The Sabbath truly sanctified, or, Godly rules and directions for all sincere Christian professors, for the strict observation of the Lords Day before, at, and after the publike exercises of the church. With an order from the House of Commons, for the due observing the Sabbath-Day. As also, a cataloge of the fearfull judgements that have happenned to wilfull infringers, and profane and irreligious Sabbath-breakers. By A.B. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.

THE SABBATH DULY SANCTIFIED.

ALMIGHTY GOD (Creator of all Mankind) will have himself Worshipped, not only in a private manner, by private per∣sons, and families: but also in a more pub∣lick sort of all the Godly joyned together in a Visible Church, that by this means he may be known not only to be God, and Lord of every singular person: but also of the Crea∣tures of the whole universall World, and to that purpose, hath appointed one particular day for his own pro∣per service, which he hath called the Sabbath, or Lords Day, and with a speciall Memento, hath commanded the same to be sanctifi∣ed, and kept holy, which consists in two things.

First, in resting from all servile and common businesse pertaining to our naturall life.

Secondly, in consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of these holy meanes which belong to our spirituall life.

For the First.

1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease, are* 1.1 generally all civill works, from the least to the greatest: more parti∣cularly,

First, from all the works of our calling, though it were reaping in* 1.2 the time of Harvest.

Secondly from carrying burthens, as Carryers doe: or riding a∣broad* 1.3

for profit, or for pleasure: God hath commanded, That the* 1.4 Beasts should rest on the Sabbath day, because all occasion of travel∣ling or labouring with them should be cut off from man. God gives* 1.5 them that day a rest and he that without necessitie, deprives them of their rest on the Lords Day; the groans of the poor tyred beasts shall in the day of the Lord, rise up in judgement against him; Like∣wise* 1.6 such as spend the greatest part of the day in trimming, and pain∣ting, and pampering of themselves, like Iezebells, doing the Devills worke upon Gods day.

Thirdly, from keeping of Faires or Markets, which for the most* 1.7 part, God punisheth with pestilence, fire, and strange flood••.

Fourthly, from studying any Books of Science, but the holy Scrip∣tures, and Divinity; for our study must be, to be ravished in spirit* 1.8 upon the Lords day, In a word thou must on that day cease in thy calling to doe thy work: that the Lord by his calling, may doe his worke in thee; for whatsoever is gotten by common working on this day, shall never be blessed of the Lord; but it will prove like A∣chans gold, which being got contrary to the Lords Commandment, brought the fire of Gods curse upon all the rest which hee had law∣fully gotten. And if Christ scourge them out, as Theeves, who bought and sould in his Temple (which was but a Ceremony short∣ly to be abrogated) is it to be thought, that hee will never suffer those to escape unpunished, who (contrary to his Commandement) buy and sell on the Sabbath day, which is his perpetuall Law? Christ calleth such sacrilegious Theeves, and as well may they steale the Communion Cup from the Lords Table, as steale from God the chiefest part of the Lords Day to consume it in their own lusts; such shall one day finde the judgement of God, heavier then the opini∣ons of men.

Fiftly, from all Recreations and sports, which at other times are lawfull: for if lawfull works be forbidden on this day, much more lawfull sports, which doe more steale away our affections from the* 1.9 contemplation of heavenly things, then any bodily worke or la∣bour. Neither can there be unto a man (that delighteth in the Lord) any greater delight or recreation, than the sanctifying of the Lords* 1.10 day. For can there be any greater joy for a person condemned, then to come to his Princes house, to have his pardon sealed? for one that is deadly sick, to come to a Physition, that can cure him? or for a Prodigall child that fed on the husks of swine, to be admitted to

eate the bread of life at his fathers table? Or for him, who fears for sinne the tydings of death, to come to heare from God the assurance of eternall life? if thou wil•• allow thy selfe or thy servant Recreation, allow it in the six dayes that are thine, not on the Lords day, which is neither thine, nor others; No bodily Recreation is therefore to be used on this day; But so farre as it may helpe the soul, to doe more cheerfully the service of God.

Sixtly, from grosse feeding, liberall drinking of wine, or strong drinke,* 1.11 which may make us either drowsie, or unapt to serve God with our hearts and mindes.

