A26918:453
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.
And let any sober man but consider, whether with people so ignorant and averse as the most are, should he be never so diligent on the Lords day, the six days intermission be not a great cooling of affection, and a great delayer of their growth in knowledge; when they are like by the weeks end to forget all that they had learned on the Lords day. What then would these poor people come to, if the Lords day it self must be alsoloitered or played away?
And let any sober man but consider, whether with people so ignorant and averse as the most are, should he be never so diligent on the Lords day, the six dayes intermission be not a great cooling of affection, and a great delayer of their growth in knowledge; when they are like by the weeks end to forget all that they had learned on the Lords day. What then would these poor people come to, if the Lords day it self must be alsoloitered or played away?
VI. The tyranny of many Masters maketh the Lords day a great mercy to the world: For if God had not made a Law for their Rest and Liberty, abundance of worldly impious persons, would have allowed them little Rest for their bodies, and less opportunity for the good of their souls. Therefore they have cause with great thankfulness to improve the holy liberty which God hath given them, and not cast it away on play or idleness.
VII. The full improvement of the Lords days doth tend to breed and keep up an able faithful Ministry in the Churches (on which the preservation and glory of Religion much dependeth.) When there is a necessity of full Ecclesiastical performances imposed on Ministers, they are also necessitated to prepare themselves with answerable abilities and fitness. But when no more is required of them, but to read the Liturgy, or to say a short and dry Discourse, they that know no more is necessary (to their ends) are so strongly tempted to get ability and preparations for no more, that few will overcome the temptation. And therefore the World knoweth that in Muscovy, Abyssinia, and for the most part of the Greek and Armenian Churches, as nothing or little more than Reading is required, so little more ability than to Read is laboured after, And the Ministers are ordinarily so ignorant and weak, as is the scorn and decay of the Christian Religion.