CHAP. XXXV. Examples of Gods judgements upon Sabbath-breakers.

The command of the Sabbath hath a special Me∣mento, or Remember prefixed unto it: that by timely thinking of it, we might lay aside our worldly businesse, and get our hearts into an holy array, and readinesse for entertainment of God into them. It is the market-day of the soul, wherein the Lord useth to meet his people to dispense his blessings, and graces in, and by his Ordinances, to those which humbly, and reverently attend upon him therein. The carefull san∣ctification of it keeps up the power of godlinesse in our hearts, and lives. And if worldly labour is unlawfull upon that day, much more are carnal delights, and pa∣stimes: Melius arare, quàm saltare in Sabbato: It is better to plow then to dance on the Sabbath, was St. Austines judgement: and when men neglect to punish the profanation of it, the Lord usually takes the sword into his own hand, and by visible judgements plagues the profaners of it: as will further appeare by these Ex∣amples following.

Sabbath instituted, Gen. 2. 3.

Called holy, Exod. 16. 23. & 31. 14. Nehem. 9. 14. Isa. 58. 13.

The Lords day, Rev. 1. 10.

The first day of the week.

This name is given to rhe seventh day, Exod. 21. 10. & 31. 15. Lev. 23. 3. Deut. 5. 14.

To the tenth day, in the seventh moneth, Lev. 16. 29. 31. & 23. 27, 32. Num. 29. 7.

Page  181To some dayes annexed to the solemne festivals, as to the first, and eighth day, Lev. 23. 39.

To the seventh year, Lev. 26. 4.

To the fiftieth year, Lev. 25. 10.

To the week, Luk. 24. 1. & 18. 12. the word week is in the Greek Sabbath.

It was kept, 1. By ceasing from servile labour, Exod. 20. 8. & 31. 14. Luk. 23. 56. Jer. 17. 22. and from doing evil, Isa. 56. 2.

2. By preparing to keep it holy, Exod. 35. 2. Mark. 1. 35, 39. with delight, Isa. 58. 13, 14.

3. By worshipping God, Ezek. 46. 3. in the Sanctu∣ary, Lev. 26. 2. Numb. 28. 18.

4. By praying, Ezra 6. 10. Isa. 56. 7. Acts 16. 13.

5. By singing Psalmes, 1 Chron. 23. 30. Psal. 92. & 95. 2.

6. By reading the Scriptures, Acts 13. 15. & 15. 21. Deut. 31. 11, &c.

7. By Preaching, Acts 15. 21. & 13. 42, 44. Mark 6. 2. Luk. 4. 16, 31. & 6. 6: & 13. 10. Mal. 2. 7. Neh. 8. 3. 6.

8. By conference, Acts 17. 17. & 18. 4, 19.

9. Administring the Sacraments, John 7. 22.

10. Searching the Scriptures after hearing, Act. 17. 11.

11. By holy meditation, Deut. 5. 12. Exod. 20. 20. & 31. 13, 14.

It's commanded, Lev. 22. 32. Exod. 20. 8, 20. Jer. 17. 24. Deut. 5. 20.

It's not to be polluted, Exod. 20. 21, 24. Profaned, Ezek. 22. 8. & 23. 38. with servile work, Lev. 23. 7, 8. & 21. 35, 36. Numb. 28. 25. & 29. 1. Husbandry, Exod. 34. 21. Neh. 13. 15. Buying, selling, or thinking of it, Amos 8. 6. Carrying burthens, Jer. 17. 11, 12. Neh. 13. 15. Journeys about worldly, or unnecessary businesses, Exod. 16. 29. Doing our own pleasure, Isa. 58. 13.

Page  282January the thirteenth, 1583. being the Sabbath, [ 1] about foure a clock in the afternoone, the Scaftold in the Bear-garden being overloaden with people, sud∣denly fell down, whereby eight persons were slaine outright, and many others sorely hurt, and bruised to the shortening of their lives. Symps. Eccl. Hist.

Not long since in Bedfordshire, a match at football [ 2] being appointed on the Sabbath in the afternoone: whil'st two were in the Belfree tolling of a Bell to call the company together, there was suddenly heard a clap of thunder, and a flash of lightning was seene by some that sat in the Church-Porch, coming through a dark lane, and flashing in their faces, which much terrified them, and passing through the Porch into the Belfree, it tripped up his heeles that was toiling the Bell, and struck him starke dead; and the other that was with him was so sorely blasted therewith, that shortly after, he died also. Dr. Twist on the Sab.

