Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 8 · Lecture 136
Lecture CXXXVI. On Psalme 51.7. December 29. 1629.
IT followeth now that we make some application of that which wee have heard touching the Sabbath;Applic. and so proceed unto the two last particulars of those five, which I have proved to be in many a man, that is no better then an hypocrite.
And that which I have to say by way of application, is first of all more generall and concerneth all other persons and places as well as this; secondly more speciall, and concerneth this place principally.
Of all I may say ô that God would give us hearts to beleeve that which wee have heard taught us concerning the observation of the Sabbath day, out of the Word of God, by which wee must bee all judged at the great and dreadfull day, as our Saviour assureth us, Iohn 12.48. O that wee could beleeve that the surest way to make our Church and State to flourish; to secure us from enemies abroad and Papists at home, to maintaine Gods Gospell and the purity of his religion amongst us; that the surest way to make our Townes and families and persons to prosper and do well, were to keepe the Lords rest upon his holy day. If we could beleeve this, then would wee bee the more carefull to keepe the Sabbath better our selves, and then would wee doe what lieth in us that it might bee better kept by others also. I know our corrupt hearts are apt to have in them many reasonings against the strict observation of the Sabbath day. And these imaginations and reasonings that wee have in us against the truth of God, the Apostle, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. calleth strong holds and high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. But of all these strong holds and high things, I may say as our Saviour saith in another case and another sense speaking of the faith of miracles, Matth. 17.20. If wee had but as much faith as a graine of musterd seed, but a little faith to beleeve the promises and threatnings that we have heard concerning the observation or neglect of the Sabbath, we might easily remove all these mountaines out of our way. Diverse notable good lawes we have had made of late yeares for the better observation of the Sabbath day. Some to restraine men from doing their owne workes; some other to compell men to doe the Lords worke by frequenting diligently the Church assemblies upon that day. And blessed be God that hath given that heart to our King and State to make such lawes. In respect whereof it may be fitly said of them as Deborah speaketh in another case, Iudg. ….9. My heart is towards the governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people, Blesse ye the Lord. The hearts of all Gods people should be towards the governours of Israel, for shewing themselves so willing to provide for the sanctifying of the Lords Sabbath, we should all blesse the Lord for them. The whole land (I nothing doubt) fareth the better and hath had the tranquility thereof lengthened the rather, even by the zeale that our governours have shewed in this point towards God, and towards his house. But that which is said of the daies of King Iehos…phat, 2 Chron. 20.32, 33. may fitly be applied to our times, Iehosaphat did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Howbeit the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people did not prepare their hearts unto the God of their fathers. Our gracious King in Parliament hath done that which is right in the sight of the Lord, in making these good lawes. Howbeit the Sabbath is still in most places shamefully profaned, these good lawes are not executed; for the people do not prepare their hearts unto God, they have no heart to his honour or service at all. And indeed in nothing doth it better appeare that the hearts of the people generally are not prepared unto God, but utterly alienated and estranged from him then in this; that when they have but the least colour and semblance of law to justifie any of their unwarantable practises whereby they may trouble any of their brethren, and devise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the land as the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 35.20. there they will seeme wondrous zealous for the lawes and presse them hotly, they frame their mischiefe by a law as the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 94.20. they pretend nothing so much for their deadly hatred against others that are innocent as that they doe not obey the law. This was Hamans outcry against Gods people in his time, Est. 3.8, These keepe not the kings lawes; And of Daniels adversaries against him, Dan. 6.13. He regardeth not thee ô king, nor the decree that thou hast signed. And of those lewd fellowes of the baser sort which we read of, Acts 17.5, 7. against Paul and the brethren with him. These all (say they) doe contrary to the decrees of Caesar. Whereas I say to colour their malice against God and his people they seeme zealous for the law & for the Magistrate; Let the Magistrate make lawes that tend most directly to the honour of God, that concerne the weightiest matters of Gods law (as our gracious Iehosaphat hath done for the observation of the Sabbath, for the punishment of swearing, for the suppressing of the multitude and disorders of ale-houses, the very chiefe nurseries of all profanesse and impiety) these lawes you shall find they have no zeale for at all; they will never count a man the worse subject for breaking of them; they count it a most odions thing for any man (yea though he be an officer that is bound by his oath to doe it) to seeke or urge the execution of these lawes against any offender. And so much may serve for that part of my application which is more generall.
The other part I must direct to you of this Towne and Congregation more specially. And yet not so to them of this Towne as if I thought none of you that heare me were to be blamed for these faults that I shall now reprove but onelyonly they of this Towne; but because my selfe have discerned them and beene grieved and troubled in my soule for them in this place more then in any other.
