Christ 1. The Persons that the Sabbath was for appears to be the praying Saints of God though Jewes by Nation Christians by profession and therefore the day they ought to observe was suitable 2. The season of this Sabbath-day was during that Sabbath which should be at the time of the sacking and sad desolating the City Jerusalem About fourty years after Christs death that dreadful and terrible time came when according to the voyce heard in the Temple Let us depart hence Gods people departed thence to Pella and other places and for the Unconverted Jewes as Eusebius reports whereas they had sold Christ for thirty pence thirty of them were sold for a peny and so many hundreds of them who crucified Christ were crucified themselves in one day that there were not places enough for Crosses not Crosses for bodies Then then were Gods faithful ones fain to fly for their lives yet then were they to be serious and incessant in Sabbath-day-duties then all Ceremonies were abolished And that special day which the Jew had observed being Ceremonial was before abrogated and a seventh day as a holy Sabbath upon an another account then kept and so to continue 2. That which our Saviour saith of himself as concerning the Sabbath we see Mark 2.28 The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath-day Which notes in Christ touching this day two things His Authority for it and His Propriety in it The Sabbath is such a day that the Lord Christ For it gives a special command and In it keeps a special Interest Other time the Lord allots and allows men for their ordinary affairs but this day he reserves as his proper and peculiar Portion Truly may we say of the Sabbath as 't is said of Jacob Psal 135.4 The Lord hath chosen it unto himself for his peculiar treasure Vox segulah significat rem quandam auctam charam sive the saurus fuerit sive res aliae quae cunquâ— His Segullah Time the Lord gives out but this he keeps as his store and as that which to him is most dear THE LORDS DAY Christ he is clearly the Lord of all but especially THE LORD OF THE SABBATH The Sabbath at first considered with other dayes As Christ hath separated it from them So Christ hath elevated it above them Above all dayes he doth estimate this 't is emiminently his And he the Lord of this day It being from him in respect of its Rise And it being for him in respect of its Use Christ was the raiser of it and Christ is the ruler in it This is that high day he hath set upon stable grounds This is that great day he doth guide unto noble ends The grounds on which this day is erected are The Lords abundant care of And His abiding Covenant with his Church and people throughout all ages Such is the care the Lord hath for the spirituall profit of his People and to perpetuate the Practice of Religion as thereupon he appoints this present day Yea and that it might abide he hath bound it by covenant to continue through all generations Vid. Willets Hexapla in locum Exodus 13.16 17. The ends to which this day is directed are The honour of God And The happinesse of man Hence is that Isay 58.13 If thou call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him And hence is that Isay 56.2 Happy or blessed is the man that doth this the son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it To say now no more this is that sweet day upon which Saint John had such Soul-ravishing-Revelations in the Spirit I was in the Spirit upon the Lords Day The Use two-fold Of Information Of Exhortation First we are here informed of mens fearful evills relating to the Lords Day viz. Both The sinfull evill they are guilty of The Penall evill they are subject to First to set out the sinfulnesse of men against the Sabbath I shall consider and clearly discover The Multitude of the sinners And The Magnitude of the sin Sinners against the Holy Sabbath are of severall sorts Some sinning against the doctrine of the day And Some sinning against the duties of the day 1. Some that in point of judgment lye crosse to the Lords Day Of such There be some grosse in their opinion And others in their opinion more loose The former deny the day Positively and in whole The latter deny the day respectively and in part Those that do not at all believe the Lords Day are of two sorts Some that more Sordidly declare it Some that more subtilly conceale it 1. There be some that publiquely proclaime their denyall of this Holy Day and of them we may observe two sorts Some that did never better appear in time past And Some that in time past did much better appear Some that have been so Sottishly and abominably bred up that a conviction of the Lords Day they never let in Sabbath-Principles they never laid up And some whose education and profession hath formerly declared their belief of the Lords Day but now run in ranting and riotous waies publishing their opinions against all Sabbath-observance yea are come to scorn and mock at the Sabbaths of the Lord like those Lam. 1.7 Of such what shall I say But declare them utterly unclean because the Leprosie is in their heads I allude to that Levit. 13.44 verse Secondly there be others that carrie Some Sabbath-day-shew they abstain from their ordinary works and meet where some matters of Religion are managed but not from any tye upon conscience or obedience to any divine Authority The Papists upon an Ecclesiasticall and others upon a Politicall account and because of the civill power otherwise in their own opinions they are set Sabbath-free They do not embrace the Sabbath that 's crosse to their inward principles yet they doe not disclaim the Sabbath that may prove their outward Prejudice This is plain hypocrisie in the Lords Day and woe to such hypocrites in the Day of the Lord. I proceed next to consider them that assent somewhat to a Sabbath-day but their assent thereunto is not right and through Of such there be two sorts Some which deny that this is the Day And Some who deny that of the Day which is Some grant the Lord hath a Day for his service but they plead against the first and for the last day in the week the particular day which the Jewes kept to be still the standing Sabbath-day In this is a subtile design of Satan when he sees as Sabbath-men will have he seeks to set it where it may be sure to fall and though about this scruples may be in some consciencious yet the principall Patrons for the Jewish Sabbbath do it out of a secret design to lay waste the Lords Day Conatus eorum tanquam Pestilentissimus est retundendus Musc Loc Com. Part. 1. fol. 148. This made Musculus to
his son who sent the waggons The Ordinances upon the Lords day they are the waggons that for us God hath sent it is some reviving to see them O but to see God whence these waggons are and whose the Ordinances be how reviving is that O sayes David to God that I may see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 63.2 2. The closer upon the Sabbath we can draw to God the better will our revivings be We read 2 King 13.21 of a dead man that being let down into the Sepulchre of Elisha as soon as he touched the bones of the dead Prophet he presently revived Thus Christians whose hearts are dead yet coming close to God in the Sabbath have sudden soul-revivings and most comfortable quicknings And this is the way to recover the life of the Lords day and so to settle the liberties thereof which at least to some seem to be shaking Towards the Lord yet further that his day may endure let us Keep in the presence of the Lord Keep up prayer to the Lord. 1. The presence of the Lord kept in with us will hold holy Sabbaths amongst us Indeed let the Lord depart and then the dayes of grace and means of grace will immediately remove When Christ goes he calls Come with me my Sabbaths Ordinances and all my holy Institutions Time was Christ walked in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.13 That is those seven once famous Churches of Asia had the presence of Chirst with them and the Ordinances of Christ among them the Lords day was a known day But now the Sabbath of the Gospel and the Gospel with the Sabbath is gone because Christ there was not kept O sayes Martha Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died If thou hadst been present my brother had not departed So may those Asian people now say to Christ Lord if thou hadst aboad with us thy holy Times and Things had never been stirred Matth. 28.20 Christ there hath promised his presence even in the use of Ordinances unto the end of the world The way to retain Christs presence Is to believe his promise No hands like faith to lay hold upon Christ Faith sayes Luther is like the beloved Disciple it leans in Christs bosom it will not leave him nor let him go Faith it produces A vigorous love and A vertuous life Unto a people both will bind Christ 2. Prayer to the Lord kept up by us will hold holy Sabbaths amongst us In the land were the Spirit of prayer up Sabbaths would never go down Indeed it will be a hard matter to make Sabbaths stand if still praying hands fall O pray pray pray And in prayer plead with God To send out more Sabbath-labourers and To blesse Labourers more in the Sabbath 1. Pray that more may be sent out who will be faithful in the labours of the Sabbath Matth. 9.37 38. The harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth lavourers into his harvest Many places in this Land are as fields of ripe Corn and alas how do the Divels those fouls of the air Math. 13.4 and wicked men those swine of the earth Matth. 7.6 wholly waste and spoil all for want of Sabbath-labouring men to gather into Gods Barn In divers places upon the Lords day O what dark doings people being as a black Lanthorne without any Candle And shall not we pray that God would set up lights and send out labourers that his day may be duly observed and that we may pre his day 2. Pray that those who are sent out may be fruitful in their Sabbath-labour that they may see the travels of their souls and be satisfied That Gods good work may prosper in their hands and their peoples hearts That every Sabbath they spend and every Sermon they preach may prove as the bowe of Jonathan which from the Battel never returned empty There is a precious promise fit in prayer to be pressed Esay 54.10 11. As the rain comes down and the showers from heaven and returns not thither but watereth the earth making it bud and bring forth seed to the sower and bread to the eater So sayes God shall my Word be that goes out of my mouth it shall not return to me void O pray we that neither the Red or the Black horse be harnessed out to the Battel But that Christ on the white horse may conquer Rev. 6. Many souls in the Sabbath by the Gospel may be gained over to God This would perpetuate Sabbaths and make the Lords day lasting Last of all unto Gods Saints a Sabbath in some sense is sure never to cease Gods people Shall either have the Sabbath of the Lord Or to them the Lord will be a Sabbath Ezek. 11.16 Thus saith the Lord I will be to them as a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come Gods people in Babylon when they could not go to worship God in the great and beautifull Temple at Jerusalem yet then God was as a little Temple to them And this little Temple was better then the great Thus the Saints of God when they cannot have the Sabbath that is present God will be to them a Sabbath more precious God is the best Sabbath 1 Sam. 1.8 Elkanah sayes to Hannah his Wife Am not I better to thee then ten sons One God better then ten Sabbaths and twenty Sermons to the souls of his Saints No Sabbath of God is like God a Sabbath no Sabbath-rest like to the rest that is in this Sabbath no comfort in a Sabbath like this Sabbath of comfort Yea let Gods sincere Saints live or die they have a Sabbath will last an everlasting Sabbath If they live their Sabbath will be ever with them and If they die they shall be ever with their Sabbath Ambros in Psal 119. August de cavit Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Some of the Ancients were wont to call that eternal life God gives in heaven The great Sabbath And That long Sabbath-day that hath no night O but then God himself who in heaven gives life eternal what a Sabbath is he O the height and depth breadth and length of this Sabbath Christus est magnum sempiter-numque Sabbatum cujus parvum illud Judaicum exemplar in illo siquidem Sabbato requiescimus cum in illo solo spem ponimus cum hunc toto cordis amore diligimus c. Epiphan lib. 1. Haeres 30 Greg. Nyss de Resurre Orat. 1. Yea I find of the Ancients who affirme that to Gods dear Saints in the dayes of the Gospel there is a double enduring Sabbath viz. Christ And a good conscience Christ is the great and eternal Sabbath which in the Gospel God hath set up and in this Sabbath we rest when we repose our hearts and hopes upon him This is an unchangeable Sabbath Christ the same yesterday to