Seventhly, from all talking about worldly things, which hindereth the sanctifying of the Sabbath, more than working, seeing one may work a∣lone, but cannot talke but with others.

He that keeps the Sabbath only by resting from his ordinary worke, keeps it but as a beast; But rest on this day, is so farre commanded to Christians, as it is a help to sanctification; and labour so farre forbidden, as it is an impe∣diment to the outward and inward worship of Almighty God.

If then these Recreations, which are lawfull at other times, are on the sab∣bath not allowed, much more those that are altogether at all times unlawful; who without mourning can indure to see Christians keep the Lords day, as if they celebrated a Feast rather to Bacchus, then to the honor of the Lord Jesus, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world? For having served God but* 1.12 an houre, with outward shew, they spend the rest of the Lords day in sitting downe to eate and drinke, and rising up to play, first balasting their bellies with eating and drinking; and then feeding their lusts with playing, and dan∣cing:* 1.13 Against which Profanation, all holy Divines, both old and new, have in their times most bitterly inveighed, insomuch that Augustine affirmeth, that it was better to plough, then to dance upon the Sabbath day.

For the Second.

2. The Consideration of the Sabbaths rest, consists in performing three sorts of duties; First, Before. Secondly, At. Thirdly, After the publike ex∣ercises of the Church.

The duties to be performed before the publike exercises of the Church, are;

1. To give over working be times on the Eve, that thy body may be the* 1.14 more refreshed, and thy minde the better fitted to sanctifie the Sabbath on the next day; for want of this preparation, thy self and thy servants, being tyred with Labour and watching the night before, are so heavy, that when you should be serving God, and hearing what his Spirit saith unto the Church for your souls instruction: you cannot hold up your heads for sleep∣ing: to the dishonour of God, the offence of the Church, and the shame of your selves, therefore the Lord commands us not only to keep holy, but also to remember aforehand the Sabbath day; to keep it holy by preparing our hearts, and removing all businesse that might hinder us to consecrate it,* 1.15 as a glorious day unto the Lord; who in the other Commandments, doth but ei∣ther bid, or forbid; but doth both in this Commandement, and that with a spe∣ciall Memorandum, As if a Master should charge his servant to look well un∣to ten things of great Trust, but to have a more speciall care, to remember one of those tenn, for divers weighty reasons: should not a faithfull servant that lov••s his Master, shew a more speciall care unto that thing above all o∣ther businesses.

Thus Moses taught the people overnight to remember the Sabbath, and it* 1.16 was a holy custom among our forefathers, when at the ringing to prayer on the Eve before, the husbandman would give over his labour in the field, and the tradesman his worke in the shop, and goe to evening prayer in the Church, to prepare their soules, that their mindes might more cheerfully attend Gods worship on the Sabbath day.

2. To possesse that night thy vessell in holinesse, and honor: that thou maist* 1.17 present thy soul more purely in the sight of God the next morning.

3. To rise up early in the morning, on the Sabbath-day: Be carefull therefore to rise sooner on this day, than on other days; by how much the service of God is to be preferred before all earthly businesses; For there is no master to serve so good as God, and in the end, no works shall be better rewarded then his service.

4. When thou art up, consider with thy self, what an impure sinner thou art, and into what an holy place thou goest to appeare before the most holy God, who seeth thy heart, and hatethall impurity and hypocrisy. Examine thy self therefore before thou goest to Church, what grievous sins thou hast committed the week past, confess them unto God, and earnestly pray for the pardon, and forgivenesse of them, and so reconcile thy self with God in Christ, Renew thy Vows, to walk more conscionably, and pray for an in∣crease of those graces which thou hast, and a supply of those which thou wantest; But especially pray that thou maist have grace to hear the Word of God read, and Preached with profit, and that thou maist recive the holy Sacrament with comfort (if it be Communion day) that God by his holy Spi∣rit, would assist the Preacher, to speak somthing that may kill thy sinne, and and comfort thy soul, which that thou maist doe, poure forth thy prayers to Almighty God, who upon thine unfained repentance, will enable thee, and hear thy earnest and most humble request.

