The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 54

The Practical Sabbatarian · Chapter 54

p. 765CHAP. LIV. Some miſcellanious preſcriptions, for the better diſcharge of our duty towards the LORDS DAY.

THe Concernments of the Soul can be never ſufficiently preſſed, becauſe of the weightineſs of the affair; and Mat. 16. 26.Matt 16:26nothing more conduceth to the advantage of the Soul, then the holy obſervation of Gods bleſſed day. Soul-welfare In die dominico mens noſtra in piis exercitiis tota defigenda eſt. Cartw.much depends upon a due and careful obſervance of it: Spiritual Sabbaths very much draw the Soul to its center; formal Sabbaths do much retard the Soul in its progreſs, and Sabbaths waſted in prophaneneſs, do very much harden the Soul in ſin and vanity, and drop apace into the Vials of Gods wrath, jogging Vengeance to awaken it, which ſeems to ſlumber. It may eaſily fall under our obſervation, that one who is ſlight on the Sabbath, will be profuſe on the week; that ſin which is hatched in the Sabbath, will be fledg'd in the week: And therefore where there is ſo much danger to loſe the way, it muſt needs be ſafe to take good direction, and to ſet up more lights for our better guidance; and this is the further deſigne of what followes in this Chapter.

Let love be the ſpring of all our duties upon the Sabbathday. Preſcript. 1.Love is a ſweet, but a forcible principle; it works not as a Sword, but as a Sun-beam; it draws, but not drives; it Exceſſus mentis eſt intentio ad ſuperna. Anſel.conſtrains, but not compels, and it wins by perſwaſion, and not coaction, 2 Cor. 5. 14. Fear ſtorms the Town, but Love p. 766takes it by compoſition; a heart full of love will run through the Datur ſancta inſania, quando mente excedimus deo. Bern.duties of a Sabbath, as the Sun through the ſeveral Signs of the Zodiack, with ſwiftneſs and delight: Nor doth it underſtand any toyl or wearineſs. Our Sabbath ſhould not be our task, but our delight, Iſa. 58. 13. and then we ſhould be on the wing, and flye to the Sanctuary, as the Doves to the Windows. And indeed what is there in a Sabbath, which doth not court our love?

1The Lord of it; He is our Beloved, Mat. 2. 28. Our love, our dove, our undefiled, Cant. 5. 2. Cant. 6. 9. He doth, or ought to lie as a bundle of myrrh between our breaſts, Cant. 1. 13. The Son of man, who is the ſum of our deſires, is the Lord of the Sabbath. Love of all principles hath the greateſt force, and the love of Chriſt of all loves hath the greateſt power. The love of Chriſt could make Martyrs and bring them to a ſtake in a time of perſecution; and ſhall not the Octaginta & ſex annos ſervivi domino meo, &c. Polycarp.love of Chriſt make Zelots, and bring them chearfully to a duty on a Sabbath-day? Let us be free and vigorous on the Lords day, it is the day of our Beloved.

2The occaſion of it, which was Chriſts reſurrection, when he roſe for our juſtification, Rom. 4. 25. That which ſtarted this day was the Riſing Sun which enlightned the World, In die dominico à mortuis reſurrexit Chriſtus. Orig.over-ſpread with the darkneſs of Gentiliſm, and the ſhades of Judaiſm: Let us conſider what put life into our Sabbath, let the ſame thing put life into us upon this bleſſed Sabbath.

3The duties of it, they are all ſtrains of love.

1. The Sacrament is our love-feaſt, and in it we have a double communion; 1. Communion with Chriſt, to remember Charitas Chriſti qua Chriſtus homines dilexit, nos urget, ut Chriſti exemplo & amore idem faciamus. Alap.his love to us, in ſacrificing himſelf for us, Luke 22. 19. 2. Communion with the Saints, for the increaſe of love: At Chriſts Table the Heirs of Salvation come acquainted, before they meet in their Fathers Kingdom, and there thoſe ſpiritual Stars rally together in a Conſtellation.

2. Prayer is only the breathing forth of the Soul into the boſom of God, the melting and the working of the heart foreign.towards God, Jam. 5. 16. In prayer, ſighs are but the moans of love, and tears are but the ſtreams of love: And p. 767this duty is onelyonly the flight of the Soul to its beloved: the Cant. 3. 1.Song 3:1Spouſe in prayer pours out her heart before him whom her Soul loves. Hearing the word is nothing but the unboſoming Rom. 5. 8.Rom 5:8of the Fathers heart to poor ſinners, Acts 20. 27. that they may know his will, and live: When we ſit under the Heb. 1. 14.Heb 1:14Goſpel, we onelyonly hear thoſe things which have been upon the heart of God from all eternity. Thus all the duties of a Sabbath are the Emblems of love, and call for a principle of love.

