A Bright Star which Leadeth Wise Men to our Lord Jesus Christ, Commandment 4 · Part 10
Wherefore the Lord bleſſed the ſeauenth day, and hallowed it.
HEere God ſhewes, that if none of the former reaſons will preuaile, yet wee ſhould bee moued for our owne benefit to regard it, for nothing is more auaileable to bring a bleſsing on ſoule & bodie, then the religious keeping of the ſabboth, for God hath appointed it to the end that hee might hauehave occaſion to communicate his goodneſſe to the diligent obſeruers of it; So that from this reaſon that he ſaith God ſanctified the day, j. ſet it a-part for his vſe, and bleſſed it, that is, appointed it, for a meanes of bleſsing to the obedient, for the day it ſelfe is no more bleſſed then other daies.
From hence I ſay wee may learne that: the way to get all bleſsing, is to keepe holy the ſabboth; this is the moſt direct and ſure meanes to get all comfortable proſperitie, to keepe an holy reſt to God vponupon his day. One reaſon is, becauſe God hath ſanctified it to this end, as for inward benefits is ſhewed. Iſaiah. 56. 4. 7. Where the Lord ſhewes that for inward bleſſings, if any of what eſtate ſo euer, will keepe Gods ſabboth, hee ſhall hauehave his hart filled full of ſpirituall joy, God will giuegive him the ſpirit of praier, and heare his praiers, God will giuegive him abilitie to ſerue him, and accept and reward his ſeruice. And Iſai. 58. 13. 14, If one will keepe himſelfe from polluting Gods holy ſabboth, and keepe it carefullie, then he ſhall delight in the Lord, that is, God ſhall ſo ſhew his fauour and louelove to his ſoule, as hee ſhall bee joyfull in God; ſo bleſſe his hart and conſcience as that he ſhall feele that God is his God, loues him and cares for him, ſo that hee ſhall exult and rejoyce in this, and finde Gods bleſsing both for heauen and for earth: ſo that the mouth of God hath ſpoken it, what euer fleſh and bloud will obiect, we hauehave the ſure promiſe of God, and it ſhall bee found true and faithfull. So for things of this life, Iere. 17. 24. The Prophet hauing foretold the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, preſcribes a preſeruatiue to thē, which if they would take, as yet their caſe was curable, and that would help all, namely to forbeare their worldly buſineſſe on the ſabboth, and ſo doe the works of the Lord, and then they ſhall enjoy their cittie, and their houſes, and their wealth, withal proſperitie and aboundance. So that we ſee for ſoule and bodie, Gods promiſe is, that the ſanctifying of the ſabboth, will bring happineſſe and comfort to both.
The vſe then of this is, firſt for the terrifying of all ſabboth breakers, for if the keeping of a ſabboth, be the way to bleſsing, as the truth of God hath ſayd it, then on the contrary ſide the contempt and neglect of it, leades to all curſes and wretchedneſſe; For God hath ſhewed that this will kindle a fire vponupon their houſes; but they hope to quench it? no, they ſhall not, it cannot be quenched, one may as well quench hell fire as the fire of Gods curſe, in this life, if they continue ſtill in this ſinne. And in truth experience ſhewes it, that there is a wild fire moſt continually ſet vponupon ſuch mens goods that they come to naught, and if they get mony, yet they put it in a broken bag, the canker of Gods vengeance eates all vp, and they come to neede and want, where ſhall one finde one in twentie that be common ſabboth breakers, as carriers, and ſuch like, but they come to miſery, or if they doe thriue in the world and whord vp outward riches, the curſe of God ſeiſes more violently on their ſoules, and this is the greateſt plague of all, for now it ſhewes that God hath no purpoſe to doe them good, for thoſe whom hee loues he corrects, and this is the ſoreſt miſerie that can bee for a ſinner to thriue in his ſinne, this hardens his hart, and makes him runne with full courſe to hell, as no ſuch men is ſeene, they be the moſt wicked and diſordered perſons that can bee, they profit nothing by reading Gods word, hearing worketh not in them, they hauehave no affection in prayer, but euen as dead ſtones; no ſpirituall thing can worke vponupon them for their good, but euerie wicked and worldly thing, hath ſtrength and power enough to worke on them, for their greater hurt. So that in truth, God ſhewes how hee likes of their courſe, and this ſhould terrifie them from this ſo daungerous and miſerable a courſe of liuing.
Secondlie, ſith God doth promiſe a bleſsing vponupon thoſe that ſanctifie his ſabboth, that they ſhall thriue in the Lords houſe, and in religion, and in other worldlie matters, ſo farre as may ſtand with true proſperitie, ſith he hath ſpoken this, & that muſt ſtand which goes out of his mouth, therefore it is for their comfort, that the bleſsing of God ſhall attend vponupon them whether they hauehave little or much; If they hauehave abundance, the abundance ſhall bee for their good, to be more abundant in good; and if they hauehave but from hand to mouth, God will ſo prouide, that yet they ſhall not want neceſſarie things, but he that brings the day, will bring foode and maintainance for the daie, ſo that he neede not care for to morrow, but caſt his care vponupon God, whoſe truth it concernes to care for him: and this they are ſure off, they ſhall hauehave a ſoft hart, and a quiet conſcience, and ſhall receiue comfort from Gods promiſes, and if one thriue in Gods houſe, he neede not care carkinglie and diſtruſtfullie, how he ſhall doe in his owne houſe. One may know how he ſhall ſpeede at home, by looking how hee ſerues God in the Church. If hee keepe an holie reſt, with an holie hart, holylie, he ſhall hauehave reſt to his ſoule, peace & joy to his conſcience, and bee ſet in ſo ſure an outward eſtate, as that nothing ſhall befall him for his hurt.
