affections on things above Certainly as our interest in the resurrection of Christ and the influence it hath upon us should ingage us to seek the things above in the whole course of our lives and at all times to set our affections upon things above so not to do it upon that day which God hath sanctified for our special commemoration of it will speak souls both little sensible of the great mercy of redemption and little influenced from that resurrection not risen with Christ as we ought to be Again let us consider the Christian Sabbath as a sign antecedent and prefigurative The Apostle seemeth thus to argue Heb. 4.8 9. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God For he who is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his own work as God did from his Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest And a little before v. 4 5 6 7. of the same Chapter For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his works And in this place again if they shall enter into my rest Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief Again he limiteth a certain day in David saying To day after so long a time as it is said To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts for if Jesus had given them rest he would not have spoken of another day There remains therefore c. The Apostles great business there as is evident is to exhort the believing Hebrews to a perseverance in the profession of the Gospel and to perswade those that yet believed not to imbrace it The argument which he useth is Lest they should fail of an entrance into Gods rest by which rest he undoubtedly means the souls rest in Heaven To this end he tells them 1. That there is such a rest v. 9. 2. That there is a Promise left of entring into this rest 3. That some and those to whom it waâ— first preached entred not in because of unbelief 4. That there is a day limited in which those must hear the Lords voice that will enter into this rest That there is such a Rest he proveth by two types The one that of Canaan the Jews after their laborious travailing in the Wilderness entring into Canaan v. 3. The second is that of the Sabbath for what sense else can those words have in this place He spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his work And v. 10. of Christ he saith he that is entred into his rest he also ceased from his own works as God did from his God the Fathers proper work was Creation the Sons proper work was Redemption When God had finished his work he rested and in commemoration of it he appointed his people to keep a day of Rest When Christ had finished his work of redemption he also rested and appointed us a day to rest in in commemoration of it both the one and the other are by the Apostle made prefigurative of that Rest which God hath prepared in Heaven for us which also it self is called vers 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a keeping of a Sabbath Now certainly the type should bear a proportion to what is signified by it Our rest on Earth should bear some proportion to our rest in Heaven Our rest in Heaven shall not only be a cessation from labour but from all sensual vain pleasure from all worldly discourse a continual pleasure in beholding and injoying God If we would keep a Sabbath perfectly certainly abating what is necessary for our selves or others for the sustentation of our bodyes and the preservation both of our selves and other creatures we should allow our selves no more labour than we shall have in Heaven no other pleasure than the Angels and Saints of God have there all whose pleasure is in the contemplation and injoyment of God Oh that we could thus sanctifie Sabbaths But this is my third argument to press my Brethren to a more strict observation of the Lords holy Day 4. A fourth argument by which I shall preâ— this strict sanctification of the Sabbath shall be the influence which it must necessarily havâ— upon us as to the duties of worship which we perform on that day There is hardly any person unless those given up to riot and wickedness but hath upon him some little awe and dread of the Sabbath Some duties they think should be done in it more than upon another day either out of Obedience to God in the fourth commandment or to the Church or to the state so commanding Indeed some will shuffle off with very little Some think hearing one is enough for their consciences In the afternoon they may labour or sport c. Others think it is no matter whether there be a Sermon or no but they think they should be longer at morning and evening prayer that day than upon other dayes Those who have any degree of sobriety in them judge that the greater part of the day should be spent in the publick or private exercise of Gods worship but we are not so strictly tied up as to abstinence from pleasure worldly labour vain or secular discourse I will for the present give them what I cannot grant them viz. that the precept is not so strictly to be expounded yet me thinks reason is enough in the case to enforce what we plead for It may be Christian thou art one of the latter sort a sober pâ—rson who doest think that the greatest part of that day should be spent in the solemn stated acts of worship but thinkest the intermediate time may be more loosly spent Do but consider what an influence thy strict or looser spending of the intermediate time must necessarily have upon thee 1. In reference to thy acts of worship 2. In reference to the effect and fruit of that worship First I say in reference to thy acts of worship If thou hast any thing of the seriousness of a Christian in thee thou wilt and must acknowledge that God must be served with thy spirit and with the utmost ferventy of thy spirit without distractions without any coldness and deadness of spirit with life love delight in thy approach to God c. Dost thou think that all thy time before thy acts of worship had not need be spent in reading in holy meditations in reading the word c. That when thou comest to serve the Lord in solemn acts of worship thy thoughts may not be scattered thy heart may not be dull and dead certainly a conscientious Christian finds all his time too little before he falls upon his duty to get his heart into such a frame and as he spends his previous or intermediate time less or more spiritually so he will find his heart less or more what
of the Apostles you read of the Apostles and other Christians exact as to the keeping of the Sabbath nor is it at all to our disadvantage that the women Luk. 23. rested on the Jewish Sabbath according to the Commandment for at that time there was no other to rest upon We plead for no sanctification of any other day than what God hath commanded and fall under the fourth Commandment which we have already proved that the Christian Sabbath doth 8. After all this may it not be worth your while to consider the difference of that return which your awakened conscience will make to you when you have spent a Sabbath according to this rule from that which your conscience will make after a looser observation Do not your Consciences sometimes check you when you have taken up too much of that sacred time in sleep in dressing and trimming up your selves or houses in needless labours in foolish pleasures in worldly discourses c. possibly they may smite you in the actions or presently upon them but if you cast up your accounts at night will they not chastise you bâ—fore you go to bed will they not sometimes tell you you have that day done or spake what you ought not to have said or done The testimony of Conscience is not wholly to be slighted in the case 9. Lastly shall I referr you to those who have taken notice of the Judgements of God upon Sabbath breakers How many have perished in their pleasures in their labours on that day Dr. Beard Mr. Clark Mr. Bernard have collected many of them I am aware that too too many abuse a Text of Solomon to avoid any force of this argument All things come alike to all men Enough hath been spoken by other holy men to shew that the Judgements of the Lord are not so to be slighted 'T is but very few years since that many prodigious appearances in the Air