4The donation of the Sabbath to us is the fruit of love; and therefore the Sabbath is called the gift of God, Ezek. 20. 12. Vide hic et obſtupeſce immenſitatem amoris Chriſti; Foedi eramus, inſipientes, mendici, pu…idi, viles, miſeri, et miſerabiles, ſed Foedos Chriſtus amavit ut pulchros efficeret, inimicos amavit ut amicos faceret, &c.and gifts are love-tokens: It is great love we ſhould have ſeaſons of grace, opportunities of life, and term-times for our precious Souls; days of converſe with the Almighty, conſtituted times for tranſacting the grand affairs of Eternity. Now every thing in a Sabbath ſpeaking love, let that genuine and natural principle carry us out in Sabbath-duties with all freeneſs and delight. Many perſons are ſwayed by other principles, by a principle of credit, intereſt, or the clamours of natural Conſcience; nay ſome are ſtaked down to a Sabbath from the common uſage and cuſtom of the Country where they live: but theſe men are like Puppets which are ſtirred and moved with Wires, they onelyonly act a part, and the Sabbath is their Seene. But the heaven-born principle which ſhould carry us through all the ſeverals of a Sabbath, Pſal. 27. 4.Ps 27:4is love to, and longing for our dear Jeſus: Duties will never Pſal. 42. 2.Ps 42:2be muſick unleſs tuned by a heart full of love to God. It was love brought Chriſt to a Cradle to be born for us; it was love brought Chriſt to a Croſs to die for us, John 10. Amoris vis corpus et animam liquefacit, et ultrà ſe ad videndum du…itur et ergo neceſſe eſt ut carneum hoc vinculum, qu… ferre talenti p…ndus non valemus infirmetur. Greg.17, 18. And it is love to this Chriſt which can ſweeten and ſucceed out duties upon his own holy day. Love to Chriſt will make prayer the evidence of our deſire to be at home; and make hearing only our inquiry, which is the next way to bring us home; and make Sacraments our Corn by the way to ſupport us till we do come home; and make all other duties the planks upon which we get to come to ſhore, to our deſired and longed for home.

Let all our ſervices on a Sabbath be acted with a ſerious p. 768poiſe and deliberation. Meat which is raſht up never taſts Praeſcrip. 2.pleaſantly: In holy duties we muſt carefully diſtinguiſh between holy delight, and ſinful precipitancy; the Wiſe-man Jer. 8. 6.Jer 8:6counſelleth us, to look to our foot when we go into the houſe Quatuor cauſae afferunt…r ex Hebraeis, quare pecus ſeparatum et comparatum, decimo die aſſervabatur uſ que decimum quartum. 1. Ne Iſraelitae negotiis impediti illud oblivi…ni traderent. 2. Ʋt meliùs obſervarent ne defectus aliquis ſit in agno 3 Ʋt ex aſpectu agni oxaſionem haberent colloquendi de redemptione ſuâ ex Aegypto. 4. Ʋt ſeſe in tempore ad bonum opus perficiendum accingerent, & praepararent. Fag.of God, Eccleſ. 5. 1. we muſt not leap into the Sanctuary, but we muſt pauſe in our approaches. The Lamb for the Paſsover was taken up the tenth day of the month, but not killed till the fourteenth, Exod. 12. 3. 6. to ſhew us, how conſiderately and adviſedly we ſhould converſe with God in Ordinances. Before we adventure upon any Sabbath-duty we ſhould weigh and ponder theſe four things;

1. The infiniteneſs of that God with whom we have to do, Heb. 12. 29.

2. The nature of that duty, in which we are to engage, which is moſt ſolemn and ſpiritual, Levit. 10. 2, 3.

3. The preciouſneſs of that ſoul, which is highly concerned in all theſe ſervices.

4. The ſtrictneſs of that account, which muſt be made for all our Sabbath opportunities. Nothing more ripens and amplifies our ſpiritual advantage, then a ſerious adviſedneſs; and we are neceſſitated to it, not only becauſe our hearts are ſo ſlippery, and will eaſily beguile us in holy ſervices; but becauſe Satan never makes greater On-ſets, then when we are in Heavens roade: Therefore on a Sabbath, let us compoſe our ſelves for Divine Worſhip, and dreſs our ſelves as the Spouſe, to meet with the Bride-groome of our ſouls. Raſh duties leave cold hearts, and are nothing leſs then offering up ſtrange fire, Levit. 10. 1, 2. When Ahab ſeemingly pleaſed God in his humiliation, he walked ſoftly, 1 Kings 21. 27. And we muſt come to holy duties, as the wiſe men of Mat. 25. 10.Matt 25:10the Eaſt came to Chriſt, with an obſervant diſtance and veneration. Mat. 2. 11.Matt 2:11Our inconſiderate adventures upon things ſacred and divine, only loſe the taſte of the duty, and trifle away the time of the Sabbath.

