time of this distresse did he trespasse yet more against the Lord This is that King Ahaz XLV PROPOSITION As the sanctifying and religious observing of the Sabbath day doeth not exempt and excuse Christians from the performance of some religious duties upon the sixe working daies as it hath beene shewed and proved above Proposit 7. so neither doeth the performance of some religious duties on the sixe working daies morning and evening usually and at other times of the day or whole daies occasionally give any exemption or liberty unto them from their sanctifying oâ the Sabbath day wholly But they are bound to keepe the Sabbath day holy both in a forbearance of all civill works recreations and also in an applying of themselves to pious services throughout the day either in publick or private or secret as occasion and opportunity serveth PROOF This is the maine scope of the fourth commandement of the Decalogue Exod. 20.8 10. Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy In it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant c. And thus the godly have been wont to approve themselves both in the old and new Testament See this in the religious Eunuchs and sons of strangers who kept Gods Sabbath and did not pollute it Isaiah 56.4 6. The Apostle John being in the Isle called Patmos was in the spirit or spiritually exercised on the Lords day Revel 1.10 The disciples at Troas observed the first day of the weeke or Lords day comming together to the word and Sacrament and conversing therein throughout the day I. REAS. Because the Lord hath blessed and hallowed the Sabbath day unto religious exercises and propounded his owne example to be a president herein See Exod. 20.11 And he rested the seventh day Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it II. REAS. Because such families as keepe the Sabbath day holy doe thereby declare themselves to be the people of God forâ hallowing the Sabbath is an indicant signe of acknowledgment of respect unto the affirmative parts of the three first commandements of the first Table viz. of having the Lord to be ones God and worshipping and honouring him c. See Ezek. 20.19 20. I am the Lord your God walke in my Statuteâ keepe my Iudgments doe them And hallââ my Sabbaths and they shal be a signe betweeneâ and you that ye may know that I am the Lorâ your God III. REAS. Because the Lord hath made very precious promises to all such as doe conscionably keepe and sanctify the Sabbath day See Isa 58.13 14. If thou turne away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor finding thine owne pleasure nor speaking thine owne words Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth anâ feede thee with the heritage of Jacob thâ father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This goodnesse of God shoulâ prevaile with his people to feare him anâ keepe his commandements See Hos 3.5 IV. REAS. Because of the severity of God against profaners and breakers of the Sabbath day manifested by his threatning and executing of punishments See Jerem. 17.27 But if you will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day and not to beare a burden even entring in at the gates of Ierusalem on the Sabbath day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devoure the palaces of Ierusalem and it shall not be quenched Exod. 35.2 Whosoever doeth worke therein shal be put to death Numb 15.36 And all the Congregation brought him the Sabbath breaker without the campe and stoned him with stones and he died as the Lord commanded Moses This terrour of the Lord should perswade men See 2 Cor. 5.11 I. OBSERV The law of the Sabbath day is one of the ten commandements Exod. 34.28 It is one of the lawes of nature written in mens hearts that sufficient time be taken unto Gods solemne worship which God according to his infinite wisdome hath appointed determined shal be one of seven See Rom. 2.14 15. Eccles 3.1 compar Exod. 20.10 11. Act. 20.7 II. OBSERV The doing of the works of piety mercy and necessity on the Sabbath day in a due way are not any breach or profanation of the day but rather such duties as ought to be done which doe also tend to the sanctifying thereof as being agreeabââ to the minde of God who is the Lord ãâã the Sabbath day and will have mercy anâ not sacrifice inasmuch as he made the Sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath See Math. 12.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Mark 2 2â Luk. 13.15 16. III. OBSERV It is a vaine sinfull pretence of Anabaptists and Libertines that iâ these daies of the Gospell our Christian lâberty freeth us from the strict observation of any one day of the weeke unto the Lord more then any other of the sixe pretending that every day ought to be a Sabbath day to Christians alledging and objecting Coloss 2.16 Hebr. 4.10 in defence of their errour and so for want of understanding learning and stability doe wrest these other places in the Apostle Pauls Epistles to their owne destruction as the Apostle Peter sheweth 2 Pet. 3.15 16. The text Coloss 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meate or in drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies is to be understood of Jewisâ festivities in their severall kindes and not of the morall Sabbath