day and for ever Christ who is The Lord our righteousnesse he is the Lord our Sabbath So chat we shall have a Sabbath last as long as Christ lives A good conscience Sabbatum Dei illud quo exterius â—b opere cessasse dicitur Sacramentum est interioris Sabati ubimens sancto per bonam conscientiam a peccato quiscâ—ns c. Hugo Chrysost Homil. 17. in Genes August Serm. 10. ad fratres in Exem as it is a continual feast so a Sabbath of rest Prov. 15.15 Esay 57.20 The wicked are like the troubled Sea that have no Sabbath of rest Tell me not sayes Chrysostome the man hath a sumptuous Table is cloathed mith silks attended with servants shews me his conscience there is a hurry of lusts a tumult of sins A continual Sabbath-lesse man A good conscience 't is sayes Austin the bed of God the Palace of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost the Paradise of delights the standing Sabbath of Saints c. Let us be faithful in the Sabbath that may possibly cease and then may we be sure of a never ceasing Sabbath In the saddest most unsetled seasons when customes are changing and Kingdoms are shaking and all Gods Ordinances seem to be taking their leave in a Land yea when all externals in the world are at worst yet there is an internal Sabbath in the heart and an eternal Sabbath in the heavens whereof every Saint may be sure Sabbatum duplex Pectoris et Temporis Aquinas 12ae quest 100. Art 5. Suppose there should be here no more Sabbaths remaining yet there is a remaining Sabbath Heb 4.10 And though the Lords day will end the Lord himself will be a never ending day THE LORDS DAY Enlivened Revel 1.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day THe holy Apostle in the words present plainly reports The Season upon which he was set and The condition into which he was put The Season which he was on It was the Lords Day The condition which he was in He was in the Spirit I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day The Point we are next to prosecute is That it is sensible to some and possible for all pious men to be in the Spirit on the Lords Day This Doctrine I shall endeavour To clear To prove and To presse For the clearing of truth it is fit to unfold What is the Spirit in which they may be on the Lords Day and What it is for them on the Lords Day to be in the Spirit Spirit This is to be considered both as it relates To God and To Man Omnes Nomenis Jehovae literae sunt spirituales ut denotetur Deum esse Spiritum Alsted Spirit This as unto God does import Either the whole divine Essence Or one personall subsistence The whole Essence of the God-head is Spirit As Christ King Priest and Prophet is one compleat Saviour So God Father Son and holy Ghost is one spirituall being And as in the Spirit they are but one being So in their being they are but one spirit Thus God is a Spirit John 4.24 Thus Spirit is attributed as unto God 1 Tim. 3.16 1. Pet. 3.18 c. 2. The third Person subsisting in the God-head is Spirit As there is God a Spirit So there is the Spirit of God Through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15.19 The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 c. This is called The Spirit of truth John 14.17 The Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 The Spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 The Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 Spirit This as appropriate to man implies Either the whole soul of man Or the superiour facultie of the soul 1. For the soul wholly in the substance thereof As every individuall man hath his soul So the soul of every single man it is his spirit Each man is a compound creature made up of soule and body Hence men are compared to Gideons souldiers Judg. 7.16 Ambros de Spir. Sa. lib. 1. cap. 16. Each having his â—arthen pitcher and Lamp therein when the earthen pitcher of mans body is broken by death the Lamp of his soul abides burning either in heaven or hell Thus Matth 10.28 Mans soule while in his body is called his Spirit Isay 26.9 Ex egests vid. Augustin in locum et Ambros Com. in loc With my soule have I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Luk. 1.46 47. Mary said My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour 2. Spirit That is the soules superiour facultie As the soule it is spirit So there is the spirit of the soule Or The spirit of the mind as the Apostle calls it Rom. 12.2 This is the intellectual or the knowing power of the soule Who knowes the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him 1. Cor 2.11 Thus 1 Thess 5.23 the Apostle mentions body soul and spirit Indeed this is most applicable to man as born of God considered Not onely in his proper constitution But also in his further restitution As the woman in the Gospell who hid her leaven in three measures of meal till the whole lump was leavened Thus the Lord layes his Grace in these three parts body soule and spirit till the whole man is sanctified Now such a man so spirited is fit to be in the spirit on the Lords Day On the Lords Day in the spirit Spirit it is taken as referring both to God and man The Spirit of God and the spirit of man meeting 2. What it is for a godly man on the Lords Day to be in the Spirit In the Spirit This notes Both his soules habitual condition as settled And his soules actuall condition as moved 1. The soul of a sanctified man according to his settled condition considered is in the spirit Being by grace habitually planted and effectually put into God Father Son and Holy Ghost John 17.21 That they sayes Christ to his Father may be one in us In us That they are not in thee onely nor in me alone but in us viz. Father Son and holy Spirit Every gracious soul Rests in God Abides in Christ and Lives in the Spirit Bernard 1. In God there is a resting Psal 37.7 The soule of every true Believer sayes a learned Writer Hath a double Mansion One wherein it rules viz. the body and The other wherein it rests viz. God The soule of every Saint is settled in God as in its centre The force of some temptation may seeme to unsettle his soule and as it were to separate it from God but then as Noah's Dove out of the Ark it finds no rest back again it comes God is its centre and out of God truly it can never be taken maugre all the malice of hell 2. In Christ there is his abyding John 15.7 In the heart of Christ and In the
Lord towards them 'T is a Spirit enriching and ruling 'T is a Spirit raising and resting on them 1. The Spirit enriches the people of God by imparting to them What is precious and excellent and What is Plenteous and abundant The riches of grace Ephes 1.7 which is compared to enriching gold Revel 3.18 This in abundance is brought in by the Spirt 2 Cor. 3.18 An evil spirit is reported to have brought to some in league with him Remigi lib. de Daemo pieces in appearance of true gold but they were never the richer for when they went to use them all turned into whithered leaves And so with false gold of seeming grace does Satan deceive the souls of some But the good Spirit of God brings into the souls of Gods Saints such gold of grace as is of real and rare use for their great enriching God-ward Men rich in earthly gold and the ordinary wealth of the world are able to compasse and accomplish those things that others cannot Such as the Spirit of the Lord hath largely enriched with Gospel-gold O what great things are they enabled to do O what fellowships with the Father converses with the Son communion with the holy Ghost are they prepared for And may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords day 2. The Spirit he rules the people of God by exercising over them Both a Negative and A Positive power A power whereby he holds them off from what he dislikes They cannot with others wade into the waies of the world the Spirit will not let them they cannot shift their sails as the wind change in every turn of times And though as Nazianzen said of Athanasius they be as loadstones to draw others in to God yet they are as Adamants that will not warp wind bend or break or shrink from God The Spirit of the Lord will not let them they cannot they care not yea the Spirit may keep them from something which may seeme good to them because of some greater good in the sight of God When Saint Paul was going to preach the Word at Asia the Holy Ghost forbade him and being about to go to Bithynia the Spirit suffered him not Act. 16. And a power the Spirit doth daily exercise over the People of God to lead them on to what the Lord requires Rom. 8.14 Gala. 5.18 Ezechiel the Prophet saw four wheeles which were sometimes carried on upon the earth and sometimes lifted up above the earth according as the spirit of the living creature moved that was in the wheeles Thus the Soules of Gods Saints are set a going sometimes they rise higher and sometimes they run swifter as the Spirit of the living God leads that is in their hearts Good men The Spirit leads them they may not be at a losse yea And when they are at a losse yet the Spirit leads them August de cor et gra Cap 2. Id. de Grat. et lib. Arb. Cap. 1. God led the people of Israel through the wildernesse not onely by a pillar of fire but by a pillar of the cloud Nehem. 9.19 The Spirit leads Gods people through the world as a fire that gives them light that so they may not lose their way sometimes there is such a cloud they cannot see their way yet then the Spirit leads them and when they are at a losse it is that voice behind them saying This is the way walk in it Esay 30.21 Now they that are thus under the daily conduct of the Spirit may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 3. The Spirit raises the people of God lifts up a good man being down through amazing meditations Either of God in the Heights of his Majesty Or of himself in the depths of his Misery When the Prophet was fallen upon his face through affrighting thoughts at the glorious presence of God in a vision Then the Spirit entred into him and set him upon his feet Ezek. 2.2 Ezek. 3.24 The usuall cause of a Christians casting down is the sad apprehensions of his severall sins so that he seemes to himself as if his soul were sinking into the depths of hell then the Spirit helps him up By recalling former mercies and By revealing further Mysteries The Spirit recalls or causes a Christian to remember The promises of mercy the Lord hath made and The experiences of mercy himself hath found John 14.26 The Spirit shall bring all things to your remembrance viz. The gracious sayings and glorious doings of God in dayes past are drawn a fresh into the thoughts of dejected Saints The Spirit reveals or makes such mysteries of mercy manifest as were not before known Eph. 1.17 18. That God the Father of glory may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened ye may know what is the hope of his calling c Thus the Spirit pulls up poore Saints pittifully plunged Being down Either in sins Or in sorrowes The Spirit raises Saints in their sad relapses have sweet illapses the Spirit letting in such light and heat as heaves up their hearts dark down and dead They who in ordinary dayes may have such experiences of Spirit-helps may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 4. The Spirit rests upon the People of God so the Apostle expresses it 1 Pet 4.14 This imports The Spirits Presence Both intimate And pertuate With the people of God They have the friendly and familiar presence of the Spirit in close acquaintance Communions and Communications as is not to any other men They have the presence of the Spirit in his continued workings Without Intermission and Without Termination The Spirit within them does never intermit all his actings Though he is in the soule as the pulse in the arme that does not alway beat with the same sensible strength and evennesse Motions may to a good mans feeling be more weak and low yet even in such distempers he is still stirring As when the body of a man is asleep yet there in the soul is acting So when the soule of a Saint is asleep yet there in the Spirit is working Neither can any period possibly be put to such an operative presence of the Spirit in the People of God The gracious soul is on earth as the Spirits centre the settled presence here of is not in any other soul The Spirit of Noah's Dove hovers over the hearts of earthly men but a holy and humble heart is to the Spirit as Noah's Ark to the Dove there he rests John 14.16 I sayes Chrsst will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth and he shall abide with you for ever Your bodies have had my corporall presence for a time but in your soules the presence of my Spirit shall remain for ever Now they that have in them such a perpetuall presence of the Spirit may not they be in the Spirit upon the