Let us labour to get high eſteemes of the Sabbath day: We Praeſcrip. 3.keep thoſe things moſt charily we prize moſt: We lock up Jewels, which we value, but we leave out other things which we deſpiſe and contemn. One great reaſon why men p. 769practice Sabbaths no more, is becauſe they prize them no Apparet in S…r…p…uris hunc diem eſſe ſolennem, ipſe enim eſt primus dies ſeculi, &c. Aug.more: Sabbaths fall in their opinion, and therefore they ſink in their obſervation: They look upon the Sabbath as a common day, a day of leiſure to pleaſe themſelves with carnall reſt, or ſenſual delight: Only their ſh…ps are ſhut, and ſo they cannot follow the works of their Calling; but their hearts are open to entertain any temptation; and ſo they mind the Magiſtrate, more then Jehovah upon his own day. Dies dominicus eſt dies Regalis, in qu… Imperator aſcendit ab inferis. Chryſoſt.But ſerious and gracious perſons have always ſpoken highly of Gods bleſſed Sabbath: The Apoſtle John calls it, the Lords day, Rev. 1. 10. which is the Lord Chriſt his day: for this name foreign is derived of foreign, which is appropriate to our Saviour Chriſt, both in regard of the dignity and excellency of his perſon, and becauſe of the greatneſs and largeneſs of Ne ipſam quidem dominicam diem J…nctiſſimi feſti ullâ inreverentiâ habuere, &c. Athanaſ.his dominion, as likewiſe in reſpect of his bounty towards the members of his myſtical body, Acts 4. 36. Joh. 20. 13, 28. Revel. 17. 14. Cap. 19. 16. Now things and perſons which are named the Lords, are ſacred and venerable in an high degree. So, The grace of our Lord, Rom. 16. 24. The ſpirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 17. The beloved of the Lord, Rom. 16. Is ſolus et unus reverâ eſt proprius et dominicus dies, et melior eſt aliis innumerabilibus diebus, ſive qui communitèr intelliguntur, ſive qui a Moſe, &c. Hier.8. The glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 18. The word of the Lord, 1 Tim. 6. 3. The cup of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 27. Et ſic, Convivium dominicum, the Lords banquet. Tertul. lib. 2. ad Ʋxor. foreign. Cyril. Hieroſol. Catech. 18. foreign, The body of the Lord. Athanaſ. ad Epict. foreign, The Scripture of the Lord. Clem. Alexandr. Ignatius the bleſſed Martyr of Chriſt, who lived in the Apoſtles age, and was St. Johns Diſciple, maketh the Lords day the Queen, the Princeſs, the Lady Paramount of all dayes. Euſebius in the life of Conſtantine the Great, lib. 4. cap. 18. ſtileth the Lords day, foreign, In truth, and in foreign, &c. Ignat.very deed, the principal and the firſt: Chryſoſtome calleth it, a Royal day. And Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. 43. ſaith it is, foreign, Higher then the higheſt, and with admiration wonderfull above all other dayes. Baſil calls it, foreign, The firſt fruits of dayes. Chryſologus Ser. 77. ſaith, It is the primate among days. And Hierome, in Marc. 16. The Lords day is better then other p. 770common dayes, and then all the Feſtivals, New Moons, and Finitur ſeptimus dies, dominus eſt ſepultus, reditur ad primum, dominus eſt reſuſcitatus: domini reſuſcitatio promiſit no bis aeternam diem, et conſecravit diem dominicam. Aug.Sabbaths of Moſes his Law. The Lords day, (ſaith Maximus Taurinenſis) is venerable, and a ſolemn day among Chriſtians, becauſe like the Sun riſing and diſpelling infernal darkneſs, Chriſt the Sun of Righteouſneſs ſhined forth unto the world by the light of his Reſurrection. And the incomparable Auguſtine ſaith, The Seventh day is ended, the Lord was buried, a return is made to the firſt day, the Lord is raiſed; the Lords Reſurrection promiſed us an eternal day, and it did conſecrate unto us the Lords day. Juſtin Martyr calls our Sabbath Sunday, as many others after him, and not without very good reaſon.

1That being the Chiefeſt of dayes, as the Sun is the moſt glorious of all the Planets; and therefore the Civil Law calls Cod. Juſtin. lib. 3. tit. 12.our Sabbath, The venerable and much honoured Sunday.

2Our Sabbath is called Sunday, to honour Chriſt, who is the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4. 2. Enlightning every one who Nos jure optimo diem, quem Mathematici ſolis vocant, domino aſcripſimus, et illius cultui totum mancipavimus, quoniam nulla re magis imaginari poſſumus praepotentis, et univerſim ſupereminentis Chriſti M…jeſtatem quàm per ſplendidiſſimum ſolis lumen Et Leo eſt ſolare animal. Cael. Rhodig.cometh into the world, and who by his triumphant Reſurrection cauſed the heavenly light of Truth and Grace to appear in full luſtre to them who ſate in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death. And Gaudentius Brixianus ſpeaks fully to this purpoſe; It behoved Chriſt, ſaith he, the Sun of Righteouſneſs, with the fair and pleaſant light of his Reſurrection, to diſpell the groſs darkneſs of the Jews, and melt the frozen cold of the Gentiles, and ſo reduce all things that we reclouded with the black vail of confuſion by the Prince of darkneſs, into the ſtate of prime tranquility. And Ambroſe concurs in his judgement; This day is called Sunday, ſaith he, becauſe Chriſt the Sun of Righteouſneſs aroſe from death to life upon this day to enlighten the Children of this world.

3Hierom tells us, It is called Sunday, becauſe on that day Light roſe in the world, and the Sun of Righteouſneſs appeared, in whoſe wings healing may be found. So Chriſt made it Sunday, not only from his beams, but likewiſe from his wings; for as there was light in the one, ſo there was Cypr. Epiſt. 33. Orig. in Exo. Homil. 7. & contr. celſum.cure in the other: and both together gave it this Name.

p. 7714And nothing more ſpeaks the glory of Chriſt then Light: and the Sun is the fountain of light, and therefore our Sabbath is Tertul. de Coron. Mil.called Sunday, as Coelius Rhodiginus obſerves. Nay, Chriſt himſelf is called Light, John 3. 19. And the Goſpel is named Light, Rom. 13. 12. No wonder then if that day on which Chriſt is worſhipped, and the Goſpel is preached, is called Sunday.

