day Indeed the Sabbath is the market-day for the Soul as Mr. Rogers used to call it but other markets on this day are not the supplies of provision but of profanation in other merchandizing we treasure up not wealth but wrath In Jer. 17. 22. There must be no carriage of burthens on this day such servile employments are black spots upon the feast of a Sabbath It is most uncouth and unseemly that I should be tiring out my body on that day which is given Jer. 17. 27. me for the strengthning of my soul The Sabbath is not the bodies Term but the souls holy Vacation it's consecrated leisure to look after its blessedness No not in harvest â—ime must we labour on a Sabbath when Nature it self would go a gleaning and be busie with Joseph to bring the grain into the store-house and although Gen. 41. 56. Deus nullam dispensationem admittit etiam cum periculo communis jacturae Calv. in Loc. the uncertainty of the season the necessity of the Commodity and the sweetness of the grain all plead for a toleration in this matter yet it must not be for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Exod. 34. 21. Nature like Naaman might here say only spare me in this thing 2 King 5. 18. but Gods positive Law gives no dispensation There must be no journeying on this day all our travels must be the travels of the mind our journey must be to Canaan with our faces towards Sion thus God expresly Exod. 16. 29. Obj. And as for the Objection of a Sabbath days journey Acts 1. 12. Sol. To that it may be replyed That the Text answers it self for the distance allowed to travel on the Sabbath is very small no further then Mount Olivet from Jerusalem an inconsiderable distance Learned men differ in the interpretation but all agree in this that it was a very small distance Calvin saith it was two miles and of that judgement Calv. in hunc Locum Aliquantulam itineris facere non erat contrà traditiones Phorisaeorium Chemnit are the most of the Latin Interpreters Tremellius in the Syriac Paraphrase readeth the Text thus The Mount of Olives which is near unto Jerusalem and is distant from it about seven furlongs that is not a mile And that learned man observes that the Jews in their Talmud with one consent say that the space which it was lawful for a man to go upon the Sabbath was two thousand Cubits or Spaces which make but one mile and not two And Beza very well Beza notes That all the Hebrews whose testimony is most authentical in this case make a Sabbath dayes journey only one mile Josephus who was very well acquainted with the Joseph Antiq. Lib. 20. place counted Mount Olive but five furlongs from the City But to dilate no further we may conclude with holy Mr. Greenham That this journey was no farther then one might conveniently travel for some holy purpose without hinderance of the ordinary exercises of this day or without wearisomness either to body or mind whereby he should be unfitter for the Lords Worship or his own Duties Not so much as to build Gods House though of very great use and great haste of it Exod. 31. 14 15. a most signal Text compare it with the foregoing verses not any work is indulged though Gods house should call for it The Sabbath calls for Worship not Work for the Service of the Sanctuary not for the Building of it Obj. And now if the poor man shall bring his Plea and urge the necessities of his Condition and that he cannot spare the time of a Sabbath but must work upon that day to satisfie the clamours and importunities of his family Sol. this Answer must be put unto this Plea saith in Deut. 5. 14. On the Sabbath thou shalt not do any Shall the Worm debate it with the Almighty The Lord work Is not this to impeach the wisdome of the Law-giver Deut. 5. 14. as if all cases did not fall under his consideration The Fourth Commandment is a Commandment overflowing with mercy God considers and compassionates Children Servants and Strangers nay the very Beasts of the Field the Oxe and the Asse and the poor mans case should not have been left out had divine wisdome thought a dispensation necessary he should have been left to his work as well as the stranger left to his rest It is the blessing of the Lord makes Rich as the wise man speaks Prov. 10. 22. And what can entail this blessing on Lev. 25. 3 4. comp with Vers 18 19 20 21. thee but obedience Thy Duty shall more prosper thy Estate then thy Work Can'st thou possibly be endammag'd by keeping of the Commandments which Solomon makes the sum of all Religion and Happiness Eccles 12. 13. To which the Psalmist fully accords Psal 19. 11. The best way to sill thy Cruse is to fulfill Gods Commands Godliness hath the promise of the things of this life 1 Tim. 4. 8. To disobey the Command in working on a Sabbath is the only method to drive thee to greater exigence Disobedience like intemperance shall cloath thee with rags Prophanation Prov. 23. 21. of the Sabbath will be a certain moth in the little thou enjoyest This is to fill thy bag not with Coyne but with Curses And as the wise man There shall be no reward for the evil Prov. 24. 20. man Prov. 24. 20. To rob God of his time is such a piece of sacriledge as will assuredly fill thy bags with holes which Hag. 1. 6. will hold no wages Hath not the poor man a soul to look after and when shall he lay up provisions for this piece of eternity his precious soul but onely on a Sabbath He cannot spare time on the week and shall his soul have no time at all Shall the soul which is more worth then a world not be worth that little pittance he gets by working on a Sabbath The Mat. 16 26. poor man pretends necessity certainly he hath the greatest necessity to look after his immortal soul to feed his family will he starve his soul The just man lives by faith whether he be rich or poor and surely that faith runs dregs which will not trust God Hab. 2. 4. for the provisions of a day and how irrational is it not to trust that God who could send a Raven to feed Elijah dost 1 Kings 17. 4. thou not know the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Psal 24. 1. And cannot he furnish thy Table for a Sabbath thou hast spent with him And will thy poor Earnings on a Sabbath compensate the prejudice thy soul endures Whilst thou hast been labouring for â—he meat that perisheth thou mightest have gained that John 6. 27. Omne studium omne conatus eò conferamus ut habeamus non externa corruptibilâ—â— hujus mundi bona sed ut habeamus cibum qui
he would vex her worse with his work which words were no sooner spoken but Justice seizes upon him for the earth fell upon him and he stirred no more but presently died Thus the Numb 16. 32 33. Lord by his own hand cut off this Miscreant wretch and threw him into Corah Dathan and Abirams Grave Let me add another dreadful example One Sabbath-day in the Afternoon a Match at Foot-ball Doctor Twisse on the Sabbath was made in Bedfordshire as two of the company were tolling the Bell to call the rest together some that sate in the Church-porch heard a terrible noise as a clap of Thunder and they saw a flash of Lightning coming through an obscure Lane which flashed in their faces to their terrour and amazement and the Lightning passing on to those who were tolling it trips up the heels of the one and leaves him stark dead and so blasted the other that he died within a few days Thus the swift Messengers of Divine wrath overtook those incautelous sinners and blasted them in the middest of their presumptuous impieties Lightning from heaven testifies against the deeds and facts of Hell At Dover the same day the Book of sports was read in St. James Parish one prophanely went to play upon a Kit which drew a multitude of people especially of the younger sort together But oh the terrour of the Lord this prophane person was struck by a divine hand and in two days died Thus daring sinners by an unexpected doom are folded up in their dust to awaken others that they may not adventure upon the same impieties A Vintner who was a great swearer and drunkard as he Mr. Clarke his examples of divine justice was standing at his door upon the Lords day with a pot of wine in his hand to invite his guests was by the wonderful justice and power of God carryed into the Air with a whirlwinde and never seen or heard of more How soon can the word of God make the creature and how suddenly can the winde of God destroy the sinner Let us read and tremble Sometimes God revenges the prophanation of his day mediately by the hand of others as may be verified in this ensuing story Not far from Dorcester lived one widow Jones whose Son Richard upon the Lords day notwithstanding all the perswasions and admonitions of his good Mother did with his companions go to Stoake to play where after he had done and drank freely with his company they return home and by the way fall out whereupon John Edwards one of the company stabbed this Richard Jones under the left rib whereof at seven of the clock the next night he died Thus every thing becomes a sword even a companion to destroy a presumptuous Sabbath-breaker One disposed to sin and debauchery would needs keep an Ale in the Church-house on the Lords day But O the severity and formidable justice of God! At night his youngest Son was taken Prisoner for stealing of a purse out of anothers pocket while he lay drunk in the said Church-house and the week ensuing his eldest Son was stabbed to death Thus Sabbath-prophanation blasts families as well as persons and plucks down the house upon the sinners head Sometimes God leaves the sinner who prophanes his day to destroy himself When God in patience suspends the execution of his own hand and in pity restrains others that they shall not destroy the Sabbath-breaker then he himself becomes his own murderer And when he is not with Aarons Sons destroyed by God himself Levit. 10. 2. Nor is he with Senacherib slain by others Isa 37. 37 38. Then with Saul in rage and despair he falls upon his own sword 1 Sam. 31. 4. One Richard Clark was drunk in company with one Henry Parram on the Lords day to whom he said he would either hang or drown himself desirous to know which was best but Parram replyed he hoped he would do neither May 31. 1634. But oh the judgment of the Lord especially upon those who prophane his day For on Monday morning he was seen going through the Town as if he was going about his masters business and having got up into the midst of a tree without the town He did there hang himself Thus Achitophels doom was this mans death and as disappointment sent the one so Guilt Sabbath guilt sent the other to his place God for the prophaning of his holy day takes away sinners in the very act of their sin as may be observed in these ensuing stories Some boys of St. Albans going into Verulams pond to swim upon the Lords day one of them was drowned and another very narrowly escaped Two young men of St. Dunstans in the West London going Septemb. 1635. to swim on the Lords day were both drowned Thus neither the tenderness of youth nor the sutableness of the recreation can apologize for the great sin of Sabbath-breaking God will be sanctified by or upon all Christians for Levit. 10. 3. their carriage or miscarriage upon his sacred Sabbath God executeth vengeance upon the very Heathens for the abuse of his day Natures light might induce us to keep a solemn day for the worship of God and if that light be damped by prophaneness God observes and will revenge that sin It is recorded of Pompey the great Roman that he shrunk under the depression of Gods sore displeasure for prophaning Gods Sabbath and Sanctuary And this story is related by an Corn. Tacit. Heathen too Among the very Heathens there is a Veneration observable in Gods holy Sabbath God executes his vengeance upon the greatest persons for the prophanation of his day The Centuriatours of Magdeburg tell us of one of the Kings of Denmark who when he contrary to the admonition of the Priests who desired him to defer it would needs on a Lords day go to battel with his enemy he was slain in the Centur. Magdeburg Histor Cent. 12. fight Thus justice and revenge in its triumphs over this sin can reach the Scepter as well as the spade Nicanor a great Commander of Syria engaging against the Jews in battel upon the Sabbath supposing that was a time in which they would not fight and so it would facilitate his victory he falls and dies in the battel and his head Macchab. 2. 28 30. was cut off and his hand and his shoulder and they are brought with joy to Hierusalem 2 Macchab. 15. 2 28 30. Valour cannot withstand Gods stroke when his Sabbath is contemned and defied by presumptuous sinners nor can the blindness of paganism extenuate or apologize for the sin God punisheth the prophanation of his day with prodigious and monstrous births that his vengeance may be written in a fairer and more legible Character as may be seen in this story A great man using every Lords day to hunt in Sermon time had a child by his wife with a head like a dog and it Theatr. Histor cryed like a hound
support of Religion and keeps it from flights or falls Every devout worshipper on the Lords day is but a lessar pillar to shoar up godliness and piety in the world While publick worship is seriously frequented and private duties are frequently performed while the sacred word of God is diligently attended the blessed Sacrament devoutly received while holy prayers with moystened eyes and melting hearts are affectionately poured forth and sent up to God on his own holy day while these things are in ure in a Nation piety and Religion are above the fears of decay Religion sails or sinks with the Sabbath when both are embarqued in the same Vessel and where this Sancta diei dominicae exercitia labascentem pietatem religionem sustinent holy day is constuprated by vanity and prophaneness profession is laid waste and desolate the sanctification of Gods day keeps up Gods fear in the Church but that being suspended the gap is made and the Church lies open to all kinds of sinful incursions A learned man tells us that Guntheram a pious King of France fighting against the Goths with unhappy success did sedulously enquire into the cause Guntheramus Francorum Rex pientissimus contra Gothos infaelici successu se pugnasse observaverat tanti mali fonte paulò altius investigato cui malo ut obviam iretur statutum est diem dominicum religiosè custodiendum per universum c. of it and taking notice of the neglect of the Bishops instructing the people as likewise observing the prophaneness of the people in dishonouring the Lord he presently concluded this was the proper source and cause of his late discomfiture and calamity and therefore he immediately commanded That the Lords day should be carefully and solemnly observed throughout his whole Dominions as being the most proper remedy and most likely Cure for those distempers which had shaken the happiness both of Church and State God usually calculating his providence according to the observation of his day smiling upon those places where it is religiously observed and evidencing his displeasure where it is slighted or contemned Arg. 9 The sanctification of the Sabbath is the discharge in a great measure of that duty pressed by the Apostle Phil. 3. 20. Let your conversation be in heaven All the duties of the Sabbath Nonne pudet te corpore coelum suspicere mentem in terrâ repere caput sursum cor deorsum habere Bern. are but transactions with Heaven Our prayers are our approach and appeal to Heaven and therefore we are said to lift up a prayer Jer. 7. 16. Our hearing the word is only hearing News from Heaven Acts 20. 27. And our Sacramental receipts are only the tasting of the fruit of the Vine which we shall drink new with Christ in his Fathers Kingdom Mat. 26. 29. The Ordinances of a Sabbath are heavenly Ordinances the end of a Sabbath is to bring us nearer to heaven and the Communion of Saints whâ—ch we enjoy upon a Sabbath is a sweet resemblance of that Society the Saints shall enjoy in heaven And though we cannot pretend to 2 Cor. 12. 2. Pauls rapture into the third heaven or to Johns extasies upon this holy day yet in a conscientious use of divine administrations Rev. 1. 10. we travel fairly on towards heaven and happiness Secular works which savour of earth are to be banished this day Exod. 20. 10. Carnal hearts which rellish earth are unsutable to this day Rev. 1. 10. And pleasurous delights which are the liquorish froth of earth are to be avoided on the Sabbath day Isa 58. 13. Our Sabbath is the day-break and twilight of heaven and glory which if we improve to work our spiritual works in a little time will bring us to a perfect noon Arg. 10 Let us be exact on the Lords day in honour to Christ it is his Resurrection day On this day the Sun rose which lightens Dies dominicus Christi resurrectione declaratus est et ex illo caeâ—it habere festivitatem suam aeternam non solùm spiritus sed et corporis requiem praefigurat Aug de Civ dei every one which comes into a better world on this day the Conqueror shewed himself when he had laid all his enemies in the grave from whence he sprang This was the day of Mankinds restauration of the worlds wonder and of the Believers joy This day was the fresh spring of our happiness the initials of a Christians boast On this day Mosaical rites and legal Ceremonies were fully and totally routed and so put to flight and then dyed together the Synagogue and the Sanedrim Christ is the true Joseph who on this day left his prison and was promoted to honour Christ is the real Moses who breaking through death and dangers Acts 13. 31 32 saw Pharaoh and his host Satan Death and Hell and Heb. 1. 5. all spiritual wickednesses drowned in the Sea Christ is the Resurrexisti domine quà m â—â—â—ulatè celeritèr O fortunati labâ—res O gloriosa certamina quae talem finem sortiuntur Pâ—ssionem excepit Resurrectio mortem immortalitas ignonimiam gloria infirmitatem virtus Tempestatem serenitas Bellar. 2 Cor. 5. 1. true Mordecai who foiling Haman and all his enemies delivered the true Israel from tyranny and oppression and on this day kept his Purim Christ is the true Jonas who being cast into the Sea in a tempest of frenzy and cruelty on the third day was cast on the shore and survived to more gracious purposes In a word glorious were the conflicts happy the labours blessed the rest and most triumphant the Resurrection of our dear Redeemer Now as it is reported of Caesar when he would cry Quirites that word put new life into his Souldiers in the sorest battels So when we think our Sabbath is Christs Resurrection day this should put new life into all our duties and devotions This was the day of wonders when our blessed Samson carryed away the gates of Hell to lay our way open to the City of the New Jerusalem the City not made with hands eternal in the heavens CHAP. LIII The Resurrection of Christ is not only a real ground for the institution but a cogent Argument for the holy observation of the Lords day WHen our hearts are dead and curdled into formality upon the Lords day then every one of us should thus bespeak his soul O my soul this day is the triumph of thy Redeemer when he trod upon the Serpents head when Gen. 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in Hexam he took from death its sting from hell its standard suppose my soul thou hadst stood by the Sepulcher and seen the Sun of Righteousness covered with a cloud before now shining forth most gloriously on the morning of the Resurrection day how would this have raised and ravished thy heart How glad were the Disciples when they saw the Lord they believed not for joy John 20.
non ipse tantum permanet sed etiam affert vitam aeternam Chemnit Amos 2. 6. meat which endureth to everlasting life Shall the gain of a penny or some inconsiderable profit with draw thee from pursuing thy spiritual good on thy souls market day Thy gain on this day may be as the God of the Tholouse which was fatal to all who stole of it or as the Coal brought to the nest setting the young and all on fire The Sabbath as one saith is the School day the Faire day the Feasting day of the soul and the body is little interested in the affairs of it this holy day is the souls harvest and not set apart for the gleanings of the world and thus while the poor man works on the Sabbath he sells himself for a pair of shooes a little to invert the Prophet And Reverend Mr. Calvin observes This is onely a wile of Satan for saith he All of us naturally are of that mind that if we endeavour to mount on high to the heavenly life and bestow our studies therein we think we shall dye for hunger and this shall be to turn us from our Profits and Commodities And indeed the Devil cometh alwayes to perswade us under this Calvin on Deut 5. Serm. 35. shadow and wiliness that if we employ our selves in the service of God we must needs dye of famine and we shall live to be the objects of others pity for our meanness and misery Thus far that holy man who presently adds Of a truth we cannot serve God unless we cast away from us these distrustfull cares Lev. 25. 20 21. Mat. 6. 33. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Pietas habet promissionem vitae quae nunc est ut scilicet hîc vitam pacatam longaevam rebus omnibus necessariis instructum agamus Alap Jer. 25. 20 21. Exod. 16. 22. Sexâ—â die deus pluit Manna abâ—ndè ut toti populo suffiâ—eret ad biduum Riv. Haec sunâ—â—â—era tenebrarum carnis Buc de Regno Christi Lib. 2. Cap. 10. which press us over much And how doth this unholy distrust which often draws the offendor to a breach of the Sabbath contradict those indulgent promises of the Scripture both under the Law and in the times of the Gospel where the giving Religion and our Souls the precedency is ensured not only of a better portion in future Glory but of a satisfying provision even in this Life And to wind up this particular The Jews of old enjoyed a special promise that no lack should come to them by their resting on the Sabbath and God gave them a sure pledge in the Wilderness when on the day before the Sabbath a double portion of Manna was given to all that gathered Exod. 16. 22. Nor can the promise be straitned to believers under the Gospel And so we have at last done with the poor mans Plea leaving him for the future to act his Faith and study Obedience rather then frame his Apologies Labouring on a Sabbath in the works of our Calling or in any other unnecessary toyle is a practise so manifestly sinfull that it is not only prohibited by the Great Law-giver in the Fourth Commandment in the times of the Law but it is likewise forbidden by all Authority both Civil and Ecclesiastical in the times of the Gospel Constantine the great Constant Mag. who deserved that noble Title more for his Religion then his Victories sets out a pious Edict to this purpose strictly forbidding all secular labour on the Lords day The very words of the Statute are these He commands that every one Statuit ut curcti Romano Imperio subditi diebus de Servatoris nomine nuncupatis ab opere feriarentur Euseb Lib. 4. de vitâ Constantini c. 18. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Jud. vers 12. Car. Magn. Leges Ecclesiast lib. 6. cap. 202. Lud. Pius ib. addition c. 9. Leo Philos who lived in the Roman Empire should rest from labour that day weekly which was instituted to our Saviour and moreover that all Judges Citizens Artificers should rest on the Sabbath Thus this holy Emperour who first brought rest to the Churches for a long time scorcht with persecution and discomposed by Pagan fury takes care that the Sabbath be not prophaned by servile works which are truly spots in that holy feast Charles the Great Anno Dom. 789. not willing to blemish his Title the same with Constantine's speaks Constantine's language Viz. We do ordain as it is commanded in the Law of God that no man do any servile work on the Lords day And this he explicates in several particulars Viz. Husbandry dressing Vines Ploughing c. and almost all kind of Manufactures And the words of Leo Philosophus the noble Emperour of Constantinople in his pious Edict for the better observation the Lords day are very memorable Viz. We ordain according to the true meaning of the Holy Ghost and of the Holy Apostles by him directed That on that sacred day wherein we are restored to our intogrity all do rest and surcease from labour that neither the Husbandman nor others put their hands to forbidden work c. I might mention Clothaire King of France Gunthram and many other Princes expressing the same zeal to the Sabbath but it would be altogether supervacaneous onely let me not denude our own English Princes of their just and due Honour in this particular King James of famous memory 15 James at his first entrance into his Kingdome he sent out his Declaration to this effect Viz. That for the better observation of the Sabbath day he straitly charges That there be no Interludes Pastimes unlawful exercises on the Sabbath day And King Charles the First he enacts a Law in his 15 Charles first Parliament That there be no Pastimes no Carrier Waggoner Drover travel on the Lords day no Butcher kill or sell any Victual on the said day c. Thus the English Throne hath not been devoid of necessary Zeal for the suppression of unnecessary toyle on the Lords day And labouring on the Lords day hath not onely been condemned by Civil but by Ecclesiastical Authority both swords have been drawn against this practice And Ecclesiastical Authority hath condemned it Take it distributively for eminent persons Zerubbabels who have been famous in building the Temple in the primitive times Origen thus expresses his holy fervour for the Sabbath and for the cessation from Die dominico nihil ex mundi actibus agendum ex omnibus secularibus operibus feriandum est Orig. Homil. 23 in numer Augustine fervile or secular works on that day On the Christian Sabbath day we ought not to do any worldly business If therefore thou dost surcease from all secular affairs and dost nothing but imploy thy self in spiritual negotiations this is the right observation of the Christian Sabbath Thus this mirrour of piety and learning And Augustine the miracle of the fifth Century in one of his Sermons
thus declares himself You must know Brethren that therefore it was appointed and commanded Christians by our Holy Fathers That in the Solemnities of the Saints and especially on the Lords dayes they should rest and be free from earthly businesses that so they might be more free and ready for the service of God when they have nothing to hinder them and might leave earthly cares that they might the more easily intend the will of God Chrysostome calls the abstinence from worldly affairs on the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 5. in Matt. Greg. of Tours Dies Sabbaths indeterminatè sumptus est dies requiei Alex. Hal. an unmoveable Law such a Law as nothing but Sacriledge and Irreligion can shake or suppress we must on this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abstain from all works saith that golden mouth'd Father And if we come to the midle times of the Church the Sabbath still is fenced with the same cautions that no work be done thereon Gregory of Tours hath an excellent saying Being the Sabbath was the day whereon God made the Light and after was the witness of our Saviours Resurrection therefore it ought diligently to be observed by every Christian no manner of publick work to be done upon it And the same Author tells us a story of a fearfull judgement of Lightning which befell the City of Limoges ob diei dominici injuriam for prophaning the Lords day And another Gregory of a far greater fame Greg. Mag. viz. Gregory the Great speaks the same language Viz. We ought to rest on the Lords day from earthly labours and altogether give our selves to prayer And if we slide down to our dayes and the dayes of reformation servile works on the Sabbath incur the same censure If we call in the Testimony of forraign Divines Doctor Ames that pious Ames Mod. Theol. p. 364. and learned Divine observes That all servile works were to be abstained from in other festivals among the Jewes Lev. 23. 7 8. Numb 28. 25. Multò magis exclusa fuerunt à Sabbatho Exod. 12. 16. Much more on the sacred Sabbath Other forraign Testimonies might be subpaena'd in to give witness in this Cause but the Reader shall not be cloyed with a multiplicity of Quotations Onely as forraigners So our own Divines give in their suffrage to the same truth Famous Hooper Bishop and Martyr thus declares himself To that end Bish Hooper did God sanctifie the Sabbath day that we being free from the travels of the World might consider his works and benefits with thanksgiving hear the word of God honour him and fear him c. And holy Babington most pathetically Even as Bish Babington on the fourth Commandment you will answer it before the face of God and his Angels at the sound of the last trumpet weight whether Carding and Dicing c. and such exercises be commanded of God for the Sabbath And thus this Godly Bishop restrains the Sabbath to its own viz. spiritual work Not onely the Church distributive but the Church collective condemns labouring on the Lords day Many famous Councils have decried and prohibited this uncomly practice The famous Council of Mascon gives a severe prohibition to secular employments on this holy day in these words Let no man meddle with litigious controversies Concil Moscon Concil Cartha Concil Chalons or works of Husbandry on the Lords day but exercise himself in Hymns and singing praises unto God being intent thereon hoth in mind and body and much more to the same purpose I could name the Council of Carthage the Council of Chalons and others but this truth shall stand no longer before humane Tribunal Nay the great taking argument of Reason the Idol and Diana of most men joynes in the Verdict for the guiltiness and condemnation of labours and working in our Callings on the Lords day Servile and secular labours are too pedantick and low for 2 Cor. 6. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost the dignity of a Sabbath as the Apostle speaks What communion between light and darkness and what between the drudgeries of the world and the affairs of Heaven The Sabbath must not be degraded by servilities and low employments it was appointed for more noble undertakings it was set apart for Divine contemplations heavenly actions spiritual ordinances supernatural converses between Christ and the Soul and not for the culinary sweats of an empty any world To work on the Sabbath what is it but to plece a Silken garment with Canvas Greenham formerly complained There are many who make the Lords day a packing day for earth and make it a custome to have their Servants follow their Callings but these men act as Heathens who never Greenham's Treatise on the Sabbath p. 215. knew any thing of the Creation of Heaven and Earth by God nor never heard any thing of the Redemption of man by Christ nor ever tasted any thing of the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost Reas 2 Worldly labours they tend nothing at all to the worship of God they are onely sinfull and unseasonable divertisements Can we be intent on the works of our Calling and yet at the same time our heads fill'd with divine meditations our hearts breaking with holy affections our tongues employed in sacred devotions surely this would speak us more then men and it is but a mear dream to fancy such Veniendum est ad coenam a peccatis surgendum in vale dicendum Christus fide est amplectendus nova vita inchoanda Chemn nimbleness and agility Worldly affairs will take the soul off from heavenly employment they are contraries in themselves The Shop-board and the Church cannot unite Drossie avocasions will call us off from spiritual devotions The guests who were invited to the Supper if they will mind their secular affairs they cannot come to the Supper they cannot mind their Oxen and their Farmes and the Supper too and therefore they must be excused from the Luke 14. 16 18 19. one Such men who work on the Lords day a holy man saith their hearts are possessed with covetousness their minds Doctor G. are filled with the affairs of the world and what shall God have if their hearts and their minds are alienated to another Aug. de temp Serm. 251. purpose Augustine saith We are commanded to rest upon the Lords day from earthly business and he gives us this reason That we might be the more fit for Gods service And so Calvin upon Deut. Cap. 5. Serm. 34. Calvin We ought to cease from those works which hinder the works of God Let us not stay from calling upon his Name or exercising our selves in his Holy Word Now secular affairs Concil Arelat 4. Cap. 16. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est omnis cessatio ab opere quies scil à motu labore Leid Prof. 218. Joh. 3. 8. Exod. 34. 6. Exod. 35. 2.
part of our inheritance above whereof our Sabbath is but a sign and pledge When we come to glory we shall cease from all sweat and painfulness and as there shall be no tears lying upon our cheeks so there shall be no sweat bedewing our brows Our toile shall be turned into triumph our pains into pleasure our industry into rest our hard labours into soft loves and glorious rewards and therefore Lazarus lies in Abrahams hosome a place not of sweat but repose and all this our present Sabbath is but a harbinger of So the working upon a Sabbath doth not onely destroy the Observation of it which is to be Rev. 14. 13. The holy rest of the Sabbath is the twilight and dawning of heaven Shep. Treatise of the Sabbath p. 79. Luke 16. 23. Sabbathum nostrum perpetuum illum caelestem Sabbatismum consequentem et perfectum figurat ubi fideles à propriis malisque operibus sint in aeternum feriantes Leid Prof. with no manner of work but the very significancy of it Working on this day eclipses the Sabbath as it is our earnest of a better rest and undervalues this noble end of a Sabbath finis sublimior as some call it to represent the perpetual sabbatisme the Saints shall enjoy in a better place and state Let us consider the equitableness of mans resting from worldly labours on the Lords day Shall Man that frail piece of dust be like a Salamander alwayes in the fire of toyle and painfulness Shall there be no time for him to interferiate and feast with God and consecrate himself to Exod. 31. 17. holy observances God was refreshed on the Sabbath as was hinted before and shall trembling flesh have no leisure Omnis actio deâ— nobis pietatis et virtutis regula est Basil to pause and walk with Christ in his ordinances Doth devout sequestration to pious and holy exercises no way belong to him Or shall God in the fourth Commandment that grand Charter of the Sabbath take care for the repose Quia durabile non est quod requie earet otium quoddam sanctum deus praecepit ut insatiabilem hominum cupiditatem frae naret qui tam seipsos quam servos suos nimiis laboribus exhauriunt modò lucrum faciunt Gualt of the Oxe and the Ass the beasts that perish as the Psalmist speaks Psal 49. 20. and no care of Man that sublime piece in the Creation which is little lower then the Angels Psal 8. 5. To conclude this large Argumentation The Labourer who defiles the Sabbath with his sweat opposeth divine command universal authority and the dictates of sound Reason which are the cords of a man But now for works of absolute necessity which could neither be done before the Sabbath nor deferred till after the case is far otherwise here to labour is not our crime but our duty To breath a vein to one sick of a Plurifie is the duty of a Sabbath so to quench our neighbours house on fire is our proper work on the Lords day to stop inundations Psal 8. 5. of waters which else would break forth to the prejudice Hos 11. 4. of the adjacent parts this is not to defile but to honour Acts 20. 10. a â—abbath Paul on the Sabbath day uses means to recover Luke 13. 15. Lutichus who was dead for the present The Jewes Mat. 12. 5. in their greatest strictness were not so bound up as not to do works of necessity They might fight against their enemies on a Sabbath take and destroy the Cities of their adversaries Jericho is encompassed seven dayes and taken the seventh Josh 6. 20. Excipiantur illa opera quae singulari aliquâ necessitate nobis imponantur quo in numero illa non sunt habendâ— quae homines sibimetipsis quasi necessari fingunt Ames probably the Sabbath Josh 6. 20. which was no blemish to Israels Victory but an inhancement to the praise of Israels God Works of necessity they do sweeten they do not soyle a Sabbath they shew the love of God they do not break the law of God It no wayes hinders my Soul from being put in joynt upon the Lords day because my leg is put in joynt which was broken by a sad and afflictive providence And works of necessity are secured from Sabbath-prophanation by a four-fold warrant and dispensation Our Saviours holy example signs this dispensation He wrought his cures on the Sabbath for the most part Mat. 12. Luke 6. 10. Mark 3. 5. Mat. 2. 28. 13. and many other places The wound should not bleed to death because our Saviour would not act the Physician on this holy day Christ who was the Lord of the Sabbath would oftentimes cause an Ordinance to wait on a Cure and many times the Preacher must yield to the Physician Our dear Lord well knew a dying Patient was not fit to be a devout Worshipper The necessities of the Disciples being gratified were no blemish to the holiness of the Sabbath upon that day they Mat. 12. 1. Christus sumptâ occasione ex discipulorum facto viz. spicarum fricatione et comessione factum illud defendit Lysit pluckt the eares of Corn. They carried bodies of clay about them which must be shored up or their souls would fly out at the cracks of them If the glass be broken the cordial will be spilt Our bodies must be indulged or our souls will be uncapable of services or ordinances Faint bodies are listless to lively duties The very plea's of Reason have warranted a dispensation Our Saviour urges three rare Arguments to indulge cases of necessity The first Argument is a majori from the stronger and more forcible inference which argument we find Luke 13. Luk. 13. 15. Verbis exprimi non potest quantum homo qui ad imaginem dei conditus est et pro quo unigenitus dei filius proprium suum sanguinem fudit quem denique spiritus sanctus per verbum Evangelii ad communionem filiorum dei vocavit et sanctificavit irrationelibus animalibus praestat Chem. 15. where our Saviour urges most sweetly and wisely that if we can secure and take care of the beast on the Sabbath man should not in his necessity be neglected on that holy day Man is not onely more worth then many Sparrows Mat. 10. 31. but then many Oxen or Asses or more valuable Cattel If the beast must be pluckt out of the ditch on a Sabbath shall the plucking of a man from the jawes of death on that day be a polution of it This Argument the great Master of the Assemblies is pleased to use to indemnifie works of necessity The second Argument is a meliori from the better which we find Mark 3. 4. where our Saviour sharply expostulates Mark 3. 4. Finis est praestantior medie salus hominis est finis proptâ—r quem Sabbathum est institutum Par. and queries whether it be lawful or no to do good on
a Sabbath whether good actions are not becoming a holy day this must needs be undeniable Now to cure a sick person quench a burning-house resist an incroaching adversary they are actions immutably good and therefore they must be so on a Sabbath There is no time when to save a dying person can in it self be unlawfull it is an obedience to the law of Nature a compliance with those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common principles which are concreated with us Therefore such actions cannot pollute the holy Sabbath or defloure the purity of it The third Argument our Saviour takes à potiori from that which is more eligible which is most fit to be done in case of a Dilemma and this Argument is urged Mat. 12. Mat. 12. 3 4. Generalis est haec doctrina non Davidem tantum ut sanctum Regem et Prophetam Domini licitè edisse panes propositionis quasi personale fuisset privilegium sed eâ— famulos qui cum ipso erant non peccasse manducando in casu necessitatis Lyser Mal. 4. 2. 3 4. Our Saviour tells us what David did in case of necessity It was far more eligible for David to make bold with the shew-bread then for the holy Saint and King to die for hunger his life was more considerable then an appointed observation A substantial good is more to be valued then a shadow which onely signifies something to come and would fly away at the rising of the Sun of Righteousness and therefore as necessity intrenched on extraordinary food without blanâ—e so it may presume on an extraordinary day without crime The light of Nature warrants a discharge and gives in not guilty to works of necessity on the Sabbath If my wound bleeds to death because it is not dressed on the Sabbath or my disease send me to the dust because medicinal applications are not made on the Sabbath this is my errour not my duty If I have no being God can have no worship and so acts of necessity are dispensible God will have us to worship him with all chearfulness and alacrity which cannot be with an undrest wound or a disease not to be lookt after because it is the Sabbath I cannot chearfully joyne in Divine Worship and in the mean time the waters break into my house and there must be no stoppage of them because the time of Gods holy day will not permit it Cases therefore of indispensible necessity neither pollute nor prophane the Sabbath But to wind up this particular of working on a Sabbath which hath been the more copiously handled because of the greatness of its importance we read that the holy Apostle Paul sometimes laboured with his hands but yet his Acts 20. 34. Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. works on the Lords day were Sacred and Divine nothing but preaching the Word administring the Sacraments pouring out his Soul in Prayer taking care of the poor and those duties which are the just companions of a Sabbath He acts then not as a Tent-maker but as an Apostle his Acts 18. 3. heart works not his hands In a word this particular shall be shut up with the confession of learned Master Breerwood Breerw Tract of the Sabbath p. 47. who improved so much parts and pains in asserting an undue liberty on the Sabbath yet we may hear him thus acknowledge It is meet that Christians should on the Lords day abandon all worldly affairs and dedicate it wholly to the honour of God And one of our Church Homilies hath these words Gods obedient people should use the Sunday holily and Hom. Of the timeâ— place of worship give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of Gods true Religion and Service and this was the practice of all Gods people in all ages And so much for this large particular But secondly there are a second sort of actions we must forbear on the Lords day viz. Sensual actions so the Sensual actions to be forborn on the Sabbath day Text from doing thy pleasure on my holy day We are to forbear indulging our appetites we must not please a wanton eye or a luxurious palate on the Sabbath which is a day not to feast the Body but to feast the Soul Feasts and Banquets are not the Celebration but the Prophanation of a Sabbath then our fat things must be the fat things of Gods house Psal 36. 8. Isa 25. 6. A full luxuriant table where no necessity requires it is fitter for the day of a Bacchus then the day of Jehovah who is all purity and perfection A moderate repast for Nature doth best become the holy Sabbath The Disciples feed upon a few ears of Corn upon a Sabbath Mat. 12. 1. De caenâ nostrâ hoc dicendum est nihil utilitatis nihil immodestiae admittit non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad deum praegustetur editur quantum esurientes capiunt bibitur quantum pudicis est utile ita saturantur ut qui meminerint etiam per noctem adorandum etiam esse doum ita fabulantur ut qui sciant dominum audire Tertul. Exod. 16. 22 23 24 c. Numb 28. 10. Exod 35. 3. On this day a Table spread with dishes is more spread with temptations It is dangerous then to study to please a palate when we are more especially to look after a soul On this holy day the Word must be our food tears must be our wine singing of Psalms our musick the Sanctuary our parlour and place of repast and our festivity must be joy in the Lord our eare must be taken up in holy attention our heart in spiritual devotion our eye in divine speculation The Sabbath is the Souls not the Senses feastival then to please the curiosities of sense is not to keep but to lose the Sabbath The Jewes had onely the usuall proportion of Manna for the Sabbath they had no exceedings and though they were to offer double Sacrifices on the Sabbath they were not to eat double meals to have an increase of outward provisions They could not lawfully kindle any fire on the Sabbath and surely those preparations could not be plenteous where there was no fire to make them We Christians make the Sunday a day of spiritual rejoycing saith Bishop White and he quotes it out of Turtullian Our pleasures on this day must not be in our Meats but in our Messiah not in our varieties unless it be of Ordinances Chrysostome reports that the Love-Feasts of the Christians in the Primitive times consisted of divers Viands provided by a common purse and collation of which they took as much as would suffice the Communicants Diem solis laetitiae indulgemus Tertul Chrysost On the 1 Cor. Cap. 11. Hom. 27. and so celebrated the Lords Supper together which done they presently fell to the spare and slender chear entertaining and solacing themselves with spiritual and divine Colloquies And indeed here we have our pattern in the purest times The Golden Christians