Water c. and two or three Comets one after another were slighted and laught at but the dreadfull Judgements of the Plague the Warr the Fire of London quickly baffled those men of reason and shewed us that God doth not ordinarily go out of the course of Nature but to shew some extraordinary work he is about and to warn men to prepare to meet him Certainly Lots Wife being turn'd into a Pillar of Salt though our Saviour had not fixed a Remember to it might have taught people that it is a dangerous thing contrary to a Divine Precept to look back We have a Precept to Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day there are some that will not believe this obligeth us but will adventure to work to sport and take their usual Recreations as on other dayes God in these actions strikes them lame dead c. Let who will slight these extraordinary Dispensations of God My soul entâ— not thou into their secrets unto their Assemblies mine honour be not thou united They shall all to me sound That Israel may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly It is time for me to finish this Discourse Will now any of you say to me What would you have us to do in this business how would you have us sanctifie the Sabbath unto the Lord I answer 1. I would have you the day or night before the Sabbath put all that business relating to your Familes in reference to the Sabbath in as great a readiness as you can The women prepared their spices and oyntment over night which they were to use early in the morning after the Sabbath Luk. 23.56 God allows us on the Sabbath to do things that are necessary but we must take heed of creating necessities needlesly We may make things necessary It may be necessary I should kindle a fire on the Sabbath and so must have fuel but not necessary I should go that day to buy Coals or cut down Wood that might have been done the day before There 's nothing truly necessary on that day but what could not have been done before nor cannot be put off longer 2. I would have you get up from your beds as soon that day as you use to do on other dayes if not sooner It is a day of holy spiritual rest not of sensuall carnall rest It is a wretched profanation of that day for people to make that day their sleeping time above all other dayes it speaks a soul not well awakened with the Conscience of its duty on the Sabbath-day Certainly we had rather need be up sooner from our beds that morning that we may neither come late to Worship nor make more haste than good speed going out without any preparation without any Family dutyes c. 3. For such businesses as are acts of mercy to man or beast or necessary for preservation of either I would have you do them without doubting Our Saviour hath licensed both these What is necessary for decency is as little to be doubted of but take heed of spending too much time in trimmings and dressings or being excessive in provisions of meat c. 4. Spend your time before you go to the Congregation which you can spare from necessary actions before mentioned in private Reading Meditation Prayer or in instructing the Families reading the Word to them praying singing Psalms with them c. 5. After you have heard the Word preached spend again your intermediate time in like manner privately or with your Family Discoursing also upon the Word which you have heard or upon other spiritual subjects as occasion offers it self 6. After your hearing in the latter part of the day do the same again Read hear pray catechize sing Psalms read good Books discourse upon spiritual subjects what you have read or heard 7. You need not doubt on this day if occasion be offered to visit the sick or the Prisoners to feed the hungry to cloath the naked with such sacrifice God is well-pleased yea he loves this mercy better than other sacrifice 8. You must have your times on that day to eat and drink by it your liveâ— are upheld and your strength and you refreshed and made fit for your duties But while you are eating and drinking remember our Lords discourses under the same circumstances Luk. 14.1 2 3. when he was at the Feast in the Pharisees house He discourseth of things lawfull on the Sabbath concerning humility charity to the poor concerning the Wedding Supper of the Gospel c. This it is to sanctifie a Sabbath unto the Lord to keep a day as the Lord hath chosen I beseech you be not so vain as to think that it is enough to rest from sin which is your duty every day and cannot be all the rest of the Sabbath Nor that it is enough to rest from labour and you may spend the day in sleep or idleness or sports and pastimes None of all these I am sure can be named an holy or spiritual rest Nor that it is enough to spend part of the dayâ— in religious duties God will not halve with you that day he requires a whole day at least a whole artificial day which the Sun measureth to us while we pretend to believe â— Sabbath morall let us live as if indeed we did believe it Whiles we contend for the Christian Sabbath in evidence of our 〈◊〉 of Christs being come in the flesh hâ—â—yling and resurrection against the Jewâ— who deny Christ so come and our Bâ—â—thren who though acknowledging Chrâ—â—â— come yet doubt whether as Lord of the Sâ—â—bath he made a change of the day Lâ— us not our selves run into a greater erroâ— of keeping no Sabbath at all FINIS
used to express the resting place of Thorns laid up to be burned 2 Sam. 23.7 Now because those dayes which it pleased God to set apart for himself were dayes in which he did require a cessation from labour to that end that they might better attend Religious dutyes these dayes were called Sabbaths and that as well before the giving of the Law upon Sinai Exod. 16.25 26 29. as after in innumerable Texts So as the word is indifferently used to signifie the weekly Sabbath as those other holy dayes which God appointed the Jews twice in Holy Writt we find the word with a little alteration doubled Exod. 16.23.35.2 we translate it a Sabbath of Rest In the Hebrew it is but the doubling of the same word or words or of a word from the same root and of the same significancy A rest of rest signifying it was not to be a bare cessation from labour but an holy religious rest So as the fourth Commandement is no more than Keep holy a day of Rest And because God had instituted but one such day in the revolution of a Week therefore by an usual figure the word doth sometimes signifie a week as Lev. 23.15.25.8 and so in the New Testament But that usage of the word in this case wâ— have nothing as yet to do with 2. A second thing which our Brethreâ— should know and observe is That thosâ— little particles a and the are English particles not found in the Hebrew but put 〈◊〉 by translation to make up the sense according to our way of speaking the Hebreâ— hath no more than Remember to keep holy dâ— of Rest or day of Sabbath and it is indifferent whether according to our Englisâ— way of speaking we put in a or the noâ— can any argument on either side be fetcheâ— from those supplyes to the Text. These things being premised we say That there are three things or four whicâ— the Fourth Commandement requireth oâ— us 1. That we should keep some solemn time 〈◊〉 a time of holy Rest unto the Lord. 2. That it should be one day of seven a seventh part of our time 3. That it should be an intire day 4. That it should be such an intire day of seven as God hath appointed But that this day should be the seventâ— day in order from the Creation we say falleth not at least primarily under the Fourth Commandment I say primarily not secondarily it doth as that was the day which God had appointed to the Jews Now we say 1. That this is not a singularity but divers divine Precepts both of those which were temporary to the Jews and of those which are of perpetual concernment have just such an interpretation allowed even by our Brethren and by all judicious Christians God commanded Deut. 12.5.11 You shall offer all your sacrifices only in the place which the Lord your God shall choose I would ask our brethren whether this Precept did not oblige them to offer their Sacrifices in the Tabernacle while that lasted and in the Temple