But in all ages our bleſſed Sabbath flouriſhed in an honourable Bellarm. Tem. 1 de cult. Sanctor. cap. 11. lib 3. Dominica dies primatum obtmet, et major eſt inter alios, dies. Durand. Rational. lib. 7. de Feſtiv.eſteem. Bellarmine himſelf ſaith, The Sabbath is a day above all other days to be eſteemed. And ſo Durand gives the Lords day all primacy, and aſſigns it a majority for worth and honour above all dayes. And it is very obſervable, that Eaſterday, ſo much cryed up by ſome, was once the unhappy cauſe of much contention in the Church: But the Lords day was alwayes celebrated in the Church with joy and unanimity, nor ever was the ſpring of controverſie or contention. This glorious day alwayes ſhone bright in the Church, without the ecclipſe of contempt or diſuſe.

And indeed our ſweet and lovely Sabbath is a Jewel of ineſtimable worth, a golden ſtream diſſolving and running by us, for us to make uſe of, for our paſſage to a glorious eternity. Man never forgets himſelf more, then when he knows not his time, and falls below the brute Creatures, who underſtand their ſeaſons, Jer. 8. 7. How many obſerve not the time of Chriſts coming to meet his people upon his own Eccleſ. 9. 12.Eccl 9:12bleſſed day. David was wont to ſay, One day in thy Courts is Pſal. 63. 2.Ps 63:2better then a thouſand, Pſal. 84. 10. And the ſame judgement Pſal. 42. 4.Ps 42:4muſt we paſs upon the Lords day, before we ſhall come to a Jer. 8. 7.Jer 8:7due obſervation of it. Sabbaths are kept, as they are valued; And as is our apprehenſion, ſo is our obſervation: We ſhould look upon the Sabbath, as one of the dayes of the Son of man, a ſeaſon put into our hands for life and ſalvation, Luke 17. 22. Luke 19. 42, 43. and this would ſteer our hearts to a Amos 8. 11.Amos 8:11devout celebration of it. Did we prize the Sabbath, as our Rabbini docent Judaeos Sabbatum ſuum ideò veneraſſe, ut illud foreign omnium dierumgood wind for our Port, our ſeaſonable gale for our coaſt, our indulgent call to our Reſt, ſurely we ſhould ſpend it with God; for we know not how ſoon the things with the day, and the day with the things may be paſt and gone. It is obſerved p. 772of the Jews, thy ſo much honoured their Sabbath, that they Reginam appellarunt.were wont to call the whole week by the name of Sabbath, Luke 18. 12. And they were uſed to ſay, the firſt, ſecond, third or fourth day of, or after the Sabbath; and this they foreign.did as learned men obſerve, not only,

1. To diſcriminate themſelves, in calling the dayes of the week otherwiſe then the Gentiles, who called them by the names of their Idols: ButMark 16. 2.Mark 16:2

2. To demonſtrate the dignity of the Sabbath day, and Luke 18. 12. Hier. ad Hed. quaeſt. 4. Theoph. in Luke 18.Luke 18:12Luke 18that above all dayes, it was with them in greateſt account. And ought not Chriſtians much more hold up an high and honourable eſteem of the Goſpel Sabbath, which is a far more glorious day? Moſt aſſuredly our practice will keep pace with our repute; and if we look not upon the Sabbath, as the Tremel. in Syriac. Para phraſ.day of God, we ſhall never keep it as the day of God. And ſtrange it is, that the Sabbath ſhould not be precious in our eyes, when eternal life is but our great Sabbath, our long Sabbath which hath no evening, as Ambroſe and Auguſtine Ambroſ. in Pſal. 119.Ps 119obſerve. Nay, Epiphanius tells us, That Chriſt is but our more durable Sabbath; and we reſt in this Sabbath, when we Auguſt de Civ. dei.repoſe our hearts and hopes in him. Nay, a good Conſcience, as Auguſtine ſaith, is the bed of God, the Palace of Chriſt, the Epiphan. lib. 1. Hereſ. 30.Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, the Paradiſe of Delights, and the Sabbatum dei eſt illud quo ab opere exteriori ceſſare dicimur, et ſacramentum interioris Sabbati, ubi mens ſancta per bonam conſcientiam à peccato quieſcit. Hugo. Rev. 2. 10.Rev 2:10ſtanding Sabbath of the Saints: Thus holy Auguſtine in his tenth Sermon to his Brethren in the wildernoſs. A good Conſcience indeed is our continual Sabbath, our conſtant feaſt and reſt: And therefore in keeping Gods Sabbath, let us be faithfull unto death, and he will give us a never ceaſing Sabbath, when we ſhall wear a Crown of life. In the ſaddeſt and ſoreſt times, when Kingdomes are ſhaking, and Cities ſinking, nay, all Gods Ordinances ſeem to be taking their leave in a Land, yea, when all externals in the world are at the worſt, yet then there may be an internal Sabbath in the heart, and an eternal Sabbath in the heavens, for all thoſe who are here conſciencious in keeping the externall Sabbath, (viz.) the Lords day, with all holineſs and accurateneſs of obſervation. Aquinas well obſerves, There is a Sabbath of Sabbatum eſt duplex, Pectoris, & Temporis.time, every firſt day of the week, and a Sabbath in the breaſt, p. 773inward reſt and quietation: Now the one leads to the other, Aquin. 1m… 2dae quaeſt. 100. Artic. 5.when we are Critical in keeping the Sabbath of time, we may be confident in the enjoyment of a Sabbath and Reſt in our boſoms. Piety on a Sabbath will aſſuredly end and conclude in a Paradiſe in the boſom, and when we have reſted with Chriſt on his day; he will certainly ſup with us at night, and bring grace and peace with him.Rev. 3. 20.Rev 3:20