Gods Saints are best brought together both In Body And Mind Christians being thus gathered upon the Lords Day lie in the readiest way for these high workings of the Spirit Act. 2.1 2. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place And suddenly c. Day of Pentecost This fiftieth day so the word imports it was the first day in the week Vid. Cypri de Spir. San 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the best affirm even our Lords Day They were all That is Basil de spi Sancto ca. 27. August de temp Ser. 251. all the eleven Apostles of Christ as is plainly expressed Act. 1.26 In one place In an upper Chamber at Jerusalem they were all Bodily gathered together With one accord Their minds were met as well as their bodies They were all in one house with one Heart waiting for the promises of the Lord. And suddenly there came That is with all speed the Spirit of God came down upon them so as never before for Manner and Measure The manner A sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind all about the house where they were sitting And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and sat upon each of them The measure And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake with other tongues August Ser. 2 ad fratr in eremo as the Spirit gave them utterance The Spirit spake in them and they spake in the Spirit the wonderfull works of God The Spirit was poured in upon them and they poured it out in the Spirit Gods work was wonderfull and thus being upon the Lords Day gathered they found such spiritual fierings and fillings That evil spirit oft assaults the souls of Gods Saints when they are solitary single and severed Matth 4.1 But the good Spirit of God descends upon the soules of his servants met in their solemn assemblies One well observes that the dry bones which the Prophet saw Ezek. 37. the Spirit of God did not enliven them while they lay scattered in the field but when the bones came together bone to his bone then the Spirit of life came into them and they stood up upon their feet vers 7 8 9. Thus Gods servants when together they are upon the Sabbath assembled then these kindlings and comfortable quickenings come Yea though their hearts and thoughts were all the week more scattered about in the world yet they are better gathered in to the Lord upon the Sabbath-day And the souls of Gods people put into such a Sabbath-posture are most prompt and best prepared for comfortable converse with God in the Spirit And in the Spirit on the Lords day some actually are that so they may the better For present receive the mysteries of Faith and For future perform the duties of obedience Faith That the apprehensions of this may hereby be enlarged and man unto the Dimensions hereof may hereby be better enabled By being in the Spirit a Christian is made more able to reach out unto the lengths breadths heights depths of faith and by believing to find out and fetch in the vast Mysteries of God in the Gospel gospel-Gospel-truths vailed are hereby clearly revealed and closely received Hence St. John came to receive such close and clear revelations from God which he could never have reached had he not on the Lords day been in the Spirit His whole Book that is so mysterious to others Jerom. epist ad Paulin. things therein were perspicuous to him To him therefore several of the Ancients so apply that Ambros lib. 3. de Spir. Sancto cap. 21. August de civit Dei lib. 20. cap. 17. Revel 22.1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life clear as Crystal proceedinding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Things to him issued from God all pure and clear This made John the Baptist a greater Prophet then Esay or any other before him things intricate to others were explicate to him Now the Apostle could not have been capable of such clear discoveries had he not been first in the Spirit upon the Lords day Upon the Lords day being in the Spirit a Christian rides in the Chariot of faith triumphant from earth yea possibly as out of Hell into Heaven where he sees those glorious mysteries of mercie that concerns his souls comfort yea and what may be of singular concernment for the souls of others Obedience That the several conditions of this may be the better fulfilled Both in service And suffering Gods servants by being in the Spirit are abundantly fitted Both for Affliction And Action Act. 20.22 23 24. And now sayes the Apostle behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministery which I have received of the Lord to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God O what a fixed frame of heart had the holy Apostle to honour God both By doing And dying He was bound in the Spirit The Spirit that is compared to winde did now upon the Apostle blow with such a full gale that he went as a ship full saile unto the Port God had appointed The spirit of this good man did not hang loose but was girt up to go thorow with the work whatever came The Spirit hemm'd it about loosened him from all that might any way hinder but so gathered up his heart for God and the Gospel as to further him in his way and work One telling a Martyr that it was hard to burn It is indeed said he for him that hath his soul liâ—ked to his body as a Theefs foot in his fetters but for him that hath his soul set above his body it is easie to burn Kindle fire I come Saviour Another having put one foot into the flame steps back saying The flesh shrinks and sayes On earth it is better to burn The Spirit sayes In heaven it is sweet to shine The flesh sayes wilt thou shorten thy life The Spirit sayes It is nothing nothing to life eternal The flesh sayes Wilt thou leave thy friends The Spirit sayes Christ and his Saints society is better c. And so in the power of the Spirit he flings himself into the fiercest flames And the souls of Gods Saints may expect such Spiritual supports in the dayes of their suffering who serving God have been in the Spirit on the Lords day The truth of all which some have sensibly found 2. That others of Gods Saints possibly may find their souls thus in the Spirit on the Lords day This proved By the properties of the Lords Spirit towards them and By the properties of their spirits towards the Lord. As for the Spirit of the
the seventh day the Sabbath day the hearts and souls of Gods Saints are subâ—ect to fall from those heatings and heightenings they then have in duties holy But then they struggle in holy heats of heart to rise higher and to fix faster Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed Fixed and loosened and fixed again Warmed and cooled and kindled again so as that the fire is greater and flame hotter More abounding and abyding through the businesse of Gods blessed day Thus when Gods Spirit flowes in upon us and our spirits fall in with God so as with agility to act and with stability to be set in all sweet wayes of Sabbath-works This is Spiritually to spend the Lords day 2. The Motives that may incite all Gods Saints to such a Spiritual spending the Gospel-Sabbath may arise from things of two sorts observable viz. Some more antecedential and Some more consequential Arguments from things antecedent which may set all the servants of God upon a Spiritual passing this present day may be to consider Sabbath-ward these four things all which we find to be spiritually viz. The Ordainer of it The Ordinances in it The ends for it and The opposits against it 1. The Ordainer of this day the Lord Christ the things Spiritual concerning him we may discern by considering of him Both as he once was And as he now is 1. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath was Spiritual In his Conception and Birth In his Conversation and life In his Passion and death In his Resurrection from the dead And in his Ascension to heaven 1. Christ in his Conception and Birth was spiritual he being conceived of the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin â—nd the Angel said unto her The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luk. 1.35 36. 2. Christ in his Conversation and life was Spiritual Lo the heavens were opened uâ—to him and the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted upon him Matth. 3.16 Joh. 1.32 His joyes were Spiritual Luk. 10 21. His words were Spiritual Joh. 6.63 All his wayes in the world both towards God and men were Spiritual Heb. 7.26 3. Christ in his Passion and death was Spiritual He through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 Even when he was condemned in the world he was justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 4. Christ in his Resurrection from the dead was Spiritual Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God by the Spirit of holinesse in his resurrection from the dead Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you c. Christ put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 5. Christ in his Ascension to heaven was Spirituall As he went up to God by a Spiritual assistance so upon a Spiritual design viz. to send down the holy Spirit of promiâ—e Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter the Spirit of truth will not come unto you but if I depaâ—t I will send him unto you which we find fulfilled Act. 1. Act. 2. 2. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath he is Spiritual Both in his positive condition And in his Relative transactions Considered in himself according to his glorified estate he is all Spiritual His blessed body is now brought beyond all humane infirmities filled with beauty clarity agility impassibility immortality through the eternal Spirit In his humbled estate he was endowed and adorned with the Spirit what then in his honoured estate God gave him then the Spirit not by measure Joh. 3.34 O what immense and immeasurable fillings of the Spirit were in a crucified much more in a glorified Christ Such an infinite fulnesse of the Spirit is fixed in Christ whereby he is compleately fitted to the perfect performance of all his excellent offices Yea and Christ in his actings is now every way Spirituall Both in what he does with God for men And in what he does with men for God With God for men Christ hath his Spiritual exercise Christs acting as an Advocate with the Father 1 Job 2. His appearing and pleading our cause in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 His making Intercession at the right hand of God Rom. 8.33 As this is founded in the sufficiency of his Merit So it is performed by the efficiency of his Spirit As a meer man Christ does not manage his Mediatorship with God but Christ in Spirit presents unto God the Father for his members His deserts and His desires Both what for his people he hath purchased and what to his people God hath promised that they may perfectly possesse Joh. 17.21 23 24. And with men for God Christ acts all Spiritually As Christ executes his Priestly office in heaven So he fulfils his Prophetical and Regal office on earth in a way of Spirituâ—l working As with Ordinances by the Spirit does Christ teach So by the Spirit with officers does Christ govern As his Kingdom is Spiritual which he governs So his government is spiritual of his Kingdome It is through the Spirit that Christ does such great things in our dayes as it was through the Spirit that Christ did so many good things in the dayes of his flesh Being anointed with the holy Ghost he went about dâ—ing good Act. 10.38 He now sits on his throne in heaven yet by the holy Ghost he transacts manifold and marvellous things on earth By the Spirit he writes his Law in the hearts of his people and rules his people by the Law in their hearts Leads his flock in the way they should walk and Feeds his flock as they walk in the way c. Thus Christ the Lord of the Sabbath is Spiritual And shall not we be Spiritual in the Sabbath of the Lord 2. The Ordinances in the Lords day are Spiritual likewise Go through all the appointments of God that are for this dayes exercise Are they not Spiritual If we seriously consider things that concern The Word Prayer Sacraments Singing of Psalmes Collections for the poor c. Are they nor all duties to be spiritually done Doth not Both the precepts of God binde us hereto And the practise of the binde us hereto Godly 1. For the Word As it is of a Spiritual nature So it is in a Spiritual manner to be managed Both on the Ministers and On the peoples part Every part of Gods precious Word is Spiritual The Law is Spiritual Rom. 7.14 The Gospel that is Spiritual Rom. 1.11 Yea because the Law in Spirituality comes short of the Gospel the Gospel in glory out-goes the Law As it is excellently opened 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. They that preach the glorious Gospel that is so surpassingly Spiritual must endeavour to do it in the evidences and efficacies of the Spirit
