The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 49
CHAP. XLIX. Gods Tremendous Judgments executed upon thoſe who have prophaned and violated his holy Day.
WE have already ſeen by Scripture light, frowns in the face of God, wrath in the heart of God flaming in the eye of God, and a Sword in the hand of God againſt thoſe who dare pollute his holy Sabbath.
Let us now trace the methods of Providence, and ſtill more wrath and vengeance breaks out againſt the ſame Offendors; and indeed (a little to preface what is ſubſequent) The ſin of prophaning of Gods day is no ſin of ſurpriſal, but it is a deliberative offence, a ſin carried on with conſultation. Sometimes an Oath is ſworn unadviſedly, as that of Herod to Herodias her Daughter, Mark 6. 26. which coſt John the Baptiſt his life: an act of intemperance is hatched by the warmth of a temptation; he is brutified, when reaſon on a ſudden hath left its habitation: Nay, ſometimes one wounds another, and it is only a lightning of paſſion, as high Feavers ſoon run into a diſtraction. But now the violation of the Sabbath is a premeditated act, and is the leiſurely effect of a corrupt heart; it is a ſin accompanied with time to conſider, and with an enlightned mind to underſtand it. Recreations upon a Sabbath, they are no vain ſurpriſal, but ſtudied wickedneſs; ſleeping at Ordinances is a giving way to the fleſh; Riots and Surfeits on the Lords day, they are deſigned Exod. 20. 8, 9.debauchery, nothing but a ſtriking hands with Hell in cold blood; we conſult with our eaſe, when we trifle away the Sabbaths; we neglect not Ordinances on the Lords day, and court our Bed, or our Belly, inſtead of the Sanctuary, without Ezek. 22. 26.advice and debate with our ſelves; nor can the fantaſtick piece of pride, ſpend hours on Gods holy day, with the Glaſs Deut. 5. 12.and the Dreſſing-box, nay, and it may be the Box of Patches, and the Perfuming-pot, without concluding before hand they will appear to the worlds eye in the moſt flattering dreſs. Sabbath-prophanation is a ſin of knowledge and deliberation, which puts it into a ſcarlet dye; ſurely it muſt needs be a great ſin to forget that, which God bids us remember; Exod. 20. 8.to prophane that, which God biddeth us to keep holy; to labour on that day, when God bids us to reſt; and to unhallow that day, which God hath bleſſed: what is this, but to throw down the Gantlet, and to challenge God himſelf? Iſa 51. 6.God indeed hath puniſhed this ſin with the moſt ſtupendous revenges, I ſhall marſhal his dreadful executions into their ſeveral ranks, whereby we obſerving the many examples 1 Sam. 3. 11.of divine fury and indignation, we may carefully take the alarm, and ſo avoid the ſtroke, (for God uſually ſtrikes Deut. 32. 42.one, to awaken and warn another) and hearing theſe thunders, we may fly that guilt, which is purſued with ſuch Rom. 12. 19.Hue and Cries of divine diſpleaſure, and may write upon our hearts, not our phylacteries, that dreadful poſition of the Apoſtle, Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Sometimes God hath puniſhed the prophanation of his Sabbath, with conſuming the goods of the Offendor. One who carried Corn into his Barn upon the Lords day, had it all conſumed with fire from heaven, together with his houſe. A Miller likewiſe who lived at Wotton, was going forth to a Wake upon the Lords day, and coming home at Levit. 10. 2.Night found his houſe, his Mill, and all that he had, burnt down to the ground. Thus the fire of Gods wrath hath over-taken Heb. 12. 29.this ſin and great tranſgreſſion.
To add one Example more; In the year 1635, a Miller at Churchdown near Gloceſter, would needs make a Whitſon Ale, notwithſtanding the private and publick admonitions of the Miniſter, and all chriſtian friends; ſo, great proviſion was made, and Muſick was ſet out as the Miniſter and people were going to Church in the Afternoon, and when Sermon was done, the Drum beat up, the Muſick played, and the people fell on dancing until the Evening, at which time they all reſorted to the Mill: But oh, the Juſtice of God! before they had ſupped, at nine of the Clock, a ſudden fire ſeized upon the houſe which was ſo furious, that it burned down his houſe and Mill, and the moſt of all his other proviſions and houſholdſtuff: …nd moſt juſt it is, that if we commit Sacriledge, and … the time of his day, he ſhould act ſeverely, and diſpoy… … fruits of our labour; ſinners make waſte of his glory, and moſt righteous it is, God ſhould make waſte of their habitations and goods.
