by the finger of God whereas Exod. 31. 18. no part of the ceremonial Law was 3. It was written in tables of stone to signifie the perpetuity of it 4. It was before any ceremony of the Law yea before Christ promised for it was instituted in Paradise Gen. 2. 2 3. 5. The ceremonies were as a partition-wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles but God extends this Commandment not only to the Jews but also to strangers Exod. 20. 10. Herein I say the Moral Law which is the ten Commandments is preheminent above the ceremonial or judicial Law 1. Because the Moral Law is a foundation of the other Laws and they are reducible to it 2. The Moral Law was to abide always but not the ceremonial nor judicial 3. This was immediately written by God and commanded to be kept in the Ark which the others were not The ceremonial Law was to continue but until Christ came The judicial Law Gal. 3. 19. was for the Jews political estate for the time being But of the Moral Law it is spoken The Lord came from Sinai with Deut. 33. 2. ten thousand of His Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them The Service and Ministery of the Angels in promulgating of the Law makes much to the honour of the Law for we never read of a Law enacted by so solemn sacred and august a Senate as the Moral Law was where Jesus Christ accompanied with thousands of Angels was the Speaker and gave these Precepts Acts 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2. Psal 68. 8. By how much the more glory God put upon this Moral perpetual Law the greater is their sin who derogate from it I have read a story of Stesâ—chorus that when in some words he had disparaged Helena's beauty he was stricken with blindness but afterwards when he praised her again he obtained his sight It may be because some men have not set forth the due excellency of this Moral Law God hath taken away their eye-sight not to see the beauty of it but let them begin with holy David to set forth the excellent benefits of it and then they may see the glory perpetuity and morality of it more than ever How careful then should men be that they transgress not this Law which hath so sacred authority It was Christ that appeared to Moses in the bush He is also called the Acts 7. 35. Isai 63. 9. Angel of the Covenant because He made that Covenant of the Law with the people on Mount Sinai And it was no created Angel for thus He beginneth I am Jehovah thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt Well might Paul then speaking of the Moral Law say It is holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Away then with those prophane opinions and licentious Doctrines of some against the Sabbath-day which is a taking away of one of the Commandments The Sabbath hath its morality and perpetuity from the meer positive Commandment of God Pardon this digression and come we to a more practical discourse The Sanctification of the Sabbath is Description whereby we rest from labours and outward work that man together with his family and beasts may be refreshed that the whole day may be spent in the Worship and Service of God So there are two parts of this 1. Rest from labour Parts of it 2. Sanctification of this Rest To sanctifie the Sabbath is not to make it holy so it is already by God's institution but to separate it from prophane uses and to devote it to the Worship of God We must omit upon this day the works of our outward temporal Vocation which must be done in the six dayes of the week But the proper works of the Sabbath are these three 1. Works of Necessity which are allowed for our bodily sustentation 2. Works of Charity both to man and beasts which can no ways be deferred to another day So our Saviour which of you having an Oxe or an Ass Luk. 14. 5. fall into a pit will not help him out on the Sabbath day 3. But especially of works Piety which are the proper works of the Sabbath as to frequent the publick Assembly to read and hear to meditate and speak of the Word of God sing Psalms receive the Sacrament to exhort and encourage each other to Piety to build up Jude â—0 each other in our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost c. And to refrain all those things which may hinder divert or distract the mind from the Service of God and everlasting benefit of our Souls such as vain thoughts idle worldly and unsavoury speeches which no ways tend to edification pastimes recreations and such-like which are Isai 58. 