Ananias goods to God it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for your own use Act. 5. 1 2 5 10. and not keep it wholly and in every part of it holy to the Lord. 17. The fifth Direction is make this day a day of your delights as before a day of desires delight in the day and in every duty of the day account the Sabbath not only your duty but also your priviledg not only your work but your wages too Isa 58. 13. Call the Sabbath your delight and if it be not so you may not call it so surely it was not so to those Worldly wretches that cryed when will the Sabbath be over c. Amos 8. 5. as if they had been in the stocks all the while they were keeping a Sabbath The Greek word for delight is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag Psal 37. 4. c. Which comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Paradise or place of pleasure to intimate the Lord and his Sabbaths may not be as stocks to you but as a Paradise and a place of pleasure you should take as much delight therein as in walking the Round in the choicest Spring-garden O how should you bless God for the Sabbath as Neh. 9. 14. and rejoice in it as in the day the Lord hath made for Spiritual delight Psal 118. 24. counting it so and making it so not only a delight but also holy and honourable and because holy therefore honourable O may you but be in the Spirit on this Lords day as Rev. 1. 10. and tast how good the Lord is Psal 34. 8. in the dainties of holy duties and in his heart refreshing and Soul-ravishing Ordinances you will find most incomparable pleasure therein and far-far exceeding all the dirty delights of sensualists and Sabbath breakers Prov. 14. 10. Job 27. 10. 18. The sixth Direction be not weary of it before it be over The whole Sabbath should be spent without weariness in works of Piety mercy and necessity and in none else here 's variety to prevent nauseating in works of Piety you may pass from one Ordinance to another as the Bee flys from one flower to another and not be weary and from works of Piety you may go to works of Charity and from thence to works of necessity for your own natural nourishment O then here is no need of crying out what a weariness is it as Mal. 1. 13. or when will it be over as Amos 8. 5. as if in little ease all the while Carnal hearts know not indeed how to wear out the Sabbath 't is such a weariness to them and therefore they wish it over full loth would they begg Davids office out of his hand of being a door-keeper in the house of God who must be first in and last out Psal 84. 10. and what would they do to spend an everlasting Sabbath in Heaven that are so troubled and tyred with a short one on Earth not without a world of wilful distractions but the Spiritual heart that is rapt up and ravished in Spirit Rev. 1. 10. and is in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the holy Ghost all the day long Prov. 23. 17. can wish with Joshuah that the Sun stood still on that day for more killing of Sin and quickning of grace 19. The seventh Direction is be sure you make it a right day of restraint to you as it is called Deut. 16. 8. Jomegnatsereth diem Interdicti a day of prohibition from all Improper work the same word is used Numb 16. 48. and the Plague was stayed or restrained by either 1 Intreaty as 2 Sam. 24. 21. or 2 By Authority and Commands or 3 By strength and force all these ways you should Remember to keep the Sabbath if you keep not your heart with all keepings Prov. 4. 23. You can never keep the Sabbath holy The Plague of your heart mentioned 1 King 8. 38. will not be stayed or restrained unless you 1 Offer upon Christ your Altar Heb. 13. 10. Your Intreaties to God with David 2 Sam. 24. 21. and 2 Unless you lay Gods charge and command upon your extravagant heart to keep within compass Cant. 2. 7. Yea and 3 You must use holy force and Violence going but in Gods stregth Psal 71. 16. to restrain your loose slippery and treacherous heart both from wicked and from worldly work on that day for in the former work you keep the day to Satan and in the latter to your self but not to your Saviour in either besides every wicked work is cursed Sin any day but 't is doubly so on the Lords-day the season being a great aggravation of the Sin like that in Est 7. 8. 't is a ravishing the Queen of days before the very face of the King of Kings and every Worldly work done on Gods-day can never expect Gods blessing but will be a Canker and may say with Jacob I shall bring a curse and not a blessing Gen. 27. 12. he that did but gather a few sticks a small business some may say was paid home with stones because he did presumptuously on that day Numb 15. 30 32 35 36. If you must do no manner of work save only the three works of Piety Charity and Necessity no manner of Worldly work much less wicked work O do not eat forbidden fruit when you may eat of all the Trees in the garden on your six days do not your own works but cease from them Heb. 4. 10. nor speak your own words on this high and holy day Isa 58. 13. Exod. 31. 14. 20. The eighth Direction is never satisfie your Soul with spending one Sabbath without enjoying something therein of the Lord God of Sabbath never content your self with Elijahs Mantle without the Lord God of that Mantle 2 King 2. 14. O let it not be enough to you as it was not enough to Absolom to live in Jerusalem 2 Sam. 14. 32. without seeing the Kings face cry with David in every duty of the day O when will God come unto me Psal 101. 2. To miss of a good friend is sad to meet him is joyful Psal 73. 25. If you miss of this your best friend this will justly fadden you as it did even Saul himself 1 Sam. 28. 15. If you meet him and miss him not If your friend the King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. Sit at your Table then your Spiknard will send forth the smell thereof Cant. 1. 12. Such a sign of sweet friendship and fellowship must needs fill your heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory as it reminds and represents your Communion in Heaven and make the Sabbath a delight indeed to you then shall you delight your self in the Lord and he will not only cause you to ride upon the high places of the Earth but also upon the heights of the Heavens where you shall keep an everlasting Sabbath in which all Sabbaths meet and whereof there is no evening Is
