Lords people and their delights in it betray them to be the true Disciples of Jesus Exod. 31. 13 17. Ezek. 20. 12. Christ and wearing this Livery they travel to Canaan leaving the miscreant and mistaken world to read their own doom in Sabbath-prophanation Not many years since the strict keeping of the Lords day was the note of a Puritan but always in the Church of Christ it was the good note of a good Christian There is a prudential end of the Sabbath viz. To preserve unity in the Church There is nothing more adorns Non habet dei charitatem qui non diligit ecclesiâ— unitatem Aug. and beautifies the Church then its sweet consent and harmonious unity Rents are the deformities of a Garment and Schisms the wounds of the Church which both weaken it and make it despicable Augustine used to say He hath nothing Quantum facinus est ecclesiae corpus dilaniare et dilacerare contentionibus et vixis ecclesiae unitas turbatur Zanch. of the love of God who loves not the unity of the Church The people of God are but one flock Luke 12. 32. One body Eph. 1. 21 22. One building Eph. 2. 11. And Divisions are the untiling and shaking of this house the scattering of this flock the wounding and piercing of this body But nothing more conduceth to the cementing and uniting of the Church of Christ then the Identical observation of a day for Divine worship that on the same day all the Habemus unum Dominum unam fidem quid restat ut tot vinculis alligati immò uniti antemus colamus et servemus hanc spiritus unitatem prayers of the whole Church should meet at the same Port and all their sighs should blow to the same harbour nay all their singing of Psalms should make up the same Quire that the universal flock and people of God should at the same time be bending their knees to the Almighty lifting up their hands to heaven and be unanimously engaged in the same acts of holy worship All this speaks the strength and excellency of the Christian Church As the death of Christ is the same price and ransom so his Resurrection authorizeth Deus pluris facit preces in ecclesia quà m domi factas non ob locum sed ob considerationem multitudinia fidelium Deum communi consensiâ— invocantium Riv. the same day for worship to all his Saints and to all Christian professors in the world that all who own the Gospel may with one accord at the same time meet in their addresses to the Throne of grace Should one part of Gods Church observe one day for Divine worship and a second part another day another part a third season this double inconveniency would arise First This would be a perpetual fountain of Controversies and feuds in the Church of Christ and his seamless Coat should be rent and torn jars more then Corinthian 1 Cor. 1. Psal 87. 2. Exod. 14. 7. Jude 5. 28. 21. would disturb the peace of Sion each party strugling to put the fairest character upon its own observation There would be more than twins striving in the womb of the Church and in such digladiations and contests the Spouse of Christ should not escape woundings and scars of hurt and disgrace How did that needless Controversie about the observation of Easter tear the Eastern from the Western Church and made the gap so wide that the Chariots of the most malicious enemies might have drove in at the breach much more controversies about the weekly day of divine worship would beget implacable factions and Armies divided are as good as routed Secondly Should several dayes be weekly observed by several parts of the Church some of these would fall in and be co-incident with the Jewish or the Turkish Sabbath or else with the solemn dayes of the Paynims and Heathens Eph. 4. 3. which would be an unhappy blending that Satans proselytes and Idolatrous worshippers and Christs Disciples Corporibus licet divisi et disparati sâ—mus mente tâ—mâ—n et animâ—â— conjuncti uniti et quasi unum simus Alap should all keep the same day for a festival and send up their different notes at the same time which would be a very distastfull miscellany and confusion For the prevention of these inconveniencies the Lords day is the Churches weekly jubilee that the followers of the Lamb might serve their dear Jehovah in the unity of the spirit and in the bond of peace all observing the same day in the same worship to the same God There is a spiritual end of the Sabbath And this as Hospinian observes is the most sublime and seraphical end On Finis tertius Sabbati ejus otii est sublimior est verè spiritualis atque adaeternam hominis salutem propior acâ—edit Hospin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Magn. the Sabbath the soul takes its flight towards heaven pursues life and salvation and is upon the wing towards its center above The Sabbath day is our transfiguration day then more especially we are upon Olivet with Jesus Mat. 17. 1 2 3 c. It was a worthy saying of Reverend Bishop Joseph Hall not long since deceased Gods day saith he calls for an extraordinary respect The Sun arises on this day and enlightens it yet because the Sun of Righteousness arose upon it and gave a new life to the world on it and drew the strength of Gods moral precept unto it therefore justly do we sing with the Psalmist This is the day which the Lord hath made c. Now let me forget the world and in a sort my self and deal with my wonted thoughts as great men use who sometimes in their privacy forbid the accesses of all Visitants Prayer Hearing Meditation Reading Preaching Singing are the proper businesses of this day and we dare not bestow the time of this day on any work or pleasure but what is heavenly Let Superstition be hated on the one hand and Prophaneness on the other but we shall find it more hard to Est Sabbâ—tum spirituale quo à corruptae cornis nâ—strae operibus feriamur ac deum in nobis operari sinimus Gerar. offend in too much Devotion but most easie to offend in Prophaneness Indeed the whole week is sanctified by this day and according to our care of this day will be the blessing on the rest thus far this Holy and Learned man The Jewes call the Sabbath the secret of the living Lord and some give the reason because God keepeth a perpetual rest in himself and we observing an holy rest we become most like to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not another reason be annexed Because the pious soul is then in secret with God transacting the affairs of another Psal 25. 14. world and enjoying that secret delight which the world knows not of and feeding on that hidden manna which Job 23. 12. is the dainties of
liberty but licentiousnesse the loosning of the râ—ines not the laying hold on our Priviledge To that which is cleared from Scripture may be added the testimony of the Reverend Perkins who writing on Revel 1. 10. saith thus The day which is here called the Lords day among the Jews was the first day of the week called sometimes by us Sunday It is called the Lords day for two reasons 1. Because on this day Christ rose from death to life for Christ was buried on the evening of the Jews Sabbath which is our Friday and rested in the grave their whole Sabbath which is our Saturday and rose the first day of the week early on the morning which is our Sunday 2. The first day of the week according to the Jewes account came instead of the Jewes Sabbath and was ordained a day of Rest for the times of the New Testament and sanctified for the solemn worship of the Lord and for this cause especially it is called the Lords day the manifestation whereof as some think John chiefly intended in this title And it is most consonant to the tenour of the New Testament to hold That Christ himself was the Author of the change of the Sabbath from the last to the first day of the week and my reasons are these 1. That which the Apostles delivered and enjoyned in the Church that they received from Christ either by voice or instinct for they delivered nothing of their own head But the Apostles delivered and enjoyned this Sabbath to the Church to be kept a day of holy rest to the Lord as appeareth 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. where Paul ordained in the Churches of Galatia and Corinth that the collection for the poor should be on the first day of the week this he left not to the choyce of the Church but appointed it by Authority Apostolical from Christ Now the day of collecting for the poor as appeareth in the Histories of the Church was on the Sabbath day when the people were assembled for Gods service For this was the custome of the Church for many yeares after Christ Apostolicâ institutione Collecta fieri solebat die dominico ubi conveniebant fideles in ecclesiâ Hinc patet Apostolorum tempore muta tum esse Sabbatum in diem dominicum First to have the Word preached and the Sacraments administred and then to gather for the poor And for this cause in the writings of the Church the Lords Supper is called a Sacrifice an Oblation Because therewith was joyned the collection for the Poor which was a spiritual Oblation not to the Lord but to the Church for the relief of the Poor and this collected relief was sent to the poor Saints abroad 2. The Apostles themselves kept this day for the Sabbath of the New Testament Acts 10. 27. And it cannot be proved that they observed any other day for an holy Rest unto the Lord after Christs ascention save onely in one case when they came into the Assemblies of the Jewes who would keep no other then their old Sabbath of the Law All this and more that man of renown in the Churches of Christ hath left upon record to assert the Christian Sabbath as a set and standing day for the solemn worship of God every week till the second coming of Christ And therefore clamorously to plead a liberty to worship God as where so when we please in Gospel-times is not onely a contradiction to holy Writ but it is likewise a giving the lye to the Testimony of the most approved Lights of the Church To be left to our selves to serve God when we please and not to be tyed to any set day of solemn worship is not Christian liberty but unchristian misery This is our snare not our priviledge If we may serve God at any time we will serve God at no time Mans corrupt nature is not so accommodated Rom. 8 7. to spiritual Ordinances that it should be often fledged with satisfaction and delight The Jews who had a clear command for Sabbath observation were weary of Quidam asserâ—â—â—t omnes dies esse aequales quilibet dies est Sabbatum Christianis sed hi dum Sabbatum multiplicant annihilant multitudo festorum interficiet Sabbatum their Sabbaths and wished them over that they might set forth Wheat Amos 8. 5. And yet this people was disciplined by God himself and carryed in his bosom Numb 11. 12. Shall men be left to themselves to serve God when they please when will the worldling shut up his shop to be at leisure for holy worship and communion And when will Proud persons leave consulting the Glass in their Chamber to consult with the glass of Gods word The covetous person will hardly spare time for solemn and divine services and to wait upon the worship of the Almighty Voluptuous persons will be lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3. 4. And those who frequent the stews will seldom approach the Sanctuary Truly to leave man to his own liberty to serve God is only to give the reins to loose nature to range in the broad way which leads to destruction We see experimentally that all Laws divine and humane which concern the Sabbath cannot shackle corrupt man and keep him close to a due observation of it Some sin it away in acts of gross prophaneness some trifle it away in foolish talk and recreations some formalize it away in sleeping at Ordinances or neglecting family duties and he who keeps it strictly and purely is a Job 33. 23. De iis timenduÌ„ qui omnes dies aequant dum dies aequant aequarent etiam divitias dum arripiunt praeceptum è decalogo opes arriperent e loculo Professor one of a thousand To take all obligations from conscience that it may serve God when it pleaseth and not be tied to any set time is to spur forward corrupt man to irreligion who is too forward of himself A grave man seriously asserts Lay waste the Sabbath and lay waste all Religion that blessed day being the hedge to keep in Man to his duty which being broken down how should we turn as wild beasts of the forrest So that this ruinous opinion will easily prove the unhappy Parent of a thousand soul-destroying mischiefs it not being probable that laying aside Mic. 5. 8. the Sabbath of the Lord we should lie under the smiles of the Lord of the Sabbath It is true that under the New Testament all places in a fair sense are equally holy but it doth not follow from hence that all times are so and Walaeus stands stiffly to it the Mat. 18. 20. argument is invalid For it is not easie or meet but is very John 4. 21. dissonant from divine wisdom to appoint in his word all 1 Tim. 2. 8. particular places where his people should meet their meetings Mat. 1. 11. being to be in so many thousand several Provinces and
Sabbathum propriè quietem et vacationem ab opere servili significat quod deus in ipsâ mundi origine quieti sarctae consecravit Gualt Sabbathum Domini Sabbathum dicitur in scripturis Exod. 16. 20 Lev. 19. 26. Eò quod deo consecratum est et iis studiis quae ad dei honorem spectant Id. 1 Kings 6. 7. Exod. 13. 2. would keep us and chain us up from such seraphical and heavenly duties And the Council of Arles which was celebrated under Charles the Great speaks to the same purpose concluding Let those things onely be done on the Sabbath which appertain to the Service of God Nay secular works and the works of our Calling upon the Sabbath they illegitimate and contradict the very name of a Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies quietness and rest a cessation from labour it is nothing more then a denyal of toyle so that when we labour on the Sabbath we do but rough this calme and quiet day which is given us to hear Gods still voice when the spirit that wind blows gently yet powerfully in the dispensation of the word God will have his own Name known that he is a God of mercy and purity and he will have the name of his Sabbath known to be a day of quiet and cessation and therefore it is called a Sabbath of Rest Exod. 35. 2. That if we at the first view did not understand the meaning of the word Sabbath Moses Comments on it and gives us an explanation it is a Sabbath of Rest a meer Hebraisme when Sabbath and Rest are the same thing and in the Original the word is onely repeated for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as in the building of the Temple of the Lord so in the keeping of the Sabbath of the Lord there must be no hammer heard no axe no noise of working instruments or secular employments 4. Labouring in our callings on a Sabbath doth not only deny the name of the Sabbath but subverts the manner of its observation which is by sanctifying it The Sabbath must be kept holy so in the forementioned place Exod. 35. 2. so in the fourth Commandment Exod. 20. 8. Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cadash sanctifie a word used in both these Texts and many Exod. 40. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Restaurari ad sanctum usum Buxtorf Sanctificare idem est quod ad usus sanctos applicare ceu adhibere Wal. diss de quarto Praecepto De modo sanctificationis duo dicuntur primum opera propria cujusque sex diebus clauduntur deinde opera Divina hoc die omnibus praescribuntur Idem other places it signifies the separation of any thing to a holy use So the first born among the Israelites were sanctified to God the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cadash there they were consecrated and set apart to God So the vessels in the Sanctuary were sanctified Viz. they were set apart for the worship and service of God So the Temple was sanctified 1 Kings 9. 3. in the same sence So that whatsoever is hallowed and sanctified is set apart for holy use by the Will and Commandment of God And that great School-man Thomas Aquinas speaks to the same purpose Illa dicuntur lege sanctificari quae divino cultui applicantur Those things are sanctified in the Law which were dedicated to Gods Worship So then working on the Sabbath overthrows this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cadash this sanctifying it it diverts that day to our own use which is sanctified separated onely to a divine use Secular works oppose the very purpose of the word sanctifying they rob God of his time dedicated to holy use and give it to the Labourer to him who works which is both impudence and sacriledge Labouring casts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cadash sanctifie out of the fourth Commandment and alters the will of the great Legislator it layes waste and makes common the holy day which God hath limited and inclosed to an holy use And it is remarkable that the observation of the Sabbath is never urged by Moses or the Prophets but rest and Exod. 35. 2. Exod. 31 14. Deut. 5. 14. Jer. 17. 27. Quiâ—quid aliquam speciem haberet operum servilium prohibebatur in Sabbato Rivet cessation is commanded too Exod. 35. 2. It is called a Sabbath of rest Exod. 31. 14. Thou shalt do no manner of work The same strictly enjoyned Deut. 5. 14. and so Jer. 17. 27. So that God hath put rest and cessation from secular employments into the very nature and essence of the Sabbath he hath engraven rest upon the Sabbath in an indelible Character that you cannot abstract it from the Sabbath without an abolition of the Law it self If you will keep a Sabbath keep it free from worldly labours or never set upon the observation of it Rest is as necessary for us as for former times for the holy sanctification of the Sabbath our bodies are subject to Mat. 26. 41. Exod. 23. 12. Recreabitur alieâ—â—gena muliò magis incola Ne â—ontinuâ—s laborâ—bâ—â— sâ—â—iâ—gentâ—r homines sea fessa memb a lâ—ventur die Sâ—bbâ—thi Leid Prof. Exod. 31. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respiravit deus Corpus nostrum mortale est in quo brevi tempore tanquam in tabernaculo moramur Alap in Corinth tiredness our spirits to faintness our flesh to weariness as well as those who lived in former ages and therefore are not we as much necessitated to a quietation and rest from labours Christ may say to us as well as to the Apostles The flesh is weak though the spirit may be willing we are clogged with as many weaknesses and disinabled by as many infirmities as former times and therefore Thou shalt do no manner of work That blessed indulgence and dispensation granted in the fourth Commandment cannot but be as pleasing and gratefull to us as others in the elder dayes of the world Shall the Jewes observe an exact rest on the Sabbath and not we Christians Are our Tabernacles of clay better fixed then theirs Our tired bodies require a cessation from labours to attend on the Divine Services of the Sabbath The main ground of Gods first institution of the Sabbath was rest from his works Viz. the works of Creation and the main cause of the re-institution of the Sabbath if I may so speak in the change of the day from the Seventh to the First was Christ's resting from his work Viz. the great work of Redemption The very reason of the Law and Statute concerning the Sabbath condemns secular labours and business this day A Quietus est first started the Law it self and a Quietus est must keep the Law now setled and Gen. 2. 3. Humano more eâ— quad mattemperatione ad nestram institutionem loquitur scriptura Divina c Quievit deuâ— substitit cessavit a procreandis producendisque rebus ex nihilo ut essent Chrysost established Rest from our labours is
man Toil and labour is mans Scutchion and the first Arms he gives The bird doth not fly more naturally then man should toil Man in his innocency was to dress the Garden ever since the fall he is to dig it All creatures read a Lecture against idleness The Sun is swift in its travel the stars speedy in their motion the fire flies upward not a little spark but is upon its flight The beasts of the field do our work carry our burdens they are active for the service of man The wise-man sends us to the Ant and the Pismire to learn industry Prov. 6. 6. Prov. 30. 25. These little creatures are the confutation of sloth and idleness Idleness will much inhance and imbitter our account God hath not endow'd the soul with quick and sparkling faculties and the body with strength and potency and all in vain Qui nobis vires idoneas ad laborandum suppeditavit ille in die judicii parem quoque à nobis in laborando industriam reposcet Bas Basil positively determines He who hath given us apt and fit strength in the judgment day will expect an account of a sutable industry There is strength for labour and there must be sweat in labour Idleness is the Nurse and Pander of corruption Augustine observes that Rome decayed and fell after Carthage was conquered because it wanted a Competitor to find it employment Chrysostom asked the Question What advantage doth the ship bring which lyeth upon the shoar or the sword which hangs up and rusts in the hall c. When David rose Chrysost hom 35. in Acta Apostol from his slothful bed then his corruption caught fire which turned into such a flame that it scorched both himself and 2 Sam. 11. 2. his family But idleness on a Sabbath day lies under greater aggravations It is not the spawn but the Serpent it is not the Cockatrice egg but the Cockatrice Let us trace it a little Idleness on Gods day is a dishonour to the Author of it What honour can accrew to God by an idle and lazy rest Is the Minister graced by sleepy Auditors It is the weeping eye the bended knee the praising tongue the working heart brings honour to the Almighty Shall an oscitant and sleepy worshipper pay the tribute of a dream Shall the glory of God be promoted by frequenting the Wakes walking the fields for recreation frivolous communication or any other such method of idleness on his own blessed day Surely the disciples of Bacchus can act as much solemnity to their jocular idol Idleness on the Sabbath is only an invitation to Satan to forge temptations and to make his attempts Standing waters putrifie When we stand stiâ—â— we give the better aim for Pugnat cum hoc praeâ—epto diem sacrum consumere ignavo otiâ— Ger the adversary to shoot Satan hath his full scope against a lazy sinner Indeed he that doth nothing will soon do evil He that sits at the door on a Sabbath will soon be drawn to a Tavern Holy services are a Bulwark against Satan and his attempts are rather troubles then temptations The Psalmist observes That wicked men devise mischief Psal 36. 4â— upon their beds When they are at ease then they lie opâ—n to Satans assaults Gerard worthily takes notice That to spend Gods holy day in idleness is a contradiction to the very command Communion with God is our close guard and Satan then must leave us as he did Christ Mat. 4. 11. Or get behind us as our Saviour spake to Peter Mat. 16. 23. It is the calm stops the ship in its voyage and laziness on a Sabbath is the remora which stops our sailing to the Port of glory To be idle on a Sabbath is to invert nature and as Heliogabalus the Roman Emperour to turn day into night Thus viz. in idleness We may serve God as well sleeping as waking Psal 22. 2. in the shades of the night as within the veil of the Sanctuary Psal 134. 1. We need not the lamp of the Sun to light us to do Psal 77. 6. nothing David tells us of his services and duties by night Psal 119. 55. Psal 63. 6. but not of his sloth by day especially on Gods day Should we run out our Sabbath in idleness God had no need to have added day to the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment night had been as good for carnal rest is a property affixed to that season To be idle on this holy day is a great loss of time Subbaths are our golden spot of time and idleness takes off the gold from this spot The Sabbath is our term for our souls and it is frenzy to loyter in our term Indeed we may say of Sabbaths as Jacob once said of his Children If we are bereaved we are bereaved Gen. 43. 14. If we lose our Sabbaths what salvâ— have we that we should not lose our souls Lyra observes out of one of the Rabbies That the double offering was so proper to the Sabbath that if it was at any Lyra in Numer time omitted it could not be supplied on other Sabbath days One pertinently adds And there is good reason for it for every Sabbath day must be kept holy Take notice all ye vain and idle persons who waste your precious and irrevocable Sabbaths The Sabbath is most properly the day our Saviour speaks of John 9. 4. in which we must work for the night comes and then no man shall work And in this that of the wise man is most true Prov. 19. 15. The idle person shall suffer hunger Idleness if it get into our hands it will ruine our house Eccles 10. 18. If it get into our tongues it will hazzard our souls Mat. 12. 36. If it seize on our persons it loseth our Sabbaths we trifle away the day and we catch nothing To be idle on the Sabbath swerves from the pattern It is true God rested on the Sabbath Gen. 2. 2. but it is as Divines speak from the production of new species and kinds of creatures he rested from his creating work but not from A creatione novarum specierum cessavit et quievit deus Muscul his governing work from new productions but not from his constant providence for our Saviour saith expresly Joh. 5. 17. The Father worketh hitherto and I work And so must we rest from our secular works on a Sabbath but not from our spiritual To be idle on a Sabbath is a contradiction to our perfect and most absolute pattern Idleness is inconsistent to the Divine Majesty as being an evil Musculus decries it as a great errour to think deum ociari that God is now idle Solem deus semel creavit sed hunc quotidiè oriri facit hominem ex terrâ semel condidit sed adhuc hominem fingit in in utero materno because he hath finished the worlds Creation No but God still propagates moderates perserves and governs his
