The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Sabbath.
IF it bee the Sabbath or Lords day, you muſt remember to keep Exod. 20.it holy; according to the Commandement. For this cauſe:
Firſt, put a difference betweeneDirections for ſanctifying the Lords day. this and the other ſix dayes, even as you put difference betweene the bread and wine in the Sacrament, and that which is for common uſe. And that becauſe it is ſet apart for holy uſe, by divine inſtitution. For as the Seventh day, from the beginning of the Creation, untill the day of Chriſts bleſſed Reſurrection, ſo our Lords Day which is the day of the Reſurrection, i… morall, and by divine inſtitution. The Commandement to keepe an holy reſt upon the Seventh day after ſix worke dayes, (which is the …ſtance of the fourth Commandement) rem… neth the ſame: And Adam (…o doubt) by the inſtinct of incorrupted nature which yeeldeth… time for Gods honour and …o lemne worſhip, he knowing tha… God finiſhed the Creation in ſix da…es, and reſted on the ſeventh, might by diſcourſe of his reaſon have judged one day in ſeven, the fitteſt time to bee dedicated to his ſervice: But certaine hee could not bee, either that God would have one day in Seven, or which of thoſe dayes he would have ſet apart for rest, and for holy uſe. Wherefore it pleaſed the Lord of the Sabbath, by a poſitive inſtitution, to determine that the Sabbath ſhould bee one day in Seven; and, that, from the beginning of the world unto the Reſurrection of Chriſt, it ſhould be the Seventh from the Creation: but (as it ſhall appeare by the change of the day under the Goſpell) after the Reſurrection, hee appointed it to be kept the Seventh from thence; by vertue whereof, wee now keepe the Lords day a holy Sabbath to the Lord
So that to keepe a day holy to the Lord, and to keepe that day which the Lord ſhould appoint, is abſolutely morall, (as all the other Commandements are) according to the light and Law of nature. And in particular, the keeping the Seventh from the Creation till the Reſurrection, and the Seventh from the Reſurrection ever ſince to the end of the world, was to them, and is to us a morall duty, immediately binding the conſcience, and is no way alterable by man, becauſe it is ſet apart by Diuine inſtitution.
That there was ſuch an Inſtitution, I ſhall evidently prove. For the Sabbath was aGen. 2. 3ſanctified by God, and was to be obſerved by his people from the beginning of the world (when there was no diſtinction of Iew and Gentile) untill the writing of the morall Law. I know ſome deny this; but without good ground. For wee hauehave reaſon to thinke, that ever ſince the Creation, Time hath beene divided by bGen. 29. 27, 28weeks, whereof the ſeventh day is the boundary, as well as by Moneths and Yeares. And this reaſon of the Commandement, cExod. 20. 11He bleſſed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it, importing the prime inſtitution did concerne Adam, and all before the Law, as well as ſince. This was a received opinion amongſt the ancient *Phil: foreign.Iewes, that this Feaſt did belong to all Nations from the beginning of the world. And the Fathers obſerved it *Maſier…. Bronghtons Co…t, out of R…n on Gen. 26 ſol … Aben … on Exo. …before Moſes. And though there be no mention of the Saints obſerving of it before Iſraels going out of Aegypt, yet where there is an Inſtitution, there, it muſt in charitie be preſuppoſed, that it was obſerved of the godly; except the Scripture deny it, which it doth not, but doth imply the contrary. For the Sabbath day is ſpoken of, before the re-delivering of it in the Mount, as of a ſolemne day ordained before, and wel known to the Iewes. dExod 16 2…, 25, 29▪ 30Tomorrow (ſaith Moſes) is the reſt of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. And againe he ſaith, The ſeventh day which is the Sabbath. Moreover, the Apoſtle doth intimate that the rest of the Sabbath was kept from theHeb. 4. 3, 4. beginning of the world.
This be ſaid of the Sabbath before the pronouncing and writing of the Law.
And when it was written, God wrote and placed it in the heart of the ten Commandements, as that,Exod. 20. which, by the holy exerciſe thereof, and keeping it holy, ſhould give life to the keeping of all the reſt.
