The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII. The firſt Decad of Arguments, to perſwade conſcience to an holy obſervation of the Lords day.
THe deſign of preſſing conſcience to a due obſervance of Gods bleſſed day is already begun, and the riſe hath been taken from the ſometimes ſolemn and accurate carriage of the Jews upon their Sabbath: And ſhall a Vagabond Jew out-vy us? ſhall that branch which is cut off, be Rom. 11. 19.more freſh and flouriſhing in Sabbath-obſervation then the branch which is engraffed and implanted in its room? Shall In die dominico tantùm deo, tantum divinis cultibus vacandum eſt. Aug.the ſlave be more obſequious then the Son? The vaſſal more obediential then the Heir? The Jews ſtill, though blaſted with a Curſe, yet they, at leaſt ſome of them keep their Sabbath with great zeal and devotion: And ſhall not Chriſtians, who lie under dews of divine bleſſing, and live under Sun-ſhines of Goſpel heat and light, be more frugal of the time, and more ſpiritual in the duties of the Lords day? Let not a diſinherited Jew riſe up in judgment againſt us. (But of this already.) But now further to preſs conſcience to a holy keeping of the Lords day.
Arg. 1 Let us conſider how much folly is bound up in prophaning Gods day: We put away from us all thoſe golden promiſes Jer. 17. 24, 25.which God hath entailed upon a due obſervation of it.
1. Temporal promiſes, Iſa. 56. 5.Lev. 26. 2, 3, 4. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Etiam & Amen promiſſiones veriſſimas eſſe confirmat. Amen enim ſignificat verè, firmitèr, fidelitèr, ſtabilitèr & Hebraeis vox eſt confirmatis, & ſic Chriſtus vocatur Amen, Rev. …. 14. (i. e.) ſtabilis, conſtans, verus, ipſa que ſtabilitas conſtantia, et veritas. Ambroſ.
2. Spiritual promiſes, Iſa. 58. 14. He who prophanes the Sabbath loſeth the ſweets which are to be found in a God, and diſinherits himſelf of thoſe plenties which are to be reaped in a flouriſhing earth: He tramples upon pearls; for the promiſes which are to be made good in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1. 20. are the riches of the Goſpel. Let us review this folly in the ſeverals of it.
1. The prophanation of the Sabbath argues much contempt, it ſpurns the crown of a promiſe, and deſpiſeth the riches of divine grace, it refuſes the breaſt of a promiſe, which is a breaſt not fill'd with milk, but conſolation, Iſa. 66. 11. It is worthy our notice; God hath made promiſes to every duty of a Sabbath.
1. To Prayer, John 14. 15. Mat. 21. 22. Nay, it is part of the Covenant of Grace, that the Saints ſhould fly to God by prayer, and that the Lord ſhould hear from Heaven his dwelling place, Pſal. 89. 26, 27.
And 2dly, Promiſes are made to the right receiving of the Sacrament, Mat. 26. 29. That bleſſed banquet wants not a bleſſed promiſe.
3. Hearing of the word is encouraged by a promiſe, Iſa. 66. 2. That duty alſo is like Benjamins ſack, with a cup in 2 Cor. 7. 1.the mouth of it.Rom. 9. 4.
4. Acts of charity, a neceſſary and comely duty, which fills up the ſervices of a Sabbath, they are bribed with a promiſe, Heb. 11. 33.Pſal. 41. 1. Every ſilver piece we give, ſhall be turned into gold by the inhancing nature of a promiſe.Heb. 6. 12.
5. Meditation, another duty of a Sabbath, hath the experience of divine ſweetneſs, and ſoul-ſatisfaction, Pſal. 104. Heb. 8. 6.34. Now when all theſe duties are carefully and ſpiritually acted on a Sabbath, under what a golden ſhower of promiſes 2 Pet. 1. 4.doth the active Saint lie? Let thoſe who prophane the Sabbath be aſhamed of their contempt, to ſlight the treaſure of ſo many promiſes. We may take notice, that the promiſes are the Saints beſt eſtate, they are the Churches priviledges, Promiſſiones ſparſim in ſcriptaris celebres, ſunt bona in coelis nobis propter Chriſtum promiſſa. Alap.Rom. 9. 4. They are the higheſt encouragements, 2 Cor. 7. 1. They are the rewards of faith, Gal. 3. 16. They are the believers inheritance, Heb. 6. 12. They are the varniſh, and the wealth of the Goſpel, Heb. 8. 6. What is the Goſpel but a golden mine filled with promiſes with the ſtamp of Chriſt upon them? The promiſes are the cordials of grace to keep it from fainting, Heb. 11. 13. They are the moſt pregnant incentive to obedience, Heb. 11. 17. They are the exceeding great and precious donations of the ſoul, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Nay they are the believers faireſt revenue:
For 1. They are in the ſureſt hand, 2 Cor. 1. 20.
And 2dly, They ſhall be paid in the moſt ſeaſonable time, Pſal. 50. 15.
3. They contain in them moſt glorious acqueſts, John 3. 16. Luke 11. 13. The ſpirit and glory are folded up in the promiſe.
4. We ſhall be ſpending upon them to eternity, Heb. 11. 13. Now what baſe contempt are they guilty of, who prophaning the Sabbath trample upon theſe glorious and precious promiſes, theſe deſpiſe the riches of divine goodneſs, to uſe the Apoſtles phraſe, Rom. 2. 4.
2. Prophanation of the Sabbath ſpeaks much infidelity: Did we believe Gods promiſes which he hath made to Sabbath holineſs, we ſhould be more preciſe and ſtrict in our Infidelis ſolo generali concurſu dei poteſt proferre nomen Jeſu, aut de eo habere cogitationem aliquo modo benam, ſed abſ que verâ fide non obtinet remiſſionem peccatorum, et gratiam ſupernaturalem, et beatitudinem. Anſelm.obſervance. Indeed unbelief is the damp of every duty, it puts a faintneſs and languor upon holy ſervices. The primitive Saints who were acted by a principle of faith, Heb. 11. 33, 34. run upon, and accompliſhed glorious things; this grace ſhews us the crown, realizes all the promiſes to us, Heb. 11. 1. And ſo it puts animation and life into every holy duty. Conſtantine the Great, when he ſaw the Croſs in the air with this Inſcription, foreign, In this overcome, he ſummoned up his undaunted courage, and obtained a noble victory. Many look on the promiſes of God, as bonds without a ſeal, as debenters which are not like to be paid; and this makes the Chariot of duty drive heavily, and cauſeth men to ſlight Sabbaths with ſo much careleſneſs and indifferency. A believing ſoul will double the tale of his duties, he will hear attentively, he will pray devoutly, he will Redemptionis à Chriſto factae apertum documentum factum eſt in reſurrectione Chriſti: O quanta ergò eſt ingratitudo hominibus, charitati Chriſti non re…pondere. Ambroſ.meditate divinely, and diſcourſe ſavourily on Gods bleſſed day; and all this as eying the recompence of reward, and preying upon the rich incomes of the promiſes. It is curſed unbelief ſowers and flags the duties of a Sabbath, that men either deſperately neglect them, or elſe careleſly perform them.
3. A prophanation of the Sabbath diſcovers much ingratitude. Doth God give thee a Sabbath, a Jewel of great price, to throw away into the Sea of idleneſs or prophaneneſs? Men who are ſlight on the Sabbath do not adore the riſing Sun, for the Sun of righteouſneſs aroſe as upon this Mat. … 2.day. Our Sabbath is Chriſts reſurrection day, which is the foundation of all our happineſs; had the grave detained him, hell had incloſed us. Chriſt opening the priſon of the grave, opened our way to the throne. How ungrateful then ſhall we be to wound Chriſt on his own reſurrection day? Shall we be formal, droſſie, vain, talkative, ſenſual, upon that day, when the Sun roſe to give light to a new world? what blackneſs of darkneſs had we eternally been wrapt in, if this bleſſed Sun had not riſen after the night of a grave, to be our conduct and guidance to a better life? Sabbath-breakers may wear the ſcars and brand of the moſt loathſome ingratitude.
4. Prophanation of the Sabbath is ſoul-prodigality, it is a diſinheriting ſin too? Can we expect a Sabbath to eternity, and not keep a Sabbath here? Can we neglect the ſervice of foreigna day, and yet look for the reward of more then many ages? It is a good obſervation of a Learned Man, That our Reſt-day Heb. 4. 9.is not called foreign Manuchah, a Common reſt, but foreign Sabbath, Caelum eſt illa requies, ubi fugit dolor, triſtitia, gemitus, & omnes ſolicitudines; Ibi nec invidia, nec zelus, nec morbus, nec nox, nec mors, nec tenebrae, ſed omnia pax, gaudium, jucunditas, voluptas, bonitas, &c. Chryſoſt.which ſignifies a holy Reſt; to ſhew us, that the due and holy obſervation of our Reſt here, is the ready way to our perfect reſt hereafter. It is a ſad contemplation to take a view of prophane perſons, how they impoſe upon themſelves in a dream of glory. Can they poſſibly conjecture, that they can ſing their ſongs here on a Sabbath, take their cariere in ſenſual delights, play away, walk away, prate away their precious Sabbaths, and at laſt ſing Hallelujahs in the Sabbath above? Is not this to conceive a Mountane to be Chryſtalline, becauſe it is covered with ſnow, which bears ſome reſemblance to the colour of it? Well then prophanation of Gods day is a complicated evil, a chain of darkneſs with many links in it a body of ſin made up of the four Elements, of Contempt, Infidelity, Ingratitude and Soul-prodigality, it is an heretical vice which practically denies the reſurrection of Chriſt.
