The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 36
CHAP. XXXVI. Some ſupplemental Directions for the better obſervation of the Lords day.
BY way of Addition and Appendix ſome other particulars may be annexed and ſuggeſted for the furtherance S…bbatum eſt aureum vitae tempus.of this bleſſed ſervice. Indeed much of Religion is ſummed up in the care of Gods Sabbath, and we ſhould be as chary and tender of this truſt, viz. The Lords day, as Jacob was of Benjamin, in which Child his life was bound up. The prophane perſon waſts this golden talent, the formaliſt Luke 19. 20.wraps it up in a Napkin, but the ſedulous Saint puts it out to great advantage, and will give up his account with joy. Biſhop White tells us, The keeping holy of the Lords Biſhop White in his Preface to his Treatiſe on the Sabbath.day (and why then ſhould he plead ſo much for recreations on that holy day.) it is a work of piety, a Nurſery of Religion and Vertue, a means of ſowing the ſeeds of grace, and of planting faith and ſaving knowledge and godlineſs in the peoples minds: And our bleſſed Lord and Saviour being duly and religiouſly ſerved and worſhiped upon his own holy day, imparteth heavenly and temporal benedictions. Thus this learned man ſeems to lay the whole weight of Religion, and to entail the whole reward of godlineſs upon a due obſervance of Gods bleſſed Sabbath: And let this ever be the praiſe of his learning. Undoubtedly Religion and the Sabbath are twins, which live and die together: And the piety of the Sabbath is the proſperity of the Nation. But let us haſten to ſome further directions for the more ſweet and full diſcharge of Sabbath piety.
Dir. 1 We muſt keep Sabbaths not only perſonally, but domeſtically, not only by our ſelves, but by our families. It is not enough for thee to pray, but thy family muſt joyn in prayer. Abraham Gen. 18. 18.cauſed his family to ſerve God, which gave him no ſmall intereſt in the love and heart of God. Joſhuas holy reſolution was, That he and his houſe would ſerve the Lord. Joſh. 24. 15.On a Sabbath every houſe ſhould be a leſſer Temple, where all ſhould meet to worſhip. Every one muſt keep this holy Joſh. 24. 15.day in order: Superiours muſt be carefull that inferiours obſerve foreign Exod. 20. 10.it. Can a Maſter of a family be ſaid to keep a Sabbath, when he is praying, and his ſervant is ſinning, his Child is gadding, his Wife is viſiting? In Heaven where there is an everlaſting Sabbath kept, there the whole Hoſt is praiſing God; and the Inhabitants of Heaven are called a Family by the Apoſtle, Eph. 3. 15. Our ſervices muſt be the muſique of a Conſort, not of a ſingle Inſtrument.
In the 4th. Commandement, Servants are commanded the ſanctification of the Sabbath, as well as Maſters, and Children as well as Parents. This bleſſed Command takes Neceſſitas obedientiae non ex cuſat ſervum, ſed neceſſi a… co…ctionis.in the whole Family, within its circuit: And learned men obſerve, the neceſſity of obedience doth not excuſe the ſervant from obſerving this day, onelyonly the neceſſity of compulſion: Servants muſt not work this day by command, but onelyonly by overpowering force and violence, as the Iſraelites did in their Aegyptian bondage.
In matters of Religion, there is no difference between bond, or free, male, or female, Gal. 3. 28. Every one hath a ſoul to look after, an account to give, a Chriſt to purſue, Communi ſanctificandi ſabbatum lege conſtringuntur omnes ex aequo, herus & dominus, pater & liberi, ſuperiores, & inferiores. Muſcul.a Heaven to take by force, Mat. 11. 12. There dwelleth a piece of immortality in the boſome of the meaneſt ſervant: And that Child which hath no portion to receive, hath a Chriſt to enſure, which is the work of this holy day. Muſeulus obſerves, The common Law for the keeping of the Sabbath equally reacheth all, and is a common bond to oblige all; and in this it is like the Law-giver, It is no reſpecter of perſons, Acts 10. 34. nor muſt the power of Superiours prejudice Religion. A Governour of a Family cannot lawfully call off his Children, or Servants from religious obſervations, and ſo from the duties of a Sabbath: and Religion is as much the intereſt of the meaneſt Servant, as of the greateſt Maſters, of the moſt inferiour Peaſant, as of the moſt noble Prince: Nay, the lower our condition is here, the more ſtrictly we ſhould keep the Sabbath, that we may better our eſtate to come, in that place and condition where all civil diſtinctions will be taken away. The greateſt Magiſtrate is called to be a nurſing Father of the Church of God, Iſa. 49. 23. and therefore herein muſt he look that the Church be fed, and not delivered over to dry Nurſes. They are Gods Ordinance, and their power is of God, for of themſelves they can do nothing, Joh. 19. 11. And therefore they muſt honour God, & uphold his Ordinances, 1 Sam. 2. 30. They muſt give to God the things which are Gods, Rom, 13. 1, 2, 6.Mat. 22. 21. and muſt employ their Power and Authority to the ſervice and glory of Chriſt: Wherefore ſeeing Chriſt is the Lord of the Sabbath, Mark 2. 27. Mat. 12. 8. Prov. 8. 15.They muſt take eſpecial care to ſerve the Lord in fear and trembling, and remember to keep the Chriſtian Sabbath; Ezek. 46. 4.becauſe the Kingdom is the Lords and his Chriſts, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Revel. 11. 15. The duty of Magiſtrates is,
1. To repreſs the profaning of the Sabbath, and to uſe all Qui non prohibet peccare cum poteſt; jubet. Sen.means for the accompliſhment of that worthy and glorious deſign. Namely,
