Treatise Against the Profanation of the Lords Day, Title page – Table of contents
A SHORT TREATISE, Agaynſt the prophanation of the LORD'S DAY, Eſpeciallie By Salmond Fiſhing thereon, In tyme of Divine Service▪
MATH. xxij. 21.
GiueGive vntounto GOD that which is God's.
EZEK. xxiij. 38.
Moreover, this they hauehave done vntounto mee, — they hauehave prophaned my Sabbath.
By WILLIAM GUILD, D. D. Miniſter in ABERDENE, and Chaplane to his Majeſtie.
Printed in Aberdene, by Edward Raban, 1637.
BON ACCORD
Inſignia Ʋrbis abredoniae
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, RELIGIOUS, AND TRVE PATTERNE OF VERTVE, Sr THOMAS BVRNET OF LEYES KNIGHT, &c. And to his moſte Religious and worthie Ladie, Dame IEANE MONCRIEF, Grace and Bleſſings here, Glorie and Beatitude hereafter.
RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL,
IT is not without cauſe, that the obſervation of the LORDS Day is called, THE KEY OF RELIGION; which being neglected, the ſame ſhould quicklie decaye, and quyte periſh out of the hearts of men: and, ſo, they ſhould turne Athiestes, and become without GOD in the World. For preventing whereof, the LORD praefixed a ſpeciall Memento to the fourth Precept of His Morall Law, enjoyning men, to Remember to keepe holie the Sabbath Day; and ſubjoyning a moſte pithie reaſon thereof. But (alace!) men now vnderunder the Goſpell, are come to ſuch a degree of impietie with vsus, that, tho they hauehave a more forcible reaſon to obſerue the LORRS DAY, whereon our Saviour roſe, and brought vsus from Death, to Lyfe agayne; and which from the beginning hitherto the Chriſtian Church alſo, everie where, hath ſo religiouſlie obſerved. Yet theſe, not through oblivion, nor ignorance, but agaynſt knowne light, and wilfullie, as alſo both peartlie, and publicklie, to the high offence of GOD, and ſcandall of His People, prophane that Holie Daye, conſecrated to His Worſhip, by Salmond-Fiſhing thereon, in tyme of Divine Service; whereby GOD is depryved of His Honour, the Church of Reverence, the Common-wealth of Order, the Bodie of Reſt, the Soule of Edification, the Life of Direction, GOD'S Word of Audience, and His Law of Obedience: counting onelie their Gayne to bee Godlineſſe, and not (as the Apoſtle ſayeth) Godlineſſe to bee great Gayne: 1. Tim. 6.….and eſteeming the Word of GOD in the mouthes of His Servantes, (becauſe it croſſeth their commoditie, as it did Alexander the Copper-ſmith's) even as Pharao called it in the mouth of MOSES, for the lyke cauſe,Exod. 5.9. Vayne wordes onlie, not to be regarded; tho one day they know they ſhall bee judged thereby.
Yea, ſome are come to that hight of impietie, hating to be reformed, Pſal. 50.27.that they dare call in queſtion the verie Inſtitution, and lawfulneſſe, of the obſervation thereof, which Augustine declareth,Aug. Epist. 118. ad Ian. Inſolentiſsmae eſſe inſaniae; or, an expreſſion, & a fit, of a moſt inſolent, & audacious madneſſe; not worthie of anie modeſt anſwere.