Arg. 2 There is much in the day, to ſolicite our holy obſervation: It is a Sabbath of ſpiritual delights, it is the ſouls feſtival day, a day of fat things, and wine upon the lees, Iſa. 25. 6. The Cant. 2. 4.Sabbath is the ſeaſon in which Chriſt brings his beloved into Pſal. 118. 24.to his banqueting houſe: Chriſtians on this day are to rejoyce in the Lord, as the memorial of the greateſt benefit which Dies dominicus domini reſurrectione declaratus eſt, & inde caepit habere feſtivitatem ſuam.ever accrewed unto them: Their life roſe this day a conquerour, and in him they are more then conquerours, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks moſt triumphantly, Rom. 8. 37. And therefore holy men in all ages have waited with impatience for the coming of this day, and have rejoyced with unſpeakable joy at its approach. This day is the darling, is the delight Aug. Serm. de temp.of dayes, and all other dayes are to be obſequious unto it. It is recorded of holy Mr. Dod, and heavenly Mr. Bruen, that Deut. 32. 49.they were even in heaven upon a Lords day. This day is Heb. 2. 10.the day of Chriſts viſits, the ſouls ſpiritual market and fair; in it we have our proſpect of Canaan upon Mount Nebo, the Hujus diei laetemur… feſtivitate. Hil…r.day it is of holy Diſcipline, to train us up in the School of Chriſt. Hilary cries out, Let Chriſtians be exceeding glad on this day of their feſtivals. This day is the ſouls ſeeds time, Officia hodiè praeſtanda ſpiritualia, mirificam in ſe complectuatur jucunditatem; O quàm ſuave eſt communione cum Chriſto frui & in via Ordinationum, per quam Chriſtus tranſire ſolet, ipſi occurrere!and glory ſhall be its harveſt: this is the moſt ſpecial time for the recruiting of the inward man, and ſtrengthning it with all might. The duties of this day are not only the plowing, but the reaping of the ſoul; they are in themſelves not only work, but wages, for in acting of ſpiritual duties, there is great reward. As one ſaith, Sabbath-ſervice implies a wonderfull ſweetneſs, as the muſick of the ſphears, which is included in its own circumference. How delitious is it to enjoy communion with Chriſt on his own day, and to embrace him in the way of his Ordinances, as Zaccheus, to meet him in the way as he paſſeth by, Luke 19. 5. Chriſt indeed is ſweet to our enquires, much ſweeter to our acqueſts, when we have found our beloved, Cant. 3. 4.
Now then the Sabbath being a day of joy and jubilee to the ſoul, how ſpiritual, exact and heavenly ſhould we be? The Sabbath is joyous in its conſtitution, let it be ſo in our diſpoſition; let not this joy be damped by our ſin or neglect, let us not jar the muſick of it by our ſloath or ſenſuality, our carnal eaſe, or fleſhly delights, for ſo we may at night go down with ſorrow to our bed.Gen. 42. 38.
Arg. 3 Not only the pleaſure of this day might allure, but the profit of this day might enforce our greateſt care and devotion: On this day, the ſoul makes its greateſt merchandiſe, and drives Deus in ſuo opere conquieſcens benedixiti, huic diei, & eum ſanctificavit in eccleſiâ ſuâ, ut ſanctus haberetur in eâ, & benedixit illi, et benedicetur.its moſt gainful bargains; on this day the poor believer follows the chaſe of a Chriſt, of an heaven, of an eternity; this day is a day of ble…ſings; how many have met with their beloved, recruited their faith, amplified their joy, and gained a better inſight into their ſpiritual condition on this holy day? Their ſouls, as Hannah, have begun the Sabbath with ſighs and ſobs, but in the cloſe thereof have gone away, and have been no more ſad, 1 Sam. 1. 18. It is uſually on the Sabbath, Jun. in Gen.that the believer makes his greateſt journies towards his home. God ſaith of this day, as once Iſaac ſaid concerning Die dominico videre eſt animae mercaturam quaeſtuo…iſſiman et opulentiorem omnibus mundi opibus, maj…r certè eſt utilitas frui praeſentiâ de, quum Margaritas, ac fodinas aureas acquirere.Jacob, I have bleſſed it, yea, and it ſhall be bleſſed, Gen. 27. 33. On this day, the gracious ſoul enjoys Chriſts preſence, communion with the bleſſed Trinity, and the happineſs of thoſe ſpiritual Ordinances which are the Mines, and the means of grace. On this day he drinks more deeply of the waters of life, and participates more freely of the good things, of the graces of the ſpirit, and taſts more ſenſibly of the prelibations of future and eternal joy, Rev. 1. 10. Indeed on the Lords day, the believer makes up himſelf for the decays and loſſes of the week, and drives the ſpiritual trade to the beſt advantage.
Now profit ſhould engage us to care and ſedulity, and add a wing to our zealous and holy induſtry: when we are ſloathful or ſenſual upon the Sabbath, we do not only ſin away our tim… ▪ …ut our treaſure, and loſe our ſeaſon for advantage. Limn…rs will be very exact in drawing that picture for which they are well rewarded: a high price will procure the moſt curious works; and why ſhould not a gainful Sabbath, which will pay for all our pains, engage us in the greateſt ſtrictneſs of obſervation? Profit is the great engine which prevails with worldly men. Some Nations will ſell Swords Diei dominicae lu…rum, non crumenam, ſed animam ſpectat.and warlike furniture to their open and proclaimed enemies for profit and unuſual gain; and ſurely the riches of Ordinances are finer gold, then the treaſures of the Mine, though they be digged in Ophir.
Arg. 4 The honour of this bleſſed day commands our ſevereſt obſervation. The Sabbath contains all the three arguments in it, which ſome calls the worlds Trinity, Pleaſure, Profit, Honour: And if theſe arguments have ſo much force in temporals, why ſhould not they be as cogent in ſpirituals? ſpiritual good things,
1. They yield moſt. Sure there is more in a grace of the ſpirit, then in the ſtuffing of a bag, or the lining of a coſt…r.
2. They laſt longeſt.
3. They are purchaſed with greater difficulty, they are bought with a price, with the blood of a Redeemer.Dies dominicus omnium dierum mater eſt. Hieron.
4. They enrich our better part; and ſhall not they more influence our care and our devotion? Our Sabbath is ſolemn in its own dignity, let it be ſo in our obſervation. God hath crowned this day with honour, why ſhould we degrade it by our ſin and vanity? Our heavenly carriage doth beſt comport with the glory of this day. Hierom calls our Chriſtian Sabbath, the Mother of dayes, not only intimating its own antiquity, but pointing at the veneration we ſhould give to it: And ſo the fifth Commandment comes in to the ſupport and aſſiſtance of the fourth. We muſt honour this Mother of dayes, that our dayes may be happy and long in the land, Exod. 20. 12. Nor unfitly is the Sabbath called a Mother, when it hath ſo fruitful an iſſue, and hath brought forth ſo many Children to Chriſt, who is its Lord and Maſter. Ignatius Mark 2. 28. foreign, &c. Ignat.calls our Sabbath the Queen of dayes, and all other parcels of time are only hand-maids to wait on her; now every evil fact is aggravated, which is committed in the preſence-chamber. The Holy Ghoſt calls our Sabbath the Lords day, Rev. 1. 10. And God doth not call this day by his own Name, but to intimate thus much to us, that we ſhould likewiſe honour it by a holy and careful celebration. Sin then and vanity is a blot in the Eſcucheon of the Sabbath, and the prophane perſon as much as in him lies, layes the honour of it in the duſt.
The Jews had a very high eſteem of their Sabbath, and they compared it to a Queen; their other feſtivals they compared to Concubines, and ordinary dayes they compared to hand-maids, and they made a ſix fold difference between their Sabbath, and other feſtivals.
Other feſtivals had no paraſceue, or preparation going before them; but the Sabbath had ſtill a preparation, and it was called foreign, or pervigilium Sabbati, the Vigils of the Sabbath: Obj. but it may here be ſaid, that, John 19. 14. we meet with the preparation to the Paſsover; and therefore a preparation was not peculiar to the Sabbath. Anſw. To which it is anſwered, It is called the preparation to the Paſsover, becauſe at that time, the Sabbath and the Paſsover fell both together, Mat. 17. 62.and then the Jews transferred the Paſsover to the Mark 15. 42.Sabbath, and therefore it was called the great Sabbath; Joh. Luke 23. 54.19. 31. That Sabbath day was an high day ſaith the Text, John 19. 42.becauſe both feaſts fell on the ſame day. But the preparation mentioned, John 19. 14. was then in reſpect of the Sabbath, and not in reſpect of the Paſsover, which was drowned in the Sabbath. For other feaſts beſides the Sabbath, needed no preparation.
The Sabbath of the Jews had a prerogative above all other feſtivals, in that other feſtivals were tranſlated to the Sabbath, Alios feſtivitatis dies tranſferre ſolebunt ad Sabbatum propter olera & mortuos. Judaic. Proverb.but the Sabbath ſtood unmoveable, and could never be transferred to any other feſtival, & therefore they oftentimes made the feaſt day a common day, and upon it they prepared their meat, and buried their dead, and they transferred the religious exerciſes which did belong to that day, to the Sabbath.
The Sacrifices of all their feſtivals gave way to the Sabbath: Their daily Evening ſacrifice was killed at eight of the clock, and half an hour paſt, according to the Jews counting of the hours, half an hour before three with us, and offered at the ninth hour and an half paſt, which with us is half an hour after three; and this they did that they might reſt the evening of the Sabbath.
The Sabbath had a double ſacrifice upon it, Numb. 28. 9, 10. Whereas all other feſtivals had only their particular ſervices and ſacrifices; which as it was to diſtinguiſh the Sabbath from all other feaſts, ſo to mind us of that induſtry and ſedulity we ſhould ſhew on the holy and bleſſed Sab-Sabbath.
