of the day away when our minds run into the world we must curbe them and remember that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God Reas 3 Thirdly Another Reason is That our Cattel and Servants and Children may rest as well as our selves they are to labour six dayes and one of seven they are to rest Reas 4 Another Reason is Because he hath sanctified it therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it Now then if the Lord hath sanctified the seventh day and appointed it if he hath set it apart for that purpose for spiritual employments and not to be filled up with any thing else we are guilty of Sacriledge if we do not give him this as Levit. 27.28 the Lord saith Whatsoever is devoted unto the Lord that is most holy unto him now God saith he hath devoted the seventh day to himself therefore we are to keep it holy Nebuchadnezzar a very heathen when he knew that the Vessels came out of the Temple of the Lord he would not employ them to a common use Dan. 1.2 He put them into the house of his god which was the holiest place he had Reas 5 Fifthly This is necessary because we are apt to be worldly and carnal and non-resident from Prayer and from the Word and serious humbling of our selves before God if we be never so little taken off how suddenly do our minds cleave unto the world and grow vain and unfit and distempered Now if God should not once in seven dayes have a day to take us off from the world as six dayes are employed in worldly affairs so if there were not a seventh day to take us off there would be no hoe with us therefore there must be a whole day to accustom us and habituate us to the Service of God otherwise we should drown our selves in the world The Sixth Proposition is this That as it must be one of seven so it is not indifferent which of the seven dayes we keep holy but it must be that day whereupon God rested therefore it hath the name of a Sabbath Sabbath is nothing but rest The reason of the name is Two-fold First Because God rested upon that day And Secondly Because we are to rest upon that day The Seventh Proposition is this That all that is in the fourth Commandment is not essential to the Commandment the fourth Commandment delivers only these Two things First That God will have a seventh day Secondly That this seventh day is to be the day of Gods rest This is the whole meaning of the fourth Commandment now all other particulars in the fourth Commandment are not essential to the fourth Commandment as that God made Heaven and Earth in six dayes and rested the seventh day c. It is not essential to the fourth Commandment but because at that time when God delivered the Decalogue there was no greater work then theâ— Creation and the rest from that work was the rest from the greatest work in the world thee fore it was kept upon the last day of the week upon which God rested from the Creation Now the meaning of the fourth Commandment is in the eighth Verse all the other particulars are but Commentaries to open it to the Jewes Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy this is the fourth Commandment The Sabbath that is the day that God rested on and the day that we are to rest upon this is the holy day that is devoted to the Lord now it was kept upon the last day of the week because God created heaven and earth and rested upon that day and the Creation of heaven and earth was the greatest work that God then had done But then you will say Why doth the Commandment say That in six dayes God created Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day I Answer 1. It is no strange thing to see some things in the Commandments which are not essential to them because the Commandments were delivered to the Jewes though they concern the whole world yet the persons that actually stood before God when the Decalogue was delivered were only the Jewes Deut. 5.22 God spake to the Jewes now no wonder that God speaking to the Jews did speak divers particulars according to them and in their phrase which if we had been alive and they to succeed us God would have spoken according to us as he did according to them 2. Secondly We see plainly there are some things in the Commandments which do not concern the whole world but only the Nation of the Jewes as in the first Commandment I have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Thou shalt have no other gods but me That is the Commandment but though they together with the other were put into the Tables of Stone yet it concerns only the Jewes 'T is true indeed it is a type of our deliverance that we are delivered from Hell and Sin and Satan as they were delivered out of Egypt and the house of Bondage but literally these words belong only to the Jews and the Commandment is this Thou shalt have no other gods but me So it is for the fourth Commandment Again There is something in the Fifth Commandment that doth not concern us but only them Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. That thy dayes may be long in the Land which the thy God giveth thee that belongs only to the Jews it is meant particularly of the land of Canaan This then is the effect of the Commandment Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan So that the first words are the Commandment and the later part belongs only to the Jewes So Deut. 5.14 the Fourth Commandment it was put into the Tables of Stone thus Remember the seventh day to keep it holy for the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou that belongs to us as well as to them but then it follows Remember thou wert a servant in the Land of Egypt Here you see the Jewes have another Argument besides the Arguments that we have but though we have not that Argument yet the Commandment stands still and the Commandment is only thus much namely That there must be a Seventh day and that seventh day God rested upon now whereas the Jewes kept the last day of the week that was only by a temporary Commandment because the making of heaven and earth was the greatest thing that God had then done and God rested from that upon that day but now if God work a greater work then the Creating of heaven and earth and rest from that then by vertue of the fourth Commandment we are to keep that day holy upon which he rested from that work Now I
come to the Eighth Proposition That this Fourth Commandment concerning a Sabbath day concerning the keeping of a Seventh day holy is a continual Commandment alwayes to abide in the Church of God I will prove it by divers Arguments that it was not to continue only in the time of the Jewes but it is to abide alwayes in the Church to the coming of the Son of man there is not a jot of Ceremony in the fourth Commandment Reas 1 The First Reason is Because God did institute the Sabbath before there was any room for Ceremonies it was commanded to Adam in his Innocency Now all Ceremonies did prefigure Christ and before Adam fell there was no Promise of the Seed of the Woman nor no need of it and so no need of a Figure to represent it but before Adam fell the Sabbath was prescribed Gen. 2.2 3. On the seventh day God rested from all that he had made so that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it So that you see God having rested upon this day he sanctified it and put holiness upon it therefore we are not to name that Common which he hath named Holy now though we do not read of Adams keeping this day nor Abels nor Enochs nor Noahs nor Abrahams nor Isaacs nor Jacobs yet it doth not follow it was not kept for Moses doth not take in hand to set down the actions of the Fathers but only generally for you see what a short story we have of Methushelab a good man though he lived a thousand years almost yet we have scarce Three Syllables concerning him Now sith Moses did not undertake to set down all that they did therefore they might keep the Sabbath though he did not set it down neither afterwards doth he set it down for 319. years and 111. years which 430. years to the time of the Judges we have nothing spoken of concerning the Sabbath therefore seeing God did Institute it to Adam in his Innocency that is enough but what though the Fathers had not kept it holy doth it therefore follow that we must not keep it holy They had many wives doth it therefore follow that we must have many wives So suppose they did not sanctifie the seventh day though wee can see no proof that they did not yet this is enough That God did sanctifie it before any Ceremony was Again Though we do not read that they practised this yet the Scripture doth intimate to us that they did it Reas 2 The Second Argument to prove this is out of Exod. 16.23 before the Law was delivered upon Mount Sinai before the Commandment was spoken from Horeb yet you may see that the Sabbath is spoken of and the Lord doth finde fault with Israel for not keeping of it which intimateth it was a day they well knew and the Lord saith afterwards to Moses How long will ye refuse to keep my Laws and Statutes As in vers 28. the Lord there speaks of a Sabbath as a day well known unto them that it was commanded to be sanctified by them and this was before the delivering of the Ceremonial Law therefore it is not a ceremonial Law but a positive Law equipollent with the moral Law Reas 3 A Third Reason is Because it was written by the finger of God in Tables of stone and put into the Ark Exod. 31.18 and Deut. 10.12 the Commandments were written upon Two tables of stone and by the finger of God Now all Divines in all ages agree upon this that the writing of this Commandment in the Two tables of stone is an evident Argument of the morality of it For as a Reverend Divine saith Not to think the Fourth Commandment to be moral is the way to all Atheisme for if one should say the Fourth Commandment is not moral but ceremonial another might step up the next year and say the Second and the Fifth is not So that whereas the Law is written by the finger of God in tables of stone if we root it out of the tables of stone we shall root it out of the heart of man therefore the writing of it in the tables of stone is an evident Argument of the morality of it to all ages A Fourth Argument is this The Lord doth urge this Commandment Reas 4 more then any other Commandment in the Decalogue so that a man may question the First or Second or any of the