But before I begin this part of my application, let me (by way of preface) use a word or two that it may doe you the more good. I know well to some hearers all that we use to say in reproofe of sinne is wont to be very unsavoury and harsh, specially if it be any whit particular and sharp. But I may not forbeare it because of that. Remember I pray you what a necessity is laid upon us that are Gods Ministers to reprove the sinnes that we discerne to be in any of you. There is nothing we are more straitly charged with by the Lord then to reprove sin plainely and particularly and vehemently too. And I much feare that wee are all to blame in neglecting this part of our duty so much as wee doe. I will give you but two places for this, one in the Old Testament, and another in the New. The first is Esa. 58.1. Observe foure points in that charge. 1. Cry aloud, it must be done feelingly and with affection. 2. Spare not, it must be done without partiality. 3. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, it must be done zealously and vehemently. 4. Shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes, it must be done plainely and particularly. The other place is 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing, and in his kingdome: preach the Word, be instant, in season, and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. Observe three things in this place. 1. That this duty of our ministery is twice pressed upon us, reprove, rebuke. 2. That we are charged to be instant in it foreign stand much upon it. 3. With what a charge this is pressed upon us, verse 1. As if he should say, Thou canst never answer it unto God, and unto Iesus Christ at the day of judgement, if thou doe it not. Ye see what a commission and charge wee have and that there is nothing more pertinent to our ministery, then plainely and roundly to reprove sinne. If we see any sinne among you, and discover it not, reprove it not, the Lord telleth us plainely, Ezek. 3.18. that he will require your bloud at our hands. But if we discharge our duty this way, though you will not be reclaimed and leave your sinne (as I feare many of you whose sinne I shall now reprove will not) yet we have delivered our owne soules, as the Lord telleth us, verse 19. Yea the Lord observeth this in the false Prophets as a chiefe note of an unfaithfull Minister, Lam. 2.14. They have not discovered thine iniquity unto thee, saith he. Howsoever therefore you take it, you see we must do our duty. And of sundry of you, I make no doubt but you will be ready to say of that which I shall deliver unto you out of Gods Word, against any of your sins, as good Hezekiah did in the like case, 2 King. 20.19. The Word of the Lord is good, Whatsoever is taught me by good warrant of Gods Word though it be never so much to my reproach and shame is good, and I will receive it and yeeld unto it. And indeed if you yeeld to Gods Word and reforme your selves in those things that shall be reproved by it, the reproofe that shall be given will be nothing to your reproach but to your credit, and honour rather. For so saith the Holy Ghost, Pro. 25.12. As an earing of gold and an ornament of fine gold; so is a wise reprover upon an obedient eare. As if he should say, No Iewell can so much adorne and beautifie a Christian, as this will do, when he can receive and submit himselfe to the word of reproofe, that is wisely given and by good warrant of Gods Word. And upon this ground I will now proceed.
Of this Towne my selfe can say that I have knowne the time, when it did shine as a light to all the countrey, and was famous among the Churches of Christ for the religious observation of the Sabbath day. And to this day (blessed be God) for the meanes of sanctifying the Sabbath by the publique ministery in our Church assemblies, I dare say it is little or nothing behind any other Church in the countrey. And of many of the people also I may say that they doe as diligently frequent them; and our Congregations on the Lords day both in the forenoone and afternoone too, are as full and populous as can lightly bee found in any other place. And yet for all that by many amongst us the Sabbath is as much profaned in all the three branches of the commandement touching the right observation of it, which I told you of the last day, as it is (I thinke) in any part of all the countrey besides.
The first and chiefe thing that God requireth in the observation of his Sabbath, is this, That we keepe his rest and performe the duties of his worship that day cheerefully and reverently and spiritually. The true worshippers (saith our Saviour, Ioh. 4.23. shall worship the father in spirit and in truth; for the father seeketh such to worship him. And on the other side he telleth us, Matth. 15.8, 9. that they who when they seeme to worship God have their hearts farre from him, worship him in vaine. It is but a mock worship when men will seeme to serve him and have no heart to it at all.
And against this first branch wee have many amongst us that doe transgresse notoriously. Many that frequent our Church-assemblies on the Sabbath day ordinarily and constantly, seeme to bee hearers of the Word upon that day, yet make open profession when they are heere that they have no delight in it, as the Prophet speaketh of them in his time, Ieremy 6.10. they have no heart to it at all. You shall hardly come into any Church upon a Sabbath day where you shall see so many sleepers old and young, yea such as would bee thought to bee of cheefe credit among their neighbours not for morall honesty onelyonly but even for religion too. And this I have (to my griefe) heard many strangers observe and wonder at.
Object.I know many of you will be apt to say, Is that such a matter for a man (an ancient man especially) to bee a little sleepy and drowsy some times? And that it is not well done of me thus openly to disgrace men for their weaknesses and infirmities.