The Sabbath was kept in the wilderneſs, and in the captivity; and he who violated and brake the Sabbath in the Wilderneſs was ſtoned to Death, Numb. 15. 35. But other feſtivals were not kept in the captivity, and the Paſsover but once in the wilderneſs, Numb. 9. 5.
The whole week took denomination from the Sabbath, Luke 18. 12. Acts 13. 42. And beſides all this, every Sabbath day they came to hear the Scriptures read and expounded, foreign, in medio ſeptimanae.Mat. 1. 21. Luke 4. 31. But on the week dayes they met occaſionally. The Sabbath was the appointed time for thoſe holy exerciſes. Now ſhall the Jews be ſo curious Acts 14 15.in drawing of their Sabbaths Eſchutcheon of Honour, and marking its dignified prerogatives, and ſhall we give leſs veneration to the Lords Day? I mean not, in verbal praiſes, or rhetorical panegyricks, but in holy practices. Our carefull Preparation for the ſolemnities of it, our ſerious behaviour in the duties of it, our frugal improvement of the time of it, our unwearied diligence in the ſervice of it; this, and this only ſpeaks our Sabbath honourable. Piety and Devotion beſt proclaim the dignity of this holy day; when we act, as thoſe who believe, that Chriſt is not only the inſtitutour of our Sabbath, but will be the Judge of the world. Let us Rom 2. 16.then conſider the Lords Day under what notion we will, either as the ſouls jubilee and feſtival day, or as the ſouls market 2 Cor. 5. 10.day, or as the Churches beſt and moſt glorious day, yet ſtill nothing but holineſs becomes it, and its beauty is beſt ſeen in our ſanctification; Our holineſs is the foyle to ſet off the glory of it.
Arg. 5 Let us look upon our Sabbath, as a day of diſtinction, the obſervation of which diſtinguiſheth Chriſtians from the reſt of the world; and this meditation will prompt us to holineſs. What Sabbatum eſt ſignum quòd deus Iſraelem ſanctificavit, (i. e.) ſegregando eos à gentibus profanis, in peculiarem ſibi populum. Lavater in Ezek.the Lord ſaid to the Jews, Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths ſhall ye keep, for it is a ſign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord who doth ſanctifie you; is as applicable to us, as it was to them; and it is, as if the Lord had ſaid, the keeping of my Sabbath ſhal be a diſtinctive badge and cognizance of Covenant holineſs, a ſign that I do ſanctifie you, and ſeparate you to my ſelf for a holy and peculiar people. Let us caſt our eye upon our Sabbath as our diſcriminating and differencing badge: And ſhall we ſhame our livery? Shall we make our Sabbath a day of riot or exceſs, Sabbatum eſt ſignum et ſymbolum inter deum et Iſraelitas; ut ſe dei eſſe profiterentur, et ut à reliquis gentibus diſcernerentur; …uit enim ſacramentale quoddam quòd illos ſibi deus ſanctificaverat. Riv.of ſloath or idleneſs, and ſo mingle with the prophane world? Do we prophane our Sabbaths, how can we diſtinguiſh our ſelves from a ſenſual Jew, or a miſcreant Turk; they likewiſe have their Sabbaths? And will a diurnall diſtinction ſerve the turn; that the Turk keeps his Sabbath on the Friday, the Jew on the Saturday, and we Chriſtians the Firſt day of the week? It is a poor ſhift, and a faint diſtinction to keep a different day; will not the world ſcoff at this diſtinction? It is not the Day only, but the manner of obſervance. The Apoſtle ſaith, that Chriſts people are a peculiar people, zealous of good works, 2 Tit. 14. And ſo our Saviour makes the diſtinction of his people from the reſt of the world, John 17. 14. It is obſervable, that the Hebrew word foreign Chadaſh ſignifies two things; 1. To ſeparate from common uſe. 2. To ſanctifie, to teach us, our ſanctification is our only ſeparation from the reſt of the dregs of the world: Therefore ſtill let our holineſs upon Gods bleſſed day, be a ſign between God and us, that he hath ſanctified us. This is his will, and let it be our work, as alwayes, ſo peculiarly on the Sabbath, our ſanctification, 1 Theſ. 4. 3. Exod. 31. 13. Sabbatum ſanctis uſibus et religioſis formalitèr deputatur, &c. Rivet.Let Chriſt know us to be his ſheep by this, our will is not only melted into his will, but our obedience is fully calculated for his day. Rivet hath a pregnant note, The Sabbath, ſaith he, is given formally for holy uſes, for hearing the Word, for Prayer, for receiving the Sacrament, by which our ſanctification is ripened and accompliſhed.
Arg. 6 No command but that of the Sabbath hath a memento prefixed Hic ſpecialis obſervatio requiritur, ita ut nunquam obliviſcamur, quia agitur de operibus humanis intermittendis, et de opere dei ſuſcipiendo, quae ſunt naturae hominis depravatae omninò contraria, &c. Riv.to it; As if our obedience to this command was our chief buſineſs, which we muſt not forget: God doth not uſually annex his mementoes to any thing, but to matters of the greateſt moment. As 1. Sometimes to preſs his Laws, Num. 15. 39, 40. And 2. ſometimes to preſs his Love, as a motive to obedience, Deut. 5. 15. 3. Sometimes to mind us of himſelf, Deut. 8. 13. 4. Sometimes to mind us of his Enemies, Deut. 25. 17. And 5. Sometimes to mind his Sabbath, Exod. 20. 8. God puts an Higgaion Selah upon this Commandment, that as among the Jews, the ſinging of it cauſed them to raiſe their voice: So among us in keeping Sabbaths, it ſhould raiſe our hearts to a holy obſervation. Now God prefixes a memento to the Commandment for the Sabbath upon divers deſigns, which will very well ſuit with our purpoſe.
As firſt to intimate the oppoſition of mans corrupt heart to this holy Command, Rom. 7. 12. Depraved man cannot endure Homines parati ſunt ad fervorem operum ſuorum oc…upantur ſuis commodis, & ſuis voluptatibus facilime irretiontur; ſed cultui divino, &c. Riv.the ſnaffle of a whole dayes ſervice, he loves not to be bridled to ſpiritual duties, and therefore God here awakens us by a ſhrill memento; the learned Rivet obſerves, That men are upon the wing in flight, and heat after their owne works, and they are moſt eaſily entangled in the ſnare of their own pleaſures and delights; but to do Gods work upon his own day, this goes againſt the grain of corrupt Nature.
This Memento ſhews the venerable antiquity of the Sabbath. God hath been preſſing the Sabbath upon us from the beginning of the world, (as hath been ſhewn already:) The Gen. 2. 3.good Lord is jealous, leaſt an ancient ſhould be an antiquated inſtitution.
God gives us this Memento to mind us of the ſtrict account we muſt make hereafter for all our Sabbaths. When a Maſter gives his ſervant many errands, but ſaith he, be ſure you remember this above all the reſt; if that errand be forgotten he breaks out into a greater paſſion. God remembers us to keep inviolably his holy Sabbath, to aſſure us he will elſe remember to puniſh ſeverely the breaches, and violations of this Emphatical Commandment. His expoſtulation hereafter will be, Did not I give you my Sabbath with a Memento?
To inform us, the ſum of Religion lies in a due obſervation of the Sabbath. It was a good ſaying of worthy Mr. Rogers, Take away Gods Sabbath, and Religion will ſoon Tolle Sabbatum et citò marceſſit omnis Religio. Rog.dwindle and faint into nothing. Jacob gave a ſevere charge to his Sons about Benjamin, becauſe he lay neareſt his heart; And is it not an evidence, that the fourth Commandment lies neareſt to Gods heart, that he gives ſo ſevere a charge about it? That much of Religion is wrapt up in it, nay, the very quinteſſence of piety is dropt into it?
We are more apt to forget the fourth Commandment then Obſervandum eſt, quod deus non ſimpliciter dicit, Diem Sabbati ſanctificabis, ſed memento, ut diem Sabbati ſanctifices; Genus hoc praecipiendi non eſt leve, & vulgare, ſed grave & ſerium, et ſignificat praecipirem ſeriam, nec ullo modo negligendam, ſed ſummâ curâ et diligentiâ ſervandom; ſic ſolent Parentes liberis ſuis, et ſer… Heri, obtervantiam eo… inculcat…, quae omnium maximè negligi notant; Admonemur etiam verbo foreign Recordare, et memor eſto ad obſervantiam praeceptorum dei. Requiritur enim memoria, ut noctes et dies de illis ſervandis cogitemus, nec unquam obliviſcamur quid praecepti, & à quo illud accepimus. Muſcul.any of the reſt. And it is obſervable, when any duty is charged by God with a Memento, it argues a proneneſs to forget it, ſo Eccleſ. 12. 1. Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy Youth; which charge intimates to us, no age is ſo prompt to forget God as Youth, which uſually is ſnarled and entangled in divers luſts, called by the Apoſtle, Youthfull luſts, 2 Tim. 2. 22. And there are many reaſons why we are ſo apt to forget this Commandment:
1. Becauſe the reſt of the Commandments are written in our hearts by the light of Nature; but this only was given by outward Ordinance and Inſtitution, and we are more apt to forget Inſtructions then Inclinations.
2. Becauſe this Commandment more reſtrains natural liberty then all the reſt: the other Commandments reſtrain only things ſinful, but this prohibits things lawful at any other time, nay, it reſtrains our very words, Iſa. 58. 13. and our very thoughts; our lawfull works, and ſecular employments muſt be laid aſide on this day; we muſt not think or diſcourſe of the world, and the things of it on this bleſſed day.