God for the prophanations of his Sabbath, draws a little nearer to Offendars, and ſtrikes their perſons, as ſhall be ſeen in a few inſtances.
One ſerving a Writ of Subpoena upon another, coming from Church on the Lords day, after ſome words of reproof for ſo doing, and a light anſwer thereunto, the perſon who ſerved the Writ, died in the place, without ſpeaking any more words: O the fearful and juſt judgment of the Lord! this prophane perſon himſelf was ſubpoenaed unexpectedly by a Writ he could not refuſe, to appear before Gods dreadful Tribunal.
A Graſiers Servant would needs drive his Cattle on the Lords day in the Morning from the Inne where he lay on the Saturday Night, but he was not gone a ſtones caſt from the Town, but he fell down dead ſuddenly, when he was in perfect health before: Thus the Lords day is written in dominical letters, in the blood of Tranſgreſſors who prophane it.
To add one dreadful example more; One Richard Bourn Servant to Gaſpar Birch of Ely, was ſo accuſtomed to travel on the Lords day, that he made no conſcience of it, ſ…ldom or never coming to the publick Congregation, to hear Gods word on that day, but went to St. Ives Market, where he ſtayed and ſpent the day; where being drunk, he was overtaken by Divine Juſtice, for coming home fraught with Commodities, he fell into the River and was drowned. And thus as his ſinnes did meet to provoke the Lord, viz. his Drunkenneſs and Sabbath-breaking, ſo the ſtream did meet to deſtroy and overthrow him.
Sometimes God doth not preſently cut off thoſe who prophane his day, but he puts a brand of infamy upon them, to make them a ſhame, and a terrour to themſelves, that they may be hiſſed off from the Stage of the World, and with ſelf-confounding, and horrour may go down unexpectedly to their Graves; this is verified by this ſtory.
There was an Husbandman who went to plough on the Lords day, and cleanſing his Plow with an Iron, the Iron ſtuck ſo faſt in his hand for two years, that he carried it about with him as a ſignal teſtimony of the Lords juſt diſpleaſure againſt him, and ſo he lived infamouſly in the world till he died, and made his paſſage to another world; the Iron in his hand only diſcovering the Adamant in his heart.
Sometimes God leaves thoſe who prophane his holy day to the commiſſion of prodigious evils; and ſo he puniſheth one fin with another, which is the ſoreſt puniſhment, and the ultimate effect of Divine Vengeance: for when God puniſheth Iſa. 6. 10.ſin with ſuffering, then he chaſtiſeth with Rods, but when he puniſheth ſin with ſin, then he ſcourges with Scorpions, as may be inſtanced in theſe ſucceeding ſtories.
In Helvetia near Beleſſina, Three men were playing at Mr. Clarke his examples of Divine juſtice▪Dice on the Lords day, and in their play, one called Ʋtricke Schraetorus having hopes of a good Caſt, having loſt much money before, he now expected fortune, or rather the Devil to ſuccour him, and therefore he breaks out into this horrid blaſphemy, If Fortune deceive me now, I will thruſt my Dagger into the body of God, as far as I can; And ſo with a powerful force he throws it up towards Heaven, which Dagger was never ſeen more, and immediately five drops of blood fall before them all upon the Table, and as ſuddenly came the Devil among them, and carries away this vile wretch, with ſuch a terrible and hideous noiſe, as the whole City was aſtoniſhed at it: Thoſe who remained, endeavoured to wipe off the blood, but to little purpoſe, for the more they rubbed, the more perſpicuous and viſible the blood was: Report carries it over the City, multitudes flockt to ſee this wonder, who find thoſe who had thus prophaned the Sabbath, rubbing the blood to get it out. Theſe two men who were Companions to him who was carried away by the Devil, were by the Decree of the Senate bound in Chains, and as they were leading to priſon, one of them was ſuddenly ſtruck dead, and from his whole body, a wonderful number of worms and vermine was ſeen to crawl. The City thus terrified with Gods judgments, and to the intent that God might be glorified, and a future vengeance averted from the place, they cauſed the third Offendor, one of the gaming Companious to be forthwith put to death; And they cauſed the Table with the drops of blood upon it, to be preſerved as a Monument of Gods wrath againſt this ſin, thus this blaſted Rom. 11. 33.Table like Lots wife, was a ſtanding warning-piece, to cauſe all to take heed of Sabbath-breaking, and ingratitude.Luke 17. 32.