For due informing and reclayming of whom, (if they bee not lyke Babell, which would not bee cured) I hauehave taken theſe paynes, in all louelove, and care of their ſalvation; and ſhall count it my greateſt joye, and moſt happie beſtowed travells, if heereby (beſides my preaching, and daylie prayers for them) I may fiſh, by the Nette of the Goſpell, but one Soule amongſt them, to bee obedient to the LORD; and lyke Noah, in his age, by their practiſe, to oppoſe the ſpeat of wicked and common Example. But, if not, wee that are their Paſtoures, muſt not bee quyte diſcowraged, becauſe wee ſee neyther our paynes nor preaching to prevayle; ſeeing that Noah, in cxx years, both by preaching and building the Arke lykewyſe, converted not one ſoule of the whole world to fayth and repentance; and that the Lord's Prophets hauehave beene commanded to preach, and yet it hath beene told them before-hand,Ezek. 3.4. that they ſhould not bee heard; yea, moreover,Iſai 6.10. that their doctrine ſhould harden the heartes of the hearers. But this wee ſhall doe;1. Sam. 15.35. As Samuell mourned for Saull, whom he could not mende, and as the Apoſtle bewayled thoſe that ſinned,2. Cor. 12.21. and had not repented; So our ſoules ſhall not ceaſſe to mourne for them in ſecret; and, in the meane whyle, our worke ſhall be with our God: And whether our labours bee vntounto lyfe or death to our hearers, to convert or convince them, we ſhall bee vntounto God, a ſweete ſavour in Chriſt,2. Cor. 2.15. both in them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh.
Theſe paynes, then, (Sir) I hauehave dedicated to Your Worſhip, for ſundrie reſpectes, and diverſe obliegementes mooving mee; but eſpeciallie, in regarde of that religious diſpoſition, and zealous affection, Yee hauehave to the Trueth, and hatered agaynſt ſuch enormous abuſes as this, or anie lyke wilfull & groſſe violation of Gods holy Cōmandements: with which diſpoſition, both evidently & eminently is conjoyned a patterne in Your perſon of an aſſiduous & vertuous inclination: that ſo for Religion & Policie, your W. is famous both in Church & Commonwealth; even as it was wiſhed of Boaz, that hee might doe worthilie in Ephratha, and bee famous in Bethlehem. With the conſtancie of which worthie & imitable parts,Ruth 4.1. I ſhall alſo wiſh the continuance of all true happineſſe, both with your ſelf, your moſt religious Ladie, honorable Houſe, & all Your hopefull Poſteritie; as one who ſhall ever approue himſelfe
Your Worſhips, in all due and addebted affection, WILLIAM GUILD.
THE CONTENTS.
Chapter I.
Of the occaſion of this ſhort Treatiſe. Pag. 1
Chapter II.
Of the ſtate of the Question: and first, That the Lord's publicke Worſhip is Morall; oblieging all men: and, That a certayne daye hath beene obſerved holie for the ſame in all ages. Pag. 5
Chapter III.
The manie reaſons, first, taken from Christ's honouring the Lord's day; Why all true Christians hauehave ever, and ſtill ſhould, honour the ſame. Pag. 13
Chapter IV.
The Apostles their obſervation of the Lord's daye in lyke manner: and the lyke practiſe of all Chriſtian Churches, both in their tyme, and after. Pag. 19
Chapter V.
The holie ſpeaches, and religious exhortations, of the ancient Fathers, both Greeke and Latine; or, of the Easterne & Weſterne Church, for the due keeping holie of the LORD'S Day. Pag. 25
CHAP. VI.
The Decrees of Councels, as alſo of Godlie Emperours and Princes, for the due obſervation of the Lord's Daye. Pag. 28
CHAP. VII.
The Ancient and Moderne Conſtitutions, both of our owne Church and Kingdome of Scotland, for due obſervation of the LORD'S DAY Pag. 33
CHAP. VIII.
The Ancient and Moderne Conſtitutions, both of the Church and Kingdome of ENGLAND, for due obſervation of the LORD'S DAY. Pag. 36
Chapter IX.
Howe the Lord's day is to bee obſerved, and what workes are permiſſible, or not permiſsible, thereon: And ſpeciallie, That the Salmond-fiſhing thereon is no wayes permiſsible, or lawfull. Pag. 39
CHAP. X.
What are the manie and great evills, which the prophaning of the LORD'S DAY, by Salmond-Fiſhing, produceth. Pag. 49
CHAP. XI.
The CONCLUSION, by way of a faythfull Warning from the head of the Watch-Towre, for exoneration at leaſt of our owne Soules, whom GOD hath ſet over them, who ſo prophane the LORD'S DAYE. Pag. 57
FINIS.