Anf. It is fufficient if they be forbidden in the Old Teftament; for the Old Teftament is our rule, as much as the New, in actions which are moral, or not ceremonial; and I fee not what fhadow of ground there is for calling abftinence from carnal pleasures on the Sab'bath, a thing ceremonial, or lefs binding upon us than the Jews But moreover, if we compare the 58th chapter of Ifaiah with the 56th, it will manifeftly appear, that the Lord, in injoining his people ftrictly to obferve the Sabbath, and abstain from carnal pleafures thereon, hath a refpect to gospel times after the Meffiah's coming. Ifaiah was a moft evangelical prophet, and ftill had the gofpel-times in his eye; wherefore fome call him the evangelift Ifaiah: So that, in recommending Sabbath-fanctification, and calling the Sab bath God's holy day, he doth not confine himself to the Jewish Sabbath, which was foon to be abolished; but hath an eye to the evangelical Sabbath, which was to continue to the end of the world.

Again, this is confirmed by the practice of the primitive Chriftians: they thought it unlawful to spend any part of the Lord's day in unneceffary diverfions from holy things; yea, they accounted the ftrict fanctification of this day the prime character of a true faint. Auguftine faith, "It is not enough that we keep three or four hours of this day, but that we obferve the whole day." The ancient Chriftians did not think the work of the day was over, when the public worship was ended. The younger Pliny tells us, "That they used this day to meet before day light, and fing their hymns to Chrift." And Tertullian, in his apology, makes mention of their night prayers. They thought themfelves bound to begin the work of the day fo early, becaufe Chrift rofe this morning before break of day. They neither thought nor pleaded that they had more freedom for worldly pleafures, or were lefs obliged to holy exercises this day, than the Jews upon their Sabbath.

Nay, if we confider things narrowly, it will be found, that Chriftians are under greater obligations to a ftrict

and

and holy fanctification of the Sabbath under the gospel, than the Jews were under the law, for fever I reafons.

1. We have not only the creation, as the Jews had, but we have alfo the redemption of mankind, which is a greater work, this day to commemorate. Now if the Jews were obliged to celebrate the day which was inftituted for the memory of the creation, by a total abstinence from worl'ly employments and recrea tions; much more are we bound to a ftrict fanctification of the day which is inftituted for commemorating of both creation and redemption. We have far greater mercies to commemorate this day than the Jews. had, viz. the redeeming love of a crucified Jefus, and his glorious victory over death and hell;" and confequently have greater work and employ nent, and ought to be the more active and busy in doing of it; and also more delightful work, and therefore thould be the lefs inclined to weary or fit up in it.

2. We have a far more pleafant and excellent manner of worship to perform upon the Sabbath, than the Jews had. Their worship was attended with manifold rites, washings, and facrifices, which were both chargeable and toilfome to their bodies; but ours is fpiritual, pleafant and easy.

3. The Jews had many other feftival days to obferve, by a ftrict and holy reft, befide the Sabbath; but, under the gofpel, God hath freed us from the yoke of all other festivals, and hath institute none but the Lord's day, which, in gratitude, we ought to obferve more strictly and religiously than the Jews.

4. By baptifm, we come under more ftrict and folemn engagements to keep God's commandments, than the Jews; and alfo we have more fpecial promises of his Spirit to help us in keeping of them, than the Jews had; For, in the New Teftament times, the Spirit is poured out in a larger measure, than in the Old.

So that from the whole I infer, that if the Jews under the Old Teftament were bound to keep the whole

Sabbath day and wholly to abstain from their 30

pleafures upon it, yea, count the fervice of the Sabbath, a delight, according to Ifa. Iviii. 13, though in VOL IV.

M

it

itfelf it was burdenfome: Much more ought we, under the gospel, to keep the whole Sabbath strictly, and call it a delight, when the work and fervice of it is fo pleafant and eafy.

II. Another argument, which I fhall bring against the forefaid Sabbath day's recreations, fhall be taken from the nature and greatnefs of the Sabbath day's work; and I fhall form it thus:

If the work of the Sabbath be fo neceffary, weighty, and various, that it requires the whole day to be spent therein, and challenges all our fouls faculties to be em ployed thereabout; then carnal recreations are unlaw ful thereupon:

But the former is true; therefore, &c.

The connexion of the major propofition is evident: for that which is weighty and neceffary ought always to take place of that which is not fo.