Ten as well as this for first we know that God hath made this Commandment larger then any of the rest Secondly hee hath made it stronger and urged it with more arguments then any of the rest 3. He hath fixed a memento remember before it As who should say Be carefull of this and take heed of forgetting it take heed of those that shall teach you the contrary that this Commandment is not morall 4. It is negatively delivered and affirmatively the other delivered only one way either affirmatively only as the Fifth Honour thy Father and Mother or else negatively only as all the rest There is never a Commandment delivered both negatively and affirmatively but only the Fourth as Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy there it is delivered affirmatively And afterwards it is delivered negatively In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter c. The Lord hath delivered it both wayes noting that this Commandment is equall and equipollent with the other and the Lord did this in infinite wisdome because he had not written this Commandment in the heart of man by the light of nature therefore the Lord did urge it more with Arguments that what was wanting in the light of nature might be supplyed by the pressing of Arguments 5. Another Argument is Because if this be not morall then we have Reas 5 not Ten morall Commandments there are but Nine now this is false for the Scripture tels us that the Commandments are Ten as Deut. 10.4 it is not an Ecclesiasticall thing but the Lord hath said it as you may see there And he wrote upon the Tables according to the first writing the Ten Commandments which the Lord spake unto you in the Mount out of the midst of the fire The Lord spake Ten Commandments now if the Fourth Commandment be not morall there be not ten Commandments And you may as well deny the Articles of the Faith and the Petitions of the Lords Prayer as the ten Commandments The Sixth Argument is this Christ tels us plainely that it is a Reas 6 morall Commandment Matth. 24.20 Pray saith he that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Our Saviour Christ here prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem which was forty yeares after Christs Ascension when all Ceremonies were ceased as Paul had proclaimed before the destruction of Jerusalem That if any man would be circumcised Christ should profit him nothing Galat. 5.2 That is if he would keep the Ceremonial Law Now Christ bids those that should
Now to come to the dead times of Popery If ever the Sabbath was out of memory and out of date then was the time for then there was a great falling away a great forsaking a great declining and people hearkned to Doctrines of Divels and Damnable Heresies and the whole world groaned under Popery Yet in the dead times of Popery there were abundance of Prophets the Lord did keep their Judgements entire in this thing as Gregory and Silvester and others though they were Superstitious Papists yet they say That the change of the Sabbath from the last day of the week to the first is by Divine Institution Now to come to the times of Reformation here we have abundance of Reverend men beyond the sea both in Germany and France that maintain it is by Divine Institution Another Argument is taken from the Judgements of God If men will not Reas 8 hearken to reason and the examples of the Saints and Judgement of Divines in all ages yet the Lord will make it appear from heaven that this is the Lords Day and the Lord hath sealed it First by his Judgements for the wrath of God hath been revealed from heaven upon those that have prophaned this day the Stories in all ages shew it In the Councel of Paris where Divines out of all Countries in Christendome were met together to consult about matters of Religion Ministers stepped up and made complaint concernining the Sabbath Let us make a Canon for the sanctifying of the Sabbath day for to our knowledg the Lords wrath hath broken out upon the Countrey for the breach of this day and one related one story and another another as one told a Story of a Miller that grinding upon the Sabbath day a fire brake out and burnt Mill and Man and all Another of an Husbandman that going into the field to fetch home his Corn upon the Sabbath day thunder and lightning brake forth and burnt him and his corn Many such stories were related in that Councel and the Magdenbergs have a story of a Noble-man that using to Hunt upon the Sabbath day the Lord brought it so to passe that his Wife brought forth a child with a head just like a dog I could relate abundance of Stories beyond sea but we have enough here at home the Town of Stratford in Warwick shire at it is related in the Practice of Piety was Burnt three times upon this day And the Story of the Parris Garden 1583. they were gathered together this day to see the sport of the Beasts fighting together and the Scaffold fell down and eight were slain and abundance hurt So there are many more such Examples I remember my self above a dozen within this half year the Lord hath revealed his displeasure from heaven for the breach of this day Secondly Again the Lord hath sealed this in the conscience of his people For who are they that break this day but loose and vain and prophane men And who make conscience of it but those that most fear God those that God hath most crowned with Righteousnesse and sanctification they delight in this and Sanctifie it and count it Holy to the Lord and the more a man fears God the more careful he is of the keeping of this day and the more he is grieved to see it prophaned either by himself or others because he hath experience of the blessings of God upon the keeping of this day no man doth Sanctifie this day conscionably but he shall find a blessing therefore it is surely from the Lord. Vse 1 The First Vse is this Is the first day of the week the Sabbath by Divine institution then here we see that we are to keep a whole day The Divel if he cannot make men keep no day then it is his policy to make them keep it by halves Oh say they Do we not keep the Sabbath Do we not come to Church and hear the word and Divine Service Morning and Evening Is not this to keep the Sabbath But if the Lord hath Instituted this day then certainly he hath Instituted a whole day It is madnesse and want of reason for a man to think the contrary Suppose I hire a man to labour with mee for a day do I not make account he should work one whole day Suppose I hire a Servant for a year do I not mean an whole year though I put not in the word Whole yet I suppose he must dwell a whole year with me And if I hire a man for a day it is for an whole day so that in Grammatical sense when the Scripture saith Thou shalt Sanctifie the Sabbath day it is meant a whole day It is not in this as in other words any piece of a stone is stone but in things that signifie the whole it is not the same as a day a part of a day is not a day the least part of water is water or of fire is fire but a part of a day is not a day Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day and I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and they met together on the first day of the week it is a day therefore the meaning of the scripture is that it should be a whole day and it is so in reason and therefore we are to keep an whole day therefore we should not curtail the Lords day as the servants of Hanun did the garments of Davids servants You know what became of Ananias and Saphira that brought but part when they should have brought the whole they should have brought the whole price of their inheritance but they brought but part therefore the Lord smote them with death so when the Lord requires a whole day and we give him but a part we shall bring vengeance upon our own heads There are divers arguments for it First the weeke consists of seven dayes and he hath given six to us and reserves one day to himself now we wil grant that we have not part of six dayes but six whole dayes If you aske a man what do you work all day Why yea the Lord hath given us six dayes therefore six whole dayes Now by the same reason God must have an whole day if we take any part of the seventh day then we have more then six dayes which is contrary to the scripture Another reason is this God rested the seventh day now looke what time God rested that time we must sanctifie now God rested the seventh day all of it he left none of the creation to do upon the seventh day he had finished the creation in six dayes and rested all the seventh day therefore we must keep the whole day Thirdly because this is the nature of a Sabbath to bee 24 houres not to be an artificiall day but to be a naturall day 24 houres together as you may see Lev. 23.32 you shall keep the Sabbath from evening to evening then the dayes were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation
it so that the Spirit of God doth unite all the Saints of God together in one Body Then here we may see the reason of the difference of men in the world The difference of our Congregations some companies that hang together are of one mind another of another mind the reason is they have a different Spirit but all the Saints of God have the Spirit of God which makes them hang together and the wicked they have another Spirit Secondly Doth the Spirit of God joyn all the Saints of God together in one Body Then that which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder It is spoken in regard of man and wife if it be such a horrible thing to part man and wife then what a horrible thing is it to part Saint and Saint that are joyned together by the Spirit of God this blessed communion of the Spirit what a fearful thing is it for a man to root it out When there shall be heart-burnings and strivings between those that are the children of God what a fearful thing is this Is the number of those that fear God so great that we can spare any Or are the Graces of Gods Spirit Wilderness Graces that can walk alone and need no help from or can do no good to others Therefore the Apostle prayeth God in the behalf of the Corinthians That the Members of Christ may be of one minde and live in peace 2 Cor. 13.11 Thirdly Here we may see how to try our acquaintance and whether the company we joyn our selves unto be good or no If our company be right the Spirit of God tyeth the knot therefore the Apostle will tell you whether you have the right communion and fellowship or no try the spirits whether they be of God or no saith he If the fellowship we have one with another be not of God if the Spirit of God do not knit us together our fellowship is not right 1 Joh. 1.3 there is an excellent place That they may have fellowship with us saith he and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ As who should say We would fain have you have fellowship with us and I tell you what kind of fellowship you must have if you be acquainted with us you must have fellowship with the father and with the Lord Jesus Christ for our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ so that we may see whether our Company be right or no by this The Last Vse is this Is it so that the Spirit of God joyns all the Saints of God together in one Body Then we should have a fellow-feeling with all the Members of Christ Do not say thou art a Member of the Church of England and not of France or Germany do not say thou art a Member of this Parish but not of another do not say so for if thou art a Member of Christ there is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 If there be one Body there must be one Spirit and therefore we should have a fellow-feeling But how shall we have a fellow-feeling with the Members of Christ I say First We must inform our selves as much as we can concerning one another As when the Ark of God was among the Philistims old Eli though he gave way too far to his Sons wickednesse yet was he very careful of the Ark and people of God and therefore 1 Sam. 4.13 14. he went out and sate in the high-way that so he might hear in the first place what was the news and you know how his heart trembled when he heard that the Ark of God was taken So it was with David when any came out of the Camp of Israel he saith to them What is done I pray thee 2 Sam. 1.4 So we should enquire concerning one another Secondly We should visit our fellow-members As it is said of Moses though he were a great Courtier in Pharaoh's Court yet he went out to look upon his Brethrens burthens Exod. 2.11 he would be ever and anon steping out to see how his brethren fared and how did this affect his heart with their trouble Thirdly We should lay to heart their Afflictions It is a strange thing how the people of God in all ages have been affected with the Afflictions of the Church nay though they have not seen it but only fore-saw what would be afterwards As Elisha wept when he fore-saw what cruelty Hazael would use towards the People of Israel 2 King 8.11 12. So Daniel Dan. 8.27 when God revealed the Afflictions of the Church to him two hundered years before it should come to pass yet when he heard of the Affliction that should fall out the text saith that Daniel fainted and how can we think that the Spirit of Christ hath united us into one Body when we have not this disposition in our souls OF THE SABBATH Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy THAT which I intend to speak concerning the Sabbath at this time I will cast into these Propositions The First is this That there must be some set time for the Worship and immediate Service of God Now the Reason why there must be some set time for Gods immediate Worship is Reas 1 First Because all Actions cannot be done at once but by succession first one and then another for a man to perform the duties of Gods Worship in an instant and to get down the knees of body and soul before his Maker in an instant this cannot be Eccles 3.1 There is an appointed time for every Action under the Sun Then if there be a time for all actions surely there must be a time for the Worship of God Reas 2 Secondly There must be a set time Because such is our dulness in the duties of Gods Worship that we had need to have times set apart for Gods Worship there is a great deal of ado required to fix a mans Thoughts upon heaven to have a fixed apprehension of the Presence of God these do not only require time but a great deal of time Secondly The Second Proposition is this That as there must be some time for Gods immediate Worship and Service so there must be some set time every day all the dayes of our lives there must be some defined and determinate time for Worship of God every day at the least morning and evening David though he were employed in great affairs yet he had three times a day to glorifie God in in his holy Ordinances Three times in the day will I praise thee Psal 55.17 The Reason of this is Because men live like Beasts without daily invocation Reas 1 upon God 2 Chron. 13.10 11. Abijah there speaking against Jeroboam the King of Israel though himself had no great goodness in him he saith The Lord is our God and we offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense every day Every day they did it as
who should say it were a sign that God were not amongst us if we did not this he takes it as a principle written in the conscience though he were a natural man yet he doth reason thus that where there is not every day some time for Gods Worship God is not amongst them Another Reason is Because every morning God reneweth his Mercies Reas 2 and every evening they are continued to us as the Church saith in the Lamentations ch 3.23 Every morning his mercies are renewed to us and in the evening his compassions fail not therefore every morning we are to set our selves before God to ask of him the forgivenesse of our sins every morning and evening we are to do this Psal 92.1 2. David saith It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord to sing praises to thy Name O thou most High To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night And then again God is the Alpha and Omega he is the beginning and Reas 3 the ending of all things and of all actions we do God should therefore have the beginning and ending of every day that the Worship of God may have the start of all other actions it is necessary it should be so when a man first awakes in the morning God should be the first thought that should come into his mind As David saith Psal 5.3 My voice will I lift up unto thee in the morning as soon as ever he awakes in the morning his heart is lifted up to God so it is good for a man to make the first part of the day holy that the rest of the day may be thereafter and so as we are to begin the day with the solemn Worship of God so we are to end it in the evening that we may reckon up all our accounts and make even with God as the Apostle saith Ephes 4.26 Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath so let not the Sun go down upon a dead heart upon a carnal heart upon a worldly heart but as the Sun goeth down upon our bodies so let the Sun of Righteousness set upon our hearts that we may lye down in peace having all our reckoning made even and all scores cancelled The Third Proposition is this As there must be some time for Gods immediate Service and there must be every day some set time at least morning and evening so likewise every whole day all the dayes of our lives should be in some manner a Sabbath day to the Lord we should be holy every day The Apostle finds fault Gal. 4.10 That they observed times and seasons and dayes and months and years we must not be earthly-minded one day and heavenly-minded another but we must be every day holy to the Lord. The First Reason is The Covenant which God hath made with us doth Reas 1 require it that is the end why God saves a man from his sins and brings him into the kingdom of Christ he takes a solemn Oath from him That being delivered from the hands of his enemies he shall serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of his life Every day must be a Sabbath day whensoever a man gives himself up to God there is an Oath hangs upon him and he breaks this Oath if he set not upon it with all his might that every day may be a Sabbath day he is to be careful to live godly and religiously in all places and at all times and in every action he puts his hand unto a man is not only to make conscience on the seventh day but every day of his life Reas 2 The Second Reason is Because not to make every day an holy day is the brand of an Hypocrite it is hypocrisie Job 27.10 Will be alwayes call upon God To be holy sometimes and not at another time is the trick of an hypocrite will he alwayes call upon God will that man alwayes obey God and worship him will he alwayes set himself to keep close with God No an hypocrite will not do so You may know an hypocrite he hath his fits and his pangs and his moods but a godly man a sincere hearted man is one that doth compose himself to keep a constant course in Gods worship as Act. 24.16 There saith Paul Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good conscience alwayes both towards God and towards man And as it was the practise of Paul so of all the Elect people of God of all sincere Christians in the world Act. 26.27 all the Elect of God all the beloved of God they did instantly serve God day and night Thirdly Because blessednesse doth consist in this In keeping every day Reas 3 in some kind as a Sabbath day as the Holy Ghost doth pronounce him blessed that feareth the Lord alwayes Prov. 28.14 and that doth righteousness at all times Psa 106.3 It is true the Servants of God are sometimes out of the way they have their swervings and failings but their resolution is to keep a constant course in Gods Worship and they do strive to humble themselves under the hand of God for their failings and to be the more wary because of them Reas 4 Lastly This is the Sum and Scope of all the Law of Righteousness it is the very drift and end of all the Ten Commandements the Lord hath set down in the Decalogue his whole Will and Pleasure what we are to do all the dayes of our lives this day and that day as long as we live and there is no set time but that we should alwayes obey it and this is the practise of the godly alwayes to keep his Commandments as David Psal 16.8 He set the Lord alwayes before him that is every day he did make it an holy day that he might walk as in Gods presence and live as in Gods Courts that he might do all his worldly businesse as in the presence of God The Fourth Proposition is this As there must be a set time every day and we are to keep every day as a Sabbath day in some sense so there must be a particular special day set apart for Gods immediate Worship and Service This is the next Proposition I will prove unto you for though every day is to be a Sabbath day yet we have particular callings and we have businesse in the world to employ our selves about so that we cannot be every day hearing of the Word and employing our selves in Prayer and spiritual exercises though every day we are to keep it holy yet we cannot be vacant wholly and totally every day Now therefore I say That there is a set day that the Lord hath called for to be devoted unto him The very School-men themselves do acknowledge this and the very Heathen have found it out They have set a day apart for the Service of their Gods which they call their holy day wherein they lay aside all other businesse and