Lord upon this day drew forth most infallible testimonies of the truth of his resurrection and so left not onely to his present Disciples but to his succeeding servants a more firm foundation for their faith in himself and a more strong Argument to inforce their following observance of the same day Joh. 20.26 27 28 29. August detempore Ser. 25. Bellarm de cultu sanctorum l. 3. cap. 11. Tertul. li. de carne Christi 3. The Mission or Christs sending down of the holy Ghost was upon this day It appears the Apostles met upon the day of Pentecost Act. 2.1 this was a day instituted in remembrance of the Law delivered to Moses in the Mount fifty dayes after their departure out of Egypt Answerably whereunto the holy Ghost and Gods love thereby Rom. 5.5 is sent out and shed abroad the fiftieth day after Christ our Passeover was Sacrificed for us which by computation of the learned both Orthodox and Popish was the first day of the week Christ being gone up the holy Spirit he comes down A blessed bargain saith an ancient Writer hereby was made betwixt heaven and earth to triumphing Saints was given the presence of Christs body and to Militant Saints was sent the comforts of Christs Spirit The Spirit of Christ the Comforter came down upon this day That cannot but be a holy day wherein the holy Ghost came down There be 3. works of excellency applyed to the three Persons in Trinity to wit The work of Creation to God the Father The work of Redemption to God the Son And The work of Sanctification to God the holy Ghost Times and things Persons and seasons he sanctifies The holy Spirit passing through this day hath made it holy This being the day of the Lord his thus doing 't is THE LORDS DAY 2. To the Lord upon this day hath been done Sabbath-service In the Primitive times and In posteriour times The holy Apostles punctually set apart this first day of the week for the worship of God And they were men eminently endowed with the Spirit of Christ Yea men intimately acquainted with the secrets of Christ men immediately instructed by the person of Christ Christ in his own person before his death did discover things to them as to no other men John 15.15 and after his resurrection they were the men whom he did commissionate to erect a Gospel-Church and to order all things therein and therefore he did continue with them for the space of forty dayes before he ascended that he might fully furnish them for those great appointments wherein he found them faithfull And how successeful they were we see Act. 2. when on this same day were gained three thousand souls at one Sermon O blessed day blessed day And as for the Apostle Paul I shall pray you to ponder both His practice and His precept binding the day His practice in the day is plainly expressed Act. 20.7 And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together Paul preached unto them and continued his speech till midnight being to depart on the morrow c. His precept for the day is plainly implyed 1 Cor. 16.1 2. the Apostle there speaking of Collections for Saints upon the first day of the week when they should meet about the works of Gods worship adds this As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia Piscator in Gene. 2.3 fol. 52 c. even so do ye In that He Ordains such duties for the day He Ordains the day for such duties And above fourty years after this as Chronologie saith Saint John tells us in the text of such a continued day The Lords day And as for other good Authors since the holy Apostles they report concerning the Christian Sabbath upon the first day of the week things of two sorts Some more remote as being a Preparance for it and Some more immediate asserting the observance of it Some things they recite as referring to this first-dayes-Sabbath August de tempo Ser. 25. Austin notes that this very day was the first day of the Worlds Creation when Angels Elements and lights were made and that of all the six dayes-works the work of the first day was greatest because then the first matter and Model the principals and Platform of all was laid Austin also observes that this was the day of Noahs entring into the Ark August de civit Dei lâ—b 16. cap. 26. of Infants receiving Circumcision of Mannas first falling in the Wildernesse Origen before him saith that if the Manna were gathered six dayes together as the Scripture declares Origen Homil. 7. in Exod. and it ceased upon the seventh day which was the Sabbath without doubt it began on the first day which is the Lords day and so he concludes the Lords day to be more excellent then the Jewish Sabbath This was the day say others of Christs Nativity and Baptisme of the Stars appearing at Bethlehem to the Wise men of Christs feeding five thousand persons and other particulars which are in this case collected But I proceed to such as insist upon matters more immediate affirming this first day of the week to be celebrated for the Sabbath of Christians In Eusebius we read the witnesse of Dionysius the Corinthian that they diligently kept holy this Lords day in those times Tertullian naming the Solemnities of Christians begins first with the Lords day which they he saith most carefully kept declaring their exercises theron Justin Martyr names the same day and shewes their works Ignatius against some that being Christians would retain the Jewish Sabbath saith in plain terms Plinius sub Trajano scripsitsolitos hoc stato die convenire Christianos ancle lucem carmenque Christo quasi â—eo communi voce dicere postea Sacramento se obstringere non in scelus aliquod ne furia ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent c. Magdeb. cent 2. cap. 6. We celebrate no longer the Sabbath of the Jewes but every one that loves Christ keepeth now holy the Lords day An Historian writes of the Christians custome in the Emperour Trajans time how they met upon this same set day early in the morning sung a Psalm received the Sacrament and bound themselves in Covenant to fly sin c. And t' was a common question put to Christians when they were brought before Pagan Governours Dost thou observe the Lords day and the ordinary answer then was I am a Christian and I dare not intermit it I shall shut up my discourse about this setling the Christian Sabbath onely by considering Something that Christ himself said concerning that and Something concerning that Christ said of himself That which our Saviour saith of the Sabbath we find Matth. 24.20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day We may observe the Sabbath our Saviour means it was for such as were converted to the faith of Christ and 't was for to remain long after the death of
the week see Joh. 20.19 23. Therein directing them as on this day to exercise that power and that power it does appear was upon this present day principally put in execution afterward thus Origen Cyprian and others relate Orig. can Cels lib. 3. Cypr. ad Pomp. Epi. 62. Greg Nys orat And O how pure and clean would our waters boyl could we on this day so cast off our scum Help Lord c. Necessities The duty of charitable relief is proper for the Lords day 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Tertullian tells in his Apologie for Christians how carefull the Christian Churches were to works of mercy on the Lords day whereby their Brethren in bonds were bountifully supplied and the bellies of the afflicted refreshed Irenaeus contra Valenti lib. 4 cap. 19â— Another of the Ancients does excellently note from the example of our Saviour Luk 13.15 that the right sanctifying the Sabbath day does consist in acts of pitty works of mercy and how charitable deeds become this comfortable day Luk. 14.1 2 3 4 5. is full These Sabbath-duties some way concern the whole body of a people more promiscuously 2. There be some duties on the Sabbath that do concern some persons principally as Magistrates and Ministers Parents and Masters All ought to concur in their care for the keeping of this day Indeed the Lords day is the Fort-royal of Religion let all stand to it in their places we be not beaten out of that especially now when so many lay siege thereunto Some set their wits awork and oppose the doctrinal part of it Others set their wills awork and impugne the practical part of it and as they will not rest on the Lords day so they will not let the Lords day to be at rest but mount their Cannons and make what batteries they can c. O let all and especially such as may do more then others now bestirre themselves to raise the Sabbath siege and to maintain our Sabbath Fort if we dye let us dye in a couragious keeping of this indeed if this be taken all is lost hold this and yet there is hope Let us that are in publike places play the men As the two milch-kine 1 Sam. 6. being coupled together they bore up and carried on the Arke of God Thus let Magistrate and Minister be united to hold up the holy day of God and the holy worship of God upon his day Let Sabbath-breakers for multitude be like a numerous Army if Magistrate and Minister would but joyn we should route them all O how commendable were it if these two in this regard would agree like Joab and Abishai his brother 2 Sam. 10.11 12. If the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will come and help thee onely be of a good courage let us quit our selves like men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good So let us do what we are able to the utmost for the Sabbaths and the service of our God and then the Lord do with us what seems him good O that those who bear the sword were fired with some of that Sabbabth-zeal that once Nehemiah had Chap. 13.17 18 19. 'T was a high praise that Ambrose gave of Theodosius that he was more solicitous to preserve the things of God as a Magistrate then to preserve himself as a man And it was a good caution that Austin gives upon Psal 2. Magistrates are to be admonished Vid. Pet. Martyr in judg cap 1. saith he as not to grant men immunity to any false worship so not to allow men liberty to leave the true worship of God The Magistrate upon the Lords day is not onely to see men forbear the outward works of their callings but to see that they be about the visible works of Gods worship August Bonif. comiti Epi 50. praecip Tom. 7. Cont. epist Parmeniani lib. 1. cap. 7. Tom. 7. lib. 2. contra Epist Gaudentii cap. 16.17 Austin more then once commends Imperial Lawes against the Donatists for separating from the publike worship of God and gathering into private houses upon the Lords day there to promote their Anti-magisterial opinions Which Lawes were to punish the ordinary people with fines of Money their leaders with banishment the places of their meeting to be forfeited to the Emperour and that none of them should have power to bestow their goods by will or to enjoy any Legacy to them by will bequeathed And he gives Instances of the execution of these Laws and the good successe thereof encouraging the Magistrate therein And when people are brought to the publike Pool Joh. 5.2 3. the Minister is as the Angel that upon this Sabbath-season must move and work in the waters to wit be active in all the Ordinances of God that such as by divine assistance step close in may meet God for the cure of their souls And as the Minister is more immediately to manage the worship of God upon this holy day yea his place is to presse that men do not on this day of the Sabbath satisfie themselves in a bare bodily way to worship God but to see they on the Sabbath serve God in Spirit and truth Thus these two as the two Cherubims that looked one towards another and both upon the Mercy-seat they should with respect look one upon another and both upon the service of the Sabbath that so the Lord may have his day and his due Lastly Let governours of families Parents and Masters contribute their best assistance to see the Sabbath well observed for which end towards their children and servants there is required upon the Lords day a double duty A taking of them to the publike means And a taking with them private pains 1. You are to bring them with you unto the publike Ordinances In the time of the Old Testament people that went to worship God they carried their flocks and their herds with them Hose 5.6 that in sacrifice they might offer them up to God In these times of the New Testament men are to carry their children and servants with them to the worship of God upon his holy day offering them up with themselves as a sacrifice to God When 't was required that the whole body of the Israelitish people should go out from their dwellings in Egypt to serve the Lord together in the Wildernesse Pharaoh called Moses and said Go ye serve the Lord but let your flocks and your herds be stayed but what sayes Moses We will go with our flocks and our herds with our sons and our daughters with our young and with our old will we go there shall not a hoofe be left behind for we must hold a feast unto the Lord and serve the Lord our God Exod. 10.9 24 26. Such Religious resolutions become Christians in the present case 2. Such of you as are heads
