all the Ten to signifie that Faith and a New Heart are necessary Antedecents for both Negative and Positive obedience to follow for a man must Be good before he can Do good Eight Note 8. Negatives include Positives Every Negative command includes a Positive command i e when God forbiddeth evil Expressely he biddeth good Implicitly e g Thou shalt have no other gods before me †Exo. 20.3 there is the evil of idolatry forbid Expressely thou shalt have Me for thy God there is the good of choosing God commanded Implicitly Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain * Ver. 7. this is the evil forbid thou shalt talk Vertuously and Graciously of thy God this is the good commanded Thou shalt not Kill commit Adultery Steal c †Ver. 13 14 15. these are evils expressely Forbid thou shalt Prevent murder adultery theft in Others by good counsel if thou canst this is good implicitly Commanded Positives include Negatives And Positive commands include Negative commands e g Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy * Ver. 8. there is good expressely Commanded remember it not to Prophane it with thy Own works words thoughts there is evil implicitly Forbid Honour thy father and thy mother †Ver. 12. is good Commanded dishonour them not is the evil Forbid Ninth Note 9. A negative includes negatives A Negative command includes Many negative commands The sin forbid is forbid in Act Word and Thought and the Occasion of it and whatsoever hath a Tendency to it And these Inclusive commands are Expressed as they are Branched out in the Bible e g Thou shalt have no other gods before me q d No National god imaginable no Personal or private god of wood to worship in thy House no god of Gold in thy Heart thy Self Wife Child House Land Friend Goods Gold shall not be thy gods as they will Be if loved more than Me. And see with what Caution the Occasion of idolatry is forbid in these Texts * Deu. 12.30 Thou shalt not Kill not with Hand Ch. 13.1 3. Mouth murder nor with Tongue to be a Mouth-murderer as some call a Slanderer and so we may call an evil Counceller Not with Heart to be a Heart-murderer he that hates his brother is a murderer †1 Joh. 3.15 Kill not by evil Counsel or bad Example neither Do nor Say any thing that may Tend to or Occasion thy neighbours death in Body or Soul Thou shalt not kill thy Self Not with violent Hands nor with Words spoken against thy own life nor by Carelesnesse of deaths and dangers nor by ill Diet not by Drunkennesse nor by Gluttony Plures periere Gula quam Gladio more die by the Board than by the Sword Thou shalt not commit adultery Not in Act nor in Heart whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his Heart * Mat. 5.28 Christ calleth a Thought an Act to signifie that Smal sin in Mans sight is Great sin in GOD's sight Thou shalt not occasion it by unclean Cogitations and Contemplations nor by adulterous Discourses with Delilahs Remove thy way F AR from her and come not nigh the door of her house †Pro. 5.8 Simile As he that carrieth Gun powder about him had need keep far from Fire so he that carrieth Corruption had need keep far from Temptation As when children meet a Horse Simile Cart or Cow they will if timerous run Ten times farther out of the way than need so let men learn to flee from Sin Keep thee Far from a false matter * Exo. 23.7 Avoid it passe not by it turn from it and passe away †Pro. 4.15 The law is Spiritual * Ro. 7.14 it forbids the Least evil motion and First carnal conception it commands our Spirits and Hearts to be holy it condemneth for the most Secret sin in the Soul It is called the Royal law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingly law †Jam. 2.8 it is the law of the King of Kings No earthly Kings law can condemn a man for a secret thought against the King Dissimile but this Divine Law of the King of Heaven can and doth it condemneth a man for the most Secret thought against the Law-giver Tenth Note 10. A positive includes positives A Positive command includes Many positive commands e g Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy q d Remember it to Prepare for it to begin it Early to spend it in holy duties in holy discourses in holy meditations to be in the Spirit to cause all under you to keep it holy Honour thy Father and thy Mother Honour them in Deed in Word in Thought in their Presence in their Absence in their Old Age when tempted by the Devil and by the disobedient to dishonour them when they Please thee when they Displease thee Rebuke and Correct thee N B A Negative command inclusively commands All lawfull means to avoid the evil forbid and a Positive command inclusively commands All lawfull means to perform the good commanded On these things I have but Harped and Touched for One of these Ten Words is a great Text and to shew what is contained in a Commandment would make a long Sermon for thy commandment is Exceeding Broad †Psal 119.96 ¶ This tenth Note having some respect to the Sabbath A lesson for the Lords day leads me to leave this Lesson with you viz Fail not to learn your children to Reverence the Sabbath day FAR be it from you to follow our English Heathens Hatefull Heathens who let their children Loose to serve Satan on the Sabbath day Tell them of the Sore judgments God hath sent upon Sabbath-breakers for which Search the Scriptures and See the Practice of Piety Practice of Piety preferred one of the Best Books but one that ever was written and is like to rise up in judgment against many N B God delivered no other commandment as he delivered this for the Sabbath e g. 1 It hath a Memento presixt viz Remember 2 It is amplified with Arguments more than all the rest except the Second 3 It is delivered Positively keep it holy and Negatively thou shalt not do any work and so is no other commandment delivered FAIL not in this for the Fear of God this Glorious and Fearfull name THE LORD THY GOD * Deu. 28.58 Eleventh Note 11. Heaven and Earth made in Six dayes The GREAT GOD that was but Six dayes in making Heaven and Earth was twice Forty dayes and Forty nights in writing and delivering these Ten Words †Ex. 24.18 to remain a Law and Rule for mans life And Moses was as long waiting Ch. 34.28 prostrate on his Face fasting to receive them * Deu. 9.9 10 11 18. he did neither eat bread nor drink water but did uncessantly attend this Heavenly
Deu. 23.19 detaining of wages pledges fraud deceit false weights and measures * Chap. 25.13 14. The ninth commandment containeth Laws against false witnesse back-biting tale-bearing giving or taking of Bribes to blind the eyes to ill ends †Ex. 23.8 Deu. 16.19 The tenth commandment containeth Laws against evil thoughts and is very direct against desires after whatsoever is our neighbours and as a Sword should cut the cords of covetousnesse in Sunder This Second Table containeth all mans Duty to man Thus far of the M L. Fath. What say you of the C L Min. The C L respected Typical worship Of the C L. of which Sacred Ceremonies there were 4 Sorts 1 Holy Persons viz High priests Priests Levites Nazarites 2 Holy Places viz the Tabernacle the Temple and other places of Divine appointment where God recorded his Name * Exo. 20.24 3 Holy Things viz the Ark Oyl Fire holy-Water First-fruits Incense Burnt-offerings Meat-offerings Peace-offerings Sin-offerings Silver trumpets 4 Holy Times viz Holy dayes as New moons Ceremonial Sabbaths Feasts viz feast of Passe-over and unleavened bread feast of Pentecost feast of Tabernacles feast of Trumpets feast of Attonement Holy years viz the Sabbatical or Seventh year †Lev. 25.2 3 4. the year of Jubile or the Fiftieth year * Ver. 8.10 Fath. What of the Judicial Law Min. The Judicial Law was made to provide punishments for Offenders against the M L Of the Judicial Law and the C L for a Rule to punish by according to Equity and Justice For Capital offences the Jews had 4 kinds of death viz Stoning Strangling Beheading and Burning Crucifying was not by their law but by Pilate's the Roman Deputy †Mat. 20.19 Jo. 18.32 For offences not Capital they had Scourging Imprisonment Restitution Retaliation ¶ By these three Sorts of Laws the Jews were governed By the M L as they were Men and a Humane Society by the C L as they were a Church so constituted and a Sacred Society by the Judicial Law as they were a Common-wealth and a Civil Society Fath. How is the M L abolished and how is it not abolished Min. The M L as a C W Abolition of the M L. or the Curse and Rigour of the law which separateth man from God is abolished and made void for true Believers but as to the Doctrine Discipline Government of it for rule of life it is as Permanent as Heaven and Earth Fath. How is the C L abolished Min. The Practice of the C L which separated man from man viz Jew and Gentile Abolition of the C L. is abolished for he is our Peace who hath made Both One and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us * Eph. 2.14 But though it is out of use as it was Practical yet it is in use as it is Doctrinall Fath. How is the Judicial Law abolished Abolition of Ju Law Min. The Judicial Law is abolished as it provided punishment for Sin against the C L. Like as Flowers or Plants are fenced to keep them from being broken down while they are to Stand Simile so was the C L fenced with the Judicial Law but when these Plants are plucked up to what end shall the fence Stand e g The 10 day of the 7 month was a Ceremonial holy day he that did any work was to be destroyed by the Judicial Law †Lev. 23.27 30. but now this C L is abolished this Plant plucked up the Judicial Law the fence is gone too But Judicial Laws to punish Offenders against the M L are not abrogate but Permanent and are to be used with discretion by the godly Civil Magistrate who is to administer Justice and execute them on Offenders e g If a man kill a man and so break the Sixth commandment he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword * Rev. 13.10 whoso sheddeth mans blood the Judicial Law is in full force by man Shall his blood be shed †Gen. 9.6 ¶ Thus God who foreknew mans Fall Wonderfull wisdom and made a C G with Christ before he made a C W with Adam hath in wisdom So delivered this Sacred Divine Law of the Decalogue that it should contain in Ten Words the whole Duty of man to GOD and Man in his threefold State 1 In a State of Innocency 2 In a Fallen State 3 In a State of Grace by Jesus Christ I conclude these 12 Notes on the Ten Commandments with Davids prayer LORD Open thou mine eyes that I may behold Wonderous things out of thy LAW * Psal 119.18 Fath. I see now my perswasion of the Decalogue was no delusion but O how little do I see I and others had need use David's prayer for light in God's law but I fear our Antinomians who do so slight it will never pray for light in it Min. They that see by the light of Strange Fire and are so deep-learned in the Doctrine of Devils as to deny Gods law to be a rule of life are never like to use David's prayer for light in God's law for their light being darknesse they see not so much as their own ignorance nor the danger of self-conceitednesse and so are like to go into the land of outer darknesse Fath. God be mercifull to me and deliver me from Antinomian delusion sometimes when I talk with Mr A I am ready to Q whether the law be any rule of life or no. Min. You pray well but look a little dull if it may recreate and not corrupt you let me tell you a Story viz A German woman desiring to rid the house of her husband German woman cast him into a deep sleep and then Dresses Shaves Cuts and Clips him into the fashion of a Fryar A godly Minister is my Author When he wakes she Stares and Storms q d What does this Fryar here in my house Fryar q d Wife art mad doest not know thy husband Still she storms bawls and fumes against the Fryar The man being amazed looks in the glass to see if he can know himself but seeing himself in such a Shape he almost believed he was a Fryar as his wife affirmed Thus the Antinomians use the law e g 1 They paddle with the Preface viz I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt that belongs to the Jews only and so is rejected Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to cut off that they bring this as a Sword every one shall die for his own iniquity †Jer. 31.30 Remember the Sabbath day forsooth that is Ceremonial and so Snipt off That thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee that belongs to the Jews and so is clipt off Having thus maimed and dismembred the Decalogue they wholly reject it that with the German woman they may be at liberty to go a whoring from God They