aut mundi cura et ille cibrae immò mille temporalium rerum onera quae nos adigunt ad irregularitatem Chrysost homil 9. with drowsiness Mat. 26. 40. And yet our sweetest Saviour puts a good construction upon this failing And if the Apostles of Christ cannot hold up how shall ordinary Christians of the lower form in Christs School Few are vigorous as they should be on Gods holy day what would they do if every day must be a Sabbath This is impossible to flesh and bloud Man carries clogs about him to holy opportunities which yet are soon over he carries a naughty heart which is apt to wander and a faint nature which is apt to tire and a heavy eye which is apt to close besides he never leaves Satan behind him to be at least the shadow to darken the light and joy of Ordinances And therefore to assert a constant Sabbath an every day Sabbath is to throw a mountain upon an infant And 6. This opinion takes away all distinction between our Vltra hunc mundum est veri Sabbati observatio Orig. Sabbath on earth and our Sabbath in heaven In heaven indeed we shall keep a perpetual Sabbath and all shall be true which this opinion holds forth there shall be no labours no shops no merchandise All our employment shall be to celebrate the praises of God and the Lamb who sits upon the Throne Rev. 5. 13. But to fancy such a Sabbath in this life is to act the Prâ—soner who dreams of golden Rev. 4. 9 â—0 11. treasure pleasing delights sensual satisfaction and wakeing in the morning finds himself shackled in an iron chain and lockt up in a dark dungeon And let this be added to dream of a perpetual Sabâ—ath here and so lay aside the Lords day as groundless and useless is the next way to miss of an everlasting Sabbath above To make every day a Christian Sabbath is only a more subtle design to undermine the publick Ordinances Such would be every day in private that they may be no day in publick and so they set the closet against the Sanctuary and so the pretence of secret duty shall wholly subvert the reality of solemn worship For it is not to be imagined that all people should meet every day in publick and solemn assemblies Mark 14. 49. And how unsutable is this to a Saints spirit David his emphatical option and desire was to dwell in the Temple Psal Luke 19. 44. 27. 4. And he bewailed his loss of opportunities to go with Acts 17. 10. the multitude Psal 42. 4. The Jews kept the Temple worship Acts 18. 4. till they turned their backs upon the Messiah Paul Acts 13. 14. preached in the Synagogue and commanded the Hebrews not Joel 1. 14. to neglect the publick assemblies Heb. 10. 25. Now the Heb. 10. 25. drift of this wild fancy is to leave all Christians to their Certum est ad cessationem simplicem Sabbatum non suisse institutum sed ut convenirent Christiani ad ea pietatis eteercitia quae toti multitudini erant communia Riv. own private observations to their Chamber and closet duties that so there may be no use of publick Ministers publick Administrations publick Schools and publick Universities or a publick solemn day for divine worship and what is this but to bury all Order Discipline and Beauty in ruine and confusion This is to act Dioclesians part to destroy the devout ministry to act Julians part to shut up the Schools and so hinder all Knowledge and Learning and to run with Faustus Socinus to pluck up the Lords day and at last to slide into the blasphemies and insolence of Lucian and Porphiry to deride all Religion To make every day a Sabbath solemnly condemns the practice of the Church in all ages The Church of Christ never understood but one Sabbath in a week which is the blessed Lords day Shall we run it up to the fountain head and take a prospect of the practice of the Church in every Century In the purest times of the Church holy Ignatius the Disciple of the Apostle John the Martyr of Jesus Christ lays it upon Christians as they would shew any love to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignat. that they should keep holy the Lords day So zealous was this blessed man and Martyr for the observation of this particular day and it s most probable if not most certain that he should know the mind of God when he lay in the Apostle Johns bosom and John lay in Christs John 13. 23. And Ignatius calls the Lords day the Queen of dayes and therefore all dayes are not equal but every day of the week is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. secund inferiour to this Supream of dayes Justin Martyr who lived in the second Century relates the practice of the Church in his time telling us That on Sunday solemn Conventions of people meet together in Villages or Cities for the exercices of divine worship This holy man and Martyr who sealed the truth of Christ with his bloud is the unbiassed Historian of Sabbath observation in the most orient and glorious times of the Church when the truths of God were warm newly dropt from the mouth and heart of Christ Then Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 22. the Lords day was call'd Sunday for reasons hereafter to be shewn not Saturday not Friday not every day but it was the best and highest of dayes and was solemnly set apart Tertul. de Idol c. 14. for solemn and Gospel-worship Dionysius Corinthiacus who lived in the third Century speaks of his observation of Prima Sabbati est initium dierum et tunc ecclesia erecta perficiebat deprecationes Basil the Lords day and the same attests Tertullian who was his Contemporary and speaks largely of the solemn keeping of that blessed day One day is still solemnized not every day no more then every one in a Nation can be crowned and wear the badge of Supremacy Basil who lived in the fourth Century calls the Lords day the beginning of dayes and every Greek Letter is not Alpha And this renowned Father saith That the Church then devoutly poured out their prayers to God And with him joyn Chrysostom Ambrose Augustine Hilary those bright and burning lights of the Primitive Church whose copious descants upon this holy day it will be too much to set down Now this opinion hath no patronage from antiquity unless it be from the mistake of Clemens or the figurative fancy of allegorizing Origen In the darkest times of the Church when it was overspread with palpaâ—le darkness even then Authority commanded Exod. 10. 21. Sabbath-observation one solemn day not every day that was a strange notion in the very midnight of the Church When the clouds were thickest so much brake forth to lead the Christian World to keep one day every week to the Lord. Charles the
would intervene And this day of Gods resting was not only exemplary to Adam but to all his seed and so to Christians as well as Jews the seventh in number though not in order And it is further observable that Adam had on him and so should all men have a double calling the one for his body for which he was allowed six dayes and the other for his soul for which the seventh day was ordained So then this observation of the Sabbath was no way disagreeing to the state of innocency Man in that blessed condition could not conveniently attend upon two things at the same time viz. the dressing of the Garden and the solemn worship of God And as one well observes If heaven it self be a perpetual Sabbath why should it be thought incongruous for man to keep a Sabbath in Paradise And indeed it cannot be incongruous that the Sabbath should be kept in Paradise when the Sabbath it self is a kind of Paradise there is something to resemble a tree of life here the soul tasteth of Sabbath Ordinances and life nay eternal life flows from them and the pleasures of a Sabbath not a little resemble the delights of Paradise The Rev. 1. 10. soul being in the spirit upon the Lords day much resembles Adams rejoycing in Paradise and no doubt but the sweetness of Paradise did most principally consist in the intimate communion Psal 63. 2. Adam had with God and the same communion sheds the delight and prerogative upon the Sabbath or else wherein doth the Sabbath out-vy and excell other dayes And that the Sabbath was instituted from the beginning is not only most clear from Scripture but most consonant to reason The Patriarchs of old had their solemn worship Cain and Abel offered sacrifices they called upon the name of the Sanctificavit deus diem septimum i. e. sanctum celebrem haberi voluit à caeteris diebus segregavit Catharin Lord in a solemn way Gen. 4. 26. And no doubt this they learned from Adam and he from God they had their Altars Gen. 12. 8. yea their set Altars Gen. 13. 4. for ordinary worship And if they had set worship they must have stinted time for how shall we meet together to perform ordinary worship without set times And then no doubt but the seventh day was that time for we have not the least shadow of any other ordinary time And it is very unlikely Gibbons Quaest disput in Genes Quaest tertiâ that if there had been any that no mention should be made thereof in Scripture therefore seeing mention is made of this day Gen. 2. 3. before mention is made of any publick worship and no other day is noted in all story till the 16th Willet on Exod. 16. Quaest 34. Voluit deus diem septimum sibi tribui et dâ—cari ut caelestibus et divinis rebus intenti deo gratias agamus pro acceptis beneficiis Cathar Chapter of Exodus where again mention is made of the Sabbath Exod. 16. 25 26 30. And the fourth Commandment ratifies the same day upon the reason assigned in Gen. 2. 3. It surely must be sufficient and satisfactory to all reason that the seventh day was the ordinary day appointed for those times to perform solemn and publick worship to God And as when man hath run his race and finished his course and passed through the larger circle of his life he then returns to his eternal rest so it is contrived and ordered by divine wisdom that he shall in a special manner return unto his rest once at least within the lesser and smaller Rom. 11. 33. circle of every week and so his perfect blessedness to come might be fore-tasted every Sabbath day and so be begun here And look as man standing in his innocency hath cause thus to return from the pleasant labours of his weekly Paradise employments so man fallen from his more toilsome labours to his rest again And therefore as because all creatures were made for man and man therefore was made in the last place after them so man being made for God and his worship thence it is that the Sabbath wherein man was to draw nearer to God was appointed immediately after the Creation as learned men observe For though man is not made for the Sabbath meerly in respect of the outward rest of it yet he is made for the Sabbath in respect of God in it and the holiness of it to both which then the soul is to Dr. Field have its weekly revolution back again as unto that rest which is the end of all our lives and labours and in special of all our weekly labour and work Dr. Field professeth That to one who knows the story of the Creation it is evident by the light of Nature that one day in seven is to be consecrated to Gods service and worship There must be a time allowed to every purpose which is Inest homini naturalis inclinatio ad hoc quod cuilibet rei necessariae deputetur aliquid tempus sicut corpori somnus et refectio c. quae requirunt tempus sic animae tempus requiritur ad ejus refectionem qua mens hominis in deo reficitur Sayrus necessary and indispensable so for our bodies there must be a time to eat to drink to sleep c. For civil affairs there must be a time for work and labour trade and merchandise to promote and sustain our civil interest and shall not there be a set time for soul-refreshments when the precious soul may be recruited Shall our Estates have their seasons for their increase and our Bodies for their support and not our Souls for their delight and edification What is this but to debase the soul and degrade it from its due honour and dignity The Image of God is most lively impressed upon the soul Eternity is riveted into the very nature of the soul Jesus Christ died for the Redemption of the soul and shall only the soul want its term its appointed season for its spiritual converse Shall there be a Change time and not a Church time shall there be a time to Work and not a Naturae instinctus est ut aliquid temporis cultui divino impendatur et animus in hoc se recreat Azor. time to Pray This is a principle of Nature and therefore draws its original from the worlds beginning Nor can it be conceived but the soul stood in as much need of communion with God in divine worship in the infancy as in the old age of the world and therefore the Sabbath was as necessary to Adam and his immediate heirs as to his more remote posterity That the Sabbath was from the beginning and so belongs Sabbatum Moyses Exod. 16. 23. scriptâ lege restituit cum ejus diei cultus abiâ—rat Azor. properly to the Sons of Adam and not particularly to the Sons of Abraham is more evident and clear if we
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-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-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
seventh day is to be kept holy to the Lord and this remaineth still though the very seventh day be changed The equity of the fourth Commandment is drawn from the proportion of six dayes labour and a seventh dayes rest One thus opens that phrase in the fourth Commandment Six dayes shalt thou labour but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God What seventh saith he Exod. 20. 8 9. pray note it the Lord saith not the seventh from the Creation if he had the Law had confined us to that day But because the Law-giver intended to choose a new day and not to change the old law he hath left it at large in general terms neither can it be restrained to one day more then to another And though the old seventh day was occasionally pointed at in the fourth Commandment as a seventh day which the Jews were to observe as by the fifth Commandment they were bound to honour their Parents then living yet these occasional circumstances might be and were altered without any impeachment to the morality of these commands The altering of a mutable circumstance either of time place or person is far from abolishing the substance of a law and it is to be considered That this proportion of one day in seven is no where directly stated by a perpetual precept but in the fourth Commandment and therefore there it must be determined that it must be some where determined is evident because it is substantially profitable to Religion to the glory of God and the good of souls For if men were left to their own liberty to choose their own proportion in all probability Religion would be very much damnisied and endangered either it would be starved with too little or surfeited with too much Sabbath-time either Popery would create almost every day in the week a holy day or prophaneness would be content with one day in a moneth Let sinful man have liberty to pluck up Gods bounds and alter his proportion one way or another and experience will shew the inconvenience and mischief of it And that which is very observable in the fourth Commandment is that the Lord blessed the Sabbath day not the seventh day but the Sabbath day the day of rest is blessed And the fourth Commandment both opens and shuts both begins and ends with the term Sabbath day and not the seventh day we must sanctifie the Sabbath day so in the beginning of the precept and God blessed the Sabbath day so in the close of the Commandment The word Sabbath like a finger points forward and backward directing us how to expound the whole precept in a large and not a limited sense Doubtless if God had intended to tie up the Church in all ages to the seventh day from the Creation he would have fixed the Commandment upon that day only especially in the conclusion of it for why should not that precise day be mention'd in the close of the fourth Commandment as well as in Gen. 2. 3. There God is said to bless the seventh day here only the Sabbath day the most probable reason is the Commandment is a larger extent then the institution Moreover the learned zealous and pious servants of Dr. bound on the Sab. God affirm the same thing viz. That the Commandment Willet Hexapl in Gen. for the Sabbath is moral for one day in seven and not for the old seventh day Twisse Sect. 6. These Champions for the truth have given in their full attestation to this fair and true interpretation of the fourth Mr. Bern. Mosaic Sab. p. 70. Commandment And as Attersoll very well observes as in the first institution of the Lords Supper Christ made use of unleavened bread yet his example binds us only to the use Mr. White in Gen. Moral of the 4th Com. of bread and not that which is unleavened so for the first institution of the Sabbath God rested on the seventh day from the Creation yet his example binds us only to a day of that Mr. Byfield Doctr. of the Sab. vindicated Mr. Fenner on the Sab. c. number and not that particular day And if in the preceptive part of the fourth Commandment Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day this be restained to the seventh day in order there was then a plain tautology in the command it was as if God should say Remember the seventh day Sabbath for the seventh day is the Sabbath which is a flat tautology and unbecoming infinite wisdom No it is evident that the precept is comprehensive and large and not limited to one seventh day more then another for Sabbath day in Quies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ceu quievit the Hebrew is no more then a day of rest and that is any day set apart for holy worship by Divine Authority and is applicable to the first day of the week as well as to the last which may be illustrated by this instance By the force of the fifth Commandment we must honour the King if Saul be King honour him and if he be dead or displaced and David be King then honour King David To neither of 1 Pet. 2. 1◠them the Commandment is levell'd directly but successively and so the Command is consequentially accommodated to both So Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy Whilst the seventh day was a day of Rest the Jews were bound to sanctifie that day if that day be changed and another succeed if the first day be placed in its room we are as much bound to sanctifie that day all this by the force of the fourth Commandment for as the change of the person takes not away Hacratione nos quoque praeecptum hoc servamus dum sanctificamus diem dominicum quia scil est dies quietis nobis sicut judaeis fuit dies septimus Zanch. the precept of honouring the King so the change of the day makes not void the Commandment for the Sabbath And thus we Christians in keeping holy the Lords day keep the Sabbath as much as ever the Jews did the Lords day being a day of holy rest to us as the seventh day Sabbath was to them Moreover let us a little further consider that in the first giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai in thunder flames and lightning the Sabbath is wholly enforced from the work of Creation and Gods example in resting from that stupendious work but in the repetition and the second giving of this Law by the hand of Moses a typical Mediatour Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. Deut. 5. 14 15. The reason from the Creation is quite left out And the Sabbath is altogether enforced from a type of Deut. 5. 14 15. our Redemption viz. The deliverance of the people of Israel from their Aegyptian bondage for so saith the Text Deut. 5. 15. Remember that thou wast a Servant in the Land of Aegypt and the Lord brought thee thence by a mighty hand therefore he commanded thee