set themselves apart to honor and worship their Images and Idols according to their manner Now I will make this good by many Arguments that God will have a set day besides the every day Sabbath he will have a set particular Sabbath for his Worship and Service Reas 1 The First Reason is Because he will have a little emblem and picture of the kingdom of heaven among his Saints and Children in this life in the kingdom of heaven there is no buying and selling no eating and drinking no worldly businesse there is nothing but praysing and glorifying of God and speaking of God and singing of Halelujah unto his holy Name there is nothing but enjoying communion with the Lord and feeding upon him continually there is nothing but this in the kingdom of heaven Now God will have a little picture of this among his Saints here upon earth You know there remains a rest for the people of God Heb. 4.9 It is an express place the word in the Original is There remains a Sabbath for the people of God As who should say There is a glorious Sabbath that all the Elect of God shall have and they are preserved for it and that is reserved for them and they shall enter into it when this body of death is laid down and they shall enjoy God face to face to all eternity they shall behold him as he is and have communion with him now the Lord will have a little picture of this here in this life we cannot have it altogether in this life for we have mortal bodies that must be fed and cloathed and stand in need of the creature for mans sin is not yet purged away but there is a great deal of rubbish still left therefore this cannot be complete here but yet God will have a little picture or this even in this life and that is the Sabbath day wherein they are to lay aside all the works of their ordinary callings and rest from all servil labours this is Gods day and we must now call upon him and hear what he saith and wholly employ and occupy our selves about him as neer as we possibly can but now this we cannot do every day for we have Children to look after and Families to provide for and there be an hundred occasions to call a man away it may be a man thinks to go into his Closet and seek God in private and one occasion or other calls him aside that he cannot go on but the Lord will have a little emblem and expression of the kingdom of heaven upon the Sabbath day therefore the Apostle saith It remains for us scil in the life to come The Second Reason why the Lord will have a set day for his Worship and Reas 2 Service besides the every day Sabbath is because the honour of God doth so require it doth require that there should be a solemn day for Gods Service as Kings though their subjects are to obey them every day and keep their Laws every day and if a subject transgress the Laws at any time he is in danger of the displeasure of the King but he will have one day of solemnity to his Majesty So God Almighty though every day we are to tremble before him and stand in aw of his Word and take heed we do not err from his Commandments yet he will have one solemn day for the honour of his Name he will have a solemn day wherein his people shall have nothing else to do but to set themselves apart for his Worship therefore this set day is called The honourable of the Lord Isa 58.13 that is we must count the Sabbath day an honourable day a day of honour wherein Gods Servants should from morning to evening fall down before him and confess that great is the Lord God We should wholly dedicate it unto him seeking of him in Publick and in Private that we may store up holy affections for all the week following Thirdly Because God sometimes calls for an extraordinary day and an Reas 3 extraordinary day hath ever relation to an ordinary if I say this is my extraordinary food and diet I imply that I have ordinary diet so if the Scripture tells us that God calls for extraordinary dayes it is an evident Argument that there be ordinary dayes which he calls for Now that God calls for extraordinary dayes it is plain 1. First He calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing when God compasseth us about with songs of Deliverance and works wonderful Mercies for us we ought to set a part a day for rejoycing and delighting in his goodness and favour towards us and this day is to be an holy day as Nehemiah 8.9 This day is holy unto the Lord your God mourn not nor weep So that when we are to rejoyce towards God for any spiritual favour towards us we ought to keep this day an holy day we ought to employ the hours of the day in labouring to affect our hearts with his kindnesse and labouring to make his goodness to have impression upon us that we may with cheerfulness run over all our dayes afterwards that we may adhere unto him the better all our life time 2. Secondly As he calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing so he calls for extraordinary dayes of Fasting and Humiliation and that in Four Cases 1. First When we fear some heavie judgement to come upon us or else when some judgement is already upon us may be some heavie judgement is upon us or else we fear it to come upon us and now we are to set an extraordinary day apart to seek the Lord as 2 Chron. 20. Jehosaphat proclaimed a Fast when the Land was in danger Suppose the Lord should take away the Gospel and the feet of those that bring glad tydings should be turned from us then should we Fast in those dayes we should grieve before God and bewail the loss of his Mercies and Favours that we may have his Goodnesse to quicken us and keep us and uphold us in the want of them 2. Secondly In case that we want some Mercy that we cannot well be without in such a case as this if ordinary seeking will not do the deed we ought to set apart an extraordinary time to prevail with God as Ezra he was in danger of the enemy and if he should go to Jerusalem the enemy would set upon him now thought he if I should go to the King though he were very great with the King of Persia at that time yet thought he if I should go to the Kigng for a Band of Souldiers he would think our God were a weak God I have told him what a strong God we have and that he is ready to help all those that trust in him now if I should go to him for a Band of Souldiers he might think that our God were not able to deliver us and it would be a great dishonour to God therefore he set a day apart for a
Fast and laboured to get aid and help from heaven Ezra 8.21 So when a Child of God is exceedingly afflicted with any crosse or temptation and he shall wonderfully dishonour God and cast a snare upon them that fear his Name in this case he is bound to seek God extraordinarily and if the ordinary means that God hath appointed will not prevail he is to set a part a Fast to seek him extraordinarily 3. Thirdly If we be assaulted from hell and Satan and our own hearts with strong temptations then we are to seek God extraordinarily as it was with Paul when the Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him when he lay under some heavy temptation either unto Pride or Lust or Uncleannesse some prick in the flesh that the Lord sent upon him and let him be encountered withal then Paul sought God in a solemn manner more then ever he did at other times 2 Cor. 12.8 For this I besought God thrice 4. Fourthly In case a man is to do some notable service he is to enter into some new Calling or if the Lord doth put him upon some new service that doth require some more then ordinary help now a man is to seek God by Fasting and Prayer as you may see it was with Barnabas and Paul when they entred into the Ministery Acts 13.3 Now the reason why I name these things is to shew you that sometimes God will have an extraodinary set day for his immediate worship and service when we are to lay aside all other businesse and set our selves apart to call upon his Name and seek him The thing I gather from hence is this If there be an extraordinary set day then there must be an ordinary set day for Gods immediate Service Another Argument is taken from the Equity of it and that stands Two wayes 1. First It is very equal when as we have six dayes to provide for our Reas 4 selves and for the maintenance of our bodies God gives us divers dayes for that now Equity doth require that we should give one day to him we having several dayes it is equity that he should have at least one for himself Therefore this doth aggravate our sins exceedingly if we give not this day to God Did not this aggravate the sin of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit in that God gave him liberty to eat freely of all other trees in the garden and forbad him only the eating of that one Now what excuse could Adam have for not abstaining from that one So here God having given us divers dayes for the good of our bodies and for means and maintenance of the things of this life duty requires that we should not touch Gods day nor set our foot upon it nor turn our eyes away from it we ought to remember it as Joseph said in regard of his Mistris when she enticed him to folly mark how he answers the temptation My Master hath put all things into my hands that are in the house he hath with-hold nothing from me but only thee his Wife and that is equal and reasonable how therefore shall I do this great wickedness and sin agaist God Gen. 39.9 So should we say when we are tempted to break the Lords day we should say The Lord hath not imposed any day besides the Lord hath given us