As for the minor propofition, that the work of the· Sabbath is so great and neceffary, is plain, if we confider, that the Sabbath is the great market day of heaven; upon which we ought to take in, and lay up provifion for our fouls for the reft of the week, yea, for eternity itfelf. It is the usual day of finners converfion and acquaintance with God: It is the day wherein we have our fins to bewail, our needs to get fupplied, our hard hearts to get melted, our dead affections to get raised, our guilty confciences to get difburdened, our dark minds to get enlightened, our weak graces to get ftrengthened: We have this day God's word to teach our families, our children to inftruct, Christ's love to commemorate, death and judgment to provide for, and our Redeemer to treat with about the faving of our fouls. In a word, this is a day wherein we are to make vifits to God, and receive vifits for him. Now, I do appeal to every ferious foul, that knows any thing of real godlinefs, if these things be not fo weighty and neceffary, as to challenge the whole of the day, and the attendance of all our powers and faculties: And if so, then we are bound carefully to avoid every thing that may prove an avocation or diverfion from doing them. III. Another argument may run thus:

If

If the worldly circumstances of the generality be fuch as they can have but little time through the week for worshipping God, minding their fouls, and preparing for eternity; then it is their duty clofely and diligently to employ the Lord's day for thefe ends, in which God grants them freedom for the fame :

But the former is true; therefore, &c.

The connexion of the major propofition is certain; for, if our whole lives be little enough for accomplishing the great work of our falvation, the feventh day,. or seventh part of our time, is never to be thought too much.

And for the truth of the minor propofition, that the circumstances of the generality are fuch as above represented, I do appeal to the experience of the whole country where we live. How many poor men are there every where, tradefmen, tenants, fervants, workmen, &c. whose worldly poverty and neceffities are fo great and many, that they can fcarce get fo much fpare time for their work and labour through the week, as is fufficient for eating and fleeping? They are commonly fo toiled through the day, that, at night, they are hardly fit for any thing but fleep. Now, what time have these through the week for holy duties and religious exercifes? What time for reading and praying, and learning the principles of Chriftianity? But fince God is graciously pleafed to give them the Sabbath, in which they may retire from the world, and employ themselves wholly in the forefaid religious concerns have they not the greatest need, clofely and diligently to spend and improve the whole Sabbath therein, with out any kind of unneceffary diverfion from the fame?

Are there not many poor fervants, whofe mafters are fo fevere, that they will not allow them half an hour in a day to ferve God, or mind their fouls? and fhould they not greedily lay hold on the opportunity of the Sabbath for thefe ends, and let no part of this bleffed day pafs away idly? Now, for minifters or others to tell fuch, that the whole Sabbath day is too long for the foresaid spiritual exercifes, and teach them to spend away part of it in carnal recreations or idleness,

in my opinion, is a moft compendious way to promote atheism, ignorance and profanity amongst them. And, doth not daily experience confirm this fad truth? Do we not fee, that profaning the Sabbath opens a door to all profanity? and that in thofe places where people neglect the Sabbath, or spend the half of the day in recreations and idlenefs, there ignorance and immorality of all forts abound, and family-worship and piety are ne glected; whereas, on the contrary. in thofe places where the whole Sabbath is closely observed, and recreations difcouraged, there we fee Chriftian knowledge, morality, the fear of God, and family-godlinefs, do flourish and profper? Ocular experience fhews us, that the fourth command is a hedge about all the reft; and the religious obfervation of the whole Sabbath day, is the moft effectual method for promoting Chriftian knowledge and universal pity. People may hear a fermon or two on a Sabbath, and yet ly ftill in their ignorance, if they fpend the reft of the day in idleness and recreations, and neglect the private means of reading, praying, catochifing, conference, repetition of fermons, &c. I never expect to fee knowledge or piety flourish in congrega families, till these means be used, and pains taken, after the public worship is over, to inftruct children and fervants. O! doth not the lamentable ignorance of many poor fouls plead aloud for the ftrict and diligent obfervation of the whole Lord's day? Had minifters and others a due fenfe of the mifery and perishing ftate of ignorant fouls, I am fure they would prefs it more, and never fet up to teach them carnal recreations on this day.

tions or t

O poor men, fervants and labourers, in the name of God Lexhort you to fpend more of God's day in heaven's work: You have little time through the week for it; therefore God, in pity to your fouls, loofes you this day from your weekly work, and cries to you from.on higi, "come up hither," lay afide the thoughts of things below, and fet your affections on things above." As your bodies reft this day from labour, let your fouls think on eternal reft in heaven, and ufe all the appointed means for attending to it.

IV.