mm-. .'^■*.?i! ,,,.... •* * ®""'°9'™' *^,i^^ f PRINCETON, N. J. % Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. Division Section Number Jtiiii A P radical Difcourfe ON THE LORDS DAY. WITH DEVOTIONS Proper for the Day. By John Howell, A. M. a Presbyter of the Church (?/ England. L N D Nt Printed for Samuei Keble at the TurFs-Head in Fleetftreet^ "Dankl Brown at the Black-Swan and Bible without Tempie-bar^ John IVal- thoe in Vine-Court, Middle-Temple, andJB^r^ nard Vintott at the Middle-Temple-Gate in fleetftreet. 1705. Price 3x. 6d. To the Ri^n EeVerendj and ^ight Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal^ and all the other RelDerend and Honourable Members of the SOCIETY^ for propagating Chrijiian Knowledge* I Came to the Knowledge of your Honourable Society^ as Men firft did of natural Caufes by their Hf- feds, having never heard of it till I faw or heard of its go^JL works in ere- cting Schools at the Charge of its Mem- bers, " for the Inftitution of poor Chil- dren, and in difperfing Books of Prafli- cal Chriftian Knovi^ledge, moft proper and ufeful for the Inftrudiion of the more ignorant fort, and the reclaiming of them from a BArharity^ both as to Ignorance and ill Manners, vi^hich with- out feeing, one would fcarce believe could be found in any part of a Chri- ftian Commonwealth, But there is one good cffeft of your Chriftian Care and Endeavours, more efpecially vifible in all places, where you have fet up A^ Schoolsi 'The Dedication. Schools 5 and that is, the Reverence which the Children educated in them fhew in publick to the Clergy, which is wholly owing to their Education, and m3S heeds be of great Advantage to the Chriftian Religion, and particularly to the Church of £;sg/4»^D it being impof- fible for Religion to thrive, or flourifli in any Church, though never fo well conftituted, where the People have not a right Ue^ of the Clergy, and eftcem and honour them as fuch. It is to give you my fliare of the publick Thanks, which are due to you for the good you have done^ and are like to do more and more, that I prefume to make an OjBTcring of this practical Trea- tife to you 5 upon which 1 acknowledge many have written before me, in a Controverfial way, with great heats one again ft another, fome running into pharafaical Stridnefs , and fuperftitious Nicenefsj and others on the contrary allowing undue Liberties, inconfiftcnt with the holy Nature of the Lord's Day^ and the great ends of its Inftitution. The former fort of Writers commonly undervalue, oroppoie the Obfervation of other holy Days, I mean the Fefti- vals and Feafts of the Church, how ancient or venerable foever the^ be ; and the latter do but too much level the San- The Dedication. Sanftity and Obfervation of that with thefe, though there is fo great a dif- ference in their refpedive Inftitmions. A very worthy Member of your Ho- nourable Society, in a latefinifhed Dif- courfe upon th^ Feftivals , and Fap of the Churchy hath much out-done all that have gone before, and hath left nothing to be done by any that are to come after him upon that Subjeft, And I hope this praftical Treatife, though much fliort of his in all Accompliftiments of writing, will help People to a fight Un- dcrftanding of the great Obligations they have as Chriftians^ to obferve the Chriftian sMathy without Superftition on one hand, or Profanation on the other, in the true mean, according to the Principles of my Book. The Lord^s Daj ftands in the Chriftian Ka- lendars, as Queef^ of all the other Feftivals in the Church, and was f 3 ob- ferved Eight and Nine Hundred Years ^ ago by our pious Anceftors, * who be- gariRegij^ gan the Obfervation of it on Saturday v. at three a Clock in the Afternoon^ and kept it till Break of Day on Monday 5 all which time they were by Law ob- liged to abftain from buying and felling, andhunting, and all manner of worldly Work and Buiinefs whatfoeven And their Obfervation of other Feftivals A3 and Jl)e Dedication] Foea«A.and Faftsi was in proportion regular cichju^,^"^ folemn. For when Men are once Sr deindc brought to a ftrid Obfervation of the ^wardi Q^g^ jjjgy ^iii ^Q^Q eafily be brought thruni!* to obfccve the other, which are now ^« V. more than ever dif-regarded in Cities^, fi^r' ^"^ almoft quite laid afide in Country Towns. This proceeds from fuch Caufes, as pri- vate Perfons, who wifh well to Religion, cannot but difcern and lamcntjand which it is to be hoped^publickWifdom will re- moveJt would contribute much toGod's GIory^theHonour of the Church^and the Advancement of Religionjboth in Know- ledge and Pradife to bring the genera. lity of our People to a more regular and and folemn Obfervation of them both, to the pious Endeavours of your Ho" murable Society^ which hath lb many eminent Members, who fit in both Hou- fes of the Temporal and Spiritual Legi- flature, cannot but contribute much thereunto. In particular, it is to be wi- ihed, that the Fairs and Markets which in the Country arc co-incident upon Fe- fiival Days, may be removed to th^ Day before or after them. Unlefs this be done> the Holy Days will never be rightly obfervcd among the Country TeofUy and in Cities, it would much conduce to the more folemn and edify- The Dedicatml iog Obfervation of them, if Trad^fmen were obligM to keep their Shops ihut till after Evening Prayer, and none till then allowed to buy or felh Your In- fluence and your Fame are already great at home and abroad, and will daily increafe with your Go^d mrks j, and that God with his Concurrence would more and more blcfs and profper your united Endeavours to promote his Glory, the Honour of our Religion, and the true Peace, Security and Happinefs of the Churcbj is the hearty Wiflia and conftant Prayer of Tcur Mofi Ohedie»t SifVAnt John Howell A 4 JTHE TH'^OLOGIOIL. THE INTRODUCTION. IT is one of the Royd Preacher* s O^- fervationsy that To every thing there is a Seafon, and a Time to every Purpofe under Heaven^ EccL '3. I. if to every Things and every larpofe, to he fure there is a Seafon, a froper Time for the bejl things and bejl Pttrpofes^ fucbas tendmofi to God^s Glory ^ 4nd Mans Happinefs. Indeed^ fince [0 many Worldly Purpofes have their Times and Seafons^ there is the more need^ and the more reafon, that Fiety and Religion fhould have theirs too: 1 do not only tnean a certain Portion of tvery Day, but fome whole Days, and thofe for the greater security and Solemn nity of Religious Offices^ fixt and deter* min^d; becaufe^ without fuch Determi* nation, the Publick fVor/bip of God can* noty and ether Religious Duties in Human frobabilitj will mt be performed ^ they ought The Introdudion;! mght to be ; And thm^ hetrpixf the Will not and the cannot, Religkn mM qmk- Ij dmmdle away into a, msn Name^, of Word tha^t fignifed Nothing* 70 [peak t& Vw fever ailyl M tk^ fr/l fUse, 1 ob[ervej that mthm /lated Times for the [everdl ABs or Exersifes $f Reitgiony thefe n^ouli not he ferfcrm^d as they fiould. Thugh our Religion is de^grPd for the refining and ferfeBtng of our Natures^ and is every t»Ay fitted for thAt excellent De^gn ^ though it warfts not for any y^- quiftte Helps^ Comforts^ or Encourage^ THents^ and msy appeal to our own Expe» rienee^ whether the more it is praxis'* d by any of us, it does not relifb the better % though it is highly reafonable^ and kvelf in it [elf and no lefs ufeful and benep eidl nnt$ Men^ as tending to the Peace and welfare of all Societies, and t& the fure and certain Hafpinefs of thofe particular Perfons^ rphp cordially embrace and pra^ tHje it : ret fuch is eur Depravity and Propenjion to Evil^ and fuch our Eager' ^efs after Worldly Purffsits, that if we were wholly left to our [elveSy it were fcarcely to be imagined^ that our Spiritual Concerni:^ tbo* mquefiionably thje greatejl 4ni The Introdudioa md mo[l important of all others^ tpould he Allowed any (bare of our Tirne^ and much U[s[uch a Jh^r^ as wen requifite and [ef- ficient for the due Care of our Souls y ami nece[fary Preparath,^ ^f V*:^ for a better Worlds Affdthm wvuldj^^iij ^Q^ds of yir" ttte and Piety imfhnted iv mhe choak'd amoDg Thorns, the. Cares^ l mean^ and faiJePleafuresofthisLife^ and the Minds of Men ^ at leajl without fame extraordi^ nary Interfoftton of Providence^ he wholly and irrecoverably junk into the World^ and loje all Sen^e^ and ferhaps all Thoughts of Religion : And then^ fvh^ta lamentable Condition rvould their foor Souls he tn\ which ivould want th»fe Spiritual Exercifes, and Heavenly Refajlsn^ whereby they fhould be invigorated^ prepar^d^ and nouri/h^d t^nta Eternal Life. Secondly] Stated, Set Times are necef fary for the Publick mrfhip of God, and fa necejfary^ that it cannot he duly fer^ formed without them. For no worfbip is properly Pub lick y that is not perform d in Con fart ^ and in Regu^ lar Aljemblies: And that Men may af- fcmhle together^ they muji know the Time when thofe of their own Neighbourhood and Commit nion are toajfemb/e^ and that they may The Introdudlian* WAj know thi4 it is neceffary^ that the Time^ as rvell as pUce^ he fotne way or other appointed. For if every one were to chufe wha Tme,j oi Times fuited beji with his cwp^ p^rtkmar Ckmmjlames or IncUtMtmjs ; it were' tut s Chame^ if any T%^)o ^smlA m€€f Ufjthtf i%t ons dni the fame Time^ the Circumftances of Men ^ and their Inclinsiio;js too^ fo mtoncufly 'varyv-^g t Ani therefore^ I will not fayy that in th^t cafe^ c'mrch Duties would go ct$ ,si hmely and nntowiirdly^ as other Ckfrnh^mc^rk is comrmnly ohferv'^d to do • heemk I cannot conceive how they fhould go on at all^ at leafl^ how any Order or Unity of Time fhotdd be obfervd in the Terformance of thern ^ hut would rather compare ^em to the Building of Babel, which the Diverfity of Languages obli£d the Workmen to give over, as here^ the Diverfity of Circumfiances^ and Incli- nations^ and the confequent Uncertninty of the Times Affemhling of would, and mufl do» If the Trumpet give sn uncertain Sound, who Iball prepare himfelf to the Battle > if there he no Trumpet ^^r other Inflniment to give any Sound, who (ball prepare him<* f elf to the Fublkk Jjfemblies? wens' The Introdudirail H^ere it not fuperflt^otts in fo flain a Cafi^ I might here alledge the general Senfe and PraBice of Mankind i For ive have all, even Heathens themfehes^ all civilized Heathens at leafl^ agreed in the Dedica^ tion of Times, as well as of Places^ and Perfons, to the worfhif of their fever al Deities. And it would be flrange indeed^ and very unaccountable^ if the only True Cod^ to whom all Honour is d»e^ v^ere the only God that had not this Honour fe- cur^d to Him 5 and the Profeffors of chri" ftiantty^ who are under the higheft Obliga- tion of faying it^ mre in the lowejl Capacity for it. As for the determination of one "Day In every vpeeky it mil have a f rover place in the Difcourfe^ and fhall there be confder'^d. Let it fufflce here to obferve^ that when we do affert an Univerfal ob^^ ligation to the observance of [uch a Day^ we do not^ we ought not to under/land any Day beginning and ending every where €KaBly at the fame Time^-^ but a Day in fmh a Number^ or Proportions and with fmh Limitations^ as the different Ap- pearances of the Sun do admit of in the fever al farts of the Worlds Becaufe^ in* deed it is morally imfoffible for one and the The Introduftion;! the (dmefrecife D(t,j to he kep nniverldly all the fV0r Id over 6 Tor the Edrth heing f^hericd or romi^ (ds is nhrv evident even to Demon ftAtion) cur Ddys And Nights do^ and mufl con'- fiderably vary according to the different Meridians y ot Longitudes of the places rve live in : And every Pretender to Geegra* fhy or Navigation doth, or Jbouid knotp that at what Hour or Minnte the Smfets in one f lace ^ it rifes in another^ and that ^ vohen it\ Midnight with us^ it is Mid- day with our Antipodes, with the likegra- dual, though infen(ible Variation in the in^ ter mediate Places^ Thus itis^ and thus it hath been from the Great ion^ though it was not fo generally known till Colum- bus'i Time. whether therefore the Jewifh Sabbath-day began at Sun- jet, {which has been a fretty v.Wallis current Opinion) or at Midnight (which defence of ^eems more probable) ifs all alike to our Sabbfth" P^^f^^^ Argument^ hecaufe it coud mP be Pare, r/ one and the fame frecife Day, which was ^f PaVc ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ J^^^* c^f- For to (go no farther with them m their Di(ferftons\ to the Jews> / or near the Affyrian Babylon, which was much Xhe Introdufiion.' m^ch more Bafttpard^ the Sun rofe ani fa a conficicYAbU time fooner than t0 thofs at Alexandria , cr the Egyptian Baby- Ion, ^nd ^onfeqttentlf their Days and Nights mufl ofeot^rfe have begun fooner. And fn the Eaftern and Wefflern Parts $f Judea itfelfy neither could their Days {as [mail as that Country n^as) be exoB/j $he fame J for they muft have had fome ffo^rtionable^ though lefs difcernable Bif^ ference : Much kfs then san their Days he fuppos'^d the very fame mth thojeofthe Creation^ tvhicb hegan^ we n$ay he fure^ at the fame Moment in all farts of the mrld^ md are therefore called Univerfal Days^ in contradi/imifion to thoft that do necejjarily vary according to the variom ftuation of Countries^ 1 have mflanc'^d in the Jemjb Sabbath Day, to obviate the error of thofe who tvould make that Day the Seventh precifem ly in courfe from the Creation^ and the net infer the necefjity of obferving the jame mv^j, and to the worlds end. But fince thetr Fo fit ion is jounc, demon fir ably falfCy the Inference^ which they draw from it, muji, be fo too. As fo'^ thofe ^ who being aware of this ^ h dlovo lor the different Limtation of Days The Introduction. T>ap in different farts of the mrld^ yn nevertheleff contend for the Jepfi[h Sai^ bath T)Aj : I am to meet them anon in a ntore convenient flace^ and there i do hope to give them Satis faBion^ if they will bey as lam jure they ought tobe^ cttnten^ ted mth what is reafonable^ F I K I S. I iPradieal Difcourfe ..:uf ON THE LORDS DAf. F'aWuy holy Fbfilnils of the Chriitiaii Churchy theLoxd's Day- may jiiitljr ^claim the- Precedence, ,„.,,,^ ami is therefore fty rd by the An-. cientSj the Queen of Days, higher than the High^ or liigheftofall, with other like mag- hihcenc Titles and Elogies^ thac jr^eed nd^ here be repeatedr -■ '^ ■■ ^ '^'■■''''\,.. Of more ufe, ^nd to better piirpofe, i^ may be to enquire what Regards are to be?' paid to ir^ and what Encouragement and In-'f ducemems we have thereunto ? And that I' may take in all that to me appears needful to be faid upon this Subject^ I ihall proceed in the following Method. - - 1. I will enquire upon what ground^ -^ pr grounds:^ the Obfervatron' of the Lord's Day h eft^blift'd in the Chrrflian Church. B 2. I A PrdJkal Dijlourfe 2. I fliall ftiew after what manner it is to be obferved. 5. I fhall lay down a few Rules for the Diredion of the fcrupuloiis and ignorant^ as to what is, or is not allowable^ or lawful on the Day. 4. I fliall take a view of the good Chri- ftians Behavior on that Day^ in a kind of Hiftorical Defcription. 5". And laflly, I fhall endeavour to per- fwade to a ftridly religious Obfervation of it. I ft. I will enquire upon what grounds the obfervation of the Lord's Day ftands in the Chriftian Church. And in order to a Refolution hereof^ we are to look back upon the firft Ages of the Worlds and enquire, whether in the Patri- archal or Jewifh Church, or both, there were any weekly Feftivals, or Sabbaths^ of the fame or like Nature with ours : For if there were any fuch, they will give fome light to the matter in hand, and not only fo, but dired and guide us in the follow- ing Difquifition. To begin our fearch with Genejis 2, 2, '^^ Where after a particular account of what God did on each of the Creation Days, we read that He refied the fcventh Day from all his Worky which he had madd And God hlej- fed thefeventh day^ and fanBified it; hecaufe In it he had refied from all his Work^ which God had created and made. Which words are exceed- ing clear, as for God's refting on the feventh Day of the Creation, fo for his bleffing and on the LordV Day. and fancftifying that yery Day, whereaii h$ relied, and becauic he refted on it. It may indeed be quelHon'd, what kind of Kelt that of the feventh Day was, or in what fenle God is laid to have refted on the feventh Day, not on the 8 th, 9th, &c. For if no more were meant by it, but his ceafing to create or make the World j his Relt muft have begun on Ibmc part of the lixtH Day, and for any thing that appears to the contrary, has contuiued ever llnce. And yet is his telling on the feventh Day, only here taken notice of, as being dellgn'd for an Example tmto Men '^ who, as they were created in the Image and Ltkencfs of God, were oblig'd carefully to preferv'e that Image and Likenels, and therefore to imi- tate him in all his imitable Adions, thofe at leali,^ which he imi propounded a:^ a Pat-- tern unto them. And 'tis not unlikely, that he was pleas'd to celebrate or folemnize that firft feventh Day, with fome external vifible figns of Refi; foto diftinguilh it from the fixth, eighth,; *4nd other days allowed for Work. For tho* God himfelf was not to be fcen by mortal Eyes, yet his Glory was very vilible and eon-=. fplcivous; I mean that illultrious Symbol of his fpecial Prefence, by the Hebrews call'd the Shisch'mah-'. And xhis Glory y or. glorious Cloud (for fuch it was ) had various appea- rances,, being fometimes more bright and Ihi- ning, fomctimes more thick and dark, Exod. i;. 21.. and 14. 20. fometimes of a more benign- Afpedl, like a pleafant Eight, or lambent Flame, Matth, 17.4:, 5. ^ch 2. 5. B 2 a(ri'(| ^ A PraB'ical Difcourfe and 7. y 5'. at other times more terrible^ likd a violent Wind, or devouring Fire, £W. 19. 18. and 24. 17. and, which comes nearer to my purpofe, we learn from Numb. 9. i f :> 21, 22, 25. That it was fometimes in motion, other times at reft, and did both by its mo- tion and reit (fiicceflively ) guide and con- dud the Children of Ifrad through the Red Sea, and all along in the Wildernefs : For when it mov'd forward, they were to move, when it relied, they v»^ere to reft. And this very probably was that Trefence of the f.ord^ which Adam and his Wife, confcious of their Guilt would have hid themfehes from^ - Gen. 5. 8, And there is as little, or lefs Rea- lon to doubt, that By the Cheruhims and Fla^ ■ 7n'mg Sword y Gen. 5. 24. or rather as the Words v/ould here, I think, be more com- 'Ham. modioufly rendred, "*" Flameof Divifion, a ^mt on dividing, feparating Flame, is to be meant ^'^ ' ^* the fame Glory of the Lord, the Cherubims, and other holy Angels, being frequently reprefentcd in Scripture as his Hoft, Mini- fters and Attendants, Gen, 28. 12, i ;, 16. Ifa. 6, 12., Matth, 1^,1^1, Mar, 8. 58. And their appearance defcrib'd by fuch a glorious Cloud, Tfal, 104. :;,4» Mar, 15. 26, 27. The lucid parts whereof were, as ftould feem, the affumed Bodies of that Angelick Hoft, thence ftyled Angels of Light, Thefe things being confider'd, it is not improbable, that the Shechinahy io common and fo well known in thofe Times, did on the feventh Day vifibly appear to our firft Parents, in a State orPofture of Reft^ fince God's refting on that particular Day is rela- ted on the LordV Day. 5 ted as a thing remarkable and different from his refting on other days: And it is not eafie to conceive in what other Senfe, God Jhould , be here faid to reft, excepting only that of Non-creation, which, as we before noted, was not peculiar to the feventh Day. If this Conjedure be admitted, as I pre- fume it may, without any Inconvenience, and very agreeably to the received f No- t ttim- tion of the Shechinabi The holy Angels ^^^''f' keeping a Sabbath on that Day, might be fsnllih. % more than a Dream or Fancy o^Tomielhs. * n. k. Indeed if thofe Sons of God fa-ng together y^^^- 9^- and iJwut^d fur loy in the Foundation of the^^ „•/-«►,% Earths being laid. Job ;8. 4. 7. compar d /^'o/.ch.i^, with I. 6. li A 7yJHkittide of that htavmly Hbfiy HkksV *he Glory of the Lord jhimng round a hour ^ fung ^^^^ Shfch. a gratulatory Hymn on the Birth-^day of our ^^^^"* ^j ' Blefled Saviour, Luke 2. 9. ij, 14. And when dieiii 7 he had finilh'd the Work for which he was fent into the World, took him up in a Cloudy Acl, I. 9. compar'd with Joh, i. 5-1. if they have from the beginning kindly intercfted themfelves in the Affairs of Mankind, and, as is generally believ'd and coUed'cd from Scripture, as well as from the IloUnefs of their Natures, have been ready on all occa- fions to glorifie God, and bear a part with the Faithful, efpecially in their publick De- votions 'y it may with great congrpity to their ufual pradife, as well as to the recei- ve'cl notion of the Shechinahy be fuppos'd, that when God had finifli'd the World, they fung the Praifes of the Great Creator, and celebrated the Day of his Reil;^ and that' in fuch an audible manner, and with iuch out- P 5 ward A VraUicd Difcourfe ward vifible figns of Reft^ as might make both the Rert and Piety of thofe holy mini^ ilring Spirits, inftructive and exemplary un- to their Fellow-Servant, Man, a Member of the fame Church and Communion with them, Heh. 12. 22, 25. Re'v, 7. 10, 11,12. and I Cor. II, 10. and then (moft probably} a pure, untainted, and therefore more agreeable Fellow- worlliipper. And this will appear yet more probable from the pradice of holy Perfons before the Law, who for Devotion, and an immediate convcrfe with God, relbrted to fuch places, as the now defcrib'd appearance of God by Angels, had made holy, proper and conve- nient for hisWorfhip; and there built Altars, ofFerd Sacrifice, &c. As may appear from thefe Texts among others, G^;;. 4. ;, 4. and 2). 22, 23. and 26. 24, 25-. and 28. 12, rricW' ^h^^' -^^'^-7. 2. /^.W. 5, 2. 5-. * Comment, And thc like fymboiical Prefence of God onGtnjiud in the Tabernacle and Temple, is no fmall ^Hej'x^s ^onfumatioa thereof. For, as that their tA.. -p^.^^-^^^.^ ^^,^^ undoubtedly grounded on lome Significadon of thcj)ivinc Will, or Appro- bation, and that a very early one ,• fo no o- V ther time or occafion, can with luch appea- rance of Reafon and Congruity, be affign'd for the fignificarion of his Vvill in that and divers other Cafes, as the'Day of hib folemn Reft, and the feveral TranilicHons of it, whereby it became a truly Ekfed, Bk[tiMg Day, or, to fpeak in the Style of the fle- brews, 'A.Gocd Day^ that is, a day of doing 2nd receiving much good. let See Pa. on the LordV Day- I,et thefe^ if you pleafe^ pa^s for Conje- iflures, for fuch indeed they are, the' fuch as have their Probability^ and may poffibly give fome Light to the firft Sabbath-Day's >^ Solemnity, and withal prepare and difpofe the ingenious for a more ready admiffion of our evidence for a weekly Patriarchal Sab- bath ^ and on thefe Con^derations are here humbly offer'd to their view. But how probable foe^er they may feem,-. or be, I (hall not need build upon them ; it being enough to my purpofey^that God did reft on the firft feveilth Day iii a manner exemplary, and different from his refting on other days, and iandified that day of his Reft, i,e, feparated, or fet it apart from com- mon, to facred Purpofes and Ufes, which is the proper Scripture Notion of Sancfijjingy as our learned Me^ie f has fully fliewn. . ^^^^ But as a Day may be feparated two ways. Mat 6.> either by the way of Conlecration and Infti- tutipn, or by way of Celebration or Obfer- vance • fo the word Jekaddejliy which we render fandified or hallowed, is fometimes ufed in the former fenfe, fometimes in the. latter, according to the different Applic,a* tionsof it^ yetfo as to be always underftood ^ in the former fenfe, when applied, as here^ unto God, who, when he feparates a Day, and diftinguifhes it from common, ordinary Days, muft be fuppos'd to do it by way of Conlecration, or letting it apart for the ob- fervance of Men. His infinite Holinefs ad- mits of no acceflion by the feparationor ho- linefs of Days, but Mans doth; and God therefore fahcftified the fcventh Day, that^/ B 4 N^en \c. on 8\ A PraSlical Dijcourfe' Men might fancflifie it, and by fandify ing it . become holy, as he is holy. But forafimich as it is not here faid, that he bleiled and fan(fl:iiied every feventh Day in courfe from the Creation, and the hrlt feventh Day was the feventh Day of the firft Month, and of the fir ft Year, as well as of the firft Week ^ it muft be confefs'd, -that ^ the words taken by themfelves, do not ne- ' ceffarily imply the Confecf ation of every fe- venth Day in a continual circulation of Weeks. And yet tho' the divine Hiftorian be brief in this, as he generally is in his ac- counts of thofe tirft Ages ; he hath not left us without means of fatisfadion in this parti- cular, fmce what is not here exprefs'd, may from other parts of his writings be reafonably concluded to be intended by him here. The Creation itfelf, as by him related doth feeni to infmuate, but as applied in the fourth Commandment, moreplainly difcovers God's delign and purpofe in that Confccration. Certainly it had been as eafie altogether for an Almighty Power to make the World iri one dav as in jfi^:. He that fiid. Let there be X^zghty and there was Light ^ let there he a Fir- ^nament^ 8zc[ and it -n^is foy might, without sll perad venture, if hehad, pleas'd, have on- ly iiiid^ L'^t there he a JVorld. and it would have been to, ab foon as faid. And why did he not ? Why after all 'he pretty Hypothefes and Speculations of this inquifitive Age, it's' hard to 'aflign any better reafon for it, than that it v/as'his Will and Pleafufe^ that we sliould imitate him lb far ^s to fantrlfiv^ tb.^- ikrae "Porrionof our time, everv fevfenth Day^ aftei on the Lord^f Day. g after fix of Labour ; of how many Reafons Ibever may be aflign'd^ it is harder ftill to prove this not to be a true one. * * See Jen - If it be faid^ that the Creation of the Ma- J^'^^f ^^'*'' terials;, with their feveral Powers of tenden- IfthK^i cies being fuppos'd_, a natural account may ^ian Rehy. be given of the formation of the World^^'*", B.n^ without the immediate power of God^ and ^^- ^• that then there is no room for moral Rea- fons, forafmuch as it were abfurd to afcribe any delign to fuch unthinking, neceffary A- gentb. I TiQcd not for an anfwer hereunto examine the feveral accounts of that Nature, that have been attempted by ingenious Men, and would only obferve, that as they do widely differ from one another, and do all labour under infuperable difficulties, our Theories being much better at oppofingand refuting one another's Hypotheles, than at eftabliihing their own, fo it's acknowledged by one of the lall, that fome of the. fix days Work are above the Power of natural Cau- fes^even tho'he over-liberally allows 'cmTears inftead of Dajs for their Produdlion ; I fay. over-liberally, becaufe on that Suppofition, the Example of God in the Creation ihould have been proposed to the Jews^ as the rea- fpn of their Sabbatli of Years, rather than their feventh Day Sabbath. And this onc^ fcriptural Reafon^, efpecially as it may be improv'd, iliould be of more weight with us than all the conjedural Notions and Argu- ments (and the belt arc no better) that Phi , jofophy can help us to in this matter. Bur to return from v/hcnce I have a little digref- fed. Is not the advancing of this Hypotlie- lO A Praulical Difcourfe fis a tacit Confeffion of that acute Author^ that the others would not hear his Examina^ tion ? That is^ that the works of each Crea- tion Day were too great to be accomplifli'd by mere natural Agents in an ordinary Day ? And is it not far eafier to conceive anAU-w'ife Infinite Power, exerting itfelf in fuch regu- lar and flupendous Produdions ? And what lefsfliould in reafon be underftood by 77je fpirit ofGod^s movingufon the face of the Ji^aters ? Gtn. I. 2. Be that as 'twill, 'tis fuppos'd in the Ob- jedion, that 'twai the great Creator, who gave the feveral parts of matter their refpe- <9:ive Power and Tendencies : And being he gave 'em to the end. that in juft fix days they might form theinfelves into a World, and , presently after blefs'd and ian(5Hfied the fe- venth ,• we may well fuppofe that when he gave them, he had a weekly Sabbath in his view, and would give us to underftand and confider, that all things do Hand indebted to the Almighty, not for their Being only, but their Formation alfo, and not fo only, but would make us fenfible of our obligation to keep a weekly Sabbath, in contemplating and admiring thole his Works, fo wonder-^ fully glorious in themfelves, and withal, fo beneficial unto us : For the celebration of the very firft Sabbath little concerns us, but as it oblige* us to an imitation : and there is the fame reafon for the remembring and celebrating the Creation on any other fe- venth Day blefs'd and fandificd, as that was. It^5 on the LordV Day. 1 1 It's certain^ tltat He did oblige the Ifrae- lites to iuch a Sabbath, Ex, 20. and what was the reafon ? In fix days the Lord made Heaven and Earthy &C. and refiad the fe^enth daVy wherefore the Lord hhjjed the Sahhath dayy and hallo-wed it, Thefe are the exprefs words of the Fourth Commandment ; and thofe in Genefis are fo like them^ that from the weekly return of the Decalogue-Sabbath, may be rationally inferred the like return of the Patriarchal^ Qod's Reft being equally made the pattern of both the Sabbaths ^ and his bleffing and fandifying em expreft in the fame terms. I know^ there have been fome^ who have fancied the Words in Genefis Proleptical^ and rcferr'd 'em wholly to the Jewilh Sabbath, as if no feventh Day before that, no, not tHe firft (on which, they confefs, GoJ re- fted) were meant by the fevQnth Day here iuid to be bleft and fandified. But this Con- ceit feems forced and unnatural^and is there- fore, I think^ generally exploded now, yea, and feth been rejeded by fome of our late Anti'fabbatarians themfelves. Indeed we ought not in any cafe to have recour(e to a Prolepfis without apparent neceffity, or good reafon, neither of which can juftly be pretended here : For the facred Penman hal- ving been juft before deicribing in order the fix Days Works of Creation, proceeds in Gen, 2.2. as the order of the Hiftory plainly leads him, to God's reiling on the feventh Day immediatly following thofe Six ^ 2ivA this the greatett Oppolers of a Patriarchal Sabbath do not^ cannot deny. In the next verfe 12 ^A Pra8ical Difcourfe verfc he tells^ that God hkjjed thefe'venth day^ andfincHfied It ; arid the reafon given makes out the day : Becaufe that in it he had refted from all his -work. What day then he refted on^ tYrii day, that feventh Day he blefled and fanctiticd, and that as the Efocha or be- ginning of all fucceeding Sabbaths to be kept, as the Sabbath of the Decalogue afterwards was, in a continual Cii^culation of Weeks, till it fhould pleafe the fame Divine Lawgi- ver to repeal it, or by fome new Inftitution vacate the old. This I take to be fufficiently clear, how- ever there are other Confiderations that may contribute not a little to our Satisfadioa herein, fuch as thefe. That God's care of his Church in thofe firft Ages of it was very great, and particu- lar, as appears by many, by innumerable Inftances even in the fhort Hiftory of Ge- Ttejis^ That Set, Stationary Days for the exercife of Piety and Religion were as neceffary, fit and proper for the People of God before the Law, as they have been ever ilnce. That if the Creation was a Bleffing com- xnon to all Mankind, and was a good reafon with God for fandifying a feventh Day of each Week^ two thoufand five hundred Years after it was finiih'd, it was at leaft as good a reafon for fancftifying fuch a Day^ when the Prints of God's creative Power and Goodnefs were frefh in Men's Natures^ and thofe new- made Lords of this lower World had a much longer time to enjoy it, and (as is believ'd not on the LordV Day. i^ not without ground) had betterand more a- greable accommodations with it. That for the publick exercife of Religion they had not only Sacrifices^ Altars^ and con-> iecrated Places (of which before) but had Priefts too, and thofe Priefts, Tythes^ (as hath bjeen abundantly proved by many learn- ed Pens) and all no doubt by divine Dire- d:ion and Appointment j and'if fo^fet confe- crated times of Worlliip, which bear fo near an affinity to thefe^ fhould in all reafon be allow'd 'em : And then what other days and times, have (I fay not better, butj fo good Authority or reafon of their fide, as the fe- venth Day of every Week in courfe from the Creation*? This, I truft, will fatisfie the unbyafs*d, that there was a weekly Sabbath inftituted by God immediately after the Creation? And the Inftitution being admitted,it v^lL eafily be agreed^ that holy Men before and after the Flood, efpecially the Patriarchs,' who, as the Apoffle tells us, Hek ii. 2. O^- taind a good report ^ or rather as the word * * 4««.n; would be rend red, Recelvd a tefibnoyiy^ viz. ?>i0»jiw, of God's Approbation, did obferve and <^ek-, brate the Sabbath accordingly. It's true, we have no account in Scripture, of fuch their pradice- but it's as true, that' neither is there any thing there faid to the, contrary, any thing of their negled or Nan-' obfervance of Sabbaths : And fo far indeed we are pretty equal, bare Scripture-filence^ concluding nothing of either hand. But then as from God's acceptance of their Pei- fons^ and Sacrifices^ we conclude their "per- ^ fOi'- t4 -'^ Pra&icai Difcourfe formance of many other virtuous and religi- ous Actions^ than are particularly mention d by Mojhy the account hegives of thole times being only defign'd for anintrodudionto his Hiftory of the Deliverance and Polity of God'sthen peculiar People the Je^ps • fo from the fiime declared acceptance of thofe holy Men^ may be concluded their religious ob- fervance of that Day, which we have now prov'd ; and prov'd, I think^ beyond all rea- fonable doubt, and contradijflion, to have been fandified, /. e. confecrated by God. If fome three/ or four Fathers of the Church (for I think there ^re no more) do fpeakof the Patriarchs plealing God, and be- ing juftified without the Sabbath, or with- out Ikbbatizing ; they fay no more than they might well know to be true, if we under- Hand them in the ftrid, legal^ and then cur- rent acceptation of the words : And it's rf plain, allow'd cafe, that fuch a Sabbath th^ Patriarchs had not. But that they had no Sabbath at all, is more than can be conclu- ded, either from Scripture-Revelation, or Scripture-Silence : And tho' we julf ly efleem our Chriftian Fathers, efpecially the moft Primitive, very competent Judges, and very fafe Convjeyancers of Apoftolical Traditions_, and the primitive pradice of the Chriftian Church ; yet they didnot, could not pretend to any other account of the times before A^o- fes, than what they found in the Holy Scri- ptures, or confequently to any better than we have now. And for that reafon 1 fliall not load thefe Papers with unnecelTary Quo- tations out of othef of the Fathers^ who in on the LordV Day. 1 5 pofitive, and plain terms aflerc to the Patri- archs fuch a moral Sabbath^ as is here con- tended for. Do we fay then, or think, that all the Sons of Adam^ and Noab^ or the generality of them, did keep fuch a Sabbath ? No, they might be as far from keeping fuch a Sabbath, as they were from the obfervance of other moral Precepts : And they who had fallen oiF from the true God into grofs Idolatry, may well be fuppos'd to have fallen foul upon his Sabbath, which was efpecially defign'd to keep 'em in the Worftiip and Service of their Creator, the only true God. However, if thole, who apoftatiz'd from that true God, did neverthelefs retain the Old Way of computing by Weeks (which certainly they could not Learn from the Courfes, or Appearances of the Planets, by whofe Names they were called j if in Honour of the Chief of their Planetary Gods they called the Principal Day of their Week by his Name Sunday ,• yea and pay'd a Particu- lar Regard to the Seventh Day of each Month ; if they received thefe Cultonii from theTradition ot theCreation diffufed through-^ out the World, tho mightily TransformecJ and Mangled in the Conveyances • all which I think, lufficiently appears from the Tefti- monies of Heathen^ Je^vijl)^ and Chrifiia?i Wri- ters, produced and approved by a late Anti- quary of our own ; * this furely is abundantly ♦ GeJd,ifc enough to our prefent purpofe. But I hum-Jur. cat. bly conceive we may from thofe Teftimonies ^- 3- c.i a difpo-^ fition for a ftrid Obfervance : And it's evi- dent from Exod, 16. that the Day immediate- ly preceeding the firft fall of Manna vi^as not kept by them in Sabbatical Exercifes^ any others at leaft than are confiftent with Tra- velling, ^nd gathering of Quails, for thefe is it there appears, were their Imployments on that Day ; f which yet muft have been their f Mede Sabbath on the fuppofal of their uninterrup- dife. on ted obfervation of the fame Sabbath-Day *^^* ^^^ ^®' from the Creation. But that is a Suppofal/""' which every one will nOD allow of, & no one can prove, nor are v/e under a necedity of begging it : For neither . is the Sabbath that is Mentioned, Exod: i6. deduced as from the Creation, but from the. firft Rai- ning of Manna : Nor is our Lord's Day oh- ferved as the Seventh, or firii . in order of SuGceffion from the Creation, but as the 7th Day incourfe from theRefiirredionofChrift our Lord. What Day of the V/eek from the Creation either thtjewljl ovChrliilan Sabbath is, the Sacred Volumes have not told us : Nor have we any other Means of Difcovery : Neither indeed is it Neceffary, nor perhaps Convenient, that we fhould knov/ it : Not NecelTary, becaufe we may Comemorate the Creation as gratefully 6r worthily alto- gether on any one of the Six Days in Courfe trom It, as on the Seventh: Not Convenient, C kalt 8^ A PraBicat Vifcourfe Icaft the Knowledg thereof fliould Minifter occafion of Difpute & Divifion^ as We find by Experience y the bare conjecture how Groundlefs foever hath in fomeMeafure done. In (hortthen^ either the Seventh Day in Courfe from the Creation was obferved all along by Gthers as well as- the Children of Jfraely or it was not : If it was ; we fhall fee prefently, that that will afford us fome Rea- fon to believe the Inftitution of a New Day for this peculiar People of God : If it was not^why fliou'd it be thought incredible, that thcljnjelites ftiou'd Negled^and forget it alfo ? when the Character, & Indulgence, which their own Hiftorian, Law-giver, and Con- dudor giveth them, fpeaks 'em none of the moft Grateful or moft Pious and Obedient People that ever Lived. Suppofe we however, that thefe did re- tain the Obfervation, or at leaft the Remem- brance of that Old Sabbath Day at their coming out of Egypt : It would not follow^ that they did, or ought ftill to obferve it : for they as th^ Segullahy the peculiar People of God, had peculiar Laws, and Rites given them to diftinguifli them from all other Na- tions, and preferve them from the fpreading Contagion of Idolatry. This no doubt was a Principal Reafon of the Change of their Year. Exodl 12.2. and no one fu rely will deny, that God, if he pleafed, might as well Change the Courfe of their \^'eek, and for the fame Reafon. Nor is it lefs evident, that their Sabbath was intended fo to diftinguiili them : for it was a Sign bctnuxt God, and tbem^ 8zc. ExorL ^i, 15, 17, c>^'c. i. e, it was m the Lord'x Day. \g A kind of ShMolethy or mark whereby t[\ey might be known to be the peculiar People' of Jehovah, by which Name the World's Creg!