afterwards when God had chosen that and in Ezra's Temple when that was builded You shall remember saith God to keep holy a Sabbath day one day in seven for an holy rest such a one as God shall choose for a Sabbath why must this be the seventh from the Creation only and not that only till God should choose another which done the Commandment as much obligeth to that We say in the second Commandment God requires of us observance of the Acts of Instituted Worship which with the Jews quite differed from ours Yet the command obliged both them to sacrifice anâ— us to preach hear receive the Lords Supperâ— How so The Commandment only requireâ— of us in the generall to worship God according to his will The fifth Commandment requires us to Honour the King wheâ— it was given the Jews were bound to honour Moses their chief Magistrate at thaâ— time and many years after they were bound to honour Ahaz Hezekiah and all in forceâ— of the same Precept God requires by thâ— Fourth Commandment that his People in all Ages should keep holy to him a Sabbath day He expounds himself thus One day in seven in which we shall not labour hâ— any bodily labour and such a day as 〈◊〉 should appoint You will say then how did the Jews know or how shall we know what to keep We answer the Jewâ— knew by a Law given them of the same Age with that for Sacrifices many hundreds of years before the Law given at Sinai and by a temporary Law often repeated and quite of another kind from the Fourth Commandment which day must hold still if we can neither find it expired nor repealed nor another substituted in the room of it buâ— if we can find any such sacred Record The Fourth Commandment is not destroyed but established That required a Sabbath a day one of seven such day as God had or should appoint We plead only for a new appointment of the particular day to the New Earth the New World which God made by the sending of his Son into the world in the mean while the Fourth Commandement doth neither require this nor that day otherwise than as that day was at that time by another Law by God set apart Let us hear what our Brethren object 1. Some of them have observed an emphatical note in the Hebrew as much as that Sabbath Remember to keep holy the day of that Sabbath Answ We yield it that the affix Î is indeed sometimes emphatical but hundreds of places are to be shewed where it is not so as no argument of force can be drawn from it 2. But we may grant it so it is not that day but the day of that Sabbath if the note of Emphasis had been to the word signifying day it had been far more to our Brethrens purpose But what is it to our Brethrens purpose that it is the day of that rest or that Sabbath We will grant them that it is no ordinary rest but a special emphatical rest a spiritual holy religious rest which God requireth not a meer cessation from labour but a rest of rests as God sometimes calls it an holy rest in which we musâ— not think our own thoughts 2. But say our Brethren you grant thâ— God requires by the Fourth Commandement 〈◊〉 seventh day how can it be a seventh if it 〈◊〉 a first day can the first be the seventh Answ All this runs upon the formeâ— mistake that the fourth Commandemeâ—â— requireth the seventh in order from the Creation which we have denyed it require no more than such seventh Day as God haâ— or should appoint Suppose seven pieces oâ— Silver on a Table before us either the one or other of the outermost pieces may be the seventh accordingly as we begin to count We must suppose the seven dayes of the Week so to lye before the great Lord oâ— our time surely that is the seventh whicâ— God will appoint and make
so Suppose that any one of us should seâ— to our neighbour our crop of Corn with a reservation to our selves of a seventh part according to the proportion of our Acres and we should say to them Remember I have reserved the seventh part to my self six parts I have sold you but a seventh is mine you shall not meddle with it Must this seventh upon such a demise needs be this or that Close surely no but such a seventh as either according to our bargain we shall choose or our Farmer shall set out This is the case all our time was Gods he hath freely given us six parts and reserved a seventh such a seventh as he shall appoint to himself Hath not God a liberty at his pleasure to set out a seventh to us 3. But say our Brethren it must needs be the seventh in order from the Creation for that was the day which God rested which is brought in the Commandement as an argument to urge upon us the sanctification of the Sabbath Ans 1. That our great Creators resting from his work of creation is brought as an argument to induce us to the observation of the Sabbath we freely grant but we say not as an argument for the particular day but for the same proportion of time God rested one day in seven therefore you must also so rest It is impossible we should rest that day in which God rested that day vanished and returned no more Our Brethren therefore can plead only for the seventh in the weekly Revolution and why not foâ— a seventh in Number only not in Order 2. But we may freely grant our Brethren that that argument held for the seventh iâ— order so far as it could be without any damage to our cause The Precept is onâ— thing the argument is another It doth not at all follow that because thâ— force of the Precept is perpetual thereforâ— the force of every argument should be sâ— also One argument brought hath a perpetual force Gods allowing us six dayes sâ— our own imployment what if the other haâ— a temporary force a force only for thaâ— time during which the Sabbath then instituted was to continue There is nothing more ordinary in Holy Writ than to annex arguments of an universal eternal force to Precepts that were to expire and arguments of a temporary particular vertue to Precepts that obliged for ever How often do we find this as an Argument affixed tâ— the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws confessed by all to oblige only the Jewes For 〈◊〉 am the Lord thy God To give but one instance Lev. 22 29 30. The Precept relates â—o a sacrifice of Thanksgiving it injoyned them to eat it all the same day to leave none of â—t till the morning for saith God I am the Lord God is all our Lord yet we are not â—ll bound to that Sacrifice or the rites relaâ—ting to it On the other side The Argument affixed to the first Commandement is I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage The command in the next words Thou shalt have no other Gods but me concerns us as well as the Jews but the argument from the deliverance from Egypt and the house of bondage literally only concern'd them So here The Precept Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day with the direction and first argument in those words Six dayes shalt thou â—aboâ—â— and do all that thou hast to doe but â—he seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God c. concerns all But the other Argument in those words For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and â—ested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it We say only concerned the proportion of time not inforcing the same day in order or if it did had but a temporary force that day being then under divine institution and there being a need of that argument to quicken the Jews to observe it for those many years it was confessedly to continue after the giving of the Law in Sinai Nor indeed was it possible for all the World or for the Jews in successive times to keep the just seventh part of time from the Creation in a strict computation those who know any thing know how this computation was interrupted in Joshuah and Hezekiahs time and what a difference there is betwixt dayes in several climates and quarters of the World making it a thing impossible either for all people and the Precept concerns all or for the Jewish people afterwards dispersed over all the world to keep the punctual seventh day in order from the Creation according to a weekly revolution I conclude therefore that there is no pretence from the fourth Commandment for any to urge that we more glorifie God by obeying