Now in the Name of Almighty God (who rested having created heaven, and earth) and of his eteanall Son Jesus, the Redeemer of his Church, who shall shottly come on the dreadfull day of doom, to judge all men according* 1.18 to the obedience, which they have shewed to his Commandments: I exhor••, nay I require thee, who readest these words, as thou wilt answer before the face of Christ and his holy Angels, at that day, that thou better weigh, and consider, whether Dancing, Stage-playing, Masking, Carding, Diceing, Ta∣bling, Ches-playing, Bowling, Shooting, Beare-baiting, Carousing, Tipling, and such other fooleries of Robin-hood Morrice-dances, Wakes, and May∣games be exercises that God will blesse and allow on the Sabbath day. And seeing no Action ought to be done that day, but such as whereby wee either blesse God, or look to receive a blessing from God, how darest thou do these things on that blessed day, on which thou darest not to pray to God, to be∣stow a blessing on it to thy use? Hear this, and tremble at this, O profane youth of a profane age! O heart all frozen, and voide of the feeling of the grace of God; And having every day in six, every hour in every day, every minute in every hour, so tasted the sweet mercy of thy God in Christ, without which thou hadst perished every moment, yet canst not finde in thy corrupt and irreligious heart, to spend in thy Masters service that one day of the week, which he hath reserved for his owne praise and worship. Let men in defence of their profaness, object what they will, and answer what the De∣vill

puts in their mouthes: yet I would wish them to remember, that seeing it is an antient tradition in the Church, that the Lords second comming shall be upon the Lords day, how little joy they should have, to bee overtaken in* 1.19 those carnal sports, to please themselves; when their Master should find them in spirituall exercises serving him. The profanest wretch, would then wish rather to be taken kneeling at prayers in the Church, then skipping like a Goat in a dance. If this cannot move, yet I would wish our impure Gallants to remember, that while they thus dance on the Lords day (contrary to the Lords Commandement) they doe but dance about the Pits brink, and they know not which of them shall first fall therein; whereinto being once fallen, without repentance, no greatnesse can exempt them from the vengeance of that great God, whose Commandment (contrary to their knowledge and conscience) they doe thus presumptuously transgresse. If then Gods Com∣mandments cannot prevaile with thee, nor Gods Word advise thee; Then let these ensuing Examples of Gods Judgments on Sabbath-breakers, deterre thee from the wilfull profanation of the Lords day.

The Lord who is otherwise the God of mercy) commanded Moses to stone to death the man, who (of a presumptuous mind) would openly goe to ga∣ther* 1.20 sticks on the Sabbath-day; The fact was small: true, but the sin was the greater, that (upon so small an occasion) would presume to breake so great, a Commandement.

Nicanor offering to fight against the Jewes on the Sabbath day, was slaine himself, and 35000. of his men.

A husbandman grinding corne upon the Lords day, had his Mill burned to ashes.

Another carrying corn on this day, had his barne, and all his corn therein burnt with fire from heaven, the next night after.

A certain Nobleman, profaning the Sabbath usually in hunting, had a child like a Dog, and with ears and chaps, and crying like a hound.

A flax-wife, working with her maids on the Lords day, it seemed unto them that fire issued out of the flax, but did no harm, the nex Sabbath it fired indeed, doing little harm; but not taking warning by this, the 3. Sunday, it a∣gain took fire, burnt the house, scorched the woman, and two children, where∣of they died the next day: but, by the mercy of God, a childe in the cradle was taken out of the fire alive, and unhurt

At a Beare-baiting in France, on the Sabbath, 300. were slaine outright, be∣sides divers lamed, and grievously wounded.

A Miller dwelling in a Town called Hoult, neer Westchester, grinding corn on the Lords day, An. 1588. was found dead in his Mill by his wife, on the Munday following, his ears, nose, and lipps eaten off with Ratts.

On the 13. Ian. 1582, being the Lords day, the scaffolds fell in Paris Gar∣den, under the people at a Beare-baiting, so that eight were suddenly slain,* 1.21 and a great number hurt and maimed. A warning to such, who take more pleasure, on the Lords day, to bee on a Theater, beholding carnall sports, then to be in the Church, serving God with the spirituall workes of Piety.

