A37049:1055
A37049:1055
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
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.
11. As soon as ye can win, go in secret, and seek to have these things fastened and riveted betwixt God and you, and let that be your first work, and let the little time that interveneth betwixt the diets of public worship till you return, be spent suitable to the day and the end of the duties thereof.
11. As soon as ye can win, go in secret, and seek to have these things fastned and riveted betwixt God and you, and let that be your first work, and let the little time that interveneth betwixt the diets of publick worship till you return, be spent sutable to the day and the end of the duties thereof.
12. When all the public wo ship is ended, then ye would do according to the preceding tenth Direction; ye would withal retire a while in secret, and reflect on your carriage in public, and also see what good may be gotten of the d •y, and if there be any misses, neglects, or failings observed (as if there be a diligent search there will no doubt be) then be humbled, seek pardon through Christ, and resolve through grace to help these afterward; consider what was said, and like the noble Boreans, Acts 17. put it to the trial for your confirmation, by your considering and examining the Scriptures cited or spoken of; and endeavour yet more to have your hearts affected in secret with them.
12. When all the publick vvo •ship is ended, then ye would do according to the preceding tenth Direction; ye would withal retire a while in secret, and reflect on your carriage in publick, and also see what good may be gotten of the d •y, and if there be any misses, neglects, or failings observed (as if there be a diligent search there will no doubt be) then be humbled, seek pardon through Christ, and resolve through grace to help these afterward; consider what was said, and like the noble Boreans, Acts 17. put it to the tryal for your confirmation, by your considering and examining the Scriptures cited or spoken of; and endeavour yet more to have your hearts affected in secret with them.
13. Then call your Families and come together after secret seeking of God, and 1. be inquiring of one another what is remembered, that all being put together, ye may be helpful by your memories one to another; 2. ye would do this, not as if it were enough to tell over the words, but that the Doctrines and their Uses may be fixed, and ye affected with them; Therefore 3. ye would do this with other duties of reading, singing, and spiritual conference, as the occasion of it shall offer, with prayer to God before and after, being thus exercised till ye go again in secret to close the day as ye began.
13. Then call your Families and come together after secret seeking of God, and 1. be inquiring of one another what is remembred, that all being put together, ye may be helpful by your memories one to another; 2. ye would do this, not as if it were enough to tell over the vvords, but that the Doctrines and their Uses may be fixed, and ye affected vvith them; Therefore 3. ye vvould do this vvith other duties of reading, singing, and spiritual conference, as the occasion of it shall offer, vvith prayer to God before and after, being thus exercised till ye go again in secret to close the day as ye began.
14. Duties of Charity would be done, contributions made liberally according to our ability, and relief sent to others as we know their need; which also would be inquired after.
14. Duties of Charity vvould be done, contributions made liberally according to our ability, and relief sent to others as vve knovv their need; vvhich also vvould be inquired after.
15. Endeavour to have the heart in a right frame to close the day with; reflecting on our carriage throughout it, fearing to lye down with guilt unpardoned, and without some special fruit of the duties of the day; haste not to go to rest sooner that night then on other nights, on design that you may be sooner at work the next day; which smelleth strong of wearying of the Sabbath, and of longing to have it at an end, of which the Lord complained of old, Amos 8.5. study to lye down with thoughts as you arose, levy •g your selves in his arms, with respect to the eternal Sabbath that is coming.
15. Indeavour to have the heart in a right frame to close the day vvith; reflecting on our carriage throughout it, fearing to lye dovvn vvith guilt unpardoned, and vvithout some special fruit of the duties of the day; haste not to go to rest sooner that night then on other nights, on design that you may be sooner at vvork the next day; vvhich smelleth strong of vvearying of the Sabbath, and of longing to have it at an end, of vvhich the Lord complained of old, Amos 8.5. study to lye dovvn vvith thoughts as you arose, leavi •g your selves in his arms, vvith respect to the eternal Sabbath that is coming.
3. When the Sabbath is past, and the next day cometh, cast not by all thoughts of it instantly, but begin your work as having just now ended the Sabbath, fearing to let the relish of it wear away; and endeavouring in your carriage through the Week to retain the stamp and impression of it; especially beware to go to your Callings with a Sabbath days gu •ltiness on you; O endeavour by all means to have that removed! and all the Week through have one eye to the Sabbath past, and another to the Sabbath coming, having still that sounding in your ears, remember the Sabbath, or the Lords day, to keep it holy; dieting your souls, as it were, all along the Week, for a course of communion with God in the duties of the next Sabbath.
