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
hand of Christ As by force none can pluck him from the strength of Christs hand So by fraud none can take him out of the lov of Christs heart In Christ Not onely as a man But as a member Not the least bone of Christs mysticall body can be broke off nor the smallest stone be struck out of this building The weakest branch ever abides in this vine 3. In the Spirit there the believing soul lives Gala. 5.25 If ye live in the spirit walk in the spirit That life by which the soules of Saints live Both for its entrance And its progresse It is in the Spirit the Spirit being the Principle From which their life was first received And by which their life is after preserved As man is kept alive by his soules being in the body So a Saint is kept alive by his souls being in the Spirit It is through the Spirit that converted Christians are set into God and put into Christ Therefore sure the holy Spirit does not leave their soules out of himself but they are likewise in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit In the Spirit thus are not onely some but all the Saints of God And in the Spirit thus are Gods servants not onely upon the Sabbath-day but at all other times they are never out of the Spirit nor ever shall Yea in the Spirit thus is the whole man of every good man The man whole if Not the whole man The man whole is so in the Spirit as that he is a spiritual man Gal. 6.1 Take him with his bodily part and about his weekly work yet he is a spiritual man and a man that is in the Spirit Now to be in the Spirit on the Lords day though 't is to be in the Spirit thus yet it is more then thus to be on the Lords day in the Spirit So in the Spirit signifies the spiritual transactions of mans sanctified soul as it is moved and acted by the Spirit of God and as mans renewed spirit through the Spirit of God moves and acts upon the Lords day exercised in the Spirit That is In the graces of the Spirit and In the comforts of the Spirit 1. In the Spirit That is in the graces of the Spirit exercised all the Lords day then acting in graces Various and Vigorous On the Sabbath the soul is set a work in several graces and such as seem to be of a differing nature as faith and fear heavenlinesse of mind and humblenesse of heart repeatings for sin yet relyings on God Tremblings of soul yet restings on Christ Dreading God in the justnesse of his Judgements yet loving God whose judgements are just A real longing for promised mercies and yet a quiet staying for those mercies long By hope expecting good things to come and yet by faith possessing the same things at present Utterly unsatisfied in Gods hiding his face yet patiently waiting for God while his face is hid And though this be the continued posture of gracious souls yet into this they are put and on in this they are kept through Sabbath-day-quicknings In the Spirit On this day grace is enlivened in them and they lively in grace In gracious actings their hearts were before as the Chariots of Pharaoh that drove heavily now in the activities of grace their hearts are as the Chariots of Amminadib that ran swiftly Before the members of the new-man were as the lame Cripple that lay at the gate but then they became as the cured Cripple Whose ancle-bones receiving strength he stood up and went on leaping and praysing God Act. 3.8 Yea upon the Lords day the soul of a sincere Saint may be in the lively actings of grace Both reflect And direct 1. Reflect actings That soul which in the week-season walks out in with the body about the businesse thereof upon the Sabbath-day it turns in upon it self most seriously considering its own concernments Gregor moral lib. 31. cap. 17. An ancient Writer spiritually expounding that place Prov. 24.27 Prepare thy work without in the field and afterward go in and build thine house Understands by the field man's body and by the house the heart and soul of man In the week a mans work more lyes in the field viz. about the businesse of his bodily being but upon the Lords day his work more lyes in the house viz. the work of the soul is more gathered then within it self And as Christs Spouse-sayes Cant. 1.7 They have made me to keep other Vineyards but mine own Vineyard have I not kept So upon the Sabbath sayes a good mans soul within him all the week I have been made to minde a multitude of worldly affairs but mine own concernments have been set aside Now return into thy self O my soul O my soul now bethink thy self And is not this to be in the Spirit upon the Lords day the soul of a Saint being then seriously set Upon deep intuitions and Diligent Inquisitions Narrowly looking in it self and Throughly searching of it self One of the Ancients compares holy men on the earth Gregor moral li. 19. Sect. 30. unto those holy Angels of heaven Revel 4.8 that are said to be full of eyes within and without In the week Gods Saints make use of their eyes without looking after their necessary callings and occasions in the world but upon the Sabbath they more solemnly set a work their eyes within looking inward upon the true estate of their souls Upon the Sabbath are a Saints most serious soul-searches and heart-discourses I communed with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search sayes David Psal 77.6 Upon the Lords day with great diligence is the soul of a Saint set To find out things that are and To find up things that were Within he finds so much of sin and so little of God as makes his heart lie low and brings him to be in spirit poor Matth 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit August lib. 1. de Serm. Do. in monte Ambros lib. 5. in Luc. cap de beatit Basil in regulis contract quaest 205. Not poore of spirit as if any without the Spirit of God were blessed but poor in spirit that is good men poore in the spirit of their own mindes out of a sight of soul-sins and sense of soul-wants or poor in spirit That is sayes one poore for the spirit Of the spirit they may discern little but desire much That good they seek after which they never possesse And that good they seek for which seemes to be lost The woman in the Parable Luk. 15. having lost a piece of silver She lights a candle and sweeps the house and seeks diligently till she finds it O this is good seeking in the spirit upon the least losse of God to go into the house of the Heart and there using The candle of knowledge and The Besome of Repentance Diligently seeking till somewhat more of God may appear When hearts
