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
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
bewail his loss but when thou losest the presence of God and the enjoyment of communion with himself thou makest no matter of that which is the cheifest good and surely this is a clear demonstration that thou lovest these creatures more than the Creator blessed for ever 2ly That which thou art so much cast down in the absence and so exceedingly lifted up and rejoycing in the presence of and in the enjoyment must needs be thy chiefest delight and so closest with thy Idol instead of the true God and in this thou art certainly to blame 2ly Oppression when men oppress the poor and needy Psa 12. 5. For the oppression of the Poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him The rich oppress the poor as Masters oppress their servants and prentices and Magistrates oppress their subjects Then Masters oppress their servants when they do not that which is equal to them they break the Royal Rule do as you wou'd bedon by For Masters to detein their servants wages and not to give that which is necessary and convenient for them this is a great oppression See Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out by reason of the arme of the Mighty Eccles 4. 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the Sun and behold the tears of such as are oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressors there was power but they had no comforter Is 33. 15. So when Governors of Nations lay any heavy burthens upon the people contrary to the rule of Gods word and contrary to the Law of the Nation this is great oppression as Pharaoh made the people make Brick without straw See Exod. 5. from the 7. to the 19. vers 15. Then the Officers of the Children of Israel cryed unto Pharaoh saying wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants there is no straw given unto thy servants and they say unto us make Brick and behold thy servants are beaten but the fault is in thy own people vers 17. But he said ye are idle ye are idle therefore ye say let us go and do sacrifice unto the Lord. ver 18. Go therefore now and worke for there shall no straw be given you yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks Job 15. 20. With many other places I might alledge So that you may see how oppressors have been formerly so are to this day and how the holy Scriptures condemn that sin and it brings judgments upon the guilty on them and their posterity Therefore repent of this great unlovely uncharitable self-destroying sin for else it will bring the swift judgments of God upon all those that practise this abominable evil both upon them and their posterity See Job 57. from the 13 to the end of the chapt This is the portion of wicked men with God and the heritage which they shall receive of the Almighty if his children be multiplied it is for the sword and his off-spring shall not be satisfied vers the 15. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death and his widdows shall not weep vers the 20. Terrors take hold on him as waters a tempest stealeth him away in the night 21. The East-wind carrieth him away and he departeth and as a storm hurleth him out of his place 22. For God shall cast upon him and not spare he wou'd fain flee out of his hands 23. Men shall clap their hands at him and shall hiss him out of his place And this is the portion of wicked men from the Lord. I beseech you let every one examine himself whether he be not guilty of this sin Prov. 3. 31. and 28. 16. Jer. 21. 12. and 22. 3. And see the danger of and avoid it and turn to the Lord from every evil way that so iniquity may not be your ruin 11. Sin is the sin of Professors that profess Religion and do not practise what you profess Surely when we make a scrutiny into our own hearts and behold the practise of other Professors it is evidently to be demonstrated that there is so little love to God and Jesus Christ that have deserved all our love that we may be ashamed See what little love there is to Saints that bear the Image of Christ Surely we are fallen into the latter days that our Lord Jesus speaks of Math. 24. 12. And because iniquity abounds the love of many shall wax cold The great reason that Christ gives why the love of many waxeth cold is because iniquity abounds Therefore now it must needs wax cold because there was never greater abounding of iniquity in all sorts as at this day There is no man that loves God aright but he must love his Image where ever he see it 1 Joh. 2. from the 9. to the 12. Loving our Brethren is made a certain character of a Christian 1 Joh. 3. 10. and 4. 20. that Epistle is spent in treating of Faith and Love And therefore I desire all Christians seriously to read and weigh those five chapt of 1. of John it doth very much reprehend our defects in this thing especially and exhorts all to believe Oh examine thy heart and be earnest at the throne of grace that God wou'd make thee sincere that thou mayst avoid the evils of the day thou livest in and do the duties of the day which is especially 1 Love to God and Jesus Christ 2 Love to the Saints 3 Watchfulness and keeping thy garments clean lest thou be found naked I shall end with this Scripture which is our Lord Jesus's reprehension of and counsel to the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 4 5. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come against thee and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Oh let us every one consider what is said and the Lord give a right understanding in all things Oh the lukewarmness and want of love to God and Christ and Saints Oh the carnality of Professors a Laodicean frame is the worst frame in professors Mark what the spirit of God saith in the 3 of the Re. 3. And unto the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write these things saith the Amen the faithful and true witness the Beginning of the Creation of God vers 15. I know thy works that thou art neither hot nor cold so because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Are not your expectations very great the accomplishing of all those faithful promises which God hath made in these latter days and therefore Christians should be diligent and be up and doing and be servent in the spirit serving the Lord with much vigilancy and sincerity preparing for the day of the Lord which draweth nigh And blessed are all those servants whom their Lord shall find doing their Masters will he will make them sit down and he will serve them Take heed of spiritual pride for that poysons Angelical perfections Take heed of a carnal formal frame of spirit for that will make thee unfit for doing or suffering Oh awake thou that sleepest and rise from the dead and Christ shall give thee life for thou hast a great work to do and a very little time to do it and therefore up and be doing and the Lord be with thee Labour to exercise faith and patience faith in God and love to God and very much longing and ardent desire after God 2. A patient wayting for God For he that shall come will come and will not tarry but the Just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 35 36 37 38. Now with my earnest prayers at the Throne of grace for you desiring the God of all grace and rich mercy to preserve us blameless and to keep us by his mighty power through faith to salvation that we overcome to the death and so enjoy a Crown of life which the righteous Lord will assuredly give to all those that love and long for his appearance FINIS