Let us keep every day as a Sabbath: A good week will forerun Praeſcrip. 4.a good Sabbath; as the Sabbath ſhould influence the whole week, ſo the whole week ſhould prepare for the Sabbath: And indeed the whole term of our life ſhould be a continued Sabbath in two reſpects:

1In ceſſation from the ſervice of ſin: Sin muſt always be our corroſive, not only on the Lords day, but on our day; we have no vacation for evil, ſin is a ſpot on the week, though a foreign. Ignat.deeper on the Sabbath; as Chriſt is always the Saints love, ſo ſin is always the Saints load: How bitterly doth Paul complain of his inbred corruption, Rom. 7. 17, 18, 21, 23, 24. And ſo Auguſtine condoles his condition by reaſon of ſin. Alas, ſaith he, Sin follows, I fly and yet I fall; I fight, and yet I am captive; I run from it, and yet I am drawn to it, I would reſt, and yet I cannot be quiet one day; nay, not an hour. Now thus to reſt from ſin is an every Qui ceſſat ab operibus ſe…uli, & ſpiritualibus vacat, iſte eſt qui diem feſtum Sabbatorum agit; ne que onera portat in viâ, onus eſt omne peccatum; ne que ignem accendit, &c. Et in loco ſuo ſiſtit, ne que recedit ab eo. Quis eſt locus animae? Juſtitia eſt locus ejus, veritas, ſapientia, & ſanctificatio: Etomnia, &c. Orig.days Sabbath; there is no day, but ſin prophanes it, ſin is the blemiſh of the ſhop, as well as the Sanctuary, and is a brand upon the week, as well as the Sabbath. It is obſervable, there was no death ſtigmatized with a Curſe, but the death of the Croſs; but on the contrary, there is no day but is ſtigmatized with ſin and iniquity. Every day muſt be a Sabbath to us in abſtinence from ſin. It is rarely obſerved of Origen, In the times of the Law, ſaith he, the Jews were not to ſtir out of their places upon the Sabbath day, Exod. 16. 29. Now what is the proper place of the ſoul, but Righteouſneſs, Truth, Wiſdom, and Sanctification, and whatever ſpeaks Chriſt; and from this place we Chriſtians muſt not ſtir upon the Lords day. In the times of the Law, the Jews were to carry no burdens upon the Sabbath day, Jer. 17. 27. And what is this burden, but all p. 774ſin; and this burden, we Chriſtians, muſt not carry on our Sabbath. In the times of the Law, the Jews were not to kindle a fire throughout all their Habitations upon the Sabbath, Exod. 35. 3. And what is this kindling of fire, but the inflaming of luſt; and no ſuch fire muſt be kindled by Chriſtians on the Sabbath. Now what Origen cautionates us againſt on the Sabbath, is as much to be avoided and ſhunned on the week day.