they shall be a Sign between Me and You that ye may know that I am the Lord your God Ezek. 20.20 Blessed is the Man that doth this and the Son of man that layeth bold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Isa 56.2 Also the sons of the Stranger that Joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it even them will I bring to my hold Mountain and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer Ver. 6 7. And he saw that Rest was Good and the Land that it was Pleasant and bowed his shoulder to bear and became a Servant unto tribute Gen. 49.15 LONDON Printed by J A for the Author 1681. The General Contents of the Third Dialogue THE Parents complaint of himselfe The Parents complaint of Mr S Mr A Mr L. Mr A with his Every day Sabbath confuted Mr L with his Never a day Sabbath confuted The change of the Sabbath for Mr S's conviction The beginning of the Sabbath the times contended for descoursed viz Morning Noon Even Midnight Six Objections against the true time Answered The time of Christs Resurrection occasionally discoursed The day of Adams fall occasionally discoursed Satans old enmity against the Sabbath Noted The month-day and week-day of Christs death discoursed The next day no Sabbath proved The Jews various division of the day into hours Of the Passeover Wave-day Seven-weeks Pentecost The Jews custom in Translating the Passeover The opinion of Pentecost on the first day disproved Of the Disciples meeting on the Pentecost Of Gods countenancing the Pentecost Of Jesus's exact observation of the Passeover and Sabbaths Moral and Ceremonial and the whole Law The day of Jesus's death declared and proved Divers Questions arising thereupon Answered An account of the Authors way in this work The Parent Cautioned and Counselled Ten Directions dropped for the Sabbath day Wherein we have an account Of The Day of Adams fall The day of Jesus's death Of The Sabbath ensuing the Wave-day the Pentecost Of The time of Jesus's burial The time Jesus lay dead Of The time of Jesus's Resurrection The beginning of the Sabbath All contrary to the Common Account A THIRD DIALOGUE Concerning the SABBATH-DAY Min. BEN BEN BEN Ben. Where what who calls me before I can see Min. O! Sleepy-head hear you not low hastily some one knocks at the door Pray rise and know the matter Ben. Sir I have been down to know his name and his businesse and he tells me it s he that sat so long with you under the Tree and he desires to speak with you Presently Min. Strike a light and let him in and tell him I will rise Fath. God Save you Sir I am compelled to come and visit you at an unseasonable time I hope you will hold me excused Min. Sir you are welcome to me but I wonder to see you in Town so Soon and am surprized to see you look so Sad. Pray what is the matter is all well at home Fath. All in health praised be God Parents complaint of Self but I am under Grief upon Grief It hath been a Sad time with me since we sat under the Tree though I concealed it from you in our last conference SAD I have Reason to be Sad indeed to think how sadly I have neglected my poor children Souls O to think how many times we have walked by the way and not a word of God! to think how many times they have been twatling about me in the house and not a word how many times they have been packed to bed and pulled out and not a Word of God have I spoken for their good O it hath cut me to the quick and put me upon prayer for pardon space and grace to do my duty And I did addict my self to it and began to find peace in it But yesterday after the afternoon Sermon as I was instructing my children about the Sabbath Parents complaint of Mr S Mr A Mr L. in came Mr S in anger and told me I kept the wrong day and said I should keep the Seventh day first appointed and never reprealed When he was gone Mr A came in and Laughed at me and my practice as a low thing viz to keep One day in a week and told me I should keep Every day as He did When he was gone Mr L came in and told me I should keep Never a day Sabbath for that command for a Sabbath was Ceremonial and long since ceased at Christ's death And my Children listened to this last with delight and now they slight the Sabbath and whatever I say for it and tell me Mr L is counted a wise man And under this Sorrow upon Sorrow I am so disquieted I am almost distracted In your last conference at end of the Tenth Note when you pressed it upon me to learn my Children to reverence the Sabbath I had a mind to ask you what Scripture proof we have for the change of the Day but I was loth to interrupt you but now being driven out in distresse I pray let me hear your reply to all these Opinions but chiefly for the change of the Sabbath Day Min. Did they use to be thus Opposite Fath. A little by the By when other businesse brought us together but now they came on Purpose and assaulted me as Never before Min. Just now as soon as you are set upon a Solemn work when the good seed is sown then comes the Devil †Lu. 8.12 Indeed you are to be pitied and so are they but I fear some of them will be plagued As for your former Sorrow it s Alway better than laughter * Ecl. 7.3 Sometimes better than joy there is sorrow that Dries the spirit this will Water it and so I praise God for it and passe it But this Last is the Pest that carries the Poyson in it for which I must provide some Antidote to expell it As for my reply to these persons Mr A who keeps every day Sabbath and Mr L who keeps never a day Sabbath Every day Never a day you may put them together for he that keeps Every day keeps Never a day and so look on them as two persons possessed by Satan above the dominion of God and under the dominiof the Devil But let us take them asunder again and speak to them apart ¶ 1 This Every day Sabbath is none of God's ordinance Mr A consuted for God's command is Six dayes shalt thou labour †Exo. 20.9 it must therefore be the Devils ordinance and to him it s observed as the Priests which God did not appoint are said to be ordained for the Devils * 2 Chro. 11 15. Mr A is blown up into the Air with a blast from the bottomlesse pit and puft up with Pride a Sabbath day a week is a weak thing with him he is a 7-fold Saint or under a 7-fold Deceit in the border of Heaven whence he is like
called Sabbath in several Scriptures e g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of the Sabbath * Mar. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First of the Sabbaths †Joh. 20.1 Cardinal for the Ordinal i e the New Sabbaths Paul went into the Synagogue on the Jews Sabbath day * Act. 13.14 and preached Jesus and when the Jews were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbath between †Ver. 42. See his Sermon from Ver 15 to Ver 42. i e between two Jewish Sabbaths which Sabbath was the first day and that was the Reason the Gentiles durst not name it till the Jews were gone out Thus far for Scripture Proof now for some Scripture Paralle ¶ 1 The seventh-day was kept in remembrance of God's Creation Scripture Parallel the first day is kept in remembrance of a New Creation by Christs Redemption As soon as man sinned there was Virtually a dissolution he and the world was at an end with him So as Christ was Virtually slain from the foundation of the world there was Virtually a New creation by prevention of a dissolution of the Old for by him all things consist * Col. 1.17 This new creation was called the world to come †Heb. 2.5 2 Paral. ¶ 2 The seventh day was kept in remembrance of Gods rest from his work of Creation the first day in remembrance of Christ's rest from his work of Redemption that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father * Joh. 5.23 As from the conclusion of the Creation men were to honour the Father with a day in remembrance of That so from the conclusion of Redemption are men to honour the Son with a day in remembrance of That When God had actually finished his work of Creation at end of the Sixth day he instituted a Sabbath the Seventh day so when Jesus had actually finished his work of Redemption at end of the Seventh day he instituted a Sabbath on the First day ¶ 3 The seventh day was kept in remembrance of a Delivery from Slavery †Deu. 5.15 3 Paral. so is the first day to be kept And though all men are not free indeed by Christs redemption so as to obtain Salvation yet is he in a sense the Saviour of all men * 1 Tim. 4.10 and may command all men to keep this day in remembrance of him N B When the seventh day Sabbath was in use it was said the government Shall be upon his shoulder †Isa 9.6 the government is not Now in the hand of God as Creatour but in the hand of Jesus as Redeemer for the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand * Joh. 3.35 which he will deliver to the Father at last day †1 Cor. 15.24 Judgments of God ¶ The Judgments of God which on the first day have befallen the prophaners of it will One day be a Witnesse for it though at present the plague of Pharoh be so upon the hearts of prophane and professing people that they are not moved at them viz 1 Gods judgments on mens houses and goods by fire e g Teverton Chesterton London though in this last Hell-born bloody Sinners were the Instrumental cause yet the inhabitants Sin was the Meritorious cause 2 On Sabbath-breakers Bodies who by the formidable hand of God have been struck Dead on this day in the very Act. 3 On Sabbath-breakers Souls who have proudly pretended to keep every day such have been and are commonly Cursed and Blasted and with all their Blaze brought to nought To which 1 adde 2 Queries for consideration and one Assertion for full satisfaction ¶ 1 Was not the Fourth command for a Sabbath Day placed among and one of the Ten 1 Q. to signifie it is Originally and Essentially Moral and Perpetual and sometimes put among Ceremonial Sabbaths * Lev. 23.2 3 4 5 6 7. to signifie that in respect of that circumstance of Time it was Typical and subject to change viz with respect to the Day ¶ 2 Did not Adam fall on the Sabbath Day 2 Q. and so break the first Sabbath that ever was made and if so did not that signifie the day was mutable as the fall and breach of the Tables containing the C W with Adam signified the mutation of that Covenant and the making of a New C from the beginning ¶ A first day Sabbath is in a Sense of as great Antiquity Assertion as the first Sabbath ordained for Adam in Innocency Though that was at the end of Gods Works it was at the beginning of mans Life God Ended his week with a Sabbath but man Began his week with a Sabbath It seems he was made at end of the Sixth day to begin his life on the Seventh day which was his First day though he was made a moment before the day began Adam was a Type of Jesus who began his New Life at his Resurrection with a Sabbath the first day of the week And so must we begin our week with a Sabbath a day for God First which is Certainly more acceptable to God than to serve our selves Six dayes first and then put off God blessed for ever with an Od day at last So much for the change of the Sabbath Day Fath. I am satisfied in the change of the Sabbath but I am at a losse to know when the Sabbath begins but I think it s not much matter for that so that a man keeps a day Min. HOW keep a Sabbath and not know when it begins nor ends nor Care to know consequently you will not care to know when Christ rose from the dead for his resurrection gives beginning to the Sabbath Nor will you care to know how long he lay dead What grown like Gallio †Act. 18.17 Simile Sir I am sorry to hear such an ungracious speech fall from your lips Suppose your self taken by cruel Turks a most loving friend to rescue you falls into their hands himselfe in which Skirmish you escape But for your sake he is cruelly used wounded mangled imprisoned in a dismal dungeon So many dayes Then escapes acquaints you with it and desires you for his sake to keep a day in remembrance of his deliverance beginning at the time when it was What would you not care to know when to begin nor End nor how long your friend lay bound truely you deserve to be retaken by the Turks without remedy Fath. I perceive by this you hold Jesus went to Hell but that many Divines deny and so do I for its contrary to Christs words upon the Crosse viz To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise * Lu. 23.43 If Christ went to Heaven how could he go to Hell Min. If he went to Both it s not so great a mystery as the Trinity God is