3. Becauſe of the multitude of our affairs on the ſix days, which had need to be remembred to be finiſhed ſeaſonably, or elſe they will breed diſtractions on the Lords day; nor is it ſo facil and eaſie to keep off their impreſſions and intruſions, when we are to converſe with God on his own day.
4. Becauſe the Devil will aſſuredly prompt us▪ to forget this Commandment; ſo to quench the memory both of the Creation, and the work of our Redemption, that he may the more readily draw us to deſpair by forgetting the ſalvifical work of our Redemption, or elſe to Atheiſme, by forgetting the ſtupendous work of the Creation; for as the work of Creation firſt give us a Sabbath, ſo the work of Redemption afterwards gave us our Sabbath. Now to prevent theſe miſchicvous inconveniencies, we are alarm'd and quickned with a Memento to keep this Commandment, as a means to preſerve the memory both of Father and Son, and ſo to keep on foot holy and divine worſhip.
This Commandment of the Sabbath, is of moſt weight to be remembred, for the obſervance of all the reſt of the Commandments depend much upon the keeping of this: Let us caſt our eye upon the Converſion of ſinners; where one hath been converted on the week day, many have been brought home to God on his own day; God doth delight to diſpence his graces on his own day: ſo that in keeping this day, we preſerve an opportunity when God doth confer his graces on the Sons of men, and in a careleſs obſerving of this day, we put from us an opportunity of getting and obtaining the grace of God: So then, keep this day, and we keep all; neglect this day, and we neglect all the proper means for life and ſalvation. This is the ſeaſon when the Angel comes down to ſtir the waters, and then is our time to ſtep in and be healed. John 5. 4.This indeed is the fundamental command, on which the ſuperſtructure of piety and religion is faſtened and built. On this day God draws nigh to his people, and they to him; nay, the way to lay hold on Gods Covenant, is to keep his Sabbath: there is ſome hopes of a mans ſalvation when he makes conſcience of keeping this holy day.
7. The reaſon why this Commandment is of ſo much weight to be remembred, is, becauſe in it we are made more foreign.ſpiritually minded; it frames our ſpirits to be more fit and adequate to every good word and work, we are as not of this world; the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 4. 9. Verily, there remains a Reſt for the people of God: Implying that the Saints in Heaven keep a Sabbath-Reſt; meditating divine things, ſinging praiſes, and minding only the things of Heaven. Nothing more fits and accommodates our ſpirits to the ſupreme good, Vis in die quem dicunt ſolis, ſolem colitis. ſicut nos in eundem dominicum non ſolem, ſed reſarrectionem domini veneramur.then a holy obſervation of the Sabbath; it is the beginning of heaven here, our hearts then work up more and more to their centre, to their God, to their Chriſt.
8. We muſt remember this Commandment. In keeping the Sabbath, we keep in mind Gods chiefeſt mercies, the benefit of our Creation, and of our Redemption: the firſt giving us our beings, the ſecond our well beings; the firſt being the Aug. Contr. Fauſt. Manich, Lib. 10.fountain of Nature, the ſecond being the ſpring of Grace: And whereas there are Three moſt glorious perſons, ſhewing themſelves in their ſeveral works tending to mans good, the due obſervation of the Sabbath puts us in the remembrance of them all; Of the Father who created us, and then gave the Gen. 2. 3.world a Sabbath; of the Son who redeemed us, and on this day aſcended from the Grave; of the Holy Ghoſt who inſpires Acts 2. 1, 2, 3.us, and ſheds a beauty upon us, who as on this day deſcended from heaven in a miraculous flame upon the bleſſed Apoſtles, which was an infallible earneſt of thoſe plenteous effuſions of the ſpirit, which ſhould be poured forth upon the Church in all ages. Thus upon weighty reaſons, a Memento Dan 5. 6.is affixed to the fourth, and only to the fourth Commandment; which if it be not a note of obſervance, to point out our Sanctificatio Sabbati eſt, diem à deo anteà ſanctificatum pro ſancto habere, et exercit…is religionis, et fidei exercendae ſedulo in…umbere; At que ita ſanctificationem dei haudquaquam prophanare, ſed illibatam conſervare. Muſcul.great concernment in the holy keeping of it, it will be an handwriting on the wall, to make us tremble to all everlaſting. A learned man obſerves, That God ſhould preface this Commandment with a Memento, it implies that ſome ſerious thing is commanded, ſomething of the higheſt importance, which upon our peril muſt not be neglected or forgotten: This command is a treaſure committed to us with a great charge. And it is obſervable, it is not ſaid, Remember that thou keep the Sabbath day; but remember the Sabbath to keep it holy, Exod. 20. 8. God ſtops not at Sabbath day, but adds, to keep it holy, evidently implying, that to ſet apart the time of a Sabbath is not conſiderable; but to ſpend that time in holy duties, and in the holy exerciſes of faith and religion, this is the fulfilling of the Commandment: When Gods ſanctifying of Sabbatum non eſt merè quies. Leid. Prof.the day, as Muſculus ſpeaks, is not prophaned by us, but kept pure and unſpotted. The Memento then in this Commandment is only the uſher of holineſs, Gods, loud call to ſtrictneſs and ſanctity on his own day; the ſignificant harbinger to tell us, Chriſt is coming, and on this day he muſt lodge in our hearts.
Arg. 7 No Command is ſweetned with more equity then that of the Sabbath. There is that which Ariſtotle calls foreign in it, a Facillimum eſt, et aequiſſimum, ei cujus toti ſumus, unum diem è ſeptem conſervare, qui ſex alios noſtris laboribus conceſſit, cùm tamen potuiſſet jure ſuo plures illis ſervandos judicare. Riv.juſt and moderate Impoſition, there is not ſo much voluntas imperantis, the will of him who commands, as ratio impe…andi, the reaſon of the command it ſelf. In this command God rather exerciſes jus Patris, quam jus Domini, the right of an indulgent Father, then of an Authoritative Lord. Mans good and benefit is twiſted into Gods Command, as rich embroydery is put upon a piece of ſine cloth. This is a Precept not only prefaced with a memento, but ſeconded with an appeal to mans reaſon and conſcience. Let us take a view of the force of this equity.
It is moſt equal that God ſhould have one in ſeven, (to add ſomewhat to what hath been ſaid already) If God gives us ſix dayes, ſhall we deny him one? It is the confeſſion of Mr. Brerewood, (Our adverſary in this cauſe of the Sabbath) That it is meet, that Chriſtians dedicate the Lords Day wholly to the Lord, and to the honour of his name; and that we ſhould not be leſs devout in the celebration of the Lords day, then the Jews in the celebration of their Sabbath, becauſe the obligation of our thankfulneſs is more then theirs. Thus far our adverſary pathetically exhorts us to keep Gods bleſſed day wholly and fully to himſelf. Holy Greenham ſaith, If God had given us one day for our ſelves, and kept fix for himſelf, it had been equity in him to command, and duty in us to obey: But now God hath kept but one for himſelf, and that for our profit too; to break this Commandment then, when God hath ſhown ſuch liberality, it muſt needs be a ſtupendous ſin. It was a rational diſcourſe of Joſeph with his Miſtriſs, Gen. 39. 9. My Maſter hath kept back nothing from me, but thee, becauſe thou art his Wife, and therefore how can I do this great wickedneſs, and ſin againſt God? God hath kept no day in the week from us but only the firſt day, becauſe it is his Sabbath; how then can we do this great wickedneſs to prophane his Sabbath, and ſin againſt God? This amplified Adams guilt, he was only forbidden one Tree in the Garden, and he muſt eat of that; and this will aggravate our ſin, we are only forbidden one day in the week, and yet we muſt do our owne 2 Sam. 12. 4.work, pleaſe our own corruptions, and gratifie our fleſh and Datur Sabbatum homini, ut ſe ſegreget, et quieſcat propter dei gloriam. Aben. Fzr.ſenſe on that very day. Nathans parable which he uſed to David, 2 Sam. 12. 3, 4. is rightly calculated for every one who prophanes Gods day. Hath God only one day which he hath kept to himſelf, and ſanctified to his ſervice, and laid as it were in his boſome; and ſhall men be ſo unworthy, then when their hearts tempt them to vanity, they muſt take the time of this one day to pleaſe and gratifie their own corrupt hearts, when they are rich in time, and have ſix days every week given them for themſelves? I may here take up that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 1. Shall we ſin, and continue in it, becauſe Grace abounds? Gods bounty ſhould encourage, not diſpirit our duties; it ſhould be a ſpur to holineſs, and not a gap to prophaneneſs.Pſal. 119. 164.
2. And moſt equitable it is, that Time being one of the moſt precious bleſſings on this ſide eternity, a jewel of ineſtimable worth, a golden ſtream diſſolving, and as it were continually running down by us out of one eternity into another, yet too ſeldome taken notice of, till it be quite paſſed by us and from us; It is moſt juſt, I ſay, and meet, that he who hath the diſpenſing of other things leſs precious and momentous, ſhould be the ſupreme Lord of our time, eſpecially Eccleſ. 9. 12.when he takes ſo little to himſelf as one day in ſeven.