day But if the morall Sabbath day be at all meant then it is only in respect of observing the last day of the weeke sith the first day of the weeke was now appointed to be observed for the Sabâath day in the daies of the new Testament âee Act. 20.7 1 Corinth 16.2 Revel 1.10 The text Hebr. 4.10 For he that is entred ânto his rest he also hath ceased from his owne âorke as God did from his is to be understood âouching the state condition of the people âf God that did live and were under the old Testament aswell as of their state that doe âive and are under the new Testament and âherefore ought not to be restrained unto âhese daies and times of the Gospell For so âhe scope and coherence of the text doeth âasily and plainly make manifest to any considerate and judicious reader thereof XLVI PROPOSITION The religious duties and services which Christian families ought to observe and attend on the Sabbath day are cheifly those which ought to be performed conversed in in the publick and solemne assemblies of the Church or Congregation assembled together to such end PROOF The members of the Church at Troas and other brethren occasion there assembled on
that I may daily performe my vowes So the Christians in the new Testament had respect not only unto the Lords day to keepe it holy Act. 20.7 Vpon the first day of the weeke the disciples came together to breake bread c. but also to religious exercises daily Act. 17.11 And searched the Scriptures daily I. REAS. Because God is the absolute soveraigne Lord of every day to order and dispose of it as seemeth good unto the will of his divine pleasure Psal 74.16 The day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sunne And therfore he hath authority to command and appoint such service to be done as he pleaseth either in our generall or particular callings II. REAS. Because in the old Testament there were sundry times set apart unto divine worship by Gods owne institution and appointment besides the morall Sabbath day Levit. 23.4 c. These are the feasts of the Lord even holy convocations which ye shall proclaime in their seasons viz. The Passover The feast of the first fruits of Pentecost of Trumpets of Tabernacles the day of atonement c. So that the keeping of the morall Sabbath should be no prejudice to religious service at any other seasonable times OBSERVAT. The meaning of the argument used to perswade unto the religious keeping of the Sabbath day in Exod. 20.9 Sixe daies shalt thou labour doe all thy worke c. seemeth to be that the works of mens particular callings may ought to be done only within the space of the sixe daies of the weeke and not on the seventh or Sabbath day But it doth not follow hence as if men were not allowed to serve God religiously at any time within the sixe daies And this will further appeare if it be also observed that labour in mens particular callings is not commanded in the fourth commandement of the Decalogue sith it is in the first table which enjoyneth our duty towards God but it seemeth to be required in the eight commandement which is in the second table directing our duty towards our selves and our neighbours VIII PROPOSITION The worship and religious seâvice which ought to be perfoâmed unto God every day is tâ Prayer 11. Some exercise in thâ holy Scripture and III. Godlâ Meditation The Proofes and Reasons of this Propâsition are to be seene in the declaration ãâã these kindes of religious services distinctly as followeth IX PROPOSITION Prayer unto God is a princâpall part of such religious woâship service as is taught in thâ holy Scriptures in which the people of God ought to spend somâtime every day PROOF This Proposition is by goodâ just consequence implied in the Lords prâyer as it is usually styled in that fourth âârection or petition Math. 6.11 Give us ãâã day our daily bread which is also expressed the same effect Luk. 11.3 For hereââ we are given to understand that it is our duty to seeke unto God every day for a supply of daily requisites for subsistance in this life And this is manifest the rather if we doe observe that the terme or adverbiall particle of time This day or To day implieth Every day as it shall succeed other day by day continually I. REAS. Because whereas the evills miseries of sinne punishment are every day incident Math. 6.34 Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof Prayer to God is a most effectual meanes to prevent or stay or remove the same See this Amos 7.2 3 4 5 6. 1. Chron. 4.10 Amos and Iabez by their prayers prevented stayed and removed invading evills God accepting them And thus much may also be gathered from the following directions and deprecations in the Lords prayer Math. 6.12 13. Forgive us our debts Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill For God is able to keepe from falling Iude ver 24. to subdue iniquity Micah 7.19 to deliver out of temptation 2. Pet. 2.9 to uphold in weaknesse 2. Cor. 12.9 and to stay the course of evills 2. Chron. 