for his Author I leave it with you to look That Jesus was virtually slain as soon as Adam sinned Ideny not no doubt he undertook for man before man was †Pro. 8.23 Rev. 3.14 but that Jesus's death which was 4000 years after mans fall must needs be on that day and hour of the week on which man fell I reject as ridiculous If such had said Jesus Rose on the week day and hour that Adam Fell it had carried a fairer colour If men must search as far as the foundation of the world for a foundation to falsifie the day of Christs death it is pity they are not better busied But if Adam's fall on the Sixth day be a proof for Christs death on the Sixth day let us lay aside the day of Christs death a little and begin with Adams fall ¶ 1 Adam was a glorious piece of Gods creation Adam's Fall his Soul and Body was an Epitomy of Heaven and Earth and an house for God to inhabit To say Adam fell on the Sixth day is to liken God his Maker to a foolish Builder who lets the house fall under his hand before he can finish it ¶ 2 It seems by Sacred Scripture that neither Adam nor Angels fell on the Sixth day for in the conclusion of the Creation at the Close of the Sixth day God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and the evening and the morning were the Sixth day * Gen. 1.31 There is the Close up of the whole Creation complete ¶ 3 As it seems by Scripture Adam fell not on the Sixth day so it seems by Scripture he fell on the Seventh day and that is my perswasion And I will produce no other proof for it than the same Scripture your Author brings to prove Adam fell on the Sixth day viz that Hebrew Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam in honour did not abide a night †Ps 49.12 It seems he fell that first night which was on the first Sabbath day natural which began at Even ¶ Note Satans old enmity against the Sabbath Satans enmity at the Sabbath 1 He mystically murdered Adam and all his posterity on the first Sabbath that ever was 2 The first Bodily murder we know of in the world Satan acted by the hand of his servant Cain on the Sabbath day and for a Sabbath dayes service as I suppose by this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of dayes * Gen. 4.3 the Seventh day was the end of dayes for there never was more than 7 dayes 3 Satan sets his Servants a work many wayes to break the Sabbath And this enmity is not onely against Gods Sabbath but also against mans Soul In indignation against both this great governour drives on as if he would drive all before him into Hell fire At his command they curse swear whore pot pipe prate sport work play walk at pleasure all which paths lead to the Lake of fire The Sabbath is spent as if it was the Devils day and not Gods day It is the Devils great Trading day for Hell and the wickeds great Treasuring day for Wrath for sin on Other dayes does not fill the Vials of Gods wrath so fast as it doth on This day Adde to all Satans provoking his servants to persecute Saints on Sabbath dayes for the Service of God disturbing them in their meetings haling them to Prisions for using the liberty Christ hath given them 4 Satan is very busie with Saints on Sabbath dayes He tempts them to work and buy and sell when the Sabbath is begun in the Evening To lay in Bed in the morning To trifle away time when they are Up. To talk of controversies Saints both sleep and wake to Satan and impertineneies to absent from Sermons to Sleep to him at Sermons to Wake to him at Sermons by wandring thoughts a thousands wayes Here you may see by what spirit they are acted that are opposite to the Sabbath day Mr A and Mr L did not tell you they came with a message from the Devil yesterday to disturb you in your duty But let us proceed to the day of Christs death ¶ Here let me premise a few Cautions Cautions premised 1 Do not reflect on any thing that seems improbable for it may be True though at first it seem false Nor any thing that seems impertinent q d to what purpose is this prove the Point for it may be to some purpose though it presently appear not 2 This being an intricate point for its clearing some Scriptures must be opened and some reconciled which cannot be done with few words in which I must crosse my Self for I affect to contract things in few words 3 It being new and contrary to the commmon Creed you will Object your All against it your Objections you must hear orderly answered or it will be in vain to offer them 4 Be very punctual in observing the day of the month I shall have occasion to speak of with its beginning and ending else I speak into the Air. If I digresse or go forward or back ward from any Day or Thing before I have done with it care not to carry it in your head for I shall bring you to it again In a word before I proceed resolve to hear all or none at all Fath. I will hear what you have to say Min. To introduce the day of Christs death Of the day of Christs Death I must begin with its lively Type viz The Lords Passe-over This from its first institution was on the 14 day of the first month Abib or Nisan according to that Sacred account from the time of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt †Ex. 12.2 The Paschal lamb was to be taken up on the 10 day * Ver. 3. and kept till the 14 day †Ver. 6. probably that the sight of it might occasion Soul preparation And it was to be killed in the Evening * Ver. 6. Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the two Evenings i e say some Sun-set and Dark night Short work though they eat it in hast I do not think they prepared it in Post-hast Fath. What 2 Evens else had they Min. The division of the day by hours was not used when the Passeover was commanded the word hour except in Daniel is not in the O T. But they divided the day into 3 parts called Morning Noon Even †Ps 55.17 from 6 to 10 was Morning from 10 to 2 was Noon from 2 to 6 at night was Even The beginning and end of this last part were the two Evens between which the Lamb was killed and it was eat at night * Ex. 12.8 Our Lord Jesus who came to fulfill the Law kept this Passeover according to Law he commanded his Disciples to kill and prepare it upon the 14 day and he eat it with them at Night when the 15 day began †Mat. 26.17
The resurrection was Tipified to be on the first day of the 50 by the Wave-Sheaf of first fruits which was a pregnant Type of Christs resurrection on that day who was waved before the Lord by the Earthquake at his rising that morning and called the first fruits * 1 Cor. 15.20 And the 50 day that famous Pentecost was Sealed for a New Sabbath by the gift of the holy Ghost to the Apostles by vertue of which 3000 souls †Act 2.41 were converted as first fruits to God and the Lamb. And this Harmony hath been a Confirmation of this opinion viz Christs death on the Sixth day for many generations Min. If so its high time it was laid low I hope the best of that Bp he was no horned Beast but this his opinion I approve not If I had no better foundation for my opposite opinion I am not ashamed to tell you I should be ashamed to own it This is such another Proof as Adams fall was and to as much purpose as the Story in the Greek Epigram viz Two deaf men pleaded a Cause before a deaf Judge But let us look on these 50 dayes The 50 dayes discussed in the letter of the Law And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that ye brought the Sheaf of the Wave-offering 7 Sabbaths shall be complete even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number 50 dayes * Lev. 23.15 16. This morrow or Wave-day is the first of the 50 dayes 7 weeks is 49 dayes the morrow after the seventh Sabbath is the fiftieth day as the Greek word Pentecost signifies and when the day of Pentecost was Fully come †Act. 2.1 i e when the seventh Sabbath was past the 7 weeks were complete then the Pentecost was fully come N B The 50 day begins another week on the same day of the week that the first day of the 50 began the first week of the 7 so that the first day and 50 day fall both on the same day of the week This a Child can tell but I mind you of it though a man that you may see your 2 great dayes for confirmation of your opinion Stand and Fall together And now I tell you these 2 dayes did not fall on the first day of the week Your famous Pentecost fell Not on the first day But why do I talk let us to work That the Passeover was killed on the 14 day that the Passeover Sabbath was on the 15 day on which Jesus died and that the Sheaf was waved on the 16 of Nisan is as plain as A B C by your rule Jesus rose from the dead the next day after his death buried at Even and rose in the Morning But suppose Jesus had rose on this Shake-sheaf day †As your Author calls it yet what Type of Christs resurrection was this Sheaf there was an he-lamb without blemish * Lev. 23.12 offered on that day too which was as much a Type of Christs Death on that day as the Sheaf could be of his Resurrection by this rule Jesus both died and rose in a day into what a wildernesse will the wit of man lead us N B This wave-day on which you say Jesus rose was the first day he lay in the grave if your Author had said The lamb was a Type of Jesus's death Before that day and the wave-sheaf a Type of his resurrection After that day there had been some shadow of Reason in his assertion So you may see that your Pentecost proof is perished and your invincible Arguments are overcome Fath. You say the Jews translated the Passeover to the next day did they not also translate the Pentecost from their Sabbath to our Sabbath and so make it fall on the first day Min. If so that proves a false Pentecost to fall on the first day but it s no proof for Christs resurrection on the Wave-day nor is the Pentecost to be reckoned from Christs resurrection as our Calender men count but the 16 of Nisan is the Standing Rule to count the Pentecost from Calender count false 2 If the Pentecost fell on the 7 day Sabbath the Jews would translate it to the first day by their rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gahaz Godwyn but that year the Pentecost did not fall on the 7 day nor on the first day not on their Sabbath nor on Ours neither Fath. If the Pentecost fell not on the first day why did the Disciples observe it and countenance Ceremonies which were to cease Min. The Disciples being few about 120 †Act. 1.15 were at Jerusalem because Christ had commanded them to continue there * Ver. 4. The Pentecost being an holy Convocation in which work was forbid †Lev. 23.21 the Disciples might meet on that day though the Pentecost was to cease as a Church may do now if work be forbid by Authority though they approve not the day 2 Suppose the Pentecost not to be observed yet the Disciples might not understand the cessation of Ceremonies so suddenly they were hardly brought off Ceremonies some years after 3 The Pentecost keeping the day of the month changed the day of the week every year and could not be on the first day 2 years together Paul's Pentecost practice yet it was Pauls yearly practice to be at Jerusalem at Pentecost e g I will tarry at Ephesus untill Pentecost for a great door and effectual is opened unto me * 1 Cor. 16.8 9. i e at Ephesus and yet q d I will tarry but till Pentecost and then I am for Jerusalem When they desired him to tarry longer with them he consented not but bad them farewell saying I must by All means keep this Feast that cometh in Jerusalem †Act. 18.20 21. Paul hasted if it were Possible for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost * Ch. 20.16 Not because it was the first day as your Authors imagine of this †Act. 2.1 for the first day was the unlikest day of All for Christians to regard the Pentecost after Christs resurrection because on that day they met in remembrance of That Nor to support the Pentecost though he went on the account of no other day but for advantagious opportunities of preaching Jesus to the Jews Paul could call the Gentiles together but he could not command the Jews therefore he would watch for such Prizes as Ceremonial Sabbaths pun into his hands by bringing the multitude together And sometime for his encouragement he had liberty of preaching in their Synagogue on a Sabbath freely offered the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people say on then Paul stood up as in his Element and said Men of Israel give audience * Act. 13.15 16. And Paul thought good to smile on some Ceremonies for a season for