3. When the Sabbath is past, and the next day cometh, cast not by all thoughts of it instantly, but begin your vvork as having just novv ended the Sabbath, fearing to let the relish of it vvear avvay; and indeavouring in your carriage through the Week to retain the stamp and impression of it; especially bevvare to go to your Callings vvith a Sabbath dayes gu •ltiness on you; O indeavour by all means to have that removed! and all the Week through have one eye to the Sabbath past, and another to the Sabbath coming, having still that sounding in your ears, remember the Sabbath, or the Lords day, to keep it holy; dieting your souls, as it vvere, all along the Week, for a course of communion vvith God in the duties of the next Sabbath.
It vvill be now easy to know when this command is transgressed (which was the sixth way proposed of considering the sanctification of the Sabbath, to wit, oppositively or negatively) which is done 1. by committing any thing contrary to the rest or sanctification of it; 2. by omitting any of the things which are required for the right sanctifying of it; 3. by an unsuitable frame of heart as to the due manner of performing any of these duties required.
It vvill be novv easie to knovv vvhen this command is transgressed (vvhich vvas the sixth vvay proposed of considering the sanctification of the Sabbath, to vvit, oppositively or negatively) which is done 1. by committing any thing contrary to the rest or sanctification of it; 2. by omitting any of the things which are required for the right sanctifying of it; 3. by an unsutable frame of heart as to the due manner of performing any of these duties required.
We will find the weight of this command yet more fully, by considering its reasons how it's explicated and pressed: This is done 1. by laying down the equity and extent of it, v. 9.10. 2. by pressing it from God's example.
As to the first, v. 9. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work: These words may be looked on 1. As an obliging concession, which is indeed very liberal; as if the Lord had said, all days are mine, yet I have given thee Six to do all thy work and labour that thou hast to do, therefore give me the Seventh. It is but a small retribution for Six to return a Seventh. 2. As a restriction, thou shalt do whatever work thou hast to do within the Six days, but none of it on the Seventh. 3. As a command whereby God distributeth our time, and commandeth Six for our work, and the Seventh for his: And thus these words forbid idleness, and command lawful diligence in these Six days; which we conceive here to be implied,
As to the first, v. 9. Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work: These words may be looked on 1. As an obliging concession, which is indeed very liberal; as if the Lord had said, all dayes are mine, yet I have given thee Six to do all thy work and labour that thou hast to do, therefore give me the Seventh. It is but a small retribution for Six to return a Seventh. 2. As a restriction, thou shalt do whatever work thou hast to do within the Six dayes, but none of it on the Seventh. 3. As a command whereby God distributeth our time, and commandeth Six for our work, and the Seventh for his: And thus these words forbid idleness, and command lawful diligence in these Six dayes; which we conceive here to be implyed,
1. Because God is not carving out what time we may be idle in, but what time we should employ in our own lawful works as well as in his; for it cannot be thought that he giveth us Six to be idle on; It must therefore be to work on, seeing as our life should be taken up in doing either what more immediately concerneth our selves, or what more immediately concerneth God; so the scope of this command being to proportion our time betwixt these two, what is allowed for either of them, must imply an improving of it for that very end. 2. The opposition also will confirm this; These Six days are to be applied to our work, as the Seventh is to be applied to Gods, which is more then a permission, and if the negative part be imperative, in it thou shalt not work, then the positive, Six days shalt thou work, may well be understood ⟨p. 296⟩so also. 3. Gods example will press it, for we are to follow it, not only in resting on the Seventh, but also in working in the Six days as he did. 4. Working these Six days cometh in as a mean to further and fit for the sanctification of the Seventh, for so a man putteth by his business, and has the more freedom for the rest on the Seventh, whereas idleness often sinfully necessitateth to the breach of it, and to a desire that it may be gone, Amos 8.5. And thus idleness is reproved here, and diligence commanded under one consideration, to wit, as the remove of the former and practise of the later do capacitate us to give God his due on his own day when it cometh: Even as they are also included in the eighth Command, Thou shalt not steal; for as idleness becometh a snare and temptation to a man to steal, and hindereth him from works of Charity and suitable diligence in the works of his lawful Calling, readily preventeth the one, and capacitateth for the other; So is it here, for it's not unusual that the same sin and duty may be forbidden and commanded in diverse commands upon diverse considerations; And this agreeth well both with the words and scope of this command. And 5. according to the holy and wise economy of Gods goodness, our labour may be commanded to make his rest to be to us the more relishing and refreshing.