30.20 Yet notwithstanding he wil be sought unto therein Ezek. 36. vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them II. REAS. Because Prayer to God that most powerfull way and meanes whicâ God hath ordained and sanctified for thâ obteining of such blessings as he purposeâ to bestow upon his people As it is directâ taught Math. 7.7 8. Aske and it shal be givââ you seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shââââ opened unto you For every one that asketh ââceiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to bâ that knocketh it shal be opened Ierem. 29 1â 13. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go ãâã pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Aââ ye shall seeke me and finde me when ye shall seââââ for me with all your heart III. REAS. Because Prayer giveth ãâã sanctified and comfortable use of such blââsings and mercies as are already possessed aââ enjoyed by the people of God See 1 Tiâ 4.4 5. Every creature of God is good c. for ãâã is sanctified by the word and prayer OBSERVAT. When God is sought unââ every day by prayer for a bestowing of daâââ requisites it is a good testimony that theââ is an acknowledgment and dependance tâ his gracious providence fatherly dispeâsation continually as it is implied in Psal 6 2. O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall ãâã flesh come The Psalmist David in time of thâ famine which lasted three yeeres soughâ unto God for daily bread 2. Sam. 21.1 c And having received an answer of peace he penned as may be probably conjectured the 65th Psalme to expresse his gratitude and to teach others how to demeane themselves in time of straits and wants namely to goe to God that heareth prayers when he is sought unto and called upon X. PROPOSITION The best and most acceptable way and course for the people of God to approve themselves in the performance of the service of prayer is that having a gift of knowledge and utterance they doe not limit stint themselves unto a set forme of words but rather that they doe conceive their Prayer as cause occasion shall justly require PROOF The holy servants of God mentioned and approved of in Scripture in their course of praying have beene wont usually for the most part to coÌceive their prayers Daniel greatly beloved wheÌ he understood by his reading in the booke of the prophesy of Jeremiah the number of the yeeres to be accomplished in the desolations of Jerusalem conceiveth his prayer accordingly See Dan. 9.1 c. The booke of God is plentifull in instances of this kinde as may be seene in the booke of Psalmes and otheâ historicall books I. REAS. Because every gift of God Spirit and consequently the gift of prayer ought to be stirred up and exercised according to just occasions offering themselves See 2 Timoth. 1.6 I
thou shalt meditate therein day and night And accordingly the godly-wise have beene wont to exercise themselves See Gen. 24.63 The Patriarch Isaac vvent out into the field to meditate at eventide It seemeth it was his usuall course David was frequent herein See Psal 119. â O how I love thy law it is my meditation the day I. REAS. Because godly meditation very profitable and helpfull to furnish a store the heart with good matter to be uâred according to occasion offering it selââ The most wise king Solomon had good ââperience herein See Psal 45.1 My heââ inditing a good matter I speake of the things whââ I have made touching the King My tongue is âpen of a ready vvriter c. II. REAS. Because good meditation ãâã much affect the heart according to ãâã subject that is meditated upon See Psââ 119.15 I vvill meditate saith David on ãâã precepts and have respect unto thy vvaies Aââ he had said A meditation on Gods precepâ is singularly usefull to worke my heart uâââ a respect of Gods waies and therefore I wââ meditate on them So likewise vers 55. ibiââ I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the nigââ and have kept thy lavv As if he had said Mââ remembring and meditating on thy Naââ in the night season hath beene effectuall ââ stirre me up unto the observing keeping of thy law OBSERV Meditation is either occasioânall or set and deliberate I. Occasionall meditation is a making use âf such things as by the providence of God âo offer themselves to our eyes eares c. ãâã we are in our callings as the circumstances will permit Thus Peter meditated on his âeliverance out of prison See Act. 12.11 II. Set and deliberate meditation is when here is a purposed sequestring ones selfe part to performe this exercise more thoâoughly and a making use of some fit and âlect matters to be meditated on and then ââlarging the minde and affections thereâbouts See Gen. 24.63 XXI PROPOSITION The most seasonable and fitting âime of every day ought to be âllotted and taken for the daily âorship and service which God âequireth his people to performe unto him PROOF The Lord himselfe giveth this direction unto his people of Israel See Numb 28.1 2. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Command the children of Israel and say unto them My offering and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire for a svveet savour unto me shall yee observe to offer unto me in their due season Levit. 