of Religion before all other things in the world Deut. 16.17 18. We see what Injunctions are set upon the Supreame Magistrate in this regard and therefore Magistrates subordinate are chiefly to see to such things above all to look that the dayes and duties of Gods worship be carefully kept up by all within the Gates as of their Domestick so of their Civil Jurisdiction Exod. 20.10 Yea you kave bound your selves by solemn oathes Though civil things are principally expressed yet all is in order to a higher end and greater good True some Magistrates as Jehu and Jeroboam have made the matters of God subordinate to their own interests and the outward peace of their kingdoms but it hath ever proved the fatal miscarriage of such misplacing Governours state-State-ends must all be subordinate the chief and uppermost end of all in power is to preserve the things of God The main end therefore of all your engagements is to maintain Gods worship his holy Sabbaths and whatever serves for his honour As an oath hath a Divine Ground so it is for ends Divine And though many simple men that be brought before you discern God no more in oaths then Christ in Sacraments and therefore can take yea and break oaths as Sampson his Wit hs at their wills Yet what a solemn and sacred thing an oath is you well know Hereby you are bound as to do just things betwixt man and man so to do things just for God much more And as you are bound so you are backed and backed so as may well work up your warmest courage in the cause of God for the WAYES and DAYES of God You are backed with good Lawes against all open offenders and seen-Sabbath-sinners Evil doers upon the Lords day You are backed with the prayers of all Gods precious people who pour out their hearts to God to preserve blesse and prosper all pious Magistrates by whose means Godlinesse may be promoted amongst men 1 Tim. 2.1 2. You are backed with the promises of God the presence of God God is with you be valiant Be valiant for God is with you The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour sayes the Angel to Gideon Judg. 6.12 Be strong and of a good courage ayes God to Joshua I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Onely be thou strong and very couragious Chap. 1. vers 5 6 7. And therefore worthy SIRS I beseech you against all encounters cloath your selves with courage You are to encourage others inferiour Officers are by your language carriage countenance counsel commands to become couragious and therefore be you your selves full of fiery courage The Audaciousnesse of men to sin even Sabbath-sins And the dulnesse of men even to Gods Sabbath-service calls loud for courage in Christian Magistrates Our Saviour had his scourge or whip with which he drove men out of the Temple with their sheep and oxen from their buying and selling Magistrates had need have their whips penal Lawes in force to drive men into publick places of Gods pure worship with their children and servants to hearing Gods holy Word and other duties upon the Lords day Good SIRS so far as you can put on with enkindled courage Such must not be soft wood but heart of Oak that are in the place of civil pillars not men of easie facil flexible timorous natures but men of unbended unbiassed dispositions resolutions full of fortitude valour magnanimity and of Masculine spirits c. Theodoret hath a good observation upon that in Leviticus Levit. 4.22.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where the Ruler for his sin is enjoyned to offer an he-Goat the private man a she-Goat for though the female may fit the ruled yet the male most suites such as rule Some think that hence Constantine was termed Revel 12. the Churches Male or man-child because of his manly zeal for Gods Church the Lords day and all the affairs of the Gospel Gentlemen I hope you bear with me I conceive I am not excentrick but move within my own sphere while I seek to incite you with courage to set to it for God Num. 10. Joshua 6.20 When of old the Armies of Israel were to go out in Battel the Priests were to blow the trumpets T is meet for us that are Gospel Ministers to be as Gods Trumpetters or Drummers to draw up the spirits raise the courage of all that are to engage on Gods side for Sabbaths and all his sacred concernments against sinful men among â—hich Magistrates and men in office must have a main stroke If I may by these expressions and by this present Dedication more hearten you up for God and more heighten your zeal for the beating down of sin and well-being with us of Gods blessed Sabbath I have my design Who am ready to serve you in all such affairs Philip Goodwin Watford July 20. 1654. To the Reader Dear Christian A Quickening and a wakening providence that appeared in the place of my abode about a year ago put me then on publikely to preach and presse the practical observation of the Christian-Sabbath And though upon that sad providential passage I thought it seasonable to say something upon that subject yet at first I onely intended two Sermons as one dayes exercise but I found the Bread so abundantly to multiply even in the breaking that I could not but acknowlege the bounty of a Divine hand Whereupon I proceeded and upon the same further insisted That soul-provision which was therein made though some hungrily received yet others hungrily refused so that I could not but clearly see As God with So the Divel against Which made me more to mind the matter Hereupon having for divers dayes discoursed I was soon after much moved to transcribe some Notes thereof by me that were very unlegible in their first Draught These after coming into the hands of several friends they much encouraged me further to communicate the same I considering they were both Gracious and Judicious thought it might be the Lords voice and that whereunto I ought to listen Likewise considering of the matter it self I could not but confesse it might be of necessary use in the concernments of the Sabbath For whereas there are two sorts Sabbath-ward whose case is sinful and sad So here are two parts applying proper remedies for their recovery and cure He is not onely a stranger but a stone in our English Israel who doth not sensibly discern concerning Gods sacred Sabbath As some putting off the practice of all good thereon so others not expressing any spirit of life therein As some slighters of the Sabbath-day-duties so others slighty in the duties of the Sabbath day As some living in a fearful neglect so others resting in a formal discharge of a few feeble and faint performances The former part is pertinent to put men on to the practice of Sabbath-service The latter part is pertinent to pull men up in the service of
parts of the service Suitable to their places for the service Concerning the service of the Lords day it self observe The spring of it and The spread of it What it must proceed from and What it must extend unto 1. Sabbath-service must proceed from a spring of love The service of our Christian Sabbath-love Amor meus pondus meum eo feror quocunque feror Aug. 'T will facilitate it and 'T will perpetuate it Love it will lead out and carry through the wole businesse of this blessed day with ease to the end Love is the best Load-stone through all the Lords day-duties This is one of the dayes of the Lords appearing which every Christian is bound to love 2 Tim. 4.8 And who ever loves the day will not leave the duty 2. The service of the Sabbath is of such extent that there are divers duties duly to be performed Both secretly in our Habitations And openly in the Congregation In our private dwellings Religious duties upon the Lords day are required of every one as Prayer Meditation and holy Conference Prayer whereby we speak to God Meditation whereby we speak to our selves And good Conference whereby we speak one unto another Prayer The Sabbath is indeed a day God hath sanctified yet 't is not sanctified as to us nor we to it without prayer Our Sabbath in heaven shall all be imployed in praysings of God but prayer to God must have a prime part of every Sabbath we observe on earth Are there Sbbbath duties to be performed we must pray that God would make us able Are there Sabbath mercies to be received we must pray that God would count us worthy Meditation The Sabbath is the day for the bodies rest from earthly affairs and therefore the mind is then most meet to be about the best businesse Theophil in Marc. 1. et 21. One well notes that the Lord commands rest upon the Sabbath that men might read the Word and meditate upon the Word they read The Word and the Works of God are indeed every day to be meditated on but most upon the Lords day Augustine gives this reason why God was six several dayes in the works of the World to wit that upon the seventh day man might the more orderly think upon those Works of God Conference The Sabbath is the day when all in a family have more liberty to be together then on any other day On the week dayes persons in a house are as Bees in a Hive that go forth several wayes to work but on the Lords day their common work abroad ceases so that they may the better set themselyes to assist each other in soul concernments Exhorting one another while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 In our publick meetings The religious duties which upon the Lords day are required be Either more ordinary Or lesse ordinary Ordinary and constant duties for the exercise of all As Prayer to God Hearing the Word and Singing of Psalmes Prayer Upon the Lords day though one be made the Mouth yet 't is meete there should be as many praying hearts as present bodies Prayer was a principal thing the practice of which the Primitive Christians continued in their congregated assemblies Act. 2.42 Austine sadly complains of some in his time August de tempore Serm. 251. who when they should be entring in the Church doors they are tarrying in the Church-yard playing without when they should be praying within idly talking of the world when they should be seriously seeking the Lord c. O that this abuse had dyed in his dayes but the Lord knows it lives for us to lament Hearing Upon the Lords day a great duty is diligent attention to Gods word read and preached They sayes a reverend Writer who rightly use the Sabbath day Gualt in Marc. 3. Hom. 23. they go to the publick assemblies to hear the holy word of God And herein what was the practice of Gods people in the time of the Apostles is plain Act. 13.14 15 16 42 44. Act. 15.21 Act. 20.7 c. And Justine Martyr who dyed for the cause of Christ in the year of our Lord 170. in his second Apologie for Christians reports the people of God to gather into one place perpetually on the Lords day to hear the Scriptures read and to attend exhortations thereupon Singing Upon the Lords day it being the day of Saints sweetest delight holy Psalmes are seasonable to be sung And in ancient times there were some Psalmes penned and purposely appointed for the Sabbath day as is expressed in the Preface of Psal 92. Pliny in his letter to Trajan tells how in those times the Christians upon their set dayes of solemn worship used early in the morning sweetly to sing together unto the praise of God August lib. 9. confessio cap. 6. Austin in this publike exercise sayes he had often wept for joy joy c. Some seek to cut off and cast this comfortable service quite out of doors contrary to the example of Christ Matth. 26.30 the practice of the Apostles Act. 16.25 and other expresse texts in the New Testament August in lib. Psal Prolog Basil de virt laud. Psal Tom. 1. as Colos 3.16 Ephes 5.19 Jam. 5.13 Among other ancient Writers Basil speaks large in the praise of praysing God in this way and abundantly blesses God for the Book of the Psalmes as a fit foundation for this duty Lesse ordinary yet frequent duties upon the Lords day to be done they do relate to Sacraments administring Censures inflicting and Necessities supplying Sacraments The transacting of these suites best unto the Sabbath season One well observes that upon the day of the ancient Sabbath the sacrifices were doubled Danaeus Ethic. Chr. lib. 2. cap. 10. And our Sacraments succeeding these should not onely come in their room but be at their time as services most seasonable for the day of our Sabbath Chrysostome reports how in the primitive times the Lords day had a double name 't was called Chrysost de Resurr Serm. 15. The day of light and The day of bread Of light Because on that day the Sacrament of Baptisme was wont to be openly administred Of bread Because the Sacrament of the Lords Supper used to be celebrated on that day in the Assemblies of Christians And this was the manner of the Disciples in the time of the Apostles Act. 20.7 Censures The exercise of Discipline is fit for the Lords day when the servants of Christ are assembled then to remove from among them scandalous persons both in opinion and practice that 's a plain place 1 Cor. 5.4 In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together viz. on our Lords day and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan c. And the first power for this purpose that our Saviour gave to his Disciples was upon the day of our Christian Sabbath the first day of