1. To forbid, Nehem. 13. 15.
2. To reprove, Nehem. 13. 17, 18.
3. To threaten, Nehem. 13. 21.
4. To hinder, Nehem. 13. 19, 22. And,
5. To puniſh the profaning of Gods holy day, Nehem. 13. 20.
Secondly, To command. and to compell the Lords day to be ſanctified, 2 Chron. 34. 33. And
Thirdly, To ſanctifie it himſelf, his Children, his Court, his Attendants, both privatly, Pſalm 5. 7. Acts 10. 1, 2. and alſo publickly, Ezek. 46. 2, 4. 2 Kings 11. 5, 7, 9. The duties of private and publick ſanctifying the Lords day, tye and bind the Prince and other Magiſtrates, no leſs then the meaneſt of the Subjects, and the moſt pedantique perſons: And, where the Prince neglects the ſtrict, and holy obſervation of Gods bleſſed day, this ſin will make his Crown ſhake, and his Scepter tremble, and rip up his moſt ſtately Pallaces, to let in divine wrath and diſpleaſure. It was the prophanation of the Sabbath, which haſten'd and aſcertained Hezekiahs doom, as may be clearly obſerved, Jer. 17. 27. If ye will not hearken to me to hallow my Sabbath, I will kindle a fire in the gates of Jeruſalem, and it ſhall devoure the Pallaces thereof, and it ſhall not be quenched. And leſſer Governours, every Houſholder over his family, who may be called an inferiour Magiſtrate, in regard of his Authority in the little province of his family; it is his duty to ſanctifie the Sabbath himſelf, he muſt keep it with all care Eph. 6. 4,.and diligence, and move in the circuit of Sabbath duties as Pſal. 101. 6, 7.a ſtar in its Orb: And he muſt command and compell his family Eſt. 4. 16.thereunto, that they may effectually practice it, as well Sub pronomine foreign tu intelliguntur 1 Perſonae dominantes, Patres et Matres familiae. 2. Perſonae fulcientes filii et fi liae. 3. Perſonae miniſtrantes ſervi et Ancillae. Rivet.as himſelf, and this he muſt do in his proportion as Magiſtrate in his own Houſhold. Surely, if Kings in the midſt of all their glittering attendance, their courtly delicacies, numerous addreſſes, arduous affairs, muſt not forget to keep holy the Sabbath day, both themſelves, and all their beſpangled family, much more muſt the private Governours of families, who lye not ſo open to tempting avocations, nor are dazled with ſuch courtly appearances, take care that themſelves and families ſerve the Lord, on his own holy and bleſſed day.
The Edicts of State, and conſtitutions of the Church, like the two ſprings of Jor & Dan, have both met in a full ſtream to carry on this ſervice againſt all reſiſtance. Ludovicus Proinde neceſſe eſt ut, primo ſacerdotes, Reg…s, et Principes, omneſ que fideles huic diei debitam obſervantiam atque reverentiam devotiſſimè exhibeant. Lud. P. Concil. Pariſ. ſub Greg. quarto.Pius the ſon of Charles the Great, put forth this Decree: That it is a neceſſary duty, that in the firſt place Prieſts, and then Kings and Princes, and all faithfull perſons, do moſt devoutly exhibit due obſervation to this holy day. This ſerious Prince enacts the obſervation of the Sabbath for all: that every one being fettered by a Law, might not looſely paſſe over this heavenly day. And as the Edicts of Princes, enforce the general obſervation of the Sabbath, high as well as low, an both equally, ſo the Conſtitutions of the Church. The Council of Paris decreed, that all ſhould keep the Lords day, Governours, Kings, Princes, Prieſts, and all faithful perſons ſhould procure it to be kept, and that no man preſ… me to make merchandiſe to do his pleaſure, or any countrey work, but that they with all endea…ours of ſoul do attend to heavenly praiſes, &c. Ambroſe, in his time complained of ſome Maſters, Taeduit mihi videre ſervulos ad eccleſiam fortaſſis feſtinantes ad venandum per dominos avocari; quia ſic voluptatibus ſuis peccata accumulant aliena. Ambr. foreign Lib. 7. cap. 19.who would call away their ſervants to hunting, when they were going to Church on the Lords day, and ſo by their own ſinning drew others into the ſnare, not remembring they ſhould be guilty of their ſervants ſin, and of the hazard of their immortal ſouls. And a learned man of our own Nation obſerves: that in thoſe Conſtitutions commonly called Apoſtolical, it was expreſly commanded, That ſervants ſhould be at leiſure on the Lords day for attendance upon the worſhip of God, and for learning of Religion. Thoſe early dayes of the Goſpel commanded all, every one to mind the great work of Religion, and to inure themſelves to divine Knowledge. Our own Church is not the leaſt in providing, that all perſons obſerve the holy Sabbath. So in King Edwards time, the expreſs words of the Homily are, Sithence which time, (the time of our Saviours Reſurrection) Gods people in all ages have alwayes without gainſaying uſed to Homil. de temp. & loc. precum.come together upon the Sunday, to celebrate and honour the Lords bleſſed Name, and carefully to keep that day in holy Reſt, both Man, and Woman, Child, and Servant, and Stranger, &c. And ſo in King James his time, it was enacted as one of the Canons of our Church, among other things, That Parents and Maſters of Families ſhould inſtruct their children and ſervants in the fear and nurture of the Lord, eſpecially Can. Eccleſ. Angl canae 13. An. Dom. 1603.on the Lords day. Thus the care of all places where Chriſtianity hath been profeſſed, and in all ages which ſavoured any thing of Religion, hath enjoyned the generall obſervation of the Lords day; and the meaneſt Servant hath come within the compaſs of Royal Edicts, and ſacred conſtitutions, as well as the moſt conſiderable Eminent Superiour.