At Simsbury in Dorſetſhire, One rejoycing at the erecting of a Summer-Pole on a Lords day, He ſaid he would go ſee it, though he went through a quick-ſet hedge; Going with wood in his arms, to caſt into the Bonefire, prophanely uttered theſe words, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory O Lord; he was immediately overtaken by the ſtroke of God, and in two or three hours died and his wife alſo. And thus as God once puniſhed Pharaoh with hail mixed with fire, ſo he Exod. 9. 24.hath puniſhed the prophanation of his day with ſin and judgment joyntly, with leaving the Offendor to vile ſins, overtaking the Offendor with ſore ſmarts, that his burdens Exod. 5. 7.like thoſe of the Iſraelites in Egypt, might be doubled.
Sometimes God puniſheth the prophanation of his Sabbath with executing vengeance on great numbers: God hath not decimated ſuch ſinners, but deſtroyed them in the lump, as may be verified in theſe enſuing ſtories.
Fourteen youths adventuring to play at Foot-ball on the River Trent upon the Lords day, when it was, as they Mr. Bernard on the Sabbath. Mr. London in Gods Judgments on Sabbath-breakers. Jan. 13. 1583.thought, very hard frozen, meeting at laſt together in a ſhove, the Ice brake, and they were all drowned.
At the Bear-Garden in Southwark on a Sabbath-day in the Afternoon, many perſons preſſing on the Scaffold to ſee the ſport, forced it ſuddenly down, with which fall, eight were killed, and many ſpoiled in their bodies, who died ſoon after. Nullus die ſolis ſpectaculum praebeat, nec divinam venerationem, conſecta ſolennitate conſundat. Valent. Grat.And by the way let me obſerve, This ſeeing of Shews upon the Lords day was complained of above 1200 years ago, and Edicts ſet out againſt it by the Emperors Valentinian and Gratian; the early zeal of the Primitive Chriſtians took notice of this deteſtable and prodigious practice.
God ſometimes takes away Sabbath-breakers immediately by his own hand, as may be ſeen in theſe inſtances:
A Fellow near Brinkley in Eſſex, uſually coming home late from his ſports on the Lords day, his good Miſtris reproving him for it; one Sabbath he goes to a Chalk-pit to work with another man, and tells him, he uſed to vex his Miſtris for his ſports on the Sabbath, but now he would vex her worſe with his work, which words were no ſooner ſpoken, but Juſtice ſeizes upon him, for the earth fell upon him, and he ſtirred no more, but preſently died. Thus the Numb. 16. 32, 33.Lord by his own hand cut off this Miſcreant wretch, and threw him into Corah, Dathan, and Abirams Grave. Let me add another dreadful example:
One Sabbath-day in the Afternoon, a Match at Foot-ball Doctor Twiſſe on the Sabbath.was made in Bedfordſhire; as two of the company were tolling the Bell to call the reſt together, ſome that ſate in the Church-porch heard a terrible noiſe, as a clap of Thunder, and they ſaw a flaſh of Lightning coming through an obſcure Lane, which flaſhed in their faces to their terrour and amazement, and the Lightning paſſing on to thoſe who were tolling, it trips up the heels of the one, and leaves him ſtark dead, and ſo blaſted the other, that he died within a few days. Thus the ſwift Meſſengers of Divine wrath overtook thoſe incautelous ſinners, and blaſted them in the middeſt of their preſumptuous impieties. Lightning from heaven teſtifies againſt the deeds and facts of Hell.
