The Divine Appointment of the Lords Day, Part · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
What things should not be Scrupled as unlawful on the Lords day.
As I have told you the Lords day is not a Sabbath in the Jewish sense, or a day of Ceremonious Rest, but a Day of Worshiping our Creator and Redeemer with thankful Commemorations and with holy Joy, &c. And a day of vacancy from such earthly things as may be any hinderance to this holy work; so now I must resolve the Question first in the General, that nothing lawful at another time is unlawful on this day, which hath not the Nature of an Impediment to the holy duties of the day; unless it be accidentally on the account of scandal or ill example unto others, or disobeying the Laws of Magistrates, or crossing the Concord of the Churches, or such like. Therefore hence I deduce these particular resolutions following.
I. It is not unlawful to be at such bodily or mental labour as is needful to the spiritual duties of the day. If the Priests in the Temple (saith Christ) did break the Sabbath and were blameless (that is, not the Command of God to them for keeping the Sabbath, but the external Rest of the Sabbath, which was commanded to others with an exception to their case,) we may well say that it is no sin, for a Minister now to spend his strength in laborious Preaching and Praying; or for the people to travel as far as is needful, to the Church Assemblies: nor do we need to tye our selves to a Sabbath dayes journey, (that is, according to the Scribes 2000 Cubits, which is 3000 feet, and quinque stadia:) It is lawful to go many miles when it is necessary to the work of the day.
II. It is not unlawful to be at the labour of dressing our selves somewhat more ornately or comely than on another day. Because it is suitable to the rejoycing of a Festival. But to waste time needlesly in curJosity, and proud attiring, to the hinderance of greater things, is detestable.
III. It is not unlawful to dress meat, even in some fuller and better manner than on other dayes; Because it is a Festival, or day of Thanksgiving. And it is a vain self-contradiction of some men, who think that another day of Thanksgiving is not well kept, if there be not two feasting meals at least, and yet think it unlawful to dress one on the Lords day: But yet to make it a day of Gluttony, or to waste more of the day in eating or dressing meat than is agreeable to the spiritual work of the day, which is our end; or to make our selves sleepy by fulness, or to use our servants like Beasts, to provide for our bellies, with the neglect of their own souls; or to pamper the flesh to the satisfaction and irritation of its lusts; All this is to be detested.
IV. It is not unlawful to do the necessary works of mercy to our selves or others, to man or beast; Those which must be done, and cannot be delayed without more hurt than the doing of them will procure (for that is the description of a necessary work.) As to eat and drink and cloth our selves, and our Children; To carry meat to the poor that are in present necessity; To give or take Physick; and to go for advice to the Physician or Surgeon: To travel upon a business of importance and necessity; To quench a fire; or prop a house that is about to fall; To march or fight in a necessary case of Warr; To Saile or labour at Sea in cases of necessity; To Boat-men over a River that go to Church; To pursue a Robber, or defend him that is assaulted; To pull a man out of fire or water; To dress a mans sores, or to give Physick to the sick; To pull an Oxe or Horse or other Cattle out of a pit or water; To drive or lead them to water, and to give them meat: To save Cattle, Corne or Hay from the sudden inundations of the Sea, or of Rivers, or from Floods; To drive Cattle or Swine out of the grounds where they break in to spoile; such necessary actions are not unlawful but a duty; It being a Moral or Natural precept, which Christ twice bid the Ceremonious Pharises learn [I will have mercy and not Sacrifice.]
And it is not only works of necessity to a mans life, that are here meant by necessary works▪ But such also as are necessary to a smaller and lower end or use.
And yet it is not all such necessity neither that will allow us to do the thing. Otherwise a Tradesman or Plowman might say that his labour is necessary to the getting or saving of this or that small commodity; I shall be a loser if I do not work. And on the other side, if it were only a necessity for life, limbs or livelihood that would allow us labour, than it would be unlawful to dress Meat, and to drive Cattle out of the Corn, and many such things before mentioned; And then it would be lawful to give meat only … Oxen or Horses of great pri…e, and not to Hens, Ducks, Geese, Dogs, and other Animals of little value.
