Dies Dominicus redivivus; or, The Lords Day enlivened or a treatise, as to discover the practical part of the evangelical Sabbath: so to recover the spiritual part of that pious practice to its primitive life: lamentably lost, in these last declining times. By Philip Goodvvin M.A. preacher of the Gospel, and pastour of the publike congregation at Watford in Hartford shire.

Now that the Lords day may be thus spiritually spent, there be duties of three sorts to be observed,

• Anteceden t
• Concomitant,
• Consequent.

Antecedent duties.] Before the Sabbath comes Christians that would well keep the day, are required to be,

Both valiant in resisting temptations against it, And diligent in making p••eparations for it.

Temptations that may turn soul•• aside from this observing the Sabbath, may proceed

• From some more remote, or
• From some more immediate.

There be some remote that may sug∣gest what may draw off from the Lords day, and its spiritual duties. There be evil spirits now abroad whose bent is, to beat down the day of God, and to beat off from the soul-benefitting duties thereof.

• As the spirit of Atheisme,
• And the spirit of Sectarisme;
• The spirit of prophanenesse, and
• The spirit of separation.

The former fight against the Sabbath day, and its due observers in open field, by professed battels.

The latter labour to cut off the Lords day, and all its lovers, by secret and subtill Stratagems. Men that se∣parate from our settled Congregations, and run wilde in their opinions. Grant some of them meet on Sabbath-dayes

in their religious duties: yet them∣selves say, they do it not out of obedi∣ence to any divine Command, or upon the acknowledgement of any Gospel-Canon, binding the conscience more to this then to other dayes. As for many, they pretend to have things so immediate from God, that they are utterly against the use of any holy means or times. As Ehud told Eglon he had a message from God, and in the mean while thrust him through the belly with a Dagger, Judg. 3. Some they say, they have a message from God, and that they alone have the mind of Christ, & in the mean time they strike through Gods holy day, and stab into the very heart of Christian Religion. Dear Christians, do not hearken to any of these, but stoutly withstand them, as being strongly resolved for the Lords day, and the lively duties thereof.

2. Some immediate that may seek to hinder the holy observation of the Sabbath. As sinful relations,] Deut. 13.6, 7. If thy brother, the son of thy Mo∣ther, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosome, &c. shall intice thee secretly, saying, Let us seek another

God [let us set our selves Sabbath-free] thou shalt not consent to him nor hearken to him, thou shalt not conceal him, &c. Yea, perhaps ancient inti∣mate acquaintance, such of whom thou mayest say, as David, Psal. 55.14. We took sweet counsel together, and walk∣ed unto the house of God in company, spent many a sweet Sabbath together, travelled together many a mile to hear the good Word of God, went home with hearts warmed full of comfortable con∣ference by the way, &c. Now course and counsel is quite contrary, all to carry off from Ordinances, and to dis∣courage care about the Lods day and duties. All such must be stifly with∣stood, and you strongly resolved, not to lose the Lords-day priviledge. When Ahab sought to perswade Na∣boths vineyard from him, 1 King. 21. Naboth answers Ahab, saying, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give away the inheritance of my fathers unto thee: Thus if you meet any man that would be∣reave you of your Sabbath-right: say, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give away the sacred time of God my Father. If Divel or World, profit or

pleasure seek to pull aside: say, The Lord forbid that I should so give away the day of my dear Redeemer, &c. Thus must you with courage crush temptations.