difficulltie But the redemption of souls was difficult and painfull To effect the former God did but speak the word VVhereas to fulfill the latter the Lord Christ did shed his dearest blood 3. Most profitable unto us men is this mighty work of Christ Indeed to have earth to tread on air to breath in meat to feed of light to walk by are benefits but the subduing the strength of the Divell the removing the sting of sin with all the astonishing and sad sequels thereof The reconciliatian of Gods anger and The reparation of mans nature These and the like are benefits more abundantly benenficiall 'T is a mor admirable and andvantagious work for Christ to pull brands out of the fire then for God to bring a world out of the water After such works then may not Christ well require a day of religious rest A Sabbath to be sanctified for his service one day in seven Secondly The same honour is due to the Son that was done to God the Father John 5.23 All men should honour the Son of God even as they honour the Father In the times of the Old Testament all men did honour the Father with a day of holy worship and was a special part of his honour therefore all men must honour Christ the Son in the times of the New Testament with a set day for his solemne service To Christ for his Honour is ascribed The service of the day and therefore The day for the service is his due We find Christ honoured by attributing to him the Word Coloss 3.16 The Sacraments of Baptisme Act. 8.16 of the Supper 1. Cor. 11.24 So prayer John 16.23 Yea the whole Gospel-Ministery 1. Cor. 4.1 Sure then he ought for his honours-sake to have a Sabbath-day for the exercise of all these And are there not as great endeavours in these last dayes to lay the honour of Christ in the dust as ever before was to trample down the glory of God the Father Yea and far greater For Christ and the things of Christ As they are much above nature created So they are most against nature corrupted Yea and the corruption of nature was never so active and opposite against the dignities of Christ as in these last daies 1 John 2.18 Little Children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrists shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that t' is the last time or the last hour as in the Greek And the divell knowing his time is short as he is the more malicious Quanto potestas Diaboli decrescit in tempore tanto crescit in malignitate so he is the more expeditious and industrious to dash down all the dignities of Christ and to hinder him the honour of his day which for his honour is his due Thirdly that the first day in the week is the day due to Christ THE LORDS DAY And this is fitly called the Lords day for a double cause Because of what was done by the Lord on this day and Because of what upon this day was done unto the Lord First Such things the Lord did upon this day as might well denominate it The Lords Day as 1. His resurrection from the dead upon this day Luk. 24.1 2. John 20.1 Very early in the morning did this Sun rise upon the first day in the week And well might he settle this day most observable for by his this day rising he made himself Most honourable Most profitable Most comfortable First Hereby honourable manifesting his marvellous Power when after three daies dead the Sepulchre sealed the stone rolled a strong watch placed yet he broke through all bars beat down all opposition as a Triumphing Conquerour over death and devills Lazarus John 11. When he rose came up with his grave-clothes bound but Christ cast off his grave-clothes leaving them in the Sepulchre Joh. 20. signifying he had victory over death wereas Lazarus was subject to die again Plus erat de sepulchro surgere quam de cruce descendere plus mortem resurgendo destruere quam vitam descendendo servare Greg◠The Jewes cryed Let him come down from the Crosse and we will believe T' was more sayes one for Christ to ascend from his sepulchre then to descend from the Crosse more to vanquish death by rising then to save his life by escaping O the honour of this 2. Hereby profitable The death of Christ was at the sowing of the Corn Joh. 12.24 The raising of Christ is as the springing up of the Corn. The benefits of Christs death are reaped in his resurrection the death of Christ was as the casting of Joseph into the pit selling him into Egypt and putting him into Prison the raising of Christ is like the preferring of Joseph by which he comes into a capacity to enrich all his Relations 3. Hereby comfortable O the joy of a raised Christ The Christians in the Primitive Church were wont when they saw one another to have this joyful salute The Lord is risen and the others ordinary answer was True 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plus gaudere propter resurrectionem gloriosam quam dolere propter passionem ignominiosam Bern. The Lord is risen indeed We should not so much mourn saith a good Author at Christs ignominious Passion as we should rejoyce at his glorious resurrection The day therefore of Christs rising may well set up this Christian Sabbath 2. Christs appearing to his Disciples was upon this day he shewed himself five times upon the very day he rose first to Mary Magdalen in the morning Mark 16.9 Secondly to the women Matth. 