And our guilt muſt boyle up to a great heighth, if we daſh the eighth Commandment upon the fourth, to break both in pieces, and rob God of his little ſpot of time, the Sabbath foreign. Chryſoſt Homil. 5. in Mat.day, to waſte it upon our luſts, ſloath or vanities. It is a zealous and pathetical ſpeech of the excellent Chryſoſtome; What deſperate folly is it, ſaith he, for people to beſtow five or ſix dayes upon the affairs of the world, and not to give one day to ſpiritual things? Therefore let men be perſwaded, that at leaſt they would ſet one day apart wholly to theſe things; whatever they do on the week dayes, one of the ſeven dayes muſt be ſet apart to our common Lord. Let us obſerve the Argument of this holy man: not only Gods indulgence, but our own dependance commands Sabbath-holineſs; God is the common Lord, and ſhall we not conſecrate one day in the week to his ſervice, to the great Jehovah, in whom we live, move, and have our being? Acts 17. 28.His time is not only in our hand, but our times are in his hand, Pſal. 31. 15. And if we abuſe his time, he can ſhorten ours. And beſides all our labours, which are as the humming of a Bee, or the fluttering of a Butterfly, are not ſo valuable to take up ſix dayes, as his ſacred worſhip, which is Pſal. 31. 15.not only our homage and tribute, but our way to life and ſalvation, to take up one day. Gods honour and glory, which is promoted on his own day by all devout and holy Chriſtians, is infinitely more conſiderable then all our worldly gains, and petty intereſt which is carried on the other ſix dayes. Bucer ſaith moſt truly and gravely, He diſcovers himſelf a moſt deplorable deſpiſer, not only of his own ſalvation, but of divine bounty and indulgence, and not fit to Deploratum ſanè i…ſe contemptorem demonſtrat. ſicut ſalutis prop…iae, ſic admirandae dei ergà nos beneficentiae, ec que omnino indignum qui cum populo dei vivat, qui non ſtudet tum ipſum diem domino deo ſuo glorificando, et providendae ſuae propriae ſaluti, ſanctificaro maximè quùm deus, noſtris nego…iis et operibus, quibus praeſentem vitam ſuſſentemus ſex dies conceſſerit.live among Gods people, who doth not ſtudy to ſpend one day in ſeven, (viz.) the Lords day, to the glory and honour of the Lord, and to look after his own ſalvation, eſpecially ſeeing God hath given us ſix dayes for our labours and employments, to ſuſtain our ſelves in this preſent life. This holy man thinks him unworthy of any ſtation in the Church of God, who hath ſo far ſunk himſelf below the ſhadow of all reaſon and juſtice, as not to take Gods grant in giving us ſix dayes for our ſelves, and ſo to conſcerate the ſeventh in holy duties and exerciſes to the glory of a bountifull and a gracious God. And indeed the waſte and prophanation of Gods day, only one in ſeven, would fill any pen with gall, and turn the ſmootheſt tongue into a ſword; ſuch ſacrilegious and unreaſonable men who prophane this bleſſed day, a day in a week, would fill any face with bluſhes, and any tract with ſharpneſs. Dr. Twiſſe obſerves, that Gomarus and Rivolus two learned men, though much differing from other Divines in Sabbatical controverſies, yet in this particular they ſpeak very plauſibly, not without a note of good zeal; For thus they ſpeak, That in reaſon it is fit, now under the Goſpel, to allow more time for Gods ſervice, rather then leſſe. Goſpel ſeaſons call for greater ſervices.Buc. de regn. Chriſti.
And indeed in this we heartily accept their juſt acknowledgement. It is a witty deſcant of the learned Weems, Ʋt aliqua dies in ſeptimana ſit deo dedicata, praeceptum eſt ſtabile, et aeternum.God giveth us, ſaith he, ſix whole dayes for our uſe, and therefore we ſhould give him one whole day for his Sabbath, or elſe we have two meaſures in our bag, a little one to meet out with, and a great one to receive in with, which is an abomination to the Lord.Jacob. de Valent.
Argum. 8 And is it not moſt juſt and meet, that ſince mans life upon Divinum magis eſt, et utilius ſpiritualibus fidei, et religionis vacare, quam terrenis operibus eſſe intentum. Muſcul.earth is a pilgrimage, and he hath no abiding City here, but looketh for one above, therefore he ſhould not ſpend all his time, his thoughts and ſtudies upon the trivials of the world, and the ſervices of the week; but (as ſome time every day) ſo alſo ſome one day every week, to retire from the world, and to draw near to God in his holy and fructiferous Ordinances, and to ſeek communion with him, with whom he expects to live for ever in glory and bleſſedneſs.Videamus in ſacrâ ſcripturâ totum divinum cultum in ſabbato comprehendi: Atque ideò haec lex tam ſaepe in ſcripturis repetitur, diligentèr inculcatur, gravitèr urgetur, obedientia ejus plurimùm laudatur, et neglectus ejus ſeverè vindicatur. Leid. Prof.
No Command preſſed with more vehemency than that of the Sabbath. God in his word doth not preſs things trivial or indifferent, but thoſe which are moſt neceſſary, and of the greateſt importance. As the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Miniſters preaching in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon; ſo it may be ſaid of Gods preſſing this Commandement, he takes all occaſions to urge and importune it: and the Leyden Profeſſors give us this reaſon, Becauſe all divine worſhip is compriſed in a due obſervation of Gods holy day; And the breaking of this Command God calls the breaking of all his Commandements, Exod. 16. 28. Let us glance a little at the jealous God, and ſee what methods and importunities he hath uſed to preſerve his Sabbath holy, and that it might not be defiled and polluted.
No ſooner God gives this command for the Sabbath in the midſt of thunders and lightnings upon Mount Sinai, Exod. 19. 18. Exod. 20. 8. But he gives a new and ſtrict charge for the due obſervation of his Sabbath, Exod. 31. 13. and thunders out his threats againſt all, who ever ſhall violate or make any breaches upon it, Exod. 31. 15.
And preſently he inſinuates an Argument of love to endear the people of Iſrael to this Commandement, Exod. 31. 16, 17. and tells them it ſhall be a perpetual Covenant betwixt Hoc de Sabbato mandatum toties inculcari videmus, ut neceſſatiò ſit credere, illud in populo fuiſſe magni momenti. Riv.him and them, the very tye of friendſhip and amity between them, and it ſhould be a ſigne of Gods owning them for his peculiar people, and their owning him for their onelyonly God. The Jews ſhould be known to belong to Jehovah by their obſervation of his Sabbath, that ſhould be the Shibboleth to diſtinguiſh them from the Chaos of the reſt of the World.
But after this, a few days ſliding away, God renews his Command for the Sabbath, Exod. 35. 1, 2. in a full aſſembly of the people, that none might plead ignorance, and that a repeated Law to their Ears, might be a rivetted Law in their hearts.
And leſt the Iſraelites might interpret this Law of the Sabbath poſitive only, and ſo tranſient, God preſently after this inſerts it among the Laws natural, that if the Jews Qui Sabbatum cuſtodiebat, hoc ipſo tacitè profitebatur, Deum eſſe conditorem coeli, et terrae; qui verò contemnit Sabbatum, videtur inficiari deum eſſe creatorem mundi; ſic qui diem dominicum celebrare recuſat, videtur negare Chriſtum reſurrexiſſe. Vatabl.ſhould forget Mount Sinai, they might have a principle in their own breaſts, to lead them to the obedience of this Law; God tells them, Levit. 19. 3. They muſt honour their Father and their Mother, and keep the Sabbath. God would have the one Law as fairly written, and as deeply engraven on their hearts, as the other, and he joyns neighbour Commandements together; Nature leads them to reverence their Parents, Religion, Gratitude, Reaſon, Obedience, and much of Nature ſhould draw them to keep Gods Sabbath.
And which is not to be over-paſſed, the ſame Law of the Sabbath is inculcated again in the ſame Chapter, Levit. 19. 30. where God reckons up his Feaſts which he will have obſerved throughout the current of the year; there God takes an occaſion to begin with his Sabbath; and ſo Levit. 23. 2, 3. that Feaſt muſt be looked upon in the firſt place, they muſt firſt ſeek the obſervation of the Sabbath, and all other Feaſts ſhall be added unto them, for greater ſplendor Mat. 6. 33.and ſolemnity.
When God tells the Jews of his Sacrifices, what kinds, in what order, on what ſeaſons he will expect them, he enjoyns duplicate Sacrifices on the Sabbath, Numb. 28. 9, 10. to intimate plainly to us, that the more ſervice he hath from us on that day, the more grateful it is to him.
When Moſes repeats the ten Commandements to the people of Iſrael a little before his death, he forgets not the Commandement for the Sabbath, Deut. 5. 14. that lies ſtill in the boſom of the Decalogue, as the beloved Diſciple leaned upon the boſom of Chriſt, John 21. 20. this Command hath neither loſt its ſite, nor force.
When the Civil Government was changed in the ſtate of the Jews, from Judges to Kings, ſtill the obſervation of the Sabbath is the ſame, 1 Chron. 9. 32. There may be a change in the times, there muſt be none in the Sabbath; the care of the Sabbath is the duty of every Governour, by what Name or Title ſoever he be diſtinguiſhed.
And in after Ages, the Prophets preſs hard for the obſervation of the Sabbath, Jer. 17. 21. And this was one conſiderable piece of their meſſage to the people, God ſtill alarms his people to Sabbath-holineſs.
And if the people fail in the obſervation of Gods holy Sabbath, how ſharply doth God upbraid them by his Prophets, Ezek, 20. 12. as a moſt ungrateful and inconſtant people, and how bitterly doth he expoſtulate with them, as a froward, and ſhortly to be forlorn Generation, Ezek. 20. 13. and looks upon the violation of his Sabbath, as a contempt poured out upon all his Laws and Statutes, Ezek. 20. 16. and yet in the midſt of his anger, his Sabbath is ſo dear to him, that if they will yet keep his Sabbath, his wrath may be withheld and reſtrained, Ezek. 20. 20. and better days may befall and betide them.
But yet the pollution of his Sabbath is ſo great and ſo groſs an abomination, that God knows not how to put it up, and therefore he goes on in his complaints, reiterating his charges againſt them, and bringing in new Bills of Indictment for the violation of his Sabbath, Ezek. 20. 24. Ezek. 22. 8. 26. Ezek. 23. 38.