that I refer you to that Religious Duty of Meditation which followeth here there is another Conversation of your Tongue as to that I refer you to that Religious Duty of Conference which followeth also in ' its place here As to your Conversation in natural and civil Actions which is not my present Work I refer you to my Crown and glory of a Christian from Page the 78. to Page 121. Wherein you have directions to guide you therein 2. Religious Duty in the Walk of a Christian is therefore a comprehensive Word and contains in it the All of mans duty both to God and to Man as the first Table in the Decalogue is before the second Table First in Order because first in nature and Excellency I shall begin therefore with your duty to God in Religious Actions And first with Meditation which is a Scripture duty Phil. 4. 8 that all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham should live in the practice of as Isaac did Gen. 24. 63 the heir of Abraham you must walk in Abrahams and in this Son of Abrahams steps in this World If you would lodge in Abrahams bosome that Synonymon of Heaven in the World to come alas those licentious times have almost Antiquated the power and practice of this Religious Duty in which you should be conversant all your days This holy Patriarch was not of so loose a mind as those in our loose times that would spend the evening of the Sabbath in Sports and pastimes for he spent the Evening in holy Meditation 3. The Word Shuach in the Hebrew Signifies to speak with a low voice as in the heart and the Word in the Septuagins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies a satiating Soliloquy as if Isaac had his fill of Divine talking both with his God and with his own heart It was his holy Exercise and Recreation thinking the latter part of the day as fit for Acts of Holiness as the former part was It was a pleasant and delightful pastime as the Greek Version is to the Patriarch and he found more heart-Ravishing complacency in it then can be found in all the delights of the Sons of Men and no less it was to the Prophet who professes he found more transcendent sweetness in Meditating on the Word then in the honey or in the honey-comb Psal 19. 10. 94 19. 139. 17. 119. 103. he found marrow and Gold yea better in it 4. Oh then do you account it your duty and your priviledg to take a few turns daily upon this Mount Tabor of Divine Contemplation which is an Heaven upon Earth a beginning of the beatifical vision an Employment as it is in a manner without the body plainly Angelical 't is an handsel of Happiness and a Foretast of Heavenly Joy Oh who would not but be an Anchorite to be pent up in the Voluntary Prison-walls of this Religious Action and to say with Peter 't is good being here No doubt but Moses was ravished in Spirit all the 40. days he conversed with God yet longs he still for more crying I beseech thee shew me thy glory Exod. 33. 18. 5. Objection but you will say how can such a duty be so delightful that is so difficult to this I Answer by Similies difficulty and delight may be found in one and the same Action there may be difficulty in the beginning and delight in the progress and ending the root may be Bitter and the fruit Sweet 1 Simile 'T is in this duty as it is in the heating of an Oven the first kindling of the fire in it may be not only difficult but painful the fewel must be set on fire and then it must be blown up with labour into a Flame after that the Oven begins well to warm the fewel will then catch and kindle of it self no sooner is a stick thrown into the Oven but presently 't is all on a blaze So where there is but a little sparke of grace in the heart at first it requires some paines to blow it up into a Flame but when the heart is once heated with the true Flames of Love then doth it enflame all the thoughts and sets the affections on fire insomuch that then this duty will not only be without difficulty but with much delight 6. 2 Simile 'T is with your heart as it is with that wax which hath been laid in cold places it thereby becomes hard and unpliable to your hand insomuch that it will break rather then bend but if laid a while in the Sun or by the fire or if wrought a while in your warm hand then doth it soften and become pliable and so capable of any Impression Thus will it be with you in this Divine duty the greatest difficulty lyes in your entrance into it for corrupt nature and carnal principles will put forth a repugnancy against it and therefore flesh must be put to silence in this blessed duty which is mainly the exercise of the Spirit in you the experience of all ages tells you as well as your own 3 Simile that the entrance into Learning is attended with difficulties and discouragements but when once the Nut-shell is crack'd and the sweetness of the Kernel tasted then do youth pass through all difficulties with delight till at last they become Famous Instruments in Church or State 7. 4 Simile This duty is indeed as the climbing upon some high Tree Monument or Mountain all hard Work but then there is a blessed compensation for all your paines at the top of all these First at the top of this Tree of life there be the choicest fruits to nourish up your Soul to eternal life Secondly at the top of this Monument of mercy you have the most lovely and Soul-refreshing and heart ravishing prospect even transforming and transfiguring you into the glory of it Thirdly at the top of this Mountain of God and of Holiness you may behold not only the Kingdomes of this lower World and the Vanity of them quite contrary to the Devils land-skip showed to your Lord but also the glories of a better World as Moses from the Top of Pisgah the upper land of Canaan that transendently flows with Milk and Honey Digging in Mines of the Earth a pressing of grapes in the Wine press c. Are both hard works yet finding fine Gold in the Mines of the Scriptures by this Spiritual digging and a rich Wine flowing from this blessed Wine-press of Divine Meditation will make a satisfactory Amends for all your paines at last 8 Having removed this Objection out of your way as Amasa's body was out of the Armies way that their March might not be hindred 2 Sam 20. 12 13. Let us now proceed to shew as I st how pleasant this duty is so 2ly how profitable both to your self and to others 1. Io your self upon a twofold account 1. For preventing evil Belzebub that Prince of Flies cannot Fly blow your heart so long as it is boiling a good matter