them suffer yet their hearts stick to God All this is com upon us yet our heart is not turned back though thou hast sore broken us c. Psal 44.17 yea when Satan makes them sin yet their hearts hold to God 'T is said of Peter his heart did not forsake Christ when his tongue denied him Corde tenuit illum quem voce negavit Greg. But these men when they do not outwardly sin yet in heart they go away from God They do not onely in heart fall back but they draw back their hearts from God Heb. 10.38 Now they that thus daily draw back their spirits from God they cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day 2. Against the Lord they turn their spirits The spirits of all unconverted are turned against God Both by Original corruption And by actual rebellion Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God 'T is more then if he had said The carnal man is an enemy to God The mind the best part of corrupt man is enmity which notes monstrous malevolence The Greek word is in the plural Enmities To import multiplyed perversnesse As there are many excellencies in God for man so there are many enmities in man against God Enmities against all the Attributes of God Enmities against all the Ordinances of God Enmities against all the actings of God in the world The spirit of man from his birth is bitterly bent and utterly turned against God But further every man does act up his spirit in rebellion against God blessed for ever Turns his spirit against God This Eliphas does falsly charge upon that good man Job 15.13 But this charge may truly be drawn up against every evil man he turns his spirit makes his mind to swell against God The least risings of spirit against God a good man groans under and grieves for Hieron epest 32. ad Abiga There is nothing once said a precious man that I have all my life more laboured against then a swelling mind a stiffe neck and a stubborn heart A wicked man he hardens his heart stiffens his neck and turns his spirit against God He heightens his inward corruption and becomes a hearty enemy against God by thoughts words and deeds Col 1.21 Or if there be outward restraints from evil works yet his spirit is turned against God The impenitent theefe when his body was nailed to the Crosse yet his spirit was turned against Christ A mans body may be bound from sin and yet his heart bent against God The bow of the bad heart may be bent up though no arrowes of evil works or words be shot out Peter Martyr in Genes A Learned Writer makes the Rain-bow in the heavens an admirable Embleme of peace For though sayes he we see a bow yet we see no string or arrow An unregenerate mans heart is a bow that hath both strings and arrows The strings of the bow are the corruptions and ill dispositions of the heart and the arrows are the evil cogitations and thoughts thereof A multitude of these arrows a man le ts fly in the face of God which argues the acted enmity of his heart against God he is at heartwarre with his spirit is bent against the Lord such cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day Lastly on the Lords day these cannot be in the Spirit For The gifts of the Spirit they abuse and The grace of the Spirit they oppose 1. The Spirit of God in the gifts thereof they pervert The Holy Ghost helps them to knowledge remembrance utterance c. These they take and turn them to a wrong use As the Israleites who took their ear-rings jewells and bracelets of gold and therewith made an Idol As the Divell he hath large knowledge and great abilities but of all he makes an ill use so it is his design upon sinfull men that whatever good things God gives them for his praise and their profit may be imployed to their harme and Gods dishonour As Eve whom God gave to Adam for his meetest help was made the Engine of his greatest hurt Of this rib sayes one the divell made a dart and wounded man to death with that should have sweetened his life Basil Divers act the Divells part they take things given them for their chiefest good and turn them to the greatest evil CoÌ„rruptio optimi pessimi As the divells could never have been such vile and venemous spirits as they are had they not once had excellencies above other creatures And so there are several that could never have been so transcendently sinfull in prodigious opinions and practices as now they be had they not had rare parts and admirable abilities above their Brethren And can we think that they who thus abuse the gifts of the Spirit should be in the Spirit on the Lords Day 2. The Spirit of God in the graces thereof they resist Act. 7.51 Ye stifnecked and uncircumcised in heart and cares ye do alwaies resist the Hâ—ly Ghost viz. in all his gracious workings Men who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof they make opposition against the Spirit and withstand the works thereof And though as with bellowes they blow up the Divells fire yet as with buckets of filth they quench out the sparks of the Spirit As when the Angells were entred into Lots house the men of Sodom from every quarter compassed the house by force and fury to fetch them forth Genes 19.3 Thus when any good motions enter into the hearts and minds of some men they are up in arms and out of quiet till they can crush them and cast them forth How oft do they in effect say to the Spirit as Pharaoh to Moses Get thee from me see my face no more till at length the Spirit replyes to them as Moses to Pharaoh Be it as thou-hast said Lo I will see thy face no more for ever Exodus 10.28.29 Some when they are in soule affrighted they would have the peace of the Spirit to calme them but though they are in sin polluted they will not have the grace of the Spirit to cleanse them And because they regard not the grace of the Spirit they resist the Spirit of grace And can such be in the Spirit upon the Lords Day Indeed the Lords Day is the main time they thus gainsay the Spirit of God upon the Sabbath-day they most beat back Gods blessed Spirit and can they this day be in the Spirit Object Upon the day of the Sabbath sure some sinfull men meet with Spirituall movings and therefore they may this day be in the Spirit Answer By way of concession By way of distinction Upon the Lords day as at other times men may by a false spirit be forcibly moved have stronge impulses strange raptures and revelations from a lying spirit As the Divell can transform himself into an Angell of Light so he can conforme himself to the Spirit of Light And as Satan can in
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
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
conclude their cunning endeavours were perillous and pestilent and by all meanes possible to be suppressed Such men lift up Moses to throw down Christ advance God the Father to abase Christ the Son and to deface his glory due Zanchius de oper redempt li. 1. ca. 19 fol 612. And though they seem to be for God and his Law yet 't is an unlawful and ungodly thing sayes Zanchius as to have no certain day for Gods publick service so to undermine and to overturn that day which is certainly setled for the Lords Day Secondly some grant this to be the very Lords Day but they do not believe 't is a day so precisely to be celebrated As there are few so far Atheists as absolutely to deny there is a God A God many grant there is that yet deny the true God and many acknowledge the true God that yet cannot be convinced he is such a God so just holy pure and perfect Thus there are few so far opposite to Sabbath as wholly to deny there is any day A day they yield there is but then they do not confesse the right day or they do not confesse the day aright a day to be kept so holy and strict this they withstand whence they are very loose and take large liberties upon the Lords Day And of these there are two sorts Some so minded for want of better Instructions And some so minded from the force of base Corruptions 1. Some have strange latitudes in their judgements of the Lords Day and indeed the