2In a diſpoſition to ſerve God: So we muſt keep every day a Sabbath, though we are not always in a Sabbath dayes time, Verum quidem eſt, Sabbatum ſpirituale, nobis perpetuò colendum eſſe, ſub novo Teſtamento. Wal.yet we ſhould be always in a Sabbath days frame; in ſuch a bleſſed bent of heart, as to be fit for holy buſineſs and heavenly employment. And the Apoſtle adviſeth us, 1 Theſ. 5. 17. To pray continually, viz. To be in a continual frame of heart fit for holy prayer. And the Apoſtle James, Jam. 1. 19. commands us to be ſwift to hear, viz. Always to have Spirituale Sabbatum eſt, quo vetus homo noſter, homo peccati cum ſingulis ſuis actionibus, otio quodam veluti ſepelitus eſt; ut novus homo, qui ſecundum deum creatus eſt, vires ſuas exerat, & opera ſua perficiat. Muſcul.an open ear ready to hearken to the ſweet and ſacred word of God. We find the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 1. 5, 6. deſcribing four living creatures, having four faces, and four wings: Faces ready to mind, and wings ready to move into any part upon the work the Lord ſhould aſſign and appoint them. And thus Gods people ſhould be always in a prepared frame of ſpirit for holy ſervice; we ſhould be as cautious of ſin, and as propence to ſervice, as if every day was a Sabbath day. The week contains no day for ſinful work, the Apoſtle tells us, 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity. And iniquity, not iniquities, any one particular iniquity: And ſo likewiſe in the week, our ſecular works muſt not indiſpoſe us for heavenly Dies è ſeptem unus externis ſalutis mediis dedicatus, Sabbatum interius & perpetuum, magis, et magis promovet. Hier.ſervices, and holy duties, but we muſt have heavenly hearts in our earthly labours. It is very obſervable, that in the time of the Law, the word Sabbath ſignified a whole week, Lev. 23. 15. And ſo in the time of the Goſpel, Luke 18. 12. And doth it not point out this, That we ſhould keep our whole week as a Sabbath, and that Sabbath-holineſs ſhould make all our life-time but one intire holy day. Our ſpiritual Sabbath, as Muſculus obſerves, Muſt be continual, Rom. 11. 16.Rom 11:16we muſt be always crucifying the old man, and getting our p. 7751 Cor. 5. 6.1 Cor 5:6corruptions to their reſt, that they may not be working nor employed to fledge temptation into actual ſin; and we muſt be always employing the new man, to excite its power in ſpiritual operations; and this muſt be our daily and continual Sabbath. This reſting from ſin, and this working for God, is never unſeaſonable; and theſe two are the integral parts of a Sabbath. And thus to employ our ſelves in the week, doth exceedingly fit us for the Sabbath: Many have little of the Sabbath in the week, and therefore they have too much of the week in the Sabbath, they are ſtrangers Mandaverat quidem deus ſub veteri Teſtimento, ut in ipſa ſeptimanâ, aliquae quo que horae divino cultui conſecrarentur, manè imprimis, & veſpere, cùm ſacrificium juge in templo offerreretur, & perpetuò ſacrificaretur. Wal.to Sabbath-work on the week dayes; and therefore they are enemies to Sabbath-work on the Lords day. Chriſtians ſhould attempt to begin heaven here, and there is a perpetual Sabbath; our life below ſhould ſhadow out our life above. It muſt be confeſſed, our indulging our ſelves too much in ſin, and bemiring our ſelves too much in the world on the week day, doth very much unqualifie and indiſpoſe us for heavenly reſt on the Sabbath day: But when we have ſet our ſelves againſt ſin, and have been ſpiritually minded in the works of our Calling, not omitting the heavenly duties of prayer, reading the word, holy diſcourſe, and heavenly meditations on the week dayes; we then with more complacency lean upon our beloved, and with more delight meet him in his …anquetting houſe, Cant. 2. 4. on the Lords day. Holy weeks make heavenly Sabbaths, and the more ſtrict we are in paſſing of the week, the more ſavoury and ſerious we ſhall be in obſerving the Sabbath. Walaeus very well obſerves, That in the time of the Law, God had his dayly ſacrifices, Pſal. 133. 2.Ps 133:2Numb. 28. 3. as well as his double ſacrifices on the Sabbath day, Numb. 28. 9. To intimate to us, There muſt be ſomething of a Sabbath in every day; nor muſt the oil of holineſs only be poured out on the head of a Sabbath, but it muſt run down to the skirts of the whole week; the performance of divine worſhip is calculated for the week, though the ſolemnity of it be reſerved for the Sabbath. Well then, let ſomething reſembling a Sabbath be found in our own dayes, let a happy vein of holy reſt with God run through every day. The Jews had their morning ſacrifice when they entred upon p. 776their work, and their evening ſacrifice, when they wound up and ended their work; they gave God the firſt, Job 23. 12.Job 23:12and the laſt of every day in holy and ſolemn worſhip: He that was Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt, had the Tres ſunt diei partes inter Judaeos, prima pars ad orationem, ſecunda ad legem, tertia ad opus ſeculare deſtinabatur.Alpha and Omega of every day; nay, learned men obſerve, that the Jews divided the day into three parts. The firſt, ad Tephilah to Prayer, the ſecond, ad Torah to the Law, the third, ad Malacha to their work. Thus God had his part of every day among the poor Jews; nay, double worſhip for ſingle work. And let not a repudiated Jew be more franck in giving God his time, then the redeemed ones of Jeſus; ſhall they have ſo much of the Sabbath in the week, and we ſo much of the week in our Sabbaths? As the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 6. 2. foreign, God forbid. It would be ſtrange if the branch which is broken of, Rom. 11. 16, 17. ſhould look greener, and ſprout more, then that which is graſſed in.