The bowels of Parents might enforce this duty. Can a tender Father, or an affectionate Mother ſee their Children trifling away the time of a Sabbath, ſlighting away the Ordinances of a Sabbath, and neglecting the private duties of Redarguenda eſt Parentum ſegnities. qui in rebus ſeculi ſ… … ſunt ſallic in, ſed de pietatis incrementa, minus ſunt ſolliciti. Riv.a Sabbath, and not be filled with fear and amazement? How ſhall the fruit of their loynes ſtand before him, who gave the Commandement for the Sabbath in the midſt of a flaming Mountain, Exod. 19. 18. and be accountable to him who is the Lord of the Sabbath, Mark 2. 28. and who will judge the ſecrets of all men according to the Goſpel? Rom. 2. 16. Can Parents ſee their children grieve the ſpirit, who deſcended moſt gloriouſly on the Apoſtles upon the Lords day, Acts 2. 3. and break that Commandment which is one of Gods Ten Words, Deut. 10. 4. Nay, pollute that Deut. 10. 2.day which is founded on Chriſts ſalvifical Reſurrection, and not be ſurprized with dread and conſternation? I may expoſtulate with ſuch, as once the Church did with the Lord, where is the ſoundings of their bowels? Parents love their Iſa. 63. 15.Children, ſo far as they love their better part; it is conſiderable, death will ſtrip them of all the fruits of their care, Job 1. 21.excepting that which they have taken for their ſouls. Not only divine command, Exod. 20. 10. but natural affection Ex unâ parte Chriſtum urgebat ad mertis ſupplicium ſuſtinendum, aeternum Patris decretum, & immenſus humani generis a mor. Chemnit.leads us to the diſcharge of this duty, (viz.) To ſee our Family keep holy the Sabbath day. What ſoftneſs and tenderneſs did Chriſt ſhew to his family! how ſweetly did he inſtruct them! Mark 4. 11, 12, 13, 14, &c. How pathetically did he pray for them! Joh. 17. 9, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24. How carefully did he lay up for them a divine and glorious inheritance! Luke 22. 29, 30. And at laſt how willingly did he ſhed his blood for them, and he was ſtraightned till he drank up his bitter cup for them! Luke 12. 50. Let us write after this Copy, and ſhew our love to our family, as our dear Jeſus did to his; and then we ſhew our love to them, when we ſee, they ſhew their love to God, in a carefull keeping of his holy day.
The excellency of the Sabbath ſhould draw the whole family to an obſervation of it. The Lords day is the Fort-royal of Religion, let us all ſtand in our places to obſerve it, and ſo we ſhall preſerve it; there are many who lay ſeige to it, to race and demoliſh it: Some ſet their wits on work to oppoſe the Doctrinal part of it; Some ſet their wills on work to oppoſe the Practical part of it. Now let us countermine theſe miſcreant endeavours:
1. By being much in prayer, that the Lord of the Sabbath would perpetually preſerve his own ordinance.
2. By being much in practice; that we and our houſes ſerve the Lord on his own bleſſed day. Standing and ſerious ſanctity, if it cannot convince men to mind their duty, it will engage God to ſecure his own inſtitution. The Jewes never loſt the Sabbath, untill they rejected Chriſt, who is the Lord of it; they had the Oracles of God, Rom. 3. 2. till they repudiated the Son of God. In the Old Teſtament, they went to worſhip God with their Flocks and their Herds foreign Oracula teſte Heſichi… primitus Judaeis à deo revelata ſunt, illis Scripta per prophetas tradita, ita ut illa non niſi per Judaeos ad Gentiles devenerint. Alap.with them, Hoſ. 5. 6. In the New Teſtament, let us take our Children and our Servants with us in the worſhip of God; Let them be with us in the publick, let them be with us in private duties of Gods holy day, ſo we ſhall enſconce our priviledges: And every pious family ſhall be as a Macedonian pbalanx to ſecure the Sabbath from violation and ſubverſion. Sin and neglect makes the forfeiture of ſpiritual bleſſings; a careleſs contempt of the Word, brings a famine of it, Amos 8. 11. And the ſlight obſervance of Gods day expoſeth it to reproach; So that often, the Wolves of the Forreſt, violent men, purſue it with perſecution; and the Hab. 1. 8.little Foxes, cloſer Hereticks infeſt it with their contagion. Cant. 2. 15.Let us therefore with Moſes, reſolve, We will go with our Young and with our Old, with our Sons and with our Daughters, for we muſt hold a feaſt unto the Lord, Exod. 10. 9. Exod. 10. 9.Chemnitius obſerves, That to the ſactification of the Lords day, beſides publick duties, there is work to be done in families, Chemnit. exam. Concil. Trident. Cap. de dieb. Feſt.as inſtructing of ſervants, rehearſal of Sermons, reading Scriptures, counſelling and quickning ſuch who are under our care, that all may keep Gods holy day. Ah! let not us and our families loſe our Sabbaths, becauſe we did no better Luke 19. 44.keep them, not forgeting that uſually Children are wrapt up in a common deſtruction, Luke 19. 44. And ſo much the more earneſtly ſhould we endeavour to fold them up in a common ſalvation, Jude v. 3.Jude v. 3.
It well becomes the wiſdom of the Governours of Families to ſee the Sabbath carefully obſerved. Superiours muſt not leave the keeping of the Sabbath, as a thing indifferent to the diſcretion of the family; they muſt intreat them, they muſt provoke them, they muſt compel them. The Kings Command was to compel the gueſt… to come in, Luke 14. 23. The Deus gentes compellit introire ut ſic ſuam erga eos oſtenderet charitatem; quia enim libentèr vellet, ut ipſius eſſent convivae, et cum eo in aeternum delitiarentur, non tantùm benefici…s eos invitat, quando venire ren…unt, in manum ſumit mall…um legis, quo conterit corda duriora, et eos humiliat, ut diſcerent leges, et juſtitiam ſuam, ſola enim vexatio dat intellectum auditui. Chemn.ſick child if he will not take his phyſick with a ſmile, he muſt do it with a …od, the child muſt not die and miſcarry. The eaſe of the fleſh, the ſtrength of corruption, the inſinuating temptations of Satan will all decry Sabbath obſervation; and therefore here indulgence is the greateſt injury, and mildneſs is the ſoreſt cruelty to the precious ſoul. Thy family had better endure ſharp reproofs, then ſcorching flames; As Mr. Shepheard uſed to tell his weeping Audito…rs, It was better crying here then in Hell. As David ſaid of Gods Houſe, Pſal. 69. 9. Pſal. 119. 139. ſo Governours of families ſhould ſay of Gods day, the zeal of it hath eaten them up. Thy Children and Servants muſt keep the Sabbath holy; there is an abſolute neceſſity of it; and woe to the Governours of families, if through their neglect, the day of God is ſlightly over-paſt. Nehemiah cauſed the Sabbath to be obſerved, not ſo much by mild perſwaſions, as peremptory command, nay, ſharp and acute threatnings, Nehem. 13. 17, 19, 20. And ſo this good man, eſpouſed the Magiſtrate to the Saint. Let every Maſter of a family go and do ſo likewiſe. And as Superiours muſt ſtrictly enjoyn, ſo Inferiours muſt heartily embrace Sabbath obſervation. Children muſt enquire of their Parents, Exod. 13. 14. And Servants muſt joyfully obey their Maſters in all holy and ſpiritual Iſa. 28. 19.commands, Col. 3. 22. They muſt ſpend frugally the time of a Sabbath, ſolemnize ſeriouſly the ordinances of a Sabbath, perform readily the ſervices of a Sabbath, and as leſſer ſtars ſhine in the holy and exemplary obſervation of the Sabbath.
That ſwaying principle of intereſt ſhould prompt Governours to this duty;
1. Intereſt, if they regard their preſent peace. Slight Sabbaths will make ſloathfull Servants, and ſtubborn Children. When we do not faſten the family to the holy duties of a Sabbath, we leave them to the byaſs of their own corruptions, Cor lubri…um, et in omnia mala et iniqua pro penſum.which will eaſily carry them to every thing inconvenient. How many Servants in the great City of the Nation, for want of care and zeal in their Maſters, to keep them to holy duties on Gods holy day, Court their Harlots, take off their Cups, waſte their Maſters ſubſtance, and hazzard their own in mortal ſouls, and as Belteſhazzar, drink Dan. 5. 2.in the Veſſels of the Temple with their Courtezans, and their Concubines? Many by theſe courſes anticipate their own ruine, and in reference to their dayes in the world, for Luke 16. 6.an hundred write down fifty, caſt themſelves untimely away, mortgage their future hopes, and blaſt their preſent parts, and all from their riots on Gods holy day. On the contrary, the Family which ſerves God moſt on the Sabbath will ſerve the Governour beſt in the week. The awe of a Sabbath is not eaſily worn off; as colours laid in Oyle, are not waſhed off with every drop. A well ſpent Sabbath is an Ark in the houſe, which ſheds a proſperity on all the 2 Sam. 6. 12. foreign ab foreign Addidit.affairs of it; it makes every one a Joſeph, who carries increaſe and addition in his very name, and concerning whom it was propheſied, He ſhould be a fruitful bough, even a Gen. 49. 22.fruitful bough by a wall, whoſe branches run over the wall. Ex Joſepho et filiis ejus, duae tribus fuere propagatae, ampliſſimae, et potentiſſimae.This holy care of ſanctifying Sabbaths in, & with our families, would cauſe the dews of heavenly benediction, not only to fall upon the head, and the beard of the Governours, but the skirts alſo, the inferiour branches of the family.