his will in the observation of the last than of the first day of the week yea it will anon appear we less obey God The fourth Commandement only requiring one intire day of seven and such a one as God had or should appoint If we prove God hath appointed another the fourth Commandment stands good and we are rebellious against God if we insist on the old Sabbath and neglect what God hath more lately appointed CHAP. IV. That the Lord Jesus Christ was Lord of the Sabbath and had a power as to alter all Laws relating to the acts of Worship so this Law relating to the solemn time of Worship I Cannot but be so far charitable to our Brethren ingaged against us in this controversie as to believe they will yield us what we have hitherto contended for so far as it extends only to a liberty for the Lord of Heaven and Earth after his giving the fourth Commandement to alter it for though we cannot assert such a liberty no not to the Eternal God as to such things in the ten Commandments which contain in them a morall goodness antecedaneous to the Precept being made so by the Eternall will of God and the things being of that nature that the contrary to them must necessarily impeach the glory of God which he cannot with consistency to his holy nature recede from yet for such things whose goodness meerly depends upon the Precept certainly without derogation to the Soveraign authority of God we must acknowledge a power reserved unto God to make an alteration of them So that though we cannot suppose that God should by any Precept successive to the morall Law give his creatures liberty not to glorifie him or to blaspheme him or to have any other gods besides him yet we must acknowledge a liberty to God if he pleased to alter the law for the time of his Worship that being a thing from which no glory further ariseth to God than as his will is obeyed Now I presume it a principle agreed betwixt us and our Brethren That Jesus Christ is God over all blessed for ever the
first day of the week more than any other Whereas both he and Mr. T. urge that the text only commands that every one should lay by himself not that he should give it to the Deacons Whence Mr. Tilham cavils that if this day had been their sabbath the Apostle would not have directed a survey of their estates how God had prospered them I have shewed before the Apostle commands this survey and a laying by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the first day of the week We ask why against that day more than another but that it was a day when the Church used to meet and they might have an excellent opportunity to bring it in and have their hearts warmed by the duties of that day into a due chearfulness becoming them who give unto the Lord. But M. T. will not acknowledge a collection a Lords day or a sabbath duty For then he thinks the Apostle would not have added that there be no gatherings when I come Verily the mans ignorance is to be pitied Works of piety mercy and necessity are doubtless sabbath duties or our Saviour would never have healed lame persons on that day The Apostles meaning therefore doubtless is That there be no gatherings for these Brethren-strangers when I come But suppose it be yet Mr. T. tells us that a survey of their estates which the Apostle doth implicitly command that they may see how God had prospered them was no sabbath work But there is no need as I have said we should so translate it nor do I think it the sense that the laying aside should be on the first day of the week but against the first day of the week Here 's no survey of estates directed on that day In short say what we will our brethren so fond of this notion will make us believe that the strength of our argument from this text lies that we think that the Apostle here directed a collection on the first day of the week whereas we tell them that if it were so plain as if written with a Sun beam we do not think that would prove it a collection for the saints was a pious and charitable work but might be done or directed on any day But this is that we urge from the text It is plain from holy writ that the Apostles gave a peculiar honour to this day more than to any other day of the week Though on the seventh day the Apostles so long as the Jewish rites were indulged or so long as they had any hopes to convince the Jews when they came where the Jews had Synagogues went in and heard with them yea and preached to them Yet 1. They never met in a perfect Congregation of Christians on that day that we read of but on the Lords day they did Act. 20.7 2. The Apostle ordains their gospel sacrifice their collection for the poor Saints at Hierusalem rather against this day than any other But possibly we may find that as the Apostles unquestionably by direction from their Lord gave more honour to this day than to any other So our Lord himself also did so 1. This was the day on which he rose again from the dead This I am sure they will not deny and verily this is not inconsiderable Let us but here weigh two or three things 1. The Resurrection of Christ was the Lord Christs great work by which he shewed himself to be Lord and Christ and so confirmed the whole gospel and whatsoever he instituted in his worship It was that work of his which gave evidence to the vertue both of his life and death To this end saith the Apostle Christ both died and ROSE again that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living By this he was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 Hence is our justification Rom. 4.25 Hence our peace of conscience Rom. 8.34 Hence our lively hope and the answer of a good conscience 1 Pet. 1.3 It was our great Lords first holy-day as I may say Of the day of Christs suffering he saith THIS IS YOUR DAY and the power of darkness a day in which God hath given leave to the Devil and his instruments to play their pranks But this was His day This was the Lord Christs rest The day in which he rested from the work of Redemption As his Father had done on the seventh day from the work of Creation 2. May we not soberly think that our great Lord should and did choose to lie in his grave on the sabbath day on purpose to let us know that that sabbath died with him and to rise the next day that he might point out unto us the new sabbath which he had made for the new heaven and new earth which he had now created on purpose to rise upon the first day that his Father by the change of the day might have no loss as to the time consecrated by the fourth commandment Our Lord could have ordered his death so as he might have died and risen again on the 2 3 4 or 5 days he chooseth so to dye that he shall be buried during the whole Jewish sabbath and early in the next morning he ariseth Leâ— us in the next place consider what he did when he was risen The Evangelists record not so full a communion of our Lord with the world nor with his disciples after the resurrection for forty dayâ— he was seen of them In that time counting the day on which he rose were seveâ— Christian sabbaths or first days of the week We read only of our Saviours appearing the two first of them 1. On the day of his resurrection he appeareth to Mary Magdalene looking in the grave for him and to some disciples goiâ—â— to Emaus Luk. 24.13 and to the Eleveâ— met at Hierusalem Luk. 24.36 Joh. 20 1â— and again 2. After eight days saith St. Joh. 20.26 We read but of two apparitions more thâ— one at the Sea of Tiberias Joh. 21. Thâ— other in Galilee which St. Matthew littâ— more than barely mentions Mat. 28.16 17 We do not think Christs appearing made sabbath but Christs owning his disciple meetings on these dayes by appearing theâ— to them speaks not a little in the case especially if it be observed that nothing of any worldly discourse is mentioned as passing at these times but our saviour at the Sea of Tiberias talks with them in their art freely But say our brethren zealous for the old sabbath 1. If the disciples of our Saviour had kept that day as a sabbath he or they would not have gone such a journey as 60 furlongs almost eight miles 1. Beza saith either Josephus is mistaken or some error is crept into the copy for he it is but 30 furlongs 2. The length of their furlongs we know not For our Saviour it was now no laâ—our to him to move Certain it is the way was so short as Luk. 24.33 in that 〈◊〉 hour they could return