the seventh day the Sabbath day the hearts and souls of Gods Saints are subâ—ect to fall from those heatings and heightenings they then have in duties holy But then they struggle in holy heats of heart to rise higher and to fix faster Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed Fixed and loosened and fixed again Warmed and cooled and kindled again so as that the fire is greater and flame hotter More abounding and abyding through the businesse of Gods blessed day Thus when Gods Spirit flowes in upon us and our spirits fall in with God so as with agility to act and with stability to be set in all sweet wayes of Sabbath-works This is Spiritually to spend the Lords day 2. The Motives that may incite all Gods Saints to such a Spiritual spending the Gospel-Sabbath may arise from things of two sorts observable viz. Some more antecedential and Some more consequential Arguments from things antecedent which may set all the servants of God upon a Spiritual passing this present day may be to consider Sabbath-ward these four things all which we find to be spiritually viz. The Ordainer of it The Ordinances in it The ends for it and The opposits against it 1. The Ordainer of this day the Lord Christ the things Spiritual concerning him we may discern by considering of him Both as he once was And as he now is 1. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath was Spiritual In his Conception and Birth In his Conversation and life In his Passion and death In his Resurrection from the dead And in his Ascension to heaven 1. Christ in his Conception and Birth was spiritual he being conceived of the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin â—nd the Angel said unto her The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luk. 1.35 36. 2. Christ in his Conversation and life was Spiritual Lo the heavens were opened uâ—to him and the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted upon him Matth. 3.16 Joh. 1.32 His joyes were Spiritual Luk. 10 21. His words were Spiritual Joh. 6.63 All his wayes in the world both towards God and men were Spiritual Heb. 7.26 3. Christ in his Passion and death was Spiritual He through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 Even when he was condemned in the world he was justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 4. Christ in his Resurrection from the dead was Spiritual Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God by the Spirit of holinesse in his resurrection from the dead Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you c. Christ put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 5. Christ in his Ascension to heaven was Spirituall As he went up to God by a Spiritual assistance so upon a Spiritual design viz. to send down the holy Spirit of promiâ—e Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter the Spirit of truth will not come unto you but if I depaâ—t I will send him unto you which we find fulfilled Act. 1. Act. 2. 2. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath he is Spiritual Both in his positive condition And in his Relative transactions Considered in himself according to his glorified estate he is all Spiritual His blessed body is now brought beyond all humane infirmities filled with beauty clarity agility impassibility immortality through the eternal Spirit In his humbled estate he was endowed and adorned with the Spirit what then in his honoured estate God gave him then the Spirit not by measure Joh. 3.34 O what immense and immeasurable fillings of the Spirit were in a crucified much more in a glorified Christ Such an infinite fulnesse of the Spirit is fixed in Christ whereby he is compleately fitted to the perfect performance of all his excellent offices Yea and Christ in his actings is now every way Spirituall Both in what he does with God for men And in what he does with men for God With God for men Christ hath his Spiritual exercise Christs acting as an Advocate with the Father 1 Job 2. His appearing and pleading our cause in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 His making Intercession at the right hand of God Rom. 8.33 As this is founded in the sufficiency of his Merit So it is performed by the efficiency of his Spirit As a meer man Christ does not manage his Mediatorship with God but Christ in Spirit presents unto God the Father for his members His deserts and His desires Both what for his people he hath purchased and what to his people God hath promised that they may perfectly possesse Joh. 17.21 23 24. And with men for God Christ acts all Spiritually As Christ executes his Priestly office in heaven So he fulfils his Prophetical and Regal office on earth in a way of Spirituâ—l working As with Ordinances by the Spirit does Christ teach So by the Spirit with officers does Christ govern As his Kingdom is Spiritual which he governs So his government is spiritual of his Kingdome It is through the Spirit that Christ does such great things in our dayes as it was through the Spirit that Christ did so many good things in the dayes of his flesh Being anointed with the holy Ghost he went about dâ—ing good Act. 10.38 He now sits on his throne in heaven yet by the holy Ghost he transacts manifold and marvellous things on earth By the Spirit he writes his Law in the hearts of his people and rules his people by the Law in their hearts Leads his flock in the way they should walk and Feeds his flock as they walk in the way c. Thus Christ the Lord of the Sabbath is Spiritual And shall not we be Spiritual in the Sabbath of the Lord 2. The Ordinances in the Lords day are Spiritual likewise Go through all the appointments of God that are for this dayes exercise Are they not Spiritual If we seriously consider things that concern The Word Prayer Sacraments Singing of Psalmes Collections for the poor c. Are they nor all duties to be spiritually done Doth not Both the precepts of God binde us hereto And the practise of the binde us hereto Godly 1. For the Word As it is of a Spiritual nature So it is in a Spiritual manner to be managed Both on the Ministers and On the peoples part Every part of Gods precious Word is Spiritual The Law is Spiritual Rom. 7.14 The Gospel that is Spiritual Rom. 1.11 Yea because the Law in Spirituality comes short of the Gospel the Gospel in glory out-goes the Law As it is excellently opened 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. They that preach the glorious Gospel that is so surpassingly Spiritual must endeavour to do it in the evidences and efficacies of the Spirit
in Preparing Declaring Conferring Confirming All are spiritual Christ the hidden Manna for the heart and the hidden Man it self of the heart which God makes ready by causing hungring humble and holy Desires by quickening Graces calling up all Divine qualities abilities c. That presenting and setting forth Christ as Shew-bread on the Table evidencing and opening Christ his Wounds his Worth c. That giving Christ his Body to be eat and his Blood to be drunk that is meat indeed and drink indeed whole Christ given out c. That settling soules in the assurance of his love so as they may proceed in the paths of Piety and Peace Are not all these spiritual Acts What we are to do in Remembring Discerning Applying Imploying All are spiritual To remember Christ cruc fiâ—d by Meditation to look back on the bitter sufferings and bloody death of our blessed Lord till the heart be warm'd and wound up To discern Christ so as that the outward Elements are as bright Glasses and broad Lattices through which we see the Lord looking and behold the Bounty of his Goodnesse and Beauties of his Holinesse To apply Christ so as to take and eat not barely the bread of the Lord but also the Bread which is the Lord. Potiphar's wife had the Garment but Joseph himself fled from her The Elements are but the garments 't is Joseph himself and Jesus himself that we apprehend To imploy and make use of Christ so as to go from the Table of the Lord in the power of the Lord and strength of his might meet for all managements In these spiritual actings lyeth the life of the Lords Supper 4. For singing of Psalmes This is a spiritual service Ephes 5.18 19. Be filled with the Spirit Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts unto the Lord Coloss 3.16 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sayes the Apostle pray with the Spirit and pray with the understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Luther was wont to make a large and lively use of the Psalmes of David Johan Manl. loc Com. Pag. 43. According as he had his several sufferings he had his suitable Psalmes Having been under Satans sad Assaults Come sayes he to some company about him Let us go sing the 130 Psalm in despight of the Devil A precious Minister once in England now with God being upon the waters with some friends in a Boat Come sayes he let us sing the 16 Psalm And when they had pass'd through those words Of perfect joy are in thy face And pleasure for evermore His spirit so wrought and heart so leap'd that he affectionately broke out What pleasure for evermore O let us sing that again Nicepho Hiâ— Eccles lib. 3. ca. 37. History speaks much of the zeal of the Primitive Christians how by singing of Psalmes they were wont to make hard work seem easie and long journeys appear short and bitter cups taste sweet In all their Travels and Troubles Doubts and dark conditions they use to ease themselves and chear their soules by this heavenly service which they spiritually performed however now sinfully slighted 6. Collections for the Poor This is also a Duty to be spiritually done Both Pondering And Pitying Persons in Poverty Pondering and considering such as are in a poor condition Psal 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and the needy Not onely relieves them with his hand but layes their case to heart Considers the poor The ground of their poverty whether it be good whether that it be from Gods hand upon them or mens hands against them for Gods sake The degree of their poverty whether that it be great Considers the poor and needy That is such as are miserably poor needinesse noting extream poverty Quanta nobis paupertas imò egestas Seneca Epist ad Lucillum A good man so considers this as according to the poores Necessity he proportions his Charity To help he does not onely reach out his hand but drawes