in his word, one day in feven, to be kept holy for his folemn worship; neither hath he left the particular day to mens own choice but hath chofen it for them. And now, in the New Teftament, he points out the first day of the week to be the Chriftian Sabbath to the end of the world, as is made evident in the following treatise.

The Jews have their Saturday Sabbath, which they glory in, and call the Queen of the week: The Mahometans keep the Friday, as being Mahomet's birth-day, The Parthians and fome other Pagan nations observe Tuesday, and esteem it above all other days of the week. But it is the difcriminating badge of the profeffors of Chriftianity through all the world, to celebrate the first day of the week, being Chrift's refurrection-day, and hence called the Lord's day. Now, though the Jews and fome few others plead that the feventh day from the crea tion is unalterable by virtue of the fourth command, it is fhewed in this treatise, that the words of the fourth command are fo framed, that they may be applied to any day of the week that God doth please to pitch upon for the Sabbath, whether it be the first or laft of the feven days. For when it is faid, "The feventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;" it doth not mean the feventh day from the Creation, but any feventh day after fix days labour which God pitches on; upon which account it is not called that feventh day, but the feventh day. Neither is the feventh day mentioned in the first words of the command, which contain the fubftance of it; for it is faid only, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," not the feventh day. Nor is the feventh day mentioned in the last words of the command, which contain the for. mal reafon of it; for it is faid only, The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it," not the feventh day.

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As to the firíl day of the week, our Christian Sabbath, the great Lord of our time hath appropriate this day to himself, marked it with his feal, and hath put his name upon it, calling it, Rev. i. 10. Hemera Kuriake, the Lord's day; even as he calls the holy fupper, 1 Cor. xi. 20. Diapnon Kuriakon, the Lord's fupper; becaufe the one was his institution as well as the other, and fet apart for keeping up his memory, and fhewing forth his glory. Wherefore no true Chriftian, or lover of our Lord Jefus Chrift, will be indifferent about the keeping of this holy day For as the holy obferving of this day is an open

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and vifible owning of the Lord Jefus (whofe name it bears) for our Lord and Mafter; fo the neglect of this day is a plain difowning of him, and an open flighting of the benefits of his refurrection. O that men would think on this, and confider what they do, when they neglect or contemn the Lord's day!

Though the way of Sabbath-sanctification be the good old way, appointed by God ever fince he created man upon the earth; yet there is no way more ore hated, no duty more oppofed by Satan and wicked men: Which we need not be furprised at, feeing it is a special fence to all religion, and a great bulwark against the torrent of impiety that runs in the world. And that true piety is fo low in most places, and vice and immorality fo generally prevail, is mainly to be imputed to the abounding neglect and contempt of the holy Sabbath: For common experience doth testify, that where the Lord's day is more strictly obferved, their Chriftian knowledge, piety and morality, do profper moft; and where the Sabbath is difregarded, there all thefe do decay. The confideration whereof should excite all the lovers of God and holiness, to use their utmost endeavours to fupport the credit and maintain the dignity of the Sabbath against all its enemies.

This confideration hath moved me to contribute my mite upon this excellent fubject in the following treatife, which is partly controverfial and partly practical; for confuting the enemies of the Sabbath, and for instructing all in the divine warrant for fanctifying this holy day, and in the right manner of doing it. There are two effential things in the Chriftian religion, which all fhould make confcience of; fincerely to believe its truths, and faithfully to practice its duties. The first of these hath great influence upon the fecond; for, if the Chriftian truths be not firmly believed, the Chriftian duties will be ill performed: Now, the best means for promoting both the Christian faith and Christian practice, is the fanctification of the Lord's day.

Had it not been for the observation of the Sabbath, the truths of Christianity had been quite razed out of the minds of the most part: For as the Lord's day, of itself, is a bright and lively memorial of our redemption by Jefus Chrift: fo upon this day we conftantly have founded in our ears the truths of that religion which Christ and his apoftles delivered unto the world, and the excellency of

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them inculcate upon us. And as the obfervation of the Sabbath is a great prefervative to the truths of Christianity, fo it is also to the duties thereof God hath fet this one duty as a hedge or fence for keeping all the reft; for, by ke ping the Sabbath confcientioufly, the foul is notably st difp fed and put in frame for ferving God in every religi and gof ordinances therein difpenfed, ferve to continue the * remembrance of Chrift and heaven among men, keep fin and vice under conftant rebukes, and put atheism and infidelity to the blufh. Take away the cbfervation of the Lord's day, then the worship of God would be caft off, and atheifm profanenefs, and all diforders, like a flood, would break in upon us.

ous dure. The frequent recurring of this day religi

We may look upon the duty of Sabbath fanctification to be of no lefs confequence to the practice of Chriftianity, tha Luther reckoned the article of juftification to be to the drain of it, when he called it articulus ftantis feu ? cadentis ecclefiæ: For, if once we make a gape in this hedge of piety, ferious godliness will run out at it, and a * flood of impiety and loofenefs rufh in upon us. It was furely y the fenfe of this, that determined the wifeft of emperors, kings, parliaments, and church councils and fynods, to frame and publifh fo many excellent laws and acts for the ftrict obfervation of the Lord's day, agreeable to the divine laws thereanent. It would be happy forc hurches and nations, if these were put in execution, and all forts of men brought to have a due regard to them.