28.9 10. Thirdly to the two Disciples Luk. 24.18 Fourthly to Peter Luk. 24.33 Fifthly to the Eleven Mark 16.14 Excepting Thomas Joh. 20.24 When the Disciples were assembled Christ came in and he stood in the midst among them as the tree of life in the midst of Paradise and unto them we may observe He spake peace and He gave power He said unto them Peace be unto you Peace From outward foes and From inward fears And when fears were out joyes were in Joh. 20.20 Then the Disciples rejoyced when they saw the Lord never did their spirits so spring within them Never before did such a day of comfort dawn And upon this day he gave them a threefold power To Preach the Gospel To administer the Sacraments and To exercise Church-Discipline As is evident Matth. 28.16 17 18 19 20. Mark 16.15 16 17. Joh. 20.21 22 23 c. Hereby He did both sanctifie the day for such Ordinances And he did signifie such Ordinances were for the day And again the very next first day of the week after he arose from the dead he appeared to his Disciples Thomas being with them Then he did for his sake more familiarly and fully unfold himself then before This made one say He was more beholding to Thomas doubting then to Peter believing for upon the occasion of that Disciples doubts our dear
fire I will be with thee Water and fire both may referre to afflictions be they various and violent God will be with Yea in the waters of suffering and in the fire of service God is with us Or though we cannot say God is with us when we are in the water to wit when we be cold or lukewarme in his work Yet we may be sure God is with us when we are in the fire to wit fervent and zealous in the works of his worship Is God with us in the fire of heavy afflictions And is not God with us in the fire of holy devotions And let the Lord thus abroad in the Land be with his service and servants and with his servants in service O what great and good things will follow As the cleansing out of pollutions And the closing up of divisions Pollutions cleansed Were the holy Spirit thus up in the Nation the unclean spirit would be soon forced to passe out of the Land Zach. 13.2 This would not onely keep informing Ordinances that are but reforming Ordinances that are not would be also brought in In our English-house we might hope to have the Besome as well as the Candle Luk. 15.8 As the Candle of good Doctrine So the Besome of good Discipline The Besome of Discipline to sweepe out dust As well as the Candle of Doctrine to drive out darknesse 'T is lamentable to see how the Leprosie hath taken our house Levit. 14. And O what an infection hath broke out even in the new building Infliction of due censures would be a good means to remove the plague-stones out of the wall and so to heal the house and help its standing Could we but encrease our Sabbath-zeal sure Church-Keyes would not lie so rusty yea the civil sword would have a sharper edge When God came down upon Sinai in thunder and lightning fire and much smoak God commanded Moses to set bounds about the Mount that the people might not presumptuously break in Thus were there for the Sabbath that fire of zeal that is fits the Civil Power would set bounds that persons might not so profanely break out Those intolerable tolerations we now see would soon cease Those Anti-Congregations that are now Assembly against Assembly in the same place at the same time It is the cause of many sad evils Hence is it that if there be any that will not afford their presence at the publick preaching of the Word or if there be any that cannot abide the power of the Word publickly preached there be those by that will invite them from us and abet them against us Hence is it that the common sort account Sabbath dayes and duties but as indifferent things matters they may use or omit if they please Hence is it that the vilest of men have learned to vilifie and blaspheme the wayes which God hath blessed to speak evil of the Instruments and Ordinances God hath sanctified and by which God is glorified and which of God shall one day be justified c. Did but the spirit of the Lords day rule in the Land those that are opposite we should either reduce or restrain Those grosse abuses and great prophanenesse that is grown amongst us would be either redressed or suppressed Divisions closed If Christians on the Sabbath were higher raised by a spirit of fervency they would at other times be better ruled by a spirit of unity Were there in men more of the spirit of life upon the Lords day there would be more among men of the spirit of love all the week long Men are not spiritual but carnal which is the cause divisions are common There is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 4. To heal the Land of divisions will be Both the beauty and The safetie of it Beauty Rents and divisions are to a Land as fits of convulsions to a child which draws the mouth awry and pulls parts out of their place and causes all to be uncomely cure the Convulsions and the beauty of the Babe returns Safety Rents and divisions are to a Nation as cracks and clifts in a building which yet Art may stop and the house may be strong and the dwellings therein may be safe and sweet Now that which will most powerfully repair our breaches is the Spirit of the Lord which is a Spirit of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 As it is a spirit of love it unites affections and As it is the spirit of a sound mind it unites opinions And so brings all into one Nothing can so cause union of spirits as the spirit of union Were we more carried out by a spirit of power we should be more