out his heart If thou draw out thy soul to the Hungry Esay 38.10 With Bowels of Pity compassionating persons in their impoverished condition There is little of this Duty done except with the bounty and contributions of the hand there goes the Pity and compassions of the heart 1 Cor. 13.4 If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and haâ—e not chariâ—y 't is nothing Liberal alâ—es are nothing without a fpirit of love Love to Christ and love to men as the members of Christ herein lyes the life of liberality This is spiritual 6. Inflicting of Censures This is also to be done Both with a spirit of zeal against the offending person And with a spirit of love unto the person offending There ought to be anger and grief against the scandal of the man and yet compassion and love towards the man that is scandalous 1 â—or 5.2 3. Ye have not mourned that he which hath done this deed be taken from among you I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged concerning him that hath done this deed In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ To deliver such to Satan for the destruction of the flesh yet with affections to the soul That the Spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus This casting out must have a spiritual carriage and be upon spiritual accounts Thus all the businesse that belongs to the Lords day is and ought to be spiritual 3. The ends for which the Lords day was appointed are also spiritual Whether we consider The end primary viz. The glory of God or The end secondary viz. The good of man And these are to be our spiritual aims in Sabbath-times that the Lords gracious ends and ours may suite 1. Sabbaths are seasons set apart for the exalting the glory of God Both in his spiritual being And in his spiritual working That the glorious being of God blessed for ever might the better be set out the Sabbath was set up Although there is no day wherein we can add any glory to God yet on this day does God open much of his glory to us Apud Persas persona regis sub specie Majesta tis socâ—u litur c. Justin lib. 1. Historians report that it was a great part of the pomp of the Persian Kings that they were seldom seen but upon some very high dayes they use to shew themselves to their people in their most Princely attire when they were so much the more admired and adored The Sabbath is that high and holy day whereon God so shewes himself to his servants in his garments of glory that they are made much to admire and adore him who at other seasons is more conceal'd Our Saviour after his resurrection and begun glorification still took this day to discover
House of God upon his Holy Day Meet God himself in the use of Holy Things 2. God must be seriously sought unto Prayer in this preparative work hath a Principal Task Our Prayer should precede the Sabbath In Sunder If not Together It hath been the manner of some the day before the Sabbath to meet and spend some time in seeking God by Prayer and quickening one another This fervently perform'd would lay a great Ground of a GOOD DAY indeed to follow Melancthon who lived with Luther in lamentable times though his heart was ordinarily oppressed with fears yet finding on a time a company of good Christians together praying Now sayes he there be some good dayes coming Say dayes be evil yet how would this raise hopes in hearts that there be many good dayes coming if the Lords Day this good Day were by a holy prayer duly prepar'd for Indeed for want of prayer-preparation Gods good Day may be as to us an evil Day But upon due preparing Prayer we may safely say of an approaching Sabbath Behold even as to us there is a Good Day coming O pray pray pray before-hand pray that Ordinances may be accompanied Instruments encouraged pray that there may be dischargings of sins enlarging of soules Seek to set our hearts well upon the wheeles Pray that we may be upon the wing in the work Pray sayes our Saviour that your Flight be nâ—t on the Sabbath day Matth. 24. But thus pray that your Flight may be on the Sabbath day to wit from earth to Heaven holding a holy converse with God 2. Towards the world what we are to do in this due preparing for the Lords Day is Sequestration from the Matters of the World And Reconciliation with Men in the World 1. We must make off from worldly Hinderances As Mariners that intend a Voyage to Sea they put the Ship off from the Land so if we mean to serve God on the Sabbath our hearts and minds must be put off from the world Put off thy shoes sayes God to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Exod. 3.5 We must put off earthly affections for the Sabbath we are to observe is a Holy Day The affaires and cares of the world we must cast off for 't is not fit with them to come before the Lord in the Day of the Sabbath Joh. 5.10 the Jewes said unto the man whom Christ had cured It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed because it is the Sabbath day Upon the day of the Sabbath it is not lawfull for to carry about us our worldly minds and matters Therefore from these we must get free before A bird sayes a learned Writer that she may fly Musculus loc comm praecept 4. she flutters with her wings and frees her self all she can from what may hinder her flight And shall not we when we are to come to Gods service on the Sabbath labour aforehand to deliver our selves from all earthly lets who are in our spirits upon the Lords day to be lifted much higher sayes he then birds can fly It was Nehemiahs care when the Sabbath came on to have the Gates of the City shut up that not any might enter in with their burdens It ought to be our course to shut up the Gates of our souls when the Sabbath is at hand that no burdensome cares may come in That Christ might make us a Sabbath to keep in body he first rose from the earth In heart we must rise from the earth before ever we can well keep the Sabbath Christ hath made 2. We must make up earthly differences before the Lords day comes While we are at a sinful distance with men we shall hardly make any good Sabbath approach to God Some they come to Sabbath-day-service in weekday-malice So that on the Sabbath thougb their bodies be together their hearts are asunder When you come together in one place sayes the Apostle I hear there be divisions among you This is not to eat the Lords Supper 1 Goâ— 11. Though on the Sabbath we meet in one publick place yet if we have our private grudges amongst us and unreconciled dissensions betwixt us this is not to keep the Lords Sabbath If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and remember thy brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift and go first and be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy sacrifice Matth. 5.23 If men unreconciled were unmeet for a legal sacrifice how unmeet then are unreconciled Christians for a Gospel-Sabbath It sets us off from God and gives way to the Divel to end a day in strife and wrath but in an angry case to end a week is worse then to let the Sun go down upon our wrath gives place to the Divel against the next day Ephes 4.27 There is no Sabbath-duty but strife and wrath renders us unfit for unfit to hear unfit to pray I will sayes the Apostle that men pray lifting up pure hands without wrath 1 Tim. 2.8 They that will be swist to hear must be slow to wrath Jam. 1.19 O then especially when the Lords day approaches we should put away all bitternesse wrath and anger and evil speaking and kindly close one with another Did we thus at the end of every week make up breaches distances would not grow so great and Lords dayes would be better spent Thus much for Antecedaneous duties to the day of the Sabbath Let us now consider the dayes Concomitant duties These referre To the entrance The progresse and To the end of the day 1. For the right entring of the Lords day our duty is That our bodies be early up and That our hearts be largely ope Bodies up early A great ground of our Christian Sabbath is Christ his Resurrection upon this day Now Christ he rose early in the morning Before the rising of the Sun our Saviour was risen Matth. 28.1 Mark 16.1 It is the judgment of Orthodox Authors that our Sabbath day begins in the morning when Christ rose Shall a Christ be quick to get out of his grave and shall a Christian be slow to get out of his bed Shall the Lord make haste to begin the day even soon after midnight say some And shall we make no haste when the day is begun When our Saviour saw Zaccheus in the Sycomore-tree he said to him Make haste and come down fot this day I must abide at thy house O the haste that he then made to get down c. Luk. 19.5 6. A Christian in the morning as he lies in his bed should think as if the Lord looked down from heaven saying Make haste and get up for this day I must abide in thine heart and this day thou must meet me in mine house When Abraham was to offer his son in sacrifice to God He rose early in the morning and sadled his Asse and took two of his servants and Isaac his son with wood cleaved for a burnt-offering
on the Sabbath a gracious soul sighs up into heaven Lord I would better break out but my sins beset me I would faster run on but my own heart hampers me Lord I would otherwise serve thee but my thoughs hinder me fears and cares encompasse me help Lord. Unite Not onely the will but the whole soul yâ—â— the whole man and the whole might is knit and bound up for God in every good work body and soul must not lie severed nor any heart in it self scattered 'T was a sad sin in him who upon the Sabbath-day gathered up sticks that lay scattered on the ground Num. 15.32 But it is our duty on the day of the Sabbath to gather up together our hearts and thoughts that are scattered upon the earth and wandring about in the world We should say as the Prophet Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me O my soul and all that is within me pray O my soul and all that is within me hearken c. Vnite my heart sayes David that I may fear thy Name So let each soul say Lord unite my heart that I may hear thy Word Unite my heart that I may hold fast thy truth keep holy thy day Fervent The zeal of Gods house and zeal of the Lords day should even eat us up Our hearts should burn within us like fire See what God by Moses sayes to the Jewes Exod. 35.3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your houses upon the Sabbath-day But upon the day of the Sabbath our duty is to kindle a fire throughout all our hearts The fire of zeal fits the service of God On the Sabbath we should go up to God in a Chariot of this fire The force of this fire would carry us into the highest heaven from the lowest earth And from earth to heaven is a good Sabbath-dayes-journey Yea such a burning fire of zeal on the Sabbath would bring heaven as it were down to the earth God into our hearts Exod. 3. we read how the presence of God appeared in a burning Bush In burning hearts in burning prayers appears much of the presence of God 'T was the praise of holy Hezekiah he appointed burnt-offerings for the Sabbath dayes 2 Chron. 