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.
midwived into the world by Apostolical precept or practise The infinite distance between the Authorities must needs conclude a vast difference between the benedictions nor can the Canon of a Council tie conscience so fast or bless the obedient so much as the Canon of Scripture our enemies themselves being Judges nor can in the least any Scripture be produced to authorize the Church to set up a Sabbath for the Christian World God usually blesseth his own institutions Prayer is powerful because He commands it Preaching John 14. 15. effectual because He enâ—oyns it the Sacraments comfortable Mat. 28. 19 20. because He ordains them and so the Lords Day is often Luk. 22. 19 20. bedewed with showers of the choicest love and benediction because it was Christs institution either more immediately by his personal command or else mediately by his inspired and infallible Apostles And therefore let us fall down before the force of truth and conclude the blessings of our Sabbath speak the beginnings of our Sabbath to be in Gods breast and not in mans will God usually accepting the worship at Jerusalem and not that at Dan and Bethel he loves those festivals of which himself is the Author And let us fetch a pregnant argument from Providence What signal judgements hath God punished the prophaners of Peccatum est deiâ—idium â— Christiciâ—â—um est summum malum spomaneâ— infania somnus et mors anima ex sui naturâ mortem meretur gravâ— est onus animum deprimens cibus durus nullo stomacho digestibilis morbus pesti lentissimus putidissima corruptio Alap the Lords day with as shall be shewn more fully hereafter Now the prophaning of the Lords day must needs be a breach of the law of God or else how can it be a provocation of the wrath of God God punisheth only for sin which the Apostle saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law 1 John 3. 4. Now if our Christian Sabbath be only a law of Man where is the positive and provoking sin in the violation of it where is the infinite evil which should so inflame divine displeasure as to pour out his fury on the violatours of it and to follow them with tremendous judgements Is it probable that God would strike so deeply and punish so fearfully and wonderfully for the breach of a Canon of the Church or a Decree of a Council It is true was the Lords day bottom'd on Ecclesiastical authority it would be a piece of disobedience to the Church to violate it but still where is the infinite evil as every sin is to stir up so much indignation in the Almighty Surely the breach of a humane constitution could never raise such storms in the world nor pelt so many untimely into their dust and oftentimes on a sudden and in a stupendous and terrible manner as shall be fully shewed hereafter And again we meet with no such tragedies in our sporting upon holy dayes and those festivals which are of the Churches appointment those dayes run waste in mirth and jollity nor do we meet with broken limbs sudden deaths fearfull diseases unexpected blindness c. the common issues of the prophanation of the Lords day to be the success and consequence of that vanity Providence then makes the distinction between dayes of the Churches appointment and that blessed day our Christian Sabbath which is of divine institution To conclude then this particular Let us cloath the Lords Quid hac die fâ—â—icius est quâ dominâ—â— judaeâ—â— mortuus est nobis resurrexit In quâ cultus Synagogae ocâ—ubuit et est ortus ecclesiae in quâ nos homines fecit surgere et vivere secum et sedere in coelestibus Haec est dies quem fecit dominus exultemus et laetetemur in illo Omnes dies fecit dominus sed caeteri dies possunt esse ju daeorum possunt esse Haereticorum possunt esse Gentilium sed dies dominica dies est resurrectionis dies Christianorum est dies nostra est Hier. day in all its royal Apparel and put on all its Jewels and Ornaments and then we shall see this Queen of dayes in all its splendour and glory A day it is of honour and renown above all dayes that ever the Sun shone in the most gloririous day that ever God created the most solemn day that ever the Church celebrated a day which Christ hath crowned with the greatest glory of any day that ever dawned upon the world It is a day of the Lords power a day of his perfection the day of his praise and glory and a day of his bâ—â—â—nty and blessings the day of his espousals and of the gladness of his heart When Christ was born the Angels celebrated that day with Songs and triumphs Luke 2. 13. When Christ rose from the dead or else why was he born Let the Saints celebrate that day with weekly solemnities and praises and not passe away their laud in a transient musick as the Angels did On this day our Christian Sabbath day there was a confluence of wonders and wonderfull transactions wrought by him whose name is wonderfull Isa 9. 6. In a word this day is the highly favoured of God a map of Heaven a taste of Glory the golden spot of time the market day of souls the day break of eternal brightness a day to be marked of thousands for their new birth day a day on which many have been redeemed from more then Aegyptian bondage a day of light of joy of love and delight a day which is truly delitiae humani generis the delight of mankind as once Titus was called Ah! how do men flutter up and down on the week dayes as the Dove on Rom. 1. 4. Luke 13. 32. John 20. 22 23. the waters and can find no rest for their souls till they come to this day as to an Arke and this day takes them in On this day the light was created the Holy Spirit descended life hath been restored Satan subdued Sin mortified Souls sanctified Cant. 3. 11. Hos 2. 19 20. Acts 13. 34. Sex praerogativae recensentur ad diem dominicum propiissimè pertinentes Beda in lib. de officiis Eccles Cap. 1. the Grave Hell and Death conquered O! the mountings of mind the ravishings of heart the solace of soul which on this day men enjoy in their dearest Saviour Our Lords day is the first day of the week was the first day of the world On it the Elements were formed the light was created the Angels were produced On it Manna was first rained down On it say the Fathers of the sixt General Council was Christ born On it did the Star first appear to the wise men who came out of the East On it was Christ baptized in Jordan by John the Baptist as the Council of Paris observe Sextum Concilium generale Constantinopoli celebratum On it saith a learned man Christ
burnt offering and indeed what information could they receive from the slaying of a sacrifice Let not them O Christians who groped in the dark keep better Sabbaths then we who live in the Sun-shine Our means being greater our light brighter our Gospel beams stronger let our services on Gods blessed day be more sublime and accurate And it is observable our light sprung upon our Sabbath to bear stronger Maâ— 16. 2. Mat. 28. 1. witness against all deeds of darkness on that day O let us then pity the Jews incapacities and testifie to all the Natitions we live under the Gospel of Christ because we are so strict upon his own day As we are endowed with more knowledge so we are embraced with more love then the Jews were The love of God to mankind was never so fully revealed as in these latter times Heb. 3. 2. John 3. 16. And hereupon undoubtedly it is that our Saviour Prophetâ— docuerunt ut Prophetae i. e. ut homines futura de Christo et ecclesiâ dei praenunciantes et praevidentes obsâ—ura Jam verò in lege novâ Christus filius dei qui clarè vidit et penetravit omnem Patris sapientiam non docet sicut membra corpori et sic Prophetae Christo cedant professeth That from the time of John the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent taketh it by force Mat. 11. 12. To such an height of devotion hath the love of God manifested in his Son inflamed his true Servants Indeed love is the genuine incentive to obedience now we have warmer love as well as clearer light then the Jews which doth strongly engage us to stricter Sabbaths then they were accustomed too They had Christ in a type we had him in truth they had him in a shadow we have him in substance they saw him afar off in a promise but we saw him bleeding on a Cross dying for our sins and rising again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Rom. 8. 34. They saw Christ through the lattice and we with the window open they beheld him behind the cloud but we when the cloud was broken away And what is the inference Let this endearing love inspire us with gâ—eater zeal upon the Lords day that we may travel further in Heavens way on Apparuit dei potentia in creatioâ—â— dâ—i sapientia in reâ—um gâ—bernatione sed benignitas misericoâ—diae apparet in Christi humanitate Bern. that blessed season The love of a Father caused him to send down his Christ the love of a Christ caused him to lay down his life the love of the spirit causes him to bring home his work to a believing soul and this love of the Trinity should constrain every Christian to the holy observation of the Lords day When we understand how strictly sometimes the Jewish Church kept the Sabbath let the fire of love set us all in a flame and let the blushes of shame recruit our resolution concluding we have tasted deeper of the sweets of John 3. 16. John 10 17. Christs unspeakable love And if thou lovest Christ keep his Commandments John 14. 15. And among the rest the fâ—urth The Jews were tolerated in some things offensive which will not be permitted to us as in case of Polygamy so Jacob Gen. 29. 28. 1 Sam. 30. 5. â— Kings 11. 3. David Solomon holy and excellent men had their variety of wives and yet we read not of the thunder of a Ne quis adulteretur aut fornicetur Deus in remedium concupiscentiae instituit honorabile matrimonium illud cuivis amplecti licet Si eo relicto adulteretur quis aut fornicetur inexâ—usabilis sit ideòque à deo judicandus et damnandus Alap in Hebr. threat or the thunder-boult of a judgment falling upon them for that fact and practice There was something of a connivence God seemed as the Apostle speaks in the times of ignorance to wink at that unâ—â—stifiable procedure Acts 17. 30. But now in Gospel-times this plurality of wives incurs the penalty of the law of the land much more of the law of God and is a sin most scandalous and abominable well becoming the brutishness of a Turk or the barbarism of a Gentile Well then to come nearer to our purpose spots are sooner discerned in the garment of a Christian we have no shelter of connivence to fly unto if we break the law of marriage the Apostle tells us plainly Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13. 4. And so in the law of the Sabbath we have no toleration to plead or connivence as a skirt to be thrown over the breaches of it If we Christians break the Sabbath we are arrested by divine wrath without any bail or mainprize nor can we expect any suspension of divine displeasure Indeed God will something bear with offences in the duskish time of the law but he will Mat. 10. 15. scourge those very sins with scorpions in the times of the glorious Gospel Our tie therefore is not only stronger but our Mark 6. 11. interest and reason is clearer to engage us to Sabbath-holiness It will be more tolerable for the people of Israel and Luk. 10. 12 14. the inhabitants of Judah in the day of judgment then for Christians who shall presume upon Sabbath-violation The Gospel is a constant alarm to holiness There is no profession of the Gospel without an abjuâ—ation of all sin and uncleanness 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Gospel adds weight to every sin sin under the Gospel is like Adams transgression which was acted in Paradise a place of pleasure and abundance of purity and undefiledness it is like the sin of the buyers and sellers in the Temple their sin was inhaunced by Rom. 13. 12. the place Gospel light and love adds Vinegar to the Gall John 3. 19. of every offence Greater then must be our breaches of Gods holy day our prophanation of it must be of a scarlet dye and Heb. 12. 14. of a crimson tincture the poor Jews had never the argument of a Gospel to urge Sabbath-obedience or to inhance Sabbath-guilt they were in the Night Rom. 13. 12. The Noxâ—â—â— teâ—pus ante Christâ—m plenum terebrâ— infidelitatis peccatorum sed dies est rempus evangelti quo sol justitiae lucis suae radios toto orbe diffundit Praesente jam Christo et luce evangelii in hoc die opera tenebrarum abjicere et honestè ambulare et Christianè vivere debemus Cypr. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Mal. 5. 15. Cant. 1. 7. day-spring from on high never visited them but our day shines bright upon us which clears up our way to sanctity and holiness Let not Christians then under a pure purifying Gospel under a Gospel â—hich will both discover and condemn every evil way under a Gospel which was indited by a holy Spirit which leads to a holy life which suits with a holy heart let not such brutifie