very Doctrine of some Churches and Canons of Synods set the door wide allowing liberty for worldly labour recreations and sports upon the Sabbath-day But these are black sports that blemish their beauty in the sight of God 2. Some who live where they might learn better the light of the Lords Day in the Doctrine of it breaking out more bright and shining forth clear and pure yet they cannot see the holinesse of the Day through the filthinesse of their flesh and their dear indulgings of their delightful lusts Neither are they willing to see the Sabbaths Sanctity lest it should disturb their sinful security If for the Lords Day they should be strict in their opinions they could not with conscience-quiet be loose in their practice these persons in this point of corrupt principles and erroneous judgements object divers things as 1. Objection The Sabbath is mutable and moveable from one day to another and therefore may be removed quite and made utterly to cease Answer The Sabbath 't was mutable being altered from the last to the first day of the week but 't is not possible there should be such another change in that there can never possibly be such another cause To that change we may consider a double cause concurring The material cause for it and The actuall cause of it The cause upon which the day was altered viz. Christs Resurrection The cause through which the day was altered viz. Christs Institution So that the cause on which and the cause by which this was done all was Christ In this change of the Sabbath we may observe a double use Originall and Organicall The primary Id sine dubio tenendum quod Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo suscepit c. Tertul. Nostrae potestatis non est sanctificare Deus est qui sanctificat c. Muscul Loc. Com. Praecept 4. principall efficient cause of that change was Christ The holy Apostles were the Secundary and Instrumentall cause for to such purposes all their power was from Christ who did extraordinarily call qualifie and commissionate them upon such accounts as never can come the like The Lord himself set up his own Sabbath and indeed 't is onely for him to give a being to a Sabbath that can give a blessing to a Sabbath this is the work of the Lord alone to blesse and sanctifie a day Therefore not any person may assume power nor by any power may persons presume to alter and settle any other Sabbath Men must not alter the ordinance for the day as they may not alter the ordinances in the day to bring in other Sacraments another Gospell Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heaven should preach another Gospel to you then that you have received let him be accursed and so he that shall cry up amongst you any other Sabbath then what ye have observed let him be accursed 2. Object 'T is contrary to Christian liberty to be limited to a day wherein to worship God Answer Christian liberty learned out is taken Either more strictly Or more largely Strictly Christian liberty is a release from Mosaical Ceremonies and Judaical circumstances but this doth not free from a fixed day for the Lords service which is not a ceremonie a circumstance but the very Soul and substance of Christian religion Largely Christian liberty or Gospel-freedome it does comprise these two things Freedom from the service of sin and Freedom in the service of God First to be free from sins servitude this implies freedom from death and divel the curse of the Law and the wrath of God the sequels of sins slavery Sins service is the sorest bondage Austins Position is proper August de civit Dei li. 3. cap. 4. A good man though he serves yet he is free a wicked man though he reigns he is a servant Rome saith he is the great Mistresse of the World yet the drudge of sin Chrysos Hom. 19. in priorem Epi. ad Corinth and hence Chrysostome concludes Joseph was the freeman and his Mistesse who obeyed her lusts was the servant 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise themselves liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought into bondage Secondly to be free in the service of the Lord is sweet liberty this is the case of Christians whatever they do towards God as their duty 't is under a freetenure viz. the Covenant of Grace T is through a freee mover viz. the Spirit of Christ yea and their own spirits set free by Christ The precepts of the Lord are a good mans large walks Psal 119.45 I shall walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts BEDDACHAH at large that is the onely free life that 's spent in seeking serving obeying and blessing God So then into Christian liberty let 's look never so farre we shall not find that a discharge from the Lords day is any breach thereof And therefore a strict observance of this Lords day is no breach thereof 3. Objection Under the Gospel there is no difference of dayes to be observed Answer For satisfaction herein we shall consider first That there is a difference between dayes which it is sinful for to observe And Secondly That yet there is a difference of the Sabbath from other dayes which not to observe is sinful Sinful it is to observe such a difference of days as is Heathenish Jewish
a great variety yet there is no contrariety In the soule of a Saint there be contrary principles flesh and spirit one opposing another but there are not in the Sabbath contrary practices each to other repugnant one duty does not thwart another but Sabbath-services are to each other helpfull Prayer fits for hearing and hearing prepares for prayer 5. The diversity and change of Sabbath-work shewes the Lords wisdome yea and the love of the Lord to make exercises the more easie that holy labour may not be heavy labour nor men tyred all Sabbath-time with one continued work the Lord lets them passe from one imployment to another for refreshment 6. On the Sabbath we have several works yet in all we serve but one Master Indeed had we divers Masters it might discourage but to us there is but one Lord. Upon the Sabbath in religious services we change our place and we change our businesse but we do not change our Master All is to Christ to Christ men should say upon a Sabbath-morning Though other Lords in the week-time have had too much dominion over us yet now we will make mention of thy Name onely 7. If multitude of services be tedious what will multitude of sufferings be Jam. 1.2 sayes the Apostle My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations How will they rejoyce in divers daily distresses that shrink back because exercises are divers upon the Lords day Object The Sabbath ceases when publike exercises end no longer holy day then while holy duty Answ If so sure then with some Sabbaths are very short But shall we think that men can begin and end a Sabbath when they list The Churches of Christ in ages past have determined of an entire day due to the Lord. The Sabbaths Iren. cont Valent. lib. 4. cap. 31. August de temp Serm 251. sayes Irenaeus do require a compleat day and the perseverance of that whole day in the Lords service Austin declares his judgement touching the time of the Sabbath from that text Levit. 