^-. toir^ and their Deliverer was Pleafed to ^i^ ftinguifh himfdf from the Falfe Gods of o- ther" Nations. And accordingly we find, that the Reafbn affigned^ Dmt, 5-. 15-. for their keepings and God's inftituting3 or en- joining that pardcular Sabbath was peculiar 'CO them, I mean, their deliverance out ofth^ hands of the E(ryr)tian5. So that as they were obliged to the proportion of;, one Day in kyQn in refpecft to the Creation,, they were obliged to obfervethis particular leventh Day in regard to that Deliverance, a Deliverance fo fignal, and, as I faid, fo peculiar to them, that it well deferv' J a place , ia th^ir Kale.n- dar, and a weekly return of their moft de- vout and foiemn Acknowledgment, and gave their great Jehovah a nevv^ Title- to ilich their Obfervance, who was now tp be glorified as their might)^ Almighty Deliverer^ as well as their Cteator. And yet do we find it foretold by ^ Pi*o- phet, that this very Deliverance, as illu- ftrious as it was, fhould be obfcur'd afterward by their deliverance out of Babylon^ and fo obfcur'd, that They jhvuld no more fay^ the Lord . iivethy which brought up the chilr!re77^f Ifi'ael out of the land 0/' Egypt, hut the Lord Iivethy which brought up the feed of the houfc of linicl out of the North Country ^ fee. Jcr. ?.;. -7, 8. Not that the deliverance out of J./Z^y/t^;,' (liould bo greater in icfelf, nor indeed (b great as that OMtoiKgjpt : But that ic would be frelher in their Minds,,and mora immediately concern, C 2 and ib A Pra£iical Difcourfe and therefore more nearly afFed thofe of that Generation here calFd the Seed of the Houfe oilfrael: And which feems to have been moftin the intention of the Prophet, or ra- ther of the Holy Ghoft that infpir'd him, be a nearer Type and Pledge of the fpiritual Deliverance fmce accomplifli'd by the Mejjlasy which infinitely furpafs'd all former Delive- rances. * Indeed as it was the Glory of the * Seethe fecond Temple, athat made the Deliverance^ ' Tn ttfes ^^^ ^^ Babylon fo glorious, fo it was the deli- l"l^w/4' verance by Chrilt, that made that Temple the connc- morc glorious than the firft. For what faith ^^««. the Prophet Haggai ? Tie glory of this latter houfe Jhall be greater than of the former : How t Se^Hag. fo ? Not for magnificence furely, f nor yet a 3.Ezra£^j. privileges, ||biit in that the D^/r^ of all Win the fe ^^tions fliall come^ and I will fill' this houfe cond Tern- with glory ^ and in this flace will I gi'v^ peace^ pie, oi thej-^ifjj fijg Lord of Hofisy Hagg. 2. 7, 9. That jZajZ'e ^s. the Meffiah, whom another Prophet ftyles obfer'vd, The Lord of this temple y MaL 5. i. Shall come were wMt- to it, and honour it with his Prefence, and »»5 /'"^ while it Hands, bring Peace to the World, IkPrtji' ^' ^' reconcile Jews and G^wfi/^j to each other, leges, viz. and both to God, and do greater things^ and _ the Ark of more beneficial to his Church than any he the Cove- had done before. nant, the Orach, cr Oracles o/Urim ^w^ Thummlm, f^^ Schechi'nali, the Tire from Heaven to confume the SacrifceSy and the Spira of Prophojte. To come clofer then to our main Argu- ' ment. On what day foever of the Crea- ' tion-week the Jews Sabbath was kept, and how ftridily foever they were oblig d to keep it for the time appointed ; It was but reafo- na- on the LordV Day. 2 1 nable, that it fhould give place, and furren* derail its Sandity to the day, on which the Deliverance by Chrift was confirm'd, tp, JeTifs and Gentiles ; inafinuch as'greater Blef- fmgs and Deliverances may juflly challenge greater Regards and Acknowledgments^ an4 the deliverances on which their Sabbath and ours are founded refpec^livelyj, are not to be compar'd together, but as the former may by *rhe comparifon ferve to fet^fF, andmagnifte the latter ; For what is there in them capa- ble of a comparifon that does not plainly difcover a vaft Inequality? That was a d^r. liverance to one fingle Nation only^ Thi& tq all the Nations of the World : That was on- ly temporary, and did not fecure from, all luch like flaveries for the future ; This is . ^a deliverance of never- failing influence and vertue ; That was in order to- the poffe(Iing of an earthly C^^uifin^ This of anheavc^iy i That was a Deliverance that introduc'd ii-^Or . " ther Yoke of Bondage, I mean thofe many burdenfom Rites and Oblervances of ■x\}c Law, which neither they the Feather f^ nor thtiv Children 2.k^\: xhtx^y VMre /.hh to ,he^-^ Ad. 17. 10. This was a deliverance from > that Yoke alfq, a deliverance thv^ more .va- luable, becaufe there was no ifiHrther neeid* of that fevere Schoolmafter, after it bad brought its Difciples unto Chrifl, and pv^r par'd 'em for his reception, Gal. 5. -^-4,j^f> For when it had fulfiird and anfwer'd tl\at its principal Defign, and all -its prophetick Types and Shadows were accoaiplilli'd in our common Saviour, . it was time for ic to make way foij^^ more excellent Difpenfa- C I tion^ 2t ^ PraBical Vifcourfe tion, aiid not ^t all to be wonder'd at^ that the legal Sabbath, which'a^ the Apoftfe fpeaks, CoL 2. i6y 17. M'^^^s a pyado'^v of things' to comcy and particularly of that Refi or Sak^. batifmy which temaineth to the people of Got^} H^r. 4. 9, &c. Was to difappear and vanifli with th^ other fhadows, when the Body^ which was of Chriffl appeared;, that is, when the things themfelves thus fhadow'd fortli and prefigurd were introduc'd by him. And fliould we obferve the J ewifli Sabbath now, and not the ChrilHan, we fhould regard the Shadow more than the Subftance^ and in our practife feem to deny, or at leaft not to ac- knowledge our Redemption by C>hrift to be ^ already accomplifn'dj as if with the unbelie- ving, infatuated Jeivs^ we expected another Meffiah, But whether there be, or be not any Antichrift yet to come , no Chriftian, I hope, either experts, or deflres another " ^'^^*. o« Chrifl ; And fince, as our learned Mede * •• ^^' well obferves, God is no longer to he worjljipp'd ^nd helie'ud in^ as a God fore-Jhewing and cfju" ring by lypeSy but as a God who hath perform d the fubftance of what he promts d : There is tio Day certainly fo proper for the thankful «, Commemoration of fuch Performance, as the principal day, on which it was wrought. Befides, the Sabbath of the Jews being, as we have feen, a fign of the Covenant be- tween God and them ; when they apoftatiz'd from the Covenant, they ceas'd to be God's People : And the relation ceafing, the Sab- bath, as far as it was a fign of it, /. e, as far as it Wvas legally Ceremonial , mult have Ceas'd too, . % 9ut on the Lord V Day. 2^ But iiere may Xpme Jew demand of us^^ vyhcn, and how did they apoflatize from the- Cpvenant, and ceafe to be God's People ?-, And, here may any Chriftian anfwer, when- they rejeded Chrift and his Gofpel, and by- reJciSifig em^ as they notorioufly did^ Vi^^^ ZecL ii» 10, IX, 12, i;. *j^ . For He was that Divine Perfon^ hy whm^ the Worlds were made^ Col. I. i6. Heb. !• a*> -f and whofe day Abraham rejoycd- to feS) Joh. 8. )6, He was that Jehovah , that brought them out of Egypt ^ and garue^-'em the CoT/e- mint or Law at Mount Sinai, Plill. both Refpecfts. on'^he Lord'x Day. Z5 Thus/ thus did He exalt it above its FeU loWs ; it being now made plain and mani- iFeft to us, that He was tliat Stoneyitiiho Spiritual fenfe, which the Jewifti Builder rtio lefs fooliflily than wickedly refusd^ and h- came on this* day the Head of the Corner ^ nei- ther is there Sdhation in any other ^ Pfel. ii8» i2. Ads 4. 1 r, 12. I might here produce fome other paffages of the Old Teftament, that feem to have an afped on our Lord's Day^ but becaufe they are wrapt up in prophetick Shadows, i chufe rather to proceed to the new, which are more clear, and convincing. How then do we find our Bleffed Saviour himfelf appearing fevtral times to hjsDif- dples on the very Day of his Relurredion, the firft Day of the Jewifi) Week, and by ft- veral Ads and/performances properly Reli- gious and not unfutable to a Chriftian Sab- bath, Sandifying the D^iy Mat, 2S :.cj.'LuL 24. ij, 25*, 26,Jdh, 20. 14, 19. 20. &c. And leaft thefe appearances and transfadioris fliould feem merely cafual, and fortuitous, or argue his intention to do lionour to the Day, as his own Refurredioii Day only, not as a Weekly Feftival; the next Time of his ap- pearing to^^hem was the Eighth Day after inclufively]"^?^. the firft Day of the next Week, as appears from Joh, 20. 26I corhpa- red with Mat, 27. <^;. and 26. 61/ When Thomas himfelf, how hard foever of belief, was by a more than Gcular Demonfiration convinced of his Lord's Refurredion, and his own Fault, and declared his convidion in th^fe remarkable Words, 7^7 Z^r^, ' ^w^ w/ Go4 %6 A VtAUicd Difcourfe Qod, JJje Third Time he jlieimcl bimfejfto his Difdfles was at the Sea of Tiberias by a Mira- cuious Draught of FlpesyJoL 21. 14. Yet not to all of chem aflembkd^ as, before, but to Seven of them only. Ttiis appearance was, it is like^ on fome other Day of the Week, and feems to Jiave been . defigned for the Drawing as many of the Di^iples as fliouy bear of itto^ the Mountain in G4//^^ the Place he had more than onee aj^pinte^ them for ^General Meeting, J/^r. 26. 52. and ^8, 16, Where therefore they expehich was fpoken of by the Prophet Joel 2,28329. and is quoted by St. P^ftv, y^Bs 2. 17, 18. Tour Sons J and 'iymr Daughters jhalt propheeyySzc^. And if Woitien had pro- phefy d, and other ipiritual Gifts in that Age, as appears from ABs 21; 9. &:c. why may we not fuppofe it on this Day of extra- ordinary effuflons ? . ' Now that this was the firft day of the Week is evident in that it was the Feaft oi Pentecoft, AB. 2. i. So call'd, becaufe it was the Fiftieth day from the Feaft of Firft- fruits, or Wave-oitering, Le'v. 2:;. 15-, 16. Qfi whic'i day Chrift role from the dead^ and is on that account, and in allullon to that Feaft ftyl'd the Firfi- fruits of them that jlepty I Cor. i^. 20. And it's plain that fifty d^ys reckon'd inclufively from any firft day of 28 A Pra3ical Difcomfe of the Week-, muft end in a firft'd^, being in all juft feven Weeks. i.N. I, And 'tis not unworthy of a remark, tl^t both the Feaft of Firft-fruits^ and that ether •pfPentecoft were -ff«5/y Convocations to thei j^;tf34^j, JHev.23. 4..21. And^ asfuch, a kind* c& Sabbaths I Kti^ being our bleifed Lord- was pleased, to rife from the dead on the one^ . and to fend 'Th^ Qomforter^ the fromlfe of, the Father on the other, and that ina Year when thefe holy Feafts did both fall upon the firil day of the Week : I fee no inconvenience in believing, that the All-wife Lavv-giver,when he appointed chofe Sabbaths, had our Lord's Day in his view, as a day He ddighted ta ho- nour^ and that he intended thofe Feafts^ as Types or Forerunners of our Eafter-day and WWtfunday, which are gur principal Lord's Days. But to proceed now to the pradlife of the Apoftles after their Confecration. And for- afmuch as they kept every day holy at firft, affembling daily for Breaking of bread ^ and other Offices peculiarly Chril!ian,and withal frequenting the Synagogues and Temple as . opportunity ferv'd, AtL 2. 42. 46. It's no wonder, if we read little of their particular regard to the Lord's Day, whilft they con- tinued in Judea^ when, and where it was not convenient for them to fhew it, much lefs to fet up that day in oppontion to the Jewifh : And 'tis enough, if we find th^ paying fuch regard to it in the Gentile Churches^ thither therefore let us follow them, and firft to Troas^ for there we fhall meet with Sc. fauly Ad, 20., 6, 7. Who abides there on the LordV Day. ig there feven days, and upon the firfi day of thd Vfeekf the Difcifles being come together to break bready preaches to them ready to depart on fhe morrow y and continues his fpeech until midnighf. Which words not obfcurely intimate^ that the firfl: day of the Week was the ufual day of their affembling together To break bread ('the ufual Phrafe of thofe times for the Lord's Supper) with other religious Exeif- cifes mention'd, AB, 2.4X and implied hete in that which was the principal. And where- fore, think we, is the firft Say of the Week taken notice of here, and not a word of the feventh, but that the firft was the only, or at leaft the principal day obferv'd then by tij^ Chriftians at Troas for their weekly Fe- ftival ? And why did the Apollle tarry there feven days, and no more^? Now though nb reafon can be affign'd with certainty, yet the moft likely, and moft obvious that oc- curs to us, is, that he had urgent occafibns to draw him away, yet was unwilling to part with the Difciples of Troas ^ till he had an opportunity of preaching to them, and confirming them in the F^ith : For though he had probably difcours'd feveral of them in the ^xyi days before^ yet not all, or not all together, and in fuch a large Congregation as was ufual on the Lord's Day. That this was the ordinary pra(5life of the Church in that Age is farther evidenced from I Cor. 16. 12. The words are thefe. Nouf concerning the collection for the Saints^ ^ , lis Iha've gi'ven order to the Churches ^/*GaIa-/' * *'*" tia, e'ven fo do ye. Upon the fir Jl '^ day of the oMifjtc- week let e^very one of you l^y by him in' fiore^ as Co, -my. God 3P A PraSiicai Difcour'fe God hath profperd himy that there he no gather- rings ivhm 1 come. As it he had faid, being the generality of the Chriftians in Judea^ are in a low condition, and you, as Fellow- Members, ought to lympathize and fufFer with them, and as you ha^ue now opportunity ofFer'd you. Do good imtn thojcy ivho are of thi houpold of Faith ; and being your good exam- plemay be very encouraging, and fuch ge- neral Contributions are mofl commodioufiy colle<3:ed in the publick Affemblies^ and No s one Jhould appear hfore the Loi^l empty y Exod .25. i^. Deut. 16. 16. The order I have given to the. Churches of Galatiay and that as an A- poftle of Chrift, I do now give to you, vii^. that on every firft day of the Week, wl^en 7oU are to he gather d together in the name of the Lord J ef my i Cor. 5-. 4. You do bring every Man his Offering to the Congregation, and that proportion'd to the Blefling of God up- on your former Charity and Labours : That fo your Colled:ions being ready, I may when I come to you, have nothing more to do in that Affair^ but to receive and carry them to Jerufakm. This no doubt is the true meaning of the Apoftle ^ for on what day of the Week fo- ever their Charity were privately laid by (which was not ih much his concern^ it's plain that he would have a -coHedion for the poor Saints, i\ e. Chriitians, of Judeay and that to be finifh'd before his coming to Co- rinth : Nor does he name any day for it but the firft of the Week, a day as improper for cff, fays he, J/j the J firit m the fiord's Ddj, Rev. }. ic. In the Spirit, i. e. m a Propherick Extal»c, i^rr \ liion,. fuch as he afterwards re laces : An.l a proper Day, you'll fay, the Lord's Da}' was, ior the Lord to reveal his mind to the Church by him^ as the great Voice which he zhcn iicard like that of a Trumpet, was vc*"y proper for that ^ general J 2 A PraBtcal Difcourfe general day of religious Solemnities^^ and as the Ifle Patmos was a proper place for him who had been banijli'd his eairthly Country, and banifli'd for the Lord's fake^ to have Hea- ven fet open to him. ' > Now that what is here call'd the Lord's Day was the firft day of the Week, can fcarcely' be doubted by any one that is but moderately vers'd in Antiquity, fmce Coun- cils, Fathers of the Church, Ecclefiaftical Writers, and others, whether Writers, or not Writers, are all from the Apoftles time dov/n to ours unanimouily agreed in calling the firft day by that name : And fome of them being Contemporaries of the Apdftles them- felves could not be ignorant what day was fo call'd, or what was the chief day of the Chriftian Aflemblies. However havjng far- ther ufe to make of it we fhall produce the Teftimony of one of them, namely, St. Ju- fiin Martyr, who wrote within forty or fifty * Anno Ys^fs at moft, * after St. John the Apoftle. Chrifti t On the day calFd Sunday (fays^e, fpeaking 138. of the Chriftians) there is held a Congregation accarding of Jl that live either in City ^ or Country. • J^^ ' and a little after. The day call'd Sunday ive do t Tm "tS C'^ 'iiMj ojie consent make the [Holy] Convoca- ihU v^yji,' tiohy hecaufe on that day jefus Chrift \^4^^ M ^^^ Saviour rofe from the dead^ for the day he^ Apo'l 2 fore Saturday they crucified him^ and the day af- ter Sa^turday {which is Sunday) appearing to Jjis jifoftles and Difcifles He taught theja things y &c. What Religious Offices the Chriftians were employed in, when on that 'day a(- fembled, is there alfo declared. But all that we on the Lord's Day. 3 3 we are at prefent concern d for it, that the firft day of the week (which, by the way, this Holy Father fcruples not to call Sunday) was the general day of their Religious Af- femblies, and that the reafon of their affem- bling on that day was the RefurrecStion of Chrift thereupon, a reafon that will hold good to the end of the World : For by his Refurredion from the Dead he was declard to he the Son of God Tvith Fo-wer^ Rom. i. 4. and confequently the Meffias, and Saviour of the World, and his Difciples were affur'd^ that his Death was accepted in lieu of ours, his Heavenly Father's raifmg him from the dead , being a vifible difcharging of him from that Debt, which by the Sacrifice of himfelf He had paid for us ,• for He was de- liver d for our Offences, and rofe again for cur Jufiification, Rom. 4. 25-. i,c, his Refurredion was a declaration to the World, that all true Penitents are accepted and juflified on the account of his Death : Whereas if He had not rifen according to his own predi- d:ions, Matth. 12. 58, 59, 40. &c. He had appear'd to have been a Falfe Prophet, and confequently a Falfe Chrift, or Meffiah ^ accordingly fays the Apoftle, i Cor, 15-. 14, 17, 20. If Chrifl he not rais\l, your Faith is ■z'iiin, ye are yet in yodr Sins ,- hut now is Chrifi rifen from the dead, as our Head, and Re- "prefentative ; and therefore we may de- pend upon it, that our Faith is not fain, provided it be true, and that we are freed from our Sins^ provided we repent of them^ which is more than any Sinner could iri kiftice challenge, or in reafon expe(5^, eveil D iipoti 9 A A PraSitcal Vifcourfe upon his Repentance without fuch attone- ment made and accepted. And Bleffedj for ever Bleffcd, be our Re- deemer^ who hath fo wonderfully, and with- al fo gracioufly wrought our Deliverance ,• and Bleffed^ for ever Bleffed be God the Fa- ther Almighty, who accepted his Sacrifice for us, and by raifmg him from the dead, difcharg'd Him, and us in Him ; and Blef- led, and for ever hallowed be the Day, on which He was difcharg'd, and we affur'd thereof by ma77y infallible froofs^ Ads i. ;. Bleffed be the Day, whereon our Crucified Saviour began to fee of the tra'vel of his Souly If. ^^, II. and had all power gvven him in Hea'uen and in Earth, Matth. 28. 18. and given him for the Good of his Church ; and Bleffed, and by that Church for ever 'fan^fon rather for the obfervation of thefe, being the more they were celebrated, the more would Cluillianity be advaneu, in the Pu- ricy and jull I.iheity thereof • which couLi not well be expeded fo long as the Judalzing Humour Drevaifd. D 4 To '^e J PraBical Dijcourfe To fnmm up our evidence then, and fte whether it be not abundantly fufficient to fatisfie any that are but willing tobe fatisfied, of the Apollolical Inftitution or Appointment of our Lord's Day. It hath appeared by natural Light or Rea- fon, that the fetting apart of fome days, or times, is neceflary, in order to the more fure and folemn performance of religious Offices. It hath appeared, that God himfelt was pleas'd to inftitute a Seventh-Day Sab- bath immediately after the Creation, and did either reinforce the old, or^ which feems more probable, appoint a new one to the Chil- dren of IfraeL It hath appear'd, that the obligation of the Jewifli Sabbath ceas'd ofcourfe,upon the Death and Refurredion of Chrift our Lord^ and that the glorious Day of his Refurre- dion, was of all others the moft worthy and proper to be fubftituted in the room of it^ and defignd by the Spirit of Prophefie many Hundred Years before. It hath appear'd, that this was the Day, which the Holy Ghoft fignaliz d with the Gift of Tongues, and all other Powers^ ne- ceffary and convenient for the Eftablifhment and Edification of the ChriiHan Church,and which the holy Apoftles, together with the Apoftolical Churches obferv'd as the weekly FelHvalof Chriftians. It hath appear'd likewife, that this day was in the Apoftles time, and by St. John call'd the Lord's Day, and calFd fo as a day then well known by that name. And on the LordV Day. 41- And that the Church of Chrift hath all along obferv'd it as a day holy to the Lord is a matter of fa(5l fo notorious as not to be de- nied. But how this pradice fhould or could, fb early and fo generally obtain without an A- poftolical Precept, or Inltitution, is hard^in- deed too hard for any Man to refolve us^, being fuch general practice muft have pro- i c ceded from fome general Order obliging •jU the Churches, and fuch general Order in Che Apoftles days, could proceed from none but the Apoilles themfelves ^ neither was there any general Council in the firfl Three Hundred Years after Chrift, but what the Apoftles themfelves held, and prefided in_, ML 15'. Whereas the pradice we are fpeak- ingofwas generally received before there were any even provincial Synods. So good Reafonaswell as Authority had it,Augufi'me for that celebrated Rule of his. * What the univerial Church doth hold, ^ QaoJ and is not inftituted by Councils, but hath univ^erfa been always retain d, is moft rightly believ'd ;^*'^5 ^^ to have been deliver'd by no other than A- Con-'''?^^^ poftolical Authority. inilitiirfi, fed lem- per retenrum eft, non md aiiroz;r.-.r* ApofroM'ca tradftum rsctii iime credicur. Aug. ds Baptiftm coKrr;t Donatiji. 1. 4. c. 24. But what kind of Authority, whether Di- vine or Ecclefiaftical, the Apoftles aded herein is another Qiieftion: For a Queftion, it feemSj it harh been made, efpecially a- mong the Schoolmen, and others of the Ro- man Church, who to enhance the valua of he? unwritten Traditions, and unwarranta- ble 42 A Pr apical Difcottrfe ble Conftitutions;, have been pleas'd to rank this truly Apoftolical Tradition, this Divine Inftitucion, in the fame Predicament with them ; as if all Traditions, that have her : Seal upon them, were, and muft be, of equal Credit and A^Jithority, and there were no manner of difference betwixt the ConiHtu- tions of the Apoftles, and thofe of the fiic- ceedinr Governours of the Church. Whereas the Apoftles, as from fundry Texts of Sen- pture hath been fliewn, were in a fpecial extraordinary manner delegated by Chrift, and direclcd in the execution of their Office by that infallible Spirit that had confecrated 'em thereunto. And forafmuch as whatever is reveal'd or inftituted by any Divine Per- fbn of the ever-blefled Trinity, muft be Di- vine I it's neither reafonable nor fafc, to af- firm, that any Orders or Conftitutionsof the holy Apoftles, any fuch efpecially as nearly concern, and equally afFed all Ages of the Church , were merely Ecclefiaftical, /. e, merely Human, and of the fame Original and Authority with thofe of ordinaryChurch- Governours. And being the Holy Ghoft was fent unro them in Chrift's name, and by Chrift himfelf, to Teach 'em all things^ and bring all things to their rememhrancey which he had fpoken to 'em before, J oh, 1^,16, and 14. 26, Being in all their Confticutions they a* ^rj^eidY 7h< yiif) Sec. m» ^6 A PraBtcal Difcourfe Uloo (of all their Gods) hath to all the In-- habitants of the earth prefcrib^d a day in every ■ vjeek to he celebrated by them^ as the Lord's Fe- (ii'val ? His Contemporary St. Athanajtus is more fully to our purpofe. The Ancients^ fays he, * Tiihtti * had the Sabbath in mighty efieem : But the fUv yci^ rv Lord tranjlated the Sabbath-Day to the Lord's t/f lolf df'^ jay^ and -we of our fehes (or by our own Au- ^m ^ thority j have not ^uilifiedy or made light of the lucUm Sabbath y i. e. by the tranflation of it. %cy.iv 01 dp' i(W7mv tv Z«CC«tv ngi]*(pes^i\aru7if* Athan* Homil. de Semente. And St. Augufiiney who in his Sermon de t Domj- Tempore t (^f indeed it was really his) afcribes nicumdi- j-he Inftitution of the Lord*s Day to the ^^^^^^%. Apofiolical College y declares in other places, Apoftolici that 'twas confecrated * by the RefurreBion of viri ^ reli. Chrifiy and made by Chrift^ f and that the giosa Co- Sabbath and Lord's Day harue one and the fame lennitare n r j h.bcndn ^o'-''- Canxerunt, Sem,2$i. * Dominicus dies, velut Oftivus x^ernns qui Chrlfti Refurre- £Uone facratus e(}, de Cinjit, Dei. 1. 22 c. 30. t Per ChriOum f<»du$ eft Dies Dominicus^ % 76 * Et Sabbati, & Dominici unus eft Dominus, Ibid. I am not ignorant that fome others of the Fathers do reckon it amongft Apoftolicalln^ ftitutions, without diftinguilliing betwixt a Divine and Eccleliaftical Authority. But when it is confider'd, what a profound Re- gard they generally paid to the Apoftles, and how that thofe, who immediately fuc-; ceeded on the LordV Day. 47 ceeded 'em, though they had all their ordi- nary Authority, yet werefo far from preten- ding to an Equality, that out of Reverence to them they declin d the very Name, t or J Ama?ar, Title of Apoftles, and had thereupon the offic J^. 3, Name of Bilhops appropriated to themfelves; <:. 13. ' we may eafily conclude, that they look'd up- on the Apoftolical Authority as Divine, and not merely EcclefiafticaL If any of their Succeflbrs can be fuppos*d to have had anAuthority equal to others^ fure- ly the bleffed Ignatius mull: have been one of that number, who not only liv'd in the Apo- ftles time, but as St. Chryfoftom f tells us, t ^omil. Was intimately acquainted 'ivith them^ and or- daind * Bijhcp hy thern^ a Man^ as the Rela- * Orat. ia tors of his Martyrdom {peak. In all things llkt '*"'^- ^S* to the Afofilesy and which may found greater "*^' in the Ears of thofe Perfons we are here chiefly concern d with, a SucctJJlr of St, Pe- ter, t tho' not in the See of Rcme^ but of t Eofeb, Antloch, And yet was this truly Apoftolical Eccl.Hift Bifhop, this Renowned Martyr, even when ' ^■^'5-^" he was adually a Confeflbr, and on his way to A4artyrdom, Afraid leaf he fiouUfeem "*" * jg^ gp 1 command y or frefcrlbe as an Afoftle. ad Trail With the like deference to thofe imme- diate Delegates of Chrift doth St. Amhrofe Bifhop of Milan exprefs himfelf. I do noty fays he, * challenge to my felf the *>Jon ]^^ Glory of the Afoftles : For who can do this^ '"^'^ ""- "'^ hut thofe whom the San of Qod himfelf hath '^P^^;?-^^ ; /^ \ • •' •' -' ruin txio- ^H^^ • riam ven- dico Qyij enini hocj nill 9UOS ipfs filhis t'^^il^cit ^. Jmhr.de Q^c.U i, c i. By ^8 A PraBical Difcourje By thefe holy Fathers we may judge of the reftj and conclude the Argument in harid with the Teftimony of Clemens Romanus, wherein is involv'd the Teftiinony of the then pure and worthily renowned Church oiRomey in whofe Name his firit Epiftle to ihQ Corinthians was wrote^ an Epiftle uii- queftionably genuine^ and more ancient than feme of the Books of the New Tefta- ment^ and read with it in the Chiirch-Af- femblies fome hundreds of Years : And I humbly conceive, it had been better for the Church, if it had been read in them ftill, as the Apocryphal Writings are in our Church, if I may not fay inftead of fome of them. Indeed it's the Opinion of fome ve- * Dodw. ^y l^^rned Men *>of our own Cwhich I rea- in Tren. dily fubfcrii3e to)that it ought hot to pafs for Diff. ir. a mere human Compofure,being the Author W^kev' ^^^ ^^^ ^^^y ^ Contemporary of the Apo- Vrdim. ffl^s^ ^^d intimately acquainted with them, Difc. to the but one of St. Taul's Fellow-Labourers in ^e77«/w^£^ the Gofpel, Whofe names were 7vritten in the p i<54,&c. that great Apoftle in his Labours, no doubt is to be made, but that he had a proportiona- ble Share of that holy Spirit, whereby the Publilliers of the Gcfpel in that Age were generally encouraged and afliiled, as may appear from i Cor. 12. and 14 Chapte'rs, * n«V7tt ^^^ i^. x^ 2. and I Tbejj\ i. i, 5-. And ma- ^f£, 3. ny other Texts. 9»!K»fMv Now for the Teftirriony itfelf. T4^e ought * Zoe oj man, not of a Man: He, and only he, thatRabbin-s was the untainted Son of a Virgin, and the''^"''^^^'^^'' Son of God withal, hath, or could have faJ'^"'^^^*'^ tisfied the Divine Juftice for all the Sins o^lc gottm fal'n Mankind, and refcu'd em out of the ^ftey the hands of the Deftroyer, and for a Crown of ^-^'''^ '^ TVJV Of all, given ^em a new Title to that Bills and^,^^.^.^,,^^ Immortality they had forf"eited in th^ir firilsv/Mo-^ Parents. And fmce all that believe the Gof- '^eus ,),: pel, muft believe this of him; they muftY\'>-, „^ alfo believe, that he is the Seed of tfie ^Vo-j,J''^ \g" man intended by God in this his gracious Promife. And being Eternal lifey the gift of God through Jefus Chrifi our Lord, Rom. <^. i ;. Neither is thsre Siilvation in any othery Act. 4. Co 4 Pra&ical Difcourfe II, 12. Being there is no other Covenantor Promife of Eternal Life to fal'n Mankind made in Chrift, but what was granted in Confideration of his Death, and is therefore ftyFd the New Tefiamenty or Co'venant 'm his Mood, I Cor. II. 2f. As his Blood is ftyl'd the Blood of the everlafiing Co'uenant ^Yizh. 1:5. 20. Being Eternal Life was promis'd by God, and the Grace of God (i. e, the Grace con- tain'd in the Gofpel, or Gofpel-Covenant ) was given us in Chr'ift, if not before the World began, as our Englifh Tranflation has it, *n^xe}'Tit, I. 2. and 2 Tim, i. 9. * Yet before the fa¥ *<6)-jewifh Age, or Oeconomy, which began in vlcf¥. Abraham, and therefore at the time aliign'd + H ^y ^^^ ^ thtiQ being no other point of time jinnT^on With any colour affignable : From the Pre- Luk.1.70. mifes it will follow, that the Promife of the Seed of the Woman, we are fpeaking of, was a true, tho imperfed Revelation of that New Gofpel-Covenant, which was after- wards confirmed to Abraham, and his Seed, Gen, 12. 3. and 18. 18. &c. and at length in the fuUnefs of time feaVd, and for ever ratified by the Blood of Chrilt. As for that Promife to Abraham, it is evi- dent from Gal 3. that it was the very fame with the Evangelical or New Covenant ; for it's faid to have been confirmed in Cbrifi^ V. 17. and the Delivery of it is cXiVd preach- ing thi Gofpel to Abraham, V. 8. And the pro- mifed Seed of Abraham is exprefly affirm'd to be Chrifi, V. 16. and being in this Seed all Nations, all Families of the Earth were to' be blefs'd ; being this Seed of Abn-iham muft of courfe be the Seed of the firft Woman, be- on thelLovd^s Day. 6i bccaufe Abraham himfelf was defcended from her : There is no room for doubt but that as the promifed Seed was the fame in both ; fo the Promifes themfelves were the fame too in the main^ agreeing in their general Nature, and differing only in Circumftan- ces, that is to fay, agreeing and differing as two feveral Editions of one and the lame Covenant. Accordingly we do find the promifedAf^^^j ftyl'd the Defre of all Nations, Hagg. 2. 7. Which with other Evidence not neceffary to be here produced, * argues fome general- vicJ.ji^;^ Hope and Expedation of him among the ar,d eajh Gentiles as well as the Jovs, And though ^^^^'>^ , through the care and good Providence ofp^[fi/^^^ God, even the Gentile part of the World, pa^rt 2. wanted not other ways and means of com- feft. j, ing to the knowledge of his Will in this, as in other particulars, f yet the firil and t V. Jen- mofl general, was no doubt that Promife to Jt'"*f,^'t- our firft Parents, which was to be commu-^^ Sr^ nicated to all their Pofterity, and that not taintj^ of only by Oral, but Pradical Tradition, that ^'^^ ^^'^-^ of lacrificing more efpecially, which certain- -^''^^jf"'^" ly commenced very foon after it, if not with pc^,. oh.*, it, and in all Probability was inltituted by God for a Handing Memorial of it, and a ty- pical Reprefentation of the Sacrifice of Chrift, whereon that truly Evangelical Pro- mife or Covenant was grounded. And the Lamh of God being thus JJain in Efligie fro^t the Foundation of the World, all Nations might well retain fome general Notices of their promised Redemption, and Redeemer, and ^11 the faithful followers of the Lamb were as 6% A Pratiical DifcoUrfe as certainly fav'd by his Death fb reprefen-- ted, as if He had been adually flain from th^ World's foundation. For as Sacrifices were of old the general way of covenanting with the Deity, Gefj. 8. 20, &c. to Gen, 9. % 10. Gen, If. 9, 18, &G. Exod, 24. 7, 8. & 54. ly. Ff, 50. 5". & 106* 28. I Cor, 10. i8j 20, 2T. So the Sacrifices of Good Men (as that of Mel, Gen, 4. 4. Heh, 11. 5'.) were accepted of God upon the account of their Faith in that all-attoning Sacrifice, Which was reprefen- ted by that of Beafts ,• and thus had they an iffltereft in the New Covenant, which was founded thereon. This I take to be the beft, and only Satif-, factory Account of the Original and Defign of Expiatory Sacrifices, and their general reception in the firft Ages of the World ,• it being not otherwife conceivable how all ibrts and Divifions of Men fhould fo unani- moufly confpire, ?