13 14. expresly forbidden in the Prophet Isaiah as some well observe which may be explained thus Turn thy foot from the Sabbath that is from spurning at it and this is Paraphrased by not doing our own ways nor finding our own pleasure nor speaking our own words Herein is the negative Sanctification of the Sabbath Affirmatively it consists as the same Prophet farther goes on 1. In calling the Sabbath our delight that is in a real account of it to be such and using it as such both in desiring it before it comes and rejoycing in it when it is come as a good and joyful day 2. In calling it the holy of the Lord that is by faith to apprehend it to be of His holy institution and so set it apart from all other worldly time to sanctifie it 3. In calling it honourable or a glorious day a portion of time honoured with the name of God stamped upon it as the day of days and so accounting and using of it 4. In honouring Jehovah herein by declaring His holiness and goodness in His Sabbath setting forth His praise from morning to night The due sanctifying of the Sabbath is hedged about with many great and precious promises both of the upper and nether springs Judg. 1. 15. heavenly and earthly blessings to keep men close to their obedience why should not these cords of love bind and engage men They who abhor Sabbath-performing in duty drive the Lord from promise-performing in mercy bitterness will be to them in the latter end I have observed that a serious strict and conscientious observation of the Sabbath is the outward greatest character of an upright and gracious person The 92 Psalm entituled a Psalm for the sabbath-Sabbath-day declareth that it is a good thing to begin the day with Praises to God early in the morning and continue the same until it be night Q. Some will say this strict observation of the Sabbath belonged only to the Jews A. Nay but as the most Reverend Arch Bishop Vsher and others very well say we are bound more strictly to observe these sabbath-Sabbath-duties than they were and that because of the greater measures of Gods Graces upon us than ever were given unto them Q. But the
18 There is no fear in love c. And also largely to that place Rom. 8. 15 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear c. That place in Rev. 21. 8 But the fearful c. shall be cast into the lake of sire c. answered What is that fear of God here commanded farther set down in three particulars Q. What are the special marks of the true fear of God answered in seven particulars Q. What the arguments are to induce us to fear God answered in eight things In way of a conclusion Thirteen sentences about the fear of God Exercitation V. Of waiting upon God upon these words My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from Him Three ingredients to wait upon God What waiting upon God is Four signs of our waiting upon God Four helps for strengthening us against troubles An explanation out of the Greek of waiting and expectation The manner of our waiting in three things Gods waiting upon us Wait upon God only What expectation is What we expect from God Examples of the miseries of those who would not wait upon God Exercitation VI. The way to salvation repentance and faith On these words Mark 1. 15 Repent ye and believe the Gospel What repentance is Repentance is twofold 1. Legal 2. Evangelical What they both are The signs whereby they may be known Four parts of Evangelical repentance Repentance must be renewed What faith is Five acceptations of faith The object of true saving faith The manner of Gods working of it The absolute necesssity of it in every part of Gods worship Encouragements to labour for it Exercitation VII Holiness on these words Psal 93. 5. Holiness becometh thine house O Lord for ever What Holiness is 1. As applyed to God 2. To believers Our holiness must bear a conformity to Christs holiness in four things What sanctification is The terms from which and to which Two degrees of sanctification Two parts of it The ends of it in two things What we must do that we may be holy Four things thereto Three things to be observed for holiness sake Christ is the principle of our holiness and also the pattern of it the comeliness of holiness Of Gods house How holy it is and how holy we must be A Scriptural Prayer to God for Holiness A farther Encomium and praise of Holiness Exercitation VIII Of Swearing On these words Jer. 23. 9 For because of Oaths the Land mourneth A sad complaint of the over-spreading and greatness of this horrid sin of prophane swearing Of taking Gods name in vain Superstitious and foolish swearing How an Oath is to be taken The parts of an Oath The form of an Oath The end of an Oath The divers kinds of an Oath How an Oath is to be performed Is it lawful for Christians to take an Oath Proved affirmatively by four reasons An exploding the Opinion of the Anabaptists c. by six Arguments By whom we must swear About what things an Oath may be taken Whether all Oaths are to be kept How God in Scripture is said to swear The sum of the third Commandment Six Corollaries Of the government of the tongue Exercitation IX Hardness os heart On these words And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also The Plague of hardness of heart Examples of it To harden the heart what it is 1. In reference to God 2. â—o Satan 3. To a mans self Of conscience what it is How did God harden Pharaohs heart and how he did iâ— himself The miseries ensuing hardness of heart Exeroitation X. Of the Sabbath On these words in Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17. 