2. It is the intereſt of Governours to ſee their families Exigit deus rationem à Miniſtris animarum noſtrarum, ſi vel unicâ eorum culpâ perierit. Par.keep the Sabbath holy, as they will give up their account with joy. As the Miniſter muſt be reſponſible for the ſouls of his people committed to his charge, Heb. 13. 17. ſo the Maſter for his Family: At Gods Bar thou ſhalt not ſay, am I my Families keeper? In the time of the worlds infancy, the Governour of the Family was the only Magiſtrate, he Miniſter onus et curam animarum gerit, pro iis aeternae mortis periculo ſe exponit, ſi… gulorum probitas, et ſalus ab eo exigetur in die judicii. Alap.was both Maſter and Paſtour; his houſe-hold was his teritory, and dominion, and he ſwayed his Scepter in exerciſing his power over it. Abraham was a Prince and a Prophet in his own houſe; and he acted like a Prince, in commanding his family to keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18. 19. But ſtill we are accountable for thoſe who are ſubordinate to us; and if we muſt be accountable for words, as tranſient breath, Mat. 12. 36. much more for Children, the darlings of our boſoms, and for Servants the objects of care, that living truſt committed to us. How often do Parents put their Children into the Maſters hand, as Jacob did Benjamin into the hands of his Brethren, Gen. 43. 14. with weeping eyes, with aking hearts, with ardent prayers, and cry out, if They are bereaved, they are bereaved; and ſhall the negligence of Gen. 43. 14.Maſters ſtrike theſe trembling Parents under the fifth rib, becauſe they did not ſee their ſervants ſtrictly obſerve Gods holy day, but left them to the vanity of their minds, which gradually habituated them in evil, and paved their way to deſtruction? Surely the grief of theſe diſappointed Parents, ſhall no more vie with the doome of the regardleſs Maſters, 1 Kings 12. 11.then the ſmart of a rod can compare with the burning of a Scorpion. But Maſters of families ſhould do well beforehand to caſt up their account, and this would be a ſpur to their care and ſedulity on Gods holy day.
That lovely principle of juſtice and equity might command this ſervice. If we find not our family employed in holy work on Gods holy day, what do we more for them, then we do for our beaſts? We give them reſt from labour. Shall the care of a ſoul, which endures to eternity, more valuable Mat. 16. 26.then a world, no more ſway with us, then the care of a beaſt which periſheth? The Cattel ſhall not travel, and the Pſal. 49. 20.Servants ſhall not work upon Gods day, and ſo they ſhall be both equally indulged with the ſame priviledge; Is this ſuitable to the ſpirit of the Goſpel? Paul endures the pangs of travel, Gal. 4. 19. Chriſt endures the pangs of death, Luke 23. 46. and thou ſhalt not endure a little trouble and a little care, not one act of zeal, or one drop of ſweat in holy 1 Sam. 28. 14.diligence for precious and never dying ſouls? Throw off the mantle of Samuel, if thou and thy houſe will not ſerve the God of Samuel on his own day. And moreover it is a great provocation, that our Servants muſt ſerve us in the week, and we take no care that they ſerve God on the Sabbath. Our intereſt muſt be on the Anvel, though the intereſt of Chriſt and Religion be laid aſide; a poor worm muſt be more ſedulouſly ſerved and obſerved, then the infinite Jehovah: May not that exclamation be here ſeaſonable, Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, Iſa. 1. 2. The Shop muſt not be neglected, though the ſoul be: is our preſent gain to run paralel with our ſervants future Crown? Muſt ſervants be more mindfull of our work, then their own everlaſting weal? Indeed what would it profit us, if we ſhould gain the whole world, and our poor ſervants loſe Mat. 16. 26.their immortal ſouls, will our profit compenſate their loſs? Surely this is bruitiſhly to uſe our ſervants, and well befits the profeſſion of a Demas, who hath forſaken the Goſpel, and embraced the preſent world, 2 Tim. 4. 10. But let us not beguile our ſelves, ſaith heavenly Greenham, for the blood of ſervants ſouls will be required at Maſters hands, who being lordly and tyrannicall, make their ſervants either equal to their beaſts, or worſe then their beaſts, caring for nothing but the world, never thinking of Hell, whereunto they are haſtening.
