and that is much by traveling on the Lords day which is the Market day of your Soules and do you think a wise man will be diverted from his Markets by trifling gewgaws especially when his livelyhood lyeth upon it another way how Persons break the Sabbath is by spending their time in needless adornments of the Body after Sermon either to stand gazeing at their Doores or talking impertinently contrary to the work of the day of worldly things of vain and lascivious things and how dost thou rest when thou art imployed with thy thoughts and tongue though thou art not with thy hands which is as it were one and the same for when the heart is gone from the service of God all your life is gone and there is little lest but a dead Carkase which is no Keeping of a day to the Lord. Another way how Persons break the Lords day that after several Gentry and others have carelesly heard the word then they must recreate themselves by walking in Grays-Inn walks or in the Fields with vain and unsavory discourses and so Sathan steales the word they have heard and they are never the better but as ready to go to their Lusts all the Week after and so drive a sad trade of Sin which brings great judgments Temporal Spiritual and Eternal I might urge many Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament and several Arguments might bâ— produced but famous Mr. Dod that worthy servant of Jesus Christ and others have done so learnedly that it is but the Widdows mite that I can cast into the treasury by way of confirmation of what hath been formerly spoken I shall end this particular with two things first to shew you briefly how the Sabbath ought to be kept and secondly speak somthing of the alteration of the day 1. How a Sabbath day of rest ought to be kept holy remember to keep holy the Sabbath day it is set a part from all servicable works but works of mercy and necessity may be done thou art to prepare to keep the Lords day Secondly begin in the Morning withprivate Prayers meditation pray for the presence of God in all his ordinances praise God for the great work of redemption and for the resurrection for in that day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of that glorious place on high ever living to make interceâ—sion for all that believe Secondly bless God for his holy word and beg that it may be to thee as it was to David sweeter then hony and the hony-comb and that it may be so blessed that it may do thy Soul good and that the instructions of the word may teach thee and the reprehentions of the Word to weaken Sin in thee and that the exhortations may perswade thee and the consolations comfort thee and when thou hast been hearing the word thou must examine what word it was that met with thy Soul and make much of that and if thou wouldest spend thy time in hearing and praying and praising their would be no spare time for walking up and down unnessarily Now to you that are Masters of Families it is your duty to pray privately to your Families every day but begin with prayer on the Lords day in the Morning and then pray with thy Family and so bring thy Children and Servants to the hearing of the word powerfully preached and after repeat and so to Prayer and thus spend the Lords day in holy exercises then thou wilt undoubtedly be more sit to serve God in thy particular calling in the Week and then thou maist expect a blessing from heaven upon all thou hast for it is the blessing of God maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it But those Scriptures that you have brought are for keeping of the seventh day It is true the seventh day was the Jewish Sabbath but we find a change of the day after the resurrection and the gospel ordinances were administred on that day it was that day in which Jesus Christ rose from the dead we see what Christ saith Math. the 12. from the 1. to the 9. Aâ—â—â— 20. 7. Rev. 1. 10. It is said that some greek Coppies do render it thus John was ravished in the Spirit on the Lords day being the first day of the Week but I am not now to intermeddle with that controversie but am fully satisfyed in my own mind that there is sufficient warrant in the New Testament for keeping the first day of the Week or Lords day in which we are to celebrate the praises of God in the great work of redemption 10. Sin Which is a Land destroying Sin is Covetousness and oppression first covetousness is a greedy desire of that which is none of their own secondly covetousness is against the righteous Law of God In Exod. 20. 17. Hebrews 13. and the 5. Let your conversations be without covetousness and be content with those things that you have 3. Col. 5. 6. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness Inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry for which things sake the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of disobedience See Es 57. 17. For the Iniquity of his covetousness I was wrath and smote him Several Scriptures that reprehend this evil and Arguments might be urged but in regard many worthy Servants of Jesus Christ have demonstrated this evil of Covetousness at large I shall as it were but briefly touch upon it speak something to that which is obvious to the practice of the men of our age it very much reprehends some trades men and Userers that when men that have got into their debt they feed them with mony and so on a sudden call for their Debt and if the Debtor hath not mony to pay then they must have a Mortgage upon his Land and if it be not redeemed in such a fixt time then they cease upon the Land for half the worth of it and so they ruin them and their Posterity although it is very true that every man ought to pay his Debt but the Creditor must not raise it in a Sinister way Preying upon others necessities and taking advantage upon men when they are in a Low condition but it is honest to give every one the full value of his Land as any other Purchaser would do but they have clandestine wayes to eat up mens Estates before they are aware and so forcibly throw them out this is a horrible shame and a great fruit of covetousness and that which the Creditor gets by such ways will consume as Butter in the Sun for God will blast and not bless what is contrary to his will 2ly I shall briefly shew you how covetousness may be said to be Idolatry fâ—r whatever thou lovest or trustest in more than God that undoubtedly thou makest thy God For consider if a man have lost a beast or any outward thing how exceedingly will he complain and