carried on with a spirit of peace This spirit would be in us out of Sabbath-service were we in the spirit upon the service of the Sabbath yea O the abundant benefits that would abide our Nation upon this spiritual being and being in the Spirit Then would the works of the Divel be dissolved the darknesse of ignorance dispelled Errors outed blasphemies banished the Gospel cherished truth established iniquity would be lesse the love of many would wax warme formalities would fall and the power of Godlinesse rise Ministers would be vigorous and Magistrates valorous and Christians in Gods cause Couragious Inferiours well governed and Families well ordered so that Old England would become New and we should find New England in Old O happy day O let me beseech all that my weak words may reach for our souls sakes for the Sabbaths sake for the Lords sake and the Lands sake let us be spiritual spiritual in Sabbath-service O let us be like St. John in the text upon the Lords day in the Spirit I was in the Spirit on the Lods day 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 pâ—eparations for it Temptations that may turn soulâ— aside from this observing the Sabbath may proceed From some more remote or From some more immediate There be some remote that may suggest 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 separate from our settled Congregations and run wilde in their opinions
The former and The latter Some men they take the one but then leave the other and will not let the Lord have his time entire They say of the Lords day as she in the Kings of the living child Divide it Divide it Yea they make the time of the Sabbath like the Vaile of the Temple at Christs death to be rent in twain viz. between the Lord and the World or which is worse between the Lord and their lusts whereas not a bone of Christs body was to be broke so not an hour in his day As not a member of that so not a minute of this As our Saviour said concerning the loaves and the fishes Gather up the fragments let nothing be lost so he seems to say concerning his holy Sabbath Gather up the parcells thereof let not minutes be lost which are precious like the least parings of gold It hath been perillous to clip a Kings Coyn t is more dangerous to clip the Lords day O the dreadful death and doome of Ananias who kept back part of the price and brought onely a certain part and laid at the Apostles feet whereas before 't was all in his own power Act. 5.3 4. But this holy time was never ours nor ever was any part thereof in our power therefore to keep back any hour of this holy day is worthy of death If no part be the Lords why do you give him any if the whole be the Lords why do you put him off with part 2. The places wherein religious exercises are to lye upon the Lords day being Both publike And private Some rest in the publike and neglect the private And others are all for the private and contemn the publike First There are some all whose religion upon the Lords day lyes at Church no praying reading of Scriptures repeating of Sermons instructing their charge or any such duty done in their houses all the day long 'T is said Exod. 12. that there was a great cry at midnight in all the dwellings of Egypt for there was not a house where there was not one dead but not so much as upon the Lords day from the dwellings of divers does any holy cry go up to heaven 'T is doubtfull in divers houses there are not any alive by grace to bewaile them that lye there dead in sin while yet 't is easie to hear and evident to see what rudenesse they suffer in their children and servants on the Sabbath day Hast thou kept the commandement of the Lord said Samuel to Saul in destroying all Amelek What then means the bleating of the Sheep and lowing of the Oxen which I hear to day So may we say to many a man hast thou kept the commandement of the Lord in observing his Sabbath What meanâ— then the laughing and sporting and foolish talking of children and servants which is then heard in their houses Such parents and ungoverning governours sure the Lord will one day charge with the breach of his blessed Sabbath See what God sayes to Eli 1 Sam. 2.29 Wherefore kickest thou at my sacrifice and honourest thy sons above me c did Eli kick at the sacrifice of God no but his sons did and he restreined them not and therefore Gad accounts it upon him Will not God thus say to some Fathers and Masters Wherefore prophane ye my Sabbath and why have ye polluted my holy day for they so do in their children and servants whom herein they do not restrain They are careful to provide for family necessities but carelesse to perform family-duties though it be the Lords day when they should look to all within their gates Exod. 20.10 2. There are others what they do in Gods service on the Sabdath 't is private for in the publike Assemblies they are seldome or never seen For the Israelites to sit still in their houses when a thick darknesse was abroad in all parts of the land was excusable I pray God there be not a near approach of such a time upon England when through worse then an Egyptian darknesse people be constreined to stay at home in their houses But to lye at home on the Lords day while through the open light of the Gospel the land is like Goshen is an inexcusable evil And sure Chrysost in Act. 3. Hom. 9. Hom. 2. in 1 Cor. 1. 