20. 8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy The necessity of a sabbath The morality of it The excellency of the Moral Law above the Ceremonial or Judicial What the sanctifying of the sabbath is the parts of it A short Paraphrase on Isai 58. 13 14. which is borrowed The strict observation of the sabbath belongs more to us then to the Jews the reasons of the alteration of it How the sabbath is a sign Woe to sabbath prophaners and sabbath idlers The right manner of sanctifying of the sabbath Be not weary of sabbath-sabbath-duties For Reasons why it is called sabbath The many sabbaths of the Jews formerly Three Reasons why God commands us to observe the sabbath We must lay out our strength in sabbath-duties Exercitation XI Of Patience On these words Luk. 21. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls Of afflictions to the Godly 1. For correction 2. For tryal Inferences upon each Examine for what particular sin God so afflicts Afflictions a sign of Gods love Why afflictions are called temptations What patience is Of impatience The good effects of patience Motives to it The true nature of patience towards God our selves and others Four Arguments to strengthen us in our patience The vices contrary Exercitation XII Pride and humility On these words James 4. 6 God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble What Pride is The parts of Pride How it is shewed Of pride against God and of pride towards men Of the sin of the fallen Angels and of the sin of our first Parents Four helps to subdue pride What grace is Several acceptations of grace A description of humility Humility towards God humility towards men Five means to attain humility towards God Three marks of humility towards men Humility farther described and praised Incitations to humility Some additional notes about pride and humility Fourteen Aphorisms about humility Exercitation XIII Of Care On these words 1 Pet. 5. 10 Casting all your care upon God for He careth for you Seven Arguments against carefulness Twofold care of outward things Worldly cares compared to thorns in four respects Irregular cares are 1. Superfluous 2. Sinful We are to do our duty faithfully and then trust in God who is our Father and the great house-keeper of all the earth The fourth Petition in the Lords Prayer fully explained If we rowl our selves upon God He hath engaged Himself to relieve us Outward things are necessary for us in a threefold respect Rest upon Gods Providence What Gods actual Providence is Of the fate of the heathen Philosophers The parts of Providence Depend upon Providence Wait Gods time Live by faith Be we diligent in our callings The tenderness fidelity and wisdom of Gods Providence The twelve miracles observed about Manna More of Gods Providence and twelve Corollaries thereabout Exercitation XIV Of death judgment hell and heaven On these words Rev. 20. 12. 15 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire 1. Of death what death is The causes of it The
into His rest hereafter Now a little to speak farther of the right sanctifying of the Lords day summarily and we have done Our care must be over-night having laid aside all our earthly affairs to begin to fit our selves for the Lords-day and His Service thereon Rising as early or earlier on the Lords day as we do on other days for our own businesses as David said O Lord thou art my God Psal 63. 1. early will I seek thee when we are dressing our selves let us have heavenly thoughts as to put on the garments of Christ's righteousness to be as a Bride trimmed to meet the Bridegroom of our Souls Then to retire our selves and pray to God that He will prepare our hearts aright for the preparation of the Psal 10. 17. Prov. 16. 1. heart is from the Lord. That God would enable us for to sanctifie His holy name in all our duties of worship for He will be sanctified of all that draw Levit. 10 3. near to Him Then if we are governours of families to call our family together and strive to prepare them likewise so to Psal 42. 4. Josh 24. 15. Acts 16. 14. Mat. 15. 10. go to the house of God together that we and our family may serve the Lord Attend diligently to the Word of God hear and understand and hear as for our lives so to hear as our souls Isai 55. 3. Deut. 30. 19. may live it is not a vain thing it is for our lives take heed also be not forgetful hearers of the Word but doers of it Jam 1. 