23.32 From even to even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath 'T is evident from that place of the Apostle Jam. 2.10 that whosoever carelessely casts by any part of Gods precept transgresses the whole law of God and thus whosoever wilfully neglects any part of Gods Sabbath is guilty of breaking this whole holy day men must not suite the day to their duties but their duties to the day while the day endures their duty remains Object But so to keep the whole day is terribly tyring a hard service who can do it Answ God because of our infirmities does afford what may refresh the better to bear up our bodies the Lord allowes moderate sleep in the night and temperate food in the day True it was in Tertullians time a dispute Tertul. de coron milit cap. 3. Tom. 1. pag 747. whether it be not a duty on the Lords day to fast but our Saviours Apologie for his Disciples in plucking and eating the ears of Corn upon the Sabbath day may easily quiet that question Mark 2.25 And blessed be the Lord for the allowances of his love 2. Men do not complain of whole dayes for the world They rise early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulnesse Psal 127.2 They do not say all the week when the morning is Would God it were evening but rather in the evening they wish would it were morning again to go after the world afresh yet we find some even in sinful wayes so unwearied that when one day is past they pitch upon the very next day with inlarged resolutions Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this dâ—y and much more abundant Isai 56.12 3. We may see what some of Gods servants have desired instance David that dear servant of God Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord sayes he and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life As if he should wish it were alway Sabbath day with him Psal 84.4 10. O blessed are they that dwell in thy house c. For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Were men of Davids mind a day in seven for the service of the Lord would not be too long 4. There have been them that have spent divers dayes and nights also in the service of God see a considerable instance Luk. 2.37 A widow of about fourscore and four years which departed not from the Temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day For her sexe A woman For her case A widow not having the company or comfort of a husband For her age About fourscore and four years yet night and day with fasting and prayer serving God in the Temple 5. For such as are tyred out with the time of a Sabbath would they go to heaven There 't is ever Sabbath alway singing serving and setting up of God Bernard urges the observation of the Sabbath and holding out in holy exercises thereon upon this account that by present rest men may learn to live in rest eternal Bern. super Saluz Regina Serm. 4. Col. 1744. and by persevering service men may be prompt to perpetuate the Lords everlasting praise But how would men do to endure heaven and a never ending Sabbath there who know not here how to bear out the durance of a Sabbath day Object I cannot so tend duties on the day for I have other works of necessity to do Ans 1. There are works of necessity which we grant may be done upon the Lords day Vid. Lyra. in Exod. 20. in Jonna 5.8 Beda in Marc. 2.23 Zanch in 4. praece as by food to refresh our bodies to resist the invasion of enemies to stop the irruption of waters to quench the rage of fire to preserve the life of our Cattel and the like 2. Those that say on the Sabbath such things they must necessarily do ought yet carefully to see it be not A fained necessity or A made necessity To pretend a things necessity when yet indeed no necessity of such a thing to be done is to commit a double sin To do what is not good and To say what is not true Men must also beware they bring not a necessity upon themselves upon the Sabbath to do such things as they might prevent through a prudent foresight this is to make a sin with a necessity Isay 58.13 Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own necessities so some Paraphrasing expound the Hebrew word men have many necessities which yet are of their own causing and not of Gods appointing 3. There are things necessary in their season that yet are not necessary upon the
and hopes have been down and dead yet then to look back and call to mind mercies of old tracing the former foot-steps of God in their soules looking up and reading over the Lords love letters long since sent and then comes quickening life into their hopes and hearts Psal 77.5 6 7 8. Lam. 3.18 19 20 21 22. And though these gracious actings may be at other times yet I appeal to the most experienced Christians whether they have not found themselves best bent about such Soule-work upon the Sabbath-day 2. Direct actings Upon the day of the Sabbath the soules of Gods Saints may be set a work Onwards towards the People of God and Upwards towards the God of his People In grace admirably acting towards their Brethren Both in sufferings scattered And in service assembled 1. Where ever a good mans body be found or fixed yet in spirit he goes visiting his fellow-servants in prisons and the forreign Churches of Christ in all their afflictions Beza reports of Calvin That he was so tenderly affected to Christian Churches remote as if he had carried them on his shoulders or born them in his bosome often sighing out Vsque quo Domine How long Lord more lamenting the Churches calamities then his own adversities Thus the holy Apostle 2 Cor 11.28 29. Besides those things that are without viz. severall sad afflictions upon his own body that which cometh upon me daily more then all the rest the care of all the Churches Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not c. Yea and in such Christian compassions to others in affliction Gods dear Saints are most deep upon that day wherein they see their own sweet liberties priviledges and Gods precious things peaceably possessed 2. Where ever a good mans body abides yet in soul he will be sure at some place in which Gods People publikely meet for Sabbath-service David when in body he was banished and lay hid in the Land of Hermon yet he was in spirit at Jerusalem and went with good people to the Temple for the service of the Sabbath My soul sayes he thirsteth for God for the living God Oh when shall I come appear before God viz. In body also When I remember these things I pour out my soule within me for I had gone with the multitutde I went with them to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept Holy Day Psal 42.1 2 3 4. The Jewes that were bodily at Babylon yet in soule they kept their Sabbaths at Jerusalem Psalme 137.5 6. Jonah though his body was in the bottom of the sea and belly of the Whale yet in spirit he was in the Temple at Jerusalem Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple Jonah 2.4 Though the body of Saint John was a prisoner at Patmos an Island as some write near Affrica yet was he in spirit with the Churches of Christ at Asia and with them he kept the Lords Day When Saint Paul was in body at Philippi yet in spirit he was with Gods Saints in their assemblies at Corinth I verily as absent in body yet present in spirit have judged concerning him that hath done this deed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ when viz. on the Lords