the law of nature obligeth us to worship him and by consequence to set some time apart for it for all humane actions must be done in time yet nature directeth us not to a seventh nor to this seventh nor yet to those acts of worship which God requireth of us We are I suppose agreed that both the old and new Testament ought to be eyed as our rule in the case and indeed the old testament is most full in its directions of this nature In the new we find the Sabbath altered the Jewish superstitions and mis-interpretations corrected the practical observation of it justified by the Examples of our Saviour the Apostles and others but the rules about it are but few Our Lord intending to leave his people as in many other points of the moral Law to the fuller direction of the Laws and the Prophets Now in the old Testament we find somthing in the Law in the five books of Moses something in the Prophets The Original Law we find Exod. 20. for concerning the Sabbath in the Patriarchs time I shall say nothing it being not my question to examine when the observation began but how it should be observed The fourth commandment plainly requireth that it should be kept as on holy rest it requires it to be kept as a day of rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and requireth us to keep it holy so Exod. 35.2 an holy day a Sabbath of rest Rest is opposed to Motion and Action Holiness is opposed to idleness and filthiness I say first Rest is opposed to Motion Action yet it is apparent from scripture that neither all Motion nor all action fall under the prohibition of that precept We shall find both our Saviour and his Apostles going into the Synagogues on the Sabbath day and the latter going out of the City Acts 16.13 hence Act. 1.13 we read of a Sabbath dayes journey i. e. such a journey as a man might lawfully take on the Sabbath day what length that might be hath possibly unnecessarily troubled many doubtless so much is to be understood as one might conveniently go to attend upon the worship of God it is no improbable conjecture That the phrase hath reference to the first settlement of the Jewish Church upon their march in the wilderness There were to be 200 hundred Cubits between the Arke and the Camp Josh 3.4 And in probability when they rested they were to keep the same distance this some interpret one mile others two miles On the Sabbath day they all were to come up to the Ark to worship which was 200 hundred Cubits distant from the nearest of them and at a far greater distance from those who incamped farthest off the Ark. Godwin's Jewish Antiquities l. 2. cap. 3. Besides this we shall easily understand what Motion is lawful on the Sabbath day if we understand what Action is lawful For such Motion as is necessary to such Action must also be lawful So it is lawful for a Physitian to go to his patient For a man having a beast fallen into a pit to go to help it out c. Secondly as all Motion from our places is not prohibited so neither in all action Our Actions are divided into such as are Natural flowing from a principle and necessity of nature and serving to the upholding and conservation of nature As eating drinking sleeping c. Under the notion of moral actions we comprehend all our actions of worldly labour in our callings and places By religious actions we understand acts of worship by which we give an homage to God The fourth commandment requires that we should do no manner of work but it is apparent from other Scriptures that all actions all work is forbidden To open to you the mind of God in this thing a little 1. Acts of Religious worship or tending directly to it are so far from being forbidden that they are commanded The Jews might kill and offer beasts for sacrifices 1 Chron. 23.31 Num. 28.9 10. The Priests might order the lamps set on the new bread the Jews might circumcise an infant The Scribes might expound the Law They might blow their trumpets to call the assembly Num. 10.2 10. Watch to prevent the profanation of the Sabbath c. Neh. 13.22 Whence the Jews were wont to say that In the temple there was no Sabbath no rest there all were at work In analogy to this there can be no doubt but it is lawful to study preach read hear pray sing baptize on the Lords day in order thereto to ring Bells to call people together to be imployed in seeing to others observation of it These sort of actions is so far from being unlawful that they are actions for the Sabbath Opus diei in die suo 2. A second sort of action lawful on the Sabbath day are such as are necessary to preserve the being or well-being of creatures Thus it is lawful for Physitians or Chirurgions to apply medicines to their patients Our Saviour abundantly vindicates this Joh. 3.5 9. Luk. 13.12 13. Luk. 6.10 Joh. 9.6 Mat. 12.10 And so for nurses to attend those that are sick or young children to go for a Physitian to prepare physick let blood c. To save the life of another to indeaâ—our to preserve our own lives by fighting in opposition to an enemy by fleeing from an enemy to be in arms for the desence of our Prince or Country 1 Kings 20.9 2 Kings 11.5 6. For the Magistrate to commit malefactors Numb 15.34 To dress meat our Saviour justified the disciples rubbing ears of Corn Mat. 12 1 2 3. We find our Saviour at a feast on the Sabbath day Luk. 14.1 2 3. and others were bidden v. 7. To feed and water cattle justified by our Saviour Luk. 13.15 To keep our goods from being lost upon which our Saviour Job 5. justified the lame man carrying of his bed Undoubtedly actions that tend to preserve the being or usefulness of a thing of which we have a moral certainty that without such labour on the Sabbath the creature would perish or be unuseful and corrupt are lawful on the Lords day This all stands upon that principle That God loves mercy rather than sacrifice And upon that principle 3. Actions also of mercy and charity are by all Determined lawful Such as are visiting the sick c. Many of those which come under the Schoolemens two verses Visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo Giving bread to the hungry beer to the thirsty burying the dead relieving the captives c. So as we find the rest commanded in the fourth commandment limited by these exceptions and it must remain unlawful in any other causes to labour From whence we may gather That the prohibitions we read of in Scripture of not kindling a fire on the Sabbath day Exod. 35. and Exod. 16.29 For not going out of their place on the seventh day to gather manna must not be taken in that strictness in which some would
urge them or at least only concerned the Jews in that time not afterward The fire forbidden to be kindled must necessarily be understood 1. Either in reference to the making the Tabernacle of which he there speaks or 2. more largely of any trade-fire kindled for men to work with to get a livelihood not such as is kindled for dressing of meat refreshing us in cold weather or when we are sick 1. It is not probable there was no fire in the Jews houses that made the feast at which our Saviour was Luk. 14. besides we find works paralell to this justified in Scripture Though going out of their doors on the Sabbath must be understood to gather manna Exod. 16.29 or upon other ends than in order to actions of piety neâ—ssity or preservation and mercy for that â—â—stance Numh. 15.32 33. The Scripture so shortly relates that story of the mans being put to death for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day as to the cause of it that it is hard to give a satisfactory answer Stoning to death was a punishment used in the highest cases as that of blasphemy c. with which our reason would not judge such a violation of the Sabbath as gathering sticks was to be put in the ballance but in the Judgement there could be no error for it was given by the Judge of the whole Earth who cannot err in appointing punishments to sins That he gathered sticks on the Sabbath and this was