had them to enjoy such means of grace yea but one day thereof and such days of Salvation as are bestowed upon you God hath not dealt so with many Nations nor with many persons as he hath dealt with you and the Land of your Nativity Psal 147. 19 20. 't was a Special favour and vouchsafement to Israel that God committed to them the lively and life-giving Oracles Rom. 3. 2. there is a chiefly set upon it being a matter of great trust to know your Masters Will is a choice Talent There is much in that of Luke 12. 48. as there was chiefely in the other the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies to deposit or lay up as a matter of great worth The poor Pagan World lay under a long night of darkness having only the twinkling Star light of the fallen nature wherein they wander wofully yet not so wide as to miss of Hell Their Star-light indeed leaves them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inexcusable Rom. 1. 20. but cannot lead them to the Star of Jacob the bright and Morning Star nor to life and Salvation Act. 4. 12. 2. God hath Magnified above all things his name by his Word Psal 138. 2. To the words there may be Read or as our Reading is thou hast Magnified thy word above all thy Name If God Magnifie his word above all how should you Magnifie it accordingly while you have the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. The word must be admired and highly esteemed before it have a through work upon your heart Act. 13. 48. 2 Thes 3. 1 2. You must esteem it as Job did not only above your dainties and superfluities but even above your necessary food without which you cannot Subsist Job 23. 12. 'T is better to want your daily bread that perisheth with using then this bread of life Joh. 6. 27. I had rather want meat drink sleep sight light any thing every thing said Selneccer then want the word of God and Luthers Rapture was I had rather live in Hell with it then in Heaven without it O then what a blessing do you enjoy in hearing the Word 't is Epistola Creatoris ad Creaturam Gods letter from Heaven to Man the very Reading whereof hath a blessedness annexed to it Revel 1. 3. So it be but Read both with affection and application 3. More particularly there is a three fould duty to be observed in this Religious exercise as in the former 1 Something before 2 Something in and 3 Something after In all these the heart of Man is apt to miscarry as Christ intimates in two Cautions he gives you Mark 4. 24. take heed what you hear and Luke 8. 18. take heed how you hear In the former he Cautions you about the matter of your hearing and in the latter about the manner of it As to the first of those you must be like the careful Husbandman who is very choice in his seed very Curious and Critical he will not commit corrupt seed to his fruitful Soil so neither must you lend your ear to the Devil or to any of his Chaplains Sin came into the World first by the door of the ear your great grand-Mother Eve listned more to Satans lies then to Gods truth and though the Devil be not ever Mendax a lyar yet is he Semper-fallax always decitful speaking truth only with a purpose to deceive 2 Cor. 11. 3. a cozener 4. The Devil did only Equivocate to our first Parents yet is he called a down-right lyar Joh. 8. 44 c. He began his Kingdom by a lie and he upholds it by lies to this present day O how shameful then or rather shameless are those Popish Doctors that Preach up Equivocation as a comfortable Doctrin to afflicted Catholicks calling back as it were that pest from Hell and from that old Equivocator that subtle Serpent when he was but young out-witted your first Parents now that he is old and ye young Children Eph. 4. 14. take heed he doth not cozen you either by himself or by any of his Chaplains with their finely spun Threds of Popery Christ saith my sheep hear them not for they know not the voice of strangers Joh. 10. 5 8. for they have their Senses exercised to discern good and evil Hebr. 5. 14. yea they have a Spirit of discerning 1 Cor. 12. 10. to discerne the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 16. Bread from Stones and fish from Serpents and what the Chaff is to the Wheat Jer. 23-28 they hate euery false way Psal 119. 104. and 't is Impossible for them to be fully and finally deceiued Matth. 24. 24. you may know those Imposters by their lightness as well as by their lies Jer. 23. 32. they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord and yet they may much hurt them Lam. 2. 14. loose and lewd courses as well as loud and lying discourses are the brand God puts upon Satans Spelman by their fruits you shall know them Matth. 7. 15 16. the evil communication of such as are Trumpe and Triumphant in this day do corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. 5. As hitherto of the matter so now of the manner of hearing Herein Observe those Directions 1 Before hearing 2 In it and 3 after it First before you must prepare to meet your God in this duty also as well as in the two former to which I refer you Moreover your heart must be prepared for this duty more especially First Direct by laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. when you come to the sincere Milk of the Word your fallow ground must be plowed up that you sow not among Thorns Jer. 4. 3 4. If your stomach be soul and clogged with bad humours you first purge it before you feed and fill it otherwise what-ever you Eat will but nourish those corrupt and morbifick Humours so will it be with your Soul when 't is clogged with Sin Christs Market is then fore-stalled and your heart so fraught with false Lovers and like the Inn at Bethlehem so full of other Guests that there will be no Room for Christ Luke 2. 7. There is much unsuitableness betwixt a filthy Spirit and the pure word of God and therefore must you put away all filthiness both of flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. never to have any more to do with your idols Esa 30. 22. pull up every weed and cast it away to prepare for the seed the House must be swept clean for Entertaining the King of glory 6. The second Direct about preparation is you must lay aside not only all filthy Sins but also all worldly thoughts and cares of this life which will choak the seed of the Word Mat. 13. 22. Especially when those Thorns overtop the Corn which naturally they will do 't is good ground indeed 't is a good heart wherein grace over-tops corruption and not corruption grace Wherefore lay Gods charge upon Worldly
