gross violations of this Command and study to be more affected even when narratively ye are telling somthing wherein his Name is mentioned than otherwise 4. Tremble at this sin and sutably resent it when ye hear it in others be affected with it and labour to make them so that ye may thus train your selves to an abominating of that evil 5. Let it never pass in your selves especially without some special grave animadversion Look back on all your life and see if ye can remember when and where ye were gro â—â—y guilty reflect on your worship and observe omissions and defects at left in respect of what ye might have been at and learn to loath your selves for these and to be in bitterness for them especially if the escapes have been more late and recent let them not sleep with you lest ye be hardned and the Sentence stand in force unrepealed against you what will ye sleep and this Word stand in the Bible on record as a Registred Decree against you 6. Seek for much of the Spirit for none can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 7. Frequently and seriously put up that Petition to the Lord Hallowed be thy Name Matth. 6.9 The other word of Use is for what is past I am sure if we could speak of it and hear it rightly there is here that which might make us all to tremble and evidence convincingly to us our hazard and the necessity of Repentance and flying to Christ Tell me Hearers believe ye this Truth that there is such hazard from this guilt tell me if ye remember what we spoke in the opening of it is there any of you that lyeth not under the stroak of it If so what will ye do flye ye must to Christ or lye still and can there be any secure lying still for but one hour under God's Curse drawn out O ye Atheists that never trembled at the Name of the Lord and that can take a mouthful of it in your common discourse and ye who make it your by-word and mock or jest ye whom no Oaths can bind and all ye Hypocrits who turn the pretended honouring of the Name of the Lord and the sanctifying of him in his Ordinances into a real prophaning of it let me give you these two charges under certification of a third 1. I charge you to Repent of this sin to flye to Christ for obtaining pardon haste haste haste the Curse is at the door when the Sentence is past already O sleep not till this be removed 2. I charge you to abstain from it in your several Relations all ye Parents Masters Magistrates Church-Officers School-masters and Teachers I charge you to endeavour to prevent this sin in your selves and others It is sad that the Children of many are brought up in it the most part live in it our Streets are more full of it than the Streets of Heathens Advert to this charge every soul Or 3. I charge you to appear before this great and dreadful God who will not accompt any such guiltless and to Answer to Him for it The Fourth Commandment Exod. 20. v. 8 9 10 11. Remember the sabbath-Sabbath-day to keep it Holy Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy Work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any Work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates for in Six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath and Hallowed it THe Lord in his infinite Wisdom and Goodness hath so far consulted mans Infirmity as to sum up his Duty in these Ten Commands called Ten Words that thereby his darkness and dulness by sin might be helped by an easie abbreviation The first Command therefore containeth mans duty to God in immediate Worship requiring that the only true God should be worship'd The 2d stinteth and limiteth men to that worship alone which he perseribeth The 3d. Commandeth Reverencing of him in all his Ordinances and a reverent manner of going about them This Fourth pointeth out the Time which most solemnly the Lord will have set a-part for his Worship that so He who is both Lord of us and of our time may shew what share he has reserved as a Tribute due to himself who hath liberally vouchsafed on us the rest which time is not to be understood exclusively as if he would have only that spent in worship there being no exclusive determination of exercise of worship or duration of them in Scripture that is to say that they shall be so long and so often and no longer nor oftner but that he will precisely have this time as an acknowledgment from us even as when he gave Adam the use of all the Trees in the Garden he reserved one so when he giveth Six days to us he keepeth a Seventh for himself This Command is placed in a manner betwixt the two Tables because it is a transition as it were from the one to the other and containeth in it duties of immediate Service to God and of Charity towards men and so in some sort serveth to reconcile if we may speak so the two Tables and to knit them together that so their harmony may be the more clearly seen It is also more largely and fully set down for plurality and variety of expressions and words than any other in either of the Tables yet hath it notwithstanding been in all times in a special manner assaulted and set upon and endeavours used to overturn it Satan ayming somtimes to darken the meaning of it somtimes to loose from the strict tye of observing it and that not only by old Sabbatarians Anti-sabbatarians and corrupt School-men but even by those whom God hath made Orthodox in the main And especially by a Generation in these days who having a hatred at all Ordinances and at all the Commands of the Decalogue yet do especially vent it against this Command because in it is contained a main foundation of Godliness As it is wonderfully great presumption for men to assault and set upon God's Authority even where he hath strengthned himself as it were most by more full explication and more large and particular pressing of duty and forbidding of the contrary sin as he hath done in this Command more than in any of all the rest So it will be necessary before we can speak to the practical part of piety comprehended in it concerning the sanctification of the Christian Sabbath or Lord's day either in the negative or positive part of it to speak doctrinally for clearing of the precept to these three 1. Whether this Command be moral and do oblige us in its Letter as other Commands do 2. What is the particular morality of it and the literal meaning of the words 3. How our