But, notwithstanding of all the laws, divine and human, for the holy obfervation of the Lord's day, there are many in the age wherein we live, who adventure to pour contempt upon this holy day. Some there are who difpute against the morality of the Sabbath, and difown the tanding and perpetual obligation of the fourth command. Others, though they own the obligation of the command fo far as to forbear fervile work, and attend public worship on the Sabbath, yet plead for carnal diverfions and recrea

tions after public wer hip is over. Many would incline to the Papifts way of celebrating the Sabbath, who after mafs and even fong (as they call i) go presently to piping and dancing, and then to the ale-houfe; the fame way that the Ifraelites celebrated the feast of the golden calf, Exod. xxxii. 6. "The people ate and drank, and rofe up to play." If this profane courfe were allowed, as of old,

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in times of antichriftian darkness, many would then call the Sabbath a delight, and be, in fome measure, reconciled to it; but, when they hear that the whole Sabbath is to be Spent in religious duties and exercises, they murmur, and fay, as thofe in Mal. i. 13. "What a weariness is it?"

It would be no grievance to many to fee that old abo« mination of the book of sports revived and authorised among us; I mean, that infamous declaration for liberty of sports and recreation on the Lord's day, published by authority in the year 1633, and appointed to be read from the pul pits; the prelates confenting to it, and perfecuting thofe minifters who refufed to read it. O what heinous Godprovoking wickedness was it, for civil and ecclesiastic rulers, to unite in promoting the profanation of the Sabbath by fuch methods! As the heavy judgment of God followed them for fuch avowed profanation, so thofe in our age have reafon to fear his judgments, who continue to be of the fame profane difpofition. Oh, is it not evident that fports and paftimes do unfit the mind for fpiritual service, and take off mens thoughts from what is ferious and folema? Do they not put the heart out of frame for attending on God, and for holding communion with him in holy duties and ordinances? This is thewed more fully in the following treatise.

Again, there are others who obferve this day no better than the beafts do: They only rest from their ordi nary labour, and fpend the day in idleness and floth which is to keep the Sabbath of an ox or ass, not of a reasonable creature. To fanctify the Sabbath, it is not to keep it merely as a reft from our common employ. ments, or keep it as an idle day: but to keep it as a ho ly day, a day fet apart for God's glory, and for promoting our salvation. But, alas! fuch is the fpiritual floth and idleness of many poor careless fouls on this day, they labour as little for their fouls on it, as they do for their bodies; they fleep, loiter, ly at home, and feldom go to any worthip at all; if they go out of doors, it is for their diverfion, to take a walk, to pay a vifit, or the like, but not to attend God's worship. Many, alas! will go a dozen of miles to a market for a little gain, that will not go one mile, nor a few steps to the church, to attend the gofpel-market for enriching their fouls. If the bell that calls them to the worthip of God, did advertise them of a ftage-play, or of fome idle paftime, perhaps they would VOL. IV.

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be found there among the first; but, for fpiritual work, they have an averfion to it.

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Moreover, there are many who go to church and attend ordinances this day, rather to please a natural con fcience, or fupport their reputation in the world, than to ferve God or lave their fouls. Or perhaps they go be caufe it is the fashion, or the way in which they have been brought up; but alas! leaving their hearts behind them, they prefent their bodies to God, and no more: And hence it is, that in the time of the most folemn worship, they have their eyes either wandering after. vanity, or elfe fhut with drowfinefs, and fleep; they find no delight in the Sabbath, tafte no sweetness in ordinances, know nothing of communion with God in them. They understand not the Pfalmift's language, "A day in God's courts is better than a thousand any where eife." No, this day is to them the longest and most wearifome day of all the week; the religious exercises of it are irksome and burdenfome to them. It may be faid of them, as of Doeg the Edomite, 1 Sam. xxi. 7. "He was that day detained before the Lord." They long to be released from the fervice of that day, and glad when it is over. Alas! the minds of many are fo fet upon the world, that they complain in their hearts of the length of this day, as the Ifraelitss of old, Amos viii. 5. "When will the

new moon be gone, that we may fell corn; and the Sabbath, that we may fet forth wheat?" They count all thefe days loft days, that bring them in no worldly gain. Hence it was, that the Heathens (as Senecastells us) counted the Jews a foolish people, because they loft a full feventh part of their lives, to wit, by obferving the Sabbath. But, ah! it is to be lamented, that not Heathens only, but alfo many profeft Chriftians, count the Sabbath a loft day: O what base ingratitude is this to God, for the invaluable privilege and bleffing of the Sabbath to the fouls of men!

Loftly, There are, befides thefe mentioned, fome prodigies of wickednefs in the world, perfons who profecute their lewd and profane courfes with more vigour on this holy day than upon any other; and fo make this day of holy reft the devil's working day, and confumes it wholly upon their lufts! O how daring an affront must this be to a great a holy God, to make that a day to ferve the devil, a day to improve in vice and debauchery, which the Lord

hath