all the six daies for our use how therefore shall I do this great wickednesse and sin against God with worldly thoughts and speeches and actions upon that day It stands with very good equity that it should be so 2. Secondly It stands with equity in regard of our Souls if our bodies which are the worser part have several dayes for their use then how much more should the soul have one day which is a thousand times more worth then the body You know what Christ saith What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16.26 Our souls are more worth then our bodies and we have more need to seek out for Holinesse and Grace for them and to be well provided for in regard of them then for any thing in this present world if we want meat we can but starve if we want cloaths we can but famish if we want outward things we can but temporally perish but if we want Grace and the Favour of God we perish for ever Now if there be six dayes allowed for the good of our bodies how much more should we be willing to have one day for the good of our souls specially considering what need we have thereof This Argument our Saviour Christ useth to prove the Sabbath Mark 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath The Sabbath was made for man as meat was made for the body and a man cannot be without food no more can the soul be without the Sabbath so that we see there must be a solemn day set a part for Gods Worship and Service The Fifth Proposition is this That as there must be a set day for Gods Worship and Service so this day must be one of seven not one of eight or nine or five or four but one of seven and this though it be not naturally moral yet it is positively moral though it be not natural written in the heart of man as a man if he had no teaching his conscience would find out that he should not be idle and steal commit murther the Conscience will grope out these Ordinances and Statutes of God and the Conscience will find out that there must be a set day for Gods Worship and Service the light of nature will find out that but that it must be one day of seven that it cannot find out but I say that it is the positive law of God that it must be one of seven Reas 1 Now Because it is not written in the heart of man but in the Commandment of God positively delivered to us and required of us I can give no other Reason for it but only the reason taken out of the Scripture there can be no reason taken from the judgment of man as other Lawes the very law of Reason will enforce them but there can be no other reason for this but only out of the Word of God The Lord hath commanded six dayes thou shalt labour and being his Will it must be performed for God might require six dayes for himself and leave us but one day God might have ordained it so but God intending we should live by the sweat of our brows the Lord was pleased to allow us six dayes now he giving us six dayes doth reserve unto himself one of seven Reas 2 Secondly Another Reason is this As the Lord hath commanded this seventh day so he saith it is his day The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Now then if the seventh day be the Sabbath of the Lord our God then we must not divert any of the hours or any part
mark is pompe and stateliness a Church may come to have no other mark but this that it is a goodly and stately Church a pompous kind of serving God things are set out pompously this is rather an argument of an Antichristian Church for the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world and that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable in the sight of God Lastly They make outward prosperity and happiness to be a mark of the true Church of God but this is rather a mark of a Synagogue of Satan For all that live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 And if any man will be my Disciple saith Christ let him take up his cross and follow me I say the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world therefore prosperity and felicity is not a sign of a Church of God thus we see that a Church that was once a true Church of God may come to be no true Church they may lose all the true notes of a Church of God and have no other notes but such as prove it to be no true Church but rather a Church of Infidels and unbelievers The first reason is because the Church of God is Catholique that is it is not tied and pent up in any place God may carry it where he will he may set up his Church in what Country and Town and Family he will and choose what particular person in the whole world he will God is not tied to any therefore when the Jews bore themselves upon this that they were the Church and Gods Ordinances and Oracles were appropriated to them they came at the first hour of the day at the first hand but if the Gentiles were a Church it was but at the second hand they came but at the eleventh hour he takes up a parable Mat. 20. and saith they that are last shall be first c. and he gives a reason shall I not do what I will with mine own so God may do with his Ordinances and gifts and graces of his spirit he may bestow them where he will he may give his Gospel to a Kingdom and take it away at his pleasure and he may stay as long as he will and be gone when he will Secondly God doth not need any place any people though a place be never so glorious and stately and though it be never so admirable a Church God doth not need that Nation but if it grow maleâ—ert and stiffe and stubborn against him the Lord will make them know he hath no need of them and cares not for them as the Jews when they bore themselves upon this that they were the people of God and had Abraham for their father and were barren and fruitless and dissolute in their lives you may see how John Baptist answers their foolish conceit think not with your selves we have Abraham to our father c. Mat. 3.9 he hath no need of you you are the children of Abraham but know God can cast you into Hell for all you are the children of Abraham and can make Heathens and Infidels children of Abraham so when the Jews boasted Mal. 1. that God had chosen them he hated Esau and loved Jacob and they grew to be insolent and disobedient to God and polluted his holy Temple and despised his name see what God saith I will accept none of these things at your hands I will gather me a people among the Heathens Mal. 1.13 As who should say I want not people I can go among the Heathen and there have my worship regarded which you have slighted and neglected Thirdly There is no particular Church in the world hath a promise alwayes to be a Church but if they grow careless and secure and unprofitable under the means the Lord will be gone he hath made no such promise to continue with them for ever 't is true there is never a godly soul never a member of the Church but God hath promised he will never leave him 2 Tim. 2.19 and Mat. 28.20 he saith so of his own people he will never leave them but the good things he hath begun in them he will perfect them in the day of Christ nay though all particular Churches should be destroyed God will have a care of these particular Saints of his Catholique Church that not any limbe of it shall cease but for particular Churches God hath made no such promises but upon condition Rom. 11.22 if a Parish or Kingdom continue in the fear of Gods name and regard his commandements be fruitful under his Ordinances and thankful for his goodness then he will stay but otherwise saith he thou shalt be broken off though thou be the famousest Church in the world This may confound the Church of Rome who promise to themselves they shall never be unchurched though they have been unchurched many years yet they brag they are the only Church in the world Bellarmin brags that St. Peters chair shall never go from Rome and no wonder for the spirit of God foretold it Rev. 17. I sit as Queen and shall never be a Widow I shall be a Wife a Spouse for ever I shall see no sorrow you see how secure she is just the child of her proud mother Babylon Isa 47.8 So 't is with the Church of Rome I am and none else I am she calls her self the Roman Catholique Church as if there were no Church but Rome all the Nations of the world if they will be a Church must be members of that Church as it was said of Rome in Augustus time If Jupiter should come down from Heaven there is no Country for him to come into but Rome look into this or that country Rome hath to doe there so Rome notwithstanding her Apostacy is grown to that height of pride and security as if she were and none but she O poor deluded company there is scarce any true note of a Church of Christ among them and yet they make themselves to be the onely Church This may be an Item for all the particular Churches in the whole world for England Denmark France wheresoever is any Here you see the Church of Sardis had but a name to live and was dead there was nothing but remainders in her and they were ready to die and come to nothing But what speak I of the Church of Sardis Where are all the famous Churches of Asta of Pergamus and Thyatira c. what is become of those famous Churches are they not turned into a wilderness and to worship Mahomet and Idols and are even grown as bad as Heathens But what need I speak of these Look upon the Church of the Jewes that were the principal people of God no Church like that Israel is my first borne there was never any Church under the Gospel that was his onely Church but Judaea was his onely one his pleasant Plant nay they were the Fathers of Jesus Christ