of which was the grand and forcible attractive of Corpus hoc vinculum carcer est animae ex quo exire cupit sanctus esse cum Christo Hierom. Christs incarnation and death this darling of Heaven not enjoy one day but it must be retailed and canton'd into divers divisions Some parts of it must be spent in the labours of our Callings and some in solemn Duties in the publick Congregations and some in sports and delightful Recreations when the publick is over and some in private Duties if there be any time and this torn and rent Sabbath something like Joseph's Coat of many colours must be the Gen. 37. 3. onely morsel for the immortal soul But how irrational is it for the soul that better part of man which shall live as long Mat. 16. 26. as God himself to be straightned and pinnion'd to a few Vita carnis tuae anima est vita animae tuae deus est quomodo moritur caro amissâ animâ quae vita ejus est sic moritur anima amisso deo qui vita est ejus August hours It must not enjoy one whole day onely the leavings of our work and recreations the crumbs which fall from the bodies table Let the Christian who is solicitous of his souls eternal interest consider whether this pittance of time onely a few hours on a Sabbath be sutable to the vast and unlimited soul especially if we observe that the soul sways the body the body follows the condition of the soul and not the soul the estate of the body Labours are forbidden on the Sabbath much more Recreations That labours are prohibited the fourth Commandment is the pregnant testimony of now sports toys pastimes Melius est in Sabbato araro quam saltare Aug. Enar. in Tit. are of less avail then labours It is a memorable speech of Augustine Melius est in Sabbatho arare quam saltare It is better to plow then to dance upon a Sabbath Labours may bring in some Income so not sports there is a temporal profit and emolument in the one none in the other Concerning sports we may say that the Gamesters labour for that which is not bread there can be no supplies Isa 55. 1 2. from the breast of a recreation Pastimes are clouds without water Recreations more tempt and flatter the flesh then Labours do Toyle doth not pamper dancing hunting shooting do they are sun-shines which make the dunghill of mans heart reak with noysomness It was once the expostulation of a holy man worth the transcribing his words are these What shall I say of the Zeal of worldlings which may controule Mr. Greenham the security of our sins worldly men never seek for pleasure Vita in delitiis agens mors est umbra mortis quantum enim umbra propè est corpori cujus est umbra tantum pro certo vita illa voluptuario inferno appropinquat Bern. Serm. 48 in Cantic 15 James 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 52. whilst profit doth drop and so long as they may gain a penny how diligent are they they will not sport or play But the Sabbath is the market day of our souls where we should gather whilst the sun shines Here is profit and so there ought to be diligence and therefore we should lay aside pleasure and we should say what have we to do with Recreations any more yet how many neglect their pleasure for the world and we will not for heaven or our souls But after the publick Ordinances are over nay multitudes in the very time of publick Worship follow their sensual Recreations I was going to say Abominations It was a saying of King James Though without superstition Playes and lawful Games may be used in May and good Chear at Christmas yet alwayes provided that the Sabbath be kept holy and no unlawful pastime be then used And as a worthy and holy man observes No man can think Dr. B. upon that day to be so disordered as to follow his ordinary pleasures without great contempt of God and Man Vpon that holy day all sorts of men must utterly give over shooting hunting hawking bowling c. and they must no more deal with them then the Artificer with his Trade or the Husband-man with his Plow I shall shut up this particular with a pious Bp Hall of Exeter Contemp Lib. 17. Ejaculation of a Holy and Reverend Bishop who thus vents himself I wonder what these kind of men viz. those who bathe themselves in pleasures upon the Lords day will do when they come to Heaven if ever they come there where there is a continued Sabbatisme without intermission surely they will wish themselves on Earth again unless they keep a Sabbath better here below Do we not pray Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven there the Angels do nothing but praise God Do we hope to be like them in Glory and not endeavour to be like them in duty Our Heaven above is a continual Sabbath our Sabbath below should be a continued Heaven The Sabbath not the sports on the Sabbath should be our delight Recreations on the Sabbath are forbidden by all kind of Laws 1. By Divine Law viz. the fourth Commandment Requies requiritur in quarto Praecepto cōmendatur et ubique amatur sed illa requies in solo deo certa et sancta invenitur Aug. where Labours are expresly forbidden and sports are an equal if not a greater impediment to the duties of the Sabbath both publick and private the sweets of Recreation influencing the mind and withdrawing the heart much more then the sweats of Labour Surely if we must not toyle we must not trifle on Gods holy day 2. By the Law of Nature which requires a total abstinence from all works both of Labour and Pleasure during the time allotted and consecrated to Gods service publick Dies dominicus abipsis Apostolis sacris actionibus est consecratus Bucer and private But the Lords day is that time allotted we cannot work and worship both at once and if when we should worship we follow our pleasures or our profits Is not this to subordinate the Divine Will to mans Fancy 3. By the Law Political which requires a total resting from all kind of labour or diversion and applying our souls Edw. the 6th wholly and onely to Religious Exercises as the Statute of Act. Primo Carol. Primi King Edward the sixth of blessed memory a Law yet unrepealed That English Josiah the morning Sun of Reformation Ad Sabbathi rectam observationem duo requiruntur quies et quietis illius sanctificatio Ames med Theol. in England began early to confine the Sabbath to the two great designs of it Rest and Sanctity and in this he shewed himself to be Custos utriusque Tabulae a Keeper of both the Tables And indeed the enjoyning of the holy observance of Gods blessed day is a rare
Shall we prepare no more for a Sabbath that bright spot of time God gives us for our souls then for another day Will we approach the Princes presence with the same disregards we will converse with the Peasant Esther purified Est 2. 12. and perfumed her self with Oyle of Myrrh and sweet Odours before she came into the prefence of Ahashuerus and shall our Families have no holy anoynting no divine quickning before the day come we must enter the presence of the King of Kings nay the God of Kings Shall there be nothing to put a Selah upon a Sabbath Eve Let us take some time the evening before the Sabbath to teach our little ones the holiness and Solemnity of a Sabbath let us tell them how jealous God is of his Sabbaths what severe punishments he hath overtaken Deut. 6. 7. those with who have violated his holy day Let us Numb 15. 36. bring up our servants in the Holy Trade of Sabbath observation let us leave it upon their Consciences the night before the Sabbath how accurately and carefully God will be served on his own day and inform them what it cost Aarons Sons for offering strange fire Governours Lev. 10 3. of Families should take pains with those subordinate to them in begetting an awe upon their hearts and so fit them for Sabbath duties Surely we should more solemnly prepare for the day of the Soul then for the dayes of our Calling for the services of the Sanctuary then for the gains of the Shop God's day gives us a more solemn summons then mans day doth And now having thus prepared our selves in the discharge of the forementioned duties let us retire our selves to our rest and let the hand of faith draw the curtains about us and so quietly repose our bodies till the approaching Psal 4. 8. morning of Gods holy day and how that must be passed and solemnly observed comes next under our most serious discussion CHAP. XII It is most advised and necessary to rise early â—n Gods Holy Day DIvine providence unclasping our eyes in the morning of the Sabbath let us lose no time as we lye on our beds let us think now the Lord looks down from Heaven and bids us make haste get you up for this day I must Luke 19. 5. abide in your hearts and this day I must transact with you about the great importances of your souls 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 Gen. 22. 5 6. Isaac his Son with wood cleav'd for a burnt offering and went to the place of which the Lord had told him And shall not we on a Sabbath morning be early up our selves and our families to go to the place where the Lord hath appointed and offer up our bodies and souls in service to God The Israelites who lay in siege against Jericho upon the seventh Josh 6. 15. day they being to compass the City seven times the text saith And it came to pass 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 Upon the Lords day we are today siege to Heaven and to compass it many times and to plant our batteries by holy and invincible prayer and therefore we should be early up And there are two things which would much advantage this duty viz. rising early on the morning of the Sabbath First A timely going to rest the night before It is too common a fault among Christians and Professors too for them to clog themselves the night before the Sabbath with a multitude of worldly businâ—sses which causes them to sit up late hence in the morning when they should be up with God they lye sleep-bound in their beds Secondly An intire love to the work of the day that follows 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 run Pius se paritè◠velle jugiter deum mente animo geâ—ere illum colere illum desiderare tum nocte tum interdiu Alap upon the things we love We should think of the Sabbath even in the night time and we should catch the very 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 saith the Prophet to God Were we for several months kept without a Sabbath how would our spirits spring at such a days appearance Why should the Commonness of the Sun-shining Isa 26. 9. and the Sabbaths coming diminish the mercy 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 Now there are many Alarums to awaken us betimes on the morning of a Sabbath and to throw off carnal sloth and fleshly case Let us eye Christs pattern he rose early from the Grave even while it was yet dark before the Sun had guilded the World with its bright appearance On the morning of his Joh. 20. 1. Resurrection the Sun of Righteousness prevented the Sun of Mal. 4. 2. Mar. 16. 9. Nature Can we indulge our sloth on the Sabbath morning and think of Christs Resurrection He was up early to save us and shall not we be so to serve him shall not we take the wings of the morning as the Psalmist speaks and Psal 139. 9. retaliate this kindness of our Redeemer That Christ arose from the dead there was the truth of our redemption that he arose early there was the love of our redemption Christ's longing to arise and finish our work should enforce us to rise betimes to set upon his Job saith the morning stars sang Job 38. 7. together Our meeting with Christ on a Sabbath morning will make the sweetest musick When carnal sloth surpriseth us let us survey the History of Christ and as he left his tomb let us leave our down betimes Let not the Sun of Ortosâ—le i. e. ad orâ—um appropinquante Cyr. Righteousness shine in our faces with our curtains drawn about us May I not here expostulate Is the Disciple greater then his Master Betimes he left his lodging and shall not we The Master among us doth not usually rise before the Servants In a word Love to the Spouse to the Church made Christ betimes draw the curtains of his grave and let love to our Husband to our Duty to our Souls cause us betimes to draw the curtains of our beds so shall we seasonably Orientem solem adorant Persae adore this morning Sun Let us hear the clamours of the soul The Lords day is the souls market day the souls fair day its term time its Mr. Rogers busie opportunity for the
46. Thirdly God hath made his promises to the Assemblies of his Saints Mat. 18. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 16. He will not neglect a Mat. 18. 20. weeping Hannah who prays and sobs alone 1 Sam. 1. 13. but will give her not onely a Child but a Samuel But yet God will create upon the Assemblies of his people a cloud which was the sign of his presence Isa 4. 5. And Isa 4. 5. Fourthly The prayers of the faithfull Congregation receive Deus quasi columna ignis praefulget et ostendit suis viam salutis et quasi nubes caligâ—rosà obumbrat refrigerat et protegâ—t eos ab aellutentationis Basil Jon 2 7 8 9 10 strength from their union When all Niniveh intreated the Lord and put on sack-cloath God repents himself of that intended and threatned evil and puts his Sword into the scabbard though drawn by an open denuntiation of Judgement Jon. 2. 7 8 9 10. Prayer is the souls battery of Heaven and when these petitions are the common breathings of the whole Assembly the force must needs be the stronger and the answer must needs be the surer Though a file of Souldiers cannot take the City an Army may But Fourthly We must converse with our Families upon Gods holy day then Parents should draw out their softest bowells towards their Childrens souls and Masters discharge their most faithfull duty towards their Servants eternity But of this more hereafter We must rise early on a Sabbath for we have many good things to pursue and usually the richest lading requires the longest voyages where we look for great gain we must spend much time Now this holy day is Gods market day for the weeks provision wherein he will have us to come to him and buy of him without silver or money the Bread of Angels Rev. 22. 1. Isa 25. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 2. Rev. 3. 18. the Water of Life the Wine of the Sacraments and the Milk of the Word to feed our souls tryed Gold to inrich our Faith precious Eye-salve to heal our spiritual blindness and the white rayment of Christs Righteousness to cover our shamefull nakedness And now all things being laid together that hath been suggested how should both interest and duty awaken us right early on the Lords day for these holy pursutes that no time be drowned and lost in unnecessary sleep and sluggishness A fifth Argument to raise us betimes on a Sabbath is seriously to consider the heats of worldly men With what wakeful diligence do they prosecute the meat that perisheth John 6. 27. they rise up early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulness and all to grasp the shadow of a few flying and Psal 127. 2. dying enjoyments when as one saith we should be careful to rise sooner on this day then on other dayes by how much the service of God is to be preferred before earthly business There is no Master so good as the Lord is and in the end no work shall be better rewarded then his service Dr. Twisse Dr. Twisse Moral of the Sabbath 147. Reports that at Geneva they have a Sermon at four of the clock in the morning on the Lords day for the Servants and Bishop Lake wished That such a course was general as was in his Majesties Court in his time to have a Sermon in the morning for the Servants on the Sabbath day How did this holy man breath after holy Services on the morning of a Sabbath And let every one of us say seek the Lord O my Soul seek him early on his holy day Let us do as Mary Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. John 20. 1. Magdalen she was early up to seek him whom her soul loved she was last at the Cross and first at the Sepulcher in the dawning while it was yet dark very early in the morning say the Evangelists O that our love to Christ could keep pace with hers Shall we love the World better then Christ O that we were as wise for our souls as we are for our bodies Let not sleep that devourer of time beguile us of our golden hours in the morning of a Sabbath when we might have the softest and sweetest converseâ— with God Let the sinfull sluggard who sleeps with the Sun beams in his face this day remember the saying of Augustine If the August Sun could speak how roundly might it salute thee with this reproof I laboured more then thou didst yesterday and yet I am risen before thee to day But this is too low an Argument behold the Sun of Righteousness is risen let us not sleep as do others but say and sing with the Church Isa Isa 26. 9. Sanctus ad beatos aspirans dicit se velle jugiter deum mente et animo gerere illâ—m desiderare tam nocte tam interdiu Psal 139. 9. 26. 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early In a word it must needs inforce us to a blush to think that the Labourer who toyles in his earthly employments should take the wings of the morning to muddle in the World and we should let the morning fly away by our sloath and carelesness and not overtake it to meet with God upon his owne holy day And sixthly let it be considered the gracious soul will long to be with God The Spouse sought Christ upon her bed and the Saint will leave his bed betimes on a Sabbath to Cant. 3. 1. seek Jesus Christ the Spouse would pursue her beloved in Sponsa interim evigilans speciebus illis non satis discussis motu brachiis expansis spon sum complaecti conata fuit Del rio the night and the Saint will not omit to follow hard after the Lord Jesus in the morning as soon as she is awake she is with God especially on his own day Psal 139. 18. Our heart is where our treasure is as our Saviour speaks Luk. 12. 34. And if Christ be our treasure our spiritual love will prevail against our carnal sloath Let us take notice of holy David with what extasie of love he was transplanted Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry Psal 139. 18. Luk. 12. 34. and thirsty land where no water is Where there are thirsts after God there will be early enquiries for him The gracious Psal 63. 1. Soul pants after God as the Hart pants after the water brooks Now the thirsty Hart will not be so taken with Psal 42. 1 2. the green and pleasant Grass where she is lodged so as to forbear the brooks which must quench her thirst nor will the Saint be so toyled and fettered with sleep or sloath so as Psal 122. 1. to suspend his communion with God on his holy Sabbath he will tear those drowsie wit hs his
most exact in his wisdom and knowledge He understands humanam et Angeliâ—â—m scientiâ—m Primò Ratione Objecti Deus cogâ—oscit omnia praeâ—eâ—ta praesentia et futura Seâ—undò Ratione modi deus omnia every thing as it is an object of knowledge fully and perfectly he is comprehensive of every vein and artery of all things possibly to be known he fully knows the nature of Angels every faculty of mans soul every thought of mans heart every muscle and vein of mans body c. But poor man sees things onely in the twi-light his knowledge is both shart and superficial God understands not things by their species and effects as man doth but by his own essence which is the most clear glass he seeth all things in Man knows things extrinsically cognoscit perfectissime Tertiò ratione medii non per species out effectus sed per essentiam suam and a posterioni as they lye open to his senses and by that portal make way to his understanding God understands all things presently without any dilatory view or long debate but in an instant by the glance of his eye he sees all things before him But man attains his knowledge by study care and painfulness and usually great clarissime omnia videt et cognoscit Qâ—artò ratione celeritatis c. knowledge accompanies gray hairs and he usually beats out knowledge with difficulty with reasonings pro and con and his conclusions suppose premises the method of his attainment being syllogistical God knows all things certainly and assuredly and those things too which in themselves are most uncertain and contingent he knew whether the inhabitants of Keilah would 1 Sam. 23. 12. deliver up David or no a most contingent thing 1 Sam. 23. 12. and of which David was wholly ignorant though one of Gods endeared ones but Mans knowledge is floating and wavering and for the most part opinionative and conjectural God knows all things from Eternity when Man lay only in the womb of a decree before he was born or produced in the world the knowledge of God had its rise Psal 102. 24. before time it self was fledged or could spread its wing Gods knowledge is subject to no change or variation it is alwayes the same and is never either in the increase or the decrease but Mans knowledge is both subject to flushes and abatements and may be impaired not onely by ignorance but forgetfulness Gods knowledge may be compared to the Sun which alwayes shineth on us with the same rayes of brightness Eclipses onely excepted But the knowledge of Man is like the Moon which hath both its increase and its wains besides innate spots which are the emblems and hierogliphicks of darkness and deformity The knowledge of God is the cause of all things which have an existence First God knows all creatures in his own incomprehensible wisdom and then he gives them a being by the creating power of his Word He first sees them in the glass of his essence and then blows them into a being and existence by the breath of his mouth by his commanding Word But mans knowledge speaks something of observation but nothing of production God creates the object Man onely takes the prospect Gods knowledge is infinitely larger and more copious then that of the creature He knows Angels Men Animals c. and whatever may be presented to knowledge and intelligence But alas there is a darkness upon our deep Our understanding Gen. 1. 2. is like some little beauty covered with a vail like Hoc tantùm scio quod nihil scio a twinkling star wrapt up in a cloud something of knowledge we pretend to but the smoake of our ignorance dims the light of our small pretences and makes it duskish and onely break of day But the great God not onely hath but is great wisdom And he giveth wisdom to the wise Dan. 2. 21. Solomons Dan. 2. 21. wisdom which made him the Non-such of mankind 2 Chro. 1. 10. was onely some reflexive light which the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. cast upon him In the works of Creation Gods infinite Jam. 1. 5. wisdom was manifested for so saith the Psalmist Psal 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom 1 Kings 4. 29. hast thou made them all In the great work of mans redemption Jam. 1. 17. by Christ the glorious wisdom of God was discovered Psal 104. 24. how many curious threads of inextricable wisdom run throw Rev. 5. 12. that whole work The Apostle calls the wise contrivance of Eph. 1. 8. our redemption manifold wisdom Eph. 3. 10. Wisdom in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3. 10. all its varieties and embroyderies indeed in that blessed work appeared stupendious wisdom But in a word God is wise originally not by communication from another but of himself Our wisdom is but a ray communicated Solus deus à seipso et per essentiam sapiens est qui eam per fidem nobis manifestavit Anselm from the father of lights Jam. 1. 17. The knowledge of Angels is onely a beam or a spark of the divine light God teacheth Princes wisdom 1 Kings 3. 28. he teacheth Senatours wisdom Psal 105. 22. The judgement of the Court and the prudence of the Council are both from him he giveth that wisdom which giveth life to continue our being Eccles 7. 12. He giveth that wisdom which giveth Eccles 2. 19. strength to carry out our being Eccles 7. 19. He giveth that Eccles 2. 12. wisdom which giveth wealth to sweeten our being Prov. 16. Prov. 16. 16. 16. He giveth that understanding which secures the soul Prov. 19. 8. which is the being of our being Prov. 19. 8. and the wisdom Prov. 21. 30. of God beareth down all other wisdom Prov. 21. 30. As the Sun out-shines the Glow-worm or the light of it puts out the fire-light God is wise essentially We must not understand God to be wise as if wisdom made him wise as it happens among the creatures in them wisdom is a separable quality but Non ex sapientiâ sapiens deus sed ex sapiente deo sapientia procedit Orig. Gods wisdom is himself and himself is his wisdom As Origen well observes Wisdom doth not give a Name to God but God gives a Being to wisdom The perfections of the Creature are like the gilding which may be laid upon vessels of Rom. 16. 27 wood or stone the matter is one thing and the varnish and ornament is another but the perfections of God are like a vessel made of pure beaten Gold where the matter and the splendour or adorning is the same God is infinitely wise His wisdom is unlimited and incomprehensible God manageth the affairs of the whole world visible and invisible he takes care for all things from the Ant Job 6. 5. to the Angel Nothing so small as to escape his
break the hardness of mans heart the love of God can heal Rom. 12. 2. Formam vitae spiritualis induantus Forma enim constantior est et interior et ad substantiam pertineâ— Chrysost natures kill lusts plant graces change hearts convert stubborn sinners and accomplish whatsoever is strange and glorious If God love thee he will conform thee to his will and carry thee through all the hazzards and difficulties of this life and never leave thee till he hath lodged thee in his own bosome It is an omniscient love God sees from eternity the waywardness and obstinacy of those whom he chooseth to salvation Eph. 1. 4. and yet the force of his love is not overcome by that foreseen petulancy but he in time removes it and mans unworthiness puts grace upon a greater attempt but no way Dilexit deuâ— quos praescivit fore ingratos immo hostos suos drives God to a sentence of neglect or rejection Indeed here is the wonder of Gods love he from eternity sees us a mass of corruption and sin and yet no discouragement withstands or weakens his love but in due time he beautifies his chosen ones and loves them everlastingly for their comliness and beauty he foresees all disengagements but decrees to remove them It is a just love God loves not but where he sees something lovely Indeed the duties of sinners are distastfull to Isa 1. 13. Prov. 28. 9. Job 1. 1. Psal 7. 10. Psal 112. 2. Prov. 15. 8. God But God loves the Saints because of their uprightness The wise man saith The upright in their way are the delight of the Lord Prov. 11. 20. The curious work of grace in the heart of a Saint pourtrayed with so much wonder and drawn with so much exactness by the pencil of the divine spirit is a beauty God is pleased with and fixeth his love upon and doth evidentially declare that though he is free yet he is most just in his favour and affection CHAP. XVIII God is much to be admired in his Works of Creation LEt us meditate in the morning of the Lords day on the works of the Lord. David was much busied in this contemplation Psal 77. 12. He usually took his views and Psal 77. 12. Psal 143. 9. prospects of the beautifull issues of creating power which are the evidences of the wisdom goodness and almightiness of the Great Creatour How doth the Psalmist in the beginning of the nineteenth Psalm fall into the admiration Psal 19. 1 2 3 4 5. of the heavens that bespangled Court where God took up his eternal abode and residence How is Davids prospect checkerd and delighted with beholding the firmament which is embroydered with stars that large branch which holds those twinkling tapers which enlighten the world in the Psal 8. 4. Est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ob ornatu appellatus tota haec pulchra machina quod eâ nihil sit Ornatius et pulchrius non tam propter pulchras rerum formas formosamque coeli faciem et splendidissimam lucem quam etiam propter pulcherrimam totius mundi rerumque omnium inter se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quatenus à deo creantur et reguntur Zanch. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Job 28. 4 5 6. Si quis varia motuum genera circularem rectum obliquum et alias temporum vicissitudines et distinctiones in momenta horas menses annos si quis attento animo omnia haec contemplatur et perpendet poterit faciliùs sentire nihil hâ—c mundi machinâ pulchrius night-season And in the eighth Psalm especially in the fourth verse David goes down stairs into the lower room of the Earth and there he contemplates on man that Microcosme the world bound up in a lesser volumn and how doth he enlarge his wondring thoughts on this Vice-Roy of God Man who is the Vniverse contracted And in these meditations let the Psalmist be our pattern for meditation on Gods works becomes the blessed Sabbath In that Psalm whose title is a Psalm for the Sabbath viz. the ninety second David begins it with holy admiration of Gods works in the world Psal 92. 5. And truly it is a dishonour to a workman to manifest abundance of skill and ingenuity and none to take notice of his workmanship for a Limner to draw a rare piece and no eye to admire his Artifice to draw the curtain from before the Picture and to observe its Curiosities God hath his mighty works to be remembred and wondered at It is said of Pythagoras that he lived sequestred from men in a Cave for a whole Year together that he might meditate on the abstruse points of Phylosophy On the Lords day let us take some time to ponder the infinite perfections which appear in the operations of Gods hand Alas the choicest works of man compared to the smallest works of God are but as the childrens houses of cards or dirt compared to the loftiest Courts or the stateliest Palaces of the world The Lilly hath more magnificence and beauty in it then Solomon in all his glory Mat. 6. 29. Solomon was not so gorgeous in his richest Attire as the Lilly in its beautifull colour and blush The meanest of Gods works hath more rarity and wonder in it then Archites his wooden Dove which was soequally poysed with its own weight that it hung firm in the Air without falling or Archimedes his Horology wherein the motions of the Sun Moon and Stars were so lively depainted There is so much of God appearing in the Heavens that many have taken them for a God and gave them divine worship The Persians adore the rising Sun and admire the daily visit of that glorious body which they think little less then a Deity When we meditate on the works of God we have a large field here our souls may wander from Sea to Land from Earth to Heaven from Time to Eternity yea we may walk upon the Sun Moon and Stars and enter into Heaven it self the Paradise of God Every Creature we cast our eye upon on the blessed Sabbath should be a flower to refresh our Meditations we should now feed our Graces by our Senses and the meditation on created beings should conduct us to Christ When we look upon the Sun we should look up to Christ the Sun Mal. 4. 2. Numb 24. 17. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Joh. 10. 7. Eph. 1. 22. Isa 61. 10. Rev. 15. 3. Joh. 14. 6. Joh. 1. 1. Joh. 6. 51. Gal. 2. 20. of Righteousness every star may mind us of the star of Jacob that bright morning star when we look on our houses Christ is the door when we look on our bodies Christ is our head when we look upon our cloaths Christ is the garment of Salvation when we look upon our friends and relations Jesus Christ is our husband Cant. 2. 16. our Friend Joh. 15. 10. our Beloved Cant. 4. 16. our King Rev. 15. 3. If we walk he
interitum ruinam and words but he appoints the ends of wicked men What ever glory bespangles their passage yet shame and confusion shall be their end Prov. 16. 4. They are fitted for destruction both by their own sin and Divine Justice which will not be always dallied with The wicked who here rise up in Mat. 25. 41. Pride and opposition shall at last go down into Hell and Exod. 14. 27 28. damnation Psal 9. 17. What fatal and tragical ends have over-taken insolent and unbounded sinners Pharaoh drowned Hest 7. 10. by a wave Haman strangled by a cord Jezabel dasht in 2 Kings 9. 33. pieces by a fall and proud persecuting Herod eaten up by a worm and Gods vâ—â—se and wonderful providence shines forth Acts 12. 23. in all their â—xâ—cutions the finger of God not only hastned Rom 9 â—2 but specified their dispatch Nay the foot-steps of Gods providence are seen in the most minute and inconsiderable things of the world He numbers Ab ipsis soltis arborum â—tque flosculiâ— providentià suâ— ad imaâ—sâ—â—pâ—rtiâ—g â— Deus Plotin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnia disponuntur omnia ad suos dâ—ducuntur sines tandem â—d ultimum qui est gloria Dei Probrum non est ea fecisse multâ— minus facta dirigere nec sic humilis est qui ad humilia attendit nec altissimè habitare cessat qui dâ—mississimè prâ—sp cit Leid Prof. Quis disposuit membra culicis aut pulicis ut habeant ordinem suum vitam suam Aug. our hairs Mat. 10. 30. and not one of them shall shed without a providence he keeps the Sparrows those little worthless birds which feed mans ear not his belly and not one of them falls to the ground without a providence Mat. 10. 29. He guided the bow which slew the King of Israel 1 Kings 22. 24. He caused the Iron to swim to evidence both his power and his providence 2 Kings 6. 6. He takes care of Oxen 1 Cor. 9. 9. and provides meat for the young Lions Psal 104. 21. those Beasts of prey whose Dens are their slaughter-house and the Forrest serves only for their destructive range The eyes of all wait upon God Psal 145. 15. And he lays in their provision God prepared the goard to râ—frâ—sh Jonah and God prepared the worm to destroy the goard Ion. 4. 6 7. To such minute things the providence of God stoopeth God sees to the bringing forth of the wild Goats and to the calving of the hinds Iob 39. 3. and when they are brought forth God sees to their growth and good liking Iob 39. 4. God takes notice of humane contracts who borrows who lends Deut. 28. 12. and his precious ones shall lend and not borrow God by his providence quiets the Beasts of the field disciplines and keeps under the fowls of the Heaven and stills the creeping things of the earth from rising Hos 2. 18. That as the greatest things cannot disannual so the least things cannot escape the providence of God As Gods providence is seen in the conservation of all things in their beings so in the direction of all things in their actions Deus singularem rorum quarum cunque providentiam habet Chrysost Nihil planè in mundo est quod ante mundi constitutionem non suerit à dei praescientiâ praevisum à dei voluntate praeordinatum The enmity of Joseph's Brethren is directed by God to the promotion of Joseph's person and therefore Joseph saith Gen. 50. 20. That providence was ordered by God He was sent into Aegypt by a barbarous sale but God brought him into Aegypt by a gracious hand The Jews in their rage bring Christ unto the Cross but God in his love makes that the way to bring us to the Crown they shed and we are washed in the same blood Rev. 1. 5. Nebuchadnezzar in his fury marches against Jerusalem to revenge himself against a perfidious and fedifragous people but he onely executes Gods design to captivate a rebellious Nation Jer. 6. 22. Ier. 10. 22. And therefore God calls that proud Prince his Servant Jer. 25. 9. Jer. 27. 6. He onely did the drudgeries of Divine displeasure Man may bring the Instrument but God playeth what tune he pleaseth God over-rules the most inconsiderable and smallest things to bring about the most material and important effects The Gen. 39. 18 19 20. unridling of a dream promotes Joseph to be the second man in Aegypt A lye throws Joseph into prison and a dream Gen. 41. 14. brings him out God over-rules the most contingent and casual things to bring about the most certain and infallible events 1 Kings 1 Kings 22. 24 22. 24. It was Gods hand guided the arrow to make good the prophesie of holy and faithful Micah God can over-rule the very sins of wicked men for gracious and excellent events so the persecution of the Church Sanguis martyrum est semen ecclesiae of Christ is for the increase of the Kingdom of Christ As black lines beautifie the Picture and set it off the more Wicked men bring Martyrs to the stake and the stake becomes a pulpit wherein the Gospel is propagated It is very observable what the wise man takes notice of Man in his own heart is full of contrivances Prov. 16. 9. several Prov. 16. 9. Rerum omnium exitus in manu dei est Lingua non exâ—licarâ— potest sine providentiâ dei linguâ—m dirigentis Zanch. things roule up and down in his mind but at last all his wayes are directed by God they hit the mark at which God levels so that the heart cannot devise nor the tongue speak any thing which is not guided by God to fulfil his purpose The Prophet Jeremy asserts Jer. 10. 23. That the way of man is not in himself it is not in man who walketh to direct his steps Every way of man is byassed by the guidance of 2 Kings 6. 19. the Almighty to arrive at that end which God hath determined Prov. 21. 1. Nothing is in our power as Zanchy well observes but Deus flectit omnium hominum voluntates quocurque vult August Omnia ducuntur ad finem à deo determinatum sâ—â—ientissimè et justissâ—rè ad ipsius gloriam Leid Prof. all our wayes works and words depend wholly upon the providence of God Kings of all persons are the most Arbitrary yet their heart which is the most arbitrary part of Kings is in Gods hand and is turned and disposed as the rivers of wâ—ters and run into what channel the Lord pleaseth Princes themselves are not so swayed by their volatile fancies or imperious lusts but that all their counsels tend to and all their proceedings end in what God hath designed the very traces and windings of all their roving progresses center and are fixed in Gods determinate purpose Gods providence is seen in the deduction of all things to their appointed ends
saith Mat. 20. 16. and therefore but few Saints in the world That which speaks the work of grace arbitrary is the free-agency of God in sanctification of the means of grace The Gospel of Christ is a savour of life unto some unto others a 2 Cor. 2. 16. Joh. 6. 67 68. Acts 13. 48 50 savour of death The Word it melts and mollifies some others it leaves to hardness and incrustation When Christ preach't some leave him but his Disciples adher'd the closer to him When the Apostles preached some believed others persecute both the Doctrine and the Preacher The Ordinances of Christ are marrow and fatness to David Psal Praedicatio crucis et mortis Christi est odor mortis incredulis et cedit in eorum exitium qui mortem Christi ut mortem tantummodò considerant sed credentibus est odor ex vitâ quia ipsi vitam ex haâ— morte amplectuntur 63. 5. more then necessary food to Job Job 23. 12. But to others they have no tast no sweetness no power no reach to affect the heart When Paul and Barnabas preached at Iconium their Doctrine onely stirs up rage and passion Acts 14. 2. Like a high wind which turns the waves of the Sea into froth The preaching of the word is a cure to some and a curse to others to some it strengthens their grace to others it amplifies their guilt some fall before it as the word of salvation Acts 16. 29. others reject it and so dash upon eternal perdition The word indeed is a light to some and to others onely a stumbling block as God is pleased to pass by or work by his holy spirit Ordinances they are attended by man but sanctified by God The Word works unnaturally Eph. 4. 16. Joh. 3. 19. Prov. 16. 1. Eph. 3. 7. upon the Jews Acts 7. 54. pleasingly upon Herod Mark 6. 20. most powerfully upon Lydia Acts 16. 14. fully and effectually upon Paul Acts 9. 5. And thus the Gospel which is onely an instrument in Gods hand works variously and differently according to the pleasure and free agency of his will That the work of grace is arbitrary is evidenced in the impossibility of humane merit We cannot prepare our selves Natura corrupta est et lex morbum ostendit non sanat vos autem meritum nescio quod excogitastis quod mul 〈…〉 â—â—lutem 〈…〉 endam â—â—â—eat Whit. Qâ—i dignitate â—iâ—tationis hereditariae nituntur multò sunt verae pietatis studiosiores quam qui â— servorum merito riâ virtute dependent Mort. Epis Dunelm contra Merita for the entertainment of this work of the holy spirit there is no meritum ex condigno or meritum ex congruo as the Papists fondly imagine and our Protestant Divines have fully evinced When God first begins his work of grace upon the soul he finds nothing but ruines and rubbish no remains of beauty The spirit of God meets with a great deal of enmity Rom. 8. 7. and boysterous opposition much wrigling and reluctancy of the flesh All the powers of man are up in arms against this blessed work It is therefore only Gods free and eternal love which prompts him to carry on this powerful work One observing that of the Apostle Our carnal mind is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. By carnal mind saith he is not to be understood sensuality the dregs the lees and the whites of nature but our natural wisdom our most refined part nature in its best condition even Lady reason it self unsanctified and therefore the work of grace must needs be arbitrary there is nothing to allure it nothing to engage God to effect it wrinkles will not stir up love The wise man saith Prov. 16. 1. The preparations of the heart are of the Lord Observe preparations in the plural number to shew us that every little wheel in the work of grace is moved Prov. 16. 1. and turns by power from God every good tendency Vita nostrae animae maximè beata à deo pendet et donatur dei amicis every regular propension every breathing and anhelation after good is implanted in us by God who is liberrimum agens as the school-men speak most free and arbitrary in all his works and dispensations This further is demonstrated by the ineffectualness of all mans attempts to arrive at a state of grace and holiness There are many things bid fair for this holy work but they all Tollitur cooperatio liberi arbitrii interior volentis exterior currentis et totum opus bonum est dei miserentis et gratiae operantis Calv. bring onely to the birth they cannot bring forth the least semblance of it all turn into a timpany at last Good Education holy Patterns sweet Ordinances precious Sabbaths these may contribute something to an outward restraint from evil but they beget not the Saint without the admirable work of divine grace The holy spirit must overshadow the soul and so beget Christ in it That holy thing the new birth is the product of the Eternal and Almighty spirit we cannot ascribe the New creature to any thing in Rom. 9. 16. man for creature implies a work of creation which onely is to be attributed to an infinite power Thus most evidently the Apostle Rom. 9. 16. It is not of him who wills nor of him who runs but of God who sheweth mercy Mans fairest colours are but paint they may counterfeit but are not true beauty Let us meditate on the morning of a Sabbath on the secrefie of the work of grace It is a sweet but a spiritual work indeed Vita sanctorum obscondita est quia sancti à mundi cupiditatâ—bus et mundarâ conversatione se abstrahunt et abscondunt Anselm it is admirable but most frequently indisecruable this blessed work is like a river under ground like a star behind a cloud the world cannot see it they look upon the Saints as the onely troublers of Israel Holy Paul was called a seditious fellow Acts 24. 5. The Apostles were called intemperate men filled with new wine Acts 2. 13. Nay Christ himself was called Beelzebub and a friend of publicans and sinners though he had the spirit above measure John 3. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epic. The world understands not the Saints Shibboleth Nay often the Saint himself is at a loss whether this work be Mundus non agnoscit aliquid spirituale in filâ—is dei Dav. wrought in him or no He often wants the lively and vivid sense of the spirit of God he many times is so clouded with afflictions battered with temptations disturbed Heb. 11. 37 38. with the hurries of the world dazled with sensual flatteries Col. 3. 3. and benighted with desertion that he can scarce see any day light of grace by the least cranny of observation or experience How doth David cry out that the spirit had taken Cum sentiant sancti insehanc vitam spiritualem
memoranda primum et praeciâ—â—â—um est benefiâ—ium creationis quod commemoratur in sanctificatione Sabbati Aquin. Prima Secundae Quest 100. Artic. 5. transcendent Majesty in that magnificent Pallace of the Heavens which he hath prepared and furnished for himself where he sends forth his light and makes it his covering and the clouds are his triumphal Chariots Psal 104. 2 3. Sixthly In this great work is manifest Gods absolute perfection in imparting to the creatures all their several perfections which must needs be in a far more eminent degree in him who gave them And indeed this illustrious work is the strong motive to all Gods Creatures to Adore Worship Love Fear Serve Reverence and Obey this great Jehovah and to Depend Rest Trust and submit themselves to him alone But the glory of this work of Creation will yield a more amazing splendor if we look on it In its Antiquity It is the most ancient of all Gods visible works Deut. 4. 32. Mat. 13. 19. Rev. 3. 14. and that In principio deâ—â—â—reavit c. In hac voce non Authorem tantùm sed exordinum mundi judicat Moses Par. Gen. 1. 1. which is most ancient is most honourable Jer. 18. 15. Dan. 7. 9. This great and stupendous work is now some six thousand years standing it is the primitive essay of his power who is the ancient of days Time seems to shed a Veneration upon it The first Creation was the Cradle of the world its infancy which nothing did precede but the Being of a God who is from all eternity In its universality The work of Creation is the most general and extensive of all Gods works extending to Angels Men Sun Moon Stars nay to the Sparrow on the 1 Kings 4. 33. house top to the fly in the air and to the hysop on the Wall it transcends the bounds of Solomon's Philosophy to give us a Tract of all the Vegetables the Bruits and Rationals Bonum eò melius quò communius which God created when he set upon this glorious work And here that politick axiom is most true That which is good the more general the more grateful And therefore Philo the Jew in his Tract of the Workmanship of the World stiles the Sabbath which is the Festival in Memory Phil. suo de Opisicio Mundi of the Creation a Feast not of one people or of one Region but the universal festivity of all Nations which Festival alone deserves the name of popular In its goodness and untainted purity God at the first created all things very good perfect pure and excellent Gen. 1. 31. Nay man himself after his own image in holiness true righteousness Gen. 1 25 26. integrity and perfection without sin corruption Eccl. 7. 27. or obliquity The work of Creation at first was wholly unblemished Eph. 4. 24. there was no wrinckle upon the face of the Universe every creature was fair in its kind Mans sin put poyson into the Toad put rage into the Wolf put Briers and Gen. 3. 17. Thorns into the Earth put spots into the Moon nay withering into the flowers of the field and decays into the Omnes creaturae vehementem aversionem habent itâ— ut si haberent sensum gemerent ut parturientes iâ—lque ab exordio mundi lapsus hominis usque nunc trees of the forrest and veiled the face of nature with the black veil of uncomeliness And that the whole Creation groans as the Apostle affirms Rom. 8. 22. it is from those sick fits and distempers which mans sin hath cast it into When the air infects us the heat and the cold doth annoy us the earth disappoints us and yields no increase from whence is this vanity Even from our selves from ours and our first parents sin Man in sinning commits two evils as the Prophet speaks in another case he presses God Amos 2. 13. Jer 2 13. And he burdens the creature nay alters the world from its primitive loveliness when beauty was the taking blush of every Being In the rarity and eminency of some creatures more especially How glorious are the Angels those Courtiers of Heaven 1 Kings 13. 18. 1 Kings 19. 5. Dan. 6. 22. 2 Chr. 32. 21. those friends of the Bridegoom mans elder Brethren Psal 5. 8. Those Chariots of God Psal 68. 17. Those Guardians of believers Psal 91. 11. who are decked and adorned Quid murmuras caro misera quid recalcitras quid omninò invides si fueris corpus humilitatis reformabit idem Artifâ—x qui formavit Bern. with excellency who excell in strength Psal 103. 20. who excel in holiness Mark 8. 38. who excel in all the fruitions of joy and happiness Mat. 18. 10. Rev. 5. 11. Rev. 7. 12. who excel in splendor and glory Luke 24. 23. And how glorious was the humane nature of Christ how spotless precious pure chrystaline yet a creature His soul how undefiled Heb. 4. 15. His body how glorious Phil. 3. 21. How did the divine Nature glorifie the humane in its stupendious and grateful acceptation of it I might adde how glorious is the glistering Sun the amiable Moon the twinkling Stars which put the night out of its blackest melancholy Let onely this be subjoyned that without the work of Creation there could be no work of Redemptiâ—nâ— the chief end of which is to restore us to that felicity happiness and enjoyment which man in his first Creation both did and had he persevered in that estate should have enjoyed and possessed Now one principal end of the Sabbath Gen. 2 â— is to commemorate this glorious work that as God when he had finished it took up his rest Gen. 2. 3. So man when he beholds it should take up his rest and keep a weekly Sabbath to the Lord. There is a political end of the Sabbath viz. The refreshment and recreative breathing of the outward man a relaxation â—ùm deus sex dâ—â—râ—m spacio 〈…〉 absoluisset septiâ—um diem quiete suâ sanctum reddere voluit Riv. of the body from the pains and toil of the week and therefore the Sabbath is called a rest It is said of God himself that on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Exod. 31. 17. And how much more doth poor man stand in need of rest and refreshment Death indeed fairly unpins our tabernacle of clay folds it up and lays it in the grave but too much labour tears it down mans body is taken down Psal 116. 7. by death is thrown down by too much toil therefore the Deus non tantum Creator sed conservator est Creaturarum Leid Prof. wearisom labours of the week must be allayed by the rest of the Sabbath The very name of a Sabbath signifies nothing but rest strongly to argue that that holy day was appointed for mans relaxation from the hurries of the world and the sweats of the week The Sabbath is a rest to the