Day ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan c. So when he was in body at Rome yet in spirit he was with Gods assembled Saints at Colosse Though sayes he I am absent from you in the flesh yet I am with you in the spirit rejoycing to behold your order viz. in their Church-assemblies c. Colossians 2.5 But above all are the soules Sabbath-actings in Grace God-ward Though the body is then carried out by the soul Yet the soule to God is then carried beyond the body A mans soule is then so set as that it incites the body and the body is so brought on that it sayes to the soule as Ruth to Naomi Whither thou goest I 'le goe 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 As Joseph and Mary went together to seek Christ So on the Sabbath soul and body in publike and private go together to serve God Even upon week-dayes when the body as Martha is about worldly and household-businesse the soule as Mary sits at the feet of Christ But upon the Sabbath when they be both serving of God yet the soul does the most and the best work Body and soul are upon the Sabbath as those two Disciples that went out to Christs Sepulchre but the soule is as that Disciple which out-ran his fellow John 20.4 It comes quickest in and closest up to Christ Yea. suppose the heart and mind of a good man may all the week-time be as a boat that beares upon the ground yet upon the Sabbath the soule may be set as a boat upon a strong stream and goes as a Ship full saile for God In meditations of him And applications to him O the admirable meditations this day on God! The mind that in the week hath been as the foot of Jacobs ladder standing upon the earth upon the Sabbath the soule hath been as the top of that ladder reaching up to heaven in high thoughts of God One observes of the Virgin Mary Hieron Epist 17. when the holy Ghost had over-shadowed her and that holy thing was conceived in her womb she arose went up into the hill-countrey Luke 1.39 When the holy Spirit comes upon the soule of a Saint and holy thoughts are conceived in the heart O how the mind mounts up hill to God in heaven Such a soule-frame is most frequent in Sabbath-time And O the close applications this day made to God In prayer and In praises A good Expositor gives this glosse upon what the Apostle does here expresse Vid. Aret. in Locum I was in the Spirit That is he was in prayer upon the Lords Day It is one thing to be at prayer And another to be in prayer There is never a day comes over a good mans head but he is at prayer Bernard in Fâ—st Pen-Pentec Serm. 1. but to be in prayer on the Lords Day that is more Not only praying by the Spirit but in the Spirit of prayer Prayer does not onely ascend to God from the soule but the soule it self ascends to God in prayer In prayer wrestling with God and With God reasoning in prayer So that such beames break out Greg. Orat. de laudib Basilii as make the mans heart burn and his face shine It is reported of Basil that the Emperour Valence coming in upon him while he was in prayer he saw such lustre in his face as struck him with terrour that he fell back Luk. 9.29 And Jesus went up into
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-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
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
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
and the attendance of his Ministers and their apparell and his cup-bearers and his ascent c. There was no more spirit in her 1. King 10.4 5. Thus the honours pleasures and profits of the world do so work upon the hearts of many that they have no more spirit left in them Without Spirit That is Without judgement to know and Without courage to doe the will of God Without judgement to discern good Hose 7.11 Ephraim is a silly Dove without heart Gods Saints are as Innocent doves without gall and others are as silly doves without heart without any wisdom of spirit The spirit of man sayes Solomon is the candle of the Lord. Many a man is a dark Lanthorn without a candle having in him no knowing spirit to give him light he gropes after God in the dark Act. 17.23 So without courage to pursue any saving good or withstand any destructive evill when they should stand up in Gods cause and soules defence they have no spirit Joshua 5.1 When the Kings of the Amorites and all the Kings of the Canaanites heard that the Lord had dryed up the waters of Jordan from before the Children of Israel so thâ—t they were passed over their hearts mâ—lâ—ed neither was there spirit in them any more We seâ— severall men Who though set in a superiour station And though of Christ they make a visible profession Yet if any difficultie appear or danger approach they have no spirit for God is or good only their care is to secure themselves The King of Navarre when Beza blamed him for his spiritlessenesse in the cause of Christ he replyed That for Christian religion he would lanch no further to sea then if a storm did arise he might be sure himself to return safe to shoare Men who thus towards the Lord are without spirit they cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords Day Positively It is not possible such persons on the Lords Day should be in the Spirit Because In the flesh They be in the flesh which is evill And they be in an Evill Spirit Flesh It is in several Texts taken for that which is lawfull and good Psalme 79.2 Eph. 5.13 Rom. 9.3 1. Cor. 7.18 But Flesh ordinarily intimates that which is evill and naught as mans naturall corruption and sinfull condition 1. Cor. 5.5 Coloss 2.13 Gala. 5.24 1 Pet. 4.6 c. In this flesh are all unregenerate men Rom. 7.5 Rom. 8.8 Not onely flesh in them that is the case of the best Christians Rom. 7.18 but in the flesh as a fish in the water Not onely sin in them but they in sin as the Leviathan in the Sea In sin they sport and take delight They live in sin and yet are dead in sin Sin is as the Sepulchre in which they lie dead and buried they lie in sin as a swine in the slow They are in sin as a Malefactor in his fetters in the Gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8.23 They are so in sin as they are nothing but sin so in the flesh that they are all and only flesh We may say of such mens persons prayers services hopes and hearts as the Prophet of the Egyptian horses they are flesh and not spirit Isay 31.3 These therefore cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords Day Their fixed condition is in the flesh Yea on the Lords Day they cannot be in this good Spirit of God For They have an evill spirit in them And they are in an evill spirit An evill spirit is in them Eph. 2 2. The spirit that now works in the children of disobedience The Greek hath two in 's The Spirit does inwork in them to signifie how exceeding inward Satan that evill spirit is at work in wicked men Every sinfull soule is such an Ark wherein is the Raven though not the Dove the Divell though not the Spirit of God Though in them is not the Holy Spirit yet the unclean spirit is in them Matth. 