The reaſons of the fourth Commandement doe as well urge the obſerving of it to all men, at all times, as to the Iewes. It was alſo reſerved in the *1 Kin. 8. 9Arke with the other ten, and is one of the Commandements mentioned in the new Teſtament, as parcell of the Royall Law, of which S. Iames ſaith, *Iam. …. 10 11.Whoſoever ſhall offend in one point, hee is guiltie of all; he meanes the ten Commandements; hee underſtands the fourth Commandement for one, elſe he would not ſay all. Wherefore albeit there are ſome things that have particular reference to the Iewes in the written Law; as the reaſon taken from bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt yExo. 20. …: which concerneth us onelyonly by Analogie: and albeit the circumſtance of time, in reſpect of which day of the Seven, was alterable, but by the Lord of the Sabbath removing it from the ſeventh of the Creation to the day of Chriſts Reſurrection; yet there is not any of thoſe tenne Commandements which is not morall, and of morall equitie.
But ſome object▪ The obſerving of the weekly Sabbath was a ſigne betweene God and the Iewes, that they might know that the LORD did ſanctifie them; therfore was abrogated by Chriſt with other Ceremonies.
Anſw. I …gh every Ceremony determinable in Chriſt, was a ſigne; yet every ſigne was not a ceremony to end at Chriſts death. All ſignes and types of juſtification by Chriſt to come, were nailed on the Croſſe with him; but ſignes of the worlds preſervation, alſo declarative and probative ſignes and arguments of ſanctification, together with the type of reſt and glorie, did not end at Chriſts death, there being as much uſe of them to us now, as was to any other before.
Obiect. They object farther, All Sabbath daies are abrogated by expreſſe termes? Col. 2. 16.
Anſw. Hee ſpeaketh there of none but Leviticall Sabbaths: for (marke it) he ſaith, they were ſhadows of ſuch things to come, whereof Chriſt was the body, verſe 17. But the weekely Sabbath had no more ſhadow or reference to Chriſt, than any other of the ten Commandements.
Obiect. They yet object; No man muſt eſteeme one day above another for conſcience ſake, Rom. 14. 5.
Anſw. No ſuch thing can be concluded thence: For the Apoſtle warning both ſtrong and weake Chriſtians not to offend, nor bee offended one with another, would have each doe as they ſhould be fully perſwaded in their owne minde, and not judge or deſpiſe each other: but in what things? in every thing? no, but onelyonly in things in their owne nature indifferent, or for the time tolerable, be inſtancing in mea…s and dayes. But I deny the fourth Commandement ever to have beene of the number of indifferent things.
If yet they ſay; If the fourth Commandement be moral, why doe you not keep the day which the Iewes did?
I anſwer; Keeping holy a Sabbath, or the Sabbath, is abſolutely morall, and the principall intention of the fourth Commandement; but the keeping it upon that day which is intimated in the Commandement, or the keeping of this day practiſed now by us, became a morall duty (that to them, this to us,) becauſe by a Divine poſitive inſtitution, God had appointed that day to bee obſerved by them, and ſince that, he hath appointed this to bee obſerved by us. Now, ſith that the Lord of the Sabbath hath ordained another day, in ſo doing he hath cauſed (though not an aboliſhing, yet) ſome change of the Law, which hath cauſed the former to ceaſe, and bindeth us in conſcience to obſerve this.
That it was the will of our Lord and Saviour Christ, that we ſhould, ſince his Reſurrection, keepe for our Sabbath, that firſt day of the weeke on which he aroſe; it may eaſily appeare to any whoſe judgements are not corrupted with prophaneneſſe of heart, or are not clouded with ſelfe-conceit and prejudice. For in that he aroſe on that day, andIoh. 20. 1. 19. appeared divers times on this our Lords day to his Diſciples before his Aſcenſion: and did on this day, fAct. 2. 1. 4.being the day of Pentecoſt, fill his Diſciples with the gifts of the holy Ghoſt, they being aſſembled together, this giveth a preeminence to this day, and a probabilitie to the point.