31.3 Burning sacrifices for blessed Sabbaths Cheerfull Several of the Ancients much insist upon that care and course which becomes Christians in carrying on the Sabbath more strictly then the Jewes were wont August Enar. in Psal 32. Tom. 8. part Pag. 242. Aug. Tract 3. in Joan. 1. Tom. 9. Ignat. Epist ad Magnes Pag. 57. Hilar. prolog in Psal oper p. 335. Whereas they kept the Sabbath carnally in feasting dancing and sensual delights We Christians must Sabbatize or keep the Sabbath spiritually in holy joyes heavenly contents and religious delights we must feast and dance too but our feasting must be conversing with God our meat and drink to do the will of God Our dancing must be the leaping of soul to see the face of the Lord in the glasse of the Gospel And though on the Lords day we be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse yet we must be filled with the Spirit The comforts of the Spirit are sweeter and better then all the wine in the world and of this we should take our Lords day draughts Cant. 5.3 On this day we should drink wine with our milk eat our hony-comb with our hony be in the Garden and gather Myrrhe with our Spice This is the day that the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psal 118.24 Psal 42. sayes David Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me Himself gives the cause His banishment that he could not now go with the multitude to the house of God with the voyce of joy and praise among them that keep holy day Such as can come to God's house upon his holy day should not come with dejected souls but with the voyce of joy and praise triumphing in God Watchful For our Sabbath day watch observe What we are to watch against and What we are to watch for 1. Against the incursions of the Divel we are to watch all the Lords day long That God who will Revel 20. bind up Satan for a thousand years can easily bind him for Sabbath-dayes But yet even upon such dayes Satan is much let loose Job 1.6 There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them The Sons of God on that day came before God for good but Satan had ill designs to hinder them that would honour God VVhen Joshua the high Priest stood before the Angel of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3.2 'T was the policy of Pompey Vespasian Titus and other enemies of the Jewes soreliest to assault the City Jerusalem on the Sabbath dayes when they refused to defend themselves Upon Sabbath dayes are the Divels most desperate designs He is ever bad but worst upon the best dayes O watch watch A harming Divel on a helping day 2. For the incommings of the Spirit of Christ let us watch upon the Lords day As when the Dove sate upon the Ark Noah put forth his hand took her in When the Spirit of the Lord begins to light upon our hearts we should presently hand it in Embrace his first motions open and give him entrance otherwise Ordinances will do us little good Gen. 1. We find a dark lump of earth and water but if the Spirit of the Lord had not moved upon the face of the water the world had never been made nor living creatures brought forth 'T is the Spirit upon the Word that causes a new creation living Christians O then when we are under the Word and in the midst of the waters of Ordinances waite and watch for the good Spirit of God Other birds drive away but bid the Dove welcome 3. At the end of the Lords day let us see to our duty lest we begin in the Spitit and end in the flesh Nebuchadnezzars Image the head and upper part was gold but the feet and lower part Iron and Clay In the morning and beginning of the Lords day our hearts have heavenly heat and at evening the end of the Sabbath all is Iron and Clay Hearts hard and cold 't is ill when a Christians affections are as the grasse the Prophet speaks of Psal 90.6 In the morning it flourisheth and in the evening it is cut down dryed up and withered Plutarch reports of a River that runneth sweet in the morning but bitter in the evening 'T is the property of some sinful men if they have done somewhat on the Sabbath in the service of God they are the more bold to sin even before the day is gone like the Harlot Prov. 7.14 18. I have peace-offerings with me this day I have payed my vowes come let us take our fill of love till the morning That very day
and ravished enlivened and enlarged upon the Lords day we had need look to it on the following day and keep our selves lowly lest that mind which hath been one day heavenly be the next day haughty Pride is a worme apt to breed within the best wood Beware beware 3. Let us be faithful to keep up the good we have got we are apt to catch cold after the greatest heats And after some close attendance in Gods service to grow more loose and remisse in duty Let us look to our selves we do not lose the things we have wrought we do not break the bounds we have set or slack the holy bonds wherewith we have been begirt To be unloosened on the Sabbath from week-day bonds is comfortable but in the week-time to unloose the Lords-day bonds is abominable 4. Let us be fruitful to bring forth more good for God both in our general and particular callings That our week day carriage may be the springing up of Sabbath-day seed yea our whole lives must be a walking in Sabbath-day strength Tertul. C. Jud. 4. Origen in Numb Hom. 23. cont Cels lib. 8. Pag. 522. c. Chrysoâ—t in Matth. tract 29. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Idem Epist 119. cap. 12. Et de cons Evang. lib. 2. cap. 77. And thus ought we to keep a holy Sabbath throughout the whole course of our dayes Divers of the Ancients dwell much upon this perswading Christians so to practise piety and pursue sanctity as to perpetuate a Sabbath As upon the Lords day we should be full of spirits so after the Lords day we should be spiritual still As on that day we should live in the Spirit so afterward we should walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh If all the week we be carnal how can it appear we are spiritual on the Sabbath A good Author speaks well in this case Have we well served the Lord upon his day Bucer in Matth. 12.11 let our manners shew it let our works prove it let the holinesse of our lives decleare it Who will believe that he hath been present in publick Assemblies and with a sincere heart hath heard Gods holy Word who passes the following part of his life more loosely vainly carnally coveteously c 'T is this will evidence that on the Sabbath we have been with Jesus when afterward our faces and graces shine our lips and lives hold out the praises of Christ and the power of his Gospel When the Lords day comes we should be as lively firy and full as if we were then to begin and end Gods work We should be found in such a frâ—me every Lords day as if that were the first Sabbath that ever we spent and as if it were the last day that we should live on this earth or as if the weight of all our work lay upon that single Sabbath for which we were sent into the World or as if our eternal being were to be determined hereby And yet after the day is over we must endeavour still to be doing as if no work were done For as we must be all abundant and fervent on the Sabbath day in the service of God as if after were no holy duties So we must be as full and forward to all following duties as if there had been no Sabbath before Before the Sabbath day and after we must do all the good we can even as if there were no Christ to be relyed upon and yet our relyance both in life and death must be on our dear Lorld as if there never had been the least good done We must be precise for the Sabbath-day and duty And yet yet Duty shall not be our Redeemer Nor the Sabbath our Saviour Whether Sabbath-day or week-day we will do as much good as ever we are able but begin and end all in Christ The end with us shall be the glory of the Lord And with the Lord in glory shall be our end Amen Amen FINIS AN Alphabetical Table directing to some Principal things in this Treatise A ADam in Innocency to keep the Sabbath pag. 7 175 Advocate how Christ is and for whom p. 402 Angels they have a twofold knowledge p. 216 Angels all Ministring spirits pag. 227 Angels helpers in all holy Duties p. 228 Angels delight in Sabbath-service p. 217. Atheists of two sorts p. 32 Antichrists ruine how wrought p. 198 Augustine's answer to a Manichees p. 328 Assent to Divine truths what p. 121 B BAbylons fall two-fold p. 203 Baptisme of Infants why many against it p. 401 Baptisme of Infants its great use pag. 340 Book of Psalmes how excellâ—nt p. 129 Blood of Christ what it purchased p. 92 Blessing of God how desireable p. 197 Breaches abundance how they come p. 339 C CHange of the Sabbath upon a double cause p. 34 Christian liberty wherein it consists p. 36 37 Charitable Duties how fit for the Sabbath p. 66 132 Church-Discipline exercised on the Lords Day p. 131 Censures in the Church how to be inflicted p. 407 Chearfulnesse in Gods service required p. 462 Collections for the poor how to be managed p. 340 Conscience good what it is p. 253 Conscience troubled how sad p. 222 Contentions of Brethren how bad p. 328 Communion with Christ how sweet pag. 102 Christ spiritual in all his Estates p. 390 Covetousnesse the root of evil p. 50 D DAyes all how they are the Lords p. 4. Difference of Dayes how under the Gospel p. 38 Doctrine of the Lords Day strongly to be held p. 122 Day of Judgment drawes near p. 116 Delights in the Lords Day required pa. 456 Desires after God discovered p. 350 Discipline requisite in the Church p. 429 Divel a bitter enemy to tht Sabbath pag. 410 Divel large in knowledge p. 321 Divels called spiritual wickednesses why p. 412 Divisions the evil of them p. 431 Divisions how closed p 432 E ENgland one of the ten horns p. 241 England old how made new p. 433 Enmities in man against God p. 319 Errours against the Sabbath how sad p 83 F FAther 's of three sorts p. 208 Faith beyond feeling p. 335 Faith hath its Dimensions p 289 Faith its various Vse p. 387 Faith in the state and in the Acts differenced p 235 Faith the best beloâ—ed Grace p. 248 Fervency in prayer how fit p. 398 Forgetfulnesse of God how sinfull pag. 87 Fourth Commandment most excellent pa. 9 G GOd what he best liketh p 424 Gospel whereunto it guideth p. 122 Gospel vailed in the Law p. 177 Gospel it excels the Law p. 190 Government of Christ how ordered p. 394 Grace in its actings most excellent p. 416 Ground why to be till'd by Adam p. 7 H HAnds given for a threefold work p. 75 Hearts of Gods Saints like Vials p 302 Heart is the best part in a Saint p. 305 Heart of a wicked man as a bow p. 321
world and in this world is to exercise Kingly power in respect of his dispose of persons and seasons times and things 'T is the message that every Sabbath-breaker sends to heaven Christ shall not be our King we will not have him to reign over us 2. Christ as a Prophet is herein put off Tertul. li. contra judaeot An ancient writer affirmes that Christ by his coming into the world accomplished the prophecies of precedent Prophets and as it were sealed up them but left a Prophetical office of his own to be fulfilling even unto the end of the world and the Sabbath day to be the especial day for his exercise in this office Ramus de relig lib. 2. cap. 6. Another calls it the School-day wherein Christ the great Doctor of his Church whose chair is in heaven August Serm. 4. in fest Jo. B. keeps School on earth and those persons proudly contemn Christs teaching who neglect Sabbath-time Is not this then a great sin a sin against God and Christ a sin against Law and Gospel a sin which Pagans and Divels are not guilty of Object This is the sin of such as prophane and pollute the Lords day but I do not so though I do not the duties thereof * Polluitur Sabbathum cum cujus gratiâ instituitur à plerisque plane non curatur Muscul Answ They pollute the Lords day who do not keep it holy as they are said to defile Gods Name who do not sanctifie the Name of God Jer. 34.16 To fanctifie the Sabbath is to spend it in holy exercises Lyra. in Exod. 26. Bulling in Rom. 14.5 and not to sanctifie it is to pollute it There are things men may be said to destroy them when they do not take care to preserve them So such are said to defile the Sabbath who do not use the means to sanctifie it But for this that saying of the Prophet may suffice Isay 56.2 Blessed is the man that doeth this and the son of man that laith hold on it which keepeth the Sabbath holy and polluteth it not By which place it plainly appears that as he doth not pollute the Sabbath who keeps it holy Zanchi de tribus Eloh part 2. lib. 3. cap 9. de oper creat par 3. lib. 1. cap. 1. Idem in 4. praecep so he who keeps not the Sabbath holy doth pollute it Now all accord that to keep the Sabbath holy is to passe the whole day in pious duties Indeed divers they think they very well keep the Sabbath day if they forbear wicked and worldly works though that day little be done in the service of God But as God speaks in the Prophet Isay 58.5 Is it such a fast as I have chosen so is it such a Sabbath as I have appointed a day for men to do what they will to take up and lay down duties as they please Is it such a Sabbath as I have commanded a day for men to take their carnal ease to be idle slothful and vain Is not this the day that I have ordained to be loose from earthly delights worldly cares to be free from all entanglements for God Is it not for men to give themselves wholly to holy service Is it not to pray fervently to heare diligently c The neglect of these upon the Lords day is a loud sin 2. The judgements that such sinners are subject to come next to be noted These are Both Privative And positive Penalties Through this are Good things renounced and Evil things inflicted Gods judgements of the Privative sort are either In temporal matters or In Spiritual means 1. God in judgment removes or restreines matters necessary for men in this world for the sinful neglect of his Sabbaths and service As things needfull For their personal sustentation For their political preservation 1. Things neeedful and good for the supporting of their bodies as they are men God removes as a punishment for this sinful neglect of the Lords day Hence God does not hear the heavens the heavens do not hear the earth the earth does not hear the Corn. Cypria contra Demet. Cyprian hath an elegant saying thou complaiest that now adaies the fountains are not so flowing nor the air so wholesome nor the rain so plentiful nor the earth so fruitful c. Dost thou serve God by whose means all serves thee dost thou waite on him by whose beck all waits on thee c God withdraws his bounty when men omit their duty When the Lords day and religious duties his house and holy things are laid waste what follows let the Lord himself speak Levit. 