't is no good presage when people despise publike Ordinances even on the Lords day does not to such the Lord say 1 Sam. 2.29 Wherefore do ye kick at my sacrifice and at mine offering which I have commanded in my habitation Read but those Gospel-Prophesies and Promises Isay 2.2 3. Isay 56.7 Mich. 4.1 which import the gatherings of Gods people for his publike worship There are those who withdraw themselves from such duties and while they think to prejudice others they do themselves the greatest wrong 'T is clear they do not onely fall from holy ordinances but they fall into ugly errours and filthy evills many of them come to act Chrysosto Serm. cont Anomeos Chrysostome concludes that there is nothing more causes stablenesse in the truth and keeps up holinesse of life and corrects opposite vanities and vices then a constant frequenting of the publick assemblies and a careful and chearfull there hearing the holy Word of God And hence Augustin so earnestly exhorts and perswades in some of his Sermons Aug. de tempore Ser. 251. not to separate but to congregate upon the Lords Day and to the Gospel publickly preached to apply themselves Just Mart Apol. 2. Justin Martyr reports of the Christians in the primitive times how they would call one another out of their houses to meet together in the most solemne manner they might upon the Lords Day And if we come out of the Ocean of the Ancients and go into the streames of our late * Calv. in Deut. 5. c. Pet. Mart. in 1. Sam. 1.3 Bucer in Math. 12.11 Zanch. in 4. Precep Bullinger Gualterus in Act. Writers as they all urge the observance of the Lords Day so they presse the practice of publike duties in open assemblies as most necessary unto the right and religious observation thereof Give me leave I hope I dote not on any holinesse of places but prize the publike gatherings of Gods people especially upon the Lords Day to tell you that such servants the Lord hath had in preceding times that would pitch upon places of publike worship not onely therein to serve the Lord but to suffer for the Lord therein thither they would run to die where they use to pray and rather then they would be driven from them they would be destroyed in them thinking it good going together from thence to heaven Eusebius reports that under the cruell persecution of Dioclesian many thousand Christians were burned in the Temple of Nicomedia being assembled to celebrate the Day of Christ And another mentions how at Ments in Germany Hieron Epistol ad Geront the Citie being taken in the Church were
God Yea what numbers of two sorts may we see all setting against our Sabbath-enjoyments Men of rotten principles and Men of wretched practices As Herod and Pilate both agreed for the Lords death so these both joyn against the Lords Day As the blessed body of Christ was crucified between the Theeves so the blessed day of Christ is now crucifying between loose Sectaries and prophane sinners And Lord help who labours to rescue it Who sees not our Sabbath-slightnesse wearinesse and willingnesse to be set Sabbath-free The barrennesse of the best and the ingratitude of the greatest part what does it foretell but an approaching time of turning out and overturning Sabbaths 2. God being infinitely righteous makes the danger of this more exceedingly dangerous God in his just way of Judgements makes mournfull removes of such sweet mercies either When men to follow their sins forsake his Sabbaths Or when men observe his Sabbaths but in their sins Isay 1.13 Your Sabbaths and your solemn Assemblies I cannot away with your hands are full of blood Bloody hands cannot hold Gods blessed day Those things will away that God cannot away with 'T is not all the powers nor policies of men and Divels can pull away Sabbaths from a Land if there the Lord will hold them neither is it all the Prayers and Powers of Saints and Angels can keep Sabbaths in a Land if thence the Lord will take them Let not us in England think we have such a settled Fee-simple of the Sabbath as that there is no disinheritting or such an entaile as cannot be cut off The Apostle Rom. 11. speaking of Gods cutting off the Chuch of the Jewes a learned Expositor puts the question How did God cut them off Olevian And then gives the answer By taking from them his Word Sacraments and Sabbaths Lam. 2.6 The Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion What in Zion The Lord loves the gates of Zion Psal 87.2 The Lord hath chosen Zion Psal 132.13 The Lord dwelleth in Zion Psal 76.2 yet God causes Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion Yes Zion and Sabbaths are parted with the losse of Sabbaths even Zion is punished And O England doest not thou fear such a day drawing near Art thou better then Zion 2. How great the losse of the Lords day will be we may mournfully foresee in four things viz. The Matter it will be of This was Preached at a time when no lesse lay in danger The Subject it will be to The Season it will be in and The Sequels that will be thereupon 1. The matter the losse will be of In the ceasing of Sabbaths a pawse is put unto the precious things of God as the Gospel with its glorions administrations Was it not a sad cause with the City Jerusalem when the sucklings swooned in the streets and the children cryed to their Mothers Where is Corn and Wine And will it not be for poor people pittifull to cry to their Ministers Where is the Word and Sacraments Where be those blessed refreshments we were wont to find That was a dolefull day Jer. 14.3 when little