And when God pronounces his ſoreſt judgments againſt Iſrael, he at laſt compriſes them all in one, he tells them Hoſ. 2. 11. He would cauſe her Sabbaths to ceaſe, they ſhould loſe that darling mercy, which they had ſo much abuſed.
Now then, all this importunity of God in urging Sabbath-holineſs, doth but the more alarm us to break off our ſin by keeping holy this bleſſed day: Surely the ſanctifying of Gods day is a matter of the higheſt moment, elſe God would not ſo multiply his Injunctions and charges about it, for the Scriptures know no vain repetitions.
Argum. 9 No Command is rewarded with more bounty, than that of the Sabbath: God hath ſet the richeſt crown on the head of Sabbath-obedience, like Jacob it hath obtained the Bleſſing: Gen. 27. 30.and if you ask, what bleſſing, it is anſwered.
God rewards the holy obſervation of his day with ſpiritual bleſſings, and indeed they are the choiceſt bleſſings, they are moſt refined, not mingled with the droſs of earth and inconſtancy, they moſt concern the Soul, which is mans more ſublime and better part: and for theſe was the Sabbath principally ordained, that God in the uſe of Ordinances on this day, might enrich our Souls with ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt, Epheſ. 1. 3. and with theſe bleſſings will the Lord bleſs a conſcientious obſervation of his day; ſo ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 20. 12. I gave them my Sabbaths, that they may know, that I am the Lord who ſanctifies them. We ſhall find and know, that the Lord will ſanctifie us, both with the beginnings and the increaſes of grace in our hearts, Pſal. 92. 13.if ſpiritually and ſollicitouſly we keep his Sabbaths; yea, the Lord hath promiſed, Iſa. 56. 6, 7. to every one who Iſa. 56. 6, 7.keeps his Sabbath from pollution, that he will make them Exod. 31. 13.joyful in his houſe of prayer: and in Iſa. 58. 14. that they Levit. 26. 2. 11.ſhall delight themſelves in the Lord. By theſe two Texts of Iſa. 58. 14.Scripture, it appears, that God hath bound himſelf by promiſe, Iſa. 56. 4, 5.not onelyonly to work ſanctification, increaſe of holineſs, Ezek. 20. 12.and power over corruptions, but alſo by his ſpirit of adoption to increaſe in their hearts a lively ſenſe of his favour, Judaei laetantes ibant in templum domini, ibique exaltantes orabunt, canebant, pſallebant omnibus inſtrumentis muſicis, atque ex victimis deo oblatis epulabantur coram domino. Alap.aſſurance that he hears their prayers, and accepteth their oblations, as likewiſe peace of Conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, which are the bleſſings the Chriſtian prizeth above ten thouſand Worlds.
Theſe ſpiritual mercies then are the reward of Sabbath-holineſs: and indeed how often doth the devout Soul on Gods holy day, ſenſibly feel the power of Ordinances, the workings and impreſſions of grace, the very drawing out of Chriſts heart towards them; and whileſt they meet with the people of God in their holy Aſſemblies, the preſence of God breaks out, like the Sun in a bright Morning, and the Holy Pſal. 122. 1.Ghoſt falls upon them, Acts 10. 44. manifold experience might be ſubpoenaed in to atteſt and verifie this truth.
God rewards Sabbath-holineſs with temporal bleſſings: this is a top-branch of that godlineſs, which hath the promiſes of 1 Tim. 4. 4. Huic ſanctificationi ſa…ba…i prom…tur benedictio tam privota, tam publica, et cuſtodient Sabbatum nunciatur …ea…us. Leid. Prof. Per altitudines, ubertas terrae intelligatur. Sanch. Allevabit ſuper bona terrae. Sept. Terra excelſa vinetis & fructibus abundat. Iſa. 56. 2.this life that now is. Sabbath-holineſs can entail bleſſings on the Throne, and make that ſplendid and illuſtrious, Jer. 17. 25. it can pour bleſſings upon the family, and make that wealthy and proſperous, Iſa. 58. 14. I will cauſe thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; which muſt be meant of fruitfulneſs and abundance, as Expoſitors inform us: the phraſe refers to feracious and flouriſhing Mountains, which are the richeſt paſturage; or elſe to the Land of Canaan, much ſwelling with Hills, which was the moſt plentious ſpot of ground (while God was with his people there) that was in the whole world, ſome obſerving that, that ſmall Land of Canaan maintained at once no leſs than thirty Kings: High-grounds, as a learned man conceives, are places for the moſt flouriſhing Vines, and the rareſt fruits; and the Septuagint interpret theſe high places of the earth, the good things and increaſes of the earth: However, rich temporal bleſſings muſt be implied, which ſhall certainly, as there is truth in the promiſe, be the portion of thoſe who are holy and devout upon Gods bleſſed day.
Sabbath-holineſs will bring down bleſſings upon ſingle perſons:
1. Ʋpon the more inferiour. The very Eunuchs, who were Moſes arcebat Eunuchos ſuorum caetu, et è templi miniſteriis, et publicis officiis, et Eunuchus notat populum Gentilem, qui verè eſt Eunuchus (i. e.) ſterilis pietatis et bonorum operum. Alap.pieces of contempt, and in the time of the old Law, were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord, but their infirmity ſued out a Writ of Excommunication againſt them, Deut. 23. 1. and they ſerved onelyonly for a type of the Gentile Nations, who were barren of piety and good works, yet ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 56. 45. Ʋnto the Eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, I will give to them in my houſe a place, and a name better than of Sons and Daughters: So grateful to the Lord is the holy obſervation of the Sabbath, that it can make an Eunuch fruitful, and put the meaneſt perſon into the Bond of the richeſt promiſe.
2. As the holy obſervation of Gods day, can raiſe the meaneſt, ſo it can honour and bleſs the greateſt. Nehemiah was an excellent example of zeal for Gods day, and his zeal flamed out ſo much, that it ſcorched preſumptuous deſpiſers of it; and this ſacred heat of zeal was rewarded with great ſucceſs, his combat againſt Sabbath-prophanation was vigorous, and his victory was glorious, Nehem. 13. 15, 16, 17, 2 Tim. 4. 8.18, 19, 20, 21. his conteſt was ſharp, and his conqueſt was ſweet.
The good obſervation of the Sabbath can bring ſafety to a City: ſo the Prophet ſpeaking of the keeping of Gods Sabbath, Jer. 17. 24. which if it ſhall be done, Jer. 17. 25. Si cuſtodie…ur Sabbatum Hieruſalem flarebi…, & templum mirè frequentabitur.This City ſhall remain forever. Nothing can better encompaſs a City with walls, barricado a City againſt danger, preſerve a City from decay, and ſecure a City from ruine, then when the Citizens are not more induſtrious in their ſhops on the week day, then they are zealous in the Sanctuary and in their families upon the Sabbath. God watcheth over that City for good, where the due obſervation of the Lords day is moſt ſtrictly practiced, and the prophanation of it, is moſt ſeverely chaſtiſed.
The ſanctification of the Sabbath can cauſe the ſtate to Flouriſh: It can fill the Court with ſplendor and glory, Jer. 17. Extendit deus fructus hujus promiſſionis ad totum corpus poſtquam de proceribus locutus eſt, ſimul adjungi… plebem fore fociam hujus benedictionis, & gratiae dei. Calv.25. If ye hallow my Sabbaths, then ſhall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes ſitting on the throne of David, riding in Chariots, and on Horſes, &c. Indeed Religion, and ſo that eminent branch of it, Sabbath-holineſs, is the beauty and luſtre of Courts, and that which fills them with glory, as Gods preſence in the cloud, filled the temple with amazing and aſtoniſhing glory, 1 Kings 8. 10, 11. God indeed keeps Nations, as they keep his day, and when they are looſe upon his Sabbath, God is more indifferent in his protection over them, and benedictions upon them. It is very obſervable, that God did moſt complain of Sabbath-pollution, Ezek. 20. 13, 16, 21, 24. Ezek. 22. 8, 26. Ezek. 23. 38. immediately before the Jews going into Captivity. When a people deſpiſe Gods Miniſters, and prophane Gods Sabbaths, then there is no remedy. Nay in our Nation of England, immediately after the Book of ſports was ſet forth for recreations and liberty upon the Lords day, that bloudy civil War began, which turned England into an Aceldania…; 2. Chron. 36. 26.and it was infinite mercy, that that field of bloud was not like that floud of waters in Noah his time, to drown all the Nation, and leave only one family ſurviving.
The ſanctification of Gods day can bring proſperity to the Church: It cannot only fill the throne, but the temple with Deus erit modis omnibus beneficus ad populum, ſi modò Sabbatum obſervent, et puro corde ſe addicunt ad dei cultum, cùm in templum aſcendunt, & hilaritèr offerunt juge ſacrificium, ex vicinâ regione advenient cultores dei, qui dres feſtos celebyem; et pro more florebit Religio et vigebit in Sabbato obſervando, immò et ſacrificia laudis offerentur; huc ſpectant omina ſacrificia, ut nomen dei celebretur, &c. Calv.glory, and bleſs not only the ſhop but the ſanctuary: Our ſpiritual priviledges ſhall be like Aarons rod bloſſoming, Numb. 17. 8. If the Sabbath, like the Sun, ſhine hot with zeal and devotion. Let us hear God ſpeaking by the Prophet, Jer. 17. 24, 26. If they ſhall hallow my Sabbath, &c. They ſhall come from the Cities of Judah, and from the places about Hieruſalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the ſouth, bringing burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, and meat-offerings and incenſe, and bringing ſacrifices of praiſe unto the houſe of the Lord. In this glorious promiſe are compriſed all the Characters of a flouriſhing Church.
