A Bright Star which Leadeth Wise Men to our Lord Jesus Christ, Commandment 4 · Part 7
Nor the ſtranger that is within thy gates.
HEere hee ſhewes that if a ſtranger come within our iuriſdiction that are chriſtians, though we cannot command him to come to the exerciſes of religion, yet the magiſtrate muſt not ſuffer him to doe any ſeruile worke to pollute the ſabboth, for by the gates heere the Lord meanes authoritie and juriſdiction, becauſe in former time the place of judgement and where authoritie was exerciſed was in the gates. Hence then in that the magiſtrate muſt looke to forreyners, this generall doctrine may bee gathered, that it is our dutie being chriſtians, not onelyonly to keepe the ſabboth our ſelues, and to looke to thoſe that are belonging to vsus, but ſo farre as we can euen to ſtrangers, or to any other. And this is that which is commended in Nehemiah, that when the men of Sidon that knew not God, nor cared not for the ſabboth, came with wares to Ieruſalem on the ſabboth, hee ſhut the gates againſt them, and tolde them, that if they did ſo any more, hee would laie hands vponupon them.
And there is great reaſon why one ſhould bee carefull of thoſe of other congregations, and of other places, for if wee hauehave the true louelove of God in vsus, it will grieue vsus to the hart to ſee gods name diſhonoured, and his lawes broken of any one whoſoeuer, and therefore ſo much as in him lies, hee ſtop all ſuch practiſes who euer they bee that doe them. Alſo euerie man is bound to louelove his enemie, yea his enemies beaſt, and if hee ſee his enemies beaſt vnderunder his burden, hee muſt help him vp, if one muſt help a mans oxe or aſſe, if hee bee burdened, much more his ſoule, that is burdened with the ſinne that will kill it, if it bee not taken off. No man is ſo ſauage that if hee ſee a blinde man running into a well, wherein hee may bee drowned, will ſay let him goe I care not, hee is none of my family, nor of my friends, though hee bee not, merciemercy is to bee ſhewed to all, and nature in ſuch a caſe will teach one to runne and call to him, and hinder him by what meanes he can. So for the ſoule much more, if wee ſee a perſon who is in truth blinded through ignorance, and knowes not the danger, about to caſt himſelfe into the pit of hell, merciemercy will moue him that hath any true merciemercy, to ſeeke to reclaime him.
And then in regard of the good of the whole congregation, one muſt hinder ſtrangers from giuing ſuch ill examples, for though it ſeeme at firſt a ſmall thing to ſuffer a ſtranger, let him doe what hee liſt, it pertaines not to vsus, yet it is dangerous, for our nature is ſo ſubiect to infection, and we ſo eaſilie drawne to euill, that if one ſuffer a ſtranger, at length his children and ſeruants will learne and come after, to doe the ſame things; ſo that for our owne ſakes wee muſt be diligent, to cut of occaſions, and warilie preuent danger, for one houſe on fire may burne the whole towne, and if a ſtranger would buy an houſe in the towne, and then be ſo fooliſh to ſet it on fire, men would not let him alone, for feare it ſhould alſo catch their houſes, and ſo in truth if the fire of ſinne kindle in the heart & practiſe of a ſtranger, & we ſeeke not to quench & ſuppreſſe it, it will not tarrie there long, it will catch ſome in the congregation, and ſet them a burning to. Therfore in louelove to Gods glorie, to our brothers ſoule, and to our ſelues, and thoſe that bee neere vntounto vsus, we muſt labour by what meanes wee can, to hinder euen a ſtranger from breaking the ſabboth; now if one muſt hinder ſtrangers, how much more ſuch as bee borne and dwell in the ſame place, our neighbours, children, or ſeruants, if wee ſee ſuch prophaning the ſabboth, we ſhould much more hinder them by admonition and reproofe, but eſpeciallie if we ſee them run to things that be ſimply euill, and in their owne nature at all times vnlawfull: therefore for men that be of ſome account & note in a congregation, in a towne to come among headdie youths, and ſee them violenly carried to dauncing, to gaming, or any ſuch lewdeneſſe, on the ſabboth eſpecially, and let them goe on without any rebuke or exhortation, neuer tell them of it, neuer dehort them from it, this ſhewes that there is but a little louelove of God in none of the parties ſoules, and that they hauehave little regard of themſelues and their owne families. But in truth, this is the cauſe that makes wickedneſſe grow ſo faſt, and ſinne get vp with an high hand, and youth grow to ſuch impudent and ſhameleſſe boldneſſe, becauſe the miniſter fights alone againſt ſinne; None elſe will open his mouth to ſpeake againſt it, or diſcountenance it, he that would not ſtand by and ſee the Oxe fall into the ditch, but he would help him out, will looke on while the children runne headlong towards hell, and ſay not a word to reclaime them. This remiſeneſſe of men that are of ſome eſtimatiō in the town, makes proud youthes oft times ſo audacious to ſet themſelues openly againſt the miniſters doctrine, and as it were by their practiſe in the heat of luſt to contrary him, euen when he is reprouing any ſinne, when the doctrine is yet hot, and the ſound of his voice is ſcarce gone out of their eares, then to runne openly to gaineſay that which was taught in the church, ſo ſoone as they come out of the church.
This ſtrength of impietie proceedes hence I ſay that the miniſter hath no help, none hath a zeale of Gods glory, ſo that he is grieued at his diſhonour, none hath ſo much charitie and compaſsion ouer their neighbours, as that they ſeeke to pull them out of the daunger of hell fire, for if but two or three or ſome more of the auncient men that hauehave ſome authoritie and ſway in the congregation, would ioyne their hands with the miniſter, and ſet in with their priuate rebukes and reprofes, to make his publique reprofes forcible, younger people would be more aſhamed of ſinne, and learne to behaue themſelues more ſoberly, then in publique as it were, to bid battaile to the publique doctrine of the miniſter. Therfore this ſlackneſſe and coldneſſe, is much to be reproued.
Then ſecondly, this is for the encouragement of ſuch as doe deſire to help others out of this or any other ſinne, they may boldly with a good hart and conſcience, rebuke a ſabboth breaker, wheras they will object, why, what is that to you, if I ſinne my ſelfe, I muſt periſh my ſelfe, what hauehave you to doe to meddle, yes, they hauehave to doe to meddle, they hauehave to louelove thē, they hauehave to louelove the congregation, and to louelove Gods glory, & therfore as much as they can to diſgrace ſinne, for though ſinners begin to ſet ſinne a foote, yet if ſome godly wiſe man will encounter it with a ſound admonition and ſharp rebuke, that will daſh and diſgrace it, as much as the practiſe of ſinners will ſupport it, ſo that it cannot get an head ſo ſoone. Therefore becauſe they be men that ſinne, and it is Gods law that is broken, and the whole congregation that is infected & poyſoned, he that hath that affection he ſhould to any of theſe, hath to doe to vſe a preſeruatiue againſt this poiſon, and to ſtand for Gods commandements, and the ſaluation of man; let wicked ſinners while they will accuſe them to be buſie bodies, that is no matter, better diſpleaſe man by good, then God by euill. It followes.