The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

Now the Lord shows what is to be done on the sabbath day, namely we must keep it holy? it is not enough to forbear our own work, and so to keep it idly, but we must be as careful to do Gods work, and so to keep it holy. Hence then we learn this doctrine, that the sabbath must be employed in holy exercises, it must not be a bare rest, but a sanctified rest, so ceasing from worldly things, as that we be taken up in heavenly things, for idleness is a sin every day, but much more on the sabbath. No man hath allowance in gods word to spend any time idly, but it is a damnable sin in the week days, much less are we warranted to spend Gods time unprofitably and idly; of the twain it were better leave ⟨image 79⟩ones own work undone, upon ones own days permitted for his labour, then Gods work on Gods day appointed for his service.

NOw the Lord shewes what is to bee done on the sabboth day, namely wee must keepe it holy? it is not inough to forbeare our owne worke, and so to keepe it idly, but wee must bee as carefull to doe Gods worke, and so to keepe it holy. Hence then wee learne this doctrine, that the sabboth must bee imployed in holy exercises, it must not bee a bare rest, but a sanctified rest, so ceasing from worldly things, as that we be taken vp in heauenly things, for idlenes is a sin euery day, but much more on the sabboth. No man hath alowance in gods word to spend any time idly, but it is a damnable sin in the weeke daies, much lesse are we warranted to spend Gods time vnprofitablie and idly; of the twaine it were better leaue ⟨image 79⟩ones owne worke vndone, vpon ones owne daies permitted for his labour, then Gods worke on Gods daie appointed for his seruice.

Now the reasons why this must be spent only in holy exercises, are taken from the ill effects that will follow if we do not spend it in these works. These ill effects we shall see in Exod. 31. 12. Where God commands them that they should abstain from all works, and keep it an holy, for if they do work even in making garments and things for the temple, which seemed to pertain to god, much more in things of their own, these two evils will follow, first they shall die the death, their life shall be taken away, they must die a natural death, and then secondly they must be cut off from their people, j. be subject to the curse of God, and be cast off from the people of God, by solemn excommunication. These be the punishments of polluting the Sabbath, no small punishments; and these God doth execute daily even among us, for though the law of the land takes not hold on such persons to put them to death, yet God gives them over to commit some sin which mans law punisheth with death, and the first cause of all and that at which God strikes, and which their own soul feels most heavy, as appears by the daily complaints, when they be brought to execution, is, that they never regarded the sabbath, had no care to hear Gods word, & to spend the day in duties of religion, & in prayer, but followed after vanity, and their own lust, and therefore God meets with them. And though the minister cannot by law excommunicate them and cast them out of the congregation, yet God excommunicates them, that in the harts of Gods people they be as heathen men, their souls are cut of from the church, they have no life of grace, no fruit or working of the word and sacraments, more then of any idle tale, and profane story, no grace wrought by it, no death of sin, no hope nor desire of heaven, but live as beasts; no recourse to God in Christ Jesus, nor no virtue that they draw from Christ, so that indeed they do not live in Christ, but are dead in their spirit, while they