[s they did, in this Pra- cliceiFor certainly their own Natural Light, or Reafon could by no meafis dil-etft then! thereto : for by what Law of Reafoning Gould they conclude^ that the Lives of their Beafts were of equal value with their own ? or that they would be accepted ds an Equi- valent when in Truth they were not fo ^ By ivhat Light but that of Revelation could they diftinguilh, (as long before Mofes, and Jhm- ham they certainly did. Gen,'^, 2. and 8. 20.) between clean and unclean Beafts f And fay/ thefe are fit for Sacrifice, and will be accep- ted, thefe are unfit, and lure to be rejeded Nay, what but the declared Will and Plea-^ fure of the Creator could make it a Duty xH on the Lord'j Day. 6^ offer any Bloody Sacrifices at all ? That is^to Deftroy thofe his Creatures^ which were Originally Defign d, and given to Mankind for other ufes, and are all now to be ufed according to the Original Intendment,! Tim. 4. ;, 4. Mat, i^. II. AB, 10. ly. and none to be Sacrificed, Dan, 9. 27. Heb, 9. 9, lo; and lo. I, 4, 5*, &c. And this to all Chri- ftians at leaft is a Demonftration, that the Sacrificing of Beafts was no Didate^ or Law of Nature: For if it had been fo ; it had been Obligatory Still, all Laws of Nature being confeftly immutable. So then we have what we contend for, 'vix,, that thofe Bloody Sacrifices were infti- tuted by God upon the Fall of Adam^ and inftituted in regard to the Death of Chrift, implied and included in the Promife then made to him, and to the New Covenant at the fame time Granted in Confideration of it. Indeed it muft be. confell, , that a great part of Mankind offerd Sacrifices to/^e/j, and io inilead of Covenanting with God as Members of his Church, became Confede- rates ivith Devils^ 1 Cor. 10. 10, 20, 21. and Members of the Synagogue ofScnan^ Rev, 2, 9, but even this their unwarrantable Pradicc fhews, that Sacrificing was a federal Rite, and that thofe who Sacrificed to the True God were in Covenant with him, and his Church : and as there was no other Cove- * nant than the Evangelical, whereby they could be reconciled unto God, and confe-* derated with him • fo, tliat Covenant bcine ^4 ^ PraHical Difcourfe one and the fame all Ages throughout^ the Church that was founded on it^ the whole Society of the Faithful confederated by it, could be but one Church, one Spiritual So- ciety, as one and the fame Charter makes one and the fame Corporation for how many Generations foeverit continues in force. And this Union, this Identity rather, or Onenefs (if I may be allowed to fpeak in the Barbarous Language of the Schools) is yet more evident in the Jewijh, and Chriftian Church, which I am here more particularly concerned for ; it being apparent that our BleiTed Saviour did not erecSt a New Church, but enlarge and reform the Old: for plain it is, that he Built upon the Old Foundation, and retained many of the Old Matefials, as iiiany as the Nature of the New Difpenfation ' V.Ham- •*- would well admit, slnd therefore is it cal- Hkkl of^^^^^'/'^'^^^^'"^ ^'^•9- lo- ^nd the Chri- Inf Bapr.ftian Church has the Title of Nar Jemfalent Hooper's Re'V, 5. 12. and 21. 2. and Jerufdlem from ^f'g- of above the Mother of us ally both Jews^ and ]^^^^ ^^^^ Gent. Gal ^, z6, as being the OldJemfalerK renewed, reformed, and enlarged for the taking in of other 'Nations. Hence likewife it is, that the Chriftian Church is reprefen- ted by Chrilt, as confifting of Twehe Tribes^ as the Je'ivijh Church had done, and the Twelve Afofiles af Judges fet over them'; Revi, 7. 4, &c. Mat, 19. 28. and that the Law as reformed, and confirmed by Chrift was to, go forth out of Zion^ and the word of the Lord from JerufaleWy Is, 2. 3. the Ancient Churchy whofe Chief Seat was Jerufakw; being the on the Lord's Day. 65 Root^ from whence the Chriftian CKurch was to derive and fpread it felf in all its Branches. IrltncQ is it alfo, that St. Teter transfers the moft glorious^ and proper Ti- tles of the Jewifh Churchy the Old Vecullum^ to the Chriftians he writes to, a Chofen Ge- neration^ a Royal Priefihood, an Holy Nation^ a peculiar People, the People of God, i Pet. 2. 9, 10. compared vvith Exod. 19. 5*, 6. Nor does St. Paul himfelF, tho' an Apoftle of the Gentiles, come behind him in this^ who reckons Chriftians in the number of True, Spiritual Jews, Rom. 2. 29. and calls them the Children of ^ Abraha?/?-, Gal. ; . 7. and the Ifrael of God, Gal. 6. 16. and compares the. Gentile Believers to a wild Olive-Tree graftc4 into a good Olive-Tree, meaning thereby their incorporation into the Jewifli Church with the Believing Jews, whilft . the uncpnyerted Jews were as Branches broken off, Rom. 11. 17, 24. and reprefents the Reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles in one Body, not by the Jews coming into a new Church, but by the Gentiles nearer admillion into the Old, the middle IVall of Partition, which kept 'em at a diftance, ibeing broken down, Ephef. 2. And this may fuffice for our firft partir qular j if it be mpre than fufficient for our prefent purpofc; the great importance of thefe matters, ^p,6 the little inlighr which the generality of Chriftians have mto them., niay at leaft excufe our v/ell-intended La- bours; F But; 66 \ A PraSlical Difcourfe But, to prevent mifprifions, I defire it may be confider^d^ that when I affirm^ and prove the Patriarchal, Jewifh, and Chriftian Church to be one and the fame, I no not, cannot underftand^ or include any Schifma- tical Churches of any Age3 whether Idola- trous alfo^ or not Idolatrous^ fuch as that of the Ten Tribes, and that other of the Sa- maritans under the Law, and many the like tinder the Gofpel, alas I too many to be here enumerated : For thefe however they may in a loofer fenfe be call'd Churches of God as far as the Belief of the True God was, or is^ profeft, and his Worfhip per- form'd by them^ yet can they not be truly faid to be the fame Churchy or Society with that from which they have divided, and di- vided fchifmatically, i, e. cauflelly. But if the whole Church of God^ thefe only ex- cepted, do make one Spiritual Society ; that is enough to our purpofe, and therefore we /hall now proceed. 2. This Church has been all along go- verned by the fame Laws and Religion in the. main. The whole of Religion may be reduced to two Heads, matters of Faith, and matters of pradice. As for the former, it may fuffice us here to obferve ,• that tho' the Creed of the Pa- triarchs, and other Holy Men before, and under the Law was not fo large, nor in all points fo clear and explicite as that of Chri- ftians ^ yet, as far as it reach'd, it was the very fame with it ; for as they had one ani the on the LordV Day. 67 the fame God, fo had they one and the Tame Mediator,^ and Redeemer for the Ob- jects of their Faith, with other Articles more or fewer according to the feveral Revela- tions they receiv'd. And for the latter, tho'-we have but a very fhort account of the Patriarchal Age • yet we have. enough to fatisfie us, that all Mankind before Mpfes were under the obli- gation of Moral La^ for fubftance the lame with His. For tlte Good Men of thofe Times made confcience of olferving them, and the Ungodly were feverely punifh'd for the violation of them, it being their vio- lence, and uncleanefs, and other Immorali- ties, which brought the Flood on the Old World, and the fire from Heaven on the Ci- ties of Sodom and Gomorrah^ Job 29. and *» i. Chapt. and Genef. pajjim. And it feerhs highly probable, that thofe Moral Laws commonly known by the name of the Six Precepts t of the Sons of Adam were at firit given by t ^^^ ^'^ Pmepts are. God to Adam, and by Adam tranf- \ ^^'^^om^ts, and •^j i_'T^/i-^' r 1 ^^"'^^^ reckon d uD in this mitted to his Pofterity,* for the order. ,. of ftrangemr. Hebrew Writers, as well ancient y^^>. or idolatry, 2 of as modern, do (peak of them as ^^^(pkemin^^ or bkjjin-^ known Precepts of God, and the \ZTZrT'"^'f, cr forJjUd^n ' ^-r 7 1 1 '' r tnixtum. i. Of Theft cept given to Noatj and hj^, .Sons, ,, K.p.v... 6. ofj^tl Gen, 9, 4. and renev/d. Lev, 17, mcnts, or civ/l ok^d/. td, ) of all fiich Gentiles as deilr'd ^''^-'- Mn'mon. ihuk to live aniongft fem, ^nd to Mehkim, c. 9, 6B A PraBical Difcourfe wor/hip the fame God with them. Ancj this practice of that Church together with the Writings of her Do6lors fufficiently ftews^ that they Elteemed the Obfervance of thofe Precepts the indifpenfable Duty of all the Sons of Adam and NoaL Nor can they well be fuppofed to have been miftaken in the cafe^ being they had Profelytes of other Nations among them from the firft Delivery of their Law^ and their Law it felf in alhioli every page of it takes care of thofe Strangers : And though they were Guilty of fome Idolatrous Practices in Egjp ^ yet 'tis hard to believe that they ftould wholly forget the God of their Fathers with the Promifes^ and Commands he had given them : Or if that were fuppofable ; they had Mofes a Prophet for their Inftrudor herein^ and the Miraculous Judgments on Egjft to reduce them to their Primitive Worlhip^ and Obedience. And as the mixt Multitude that went out of Egypj: with them^ £.;. 12. ;8. did no doubt worfnip the fame God^ and own their > bligations to the fime Di- vine Lavv'S that they were obliged to before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai ; fp there is no reafon to Doubt but that all their fucceeding Profelytes were obliged to the famC;, only with this difference^ that their Profelytes of the lower form were obliged to them only " as Dependents of yil:?^^ and Noab, and that by Virtue of the Covenant of Grace : Whereas thofe who by Circum- cifion had made themfelvxs^ in St. Paul's Ex- preflion^ Dehors to do the whole Law, were (obliged on the LordV Day- 6g obliged to them as Jews alfo;, Naturalized Jews^ by the Mcfaical Covenant : But ftill they were the fame Laws for SubRance^ the Subftance of the Decalogue being contained in the Six Precepts of Adam. If any ihail here except the Sabbath^ as being not ex- prefly contained in any of thefe Precepts^ though reducible to the Second ; I (hall not need to contend with them having proved the Divine Inftitution^ and General Obli- gation of the Sabbath from the Creation. Nor am I under a Neceffity of denying the Six Precepts we are fpeaking of to be Natu- ral L.i ws : For fuch they might be^ and yet Pofitive alfo^ as at their Delivery on Mount Sinai they certainly were. And now if the Gentiles^ who were never under the Obligation of that Political Cove- nant of Mofesy v/ere obliged neverthelefs to the fame Adoral Duties with the Jeujs ; k will be eafily believed, that neither Jews nor Gentiles were freed from the Obligation to them^, when they embraced the Gofpel : for our Bleifed Saviour^ as he came not to Deftroy the Old Church, but to reform and enlarge it, fo he came not to dedroy, or any way<. oppofe the Old Laws by which it had been Governed, but to fulfil, and perfeA them. So he tells us himfelf, M^i^ ^. 17, 18. Think itoty that 1 am come to defiroy the Law^ or the Prophets : I am not come, to dejlroy^ hut to fulfil. For Verily I fay unto you^ that till Hca'ven and Earth fli all fafsy (OT be Diffolv'd) one Iota (''or leafl Letter ) nay, one Tittle (which is lefs than a Letter) j7W/ in 710 wije F 5 ' l>afs 70 A PraSlical Difcourfe pafs from the Lau^. Words^ that do Ipeak his great regard to the old Law in the defigna- tion of his own^ and import npthing lefs than thisj that the Religion he was about to eftablilh fhould have nothing in it deftru- dive of, or contrary unto that old Inftitu- tion^ but amicably correfppnd^ and agree with it, and every way anfwer the Defign and Intention of the Divine Founder of it. And this he has made good even to a Tittle^ • for fo much feems implied in the word$ of his Apoftie, Rom, ^, '^i. Do we then make ^void the Law through Faith ? (i. e. through the Gofpel, or Law of Faith, which we preach) God forbid. Tea^ we eftahlijl} the Law. But we have a yet more convincing Teftimony to thi$ Truth, that of God himfelf, who has fet his^eal, ^fame Seal of Miracles to the Gofpel, that he had before done to the Law, Mar. 16. 20. Aa. 14. 5, 2 Cor. 1. 21, 22. So that as fure as God would not, could not contradid himfelf^ fo fure we may be, tha^ thofetwo Inftitiuions fo ratified by him, do not contradia or incerfer, but perfedly fymbolize, and accord with one another. It's true, that a great and wonderful Change has been wrought by Chrift : But it's as true, that that Change was a Refor- mation, not DeftruAion of the Law. For he came to fulfil it in all refpedls, and efpe- -* V.Ham- cially to fill up ^ what was wanting in its mond in Moral Precepts, to improve and perfed wf!"^ ^^^"'v'''^^ ^3^ ^'^'^^- affiftances and clea^ Ilefturc, ^,^f dilcoveries of a future Reward, and Boy]. withal by a greater /.iherry in Cei^monials, ^^°^' en: on the LordV Day* 7 1 encourage Men to the obfervanceof them. And that it was the Will and Intention of the Law-giver of Mcunt Sinai ^ that he jliould do fo, may be learnt not only from Mofes^ Deut. i8. ly. 19. and the other Prophets^, I/a. 5-4. iij 12, 13. Jer> jr. ;!, 52, &c. But from trie very Frame and Strudure of the Law itfelf : For its numerous Types and Shadows, whatever other ufes they might have, did all refer and point to the MeJJiasy and his Reformation, f H^^^- lo- ^j 5*^ ?• t V.Stan- Gdl. 5. 19. 24. And as far as appears, this was ^^?^^ v^ the principal and moft noble end of their ^^^- ^°^^- T n.* • 170I. Inititution. Forafmuch then as a Reformation of the Law, was from its firll Eftablilliment de- Hgn'd by the Author of it, and the Mailer- Workmen, Chritl and his Apoftles, were like to a HoufljoUeVy who hringeth out of his Treafure things ntiv and oUy Mat. 15, ^2, /.f. had many old Laws and Ufages, out of which to feled fitMaterials for their new Building, as well as new ones to be introduc'd by them : It might well be expeded that they would put a difference betwixt the feveral Laws in force under the old Difpenfation, and make choice of fuch, and only fuch of them, as were conducive to the Qtid of fuch a bleffed Reformation. And indeed fo we find that they did ; for rhofe Rites, or Ritual Ordinances that were typical of the good things to come, were all fnlfiird by the Introdudion of the things themfelves forefhadow'd in them, and therefore laid a- iide as infignificant and ufelefs under the F 4 <2o^- 7? A VfoB'ical Dijcourfe Gofpel-Oeconomy : Thofe that were in- confiftent with the Nature of the Church, as it was to be a manly^ free and univerfal "v.Hick'j Church were for that Reaion * rejeded^ or Cafe Inf. altcr'd at leaft^ and made fit for their pur- B^/'f.p.i^jpofe. But for thofe/ that had a real in- ^' trinfick Goodnefs or Equity in them^ arid were fuited to the Nature of Man^ and perfedive of it^ whether they were purely natural Laws^ or divine Expofitions and Determinations of any fuch^ they were all retain'd^ and many of them alfo improv'd in the Chriftian Inftitution : So that all the Old Teftament-Precepts of Piety, Righteouf- nefs and Sobriety, which we call Moral Laws in contradiftindion to the Judicial, and Ceremonial do fiiil remain in force, arid Chriftians are as much oblig d to them (I will not here fay more) as the Jews them- felves ever were. Accordingly we have our Lord himfelf in the very next Verfes to thofe before-cited,de- cl^nngjth^itTVhofoe'uey fihiJl hnak one ofthcfe leafi Ccmmartdnjents^a^idjhall teach men jo^jlinU be caU'd the kafi m the Kingdom ofHeazJcn^ Mat. 5*. 19. ?. e. (as I underftand himj fhall enjoy leaft of the Gofpel-Priviledges and Bleffings, if any. But whofDCver jhall doy 'and teach them with the reft, the fayne flj.-^ll he calFd great i?p the Kingdom cf Heaven^ fliall be entitled to the higheft Privileges and Bleflings of the Gofpel here," and hereafter. For I fay unto j/cu, (fo he proceeds^ that except your Righ- houfnefs (Imll exceed the Rrghteoufnefs of the ^crll'Ps and Fharifees, the ftricleft Teachers^ on the LordV Day. 7^ and^ in the opinion of the People^ the ftrid- elfObfervers alfo^ of the Law, Ye fiall in no cafe enter into the K'rr^dom of Heaven. Now that he fpcakshere of the Moral Precepts of the Law, and of that Moral R.ighteoufnefs, which confiih in the obfer- vationof them, is evident in that he falls im- mediately after to the Interpretation of fome of them, and withal interprets them fo, as to advance and raife them to a higher pitch of Piety and Vertue than the Scribes and Vharifeesy and indeed than either Mofes or the Prophets had requir'd of them ; Whereas every Chrillian doth, or fliould know, that the Ceremonial Laws of Mofes were never in force under the Gofpel, and that the Ce- remonial Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Tfdarifees was not to be exceeded, or even equaird, Kecaufe thefe Legalifts were in matters of Ceremony over-ftrid and rigid even to a fault, to the negled and violation of Moral Duties, thofe weightier matters of the Law, Indeed the whole Sermon on the Mount, of Which the words before-cited are a part, is one continued Ledure of Morali- ty : And the New Teltament every where aimoft prefents us either with Examples of Moral Goodnefs, or with the right means . of attaining it, or with powerful Argum.ents to perfwade Men to the pradice of it, or elfe Vv'ith Repreheniions of Vice and Immo-- rality, or other Declarations againft them, all which ai'e fo many Confirmations of the Moral Lavv^s, which require the one fort and forbid the other As nA A Prai^iical Difcourfe As for the Ten Commandmeiits, our Sa- viour has fufficiently confirm'd and efta- blifh*d them by his Anfwer to that Queftion of the young Ruler^ Mat. 19. 16, 17. LuL 18. 183 20. PFhat he jlwuld do to inherit eternal Ufe ? If thou wilt enter into life^ fays he, keep the Commandments, all of them without any Exception or Diftindion. And if, becaufe he inftanceth only in the Commandments of the fecond Table, any one fhall imagine that he intends no other ; let hini hear his Anfwers to the fame, or like Interrogatories, Mat. 22. 56. &c. LuL 10. 2^. &c. which a- mount to thus much, that the Love of God, which is a Summary of the ftrft Table-Du- ties^ De//f. 6. 5-. And the Love of our Neigh- bour, which comprehends thofe of the fe- cond Table, Rom. 15. 8, 9, 10. are the great Commandments of the Gofpel as Vv^ell as of the Law, the indifpenfable conditions of eternal Life under both. Confonant whereunto is that Paffage of St. James 2. 10, 11. Where he afferts the neceffity of keeping the whole Law (the whole Moral Law of the Decalogue he wa^ ■ fpeaking of juft before) and proves it by an Argument that equally holds for the obli- gation of all the Commandments, as being grounded on the Authority of the La7k^''giver^ which is the fame in all. Nor is St. Vaul's Dodrine different from St. James s : For he precifes upon the Evhe- fians the Duty of oheyi7ig and honouring their Parents, not only becaule it is jufi and equal^ and a natural Law, but becaufe it is a Com- mand-: on the Lord/ Day. 75 niandment of the Decalogue^ and, as fuch, hath a Promife of long and profperousDays annex'd to it^, Efh. 6. ly 2^ 5. And if the Chriftians of Efhefuiy who were moft, if not all of them Gentiles by Extradtion^ were obliged to the obfervance of the fifth Com- mandment^ as fuch ^ the inference is eafie and imdeniable^ that all other Chriftians do lie under the fame obligation with them to that^ and ail other the Commandments, the reafon being plainly the fame for gll Chriftians^ and for all the Command- ments. And to this is the fenfe of the Ancients very agreeable^ as might be ftiewn at large : But becaufe I would not be tedious I inall content my felf with two of them^ but thofe Fathers of theChurch in the Age vifyit to the Apoftles, or the hteft of them very near it, * f^^^^^ * and wliofc Orthodoxy is as unqueftiona- 20J. ble as their Antiquity^ I mean Irenausy and t)oclw.^ Thcofhihis A?itioche7ws • the latter whereof af- J^^^- *" ter a luccind Repetition of the Ten Com- ^^^] ^^^ mandmentSj and other A/ioral Laws fpeaks thus, t ^f ^h'^s divine Laiv was Mofes that \ x^n^ Servant of God y a Minifier to the whole World y ah^ iv 7^ hut efpecially to the Hchrewsy that is, to the f*^**2l^^* Jews firft, and alfo the Gentile f, all, or any %,,^i: of them that fliould at any time come intOp.:jg, Ed* the Church. On. And the former has thefe Paffages among others full to our purpole. "* Si?jce the firfi jgilur.^l* and greateft Co7nmand7?it:7tt 171 the Law y and ift m Evan- the Gofpely is to lo^'e the Lord God with the S*^^ '» cum whck 'Hcar\ and the ihond is like mto /V, to ^^^ ,^",T" iove ..,,.rA.n.>3 'j6 A PraSlical Difcourfe diligere lo've thy Neighhotir as thy Jelf ; the Founder of J ""'"^''^^ the Law and the Gofpel af fears to he one and the Hertr.i.4 j/^^^« ^^"^ ^^^ Pj'^cepts of perfeB life being the c. 26. fame in bothy do jljew the fame God, "who ga^ve indeed particular Precepts accommodated to the. one and the other ; hut for the more eminent and friiicipal^ without which there is no Sal'Vutlon^ tin quam ^^ ^^.^^ ^^^ y; j^^g i^ hotk-^ — ■■' Again, t The pra:ftru- ^^^^ preparing man to life^ [pake the words of the tins homi' Decalogue hy him f elf unto all alike ^ and there- nem, &cfore they remain fill in force among us^^ as before^ 1 I . f . 3 1 . ^a'ving received extenjion and enlargement y but net diffolution, by his coming in the flejli. And if we add hereunco what he elfe- *«. 27. where * affirms^ that Thefe Commandments are^ common to all under both the TefiamentSy and. that they alfo who were jufified by faith^ and pleufed God, did ohferve them, enjen before the gi'ving of the Law ; we have as miich as we look for here. ;. But after all that has been faid for the Obligation of thefe Laws, there are fomc Objedions againft it, which come next to be confider'd. I Ohj, Whereas then it is objeded, that the Decalogue is that Alimfiration of Death written and engra'ven in Stones ^ which St. Paul tells US is done away, 2 Cor. :;, 3,7, 11. That We are dead to the law, and ddi'zjcrd from the law J by the Body of Chrift crucified for us^ Ro?n. 7. 4, 6. And are not undtr the LaWy but under Grace y Rom. 6. 14. All this is readily granted, apd granted without any Prejudice to our Affertion. •For on t^^LordV Day. ^^ tor in thofe, and other like places the Apoftle is to be underftood of the Law as it was a Covenant of God with the Jtws^ and of the Decalogue then a part of it : And in that Refped it muft be confeft, that the whole Law, even the Decalogue it felf, is done away. But then if we confider the Law (or Moral part of it) as a Rule of Life, and Manners^ in which fence the fame Apoftle undoubtedly underftands it, when he fays, it ir^pritual^ Holy^ Jufi and Good^ Rom, 7. 12, 14. and urges, as he frequently doth, to the Obfervance of it, fo it is Obli- gatory Hill, and as much a Rule to us, as it was to the Jews. And this is a Diftindion, that will^ I pre- fume, be eafily admitted by all Chrillians, becaufe I do not fee how it can be Difal^ lowed without making St. Faul coiitradid his Fellow Apoftles, contradid Chrift, whofe Gofpel he Preached, yea and con- tradid himfelf too. . . ! • - However it may not be either Unufeful, or Unacceptable to the Generality of Rea- ders to fhew what farther Ground we have for it. Know then, that the Jews were confederated with God in two, feveral Cove- nants, ^ which though they: were not in- * confiilent, yet were very different one from difc. twT the other. For befide th^t Evangelical Co- co'venant7 venantj which belonged -to- ^ them asa^'^**^'* Church, or Spiritual Society,; of whieK be- fore, they had as a Common wealth .or Civil State, a Covenant of a Political, isJa- ture, and that Peculiar fo them, and their Pro« ^8 A PraSlical DifcoUrfe Profelytes of Righteoufnefs^ who made ons Body Politick with them. And by Vertue of this Covenant God himfelf was their Po- litical Head, or King, i Sam, 8. 7. and 12. 12. If ^^' 22. Accordingly did he give them New Laws under Temporal Penalties, and Encouragements, as Earthly Princes, and Law-givers ufe to do, and thofe Laws and Sanations admirably futed to the Geni- ous, and Condition of that his People. And as for the Old Laws of Morality, he revived and illuftrated them, and enforcing them, as the reft, with Civil Sanctions made them a part of this political Covenant, and all this without Derogating any thing from the New Covenant, which not only had a being but difplayed its Glories to Pious and Dili- gent Inquirers even them. For though the Law of Mofes was as a Veil caft over it, of which that on his Face was a Figure, Exod, g4. ^^, ;4, 5f. 2 Cor. 5. 13, &c. Yet was not the Veil fo Thick, but that any of the Je7vs might fee through it, as the Devouter, and more Inquifitive, of them did. For an in- ftance hereof take the Royal Tfalmifiy who though he could not dive into all the My- fteries of the Gofpel, thofe Wondrous things of the Law^ as he ftyles them, yet by daily Meditation arid Study, and by the Divine Illumination on his Humble Importunate Addrefles for it, arrived at fuch a Meafure of Spiritual Knowledge, as Ravilhed him with Delight, Exceedingly Enlarged his Heart, and Encreafed his Diligence, as well on the LordV Day* 79 as his defires of more^ Tfa, i. 2. and 2f, 14. and 119. 18, 24^ 27, 965 &c. Nor were thofe true Ifraelites to content themfelves with bare fpeculation, with a View of the Gofpel^ and no more : for the Covenant or Promife to Ahraham was a Pro- mife to, and Covenant with them alfo, and a Covenant, or Conditional Promife in as full Force, and as really Beneficial to the Spiritual Seed of Ahraham than as ever, fee A^L 2. 39. and 3. 25-. Gal, 1. 17. Indeed even the Laws 01 Mofes fo long as they retained the Authority or Binding Power of Laws, did all of them belong to that Covenant, as parts, or Conditions of it, as well as to the Legal, I mean with Ref- pe<^ to the People of Ifraely who were under a Double Obligation to the Obfervance of all their Laws, as they were Commonwealth- Laws Ordained for Political, Secular ends by the Mofakal Covenant^ and as they were the then inftituted means and terms of at- taining jEverlafting Bills, by the Covenant of Grace. For though there was no more Promifed them in the Letter of their Law, than the Land of Canaan^ and a long. Pea- ceable Enjoyment of it* yet under thefe Temporal good things were couch'd, and Symbolically Reprefented the Heavenly Canaa7jy and good things of another Life, which every True Son of AhraJnnns Faith had as good a Right to, as we to whom they are more clearly difcovered, and licsw^. , i^ally promifed. But 86 A PraSiical Difcourfe But here may a Doubt Arife, and a Que- * ftion thereupon. If , the Jeivs were under a double Covenant, and by both oblig'd to the obfervanee of .all their Laws, the Ritual and Judicial as well as the Moral ^ will it not hence follow, that we Chriftians are oblig'd to all the fame Laws, though not by their Political Covenant, yet by the Covenant of Grace, which is common to us with them. I anfwer, no :• For it is not neceffary, that this Covenant, though common to the Church. of all Ages, fhould in all Ages have all the fam.e particular Laws and Rules of Duty comprehended in it. Indeed the ef- fential Terms, or. Conditions of it, which are Faith and Obedience, or Repentance on Failures, can never be divorc'd or fepa- rated from it ; But for the particular Objeds of this Faith, and Rules of this Obedience, they may, nay, fome of them muii, be dif- ferent according to the different Degrees of Revelation, and the various Commands or Declarations of the Divine Will, which yet, as we have ftiewn, agreed for the main in the Principal, the Moral Duties. So that all we are to look to in this cafe, is the Will and Intention of God concerning the Mofaic Laws ,• and thus much of it is evident, that the Legal Covenant fhould be Nail'd to the Crofs of Chrift, and expire with hint. Col 2'. 14. EfL 2. 15-,. 16. Heh, S. i;. 2 Cor. 3. 7. u. And that the Veil of Mofes being taken away, the New Cove- nant,andthe Glory of the Lord in it, flibuld appear more openly and plainly, 2 Cbr, 5. 7; 11; on the Lord's Day. 8 r jy I r, ^c. And all thi?;gs jljould become new^ 2 Cor. 5-. 17. /. e. ftiould be renewed and re- fpOTd fo as to advance the Intereft, and anfwer the ends of Chrift's iiniverfal fpi- ritual Kingdom, and that all thofe old Laws which were inconfiftent with the Nature of his Kingdom, that is, his Church, fliould for that reafon partake of the fame Fate with that Political Covenant and Dif- penfation, for which alone they were calcu- lated and defign'do , As for the Judicial Laws of Mofes, or ra- ther of. God by Mofesy though they were defign'd for, and adapted to, the Common- wealth of Ifrael^ and did not, could not, bind even the Jejvs themfelves any longer than they continued a Body Politick t, yet there is lo much deference due to the Wil- dom, Juftice, and Goodnefs of God in all fuch his Determinations, that it's a point of true Chriftian Prudence in any Chriilian State, as far as its Circumllances do permit, to frame its Laws by them, I m.can, by the equity of them. . And even in the Ceremonial Law fas a" late very learned and very judicious Divine of our own has obferv'd) There, were many •particular things^ ii'hich fingly takm^ and by themfel'ves^ did only include fome rational Pro'vi- (ionsy and comely and fit CbnjHtutionSy and had nothing ir, themfelves ivhich did ffeceff'arily r'e- ftrain them to the Judaical State : And fuc^ things y jvberc there is no defign of any Jjeirifl} G ^Jignifi^ 82 A PraBical Difcourfe (Ignificatlonymay lawfully he ftiU madeufe of under the Goffely as fiill retaining what conveniency or decency they would have hady if they had never * Falkn* heen included in the Jewijh Confiitutions. * Lib. EccI- c\xi *^^* Thus that excellent Author, and in sT^lfo ^ f^c^ ^^^^^ ^^^ Church no doubt is at Li- Smderf. berty, and may therefore by the Power re- de oblig. fted in her^ either revive, or alter, or ut- C ^nfc. ^gj,jy rejed any Ufages or Conftitutions of Saa ig <^hat Nature, as fhe lees mod expedient and agreeable tothofe general Rules of the Apo^ file. Let all things he done to edifying^ let all things he done decently y and in order y i Cor. 14* 26, 40. 2 Ohp Though all the treceps of the De- ^ calogue do indeed oblige under the Gofpel ,• yet not all of every Precept, but fo much only as is purely natural or exprefly con- firm'd by Chrift or his Apoftles. For an Anfvi^er to this I need only ob- ferve, that the general Confirmations of the whole Mora] Law Hefore-alledg d do com- prehend and tak^ in all the particular Rules and Ads of Duty prefcrib'd by the faid Law. For if our Lord Chrift did not come to de- ftroy, contradid, cr oppofe any Law of Mofesy but to fulfil every one in its proper way ; to be fure, he hath fulfiU'd the Mo- ral, which were always the firft and higheft in God's account, and principally aim'd at in all the reft : And if he has fulfilld all the Moral Laws fo as to eontradid or oppofe no on the LordV Day. 85 lib one of them, we may be well alTur'd he has made no alteration in them, but by way of Supplement or Addition ; and if fo, then all thole Laws or Rules of Morality, which had nothing in them capable of Improve- ment, and were therefore left unalter'd by him, muft remain, as ■ they were before his Reformation. And being they were depofi- ted with, the Jews for the perpetual ufe and behoof of the Church, Rom. 5. 2. ^ AB, y.tV.Han,. ;8. Being the Chriftian Church at its firft '° ^^'' formation confifted (Jijavs only, who were oblig'd to recede no farther from the Law. than they were commanded, or at leaft per- mitted by their Divine Reformer, but to keep ftill in Poffefllon of their old Laws, thofe only excepted which he did except ,» being there was, as Om Lord^ to one Law, one Evangelical Law to Jeivs and Gentiles^ as they came into the Gofpel-Church, GaL ;. 27,- 28. We may be well affurd, that the Jevyifli Chriftians were left under the Obli- gation of the Law we are fpeaking of, and that the Gentile Believers, and with them the whole Chriftian Church were brought under the fame. And though fome of thefe Laws were not purely natural, yet they were pofitive Pre- cepts and Laws of God grounded on the. Natural,. and fuch as did, Jind do oblige all for whorii they were intended : And thefe, or fuch as thele, the Church has never been- without j for God has been, fo careful of Mankind, that he never left them wholly 6 a to $4 ^ PraSiical Difcourfe to natural Light, and natural Law, no, not in their Innocency, when that Light Was much greater ; and muft therefore be fup- pos'd to have given them a clearer infight into all the Laws purely, and properly na- tural. Indeed when it is remember d, that St. James infifts on the Authority of the Law- giver, for the obligation of the whole Mo- ral Law, Jam, 2. 10, ii. And that our Lord himfelf very folemnly declares againft the difTolution of the very leall Commandment^ even to an Iota and Tittle, Alat. ^, i8, 19. One would think, that the leaft of thefe Laws and Commandments v/ere chiefly in- tended by them, as being moft liable to op- pofition, and therefore moft needing their Confirmation. However, it cannot in rea- fon be denied, but that all the pofitive Pre- cepts of Morality being adopted to the Na- ture and Condition of Man, and to the real Benefit of the Church in all Ages, were therefore fit to be perpetuated; and if fo, they muft be fuppos'd to have been retain d in the New Inftitution (which was to be better, not worfe than the Old) unlefs a Repeal or Alteration of them could be fliewn. For Ecd^P^' ! ^^^^ Subjed Matter, '^ and Reafon of them ^ 1^5^^° j' continuing, and no Repeal appearing, nor any thing equivalent, and the general Con- firmations of Chrift and his Apoftles exten- ding to them, all thefe put together are a fufficient Indication of the Divine Will ancf Plea- on the LordVDay. gj Pleafure, that the Obligation of them fliould continue. It's true, there is a fpecial regard due to thofe Laws, which may be difcover'd by the Light of Nature, it being the native iEquity, Excellency and Ufefulnefs of them which makes 'em difcovcrable : But foraf. much as the Obligation even of thefe is ul- timately refolv'd into the Will of God, who gave Men their Natures, and placed them in liich Circumftances and Relations, as drew after them thofe Laws, and Duties ,* foraf- much as the Will of God, howfoever difco- ver'd, is a Law unto us, and all the Precepts of the Decalogue, and particular Adh of Duty comprehended in them were once the Will of God reveal'd to his Church, and re- corded in ^ the old Scriptures, and not re- pealed in the New ^ they are all to be look'd upbn as the Will and Laws of God iiill, the Church being ftill the fame fpiritual Socie- ty that it was when his Will was firft reveal'd, and the Scriptures its Repofitory of divine Laws and Truths for all Generations, Rom. ly. 4. 2 Tim. 5. If, 16, 17. Infomuch that both our Saviour and his Apoftles, do prove or confirm feveral pra(5lical Points of Chri- ftianity, by the old Moral Laws, as well pofitive as* natural, Alatth. 4. compared with Deut,6, i^. Matth. 19. y and Evhef, 5". 1^1, compared with Gen. 1, 24. Rom. 11. 10. and Heh. 10. 30. compared with Deut. 52. ^y and Rem. 12. 20, compar'd with Frov, 2 5-. 21. G 5 ' No^ $0 A PraEiicd Difcourfe Nor will it avail here to diftinguifli be- twixt the pofitive Precepts exprefly con- firm'd in the New Teftament^ and others of the fame Rank not fo confirmed • becaufe where any of them are appeal'd to, they are fuppos'd and teftified to be Laws in force, rather than made fo by the Citation ; And if they were appeal'd to as valid Laws, their force and obligation was antecedent to, and independent on fuch Citation or Appeal^ and confequently they had continued valid and binding Laws, though they had not been thus cited ; and if lo, the other Pre- cepts of the fame form with them, muft in^ all reafon be allowed to have the fame force, though we find not any fuch exprels Ci- tation of them in the New Teftament. Neither indeed does it follow, that they were none of them cited by Chrift, or his Apollles, becaufe the facred Penmen take no notice thereof; for thofe Founders of our Religion had many more Difputes and Difcouries with the Jcti/s^ and Jewi/h Pro- felytes, than are any where recorded : And it was their ordinary way, as occafion of- fer'd, to appeal to the Old Scriptures for the Convidion of thofe, who had, or ought to have, a profound Refpecl and Venera- tion for them : So that if we had more of their Difcourfes recorded in the facred Ca- non,- we might have feen more of the old Precepts of Morality cited, and recorded there ; though as few as we have, we have enough to fatisfie us in the point, and may fafe- on the Lord'^Day. 87 fafely depend upon this^ that they v/ere fo far from abrogating, oppofing, or deroga- ting from, any fuch Precepts, that they confirmed all, and improved fome, filling up thofe vacuities, which Mefes for the hardnefs of the Jews Hearts had left in them. Indeed had they done otherwife; had they preach'd any thing contrary to the Law, a?id to the Teftimonyy efpecially to the Moral Lav/, they had rendered themfelves obno- xious to that very Rule, whereby the new Dodrins of all Prophets and Teachers, even of the Mefltas himfelf, were to be tried. If, 8. 