Let us be earneſt with God for Miniſters, that their ſucceſs may be great; and that they may ſee of the travel of their ſouls Praeſcrip. 5.and be ſatisfied. The Miniſters work upon a Sabbath may Interior vita & vigor gratiae ad creſcendum, & adoleſcendum in fide, charitate; et Chriſtianiſmo hoc ſolius dei eſt. Alap.be painful from himſelf, but it is proſperous only from the Lord; the Miniſter throws the net, it is God brings the draught; nay, he may caſt the net, but God directs it to the right ſide of the ſhip. The Apoſtle aſſures us, It is God gives the increaſe, 1 Cor. 3. 6. That Gods work proſpers in the hands of the Miniſters, and in the hearts of the people, is from Gods ſmile, not from the Miniſters ſweat: The Miniſter may have skill to open the Text, but God only hath power to open the heart. Let this God therefore be ſought to, that he would fill the Miniſters ſail with a proſperous wind; and that every Sermon they preach, and every Sabbath they celebrate, may be as the bow of Jonathan, and the ſword of Saul which returned not empty, 2 Sam. 1. 22. And we have a rare and rich promiſe to build and bottom our prayers upon, which is mentioned, Iſa. 55. 10, 11. As the rain comes down, and ſhowers from heaven, and return not thither, but Iſa. 55. 10, 11.Isa 55:10Isa 55:11water the earth, making it bud, and bring forth ſeed to the ſower, and bread to the eater, ſo ſaith God, ſhall my word be, that goes out of my mouth, it ſhall not return to me void. Let p. 777us heartily ſue out this bleſſed promiſe in holy prayer to the Lord: Strong prayers are the readieſt method to make ſucceſsful Sabbaths, Miniſters might do great things upon the prayers of the people, they might convince conſcience they Acts 2. 37.Acts 2:37might prick to the heart, and faſten truth upon the ſoul, and go off in the evening of a Sabbath crying victory ovor captivated Converts, and lead many loſt ſheep home to the great ſhepherd of their ſouls; we have many ſtill-born Ordmances, becauſe previous prayers did not put life into them. It is prayer that can give a good Miniſter to a people, Philem. ver. 22. And it is prayer can bleſs a good Miniſter to a people. How frequent and pathetical is the Apoſtle Paul with Ingens eſt orationum virtus, & potentia, ut Paulus, talis, tantuſ que vir illarum ope & ſubſidio indi geat. Theopil.thoſe to whom he writes to beg and importune their prayers, ſo Rom. 15. 30. Now I beſeech you Brethren, for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt his ſake, and for the love of the ſpirit, that ye ſtrive together with me, in your prayers to God for me. We may ſee, the great Apoſtle of the Gentiles, though reſplendent with ſuch rich gifts, enriched with ſuch eminent grace, and conducted by the guidance of an infallible ſpirit; yet he ſtood in need of the people prayers. Nay, this bleſſed Apoſtle not only ſollicits the prayers of the Church of the Romans, but he addreſſes himſelf to other Churches, to that at Theſſalonica, 2 Theſ. 3. 1. Finally Brethren pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have a free courſe, and be glorified, even as it is with you. Thus Goſpel victories are uſually the iſſue of wreſtling with God. And thus again Paul importunes prayers, 1 Theſ. 5. 25. Brethren pray for us. And again, Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us. This holy Apoſtle reſts not ſo much upon his own pains, as others prayers, knowing that the gales of the ſpirit, by which we hoiſe up ſail for heaven, are promiſed to earneſt and importunate prayer, Luke 11. 13. And indeed as the Miniſter muſt row with one Oare by powerful and painful preaching to the people, ſo the people muſt row with the other by frequent praying for the Miniſter; Diſpenſator domus dei curam hobet, in eâ omnia regit, omnia ordinat & diſtribuit.They muſt ſtrive together as the Apoſtles phraſe is, Rom. 15. 30. In a word, one piece of ſervice which we owe to the Sabbath is, that we beg of God that the Miniſters who are ſtars, Rev. 1. 20. may fructiferouſly ſhine upon, who are p. 778light, Mat. 5. 14. may be a ſafe conduct to, who are Salt, Mat. 5. 13. may throughly ſeaſon and preſerve, who are Stewards, 1 Cor. 4. 1. may feed and refreſh the people of God on his own bleſſed day.

Let us be much in prayer, that Magiſtrates would take care Praeſcrip. 6.of Gods holy Sabbath. Magiſtrates are called ſhields, Pſal. 47. 9. Let us pray, that they defend the Sabbath from ſin and Lev. 19. 17.Lev 19:17prophanation. Magiſtrates are called Gods, Pſal. 82. 6. Let us pray, that they would remember their own title, and commend Gods day to a holy and ſtrict obſervation. And Qui non vetat peccare, cùm poteſt, jubet. Senec.ſurely as children for the moſt part, are as the Nurſes are, ſo Sabbaths in Nations and Kingdoms are as the Magiſtrates are, we may feel the pulſe of the Magiſtrate in the obſervation of the Sabbath.

1And therefore let us pray for Magiſtrates, becauſe the eye of the people is fixed more ſtedily on the Magiſtrates Sword, then on the Scholars pen, or the Miniſters tongue; Magiſtratical ſeverity more awes and influences, then Miniſterial intreaties. That weapon gives us the deepeſt wound which is ſharpned by civil Authority. When a Miniſters zeal is inſignificant, In Sabbati obſervatione non Miniſtros verbi tantùm ſed et Patres familias, & i…primis Magiſtratus verſari decet. Wal.the Magiſtrates heat will be effectual; a Magſtrates frown ſhall operate more throughly then a Miniſters check: When Nehemiah threatned the ſtrangers to lay hands upon them, they came no more upon the Sabbath day, Nehem. 13. 21. The ſoft bowels of a Miniſter may be abortive, when the ſure force of a Magiſtrate may put life into the reformation of the Sabbath.

2Beſides the fourth Commandment is retinaculum caeterorum, the bond of obedience both to God and man in the duties Cuſtodire Sabbatum, per Synechdochen accipiatur pro obſervatione totius legis, praeſertim primae tabulae, quae religionem & cultum dei ſpectat. Alap.of the firſt and the ſecond table, this Commandment is the golden claſp which joynes both the Tables together, and therefore it is much to be obſerved, that keeping the Sabbath from polluting it, and keeping the hands from doing any evil, are both coupled and joyned together, Iſa. 56. 2. The pollution of the Sabbath, is the uſual introduction of all other ſin.

3It may be added, if Magiſtrates let the reins looſe, to connive at vanity and prophaneneſs on the Lords day; the Nation p. 779will be filled with evil ſubjects, the Church will be filled with corrupt members, and private families will be filled with ſtubborn children, and licentious Servants; and therefore we muſt ſpread our hands before God, that he would give us Nehem. 13. 17Neh 13:17holy Nehemiahs to hedge up the Sabbath with thorns, that looſeneſs and prophaneneſs may not break in upon it, and that 2 Chr. 34. 33.2 Chr 34:33the bleſſed Sabbath may be preſerved pure from the rapes of prurient and prophane men.