At Dover the ſame day the Book of ſports was read in St. James Pariſh, one prophanely went to play upon a Kit, which drew a multitude of people, eſpecially of the younger ſort together: But oh the terrour of the Lord, this prophane perſon was ſtruck by a divine hand, and in two days died. duplicate page duplicate page Thus daring ſinners by an unexpected doom are folded up in their duſt to awaken others, that they may not adventure upon the ſame impieties.
A Vintner who was a great ſwearer and drunkard, as he Mr. Clarke his examples of divine juſticewas ſtanding at his door upon the Lords day with a pot of wine in his hand to invite his gueſts, was by the wonderful juſtice and power of God carryed into the Air with a whirlwinde, and never ſeen or heard of more. How ſoon can the word of God make the creature, and how ſuddenly can the winde of God deſtroy the ſinner. Let us read and tremble.
Sometimes God revenges the prophanation of his day mediately by the hand of others; as may be verified in this enſuing ſtory.
Not far from Dorceſter lived one widow Jones, whoſe Son Richard upon the Lords day (notwithſtanding all the perſwaſions and admonitions of his good Mother) did with his companions go to Stoake to play; where after he had done, and drank freely with his company, they return home, and by the way fall out; whereupon John Edwards one of the company ſtabbed this Richard Jones under the left rib, whereof at ſeven of the clock the next night he died. Thus every thing becomes a ſword, even a companion to deſtroy a preſumptuous Sabbath-breaker.
One diſpoſed to ſin and debauchery would needs keep an Ale in the Church-houſe on the Lords day: But O the ſeverity and formidable juſtice of God! At night his youngeſt Son was taken Priſoner for ſtealing of a purſe out of anothers pocket while he lay drunk in the ſaid Church-houſe, and the week enſuing his eldeſt Son was ſtabbed to death. Thus Sabbath-prophanation blaſts families as well as perſons, and plucks down the houſe upon the ſinners head.
Sometimes God leaves the ſinner who prophanes his day to deſtroy himſelf: When God in patience ſuſpends the execution of his own hand, and in pity reſtrains others, that they ſhall not deſtroy the Sabbath-breaker, then he himſelf becomes his own murderer: And when he is not with Aarons Sons deſtroyed by God himſelf, Levit. 10. 2. Nor is he with Senacherib ſlain by others, Iſa. 37. 37, 38. Then with Saul in rage and deſpair he falls upon his own ſword, 1 Sam. 31. 4.
One Richard Clark was drunk in company with one Henry Parram on the Lords day, to whom he ſaid, he would either hang or drown himſelf, deſirous to know which was beſt, but Parram replyed, he hoped he would do neither. May 31. 1634.But oh the judgment of the Lord! eſpecially upon thoſe who prophane his day: For on Monday morning he was ſeen going through the Town, as if he was going about his maſters buſineſs, and having got up into the midſt of a tree without the town, He did there hang himſelf. Thus Achitophels doom was this mans death, and as diſappointment ſent the one, ſo Guilt, Sabbath guilt ſent the other to his place.
God for the prophaning of his holy day takes away ſinners in the very act of their ſin, as may be obſerved in theſe enſuing ſtories.
Some boys of St. Albans going into Verulams pond to ſwim upon the Lords day, one of them was drowned, and another very narrowly eſcaped.
Two young men of St. Dunſtans in the Weſt London, going Septemb. 1635.to ſwim on the Lords day, were both drowned. Thus neither the tenderneſs of youth, nor the ſutableneſs of the recreation can apologize for the great ſin of Sabbath-breaking: God will be ſanctified by, or upon all Chriſtians for Levit. 10. 3.their carriage or miſcarriage upon his ſacred Sabbath.
God executeth vengeance upon the very Heathens for the abuſe of his day. Natures light might induce us to keep a ſolemn day for the worſhip of God, and if that light be damped by prophaneneſs, God obſerves, and will revenge that ſin.
It is recorded of Pompey, the great Roman, that he ſhrunk under the depreſſion of Gods ſore diſpleaſure for prophaning Gods Sabbath and Sanctuary: And this ſtory is related by an Corn. Tacit.Heathen too. Among the very Heathens there is a Veneration obſervable in Gods holy Sabbath.