take notice that in the history of Gods raining down of Manna there is frequent mention made of the Sabbath and this was before the Law was given upon Mount Sinai In Exod. 16. 23. the Lord speaketh of the Sabbath wherein no Manna was to Mâ—jâ—ris momenti et fiâ—â—itatis est quod assâ—râ—ur Exod. 16. 24. ubi Sabbati tanquam diei inter Israelitas celebris et noti mentio sit et sic vers 26. His verbis Sabbatum non instituitur sed tanquam rem antea institutam propter Mannae collectionem violandum non esse à deo praecipitur Wal. be gathered as a thing in use amongst them and no unheard of novelty the Sabbath then was no wonder to the people of Israel but indeed the Commandment for not gathering Manna on that day was a new thing The Sabbath is again mentioned vers 25. To day is a Sabbath unto the Lord where we have no words of institution as if now the Sabbath first commenced a weekly festival but this blessed day is spoken of as of an usual and well known solemnity And which is very observable the Lord speaks expresly concerning the Sabbath vers 29. That he had given them a Sabbath in the preterperfect tense as a thing of former times not of any present institution he gives them Manna in the present tense but he hath given them a Sabbath in the preterperfect tense which most clearly evinces the antiquity of its institution Moreover the ready obedience of the people in resting upon the seventh day mentioned vers 30. evidences its former institution they did not dispute but obey not admire but submit New Laws raise Questions but here was none Every circumstance in this whole story gives in clear evidence to this truth Nay in the 28th verse God chides the people who went out to gather Manna on the Sabbath day as breakers of his Laws and Commandments So then the Sabbath was an antient Law among them nay an Eminent Law and therefore called Laws in the plural number vers 28. The Jews gathered Manna on the Sabbath and this was their sin and this could not have been their transgression unless there had been a Law for The mentioning of the Sabbath Exod. 16. 23. comes in occasionally as concerning Manna and not of purpose to institute a Sabbath Mr. Bern. the Sabbath for sin is onely the transgression of a Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. And one thing more is observable the Lord works a miracle at that time to honour the Sabbath the Manna which was gathered the day before did not putrifie on that day according to the nature of it Exod. 16. 24. by which God shewed how greatefull the due observance of that day was to him So then to wind up this particular we find in this Chapter the Sabbath observed which could not be unless instituted before for only instituâ—ions are the matter of our G. J. p. 11. observation and no less is acknowledged by our adversaries Cogita iâ— Egypto ubi serviebas etiam ipso Sabbato per vim te esse coactum ad labores Man Ben. Isr in this point And to fasten a naile on this argument that it may not unravel Manasseh Ben Israel one of the most eminent of the Jewish Rabbies very well observes that the Lords enjoyning the Israelites the observation of the Sabbath tells them they were Servants in Aegypt Deut. 5. 15. This the antient wise men among the Jews do apply in this manner Think with thy self how that in Aegypt where thou Quae dicuntur de Sabbato videntur innuere vel ejus observationem tum fuisse institutam vel saltem innovatam miraculo confirmatam Riv. servedst by force thou wast constrained to work even on the Sabbath day Thus the Jews most knowing in the doctrine of the Sabbath spake of a Sabbath in their Aegyptian bondage which was long before Mount Sinai smoaked to preface Gods giving the Ten Commandments Two things more must here be inserted as in their proper place 1. The Lord argues Exod. 16. 28. with the Israelites for violating the Sabbath with this expostulation How long will ye refuse to keep my Commandments which argues most clearly the Antiquity of the Sabbath for God would not thus reprove the first breach of this Commandment but it plainly discovers their custome in this sin 2. And so in Exod. 31. 15. the keeping of the Sabbath is not urged from the Commandment lately given in the decalogue as reason would in mans judgement but from Exod. 31. 15 16 17. the seventh dayes rest and refreshment after six dayes work which points clearly at the Sabbaths first institution The Apostles Argument mentioned in the beginning of the fourth Chapter to the Hebrews brings a fresh light to Heb. 4 5. Vis est in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ea quies praeteriit olim rursus tamen quietem promittit ergo haec alia est à priore Par. this truth there the Apostle seems to dispute ex concessis from the observation of the Sabbath from the beginning of the world The Question was how those words of the Prophet were to be understood viz. If they shall enter into my rest Now saith the Apostle there is a two-fold rest mentioned in the Old Testament the rest of the Sabbath and the rest of the Land of Canaan but it cannot be meant Ex dictis sequitur aliud Sabbatum aliam requiem restarâ— populo dei puâ—à requiem gaudium et solennitatem caelestem figuratam per quietem et festum veteris et Judaici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of either of these rests for they are long since passed one at the beginning the other at the time of Joshua and therefore it must be meant of a rest to come The minor of this syllogisme the Apostle proves by parts not the rest of the Sabbath for that was entred into by man from the beginning seeing the works were finished from the beginning Heb. 4. 5. not of the rest of Canaan for if Joshua had given them rest he would not have spoken of another rest vers 8. the conclusion then follows there remains therefore a rest for the people of God vers 9. And that is the rest of Heaven whereof Alap the other two rests were either types or fair resemblances We see therefore that the Apostle taakes the first viz. of the Sabbath as from the beginning of the world and this Divine Authority is beyond all dispute or exception and whosoever shall cast a cloud upon so clear a truth we may truly say the hand of itching curriosâ—ty or design is in it nothing but singularity or interest could raise such a steam or vapour The Proemial word Remember prefatory to the fourth Commandement clearly speaks the primitive institution of the Sabbath For Memory alwayss looks backwards we Deus in Decalogo pronunciando memoriam refricat Israelitis primaevae ordinationis quando deus eam innovavit Riv. in Dec.
of sin cannot over-rule the spot of sin cannot so unbeautifie him as to render him repudiate in the sight of his beloved sin may bring the Saint to the bar of conscience to be arraigned their but never to the bar of God to be condemned 1 Joh. 29. Jer. 31. 34. Heb. 9. 14. Isa 43. 25. Isa 44. 22. 1 Joh. 1. 9. there Christ hath satisfied for the sins of his people and divine justice will not require a double satisfaction The Apostle saith 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins much more if Christ die for them God is just to forgive our sins Christ hath redeemed us from the killing power of death The Saints death is his alteration not his execution his Job 14. 14. Phil. 1. 23. Mors non est interitus sed introitus change but not his curse His priviledge and not his penalty Our death by the death of Christ is become a desireable thing the bitterness of Christs death hath put a sweetness and loveliness upon ours When the Saints die they only go to their Fathers house Death sees them safe home it Joh. 14 2 unites the body to the Earth their Mother and the soul to Tempus diversionis est teâ—â— reversionis et regressionis ad Deuâ— Tertul. the Lord their Father who in the Resurrection will conjoyn these dissever'd pieces of Man and glorify them both for ever Tertullian calls the time of dying the time of return to God after the years of absence here below Cyprian calls death the time of a Saints assumption and conveyance to his Augustinus in 1 Tim. 4 7. Exultantis magis sunt verba ad mortâ—â— praesentiam et ad corâ—â—â—m â—â— helantis quà m timentis et seipsum cruciantis Aug. Kingdom And it is recorded when the same holy Martyr heard of a sentence of death passed upon him by the Emperour Valerian he answered I thank God who is pleased to loosen the chains of my body that at last I may truly be at liberty Christs death indeed hath sweetned and perfumed ours the spices which were thrown into Christs grave are now taken up and thrown into ours Life to a believer is but an unkind Wall which parteth the Saint from his Beloved death throwes down this Wall and brings him into Luc. 24. 1. Joh. 19. 40. the same Heaven with Jesus Christ Death convey'd Lazarus from the comfortless gate of the rich man to the refreshing Luc. 16. 23. Heb. 9. 27. bosom of blessed because believing Abraham Christ hath redeemed us from the sting though not from the stroak of death from its hurt though not from its hold A Saint Rev. 14 13. 1 Thes 4. 14 16. now dies in Christ and though he die in his bed yet he sleeps in Jesus Death is only his ceasing to be any longer in a valley of tears and a wilderness of snares But a little farther to dilate on this point The Attributes resplendent in the work of Redemption In the great work of our Redemption all the Divine Attributes manifest themselves in their greatest lustre and splendor in this beautiful Orb they shine the brightest The Justice of God that if the sinner did not die the Son must One must die if the sinner be not cast into hell the Saviour must go out of his Fathers bosom Here was infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delectatus est Deus voluit et ejus beneplacito profectus est quòd infirmitatibus subjecerit filium suâ—m eumque afflictionibus contuderit Alioquin nihil actum esset si existimaremus illud accidisse vel nolente deo vel otiosè spectante Riv. justice here justice had a Selah put upon it That Text of Scripture is most remarkable in Isa 53. 