piece of Reformation well becoming the Care and Conscience of the best of Princes 4. By the Law Ecclesiastical especially that Homilie of our Church which is established by a political Law which Hom. Of the time place of worship forbids all Labour and requires us wholly to give our selves to Religious Exercises and so by consequence strongly forbids and prohibits all kind of Recreations and the same Homilie forbids all toyish talking on the Lords day and so a majori ad minus from the greater to the lesser sports and pastimes Now therefore what is thus prohibited by the Law of God Nature Church and State is certainly a sinfull practice Recreations on a Sabbath are the wasts of time they alienate the time of a Sabbath from the intention of the Law-giver God never sanctified a piece of a day or ever set apart a few hours onely of his holy day for his service and worship and left the remainder to mans disposal either to pursue his Games or Delights Such sinfull encroachments Mat. 9. 16. to use our Saviours phrase are onely the putting a piece of new cloth to an old Garment Obj. And if the plea of the labouring person be brought in who labours hard all the week and therefore lays claim to Recreations on the Sabbath especially if it be considered that God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice To this plea and apology Mat. 12. 7. it may be replyed Sol. 1 This Argument may as well proceed against the Old Sabbath as against the Lords day and yet it is generally confessed Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. that the Lord enjoyned the Jews a whole day and allowed them no bodily recreations on the Sabbath and therefore it is no violation of mercy to deny the like on the Lords day Ad minutula et leviora quibus nec corpus fatigatur nec mens à cultu avocatur ad illa non attendendum quia illa anxietatem potius servilem quà m libertatem filialem respicium modò libertatem illam in licentiam carnis non vertamus Wal. James 4. 14. The word Recreation is equivocal Indeed there is a Recreation which is mercy viz. the necessary refreshment of the body as eating drinking resting it self especially to those who have wearied themselves with labour yea to some sickly bodies some ordinary moderate and inoffensive Recreations may be allowed as a learned man observes But there is a Recreation which we call sports and pastimes when there is no necessity and to allow this is no work of mercy and if it be a mercy to the body it is severity to the soul and in this case God will have sacrifice and no such kind of mercy which pleases the fancy and the corrupt heart of man against the advantage of his better part This is to rob the soul that bears the Image of God to pay the body which beareth the Image of death and frailty The greatest mercy which can be shewed to such as labour hard all the week is to give them rest for their bodies and divine refreshments and recreations for their souls and for Dr. Turners Sermon at VVhitehall 1635. this the Lord himself was carefull And if their bodies have rest and repose the greatest mercy is mercy to their soul to breath the soul in holy meditation to draw out the soul Sic agamus in Sabbatho ut deum in nobis agere patiamur atque ita aeternum inchoemus Sabbathum Wal. Cant. 1. 7. Cant. 2. 5. in holy prayer to refresh the soul with divine truth to recreate the soul with singing of psalms to bring the soul to holy ordinances where it may meet with its Beloved these are the very spirits of mercy when Christs stays his beloved on a Sabbath with Flaggons and Apples in Gospel dispensations And if any desire to be mercifull the way is not to steal it from God but to allow it of his own Let the Labourer take his rest on his own day And some well observe If the Mr. C. and Mr. P. Voluptatem vicisse est mâ—â—ima voluptâ—s neque est â—lla major victoria quà mquae à upiditatibus refertur Cypr. Sabbath be Gods it is no more true mercy to permit bodily recreations on that day then it is mercy to give men leave to steal other mens goods on the Sabbath because they have fared hard all the week before the person offending in the first bâ—ing far more guilty Can it be rational that Gods Commands should wait on mans conveniencies and happily this conveniency is created from mans neglect not necessity But supposing it was mercy to permit some bodily recreation which yet cannot be granted to such as have laboured hard all the week long yet what is that to such who have laboured very little or nothing in the week to such whose week is nothing but a Sabbath a rest and time of leasure and vacation and yet these are most ready to call and clamour for sports and recreations on the Lords day But as one wittily observes Those who are not annihilated Dr. Paul Micklethwait with hard labour have no title or claim to be recreated created again by delight and liberty If any can pretend to this plea They are such whose cheeks are moystened with sweat and hands hardned with toyle and work all the Epicuri disciplina multò ceâ—ebrior est non quia aliquid boni afferat sed quia multos ad populare nomen voluptatis invitat Lactant. Lib. 3. Divin week but such are most silent and modest in their claim and pretentious and therefore it cannot be any mercy to such who spend their time in Courtships and Dalliancings who converse like a wanton Epicurus or a plump Anacreon whose whole life is nothing else but a recreation and a successive chain of pleasures and worldly satisfactions and yet these as I said are they who are most importunate for sports and pastimes on Gods holy day And therefore to reassume that Argument from which we have a little diverted Recreations on the blessed Sabbath are inexcusably the wasts of that time which is wholly dedicated to the service of God and the soul as now comes to be shewed CHAP. V. The Whole Sabbath is to be spent with God THere are many persons both of Eminency and Learning who have taken much pains to prove the lawfulness of sports and pastimes on the Lords day I shall onely reply it was heartily to be wished such great parts had been improved on some other subject and the stream of Nemo non in â—itia proâ—â—â— est illâ— vincere diffiâ—illi mum est Lactant. their sweat had run in some other channel Alas in this Argument mans corrupt Nature will be the bâ—st Orâ—tour and produce the strongest pleâ—s we are naturally enâ—lined to fleshly ease and the flatteries of sense as other things which hasten to the Center Nature I say here can plead its own Qâ—i hâ—â—erâ— viciâ—
when we should be Prov. 24. 33. prosecuting our salvation It was Davids resolution He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt homines electi studio zelo divinae gloriae servidi ardore salutis eorum flagrantes metaphora esthaec à bellatoribus Par. would follow hard after God Psalm 63. 8. What a contradiction to this holy man is a sleepy Hearer one who buries himself alive at an Ordinance The Scriptures assure us we must storm heaven and take it by force Math. 11. 12. And we must enter in at the straight gate by striving Matth. 13. 24. Nay we must make our way to Heaven by fighting the good fight of Faitb 1 Tim. 6. 12. And all these are actions most inconsistent with sleep and slothfulness Matth. 11. 12. It is too probable a sign we taste little sweetness in holy Matth. 13 24. 1 Tim. 2. 12. Ordinances and that Gospel-dispensations never shed their perfumes upon our soules when we can wish them away with a nod or a dream Rich Banquets will scarce meet with sleepy guests Sweet Musiques will court and captivate Verbum Dei satiat non saturat creat amantes non fastidientes our attention And had we the taste either of a Job Job 23. 12. Or of a David Psalm 19. 