to keep the Sabbath day lively intimating by all this the sistence and abiding of the fourth Commandment under the Gospel and the binding authority of it by the incorporation of a new reason drawn from our redemption or spiritual deliverance by Christ typified by the Jews deliverance from Aegypt instead of the old reason drawn from the Creation which is here wholly omitted and we must take notice that surely the Jews deliverance from Aegypt literally considered was no way comparable to the work of the Creation that it should here in the second giving of the Law by Moses be propounded as the reason of the Sabbath and the other wholly left out but only as a type of the most glorious and admirable work of our Redemption so there came so much weight in it that in the review of the Commandment it became the reason of the Sabbath and if the type it self was so significant how much more the Ante-type which excells all types in glory as much as the Sun doth the flying and dark shadows Thus we then see the old seventh day Sabbath was never propounded as the substance or special subject of the fourth Commandment Nay reason it self compells us to put this sense and interpretation upon the fourth Commandment The order of the day is no way substantially profitable to Mandata legis sancta sunt justa bona sancta quia praescribunt quomodo deus sanctè coli debet Justa quia praescribunt ut proximum non laedas sed eiquod suum est tribuas Bona quia praescribunt ea quibus quisque in se bonus sit et bonis moribus et virtute praeditus Alap religion nor if altered is any way prejudicial we may be as holy as heavenly and spiritual on the first as on the last day of the week Order only cannot elevate the mind influence the heart or work upon the soul and affections it can contribute nothing to a holy sublimation in us one day is as good as another so Divine appointment fix it But now we must consider in all other Commandments of the first table which concern Religion only that which is substantially profitable is placed in them and so they are concluded moral and perpetual and so it must be in this fourth Commandment that which is substantially profitable must be put into the command and therefore the order of the day cannot be it And what prejudice arises to Religion from the alteration of the day from the seventh to the first so God make it which that he did we shall see hereafter Cannot Christians serve God with as much heavenly devotion seraphical affection nay with as much care and circumspection on the first day of the week as the Jews did on the last Well then the order of the day cannot be the substance of the fourth Commandment God doth not interlace his holy Commandments especially his Ten words with things which are not substantially profitable The reasons in the Commandment are for the number not the order for a seventh not the seventh day The first reason Exod. 20. 9. Exod. 31. 15. in the Command to perswade to the observation of the Sabbath Luke 13. 14. is taken from the concession of six dayes for our own labours six dayes shalt thou labour but the seventh is the Sabbath Augustini fuit expostulatio quâ— modo deus in Creatione mundi sex dies insumpserit cum in uno momento illud stupendum opus perficere potuerit Respond ut homines opera sua magâ—â— contemplarentur et eum in operando sex diebus et quiescendo uno faelicitèr imitarenter c. But these words are directly for the number only indirectly for the order and the genuine sense of them is thou art permitted to work six dayes but on the seventh is the Sabbath and then thou shalt abstain from all kind of work thou hast six dayes for thy self and God must have the seventh where most plainly number not order is the substance and sence of the command And 2. God wrought six dayes no more and no less and rested one no more or less and therefore thou shalt labour six dayes and rest but one Now if God did so who needed not to have wrought one day being able to have made all things in a moment nor to have rested one hour as not being subject to any weariness much more poor Man needs a competent time for his affairs and for his rest to the service and worship of God and for the refreshing of his soul and if God did that for man which he needed not to have done viz. to work six dayes and rest one how much more are we bound to observe the same proportion and to imitate this blessed example So that not order but proportion is the soul of this Commandment Thirdly if the fourth Commandment did directly and in the substance of it command the seventh day Sabbath and Nulla lex a Christo condita Christianis potestatem dedit ritus judaicos observandi immò veró Apostolus illud planè voluit dum non modo circumcisionem abrogabat verum etiam hortabatur ut de festis nulla sit dissentio Socrat. Hist Ecclesiastic lib. 5. cap. 20. not the Sabbath indefinitely then either we Christians must keep that day still and so fall back to Judaism and in effect deny the Lord that bought us and cast a damp upon the ever blessed Resurrection of Jesus Christ or else the fourth Commandment is purely Ceremonial and so utterly void and abolished all which hath been refuted already Now both these consequences are so opposite to truth and so abhorrent to most Christians that it is far more rational to grant the seventh day in proportion was commanded in that holy and immutable precept then to dash our selves upon either of these two rocks which may be a Scylla or Charybdis to the soul To assert the fourth Commandment enjoynes the seventh day in order draws a whole train of absurdities after it 1. Why a Ceremonial command should be placed among all morals so the fourth Command must be if abrogated and we observe another Sabbath differing from the seventh day 2. Then why a special command concerning only the people of the Jews for we have rejected their Sabbath should be placed among general Commandments which concern all the world for the other nine do so and is confessed by all but Papists Antinomians and Familists and such others of the litter of Hereticks 3. If the seventh in order be the substance of the fourth Commandment it thrusts men upon two dangerous rocks and extreams to the great disquiet of the Churches peace One that the fourth Commandment is onely ceremonial which is a gate to licentious liberty Or Secondly it is only moral for that seventh day which is to bring us back into the Wilderness again of legal Rites and Judaisme 4. Those who hold the seventh day in order to be commanded in the fourth Commandment
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
supposed inferior be concluded in the determination of another part being as is presumed of greater dignity And from whence arose this inequality Therefore intricacies and unanswerable difficulties will multiply unless we ascribe to our dear Jesus the appointment of his own day for weekly and solemn worship Besides it is very considerable that which is of universal observation none but God can impose by his supream Authority to which all are equally subject and such is the observation of the Lords day which equally belongs to all persons at all times and in all Acts 20. 24. ages there are none exempt from obedience to it and Rev. 20. 12. therefore no particular men could ordain this universal observance Rom. 2. 16. which must be submitted to by all who will give 2 Cor. 5. 10. up their account with joy in the day of the Lord Jesus Reas 4 The seventh day Sabbath was by Gods immediate institution Gen. 2. 3. Exod. 20. 8. And therefore the change of it into the Lords day must be by the immediate institutioâ— of Jesus Christ And the reason of it is there hath never been a religious change made of any Ordinance of God immediately prescribed by him but by God himself and by his own Authority For if the institution be immediate by him the change into another must be by the like Authority also for he who ordaineth hath only power â—o alter 1. Man cannot change such an Ordinance for it is complained of as a sin for the people to change Gods Ordinances Isa 24. 5. And if any but God have Authority to change his own Ordinances immediately appointed by himself their Authority is equal with his But to assert this is both ridiculous and blasphemous No the whole Church assembled together hath no such authority it is but humane at the highest and besides if unstable man could alter an immediate Ordinance of God what stability Lex dei est aeterna et in aeternum dâ—ratura et deus exscindet eos qui mutant jus i e leges et jura could there be in these Ordinances or what tie could they fasten upon mens consciences 2. All religious changes of every Ordinance of Gods own immediate appointment hath ever been by himself and instances to the contrary cannot be alleadged The Tabernacle was of Gods immediate institution and the Temple â—rected in the stead of it was likewise of his own appointment David minding to build it and Nathan approving his 2 Sam 7. 2 3. intention but without the command of God was afterwards prohibited Neither did God leave it to the wisdom of Solomon though the wisest of men but he himself gave the pattern of it 1 Chron. 28. 11 12 19. The time of celebrating the Passeover was the fourteenth of the first Moneth appointed by God himself Exod. 12. 6. which time Moses durst not dispence with nor allow any other day for some to keep it without Gods immediate warrant Numb 9. 8 11. Times and seasons are in Gods hands Acts 1. 10. And therefore the Moneth Tisri is turned into the Moneth Nisan to begin the year withall by Gods immediate command Exod. 12. 2. And Antiochus Epiphanes is condemned Dan. 2. 21. for changing times Thus we see Gods Ordinances for Dan. 7. 25. Places for Persons for Times being immediately appointed by God cannot be changed but by God and therefore the seventh day being the immediate institution of God could not be changed into another day as now it is but by God Rom. 9. 5. himself even by Jesus Christ who when he was come in the flesh changed the place of worship John 4. 20 21. changed the Law and the Priesthood chap. 7. of the Hebrews into the Doctrine and Ministry of the Gospel Priests and Levites he changed into Apostles Evangelists Ministers Eph. 4. 11. The carnal worship Christ changed into spiritual John 4. 24. Circumcision he changed into Baptism the Passeover into the Lords Supper and the seventh day Sabbath into our blessed Lords day Reas 5 That day the due â—bservation of which tends to Gods glory and his publick worship to Mans instruction and building up in the most holy faith which day was solemnized by the holy and heavenly inspired Apostles which likewise Christus est dei sapientia tum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aeterni Patris Luke 11. 49. Tum Revelata quia in Christi cognitione salutaris sapientia est sita Par. is approved and greedily embraced with great spiritual comfort and joy by the most holy Professors zealous Ministers and fervent Proselytes of the Gospel this day must needs call Christ its Author and must needs be the institution of him who is the wisdom of the Father 1 Cor. 1. 24. Nay that day which is disputed against cavilled at withstood and prophaned by the most carnal ungodly corrupt and vain persons must needs be the appointment of the Holy One as Christ is called Psal 16. 10. Now such a day is our Lords day A cloud of witnesses might here be raised to attest this undeniable assertion but the mouth of constant experience hath spoken it and what need we of any further witnesses Chemnitius hath a notable descant upon Luke 8. 22. Sic paulatim discipulos suos Christus deducere et docere voluit ad dici dominicae observantiam et demonstrare quae sit vera illius sanctificatio nimirum quando ex verbo ipsius praecipua ejus opera quae illo ipso die diversis temporibus in mundo ad salutem humani generis edidit consideramus et de illis disserimus Qualia sunt opera creationis cujus initium factâ—m est hoc ipso die Opus Redemptionis quod etiam hoc ipso die perfectum est opus sanctifiâ—â—tionis quâ—â— etiam hoc 〈◊〉 coelitus â—â—â—sso sp 〈◊〉 â—â—choatum est Deinde etiam quando falsa doctrina lâ—xatur vitia corriguntur securitas sâ—ctaâ—â—rum verbi retunditur Pietas ex vâ—rbo dei plantatur c. Chemnit where Christ is said to launch forth with his Disciples upon the first day of the week which is now our Christian Sabbath Christ by degrees saith he draweth his Disciples to the observation of the Lords day and would by little and little instruct them wherein the true sanctification of it did consist viz. In a serious consideration and discourse of those works which God wrought upon that day for the benefit of Mankind and for the good of his Church such as the work of Creation which was began on that day Gen. 1. 1. Such as the work of Redemption which was finished on that day John 20. 1. Nay such as the work of Sanctification On that day the Holy Ghost descended visibly on the blessed Apostles Acts 2. 1 2. not only as the result of the promise before or as a token of honour which God put upon his blessed Apostles but as an earnest of that plenteous
much strength to this great truth viz. That the Lords day is of Divine Authority In this text then note When this solemn assembly met together on the first day of the week saith the text the day which all the Evangelists witness to be Christs Resurrection day on this day the Disciples were congregated But why the first day of the week why not the last day of the week which was the old Sabbath strange if that had continued a Sabbath that the Primitive Christians had not mâ—t on that day especially seeing Vnâ— Sabbati i e. die dominiâ—o dies dominiâ—a est reâ—ordâ—tio domiâ—icae resurrectionis Vener Beda in Act. 20. Tom. 5. it was but the day before yet more strange that we hear not a word of Pauâ—s keeping it though he tarriâ—d at Troas seven dayes but most strange that wâ— read not one word in all the New Testament of Pauls owning that day in a Christian Church only he solemnly preaches to a Christian Congregation on the first day of the week Surely this is a pregnant argument that the day was changed upon the account of our Saviours Resurrection The Church was assembled on the first day of the week but how Privately it may be no Publickly and openly nay most probably the compâ—ny was very 〈◊〉 and Isa 60. 8. the Congregation flocked as Dâ—ves to the windâ—ws Here is then a full assembly mâ—t upon the â—irst â—ay of the week but for what To â—reak â—read saith the tâ—xt to receive Mat. 26 26. Acts 2. 46. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Dies dominicus ab ipsis Apostolis sacris actionibus est consecratus Bucer the Eucharist saith the Syriack translation and what more seemly and suitable then to receive thâ— Lords Supper upon the Lords day And can this be done without preparatory prayer and other Sabbath exercises Surely this would have been a mutilated and a faint devotion nay and breaking of bread is here put by a Synechdoche the part for the whole and there no more reason to exclude prayer Consentaneum est Aposlolos hanc ipsam ob causam mutos se diem Melanct singing of Psalms c. because they are not mentioned then to exclude drinking of wine in the Sacrament because neither is that expressed but breaking of bread only So then the first day of the week is here celebrated with a confluence of Gospel-Ordinances Nor is it said that Paul called the Disciples together because he was to depart the next day or that they purposedly Hoc institutum ut dies dominicus in locum Sabbati sub stitueretur non ab hominibus sed ab Apostolis sp s dictante quo regebantur nos accepisse credendum est Meritò dixerimus Apostolos sp s duce pro septimo illo die primum substituisse Faius declined the Lords Supper till that day because of Pauls departure But the Text speaks it as of a time a day usually observed by them before and therefore Paul took his opportunity of preaching to them and seems to stay on purpose and wait seven dayes among them Acts 20. 6. And at Troas where these Ordinances were observed and this day solemnly kept was the Rendezvouz of Christians to meet in the greater company Acts 20. 5. And though Paul might privately teach and instruct the Professors of Troas the other seven dayes yet his preaching is now mention'd in regard of some special solemnity in their meeting on this day The first day was honoured above any other day for these holy duties or else why did not they meet on the seventh day Sabbath and how comes that solemnity to be swallowed up in the solemn convention of the first day when these holy exercises are performed To speak then plainly with Bishop Andrews It was saith he the Lords day on which the Apostles and Disciples met the Gospels all four keep one word and tell us Christ rose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is after the Hebrew phrase the first day of the week and the Apostles then held their Synaxes their solemn conventions Mat. 28. 1. and assemblies to preach to pray to break bread or Mark 16. 2 celebrate the Lords Supper Acts 20. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24. 1. the Lords Supper on the Lords day and this John 20. 1. is the Apostolical phrase So far this learned man So then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Ely as another Bishop speaks Our weekly observation of the Lords day is warranted by the example of the holy Apostles One sharply concludes and saith How can he have any grace in Petrus Al phons in Dialog contra Jud. Tit. 12. his heart who seeing so clearly the Lords day to have been instituted and ordained by the Apostles will not acknowledge the keeping holy the Lords day to be a Commandment of the Lord. The very Jews saith this learned man confess this change of Chrysostomus Ambrosius Theophylactus Beda Anselmus the Sabbath to have been made by the Apostles and therefore we may safely conclude with Gallasius Walaeus Melancthon Beza Bucer Faius Junius Piscator Perkins and other eminent Divines of the Reformed Religion that the Holy Sedulius et Primosius unam Sabbati Act. 20 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. expressam interpretantur diem dominicum Apostles by the guidance of the infallible spirit removed and suppressed the old legal Sabbath and substituted the Lords day the first day of the week in its room and place Let us assume a second text which will further strengthen this truth viz. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come This solemn and noted place hath many considerables in it to prove the first day of the week to be the Christian Sabbath and that not so much by the Churches practice that was cleared before as by the Apostles precept in which many things remarkable offer themselves to our consideration Although it be true that in some cases collections may be made any day for the poor Saints yet why doth the Apostle limit here to this day the performance of this duty Surely something there is in it more then ordinary The Apostle doth not limit only the Corinthians to this 2 Cor. 11 28. Diei dominicae nomen et institationem ab Apâ—stolis derivatam non est dubitandum Estius day but also all the Churches of Galatia 1 Cor. 16. 1. and consequently all other Churches if that be true 2 Cor. 8. 13 14. where the Apostle professeth he presseth not one Church that he might ease another but that there might be an equality and then why must all the Churches make their collections on the same day The Apostle doth not limit them with wishes and counsels onely to do it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I have ordained or instituted In hoc Apostoli mandato nihil
hearts by the light of Nature but this only was given by outward Ordinance and Institution and we are more apt to forget Instructions then Inclinations 2. Because this Commandment more restrains natural liberty then all the rest the other Commandments restrain only things sinful but this prohibits things lawful at any other time nay it restrains our very words Isa 58. 13. and our very thoughts our lawfull works and secular employments must be laid aside on this day we must not think or discourse of the world and the things of it on this blessed day 3. Because of the multitude of our affairs on the six days which had need to be remembred to be finished seasonably or else they will breed distractions on the Lords day nor is it so facil and easie to keep off their impressions and intrusions when we are to converse with God on his own day 4. Because the Devil will assuredly prompt us to forget this Commandment so to quench the memory both of the Creation and the work of our Redemption that he may the more readily draw us to despair by forgetting the salvifical work of our Redemption or else to Atheisme by forgetting the stupendous work of the Creation for as the work of Creation first give us a Sabbath so the work of Redemption afterwards gave us our Sabbath Now to prevent these mischicvous inconveniencies we are alarm'd and quickned with a Memento to keep this Commandment as a means to preserve the memory both of Father and Son and so to keep on foot holy and divine worship This Commandment of the Sabbath is of most weight to be remembred for the observance of all the rest of the Commandments depend much upon the keeping of this Let us cast our eye upon the Conversion of sinners where one hath been converted on the week day many have been brought home to God on his own day God doth delight to dispence his graces on his own day so that in keeping this day we preserve an opportunity when God doth confer his graces on the Sons of men and in a careless observing of this day we put from us an opportunity of getting and obtaining the grace of God So then keep this day and we keep all neglect this day and we neglect all the proper means for life and salvation This is the season when the Angel comes down to stir the waters and then is our time to step in and be healed John 5. 4. This indeed is the fundamental command on which the superstructure of piety and religion is fastened and built On this day God draws nigh to his people and they to him nay the way to lay hold on Gods Covenant is to keep his Sabbath there is some hopes of a mans salvation when he makes conscience of keeping this holy day 7. The reason why this Commandment is of so much weight to be remembred is because in it we are made more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually minded it frames our spirits to be more fit and adequate to every good word and work we are as not of this world the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 9. Verily there remains a Rest for the people of God Implying that the Saints in Heaven keep a Sabbath-Rest meditating divine things singing praises and minding only the things of Heaven Nothing more fits and accommodates our spirits to the supreme good Vis in die quem dicunt solis solem colitis sicut nos in eundem dominicum non solem sed resarrectionem domini veneramur then a holy observation of the Sabbath it is the beginning of heaven here our hearts then work up more and more to their centre to their God to their Christ 8. We must remember this Commandment In keeping the Sabbath we keep in mind Gods chiefest mercies the benefit of our Creation and of our Redemption the first giving us our beings the second our well beings the first being the Aug. Contr. Faust Manich Lib. 10. fountain of Nature the second being the spring of Grace And whereas there are Three most glorious persons shewing themselves in their several works tending to mans good the due observation of the Sabbath puts us in the remembrance of them all Of the Father who created us and then gave the Gen. 2. 3. world a Sabbath of the Son who redeemed us and on this day ascended from the Grave of the Holy Ghost who inspires Acts 2. 1 2 3. us and sheds a beauty upon us who as on this day descended from heaven in a miraculous flame upon the blessed Apostles which was an infallible earnest of those plenteous effusions of the spirit which should be poured forth upon the Church in all ages Thus upon weighty reasons a Memento Dan 5. 6. is affixed to the fourth and only to the fourth Commandment which if it be not a note of observance to point out our Sanctificatio Sabbati est diem à deo anteà sanctificatum pro sancto habere et exercitâ—is religionis et fidei exercendae sedulo inâ—umbere Atque ita sanctificationem dei haudquaquam prophanare sed illibatam conservare Muscul great concernment in the holy keeping of it it will be an hand-writing on the wall to make us tremble to all everlasting A learned man observes That God should preface this Commandment with a Memento it implies that some serious thing is commanded something of the highest importance which upon our peril must not be neglected or forgotten This command is a treasure committed to us with a great charge And it is observable it is not said Remember that thou keep the Sabbath day but remember the Sabbath to keep it holy Exod. 20. 8. God stops not at Sabbath day but adds to keep it holy evidently implying that to set apart the time of a Sabbath is not considerable but to spend that time in holy duties and in the holy exercises of faith and religion this is the fulfilling of the Commandment When Gods sanctifying of Sabbatum non est merè quies Leid Prof. the day as Musculus speaks is not prophaned by us but kept pure and unspotted The Memento then in this Commandment is only the usher of holiness Gods loud call to strictness and sanctity on his own day the significant harbinger to tell us Christ is coming and on this day he must lodge in our hearts Arg. 7 No Command is sweetned with more equity then that of the Sabbath There is that which Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it a Facillimum est et aequissimum ei cujus toti sumus unum diem è septem conservare qui sex alios nostris laboribus concessit cùm tamen potuisset jure suo plures illis servandos judicare Riv. just and moderate Imposition there is not so much voluntas imperantis the will of him who commands as ratio impeâ—andi the reason of the command it self In this command God rather exercises jus Patris
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