the Saints onely God verily gives us this day for sâ—ul work then we hear the word which is the food of the soul Job 23. 12. then we pursue greater measures of grace which is the beauty of the Soul then we look after thâ— Mat. 13. 47 48. pearl of price the Lord Jesus Christ which is the riches of the soul then we poure out our prayers which Mic. 6. 3. 2 Pet. 1. 19. are the â—ent of the soul and then we follow after spiritual knowledge which is the â—aystâ—r arising in the soul The School men welâ— obsâ—â—ve that the injunction of the fourth Commandment is abstinâ—nce from servile works but the end of the command is spiritual duty and holiness The design of the Sabbath was never principally the case of the flesh but the labour of the heart the hearts of serious Christians then working like Bees in the Garden drawing honey from the flowers of every Ordinance There is a significative end of the Sabbath it signifies a three-fold rest Sabbatum praecipitur Judaeis ob triplicem rationem 1. Propter avaritiam ut vacentur divinis 2. Ne errent circa creationem 3 Vt significet triplicem quietâ—m 1. Christi in sepulchro 2. Mâ—ntis à pecâ—atis 3. Beatorum in patriâ Aquin. First The Sabbath in the time of the Law signified Christs rest in the grave When our Saviour having run through the toyles and sorrows of the world lay down in his dormitory of dust for three days and there both Christ and the Jewish Sabbath lay asleep together onely with this difference the legal Sabbath took its last sleep and awoke no more but our dearest Lord after a short repose awaked in his blessed and glorious resurrection and went to sleep no more But the expiration of the Old Sabbath being fully accomplished at Christs burial Secondly The Gospel Sabbath arises as a Phoenix out of the ashes of the other nor is it defective in its signification but implies and signifies our rest from sinfull as well as secâ—lar works Indeed sin is a default on other dayes but it is Vtrisque verò gravias peccant qui otio Sabbati â—bâ—tuntur ad suas cupiditates Aug. a prodigy on the Lords day then our bodies must not only rest from toyle but our hearts from trespass and from its sinfull traverses Augustine observes That they sin at the greatest rate of offence who abuse the leisure of the Sabbath to pursue their lusts and unlawful desires And the Schoolmen note That they who are only idle upon the Sabbath break only the fourth Commandment but those who are prophane Qui solùm ab opere servili cessant omninò peccant sed qui sequuntur suas cupiditates et libidines non solùm violant quartum sed alia transgrediuntur mandata Altissiod upon that day sin with greater obstinacy and violate other Commands their excesses and intemperance swell into the highest guiltiness What Moses in his passion did in breaking the two Tables in pieces Exod. 32. 19. Prophane persons upon a Sabbath seem to imitate and out-vy We enjoy leisure on Gods holy day but it is for divine worship we must rest but it must be in God and not lean on our couch in ease and slothfulness but we must lean on our beloved in holy and fiducial services Thirdly Our blessed Christian Sabbath further signifies Cant. 8. 5. the Saints rest in glory The present Sabbath is onely the pawn and the first fruits of a better rest to come Here the Josh 18. 7. Saints like the Tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half Necessum est dicere quod David aliam tertiam quandam requiem intellexerit puta in coelo aeternam quae nobis Christianis quavis aetate proponitur tertiam inquam requiem quae per duas praecedentes scil per requiem Sabbati et requiem in terrâ Canaan anagogicè fuit significata Alap Vltrà hunc mundum est veri Sabbati observatio Orig. Tribe of Manassah are on this side Jordan they are not yet come to Canaan Believers indeed enjoy Communion with Christ here but they are not arrived at their perfect rest in the heavenly Canaan where they shall enjoy Christ in a full fruition The present Sabbath is the twilight the dawning of that which is to come it is the morning dew of love which being melted away we shall come into the warm bosome of Christ to keep an everlasting Sabbath We are by our weekly rest lead by the hand to take notice of our perfectly complacential and undisturbed rest that which Origen calls The true Sabbath and Chrysostome calls the true Rest not that our Sabbath here is counterfeit but truth and vâ—rity is ascribed to our Sabbath above as it is attributed to the God of the Sabbath by way of greater glory and more unlimited eminency There is a light in the Candle but the light of the Sun is more transcendent and illustrious Flaviacensis observes that our future Sabbath is the Sabbath of Sabbaths because the Saints rest is begun only here but consummated in every lineament in the Kingdom of glory the Elect shall rest in every part in soul in body from disturbance from all afflictions labours miseries temptations Tertia est requies quae est verè quies scil regnum caelorum quod assecuti verè quiescunt à laboribus afflictionibus Chrysost no evil One to tempt no evil heart to seduce Hesychius calls our future Sabbath our rest in Heaven an intelligible rest as if the soul did never fully understand its rest and quietation till it took up its abode in the bosome of Christ CHAP. XXIV A Collation and Comparison of the Jewish with the Christian Sabbath OUr Meditation on the morning of Gods holy day having Exod. 16. 23. Exod. 35. 2. Rev. 1. 10. passed through the several ends of the Sabbath it may a little look back and compare the Jews seventh day and the Christians first day together their Sabbath and our Lords day and much delight will flow from both to refresh our meditations And here we may compare the legal and the Evangelical Sabbath both in their agreements and in their differences for when they do not sound the same tune yet they yield the same and sweet harmony The Jewish and the Christian Sabbath agree in this they are both the seventh part of the week though the duties Dies septimus non propter numerum septenarium aut utiquam propter ipsius qualitatem sed quoniam saâ—â—tae erat quieti consecratus à domino ideòque pro sancto habendus est sanctis actibus meditationibus sanctisicondus Musc of our Sabbath be of a sweeter tast yet they are not of a longer duration The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jom of the Hebrews is as long as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hemera of the Christians the Lords day is a day and no more and so was the Jews Seventh day both contain
the space of twenty four hours Indeed the quarrel is not concerning the tale but concerning the trading of the hours of our Sabbath the time is the same both under the Law and in Gospel times but as God complained of the Jews for their Sabbath pollution Exod. 20. 13. so may he complain of Christians too for their Sabbath-prophanation The controversie did never rise from the length of the day but the feud arises from the abuse of the day when that time which is destinated to holy service is prostituted to secular toyle or sinfull practice How many among us Christians have curtailed Gods holy day have impt it and shortned that golden season by an untimely throwing off holy dayes and setting to sports and pastimes those panders of Mal. 4. 2. lust and vanity They have chased away the Sun of Righteousness from our Horizon too soon and have made a difference between the Jewish Sabbath and ours which God never made viz. they have made our Sabbath shorter then theirs The Lord by his Apostles in the New Testament Exod. 31. 13. Lev. 19. 30. hath altered the day from the seventh to the first but never the time from a longer to a shorter duration Surely much guilt and blame-worthiness must fall upon them who Nehem. 9. 18. shut up the Church doors and the Sabbath together and Sanciri denuò et commendari observationem Sabbati omnes vident Riv. when the publick is over then all is over as if the service of Christ was so cheap and so inconsiderable as it could not run parallel with the sacrifices of the Law which were both morning and evening on the Sabbath the intervals Numb 28. 9 10. being likewise spent in holy and divine worship for so expresly runs the Command The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord Deut. 5. 14. not some few houts but the whole day The Lord in Lev. 19. 3. espouseth the fourth and the fifth Commandments together as if they were both one flesh Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God God unites these precepts as if they were equally natural and it was as great a crime to pollute Gods Sabbath as to offer affronts to our natural parents the greater then is their crime who mangle Gods Sabbath and tear away a great part of it to fling it to their lusts or their laziness The Jewish Sabbath and the Christian agree in this both commemorate some renowned benefit The Jews in Sabbatum Mosaicum institutum fuit ut perpetuum memoriale articuli de Creatione extaret et ut monumentum esset liberationis ex servitute Aegypti et gratiarum actionis deo debitae pro quiete a laboribus quos in Aegypto sustinuerat gravissimos their Sabbath observation preserve the memory of two illustrious benefits the one recorded in the promulgation of the fourth Commandment Exod. 20. 11. the other mentioned in the repetition of the same Command Deut. 5. 15. The first the benefit of the Creation being of a greater extent concerned all mankind but the Jews were more especially entrusted with the memorial of that glorious work and therefore the Lord did engrave it in the body of the fourth Commandment alledging his progress in the work of Creation as the reason of that precept that as he did work six dayes in making the world and rested the seventh so man should work six dayes and rest the seventh consecrating that weekly sequestration to the honour and service of the Creator The second benefit which the Jews commemorate in the observation of their Sabbath is their miraculous deliverance Ger. de leg Dei from Aegyptian bondage that seasonable rescue was embroydered with a pile of miracles and therefore the Lord Deut. 5. 15. brings it in with an ergo in Deut. 5. 15. as an authenticall ground and reason for the Jews weekly observation of the seventh day to the glory and in the worship of their Omnipotent Deliverer It is very observable how frequently the Tot◠Aegyptum comparat pistrino aut simili loco in quo mancipia constringeb intur et ad difficilia dura servitia cogebantur Riv. Scriptures mention this great Deliverance in Exod. 13. 3. it is ushered in with a memento and the day of its performance hath a Selah put upon it Aegypt is called a house of bondage Deut. 5. 6. where there was no furniture to garnish it but strokes and slavery In another place of Scripture Mic. 6. 4. It is called a house of servants where toyle and sweat was the badge of every Inhabitant Rivet compares Aegypt when the Israelites were enslaved there to Joseph's Prison Gen. 39. 20. To Jeremiah's Dungeon Jer. 37. 16. To Samson's Hold Judg. 16. 21. where he ground Inculcanda erant liberis dei beneficia et dandam esse operam ut ea memoriâ retinerent at the Mill. Now the sharpness of the servitude set off the sweetness of the delivery a delivery so great that it must be part of the Catechisme which the Jews must teach their Children Exod. 13. 14. one of the Principles of their Religion this providential mercy must become doctrinal instruction No wonder then if the Jews must therefore observe their Sabbath to preserve fresh the memory of so great salvation and which is observable The Lord mentions this stupendous deliverance Mic. 6. 4. almost eight hundred years after the accomplishment as of a story to be wrote in Marble nor is it to be overpassed that this freedom from Aegyptian bondage is both the usher to and part of the Decalogue the Preface to the Ten Commandments and a peculiar reason in the fourth And we Christians in the observation In honorem illius diei quo Christus à mortuis resurrexit Apostoli in locum Sabbati Judaici diem Sabbato proximam cultui divino deputarunt Ger. of our Sabbath eye a great nay the greatest benefit viz. the most inestimable the most inexplicable the most inconceivable resurrection of Christ that triumphant work that first step of Christs exaltation did first breath into our Sabbath the breath of life When the Sun of Righteousness did rise it made our Sabbath Day nay a day of life and salvation or as the Psalmist Psal 118. 23 24. a marvellous day a day not more beset with mercy then wonder By rising Christ freed us from more then Aegyptian bondage and therefore sheds a greater glory on our Sabbath Surrexit Christus manè primá Sabbati manifestè docens sc nos à morte animae resuscitatos in lucem perpetuae selicitatis perducturum Bid. then either the light of the Creation or the glory of a temporal deliverance could cast upon the Sabbath of the Jews Venerable Bede observes Christ rose in the morning of the first day of the week to raise us from the death of the soul and to bring us to the light of perpetual happiness Our
as they came to them like the Beasts in Noahs Ark they went in unclean and they came out unclean how necessary then is it that we should pray for a firm memory to record sacred truth as well as a free heart to entertain it Fourthly Let us on the morning of a Sabbath pray for a tender conscience to fall down before the power and force of the word Conscience is the strongest Fort for the word to take it is the most unruly patient for the word to cure Oftentimes the word takes the ear nothing is more musical Ezek. 33. 32. The word takes the tongue nothing more commended then the Preacher and the Sermon Ezek. 33. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sua vitèr Nay the work taketh the affections Mark 6. 20. Herod that miscreant Prince heard John the Baptist gladly Nay often the word takes the judgment nothing is accounted more rational The fickle Jews were convinced never man spake as Jesus Christ John 7. 46. But all this while conscience lies asleep and is not awakened from its dream Conscience all this while is as fast asleep in the bosom as Jonah in the ship Jon. 1. 6. and nothing minds the storm Conscience may be seared 1 Tim. 4. 2. and so feel nothing of the sharpness of the word conscience may be defiled 1 Tit. 15. and so mind nothing of the mâ—ssage of the word conscience may be evil Heb. 10. 22. and so fling away from the warnings of the word and therefore how should we beg of God that conscience may be impartial in waiting upon holy Ordinances A yielding conscience is the best auditor at a Sermon This was Josiahs praise he wept and Sacrae Scripturae sic exaratae sunt ut scire volentes sciant et litis studiosi ansam litigandi facillimè arripiant Camer was tender at the hearing of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 27. The soul lies in a fair way to life and Salvation when conscience blushes at the reproof of sin when conscience startles at the hearing of judgment when conscience is convinced of the necessity of Christ and of the beauty of holiness and that only a holy life leads to a holy God Indeed the principal work of the Gospel is to deal with conscience and it is the great work of God himself in the Gospel to rowse Non periclitor docere ipsas Scripturas ita dispositas esse ut moteriam subministrant etiam haereticis Tertul. conscience from its sleepiness to quiet its rage to take away its prejudices and to bring it into a calm temper that with meekness it may receive the engraffed word which is able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. Men of polluted consciences can arm themselves against the assaults of the word now that we should lay down the weapons and submit to the force and power of truth this is to be begged by sollicitous and importunate prayer Fifthly We must intreat the Lord that the fruit of all Cingulo veritatis ornantur qui veritatem in moribus assequuntur Qui omnes res amandas et amplectendas per veritatem per virtutem virtutis verum dictamen metiuntur Quid enim humilitas Quid charitas quid patientio quid â—aeterae virtutes nisi lumina veritatis Ansel his holy Ordinances may appear in our lives The life of Ordinances lies in living Ordinances our sanctity only commends the Sanctuary to hear the word speaks some profession but to live the word only speaks Religion It is very observable that all those Israelites who heard God speaking from Mount Sinai the ten Commandments not living up to the tenor of those ten words as Moses calls them Deut. 10. 2. they all fell in the Wilderness none but Joshua and Caleb came safe to Canaan The sight of Physick doth not cure the patient but the application The word doth not advantage us as it is musicall but as it is medicinal as it is taken inwardly and heats the corrupt heart and the cure will easily be seen in a fruitfull conversation We then become the Gospel when holiness is our dress Those Sermons are most fairly printed which are most conscientiously practised A Sermon of charity is best seen in our alms a Sermon of self-denyal is best seen in our carrying the Cross A Sermon of Repentance is best seen in our tears and reformation To be only hearers of the word is to put a cheat upon our souls Jam. 1. 22. and make the Minister not the Physician but the Mountebank Practice is the shining lamp of the Sanctuary Exod. 27. 20. It was observed among the Jews that they were exact in turning Rom. 3. 2. over the leaves of the Bible and none more incurious to understand John 5. 39. the mind of the Holy Ghost in those sacred pages or to conform themselves to the commands of those divine Oracles they were like some heedless persons who gaze upon a tree but never turn up the leaves to see what fruit is underneath that they might feed upon it for support and satisfaction Such Jewish spirits too too many we have among us who like oscitant and negligent workmen who have their tools about them and set upon no piece for the exercise of their Art But it is rare and worthy when we hear things to be done and do things to be heard That knowledge is best which is practical when the understanding Psal 119. 105. impresses the will as the seal doth the wax and Mat. 7 17. so leaves characters of worth and holiness Our Saviour calls them blessed who hear the word and keep it Luke 11. 28. The hearers life is the Preachers best commendation The true use of Ordinances is not only to increase our knowledge but to regulate our practice The Law is a rule as well as a lamp A sinfull life will unravell all our profession and expose that puppet dressed up to scorn and derision Seneca observed of the Philosophers That when Boni esse desierum simulac docti â—vaserint Senec. they grew more learned they grew less morall This is more venial in a Heathen Philosopher then in a professing Christian We must desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. Indeed the word must not onely be the light of our minds but the treasure of our Psal 119. 111. hearts which treasure must be spent upon works of piety and holiness The Lord Jesus makes it an infallible Character of our love to him if we keep his Commandments John 14. 15. First Christ doth not say if ye hear but if ye do my Jam. 2. 22. Rom. 2. 13. Commandments hearing is onely a step towards Religion a good wish for heaven the Scribes and Pharisees heard Qui servat legem dei verè testificatur se non simulate sed verè et sincerè amare deum Zanch. Christ who afterwards brought him to the Cross It is a sharp speech of the holy
Prophet Jeremy adviseth us Lam. 3. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens The soul is principally interested in all holy duties First Not only because in all holy services God principally eyes the heart Prov. 23. 26. Or Secondly Because Gospel Ordinances chiefly influence and aim at the heart But Thirdly Likewise because the welfare of the soul is the only Port we sail to in all our attendance upon Gospel opportunities It is the souls conviction the souls conversion the souls edification and building up in its most holy faith which is the grand design in every Evangelical administration Now for the composure of our inward man in Eph. 3. 16. holy Ordinances Let us apply our understandings to the word and the work we are about The wise man saith Prov. 20. 27. The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord and when we Haec lux in intellectu in tenebris micans sovenda est studio et diligenti operum dei commentatione et experimentis et otio veluti rubigine corrumpitur Cartw. come to holy Ordinances it is both our duty and our wisdom to snuff this candle that it may burn the brighter to see the mysteries of the Gospel and this is suitable to the Apostolical Counsel 1 Pet. 1. 13. Gird up the loâ—ns of your mind A metaphor taken from travellers who gird their garments close that they may not be impeded and hindred in their journey When we draw nigh to God in Ordinances we must bend our minds and be intent on the word and drink in truth as the parched ground doth the rain we must screw up our minds to an acurate observation of what ever is revealed unto us from divine Writ If the Gospel John 3 19. be light it is the eye of the understanding must behold this light If the Gospel be a day it is the eye of the mind must Rom. 13. 12. discern this day Some hear the word and understand it Isa 6. 10. not and this is Gods judgment But some hear the precious truths of God and entertain them not and this is mans sin Men shut the eye of their understanding by carelesness and neglect We should hear the word as condemned men their pardons as Legatees the Wills wherein their Legacies are set down with that intenseness of minde Preaching if we spur not up the minde to pursue it is a noise Pater nobis deâ— illuminatos oculos cordis nostrâ— ut ejus lumine illustâ—ati Christum plenè agnoscamus Ambr. not the word an inarticulate sound not soul-saving Doctrine And that our understanding may discharge its office prayer must precede That God would open the eyes of our minde that we may see the wonderfull things of the Law Psal 119. 34. and we must beg eye-salve Rev. 3. 18. and that God would give us the spirit of Revelation Eph. 1. 18. to shed a light upon our understandings Luke 24. 45. that we may dive deep into the profound Mysteries of the Gospel We know not what ardent prayer and a diligent minde may Christus solus operit intelleâ—tum Scripturarum Chemnâ— Mel in Ore melos in Aure. Bern. accomplish towards Scripture knowledge Indeed the Gospel is proportionate to every thing in man it is honey to the taste and Gold to the interest of man Psal 19. 10. It is musick to his ear Ezek. 33. 32. light to his eye John 19. and comfort to his heart Rom. 15. 3. And pity it is the shutting of an eye a little rareless remisness and not bending the minde should rob the soul of such unsearchable treasure We must deal with our hearts to embrace the word in the dispensations of it The Gospel is not only to be let in by Prov. 23. 23. Verbem dei sâ—t domesticus non peregrinus non forâ— stare sed in domo cordis continuò versari Daven our apprehensions but to be lockt in by our affections and we are to entertain it not only in the light of it but in the love of it The Apostle complains 2. Thes 2. 10. That many did not entertain the truth in the love thereof that they might be saved The truths of God must have the heart and we buy them not by our audience but our espousals The word must dwell in us Col. 3. 16. and not as a transient guest but as an inmate Scholars may understand the word but Christians embrace it It is a rare speech of the holy Psalmist Psal 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times The word is the Mat. 13. 23. seed the heart the ground where this seed must be thrown John 5. 40. David calls the Law not his light but his love Psal 119. 97. and his delight Psal 119. 35. When we come to Ordinances we must resolve to treasure up truth and entertain it as Lot the Angels Gen. 19. 3. Or the Virgin Mary the wonders of her time Luke 2. 19. A refractory will renders all opportunities of grace abortive The two Disciples Luke 24. 32. which came from Emmaus question one with another Whether their hearts did not burn within them when Christ had opened the Scriptures to them intimating to us that the heart is properly the Altar upon which the fire of the word is to be laid to the sacrificing of our lusts and the inflaming of our graces And it is the glorious promise of God to write his Law upon our hearts Jer. 31. 33. Let us meet this blessed promise in bringing our hearts to every Gospel dispensation We must put our memories upon employment when we come to holy Ordinances The memory it is the Secretary of the soul and as at Council boards the Secretary cannot be absent so at Ordinances which are the Council table Acts 20. 27. where soul-concernments are agitated and transacted the memory must not be absent We must not write the word when preached to us in dust but in marble not in a heedless neglect but in a faithfull remembrance We do not throw Pearls into sieves to drop out The paradox is greater Memoâ—ia ignis gehennae est â—emedium apâ—rimè utile contrà omnes tentationes Chrysost Rev. 14. 6. when we put the eternal Gospel into a treacherous and faithless memory Surely we shall never practice that truth we cannot remember if we do not mind the word we shall never live it We cannot read blotted lines or understand torn papers and if the word lie onely upon the surface of the memory it will never get within the bark of the life That Sun-dyall will never give us the time of the day which wants the gnomon to cast the shadow charge thy memory to retain every truth thou hearest Let it pick up the filings John 6. 12. of divine Truth that nothing may be lost The richest Fringes are so many several threads wrought together We do not Agnoscamus
divinae naturae tribuendum judicarunt singings must not serve our pleasure our wantonness our gain but our Saviour our Christ our God In this heavenly musick we must study not so much to keep time that we do not spoil the Consort as to keep the heart close to God that we do not spoil the Duty The heathens celebrate their false gods Neptune Mars Jupiter c. with Songs and Hymns and think that by this service and worship they proclaim their greatness and Divinity And shall Christiani essent soliti ante lucem convenire carmenque Chrâ—sto quasâ— deo dicere not we much more celebrate the praises of God and Christ who hath loved us and given himself for us Gal. 2. 20. in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs shall not God have the sweetness of our voice the melody of our hearts the songs of our lips nay the musick of our holy lives that all that is within us and without us too may praise his holy and glorious name And thus at last there is laid before us a Scheme of Sabbath observation and we are instructed how to keep the Lords day according to the Lords will which doing we Psal 4. 8. â— shall lie down at night with safety and satisfaction A well spent Sabbath will warm our bed at night will strew our bed with roses will sent it with perfumes nay strew it with pearls and we may joyfully expect a full crop of blessings the subsequent week nay our future life may be prospered with the gifts of the right hand and the left and drenched with the effusions of the upper and the nether springs CHAP. XXXVI Some supplemental Directions for the better observation of the Lords day BY way of Addition and Appendix some other particulars may be annexed and suggested for the furtherance Sâ—bbatum est aureum vitae tempus of this blessed service Indeed much of Religion is summed up in the care of Gods Sabbath and we should be as chary and tender of this trust viz. The Lords day as Jacob was of Benjamin in which Child his life was bound up The prophane person wasts this golden talent the formalist Luke 19. 20. wraps it up in a Napkin but the sedulous Saint puts it out to great advantage and will give up his account with joy Bishop White tells us The keeping holy of the Lords Bishop White in his Preface to his Treatise on the Sabbath day and why then should he plead so much for recreations on that holy day it is a work of piety a Nursery of Religion and Vertue a means of sowing the seeds of grace and of planting faith and saving knowledge and godliness in the peoples minds And our blessed Lord and Saviour being duly and religiously served and worshiped upon his own holy day imparteth heavenly and temporal benedictions Thus this learned man seems to lay the whole weight of Religion and to entail the whole reward of godliness upon a due observance of Gods blessed Sabbath And let this ever be the praise of his learning Undoubtedly Religion and the Sabbath are twins which live and die together And the piety of the Sabbath is the prosperity of the Nation But let us hasten to some further directions for the more sweet and full discharge of Sabbath piety Dir. 1 We must keep Sabbaths not only personally but domestically not only by our selves but by our families It is not enough for thee to pray but thy family must joyn in prayer Abraham Gen. 18. 18. caused his family to serve God which gave him no small interest in the love and heart of God Joshuas holy resolution was That he and his house would serve the Lord. Josh 24. 15. On a Sabbath every house should be a lesser Temple where all should meet to worship Every one must keep this holy Josh 24. 15. day in order Superiours must be carefull that inferiours observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 20. 10. it Can a Master of a family be said to keep a Sabbath when he is praying and his servant is sinning his Child is gadding his Wife is visiting In Heaven where there is an everlasting Sabbath kept there the whole Host is praising God and the Inhabitants of Heaven are called a Family by the Apostle Eph. 3. 15. Our services must be the musique of a Consort not of a single Instrument In the 4th Commandement Servants are commanded the sanctification of the Sabbath as well as Masters and Children as well as Parents This blessed Command takes Necessitas obedientiae non ex cusat servum sed necessi aâ— coâ—ctionis in the whole Family within its circuit And learned men observe the necessity of obedience doth not excuse the servant from observing this day onely the necessity of compulsion Servants must not work this day by command but onely by overpowering force and violence as the Israelites did in their Aegyptian bondage In matters of Religion there is no difference between bond or free male or female Gal. 3. 28. Every one hath a soul to look after an account to give a Christ to pursue Communi sanctificandi sabbatum lege constringuntur omnes ex aequo herus dominus pater liberi superiores inferiores Muscul a Heaven to take by force Mat. 11. 12. There dwelleth a piece of immortality in the bosome of the meanest servant And that Child which hath no portion to receive hath a Christ to ensure which is the work of this holy day Museulus observes The common Law for the keeping of the Sabbath equally reacheth all and is a common bond to oblige all and in this it is like the Law-giver It is no respecter of persons Acts 10. 34. nor must the power of Superiours prejudice Religion A Governour of a Family cannot lawfully call off his Children or Servants from religious observations and so from the duties of a Sabbath and Religion is as much the interest of the meanest Servant as of the greatest Masters of the most inferiour Peasant as of the most noble Prince Nay the lower our condition is here the more strictly we should keep the Sabbath that we may better our estate to come in that place and condition where all civil distinctions will be taken away The greatest Magistrate is called to be a nursing Father of the Church of God Isa 49. 23. and therefore herein must he look that the Church be fed and not delivered over to dry Nurses They are Gods Ordinance and their power is of God for of themselves they can do nothing Joh. 19. 11. And therefore they must honour God uphold his Ordinances 1 Sam. 2. 30. They must give to God the things which are Gods Rom 13. 1 2 6. Mat. 22. 21. and must employ their Power and Authority to the service and glory of Christ Wherefore seeing Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27. Mat. 12. 8. Prov. 8. 15. They must
the Gospel Rom. 2. 16. Can Parents see their children grieve the spirit who descended most gloriously on the Apostles upon the Lords day Acts 2. 3. and break that Commandment which is one of Gods Ten Words Deut. 10. 4. Nay pollute that Deut. 10. 2. day which is founded on Christs salvifical Resurrection and not be surprized with dread and consternation I may expostulate with such as once the Church did with the Lord where is the soundings of their bowels Parents love their Isa 63. 15. Children so far as they love their better part it is considerable death will strip them of all the fruits of their care Job 1. 21. excepting that which they have taken for their souls Not only divine command Exod. 20. 10. but natural affection Ex unâ parte Christum urgebat ad mertis supplicium sustinendum aeternum Patris decretum immensus humani generis a mor. Chemnit leads us to the discharge of this duty viz. To see our Family keep holy the Sabbath day What softness and tenderness did Christ shew to his family how sweetly did he instruct them Mark 4. 11 12 13 14 c. How pathetically did he pray for them Joh. 17. 9 11 15 17 20 21 24. How carefully did he lay up for them a divine and glorious inheritance Luke 22. 29 30. And at last how willingly did he shed his blood for them and he was straightned till he drank up his bitter cup for them Luke 12. 50. Let us write after this Copy and shew our love to our family as our dear Jesus did to his and then we shew our love to them when we see they shew their love to God in a carefull keeping of his holy day The excellency of the Sabbath should draw the whole family to an observation of it The Lords day is the Fort-royal of Religion let us all stand in our places to observe it and so we shall preserve it there are many who lay seige to it to race and demolish it Some set their wits on work to oppose the Doctrinal part of it Some set their wills on work to oppose the Practical part of it Now let us countermine these miscreant endeavours 1. By being much in prayer that the Lord of the Sabbath would perpetually preserve his own ordinance 2. By being much in practice that we and our houses serve the Lord on his own blessed day Standing and serious sanctity if it cannot convince men to mind their duty it will engage God to secure his own institution The Jewes never lost the Sabbath untill they rejected Christ who is the Lord of it they had the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. till they repudiated the Son of God In the Old Testament they went to worship God with their Flocks and their Herds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oracula teste Hesichiâ— primitus Judaeis à deo revelata sunt illis Scripta per prophetas tradita ita ut illa non nisi per Judaeos ad Gentiles devenerint Alap with them Hos 5. 6. In the New Testament let us take our Children and our Servants with us in the worship of God Let them be with us in the publick let them be with us in private duties of Gods holy day so we shall ensconce our priviledges And every pious family shall be as a Macedonian pbalanx to secure the Sabbath from violation and subversion Sin and neglect makes the forfeiture of spiritual blessings a careless contempt of the Word brings a famine of it Amos 8. 11. And the slight observance of Gods day exposeth it to reproach So that often the Wolves of the Forrest violent men pursue it with persecution and the Hab. 1. 8. little Foxes closer Hereticks infest it with their contagion Cant. 2. 15. Let us therefore with Moses resolve We will go with our Young and with our Old with our Sons and with our Daughters for we must hold a feast unto the Lord Exod. 10. 9. Exod. 10. 9. Chemnitius observes That to the sactification of the Lords day besides publick duties there is work to be done in families Chemnit exam Concil Trident. Cap. de dieb Fest as instructing of servants rehearsal of Sermons reading Scriptures counselling and quickning such who are under our care that all may keep Gods holy day Ah! let not us and our families lose our Sabbaths because we did no better Luke 19. 44. keep them not forgeting that usually Children are wrapt up in a common destruction Luke 19. 44. And so much the more earnestly should we endeavour to fold them up in a common salvation Jude v. 3. Jude v. 3. It well becomes the wisdom of the Governours of Families to see the Sabbath carefully observed Superiours must not leave the keeping of the Sabbath as a thing indifferent to the discretion of the family they must intreat them they must provoke them they must compel them The Kings Command was to compel the guestâ— to come in Luke 14. 23. The Deus gentes compellit introire ut sic suam erga eos ostenderet charitatem quia enim libentèr vellet ut ipsius essent convivae et cum eo in aeternum delitiarentur non tantùm beneficiâ—s eos invitat quando venire renâ—unt in manum sumit mallâ—um legis quo conterit corda duriora et eos humiliat ut discerent leges et justitiam suam sola enim vexatio dat intellectum auditui Chemn sick child if he will not take his physick with a smile he must do it with a â—od the child must not die and miscarry The ease of the flesh the strength of corruption the insinuating temptations of Satan will all decry Sabbath observation and therefore here indulgence is the greatest injury and mildness is the sorest cruelty to the precious soul Thy family had better endure sharp reproofs then scorching flames As Mr. Shepheard used to tell his weeping Auditoâ—rs It was better crying here then in Hell As David said of Gods House Psal 69. 9. Psal 119. 139. so Governours of families should say of Gods day the zeal of it hath eaten them up Thy Children and Servants must keep the Sabbath holy there is an absolute necessity of it and woe to the Governours of families if through their neglect the day of God is slightly over-past Nehemiah caused the Sabbath to be observed not so much by mild perswasions as peremptory command nay sharp and acute threatnings Nehem. 13. 17 19 20. And so this good man espoused the Magistrate to the Saint Let every Master of a family go and do so likewise And as Superiours must strictly enjoyn so Inferiours must heartily embrace Sabbath observation Children must enquire of their Parents Exod. 13. 14. And Servants must joyfully obey their Masters in all holy and spiritual Isa 28. 19. commands Col. 3. 22. They must spend frugally the time of a Sabbath solemnize seriously the ordinances of a Sabbath perform readily the services
saepiùs Christus in die Sabbati officia charitatis praestitit quà m aliis diebus Iren. dayes And let us in this imitate both our Priest and Pattern who died for us and must go before us and we taking up this practice weekly let us follow him Surely melting bowels do bear a symphony with mercifull Sabbaths On the first day of the week the day of our Sabbath God created Gen. 1. 2 the world out of a chaos of confusion Christ restored the Mark 16. 2. World from sin and destruction and on the same first day Acts 2. 3. of the week the holy spirit enlightned the world in falling down solemnly upon the Apostles and redeemed the Church from Judaical misapprehension And shall these glorious works which have put such a bright emphasis upon the Christian Sabbath not soften our bowels to pity the groans of the sick the sights of the prisoner and comfort those who are in trouble and dejection On this day the spark Buc. in Mat. 12. 11. of our love should turn into a flame the drops of compassion should swell into a stream Bucer makes the visitation of the Luke 10. 33. sick to be a principal duty of our Sabbath On which day Infundit vinum et oleum Samaritanus vinum denotat legem oleum gratiam Evangelii Sacramenta sunt quasi alligamenta quibus labia vulnerum alligantur Chemnit Christians should turn good Samaritans they should drop tears into those wounds they cannot drop Oyl into and pour in the wine of consolation if they have no other to offer as a sacrifice of mercy Bleeding hearts become a blessed Sabbath One well observes It doth behove us as occasion is offered to spend some time of a Sabbath in visiting the sick because this will fill our minds with holy meditations and fill our mouths with heavenly discourses and fill our hearts with serious apprehensions of death and judgement which will shortly encounter us and there is no avoiding the stroke of the one or the Bar of the other There is Charitas spiritualis spiritual Charity which is Verbis exprimi non potest quantum homo qui ad imagirem dei conditus est et pro quo unigenitur dei filius proprium suum sanguinem fudit quem denique sp sanctus per verbum Evangelii ad communionem filiorum dei vocavit et sanctificavit irrationalibus et brutis animalibus praestet Lys most apposite to the Lords day One well argues If our mercy on a Sabbath must extend to the Oxe and the Ass Luk. 13. 15. much more to man who is Gods Vice-Roy upon Earth bears his own image and is enriched with that nature which Christ himself took upon him and if in outward things we must minister to him viz. man much more in spirituals and heavenly by how much the soul transcends the body and the wants of the soul are more dangerous and for the most part less felt then those of the body and therefore to succour them is more necessary and less dispensable Surely this is the highest mercy to pull men out of the pit of despair out of the mire of prophaneness out of the dungeon of ignorance to unfetter chained sinners to consolate and advice distressed souls It is observable our Saviour did not only heal the poor woman of her bodily infirmity on the Sabbath but delivered her from the chains of Satan with which she had so long been held Luke 13. 16. It is our great work on a Sabbath to shew mercy to distressed souls On the Lords day Christ rose for our justification Rom. 8. 34. which was a spiritual benefit not for supply but for our justification not for the encrasie of our bodies but for the rescue of our souls And the Apostle notes it with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea rather in the Text forementioned And in soul advantage every Christian may have a share they may have soft bowels who have not full purses every one may give savoury counsel put up ardent prayers labour to set home convictions nay enter into heavenly discourses and so endeavour to draw those who go astray to the Sheepfold of the Great Shepherd of their souls Every one may 1 Pet. 2. 25. bleed over sinful revolters and as St. John who ran after 1 Pet. 5. 4. the young man when he was extravagant in his practice they may run weeping after straying transgressours This willing mind as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 8. 12. may lodge 1 Thes 5. 14. in the breast of the meanest person there may be zeal in the heart when there are rags on the back and when their apparrel is more contemptible then John the Baptist's leathern girdle and Camels hair Mat. 3. 4. And that which enforces this duty is 1. The excellency of the work To instruct to admonish comfort and pray for Brethren is the greatest mercy the softest pity nay even the work of Christ himself who shed not only his tears but his blood to ransome immortal souls how did Christ grieve for a hard heart weep over an unbelieving City and lay down his life for poor lost sinners To Mark 3. 5. rescue poor perishing souls is a heavenly work and well Luke 19. 42. is becoming a heavenly Sabbath Mat. 18. 11. 2. The reward of the Service Not a tear we drop over a wandering sinner but will turn into a pearl The Apostle speaks expresly Jam. 5. 19. Brethren if any of you have erred from the truth and one hath converted him let him know that he hath converted a sinner from going out of his way he shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins This text it seems informs us of a double reward Rom. 10. 14. 1. The salvation of a soul the purchase of Christ himself 1 Tim. 4. 16. souls were the gains of his victories Isa 53. 11. The Redemption of souls was the reward of all his sufferings Luke 22. 32. 2. Here is the covering a multitude of sins which onely Heb. 12 15 16. speaks blessedness Psal 32. 1 2. And it may likewise be inferred from this text of Scripture That God hath made us Heb. 3. 13. Guardians one of another Acts of spiritual charity belong to the care of all Christians God hath not onely set conscience to watch over the inward man but hath set us to watch over the outward conversation one of another We must exhort one another while it is to day Heb. 3. 13. especially Luke 24. 17. while the light of Sabbaths continues to us When the two Disciples were travelling to Emmaus Christ joyns with them this blessed Physician came to comfort to satisfie and to inform them they were poor distracted timorous persons and these he visits Christ will not leave them in a maze and intricated with inexplicable apprehensions but he will bring them home to the knowledge of the truth and this is Christs