3 6 25. Your Joseph your Jesus I dare assure you will be kinder to you if you so come unto him then ever that Joseph was to his Brethren whose rough words were indeed somewhat discouraging but his smooth deeds were wonderfully encouraging he sent them laden home not only with Corn but with their Money too Gen. 42. 7 27. 44. 1. Food as much as they could carry 22. Thirdly bring Enlarged hearts The greater your Vessel is and the wider mouth it hath 't is not only the sooner filled but you carry so much the more water home from the Conduit also Joh. 4. 7 28. Christs Ministers that beseech you in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. are compared to Clouds Jude 12. Upon a three-fold account 1. As they are driven to and fro 2. As sustained like Clouds full of water by the mighty power of God 3. As dropping down refreshing rain upon the droughty Earth now as the dry ground gapes for Rain so should you for the word Hebr. 6. 7. Deut. 32. 2. Ezek. 21. 2 They waited for Job as for the Rain Job 29. 23. Which in those hot Countrys was heartily longed for and highly prized and they opened their mouth wide to him as for the latter Rain That is they listened as for life and gaped as if they would have eaten his words Such a Divine thirst Davids Soul abounded with in his dry and thirsty land Psal 63. 1. 42 1. 2. 119. 20 81 And the Spouse Cant. 2. 4. Crying stay me with flagons 't is not a drop or a spoonful or a little Cup full that will quench her thirst but she must have whole Flagons You should come to an Ordinance just as Behemoth came to Jordan in his thirst Job 40. 23. The Elephant is such a thirsty Creature that he swalloweth abundance of water at one of his Mighty draughts he fancies when he comes to drink he can drink up a River and draw up great Jordan at one draught into his mouth and so great is his thirst that he is said to take the whole River with his Eye Ver. 24. his belly is better fill'd it seems then his Eye O that you could come with such an intent Soul to the Ordinance as if you could swallow up the whole blessing of the Ordinance your Self and drink it all up at one draught Suppose you could thus Monopolize and appropriate the blessing yet this would be no damnifying of others there is no envy in Spiritual things which may be divided in Solidum in the whole each Soul may have a whole blessing without wronging one another 't is otherwise in Temporals the World admits not of Rivals as being conscious of ' its own scantness and not having enough for all 23. Fourthly Be Reverent as to God The over-grown Heathen though a King Eglon shames and condemns many hearers in our day no sooner doth he hear Ehud say I have a Message from God unto thee O King but presently he arose from off his seat to receive it with Reverence though it proved a sad Message Judg. 3. 20. Yet the worshippers of the true God do not now raise up themselves nor raise up their hearts to receive a Message from God to them though it be not a Message of death and destruction as that to Eglon was but a Message of Life and Salvation Fisthly be earnest you must hear the word of God earnestly as blessed Baruch is said to repair the Wall of Jerusalem earnestly Neh. 3. 20. That is with all his heart Soul and strength being vexed with himself that he had begun no sooner The Hebrew word Hicherah hence the Latin Ira for Anger signifies there he burst out into an heat as being angry at himself that he had done no more and at others also that they had done so little Hereupon in an holy sume and fervency he finishes two parts and that quickly while others were busy but about one piece a ready heart makes riddance of Gods work and will kindle ' its own heat from other Mens coldness and quicken it self from others slothfulness what you do you must saith Solomon do with all your might Eccles 9. 10. If every Civil work much more this Spiritual which is of greatest Importance the strength of your affections must be here as well as in Prayer 24. In a word Sixthly to hear with Intention is to have your heart affected with that you hear so as it may not only burn in your heart as theirs did Luke 24. 32. but also melt kindly under it as Josiahs tender heart did at the hearing of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 27. yea and rejoyce greatly when you are made to understand it as the people did Neh. 8. 12. your heart leaping within you at it as the Babe sprang in Elizabeths womb when not the Lord himself but The Mother of our Lord spake to her Luke 1. 41. not only hear but feel Gods voice 1 Joh. 1. 1. 1. You must desire earnestly to hear Gods voice as well as hear Mans God saith in this Ordinance to his Angels of the Churches as he said at the Creation as some sense it to the Angels that left not their first state and habitation Jude Ver. 6. let us make Man Gen. 1. 26. So here let us both join together to make Sinners Saints Ministers of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-labourers with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. and who would not but labour heartily with so sweet a companion he joins his Spirit to their word and makes them Preach all sorts of Sinners into another even the Divine Nature you may not then be satisfied till you feel God speak as well as hear man speak till God speak to your heart with a strong hand as he did to the Prophet Isa 8. 11. till he Single you out from others and speak to you with efficacy Many hear a Noise of Christ that do not hear the voice of Christ Act. 9. 7. with 22. 9. Eightly mix Faith with the word be sure you mingle the Word with Faith those two meeting together makes a precious Confection a blessed mixture Heb. 4. 2. 25. The third particular is retention of memory the Word 1. It must be laid up in the head you hear must not be like breath upon steel that is soon on and as soon off again nor as day flies call'd Ephemerae that are bred at noon and dead at night Nor as the morning-dew that soon goeth away Hos 6. 4. The Sun arising soon licks it up from off the Earth In the hearing of the Word a blessed dew falls from the drops of it Deut. 32. 2. but it should not go away as the dew If you cannot stay it but it will go away then pray that however some Manna may still remain as Exod. 16. 14 15. the Manna did come down with the dew Ver. 13. Christ that bread of life Job 6. 32. comes down in the Ministry of the word Psal 110. 3. the dew covered