they do on other days but even the very day it self doth call to it even as on a solemn day of humiliation men ought to be more affected and deeply humbled then on other days though daily they should repent and be humbled because that day is solemnly set apart for it so ought our worship to be more intense and solemn this day suitable unto it wherein we are as it were dyeted for insisting and persisting in duties of worship whereas these duties in this respect and in comparison are on other days but as starts worship is here some way the only work of that day 6. There would be more heavenliness and spiritual sence breathed after that day in the frame of the heart it would be near God and the work of the day would be delightsome and sweet the Sabbath would as it is Isaiah 58. be called a delight and we would endeavour as it is Heb. 4. to enter into his rest to pass through the outward rest into his to be within his chambers yea even in his arms as it were all that day 7. There would be that day more divineness in our Holiness to speak so a sort of Majesty by ordinary in our walk looking like the Sabbath and like the God of the Sabbath There would be an exalting in God that day we would endeavour to have our hearts in a special manner warm in the Exercise of love to him and to be much in praising of him our whole worship would more absolutely and immediately be aimed and levelled at the honour and glory of God as the end of it then on other ordinary days wherein our Prayers and other pieces of worship may more immediately respect our own Case and need but on this day Gods Honour as the end more immediately whatever our own Case be and that both in heart within and in the nature of our Exercises without this is to call the Sabbath of the Lord honourable to honour and glorifie him therein as it is Is. 58. a special Majesty being in that days worship by levelling it with extraordinary singleness at Gods praise even as his name is hallowed or sanctified in Heaven by Angels and perfected Saints Hence It 's good to give thanks unto thy Name c. beginneth that Psalm of Praise for the Sabbath-day to wit the 92. These Duties then that further his praise are more especially for that day 8. All these reach both words and thoughts nothing to the hindrance of these is to be admitted in either there are â—one of our words and thoughts that day but they would in a special manner be Gods and in it we should be spent as his and endeavour to be within view of Heaven to make some Essay of glorified Saints exercise there and to have the Sabbath as a little preludy of that everlasting Sabbath and rest in the bosom of God The Fourth way of considering this sanctification is positively to wit as to the Duties wherein the Sabbath is to be spent which are shortly all duties of immediate worship whether they be inward as meditation self-examination heart-prayer either e â—â—culatory or more continued heart-sorrow for sins c. or outward as vocal prayer and singing of Psalms reading the Scriptures and other pious Books hearing the word c. or whether they be secret which may be both inward and outward or private in Families as reading of the word conserring on it repeating Sermons praying together c. or publick as joyning with the Congregation in prayers and praises hearing the vvord read and the sense given hearing of Sermons participating of the Sacraments when dispensed joyning in solemn humiliations and thanksgivings vvhen they fall necessarily or more conveniently to be on the Sabbath All vvhich and such like are proper duties for that day to vvhich liberal laying up and giving for the relief of the poor according to ability and as God blesseth every man vvould be added as a suitable duty of it though it be no duty of immediate vvorship The fifth way is to consider the sanctification of the Sabbath complexly before it come vvhen it 's come and after it's past 1. Then the night before not secluding a suitable remembrance throughout the week remember it 1. by timous leaving of vvorldly business it 's a great incroachment on the Sabbath though too too usual to continue longer at vvork the night before then any other night of the vveek as if folks vvould gain the day of rest out of Saturnsdays night and Mondays morning 2. By not suffering this little times leaving of vvork to be idly spent but being taken up vvith endeavours 1. To abstract the mind from other vvorks as vvell as the hand and to have the heart put in a lively frame 2. To mind the vvork of the day vvhich is coming and to have a sutableness to it If ye ask vvhat sutableness should vve have to it Answ. Endeavour 1. to be as if ye vvere about to meet God to tryst as if it vvere visibly vvith him and solemnly to treat and enter in marriage vvith him 2. To be like Heaven and in a special manner in some sort to imitate God as if ye vvere already entered into his rest and had rested from your ovvn vvorks 3. To be as if ye vvere to dye and to step into Eternity for this resting should mind us of that and vvas and is still specially