I Have long grieved to ſee the Sacredneſs of the Lords Day run ſo low, as too plainly it appears to do, in the opinion of Multitudes, who profeſs themſelves of the Reformed Church of Ireland; From the Iriſh Papiſts I never expected better, ſince I came to know them: They will never have veneration for any thing which Proteſtants account ſacred; as witneſs their conſtant treatment of our Bibles. Nor do I apprehend any poſſibility of Reforming them, either in this or any other of their Ill Principles and practices, while they have a ſett of ſuch Managers as their preſent Prieſts allowed them: and thoſe too, with ſo abſolute a Dominion over them, as is uſual in that Church.

But for men, that own the name of Proteſtants, and glory to be thought Engliſh Proteſtants, for theſe I ſay, openly to eſpouſe the calumny of Figmentum Anglicanum, in caſe of a Divine right for the Lords Day, and purſuant hereto in their Practice perfectly to fall in with Papiſts, laying aſide all Afternoon worſhip on the Lords Day, as is done now in very many Country Pariſhes in this Kingdom, and onely in the Morning ſometimes, for faſhion-ſake to come to Church, as the others do to their Maſs▪houſes, is a ſad demonſtration that either they never were true Proteſtants (becauſe not underſtanding, or not receiving and obſerving the Doctrine, Laws and Worſhip of the Church, whereof they profeſs themſelves Members) or that they have now moſt deplorably degenerated and fallen off from its conſtitution.

There is yet a farther and more abominable neglect, than that, which I have complained of, (and proceeding no doubt from the ſame Principle, that is mean and common thoughts of the Lords Day) perhaps not ſo conſtant as the other, but very common in Country-Cures, namely that they are not ſupplyed any otherwiſe but once a fortnight, or in ſome places once in three weeks; yea even where the revenues of the place, either of it ſelf, or by unions, would well pay a Curate reſident, and conſtantly attendant.

With an eye at redreſſing theſe ſo inſufferable and unchriſtian evils, I firſt delivered in a great audience, and now publiſh to the World the enſuing diſcourſe. In which I ſtruck at the root, the Principle before taxed; and have laid together, in the cleareſt light, briefeſt compaſs, and moſt Natural order (as neer as I could comprehend) all the beſt Evidences, I remember produced, i • plea for the Divine right of the Lords Day, and the true Chriſtian way of hallowing it. Which latter point I have ſtated, I hope; ſo as to conduct all, who will hear, into truly Holy practice; but not to burden or intangle the Conſcience of any, who will conſider. And all along, as Argumentum ad homines, and a Plea which I had great confidence in, I have urged ſincerely, what I take to be the Doctrine of the Church of England, in this matter. It is not to be expected that in ſo ſhort a piece, all ſhould be ſaid in ſuch manner as is neceſſary to prevent the Exceptions or anſwer the Cavils of many: I accounted it therefore neceſſary, here to add a few things, as well for the one purpoſe as the other.

I have aſſerted a Divine right to the Lords Day. Now a Divine Right may ariſe from a Divine Inſtitution, Immediate or Mediate: And again, either of theſe may be expreſs or virtual. There are not wanting Authors, of great Name, who have maintained the Lords day to have been appointed, for the day of publick Chriſtian Worſhip, by our Lords own mouth, at ſome of his Apparitions, and in ſome of his Diſcourſes to his Diſciples, in the interval of his Reſurection and Aſcention. If ſo, then would there be a Divine Right by immediate expreſs Inſtitutior. But I will frankly acknowledg this (although not at all unlikely, but rather of the higheſt probability, yet) to have been advanced, in my judgment, with better Intention than Evidence. I have therefore mainly, as to Authority immediate from our Lord himſelf, inſiſted upon his own practice, by his frequent preſence at, and ſolemn meeting in, the Aſſemblies of his Diſciples and faithful followers, on that day; And when he appeared no more, ſending in their Aſſembly on that day, the Holy Ghoſt upon them all; which I aver to be Virtual Inſtitution: And if an Inſtitution, there is no queſtion at all, of it's being immediately Divine. Then in purſuance hereof, I inſiſt alſo on the continued practice of the Apoſtles, from the very day of our Lords Reſurrection, as far as is Recorded, ſolemnly aſſembling, ſtill on that day (which can hardly be conceived without ſome private directions ſuggeſted from himſelf) and their giving order in the Churches (eſpecially of the Gentiles) which they planted for the publick Aſſemblies to be made hereon. Their practice I aver to be a continuance of a virtual Divine Inſtitution, and their Orders given, an expreſs Divine Inſtitution, but both indeed Mediate. And if there be any of our Church who are not willing to allow theſe, and eſpecially the Apoſtles practice and orders, to be ſufficient grounds of a Divine Right, I deſire, that they will not herein be too peremptory, leaſt they be found leſs conſtant to themſelves; particularly, in denying that to be a Divine Right in caſe of the Lords day, which they not onely admit but plead as a Divine Right, in other caſes, to ſome of them perhaps of more comfortable importance; ſuppoſe Epiſcopacy and Church-Rights.

