THE SABBATH TRULY SANCTIFIED, Or, GODLY RULES And Directions for all Sincere Christian Professors, for the strict observation of the LORDS DAY Before, at, and after the public Exercises of the CHURCH. With an Order from the House of Commons, for the due observing the Sabbath-Day. As also, A catalogue of the fearful Judgements that have happened to wilful infringers, and profane and Irreligious Sabbath-breakers. By A. B. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day. LONDON, Printed jan. 31. in the year, MDCXLV. Die Sabbath. 22. Mar. IT is Ordered, that the Aldermen and Citizens that serve for the City of London, intunate unto the Lord Mayor of London, from this House, that the Statutes for the due observing of the Sabbath be put in execution, and that the like intimation be made to the justices of the Peace in all Counties of England and Wales. Hen. Elsing. Cler. Dom. Com. THE SABBATH DULY SANCTIFIED. ALMIGHTY GOD (Creator of all Mankind) will have himself Worshipped, not only in a private manner, by private persons, and families: but also in a more public sort of all the Godly joined together in a Visible Church, that by this means he may be known not only to be God, and Lord of every singular person: but also of the Creatures of the whole universal World, and to that purpose, hath appointed one particular day for his own proper service, which he hath called the Sabbath, or Lords Day, and with a special Memento, hath commanded the same to be sanctified, and kept holy, which consists in two things. First, in resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life. Secondly, in consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of these holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease, are Exod. 31. 29. 30. generally all civil works, from the least to the greatest: more particularly, First, from all the works of our calling, though it were reaping in Exo. 31. 12, 13. the time of Harvest. Secondly from carrying burdens, as Carrier's do: or riding abroad Exo. 34. 15, etc. for profit, or for pleasure: God hath commanded, That the Exo. 34. 2● Beasts should rest on the Sabbath day, because all occasion of travelling or labouring with them should be cut off from man. God gives Joh. 17. 2● 22. 27. Deut. ●4. them that day a rest and he that without necessity, deprives them of their rest on the Lord's Day; the groans of the poor tired beasts shall in the day of the Lord, rise up in judgement against him; Likewise Rom. 8. 22 Deut. 2. 4 1. Cor. 9 such as spend the greatest part of the day in trimming, and painting, and pampering of themselves, like jezebells, doing the Devil's work upon God's day. Thirdly, from keeping of Fairs or Markets, which for the most Neh. 13. 5. 16. 9 part, God punisheth with pestilence, fire, and strange flood●. Fourthly, from studying any Books of Science, but the holy Scriptures, and Divinity; for our study must be, to be ravished in spirit Apo. 1. 19 upon the Lord's day, In a word thou must on that day cease in thy calling to do thy work: that the Lord by his calling, may do his work in thee; for whatsoever is gotten by common working on this day, shall never be blessed of the Lord; but it will prove like Achans gold, which being got contrary to the Lords Commandment, brought the fire of God's curse upon all the rest which he had lawfully gotten. And if Christ scourge them out, as Thiefs, who bought and sold in his Temple (which was but a Ceremony shortly to be abrogated) is it to be thought, that he will never suffer those to escape unpunished, who (contrary to his Commandment) buy and sell on the Sabbath day, which is his perpetual Law? Christ calleth such sacrilegious Thiefs, and as well may they steal the Communion Cup from the Lords Table, as steal from God the chiefest part of the Lords Day to consume it in their own lusts; such shall one day find the judgement of God, heavier than the opinions of men. Fiftly, from all Recreations and sports, which at other times are lawful: for if lawful works be forbidden on this day, much more lawful sports, which do more steal away our affections from the Isa. 58. 13. 14. contemplation of heavenly things, than any bodily work or labour. Neither can there be unto a man (that delighteth in the Lord) any greater delight or recreation, than the sanctifying of the Lords Psal. 37. 4 day. For can there be any greater joy for a person condemned, then to come to his Prince's house, to have his pardon sealed? for one that is deadly sick, to come to a Physician, that can cure him? or for a Prodigal child that fed on the husks of swine, to be admitted to eat the bread of life at his father's table? Or for him, who fears for sin the tidings of death, to come to hear from God the assurance of eternal life? if thou wil● allow thyself or thy servant Recreation, allow it in the six days that are thine, not on the Lord's day, which is neither thine, nor others; No bodily Recreation is therefore to be used on this day; But so fare as it may help the soul, to do more cheerfully the service of God. Sixtly, from gross feeding, liberal drinking of wine, or strong drink, Eph. 5. 18 19 Ro. 12. 11 Deut. 28. 47. Isai. 58. 13 which may make us either drowsy, or unapt to serve God with our hearts and minds. Seventhly, from all talking about worldly things, which hindereth the sanctifying of the Sabbath, more than working, seeing one may work alone, but cannot talk but with others. He that keeps the Sabbath only by resting from his ordinary work, keeps it but as a beast; But rest on this day, is so fare commanded to Christians, as it is a help to sanctification; and labour so fare forbidden, as it is an impediment to the outward and inward worship of Almighty God. If then these Recreations, which are lawful at other times, are on the sabbath not allowed, much more those that are altogether at all times unlawful; who without mourning can endure to see Christians keep the Lords day, as if they celebrated a Feast rather to Bacchus, then to the honour of the Lord Jesus, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world? For having served God but 1 Cor. 10. 