appointed though yet no Ceremony â—o mind us of Gods separating of us from others for himself that vve may rest eternally vvith him Then 3. for furthering of this look back on the Week past and endeavour to have things clear before the Sabbath come and all by-gone quarrels removed that there may be no standing controversies against you to begin the Sabbath vvith 4. Pray vvith special solemn seriousness in reference to that day that ye may have peace for vvhat is past that ye may be in a right frame for the day that the Minister may be helped to speak as it becometh that others may be sitted to hear and joyn that the Word and other Ordinances may be richly blest of God and that the mercy of having the Ordinances may be minded vvith praise to the gracious giver of them and suitably improved 2. When the morning of that sweet and desirable day cometh after we have fallen asleep in a special manner as it were in the Lords arms the night before and left our selves there 1. We would timely begin the work and beware that either carnal thoughts get in or the time be idly slipped over but I say we would begin the work early for it 's for that end appointed and sinful thoughts will not be kept out but by filling the room otherwayes with what is spiritually profitable Shew forth Gods loving kindness in the morning saith the Psalm for the Sabbath to wit the 92. Let therefore the Meditation of somewhat of these or such like begin with us even when we are making ready 1.
to none other it being a peculiar piece of worship to him who hath divided time betwixt his worship and our work And although men should keep the day and alter the worship yet this is a taking of that which was once abused and never enjoyned for to apply it to God and wanteth not offence even as the retaining of other things in worship which have been abused and are not necessary is offensive 2. No man can institute any day even to the true God as a part of worship so as to bind consciences to it or to equal it with this day That is a part of Gods royal prerogative and a thing peculiar to him to sanctifie and bless a day 3. Even those dayes which are pretended to be set apart to and for God and yet not as a part of worship cannot be imposed in a constant and ordinary way as Anniversary dayes and feasts are because by an ordinary rule God hath given to man Six dayes for work except in extraordinary cases he shall please to call for some part of them again 4. Yet extraordinarily upon occasions of Humiliation or of Joy and Thanksgiving dayes for that time may be set apart for God without wronging this concession even as in extraordinary times we may work and not rest on the Sabbath day though ordinarily we may not This proportioning of time therefore is for the ordinary rule but yet admitteth of the exception of extraordinary cases 3. We gather that Masters and Parents ought to have a special oversight of their own Children and Families in the worshipping of God and that especially in reference to the sanctifying of this day and that there is a special communion in worshipping of God amongst the several relations of a Family 4. We gather that Magistrates and all who have power over others ought to see to the restraining of Vice and to the performing of outward duties particularly such as relate to the sanctification of the Sabbath as well as to abstain from and to do such and such things themselves in their own persons in and by these over whom they have power and that it 's no less scandalous and sinful for a Magistrate not to see that sin be crushed that the Sabbath be sanctified and the Ordinances of Religion be entertained and received and reverenced in and by those over whom he hath charge then if he committed such sins himself then if he discountenanced the Ordinances and brake the Sabbath himself or suffered his own family or himself to be without the worship of God Why because these are within his gates and he is to account for them He is to rule for God and their good which is mainly spiritual he is to be a terrour to evil doers as well as to be an incouragement to them that do well and men are according to their places and parts to be forth-coming for God and the good of others And yet this cannot be called a constraining or forcing of Consciences for a Magistrate or Master thus to restrain these who are under them it 's but the using of that power vvhich God hath committed to them to make men to do their duty and to abstain from dishonouring God and the punishing of them if they do other ways in vvhich respect he beareth not the Sword in vain The 2. and main reason followeth v. 11. wherein this command is three way â— pressed also 1. By Gods example who during the sp â—ce of six days wrought though he might as easily have made all in one day and rested the Seventh and not before the Seventh on which he wrought none even so it becometh men to do seeing he intended this for their imitation and for that end doth propose it here Gods rest on the Seventh is not absolute and in every respect for John 5 17. he worketh hitherto that is in the works of Providence sustaining preserving and governing the Creatures made by him and their Actions but all things needful for the perfecting of the world vvere then made and finished Whence by the way vve may gather that not only all Creatures vvere made Angels even these that since turned Devils c. but that they vvere made within the Six days of Creation vvhen Heaven Earth Sea and all that was in them was made Therefore all our works that are necessary to be done in the six working days vvould be done and ended that we may rest on the Sabbath as he did The 2. way is by his blessing of it God blessed