The g1 Cor. 11 1.Apoſtles, who followed Chriſt, and delivered nothing but what they *1 Cor. 11 23. 1 Cor. 14. 27.received from Chriſt, and whoſe determinations were infallible, h1 Cor. 16 1, 2.did obſerve this Day as a Sabbath. The Apoſtle iAct. 20. 6, 7.Paul ſtaying ſeven daies at Troas might hauehave choſen any of the other dayes, for the people to aſſemble to heare the Word, and receive the Sacrament, but they aſſembled to receive the Sacrament, and to heare the Word upon the firſt day of the weeke, which is our Lords day. Moreover, the keeping holy of the Lords day hath conſtantly, and univerſally, from the Apoſtles downeward to vsus, beene obſerved amongſt Chriſtians in all places and in all ages. Now the approved practice of the Apoſtles (and of the Church with them) recorded in Scripture, carrieth with it the force of a precept, and argueth divine inſtitution.
Moreover, the Spirit of GOD honoureth this day with the Title of kRev 1. 10Lords Day, as he doth the Communion, with the Title of the l1 Cor. 10 21 1 Cor. 11. 20Supper of the Lord: What doth this argue, but as they both have reference to Chriſt, ſo they are both appointed by Chriſt? The Spirit of Chriſt knew the minde of Chriſt, who thus named this day.
Secondly, being cōvinced of the holines of this day (the better to keepe it holy when it commeth) you muſt on the weeke dayes, beforeExod. 20. 8, 9 the Sabbath, or Lords … remember it: to the end that none of your worldly buſineſſe be left undone, or put off till then; eſpecially upon Saturday you muſt prepare for it. Then you muſt put an end to the workes of your Calling; & doe whatſoever may be wel done before-hand, to prevent bodily labour even in your neceſſary actions, that, when the day cōmeth, you may have leſſe occaſion of worldly thoughts, leſſe incumbrance and diſtractions; and may be more free, both in body and minde, for ſpirituall exerciſes.
Thirdly, you your ſelfe (and as much as in you lyeth) all under your authority muſt gExod. 23 12 Exo. 34. 21reſt upon this day, even in earing time and in harueſt, the ſpace of the whole day, of foure & twenty houres, from all manner of workes (except thoſe which have true reference to the preſent dayes works of hMat. 12. 1 10 13 Iſa. 58. 13pietie, mercy, and true …ſſity) not doing your owne waies, not …nding your owne pleaſures, nor ſpeaking your owne words.
Obiect. If you obiect that ſome underſtand this place of the day of Atonement and yeerely faſt ſpoken of in the beginning of the Chapter?
Anſw. Many Interpreters underſtād it of the weekly Sabbath; yet ſuppoſe it ſhould be underſtood of the Sabbath of Atonement, I, urging it onelyonly to prove the externall reſt, it ſerveth for my purpoſe, for theſe two differed; not in their iLev. 23. 3. 28.externall reſt, except, that in the day of Atonement, they abſtained from meat and drinke untill even. VponUpon all other Gods Sabbaths, and holy feaſts, the children of Iſrael were forbidden not all worke, but onelyonly kLev. 23. 7, 8. 2…, 25. 35, …6. Lev. 23. 3. 28.ſervile worke. But neither on the weekly Sabbath, nor on the day of Atonement, might any manner of worke be done, whether ſervile, or any other.
Queſt. But are we under the Goſpell tied unto as ſtrict a reſt as the Iewes.