the time of the Sabbath Let us labour to get high esteemes of the Sabbath day We Praescrip 3. keep those things most charily we prize most We lock up Jewels which we value but we leave out other things which we despise and contemn One great reason why men practice Sabbaths no more is because they prize them no Apparet in Sâ—râ—pâ—uris hunc diem esse solennem ipse enim est primus dies seculi c. Aug. more Sabbaths fall in their opinion and therefore they sink in their observation They look upon the Sabbath as a common day a day of leisure to please themselves with carnall rest or sensual delight Only their shâ—ps are shut and so they cannot follow the works of their Calling but their hearts are open to entertain any temptation and so they mind the Magistrate more then Jehovah upon his own day Dies dominicus est dies Regalis in quâ— Imperator ascendit ab inferis Chrysost But serious and gracious persons have always spoken highly of Gods blessed Sabbath The Apostle John calls it the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. which is the Lord Christ his day for this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is appropriate to our Saviour Christ both in regard of the dignity and excellency of his person and because of the greatness and largeness of Ne ipsam quidem dominicam diem Jâ—nctissimi festi ullâ inreverentiâ habuere c. Athanas his dominion as likewise in respect of his bounty towards the members of his mystical body Acts 4. 36. Joh. 20. 13 28. Revel 17. 14. Cap. 19. 16. Now things and persons which are named the Lords are sacred and venerable in an high degree So The grace of our Lord Rom. 16. 24. The spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 17. The beloved of the Lord Rom. 16. Is solus et unus reverâ est proprius et dominicus dies et melior est aliis innumerabilibus diebus sive qui communitèr intelliguntur sive qui a Mose c. Hier. 8. The glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. The word of the Lord 1 Tim. 6. 3. The cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 27. Et sic Convivium dominicum the Lords banquet Tertul. lib. 2. ad Vxor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hierosol Catech. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The body of the Lord. Athanas ad Epict. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scripture of the Lord. Clem. Alexandr Ignatius the blessed Martyr of Christ who lived in the Apostles age and was St. Johns Disciple maketh the Lords day the Queen the Princess the Lady Paramount of all dayes Eusebius in the life of Constantine the Great lib. 4. cap. 18. stileth the Lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In truth and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignat. very deed the principal and the first Chrysostome calleth it a Royal day And Gregory Nazianzen Orat. 43. saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Higher then the highest and with admiration wonderfull above all other dayes Basil calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first fruits of dayes Chrysologus Ser. 77. saith It is the primate among days And Hierome in Marc. 16. The Lords day is better then other common dayes and then all the Festivals New Moons and Finitur septimus dies dominus est sepultus reditur ad primum dominus est resuscitatus domini resuscitatio promisit no bis aeternam diem et consecravit diem dominicam Aug. Sabbaths of Moses his Law The Lords day saith Maximus Taurinensis is venerable and a solemn day among Christians because like the Sun rising and dispelling infernal darkness Christ the Sun of Righteousness shined forth unto the world by the light of his Resurrection And the incomparable Augustine saith The Seventh day is ended the Lord was buried a return is made to the first day the Lord is raised the Lords Resurrection promised us an eternal day and it did consecrate unto us the Lords day Justin Martyr calls our Sabbath Sunday as many others after him and not without very good reason That being the Chiefest of dayes as the Sun is the most glorious of all the Planets and therefore the Civil Law calls Cod. Justin lib. 3. tit 12. our Sabbath The venerable and much honoured Sunday Our Sabbath is called Sunday to honour Christ who is the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. Enlightning every one who Nos jure optimo diem quem Mathematici solis vocant domino ascripsimus et illius cultui totum mancipavimus quoniam nulla re magis imaginari possumus praepotentis et universim supereminentis Christi Mâ—jestatem quà m per splendidissimum solis lumen Et Leo est solare animal Cael. Rhodig cometh into the world and who by his triumphant Resurrection caused the heavenly light of Truth and Grace to appear in full lustre to them who sate in darkness and in the shadow of death And Gaudentius Brixianus speaks fully to this purpose It behoved Christ saith he the Sun of Righteousness with the fair and pleasant light of his Resurrection to dispell the gross darkness of the Jews and melt the frozen cold of the Gentiles and so reduce all things that we reclouded with the black vail of confusion by the Prince of darkness into the state of prime tranquility And Ambrose concurs in his judgement This day is called Sunday saith he because Christ the Sun of Righteousness arose from death to life upon this day to enlighten the Children of this world Hierom tells us It is called Sunday because on that day Light rose in the world and the Sun of Righteousness appeared in whose wings healing may be found So Christ made it Sunday not only from his beams but likewise from his wings for as there was light in the one so there was Cypr. Epist 33. Orig. in Exo. Homil. 7. contr celsum cure in the other and both together gave it this Name And nothing more speaks the glory of Christ then Light and the Sun is the fountain of light and therefore our Sabbath is Tertul. de Coron Mil. called Sunday as Coelius Rhodiginus observes Nay Christ himself is called Light John 3. 19. And the Gospel is named Light Rom. 13. 12. No wonder then if that day on which Christ is worshipped and the Gospel is preached is called Sunday But in all ages our blessed Sabbath flourished in an honourable Bellarm. Tem. 1 de cult Sanctor cap. 11. lib 3. Dominica dies primatum obtmet et major est inter alios dies Durand Rational lib. 7. de Festiv esteem Bellarmine himself saith The Sabbath is a day above all other days to be esteemed And so Durand gives the Lords day all primacy and assigns it a majority for worth and honour above all dayes And it is very observable that Easter-day so much cryed up by some was once the unhappy cause of much contention in
exactness of the quaver not the dexterity of an Anthem which is veneratiâ—n proper to Gods holy day But a melting heart an obedient mind an attentive ear the acting Luke 2. 25. of grace and the enquiries after the Beloved a Soul raised to experimental communion with God suits more fairly and Jer. 31. 19. genuinely to the right observation of Gods holy day This Ezek. 21. 12. extrinsical worship onely tongue deep and knee deep and which is not animated by a devout Soul is Englands stain and should be Englands moan and we should do well to consider cold Devotion usually foreruns hot indignation and it is onely in the bosom of the Almighty how soon he will further revenge the quarel of his Sabbath not onely as bemired by open prophaneness but as slightly passed over by a specious cold and formal observation We may bewail the sinful abridgments which England puts up upon Gods holy day In former times and so now in these later years two or three hours signifie a Sabbath among us Dominicis diebus tantùm divino cultui a little time in publick is our Sacrifice upon the Lords day the Lord may here put the expostulation Mal. 3. 8. Do ye serviâ—â—dum est sicut Antiquis praeceptum erat de Sabbato dominicum diem religiâ—sâ solennitate celebremus Aug. say wherein have you robbed me It may be answered not in tythes but in time not in the Priests allowance but in the Lords day If the people come to divine service and to the pittance of a Sermon in publick they have then liberty to sport it in the helds or to frisk â—t in a Maurisk dance to be social in an Ale-house to be frolick in a Tavern without the controule of an Officer or the stroke of a Magistrate This is Englands sin and this sin was formerly punished by a Civil and hath lately been pursued by a forraign War But we may truly say with our Saviour Mat. 19. 8. Improperandum est contra eos qui unam aut duâ—s horas ex integro die deo deputant ad Orationem veniunt vel in transitu verbum audiunt quasi festiâ—anter praecipuam verò curam ergâ— sollicitudinem seculi et â—entâ—is expendunt Orig. Homil. 2. in Numer Iren. lib. 4. cap. 30. From the beginning it was not so Augustin tells us Upon the Lords day we are to be wholly taken up in divine worship nor are we to abridge the Lords day more then the Jews did their Sabbath which was wholly kept to the Lord. And this worthy and learned man was run into a kind of passion against those who would spend some time only of this day in divine worship and the rest in sensual pleasures Origen was very invective against those Who would depute two or three hours to prayer or to hear the Word in transitu by the by but their chief care was to consult the World or their belly and to spend thâ—ir time in profits or delights Chrysostome tells us his opinion was fully That one day in seven was to be consecrated whâ—lly to the worship of the Common 〈◊〉 of all and to his service And Irenaeus who trod upon the heels of the Apostolical times freely acknowledgeth That we are to persevere in divine worship upon Gods holy day Nay the Fathers gathered in a Die dominico ad nihil aliud vacandum nisi aâ— Orationem et alia pietatis munia full assembly declarâ— their judgement That we being sequestred from all servile wâ—rk must persevere in the praise of God and in holy thanksgivings â—n the Lords day And so the Fathers in the Council of â—â—iâ—li We must say they be vacant for nothing upon a Lords day but holy Prayer and other duties â—â—ncil Ferojul Can. 13. A. D. 791. of piety And the fiftieth Canon of the Council of Paris is very remarkable We must meet say they upon the Lords day wherein the Lord our life arose from the dead and granted us hope of our Resurâ—ection and wholly abstain from our own delights or secular emplâ—yments and only be filled with spiritual joyes and heavenly praises and this with all endeavour of heart and this is our vacation on that day Chrysostome in one of his Homilies upon Genesis seems to order our very gestures A veshertino ingressu ad altare in Sabbato Judaico usque ad sequentem vesperem in die dominico in officiis sacris peragendis perseverandum est Concil on the Lords day and saith our eyes and our hands all this day must be lift up and stretcht out to God And a venerable Council gives us this direction from the evening of the Jewish Sabbath to the evening of the Lords day we must persevere in holy duties But Englands practice hath been a contradiction to these golden rules and to these golden times When our evening service hath been done we have laid aside the privacies of divine worship and some to the Green to bowls some to the Trall Can. 90. Ring to dances some to the street to Cudgels and to other sports which feed the corrupt heart of an inconsiderate multitude But in this while our Country is a Baalim our Closets Judg. 3. 7. should be a Bochim and others wantonness should be our wound and whilst their hearts are a spring of vanity Jer. 9. 1. our heads should be a fountain of tears We may bewail the unpunished liberty which is used in England upon Gods holy day Sabbaths are prophaned and the Jer. 5. 31. people love to have it so and the Magistrates love to leave it so this is an Evil to be deplored among us The things which are Caesars are given to Caesar and good reason too when we have a divine Command for it Mat. 22. 21. But the things which are Gods are not given to God Gods day suffers and none suffer for his day We have not only the Nehem. 13. 21. merchandise of wares but the merchandise of hell upon the Lords day but where are the Nehemiahs to restrain them This is Englands sin and this calls for Englands moan the Heads of our Tribes are not Zealous for the Lord of Hosts The day of God is torn by the Oaths of the Miscreant it is stained by the excesses of the intemperate it is painted over by the cold worship of the hypocrite it is curtailed by the short services O quà m redarguendi sunt Judaei qui sep timam vitae partem otio et voluptatibus impendunt Senec. of the formalist Taverns and Ale-houses if not Stews and Brothel-Houses are frequented and filled on this sacred day and all these debaucheries acted with impunity And men do on Gods day what is right in their own eyes not because there is no King but because there is no awe of God in Israel Surely if when there was almost a Tribe cut off in Israel there was nothing but moans and lamentations how much more
when a Sabbath the day of God and our souls is Jud. 15. 6. almost lost in a Nation for this let tears be our drink and Jud. 21. 2. ashes our meat day and night And when the Magistrates Psal 42. 3. become Gallioes for the things of God let the people become Jeremies for the day of God Sabbath decayes will soon make a bankrupt Nation Nay lastly we may bewail the punished purity of Englands Sabbaths The people of God cannot be so good as they will on Gods holy day How often are the Saints in the midst of Lew Sabbati opera humana non divina prohibuit Tertul. their weeping eyes bended knees melting hearts mounting minds when congregated in secret to seek Gods face and to meet with Christ their beloved How often I say are they interrupted surprized haled away by Officers and the Sanctuary leads them to a Prison their Piety is uncharitably called treachery and their devotion is unreasonably interpreted Sedition This is Englands misery and unhappiness the Prisons are filled with spiritual worshippers and the Nation is filled with carnal Gospellers Prophaneness is uncontrouled but the most resined service of God is liable to poenalties Tertullianus de Cor. Mil. Plin. Sec. in Epist ad Trajanum Imper. De Amelucanis coetibus Christianorum in die dominigo mentionem faciunt and pursued with force and violence not because it is unsuitable to Gods will but it is inconformable to mans law Now as the Primitive Christians we must have our caetus antelucanos our early because unknown meetings on Gods holy day but surely it must needs be a great evil to rout the stars when gathered in a constellation to hush away the Doves when they stock to the windows and strange it is that mans wrath should be there where Gods presence is in the assembly of the Saints But that the people of God meeting on the day of God in the name of God for fuller communion Mat. 18. 20. with and enjoyment of God in obedience to the command Dan. 12. 3. of God should meet with frowns and disgusts should feel the sharpness of a Law or undergoe the keenness of Mat. 13. 43. the Magistrates sword and all this in a Protestant Nation Isa 60. 8. whose usuall Motto was Mildness This is a lamentation and Psal 89. 7. shall be for a lamentation Isa 4. 5. Ezek. 19. 14. FINIS The TABLE A SEnsual Actions to be forborn on the Sabbath day 20. and so sinfull 22 There shall be no Affliction in our Sabbath above 218 The Lords day is of Divine Authority 569 An answer to the Apostles preaching in the Synagogues on their Sabbath day 570 The Lords day instituted by Divine Authority 585 Not by Ecclesiastical ibid. Arguments to urge Sabbath-holiness 668. 718. 732. B The Bounty of God in giving us his Sabbath 186 Our outward Behaviour must be exact in Publick Ordinances on the Sabbath 277 The Sabbath instituted from the Beginning 526 C God is admirable in the works of Creation 147. 191 Conscience is chiefly to be dealt withall in Gospel Administrations 259 The benefit of Chatechizing 334 Some necessary Cautions to prevent Sabbath pollution 407 Several Cases to satisfie conscience in Sabbath Observation 440 The fourth Commandment cannot be Ceremonial 489. 544 The worke of Creation compared with the work of Redemption wherein the last exceeds the first 642 D Duties shall not want their reward p. 3 The Sabbath must be spent in holy Delight 53 The Emptiness of worldly Delights 58 Duration speaks the value of every good thing 209 The sweetness of Holy Duties 229 Holy Discourse doth well become the Sabbath 320 Several Directions for the better observance of the Lords day 353 The evil of Spiritual Doubts 382 All dayes are not eqaally holy in the times of the Gospel 496 The observation of one Day in seven to God hath its great advantages 499 The wildness of that opinion which makes every Day a Sabbath day 505 A seventh Day not the seventh day is commanded in the fourth Commandment 582 E To rise Early well becomes the morning of a Sabbath 85 Several incentives to this practice 86 87 c. The several Ends of the Sabbath 191 Divers Evils to be avoided in the time of publick Ordinances 297 Several Examples of Divine Justice breaking out upon Sabbath-breakers 683 England bemoan'd for Sabbath-prophanation 781 F Holy Fruitfulness becomes the Sabbath 56 Many Faculties and parts to be acted on a Sabbath 95 The Excellency of Faith 422 The sore judgement of a Famine of the Word 680 The influence God hath upon the Fire 716 G Many Graces to be acted on a Sabbath 95 God is most Glorious in his Nature and Essence 128 The works of Grace deserve our sweetest meditation 178 The works of Glory to be meditated on 185 Active Graces become holy Ordinances 316 How to procure Gods presence in ordinances 385 There are three Glasses to see our hearts in 445 H We must look on the Sabbath as Honourable 54 God most glorious in his Holiness 135 How we are to deal with our Hearts on the morning of a Sabbath 263 Holiness is engraven upon the Sabbath 733 I Holy Joy becomes a Sabbath 267 How our Inward man is to be ordered in publick Ordinances 300 How we must spend the Interval between the Morning and Evening worship of a Sabbath 319 The Lords day is a day of Rest not Idleness 427 The great evils of Idleness 435 Idleness on the Lords day a very great evil 436 The Jewes sometimes very exemplary in Sabbath-observation 514 We Christians are to out-vy the Jews in Sabbath-observation 634 The dreadfull Judgements which pursue Sabbath-breakers 676 L The Labourers plea for recreations upon the Sabbath answered 33 Impertinent Language unbecoming the Sabbath day 49 God is incomprehensible in his Love 143 Nothing in a Saint can make a change in Gods Love 145 The Lords day confirmed by all Laws 619 What Christian Liberty is 645 Some remarkables concerning Londons fire which began on the Lords day 696 M Secret duties befitting the Morning of a Sabbath 89 The benefit of Morning duties on Gods holy day 104 The excellency of Meditation 106 124. It s Nature 107. How it is distinguished from some things very like to it 109. How much and how long we must Meditate 112. The chiefest seasons for Meditation 115. The rich advantages of Meditation 119. Meditation proper to every Ordinance 121 122. It feeds our Graces ibid. And amplifies our Comforts 123. It s necessity 125 The Morality of the fourth Commandment 552 How the Sabbath was made for Man 648 O Outward enjoyments are the reward of Sabbath obedience 59 God is most glorious in his Omnisciency 134 The excellency of Gospel Ordinances 285. 423 424. 443 The first Original of the Sabbath 522 And most probably it was ordained in Paradise 524 P The Poor mans Plea for working on a Sabbath Answered 7 Rich Promises made to a due observation of the Sabbath 57 63 Prophanation of the Sabbath the greatest Prodigality 67 Preparation for the Sabbath very necessary and several incentives to it 71 What those Preparatory duties are which must precede the Sabbath 77 Publick duties become the Sabbath 93 Many Persons to converse with on a Sabbath 96 God is most adorable in his Power 133 God to be exceedingly admired in the works of his Providence 156 Gods Presence must be meditated on on the Sabbath day 188 Prayer well becomes the morning of a Sabbath 239 How our Prayers must be qualified 243 The necessity of the spirits assistance in all our Prayers 246 What we must Pray for on the morning of the Sabbath 249 Practice is the best use of Ordinances 161 The sweetness and excellency of the Promises 269 Singing of Psalms a sweet and an excellent duty 339 The efficacy of Prayer 425 The advantages of Praying alone 454 Miscellanious Prescriptions for the better discharge of conscience in Sabbath-observation 765 R Recreations unlawfull on a Sabbath 23 Reverence becomes the Sabbath 54 God is wonderfull in the most glorious work of Mans Redemption 167 All the attributes of God shone gloriously in the work of Mans Redemption 174 The benefit of Repeating Sermons 327 Why the word Remember is prefaced to the fourth Commandment 660 The Resurrection of Christ a forcible argument to Sabbath-holiness 750 S What a Sabbath days journey is 6 The whole Sabbath is to be spent with God 35 The worth of the Soul 38 The Saints must meet together on a Sabbath day 97 The Jewish Sabbath compared with the Christian 201 The Christians Sabbath here compared with his Sabbath above 210 Some eminent types of our Sabbath above 234 The excellency of the Scriptures 272. 326. 456. Reading of the Scriptures usefull in the morning of a Sabbath 273 Publick Assemblies most pleasing on a Sabbath 274 The mischiefs of Sleeping in Ordinances 280 We must be Spiritual in our duties when we come to Publick Ordinances 312 What it is to be in the Spirit on the Lords day 387 The rare effects of the Spirit 393 466 How to keep Solitary Sabbaths 451 453 T Gods Truth is a glorious attribute 139 Vain Thoughts must be avoided in holy ordinances 305 Two days in a week cannot be observed as Sabbaths 569 V The Beatifical Vision somewhat opened and explicated 214 Unbelief a destructive sin 421 Variety of Sabbath duties delightfull 465 W Secular Works unlawful on the Sabbath 4. By Scripture 5. By Authority Civil 10. Ecclesiastical 11. By Reason 13. Works of necessity may be done on a Sabbath day 17 God is infinite in wisdom far surpassing mans 136 To Work upon the Sabbath day very sinfull 215 Holy Watchfulness becomes a Sabbath 401 How to keep a Whole Sabbath to God spiritually and sweetly 466 FINIS
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.