26.2 16.19 Hagg. 1 9. with several such texts 2. Things needfull and good as people are embodyed for the preserving of their civil State God in punishment pulls them away for sinfulnesse against his Sabbaths as order government good lawes just administrations amongst men Let justice be removed sayes an ancient Writer and what are Kingdoms and Common-Wealths but great robbing places where might overcomes right Let government be gone and multitudes of miseries break in Nations of men are made as the fishes of the Sea and as the creeping things that have no Ruler over them ruines rush in upon them Yet such are the sad sequels of Gods slighted service and neglected Sabbaths as may be easily evidenced from that of the Prophet Jer 17.24 25. Jer. 22.8 9. 2. Judgements privatively considered which sinners against the Sabbath are like to suffer in removing of Spiritual good things Both Instrumental And Principal 1. Things Instrumental for much good God removes from men not minding his Sabbaths and service I mean the means of grace the Ministery of the Gospel A miserable punishment True such as have an immediade hand in removing the Word of God preached from a people are guilty of a very great sin And wo wo wo sayes Luther to them that leave the Church without a Preaching Ministery through which great Towns of people come to be like dark dens of wilde beasts And a dreadful doom it is on such as suffer under a famine of the Word of God Yet such a famine God inflicts for sinning against his blessed Sabbath See Amos 8. 5. some saying When will the Sabbath be gone that we may set forth wheat c. vers 11. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord I will send a famine in the land not of bread but of hearing the word of the Lord. 'T was ill with Israel when there was no Smith found in all the Land but the Israelites were forced to go to the Philistines every man to sharpen his Share and his Coulter his Axe and his Mattock 1 Sam. 13.19 20. And will it not be ill with England if no faithful dispensers of the Gospel should be found in the Land but poor people should be put to go to Papists and other persons of corrupt opinions thinking thereby to quicken and comfort their dead and sad hearts c. The God
of families must upon the Lords day be diligent in houshold-duties We find in the 4 th of Mark yea and likewise Luke 14. how our Saviour on the Sabbath day when he had publikely preached to the people as a Minister of the Gospel he after privately examined his Disciples and further instructed them as a Master of a family From which example of Christ an excellent Expositor observes Chemnit examen cap. de dieb fest how unto the sanctification of the Sabbath besides publike duties there is work to be done in Families as instructing servants repetition of Sermons reading Scriptures counselling and quickning such as are under our care that all may keep holy the Lords day So we see the matters men are exhorted unto I come now to consider the motives by which hereunto men are to be exhorted These are of two sorts Some more driving and Others more drawing Motives that more drive unto diligence in these Duties may arise by observing concerning the Christian Sabbath these four things The necessity of it's continued being The Jeopardy of its future losing The uncertainty of its sudden regaining and The possibility of its present cursing 1. The being of the Lords day is necessary note Negatively and Affirmatively Not that God needs any Sabbath-service or such holy duties as additionals to his Dignity Indeed as to us the honour of God seems to sink when Sabbaths cease And the supporting of Sabbaths seems the advancing of Gods glory but the intrinsecal glory of God can receive no increase God would be infinitely happy though men keep no day holy we need his service not he our obedience When our Saviour sent Luk. 19. to unloose the Colt the Disciples were to give the owner this reason thereof The Lord hath need of him We call indeed to a careful keeping of the Sabbath but we do not say the Lord hath need of it The gods of the Heathen need the supports of such as serve them but so does not the God of heaven Hence sayes the holy Apostle Act. 17.24 25 God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth dwells not in temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things One well observes of the Angels Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 9 they are not poor though they have no flocks of sheepe they are not in want though silver gold they have none they do not need these things because they have better things abide them Thus God does not want our service in Sabbaths neither needs he any of our duties on holy dayes because of those most perfect felicities and glorious excellencies that are in himself abiding As the Lord is omniscient and needs not any man to assist his knowledge So the Lord is all-sufficient and needs not any thing to help his happinesse And therefore the necessity of Sabbath-observance does not referre to God But to observe Sabbaths the necessity is in reference to us for a double cause viz. Necessitas duplex Praecepti Medii Gods Injunction towards us and Our condition towards God 1. 'T is necessary for us to observe the Sabbath day in all its duties because of Gods injunction And here 't is meet of two things to take good notice to wit Every command of God causes a necessity of our obodience and here is a necessity of our obedience because of Gods expresse command 1. Whereever God gives a word of command there is a work of our obedience necessary I had rather sayes Luther obey the Lords commands then to work Miracles If Miracles need be wrought God will do his own work but 't is needfull we obey commands for God will not do mans work As God by his promises binds himself to vouchsafe mercy So God by his precepts binds us to perform duty As God promising mercy requires our faith so God commanding duty requires our obedience Obedience 't is a debt which as we certainly owe so we must necessarily pay Some they owe to God the debt of passive obedience as they are his prisoners all they owe to God the debt of active obedience as they are his creatures 2. Here God gives a word of manifest command and therefore visibly to obey is necessary Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 Touching this commandement That the Sabbath day be kept holy we may observe Who was the Giver of it Mediatorem hic appellat Christum declarans quòd ipse ante legem fuerit legem tulerit Chrysost In principio mundi Christus Mediator erat hominum etfi nondum erat homo c. Orig. Ambros lib. 4. in Luc. and To whom it was given 1. He who gave this Sabbath Command was Christ the Mediatour He who came down upon Mount Sinai and gave the whole Law is called Jehovah Exod. 20.2 Deut. 4 11. This the Septuagint translate Lord And the same the holy Apostle applies to the Mediatour our Lord Christ Gal. 3.19 And Origen Chrysostome Ambrose with almost all the Ancients in expounding that place of the Apostle do affirme that 't was Christ the Mediatour both of the Old and New Testament by whom the Law was given So Calvin Junius Marlorat and other able Writers since assert upon the same text We are therefore to look upon this sanctifying the Sabbath as that for which Christ hath given a positive Command 'T was not a Mosaical Ceremony pointing to Christ but 't is a Moral duty appointed by Christ and so to remain under the Gospel and government of Christ untill Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father and set an end to all times and things in this world 2. He to whom this Sabbath-Command was given is every one Individually Thou Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Thou Not as a Jew but as a man every man both Jew and Christian Herein whosoever exempts himself deceives himself Yea and of all the commands not any have such a Memorandum upon it as that which concerns the sanctifying of the Sabbath Remember As it related to a duty to be performed in dayes past so it related to a people that in dayes past should still perform that duty A Christian Church to come Remember If men forget all the rest yet let them remember this and if they well remember this not any of the rest will be forgoten That which Luther affirms of the first may wel be referred to the 4. Commandment that in the observance of that obedience to all the rest is comprized 2. The Sabbath day in all its duties is necessary for men to sanctifie because of their condition whether they be considered As unregenerate Or as regenerate 1. For men in an unregenerate estate they need to have a holy Sabbath observed And of such there are two sorts Some in a sinful estate and know it not and others that know
their estate to be sinful And towards both there 's a necessity of Sabbaths 1. For such men as are sinfull and do not know it but are utterly in the darke Gen. 1. we find that at the beginning there was darknesse as a black vaile drawn over the face of the deepe but God upon the first day in the week created light which was exceeding good God upon the first day of the week our Christian Sabbath creates that good light which scatters darknesse that before covered the face of the soul and causeth such discoveries of things never before seen 1 Cor. 14.23 24 25. If the whole Church be come together viz. on the Lords day there comes in one ignorant and he hearing the Word is convinced is judged the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling down he worships God c. And indeed this is one great end of Sabbaths and Sermons Act. 26.18 2 Cor. 4.4 5 6. 