is but we are bidden to sing the word of Christ Col. 3. 16. not the words of David now Answer first David writ his Psalms in the Spirit of Christ 2 Sam. 23. 2. the Lord Christ had spoken by the Mouth of his servant David Act. 4. 23. 'T was the Rock Christ that spake to and by David and made him the sweet singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23. 1 3. All the holy Scriptures by which you must be guided here and Judged hereafter is wholly the words that Christ hath spoken Joh. 12. 48. So that while you sing the Psalms of David c. You do verily sing the words of Christ 2. Answer the Hebrew Titles of David Psalms be Misimorim Tehillim and Shurim which doth expresly correspond with the express phrase of the Apostle Eph. 5. 10. Col. 3. 19. Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs wherein he plainly points out the use of Davids Psalms as being also the word of Christ and richly suiting to all Conditions and such Psalms which cannot be Sung as your Experience yet may you Sing them for your Instruction Divine truth is the same in Meter that it is in Prose and may as well be Sung as Read 3. Answer Such Hymns as are composed by any now suppose they be free from the rash and raw Eructations of a private Spirit which cannot edify as it ought 1 Cor. 14. 26. yet as comming from an Ordinary gift only for God no where promised another gift it must needs infinitely fall short of those Scripture Psalms eomposed by the holy Pen-men of the Word to whom the Lord vouchsafed such an High Publick and Infallible Conduct in Composing what was Consigned to the use of the Church for ever these must excel private Hymns as much as the holy Scripture exceeds all other Books whatsoever The fift Religious duty Or walk of a Christian is Godly Conference CHAP. VII 1. NOw to manage your self in this fist walk of Christianity Consider you must first have a New heart and then you cannot want a New tongue for where Christ comes he makes all New Rev. 21. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 17. a New Constitution a New Communication and a New Conversation not only a New heart and a New life but also a New speech he turns to his Redeemed a pure Language Zeph. 3. 9. Or a lip of Excellency Prov. 17. 7. as choice Silver that hath a good sound Prov. 10. 20. So as to feed many by administring grace to all hearers Eph. 2. 29. So that this New tongue shall scatter Pearles Math. 7. 6. and cast abroad Rich Treasure Math. 12. 35. yea even Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11. yet none of this can be till Christ cast in a cruse full of the Salt of grace into the Fountain as Elisha did 2 King 2. 20 21 22. and healed the waters for as is the Fountain so are the streams sweet or bitter the streams cannot rise higher nor run better then is the spring qualia principia talia principiaetam as is cause so are the effects good or evil as is the Tree so are the Fruits and as is the Treasure so are the Expences an evil Man out of the evil Treasure of his heart brings forth nothing but rotten and corrupt Communication Matth. 12. 35. the Bell is known by the Clapper whether it consist of good mettal or bad what kind of water is in the Well the same will be in the Bucket And what is in the Ware-house the same will be in the Shop So whatever is in the heart the same will be in the Mouth for out of the aboundance of the heart the Mouth speaketh the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10. 20. till Christ renew it for and in you 2. Consider your speech also must be seasoned with Salt Col. 4. 6. even your common Communication and Conference must be seasoned with grace that you may leave the Savour of grace in all places and companies wherein you come as those meats that are most apt to putrify are most poudered So that unruly member the Tongue Jam. 3. 6. Is apt to have rotten and putrifyed Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 29. unless it be well seasoned with the salt of mortification and of that Christian wisdom which is from above upon this uncomely part you must put on the greatest comliness 1 Cor. 12. 23. that your Mouth be not as the unclean vessel under the Law that wanted a covering Numb 19. 15. you must have the covering of the Spirit Esa 30. 1. that will let no corrupt Communication no rotten discourse no obscene borborology nor filthy speeches come from you while God by his Spirit keeps the door of your lips Psal 141. 3. stinking breath proceeds from ulcerated lungs and such as have their Excrements come out of their Mouths have that mortal and desperate disease cal'd Miserere mei upon them 't is very unlikely that ever the holy God entred into such an House and such an heart that hath so unclean a door that hath not God 1 In their heads Psal 10. 4. nor 2 In their hearts Psal 14. 1. nor 3 In their words Psal 12. 4. no nor 4 In their works or ways Tit. 1. 16. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Atheist Eph. 2. 12. that is thus without God any way every way in the World They were not Sons but two Bastards that would dare to shoot their Arrows against the dead body of their Father according to the determination of the Judg Judging which of the three was the right heir of his Fathers goods but he that was angry with them both for so doing and surely those cannot be the right heirs of Heaven that dare frequently shoot their venemous Arrows of blasphemous Oaths at the heart of God 3. Consider that God hath a Book of Rememberance wherein to write down all that men say as well as do Mal. 3. 16. in order hereunto he hearkens what Sinners say Jer. 8. 6. as well as Saints That he may make memorable mention of them at least at the last day when all shall be either justified or condemned by their words Mat. 12. 36 37. Idle as well as evil words and waste as well as wicked words must then be accounted for in that great Ampitheatre Plato thought it meet that mens speeches at Meals and meetings should be written should this Platonick proposal be put into practice O what strange Records would they be and yet though men do not Register them God doth you have need therefore to take heed to your ways that you offend not with your tongue Psal 39. 1. which was a lesson that old Pambus was 30. Years in diligently Learning it yet prosessed he could not yet take out that one Lesson God in that infinite wisdom wherein he made all things hath set a double hedge afore this unruly member the tongue to wit of teeth and lips to keep it up and in and he hath also placed