many t to say no more he knows the way I take * Job 23.10 Prayer and Professors are Strangers Prayer is another thing than many imagine and many times I think I never prayed yet but if ever I prayed it was for this And praised be his holy name he hath heard me and helped me through this intricate work which was the hardest knot to untie that ever I took in hand in my Time I gave up my self to the Conduct of God As I was never for on work by any mans Word Letter or Print or ever had the least hint of this Opinion from man so I never asked any creature any one Question concerning it in all the time I have been upon the search of it This I tell you to this end viz If you think I erre you may blame no man but my self and if you think I am right you may give God and not man the praise ¶ Sir Parent Cautioned here is a Providence which you may not lightly passe over viz This concern of the Sabbath falling on me so soon after our Conference under the Tree which seems to be for your Sake I thought not of it in our First Dialogue I was concerned with it in our Second Dialogue though not being ready for it I did not tell you of it but I am no sooner prepared for this Third Dialogue but you are driven out by Yesterdayes opposition to draw me to it And let me tell you In all this labour I have had you in my eye much desiring your Sound settlement for the Sabbath Here is a voice of God speaking to you which I desire you may hear And I pray consider seriously with your self what account you will give at the Great Day if you will not hear Gods voice so Audible nor see his word so Visible but will bottom your Sabbatical opinion on mans Tradition which hath no ground in Gods word Fath. I am shattered and unsettled like a troubled Sea after a Storm by this New sudden assault of my Old opinion but when there comes a Calm and my mind Quiet I suppose I shall settle upon your foundation so you may freely speak what you have farther to say as if I was already of your mind Min. I counsel you to pray God to settle you on a sure foundation Parent Counselled as day and night I have done and by which means I am at length come to the desired Haven towards which I have been long rowing And though by the way I have had many a fall down into the deep yet I ever rose upon this Text * MAT. XII XL And my Antagonists being Answered upon this even firm sound ground I Stand * MAT. XII XL and from this Opinion I shall Never depart while I Live except Christ comes from Heaven and declares me deceived ¶ Having set the Sabbath upon its own Base or rather shewed you where GOD hath set it Praest at pauca avidè discere quam multa cum taedio devorare Erasmus and on what Foundation he hath Bottomed its Beginning and as I hope settled you upon that Foundation I shall for your profitable practice Drop a few Directions for the Sabbath Day and so dismisse you ¶ 1 Remember the Sabbath day before it comes to Prepare for it 1 Direct Memento and let none of yours remember it to Prophane it If you forget or neglect the Sabbath you lose it and let it fall If the Sabbath falls Sin and Satan too rises to your Ruine REMEMBEâ— is a word of THUNDER Remember the Sabbath is Never to be forgot while the World stands A Popish Opinion Popish writers say There was no Sabbath before Sinai but the Sabbath came in with the First man and must go out with the Last man REMEMBER Prepare Simile If a great man was to come to your House you would make great preparation REMEMBER the Great GOD is to come this day to your Heart Lift up your heads O ye Gates c. and the King of Glory shall come in †Ps 24.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag The Septuagint Title of this Psalm shews it to be A psalm for a Sabbath ¶ 2 Begin the Sabbath when the Sabbath begins i e at Even 2 Direct End the work of the precèdent day when the day ends i e at Even If you care not when you Begin the Sabbath peradventure God will not care when you End it nor how unprofitably you Spend it ¶ 3 Rise early in the morning 3 Direct Sleep not away the Sabbath so you may sleep away Salvation and the Soul Be not Sleeping when you should be Praying Pray him to give Blessing to the Sabbath who gave Being to the Sabbath Let the body be early Up and the heart early Ope. Before you rise count Christ is calling as to Zacheus viz Make hast and come down UP for to day I must abdie at thy house * Lu. 19.5 ¶ 4 Be not slothfull in duty on the Sabbath day 4 Direct The sluggard is Satans Cushen Simile Come not to a Sermon to be a Seat for Satan to sit on Satan entered Jâ—â—â—s Simile at Supper-time into idle souls at Sermon time The Sabbath is a day of Merchandise for the Soul †Better than of Silver and Gold Idlenesse is Never good nor Ever so had as on Sabbath-dayes Some had rather sweat their browes Six dayes for the Body than their brains One day for the Soul Do your duty on this day or you do nothing and do every duty in Season You cry O the Times we must hear comfortable Doctrine to strengthen our Faith In vain is comfortable Doctrine without conformable Life A Christian weakens his Faith more by a Sin than a Minister can strengthen it by a Sermon ¶ 5 Be spiritual in every duty on the Sabbath day 5 Direct In order to This be spiritual on Other dayes He that is carnal Six dayes is not like to be spiritual One day Be not content with outward expressions and actions without inward affections not with the Body of duty without the Soul of duty not with the Gift without the Grace of duty ¶ 6 Beware of your own Works 6 Direct Do nothing but of necessity viz what you cannot do the day before nor forbear till the day following e g To quench Fire To stop Water †Sea-bank breaches To save the life of Man or Beast To move Malt To gather and save Saffron In such case we break the Sabbath except we break it But do these Spiritually and with Speedy dispatch ¶ 7 Beware of your own Words 7 Direct What may not be Done may not be Said or talked of Talk not of News except necessary This discourse eats as a Canker Simile and hath eat out the Life of Religion long ago We talk much of the Papal Plot as if we were well acquainted with it but this Part of the Plot we are ignorant of viz Satans design to make us talk away our Time till we talk our selves down the Stream Simlie like the Fool whose lips swallow up himself †Eccless 10.12 If men were acquainted with their ignorance of God they would think all their time too little to talk of God ¶ 8 Take heed of your own Thoughts 8 Direct By them many break the Sabbath and few know it What men do Openly or speak Audibly is seen and heard by men but a man may think Ang thing Every thing and all men know Nothing but God knows all The body tongue or hand may be bound up from sin and the heart Bent for it against God Such secret Sabbath breakers are reserved in Store for the day of Wrath. ¶ 9 Be sorry for the sins of Sabbath dayes Sigh and Cry 9 Direct for all the abominations that abound on Sabbath dayes God groans under them if you are at ease while God is pressed God will take no pleasure in your Rest ¶ 10 Be acquainted with the emptinesse of Religion 10 Direct without a due observation of the Sabbath day The 4. command for a Sabbath is called Gustos primae tabulae keeper of the first table the 5 command for honour of Parents is called Custos secundae tabulae keeper of the second table He that keeps not the 4 command is locked out of the First table and is like to do GOD no Service he that keeps not the 5 command is shut out of the Second table and is like to do Man none well but to be Abominable and Disobedient and to Every good work Reprobate * Tit. 1.16 That these Drops may Water Epilogue c make Better LORD put Life to every Line and Letter Fath. That his may be as you do Say I will go hasten home and Pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ERRATA Pag 13 lin 25 for bitternesse read bitternesses Pag 19 lin 22 for Low read Law Pag 37 lin 24 for plentitudinem read plenitudinem Pag 136 lin 17 for full Horrour read full of Horrour
English Reader The most Necessary of all which to know are These c et caetera and the rest or and so forth Sc scilicet to wit Viz Videlicet to wit or that is to say i e id est that is e g exempli gratiâ as for example q d quasi dicat as if he should say And the same q d serves for as if She should say as if You should say as if They should say as if I or We should say It is easily understood in Reading N B Nota Bene Mark this well O T Old Testament N T New Testament Q Question A Answer Ob Objection Sol Solution D Doctrine R Reason U Use For you to Learn these Lessons Three As easie is as A B C. Which you may Learn with little Leasure Then Read with Knowledge Profit Pleasure As for Hebrew Greek and Latine Words which I lay in your Way they will be no Stumbling-block except you will Make them so For you have it in English which you may Read on without Stumble or Stop And I desire you may So Read as to Reap much Good Fruit by the Labour of Your Loving Friend J W. London May 26. 1681. The General Contents of the First Dialogue A Salutation and Preambulation to the Education of Children Parents equally concern'd in Education Education reduced to two General Heads viz. Instruction and Correction First Instruction The word opened 1 Gen. Head Instruction by Doctrine and Example 1 By Doctrine The word Doctrine opened What D to instruct Children in Twenty Documents for Instruction by D. The Scripture to be Searched for more Any thing in the Bible Vseful even the words of wicked men Devils Proper Names 2 Instruction by Example Word opened Example by Works and Words Circumstances of Education Seven Direction if Children Will or Will not hear The Parent Corrected for Carnal Language The Second General Head viz. Correction 2 Gen. Head Correction twofold viz. with Word and Rod. 1 Correction with Word Six Directions for Word Correction 2 Correction with the Rod Scriptural Account of Rod fourfold The Parallel of Rod and Staff Seven Directions for Rod Correction Fourteen Ob against Rod Correction Answ Two ways great wasters of Time and many more wicked ways Witnessed against Advice of a Civil Secular Concern delivered in 12. Documents The danger of Riches discoursed Counsel concerning Childrens Children PRAYER for a Blessing on Education Prayer For and With Children 1 Prayer For them in Private Ten great effects of Prayer consider'd to encourage to Prayer Time and Times in a day for Private Prayers 2 Prayer With Children in Family Ten directions for Family Duty Objections against Family Duty Answ Parents to take their Children into their Closets and Pray with them there Parents to teach Children to Pray Objections against that Answer'd Parents to procure the Prayers of Praying Persons for their Children Ten Corollaries to quicken Parents to their Whole Duty contained in this Conference THE PARENTS PRIMER AND THE MOTHERS LOOKING-GLASSE In a Dialogue between A MINISTER and a FATHER Minister GOd Save you Sir with your good Wife Whither are you walking this way this morning Father To See Mr. C. What News Sir Min. News I said in my heart what I should have When will this Common Question be out of use Since the Popes Plot appeared the Protestants have spent more Time in Talking of it than All the Papists in England are worth And you living so near us are like our London Christians and they Too like the Athenians who spent their time in Nothing else but to Tell or to Hear some New Thing And if there be no New we talk over the Old without End And every Day is alike If this was the way to do our work viz Self-Examination Humiliation and Reformation for the Sins that provoke God to suffer this Bloody Beast thus to Push at us I would not Oppose it But it 's the way to Hinder Every good work in Heart and Life And to render us Ridiculous to the DEVIL and the POPE to see what a Talking Trade we drive and how we spend our Dayes while Death lies at our Doors Fath. I confess we spend Too much Time that way Min. Confession without Reformation Preambulation is to Poor Purpose Are these two little Lads which follow you Your Children Fath. Yes they are both mine Min. Can you tell me any Good News of Them Fath. They are Pretty good Boys when they Please Min. They had need be made Better to which end I pray what Good Discourse have you had with them by the way for you are now come a Mile from Home Fath. OH HO I have told them the name of yonder Church Steeple And of That I point at with my Cane And of yonder High Brick House with abundance of Chimneys Min. And is this the Best Discourse you have had Fath. The Best yes truly What Discourse should a man have with Children Min. What Discourse Godly Discourse Fath. What with Children Min. Yes with Children to Choose Fath. What Reason is there for That Min. There is Great Reason for it which I shall not Now Render but one thing I shall Render which is Greater than Reason Fath. What is that I pray Min. God's Solemn Command And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Heart Deu. 6.6 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine House and when thou walkest by the Way and when thou liest Down and when thou risest Vp Fath. I believe Few Fathers or Mothers do so Min. In that you believe Truth but it 's Sad Truth to believe yet Too True I may well say For of othis I have made Much Observation for Many Years in Many Countries in Professing Families without number After all which Observation I may say with Solomon There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun Ecl. 6.1 and it is Common among men Such men have Many a Day been to me an Amazing Consideration viz That ever Persons professing Faith in gods Word of Truth which testifieth the Misery of ALL Mankind that their Children are in a Sad Condition is one part of their Profession who have been Sensible of their Own Misery and Instruments to bring Poor Children into a Miserable World in a Miserable Condition and yet so Careless to bring them Out of this Condition And so little concerned for a Safe passage Out of this World over Hell to the desired Haven Ezek. 19.14 this is a Lamentation and Shall be for a Lamentation Fath. But some Count that this Command was given to the Jews only Min. Read and Compare these two Texts * Deut. 4.10 Ch. 6.7 and you will see it is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments that Parents are Commanded to teach their Children To say This Law belongs to the Jews only is plainly to say We Gentiles are Lawlesse And may