19 20. But to reconcile man to man is the duty of every real Christian and a work most agreeing to the sweetness of a Sabbath a duty crowned with the promise of the greatest royalty Mat. 5. 9. The day of Christs Resurrection our blessed Sabbath was a reconciling day It reconciled truth to the Promises Mat. 20. 19. Mat. 27. 63. Mark 8. 31. Mark 10. 34. Luke 24. 7. John 20. 9. it was the accomplishment of the reconciling work of mans Redemption And on this day the soul of Christ was re-united to his body which was at a distance before No work then more befits the Lords day then the healing of divisions and the praying down animosities between Christians On this blessed day we must endeavour to resolve doubtfull Christians Doubts are the wedges in the soul which both wound and pain to pluck out these wedges by Scripture Qui disceptat dubitat sâ—nâ— licitum necne si manducat peccati damnationis incurrit rectum force is a duty becoming the best of days A doubting Christian is upon a rack he is as a ship upon the Sea in the night he fears he shall either dash upon the rock of errour or sink in the quick-sands of mistake he wants the Pilotism of a knowing and faithful Christian he tosses to and fro and knows not how to come to harbour Now it is spiritual love and charity to relieve this naval pilgrim Oecumen Doubts are not only painfull and vexatious but harmful and noxious 1. They are the enemies of faith Mat. 21. 21. 2. They are the evidences of frailty Mat. 28. 17. 3. They are the hazard of the soul Rom. 14. 23. 4. They are the disobedience of a positive and peremptory command Luke 12. 29. And 5. They cat out all the profit of prayer 1 Tim. 2. 8. Haesitantiae opponitur fiduâ—ia quae necessaria est omni oranti Doubts like cares they are the thorns of the soul which rend and tear the minde with convulsions and distractions And therefore the Apostle is so urgent in his command Rom. 14. 1. That new and crude Professors be not admitted to doubtfull disputations that was the way to unhinge Mark 11. 24. them from the faith and to take them off from the profession of Christianity which would seem nothing to them but a labyrinth and a maze wherein men may lose but not save themselves This is charity then becoming a Sabbath to satisfie the doubts of poor trembling Christians and to become as a harbor to a tattered bark Thus ye have seen the severals of that spiritual charity which the meanest Christian may give and the humble if wanting Christian will receive Another direction for the better observation of the Lords day may be Let us seek God in Ordinances Ordinances Direct 8. are only an empty cloud unless the presence of God melt them into a fruitful shower David saw the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary Psal 63. 2. Ordinances are breathless institutions unless God breathe the breath of life Gen. 2. 7. into them The spirit must stretch himself over them as the Prophet did over the child before any life will come 2 Kings 4. 35. In hearing God must open Lydia's heart Acts 16. 14. In praying God must open our mouths that Psalm 51. 15. we may shew forth his praise The Sacrament is a gaudy Psalm 119. 18. pageant if God be not present what do we drink if not John 6. 55. Christs bloud what do we eat if not Christs body It is the presence of God makes an Ordinance the living child 1 Kings 3. 22. otherwise it is no more then the dead child or a spirituall abortion The divine appearance sweetens fills sanctifies and makes effectual every Ordinance David loved the habitation of Gods house but it was because that was the place where Gods honour dwelt Psal 27. 4. When men go to a certain place to meet a friend and they miss him they return sorrowful and discontented Christ is thy friend Cùm dei gloria in Christo in Evangelio quasi in speculo intuemur per hoc quasi in eandem dei gloriam transâ—â—rmamur speculantes i. e. per speculum videntes non de speculâ prospicientes Aug de Trin. who is to meet thee at Ordinances if thou miss him go home sorrowful Ordinances without God they are a table without meat and so a living soul may depart hungry and thirsty Sometimes Ordinances are compared to a glass 2 Cor. 3. 18. Because therein the Christian beholds the glory of the Lord. Let us hear the language of the Psalmist Psal 84. 2. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living Lord. Therefore David longed for Gods Courts because the Lord was in those Courts Sometimes the sweet Singer of Israel compares his desire to thirst of which creatures are more impatient then hunger Psalm 63. 1. Sometimes to the thirst of a Hart which creature being naturally hot and dry in a very great degree is exceeding thirsty but still the object of his thirst is God Psal 42. 1 2. It was communion with God in his life love and graces nay in his comforts which the Psalmist breathed after the sweet smiles of Gods face the honey dews of his Spirit this was Davids Paradise of pleasute and his heaven below When we go to Ordinances let us with Moses go up into the Mount to converse with God there It is God in the Word causeth efficacy It is God in Prayer causeth prevalency It is God in Meditation which causeth suavity It Psalm 104. 34. is God in a Sabbath causeth complacency When we go to the waters of the Sanctuary let us say as Elisha to the waters of Jordan where is the Lord God of Elijah 2 Kings 2. 14. So where is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Where is thy Chariot O Sun of Righteousness why is it so long Judges 5. 28. a coming why tarries it what clogs the wheels O when wilt thou come to me Let us look on all holy duties and performances as boats to ferry our souls over to God Saul himself was sad and sorrowfull when he enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him 1 Sam. 28. 15. Indeed God is not onely the Master but the Marrow of a Sabbath and no Lords day can satisfie without the Lord of the day Antiquus dierum Christus est Ille enim corporaliter visibiliter judicabit vivos et mortuos Christus ideò vocatur Antiqus dierum ut ejus describatur Majestas et aeternitas Hieron what is the best time without the Rock of eternity What is the best day without the Ancient of dayes What are Sermons Sacraments seasons of grace without our Beloved They are nothing but broken Cisterns glorious dreams gilded nothings embalmed hearses and as a perfumed corpse Ah
a two-edged sword to divide between sin and Heb. 4. 12. the soul Ordinances are kindly Physick and work the cure sweetly and effectually if this Physick be given by the hand of the Spirit if the third Person in the Trinity be our Physician how then should the necessity of the spirits assistance inflame our importunity to sue out that precious John 15. 5. Promise for the attainment of it recorded in Luke 11. 13. In Ordinances without the Spirit we can do nothâ—ng Christ 1 Cor. 9. 26. must work by his Spirit or else in all our holy duties we onely beat the ayr to use the Apostles phrase Let us study to be under the impressions of the Spirit on Gods holy day The earth stands not in so much need of the beams of the Sun as the soul doth of the influences of the Spirit The Spirit is a Spirit of Truth to guide the Understanding John 15. 26. It is a Spirit of Counsel to enrich the mind Isa 11. 2. and fill it with knowledge How naked Eph. 5. 18. is mans understanding if it be not covered with the covering John 14. 17. of Gods Spirit Isa 30. 1. 1 Cor. 12. 8. The Spirit is a good Spirit Neh. 9. 10. to sanctifie the will It is a holy Spirit Ephes 1. 13. in relation to its effects and productions it cures the will of its pertinacy and Rom. 1. 4. stubbornness and melts mans will into Gods We may take 1 Cor. 12. 9. an instance in Paul Acts 9. 6. The Spirit is a Spirit of Grace Zach. 12. 10. to beautifie the heart and fructifie it with all the sweet fruits of Righteousness It is more then the Sun to the Garden It not 2 Thes 2. 13. Phil. 1. 11. onely blows the flower but it plants The graces of the Spirit are those stars which shine in the firmament of the heart 2 Thes 2. 17. those vigorous principles which carry out the soul to every good word and work It is the spirit of Glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. to sublimate the affections and raise them as high as heaven Col. 3. 2. The spirit discovers glorious things to us shews the soul its treasury 1 Cor. 2. 12. Eph 3. 8. 2 Cor. 5 21. Rev. 1. 6. Cant. 7. 8. 13. Col. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 7. where its riches lie It opens Christ to a believer who is the Wardrob of our Robes the Exchequor of our wealth the fountain of our honour the paradise of our delight or to speak in the Apostles language who is all and in all to the believing soul It is a spirit of life to quicken the whole man Rom. 8. 2. God breaths into man and so he becomes a living soul the Spirit breaths into man and so he becomes a living Saint Gen. 2. 7. Nay God works all his works upon us and in us in Christ by the spirit it is the spirit makes us upright and sincere 1 Cor. 6. 11. and so rectifies our obliquities Psal 51. 10. It is the spirit snuffs the understanding which is the candle of the Lord Eph. 1. 17. Prov. 20. 27. and so enlightens our darknesses It is the spirit 2 Thes 2. 1â— fixes and establisheth us and so settles our inconstancies Psal 78. 8. It is the spirit softens and suples us Isa 32. Sapientia hominis est quâ res difficillimas scrutatur et pervestigare conatur Cartwr 15. and turns our barren hearts into a fruitfull field and so fills our vacuities It is the spirit conducts us in our straights John 16. 13. and so prevents our miscarriages It is the spirit takes us up Ezek. 3. 12. nay lifts us up Ezek. 3. 14. and so cures us of our pedantick and dreggish succumbencies for Man is the worm Jacob Isa 41. 14. and will naturally grovel on and immure himself in the Earth The spirit of God is an excellent spirit Dan. 5. 12. and will create in the 1. Cor. 12. 11. believer those excellencies which will make him more excellent then his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. The irrigations and pouring forth of the spirit Isa 44. 3. will make the soul fresh 1 Cor. 12. 13. Corroborari in interiore homine est intellectu voluntate caeterisque animae partibus suffulciri and green and be in a spring of grace which is most pleasant to the eye of God and Man This holy spirit upon us Isa 59. 21. is not so much our covering as our Crown our strength to encounter every temptation Eph. 3. 16. Let us then not as Sadduces mis-believe the spirit Acts 23. 8. But cry out Lord evermore give us of this spirit And to set our selves under these various and rare impressions We must purifie our selves The spirit is a holy spirit which will dwell onely in a clean heart flesh and spirit are combatants and not cohabitants they oppose one another Gal. 5. 17. then grace triumphs when flesh is subdued and chased out of the field We must supplicate our God The spirit is given to the Petitioner and not to the professor How much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Isa 63. 11. Eph. 4. 30. 1 Thes 4 8. 1 Cor. 6. 19. saith our Saviour Luke 11. 13. Earnest prayer is the means to obtain the good spirit whose works are so many and so marvellous and whose operations are so secret and so soveraign But secondly as this duty must look upwards for the assistances and the impressions of the spirit So this duty must look inwards we have not onely to do with heaven on the Lords day and to look up to Gods spirit but we have to do with our own hearts too and seek the spirit to proportionate Prov. 4. 23. them to the holy services of the Sabbath and here our duty is two-fold 1. We must be in the graces of the spirit and that too in a double sense We must be in grace habitual We must come as Saints to the duties of a Sabbath That of the Apostle is highly observable Our communion is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. Observe the terms of Relation Sancti est in spiritu vivere i. e. internam habere vitam et animum gratiâ spiritu etjustitiâ imbutum sancti est in spiritu ambulare i. e. secundum spiritus et gratiae dictamen ductumque incedere conversari agere operari et Graecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat certo ordine serie et normâ incedere Alap the term Father speaks us to be Children It is not our communion is with God but with the Father and his Son Saints properly are the guests of the Sanctuary Christ in us is not onely the hope of our glory hereafter Col. 1. 27. but our hope of acceptance here We must bring Benjamin we must bring Christ if we will ever see the face of God in Ordinances wicked
operum sui ante-actorum recordatiom sese applicet c. Hosp Dicitur Sabbatum Domini et Sabbatum sanctitâ—tâ—s et sanctâ—tas Domini quia non modò dei sancti est sed et sanctum eâ— et rebus domini publicè et privatim dicatum et impendendum est c. Leid Prof. this truth most sweetly There is saith he a sublime end of the Sabbaths leisure viz. That we might get nearer to eternal salvation that we may follow the duties of an holy life that we may remember our former actions and so drenâ—h our selves in tears of repentance and this saith he the very Jews can not deny Our Sabbaths according to this worthy man are only post dayes for heaven opportunities for grace which is the morning star of glory and the dawning of blessedness Nay let us hear a Quaternion of Divines the Professours of Leyden Cessation of work say they is commanded not that we should only enjoy corporal idleness but fall upon spiritual business holy duties and exercises It is not called the Sabbath of man but the Sabbath of the Lord not only because God is the Author of it but likewise because it is to be dedicated to and spent in the things of the Lord both publickly and privately and is to be directed to the sanctification of his name These Champions of truth direct us to the proper end of the Sabbath which is not to waste but to work not to consult our ease but to consult our souls Our temporal affairs must be suspended that our better affairs may be minded The poor soul should have been whâ—lly neglected had not the God of it appointed one day in the week for its service and salvation This truth is so apparent that our very adversaries joyn issue in the attestation of it Mr. Bâ—erewood who wrote so zealously for sports on the Sabbath yet in his second Tract pag. 15. acknowledgeth That the Commandment for the Sabbath enjoynes 1. The outward worship of God Manifestum est non moâ—o legis hujus judicio sed ipsâ—â—simâ expeâ—iâ—ntâ—â— non facere ad vâ—â—ae religionis profectum siotia multiplicentur Musc 2. Cessation frâ—m works as â— necessary preparation for that worship that as the end and this as the means So then by his confession to holy rest we must joyn holy work And experience tells us saith Musculus that too much leisure never makes for the increase of Religion no more then the Country-man gains by his fallow ground Nay the very Heathens themselves laughed at idleness upon the Sabbath And Seneca derided the custom of the Jews upon their Sabbath because they spent it in things vain and impertinent and not in the worship of God and said The Seneca derisit Sabbatum Judaeorum quia non vacabant divinis sed rugis et inutilibus Aquin. Jews threw away the seventh part of their lives And surely that sin must be grievous which becomes the scom and derision of an Heathen that crime must needs be great which lies open to the discoveries of Natures light But the Scriptures which are the most authentick testimony in this case will bring in most ample witness they will find us employments for the Sabbath 1. If we look into the Old Testament we shall find the sacrifices to be double on the Sabbath day Two Lambs of Num. 28. 9 10 the first year without spot and two tenth deales of flower with a meat offering mingled with oyl and the drink offering thereof this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath besides the continual burnt offering and the drink offering Numb 28. 9 10. There must ye see be an over-plus of sacrifice on the Luke 23. 3. Sabbath then our worship must be in the full and not in the waine in the strongest tide not at low water Likewise Convocatiosancta fuit totâ—us populi ad opera sacra et divina on the Sabbath there was to be an holy Convocation and surely the Jews did not meet solemnly to look one upon another Their meeting in the Temple or the Synagogues spake worship something of Service Divine Likewise on the Sabbath there was the reading of the Law Gods will was then opened to the people Nehem. 8. 8. The Sabbath was not a day of sloth but instruction it was not a day to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cantica singu laria Sabbato unoquoque occinenda erant Leid Prof. the rubbish of ease but to be built up in the most holy faith And on the Sabbath there were certain solemn songs chanted forth to the praise of the Creatour and therefore the ninety second Psalm is inscribed a Psalm for the Sabbath And there was likewise reasonings and discourses of Divine things as we have hinted Acts 17. 2. There were exhortations given to the people for their furtherance of faith and godliness Acts 15. 21. Moses was preached every Sabbath day as the Apostle James speaks in the fore-cited place So then the Sabbath wanted not its employment in the times of the Law Nor did the Lords day run waste in the times of the Gospel then the Disciples met together the Sacrament was administred the Gospel was preached Acts 20. 7. And charity was collected 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Which duties unquestionably wanted not the concomitancy of fervent prayers and supplications so then there was an aggregation of holy and solemn services Holy duties were not as a single star but as Isa 65. 8. a constellation and in that cluster there was a blessing So Old and New Testament are a twofold witness to condemn Mat. 18. 16. sloth and idleness upon Gods blessed day And by the mouth of two witnesses especially if infallible every thing shall be established And indeed idleness on any day carries its brand in its Milites otio si incipient luxu diffluere murmurare pecuniam inclamare Ordinem omnem turbare aâ— tandem rebellare Alap forehead Idle Souldiers will easily turn mutinous Idle Scholars will easily degenerate into sin and ignorance and idle Tradesmen will easily sink into want and poverty Abundance of idleness was one of the sins of Sodom the worst of places Ezek. 16. 49. It is the sink of sin the Common shore of evil it is the rust of the soul which eats out its noble faculties Themistocles used to say It was burying men alive And idle persons like wanton widows to use the Apostles phrase are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. 5. And Ephr. Syr. de consummat seculi the Apostle makes idleness the source of many other sins 1 Tim. 5. 13. It was once the saying of Ephrem Syras Do not fly labour least the Crown fly from thee Idleness is every way sinful It is opposite to mans condition He was born to labour Gen. 3. 19. Dew is not more natural to the surface of the Homo natus est ad laberem sicut avis ad volatum Earth then sweat is to the brow of
keep this divine rellish upon our hearts we are apt to catch cold after Cùm malum committitur bonum amittitur the greatest heats Let us look to our selves that we do not lose the things which we have wrought and after close and sweet communion with God grow lax and remisse Sweet water is as easily spilt as ordinary water The rarest Cordials 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are put into glasses which are easily broken there may be a rejoycing which is onely for a season John 5. 35. the Greek reads it for an hour If thy heart hath been wound up towards heaven on a Sabbath a little carelesnesse will let it down again If thou hast spent the Sabbath comfortably Heb. 12. 14. be faithful to thy soul and interest and spend the Ephes 4. 30. week holily Purity will keep peace it is sin grieves the spirit Spiritus sanctus cùm agimus aut loquimur turpia aut mala offenditur Alap who is the Comforter Joh. 14. 16. Our inward joy is onely chased away by trespasse which is a thron in the breast of this Nightingale To be unloosend on the Sabbath from week-day bonds is comfortable but in the week-time to unloose the Lords dayes bonds is abominable To be fruitful Comfortable Sabbaths call for conscionable lives Soft showres make fruitful fields If on the Sabbath we have enjoyed the comforts of the Lord it is but meet we John 15. 5. should alwayes abound in the work of the Lord. Our week-day 1 Cor. 15 58. carriage should be the springing up of the Sabbath days seed our whole lives must be a walking in the strength of our Sabbaths Divers of the Ancients are very copious and pathetical in perswading men so to practice Piety and pursue sanctity as to perpetuate a Sabbath We should mingle the Sabbath with the week but not the week with the Sabbath as we should be in the spirit on the Lords day so Tertul com in Jud. 4. Orig. in Numer Hom. 23. Chrysost in Mat tract 29. Aug. de Civit dei lib. 12. cap. 30. Buc. in Mat. 12. 11. we should walk in the spirit on the week day Gal. 5. 25. It is a remarkable speech of Bucer Have we served the Lord on his own day let our manners shew it let our works prove it let the holiness of our lives abundantly declare it A pious Conversation is the onely evidence we have been with Jesus we should be in such a frame every Lords day as if that was the first Sabbath that ever we spent and as if that was the last day that ever we should live or as if the weight of all our work lay upon that single Sabbath for which we were sent into the world nay as if our eternal being was to be determined hereby and yet after the day is over we must endeavour as much to be doing as if nothing was done on the Sabbath and all that we had done was to be abated on the account Sabbath comforts are not to be dews but showres not suddenly to be dryed up but to soak into our future lives Jâ—hn the Evangelist after he had been Rev. 1. 10. in the Spirit on the Lords day writes the Revelation the worlds Chronicle within a Veil Moses when he had been Exod. 32. 22. on the Mount with God was filled with holy zeal and Sinai did not flame more then his heart Heavenly sweets are 1 John 1. 3. onely incentives to holy services and the tasts of divine communion are the genuine bribes to an holy conversation Case 3 How we must keep the Sabbath alone in the deprival of Christian and comfortable society There are many cases may befall a Christian which may render him solitary upon the Psalm 63. 2. Lords day and for the present enforce him to be an exile Psalm 96. 6. from the publick Assemblies 1. As in the case of travelling we may meet with an Inne when we cannot meet with a Sanctuary Isa 16. 12. 2. So in the case of imprisonment we may be confined to Psalm 102. 7. the darkness of a dungeon and want the glorious liberty of Psal 84. 3. the people of God the freedom they enjoy in the house of Prayer 3. So likewise in case of sickness we may be chained to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our beds and not enjoy the freedome of publick Ordinances And Mr. Perkins instances in the disease of the dead Palsie so that now Aristotles definition of Man to be a sociable Creature will not comport with our present condition Isa 16. 12. 4. And it may be instanced in case of hard service and slavery when our groans are ready to drown the musick of Israelitae ita affligebantur animi maerore et durâ servitute quâ spiritu quâ—si intercludebantur ut non attenderent verbis Moyses de deo serviendo Riu. a Sabbath and we are necessitated to lye down in silence and solitariness We do not read that the Jews kept any publick Sabbath in their Aegyptian bondage their tasks jarred their triumphs and they did not onely make brick without straw but they passed over Sabbaths without any visible observation but yet no case can wholly incapacitate us from conversing with God on his own day we are never so lonely but we may enjoy communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. 1. If we are travelling we may likewise travel towards Exod. 6. 9. Canaan Holy duties will turn an Inne into a Sanctuary Psalm 134. 2. Paul prayed by the Rivers side Acts 16. 13. Peter preached in a private house Acts 10. 34. and Christ administers the Gen. 24. 63. Sacrament in an upper room Luke 22. 12. Now we may meditate in every Field and pray in every Chamber To Dan. 6. 10. Christians saith Dr. John Reynolds No Land is strange no ground unholy every Coast is Jewry every Town is Hierusalem every house is Sion every faithful body is a Temple to serve Gâ—d in And to think otherwise is to savour of Judaisme as Hospinian observes 2. Suppose thy self in prison on the Lords day If an Angel can break a prison door Acts 12. 7. surely Christ can and give thee the meeting on his own blessed day VVhen thou art in fetters of iron he can draw thee with the cords of a man Hos 11. 4. If we must visit our brethren surely he will visit his Saints in prison Prison doors are no obstruction Mat. 25. 36. to the divine illapses of the good spirit and Prison-straights are no confinement to the enlargements of a Saints heart a fervent prayer can pierce the roof of the closest dungeon and flies as high as Heaven Paul and Silas sang Acts 16. 25. Psalmes one duty of a Sabbath when they were fettered in their Chains and inclosed in their Goal 3. Put case thou art confined to a sick bed Jacob worshipped Gen. 49 18.
prayer or any other duty their thoughts look back as Lots wife did upon Sodom and so that duty is as it were turned into a pillar of salt a monument Duo contrarii amores in eodem corde locum non habent nec habere possunt Zanch. of shame And so in hearing the Word they bring the cares of the world with them and they are thorns which choak the blessed Seed of the Word Mat. 13. 22. and it becomes altogether unfruitful And again worldly thoughts do very unseasonably mix with heavenly duties we do ill to be in the vale when we should be on the mount Exod. 24. 18. with God to be supping up the dregs of the world when we should feed on the marrow Psal 63. 5. and drink of the Isa 25. 6. wine well refined in blessed Ordinances this is to powre contempt upon the provisions of the Sanctuary To say our communion is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ on a Sabbath when yet our hearts are fluttering over the John 1. 1. 3. world this is to delude not to satisfie the Soul But be it we can taste no sweetness in Sabbath duties yet we are bound to continue our diligence we must observe our duty though presently we receive not the mercy It is Job 1. 9. the badge of Mercenaries to plead no Recompence no Obedience Indeed the recompence of reward may be in our eye though it be not our end In the work we do we may have a love to the reward though the meer love of the reward doth not attract us to do the work God is our great Lord and Master and though it is not servile obedience yet it is the obedience of Servants we ow him continually and much more upon his own day Cassian observes That he Cassian l 4. c. 24. knew a young man who meerly in obedience to his Superiors command for a whole year together went two miles every day only to pour water on a withered stick We ought every Lords Angeli quomodo discurrunt medii inter deum nos Bern. day to come under Gospel waterings though our hearts remain withered and dry though we feel no softnings or comforting it is enough we have a command the duty is ours the day is Christs who is over all God above all blessed for ever It is a favour God will employ us though he Rom. 9. 5. should never reward us The Angels rejoyce that God will engage them in his business though they receive no new recompence they are chearful to increase the duty though they do not enlarge their glory The Angels saith the Apostle are Bernardus solitus est dicere Angelos secum cooperari unoquoque die dominico all ministring spirits sent forth to minister c. Heb. 1. 14. This is their property they think themselves happy in that God thinks them worthy to do his work in the world And so must we esteem our selves honoured in conversing with God in Ordinances though we do not hear the spouts run Hab. 3. 17 18. with the waters of life and though the fingers of Christ do not drop Myrrh Cant. 5. 5. nor do we taste the honey-comb in them Cant. 5. 1. For Ordinances in themselves are Jude 14. 8. as Sampsons Lion with the swarm and the honey in them they are in their own nature pots of perfume more reviving then the smoaks of incense and though our resentments be not so quick yet we must follow the scent It is a good observation Hos 6. 3. of Chrysostom As fountains saith he send out water though no pitcher be brought to fetch from them so Pastors must preach and Auditors must hear though no fruit be received For as to keep Sabbaths is indispensable for men so to bless them is arbitrary with God But if God shine not forth from between the Cherubims of holy Ordinances Psal 80. 1. yet it is incumbent upon us to wait at the door of the Sanctuary alwayes remembring that subjection is ours but benediction is his and he will have mercy on whom he will have Rom. 9. 18. mercy Suppose Sabbaths are not successful to us what peace or profit can we expect if we lay them aside Upon the same account all other times of holy duty and the exercise of Religion may be waved and left off and then what can there be but a fearful expectation of judgment Hierom upon Heb. 10. 27. that place of the Apostle Rom. 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Hieron in Psal 107. mercy Sure then saith he It is not of him who sleepeth nor of him that idleth nor of him who neglects duty for on such the Lord will have no mercy And Chrysostom well observes upon that speech of our Saviour Mat. 16. 24. If any will Chrysost in Matth. homil 56. come after me let him deny himself c. Christ saith not as this Father observes If any man stand still or sit down for the Kingdom of God is not given to standers or to idlers but to walkers and to workers So it may be concluded the comforts of God are not given to any person who upon any pretence whatsoever shall omit or neglect his duty especially Iter monstrat Apost quo fiat ut semper gaudeamus Per orationem nimirum quae non cessat gratiarum actionem Theoph. Non erit glo riosa victoria nisi ubi fuerint laboriosa certamina Ambros upon the Lords day For any to pretend they have performed duties and waited on Ordinances and yet fail of success what good success can they expect upon the ceasing of those duties The Apostle bids us pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17. So then we must pray though the blessing do not presently come we must obey the command though we do not receive the reward If men may use the means and yet miss the end surely such must miss the end who will not use the means let none think to better their souls condition by laying aside Sabbath transactions When Christians have performed Sabbath duties and do not find such comfortable and desired success in their Gospel communion Let them smite upon the thigh and reflect upon themselves The word is fire and why am I cold The Psal 6. 6. word is quickning and why am I dead Ordinances are the means of grace and why have I no grace or comfort by the Psal 43 5. means Some are at Sermons and Sacraments with their Psal 42. 4. hearts leaping and go away with their faces shining and Christiâ—ne fige tui cursus profectusque me tam ubi Christus posuit suam Bern. those who see them see they have been with Jesus but why go I mourning all the day Thus we should put our selves upon the search and scrutiny Skilful Physicians search into the cause of distempers and so should
and Job saith the Adulterer waits for the twilight Job 24. Graviter incessimus diei dominicae prophanatores qui intemperantiâ luxu omnique genere flagiorum eam vio lant in irreparabile infirmorum scandâ—lum in horrendum Christiani nominis dedecus 15. These sins need a dark Lanthorn they avoid and shun the light least their shame be published by every Spectator And the Prophet observes that the Israelites committed their Idolatry in secret they had their chambers of imagery Ezek. 8. 12. They would put some covering upon their sin But how great is our abomination to dabble in our paint to rowl in our vomit to be inflamed in our lusts to wallow in our sensualities and wantonize in our vanities upon Gods holy day When the Sun of Nature and the Sun of Righteousness both shine together to scatter all clouds and covering It is a pathetical but a holy speech of a Learned man Who without mourning can endure to see Christians keep the Lords day as if they celebrated a Feast rather to Bacchus then Leid Prof. to the honour of Jesus Christ the Saviour and Redeemer of the world for having served God an hour or two in outward shew they spend the rest of the Lords day in sitting down to eat and drink and rising up to play first ballasting their bellies with eating and drinking then feeding their lusts in playing and dancing Against these riots holy Augustine bitterly inveighs August 4. Tract in Joan. and saith It is better to spin then to dance on Gods holy day Indeed it is an observation of Lactantius That the Lords Lactant. lib 7. cap. 1. second coming shall be on the Lords day And then how little joy shall they have who shall be overtaken in their carnal sports when their Master should have found them in their spiritual exercises on his own day the prophane wretch then will wish that Christ should find him rather kneeling at prayers in the Sanctuary then skipping like a Goat in a dance that he should be found dropping tears like a penitent rather then drinking healths like a miscreant or caressing Sidon lib. 1. Epist ad agricolam harlots like an impure Gallant Sidonius observes that in the primitive times some of the Jewes did so abuse the Sabbath to gluttony and drunkennesse and to lascivious dances that the Ethnicks and heathen suspected they Quanquam hoc aliquo sensu concedi possit varia peccata aggravationem aliquam inde accipere si die tam Sanctâ perpetrentur Ames adored Bacchus not Jehovah It is the observation of Dr. Ames That all sinns receive an aggravation on this day which oftentimes is more then the sin it self as the dye is sometimes more costly then the cloth To be intemperate proud worldly wanton on a Sabbath this is to wear the spots of a Leopard and to be in the hue of an Aethiopian Some men make the Sabbath a weekly Aequinox their pleasures and their duties are of equal length But others drown the whole Sabbath in vanity and excesse as if they would read the 4th Commandement backward and would provoke the God of Heaven to please the God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. It may be said to those who thus prophane the Lords day have ye not dayes enough of your own to work or play in or despise ye the Lords day It is a sin yea a provoking sin to use the Lords Table as your own table to eat sacramental bread as if it was common bread and is it no sin to use the Lords day as if it was a common day Let us therefore see the image and superscription of Christ engraven upon the Matth. 22. 21 Lords day and then let us give unto Christ the things which are Christs Cyril complained in his time That many Christians Christiani ludis illiberalibus crapulae choreis et aliis mundi vanitatibus se dant in nullum alium finem tendunt c. Cyril indulged themselves in luxury dances playes and worldly vanities on the Lords day And what saith he will be the end of these things but that Gods Name will be derided and Gods day much contemned and scorned The Apostle calls our walking on any day in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings working the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4. 3. It is an heathenish act to adventure upon such unnatural impieties but to act all these sins upon a Sabbath it is altogether diabolical this is to wound a Prince on his Coronation day Those who prophane the Sabbath Hi omnis generis delitiis non Christo domino sed satanae servitur Non salus nostra curatur sed perditio conciliatur et ira dei provocatur non placatur mores non corriguntur sed corrumpuntur Muscul by scandalous sins saith Musculus they sacrifice to Venus not to God and serve Satan not Christ they neglect life and salvation and assure to themselves losse and perdition Gods anger is provoked not appeased and their manners are not corrected but corrupted Let us consider the two tables of stone are still tables of testimony Exod. 31. 18. to witness against the prophanation of this holy day God did not write this Commandement for the Sabbath with his finger that we should spunge it out by our life and if we shall attempt it he can turn the writing into an hand-writing on the wall against us which will make not onely our knees but our hearts to tremble Dan. 5 6. Let us seriously weigh in Mark 11. 25. the ballance that the beauty of a woman doth but aggravate her wantonness and the rich mans great estate doth but amplisie his extorsion and so the holiness of a Sabbath doth dye every sin which is acted upon it with a scarlet colour Christ would not suffer the money changers to remain in the temple Mat. 11. 15. How much worse merchandise is it when we set our soules to sale on that holy day which is given for life and salvation But further to dilate upon the impiety of Sabbath-prophaneness To act scandalous sins on Gods holy day is a most daring presumption it throwes Gods Memento with which he Deus non indicit recordationem istam ut eo die gâ—uderent tripudiarent aut sibi vacaâ—ent c. Oleast prefaced the 4th Commandement into his face and saith to Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. we will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19. 14. God saith Exod. 20. 8. keep my Sabbath holy and these daringly reply we will keep it diabolically This sin commenceth war with heaven it self and throws down the Gantlet to the infinite Jehovah Oleaster very well observes God had not needed to have fastned a Memento to the 4th Commandement to mind us of dances and revellings frequenting a ring or a stage our own corrupt natures will be officious enough to usher in such pleasurous vanities Disobedience to other
Deus graviter eorum pertinaciam objurgat quòd profano contemptu legem sabbati violassent Rivet commands may be termed non-conformity but to throw the filth of scandalous practice into the lovely face of a Sabbath is an impudent opposition of the most High and as God himself accounts it the breach of all his Commandements and Laws Exod. 16. 28. And this Rivet calls the Israelites stubbornness To pollute the Sabbath with scandalous practices raises complaints in heaven and earth When God draws his endictment against Israel immediatly before he sentenced them Isa 1. 13. to the Babylonish captivity one chief part of their charge Ezek. 20. 13. was They prophaned his Sabbaths Ezek. 23. 38. And this Ezek. 22. 8. he calls prophaning of himself Ezek. 22. 26. which is a strange Ezek. 23. 38. expression And for this sin he brought wrath upon them Nehem. 13. 18. This provocation opened the sluces of divine fury There are three things God is very jealous of 1. Of his worship And of this he hath taken care in the Israelitae non sabbata sed Bâ—alis festa observabant Alap second Commandement 2. Of his Name The glory of which he hath secured in the third Commandement 3. Of his Day Which he hath hedged about with a hedge of thornes in the fourth Commandement And when men by their prophaneness break this â—edge he makes his complaints from heaven against this prodigious evil Jer. 40 3. In the Primitive times the universal complaint of the Fathers was against prophaning of the Lords day Clemens Clem. Alexand Paedagog lib. 3. cap. 11. Alexandrinus complained in his time That the people after they were gone out of the Church they laid aside the counterfeit vizard of gravity and fell to delight and sport themselves in an impious manner with love-songs and noise of Minstrels c. Augustine called the prophanation of the Lords day by dancing Playes or revâ—lling A Jewish sabbatizing to be Aug. de conser Evangel lib. 2. cap. 27. Enar. in Psal 32. de decem chor dis cap. 3. abominated by all good Christians As if it was a sin not to be named among those who did wear the livery and glory in the name of Jesus Christ who was perfection incarnate the Beauty and desire of Nations Hag. 2. 7. The Lords day is that Virgin light which must be espoused by holiness by exact and suitable carriages and not subjected to the rapes of sin Greg. Nyssen Orat 2 de resurrect carnis prophaneness as Gregory Nyssen speaks most piously Sins which are deeds of darkness John 3. 19. Ephes 5. 11. are no way becoming the Sabbath which is a day of the sweetest Opera carnis sunt opera tenebrarum Glos interlin light and therefore we may take notice that whereas the Evening and the Morning made up every day else Gen. 1. 5. Gen. 1. 8. Gen. 1. 13. Gen. 1. 19. Gen. 1. 23. Gen. 1. 31. No duskish morning or declining evening are mentioned as Si prohibetur die festo opus aliquid utile ad vitae necessitatem annon potiori jure quae non nisi câ—m peccato aguntur et gravi offensione dei Cyril lib. 8. in Joan. cap. 5. the integral parts to make up the Sabbath Cyril with much reason argues If those works are forbidden upon a Sabbath which are subservient to the necessities of mans life much more those works which tend to the disgrace of mans life which cannot he done without a grievous provocation of the Lord. O let us take heed saith Primasius that we do not celebrate Gods festival in luxuries and banquets Gregory Nazianzen in an Oration of his against Julian the Apostate passionately perswades the holy observation of the Sabbath and plainly tells Christians That to keep the Sabbath in a more costly attire in a more plentiful meal in a neater dressing of our house in a more metrical dancing to the musique or in a more impudent lusting this better becomes the Gentiles custome then the Christians practice This excellent person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. thought such sinful vanities a fitter livery for Pagans whose right eye is put out by divine praeterition And Chrysostome shaâ—ply inveighs against Commessations and drinkings upon Gods holy day and affirms It much redounds to the dishonour of that blessed season The breathings of the heart not the banquets of the flesh the pouring out our souls in holy Prayer not the pouring out of Wine in intemperate healths to be filled with the Spirit Ephes 5. 18. and not with new Wine becomes that day which Christ is the Lord of In these latter times holy and Reverend Divines have Hisce diebus opera carnis non sunt toleranda nec profana negotia c. Bucer de regno Christi lib. 2. cap. 10. with much moan bewailed and entred their caveats against prophanation of Gods holy day Bucer writing to King Edward the sixth Our English Josiah cryes out On those days viz. the Sabbaths the works of the flesh are not to be allowed nor prophane businesses nor licentious sports nor any other vitious pleasures And this was a good Memento for a learned man to suggest to a religious King Indeed to serve Satan upon Gods day is not onely the blemish of particular persons but the bane and ruine of Kingdomes it lays a Nation open to the invasions of mans sword and to the effusions of Gods wrath King Henry the 8th who was no Nonesuch of Piety yet he strictly commanded all Bishops and Preachers diligently to teach the people That they all The institution of a Christian man A book set forth 1543. inscribed by King Henry the 8th to all his loving subjects and approv'd by both houses of Parliament offend against the fourth Commandement who will not on Gods day cease from their own carnal wills and pleasures but pass away their time in idleness ingluttony and riot in vain idle pastimes which is not according to the tenour of the fourth Commandement but after the usage and custome of the Jews So that now Nazianzen saith To prophane the Sabbath is after the custome of the Gentiles And King Henry the 8th saith it is after the usage of the Jewes So that it must be concluded to defile Gods holy day by loose and prophane practices doth better become a hardned Jew or a darkned Gentile then a holy Christian whose conversation should suit with a glorious Gospel The learned Gualter 2 Cor. 4 4. bitterly exclaims How do they sin with manifold impiety and sacriledge who attribute this day to Mammon Bacchus and Venus who can feast drink play dance whore and follow their luxury and pride and live so that they never serve the Devil more then on this day which ought to be wholly consecrated to God And it is no way to be doubted this is not the least cause of the evils and calamities of our age And because
indeed how much do these Sons of Belial cloud Gods blessed day with their deeds of infernal darkness But there is another generation risen up in our present Incessimus diei dominicae eversores sub praetextu libertatis Christianae ut bodie sunt Anabaptistae Prof. Leid age who sub larvâ pietatis under a pretence of religion attempt to over-throw and wholly to subvert the Lords day and yet they are so passionate in their love to the Sabbath that they would have every day a Sabbath As he said would all the Lords people were Prophets Numb 11. 29. so these wish all the dayes of the week were Lords dayes They think they give Christ too scant measure to give him but one day in the week they conceive our whole life should be a continual Sabbath And thus the Devil according to his wonted custome turns himself into an Angel of light that he 2 Cor. 11. 14. may the more undiscernedly deceive and beguile incautelous souls But the work of this Chapter will be to ferret this opinion out of all its lurking holes and to shew that the feigned sanctity of these pretenders is only a vain pretence Multitudo mediâ—orum interfecit Regem for by a seeming multiplication of Sabbaths they annihilate the true Sabbath and thrust it out of the world And as it was once said of the Graecian Emperour when he was sick that a multitude of Physicians killed the King So a multitude of pretended Sabbaths will destroy the true one which Ignatius calls the Queen of dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is some difference among Divines upon whom to father this demure fancy this feavourish zeal which runs over into all kind of absurdity The learned Professors of Leyden affix this opinion upon the Anabaptists and in downright terms call them the over-throwers of the Lords day notwithstanding with guilty Adam they run among the trees to hide themselves from the charge of the truth and think to take sanctuary in the notion of Christian liberty Dr. Twisse that mirrour of learning layes the brat at the door of Swenkfeldus as if he first gave new life to this old errour and received it by a large stride from Manes the father of the Manichees who threw this wild fire up and down in the Primitive Church against whom holy Augustine planted his batteries with glorious success Yet the Reverend Twisse will not exempt the Anabaptists from their share in the propagation of this pestilential errour Walaeus one of the Leyden Professors tells us that the Anabaptists turn the fourth The Manichees of old made all days equally holy under the Gospel Mr. Shep. Commandment into a meer Ceremony and so that Sun being set we are left in the dark and so know no distinction of dayes and he assures us that the Socinians are brethren in this iniquity The learned Rivet another of the Leyden Professors in his tract upon the Decalogue gives in his free suffrage to the judgement of his Collegue Walaeus The Familists likewise have set to their shoulder to carry on this work of Satan to level all dayes and so depose the Lords day Merè ceremoniale esse quartum preceptum ac proinde per adventum Christi planè abolitum bodiè ferè sentiunt Anabaptistae Wal. from its just royalty and honour These brain-sick persons who delight to call themselves the family of love have willingly drowned the Sabbath in the deluge of all other dayes But let it be the shame of all these Sects to make all dayes equall and equally to be regarded for so instead of Christian liberty there is brought into the Church an Heathenish licentiousness Nay the Heathenâ— had alwayes their set and solemn dayes nay weekly nay some of them the seventh day in imitation of or allusion to the Sabbath which first was fixed on that day and at this day the barbarous Turks have their weekly festival every Friday the first day of Quid est haec opinio nisi barbarieâ— petulantia Chemnit in Exam. Concil Trident. Mahomets Kingdome when he fled from Mecca to Jethrib and thenceforth constituted that day the first day of their week and of their year Chemnitius calls this levelling errour rude impudency and barbarous folly Nay it is the very dregs of ignorance not to observe that day with all due solemnity which hath so long been kept by the universal Church of God Against these Familists and Libertines many of our modern Divines have drawn up the battel wherein Truth hath gained a triumphant Victory But these spiritual levellers who make all dayes alike and would they not make all Estates alike and give no preheminence to the Lords day have some paper forts to fly unto to prevent a rout which are partly built upon pretended reason and partly upon mistaken Scripture I shall give them the full scope of their own defence and easily shew the vanity of their pleas and allegations They alledge for themselves that the fourth Commandment is meerly ceremonial and ceremonies are only for a Ceremonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop Andr. time they include decay in their very name and expired ceremonies are no obligations upon us to obedience or observance 1. To this it may be replyed That no reason can be assigned why the rest of the decalogue should not follow and Quartum praeceptum est pars Decalogi in quo nihil merè ceremoniale praecipitur quum lex Decalogi est lex morilis et aeterna duabus tabulis à deo inscripta et decem verba non novem tantùm amplecti asseritur Wal. the other Nine Commandments breath out their last with the Fourth and so the hedge of Gods Ten Words being broken down we may leap over into any sin for the Apostle avers That where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4. 15. Sin is the transgression of the Law as another Apostle affirms 1 John 3. 4. And the Law being expired and disanull'd the transgression ceaseth So we may covet our neighbours wife without immodesty the law against it being out of date and cassated and what a gap would this open to all licentiousness How would this turn the world into a Stews and a Brothel house For as Walaeus rightly argues The fourth Commandment is part of the Decalogue one of Gods ten words in which nothing meerly ceremonial is commanded seeing the Law of the Decalogue is moral and eternal written in two Tables by God Exod. 34 28. himself Deut. 10. 4. and is called Gods ten words Deut. 4. 13. not his nine words to intimate the indivisible Exod. 19. 16. union between the fourth and the rest of the Commandments Exod. 31. 16. Considering likewise it is a Commandment partaking Levit. 19 3. of the same priviledges with the rest 1. It was delivered with the same admirable Majesty 2. It was written with the same finger of God Levit. 23. 3. Exod. 31. 13. Jam.
