A63997:358
The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians…
The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians of our age: wherein is showed that the morality of the fourth Commandment is still in force to bind Christians unto the sanctification of the Sabbath day. Written by that learned assertor of the truth, William Twice D.D. late prolocutor to the Assembly of Divines.The Christian Sabbath defended against a crying evil in these times of the antisabitarians of our age: wherein is shewed that the morality of the fourth Commandement is still in force to bind Christians unto the sanctification of the Sabbath day. Written by that learned assertor of the truth, William Twisse D.D. late prolocutor to the Assembly of Divines.
London: printed for Thomas Pierrepont, 1652
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.
1As for the reformation of such fools, let every wise & sober Christian consider, whether it be a fit course to let the reins loose upon their neck, and give them liberty to take their courses, and not rather to endeavour to wean them therefrom by representing the vanity of them, witnessed by the experience of King Solomon, 2who was acquainted with the delights of the Sons of men as much as any, and tells us what fruit and profit he reaped by them, saying, vanity of vanities, all is but vanity; and that the end of all that discourse of his, is to promote this exhortation, Fear God, and keep his commandments, For this is whole man; then on the other side, the blessed, the comfortable and only profitable condition of delighting in the Lord, in the judgement of David, the Father of King Solomon, Delight ⟨p. 244⟩thou in the Lord, and he shall give thee thy hearts desire; to meet with the contrary judgement of carnal men, who say, It profitteth not a man, 3that he should delight himself with God. If it be said that such sports are tolerated, to fit a man for his calling the day following; It is very strange, that works of our calling should not be permitted on any part of the Sabbath day, and sports and pastimes should; And shall not the spending of our time in Gods Service, not public only, but private also, far better fit us to serve God in the works of our calling, and make us more capable of his blessing upon our labours, then the exercising of our selves in sports and pastimes? As for the maintaining of good neighbourhood, I appeal to every mans conscience, whether Christian neighbourhood be not better maintained, in meeting together in the repeating of a Sermon, the word in the original being only Consortium, or in edifying one another in holy communication; then in meeting together at bear-baiting, or at a play, or at a may game, or to look upon a morris dance. 2. whether on the Lords day which is our Christian Sabbath it is not fit to maintain neighbourhood, and Communion in things spiritual; as at other times to maintain neighbourhood in things civill, and temporal. To conclude this, there are 3. things that in this discourse give little satisfaction. 1.