10. we should keep both eye and heart open in divine Ordinances Were Ordinances so pleasant or parturient to us as either to delight our souls or awaken our consciences we should not throw Siulte quid est somnus gelidae nisi mortis imago them away at so cheap a rate as the gratifying of the flesh with a little stupifying sleep Surely the design of sleep was to be the Nurse of Nature and not the enemy of Grace to Somnus aliquando voâ—atur consanguineus leti support the body and not to hazard the soul Some learned men have called sleep the kinsman of Death O let it not be the Parent of our eternal Death It is a fatal change when sleep is metamorphosed into sin And thus much for the washing away of the paint of that excuse which pretends weakness and indisposition of body It is much to be feared the hand of Joab is in all this that neglect and carelesness close our eyes when we sleep away the precious Ordinances and opportunities of Grace But now succeed some ponderous considerations to be weighed in the ballance and seriously to be digested before we give our selves the sinful latitude to sleep in Ordinances Indeed many there are who sin away their souls and how many are there who sleep away their souls Before they come to Ordinances they sleep in sin and when they come to Ordinances they sin in sleep Sleep truly in the bed is the nurse of Nature but sleep in the Sanctuary is the nurse of vanity and breeds the soul up in Ignorance and Atheisme It is very strange that when our grace should be full of activity our sences should be chained with stupidity When Jonah slept the storm came Thou sleepest at a blessed soul-awakening 1 John 5. Psalm 11. 6. 2 Chr. 26. 20. Ordinance a storm of wrath may speedily fall upon thee as the Leprosie on a sudden rose in Vzziahs forehead But let us deliberatively weigh in our thoughts Wicken men do not sleep when they are about Satans work and while they are undoing their own souls If Judas have a plot in hand out of doors he will though in the night to bring his cursed design to pass John 13. 30. Nay the proud wanton envious eye in the Congregation will not fall asleep but will pry into every corner observe every fashion take notice of every beauty Satans work shall not be done sleepily and shall the work of God of Christ of Heaven of the Soul be done with drowsinesse and stupidity Here Ministers may make their appeal Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth Isa 1. 2. It is strange the work of a Tormentor should be more faithfully done than the work of a Pay-master that the service of Apollyon Isa 1. 2. Vtitur Isaias prosopopeiâ— ut Oratio sit gravior et plenior indignationis Cyril should be done with liveliness and activity and the work of a Saviour should be done with drosse and drowsiness It is much Ahab should be so restless for a Vineyard 1 Kings 21. 4. and we so drowsie for a Kingdome nay the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 12. 32. How will Ruffins Roysters and roaring Companions spend whole dayes nights in quaffing carowsing and gaming and we cannot spend one hour watchfully and actively for the pleasures of Eternity There are some Ordinances we will not sleep at when we come to the Lords Table it is no lesse then prodigious to fall into a sleep why then in Prayer or hearing of the Nemo potest fide credere nisi prius id quod credendum est sibi proponi et predicari audiat 2 Cor. 5 21. Word It is the preaching of the Word is the converting Ordinance Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17. which faith espouseth us to Christ justifies our persons Rom. 5. 1. Seasons our Duties Heb. 11. 6. Purifies our hearts Heb. 15. 9. Unlades our guilt and layes it upon him who is mighty to bear It is faith by which we put on Christ Rom. 13. 14. and so being cloathed with the spotless robes of his righteousness we may stand with confidence before Gods tribunal Preaching is the Mother the Sacrament only is the Nurse of Grace preaching the Word of Christ fits us for feeding upon the body of Christ Paul gives preaching the preheminence 1 Cor. 1. 17. And so prayer it carries the conquest of omnipotency it self Isa 45. 11. Yet we are often Praecipuum Episcoporum munus est Evangelium praedicare Alap guilty of drowsie prayers and sleepy hearing when we tremble to think of sleeping with a Sacramental Cup in our hand Alapide observeth The predominant duty of Bishops is to preach the word And yet this Ordinance principally must be a witness of our shame This sleeping in Ordinances is a sin which Satan mightily promotes he knows of what fatal consequence it is for the soul to hear attentively to heed diligently the word of 1 Pet. 5. 8. Satanas suas infernales volucres quae sunt malae suggestiones hostium veritatis sophismata prava hominum prophanorum colloquia illusorum dicteria numquid omnia quae dicuntur credis quid vult tibi iste sermologus immittit quae sermonem auditum ex cordibus hominum ita eximant ut ne memoria quidem ejus maneat ne dum ut per illam ad fidem et pietatem et illius exercitia et fructus excitemur Lyser life and reconciliation this will batter his Kingdome and pluck Proselytes out of the paw of this roaring Lion And therefore when we come to a Sermon he either attempts to disturb and distract us and to throw in his cursed injections to procure a hurry
we are contracted as a ship becalmed the Spirit fills our sails which is that VVind which bloweth where it listeth John 3. 8. Spiritus sanctus postulat i. e. postulare et gemere facit est hebraismus quo kal ponitur pro Hiphil Ansel When we are sad and dejected the Spirit consolates and chears us and flushes us with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. Oftentimes we cannot lanch forth in a duty the Spirit then helps us off from the sands Many times we are dull in hearing and then the Spirit opens the heart Acts 16. 14. and makes us vigorous and attentive And when we are at a loss in Prayer the Spirit puts life into our dead duty and makes us groan a sign of Sex modis in orando erratur primò si bonum temporale petimus animae nociturum Secundò si à malo aliquo quod prosit nobis liberari oremus Tertiò siquid petamus ex ambitione ut filii Zebedaei petebant primus in regno Christi quartò si quid petamus ex zelo indiscreto ut filii Zebedaei optabant ignem de caelo manasse in Sâ—maritanos Christum respuentes quinto si petatur ardentius quod utilius est differri sextò si petamus statum nobis incongruum life and furnisheth us with suitable petitions to accost and lay siege to the throne of Grace And when we are weak and stagger in a holy duty the Spirit takes us by the hand and sets us with fresh strength to finish our service the Spirit corrects all our errours in holy duties A learned man observes there are six great errours in Prayer 1. When we petition some temporal good to the disadvantage of the soul 2. When we earnestly desire the removal of some affliction which conduceth much to the good of the soul 3. When we ask something out of ambition as the sons of Zebedee that they might have a primâ—cy in the Kingdome of Christ 4. When we petition any thing out of an indiscrete zeal as the sons of Zebedee requested fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritans who would not entertain Christ Luke 9. 54. 5. When we are earnest for that which it was better it was delayed that by this delay our prayers may be more importunate and our perseverance may be more fully discovered 6. When we beg that state of life in this World which God sees inconvenient for us Now the Spirit correct all these errours and is the Censor of our miscarriage in duty He maketh us more wise more humble more heavenly more self-resigning more patient in duty The guidances of the Spirit are the Pole-star to direct us in every Ordinance and holy service The Spirit is our advocate within us John 14. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek which fits us with holy pleas to sue with when we address our selves to God and carries out the heart to urge its case with greater earnestness with great weight and authority The Spirit is the President of our duties to guide the soul that it write fair without blot In a word The Spirit helpeth our infirmities in duty Not a good Angel as Lyra Not a spiritual man a Minister as Chrysostome Not spiritual Grace as Ambrose Not Charity as Chrysost tract in Joan. Augustine But it is the Holy Ghost as Pareus And this blessed Spirit helpeth us as the Nurse helpeth a little Child holding it by the â—â—â—eve As the old man is stayed by his staffe or rather â—â—â—peth together as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 26. seems to imply being a Metaphor taken from one who is to lift a great weight and being too weak another claspeth hands with him and helps him So the Spirit is ready to relieve us in all our spiritual duties The holy Spirit succeeds and prospers our holy duties It makes our duties prevalent with God God attends when we sing in the spirit God hears when we pray in the spirit Ephes 2 18. as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 14. 15. VVhen this Dove moanes within us Rom. 8. 26. God understands the groans of his own Spirit and will give seasonable answers God Donum et efficacia orationis non in verbis sed in gemitâ— desiderio affectu et suspiriis ignitis consistit Alap gives his Spirit to assist in these duties which he fore-determines to accept Man speaketh words in prayer but the Spirit raises groans Alapide observes God is not so pleased with locution as affection in that holy duty not so much with expressions as inexpressible sighs which are as incense in his acceptation As the smoak of that Cloud a sign of Gods smile and favour Isa 4. 5. A duty spirited by the Holy Ghost shall never fail an expected end for God knows the mind of his Spirit as the Syriack reads it Rom. 8. 27. As the Mother knows the groanes and cries of her tender Child and presently runs to help it and to give it what it wants and cries for The Spirit is our intercessour within us as Christ is our intercessour above us whose pleas shall 1 John 2. 1 2. not meet with a denial The Spirit moving upon the waters Gen. 1. 2. produced a World and brought forth living Creatures The Spirit moving upon the Word the dispensations of the Gospel causes the New Creation and makes living Christians O then when we come under the Word and are in the midst of the waters of the Sanctuary let us wait for the good spirit of the Lord Other Birds drive away but let the Dove come in Pareus observes Suspiria perturbata semper exaudiuntur Primó Quid sunt suspiria spiritus Secundò Quia semper spiritus interpellat juxta placitum et voluntatem dei Pat. that the groans of the Spirit within us shall not vanish into ayr and that upon a double account 1. Because the Spirit comes from God John 15. 26. and is his Commissioner in a gracious soul and he will not deny his Leiger in a Saint 2. The Spirit always intercedes according to the good will and pleasure of the Lord And pleasing petitions shall not meet with a repulse what suits with the heart of God shall open the hand of God Congruous desires shall be conquering desires The Spirit makes duties effectual to us That Prayer which is animated by the Spirit shall not onely gain upon Gods heart but melt ours If the Spirit open our heart in hearing we shall attend to the Word and savingly entertain it When Christ by the Spirit opened the understanding of the Acts 16. 14. two Disciples Luke 24. 45. then they dived into Gospel mysteries and understood fully what was fulfilled concerning the death of the Messiah When the Spirit brings home a Sermon he makes it fire to burn up the dross of the soul Jer. 5. 14. he makes it a hammer to break the hardness of the soul Jer. 23. 29. he makes it
of sin cannot over-rule the spot of sin cannot so unbeautifie him as to render him repudiate in the sight of his beloved sin may bring the Saint to the bar of conscience to be arraigned their but never to the bar of God to be condemned 1 Joh. 29. Jer. 31. 34. Heb. 9. 14. Isa 43. 25. Isa 44. 22. 1 Joh. 1. 9. there Christ hath satisfied for the sins of his people and divine justice will not require a double satisfaction The Apostle saith 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins much more if Christ die for them God is just to forgive our sins Christ hath redeemed us from the killing power of death The Saints death is his alteration not his execution his Job 14. 14. Phil. 1. 23. Mors non est interitus sed introitus change but not his curse His priviledge and not his penalty Our death by the death of Christ is become a desireable thing the bitterness of Christs death hath put a sweetness and loveliness upon ours When the Saints die they only go to their Fathers house Death sees them safe home it Joh. 14 2 unites the body to the Earth their Mother and the soul to Tempus diversionis est teâ—â— reversionis et regressionis ad Deuâ— Tertul. the Lord their Father who in the Resurrection will conjoyn these dissever'd pieces of Man and glorify them both for ever Tertullian calls the time of dying the time of return to God after the years of absence here below Cyprian calls death the time of a Saints assumption and conveyance to his Augustinus in 1 Tim. 4 7. Exultantis magis sunt verba ad mortâ—â— praesentiam et ad corâ—â—â—m â—â— helantis quà m timentis et seipsum cruciantis Aug. Kingdom And it is recorded when the same holy Martyr heard of a sentence of death passed upon him by the Emperour Valerian he answered I thank God who is pleased to loosen the chains of my body that at last I may truly be at liberty Christs death indeed hath sweetned and perfumed ours the spices which were thrown into Christs grave are now taken up and thrown into ours Life to a believer is but an unkind Wall which parteth the Saint from his Beloved death throwes down this Wall and brings him into Luc. 24. 1. Joh. 19. 40. the same Heaven with Jesus Christ Death convey'd Lazarus from the comfortless gate of the rich man to the refreshing Luc. 16. 23. Heb. 9. 27. bosom of blessed because believing Abraham Christ hath redeemed us from the sting though not from the stroak of death from its hurt though not from its hold A Saint Rev. 14 13. 1 Thes 4. 14 16. now dies in Christ and though he die in his bed yet he sleeps in Jesus Death is only his ceasing to be any longer in a valley of tears and a wilderness of snares But a little farther to dilate on this point The Attributes resplendent in the work of Redemption In the great work of our Redemption all the Divine Attributes manifest themselves in their greatest lustre and splendor in this beautiful Orb they shine the brightest The Justice of God that if the sinner did not die the Son must One must die if the sinner be not cast into hell the Saviour must go out of his Fathers bosom Here was infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delectatus est Deus voluit et ejus beneplacito profectus est quòd infirmitatibus subjecerit filium suâ—m eumque afflictionibus contuderit Alioquin nihil actum esset si existimaremus illud accidisse vel nolente deo vel otiosè spectante Riv. justice here justice had a Selah put upon it That Text of Scripture is most remarkable in Isa 53. 10. It pleased the Father to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. God took a delight in bruising his own Son because in those bruises justice rid triumphant Innocency must bleed that the sinner may escape and that justice may be displayed Lycurgus once made a Law that Adultery should be punished with the loss of both the eyes his own Son being found guilty that justice might not be waved he puts out one of his Sons eyes and one of his own So the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. That Law is unalterable now sin is committed there is an accursed thing in the Camp Iosh 7. 11. Either the sinner or the Saviour must die If the Principal cannot pay the Debt the surety must Divine Justice is so inexorable that the sinner escaping the Cup of Divine Rom. 6. 23. Heb. 7. 22. wrath must be put into the hand of an only Son Thus justice is eminent in the work of Mans Redemption The faithfulness of God God from eternity made a compact with his Son the Copy of which is laid up in that Ad successum mortis de quod attinet Rectè exprimitur videndi et saturandi verbis quibus omni moda fruitio rei conquisitae laboribus significatur et accipitur pro foelici et ubere sanctarum animarum messe Christus ad mortis suae tempus esuriebat grandi charitatis aestu c. Joh. 17. 4 5 6. Text Isa 53. 