The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…

but whether a man work the first hour of the day, and rest the second, or five hours in the morning, and rest the sixth; or in what other difference soever, so the quantity and proportion of service for that day be performed, all Masters rest satisfied. So for the service of the week, if it be sufficient to perform thus much service, as namely, a days service in a week, it matters not what day it be done, so the work be performed; I say, it matters not, as touching the substance of the work it self to be performed. 2. But though it matters not in this ⟨p. 193⟩respect, on what day the service is performed; yet it may matter much in another respect: For whereas we are all Gods creatures, and consequently his servants; and the service we speak of concerns us all in general, and that equally, and all we are reasonable creatures; 1. First it seems fit in reason, that there should be an uniformity: For, like as we converse together by commerce and trade in the works of our calling on other days of the week; so it seems most fit we should walk together with God in the performance of his service, otherwise there would be a manifest breach of society. For suppose there be in such a town as ours, seven times four hundred persons (for we have almost 2000. Communicants; one of the three parishes in Reading hath as many) if one 400. should keep the first day of the week for their Sabbath another 400. the second day of the week, and so to divide the days of the week between them, here were a manifest breach of society both in things humane, and in things Divine; for every day in the week 400. would be excluded, from conversing with their brethren, in businesses temporal; and all the rest from them whose day it is to rest unto God, in exercises spiritual, which all I presume by the very light of nature, would judge intolerable. And this order would have place not only in particular towns among themselves, but with other also; considering that six days in the week we have converse by commerce and trade, not with our neighbours only, but with other towns also, far and near. Again, another inconvenience would arise, and that a miserable one, more dangerous than the former; For hereupon a window will be opened unto dissension, each standing for his own way, as the manner of man is;

but whether a man worke the first houre of the day, and rest the second, or five houres in the morning, and rest the sixth; or in what other difference soever, so the quantity and proportion of service for that day be performed, all Masters rest satisfied. So for the service of the weeke, if it be sufficient to performe thus much service, as namely, a dayes service in a weeke, it matters not what day it be done, so the work be performed; I say, it matters not, as touching the substance of the worke it selfe to be performed. 2. But though it matters not in this