7. an hour, with outward show, they spend the rest of the Lords day in sitting down to eat and drink, and rising up to play, first balasting their bellies with eating and drinking; and then feeding their lusts with playing, and dancing: Exod. 31. ●8. 19 Aug. in tic Psal. 91. Against which Profanation, all holy Divines, both old and new, have in their times most bitterly inveighed, insomuch that Augustine affirmeth, that it was better to plough, then to dance upon the Sabbath day. For the Second. 2. The Consideration of the Sabbaths rest, consists in performing three sorts of duties; First, Before. Secondly, At. Thirdly, After the public exercises of the Church. The duties to be performed before the public exercises of the Church, are; 1. To give over working be times on the Eve, that thy body may be the Adoc. 2. 3. more refreshed, and thy mind the better fitted to sanctify the Sabbath on the next day; for want of this preparation, thyself and thy servants, being tired with Labour and watching the night before, are so heavy, that when you should be serving God, and hearing what his Spirit saith unto the Church for your souls instruction: you cannot hold up your heads for sleeping: to the dishonour of God, the offence of the Church, and the shame of yourselves, therefore the Lord commands us not only to keep holy, but also to remember aforehand the Sabbath day; to keep it holy by preparing our hearts, and removing all business that might hinder us to consecrate it, Isa. 56. & 51. 13, etc. as a glorious day unto the Lord; who in the other Commandments, doth but either bid, or forbidden; but doth both in this Commandment, and that with a special Memorandum, As if a Master should charge his servant to look well unto ten things of great Trust, but to have a more special care, to remember one of those ten, for divers weighty reasons: should not a faithful servant that lov●s his Master, show a more special care unto that thing above all other businesses. Thus Moses taught the people overnight to remember the Sabbath, and it Exo. 16. 23, etc. was a holy custom among our forefathers, when at the ringing to prayer on the Eve before, the husbandman would give over his labour in the field, and the tradesman his work in the shop, and go to evening prayer in the Church, to prepare their souls, that their minds might more cheerfully attend God's worship on the Sabbath day. 2. To possess that night thy vessel in holiness, and honour: that thou mayst Exo. 9 15 1 Cor. 7. 5 Gen. 35. 2 ● Sam. 31. 5. Exo. 19 16. Psa. 9 22. Ec. 4. 17. present thy soul more purely in the sight of God the next morning. 3. To rise up early in the morning, on the Sabbath-day: Be careful therefore to rise sooner on this day, than on other days; by how much the service of God is to be preferred before all earthly businesses; For there is no master to serve so good as God, and in the end, no works shall be better rewarded then his service. 4. When thou art up, consider with thyself, what an impure sinner thou art, and into what an holy place thou goest to appear before the most holy God, who seethe thy heart, and hatethall impurity and hypocrisy. Examine thyself therefore before thou goest to Church, what grievous sins thou hast committed the week past, confess them unto God, and earnestly pray for the pardon, and forgiveness of them, and so reconcile thyself with God in Christ, Renew thy Vows, to walk more conscionably, and pray for an increase of those graces which thou hast, and a supply of those which thou wantest; But especially pray that thou mayst have grace to hear the Word of God read, and Preached with profit, and that thou mayst receive the holy Sacrament with comfort (if it be Communion day) that God by his holy Spirit, would assist the Preacher, to speak something that may kill thy sin, and and comfort thy soul, which that thou mayst do, pour forth thy prayers to Almighty God, who upon thine unfeigned repentance, will enable thee, and hear thy earnest and most humble request. Now in the Name of Almighty God (who rested having created heaven, and earth) and of his eteanall Son Jesus, the Redeemer of his Church, who shall shottly come on the dreadful day of doom, to judge all men according Act. 12. 31 Ro. 2. 12. 1 Thes. 2. 8. to the obedience, which they have showed to his Commandments: I exhort, nay I require thee, who readest these words, as thou wilt answer before the face of Christ and his holy Angels, at that day, that thou better weigh, and consider, whether Dancing, Stage-playing, Masking, Carding, Dicing, Tabling, Ches-playing, Bowling, Shooting, Bearbaiting, Carousing, Tippling, and such other fooleries of Robin-hood Morrice-dances, Wakes, and May-games be exercises that God will bless and allow on the Sabbath day. And seeing no Action ought to be done that day, but such as whereby we either bless God, or look to receive a blessing from God, how darest thou do these things on that blessed day, on which thou darest not to pray to God, to bestow a blessing on it to thy use? Hear this, and tremble at this, O profane youth of a profane age! O heart all frozen, and void of the feeling of the grace of God; And having every day in six, every hour in every day, every minute in every hour, so tasted the sweet mercy of thy God in Christ, without which thou hadst perished every moment, yet canst not find in thy corrupt and irreligious heart, to spend in thy Master's service that one day of the week, which he hath reserved for his own praise and worship. Let men in defence of their profaneness, object