12.44 The unclean spirit saith I will return into my house The Divels house is every evil heart We see there the house may be swept and garnisht yet the Divels swept A man may be free from some grosse pollutions horrid thoughts of Atheisme Blasphemy Butchery of the Lords Lambs may be thrown out of the heart Garnished A man may be furnished with gifts parts performances a fair outward profession some flashes of good affection yet he may be the house wherein the Divel dwels Jam. 4.5 Do ye think the Scripture saith in vain The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy He speaks of us as men not of us as Saints In all men naturally the evil spirit dwells A spirit that moves to all lusts of envy hypocrisie pride infidelity sensuality Can they who have such an evil spirit in them be in the Spirit on the Lords day Yea but this is worse they are in an evil spirit Mark 1.23 And there was a man with an unclean spirit In an unclean spirit the Greek reads it So Mark 5.2 When Jesus was come out of the ship there met him a man in an unclean spirit Every sinful man is in Satan as in a Prison in the Divel as in a Dungeon In the power of the Divel Act. 26.18 In the snare of the Divel 2 Tim. 2.26 In the mouth of the Divel as Jonah in the belly of the Whale Yea sinful men they are strongly acted and they do strangely act in this evil spirit and therfore they cannot be in any spirit that is good upon the LORDS DAY 2. Such cannot be on the Lords day in the Spirit appears by what they daily do Both in respect of their own spirits God-ward And in respect of the Spirit of God They cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day For They draw their spirits from the Lord And against the Lord they turn their spirits 1. From the Lord they withdraw their spirirs Whereas Gods dear Saints when their bodies are brought into bonds or are bound upon their beds yet then they in holy worships engage their hearts to approach near to God Jer. 30.21 But other men when in outward worships their bodies be brought in to God yet then they remove their hearts far off from God Esay 29.13 A good man watches his heart to hold it in to God he does not slip away his heart from God though while he is with God his heart may give him the slip This made a holy man in the midst of prayer cry out O Lord August in 2 Sam. 7. â—7 my heart hath left both thee and me But every sinful man he takes his heart off and turns it away from God As the Levite Judg. 19 divided his Concubine and sent her several parts into all the coasts of Israel thus many a man when he should bring in his heart and knit it up for God he divides it and sends it into all the parts of the world leaving none for God True Christians though God makes
in Preparing Declaring Conferring Confirming All are spiritual Christ the hidden Manna for the heart and the hidden Man it self of the heart which God makes ready by causing hungring humble and holy Desires by quickening Graces calling up all Divine qualities abilities c. That presenting and setting forth Christ as Shew-bread on the Table evidencing and opening Christ his Wounds his Worth c. That giving Christ his Body to be eat and his Blood to be drunk that is meat indeed and drink indeed whole Christ given out c. That settling soules in the assurance of his love so as they may proceed in the paths of Piety and Peace Are not all these spiritual Acts What we are to do in Remembring Discerning Applying Imploying All are spiritual To remember Christ cruc fiâ—d by Meditation to look back on the bitter sufferings and bloody death of our blessed Lord till the heart be warm'd and wound up To discern Christ so as that the outward Elements are as bright Glasses and broad Lattices through which we see the Lord looking and behold the Bounty of his Goodnesse and Beauties of his Holinesse To apply Christ so as to take and eat not barely the bread of the Lord but also the Bread which is the Lord. Potiphar's wife had the Garment but Joseph himself fled from her The Elements are but the garments 't is Joseph himself and Jesus himself that we apprehend To imploy and make use of Christ so as to go from the Table of the Lord in the power of the Lord and strength of his might meet for all managements In these spiritual actings lyeth the life of the Lords Supper 4. For singing of Psalmes This is a spiritual service Ephes 5.18 19. Be filled with the Spirit Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts unto the Lord Coloss 3.16 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sayes the Apostle pray with the Spirit and pray with the understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Luther was wont to make a large and lively use of the Psalmes of David Johan Manl. loc Com. Pag. 43. According as he had his several sufferings he had his suitable Psalmes Having been under Satans sad Assaults Come sayes he to some company about him Let us go sing the 130 Psalm in despight of the Devil A precious Minister once in England now with God being upon the waters with some friends in a Boat Come sayes he let us sing the 16 Psalm And when they had pass'd through those words Of perfect joy are in thy face And pleasure for evermore His spirit so wrought and heart so leap'd that he affectionately broke out What pleasure for evermore O let us sing that again Nicepho Hiâ— Eccles lib. 3. ca. 37. History speaks much of the zeal of the Primitive Christians how by singing of Psalmes they were wont to make hard work seem easie and long journeys appear short and bitter cups taste sweet In all their Travels and Troubles Doubts and dark conditions they use to ease themselves and chear their soules by this heavenly service which they spiritually performed however now sinfully slighted 6. Collections for the Poor This is also a Duty to be spiritually done Both Pondering And Pitying Persons in Poverty Pondering and considering such as are in a poor condition Psal 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and the needy Not onely relieves them with his hand but layes their case to heart Considers the poor The ground of their poverty whether it be good whether that it be from Gods hand upon them or mens hands against them for Gods sake The degree of their poverty whether that it be great Considers the poor and needy That is such as are miserably poor needinesse noting extream poverty Quanta nobis paupertas imò egestas Seneca Epist ad Lucillum A good man so considers this as according to the poores Necessity he proportions his Charity To help he does not onely reach out his hand but drawes out his heart If thou draw out thy soul to the Hungry Esay 38.10 With Bowels of Pity compassionating persons in their impoverished condition There is little of this Duty done except with the bounty and contributions of the hand there goes the Pity and compassions of the heart 1 Cor. 13.4 If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and haâ—e not chariâ—y 't is nothing Liberal alâ—es are nothing without a fpirit of love Love to Christ and love to men as the members of Christ herein lyes the life of liberality This is spiritual 6. Inflicting of Censures This is also to be done Both with a spirit of zeal against the offending person And with a spirit of love unto the person offending There ought to be anger and grief against the scandal of the man and yet compassion and love towards the man that is scandalous 1 â—or 5.2 3. Ye have not mourned that he which hath done this deed be taken