Answ.But to such I answer, First, I doe not publish or lay open any mans secret or private faults. I speake of a sinne that is publique and open to the Congregation. Of a sinne of which it may be said as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 3.9. They declare their sinne as Sodom they hide it not. And it is the Apostles rule, 1 Tim. 5.20. Them that sinne thus rebuke openly. Secondly, I speake of a sin that is so growne into fashion heere, in so common and generall use, that no man seemeth to count it any shame at all to him to doe it. Were they ashamed (saith the Prophet, Ier. 8.12.) nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush. Thirdly, I speak of a sinne that (together with the profanenesse of the children in laughing out and sporting and fighting in the Church ordinarily every Sabbath day) is a great blemish to our Church assemblies, and such as may provoke the Lord to say of them as he doth of those, Esa. 1.13. The Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity even the solemne meetings. 4. To bee overtaken with drowsinesse and sleepinesse sometimes even in the Church even at a Sermon may well be an infirmity, specially in an aged man. And I were much to blame, if I should censure any man for this rigorously. I know well the Apostles rule, Gal. 6.1. If any man bee overtaken with a fault (a frailty and infirmity, hee meaneth) yee that are spirituall restore such a one, in the spirit of meekenesse, considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted. And what man is there that is not subject to naturall infirmities? But if thy sleeping were onelyonly an infirmity, thou wouldest not be so pleased with thy selfe in it; it would trouble thee more: thou wouldest by standing up and rowzing thy selfe strive against it; thou wouldst count it a kindnesse in thy neighbour that sitteth next thee to jogge thee and waken thee, yea thou wouldst pray to God for helpe and strength against it. I know it is the ordinary plea that is made for many foule sinnes, the drunkard will say so too; It is but my infirmity. Callest thou these infirmities? I tell thee there is a damnable weakenesse and infirmity. The Lord speaking to Hierusalem who was now become an imperious whorish Woman saith Ezek. 16.30. How weake is thy heart? It was a damnable weakenesse. There is a spirituall spirit of infirmity, Luke 13.11. The Devill hath made thee so weake that thou canst resist no temptation, that thou art as unable to stand against temptation as the chaffe is to withstand the power of the winde, Psal. 14. It is a cursed infirmity when thou art so weake as that thou canst not cease from sinne, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Pet. 2.14. But the Apostle speaking of the frailties and infirmities that were in himselfe, and the rest of the faithfull, Rom. 7. and 8. Giveth us foure notes whereby a sinne of infirmity may be knowne from a raigning sinne. The first is in the fifteenth Verse of the seaventh Chapter. What I hate (saith he) that doe I. He was is convinced in his judgement that it was a sinne, and therefore hated it; so canst not thou say of thy sinne. The second is Verse 19. The evill which I would not, that I doe. His will the purpose and resolution of his heart was against it. Knowing his weakenesse he armed himselfe aforehand against it, by purposing with himselfe to take heed to himselfe that he might not fall into it, as David did, Psal. 39.1. I said, I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue, I will keep my mouth as with a bridle. He strove against it by prayer and all other good meanes; so canst not thou say of thy sinne. The third is Verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Hee was much troubled and grieved when he was overtaken with it, it was a great burden to his soule; so canst not thou say of thy sinne. The fourth and last is, Rom. 8.1. They that are in Christ Iesus, walke not after the flesh. It is not their custome and ordinary practice to doe so; so canst not thou say of thy sinne. No no, I assure thee; to sleepe ordinarily a great part of the Sermon while (as many of you use to doe) nay to sleepe at all in the Church without shame, without feare, without stirring up your selves; and striving against it, is more then an infirmity: it is certainely a grosse sinne. And God will judge thee a prophaner of his Sabbaths that doest so, though thou come to Church never so diligently. Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary, saith the Lord twice to his people Levit. 19.30.26.2. God will never account thee a keeper of his Sabbaths that shewest no more reverent respect unto his Sanctuary. I tell thee there is a reverence due from the greatest man in the world, unto the Lords Sanctuary; in three respects. 1. In respect of the people and servants of God that are met there to worship him. Despise yee the Church of God? saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.22. 2. In respect of the holy Angels who are then chiefly present with Gods people and have a charge to attend them when they are assembled together to worship God, both to bee as a guard unto them, as also to bee witnesses and observers of their behaviour then. This was tipified by the figures of the Cherubins that were carved round about upon the walls of Salomons Temple as we reade 1 King. 6.29. And more plainly taught us by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.10. For this cause (saith he in the congregation) ought the woman to have power on her head (that is, her vaile which is a signe of her husbands power and superiority over her) because of the Angels. 3. In respect of the Lord himselfe who is in a speciall sort present there where his people are assembled to worship him. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, (saith our Saviour Matth. 18.20.) There am I in the midst of them. And canst thou then call it thine infirmity to shew no more reverence in such a presence, to sleepe at a Sermon ordinarily without feare, without shame, when thou knowest that all these eyes are upon thee? When the people of God and the holy Angels of God, yea the Lord Himselfe doe all looke upon thee and behold thee? And so much shall serve to be said in reproofe of that fault which is committed against the first branch of the commandement.