22. that we may be blessed in the deed else we deceive our own souls and that is the greatest deceit and of most dismal consequence Let us joyn with the Congregation in Prayer Sing with the Spirit and sing with understanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. If the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be administred having duely prepared ourselves let us receive it When the Sacrament of Baptism is administred Pray for the party baptized give thanks to God for adding one member more to His outward visible Church and remember we our vow made to God in our Baptism to be humbled for the breaking of it and resolve by God's Grace to perform it better for the future And depart not from the Church before the Minister hath pronounced the blessing And so let us not turn our backs on any of God's ordinances When we come home let us feed in fear and season it with meditation and speeches of holy things After Dinner let us meditate confer on and repeat what we have heard examine and catechize our families and strive to make that we heard to be our own ruminating upon it as those only were clean beasts under the Law which did chew Lev. 11. 3. the cud Then to return in season to the afternoon Publick Worship and demean our selves as in the morning When we return home then to do as before we did after dinner If we are enforced to walk through the fields then to contemplate the works of God His Providence and Mercies After Supper to confer read meditate sing Psalms instruct exhort encourage c. And close the day with Prayer craving pardon for sin and for the iniquities of our holy things Pray for more Grace to profit by all we have heard for it is God alone that teaches us to profit and that we may persevere therein Isai 48. 17. unto the end blessing God that hath given us one sabbath-Sabbath-day more and hath in any measure assisted us in the performance of our duties Thus sanctifying the Sabbath God hath made it not only our duty so to do but also an essential means of His bestowing Mercies Blessings and increase of Grace on us in this our religious observation of the same Thus God blessed the Sabbath-day Isai 56. 6 7. When we lye down in our beds examine we our hearts how we are bettered what increase of knowledge and Grace what strength against corruptions what heavenly-mindedness more we have obtained And so repose our selves to sleep in the arms of our heavenly Father having heavenly thoughts in our hearts that we may be able comfortably to say How precious are thy thoughts to me O God that is my thoughts which I have of Thee how great is the sum of them when I awake Psal 139. 17 18 I am still with Thee Be not weary of sabbath-Sabbath-duties and exercises like those wicked Jews who said When will the sabbath be gone that Amos 8. 5 Mal. 1. 13. we may go to our worldly businesses and what a weariness is this and so snuffed at it These men and women are far from tasting how gracious the Lord is and from those who by reason of use 1 Pet. 2. 3. Heb. 5. 14. have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil They see no such excellency and preciousness in Christ they find no sweetness in His ordinances to say with Peter Lord it is good for us Mat. 17. 4. to be here They are far from David's temper to have their souls to long yea even to faint for the courts of the Lord Psal 84. 1 2. and cry out when shall I come and appear before God our blessed Saviour for us spent a whole night in Prayer to Luk. 6. 12. God Heaven will be no Heaven to Rev. 4. 8. 11. such persons as these where we shall for ever be praising God And like as God rested the seventh day from all His works Heb. 4. 4. 10. as one would say God did retire Himself to the quiet enjoyment of Himself His glory and blessedness So we being by death freed from the works of this life from all our labours and toâ—ls from all sin and suffering from all sorrow and misery when God shall wipe away â—â—v 7. 17. â—â—â— 35. 10. all tears from our eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flee away then shall we altogether live with God in the perfect rest of glory For there remaineth a rest or keeping an everlasting Sabbath â—â—â— 4. 11. to the people of God Sabbath in Hebrew signifies Cessavit Addition quievit vacavit a Sabbath-day is a day of rest It signifies not such a rest as when one sitteth still and doth nothing but a resting and ceasing from doing that which he did before So God called this day a Sabbath which He dedicated and consecrated to His own publick Worship 1. Because on that day God rested from His creation of all those new species but not from conserving and propagating of them by the continual generation of individuals 2. Because the Sabbath is a representation of that spiritual rest from sin and of that rest in everlasting life 3. Because that we must on that day cease from all our secular and worldly employments that devoting our selves wholly to God's Worship He may work His work upon our hearts and exercise His works in us 4. That our