unwise do ye thus provoke the Lord to bring judgment and desolation until he hath consumed you from of the earth Job 24. 15. The eye also of the Adulterer watcheth for the twilight saying no eye shall see me and disguiseth his face 16 17 18 vers Jer. 10. 11. For the land is full of Adulterers for because of Swearing the land mourneth the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up their course is evil and their force is not right Mala. 3. 5. And I will come near to you in judgment and will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that oppress the hireling of his wages the widow and the fatherless and turn aside the stranger from his right and fear not me saith the Lord of hosts And thus you may see how God doth threaten judgments against these sins and against all sin likewise see what the Apostle saith in 1 Corin. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God So Heb. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable in all but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Rev. 22. 15. For without are Dogs Sorcerers and Whoremongers Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye I beseech you consider seriously what God would have you in these Scriptures for they are sharply reprehending your sins You that are guilty of these abominations take heed for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the great and dreadful God who will be a consuming fire to all rebellious sinners Psa 50. 22. Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Oh let thy heart tremble within thee when thou considerest that although thou art in thy secret chamber with thy minion yet God seeth all thy wickedness and will judge thee at the last and great day of accompt when all the Adulterers and Adultresses shall desire the rocks and mountains to fall upon them to hide them from him that sits upon the throne and shall not have so much favour but shall be severely judged and condemned and cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone in those endless easlâ—ss and remediless torments 7. Land destroying Sin is murder this is a great crying Sin that cryes aloud for vengeance upon the Persons that are guilty and those that pass by willful Murther and upon all those Juries that find many Murders but manslaughter surely this Sin of murder is frequently committed in this great City and Suburbs and in all other parts of the Nation what a horrible shame is it that the City of London and Westminster that should be the best governed being the chief place of the Nation that there should be so many outrages committed where the Gospel is so powerfully preached beyond all the places in the World that which God hath so much prohibited in his holy word Exod. 20. 13. Thou shalt not kill Gen. 1. 9 6. Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the Imâ—ge of God made he man which is given as a reason of this prohibition and this is confirmed by the Lord Jesus Matth. 5. 21 22. Chapt. 19. 18. thou shalt do no Murther thou shalt not Steal thou shalt not bear false Witness c. See Num. 35. 16. And if he smite him with an Instrument of Iron so that he dy he is a Murtherer and the Murtherer shall surely be put to death vers the 31. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the Life of the Murtherer which is guilty of Death but he shall surely be put to Death vers the 30. whoso killeth any person shall be put to Death by the mouth of his Witnesses Oh the corruption of this wicked age that if a man be a great man or have great Friends or a plentiful Purse how is justice apt to be perverted and it may be the Prosecutor a poor man how shall he be brow-beaten and not suffered to speak if the Murtherer be in his drink or be distempered there will be some excuse or other made for him Oh do not think these poor sorry excuses will serve you be not deceived God is not mocked that which you sow you shall reap to your great sorrow and those that are instrumental in saving Murtherers from the highest to the lowest you shall smart for it when a Gentleman hath committed or Murthered a Man he flyes to France and then his Friends procure a Pardon or else the Judge and Jury must be spoken unto and I wish they do not find plain Murther is Manslaughter especially if he be a Cousin or related to a great man what shifts will there be to save this Murtherers Life and it may be instead of repenting this Hector goes and kills another man judge you who kill d that man whosoever it be that saves a Murtherer unjustly I must needs be plain with you and declare unto you that the wrath of God is against all unrighteousness and thou Sinner by sinning against God treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgements of God who will reward every man according to his works Rom. 2. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. 8 Sin is Drunkenness and excess this is a beastly swinish sin what to take those creatures which God hath graciously given to satisfy and refresh Nature thou by taking excess dost express and destroy Nature Oh how foolish and unwise are poor desperate sinners that by your practice speak forth as if God had made you to drink and swill and take your fill till you disgorge your selves and be an anusance and disturbance to all sober persons near you nay sure God hath made you for more noble ends viz. to glorify him and to know your interest in him and to do good in your Generation what benefit is a Drunkard to Church or Common-wealth nay he is very injurious to himself his Family and all other sober good men that cannot endure to see God dishonoured and his good mercies abused Oh what great shame is this that where the Gospel is so powerfully preached and so much light that such an abominable vice as this should reign and be so frequently practised that is against the very light of Nature I might be long upon this subject to shew you the sad effects of this beastly Sin of drunkenness what a big bellyed Sin is this which is an occasion sometimes of Murther and uncleanness when men are deprived of their reason then they are mad and sit for any mischief to themselves others some men when they are drunk have broken their Necks off their Horses fallen down off some steep place not being able to stand and so destroyed themselves others committing uncleanness Ravishing their Neighbours