Anſw. We are bound to keepe as ſtrict, and as holy a Reſt, as the fourth Commandement tied them but not to that ſtrictneſſe which ſome appendixes to the Law, which were onelyonly Ceremoniall, or Iudiciall, did binde them; ſuch as aExod. 16 23.dreſſing their meat on the Eve; not bExod. 35 3.kindling a fire, putting a man to death for gathering ſticks, &c. Theſe (as it is probable) were not onelyonly peculiar to the Iews, but for that preſent time onelyonly, while they were in the Wildernes, and lived upon Manna. And forbidding to kindle a fire, ſeemeth to be a ſpeciall reſtraint for that time, to ſhew, that God preferred the holy keeping of the Sabbath, before the materiall building of his Tabernacle, whereabout the kindling of fire was needfull: ſee Exod. 31. 7. 14. and chapt. 35. 2. 3. 5. &c. But, if theſe bound the Iewes at all times, then they were part of that yoke and p…dagogie of the Iewes, of which Peter ſaith, cAct. 15. 10neither they, nor their fathers were able to beare; all which were done away in Chriſt, and doe not binde us.
Fourthly, it is not enough that you obſerve a reſt, but you muſt keepe an holy Reſt. Which that you may doe, you muſt in your awaking put difference between it and other dayes, not thinking on worldly buſines no more then will ſerve for a generall providence to preſerve them from hurt, or loſſe. Both in your lying awake, and riſing this morning, make uſe of the directions before ſhewing you how to awake and riſe with God. Riſe lPſa. 92. 2.early (if it will ſtand with your health, and not binder your fitneſſe for ſpirituall exerciſes through drowſineſſe afterward) that you may ſhewforth Gods loving kindnes in the morning. mNum. 28. 3, 9, 10Double your devotions on the Lords day, as the Iewes did their morning and evening ſacrifice on the mNum. 28. 3, 9, 10Sabbath day. nEccle 5. 1, 2Prepare your ſelfe for the publike holy ſervices by reading, by meditation, and by caſting away oIam. 1. 21 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2all filthineſſe, that is, repenting of every groſſe ſinne; and caſting away the abounding of naughtineſſe, that is, let no ſinne be allowed or ſuffered to reigne in you. Then pEpheſ. 6. 19, …0pray for your ſelfe, and for the Miniſter, that GOD would give him a mouth to ſpeake, and you an heart to heare, as you both ought to doe. All this, before you ſhall aſſemble in the Congregation. Being thus prepared, bring your people with you to the Church. Ioyne with the Miniſter and Congregation. Set your ſelfe as in the ſpeciall preſence of God, following the example of good Cornelius, Acts 10. 33with all reverence, attending and conſenting, ſaying Amen, with underſtanding, faith, and affection, to the prayers uttered by the Miniſter: attending unto, qHeb. 4. 2.beleeving and rIam. 1. 22obeying whatſoever by the Miniſter is commanded you from GOD. Afterward by meditation, & by ſAct. 17. 11, 12.conference, and if you have opportunity, by repetitions, call to minde, and wiſely and firmely tPſal. 119 11.lay up what you have learned. The like care muſt be had before, at, and after the Evening exerciſe.
If Baptiſme be adminiſtred,What is to be done when Baptiſme is adminiſtred *Eze. 46. 10.ſtay, and attend unto it, (1) To honor that holy Ordinance with the greater ſolemnity. (2) And in charity to the perſons to be Baptiſed▪ joyning with the Congregation in heart▪ prayer for them, and in a joyfull receiving them into the Communion of the viſiblë Church. (3) Alſo in reſpect of your ſelfe. For hereby you may call to mind your owne Baptiſme, in which you did put on Chriſt, which alſo doth livelyGal. 3. 27. repreſent the death, buriall, and reſurrection of Chriſt, togetherGal. 5. 24 with your crucifying the affections and luſts, being dead and Rom. 6. 3, 4 5. Col. 2. 11, 12, 13.buried with him unto ſinne, and riſing with him to newneſſe of life, and to hope of glory: underſtanding clearly that the *Heb 9. 14 Heb. 10. 22 Mat. …. 11. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Ioh. 1. 7.Bloud and Spirit of Chriſt, ſignified by waeter, doth cleanſe you from the guilt & dominion of ſin to your Iustification, and Sanctification. Remembring moreover, that, by way of *Gen. 17. 11. Rom. 4. 11.Sealing your Baptiſme did in particular exhibit, and apply to you that beleeve, Chriſt with all the benefits of the Covenāt of grace ratified in his blood: minding you alſo of this, that it doth not onelyonly ſeale Gods promiſes of forgiveneſſe, grace, and ſalvation to you; but that alſo it ſealeth and bindeth you to the performance of your promiſe, and vow of faith and obedience, which is the branch of the Covenant to be performed (according as was profeſſed,) on your part.
