every day so we should every day offer up our morning and evening sacrifice of Prayer and truly by duties of piety to God are our worldly businesses sanctified and seasoned and therefore are every day to be performed but yet so as the duties of our ordinary Callings be likewise performed and not neglected by us 2 Upon the same ground neither Adam nor the Iewes before Christ should have observed any Sabbath because they were bound to rest from sin as well as Christians 3 Neither are we to keep days of fasting because we are to fast from sin every day Having thus proved the Morality of the Sabbath and answered some Objections against it II. I shall in the next place give you the grounds for the change of the Sabbath from the last day of the week to the first 1 Divine institution even the institution of Christ himself which appeareth two ways 1 By the title given to the first Day of the Week namely the Lords Day for whatsoever in Holy Writ is said to be the Lords denominatively fo that Christ is the Author and institutor as for instance The Lords Supper because he instituted it The people of the Lord because he chose them the Lords Messengers because he sends them Upon the same ground the first day of the week is denominatively called the Lords Day and that not by Creation for so every day is his from the beginning but by Divine institution because it was instituted by Christ the Lord for Divine Worship and Service and for the memorial of the great work of Redemption wrought by him Agreeable hereunto is that of Augustine who saith that the Apostles appointed the Lords Day to be kept with all religious solemnity because in that day our Redeemer rose from the dead and therefore is called the Lords Day 2 By the practise of the Apostles who constantly assembled together on the first day of the week which is our Lords Day and that without doubt upon the command of Christ himself for whereas he continued forty days on earth after his resurrection before he ascended into Heaâ—en it is said in that time hee gave Commandements unto his Apostles and spake unto them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God that is he instructed them how they should change the bodily sacrifices of Beasts into the spiritual sacrifices of Prayer and Praises the Sacrament of Circumcision into the Sacrament of Baptism the Sacrament of the Passeover into the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And then likewise he instructed his Apostles touching the change of the Sabbath into the Lords Day To which agreeth that of learned Iunius who saith positively that the change of the Sabbath was not by the tradition of men but by the observation and appointment of Christ who both on the day of his resurrection and on every seventh day after unto his Ascension into Heaven appeared to his Disciples and came into their assemblies Hereupon we read the Apostles met together on every first day of the week to preach the Word and to communicate the Lords Supper as Ioh. 20. 19 26. Acts 2. 1. Acts 20. 7 and in divers other places And wee find it expresly ordained by the Apostle Paul that the weekly Collections for the Poor should be on that day Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so doe yee upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him c. And why on that day surely no other reason can well bee imagined but that their assembling together to partake of the Ordinances of God was wont to be on that day And therefore because works of charity suit well with duties of piety and that by the Ordinances then dispensed they might be stirred up to a more free and chearful contribution the Apostle ordained also that the Collections for the poor should be on the same day viz. the first day of the week 2 Another Argument proving the first day of the week commonly called the Lords Day to bee the true Christian Sabbath now under the Gospel may bee taken from the constant practice of the Church and People of God since the Apostles times As I have shewed you that it was the practice of the Apostles to observe the first day of the week which is argument enough to warrant the day they being guided by the Spirit of Christ in an especial manner So it doth clearly appear that it hath been the practice of all holy men since the Apostles times to observe this day and that under the name of the Lords Day Ignatius who lived in St. Iohns time saith Let every one that loveth Christ keep holy the Lords Day which is the Queen of daies Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history plainly shews how the Church and People of God in several ages after the Apostles times observed the first day of the week as instituted by Christ and ordained afterwards by the Apostles I might spend much paper in shewing how this day hath been observed in all ages from the Apostles times to these daies Now the constant custome of the Church is not to bee sleighted That expression of the Apostle If any man seem to bee contentious wee have no such custome neither the Churches of God sheweth that the custome of the Church is a matter to be regarded 3 The Resurrection of Christ both giveth a ground for the sanctifying of our Christian Sabbath and likewise sheweth a reason for the changing of the day For the work of Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ being far more excellent than the work of Creation did much more deserve a weekly memorial That the work of Redemption was more excellent appears In that it cost more to redeem the world of Gods Elect than to create the whole world for to create the world it cost God but a word as it were Hee but spake the word and it was done But to redeem the world of Gods Elect it cost no less than the precious blood of the Son of God So that this work hath swallowed up the former as the Temple did the Tabernacle And wee who live after Christs Resurrection are as much bound to the celebration of the first day of the week as they who lived before to the last It is very observable that a seventh day hath been observed to the honour of God ever since the Creation and such a seventh as never a week in the alteration was without a Sabbath and never a week had two Sabbaths for as the week ended with the former Sabbath so the next week began with our Sabbath which could not have been if any other seventh day had been chosen If any shall ask why the change of the day is not more clearly expressed in the New Testament I answer because there was no question moved about the same in the Apostles times which