for it 2. Consider secondly the Scituation of it as the fourth Commandment is placed by God himself in the close of the first Table so likewise before the front of the second Table it stands in the midst of both to show you that the Observation of both Tables in the Decalogue depends much upon the Sanctification of the Sabbath which hath influence on both Tables for as the immediate honour and worship of God which is brought forth and swaddled in the three first Commandments is suckled and nursed up in the bosom of the Sabbath so the keeping of the Sabbath is the best expedient and the most blessed help for the keeping of all the six following Commandments thus it appears that the Sabbath is caput Compendium Religionis omnem Dei cultum in se Continet 't is the head and Epitome of all Religion containing in it the whole worship of God and the whole duty of man respecting both his holliness to God and his righteousness to men 3. The third Consideration is the Influence of it that Religion and the power of Godliness is just as the Sabbath is as the Observation of the Sabbath finds reception accordingly doth true Christianity decay or flourish in Persons Families Towns Cities Kingdoms and Countrys It decreases or increases just as the Sabbath is esteemed or disesteemed This might be demonstrated without difficulty both by Scripture and Reason or Argument as well as by Experience moreover 't is richly worth your Observation that when the Children of Israel broke the fourth Commandment only in the matter of gathering Manna the Lord taxeth them for the breaking of all the Commandments Exod. 16. 28. because he that makes no Conscience of breaking the Sabbath will not stick when it may serve his turn at the breaking of any other Commandment he stands alike affected unto all the whole Law is but one Copulative Ezek. 18. 10 11 12 13. 'T is like a Chain that is dissolved by the loosening of one link that an offence in one makes guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. All Sins flow from the same corruption as Temptation draws it out he that breaks one especially this fourth habitually breaketh all not so Actually 4. The fourth Consideration is the stamps on it that as the Sabbath is the Mother of Religion So God hath put four Immortal stamps upon this precept that concerns it above all the other nine precepts as 1 It hath such a Preface before it as none of the other hath to wit Remember 2 Whereas the other nine are delivered either negatively as most of them are or positively only The fourth is delivered both ways 3 Whereas the other Commandments are delivered to a mans person only Thou and Thou This is not to our persons only but to our Families and Relations also Thou and Thine Thou and all Thine 4 It hath more grounds and Reasons alledged in it to enforce the Observation of it then any other precept as 1. ' Its own Equity 2. Gods bounty 3. His own Example and 4. The days benediction Those four Immortal stamps and Characters of Authority you must neither forget nor neglect much less the Sabbath but remember to sanctify it the Gentiles as well as the Jews are obliged to observe it seeing the ground of it is general to Gentiles as well as to Jews and the Equity of it perpetual for the Commemoration of Gods Creation of the World and of Christs Redemption of it have both an Universal and an everlasting Equity in Them 5. Consider fifthly the sense of its preface Remember imports three things 1. The Antiquity of the command as 't is said in another Case 1 Chron. 4. 22. These are ancient things almost as ancient as the World it self Gen. 2. 2 3. and the ceasing of Manna on the seventh day Exod. 16. 24 30. plainly shews that ab ipsius Mundi primordio invaluisset Sabbati Observantia the Sabbath was kept from the beginning of the Creation before the promulgation of the Law at Sinai Exod. 20. which was added because antient things are apt to wear out of the mind of Man and the Devil had endeavoured to blot out the Remembrance of the Sabbath and of the Creation in the long-lives of the Patriarks that so he might Usher in that foolish conceit of the Worlds Eternity so cryed up by some Heathen Sages though decryed and exploded by the wisest of them 2. It implies the weightiness of the Command 't is not left either to your pleasure or to your leisure or liking as a frivolous or indifferent thing that may admit either of a dispensation or a discharge but among all your other necessary duties you must Remember this duty of weight and of great importance and 3. It Imports mans proneness to forget it ever since his memory was wounded by the fall therefore is he oft call'd on to remember Alas you will forget it thinking yourown thoughts c. before you be aware 6. Consider the morality of it the fourth Command doth indeed consist of some things Temporary and Ceremonial and so by consequence changeable peculiar to the Jews as 1 Not stirring out of their places Exod. 16. 29. 2 Not kindling of Fires Exod. 35. 3. 3 Nor carrying burdens Jer. 17 21. Neh. 13. 15 16 17. So likewise their Sabbath was 4 A sign 'twixt God and them Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. and 5 In remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt Deut. 5. 15. Yea lastly there Seventh day was to be Observed with several Rites Num. 9. 10. all which are Typical and so Temporary and Changeable besides all these appendices there is another part of it which is moral and perpetual as 1 That there should be a day of Sabbatizing or Resting as the Word Sabat signifies 2 That this day should be kept holy to the Lord and 3 That a Seventh day should be observed as an holy rest not this or that particular Seventh day but one of the Seven For 1. The precise time of the Seventh-day from the Creation is lost by the Suns standing still in Joshuahs days and by ' its retrograde Motion ten degrees in Hezekiahs days Josh 10. 13. Esa 38. 8. Hence some think that our Lords-day is the very same numerically with the Seventh-day if so then we keep Gods-day commanded here 7. Again secondly as the Suns standing still and running backward made an alteration in the course of the universe and so did lose as to us that precise computation of the Seventh day So likewise should that precise part of 24. hours from the Creation of the Seventh-day belong to the morality of the fourth Commandment then such as Travel by Sea either East or West to such and such degrees are obliged to Impossibilities for by the distance of Climates they may gain or lose half a day or a whole day as Sir Francis Drake did who putting a girdle about the World in his Sea-Voyage though a critical measurer of time yet through the