the Sabbath day which is to be understood not simply in respect of the day vvhich is not properly capable of blessing but in respect of the true observers of it he blesseth it to them and he blesseth them in it which may be in these three 1. That the rest of that day shall not prejudg them in their weeks work but that their labour shall be therefore blessed so that they shall miss nothing by observing that day as the Lord blessed the Seventh year whereon they rested and yet notwithstanding they vvere as vvell provided as vvhen they laboured Lev. 25.20 21 22 And it 's like that if vve vvill compare such as make Conscience to sanctifie the Sabbath with others who think and seem to gain by breaking of it this will be found at the years end to be verified 2. That the Lord hath set a part that day for a Spiritual blessing and the Communication of it to his people so the Bread and Wine are blessed in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be a mean of conveying Spiritual blessings to the worthy receivers Is. 56. and Psal. 92.3 That God vvill abundantly manifest his gracious presence and multiply his spiritual blessings that day upon it's due observers more then on other days vvherein he is also sought as there is this day a double worship both in respect of the Duty and of the day vvhereon it 's done so there shall be a double blessing beyond what is on other days in vvhich respect even prayers in and towards the Temple while it stood by divine appoin â—m â—nt as a separate place from others had a blessing beyond prayers in other places and thus Christ blessed the loaves and the few small fishes John 6. vvhen he made them by multiplication on the matter to feed far beyond their ordinary proportionableness so service on this day groweth in it's blessing hence vve may see an usual connexion betwixt Vniversal thriving in Religion Grace and Piety and suit â—ble obedience to this command in the tender sanctification of the Sabbath and withall a reason why so few make progress in godliness even little keeping holy the Sabbath as they ought The 3. way is by his hallowing it wherefore he hallowed it or sanctified it that is per modum destinandi or by vvay of appointing of it for holy uses and separating it from other days as is said The inference wherefore as to the hallowing pointeth at the reason or
and pressed The 1. is Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it or keep it holy For the opening up and winning at the clear meaning whereof we would consider three words The first is what it is to remember or as it is infinitively set down remembring to remember this is prefixed and would look rather like the inferring of something commanded already then the new instituting of a command and so indeed it seemeth to suppose a day formerly institute and set apart for God as was hinted before which by this Command his people are put to mind It doth beside import these four with a respect as it were to four times 1. A constant and continued Duty at all times and in all dayes that is that we would remember that God has set apart a seventh day for himself and therefore every day we would remember to cast our Affairs so as they may not be impediments to us in the sanctifying of that day and we would endeavour alwaies to keep our hearts in such a frame a â— we may not be discomposed when that day shall come and this affirmative part of this command bindeth semper or alway and its negative ad semper on other dayes as well as on the Sabbath 2. It importeth a timely preparing for the Sabbath when it is a coming or when it draweth near this remembring it calleth for something to be done in reference to it before it come a man by this is obliged to endeavour to have a frame of heart that he may be ready to meet the Sabbath and enter kindly to the Duties of it when it â—hall come otherwayes if it come on him while he is in his common or course frame and not fitted for it it will say he has not been remembring it before it came 3. Remembring importeth an intenseness and seriousness in going about the Duties of the day when it cometh and that it should be with all carefulness sanctified and that men should be mindful of the duties called for lest their hearts div â—rt from them or slacken bensil and grow formal in them whereby mens inclination to forget this duty or to be superficial in it is much hinted at this word we take to be moral being a mean â—or furthering the great Duty aimed at of sanctifying the Lords day or Sabbath coming 4. Remembring may import this that the Sabbath even when it is past should not be soon forgotten but that we should look on the Sabbath past to remember it lest by loosing the fruits of it vvhen it is by we make our selves guilty of prophaning it The next word is the day of the Sabbath By Sabbath here is meaned rest as it is exponed by the Apostle Heb 4. and that not every Rest but a Holy Rest from our own Works that there may be access to positive Sanctifying of that day for the Sanctifying of that day is the end and this is but a mean and necessary supposed help without which the day cannot be sanctifyed in Holy Duties holy Duties and our own Works being for the time inconsistent besides that Rest on this day is not only called for as ceasing from our ordinary affairs in the time of Worship is called for on any other day but more especially and solemnly in respect of the day it self for at other times our duties require a time for them and therefore that time cannot be employed in another ordinary Work and in Worship also but here the Lord requireth time and rest to be sanctified and therefore we are to perform holy Duties in that time because it is to be