God executes his vengeance upon the greateſt perſons for the prophanation of his day.
The Centuriatours of Magdeburg tell us of one of the Kings of Denmark, who when he contrary to the admonition of the Prieſts (who deſired him to defer it) would needs on a Lords day go to battel with his enemy, he was ſlain in the Centur. Magdeburg. Hiſtor. Cent. 12.fight: Thus juſtice and revenge in its triumphs over this ſin, can reach the Scepter as well as the ſpade.
Nicanor a great Commander of Syria engaging againſt the Jews in battel upon the Sabbath, ſuppoſing that was a time in which they would not fight, and ſo it would facilitate his victory, he falls and dies in the battel, and his head Macchab. 2. 28, 30.was cut off, and his hand and his ſhoulder, and they are brought with joy to Hieruſalem, 2 Macchab. 15. 2, 28, 30. Valour cannot withſtand Gods ſtroke, when his Sabbath is contemned, and defied by preſumptuous ſinners; nor can the blindneſs of paganiſm extenuate or apologize for the ſin.
God puniſheth the prophanation of his day with prodigious and monſtrous births, that his vengeance may be written in a fairer, and more legible Character, as may be ſeen in this ſtory.
A great man uſing every Lords day to hunt in Sermon time, had a child by his wife, with a head like a dog, and it Theatr. Hiſtor.cryed like a hound; and it had ears and chaps like the forementioned beaſt. This monſtrous ſin is moſt juſtly puniſhed with a monſtrous birth, to make good that of holy Job; John 4. 8.Job 4. 8. Even as I have ſeen, they who plough iniquity and ſow wickedneſs, reap the ſame.
God ſometimes puniſheth the prophaning of his day in the poſterity of the offendor, as may be ſeen in the enſuing ſtories.
On the Sabbath in the afternoon at Twickenham in Middleſex, the people being much given to May-games, they May the 14. 1626.aſſembled to take down the May-pole, and as they were taking it down, one of the Church-Wardens wives was with her young child in her arms, within her own gate looking upon them. But whilſt ſhe was looking on, one of the greateſt ropes failed and broke, and the pole fell down upon the pale that parted the gate and the ſtreet, and the upper end of the pole with the fall lapped over, and ſtruck the child on the head in it mothers arms and killed it. Thus little children, who knew not the ſin, yet muſt die for it. Let this ſtory be annexed.
A vain and wanton maid hired on the Lords day a fellow to go to the next town to fetch thence a minſtrel, that ſhe and others might dance and be merry, but ſhe committing lewdneſs that night with one of her companions, proved with child, And at the time of its birth ſhe murthers it, and ſo was hanged for the murther, confeſſing, and mournfully acknowledging at the time of her death, That the occaſion of her great miſery, was her prophanation of the Lords day. Thus this crimſon ſin o… Sabbath-breaking, can cut off root and branch, and purſue with ruine and ſhame the actors of it, and all thoſe who are entangled in it.
God overtakes thoſe who prophane his bleſſed day oftentimes with ſudden death, and ſhoots no warning-pi…ces to ſummon them to prepare for their departure out of this world, to his own d…eadful and tremendous Tribunal, as may be ſeen in theſe following ſtories.
A Tailor of Buntingford being a nimble and active man, dwelling at the upper end of the town, in a bravado would go to the other end to buy ſome meat before morning prayer, but coming home with both his hands full, in the midſt of the ſtreet he fell down ſtark dead, Dr. Teate was an eye-witneſs of his fall and burial: Oh what ſwift deſtruction purſues this curſed ſin!
A townſman of Watford going to gather Cherries on the Lords day, fell from the tree, and in the fall was battered and bruiſed inſomuch that he never ſpake more, but lay groaning in his bloud till the next day, and then he dyed.