20. and had juilified the unbelieving Jews in their Oppofition of the Goipel ,• and ths more pious any of the Jews were, the more zealoufly concern'd had they been for any Moral, though Pofitive Precepts, which had not only God for their Author, but the Laws of Nature for their foundation, and being fo nearly allied, and conneded to the Natural Laws, ought not to be di- vorc'd from them, or look'd upon as out dated ,• at lead unlefs fome other Laws, or Determinations of like nature had been fub- ftituted in their ftead by the fame Divine Authority. 5. Ohj, Well, be it fo, that all the Pre- cepts, and Rules of Morality contain'd in the Decalogue, are ftill in force ^ yet this at leaft muft be granted, that as far as any Commandment is legally Ceremonial, o; G 4 pvwiu 88 ^ PraSlkat Dtjcourfe peculiar to the Jewifh Nation^ fo far is it abrogated^ or expir d^ and binds not Chri- ftians ; and the fourth Commandment is chiefly inftanc d in for the Jewifh Sabbath- day, and its Ceremonial Obfervances. Anfw. It muft indeed, and is readily gran- ted, that no Legal Ceremonies, or Obfer- vances, as fuch, are binding under the Gof- pel ; and if it fhould appear, that any fuch were exprefly and dire61:ly contain d in any of the Commandments (as is fuppos'd in this Objedion, and afferted by thofe that make it) it would be alib granted, that they are fo far null and void» But indeed {to fay nothing here again of the General Confirmations of the whole Decalogue by the Founders of Chriftiahi- ty) that excellent fyftome of Moral Laws is plainly diftinguifli'd from the Ceremonial by the Law-giver himfelf, and that many ways- To mention fome. That was given out from the Shechinahy or Glory of the Lord on the Mount, Exod. 19. 18. and 20. i, 18. Thefe being Comm.ands of Servitude, as •fAdv.Hs' St. Irenaus t obferves, were delivered by his ?ef. J J c. Servant Mo^}.y. That after a mofl folemn ^'* Publication Vv'as written once and again by the finger of God in Tables oi Stone, Exod, 51. 18. and ;4. i, 28. and not only io^ but by his Order laid up in the mofl; Holy Place"^ under the Wings of the Cherubim3 or. on the LordV Day. 89 pr, as the Hebrews love to fpeak, under the Wings of the Majeftatick prefence^ an Ark being prepar d for the keeping of it cover d with the Mercy-Seat^ Exod, 25-. 10, 16. and 37. i^ &c. I King, 8. 6, 9. No fuch care was taken of the Ceremonials, no fuch Provifion ever made for any other Laws. But that which I Chiefly infift upon is the Time of their Delivery^ which appa- rently diftinguifhes the one fort of Laws from the other. For the Ten Command- ments were delivered in the Twentieth of Exodus^ and fome Judgments^ i. e. Judicial Laws^ in the following Chapters, and Mo- fes prefently after the Eftablilhing of thefe into a Covenant betwixt God, and Ifrael his People goes up to the Mount, and there Hays Forrv Days, Exod. 24, and having broken the Tables repairs to the Mount again to have them Renewed, and there fpends Forty Days more, Kxod.. ^2. 53, ^4, Chapters : And io long at leaft were the Ifraelites without the main Body of their Ceremonial Ordinances. And yet was the Decalogue all this while in force, and many of the Idolators Punifp/d with Death for the Violation of one, or more of the Com- mandments, R\W. ;2. But till it had the Ceremonial i aws of Mofes iliperadded to It, it could not be Lnterpreted to the fence of thofe Laws, that's plain : And as plain 'tis, that it could never have been fb Lnter- prcte:^^ if thofe others had never been given. ' "And go A Pra^ical Difcourfe And in all likelihood they never had been given, had not that Stiff-necked People been ib wonderfully addided to the wor- ship of Idols, and other Impious^ and Im- moral Ufages that they had Learnt in Egypt, and thereby given Occafion for fuch Laws, as would keep them always imploy'd in the Service of the True God, and not allow them any confiderable time, or leifure to run after Heathen Gods and Heathen Vices. And it muftbe confefs'd, that their Cere- monial Law was through its Multiplicity of RiteSj and bufy Scrupulofiti^s, as Ter- tullian calls them, very ufeful in that way. And what the Apoftle fays of the Law, GaL 5.19. It was added (to the Covenant con- firmed before of God in Chrift, v. 17.; hs- caufe of Tranfgrejjions I though it may be un- derilood of the Law in general • yet it feems chiefly applicable to the Ritual Law, which v/as certainly added, becaufe of TranfgreC- fions, of Multiplied Tranfgre {lions , as being defigned to keep that backfliding, refradory People under Difcipline, and by fymbolical Reprefentations of Chrill raile their expectations and defire , of Him againft the time of his coming, when He would give them more gracious, and ex- cellent Laws, and by his Holy Spirit dif- pofe and enable rfiem to perform the fame. For thus he proceeds in the next verfe. Noiv a Mediator is not a Mediator of one^ hut God is one, i. e. a Mediator is not a Mediator of one party, but of Two at the leaft, and thofe on the LordV Day. pi thofe difagrceing : The interpofal therefore vi Mofcs as a Mediator betwixt God and the People of Ijrael was a plain lign, that there was a difference between the Two Parties : But God being alwp.ys one, and the fame, ..^ the fai;lt muft have Iain at: his Peoples door, who. if they had not been Tranfgreffors, he'd found him as benign and friendly, as their Anceftors had done, and had no more needed one to mediate for them, than They. '^ Nor did they by reafon of their Tranf- * Vi J. greffions ftand in need of Mofes only for a ^^^^' ^ Mediator, but of his Ceremonial Law for a ^^^^P^^''' School Mafter, and thatafevere one too! For as they v;:ie Children, a Church under Age, fo they were untoward, UndutifuJ Children, and for that reafon had fo many- Ceremonies enjoyn'd them, as may appear by comparing thefe Texts, Gal, 3. 19, 20, ^4. Col. 2, 12, 13. And this is exprefly affirmed by divers of the Ancients. I /hall fet down the words pf St. Irm^iiSy who had been a diligent Au- ditor of St. Foljcarp^ as Foljcarp had been of St. John the Afoftle, For God admonifljeth them firfi of all hj th'* Natural PreceptSy which from the beginning he had given and imprefi on the minds of Men y i. e. by the Decalogue (jvhich if any one keepeth not^ he hath not Sal^atioti) reo^uired nothing more of them. As Mofes faith in Deuteronom}^, thefe words the Lord [pake unto all the Ajjembly of the Children o/Ifrael in the xMount ^ and he added ^^t A Pra&ical Difcourfe arhkino more. And he wrote them in two Tables of Stone y and delivered them unto me^ to this end, that they who would follow him^ might keep his Commandments, But when they fell to the ma- king of the Calfy and in their hearts turned hack into Egy pt^ dejiring to he Sla'ves infiead of Sonsy they recei'ved the other Laws of Servitude adap- ted to thtlr difpoftion, not indeed cutting them cfffrofn Gody hut governing them in a Toke of Bondage, t Iren. So far that truly Primitive Father : -(• adv. He- where are feveral things obfervable, and op- r^s," tnd P^^^^^ ^o our purpofe. 'x^. See ill- /tf Juft- I. That the Ten Commandments were Mart, ^^'forthefubftance of them given by God at p'^^^J^^' the beginning of the Worlds and the obfer- &c Ter- vance of them Necefiary to Salvation. rull. 2dv. Marcion. jj^ n^^i^^ i^^ ^^\\^ t-j^^j^ Natural Precepts, as beings though not all Didates of Nature, yet all more or lefs rooted and imprin- ted in Man's Nature , or Reafon: Which feems to be intended by the Prophet Jeremiahy where fpeaking of the Covenant and Times of the Gofpel^ he tells the Houfe of Ifraely xhSit God would put his Law in their inward parts y and M rite it in their Hearts ^ Jer, ^i, 35. i.e, as I imderftand him, that the New Covenant fhould mainly coafift of fuch Laws^ as had been given unto Mankind, and Imprinted in their Hearts at the Creation, and were afterwards written in Tables of Stone, on thehovA's Day. $i Stone, the many troublefome Ceremonies of the Old Covenant, which had no fuch rooting in the Hearts of Men, being laid afide. III. That when God had fpoken thef^ Words, or Commandments unto Ifrael his People, He added no morey and for this we are referr d to Deut. 5, 22. Where it is particu- larly remarked. 4. That as no more was required of them at that time, fo many of the Ritual Obfer- vances had not been acquired of them jit all, but for their vifible propenfion to the fuper- fiitious and immoral Pradifes of other Na- tions. But when they forgot God their Saviour y 7vho had done great things for them^ Plal. 106. 21. When they would make a Calf of their Gold, and a God of their Calf, in imita- tion, it's like, of the Egyptian AfiSy or Ofiris^ and fo they might have their Lufts gratified^ were well contented to have their old Bur- dens again laid upon them j it is not eafily to be conceiv'd, how they ihould have been ftopp d in their wild Cariere, and engag d wholly in God's Service, but either by irre- filtable Grace, which were inconfiftent with the very Nature of Human, that is, of vo- luntary and free Adlons, or elfe by thefe, or fuch as thefe. Ceremonial Impontions. So that this was a Method, which themfelves had made not only fit^ but neceflary^ if in- deed God would have them flill for his Peo- ple, which being more than they deftrv'd, or pj^ A PraBkal Dtfcourfe or even defir'd^ was a fpecial inftance of hh goodnefs towards them, and therefore to be thankfully acknowledge by their ready Obe- dience unto him, who did not properly make , but find them Slaves : And be- ing they defir'd and refolv'd fo to conti- nue, was gracioufly pleased to give them a more honourable and better Yoke, and make them Slaves to the greateft and bell of Ma- Iters, that is^ to Himfelf. From the whole then it appears, that the Decalogue was many ways diftinguifhM froni the Ceremonial Laws of Mofes^ as given to the Ifraelites two or three Months at leaft before them : From whence it neceffarily follows, that for fo long time it could not be legally Ceremonial, or underftood in the fenfe of thofe Laws, which, if any, muft have made them fo. And whatever Sacri- fices, or other Typical Rites wer^ obferv'd by them before they receiv'd thofe of Mofes^ were obferv'd, and did oblige, not as Laws of M?/e/,much lefs as parts of theDecalogue,for fiich they were not, but as old Inftitutions or Precepts given to the Patriarchs, and by them tranfmitted down to the Children of Ifrael : And whether they were retain'd by Mofesy or others were put in their place, they were all both thofe and thefe fulfilled, fuperfeded, voided by the great Sacrifice of Chrift, and having never been parts of the Decalogue, never litteral or exprefly con- tained in it, they do not, cannot any way affed it now under the Gofpel-Difpenfa- tion; ^ . on the LordV Day. gf And this might fuffice for the obligation of all the Commandments, and of all the particular Rules of Duty comprehended in chem* But becaufe the fourth Commandment has been chiefly ftruck at, and we are here con- cerned to vindicate and clear it^we willcon- fider it more particularly ^and from the words of it fliew, that there is nothing legally Ce- remonial, or peculiar to the Jews and their Sabbath contain'd in it, nothing at leaf!; but what is fairly applicable to our I.ord's Day, fiippofing what we have already proved, its divine Right and Subftitution in the room of the legal Sabbath. > Here then we have in the firfl place a fet Time prefcrib'd for holy Exercifes and Ufes. Remember the Sahbath-Day, or Day of Reft, to keep it holy. Where obferve, 'tis net faid, remember the feventh Day from the Crea- tion, or the feventh from thy Deliverance out of Egyfty or from the firil fall of Manna : But remember the Sabbath-Day^ a Term or Title, that on the Suppofition of a Divine Appointment, will equally fie any Day of Holy Reft, whether firft, fecond, 6-'€. of thejewilli Week. It muft indeed, as the next words tells us, be a feventh Day, but a Seventh after fix days of lahour^ which accor- ding as thofe Working-da}s are varioufly comiputed, may and muft vary, yet without anv ^5 A PraBkal Difcourfe any alteration in the fubftance of the Com- mandment. Six days fl)alt thou labour ^ mtd do aJlthyWork^ hut the feventh Day, that is^ the next after thofe fix of labour^ is the Sahhath of the Lord thy Gody in it thou fl) alt not do ariy Work, As much as to fay, fix Days thou haft ordina- rily allow'd thee for thy worldly Concerns, and on thofe thou generally may 'ft and ought'ft to attend to thy particular Calling, Trade, or Profeffion, and diligently employ thy felf in fuch kind of Works, which the Exigencies of human Life do make neceffa- ry, as the end thou propofeft, and Benefit thou art to reap by them, doth fpeak them more peculiarly thine. But the feventh, or next Day after thy fix of Labour, the Lord referves to himfelf as a day of holy Reft, the Sabbath of Jehovah thy God, which is therefore to be fanditied, and fandified by a confcionable attendance unto the works of the Lord. And forafmuch as a Reft from thy ordinary fecular Imployments is necef- fary to a due Performance of thofe Duties, I do for that reafon require thee to do.none of thofe thine own Works on the Lord's Sabbath, none but wliat are fome way or other fubfervient to, or. at leaft confiftent with, the works of the Lord. Then after an enumeration of the Per- fpns concern'd in this Prohibition, and a Provifion for the eafe of labouring Men, and en the Lord's Day. P7 and Cattle, there follows the reafon why a feventh Day Sabbath is erijoyn d : For in fix days the Lord made Hea'ven and Earthy &C. And refied the fe'uenth day^ wherefore the L&rd blejjed the Sabbath Day^ and hallowed it. Which may be thus Pataphrafed. As the Lord in the formation of the World work'd fix Days^, and refting on the feventh bleffed and fandified it , Gen. 2. 2, 3. So he ftill referves to himfelf the old Proportion of Man's time on the old Reafon, a feventh Day for Holy Reft after fix of Labour, in Memory and Imi- tation of his bleffing and fandifying the day of thy Reft, as he formerly did the day of his own. This I take to be the true mieaning and purport of the Commandment ,• and if I am not much miftaken, it will be hard to find any Tittle in it peculiar to theJewifhSab- bath, or not fairly applicable to theChriftian. To take a view of it once more, and in another way. Is the Sabbath here enjoy n'd^ an Holy Reft, a Sabbath unto the Lord ? So is our Lord's Day ,• its very Name fpeaks it the Lord's Peculiar. And if it is really and truly a Day of holy Reft, which cannot be denied ^ neither can it be denied to be a $abbath. What though it be not fuch a Ceremonial one, as the Jewilli feventh Day was ? It is a Sabbath however, a Sab- bath within the profped of this Command- ment, yea, and fuch an one, fuch a Mo- ral Sabbath , as the Jewifh feventh Day itfelf was for a while, until it became io' n Ce- p8 ^ PraBical Difcourfe Ceremonial. Indeed it does not appear to have been ufually fo ftyl'd in the firll times of Chriftianity ,- and very good rea- fons there were for it : For as all the Fe- flivals of the Jews were called Sabbaths, fo their feventh Day had a long Poffeflion of the Title of t/je Sahhath-Day, and the Sahhathy and many of the be- lieving Jewsy and Gentiles too_, tainted with Pharifaical Leven, were over-apt to ob- ferve the Chriftian Feftivals with Sabba- tick Stri^lneffes and Niceties, and would have been more fo, if the name of Sab- baths had been ufually given to them : So that it was very meet and requifite^ that the Primitive Church fhould both for the avoiding of Ambiguity and Confufion in Difcourfe, and of Judaical Superftition in Pradife, let go the old^ Title with the old Feftivals, though the new were Sab- baths too, and the Lord's Day a Sabbath in the intention and fenfe of thisCommandment. But though thefe were good pruden- tial Reafons for that jundure, yet they were no more 5 for the Kingdom of God confifteth not in Names or Words, more than in Meat or Drink : And the cafe, as it is now alter'd, feems to admit of a Refolution not unlike to that of St. Paul in the 14th to the Roman s^ viz. that as they are not to be condemn d, who keep to the generally received Names of Lord's Day. Sunday, &c. So they are not to condemn or defpife thofe, who without any Fond- nefs or AfFedation , without making it the Note of a Party, or giving any Coun- tenance on the LordV Day. pg ienance or Advantage to Judaizers^ do jfometimes make ufe of the NameofSab- bath^ for which they are fufficiently war- ranted by a Commandment ftill in force, efpecially if with our holy Mother, * and * ^ j^jj ifome of the ancient Fathers_, t they diftin- ofth%iac'e guifli the Lord's Day from the Jewi/h Day ^^^d time of Reft, by calling it the Chnfiian Sabbath,'^ ^V''^ our Sabbathy or the like : For they who J^ '^^^^ fo fpeak, do fpeak intelligibly and pro- How. 23. perly enough, and therefore we prelume <^regor. inoftenfively: And it would behereconfider'd, ^y^^-"-. that the Chriftian World, as it is far de- chn'f^. '" generated from the Primitive Piety, fo it Refurrec much more abounds now with Prophaners of our religious Feftivals, than with over- ftrid and rigid Obfervers of them, with fuch as keep to Sabbath; than liich as keep a wrong one. Is the Sabbath of this Commandment i feventh Day after fix of Labour ? Our Lord's Day is fo too. It is indeed the firlt Day of the Jewilli Week , but is not . therefore lefs interefs'd in this Command-^ ment, which doth not confine the Sabbath to the feventh Day of the Jewijfli Week,and requires only a feventh Day after fix: of Labour ; and who queftions but the Lord's Day, in reference to the fix that precede it^ may be calfd, and is the feventh Day ? Nor is it to be imagined that the divine Law-giver would lay the whole, or main ftrefs of this Commandment on that par- ticular feventh Day which was obferv'd by the Jnvs at the giving of the Decalogue, bcins^' their Week, and with the Week their n 2, Sab- 100 A PfaBical Difcourfe Sabbath might, even during that Oecono- my be alter'd, as perhaps it was, by the Sun's ftanding ftill in Jojlmas time, Jojhi lo, 13. Or its going back in Hezekiah's, 2 King. 20. II. In which cafe the obferva- tion of the Commandment had been im- poflible on the fuppofition of the Sabbath s being confined to that particular Day : But luppofe^ as we do, the Commandment to require the proportion of one Day in feven, or a feventh Day after fix of La- bour , here is nothing impoffible to be obferv'd, nothing unreafonable, nothing but what is highly requifite and fit to be com- manded to Je7Ps and Chriftians, to the carnal, and to the fpiritual IfraeL Indeed there is a Claufe or Paffage in the Commandment we are upon, which is thought to reflrain the Sabbath to the Day of God's Reft, and the Seventh in courfe from it: And becaufe this is, or lately hath been a prevailing Opinion, we will take the faid Claufe into more particular Confideration. For in Six Days the Lord made Hea^ven^ and Earthy and Refied the Se've?ith day^ 'wherefore the Lord bkJJ'ed the Sahhath Di^y^ and hallowed , it. The Sabbath Day^ * fo it is called in the Tofn hsfli Original, and in our laft and beft Englifh abbath Tranflation of the Bible, not the Seventh Day, as we read it in our Liturgy according to the Old Verfion, much lefs the Seventh Day in courfe from the Creation. 'Tis faid indeed in Gen. 2. 2, 3. God re/led the Seventh Day, and Blejjed the Se^uenth Day : and it is agreed, that the Day then bleft and fandified was the Seventh from the Creation. But thaf on the LordVDaj, loi that the Sabbath Day here bleft and fan- drified was, and muft be, fo too/ is not faid either there, or here, or any where elfe in Scripture. Nay, the Alteration of the Ex- preffion is in my apprehenfion no contemp- tible argument, that it was not. For if God who was the Author, or Enditer of both the Expreflions, did not intend fome difference betwixt thofe Days^ why is it there (kidy he Bleffed the Seventh Day, here the Sabbath Day ? a word of a more unreftrain'd fignifi- cation, that does not determine it to any particular Day of any Week, and may as well be apply 'd to the Chriftian Sab- bath, as it formerly was to the Jeivifli, It is true, that the Sabbath of this Com- mandment is called theSeventhDay,EA:^^.2o. lo. but it's plainly fo called f in relation to the Six of Man's Labour, which are then and t.Mede therefore mentioned with it. Neither is it E'feU^"^ there called the Sabbath Day, as being the a^ ' ^° Day of God's Relt,but the Day of Man's. Six Daysjhak thou Labour^ &c. but the Seventh Day is, or /hall be to thee, the Sabbath, or Day of Reft after thy Six of Labour. This Day of Man's Reft is indeed there called the Sabbath of the Lord : But the reafonis plain, i^/:^.Be- caufeit was aDay of Reft Holy to the Lord, Exod, 51. If. confecrated to the Service, and recognition of the Lord Jehovah, and confe- crated by the Lord himfelf. Agreeably here- unto we find the fameTicle given to the dther Jeoi^ijh Sabbaths, Le^u. 2^. 2, Ez.ek, 20. xn, 21 &c. though they were fome of them by their Inftitution variable, like our movable Feails, and others Sabbaths of Year-^j not Days, and ; H g none 102 ^ TraBicd Dlfcourfe none of them confin'd to theDay ofGod'sReft. And as there is no exprefs Command in Scripture that the Sabbath of this Command- ment fliould be always kept on the Day of God's Reft, fo neither is there any thing in it from whence it may necellarily or ratio- nally be infer'd. As for the Example of God in the Creation, which is chiefly urged, and infifted on, is fufficiently followed by the Re- ligious Obfervanceof any Seventh Day after Six of Labour in conformity thereto,fuch ob- fervance being an apparent regular Imitation as well as pradical Recognition, or Acknow- ledgment of that God, who formed the World in Six Days,and Refted on the Seventh. This is fofar paft doubt, that even theobfervation of every Seventh or Sabbatical Year was in- ftituted by the Creator of the World, to the end that his then peculiar People might in fome meafure imitate and recognize hini thereby, and diftinguifh him, and themfelves from all other Gods, and People. To fay no- thing of their Feafts of Seven Days, or other Obfervances in regard to that Number,which v/ithout all Peradventure were appointed with fome reference to the Creation. As for the particular Day of God's Reft, it had nothing of Sanctity in it, but what it had from him. Nor could his bare Reft give it any^ beingafufpenfion of his goodnefs rather than a Communication of it : fo that the Holinefs, which that Day had,muft have beenderived from the Lord's blefling, and fandifying of it : and if fo ; any other Day fo bleft and fandified muft be allowed to be as Holy as that was. on the Lord V Day. 103 Indeed reafon tells us_, thatinthefirft Ages of the World that was a very fit and proper Day to be fet acpart by the Creator for the fblemn remembrance, and acknowledgment of Man's Obligations to him as confidered in that Relation. And had Mankind continued in their bounden Duty, and Allegiance to him, it might for any thing that appears to the contrary have continued to the End of the World the Univerfal Sabbath-Day. But when they had by an almoft Univerfal Apo- Itacy from the True God oblig'd him for the Honour of his Name, and the fecuring of the True Religion from an utter extinction to iingle out a certain Family, or People,and en- gage them to Himfelf by a Stupendous Delive- rance from their Enemies that ofprefi them : This fingular, diftinguifhinglnftance of hisFavour, as it worthily called for their fpecial acknow- ledgments, io it feems to have been a good Reafon for the Inftitution of a New Sabbath- Day, or atleaftfor a Revival of the Old one to be kept by them in Commemoration of it, and to diftinguifh them from other People ; I am fure, it's the very reafon which Mofes gives of their Sabbath, Deut. 5*. 15". Remember ^ that thou wafi a Ser'uant in the Land of Egjpt^ and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thcace t hrciigh. a Mighty Hand, and by a (i-retched-out Arm : Therefore the Lord thy GodCo7n?naridtd thee to keep the Sabbath-Day. Not that this was the only ground, or reafon of their Sabbath : For the God of Ifrael being their Creator as well a-. Deliverer, it was but Jufi, that he llioiild bv* recogaiz,'d in that Title alfo. AccorJifigly he was plcas'd to appoint rhem fach a Sab- •il 4 b:nh. J 04 ^ PraBical Dijcourfe bath, as had a reference to both thofe Titles^ a Seventh Day in Memory and Imitation of the Creation, that particular Seventh Day in Memory of their DeUverance, being, as with * M d gr^^t probability is concluded, ^the Seventh ibid! ^ Day in order of fucceflion from it ' And now if the Deliverance of 7/r^e/ by Mofesy which was preparatory to the Greater, far Greater Deliverance, or Redemption by ChviQ: (for Mofes could not bring them even into the Earthly CanaanytliQ Type of Heaven; that Honour wasreferved to Jc//j?/^, the Type of Jefus) if I fay, the Deliverance by Mofes was a good reafon, as no doubt it was, for the Sabbath-Day of the Jews, t|ie complete. Eternal Redemption by Chrifl Was a much ftronger,and better reafon for the Sabbath- Day of Chriftians, the Spiritual Ifrael^ which therefore isnot reckoned from theDeliverance out of Egj'pty but from the Refurredion of Chrift our Lord, being the firft Day of the Week, becaufe it was the Day of our Lord's Rifmg from the Dead for the completing our Redemption, and the SeventhDay in a conti- nual circulation of Weeks from that firft, be- caufe God Reiled on the Seventh Day after his Six Days Work of Creation. And this,! am perfuaded, is all the Conformity v/hich theFourthCommandment requires tothatEx- ample of God : And even herein allowance mull of Neceffity be made for the different fi- tuation of places, theUniverfalObfervationof any precifeDay being,as we have feen above, Unpradicable, and therefore to be fure Un- commanded. Well, but may it not be faid,rhat the Je7Pi. ' ' ' were on the LordV Day^ loy were obliged to a ftriAer Reft on their Sab- bath than we are on ours ? For they might not Kindle a Fire, nor Drefs Meat, &c, and is it not Unreafonable,and abfurd to fuppofe, that thofe Two Sabbaths fo widely differing as to the Kind and Meafure of Reft, fnould have the fame Commandment for their Rule ? To this I anfwer, that if the Jnvs were oblig'd to a Ihider Reft on their Sabbath^ which I for my part do believe (tho' Ibme of either party concerned in this Controverfy have queftioned, nay, denied it ; and itmuft be confeffed, that the Law was not near fb ftrid, as the Pharifaical Interpretations of it) if, I fay, the Jejvs were fo oblig'd ; fome Learned Writers of their own have caught us to Diilinguifh betwixt the Fourth of the Decalogue which they call the Precept 2^- kor (of remembring) and that of Exod. 51. i;. which they call the I^rtctptShamor (of kee- pings or obferving) the former, lays Grot'ms t (who approves of the diilin.,I2, r;. and 29. :;c. Ez.r: %. 10,1 1. And this ufeof the Pfalms, which do plain- ly contain Forms of Supplication and Con-- feffion, as well as of Praife and Thankfgiving, I fay, the conftant undeniable ufe of thofe Pfalms, if we had' nothing elfe to ailed ge3 were enough of itfelf to make good our Af- fertion, that the ^n;^^ had Prayer in all its parts or kinds adminifter d in their religious AlTemblies, and adminiiler'd by fet and pre- fcrib'd Forms. Having feen the holy Apoftles and their Adherents in the JewilTi Aifem.blies, let 'us now follow them to the Chriftian, where we mull expe(5i: to fee them varying in their pradice according to the variation ofCircum- flances. So long as they frequented the Jew- ^ ill Woriliip/ that feems to have Hiperfeded any on the Lord V Day]! 115 any long fervice of their own. However it's reafonable to believe^ that befides the In- ftruiftions of the Apoftles^ they had the Lord's Prayer^ and the Lord's Supper, together with a Hymn or Pfalm of Praife, whatever more. From Ati, 2. 42, 46. it appears, that they had the Lord's Supper, call'd there, as elfe- whe-re in Scripture, Breaking of Bread, And as for the Lord's Prayer, our Lord himfelf, when he prefcrib'd it, commanded 'em to ufe it, Luk. 11. 2, ^. &c. and foraC- much as they could not ufe it in the Affem- blies of the Jews^ it's the more reafonable to believe that they us'd it in their own. And this is the more reafonable ftill, becaufe the words do run in the Plural Number through- out. Our * Father ■ — giue us f > and y*^^ Q^- therefore feem primarily ^tho' not only) in- ^''""^P^" tended for their religious Allembhes. Cer- ., public* tain it is, that they had Prayers in them,y^^7. ncbis efl-, 2. 42.and whatever other Prayers they might ^ 5^^" have, it's by no means credible, that they o^'ado would omit ^^<2f, which was given them by Cypr. de their great Mafter, and given 'em as a Badge ^\^^ C)o- t of their Difciplefhip, Luk 1 1. i. "''£: ^^^^^ As for their Tinging of an Hymn, we find y,i f ^^\ their praifing God joyn'd with their breaking 128, Bread, AB, 2. 46, 47. And' that they prais'd God by fmging of an Hymn may appeai from the following Confiderations. I. Our Lord himfelf at the Inftitution of the Eucharift celebrated it with a Hymn, his Difciples bearing a part with him. Mat. 26. 30. Mar. 14. 26. And whm they had fung an Hymn (ov * Hymns) they 7vent out to the mount * Uifn^^* cfOli've!^ fo both the Evangeliils fairly inti-Tij. mating, that this finging of an Hymn was a I :i thin^ |l6 A PraSiical Difcourfe thing ufual on the like occafions : And this leads us onto a 2d. Confid. viz,, that prailing God by ^ Hated Hymn was the conllant pradife of the Jev^s after their Pafchal, and other Sacrifi- tThornd. ^^^> ^ ^^^^^' ^^-4:. Sy ^y 7.40:^4^. 4^- + And Rei. AfT ^Ws being of a Moral Nature, and of excel- <^.v. 7. lent ufe in the Service of God, well might our Lord adopt it into his New IniHtution, and well might his Difciples receive it as a- dopted by him : And that the rather, becaufe their commemorative Euchariftical Sacrifice was fubftituted in the room of the Typical Sacrifices of the Law, the Death of Chrift, which had beenprefigur'dbythe legal Sacri- fices, being after its accomplifliment unca- pable of Prefiguration ,• yet ftill to be cele- brated with an Euchariftical Sacrifice, and this Sacrifice to be celebrated as the former, with Hymns, or Pfalms of Praife, thofe Sa- crifices of Thankfglving^ as the Pfalmift ftyles them, fuch as are certainly very fuitable to the Eucharift (which has its very Name from ThankKgiving) and cannot be worthily, nor indeed congruoully celebrated without it. Suppofing then,that thcApoftolical Church had the Eucharift always celebrated with a Hymn, as the manner of the Jews was on, the like occafions ; it may alfo be fuppos'd, and fuppos'd with very high Probability, chat they celebrated it with a fet and prepared Hymn, as the Jews were wont to celebrate their Typical Sacrifices, and for fome time perhaps with the very fame that was in ufe j DuPle/n with the jffw;/. || ~ ' de mifT " j. This certainly was the general pra(5lice ?»'.f i?4»of the Church in the Ages next to the Apo- - . ' itks. on the LordV Day. 1 1 7 fUes, as the Apoftolical Conftitutions, ancj mofi ancient Liturgies now extant do wit- pels^ and not only Chriftian but even Pa- gan Writers have obferv'd : For befide the fcoffing Author of FhilopatrisinLucian sWorks^ * who fpeaks of a religious Aflembly Cof ♦ p Chriftians no doubt) beginning their Prayer with the Father (the Lord's Prayer) and end-' ing it with the Hymn of many Names, we have a more grave and ferious, and withal more ancient Writer ; I mean, ^^^^y, who in an Epiftle to Trajan the Emperor, gives him this account of theChriftiansPradice in their Affemblies, that f they were wont on a fet t Quod Day (the Lord's Day no doubt) to meet efTent fo* together, and fing alternately a Hymn to jj^J ^^^ Chrift as God, and bind themfelves by a Sa- lucem crament, not to ileal, not to commit Adul- convenhe tery, &c, "^'^^"^i Now from this general agreement in fuch nua^ Deo an Hymn (for he fpeaks not of one, but ma- dicere, fc. ny Congregations of ChriiHans, as many as cum invi- his intelligence did reach to) and withal ^^'"' ^^^' from their way of fmging it by alternate ro*^*^^ ob?" Refponfes we may realonably conclude it to Ou'ngere, have been a fet Form of Words,if indeed the^^- ^- '^■ Phrafe, * he ufeth, do not import as much, ^''rty' e And this Method of finging being ufualdi cere, v. and cuftomary in the Reign of Trajrw^ not Co^nhschoi. above two or three Years y after St. Jchf^thc ^'^- ^^^' ^^ Apoftle's Death, mull have had its rice iom^^±^^^^ confiderable time fooner, very probably in in iren; the Apoftolical Age, nay, very probably in p''^- « - the Apoftolical Synaxes • for we have no o- ^^"^' '-^^^ ther account of its beginning, at leaft onefo f)robable as this ; and it s Icarce conceivable how it Ihould be fo early introduced, and fo Il8 A PraHicai Difcourfe gener,glly received without Apoftolical Au- thority ; and if the Apoftles introduced it > it's more than probable^ they pradis'd it diemfelves. Certain it is^ that St. Paul even in frifon * ^fa<^v- py^'^yir.g fung an Hymn^ and fung it * in Con- ^fVsKo/ fort with Silas his Fellow-labourer in the t/Vvj,!- -rly Gofpel^ Acis 16. 25. And if he wou'd not ^^^^' have had this a general pradice ; he would not furely have direded the Chriftians of Efhefmy. and Cclofs tO't\\t fingmg ofFfalms, and Hymns y\ and Sviritual Songs ^ Eph. 5". 19. Col. ^.16. hot excepting any Divine^ or even Human Compofures^ much lefs any of thofe known undoubted Forms of Praife and Pray- er^ which make apart of the Holy Scriptures, t H.imm. and have been molt in ufe t ever fmce. T^im' "^^'^ ^^'^^^ ^^ does not confine thefe exer- Vnfa'ie. ci^es of Piety to the folemn AiTemblies ; but 'tis not to be doubted that he intends the pub- licii Devotions in the fir ft place, the mutual inlrrudionsand Admonitbns, there alfo by Hiiij recommended^ b^ing moil agreeable to AnemblieS;, and iurhAind of AiTemblies. But here I exDt*. :: an Objection to this ef- . fed^^.that the Aroftles and many other Chri- ftians in that Age had the Prophetick Spirit, and particularly the gift of InfpirM Prayers, that as many as had this gift v/cre oblig'd to exercife it, and^ if they did exercife it^ as oblig'd^and as we find they did in the Church of Corinth :, there was no neceffity, and no room for the publick ufe of any Forms of Praife or Prayer. Now in anfvver hereunto I have feveral things to offer. I. That^ as all Chiiftians even of that Age were on the LordV Day. 1 19 were not Prophets^ i Cor» 12/29. and 14. i. lb every Chriftian Pr6phet had not all the Prophetick Gifts, but feme oney fonie ano^- ther, t I Cor. 12.-8, 10. and 14/26/ And for +^ thofe that had ' any particulaTGift, they werc sp7r)t\^ not under the adual ihfluenGe of the Spirit Enthu/^afm for the-exercife of it atalltimes, anfl are f^w/^v. therefore, it feems, direAed to - Prayer^ and to diligence in reading,' meditation, and fiach like mekns,as the Hebrew Prophets,and Pro- jpKets Sons 'had comnionly made ufeofiri their feveral Schools or- Colleges for the at^ tainmeihit, or refufcitation of thofe gifts, i Gor. 14. 13, ;i-7i?;?.4.i 5-,i^,i6l 2 77w.i.6.and i.tJ-:* fV.Smlth 2. r ipbfeirve, • that rro ' Spir it'ual Gift was' to ^/ P>ophef: be exercis'd in thepubli^k-Airemblies withoiVt ^^^* ^^ regard ^to'-co^ilimdn Edification, which 'W^s the -great ^-rid primary End,for which thofe Gifts xvere^defignd;,' i Cor. iiy7.and' 14.5,4,5-^12,2^^, ^Epk 4'. I r.i 2; and if fome of tht'Corinthian Pr^ phets'didy'^isis here intimatedy Or fti-pp'os-i deliver their infpir'd 'Plahiis before the Con^ gregatibn in ia Tbiigiife ^ilfi-k^i^ wfl , and With- out an Iht6i'ptete¥ • t^h^ii- ''-prOfeedare \va^4'r^ regular " and ' 'tinwarrantabl ey -ct)ntrary 1 1 o' the ■exprefs^or^$ by Rti. AH. the help and direction of the Holy Sj:^ritth^t they compos'd Forms for the feligious^A:^- femblies. This is certainly' true of the' Bd^ of Pfalms GOinbos'd by Kirig^P^^i:^,^ ^nd o^Mr Perfons divinely infpir'd, 2 Sam, 23. i^ 2y >^, C. 2. I2§ J PraBical Difioiirfe AB. 4. 