Let us take advantage from the Jews miſtaken zeal towards Praeſcrip. 7.their Sabbath, to act a real zeal towards the Lords day. The Jews were exact to ſuperſtition, let us be ſo to Religion, they to fancy, let us to piety: Indeed what was equity in the command, was rigour in their obſervation, they would not light a candle, unleſs for the ſick on the Sabbath day, as Lippomannus Quod de igne non ſuccendendo hî… praeſcribitur, reſtringendum eſt ad eum, qui ſuccenderet ad parandos cibos, aut coquendos, aut ad ſervilia munia. Rivet.obſerves, nor would they heat themſelves in froſt on that holy day, as Gallaſius obſerves, no not acquire the greateſt gain if it was to be accompliſhed on this bleſſed day, as Vatablus obſerves, nay, not to dreſs any meat, as Rivet obſerves, and they would not go out of their place on the Sabbath, and therefore if on a journey they were in a wilderneſs on a Sabbath there they ſtayed, and would not apply themſelves to any place or perſon for neceſſary accommodations.

Their ſtrange fire ſhould ſtir up our ſacred heat, and if they would not go out of their place upon their Sabbath, Exod. 35. 3.Exod 35:3let us not go out of our ſphear upon ours; they would not kindle a fire, but we ſhould blow up our holy zeal: Sometimes duty gets ground by an Antiperiſtaſis, wrinckled faces make us admire beauty, and others ſlips and tranſgreſſions Iſraelitae non fuerunt tabernaculis incluſi tanquàm in carcere, ſed ad caetus, et ſanctorum ſocietates, &c.are our alarms and cautions: If the Jews ſtrained ſo much and were over fond of their humane traditions upon their Sabbath, we ſhould act as high, and be as tenacious of our ſpiritual devotions upon our Chriſtian Sabbath. Their blind zeal muſt not only be the object of our pity, but the incentive of our piety; and we ſhould deem it a diſcredit that they ſhould go faſter in a falſe, then we in a true way, let their ceremony be out-vyed by our ſervice.

p. 780Let us faſten it upon our hearts, that the preſent Sabbath Preſcript. 8.may be our farewell Sabbath! Prophaneneſs is the uſual Ʋbicum que ſunt, ſive in Agro, ſive in Dom…, ſive in Muſaeo, Audire videor Archangelum tubâ ſonantem, & clamitantem, ſurgite mortui, & venite ad iudicium. Hieron.birth of preſumption; we pollute the preſent, becauſe we reckon upon a future Sabbath. It was Hieroms cuſtom where-ever he was, to be thinking that he heard the Angel ſounding the laſt Trumpet, and crying out, Ariſe ye dead and come to judgment. The frame of this holy learned Father very well becomes a Sabbath-day: Every Chriſtian ſhould think with himſelf, I now enjoy a ſeaſon of grace, which may be my laſt good wind for Eternity. My times, much more my Sabbaths, the fineſt of the Wheat, are in Gods hand, Pſal. 31. 15. And it cannot be any act of wiſdom to rely much upon that which is in anothers hand. He that would not grant the Fool in the Goſpel the priviledge to ſee the light of another Sun, may deny him who trifles Luke 12. 20.Luke 12:20away Gods bleſſed day, the liberty to ſee the light of another Sabbath. Candles which are played by, are ſoon put out. Eutichus died for a ſleepy, and why not the Formaliſt for a Acts 20. 9.Acts 20:9forfeited Sabbath?

Now did we look on the preſent, as that which may be the parting Sabbath; how then would we nail our eyes to Heaven in holy meditation, raiſe a cloud of ſighs, nay wreſtle with God by holy prayer, and as dying perſons catch at life and ſalvation, and uſe Ordinances with that affectionate heat, as thoſe lovely ſongs we ſhall hear no more. Our Ear Ezek. 33. 32.Ezek 33:32would be chained to truth in hearing; our Knee would be ſtaked to the ground in praying; our Heart would be making out after Chriſt, as thoſe who are making their laſt ſally for a Crown and a Kingdom.

There are three things which ſhould take up our thoughts on a Sabbath-day.

1. the ſweets of our Reſt above, where we ſhall hear eternally the muſciks of the Bride-chamber, and ſee our Beloveds face in our Fathers houſe, and drink our joys from the John 14 2. Heb. 12. 22, 23. Pſal. 16. 11.John 14:2Heb 12:22Heb 12:23Ps 16:11Fountain-head, where Angels and Saints ſhall be our ſociety, and Rivers of pleaſure ſhall be our ſatisfaction.

2. The concernments of our precious Souls; how we may beautifie our Souls with grace, how we may quicken our p. 781Souls with life, how we may fill and enrich our Souls with the word, how we may intereſt our Souls in Chriſt, and how we may crown our Souls with ſalvation.V…ta carnis tuae Anima eſt, vita animae tuae Deus eſt, quomodo moritur caro amiſsâ animâ, ſic moritur anima amiſſo Deo, qui eſt ejus vita. Auguſt.

3. The probable diſappointments of an uncertain life. Our lives are but as Candles in the wind, and every blaſt may blow them out. Now though the thoughts of death bring us not nearer to our Graves, yet they often bring us nearer to our duty: he that ſeeth he hath but little day, will ride the faſter. Dying thoughts will carry on living ſervices; and we ſhould be more earneſt to embrace Chriſt in the word, if we ſuppoſed we ſhould ſpeedily meet Chriſt at the Bar.