ones were sent to the waters but they returned with vessels empty because the pits were dry And will it not be a wofull day for men women and children to go for the water of the Word whither they were wont but to return with vessels empty for the pits are dry or full of mud and dirt What the present sinking of the springs and drying of the streams may mean I much fear to think Will not that losse be great wherein the Word of life is lost What sayes Luther is the World without the Word but a dark hell And what is a Land without the Gospel but a black Lanthorne without a candle The keeping of the Sabbath hath been the honour of our Nation and the Gospel the glory of our Land when the one is down the other will be gone and then may we write Ichabod upon all our doors I read of a Germane Minister when he saw hopes of the Gospels-passage he cryed out with joy Let it come let it come O but to let it go what bitter cryes will it cost 2. The Subject this losse will be to It will be the souls of men will suffer sorely herein Sabbath-losse is a soul-losse A soul in our Saviours account is of more worth then all the World Matth. 16.26 Even the worst soul sayes Austin is better then the best body As the Apostle sayes of man he was not made for the woman but the woman for the man And so sayes Chrysostome the soul was not made for the body but the body for the soul which is the better part If we lose health Wealth and all the things of the world that relate to the body 't is but a little losse But if we lose the Word Sacraments and Sabbaths it being a losse that relates to the soul it is exceeding great 3. The Season this losse is likely to be in makes it more lamentable We find it foretold Math. 24 that towards the latter end of the World there should be times of great tribulation Nation should rise against Nation c. Ill in such a time to be without Sabbat as It was wofull for those Virgins Matth. 25. when there was a cry at midnight Behold the Bridegroom comes and then their Lamps were out and their oil to seek And doleful will it be for those Nations when they shall be in their Nights of Trouble and hear nothing but cries Behold more misery comes and then to have their Lamps out their burning and shining lights gone Have not our hopes been high to see Sabbaths more firmly settled the Gospell more clearly preached Ordinances more purely administred and if after all all should be dashed down in the dirt and we left in the dark how dreadful would this be To lose Sabbaths at any time were sad but at such a time as this 4. The sequels of the losse make it most lamentable Fearfull effects will follow the losse of the Lords Day viz. the desolating the places of publike assemblies Levit. 26.31 Lam. 2.6 Psal 74.4 5 6. The Prophet thus sadly sighs it out to God Thine enemies roar in the midst of the congregation they set up their ensigns for signs A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees viz. to build places for Gods publike Worship But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They cast fire into thy Sanctuary yea they say in their hearts Let us take the houses of God in possession let us destroy them together and burn up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Decet Sacerdotes cum Templis interire Titus with his Roman army when he ruined Jerusalem burnt the Temple he commanded the Priests of the Lord to be slain Time will come says our Saviour to his Disciples that they which kill
forth to minister Heb. 1. Yet this is their property they all think themselves happy in that God thinks them worthy to do his work in the world And as there are special persons they are imployed for So there are special seasons they are imployed in Most for Gods servants and Most on Gods Sabbaths Job 1.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Job 2.1 And again There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. This day is by some applyed to the Sabbath on which day the Angels more then ordinary tender themselves to God to go out as Assistants in his Sabbath-service Bernard was wont to say The holy Angels helped him to preach every Lords day Though hereby there be no actual addition to their essential holinesse or Celestial happinesse Their very imployment is their pleasure Suppose hereby they may come to a greater knowledge of Christ yet hereby they do not gain a nearer accesse unto God to see any more of his face then they did or to receive any more glory in heaven then they had What then Notwithstanding they stand ready every Sabbath day if God will send them out then to assist in his service And shall not we be willing to perform Sabbath-works though we receive no Sabbath-Rewards We that are Ministers must not in our places lay by the businesse of the Lords Day because we cannot have that comfortable successe which the Searcher of all hearts knowes is our soules desire in converting sinners to God Chrysost Hom. 15. in Matth. Chrysostom hath a good expression As fountains send out water though no pitcher be brought to fetch from them So Pastors ought to preach though none receive fruit or profit by them And thus other Christians must not cast off the service of the Sabbath which concerns them because they cannot come up to those encouragements they carry in their eye 2. Say some serving of God upon the Sabbath-day should not be successeful in that plenty of peace and profit they expect yet what peace or profit could such expect should they lay aside the service of the Sabbath upon the same account at all other times all the exercises of religion might be left off and what good could then be looked for Jerom upon that place of the Apostle Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Hieron in Psal 107. but of God that shewes mery Sure then says he it is not of him that sleepeth nor of him that idleh nor of him that neglects duty for on such the Lord will have no mercy And Chrysostom well observes upon that saying of our Saviour Matth. 