A company of prophane young men near Salisbury, upon the Lords day in the morning went to Claringdon Park to cut down a May-pole, and having loaden a Cart with the tree, and themſelves with the bitter fruits of ſin, they are ſeverely puniſhed by the hand of God, for entring into the Mr. Clarks examples.City of Salisbury through a place called Milners Barnes, unawars the Cart turns, and ſtruck one of the Sabbath-breakers ſuch a mortal blow, that his brains flew out, and there dyed on the place. This ſtory was atteſted by divers godly perſons living in the City of Salisbury to a Reverend Miniſter who made enquiry about it.
One at Ham nigh Kingelone going on the Lords day to viſit his grounds, where finding ſome cattel grazing which were not his own, and running to drive them out, he fell down and dyed ſuddenly upon the place. Thus Gods angry eye is ſeconded by his revenging hand, he ſees and ſtrikes together, and they who will not keep a day, ſhall not live an hour.
God puniſheth the prophanation of his Sabbath with painful and tormenting death, as may be exemplified in theſe ſtories.
At Tidworth on the Lords day, many were met in the Church-yard to play at foot-ball, where one of this wicked company had his leg broken, which by a ſecret judgement of the Lord, ſo feſtered, that it turned into a gangrene in deſpight of all means uſed, and ſo in pain and terror he gave up the Ghoſt and dyed. For the ſin of Sabbath-breaking God embitters his very executions; and the offendor muſt not only die, but he muſt die upon the rack.
One gathering fruit on the Lords day, fell from the tree, and was ſo hurt, That he lay in anguiſh and dreadful dolour all the week till Sabbath day, and then he ended his miſerable life. Thus God puts Gall and Wormwood into the Cup of thoſe who prophane his bleſſed day.
God ſometimes ſtops thoſe who prophane his Sabbath in their carier and proceeds of ſin, as is ſeen in this following ſtory.
One Mr. Ameredith, a Gentleman of Devonſhire being recovered from a pain he had in his feet; one of his friends ſaid, he was glad to ſee him ſo nimble; the Gentleman replies, he hoped he ſhould not be fruſtrated of his expectation in dancing about the May-pole the next Sunday: But behold the juſtice of God in his juſt puniſhments of ſuch vain and ſinful reſolutions; for the Lord preſently ſmote him with ſuch feebleneſs and faintneſs of heart, ere he ſtirred from the place where he was, and likewiſe with ſuch a great and unuſal dizzineſs in the head, that he was forced to be led home, and from thence to his laſt home, before the Lords day ſhone upon him. Thus the very intentions of acting this ſin, were dreadfully and ſtrangely puniſhed, God puniſhed this ſin in the Embryo of it, while it lay onelyonly in the Womb of a reſolution.
God puniſhes the moſt inconſiderable breaches of his holy day, as may be obſerved in the enſuing ſtory.
Two Brethren on the Lords day in the Forenoon, came to an Uncle they had to dine with him, they living in a Market-Town not far off; after Dinner they took horſe again, but had not gone far, but one of the horſes fell down dead, and theſe Brethren going back again to their Uncles houſe, put the other horſe into the Stable, and within an hour or two, that horſe likewiſe died in the place. Thus the inſenſible beaſt ſhall bear the burden of mans ſin, and Sabbath-prophanation Rom 8 22.ſhall be branded upon the bruit creatures.
We have known, ſaith Ludovicus Pius the German Emperour, Didicimus queſdam in hoc die opera ruralia exercentes, fu…mine interemptos, quoſdam artuum contractione multatos, quoſdam viſibili igne obſumptos & ſub…to in cinerem reſolutos o…cubuiſſe. Proinde neceſſe eſt, &c. Lud. P.in one of his Declarations, Some buſied in works of husbandry on the Lords-day, to have been ſlain with lightning, ſome puniſhed with contraction of Limbs, ſome conſumed with viſible fire, and on a ſudden turned into aſhes, and ſo to have periſhed in a judicial way: wherefore it is a neceſſary duty that in the firſt place Prieſts, then Kings, Princes, and all faithful perſons do moſt devoutly exhibit due obſervation and reverence unto this day.