23.4 These are the feasâââ the Lord even holy convocations vvhich yeeâââ proclaime in their seasons I. REAS. Because Time being a neceââry and unseparable adjunct of every actioââ be done therefore the most seasonableâ convenient time ought to be discernedâ laid hold on thereunto Eccles 3.1 ãâã every thing there is a season and a time to ãâã purpose under the heaven c. II. REAS. Because seasonable performââces of any businesses takeÌ in hand doe mââ beautify and adorne the same Eccles 3.1 God hath made every thing beautifull in his tiââ Prov. 15.23 A word spoken in due season ãâã good is it OBSERV When in Scripture the peoâââ of God are required to doe any duety ãâã waies or continually viz. 1 Thess 5. â 17. Rejoyce evermore Pray without ceasing ãâã The meaning seemeth to be that thankâââving and prayer and other religious dutiâââ and exercises ought to be performed at sââsonable and fitting times for performaâââ thereof Otherwise the duties of their pââticular callings would be wholly interrupâ and neglected which yet are allowed ãâã enjoyned to be done 2 Thess 3.10 Albââ these are not to be left undone Math. 2â 23. Allus For as Mephibosheth his eaâââ âread continually at Davids table 2 Sam. 9.7 âmported that he did eate every day at Daâids table at usuall meale-times or at the âccustomed times of eating so it is in this âase also of time for religious duties viz. in âhe seasons thereof XXII PROPOSITION Morning and Evening are the most seasonable and fitting times of every day for the performance of the religious duties of prayer ând Scripture-exercises above mentioned PROOF God the Father who hath put âhe times and seasons in his owne power Act. 1.7 did appoint the morning and the âvening for his service day by day even his âaily burnt offering of two lambs Numb â8 4 The one lambe shalt thou offer in the morâing and the other lambe shalt thou offer at even c. And accordingly the godly who have âehaved themselves wisely in their waies âave ordered their course See Psal 5.3 My voice shalt thou heare in the morning O Lord ân the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee âs incense and the lifting up of my hands as the âvening sacrifice I. REAS. Because the variety of the âââcasions and affaires of every day and the ââcessities of every night are such as have ãâã of Gods counsell and encouragement in ãâã outgoing of the morning and evening ãâã every day and night if so they may be mâââ to rejoyce Now this shal be effected ãâã a seasonable converse with God morning ãâã evening every day See Psal 65.2 Oâââ that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh coâââ compar vers 8. Thou makest the outgoing of ãâã morning and evening to rejoyce II. REAS. Because in the morning uââally mens spirits are most fresh and apâââ any undertakings as is implied Job 11. ââ So that it is meetest to give unto God sâââ first fruits Allus Prov. 3.9 Honour ãâã Lord with thy substance and with the first frâââ of all thine increase And in the evening uââally men are freest from the distractions ãâã their worldly businesses and imploymenââ in regard of darknesse overtaking as is iâplied Psal 104.23 And in that respect ãâã freest at such time for Gods service Sâââ Psal 3. vers 4 5. I cried unto the Lord with ãâã voice and he heard me out of his holy hill Selâââ I laid me downe and slept c. OBSERV Prayer Scripture-exercisââ morning and evening are the godly ãâã his keyes to unlock and open for him ãâã blessings to be enjoyed in the day time and to lock and shut up the discomforts and dangers of the night season So that the Sunne âhall not smite by day nor the Moone by âight Psal 121.6 XXIII PROPOSITION Albeit Prayer and some Scripture-exercise ought to be conversed in both morning and evening every day yet in some cases viz. of mercy and necessity there may be an omission thereof otherwise not PROOF The Passeover that solemne ordinance of God for the Israelites might ân some cases be forborne and omitted for time viz. in case of a journey or some uncleanesse c. Numb 9.13 So the religious duties for the day when such works doe interpose as the time and occasion will not permit to be performed may be omitted at such time See Math. 12.7 I will have mercy and not sacrifice
I. REAS. Because the Lord God who âs the onely absolute lawgiver Isaia 33.22 may dispense with his owne law as seemeth good unto himselfe and as sometimes he hath done He dispensed sometime wiââ the sixt commandement of the Decalogue Thou shalt not kill when he appointed Abâham to offer up his sonne Isaac See Geââ 22.2 And with the eight commandemenâ Thou shalt not steale when he directed thâ Israelites to spoile or rob the Egyptian See Exod. 3.22 II. REAS. Because God the Father whââ hath put the times in his owne power hâving an absolute soveraignty over them ãâã is expressed Psal 74.16 The day is thine ãâã night also is thine may therefore disposeâ them according to the will of his owâ pleasure See Matth. 