sanctified other times and rests are drawn after worship this time and rest draweth Worship necessarily after it hence it was that only the Jews feasts were called Sabbaths I mean religious Sabbaths not civil or politick as their years were because they included a rest upon Destination to an holy Use. That which is mainly questionable here is concerning the day expressed in this Command concerning which may be asked 1. What sort of day or the quamdiu 2. How often or the quoties 3. What day of the seven or the quando 4. When we are to reckon its beginning For Answer to the first we say There are two sorts of dayes mentioned in the Scripture one is Artificial of twelve hours so the Jews divided their day making their hours longer or shorter as the day was long or short but they kept up the number of their hours alway the other is a natural day which is a seventh part of the Week and containeth twenty four hours taking in so much time as interveneth betwixt the Suns begining to ascend after midnight the nocturnal Solstice till it pass the Meridional altitude which is the Suns Vertical point for that day till it come to that same very point of Midnight again which is the Suns natural course every twenty four hours comprehending both the artificial day which is from midnight to midday and the artificial night also which is from midday to midnight again The day mentioned here is the natural day because it 's a seventh day proportionable to each of the six dayes given unto us and they with the seventh making up the Week it must contain as many hours as any of the rest doth but the six dayes wherein God made Heaven and Earth c. are natural days therefore the seventh to wit the day of rest must be so also Let us only for further clearing and for directing our own Practise speak here a word or two more 1. We say it is a whole natural day that is as it 's usually employed by us on any of the six Dayes for our own Works that as we spend so much time in our ordinary Callings on other dayes so would we employ so much in Gods Worship secret private and publick on that day what proportion of time we use to give or may and should give ordinarily to our Callings on other dayes we would give as much to God and his Worship to our Souls and our spiritual state on the Lords day or Sabbath Therefore 2. there is not to be understood here a rigid pressing of all these hours to be spent in Duties of immediate Worship but our Working and Waking time having a respect to our infirmities and also to our Duties lest under pretext of infirmity we incroach upon Gods day and give him less then we give to our selves or should and may give him And so in Scripture they accompted what is betwixt rising and going to bed as still the Work of one day or one dayes Work for as God in conceding six dayes to us hath yet so done it as there may be a Reserve of particular times for Worship called for from us to him every day for keeping up our Communion with him so on the seventh day doth the Lord allow so much conveniency of sleep and other refreshing as may be subservient for the main end of the day these being Works
capable of bearing a relation to Christ to come and falling out under the Mediators Kingdom properly then when he cometh in the new World it is meet it should be changed 1. To shew he is come 2. To shew he is absolute over the house and worship of God 3. Some way to preach his Grace and Redemption in the very change of it But it is a piece of Worship and Tribute of our time as is said before and a piece of Worship capable of his Institution and Remembrance therefore called the Lords day which could not be were not a day of Worship capable of that and it falleth under the power of Christ who Mat. 12. Even as the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath and why is that power pleaded in that particular of the day so often if it were not to shew that there is reason by his coming to look on the Sabbath as under him even as all other Worship was which stood by Gods positive Command even as this did Arg. 6. If by this command the day of rest from Gods most solemn work be to be our day of rest then after Christs coming not so before not the Seventh but the first day is to be observed but by the command the former is true Again if that day be to be kept in reference to any solemn work of God which was the First day after his perfecting it then the First day is to be kept but by the command the former is true because our resting day is to be kept in reference to the work of Redemption and therefore must be on the First day which was the day after its closing and perfecting as to Christs suffering and labour though not as to its application even as the Seventh was of Gods resting from the work of Creation though not from his works of Providence Arg. 7. If the Seventh day which the Jews kept had any peculiar tye or motive unto them which by Christ is now taken away then it was meet that at Christs coming that day should be changed We would understand here that there might be somewhat peculiar or typical in their Seventh day and yet nothing so in the fourth command which commandeth one of Seven but not the Seventh And though we could not particularly pitch upon what is typical or peculiar in it yet may we conceive that something there is as in Tythes Offerings c. though the particular thing which is typified be hardly instructed As 1. If its beginning was on the evening to them as some think the reason of it was peculiar to wit their coming out of Egypt at evening Exod. 12. And in so far at least it would be peculiar to them And by Christs rising in the morning is changed 2. It 's pressed peculiarly on the account of Gods