16. If any will come after me Chrysost in Matth. Homil. 56. c. Christ sayes not If any will stand still or sit down for sayes he the Kingdom of God is not given to standers and idlers but to walkers and workers c. So say I the comforts of God are not given to any person upon any pretence whatsoever that shall neglect his duty especially upon the Lords Day For any to pretend they have performed duties but see no good successe what good successe are any like to see upon the ceasing of their duty Non est gloriosa victoria nisi ubi fuerint laboriosa certamina Ambr. If in the Day of battel he that fights may not win the field sure he that is loath to combate will lose the Conquest If such as look well to their seed-time plow and sowe misse their crops what harvest can they hope for who in due time do not sowe their seed If such as are provident and diligent in their callings all the week yet decay and sink in the world are they like to thrive if they throw by their businesse As if some on the Sabbath industrious in duty yet perceive their soules sinking and no comfort comming what comfort is like to come by casting off the duties of the Sabbath If men may use the meanes and yet misse the end sure such must misse the end who do not use the means Let none think to better their soules condition by ceasing Sabbath-transactions 2. When Christians have performed Sabbath-day-duties and do not find such desired successe in comfortable communions with God it should presently put them Upon self reflectings and Not upon Sabbath-neglectings Instantly to enter their own hearts enquiring the cause The Word is a fire why am I cold The Word is quickning why am I dead Ordinances are the meanes of comfort why have I no comfort by the meanes Some are at Sermons and Sacraments with their hearts leaping and go away with their faces shining that such as see them may say They have been with Jesus why go I drooping all the day yea when Christians find their Sabbath-performances yield them no fruit it should presently put them Upon the amending their duties Not upon the omitting their duties As Fisher-men in the use of their Nets having caught nothing they fall to turning and mending of their Nets with care and not to casting away of their Nets with discontent An Archer in the use of his Bow if his arrow flies wide or falls short he shoots again directs his arrow more straight drawes his bowe with more strength that yet if possible he may not misse the mark Thus in the discharge of the Lords-day-duties if we misse Gods desired mercies we must stir up our selves and strive with the more strength quickening up the greater care in a Sabbath-course We must not conclude through humane frailties we will do this dayes work no further but we must resolve through divine abilities to do the work of this day better 4. The Sabbath-performances of soule-afflicted Saints although they are not Sensibly good and comfortable to them yet They are certainly good and acceptable to God God sees that in their aimings which they cannot see in their actings That which they cannot see in their work God sees in their will God knowes after what all the day long the set desire of their soules reacheth not a bare being in duty but therein a clear beholding of God a close comming in to Christ to keep up their entercourse with Father Son and Holy Ghost 'T is not so much the Ordinance of God as God in the Ordinance they look for I know whom you seek sayes the Angel to the women Luk. 24. Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified There they saw the Sepulchre wherein Christ was laid and there they saw the linnen clothes wherein Christ was wrapt but all would not satisfie It was not the Sepulchre of Christ but Christ in the Sepulchre they sought for So 't is not so much the Sabbath of Christ as Christ in the Sabbath nor so much the Gospel of Christ as Christ in the Gospel they groan after Something like that of Bernards is a true Christians cry Lord unlesse that I give thee my self 't
1 Cor. 2.4 My preaching sayes the Apostle was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power When the poewr of the Spirit is so upon the Preacher as to put warmth into the heart words into the mouth and is to his soul as wind to the saile so that he is carried out in clear and close discoveries of the Counsel of God Act. 18.25 And Apollos being mighty in the Scripture and fervent in the Spirit he spake diligently the things of the Lord. Beza when he was a Preacher to the Protestant forces in France he was so mighty in his Miâ—istery that to some his Sermons were more encouraging and quickening then the sound of Drums and Trumphts though others Popishly disposed were offended and said his Doctrine was made up of nothing bur fire and brimstone all combustible and terrihle To preach in the power of the Spirit neither carnal men nor Divels can endure but is most pleasing to God and men spiritually good being that which does mighty things 2 Cor. 10 4. The weâ—pons of our warrefare are not carnal but Spiritual mighty through God Spirituall weapons spiritually wileded work wonders The Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit it must be spiritually handled And as they that preach the Gospel must spiritually preach it so they that hear the Gospel must hear it spiritually This is more then barely with the bodily ear to hear the voice of man it is therein with the ear of the soul through the assistance of the Spirit to hear the voice of Christ Joh. 10.27 My sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me Cant. 5.2 It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my sister my love my Dove my undefiled c. 