In every nation he that feareth God Act. 10. 35. and worketh righteousness is accepted of him To whomsoever feareth God the word 13. 26. of salvation is sent ENCOMIUMS or Praises of the fear of God Behold the fear of the Lord that is Job 28. 28. wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding The fear of the Lord is clean enduring Psal 19. 9. for ever That is the rule of His fear and of all true Religion contained in His Word is pure and clean and it cleanseth and purifieth us it is invariable and incorruptible and produceth the effect of eternal life in them that observe it The fear of the Lord is the beginning Psal 111. 10. of wisdom that is the fear of the Lord is the foundation as well as beginning of wisdom The Lord taketh pleasure in them that 147. 11. fear Him c. The fear of the Lord is the beginning Prov. 1. 7. of knowledg beginning is the chief point or sum of knowledg The fear of the Lord is to hate evil c. 8. 13. that is he that hath the true knowledg and fear of God in his heart it will make him hate sin which is so hateful unto God The fear of the Lord is a fountain of 14. 27. life to depart from the snares of death The fear of the Lord is the instruction 15. 33. of wisdom that is the fear of the Lord is the best and only means to have our hearts framed to receive true wisdom By the fear of the Lord men depart 16. 6. from evil that is they that truly fear God will not willingly run into sin but say with Joseph How can I do this wickedness Gen. 39. 9. and sin against God And this fear of God was a curb to Joseph when he dealt roughly with his brethren when he had cast them into Prison on the third day he brought them Gen 42. 18. out and said this do and live for I fear God So let this fear of God be always before our eyes as a spur to every good duty and a bar against all sin and wickedness Happy is the man that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. that is through the awful respect he hath to God's glorious Majesty fearing to offend Him and being no ways confident of himself that doth so always and at all times it is a special preservative against sin and so happy is that man A man or woman that so feareth the Prov. 31. 30. Lord shall be praised God is greatly to Psal 89. 7. be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are about Him God is to be feared above all gods 96. 4. Let us therefore strive as good Obadiah though in the Court of wicked Ahab to fear the Lord from our youth 1 King 18. 3 12. and to fear Him greatly And as Cornelius that religious Captain who feared Acts 10. 2. God with all his house to be faithful Nehem. 7. 2. men and to fear God above many Passing the time of our sojourning here in 1 Pet. 1. 17. fear in carefulness to please God fearing lest we should offend Him Surely I know that it shall be well with Eccles 8. 12. them that fear God which fear before Him David could not express it but breaks Psal 31. 19. out in admiration of it Oh how great is Thy goodness which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men Let us therefore sanctifie the Lord of Isai 8. 13. hosts Himself and let Him be our fear and let Him be our dread Whâ— shall not fear Thee O Lord and Rev. 15. 4. glorifie Thy name for Thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before Thee for Thy judgments are made manifest Q. But what fear may Saints have in the Service of God A. 1. There may be a fear of God's wrath they may have apprehensions of Psal 6. 2 3. God's heavy displeasure the hot displeasure of God's wrath may even vex their bones and cause their soul to be sore vexed They may conceive themselves Psal 13. 1. forgotten of God and that God doth hide His face from them to have their soul pained within them and horrour to overwhelm them and think 55. 4 5. Cant. 5. 6. that Christ may with-draw Himself and be gone in regard of any comfortable and sensible enjoyment of His fellowship which they have 2. There may be a great fear even of performing holy Duties they may be startled not dare adventure upon sâ—ch holy performances without much shame of Spirit and holy reluctancy as Ezra said I am ashamed and blush to Ezra 9. 6. lift up my face to Thee O my God for our iniquities are increâ—sed over our heads and our trespass is grown up unto the hâ—â—vens And with the poor woman Mark 5. 