Lords Day 2. We shall consider their spirits towards the Lord For suitablenesse And capablenesse For the pliablenesse and Indefatigableness of them 1. Suitable are the spirits of Saints to the Lord Christ Christ and the things of Christ and the spirit of a Saint so suite That his Spirit hath onely a sympathy with them And they onely can satisfie his Spirit The sympathy of a good mans spirit is with the things of Christ His heart hath a kind of Antipathy to things of an other nature Even the things of the world his Spirit opposes refuses rises if of them any tenders be to take him off from Christ When Valence the Emperour sent to Basil the offer of great preferments the good mans spirit was up in an anger and made this answer Let him offer these ratles to children and not to Christians When some bade stop Luthers mouth with preferments one of his Adversaries answered It is no boot that Germane Beast cares not for gold God himself sayes Luther shall not put me off with these things Hooper when one offered him a pardon for life if he would recant he cryed out If you love my soul away with it For Gods sake away away with it But to such men the things of Christ truths of Christ waies of Christ Words of Christ Commands of Christ do accord And herein also are the Spirits of Gods Saints satisfied How was it with that holy man who replyed to his friend Speak to me while you will no words can satisfie me except you mention Christ Write to me what you please it will not satisfie me unlesse in your letters I may read Christ Give me never so much I cannot be satisfied except you help me to somewhat of Christ Christ and the things of Christ were onely things that satisfied the spirit of this precious man Suitable things are ready to run into one another to mix and hold fast together This made Nebuchadnezzars Image to fall asunder because it was made up of such unsuitable matter things of such a differing nature This makes famous professors to fall and divers to desert Christ because the things of Christ do not suite to their spirits The spirits of sincere Saints are agreeable to gracious objects the very frame of their hearts is fitted to the waies of truth and holinesse Among good things with that which is best their spirits best agree The more holy and pure any person or Ordinance is the better there with their spirits accord The new nature and settled temper of their spirits is most suitable to the Lord himself and may not they be in the Spirit upon the Lords Day 2. Capable are the spirits of Gods servants to take in of the Lord largely Their hearts are compared to Vialls Revel 5.8 A Viall is a vessel narrow beneath and wide above The hearts and spirits of good men are more closed downward and more open upward Of enlarged capacities Christ-ward And though of Christs fulnesse they have already received grace for grace yet there is room to receive more In these two we may comfortably conclude there 's room viz. Gods glorious heaven and Mans gracious heart As God in his heaven hath more room for good men So good men in their hearts have more room for God Holy mens spirits are let out and their hearts made wide By Godly sorrowes for sin and By earnest desires for God By Godly sorrowes Christians cast out sin Beata anima quae est instardomus Jacobi in qua nulla simulaâ—hra nulla effigies vanitatis Amb. de fuga secuâ— cap. 5. and so make more room for Christ in their hearts Hence the heart of a holy man is made as the house of Jacob in which is no place allowed for the least representation of vanity the very images of evil thoughts are thrown out and the whole house is set apart for the precious things of God and the more plenty of these appearing the more he labours heart-enlargement As the rich man Luk. 12. when he saw plenty of Corn upon the ground he pulls down his barns and builds greater that he may have more room to receive in such fruits Thus a Godly man by repentance pulls down his heart he sees it is too narrow for the vast things of God and thereupon labours to make his heart as capacious as possible And by every penitential breaking builds it better By earnest desires also after God he brings his heart into a better and bigger capacity O whom Lord have I in heaven but thee and who on earth do I desire besides thee Psal 73. Yea for Sabbath-enjoyments of God the Spirit of a pious man pants Psal 42.1 2. He even faints for more full fellowships and fruitions of God As against sin he thinks his heart can never be close enough shut So for God he thinks his heart can never be wide enough open Of sin he would fain have lesse when he hath least and when he hath most of God he yet desires more And by such wayes the soul of a Saint is set wider for God and thus the spirits of Christians become more capable to take in more largely the things of the Lord and may not they then be in the Spirit on the Lords day 3. Plyable are the spirits of Gods people for the Lord to let out themselves freely Their hearts towards the Lord are waxy and willing in all wayes of well-pleasing Judg. 5.9 Psal 110.3 Being oyled with an holy Unction And wheeled with holy affections The oyl of grace is poured upon the hidden man of the heart which makes all the spiritual members of the new man to be agil and nimble for God As it is said to Christ Heb. 1.9 God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellowes So may we say to the soul of a Saint God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of grace and goodnesse above thy fellowes The heart it is first and most sanctified and therefore may well be most free and forward for God In man no marvel the sensitive powers and corporal parts are lesse plyable As the oyntment was first and most poured upon the head of Aaron and from thence drops went down to his beard and skirts of his garments Thus the oyl of grace is primarily and principally upon the heart of a Christian and from thence it descends into all the powers parts of the man so that this hath cause to come in first and come off freest for God as indeed it daily does When other parts rest the heart runs Yea the heart of a holy man is set upon such wheeles as make it move quick for Christ Judgement cleared affections fired 1 Chron. 29.3 I have sayes David set my affection to the house of my God and hence he was so lively and liberal labouring to lift up the honour of God in preparing for him a house The dispositions and affections in the soul of a Saint
are such as that his heart is prompt prepared for every precept purpose and providence O God my heart is prepared my heart is prepared sayes David One observes how he doubles the expression to imply he was willing to a differing condition Paratum cor meum ad prospera paratum ad adversa paratum ad sublimia paratum ad humilia paratum ad universa quae preceperis c. Bern. Ser. 2. de quadrages If God would have him high or low rich or poor a shepherd again or a Prince still His heart was prepared prepared Thus is it with a pious man his heart is prepared to put on after God in any condition his Spirit is upon such wheels of love to the Lord that he is oft carried out beyond and before he is aware Cant. 6.12 Or ever I was aware my soul made me as the Chariots of Amminadib The spirit of the Spouse did unexpectedly rise and run out after Christ as a Chariot upon the wheeles And are the spirits of Gods Saints set into such a frame for the Lord and may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords day 4. Indefatigable are the spirits of Gods people in following the Lord. In Gods worship their spirits are unwearied when their bodies are weakened Their spirits may be weary in but are never weary of any worship of God or any work for God in his worship their hearts and minds Being pitched down And girt up for God The heart of a holy man is pitched down and firmly resolved for God his mind does not fluctuate hover and waver in unsettled uncertainties he is not upon demurs and disputes confers not with flesh and blood Baron An. 261. num 30. Cyprian that blessed Martyr when the Governour bad him advise with himself answered Sir do your office in a righteous cause I am not now to resolve A man of a wavering spirit is soon wearied out and wrought off from God A good man indeed his heart is fixed for God though he be not fixed firmely in the wayes of God yet for the wayes of God he is firmely fixed Though he hath some doubtings in his way yet he hath not doubtings of his way and so walks on unweariedly His heart will not be tyred or turned out Yea the heart of a holy man is girt up and closely united to God his mind is not divided between the Lord and the world Frederick the Elector of Saxony who was a prisoner to Charles the fifth being offered liberty and dignity if he would come to Masse answered I have but one Master one soul and one Saviour I dare not serve two A man of a double heart that halts between God and Baal God and Mammon never holds out He may seem for a while to out-run many but he will be weary A gracious man his spirit is not onely for God gathered in one but it is so knit up as to be one with God 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and hence he holds out to the end never weary And they who in the wayes of the Lord are of such unwearied spirits may not they be in the Spirit on the Lords day There is none of Gods Servants but possibly now may be as some of the servants of God cettainly have been upon the Lords day in the Spirit I was in the Spirit upon the Lords day The USE IS Of Information Of Exhortation 1. This may clearly declare the ill case of two kinds of men neither of which are in the Spirit on the Lords day Some that are not nor possibly can Some that pâ—ssibly may yet are not 1. 'T is the sad case of all unsanctified men they neither are nor possibly can be upon the Lords day in the Spirit This will plainly appear considering Both what they be And what they do Men remaining in a sinful estate we may observe what they be Both privatively And positively Privatively They cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day because They be without the Spirit of the Lord And towards the Lord they be without spirit 1. As men in natures estate are without God and without Christ Ephes 2.12 so they are without the holy Spirit Rom. 8.9 Jude 19. As when man was to be created the three Persons they all concur Let us make man Gen. 1.26 And no sooner is man corrupted but they all conclude with a Let us leave man So that every sinful man is forsaken of God the Father Son and holy Ghost Such men be without Gods holy and blessed Spirit whether we consider Some more prophane Others more refined Men that expresse nothing but vice and vanity sons of Belial chief servants to the Divel such as do that for the Divel as he cannot do for himself Satan himself because of spiritual being cannot commit many sins But men that herein they may fulfil his will they run into drunkennesse and all kind of corporal uncleannesse they swear and curse steale and commit adultery and wallow in all worldly filthinesse and have they the Spirit of holinesse Men whose mouthes are as that Gate of Jerusalem out at which was carried forth all the filth of the City Their throats are as open Sepulchres their tongues are set on fire of hell and have they the holy Spirit of God in their hearts Other men there are who professe better They speak high but live low Their voice is Jacobs but their hands are Esaus Like Peters fish that had silver in the mouth but none in the belly Nothing of the spirit appears in their waies yet much of the Spirit may be heard in their words As if the Dove were in their Arks onely and none had the Spirit of God but they Thus Muncer the Anabaptist while he called Luther a spiritlesse man a silly soule one without the Spirit of God he pretended himself to be all full of the Spirit c. Men may think they have the Spirit yet not have the Spirit which they think And indeed whatever any unregenerate man think they all are without the good Spirit of God They cannot have the Spirit who are not born of the Spirit and they who never yet all their daies were born of the spirit they cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords Day On the Lords Day a man may not be in the Spirit that yet every day dwells the Spirit in him And can they be on the Lords Day in the Spirit of God who to this day have not Gods in-dwelling Spirit in them 2. Such men God-ward are without spirit As Absalom stole away the peoples hearts from David So sin and Satan hath enticed and taken away all these mens hearts from God Hose 4.11 Or else the world hath so won upon them that their hearts and spirits are gone God-ward The Queen of Sheba when she was at King Solomons Court and saw the house he had built and the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants
shape assume the body of man so he can in shew assimulate the Spirit of God 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God or no. Whence we note 1. That there are spirits which pretend to be of God and are not 2. That such meere pretending spirits may much resemble the true Spirit of God 3. That their resemblance may proceed so farre that professing Christians may be prone to believe they are the very Spirit of God 4. That such spirits may not be believed a discovery of them is to be made by tryall 5. That the tryall to discover spirits to be not of God must be exact and prudent Try the spirits viz. as skilfull Lapidaries do their stones or as wise Goldsmiths do their mettalls by touch and weight as the word imports Now that men may so try as to discern whether upon the Sabbath as at other seasons they are moved by the Spirit of God Be it known that The Spirit which is Swelling Smiting Roving 'T is not â—he Spirit of God Renting Ranting Driving 1. A swelling spirit that puffâ— men up with pride is not the Spirit of God One of the chief lessons taught by Gods holy Spirit is humility of heart And upon this account Gods Spirit suggests to a man His Iniquity and His mortality When mans heart begins to swell the Spirit of God puts in Berna August Serm. 21. Christ was humble yet without sin and shall a sinner be proud What thou proud dust and ashes For pride God plunged Angells out of heaven and will he spare thee a rotten creature a worm that must die tomorrow Swelling in heaven Angells sunk and shalt thou proud upon a dunghill passe unpunished Ambros lib. de viduis As Christ sayes a good Author cured the blindnesse of the man by putting clay upon his eyes so the Spirit of Christ cures the swelling pride of mans heart by putting thoughts into his mind of his mortall and dying condition That while he lives he is but a piece of warme clay That is the Spirit of God which as it enlarges a mans abilities it increases the mans humility As Nazianzene said of Athanasius He was high in worth and humble in heart Of such instances the Holy Scriptures are full But some their soules are swelled with pride as Simon Magus who gave out that himself was some great one Act. 8.9 Such a one was Muncer the Anabaptist in Germany as Sleiden reports his proud pranks and bragging boasts such a one is that man of sin who exalteth himself above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 The Spirit of God it is not that moves these men 2. A smiting spirit that makes men clamorous and contentious is not the Spirit of God Chrysost homil ad Pop. Ant. 36. et 51. the Spirit of God it makes men peaceable pittifull To act pitty and shew mercy sayes a good man is a more glorious work then to raise the dead or to build temples for God Yet this lesson men learn through the help of Gods holy Spirit A meek and a quiet spirit Such a spirit acted in Abraham Genes 13.8 And Abraham said to Lot let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee or between my herdmen and thy herd-men for we are Brethren Is not the whole land before thee take either the right hand or the left c. Abraham said though he were the Elder and Superiour Let there be no strife His spirit did so incline to peace that he would not have the least breach I pray thee he begged agreement so greatly did his soul desire it I scorn sayes Luther to the Pastors of Stratsburge that any should be more earnest then I for peace Brotherly peace and bowells of pitty are the fruits of the Spirit Gala. 5.22 Likewise long-suffering gentlenesse meeknesse temperance It is an evill spirit that makes men tumultuous mutinous contentious apt to smite both with hand and tongue 2. Chron. 18.23 And Zedekiah smote Micaiah on the cheek saying Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee It was not the Spirit of the Lord but a lying spirit that moved Zedekiah against Micaiah Such a spirit wrought in them against the Prophet Jer 18.18 Come let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words A false spirit is so all for speaking that it cares not to hear 1 Joh. 4.6 Hereby we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error He that is not of God heareth not us Thus a Manichee furiously contesting with Augustine clamoured and cryed out Hear me hear me To whom the good man modestly answered Neither hear me or I thee but let us both hear the blessed Apostle Some they are all upon speaking wording of it with a full and fierce mouth against others As Samsons foxes that had fire on their tailes and set all the fields on a flame So some have such a fire on their tonges that they set Cities and Countreys in a blaze Those movings such men have are not from the Spirit of God 3. A driving spirit that hurries men to move about matters wherein they do not consider or consult Times or Means Grounds Or ends But on they go this is not the Spirit of God Gods Spirit moving to any great matter does not drive but draw and so leads men as to let them Both consider with themselves And consult with others Whether the time be seasonable Viz. The means approvable The grounds warrantable And the ends comfortable When Gods Spirit is the mover a man so examines the matter about which he is moved that 1. He considers if the time be fit he is moved in He knowes that which is untimely is uncomely things being beautiful in their season Eccl. 3. 2. He considers if the means be right he is moved by and that which he is to make use of For as the least false weight is not allowed for the getting of the largest gain No more is the least evil lawful for the attaining of the greatest good 3. He considers if the grounds be sure he is moved on Not successe in the world But an expresse from the Lord. A warrant from Gods revealed will in his Word for that onely can bear him out in his obedience 4. He considers if the ends be safe and good he is moved to not onely in respect of his purpose and intendment of good therein but in respect of Gods promise and engagement for good thereupon Such a man is certainly moved by the good Spirit of God Yea and in respect of others Counsel He both asks And takes That both from God And men In holy prayer he humbly asks counsel of God When David had lost all by a Troop of the Amalekites horse who had plundred Ziklag his spirit sparkled to be up and after them But David first calls for Abiathar the Priest to bring the
Ephod and enquired of the Lord saying Shall I pursue after this Troop and shall I overtake them 1 Sam. 30. Thus Jehoshaphat before he would march with Ahab to Ramoth-Gilead he desires all the Prophets of God and God by the Prophet Micaiah might be consulted with Ahab transported with a false spirit presses onely Horse and away Let Micaiah say what he will To Ramoth-Gilead he must 2 Chron. 18. Whereas counsel given a good man takes and turnes his designes So David when he was with his men upon the march against the house of Nabal Abigail meets him and he stops upon her advice blessing God that he shed no blood 1 Sam. 25. Now an evil spirit having sprung a design at least seemingly good yet violently provokes and impetuously presses to prosecute men not considering or consulting except with such as are on the same mind No seeking to God except some prayer as a colour They first resolve their businesse and then go to prayer then ask counsel but if contrary come they cast off all Yea this spirit it drives and will rarely leave or let them have time to take advice Satan that evil spirit in the Serpent having upon Eves sight of the pleasant fruit begun to move gave her no time to seek God confer with her husband or consider the sad events onely eat she must So Judas the Divel suggesting a Booty to betray his Master he immediately goes out Joh. 13. rises from Supper even when the best dish was to come as the Learned conceive he never stayes to speak a word but away about his work He considers not what guilt of blood he should bring Matth. 27.3 Then Judas which betrayed him when he saw what was done he repented himself c. It seems he thought things would never have come to that That spirit which thus drives men in considerately precipitately c. 't is not the Spirit of God 4. A roving spirit that wheeles and whurries men obout is not the Spirit of God Men rove Psal 78.8 Esay 19.14 Jam. 1.6 7 8. Observe From what and In what There is a spirit that in moving makes men to rove viz. Ordinarily from the rules of Scripture And often from the rules of Reason Scripture-rules men rove from They will make Scripture go with them as far as ever they can and being they must go further they leave it They wrest and rack Scripture and stretch it as far as for their own advantage Thus that wicked spirit did with our dear Lord Matth. 4. Thus doe such unstable spirits in these last dayes 2 Pet. 3.16 They make holy Scriptures as their hired servants who when they will no further serve their design they turn them off Every good man moved and managed by Gods good Spirit sayes to Scripture as Ruth to Naomi Where thou goest I will go where thou stayest I will stay thy God shall be my God and thy people my people nothing but death shall part thee and me Sozomen reports of Constantine that whatever was pressed he would say Bring me the Book of God when things were disputed and various wayes urged he used still to stand up and call for Gods Book commanding all should there settle and none from thence swerve That spirit which in moving men makes them swerve and rove from Gods good Word is not the Spirit of God Yea beyond the rules of reason as well as Scripture men are made to rove through an ill-moving spirit Hence they roll and rove Both from using reason And from reason used They do not use that reason which might stay themselves From men of no reason the Apostle prays he may be delivered That we may be delivered from unreasonable men 2 Thess 3.2 Neither can that reason which others use stay them As they have not reason to rule themselves no more will they be ruled by reason Grounds of reason and strength of arguments will no more bound nor bind them then green wit hs could Samson The things in which an evil spirit moving makes men to rove are Both inward And outward Viz. In their opinions And affections In their discourses And courses Men of rolling spirits who hold many things yet hold to nothing Like those Arrians of whom Athanasius reports now they held one thing and anon another and never were at any certain stay Socrat. Scho. lib. 1. cap. 25. wandring Stars fixed to no Orb Meteors carried about with every gust as children tossed to and fro with every wind Ephes 4.14 They like and dislike cry up and cry down hot and cold ramble and rest at no point unstable in all their wayes Constantly inconstant men given to change See Seneca lib. de tranq and that love to wander as unsetled as the waves of the Sea Such Christians even Heathens condemn Such motions are not from the Spirit of God 5. A renting spirit that moves men to make divisions and fractions is not the Spirit of God The Spirit of God 't is All is uniting The Spirit of faith The Spirit of love The Spirit of patience By faith the Spirit unites and knits us up to God and by love the Spirit unites and knits us one unto another and by patience the Spirit unites and knits each one within himself And for want of the Spirit of God in these graces there are a multitude of sad severings For want of faith a man breaks and falls off from God For want of love a man breaks and falls off from his Brethren And for want of patience a man breaks in pieces and falls asunder within himself All evidences an evil spirit present and prevalent Mark 9. There is a man possessed with a spirit that did oft-times cast him into the water and into the fire and wheresoever it did take him it did tear him that he gnashed his teeth and foamed at the mouth O what a spirit does possesse such men as does cast them into that water whereby their love is quenched and into that fire whereby their wrath is kindled and so takes them as it tears them with impatiency infidelity and separation from Christian-society Sure such have not the Spirit of God Jude 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit 'T is not the Spirit of God that hath moved some to separate themselves from our publick Assemblies Vid. Cameron de Eccles tract de Schism They having no good cause for it and There being many bad effects upon it No cause good If we in our assemblies are not separated from God they have no cause to separate from us Are we separate from God Is not the drift of our daily endeavours to draw men to God Is not this the bent of our businesse to bring men into obedience to God communions with God to set up God in hearts and houses Is it not the enjoyments of God after which we seek Is it not worshippings of God in Spirit truth after which we presse