But then if one will hauehave this bleſsing, he muſt keepe theſe three rules. Firſt, let him make it a delight to keepe the ſabboth, and his joy to doe the workes of the ſabboth, let him long for it before it comes, and bee glad of it when it comes, becauſe it frees him from all worldlie cares and thoughts, and then hee hath a commandement more eſpeciallie, to caſt his care vponupon God, and not to trouble himſelfe a whit with them.
And ſo he ſaith in Iſay, call it a delight to conſecrate it to the Lord, take as much pleaſure in doing the exerciſes of religion, as the workes of your calling. And more to, indeede; for they bee more eaſie and comfortable by farre: wee muſt come as hungrie to the houſe of God, and with as good an appetit, as to our dinner or ſupper at home, for in deede God keepes the beſt houſe, hee makes the beſt cheere, if wee can bring a good ſtomacke to the bread of life, that hee breaketh vntounto vsus. But if one bee loth to come, and muſt be drawne as a beare to the ſtake, let him make account that the preacher will bait him, & trouble his conſcience, for comfort hee can looke for none; Therfore if we would hauehave a bleſsing by the ſabboth, let vsus keepe it cherfullie, knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer.
Secondlie, one muſt labour to doe all the duties of the ſabboth, thoſe that muſt bee done before the ſermon, and thoſe that muſt be done after; let no ordinance ſcape vndone, vſe meditation on Gods word and works, heareing, reading, praying, ſinging pſalmes, conference, workes of merciemercy, & of euerie thing, ſomething, ſo farre as we hauehave abilitie and opportunitie. But if we will performe them ſcambling lie, doe this, and leaue that, vndone; either make no preparation before, or no application after, either no publique; or no priuate, then it may bee, he ſhall finde ſome bleſsings, but the fewer of theſe hee performeth, the fewer bleſsings he ſhall hauehave; he that doth the work of God by halfes, ſhall (and it is juſt he ſhould) find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes.
Thirdlie, as one muſt doe all the duties, and that with delight cherfullie, ſo he muſt keepe the whole day; he muſt doe all the duties and alſo ſpend all the time in theſe duties; hee muſt continue from the beginning to the ending. As in Pſal. 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindneſſe in the morning, and his truth at night. So that the ſabboth muſt bee ſpent both morning, night and all the daie, in holie duties. One muſt forbeare worldlie buſineſſe; yea, worldlie thoughts, the whole foure & and twentie houres, for if one giuegive his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night, he breakes the ſabboth in one part; ſleepe one may lawfullie, but his ſleepe muſt bee ſweetned with holie exerciſes, and ſo ſanctified vntounto him, as in it hee muſt alſo keepe an holie reſt. And heere manie faile, that out of the Church wilbe talking with their neighbours, & muſing with themſelues about earthlie buſineſſes & affaires, & thinke they hauehave made a good hand if they ſpend the moſt part of the daie till after the euening exerciſes in workes of religion, and then they make no queſtion to take their recreation or to goe about their buſineſſes if occation bee. But hee that commands to keepe it in the church, bids vsus keepe it in the houſe, as to heare him, and ſpeake to him in publique, ſo to ſpeake to him out of our harts in priuate, & not to giuegive our ſelues leaue to thinke, the leaſt thought of any worldlie buſineſſe.
Now then wee if ſeeme to make conſcience of the ſabboth, and yet doe want that bleſsing which we doe looke for, let vsus looke to our ſelues, & we ſhall ſee that wee are halting in ſome one of theſe, either wee keepe the ſabboth lumpiſhlie and heauilie, that it ſeemes as a tedious burden vntounto vsus, or elſe wee doe ſome one or two duties, & leaue the reſt vndone; or elſe if we doe all the duties to be done, we want heere that we obſerue not the whole day, but keep ſome part of it from god, to our ſelues, & accordinglie as any man comes ſhort in any of theſe duties, ſo hee commeth ſhort of the fruit of the ſabboth; But if one labour with joy, to doe all the duties of the ſabboth, the whole day, hee ſhall finde in his owne ſoule, that it is in truth a day of bleſsing, and brings more joy and comfort, yea, and a greater bleſsing with it, then all the weeke beſides. And ſo much for this fourth commandement of the ſabboth, and the reaſons of it.
The ſumme of the fifth Commaundement is to ſhew what duties we owe one to another in reſpect of their and our place.
The perſons in this commandement are eyther
with authoritie eyther
priuate eyther
further from equalitie as
parents and children.
maſters and ſeruants.
nearer equalitie as huſband and wife.
publike in
Church.
Commonwealth.
without authoritie in
age
gifts