10 11. And one iota of this agreement must not pass away The substance of this compact is comprised in this main Article If Christ will make his soul an offering for sin he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied If Christ will die his Spouse his Church shall live his Cross shall make way for their Crown Now in the fulness of time Gal. 4. 4. Christ attempts and accomplisheth this stupendous undertaking he becomes incarnate and dies for his people and so his people live by his death the Father altogether comporting with this glorious agreement and not only gives his Son to redeem sinners Ioh. 3. 16. but likewises gives redeemed sinners to his Son Ioh. 17. 4 5 6. And thus Divine faithfulness gloriously breaks forth in the blessed work of our Redemption Every Article is made good and Christ meets with no disappointment not a soul miscarries for which he laid down a price and a ransom The Love of God did most transcendently appear in the work of Mâ—ns Redempâ—ion There was rich love on the Fathers part Ioh. 3. 16. Unspeakable bowels did the Father express to part with a Son a holy Son the Son of the bosom the Son from Eternity the very Character of his Father Heb. 1. 3. An only Son a begotten Son Psal 2. 7. to die Gen. 22. 12. for sinners Though Isaac was on the Altar yet he was rescued but our dear Jesus was on the Cross and he must die Christ begs his life of the Father Mat. 26. 39. But Non solum confiâ—mat Christus se discipulos suos dilexisse sed dilectionis suae magnitudinem exaggerat quod summo amorisgradu eos dilexerit Ger. the Father will not hear Great love was manifested in the
memoranda primum et praeciâ—â—â—um est benefiâ—ium creationis quod commemoratur in sanctificatione Sabbati Aquin. Prima Secundae Quest 100. Artic. 5. transcendent Majesty in that magnificent Pallace of the Heavens which he hath prepared and furnished for himself where he sends forth his light and makes it his covering and the clouds are his triumphal Chariots Psal 104. 2 3. Sixthly In this great work is manifest Gods absolute perfection in imparting to the creatures all their several perfections which must needs be in a far more eminent degree in him who gave them And indeed this illustrious work is the strong motive to all Gods Creatures to Adore Worship Love Fear Serve Reverence and Obey this great Jehovah and to Depend Rest Trust and submit themselves to him alone But the glory of this work of Creation will yield a more amazing splendor if we look on it In its Antiquity It is the most ancient of all Gods visible works Deut. 4. 32. Mat. 13. 19. Rev. 3. 14. and that In principio deâ—â—â—reavit c. In hac voce non Authorem tantùm sed exordinum mundi judicat Moses Par. Gen. 1. 1. which is most ancient is most honourable Jer. 18. 15. Dan. 7. 9. This great and stupendous work is now some six thousand years standing it is the primitive essay of his power who is the ancient of days Time seems to shed a Veneration upon it The first Creation was the Cradle of the world its infancy which nothing did precede but the Being of a God who is from all eternity In its universality The work of Creation is the most general and extensive of all Gods works extending to Angels Men Sun Moon Stars nay to the Sparrow on the 1 Kings 4. 33. house top to the fly in the air and to the hysop on the Wall it transcends the bounds of Solomon's Philosophy to give us a Tract of all the Vegetables the Bruits and Rationals Bonum eò melius quò communius which God created when he set upon this glorious work And here that politick axiom is most true That which is good the more general the more grateful And therefore Philo the Jew in his Tract of the Workmanship of the World stiles the Sabbath which is the Festival in Memory Phil. suo de Opisicio Mundi of the Creation a Feast not of one people or of one Region but the universal festivity of all Nations which Festival alone deserves the name of popular In its goodness and untainted purity God at the first created all things very good perfect pure and excellent Gen. 1. 31. Nay man himself after his own image in holiness true righteousness Gen. 1 25 26. integrity and perfection without sin corruption Eccl. 7. 27. or obliquity The work of Creation at first was wholly unblemished Eph. 4. 24. there was no wrinckle upon the face of the Universe every creature was fair in its kind Mans sin put poyson into the Toad put rage into the Wolf put Briers and Gen. 3. 17. Thorns into the Earth put spots into the Moon nay withering into the flowers of the field and decays into the Omnes creaturae vehementem aversionem habent itâ— ut si haberent sensum gemerent ut parturientes iâ—lque ab exordio mundi lapsus hominis usque nunc trees of the forrest and veiled the face of nature with the black veil of uncomeliness And that the whole Creation groans as the Apostle affirms Rom. 8. 22. it is from those sick fits and distempers which mans sin hath cast it into When the air infects us the heat and the cold doth annoy us the earth disappoints us and yields no increase from whence is this vanity Even from our selves from ours and our first parents sin Man in sinning commits two evils as the Prophet speaks in another case he presses God Amos 2. 13. Jer 2 13. And he burdens the creature nay alters the world from its primitive loveliness when beauty was the taking blush of every Being In the rarity and eminency of some creatures more especially How glorious are the Angels those Courtiers of Heaven 1 Kings 13. 18. 1 Kings 19. 5. Dan. 6. 22. 2 Chr. 32. 21. those friends of the Bridegoom mans elder Brethren Psal 5. 8. Those Chariots of God Psal 68. 17. Those Guardians of believers Psal 91. 11. who are decked and adorned Quid murmuras caro misera quid recalcitras quid omninò invides si fueris corpus humilitatis reformabit idem Artifâ—x qui formavit Bern. with excellency who excell in strength Psal 103. 20. who excel in holiness Mark 8. 38. who excel in all the fruitions of joy and happiness Mat. 18. 10. Rev. 5. 11. Rev. 7. 12. who excel in splendor and glory Luke 24. 23. And how glorious was the humane nature of Christ how spotless precious pure chrystaline yet a creature His soul how undefiled Heb. 4. 15. His body how glorious Phil. 3. 21. How did the divine Nature glorifie the humane in its stupendious and grateful acceptation of it I might adde how glorious is the glistering Sun the amiable Moon the twinkling Stars which put the night out of its blackest melancholy Let onely this be subjoyned that without the work of Creation there could be no work of Redemptiâ—nâ— the chief end of which is to restore us to that felicity happiness and enjoyment which man in his first Creation both did and had he persevered in that estate should have enjoyed and possessed Now one principal end of the Sabbath Gen. 2 â— is to commemorate this glorious work that as God when he had finished it took up his rest Gen. 2. 3. So man when he beholds it should take up his rest and keep a weekly Sabbath to the Lord. There is a political end of the Sabbath viz. The refreshment and recreative breathing of the outward man a relaxation â—ùm deus sex dâ—â—râ—m spacio 〈…〉 absoluisset septiâ—um diem quiete suâ sanctum reddere voluit Riv. of the body from the pains and toil of the week and therefore the Sabbath is called a rest It is said of God himself that on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Exod. 31. 17. And how much more doth poor man stand in need of rest and refreshment Death indeed fairly unpins our tabernacle of clay folds it up and lays it in the grave but too much labour tears it down mans body is taken down Psal 116. 7. by death is thrown down by too much toil therefore the Deus non tantum Creator sed conservator est Creaturarum Leid Prof. wearisom labours of the week must be allayed by the rest of the Sabbath The very name of a Sabbath signifies nothing but rest strongly to argue that that holy day was appointed for mans relaxation from the hurries of the world and the sweats of the week The Sabbath is a rest to the