33. in the Gospel who came fearing and trembling and fell down before Christ And yet the Saints never depart or fall away from that assured confidence they have conceived of the mercies of God though they have a continual strife with their own distrustfulness In all these assaults faith upholds the Godly and is like to a Palm-tree endeavouring to rise up against all burdens how great soever they may be He that striving with his own weakness resorts to faith in his troubles is already in a manner a Conquerour So David checks his own heart Why art thou cast down O my soul Why art thou thus disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise Him Psal 42. 11. who is the health of my countenance and my God And wait on the Lord be of 27. 14. good courage and He shall strengthen 39. 2. thine heart and so he iterates it wait I say on the Lord. Sometimes the Saints may become even dumb with silence as though their faith were utterly overthrown yet they faint not but proceed in the Battel and by Faith and Prayer do still encourage themselves in God who at length will come in with the saving strength of His own right hand Psal 20. 6. There is great difference between the fears of the Godly and of the wicked The fear of the wicked ariseth out of the evidences of the guilt of sin but the fear of the Godly from a tender apprehension of the greatness goodness holiness and Majesty of God and His most pure eyes which cannot endure Habb 1. 13. to behold iniquity but with indignation and out of a deep sence of their own vileness and unworthiness to meddle with holy things But yet this fear in the Saints never brings any dislike or hatred of God or any wilful disobedience against Him For as the fear of the soul deters so the necessity of the
day is altered The Jews did and do observe Saturday because upon that day God rested from the work of Creation which now is changed into the first day of the week A. This was done not by humane but by Divine authority which appears by the practice of Christ and the Apostles Joâ— 20. 19. 26. 20. 7. which should be a sufficient rule to us especially because the Apostles have added a Commandment thereunto And 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. there is no other reason but in regard of the Lord Christ's special institution Rev. 1. 10. why it should be called the Lords-day as the Lords Prayer because of His making and the Lords Supper is so also 1 Cor. 11 2â— called because it was of Christ's immediate institution therefore there is no special mention made of it in the New Testament because there was no question made at all of this change in the Apostles time it was so commonly known and another reason which I imagine why it is not mentioned in the New Testament not to deter the Jews from coming into the Church for we read in several places of the Acts of the Apostles how much and how far they Acts 15. 29. 21. 24. condescended to the Jews to win them to Christ So this day is specially dedicated to the Lords service for otherwise all the dayes of the week are the Lords dayes and he is to be served and worshipped in them but on this day wholly and more especially For Christ alone could change the sabbath day who is the Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. Athanasiuâ— plainly saith that Christ himself did change the day There are many more arguments for the change of the Sabbath which we read of but I spare prolixity As God rested from the works of Creation then he sanctified and blessed the seventh day on which He rested so it was meet that our Lord Jesus Christ having finished the work of our Redemption on the Cross when He said It is finished and Joh. 19. 30. bowed His head and gave up the ghost and rested in the grave and was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1. 4. by His resurrection from the dead this same day in which Christ rested from His labour and the work of our redemption which was greater than the work of Creation this day did He sanctifie unto Himself This day as Christ sanctified by His resurrection so by twice Joh. â—â— 19. â—â— Acts 2 â— â— appearing to His Apostles on the same day and by sending the Holy Ghost upon them on the same day which day Acts 20. â— 1 Cor. 16. â— Apoâ— â— â—â— the Apostles observed and the Churches also But in the words at first read God said that the Sabbath was a sign between Him and the Children of Israel therefore some say it is a type or a ceremony or a representation of something to come We have proved it not to be a ceremony but we may well and will also grant it to be a type or representation of our heavenly rest that perpetual Sabbath Heb. 4. 3. 9. of rest we shall keep there But sign signifies here as much as a document so Christ said By this shall Joh. 13. 