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost 1 Thess 2.13 For this cause we thank God for when ye heard the word ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe Christians are not so to hear as onely to take in words at the ear but so as to take in warmth at the heart Often sayes Jerom when I read the Apostle in his Epistles I seem not to hear words but me thinks I hear the noise of Thunder and as it were feel the force of lightning that sets all on a fire so that I am made to shake to shine to burn Did not our hearts burn within us while he opened unto us the Scriptures Luk 24.32 Such Spiritual hearing God expects of his people every Lords Day 2. For Prayer This must be spiritually pour'd out in the presence of God Gods servants As the Spirit is to be praying in them So they are to be praying in the Spirit Jude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy saith praying in the holy Spirit Both in the Spirit of love and unity And in the Spirit of life and fervency Not clashing but with close agreements of soul carrying out the same suit Symphonical in prayer Matth 18.19 If two of you shall agree on earth touching any thing they should ask it shall be done It notes such a symphony and agreement of the soules of Gods Saints in prayer as Musicians who with several Instruments play the same tune Not cooling but with kindled enlargements to be affectionate in prayer fired with the Spirit 'T is sayes Luther for want of the fire of the Spirit in Preaching that Sermons prevail so little with men and 't is for want of the fire of the Spirit in praying that petitions are no more prevailing with God As in confessions of sin our hearts must be wounded with bitter sorrowes So in petitions for Grace our hearts must be warmed with burning Desires Gods people are to be together praying with their Hearts as Bells raised and to ring such a loud peal of prayer as may be heard into heaven Such spiritual praying is expected of God as duly as the Lords Day comes 3. For the Sacraments Viz Both Baptisme and The Lords Supper As they are spiritual for the Principal of them So the Practice of them must be spiritual The Principal of each Sacrament is the spiritual part thereof The outward Element is but as the transient shadow The spiritual and enduring substance is Christ himself with his Crosse with his Grace with his Merits Mercies Excellencies and Al-sufficiencies 1 Cor. 10.3 4. They viz. our fathers of old did all eat the same spiritual Meat and did all drink the same spiritual Drink for they drank of the Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ As when our Saviour rode in Triumph to Jerusalem Luk. 19. the company that went before and they which followed after All cry'd Hosanna Thus the Sacraments of the Old Testament that went before and the Sacraments of the New Testament that follow after all say to Christ Hosanna All point at Christ saying Behold the Lamb of God The Practice or transactions of the Sacraments must be spiritual Both on Gods part And on our part In Baptisme all depends upon the powerful presence of the Spirit At the Beginning when tâ—e Spirit moved upon the waters then were the creatures made And so when the Spirit moveth upon the waters of Baptisme then is Gods work done And our work therein after is all to be done through the Spirit In the first receiving of Baptisme we were totally passive but for the further improving of Baptisme we ought to be spiritually active A spiritual Use we are bound to make of Baptisme Both to keep us off from evil And to keep us on in all good Luther reports of a pious Maid who by her Baptisme bore up against the several assaults of Satan If Satan sought to draw her to sin Her reply was I dare not do it I have been Baptized If to draw her from Duties her reply was I dare not but do it I have been Baptized We should observe that to fly sin and follow God we are Baptisme-bound But for want of this how does Baptisme lye like a Dead Ordinance What multitudes are there who making no Spiritual Improvements of it they make many Carnal Arguments against it Because they never knew how to work it up they easily learn how to cry it down They say the Truth and life of Baptisme lyes in their deep Dippings and Water-Buryings But sure a little water and much fire Baptismus flaminis et flaminis makes the best Baptisme I indeed sayes John baptize you with water but he that comes after me is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. Against their Water-works we may see God angry in our want of water In the Lords Supper All the great works which both God and we are to do be spiritual What God is to do