judging externall rest and rites sufficient This was one of the reasons and that an especiall one which moved the Prophets to cry out against the Jewes for observing those ordinances which God himselfe had enjoyned namely that they rested onely in doing the outward workes In this respect saith the Lord Isa. 1. 13. The Sabbath and calling of assemblies I cannot away with Yet herewith doe most content themselves The externall rites are onely meanes and helpes for sanctifying the day the sanctification thereof doth not simply consist in them much lesse in sneere rest and cessation from labour for then a beast might sanctifie the Sabbath 54 Q. What is the fourth aberration A. Supposing servil workes in case of Hazzard to be lawfull Thus they pretend unwarrantable workes of necessity that is such workes to be of necessity which are not so What are to be accounted workes of necessity we heard before namely such as require a present performance in that they could not be done the day before nor put off to the day after To them many add such things as are in hazard or whereof there is feare that they may be spoiled as in harvest if the weather have beene foule a day or two before the Lords day they thinke they may on the Lords day if it be faire make hay reape corne gather fruit and do other like servile workes But these are not of an absolute necessity For the weather may be faire after the Lords day as well as upon it The Law therefore hath expressely forbidden this Exod. 34. 21. In earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest on the seventh day To worke on the Lords day on feare that the next day will be foule is to distrust the divine providence These foure are errors in overmuch loosenesse 55 Q. What is the fift aberration A. Thinking needfull workes to be unlawfull on the Lords day This is an error in over-much strictnesse For some are so over-strict as they will not suffer a fire to be kindled on that day nor any hot meate to be drest nor sundry workes of mercy to be done like the Jewes who blamed Christ for the manifold cures he did on the Sabbath and his Disciples for plucking and rubbing eares of corne and eating the graine The many proofes which Christ alleadgeth in defence of himselfe and of his Disciples and
his day The like must be done by servants in the needfull services which they doe So in sitting at table to eate meate wee must use all convenient speed To rise the sooner from bed and table and to doe all needfull servile workes the more speedily because it is the Lords day argueth a good respect to God and his service 33 Q. What other caution is to be observed A. Such servil workes as are permitted on the Sabbath must be performed as Sabbath daies workes Such respect must be had to this sacred time as we ought to endeavour to turne all things so farre as wee can to a sanctification of that day 34 Q. How may they be so done A. 1. With due respect to the end 2. With like respect to the manner The end and manner make much to the qualifying of that we doe An evill end and manner much pervert the things we doe but a good end and manner adde much to the glory of warrantable things 35 Q. What is the end to be aimed at A. To be better enabled to workes of piety 1. King 19. 7. This end especially if indeed we doe the better what we are enabled to doe which is the right use and proper effect of the end this end maketh servile works to become Sabbath works For instance if going to bed the evening before the Sabbath we pray to have quiet rest for this end that we may more cheerefully doe the duties of the Sabbath that sleep is a Sabbath sleep so to eat and drinke for that end is a Sabbath eating and drinking So in other things 36 Q. After what manner must they be done A. With raising matter of spirituall meditation from them Luk. 14. 7. On the Lords day our mind ought to be so heavenly as thereby every thing should be done after an heavenly manner not onely workes of piety but also every other worke that we doe thereon should be so done When we first wake we should call to mind what day it is and desire God to sanctifie us to the duties thereof Rising out of bed should bring to our minde the first resurrection out of sinne and the second out of the grave In apparelling our selves we should meditate on the adorning of our soules In washing face and hands thinke on the cleansing of our soules Servants in making and blowing the fire should thence take occasion of stirring up the fire of Gods Spirit in them In preparing meate they should thinke of the food of their soules There is nothing which may lawfully be done from which a pious minde may not draw matter of heavenly meditation whereby the things from which meditation is drawne are sanctified 37 Q. May servil works be done on the Sabbath though they hinder duties of piety A. Yea. Mat. 12. 7. God doth not so strictly tie us as fall what will or can fall out we must goe to Church This phrase not sacrifice Hos. 6. 6. implieth that there may be cases wherein God doth not expect sarcrifices that is externall duties of piety to be performed by us 38 Q. What are those servil works which may be done though they hinder duties of piety A. Such as are of an absolute necessity This absolute necessity hath relation to mans need namely that it is necessary that such and such things be done or els some great dammage or prejudice will come to man 39 Q. How may that absolute necessity be knowne A. If that which must needs be done could not be done the day before nor can be put off to the day after This implies a necessity of the present performance even upon the Sabbath day This first is laid downe as a ground that it must needs be done then it is taken for grant that it could not be done the day before and also that it cannot be put off to the day after therefore it remaines that it must be done on the Lords day For instance A tile falls on a mans head and soarely wounds him on the Lords day It is necessary that succour be afforded to this man The day before nothing could be done for his cure because no man knew he would be hurt Succour must not be put off to the day after least the man perish for want of succour Such therefore as are able to helpe him must doe it though thereby the duties of piety be hindred Note for this purpose Joh. 7. 23. 40 Q. Of what sorts are those workes of absolute necessity A. 1. Ordinary 2. Extraordinary Ordinary are such as for the most part happen every Sabbath and some-where or other are performed on that day Extraordinary are such as may fall out and sometimes do fall out but very seldome and it is a lamentable accident when any of them doe fall out 41 Q. What instances may be given of ordinary servil works which hinder duties of piety A. 1. Tending young children 2. Keeping sick and impotent persons 3. Helping women in travell Most families have some young children which cannot looke to themselves nor be brought to Church without disturbance of the whole Congregation Very oft it falls out in every City and Towne that some be sicke or otherwise impotent by age or some casualty so as they cannot goe to Church but require some to tarry with them and to attend upon them And in what day of the yeare doth it not fall out that some women in one place or other fall in travell If every day then also every Lords day But it is requisite that more then one or two assist them in their travell All these therefore are ordinary servil works whereby some are kept from duties of piety and yet are blamelesse Instance Hannah who tarried from the Temple till her child was weined 1 Sam. 1. 22. and was blamelesse 42 Q. What instances may be given of extraordinary servil workes which hinder duties of piety A. 1. Quenching fire on houses 2. Making up breaches of water 3. Withstanding enemies 4. Freeing living creatures out of present danger The three first of these concerning Fire Water and Enemies are so violent that if present helpe be not afforded against them irrecoverable dammage may soone follow thereupon If therefore in any cases that rule hold mercy and not sacrifice Hos. 6. 6. Mat. 12. 7. most of all in these As for freeing living creatures out of danger we have Christs expresse warrant Mat. 13. 11. Luke 14. 5. If unreasonable creatures are instantly to be pulled out of danger much more reasonable Luk. 13. 15 16. By these particulars which are permitted we may see that a conscionable observing of the Sabbath is not so heavy a yoke as many imagine it to be 43 Q. Is our Lords day now the true Sabbath A. Yes 44 Q. What grounds are there to prove it to be so A. 1. Divine authority This is the best ground that can be even that which is sufficient to settle a mans judgement and conscience Divine authority is that which is