be taken up in the worship of God And thus at this time both Church and State united to suppress sensual Recreations on Gods holy day and indeed Dies festas Majestatialtissimae dedicatos nullis voluptatibus volumus occupari C. Lib. 12. Tit. 12. how irrational is this that mans sense must be flattered in that juncture of time when his soul is to be feasted how comes it that a Sabbath is so tedious that there is a need of pastime to wear it away and so the burthen may be lightned It is charged upon the carnal and covetous Israelites that they wisht the Sabbath over but this is censured as such a sin as God threatens with the worst of judgements a famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. ad Graec. Infid Serm. 9. Amos 8. 5. compared with v. 8. 11. Ludi nostri esse debent sacrae cantiones verbi divini lectiones aegretori visitationes afflictorum consolationes pauperum sustentationes Zanch. in Col. of the Word nay such a sin as will shake a Land and make it tremble Learned Zanchy hath an excellent Speech Our Playes on a Sabbath should be Holy Singings Scripture readings visitation of the Sick comforting of the Afflicted and supporting of the Poor These are the delights of a savoury spirit and a gracious soul I am sure that of the Apostle is seasonable on a Sabbath If any man will make merry let him sing Psalms James 5. 13. This is a comfortable James 5. 13. Ordinance and a spiritual Recreation Christ is an inclosed Garden Cant. 4. 12. And can we complain of the Cant. 4. 12. want of delight who have such a Garden to walk in Sensual pastimes for the most part they are useless impertinencies the Parenthesis of mans life but on the Lords day these are unjustifiable vanities and let Reason bring in its suffrage to condemn these unseasonable Sports and Recreations Recreations on a Sabbath they are impediments to duty The Bishop of Ely our adversary in this point grants that Sports and Recreations are prohibited on the Lords day so Bishop of Ely p. 217. far forth as they are impediments to Religious and Evangelical duties Now how they should be otherwise is not easily discernible for do not Recreations possess the mind divert the intention withdraw from spiritual duties hinder the service of Christ and fill the heart with froth and vanity And are not sports usually the very leekage of Corruption When we bowle what do we think on but the byass and the game When we shoote what are we intent upon but our aime and the mark I instance in these two because they are especially urged as lawfull on the Sabbath Let us saith Greenham Cease from Games Sports Exercises and such like things of less necessity but great impediments to the Greenh p. 825. Sabbath Is it to be supposed that we frame our Spirits or compose our hearts for divine conveâ—se on a bowling green What is this but to fancy we should meet with the gracious visitations of God at a Stage-play An adversary in C. D. p. 52. this point hath these words Such is the reverence that is due to the publick duties of Devotion that they require not onely a surcease from other works and thoughts for the time of the performance but also a decent preparation beforehand that so our thoughts and affections which are naturally bent upon the world and not easily withdrawn from it may be raised to a disposition befitting so sacred an imployment This is most piously and worthily concluded Let me reassume what is here granted And must not our thoughts be as much taken up in digesting of the word as in preparing for it in meditating on Ordinances when over as in disposing our selves for them when to come Meat is not healthfull as Psal 1. 2. onely put into the mouth but as chewed swallowed and Non tantum lectio sed et meditatio digested The sacred Ordinances of Christ must be followed with critical inquiries divine and serious meditations servent prayers or they will fall short of the intended work and design of them The seed when thrown into the ground Acts 17. 11. must be covered with snow warmed with sunshines watered Aug. de temp Serm. 251. with showers or it will yield no expected crop and harvest And if it be so I see not where Recreations can find any place which are nothing else but incumberances as St. Augustine speaks Recreations on the Sabbath they are the snares of the flesh they are onely pleasing temptations with a fair colour like the Apple which drew our first Parents to a breach of Gods Gen. 3. 6. will it was pleasant to behold The Jews first Feasted on Sanè Sabbathum festus dies cùm fuerit cò hilaria agere judaeis consuetum suit quae eò demum abierunt ut illa ad insanas saltationes et plausus abuterentur Leid Prof. the Sabbath then danced frantickly and grew excessively prophane as the Professors of Leiden observe These pleasing sports how often do they draw the tongue to sinfull slipperiness inflame the eye with lust and wantonness and put the heart into a carnal frame nay too frequently seduce to excess and intemperance And as Augustine in the forementioned place saith They press down the Soul from being lift up to a Heavenly Life Our corrupt heart need not the insinuation of sports and pastimes to broach it that it may run with levity and prophaneness Gods holy Sabbath needs not such engines of corruption Aug. Serm. de tempore Recreations on Gods blessed Sabbath They are the very canker of Ordinances they eat out the very heart and force of them Sports will easily and naturally rub off convictions take off the gust and sweetness we have tasted in the Word and wear off the impressions of Prayer and of other solemn duties all which with the sound of the Gospel we have partaked of evaporates and is lost When we have conversed with God in Ordinances how many things lye at the catch to invalidate their power Satan is ready to steal Mat. 13. 19. away the Word our hearts to damp and quench the efficacy Sicut in seminando ager praeparandus est nisi operam et laborem cum semente perdere velimus cor ad audiendum verbun dei praeparandum est et deus diligenter orandus tum ex parte conciona toris tum ex parte auditoris Lyser of it the world to charm away the sweet musick of it and there is need of meditation prayer and holy and sanctified means to keep alive the fire of the Word in the soul and therefore unseasonably we flush our selves with Recreations and Pastimes to bury all in distast or forgetfulness The use of sports will inevitably make our Righteousness like the morning dew which the heat of play and delights will suddenly dry up Nay if the Cares of the world as our Saviour
fâ—rtior uâ—â— alâ—erâ— sed qui libidiâ—â—m repressi fâ—rtior â—at sâ—iâ—so Cypr. de bono Pudic. cause and needs not the supplement of another Advocate But if the whole day of a Sabbath must be spent with God in publick private or secret duties and in managing of the affairs of the soul which comes now to be provâ—d in this Chapter then the Argument for sports and pastimâ—s on the Lords day will lose its force and significancy And here I may begin the Argument with that sharp expostulation of Naamans Servant to Naaman himself What if God as he speaks of the Prophet had required some great thing of us would we not have done it What if God had It is most equal if man have 6 days that God should have the 7th and this is the reason the soul and life of the fourth Commandment Mr. Shep. required of us six dayes and given us onely one for our selves should we not have observed them Much more when he requireth but one day and giveth us six shall not we observe that Shall we abate God of the tale and measure of his time Shall the stream of time wherein we are commanded to worship God be so small and yet shall it be turned into several channels and diversions Reason it self here seems to condemn the straightness of our spirits but for the clearing of the Argument we will fetch our evidences from the treasuries of Scripture Reason and conveniency In the fourth Commandment which yet our Liturgie confesseth to be of equal obligation with the rest in praying for pardon for the breaches of it and begging grace for the better observance of it as was hinted before I say in this Commandment the initiatory and first words command Exod. 20. 8. the sanctification of a day not a part of a day or a few hours of a day for the words of the Statute run thus Deut. 5. 12. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy and it is very observable and not to be passed over with silence that Memento diei Sabbathi ut cum sanctifices inquit Dominus in quarto Praecepto Ad hoc recteintelligendum notandum est ex vi ipsius praecepti non aliquam partem diei sed totum diem esse Domino sanctificandum Wal. We are to account the sanctification of one day in a week a duty which Gods immutable Law doth Enact for ever Hooks Eccles Pol. Lib. 5. God would have at least one day in a week to be allowed him Ferus The Divine Law required that one day in a week should be sequestred for holy worship Bellar. de Cult Sanct. Lib. 3. Cap. II. 1 Kings 3. 26. Mat. 25. 24. God doth not onely command us to keep holy the Sabbath which might be a time indefinite and indeterminate but the Sabbath day which amply prescribes the time of observance A day no less then the time of a day it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jom Ha Sabbath the day of a Sabbath Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jom properly and usually signifies a full day unless it be figuratively and by way of Synechdoche it signifies sometimes time indefinite as Critiques in the holy tongue observe and so Gen. 1. 5. where it is said the Evening and the Morning was the first day there the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jom and the day mentioned in this great Commandment must needs comprehend the space of twenty four hours nor do the Learned by their interpretations or glosses abreviate or shorten the time but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jom is a whole day by the confession of all Now shall God enjoyne the observation of a day and shall we mutilate it Shall we maime or curtaile it and take part of this holy day for our labours or recreations Surely this savours of too great presumption We must by Divine command keep holy a day not a part or piece of a day and therefore for us to say as the Harlot to Solomon in another case Let not God have the whole Sabbath nor let us have the whole Sabbath but let it be divided between his service and our sports what is this but with the unprofitable servant to call God hard Master and that his requiring a whole day was an act of too much austerity And as we have an Argument in the beginning of the fourth Commandment wherein God shews his Soveraignty so we may discern an Argument in the body of the Commandment wherein God shews his indulgence for in this fourth Commandment God allows us six dayes for labour Exod. 20. 8. but the seventh is to be a day of holy rest and observation Now the six dayes for labour are six full and whole dayes Naturale est diem septimum quemque deo sacrum esse Jun. Com. in Genes without any deduction or abatement Man may without regret on these six dayes pursue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things which belong to this life as Chrysostome calls them He may go forth to his labour till the Evening as the Psalmist speaks nay if his strength still fail not he may draw the curtains Morale est ut ex septem diebus unus cultuâ— divino consecretur Armin. Disp 77. Chrysost Psal 104. 23. No man doubteth the meaning of these words six dayes shalt thou labour c. to be this That seeing God hath permitted us six dayes to do our works in we ought in the seventh wholly to serve him VVhitguift Defence of the Answ to the Adm. p. 553. Jam hinc ab initio doctrinam hanc insinuat Deus erudiens in circulo hebdomadae diem unum integrum segregandum et reponendum in spiritualem operatiâ—nem Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septimum diem non utilem deus putabat ad creandum sed ad quietem accommodandum statuâ—t Theod. quest in Genesin Perpetuum est ac aeternum quamdiu Ecclesia agit interris quòd unus dies in hebdomade cultui divino mancipetur hoc stabile firmum est Pet. Mart. loc Com. Aug Serm. de Temp. Requirit Deus quietem hanc corporis et cessâ—tioâ—em ab operibus non qualemeunque et dimidiatam sed justam plenam et exactâ—m i. e. proposito accommodam Musc Totus ergo dies ex toto ammo quantum fert humana necessitas et imbecillitas ritè ac piè Deo servandus erat Leid Prof. of the night and make a further progress into his toyle and painfulness and all this without blame and violation of the fourth Commandment Now shall not the seventh day be of as long continuance and duration as any of the other six Shall the day for Heaven be more contracted then the six dayes for Earth The day for spiritual rest shall it not be of an equall length with the dayes for secular labour Whence ariseth the inequality that the six dayes may be wholly employed in our worldly affairs but if part onely of the Lords day be spent in
inquam animus ad eandem quoque sanctificationem ritè preparetur Wal. of Canaan so were they filled with Corn when they came to Joseph in Aeygpt And according as we prepare our hearts at home in the week time so our comfortable fillings shall be when we come before the Lord on his own day He that expects from his field a large crop and a plenteous harvest must before hand take pains in plowing and well preparing the ground we do not before hand take preparatory pains and that is the reason we reap so little in Sabbath-time man naturally is slow of heart Luke 24. 25. Duty and Industry must help Nature that so our sluggish hearts may be fitted for the receiving of those blessings which usually attend the Sabbath day Emptied vessels take in the liquor Pruned Vines become fruitfull and feracious And dressed Gardens cast the sweetest smells And so the heart mollified with penitential tears pruned by resolute mortification and turned up by frequent search will be accommodate for the magnificent plantations of Sabbath graces Of Zeal and Fervency Can we observe the several Holy-dayes to have their Eves wherein some Service and Liturgy must be used for preparation The Chappels and Cathedrals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippo. must be frequented and prayers must be made because some Saints day is approaching and the neglect of this duty is adjudged an indignity by many great ones in the Church Shall a day dedicated to a Saint to an Apostle to a Martyr be ushered in with preparatory services and must the holy Sabbath the day dedicated to the Lord Jesus God blessed Rom. 9. 5. Christus est deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super omnes aut super omnia eodem sensu Par. for ever have no Eve no preparatory duties no services to proclaim its coming But the preceding day must be spent in a more eager pursuit of the World then we frequent the Markets mind our shops reckon with our workmen pierce further into the night for our worldly business and we catch greedily after the flying week now drawing towards an end what is this but to give more honour to the Saints day then the Sabbath day to an ordination of the Church then an institution of Christ Shall the blessed Sabbath have no evidence no sign of its coming no preparatory Prayers no precursory pains Must the holy days Eve have the Cathedral for service and not the Sabbath Eve have the Closet for preparation Where is our zeal for Gods honour and Gods day It is very strange that the Saints Festivals should be introduced with greater solemnity then Christs holy day Surely this doth not become the Christian who is or should be sick of love with his beloved Cant. 2. 5. Of Holy Ingenuity Shall we be out-vied by the Jewes the vagabond Jewes in our preparations for the Sabbath Shall they be so exact and we so negligent Let not a blasphemous Jew rise up in judgement against us And here I shall open the care of the Jewes in preparing for the Sabbath Scalig. de Emend temp Lib. 6 p. 261. The Jewes formerly gave and for the present do give very solemn and great honour to their Sabbath The week days they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cholim Prophane as the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working days and in respect of the different degrees of holiness of dayes the Sabbath day is not unfitly Scalig. de Emend temp Lib. 6. p. 269. compared to a Queen or to those who are termed primary Wives other feast dayes to Concubines or half-wives working dayes to Hand-maids The Jewes began the Sabbath at six of the clock the night before And this the Graecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Biath Hasabbath the enterance of the Sabbath Their preparation Joseph Anti. lib. 16. cap 10. to the Sabbath began at three of the clock in the afternoon which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnereb ha-Sabbath the Sabbath Eve and this the Fathers called Caenam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puram the pure Supper the phrase being borrowed In vitibus Paganorum coenâ— pura appellabatur illis apponi solita qui in casto erant quod Graeci dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa Causab Mark 15. 42. Luke 23. 54. from the Pagans whose Religion taught them in their sacrifices to certain of their Gods and Goddesses to prepare themselves by a strict kind of holiness observe the very Heathens prepared for their sacrifices to their Idol Gods and Goddesses This preparation for the Sabbath is by the Evangelist called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preparation Mark 15. 42. whose words are these And now when Even was come because it was the preparation i. e. the day before the Sabbath To the same purpose the Evangelist Luke Luk. 23. 54. And that day was the preparation and the Sabbath drew on And among the Jews the whole day was a kind of preparation for on this preparation day they might not go more then three Parsoth now a Parsa contained so much ground as an ordinary man might go ten of them in a day and Judges on this day might not sit in Judgement upon life and death c. And so carefull were the Jews of observing the time of their preparation for the Sabbath that the best Buxtorf Synag Judaic Cap. 10 〈◊〉 â—almud and wealthiest of them even those who had many servants did with their own hands further the preparation so that sometimes the Masters themselves they would chop herbs sweep the house cleave wood kindle the fire and such like In old time they proclaimed the preparation with noyse of Trumpets or Horns but now the modern Jewes proclaim it by the Sexton or some under Officer of the Church whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shihach Tsibbur the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hospin de Fest Jud. messenger of the Congregation and this messenger advised them that they should prepare seasonably for the worthy Celebration of the Sabbath Hospinian tells us and his testimony is Authentical that when the Sexton gives notice of the approaching Sabbath that then they prepared all those meats they were to feed upon the succeeding Sabbath and put them upon a table covered with a clean cloth then they washed their heads pared their nails and prepared their Sabbath apparel The Sun setting the woman Occidente sole mulieres lumina Sabbataria accendunt mulier quaeque domi ambas suas manus versus lumen expandit et precatiunculam quandam peculiarem demurmurat Hosp Cum aliqui longiore spatio itiâ—eris ab hospitio aut aedibâ—â— suis abiit die Veneris quà m die Sabbatino conficere licet in agris vel mediâ sylvâ ubicunque ille sit manere et ibidem quiescere et Sabbatum servare neglecto omni periculo et injuriâ cibi et poâ—us debet Hosp The
must meet with Christ at a Sacrament A contrite heart is the fittest company for a Crucified Saviour Eph. 5. 19. In singing of Psalms there must be holy joy we must make August in lib. confes Deplorat dolet qâ—â—d concentibus musiâ—is plus attentionis adhibuit quà m quae sub illâ—s profâ—rebâ—ntur Zanch. melody in our hearts Holy affection must make the reading of the Word savoury and saving to us The Sabbath then without we act our Graces on God on Christ on the Word and in the Ordinances is onely a day of theatrical shews and spiritual pegeantries which when it is over leaves the soul empty of any purchase or satisfaction And if so many graces must be drawn out into act we had need take the wings of the morning and speed to our Sabbath employments which are so numerous and important There are many faculties and parts to employ on the Sabbath All that is within us and all that is without us must serve and praise the Lord every part of our bodies and Psal 109. 30. every faculty of our souls the whole man is but a reasonable Rom. 12. 1. sacrifice to be offered this holy festival First Our outward man the tongue must be employed in prayer the ear in attention the heart in devotion the eye in speculation the knee in submission And Secondly Our inward man the understanding must be improved to drink in truth the will to entertain truth the Recta ratio dictat deum magâ—â— interna fide spe pietate amore et puritate mentis quà m externis corporis ceremoniis colendum esse Alap memory to retain and record truth and our affections have a three-fold office First To espouse the Word by receiving it in the love thereof 2 Thes 2. 10. A careful attention opens the door to 2 Thes 2. 10. the word but a lively affection opens the heart to the word The preaching of the Gospel layes a treble injunction upon us 1. To receive it 2. To love it 3. To live in it But the Second office of our affections is to heat our prayers it is love makes that sacrifice to smoak and flame And James 5. 16. Thirdly To scale Heaven in longing for a better Sabbath more durable more sweet more full and superlative Psal 63. 1. There are many persons to converse withall on the Lords day First We must converse with God The Sabbath is called the Lords day not onely as it is the commemoration of Rev. 1. 10. his glorious resurrection and his appointment and institution but likewise because our business is with him on that day then more especially our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Our praying on a Sabbath 1 Joh. 1. 3. is the pouring out of our souls into Gods bosome our In Patrea et in Christo sunt omnia verae ecclesiae bona Zanch. hearing is onely receiving and being acquainted with Gods mind in Ordinances we wait upon God in the Sacrament we feed upon Christ in our Services we do homage to God in our Praises we pay tribute to God The Sabbath is the souls meeting day with God its spiritual Mart in which it traficks and drives its trade with Heaven Take away God from a Sabbath and the Ordinances are dry and parcht duties are heartless and unprofitable the Sanctuary is filled with emptiness the people and professors hunt after a Isa 55. 2. shadow and at last shall catch that which is not bread All our addresses on this holy day are to God our delights are in God our expectations are from God our fellowship and sweet communion is with God and therefore holy David Psal 63. 2. speaks of Gods Power and Glory in the Sanctuâ—ry and makes its only request to behold the beauty of the Lord in the Temple Psal 27. 4. and magnifies a dayes opportunity in Gods house The Psal 84. 10. Spouse enquires where Christ feedeth and where he makes his Can. 1. 7. flock to rest at noon Our great and principal business is with God on the Sabbath Secondly We must converse with the Ministers of God they are on this day the stars to guide us Rev. 1. 10. they Rev. 1. 10. are the Stewards to provide for us and give us our meat in due season Luk. 12. 42. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 10. they Luke 12. 42. are the salt to season us Mat. 5. 13. they are the wise Duo docet Apostolus unum communionem cum Apostolis ideòq eorum Doctrinam eô spectare ut omnes unum fiamus cum Christo ejus Patre Zanch. 1 Cor. 3. 10. Mal. 2. 7. builders to edifie us in the increases of God their lips preserve knowledge their feet appear beautifull in bringing the glad-tidings of Peace their voice is sweet to the hungry soul On the Sabbath we must wait on the Ministry of Gods faithfull Ambassadors Thirdly We must converse with the Saints of God on his holy day then Gods people must gather together and pursue Rom. 10. 15. a joynt interest Publick Assemblies adorn the Sabbath Cant. 2. 14. Grapes are best in clusters There are many strings to the 2 Cor. 5. 20. Lute which is the sweetest Instrument Flocks are most pleasant when gathered together in one company and Armies most puissant when kept in a body their dissipation is both their rout and ruine Christs sheep must flock together Suggerit Apost constantiae admâ—nicula Primò Vtament et diligenter frequentent caetus Ecclesiasticos Secundò Vt se mutuò ad veritatem tuendam cohortationibus excitent maxime qui firmiores sunt infirmiores juvent confirment et hortentur ad constantiam in fide Deus enim publicis presentiam suam et eruditionem promisit In Ecclesiae congressiâ—us doctrina fidei reperitur et declaratur ad singulorum aedificationem et preces pro constantid publicè funduntur ad deum quas juxta promissionem exaudit Par. on Christs holy day Paraeus gives us four solid Reasons for it which I shall mention for their substantial worth First The Congregating of Gods people especially on the Lords day is the soder of unity like many stones so artificially laid that they appear all but one stone Every Congregation is a little body whereof Christ is the head Vnity is the strength and beauty of the Saints nothing so preserves it as frequent and holy Assemblings Secondly It is the preservative of love Many sticks put together kindle a flame and make a â—laze Frequent visits multiply friendships In Heaven where all the glorified Saints meet together how ardent is their love Absence and seldome associations beget strangeness as between God and us so between one another To meet to worship the same God is the best way to attain to the same heart like the Primitive Saints who were all of one company and all of one mind Acts 2. 46. Acts 2.