Dir. 2 We muſt endeavour to keep Gods day uniformly and harmoniouſly: Our families muſt be on the Lords day, as the building of Solomons Temple, where no Axe or Hammar was 1 Kings 6. 7.heard, no diſcord, or diviſion. It is very deplorable to conſider, Quot homines, tot ſententiae.what confuſions are in many families; ſo many perſons, ſo many opinions; the Maſter is of one Church, the Wife of another, the Child of a third, and may be the Servant of a fourth: the Maſter poſſibly will ſing Pſalms, the Child or the Servant happily cannot joyn in that heavenly duty: Are not theſe families too like the ſpeckled bird the Prophet ſpeaks of, Jer. 12. 9. Or like the ſpotted Leopard, Jer. 13. 23. too like Joſephs party-coloured coat, which afterwards was dipt in blood, Gen. 37. 31. The Apoſtle foreign.aſſures us, that God is a God of Order, and not of Confuſion, 1 Cor. 14. 33. Chriſt's coat was not torne, though lots was caſt for it. It was the praiſe of the Primitive Church, They did ſerve God with one accord, Acts 2. 46. Magna ſuit Ignatio cura foreign in Eccleſiâ. Ordo venuſtatem parit confuſio infidelitatem. Zach. 14. 9.the ſame pulſe beat in all, the ſame ſpirit acted them all, the ſame love united and eſpouſed them all, the ſame ſervice employed them all. Divided Families, like divided Kingdoms, cannot ſtand. The four and twenty Elders in heaven ſung the ſame ſong, Rev. 4. 11. The Angels all utter the ſame triumphal words, Rev. 5. 8, 9, 11, 12. It is a bleſſed and glorious promiſe, That we ſhall call upon the name of the Lord, and ſerve him with one conſent, Zeph. 3. 9. How pathetically doth the Apoſtle preſs unity, Eph. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. A conſort of Muſicians play not ſeveral tunes, but one and the ſame leſſon. Concord in ſervice is the Muſick of a family, when we all ſing the ſame Pſalm, all pray the ſame prayer, fix our thoughts on the ſame truths, hear the ſame Sermon, and variety is over-ruled by unity. Surely diviſions are the wounds and jars of a family, and ſuch contrarieties are the flaſhing emblems of novelty, and ſad Prognoſticks of fatall ſcepticiſm. Let us then ſtudy that our ſelves and families may ſerve the Lord on his own day, with one voice, with one ſhoulder, with one lip; and with one heart. Ʋnited ſtars make a conſtellation: When ſtars do fight, it preſages great ſlaughter, and is no leſs then miraculous.Jud. 5. 20.
Dir. 3 We muſt act the ſervices of the Sabbath freely and chearfully. Our ſervices muſt be the fruit of love, not the effect of force. Holy delight muſt draw us to the Sanctuary, not a preſſing and rigorous conſcience. God loves a chearfull giver, and a chearfull worſhipper. It was Davids joy to go with the multitude, Pſal. 42. 4. Our ſervice on a Sabbath muſt not be as wine ſqueezed from the grape, but as water flowing from the fountain. Our ſervice muſt be the ſervice of children, not the homage of ſlaves. In this we muſt imitate Ezek. 10. 5the Angels, who have their wings to fly upon every Neminem voluit cogi, ſed ſponte & prompto animo offerri, quicquid unus quiſ que conferri vellet, voluit deus hilares datores, etiam et ſpontaneos cultores, & eos ſolos acceptabat. Obſequium enim involuntariè delatum, obedientiae nomen non moretur. Riv.commanded ſervice. It was a brand put upon the people of Iſrael, they were weary of his Sabbaths, Amos 8. 9. The Sanctuary muſt be our Paradiſe, not our Purgatory. In the time of the Law, thoſe who would offer to the Lord, they muſt do it with a willing heart, Exo. 35. 5. Rivet well obſervs, Involuntary obedience deſerves not the name, much leſs the reward of obedience. Our duties on the Sabbath muſt be lively and vigorous. The true Mother cries, the living child is mine, 1 Kings 3. 22. So God ſaith, the living Sabbath is mine. It is a character of Gods people, that they are a willing people, Pſal. 110. 3. The Hebrew reads it, a people of willingneſs, to ſhew how exceedingly willing we ſhould be in the day of the Lords power, which is principally his own holy day. It is uſually the ſigh of a poor Saint, Lord, I would run faſter, but my corrupt heart hampers me. Sabbaths ſhould be our element, not our burden. David made it his foreignonly requeſt, that he might ſpend his whole life in the Temple, Pſal. 27. 4. Every thing in an Ordinance might fluſh our joy, and fledge our deſires.
1. The ſuperſcription it bears; it hath the ſtamp of Chriſt upon it. Preaching is the preaching of Chriſt; the Sacrament is the Supper of Chriſt. Now the name Jeſus ſhould be like Caeſar his (Quirites) it ſhould put new life into the Saint.
2. The advantage it brings. It brings ſpiritual Life, Faith, Rom. 10. 17.Converſion. Ordinances bring ſpiritual lading to the ſoul. Acts 16. 14.Lydia was converted by the preaching of Paul.