may likewise serve as a reason why in the New Testament there is no express command for the baptizing of Infants in particular namely because there was no question moved about the same in the Apostles times III. Come wee now to the Directions how to sanctifie the Lords Day To the sanctification whereof two things are required 1 An observing of a rest 2 A consecrating of that rest wholly to the worship and service of God I. There must bee a resting and that from several things As 1 From all the ordinary works of our Calling which is expresly set down in the Commandement Six daies 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 viz. of thy Calling And let not any pretend the greatness of their charge as a plea for their working But know assuredly that what you get that day by your labour will contribute little towards your charge For whatsoever is got on that day will not be blessed of the Lord but will prove like Achans wedge of gold which being got contrary to the command of God brought the fire of Gods curse upon all the rest which hee had lawfully gotten 2 From all kinds of recreations especially such as tend to carnal and â—ensual delight which though they may be lawful at other times yet are unlawful on the Lords Day being as expresly forbidden by God himself as the works of our Calling as you shall finde in Isa. 58. 13. where the Lord requires of his People That they turn away their feet from doing their own pleasures on his holy day And that they call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and honour him not doing their own waiâ—s nor finding their own pleasures And it is found by experience that recreations do more steal away our affections from heavenly meditations and distract us in Gods service than the works of our Calling Whereupon saith St. Augustine How much better is it to plow on the Lords Day than to dance 3 From all immoderate eating and drinking whereby wee are fitter to sleep than to attend upon the Ordinances of God And therefore how blame-worthy are they who make the Lords Day a day of Feasting their neighbours and friends For though it be lawful upon this day to make such provision as shall be convenient for our own families or for the relief of our poor neighbours yet to make solemn feasts upon this day as is the custome of too many whereby servants are kept from the publick Ordinances and our selves and guests are more indisposed to the duties of Gods worship and service must needs be unlawful And therefore though wee be not forbidden upon the Lords Day to kindle a fire for the dressing of meat yet we must take heed that wee make not such a flame as shall kindle the fire of Gods wrath against us 4 From all worldly words and discoursing of earthly affairs which the Lord himself expresly forbiddeth by the Prophet Isaiah Not speaking thine own words which imports talking and discoursing of worldly matters on the Sabbath day For where the Lord hath commanded the whole man to rest from worldly works there hee commands as the hand to rest from working so the tongue from talking of worldly matters But in the fourth Commandement the Lord hath commanded the whole man to rest from worldly works where hee saith Thou shalt do no manner of work c. Therefore hee commands the tongue to rest from talking of worldly matters as well as the hand from working of servile and worldly works How blame-worthy then are they who make the Lords Day a reckoning-day with work-men and servants or at least a visiting day amongst their friends and neighbours and so confequently a day of idle tattle about their profits pleasures or other mens matters 5 As from worldly words so from worldly thoughts as much as wee can For 1 Know that every Commandement extends to our very thoughts binding them as well as to the outward actions ex gr The sixth Commandement from murtherous thoughts as well as from the act of Murther The seventh from adulterous and lustful thoughts as well as from the act of Adultery The eighth from covetous thoughts as well as from the act of Covetousness 2 Know that the Lord requireth not onely the outward man and external actions to bee consecrated unto him but especially the inward man in which regard wee ought as much as possibly wee can to sequester our thoughts from worldly matters that they may be wholly taken up with spiritual and heavenly Meditations 6 There is another rest expected from every one on the Lords Day and that is a resting from sin which wee ought to do as much as in us lyeth at all times but especially on the Lords Day which ought to be kept as an holy rest And truly wee cannot offer unto God a greater indignity than to serve the Devil in the works of darkness on the Lords Day which is consecrated to the honour and service of God Thus much of the first particular requisite to the sanctification of the Lords Day namely an observing of a rest II. Come wee now to the second viz. A consecrating that rest wholly to the worship and service of God For it is not enough that wee keep a rest but wee must keep an holy rest barely to rest on the Sabbath day is but a Sabbath of beasts Wee must remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy For this is the chief end whereunto the outward rest tendeth Now the consecration of the Sabbaths rest consists 1 In our preparation thereunto 2 In a conscionable performance of those duties the Lord then requireth of us which may be brought to two heads viz. 1 Duties of Piety 2 Works of Mercy Duties of Piety are of three sorts viz 1 Publick 2 Private 3 Secret The which because they are interchangeably mixed with one another therefore I shall interchangeably speak of them The duties to be performed by way of preparation are these 1 Remember the day beforehand to the end you may so order and dispose of your worldly affairs that they may be dispatched in convenient time on the Eve of the Sabbath that so both your selves and servants may goe to bed in such time that your bodies may be well refreshed with sleep and your mindes fitted for the duties of the day This the Lord intimateth in the beginning of the fourth Commandement saying Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day where by remembring it may bee meant a minding of it before hand How blame worthy then are they who sit up themselves and keep their servants so late up in the night before the Sabbath that they are enforced to lye longer in their beds than ordinary on the Sabbath Day yea and when they are come into the Congregation are fitter to sleep than to hear Is this