A Self righteous Rock that hath been building twenty or thirty years To pull all Down to Rase it to cast it Away as a Menstruous Cloth and say unto it Get thee Hence * Isa 30.22 this goes against the Hair To deny Sinful Self and Religious Self of So long standing are Mighty Works Once more I must say Begin Betime Your Lads seem to be seven or eight years Old You should have begun five or six years Ago N B. From a Child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From an Infant thou hast Known the Holy Scriptures †2 Tim. 3.15 N B. Parents Expressions make Impressions upon Childrens Memories e g A Godly Woman being often in Trouble did for her comfort usually use these words The Lord liveth * Psal 18.46 At length she Sat Silent as one Swallowed up in Sorrow A Pretty speech which her child observing Said Mother is God Dead now And this Shamed her out of her Sorrow This Instance shews the Aptness of Children to remember what they hear from their Parents and the Usefulnesse of Children to their Parents if Well Educated Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained Strength to Still her Enemy †Psal 8.2 By this Childs Words it seems Satan was Stilled from his busie buffeting of the Childs Mother ¶ 2 The Time of Day When thou sittest in thy house When thou walkest by the way When thou liest down When thou risest up * Deu. 6.7 Take Any opportunity any Seasonable Time and some Unseasonable Be instant In season Out of season †2 Tim. 4.2 Write Apelles Posie upon your Posts viz Let No Day passe without a Line Draw One Line a day at Least Do Duty Daily Fift The Place Where When Circum 5. expresses ' Time and implies Place q d Where thou sittest viz To Work To Rest To Eat 1 To Work Talk of Gods Work Men can talk of the World at their Work 2 To Rest Talk of Eternal Rest and Eternal Wrath. Men can talk of the World when they are Weary 3 To Eat Talk of the Bread of Life Turn Temporal Mercies into Spiritual Discourses Let Eternity be your Table-Talk This leads me to testifie against the Vain Table-Talk of Prophane and Professing People which profits not Soul Body Man Woman or Child yet as Common as the Day And which if a Stranger be at Table consists much of a Company of such common Silly Complements as I am ashamed to name viz Pray eat Table trash You are very wellcome I am Sorry I am no better provided I doubt I did not cut well Pray pick a bit where you like You do not think your self welcome And Finally I see I have but troubled you to sit down At which Trash I wonder people do not Blush and with Shame sweep it out at Door as Dirt. It 's Sad to consider what Superfluity of Vanity flows from the Mouths of Professors And it s a Marvel men have not Worded away All their Mercies N B. Moses Table talk Moses had a Great Stranger at His Table and with him Aaron and all the Elders of Israel and they came to eat bread before GOD * Exo. 18.12 As in his Presence with Reverence to feed with Fear lest their Table be made a Snare To feed without Fear is Fearful Such are called Clouds without Water Trees without Fruit Twice Dead to whom is reserved the Blacknesse of Darknesse for Ever †Jude 12 13. Jesus table talk See some of Jesus Christs Table-Talk who saith to YOU Learn of ME. Mat. 9.10 11 12 13. Lu. 7.36 40 to 50. Ch. 11.37 to 51. Ch. 14.7 to 25. Ch. 15.4 to 32. Ch. 22.14 to 39. But let us see where we are Where thou walkest by the Way Talk of the Way to Heaven and Hell Walk is frequently full of Empty Vain Talk let your Walk be full of Vertuous Talk Where thou liest Down i e in Bed an Embleme of the Grave In which Bed a man is as Buried Alive above ground all but the Head And that is an Embleme of Christ the Christians Head Embleme who keeps out of the Grave while his Body the Church is buried Death hath No more dominion over Him * Ro. 6.9 Where thou risest Vp i e out of thy Bed in the Morning an Embleme of the Resurrection of the Body out of the Grave by vertue of Christs Resurrection and Life By Reason of the Head being kept out of the Bed while the Body Sleeps the Body Rises in the Morning for if the Head was buried in Bed as the Body is the whole would be Smothered and Dead So by vertue of Christ the Head who is Above ground above Death Alive THE Resurrection and Life shall Saints be Raised out of their Sleep I instance these Emblems to shew you how Lying Down and Rising Up does minister occasion of Talking to your Children Sixt. The Manner How Circum 6. 1 Speak Plainly In all Points Study the most Plain Expression and Explication of Words imaginable What I speak not so Plain to you I leave with you to Explain to them I speak to a Man you to Children Simile That Key which will most easily open the Door though made of Iron or Wood is to be used rather than a Key of Gold that will not open it So such Plain Wooden Words which do open Truths rather than Fine Words which like Paint on a Window that lets not In but keeps Out the Light I have heard a Man a Teacher of Men speak to a Child in such a Pathetical Rhetorical Mystical Strain without Consideration of Condescension to the Childs Understanding that I have Utterly abhorred it And had much rather Such had sat Silent though it was to my Own which I Much Desire should hear the Words by which they may be SAVED ¶ 2 Talk Enticeingly speak Pleasantly Alluringly Affably Kindly Winningly Deliver things in words of Down Speak Roses and Hony into their Hearts Let your lips drop as an hony comb e g. Come my Sweet Child Thou must not do SO That is SIN SATANS Service He would have thee to Hell to pay thee with Eternal Pain But do Thus This is GODS Service Love GOD Serve Him Fear Him and it will be well with Thee for Ever I do SO love thee I Long to have thee Saved I cannot Endure thou shouldst be Damned Be Ruled without the Rod it grieves me to whip thee c. Thus Win them by working on the Will You know the Phrase John is a good Boy when Will is at Home an Up-hill way is a Down-hill way to a Willing Mind Let the Law of Kindnesse be in your Tongue and your Children will arise up and Call you Blessed †Pro. 31.26 28. ¶ 3 Talk frequently Thou sahlt teach them Diligently to thy Children Heb thou shalt Whet them to thy children * Deu. 6.7 The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whet hath
affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To repeat which signifies the Word Cuts and Pierces by Frequent Repition An Edge-Tool is Whet by many Motions and Rubs upon the Whet-Stone and the Stone made Bright thereby So is the Word Sharpened Simile and the Heart Brighten'd and Quickned by Frequent Repition But this requires Discretion i e so to whet as to set an Edge On and not whet it Off again in which work wisdom is profitable to direct †Ecl. 10.10 She openeth her mouth with Wisdom and in her tongue is the Law of Kindnesse * Pro. 31.26 A law hath Force and Power to prevail So words spoken with Wisdome The words of the Wise are as Goads †Ecl. 12.11 they will Prick and as Nails fastened then is a Word well Driven when it Nails the Heart to God Do not Do and Undo as you will if you Overdo Children must not be over-Driven Let my Lord pass over before and I will lead on Softly as the Children be able to endure * Gen. 33.14 Then shall the Lambs feed after their Manner †Isa 5.17 N B. Children well educated have Two Titles in the Bible to teach Parents the Necessity of Frequent Instruction with Discretion 1 Arrows * Psal 127.4 Will a Knotty Crooked Stick be made a Straight Arrow with ease without Work and Art 2 Pollished Stones †Psa 144.12 Will Rough Rocky Cragged Stones become Smooth Pollished Stones sit for a Princes Palace without Pains and Skill in Paring and Hewing No nor some With it neither who after Hewn are Slain as fit for nothing but Slaughter * Ho. 6.5 It s sad when the sword comes to contemn the Rod †Ezrk. 22.13 The Rod is to Convert and Save The Sword to Kill and Damn When the sword does it's Work it contemns the Rod because that did not Do it's Work But Frequent Instructions are Frequently Effectual The waters wear the Stones * Job 14.19 How so If a Flood fall on a Flint at Once it wears it not but it's falling by a Drop at once Does it Gutta cavat lapidem The soft drop hollows the hard Stone i e by falling from the Eaves of an House off the End of a Straw Thus words Frequently falling from Parents Mouths upon Childrens Hearts Smal Acts continued will produce Great Effects Seventh Circum 7. The End to Which Children are Educated viz That Children may be Converted and Saved Soul and Body from Hell to Heaven That Parents may be Satisfied and Comforted in them in Life and Death That God may be Served and Glorified by them And They Glorified with GOD for Evermore So much of the Circumstances of Education Fath. If my Children be willing to hear and learn Instruction how shall I Carry it to them Min. If your Children deserve Praise Pray let them have it i e So much as will encourage them to Be and Do better Not too Much I pray Praise may soon Spoil Caution As the fining pot for Silver and the furnace for Gold so is a man to his Praise †Pro. 27.21 i e so is a mans Praise to Him The fining pot and furnace Try the silver and Gold Simile and discover the Drosse so a mans Praise will Try what mettal he is made of it will discover his drosse i e Pride Vanity Levity A man can neither be too Worthy nor too Wary of Praise Fath. How if All the good Instruction I can give them hath No good Operation upon them Min. If Words will not Work try what Tears will do Go King Edwards way to Work viz K. Edw. the 6th When he could not prevail against Cranmer and Ridley with Arguments he Wept he fell a Crying and then they were overcome Tears are Crying Words Crying Words heard as High as Heaven the Lord hath heard the voice of my Weeping * Psal 6.8 Tears have Piercing Tongues One would think the Tears of a Father should break a Heart of Flint Fath. How if Crying Words will not work on the Hearts of my Children Min. Then try what Dying Words will do when That Day Comes Dying Words Leave Dying Words behind you to work when You are Dead Dying Words may be Living Words by which you may speak when Dead as Abel Did †Heb. 11.4 Gather your Children about you Death-Bed as Jacob did Jacob called unto his Sons and said Gather your selves and hear ye sons of Jacob and hearken to Israel your Father * Gen 49.1 q d Come my Dear Children Hear the words of your Dying Father But Do not defer any one Dayes Duty till your Dying Day A Dying Dayes work is a Great Dayes work of it Self without any work that layes Behind It 's the Greatest Dayes work of All the Dayes of a mans Life Die a little word a great work The Word Die is but Small but the Work Die is Great Besides should you defer your Duty till you come to Die your Children will think you want Sleep and and are Light-Headed your talk being unusual and strange and so will not regard your words Do your Duty Daily while you Live that when you come to Die you may say to your Children as Mr. Bolton said to his when he was Dying viz None of you will Dare to meet me out of Christ in the Judgement Day Now let us come to the Second General Head viz Correction But Do you not See One of your Sons hath given us the Slip. Pray Recall him quickly Fath. HO Sirrah Whither go You Come again quick I charge you Come not near that Coach there You Jackanapes will you Offer it I would fain see that Ay Do I would you Durst Min. OH Good Lord have merey on these Poor Children Parent corrected What words are here from a Father to a Child Sirrah Jackanapes Atat Papae Apage OH Alas Out upon it I would fain see that Do I would you Durst What is the Childs Disobedience desirable to the Father Consequently the Childs Damnation in Hell is desirable Under the Law the disobedient Child was stoned to Death under the Gospel is Damned to Hell Now I come to Direct you to Correct your Children it appears you need Correction your Self Fath. Why does he Anger me then I use to speak so in my Anger I cannot Help it I mean him no Hurt Min. Why does he Anger me I thought I had been Speaking to a Man all this while Because your Son is a Child You will be So too Because He angers You You will anger GOD. I use to speak so OH How do you Accuse your self by this Excuse By this Reply when a man is Accused of a Sin he Accuses himself of a Thousand more to clear One and all that Aggravates that One. If I should ask such a man Friend why do you Swear I am used to it I cannot Help it it 's an old Custom from my Cradle This