At a Bull-baiting in the Popes dominions, 1603. the Bull breaking from the Ring, killing a woman, and so 〈…〉〈…〉righted another woman, being great with child, that she immediately fell in labour, and dyed with her child also.

Many fearfull examples of Gods Judgements by fire have in our dayes been shewed upon divers Towns, where the prophanation of the Lords day hath been openly countenanced.

Stratford upon Aven, was twice on the same day twelve-mon••th (being the Lords Day) almost consumed with fire, chiefly for profaning the Lords Sabbath, and for contemning his Word in the mouth of his faithfull Prea∣chers and Ministers.

Torverton in Devonshire (whose Remembrance makes my heart bleed) was oftentimes admonished by her Godly Preacher, That God would bring some heavy judgement on the Towne, for their horrible profanation of the Lords day, occasioned chiefly by the Market on the day following. Not long after his death, on the 3. of Aprill. 1598. GOD (in lesse then half an hour) consumed with a sudden and fearfull fire, the whole Towne, except only the Church, the Court-house, and the Almes-house, or a few poor peoples dwel∣lings, where a man might have seen 400. dwelling-houses all at once on fire, and about 50. persons consumed with the same, and lately on the fift of Au∣gust, 1612. the whole town was again fired, and consumed except some thir∣ty houses of poor people with the School-house, and Almes-houses: they are blinded, who see not in this the finger of God, God grant them grace to change their market-day, and to remove all occasion of profancing the Lords Day, Let other Townes remember the Tower of Siloe, Luk. 13. 4. and take warning* 1.22 by their neighbors chastisements, and fear Gods threatnings, Ier. 17. 27. and beleeve Gods Prophets, if they will prosper, 1 Chron. 20. 20.

Many other examples of Gods Judgements, (as the fire lately at Oxford) might be alledged, but if these are not sufficient to terifie thy heart from the wilfull profanation of the Lords day, It may be (if thou proceed in ••hy pro∣fanation) the Lord will make thee the next example, to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better. Wherefore againe, and againe, in the name of the Lord I exhort thee; Nay I conjure thee, as thou tenderest the salvation of thy own poor soul, that thou remember to sanctifie the sabbath, and to keep holy the Lords Day, if not for the love of him, who loved thee so well, that he gave his only begotten Sonne, to suffer for thy sin, yet for feare of temporall punishment here, and eternall torment hereafter in the world to come.

Oderunt peccaere boni, vertutis honore, Oderunt peccaere mali, formidine penae.

For love of Vertue, good men from sinne abstaine, For feare of punishment, the wicked doe refraine.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 31. 29. 30.
• * 1.2

  Exo. 31. 12, 13.
• * 1.3

  Exo. 34. 15, &c.
• * 1.4

  Exo. 34. 2••
• * 1.5

  Joh. 17. 2•• 22. 27. Deut. ••4.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 8. 22 Deut. 2. 4 1. Cor. 9
• * 1.7

  Neh. 13. 5. 16. 9.
• * 1.8

  Apo. 1. 19.
• * 1.9

  Isa. 58. 13. 14.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 37. 4
• * 1.11

  Eph. 5. 18 19. Ro. 12. 11 Deut. 28. 47. Isai. 58. 13
• * 1.12

  1 Cor. 10. 7.
• * 1.13

  Exod. 31. ••8. 19. Aug. in tic Psal. 91.
• * 1.14

  Adoc. 2. 3.
• * 1.15

  Isa. 56. & 51. 13, &c.
• * 1.16

  Exo. 16. 23, &c.
• * 1.17

  Exo. 9. 15 1 Cor. 7. 5 Gen. 35. 2 •• Sam. 31. 5. Exo. 19. 16. Psa. 9. 22. Ec. 4. 17.
• * 1.18

  Act. 12. 31 Ro. 2. 12. 1 Thes. 2. 8.
• * 1.19

  Lactan .l. 7. cap. 1.
• * 1.20

  Num. 53. 2.
• * 1.21

  Stowes a bridg. An. 1582
• * 1.22

  Luk. 13. 4