Recourſe to your Baptiſme is an1 Pet. 3. 21 excellent ſtrengthner of your weake faith, and an occaſion of renewing of your vow, you having broken it: and of reſiſting temptations, conſidering that they are againſt your promiſe and vow in Baptiſme.
When there is a Communion, receive it as oft, as, (without interrupting the order of the Church in populous Congregations) you may. But be carefull to1 Cor. 11. 27 receive it worthily.
It is not enough that you be borne within the Covenant, andWhat is requiſite before receiving the Communion. 1 Cor. 11. 23 Rom. 4. 11. that you have beene Baptiſed; but you muſt have knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, both that it is by divine inſtitution, and that it is a ſigne and ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of faith, ſignifying to you (by the breaking and giving of the bread, and by pouring out1 Cor. 11. 26 and delivering the wine) the wounding, bloud-ſhedding, and death of Chriſt, in whom the*2 Cor. 1 20, 21 Heb. 7. 22. Covenant of grace is eſtabliſhed, preſenting alſo and ſealing unto you by the elements of bread and wine, the very body and bloud of Chriſt, with all the benefits of the new Covenant, of which you receive indeed livery and ſeizon in the act of receiving by Faith, whereby you alſo grow into a1 Cor. 10. 16, 17 neerer union with Chriſt your head, and communion with all his members your brethren.
Beſides, there muſt be a ſpeciall 1 Cor. 11. 28preparation by examining your ſelfe, & making your peace with God before you receive, which that you may the better doe, read Chap. 5. Sect. 2. Alſo make your peace, at leaſt be at peace, Mat. 5. 23, 24 1 Col. 11.and in charity with your neighbour, by an hearty acknowledging your fault ſo far as is fit, and making recompence, if you have done him wrong: and by forgiving,Col. 3. 13. and forbearing revenge, if he have done you wrong.
In the act of adminiſtring, andWhat is … be done in the adminiſtring & receiving. receiving, joyne in confeſſion and prayers, and attend to the actions of the Miniſter when he breaketh the bread, powreth out the wine, and by *1 Cor. 10. 16.bleſſing ſetteth it apart for holy uſe: by faith behold Chriſt, by repreſentation, wounded, bleeding, and crucified before your eyes for you, looking upon him whom your ſinnes condemned and pierced to the death, rather than his accuſers, Pilat, and thoſe which nailed him to the Croſſe, and which ran a ſpeare into his ſide, who were (though malicious) but inſtruments of that puniſhment which Cod with other tokens of his wrath did execute upon him (though in himſelfe a Lambe without ſpot) juſtly for your ſin, he being your ſurety.
This looking upon him whom Zach. 1…. 10.you have pierced, ſhould partly diſſolve you into an holy griefe for ſinne: but chiefly (conſidering that by this his paſſion he hath made full ſatisfaction for you, and withall ſeeing God and Chriſt himſelf by the hand of his Miniſter, truely giving Chriſts …ery body and bloud ſacramentally to ſignifie and ſeale it unto you,) it ſhould raiſe your heart …o an holy admiration of the love of God, and of Chriſt, and it …hould ſtirre you up, in the very …ct of taking the bread and wine … a reverend and thankefull re…iving 1 Cor. 11. 29of this his body and bloud … faith, diſcerning the Lords bo…e; gathering aſſurance hereby, …at now all enmitie betweene …od and you is done away, and …at you by this, as by ſpirituall …od and life, ſhall grow up in …m with the reſt of his myſti…ll body unto everlaſting life.