then let not a Sermon satisfie without Christ in a Sermon let not reading a Chapter content without we read Christ in that Chapter As once Bernard despised that Book wherein he did not read Christ And let us alwayes remember that Ordinances they are the institutions of God and he that made a brazen Serpent heal Num. 21. 9. can make his own institutions effect our cure Object But the poor souls greatest Query is How shall I meet with God in Ordinances who shall open the door into the Gallery where I may be with my Beloved Answ In answer to this something we have to do as well as something to enjoy Our pain must go before our pleasure we must not be wanting to meet God if we expect that God should meet us Therefore We must be earnest in Prayer we must cry out O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me to thy holy Hill to thy Tabernacle then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy Psalm 43. 3 4. We must make our addresses to God if we look for his approaches to us God sends a Preacher to a praying Paul God Acts 9. 11. sends an Angel to a praying Daniel God comes himself to Dan. 9. 21. a praying Solomon Prayer is an humble summons for the 1 Kings 2. 3. divine appearance it can not onely tie Gods hands Exod. Acts 10. 2 3. 32. 10. and command returns Isa 45. 10. But it can obtain Gods presence If Moses say I pray thee God presently Jam. 4. 8. replies My presence shalt go with thee Exod. 33. 13 14. If thou wilt have God meet thee in Ordinances let thy prayers be thy Harbingers to prepare room for him Be serious in preparing for Ordinances The Sun scatters the Clouds before it shines in its brightness The Bride dresseth her self to meet her Bridegroom And thou must Isa 61. 10. compose thy self with awful apprehensions Sponsa â—rnata representat ecclesiam ornamentis gratiae fortitulinis decoratam immò animam sanctam gratiis spiritu adaptatam et si debilis et imperfecta Haymo 1. Of the Divine Majesty with whom thou art to converse 2. With the solemness of Gods Ordinance thou art now going to enjoy 3. With the sweetness and advantage of the season thou art now entring upon and then God will meet thy prepared soul Joseph trimmed himself and then he goes into Pharaoh's presence The Wise man adviseth us â— keep our foot when we go into the house of God Eccles 5. 1. VVe should do well in our applications to holy Ordinances to examine our selves whether we are fit with loose thoughts to meet with a dreadful Majesty Or with filthy hearts to meet with a holy God Or with worldly and drossy minds to meet with Grn. 41. 14. our heavenly Father Let us not complain God retires when we are not fit for his presence Let us then capacitate our selves by holy care and serious preparation to enjoy God in Ordinances Let us long for Gods presence God loves affectionate Proselytes A longing David shall see a loving God Psal 63. 1 2. The Spouse is restless after her Beloved and then she meets him Cant. 3. 1 2 3 4. The thirsting soul shall be fed Fames est illa melior sanctior quae est spiritualis jam in Christo habebit saturitatem invita aeternâ omnimodam satietatem ubi deus erit omnia in omnibus Chemn with milk and wine Isa 55. 1. Grace and Righteousness shall satisfie the bungry Mat. 5. 6. The Psalmist follows hard after God Psalm 63. 8. God meets with our pursuits we shall then satisfie our selves in God when nothing but God can satisfie us Cold suitors shall not meet with Christ in his espousals VVhen the Wife longs the Husband endeavours after the thing longed for Mary Magdalen bemoaned the taking away of her Lord John 20. 2. We may expect to meet with God when his absence is our greatest moan and his presence our sweetest musique Let us come to Ordinances with all reverential humility God will look at him who is of a poor and a contrite spirit Humilitas est via ad deum Aug. and trembles at his Word Isa 66. 2. God dwells in the humble heart Isa 51. 15. God will raise those who debase themselves Augustin tells us That humility is the ready way Super quem requieseit Sp. sanctus nisi super humilem super humilem non super virginem Bern. to God It is the usher who brings the soul into the presence Chamber Bernard notably observes That the spirit of God rested on the Virgin Mary not for her Virginity but for her Humility And if Mary had not been so low in her own eyes she had not been so lovely in Gods Alapide saith Humility is a throne of Saphire where God sits in Majesty Let Humilitas est thronus Sappharinus in quo deus cum Majestate resideâ— Alap us then come to Ordinances with a submissive spirit God will cast an eye upon the soul who lies at his feet He sent an Angel to Daniel when he lay in his ashes Dan. 9. 3. 21. God rewarâ— the very counterfeit humility of Ahab 1 Kings 21. 29. though his sackcloath was but as Samuels mantle the attire of hypocrisie A dread of Gods presence brings Prov. 16. 19. a sweet sence of it and a trembling at the Word of God goes Prov. 29. 23. before a triumphing in the enjoyment of God Job abhorred himself in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. and then God hears him for himself and his friends and gives him interest upon interest for all his sufferings and tribulation Job 42. 10. A holy God will meet with an humble Saint Let us endeavour to be in the spirit upon the Lords day Direct 9. The extasies of the Apostle John were on the Lords day Revel 1. 10. the rapture was accomodated to the season Christians should study to be above themselves upon Gods holy day then they should walk in Galleries above the world Hierome professes That he sometimes found things so with himself that it seemed to him as if he had been triumphing Hieron de Virginit servand among Troops of Angels and singing hallelujahs with the Saints in Heaven and walking arm in arm with Jesus Christ And Luther reports of himself That sometimes especially on a Sacrament day the death of Christ was so full and fresh upon Luth. his spirit as if then he had been upon Mount Calvary and as if that was the day in which the Lord dyed And Beleevers should be so in the spirit upon the Sabbath as if that was the very day wherein Christ broke the bars of the Grave rowled away the stone from the Sepulchre and enfranchised himself from the restraints of the tomb The Saints should be carried out on this day and make their sallies into the suburbs of
8. Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto Gal. 1. 8 9. you let him be acoursed as we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel to you then that you have received let him be accursed Observe how the Apostle repeats the Anathema against all novel opinions and in the heat of his zeal how doth he execrate any person whatsoever Retinenda est antiquitas explodenda est novitas Angel Christian Man who shall introduce any thing different from or contrary to the received Doctrine This text of Scripture might strike all Novelists seducers and seduced Lyr. with Belshazzars Palsy Dan. 5. 6. and might chain up frothy and unstable spirits from their opinionative ranges And we may not overpasse how the Apostle Paul charges the wavering Gallatians with effascination Gal. 3. 1. And yet how many fantastique spirits are there who spend or rather wast their Sabbaths in running after this or that seducer who corrupts the unblemisht doctrine of the glorious 2 Cor. 4 4. Gospel who vents this new and strange notion and the other upstart opinion and doth happily as some do with their 2 Cor. 11. 15. stuffes who put a new and an amusing name upon an old and out-worn stuffe call old and obsolete errours new and Quidam audiens à daemone Ego sum Christus clausit oâ—ulos dicens Ego in hac vitâ Christum nolo videre sed in alterâ vitâ Alap glorious light and with these wares defraud the vulgar How many I say follow these seducers till they are bewitched to use the Apostles phrase into some uncouth sect or brutified into some irrational and soul-damning opinion Our unhappy Kingdome is too full of instances in this kind Surely such never seriously consulted the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 11. 