10. It pleased the Father to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. God took a delight in bruising his own Son because in those bruises justice rid triumphant Innocency must bleed that the sinner may escape and that justice may be displayed Lycurgus once made a Law that Adultery should be punished with the loss of both the eyes his own Son being found guilty that justice might not be waved he puts out one of his Sons eyes and one of his own So the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. That Law is unalterable now sin is committed there is an accursed thing in the Camp Iosh 7. 11. Either the sinner or the Saviour must die If the Principal cannot pay the Debt the surety must Divine Justice is so inexorable that the sinner escaping the Cup of Divine Rom. 6. 23. Heb. 7. 22. wrath must be put into the hand of an only Son Thus justice is eminent in the work of Mans Redemption The faithfulness of God God from eternity made a compact with his Son the Copy of which is laid up in that Ad successum mortis de quod attinet Rectè exprimitur videndi et saturandi verbis quibus omni moda fruitio rei conquisitae laboribus significatur et accipitur pro foelici et ubere sanctarum animarum messe Christus ad mortis suae tempus esuriebat grandi charitatis aestu c. Joh. 17. 4 5 6. Text Isa 53. 10 11. And one iota of this agreement must not pass away The substance of this compact is comprised in this main Article If Christ will make his soul an offering for sin he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied If Christ will die his Spouse his Church shall live his Cross shall make way for their Crown Now in the fulness of time Gal. 4. 4. Christ attempts and accomplisheth this stupendous undertaking he becomes incarnate and dies for his people and so his people live by his death the Father altogether comporting with this glorious agreement and not only gives his Son to redeem sinners Ioh. 3. 16. but likewises gives redeemed sinners to his Son Ioh. 17. 4 5 6. And thus Divine faithfulness gloriously breaks forth in the blessed work of our Redemption Every Article is made good and Christ meets with no disappointment not a soul miscarries for which he laid down a price and a ransom The Love of God did most transcendently appear in the work of Mâ—ns Redempâ—ion There was rich love on the Fathers part Ioh. 3. 16. Unspeakable bowels did the Father express to part with a Son a holy Son the Son of the bosom the Son from Eternity the very Character of his Father Heb. 1. 3. An only Son a begotten Son Psal 2. 7. to die Gen. 22. 12. for sinners Though Isaac was on the Altar yet he was rescued but our dear Jesus was on the Cross and he must die Christ begs his life of the Father Mat. 26. 39. But Non solum confiâ—mat Christus se discipulos suos dilexisse sed dilectionis suae magnitudinem exaggerat quod summo amorisgradu eos dilexerit Ger. the Father will not hear Great love was manifested in the
memoranda primum et praeciâ—â—â—um est benefiâ—ium creationis quod commemoratur in sanctificatione Sabbati Aquin. Prima Secundae Quest 100. Artic. 5. transcendent Majesty in that magnificent Pallace of the Heavens which he hath prepared and furnished for himself where he sends forth his light and makes it his covering and the clouds are his triumphal Chariots Psal 104. 2 3. Sixthly In this great work is manifest Gods absolute perfection in imparting to the creatures all their several perfections which must needs be in a far more eminent degree in him who gave them And indeed this illustrious work is the strong motive to all Gods Creatures to Adore Worship Love Fear Serve Reverence and Obey this great Jehovah and to Depend Rest Trust and submit themselves to him alone But the glory of this work of Creation will yield a more amazing splendor if we look on it In its Antiquity It is the most ancient of all Gods visible works Deut. 4. 32. Mat. 13. 19. Rev. 3. 14. and that In principio deâ—â—â—reavit c. In hac voce non Authorem tantùm sed exordinum mundi judicat Moses Par. Gen. 1. 1. which is most ancient is most honourable Jer. 18. 15. Dan. 7. 9. This great and stupendous work is now some six thousand years standing it is the primitive essay of his power who is the ancient of days Time seems to shed a Veneration upon it The first Creation was the Cradle of the world its infancy which nothing did precede but the Being of a God who is from all eternity In its universality The work of Creation is the most general and extensive of all Gods works extending to Angels Men Sun Moon Stars nay to the Sparrow on the 1 Kings 4. 33. house top to the fly in the air and to the hysop on the Wall it transcends the bounds of Solomon's Philosophy to give us a Tract of all the Vegetables the Bruits and Rationals Bonum eò melius quò communius which God created when he set upon this glorious work And here that politick axiom is most true That which is good the more general the more grateful And therefore Philo the Jew in his Tract of the Workmanship of the World stiles the Sabbath which is the Festival in Memory Phil. suo de Opisicio Mundi of the Creation a Feast not of one people or of one Region but the universal festivity of all Nations which Festival alone deserves the name of popular In its goodness and untainted purity God at the first created all things very good perfect pure and excellent Gen. 1. 31. Nay man himself after his own image in holiness true righteousness Gen. 1 25 26. integrity and perfection without sin corruption Eccl. 7. 27. or obliquity The work of Creation at first was wholly unblemished Eph. 4. 24. there was no wrinckle upon the face of the Universe every creature was fair in its kind Mans sin put poyson into the Toad put rage into the Wolf put Briers and Gen. 3. 17. Thorns into the Earth put spots into the Moon nay withering into the flowers of the field and decays into the Omnes creaturae vehementem aversionem habent itâ— ut si haberent sensum gemerent ut parturientes iâ—lque ab exordio mundi lapsus hominis usque nunc trees of the forrest and veiled the face of nature with the black veil of uncomeliness And that the whole Creation groans as the Apostle affirms Rom. 8. 22. it is from those sick fits and distempers which mans sin hath cast it into When the air infects us the heat and the cold doth annoy us the earth disappoints us and yields no increase from whence is this vanity Even from our selves from ours and our first parents sin Man in sinning commits two evils as the Prophet speaks in another case he presses God Amos 2. 13. Jer 2 13. And he burdens the creature nay alters the world from its primitive loveliness when beauty was the taking blush of every Being In the rarity and eminency of some creatures more especially How glorious are the Angels those Courtiers of Heaven 1 Kings 13. 18. 1 Kings 19. 5. Dan. 6. 22. 2 Chr. 32. 21. those friends of the Bridegoom mans elder Brethren Psal 5. 8. Those Chariots of God Psal 68. 17. Those Guardians of believers Psal 91. 11. who are decked and adorned Quid murmuras caro misera quid recalcitras quid omninò invides si fueris corpus humilitatis reformabit idem Artifâ—x qui formavit Bern. with excellency who excell in strength Psal 103. 20. who excel in holiness Mark 8. 38. who excel in all the fruitions of joy and happiness Mat. 18. 10. Rev. 5. 11. Rev. 7. 12. who excel in splendor and glory Luke 24. 23. And how glorious was the humane nature of Christ how spotless precious pure chrystaline yet a creature His soul how undefiled Heb. 4. 15. His body how glorious Phil. 3. 21. How did the divine Nature glorifie the humane in its stupendious and grateful acceptation of it I might adde how glorious is the glistering Sun the amiable Moon the twinkling Stars which put the night out of its blackest melancholy Let onely this be subjoyned that without the work of Creation there could be no work of Redemptiâ—nâ— the chief end of which is to restore us to that felicity happiness and enjoyment which man in his first Creation both did and had he persevered in that estate should have enjoyed and possessed Now one principal end of the Sabbath Gen. 2 â— is to commemorate this glorious work that as God when he had finished it took up his rest Gen. 2. 3. So man when he beholds it should take up his rest and keep a weekly Sabbath to the Lord. There is a political end of the Sabbath viz. The refreshment and recreative breathing of the outward man a relaxation â—ùm deus sex dâ—â—râ—m spacio 〈…〉 absoluisset septiâ—um diem quiete suâ sanctum reddere voluit Riv. of the body from the pains and toil of the week and therefore the Sabbath is called a rest It is said of God himself that on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Exod. 31. 17. And how much more doth poor man stand in need of rest and refreshment Death indeed fairly unpins our tabernacle of clay folds it up and lays it in the grave but too much labour tears it down mans body is taken down Psal 116. 7. by death is thrown down by too much toil therefore the Deus non tantum Creator sed conservator est Creaturarum Leid Prof. wearisom labours of the week must be allayed by the rest of the Sabbath The very name of a Sabbath signifies nothing but rest strongly to argue that that holy day was appointed for mans relaxation from the hurries of the world and the sweats of the week The Sabbath is a rest to the