3. The end it deſigns, which is the everlaſting good of the ſoul. We hear that we may be holy, we receive that we may be hearty, we pray that we may be happy. Eternal Juſtificatio praecedit gloriam & vitam aeternam. Fulgent.life is the ſtage of all Ordinances, the center where the lines of every Ordinance meets: And the Goſpel is generally called the Goſpel of life and ſalvation, 2 Cor. 2. 16. Eph. 1. 13. Let us a little glance at the pleaſing gradation: Faith comes by hearing, Juſtification by Faith, and Juſtification uſhers in holineſs here, and future glory and happineſs. Thus every Ordinance of a Sabbath may accent our dedelight, and put an emphaſis upon our joy. We muſt then Rom. 8 30.keep our Sabbaths in holy joys, in heavenly ſatisfactions, and the Bride-chamber here below muſt be in our own boſoms. Pſal. 119. 97.On this day our feaſting muſt be converſe with God, our meat and drink muſt be to do our fathers will, Pſal. 119. 20.and to do his will muſt be our meat and drink, Jobn 4. 24. On this day we muſt be filled with the ſpirit, which is better Cant. 5. 1.then new wine. The day of God is prophetically called a day of joy, Pſal. 118. 24. This day literally is a day of delight, it is the day on which Chriſt ſprang from the Mark 16 9.grave, and gave a new life to the world. This day prefiguratively is a day of rich conſolation, for it prefigures an eternall Sabbatiſm with the Lord, Heb. 4. 9. It adumbrates that glorious ſtate, when we ſhall enter into our Maſters joy, Mat. 25. 21. Our ſervices then on the Lords day muſt be enlivened with activity, and ſweetned with alacrity.
Dir. 4 Our ſervices on Gods day muſt be ſolemn and ſerious. Though they muſt not be without joy, yet they muſt be without lightneſs; we may be complacential, but we may not be formall. Delight well becomes a Sabbath, but laughter doth not. We muſt conſider we have Sabbaths to carry on ſoul work, which is an intereſt of the greateſt importance. Momentum unde pendet aeternitas. Alap.Now, if ever, this is the Sabbaths Motto, This is our moment on which eternity depends. Though there be no vacation for ſin, yet the Sabbath is the Term-time for the Torius mundi opes, non conducunt, nec ſufficiunt ad redimendam unam animulam deperditā, ſed omnes animae ſunt redemptae pretio ſanguinis. Chemn.ſoul, the Sabbath is the Mart, the Staple, the Market for the ſoul; and not to improve this opportunity judiciouſly, ſavingly, ſpiritually, with the greateſt intent of mind, with the greateſt ſeverity of obſervance, with the greateſt inclinations and workings of ſpirit, is the higheſt vanity and prophaneneſs. A ſlight vain ſpirit on a Sabbath, is like tears and ſighs at a Nuptial Feaſt, or laughter and jocularity in the houſe of mourning. On the Lords day we muſt pray as for our ſouls, hear as for eternity, and improve Ordinances as thoſe who are to deal with an infinite God in Ordinances. What we do, we muſt do with all our might, as Qui rectè currit in Chriſtianiſmo coron am gloriae accipiet. Chryſoſt.the Wiſe-man ſpeaks, Eccleſ. 9. 10. Now eſpecially we muſt run the race which is ſet before us, and ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, & ſtorm heaven that we may take it by force. Sweat in our callings is our policy, but ſweat and labour in holy duties is our wiſdom. In the duties of the Sabbath 1 Cor. 9. 24.eſpecially we wreſtle for a prize, we ſeek for life, as thoſe perſons who fetched water for David from Bethlehem with Luke 13. 24.hazard and invincible magnanimity. Frozen duties will Mat. 11. 12.ſpeak cold anſwers; and a light, dead, careleſs frame of ſpirit, only teaches God to withdraw his preſence from our 1 Chr. 11. 18.ſeeming approaches. We muſt pray and hear on a Sabbath, as David danced before the Ark, with all our might, 2 Sam. 6. 14. we muſt ſtretch out the hand of faith, lift up the 2 Sam. 6. 14.voice of prayer, and breath out the longings and anhelations of our ſouls. Theſe heights of ſpirit do exceedingly become the holy and bleſſed Sabbath.