2. 10. 3. It was pressed with the same if not greater severity with the rest 4. It was laid up in the same Ark with the other Nine Quod pronunciatum Apostolus Christianis ad quod scribit applicat cujus veritas constare nequit nisi illud sub N. T. de quorti Praecepti transgressione locum habet alioquin enâ—m si in hoc praecepto nihil morale sit qui illud non servarit is non esset reus violatae ligis sed potius legis ejus rectus observator et Christianae libertatis rectus assertor Wal. and therefore we may fairly conclude that the same casualty which befalls the fourth most inevitably overtake the other nine Commandments This likewise is demonstrated by our Saviours assertion Mat. 22. 37. in his pressing love to God and our Neighbour as the sum and scope of the law which sum is moral and perpetual and includes the fourth as well as the other Commandments for how can we love God and not keep his day And we may likewise take notice that the total sum alwayes takes in every particular figure The learned Walaeus very well observes from that text of the Apostle James Jam. 2. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all I say this learned man observes this injunction of the Apostle James could carry no weight with it and bear no stress if the keeping of the Sabbath by force of the fourth Commandment as well as the observing of the other nine Commandments was not necessary for then Christians might break this Commandment and be innocent nay rather be observers of Gods will and faithfull assertors of Christian liberty for that Commandment which now is not moral the breach of it is no violation of any Law and so no offence but who can see how the fourth Commandment slips out of the rest of the Law how comes this Pearl to drop from the Chain that this Precept should not require our conformity as well as the other Commands of the immutable Decalogue And how can the whole Law 2 Sam. 10. be observed if so important a Command as the fourth is be left to our liberty to break and violate And I may here reassume the forementioned Text Jam. 2. 10. how solicitous and carefull should we be to keep the fourth Commandment which is so considerable apart of the whole Law for offending in this one point we shall wrap up our selves in the guilt of the whole Decalogue and sin against the dignity and authority of the whole Law we shall be lyable to the same punishment as if we had scratched every Commandement This solemn text of Scripture might over-awe our hearts to a holy Violet homo totam legem et si non totum legis Accipienda sunt decem praecepta non disjunctim sed conjunctim et completivè tanquam una lex absoluta Justitiae et sanctitatis regula Dr. M. obedience to the Commandment of the Sabbath It is a notable observation of a learned Man The precepts of God are not to be taken disjoyntly but conjoyntly not severally but altogether as they make one entire Law and rule of Righteousness the contempt reflecting upon the whole law when it is wilfully violated in any part A grave and worthy speech The Decalogue is a body he who injurieth any one member wrongeth the whole body he who slights any one Commandment suppose the fourth sheds a dishonour upon the two Tables Besides there are many things in the fourth Commanment which loudly proclaim its continuance and standing morality The working six dayes which is the indulgence of the command speaketh it mâ—st just and equitable that we Justissimum est et aequissimun ei cujus toti sumus unum diem è septem coâ—secrare sex alios nostris laboribus concessit â—ùm tamen poâ—uisset jure suo c. Riv. should consecrate one viz. that day which remains to the service of God and there is nothing more agreeable to natural reason and justice as Rivet speaks and therefore to lay all dayes open to follow the byass and sway of our wills is most fantastick and irreligious and speaks the Assertours of such an opinion an irregular Sect and salt which hath lost its savour as a holy man calls them And that rule of Zanchy is most observable and authentical It is a most wretched and wicked thing to assert there are no dayes set apart for the more special worship of God and to despise those Imptum est et iniquum aut nullos esse dies divino cultui dedicatos asserere aut eos qui sunt contemnere Zanch. which are set apart to the same intent Nor can the sanctification of the Sabbath be ceremonial or vanishing for Prayer is as needfull for us as the Jews and so hearing of the Word receiving of the Sacrament and those Ordinances which fill up the Sabbath Moreover rest and refreshing for our selves and families for our Servants and Cattle is as well accommodated to the weakness of the flesh in the times of the Gospel as in the times of the Law To all which may be added that the great end of the fourth Opus creationis eâ—t opus stupendum immò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commandement viz. the serious consideration of the great and stupendous works of the Creation and so to be led to admire the Creatour the great Workmaster of this admirable structure of the World is no way unbecoming Christians Ratio praecepti quarti est quia sex diebus deus fecit caelum et terram die septimo requievit jam regula est ratio immutabilis facit praeceptum immutabile ratio hujus praecepti nunquam transitura est praeceptum ergo in perpetuum durabit Dr. Andr. Epis Winton nor heterogeneous to their vivid and holy speculations which are onely heightned to us by an additional argument of the mellifluous work of mans Redemption But to draw out the Answer no further It is most remarkable and to be noted with an Higgaion Selah that in the 31 of Exod. 14. God presently after the exhibition of the Decalogue the whole body of the ten Commandements singles out the fourth Commandement alone and tells the Jewes Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one who defiles it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people It is a Sabbath of Rest holy to the Lord v. 15. The Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath they shall observe the Sabbath throughout their Generations for a perpetual Covenant v. 16. How doth the Lord again again press the keeping of the Sabbath two or three times in one Verse and one Verse after another as if this was his darling Commandement and he took the greatest care of it and did give it the primacy over all the other Precepts And indeed
data sunt Talmud Hierosolym Isa 66. 3. Psal 50. 16. 3. And they were to look to their conversations to see them clean before they took the Law of God into their mouths Psal 26. 6. And their neglect of this duty in after-times highly provoked the Lord Isa 1. 12 13. 4. They had a high esteem of the assemblies of the faithful as holy Convocations Levit. 23. 3. And they looked on the place of their meeting as the house of God 1 Chron. 9. Psal 27. 4. 27. And thought those blessed who dwelt there Psal Psal 84. 1 2. 84. 4. 5. When they were going to the place of worship it was Mic. 4. 2. with singular affection Psal 26. 8. and vehement longing Psal 42. 2. 6. It was customary among them to excite one another to approach to God in holy and solemn worship The Pastors stirred up the people Jer. 31. 6. And the people stirred up one another Jer. 50. 4 5. And the parties excited were glad thereof Psal 122. 1. 7. Joy and praise made their way to the house of God Psal 42. 4. 8. When they entred into the Congregation they worshipped at the very gate Ezek. 46. 3. They kissed the Datum est Sabbatum ad meditandum in lege dei Aben Ezr. in cap. 20 Exod. very portal where Gods honour dwelt So zealous and devout when time was was this poor people 9. When they departed they would carry a blessing with them 2 Chron. 30. 27. 10. After the dismission they did meditate on what they heard Psal 1. 2. if at all times much more on this blessed day And they did not survey what they heard in a secret contemplation but in a serious examination Acts 17. 11. They searched the Scriptures afterwards touching those things in which they were taught The Scriptures were their golden Mine not only to look upon in meditation but to search into by scrutiny and holy discussion 11. When they were come home from publick Ordinances Deut. 11. â—9 they taught their Children For this was a charge laid upon them daily much more on Gods day Deut. 6. 6 7. Exod. 31. 14 15. And if they were to teach their Children when they walked by the way much more when they came from a Sermon heated with the incense of holy duties 12. Oâ— this holy Sabbath they were to charge their meditations with their deliverance from Egypt Deut. 5. 14 15. And to think on the sanctifying power of God Ezek. 20. 20. And to contemplate on the eternal rest the everlasting Sabbath which was to come and to see in all things they delighted in the Lord and accounted his day honourable and denyed all their own thoughts and delights and works on this blessed day Isa 58. 13. Let us go and do so likewise Isa 58. 14. as our Saviour speaks in another case Luke 10. 17. And when we deviate in Sabbath duties let us take this glass and so mend our dress The Jews carriage was most remarkable on their Sabbath in the multiplicity of their services 1. They had preparatory work which hath already been touched upon and therefore no further to be pursued 2. They had legal sacrifices to offer both forenoon and afternoon and these sacrifices were to be doubled on the Num. 28. 9 10. Sabbath They had their burnt offerings their meat offerings their drink offerings besides the incense which was Quod spectat ad usum Altaris aurei debuit in singulis diebus mane et vespere in eo suffitum offerri ab Aarone et ejus successoribus Rivet to be burnt on the Altar both Morning and Evening Exod. 30. 7 8. And this offering of incense is a perpetual service throughout their Generations And to this offering up of incense David alludes Psal 141. 2. 3. They had spiritual duties to perform holy prayers to pour forth Dan. 9. 21. Luke 1. 10. Holy Scriptures to read holy instructions to give to their Children and Servants holy meditation to entertain holy Sacraments to administer Sometimes the Passeover John 19. 36. And often Nehem. 8. 5. the Circumcision John 7. 22. Their spiritual duties Luke 4. 20. like stars did shine in the firmament of their Sabbath to render it bright and glorious Nehem. 8. 3. 4. They had works of charity to act And these were of two sorts 1. Either to brute creatures for the Lord allowed them to lead their Ox and their Asse to watering Luke 13. 15. to make their lives more comfortable 2. Or Secondly to themselves they had liberty to provide for their placid and chearful performances of holy duties But most principally they had Collections for â—he poor on the Sabbath which the Scripture mentions Luke 21. 1 Mark 12. 41. Deinde edicitur nequis sit impedimento Judaeis caetus aut collectus facientibus aut Hyerosolyâ—â—a eas mittentibus more patrio Phil. Jud. in legat ad Caâ—â—n Cesarem 2. And Philo Judaeus in his Apology to the Emperour Caius Caligula stands much upon this service of theirs for the justification of the Brethren of his Religion and recapitulates it as a priviledge granted them by Caesar Augustus Thus we may observe how busie the Jews were in running through the several stages of duty till they came to the end of their Sabbath No wonder then if one of their Rabbies called idleness on a Sabbath a notable errour The Jews carriage on the Sabbath was remarkable in the continuance of their services They began their Sabbath betimes and ended it late We read they came early on the Psal 139. 9. morning to the temple Luke 21. 38. they did fly to holy duties upon the wings of the morning that no Sabbath time Luke 21. 38. John 8. 2. John 18. 20. might run waste And this their earliness is taken notice of in three several places of Scripture to shew how pleasing it was Christ rose early to teach John 8. 2. and the people Deut. 32. 2. rose early to bath their souls in that morning dew which fell from heaven And the Scripture records this early resort was no fit of novelty but their constant and continual practice John 18. 20. And if it be said But happily their service passed away as the dew which is soon dried up it is answered it is thought most probably that the Jews did Convenimus semper et curcti magno silentio utuntur nisi ad laudem doctorum nec aliquis verbum emittit Sacerdos unus è senioribus legem recitat et exponit et hoc fit ad totum diem usque ad crepusculum Deindo abeunt et sacrarum litterarum peritiores et pietate multò munitiores Euseb de Praepar Evan lib. 8. cap. 2. ex Philon hold out from the beginning to the ending without any intermission there was no breaking up of the Congregation till all was done Acts 13. 43. Nehem. 8. 8 9. But Philo one of the most eminent among the Jews gives
us this fair relation of their behaviour on the Sabbath We have our Conventions saith he on the Sabbath and sit down with great silence and the people speak not a word unless it be in the praise of their Teachers one of the most grave of the Priests reads the Law and expounds it and this is done all the day long till twilight and so the people g◠away more knowing in the Law of God And this relation Eusebius takes notice of in his eighth book of Evangelical preparation the second Chapter Thus then upon the credit of one of their most famous Authors it was the shutting in of the evening put a stop to their publick services besides the remains of duty to be acted at home so that their whole Sabbath was a golden thread spun out in heavenly and devout performances which may cover the faces of many Christians with shame who trifle away their precious Sabbaths in vain and flatulent impertinencies To add but a word The Jews zeal for Sabbath-observation sometimes gave so good an heat that mistaking the force of the fourth Commandment In it thou shalt do no manner of work Exod. 20. 10. they would not adventure to rost an Apple to pluck an herb to climb a tree or those things which are most harmless and inoffensive nay not to defend themselves when assaulted by the enemy on the Sabbath day and by this means they became a prey to their Joseph lib. 12. cap. 8. Adversary Antiochus Epiphanes whereupon Matthias made a Decree that it should be lawfull upon the Sabbath to resist their Enemies which Decree they understanding Joseph lib 14. cap. 8. strictly as if it gave them onely leave to resist when they were actually assaulted and not to use any stratagem on that day to prevent their enemies by raising of Rams or setting of Engines undermining c. They became a prey a second time to Pompey But afterwards they arrived at a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better understanding of this Decree and now they have a Proverbial speech Peril of life drives away the Sabbath As the Christians use a Proverb much to the same purpose Necessity knows no holy dayes And this scruple concerning such small things as were before mentioned as likewise not Hospin de Orig. Festor cap. de Sab. warring on the Sabbath Hospinian puts a fair construction upon and thinks it rather mistake then superstition And so we have seen the fair portraicture of Sabbath-observation as it was sometimes drawn by Jewish practice when they were serious and advised and not effascinated with sensuality and idolatry and truly it was very commendable and deserves imitation and will certainly heat the furnace of eternal fire seven times hotter to Sabbath-breaking Dan. 3. 19. Christians CHAP. XLIV Holiness doth as well become the Christian as the Jewish Sabbath if we look back to the Infancy of the World IT is not unusual with many persons to look upon the strict observation of the Sabbath as a piece of servitude which onely belonged to the Jews and that Christs coming Externus dei cultus à naturae lege et jure existit cùm illud à naturâ comparatum est ut tempus aliquid iis quae ad cultum pertinent opportunè et liberaliter demiss Azor. loosned the reins and gave Christians a greater liberty Now to refute this unhappy fancy shall be the design of this and some subsequent chapters and the only way to accomplish the attempt is to shew that the Sabbath every way belongs as much to Christians as to Jews and therefore the holy keeping of it concerns as much the one as the other for holiness is the end of the Sabbaths command To cease from servile works is the Command and Sanctification is the end of that Command as the School-men speak Now to evidence this the more plainly and demonstratively we must run up the Sabbath to the fountain head to Gen. 2. 3. Septimum diem deus non accommodum putabat ad creandum sed ad quietem adaptum statuit Theodor. the primitive institution of it which we find in the very infancy of the World Gen. 2. 3. The Sabbath at first was given to the Sons of Adam and not to the Sons of Abraham and it was a Sun which did not onely shine upon the coast of Judaea but upon the whole world and so every way belongs to us as well as to the Jews This will be more clear if we canvass the words of the institution recorded in the forementioned Gen. 2. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his works which he had created and made Observatio sab bati omnino praecepta suit ante Mosen quia in primâ creatione deus eam sanxit Par. in Gen. Before I pass to a further explication of the text I shall take notice as others have done that all our translatours of the Bible in the Contents of this Chapter put in the first Sabbath instituted And therefore the apprehension of these learned men which put the sacred Scriptures into an English dress and made them speak our mother tongue might prevail much against the cavils of any of our own Nation But for the more clear explication of Gen. 2. 3. we must enquire into the meaning of these words Blessing and Sanctifying and I suppose the worthy Chrysostome may here be an authentical expositour and thus he descants on this text Gen. 2. 3. He sanctified it wbat means that word he Chrysost in Gen. sanctified it he separated it therefore the Divine Scripture teaching us the cause why he sanctified it addeth because in it he rested from all his works Now hence God would teach us from the beginning to separate and set apart one whole day in the circle of every week to the exercise of spiritual things For for this cause did the Lord finish all the fabrick of the world in six dayes and honoured the seventh day with his blessing and sanctified it because in it he rested from all his Illa sanctificatio Sabbati nihil aliud esse potest quà m mandatum de illo die sanctificando Adamo datum Dr. R. works To this worthy Father let the famous Bishop of Armagh succeed in the explanation of this text To sanctifie a Sabbath saith he is either to keep it holy or to make it holy and seeing God cannot keep any day more holy then another the meaning must be he made it holy which is as much as to command the keeping of it holy And it is observable God blessed the Sabbath not with natural blessings that the Sun should shine brighter and the weather prove fairer on Zanch. de hom Creat lib. 1. Sab. fin libr. this day rather then another but the blessings of a Sabbath are of another nature they are spiritual blessings converse with God holy and divine meditation c. which blessings proclaim
appointed for it viz. the ninety second Psalm The Prophets are very frequent in complaining of the violation Nehem. 13. 15 16. 18 19. Isa 56. 2. Ezek. 20. 12 13. John 5 18. Luke 6. 6. Acts 13. 42. Acts 16. 13. Acts 20. 7. and in pressing the observation of it The Gospel hath often mention of it and takes notice of Christs preaching of his healing of his debating cases with his adversaries upon that day The Acts of the Apostles have likewise touches both of the old and the new Sabbath The Epistles hint and insinuate the institution of a Christian Sabbath when the old Sabbath lost both its place in the week and its title in the Scutcheon and now the Sabbath which closed begins the week and that holy festival 1 Cor. 16. 2. which was the Evening star of the work of Creation is the Morning star of the work of Redemption The Revelation discovers Gods right to it and gives it the title of the Lords day besides all this the observation of Rev. 1. 10. Ezek. 20. 24. Ezek. 44. 24. the Sabbath is ranked by the Prophets among the most substantial and perpetual duties of Religion Now shall Scriptures be thus copious in mentioning be thus powerful in pressing be thus severe in revenging a flying dying Ceremony Surely this must cast too much contempt upon the blessed and eternal spirit of God Having followed the chase thus far and yet starting no Ceremony in the fourth Commandment it would be enough to say it not being Ceremonial it must needs be Morall But we will take a review of this blessed command and upon our better search no doubt but its morality and so its perpetuity will be more evident and perspicuous Let us therefore look upon this Commandment In the order of it Is it comely and good to have God to be our God in the first Commandment to worship him after his own heart and will in the second to give him his worship Lâ—â— moralis perfectaÌ„ adeòque non externam tantùm obedientiam sed totius naturae conformitatem cum regulâ illâ et normâ justitiae atque sapientiae in Decalogo expressam postulat Reliquae legis species de â—â—ternâ tantùm â—â—edientâ—â â—râ—â—â—â—tione 〈◊〉 scriptorum 〈◊〉 et officiorum politiâ—â—rum loqâ—â—ntur Zepper with all the highest respect and reverence of his name in the third and is it not as comely good and suitable that this great God and King should have some magnificent day of state to be attended on by his poor servants and creatures both publickly and privately with special respect and service as oft as he himself sees meet and which we cannot but confess to be most equal and just according to the fourth Commandment In the first table one Commandment is linked to and depends upon another God must be our God and then he must be worshipped and with all 〈◊〉 reverence to his name and so there must be a set time 〈◊〉 this and who shall appoint this day of worship but he who hâ—â—h appointed the manner of it The close coâ—nexion of the precept to another speaks the inseparability of it from the rest and so its perpetuity with the rest And let us 〈◊〉 iâ— all the precepts of the second table be moral 〈◊〉 onely concern man why should any of the first table â—â—ll short of that glory which do immediately concern 〈◊〉 Shall mans weal be more cared for then Gods worship Nay shall man have six Commandments the greater 〈…〉 and all of them morally good and God have buâ— â—our â—â— â—esser number and one or more of them not so May we not here say a little to invert that in the Prophet are not all the Commandments equal but are not mans cavils undue expositions unequal Let us look on the fourth Commandment in the site and position of it it is put into the besome of the Decâ—logue Prâ—ceptum hoc qâ—â—si â—â—â—ermedium inter praecepta primae et secundae tabulae et sanctificatio Sabbati et quasi nervus intelligentiae et obedientiae Riv. that it might not â—e 〈◊〉 as we put letters and things into our bosoms which wâ—â—re mâ—st chary of it is the Golden clasp which joyns 〈…〉 Tables together it is the sinew in that 〈…〉 were written with Gods own finge◠〈…〉 precept which participates of the 〈…〉 and the due observance of which is as 〈…〉 whâ—le Law And as Christ was a 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and Man Heb. 8. 6. so this blessed 〈…〉 hinge upon which the Precepts of the 〈…〉 God and the Precepts of the Vt aliqua dies in septimanâ sit deo dedicata praeceptum est stabile aeternum secoâ—◠〈…〉 do principally turn it no way being proâ—â—ble 〈…〉 who is spiritual and serious in the observation of Gods holy day should fly into Idolatry to break the second into theft to break the eighth or other gross evils to violate the rest of the Commandments This Command Jacob. de Valent ad curs Jud. for the Sabbath is set by God in the very heart of the Decalogue and we are enjoyned obedience to it by a peculiar memento And therefore to any unprejudiced mind it is very unlikely that this Commandment alone should be overtaken with the shadows of the evening should fly away as Observatio sabbati est caput Religionis totum cultum dei continet Wil. an empty and useless ceremony One tells us The Command for the Sabbath is put in the close of the first and in the beginning of the second table to denote that the observation of both Tables depends much upon the sanctification of this day And indeed let us break the clasp and both tables will fall asunder Let us look on this command in the reason of it No command hath more reasons to enforce it 1. It s own equity Quùm deus noster singulari suâ ergà nos charitate è septem diebus unum dâ—ntâ—xat instaurandâ— fidei nostrae atque adeò vitae aeternae sanctificavit deploratum sanè ille se contemptorem demonstrat sicut salutis pro priae sic et divinae beneficentiae quicunque non studeat illum ipsum diem domino suo glorifi cando sanctificare Bucer Shall man have six dayes for himself and shall not God have one It was Adams ingratitude that he had but one tree forbidden him to eat of it and yet he must eat of that tree And surely it is the highest sacriledge when God forbids but one day in a week for our pleasures and affairs and yet we should entrench upon that Bucer well observes If God be so bountifull to give us six dayes we should be so dutifull to give him one If we have six dayes for our affairs surely God must have one for his glory If we have six for our labour shall not God have one for his worship And indeed our interest is more wrapt up in the observation of the seventh then
hath gone before us to open a way to us Certainly when God hath once determined the proportion of time it is so far to be accounted moral and perpetual that it is to hold till God himself shall alter it and as for the particularity of the day according to the forementioned proportion therein we should be far more to seek were we left to our selves therefore this also is ordered by God himself and that in great congruity as appears Exod. 20. 11. to as many as are acquainted with the story of the Creation for the Lord having dispatcht all his works in six dayes and resting on the seventh commanded men to imitate him This being thus ordered by the Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. it must be in force of perpetual observation as a requisite determination of the morality of this Law and it cannot be of an alterable nature unless it be by the same Authority by which it was ordained Now by the fourth Commandment it is clear 1. That God commanded some time to be set apart and Hoc quartum praeceptum est magis morale quâ—m ceremoniale et ideò in Decalogo ad quâ—m omnes tenemur semper praecipiendum erat Gerson sanctified to his service 2. The proportion of this time to be one day in seven 3. That the particular day under this proportion be the seventh and that unto the Jews in correspondency to the seventh day from the Creation wherein God commanded them to rest from all their works but then when God manifests his pleasure for the alteration of this day from the seventh to the first we are to be an obedient people thus far the worthy Twisse And that this change was made will be further seen in the next Chapter to all which may be added such Laws as necessarily flow from natural relation both between God and man as well as between man and man these are good in themselves because suitable and comly even to humane nature for there is a comliness and decency Mat. 1. 6. which attend those rules to which our relation binds us there are scarce any question the duties of the second Eph. 5 28 29. table because they are so evidently comly suitable and agreeing to humane nature as to honour Parents to secure our neighbour not to destroy him c. And shall not the morality of the rules of the first table be as evident and fully manifest For if there be a God and this God our God according Quoad observationem unius diei in singulis hebdomadis sabbatum non est legis caremonialis sed moralis quae immota est perpetua Ravanel to the first Commandment then it is most comly most meet most suitable to love him to fear him to trust on him to delight in him and if this God must be worshipped by man in respect of the mutual relation between them then it is comly and meet to worship him with his owne worship according to the second Commandment to worship him with all holy reverence according to the third and if he must be thus worshipped and yet at all times he cannot be solemnly honoured and worshipped in respect of our necessary and worldly employments then it is very fit and comly for all men to have some set and stated time of worship according to some proportion which the Lord of time can only best make and therefore a seventh part of time which he doth make according to the fourth Commandment is most suitable to man and most comly for him to obey God in and nothing more decent then for man to serve God in his own proportionated time Now let the case be reasoned with any religious Soul yea with any rational man Is it not a point of moral equity to pay tribute out of all our times to the Lord of time who holds our Souls in life and in whose hands our time and breath is Do we not owe him a piece of every day and shall we think it too much to give him a day in every week Shall he give us six and shall we deny him one And is it just and meet that since mans life upon earth is but a pilgrimage and he hath no abiding City here but looks for one above that Heb. 13. 14. Ne pigeat nos murdo valedicere ut ad Christum veniamus fluxitatem vitae praesentis ob oculos ponentes Neque enim indigenae sed hospites sumus in hoc mundo non habentes civitatem sed domicilium Par. he shall spend all his time and thoughts upon the trifles of the world but rather as some time every day so also some one day in every week to retire himself from the world and to draw near to God and to enjoy communion with him with whom he looks to live for ever Again in respect of Servants and Cattle is it not grand equity and reason that one day in the week they should enjoy some relaxation and not always toyl in their servitude and bondage that poor drudging Servants who bear Gods Image as well as our selves should have a breathing-time one day in a week a day of weekly Rest for their wearied bodies and one holy day in a week for their precious Souls Can we in equity afford them less and what meeter proportion for the solemn service of God than one day in seven when Natura non habitandi sed commorandi diversorium hic nobis dedit Sen. Experience tells us that the necessities both of civil and soul affairs require a mutual interchange of speedy dispatches and quick returns which cannot be less then one day in seven and not well more and therefore Gods proportionating this time in the fourth Commandement is most suitable to the infinite wisdom of the Divine Legislator as once Ptolomaeus Philadelphus said of all Gods Laws And this one day in seven was the tribute which was paid to God in the times of the old Testament and much more is it due in the times of the new This proportion of time is moral and perpetual being of Gods assignation of the Churches constant observation and of it self a most exact proportion and this fourth Commandement is holy just and good to use the Apostles Language and so never was subject to Rom. 7. 12. the decays and instability of a withering Ceremony Let us look upon the fourth Commandement in the spirituality of it The corruption of our nature found in the manifest Nitimur in vetâ—â—um Elementa sunt ceremoniae lâ—qâ—â— et sunt infiâ—ma â—â—essecta mutili impâ—â—entia 〈…〉 〈…〉 opposition of wicked men and in the secret unwillingness of good men to sanctifie sincerely the Sabbath-day sufficiently demonstrates that this Commandement is holy spiritual and heavenly Rites and Ceremonies are but the trappings of Religion at the best the splendid Oâ—â—aments which set off Divine Worship in the Jewish Pedagogie Paraeus well observes That the ceremonies of the Law
any occasion of disturbance But now in the Latine Churches where this Heresie never took root nor spread it self the Jewish Sabbath was never observed but rather marked with a Note of sadness and sorrow viz. The memory of Christs death our Jesus lying in his Grave as on that day and this sprang fresh tears and did yield new and constant matter of mourning to the Christians of those times And it was no strange thing in the primitive times in a surplusage of zeal to run down one Extream by running into a nother as we see to make a stick straight we bend it on both sides Socrat. Hist lib. 6. cap. 8. Thus then at last we see that we cannot keep two Sabbaths no more then we can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 10. Then one Sabbath must be discharged which can be no other than the old seventh-day Sabbath which was fairly laid asleep in the Grave of Jesus Christ and the Christian Sabbath rose up in its stead in the resurrection of Christ To evidence this truth more clearly and methodically we must know a thing may be discharged and abrogated two ways by expiration and so a Law is expired when the reason of giving that Law being ceased in respect of time or persons ceases of it self and so the Law is laid aside as useless and there needs no formal repeal And thus we may argue for the expiration of the old Saturday Sabbath A special Ordinance given unto the old World is then expired when that World it self is ended except it be revived and renewed in the new But this Law concerning the old seventh day was given to the old World Now for the clearing of this we must take notice that the Scripture Gen. 2. 3. Heb. 1. 1. Heb. 1. 2. Acts 2. 17. Heb. 9. 26. 1 Cor. 10. 11. speaks of two Worlds the first which begun at the Creation and ended presently after the passion of Christ the second beginning at Christs resurrection and ending at the general Judgment The Apostle speaks of Worlds 1 Heb. 2. viz. The old World and the new the one before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas de Sabbat Circumcis and under the Law and the other under the Gospel and the new World viz. The time of the Gospel is sometimes called A new Heaven and a new Earth Isa 65. 17. The second World the invincible Athanasius calls it Another Generation when the old Sabbath was to cease as well as Circumcision and the Lords-day was to begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Monument of the looked for reparation Upon all this let us assume the first Argument The old Sabbath as also the whole manner of service was limited to the term or time of the old World and so must necessarily expire with it It is not said the Commandâ—ment expired with it for that was moral for one day in Athanas seven to be consecrated to the service and worship of God but the old seventh-day Sabbath instituted at the beginning of the old World is together with that old World expired and a new one come in its room When the reason of any Law ceases for that is the life and the Soul of a Law then the Law it self ceases But the reason of the institution of the old Sabbath ceased at the end of the old World and the beginning of the new viz. The resurrection of Christ The reason of the institution of the old Sabbath was Gods honouring that day in resting from all his works and for the memory of the Creation which was implied and to be supposed till a greater work Sic Romae Aerat et Epoche fuit ab urbe conditâ tali aut tali anno should be finished to be the ground of the institution of another day which was the work of Reparation or Redemption To make this out a little further let it be observed that the ground and reason of the institution of days which are set and solemn is some memorable work falling out upon such days The very Heathens chose out Nativity days the days of founding Cities of memorable Victories c. Now the first Sabbath was instituted upon such a reason viz. Gods honouring that day by his rest from the great work of Creation And so Mr. White of Dorchester urges The way to the Tree of life pag. 278. Mr. White this after this manner That day which is honoured by God above other days by his most eminent work of mercy to Mankind shall be the day of his holy Rest to be consecrated to him for his worship But the day in which Jam vetus expiravit et mundus et sabbatum septimaeque diei commemoratio Christi tumulo sepelitur Resurgit Christus resurgit et sabbatum Christianum mutatur dies sed non minuitur observatio quod ut evidentius sit notandum est Deus habuit opus habuit opus et Christus Deus habuit requiem sic requiem habuit et Christus Deus quievit post creationem et Christus post redemptionem quietem ab opere creationis commemorat dies septimus quietem ab opere Redemptionis commemorat dies primus orbe christiano universaliter observandus God ended and perfected the Creation of the World is honoured and advanced above all other days therefore that day shall be a day of holy Rest Now the Proposition will serve the turn for the Lords-day and thus That day which is honoured by God above all other days by his most eminent work of mercy to Mankind shall be the day of holy Rest But the first day of the week in which Christ rested from the work of Redemption is the day honoured and advanced above all other days old Sabbath and all therefore this is the Christians day of solemn Rest The old Sabbath indeed was to continue upon the reason given viz. Gods rest after the Creation till a greater work should appear and then it must expire and resigne unto a new Possessor Indeed the latter work viz. Mans Redemption so great so necessary so glorious even puts out the memory of the former and so antiquates the reason of it and thereupon the day it self expires and obliges to no more observance The Redemption of Mankind then being the greater work as shall be more fully shewed hereafter and having a stronger reason in it hath swallowed up the memory of the stupendious work of Creation as Doctor Young calls it not that the work of Creation should be forgotten for that glorious work gave us our esse our being as the work of our Redemption gave us our bene esse our well-being but rather that it should be more adorned and perfected we still retain the memory of the Creation in keeping one day in seven to the Lord and the memory of the Redemption in keeping the first of seven Our contemplations on the wonderful work of the Creation are heightned not stifled by the
memorials of a fresh and additional and more glorious work of Redemption 2. The Sabbath of the Jews expires by the surrogation of another day in the room of it upon a more remarkable and eminent occasion and by the same Divine Authority The substitution of another day viz. The Lords day puts out the observation of the former A new Mayor of a City being elected the Authority of the old ceases and he becomes dis-authorized As a Candle is put forth and the Stars dis-appear when the Sun ariseth So the observation of the Lords day thrusts out the observation of the old Sabbath and takes all the honour of it to it self and this it doth by vertue of the fourth Commandment which requires one day in seven So then the old Sabbath being buried in its Grave the Lords day is Heir apparent to it and like Jam tempore gratiae revelatae observatio illa sabbati ablata est ab observatione fidelium Aug. Gen. ad litter lib. 4. cap. 13. another Phoenix arises out of its ashes to succeed it The substitution of the new Sabbath is the abrogation of the old and the Lords day appearing which shall be plentifully proved the Saturday Sabbath vanisheth and is evaporate as the scattered cloud at the breaking out of the Sun In a word God had his work and so had Christ God had his rest and so had Christ God rested after the work of Creation and Christ after the work of Redemption the seventh day Sabbath commemorates Gods rest after the work of Creation and the first day Sabbath commemorates Christs rest after the work of Redemption which is universally to be observed in the Christian world It is rationally argued by a learned man that the old Sabbath is abolished by the death and resurrection of Christ Constat Apostolos biduò in maerore suisse propter motum Judaeorum se abscondisse qui die dominicâ ex hîlarati non solùm illum festivissimum voluerunt verùm etiam per omnes hebdomadas frequentandum esse duxerunt Humb. and God Almighty hath appointed a new form of Divine worship according to the Evangelical law Now the form of worship being changed it was expedient that the outward circumstances of place and solemn time should likewise be altered from what they were before and concerning the time of solemn worship the Lords day succeeds upon which Christ riseth and resteth from the great work of mans Redemption Old Sabbaths and old sacrifices being twins though both honourable and serviceable in their time yet like Hypocrates his twins they must live and die together and let both be buryed together But let our Gospel Sabbath take life from our Saviours Resurrection which brought with it a new creation a new world making all things new and giving a new life to lost mankind Holy Ignatius contemporary for many years with the Apostle John with some indignation rejects the Jewish Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignat. and charges us as we have any love to Jesus Christ to lay it aside and keep the Lords day the supream and Queen of dayes And this blessed Martyr speaking of the Jews converted to Christ in his time gives them this most Christian character viz. That they did no longer keep the Sabbath of the Jews but led their life according to the Lords day in which our life arose Augustine brands the keeping of the old Sabbath with the odious term of Judaizing And Ne Judaizemus servando Sabbatum judaicum Aug. indeed it can be n◠less then great contempt cast on our dear Messiah It is well observed by one We cannot possibly retain the old seventh day Sabbath but we must Memorize our creation above our Redemption which is to admire the Star more then the Sun or the Candle more then the Star and is expresly contrary to the ancient both promise and prophesie The Council of Laodicea was so zealous Incongruum est veteris creationis Sabbatum novae creationi Lightf against the observation of the old Sabbath that it pronounced an Anathema against the obstinate observators of it The words of the Council are these Christians ought not to Judaize and to rest from work on the Jewish Sabbath day but prefer the Lords day before it and rest thereon from labour if any shall be found to Judaize let him be an Anathema Here we may note that this Venerable Ista legalis septimi diei deputatio consecratio neminem constringit prater Judaeos idque non nisi ad tempus Non autem in Novo Testamento quo lex Mosis una cum sacerdotio Christo servatori cessit Muscul Council which was held Anno Dom. 314. One of the most primitive Conventions of the Christian Church commands as under a severe penalty to follow our works on the Saturday Sabbath and to put the crown of rest and holiness upon the head of the Lords day I suppose the Canons of this Council are a good Comment upon the spirit of those times It is well observed by Musculus That the deputation of the seventh day Sabbath belonged only to the Jewish paedagogy now the Jews being hissed off the stage by the just judgment of God and being unchurched and unpeopled their Sabbath is folded up in silence and we have nothing to do with it and so we fairly lay it to sleep and draw the curtains about it no more expecting its rise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas or revival Let me conclude this particular with a saying of Athanasius In the old time of the Jews the seventh day Sabbath was highly esteemed but now under the Gospel the Lord hath changed it and translated it into the Lords day for the old Sabbath appertained to their pedagogy and to the rudiments of the law and therefore when the great Master came and fulfilled all that which was prefigured by it it then ceased even as a Candle is put forth at the rising and appearing of the Sun Now what can be more evident for the dismission of the legal and the admission of the Evangelical Sabbath Quest The old Sabbath then is discharged and is not the fourth Commandment discarded with it buryed in the same grave Answ Surely no for the fourth Commandment enjoyned the sanctification of the Sabbath indefinitely not definitely a seventh day not the seventh day a seventh day not in order but proportion Junius very well observes That the natural equity of the fourth Commandment is that one day Naturalis aequitas quarti praecepti est unum è septem diebus deo et divino cultu◠esse destinandum c. Jun. in seven be consecrated to God whether the first day or the last day of the week and the Scriptures telling us it is now the first we are still obedient to the fourth Commandment Indeed the law of sanctifying the Sabbath is natural and perfectly Moral in respect of the substance of it which is this That every