25*. 2Tiw. y^. 16. iPet. I. 20,21. Atii defign d for the ufe of the publick Affemblies^ as is ftewn above. So far was the u& of Forms from being inconfiftentivith^or fuper- feded by, the ufe of their Gifts j fo far are we from aneceflity of believing any (uchin- eonfiftency, or fuperfedeas with refpedl to the Apoftolical AfTemblies. , If it be faid, that the Apoftles, and many others of that Age had the Spirit of Prophe- fy in a more plentiful meafure than the Old Prophets attain d to. Why, then lay 1, they . were fo much the better qualified for the fe- veral Offices of Prophets : and fmce it was one confiderable Office of the Jewiflx Pro- phets to fupply their Affemblies with Form$ of Devotion, and fuit them to Times and Occafions ; what ftiould hinder us to believe, that thefe greater Prophets were at leafi as careful to fupply the Chriftian Affemblies iti the fame manner ? Not any inconfiftency of Forms with the ufe of their Gifts ; for this appears to have been the moft generally ad- vantageous way of exercifing their Gifts.Not any unlawfulnefs or inexpediency of Forms; for of thefe they had fufficiently Jhewed their approbation by their joyning in the ufe of them with the Jewifh Affemblies. Not any Contrariety or unfuitablenefs to the defign of the Gofpel ; for as Prayers and Praifes are Natural and Eternal Duties, fo the manner of performing them by Form^ was common to the G tilesv/ith the Jovs^ 'AnH therefore Could be no part of "that Partition-Wall, which had feparated the one from the other,; arid was for that reafou only to' be broken dowhv , .- ott the Lord'5 Day; 125^ ic muft indeed be confefi, that uponforris extraordinary Emergencies, the Holy Spirit feenisto have exerted it icIF in an extraordi- nary way, 1 rneanj in extemporary Orilbns, iuggeiled at the very time ot their N/liniftrati- on. Nor is ic at all improbable^ that iome 'Parts, even of the ordinary Service^ were fome- timesadminiilred by immediate Infpiration. But neither is it improbable, on the other hand, that fome other Parts of that Service vi^ere con- ftantly adminiftrcd by Forms. Indeed it was but neceflary, that all thofs Pfalms, Hymns^ and Prayers^ wherein the whole Congregacion was to bear a part by alternate Reiponfesy'hould be known before- hand to the teveral Member^^ and fo become Forms^ if they were not fuch before. And that, /^^f^^^?, all the A.poftolical Chri- - flians did bear liich a pare in their Pfalmody, if it hath not fufiiciencly appear'd already, may be evidenc'd yet farther from ieveral Paffages in the Revelations^ 4. 8, 9, &c. 5. 8, 9, C^^.7. 9j 10, e^c. 19. 1,2, &c. where in allufion to the pradice of the Apoitolical Church, * we *Dodw, . . have the Church Triumphant reprelented as Infir, Muf, finging God's Praiies^and fmging 'em alternate- ^* ^7« iy;, all the Blefled Company having their parts,, or turns in that truly Heavenly Exercile. .. And now if the fird Chriftian Congregati- ons did all^ as here reprelented, joyn vocally in finging of God's Praifes; why fliould any Man think, that they might not^ yea^ or did iiot joyn their Voices in Ibme of the Prayers al- io ? lam fure,$t. Paul fpeaks even of Women s graying and fropbigfyifig^ and ipeaks of 'em as u-, fagc&well known, and. well approved . in xh^ K Chriffian 130 A Pra^lical Vifcourfe Chriftian AAemblies, i Cor. ii. 5. whilfl: he freely t«ixes lome of the Corinthian^ omQn (Pro- pheteffib perhaps, who faiicied rljeiiifelves more pnviledg'd than the reft ) with indecency of behaviou/ m appearing ib piiblickly with their * H^m. Heads uncover'd;, contrary * to the Rules of A'?^72ot, r. both the Synagogue and the Church, and even Cor.Li.w. Qfciviiiz'dGantilifm ic fclf. Well, but how did the Women pray and prophefy in the Al^ fe'mblies with allowance ^ Not as Teachers, or Guides of the publick DevotionSjhov/evsr gift- ed they might be ; for that were to affurne Au- thority over the Men,, and is therefore forbid- den 'em by this very Apolile, i Cor. 14. 54. i Tim, 2. 1 1^ IX. But as they pra>'d,fo they/«»^ Ffalms m conforc with the reft of the Congre- gation ; for to this Senfe is the Word Vrophefy- ^ ^ V, Ham. ing * frequently us'd in Scripture, nor can it Luk. r. fairly admit of any other irs this place. And tioie n. {\x\cQ rhey had an equal intereft in Prayer and l^T^Alt prc>phelying, as they are here undcrftood, and \f'- J' c. ^Qyj^j^ together ; why iliould not their Prayeis be (iippofed as vocal as their Praifes? indeed the Affinity is fo near, and the Intermixture fo common^ that whatever reafon or argument is brought to prove the lawtulnefs, expediency, or neceffity of vocal Prailes, will prove the fame of vocal Prayers aifo ; lb that they who do willingly acknowledge the general ule of the one, cannot in realon, cannot confiftendy with themfeives, deny the ufe of the other^ in the Apoftolical AiTembiies. As for the few era! kinds of Forms us'd in thole Affemblies ; I will fuppole my Reader by this time latisfied, that the ApoftoUcal Chriftianjji, rejected no known Compolures of any true Prophets, on the Lord's Day. 131 iProphcts, whether Old or New^ fie for their purpofe. Whether they us'd any Human unmfpir'd Coinpofli;es alio, may indeed be a Qiiellion ; tho'fuch aQueltion, as however determin'dj, can have no ill A.lped on che generr/i ulc of flich Compoiureb in the fuceeding Ages ; Kor if thefe vi^ere lomecimes ns'd in that Age of inipi* rations, ( as for any thing that appears, they were ) the reafon and necellity of uiing eni became much greater, vvheirthofe Infpiracions faifd. If chey were not then us*d ; 'twas not out of any opinion of unlawfulnelsj but becaufe all the Chriftian Congregations were at that, time flifficiently farnKh'd with Divine Compo- fures of all lores, or with fpiriciial Gifts to fup- ply any Defeds; which^ how good a reafon io- ever it might be then, could be no good rea- fon afterwards, vi^hen the infpir'd Compofures were many of them !oft with thofe Gifts, ma- ny of them alcer'd, or undidinguifhable from the pious Compoficions of Perlons uninfpir'd. In luch cafe certainly it was enough with the, Pfahns and Hymns of both the Tefiaments, to offer up fuch Forms of Praife and Prayers as were agreeable to God's Word, or revealed Will, whether they had, or had not;, h^^n did:ated by the Divine Spirit. I have been the longer on this Argument^ becaufe the evil Spirit of Divifion, which moft of all maligns thebeft Coaliitutions, hasbeen, and flill is^ very bufy in oppoiing our exxeliene Liturgy \ and the moft plaufible Pretence for fuch oppofition, is the fuppofed Pradice of .this Apoftolical Church. And if I have, as j think I have abundantly, prov'd the Apoftoli- 132 A Practical Vifcourfe C3l\ u(e of Forms in both the Jewiih and Chri- ftiaa Aliembiies; ic will follow unavoidably, that thofe who rejed and condemn all Forms of Devotion publick and private, merely be- caufe they arc Forms,can have no good ground or Warrant from the Apoftolical pradice for their own : And if they have no fuch Warrant from the pradice of the Apoftles, we may ea- fily believe, that neither have they any from any Precept, Rule, or Declaration of theirs. But for this, and other cafes of Liturgick * Sm'i Fof nis, I refer the unfatisfied to fbme * Writers Cites of of our own^ who have handled 'em profeftly. Forms. * fblidly, and clearly. Fajin. Having attended the Apoftolical Chriftians Vind.^ Li- ^j jj^gjj, fgie^ Affemblics, and leen how they ^^*^§y* ^gi-e employ'd in them^ whilft they continued in one Body with the unbelieving JeTj^s ; we will now take a view of them in their State of Separation from the Synagogue. And tho' we have no particular Account in Scripture, no certain Account in Antiquity, of the feveral Religious Services perform'd in any one Ai^ fembly of that Age, yet we have enough to facisfie us, that what was loft by their feceffion from the Jemjli Affemblies was made up in their own. Without all peradventure^ the Ho- ly Spirit was not wantingin any thing requifite for the then State of the Church. From the Ads of the Apoftles, and the Epiftles of St. Paul^ it appears, that the Chriftian Affemblies of that Age were very plentifully provided Of Pro- phets: that thele Prophets had the adminiftra- tion of the publick Offices, and were oblig'd to exerdfe their Gifts for the common Edifica- tion of the Body,and that for thispurpofe they hai on the Lorcl'5 Day. 135 had Pfalms, Prayers, Doarines, Revelations, &c. Ard if fome of them were irregular in the adminiftracion ; thofe very Irregularities do (peak the abundance of Helps, and Provi- fions for their public AiTemblies. And tho' fuch was the State oi the Church in that junc- ture^ and luch the niukiplied avocations of the Apof^les, that tho(e Difoiders could not pre- fently be redreli; yet redreft they were in the ApoftlesTimc^ and by the Apoftlesthemfelvcs, and the Churches generally fettled according to their Mind and Order. Andasthe Churches were fettled, fo were the Church- AlTemblies with the holy Offices of the lame. Tor the Apoftolical Clement is a clear, unexceptionable Witnels of the one, and the other. Indeed it was the chief defign of his firft and unquefti- onable Epiftle to the Cor/wr^i^»/, to affert the Rights of the Ecclefnftical Rulers and Officers let over them, and perfuade the Laity, how- ever gifted, to iubmit to their Government and Miniftry,as being of Apoffolicallnftituti- on, and consequently Divine. And as we learn from the laid Epillle, what kind of Officers they were, 1/12:.. Bifhops, Priefts, and Deacons, whom, in allufion to the Jewi\ij Priefthood, to which they correfpond, he fometimes calls the Iligli-Prieft, Pried s and Levites; fo we thence alio learn, that thefe Officers had certain Li- turgies, or publick Miniileries, fuch as they were obljg'd to perform, and a prefcrib'd **7o>'»W- Ruleofl^iturgy, which none of them might /^»'«'' 7"? tranfgrefs or vary from ; a Rule, that affign'd ^w^ to every of them in their refpe<5tive Stations, ^^i^^ gp diftind and proper Offices, to the Laity one cor. ». 40, fort, to the Levites, that is, Deacons, another, 41,42,43 K J t0 44« 134 ^ Practical Vifcourfe to the Piiefh another, and to the High-Prieft, orEiihop.theiupreme, and highefl of all ; for it was one part oftheBifhop'-Office to appoint, and regulite the fever^l Offices of the reft, and lee that tliey wcvo duly executed ; and irom * €wx^- thence hnd he hh Titles o^ Btjhop, * Acl.io. 28. a-©- Abj. an^ Steward of God, TitA.^j- And this is fo true, ^a-y^miv^ that without his Order^ or Permiflion, nothing l^pm Lat" ^^''^^ ^^ ^^ done in the publick AlTemblies, even Bifiop^S&x. ^y ^he Priefis or Deacons, much left by Laicks, Bj/Irnp^ who were all, not excepting the Prophets of E"g^° that Rank,fabje<5t£d to the Clergy, efpecially to tIgnat.E/. theApoftles,and their Succeffors.the BiHiops. t ^^ i^T^' ^^^ '^^ ^^^ Prophets themfelvcs were guilty HpoTim ^^ Irregularities as well as others, furdy it was ^ -/-i/' • ^^^ ^^ ^j^^j neceffary, that thev, as well aso- therS) fhould be brought into Order_,and there- fore made fubjecS: to ordinary ilanding Gover- norsj fiich as in the abfence of the Apoftles, and efpecially after their deceale, ihould fup- ply their Place, and therefore be inveffed with their Authority, with all the Authority that is ordinarily necefTary and fufficient for the Government of the Church, and the iecuring of its Peace, Unity and Order. Nor was it to be fcar'd, that the Edification of Church-Ar femblies would be obfiruc^ed or abated by the filencingoffuch Prophets: For (befide that the Edification of any Church mainly lies in tliQ -Kettlcwci fettled Peace and Unity * of its Members, ^f^y^"^^.^' Efhef, 4. s6. Rom. 14. 19.) the Governoursof ^^li^anon. ^^^ Churches fet up by the Apoftles, had their Infkudions from them together with their Office ; and not. only fo, but were divinely inipir'd themfelves ; and even the inferi- our Officers had their fhkre of thole prophe- ^ ■ - •' ■ ■ ■ ■ .. -^ ticfe on the Lord*5 Day. 135 tick Gifts, wl/ich qualitied them for the due performance oiTuch piibiick MiniftrationSj as did then require i^ich Gifts. Of this I make nodoubr, becanfe I find the Holy Ghoftin- terefted in tha Defignacion and Conilitucion of tiiem, AB. 6. ?, 5. and 14 a;, i Jim. i.iS. and by the accoiinrsof b.oththe Clements, * all *C^<^^"' that wer6 then to be ordain d ie^m to have been ^J^J.";^ ';{; firft frovd, and marJid out by the Spirit, and ^,;^, I^j^^' after fuch Tryal and Si^niiicadon oidain'd to ^i^ ^ ^^^. fuch Offices, as the Holy Gholl had defign'd ^;. and fitted them for : And if they had iach Gifts before they were admitted into the facred Function; their Ordination did not le (Ten, but increafe em rather; for as they were fro^d fiandsng Forms of Praife and Prayer^ ^nd probably alio cerram f refer i!;'d Portions of Scripture, which they were to adminifter in cheir fever al Congregations. As for the former of thefe. If the Apoftoli- cal Chriftians, notwithftanding all thgir (piri- tual Gifts^ joyn'd with the Jeivijl) Church in preicrib'd Forms of Liturgy, and were never without fome fuch Forms in their (eled Ai^ femblies ; if, as they withdrew from the Jewi(k Worftiip, they were obliged to the enlarging and eftablifliing of their own j if the Ghriltian Churches were generally fettled by the Apo- ' ftlesj on the Lord's Day. 1^7 ftles, under ordinary (landing Officers, and thefe Officers had the charge of their leyeral Congregationi with a prefcrib'd Rule of Mi- niftration^ from which none of them might fwerve or vary, at leaft without the Order or Allowance of the Supreme; all which have al- ready appeared : It is highly reaforable to be- lieve, that that Rule of Miniftrarion extended to the Prelcripvion and Eftablifhmcnr of Lirur- gick Forms of Devotion in thefeveral Churches. And this will appear yet more realbnable, if we confider the whole Paffage of the fore- cited Apoftolical Author, where he fpeaksof that Rule. For having told the Corinthiam juft before, that all the Members of the Chriftian Affemblies had their proper Services and Pla- ces by the Lord's Appointment, the leveral Ranks of Clergy theirs, the Laity theirs, j Let tClem.H;. e'very one of you^ fays he, in his proper Station hlefi °J' "' ^^\ (or give thanks to) God,* with all good Confcience, * lur^^. and Decorum, not tranfgrejjing the prefcrib'd Rule r«^cy tw cfhis Minifiration. ^s-?* '^^^ ' Where, by blefling God, we muft, I ^"^^^^^f think, underftand the ftme that St. Taul doth y^"j^ ^^^^^ in the i Cor, 14. 1 6. (| that is, the celebrating Eucharik, the Eucharift, wherein, ^sjufiin Martyr, and Engl, other of the Ancients have obfcrv'd, the Peo- II '^' Ham. pie's part was only to anfwer Amen^ after ^hat J^J^ ^ho/rT the Prefident, /. e, the Bifhop, or chief Officer n// ^/^^] then prelent had performed his part. And x. p 350* whereas St. Vaul \vriting to the Corinthiam, pro- Ed. 2. bably * before the fettlement of their Church, k. Dodw.^e reproves 'em for this their bleffing of God, ory«r. Laic. performing the Euchariftical Offices in an un- cap. iii. % known Tongue^ St. Clement proceeds farther, 2-1. even to the warning all Laicks, as well Pro- phets, 138 A Pra5lical Difcourfe phets,as others, againft the performance of any Offices, properly Sacerdotal, in any Tongue, or arty way, and all on this ground, or confi- deration, that they had now an ordinary ftandingMiniftry fee apart for the performance of them, and a prefcrib'd Rule of Liturgy, from which^ neither the Clergy nor Laity might vary. And, indeed, the chief End or Defign of a publiclc Miniitry being the publick Worfliip and Service of God ; it ieems natural to con- clude, that fuch a fixt and ftanding Miniftry was defign'd for a more regular, fixt and ftand- ing Worfliip: And then there is little rea(bn,to doubt, but that thofe wife Mafter-Builders, who were fo careful to eftabli/h the one, would not, did not fail to eftablifh the other. And to this is agreeable that Scripture account we have of thefe matters; for the holy Apoftles, as we read A^is 14. 21, 21, 25. i Cor. 1 1. 54, went about ordaining Officers in the Churches they had planted, and where they could not ftay themleives, deputed others to fet in order the things that ryere Tvanting^ Tit. i. 5. and a- *Be2aNof. mong the things that werefo ordered, Bs%a, * Ii4in. in I a Man of Learning, and of no fmall account Corai.34- with the Adverlaries of Forms, reckons. Place, Time, and Forms of Prayers ; and which ma- ny of thofe Adverfaries may be ignorant of^ neither he, nor his Friend Calvin, nor any of the firfl Reformers did efleem their Churches completely fettled without the Settlement of fuch Forms after the Apoftles Example. And,indecd,(uppofing, as we now may, a fixt and ifanding Worfliip fettled by the Apoftles, we muft alfo iuppofe a Settlement of fixt and Handing on the Lord'5 Day. i,39 ftanding Forms of Worfhip: For befide that a bare Method or Order of publick Worfhip would have left the Worfhip it felf unfixt and unfettled ; there was as much reafon then for the prefcribing and fettling of Liturgick Forms in the Chriiiian AffemblieS;, as there had been in the Je-wifh^ an ordinary (landing Miniftry being eftablifh'd in the leveral Churches, and the Prophets reftrain'd from their former Li- berries/and none of them to officiate merely as Prophets, but as ordained Minifters. And all this was the more fit and requifite to bs done by the Apoftles, becaufe they were to provide for all Ages of the Church, and thercr fore to eftablifh liich Rules and Orders, as the Neceffities of the Church ftiould require, when the extraordinary Infpirations were wholly ceas'd. And accordingly do we find the Churches next to the Apoftolical^, univerfally * agreed in the ufe of Liturgick Forms, atleaft *P^.^.'n as far as we have any notices of their Practice. ^^ ^°' '' ' Some fuch Liturgies of theirs are at this Day extant^ interpolated indeed, but for the main Frame of them^ unqueftionably Primitive, if not Apoftolical, fuch as that ( for inftance ) which we find in the Conftitutions ftyl'd Apo- fiolical, wherein there are plain footfteps of the Primitive Devotion, And how (hould the ufe of fuch Liturgies (o early, and fo univerfally obtain, if it had not been derived from the Apoftolical Churches ^ When the Apoftles were all deceas'd, there was no fingle Perlbn vefted^ or believ'd to bq veftedj with an univerfal Authority to oblige all Churches. The Papal Pretenfions, and Pretences v/ere of a much later date; Nor. 140 A Pra^ical Difcourfe was there any General GounciJ for Two hun- dred Years after ; lb that it feems neceffary^ that the univerlal Pi imitive Reception ofLi- turgick Forms be refolv'd into ApoftoHcal Prat5lice and Authority, it being morally im- poffible^ that fb many Churches independent on each other, fhould fb loon after the Apo- files deceafe, be agreed in this way ot Worfhip, if they bad not been agreed in it before. And then as the Apoftles PraAice is involv'd in that of the ApoflolIccM Churchesj fo their Authori- ty is involved in their Practice. And if we had no Rules or Prefcriptions of theirs in Scripture, relating to fuch P; ^dice, we have however fufficient reafon to believe^, that they were not wanting in that necelTary Part of their Office; for it is not to be doubted but they gave many more, and more particular Rules of Difcipline and Pradlce than are recorded in the New Teflamentj it being neceffary that many fuch Rules fhould be given by them, but nowife neceiTary they (hould be all recorded^ being they appear'd fufificiently in and by the uni- verfal Pradice of the Church before the Books of the New Teftamenc were written, and might fufficiently appear afterwards by the like vifible notorious Pradice. But indeed we have fiich a Rule, Prefcrip- tion, or Order for our purpofe ; for St. Pant having but a little before confiituted 7imothy Bifhop of Efhefm^ i 'Tim. i. 4. and committed to him the care of all the Churches within that Province^ exhorts, that firB of aU Supplicatiom, Prayers, Intercejjlonsy and giving of Thanks hi made for aU Men, i Tim. 2. i, 2. Words that comprehend all the Parts of Prayer, andmufl be on the Lord's Day. 141 behereunderftood ofpublick Prayer, which 'Timothy^ as the ordinary ftanding Governour of thole Churches was efpecially to fee to. But what effediual Care could he take for the dueobfervanceof this Order, or how could he be reafonably allfur'd that his Care would be effedual, if the Officers or Minifters of e- very Congregation had been left at liberty to pray as they pleas'd ? He could not poflibly be prelent himfelf in all the Affemblies under his Jurifdidion ; and it was found by experi- ence^, that even Prophets themfelves might be very irregular in their Miniftrarions ; fo that the due obfervance of this^ and other Orders relating thereunto could be no other way ie- cur'd than by a fixt and ftanding Form of Li- turgy, which all were oblig'd to ufe within fuch a Precin(5t. And fince the reafbn and neceffity of fuch Liturgies was the fame in all the Apoftolical Churches^ and the Apoltles, and Apoftolical Perions^ were ail guided by the lame infallible Spirit ; it is paft doubt with mQ, that when they eftablilh'd ordinary ftand- ing Governours in the (everal Churches, they gave this or the like Order for the eftablirhing a fixt and ftanding Worfhip in the fame, agree- ing in their general Rules of Miniftracion^ as they did in their Pradice. Nor is it to be doubted, but that fufficient Care was taken^ and neceffary Orders given for the reading of die Holy Scriptures in the Apoftolical Afllerabljes. We have iliewn a- bove,that the Jewi^ Airerni:)lies had the Scrip- tures ordinaril reat^ m them, and (hall now add what we learn from m^ Jews themfelves^ ihat they had certain Portions of them pre- fcrib'd i^i A PraHicdl Difcourje fccib'd for every Week, or weekly Sahhatb \n I w/"^^^* the Year, {i one Leflbn out of the Law of Mo- 3uT'c 9 f^^' another out of the Prophets. And forafmuch as the Righteoufnefsof Chri- flians was to exceed the Righteoufnels of the Jews'^ it might well be expeded, that their fpiricual Helps and Advantages (hould propor- tionably exceed theirs alio. Accordingly do we find- among other Advantages, the New Teftament fuperadded to the Old, and both the one and the other defign'd for the ufe and benefit of the Ghriftian Church. St. Taul commends Tmotbiy in th^t from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures of the Old Teflamenr^ the only Scriptures then extant^, and tells him withal, that they were able to make him wife un- to Salvation, thro^ Faith which ts in Chrift ^efus, 1. e. as feconded and iiluftrated by the Gofpel, or Law of Faith, being profitable for DoHriney for Reproof for CorreBion, ( or Reformation of Manners) for InfiruBion in RighteoufnejJ, that the Man ofGod^ or Preacher of the Gofpel, fuch as Timothy was, might he throughly furmfti'd unto ^'ijery goodwork^ belonging to his Office, i Tini. X' I5j i6, 17. If the Holy Scriptures are pro- . litable for all thefe purpofesof Religion ; the publick Reading and Expounding of them muft needs be of excellent ufe and advantage to the Chriftian Church. Nor ought we to think, that the Holy Apoftles, of all Men would have fufferd either of thefe Lights to lie hid under a bu[hel, which were rather to be pHt on a Candle/Hck, that they might give light to all that were in the Houfe, I mean to be pub- lickly read and expounded for the Edification of their Religious Aifemblies, according to on the Lord's Day. 143 the old, laudable^approv'dCuftom ohhQjewifh Church, Indeed, ( not to infift upon St. Teters Order for the publick reading of St. M/nrk'% Goipel, which yet is related by Eufebius * from Clemens ^EccUUift. Alexandrinus ) there are Apoftolical Orders in 1. 2. c. is* the Scriptures themfelves for the like praftice : Such is that of St. Vaul to the Coloffians^ Whm this Efi(tk is read among you^ cattfe that it he read alfo in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likemfe read that from Laodicea^ Col. 4. 16. Such another^, but mere folemn Charge is that of the fame Apoftle to the JhejfalQniansy I charge ( or rather adjure ) j/ou hy the Lord^ that this Efijlle he read unto aU the Holy Brethren, i. e. to the whole Church of Tbeljalonica^ i tbef. 5. ay. which without all peradventure is to be underftood of a pubiick reading; for who but the publick Officers of the Church fhould read it unto all? And how (hould they read it unto all^, but as they were all aflembled for fuch holy purpofes r* Now if thefs Epiftles were read in the Chriftian Aflemblies of that Age;, and read by Apoflolical Appointment , we may well fuppofe, that as there was the Ame Reafon, io there was the fame Care taken for the f Tg/j?;^ reading of the other Scriptures: And tXm']'^ dvAfva; we may the rather do^, becaule we find i\\Q 1^6 A PraUical Vifcourfe And all that his Account may feem de- fedive in, is the Tinging of Pialms and Hymns ; but that is implied in the Prayeis he (peaks of, and being well known to the Heathen World, for whole iati&fadion his Apology was defign'd/ might well be dipt over with- out particular notice, asit is likewiie by Ter- tulltan in his Apglogy, who yet takes notice of it elfewhere, and particularly in the laft cited Paff.ige of his_, which would therefore be here rcmembefd^ and taken in as a Sup- plement to the following Account. * Terr. T^s come together unto God, fays he,, * that ApoLc*^9' heing banded as it were into an Army^ we may hefiege him 7i>ith our Vrayers : a violence highly acceptable to him. We come together 10 the Recital of the Divine Scrivt^res^ whether the condition of the frefent Times do oblige to forewarn, or elfe to look back J for certainly with thefe Holy Words we nounpo our Faith, we raifc our Hope, and fettle our Confidence, and by thefe Inculcations are the better efiablifi^d in our Obedience to the Divine Commands, They that defire a larger, and more par- ticular Account of thefe Matters, as alfo of the devout reverent Behaviour of the Chiittians of t hole Times in their Affem- I Cave'/ biies, may be fatisfied by others. || "Prim. But I could hardly fatisfie my felf, did I Chnft, pt. j^Qj. obf^rve the mig-hty regard they gener- Tlx)rn^* ^^b'> 2"^ \^^\y paid to the Holy Sacrament i^lAff, of the LordVSupper : This, as we have now feen in Juftin M. was a Part of their ordinary Sunday-Service. It was indeed the principal on the Lord'5 Day. 147 principal and mod iolemn Part of ir^ and was (b accounted by them. And as tar as appears, the Chriftim Churches were univer- fally agreed in the Celebration of it every Lordh Da), as they were in their alTem- bling upon that Day. Nay, feveral ol them in conformiry CO the Pradice of the A{)o- ftolical Church at JeYH[alem, aflcaibled Q^Q^y Day for this heaki^g of Bread anJ Prayers^ and this Cuftom was kept up^ elpecialiy in the We/^ern Churches, a coiifiderabie * time. * Cave'j : And in moft others, the Eucharift was cele- ^^^/J^- brated every Saturday and Sunday, as we learn ^ ^^^^' ' ^^' from t Socrates Scholaftkus ,- in fome on Wed- ^^ccl.Hiftl nefdajs a\ib^ and Fridays^ and all thQ folemn i. 5. c. 22, Feftivals, as appears from St. Bafih || Epiftle (1 Baf.£/', to Cafaria. And how often fbever it was 2-85^ then celebrated, fhey that refus'd it without good caufe, we^e adjudg'd unworthy of it, and h'able to Excommunication: For thus faith the 9th Apodolical Canon, All the Faith- faly or Chrif/ians, that come to Ckircb, and bear the Scriptures y but flay not for the Holy Com:mi^ niofiy and the Prayers helofiging to ;>j ought to be -: excommunicated J as they that bring Confufion into the Church, And to much the fame pur pofefpeaks the Council of Antiochm their 2d Canon^ ad- dingj ( what isdeclar'd,or fuppos'd inall fuch Cenifiires ) that they fhall not be receiv'd a; . gain, till they have confeft their Fault, and ihew'd the Fruits of their Repentance. And whereas fome were deterr'd front the Holy Communion by the Judgments, which not infrequently attended thofe that had receiv'd unworthily, as in the Cafe of L 2 ft'^ 148 A Pra5Iical Difc02irfe the Corinthians^ I Cor. ii. 29, 50. there were in * Cypr. cle * St. Cyprians time many vifible Judgments ^^pfa' on unworthy Refiifeis alio. And it' there were not niApy iijch InftAnces of God's Judgments before his time, we may eafily guefs at the realbn^ namely this, that there were not many fuch Refui'^rs. I wifh I could fay the fame of later Ages. But alas I ic is too too notorious, that the Primitive Zeal aiul Piety cool'd, and wore off by degrees; and as theie abated, the Lord's Stiff er became more and more neg- leded, till at length the then Governours of the Church faw it necellary to oblige all their People refpedlively to the Cele- bration of it at certain fixt Times of the Year, efpecialiy at the three ^reac Feflivals of ChrifiwaSf Eafier, and Whitfu7itid€, Not that any good Governouis were, or could be^ fatisfied with fo lew Communions^ or liich a low mCrJlire of Devocion, as (hou'd mak-e 'em \o few : For more than this has been ever expected of the pious and regular Sons of the Churchy and more would, and in reafon might be expeded of the Ge- nerality of the relf J if they could be once brought to communicate lb generally, and {o worthily, as they fhould an thofe folemn Times. By a preparatory Search and Examinati- on of their Ipiritual State, would appear the neceflity of Repentance in order to their Pardon and Acceptation ; the neceflity of a Saviour, or Redeemer, to make their Re- pentance available; the neceflity of an U- nion with their Saviour, for the participa- tion on the Lord'i Day. 149 don of his Vital Influences, and other in- eflimable Benefits of his Dsath ; and the necediry of this Fecieial Fsiad, which is the only inftiruted Means of renewing that U- nion. And forafmuch as by a due Exami- nation of thera(;;ives they could not but be lenfibie of rheir frequent Violarions of the Golpel-Covcnanr •, it might reafbnably be hop'd, and cxpetfteH, thev would be alfo fenfiole of th^: neccllity of a f equent renev/- al of it, and consequently of a frequent par- ticipation of the Body and Blood of our Lord, in the way and nianner prdcrib'd by our Lord himfclf. Ovk chefe, and the like Confiderations hath ouK Holy Mother, the Church of England^ ordered, f That every Vari^noner [Imll commu- -[■ ^uhn'c nicate at the ieafi three times in the lear^ plain- after Com- ly intimating, that fhe not only approves, wi«"- Q^^- but experts more Irequent Cosumunions of her devout and genuine Sons. But this is yet mora plainly intimated by her in her Catechifm, where all her Sons and Daugh- ters too are taugln, if all would learn, that the Sacrament of the Lord\ Suffer is ordain d for the continual remejrtbrance of the Sacrifice of the Death ofChrifi, i. e. for the conllant remem- brance thereof at let Times frequently reairn- ing. Agreeably whereunto (he has provided us with a ftanding Miniftry, and that Minidry with a ftanding Office of Communion, and a very alFeding Exhortation to the reception of itj to be read in her Aflemblies, as often as the People's backwardnefs ihall make it needful : and not only fo,but fhe hath appoint- ed the Communion-Office to be us'd all tha L 5 Sufjdayi 150 A Pradlical Vifcourfe Sundays, and other Holy-Dap in the Year, and us'd ac the Communion-Table^ to the end that the whole Congregation may be n"Mnded of the Duty of communicating^ and the Per ion that oniciates may be rea- dy to adminifier the Holy Sacrament to all chat are religioufly difpos'd, and prepared f I^ubric for it. And vvhen (he requires^ * That in ibid> Cat hear aU and Collegiate Churches and Colleges^ v.'bere there are ?nany Vriejis and Deacons^ they (hall all, TvithoHt a reajonahle Caufe to the con- trary^ receive the Communion every Sunday at the kafi ; She plainly ihews, how much it is her defire, that all her Priefts and People would be as devout and conftant Commu- nicants^ as iowiQ of them are, i. e. that . in conformity to Scriptuie-Precedents, and the general Pradice of the Primitive Church, they would communicate every Lord's Day^ And if her Rubnc doth iuppofe left fre- quent Communions in Ibme, or moft of her Affemblies, it fuppofes them only, as it fiip- pofes Sin and Wickednels, Indcvotion, and a careleis Indiiferency in Religious Matters, which no one can think Ihe approves or allows; and^ at the fame time, it fuppoies more irequent Communions in other of her Affemblies ; and the more frequent they are in any cf them, the more agreeable they are to her Mind. And could fhe but fee the Primitive Piety and Unity revive, fte would quickly refiore the Primitive Difci- pline and Pradice too: God grant that ihe may. In the mean time, the general Decay of Piety, together with a Superfeta- rion of Schifinaticks, and oth«r Offenders, ^* tho^ on the Lord'i Day. 151 tho' they jaftify the prefent Coniiicution of our Church, yet they do not, cannot ju- ftify the general Negled ( not to (ay Con- tempt ) oi our Lordj and his excellent In- ftitution. However we break his Laws, or turn our Backs upon his Ordinances^ we cannot make them null and vokl, or dii^ Iblve the Obligation of them ; as long as the Reafons of ihem hold, To long they mull and will oblige us, wliether wc will or no. And certainly the good old Realbns for frequent, or rather conttant Communions^ are as ftrong and forcible now as ever: For we have the fame Lord and Saviour that the hi^ Chiftians had ; the fame need of an interefl: in his meriiorious Death^ and therefore the fame need of this Memorial Feaflj which was inftituted for the (blemn Remembrance of his Death, and for the Renewal and Ratihcation of the New Co- venant founded therein. And as we have the fame need of this Memorial of his re- deeming Love, fb wc have the f^me In- ducements and Obligations cf Intercftj Gra* titude and Duty, to a frequent repetition of it, as might be Jhewn f om the (everal Ads of Pietyj of Charity^ and Unity im- plied in this Heavenly Feaft. But it will fuffice us here to obferve, that we have a plain pofidve Command of our Lord, to do tbts in remembrance of him^ and that to continue in t9rce till his com- ing, unto Judgment, for as often as we eat tits bready and drink this C^p, "we are to f}e'ij> the Lords Death till become, I Cor. 11.241 25, i6.- And fince our Bieffed Lord is en- la 4 tred i$2 A PraSiical Difcourfe tred into Heavtn^ there to abide, and reign till he has put all his and our Enemies under his feet, i Cor. 15. 25. there to appear in the prefence of God for m, Heb. 9. 14. continu- p.lly (hewing his facrific'd Body^ and plead- ing the Merif£ of his Sufferings and Per- fo.mances in our behaU; Well may he expcd a like Commemoration ©f that his Sac ifice here on Earthy whe eby it may appear to God^ and the Wo I J, that we hold our f.K'es infinitely oblig'd to him ; and tho' he is remov'd at a vaft Jiftance from uSj and doth not appear to ou^- bo- dily Eyes, yet we lee him ilill by Fairh, and own him for our Lord and Mafter, and rely entirely upon him as our Saviour, our only Mediator and Redeemer. And with what Face can any of us here- after appear, as we all muft, before his Jadgmenc-Ssat, and there plead with him the Merits of his own Blood,, if we now refulej ordinarily and obftinacely refule to come to his Table^ and ^mv forth Us Deaths as he experts and requires, and humbly plead his Merits in the way of his own In- ilicution ? Indeed ws may, and ought frequently to commemorate his Death, and plead the Me- rits of it in our other Offices of Devotion, but this is not enough^ bccauie it is not all that is required of us. And as the Jewip) Church had Sacrifices joyn'd with their pub- lick Prayer?j for a iymbolical Reprefentati- 6n of that great Archetypal Sacrifice, which alone could make their Prayers available | lo for the like vifible fymbolical Reprefen- tation on the Lord'iDay. 155 tation of the fame Sacrifice of Chriff^ the Cbri/lian Church is to have its Sacrifices too, its EuchariiHcal Commemorative Sacnfices in the room of the bloody Sacrifices of the Law^ and thole frequently repeated, as the Jewifh were. For with fucb Sacrifces God is well f leafed ^ and by theie we muff confe- crate all our Prayers and Services ; by theie we muft prefent them and our felves un- to Godj if we will have them or oiir felves accepted by him. It muft be confeft, there are many and great Promiles made to Prayer, to Faith, Repentance^ and other moral Duties; but as they are all made in confideracion oi Cbrifi's Death; fo in him they are all verified, and confirmed, in him they are Tea and Amen^ ^ Cor. I. 20. and therefore can be chalieng'd by none but thole who are in Cbnfij i. e. are united to him and his Church by the Covenant of Grace. Hence is Baptifm ne- ceflary, as the inftituted Rite of admiffion into that Covenant : And forafmuch as wc do often break our baptifmal Vows and En- gagementSj our Part of the Covenant ; and Baptifhi being only an Initiatory Ordinance, is never to be reiterated, ("provided only, that it be legally adminifter'd, i: e. by au- thorizd Perfons^ and in due Form^ accord- ing to the Inftitution^ hence ariieSj and hence appears the neceflity of the other Sacrament, for the recovering a«d fecuring the forfeited Benefits of the former, and that to be repeated frequently, as we have opportunity. And if we have a real Senfe pf our Redeemer's Love, or juft Regard ta hit 15^4 ^ PraBical Difcourfe his Holy Inftitutioa ; we fhall nor want for Opportunities of frequent Communions. A devout and willing People will either find or fnake Opportunities, and with a holy E.