1. Because God is not carving out what time we may be idle in, but what time we should imploy in our own lawful works as well as in his; for it cannot be thought that he giveth us Six to be idle on; It must therefore be to work on, seeing as our life should be taken up in doing either what more immediately concerneth our selves, or what more immediately concerneth God; so the scope of this command being to proportion our time betwixt these two, what is allowed for either of them, must imply an improving of it for that very end. 2. The opposition also will confirm this; These Six dayes are to be applyed to our work, as the Seventh is to be applyed to Gods, which is more then a permission, and if the negative part be imperative, in it thou shalt not work, then the positive, Six dayes shalt thou work, may well be understood
The tenth Verse containeth three things for explication, 1. The Lords claim of the Seventh day, as having reserved that to himself, it's his, it's to him, and by him, and for him separated from other days. 2. A consequent flowing from this; Therefore that day is not to be employed to any of our own works, no not the least, No manner of work, no word, no thought nor deed of any such sort under whatsoever pretext beside the excepted cases. 3. It's extension as to all relations, so to all ranks, Parent and Child, Master and Servant, &c. yea, It's thou for thy self, and for all thou hast the oversight and charge of, Sons, Servants, Strangers, yea, and Beasts, not that they are capable of sanctifying a day more then the Beasts in Nineveh were of religious fasting, Jonah 3. yet this showeth what ought to be the Masters care, it being for his use that Beasts are put to work; God enjoineth all •ayes of abstaining from every thing that is a mans own ⟨p. 297⟩work on the Sabbath, and will have him solemn in it: In a word, All within thy gates, looketh not only to Masters and all in their families or within their doors, but to Magistrates and Governors, and all within their Jurisdiction (Gates being the place of Judgment, and used in Scripture to show the extent as well as seat of power) that they should see to their sanctifying of this day; and the failing of any under them is their sin when they endeavour not to prevent and amend it: And thus Nehemiah understood this command, Neh. 13. when he put forth his power, not only in contending with the native Nobles, but even against Strangers, for restraining them from violating this day.
The tenth Verse containeth three things for explication, 1. The Lords claim of the Seventh day, as having reserved that to himself, it's his, it's to him, and by him, and for him separated from other dayes. 2. A consequent flowing from this; Therefore that day is not to be imployed to any of our own works, no not the least, No manner of work, no word, no thought nor deed of any such sort under whatsoever pretext beside the excepted cases. 3. It's extension as to all relations, so to all ranks, Parent and Child, Master and Servant, &c. yea, It's thou for thy self, and for all thou hast the oversight and charge of, Sons, Servants, Strangers, yea, and Beasts, not that they are capable of sanctifying a day more then the Beasts in Nineveh were of religious fasting,
Hence we gather 1 That idleness is a sin, and that they will hardly give God his due on the Seventh day, who are not diligent in the duties of some lawful calling and station for Gods honour and others good through the Six days of the Week; and indeed this is often seen, that such are lazy, and careless, and idle on that day, passing it over even as they do other days, without any difference at all, except it be that they come to Church.
Hence we gather 1 That idleness is a sin, and that they will hardly give God his due on the Seventh day, who are not diligent in the duties of some lawful calling and station for Gods honour and others good through the Six dayes of the Week; and indeed this is often seen, that such are lazie, and careless, and idle on that day, passing it over even as they do other dayes, without any difference at all, except it be that they come to Church.
2. We gather that humane, whether Ecclesiastic or Civil, appointment of ordinary fixed days for worship throughout the whole day, beside the Sabbath, will not agree with this command allowing men six for labour. It's true, God might Sovereignly limit men, but where he hath given liberty (if it were but by concession) who can restrain?
2. We gather that humane, whether Ecclesiastick or Civil, appointment of ordinary fixed days for worship throughout the whole day, beside the Sabbath, will not agree with this command allowing men six for labour. It's true, God might Soveraignly limit men, but where he hath given liberty (if it were but by concession) who can restrain?