is our way if we read Christ is the word if we eat or drink Christ is our food if we live Christ is our life Thus a gracious heart may make a spiritual use of all earthly objects and every Creature which presents it self may supply our contemplations on Christ And so we may happily begin our Sabbath But more particularly We must meditate on the most noble works of the Creation And here the Angels heighten and sublimate our meditations the Sun and the stars enlighten them the several pieces of the Universe enlarge them and the sweet fields and flowers refresh them the thunder and lightning awaken them the musical notes of the birds delight them Our Psal 18. 13. meditations are raised in beholding the Creatures The Creationis mundi efficiens causa non sola est Dei bonitas sed bonitas cum summâ sapientiâ conjuncta contemplation of created beings turned the Prophet into a Philosopher he observed the Wisdom and Power of God in the worlds Creation Jer. 10. 12. there saith the Prophet He hath made the Earth by his power he hath established the world by his wisdome and hath stretched out the Heavens by his discretion How sweetly doth the Prophet Philosophize upon the raising and setling the Fabrick of the world The Jer. 10. 12. contemplation of created beings turned the Psalmist into an Job 35. 5. Oratour How eloquently doth David paraphrase upon the Psal 104. 2. wonders and works of the Creation Psal 104. 2. there saith the Psalmist He stretcheth out the Heavens like a curtain layes the beams of his Chambers in the waters who makes the clouds his Chariot who walks upon the wings of the wind The Psalmist spends largely upon the treasury of his Rhetorick to set out the excellency of the worlds Architect Nay the contemplation of created beings turns Nomen gloria decus creatoris quia Coelum est nominatissima pars mundi Martin holy Job into an Astronomer he views with admiration Arcturus Orion the Pleiades and casts his eye upon the Chambers of the South Job 9. 8 9. And then he is folded up with amazement at the glory and power of the Creatour There are some who derive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Job 26. 13. Heavens from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be amazed Indeed a prospect of that glorious body the Heavens the roof of the great house of the world that bespangled and enamel'd Canopy over our heads can drive the most considerate person into amazement The vastness and beauty of the body of the Heavens the swiftness and regularity of their motions and agitations which is above all reason can easily raise men into wonder and trasportation In Scripture we sometimes meet with the Heavens of Heavens 1 Kings 8. 27. and with the Nehem. 9. 6. Psal 148. 4. Isa 63. 15. Obstupuit propter insignem vastitatem istius corporis quod ipsi nos aspicientes in stuporem rapimur iscat third heavens 2 Cor. 12. 2. There are likewise the highest heavens and yet God made them Gen. 1. 4. and he can bow them as he listeth Psal 18. 9. He can stretch them to what latitude he pleaseth Isa 45. 12. He can span them Isa 48. 13. And if he be angry and inflamed he can throw a black cloath over them and shade their glory Isa 50. 3. Jer. 4. 23. 28. and melt them Psal 68. 8. and cause them to vanish like a smoak Isa 51. 6. Amos 9. 6. Nay how doth Holy Paul like an exact Logician draw the conclusion of the glory of things invisible by the splendour and excellency of things visible Rom. 1. 20. But further to dâ—late on this subject God created the body Acts 4. 15. of this world Gen. 1. 1. The inhabitants of this World Angels and Men Isa 42. 5. Mat. 2. 11. The light and Psal 89. 12. Luminaries of this world to distinguish it from a great and Amos 4 13. darker prison Gen. 1. 14. He created the garnishes and delights Psal 74. 17. of this world the soft waves the sweet fields the Si interrogas quotâ horâ creabantur Angeli Resp primâ cùm coelum creabatur Si interrogas quo loco Resp in loco beatorum Zanch. shady clouds the piercing winds to fan and cool the world and the different seasons to beautifie the year with successive alternations Pontanus Chancellour of Saxony propounds to be viewed the most beautiful arch work of heaven resting on no post but Gods power and yet standing fast for ever the clouds as thin as the liquor contained in them yet they hang and move salute us onely and threaten us and pass we know not whither Now all these things may feed our meditations on the morning of the Lords day though divine medidation may become any part of that sacred day Augustine August findeth no reason why God should be six dayes in making the world seeing he could have made it with a word but that we should be in a muse when we think of it and should think on his works in that order he made them Our meditations should take leisure in the survey of them and not pass them over in a short and momentany flight And besides the reason urged by St. Augustine we may take notice of a second viz. what a beautiful and sweet prospect meditation shall have in the survey of the works of the Creation which may entertain our view for some considerable Gen. 19. 3. time and may stop and stay our meditation as Lot did the Angels and force it to a retirement Let us meditate on the Sun that glorious though inanimate creature What is the Sun but the eye of the world Quid potest esse tà m apertum tamque perspicuum cum coelum aspeâ—cimus et coelestia contemplati sumus quam aliquid esse Numen praestantissimae mentis quo haec reguntur Tull. de Nat. deorum lib. 2. If we take notice of its scituation and motion the contemplation will be rare It is fixed in the midst of the Planets that it may dispense its light and heat for the greater advantage of the lower world By its course from East to West it causes the agreeable vicissitude of day and night and maintains the amiable war between light and darkness And this distinction of time is necessary for the pleasure and profit of the world The Sun by its rising chases away the shades of the night to delight us with the beauties of the stupendous Creation It is Gods Herald to call us forth to discharge our work The Sun governs our labours conducts our industry and when it retires from us a curtain of darkness is drawn over the world And this very darkness in some sense enlightens us for it makes visible the Ornaments Hunc diem confâ—cit Sol non motusuo proprio qui est per Zodiacum sed motuquo à primo mobili movetur Zanch. of
Now then a sacred work is no sleepy work Our enjoyment of God in Ordinances is a day of salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. It is no night to sleep in It is against reason to 2 Cor. 6. 2. sleep with the Sun shining in our faces In Gospel Ordinances the Sun of righteousness shines in the face of the soul it doth shed its warming and its winning beams upon us The Gospel is called bright John 3. 19. which is to rouse us not to rock us asleep It was once a sharp expostulation of our Saviour What could ye not watch with me Mat. 26. 40. one hour The same query may be put to every sleepy hearer 2. In Ordinances the work we are employed in is opus animae the souls work Will the prisoner fall asleep when he is begging his pardon What are we doing in prayer but suing out our pardons and making up our peace with our offended God The Heir will not fall asleep while he is Evangelium est sublustre quidcam et praegustus clarae lucis sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. gloriae divinae Quae revelabitur in coelis Chrys hearing the Will read in which he is highly concerned the discoveries of the Gospel are the Fathers will concerning his Children and when we meet in Ordinances we are hearing this will and is that a time of sleep and drowsiness In Ordinances the case of our souls is agitated heaven and eternity are proposed life and death are set before us the silver trumpet of the Gospel sounds and is that a time of sloth and oscitancy Ordinances are the way to life the means of grace not onely the radicall moisture to preserve spiritual life but the very first means to beget it and shall we sleep in Ordinances When the wind blows right shall the mariner betake himself to his bed or to his tackle to drown himself in sloath or to hoise sail and trace the floating Idem sermo aliis est propiâ—iatio ad vitam aliis condemnatio ad mortem quae diversitas non verbo sed nostrae incredulitati debetur fic admonitiones exhortationes doctrinae castigationes quibâ—â— delinquentes ad recipiscentiam vocantur contemptores et impaenitentes judicantur in die ultimo Muse waves Every opportunity of grace is a good wind for heaven and shall we sleep away that seasonable and precious gale How then shall we finish our voyage to eternity We hear Proclamations with great attention Every Sermon is Christs Proclamation to proclaim pardon to all penitent sinners who will come in and lay down the weapons of sin and lust and submit themselves to the Scepter and Obedience of Jesus Christ and shall we sleep in hearing this royal Proclamation It is very observable what awakening and heart-penetrating expressions the Prisoner uses at the bar and there is nothing unobserved by him but with much greediness and attention he hearkens to the Evidence of the Witnesses to the Verdict of the Jury to the Sentence of the Judge and no wonder it is for his life Now the word we hear it is that which shall judge us at the great day John 12. 48. By it our eternal estate shall be disposed either to life or death that blessed word shall cast or crown us and shall we sleep away this word Shall it not then condemn us for mutes and so to be pressed to eternal death Our life our peace our souls are all concerned in the entertainment of this word and we sleep and dream it away surely greater frenzy cannot befall the Children of men Sleeping in Ordinances is a great affront to the richest priviledge we enjoy on this side heaven The time of worship is the souls Term time a few choyce minutes to gain glory in and shall we sleep away these golden filings of time these sweet Veniente Christo mors vigebat et regrâ—bat sed Christus ejus vigorem et regnâ—m sustulit et destruxit Alap opportunities of the soul when Christ is wooing us to court us to a Crown Did we ever understand the true value of Ordinances 1. Ordinances they are the purchases and price of Christs blood that we have a Gospel to hear divine truth to entertain this is the Revenue of Christs death The Apostle tells us Christ brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Christ by dying brought this life Christ by descending into the dark grave brought this immortality to light And the Gospel is the full declaration of these glorious atchievements And Christ by his Heb. 10. 20. blood hath opened a new and living way for prayer to the throne of grace Heb. 10. 20. And shall a priviledge purchased with blood be slept away We will not throw away Diamonds fetcht from far with care and hazzard nor cast away Rings left us as tokens of love by endeared friends why should we sleep away opportunities not purchased with treasure but tears not with wealth but blood nay the best blood which ever ran in the veins of humane nature 2. Ordinances are the Benjamins mess which are given to few in the world some corners onely of the earth are guilded and guided by this light Hath God indulged us with these distinguishing opportunities and must they pass away from us in a dream This very ingratitude is not so much a trespass as a prodigy Shall Christ select us out to feast with Cant. 2. 4. Esth 7. 1. him in his hanqueting house as once the King selected Haman to feast with him with the Queen and shall we sleep at the table when we should feast upon Gospel dainties shall we drowsily throw away those seasons of love nay the best love which few in the world are honoured with 3. In Ordinances we have the offers of the sweetest grace Quia filius dei est vivus cum Patre et sp sancto deus et quia secundum humanam naturam ad patrem abiit et ad dextram patris est evectus et omnem in coelo et in terrâ potestatem accepit indeut verus deus verus homo preces credentium exaudit ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orationem ex fide in Christum prosectam non exaudiri Ger. Prayer hath the key of the treasury door John 14. 14. where our comforts are banked up In hearing we have the gracious offers of Christ and in him of life and happiness and shall all these offers these paramount tenders of love be slept away Shall we shut our eyes shut our hands shut our souls against all these rich revenues freely proffered in Gospel dispensations Beasts by natures instinct will not sleep at the provender nor at their manger 4. Ordinances they are precious but transcient priviledges As we sometimes pass upon the water and view a stately structure but we quickly lose the sight of it our prospect is upon the speed so yet a little while and we shall pray no more hear no more enjoy
sollicitude And so Calvin presses That on this day every man ought to withdraw himself wholly to God-ward to mind him and his works that we may be provoked to serve and honour him The Sabbath is Gods freehold and all impertinencies whither foolish thoughts 2 Tim. 2. 4. vain discourse or unbecoming actions if they enter upon it they are trespassers In a word we must be in the spirit not in the flesh or the deeds of the flesh upon Gods holy and blessed day Dir. 10 We must be very watchful on Gods holy day This is a day on which we must be on our guard Christians on other dayes are Souldiers but on this day they must be sentinels 2 Tim. 2. 4. The Sanctuary more especially is our Court of guard Christ speaks to us now as once he did to his Disciples Can Mark 14. 37. ye not watch with me one day Our Sabbaths are always besieged with enemies both within us and without us and when the enemy is on the walls nothing more necessary then a strict watch Let us watch our hearts It is a fond piece of hypocrisie to watch our words and our actions on a Sabbath and in the Hic sc ad cor noctâ—rnas et diurnas excubias colloâ—emus Cartw. mean time give scope and liberty to our wandring hearts to take its circuits and ranges A flatulent and a gadding heart is a great disturbance upon a Lords day a man can neither pray nor hear nor meditate but he is troubled and disquieted It is the counsel of the Wise man to keep our hearts with all diligence we must set double guards Prov. 4. 23. upon them The heart in it self is a wandring Dinah and will be slipping away to vanity it is ready to fall into the snare Corde nihil est fugacius Bern therefore we must watch it warily and check it speedily and over-awe it with the apprehension of Gods all-seeing eye It is observable that the Lord Jesus appeared to his Rev. 1 14. servant John upon his own day in a heart searching similitude His eyes were as a flaming fire not only burning in jealousie against sin and sinners but bright and shining as the searcher of hearts and tryer of reins And we should do well to consider that on the Lords day more especially our heart lies under the view of that fiery flaming eye of Christ and he is the judge of all secrets Rom. 2. 16. And this should stop and bound our Quick-silver hearts Let the terrour of the last day work upon our hearts on the Lords day The seat of the judge is fitly resembled by a cloud not a throne of silver or gold but a cloud now as we know the clouds are store houses of refreshing showers so also of storms and tempests and thus doubtless the day of the Lord will be a day of refreshing to some of terrour and amazement to others and a great part of the tempest of that day will fall upon the hearts of men God will have us accountable for ranging thoughts and sinful desires which are aggravated and receive a double dye upon a Sabbath Indeed on this day one of our great works is to chain and fasten the heart to God a loose heart then only runs up and down and doth mischief it makes great waste and is as the Prodigal in his worst fits We must watch against Satan The old Serpent who deluded our first Parents is the great adversary of the Sabbath which was the first institution the evil one strives to Gen. 3. 1 2 3. cloud the rising Sun the early day of divine worship set apart by God from the worlds infancy It was the policy of Pompey Vespasian and Titus most sorely to assault Jerusalem on the Sabbath day Upon the Sabbath day are the Devils Die Sabbati non licet pomum ad carbonem admovere ut assetur Nec allium quod edere velit decorticare saltantem pulicem capere Arborem non licet ascende re ne ramum frangas Munst ex Rabbin most desperate designs He is ever bad but worst on the best dayes we must look for a harming Devil on a helping day Let us trace the evil one all along and we shall easily discern his malice against the blessed Sabbath First Satan stirs up the Jews to clog the Sabbath with superstition Ridiculous were the assertions of that Nation concerning Sabbath observances As it is not lawful to put an apple to roast on the Sabbath day or to peel a head of garlick or to take a flea leaping upon the body or to climb a tree least we break a bough on that day c. Vanities more foolish as Gerard observes then the Sicilian scomms or toys After by the instigations of Satan a persecution is raised against the Church which lasted some Centuries of years beginning in the time Beati martyres in judicium vocati à Proconsule interrogati sunt num Dominicum servasti Cui respondebant se Christianos esse et Dominicum congruâ religionis devotione celebrasse quia intermitti non potest Baron of Nero And then Dominicum servasti c. Hast thou kept the Lords day was one of those ensuaring questions which brought many Christians to the crown of Martyrdom In succeeding ages the great artifice of Satan hath been to debauch the world into a contempt of the Lords day which is notably set down by worthy Dr. Hackwell in these words After ages much degenerating from the simplicity of the Primitive times they so infinitely multiplyed holy days beyond all measure and reason that the Lords day began to be sleighted which no doubt is an especial occasion of that thick cloud of superstition which over-shadowed the face of the Church In these last dayes Satan hath been a perverting spirit in the mouths of the Prophets some decrying the strictness of the Sabbath as rigorous and Judaical others confining holiness 2 Chr. 18. 22. only to the publick worship leaving the people afterwards to the ranges of their own corrupt fancy to bowl to wrestle c. and to follow any exercise which may suit with corrupt nature others shake the foundation of the Lords day as if that blessed day was only the issue of a prudential Canon of the Church but what this Church was where the Council was held who the president and what the Members of it we could never yet learn or understand but yet some clamorously avouch the Lords day is bottomed only upon Ecclesiastical Authority And then if the Azor. institut Moral ps secunda l. 1. c. 2. Sabbath lie at the pleasure of the Clergy as one worthily observes Covetous men who are about their Farms and their Oxen will easily set at naught a humane Ordinance and prophane persons will hardly be whistled into publick or private duties for a device of men but will give themselves free leave for doing or neglecting if there be nothing found in Scripture
this sin we must Ex hoc textu Augustinus solebat disputare solam infidelitatem esse peccatum damnans Chemn be cautionated especially on the Lords day which is faiths working day It is observable that miracles are attributed to no other grace but faith Mat. 17. 20. This grace can remove mountanes Luke 17. 6. Bring faith to an Ordinance it can remove the mountane of carnal reason the mountane of prejudice the mountane of fleshly mindedness A Believer at an Ordinance disputes it not with God is not disaffected with any thing of God is dissolved into the will of God he puts up his prayers as a wise Merchant waiting a seasonable return Psal 85. 8. Hab. 2. 1. He hears Omnibus Evangelium praedicatur sed non omnibus creditur omnibus deus salutem offert sed non consert nisi fidelibus sicut medicina omnibus aegris pro ponitur sed non medetur nisi eam sumentibus Chrysost the word and he claps it close to his soul by personal application Vnbelief throws away the plaister but faith layes it on the wound Faith is both the mouth to receive in and the stomack to digest spiritual food The word striketh boldly and worketh miraculously under the banner of faith Rom. 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 15. But there is a blindness in unbelief which cannot see the beauties of an Ordinance and how lovely Christ looks in it Faith hath an eye to see the excellency and an ear to hear the melody of an Ordinance and to attend to Christ speaking loves to his beloved Faith in the threatnings of the word causeth humiliation Faith in the precepts of the word causeth subjection Faith in the promises of the word springeth consolation The unbeliever like a man in a swoon shuts his mouth against the cordials of the Gospel Other sins indeed wound the soul but unbelief like Joab strikes under the fifth rib and kills out-right This sin spoyles all sowres all disanuls all 1 Pet. 2. 8. The word to an unbeliever is like rain upon the Rock like dew upon a barren Heath The Apostles advice Heb. 11. 4. Eph. 3 12. is sweet and sacred Heb. 10. 22. If we will draw nigh to God with acceptance we must do it with affiance Faith is an instrument which justifies both our persons and performances Of all Virgin Graces Faith is the Hester that God will set the Crown upon Let our design then be on a Sabbath to avoid the rock of unbelief and get that indispensable and inestimable grace of faith Let us be earnest for the spirit to plant it and let us attend seriously on the word Luke 11. 13. Rom. 10. 17. to water it that this blessed grace by a divine Chymistry may turn the metal of every Ordinance into gold Caut. 4 Let us take heed of undervaluing the Ordinances of a Sabbath Many make a bad market of a Sabbath day because they do not prize those things which are then set to sale They speak in the language mentioned by Job Job 21. 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him And take up the peevish expostulation of the froward Jews mentioned by the Prophet Mal. 3. 14. Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance Slighted meals may cloy but not strengthen they may be our surfet not our satisfaction Customary approaches will meet with dead Ordinances It is the humble soul who highly prizes the opportunities of life will be the thriving soul David prized the sanctuary and he saw God there Psal 63. 2. But indeed ignorance is the cause of our disesteem we do not value Sabbath love because we do not understand it we slight the Ordinances of grace because we know not the grace which is conveighed from the Ordinances Ignorant Children throw away Pearls a Lapidary would Canales gratiae à quibus aqua viventes affluentèr diffim duntur not do so The Ordinances they are the channels cut out by Christ through which the waters of life run to the soul they are the spiritual Alymbecks to drop the sweet stillings of grace upon the heart they are the hives of that which is sweeter then the honey and the honey comb Psal 19. 10. They are the Conduits which run with Wine on Christs resurrection day our blessed Sabbath These Ordinances which many foolishly despise but as God saith to their own hurt Jer. Gen. 41. 48. 7. 6. They are the Suhurbs of heaven the Coelestical Exchange where Christ and his people barter for spiritual commodities they are Christs Granary and store-houses to find the soul with bread In these golden seasons God exchangeth mercies for duties not as if our duties deserved mercy but out of his own free grace and shortly will exchange glory for grace Exod. 29. 43 45. If Paul can come in the fulness Externis institutionibus utimur tanquam adminiculis ad veram conteâ—plationem diviâ—â— Majestatis â—â— gloriae ejusdemque erga populum suâ—◠〈◊〉 Riv. of the Gospel Rom. 15. 29. how much more our dear Jesus in his blessed Ordinances These are the Chariots to bring believers down into Goshen a place of light and pleasantness Every holy day is a Sun beam which conveighs light and heat to the inward man Ordinances are those chrystal glasses wherein the soul sees its beloved Those divine graces which are for meat to satisfie and for medicine to heal are found onely growing on the banks near the waters of the Sanctuary Gods tabernacles are amiable Psal 84. 1. And who will nauseate beauties the captivations of sence In the Sanctuary there is strength and beauty Psal 2 Cor. 3. 1â— 96. 6. Christ is never more beautifull in the eye of the believer Cant. 1. 14. Isa 33. 17. Psal â—0 17. Psal â—â— 2. John 5. â— John 9. 7. then when sitting at his table Cant. 1. 12. Or walking among his Candlesticks Rev. 2. 1. David desired to see the beauty of the Lord in his holy Temple Psal 27. 4. It must needs be Satans artifice to beat down the price of Ordinances How many Criples have been healed in this Bethesda How many defiled souls have been washed in this Isa 53. 2. Siloam Thou who undervaluest Ordinances look again and see whether there be no form nor comliness in them cast thy eye upon the Author of them the Author and giver of them is God they are his Institutions He hath appointed Jer. 3. 15. Prayer a means to prevail with himself for mâ—rcies and blessings He hath commanded our attendance upon the word 〈…〉 that the day spring from on high may visit us and the Net being spread our souls may be taken by the hand of Christ God owns and he crowns Sabbath Ordinances Cast thy eye upon the nature of them they are the sweet intercourses between God and the Soul the
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