2. For such men as know themselves sinful Sabbath-service is necessary that they may consider how sad it is to persist in known sins Luk. 12.47 Joh. 15.22 24. Jam. 4.17 For some our Saviour sayes Father forgive them they know not what they do but of several we may say Father affright them they know what they do They transgresse Gods Lawes abuse his mercies they oppose his Servants and they know what they do The former need Sabbaths to convince them of the evil they know not And these latter need Sabbaths to convert them from the evil they know Yea to all sorts of sinners there 's such a necessity of these dayes and duties as that there is little likelyhood of any saving good to the souls of such as lay aside the Lords day but they who come not within Sabbath-compasse their case becomes incurable Though a man be never so diseased and sick yet as long as he lyes at Physick keeps his purging dayes and uses good means for health there is hope he may do well but when he neglects his healing time lets his disease run will not come under the Physicians hands then his case growes desperate and dye he must Even so though a man be never so sinful yet as long as he keeps within Sabbath-compasse and comes under the means of soul-cure there is hope he may amend but if he neglects the Lords day leaves off holy duties damne he must 2. For men in a regenerate estate the Lords day is of necessary use Of whatsoever sort we consider them Of such Some are in sins relapsed and Others are in sorrowes distressed All need these Sabbath-helps 1. Relapsed Christians need Sabbath-relief Whether their spiritual decay be In opinion In affection Or practice The service of the Lords day is of necessary concernment to clear truth clouded to quicken love deaded and to introduce the duties of a holy life neglected 2. Distressed Christians need Sabbath-succours Sabbath-Cordials are required for the recovery of fainting spirits and the reviving of drooping dying hearts Again Gods Saints are to be considered either As more weak Or more strong And unto them all the Lords day is a day of deep concernment 1. For weak ones they need Sabbath-supplies Dayes wherein they may draw near and derive virtue from Christ into all their feeble parts Dayes wherein as babes from the breasts of the Lord they may suck in soul-nourishing milk of grace and mercy to breed them up 2. For strong ones they need Sabbath-supports that they may stand fast in their good estate and plight The highest and holiest of Gods Saints ought to be under Sabbath-observance 't is a reserve for heavens priviledge to be above Ordinances and present Administrations 'T is the City of the Heavenly Jerusalem that needs not the light of the Sun neither of the Moon Revel 21.22 While we live as we need the Moon viz. the world with its creatures and comforts for the bearing up of our bodies So we need the Sun viz. Christ with his holy times and things for the well-being of our souls Some say of the time that is spent upon the service of Christ as they said of the oyntment poured out upon the body of Christ What need this waste Matth. 26.8 But as St. Paul said A necessity is laid upon me and woe to me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 So may every one say A necessity is laid upon me and woe to me if I sanctifie not the Sabbath The sanctifying of the Sabbath is as the One thing needfull to Christians in religion and unto the religion of Christians 'T is said of Jacob that his life was bound up in the life of his son Benjamin So the life of a Christian and the life of his religion is bound up in the life of Sabbaths As Rachel said Give me children or else I dye so a Christian sayes Give me Sabbaths or else I dye Religion sayes Give me Sabbaths or else I die The Sabbath is as the soul of Christian-Religion if that departs all becomes as a Carcase upon which the Vermin of corrupt opinions prey 't is necessary then this continue 2. Of losing the Lords day there is danger And here we shall discover The grounds of the losse and The greatnesse of the losse The grounds on which we may see the Sabbath in hazard to be lost and the Lords day in our dayes likely to cease are The sinfulnesse of men and The righteousnesse of God 1. Men being monstrously sinful put upon us this present peril of being deprived of the Lords day to wit Wicked men against us more remote and Wicked men amongst us more immediate 1. Men of the Romish Religion in remote Nations are they not bigg with a design to make our Sabbaths cease As some of the Powder-Traitors 1605. Confessed the cause why they sought to blow up the Parliament-house was because that was a place wherein against the Romish Religion so many Lawes were made And do not Popish parties in all places plot against the Sabbath day because that is the time wherein against their Idolatrous worships so many truths are taught And are not now their hopes high by our present Wars to deprive us of our precious times and things to raise Rome in the ruines of poor Protestant Nations Does not Antichrist crow ovet these Christian Kingdomes as once Tyrus over Jerusalem Aha aha she is broken that was the gates of the people she is turned unto me I shall be replenished now she is laid waste 2. Among our selves how many seek to set us beside our Sabbath-mercies As Both Papists And Atheists Papists Who secretly consult in our chief Cities to lay us Sabhath-waste Jesuits who can cunningly comr like Countrey-men and be seen like Souldiers Citizens Lawyers Preachers in any posture to promote their projects Atheists These like Pharaoh's-frogs are found covering the land and croaking against the Lords day in every Pond in every Parish Men that would have no God for a Sabbath would have no Sabbath for
Heb. 11.35 't is said of some Mothers that they received their dead children raised to life again O what joy would it be to poor Ministers that they might receive again some of their spiritual children as alive from the dead Such things would be were Sabbaths raised in their honour that lye now under the worlds contempt Indeed as the Lord in the Prophet speaks Ezek. 37.3 Son of man can these dry bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest Then saith the Lord I will cause breath to enter and the dead bones shall live May not the Lord say Can my dead Sabbaths live Can my dry Ordinances be green juicie and sappy again Lord thou knowest O would but God breath from above and bring his Sabbaths up from below then would come on that FIRST RESVRRECTION O that I might live to see somewhat of this As there hath been a certain day of the Lords Resurrection Oh that there might be a speedy resurrection of the Lords day A day for the recovery of whose life all ought to labour A day for the clearing of whose honour all ought to be earnest A day that above all dayes ought to be had in very high esteem This for the Excellency 3. Let us mark the Commodity that accompanies the well keeping of this Christian Sabbath That the profit may appear Note The Grounds for it and The Parts of it Viz. Out of what it proceeds and Unto what it extends The grounds from which profit by the Sabbath proceeds are Primary and antecedential Secondary and consequential The antecedent grounds through which proceeds Sabbath-profit for several purposes are The pleasure of God for it and The blessing of God upon it 1. The pleasure of God This brings out abundant benefit by the Sabbath This makes the Sabbath-Tree to bear plenty of precious fruit As if we shall enquire upon what account and from what cause there comes such a confluence of all good to be gathered in and gained by Christ the Lord of the Sabbath the Apostle makes it plain to proceed from the good pleasure of God Colos 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell So if any ask after the reason why multitudes of mercies meet in the Sabbath of the Lord 't is because it seemed good in Gods sight It pleased the Father to fill this day with all fulnesse of good fitting for glorious designs 2. The blessing of God This brings benefit and good in abundance from the beginning of the World God sanctified this day and blessed it Gen. 2. Sanctified that is separated the day from common things Blessed that is God consecrated the day to speciall ends Junius observes Juni in Gen. 2. That the Sabbath besides the common blessing it had with other dayes by the law of Nature it had a special blessing above other dayes from the Love of God Gods blessing on his Sabbath As 't is abounding So 't is abyding As the precious portion God hath blessed his Sabbath with Is double So stable Such a Sabbath-blessing as God will never reverse But as Isaac said of his son I have blessed him and he shall be blessed So saies God of his Sabbath I have blessed it and it shall be blessed Whence was it that Joseph was as a fruitful bough whose branches run over the wall c. but that blessing that was upon him from his Father above all his brethren Genes 49.22 26. And hence is it that the Sabbath in the Tree of the week is the most fruitfull bough outrunning the rest of the daies in doing good because beyond all the other daies it hath the blessing of God The subsequent grounds of Sabbath-Benefit are The promise of God to it and The presence of God with it 1. The promise of God This produces profit in the day Precious promises God hath made to men minding his Sabbath Teneamus fidelissimum debitorem quia tenemus miscricordissimum promissorem Aug. in Psal 32. Levit. 26.2 3 4 5. Isay 56.4 5 6. Isay 58 12 13 14. Jerem. 17.24 25 26. Let us but all here seriously consider Gods bountifulnesse in making promises And Gods faithfulnesse in keeping promises made And none need marvel if mercies by multitudes meet in and march out upon the Sabbath-day The work of Gods promises sets a promising God awork 2. The presence of God This is productive of Sabbath-profit As the Angel said to Gideon Judges 6.12 The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour and hence he did great things ver 14 15. thus may it be said to the Sabbath Sicut Maria virgo inter omnes mulieres principatum tenet ita inter caeteros dies haec dies omnium dierum Mater est Hieron de resurrect Domini The Lord is with thee thou mighty day of Honour and no wonder if thereon great things be done or as the Angel saluted the virgin Mary Luke 1.28 Hail thou art highly favoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women O the wonder of mercy that her womb brought forth And thus may we bespeak the Lords Day with a Hail holy Sabbath thou art highly favoured the Lord is with thee and blessed art thou among daies And O the blessed births that are from this womb And O the abundant benefits that are in and by this Day upon these grounds But I shall passe on to the parts of the profit and discover where in the Sabbath-day is so profitable viz. Against Evill And for good First great is the profit of Gods precious Sabbath Against evill things and Against evill ones Evill things Gods holy Sabbath is good against The evill of sin and The evill of punishment First the Sabbath it is good against the evill of sin Iniquity now abounds but O how would sin superabound were this world set Sabbath-free Sin that is vigorous all the week may be upon the Sabbath-day subdued Exod 14.13 Moses said unto Israel Stand still see the salvation the Lord will shew to day for that very day God drowned the Egyptians in the water of the Red-sea c. The Sabbath is the day wherein God saves soules from their sins drowning their corruptions this day in the Red-sea of Christs blessed blood Or if sin does not immediately die yet it may receive such a Sabbath-wound as it shall never recover but as the house of Saul wax weaker and weaker till all comes to an utter end 2. The Sabbath 't is good against the evil of punishment and all kinds of calamities When Judgements desolating are up and down O 't is safe being in a Sabbath-sanctuary when enemies are black and bloody the Sabbath of God will bring the God of the Sabbath to be on our side Luther reports of a Bishop of Magdenburg who being told that a Duke of Saxony prepared warre against him answered My care shall be to reform the Church and amend what is amisse in the Sabbaths and service of God and God