redeeming them from Egypt they had that to think on that sometime they were where they got not liberty to rest any day therefore should they ease their Servants as it is Deut. 5.14 15. This holdeth especially if it was on the Seventh day that their freedom from Egypt began Exod. 12. which was after that made the first day of their year that is the morrow after they did eat the Passover as it 's made probable by some 3. It was peculiarly discovered to them by Gods raining Manna from Heaven Six dayes and by his with-holding it from them the Seventh 4. It was peculiarly accompanied with special Ceremonial Services beyond other dayes 5. Gods manner of dealing with them before Christ was to press duties by temporal and external advantages expresly and more implicitly by spiritual mercies therfore it was most agreeable to that way and time to press the Seventh day on them which minded them of the benefit of Creation but it 's otherwise with the Church under the Gospel Hence their Sacraments had respect externally to their deliverance from Egypt and temporal things whereas ours have respect purely to what is spiritual 6. The Apostle Coll. 2.16 taketh in their Sabbaths with their other dayes and though he take not in all dayes alike yet it can hardly be denyed but their Seventh-day-Sabbath cometh in there where all the Jewish times are put together Therefore it would seem there is a type not in the command but in that day though not properly yet accidentally in respect of its worship end application c. complexly taken and that therefore this Seventh-day-Sabbath is expired at least if not repealed seeing that dayes and times kept by the Jews are enumerate with their other Services which were antiquated even as when the Apostle condemneth difference about meat or drink his meaning is not to condemn what difference is made in the Lords Supper in the New Testament but what is from the Old so may the same be said of dayes It 's their old difference he cryeth down Propos. 3. As it 's meet that the day of Worship under the Gospel should be another then what was under the Law and should therefore be changed so it 's meet that the change should be into the First day of the week and to no other day For 1. No other day has been honoured with so many Gospel priviledges as 1. With Christs Resurrection Matth. 28. It was the First day of his victory and rest 2. With Christs appearing twice at least on it to his Disciples fingling it out from other dayes or his appearing is for no purpose particularly recorded by the Evangelist John to have been on that day if there were not something remarkable in it beside what is in another day 3. The Spirits giving at Pentecost Acts 2. will be found to be on the First day of the week now no other day can claim so many priviledges and so many wayes relate to Christ. 2. If the grounds upon which the Seventh day under the Law was preferred during that World do in this renewing of the World agree only to the First day of the Week then is the First day to succeed but these grounds proportionally agree only to the First day under the Gospel which agreed to the Seventh under the Law Ergo That which made the Seventh day preferrable was 1. That God had ended all his vvorks on the Sixth and rested the Seventh It vvas the First day after the Creation so the First day of the Week is that day on vvhich Christ rose having perfected the vvork of Redemption and obtained victory over death under vvhose povver some vvay for a time his body vvas before that and vvas thereby manifestly declared to be the Son of God to vvit by his Resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 2. The force of the example vvill hold here God made the World in Six dayes and rested the Seventh therefore rest ye vvith him so Christ having for a time suffered fully overcame the First day and began his estate of exaltation therefore rest vvith him and rejoyce that day it being the beginning of this nevv joyful World 3. No
somewhat of God himself whose day it is 2. of heaven and that happiness that is there 3. of the works of God who gave us and all the world â— being and who only preserveth the same 4. of Christs redemption and as closed and perfected on this day which especially should be minded that so thinking of our many and great obligations and of the misery we had been in had not that work of Redemption intervened we may begin the day with a due impression of Gods greatness and goodness of our own sinfulness weakness and misery and of this bl â—ssed remedy and out gate 2. We would address our selves to solemn prayer in secret and that at greater length then on other dayes and with insisting with special petitions relating to the day with all the seriousness we may win it 3. We would take a view of our own hearts to see how and where we left the night before and endeavour to have clearness betwixt the Lord and us as to our state and otherwayes maintained and renewed if it was or attained if it was not 4. Too much time would not be spent in adorning or busking of folks bodies or in making other provisions for them but as the whole of it would be taken up in duties of worship as we have before shewed so some part of it would be set apart for secret reading yea for secret praising thanksgiving and singing an exercise not unbecoming that day as that fore-cited Psalm for the Sabbath day sheweth 5. If thou be the Head of a Family or livest in fellowship with others then the family is gravely to be brought together and every particular member is to joyn with the rest And here also prayers and other religious duties are to be doubled according to the ceremonial doubling of Sacrifices on the Seventh-day-Sabbath