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

For what would men busied about their Farms, their yokes of Oxen and domestic troubles ('as the invited guests in the holy Gospel) would they not easily set at naught an humane ordinance, would not profane men easily dispense with their absenting themselves from prayers and preaching, and give themselves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing, were there not something found in Scripture which more then any humane ordinance or institution should bind the conscience? yet it is easy to conjecture what would be answered to all this, for excommunication upon disobedience to the Church may be a bond strong enough to oblige them hereunto; Or if men be not so sensible hereof, yet the laws ⟨p. 231⟩of the land and penal statutes, may provide for such restraints by such punishments; as whereof every natural man will be sensible enough; we have other considerations to propose, as 1. Touching the proportion of time, to be allowed to Gods service, which concerneth the quantity of the service it self. 1. This is a thing very considerable and of moment. 2. We have no example, that the quantity of service to be performed to the master, was left unto the conscience, or pleasure of the servant: but rather is to be prescribed by the Master, especially by such a Master as God is. 1. Who hath made us? 2. Who will infinitely reward us? 3. To serve whom is our most perfect freedom and happiness. 4. And who is able to give us strength to perform it? 5. And who is tenderly sensible of our weaknesses, as he is most privy to them. 6. And after God hath discovered this unto us, and required the proportion of one day in seven to be consecrated to him, and that under the Law; surely reason doth suggest, that we cannot perform less unto him under the Gospel. 2. As touching the particularity of the day under this proportion. 1. We read that there is one, that is Lord of the Sabbath; Now in reason, who shall appoint this day, but he that is Lord of it? especially considering that it is his holy day Es. 58. and such festivals were said to be of his making Psalm 118.24. This is the day which the Lord hath made, not of mans making: secondly, but it may be said, he may leave unto man the appointing of it, if it please him; I answer, that in this case it stands them upon, to show their Charter for this.

For what would men busied about their Farms, their yokes of Oxen and domesticke troubles ('as the invited guests in the holy Gospell) would they not easily set at naught an humane ordinance, would not prophane men easily dispense with their absenting themselves from prayers and preaching, and give themselves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing, were there not something found in Scripture which more then any humane ordinance or institution should binde the conscience? yet it is easie to conjecture what would be answered to all this, for excommunication upon disobedience to the Church may be a bond strong enough to oblige them hereunto; Or if men be not so sensible hereof, yet the lawes