Variation of Climats lost one day Fullers Holy State Chap. 22. Book 2. Pag. 128. In his life So that 't is Impossible for them precisely and punctually to observe that part of time 3ly Neither is it said in the fourth Command Remember to keep holy the Seventh day but 't is said twice over keep holy the Sabbath-day which doth not only respect the Jewish-Sabbath under the Law but may also have reference to the Christian Sabbath under the Gospel The Hebrew Text may as well be read thus Remember the resting-day to keep it holy a seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God So that he who Remembers to keep a Religious rest weekly is not breaker but a true observer of the fourth Commandment 8. Fourthly and lastly 't is worth your observation that the Seventh-day after the Creation is not butted and bounded with the Evening and the Morning as all the other six days are Gen. 2. 2 3. because as may be supposed the time would come under the Gospel wherein the Sabbath should have a new beginning and a new ending when all things were to be made new by Christ Revel 21. 5. and if all things then by consequence the Sabbath is made new by the Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. Mark 2. 28. And hence is that new Sabbath cal'd the Lords-day Revel 1. 10. which very Phrase Imports the Lords Institution of it as paralel Phrases do the Lords Supper the Lords-Prayer the Lords-Table intimate that he Instituted all these It being the manner in the Apostles-days to call all things the Lords rather then Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set before it makes it found in sense that Lords-day 't is predicated of him denominatively as it is of or belonging properly to the Lord 't is expressed by an Adjective possessive as shewing the day to be a part of Christs possession not only as all other days are his by Creation but this is his more Emphatically cal'd so by way of Consecration and Institution 9. This leads to the seventh Consideration the Actions of it that 't is more then probable Christ himself in his own Person was the Author and Institutor of the First-day Sabbath supposing those few things which ought to be supposed as 1 That Christs life was the light of Men Joh. 1. 4. as he is the Object of your hope so he must be the pattern of your holiness he will not be your Saviour for happiness unless he be your Samplar for holiness too 1 Joh. 3. 3. as above therefore he bids you learn of him Math. 11. 29. Imitari quem colimus est summa Christianitatis Conformity to Christ whom we Worship is the very Sum of Christianity 't is an Imitation of his Morals though his Miracles and Mediatory Actions are unimitable Christ came primarily as the price of our Redemption but secondarily as the pattern of our Sanctification and so gave us an Example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. and he instructs us by his doing as well as by his teaching Act. 1. 1. to do and to teach 10. The premisses being granted that Christs doing instructs us as well as his teaching you will find this one of Christs doings to keep the first day holy himself after his Resurrection as he rose again after he had rested all the Jewish Sabbatb in the grave upon the first day morning So he came the very next first day into the midst of his disciples then Assembled Joh. 20. 19. and the very next first day immediately after that he came to them again also Ver. 26. The like he did 't is very probable every first day during the 40. days he continued upon Earth between his Resurrection and Ascension because the Sabbath-day being also the first day of the week the Apostles still kept their holy Assemblies Act. 2. 1. and then was the holy Ghost given to them The 2 thing to be supposed briefly is that Christ taught his Disciples the observation of the first day-Sabbath not only by his appearing once and again to them on this day in a Solemn manner and thereby approving of their meetings on that day but also by his speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God all the 40. days of his abode on Earth with them no. constantly but by intervals on each first day Act. 1. 3. and surely this great concern of the time of worship must needs belong to the Kingdom of God The 3 thing to be supposed is that Christ is as faithful as Moses who ordained all things generally necessary and profittable for the Church Heb. 3. 2. and no less can be the observation of the Sabbath so needful as above 11. The eighth Consideration is the Arguments for it The many Arguments for the First-day-Sabbath which for brevities fake I shall here but name as 1 Christs own pattern as above So 2 the Apostles practice whom undoubtedly Christ instructed during the 40. days in the change of legal Sacrifices Sacraments and Ministry into Evangelical as all grant and why not of the Jewish-Sabbath into the Christian since there is the same Reason otherwise the Apostles would not have kept their Solemn meetings on the first day as they did Act. 2. 1. 2. 7. the Apostle being at Troas several days might have kept any of the seven-days yet pitches on the first day for Prayer Preaching and Celebrating the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 16. 2. As Christ is the Rule Ruling so the Apostles are the Rule Ruled and we should follow them as they followed Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. The 3 Argument is the precept of the Apostles as well as their practice They did not only observe it themselves but they also prescribed it to others Phil. 4. 9. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Every first day c. Which implys 1 That their Solemn meetings were on the first day 2 That this day was well known among Christians for their meeting day this Epistle being writ to the Corinthians about 23. Years after Christs death 3 This day was injoined for such holy exercises as Collections usually followed in primitive times Act. 2. 42. 4 The word every shews 't was no occasional prescription but a perpetual Ordinance and 5 Ordained to be observed in all the Churches 1 Cor. 4. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 23. Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords-day is added in the old Greek-Copy as Beza witnesseth on 1 Cor. 16. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. The fourth Argument is from the proportion or equality of honour due to Christ with the Father Joh. 5. 23. The Son must be honoured equally with him and 't is no Robbery Phil. 2. 7. As the Father hath been honoured with the Seventh-day Observation his resting day from the Creation to the Redemption of the World So the Son must be honoured from thence to the consummation of the World with the first-days observation which was his resting day Heb. 4.