speaks 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not The law will have perfection whether a man hath power or no or else it will damn a man but in the Gospel a man may say as Peter to the lame man Silver and gold have I none but such as I have that give I thee Lord such a memory and such parts and gifts have I not but such as I have that give I thee according to that measure of knowledge I have according to that grace I have I will give it thee If a man can say thus he is accepted not according to that he hath not but according to that he hath as it was in the law of Moses Levit. 5.6 7. A trespasse-offering should be a lamb or a kid but if a man were not able to give that then two turtle doves or two young pigeons if he be not able to give that let him give two or three handfuls of fine flowre Levit. 5.11 So Levit. 14.20 Let him give according as he can get he shall be accepted according to that This is the perfection of the Gospel according to the help and assistance God gives a man and according to the means God affordâ— a man it shall be accepted Fourthly The perfection of the law admits of no failings if a man fails no matter though it be out of infirmity the law condemns him the law requires perfection without failings but the perfection of the Gospel by way of sincerity admits of failings as the best gold hath his allowances so it is with a true Christian he may be sincere and upright though he hath a thousand failings as it is said of David 1 Kings 15.5 He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord in all things but onely in the matter of Uriah That indeed would not stand with sincerity his sincerity was quite in a swoun then that could not stand with sincerity if he had gone on to sin in that fashion he could not have been sincere but in all other things he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. You will say he had a thousand failings yet saith the Text they all stood with sincerity he numbred the people and God was mightily angry with him and you know how unjust he was in the matter of Zibah and Mephibosheth you know how he told a lye to Abimelech and was the occasion of the death of the Priests of the Lord you know how he counterfeited himself mad and he had horrible disorders in his family and had lost the power of controul over his children were not these horrible failings and what a company of Wives and Concubines had he yet all these stood with sincerity because they were either done out of ignorance or want of due consideration sometimes or through humane frailty and infirmity or through violence of temptation contrary to his constant course and intendment and purpose they might all stand with sincerity and an upright heart according to the perfection of the Gospel Fifthly The perfection of the Law makes nothing of repentance if you break the commandements of God if you shed tears of blood and repent your heart out what cares the law the law will have perfect obedience or else to hell you shall But now in the perfection of the Gospel repentance is a great matter nay if a man be never so vile and wretched if yet he humble himselfe before God and be unfeignedly sorry for sinning against God this is a great matter this man is an upright man that is unfeignedly humbled and abased before God The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart thou shalt not despise This is the voyce of the Gospel So Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn from all his sins and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die As it is Job 23.27 28. He looked upon men and if any said I have sinned he will deliver his soule from going down into the pit In the Gospel a man is an upright man if he come before the throne of grace with shame and confusion of face for all his sins with unfeigned sorrow that he hath broken Gods Covenant if he hath never so many failings if he set himselfe to please God and when he fails he repents and humbles himself before God this man hath the perfection of the Gospel Thus we see the meaning of the words Perfect before God The point of Doctrine is this That every man is to labour to be perfect that is the thing that God will require and enquire after at the last day whether we be upright You see this 1 Cor. 5 7 8. and so likewise in other places of Scripture The first Reason is from the nature of God with whom we have to doe Reason 1 he is upright therefore it concerns us to labour to be like him he himselfe is an upright God and there is no unrighteousness in him his wayes are perfect and his judgments are truth therefore if a man be not perfect he cannot be like him Mat. 5.48 Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect we know his spirit is the spirit of truth himselfe is the God of truth his Son is the way the truth and the life he is the faithful witness and as God is upright so he looks that his servants should shew what Master they serve that they may make it appear that their Master is an upright Master Psalm 92. ult to shew forth that the Lord is upright This is our duty God is upright and Christ is upright and therefore we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Secondly God hath commanded us to be sincere though he remit from the first Covenant of absolute and perfect righteousness and holiness without sin ye he will have his people truly fearing him and hating sin universal in obedience that they shall be from the bottome of their hearts followers of him therefore this stung David to the heart when he committed sin O thought he Thou desirest truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 As who should say thou lookest into the heart thou requirest truth of thy servants O what a false heart have I had in this businesse God hath many worshippers in this world such as they are but God cares for none but such as deale faithfully in his Covenant as Christ speaks John 4.24 Thirdly God knows our hearts therefore though we serve him and do duties to him though we call upon his name hear his Word come to his Table observe his Sabbaths keep his Ordinances yet if we doe not doe these things in truth his eyes are ever upon our bosomes he casts his eyes upon the secrets of men if our hearts be rotten and proud and vaine and loose and filthy if our hearts be not of a right frame all is nothing
his sins and when conscience is up then he will be good as a Windmill goeth as long as the wind fills the sailes but if the wind be down the grist may lie long enough till the wind blow again but a true Christian is like a good boate-man if the wind blow he may go the better but if the wind be down he will goe too nay he will labour so much the more he will go though it be against wind and tide so it is with an upright man he is good at all times not only when he is well but also when he is sick he is good in prosperity and good in adversity good when his conscience is up and good when his conscience is not so stirring though he wants some helps and drives so much the more heavily yet he strives and will be good but an ungodly heart may be he may be good sometimes but it will not hold as it is said of Sigismund the Emperour when he was sick then he would be good and godly and thought of repentance and sent for a Confessor and would repent and asked him Have I not repented yes saith he if it hold but a wicked mans repentance will not hold let God but pluck out the arrow he will return to his old byas again and he is never the nearer nay may be he is worse then he was before Fifthly An upright man is universal in regard of parts as Christ speaks of his Spouse Thou art all fair my love Cant. 4.7 She was all fair in all parts and there was no spot in her he doth not deny but there was failings and weaknesses but no such soul spots as upon wicked men so a godly man is all fair his understanding that is teachable and made to savour of the truth and capable to be guided and informed by the spirit of God you know there is rebellion in the understandings of men carnal reasons and strong holds and haughty and proud principles of reasoning if they are convinced of a sin they will not leave it they have reasonings for that sin and if they have never such convictions for a duty there is rebellion in the understanding to put off this but an upright heart his understanding is good in some measure he is unfeignedly willing to be instructed of God whatsoever course he takes tell him out of the word of God that it is not good though his life depends upon it it shall goe he dares not stand out against God but a wicked heart hath not a teachable understanding it is still under its stubbornness and stoutness and reasoning against God and things he doth not like he will not see when there is any sin he would not leave or any duty he would not doe as Christ saith Mat. 13.15 he shuts his eyes and will not see What wicked man that lives under the Gospel of God but may see his courses are naught but he will not see it how many sins do ungodly men keep there is light enough and reason enough against their sinnes but they have sturdy mindes and will not be convinced of it Again An upright man his heart is converted and made godly his will is made pliable to be led by God and guided by Gods blessed spirit the stone is taken out of it there may be much hardness but the stone is gone the heart of stone is gone and he hath an heart of flesh given unto him to be sensible of God and sensible of his word and sensible of the light that shines in his face and his heart being converted he is moved by an inward principle and so moves the more willingly and the more freely as David saith 1 Chron. 28.9 He hath a willing heart But now a carnal heart and a heart that is not turned to God the stone is not taken out a man rebels to this day if he be moved to goodnesse it is not by an inward principle but by education or goodnesse of nature or by the stings of conscience that over-power his heart or by reason of a great light that breaks in and over-awes his heart Therefore a naughty heart be he never so good and fair-carriaged may be his conscience sometimes makes him forbear more then he would and makes him doe more good then he would but a godly heart is willing to doe what good he can nay he would doe more good then he can doe nay he never can doe so much as he would he is ashamed of all his works look what he doth he doth it with a willing heart Again A godly heart is good in his memory as David saith Psalm 119.16 I will never forget thy precepts His memory is turned to good things and made to remember good things he hideth the word of God in his heart that he may not sin against him But a carnal heart forgets to be good and zealous and please God and obey God his memory is not washed and sanctified in any measure Again A good man is good in his thoughts he doth not onely purge the outside of the platter but the inside also he labours to have his thoughts set upon things above he labours that vain thoughts may not lodge in him nay his main care is within doors in his own bosome to have his thoughts upright towards God So again he is good in his affections he doth hunger and thirst after righteousness he doth desire the things that are most excellent he doth delight in God and his presence he mourns for his sins and â—ourns that he can mourn no more he hath all his affections in some measure rightly seated and qualified he is good all over as the Apostle Paul saith 1 Thes 5.23 The Good of peace sanctifie you throughout As who should say This is sincerity and I pray God give it you that you may not deceive your own souls but that your whole spirit and body and soule and whole man may be true in the eyes of the Lord But now a carnal heart is not thus though he be like a whited Sepulchre he doth seem outwardly to be a good man and a man cannot check him if a man should say such a one is rotten he should be thought to be censorious and uncharitable yet in his inward parts he is naught if a man be not upright he doth not look to his thoughts but can let them be vaine and unfruitfull and can let his affections run at randome he is not affected with God he doth not mourn for his sins he doth not delight in good things his affections are not set upon things that are above Sixthly An upright man is universal in regard of cases and conditions if he be under any kinde of temptation whatsoever as we may see James 1.12 It is nothing for a man to be godly and meek and patient and vertuous when he is not tempted the Devil himselfe is good when he is pleased as we say This is godlinesse and uprightnesse when a