Therefore there is a great deal of prudent discretion necessary to the avoiding of extream… God hath not enumerated all the particulars which are allowed or forbidden in their generals. What then shall we do? Shall we violate the outward rest of the day for the worth of … Groat or two Pence (as the feeding of Hens or such like may be?) Or shall we suffer the lo… of many pounds rather than sti…r to save them? As for instance, Is it lawful to open, or turn, … carry in Corn or Hay, which in all rational probability (though not certainly) is like to be lost o… very much spoiled, if it be let alone to the next day? The Cor… or Hay may be of many pounds value, when the feeding of Swine o… Hens may be little: The Cor… or Hay is like to be lost; when the Swine, or Hens, or Horses, or Oxen, may easily recover the hunger or abstinence of a day? What must be done in such cases as these?
I answer, 1. It is necessary to know that where God hath not made particular determinations, yet general Laws do still oblige us.
2. And that Christian Prudence is necessary to the right discarning how far our actions fall under those General Laws of God.
3. That he that will discern these things must be a man, that truly understandeth, valueth and loveth the true Ends and Work of the Lords day, and not a man that hateth it, or careth not for it; And a man that hath a right estimate also of those outward things, which stand in question to be medled with. And he must be one that hath no superstitious Jewish conceits of the external Rest of the day: And he must be one that looketh, not only to one thing or a few, but to all things how numerous soever which the determination of his case dependeth on.
4. And because very few are such, it is needful that those few that are such, be Casuists and Advisers to the rest, and that the more ignorant consult with them (especially if they be their proper Pastors) as they do with Physicians and Lawyers for their health and their estates.
5. It must be known that oft times the Laws of the Land do interpose in such cases; And if they do determine so strictly, as to forbid that which else would to some be lawful, they must be obeyed; Because bad men cannot be kept from doing ill by excesses unless some good men be hindered by the same Laws from some things that are to them indifferent, nay possibly eligible, if there were no such Law.
6. And accordingly the case of Scandal or Temptation to others, that will turn our Example to their sin, must be considered in our Practice. Yea it is not only things meerly Indifferent that we must deny our liberty in, to prevent anothers fall, but oft times that which would else be a Duty may become a sin, when it will scandalize another, or tempt him to a farr greater and more dangerous sin. As it may be my duty to speak some word, or do some action, as most useful and beneficial, when there is nothing against it; And yet if I may foresee that another will turn that speech or action to his ruine, to the hatred of piety, or to take occasion from it to exercise cruelty upon other Christians, &c. it may become my hainous sin. So it must here be considered, who will know of the Action which you do? and what use they are like to make of it?
7. And a little publick hurt must be more regarded than more private benefit; And the hurt of a mans soul cannot be countervailed by your corporal Commodities.
8. These things being premised, I suppose that the great Rule to guide you in such undetermined Circumstances is the Interest of the End; All things must be done to the Glory of God, and to Edification. A truly impartial prudent man can discern by comparing all the circumstances whether his action (as if it were carrying in Endangered Corn) were likely to do more good or harm? On one side you must put in the ballance the value of the thing to be saved; your own necessity of it; the poors need of it; and Christs command, Gather up the fragments that nothing be lost: on the other side you must consider, how far it will hinder your spiritual benefit and duty; and how far the example may be like to encourage such as will do such things without just cause; And so try which is the way of Gods honour and your own and your neighbours good; and that is the way which you must take (As in the Disciples rubbing the ears of Corn, &c.) For the Rule is, that your labour is then lawful and a duty, when in the judgement of a truly judicious person, it is like to do more good than hurt; And it is then sinful when it is like to do more hurt than good. Though all cannot discern this, yet (as far as I know) this is the true rule, to judge such actions by. As for them that suppose our Lords day to be under the same Laws of Rest with the Jewish Sabbath, and so think that they have a readyer way to decide these doubts, I will not contend with them, but I have told you why I am not of their mind.