under the Law for in secret in families and in publick there would be more that day then in other dayes 6. Care and inspection would be taken so far as men can reach that by none in the Society neither secret nor private duties be neglected nor publick duties abstained from but that each may stir up one another and more especially those whose places lead them to it to the sutable sanctification of the day in all the duties of it and withal it would be looked to that none of the family be suffered to stay at home unnecessarily from the publick worship or to be absent from the family worship 7. Timely that ye be not by haste discomposed come to publick modestly apparrelled it's a shame to see how gaudily some come to publick worship on the Lords day grave in your walk wary and circumspect in your words that they be spiritually edifying and sutable watch over your eyes that carnal or worldly looks steal you not away nor distemper your hearts but especially over your hearts that they wear not out of a spiritual frame 8. When ye come to the place of publick worship if it be a while a beginning be still watchful and the nearer ye come to it the more watchful for temptations will be very ready to divert or discompose there would be a frequent intermixture of ejaculatory prayers in reference to every thing requisite for attaining and intertaining this composedness 9. When publick worship beginneth study to be as Cornelius was Acts 10. present to joyn in prayer and praise to hear what God will say to receive it to l â—y it up in your hearts to be sutably affected with it and to resolve through grace to practice it for blessed are they only who hear the word and do it and this would be with delight aiming aright at the end of the Ordinances whatever they be whereof we spoke somewhat on the second Commandement 10. When the publick worship is as to its first diet closed let not your minds turn carnal but depart reverently from it chearing your selves in God fixing the convictions exhortations directions instructions c. in your mind as ye have met with them and be ruminating rather on these then beginning to gaze or discourse with others on subjects that are not spiritual and to edification 11. As soon as ye can win go in secret and seek to have these things fastned and riveted betwixt God and you and let that be your first work and let the little time that interveneth betwixt the diets of publick worship till you return be spent sutable to the day and the end of the duties thereof 12. When all the publick vvo â—ship is ended then ye would do according to the preceding tenth Direction ye would withal retire a while in secret and reflect on your carriage in publick and also see what good may be gotten of the d â—y and if there be any misses neglects or failings observed as if there be a diligent search there will no doubt be then be humbled seek pardon through Christ and resolve through grace to help these afterward consider what was said and like the noble Boreans Acts 17. put it to the tryal for your confirmation by your considering and examining the Scriptures cited or spoken of and endeavour yet more to have your hearts affected in secret with them 13. Then call your Families and come together after secret seeking of God and 1. be inquiring of one another what is remembred that all being put together ye may be helpful by your memories one to another 2. ye would do this not as if it were enough to tell over the vvords but that the Doctrines and their Uses may be fixed and ye affected vvith them Therefore 3. ye vvould do this vvith other duties of reading singing and spiritual conference as the occasion of it shall offer vvith prayer to God before and after being thus exercised till ye go again in secret to close the day as ye began 14. Duties of Charity vvould be done contributions made liberally according to our ability and relief sent to others as vve knovv their need vvhich also vvould be inquired after 15. Indeavour to have the heart in a right frame to close the day vvith reflecting on our carriage throughout it fearing to lye dovvn vvith guilt unpardoned and vvithout some special fruit of the duties of the day haste not to go to rest sooner that night then on other nights on design that you may be sooner at vvork the next day vvhich smelleth strong of vvearying of the Sabbath and of longing to have it at an end of vvhich the Lord complained of old Amos 8.5 study to lye dovvn vvith thoughts as you arose leavi â—g your selves in his arms vvith respect to the eternal Sabbath that is coming 3. When the Sabbath is past and the next day cometh cast not by all thoughts of it instantly but begin your vvork as having just novv ended the Sabbath fearing to let the relish of it vvear avvay and indeavouring in your carriage through the Week to retain the stamp and impression of it especially bevvare to go