12.8 The sonne of mââ Lord even of the Sabbath day OBSERV The Soveraigne Lord Goâ may doe with his owne what he wilâ Math. 20.15 Is it not lawfull for me to doe wââ I will with mine owne He may appoint thâ same time to a worke of mercy or necessity which he hath ordinarily designed unto thâ solemne serving of him See Math. 12.7 8. XXIV PROPOSITION When by occasion of works of necessity any one is necessitateâ to an omission of such religious serving of God in Prayer and Scripture-exercise which ought to be performed morning and evening every day Then such omission ought notwithstanding to be very greivous and taken to heart greatly by him that is exposed to so great straits PROOF This Proposition is implied in another case intimated by our Saviour Christ when he had foretold the destruction of Ierusalem unto his disciples See Math. 24.20 Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day For it would be greivous to fly on the Sabbath day consecrated to religious serving of God though necessity did compell thereunto sith by such flight there must needs be an unavoidable omission of the solemne worship of God So it is in other cases likewise I. REAS. Because through an omission of solemne serving of God there must needs be a want of that blessed comfort and reviving which is wont to be found in sweet communion with God therein This is evident from that complaint of David in his necessitated want of Gods solemne worship occasioned by Sauls persecuting of him Psal 63.1 2. My soule thirsteth for thee my flââ longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land who no water is To see thy power and thy glory as have seene thee in the Sanctuary There is the same reason for complaint in regard of necessary omission of solemne serving of God morning and evening II. REAS. Because there is great dangeâ of spirituall distemper in the soule of a Christian through omission of any daily duty ãâã religion For so the Apostle Paul giveth ãâã understand as it is implied Hebr. 3.13 But exhort one another daily while it is called To day lest any of you be hardened through thâ deceitfulnesse of sinne OBSERV As the want of corporall repaââ although it be but for a day will occasion and cause some faintings of spirits as is to be seene in that fainting that was in the people in Sauls army when they had had no fooâ for the space of one day See 1 Sam. 14 2â.29 So likewise in the want of spiritual repast to be tasted in Gods ordinances thâ soule or inward man wil be apt and ready ãâã faintings as David professeth Psal 84. ââ My soule fainteth for the courts of the Lord c This is likewise appliable in the case of daiââ serving of God XXV PROPOSITION Vnjust and sleight pretences of want of leisure through some urgent necessity for performance of religious service at seasonable times ought carefully to be taken heed of and avoided PROOF The Prophet Haggai doeth notably convince the Jews after their returne from the captivity of grosse failing for a sleight excusing their delay of reedifying the Temple Hag. 1. vers 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying This people say The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built c. I. REAS. Because vaine pretences and excuses do argue and bewray unsoundnesse of heart and notorious hypocrisy which God the searcher of mens hearts and waies Jerem. 17.10 taketh notice of and convinceth as tending to apostacy See 1 Timoth. 4.2 Speaking lies in hypocrisie having their conscience seared with an hot yron II. REAS. Because such hypocriticall pretences and excuses will affoard no solid comfort in the latter end to such as make use of them as is noted Isa 33.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shall dweââ with the devouring fire who amongst us shalâ dwell with everlasting burnings OBSERV It is utterly a fault to be addicted to excuses yea it will find out in duâ time and cause ruine It was inexcusable on Sauls part to command the Priest to withdraw his hand by occasion of an unjust feare of danger 1 Sam. 14.19 It was the fault of Felix to dismisse the Apostle Paul as he was preaching upon a pretence of taking a more convenient season to send for him againe Act. 24. vers 25. It was the sinne of Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat who made Israel to sinne to hinder the ten tribes from going up to Jerusalem to worship pretending it would be too much paines for them 1 King 12.28 Thus it is in all vaine and unwarrantable excuses XXVI PROPOSITION More or lesse time ought to be spent every day in religious exercises according to the gifts state degree calling and condition of persons as they shall require or admit PROOF See Luk. 12.48 Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shal be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more I. REAS. Because God who dispenseth his gifts diversly even to every one according to his ability of imploying them viz. giving to one five talents to another two to another one Math. 25.15 He doth accordingly reckon with them vers 19. ibid. II. REAS. Because God graciously accepteth and abundantly recompenseth the religious service that any one doeth performe in trueth and sincerity according to his talent whether it be more or lesse See 2 Corinth 8.12 For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not OBSERV In the time of the Ceremoniall law the people of God were required to offer onely as their state and ability would suffer See an instance hereof in the case of a womans purification Levit. 12.8 If she be not able to bring a lambe then she shall bring two turtles or two yong pigeons the one for the burnt offering and the other for a sinne offering and the Priest shall make an atonement for her and she shal be cleane Our Saviour Christ likewise doth highly valew the widows farthing cast into the treasury Mark 12. vers 4ââ XXVII PROPOSITION The daily worship and service