The second branch of the fourth commandement requireth us to spend the day (so farre as our bodily necessities will permit) in holy and religious duties both publike and private; but specially in such as are publike. Therefore wee shall finde that the Lord calleth the Sabbath, Levit. 23.2. a holy convocation, as if it were nothing else, as if the whole day were to be spent at Church and in keeping of holy assemblies. And indeed that place proveth well that as much time should be spent on that day in Gods publike worship as the conveniency, and edification of the Church will well permit. And for this we have the example of our blessed Saviour who though he was able to spend the day in private duties of piety a thousand times better then ever any other man was; and though also the Church assemblies that he had then to goe to, were never a whit better but worse a great deale then ours are; yet it is said Luk. 4▪16. His custome was to goe to the Synagogue to the Church every Sabbath day. And yet though (as I said before) our Church assemblies be as well frequented in this Towne by many as in any other place, and though there be never a Popish recusant amongst us; yet shall you hardly finde in any place more Atheist recusants, more that doe seldome or never come to Church, that doe so ordinarily and constantly serve the Devill in the Ale-house when we are serving God here in his house, then are to be found in this Towne.
And for the third and last branch of the commandement that injoyneth us to rest from all our owne workes upon the Lords day; you shall hardly finde (I beleeve) such open profession, of profanesse and contempt of the Sabbath in children and youth in all the country as in this Towne. You teach them to keep the Lords holy day just as your selves use to keepe these holy dayes with more misrule and riot, then you use at any time of the yeare besides; and as all the Israelites did keepe holy day to the golden calfe. Of them it is said Exod. 32.6. That they sat downe to eate and to drinke and rose up to play; and Verse 17. It is said that in their sporting and playing they kept such a shouting and noise as Moses when hee heard it wondred what it should meane. And surely amongst our youth such a shouting and hollowing may be heard as a man would thinke there were some Bull or Beare baited in our streets every Sabbath day. Hath God threatned to burne that Towne with unquenchable fire where men are allowed to doe the worke of their callings upon the Sabbath day (as you have heard out of Ier. 17.27.) and doe you thinke he can endure to see his Sabbath or any part of his Sabbath spent in ryoting and disorder? Specially, so openly and with so high a hand? No no be not deceived. God will not be mocked; he hateth ryoting on the Sabbath, much more then he doth working on the Sabbath. As is plaine by Esa. 58.13. Where in one verse he nameth and forbiddeth twice the following of our pleasures as the chiefe profanation of the Sabbath day.
I know some of you will thinke this to be great indiscretion in me to preach thus against childrens faults.
But to these I have two things to answer?
First, that God maketh not so light account of childrens faults (specially not of their profanesse and contempt of Religion) as you doe. And if you did believe the Scriptures, and were not Atheists in heart when you read in 2 Kings 2.23, 24. what befell the children of Bethel; you would be of my mind.
Secondly, In speaking of these faults in the youth I doe not so much reproove them, as the profanenesse of their parents and governours that keepe them not in, but suffer them to do so; yea of the Officers also that have power and authority to redresse these things, and doe nothing in it. If the names of these children and servants were taken (as it is fit they should bee) many of them would bee found to bee the children of such parents, servants of such masters, as would bee thought to bee very honest men, and good Christians too. It is the hypocrisie and profanenesse of these parents and masters that is the cause why their children and servants doe so. The fourth commandement though it do concerne and bind all men, yet is it given in charge chiefly to parents and masters of families, as is plaine by the words of it, Exodus 20.10. I tell thee thou art to answer for the breach of the Sabbath that is committed by any stranger thou receivest into thy house, and much more then for that that is done by thine owne child and servant. When Nehemiah saw how the Sabbath was profaned in Ierusalem by buying and selling of victuals, it is said Nehemiah 13.17. hee contended with the Nobles and Governours of Iudah, and blamed them for it. And bee yee sure God will one day contend with you (whosoever you be) that have authority and power to redresse these things, and doe it not; he will charge you with all this. Wee have heard of a ruler of the Synagogue, Luke 13.14. that could not see the people doe that which hee thought to bee a profanation of the Sabbath, without great indignation. O that our Magistrates and inferiour officers, that our parents and masters of families had but some of his zeale for the Lords Sabbath, that they could not without indignation see or heare of the prophanation of it? Then should we (doubtlesse) have no such buying and selling, such loading and travelling; no such disorder and hooting in our streets; no such ordinary absenting from the Church-assemblies; no such sleeping and snorting in our Church on the Sabbath Day as we ordinarily have.