Treatise Against the Profanation of the Lords Day, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the occaſion of this ſhort Treatiſe.
THE LORD (as Hee teſtifieth by His Prophet) hath ſett His Servants, as watchmen vponupon the head of the watch-tower, Ezek. 3….7.to heare the word at His Mouth, and to warne His People from Him. And if they ſpeake not, to warne the wicked from his way, that wicked man ſhall die in his iniquitie, but his blood will the Lord requyre at their hands. Therefore (ſaid the Lord to IEREMIE) Speake vntounto this people all that I command thee, Ier. 15.10.and bee not diſmayde at their faces, leſt I confound thee before them. And to ISAI, Crye aloude, Iſai 58.1.and ſpare not; lift vp thy voyce as a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſsion, and the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes.
The like neceſſitie of obedience and ſtraytneſſe of injunction lying in lyke-manner vponupon vsus, who are the LORD'S Rememberancers in the Citie of ABERDENE, moveth vsus (as we are commanded alſo) Not to holde our peace, Iſai 62.6.not keepe ſilence: but as wee would avoyd that Woe which is denounced agaynſ… them who doethe worke of the LORD negligentlie, and eſchew that dreadful puniſhment of vnfaithfull ſervants, a… we would not lykwyſe betray the ſoules of men by our fraudful ſilence, and draw the guilt of their blood vponupon our owne heads; knowing therefore the weight of our Charge, the terror of the LORD, and ſtraytneſſe of our account; and ſeeing men wilfullie agaynſt cleare light, walke in a bolde way of wicked tranſgreſſion, and an open prophanation of the LORD'S day, by Salmond-fiſhing thereon, in the time of divine Service; we are inforced, and by the conſcience of our Calling,Ier. 20.8. conſtrained to crye out with IEREMIE, vponupon violence & ſpoyle; even the violent ſpoyling of the Lord of the Day of His ſolemne & publicke worſhip, altho the word of the Lord ſhould bee vntounto vsus, as it was to him, a reproach, and in deriſion daylie.
For true it is, that tho wee hauehave prevailed with ſome who hauehave promiſed to forbeare this prophanation, yet of others hitherto wee hauehave had the lyke cauſe to crye our with ISAI, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arme of the LORD revealed? And to regrate that ſundrie come vntounto vsus,Ezek. 33.31. (as in EZEKIELS time they did to him) and ſit before vsus, as GODS people, and heare our words, but they will not doe them, for their heart goeth after their covetouſneſſe. Ier. 44.16It is true lykewyſe, that others are ſo bolde, as to ſay plainlie in this with thoſe rebellious IEWES which dwelt in AEGYPT and PATHROS, as they anſwered IEREMIE, ſaying, As for the word that thou haſt ſpoken to vsus in the Name of the LORD, wee will not hearken to thee: and lyke the people in AMOS time,Amos 5.10. that they hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhorre him that ſpeaketh vprightlie. Yet this ſhalbe our comfort, that tho wee plow vponupon the rocke, and the bellowes bee burnt, the lead conſumed in the fire, and the founder hauehave melted in vaine; notwithſtanding, Ezek. 2.5.our worke ſhall bee with our GOD. And they whether they will heare, or whether they will forbeare, yet ſhall they know, that there hath beene Prophets amongſt them; and wee ſhall hauehave this for our joy, that wee may ſay with the Apoſtle, and take men and Angels to record,Act. 24.26. that we are free from the blood of all men.
And which thing the more amply alſo to witnes to the world, and for evidenc… to future poſteritie, as by voyce we hau… frequentlie cryed out agaynſt the haynouſneſſe of this bold iniquitie; ſo now by writ I hauehave intended to cleare the equitie of our Challenge, detect the greatneſſe of this ſinne, fore-warne faithfullie of the danger, enforce obedience on the conſcience, vſe all meanes of reclayming, and approue our ſelues to the conſcience of all men, but eſpeciallie to our owne, and to Him who is greater than the conſcience, that wee may hauehave joy in the day of our account.