the Slaughter †Ch. 2.25 This laying the Reins on the Neck hath run Many a child to Ruin Children need No more to undo them than their Own Desires No nor Men neither ¶ 2 Absolom He having Killed Amnon his Brother comes and Bows to David his Father and the King Kissed Absolom * 2 Sam. 14.33 After this he aspires the Crown seeks his fathers Life loses his Own †Ch. 18.14 and twenty thousand more * Ver. 7. David was comparatively a good King absolutely a good Christian a good Prophet a good Preacher and yet a bad Father Let the best in the World beware Even a David will Dote and Eli will honour his Sons above God †1 Sam. 2.29 This makes gods of Children and that is the way to make DEVILS of them for God to Destroy or to Spare to their Parents Destruction e g Thy two indulged sons Hophni and Phinehas shall Both Die in One Day * Ver. 34. And the Man of Thine whom I shall not cut off shall be to Consume thine Eyes and of Grieve thy Heart †Ver. 33. That some such gods are Suddenly gone this True Story will Testifie A godly Father being set at a Festival Dinner in comes a Curious Child O saith the Father speaking lightly I fear I shall make a god of this Child But the End of that Dinner was a Bitter Day Mr Jer Burroughs was present for before they rose from the Table that Child was found Drowned in a Pond You have your Items viz Item the Boy that Ran away from the Rod. Item the Boy that was Killed with Correction HERE be Items for you Item Adonijah Item Absolom Item Eli's sons whose end was Destruction for want of Correction And Item the Idolized Child that was Drowned I doubt because Deified Fath. These are Sad things to befall the Godly Min. Sad things for sin befall Such soonest of All for Judgment must Begin at the House of God †1 Pet. 4.17 Such sin against a Threefold light viz the light of Nature the light of Grace and the light of Gods Word Sin against Such Light is a Great aggravation of sin Weigh a sin Single in the Scale then adde this Circumstance viz it was against Knowledge that weighs more than the Sin it Self Knowledge of GOD is a Great Good no lesse than Eternal Life sin against Such Knowledge must needs be a Great Evil. N B If sin against Knowledg be against the Will it is not So great but Wo to them that sin against Knowledg With the Will Let us take heed of Sin against London light A Caution for London Sin at London is Greater than sin in a dark Country and the scourge Sorer upon that account when it comes WO wo wo to them that go into the Land of Darknesse by London Light Fath. Many poor Parents want Time to Instruct Object 13 and Correct their Children Min. And so may Rich too the course they take Men have Many wayes to throw their Time down the Stream I shall Instance two which are Common to men First They Word it away Precious time Prated away Let me say they Prate it away about impertinent things to no Purpose or Profit for Soul or Body Self or Others Church or State They are for Any thing Every thing which is worse then Nothing Tell them of their Work O then We want Time But let not Man be Deceived GOD will not be Mocked And many times Pertinent things and Spiritual things too are discoursed to No Purpose at all Will this discourse do in Dooms Day to the Law to try and to the Testimony of Jesus But I say unto you That every IDLE WORD that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment * Mat. 12.36 Fath. What is an Idle Word Min. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idle Idle word opened of a privative and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A work signifies a Word without Work a Work-lesse word a Saying without Service ie which neither profits Speaker nor Hearer At the multitudes of Such Words out of the mouths of Professors I have been amazed times without Number to think how CAN they look OVER or look ON this Text as a Cypher * MAT. XII XXXVI As if they had got a Licence to let their Tongues go as they List There is a time to Every thing †Ecl. 3.1 and for some things that one would think there should be No Time for viz to Kill to Hate * Ver. 3 8. and yet we read of NO Time for Idle Talk And that Christ hath purchased Precious Time with his most Precious Blood for Vain Talkers to spend THUS I leave it with them to Prove or to Answer it in the Day of Judgement ¶ And much Time is thus lost about News as forementioned in the Morning Many wise men resemble the Simple who believeth every word †Pro. 14.15 though they know what an uncertain thing Report is both by Experience and Sacred Scripture e g Tidings came to David saying Absolom hath slain ALL the Kings sons and there is not ONE of them left * 2 Sa. 13.30 Report makes an uncertain Sound When they were All alive but One who did not deserve to Live nor to be Counted One of the Kings sons viz Amnon who had forced his Sister Tamar Thus persons Prate away their Time Second Precious time Piped away They Pipe it away with that Pidle and Tabacco that Bauble Of which because I doubt it 's your Vanity Hear me a little ¶ By way of Concession I grant Tabacco is a Creature of GOD and hath its Vertue for the Use of Man as every Herb Weed and Toad hath It 's good for Cold Moist Bodies and such Diseases if moderately Used Against the Good Lawfull Convenient use of it I say Nothing ¶ By way of Conviction of the Vanity Inconveniency and ill Consequence of the Common Abuse or Immoderate Use of it A wofull waster ¶ 1 It 's Prodigiously Expensive both of Time and Coin Some observe A man may walk a Mile while he Puffs away a Pipe of Tabacco How many do they that Dote drink away in a Day No wonder such want Time for better work Time to lay up Eternal Treasure Tabacco hath not been of use in England 100 Years in which Term It came by Sir Francis Drake 1585. it hath Stole away more Time and Cost more Coin than all England is worth Doubtlesse by God's judicial permission the Devil had a hand in its importation Sharper is that Saying of a King K James viz Tabacco is a lively image of Hell An if I was to invite the Devil to Dinner I professe for one Dish he should have a Pipe of Tabacco ¶ 2 It is a very Vain Vitious Foolish Custome A very Toy It makes Men turn Toys And with their Mouth Pidle and Bauble
do no good now Alas said he I therefore weep because weeping will do on good And with the woman who was so busied in saving her Stuffe that her child in the Cradle was forgot till the house on fire was Down and the child Dead and then she remembred it Roaring O my child my child And with Jacob when he supposed Joseph was torn in pieces I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning thus his father wept for him * Gen. 37.35 If Joseph had been torn in pieces with a wild beast as Jacob supposed what had that been to a childs being torn by Devils in Hell to all Eternity Ninth Coroll 9. Dooms-day Dolour Consider the Dolefull out-cries of Damned children in Dooms-day against their carnal carelesse prophane Parents who have Lamentably lost Themselves and their Children too When poor children with Pale faces yet as Flames and hearts full Horrour shall ROAR out O Father Mother what have You done I must Burn for ever in Hell for the Sins you learned me to live in by your Sinfull example The oaths I have Sworn will Cursing of men God will Curse me for ever You set me to Work and let me Play on the Sabbath day I had no rest from Sin and now I must have no rest from Sorrow but Roar for ever Now Gods wrath will be Poured out upon me because I did not Pray To pray you would Never learn me except to say the Creed the 10 Commands and the Lords Prayer by which you learned me to Lie for which I must Lay in the Lake †Rev. 21.8 You learned me to neglect Salvation now I have Lost it You learned me to Mock the godly now God Mocks at my misery You led me after our Blind Guide who called us Christians and Gods children now we are in the ditch of Damnation together * Mat. 15.14 You let me Game away my time by which I have lost Heaven and won Hell I would have heard good Sermons which I heard folks Commend and say Sinners were Saved by them but you would not Suffer me but Shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against me OH that Dreadfull Judge will presently passe the Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire †Mat. 25.41 and then we shall be a Hell in Hell to each other for Ever It will be a Hell to me to behold You in Hell you Cursed father and murderer And it will be a Hell to you to hear me Howl and Roar and Curse you to your Face for Ever And a Thousand such Dolorous ditties Ten thousand times more Terrible than tongue can tell Sir though it be not your Portion to perish with a child lost by your neglect yet is it nothing Now to think that when you are in Heaven you shall have a child to Howl in Hell and curse you there for Ever or will it be Nothing to you in the judgment Day seeing as the Scripture signifies some Saints shall then be subject to Shame Sorrow and saved so as by Fire * 1 Cor. 3.15 Last Coroll 10. Sweet fruit of good Successe Consider the comfortable joyfull effect and Sweet fruit of such godly Education as ends in Salvation and that both in Time and in Eternity It may be a comfort to you in Any condition on Earth to think your children are Heaven-born Pardoned Justified Sanctified and shall be Glorified If they should be Poor yet they are Rich and will be the Richer for their Poverty to all Eternity Whatsoever they Do or Suffer or Lose for God he will Richly reward them Whosoever is their Enemy God will be their Friend and will Never fail them If they be Sick or in any Adversity Still they are Happy If You be sick or in any trouble they will Pray for you If they Die while you live you may be more comforted in their Death than a man can be in a childs Birth or wicked Life If You die while they live you may Sweetly say with Jacob Behold I die but GOD shall be with you †Gen. 48.21 In the Judgment day how Sweet to stand at Jesus Right hand saying Behold I and the Children which God hath given me * Heb. 2.13 none Lost by my negligence all Saved by my diligence How sweet to be the Subjects of this Golden Sentence Come ye blessed of my Father O festus dies while others are the Subjects of that most Direfull Doom Depart ye Cursed How Sweet to be for Ever in Heaven to Trumpet out Eternal Praises and Sing Halelujahs for joy of Heart while others howl for Sorrow of Heart in Hell How Sweet for you and your children to be a Heaven in Heaven to each other while others shall be a Hell in Hell to each other for Ever Yea how Sweet may this dayes Dialogue under this tree be to you in Eternity if it may Issue in what I aim at And what shall I more Say shall I Yet plead with you for pity to your Own Children if I was pleading with you for some small kindnesse for my self methinks I should prevail If I was pleading with you to pity an Enemy who is ready to Perish for want of a Penny me thinks I should prevail And shall I not prevail with you to pity your own poor perishing Children what is your Reply Fath. What shall one do who hath long neglected his duty to his Children till they be hardened in Sin Min. Bewail it to GOD. Implore his Pardon Confesse it to your Children with Sorrow that you are so far in their Debt Set upon your work with Shame If they reject your Counsel bear it patiently Lay their Disobedience at your Own Door And follow God with Petition and your children with Instruction till if possible you Prevail for their Conversion Fath. I hope I shall set about this Solemn Work of so Great Concern God grant I may for I am much troubled at my long neglect Min. I perceive what I have said shakes your Head but GOD knowes whether it shakes your Heart However I hope you will not spend your time in talking to your children of Church-Steeples and Brick Chimneys by the way back Conclusive Caution But Take heed you do not deceive Me nor your Self nor your Children God is not Mocked If you do indeed perform your part Parent-like to the Purpose then may these children here Present and the children which are yet Unborn arise up and Call you Blessed To which more might be added but it 's Time to Retire for I see the Sun is walked far into the West And so Sir I shall take my Leave of You and Yours wishing you all Well for this World and for that which is to Come Fath. Sir we wish You and Yours the like Welfare And we do give GOD and You thanks for this Godly Advice ΤΕΛΟΣ POST-SCRIPT IN the Epistle I direct to know Emphatical words by Capital letters and speak of beginning them