Dir. 5 We muſt he frugall of the time of the Sabbath. The filings of Gold are precious, much more the filings of a Sabbath. Every minute of a Sabbath is like a pearl, ſmall, but of great value. There are no looſe minutes in the Lords day; every little parcell of time is a holy fragment, which muſt be gathered up, that nothing be loſt. We muſt fill John 6. 12.up every ſpace of a Sabbath, either with holy thoughts, divine meditations, ejaculatory prayers, reading of the Scriptures, or ſome holy duty correſpondent to that holy day. Every branch of this conſecrated time muſt bear precious fruit: we ſhould in our Sabbath below imitate our Sabbath above, and there no time will be loſt, Not a drop of idleneneſs in an Ocean of reſt. Though there will be no pains in glory, yet there will be perpetual praiſes, eternall, uninterrupted Hallelujahs, and there ſhall be no breach or chaſm in our Sabbatum e…t ſanctum otium. Leid. Proſ.everlaſting triumphs. Indeed the Sabbath is reſt from our callings, but none from our duties; it is an holy leiſure for our ſouls, which muſt not run waſte. Grains of Musk Fragmentorum collectione, et aſſervatione, Chriſtus nos monet frugalitatis, ne inſumendo, et prodigendo bona à deo nobis conceſſa uno impetu perdamus, ſed quae ſuperſunt religioſè colligamus, et ſeponamus. Lyſer.are ſweet and valuable, ſo are the moſt minute pieces of a Sabbath. The Romans were ſo ambitious of the Conſulſhip, that one Conſul dying the laſt day of his Authority, one ſued for the remainder of the time, whence that memorable ſpeech of Cicero, O vigilantem Conſulem, &c. O watchfull Conſul, who ſlept not one night in his Authority. Such holy ambition we ſhould have for the time of a Sabbath, we ſhould ſue for the ſmalleſt remains of it, to improve for ſoul advantage. The Author of the Practice of Piety complains of ſome, who ſpent their Sabbath, or a great part of it, in trimming, & painting, and pampering themſelves, and were like Jezabels, doing the Devils work when they ſhould be doing Gods. Surely ſuch are the greateſt unthrifts, Ne que dominicis diebus, quae ſunt hilaritatis, praeter ſanctitatem; aliquid dicere, aut facere concedimus. Clem.and are guilty of the moſt prodigious prodigality. It was a pious conſtitution of Clemens, That on the Lords day we ſhould give no way to mirth or earthly delight, but all our words and facts ſhould ſavour of holineſs. Dr. Bound ſadly bemoans the cuſtom of ſome great perſonages, who lay longeſt in their beds upon Gods holy day, and made it a day of pleaſing Sabbatum eſt obſervandum foreign.the fleſh, which ſhould be a day of ſanctified reſt: And ſaith this worthy man in an extaſie of zeal, We muſt not give our ſelves to ſleeping on this bleſſed day, no more then to ſurfeting. The Prophet Joel tells us, On ſolemn Feaſts, the Prieſts were to lie all night in ſackcloth, Joel 2. 13. And we know, Heſter ſpent three nights, and three dayes with her Maids in faſting and prayer, Heſt. 4. 10. And can there be a greater ſolemnity then the Sabbath, the day Imperatum ſuit … deo ut ſanctifices et conſecres totum Sabbati diem, et in illo toto die divinis vacare poſſis. Zanch. Iren. contr. valent.for tranſacting the great affairs of eternity, our golden ſpot of time to get a Chriſt, to get a crown? Zanchy obſerves, That the whole of a Sabbath, without abatement and curtail is to be conſecrated to God. Irenaeus, one of the morning ſtars of the Church informs us, That the Sabbath doth teach us, there ought to be a perſeverance, and a continuance of a whole day in the ſervice of God. And the Council of Paris, an aſſembly of learned men, give in their ſuffrage to this truth in theſe words. Let your eyes and hands be lifted up to God all this day. To the ſame purpoſe ſpeaks the Council Conc. Turon. cap. 40. Calv. in Deut. Serm. 34. Muſcul. in quartum praeceptum. Pet. Martyr. in Gen. 2.of Turon, But I ſhall not over-load or clog the Reader with humane teſtimonies: Let me only ſubjoyn the atteſtation of incomparable Calvin. This day, ſaith he, is not ordained for us only to come to a Sermon, but to the end, that we may employ the reſt of our time to laud and praiſe God. Here we may take up that of the Prophet, Mat. 1. 14. Curſed is the deceiver: And this is too much to imitate Ananias and Saphira, to keep back part of the price of a bleſſed Sabbath, Acts 5. 2. God will not have us to divide the Sabbath between himſelf and our ſelves, this is to make a ſeparation between God and us. Gods day muſt be ſpent in Iſa 59. 2.Gods ſervice; and to waſte any part of it upon our gains, eaſe, or pleaſure, is to rob God of his offerings, which is Macrob. Saturn. l. 1 c. 16.matter of complaint and condemnation, Mat. 3. 8, 9. While we make bold with Gods day, we do but mangle it, and every Illorum dierum quibusdam horis fas eſt jus dicere, quibuſdam fas non eſt jus dicere. Macrob.waſte is a wound in it. Indeed Macrobius tells us, That the heathens had their dies interciſos, bipartite dayes, which were divided between their God and themſelves, Semiſolemnities: And the Papiſts have their half holy dayes, as St. Blacies day, and others, &c. But we have not ſo learned Chriſt. It was an excellent conſtitution of King Pepin of Abſtinere in eo di… primò mandamus ab omni peccato, et ab omni opere carn…li, …t ab omni opere terreno, et ad nihil aliud vacare n…ſi ad orationem, et ad eccleſi…s concurrere cum ſummâ mentis devotione. Concil. Forojul. cap. 13.France. We command, ſaith he, That all abſtain from every ſin, and from every carnall work, and from every earthly work, and to be at leiſure for nothing but prayer, and Church aſſemblies, with the greateſt and higheſt devotion, and with charity to bleſs God, who upon this day rained down Manna in the deſart, and fed ſo many thouſands with bread. Morſels, nay grains of time are ſavoury upon a Sabbath. The ſoul can feed upon the crums of ſuch a day. Sabbath waſtes are the throwing away pearls, the caſting over-board the beſt goods which might enrich us to all everlaſting. That time thou miſpendeſt on a Sabbath, might be Gods time for the calling thee home to himſelf.