Nobis jam quoniam Christus adveniens expiavit universam terram Omnis locus est Oratorium Aug. Countreys in so many various situations for so the variation would be endless and so incongruous and useless to set them down in the word but it is not so in respect of solemn time or a solemn day for divine worship for here in the Lord may easily appoint a particular day to be observed according to the rising and setting of the Sun proportionably throughout the whole world And so the Church of God in all Ages have observed the same Precinct of time viz. The Lords day for the solemn worship of the most high But these familistical spirits have not only their argumentative pleas but they can bring Scripture too as Satan will never want a text of Scripture to varnish over an errour and put a good face over an evil opinion especially since he fought a duel with Christ himself by the dint of the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Eph. 6. 17. And there are three texts of Scripture which they usually urge for the Mat. 4. 3 4 5 6 7. support and confirmation of this wilde fancy I shall examine them severally and see what strength is in them Object 1 The first text is Rom. 14. 6. He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he regardeth it not This therefore argueth our Christian liberty in respecting all dayes alike which are not discerned but only by command of the Magistrate say these familists of the Church say the Rhemists but of neither Isli homines abutuntur Scriptur is et abâ—iis concludunt quod non est concludendum Zanch. saith Mr. Fulk but of the Commandment of God only and so this place might be answered But as Zanchy saith of these Enthusiasticks They know how to abuse Scripture Answ 1 Therefore to shew the vanity of their Allegation it is replyed this Text speaks of indifferent things which may be observed or not observed without sin or impiety Things adiaphorous and indifferent are properly the subjects to act our liberty in they may be fastned or loosned as we please they are De adiaphoris hîc agit Apostolus et intentio corum qui fuerunt imbelles fiebat exâ—â—sabilis Par. only the garbs and modes of Religion which may be left off without offence the highest pretence to them is only decency which is subject to a variety of opinion to think it or not think it so Bishop Davenant vehemently decries the necessity of holy dayes some of these indifferent things and saith they are of a mutable nature and as they are enjoyned so they may be abolished by humane Authority Non est statuendum ecclesiam Christianam oliquâ necessitate astringi ad immotam festorum dierum observationem sed statuendum est dies hosce humanâ authoritate constitutos et eadem posse tolli et mutari Dav. But now to put the Lords day into the account of such indifferencies is an errour of the highest nature putting an ecclipse upon Christs Resurrection the glory of which is celebrated and commemorated every first day of the week which the Apostle John calls Rev. 1. 10. the Lords day Such an opinion would put dross into this gold and embase it with a sinful allay To suppose the observation of the Lords day a thing indifferent what need then of the Apostolical practice to be our President the general observation of the Church to be our incentive the Decrees of Councils and Constitutions of godly Princes to be our encouragement the universal Tenent and consent of Professors in all ages down to this very day without any heats of dividing disputes without disgusts of separating Sects to be our enforcement to the holy keeping of it Never was any thing indifferent so warmed in the bosom and so warranted by the obedience of all Christians in every Century and besides this no man will deny but it is convenient nay necessary It is to be remembred that the Apostle in this text Rom. 14. 6. Speaketh only of things indifferent not in their nature only but also so left to us as in regard of their use Esnath Parre therefore not indifferent that some particular day be set apart for solemn worship For 1. Hereby our selves our servants our cattel have rest which is one end of the Sabbath 2. Hereby faith and good manners are furthered and we are built up by publick prayers reading and preaching of the word 3. Hereby the love and joy of Christians is increased through the mutual beholding one of another as Hierome observes 4. Hereby the poor have opportunity to receive the Gospel other dayes being taken up in the works of their Callings to get a mean livelihood and a poor maintenance for themselves and families 5. Hereby the glorious Mysteries of God are opened and discovered to the people and those inestimable benefits we enjoy in and by Christ are unravelled to poor and precious Aug. ad Januar Epist 118. 119. souls This Pearl of price the Lord Jesus is principally shewn in its brightness and excellency on his own blessed day How many beams and rayes of invaluable use shine forth from Sabbath observation It is therefore no indifferent evil to reckon this day an indifferent thing 2. The Apostle in this text speaks of Ceremonial dayes Hieron Comment in Epist ad Galat. which is evident by joyning these dayes with those meats which were Ceremonially clean or unclean And it is readily acknowledged that it was a weakness in some to think Alià s sc Judaeus judicat diem alium prae alio esse festum et sanctiorem alià s sc Gentilis alitèr sentit Hieron themselves bound to certain Ceremonial dayes as well as to abstain from certain Ceremonial meats But will it hence follow it is a part of our Christian liberty to abandon all dayes as Ceremonial and that it is a part of the weakness of Christians to observe any day under the Gospel This hath not any face of reason for it from this Scripture wherein the Apostle doubtless speaketh of Ceremonial not moral dayes as our Christian Sabbath most assuredly is The ancient Fathers as Origen Ambrose Primasius Oecumenius Anselm understand the Apostle to speak of fasting Verum quia Apostolus praecedentibus et sequentibus agit de festis â—â— de delectu ciborum Hinc melius hic dies non ad festos sed ad dies jejunii referat Chrysost Jon. 4. 6. from meates on certain dayes which were peculiar dayes of abstinence and Calvin Bullinger Beza Olevian Piscator Erasmus Lyra nay the very Rhemists themselves construe this text of Jewish Ceremonial dayes and of Ceremonial observances This Scripture then being so understood as it must be it no way imports or includes the blessed Lords day practiced in the New Testament by Apostolical Authority Thus the text urged to patronize
God Dr. Twisse positively concludes Because the Scriptures Dr. Twisse de Sabbat record that the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it therefore the Patriarchs did certainly observe it and saith he the truth is untill the coming of the Israelites Anne superfluum putandum erit quoslibet dies pro operibus secularibus ordinare unumque pro cultu divino Selneccerus out of Egypt we read not of the Church of God any where but in single families and will it therefore follow that the holy Patriarchs did set no time apart for Gods service how uncharitably will this consequence fall in Genesis being an history of two thousand five hundred years and so brief as it is it neither could nor ought to relate every thing observed by the Patriarchs Dr. Willet Willet in Exod. 16. 20. Quaest 34. very well takes notice that the Church had from the beginning a publick external worship of God and it could not be but they had certain time and then what more correspondent season then that which God had sanctified by his own blessed and holy example Surely our first Fathers knew well the Creation and Gods resting on the seventh day and his segregating it for holiness and sanctification and to impute such an oscitancy and neglect to them that they should wholly omit the sacred Sabbath is to give charity a wound under the fifth rib The Patriarchs for the most part did not keep the law of marriage for generally they lived in Poligamy and yet that Law was in force for one man to marry one woman So then Gen. 2. 24. supposing the Patriarchs were remiss in Sabbath observation yet the Law for the Sabbath was in full force And let it not be our curiosity to find out errours in them when Si hoc ipsum concedatur observationem hujus diei maximâ ex parte fuisse neglectam primam tamen institutionem non magis reddere debeat quam Polygamia eorundem temporum sacras conjugii leges primo ipsi conjugio non esse coaevas possit demonstrare Ames we have no Scripture to witness and attest it And truly to draw an argument de facto from the Patriarchs not keeping of the Sabbath against the right and institution of it is very improper and though it is not expresly said Abraham kept the Sabbath yet he is commended for keeping Gods Commandments Gen. 26. 5. And is not the Sabbath one of those Commandments the breach of which is accounted the breaking of all Exod. 16. 27 28. And can we probably think that Abraham neglected other moral duties because they are not expresly mentioned Again it may as well be doubted whether the Patriarchs observed any day at all because it is not expresly mentioned Again it may be said with as good reason that the sacrifices which they offered were without warrant from God because the Commandment for them is not expresly mentioned but we know Abel offered by faith and faith must have a precedent word So as the approved practice of holy men doth necessarily imply a Sabbati dies et ejus ratio et usus notissimus suit priscis Patribus quod ex ipso Gen 2. prâ—batur Bertram de Polit. Judaic Commandment so the Command given to Adam doth as necessarily enforce a practice And if no duties to God were performed by the Patriarchs but such as are expresly mentioned and held forth in their Examples we should then behold a strange face of a Church for many hundred years together and so we should condemn the generation of the Just for living in gross neglects and impieties there being many singular and special duties which doubtless were done which were not particularly mentioned in that short Epitome of above two thousand years together in the Book of Genesis In a word that all the holy Patriarchs those Seminaries of Religion in the world who laid the foundation of Gods Church those Ancestours of piety and holiness who brought up Religion in its infancy I say that all these should want the blessed Sabbath that sweet day of converse with God and live in a fatal ignorance and inobservance or contempt of Gods holy day this is beyond the belief of the most fondly credulous and against the charity of the most sowre professour To conclude the Sabbath and Marriage were the two In initiis et primordiis mundi dies septimus sanctus haberi caepit Azor. first institutions in the world But God first provides for his own worship and then for mans comfort spiritual mercies being of right to have the precedency of temporal and divine worship being alwayes to take place of humane conveniency Well then the Sabbath was given to Adam and in him to all his posterity and so holiness becomes the Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Jud. as well as the Jew or any other on that blessed day we being all the issue and posterity of Adam And therefore to fasten the strict observation of the Sabbath upon the Jews as being most concerned in it what is this but to turne a common priviledge into a monopoly and to be weary of that prerogative which is the suburbs of Heaven it self Or else the bottom of the design is to throw off the restraints of a Sabbath not being willing that our corruptions should be pinion'd However the observance of Gods holy day is too great a mercy to be appropriated to the cast off and repudiated Jews It is a good saying of Dr. Twisse As for the sanctification of this Rest I trust we are as much bound to the performance therefore and that in as great a measure and with as great devotion under the Gospel as ever the Jews were under the Law And let the Authority of this excellent person shut up this Chapter CHAP. XLV Sabbath-holiness doth as well become the Christian as the Jew if we look back to the infancy of the Law THat the Sabbath was given to Adam and in him to all his posterity to us Christians as well as to others hath already been largely discovered Now my task is to shew that in the second edition of the Sabbath upon Mount Sinai it was given as a moral command for every one to obey and not as a ceremonial precept whose force must end with the Jews and their pedagogy for we must know that all ceremonies were buried in Christs grave and their honour Dicitur Chyrographum esse deletum i. e. ritus ceremoniales jam abrogatos esse qâ—ia ipso debito persoluto per Christum non aequum est has syngraphas extare quae testificent nos esse debitores et reâ—tum peccatorum nostrorum nondum esse expiatum Daven was laid in the dust with him for when the Sun came the shadows were to disappear and when Christ triumphed on the Cross then the hand-writing of Ordinances as Ceremonies are usually called was blotted out Col. 2. 14. Those inferiour garnishes of Religion were then to be
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
in all our toyle and gains on the six days Gods day concerns our better part the week dayes only our outward man 2. Gods bounty in giving us a day for converse with himself The Sabbath is a day wherein Christ gives his visits the spirit works his wonders the Father shews his face to the children of men this blessed day is the morning star of happiness the worlds choicest festival and those who are blessed with it may say with the Psalmist Psal 147. 20. God hath not dealt so with every Nation It is Sabbath-enjoyment makes every Province a Goshen every place a Paradise every nation a Canaan and every City a Jerusalem The Sabbath is stil a sign between him his people that he is among Ezek. 20. 20. them and the foot-steps of his presence remain with them 3. Gods own pattern God rested on the seventh day that he might be presidential to us in our holy rest In the command for the Sabbath God is not onely our Soveraign to enact a law for us but our example to set a copy before us and therefore in this we must be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect Mat. 5. 48. Philo Judaeus bids us spend the Sabbath in holy contemplation and the study of spiritual wisdome In hoc deum sequeremur operando sex dies septimâ verò requiescendo vacando contemplationi et studio sapientiae sequere deum hâ—bes dei exemplum et praescriptum Phil. Jud. and in this follow God who is an example of holy rest ye have not onely his prescript but his pattern And indeed as Mr. Byfield observes Gods example doth not court us but bind us to an holy imitation 4. Gods benediction which he sheds on the Sabbath is a reason to enforce the command God blessed this day above all dayes we may say of it as once it was said of the Virgin Mary in another case Hail thou art highly favoured the Lord is with thee thou art blessed among dayes Morning and Evening doth not describe this day as it did other dayes no Evening predicated of it to shew its prerogative above all other dayes this day is all light all day all sun-shine to prefigure our eternal joyes God doth most delight to dispense Luke 1. 28. his grace on this day Heathen Princes are wont on their Coronation dayes to cast about Gold and Silver and Gen. 1. 5 8. largely to scatter their donations God on this solemn day is present with us in holy duties and sheds abroad in our hearts his holy graces then he comes and speaks with his people and is magnificent in his royal and spiritual donations And what need so many reasons to press a rite a ceremony to urge a shadow Col. 2. 17. A meer command is sufficient to enjoyn a fainting ceremony an ordinance calculated onely for a time there need not so many cords of reason to bind a ceremony upon us which will soon die away and be evaporate Let this be superadded In the fourth Commandment God gives us reasons which are common to us Christians with the Jews As namely 1. Conformity to Gods Image which is no less proper to us then the Jews 2. The memorial of the Creation for which benefit the Ex creatione nos omnes possumus et debemus deum agnoscere cognoscere Alap Patriarchs before the Law and we since are no less bound to be thankful to God then the Jew 3. Rest of our selves and families a common necessity to us as well as to them therefore this Commandment appeareth moral and to be given to us as well as to them And seeing the reason of this 4th Commandment doth urge as well as the reason of the second third and fifth Commandments why should not this Commandment tie us to the observation of it as well Ratio immutabilis facit praeceptum immutabile as the other and why not Christians as well as Jews Its reasons are as strong why should not its obligations be so too Let us look upon the fourth Commandment in the congruity of it how agreeing to the principles of nature The learned Twisse argues most profoundly we are to distinguish three things in subordination the latter to the former 1. The first is a time in general to be set apart for Gods worship 2. The second is the proportion of this time Igitur deus benedictus cupiens Sabbatum cujus sanctimoniam tantis documentis approbaverat in aeternum ab omnibus coli decem praeceptis illud inseruit quo scientes praecepta aeterna esse etiam hoc quartum praeceptum inter ea habendum intelligerent Manasseh Ben Israel 3. The particularity of the day according to the proportion specified Now the first seems of necessary duty by the very light of nature to as many as know God and acknowledge him to be the Creatour and this is the highest degree of morality in the fourth Commandment As to the second we are something to seek by the light of nature as whether one day in a week or one day in a month or more so that herein it is most fit we should seek direction from God who is the Lord of the Sabbath 1. Because the service of the day is his and it is but fit he should cut out what proportion of time he thinks fit and convenient 2. Because of the maintenance of uniformity therein and least otherwise there may be as many divisions thereabouts as there are Churches in the world For reason of a conjectural nature is various and therein commonly affection bears the greatest sway and draws the judgement to comply with it but when God hath determined a certain proportion of time we shall find great congruity therein even to natural reason more then in any other Dr. Field as Mr. Broad reports professeth That to any one who knows the story of the Creation it is evident by the light of nature that Consentaneum est maximè rationi ut post dies sex opera rios unus cultui divino consecretur Et hoc praeceptum manet et est perpetuum et jure naturali et lumine constitutum one day in seven is to be consecrated to Gods service And Azorius the Jesuite in his moral institutions acknowledgeth that it is most agreeable to reason that after six working dayes one day should be consecrated to divine worship Now by the light of nature it seems far more reasonable that one day in seven should be employed in Gods service then one day in a month for such long strides and great chasmes would quickly breed an estrangement between God and the soul and if a seventh part of our time be consecrate to God better a seventh day then the seventh part of every day because the Azor. Instit Moral Part. 2 dae cap. 1. lib. 2. worldly occupations of each of those dayes must needs cause miserable distractions Thus reason may discourse in a probable manner when God
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
absenting themselves from prayers and preaching and give themselves the leave of doing or neglecting any thing was there not something found in Scripture which more than any humane institution can bind the Conscience Mans institutions may over-awe the outward-man they will little influence the inward men may be shackled with something from the sacred Scriptures but if they are loose from those Bonds they will easily please themselves in their fancied liberty It is the rule of the word not humane dictates will bind men and stake them down to Obedience and it is no wonder if our Christian Sabbath be thrown upon the Dunghil of prophaneness if it hath nothing but Ecclesiastical Authority to shew for its institution if our Sabbath come among other holy days and acknowledge no other founder we cannot marvel if sports and walks and visits be the usual celebrations of it The result then of the whole is The Church in the earliest days observed but not instituted our Christian Sabbath and the Lords day is so called not onely from Christs resurrection but his institution The Lords day then is not of Ecclesiastical institution no Synod no Council no Convention of men subject to errour could give it its being or adopt it into its honour that John 1. 12. that it should have power to be called the Day of God Something more than humane power must authorize this blessed day and make it a weekly and standing Festival to the Christian Church Indeed some refer the institution of it to Christ himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so run up the chrystal stream to the fountain head Athanasius who was the sword and the buckler of truth and both received and repelled the darts of the Arrian World He positively affirms Christ to be the institutor of our Christian Sabbath Of old saith he The Sabbath was in great esteem among the Ancients but the Lord hath changed the Sabbath day into the Lords day Now what can be more plain Chrysostome in his tenth Homily upon Genesis calls God the Athanas homil de Semente Author of this institution And Eusebius in one of his Orations in the praise of the Emperour Constantine flies into a seraphick admiration of Jesus Christ and deriding the vanity of the Gentile Gods and Potentates Who saith he among the Heathen Gods hath appointed a solemn day weekly to all the inhabitants of the world whether they dwell on the Land or travel on the Seas to celebrate the Lords festival and hath taken care not only for the refreshing of bodies with the provisions of the creature but for the feeding and supplies of the Soul with discipline and divine repasts Thus this worthy man speaking of the glory of his Master Jesus Christ produces this eminent argument for it viz. He appoints a weekly Sabbath for all the world to observe and celebrate Nor was this doctrine only authentical and approved in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euseb de laudibus Const Causa mutationis est resurrectio Christi cujus beneficii commemoratio successit memâ—riae creatiâ—nis non traditione humanâ sed Christi ipsius observatione et instituto Jun. in Genes primitive times of the Church but in the latter dayes of Reformation some of our choisest Divines have with much delight and resolution embraced and published this truth Learned Junius one of that couple who made the Old Testament speak Latine and so brought the Scriptures something nearer to the worlds understanding he solemnly professeth That the old Sabbath is changed into the Lords day in the Christian Church upon the account of Christs resurrection and that the Author of this change is not humane tradition but Christs own observation and appointment And Piscator a man eminent in the Church of Christ roundly asserts That though there be no express command for the Lords day in the Scriptures yet the facts of Christ and his Apostles on that day do undoubtedly declare its Divine Original and institution But not to surfet the Reader with too great a concourse of testimonies concurrent in this opinion there are not deficient many considerable and undeniable reasons asserting and affirming the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Author and Institutor of his own blessed day Reas 1 Whatsoever in holy Writ is said to be the Lords denominatively that he is the Author and Institutor of As for instance The Lords Supper because he ordained it 1 Cor. 11. 20 23. The Sabbath of the Lord Deut. 5. 12. Because he commanded it The Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. 4. because he appointed it the people of the Lord because he chose them the Messengers of the Lord because he sent Exod. 3. 7. 1. Cor. 4 9. them the Apostles of Christ because he put them into that office And no instance can be shewed to the contrary but the Christian Sabbath is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. Nay and Beza notes that he hath seen an old copy that which is called the first day of the week 1 Cor. 16. 2. stiled the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day not by Creation for so every day is his from the beginning not by destination for so properly the day of judgement is called the day of the Lord But our Christian Sabbath is called the Lords day by Divine Institution as other things are said to be the Lords and so Christ is the Author and appointer of it and therefore Bishop Andrews that library of learning in one of his Sermons upon Dies dominicus non ab alio sed ab ipsâ— Christo est institutus â—ilen Synt. loc 44. p. 2â—6 the Resurrection puts the query How can it be called the Lords day but that the Lord made it And Bishop Lake in his Sermon on the Eucharist saith positively That Christ did substitute the Lords day in the place of the Jewish Sabbath Doctor Fulk fears not to affirm That the Lords day is a necessary prescription of Christ himself And Doctor Linâ—â—â—â— Bishop of Brechen in his Preface to the Assembly at Perâ—â— and many other Divines heartily concur in this judgement If God by resting from his work of Creation and his blessing â—eas 2. of that seventh day made it a holy day for his set and solemn worship and service then Jesus Christ resting from Gen. 2. 3. the work of Redemption and his blessing of that day makes it a holy day for his solemn and set worship and service for there is the like or greater excellency in the resting of God the Son and the blessing of his day as there was in the resting of God the Father and his blessing of the seventh day Christ's work of the worlds redemption and the renovation 2 Cor. 5. 13. Factâ— sâ—nt 〈◊〉 nova ut novum castâ—llum 〈…〉 Bern. thereof the making of all things New a new Heaven and a new Earth is equall with if not â—uâ—passing of the Fathers work of Creatiâ—n The Sâ—ns blessing
effusion of the spirit which should be in Gospel-times This day saith the same Author is sanctified when we seriously consider that on it false Doctrine was plucked up by the foundations the Calumnies of miscreant calumniators were refelled and silenced the security of Christs Disciples was reproved and condemned Vice was checkt and corrected and piety propagated and disseminated In the view and practice of those things Sabbath sanctification is fairly comprised But it is observable that this learned man takes notice that Christ began betimes to instruct his Apostles in the duties of the Lords day the first day of the week which doth evidently secure us that the day it self was the institution of Christ himself And we may justly retort upon thosâ— who fasten the Lords day upon humane Authority from the beginning it was not so Mat. 19. 8. But the rising of the Sun of Righteousness after the night of a Grave made our Sabbath day And this weekly festival is given to the world both by Christs re-entry into it from the dark shade of the grave and by vertue of those commands mentioned Acts 1. 2. the command for the Lords day being one of them without doubt or dispute But that no beam of light may be withhâ—ld from making a full discovery of this truth we will fetch our rise from the earliest times of the world The Lords day was typified by Circumcisiâ—n which was administred on the eighth day the next day after the Jewâ—sh Sabbath and the very day of our Christian One of our Homilies saith That the first day after the Jewish Sabbath is our Sunday It is our Lords day say the Divines of Ireland and Augustine proveth That by the eighth day of August Epist ad Januar. 119. cap. 13. Nam quia octavus dies i. e. post Sabbatum primus dies futurus erat quo dominus resurgeret nos vivificaret spiritutlem nobis daret circumâ—isionem c. Circumcision was shadowed forth our Lords day And Cyprian saith That Circumcision was commanded on the eighth day as a Sacrament of the eighth day on which Christ should rise from the dead And this holy Martyr proceeds and gives us the reason of his words for because the eighth day i. e. the day after the Sabbath was to be the day on which the Lord should rise and quicken us and give us the spiritual Circumcision this eighth day i. e. the first day after the Jewish Sabbath went before in a shadâ—w So then the precise time of the circumcision of the flesh did onely prefigure the day of Christs resurrection or our Sabbath wherein Christ rose for the circumcision of the heaâ—t for that which was spiritual and so more effectual circumcision Dies sabbati erâ—t dierum ordine posterior sanctificatione autem in tempore legis Anterior sed ubi finis legis advenit viz. Jesus Christus resurrectione suâ Octavam sanè sanctificavit caepit eadem prima esse quae octava fuerat habens ex numeri ordine praerogatiâ—am ex resurrectione domini sanctitatem Ambros Hilany points at the same thing Vpon the eighth day saith he which is also the first day we rejoyce in the festivity of a perfect Sabbath And this eminent person hath left a most memorable Record behind him of the Churches practice in his time which was about An. Dom. 355. Ambrose most elegantly descants upon this subject The Sabbath saith he was the last in order of days but the first in sanctification under the Law but when the end of the law was come Rom. 10 4. viz. Jesus Christ and by his resurrection had consecrated the eighth day that which was the eighth day began to be the first being dignified by the precedency of the number and sanctified by the resurrection of the Lord. Thus the primitive times which are the best Comment on Gospel Institutions as having the advantage of being nearer to the rising Sun could easily discern the thing typified in the type the substance in the shadow the eighth day the usual time of circumcising the flesh clearly prefiguring the day of Christs glorious rising to circumcise the inward-man the hidden man of the heart and to purge away the pollutions and filthiness both of flesh and spirit The Lords day was prophesied 1 Pet. 3. 4. of by holy David Psal 118. 24. This is the day which Ezek. 36. 25. the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it It is not an easie thing saith Dr. Ames to reject this Scripture Neque facilitèr rejâ—ciendum est quod ab antiquis quibusdam urgetur Psal 118. 24. Eo enim loco agitur de resurrectione Christi ipso Christo interprete Matth. 21. 42. Ames Cyprianus Augustinus Ambrosius hunc diem in Psal 118. 24. citatum de resurrectione Christi interpretantur so much urged by the Ancients and wholly and only applicable to Christs resurrection-day if Christ may interpret the meaning of the Prophet Mal. 21. 42. Or if the Apostle may interpret the meaning of his Master Acts 4. 11 12. And a learned man observes that the word hath made in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew signifies not simply to make but to sanctifie and to observe holy as is most usual when it is referred to feasts or days as Deut. 5. 15 16. Deut. 10. 13. The man then who was after Gods own heart and who was most likely to understand Gods own mind he hath foretold this blessed day when by a prophetick spirit fore-seeing the glory of the Resurrection-day as a most eminent day among the seven days as the Sun among the seven Planets salutes it with a magnificent style and Title This is the day which the Lord hath made Thus the Psalmist did fore-see that the Lord would magnifie and exalt his resurrection day and why Because on this day the glorious work of mans redemption was to be accomplished The stone which the builders refused became the head stone of the Corner Psal 118. 22. Dominicum ergo diem Apostoli Apostolici viri ideò religiosâ solennitate sanxerunt quia in eadem Redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit Aug. And thus is the resurrection day prophetically crowned with honour above all other dayes the Holy Ghost putting an emphasis upon it It is a day which the Lord hath made how made not by way of creation for so it was made before Gen. 1. 1. but by way of institution The day which the Lord hath made what hath God made it a working day so it was before If therefore he hath made it any thing it must be a holy solemn day a day more solemn more sacred then all the dayes that God ever made before So then it is evident a day of solemn worship is here intended and Christs Resurrection day most clearly pointed at as a day which the Lord would institute as a day which the Church should celebrate we see then a clear Scripture