13. For such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ but are as the unwary guest who tasteth every dish though some are poysonous and will gather every herb though by it they put death into the Pot. Object But these giddy spirits like the evil spirit Mat. 4. 6. will bring Scripture for their practice especially that noted text 1 Thes 5. 21. Prove all things To which Objection it is answered Answ It is explanate omnia non omnes Prove all things not all persons The injunction doth not oblige or enforce us to run from one preacher to another till we have heard every Minister nay every Tradesman who will undertake to be a Speaker we must not as the Sun run through every sign of the Zodiack And though I shall not with Bellarmine restrain this command to Ministers only and that it appertains Bellar. de laicis l. 3. c. 21. not at all to the Laicks yet surely this Text speaks only thus much that we must try all Doctrines delivered by our own Pastour or any other Minister whom we providentially hear and then bring them to the touch-stone of Gods sacred word And so the Text commands us to be as the noble Bereans Acts 17. 11. and not as phantastick Athenians Acts 17. 21. This Apostolical rule injoyns discretion and not inconstancy that we should be deliberative but not wavering Curiosity is not here indulged but diligence This rule gives us power of examination that we may weigh every piece of Doctrine in the scales of the word but it speaks no further only that we should adde prudence in Phil. 1. 9 10. discerning to diligence in hearing and it couples a wise head with a good heart Wherefore the Lord prescribed Vt cum insultant nobis nos interrogant ea quae discimus vel sic pigritiam excutiamus divinas Scripturas cognoscere cupiâ—mus August contr Manich. rules to the Jews to judge Prophets by Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Deut. 18. 22. And caused his word to be written that it might be the Canon and measure of all truth And of this serious examination Augustine shews us this excellent benefit viz. That by this work we may shake off sloath and be filled with an ardenâ— desire of Scripture-knowledge So then this Apostolical command is only abused by flatulent and unsetled spirits who waste their Sabbaths in the pursuance of some unprofitable novelty and it speaks no more but this The Apostle decries all implicit faith and calls for a judgement of discretion in every Christian to compare every Doctrine delivered by the Minister with the standing rule of Rev. 14. 6. the everlasting Gospel and those Doctrines which are congruous to the rule to entertain and embrace otherwise to reject them as the spurious inventions and fictions of men 1 Cor. 4. 24. But to shut up this particular Upon what precipices of danger do these assertours of novelty walk when so often false Doctrine is quilted in with true and as Chysostom Theophylact and Theodoret observe False Prophets will mingle Prophetis veris aliqui Pseudo prophetae clam immiscent Theod. Chrysost Theophil themselves clancularly with true and faithful Teachers Full bags will not want brass pieces heaps of Corn will not be without its chaff nor full Markets without their bad commodities And no more will the Church of Christ in every age want lying Prophets subtil Seducers and plausible Hereticks and if the novelist fall upon any of these how near is he to a shipwrack of faith and a good conscience And besides 1 Tim. 1. 19. in the formentioned text it is very observable the Apostle doth not command us to hear all things but to prove all things we must not run into every corner to hear what ever is said or preached this was an impossible enterprise and we may as soon take the Sea into the hollow of our hand but we must prove all things which we do hear from that Ministery we are obliged to the Apostle commands our Omnia probate i. e. dubia incerta quae maxime probatione egent Alap industry and ingenuity but not indulges our quick silvered curiosity And what Alapide takes notice of is not to be pretermitted The Apostle saith he commands us to prove all things viz. which are dubious and uncertain and stand in need of proof and tryal so the Apostle doth not put us upon unnecessary enquiries to pry into every privacy where a Heretick is crept in Jude v. 4. But when matters are delivered by the Minister which are more arduous and mysterious then it behoves the Christian to sweat in Scripture search to find out the meaning of these difficulties that his understanding may be truly enlightned and his conscience fully satisfied But those who pine after novelties and curiosities should take notice the Lords day spends while they are following the chase and who shall recall that blessed season if it be wasted in impertinencies Some trifle away their Sabbath in fruitless visits If they have a sick friend
2. 10. 3. It was pressed with the same if not greater severity with the rest 4. It was laid up in the same Ark with the other Nine Quod pronunciatum Apostolus Christianis ad quod scribit applicat cujus veritas constare nequit nisi illud sub N. T. de quorti Praecepti transgressione locum habet alioquin enâ—m si in hoc praecepto nihil morale sit qui illud non servarit is non esset reus violatae ligis sed potius legis ejus rectus observator et Christianae libertatis rectus assertor Wal. and therefore we may fairly conclude that the same casualty which befalls the fourth most inevitably overtake the other nine Commandments This likewise is demonstrated by our Saviours assertion Mat. 22. 37. in his pressing love to God and our Neighbour as the sum and scope of the law which sum is moral and perpetual and includes the fourth as well as the other Commandments for how can we love God and not keep his day And we may likewise take notice that the total sum alwayes takes in every particular figure The learned Walaeus very well observes from that text of the Apostle James Jam. 2. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all I say this learned man observes this injunction of the Apostle James could carry no weight with it and bear no stress if the keeping of the Sabbath by force of the fourth Commandment as well as the observing of the other nine Commandments was not necessary for then Christians might break this Commandment and be innocent nay rather be observers of Gods will and faithfull assertors of Christian liberty for that Commandment which now is not moral the breach of it is no violation of any Law and so no offence but who can see how the fourth Commandment slips out of the rest of the Law how comes this Pearl to drop from the Chain that this Precept should not require our conformity as well as the other Commands of the immutable Decalogue And how can the whole Law 2 Sam. 10. be observed if so important a Command as the fourth is be left to our liberty to break and violate And I may here reassume the forementioned Text Jam. 2. 10. how solicitous and carefull should we be to keep the fourth Commandment which is so considerable apart of the whole Law for offending in this one point we shall wrap up our selves in the guilt of the whole Decalogue and sin against the dignity and authority of the whole Law we shall be lyable to the same punishment as if we had scratched every Commandement This solemn text of Scripture might over-awe our hearts to a holy Violet homo totam legem et si non totum legis Accipienda sunt decem praecepta non disjunctim sed conjunctim et completivè tanquam una lex absoluta Justitiae et sanctitatis regula Dr. M. obedience to the Commandment of the Sabbath It is a notable observation of a learned Man The precepts of God are not to be taken disjoyntly but conjoyntly not severally but altogether as they make one entire Law and rule of Righteousness the contempt reflecting upon the whole law when it is wilfully violated in any part A grave and worthy speech The Decalogue is a body he who injurieth any one member wrongeth the whole body he who slights any one Commandment suppose the fourth sheds a dishonour upon the two Tables Besides there are many things in the fourth Commanment which loudly proclaim its