that people must not be content except in Ordinances they come up to God And cannot the experience of many Christians speak that among us through mercy they meet with much of God And are we separated from God And what cause have they to separate from us Yea if with us there be sufficient means for salvation then they have no sufficient cause for their separation For salvation have not we with us meanes sufficient Meanes apt and able to bring home and build up proper and prevalent through God for converting of sinners and confirming of Saints If any shall seek a proof of Christ speaking in us the Apostles answer is proper Prove your own selves examine your selves whether you be in the faith Know ye not your own selves c. 2. Cor. 13.4 5. If their soules were ever sensible of any saving good let them consider our Assemblies Through our way of worshipping God lies there no path to life everlasting What will they say to those Martyrs and precious men that are dead and gone And what will they say to those thousands of Gods dear Saints that yet live and with us worship God with love and delight Must they be all shut out of heaven If not why do these then separate themselves on earth Many effects bad both to themselvet and others Some we feel and More we fear Hence are our desired unions broke and hoped reformations stopped and monstrous deformations and divisions come instead Pharez is born when we looked for Zarah Genes 38.27 c. Tamar being in the time of her â—t raval behold twins were in her womb And it came to passe when she travelled then one put out his hand and the Mid-wife bound thereon a scarlet thred saying This came out first And it came to passe as he drew back his hand behold his brother came out and she said How hast thou broken forth This breach be upon thee therefore his name was called Pharez And after his brother came out that had the scarlet thred on his hand and his name was called Zarah Have not we in this Land had our time of travell and hath not a sweet settlement and good government sometimes been brought so neer the birth that we have said This will come out first But how hath it been drawn back and such a Monster born of which we may say How hast thou broken forth This and that breach be upon thee Breaches at home breaches abroad wars continued strifes encreased civill States disturbed Protestant Nations perplexed brotherly Leagues and Covenants laid violate contrary to all civill sacred and religious bonds What bloody breaches have been made but above all sad and bad is our breach with God This breach be upon thee c. Since some have forsaken our assemblies O what abundance of others are broken off from all the Ordinances and holy worship of God from the Sabbath and service of God! O what a Spirit of Atheisme fills mens heads hearts and houses How are the exercises of religion laid by yea left off both in publike and private Yea how do men break out in waies of profanenesse to the shame not onely of their persons but of our religion and Nation This Breach be upon thee Men ceasing that which is good soon pursue that which is evil Men who cast off the worship of God will easily follow the works of the Divell This dividing and rending spirit that moves men to make such separations and schisms of which there are sequells so sad sure is not the Sprit of God 2. A ranting spirit that sets men upon sensuall practices and pleasures is not the Spirit of God Jude 19. Sensuall having not the Spirit The Spirit of God and the sensuall delights of the flesh are utterly opposite though the lusts of the flesh and spirit of the Devil do easily accord A man led by a loose spirit loves that which suits his sinfull lusts and carnall contents Micah 2.11 If a man walking in the spirit and falshood do lie saying I will prophesie unto thee of wine and strong drink he shall even be the Prophet of this people Not any will so forwardly forcibly prophesy of wine strong drink as the man who walks in a spirit of falshood With these things he thinks to content others they being the things wherewith himself is most pleased As Saul possessed with an evill spirit nothing could quiet him but instruments of musick while one was by him curiously playing upon the Harpe his heart was refreshed 1 Sam. 16.23 Thus some their sweetest refreshment and greatest contentments are in the merriments of the world in revelling and rioting luxury and sensual delicacies indulging the delights of the flesh such as stretch out their wits for to rear up their lusts setting off their abominable vices with plausible pretences to cover their carnall nature they run over Scripture and speake much of the Spirit they may live the more in the flesh As Rachel that sits over her fathers Idols and sayes It is with her after the manner of women Thus they brood and hide their filthy designes and say it is with them after the manner of men moved by the Spirit But 't is not the Spirit of God that moves in these men Men may be strangely acted onely by a Spirit of error And as at other times so also upon the Lords day lift up by a spirit of delusion This lying and deluding spirit As in some things he may seemingly take the way So he may at sometimes subtilly take the day viz. Of the usual workings of Gods holy Spirit that he may the more undiscernably deceive the souls of sinful men and women As Satan crept into Paradise and in that place beguiled our first Parents So he gets into the Sahbath and upon this day seduces divers persons J b 1.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord add Satan came also among them He seemed as if on that day he had something to do as well as they Though undoubtedly whatever this evil spirit does is not to bring men to a care of and love to the Sabbath as it is the Lords holy day But his drift indeed is to draw men to an idle neglect and a low esteem of this day of the Sabbath 2. Upon the Sabbath men may have many Spititual motions from the good Spirit of God Movings of the Spirit in them and Yet they no movings in the Spirit As the Spirit of God upon the Sabbath moves in sanctified souls So likewise may he then move in sinful and unsanctified hearts Here observe Wherein it may be evidenced and Whereby it may be differenced Good evidence may be given that Gods Spirit may move in sinful men upon the Sabbath-day so as that in respect of spiritual good things they may be brought To Observe Discern Assent To Admire Affect Resolve 1. The Spirit may so move as that men may much observe
what is said upon the Sabbath concerning things Spiritual and Eternal not barely to hear but to hearken not onely to imploy the ear but to apply the mind to mark things mentioned to consider and ponder what is preached and pressed When our Saviour upon the Sabbath preached the Gospel in the Synagogue of Galilee the people were so moved that they pressed with eagernesse to lesson and learn what he delivered Luk. 5.1 Thus people may possibly under the preaching or the Gospel have their thoughts so helped and their hearts so held as to heed what they hear 2. Gods Spirit may upon the Sabbath so move as that men may discern and see much into the matters of God and according to the Word of God become very knowing Divine things may not onely be opened to their understanding but their understandings open to things Divine Numb 24.4 Heb. 6.4 Through the Spirit their minds may so be enlightened and their eyes so opened that into the good things of the Gospel they may have a great insight Their heads may be gold though their feet be clay Their understandings may have light though their affections no heat Though the tree of life be not yet planted that may bring forth fruit unto God yet they may have a tree of knowledge so full of leaves that therewith they may flourish in the World 3. Gods Spirit may move upon the Sabbath so as men may assent to the truth of Gods revealed will so as to believe the reports God hath made in his Word to be all infallibly true A man may be brought to yield such an allowance and to give that credit to whatever God speaks in Scripture that his soul may secretly say Truth Lord. Though that which most transcends reason as the mysteries of the Gospel yet to each the soul inwardly sayes Truth Lord. Though that which condemns his own course and discovers his own case to be naught yet conscience concludes Truth Lord. That secret way is sinful sayes God and must be broken from Yea sayes the man Lord I believe it That way is holy just and good and must be walked in Lord I believe it That is necessary to be sought and that is worthy to be embraced Lord I believe it Luk. 8.13 Act. 8.13 All which is brought on by the blessed Spirit of God 4. Gods Spirit may so on the Sabbath incite as to set men in admiring at the greatnesse of Gods grace and mercy wondring at Gods works and words Luk. 4.14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee and taught in their Synagogues on the Sabbath day there they admired him and he was glorified of them all After he came to Nazareth and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day where preaching upon some part of the Prophet Esay the people before him witnessed and wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out at his mouth Luk. 4.17 18 22. 5. Gods Spirit may be so inciting upon the Sabbath-day as that men may be much moved to affect the good things of God hereby they may be brought To desires of them and To delights in them Spiritual good things men may be desirous of When our Saviour in a Sermon Joh. 6. preached about the Bread which comes down from heaven and giveth life to the World some of his hearers were so stirred that they broke out saying Lord ever give us this Bread Thus when men hear of heavenly things their hearts may spring witn desires and their souls secretly say O Lord ever give us this good Yea with joy may their hearts dance and leap Luk. 8.13 Thus some rejoyced in the Ministery of John the Baptist Joh. 5.35 With gladnesse of heart did Herod hear him Mark 6.20 6. Gods Spirit may on the Sabbath so move as that men may resolve upon obedience to God and his holy Commands Deut. 5.27 Go thou near say the people to Moses and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou to us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it Jer. 42.4 5 6. I will pray sayes the Prophet to the people unto the Lord your God and whatever the Lord shall answer I will declaer to you and keep nothing back Then they said to Jeremiah The Lord be a true and faithfull witnesse between us if we do not according to all things for which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us Whether it be good or evil we will obey the voice of the Lord our God Thus people under the Gospel their hearts may be wrought to a real resolving upon the right way not onely something perswaded but their present purposes pitched to practise and prosecute that which is good These and such like good movings may the Spirit of Grace have upon the hearts of sinful men upon the day of the Sabbath and yet are far from being like Gods Saints in the Spirit upon the Lords day Now between these there is a discernable difference Gods Saints upon the Sabbath are so in the Spirit as no other ever are Those Spiritual motions that are in other hearts may be found defective in a four fold respect Viz. of Depth Breadth Heigth and Length For depth Those Spiritual movings that are in carnal hearts are but superficial and shallow they do not reach down into the inmost parts of the heart in deep humblings and soul-afflictings so as at first to lay the foundation deep A man admires the mercy of God in Christ but does not abhor himself for sin in the dust as that dear Saint of God who when he was affected and wondred at the glory of God he saw he also reflecting upon his own infirmities abhorred himself in dust and ashes Job 42.2 Gods Saints are first moved to deep and bitter self-bemoaning sorrowes Jer. 31.18 and after comes in sweet soul-quickning comforts Matth. 5.4 Others are like that stony ground Matth. 13.20 who when they heard the Word immediately they received it with much joy the seed sprung upward but downward took no deep rooting as in the good ground Luk. 8.13 14 15. When the Spirit moves upon true believers it makes them to bottom well to dig deep and lay the foundation on a rock and then raise their building in holy resolutions and sweet affections with suitable performances but others all the motions they feel puts them upon some fair buildings without any deep bottomings Matth. 7. Luk. 6. For breadth Those Spiritual movings that are in carnal hearts are but straitened and narrow they do not spread out either in respect Of subject Or object They do not reach out into all the powers of the soul so as to take up the whole soul for God Thus does the Spirit move in the Saints of God having a wonderful work in the whole soul so as that they are set about God and good with their whole heart and whole desires 2 Chron. 15.5 All their joyes and desires are in
Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth mâ— no more neither by Prophets nor by dreames c. He does not say God is departed from his Prophets God is departed from his ordinary waies of answer but God is departed from me c. Persons that do not find profit by the Word should misdoubt their own conditions for Gods Word does good to them that walk uprightly Micah 2.7 Such as say God is gone from publike ordinances it argues their hearts are gone if their bodies be with us they do but learn the Language of such as are gone from us both in body and Heart But God is with us Object None have such comfortable discoveries of God by the the Spirit as some that are departed from publick Assemblies Answ Some that have been damnable seducers have given out that they through the Spirit have had glorious discoveries of God The Spirit of God descending upon our Saviour like a Dove when he had heaven opened and God speaking This is my beloved Son Matth. 3.16 17. in allusion thereto and imitation thereof a grand Impostor having taught a white Pigeon to take pease out of his ear reported to the people that it was the holy Ghost imparting the mind of God to him in most comfortable Mysteries for the which he was much admired of many And our Saviour having promised the sending of the Spirit the Comforter that should make known all things from the Father Alsted Chronolo Haeresium 38. pag. 382. Joh. 14. One impudently affirmed not onely that he had extraordinary Spiritual comforts from God but that he was the very Spirit of God the Comforter and that God had sent him to make known most comfortable messages to the Churches of Christ whereupon he had many favourers and followers Luther cites several sects in his time who though they fled from the Word as Owles from the light yet they pretended to high raptures and ravishments through the Spirit and tâ—us especially the prime leaders with lyes as loadstones drew parties after them c. And there are in our dayes divers whose language it loud of large discoveries they have from and comforts they have in God through the Spirit never so as since they separated from our publick Assemblies before they were full of fears and doubts but now they are in the firmest settlements and fullest assurance free from all sad thoughts filled with the joyes and comforts of the holy Ghost having intimate acquaintance with the mind of God and understanding in the deep Mysteries of Christ This I shall onely say that if it be really so let us see more of it Both in their lives and actions And in their deaths and afflictions In the actings of their lives how little of the power of this appears Either towards God above them Or towards men about them If they say they now see and know so mâ—â—h taste and partake so much trust and confide so much in God let them evidence it by their exact actings and strict livings so as to out strip others in all goodnesse kindnesse meeknesse mercifulnesse c. As the Apostle speaks to the man who boasts of his belief Shew me thy faith by thy works Jam. 2. So may we say to such Let them shew their comforts and confidence in God by their holy working humble walking sin-subduing self-denying loving those that they count their enemies and praying for those they call their persecutors Math. 5.46 47. That saying of our Saviour to the Pharisees may fitly be applyed If ye love them which love you what reward have you Do not even the Publicans the same And if ye salute your brethren onely what do you more then others Do not even Publicans so c Nay instead of doing more then others in their conversations and actions they expresse lesse of the power of godlinesse and practice of holinesse keep lesse to the rules of righteousnesse and in the paths of peaceablenesse then other Christians do and yet they speak of higher raptures greater discoveries sweeter comforts stronger confidence then other Christians have I question whether these be any more then self-deceiving conceits arising from Satans-subtil designs 2. In their deaths and daies of deep distresse how little likewise do they lay forth of that firm confidence and those full comforts they speak of in God It were easy to instance from among the Anabaptists and such other Sects how especially the prime leaders who have spoken of raptures and ravishing revelations by the Spirit yet some of them have died ragingly and in a frenzie others stupidly their heart sinking within them like a stone And have not some been seen who have carried it boldly out while the Sun hath been warm under which they have set and while the Sea hath been calme over which they have sailed but when the winds have been rough and their hopes as ships have been wrackt their vapourings have vanished History reports of a river that at every Mid-Summer swelleth and runneth over the bancks but in Mid-Winter is cleane dried up Thus some while they have had prosperous successe their confidence and comforts have risen high but when they have been down in the depths of their distresse all have been damped and dashed to the dust As Pharaohs Chariots that carried him fast and ran swift upon the Land but when they were in the Sea then they went heavy and their wheeles fell off The Jewes said of our Saviour Let us see him come down from the Crosse we will believe in him But of such we may say Let us see them go up to the Cross let us see how they can look death devill God in the face keeping up the heights of their comforts confidence and then we may the better believe them In the mean while let not Christians believe they may have high comforts heavenly raptures through the Spirit yet neglect holy Ordinances Christian Assemblies the Lords Day and the duties thereof Though some men be in Sabbath-day-duies that are out of the Spirit yet let none think to be in the Spirit that lie out of duties upon the day of the Sabbath As whoever would sail over Sea to a friend in another Land must have both a ship and a wind so whoever would in soul ascend from earth unto God in heaven must have the help Both of Gods holy Ordinances And of Gods holy Spirit The Ordinance as the Ship and The Spirit as the wind As the Ship of an Ordinance cannot move without the wind of the Spirit so the wind of the Spirit will not blow without the Ship of an Ordinance And therefore as a man must desire the wind So he must take care that he be in the Ship else if he goes to Sea his soul will sink and not ascend Some neglect the Ordinances of God and the duties of the Sabbath and therefore are not in the Spirit upon the Lords Day 2. Some others they so
in the spirit on the Lords day Thus are the antecedent arguments arguments from things subsequent let us see viz. what desirable effects will follow upon spiritual spending of the Lords day Hereby we shall raise Our souls advantage The Sabbaths excellency The Lords acceptance and The Lands concernments 1. To be spirituall in the Sabbath will be exceedingly for our souls advantage It will be operative for our present good on earth and It will be preparative for our future good in heaven This will work us much spiritual good on earth For hereby Grace shall be encreas'd into Comforts and Comforts shall be encreas'd through Grace 1. Hereby comes a comfortable encrease of Graces for if we be spiritual upon the Lords Day in duties Then Grace is acting in Us and We are then acting in Grace The which actings makes for the augmentings of it Grace it acts in Us. When we are spiritual on the Sabbath then grace is not in the Spark but in the Flame and so rises and runs on Grace is then not barely in the root but in the branch so that it springs and spreads out We act in Grace This addes to its further degrees The way to enjoy that Grace we have not is to imploy that Grace we have While we are spiritually spending the Sabbath we are in the Imployments and so in the Improvements of grace Grace is greatned in us and we do great things through Grace Elisha when he had not onely the Mantle but the Spirit of his Lord Elijah he went and wrought wonderful works When upon the Sabbath we have not barely the Mantle viz. the Ordinance of Christ but also the Spirit of Christ yea wrapp'd in the Spirit as a Mantle then are we meet to leap Mountains and look Devils in the facâ— To Triumph in the Lord and tread Death in the dust 1 Cor. 15.54 2. Hereby comes in a gracious encrease of Comforts Comforts spiritual are springing While the Lords Day is spiritually spending Being in the Spirit which is the Comforter we cannot but be in the Comforts of the Spirit 'T is a true Rule That most cheeres the heart which best clears the estate But spiritually to spend the Lords Day it clears a Christians good estate God-ward An external observing of the Sabbaâ—h does distinguish us fâ—om Pagans But a spiritual spending the Sabbath does difference us from Hypocrites An Hypocrite in the Sabbaths outward observation may seem very precise Luk. 13.14 15. But he never rises to be spiritual in the Sabbaths of God and service of God A spiritual-spent Sabbath is a sure sign of a sincere heart and saving estate This therefore may well be a cause of the Incomes of Comfort Would we have the profit peace and comfort of the Lords Day let us be spiritual then in our Duty They who spend the Sabbath spiritlesse they passe the Sabbath profitlesse comfortlesse The more we have of the Spirit on the Sabbath the more we shall have of profit by the Sabbath and comfort in the Sabbath This will secure us from the worst of Judgments And the best of Mercies this will assure us of The worst of Judgments to wit such as are spiritual hereby we escape and the best of Mercies that is such as are spiritual through this we partake Divers that come out on the Sabbath and do the outward service yet they fall short of spiritual Mercies and they fall under spiritual Miseries because they rise not to spiritual Duties By being spiritual in the service of the Sabbath O the sweet Soul-advantage that is unto the Saints of God! Yea this it fits us for all spiritual good in Heaven puts into us Heart-capacities for Heaven-felicities In Heaven all is spiritual enjoyments spiritual imployments spiritual company comforts spiritual To be spiritual in the holy Sabbath As it best declares the Heavenly estate So it best prepares for the state of Heaven That Sabbath which Saints shall for ever have with God will all be spiritual That this Sabbath may be as a resemblance of that and an Introduction to that we ought to be spiritual 2. To be spiritual will much advance the Sabbaths excellency O how much is the Beauty and Glory of Gods-Day gone the honour and lustre of the Lords-Day lost Undoubtedly our Duty is as together To condole the Dignity of it down So to endeavour to raise up the Dignity 'T is matter of bitter sorrow to see the Sabbath so Eclipsed One writes of the Barbarians in the East-Indies that seeing the Sun Eclipsed in the year 1600. they fasted wept and cry'd all the day long O we miserable people the Dragon hath devour'd the Sun alas alas we have lost the Sun c. O how much may we lament in England to see the Brightnesse of Gods blessed Day dimm'd the light and life of the Lords Day lost How hath the Devil with his doctrines and the doctrines of Devils almost devoured the Sabbath We have the Body of the Day but the soul of the Day the Spirit of the Day is gone with the greatest part even of professing Christians who though they retain the Truth they have let go the life of Religion and may well weep over dead Dayes and Duties To recover amongst us true Sabbath-life 't is requisite That God enliven the Day to us and That we towards God be lively in the Day 1. We must labour with the Lord who quickens the Dead to enliven this Day When the Ruler of the Synagogues Daughter was dead no sooner did our Saviour say Damsâ—l arise but her spirit came into her again and she arose straightway Luk. 8.54 55. Let but our Lord say over his Dead Sabbath Day arise and the Spirit will come into it again and straightway all will be well O what quickenings kindlings when the Spirit of life and the Spirit of burning from above shall abide upon Sabbaths the service and servants of God setting all on a fire When Elijah Elisha were going together there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and a whiâ—lwind came which caught up Elijah and he was carried into heaven 2 King 2.11 Thus upon the Sabbath when Gods servants are together and there appear Instruments and Ordinances all on a fire Ministers on fire and Sermons on fire and the Spirit as a whirlewind comes O what carryings then up of hearts into heaven This is the Honour of the Day 2. We must labour with our selves in all the Lords Dayes-Duties to be lively and with the Spirit of the Lord to act high for God and to be heart-warm at work All the Sacrifices of the Sabbath must be Burnt-offerings Every service fir'd with zeal Indeed for Christians while they are on the Week-dayes in worldly company to be cool'd is common Peter never gat such a cold as at the High Priests fire among those servants he warm'd himself till he lost his heat but for Christians when they are together on the Sabbath in holy Assemblies to have