himself unto his Disciples Joh. 20.19.20 Upon this first day of the week when they were assembled he shewed them His hands and His side Then were they glad Thus upon the Sabbath the Lord shewes to his servants Both his hands And his side His hands That is the great things he hath wrought in them and for them acts of his glorious Attributes His side That is the good thoughts he hath further towards them intendments of eternal good will All which makes for the manifestation of Gods great glory And although we can never mention that glory which God did nor before possesse yet we may manifest that glory of God which our souls did not before perceive We never see the Sun of Gods glory to shine so bright as upon this blessed day It being the very end why this day was blessed that thereon the brightnesse of Gods glory might be the better seen 2. The Sabbath is set up to promote mans good In his spiritual part and In his spiritual estate To wit his soul in the concerments of grace thar he may be cast into a spiritual mould and become a spiritual man The appointments of Sabbath-time is to set and keep souls in a spiritual frame Both by the first infusions of grace And by the further additions of grace Mans heart is hardly put into a spiritual temper and as hardly kept in a spiritul order It would never rise from corruption or soon fall into confusion were it not for Sabbath-assistances Should we have onely week-time and be all for worldly things and have no time of Sabbath for soul-concernments into what an ill case would our souls soon sink As Abraham accounted all his earthly comforts nothing while he went childlesse sonlesse so should we esteem all our worldly enjoyments nothing if we went Sabbathlesse Indeed did we go Sabbathlesse we should be in danger to go Saviourlesse Christlesse heavenlesse to lose God and all that is spiritually good But that we may not lose but gain God and all spiritual good this day is drawn out from the common lump of time and set apart to advance as Gods spiritual praise so mans spiritual profit Thus the ends of the Lords day are spiritual 4. The opposites are spiritual against the day As Satan and Seducing men 1. Satan against the Sabbath-day as he is a spiritual he is a spiteful foe he knowes if he can make this fall other things will fly As the Assyrian General said to his forces Fight neither against great nor small but against the King of Israel So sayes Satan to all his instruments Contend neither with great nor small but with the day of the Sabbath down with it down with it Satan against the Sabbath seeks Either to beat it out from men Or to beat men off from it Here may I make a mournful mention of a good woman who by reason of her soul safflicted condition I have had with her the occasion of many a sad conference and though her usuall estate was full of extreame strange assaults yet I have frequently observed and the same her self hath oft freely confessed that still as the Lords day grew nearer her temptation grew stronger Never such sad bouts and sore buffets as upon some Saturday-nights Whereby she hath been ordinarily unfitted for the following Sabbath and oft times violently hindred especially from the publick Ordinances for divers Lords dayes together unto her after great grief Wherein I cannot but conclude the wiles and subtil works of Satan as the Sabbaths great enemy Yea Satans design is Either that men may not at all mind it Or that they may not spiritually spend Either to draw them from the day in its duties Or to dull them in the duties of the day A zealous sanctification of the Sabbath Satan to his utmost power opposes He cannot abide the spirit of burning should be upon us in the businesse of Gods blessed day As the holy Spirit puts us into the fire the unclean spirit oft casts us into the water so that our hearts heavenly kindled are commonly cooled The Divels Ephes 6.12 are called spiritual wickednesses or the spirituals of wickednesse as t is in the Greek As they are wicked Spirits So they are the spirits of wickednesse And as they are so spiritually bad so they cannot abide what is spiritually good As spiritual sinning against God they most seek to provoke so spirituall serving of God they most seek to prevent The divel can be content men should forbear bodily acts of filthinesse if they will but pursue spiritual sinfulnesse so can he be content men should perform outward acts of Religion if they will but cease from spiritual service they may be at all thâ— Ordinances of God upon the Lords day so they be not spiritual in any not misse a Sabbath so they passe not any spiritually 3. Seducing persons are Sabbath-opposers These are called spirits 1 Tim. 4.1 Because there be spirits that act them And becaâ—sâ— they act like spirits They be men whom spirits act viz. the spirit which iâ— of the world the spirit of the Divel the spirit of pride and falsehood â—â—e spirit of error and Antichrist c. They be men who act as spirits with subtilty sedulity agility restlesse and unwearied creeping up and down compassing places to and fro abusing Scripture to propagate error c. These oppose Gods precious Sabbath seeking Either directly to overturn it Or remotely to undermine it Directly By Atheistical arguing against all Gods holy times and things professedly and profanely despising of and disputing against as the doctrine of Sanctification so the day which God hath sanctified Remotely By setting against such as are Sabbath supports viz. Against Ordinances used in publick And against instruments of publick use Ordinances they clamour down especially some as singing of Psalmes administring of Sacraments c. endeavouring if possible to pull away one Ordinance after another till they leave the day destitute of all As Rachel weepiâ—g for her children Hence there is such a sad ceasing of several Ordinances in some Congregations that the Lords day may speak like Jacob Joseph is not and Simeon is not and will ye take Benjamin away also all tâ—is is against me Gen. 43. Instruments theâ— thrust sore at that are for Sabbath-Use Ministers by their law must be laid in the dust Their endeavours are to deal worse with the Servants of Christ then Hanun with the servants of David 2 Sam. 10.4 He shaved off the one half of their Beards and cut off their Garments in the middle c. But these seek to shave and cut off all both countenance and maintenance and to leave Ministers under poverty and perpetual reproach And are not these Enemies to Sabbaths and publick Assemblies And are all these Sabbath-ward spiritual The Ordainer of it spiritual The Ordinances in it spiritual The ends for it spiritul The opposites against it spiritual And shall not we be spiritual so as that we may be
and went to the place of which the Lord had told him Gen. 22.5 6. And shall not we on the Sabbath morning be early up our selves and our famlies to go to the place the Lord hath appointed and to offer our bodies and souls in service to God The Israelites who lay in siege against Jericho upon the seventh day they being to compasse the City seven times the text sayes And it came to passe on the seventh day that they rose up early about the dawning of the day and they compassed the City after the same manner seven times Joshua 6.15 Upon the Sabbath day we are to compasse the City of God seven times to encompasse heaven with multiplied prayers and thetefore we stould be early up To helps hereunto let us take to wit A timely going to rest the night before and An entire love to the work of the day that followes 'T is too common a fault even with some professing Christians they clog the night before the Sabbath with a multitude of worldly businesses which brings them to sit up late A Sabbath let And a certain fault Hence in the morning when they should be up with God they lie sleep-bound in their bed And alas we have too little love to the Lords-day-work and so but little list to be at the work of the day Were there love to it we should long to be at it Our minds would be upon it in the night and we should catch the first hour of the day With my soul have I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early sayes the Prophet to God Esay 26.9 Hearts open largely The door of the heart upon the entrance of the Sabbath must be set wide shut to the world but open to God Ezek. 46.1 Thus saith the Lord God The gate of the inner Court that looketh toward the East though shut all the six working dayes yet shall be opened as soon as the Sabbath comes Thus the gate of the heart that is the inward Court however kept shut all the week yet as soon as the Lords day is come it ought to be opened to wit In delights at the day of the Lord and In desires to the Lord of the day Delights at the day should enlarge the heart joy to see a Sabbath appear A learned Author reports that near the Pole where the nights endure divers Moneths the inhabitants in the end of such a night when the Sun begins to be seen they deck themselves in their best apparel and get up to the highest mountains with joy saying Behold the Sun the Sun appeareth The day the day is come Were we for several moneths kept without a Sabbath how would our spirits spring at such a dayes appearance Why should the commonnesse of the Suns shining and the Sabbaths comming diminish the mercie How should we every Lords-day-morning have our minds mounting and say Behold the Sabbath of the Lord It is come it is come Desires to the Lord our hearts should be enlarged in The day being begun we should begin to pour out our hearts and breath out our requests to God in prayer that he would prosper us with his presence O how well will it be if God shall say Go and prosper pray and prosper preach and prosper hear this day and prosper Fear not for I am with thee I will help thee I will uphold thee I will strehgthen thee Thus in the morning we shall have encouraging mercies if we take care to perform our morning duties Moses Exod. 34.4 rose up early in the morning and presented himself before God in the top of mount Sinai with two tables of stone ready hewed in his hand for the finger of God to write what he would Thus a Christian on the Lords-day-morning should present himself before God upon the mount of meditation and prayer with a heart ready for what God will that day write thereupon waxy and willing to take whatever impression God please to stamp therein Not any of us are then to be content to have a heart stiffe and straight hard and dead The true Mother 1 King 3. was filled with trouble when in the morning she found a dead child by her 'T is the trouble of a true Christian when on a Sabbath day-morning he finds a dead heart in him a heart that 's hard cold and closed up His labour is to begin with a heart lowly and lively to feel those quickenings and kindlings of heart as may encourage to the day in all the duties thereof 2. For the progresse and principal part of the Lords day our duties are considerable In their varieties for matter And in our properties for manner For matter the varieties of duties on the Lords day required have been already declared For manner in performing the Lords day-duties we in our properties must be Knowing Willing Unite Fervent Cheerfull Watchfull Knowing Knowledge it must be the Guide Usher Pilote and promptor of practice In mysteries of faith we may as a blind man sometimes not see our way But in matters to obedience we must not go blind-fold but the eye of understanding must see how we ought to go and what we ought to do So in Sabbath-work we must know how to manage the matter of God and actions of Godlinesse We must know how to order and time our duties that each act may go out in its place Ignorant people in the publick Congregation will be reading when they should be praying and praying when they should be hearing c. Every work sayes Solomon is beautiful in its season We must know how to season and proportion our duties not greaten one to straiten another Like one that Artificially drawes out the picture of a man as he sets every part in its place so he gives every part its due proportion which is the beauty of the body So it is the beauty of the whole body of Sabbath-day-duty when every member hath its measure every act is in order and the whole businesse of Religion hath its due proportion We must also know whereat to aime and how to eye God whence to fetch strength and how to go straight wherein lies our wants and where our supplies c. Willing Psal 100.3 Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power or a people of willingnesses in the plural To shew how exceeding willing-hearted the Lords people should be in the day of the Lords power The day wherein the Lord powerfully converts men and that day wherein men by a spirit of power are converted to the Lord a day of Grace a Gospel-day Indeed the day of the Sabbath is a day of the Lords power wherein all the Lords people should be most willing in the work of the Lord. In what we can do we are willing and What we cannot do we are willing to On the Lords day we would do more good and more for God if we could 'T is a complaint that