A help to holy walking, or, A guide to glory containing directions how to worship God, and to walk with him in the whole course of our lives / by Edward Bury.

7. Direct. 'Tis not enough to Sanctifie the Sabbath thy self, but God requires, thee to im∣prove thy Authority, that those under thy Charge may Sanctifie it also: And if by thy negligence, or remissness thou sufferest sin to be Committed on it, and wilt not hinder it, it will be laid at thy door, and charged upon thine Account, qui non prohibet cum potest, Ju∣bet. Now, this chiefly concerns Superiors, for to them is the Command chiefly directed, Exod. 20.10. They are to Command, and others are to Obey. All Governors therefore, whether Civil, Military, or Ecclesiastical, are hereby obliged to improve their Interest and Authority, to hinder the Prophanation of the

Lod's day, and to promote the Sanctification of it. It was good Joshua's Resolution, He and his would Serve the Lord, Josh. 24.15. And God himself, who could not be mistaken, faith of Abraham, He knew that he would Com∣mand his Children, and Houshold after him, to keep his Commandments, Gen. 18.19. The Magistrate is Custos utrius & Fabulae, and there∣fore should look to it, that the Commands of God be not broken, or Contemned. They should be Nursing Fathers to the Church, and therefore should see that their Children take good ways, and run not into dangers, Isa. 49.23. They are Vice-Gerents upon Earth, and should Act like God, and see his Commands observed; they should encourage the good, and punish the disobedient; they should Re∣prove, Threaten, Restrain, and Punish the Disobedient, for the Prophaning of the Sab∣bath; and encourage the good, that it may appear they bear not the Sword in vain. This was Nehemiah's Practice in the same Case, Nehem. 13.15, &c. The Fourth Command∣ment saith as much, which is Directed to Su∣periors, who have most Power to Reform this amiss. An Example of a Magistrates Power we have in Josiah, who Commanded all his Subjects to stand to the Covenant, he had made with the Lord, and made them to Serve the Lord their God; though doubtless, many of them had rather have Served Baal, 2 Chron. 34.32,33. That is, he forc'd them to an outward compliance. We find in many

places, Death is threatned to the Prophanation of this day. Now, if the Magistrate had not Power to punish, as some imagine, who should inflict his Death? Can it be imagined, that God immediately from Heaven struck them dead for every such Transgression? We find indeed, the Law Executed, Numb. 15.36. by the Command of God, upon the man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath, but it was done by the hand of man; though men cannot be compelled to become true Christi∣ans, yet they may, and ought to be forc'd to an outward Compliance, and restrained from the open violation of the known Laws of God, though they will not Sanctifie it in their Heart, they should be restrained from Prophaning it with their Hands, or Tongues. False Pro∣phets should not be suffered to deceive the People, and those that Teach Errors and He∣resies, should be restrained. But alas! here is our Misery, we have few Nehemiahs in our Time, to redress these abuses: Many not only do it themselves, but take Pleasure in those that do; and the Sabbath is Prophaned, and few lay it to Heart. Ministers also in their place should see to the Observation of it, though they cannot compel, yet they may per∣swade, and denounce the Judgments of God against the wilful breakers of his Law: The Word and Sword should go together; and if they prove obstinate Sinners, they should be cast out, as those that are not fit for a Christian Society; Excommunication hath proceeded,

I suppose, against Persons for less faults in God's Account. Governors of Families also, whether Parents, or Masters, should look to those under their Charge; for neither Son nor Daughter, Man-Servant, nor Maid-Servant, should break this Law; and though they have not the Power of Life and Death, as the Ma∣gistrate hath, yet he hath Power to Command, Rebuke, Restrain; and, if need be, to Cor∣rect: And why hath God given this Power in∣to their Hands, but to this End? Abraham, Joshua, David, and others, did thus Reform their Families, Gen. 18.19. Josh. 24.15. Psal. 101. throughout. Eph. 6.4. Esther 4.6. Ser∣vants that are of another Religion; as suppose a Jew, or a Mahometan, yet ought to be re∣strained from the open Prophanation of it. But alass! many Parents, and Masters will Pro∣phane it themselves, and it cannot be imagi∣ned that they will see to their Children, or Servants; yea, often both by Precept, and President, they Command the violation; and many that will not openly Prophane it them∣selves, yet wink at others when they do it; but cannot God, thinkest thou, discern the thoughts of thy Heart, and see thy approbation of it? Some plead, as Lot of Zoar, 'tis a little one, 'tis a small matter, the more shame to break a Command of God for a small matter; if the Devil mend thy Wages, thou wilt mend thy Work, and a greater Temptation will make thee break them all, but thou wilt find none so small; some plead a necessity for doing this

or that, but was it not thy neglect that made it necessary? Some plead Youth must have some Recreation, so they must have Food and Raiment, shall they therefore steal for it? Why may they not have it out of thy six days, as well as out of God's one? Give them of thy own, and not of anothers time for it.