the matter of his guilt is plain but whether it was after some special command of Moses to the contrary which the scripture saith not or to assert a profane liberty and his not regarding the commandment of God when he had no need to it Or whether it was in order to kindle some fire for labour contrary to the precept Exod. 35.3 Or what other circumstance fell in to aggravate the action to such a degree of guilt we cannot tell Suppose it was to kindle a necessary fire yet we are sure it might have been done before the Sabbath so as it was an unnecessary labour as to any necessity but what a former neglect had created something was doubtless in it more than we have in the story It is certain Moses brings this example next after the Law against presumptuous sinners Num. 15.30 31 32. Nor do we read afterwards of any such examples of sevâ—rity But enough is said to shew how the Sabbath should be kept as a rest from labour 2. But this is not all it is called an holy rest the rest of the holy Sabbath and the commandment expresly saith Remember to keep it holy Now an holy rest certainly stands distinguished from a rest meerly natural when our bodies cease from action and worldly labour 2. A rest that is profane By which I understand not only a sinful rest unlawful on any day but a rest from recreations and pastimes lawful enough on other dayes We read not in the old Law of any toleration for sports on the Sabbath we read on the contrary that it was to be an holy rest kept holy c. To which sports cannot contribute It seems unreasonable to think that labour should be forbidden in order to our more serious and solemn service of God and yet sports should be allowed which every way as much distract and unfit the Soul for acts of solemn worship But the prophets are best interpreters of the Law Now the prophet Isaiah Isa 58.13 expounding this Law saith If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy-day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thy own pleasure nor speaking thy own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it There is a precept v. 13. and a promise annexed to the due observance of that precept v. 14. The precept is directive for the sanctification of the Sabbath which is called the Sabbath the Lords holy day The end of the Sabbath for which God instituted it and which every one ought in the observation of it to aim at and shalt honour him the honouring and glorifying of God that is the end Then you have the manner directed how you should honour God in it 1. By a reverent esteem of it calling it Honourable 2. By a free and chearful entertaining it calling it a delight 3. By an abstaining from our own pleasure our own words our own wayes and turning our foot from it Our own pleasure word wayes certainly signify such pleasure such words such wayes as we meerly serve and gratifie our selves by and bring no immediate honour and glory to God Now whether this be not as exclusive of all recreations sports pastimes c. as of all laborious actions other than those before excepted by warrant from the word of God I leave to every conscientious and sober Christian to consider with himself and judge I shall only further add that what Divines truly say of all other moral precepts must be true of this That where an action is in any precept forbidden all words and thoughts relating to it are also forbidden and this is also hinted by the prophet in special in those words not speaking thy own words I am not ignorant that many of our brethren in the other reformed Churches are not of our minds in this point of the Sabbath But 1. It is therefore to be observed that they do not think the Sabbath moral we do and â—rge it as commanded us in the fourth Commandment 2. And secondly upon inquiry we may possibly find that both amongst their Ministers and People those who are most strict in their lives lament the looseness of others of their Brethren in this thing and order their personal demeanours and their Families after another rate However we are to live by rule and not by example I have thus as shortly as I could opened your duty and shewed you how the Sabbath is to be kept as a rest as an holy rest unto the Lord. Let me now plead with my brethren that knowing our Masters will we may do it I will urge a few arguments in the case 1. It is a piece of Religion by which the people of God have formerly more honoured God in these Nations than in most if not than in any other places Professors strict observation of the Sabbath in England hath even from the beginning of the Reformation been their Crown and their Glory Oh let not this Crown in our dayes fall from our heads God hath alwayes had in this Nation a strict Sabbath-observing people in the worst of times There have been of late greater light greater means more preaching more Profession than in former times oh let there not be a less strict Sabbath-keeping
the more we have of Religious Duties and Ordinances the more advantage ariseth to our immortal Souls if we be not wanting to our selves But now what reall advantage any soul can have from the sanctification of the last more than of the first day of the week will pose the most serious Christian to determine Is his Soul to be advantaged by Praying Hearing Singing breaking Bread All these certainly are done on the Lords day and with this advantage in a far fuller communion of Christians than those have who keep the sixth day as to which the far larger part of Christians and Protestants yea and the severest livers of them are not satisfied The only thing which I can think of as seeming in the least to abate the edge of this consideration is That God is more glorified because a stricter Obedience is given to his revealed Will. And indeed Samuel hath taught us That the Lord hath not so great delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices as he hath in our obeying his voyce that to Obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of Rams Now our Brethren pretend a more strict obedience to the will of God in the sanctification of the seventh than in the sanctification of the first day I shall therefore in the next Chapter arguâ— that case with them In the mean time iâ— is worthy of our Brethrens second thoughtâ— whether under the Gospel it be usual with God to enjoyn his People Precepts of meaâ— Obedience I mean such from whence their Souls shall reap no advantage nor he any glory only in this as we shew our submission to the will of God Our gracious God hath made his yoke easie by commanding us nothing but such by performing of which we further glorifie him than by a meer Obedience and from which also we reap some reall advantage to our Bodies or Souls Such I am sure are all the other moral Precepts by a performance of them we really besides obedience to the will of God do our selves or others some good and bring God some reall glory further than by the acknowledging of him our Soveraign and yielding him a suitable homage But as to this there can be no such pretence neither Souls nor Bodies of our selves or others are more advantaged nor God more honoured by our observation of the seventh than of the first day nor is God more honoured if it doth not appear he is more obeyed It is agreed on both hands that one intire day ought to be sanctified by the solemn performance of all duties of instituted Worship both publickly and privately Reading the Word praying preaching hearing administring and receiving the holy Sacraments singing of Psalms visiting and administring to the necessities of the sick and of the poor Now I say it cannot be imagined what good our selves or others shall reap more by the performance of these duties on the seventh than on the first day Nor what honour God shall have if it doth not appear that a stricter obedience is yielded to the command of God by the sanctification of the seventh than by the sanctification of the first CHAP. III. That God hath no where required of Christians the observation of the Seventh day The fourth Commandment though it requires a Seventh day and such seventh day as is of Gods appointment yet it doth no more require the Seventh than the