in Heaven and Hell at once †Ps 139.8 And Jesus was in Heaven and Earth at once before his death * Joh. 3.13 and why not in Heaven and Hell at once after his death Take heed of unsound notions of a Saviour if Jesus hath not been in Hell for you I fear you must be there for your Self Fath. Well! let it passe If it be of such concern to know when the Sabbath begins tell me the time for there are divers opinions about it Min. I need not instance every hour of the day The Beginning of the Sabbath but onely the time contended for viz Morning Noon Even Midnight and the measure of the day viz 12 hours and 24 hours ¶ 1 I need not deny that it begins at Noon as the Gipsies count as if that time was contended for in England Not at Noon but though it be not the Plea it is the Practice of some professors who begin to assemble in Gods service after noon as it were by way of Recreation to serve God by the halves Such have lost half the Sabbath long since And it is to be wished they turn not Aminomians and Libertines to lose it all and themselves too at length for they by whom God is but half Served are like to be but half Saved ¶ 2 Some Roman-like plead for Midnight to begin and end the Sabbath Not at Midnight for which they produce two Texts 1 Paul preached on the first day till Midnight †Act. 20.7 which is no ground for this beginning for he preached till midnight because he was to depart next morning with a final Farewell 2 Samson arose at midnight and carried away the gate of Gaza * Judg. 16.3 which say such was a Type of Christs rising at midnight Samson was a Type of Christ in 20 things but that he was a Type of Christs death and resurrection in laying a piece of a night upon pleasure is a very unlikely matter Had he lay 3 nights and dayes in a dungeon there had been some colour for it ¶ 3 For the Morning many will plead Not in the Morning and so I suppose will you but I shall oppose this Time time it how you will and say what you can for it Fath. I will try that what if it begin at Spring of day and end at Dark night Min. Not so for in some Countries the day will be a month long North. for so long at least sometime of the year does day-light last Fath. What if the Sabbath begin at Sun-rise and end at Sun-set Min. Not so for in some Countries the Sabbath would be more than a Month long In Russia Muscovia Tartaria for so long goes the Sun a Circular course round about them in sight except Clouds come between as you would easily understand if I had a Globe in my hand Fath. We have Morning and Even all the year we may begin at morning and end at night Min. Not so it s no meet measure for the length of a Sabbath in June will be twice as long as in December Fath. But if we begin at Six and end at Six the Sabbaths will be all of a length all the year now I hope I have hit on it Min. Not so for a Sabbath must be the Seventh part of Time a natural day of 24 hours It is not enough to make one Sabbath equal with another but also equal with another day Fath. Then it must be from morning to morning from Spring of day to Spring of day or from Sun rise to Sun rise Min. Not so for then the precedent day hath two nights or this precedent night belongs to no day Not to the seventh day for that ends at Even nor to the first day if it begins in the Morning and so is cut off from both dayes like Job's cursed night which he would have disjoyned from the dayes of the year †Job 3.6 But who dares act so contrary to Gods ordinance who dare divide the night from the day and Separate what God hath Joyned Fath. I can say no more for the Morning Min. Then we are come to the fourth and last time under Instance Even the beginning of the Sabbath viz the Even and this I affirm to be the beginning of the Sabbath and from Even to Even is the measure of the Sabbath from the beginning to the end of the world At first where the Sixth day ended the Seventh day successively began so where the Seventh day Sabbath ended i e at Even the first day Sabbath began And thus of Ceremonial Sabbaths from Even to Even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath * Lev. 23.32 Fath. God made the day to beain at Even at first Object 1 but aster That world was drowned and a New world to spring out of the Ark it seems the beginning of the day was altered to morning for saith God Day and night shall not cease †Gen. 8.22 And morning is put before Even in this Psalm * Ps 92.2 the Title of which is A Psalm for the Sabbath day Ergo the Sabbath begins in the morning Min. God that made the world made the day to begin at Even from the beginning to the end of the world If after this God alters the order of his Words that does not alter the order of his Works Aaron was older than Moses †Exo. 7.7 therefore saith God These are that Aaron and Moses * Chap. 26. in the next verse it is these are that Moses and Aaron †Ver. 27. You may as well say Aaron was older than Moses at First but Moses was older than Aaron at Last while they lived gogether as to say The night was before the day at first but now the day is before the night Honour thy Father and thy mother * Ex. 20.12 the father is put first for Adam was first formed then Eve †1 Tim. 2.13 By order of the Creation of Man and first institution of Marriage the man is to be older than the woman else marriages are Monsters Yet God alters his order of words viz Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his father * Lev. 19.3 this is because children are more prone to despise their mothers than their fathers Render to Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods †Mar. 12.17 by your argument Cesar was before God or to be preferred before him Fath. But some say Object 2 The seventh day was not butted and bounded with Even and Morning as the Six dayes were Ergo it did not begain at Even as they did it s a day without night Min. If a man had 7 pound in his purse Simile and tells you he hath spent just 6 pound does he need to tell you what remains Simile If I had 7 dayes natural allowed me to live in a house and tell you I have spent just 6
nights and 6 dayes do I need to tell you what remains or if I say a Day remains is it not ridiculous for you to conclude it is a day without night I am ashamed of such Arguments if men will make Mists they deserve to dwell in the Dark Fath. What time in the Even does it begin Min. Not at Sun set as you may suppose The time of the Even but when its dark night which time is both Scriptural and Rational i e it agrees best with Gods Word and mans Work This last needs no more proof than mans experience That its Scriptural see Scripture When it began to be dark Nehemiah commanded the gates of Jerusalem should be shut * Neh. 13.19 i e that the Merchants might not come in to Sell and break the Sabbath The gate of the inner court shall be opened on the Sabbath i e at Even and shall not be shut till the Even †Ezck. 46.1 2. To begin the day at dark night is Consonant to its beginning at the Creation the Evening and the morning were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day * Gen. 1.5 The Even or beginning of the night is put for the whole night Morning or the beginning of the day is put for the whole day N B The beginning of the day was thus Counted before the Sun was Created †Ver. 16. to signifie it s not Sun-set that begins the day but the beginning of darknesse when light is at an end Fath. In Summer it is day-light all night Object 3 Min. What then count the night to begin when it is as dark as it will be near two hours after Sun-set Those Northern people who have day-light a month together and they who have Sun-shine as long can count the dayes and tell when a day begins and ends by the Circular motion of the Sun Fath. To begin day at dark night is an unsettled Rule Object 4 for it is variable all the year long in December our Sabbath will beain soon after 5 a clock in June not till Ten. Min. It is by the Suns Ascension and Declension that night comes Sooner and Later with us on the North of the Line But thus hath God made the Sun to rule the day which we are to reckon as good a rule as if the Sun did rise and set all year at the same time And they that live East or West from us are to begin their Sabbath when it is Even with them though it be Morning or Noon with us that is nothing to them So we are to begin when it is Even with us though it be Morning or Noon with them that is nothing to us for the Sun rules the day round the world ¶ This leads me to a Lesson for your Lads A lesson for Lads who are apt to think it is Day and Night every where at once To cure this conceit consider When it is morning with us a quarter part of the Circumference of the world East it is Noon half way round it is Even three quarters round it is Midnight quite round we are at home Or when it is morning with us a quarter part West it is Midnight half way round it is Even three quarters round it is Noon And thus it is Morning Noon Even Midnight at once in 4 parts of the world any hour of the day Fath. That I perceive Object 5 but it seems unfit to begin a Sabbath with night and sleep Min. It does more than Seem unfit to oppose the order of the Almighty the God of order Why do not you argue thus It is fit to begin the Sabbath with night because it is a day of rest 2 Though it begin with Night it is not to begin with Sleep sure there is Prayer and some holy exercise in Gods service to preceed Sleep if there be any Christianity in a Family 3 The night is sanctified of God for us as well as the day and may be sanctified to God by us we are to Sleep to God as well as to Wake to God in so Sleeping God will be glorified and we may be comforted * Ps 63.5 6 4 Works of Charity and Necessity are lawfull on the Sabbath day and such are eating drinking and sleeping so much as is meet for us Fath. But the Sabbath must begin in the Morning because Jesus rose then Object 6 Min. He did not rise in the morning there is not a Text in the Bible tells you so Fath. You think I never search the Scripture Min. Yes perhaps with a Bible in one hand and a Pipe of Tabacco in the other in Pastime not in Pain under your ignorance Men may be Professors and Preachers and what they will but except they are pinched to death under their darknesse and both search and pray to God in good earnest they are never like to know the mind of God while they live Lay both hands and heart too to this work lest you come off with a Curse and a Blast for a blessing Fath. I hope you will not deny this Text †Mar. 16.9 Min. I hope so too God for bid I should but for your satisfaction we will see what all the Evangelists say Matthew tells us the two Mary's came to see the sepulchre as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week * Mat. 28.1 Mark saith they came at the rising of the Sun †Mar. 16.2 This cannot be the first coming These saw a young man Sitting * Mar. 16.5 Some saw 2 men Standing †Lu. 24.4 Mary saw 2 Angels Sitting * Jo. 20.12 It seems Several came at Several times It s probable Mary Magdalene who had most love to Christ and to whom he first appeared †Mar. 16.9 came first along * Job 20.1 Luke saith they came very early 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the depth of the morning †Lu. 24.1 i e at Cock-crowing Depth signifies a thing did in the dark the morning was deep in the dark the Spring of day was coming but there was so much darknesse between they could not discern it John saith Mary came when it was yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darknesse * Job 20.1 that is was be before Day ia as clear as the Sun THEN said the Angels Why seek ye the living among the dead he is not here but is risen †Luk. 24.5 6. q d Long ago Had Mary come at Midnight she had heard the same for all you know None of the Evangelists tell us when Jesus rose There had been a great eath-quake for the Angel descended and rolled back the stone * Mat. 28.2 and for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men †Ver. 4. and were revived and gone for saifh Mary They have taken away the Lord * Job 20.2 These things had a time to be acted over but how long ended before Mary first came before day is