are forced to fly to a miserable distinction at the best that the fourth Precept is partly moral and partly ceremonial for the substance of the command is that a seventh day be consecrated to divine worship which if the day mentioned in the command be ceremonial then the whole precept is so And therefore to disintangle our souls from these intricacies of errour and absurdity we must conclude that a seventh day in proportion and not the seventh day in order is the substance and equity of the fourth Commandment and so the practice of the Church in all ages which is the best interpreter of this command hath fully shewn and declared The fourth Commandment then enjoyns one day in seven to be weekly observed and this is the reason and the substance of it Now the old seventh day which was the Jews Sabbath being antiquated and discharged what day remains for the Christian Sabbath for the Disciples of Christ to meet upon for holy and divine worship Quest Here the answer is ready It is the first day of the week the blessed day of our adored and admired Saviors Resurrection Answ But still the Query will be By what Authority is this day made the Christian Sabbath To which it is answered Not by Ecclesiastical Authority And Mr. Perkins gives us the reason The Church saith he hath no power to ordain a Sabbath or to change the present Sabbath into any other day in the week as to Tuesday Wednesday c. for time is the Lords and the disposing thereof in his hands therefore Christ saith to his Disciples it is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath kept in his own hands Now if God hath the disposing of times in his hands then it belongeth not to the Church to dispose them And it may be hence Acts 1. 7. gathered if that which is less belong not to the Church then that which is more doth not But the knowledge of times and seasons which God hath in his power belongs not to the Church much less the disposing of times and seasons I may add and far less the appointing of a weekly Sabbath And thus the Reverend and worthy Peâ—kâ—ns And indeed to sublimate Church Authority so far what is it but to put man into Gods chair And to make him King of the Church and so take the Scepter out of Christs hand It is a worthy saying of Bishop Lake The Church hath received the Lords day not ordained it not to be liberae observationis of free observation as if man might at pleasure accept or refuse it but it is to be perpetually observed to the worlds end For as God only hath power to apportion his time so he only hath power to set out a day for his portion he is the Lord of the Sabbath the work of the day is the ground of the hallowing of the day and therefore Mark 2. 28. as no man can translate the work so no man can translate the day and this is an undoubted rule in Theology And thus this Learned Person hath both asserted the Divine Authority of the Lords day and given us good reason for it Man therefore being impotent and incapable to lay the foundation of a weekly Sabbath by some glorious work especially equivalent to the work of Creation or Redemption let him never presumptuously pretend to the appointment or institution of it Let us a little reason this case We read there is one who is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. Now in reason who shall appoint this day but he who is Lord of it And considering Mark 2. 28. it is his holy day and it is expresly said Psal 118. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made the whole Isa 58. â—3 stream of Interpreters expounding this text of the Lords day So then the day is of the Lords making and not of mans making and moreover there can be no cause why man should desire such a liberty for it is much to be feared if there were twenty dayes in the weak there would be twenty differences every one every Church at least would choose its own day and admire the issue of its own institution What jars and digladiations would this bring into the Church of Christ how would this tear Christs seamless coat in pieces The dissentions between the Eastern and the Western Churches about the observation of Easter day are not forgotten when Victor Bishop of Rome was ready Dr. Twisse treat on the Sab. pag. 141 to draw the Sword of Excommunication Indeed the appointing of a day for weekly worship and divine communion is a task too great for weak and unstable Man and can be only the product of an infallible spirit As Dr. Twisse happily and closely argues Christ calls himself Lord of the Sabbath and as he constituted it so none but he can abrogate it and place another in the room of it And in the Apostles dayes the first day of the week was set apart for the Christians Sabbath which could not be but by the joynt consent of the Apostles And how strange is it that the Church for 1500 years should never offer to alter it no not in the least if so be such power and liberty was put into their hands as to ordain and Praetereà generalis omnium ecclesiarum consensus in hac fessivitate divinam ejus authâ—ritatâ—m â—vinciâ— et observandum est quòd in aliis observationibus ab Apostolis non receptis sed à posterà ecclesià ad tempus observatis ecclesiae à se invicem discesserunt veluti in Festo Paschatis in jejuniâ—s observandis Ita sine dubio in Dominiâ—â— celebrandâ contigisseâ— si divinâ authoritate per Apostolos acceptâ ejus observatio apud Christianos non constitua fuisset appoint it Among us nothing more usual then for one Parliament to unravel and disanul what another hath done and enacted as being unsatisfied in the thing it self or else to shew their own plenipotentiariness And no doubt had the Church been fledged with this power to ordain a Sabbath for the Church of Christ in some age or another they would have given us a cast of this power and would have attempted to pluck up a plant of their own planting and would have inoculated the Sabbath into the stock of some other day Darkness and Division there hath been enough in the Church to quarrel with institutions and appointments of former times But the perpetual silence of the Church in this particular infallibly shews the Divine right of the Lords day And the Churches are so hush because they dare not attempt such a piacular enterprise as to rase the foundation of a divine institution And in case they should put in practice such a pretended liberty what inconvemences would fall out to be bewailed with tears of bloud for this liberty must be equal in every Church and so our English Church might institute the Monday
the French Church the Tuesday the Belgick Church the Wednessday the Germans might ordain the â—â—ursday the Danes the Friday and other Churches might keep the present day to be the Lords day And so so many Churches so many Sabbaths and what intâ—llerable scandal would this procure to the Church of Christ and what feuds would it disseminate among Christians Nay how would this confusion strike the Christian profession under the fifth rib and give it its mortal wound This Ecclesiastick power and liberty would likewise open a way to revive and reduce the Jewish Sabbath Dies dominicus nomen suum adeptus fuit propter dominicae resurrectionis memoriam ad finem usque mundi celebrandum Muscul or the solemn day of the Turks which is every Fryday nay we know not with what Heathens we might concur in their weekly solemnity And when the Pagans shall well espy our dissentions how much we disagree about our Sabbath this may re-inforce their detestation both of us and our Religion Now if the Church had power to ordain the Sabbath they have likewise power to alter and change it which we see may be the womb of irreparable mischiefs Is it not then far more rational and convictive for the prevention of those miserable disorders to take the Sabbath as marked out by God himself the institution of Christ by his Apostles which is now the first day of the week a day founded and bottomed on Christs glorious Resurrection And thus the Church of Christ his little but precious flock may keep the Luke 12. 32. Vnity of the spirit in the bond of Peace No doubt then the Eph. 4. 3. Lords day is of Divine not Ecclesiastical Authority otherwise Rom. 4. 25. mens spirits would never have been so over-awed and their hands tied from presumptuous undertakings The truth is our Christian Sabbath must be built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ by his Resurrection being the chief corner stone And because nothing can fall out in the world comparable to the Resurrection of Christ in glory and power therefore no day can be set up like unto this neither can it be changed into any other The like cause can never be offered to change this day which at first occasioned the choice of it and therefore it must remain untill the end of all things And they who ever they be who go about to raze this day must first pick out Christs mark which he hath wrought into it by the work of Redemption and so blot out the testimony of the four Evangelists concerning Christs Resurrection on the first day of the week the happy Basis of our Sabbath Moreover the observation of the Lords day being fresh and frequent in the Apostles dayes they being yet alive and excercising a superintendency over the Church who should Stab Apostolis adhuc in vâ—vis dies dominicus observatus fuit meritò illorum ordinationi ascribendus est Aut enim per ipsos eorum authoritatem aut per alios ecclesiae doctores sine illorum consensu institutus erat quorum posterius est valde absurdum insulâ—um non suit ecclesiae Apostolis leges praescribere interpose to ordain this holy day of worship but themselves If any other Governors of the Church they did it either with the consent of the Apostles and then their Authority was subordinate and so swallowed up in the power Apostolical For the Apostles were the Supream guides of the Church and had the ordering of the affairs of Christs flock the care of the Churches was in the first place committed to them 2 Cor. 11. 28. Or else this Committee of Church Governors who they were where they met or what they did could never yet be discovered did appoint the Christian Sabbath against the consent of the Apostles and surely then their presumption would have been taxed in holy writ for a perpetual reproach of the thing or else they had fallen under the Pens of Ecclesiastical Historians of all which ne quis quidem not any thing appears to the most critical Observator in their most curious searches and inquisitions But it can never be imagined any should dare to impose a day of their own invention upon the Church the Apostles those infallible Spirits being yet in the land 1 Cor. 2. 16. of the living Did the Church appoint the Christian Sabbath let her be called the Lady of it and so Christ will lose his title of Si beati Apostoli ex authoritate sibi à Châ—isto delegatâ Dominicum non instituissent sed ejus observationem liberam reliquissâ—nt tum meritò diceremus ecclesiam ipsam Lord of it Mark 2. 28. which as Paraeus observes is one argument of Christs Divinity for none can be Lord of the Sabbath but he who appointed it and he whose Sabbath it is and surely such an attempt can hardly be excused of the most daring Sacriledge to rob God not of his Tythes but of his Titles and so put Christs Armes into their Scutcheons this indeed savours too much of arrogancy and it cannot be fastned on the Flock of Christ who hears his voyce and follows the accents of it And how our Sabbath should be the Lords day and yet of humane institution is such a knot I know not how to untye and am not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod tamen praeclarum testimonium est divinitatis Christi quòd ipse per Apostolos suos diem dominicum instituit Par. over-hopeful to see the Riddle unfolded by any other That the Church should give the Sabbath a being and the Lord should give it a name is such a partage I think few will own Seyrus the Casuist hath laid down a good Rule viz. The Church can abolish holy days because she determines them and custom prevails much among men but the sanctification of a day is onely from a Divine Law Let the Church then move in its own sphere and follow the letter of its Commission but to set apart a Sabbath for the World let it not avouch any such Authority this is for the Spouse Cant. 5. 4. of Christ to disturb and awaken her beloved If the Church have any such priviledge as to appoint a Sabbath for Mankind let her shew her Charter and Commission out of the Old or New Testament But it is to be supposed she can shew none sufficient to authorize her for this transcendent act to determine the solemn and sufficient Nemo est sabbati dominus nisi qui sabbatum instituit cujus sabbatum est Par. time of Gods solemn and ordinary worship Could she have brought forth her Credentials the world should not have been kept in the dark so long and if she cannot it is not so easie to impose upon mens belief all Christians are not acted by an implicite faith nor will they lean too hard upon Ecclesiastical Authority and submit because Cant. 2 7. they say so a
proof for the Divine Authority of the Lords day nay in this text Psal 118. 24. The Psalmist proceeds to the prophetical delineation In diem solis laetitiae indulgemus Tert. of the duties of this day Let us be glad and rejoyce therein as when the Temple was finished the head stone was brought forth with shouting Zach. 4. 7. crying Grace grace so when the work of our Redemption shall be finished Dies ille quem fecit dominus est dies dominicus Arnob. and Christ exalted as head and corner stone of his Church by his triumphant Resurrection the Psalmist intimates the solemn gratulation and publick praise that the Church should offer on that day so Psal 118. 23. And indeed praise and thanksgiving is the most proper musick of our Haec dies quam fecit dominus Haec sunt verba populitrium phantis regno Davidis sed multò magis in gloriosâ resurrectione Christi omnium rerum dierum gloriosissimo Heresbach Christian Sabbath The learned Twisse observes That if ever any day deserved to be a festival surely it was the day of our Saviours Resurrection and in that day to rejoyce in the Lord according to Psal 118. 24. And the ancient Fathers saith he accommodate this place thereunto the two preceding verses carrying in their very fore-head a manifest relation unto Christ as the proprietary of that renowned prophesie for when was the stone which the builders refused made the head of the corner but when Christ gloriously rose from the dead thereby mightily declaring himself to be the Son of God And was there ever any work more marvellous in the eyes of Gods Servants then the Resurrection of Christ This scattered all the unbelief of the Disciples Luke 24. 21. This removed all the fears of the good Women all the sorrows of the Apostles this gratified the hopes of all succeeding Christians Hierome avers that all the Jews interpret this Hieronymus text Psal 118. 24. to be a prophesie concerning the Messiah the Psalmist say they Shewing his ignominious death when he should be a stone rejected of the builders and his glorious Resurrection when he should become the chief stone of the corner The Lords day waâ—â—â—stituted upon the account of Christs most glorious Resurrection What a mark of honour nay what a crown of glory is it to this day that it had favour Dies dominicus Christi resurrectione declaratus est ex illo caeâ—it habere festivitatem suam Aug. above all the dayes of the week to be Christs Resurrection day The Sun in the firmament arises and shines upon other dayes as well as this but the Sun of Righteousness never arose upon any day but this And indeed the institution of the Lords day had its foundation here The maxime of Divines here fully takes place It is the work makes the day some special work alwayes makes some special day the Lords Factum domini fecit diem dominicum deed made the Lords day and we cannot better keep alive the memory of this glorious mercy viz. The blessed Resurrection of Christ then by keeping a day weekly in the solemn commemoration of it This day brought the greatest good John 10. 25. to fallen man even a compleat Redeemer who on this day John 14. 19. redeemed us with triumph from the tyranny of Satan the domination of death and hell and restored us to life and salvation Nos observamus diem solis ex usu Apostolorum propter memoriam resurrectionis domini qui est verus Sol justitiae et pleno immortalitatis jubare illo die est exertus Alsted yea assured it unto every believer And because nothing can ever fall out in this world comparable to Christs Resurrection in glory and power therefore no day can be set up like unto this day neither can it be ever changed for any other therefore men only kick against the pricks while they oppose the Lords day It is a good saying of Augustine The Lords rising hath promised to us an eternal day and consecrated to us the Lords day or the Dominical day of the Lord that which is the Lords day seems properly to belong to the Lord because on that day the Lord rose again And it is a most significant and elegant observation of the great Athanasius Two worlds there are saith he The first ended at Christs Passion the second begins at Christs Resurrection and that blessed day is the feast of them who are in Christ a new Creature And it is observable it is not said by the Ancients that the Church took occasion from the resurrection to consecrate the Lords day but that the Resurrection it self did consecrate it the resurrection was a real consecration And if as Bishop Andrews speaks That the Acts of the Apostles as well as their sayings and writings were of Divine Authority being inspired by the Divine Spirit how much more shall the Act of of their Lord and Masters Resurrection be a divine and sufficient Authority to institute the Lords day The Reverend and Learned Hall speaks well to this purpose Because the Sun Bishop Hall Decad. 6. Epist 1. of Righteousness arose upon this day and gave a new life to the world on it and drew the strength of Gods Moral Precept viz. the fourth Commandment unto it therefore justly do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andr. Caesar we sing with the Psalmist This is the day which the Lord hath made But why should we mention the Authorities and Testimonies of these latter dayes Ignatius who was as a morning star in the Primitive Church speaks fully and home to this purpose Setting aside saith he the Jewish Sabbath Let every one that loves Christ keep holy the Lords day c. To the same purpose Justin Martyr Athanasius Augustine Innat Justin Mart. Athanas August c. c. who bottom the Lords blessed day on the Lords blessed resurrection that glorious work which must be outvied before any shadow of reason can be assigned for the transmutation of it into any other day Besides the Sun which rose this day will never admit a setting The Christians in the Debâ—mus plus gaudere propter resurrectionem gloriosam quà m dolere propter passiâ—nem Christ ignominiosam Lern. Primitive Church were wont when they saw one another to give this joyful salute The Lord is risen and the others ordinary answer was True the Lord is risen indeed We should not so much mâ—urn saith Bernard at Christs ignominious passion as we should rejoyce at his glorious resurrection The day therefore of Christs rising may well give being to our Christian Sabbath The Lords day was honoured with Christs frequent apparitions Christs appearing on this day was most signal and remarkable he shewed himself five times on that very day on which he arose First to Mary Magdalen in the morning Mark 16. 9. Secondly to the Women Mat. 28. 9 10. Thirdly to the two Disciples Luke
ecclesiae Corinthiâ—cae mandetur quod à totâ Christi ecclesiâ non requiritur and therefore binds their Consciences to it And if Paul ordained it certainly he had it from Jesus Christ who first commanded him so to appoint it for he solemnly professeth That what he received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. that onely he commanded them to do If this day had not been more holy and more sit for this work of love than any other day the Apostle would not have limited them to this day nor would he have honoured this day above the Jewish Sabbath for the Apostle was always very tender of Christian liberty and would never bind where the Lord hath left his people free for in so doing he should rather make Snares than Laws and go expresly against his own doctrine and that in this very point of the 1 Cor 7. 28. 35. Gal. 5 1. observation of days Gal. 4. 10. He may give his advice indeed in things proposed 1 Cor. 7. 25. but he always distinguisheth between his own counsel and Gods command and makes the Command necessary but the other onely expedient The Apostle doth not in this place immediately appoint and institute a Sabbath but supposeth it to be so already and we know duties of Mercy and Charity as well as of necessity Primr part 3. cap. 6. and piety are Sabbath duties for which end this day was most fit for these collections because they usually Quando quidem â—postolus collectas die dominico faciendas statuit dubium non est quin praecipiat ut diem ipsum celebrent quando finem requirit quid non media ad finem duâ—entia praescribat met togethet publickly on this day and so then collections might be in a greater readiness and partly also that they might give more liberalâ—y it being supposed that upon this day their hearts were more weaned from the World and more warmed by the Word and more elevated by other Ordinances to a vigorous faith and a lively hope of better things to come and so having received spiritual things from the Lord more plentifully on this day every man would be the more free to impart his temporal good things for refreshing the poor Saints And why should the Apostle limit the Church of Corinth to this day either for extraordinary or private collections and such special acts of mercy unless the Lord had honâ—ured this day for acts of mercy and much more of piety above any Et si primaria Pauli intentio scil collectam praecipere tamen quia vult illam fieri dâ—e dâ—minâ—co dubiâ—â—m noâ— est qâ—â—n â—raecipâ—â—t etiam ut Dominicum diem celebrent qui enim vult finem vâ—lt media ordinary or common day What then should this day be but the Christian Sabbath imposed by the Apostles and magnified and honoured in all the Churches in those days It is rightly observed by Bishop White Although this Text of St. Paul saith he maketh no express mention of Church-assemblies on this day yet because it was the custome of Christians and so likewise it is a thing convenient to give Alms on the days of Christian Assemblies it cannot well be gain-said but that if in Corinth and Galatia the first day of every week was appointed to be the day for Alms and charitable contributions the same also was the Christians weekly holy-day for their religious Assemblies Thus this learned man rightly and genuinely Vedel Exercit in Ignat. ad Magnes cap. 7. draws the inference Iâ— the first day of the week was the day for Alms it was likewise the day for Worship Chrysostom upon the evidence of this Text concludes positively That in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia the Lords day was made a weekly holy day by the Apostles for they governed these Churches at that time Philo Judaeus and Philo Judaeus Josephus relate That it was the custom of the Jews who were scattered in other Countries to make Collections every Josephus Sabbath-day which were sent by the hands of eminent persons to Hierusalem every year and for the use of the Temple and the Levits and this custom the Apostle seems to follow in the Text now under discussion in enjoyning Collections every first day of the week our Christian Sabbath to be sent for the relief of the poor Saints at Hierusalem who were oppressed by a multitude of strangers and subjected to persecutions and wants for their zeal and holy fervour to the blessed Gospel Once more if it be demanâ—ed why the Apostle enjoyns Collections on the Lords day Chrysostom gives us a good answer he saith That was a Sacrament-day and dâ—uâ—tless that was a powerful Argument to prompt them to liberality it was strange ingratitude to spare a little from the poor when it is considered God spared not the blood of his own Son which Chrysost is lively represented in the sacramental feast Beza observes Acts 20. 7. That Justin Martyr after he had described the order and manner of the primitive times in sacramental Administrations on the Lords day he adds That their Collections were made according to every ones free will and those Acts 1. 2. 4. Collections were distributed by the chief Minister to Orphans Widows sick persons and those who were in want for their relief and seasonable support So that this sacred custom and holy day were propagated by the Apostle to the succeding ages of the Church And indeed what better Hâ—ctenus ex hisce tribus locis scripturae conjunctim consideratis ex communi sententiâ quam tota fore reformata exlesia ex iis constantèr colligit dâ—ei dominicae usum ad Apostolos esse referendum Wal. exposition of an Apostolical Precept and practise can we meet withal than the universal practise and observance of the Church of Christ VVe must then shut up this particular with what Walaeus takes notice of For these two Texts Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. saith he joyned with Revel 1. 10. have caused almost all the reformed Churches to conclude that undoubtedly the observation of the Lords day must necessarily be referred to the Apostles as the Original Founders of it And let this be added That the Apostles transmitted the Lords day to the Church most probably by the immediate command of Christ most certainly by the infallible guidance of the Holy Ghost that unerring conduct of them in the affairs of the Church The Lords day is more illustrious from its eminent Title Revel 1. 10. where it is stiled the Lords day If ye ask why Augustine will tell you because the Lord hath made it This Ignat. Epist ad Magnes Euseb Eccles Histor lib. 3. cap. 21. Diònys Corinth Histor lib 4 cap 22. Cyprian Epist 59. Caeperatintereà post tristia Sabbata foelix dies qui nominis alti culmen a domino dominante trahit c. Sedul name and title was so sweet to the Primitive Church that most
seven grounded on the moral equity of the fourth Commandement which is perpetual and inalterable 3. Our seventh day being indeed the eighth from the Creation but one of the seven in the week and this is built on Divine Right having analogy in the Old and insinuations Gâ—oria aeterni regis gloriosa suâ resurrectione emicans primatum cum religime diei dominicae concessum voluit sanctos retinere Sedul demonstrative in the New Testament with the universal practice of the Church in all ages Thus we have traced the Divine Right of the Lords day which appears clear and orient to every unprejudiced eye We will now pursue it to all ages and here will come in a full concourse of witnesses to attest the Honour and Authority of it Our Christian Sabbath is confirmed by all laws not only by divine law as hath already been largely proved but by Die dominico nihil agendum nâ—si deo vacandum nulla operaâ—io in eâ die agatur nisi tantum hymnis et Psalmis et caâ—â—ticis spiritualibus dies illa transigatur Linw. Canon law Linwood the Canonist tells us That we are to do nothing on the Lords day but to be at leisure for God No work must be done on that day but singing of Psalms chaunting of Hymns and warbling forth spiritual Songs to the praise and glory of our dear and blessed Redeemer Spiritual work best becomes this sacred day Nay the Canon law takes so much notice of our blessed Sabbath that many learned men have fastned it upon the Authority of the Canon law So Cajetan Thomas Aquinas Turrecremata Scotus Tabiensis Navarrus and many others Panormitan saith That all the Canonists who write of Festivals teach that the Lords day is Aquin. 2da 2dae quest 122 Turrec cap. 1 de consecrat Dist 3. Wal. de sacramental lib. 16. Scot lib. 2. de instit quest 4. Tabiens in verbo dominic num 2. carefully to be observed and sanctified in Cap. pronunciandum de Sab. And if the Canon law lay claim to the institution of the Lords day much more to the confirmation and establishment of it In the Decretals of the Church then we find our Christian Sabbath both owned and honoured And indeed in the whole body of the canon Law the law for Sabbath-observation must needs be the head and most eminent constitution Our Christian Sabbath hath been established by the Civil law Constantine the first Christian Emperour who thought Euseb de vitâ Constant lib. 4. cap. 18. Constantinus legem tulit ut die dominico omnes ab obeundis negotiis vacarent Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 8. the chiefest and most proper day for the Devotion of his Subjects was the Lords day thus declared his pleasure and enacted That every one who lived in the Roman Empire should rest on that day weekly which is instituted to our Saviour and to lay aside all businesses and wholly on that day to attend the Lord. An excellent Pattern here is for Princes On the Lords day say the Imperial Constitutions The whole minds of Christians and Believers should be busied in the worship of God Leo the Emperour follows the steps of his Predecessour L. Omnes cap. de Feriis Constantine and makes this remarkable sanction It is our will saith he according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles by him directed that on the sacred day wherein we were restored to our integrity all men should rest themselves and surcease from labour for if the Jews did so much reverence their Sabbath which only was a shadow of ours are not we which inhabit light and the truth of grace obliged to honour that day which the Lord hath honoured and therein delivered us from dishonour and death Are not we bound to Leo Constit 54. God lib. 3. tit 12. de feriis et Justinian lib. 3. tit 12. keep it singularly and inviolably and sufficiently contented with a liberal grant of all the rest and not encroaching on that one which God hath chosen for his service nay were it not a retchless slighting and contemning of all Religion to make that day common and so think we may do thereon as we did on others A most excellent and truly imperial law fit to be written upon the Gaâ—es of every City upon the doors of every House upon the thoughts of every Christian And this law the Reverend Hooker takes notice of with a just emphasis of Hooker Eccl. Polit. lib. 5. sect 72. p. 385. praise and commendation as being a seasonable corrosive of former remisness in the Empire the Lords day before being in an exinanition by neglect and want of due severity by degrees fainting into contempt and disregard The Emperour Theodosius a most worthy Prince enacted That Cod. Theod. An. 384. peoples minds should be wholly bent to the service of God and that all Theatres and Cirques should be shut up on the Lords day and that no law-suit or pecuniary affairs should pollute that day that no officers of the Exchequer should be molested by any persons addressing themselves to them Nullus die solis spectaculum praebeat nec divinam venerationem consectâ solennitate confundat Theodor. on that holy and venerable day Such care did this excellent Prince take for the observation of our blessed Sabbath And that famous and renowned Charles the Great An. Dom. 789. published his Royal Edict saying We do Ordain according as it is commanded in the law of God that no man do servile works upon the Lords day but that they come to Church to divine worship and magnifie the Lord their God for those good things which on that day he Grat. Valent. Cod. Theodos lib. 15. Tit. 5. Lex 5. hath done for them Here we may hear the victorious Emperour justly called the Great not onely clearly acknowledging the Divine institution but likewise strictly commanding the Divine observation of the Lords day And the Emperour Ludovicus Pius the good Son of a Noble Father viz. Charles the Great enacts this Constitution It Ludov. Pius leg Eccles lib. 6. cap. 202. addit cap. 9. is our pleasure That all the faithful do reverently observe the Lords day in which the Lord rose again for if Pagans for the memory and reverence of their Gods do celebrate certain dayes and the Jews do devoutly observe their Sabbath how much more ought this Day to be honourably observed and celebrated of Christians Let not Christians upon this holy day attend upon Fables c. but let Believers do so that all may know such to be true Christians Thus still the same strain of spiritual and holy zeal runs in the Acts and Edicts of these worthy Potentates And the prosperous Justinian the great Compiler of the Civil Laws and therfore the body of them is called Justinians Code when he was Emperour of Constantinople Justinian Cod. lib. 15. tit 5. he enacted this savoury and rare Constitution On
the Lords day saith he which of the whole week is the first let the whole mind of Christians be taken up and occupied in the service of God let them know there is a great difference between times of prayers and times of pleasures and therefore avoiding all Jewish impiety and devilish Paganism let them be wholly implied in the duties of the day Thus that magnanimous and judicious Emperour And it is very observable Justinian doth not onely enjoyn the observance but takes for granted the divine institution of our christian Sabbath as Charles the Great before him And one thing more is most observable That these Emperours who took most care of the Lords Day and established it by their Authority they were most sound in their judgments most successful in their atchievements most eminent in their persons and most famous in their esteem throughout the world indeed they were the greatest Ornaments of the Imperial Throne as Constantine the Great conquered the Pagan and Charles the Great conquered the Martial World and Religion spake them both truly the Great So Ludovicus Pius was a Pattern of Patience and Justinian an example of advised wisdome But I shall not clog the Reader lest a Surfeit take away the taste of those sweets which have been spread before him Nay our Christian Sabbath hath not onely been honoured and established by Divine Canon and Civil Law but likewise by Common Law and here I shall confine my self to our own Nation King Alured about the year 900 did publickly King Alured prohibit all marketting on the Lords Day as all other work whatsoever and laid severe Penalties on the transgressors of this Proclamation Canutus went a little further King Canutus and forbad not onely Markettings but Courts or publick Meetings and executions of Malefactors as also hunting and all kind of secular imployments But to draw nearer to K. Edward the sixth our times King Edward the sixth our English Josiah Enacted in Parliament For as much as men be not at all times so mindful to laud and praise God so ready to resort to hear Gods word and to come to the holy Communion as their bounden duty doth require therefore it hath been wholsomly provided that there should be certain days appointed wherein Christians should cease from all kind of labour and apply themselves wholly and onely unto the aforesaid holy works properly pertaining to true Religion Be it therefore Enacted c. And so the King and his great Council go on to establish Sabbath-observation by a Law Queen Elizabeth that Renowned Q. Elizabeth Princess initiates and begins her Reigne with a severe Injunction for the holy observation of the Lords Day Let us take a taste of her Langague All the Queens faithful Subjects shall from henceforth celebrate and keep their holy day according to Gods holy will and pleasure that is in hearing the word read and taught in private and publick prayers in acknowledgment of their offences and the amendment of the same in often receiving the Communion of the body and blood of Christ using all soberness and godly conversation Thus this happy Princess laid the foundation of her future prosperous Reign in that which is better then Saphires The like was decreed in Parliament the same year when this worthy Queen made good her Motto Semper eadem Always the same joyning heartily with her great Council in restraining the prophanation and promoting the sanctification of Gods holy and blessed Day And her Successor King James over-hears the Eccho and K. James takes it at the rebound and expresses his zeal for the Lords Day in this Royal Proclamation Whereas I have been informed that there hath been in former times a great neglect in keeping the Sabbath-day therefore for the better observing of it and for avoiding all impious prophanation of it I straightly charge and command that no Bear-baitings Interludes Common Plays or other like disordered Exercises or Pastimes be frequented kept or used at any time hereafter on the Sabbath-day And thus King James begins his Reign and layes his first step to the English Throne not in polished Maâ—hle but in pious devotion And King Charles the first following the steps of his Father was pleased in his first Parliament to Enact a Law K. Charles the first promoting Sabbath-observation the tenour of the Law runs thus That from henceforth there should be no Meetings Assemblies or concourse of people out of the Parishes on the Lords Day for any Sports or Pastimes whatsoever And in this Law it is taken care that the High-ways should not be frequented by the Traveller nor the Shop visited by the Labourer but there must be a cessation of all unnecessaries and seculars to give way to more sublime and to use Chrysostoms phrase and spiritual observations Thus the English Statute-book as well as Justinians Code proclaims the honour of the Lords Day Nor is our Christian Sabbath honoured and established onely by the Statutes of the Realm but by the Constitutions and Canons of several Councils that Church and State may both cry out Thus shall it be done to the day which the Esth 6. 11. The Councils of Carthâ—ge Arragon Orleance Mascon Angiers Collen Friuli Aken Rome Petricow Eliberis Laodicea c. All confirming and establishing the Lords day and Enacting Canons for the due observation of it To which may be added Concil Agath Can. 47. Concil Aurelian Can. 27. Concil Paris Can. 50. Concil Rhemens Can. 43. Concil Antisidor Can. 16. Concil Tral lan Can. 19. Concil Constantinop Can. 8. Lord hath honoured The Council of Carthage decreed to petition the Emperour That there might be no Shews or any sinful Vanities on the Lords Day The Council of Arragon prohibits by Canon All Suits of Law and such litigious Controversies on the Lords Day The Council of Orleance Prohibited all servile works on the Lords Day The Council of Mascon decreed That the Lords Day should be kept holy for it is the day of our new Birth insinuated unto us under the shadow of the seventh-day Sabbath in the times of the Law and therefore the people must go to Church on that day and there pour out their Souls in tears and prayers and celebrate the day with one accord and offer unto God their free and voluntary service exercising themselves in Hymns and singing praises to God being intent thereon in mind and body In the Council of Angiers it was decreed That no Tradesman should follow his Calling on the Lords Day The Council of Collen decreed That the people should be diligently admonished why the Lords Day which hath been famous in the Church from the Apostles time was instituted that all might equally come together to hear the word of the Lord to receive the Sacraments to apply their minds to God alone and this day to be spent onely in Prayers and Hymns in Psalms and spiritual Songs The Council of Friuli decreed That all Christians should with all
reverence and devotion honour the Lords Day and abstain from all carnal actions and all earthly labours and go to the publick Assemblies devoutly The Council of Aken which was held 800 years ago Forbids all Marriages on the Lords Day as being too often introductive of unseemly vanities most improper for that holy day In a Council at Rome it was decreed That no Market should be kept on the Lords Day no sentence should be past though the offence of the Malefactor should require it In a Council at Coy it was decreed That men should do no servile work nor take any journey on this day At a Council in Petricow it was decreed That Tavern-meetings Dice Cards and such like pastimes should be abandoned on this Holy day The Council of Eliberis decreed If any man inhabiting the City come not to Church for three Lords days together let him to kept so long from the Sacrament that he may well seem corrected for it And the famous Council of Laodicea decreed That Christians ought not to Judaize and to rest from work on the Jewish Sabbath but prefer the Lords day before it and rest thereon from labour If any be found to Judaize let him be Anathema And thus we may say with the wise man Prov. 11. 14. In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety the Governors of the Church in their grave and solemn Conventions have in all ages remembred to establish the honour and Holy observation of the Lords day The Lords day hath met with acceptance and veneration in all ages of the Church In the Primitive times it was universally Ignat. Epist ad Magnes 4. Iren. l. 4. c 19 20. Tertul. Apol. c. 39. Orig. contra celsum Ambros Serm. 62. August tract 5. in Joan. Euseb eccles Hist l 4. c. 23. Hieron Epist ad Eustochium Cyril in Joan. l. 12. c. 58. Greg. l. 11. Epist 3. Justin Mart. Apolog. 2. embraced owned and observed And Ignatius Justin Martyr Irenaeus Origen Tertullian Basil Athanasius Chrysostom Hierome Ambrose and Augustine c. were but the trumpets of its praise These famous lights in the best dayes of the Church liberally contributed to the glory of the Lords day and cast in freely to the treasury of its commendation and observance And these Orthodoxal Fathers both Greek and Latin do with one mouth testifie concerning the Christian Sabbath 1. The Original thereof which they say was first established by Christs own blessed and inspired Apostles 2. The cause and occasion of this day In memory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord who rose as upon this day and triumphed over death and hell 3. They bear honourable testimony exhibit general approbation and give notice of their continual practice in the sanctifying of the Lords day in their several times and ages 4. They effectually established it by their practice preaching Athanas de circumcis Sabbat Chrysost Serm. 5 de Resur Felis f. 292. Vaulx Cath. c. 3. Ribera in Apoc Catech. Roman part 3. f. 319. Stella in Luc. Rhem. Test in Apoc. Eccii Enchyrid tit de sestis fol. 134. Hos confess fol. 300. and writings that the memory of it might never be lâ—st nor the prefixed time be changed or altered The Papists coming between the primitive and the later purity as a Nettle between two Roses as they kept the Letter of Gods word the matter of Baptism the Doctrine of the Trinity so they kept the time and doctrine of the Lords day And they did always acknowledge 1. That the Lords day was by the Apostles themselves established and some of them say Dominico jussu by the command of the Lord himself 2. That this was done by them in the memorial of the Lords resurrection 3. That those texts of Scripture Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Rev. 1. 10. do manifestly confirm this day 4. That it is a day above all other dayes to be honoured and esteemed 5. That the observation thereof is pars cultus divini part of divine worship and so consequently jure divino of divine right All this the Papists have freely acknowledged although they are so subject to the epilepsie of errour and the spiritual falling-sickness nay although they are so byassed by interest their fundamental maxime and so closely chained to the Popes Chair But in this particular we will grant them infallibility Nay in the darkest times of the Church when the Sun of Abbas in cap. de feriis Aâ—gelus in verbo Feriae Sylvester in verbo Dominici Quaest 1. Et dicit hanc esse communem opinionem quod dies dominicus est jure divino Pisanella in verbo dominica truth shone most faintly and was behind the blackest cloud even then many School-men of note and eminency acknowledged the Divine right of the Lords day and gave in their plentiful attestations to that important truth And Sylvester one of them is bold to assert that this was the common opinion among them the Lords day was so venerable in the Church it could not be contemptible in the Schâ—â—lâ— Learning in the very worst times knew not how to become sacrilegious and to rob the Lords day of the honour of its diâ—ine original it knew not how in the very midst of the triumphs of Idolatry which was most rampant in the middle times of the Church to sink down the Lords day into An. Dom. 189. An. Dom. 822. an humane Ordinance And one thing is observable that those two famous Edicts of Charles the Great and his Son Ludovicus Pius concerning the holy observation of the Lords day were dated from those times when the Church of Christ was covered with the blackness of darkness and the Spouse had on her the thickest veil As for the times of Reformation these latter ages of the Melanct in Cateches Buâ—â—r de regno Christi Gallas in Exâ—d Jun. in â—enes Faius in Thes Zanch. in quartum praecept Chemnit harm Evangel Beza in Thâ— Geneven Piscat in observat in Gen 2 3. world have not blemished the glorious work of reformation with degrading the Lords day from its due just and Scriptural honour More then a Jury of Forraign Divines acquitting this blessed day from the mean original of an humane institution And if they shall be called in they are ready to avouch it Beza Junius Piseator Rolloche Chemnitius Walaeus Bucer Melancton Gallasius Viretus Amesus Peter Martyr Zanchius Pareus and Faius c. all concurring in their sentence That the Lords day was consecraâ—eâ—â—y the holy and infallible Apostles Nor are there deficient Divines of note of our own who give in the same verdict and joyn issue with the suffrages of those beyond the Seas what the eminent Perkins his opinion was in this cause hath already been suggested Let me now produce the testimony of the famous Mr. Joseph Meâ—e whose worth and learning was not of an ordinary sâ—â—ture and thus he expresseth him-himself I say therefore that the Christian as well as the Jew after