saepiùs Christus in die Sabbati officia charitatis praestitit quà m aliis diebus Iren. dayes And let us in this imitate both our Priest and Pattern who died for us and must go before us and we taking up this practice weekly let us follow him Surely melting bowels do bear a symphony with mercifull Sabbaths On the first day of the week the day of our Sabbath God created Gen. 1. 2 the world out of a chaos of confusion Christ restored the Mark 16. 2. World from sin and destruction and on the same first day Acts 2. 3. of the week the holy spirit enlightned the world in falling down solemnly upon the Apostles and redeemed the Church from Judaical misapprehension And shall these glorious works which have put such a bright emphasis upon the Christian Sabbath not soften our bowels to pity the groans of the sick the sights of the prisoner and comfort those who are in trouble and dejection On this day the spark Buc. in Mat. 12. 11. of our love should turn into a flame the drops of compassion should swell into a stream Bucer makes the visitation of the Luke 10. 33. sick to be a principal duty of our Sabbath On which day Infundit vinum et oleum Samaritanus vinum denotat legem oleum gratiam Evangelii Sacramenta sunt quasi alligamenta quibus labia vulnerum alligantur Chemnit Christians should turn good Samaritans they should drop tears into those wounds they cannot drop Oyl into and pour in the wine of consolation if they have no other to offer as a sacrifice of mercy Bleeding hearts become a blessed Sabbath One well observes It doth behove us as occasion is offered to spend some time of a Sabbath in visiting the sick because this will fill our minds with holy meditations and fill our mouths with heavenly discourses and fill our hearts with serious apprehensions of death and judgement which will shortly encounter us and there is no avoiding the stroke of the one or the Bar of the other There is Charitas spiritualis spiritual Charity which is Verbis exprimi non potest quantum homo qui ad imagirem dei conditus est et pro quo unigenitur dei filius proprium suum sanguinem fudit quem denique sp sanctus per verbum Evangelii ad communionem filiorum dei vocavit et sanctificavit irrationalibus et brutis animalibus praestet Lys most apposite to the Lords day One well argues If our mercy on a Sabbath must extend to the Oxe and the Ass Luk. 13. 15. much more to man who is Gods Vice-Roy upon Earth bears his own image and is enriched with that nature which Christ himself took upon him and if in outward things we must minister to him viz. man much more in spirituals and heavenly by how much the soul transcends the body and the wants of the soul are more dangerous and for the most part less felt then those of the body and therefore to succour them is more necessary and less dispensable Surely this is the highest mercy to pull men out of the pit of despair out of the mire of prophaneness out of the dungeon of ignorance to unfetter chained sinners to consolate and advice distressed souls It is observable our Saviour did not only heal the poor woman of her bodily infirmity on the Sabbath but delivered her from the chains of Satan with which she had so long been held Luke 13. 16. It is our great work on a Sabbath to shew mercy to distressed souls On the Lords day Christ rose for our justification Rom. 8. 34. which was a spiritual benefit not for supply but for our justification not for the encrasie of our bodies but for the rescue of our souls And the Apostle notes it with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea rather in the Text forementioned And in soul advantage every Christian may have a share they may have soft bowels who have not full purses every one may give savoury counsel put up ardent prayers labour to set home convictions nay enter into heavenly discourses and so endeavour to draw those who go astray to the Sheepfold of the Great Shepherd of their souls Every one may 1 Pet. 2. 25. bleed over sinful revolters and as St. John who ran after 1 Pet. 5. 4. the young man when he was extravagant in his practice they may run weeping after straying transgressours This willing mind as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 8. 12. may lodge 1 Thes 5. 14. in the breast of the meanest person there may be zeal in the heart when there are rags on the back and when their apparrel is more contemptible then John the Baptist's leathern girdle and Camels hair Mat. 3. 4. And that which enforces this duty is 1. The excellency of the work To instruct to admonish comfort and pray for Brethren is the greatest mercy the softest pity nay even the work of Christ himself who shed not only his tears but his blood to ransome immortal souls how did Christ grieve for a hard heart weep over an unbelieving City and lay down his life for poor lost sinners To Mark 3. 5. rescue poor perishing souls is a heavenly work and well Luke 19. 42. is becoming a heavenly Sabbath Mat. 18. 11. 2. The reward of the Service Not a tear we drop over a wandering sinner but will turn into a pearl The Apostle speaks expresly Jam. 5. 19. Brethren if any of you have erred from the truth and one hath converted him let him know that he hath converted a sinner from going out of his way he shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins This text it seems informs us of a double reward Rom. 10. 14. 1. The salvation of a soul the purchase of Christ himself 1 Tim. 4. 16. souls were the gains of his victories Isa 53. 11. The Redemption of souls was the reward of all his sufferings Luke 22. 32. 2. Here is the covering a multitude of sins which onely Heb. 12 15 16. speaks blessedness Psal 32. 1 2. And it may likewise be inferred from this text of Scripture That God hath made us Heb. 3. 13. Guardians one of another Acts of spiritual charity belong to the care of all Christians God hath not onely set conscience to watch over the inward man but hath set us to watch over the outward conversation one of another We must exhort one another while it is to day Heb. 3. 13. especially Luke 24. 17. while the light of Sabbaths continues to us When the two Disciples were travelling to Emmaus Christ joyns with them this blessed Physician came to comfort to satisfie and to inform them they were poor distracted timorous persons and these he visits Christ will not leave them in a maze and intricated with inexplicable apprehensions but he will bring them home to the knowledge of the truth and this is Christs
Sabbath days work He spends time in opening Scriptures preaching and proving his salvifical resurrection till the cold and dead hearts of these Disciples were warmed and did burn within them and then he departed from them In this Christ was our safe and seraphical pattern let us go and do so likewise But this duty of charity to souls is comprehensive and spreads it self into Luke 10 37. many branches We must study to draw sinners to repentance we must set before them the severity of Gods Justice against all impenitent Tristitia tanâ—ùm propter peccatum facta est à quo nata est ideò ut tinea ipsum corrodit et absumit Chrysost sinners the free grace of God must likewise be intimated and unfolded and endeavour must be used to display the riches of divine mercy to humble broken-hearted penitents what sweet embraces heaven-breathing kisses and clasping armes returning Prodigals shall have Luke 15. 20. God hath soft bowels for soft hearts his eye pitties a tender spirit he meeteth a yielding sinner and when the stubborn offendour layes down his weapons he is presently and pleasingly 2 Chr. 34. 27. reconciled If we bow we shall not break We must instruct the ignorant in points and doctrines necessary to salvation No cloud so black as that of ignorance it is that dark night makes us stumble and stray knowledge is the first-born of graces and is the conduct of our steps A knowing Christian must file off the chain to wander from Christ The murder of our Saviour is charged by the Apostle upon ignorance 1 Cor. 2. 8. Infidelity that killing sin is the blackness of this darkness Palpable darkness was the judgement of Aegypt and spiritual darkness is the woe of every sinner Let us then endeavour to break this cloud where ever we espy it hang over the soul and let us remember instruction is often the fruit of correction God chastens to inform Psal 94. 12. But it is the necessary fore-runner of salvation Our Saviour saith John 17. 3. This is life eternall to know God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Psal 51. 13. Christ Knowledge is the morning star which fore-runs the Dan. 12. 3. Sun of faith which lightens every one which comes into the world of sanctified ones we must know Christ before we can embrace him and so obtain life by him To inform others then is part of a Sabbath days work and the discharge of that duty which being made prosperous by divine benediction may lead both thy self and others to an eternal rest We must comfort the comfortless who are dejected through the number and the hainousness of their offences The pensive sorrowfull sinner is as the Traveller who fell among thieves Luke 10. 30. and was stript and wounded and our duty is especially on Ex parabolâ hominis in latronum manus incidentis mysterium redemptionis per Christum colligâ—tur et homo vulneratus est Δ damus per peccatum lapsus Ambros the Lords day to poure the oyle of gladness into these wounds We must set before this mourner the all-sufficiency of Christs sacrifice the gracious offers of the Gospel to burdened transgressors in this sence it is better to go on a Sabbath to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Eccles 7. 2. If so be the tears of the penitent be as one of the Fathers said The wine of Angels surely they should be the motives of Saints to wipe off those tears by words of Scriptural comfort and consolation Rom. 15. 4. Let us shew such Christs smiles to quiet their sighs let us tell them of the freeness of the promise of the willingness of Christ to be reconciled Mat. 11. 28. And that if the prodigal Son draw near the Father will not keep at a distance We are commanded to speak comfortably to Gods weeping ones and to tell them their iniquities are pardoned Isa 40. 1 2. In this we should imitate the Sun which often shines in a showre and puts a gilding upon the falling drops We must on the Lords day exhort and stir up such as have Heb. 10. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begun well to hold out patiently and constantly The Crown is at the end of the race The throne is given not to the Souldier but to the Conquerour Rev. 3. 21. Let us tell young professors they that endure to the end shall be saved Mat. 24. 13. Perseverance is a pearl in a Christians graces it is not 1 Cor. 9. 24. to begin only but to finish our course 2 Tim. 4. 7. Onely Non omnes currentes accipient bravium sed tantùm bene eâ— ritè currentes ad metam usq Alap Conquest shall wear the spoyles of a glorious eternity To set forwards toward Sion and then to recoyle this is to slight not to get heaven Happiness is gained by forcing not by freâ—zing Mat. 11. 12. not by growing more luke-warme but more importunatâ— Christ is the Omega as well as the Alpha Rev. 1. 8. and so is Christianity too The Arrow which shoots home hits the mark The Sun doth not only rise in the morning but it goes off with flying beams in the evening The Saint must set with Christ in his heart as well as rise with Christ in his eye And these things we must suggest to initiated Christians a work becoming Gods holy day We must rebuke and rèprove such as are tainted with scandal for their offensive miscarriages Thus John reproved Herod for Herodias her sake Luke 3. 19. Thou must not suffer sin upon thy Brother least it fall upon thy self and although this be an unthankfull office it must not be declined Indeed Levit. 19. 17. sin is often lovely but sinners passions must not obstruct a duty of Religion Wounds must be washed though they Gal. 4. 15. smart in the washing Thy reproof may be thy Brothers balm which if neglected may be his bane Those who are of Davids spirit will prize smiting more then smiles and reproof as an excellent oyle Psal 141. 5. which is one of those creature comforts which express the wealth of the world Psal 4. 7. And oyle for its softness as well as value and worth The checks of a righteous man are the breaking of a stone upon a pillow like a sword anointed with balsom which woundeth and healeth at the same time and such rebuke is the oyle of gladness too it issues in nothing but peace and consolation We must reconcile differing and jarring Christians And this is an eminent branch of spiritual charity to reconcile God to man was the fruit of Christs passions and is the blessed Phoenix which arose from the ashes of all his sufferings Col. 1. 20. To reconcile man to God is the labour and Illi rectiùs pacifici sunt qui primò in corde uâ— deinde inter ratres dissentientes pacem faciunt concordiam Hieron attempt of all faithfull Ministers 2 Cor. 5.