After that you have receivedWhat is to be done after that you have received. untill you bee to joyue in pub…ke prayſe and prayers) affect …ur heart with ioy and thankefulneſſ▪ in the aſſurance of the pardon of all your ſinnes, and of ſalvation by Chriſt, yea, more than if you being a bankrupt ſhould receive an acquittance ſealed of the Releaſe of all your debts, and with it a Wil and Teſtament wherein you ſhould have a Legacie of no l…ſſe than a Kingdome, ſ…aled with ſuch a ſeale as doth give cleare proofe of the fidelitie, ability, and death of the Teſtator: or then, it having been a traitour, you ſhould receive a free and ſul… pardon from the King, ſea…ed with his own ſeale, together with an Aſſurance that … …a…h adopted you to bee his c…ild, to be married to his ſonne the h…ire of the Crowne. This is your caſe when by faith you receive the bread & wine, the body and bloud of the Lord. Think… thus therefore with joy and rejoycing in God, oh! how happi… am I in Chriſt my Saviour, G… who hath given him to death fo… me, and alſo given him to me, *Rom. 8. 32. 2 Pet. 1. 3. Rom. 8. 33. to the endhow ſhal he not with him give me all things alſo, even whatſoever may pertaine to life, godlineſſe, and glory; Who ſhall lay any thing to my charge, &c? Who, or what can ſeparate me from the love of CHRIST, &c?
Reſolve withall upon a conſtant 2and an unfained endevour to performe all duties becomming one thus acquitted, thus redeemed, pardoned, and advanced, and this in token of thankfulneſſe, even to keepe covenants required to be performed on your part; undoubtedly expecting whatſoever God hath covenanted and ſealed on his part.
Ioyne in publike prayſe and 3prayer heartily, and in a liberall contribution to the poore, if there be a Collection.
After the Sacrament, If you4 feele your faith ſtrengthned, and your ſoule comforted, nouriſh it with all thankfulneſſe.
If not, yet, if your Conſcience can witneſſe that you endevo…ed to prepare as you ought, and to receive as you ought, be not diſcouraged, but wait for ſtrength and comfort in due time. Wee doe not alwaies feele the benefit of bodily food preſently, but ſtirring of humors and ſenſe of diſeaſe is ſometimes rather occaſioned, yet in the end being well digeſted, it ſtrengthnet…; ſo … is oft with ſpiritua…l food, corruption may ſtirre, and temptations may ariſe more upon the receiving, then before; eſpecially ſith Satan, if it be but to vexe a tender-hearted Chriſtian will …ereupon take occaſiō to tempt with more violence: But if you reſiſt theſe, and ſtand reſolved to obey and to rely upon Gods mercy in Chriſt, this is rather a ſigne of receiving worthily; ſo long as your deſires and reſolutions are ſtrengthned, and you thereby are made more carefully to ſtand upon your Watch. Endeavour in this caſe to digeſt this ſpirituall food by further meditation, improving that ſtrength you have,Ephe. 6. 10. Compare it with the like Dan. 10. 19 5 1 Cor. 11. 30 praying for more ſtrength, remembring the Commandement which biddeth you to be ſtrong, and you ſhall be ſtrengthned.
Laſtly, If you finde your ſelfe worſe indeed, or doe feele Gods heavy hand in ſpeciall ſort upon you, following upon your receiving, and your Conſcience can witneſſe truly, that you came not prepared, or that you did wittingly and careleſly faile in ſuch or ſuch a particular in receiving, it is evident you did receive unworthily. In which caſe you muſt heartily bewaile your ſin, confeſſe it to God, aske and beleeve1 Ioh. 1. 9▪ 1 Ioh. 2. 1, 2 that he will pardon it, and take heed that you offend not in that kinde another time.
VponUpon the Lords day you muſt likewiſe bee readie to viſit and relieve the diſtreſſed.1 Cor. 1 6▪ 2
Take ſome time alſo this day to looke into your by paſt life, and chiefly to your walking with God the laſt weeke, asbeing in freſheſt memory, and bee ſure to ſet all ſtraight betweene God and you.