out from being a people now the Cup of trembleing by our neighbour nations who knows but we may drink the dregs and bottoms of the Cup that such a stubborn impudent brazen-fac'd rebellious People as have sined against so much light and love we know that ingratitude is counted one of the worst evils as your Latin Phrase is Si dixeris ingratum est omne malum There is no true Christian desires the evil day but doth pray earnestly to your Lord for the aversion of his judgments from the Nation and however they are lightly esteemed amongst men and called Phanaticks yet they are the pillers of the Earth and the best friends to the King and Kingdom allthough they are slighted and persecuted for cleaving close to Gods word which they dare not nor will not swarve from what ever they suffer and knowing the terror of the Lord we do perswade men to turn from their evil ways to the Lord that so they may not bring ruin upon themselves and others surely it will be a very terrible day upon all those that persecute the people of God and I pray you what do you persecute them for I conceive you do not understand what is written against those that sit at ease and eat the fat and drink the sweet and think they do well if they can procure the Ministers of the gospel and Christians to be put in Prison But all you that are of that spirit to worry the pretious harmless Lambs of Jesus Christ I would not be in your cases for ten thousand worlds mark what our Lord Jesus saith to such Mat. 18. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which beleive in me it were better a mil-stone were hanged about his neck that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Mar. 9. 42. Luk. 17. 1 2. And thus I conclude with my earnest prayers to the God of all grace and mercy beseeching him rather to glorify his mercy in the reformation of this poor sinful Island then his Justice in the confusion and desolation of it now as I was concluding I was looking for that place of Scripture In Jer. Where the Prophet saith Lord thou knowest I do not desire the evilday These Scriptures were presented unto my view Jer. 18. from the 9. to the 12. vers And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it vers the 10. If it do evil in my sight and obey not my voice then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I will benefit them vers the 11. Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem saying thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you return ye every one from the evil of his way and make your ways and your doings good Chap. 13. 18 19. Say unto the King and to the Queen humble your selves sit down for your Principalities shall come down even the Crown of your glory vers the 19. to the end of that Chapter The Citys of the South shall be shut up Judah shall be carryed away Captive all of it shall be wholly carryed away Captive Thus you see the denuntiation of Gods threatnings of terrible judgments against a rebellious People that walketh in a way that is not good after their own thoughts Oh therefore I humbly beseech you hear and fear and turn to the Lord with your whole hearts 9. Sin That is a Land destroying Sin is Sabbath breaking which is first a breach of the 4th Commandment Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is the law that was given in thundering and lightning Exod. 19. 16. And it came to pass the third day in the Morning that there were thundrings and lightnings so that all the people that were in the Camp trembled One reason may be why the Law was given in that terrible manner that the people might fear to break that righteous Law for that God which shewed himself terrible in the giving of the Law can also shew himself as terrible on them that violate this righteous Law which appoints a time for his worship in pouring down his wrath and indignation upon Nations that break this righteous and just Law so that if there be a God to worship as doubtless there is and certainly there is a time that he hath set apart which ought to be kept holy then wo be to all those that dare adventure to prophain his holy day as in this well govern'd City and in the Suburbs thereof is Coster-Mongers and others selling their fruit on that holy day and other things on that day Friends it is not altogether so much the matter done which maketh the breach of the Sabbath as any thing done which ought not to be done picking of sticks was but a small business and yet see how God was displeased see that he destroyed those that did it nothing but works of necessity and mercy Nehem. 10. 13. And if the people of the Land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day we will not buy it we will not buy of them on the Sabbath or on the holy day Chapt. 13. from the 15. to the 23. Where good Nehemiah testifyed against them that sould victualls vers the 17. Then I contended with the Nobles and said to them what evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day vers the 18. Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us upon this City yet ye bring more wrath by prophaning the Sabbath See the Zeal of a good Governor he contended against evil and encouraged them in that which was good which is the duty of all Magistrates but è contra with us in England there be some Magistrates that discourage vertue and encourage vice what a sad thing is this those Magistrates that do so are not appointed nor set up Exod. 16. 23. Chapt. 31. 15. Six days may work be done but in the 7th is the Sabbath of rest holy to the Lord whosoever doth any work on the Sabbath he shall surely be put to death so in the 14. vers Chapt. 35. 2. Levit. 23. 2. Num. 15. 32 34. vers the 35. And the Lord said unto Moses the man shall be surely put to death and the Congregation shall stone him with stones and vers 36. And they stoned him with stones and he dyed as the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 5. 12 13 14. John 20. 19. Es 56. 2. 6. And thus you see the Scriptures Enjoyning us to keep the Lords day and the denuntiation of threatnings against those that break this holy day although the day be altered from all the Scriptures you may safely conclude that there is a time set a part by God for his worship and service and if the least breach were punished with death what shall be the violation of the whole day