A26918:450
The divine appointment of the Lords day proved as a separated day for holy…
The divine appointment of the Lords day proved as a separated day for holy worship, especially in the church assemblies, and consequently the cessation of the seventh day Sabbath : written for the satisfaction of some religious persons who are lately drawn into error or doubting in both these points / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1671
The Divine Appointment of the LORDS DAY, proved, as a separated Day… › Chapter 12
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Let the Adversaries of this day and diligence but observe, And if true experience tell not the World that more souls are Converted on the Lords days than on all other days besides, and that Religion best prospereth both as to the Number and the knowledge and serious Holiness of the professors of it, where the Lords day is carefully sanctified, rather than where Idleness and playing do make intermission, than I will confess that I am uncapable of knowing any thing of this nature by experiences. But if it be so, fight not against the common light.
Let the Adversaries of this day and diligence but observe, And if true experience tell not the World that more souls are Converted on the Lords dayes than on all other dayes besides, and that Religion best prospereth both as to the Number and the knowledge and serious Holiness of the professours of it, where the Lords day is carefully sanctified, rather than where Idleness and playing do make intermission, than I will confess that I am uncapable of knowing any thing of this nature by experiences. But if it be so, fight not against the common light.
V. The Poverty, Servitude and worldly necessities of the most, do require a strict observation of the whole Lords day. Tenants, and Labourers, Carters and Carriers, and abundance of Tradesmen are so poor, that they can hardly spare any other considerable proportion of time: much less all their Children and Servants, whose subjection, with their Parents and Masters poverty, restraineth them. Alas, they are fain to rise early and hasten to their work, and scarce have leisure to eat and sleep as nature requireth: And they are so toiled and wearied with hard labour, that if they have at night a quarter of an ⟨p. 145⟩hour to read a Chapter and Pray, they can scarce hold open their eyes from sleeping. What time hath the Minister then to come and teach them (if we had such Ministers again as would be at the pains to do it?) And what time have they to hear or learn? You must teach them on the Lords day, or scarcely at all. Almost all that they must learn, must be then learnt.