Concerning days therefore, we lay down these four: 1. That there can be no solemn setting apart of any day to any creature; thus Saints days are unlawful: for the Sabbath or day of rest is to the Lord, and to none other, it being a peculiar piece of worship to him who hath divided time betwixt his worship and our work. And although men should keep the day, and alter the worship, yet this is a taking of that which was once abused, and never enjoined, for to apply it to God, and wanteth not offence; even as the retaining of other things in worship which have been abused, and are not necessary, is offensive. 2. No man can institute any day, even to the true God, as a part of worship, so as to bind consciences to it, or to equal it with this day: That is a part of ⟨p. 298⟩Gods royal prerogative, and a thing peculiar to him to sanctify and bless a day. 3. Even those days which are pretended to be set apart to and for God, and yet not as a part of worship, cannot be imposed in a constant and ordinary way (as Anniversary days and feasts are) because by an ordinary rule God hath given to man Six days for work, except in extraordinary cases he shall please to call for some part of them again. 4. Yet extraordinarily upon occasions of Humiliation, or of Joy, and Thanksgiving days, for that time, may be set apart for God, without wronging this concession, even as in extraordinary times we may work, and not rest on the Sabbath day, though ordinarily we may not: This proportioning of time therefore is for the ordinary rule, but yet admitteth of the exception of extraordinary cases.
Concerning dayes therefore, we lay down these four: 1. That there can be no solemn setting apart of any day to any creature; thus Saints dayes are unlawful: for the Sabbath or day of rest is to the Lord, and to none other, it being a peculiar piece of worship to him who hath divided time betwixt his worship and our work. And although men should keep the day, and alter the worship, yet this is a taking of that which was once abused, and never enjoyned, for to apply it to God, and wanteth not offence; even as the retaining of other things in worship which have been abused, and are not necessary, is offensive. 2. No man can institute any day, even to the true God, as a part of worship, so as to bind consciences to it, or to equal it with this day: That is a part of ⟨p. 298⟩Gods royal prerogative, and a thing peculiar to him to sanctifie and bless a day. 3. Even those dayes which are pretended to be set apart to and for God, and yet not as a part of worship, cannot be imposed in a constant and ordinary way (as Anniversary dayes and feasts are) because by an ordinary rule God hath given to man Six dayes for work, except in extraordinary cases he shall please to call for some part of them again. 4. Yet extraordinarily upon occasions of Humiliation, or of Joy, and Thanksgiving dayes, for that time, may be set apart for God, without wronging this concession, even as in extraordinary times we may work, and not rest on the Sabbath day, though ordinarily we may not: This proportioning of time therefore is for the ordinary rule, but yet admitteth of the exception of extraordinary cases.
3. We gather that Masters and Parents ought to have a special oversight of their own Children and Families in the worshipping of God, and that especially in reference to the sanctifying of this day; and that there is a special communion in worshipping of God amongst the several relations of a Family.
4. We gather that Magistrates, and all who have power over others, ought to see to the restraining of Vice, and to the performing of outward duties, particularly such as relate to the sanctification of the Sabbath (as well as to abstain from, and to do such and such things themselves in their own persons) in and by these over whom they have power; and that it's no less scandalous and sinful for a Magistrate not to see that sin be crushed, that the Sabbath be sanctified, and the Ordinances of Religion be entertained and received and reverenced in and by those over whom he hath charge, then if he committed such sins himself, then if he discountenanced the Ordinances and brake the Sabbath himself, or suffered his own family or himself to be without the worship of God: Why? because these are within his gates, and he is to account for them: He is to rule for God, and their good which is mainly spiritual; he is to be a terror to evil doers, as well as to be an encouragement to them that do well; and men are according to their places and parts to be forth-coming for ⟨p. 299⟩God and the good of others. And yet this cannot be called a constraining or forcing of Consciences, for a Magistrate or Master thus to restrain these who are under them; it's but the using of that power, which God hath committed to them to make men to do their duty, and to abstain from dishonouring God, and the punishing of them, if they do other ways; in which respect he beareth not the Sword in vain.
4. We gather that Magistrates, and all who have power over others, ought to see to the restraining of Vice, and to the performing of outward duties, particularly such as relate to the sanctification of the Sabbath (as well as to abstain from, and to do such and such things themselves in their own persons) in and by these over whom they have power; and that it's no less scandalous and sinful for a Magistrate not to see that sin be crushed, that the Sabbath be sanctified, and the Ordinances of Religion be entertained and received and reverenced in and by those over whom he hath charge, then if he committed such sins himself, then if he discountenanced the Ordinances and brake the Sabbath himself, or suffered his own family or himself to be without the worship of God: Why? because these are within his gates, and he is to account for them: He is to rule for God, and their good which is mainly spiritual; he is to be a terrour to evil doers, as well as to be an incouragement to them that do well; and men are according to their places and parts to be forth-coming for