from among you I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged concerning him that hath done this deed In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ To deliver such to Satan for the destruction of the flesh yet with affections to the soul That the Spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus This casting out must have a spiritual carriage and be upon spiritual accounts Thus all the businesse that belongs to the Lords day is and ought to be spiritual 3. The ends for which the Lords day was appointed are also spiritual Whether we consider The end primary viz. The glory of God or The end secondary viz. The good of man And these are to be our spiritual aims in Sabbath-times that the Lords gracious ends and ours may suite 1. Sabbaths are seasons set apart for the exalting the glory of God Both in his spiritual being And in his spiritual working That the glorious being of God blessed for ever might the better be set out the Sabbath was set up Although there is no day wherein we can add any glory to God yet on this day does God open much of his glory to us Apud Persas persona regis sub specie Majesta tis socâ—u litur c. Justin lib. 1. Historians report that it was a great part of the pomp of the Persian Kings that they were seldom seen but upon some very high dayes they use to shew themselves to their people in their most Princely attire when they were so much the more admired and adored The Sabbath is that high and holy day whereon God so shewes himself to his servants in his garments of glory that they are made much to admire and adore him who at other seasons is more conceal'd Our Saviour after his resurrection and begun glorification still took this day to discover
hearts cold and affectiont flat as 't is a dishonour to the Lord of the Sabbath so 't is a dishonour to the Sabbath of the Lord. Christians should be like Angels who are called Seraphims for their fiery zeal in the service of God And so to be zealous in Sabbath-Duty will raise the Dignity of the Sabbath This will admirably evidence As Gods Interest in the Day So the excellency of this Day of God The more we have herein of Heat and fervour life and vigour the better we demonstrate the Day is Gods As the true Mother in the Kings cry'd The living son is mine so sayes God The living Sabbath is mine As when Christ was raised from the Dead then he was declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 So let the Sabbath rise from the dead to its due life and lustre and then 't will appear to be the Day of God Yea the more Vigorous and Spiritual we be in the Day the more glorious and excellent will the day be O what advantage is to the bodies of men when after death they are rais'd again Read 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It is sowen in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it is raised in honour it is sowen in weaknesse it is raised in power it is sowen a natural body it is raised a spiritual body Thus will it be with the Lords Day when it shall be raised from the dead as it will be more spiritual in its Nature so it will be more transplendent in its Lustre greater in power higher in honour all redounding to the dignity of it This will bring the Sabbath as the Sun to break forth from under those black clouds with which it is now darkened 3. The Lords acceptance will be certain if we spiritually sanctifie the Sabbath This with the Lord will be acceptable because it is suitable As to the precepts which God gives So to God which gives the precepts 1. The precept or command given of God requires a spiritual care in Sabbath-keeping Remember the Sabbath-day to keep iâ— holy This implies a remembrance of the Sabbath day to keep it spiritually let the spirituality of the day be raised and the sanctitie of the day will not sink but be better seen This will hold out the dayes-hidden holinesse and meet Gods command that calls to keep it holy And such Sabbath-keeoing is to God well-pleasing Esay 56.4 It being that which complies with Gods prescribed Will Esay 58.13 2. God himself from whom such precepts proceed is hereby resembled God is a Spirit and a spiritual being so that spiritual-spent Sabbaths and spiritual-performed duties do best suite a Spiritual God and so are accepted A good God being spiritual spiritual good is most acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God Acceptable because spiritual With such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 That best likes God Which is most like to God To be spiritual on the Sabbath the Lord likes it and loves it it is so pleasing to God that he does highly prize it and praise it As it is a thing for the praise of God So it is a thing with God of praise To be in the spirit of the Sabbath and to be on the Sabbath in the spirit As it will make for Gods praise from us So it will prove our praise with God The Apostle declaring who are now to be accounted Jewes and what is circumcision under the Gospel sayes Rom. 2.28 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision that is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So may we say He is not a Sabbath-keeper that keeps it onely outwardly but he is a keeper of the Sabbath that keeps it inwardly and that is observation of the Lords day that is in the heart and in the spirit whose praise though it may be not of men it will be of God God at the great day will give him praise in the presence of men and Angels Yea present praise will God by his Spicit speak to such as spiritually spend his holy day And O how sweet will it be for God in a Sabbath to say to our souls Well done well prayed well preached well heard to day my dear servants Now that which the Lord thus praiseth we may be sure much pleaseth the Lord. Yea to sanctifie the Sabbath in a spiritual way the Lord is so pleased with it that he takes pleasure in it then the Lords day is the Lords delight The Sabbath so kept on earth causes joy in heaven It is meet sayes the Father in the fifteenth of Luke to his friends about him It is meet we should rejoyce for this my son was dead and is alive was lost and is found So sayes God Blessed for ever to all in blisse about him T is meet we should rejoyce for this my Sabbath was dead and is alive the glory of it was lost and gone but is now returned again 4. The Lands general concernments will through the Sabbaths spiritual observance be much promoted Both in the Ecclesiastick And in the Civil State Let the spirit of the Lords day be well up in the Land Then will Gods Ordinances remaine that are present And God will remaine present with his Ordinances 1. Gods Ordinances with us will abide What makes God remove precious means from among a people but their dulnesse in his Sabbaths and service their falling from their fervent affections their leaving their first love and life as we see in the case of that languishing Church Revel 2.4 5. I have somewhat sayes Christ against thee thou hast left thy first love Remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first works or I will come and remove the Candlestick out of his place Let Christians be carried out with a spirit of love and life in the Sabbaths and service of the Lord and though the Lord may lay some sad afflictions upon them yet he will continue the means of Grace among them And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner but thine eyes shall see thy teaches And thine ears shal hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it Esay 30.20 2. God himself will also abide with his Ordinances Let the Sabbath be so spiritually sanctified Then as God will be with the Ordinances his people use So God will be with his people in use of Ordinances Then may Ordinances say to Gods Saints and Saints may say to Ordinances Emmanuel God with us God with us in service and suffering makes all sweet That is a precious promise Esay 43.1 When thou art in the water I will be with thee and when thou art in the