V. From hence I further conclude, that whereas there are some actions which bring some little benefit, but yet are no apparent hinderances of any of the work of the day, it seemeth to me too much Ceremoniousness, and too ungospel-like, to trouble our own or other mens Consciences, by concluding such things to be unlawful. If one have a word to speak of some considerable worldly business, which may be forgotten if it be not presently spoken; or if I meet one with whom I must speak the next day about some worldly business, and if I then wish him not to come speak with me, I must send a great way to him afterwards, I will not say that it is a sin to speak such a word. I will first look at a mans positive duties on the Lords day, how he heareth, and readeth, and prayeth, and spendeth his time, and how he instructeth and helpeth his Family; And if he be diligent in seeking God, (Heb. 11. 6.) and ply his Heavenly business, I shall be very backward to judge him for a word or action about wordly things that falls in on the by without any hinderance to his spiritual work. And if another speak not a word of any common thing, and yet do little in spiritual things, for his own or others edification, I shall think him a great abuser or neglecter of the Lords day. A few words about a common thing that falleth in the way, may be spoken without any hinderance of any holy duty: But still we must see that it be not a scandalous temptation to others. If I see a man that unexpectedly findeth some uncomely hole or rent in his Cloaths, either pin it up, or few it up before he goeth abroad, I will not blame him: But if he do it so as to embolden another who useth needlesly to mend his Cloaths on the Lords day, it will be a sin of scandal. If I see one cut some undecent stragling haires before he go forth, I will not blame him: But if he do it before one who will be encouraged by it, to be barbed needlesly on that day, he will offend. And so in other cases.
VI. By these same Rules also we may judge of Recreations on the Lords day. The Recreations of the mind must be the various holy employments of the day. No bodily Recreations are lawful which needlesly waste time, or hinder our duty, or divert our minds from holy things, or are a snare to others. Unless it be some weak persons whose health requireth bodily motion, few persons need any other than holy recreations on that day. I know no one man that so much needeth it as my self, who these twenty years cannot digest one dayes meat, unless I walk, or run, or exercise my body before it, till I am hot or sweat; And therefore necessity requireth me to walk or fast: But I do it privately on that day, left I tempt others to sin. But I will not censure one whom I see walking at fit houres, when for ought I know he may be taken up in some fruitful Meditation. But if persons will walk in the Streets or Fields in idleness, or for vain delight, or discourse, as if the day were too long for them, and they had no business to do for their souls, this is not only a sin, but a very ill sign of one that is senseless of his souls necessity and his duty.
VII. To read History, Philosophy, or common things, unnecessarily on the Lords day, is a sinful diversion from the more spiritual work of it; and unsuitable to the appointed uses of the day (much more Romances, Play Books, or idle stories:) Yea or those parts of Divinity it self, which are less practical and useful to the raising of Thankful and Heavenly affections. But yet sometimes such other matter may fall in, at a Sermon, or Conference, or in Meditation, which will require a present satisfaction in some point of History, Philosophie, or controversal Divinity, which may be subserviently used to Edification, without sin. Here therefore we must judge prudently.
VIII, A thing that may be lawful singly in it self, unless it be of great necessity is unlawful when he that serveth us in it is drawn or encouraged to make a trade of it. As to use a Barber to cut your hair; or a Tailor to mend your Cloaths, or a Coblar to mend your Shooes: Because if you may use him; so may others as well as you, and so he will follow his Calling on the Lords day. And yet I dare not say, if when you are to travel to Church, you find your Shooes or Boots by breaking something, to make you uncapable of going out, but you may get them mended privately, where it may be done without this inconvenience. And though Cooks and Bakers should not be unnecessarily used in their trade, yet is it not alwaies unlawful, but sometimes very well. Because as one servant in the Kitchin may be used to dress meat for all the family, so one Baker or Cooke may serve many families, and save ten times as many persons the labour which else they must be at; And perhaps with easier and quicker dispatch than others. The trade of the Apothecary, Surgeon and Physician is ordinarily used but for necessity.
IX. There is no sufficient avoidance of such abuses, but by careful foresight, and prevention and preparation the week before; which therefore must be conscionably done.