1. Here is a multitude of worſhippers, they ſhould flock to the houſe of God from all circumjacent parts, from all adjacent quarters, from the plain, and from the mountains, from Judah, and from Benjamin, the two moſt conſiderable tribes from the South, &c. And indeed a confluence of proſelytes is the glory of a Church, when believers are as the corn of the valley, and not as grapes after a vintage, Mic. 7. 1. Then the primitive Church became glorious to a wonder, when thouſands were added to it, Acts 2. 41, 47. Acts 4. 4. Acts 5. 14. Churches are then proſperous, when believers flock as Doves to the windows, Iſa. 60. 8.
2. Here is the variety of ſacrifices, burnt offerings, meat offerings, emblems of legal worſhip, ſacrifices of praiſe, the evidence of worſhip Evangelical. Gods Altar ever flouriſhes when there is moſt incenſe offered, and the Church is in its beſt eſtate when the Saints have liberty to worſhip God in every Ordinance. Variety of Ordinances is the joy and harmony of the Church.
3. Here is likewiſe obſervable in this precious promiſe, Chriſtiani charitate, et ſpiritu ſancto ferveant, quaſi igne, impetu quodam animi ſint ſuccenſi, ferveant ad officium faciendum.the zealous affection of the profelytes, they ſhall come from the Cities of Judah, &c. And indeed zealous Saints make a proſperous Church. Zeal is the natural heat of holy duties, and ſpeaks us to be living ſacrifices, Rom. 12. 1, 11. And our ſervices to be lively ſervices. Heat is alwayes a ſign of life, as in naturals, ſo in ſpirituals. Nor is it to be over-paſſed, that in this promiſe, there is implyed Gods preſence, which is the true glory and flouriſh of every Church, Levit 26. 2, 11, 12.ſo the text, They ſhall come to the houſe of the Lord, where the Lord will give them a meeting, elſe theſe words were an Irony, not a promiſe. For to come to Gods houſe, and he withdraw, this is a judgment, not a promiſe, for the Sun may ſooner want light, then a promiſe ſweetneſs: If then the Divine Preſence be incloſed in the promiſe, what a glorious Pſal. 63. 3.thing is Sabbath-holineſs? For what can we enjoy more then a God? His ſmiles are heaven, his frowns are hell. Our condition is calculated and computed according to the nearneſs of God to us, or his remoteneſs from us, if God be with us, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 31. Who can be againſt us? I may ſay, who can be above us? Communion with God is our throne, his abſence is our dunghill. Our condition 1 John 1. 3.is gradually advanced or depreſſed according to the degrees Omnia poſſidet, qui illum poſſidet, qui omnia poſſidet. Aret.of Gods approach or retirement: The hiding of his face is the blackneſs of darkneſs, and his preſence is the ſweetneſs of every mercy, the fulneſs of every Ordinance; nay, the glory of heaven it ſelf. It is the preſence of God which fills the hearts of glorified ones with perpetual joy, and their tongues with perpetual Hallelujahs. And it is this preſence which invites our holy obſervation of Gods Sabbath. It is an elegant note of Origen, I demand, ſaith he, When Manna firſt began to fall from heaven? and it is apparent from the holy In noſtrâ etiam die dominicâ ſemper pluit dominus Manna de coelo. Orig.Scriptures that Manna was firſt given upon the Lords day, for if, (as the Scripture ſaith) they gathered it ſix dayes together, and ceaſed the ſeventh day being the Sabbath day, without controverſie it began to fall on the firſt day which is the Lords day, and ſtill upon our Lords day, the Lord rains Manna upon his people, the true Manna did not ceaſe in the wilderneſs, but is ſtill ſhowred down upon the due obſervers of Gods holy day. Divine bleſſings more ſweet, more pleaſant then Iſraels Manna, or bread reſembling wafers, or Corianders ſeed, ſhall enrich and refreſh the devout ſoul on Gods holy day.Exod. 16. 31.
Arg. 10 No command is puniſhed with more ſeverity then that of the Sabbath, when it is broken and diſobeyed. Sabbath prophanation is a ſin which will be beaten with many ſtripes: For the better diſcovery of this great truth, we ſhall follow it by degrees.
God eyes Sabbath-prophaneneſs moſt exactly. If it be but the carrying of a burden, Jer. 17. 27. God takes notice of it, and it ſets all in a flame. There are two things God is moſt Sabbata Dei ſunt ejus delitiae, ſunt ejus faelicitas, et illa in dei contemplatione conſiſtunt, quibus à ſeculi curis et, laboribus vacantes divina opera et judicia contemplemur. Alap.jealous of,
1. Of his truth.
2. Of his day: God will ſee little ſpots on his own day. Little flaws are ſeen in a jewel, every one takes notice of ſpots in the Moon, which is a bright and glorious luminary, the finer the cloth is, the more damageable the rent is which is in it. Gods Sabbath is one of his moſt precious things, it is not ſaid, Jer. 17. 27. If any commit a groſs ſin upon my Sabbath, But if any bear a burden. Secular works are ſinful works on Gods holy day, every toil is a treſpaſs, and to bear a burden upon the back, is to draw guilt upon the ſoul.
God threatens Sabbath-prophanneſs moſt ſharply: The threats of God are the drawing of his bow, they are the ſharpning of his ſword, and the fitting it for execution, they Ter poenam capitalem infligendum deus exprimit vilatoribus Sabbati, quam poenam certum eſt, immò de temporali morte et ſupplicio, infligendum tranſgredienti eſſe intelligendum, quod etiam ex praxi conſtat. 15. Num. 32. Et haec quidam. … infligebatur ad exemplum. Obſtinatis etiam aeternam mortein fuiſſe denunciatam non inficias imus. Rivet.are his warning-pieces which he ſhoots off to affright ſecure ſinners, they are his frowns which are the evidences of his wrath and indignation: Now God ſurely threatens the violations of his Sabbath, he threatens them not with a light affliction, but with death it ſelf, Exod. 31. 14, 15. The ſoul which ſhall prophane the Sabbath ſhall die the death; nay, this ſin ſhall not only deſtroy the Citizen, but the City too, Jer. 17. 27. ſet the gates on fire, where the ſafety of the City lay: No Portcullis can ſecure that City where the Sabbath is prophaned; nay, God threatens Sabbath-prophanation with his conſuming fury, Ezek. 20. 13, 21. which can lay waſte all which lies before it, every thing is ſtubble to Gods wrath, no gate ſo ſtrong to reſiſt it, no Perſon ſo potent to withſtand it. Divine fury can as eaſily raſe, as Divine Power can create a world: And this fury God will poure out on thoſe who prophane his day.
God complains of Sabbath-prophanation moſt bitterly. When God was drawing up his Endictments againſt the people of Iſrael now going into captivity; one of his chiof charges was Sabbath-pollution; they defiled his day which he would have kept ſpotleſs: and this did accent his complaints, and put an Emphaſis upon his grievous expoſtulations. Sabbata domini profanant homines, tùm eorum prophanationem vident, & non corripiunt, ſed o…ulos ſuos avertunt, et conniventes diſſimulant, item cùm ea non piè obſervant.They deſpiſe my ſtatutes, ſaith God, Ezek. 20. 24. How doth this appear? Why ſaith God, They pollute my Sabbaths; as if the contempt of Religion was wrapt up in Sabbath-prophanation. And in another place, Ezek. 22. 8. They deſpiſe my holy things, ſaith God; but what is the evidence of it, why ſaith the Lord, they prophane my Sabbaths; this goes to the heart of God, and nothing more provokes his ſpirit. Nay, which is obſervable, God calls the prophaning of his Sabbath, the prophaning of himſelf, Ezek. 22. 26. ſo the text; They have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, I am prophaned among them. To pollute Gods day, is to caſt Coinquinabar Ezek. 22. 26. (i. e.) profanè tractabar ab…ii….dirt in the very face of God himſelf; and when men make light of the Sabbath, they loſe the reverence they ſhould bear to the ſacred Majeſty of God. Sabbath-prophanation huddles all in confuſion; as God complains, Ezek. 22. 26. and makes men Atheiſts, ſo as to have no regard of the incomprehenſible and tremendous Jehovah, who, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 12. 29. is a conſuming fire. And ſo God bitterly complains, Polluitur Sabbatum, cùm cujus gratiâ inſtituitur, à pleriſ que non curatur. Muſcul.Ezek. 23. 38. Moreover this they have done unto me, they have defiled my ſanctuary in the ſame day, and have prophaned my Sabbaths. What is done to Gods day, he takes it as done to himſelfe: When his day is polluted, and when his Saints are perſecuted, this is drawing againſt God himſelf. Acts 9. 4, 5.In a word, the prophaning of Gods Sabbath, makes him firſt poure out his complaint, and then poure out his fury; the ſmothering of his complaint, quickly breaks out into the flame of his indignation.
God puniſheth Sabbath-prophanation moſt ſeverely: We have already diſcovered the ſharpneſs of Gods eye in the diſcerning the frowns of Gods brow in the threatning, the totus dies dominicus ex toto animo, quantum ferat humana neceſſi…as, et imbe…illitas ritè et piè ſervandus eſt, etenim ejus prophanationi et pollutioni maledictionem comminatur Deus. Exod. 31. 14. Lev. 26. 2, 14. Jer. 17. 27. et poenis graviſſimis & morte ulciſcitur utpote cujus contemptus, eſt totius legis dei, et divini cultus repudiatio. Leid. Prof.complaints of Gods mouth in his complaining againſt; and now we come to take notice of the ſtrokes of Gods hand in the revenging of the violations of his bleſſed Sabbath. The Hiſtories of all ages do afford many dreadfull examples of Vengeance executed upon thoſe who have prophaned this day. The Reverend Mr. Walker tells us, That he could relate more then thirty examples of Gods heavy vengeance upon Sabbath-breakers within the ſpace of two years, ſome of which were ſtruck with ſuddain death by Gods immediate hand, others devoured in the waters, ſome cut off by ſurfets, which they got by dancing and drinking on the Lords day, ſome fired out of their houſes in the midſt of their quaffing and jollity, and all their goods and ſubſtance conſumed: And theſe Judgements have befallen them in the very act of their abominations, when they were moſt buſied in their ſports, in their worldly employments, or in their vain and frothy pleaſures.