35. all men know that ye are My Disciples if ye love one another In the observation of the Lords Day there is a common and publick profession made of that Communion which is between God and us So then every solemn profession is a sign of that thing of which it is a profession so also the Sabbath is called a Sign in that common reason But some will say this Sabbath was enjoyned only to the Children of Israel what is that to us This belongs also to the spiritual Israel and not only to the bodily which Rom. 9. â— were of that lineage by corporal generation The Jews alone were Israel 1 Cor. 10. 18. after the flesh but we also after the spirit for the believing Gentiles are called the Israel of God Gal. 6. 1â— The word Remember is prefixed to this fourth Commandment to shew that although all the Commandments are needful diligently to be observed and remembred yet this more especially The word Remember is to put us in mind 1. Of our natural forgetfulness of this Commandment 2. Of the excellency and worth of it 3. To prepare our selves for the due keeping of it For we are naturally most negligent in it suffering our selves to be with-drawn by our worldly businesses from the Lords Service upon the Lords day and therefore such a special warning is needful to be added And as to keep it holy when it is come so also to prepare our selves for it and put our hearts our selves in a ready Sabbath-days posture and to dispose our worldly businesses so that if possible we may have no avocation lett or hinderance on the Lords day To speak a little more of the words read at first in Exodus 31. 13 c. for this word Verily the Septuagint render it see to it or look unto it that ye keep My Sabbath then we have the reasons annexed 1. It is a sign between Me and you of which word Sign we have spoken already 2. That ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you as ye expect a Sabbath-blessing or for Me to instamp My image of holiness upon you see that ye keep holy My Sabbath Observe here also the frequent iterated injunctions ye shall keep it holy therefore 3. It is fenced with such dreadful Comminations Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death And whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people And again he shall surely be put to death and more such expressions here are So then it is not at every man's liberty if he will observe the Sabbath or no. God as He is faithful in His promises of mercy so also in His threatnings of vengeance Although Sabbath-prophaners may escape punishment here God will assuredly without great repentance make them suffer for ever hereafter for slighting neglecting and breaking of His Covenant of the Sabbath For the breaking of the Sabbath is a violation of the whole Worship of God Wo therefore to those prophane ungodly Sabbath-breakers who are also usually addicted to Oaths Cursings and Blasphemies to Whoredom Drunkenness and other notorious abominations for one such hainous sin never goes alone whose judgment lingreth 2 Pet. 2. 3. not and their damnation slumbreth not Wo also to those who idle away the Sabbath spending it in worldly discourses gadding gazing idleness and such-like as if the negative part of keeping the Sabbath thou shalt do no manner of work were enough never looking to the positive part to keep it holy to spend the whole day in God's Service to His glory and for their own spiritual edification and advantage They that will not sanctifie God's rest here shall never enter
Servants and Beasts may rest as well as we The Church of the Jews under the Old Testament had various Sabbaths as of Days Months and Years 1. Their Sabbath of days every seventh day of the Week So also their Sabbaths of days were their other Festivals as the Feast of Passeover Pentecost Tabernacles Expiation Trumpets c. for in all these Feasts they were commanded to rest as well as on the Seventh day Of all these read at large in Levit. 23. and 25. Chapters 2. Their Sabbath of Months every New-Moon 3. Their Sabbath of years every seventh year in which they were not to till the ground Levit. 25. 8. and I may add hereto the Jubilee which was once in seven times seven years or the 49th year The word remember in the Hebrew signifies to call to mind somewhat before or to keep in mind somewhat for after and sometimes it signifies both as it may well here be taken for this ordinance of God of the Sabbath was instituted long before and was to continue for afterward The word Sanctifie or hallow doth signifie these four things 1. To make a thing Holy by putting holiness into it morally 2. To acknowledge a thing to be Holy 3. To appoint a thing to Holy and Religious uses 4. To use things to those good uses whereto they were appointed This day hath no more Holiness in it than any other that for it self it might be accounted more Holy than other only God hath appointed it to holy uses and would have us to use it thereunto The reasons why God commands us to keep holy this day 1. God gives us six days to labour in and hath reserved but one in seven for Himself therefore good reason is it we should obey 2. God requireth no more than that which Himself hath done therefore ought men to do so 3. God hath blessed and hallowed this day to this end Therefore it must be kept We must spend our strength in sanctifying of the Sabbath in the duties of of the day they that worship God to purpose spend their bodies and their strength in nothing so much as in the worship of God stirring up themselves to take hold of God Jacob wrestled Isai 64. 