-nu- lation ftrive who fiull come nearcfi to the Primitive Pradice in this, as in other things^ in all the neceflary Ads and Offices of public Devotion. To that end we have, as occafion offer'd^ incermixt and interwoven with the Piimi- tive Pradlice, the Grounds or Reafons of thofe public Miniitrations, which we are chiefly concerned for. But becaufe a variation of Ci: cumflances in different Churches, and eveti in ihe lame Church at different times, doth admit, and in fbme cafes, require a vaiiacion ot Practice, we have judg'd it convenient to proceed yet farther in this matter^ and accordingly proposed to enquire, 2, How far we are obliged to the TraBke of the Primitive Church i7t our Rdigiom AJJemhlies. For a Refolution whereof, we mufl: diflin- guiih betwixt the Subftantials^ and the Cir- , cumftantials of public Wor(hip. Of the former fort is the Miniftration of the Word and Sacraments, together with the natu- ral Duties of Praife and Prayer, which already appear to have been prad:is'd in the Apoflo- lical and other Primidve Affemblies, and de- lign'd by God for the perpetual Pradice of Church Affembliei in all Ages of Chriltianity. Of the latter fort are thole Rites and U- fages, which ar^e neither commanded nor for- bidden on the Lord'i Day. 15:5 bidden us by any Divine Law^ whether na- tural or reveaFd, yet are fonie or other of therni requifire and necelTary to the due Per- formance of public Worfhip. And how far we are obllg d to a Confor- mity to the Primitive Church with refped to thefe will appear from the following Confide- rations. I . That the general Rules of Edificationy of De- cency and Order, prefcriFd by the Apple y i Gor, 1 4. 5(5j 40. do equally oblige all Churches of all Ages, %. That h ^i'^'i^^ of thofe general Rules, the Governors of every Church are emfoiverdy and ohligd to frefcribe fuch f articular Ritesy and Modes of Worfhip as are agreeable to the f aid general Rules ^ and requifite to the due cbfervance of them, 3. That all Members of the Church, are in their fever al Places and Stations^ obliged to a Cen- formity to all fuch Determinations and Af- f ointments of their re^e5iive Governors. That the Apofiolical Rules of Edification , De- cency and Order, do equally oblige all Churches of all Ages. This, I think, is not denied by any Church, or Sed of Chrjftians, no not by thole who have notoiioufiy deviated from the faid Rules. Indeed there is nothing in either of thofe Rules but what is naturally neceffaryj and therefore obliging to all Religious Affemblies. The Edi- fication I. 1^6 A PraHical Difcourfe cation of the Church, is one End of ftch AP lemblies, as the Glory of God is another, and neither is the one or the other ot thefe Ends. at- tainable without Decency and Orde* , inaf- much as an indecent di(brderIyAdminillration of any Holy Offices is, in truth^ an Affront and Difhonour to the Deity we pretend to worfhip, and as far as it derogates from the Honour of God^ it is fo far, st !eaft_, fioni edi- fying his Church. 2. By Virtue oft bo fe general Rules, the Cover- nours of every Church are empower d and o- hligU to frefcribe Juch f articular Rites and Modes oflVorfhtpj as are agreealfk to the f aid general Rules f andreqai/ite to the due oifer- Vance of them. It is plain and evident, that a full complete ' . Account of all the particular Rites of Wotfhip us'dinthe Aooftolical Affemblies is not to be found in all the N^vv^ Teffament. And from fuch Account as we have there, it is no left e- vident, that the Uiages and Prefci iptions of this kind were very different in the leveral A- poftolical Churchesj and even in the lame Af lemblies at different Times. For thus do we find Circumciiion^ and other Jemfii Rites^ re- jected and condemned in fbme Churches, GaL 5. 1,1, c^c. whilfl they were born and com- plied with in others^ by the Apoftlesthemfelves, Rom. 14. I, 2, &c, ASl. 16. 1, 2j ;. and 21.18, 19, &c. And St. Vaul tells us, i Cor. 9. 20, 21, &c. that to the Jews he heeawe as a Jiw, to them that were under the Law^ as under the Law^ ob- fcrving fuch of the Legal Rites as were needful for on the Lord's Day. 157 for the gaining or fecuring oiJeTjJSj or Judai- Z^ers, to them that Tvere without the Law, as with- out the law ^ i.e. without the obrervacion of the laid Rites ; in a word, that he was made alt things to all iWt?w, having in all his CoFifticutions and Obiervanccs, a due regard to the Circum- fiancesof the feveral Churches, and all^ as he there affares us, for the GoJ^el [ake, i. e. for the more favourable Reception of the Dodrin he delivered. And foralmuch as the other Apo- ftleSjAnd Apoftolical Governourshad the fame Liberty and Authority in thofe matters^ and the fame Reafon for the like Compliances and CondefcenfionS;, we may rationally prefume, that they all made ufe of that Liberty, and ex- erted that Authority, as they iaw occAfion in the leveral Churches. And perhaps there were not any two Churches in their TimeSj that a- greed in all manner of Rites and Ulages relat- ing to tlie public Woi fhip : And the Cafe was much the fame in the following Ages, eacb Chuich raking care of it felf, and ordering its own Rituals, as may be leen in Socrates % St. *^EccLllifi. Afifiin tj snd others, who inliance in lome of ^' 5- c* 2.2,. them, and approve of the Pradice, as being a- \^^\ ,g* greeable to, and warranted by, the general "^ Rules of the Apoftle. Indeed, as from the perpetual Obligarion of thole general .Rules there arifes a necefficy of fbme particular Rules, or Orders for the Edi- fication of the {evcal Churches, and the ex- ternal Decency of their Holy Miniftrations ; io from that neceffity arifes this oth^r^ that e- very Church fiiould have the dsterminarion of her own Rituals. For Decency and Ediftcati- oa depending very much upon variable Cir- cumliances^ 158 A Pr apical Dijcourfe tumfhnces, and varying, as thefe db, it fre- quently comes to pafs, that what is decent and edifying^ and thsrefore fit to be prefcrib'd in . ^ one Age, or Country, is indecent and unede- M^ereri ^^^^^^ ^^^ therefore to be rejeaed in others Ij; \himi^ p. And how then fhould particular Churches fe- B, 9, (SJ'c. cure the due oblervation of the Apoftolica! Orders for Decency and Edification in their feveral Affemblies, without a Power or Au- thority of prefcribing, continuing, or altering Rdigious Rites, according as their ieveral Cir- cumftances do require ? And where ftouid that Power be Icdg'd but in the.Governours of each Church ; the Power of prelcribing Rites being plainly a Legiflative Power^ and Legiflature an elTential incommunicable Pro- perty of Government ? Indeed, Ecclesfiaftical Governors, as fuch^ have, and mufr have ail the Authority that is neceflary to anlWer the Ends of Ecclefiaftical Society. For fo much is, and muii be allow'd to the Governors of ail regu- lar Societies, and therefore cannot be denied to the Governors oiChrtfi's Church, without a foul Reflexion on Cbrifi himlelf, from whom their Authority is deriv'd^ Mat. 28. 1 8, 20. ^^. 20. 28. Epb, 4. 1 1, 1 2, 1 5. And forafmuch as the chief End of this Society is the publlcWor- (hip of God, and all fuch Worfhip muft, as we have leen, be perform'd in a decent, order- ly and edifying manner^ that is to lay^ by de- cent^ orderly and edifying Rites, and thole Rites were not^ could not be, determtn'd all at once for all Places and Times ; we may de- pend upon it, that the determination of fiich Rites^ Modes, or Circumftantials of public Worfhip is left to the Governors of the feveral Churches^ on the Lord'5 Day. 15P Churches^ and to them only j it being not imaginable, that all the Members of any ilngle Congregation, much lefs of a whole Church, that has many Congregations belonging toic, fhould agree in the fame Rites of WorOiip, without a public Determination and Order^ or that the Holy Miniftrations fhould be de- cently, orderly, and edifyingly peiform'd, without fuch Agreement or Uniformity. In Ihort then_, there never was, and never can bC;, any public Worfhip without fome par- ticular Rites or Modes.- And as all Church- Governors have in all Ages chalieng'd to them- felves a Power, or Authority of prefcribing, continuing^ or altering them ,• fo they really had (iich Power, and ilill have it with a Li- berty of exercifing it as they fee occalion ; a due regard being always had to the general Rules of the Apoftle, and care taken, that they do not lightly and wantonly lay afide any Ecclefiaftical Rites^ or Ulages that are vene- ri^ble for their Antiquity, and recommended down to us by an univerlal, or almoft univer- fal Practice and Experience^ or enjoyn any Rites whatfoever, as neceffary Parts of Religi- on, that are not made fo by lome Divine Law, 3 , AU the Members of the Church are in their fever d Vlaces and Stations obliged to a Con- formty to all juch Determivations and Af- foiniTKints of their rrj^ecii-ve Governors as ar^ agreeable to thf general Rules of the AfoftUy And reqmfite to the &ue Obfervance of them. This foiiovvsby a necdfary con lequence from the former j for \i Church-Governors have Au- thority i^o A PraSiical Difcourfe thonty to determine and prefcribe iiii fudi Cafes, it ibllows unavoidably, that all who are fubjed to their Authority, that is to fay^ all the Members of the ieveral Charches^ are obiigd to obferve and follow their Pielcripti- ons. For to be fiibjed to the Authority of a Law-giver, is to be liihjed to the juft Laws, Rules, or Orders enacted by his Authority ; and lubj'ection to LavA^ implies an Obligation to obey them. Lndeed^ the very lame Reafons and Ends ot Church-Society, which require the Prefcription oi Rites and Rules ofWorfliip, do al(b require the Oblervance of them when prefcrib'd : And therefore we have a plain ex- prefs Command of God in the Cafe, Ohej them that have the Rule over youy and fubmtt your [elves ^ Heb. 15. 17. and the reafbn fubjoyn'd fhews what fort of Rulers are meant, for they watch for your Souls, So that to difobey thefe in any thing that comes within the Verge of their Authority, and efpecially in thofe things that tend to Edi- fication, to Order and Decency in God's pub- lic Worftiip, ( for vvhich^ as hath appear'd, they have his general Directions and Orders extant in the Scriptures ) is plainly to diibbey God, who hath invefted them with his Au- thority, and commanded us to obey them. But here nlay a Caution be needful : For not every one that pretends to the Office of fpiri- tuai Ruler, or Guide; not every one that adlu- ally exerciies Church Government is really in- vefted wich God's Authority, or may juftly chal- lenge our Obedience, No, Ibme are to be marked, and avoided^ as Hereticks, or Teachers of falle DoiSiiiufiaL I. 8, 9. iTtm, 6. 3, 5. 7/^;. on the Lord'^ Day, t^l 10. others, as Schirmaficks, or Church-Divi- ders, Row. 1 6. 17. VhiL %.i. and thofe, and thole only, are to be receiv'd, obey'd- and comQiunicared with, as Governors of the Church, and Repreientacives oiChrifi in the Miniftries of Religion, whp are over m in the Lord, I Their 5. 12. and hold their AfTembliss in his 'Name, or by his Authority, Mat, 18. 20. /. e. v^ho have their Authority deriv'd dovvn to 'em by a. continued Succcffion frorh his Apo- ftleSj Job, lo.ii, 22, 25, Mat, 28. iS, 19. %o, and keep to the La^vvs, Ilules^ and Orders by them eflabiilh'd in the Church, and efpeclally to the La ws of Catholick Communion., where- by the Peace and Unity of chat Myftical Bo- dy^ or Spiritual Kingdom of our Lord Chrifi are to be prefsrv'd, maintain'd^ and continued. And Ob! chat we could fee that blefled Day, when it might be faicl of our Jerufalem^ tha Chriflian Churchy it u a City at Unity in itfelfi tbey (haUfroJ^er that love thee, Vi\ 112. ^,,6. Oh! that the rn-iie were come,when the many glo- rious Things foretold of Her were aCcomplifh'd in her-,to the' full import and in(enc q\ the pro- phetick Spiritj whtn the Sons of Stravgers fljall. build ber 'walls, and their Kings mini[{er ?into her ,; . and the Sons alfo of them that afflicled her. (hall how themfelves down at the foks of her feet ^ li. 60. 10, II, 14^ and 49. 22^ 2^. and her gates being' continually open, all Nations Jhallfiow unto her, and many People jhall go, and jay, come ye, and let m go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Hoafe of the God of i^cob. //':2. 2, 3.. Mic. ^. 1,2. and from the rifmg of the Sun, to the going down of the fdme^ hts Name fhaH he great among the Gentiles^ ^Hd in e'Oetj plaa htcenfe (hall bs offered unto^ his $^2 A P radical Vifcourfe Name^ and a fare Offerivg, Mai i. 1 1 and from one new Moon to another, afidfrom one Sahbath to ' another^ ( i. e. from one Chrill'un Feftival to another) jhall all Fiefh come , and wor flit f before him^ If 66. 25. All with one Adind. and one Mouth glorifftng God, even the Father of cur Lord Jefus Chrijf) Rom, 1 5. 6. and thus becoming one With both the Father and the Son, as with one another, and made psrfefi in One^ Jon. 17. 20, 22,23. in one Body, Fellowfhip, and Com- munionj i J^h. i. 3, CHAP. II. SeB, 3. FROM the Sandification of the Lord's Day in public Affembiies, pafs we to the San(Stihcation of ic in private, and that^ I. In our Famlies, It is commonly faid, and truly too in a qua- lified Senle, That every Mailer of a Family is a Prieitj a Prophet, and a King in his own Houfe; a Prielt to pray for and with his Houfhold^ a Prophet to infti ud them, and a King to govern and Proted'em. Accordingly do we find Abraham commend- ed by God himfelf for an excellent Governor and Inltrudor of his Family;, a Father of the Faithful in that (enie alio, one, who would not only teach hiii Children and Houlhold the way of the Lord, but command 'em to keep it; nor yet fo only, but command 'em to take ef- fedualearejthat when he were dead and gone^ their on the Lord'5 Day. 163 their Pofterity alio might by their repeated In- ftruaions and Commands^^ both know it and keep itj Gen. i8 19. ' ' ■ And thus do we find Job, like a true Son of Ahrahams Faith, doir»g the ^N oiks oX Abraham, Job 1.4, 5. For after his Sons had feaded one another on their feveral Birth-days, Job 5. i. he fends for them, and orders 'em to fandifie^ or prepare chemfelves by fading: and prayer^ for the Sacrifice he meant to offer for them j this done, offers Burnt-offerings for every one of them, as fearing, that in the height of their Jollity they might have Ibme way or other tranlgrefs'd the Rules of Realbn and Religion^ the too too common effed of plentiful Tables, And this, as we are there told, he did conti- nually, with paternal Inftriidions and Admo- nitions no doubt,* and earneft Prayer, that they inight be duly prepared and qualiiied to receive the benefit of his Sacrifices. And as Sacrifices were generally accompanied with' prayers * either vocal ornienta!, fb the very * Outr.^^ offering of them was it felf a Prayer, or vifi- SacnfA.i, ble Ad of Worfhip and Devotion. ^' ' 5-^^^^' To thefe Examples of Family-Piety before^* the Law, might be added many others under the Law ; but, leaving the reft to every Man's own reading, and obfervation, 1 fhall content ray ielf with Two of the mod Eminent, name- ly, Jojhtta and DavU. Jojhuay who undertakes not for himfelf a- lone, but for his whole Houle^ that they.ibould fer*ue the Lord, Jofh. 24. 15. David ^ who in a whole Pfalm compos'd for. the purpofe, refolves with himfelf, and declares to God and the Worlds, what good Order and M % Difcipiins <4 A PraBicai Vifcourfe Difciplfne he would keep in hisHoufe^and how careful he would be to encourage Virtue, and Probity of Manners wherever he found them^ not to countenance any, or even continue them in his Service, who were not alfo the faithful Servants of God, Tfal. loi. As for the Gofpel-Tiraes, the Account we have o^Cornelim the Centurion^ in the loth of the ABs^ is very remarzkabie : A devout Man^ and one that feared God with all his Houfe — and frafd to God always and his Succefs is anfwer- abie to hib Piety, for his Prayers are heard, and he alTur'd of it by an Angel in a Vifion, and dire and all his Temptations ? This were a ftrange and unaccountable piece of Folly and Vanity, to lay no woriej for indeed there is not a Man able of himfelf to overcome, or cope with any Tingle Temptation. We are not fufficient of our fihes fo much as to think a good Thought Of of our [elves : hut our fufficiency is of God^ a Cor. 5.5. and if fo,how fhali we witli- out God's help, which is not to be had with- out Prayer for it, how (hall we without his All-powerful Arm refift, conquer, and put to flight a whole Army of Enemies^ a whole World of Temptations ? Certainly this is a Work too great, too difficult for any mere Man to effed. For the Devil^ as Experience too too clearly^ and fadly evinces, is a very powerful and fubtle Enemy, and a very adive rcfllefs one too, continually ranging ahout, and fseking whom he may devour ^ i Pet. 5. 8. And as for our own corrupt Natures, and deceitful Hearts, they are {o pliable, and yielding, and oft-times even fo willing to be tempted, that we inS A Pra^ical Difcourfe we have reafon to believe^, we carry our very worit Enemies about with us : and fince thefe Jebufites will ba ever in our Land, the Dan- ger will be ever near us, ever great, ever to be fear'd, ever, as far as poffible, to be avoided. In fhort^ there is no Time, no Place, no Company, no State or Condition of Life^ that can iecure or priviledge us from fpiritual Arrelh. As long as we have Enemies unfub- dued, (b long are we in danger : and unfubdu- ed all our Enemies muft be, whether thofe that are without, or thofe that are within us, if we have not the Lord of Hofis on our fide ; nor can we ever have him of our fide, if we flight and negled him, if we think a few Pray*- ers too many, or our felves too great to beg his Affiftance. And therefore it is no wonder that our Bleflid Lordj who in all his Precepts and Diredions, confults our Good, hath taught us in that Prayer, which is by him de- iign'd for our daily u(e, to beg of our Heaven- ly Father, th>it he would not lead m into Temp- tation , hut deliver us from Evil, i.e. that he would not fuffer us to be tempted above what he (hall enable us to bear, but give us Grace and Strength proportionable to the Power and Violence of the Temptations, or ghoftly Ene- mies that -5 which deferve our regard, ^iz.. Reading, and Mediiation. ^ By Reading, I efj^ecially underftand, the reading of Holy Scnprure, wherein we may iec^all diat Almight) God has thought fie to reveal jo us of his Nature, and Attributes^ of his Works^ and WHl, and what is abundantly iufficient to make m wife unto Salvation : So that if we will bt Wile unto Salvation, (and U'hatcan be nioie defirable^ except the Salva- tion it felf j* ) we muft read the Scriptures, we tnuiX fearcb them as for bid Treafures, with great dilgence and and application, Job. 5.59. ( for 1 2fiJm7^. 'hat is the import of the Original f ) that the ■; ■ word of Chrifl may dwell in m richly in all wifdom^ which is another Evangelical Precept^ Col 5. 16. And tho' there are other ways of coming to the knowledge of God^s Will, which may, becauie they muft^ fuffice for thole who are URcapabie of this ; I know not how to excule die Man that has Ability and Leifure for this allb^yet ordinarily neglects it. Our moft Gra- cious Lord lias given thele lively Oracles to his Church, for the benefit of every Member of It, none excepted ; and that this End may be fully attained, we muft every one of us make che b^ft uk of it we are well able^ if at leail • we on the Lord'5 Day. 183 we would attain to the Bleffedneli of the god- ly Man, a parcofwhofs Charader ic is, thac his Might is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law Will he exercife himfelf day and nighty Pial. J. 2. His delight is in the Divine Law_, and therefore he delights in reading it j he delights in reading it^ and will therefore read as often, ^ and as much of it as he iees needful or conve- nient. As for other Books of Devotion, and Mo- rah'tV;, they have their ufes too; indeed they are many of them of excellent u(e, being very ferviceable to the Bleffed Defign of tne Scrip- tureSj and therefore wortliV of room in our Clofers : But iiiil thole ire ihe belt and mofl: worthy of our regard, which ferve bt:'l to ex- plain, illuiirate, and recommend thole Divine Writings unto m,> and are moft apt to ex dc and raiie up our Spirits to a. high Admiration, and an anfwerable Search and Study of diem. By Medication, tlie other Ad:of Ciofer De- vption_, 1 underftand the Conjiderationof any thing, whereby we may be improv'd in prac- tical Knowledge, or drawn to the Love and Pradice of Religion : But of thefe things more elpecially.' I. The Conltderation of what we read or hear, 1, TheCmfideration of our IVays or Anions, 5. The Cottftderation of the F/orksofGod, e/pe- daily thofe that are of great e^ benefit and ad- 'vantage to Mankind, I. The ConfJer ation of what we read or hear. Without this we ai e not like to be m,uch bet- ter for any thing we either read or hear. No, 'tis the confidering.and applying it to our own particular Cafe, that mult make it our own. N 4 And I §4 A P radical Difcourfe And therefore n is good wholefom Advice^ (the betcci , becaufe it may be eafily follow'd by Mtn of ordinary Capacities ) that they fnould put fiich (iueilions as thefe tothemfelves. Whar cio I learn by what I have now read c' heard ^ Do I find any Sin, or Duty, which I y nor know^ or take notice of before P Any rerucirkable Inftance of Divine Mercy, or Fa- vour (hewn to the Obedient ? Or of Venge- ance executed on the Trangrefibrs of his Laws? Any thing that may confirm my taith, or quicken my Charity, or abate my LovCj Truft^ and Adherence to this World ? Any thing, in fhort, that may make me either Wifer or Better i" Now fuch Queftions as thefe, and the An- fwers made to them^ ( which, by the way^ need not put us to any great expance of Time,' or labour of the Mind ) would be of fingular life to us in the feveral Occurrences and Pai^ lages of our Lives. To inftance particularly in the matter of Example. Whatever ftiould at any time befall us in our Chriilian Warfare, would be found to have iomething common to us with what we had - obferv'd before to have befallen others ; and their Succefi, whether gopd or bad, might be inftrudtive and beneficial unto us. Did they they fail under this Or that Temptation, and Ififfer by the Fall ? Their Ship wrack would furniflius with a Plank, and the Rock they ipiic upon, ierve as a Sea-mark, to dired and keep us in the way. Were they preferv'd or deliver'd ? In the fame, or like manner, by the fame^ or like means might we alfo cicape* Indeed on the Lord's Day^ 185 Indeed whatever things have heen written by the lacred Penmen were •written for our In- firuHion, and tlierefore for our Oblervation ; and it's plainly ourlncereft as well as Duty^ to obferve and confider 'em^ as we read or hear them, that fo they may the eafier recur to our Thoughts when occafion requires. And for our Encouragement hereunto, this may be added, that we may^ nay, if it be not our own fault, certainly ftiall reap the moft benefit by them,vvhen we ftandin need of them moft, 2. The Cmjider^ti$n ofonr Ways or Anions, Before we enter upon any Adion, it is highly requifite^ that we be well fatisfied, in the ge- neral at lead, of its lawfulnefsand expedien- cy. But now in many Cafes we cannot be well (atisfied of thele^ without a particular En- quiry into the Nature 'and Circumftances of the Adion it felf ; and when we have fatisfied our lelves thus far^ there are many Temptations to the doing of that, which we are fully per- iuaded, nay, know to be finful ; and many like- wife to the negleding of chat, which we are e- qually aflur'd is ourDuty ; and to refiit and con- quer thele, is ulually found the hardeft part of our Task, it requiring m^ch Thought, Con- fideration and Watchfulnefs, as well as fre- quent, earneft Prayer for the Divine Affiftance. Andbecaufelbmeof us areat all times, all of us at fome times over-apt tp yield, and comply with fuch Temptations j we have more work fiill behind, and that too a work of Enquiry and Examinatioa : a lenfe of our Sins, whether of omiffion or commiflion, be- ing as neccffary to Repentance, as Repentance is to the i-emiffioa of them, and a competent difcover^ 8<^ 'A Pramcal Difcourfe difcovery of our Sins being not to be obtain'd without a frequent, diligent Examination, and Enqui^ry into them. ^. The Confideratien of the Works of God, ej^e- cially thoje that are afgreatefi benefit and ad- ^vantage to Mankind. Ofallthe Wojksof Godj of all his Provi- dential Diipenfacions, there are none which do not well deferve our Thoughts and Adver- tence; and we are therefore only not oblig'd to a particular Confideration of them all, bs- 9au(e indeed it is no* poffible for us,io number- lefi are they, fo io conHder rhem : However fbme of thein are ^o confpicuous, that they cannot eafily efcape our Obfervation^ and fo great withal, that they ought ro be confider'd by us, and confider^d particularly Such is the Creation of the Worlds whereby we IJand indebted to the Almighty for our very Beings; and not only for the fii ft Predudion, but for the Prefervrition of them too ; for this may be comprehended under the Creation, as being a Continuation of it^ and much the lame to us, as if we had been anew created every Day. Such, more efpecially^ are the feveral Works of our Redemption, the Birth, and Paffion of our Bleffed Redeemer^ his Afcenfion into Heaven, his continual Interceffion for us there ; his Miffion of the Holy Ghoftj to guidCj ftrengthen, comfort us here on Earth ; and, that which more nearly affeds the main Subjed of our Difcourie> his Reiiirredion, without which it had not appear'd to us whe- ther we vv/ere indeed redeemed or no. Theleare Works jthefe are Bleffings that deferve and require our beft Thoughts, our moft on the Lord'5 Day. 18 j rnofi- devout and frequent Meditations ; and the due Confideration of them, is a Dury as neceilary as it is reafonable, as reafonable as the Works are good and excellent in them- ielves, good and beneficial unto us. And to what purpolcj i befeech you, hath our All- wife Creator endued us with the Faculty or Power of thinking, confideringj and reflect- ing, but that he would have it exercis'd by us ? Is not this, as all other Powers of his beftow- ing, a Talent for which we are accounrable to the Donor ? And ought it not therefore to be employ'd^ and employ 'd well, that is to iay, on good and ufeful Subjeds^ and efpeci- ally on the bed, and moft uieful, fuch as may di^ofeand prepare us for the beft,the nobleft_, and molt heavenly Entertainments ? Such, moft certainly^ are the SubjecTrs of that threefold Confideration we are now up- on ; and if we will not allow thefe a Share, nay, a confiderable Share of our Time and Thoughts, it's a plain fign, th^iourlreafureis mt in Heaven ; for if our Treafure "were there ^our Hearts would he there alfo : Our Thoughts and Affedions would be heavenly, and our Souls, their earthly Clogs being left behind, would be often (baring upwards to the Region of perfe<5t Love^ and endleis Joy ; often contemplating and admiring theunparallerd Love of ouiGod and Saviour, in the wonderful Works he hath done for us; often deliberating and difcourfing with themlelves, as well as with others, about the ways and means whereby they may become iit Objeas, and, in his Candid Eltimation, worthy of his Love,and at length blefled with an everlafting rapturous Senfe> and full Enjoy- ment of it. How 1 88 A Pramcal Difcourfe How ofcen this Duty, or the other of Read- ing the Scriptures, &c. is to be perform'd, is no more determined by any Law of God, than that of Secret Prayer; and the reafon being the fame, need not be repeated. Suffice it therefore to oblerve, that every Day fhould in all rea,fon have its Share of our DevotionSjas far as it con- veniently may ; and that it very well may have a Share of rhe Contemplative Part^even where Opportunities are wanting for a more folemn Retirement. For Meditation, and devout Eja- culations may be performed, and perform'd ac-» t:ept.^bly in ?ne Shop, or in the Field, where- ever we be.;)] ^iowever employ'd,our Thoughts being always free, and at our own command, and our God always ready to accept fuch im- perfed Services, and Efforts of Devotion, as W^e are capable of. And if it (hould happen, as i< Ibmetimes may, that a Man has not lei- fure 6notherD.iys for a complete performance^ he has the Lord'^ Day,zt\^ other Feftivals of the. Church to make up defers. And whatever Reafbns or pretences Ibme of us may have for fecular Bufineis on the other Feftivals,as where Fairs, Markets, &c, are held upon them, to the no imall detriment of Religion, ( a thing, by the way, that would be feriouily confider'd by thofe Chriftian States that have allowed them, and by all Well-wifhers to a Reformati- on of Manners) there is no room for any fuch Pretences on the Lord's Day^ none at lead in this our Country, where neither Church nor State gives Allowance for any Works or Em- ployments thereon, but what are necelTary, or very well confiftent with the due San&fi- cation of the Day. on tk Lord's Day: i8^ But what ihall we fay to thofe who cannot read, and therefore cannot make that ufe of the Scriptures^ and other Books as Helps to Devotion which they otherwife might ^ My Anfwer is, That all thoie, who are ca- pable of learning, fiiould immediately (ec a- bout it. The many Advantages of Reading are fo manyReafons and Obligations to endeavour it : And as there are very few altogether unca- pable, lb there are very few altogether excuf^ able, if they do not learn. And the more illi- terate and ignorant any of them are, the more need they have of Inftrudion, and therefore ■ the more reafon to make ufe of the charitable Helps and Endeavours of thofe who would put 'em in a Way or Method of Devotion fuitable to their Capacities. And the beft and eafieft Method I can think of, is that which is pre- ^ ^. fcrib'd and recommended by a piousPrelate*of g^^j/^'^^^ our own. For the Prayers of the Church are wells Dr- in divers refped:s preferable to all others for rs^ians at the ufe of Families; and being fhort, plain and tj^^ ^«^ f'^ pithy, may be eafily got by heart, efpeciaUy '^^^^'cl duly attended to in the public Aiiembhes. ^^^^^^^.^^ And the ChurclvCatechifm may with fome fmall Alterations be turn'd into Prayers^ Con- feffions, and Thankigivings, very fit and pro- per for the Clofet. Indeed this t is done to t i*''^- very good purpoie by the fame devout Pen. And they, who can fay that-Catechifm, as our Church expefts, andi^e^uiresof allher Mem- bers, may, with very little Pains §4^t thofe Prayers by heart, and make ufe or 'em to their eternal Comfort and Advantage. And as they may, they ought furely to make ufe of any fuch Helps, as their needs require* Moft cer- ; tainly ^o A Pra^ical Vifcotirfe tainly Devotion is a coniide?able Part of their Duty, and (hould not ordinarily be omitted on any pretence. And if they cannot perform it io well as others^ they ought, however to per- form it fo well as they can: and what they can do by the Afliiiance of others, that they can do where fuch Affiftance is to be had. And is it not a plain Cafe, that they who can learn idle Songs, and Tales, and learn 'em eve^i without a Teacher, are as well able to get a few fhort Prayers by heart, and thofe taken out Ota Catechirm,defign'd and fitted for Vul- • gar Capacities ? And is it not then as plain, that where this Duty is ordinarily neglected, 'tis not for want of Ability3 but for v/ant of Will to difcharge it ? And have they not reafon to be at leaft as willing as they are ablei* Is not the Lord God both abl-e and willing to reward all cheir Services, and to ^ofor the?n exceeding, abundantly aho've all that they ask or think ? If be had bid them do fome great things fljould they not readily have dove tt for Rewards and Favours in-. Comparably, infinitely greater than the Work P How much rather then, when he only bids them askf and they piall have^ feel{^ and theyjhall jfoj, knocks and it (hall he ojfen'd unto them ? CHAP. IL Sec7. 5. HAving confider'd fuch private Duties of the Lord's Day.as are more proper for the Family and the Clofet ; pals we on to fome o- thers that may with equal convenience and ad- vantage be performed any where, either at home or abroad, in cur Families, or out of them,asOccafion requires or Opportunity pre-: fents. And on the Lord's Day. i-?4 And thefe are of two forts ; the one refpecfl:- ing the Good of the Soul, the other that of the Body. I begin with that which refpedeth the Good of ihe Soul, viz,. Holy Conference^ or Religi- ous Dilcourfe. The more ufeful and important any thing is, the more ht and necefiary it is to be known ; and ihe more fit and necelTary any thing is to be known, the more fie and neceffary it is to deliberate, advife, and confer about it; And hence doth it follow; that Religion, which is unqueftionably the moftUietul and Important thing in the World, is the moft fit and necef lary Subjcd of Difcourie. Accordingly did the Ifraelites, as we have leen receive with their Laws a Command to teach them diligently unto their Children, and talk oft hem y not on y Jvhenthey fat in their HotifeSy but when they walk\l by the way. 6cc. Not that this was the only Sutj^^d they were allowed to difcourie of; tor there worldly Concerns^ which were aid:) necelTary in their proper place, requir'd a ihare of their Thoughts^ and Dil- courfe too : but that they were to embrace all fair Opportunities of difcourfing of their Laws and Religion, elpecially on their Sabbath, and other folemn Feltivals let apart for that, and the like purpoles of Religion. And is not Religion as much our Concern as it was theirs, and are we not as much oblig'd CO be concerned for it I And if we are heartily concerned for ir, ihaii we not uie our heft En- deavours to advance ir^ Inrerejl:,and r fke all fie and fair Occafions of improving our lelves and Others in the K^aowledge and Practice of it? Eipecially J Q2 A fraWical Vifcourfe Efpecially confidering, that for this we have the Example ot our Bleflsd Lord himfeIf,who from the meaneit Offices, and moft commort Occurrences of this Life, took occafion to in- ftill into his Difciples and Followers fome ule- ful Dodrin or other, and raile their Minds un- to heavenly Things : an Example fo far prac- ticable enough,and not unworthy of the Great Saviour and Reformer of the Worlds and there- fore, to be fare, not unworthy the Imitation ofthofe^ who profefs themfelves his Difciples and Followers, and as fuch are ftyl'd by him the Salt of the Earthy and the Light of the WorU^ Mat. 5. I 5. Tides that fufficiently indmate ourOblgation to enlighten the World with his Dodrine, and preferve others, as well as our felves, from corruption of Do6!i in, and Man- ners too; always fuppofing Ability andOpportu- nity for the performance of theie good Officer. And agreeable hereto is St.