easie For if we do not watch the Divel and the World and the Flesh have advantage against us but if we do watch this is as it were a fence to the heart to hedge a man in to keep him safe Rev. 3.2 There is an excellent place Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain it is the strength of the soul When a man watcheth let a man have but a little grace suppose a man be marvellously fallen off and hath but a little good remaining a few graces in him a little faith a little hope a little sanctified desire he hath but a little strength to go on against sin if a man doth but now watch if a man do but husband this little how strong will he be A little Faith is able to overcome all the Divels in Hell well managed a little hope is able to keep a man above water from sinking a little strength is able to maintain the Combate a little affection to goodness if a man have a carefull heart to improve it to the uttermost will go a great way if a man did but watch it would strengthen the things that remaine Though a man were never so infeebled and come to never so low an ebb watchfulnesse is a stay and strength to the heart Fourthly Again if we do not watch we cannot so much as pray to God to forgive us our consciences tell us unlesse the Lord save us we cannot be saved now how can we expect that God should save us if we do not pray unto him And we cannot pray to him to save us unlesse we watch it is to tempt God to pray to him to preserve us from evil when we do not watch over our selves it is to tempt God to pray to him to quicken us when vve deaden our selves to intreat God to give us an holy mind vvhen vve our selves let in vain thoughts Therefore see vvhat Christ speaks Mar. 14.38 Watch and Pray that ye fall not into temptation As vvho should say You cannot Pray that you may not enter into temptation you tempt God if you intreat him to do any thing if you do not vvatch over your ovvn souls Though a man hath no Activity to do any good yet God vvill have him be vvatchful if he mean to purifie a man he vvill make him purifie himself if he mean to keep him from pride he vvill make his ovvn heart resist pride therefore watch that thou enter not into temptation if thou mean to pray to God not to lead thee into temptation But you will say All a mans watching will do no good except God watcheth over him Psal 127.1 Except the Lord keep the City the Watchmen watch in vain I answer 'T is true indeed unlesse the Lord keeps a mans soul all a mans watching is nothing But I tell thee If thou watchest thou hast Two watchers thou hast God to watch over thee and thy self to watch over thee thou hast God to watch over thee and keep thee in all thy wayes and then thou watchest over thy self and art sustained by God so that thou hast two watchers God above and thy own soul within thee employed about this work A Fourth Reason is Because this is the very means prescribed by God to do us good It is the very remedy that the Lord of Heaven hath appointed unto us to save us from danger and keep us from falling the Lord hath sanctified this means to this very end and purpose therefore when our Saviour Christ would disswade his people from carking and caring for the things of this life Luke 21.36 see what means he prescribeth and layeth down to do it Be watchful saith he and pray the world is ready to get in therefore watch saith he and pray alwayes that you may be accounted worthy to escape these things So that we see this the means prescribed by God himself to escape the falling into sin Fifthly Again We should be so much the more careful in this watch because no other can watch for us in outward things one man may watch while another sleepeth as in sailing when all the rest are asleep there is one watcheth so in war when all the Souldiers lye in their tents asleep it may be some few are watching that the rest may take their rest but it is not so in regard of our souls one man cannot watch while another man sleeps but every man must watch over his own heart If we do not watch our own souls we shall perish and if we do not perish everlastingly we shall have miserable temptations and evils and many inconveniences we shall be exposed unto But some may say Are not Ministers to watch over us How then is every man to watch over himself Ministers are watchmen Son of man I have made thee a watchman over the house of Israel saith the Lord to the Prophet Ezekiel and Heb. 13.17 The Apostle speaking of Ministers saith They watch for your souls I Answer The word in the Original is not for your souls but over your souls to watch for a man is to watch for another that he may not watch as when a man watcheth for his neighbor that his neighbour may not watch but the Ministers are not so to watch for the people that the people may not watch but the Ministers are to watch over the people that they may watch as when a man watcheth Deer or Hawkes he watcheth them that they may watch and not sleep that so he may tame them as a man that watcheth with a man which is sick of the Lethargy which is such a Disease that if a man be let sleep he goeth away in his sleep therefore their friends stand about them to watch over them that they may not sleep knowing that if they do sleep their lives are hazarded and if they see them but to slumber they awaken them lest in their sleep they die and go away So it is with the Ministers of the Gospel we ought to watch over your souls that you may not sleep for you are all sick of the Lethargy of sin and if ye sleep you go away if you be not careful for heaven and heavenly things if you follow vanity and security of heart and do not take heed to avoid sin your souls will die therefore the Ministers are to watch over you and keep you from sleeping and shew you the danger of it and labour to awaken you and keep your eyes waking The First Use is To condemne the infinite security that is grown upon people that though it be so excellent a duty for a man to watch yet where is the man almost that is careful of it They put this duty over to God as if it did not belong to them they will watch over outward things for plowing and sowing and reaping and the like but for the good of their souls they never acquaint themselves with this watching their hearts are like
Saviour Jesus Christ and he pronounceth a blessing upon those that keep the Sabbath in those dayes Again Isa 11.10 it was Prophecied of old that the first day of the week should be the Sabbath day the Lords day In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand up for an Ensigne to the people and the Nations shall flie unto it and his Rest shall be Glorious Not only the Fathers Rest shall be glorious when he had Created Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day but Christs Rest also shall be glorious for all Divines agree that the Prophet speaks of the Rest of Christ from the work of Redemption now his Rest shall be glorious As God the Father Rested from his work and his Rest was glorious for four thousand years together so Christs Rest from his work shall be glorious there shall be glory and honour put upon it as well as upon the Rest of the Father when he Rested from making of Heaven and Earth Secondly Another Argument to prove this is out of Rev. 1.10 there Reas 2 Saint John speaking of the first day of the week the Spirit of the Lord calls it the Lords Day I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day so that it is not by Apostolical Tradition only but by the Institution of God himself he doth call it the Lords Day I was in the Spirit upon the Lords Day he calls the first day of the week the Lords Day by the same reason that the Sacrament is called the Lords Supper Now the Sacrament is so called because the Lord Instituted it and therefore it must be Holy so the Lords Day is called so because the Lord Instituted it and therefore it must be kept Holy Reas 3 Another Argument is this Our Saviour Christ himself doth Intitle himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath and therefore able to alter it and change it and appoint what businesse is to be done and what not to be done upon that day he doth openly profess that he is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2.28 and John 5.23 he saith They shall Honour the Son as they Honour the Father As they honour the Father with a Sabbath in regard of his Rest from the work of Creation so they shall honour the Son with a Sabbath in regard of his Rest from the work of Redemption which being compared with Rev. 1.10 where it is called the Lords Day These two being put together do plainly prove it Reas 4 Fourthly Christ himself did command his Apostles to keep this day it was not by the Apostles counsel as if they would set up this day in the Church as some would have it but Christ did