fire I will be with thee Water and fire both may referre to afflictions be they various and violent God will be with Yea in the waters of suffering and in the fire of service God is with us Or though we cannot say God is with us when we are in the water to wit when we be cold or lukewarme in his work Yet we may be sure God is with us when we are in the fire to wit fervent and zealous in the works of his worship Is God with us in the fire of heavy afflictions And is not God with us in the fire of holy devotions And let the Lord thus abroad in the Land be with his service and servants and with his servants in service O what great and good things will follow As the cleansing out of pollutions And the closing up of divisions Pollutions cleansed Were the holy Spirit thus up in the Nation the unclean spirit would be soon forced to passe out of the Land Zach. 13.2 This would not onely keep informing Ordinances that are but reforming Ordinances that are not would be also brought in In our English-house we might hope to have the Besome as well as the Candle Luk. 15.8 As the Candle of good Doctrine So the Besome of good Discipline The Besome of Discipline to sweepe out dust As well as the Candle of Doctrine to drive out darknesse 'T is lamentable to see how the Leprosie hath taken our house Levit. 14. And O what an infection hath broke out even in the new building Infliction of due censures would be a good means to remove the plague-stones out of the wall and so to heal the house and help its standing Could we but encrease our Sabbath-zeal sure Church-Keyes would not lie so rusty yea the civil sword would have a sharper edge When God came down upon Sinai in thunder and lightning fire and much smoak God commanded Moses to set bounds about the Mount that the people might not presumptuously break in Thus were there for the Sabbath that fire of zeal that is fits the Civil Power would set bounds that persons might not so profanely break out Those intolerable tolerations we now see would soon cease Those Anti-Congregations that are now Assembly against Assembly in the same place at the same time It is the cause of many sad evils Hence is it that if there be any that will not afford their presence at the publick preaching of the Word or if there be any that cannot abide the power of the Word publickly preached there be those by that will invite them from us and abet them against us Hence is it that the common sort account Sabbath dayes and duties but as indifferent things matters they may use or omit if they please Hence is it that the vilest of men have learned to vilifie and blaspheme the wayes which God hath blessed to speak evil of the Instruments and Ordinances God hath sanctified and by which God is glorified and which of God shall one day be justified c. Did but the spirit of the Lords day rule in the Land those that are opposite we should either reduce or restrain Those grosse abuses and great prophanenesse that is grown amongst us would be either redressed or suppressed Divisions closed If Christians on the Sabbath were higher raised by a spirit of fervency they would at other times be better ruled by a spirit of unity Were there in men more of the spirit of life upon the Lords day there would be more among men of the spirit of love all the week long Men are not spiritual but carnal which is the cause divisions are common There is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 4. To heal the Land of divisions will be Both the beauty and The safetie of it Beauty Rents and divisions are to a Land as fits of convulsions to a child which draws the mouth awry and pulls parts out of their place and causes all to be uncomely cure the Convulsions and the beauty of the Babe returns Safety Rents and divisions are to a Nation as cracks and clifts in a building which yet Art may stop and the house may be strong and the dwellings therein may be safe and sweet Now that which will most powerfully repair our breaches is the Spirit of the Lord which is a Spirit of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 As it is a spirit of love it unites affections and As it is the spirit of a sound mind it unites opinions And so brings all into one Nothing can so cause union of spirits as the spirit of union Were we more carried out by a spirit of power we should be more carried on with a spirit of peace This spirit would be in us out of Sabbath-service were we in the spirit upon the service of the Sabbath yea O the abundant benefits that would abide our Nation upon this spiritual being and being in the Spirit Then would the works of the Divel be dissolved the darknesse of ignorance dispelled Errors outed blasphemies banished the Gospel cherished truth established iniquity would be lesse the love of many would wax warme formalities would fall and the power of Godlinesse rise Ministers would be vigorous and Magistrates valorous and Christians in Gods cause Couragious Inferiours well governed and Families well ordered so that Old England would become New and we should find New England in Old O happy day O let me beseech all that my weak words may reach for our souls sakes for the Sabbaths sake for the Lords sake and the Lands sake let us be spiritual spiritual in Sabbath-service O let us be like St. John in the text upon the Lords day in the Spirit I was in the Spirit on the Lods day Now that the Lords day may be thus spiritually spent there be duties of three sorts to be observed Anteceden t Concomitant Consequent Antecedent duties Before the Sabbath comes Christians that would well keep the day are required to be Both valiant in resisting temptations against it And diligent in making pâ—eparations for it Temptations that may turn soulâ— aside from this observing the Sabbath may proceed From some more remote or From some more immediate There be some remote that may suggest what may draw off from the Lords day and its spiritual duties There be evil spirits now abroad whose bent is to beat down the day of God and to beat off from the soul-benefitting duties thereof As the spirit of Atheisme And the spirit of Sectarisme The spirit of prophanenesse and The spirit of separation The former fight against the Sabbath day and its due observers in open field by professed battels The latter labour to cut off the Lords day and all its lovers by secret and subtill Stratagems Men that separate from our settled Congregations and run wilde in their opinions
and ravished enlivened and enlarged upon the Lords day we had need look to it on the following day and keep our selves lowly lest that mind which hath been one day heavenly be the next day haughty Pride is a worme apt to breed within the best wood Beware beware 3. Let us be faithful to keep up the good we have got we are apt to catch cold after the greatest heats And after some close attendance in Gods service to grow more loose and remisse in duty Let us look to our selves we do not lose the things we have wrought we do not break the bounds we have set or slack the holy bonds wherewith we have been begirt To be unloosened on the Sabbath from week-day bonds is comfortable but in the week-time to unloose the Lords-day bonds is abominable 4. Let us be fruitful to bring forth more good for God both in our general and particular callings That our week day carriage may be the springing up of Sabbath-day seed yea our whole lives must be a walking in Sabbath-day strength Tertul. C. Jud. 4. Origen in Numb Hom. 23. cont Cels lib. 8. Pag. 522. c. Chrysoâ—t in Matth. tract 29. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Idem Epist 119. cap. 12. Et de cons Evang. lib. 2. cap. 77. And thus ought we to keep a holy Sabbath throughout the whole course of our dayes Divers of the Ancients dwell much upon this perswading Christians so to practise piety and pursue sanctity as to perpetuate a Sabbath As upon the Lords day we should be full of spirits so after the Lords day we should be spiritual still As on that day we should live in the Spirit so afterward we should walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh If all the week we be carnal how can it appear we are spiritual on the Sabbath A good Author speaks well in this case Have we well served the Lord upon his day Bucer in Matth. 12.11 let our manners shew it let our works prove it let the holinesse of our lives decleare it Who will believe that he hath been present in publick Assemblies and with a sincere heart hath heard Gods holy Word who passes the following part of his life more loosely vainly carnally coveteously c 'T is this will evidence that on the Sabbath we have been with Jesus when afterward our faces and graces shine our lips and lives hold out the praises of Christ and the power of his Gospel When the Lords day comes we should be as lively firy and full as if we were then to begin and end Gods work We should be found in such a frâ—me every Lords day as if that were the first Sabbath that ever we spent and as if it were the last day that we should live on this earth or as if the weight of all our work lay upon that single Sabbath for which we were sent into the World or as if our eternal being were to be determined hereby And yet after the day is over we must endeavour still to be doing as if no work were done For as we must be all abundant and fervent on the Sabbath day in the service of God as if after were no holy duties So we must be as full and forward to all following duties as if there had been no Sabbath before Before the Sabbath day and after we must do all the good we can even as if there were no Christ to be relyed upon and yet our relyance both in life and death must be on our dear Lorld as if there never had been the least good done We must be precise for the Sabbath-day and duty And yet yet Duty shall not be our Redeemer Nor the Sabbath our Saviour Whether Sabbath-day or week-day we will do as much good as ever we are able but begin and end all in Christ The end with us shall be the glory of the Lord And with the Lord in glory shall be our end Amen Amen FINIS AN Alphabetical Table directing to some Principal things in this Treatise A ADam in Innocency to keep the Sabbath pag. 7 175 Advocate how Christ is and for whom p. 402 Angels they have a twofold knowledge p. 216 Angels all Ministring spirits pag. 227 Angels helpers in all holy Duties p. 228 Angels delight in Sabbath-service p. 217. Atheists of two sorts p. 32 Antichrists ruine how wrought p. 198 Augustine's answer to a Manichees p. 328 Assent to Divine truths what p. 121 B BAbylons fall two-fold p. 203 Baptisme of Infants why many against it p. 401 Baptisme of Infants its great use pag. 340 Book of Psalmes how excellâ—nt p. 129 Blood of Christ what it purchased p. 92 Blessing of God how desireable p. 197 Breaches abundance how they come p. 339 C CHange of the Sabbath upon a double cause p. 34 Christian liberty wherein it consists p. 36 37 Charitable Duties how fit for the Sabbath p. 66 132 Church-Discipline exercised on the Lords Day p. 131 Censures in the Church how to be inflicted p. 407 Chearfulnesse in Gods service required p. 462 Collections for the poor how to be managed p. 340 Conscience good what it is p. 253 Conscience troubled how sad p. 222 Contentions of Brethren how bad p. 328 Communion with Christ how sweet pag. 102 Christ spiritual in all his Estates p. 390 Covetousnesse the root of evil p. 50 D DAyes all how they are the Lords p. 4. Difference of Dayes how under the Gospel p. 38 Doctrine of the Lords Day strongly to be held p. 122 Day of Judgment drawes near p. 116 Delights in the Lords Day required pa. 456 Desires after God discovered p. 350 Discipline requisite in the Church p. 429 Divel a bitter enemy to tht Sabbath pag. 410 Divel large in knowledge p. 321 Divels called spiritual wickednesses why p. 412 Divisions the evil of them p. 431 Divisions how closed p 432 E ENgland one of the ten horns p. 241 England old how made new p. 433 Enmities in man against God p. 319 Errours against the Sabbath how sad p 83 F FAther 's of three sorts p. 208 Faith beyond feeling p. 335 Faith hath its Dimensions p 289 Faith its various Vse p. 387 Faith in the state and in the Acts differenced p 235 Faith the best beloâ—ed Grace p. 248 Fervency in prayer how fit p. 398 Forgetfulnesse of God how sinfull pag. 87 Fourth Commandment most excellent pa. 9 G GOd what he best liketh p 424 Gospel whereunto it guideth p. 122 Gospel vailed in the Law p. 177 Gospel it excels the Law p. 190 Government of Christ how ordered p. 394 Grace in its actings most excellent p. 416 Ground why to be till'd by Adam p. 7 H HAnds given for a threefold work p. 75 Hearts of Gods Saints like Vials p 302 Heart is the best part in a Saint p. 305 Heart of a wicked man as a bow p. 321