Theses Sabbaticæ, or, The doctrine of the Sabbath wherein the Sabbaths I. Morality, II.…

with meet preparation for them, delight in them, with wonderment and thankfulness to God after the enjoyment of them? all the world knows to whom the barbarous Turks do dedicate their Fridays, the Jews also how they sanctify their saturdays, to the Lord Jehovah indeed, but not unto the Lord their God. What account the Papists put upon the Sabbath's not only their writings (which level it with all other Holy-days) but also their loose practice in sports and revellings upon this day bear sufficient witness: and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our tears from the beautiful and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace, which once shined in the German Churches, by whose Graves we may stand weeping and say, this is your misery for this your provoking sin: Scotland knows best her own integrity, whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearness in this particular. But England hath had the name, and worn this Garland of glory, wherewith the Lord hath crowned it above all other Churches. But how hath that little flock of slaughter, which hath wept for it, and preached, and printed, and done and suffered for it, been hated and persecuted? who have been the scorn and shame, and reproach of men, but a company of poor weaklings, for going out a few miles to hear a faithful, painful Preacher, from those idle Shepherds, who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through gross profaneness, or extreme idleness? And now, since God hath broken the yoke of their oppressors, and set his people at liberty to return to Zion and her solemn assemblies as in days of old, and hath given to them the desires of their hearts, that they may now be as holy on the Sabbath as they will, without any to reproach them, at least to countenance such reproaches of them: now I say when one would think the precious Sabbaths (which so many of Gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation, swimming in their tears and prayers, and which many in these days have so much looked and longed for) that every eye should be looking up to Heaven with thankfulness for these, and that every heart should embrace Gods Sabbaths with tears of joyfulness, and bid this dear and precious ⟨p. 62⟩friend welcome, and lie and rest in their bosom;

with meet preparation for them, delight in them, with wonderment and thankfulnesse to God after the enjoyment of them? all the world knowes to whom the barbarous Turks do dedicate their Frydayes, the Jewes also how they sanctifie their saturdayes, to the Lord Iehovah indeed, but not unto the Lord their God. What account the Papists put upon the Sabbath's not only their writings (which level it with all other Holy-dayes) but also their loose practice in sports and revellings upon this day beare sufficient witnesse: and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our teares from the beautifull and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace, which once shined in the German Churches, by whose Graves we may stand weeping and say, this is your misery for this your provoking sin: Scotland knows best her own integrity, whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearnesse in this particular. But England hath had the name, and worn this Garland of glory, wherewith the Lord hath crowned it above all other Churches. But how hath that little flock of slaughter, which hath wept for it, and preacht, and printed, and done and suffered for it, beene hated and persecuted? who have been the scorne and shame, and reproach of men, but a company of poor weaklings, for going out a few miles to hear a faithful, painful Preacher, from those idle Shepheards, who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through grosse prophanesse, or extream idlenesse? And now, since God hath broken the yoke of their oppressors, and set his people at liberty to returne to Sion and her solemne assemblies as in dayes of old, and hath given to them the desires of their hearts, that they may now be as holy on the Sabbath as they will, without any to reproach them, at least to countenance such reproaches of them: now I say when one would think the precious Sabbaths (which so many of Gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation, swiming in their teares and prayers, and which many in these dayes have so much looked and longed for) that every eye should be looking up to Heaven with thankfulnes for these, and that every heart should embrace Gods Sabbaths with teares of joyfulnesse, and bid this dear and precious