We may obſerve in this Edict of this worthy Prince, not unfitly called Pius, that the Crimes committed on this day, were onelyonly ruſtical works, which might eaſily meet with an Apologie, and lay a ſpecious claim to a diſpenſation, yet the judgments mentioned are fearful and tremendous: And the uſe this noble Emperour makes of theſe doleful Providences, is moſt excellent and commendable, becoming the Throne of Majeſty, a fit Motto for Princes Courts, and Kings Pallaces, Luke 7. 25.where holy zeal would be as genuine and proper as ſoft Rayment, and to live piouſly as becoming, as to live delicate…y.
God for the prophaning of his Sabbath, hath poured forth wrath upon whole Towns and Corporations; as may be abundantly teſtified by theſe enſuing Inſtances.
G…gorius Thronenſis who lived a thouſand years ſince and upward, in the end of the fifth Century according to Greg. Turon.Beliarmines Chronology, this learned man a verred, That for the diſhonour done to the Lords day, fire from Heaven burn…d …oth men and houſes in the Town of Lim…ges in France.
But to come nearer home, at Tiverton in Devonſhire, which was often admoniſhed of the prophanation of the Lords day, which day was very much polluted by their An. Dom. 1598.keeping a Market the day following, and notwithſtanding they would not reform; preſently after the Miniſters death, upon the third of April, 1598, a ſu…den fire from Heaven conſumeth the whole Town in leſs than half an hour, excepting onelyonly the Church, Court-houſe, and Alms-houſe; and in this fire was conſumed four hundred dwelling houſes, and fifty perſons were deſtroyed: The ſame Town fourteen years after on the fifth of Augu…t 1612. for the ſame ſin was wholly conſumed, excepting ſome thirty poor peoples houſes, the School-houſe, and the Alms-houſe. Thus God redoubled his wrath, as he did Pharaohs Dream, Gen. 41. 32.to confirm this great Truth, viz That Sabbath prophanation is a crying and God-provoking ſin, and ſhall be purſued with the ſevereſt extremity.
Stratford upon Avon was twice on fire, and both times on the Lords day, whereby it was almoſt conſumed, and chiefly for prophaning that bleſſed day, and contemning the Theſe two Inſtances are cited by Biſhop Baily.word of God out of the mouth of his faithful Miniſters. And is it not juſt, that Market-Towns ſhould be laid waſte, where the Souls Market-day is deſpiſed and prophaned? And it is no wonder, if we make Gods day the ſtage of ſin, if he make our houſes the fuel of wrath.
God hath brought ruine upon Churches for the ſacrilegious abuſe of his holy Sabbath; the blow which was firſt given to the German-Churches was on the Lord… day, which was too careleſly obſerved among them; and on that day Prague Mr. Sheph.in Bohemia was loſt, a fatal loſs, which filled the Papiſts with fury and rage, and cauſed the true Profeſſors of Religion to rowl in aſhes. Thus Sabbath-prophanation paved the way to their enſuing and intolerable miſeries.
The prophanation of Gods day hath blaſted whole Kingdoms, and populous Nations. The Council of Matiſcon imputed the irruption of the Goths into the Empire, to the prophanation of the Sabbath: Germany may now ſee, that one great cauſe of their late trouble was, that the Sabbath wanted its reſt in the days of their quietneſs; and many moderate men have thought, that the abuſe of the Lords day was a principal procurer of Gods anger, ſince poured forth upon poor England, in a long, tedious, and bloody War; and ſuch obſerved that our Fights of greateſt importance were fought on the Lords day, As the Fight at Edgehill, Newbury, &c. as pointing at our ſin in the puniſhment, and Gods wrath was written in Dominical letters: And it is remarkable, that Edgehill Fight which was fought on the Sabbath-day, firſt brake the Peace, and made an irreconcilable breach between the two contending Parties. Indeed God is very jealous of his own bleſſed day, which when men dare to prophane, it is not in populous Towns to watch againſt, nor in City-Gates, to ſhut out, nor in mighty Kingdoms to reſiſt, or beat back his furious and ſevere indignation. Therefore let all the premiſed Examples in their ſeveral varieties cauſe us to walk with all due circumſpection, and to keep Gods holy day with juſt ſolemnity and holy devoti…n, and ſo we may ſecure our ſelves againſt theſe heavy ſtrokes, which have broken others Jer. 19 11.like a Potters veſſel.