shouldst consider the importance of it it cost more even the precious bloud of Jesus Christ and while thou art sporting and idling in the fields God might have been speaking to thy soul Augustine was converted by a Sermon of holy Ambrose Peter Martyr was brought home to God by a passage of a Sermon As for those who must have a walk after Sermon these impoverish their souls Are there not family prayers to procure blessings family repetitions to digest the word family duties to warm the heart on a Sabbath day Publick Ordinances are too often as land-floods to the soul which will quickly disappear unless the waters of life sink in gradually by private repetition and meditation Serious consideration and fervent prayer at home work into the heart those truths and doctrines we heard abroad These ill husbands for their better part too frequently drop in the fields what they have pickt up in the Sanctuary and the air is more fresh Absit ut dejicerem animum nobilem et illum corpori mancipium facerem then their memory These field-walkers how do they sink below some heathens It was the saying of a noble heathen Far be it from me that I should make my noble mind a slave to my body If we will have our pleasures on the Lords day let us meet with Christ in his Garden Cant. 5. 1. let us gather fruits in his Orchard of Pomgranates Cant. 4. 13. Let us lie down by the fountain of Gardens Cant. 4. 15. Let us stay our selves with his Apples and Flagons Cant. 2. 5. and sit down with our beloved in his banquetting house Cant. 2. 4. And then travel over the mountains of spices Cant. 8. 14. Christ indeed is the Paradise of pleasure he can ravish us with one of his eyes Cant. 4. 9. and make us drink of the cup of Salvation Divine pleasures become the Sabbath not the titillations of sence but the refreshings of the soul Let those then who waste the Sabbath in taking the air take Joh. 6. 58. Isa 25. 8. Eph. 2. 2. heed least they meet with the Prince of the air considering these unnecessary walks contain more temptation then recreation in them they are Satans refined and plausible bate to cause the incautelous Christian to let fall and so lose his spiritual morsels we know it is his grand artifice to steal away the seed of the word Mat. 13. 19. and pleasing recreations give him the best aime Caut. 3 Let us take heed of the sin of unbelief The believer only sanctifies the Sabbath they truly keep it who themselves are kept in their most holy faitb Jude v. 20. Every duty of a Mark 11. 24. Jam. 1. 6. Sabbath requires faith If we hear we must mingle the word with faith Heb. 4. 2. If we pray it must be believing Crede et manducasti crede et bibisti Aug. Mat. 21. 22. It is faith makes our prayers effectual If we receive we must come to the Sacrament with faith Augustine saith Believe and thou hast eaten believe and thou hast drunken Faith is the chief guest at Christs table If we meditate faith sweetens that duty and makes it lushious not tedious Psal 119. 97. Observe Thy Law c. It was Heb. 11. 6. the Law of his God and that sweetned his meditation on it If we read the Scriptures it is faith must make that duty effectual without faith the Word is onely a â—iddle the Acts â— 3◠〈…〉 Christi puzzle not the profit of a Christian Faith then puts life into every duty and makes it both vigorous and viâ—â—â— Buâ— unbelief is a sin which like the Câ—terpillar eats up al◠〈◊〉 fruit of a Sabbath and turns its Sun into dâ—rkness Vnbelief invalidaâ—es our approaches to God Heb. 11. 6. 〈◊〉 In vain the knee bowes unless the heart believes in vâ—â—â— we lift up the hands of flesh unless we lay hold on God by 〈…〉 sâ—d infidâ—â—itas à â—hâ—isto planè a◠〈◊〉 illius spiritu nos privâ—t et Satanae insidiis nos expositos reddit Lys the hands of faith We must bring faith to make our way acceptable to the Almighty In the forcecited Text Heb. 11. 6. the Apostle doth not say without faith it is improbable but it is impossible to please God Without faith all duties are acted in the dark there must be an eye of faith to see our way to God in Christ Vnbelief prevents the work of Christ upon the heart Mat. 13. 56. It unqualifies us for spiritual successes this sin is so great it can cast Christ into an admiration Mark 6. 6. What great things might Ordinances work upon the soul if the heart was not barred up by unbelief It was this sin which unchurched the poor nation of the Jews Rom. 11. 20. It may be the Epitaph of that ancient people of God Here lies a people cast off by God because of unbelief Vnbelief shuts up the gate of mercy Heb. 3. 19. Faith melts the cloud of Ordinances into a fruitful shower unbelief makes ordinances a dark appearance onely and turns Heb. 4. 6. them into stones of emptiness Isa 34. 11. An Ordinance to an unbeliever is a dead Child the spirit of God doth not breath in it And therefore on a Sabbath above all thy gettings get faith Vnbelief it puts a defilement upon the sweetest Ordinances They are as a Jewel in a dead mans hand The prayers of an unbeliever are an abomination to the Lord. The Apostle Prov. 4 7. saith Tit. 1. 15. To them who are unbelieving every Omnia opera infidelâ—um sunt noxia et peccâ—tâ— thing is defiled Vnbelief damps the pearl of Ordinances puts a flaw upon it The School-men say All the works of unbelievers are sins and so then are all his services and they accommodate themselves to that of the Apostle Rom. Gregor Arim. Capriolus Câ—tharinus c. 14. 23. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin Vnbelief blasts the sweetest duty as lightning doth the fairest face The Lord saith to the unbeliever What hast thou to do to take my word into thy mouth Psal 50. 16. Why do I pray if I do not believe returns What do I hear if I do not believe doctrines VVhat do I receive if I do not believe Christ in the Sacrament Ordinances to an unbeliever they are not dews Rom. 1. 16. but dreams not Gods power but Mans fancy and Sermons are only the Romances of the Pulpit The Apostle Heb. 11. per totum tells us of many Miracles of faith and unbelief Heb. 11. 11 29 30 33 34. Exod. 4. 3. can work on it can turn all our rods into Serpents it can work the same wonder Christ wrought on the barren fig-tree Mark 11. 21. It can curse with a perpetual blast Augustine used to dispute from John 3. 19. That unbelief was the only damning sin This sin like popish Rome is the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17. 5. And therefore against
operum sui ante-actorum recordatiom sese applicet c. Hosp Dicitur Sabbatum Domini et Sabbatum sanctitâ—tâ—s et sanctâ—tas Domini quia non modò dei sancti est sed et sanctum eâ— et rebus domini publicè et privatim dicatum et impendendum est c. Leid Prof. this truth most sweetly There is saith he a sublime end of the Sabbaths leisure viz. That we might get nearer to eternal salvation that we may follow the duties of an holy life that we may remember our former actions and so drenâ—h our selves in tears of repentance and this saith he the very Jews can not deny Our Sabbaths according to this worthy man are only post dayes for heaven opportunities for grace which is the morning star of glory and the dawning of blessedness Nay let us hear a Quaternion of Divines the Professours of Leyden Cessation of work say they is commanded not that we should only enjoy corporal idleness but fall upon spiritual business holy duties and exercises It is not called the Sabbath of man but the Sabbath of the Lord not only because God is the Author of it but likewise because it is to be dedicated to and spent in the things of the Lord both publickly and privately and is to be directed to the sanctification of his name These Champions of truth direct us to the proper end of the Sabbath which is not to waste but to work not to consult our ease but to consult our souls Our temporal affairs must be suspended that our better affairs may be minded The poor soul should have been whâ—lly neglected had not the God of it appointed one day in the week for its service and salvation This truth is so apparent that our very adversaries joyn issue in the attestation of it Mr. Bâ—erewood who wrote so zealously for sports on the Sabbath yet in his second Tract pag. 15. acknowledgeth That the Commandment for the Sabbath enjoynes 1. The outward worship of God Manifestum est non moâ—o legis hujus judicio sed ipsâ—â—simâ expeâ—iâ—ntâ—â— non facere ad vâ—â—ae religionis profectum siotia multiplicentur Musc 2. Cessation frâ—m works as â— necessary preparation for that worship that as the end and this as the means So then by his confession to holy rest we must joyn holy work And experience tells us saith Musculus that too much leisure never makes for the increase of Religion no more then the Country-man gains by his fallow ground Nay the very Heathens themselves laughed at idleness upon the Sabbath And Seneca derided the custom of the Jews upon their Sabbath because they spent it in things vain and impertinent and not in the worship of God and said The Seneca derisit Sabbatum Judaeorum quia non vacabant divinis sed rugis et inutilibus Aquin. Jews threw away the seventh part of their lives And surely that sin must be grievous which becomes the scom and derision of an Heathen that crime must needs be great which lies open to the discoveries of Natures light But the Scriptures which are the most authentick testimony in this case will bring in most ample witness they will find us employments for the Sabbath 1. If we look into the Old Testament we shall find the sacrifices to be double on the Sabbath day Two Lambs of Num. 28. 9 10 the first year without spot and two tenth deales of flower with a meat offering mingled with oyl and the drink offering thereof this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath besides the continual burnt offering and the drink offering Numb 28. 9 10. There must ye see be an over-plus of sacrifice on the Luke 23. 3. Sabbath then our worship must be in the full and not in the waine in the strongest tide not at low water Likewise Convocatiosancta fuit totâ—us populi ad opera sacra et divina on the Sabbath there was to be an holy Convocation and surely the Jews did not meet solemnly to look one upon another Their meeting in the Temple or the Synagogues spake worship something of Service Divine Likewise on the Sabbath there was the reading of the Law Gods will was then opened to the people Nehem. 8. 8. The Sabbath was not a day of sloth but instruction it was not a day to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cantica singu laria Sabbato unoquoque occinenda erant Leid Prof. the rubbish of ease but to be built up in the most holy faith And on the Sabbath there were certain solemn songs chanted forth to the praise of the Creatour and therefore the ninety second Psalm is inscribed a Psalm for the Sabbath And there was likewise reasonings and discourses of Divine things as we have hinted Acts 17. 2. There were exhortations given to the people for their furtherance of faith and godliness Acts 15. 21. Moses was preached every Sabbath day as the Apostle James speaks in the fore-cited place So then the Sabbath wanted not its employment in the times of the Law Nor did the Lords day run waste in the times of the Gospel then the Disciples met together the Sacrament was administred the Gospel was preached Acts 20. 7. And charity was collected 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Which duties unquestionably wanted not the concomitancy of fervent prayers and supplications so then there was an aggregation of holy and solemn services Holy duties were not as a single star but as Isa 65. 8. a constellation and in that cluster there was a blessing So Old and New Testament are a twofold witness to condemn Mat. 18. 16. sloth and idleness upon Gods blessed day And by the mouth of two witnesses especially if infallible every thing shall be established And indeed idleness on any day carries its brand in its Milites otio si incipient luxu diffluere murmurare pecuniam inclamare Ordinem omnem turbare aâ— tandem rebellare Alap forehead Idle Souldiers will easily turn mutinous Idle Scholars will easily degenerate into sin and ignorance and idle Tradesmen will easily sink into want and poverty Abundance of idleness was one of the sins of Sodom the worst of places Ezek. 16. 49. It is the sink of sin the Common shore of evil it is the rust of the soul which eats out its noble faculties Themistocles used to say It was burying men alive And idle persons like wanton widows to use the Apostles phrase are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5. 5. And Ephr. Syr. de consummat seculi the Apostle makes idleness the source of many other sins 1 Tim. 5. 13. It was once the saying of Ephrem Syras Do not fly labour least the Crown fly from thee Idleness is every way sinful It is opposite to mans condition He was born to labour Gen. 3. 19. Dew is not more natural to the surface of the Homo natus est ad laberem sicut avis ad volatum Earth then sweat is to the brow of