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
Grant some of them meet on Sabbath-dayes in their religious duties yet themselves say they do it not out of obedience to any divine Command or upon the acknowledgement of any Gospel-Canon binding the conscience more to this then to other dayes As for many they pretend to have things so immediate from God that they are utterly against the use of any holy means or times As Ehud told Eglon he had a message from God and in the mean while thrust him through the belly with a Dagger Judg. 3. Some they say they have a message from God and that they alone have the mind of Christ in the mean time they strike through Gods holy day and stab into the very heart of Christian Religion Dear Christians do not hearken to any of these but stoutly withstand them as being strongly resolved for the Lords day and the lively duties thereof 2. Some immediate that may seek to hinder the holy observation of the Sabbath As sinful relations Deut. 13.6 7. If thy brother the son of thy Mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome c. shall intice thee secretly saying Let us seek another God let us set our selves Sabbath-free thou shalt not consent to him nor hearken to him thou shalt not conceal him c. Yea perhaps ancient intimate acquaintance such of whom thou mayest say as David Psal 55.14 We took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company spent many a sweet Sabbath together travelled together many a mile to hear the good Word of God went home with hearts warmed full of comfortable conference by the way c. Now course and counsel is quite contrary all to carry off from Ordinances and to discourage care about the Lods day and duties All such must be stifly withstood and you strongly resolved not to lose the Lords-day priviledge When Ahab sought to perswade Naboths vineyard from him 1 King 21. Naboth answers Ahab saying The Lord forbid it me that I should give away the inheritance of my fathers unto thee Thus if you meet any man that would bereave you of your Sabbath-right say The Lord forbid it me that I should give away the sacred time of God my Father If Divel or World profit or pleasure seek to pull aside say The Lord forbid that I should so give away the day of my dear Redeemer c. Thus must you with courage crush temptations 2. Care must be to make for the day due preparations In order to the Sabbath day a double preparation is due More general and remote More special and immediate Matters must be so ordered every day as to prepare for this day As our whole life should be a preparing for death so the whole week should be a preparing for the Sabbath But as this precious day does more approach so preparative work must more increase For that more solemn preparation when the Sabbath day draws nigh observe Wherefore it is required and Wherein it is performed Things that do require and that may encourage Christians to a right preparation for the Sabbath day are The necessities of it The equities for it and The commodities by it 1 Things necessary that for this day we do prepare are Because This preparation is a duty of the Lords commanding And the Sabbath is the day of the Lords comming 1. Hath not the Lord commanded every man to prepare for the Sabbath before it comes Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy Remembring properly is of things absent not present And words of Remembrance or knowledge do import both affection and action To remember the Sabbath 'T is aforehand to mind and manage matters that concern the Sabbaths sanctification or that when it comes it may be holily kept Yea for every Duty of the Lords day must be a due preparance Yea take up any holy task at any other time and for it we ought to prepare Before we pray we must prepare for prayer and before we hear prepare for hearing Prepare for a Sermon and prepare for a Sacrament Now if God would have us prepare for single Duties when they lye more asunder sure we should prepare for the Sabbath when such duties are laid more together or as Jacob and Esau one hold the heel of the other Yea this Day when we are not onely to be in the Duty but in the Spirit in the prompt and powerful and precise transaction of every service we had need to prepare 2. Doth not the Lord upon this Day come in comfortable visits to the soules of his Saints and must not they prepare for his presence When Christ was to come in the flesh preparation was made And must not we make preparation when Christ is to come in the Spirit 'T was the Opinion of some of the Ancients Lactant. lib. 7. ca. 1. Augu t. De Temp. Serm. 154. that Christs personal coming to Judgment will be on the Sabbath Day Christs Spiritual coming in Mercy is to be sure on the Day of the Sabbath We see when the Bridegroom was to come Matth. 25. the Virgins especially the wise trimm'd their lamps and prepared oyl in their vessels The Sabbath 't is the Day when our Bridegroom comes how ought we to trim our Lamps and get ready oyl in our vessels When a Great Man is to come to our houses how are all the rooms dress'd up When a Great God is to come to our hearts 't is necessary we be well prepared 2. 'T is Equal and Meet for us to prepare upon the Sabbaths approach as may appear if we observe the practice of several Some past and Some present In time past the people of the Jews their practice was to prepare for their Sabbath Luk. 23.54 And that day was the preparation for the Sabbath drew on That day they call'd their Sabbatulum or their little Sabbath on which they made ready against the great Day of their Sabbath came Yea the Jews in honor of their Sabbath and that they might the more mind it and be in the better preparednesse for it they use as some Learned observe to call the whole week a Sabbath P. Mart. in Gen. 1. Tremel in Syriac Paraphr Mat. 28.1 Theophyl Matth. 28.1 The first day of the Sabbath and the second day of the Sabbath and so on And thus much is clear according to the Greek in several Texts in the New Testament Luk. 18.12 24.1 And is it not meet then for Christians whose Sabbath exceeds that of the Jews to prepare themselves thereunto We are eased of the businesse of Sacrifices have no Sheep and Oxen to prepare we have the more time to make ready hearts and soules for spiritual service Secondly The practice of severall present makes such Sabbath-preparation meet as may appear if we ponder Both the good actings of some And the evil of others For good actings in order to the Sabbath Observe Both the good that God doth in his People And the