continuance and standing morality The working six dayes which is the indulgence of the command speaketh it mâ—st just and equitable that we Justissimum est et aequissimun ei cujus toti sumus unum diem è septem coâ—secrare sex alios nostris laboribus concessit â—ùm tamen poâ—uisset jure suo c. Riv. should consecrate one viz. that day which remains to the service of God and there is nothing more agreeable to natural reason and justice as Rivet speaks and therefore to lay all dayes open to follow the byass and sway of our wills is most fantastick and irreligious and speaks the Assertours of such an opinion an irregular Sect and salt which hath lost its savour as a holy man calls them And that rule of Zanchy is most observable and authentical It is a most wretched and wicked thing to assert there are no dayes set apart for the more special worship of God and to despise those Imptum est et iniquum aut nullos esse dies divino cultui dedicatos asserere aut eos qui sunt contemnere Zanch. which are set apart to the same intent Nor can the sanctification of the Sabbath be ceremonial or vanishing for Prayer is as needfull for us as the Jews and so hearing of the Word receiving of the Sacrament and those Ordinances which fill up the Sabbath Moreover rest and refreshing for our selves and families for our Servants and Cattle is as well accommodated to the weakness of the flesh in the times of the Gospel as in the times of the Law To all which may be added that the great end of the fourth Opus creationis eâ—t opus stupendum immò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commandement viz. the serious consideration of the great and stupendous works of the Creation and so to be led to admire the Creatour the great Workmaster of this admirable structure of the World is no way unbecoming Christians Ratio praecepti quarti est quia sex diebus deus fecit caelum et terram die septimo requievit jam regula est ratio immutabilis facit praeceptum immutabile ratio hujus praecepti nunquam transitura est praeceptum ergo in perpetuum durabit Dr. Andr. Epis Winton nor heterogeneous to their vivid and holy speculations which are onely heightned to us by an additional argument of the mellifluous work of mans Redemption But to draw out the Answer no further It is most remarkable and to be noted with an Higgaion Selah that in the 31 of Exod. 14. God presently after the exhibition of the Decalogue the whole body of the ten Commandements singles out the fourth Commandement alone and tells the Jewes Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one who defiles it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people It is a Sabbath of Rest holy to the Lord v. 15. The Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath they shall observe the Sabbath throughout their Generations for a perpetual Covenant v. 16. How doth the Lord again again press the keeping of the Sabbath two or three times in one Verse and one Verse after another as if this was his darling Commandement and he took the greatest care of it and did give it the primacy over all the other Precepts And indeed
habitations and goods God for the prophanations of his Sabbath draws a little nearer to Offendars and strikes their persons as shall be seen in a few instances One serving a Writ of Subpoena upon another coming from Church on the Lords day after some words of reproof for so doing and a light answer thereunto the person who served the Writ died in the place without speaking any more words O the fearful and just judgment of the Lord this prophane person himself was subpoenaed unexpectedly by a Writ he could not refuse to appear before Gods dreadful Tribunal A Grasiers Servant would needs drive his Cattle on the Lords day in the Morning from the Inne where he lay on the Saturday Night but he was not gone a stones cast from the Town but he fell down dead suddenly when he was in perfect health before Thus the Lords day is written in dominical letters in the blood of Transgressors who prophane it To add one dreadful example more One Richard Bourn Servant to Gaspar Birch of Ely was so accustomed to travel on the Lords day that he made no conscience of it sâ—ldom or never coming to the publick Congregation to hear Gods word on that day but went to St. Ives Market where he stayed and spent the day where being drunk he was overtaken by Divine Justice for coming home fraught with Commodities he fell into the River and was drowned And thus as his sinnes did meet to provoke the Lord viz. his Drunkenness and Sabbath-breaking so the stream did meet to destroy and overthrow him Sometimes God doth not presently cut off those who prophane his day but he puts a brand of infamy upon them to make them a shame and a terrour to themselves that they may be hissed off from the Stage of the World and with self-confounding and horrour may go down unexpectedly to their Graves this is verified by this story There was an Husbandman who went to plough on the Lords day and cleansing his Plow with an Iron the Iron stuck so fast in his hand for two years that he carried it about with him as a signal testimony of the Lords just displeasure against him and so he lived infamously in the world till he died and made his passage to another world the Iron in his hand only discovering the Adamant in his heart Sometimes God leaves those who prophane his holy day to the commission of prodigious evils and so he punisheth one fin with another which is the sorest punishment and the ultimate effect of Divine Vengeance for when God punisheth Isa 6. 10. sin with suffering then he chastiseth with Rods but when he punisheth sin with sin then he scourges with Scorpions as may be instanced in these succeeding stories In Helvetia near Belessina Three men were playing at Mr. Clarke his examples of Divine justice Dice on the Lords day and in their play one called Vtricke Schraetorus having hopes of a good Cast having lost much money before he now expected fortune or rather the Devil to succour him and therefore he breaks out into this horrid blasphemy If Fortune deceive me now I will thrust my Dagger into the body of God as far as I can And so with a powerful force he throws it up towards Heaven which Dagger was never seen more and immediately five drops of blood fall before them all upon the Table and as suddenly came the Devil among them and carries away this vile wretch with such a terrible and hideous noise as the whole City was astonished at it Those who remained endeavoured to wipe off the blood but to little purpose for the more they rubbed the more perspicuous and visible the blood was Report carries it over the City multitudes flockt to see this wonder who find those who had thus prophaned the Sabbath rubbing the blood to get it out These two men who were Companions to him who was carried away by the Devil were by the Decree of the Senate bound in Chains and as they were leading to prison one of them was suddenly struck dead and from his whole body a wonderful number of worms and vermine was seen to crawl The City thus terrified with Gods judgments and to the intent that God might be glorified and a future vengeance averted from the place they caused the third Offendor one of the gaming Companious to be forthwith put to death And they caused the Table with the drops of blood upon it to be preserved as a Monument of Gods wrath against this sin thus this blasted Rom. 11. 33. Table like Lots wife was a standing warning-piece to cause all to take heed of Sabbath-breaking and ingratitude Luke 17. 32. At Simsbury in Dorsetshire One rejoycing at the erecting of a Summer-Pole on a Lords day He said he would go see it though he went through a quick-set hedge Going with wood in his arms to cast into the Bonefire prophanely uttered these words Heaven and earth are full of thy glory O Lord he was immediately overtaken by the stroke of God and in two or three hours died and his wife also And thus as God once punished Pharaoh with hail mixed with fire so he Exod. 9. 