command them so to do for the Apostles did deliver nothing Generally to the Church but what they received from the Lord as Paul saith What I have received from the Lord that I declare unto you 1 Cor. 11. But I will prove it was the Commandment of Christ to them by this Argument Because the first day of the week was alwayes kept for the assemblies of the people of God before the Apostles durst order any thing in the Church the Apostles never durst undertake to set up any order in the Church until the Holy Ghost fell upon them in fiery tongues and that was fourty dayes after Now the first day of the week was kept long before this John 20.19 they kept the first day of the week and again the next week ver 26. they kept the first day of the week and Luke 24. they kept the first day of the week And if you compare three or four places of Scripture together as Mat. 28.16 20. together with John 20.19 26. we shall see plainly in John that they did meet upon the first day of the week and in Mat. 28. we shall see that Christ appointed them so to do it was by his Commandment Reas 5 Fifthly Another Argument to prove that it is by Divine Institution and not by Humane Ordinance is this Because the Wisdome of Jesus Christ would never have committed such a weighty thing as this is to the Judgement of man Certainly the Lord Jesus Christ before his ascending up unto his Father would never have left things to raw and uncertain and imperfect as to leave such a Branch of such a Sacred Ordinance to be at the Arbitrament of men being so apt to take liberty and so negligent to keep any day Holy surely the Lord would never have left it to the Arbitrament of men Therefore we may well conclude it is to be found in Scripture by Ordination of God for mark what the Apostle saith As Moses was faithful in all his house so Christ is faithful in all his house Heb. 3.2 3. He proves that Christ is more faithful then Moses Now Moses was faithful for he delivered the whole mind of God to the people of Israel there was nothing left out for time or place or manner there was not any Ceremony in the worship of God left out but he delivered all to them he was faithful So Christ is faithful in his house therefore seeing Christ knew how ready men were to neglect and prophane the Sabbath plain reason tells us that he would order it himself Reas 6 Again Who should Institute any Ordinance in the Church but only he that is the Head of the Church Reas 7 Again Another Argument is this It hath been the Practice of all holy men since the Apostles daies to keep this day That it was the practice of the Apostles that you will grant that they kept the first day of the week Now if there were no Argument but this that the Apostles did keep it this were enough to prove the change of the day when we find that the Apostles did sanctifie this day this were proof enough to stay our mindes for certainly they had a more Infallible guidance and direction then we have and they insisted upon this day 1 Cor. 16.1.2 They ordained and John the Divine kept this day though he were in the place of his banishment where he could hear no Sermon but was all alone yet he would keep the Sabbath on the first day of the week and the Lord rewarded his sanctifying of this day by declaring the Revelation unto him to incourage all good people to go on in keeping this day But to leave these and come to the time of the ancient Fathers immediately after the Apostles they all agree upon the first day of the week Jgnatius doth so and Saint Austin saith as the Virgin Mary is among women so is the first day of the week among dayes as she was blessed above women so is the first day of the week blessed above daies No man that makes conscience of his wayes but shall find a blessing upon eyery day but God hath blessed this day in a more peculiar manner and the soul that makes conscience of the keeping of it may by the Covenant of God expect a blessing
though now under the gospel because Christ arose in the morning they are reckoned from morning to morning Fourthly another argument is this God never ordained halfe holy dayes in his Church indeed the Church of Rome have halfe holy dayes as saint Blacies day which is to be kept in the fore noon so they have other dayes that are to be kept in the after-noone but in the fore-noone they may do what they list so heathens did as Ovid saith the former part of the day is holy the latter part of the day is not holy the Lord hath no such days as these but all holy dayes in scripture if God ever appointed a fast or new moon or feast of Tabernacles whatsoever holy day he did institute it was an whole day and not a part of a day therefore much more this solemn day Again the judgment of all Divines in all ages hath been concerning an whole day I could instance in the fathers as in Irenaeus who saith we are to continue in the Sabbath all the day long for the Lord hath required all the day to be kept holy unto him and the saints of God have alwayes kept an whole day so saint Austin saith It is not enough that wee keep three or four houres of the day but that we rest the whole day And what rest not only to rest from our bodily labours for the beasts keep this Sabbath nor the rest of sport and pastime for that is the Sabbath of the golden calfe they ate and drink and rose up to play No but that thou mayest be vacant to God all the day in prayer and serving of him So in the Councell of Mexicon there was an assembly of ministers out of all nations in Christendome and they ordained a canon concerning the Lords day We ordain that people keep the whole Lords day holy and that they set themselves the whole day to pray to God and delight in God and heare his word and if a countrey-mans servant breake this day his punishment shall be to be beaten with severe blowes ictubus gravioribus are the very words of the Councell and if a Lawyer offer to plead this day he shall not have the benefit of his pleading or case and if a minister breake this day he shall be excommunicated half a year and throwne out of the Church and shall not be received into the Church again but upon great humiliation This was the judgment of Divines in all ages and it is the observation of a reverend Divine Musculus upon Exod. 20. God doth not say Remember the Sabbath to keepe it holy he that keeps it an hour or two keeps it holy but Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy he will have a day kept holy Nay Calvin whom they take to be on their side to be a patron of their liberty he himselfe writing upon Deut. 6. upon these words Remember the Sabbath day he saith we are to keep this day speaking of himselfe and all the people of God we are to keepe this day and not a part of it but all of it The second Use is this we may hence see that sports and pastimes are not Vse 2 agreeable to the Lords day for if the Lord hath forbidden our weekly works on that day then surely he hath forbidden sports and pastimes The reason is good first because our weekly works are things Commanded at other times now sports and pastimes are never Commanded by God but onely permitted now if things commanded and things that are good at sometimes if these notwithstanding may not be done upon the Lords day then much lesse must those be done that are permitted onely Secondly because weekely works do lesse distract a man from God then sports and pastimes I appeale to any man here present if he be not more heavenly and better employed and lesse distract from good thoughts and gracious affections when he is plowing or sowing or threshing then when he is diceing and carding sports and pastimes beat a man further off from religion and let a man go to prayer after sports and pastimes he shall find himselfe more unfit and unaffected a great deal then he shall when he comes from the works of his calling Now if those things that do lesse distract from Gods worship and service are forbidden upon the Sabbath day then surely much more thâ—se things that doe more distract must needs be forbidden upon that day THE END Quae Deus abscondit ne scrutemur quae in apertum protulit ne negligamus ne aut unâ ex parte nimiae curiositatis aut alterâ iugratudinis damnemur 1. Point why a child of God may think he is dead or deader then ever when there is no such matter Seven cases of false liveliness 1. Novelty of Religion and grace 2. Violent Commotions 3. Indiscretion 4. Presumption 5. Activeness of natural disposition 6. Extraordinary assistance 7 Freedom from temptations How far forth a child of God may be dead 1. All by nature dead 2. Liveliest of Saints have some deadnesse 3. Deadest of Saints have some life 4. Dangerousness of the point 5. Needfulness of the point 6. How far forth a child of God may be dead 2 Chro. 16. Use 1 Tim. 1. The deadness of a child of God amplified A child of God may fall into very foul sins 2. A child of God may be hardned in sin 2 Chro. 19. 3. A child of God may be long in sin John 3. Reasons of the point Rev. 12.13 Mat. 26. Mat. 26.74 Rom. 9. James 4. Vse Joh. 13.1 Rev. 3.8 Why Gods people are to stand upon their guard 2 Sam. 7â— Jer. 32. Quest Answ â—â—uses of â—â—â—dness â— Gener. Pâ—ov 9.18 Mat. 26.47 â—â—h 2. Jonah 1. 2 Partic. Matth. 22. Jonah 4. 2 Chron. 17. Gal. 4. Phil. 3. Pro. 15. 2 Tim. 4. Matth. 25. 2 Pet. 1. Phil. 3. Matth. 26. Means of quickning 1. Means Second means The fourth meanes 5. Meanes 6. Means 7. Means James 5. Matth. 6. Motives 5 Matth. 24. Rev. 3. Matth. 19. 1 John 5 Acts 26. Five Remedies given the Church Verse 3. 1 John 1.3 Observation 1 Sam. 23.11 Prov. 13.3 Acts 19.25 Mark 4.19 1 Sam. 23.22 Ephes 6. Rev. 12.12 See more of this in the Sermons upon 2 Tim. 4.5 Matth. 3.17 Psal 119.92 2. Remedy Observation Part 1. Gen. 32.28 Mat. 12.30 Psa 2â— 1 1 John 2.14 James 3.2 Matth. 11.30 Matth. 7.18 Judg. 2.16 Psal 119.29 Rom. 13.12 2 Cor. 13.8 Gen. 39.9 Josh 7.21 Dan. 1.8 Psal 103. Direct 1 Sam. 17. Acts 16. Matth 26. 1 Kings 19. John 6.55 1 Sam. 14. 1 John â— 1 Sam. 25. Josh 5. Eph. 6. Psal 119. A child of God cannot fall from grace 2 Chron. 19.2.3 Mat. 25. 1. What not the Reason Evid Rom. 11.21 A childe of God cannot sin with his whole will A particular Church may perish 4. Notes of a true Church 1. Sincere preaching the Gospel 2. True and sincere use of the Sacraments 3. Sincere profession of the word of