six dayes spent in his own works is to sanctifie Mr. Joseph Mede in a little tract on the Sabbath the seventh that he may profess himself thereby a servant of God the Creator of Heaven and Earth for the quotum then how much time the Jew and the Christian agree but in the designation of the day they differ for the Christians keep for their holy day that which with the Jews was the first day of the week and call it Dominicum the Lords day that they might thereby profess themselves the servants of that God who as on the morning of that day vanquished Satan the spiritual Pharaoh and redeemed us from our spiritual thraldom by praising Jesus Christ our Lord risen from the dead begetting us unto instead of an earthly Canaan an inheritance incorruptible in the heavens In a word the Christian by the day he hallows professeth himself a Christian that is as St. Paul speaks to believe on him who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead But might not you will say the Christian as well have observed the Jewish Sabbath for his seventh day as the day he doth I answer no he might not for in so doing he should seem not to acknowledge his redemption to be already performed but still expected for the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses was intended for a type or pledge of the spiritual deliverance to come by Jesus Christ their Canaan also to which they marched being a type of that heavenly inheritance which the redeemed by Christ do look for since then the shadow is now made void by the coming of the substance the relation is changed and God is no longer to be worshipped as a God fore-shewing and assuring by types but as a God who hath performed the substance of what he promised and this is that which St. Paul means Col. 2. 16 17. where he saith Let no man henceforth judge you in respect of a Feast day New Moons or Sabbath day which were a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ Thus largely this worthy man shews us that the foundation of the old Sabbath is rased and plucked up and the new Sabbath is setled upon as strong a Basis even upon the accomplishment 2 Tim. 2. 19. of the glorious work of our redemption in the blessed resurrection of Christ and we may now say This foundation stands sure the Lord knows which day for weekly solemnity is his the time of our Sabbath is set by that rising Sun which will decline no morâ— And we are as much bound to keep our Sabbath upon the account of the work of Redemption as the Jews were upon the account of the work of creation or their Egyptian deliverance the work makes the day in both and therefore no human device or institution can here lay the least claim Thus let us run the stage of every Century we shall never want those who had so much Scripture Heraldry as to know that the Lords day was divinely born and that at least the holy Apostles both by their practice Acts 20. 7. and precept 1. Cor. 16. 2. give life to it that it might survive in the Church till the end of all things and times And as no age was so corrupt to disown so no place was so barbarous as to shut out the Lords day But in all places where Christianity was embraced they sang Hosanna to the highest of dayes The observation of this day was much scattered in the very Apostles dayes It was observed at Hierusalem Dominica ideò nobis est venerabilis atque solennis quia in eâ Salvator noster velut Sol Oriens discussis infernonorum tenebris luce Resurrectionis emicuit proptereà ea dies ab hominibus seculidies solis vocatur quòd Christus Sol justitiae eam lucidissimè illuminavit John 20. 19 26. at Troas Acts 20. 7. in the Churches of Galatia and Corinth 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Then in Patmos Rev. 1. 10. and the lesser Asia then in the Grecian Churches as the Greek Fathers before-mentioned testifie then in the Latine Churches as appears by the Latin Fathers called before to witness and attest it which they plentifully declare and in process of time the fame and observance of this blessed day was scattered far and wide It was observed in Africk by the injunction of the Council of Carthage it was observed in Spain by the decrees of the Councils of Arragon and Eliberis it was solemnly kept and observed in France by the decrees and Canons of the Council of Orleance Paris Rhemes Angiers it was observed in Italy by the Canons of the Councils of Friuli Rome it was kept in Germany by the strict injunction of the Councils of Aquisgrane Mentz and Collen it was observed in Poland by imposition and advice of the Council of Petricow it was Author Clem. constit l. 5. c. 13. kept in Lydia a Province of the lesser Asia by the determination of the Council of Laodicea which solemn convention gave much honour to our Christian Sabbath it was observed in Greece by the strict injunction of the Council of Constantinople it was observed in England in the early dayes and dawnings of the Gospel by the advice and Canon of the Council of Cloveshow as some say near Canterbury Thus in every place where the Christian Religion was planted the Lords day was inaugurated with praise and observation so that we may here apply that of the Psalmist Psal 68. 11. The Lord gave the word and great was the company of those that published it The Gospel and the day of Psal 68. 11. Christ both kept equal pace and travelled in company together through all converted Nations To entertain a Saviour and not a Sabbath the Lords will declared in the Gospel not the Lords day was ever a soloecism and an absurâ—ity in the world Nor can I see if our Sabbath be only jure humano an humane ordinance how we can expect the same blessing on our Sabbath which the Jews might or did on theirs for surely divine institution entails divine benediction God doth not water plants with the dews of his blessing which are Mat 15. 13. not of his own planting But he often complains of introductions Satanas habet plantationes quae sunt zizania et homines habent plantationes quae sunt traditiones sed ambae sunt eradicandae et evellendae Chemnit into his worship by the devise and counsels of men Jer. 7. 31. How the Sabbath of the Jews had manifestly a divine institution which is undoubted and undenied by all If ours therefore want a divine authority to appoint and ordain it their fleece may be still wet with blessing and denediction and ours wholly dry It is not easily to be imagined that an Ecclesiastical constitution as some make our Sabbath to be can fall under the same smiles and influences with a divine ordinance enlivened by Christs command or
burnt offering and indeed what information could they receive from the slaying of a sacrifice Let not them O Christians who groped in the dark keep better Sabbaths then we who live in the Sun-shine Our means being greater our light brighter our Gospel beams stronger let our services on Gods blessed day be more sublime and accurate And it is observable our light sprung upon our Sabbath to bear stronger Maâ— 16. 2. Mat. 28. 1. witness against all deeds of darkness on that day O let us then pity the Jews incapacities and testifie to all the Natitions we live under the Gospel of Christ because we are so strict upon his own day As we are endowed with more knowledge so we are embraced with more love then the Jews were The love of God to mankind was never so fully revealed as in these latter times Heb. 3. 2. John 3. 16. And hereupon undoubtedly it is that our Saviour Prophetâ— docuerunt ut Prophetae i. e. ut homines futura de Christo et ecclesiâ dei praenunciantes et praevidentes obsâ—ura Jam verò in lege novâ Christus filius dei qui clarè vidit et penetravit omnem Patris sapientiam non docet sicut membra corpori et sic Prophetae Christo cedant professeth That from the time of John the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent taketh it by force Mat. 11. 12. To such an height of devotion hath the love of God manifested in his Son inflamed his true Servants Indeed love is the genuine incentive to obedience now we have warmer love as well as clearer light then the Jews which doth strongly engage us to stricter Sabbaths then they were accustomed too They had Christ in a type we had him in truth they had him in a shadow we have him in substance they saw him afar off in a promise but we saw him bleeding on a Cross dying for our sins and rising again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Rom. 8. 34. They saw Christ through the lattice and we with the window open they beheld him behind the cloud but we when the cloud was broken away And what is the inference Let this endearing love inspire us with gâ—eater zeal upon the Lords day that we may travel further in Heavens way on Apparuit dei potentia in creatioâ—â— dâ—i sapientia in reâ—um gâ—bernatione sed benignitas misericoâ—diae apparet in Christi humanitate Bern. that blessed season The love of a Father caused him to send down his Christ the love of a Christ caused him to lay down his life the love of the spirit causes him to bring home his work to a believing soul and this love of the Trinity should constrain every Christian to the holy observation of the Lords day When we understand how strictly sometimes the Jewish Church kept the Sabbath let the fire of love set us all in a flame and let the blushes of shame recruit our resolution concluding we have tasted deeper of the sweets of John 3. 16. John 10 17. Christs unspeakable love And if thou lovest Christ keep his Commandments John 14. 15. And among the rest the fâ—urth The Jews were tolerated in some things offensive which will not be permitted to us as in case of Polygamy so Jacob Gen. 29. 28. 1 Sam. 30. 5. â— Kings 11. 3. David Solomon holy and excellent men had their variety of wives and yet we read not of the thunder of a Ne quis adulteretur aut fornicetur Deus in remedium concupiscentiae instituit honorabile matrimonium illud cuivis amplecti licet Si eo relicto adulteretur quis aut fornicetur inexâ—usabilis sit ideòque à deo judicandus et damnandus Alap in Hebr. threat or the thunder-boult of a judgment falling upon them for that fact and practice There was something of a connivence God seemed as the Apostle speaks in the times of ignorance to wink at that unâ—â—stifiable procedure Acts 17. 30. But now in Gospel-times this plurality of wives incurs the penalty of the law of the land much more of the law of God and is a sin most scandalous and abominable well becoming the brutishness of a Turk or the barbarism of a Gentile Well then to come nearer to our purpose spots are sooner discerned in the garment of a Christian we have no shelter of connivence to fly unto if we break the law of marriage the Apostle tells us plainly Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13. 4. And so in the law of the Sabbath we have no toleration to plead or connivence as a skirt to be thrown over the breaches of it If we Christians break the Sabbath we are arrested by divine wrath without any bail or mainprize nor can we expect any suspension of divine displeasure Indeed God will something bear with offences in the duskish time of the law but he will Mat. 10. 15. scourge those very sins with scorpions in the times of the glorious Gospel Our tie therefore is not only stronger but our Mark 6. 11. interest and reason is clearer to engage us to Sabbath-holiness It will be more tolerable for the people of Israel and Luk. 10. 12 14. the inhabitants of Judah in the day of judgment then for Christians who shall presume upon Sabbath-violation The Gospel is a constant alarm to holiness There is no profession of the Gospel without an abjuâ—ation of all sin and uncleanness 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Gospel adds weight to every sin sin under the Gospel is like Adams transgression which was acted in Paradise a place of pleasure and abundance of purity and undefiledness it is like the sin of the buyers and sellers in the Temple their sin was inhaunced by Rom. 13. 12. the place Gospel light and love adds Vinegar to the Gall John 3. 19. of every offence Greater then must be our breaches of Gods holy day our prophanation of it must be of a scarlet dye and Heb. 12. 14. of a crimson tincture the poor Jews had never the argument of a Gospel to urge Sabbath-obedience or to inhance Sabbath-guilt they were in the Night Rom. 13. 12. The Noxâ—â—â— teâ—pus ante Christâ—m plenum terebrâ— infidelitatis peccatorum sed dies est rempus evangelti quo sol justitiae lucis suae radios toto orbe diffundit Praesente jam Christo et luce evangelii in hoc die opera tenebrarum abjicere et honestè ambulare et Christianè vivere debemus Cypr. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Mal. 5. 15. Cant. 1. 7. day-spring from on high never visited them but our day shines bright upon us which clears up our way to sanctity and holiness Let not Christians then under a pure purifying Gospel under a Gospel â—hich will both discover and condemn every evil way under a Gospel which was indited by a holy Spirit which leads to a holy life which suits with a holy heart let not such brutifie
and laid the foundation of a better world then this created universe this beautiful artifice of Divine Power Again in the Creation there was nothing to withstand but in the work of Redemption there was Justice against Mercy Wrath against Pity In the Creation God brought something 2 Cor. 5. 21. out of nothing but in the work of Redemption God Gal. 3. 13. brought one contrary out of another Good out of Evil Life out of Death an immortal Crown out of a shameful Cross Indeed the great discoveries of Wisdom Grace Power Justice Mercy were all seen in the glorious work of mans Redemption The Heavens are the work of Gods fingers Psal 8. 3. But Redemption is the work of his Arm Isa 53. 1. Isa 52. 9 10. So that if it shall be demanded wherein doth the work of Redemption excell the work of Creation it may be answered as the Apostle in another case much every Rom. 3. 2. way Once more let us put these two works in the scale and we shall find the work of Redemption to weigh down the work of Creation as Gold of all metals is the weightiest In Eph. 2. 4. John 3. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. Gal. 4. 4. Phil. 2. 6 7. the creation Adam was Head but in the work of Redemption Christ was the Head by the creation we have a temporal life by the work of Redemption we obtain eternal life In the creation Adam was espoused to Eve but in the redemption the poor soul is espoused to Jesus Christ By creation Non solùm de me sed de omni quoque quod factum est Scriptum est dixit et facta sunt At verò qui me tantùm et semet fecit in restituendo et dixit multa mira gessit et pertulit dura nec tantùm dura sed etiam et indigna Bern. de diligendo deo man enjoyed an earthly Paradise but by redemption we enjoy an heavenly Kingdom In the creation Gods wisdom and power was principally seen but in the work of redemption All his glorious attributes were seen in their greatest splendour In the creation man was produced out of nothing but by the work of redemption he is produced out of worse then nothing a state of enmity and opposition Rom. 8. 7. Thus the glory of the work of redemption shines with a brighter ray and glitters with a stronger beam then the work of creation And shall not this most glorious work of which our Sabbath is the weekly memorial enforce us to a more devout observation Let us consider we equally enjoy the benefit of the creation with the Jews but they nothing at all of the benefit of the redemption with us They are Strangers to the Covenant of grace and the common-weal of the true Israel Eph. 2. 12. Let us then see the beauties of free-grace in the glass of our redemption and let this put new life into us to walk closely with God upon his own day when we are remiss in the duties let us reflect upon the occasion of the day and let us remember that the conquering of Death the chaining of Satan the subduing of Sin the quenching of Divine Wrath the perfuming of the Grave these several branches made up that blessed work which calls upon us for the keeping holy of the Lords day And again if the Jews have observed their Sabbath strictly Christ came not to licentiate us and to enlarge our carnal and sensual liberty Christs people are a willing but Psal 11â— â—â— 2 Tit. 14. not a wanton people The Son hath made us free and so we are free indeed as Christ himself speaks John 8. 36. But this freedom is from burdens not from duties a freedom it is to Debitâ 〈◊〉 â—â—minicae obseâ—vatione 〈◊〉 minuitur quicquam Christiana libertas Non enim est libertas sed licentia Christina ut nos liberaâ—i putemus ab observatione illius praecepti è Decalogo Et experientia docet licentiam et rerum sacrarum non curantiam magis magisque invalescere ubi diei domâ—nicae ratio non habetur run the wayes of Gods commandments Psal 119. 24. That can be no christian freedom to indulge our ease to flatter our sense to please the flesh to pursue our sports to gratifie our fancy with dalliance and delight upon Gods holy day this kind of liberty Christ never died to purchase Christian liberty is quite another thing it is a liberty from ceremonial yokes and legal impositions Gal. 5. 1 2 A liberty of access to God to cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. A freedom it is from sins vassalage from Satans slavery from the worlds drudgery and lusts dominion and tyranny Christ did not die to make us free to sin but free from sin Tit. 2. 14. It is a harsh and injurious interpretation of Christs coming to suppose he came to make the broad way broader then before that before Christ came the people of God were tied to a strict observation of the Sabbath but since we have a latitude and liberty for sports and delights for ease and recreation on that blessed day and that now we are not so pinnion'd and shackl'd as in the times of the law This must needs be some loose construction of a carnal Gospeller who Ames is become Antinomian in the fourth Commandment Christian freedom is a dilatation and enlargedness of bea rt in holy Isa 61. 1. services when the soul can freely vent it self without contractedness Luke 4. 18. and drawing their praying breath with difficulty Gal. 5. 1 13. Sensualliberty is a priviledge which better becomes the Disciples James 1. 25. of Bacchus or Epicurus and well suits with a feast of Priapus Ruffinus pleads hard in his prescriptions for Sabbath-observation That we do not spend it carnally and in delights this is to act the Jew not the Christian And Die Sabbati nihil exomnibus mundi octibus oportet operari si ergo desiâ—â—â— ab omnibus socularibus nihil mundanum geras sed spiritualibus operibus vaces lectionibus divinis tractatibus aurem praebeas ut non respicias ad praesentia visibilia sed ad invisibilia futura haec est observatio sabbati christiani Origen in a passionate heat cryes out Let us lay aside the Jewish mode of keeping Sabbaths and let us observe them as Christians discarding all worldly acts and secular employments let us be conversant in spiritual works in reading the Scriptures in hearing the word not eying things present and visible but looking forward to things to come and invisible and this is the observation of a Sabbath which will become a Christian The Fathers of the primitive times could not bear with any carnal liberty on the Lords day well knowing how contrary it was to the mind of Christ Nor can it be supposed that it was any part of Christs purchase to procure us a freedom to handle a Bowl or
Laws and Statutes Ezek. 20. 16. and yet in the midst of his anger his Sabbath is so dear to him that if they will yet keep his Sabbath his wrath may be withheld and restrained Ezek. 20. 20. and better days may befall and betide them But yet the pollution of his Sabbath is so great and so gross an abomination that God knows not how to put it up and therefore he goes on in his complaints reiterating his charges against them and bringing in new Bills of Indictment for the violation of his Sabbath Ezek. 20. 24. Ezek. 22. 8. 26. Ezek. 23. 38. And when God pronounces his sorest judgments against Israel he at last comprises them all in one he tells them Hos 2. 11. He would cause her Sabbaths to cease they should lose that darling mercy which they had so much abused Now then all this importunity of God in urging Sabbath-holiness doth but the more alarm us to break off our sin by keeping holy this blessed day Surely the sanctifying of Gods day is a matter of the highest moment else God would not so multiply his Injunctions and charges about it for the Scriptures know no vain repetitions Argum. 9 No Command is rewarded with more bounty than that of the Sabbath God hath set the richest crown on the head of Sabbath-obedience like Jacob it hath obtained the Blessing Gen. 27. 30. and if you ask what blessing it is answered God rewards the holy observation of his day with spiritual blessings and indeed they are the choicest blessings they are most refined not mingled with the dross of earth and inconstancy they most concern the Soul which is mans more sublime and better part and for these was the Sabbath principally ordained that God in the use of Ordinances on this day might enrich our Souls with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Ephes 1. 3. and with these blessings will the Lord bless a conscientious observation of his day so saith the Lord Ezek. 20. 12. I gave them my Sabbaths that they may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them We shall find and know that the Lord will sanctifie us both with the beginnings and the increases of grace in our hearts Psal 92. 13. if spiritually and sollicitously we keep his Sabbaths yea the Lord hath promised Isa 56. 6 7. to every one who Isa 56. 6 7. keeps his Sabbath from pollution that he will make them Exod. 31. 13. joyful in his house of prayer and in Isa 58. 14. that they Levit. 26. 2. 11. shall delight themselves in the Lord. By these two Texts of Isa 58. 14. Scripture it appears that God hath bound himself by promise Isa 56. 4 5. not onely to work sanctification increase of holiness Ezek. 20. 12. and power over corruptions but also by his spirit of adoption to increase in their hearts a lively sense of his favour Judaei laetantes ibant in templum domini ibique exaltantes orabunt canebant psallebant omnibus instrumentis musicis atque ex victimis deo oblatis epulabantur coram domino Alap assurance that he hears their prayers and accepteth their oblations as likewise peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost which are the blessings the Christian prizeth above ten thousand Worlds These spiritual mercies then are the reward of Sabbath-holiness and indeed how often doth the devout Soul on Gods holy day sensibly feel the power of Ordinances the workings and impressions of grace the very drawing out of Christs heart towards them and whilest they meet with the people of God in their holy Assemblies the presence of God breaks out like the Sun in a bright Morning and the Holy Psal 122. 1. Ghost falls upon them Acts 10. 44. manifold experience might be subpoenaed in to attest and verifie this truth God rewards Sabbath-holiness with temporal blessings this is a top-branch of that godliness which hath the promises of 1 Tim. 4. 4. Huic sanctificationi saâ—baâ—i promâ—â—tur benedictio tam privota tam publica et custodient Sabbatum nunciatur â—eaâ—us Leid Prof. Per altitudines ubertas terrae intelligatur Sanch. Allevabit super bona terrae Sept. Terra excelsa vinetis fructibus abundat Isa 56. 2. this life that now is Sabbath-holiness can entail blessings on the Throne and make that splendid and illustrious Jer. 17. 25. it can pour blessings upon the family and make that wealthy and prosperous Isa 58. 14. I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth which must be meant of fruitfulness and abundance as Expositors inform us the phrase refers to feracious and flourishing Mountains which are the richest pasturage or else to the Land of Canaan much swelling with Hills which was the most plentious spot of ground while God was with his people there that was in the whole world some observing that that small Land of Canaan maintained at once no less than thirty Kings High-grounds as a learned man conceives are places for the most flourishing Vines and the rarest fruits and the Septuagint interpret these high places of the earth the good things and increases of the earth However rich temporal blessings must be implied which shall certainly as there is truth in the promise be the portion of those who are holy and devout upon Gods blessed day Sabbath-holiness will bring down blessings upon single persons 1. Vpon the more inferiour The very Eunuchs who were Moses arcebat Eunuchos suorum caetu et è templi ministeriis et publicis officiis et Eunuchus notat populum Gentilem qui verè est Eunuchus i. e. sterilis pietatis et bonorum operum Alap pieces of contempt and in the time of the old Law were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord but their infirmity sued out a Writ of Excommunication against them Deut. 23. 1. and they served onely for a type of the Gentile Nations who were barren of piety and good works yet saith the Lord Isa 56. 45. Vnto the Eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths I will give to them in my house a place and a name better than of Sons and Daughters So grateful to the Lord is the holy observation of the Sabbath that it can make an Eunuch fruitful and put the meanest person into the Bond of the richest promise 2. As the holy observation of Gods day can raise the meanest so it can honour and bless the greatest Nehemiah was an excellent example of zeal for Gods day and his zeal flamed out so much that it scorched presumptuous despisers of it and this sacred heat of zeal was rewarded with great success his combat against Sabbath-prophanation was vigorous and his victory was glorious Nehem. 13. 15 16 17 2 Tim. 4. 8. 18 19 20 21. his contest was sharp and his conquest was sweet The good observation of the Sabbath can bring safety to a City so the Prophet speaking of the keeping of Gods Sabbath
who brought the fire to consume our Jerusalem it will not here be seasonable to enquire but it is most probable they came from Babylon the Enemies of the Jewes from the literal and our implacable Adversaries from the mystical Babylon But did the same sin which fier'd Jerusalem fire London It may be answered most visibly or else why was London fir'd on the Lords day The time sheweth the Trespass And surely one of Londons foulest scars was the prophanation of Gods holy day No sin especially of later years more generally and more impudently acted 1. What playing of Children the younger sort up and down the streets The playing of Children in the streets in the week-day is a symptom of prosperity but on the Lords day is an evidence of impiety 2. What sitting at the door of those who should find some thing divine and spiritual to exercise head and heart in Zach. 8. 5. As if the Lords day was a day of leisure not of light a day of fond recreation and not of heavenly instruction And how contrary to Abraham have Parents in London acted which holy Patriarch would make his Children and Family to keep the wayes of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. 3. And what charms of vain and frothy communication of old and young men and women upon Gods holy day as if their tongues were set on fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. Persons Peccatum quod alter incurrit operando tuum facis obloquendo not considering that God hath not only confined our hands that we must not work but our tongues too that we must not talk unprofitably on his own day Isa 58. 13. But how have the Inhabitants of London left themselves to the range of all manner of foolish and vain discourse and their communication like Noahs Ark hath taken in the unclean with Gen. 7. 2. the clean and this chat must defile Gods day 4. Let London remember the crouds in the fields upon the blessed Sabbath which throngs of people have been like the spires of Grass or the leaves of the Trees which they came to behold and all this to flatter corrupt and want â—n sense and to waste the most precious time of the most precious Sabbath What Atheistical prophaneness is this to be feeding the Eye with a prospect or pleasing the Fancy Deus inambulat in animâ tanquam in tabernaculo suo cùm ex memoriâ in intellectum traâ—sit inde in voluntatem per actuâ— fidei spei châ—ritatis est enim anima sancta quasi templâ—m immò coelâ—m Bernard with a walk when the immortal Soul cries out Improve this time for my interest or I perish to eternity O! that laziness and sensuality should confound all reason and religion What time wilt thou have for the gaining of a Christ for the saving of a Sâ—ul if the Sabbath be trifled away Is looking after the invaluable Soul such a despisable and inconsiderable work as that it may be so easily dispensed with O Lord us vanity This hath fir'd the best City in the World And this idleness in the fields is not only before and after the solemn worship of God but in the very seasons of grace as if sensuaâ— delight would bid defiance to spiritual duty and Gods service must give way to mans froth and vanity Gospel truths must be laid aside for secular walks and heavenly Ordinances must be put off for empty recreations which like the Tulip have no sent in them and like the walks they trâ—â—â— have no spirit or life in them 5. And hath not this been the stain of London that Ale-hâ—uses have been filled with vain and frivolous Guests on Gods holy day as if Bacchus had been the God they had only worshipped and the Cup of Intemperance did out-vie Psal 146. 13. the â—uâ—â—f Salvation 6. Nay may it not be suspected that the Stews have not been unfrequented on this holy Sabbath and so Venus may be the Goddess of these debauched sinners VVe have had Libido mentem absorbet corpus subjugat corrumpit Alap our Chambers not of Imageâ—y Ezek. 8. 12. but of Adultery Rom. 13. 13. O the wantonness of the people on this blessed day many nay too many are upon the merry pin laughing and jesting and disporting themselves one with another as if the Sabbath was some jovial time set apart for some carnal triumph and not the set solemnity for soul concernments 7. Nay hath not this day been spent with mâ—re sâ—n and prophaneness then any other day Other dayes have been employed in honest labours and in the sweat of the bâ—â—ws but this blessed day in dishonest delights and in the pleasing of â—ur lusts 8. And what want of preparation for this holy day the inhabitants of London toyling no part of the week with so much eagerness as on the Saturday night when they should Mark 15 42. Luke 23 54. be dressing themselves to meet with the Bridâ—goom of their souls on his own day in this falling below the Jews who had their Parascheve their preparation-day 9. And shall this be cast into the woful endictment How guilty hath London been of profuse furniture â—f the table upon Gods holy day as if men were determined to clog the sense Tâ—nta malâ— non facit mare lonites suos transgreâ—iens quamâ—â—m venter si â—â—rpâ—a nostrum superâ—verit that they might chain the soul and so impede and hinder its freedom in holy duties and make intemperance the mother of their devotion Whence comes our sleep and stupefaction in the worship of God on his own day but from the fulness of the cup and the excess of the table when the wanton palaâ—e shall prevail more then the inestimable and precious soul 10. And oftentimes when the shop hath been shut the work hath not been laid aside on Gods day but many have wrought in their callings as sedulously though more privately then upon other dayes and too often the Artificer hath swayed more then the Christian and mâ—n under a pretence to keep the eighth have made bold with the fourth Commandment And therefore whatever hand was used in Londons fire it was Sabbath-guilt which threw the first fire-ball to turn it into flames When Mount Sinai was on fire and smoaking Exod. 19. 18. God was there and that was the cause of the combustion but when dear London was on fire guilt was there nay Sabbath-guilt and this was the cause of its devastation and retine Now ye have seen the dart let us search the wound And was not Londons fire remarkable Surely never any judgement was sharpned with more mournfull circumstances The hand-writing against the City was like the hand-writing of the Dan. 5. 5. Wall mentioned in the beginning of the 5th of Daniel we may see every finger distinctly But more especially let us glance at these more dreadful remarkables the several evidences of divine wrath and displeasure By Londons fire the beauty and the
indignation And God can make the fire beneficial that it shall not rage but relieve and that it shall warm and not destroy he makes Exod. 13. 21 Dan. 3 25. Hos 11. 8. Numb 11. 33. the fire to purge and not to punish Thus the Pillar of fire was Israels guide and the fiery furnace the three Childrens Arboret his repentings can kindle as well as his wrath and he can be a wall of fire about us for our security as well as send a judgement of fire among us for our calamity God amplifies the fire and makes it not only a domestical but a popular and national judgement the spreading of the Ezek. 30. 14. Amos 3. 6. fire for general loss and epidemical ruine is from and onely from the Lord the Village is set on fire and the City by the same hand Man in his most extreme malice shoots with wet powder if God counter-mand but his anger makes effectual every destructive design God permits the fire Jer. 39. 8. He suffers an insolent Enemy or a perfidious misereant to turn Cities or Houses into flames The Souldiers fire-brand by which was fired the famous Temple of Hierusalem was commissionated by a divine command And God restrained Popish cruelty which was nourished and evidenced in the Gunpower Treason God can stop the fire Dan. 3. 27. and alter the very nature of it The flames shall not be our scourgâ— but our shelter and become our walk and not our woe God can make use of the fire as his particular instrument to afflict a sinfull Nation or City Amos 7. 4. And thus he did to London Whatever miscreant made the ball God threw Zach. 1. 18. the fire and turned this famous but sinfull City into ashes This then is the sharpness of this judgement the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof Jer. 14. 8. hath laid London waste and to accent his wrath he did it upon his own blessed Ier. 14. 8. day and will you know the reason it was suggested in the beginning of the Chapter We made light of his Sabbath by our vanity loosness and prophaneness and God hath set a mark upon it by firing on this day one of the best Cities in the world We forgot his Memento by which he prefaces and begins his Commandment for the Sabbath and therefore Exod 20. 8. we shall feel his Memorandum even unto future Generations CHAP. LI. A second Decad of Arguments to re-inforce the same perswasion that we would keep holy the Lords day IT was not without a mystery of Providence that God should give the Decalogue upon Mount Sinai in the Exod. 19. 18. midst of fire and smoak a terrible appearance was it not to foretell the severities of God which he would execute upon those who should gainsay his ten words by neglect and disobedience But he hath corrected the violation of none of them with more sharpness and indignation then that which relates to the Sabbath as hath been abundantly discovered But now that I may leave nothing unattempted to court the Reader to a due observation of Gods holy day I shall draw the line from another point of the circumference meeting still in the same Center Other Arguments I shall use to press conscience to the obedience of Christ in a holy 2 Cor. 10. 5. keeping of his own blessed day Arg. 1 Let us take notice that God hath embroydered this holy day with the riches of grace Upon this day God hath caused Reges nos fecit Christus tum quia regni sui adaptavit cohaeredes tum quia efficit ut per gratiam sp peccatum mortem Satanam hostes omnes vincamus tum quia nos sua membra tandem coronabit Sacerdotes fecit ut hostias spirituales offeramus deo acceptas per ipsum quin ipsos nos in vivam hâ—stiam gratitudinis deo consecremus Par. light to shine out of darkness and brought many a dead Lazarus out of his grave and of stones hath raised up Children to Abraham Mat. 3. 9. Of Lions he hath made lambs to God and out of sinful men hath converted thousands to the faith of Christ Upon this day God hath made the bland to see the deaf to hear and dumb to speak nay and the lame to walk in the wayes of his holy Commandments This is the day of Gods wonder-working the sphear wherein his free grace shines the brightest Whereas the works of the first creation were all done upon six dayes and none upon the seventh which was then the Sabbath day all the works the new creation are ordinarily done upon the Sabbath day rather then upon any of the six dayes This hath been the Birth day of many spiritual Kings and Priests Rev. 1. 6. The Psalmist saith Psal 87. 5. And of Sion it shall be said this and that man was born therein And of the Lords day it may be said this and that man was born therein O blessed day Millions of Saints in heaven are now blessing this day of God and blessing God for this day I read of one who cursed the day of his natural birth Job 3. 3. But I never read of any who cursed the day of his new birth This is the day of rescuing the prey from the mighty the day of opening the Prison door and setting the captive free This is a day much to be observed to the Lord for bringing Exod. 12. 42. souls out of their spiritual Egypt out of the house of sinful bondage This blessed day hath been the wedding day of many souls the day of their espousals to Christ when the knot hath been so knit that it hath not been loosned to eternity Thus God hath magnified his own day and shall not we sanctifie it Shall he put a beauty and shall we put a scar upon it Shall he prosper and shall we prophane it His bounty invites our purity all the badges of honour God puts upon it only bespeaks our holiness It is a princely day and we come to Princes with reverence and Veneration Gods wonderful works on this day must meet with our spiritual operations and our serious devotions For us to sport jocularly to recreate our selves needlesly or to demean our selves slightly on that day wherein God acts gloriously what is it but in effect to say we will not have the Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27. to reign over us Arg. 2 The good observation of the Lords day may influence the whole week Usually the tenor of the week follows the temper of the Sabbath If we have been conscientious on Gods day we will be careful on the week day But as Reverend Calvin observes If we are vain and frothy loose and licentious Calvin upon Deuter. Serm. 5. p. 34. on Gods holy day it is no marvel if we become brutish and abominable all the rest of the week Let any man observe his own heart and he shall find that the more he hath let himself
thrive upon a Sabbath by our holy deportments upon it and our careful improvements of it it will be seen in the week but if by our careless behaviour we grow lean upon the Sabbath like Pharaoh his lean Kine Gen. 41 20. in his Dream it prognosticates nothing less than a Famine of grace and happiness Arg. 3 We put on our best Attire upon a Sâ—â—bâ—th and why shâ—uld we not be in our best spiritual Dress Shall we deck our Bodies and neglect our Souls Shall we stand before God on his own day with Bodies dressed with all art and curiosity Ille Judaeus vere est qui talâ—â— est in abscâ—dito Qâ—i fidem â—bedâ—entiam praeâ—at Christo â— hâ—bet cirâ—â—â—cisionem câ—rdis convâ—rsâ—â—ne cordis ad Deum Par. but with Souls undressed and unprepared ruffled with worldly thoughts unwashed by repentance all things hâ—nging careless and loose by formality only painted over and dawbed with pretence and hypocrisie The fâ—rmaâ—ist on a Sabbath might correct himself by his Gaâ—â— and the exactness of his Attire Surely it is an high blemish to Religion to be curious in our fashion and to be careless in our devotion and to spend more time on a Sabbath to set the Dâ—â—ss â—â— curl the Hair and to fit the Garment than to inflame Devotion to compose the Heart and to trim the Lamp to meet with the Bridegroom of our Souls Shall not a piece of Eternity be as richly attired on the Lords day as a piece of dust and clay Why should not the Soul wear the Ornaments of Grace put on the Jewels of Faith and Zeal be 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. dressed up with holy thoughts with heavenly desires with spiritual aims with steddy resolutions for further increases of grace and sanctity as well as the sinking dying body a crumbling lump of earth be adorned with all the garish modes of art and bravery Nothing more uncouth that when the body is only the plain case of a pretious Soul that it should be decked on a Sabbath with all the setting forth of costly and lovely Ornament but the immortal Soul should want its trimming to make it look comely in the eyes of its Beloved when the Body is the fine cover of a deformed Soul what is this but to shovel dung into a rich Coffer or to put Pebbles into an Ebony Casket A serious Christian would more mind the trimming of the Lamp than Mat. 25. 7. the setting of the Dress or else the setting of the Dress should more mind him of the trimming of the Lamp Arg. 4 Let us consider what a rare priviledge it is to enjoy the Sabbath of the Lord To keep a Sabbath is not our work but our rest not our service but our liberty not our task Psal 42. 4. but our triumph The Sanctuary is the Souls Paradise and Psal 24. 4. Ordinances are the Tree of life in this Garden of Eden O Psal 84. 10. then let us not turn this grace into wantonness Kings do not spurn their Crowns nor use their Scepters to turn up Turffs in the field The Mariner makes not use of the Deck of his Ship to be a Stage to act on Thus Antipodes to reason and religion do prophane persons act when they slight over the momentous Sabbath of God shall God honour us with a Sabbath and shall we provoke him on a Sabbath Great Estates amplifie the prodigality of the Heir and make his sin more odious and shameful Our Sabbaths are our seasons of grace our spiritual Mart our Pisgah sight of Canaan our Term-time to follow our Suit for glory and eternity and to prophane and formalize away these acceptable days of life and salvation what is it but to throw Jewels upon Cùm omnibus diebus hâ—mo sese occupet in negotiis suis neâ—essariis die sabbati consentaneum est ut se segreget et quiescat propter Dei gloriam Aben Ezra the Dunghil and to disinherit the Soul of its primogeniture as if its concerns were not considerable and of little importance How can we do the work of Earth or Hell upon this heavenly day If we will be working Let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. Our Sabbaths are mercy rich mercy costly mercy soul mercy the finest of the Wheat Let us then solemnly observe them and dextrously improve them remembring that he who had five talents gained five more Mat. 25. 20. The Viceroy whose trust is great and charge more honourable he is more active Quamquam fidelis servus minimè gloriatur tamen fidelitatem et diligentiam debitam Deo humilitèr commendat Par. Exod. 20. 7 8. and vigilant then every petty Officer whose Precincts are narrow and inconsiderable O that Christians would keep holy Gods blessed day What is it O devout Souls but a day-break of eternal brightness And let us not forget that as God will not hold him guiltless who takes his Name in vain so neither him who spends his day in vain Those surely are foolish Children who play by their Candle and those frantick Christians who frivolously pass over that holy day wherein they enter into the suburbs of the holy City and begin that work of praising pleasing and enjoying God which shall be the Employment of Eternity Arg. 5 In the holy keeping of the Sabbath there is praemium in opere a reward in the work What would the Lord have thee to do on a Sabbath but onely enjoy himself Our sweat on a Sabbath is spent only in hearing from God in the preaching of the word in flying to God in holy prayer and supplication or contemplating on God in devout meditation or feasting with God at his own Table so that in the whole management of a Sabbath there is more honour than burden more Opera sabbati sunt opera coeli profit than pain more delight than disgust The works of a Sabbath are the works of Heaven and the Angels are not weary nor the glorified Saints tired with singing Hallâ—lujahs On a Sabbath we feed on Manna and the fat things In nostrà enim Doâ—iniâ—â— die semper plâ—it dominâ—â— Maâ—na de coelo Coelestia namque sunt eloquia illa verbum lectum et populo praedicâ—tum Orig. of the Sanctuary we drink of the Brook in the way and of Wine on the Lees well refined Isa 25. 6. we carry Benjamins Sack with the Cup in the mouth of it Gen. 44. 2. we are spiritual Publicans and take custom of Heaven All which aggravates Sabbath-prophanation it would be strange to see a Lutanist who hath a rare Lute and who is dextrous in playing on the Instrument to spend his time in breaking the strings of his Lute What less doth the formal or prophane person do who enjoys the heavenly opportunity of a Sabbath and loses his good wind by sloth or neglect and slights over those rare duties which like Sampsons Lion Judg. 14. 18. are sweet in