But for the better diſcovery of diviné juſtice in the purſuits of it upon Sabbath-breakers;
1. I ſhall ſearch the Scriptures of God.
2. I ſhall trace the Providences of God. And in both theſe glaſſes we may eaſily diſcern the ſeverities of the Almighty upon the violatours of his holy day: Judgement hath not ſlumbered, but hath awakened and taken hold on them.
Let us caſt our eye on ſacred Writ, and we ſhall ſee God executing temporal judgements upon thoſe who have prophaned his day. If a poor man gather but a few ſticks upon the Sabbath he muſt die for it, Numb. 15. 33, 34, 35, 36. he muſt be ſtoned into his grave, ſtones muſt be his death, but not his tomb; and this not by a ſuddain heat and paſſion of the people, but by an expreſs command of God himſelf.
Object. But and if it be objected, this was under the rigour of the Law;
Anſw. It is anſwered, God forgets not his judgements againſt Sabbath-breakers in the times of the Goſpel; Eutichus ſleeps at a Sermon on a Lords day, and he dies for it, Acts 20. 9, 10. and it was a miracle he ever came to life again. Indeed much may be ſaid to extenuate his crime; He was a young Profanatio ſabbati iram intulit, non tantùm in domum, ſed in civitatem, immò in Iſraelem dei populum.man, and a younger Chriſtian, it was late in the night, the proper time of ſleep and reſt: Paul had preached very long, and had extended his diſcourſe to an unuſual enlargement; and though the ſpirit is willing, the fleſh is weak, Mat. 26. 41. yet notwithſtanding all this Eutichus falls down dead. By this example we may feel the heat of divine diſpleaſure againſt the prophanation of Gods holy day. Both in the times of the Law, and of the Goſpel, we may diſcern the revenges of God againſt this ſin. It is Sabbath-breaking can devour Palaces, Places of honour, Jer. 17. 27. the beauty and the Neh. 13 17, 18, 19.ornaments of the moſt flouriſhing City or Kingdom. Palaces they are the pride of Architecture, the extrinſique glory of a Nation, they are the habitations of the moſt Renowned Princes, the Court, and Council-houſe of Kings; and yet Sabbath-breaking can turn all theſe into a flame: Nay, this ſin can kindle a fire in the Gates, places of Power, wherein the ſafety and ſtrength of a City doth conſiſt, Jer. 17. 27. the Gates where juſtice is done, the conſtant bull-works of the place whereunto they are faſtned, the chief guard of the town. This ſin of defiling Gods day can petar thoſe gates, and not only open, but conſume them. But the Citizen will ſtill have ſome relief, if the gates be burnt, yet the ſhops are remaining; though ſafety be loſt, yet trade continues; therefore God ſaith, he will lay waſte Cities, Levit. 26. 2, 31. He will deſtroy Gates and Shops and all: But the Profeſſours replyes, though our Cities are conſumed, our Sanctuaries ſtill remain; and though we have loſt our Pallaces, which are the glory of the Prince, and our Cities are waſte, which are the dwelling of the people; yet we have our ſanctuaries, which are the delight of the Saint, and we can yet drive a ſpiritual trade: No, ſaith God, Sabbath-pollution ſhall lay the Cities waſte, and ſhall bring their ſanctuaries into deſolation, Levit. 26. 2, 31. This ſin ſhall deſtroy Cities, Shops as well as Gates, Sanctuaries as well as Palaces, Neceſſaries as well as Acceſſories, it ſhall lay all waſte and depopulate.
In the ſame Holy Writ we meet with God executing ſpiritual judgements upon Sabbath-breakers. In the 8th of Amos, verſ. 5. we find the Jews weary of Gods Sabbath; that was their diſguſt, which ſhould have been their delight, Iſa. 58. 13. and how doth God chaſtiſe them for this tranſgreſſion? We may read, Amos 8. 11, 12. He will ſend a famine of the Word among them. God will cure the ſurfet of his Sabbath with a famine of his precious Word: And of all judgements this is the ſoreſt. A famine of the Word, is the loſs of the beſt food, the bread of life; a ſtarving of the beſt part, the ſoul of man: a loſs which can never be compenſated, not with the treaſures Job 23. 12.of Gold and Silver; a loſs which can never be terminated, it Iſraelitae in Aſſyriorum poteſtatem erunt tradendi, inter quos ceſſare debuit quicquid ipſis reliquum erat publici cultus externi, et illud merebantur quia nihil praeter externam pompam retinuerunt. Rivet.may and will be bemoaned to all eternity. Wo, wo, wo, ſaith Luther, Where there is a Church and no Preaching Miniſter, none to break the bread of life. By ſuch a judgement, Great Cities become like dark dens, and the moſt lovely Goſhen is turned into a bruitiſh Aegypt. Where there is a famine of the Word, the Sun ſets at noon day, and the moſt magniſicent Courts are transformed into the moſt loathſome dungeons, Prov. 29. 18. Now when men ceaſe from Sabbaths, the holy and due obſervation of them, then it is juſt with the Almighty, that Sabbaths ſhould ceaſe from men; men ſinfully forget Gods Sabbaths, and God judicially cauſeth Sabbaths to be forgotten, Lam. 2. 6. And when the Sabbath of God leaves a Nation, the God of the Sabbath goes a way too; And woe to that Nation, when God departs from it, Hoſ. 9. 12. The ſin of prophaning Gods Day can wear out the very prints of Chriſt, and write Lo-Ammi upon a Kingdome, Mal. 4. 2.and Lo Ruhamah upon a City or a Family. The wiſe man Neceſſitas praedicationis ver bi, ex abſentiae ejus incommodo arguitur, populi, ſcil. nuditate, quae nuditas poteſt eſſe, ex indumentorum, aut armorum carentiâ, Cartw.ſaith, Where there is no viſion, the people periſh, Prov. 29. 18. And to this periſhing condition Sabbath-prophanation brings a people: It can chaſe Chriſt out of a Family, City or Kingdome; and when the Sun leaves us we are all in the dark. There goes a ſtory of Nazianzene, that being about to leave a place, where he preached for ſome time, a good man cries out, O Nazianzene wilt thou go away, and carry the Holy Trinity with thee? Sure it is, Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt forſake ſuch as are violatours of his Holy Day; and what then is left to the unhappy ſinner? the abſence of God ſtrips the ſoul of its Ornaments, nay, of its Ordinances, of its beauty, nay of its breaſts, and carries away divine truth, which is both its Guardian and its Nurſe.
Nay, God puniſheth the breaches of his Sabbath with eternal judgements. The great day of Gods general judgement Erit tunc ſine f…uctu poeni… tiae, dolor poenae, inanis gloriatio, et ineffi…ax deprecatio. Cypr.is now approaching, and haſtening with a ſpeedy flight; when as ſuch who ſin againſt Gods ſacred Sabbath, ſhall be condemned of the Almighty, and they who regarded not the Lords Day, ſhall not be regarded in the day of the Lord, nor of the Lord of this day, but ſhall be enforced to undergo unavoidable and intollerable calamity. O how ſweet would Mark 2. 28.one Sabbath of Reſt be from Hell torments in ten thouſand years? But this drop of water ſhall not be granted to the Luke 16. 24.miſcarrying ſinner. This day indeed draws near, when all Hieron. Epiſt. de ſcient. legis, Tom. 4.men muſt appear bofore the judgement-ſeat of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5. 10. and then anſwer for not attending on Gods holy day. O what ſhall we do, ſaith Hierome, In that day when the Lord ſhall come with trumpet ſounding, fire flaming, ſinners fainting, ſtars falling, mountanes melting, poor creatures crying to graves Chriſtus Judex appropinquat, ut veniat ad judicium, ut ſuorum gaudium compleat, et inimicorum injurias vindicet, et puniat. Anſel.to hold them, to hills to hide them? Let none then who abuſe the Lords day ſuppoſe this day is afar off, for behold ſaith the Apoſtle, The Lord comes with ten thouſands of his holy ones to execute judgement, Jude verſ. 14, 15. And the coming of the Lord draws near, ſaith another Apoſtle, James 5. 8. Nay, The day of the Lord is at hand, ſaid a third Apoſtle, Phil. 4. 5. Let all therefore who trifle away Gods bleſſed Sabbath, fear and tremble, and not like wanton Iſraelites, Amos 6. 3. put far from them the evil day. Rivet pronounces Obſtinatis autem in Sabbata peccatoribus aeternum mortem ſuiſſe denunciatam non inficias imus. Rivet.peremptorily, That to obſtinate offendours, on Gods holy day eternal death and damnation is denounced. Shortly there comes a day, when reckning muſt be made for all our ſleepy duties, cold affections, dead hearts, ſenſual meales, open prophaneneſs and ſecret hypocriſie, for all our waſts of time, and pleaſing the fleſh on Gods moſt bleſſed day; I might add, that all our formal ſervices on that day, ſhall be weighed in the ballance, and with Belſhazzar, will be found too light: And then, if Repentance and Faith in Chriſt hath not croſſed the debt, we ſhall be diſcharging it in terrours and torments to all Everlaſting.