- Faurs Exhortati- on to the Epbe/ians^ 4. 29. Let no corrupt Com^ .fnunication proceed out of jour mouth. hut that 'ivhich is good to the ufe ^fedifjing, that it may winifier grace unto the hearers : And that parallel one to the Colcfiansy 4. 6. Let your Speech he always with grace J ea fond with fait ^ that you may know how to anfwer every Man ; as much as to lay. As you feafon your Meat with Salt, to give ic a favour, and preferve it from corruption ; fo let your Speech be ieafon'd with gracious Words favouring of the Holy Religion you pro- fefs, and accommodated to the Capacities and Wants of thofe you converfe with. And if we would know what are the blefled Fruits, or Rewards of fuch Pradice, we have a Pfophec tofatisfy us. Dan. iz, 3. They that h ^^' ^ mfei on the Lord'5 Day. i^^ Wife, (or n they, that are Teachers of Wifdorn) H Hebr» ][ljall (litne as the hrightnef of the Firmament, and ^^fi*^^^- they that turn many to righteoHfnefsj as the Stars for ever and ever. Ancj to much the fame pur- pose Sr. James 5. .19, 20., If any of yon do err from the Truth ^ and one convert himy let him know^ that he who converteth a Smner from the error of his 7i>a/,lidi/llfave a Soul from death, and {hall hide a multitude of Sins. Nor^re we to underftand this of public Mir niftc's only, but of any private Teaciiers, who keep within their proper Sphere, and particu- larly of thofe who Convert or reform any Per- fons by way of Difcpurfe. Nay, our very En- deavours herein^ how little eftecft foever they may have upon others, will beconfider^'dj and rewarded by our Heavenly Father, It's true, there are too many profeft Chrifli- ans in the World, ( to their Ihame be it Ipo- ken ) fo grofly igno/ant, as to be very unfic to advile or inftruc^i others in any way ; but are they too ignorant tobeadvis'dor inftruct- ed ? Nay^ doth not their very Ignorance ren- der them proper Objects of Charity ? And, is not good feafonable Advice, or InflrucStion, one of the bed forts of Charity, an AlmJs to their Souls i* And is it any whic the werfe for being adminiftred in a plain familiar way of Difcpurfe ? kx\^ fhould they not be willing to receive, or even beg tliat charitable: Affiftances whicfi they greatly need ? Certain it is^ ( for every Day's lad experience fhews it^ if the A- poftle had not faid it ) chat Evil Commumcuti- msdo corrupt good Manners, ov Difpofitions; and in, all realon the cure (hould begin vvhere.the Diil^triper doth^' and the evil Habit and Prac^ I P4. A fraUical Vifcourfe tlce be remov'd by che, contrary Habit and Pr;i6llce. And if we have any true Fear of God, or Senie oi Religion^ (nor to fay anient Zeal, and juft Concern for them J we fliall endeavour, at leaft endeavour, by good Com- niunJCatioD to re/oim had Manners, and be always ready^ asoccafion requires, to give^ or to receive goodCounfe! andluftrudion, to le- bake, exhort, encourage, and even provoke one another unto Love and to good Works ^ Heb I o. 14. eheie, and the like mutual Offices being highly Good and Neceffaryjefpecially in folooft and degenerate an. Age : for Salt ts good, faith the Lord, but if the Salt have loft its favour^ where- ■^ V.'. Ham- ^ith ivill ye feafo7t it ? Luk. 14. 54. * as much Annoc. tn 35 to fay, If Chrifiians ( the Salt of the Earthy ^°^' Mac. 5. i;.) become like to thofe Bodies, whofeSak is extraded out of 'em, if they grovi? iniipid and unfavoury in their Converfation^ they ceafe to be Chriftians, and are good for nothing, having loft that adive,feafoningj vi- ta! Principlej whereby they (hould keepothers and themfeives from corruption, and without which theChriftian is dead, a mere Cafut mor- tuum, tho' tlie Man be ftill alive. I know there are a fort of Chriftians, who have a great deal of Religion in their Mouths, but litde of the true Spirit of Chriftianity vifi- blein their Lives and Behaviour, little of that peaceable and humble Spirit, of that charita- ble and healing Temper, which is every where almoft i equir d,or exemplified,or recommend- ed in the Gofpel; and, as is the ufiial method of HypocriteSjV^hat they want of Realityjfupply and nake it up in Pretence. But the Hypocri- sy of iuch can be no greater Objedion againft Religious on the Lord's Day. ipf Religious Difcourfe than it is againft Religion it (eir J that is to (ay, ic is none ac all. For what if there be fille Pretenders to Piety, inuit we theretore give over ail pretending chereeo ? May n't a Tree bear Leaves and Fruit too ? Many Hypocrites are believM to be cmly Re- ligious for (eeming to be fo ; and fhall we be thought Hypocrites for being Religioiis indeed.'* Tho' it's too too vifible and notorious, that there may be a bare Form of Godlineis v^ith- our the Power^ there is no Power of Godlinefs without the Form: and the true Chriftiin muft and will Ihew himftlf to be what he pro- felTes himfelftobe, and will therefore make Religion as well the Subject of his Difcourie, as of his Thoughts and MeditationSj I mean ftill with refped; to Times and Sealbns^ and efpecially to oar Lord's Day, which as it is Ho- ly^ requires a greater Hoiinefi of Conver(ki:>n| and as it is a Vacation-Time from vrorkily Bu- finefs, affords more frequent Opportuniti s for Divine and Heavenly Enfertainriiw-nrs^ for our Ipiritualj everla(Hng Concerns. " ■ ■ ' ' ' I I I I [| i ■ .1 u I l » ■ I I t CHAP. n. Sea.. 6. BEfide the occafional Offices or Duties of the Lord\ Day, that refped the Good of the Soui^ there are others which refpect the Good of the Body, and^ as we fiiall fee pre- fently, do very well (iiit with the Holinefs of the Day ; I mean thole corporal Ads of Cha- rity or Mercy to our Neighbour, and to our felves too, which by the Laws of God and Na- ture we are oblig'd to, as occafion requires^ ^nd opportunity prefents. O % Thae ip6 A PraUical Vifcourfe That there is fuch a Charity, Love, or Mer- cy, naturally due from us to our lelves, is evi- dent from thofe natural Wants and Neceffities of our Bodies, which cannot without Miracles be fupplied by any but our felves; and becaufe it is a natural Duty, it is rather fuppos^d than enjoyn'd in the Scriptures, particularly in that coniprehenfive^ reiterated Precept of the Law and Gofpel too. Thou (hah love thy Neighbour as thy felf, wherein the Love of our felves is as plainly iiippos*d, as the Love of our Neighbour Is enjo} n'd, yea, and not fuppos*d only, but made a Rule and Meafure of our Love to our Neighbour. Bbt the more natural and neceffary this Love of our felves is, the more apt it is to exceed its Limits, and gratify 5^//" to the prejudice of o- tbers ; and the more care is therefore to be ta- ken^, that itdo not jufileout, or intrench up- on our Love to our Neighbour. If our Cha- rity begins at home, furely it ought not to end there tooe If we love our felves in the .fiift placsj we fliould love our Neighbour in the fecdnd place, and love him as we are to love our felves, that is to fay, we (hould be always ready to peiform the fame kind of Offices of Love and Mercy to him, that we might juftly exped as due from him to our (elves, fuppofing only what frequently happens, and may there- fore realonably be fuppos'd, that we were in his Circumftances, and he in ours. And as there are many fuch good Offices, lb there are many excellent Difcourfes to be met with in our own Language, which dired and perfuade thereunto. All therefore that feems iieedfiil for me to do, is, L T$ on the Lord's Day, 197 I. Tofhew, thattL corporal ABs of QJ'nty and Mer^y to or^r ihiqhhour, are proper and necffary Employments «,/ ^he Loru'j Day. II. 7o lay downjome Rales for the direSHon of our Charity^ and apply them to particular Cafes I. Thm 1 [Ijall fhew. That the fecharitahk Offices .. are proper and necejjary Employments of the Lori 'i Day. And lb much may be concluded from the Practice or our Bleffed Saviour, who did many of hisCures^and Miracles of Mercy, on the Sab- bath,nay,feems to have chofen that as the moft fit and proper Day for fuch Works and Labours of Love, MatAi. lo.w.&c, LukiiA^^.i^^&c. Job, 5. 9, and 9.14. the Sabbath, as he realoneth in a lik- Gale, being made for Man, Mar. 2. ^']. tha' \ for the Good of Man,and that not Spi- ritual onlyj but Corporal alfo. And as he was zealoufly concerned for theTem ple,not becaufe it was the Place of legal, typical Sacrifices, for thefe, he knew, were with the Temple k leit;, foon after to have an end, but becaufe it was his Father's Houfe, Job. i. 16. and the Houje of TrayertoallIs!ations,MsiV. II. 17. a reafon that equally holds for Reverence to all Chnltian Temples or Churches ; fo he (hew'd the like Zeal and Concern for the Sabbath^n vindi- cating it from thegrofs Abufes, the 1%, un- charitable Interpretations of Pharifaick Super- ftitionj and that not becaufe it was fuch a Day of the Week, not for the fake of ics Ceremonial Obfervances, which were then juft ready to expire with the Jem(li Day ; but becaufe it was a Religious Feftival, or Day Holy to the Lord ; a Reafon that equally holds for the bx- ' O 5 ^^^^^^ A Pra^fical Vifcourfe ercife of Ch.iriry on our Lord's Day^ and other ChriHian Feftivals, Indeed thefe arc Offices very fit and proper for any Day; for our Love to our Neighbour is a c^T'fi ^e'-ahle Part ot our Religion, and as ne have opportunity^ we are to do goody Gal. 6. 1 o ard oi , what JUiy fbever we difcover the Wants or Difl-'effesof any Neighbour, and arq in a Capacity of relieving him, 'tis then an OppoT unity prefents it felf, and that Oppor- tunity is a Call to us for relief^ and that Call IS obliging more or left, as his Neceffities arq liiore or lefs urgent and prefling. And fo far is the Holineft of any Day from diffolving, or even abating the Obligation^ that it enhanfeth it rather; for the Holier any Day is, the bet- ter it is to be employed ; and how can we in the intervals ot Devotion be better employ'd, than in Works of Charity or Mercy, whereby we dobeftrefemble our All-Beneficent Crea- tbr^ yea ( with Reverence be it fpokert, and with Humility perform'd ) concur with him m the p^eiervation of his Creatures ? And /ince our Lord's Day was inftituted for a Memorial of the greateft Mercy, and Loving- kindneis of God, of greater far than the Deli- verance out ol Egypt, ( which yet was a good Motive to the Jeisis to fhew Mercy on their Sabbath, Dent. 5. 14, 15. ) we fhall be SQxy unmeet to partake of the Mercies of that Blel- fed Dayj if we be not ready, as occafion may require, to imitate them in fonie meallire, and he merciful y as our Heavenly Father is merciful And with what Face can we look up to Hea- ven for Mercy, ifwebenot willing, at leaft, willing as oGcafion fiiall require^ to (hew Mer- on the Lord'^ Day. 195 cy to our poor afBided Brethren, God's Sub- .fticutes and Receivers here on Earth ? Mat. 25,40,45. I fayj at leaB willing^ partly in regard to our not infrequent want of Abilities^ and partly in regard to that laboiioufnefs and expence of Time, which fome Works of Mer- cy or Charity may require^ and are theretore, as we fhall fee pr- lently, rather to be perforin d on fome other Day. II. Proceed we next to the Rules we have de- pgndfor the dtrechonofour Charity^ And they are thefe t!),at follow, 1. In all our Defignations of Charity j ej^ecially on the Lord'j Day, ive jhould confult the real bene ft of our Neighbour. 2. Oar C&srity on that Day jljould not without great and apparent Neceffiiy^ be tOQ laborious, or expenfive of cur Time. 3. Onr Charity^ on the Lord'; Day effecially^ ought to have a particular regard to the Foor, and otherwife difirefi of om own Partllo^ and to thcfe more ejhecially^ who live pioufiy and regularly m it* I. In all our Defignations of Charity, on the hordes D^y e^eciaHy- we jhofild confult the ^ real benefit of our Neighbour, It is very certain, ana evident to all that will but give themlelves leave to think of the Matter, that there can be no true Chanty, and therefore nothing that will pai^ for luch with our All-feeing Judge, where there is no regard to the true, real Benefit or Good of our Neighbour. And yet there is a fort of Charity in the World, or rather, fomething that paffes pret- ty current for fuch, that doth neither procure, O 4 nor 200 A Pr apical Difcourfe nor further J nor even iJcfign any fuch Good to the Ne'ghhi^ n ; I mean that for nal, idle^ un- profir .^ie way ( i ificing fick PerfonSj which is toaA o common a lioog us, and indeed is ma- ny cim: snot unprofitable only, but trouble- fbme, aid which is worfe ftill, dangerous: - Ah6 I take it ♦or certain, and do fpeak it with ^tio f nallregrec, that fick Perfons, not a few, .^are by the Number, the impertinent Tattle, and Importunity of Vifitants, oppre^, wea- kened, dcftfoy'd. This, as was faid, I take for certain, and may appeal for the Certainty of it to thofe expeiienc'd Phyficians, who^ where they perceive any Danger, do generally for- bid luch Vifits on that Score, and are able, no doubt, to give Inftances in abundance of (iich fatal Mifcarriages j and perhaps it may belorae kindnels to them, (who a>e lometimes cen- fiir'd^ when the Fault lies where I have placed it ) and a real Piece of Charity to others, to tell the lefs difcerning Reader how it comes to pafs : And I take it to be moft commonly thuso When thofe_^who are rendred weak by their I)iftempers, are rendred more lb by luch their Over-officious Attendants ,• they are, or feem to be^ under a necefficy of relieving themfelves by Cordials, or any fpirituous Liquors that are hear at hand ; thele proving too ftrong, or o- ther wife prejudicial to their weak Habit of Bo- tjy^ cfp^cially when repeated as often as fuch frequent occafions may feem to require, do either heighten'the old Dillempers, or bring « ibme nevy ones^ which do bring Death. And ifauny others do efcape^ no Thanks to fuch VifitantL . ■ . . • :- iknow on the Lord's Day.' ^pi I know there are many Perfons, and Fanit- lies, whole Poverty (ecures them indeed from fuch kind of Attendants, but doth not fecure. ^em from it felf ; and many little Services may be uleful, where there are many and great Wants. And far be it from me, or any one elfe^ to condemn, qr even difcountenance a* hy the leaft Services, or Helps in fuch Cafes, or indeed in any, where th^^ Wants are real, and the Services are fo too. Indeed when I fpeak againft ufelefs, uncharitable Vifits only ; I cannot well, or fairly be underftood, as iff fpake againft all, or any others; (b far from it, that to lay, or fuppole, that there are othersj that is, fuch as are really charitable and iifeful is to commend them. This indeed is not enough, where more^ much more is deferv'd ; and therefore I do now fay, and fay it on good Scripture- Autho- rity, that the vifiting of Sick, or ocherwile af- Aided Perfons, well and prudently manag'd^ is a right- worthy and rewardable Piece of Cha- rity, Jam, I. 27. ?{. 41. 1, 2, 5. Mat. 25. 56, 40, 46. and where any of us are capable of ad- miniftring unto them any real Comfort or Re- lief, and are no lefs willing than we are able to adminifter it, we (hall with the Samaritan in our Lord's Parable, Luk. 10. dcfervethe Cha- rader of good Neighbours, and have a Reward proportionable to our Charity. But if with the Levite in the fame Parable, we d6 only cpme and look on^ or perhaps beftow on them a few fweet Words, fuch as, h ye warmd', and fll'df notwithflanding we give ^em not thofe things that are needful for the Body^ what doth it profit l Jam. 2, 16, what doth it profit them ? And if ''' it 202 A PraStical Bifcourf? it do not profit themj what will it profit us ? Nothing, to be fare, /^as a Deed of Charity^ or Love truly Chriftian, for f^ch it is not ; and lince it is not luch ; for Ldive's lake, for Code's fake ( for God is Love ) let it not any longer uforp the Name. Let not our moft Holy Day be any longer abus'd, or its Duties negieded on the idle pretence of a merely nominal^ ima- ginary Charity. To be ihort, and plain ; Let no fuch idip Viiits, and Entertainments, as unbecomeChri- ftianij on any Day, be ma ie their Diverfions ojfi this, much lels their common and ordinary Diveifions^ as they are with fome Pretenders to Chanry and Piety too. ,2. Our Ciarity on the Lord'ADay (ijoutd not^ wtthotit great and apparent nectjjity, he too la- bor torn and expenfive of our Time. It fhould no: be tcio expenfive of our Time^ bscaufe, as we have feen already, there are many other Dudes which require a lliare of it. It rtiould not be too laborious, becaufe, as we fliall fee by and by, the Day is defign d, in part, for the ealeoi M^n and Beaft. I except Caies of great neceffity, becaule great Necefli- ties of this Nature, have great Reafon^ and great Charity of their fide; and we are told _ — by our Lord himfelf^ that He will have Mercjy and not Sacrifice^ i. e. in a Cale of Competiti- on, which admits not of both. But of this more hereafter. To apply our Rule then to particular Cafes^ and thole luch as are of moft general Uls and Concernment, It hath appeared, that vifiting of the Sick and Diftreft, where we may be really ferviceabls #r on the Lord*5 Day. 203 or affifting unto them, is an Ad of Charity, jthat will not lofe its Reward; and that as it is iiich, it's a very fit and proper Employment of the Lord's Day. But it*s here fuppos'd, that we be plac'd pretty near them, at no fuch di- ftance, as (hould require any long Time, or any great Labour of Horle or Man for the performance; a Suppofuion reafonable enough, and indeed, very needful, where our Lord's Day is interefted, unlefi ( as in the Cafe of neceffity before- excepted ) the Benefit of the Charity be fufficient to countervail the Lofs ofour Time and Eafe, which are here to be confider'd and regarded. For another Cafe, take we that of Peace- making, or compofing Differences among Neighbours, which is an unqueflionable Ad; of Charity, and therefore proper for the L<)r/'s Day ; provided always, that it keep within the Limits of our Rule, i. e. that it he done without any great Labour, or experjce of our Time, as ibmetimes it may with very little. For when Neighbours are come together, we have a fair Opportunity of difcourfing *em, ei- ther before or after Divine Service ; and their coming together to hear tiie Gojj^el of Peace, and perform fuch other OflPices, and Services as will never be accepted without a Peaceable Difpofition, prefents us with a fit occalion to begin a Treaty of Peace, and withal, affords a good Motive or Argument to perfuade thereunto: And if the Difference between them requires not any long Examination, it may, by difcreet Management, and the Blet fmg oUhc Prince of Peace upon his own Day, be foon and happily compos'd. But if the ^'' . ' Matter 204 ^ PraHical Difcourfe Matter is not to be concluded without exam- ining Witneffes, balancing Accompts, &c. the Lord's Day^ tho' it be a very fit and proper Day for adviiing and perfiiading to a Treaty, as alfo for delibsratingj refolving, or agreeing thereupon, is a very improper Day for the Treaty it felf, ai having a great deal of other Bufinefi to imploy us_, and fuch as ought to have the Precedence of long Treaties even of Peace ; for how beneficial foever fuch Trea- ties may prove, they may prove as beneficial altogether, if tranfaded on another Day ; and the ufual Methods of tranfading them, are at the beft too fecular for our moft Holy Day. By what has been faid to thefe Caies, others of like Nature may be eafily refolv'd^ and therefore we will pais on to our 3d. and laft Rule, viz,. That our Charity ^ on the Lord'j Day ej]>eciallyy ought to have a f articular regard to the Toor^ and otherwife Difire/i- of our own Parifh, and to tho(e more ejpecially who livepoufly and regularly in it. Where are two things to be diftindly con- fider'd. 1. That it ought to have a particular regard to the "Poor and Difirefi of our own Farijh. 2. That iv ought to have a yet more particular regard to tbofe Poor and affli^ed Members of cur own Fartfli^wbo live poujly and regularly in it. I. Our Charity^ on the Lord'i Day ejpecially^ ought to have a particular regard to the Poor, 6cc. of our own Parifh, For befide that we have ordinarily better Opportunities of underftanding the Circum- ftances, and Behaviour of our own Pariftio- ners.^ In the Lord's Dayi 205 tiers, and more frequent Opportunities withal of difpeniing our Charity unto them, and Providence in all fuch Cafes, lays Obligati- ons as it gives Opportunities s befide this, 1 fay, Eveiy Parifti, as it is a Society, and much more as it is a Religious, and fuch a Religious Society, is obliged to affift, and take care ot its own Members ; for it being a So- ciety, and a Society, whofe chief End and Dcfign is the ordinary perfbnal Communion of its feveral Members in the moft folemn Offices of Divine Worfhip, they fliould be all united in their Aifeaions, as they are, or ought to be in Worfhip, all linked toge- ther by the common Bands, and mutual Offices, and Endearments of Love and Kind- mis, without which, their Unity, Commu- nion, or Fellowftip is not complete or per- fea. Accordingly^ in the Primitive Times of Chriftianity, every Church, as often as the Lord'S'Supper was celebrated, i. e, every Lord's Day at the leaft, had not only a Love- Feaff, whereof its own Poor had a (hare, but a Colledion of Offerings for the feaibn- able relief of any that wanted, all that were able bringing t their Gifts to the Altar, t ^' Me^e^ and all that were Partakers of the Altar ^/^Scd 2 being, according to their Needs, Partakers of / thofe Gifts. It's true, the feveral Churches of thofe Times were not divided into Parilhes, as ours now arc ; for this was not (b pradi- cable, nor indeed fo needful, till Chriftiani- ty had made fome progrefe in the World ; ^ut this, notwithftanding, every Churcfi did then 20^ A PraRkal Dijcourje then pro^^ida for its own Officers and Poor too, as well asics Circiimftances would per- mic. And thofe Churches of the preJent Age^.that have the Benefit of Parochial Societies^ which the Primitive had not, have therewith an Obligation to make ufe of it to the Glory of God^ and to the Comfort of their ieveral Members. To come home to our own Cafe. II 43.Eliz. As our State doth require || every Parifli Ch.i. to maintain its own Poor, or in cafe of Inability, to be affiled by the neighbour- ing Pariflies; fo pur Church, as is (hewn above, hath order'd frequent Communions, and Offerings, at each to he dtj^os^d of hy the Minijier and Church -War dens of each Parifhj * Rubric ^^ ^^^y 1^^^ ^^^^^ fi^^ ^ ^^^ doubting but they 4f>ey 0«2. will think fit to confider their own Poor muniow before any others, whofe Circumftances are Service, not extremely Hard. And if thefe Laws, and Orders, are not in all Places ob(erv*d, as they fhould be, it's enough to our purpofe, that they are flill in force, and therefore ought to be ob- ferv'd ; and that the lefi they are oblcrv'd, the more regard is to be (hewn to our own poor, diftrefled Parifhioners, in lome other way. But, 1, Our Charitiy on the Lord'i Day efiecialfy, ought to have a more particular regard to the FooTf &c. of our own Tari(h'^ who live pioujly and regularly vi it* As all Natiotis and. Languages, I think^ without any^ at leaft^ without any confids- on the Lord's Day. 207 rable Exception, are agreeed in the Appre^ ' henfion and Perfuafion of a Divine Power, and in the Profeffion of fome Religion or other ; fo whatever their Religion be, and however they differ in their Notions of par- ticular Virtues and Vices, they are agreed in the general, that Virtue and Viipe, Piety and Impiety, do deferve, and^ as they de- lerve^ tequire very different Treatment, and have accordingly provided by their public Laws and Conftituiions^ That he who doeth what is Virtuous, and Good ; or but appears io to them, may receive Good, and he that doeth Evil, may receive Evil. Indeed, what can deferve to be countenanc'd and cncou- rag'd, if Virtue^ Piety^ and a regular, ex- emplary Behaviour do not deferve it i And what, on the other hand, can more, can ib much deferve to be difcountenanc'd, cha- fiis'd and cenfur'd, as Impiety and Immo- rality, efpeciaily when they are grown pub- lick and fcandalous^ impudent and dar- ing ? I knov/ there are fome Cafes, wherein Men of very bad Manners may, and ought to be reliev'd, even tho' their Idlenels, and other Immoralities are the chiei caule of their Wants ; fo? fb long as they have a right to their Dves, ( as they have no doubt with refpe<5t to us, till they have torieited it by their Crimes, and Jultice has taken hold of them J they have a (brt of right to fuch charitable Supplies as aie nes^elTary to the prefervation of them. But 2o8 A fraUical Difrourfe But whatever Supplies are due unto fuch, Corredion may be due to 'em alio ; and it is then certainly fo^ when their Vices, are great and Icandalous. And if they have all the relief that is neceffary to their Sub- fiftence, they fhould, in all Reafbn, and Con- fcience too, have all that Corredion with- al, which is neceflary to the Reformation of their Manners : For to give them fre- quent Supplies,, and no Corredion, is plain- ly to encourage 'em in their vicious Cour- les. Whereas the Poor, for whom we are at prefent concerned, have a Rights or Title to our Charity, not only as they are Poor, but as they are Parifhioners alfo ; nor yet fo only, but as they are pious and regular Parifhioners ; and in the relief of fuch, there isj over and above the corporal Charity, an Encouragement of their Piety and good Manners^ which is a Charity to their Souls, and a Charity ofthe moft infinuating and pre- vailing kind. And when I have faid this, I hope, I have faid enough to recommend fuch a di- ilinguifiiing, double Charity to all cordial Dilci pies of our Lord j^e/^. Something, however, fhould be added with refped to our Lord's Day^ and that is this. That fince Piety and Charity are the prin- cipal Bufinefs and Defign of that Holy Day, fuch a rare Mixture of both, as is here re- commended, muil: needs be very proper for the Day. Sn the Lord^s DayJ 26^ And whilft we thus difpenfe our Charity^ as the Lord hath profper'd us, on his own Day^ we make it a truly bleffed Day to our Neighbours^ and to our felves too. To our Neighbours^ who by fuch our Charity are excited to a greater Love of God and Religion^ and to a more Pious and Regular Demeant)ur^ on that Day efpecial- ly, which as they cannot but fee, and per- ceive, brings its Bleffings along with it; To our felvesjwho whatfoever we difpofe of in fuch a way, fliall be fure to have it re- turned to us with Intereftj arid a Bleffing, or rather Bleffings : for many, and great are the Bleffings of Charity promis'd by God, and therefore Sure : And the greater is the Cha- rity, the greater will his Bleffings be ; e-= fpecially on his own Day, which, as we ihall fee before we have done with it, is de- signed by Him for a Day of fpecial Bleffings, to all the- Religious Obiervers of it. QUAPr 2 10 ^ PraBical Dijcourfe CHAP- IL SECT. VII HAving fliewn (zt large) wherein the Sandilication of the Lord's Day doth confift^ we are now to proceed to that Re/^ which is requifite and neceflary to the due Sandification Lhereof3 therefore enjoyn d in the fourth Command of the Decalogue. But after what has been difcours'd above^ in our Explicaiion of that Commandment it may fuOice to obferve, that the Reft we arc fpeaking of^ is not a CelTation from all Works whatfoever^ (for we have found out a great deal of Work for that Day^ both proper and neceflary^) bur a Ceflation, or Abftinence from all fuch Worldly Works, and Diverfi- ons as are Letts, or Impediments to the Bet- ter, the Heavenly Works of Piety, Charity, whereby, as hath fully app^ar'd, the Day is to be fandlified. And fuch a Reft as this, is plainly necefiary in the nature of the thing, our Intelledual as well as Bodily Powers be- ing utterly uncapable of profecuting things of fuch different natures, as our Worldly and Religious Works are, at one and the farr^ time. And this is fo evident and unqueftionable, that it is acknowledg'd even by thofe who have contended, and contended earneftly, for on the Lord's Day* ail fol" more Liberty oft the Lord's Day, than 1 fhall, or3 1 thinkj They ought to have done : tho' I know\, and am forry to find, that when they have come to particular cafes, they Teem to have forgotten fuch their Con- cefnons : And I had rather take notice of' Them here, becaufe I ihall take leave to diffent from them, as far as they fall off, front thofe their Conceflions, and that not with- out reafon, as will appear anon. If I have been longer on this Argument than fome may deem neceflary ^ I would only fay, that other Men may have other thoughts of the matter: and whether the whole, y any part of this Difcourfe be thought neceffary, or not neceflary ; it may be ufeful to moft Readers, and if it be as ufeful throughout, as I endeavour to make it^ I have my End, and, I hope. They have Theirs. CHAP. IIL ALtho' it hathappear'd,thattheSan<9:ifi'^ cation of the Lord's Day, doth confift in the Works of Piety, and Charity j it may ftill be doubted of other Works,whether they are fairly confiftent with thofe,and allowable on the Lord's Day. And therefore we will^ next proceed to the %d. thing at firft proposed-, P z in ziz A PraElical Difeourfe III. To lay down a few Rules for the di- redion of the Scrupulous^ and Ignorant^ as to what is, or, is not Allowable, or Law- ful to be done on the Lord's Day. And our i/. Rule is this. Works of Ncceflity may, and ought to be done on the Lord's Day. By Works of Neceflity, I underftand fuch Works as can- not be deferr'd, without Great and Apparent Danger or Damage to our felves, or others. And the Sabbath being made for Man's Good, as was noted before, from our Bleffed Savi- our, and Mercy prefer'd by Him to Sacrifice • Wc may depend upon it, that fud| Works not only may, lut ought to be done upon our Chrif^ian Sabbath. And indeed all Parties among us, feem to be fo far agreed. However confidering that NecefTities may be, and often are, pretended where there are none ; and where they are Real, may be vitiated by fmifter ends, or refpeds; I think it not amifs to prevent and obviate fuch abufes^by particular In fiances, or Cafes. Put the Cafe then, that I find my felf in danger of a Fever; may I not endeavour to prevent it; tho' it ihould be the Lord's Day.^ yes, without all Doubt, or Scruple on any Day: and if cutting a Vein, or any Medicinal Application are likely to do the Work, as generally they are if timely ufed : I need not, nay, I ought not to ftand upon the Cireumftance of Time, becaufe the Dan- ger is Great, and adn.its not of delays* Should I ^.ay till to-mcrrow, it may be too late: ict m^ do as 1 Pleafe; my Leaver will make no diftindiicn of days. But on the Lord^s Day. 2 1 3 But now if my Diftemper be Chronical, Slow and-Gende^andl am altogether asfafe, if I flay to another Day ^ my Soul ought on this Day^ to have the preferrence of my Body, and I am to referve my Vhyfick for one of the Six. And for thofe, whofe Cuftom it is to pick out this, as the moft convenient Day in the Week for fuch purpofes, I mean, as the on- ly Day they are willing to fpare, (if indeed they are willing to fpare any Dav) from Bufinefs, or Pleafure, let me adviie, or if that will not do, let me Beg of them to con- fider, whether the Lord of Life, and Death whofe Rod, whofe Chaftning Hand they do feel, and at whofe difpofal they intirely are^ Hp in whom they do Uve^ and mo've^ and that perhaps in a more liberal fence than they imagine. He -whofe Eyes are over the Rtgh^ teousj and his Ears are of en unto their Trayers • I fay, whether IJe, and his Holy Day are not more to be regarded, and his Blef- fing more neceffary, than any or all the unfeafonablc, ill-tim'd means, they are pleas'd to make ufe of? and the vyhether his Bleffing may be fafelyrelyed on, orexped- ed, where there is np application made to Him for it? efpecially where his Day is made choice of, as I do more than fufped it frequently is, purpofely to avoid all applica- tions, and fervices of that nature. Whereas they may find King Afa cenfur'd in Scripture for his not feeking to the Lord as well as t,o the Vhyficians for helpj and not only fo, but (what may perhaps more nearly affed the Perfons, wc are now addreflSng to) dying P 5 of ^14 -^ Prafiical Difcourfe of a Difeafe^ that feem'd net to have hccn Mortal. 2 Chrcn. i6. 12^ 15. Again. As in the cafe of Acute Diftem- pers it is lawful to take Phyfick, &c. on the Lord's Day; fo it is, no lefs lawful to ad- minifter it, and as occafion may require, to prepare drugs, travel, &c. in order there- unto: for the fame Neceffity which juftifies jthe one, doth juftify the other alfo. But then a Caution is here to be inter- posd, 'uiz,, that thefe things be done with |-egard to their Neighbour's Neceffity rather than their own advantage ; or, which a- mounts to the fame, as Works of Mercy, ra- ther thai! as Bufmefs of their own. And there- fore thofe who are by their Trade, or Profef- fion oblig'd to fuch kind of Imployment, as well on this, as on other days, fhould, and if theya6fc upon a principle of Confcience, wilj be contented with lefs Pay, and lower Gra- tuities, or, which feems more advifable, fet apart for the ufes of Piety^ or Charity if not alLyet a confiderabie part of what they get on this Day, which is it felf fet apart for fuch ufes. ' And by this means, a Compenfation would be made, for the Negled ofthe proper Duties of the Day, and what were loft to Re- ligion in one way,would be made up to it in another, efpecially if en the Evenings and Mornings of that, and other days, when 5:hey ,have more Leifure, their Pevotions wer^ enlarged by way of Communication, or A- mends for fuch their Negle<5^Sj which, if it be not abfolutely neceffary in all fuch cafes^ WOi'ld at leaft become them, as Difciples C^f the Holy Jefu% An4 on the Lord's Day. 2 i 5 And for their encouragement they have an Excellent Example of One * of the moft * Dr Eminent of their Profeflion^ whofe conftant Willis. Practice itwas^ (my Author knew him moft ^^''^•Phar- intimately^) to lay by him in Store for God, amd.P^- and the Poor, as the Lord had profper d ^t. ' him, and who by doing thus, laid up for himfelf Treafures not in Heaven only, but on Earth too, his Wealth by the Divine Benedidion no doubt, increafmg and abound- ing^ as his Chanty did. But what fhall we fay to thofe Works, which might,and fhould have been done be- fore the Lord's Day, and become neceffary thro' our Negligence and Default? Why truly, that, the omiffion of them being cul- pable, and finful, we ought to repent of it as of any other Sin, and to be more Watchful^ and Circumfped for the future. But then^ as the Neceffity is not the lefs for our pre- venting it ; fo the Works are not the lefs neceffary to be done for our not doing 'em fooner: and from what quarter fo ever it comes, Neceffity, as the Jewifh Dodors fpeak, clrives away the Sahhatb, But|befides the Works of Neceffity proper- ly fo call'd, there are others of a lower form, or degree, which, for diftindion, we fhall call Works of Convenience. And as to Thefe I lay it down for a 2^. Rule, That Works of Convenience, as far as they are confiflent, with the due Sandification of the Lord's Day , may be lawfully done upon the Day, P 4 Plaiii ^i6 A Pr apical Difcourfe Plain it is^ that our Saviour Chriil did fome Cures on the Sabbath, where there was no danger of Life. Mat, 12. 9, i;* John 9. 14. And others, where the danger was not prefent, or imtnineat, Luke 14. I, 2_, 4. Joh7i 5'. 