first day of the Week THere can be no pretence for a further Obedience to the command of God in the observation of the seventh day in ordeâ— from the Creation than in the observatioâ— of the first but from the letter of the fourth Commandment as to which it is thus far agreed betwixt us and our Brethren 1. That it is in the power of God only to make a day holy No man can lay mens Consciences under an obligation that it shall be sin for them not to labour on this or that day or not to spend such a day in publick and private dutyes of Divine Worship but by Authority from God 2. That the fourth Commandment is morall and perpetuall not ceremonial and temporary either in whole or in part 3. That the sence of it is plain and literal not mystical only 4. That as it requireth some solemn time to be set apart for the Worship of God so expressely 1. A whole Day 2. One whole Day of Seven 3. Such a Day as God hath instituted So that we are far nearer agreement with our Brethren of this perswasion than with Heylin Primrose c. and the rest of that party who will have the Commandment ceremonial either in whole or in part and so lose us one of the ten Commandments or â—hose who overstraining two or three Allegorical expressions in Origen and Epiphanius would make the sense mysticall Christ to be the Sabbath and the Precept only to require the Sanctification of the Name of Christ a modern dream justifiable by no Reason Scripture nor Authority We are agreed with our Brethren That the fourth commandment is a Precept requiring the sanctification of a seventh part of our time unto the Lord for ever and such a seventh part as we shall find his direction for But that the fourth commandement doth primarily require the sanctification of the seventh day in order from the Creation is that in which alone we differ from our Brethren Let us therefore without passion candidly consult the Precept and see what there is in it which can justifie our Brethrens zeal in this case The Precept runs thus Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six dayes thou shalt labour and do all thy work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter nor thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gateâ— For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven 〈◊〉 Earth the Sea and all that in them is aâ—rested the seventh day Wherefore the Lord blâ—sed the Sabbath day and hallowed it It possibly is some disadvantage in thâ— controversie that most of our Brethren aâ— not skilled in the Hebrew language in whiâ— this Precept was Originally wrote Theâ— lay much stress upon the word Sabbatâ— and the particle the beyond what indeeâ— the letter of the Precept will bear It maâ— not therefore be amiss to let our Brethreâ— know these two things by way of promise 1. That the term Sabbath in the Hebreâ— signifieth no more than Rest and a day oâ— sabbath is no more than a day of rest Thaâ— the term Sabbath signifies no more than rest is evident to him that either attends the derivation of the word or the usage of the same word in many Scriptures Lev. 25.6 where it is applyed to the years of Jubilee Lev. 26.43 2 Chron. 36.21 Isa 30.7 It is used to signifie a rest from strife Prov. 20.3 and that rest from labour which a wounded man hath Exod. 21.19 it is
to Hierusalem and find the eleven and others gathered together We in a time of persecution oft go as far to hear a sermon and yet do not break the sabbath 2. But they say the text saith Christs second appearing was after eight dayes Joh. 20.26 But so it is said that after three dayes the Son of Man must rise again Mar. 8.31 Yet we know he rose on the third day The Grecians had that liberty in their laâ—guage of expressing themselves as to expresâ— a thing as done when once began Afteâ— eight dayes is no more than after the eight day was begun as after three dayes was nâ— more than after the third day was began Our Saviour being now ascended intâ— Heaven we find the disciples returninâ— from mount Olivet to Hierusalem Act. 1 â—â— and read little of them but of their continuing in prayers and supplication and choosing an Apostle till the day of Pentecost What was done in the day of Pentecost we find Act. 2. Then the Holy Ghost descended and before that we read of thaâ— descending of the Holy Ghost the Evangelists observed They were all with one 〈◊〉 in one place A phrase fully expressing 〈◊〉 Christian Church-meeting I am not Ignorant what a stir Mr. Tilham keeps 〈◊〉 prove this was upon the Jewish sabbath We say with I think better evidence it was upon the Lords day 1. It was Gods express law that the Jews should rest on the seventh day both 〈◊〉 earing and in harvest Exod. 34.21 22. 2. The law for the feast of Pentecost yoâ— shall find Levit. 23.10 11 12 15 16. â—hen you be come into the land which I shall â—â—e you and shall reap the harvest thereof then 〈◊〉 shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of â—â—r harvest unto the Priest and he shall wave 〈◊〉 together with the offering of a lamb withâ—â— blemish on the morrow after the sabbath 〈◊〉 shall wave it And you shall count unto 〈◊〉 from the morrow after the sabbath from 〈◊〉 day you brought the sheafe seven sabbaths â—ill be compleat even until the morrow after â—he seventh sabbath you shall number 50 dayes Deut. 16.9 Seven weeks shalt thou number â—nto thee begin to number the seven weeks him such time as thou beginnest to put sickle â—â—to thy corn I must first take notice of a base cheat Mr. Tilham puts upon his reader Tilham 7 day sabbath p. 82. â—â—lling them that Moses from God appointed Israel to bring on the â—â—orrow after their passover sabbath â—sheaf of their first fruits c. Good reader look into all the texts that mention it and see if God sayes a word of their Passover Sabbath but v. 11. The morrow after the sabbath Which was undoubtedly the weekly sabbath Besides their passover sabbath was tied to a day It is not to be imagined their corn should alwayes be riâ— just that day to wit the 14 day of â— first moneth Now they were not to couâ— till they had put their sickle into their corâ— Deut. 16.9 1. I observe first it was impossible thâ— Pentecost should ever fall upon the Jewish sabath for on the sabbath day they were â— God 's law to rest Exod. 34.21 22. even earing and harvest So the soonest they couâ— begin to put their sickle into their coâ— must be the first day of the week 2. They were then to expect till thâ— next sabbath and from the morrow afteâ— to count which makes it necessary thâ—â— the feast of Pentecost should alwayes fall 〈◊〉 the first day of the week 3. Here was a Church-meeting of Christians met in one place on the first day of the weeâ— 4. Christ who when on the Earth 〈◊〉 we heard did honour those meetings wiâ—â— his own company here he sends the comforter gives them on this day the promise of thâ— Father It is true Mr. Ainsworth and some other think the passover sabbath was meant bâ— let any one consider with reason how it wâ—â— possible unless the corn in Palestina was alwayes ripe before the fifteenth day of the month Abib so as they had reaped some of it for till that there was no beginning to count for Pentecost but Mr. Ainsworth is far from fathering this as Mr. Tilham doth on Moses it was only a notion taken up by that holy man from some Rabbins But enough of this whoso will read this argument from our Saviours Apparitions and the descending of the Holy Ghost improved to the height may have it admirably done by Mr. Warren late Minister of the Gospel in Colchester in his excellent Book called The Jewish Sabbath antiquated and the Lords day instituted from p. 169 to 187. where so much is indeed said upon this whole Subject as I think very little is to be added to it But there is yet behind one Text more insisted on almost by all Divines in this case it is that Rev. 1.