24. hath punished the prophanation of his day with sin and judgment joyntly with leaving the Offendor to vile sins overtaking the Offendor with sore smarts that his burdens Exod. 5. 7. like those of the Israelites in Egypt might be doubled Sometimes God punisheth the prophanation of his Sabbath with executing vengeance on great numbers God hath not decimated such sinners but destroyed them in the lump as may be verified in these ensuing stories Fourteen youths adventuring to play at Foot-ball on the River Trent upon the Lords day when it was as they Mr. Bernard on the Sabbath Mr. London in Gods Judgments on Sabbath-breakers Jan. 13. 1583. thought very hard frozen meeting at last together in a shove the Ice brake and they were all drowned At the Bear-Garden in Southwark on a Sabbath-day in the Afternoon many persons pressing on the Scaffold to see the sport forced it suddenly down with which fall eight were killed and many spoiled in their bodies who died soon after Nullus die solis spectaculum praebeat nec divinam venerationem consecta solennitate consundat Valent. Grat. And by the way let me observe This seeing of Shews upon the Lords day was complained of above 1200 years ago and Edicts set out against it by the Emperors Valentinian and Gratian the early zeal of the Primitive Christians took notice of this detestable and prodigious practice God sometimes takes away Sabbath-breakers immediately by his own hand as may be seen in these instances A Fellow near Brinkley in Essex usually coming home late from his sports on the Lords day his good Mistris reproving him for it one Sabbath he goes to a Chalk-pit to work with another man and tells him he used to vex his Mistris for his sports on the Sabbath but now
of his Resurrection when his power was most illustrious The Resurrection of Christ was unparallel'd Others indeed were raised from the grave So Lazarus John 12. 1. So Dorcas Acts 9. 40. And women received their dead raised to life again Heb. 11. 35. But all these retired to their Christus post quam resurrexit talem vitam amplius non vivit immò mori ampliùs non pâ—ssit Alap graves again their renewed life was only a short apparition which was quickly smoothered a little Candle set up after it had been put out which burned for a while and spent it self till it went out again But our Saviour as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 9. Being raised from the dead dyeth no more This Sun being risen sets no more nay it is no more inveloped in a Cloud but shines in a higher sphear in a more sublime Orb to eternity Christs Resurrection was not damped with a revocation nor did he fly back again to his empty tomb there to shelter himself till the general Resurrection Nay let us run a little higher the Resurrection of Christ was that glorious work above all others which the Scriptures mention to the Fathers honour Rom. Gal. 1. 1. 1. 4. Acts 2. 24 32. Acts 3. 26. Acts 4. 10. Acts 10. 40. This work it was by which Jesus Christ is made both Lord and Christ and is exalted to sit at the right hand of his Father This act of Resurrection advanced him to the throne who before was stigmatized with the Cross and changed him from a prisoner to be a Prince and Saviour Acts 3. 31. Acts 10. 41. Nay to be the Prince of life Acts 3. 15. And nothing but glory and honour are the Attendants of his Throne To Acts 2. 32. publish this glorious act Christ principally did choose his Disciples Acts 10. 41. Acts 2. 32. Christs Resurrection Acts 2. 25. was the Motto of the Apostles embassie and the emphasis of their Errand the grand argument by which they both 1 Cor. 15. 14. made and comforted believers For indeed the receiving of 1 Pet. 1. 3. our Christ again after the certainty of his death and the solemnity of his burial is the spring of our joy the fountain of 1 Pet. 3. 21. our comfort the stay of our hearts and the assurance of our Hymnus Angelicus ad nativitatem Christi accipiatur 1. Tanquam gratulatio gratiarum Actio z. Tanquam Angelorum votum quod Angeli optant hominibus 3. Tanquam doctrina quae vera est pax scil in Christo solo Theod. Mat. 4. 2. justification This blessed work of Christs rising put the last hand to the work of our Redemption and so fasten'd it that it cannot unravel The Birth of Christ was accompanied with the joy of Angels Luke 2. 13. His life was embroidered with wonders and miracles for every word our Jesus spake was not less than a wonder John 7. 46. His death was imbittered with sorrows and perplexities and sighs were the escutcheons about his Hearse but his Resurrection was the new Birth of the World and the sparkling spirits of a Believers consolation The wise-men of the East rejoyced at his Star Mat. 2. 10. when it did proclaim the Birth of Christ But Believers rejoyce at himself when he himself proclaims his Resurrection The Star retires at the Suns rising And now shall the Resurrection of Christ be unparallel'd for glory and shall it not so far influence us as to make us exemplary for sanctity upon its weekly commemoration the Lords day Shall every thing concur to the honour of Christs resurrection and shall onely our loosness and vanity on the day of it cast a damp and put an ecclipse upon it When we prophane the Sabbath what do we but draw a veil before the glory of Christs resurrection and practically deny that he is sprung from the Grave What loves can those Christians have to or what esteems for their dear Jesus who when his resurrection-day gave new life to the world fresh joy to the Disciples and new wonders to Mankind can yet pollute and defile the Sabbath its constant Memorial Sabbath-breakers are worse than Sadduces they onely deny Acts 23. 8. our Resurrection but these vertually deny Christs for if Christ be risen why do they not adore the rising Sun by Eph. 5. 11. walking in the light on his own blessed day But why do they attempt to ecclipse this glorious day by their sins and deeds of darkness CHAP. LIV. Some miscellanious prescriptions for the better discharge of our duty towards the LORDS DAY THe Concernments of the Soul can be never sufficiently pressed because of the weightiness of the affair and Mat. 16. 26. nothing more conduceth to the advantage of the Soul then the holy observation of Gods blessed day Soul-welfare In die dominico mens nostra in piis exercitiis tota defigenda est Cartw. much depends upon a due and careful observance of it Spiritual Sabbaths very much draw the Soul to its center formal Sabbaths do much retard the Soul in its progress and Sabbaths wasted in prophaneness do very much harden the Soul in sin and vanity and drop apace into the Vials of Gods wrath jogging Vengeance to awaken it which seems to slumber It may easily fall under our observation that one who is slight on the Sabbath will be profuse on the week that sin which is hatched in the Sabbath will be fledg'd in the week And therefore where there is so much danger to lose the way it must needs be safe to take good direction and to set up more lights for our better guidance and this is the further designe of what followes in this Chapter Let love be the spring of all our duties upon the Sabbath-day Prescript 1. Love is a sweet but a forcible principle it works not as a Sword but as a Sun-beam it draws but not drives it Excessus mentis est intentio ad superna Ansel constrains but not compels and it wins by perswasion and not coaction 2 Cor. 5. 14. Fear storms the Town but Love takes it by composition a heart full of love will run through the Datur sancta insania quando mente excedimus deo Bern. duties of a Sabbath as the Sun through the several Signs of the Zodiack with swiftness and delight Nor doth it understand any toyl or weariness Our Sabbath should not be our task but our delight Isa 58. 13. and then we should be on the wing and flye to the Sanctuary as the Doves to the Windows And indeed what is there in a Sabbath which doth not court our love The Lord of it He is our Beloved Mat. 2. 28. Our love our dove our undefiled Cant. 5. 2. Cant. 6. 9. He doth or ought to lie as a bundle of myrrh between our breasts Cant. 1. 13. The Son of man who is the sum of our desires is the Lord of the Sabbath Love of