are we in observation of other dayes If that storms of Providence drive us to a day of Humiliation we can with the Jews Zach. 7. 5. fast and mourn and reach Ahab in his deepest sorrows 1 Kings 21. 27. And if the smiles of Providence call us to a day of Purim Esth 9. 26. a festival of joy we can keep that day with spiritual rejoycing and gladness of heart Esth 9. 22. And we can delight our selves in the Lord. As Cambden reports of Queen Elizabeth when God delivered her and her Kingdom from the Caâ—bd Elizab. Spanish Armado her first work was to go to Pauls Church and there hear a Sermon of praise rejoycing greatly in the God of her and the Kingdomes salvation Now as one observes The Lords day is the proper feast of Christians our spiritual jubilee though moving in a swifter sphear and Mr. P. on the Romans shall dayes of the appointment of a state put us upon a more exact composure and find us more hearty in their observation then that special and blessed day which is the appointment of a God Or shall a passage of Providence the endurance of a loss or the gaining of a Victory or some other strok of Gods hand or smile of Gods face find us more serious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas more solemn more devout then the Resurrection of a Christ the new birth day of the world and the sole foundation of a Christians happiness Shall the deliverance from a Spanish Armado fill us with more spiritual delight in God then the deliverance from Heli and Destruction Had not Christ broke the chains of death we had everlastingly been kept in chains of darkness Our Lords day then glories in a more excellent occasion and why should it not be celebrated with a more serious Cotenae tenebrarum sunt 1 Conscientiae reatus 2. Aeternum puniendi decretum 3. Miserrima reproborum desperatio devotion One well observes That the Jews thought reverently of and acted zealously on their solemn though ceremonial festivals those bright appearances which were chased away by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness therefore to use the Apostles words a little inverted seeing all those other dayes of observation are and shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness upon our unalterable Sabbath whose lease expires not till the 2 Pet. 3 11. death of the Vniverse CHAP. LII A third Decad of Arguments promoting the same design viz. a due sanctification of the Lords day THat every wind may fill our sails in pursuance of this great duty I shall now turn my Arguments to another point of the Compass Arg. 1 Let us take notice of the relation which God hath to the Sabbath In the time of the law the Sabbath was called the Sabbath of the Lord Lev. 23. 3. And verily my Sabbath shall ye keep Exod. 31. 13. And in the times of the Gospel our Christian Sabbath is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. Now this happy interest which God hath in the Sabbath from the beginning of the world to this day is a cogent Argument for Mat. 22. 21. our severer observation of it We will keep safely the treasure Maluit deus dicere sabbatum dei tui est quà m sabbatum tuum est Hoc dicens significat omnem ejus diei respectum ad nominis ipsius sanctificationem aâ— fidem esse dirigen dum Muscul of a friend and why not keep devoutly the Sabbath of a God If our Sabbath be the Lords day let us render to Christ the things which are Christs Gerard observes That the Sabbath is the Lords Sabbath to shew us the manner of our sanctification of it viz. In the works of God those works which are required and prescribed by God And Musculus adds very pertinently God would rather call it his Sabbath then ours to intimate to us that all the respect of that day must be directed to the hallowing of his Name and to the acting of faith and trust in him It is very observable how chary God is of his Sabbath he puts it into the heart of the Decalogue that none might come at it to affront it and he stamps his Name upon it that none should make it common Do ye think we can play with the Crown of a King or sport with the Scepter of a Prince Dominus ille cujus est Sabbatum est deus tuus ergò in honorem et cultum ipsius sabbatum sanctificabis Ger. Greater boldness it is to formalize away the Lords day and to waste that time which is his peculiar treasure Our wildness often roves up and down the common of the week but if we break into the inclosure of the Sabbath we shall certainly be found trespassers and hazzard an immortal soul We must take heed that we make bold only with what is our own and not with Gods day for that is no more lawfull for us than for every common Israelite to enter into the holy Hag. 2. 8. of holies There are two things God is very tender of Lev. 23. 3. 1. His people they are the Apple of his eye Jer. 2. 3. 2. His Sabbath which is the reserve of his time And as those who shall devour his people shall offend so those who shall prophane his day shall commit sacriledge a sin of the deepest tincture The consideration then that our Sabbath is the Lords day should compose our spirits should flush our services and sublimate our performances on that blessed day Argum. 2 Let us take notice of that tittle which God hath put upon the Sabbath It is an holy Sabbath to the Lord Exod. 16. Exod. 31. 15. 23. And here that answer to Peter Acts 10. 15. is very Qui luxu deliciantes voluptatibus se dedunt ad sanctificationem sabbati non sunt idonei quia diem sanctum domini suis commâ—â—ulant voluptatibus Hieron pertinent What God hath called clean we must not look upon as common They who prophane the Sabbath would pick out the image and superscription of it which is a fruitless and destructive attempt A stamp of holiness amplifies every defilement The spirit is a holy spirit and therefore it must not be grieved Eph. 4. 30. The law is a holy law Rom. 7. 12. and therefore must not be violated Jesus Christ is the Holy one of God Psal 16. 10. and therefore he must not be wounded and crucified afresh Heb. 6. 6. The Priests garments were holy Exod. 31. 10. and therefore not to be Sanctificatio dei est quâ dies septimus post sex dierum opera statim ab iâ—itio est deputatus consecratuâ— sanctificatio hominis est diem septimum à deo quietâ— confeâ—ratuâ— pro sancto nabere religionis exercitâ—â—â— ac fidei sedulò incumbere Muscul worn by another person The vessels of the Sanctuary were holy and therefore not to be employed
a set-time for that purpose that the hurries being over man may sedately and composedly apply himself to the solemn worship of God And this is agreeing Certum ac definitum tempus statutum est quò ea commode obâ—re possimus Azor. and consonant to natural reason Doctor Field professeth That by the light of Nature it is known that one day in seven ought to be consecrated to Divine service How will this put Sabbath-prophanation into a scarlet nay into a crimson dye that we should sink below the light of Nature in the commission of it It is likewise very observable that God himself couples and joyns the command for the Sabbath with natural commands not only in the Decalogue but in the 26th Chapter of Leviticus Ye shall make you no Idols nor graven Images The first Ye shall keep my Sabbaths The second shewing us thus much that Nature is as much abased in the prophaning of the Sabbath as in the violation of any natural command And we may as well break the fifth or the sixth as the fourth Commandement the force of Nature being engraven upon them all Nay the observation of the Sabbath is so grateful to God and so necessary to man that the very ground had a Sabbath Levit. 25. 2 3 4. the very Land was to keep a Sabbath the words of the Text are these When you come into the Exod. 23. 11. Land which I give you then shall the Land keep a Sabbath to the Lord Levit. 25. 2. And shall the dead earth keep a Sabbath to the Lord and not living Christians In this one below Balaams Ass reproves us God in condemning Num 22. 28. Sabbath-breakers may make his appeal as sometimes he did Jer. 6. 19. Jer. 22. 29. To the very earth This surely must be a great sin when the ground we trample upon shall be a witness against us Vt brutis ac hominibus concederetur quies corporalis Brutis quidem propter homines hominibus autem propter cuhum divinum Ger. Nay the very Beasts had a Sabbath Exod. 20. 10. The Cattle was to rest on the Sabbath-day Now shall a Beast rest and man work on the blessed Sabbath Shall there be more obedience found in the Herds of the Stall than in the Professors of the Gospel Shall the Stable have more submissive Proselytes than the Sanctuary It is a good observation of Gerard That Rest was granted to man and beast upon the Sabbath to Beasts for Mans sake and to Man for worship sake that he may apply himself on that day to the service of the Legislator There are three considerable Reasons why God commanded the Beasts to rest upon the Sabbath-day Because the Beast required rest as well as man they could not live in continual painfulness they must have their altenate ease and refreshments as a learned man speaks Their flesh is not brass nor their bones iron no more than that of Job 6. 12. man tiresomness and languishing are incident to them as well as to man Because Beasts could not work without the assistance and will of man and so man must be taken off from Sabbath-sanctification Beasts cannot work of themselves without the conduct and guidance of man Now the working of a Beast is not so considerable as the keeping of a Sabbath which cannot be done if men follow their Plows or use their Beasts for labour on that day then that excuse would be reviled man could not come to Christ upon the Lords day he must use five yoke of Oxen and therefore pray have him excused Because God would inure man to pity and clemency that favouring his Beast he might learn mercy to man the Beast Dum jumentis quies conceditur à Deo nonne est ut homines misericordiae assuefierent Riv. must not work that God might put more bowels into man and that man might have more leisure for God Now the Psalmist saith Psal 32. 9. That we should not be like Horse or Mule which have no understanding But to disturb the Rest of a Sabbath by sinful or secular works is to be worse than the beast that perisheth Nay the very strangers among the Jews were to observe Advenae jubentur septimo die ab operibus seriari Ex eo patet quòd peregrini non suerunt coacti ad religionem Isâ—â—â—liticum suscipiendum tamâ—n ab ipsis requisitum fuit ut in externis divinae legi sese subjicerent quod suo modo etiam Christiano magistratui ad imitationem est propositum Ger. the Sabbath Exod. 20. 10. Doctor Twiss observes there was no burden imposed upon strangers besides the observation of the seven Precepts of Noah and therefore infers that the observation of the Sabbath was comprehended under one of them But this is naturally deducible none was to omit the observation of the Sabbath no not the heathen stranger And shall onely the Christian blot the Sabbath by his sins waste it by his sloth or disturb it by his secular works Onely the Christian to whom are committed the Oracles of God Gerard takes occasion from this part of the fourth Commandement to lay it as a charge upon Christian Magistrates to see that all observe the Sabbath and he saith That this clause in the Command is proposed for their imitation But how great will the condemnation of Sabbath-breakers be when the Instinct of Nature the Rest of the ground the Beasts of the field nay the very stranger shall all read them Lectures of Sabbath-sanctification Arg. 5 Let us cast our eye upon the practice of Heathens they thought it equitable that their consecrated days should be wholly and devoutly observed Macrobius brings in one Vetius thus resolving We truly that we may both honour Macrob. Saturnal lib. 1. cap. 7. the holy days and eschew also the slothful drousiness of Resting and may turn our leisure into employment we come together to spend the whole day in learning Fables to be conferred upon Now their learning Fables was the best they knew of devotion and the same Author asserts and says That the sacred things of the Romans are either Diurnal or Nocturnal those which are Diurnal are continued Macrob. Saturnal lib. 1. cap. 16. all along from the beginning of the Day until the middle of the Night And the Priests of the Heathens affirmed That their holy days were polluted if any work was done upon those solemn seasons besides it was not lawful for the King of the Sacrifices and the Flamins their Priests to see a work done on their holy days and therefore by a Crier it was proclaimed that no such thing should be done and he who neglected the Precept Vniversae gentes stativas serias universo populo communes rebus sacris obeundis consecratas habuerunt Leid Prof. was fined And Scaevola the Priest affirmed That the wilful Offendor shall have no expiation And Macrobius describes what works were lawful on their holy days viz. works of Piety and
triumphant Resurrection Then was Christ proclaimed Lord of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. then Death gave its last groan and then Satan fell like lightning the forces of 1 Cor. 15. 55. Hell were scattered and discomfited when Christ appeared Luke 10. 18. in the Field after his detention in the Grave Christ by rising brake both the Chains of death and darkness together Resurrectione Christi et vita initium et mors recepit interitum and so far put the Law out of date that it super-annuated its threats that they are insignificant to the Believer Christ now had suffered whatever the Law could demand upon the Sinner And as his sufferings answered all the clamours of the Law so his Resurrection brake all the Chains of his Resurrectio Christi plena fuit mortis abolitio et vitae reductio Alap sufferings Indeed through the Grace of God we may read inflamed love Rom. 5. 8. and eternal life John 3. 15. in the death of Christ but the hope and assurance of both is built upon his Resurrection and therefore when the Apostle would set the door of hope wide open to us 1 Pet. 1. Col. 2. 14. 3 4. he shews us an empty Sepulchre and tells us with the Angel He is risen 1 Cor. 15. 17 18 19. The Promise is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 27. Col. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. the ground and Anchor-hold of our hope and that is performed by our Lords Resurrection by which he brake the Serpents head and scattered his power Acts 26. 6 7 8 9. This day then is Christs triumphal day when all his enemies were drawn at his Chariot-wheel And is not Christ in this our Ensample Shall not we on this day trample Satan under our feet conquer lust and get above the snares nay thoughts of the World and in holy and divine Ordinances pursue triumphant grace Conquest is our great work on the Sabbath-day then are we to subjugate our passions to subdue our corruptions to keep under the flesh to fetter the Old man and to bring into obedience our whole man to Jesus Christ The Sabbath properly is a day of Victories then light is to overcome our darkness the word to overcome our hearts Christ to over-rule and Conquer our affections and then is the season for the spirit to subdue and to bring into Captivity every high thought to the obedience of the Gospel And shall we then on Christs conquering-day be slaves to our fancy to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. spend our time in vanity and recreations be Vassals to our lusts to spend our Sabbaths in riots and prophaneness be subjugated by the flesh to spend this golden season in sloth or formality Is not this to pour contempt on Christs triumphal-day and to cover the glory of it with thick darkness As if one should draw a Canvas Curtain before a curious Picture It may truly be said of those who prophane the Lords day they are the ecclipses of Christs Resurrection-day spots in that Feast and the foul blemishes of that lovely season Ignatius will tell us It is but a Jewish trick and a falling back and recidivation to their sin and folly The Resurrection of Christ was the loosing of his fetters then and not before did our dear Jesus rest from the temptations of Satan from the persecutions of the Jewish and the Gentile World from the flashes and scorching of his Fathers wrath and from the bonds of his own transient death His rising-day was his resting-day and all his disturbance and discomposures were scattered as the Clouds Vos in die quem dicunt solis solem colitis sicut autem nos eundem diem dominicum vocamus In eo non solem sed resurrectionem domini laetè veneramur which have nestled together are put to flight at the rise of the Sun And therefore it was the will of God that the day of Christs Resurrection should be honoured as holy rather then any other day of his Incarnation Birth Passion Ascension because his rising-day was his resting or Sabbath-day and whereon his rest began So the day of Gods rest from the work of Creation and the day of Christs rest from the work of Redemption are only fit the one to be the Churches Sabbath in the time of the Law the other to be the Churches Sabbath in the time of the Gospel The Lord Aug. contr Faust Manich. lib. 18. cap. 5. Christ in the day of his Birth did not enter into his rest but rather made an entrance into labour and sorrow and then began his work of Humiliation And so likewise in the day of his Passion he was then under the sorest part of his labour in the bitter Agonies in the Garden and on the Cross and therefore none of these could be consecrated to be our Sabbath Nor could the day of his Ascension be fit Gal. 4. 4 5. to be made our Sabbath because although Christ then and thereby entred into the third Heavens his place of Rest yet he did not then make his first entrance into his estate of Rest which was in the day of his Resurrection This day then was the first step of Christs exaltation the dawning of his glory Dies dominicus Christi resurrectione est sacratus Aug. when as Elijah he dropped the Mantle of all natural imperfections Now Christ was to bear no more bruises to give his Cheek to no more Smiters to tread the Winepress of his Fathers wrath no more This bright Sun was no more to be masked with Clouds this Morning Star was no more Isa 53. 10. to be veiled with shade or darkness Christs rising left his Isa 50. 6. Grave-cloaths behind him to shew us that now no more Revel 22. 16. he was to tast any thing which savoured of sorrow or mortality John 20. 5 6. And now how incongruous is it that the day of Christs freedom should be the day of our fetters That when he threw off his bonds we should bind them on us the faster That we should be fetter'd to any way of sin or chained to our sensual appetite or wanton fancy on the Lords day the weekly commemoration of Christs Resurrection On Diâ—s dominicus dieâ— est quam nobis salvatoris noâ—tri resurrectio consecravit this day Christ threw off his Grave-cloaths and so should we cast off whatever savours of dust and earth In a word to be captivated to any way of offence on this holy day no way comports with the nature and freedom of Christs resurrection then all his bonds were loosed and then should we Leâ— Epist 93. cap. 4. cast from us whatsoever may hinder us from running the ways of Gods Commandements all our sloth frothiness of Spirit carnal delights cold formality and whatever may slacken our pace in our duties and spiritual services The Resurrection of Christ is the very life of the
of his Resurrection when his power was most illustrious The Resurrection of Christ was unparallel'd Others indeed were raised from the grave So Lazarus John 12. 1. So Dorcas Acts 9. 40. And women received their dead raised to life again Heb. 11. 35. But all these retired to their Christus post quam resurrexit talem vitam amplius non vivit immò mori ampliùs non pâ—ssit Alap graves again their renewed life was only a short apparition which was quickly smoothered a little Candle set up after it had been put out which burned for a while and spent it self till it went out again But our Saviour as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 9. Being raised from the dead dyeth no more This Sun being risen sets no more nay it is no more inveloped in a Cloud but shines in a higher sphear in a more sublime Orb to eternity Christs Resurrection was not damped with a revocation nor did he fly back again to his empty tomb there to shelter himself till the general Resurrection Nay let us run a little higher the Resurrection of Christ was that glorious work above all others which the Scriptures mention to the Fathers honour Rom. Gal. 1. 1. 1. 4. Acts 2. 24 32. Acts 3. 26. Acts 4. 10. Acts 10. 40. This work it was by which Jesus Christ is made both Lord and Christ and is exalted to sit at the right hand of his Father This act of Resurrection advanced him to the throne who before was stigmatized with the Cross and changed him from a prisoner to be a Prince and Saviour Acts 3. 31. Acts 10. 41. Nay to be the Prince of life Acts 3. 15. And nothing but glory and honour are the Attendants of his Throne To Acts 2. 32. publish this glorious act Christ principally did choose his Disciples Acts 10. 41. Acts 2. 32. Christs Resurrection Acts 2. 25. was the Motto of the Apostles embassie and the emphasis of their Errand the grand argument by which they both 1 Cor. 15. 14. made and comforted believers For indeed the receiving of 1 Pet. 1. 3. our Christ again after the certainty of his death and the solemnity of his burial is the spring of our joy the fountain of 1 Pet. 3. 21. our comfort the stay of our hearts and the assurance of our Hymnus Angelicus ad nativitatem Christi accipiatur 1. Tanquam gratulatio gratiarum Actio z. Tanquam Angelorum votum quod Angeli optant hominibus 3. Tanquam doctrina quae vera est pax scil in Christo solo Theod. Mat. 4. 2. justification This blessed work of Christs rising put the last hand to the work of our Redemption and so fasten'd it that it cannot unravel The Birth of Christ was accompanied with the joy of Angels Luke 2. 13. His life was embroidered with wonders and miracles for every word our Jesus spake was not less than a wonder John 7. 46. His death was imbittered with sorrows and perplexities and sighs were the escutcheons about his Hearse but his Resurrection was the new Birth of the World and the sparkling spirits of a Believers consolation The wise-men of the East rejoyced at his Star Mat. 2. 10. when it did proclaim the Birth of Christ But Believers rejoyce at himself when he himself proclaims his Resurrection The Star retires at the Suns rising And now shall the Resurrection of Christ be unparallel'd for glory and shall it not so far influence us as to make us exemplary for sanctity upon its weekly commemoration the Lords day Shall every thing concur to the honour of Christs resurrection and shall onely our loosness and vanity on the day of it cast a damp and put an ecclipse upon it When we prophane the Sabbath what do we but draw a veil before the glory of Christs resurrection and practically deny that he is sprung from the Grave What loves can those Christians have to or what esteems for their dear Jesus who when his resurrection-day gave new life to the world fresh joy to the Disciples and new wonders to Mankind can yet pollute and defile the Sabbath its constant Memorial Sabbath-breakers are worse than Sadduces they onely deny Acts 23. 8. our Resurrection but these vertually deny Christs for if Christ be risen why do they not adore the rising Sun by Eph. 5. 11. walking in the light on his own blessed day But why do they attempt to ecclipse this glorious day by their sins and deeds of darkness CHAP. LIV. Some miscellanious prescriptions for the better discharge of our duty towards the LORDS DAY THe Concernments of the Soul can be never sufficiently pressed because of the weightiness of the affair and Mat. 16. 26. nothing more conduceth to the advantage of the Soul then the holy observation of Gods blessed day Soul-welfare In die dominico mens nostra in piis exercitiis tota defigenda est Cartw. much depends upon a due and careful observance of it Spiritual Sabbaths very much draw the Soul to its center formal Sabbaths do much retard the Soul in its progress and Sabbaths wasted in prophaneness do very much harden the Soul in sin and vanity and drop apace into the Vials of Gods wrath jogging Vengeance to awaken it which seems to slumber It may easily fall under our observation that one who is slight on the Sabbath will be profuse on the week that sin which is hatched in the Sabbath will be fledg'd in the week And therefore where there is so much danger to lose the way it must needs be safe to take good direction and to set up more lights for our better guidance and this is the further designe of what followes in this Chapter Let love be the spring of all our duties upon the Sabbath-day Prescript 1. Love is a sweet but a forcible principle it works not as a Sword but as a Sun-beam it draws but not drives it Excessus mentis est intentio ad superna Ansel constrains but not compels and it wins by perswasion and not coaction 2 Cor. 5. 14. Fear storms the Town but Love takes it by composition a heart full of love will run through the Datur sancta insania quando mente excedimus deo Bern. duties of a Sabbath as the Sun through the several Signs of the Zodiack with swiftness and delight Nor doth it understand any toyl or weariness Our Sabbath should not be our task but our delight Isa 58. 13. and then we should be on the wing and flye to the Sanctuary as the Doves to the Windows And indeed what is there in a Sabbath which doth not court our love The Lord of it He is our Beloved Mat. 2. 28. Our love our dove our undefiled Cant. 5. 2. Cant. 6. 9. He doth or ought to lie as a bundle of myrrh between our breasts Cant. 1. 13. The Son of man who is the sum of our desires is the Lord of the Sabbath Love of
Origen In the times of the Law saith he the Jews were not to stir out of their places upon the Sabbath day Exod. 16. 29. Now what is the proper place of the soul but Righteousness Truth Wisdom and Sanctification and whatever speaks Christ and from this place we Christians must not stir upon the Lords day In the times of the Law the Jews were to carry no burdens upon the Sabbath day Jer. 17. 27. And what is this burden but all sin and this burden we Christians must not carry on our Sabbath In the times of the Law the Jews were not to kindle a fire throughout all their Habitations upon the Sabbath Exod. 35. 3. And what is this kindling of fire but the inflaming of lust and no such fire must be kindled by Christians on the Sabbath Now what Origen cautionates us against on the Sabbath is as much to be avoided and shunned on the week day In a disposition to serve God So we must keep every day a Sabbath though we are not always in a Sabbath dayes time Verum quidem est Sabbatum spirituale nobis perpetuò colendum esse sub novo Testamento Wal. yet we should be always in a Sabbath days frame in such a blessed bent of heart as to be fit for holy business and heavenly employment And the Apostle adviseth us 1 Thes 5. 17. To pray continually viz. To be in a continual frame of heart fit for holy prayer And the Apostle James Jam. 1. 19. commands us to be swift to hear viz. Always to have Spirituale Sabbatum est quo vetus homo noster homo peccati cum singulis suis actionibus otio quodam veluti sepelitus est ut novus homo qui secundum deum creatus est vires suas exerat opera sua perficiat Muscul an open ear ready to hearken to the sweet and sacred word of God We find the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 1. 5 6. describing four living creatures having four faces and four wings Faces ready to mind and wings ready to move into any part upon the work the Lord should assign and appoint them And thus Gods people should be always in a prepared frame of spirit for holy service we should be as cautious of sin and as propence to service as if every day was a Sabbath day The week contains no day for sinful work the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity And iniquity not iniquities any one particular iniquity And so likewise in the week our secular works must not indispose us for heavenly Dies è septem unus externis salutis mediis dedicatus Sabbatum interius perpetuum magis et magis promovet Hier. services and holy duties but we must have heavenly hearts in our earthly labours It is very observable that in the time of the Law the word Sabbath signified a whole week Lev. 23. 15. And so in the time of the Gospel Luke 18. 12. And doth it not point out this That we should keep our whole week as a Sabbath and that Sabbath-holiness should make all our life-time but one intire holy day Our spiritual Sabbath as Musculus observes Must be continual Rom. 11. 16. we must be always crucifying the old man and getting our 1 Cor. 5. 6. corruptions to their rest that they may not be working nor employed to fledge temptation into actual sin and we must be always employing the new man to excite its power in spiritual operations and this must be our daily and continual Sabbath This resting from sin and this working for God is never unseasonable and these two are the integral parts of a Sabbath And thus to employ our selves in the week doth exceedingly fit us for the Sabbath Many have little of the Sabbath in the week and therefore they have too much of the week in the Sabbath they are strangers Mandaverat quidem deus sub veteri Testimento ut in ipsa septimanâ aliquae quoque horae divino cultui consecrarentur manè imprimis vespere cùm sacrificium juge in templo offerreretur perpetuò sacrificaretur Wal. to sabbath-Sabbath-work on the week dayes and therefore they are enemies to sabbath-Sabbath-work on the Lords day Christians should attempt to begin heaven here and there is a perpetual Sabbath our life below should shadow out our life above It must be confessed our indulging our selves too much in sin and bemiring our selves too much in the world on the week day doth very much unqualifie and indispose us for heavenly rest on the Sabbath day But when we have set our selves against sin and have been spiritually minded in the works of our Calling not omitting the heavenly duties of prayer reading the word holy discourse and heavenly meditations on the week dayes we then with more complacency lean upon our beloved and with more delight meet him in his â—anquetting house Cant. 2. 4. on the Lords day Holy weeks make heavenly Sabbaths and the more strict we are in passing of the week the more savoury and serious we shall be in observing the Sabbath Walaeus very well observes That in the time of the Law God had his dayly sacrifices Psal 133. 2. Numb 28. 3. as well as his double sacrifices on the Sabbath day Numb 28. 9. To intimate to us There must be something of a Sabbath in every day nor must the oil of holiness only be poured out on the head of a Sabbath but it must run down to the skirts of the whole week the performance of divine worship is calculated for the week though the solemnity of it be reserved for the Sabbath Well then let something resembling a Sabbath be found in our own dayes let a happy vein of holy rest with God run through every day The Jews had their morning sacrifice when they entred upon their work and their evening sacrifice when they wound up and ended their work they gave God the first Job 23. 12. and the last of every day in holy and solemn worship He that was Alpha and Omega the first and the last had the Tres sunt diei partes inter Judaeos prima pars ad orationem secunda ad legem tertia ad opus seculare destinabatur Alpha and Omega of every day nay learned men observe that the Jews divided the day into three parts The first ad Tephilah to Prayer the second ad Torah to the Law the third ad Malacha to their work Thus God had his part of every day among the poor Jews nay double worship for single work And let not a repudiated Jew be more franck in giving God his time then the redeemed ones of Jesus shall they have so much of the Sabbath in the week and we so much of the week in our Sabbaths As the Apostle saith Rom. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid It would be strange if the branch which is broken of
nullis volumus voluptatibus occupari Leo Anthemius Imper à Baldwino allegati in judgment or wariness in practice in reference to the Lords day But our Apostacy began to be too notorious when sports were allowed on that day which are the births of fancy and the Nurses of corruption Nay even at this day notwithstanding all pretences to reformation how wofully is Gods Sabbath neglected and ecclipsed by all manner of abomination so that we may say with Bishop Babington The people of Israel might not gather Manna upon the Sabbath-day and may we go to Fairs and Markets to Wakes and wantonness to Dancings and Drinkings upon the Lords day Are these works for the Sabbath Is O melior fides nationum in suam sect am quae nullam christianorum solennitatem sibi vendicat non etiam diem dominicum etiamsi cognossent nobis communicarent ne Christiani viderentur nos ne Ethnici pronunciaremur non veremur Tertul. de Idol cap. 14. this to keep the holy day Can this be answered to God No surely we shall never be able to endure his wrath for these things one day Thus this learned and reverend Person I may a little invert Tertullian O the faith of the Nations better then ours towards their own Sect as who challenge not to themselves any Christian solemnity no not that of the Lords day had they known it they would not communicate with us least they should seem Christians and we Christians fear not to be accounted Heathens All the Invectives of former times may justly be levelled against England upon this account What is the Sabbath among us but our leisure day for sin and vanity The covetous person is imployed in his works and he follows his secular affairs only more covertly the Formalist is buried in his sloth the Youth of the Nation are frisking and pleasing themselves with sports and dalliances with carnal delights and sensual pleasures as if they offered Acts 14. 13. at the Shrine of Venus or calculated their Sacrifices for a Acts 19. 28. wanton Jupiter the carnal Gospellers are refreshing themselves in their Recreations and their walks and how few on the Mount of God in sacred and heavenly duties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jovialiter vivere Surely Plutarch had an eye to England when he derived Sabbath a Sabbos which signifies to live riotously Indeed the Sabbath of our Nation seems to have some such derivation Gods Sabbath cannot travel up and down England but it falls among Thieves who rob and wound it some wound it by prophane and loose actions others by sinful omissions and the most by sloth and recreations And thus Luke 10. 30. this blessed day lies bleeding and where are any good Samaritans Abominanda christiano nomine indigna diei dominicâ— vâ—olatio quae sâ—nctâ—ssimum Dei Omnipotenâ—is cultum imâ—iorum exponit ludibrio hinc omnis miseriae quae obscuratum ecclesiae deâ—us evertit â—inc calamitatis effluxit inundatio to pour Oyl in to its wounds And have we not found it by experience that scarlet sins and crimson transgressions overflow the Nation because the Sabbath lies under disuse and is covered with scorn and contempt The holy observation of the Sabbath is that which brings on all duties of godliness and the Sabbath being slighted and neglected the Cataracts of prophaneness break in upon us and we are lead to all methods of wickedness And this is Englands skar Gods presence was never less discerned and what is the reason Gods day was never more contemned Our Palladium is gone and what can be expected but an entry of ruine and desolation And this as Ezekiel speaks Ezek. 19. 14. Is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation A learned man observes That the prophaning of Gods day is sin unbecoming the name of a Christian and is the spring of all those calamities which over-flow a Nation And yet this is Lam. 1. 7. Quis talia fande temperet à laâ—hâ—ymis Virg. Englands Ichabod and in this it hath betrayed its trust when the treasure of Gods Sabbath was committed to it And this is Englands Apostacy from all the pious Proclamations Psal 74. 9. of those noble Princes who have sate in its Throne How did many of the Royal Princes who have swayed the Scepter of this Nation lay out their Authority for the suppressing King Ina a Weâ—t Saxon K. Alured K. Canutus K Edw. the sixth Q. Elizabeth King James King Charles the first of prophaneness and promoting of godliness upon Gods holy day which was their glory and the splendor of our Nation But the prophaneness of the present age upon this sacred day hath pluckt this Pearl out of their Crowns and hath put an ecclipse upon that glory of our Kingdom wherein we much out-vied the tendreyes of other Nations England formerly in this branch of holiness out-shining the most reformed Churches And this is the sin at this day which is the troubler of our Israel and seems to be a Cloud bigger than a mans hand 1 King 18. 44. which threatens a great deal of ruine not of water but of wrath not showers to drench the ground but to drown the Inhabitant We may bewail the formall worship of Englands Sabbaths this blessed day suffers in this Nation not only by open Enemies Ceremonia crebrò repetitae but by cold Suitors This is the Errour of England on her Sabbaths we more mind the bending of the knee than Deo nauseam pariunt quia peccatores impuro corde plenâ—que offensis illas offerunt Alap in Isaiam the bowing of the heart our Decency hides our Beauty our Ceremony drowneth our Substance and our Gesture swallows up our Godliness In some places of this Nation the Organ is the most pleasing Oracle and the cringing to an Altar is the onely Embleme of humility and the pleasing of the Ear stifles the devotion of the Soul And is this to keep a Sabbath What do we more than the Jews against whom God poured out his complaints To tread Gods Courts Isa 1. 12. To cry up the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. 4. And to celebrate a Sabbath with a bare appearance before God or the nimble activity of a geniculation Is not this to offer the Case instead of the Jewel to give the bark of a service and the paring onely of a solemnity Ignatius could tell us in the very Vnusquisque nostrum Sabbatizet spiritualiter meditatione legis gaudens non in corporis refocillatione Ignat. Epist 6. ad Magn. infancy of the Gospel That we are to keep Gods day spiritually in the meditation of Gods Law not in the refreshings of the outward man c. And Chrysostom speaks much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual works and exercises on the Lords day Is not the turn of an eye the action of the body or the suppleness of the knee not the sweetness of the voice or the
habitations and goods God for the prophanations of his Sabbath draws a little nearer to Offendars and strikes their persons as shall be seen in a few instances One serving a Writ of Subpoena upon another coming from Church on the Lords day after some words of reproof for so doing and a light answer thereunto the person who served the Writ died in the place without speaking any more words O the fearful and just judgment of the Lord this prophane person himself was subpoenaed unexpectedly by a Writ he could not refuse to appear before Gods dreadful Tribunal A Grasiers Servant would needs drive his Cattle on the Lords day in the Morning from the Inne where he lay on the Saturday Night but he was not gone a stones cast from the Town but he fell down dead suddenly when he was in perfect health before Thus the Lords day is written in dominical letters in the blood of Transgressors who prophane it To add one dreadful example more One Richard Bourn Servant to Gaspar Birch of Ely was so accustomed to travel on the Lords day that he made no conscience of it sâ—ldom or never coming to the publick Congregation to hear Gods word on that day but went to St. Ives Market where he stayed and spent the day where being drunk he was overtaken by Divine Justice for coming home fraught with Commodities he fell into the River and was drowned And thus as his sinnes did meet to provoke the Lord viz. his Drunkenness and Sabbath-breaking so the stream did meet to destroy and overthrow him Sometimes God doth not presently cut off those who prophane his day but he puts a brand of infamy upon them to make them a shame and a terrour to themselves that they may be hissed off from the Stage of the World and with self-confounding and horrour may go down unexpectedly to their Graves this is verified by this story There was an Husbandman who went to plough on the Lords day and cleansing his Plow with an Iron the Iron stuck so fast in his hand for two years that he carried it about with him as a signal testimony of the Lords just displeasure against him and so he lived infamously in the world till he died and made his passage to another world the Iron in his hand only discovering the Adamant in his heart Sometimes God leaves those who prophane his holy day to the commission of prodigious evils and so he punisheth one fin with another which is the sorest punishment and the ultimate effect of Divine Vengeance for when God punisheth Isa 6. 10. sin with suffering then he chastiseth with Rods but when he punisheth sin with sin then he scourges with Scorpions as may be instanced in these succeeding stories In Helvetia near Belessina Three men were playing at Mr. Clarke his examples of Divine justice Dice on the Lords day and in their play one called Vtricke Schraetorus having hopes of a good Cast having lost much money before he now expected fortune or rather the Devil to succour him and therefore he breaks out into this horrid blasphemy If Fortune deceive me now I will thrust my Dagger into the body of God as far as I can And so with a powerful force he throws it up towards Heaven which Dagger was never seen more and immediately five drops of blood fall before them all upon the Table and as suddenly came the Devil among them and carries away this vile wretch with such a terrible and hideous noise as the whole City was astonished at it Those who remained endeavoured to wipe off the blood but to little purpose for the more they rubbed the more perspicuous and visible the blood was Report carries it over the City multitudes flockt to see this wonder who find those who had thus prophaned the Sabbath rubbing the blood to get it out These two men who were Companions to him who was carried away by the Devil were by the Decree of the Senate bound in Chains and as they were leading to prison one of them was suddenly struck dead and from his whole body a wonderful number of worms and vermine was seen to crawl The City thus terrified with Gods judgments and to the intent that God might be glorified and a future vengeance averted from the place they caused the third Offendor one of the gaming Companious to be forthwith put to death And they caused the Table with the drops of blood upon it to be preserved as a Monument of Gods wrath against this sin thus this blasted Rom. 11. 33. Table like Lots wife was a standing warning-piece to cause all to take heed of Sabbath-breaking and ingratitude Luke 17. 32. At Simsbury in Dorsetshire One rejoycing at the erecting of a Summer-Pole on a Lords day He said he would go see it though he went through a quick-set hedge Going with wood in his arms to cast into the Bonefire prophanely uttered these words Heaven and earth are full of thy glory O Lord he was immediately overtaken by the stroke of God and in two or three hours died and his wife also And thus as God once punished Pharaoh with hail mixed with fire so he Exod. 9. 24. hath punished the prophanation of his day with sin and judgment joyntly with leaving the Offendor to vile sins overtaking the Offendor with sore smarts that his burdens Exod. 5. 7. like those of the Israelites in Egypt might be doubled Sometimes God punisheth the prophanation of his Sabbath with executing vengeance on great numbers God hath not decimated such sinners but destroyed them in the lump as may be verified in these ensuing stories Fourteen youths adventuring to play at Foot-ball on the River Trent upon the Lords day when it was as they Mr. Bernard on the Sabbath Mr. London in Gods Judgments on Sabbath-breakers Jan. 13. 1583. thought very hard frozen meeting at last together in a shove the Ice brake and they were all drowned At the Bear-Garden in Southwark on a Sabbath-day in the Afternoon many persons pressing on the Scaffold to see the sport forced it suddenly down with which fall eight were killed and many spoiled in their bodies who died soon after Nullus die solis spectaculum praebeat nec divinam venerationem consecta solennitate consundat Valent. Grat. And by the way let me observe This seeing of Shews upon the Lords day was complained of above 1200 years ago and Edicts set out against it by the Emperors Valentinian and Gratian the early zeal of the Primitive Christians took notice of this detestable and prodigious practice God sometimes takes away Sabbath-breakers immediately by his own hand as may be seen in these instances A Fellow near Brinkley in Essex usually coming home late from his sports on the Lords day his good Mistris reproving him for it one Sabbath he goes to a Chalk-pit to work with another man and tells him he used to vex his Mistris for his sports on the Sabbath but now