bountifully and more willingly because the stock out of which they give is prepared before-hand and it being a sacred Stock by their voluntary setting it apart to such an use their conscience will account it sacriledge to lay it out any other way If poor men that live by their daies labour and servants that live on their wages would every Lords Day lay up some half-pennies or pence for this end and purpose they might have without any sensible dammage to themselves a stock for the poor How much greater store would be for the poor if rich men according to Gods blessing on them would so do 2 Visiting the sick and such as are otherwise restrained of liberty This we finde practised by our Saviour and that upon the Sabbath day after the publick ordinances were ended as Mark. 1 29 30. where we read that our Saviour with some of his Apostles After they were come out of the Synagogue went to visit Peters wives Mother who lay sick of a Feaver which sheweth That Christ accounted it a work of mercy suitable to the Sabbath to visit the sick From whence we may learn as just occasion is offered to spend some time of the Sabbath in visiting the sick it being an especial work of mercy proper to the Sabbath yea and an especial means to fill our minds with spiritual Meditations and our mouths with holy conferences which are parts of private sanctification of the Sabbath What time therefore others spend in idleness or vain company or sitting at street-doors or walking abroad in the streets and fields let us spend in this and such like works of mercy Directions for the right manner of visiting the Sick see in Chap. XIX Besides these duties of Piety and works of Mercy which are commanded to be done on the Lords Day There are some things which the Lord permits unto us in regard of the weakness and infirmities of our bodies viz. Sleep Food and Apparel Because we cannot with strength and delight spend the whole day in Sabbath duties without competent rest food and apparel therefore it is lawful for us to spend some time as in sleep so in apparelling our selves and in refreshing our bodies with food which otherwise would be ready to faint But by a moderate use of these we are inabled to do the things we take in hand the more chearfully But herein two Cautions ought carefully to be observed 1 You must spend no more time about them than needs must Wherefore your bodies being refreshed with moderate sleep you ought to get up early on the Lords Day as about six or seven of the clock and to use all possible speed in dressing your selves and not to sit longer than needs must at your meals that so you may have the more time for the duties of Gods worship and service on his day And truly since the Lord is so good and gracious unto you as to afford you some part of his own day for the refreshment of your bodies Far be it from you to abuse his goodness by lavishing away more time therein than needs must Second Caution Do them as Sabbath-dayes-works which is done two waies 1 By doing them for this end that thereby you may bee the better inabled to serve God Thus when at your lying down the evening before the Sabbath you desire God to give you quiet comfortable sleep that thereby your weak bodies may be refreshed and you the better inabled to serve him the next day in the duties of his worship and service this is a Sabbath-sleep In like manner when you eat and drink for this very end that your bodies may be refreshed and your spirits revived and you thereby the better inabled with chearfulness to serve God the remaining part of the day this is a Sabbaths-eating and drinking 2 By raising spiritual and heavenly Meditations from the same At your first awaking you should call to minde what day it is and having blessed God for your comfortable rest and sleep that night you should beg of him the special assistance of his grace to carry you thorow all the duties of the day When you are rising out of your beds you should think as of the Resurrection of Christs body out of his grave early on that day so likewise of the Resurrection of your Souls here out of the death of sin to the life of holiness and of your bodies at the last day out of the grave of the earth to the life of glory in Heaven In your apparessing your selves you should then think of the long white Robe of Christs Righteousness and of the happiness of those who have an interest therein When you are washing your hands and your faces from the cleansing virtue of the water you should take occasion to meditate of the cleansing virtue of Christs blood which alone washeth your souls from the filthy spots and stains of sin When you go to your Tables to partake of Gods good creatures your corporal food for the nourishment of your bodies should minister occasion of meditating on the spiritual food of your souls whereby they are nourished unto everlasting life The bread on your Tables should minde you of Jesus Christ who is the bread of life that came down from Heaven to quicken your dead souls Thus from every thing should you indeavour to draw matter of spiritual and heavenly meditation labouring to keep your hearâ—s in an holy frame all the day long For what our Saviour said to his Disciples concerning the loaves and the fishes Gather up the fragments let nothing bee lost The like he seemeth to speak unto you concerning the Lords Day gather up the parcels thereof let no part of the day be lost no not the least minutes which are precious as the least filings of Gold As the Lord doth permit unto you some things which your weak bodies stand in need of that thereby you may be the better inabled to serve him on his day So he is pleased to allow some things to be done by you even on his day though they hinder the performance of the proper works thereof and they are such things as are of absolute necessity Quest. If you ask what I mean by works of absolute necessity Answ. Such as must needs be done and yet could not be done the day before the Sabbath nor put off to the day after without great prejudâ—ce But on the other side such things as do no way further the sanctification of the day but rather hinder the same and may as well be done the day before or the day after or some other time ought not to be done on the Lords Day Having thus done with the Directions for the right sanctification of the Lords Day IV. Come we now to the Motives to quicken you up to a conscionable observation of the Directions 1 A right sanctification of the Lords Day maketh much to the honour of God Mark what the Lord himself saith to his Church in this case by his