10. and that from a greater work as Jer. 23. 7 8. otherwise there would be no equality The 5 Argument is the prophecies of the old Test that the Sabbath of the new Test should be on the first-day of the week as the Institution of Circumcision on the eighth-day the Psalms on Shemineth or eights and Psal 110. 3. with 118. 24. Math. 21. 42. Act. 4. 11. speaks all of this day as the latter Scripture expounds the former c. The 6 Argument is the prerogative of this day above other days as on this day 1 The light was Created and the Angels of Light also 2 Israel went through the Red Sea Ancients say 3 God fed them with Manna 4 Also on this day the star appeared to the wise men and 5 That Christ fed 500. with 5 Loaves and 6 Was Baptized on it however rose upon it And 7 is Gods Judgments upon profaners of it and the 8 The constant and continued custom of the Church to keep it in all ages since Christ 13. The second thing after the pregnant considerations is the practical and profitable Directions how the Christian Sabbath may be Sanctified so as to bring a Spiritual blessing into the Soul The first Direction prepare to meet your God O Christian Amos 4. 12. there is no work either Natural or Artificial but it requires preparation how much more this Religious work the Husbandman prepares for his Husbandry and the Musician for his Musick and shall not you that are part of Gods Husbandry 1 Cor. 3. 9. have your Soil prepared for the Celestial seed O pray to the only preparer of hearts Prov. 16. 1. to the skilful Musician that he may tune your harp your heart to Sions Songs and Sabbath-services that you may make melody therewith and therein to the Lord Eph. 5. 19. The second Direction is set some time apart at least the evening before the Sabbath to trim your Lamps for meeting your Bridegroom Math. 25. 7. The Traveller makes all ready over night for his Journey intended next morning and that Oven which is heated the night before will be the sooner fitted for baking in the following day the Jews had their preparation for the Sabbath the evening before it Mark 15. 42. Joh. 19. 31. their preparation to the Sabbath began at three a Clock in the afternoon having Sabbatulum ante Sabbathum afore Sabbath before the Sabbath Those of Tiberias began the Sabbath sooner then others as those of Trephore continued longer laying down this as their Rule as Buxtorf relates Tutius est tollere de profano addere ad Sacrum quam tollere de Sacro addere ad profanum 'T is safer to pinch a part of the week-day than the least part of the Sabbath-day Our own Chronicles tell us that the Saxons in those dark times were so devout as not to allow their secular affaires to entrench upon their Sabbath-days Devotion and therefore began their preparation at three in the afternoon on the last day of the week insomuch that our forefathers at the Ringing of the Bell to Prayer at that hour the Husband-man would give over his labour in the Field and the Trades-man his work in the Shop and set themselves to prepare for the Sabbath Clarks Engl. Martyr Pag. 30. Tells of Edgars Law to this purpose And Tacitus saith Nox diem ducere videtur the night seems to lead the day as the evening in Gen. 1. is all along set before the Morning and therefore the evening before must belong to it O how the Devotion of those dark days condemns the Indevotion of our more knowing times wherein Men are so far degenerated from their Auncestors Zeal that they dare entrench upon the holy time either in worldly works or in foolish games as if the waters of the Sanctuary that full-Sea of knowledg promised Esa 11. 9. had extinguished the fire of the Sanctuary to wit that former Zeal and fervent devotion in Solemnizing Gods Sacred Sabbath in the entire extent of it ☜ I the longer insist upon this second Direction because usually as men measure to God in preparation God remeasureth to men in performance of his blessing I have found my best Prognosticks about what communion with God I should enjoy on the Sabbath-day from the Divine influences I have had upon my heart the evening before 15. The third Direction is Remember not only to prepare for it but also to long after it as a day of desires to your Soul the preface Remember spreads it self over all the duties of the Sabbath before in and after also Drusius tells of an holy Jew that would usually go out early in the Morning of the Sabbath and having put on his best Apparrel would cry out Veni sponsamea come my blessed Bride thou art welcom as being exceeding glad of ' its comming If you with the Mariner have lanched out your heart the Ship out of the Haven of Worldly mud over night you will long for the Morning as Psal 130. 6. to hoise up Sail for your Voyage to the Cape of good Hope and you cannot then but rise early as Israel did in their Siege of Jericho upon the Sabbath day Josh 6. 15. have not you the strong holds of Sin as they had the walls of Jericho to batter down O long for this Queen of days as the Antients cal'd it for your Souls market-day having cast up all your Spiritual wants overnight Say with David my Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord O when shall I come and appear before him c. Psal 8. 42. 63. 1. 42. 1 2. 16. The fourth Direction is Improve every part and parcel of the Lords Sabbath for your Souls edification and advantage either publickly or privately in holy and Religious exercises the Hebrew word Shamer to keep the Sabbath signifies such a careful and diligent keeping as is that of Gold or precious things which a man would not lose any part or parcel of how careful is the Gold-Smith of keeping the very filings of his Gold and the Apothecary in his beating of Pearl to Powder is extraordinary watchful that the least dust of it fly not out of his Mortar and why Because a little of such things is very pretious and of great value Thus the smallest part of this Holy-day is of great price take heed of loseing the least moment of the pretious Sabbath one Inch whereof the Damned in Hell would give worlds for if they had them but improve the whole day for Gods glory and your Souls good O then that practice of too many persons in too many places in making Gods Sacred Sabbath the very voider and dunghil for all refuse-businesses putting them off to that day must needs be a great provocation to the most high and holy God 't is a Scripture wonder will a man rob God or Hebr. will Adam plunder Elohim Mal. 3. 8. Seeing the whole day is consecrated both by God and also as