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a Trumpet saying c. V. 11. and I turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned I saw seven golden Candlesticks and in the midst of the seven Candlesticks one like unto the Son of man c. who is described further v. 13 14 15 16. where he is said to have the Stars in hiâ— right hand and out of his mouth went forâ— a two-edged sword Christ himself opens the Vision v. 20. The seven starrs are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches St. John at this time was by the Roman Emperour banished into the Isle of Pathmos for the Gospel sake Here he seeth a Vision Two things as to the present Controversie are considerable in it 1. What he saw 2. When he saw it 1. What he saw He saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the middest of his Gospel Churches walking before him in the purity of Gospel Administrations and reaching forth godly Ministers to them and furnishing them with his Word which is as a sharp two-edged sword This plainly was the Vision interpreted by the Lord himself Revel 1.20 2. When saw he this On the Lords day he was in the Spirit on the Lords day then he heard this voice then he saw this Vision 3. I am aware that this Text hath so disturbed the leaders in this Controversie opposite to us that they have exercised their wits to find out a Lords day not the first day of the week Mr. Brabourn Mr. Tilham and one of more learning and worth than both of them think it might be the day of Judgement which indeed is called the day of the Lord Phil. 1.16 but never the Lords day Again the Apostle speaks of a known day and of a day in being then but neither of these is true of the day of Judgement not yet come nor to be known when it shall come Matth. 24.36 Of that day and hour knoweth no man Others think it might be the day of
than formerly This would be but an ill requitall of the God of their mercies Men in other little things have a zeal to keep up the credit and repute of their Countrey certainly it should not in this grow cold None certainly can think this is rather an argument on the other side as intimating that my plea is for an unnecessary strictness If the opinion of duty in such severe observation of Sabbaths should be a mistake yet unquestionably in the practice there can be no considerable mistake on this hand If a man upon any other day of the week in order to the putting his heart into and keeping his heart in the better frame for Religious Worship to be in that day performed should resolve to meddle with no labour to allow himself no diversions by Sports nor to ingage in any worldly or more idle discourse certainly every one would say he did well and can any be condemned either by another or by his own Conscience for doing this on the Sabbath-day when by the confession of all they are obliged either by the fourth Commandment as we say or by the custom or command of the Church as others say to more and more solemn acts of Worship than upon the week-dayes Surely if we had not particular Precepts in the cause yet the consideration of the great and solemn services we are that day to perform to God which reason will tell us should be performed with the best attention of minde and intention of spirit and improved when done to the best advantage would oblige us to this rest from worldly actions worldly discourses vain and useless pleasures which must necessarily divert our minds from our spiritual employments and take up that time which might be better improved in the concocting the Word we have heard and due digesting of it by meditation and applying it to our hearts Now considering over and above this that this hath been the honour of the Professours of Religion in England it certainly ought to prevail with ingenuous children of so good Parents especially when it is impossible that they should find any errour in the practice if any will fancy that there is a mistake as to the opinion of a necessity of such strictness If any of them can say which I much doubt yea I firmly believe the contrary he that reads and prayes in his family and prayes with the Congregation and hears a Sermon or two in the Sabbath though he also in the vacation of these exercises doth some worldly business and discourseth of it or recreates himself with some sports not sinfull doth well yet they must say he who forbears these sports labours discourses on that day doth better if not with respect to the command strictly yet with reference to the dutyes he is to perform that he may the better perform them and make the better improvement and advantage of them and with reference to scandall and the destroying the Souls of others yea and in reference to his own Soul Reason obliging us in such cases of doubt to take the safest part 2. Secondly Consider I beseech you the influence that it hath upon an holy life and conversation Compare the lives of those that are strict in the observation of the Sabbath with the lives of those that are more remiss in it and where you see an abatement as to strictness in keeping Sabbaths whether you do not find also a proportionable abatement of holiness almost in all their other converse Observe and see if they be as conscientious according to Davids resolution Psal 101.2 to walk in their house in a perfect way To instruct their Families according to Abrahams copy Gen. 18.19 commanding them to keep the way of the Lord. Teaching the Law of God unto their children diligently and whetting it upon them as it is in the Hebrew and talking of it when they sit in their houses and when they walk in the way when they lye down and when they rise up according to Gods command Deut. 6.7 whether they be so diligent and constant in praying with their families so offering up their morning and evening sacrifices to the Lord. Indeed it is not reasonable to presume that those who will not spend the Sabbath thus should spend any considerable time of their working-dayes thus when they have a free liberty to work by the Laws of God and men considering especially that on the Sabbath-day they are restrained from labour not only by the Law of God but by the Laws of the Nation and general usage and custom of the place where they are But I fear upon observation we shall finde that those who are loose in the observation of the Sabbath are not very strict in any other piece of their conversation I remember the learned Junius in his Analytick Explication of Numbers upon the story before mentioned concerning him that gathered sticks starts a question whether then it was such a crime to gather sticks on the Sabbath day He answers it thus That the Precept of the Sabbath was the clausula the conclusion of all the Precepts that concerned the Worship of God in which God would have all exercises of piety imbibed whence it was that he who was in the least guilty of the profanation of that was guilty of a profanation of the whole Worship of God Again that Christian who is possessed with a dread of the Lord as to the Sabbath and walks in that dread all that day will find it influential upon him the whole week so that the strict observation of the Sabbath is both influential upon us as to holiness and is also an indication of holiness which should oblige Christians to the strict observation of it Buxtorf tells us of one of the Jewish Rabbies that wished His portion might be with those that began the Sabbath with those of Tiberias and ended it with those of Tseppore That is who sanctified the Sabbath in the longest proportion of time for Tsephore being a City placed on the top of a Mountain the Sun shined longer upon that than upon others and Tiberias being situated in a valley the Sun appeared to them not so soon as to others I think it may be a good wish for a Christian That his portion might be with them that begin the Sabbath soonest and end it latest and keep it most strictly Thirdly Methinks the typical notion of the Sabbath should something oblige us The Sabbath is not only a consequent and commemorative sign to us of Christs resurrection but it is also a predictional and antecedent sign of that glorious rest which remaineth for the people of God which way soever we look upon it it certainly calleth to us for a strict observation of it 1. Let us look upon it as a consequent sign as a memorial of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ We are said to be risen with Christ whence the Apostle argues our duty to seek those things which are above To set our