At a place called Tidworth on the Sabbath day many [ 3] being met together to play at Football in the Church∣yard, one had his leg brok•n, which presently Gangre∣nizing he forthwith died thereof. Eodem.

At Alcester in Warwickshire upon the coming forth [ 4] of the Declaration for sports, a lusty young woman went on the Sabbath day to a Greene, not farre off, where she said, she would dance as long as she could stand: but while she was dancing, God struck her with a violent disease, whereof within two or three dayes af∣ter she died.

Also in the same place not long after, a young man [ 5] presently after the evening Sermon was ended, brought a paire of Cudgels into the street, neare to the Mini∣sters house, calling upon divers to play with him; but they all refusing, at the length came one, who took them up, saying, Though I never played in my life, yet I Page  283 will play one bout now: But shortly after, as he was jest∣ing with a young maide, he took up a birding-peece, which was charged, saying, Have at thee, and the peece going off, shot her in the face, whereof she immediate∣ly died for which act he forfeited all his goods, and underwent the trial of the Law.

At Wootton in the same County, a Miller going forth [ 6] on the •abbath-day to a Wake, when he came home at night, found his House, Mill, and all that he had burnt down to the ground.

At Woolston in the same County many loose persons [ 7] kept a Whitson-Ale, and had a Moris-dancing on the Sabbath day, in a Smiths barne, to the great griefe of the godly Minister, who laboured all that he could to restraine it: But it pleased God that shortly after a fire kindled in that Smiths shop, which burnt it down, to∣gether with his house, and barne, and raging furiously, going sometimes with, sometimes against the winde it burnt downe many other houses, most of which were prime actors in that profanation of the Lords day. I my felfe knew these foure last Examples.

Anno 1634. on a Lords day, in the time of a great [ 8] frost, fourteen young men, while they were playing at Football on the Ice, on the River Trent, neare to Gains∣borough, meeting all together in a scussle, the Ice sudden∣ly brake, and they were all drowned.

In the Edge of Essex, near Brinkley, two fellows [ 9] working in a Chalk-pit, the one was boasting to his fellow how he had angred his Mistresse with staying so late at their sports the last Sunday night. But he said, he would anger her worse next Sunday. He had no sooner said this, but suddenly the earth fell down upon him, and flew him outright, with the fall whereof his fellows limb was broken, who had been also partner with him in his jollity on the Lords day.

Page  284In the County of Devon, one Edward Amerideth a [ 10] Gentleman, having been pained in his feet, and being somewhat recovered, one said unto him, he was glad to see him so nimble: Ameredith replied, that he doubted not but to dance about the May-pole the next Lords day: but before he moved out of that place, he was smitten with such a feeblenesse of heart, and dizzinesse in his head, that desiring help to carry him to an house, he died before the Lords day came.

At Walton upon Thames in Surrey, in a great Frost, [ 11] 1634. three young men on the Lords day, after they had been at the Church in the forenoone, where the Minister pressing the words of his text out of 2 Cor. 5. 10. that We must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ, &c. they the while whispering as they sate: In the afternoone they went together over the Thames upon the Ice, unto an house of disorder, and gaming, where they spent the rest of the Lords day, and part of the night also, in revelling, one of them in a Taverne merrily discoursing the next day of his Sabbaths acts, and voyage over the Ice; but on Tuseday next after, these three returning homewards, and attempting to passe againe over the Ice, they all sunk down to the bottome as stones, whereof one only of them was miraculously preserved, but the other two were drowned: These foure last are attested by good hands.

Anno Christi 1598. the towne of Feverton in Devon∣shire [ 12] was often admonished by her godly Pastor, that God would bring some heavy judgement upon the in∣habitants of that place, for their horrible profanation of the Lords day, occasioned chiefly by their market on the Munday: and accordingly not long after the said Ministers death, on the third of April, in the year a∣foresaid, God sent a terrible fire, which in lesse then halfe an houre consumed the whole towne, except the Page  285 Church, the Conrt-house Almes-houses, and a few poor peoples dwellings; and above 50. persons were consumed in the flames: Also Anno Christi 1612. it was again wholly burnt down, except a few poor houses, they being not warned by the former judgement, but continuing in the same sin. Beards Theat.