Laſt of all, on every opportunitie take good time to conſider Gods workes: what they are in themſelves, what they are againſt the wicked, what they are to the Church, and to your ſelfe, and to yours. And, in parricular, take occaſion from the Day it ſelfe, to thinke fruitfully of the Creation, of your Redemption, Sanctification, and of your eternall Reſt and glory to come: For God in his holy wiſedome hath ſ…t ſuch a divine print upon this our Lords day, that at once it doth minde us of the greateſt workes of God, which either make for his glory, or his Churches good. As, of the Creation of the World in ſix dayes, hee reſting the ſeventh, which ſpecially isattributed to the Father. And of mans redemption by Chriſt, of whoſe reſurrection this Day is a remembrance, which is ſpecially attributed to the Sonne: Alſo of our ſanctification by the Spirit, for that the obſervation of the Sabbath is a ſigne and meanes of holineſſe, which worke is ſpecially attributed to the holy Ghoſt. Laſtly, of your and the Churches glorification, which ſhall be the joynt work of the bleſſed Trinity, when we ſhal aHeb. 4 5 10.ceaſefrom al our works, and ſhall reſt, and bee glorious with the ſame glory which our Head Chriſt hath with the Father, to whom be glorie for ever and ever, Amen. Doe all theſePſal. 92. Iſa. 58 …3. with delight, raiſing up your ſelfe hereby to a greater meaſure of holineſſe, and heavenly m…nae… neſſe.
Doe all this the rather, becauſeMotives to keep holy the Lords Day. there is not a clearer aExo. 31 13ſigne to diſtinguiſh you from one that is prophane, than this, of conſcionable keeping holy the Lords Day. Neither is there any ordinarie means of gaining ſtrength and growth of grace in the inward man, like this, of due obſerving the aEzek. 20 12Sabbath. For this is Gods great Mart, or Faire day for the ſoule, on which you may buy of Chriſt, nIſa 55. 1, 2, 3, 4wine, milke, bread, marrow and fatneſſe, *Rev. 3. 18gold, white raiment, eye-ſoelve; even all things which are neceſſary, and which will ſatisfie, and cauſe the ſoule to live. It is the ſpeciall day of Gods hearing of ſuites, and receiving petitions. It is his ſpeciall day of proclaiming and ſealing of Act. 2. 38.Pardons to penitent ſinners. It is Gods ſpeciall day of publiſhing and ſealing your Patent of eternall life. It is a bleſſed day, ſanctified for allExo. 20. 11 theſe bleſſed purpoſes.
Now, leſt this urging of the moralitie of the Sabbath, and ſo ſtrict an obſervation of the Lords day, in ſpending the whole day in holy meditation, holy exerciſes, and workes of merciemercy (excepting onelyonly neceſſary repaſts, and a generall providence over their eſtate) ſhould be thought, as it is by ſome, to be meerely …ewiſh, and to be onelyonly the private opinion of ſome few Zelots, more nice then wiſe: Know, that in all things wherein we… are tyed by a commandement, common to us and the Iewes; to obſerve that as the Iewes did, by vertue of that commandement is not to bee Iewiſh, as to forbeare to kill, and to commit adul…erie, and ſuch like: The ſame reaſon is for keeping the fourth Commandement, which (as hath beene proved) is one of the Motals. Beſides, know, that the obſerving the Lords day, by v…rture of the fourth Commandement, and the change of the … day unto the Lords day, to …e by divine inſtitution; and that it ſhould bee kept ſtrictly holy (as I have ſhewed you) is the profeſſed doctrine of this our aHom. of the time & place of prayer. part. 1. pag 124, 125, 126.Church of England. And, I would that all would know and ſee, that the taking away of the morality of the fourth Commandement, unlooſing the conſcience from the immediate bonds of Gods Commandement, and tying the conſcience to obſerve a day for Gods ſolemne worſhip only by humane conſtitution, doth overthrow true Religion, and the power of Godlineſſe, and opens a wide gap to Atheiſme, pro…aneneſſe, and all licentiouſneſſe: As daily experience doth ſhew in thoſe Countries, where the moralitie of the Sabbath is not maintained; and in ſuch places where the Lords Day is not holily and duely obſerved.