7. Gen. 32. 24. with God in Prayer now wrestling is a hard exercise therein men put forth all their strength It will be a sad thing another day when this shall be charged upon very many that they have spent their strength upon sin and upon their lusts but never put forth any strength in Holy Duties or Sabbath-Performances there they are as cold and dead as may be It is a sign of the breath of life when it is warm but artificial breath is cold As the breath that comes out of a living body is warm but the breath out of a pair bellows is cold So the breath of many people in Prayer is discovered to be but artificial breath it is so cold but if there were spiritual life than it would be warm There must be strength and heat of affection So I might instance in hearing the Word we must hear as for our lives Isai 55. 3. so hear that our Souls may live c. But you will say the Sabbath is a time of rest I confess it is a time of rest from outward labours but it is a time of spending strength in a spiritual way They that will worship God aright upon the Sabbath will find it a spending of a great deal of strength And blessed is that strength that is spent in the Worship of God EXERCITATION THE ELEVENTH Luk. 21. 19. In your patience possess ye your Souls VVE are not able to enjoy our selves or any of the blessings which God affords us without patience While we are here in this life let us expect troubles and afflictions and discomforts even from our nearest relations crosses and losses It is our blessed Saviours Legacy in the world ye Joh. 16. 33. shall have tribulation and through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of heaven Expect them therefore Acts 14. 22 and prepare for them then when they come they will wound us the less Praevisa minus feriunt tâ—lâ— Let us enjoy this present life and the comforts thereof so long as it shall please God to afford them unto us exercising our selves in continual patience and by it enduring all Behold we count them Jam. 5. 11. happy which endure we have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pittiful and of tender mercy Patience is a Christian vertue whereby Definition by faith resting on the Providence Power and Goodness of God we sweetly and quietly submit our selves to His hand in all afflictions which by Him are sent upon us The afflictions of the Godly are 1. For Correction 2. For Tryal 1. For Correction if we were without chastisement whereof all God's Heb. 12. 8. 10 11. Children are partakers then were we bastards and not sons He chastifeth us for our profit and He seeth it is needful for us for a season if need be we 1 Pet. 1. 6. are in heaviness through manifold temptations So that at length we may say it is good for us and we could not have been without it Though at present no Psal 119. 71. affliction is joyous but grievous yet afterward it yieldeth the quiet fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby This is all the fruit to take Isai 27. 9. away their sin 2. The afflictions of the Godly as they are for correction so also for tryal to try our faith and other Graces if we will quietly submit unto God and humble our selves under His mighty 1 Pet. 5. 6. hand to be dumb with silence and not open our mouths that is in a fretting and repining way because Psal 39. 8. Micah 6. 9. God hath done it To hear the rod and who hath appointed it For the rod of God hath a voice with it and the man of wisdom will see it and hear it and endeavour to understand the meaning of it as well as to feel the smart of it Affliction ariseth not out of the dust neither Job 5. 6. doth trouble spring out of the ground Say therefore with the Church I will Micah 7. 9. bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him when He hath truly tryed me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold His righteousness Let us not therefore like a dog snarl at the stone but look to the hand that flung it A sparrow shall not fall to the ground without the will of our Father and we are of more value than many sparrows This will Mat. 10. 29. help us in our patience to possess our souls because God hath done it and so acknowledge it is His hand and that the Lord hath done it Psal 109. 27. Let us examine and