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
of the Fathers call our Sabbath by this name and imbrace its honour with an holy and triumphant ambition they took an advantage from the very Title to use this blessed day with greater veneration Titles among men commanding respect and submission Our Sabbath is called the Lords day saith a learned man 1. Because the Lord did constitute the solemnization of it as the Lords Prayer is so called because Christ did dictate it 2. Or because on this day the Lord is more solemnly worshipped 3. Or because Christ our Lord on this day rose from the dead opening a door for us to an everlasting Sabbath and Rest Surely it is some additional honour to this illustrious Day that as it was the first day of time mentioned in the first Gen. 1. 1. Book of the Bible so it is the last day of fame noted in the beginning of this last Book of the Bible to the praise of Revel 1. 10. him who is our Alpha and Omega Revel 1. 11. The very Omnes ferè sacrae â—cripturae interpretes tam veteres quà m recentiores de primo die hebdomadis Revel 1. 10. intelligunt Wal. Name speakes Christ the Author of this day and his resurrection whereby he was declared both Lord and Christ must needs be the occasion of it Ignatius who lived in the times of John the beloved Apostle makes the Lords day the Christians weekly Festival which they then observed in the room of the Jews Sabbath So doth Tertullian Athanasius Hierom Augustine c. and indeed who not By this title of the Lords day we may trace it down from the Apostles times through the Ocean of the Fathers Councels Schoolmen Arguimus appellatione ejus Revel 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sic appellari non potuit ille dies nisi eum dominus instituisset ut in caerâ et Oratione dominicâ factum est Eatonus p. 73. to this present age in which we live And to cast our eye on Scripture there seems to be much in that which Beza observes out of an ancient Greek Manuscript wherein the first day of the week is called the Lords day And the Syriack Translation tells us That the Christians meeting together to receive the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 20. was upon the Lords day Bucan saith The Sacrament is called the Lords Supper as in respect of the institution and the end of it so also in respect of the day on which it was wont to be administred viz. the Lords day And we may fairly expound the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. by the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 20. Here we may take notice that the spirit of God who had his choice of words and never spake any thing but with admirable reason never vouchsafed this title of honour in the Caena domini dicitur ab anthore vel etiam à fine nam à domino instituta est et in ejus memoriam celebratur vel etiam à tempore quia diebus dominicis celebrari consuevisset Bucan New Testament but only to the Supper and the Day the Lords Supper and the Lords day Now therefore the phrase being the same and thus singular the sense must needs be the same Look therefore in what notion the Supper is the Lords Supper and in the same sense is the day styled the Lords day The Supper is the Lords because the Lord Christ did institute and ordain it yea and substitute it in the room of the Passover And why not the day his because he instituted it and substituted it in the room of the Old Sabbath It is evidently a day of Christs institution a day of the Lords making and with reference to Christs resurrection and let any other day be set up in competition with it and it will evidently and easily be non-suited One well observes That from these Texts Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. See Mr. Perkins in his cases of Conscience Rev. 1. 10. may well be gathered the laudable and Evangelical practice of the Apostles and the excellent confirmation countenance and authority that God gave thereunto in this point of sanctifying the Lords day So that God did bear witness thereunto by signs and wonders On this day Eutychus was raised from the dead Acts 20. 10 11. On this day three thousand are raised from the grave or rather from the hell of sin Acts 2. 37. And on this day John the Apostle is in his raptures and extasies Rev. 1. 10. And besides the more remarkable Acts 1. 2 4. benefits and fruits of this day upon which the Holy Ghost hath put a Selah still the Lords day is a wonder-working day What sense have many of the Saints on this day of peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost and great increase of grace holy knowledge and the fear of the Lord And indeed the advantages and precious fruits of this day are manifest to common and constant experience Dies dominica dicitur eadem ratione qua sacra Eucharistiae caena vocatur caena domini 1 Cor. 11. 12. quia scil à domino nostro Jesu Christo fuit instituta et ad eundem etiam dominum in fine et usu refeâ—ri debet Ames Learned Rivet tells us that all Interpreters do expound Revel 1. 10. of our Lords day viz. the first day of the week excepting one single Gomarus as when ever was truth published which was not snarled at by some humorous and impatient adversary And one thing more is very observable in Rev. 1. 10. It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day not the day of the Lord for so is every day he being the Lord and Master of time but it is called the Lords day by way of singularity and conspicuous eminency But to draw towards a conclusion in the discussion of this particular of much moment indeed and therefore of more curious disquisition We may take notice that the Riv. Dissert de Orig. Sab. cap. 10. Lords day is not only the most proper name of our Sabbath and most in use in the dayes of the Apostles but it is most expressive being both an Historian and a Preacher For the Huc facit quod Lords day looking backward mindeth us what the Lord hath Johan Apost in die dominico correptus fuit ita ut spiritu viderit audiverit Apocalypsiâ— de statu ecclesiae deinceps futuro unde colligitur eum tum sanctis meditationibus quae diem dominicum decebant vaâ—asse Piscat done for us as on that day viz. He arose from the dead And looking forward it admonisheth us what we ought to do for him on the same day viz. spend it to the honour of the Lord in the proper and sacred duties of it In a word In the Lords day three things are considerable 1. A day founded on the light of Nature Meer Pagans destinate whole dayes to their idolatrous service 2. One day in
us as it was to them and it is as if the Lord had said the keeping of my Sabbath shal be a distinctive badge and cognizance of Covenant holiness a sign that I do sanctifie you and separate you to my self for a holy and peculiar people Let us cast our eye upon our Sabbath as our discriminating and differencing badge And shall we shame our livery Shall we make our Sabbath a day of riot or excess Sabbatum est signum et symbolum inter deum et Israelitas ut se dei esse profiterentur et ut à reliquis gentibus discernerentur â—uit enim sacramentale quoddam quòd illos sibi deus sanctificaverat Riv. of sloath or idleness and so mingle with the prophane world Do we prophane our Sabbaths how can we distinguish our selves from a sensual Jew or a miscreant Turk they likewise have their Sabbaths And will a diurnall distinction serve the turn that the Turk keeps his Sabbath on the Friday the Jew on the Saturday and we Christians the First day of the week It is a poor shift and a faint distinction to keep a different day will not the world scoff at this distinction It is not the Day only but the manner of observance The Apostle saith that Christs people are a peculiar people zealous of good works 2 Tit. 14. And so our Saviour makes the distinction of his people from the rest of the world John 17. 14. It is observable that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chadash signifies two things 1. To separate from common use 2. To sanctifie to teach us our sanctification is our only separation from the rest of the dregs of the world Therefore still let our holiness upon Gods blessed day be a sign between God and us that he hath sanctified us This is his will and let it be our work as alwayes so peculiarly on the Sabbath our sanctification 1 Thes 4. 3. Exod. 31. 13. Sabbatum sanctis usibus et religiosis formalitèr deputatur c. Rivet Let Christ know us to be his sheep by this our will is not only melted into his will but our obedience is fully calculated for his day Rivet hath a pregnant note The Sabbath saith he is given formally for holy uses for hearing the Word for Prayer for receiving the Sacrament by which our sanctification is ripened and accomplished Arg. 6 No command but that of the Sabbath hath a memento prefixed Hic specialis observatio requiritur ita ut nunquam obliviscamur quia agitur de operibus humanis intermittendis et de opere dei suscipiendo quae sunt naturae hominis depravatae omninò contraria c. Riv. to it As if our obedience to this command was our chief business which we must not forget God doth not usually annex his mementoes to any thing but to matters of the greatest moment As 1. Sometimes to press his Laws Num. 15. 39 40. And 2. sometimes to press his Love as a motive to obedience Deut. 5. 15. 3. Sometimes to mind us of himself Deut. 8. 13. 4. Sometimes to mind us of his Enemies Deut. 25. 17. And 5. Sometimes to mind his Sabbath Exod. 20. 8. God puts an Higgaion Selah upon this Commandment that as among the Jews the singing of it caused them to raise their voice So among us in keeping Sabbaths it should raise our hearts to a holy observation Now God prefixes a memento to the Commandment for the Sabbath upon divers designs which will very well suit with our purpose As first to intimate the opposition of mans corrupt heart to this holy Command Rom. 7. 12. Depraved man cannot endure Homines parati sunt ad fervorem operum suorum ocâ—upantur suis commodis suis voluptatibus facilime irretiontur sed cultui divino c. Riv. the snaffle of a whole dayes service he loves not to be bridled to spiritual duties and therefore God here awakens us by a shrill memento the learned Rivet observes That men are upon the wing in flight and heat after their owne works and they are most easily entangled in the snare of their own pleasures and delights but to do Gods work upon his own day this goes against the grain of corrupt Nature This Memento shews the venerable antiquity of the Sabbath God hath been pressing the Sabbath upon us from the beginning of the world as hath been shewn already The Gen. 2. 3. good Lord is jealous least an ancient should be an antiquated institution God gives us this Memento to mind us of the strict account we must make hereafter for all our Sabbaths When a Master gives his servant many errands but saith he be sure you remember this above all the rest if that errand be forgotten he breaks out into a greater passion God remembers us to keep inviolably his holy Sabbath to assure us he will else remember to punish severely the breaches and violations of this Emphatical Commandment His expostulation hereafter will be Did not I give you my Sabbath with a Memento To inform us the sum of Religion lies in a due observation of the Sabbath It was a good saying of worthy Mr. Rogers Take away Gods Sabbath and Religion will soon Tolle Sabbatum et citò marcessit omnis Religio Rog. dwindle and faint into nothing Jacob gave a severe charge to his Sons about Benjamin because he lay nearest his heart And is it not an evidence that the fourth Commandment lies nearest to Gods heart that he gives so severe a charge about it That much of Religion is wrapt up in it nay the very quintessence of piety is dropt into it We are more apt to forget the fourth Commandment then Observandum est quod deus non simpliciter dicit Diem Sabbati sanctificabis sed memento ut diem Sabbati sanctifices Genus hoc praecipiendi non est leve vulgare sed grave serium et significat praecipirem seriam nec ullo modo negligendam sed summâ curâ et diligentiâ servandom sic solent Parentes liberis suis et serâ—â—â— Heri obtervantiam eoâ—â—â— inculcatâ— quae omnium maximè negligi notant Admonemur etiam verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Recordare et memor esto ad observantiam praeceptorum dei Requiritur enim memoria ut noctes et dies de illis servandis cogitemus nec unquam obliviscamur quid praecepti à quo illud accepimus Muscul any of the rest And it is observable when any duty is charged by God with a Memento it argues a proneness to forget it so Eccles 12. 1. Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy Youth which charge intimates to us no age is so prompt to forget God as Youth which usually is snarled and entangled in divers lusts called by the Apostle Youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. And there are many reasons why we are so apt to forget this Commandment 1. Because the rest of the Commandments are written in our
quam jus Domini the right of an indulgent Father then of an Authoritative Lord. Mans good and benefit is twisted into Gods Command as rich embroydery is put upon a piece of sine cloth This is a Precept not only prefaced with a memento but seconded with an appeal to mans reason and conscience Let us take a view of the force of this equity It is most equal that God should have one in seven to add somewhat to what hath been said already If God gives us six dayes shall we deny him one It is the confession of Mr. Brerewood Our adversary in this cause of the Sabbath That it is meet that Christians dedicate the Lords Day wholly to the Lord and to the honour of his name and that we should not be less devout in the celebration of the Lords day then the Jews in the celebration of their Sabbath because the obligation of our thankfulness is more then theirs Thus far our adversary pathetically exhorts us to keep Gods blessed day wholly and fully to himself Holy Greenham saith If God had given us one day for our selves and kept fix for himself it had been equity in him to command and duty in us to obey But now God hath kept but one for himself and that for our profit too to break this Commandment then when God hath shown such liberality it must needs be a stupendous sin It was a rational discourse of Joseph with his Mistriss Gen. 39. 9. My Master hath kept back nothing from me but thee because thou art his Wife and therefore how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God God hath kept no day in the week from us but only the first day because it is his Sabbath how then can we do this great wickedness to prophane his Sabbath and sin against God This amplified Adams guilt he was only forbidden one Tree in the Garden and he must eat of that and this will aggravate our sin we are only forbidden one day in the week and yet we must do our owne 2 Sam. 12. 4. work please our own corruptions and gratifie our flesh and Datur Sabbatum homini ut se segreget et quiescat propter dei gloriam Aben. Fzr. sense on that very day Nathans parable which he used to David 2 Sam. 12. 3 4. is rightly calculated for every one who prophanes Gods day Hath God only one day which he hath kept to himself and sanctified to his service and laid as it were in his bosome and shall men be so unworthy then when their hearts tempt them to vanity they must take the time of this one day to please and gratifie their own corrupt hearts when they are rich in time and have six days every week given them for themselves I may here take up that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 1. Shall we sin and continue in it because Grace abounds Gods bounty should encourage not dispirit our duties it should be a spur to holiness and not a gap to prophaneness Psal 119. 164. 2. And most equitable it is that Time being one of the most precious blessings on this side eternity a jewel of inestimable worth a golden stream dissolving and as it were continually running down by us out of one eternity into another yet too seldome taken notice of till it be quite passed by us and from us It is most just I say and meet that he who hath the dispensing of other things less precious and momentous should be the supreme Lord of our time especially Eccles 9. 12. when he takes so little to himself as one day in seven And our guilt must boyle up to a great heighth if we dash the eighth Commandment upon the fourth to break both in pieces and rob God of his little spot of time the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Homil 5. in Mat. day to waste it upon our lusts sloath or vanities It is a zealous and pathetical speech of the excellent Chrysostome What desperate folly is it saith he for people to bestow five or six dayes upon the affairs of the world and not to give one day to spiritual things Therefore let men be perswaded that at least they would set one day apart wholly to these things whatever they do on the week dayes one of the seven dayes must be set apart to our common Lord. Let us observe the Argument of this holy man not only Gods indulgence but our own dependance commands Sabbath-holiness God is the common Lord and shall we not consecrate one day in the week to his service to the great Jehovah in whom we live move and have our being Acts 17. 28. His time is not only in our hand but our times are in his hand Psal 31. 15. And if we abuse his time he can shorten ours And besides all our labours which are as the humming of a Bee or the fluttering of a Butterfly are not so valuable to take up six dayes as his sacred worship which is Psal 31. 15. not only our homage and tribute but our way to life and salvation to take up one day Gods honour and glory which is promoted on his own day by all devout and holy Christians is infinitely more considerable then all our worldly gains and petty interest which is carried on the other six dayes Bucer saith most truly and gravely He discovers himself a most deplorable despiser not only of his own salvation but of divine bounty and indulgence and not fit to Deploratum sanè iâ—se contemptorem demonstrat sicut salutis propâ—iae sic admirandae dei ergà nos beneficentiae ecque omnino indignum qui cum populo dei vivat qui non studet tum ipsum diem domino deo suo glorificando et providendae suae propriae saluti sanctificaro maximè quùm deus nostris negoâ—iis et operibus quibus praesentem vitam sussentemus sex dies concesserit live among Gods people who doth not study to spend one day in seven viz. the Lords day to the glory and honour of the Lord and to look after his own salvation especially seeing God hath given us six dayes for our labours and employments to sustain our selves in this present life This holy man thinks him unworthy of any station in the Church of God who hath so far sunk himself below the shadow of all reason and justice as not to take Gods grant in giving us six dayes for our selves and so to conscerate the seventh in holy duties and exercises to the glory of a bountifull and a gracious God And indeed the waste and prophanation of Gods day only one in seven would fill any pen with gall and turn the smoothest tongue into a sword such sacrilegious and unreasonable men who prophane this blessed day a day in a week would fill any face with blushes and any tract with sharpness Dr. Twisse observes that Gomarus and Rivolus two learned men though much differing from other Divines in
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
the strong Trace a Sabbath-work and is it any thing else but gaining knowledge treasuring up truth wrestling with God for pardon grace and assurance visiting our Beloved and driving the great Bargain of Eternity And for which of these good works must the Sabbath be prophaned John 10. 33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or thrown away If Philosophers say of Vertue It is its own reward is it not much more true of holy worship spiritual communion converse with Heaven and those pleasing delights which are the sweet employment of a Sabbath Therefore 1 John 1. 3. to pollute this day or to trifle it away what is it but to Numb 14. 8. bring an evil report on Canaan a Land flowing with milk and honey Argum. 6 And it would be seriously considered Sabbaths are upon the wing and they will not long continue to us We cannot say of richest Sabbaths as once Christ said of poor persons the Sabbaths ye have always with you Mat. 26. 11. The Lords day is a triumphant but a transient mercy Now we enjoy these blessed Sabbaths and holy Ordinances we know not how soon the Songs of Zion may be turned into howling Lam. 1. 4 16. And Ichaâ—od may be written upon our weekly jubilies We know not how soon Gods wrath or John 12. 35. our own death may hide thâ—se things which belong to our Levit. 26. 43. peace from our eyes O then let us improve our Sabbaths Luc. 19. 42. our sweet seasons our Summer-time our divine Harvest for Prov. 6. 6 7. if we do not gather grace on this day what shall we have Jer. 8. 7. to lay out on the week-day Or what shall we have to spend Prov. 10. 5. on a death-bâ—d when we are stepping into another World Psal 32. 6. We know the Water-man must observe his wind and tyde Suus cuique constitutus est dies certum tempus quo operari possit quo elapso nihil amplius praestare queat Chemnit and when they serve then he throws off his Doublet and bestirs himself left he should fall short of his Creek or Haven It concerns us to mind Sabbaths and to sanctifie them to the Lord then the gases of the Spirit blow fair then the waters of the Sanctuary run right for the Port to which we are bound but if these heavenly Opportunities slide away without our serious improvement we must with Esau Psal 115. 17. seek the Blessing carefully with tears but it shall not accrue Heb. 12. 17. unto us The Musician plays his Lesson while the Instrument is in tune let us ripen in grace while the Sabbath shines and Sabbath showers continue Our Saviour bids us work while it is day John 9. 4. Surely this principally points at the Sabbath-day which is the Souls day It is but a few Sabbaths more nay it may be not one more and we shall go down to our silent Graves Our life is uncertain not a Sun but a Vapour Jam. 4. 14. and can our Sabbaths be sure and steddy Our Sabbaths are our Tyde for Heaven and when the Tyde is past there is no rowing to the Port. When the Traveller observes the Sun is declining and draws towards setting then he spurs up his Beast and speeds his pace lest the Night over-take him Our Sabbaths are setting and the Gospel-Sun is low is speeding to a disappearance Let us then keep holy these days and carefully make the best advantage of them let us neither stain their beauty by our prophaneness nor detract from their bounty by our neglect and formality lest the shadows of death over-take us and then who shall remember God or work for Psal 115. 17. his Soul in the Pit or the Grave where we shall be lodged and awake no more till the Resurrection Arg. 7 But though the Lords day be fleet and swift as to us yet it is permanent in its self and in its duration calls for our devotion We admire not a Candle so much as we do the Sun Gen. 2. 3. and one reason is because the Candle wastes but the Sun endures The light of our Sabbath is not a transient blaze but a constant light which will continue till the consummation of all things and God hath folded up all things in change or dissolution Now Permanency is a character of excellency Gold is only refined in the same fire where dress is consumed The Priesthood of Melchisedech was more excellent Melchisedec 400 annis sacerdotium Aaroniâ—uâ— antecâ—ssit et ejus sacerdotium Christi sacerdotium repraeseâ—tat quod usque ad finem mundi duraturum est Alap than that of Aaron because it continued for ever Heb. 7. 17. So the Sabbath of Christians is more excellent than the Sabbath of the Jews because that found a grave but this shall find none To our Sabbath it may be said in comparison with all the Jews Sabbaths They shall perish but thou remainest they shall all wax old as doth a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou rowl them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail To our Sabbath all the Powers of Earth and Hâ—ll shall never put a period it is a durable and therefore an honourable Ordinance And shall God honour it and shall we deface it Shall he promote it and shall we prophane it Shall he make it a lasting Ordinance and set it up as a Marble Pillar in the Church and shall we write froth and vanity upon it as if it was a Tomb-stone Our Sabbath is no flying Ceremony or transient Rite which hath the worm of Judaism at the root of it which will eat it out in time but it is a stable institution which God will have sanctified with all exactness The Persians Laws Eâ—â—h 1. 19. were irrevocable and therefore the more venerable and the transgression of but one of them threw Daniel into the Lions Den Dan. 6. 8 12. So the Law of our Sabbath it is solemn and solid not subject to decay or of a perishing nature which earnestly presses the sanctification and amplifies exceedingly the pollution of it It is not so great 〈◊〉 to break a piece of glass as to break a piece of Gold 〈◊〉 â—â—â—eness is the blemish of every thing Leases the shorter 〈◊〉 are the more inconsiderable The life of nature is no wâ—y to be compared with thâ— life of grace not only in point of sweetness but duâ—ation Sin upon the Lords day is not like â—â—rase upon a picture which is a fading paint but like a flaw in a Jewel it is a more durable blemish and a more praejudicial debasement God hâ—th not only stamped his Name upon our Sabbath but something of his Nature there is a kind of eternity engraven upon it and therefore the violation of it Rev. 1. 10. by sin neglect or vanity must needs be a reduplicate impiety Arg. 8 Let us likewise take notice that this