what they will, and answer what the Devil puts in their mouths: yet I would wish them to remember, that seeing it is an ancient tradition in the Church, that the Lords second coming shall be upon the Lord's day, how little joy they should have, to be overtaken in Lactan l 7. cap. 1. those carnal sports, to please themselves; when their Master should find them in spiritual exercises serving him. The profanest wretch, would then wish rather to be taken kneeling at prayers in the Church, then skipping like a Goat in a dance. If this cannot move, yet I would wish our impure Gallants to remember, that while they thus dance on the Lord's day (contrary to the Lords Commandment) they do but dance about the Pits brink, and they know not which of them shall first fall therein; whereinto being once fallen, without repentance, no greatness can exempt them from the vengeance of that great God, whose Commandment (contrary to their knowledge and conscience) they do thus presumptuously transgress. If then Gods Commandments cannot prevail with thee, nor God's Word advise thee; Then let these ensuing Examples of God's Judgements on Sabbath-breakers, deter thee from the wilful profanation of the Lords day. The Lord who is otherwise the God of mercy) commanded Moses to stone to death the man, who (of a presumptuous mind) would openly go to gather Num. 53. 2. sticks on the Sabbath-day; The fact was small: true, but the sin was the greater, that (upon so small an occasion) would presume to break so great, a Commandment. Nicanor offering to fight against the Jews on the Sabbath day, was slain himself, and 35000. of his men. A husbandman grinding corn upon the Lord's day, had his Mill burned to ashes. Another carrying corn on this day, had his barn, and all his corn therein burnt with fire from heaven, the next night after. A certain Nobleman, profaning the Sabbath usually in hunting, had a child like a Dog, and with ears and chaps, and crying like a hound. A flax-wife, working with her maids on the Lord's day, it seemed unto them that fire issued out of the flax, but did no harm, the nex Sabbath it fired indeed, doing little harm; but not taking warning by this, the 3. Sunday, it again took fire, burned the house, scorched the woman, and two children, whereof they died the next day: but, by the mercy of God, a child in the cradle was taken out of the fire alive, and unhurt At a Bearbaiting in France, on the Sabbath, 300. were slain outright, besides divers lamed, and grievously wounded. A Miller dwelling in a Town called Hoult, near Westchester, grinding corn on the Lord's day, An. 1588. was found dead in his Mill by his wife, on the Monday following, his ears, nose, and lips eaten off with Rats. On the 13. jan. 1582, being the Lord's day, the scaffolds fell in Paris Garden, under the people at a Bearbaiting, so that eight were suddenly slain, Stows a bridge. An. 1582 and a great number hurt and maimed. A warning to such, who take more pleasure, on the Lord's day, to be on a Theatre, beholding carnal sports, then to be in the Church, serving God with the spiritual works of Piety. At a Bull-baiting in the Pope's dominions, 1603. the Bull breaking from the Ring, killing a woman, and so 〈…〉 righted another woman, being great with child, that she immediately fell in labour, and died with her child also. Many fearful examples of God's Judgements by fire have in our days been showed upon divers Towns, where the profanation of the Lords day hath been openly countenanced. Stratford upon Aven, was twice on the same day twelvemonth (being the Lord's Day) almost consumed with fire, chief for profaning the Lords Sabbath, and for contemning his Word in the mouth of his faithful Preachers and Ministers. Torverton in Devonshire (whose Remembrance makes my heart bleed) was oftentimes admonished by her Godly Preacher, That God would bring some heavy judgement on the Town, for their horrible profanation of the Lords day, occasioned chief by the Market on the day following. Not long after his death, on the 3. of April. 1598. GOD (in less than half an hour) consumed with a sudden and fearful fire, the whole Town, except only the Church, the Court-house, and the Almshouse, or a few poor people's dwellings, where a man might have seen 400. dwelling-houses all at once on fire, and about 50. persons consumed with the same, and lately on the fift of August, 1612. the whole town was again fired, and consumed except some thirty houses of poor people with the School-house, and Almshouses: they are blinded, who see not in this the finger of God, God grant them grace to change their market-day, and to remove all occasion of profancing the Lords Day, Let other Towns remember the Tower of Siloe, Luk. 13. 4. and take warning Luk. 13. 4 by their neighbour's chastisements, and fear Gods threaten, jer. 17. 27. and believe Gods Prophets, if they will prosper, 1 Chron. 20. 20. Many other examples of God's Judgements, (as the fire lately at Oxford) might be alleged, but if these are not sufficient to terrify thy heart from the wilful profanation of the Lords day, It may be (if thou proceed in ●hy profanation) the Lord will make thee the next example, to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better. Wherefore again, and again, in the name of the Lord I exhort thee; Nay I conjure thee, as thou tenderest the salvation of thy own poor soul, that thou remember to sanctify the sabbath, and to keep holy the Lord's Day, if not for the love of him, who loved thee so well, that he gave his only begotten Son, to suffer for thy sin, yet for fear of temporal punishment here, and eternal torment hereafter in the world to come. Oderunt peccaere boni, vertutis honore, Oderunt peccaere mali, formidine penae. For love of Virtue, good men from sin abstain, For fear of punishment, the wicked do refrain. FINIS.