skilful Christians the wound is searched before cured and the tent is put in before the balsam If Ordinances have lost their taste to us the soul is sick of some distemper If we can not be triumphant let us be inquisitive if we are not filled with comfort let us presently feel our pulse But however we should set upon amending of duties but be never prevailed with for the omitting of duties we should be as Fishermen when they have caught nothing then they fall to mending their nets let us not throw away our nets in discontent If the Archer shoots short he shoots again and directs his arrow more level and draws his bow with more strength that if it be possible he may hit the mark So if we Psal 19. 10. in discharge of Sabbath duties do miss of desired mercies let us draw the bow with more strength stir up our selves put more life into duty and quicken our selves with more Cant 3. 4. care that at last we may meet with our beloved and say with the Spouse Cant. 3. 4. we have found him whom our souls love In a word we must not conclude through humane frailties we will do this dayes work no further but we must resolve through divine assistance to do the work of the day better Let this reply answer the whole case The Sabbath-performances of soul-afflicted Saints though they are not sensibly good yet they are certainly good and acceptable to God God seeth that in their aimings they cannot see themselves in their actings that which they cannot see in John 1. 1 3. their work God can see in their will God knows after what the soul reacheth surely not after a bare duty or being Vident mulieres juvenem ut câ—rnerent nostrae resurrectionis aetatem vident juvenem quia nescit resurrectio senectutem neque aetates recâ—â—it aeterna perfectio Chrys in service but therein after a clearer beholding of God a closer communion with Christ to keep a divine intercourse with Father Son and Holy Ghost The gracious soul looks not so much after the Ordinances of God as God in the Ordinances I know whom ye seek saith the Angel to the Woemen Mat. 28. 5. Jesus of Nazareth who was Crucified there they saw the Sepulcher wherein Christ was laid and there they saw the linnen cloaths wherein Christ was wrapt but all will not satisfie it was not the Sepulcher of Christ but Christ who had been in the Sepulcher they sought for So it is not so much the Sabbath of Christ as Christ in the Sabbath not so much the Gospel of Christ as Christ in the Gospel the people of God groan after They cry out almost in the language of Bernard Lord unless I give thee my self it is not all my duties on the Sabbath will satisfie thee and except thou givest me thy self it is not all the priviledges of the Sabbath will satisfie me And all this the eye of God sees and so accepts the sacrifices of his humble people Psal 139. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 51. 17. though they do not smoak with incense to delight them who sacrifice Philosophers observe That fire which smoaks in the Chimney is most clear in the Element of it And so those duties may have a smile from God above who receives them when happily they give no sweet gust to man below who performs them In a word if God accept let not us with Jonah fret because we do not taste them Our services may be a pearl in Gods eye when they are a stone of emptiness Jon. 4. 3. in ours and it is not much material if we sense them to be dross if God look on them as gold And thus much for this fifth and last case CHAP. XLI A Charge drawn up against prophane Persons who live down the Sabbath by loose and vicious Practices WHen God on Mount Sinai gave the two Tables wherein the Decalogue was written the text tells us Exod. 19. 18. The mountain burnt with fire and the smoak thereof ascended as the smoak of a furuace and Deut. 4. 11. Exod. 19. 18. the whole mount quaked greatly And all this was to cast an aw upon the Jews that they might serve God with fear and Ignis est signaculum aptum divinae regiae Majestatis sic terrebant quae in Sinai fiebant Riv. trembling in keeping those Commandments which were then delivered and among others in the holy observation of the blessed Sabbath And it were well for the world if still some burning Sinai some tremendous prospect was exhibited to affect and over-aw the hearts of the people to a due and reverend observation of Gods holy day In nothing Cavendom est ne festis abutamur ad atium luxuriam voluptates turpes Christianis omnimodò indignas Dav. more mans heart had need to be shackled it being so prerient and propense to break the hedge of that sacred inclosure Some make bold with the name of God in words of prophaneness and some with the day of God in acts of prophaneness Many turn the Sabbath into a Market day of Satan and like the foolish Israelites they love to have it so Jer. 5. 31. How many spend much of the Sabbath in the methods of Pride in consulting the glass in fitting the dress in plaiting the hair when yet the crookedness of the Prov. 5. 20. heart is discerned in the curles of the hair nay in patching the face and fashioning the garb as if they went to the Sanctuary to meet with some amorous lover Some spend their Sabbath as the Prodigal did his Estate Luke 15. 30. with harlots and curtezans and study more their lust then their Christ the sinful embraces of the strange woman then holy communion with the beloved Cant. 2. 16. Nay others defile the Sabbath with riots and excesses Riotous company is their Congregation healths are their Ordinances idle Prov. 23. 29. Songs are their Psalms their eyes are filled with fire for their redness and not with water for their tears and they Isa 5. 11. are inflamed with commessation and not devotion These Ebrietas est daemon voluntarius Malitiae mater omnibus virtutibus inimica Basil justly demerit that reproach which the Jews unjustly cast upon the Apostles Acts 2. 13. They are filled with new wine Plutarch a heathen Philosopher believed that Sabbatum the Sabbath was derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be riotous and drunken and the occasion of this derivation of his was the Jews loose and debauched manners on the Sabbath day It is strange impiety to sin against the light of nature and as strange to be loose on a day of grace To follow vile practices on a precious Sabbath what is it but to throw dung upon Roses The Apostle saith that they who are drunk are drunk in the night 1 Thes 5. 7. It is too shameful a sin for the day to behold
and Job saith the Adulterer waits for the twilight Job 24. Graviter incessimus diei dominicae prophanatores qui intemperantiâ luxu omnique genere flagiorum eam vio lant in irreparabile infirmorum scandâ—lum in horrendum Christiani nominis dedecus 15. These sins need a dark Lanthorn they avoid and shun the light least their shame be published by every Spectator And the Prophet observes that the Israelites committed their Idolatry in secret they had their chambers of imagery Ezek. 8. 12. They would put some covering upon their sin But how great is our abomination to dabble in our paint to rowl in our vomit to be inflamed in our lusts to wallow in our sensualities and wantonize in our vanities upon Gods holy day When the Sun of Nature and the Sun of Righteousness both shine together to scatter all clouds and covering It is a pathetical but a holy speech of a Learned man Who without mourning can endure to see Christians keep the Lords day as if they celebrated a Feast rather to Bacchus then Leid Prof. to the honour of Jesus Christ the Saviour and Redeemer of the world for having served God an hour or two in outward shew they spend the rest of the Lords day in sitting down to eat and drink and rising up to play first ballasting their bellies with eating and drinking then feeding their lusts in playing and dancing Against these riots holy Augustine bitterly inveighs August 4. Tract in Joan. and saith It is better to spin then to dance on Gods holy day Indeed it is an observation of Lactantius That the Lords Lactant. lib 7. cap. 1. second coming shall be on the Lords day And then how little joy shall they have who shall be overtaken in their carnal sports when their Master should have found them in their spiritual exercises on his own day the prophane wretch then will wish that Christ should find him rather kneeling at prayers in the Sanctuary then skipping like a Goat in a dance that he should be found dropping tears like a penitent rather then drinking healths like a miscreant or caressing Sidon lib. 1. Epist ad agricolam harlots like an impure Gallant Sidonius observes that in the primitive times some of the Jewes did so abuse the Sabbath to gluttony and drunkennesse and to lascivious dances that the Ethnicks and heathen suspected they Quanquam hoc aliquo sensu concedi possit varia peccata aggravationem aliquam inde accipere si die tam Sanctâ perpetrentur Ames adored Bacchus not Jehovah It is the observation of Dr. Ames That all sinns receive an aggravation on this day which oftentimes is more then the sin it self as the dye is sometimes more costly then the cloth To be intemperate proud worldly wanton on a Sabbath this is to wear the spots of a Leopard and to be in the hue of an Aethiopian Some men make the Sabbath a weekly Aequinox their pleasures and their duties are of equal length But others drown the whole Sabbath in vanity and excesse as if they would read the 4th Commandement backward and would provoke the God of Heaven to please the God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. It may be said to those who thus prophane the Lords day have ye not dayes enough of your own to work or play in or despise ye the Lords day It is a sin yea a provoking sin to use the Lords Table as your own table to eat sacramental bread as if it was common bread and is it no sin to use the Lords day as if it was a common day Let us therefore see the image and superscription of Christ engraven upon the Matth. 22. 21 Lords day and then let us give unto Christ the things which are Christs Cyril complained in his time That many Christians Christiani ludis illiberalibus crapulae choreis et aliis mundi vanitatibus se dant in nullum alium finem tendunt c. Cyril indulged themselves in luxury dances playes and worldly vanities on the Lords day And what saith he will be the end of these things but that Gods Name will be derided and Gods day much contemned and scorned The Apostle calls our walking on any day in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings working the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4. 3. It is an heathenish act to adventure upon such unnatural impieties but to act all these sins upon a Sabbath it is altogether diabolical this is to wound a Prince on his Coronation day Those who prophane the Sabbath Hi omnis generis delitiis non Christo domino sed satanae servitur Non salus nostra curatur sed perditio conciliatur et ira dei provocatur non placatur mores non corriguntur sed corrumpuntur Muscul by scandalous sins saith Musculus they sacrifice to Venus not to God and serve Satan not Christ they neglect life and salvation and assure to themselves losse and perdition Gods anger is provoked not appeased and their manners are not corrected but corrupted Let us consider the two tables of stone are still tables of testimony Exod. 31. 18. to witness against the prophanation of this holy day God did not write this Commandement for the Sabbath with his finger that we should spunge it out by our life and if we shall attempt it he can turn the writing into an hand-writing on the wall against us which will make not onely our knees but our hearts to tremble Dan. 5 6. Let us seriously weigh in Mark 11. 25. the ballance that the beauty of a woman doth but aggravate her wantonness and the rich mans great estate doth but amplisie his extorsion and so the holiness of a Sabbath doth dye every sin which is acted upon it with a scarlet colour Christ would not suffer the money changers to remain in the temple Mat. 11. 15. How much worse merchandise is it when we set our soules to sale on that holy day which is given for life and salvation But further to dilate upon the impiety of Sabbath-prophaneness To act scandalous sins on Gods holy day is a most daring presumption it throwes Gods Memento with which he Deus non indicit recordationem istam ut eo die gâ—uderent tripudiarent aut sibi vacaâ—ent c. Oleast prefaced the 4th Commandement into his face and saith to Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 28. we will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19. 14. God saith Exod. 20. 8. keep my Sabbath holy and these daringly reply we will keep it diabolically This sin commenceth war with heaven it self and throws down the Gantlet to the infinite Jehovah Oleaster very well observes God had not needed to have fastned a Memento to the 4th Commandement to mind us of dances and revellings frequenting a ring or a stage our own corrupt natures will be officious enough to usher in such pleasurous vanities Disobedience to other