9. And by the defence^ He made of himfelf for thofe Cures, and of his Difciples for their plucking/ubbing, and eating of the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath. Luke 6, I3 2, &;c. He fufftciently fhew'd, that the Eafe and Refrefhraent of Man and peaft, were very agreeable to the defign of the Sabbath^whether the fecond Sabbath afr ter the firft, as we read in the place laft cit- ed^was the ordinary weekly Sabbath, or (as a nt-n A , nioft Learned * Author of our own has now de veter] rendred highly probable) the Feaft of Pen- Or. Rom. tecoj^ : for all their Sabbaths that were not Cycl.Dif. pafts, were times of Holy Feftivity: and IX. Sed, where were the Feftivity, if there were not ^^' a competent Meafureof Eafe and Refrefli- ment? fuch a Meafure, I mean, as is fairly confiftent with the Holinefs requir d at thole Times.: And what our Bleffed Lord allow'd of this Nature on the Jewifh Sabbaths, we cannot well, cannot reafonably doubt, but He al- lows on theChriftian. ' Indeed fuch is the State and Condition of Man in this World, that there are many little Works, and Offices of civil Life re- quir'd to a Comfortable Subfiftence, to a ready, chearful performance of Rehgious Duties, and tp an Innocent Compliance yvith the Rulps qf Decency,. Civility, or Hiiriaility : and as far as any of thefe^ or any V'- -^ ^ ftch on the Lord's Day. 2 1 7 fuch as thefe^ are fubfervient ^.o^ or confi-« ftent with the due Sandific tion of our Lord's Day^ fo far^ wc m^.y be fure, they are confiftent with our JJuty^ and aiiow'd, or at leaft not forbidden, by Our Reli- . gion. But then it would be noted, and fliall be our 3^. Rule, that what Worldly Works, or Diverfions foever (Cafes of Neceffity only excepted) do hinder the due Sandiiication of the Lord's Day, are unlawful on the Day. It hath already appeared, that tlie Lord's Day is to be fan(ftified. It hath alfo ap- pear'd, that in order to the Sandification jof it, a Reft is neceffarily requir d, and that that Reft is a Ceflation or Abftincnce from ail fuch Works, and Diverfions as are Letts, or Impediments to the Religious Duties of the Day : And from thefe Prcmiffes it follows una- voidably, that all fuch Works, and Diverfi- fions, how innocent, or convenient foever in other refpeds, are unlawful in this, that they are Impediments to thofe Duties. But as clear and unexceptionable as this our Rule is * Men have ftrangely differed in the application of it, and I think none more than thofe who have labour'd moft in thefe Controverfies : and whilft both Parties (I fpeak what is now pretty freely ac- knowledg'd on all hands) ran into Extremes^ they left Trutli with Vertue in the middle way, and there we may cxped to find it. Now 2 1 8 A Pr^Slical Difeourfe Now two Ways there are whereby ou^ Worldly Works and Diverfions may hinde^ the Religious Duties aforefaid. 1. By robbing us of our Time, that Sa- cred TimCj which ought to beimppy'din the performance of them. 2. By robbing us of our Hearts^ I mean, by indifpofmg us for fuch perfor- mance. And whether any of our Works, or Di- verfions be, or be not faulty . in other ref- peds; this we may depend upon, that as far as any of them (Works of Neceffity al- ways excepted) do offend in either of thcde Ways, they are fo far Culpable, or XJnlawful. But becaufe General Rules, like 'General Favours, make but little impreflion upon fome minds; we will apply this, and the proceed- ing Rule to particular cafes, and apply them fo, as may help to the Refolution of any O- thers of like Nature. And firft, for Worldly Works, or Imploy- ments, as diftinguiihed from thofe we call Diverfions, and Recreations. It may be neceffary, and therefore allow- able to keep fome of a Family at home to look after Children, or drefs meat, and be a Safe-guard to our Houfes, while the reft are at the Publick Service of the Lord's Day. But to keep more of them from the publick AlTemblies than are necelTary for fuch CccaKons 4 is to keep 'em from the Prin-^ on the Lord's Day, 2 19 Principal Duty of the Day^ and that too^ as the cafe is put^ without Neceffity. And as far as any Mailers are jultly chargeable herewith , fo far are they chargeable with the Negled^ and Prophanation of the Day_, and the Violation of that Command- ment^ which requires them to keep it Holy^ and that with refped to their Families, as well as to Themfelves. Again, To gather a few Sticks, or the like near at Hand for prefent occafion, tho' it be not a matter of Neceffity, but Conve-= nience, is allowable enough on the moft Holy Day. But for any one to make it a Day of Worldly Labour, or fpend a confi- derable part of it in gathering Sticks, and binding *em up together, and that too in a prefumptuous manner (which feems to have teen the cafe of the Jvlan that was Ston*d, Numb, i^.\\)\S to defftfe theJVord of the Lord^ (jr.Patriuv and to break his Commandment y and his hnquity Comment fljall be upon him. v. 31. ^ '" ^^c. Again, To confult fome ufeful pafTage in common Hiftory, Chronology, or the like, upon occafion, may be as allowable on the Lord's Day, as it is to quote, hear, or read fuch a palTage in a Sermon, or Treatife of Divinity. But to make Human Learning our Bufmefs, and Study on this, as on o- ther days, is to make it an Impediment to the proper and neceffary Bufmefs of this Holy Day, and for that reafoa is Unlaw- fuL And the fame may be faid of fome Con* troverfieseven in Divinity,efpecially as they jare manag'd by fome Writers with too great 220 A Pra6iical Difcourfe. great Heat, and too little Sinceri- ty- Once more. As fome portions of the Week-days may be all6vv'd to Devotion, and others to Bodily Eafe, and Refrefhment, without any real prejudice to our Secular Interefts^ fo the like portions of the Lord's Day may be be allowed to Necellity, and Convenience without any prejudice to the Intereft of our Souls. But to fquander away our Sacred, and moft precious Time, and difpofe of it as it were by Whole-fale un- to Mammon, is to rob God of his due, and to fet Mammon in his Throne, that is, it is no lefs than Sacriledge, and Idolatry : for the Service of Mammon, as here under- flood, doth imply Truft, or Affiance: and as Truft in God is an Ac^, I might fay a principal Ad, of Divine Worfhip; lo Truft in the Creature, is Creature-Worfhip, or Idolatry. And therefore is Covetoufnefs by the Apoftle not improperly ftiled Ido- latry. Colof, ;. ^. and the Covetous Man an Idolater. Eph. 5-. 5:. And then furely it Ihould not be thought ftrange, that our Bleffed Saviour pronounces it fo hard a thing for thofe T':at ha've Riches^ that is. He ex- plains himfelf, for them that truft In Riches^ to enter into the Kingdom of God, Mark 10, 25, 24. But in all fuch cafes a Difference is to be made betwixt thofe that have the difpofal of their own, or other Men's Actions, and thofe that have not. For where Worldly Works, or Imployments are unlawful in no ether refped than that of the Time of per- form^ m the Lord^s Day.^ zzt forming them, they are not at all unlawful to thofe, who have not the difpofal of their Time, and Adions. This plainly is the cafe of Chrillian Ser- vants, or Slaves, in Turky^ and other Infi- del Countries, where neither private Mailers, norpublick Governours, have any refpedfc for the Lord's Day : for Chriftianity, which doth not dilTolve any Natural, or Civil Rights, leaves Servants, as it finds them, under the Yoke, and permits, nay, requires 'em to olfey their Mafters in all things. Col. ^. 2. I Vet, 2. J 8. Q,e.) in all kind of Work, or Service they are otherwife obliged to. And if you would have the reafon, hear the Apoftle I Tim.6.i.Le/- as many Servants as are under the Toke count their own Mafiers worthy of all Honour ("which implies Service, and Obe- dience) that the Name of God^ and his DoBrine he not Blafphem'dy or evil fpoken of, as to Be fure it would have been, if He had exempt- ed Chriftian Servants from that Subjedion, and Service,which is due to their Mafters by the Law of Nations, of thofe particular Countries they belong to. So that any Worldly work that is Lawful on other days, and requird by Mafters on the Lord's Day, not only may, but ought to be done by Chriftian Servants in any In- fidel Country : provided always, that they ufe all lawful due means within their pow- er of getting out of fuch Bondage, and in the mean time fandify the day, and work too, as well as they can, by devout and frequent Ejaculations or Addrefles to their Heavenly Mafter, And 2 22 A PraSlkal Difcourfe And thus ftood the Cafe in the Apoftoii- cal and fucceeding Ages ^ till at lengtli Princes^ and States fubmitted themfelves to *r.Mo the Scepter of Jefus^ and by their ^ Edids, Ter'sD//V. and Laws provided for the free and general andoC^^' Obfervation of the Day confecrated to his ferv, ' Service. Lord's And if in Chriftian Countries now any ^^y- Mafters fliall prefume ordinarily^ or fre- ' ^' quently to exad fuch Work on that Holy Day^ as is forbidden by the Laws of the State they live under ; there is a Remedy at hand^ which may^ and ought to be made ufe ofj I mean an Appeal to thofe in Autho- rity^ who are by their Office oblig'd to re- drefs any grievances of this nature^, as far at leaft as they are empowred^ and required by the Laws of their Countrey. But this muft be taken with a Caution : for as it becomes not Servants to be ever and anon complaining of their Mafters ; fo it would be a pradice of very ill Confe- quence in Chriftian Families, and is there- fore without apparent neceffity to be for- born^ becaufe nothing lefs than apparent Neceffity can juftify fuch dealing with Ma- fters. And then^ and then only, is the Ne- ceffity apparent^when it appears, that Mafters are refolved to go on in exading Labours, or Services no torioufly prejudicial to the Pie- ty, and Service of the Day. For in all cafes doubtful, or not apparent, Mafters, as all o- ther lawful Governors, are to be obeyed : f r. t and where it is not a Sin, but Duty to Sharp's obey them, there can be no neceffity, or clnf^'^^^' i^^ ^^^^ ^^ complaining of them. on the Lord's Day. 223 As for Recreations, or Diverfions, which come next in our way. Certain it is, and undeniable that there are Holy Exercifes, or Imployments, fuch as Religious Confe- rence, Singing of Pfalms, Hymns, and Spi- ritual Songs, &c, which may be properly caird Recreations, and are very fit and pro- per for the Lord's Day. It is alfo certain, that to eat and drink on our Lord's Day for the recreating, or re- frefhing of the Body, and Mind, and that in a more fplendid manner than Men ordina- rily do on other days, is very agreeable to the defign and nature of a Feftival as well as to the allow'd || pradice of the Jews on 11.^- their Sabbath. But forafmuch as the Fefti- Qif^^^l^ val is a Religious one ; all due regard Sod. ro' is to be had to its Religious Duties, and it. Hor. ivhether we eaty or drink^ or whate'ver we doy Hebr. in we are then more efpecially to intend r^e^^'^'J-^^ Glory of God, i Cor. lo. ;i. And to make it a day of Gluttony, Drunkenefs, and other kinds of Senfuality , or fpend more of that Sacred Time in pampering of the Body, and fulfilling the Lufts of the Fleih, than is really confiftent with the due care of the Soul; is to make it aHeathenifh rather than Chriftian Feaft, and that too of the worfer, the Loofer fort. Again : As we cannot but allow of fuch Meals, or Provifions as are proper for our Religious Feftival ; fo it is but fit and con- gruous, that fome competent Time be allow'd for digefting them, and as far as any Innocent, Inoffenfive Difcourfe, or Exercife, whether diverting, or not diverting, may be needful, or Z24 ^ PraSiical Difcourfe or requifite for Health and Digeftion^ fo far do they feem to be allowable and proper for the Feftival. Befides^ a Moderate Refrefliriient of the Body^ and Relaxation of the Mind may be fomerimes requifite in order to Devotion it felf, which if long continued, is without fuch Helps apt to flag^expire and die : for the Mind of Man in its prefent ftate of Union with the Body doth, and muft ad by the Animal Spirits, as its Inftruments, and unlefs thefe befupplled, or excited, as occafion re- quires, it cannot be long intent upon any Subjed, and mull therefore, when tir*d out with the Exercifes of Devotion, have fome convenient and becoming Relaxation,orRe- freflittient^ whereby it may be enabled to return to 'em with frefh Vigour, and Alacri- So that fuppofing, and allowing for, the good Intention of feme Perlbns, they are none of the Beft, or moft Difcreet Friends to the Day, or the devotion of it, who, as if they had forgotten, that they are Flefh as well as Spirit, do trouble themfelves, or o~ thers with little Niceties, and unreafonable Scrupulofities in thefe matters^ fuch as in- ftead of advancing the Intereft of Religion, do not a little dif-ferve, and prejudice it, whiMt they not only make thofe who are poffefled with them, Prfcud, Cenforious, Ungovernable and more idly Bufy,than the things fcrupled at would have done, but give occafion to Men of Loofer Morals to Ipeak evil of our moll Reafonable, and Beft* tempered Religion, as if they had not a due on the Lord^s Day.^ 225 regard to Human Infirmities^ Wants^ and Conveniences^ or even to thofe very Ends 6f Piety, and Devotion^ which we affirm^ and affirm truly, to be intended^ and pro- moted by it. But then I would have it obferv'd, that the Relaxation here allow'd and defended is no more, and no other, than is fairly con-^ iiftent with th6 due Sandification of our Lord's Da)^ For I have admitted of nd Recreation, or Divertifement whatfoever^ but what is for the kind, or quality Lawful^ Innocent, and InofFenfive ^ for the Time of ufing it Reafonable ; for the manner de- cent and Becoming j and for the degree, or meafure. Moderate. And if any Recrea- tion wants either of thefe Qualifications^ I am no more willing, than I am able to de- fend it ,• but do hereby rejedf and give it up for Culpable and unlawful ^ if on no other account, yet as an Impediment to the Re- ligious Duties of the Day. And indeed it is fo far difallowed and condemned by our pi*efenc Rule. However, that any One who defires fome' further fatisfad:ion in the point, may have it, we will take a fnort Viev/ of the feveral Qualifications now mentioned. And nrfl: for the Kind, or Quality of our Recreations. It is no Queftion, I hope, with iiny of us but that whatever Recreations are unlawful on other days, are much more unlawful on the Lord's Day, And as little reafon h?iye we to .queftion «?he imhwfulnsfs of all, or any of thofe Re- O crea.tio.n.'vif 2 26' A PraBical Difcotirfe creations, which are forbidden on this day by the Juil and vvholfom Laws of our Coun- trey. And therefore if we had no other Ex- ception againit Bear-baiting, Bull-baiting, Interludes, or Common Plays, and all Meet- ings, Affemblies, or Concourfe of People out of their own PariQies for any Spoils or Paftimes whatfoever ^ all thefe ought to be forborn by us not only for Wrath ^ or Fear of Punifliment, but dlfo for Confcknce fake, Rom. 14. ^. or, which amounts to the fame, in Obedience to the Civil Authority, which •^ I Cir forbids them. '^ i.Chapt. ^^'^ as Recreations on the Lord's Day e- fpecially, fliould be every way Lawful ^ fo they ought to be Innocent and Inoifeiifive, no ways Injurious, to our own, or to our Neighbours Souls, no ways Injurious or Prejudicial to the Interell; of Religion, the proper Bufinefs of the Day. And hence have we good reafon to rejed Cards, Dice, Dan- cing and all other Games, Sports, or Paftimes iuch as thefe, that is to fay, fuch as are na- turally apt to fteal away our Affections from Heavenly things, and indifpofe the Mind for Spiritual Exercifes. Then for the Time. Let Corporal Recreations be never fo Lawful otherwife, and never fo Innocent they ceafe to be either one or t'other, when once they intrench upon thofe hours, or parts of the Day, which by our refpedive Superiours are appointed for publick Worihip or the private Devotions of the Family. For thefe are the Great Duties of the Day, and may not, ought not to be juftled out by any on the Lord's Day, 2 z.f any unneceffary Recreations^ which at the beft are only allowable (not Duties) and allowable only in their proper Time_, and Place^ I mean in the intervals of Devotion, and Charity. As for the Manner of recreating, or rc- frefhing our felves, in all reafon, and con- gruity it fiiould be Decent, and every way liich, as becometh our moil Holy day. And on this Confideration, as well as others, we- are to avoid all Noify, Boifterous Sports or Exercifes, which are no more futable to the Sandity of the Day, than they are to that Devout and 'Heavenly frame of Spirit, which is requir'd to the due Sandification of it. Then for the End, or Meafure. Our Recreations ought to be Moderate. This indeed is very true of all days, and Times, and of all Recreation : and the rea- fon is plain, becaufe they would not other- wife anfwer the defign of Recreations, which is to relieve, and refrefh the Spirits, not to fpend and exhauit them, to capacitate and fit Men for their Bufinefs,nottodifablethem, or keep them from it : A reafon, that not only holds Good, but has much more Weight and Force in it, when apply 'd to the Bufmefs of our Lord's Day, which is much more Coniiderable^' and important than that of the Week-days, and cannot be omitted with- out greater danger : and yet omitted it will be, or at leaft not attended to, as it ought to be, if our Recreations do r,ob us of our^ Time, and Thoughts, or have a greater fhare of thefe than is allowed by our Rule, or well confiflent with our Diitv. J a.28 A PraBlcal Difeourfe I am well aware^ that to be o^dr-Nice iri fuGh determinations as thefe is to be over- JViJe^ which Wifdoni it felf hath caution'd us againil. Eccl.j, 16. But I am lenfibie with- al^ that there are Chriftians in the World not a few^ whofe Capacities and Attain- ments are very Low : and Charity prompts me in Condelcenfion to fuch to be yet more plain and particular: and therefore I fliall obferve that however Ibme Refrefliment of the Spirits^ and fomelntermiffion of Devotion may be ordinarily requiiite after our Meals^ and when our Spirits fail us in the Courfe of our Devotion; it is no ways neceffary^ orre- quifite that fuch Refrefliment,or confequently fuch Intermiffion in order to fuch refrefhment fhould be of any long Continuance : and if we except fome Studious^ Thoughtful Per- fons^ whofe Conftitutions^ or way of living- may require more Exercife^ I do not fee why half an hour^ or fome fuch portion of our Time fliouldnot pafsfora Reafonable^ Suffi- cient Allowance to moll Men in thofe cafes. And to fuch as are difpofed for Bodily exercife^ and efpecialy to thofe that want' it^ I ivould particularly recommend Walk- ings which is the molt Innocent and Inof- fenfive Exercife I can think of, and withal very healthful and Refrefliing, and Refrefii- ing to the Mind, as well as to the Bod}' ; what's more ftill^ it refredies Both fo^ as to leave no ill Impredion upon either. And whether a Man walk alone^ or in Company ; if his Time^ and Thoughts are imploy'd-in obferving to himfelf^ or others any .of the wonderful works of God^ as they pr-e- en the Lord's Day. 229 prefent themfeves ro his View, and com- memorating the JufI: Praifesof thfi Creator ; this is a proper Sabbath-Day Exercife^ as it is a A/lemorial of the Creation. But what- ever is the fubjed of his Thoughts, or Difr- courfe if it be but Innocent, or Harmlels^ the walk will be Innocent too, and which is mere, by a feafonable Refrefhmcnt of the Spirits it may be very fiibfervient ai;id con- ducive to other Ends of Piety ^•ln'd'''|€ A FraEiical Difcourfe. ther days of the Week^ and betake himfelf to his Devotions with all convenient Ex- pedition. Indeed he were fcarcely if at all. Worthy of the Name of Chriftian, and much lefs of a Good one^didhe ordinarily^ or fre- quently neglect his Morning, or Evening Devotions on any of the Week-days. But then there's more to be done, the Lord is more to be ferv'd, more to be addrefl: unto, on his ov»rn day, and therefore the Good Chriftian we are fpeakingof willadd to his ufual Morning Devotions a Prayer proper for this Day of the Lord, filling his Heart, and Mouth too, with Thanks and Praife for the Great '^.nd Ineftimable Bleffings it brings with iL Nor vv'ill he content himfelf with Private Devotions only for how Good, how Bene- ficial foever thefe may be^ it's an Addition to their Character, and real value, that they difpofe, and prepare him for the pub- lick, which (where they may be had) are^ and muiV be acknowledg'd, the Principal Duties of the Dav, the Glory of God wliofe Day it is, being more eminently advanc'd by the publick Exercifes of Religion. I fay, v'bcre they- may he had^ becaufe it may be liis hard fortune to live among Infi- dels, or in a Church that is either Heretical in Her Bodrine, or Idolatrous, or otherwife Schifmaticnl, in Her publick Worfiiip : in either of which cafes all that he is oblig'd to, is to ferve God as well publickly as he can vv/ith a Good Conference : and as is his Obligation, fo is his Practice ^nd De- TBeanoiir. But on the Lord's Day. Sjiy But thefe cafes fet a fide^ there is a great regard due to the public k Exercifes of Reli- ligion and to publick Conftitutions in order- thereunto : and therefore our Good Chriftian (vvho^ as fuch^ is and muft be heartily con- cern'd for Peace^ and Unity of the Church, will keep clofe to the Communion of that particular Church)within whofe Jurifdi(5tion the Divine Providence has plac'd him duly ("that is^ conftantly^ as he has leifure, and Opportunity) frequenting Her publick Or- dinances on all days, but efpecially on thofe, that are fet apart for the purpofes of Kety and Religion. It is very True, that God heareth all even the moft fecret Prayers: But it's. as True, that he doth not always hear them in the fence of an anfwering, granting, or fulfil- ling our defires, efpecially where they are put up in Oppofition to, and Con- tempt of, the Publick. Nor, is it imagi- Rable, that the fingle Prayer of any one Man can be fo prevale'nt and fuccefsful, as the joint, united, Requefts, of a uni- whole Congregation, much lefs as the ted Requefts of the whole National Church, and much lefs ftill as the united Requefts, and general Voice of the whole Catholick Church difpos'd throughout the World, And therefore our Good Chriftian, who is fuf- iiciently fenfible of all this, will be fure to make the Prayers of the whole Catholick Church his own by communicating with it as far as he can and confequently by communicating with that found part of it wherein he lives. And this he will the ratli^r and the more con- • A PraSiical Difcoarfe conftantly do^ that the Prefence^ and De* Yout Fervours of other Pious Souls may ex- cite^ and quicken his Piety and Zeal : it being no rare thing, or unufual for thofe who are dull and Liiliefs^ and as it were deierted by the. Spirit in their Clofet- Retirements^ CO find their Piety revive^ and their Hearts grew , hot within thtm by the Devotion of o- thers^ by the kindly Warmth of a full Con- gregation. For thefe^ and other Good reafons not neceffary here to be infifted on^ our Good Ghridian will never fail without very Juft caufe to wait upon God on his own day at his awn Houfe^ then and there to wor- fhip, and adore^ to praife^ and pray to Flim as He hath commanded and doth exped:^ then and there to be inftruded and edified by his Minifters^ the Authoriz'd Difpenfers of his Word and Ordinances. And where all the Prayers, and Offices are well appointed^ and regularly admini- ftred^ he will not willingly lofe the Benefit of any : and therefore as it is his Defire^ fo will be his Care^ to be generally prefent at the very beginning of Divine Service. When the Bells chime to Summon him thereto^ he takes it for a kind of Heavenly Mufick : and it is in truth a Divine Call^ or Invitation to more Heavenly Entertain- ments, Entertainments near of Kin, and pre- paratory, to thofe of Heaven it felf. And as he will therefore come in good time^ fo he will come with a good and will- ing mind^ with a mind defirous of Improve- ment both in the knowledge of his Duty, and on the Lord's Day. 23^ and the pra pbferve, that, that was one fpecial reafon why the Sabbath was to be kept Holy by them. Verily my S Math jh. ill T'e keep, faith the Lord by Mofes, for it is a Sign between Me .cind Tou throughout l^our Gener.itionsy that Ye may know that I am the J^ordy that do SanEiify Ten, Exod. 51. i:. This therefore they vvere ftridly oblig'd to fo long as their Laws con- tinue d in force: but that ceaflng, and an End being put to the diftindrion oijcws and Gentiles^ the Sabbath that diftinguifh'd them had its period with it : and a New Sabbath was inOrituted which might diftinguifii the New Peculium^ the Chriftian Church, from all other Churches, Seds, or Profcfli- ons: for if any others do obferve the fame Day, they obferve it not on the fame Grounds, nor in the fame Manner. As the Jews heretofore did, yea, and flill do, diftinguifli thcmfelves by "their Sa- turday-Sabbath; and as the A///&owff/;77j are pleas'd at the Command of their Pretended Vrophet to diftinguilli themlelves by the Ob- fervation of every Friday; fo we Chrifiiuns 'Are to diftinguifli ouf felvcs by the Day of 2 5C ^ Pra5lical Difcourfe of our Lord's Name^ and Appointnient, the Obfervation of it being an Open ^ vifible owning him for our Lord and Mafter^ and the Negled^ or Non-obfervation thereof an open^ vifible difovv^ning Him^ and rejecting his Service^ and renouncing all the Benefits of his Refurredion. And as we fall fliort of the Piety, not on- ly of Jeii^s^ and Turks^ but of moft other Infidels_, if we obferve no day at all ; fo it's fcarce to bebeliev'dj that any profeft Chri- ftians (a few ignorant Sabbatarians excepted) do obferve any other, who have no regard for our Lord's Day : for on what Day will they be Religious, if they be not on this ? on whatDay will they ferve the Lord, if not on his own ? ;^. The Holy Exercifes of the Lord's Day are neceffary Preparatives to the En- joyment of Heaven. Among the celebrated Paffages of our Divine Herbert this is one, and not the leaft ^Herb, <;onfiderable, ^ Church' All that we know oth^ Saints above ^ Porch, Js^ f^^f; f^gy Singy and that they Lo-ve, And if thefe Offices of Piety, and Love are to be our principal Exercifes and En- tertainments in Heaven ; for that very rea- fon if there were no other, they ought to be our Imployments here en Earth. For Hea- ven is deiign d for Pure, and Holy Spirits, and for fuch only : nor is it fo much the Situation of the Place, or the Temper of the Climate, as the Tem.per, and Difpofiti- on of the Mind, the Agreeable Society, and Con- m the Lord's Day. 251 Converfation of the Inhabitants^ the Mu- tual Oliices of Love^ and Kindnefs^ and Univerfal Harmony of Devotions^ that muft make the Comers thereunto Happy , and BleiTed. And fhould we fuppofe (for fuppofe we may what never v\/ill5 and ne- ver can be) I fay^ fhould we^ fuppofe an Indevout^ ProphaneWretch^ or^ if you pleafe, a Muck-Worm in Human Shape^ admitted into that Glorious Place^ he would take as little delight in his Entertainment above^ as he did in the Contemplation of God^ and the Exercifes of Piety, and Charity below. Tho' he chang'd the place of his Abode, he would not change his AfFecflions, but look back, and hanker after the Flefh-pots of Egypt even in the Heavenly Canaan, And how is't imaginable, that IncelTant Halle- lujahs, or the moft Pure and Holy Convert fation of the Seraphim and Seraphick Souls, pr even the Vifion of God it felf fhould be Beatifick, or even Grateful to him there, if he has no delight in his Service, and will have no Communion, no Charitable, or Friendly Communication with the Saints, and FaithfnlLhere ? O ! itis theExercife of thefehere on Earth that muft prepare anddifpofe us for Heaven; or if we 'were in it, we (hould haply wifh our felves out ; to be fure we fhould but that there is no Satisfadion, no Teace to the Wicked any where elfe. The Man that de- lights in thefe Exercifes here has a tafl of Heaven upon Earth, and will much more delight in them hereafter, when freed from the Importunate Cravings, and Solicitations of 2 5 z A PraSlical Difcourfe. of Flefii and Blood. Whereas on the other hand to the Worldly^ Senfual^ Unfutable Spirit^ Heaven it felf would be a Place of Torment, or at the beft a very Joylefs Pof- feffion, having nothing to gratify a Carnal Appetite^ nothing to ftifle an Offended, Glamorous Confcience, or kill the Worm that never dies. If therefore we defire to be eternally Hap- py and Bleffed ; if we would not make it impoflible to be fo even in Heaven ; have no other way but to qualify our felves for fuch Happinefs, and become, in St. Paul's expredion, meet to be partakers of the Inherhatjce of the Saints in light, Col. i. 12. And fince none can be ?met to be partakers of the Inheri- tance of Saints^ but thofe who are really and truly Saints^ that is, Holj.^ Heb. 12.14. it's a plain cafe, that in order to the partaking of that Inheritance, Holinefs is abfolutely jieceffary, and muft therefore be the great Bufinefs of our Lives, and more efpecially cf that Day, which is defign'd and fct apart for the more folemn, and vigorous profecu- tion thereof. 4. And laftly. The Lord's Day is a Day 0/ fpecial Blemngs even in this Life to the Religious Obfervers of it. In the ^th Commandment we are told of God's bleffing as well as of his Santlifying the Sabbath Day , which what can it imply lefs than,that, as He fet it apart for the Obfer- vanceof Men^ifo He would blefs, and proK per thofe,who Obferveit,as they ought ? the Day it felf being uncapable of any Sandi- ty, or Bleffing, but in reference to fuch its Obfervers, And on the Lord's Day. 255 And if theBleffings of the pk Precept of the Decalogue^ as fuch^do belong to the 0-. bedient under the Gofpel^ as we have fhewn above^ we may depend upon it^ that the BlefEng of the 4th do belong to them alfo. Indeed who that confiders our Lord's Day as inftituted by our Lord himfelf^ and infti- tuted for ^he Exercife of Piety ^ and Chari- ty^ the twb Great Duties of the Sabbath^ who^ I fay/ that confiders this^ can doubt but that He will difpenfe of his BleflSngs with a Liberal hand on the diligent Obfer- vers of it ? Piety, and Charity having ma- ny exprefs Promifes of the Divine Favour, and Benedidion in both the Teftaments, and as many Titles thereto^, as Promifes thereof. However, the Bleffings of the Sabbath being of two forts, Spiritual and Temporal, we fliall for our farther Encouragement, and Satisfadion confider them feverally, and be- gin with the former, which are not only more Valuable, but more proper, nay. Pecu- liar to the Gofpel : for tho' they did belong to the Jewifli Sabbath ; yet not as it was Jewifh, or Legal, but as it was a part of the Gofpel-Ccvenant then in force : and if fo, we may be fure, they do belong to the Chriftian Sabbath. Accordingly do we find the Evangelical Prophet recommending the obfervation of the Sabbath in the Gofpel-Times from the Bleffings, and efpecially the Spiritual Blef- fings of it. Jfa. ^6. for of thefe Times, and of thefe Bleffings doth he there fpeak plain- ly enoughjtho'inthe language of Canaan, I mean^ 1J4 -^ PraSlkal Difcourfe , mean^ in his ufural way of alluding to the then eftablilli'd Rites and Uiages of the Jews : for having in the i/, and zd. vei-fe pro- nouncdrhii^Man BlclJedy th^.t keefeth Judgment y aTid doth JiifiicCy tb-at keepeth the Sahbath from^ pollutmg it 3 and his hands from doing Evil^ he addrelfes himfeif to the Eunuch^ and the Son of the Stranger^ that haije joynd themfelves to the Lord^ i. e. to the Gentile part of the Church, affuring 'em, that notwithftanding any Lgeai Incapacities they might be under^ if they keef the Lord's Sabbath ^ as they ought, and do the things that pleas'dy Him^ and t^e hold of his Co^mant,, they ihould among other Rights, and Priviiedgesof the NevvPeculiura^ enjoy the Bleffings of his Sabbath. And that the Sabbath here intended is the Gofpel- Sabbath, and the Covenant the Gofpel-Covenant,is evident from hence, that by the Old Law, or Covenant Eunuchs^ and the Sens o^ d\YQXs{oxto{ Strangers -ware excluded from the Congregatio7iof the Lordfr ever. Deut, 2^. 1,2, :^y&c. Neh. 15.1. And confequent- ly from the Spiritual Bleffings mentioned in the jth verfe. And is it not True in fad^ that believing; Gentiles are admitted to all the Priviledges, and Benefits of the Gofpel ? and may we not here again obferve v/hatwehave prov'd above, at the Day which our Lord chofe for his Miffion of the Holy Gho^..JB. 2. i, 2, ^, 6^c. was the firft of the Week, or Lord's Day ? and that St. John was in the Spirit, (i. e.) had his Revelations, on the Lord's Day} Rev. i. 10. Where the Day is fpecified, as Ihould feem^ on purpofe to indmat© on the Lord's Day. 255 Intimate the Defignation of it, as for Im~ ployments, fo for Bleffings, Spiritual, and Heavenly. And tho' all thofe Spiritual Gifts, which were then conferred on the Apoftles, and their Retinue are not now to be expeded on any Day ;for fome of them were extraordina- ry, and neceffary * only for the ftate of the * V. Churchy yet the fmcerely Obedient may now ^i^^'i and in all Ages fafely exped all fuch Gifts, XflcJ'o'r^ or Graces of the Spirit, as are Neceffary to ^/jvijenk. their Prefent Comfort, and Education, and J(eaf Chr. to their Evcrlailing Salvation. Rel.B.n. Certain it is, for our Lord himfelf has Ketdf ' pafs'd his Word for it, that He will be with Pra^Beh his Church by his Spirit to the End of the World, pt- 2-.ch.8. Mat. 28.20. John 14.16. And then there is ^^!^ no doubt to be made but He will fignalize ^ifjpf^ 2. his own Day with the Bell and Choiceft yol. z. W. Gifts, and Graces of that Ever-Bleffed, Ever- 7. Se3, i. Blefling Spirit. As for Temporal Bleffings; befide the Promifes of the Old Teftament to the Ob- fervers of the Sabbath, Jer. 17. 24, 2^, &c. Jfa, 5-8. 12:, 14- We have that of our Sa- viour Chrift Mat, 6. 33. That if we ftekfirfi the Kingdom of God^ and his Right eoufnefs^ we [hall ha^e all the things He is there fpeaking ' of, all the neceffaries of Life, added unto us. And when He teaches us to pray for our Daily Bready He teaches us upon Prayer, and Ho- neft Endeavours to exped it, and all that are implied in it, that is to fay, all that is needful and Convenient for the daily fufte-= nance of our Bodies. And S. Paul affures us, that Godlinejs is prof table unto all things^ halving the 2 $6 A PraSlical Difcourfe the Fromife of the lift that now isy as well as of that whkh is to come, i Tim. 4. 3. Indeed that Godlinefs may have an Intereft in thefe Promifes, it muft be Entire, and Uniform, and appear in the general Courle of our Lives vviihout Exception, tho' not without diftindion of Days. But if we duly exer- cife our felves unto Godlinefs on the Lord's Day,it's to be hop'd^that our Piety will keep warm all the Week after, and maintain in us fuch an Ardent Love of God, and a Live- ly Senfe of Religion, as will engage us in every good Work, every Inftance of Obe- dience, as occafion offers, and fo entitle us to fuch.Meafure of Temporal things, as may be moft conducive to our Eternal Hap- pinefs, or is needful on any accoune. For our Heavenly Father moft certainly knows what is Good for us, and no Good thing will He withhold from them that li-ve a Godly Life. Pfal, 84. 12. If what feems to be Good for us is'not really fo, but a Snare, or a Tempta- tion, and like to prove a prevailing one ; the withholding of that feeming Good, real Evil is to be reckon'd in the number of his Bleflings ; and there is a Time, when fuf- fering it felf, efpecially on the fcore of Re- ligion, nay. Martyrdom it felf or Suffering even unto Death is a real Bleffing or Favour of Heaven. 'Phil. i. 29. Mat. 5". 10, 11, 12. forafrnuch as it gives occafion to the Exer- cife of many Paffive Vertues, and Graces, and every fuch Exercife hath a proportion- able Reward and adds to the Weight of that Crown of Life^ which is referv'd for thofe, who are Faithfnl unto Deaths Jam, 1. 12. Rev for the Lord's Day^ 25^ Sev. 2. 10. And if what is wanting at a- tiy time of Tenipontl Bleffings is abundant- ly made up in Spiritual, and Eternal^ the Beit of us h:ive no reafon to complain, but abundant reafon^ and encouragment to re- joy ce in the Lord^ and perfeverein our Re- ligious courfe. Whereas on the other hand the Bold, Prefuniptuous Proplianationof our moftHo-* ly Day, as it proceeds from an Irreligious or Prophane Spirit^ and is vertually^ and by- interpretation a denying or renouncing our Redeemer, and Creacortoo; fo isit frequent- ly attended with remarkable Judgments j- many Inilances whereof have been colled- edby others,and many more might be added which have efcap'd their Obfervation : and tho' all that are in any wife doubtful^ or Sufpicious were left out; the reffc are e- nough of themfelves {0 make a Large Volume. p I am not infenfible, that our Heavenly- Father doth many times corred us out of Love and Mercy ^ and that it favours of a Superftirious^ or Uncharitable Spirit^ or bcth^ to be always crying Judgment^ J^^^^g" ryitnt. as if every Calamity which befalls our Neighbours, eipeciaily thofe of a different Sed:, or Party^ were Judlclaly or Vevah But v/here t:ie Sin is Great, and Ma- iiifeft v;ithal^ and tlie Evil that attends^ it is no lefs Notorious^ as is frequently f:ieit In the prefent cafe;, there we may ea