will it being so Fashionable the world cannot hate you * Ver. 7. for it they will love their won 2 Jesus refused to go with Them because the Jews sought to kill him †Ver. 1. not at the feast for fear of an uprore * Mat. 26.5 but to Way-lay him q d He will come with his kindred as other people use to do and so we shall Snap him by the way Therefore said Jesus I go not up Yet to this feast q d till Ye are gone for my time is not yet fully come †Job 7.8 q d my Meet time to go or my time to be Taken when it is I shall not seek to Save my self But when his brethren were gone up then went he also up unto the feast not openly * Ver. 10. i e by the way for at Jerusalem about the Midst of the feast Jesus went up into the Temple and taught * Ver. 14. And in the last day that Great day of the feast Jesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drink * Ver. 37. So you see Jesus did not refuse to go up to this feast Fath. But you have said Hezekiah changed the Passeover in case of necessity †Pag 253. Min. Hezekiah's Salvation did not depend upon his perfect obedience to the Law if it had he had never been Saved but upon Christs perfect obedience without which He nor We shall never be Saved Fath. If Christ kept the Passeover a Day before the Right day he kept it Min. Suppose you say to a Servant Do such a work to Morrow No Sir faith he I will do it to day Nay say you I am resolved to have it done to Morrow Away goes he and does it to Day does this servant Obey or Disobey you Fath. I confesse he Disobeys me even in doing the work which I command him Min. How many times hath God plainly expressed his mind in this matter in the Law which Jesus was under viz That the Passeover should be killed the 14 day of the month by your Own confession Christ was disobedient if he changed the day N B Suppose you could prove Jesus did Anticipate the Passeover and not sin and that the Jews kept the 15 day yet except you prove the 15 day of the month to be the 7 day of the week you neither prove Jesus rose on the Wave-day nor Pentecost on the first day nor Jesus's death on the 6 day and so you are never the near But if Jesus had brake any Sabbath or Law of God in the Least he could not have been in the Least any Saviour †Ja. 2.10 And that Jesus failed in the least Jota Jod Point or Tittle is folly wickednesse madnesse in a man once to imagine Before Christ would have broken any Command he upholding the whole Creation would have let Heaven and Earth fall for had he failed a Tittle of fulfilling the whole Law Gods purpose of Salvation had fell ERGO this is an infallible Maxime A Maxime viz On the 14 day of the first month Nisan Christ killed the Passeover according to All the Rites of it * Nu. 9.3 and on the 15 day he was killed himself the 16 and Wave-day was the first day Jesus lay dead therefore he rose not That day nor could Pentecost fall on the first day So your Pentecost opinion is utterly overthrown and that for Jesus's death on the 6 day will follow and you shall never recover them again while the World stands Fath. I confesse I cannot at present tell what more to plead for One or Other But though you deny Jesus died on the 6 day you do not declare on what other day he died Min. Nor was it proper for me out of the place every thing beautifull in his time †Eccl. 3.11 I could easily have done that at first in few words but the work was to Answer your Objections against my Judgment and your Arguments for your Own Having done that I can shew my Opinion with pleasure but not with submission to better judgments as some finely phrase it When I speak my thoughts of what I am uncertain it shall be with such submission but when I am well assured of the truth of what I say I shall neither submit to better nor worse to Stand or Fall by this or that mans perswasion I desire a better foundation than mans Praise for my Opinion And what that is concerning the day of Christs death I will now declare and were it to the whole World with your Self I would declare it viz Week-day of Jesus's death declared The 15 day of the first month Nisan on which Christ was Crucified and Died fell that year on the Fourth day of the week i e Wednesday at end of which Day our Blessed Jesus was Buried from which time to the end of the 7 day Sabbath was 3 dayes and 3 nights N T proof the Term of time our Lord foretold he should lay in the grave * Mat. 12.40 So there was two dayes between the day of Jesus's death and the 7 day Sabbath And one day between that high Sabbath and the 7 day Sabbath had the Jews kept the right day there had been two dayes between their high Sabbath and the 7 day Sabbath which you say were both on a day The Reason of this Translation Reason of translation was because it fell on Wednesday for if this Sabbath fixt on the 15 day fell on Munday Wednesday or Fryday the Jews Custome was to translate it to the next day Godwyn by the Rule 172 Badu That year it fell on Wednesday they kept it on Thursday the 16 or Wave-day so now you may see your Wave-day and Pentecost were on Thrusday Fath. I begin to Stagger have you any more proof for the day of Jesus's death Min. What need of more proof than Christs Own words but this Old world being so full of Novelty I thought a New Opinion must have a New Proof too take one then out of the O T. O T proof And after 62 weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself †Dan. 9.26 these are extraordinary weeks And he shall confirm the covenant with many for One week * Ver. 27. there is no Prefix in the Hebrew to render it for one week but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one week he shall confirm the covenant with or rather For many i e for all the Elect by being cut off according to the covenant †Zech. 9.11 And he shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease the Sacrifice was the yearly Passeover * Ex. 12.27 the Oblation was the daily Sacrifice †Num. 28.2 3 4. Dan. 9.21 these two viz the Yearly Type and the Daily Type of Christs death when he the Substantial Sacrifice was sacrificed for us then he caused them Shadows to cease But when in the Midst of
sayings in a Literal sense is absurd foolish agrees not with faith or good life N B Blessed are your eyes †Mat. 13.16 take this literally and its ridiculous to think their eyes were Blessed and all the body and soul beside Cursed but this is by your figure Synechdoche when a Part is put for the Whole or è contra but the whole 3 dayes and 3 nights are not put for parts bits and moments as you imagine ¶ If your Qu be An let us come towards a Close I have given you a true account of the Day of Jesus's death of the Time of his burial of the Time he lay dead of the Time of his resurrection But you neither tell when Jesus Died or how long he lay Dead or when he Rose for you have nothing in the Bible to prove your opinion by 1 The day of Jesus's death is not said to be the 6 day 2 The Sabbath ensuing is not said to be the 7 day 3 The first day is not said to be the morrow after That Sabbath but when it s spoken of it s thus phrased viz the first day of the week * Joh. 20.1 When the Sabbath was past †Mar. 16.1 i e the moral Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of the Sabbaths * Mat. 28.1 i e Ceremonial and Moral N B This moral Sabbath fell in between two Ceremonial Sabbaths viz the first and last dayes of unleavened bread and after the 16 of Nisan Such a Sabbath we read of called the second Sabbath after the first †Lu. 6.1 Mat. 12.1 idem so called because it followed the first i e the Passeover Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Second first Sabbath so called because it fell after the first and before the second Ceremonial Sabbath Scaliger de emend temp It was the next Moral Sabbath after the 16 of Nisan which day was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deutera or second day of the 7 the Wave-day from whence they counted the Pentecost The Disciples rubbing the cars of Corn * Lu. 6.1 tell us it was at this time of year which we are treating of i e at beginning of Harvest which began the 16 of Nisan the first of the 50 dayes Hence the name of the month 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abib which signifies an ear of corn this is in March †Buxtorf Heb LEX Pag 1. The fiftieth day was at end of Harvest in April or May. Fath. Well! you go quite crosse to the common account of the Church for Ages and to Christians and learned Ministers now living I fear this will be offensive if I should make it known Min. And as crosse to my self you would say if you knew how much its against the hair with me to displease men I design not to displease or please men farther than for their profit My main design is to please God and my Conscience if in so doing I do accidentally displease men I must harden my self in that sorrow †Job 6.10 And may I but engage God and my Conscience to stand by me I have enough were all the world to rise up in arms against me As for mens Hearts they are in Gods Hand and with him I leave it to turn them To or Fro me as he please I have learned to know I am not to live by mens Smiles nor to die by their Frowns ¶ Sir Concession you are at liberty to tell your Authors what I have told you but counsel them not to Back-bite me for that is uncomely If they have any thing to reply more than your Self desire them to do it to my Face But let them know their Replication must come from holy Scripture else it will be lost labour It will be in vain to tell me I oppose the opinion of the Church for So many ages or I am opposite to the Church that now is National or Congregational †I mean all in separation from the National and so in Pag 213. or to this or that learned Minister or Dr. The Question with me concerning an opinion is not Whose is it but What is it If they bring any thing out of Philo Josephus Manasse Ben Israel or any of the Talmudical Doctors or Jewish Rabbies that will give light to a Dark Text I will embrace it but if it comes to darken a Clear Text or to disprove a Plain Text I shall utterly reject it and therefore to convince me it will be in vain to produce it Fath. I presume you have not been long of this perswasion Did you never speak of the time of Christs resurrection in Preaching pray what account did you give the people of it Min. Sir I shall deal ingeniously with you The Author's way in his Work I have sometime preached a Sermon for the observation of the Sabbath day For a beginning I directed to the morning supposing it to be the time of Jesus's rising But I secretly thought I wanted a bottom for I could not tell what time in the morning Jesus rose and was as if my heart did not stand by me in it I marvel now in what Mist I was groping at Noon day for the time of Jesus's rising in the morning for that was not at all to be expected Nor need the time of his resurrection be expressed when the time of his Burial viz Even and the time of continuance in the Grave viz 3 dayes and 3 nights are both expressed The shame of this Bottomlesse counsel for a beginning of the Sabbath I am willing to bear but I knew no better yet my ignorance will not excuse my negligence I should have made better Search But I was never concerned about it till you and I had talked under the Tree since that I have been much perswaded that the Common count for the day of Christs death was not True but that he lay longer dead And because I had never discoursed any man concerning it I searched some Expositors of Texts relating to it and found them all opposite to me so I see if I went on I must go against the Stream And seeing I could find nothing For me I sought to find all I could Against me and to know the Full strength of this Stream This being found I laid these learned Authors By and fell to work by the search of the Scriptures and Prayer for I could not give it over And though many a time after Much study and Little hope I have been Crushed as if I should give up the ghost yet I could Not give it over but continued in prayer to God viz that if the Common count of the day of Christs death was true he would cause me to acquiesce in it but if my perswasion was true that he would be pleased to help me to understand it and make it out to You and not leave me to erre in it To this purpose I did implore God with many prayers and