against Gods sacred Sabbath shall be condemned of the Almighty and they who regarded not the Lords Day shall not be regarded in the day of the Lord nor of the Lord of this day but shall be enforced to undergo unavoidable and intollerable calamity O how sweet would Mark 2. 28. one Sabbath of Rest be from Hell torments in ten thousand years But this drop of water shall not be granted to the Luke 16. 24. miscarrying sinner This day indeed draws near when all Hieron Epist de scient legis Tom. 4. men must appear bofore the judgement-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. and then answer for not attending on Gods holy day O what shall we do saith Hierome In that day when the Lord shall come with trumpet sounding fire flaming sinners fainting stars falling mountanes melting poor creatures crying to graves Christus Judex appropinquat ut veniat ad judicium ut suorum gaudium compleat et inimicorum injurias vindicet et puniat Ansel to hold them to hills to hide them Let none then who abuse the Lords day suppose this day is afar off for behold saith the Apostle The Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones to execute judgement Jude vers 14 15. And the coming of the Lord draws near saith another Apostle James 5. 8. Nay The day of the Lord is at hand said a third Apostle Phil. 4. 5. Let all therefore who trifle away Gods blessed Sabbath fear and tremble and not like wanton Israelites Amos 6. 3. put far from them the evil day Rivet pronounces Obstinatis autem in Sabbata peccatoribus aeternum mortem suisse denunciatam non inficias imus Rivet peremptorily That to obstinate offendours on Gods holy day eternal death and damnation is denounced Shortly there comes a day when reckning must be made for all our sleepy duties cold affections dead hearts sensual meales open prophaneness and secret hypocrisie for all our wasts of time and pleasing the flesh on Gods most blessed day I might add that all our formal services on that day shall be weighed in the ballance and with Belshazzar will be found too light And then if Repentance and Faith in Christ hath not crossed the debt we shall be discharging it in terrours and torments to all Everlasting CHAP. XLIX Gods Tremendous Judgments executed upon those who have prophaned and violated his holy Day WE have already seen by Scripture light frowns in the face of God wrath in the heart of God flaming in the eye of God and a Sword in the hand of God against those who dare pollute his holy Sabbath Let us now trace the methods of Providence and still more wrath and vengeance breaks out against the same Offendors and indeed a little to preface what is subsequent The sin of prophaning of Gods day is no sin of surprisal but it is a deliberative offence a sin carried on with consultation Sometimes an Oath is sworn unadvisedly as that of Herod to Herodias her Daughter Mark 6. 26. which cost John the Baptist his life an act of intemperance is hatched by the warmth of a temptation he is brutified when reason on a sudden hath left its habitation Nay sometimes one wounds another and it is only a lightning of passion as high Feavers soon run into a distraction But now the violation of the Sabbath is a premeditated act and is the leisurely effect of a corrupt heart it is a sin accompanied with time to consider and with an enlightned mind to understand it Recreations upon a Sabbath they are no vain surprisal but studied wickedness sleeping at Ordinances is a giving way to the flesh Riots and Surfeits on the Lords day they are designed Exod. 20. 8 9. debauchery nothing but a striking hands with Hell in cold blood we consult with our ease when we trifle away the Sabbaths we neglect not Ordinances on the Lords day and court our Bed or our Belly instead of the Sanctuary without Ezek. 22. 26. advice and debate with our selves nor can the fantastick piece of pride spend hours on Gods holy day with the Glass Deut. 5. 12. and the Dressing-box nay and it may be the Box of Patches and the Perfuming-pot without concluding before hand they will appear to the worlds eye in the most flattering dress Sabbath-prophanation is a sin of knowledge and deliberation which puts it into a scarlet dye surely it must needs be a great sin to forget that which God bids us remember Exod. 20. 8. to prophane that which God biddeth us to keep holy to labour on that day when God bids us to rest and to unhallow that day which God hath blessed what is this but to throw down the Gantlet and to challenge God himself Isa 51. 6. God indeed hath punished this sin with the most stupendous revenges I shall marshal his dreadful executions into their several ranks whereby we observing the many examples 1 Sam. 3. 11. of divine fury and indignation we may carefully take the alarm and so avoid the stroke for God usually strikes Deut. 32. 42. one to awaken and warn another and hearing these thunders we may fly that guilt which is pursued with such Rom. 12. 19. Hue and Cries of divine displeasure and may write upon our hearts not our phylacteries that dreadful position of the Apostle Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Sometimes God hath punished the prophanation of his Sabbath with consuming the goods of the Offendor One who carried Corn into his Barn upon the Lords day had it all consumed with fire from heaven together with his house A Miller likewise who lived at Wotton was going forth to a Wake upon the Lords day and coming home at Levit. 10. 2. Night found his house his Mill and all that he had burnt down to the ground Thus the fire of Gods wrath hath over-taken Heb. 12. 29. this sin and great transgression To add one Example more In the year 1635 a Miller at Churchdown near Glocester would needs make a Whitson Ale notwithstanding the private and publick admonitions of the Minister and all christian friends so great provision was made and Musick was set out as the Minister and people were going to Church in the Afternoon and when Sermon was done the Drum beat up the Musick played and the people fell on dancing until the Evening at which time they all resorted to the Mill But oh the Justice of God! before they had supped at nine of the Clock a sudden fire seized upon the house which was so furious that it burned down his house and Mill and the most of all his other provisions and housholdstuff â—nd most just it is that if we commit Sacriledge and 〈…〉 the time of his day he should act severely and dispoy◠〈…〉 fruits of our labour sinners make waste of his glory and most righteous it is God should make waste of their
Gospel So the Apostle most expresly 1 Cor. 15. 14. If Christ be not risen then is our preaching in vain and your saith is also vain Christs death had been wholly ineffectual for the remission of sins if Christ had not conquered death but still had been Peccatum plenè aboletur quia ejus effectus i. e. mors aboletur Chrysost detained in his dust But Christ hath abolished sin because he hath conquered death the effect of sin by his glorious resurrection as Chrysostom well notes and observes All the sufferings of Christ were animated by his resurrection that glorious Act put worth and value upon them Had he not risen all our hopes had been buried in the same Grave with him but he is truly risen and this is the comfort of our Souls and the riches of his sufferings Christs resurrection makes faith a saving grace and therefore the rather is put upon Christs rising not upon his death Rom. 8. 34. His Resurrection makes the Gospel a lively and glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. Totum Evangelium esset vanum et mera fabula si Christus non resurrexisset Par. and Christ an all-sufficient Redeemer When Christ rose the Jews blasphemy was execrated Scripture-prophesies and types verified the hearts of believers revived and the Gospel was made a Doctrine full of grace and truth fit to be preached for life and salvation The Prophet Hosea tells us Hos 6. 2. After two dayes he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight which text Hos 6. 2. of Scripture Tertullian rightly accommodates to the Resurrection Quem locum Tertullianus lib. adv Judeos cap. 13. ad Christi resurrectionem rectè accomodat Ger. of Christ which was on the third day then did our life spring with his and the Sun rising caused our light The Resurrection of Christ is that pleasant spring which the Law foresaw the Gospel discovers and the Christian rejoyces in Had Christ been shut up in the Grave and there kept as Natures Prisoner all the truths of the Word had been as fading leaves and the believers faith an empty notion the Preachers pains unprofitable sweat and the sinners soul irrecoverably lost and the professors of Christianity truly of all men most miserable as 1 Cor. 15. 19. And that cursed Quantas divitias comparavit nobis ista fabula Christi Leo. 10. Pap. Rom. speech of Pope Leo the tenth viz. How much wealth hath this Fable of Christ brought to our Coffers might have escaped a reproof And now shall the Resurrection of Christ put life into the Gospel and none into us upon our Sabbath the commemoration of that glorious Act Shall every truth of the Gospel be confirmed by it and shall not we be established in our duties on this holy day Christ rose and our hopes sprang and budded with his rising and shall not this animate our services on the Lords day Either let us lay aside Faith in the Act or be more conscientious in keeping the day of Christs blessed Resurrection The Resurrection of Christ was not only the breaking of his own chains but the breaking out and harbinger of our joyes For Christ as a common person is become the first fruits of 1 Cor. 15. 20. them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. 20. which is an allusion to a rite and ceremony in the Law All the sheaves in a field being unholy in themselves there was some one sheaf in the name and room of all the rest which was called the first fruit lifted up and waved before the Lord and so all the sheaves abroad in the field by that act done to this one sheaf were Christus oppâ—nitur omnibus terroribus in die judicii quidem quadruplici ratione 1. Christi morte qua peccata expiavit 2. Resurrectione quâ jâ—stitiam peperit 3. Evectione ad dextrâ—m dei quâ sp sanctum effudit 4. â—ntercessione quâ meritum effiâ—acitèr applicat Quâ—tuâ—r â—isâ—e gradibus totum Redemptionis opus à Christo peractum est Par. consecrated unto God by vertue of that Law Lev. 23. 10. Rom. 11. 16. And thus when we were all dead Christ as the first fruits riseth and this in our name and stead and so we all rise with him and in him we are all vertually risen in him and this in as true a sence as if we were personally risen As on the contrary hand we being personally alive yet are reckoned dead in Adam because he was a common person and had the sentence of death pronounced upon him by vertue of which we must die and this by the force of the same law 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. Adam was the first fruits of them who died and Christ of them that rise Hence we are said to be risen with Christ Eph. 2. 5. and which is yet more to sit together with him in heaven Eph. 2. 6. Because Christ is a common person representing us and he sits there in our name and in our stead Now let us a little canvass the equity of this law If sentence of condemnation was first passed upon Adam alone yet considered as a common person for us we were condemned in him therefore also this acquitting and justification which was passed upon Christ at his Resurrection for then he had fully suffered whatever divine justice could demand for our sin was passed upon him as a common and publick person for us yea in this his being justified Christ must much rather be considered as a common person representing us then Adam was in his condemnation Vâ—va ego quamvis mortem feram resurgam et vos quoque vivetis i. e. quia videbitis me laetabimini et quasi oâ—cisi reviâ—isâ—eâ—â—â— in meâ manifestatione Theoph. For Christ in his own person had no sin so he had no need of justification from sin nor should ever have been condemned and therefore this must be only in respect to our sinnes imputed to him and if so then in our stead and so herein he was more purely to be considered as a common person for us then ever Adam was in his being condemned for Adam besides his standing as a common person for us was furthermore condemned in his own person but Christ being justified from sin could only be considered as standing for others Thus Christ rose as a common person in our stead and for our good to be the object of our faith the incentive of our hope and the forerunner of our glorious resurrection By Christs rising to life we receive A life of joy His springing from the grave was the blossoming of our joy The retirement of our beloved into his tomb was but transient the delay of three dayes and then In diem solis laetitiae indulgemus Tert. he came from behind the hangings and in this our joy is full This dried up Mary Magdalens tears and swallowed up the Disciples griefs and this inflames the Christians triumphs And
healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 17. If Christ had not risen we had been still in our sin which fully implies he rising again our sins are taken away and blotted out as a thick cloud and nothing remains to break the peace between God and believers That conscience may be serene and fully satisfied For nothing stung conscience and wounded that tender part nothing Christus resurrexit ideò pacatam tranquillam consciemtiam habere possumus scimus enim pro peccatis quae deum et nos dividebant per Christum fit satisfactio nosque ideò deo reconciliatos esse kept it raw full of pain and anguish but only sin which being fully satisfied for by Christs death and so clearly declared by his blessed Resurrection the burden removed gives ease to conscience and so the poor believer being sensible his peace is made and he is reconciled to his angry Father he hath Halcyon dayes in his bosom and he lies down with comfort and saith his lot is fallen in a pleasant place and God hath given him a goodly heritage Psal 18. 6. And this the Apostle Peter compriseth in fewer words 1 Pet. 3. 21. But the answer of a good conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ That our Redemption will certainly follow So saith our blessed Saviour expresly John 20. 17. I ascend unto my Per Christum quasi antesignanum et mortis dominatorem in Orbem illata est Resurrectio mortuorum Alap Rom. 8. 11. Christus solis bonis est causa meritoria resurrectionis sed efficiens omnibus Reprobi verò resurgunt non ad vitam sed ad damnationem mortem potiùs quà m vitam Thom. Father and to your Father and unto my God and your God And if Christ ascend unto our Father shall not we likewise come to his house John 14. 2. Shall not we see his face shall not we rise again to enjoy his glory Yes verily God is a God of the living and not of the dead of triumphant Saints and not of putrid carkases Mat. 22. 32. Let us further argue if Christ be our Head and we his Members then it is expedient for the glory of the Head that the Members be glorious And it may be further considered that as the first Adam received blessings for himself and his posterity and lost the same for all So Christ the second Adam received life and all other gifts for himself and others and he rising gloriously his Saints likewise shall be charioted to glory by a glorious Resurrection And so moreover Christ being our Elder Brother in his tenderness and affection will not leave us in the grave there always to sleep the sleep of death and so much the rather because he can raise us with a Call with the sould of a Trumpet by the message of an Archangel 1 Thes 4. 16. For he being dead raised himself much more being alive shall he be able to raise us up And withall we should consider our Vnion with Christ by the Spirit whose heavenly influence and divine vertue in raising of our souls to spiritual life is most eminent and admirable how much more clearly may we conclude the necessity of our being raised from death to fellowship with him in glory And Virtutem resurrectionis Christi non tantùm cognoscimus per fidem sed et per experientiam ut Christi resurgentis potentiam sentiamus shall not we know the power of Christs Resurrection to use the Apostles words Phil. 3. 10. in raising us on his own blessed day to heavenly-mindedness to get above the world and to have our hearts taken up in the divine services of it We should remember when Christ rose it was the seal of our Resurrection and can we think of a Resurrection and sleep away Sermons trifle away Sabbaths and formalize away Ordinances which then must come unto a severe account shall we who hope to rise to a Crown be entombed in sloth and idleness upon a Resurrection day The very thoughts of our Resurrection should strike an awe upon us and bridle us from vanity and lightness of spirit knowing 2 Cor. 5. 10. that our Sabbaths are not over when we have spent them but they will meet us at Gods tribunal and at his tremendous Rev. 20 12. Bar. Nothing can more acutely check the prophane person who pollutes Gods day and unravels that golden season in froth and formality then the serious thoughts of a certain Resurrection whereof Christs rising was an undoubted pledge The Resurrection of Christ was an evidence of infinite power And therefore Dr. Twisse rightly fastens the Lords day on Christs Resurrection day because as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 4. Christ was declared mightily to be the Son of God by the spirit of sanctification in his Resurrection from the dead Hereby Christ was manifested to be the Son of God the very Lord of glory Christs Resurrection was the manifestation of most glorious power that the tomb should not confine him nor the dust hold him nor the grave stone stop him but throwing off these clogs as Samson did his wit hs he shews himself a while to his beloved Ones and so takes his joyous ascent to the right hand of his Father Love laid Christ in the grave and Power raised him from the grave love rocked him asleep and power awakened him again love made him die as a Malefactor Luke 23. 33. and power raised him as a Saviour to give full assurance that all was done which was required to procure life and salvation Indeed this did manifest wonderful power when after three dayes being dead the Sepulcher sealed the stone rolled to the mouth of the grave a strong watch placed that Christ should break through all bars beat down all opposition and 1 Cor. 15. 55. spring forth out of his yielding dust as a triumphing Conqueror Heb. 2. 14. over Death and Devils The Jews cryed out Let him Plus erat de sepulchro surgere quà m de cruce descendere et plus mortem resurgendo destruere quam vitam descendendo servare Greg. come down from the Cross and we will believe on him Mat. 27. 42. But it is more saith Gregory to rise from the grave then to descend from the Crosse to destroy death by rising then to preserve life by descending Reas 5 And shall Christs Resurrection be an evidence of his power and not an argument for our piety upon his own blessed day which is the Commemoration of this glorious act Surely he who could pierce the grave and shake off the chains of death for the good of believers can exert as great power for the destruction of sinners especially those who prophane his day Christs love in dying should allure and his power in rising should enforce Sabbath-holiness it is not safe nor providential to provoke the Lion of the tribe of Judah who trampled upon death and the grave especially on the day
nullis volumus voluptatibus occupari Leo Anthemius Imper à Baldwino allegati in judgment or wariness in practice in reference to the Lords day But our Apostacy began to be too notorious when sports were allowed on that day which are the births of fancy and the Nurses of corruption Nay even at this day notwithstanding all pretences to reformation how wofully is Gods Sabbath neglected and ecclipsed by all manner of abomination so that we may say with Bishop Babington The people of Israel might not gather Manna upon the Sabbath-day and may we go to Fairs and Markets to Wakes and wantonness to Dancings and Drinkings upon the Lords day Are these works for the Sabbath Is O melior fides nationum in suam sect am quae nullam christianorum solennitatem sibi vendicat non etiam diem dominicum etiamsi cognossent nobis communicarent ne Christiani viderentur nos ne Ethnici pronunciaremur non veremur Tertul. de Idol cap. 14. this to keep the holy day Can this be answered to God No surely we shall never be able to endure his wrath for these things one day Thus this learned and reverend Person I may a little invert Tertullian O the faith of the Nations better then ours towards their own Sect as who challenge not to themselves any Christian solemnity no not that of the Lords day had they known it they would not communicate with us least they should seem Christians and we Christians fear not to be accounted Heathens All the Invectives of former times may justly be levelled against England upon this account What is the Sabbath among us but our leisure day for sin and vanity The covetous person is imployed in his works and he follows his secular affairs only more covertly the Formalist is buried in his sloth the Youth of the Nation are frisking and pleasing themselves with sports and dalliances with carnal delights and sensual pleasures as if they offered Acts 14. 13. at the Shrine of Venus or calculated their Sacrifices for a Acts 19. 28. wanton Jupiter the carnal Gospellers are refreshing themselves in their Recreations and their walks and how few on the Mount of God in sacred and heavenly duties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jovialiter vivere Surely Plutarch had an eye to England when he derived Sabbath a Sabbos which signifies to live riotously Indeed the Sabbath of our Nation seems to have some such derivation Gods Sabbath cannot travel up and down England but it falls among Thieves who rob and wound it some wound it by prophane and loose actions others by sinful omissions and the most by sloth and recreations And thus Luke 10. 30. this blessed day lies bleeding and where are any good Samaritans Abominanda christiano nomine indigna diei dominicâ— vâ—olatio quae sâ—nctâ—ssimum Dei Omnipotenâ—is cultum imâ—iorum exponit ludibrio hinc omnis miseriae quae obscuratum ecclesiae deâ—us evertit â—inc calamitatis effluxit inundatio to pour Oyl in to its wounds And have we not found it by experience that scarlet sins and crimson transgressions overflow the Nation because the Sabbath lies under disuse and is covered with scorn and contempt The holy observation of the Sabbath is that which brings on all duties of godliness and the Sabbath being slighted and neglected the Cataracts of prophaneness break in upon us and we are lead to all methods of wickedness And this is Englands skar Gods presence was never less discerned and what is the reason Gods day was never more contemned Our Palladium is gone and what can be expected but an entry of ruine and desolation And this as Ezekiel speaks Ezek. 19. 14. Is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation A learned man observes That the prophaning of Gods day is sin unbecoming the name of a Christian and is the spring of all those calamities which over-flow a Nation And yet this is Lam. 1. 7. Quis talia fande temperet à laâ—hâ—ymis Virg. Englands Ichabod and in this it hath betrayed its trust when the treasure of Gods Sabbath was committed to it And this is Englands Apostacy from all the pious Proclamations Psal 74. 9. of those noble Princes who have sate in its Throne How did many of the Royal Princes who have swayed the Scepter of this Nation lay out their Authority for the suppressing King Ina a Weâ—t Saxon K. Alured K. Canutus K Edw. the sixth Q. Elizabeth King James King Charles the first of prophaneness and promoting of godliness upon Gods holy day which was their glory and the splendor of our Nation But the prophaneness of the present age upon this sacred day hath pluckt this Pearl out of their Crowns and hath put an ecclipse upon that glory of our Kingdom wherein we much out-vied the tendreyes of other Nations England formerly in this branch of holiness out-shining the most reformed Churches And this is the sin at this day which is the troubler of our Israel and seems to be a Cloud bigger than a mans hand 1 King 18. 44. which threatens a great deal of ruine not of water but of wrath not showers to drench the ground but to drown the Inhabitant We may bewail the formall worship of Englands Sabbaths this blessed day suffers in this Nation not only by open Enemies Ceremonia crebrò repetitae but by cold Suitors This is the Errour of England on her Sabbaths we more mind the bending of the knee than Deo nauseam pariunt quia peccatores impuro corde plenâ—que offensis illas offerunt Alap in Isaiam the bowing of the heart our Decency hides our Beauty our Ceremony drowneth our Substance and our Gesture swallows up our Godliness In some places of this Nation the Organ is the most pleasing Oracle and the cringing to an Altar is the onely Embleme of humility and the pleasing of the Ear stifles the devotion of the Soul And is this to keep a Sabbath What do we more than the Jews against whom God poured out his complaints To tread Gods Courts Isa 1. 12. To cry up the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. 4. And to celebrate a Sabbath with a bare appearance before God or the nimble activity of a geniculation Is not this to offer the Case instead of the Jewel to give the bark of a service and the paring onely of a solemnity Ignatius could tell us in the very Vnusquisque nostrum Sabbatizet spiritualiter meditatione legis gaudens non in corporis refocillatione Ignat. Epist 6. ad Magn. infancy of the Gospel That we are to keep Gods day spiritually in the meditation of Gods Law not in the refreshings of the outward man c. And Chrysostom speaks much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual works and exercises on the Lords day Is not the turn of an eye the action of the body or the suppleness of the knee not the sweetness of the voice or the