well as good report 4. It is to be sought in things relating to Godliness not in riches or honor or eloquence or great learning but honesty faithfulness holiness thus Paul disclaimeth seeking the applause of being a learned or eloquent or wise man he disdained these seeking it only in the faithful single and zealous discharge of his Ministry among the Corinthians 5. This Testimony or Respect is to be sought after even with a piece of holy ambition in the Consciences of others but not so much in the outward evidences and testifications of it To be commended and approved in the consciences of these we live among is desirable and that which also Paul himself aimed at 6. This respect would be a step for an higher end that so all our respect may be improved and made use of for the honour of God 5 Quest. If it be asked how and in what manner are we to pursue or seek our own honour Answ. See what the Scripture saith 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour And first the honouring of God is praise-worthy and honourable in it self Gold hath not more its lustre a Rubie or Diamond its beauty nor the sun its light and glory then godliness and vertue whereby God is honoured are radiant to their own praise 2. If after by reason of human infirmity and other disadvantages this radiancy be obscured or through mens ignorance folly or malignity this worthiness not observed or not esteemed the Lord undertakes for the former and vindicates from the latter telling us plainly them that honour me I will honour and hence it is that we so often find in Scripture honour attributed to those things that are so low and mean in the eyes of men as 1. To taking with Instruction Prov. 3.16 2. To yielding to Correction even when unjust 1 Pet. 2.20 3. To Submission to parents as in this command 4. To humility and to passing of wrongs and ceasing from strife Prov. 20.3 In a word therefore the high-path way to honour is by humility the fear of the Lord obedience submission and selfdenyedness Whereby the Lord as it were to make honour the more honourable will have it rather to be his pure gift then either our study or purchase Qu. 6. If it be asked how one can fulfill that part of the command enjoyning us to prefer another to our selves Answ. 1 This is not to be universally and simply understood as if we were called in every thing to do so and to every person for we may know that some are more ignorant and more prophane than we are in many practises guilty of things we may be free of and so we are not obliged to judge contrary to truth Yet 2. in some one respect or other we may prefer them as 1. In that they may have something beyond us they are possibly more humble more single zealous diligent c. though inferiour to us in other things 2. They may have much good we know not 3. We certainly know or at least may know more evil in our selves than in them and therefore are to prefer them to our selves 4. We know more aggravations of our own evils then of theirs and therefore simply we may without hypocrisie prefer men generally to our selves though we in particulars could not do so nor give unto every one in every thing the precedency We come now to speak a little of the promise which is added to stir up to the more serious Observation of this command and as for the nature of it it is a temporal one peculiarly applyed to Israel here yet generally agreeing to all and so applyed as to the substance of it by the Apostle Ephes. 6.2.3 where he putteth earth for land whereby he insinuateth that it is to be understood of any land wherein God shall please to cast a mans Lot to reside or inhabit as well as of Judea so then If it be asked whether or not this promise is to be simply understood and the accomplishment of it without any restriction expected or looked for Answ. Although this promise seems to have a peculiar respect unto that Dispensation wherein not only the Saints everlasting rest was prefigured by that temporal rest in the land of Canaan but also the more obscure manifestations of the life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel supplyed as it were by more full and assuring promises of earthly blessings yet seeing the Apostle as we have touched doth in the pressing of this command also accommodate to us it 's promise we think it holds out that such who through Grace are enabled to give obedience to the command may by vertue of the promise annexed expect from God even outward things in so far as the having of them shall be for their good and spiritual advantage And 2. They may with confidence promise themselves that whatever they have in the world or how many or few days soever they may have in it yet all shall be with Gods blessing and peace And 3. That their death shall never be untimely And 4 What seeming defect soever may be in the performance as to length of days here shall be abundantly made up by eternity hereafter in Heaven what then vvill or can be the prejudice of few days on Earth From the annexing of this promise to the command these two thing clearly follow 1. That there are temporal promises made to Godliness 2. That a Godly man hath that right which none other hath to inherit the earth If it be asked here Whether or not a wicked man hath a right to any thing in the world Answ. 1. There is a threefold right the first is a creature-right whereby any of Gods creatures have a right to any thing in his creation that is useful for them when it is simply necessary and not occupied by another under the like need and after the similitude of this right Crowes and so of other living creatures may take their meat on the field of any man thus a man starving may for himself or his brother if in the like condition when the proper owner of any Corn cannot be gotten put to his hand and take of them for preventing of death by hunger and so likewayes it may be in other things all things being made for the use of man at the first and committed to him and the orderly dividing of mens lots and portions having been but the better to further that end and not to marr it is not to take place when it thwarteth with it thus the Disciples did pluck and eat the ears of Corn when they were an hungred though the corn was not their own God also who hath the absolute dominion hath so given to man a property that he hath reserved a right to himself to make use of it when need requireth for the good of other creatures thus he provideth for Crows Ravens c. out of one mans stock or other 2. There is a positive or