As to ſtyling the Lords day a Chriſtian Sabbath (which I have not done, but after our Church) I acknowledg it can be called ſo only ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,) by proportion and not ſtrictly. THE Chriſtian Sabbath, properly & eminently, is that, which remains to the people of God. Heb. iv. 9. A Chriſtian Sabbath, I conceive, it may with much more propriety be called. For if it be a Sabbath at all (or a day of Reſt ordinarily from ſervile labour) it muſt be acknowledged a Chriſtian Sabbath: Jewiſh, Turkiſh, or Heathen we are ſure it is not. And for giving it the Name Sabbath, though I confeſs the frequency of this ſtyle is more Novel, and peculiar to ſome People, yet it is plain, by our Homilies, that Our Reformers did uſe it. And I am ſure Origen ſo ſtyles it, and if I am not miſtaken another of the Fathers alſo, whom I name not for fear of errour; the beſt part of my books having been ſtrangers to my Eyes, now above ſeven years: for which reaſon I have forborn to cite parricularly moſt of the Authorities I have alledged as I paſs along. But if need be I promiſe ſacredly particular citations in a new Edition, when God ſhall reſtore my books to me. I alledge, what I do now, moſtly out of Excerpta, taken many years ago by my ſelf, but not with connexions and references ſo particular, as I can fully truſt to. But to Return. That which makes many perſons of ſound and good Judgment ſhy of this name Sabbath under Chriſtianity, is I conceive, for that they, who uſe it moſt, ſeem under this ſtyle to endeavour the introducing a Judaical Yoke, and entiteling the Lords day, to all the Sabbatical ſtrictneſſes or ſeverities of the bodily Reſt, impoſed on the old people, by the letter of the fourth Commandment, and the Precepts appendant to it, in the Law. As to Duration of time, they would oblige all Chriſtian people to a Natural day of twenty four hours, from Even to Even, or from twelve of the Clock Midnight to twelve of the Clock Midnight; in all which ſpace, they would bear us in hand, nothing is to be done, which was not lawful for the Jews to have done on their Sabbath. Nay indeed as to the ſtrictneſs of the Reſt, diverſe Liberties allowed (becauſe not forbidden) the Jews, are by theſe teachers, upon the pretence of a Sabbath Spiritual as well as Corporal, ſaid to be forbidden Chriſtian people; even by the letter of the fourth Commandment. And thus, intolerable burthens, and inextricable ſnares, the particulars of which would require a volume to ſet down, are prepared for us. As to all which, I conceive, if People would duely heed, no more need to be ſaid, for the diſentangling Conſcience, from the ſcruples theſe men have injected, than that truely Apoſtolical Canon, Acts xv. It ſeemed good to the Holy Ghoſt, and to us, to lay no greater burden upon you than theſe neceſſary things; That ye abſtain from meats offered to Idols, and from bloud, and from things ſtrangled, and from fornication: Amongſt which neceſſary things, there is no Syllable importing any of the Sabbatical Rites. Nor can it be ſaid, the Reaſon of ſuch ſilence was, the ſenſe the world had of the immutable Obligation of the fourth Command; for the Obligation of the ſixth, and ſeventh Commandments muſt be acknowledged as immutable; yet is there mention here of Fornication, and of Blood, in the very Conciliary Decree. I do conclude therefore, as well from hence, as from Colloſſ. ii. (urged in the diſcourſe) that all the Ceremonial part of the fourth Command, with the appendant Laws, are truely ceaſed; nailed to the Croſs of Chriſt, and by it taken away; which is amply ſufficient for the ſetting Conſcience at liberty. But I muſt together conclude that the Natural and Spiritual part of that Commandment are no whit at all infringed. The natural part was and is nothing but immutable and Eternal Equity. That God ſhould have a due proportion of our time; And that not ſo much privately, by ſecret Devotion of our own (though that be neceſſary alſo) as by a publick ſeparating it, or cutting it off, from Common Employments, to publick ſacred Offices. Thus much of a Sabbath I inſiſt on to be perpetually, and naturally Moral, from Paradiſe in Eden, to Paradiſe in a better World. And as to the Spiritual part of the Command, that certainly is ſo far from being abated by the Goſpel-Oeconomy, that it is rather ſet higher. There is none deny the Chriſtian is bound to the Spiritual Reſt: onely ſome tell us, and that not without Reaſon, that this is our Duty, for our whole life, and not for one day in the week onely.

I embrace with all my heart this Doctrine, of Chriſtian peoples being obliged to endeavour, their whole life may be a Spiritual Sabbath, a Reſt from Sin, Carnality Voluptuouſneſs, &c. And I onely deſire we may hold to it. Let all thoſe therefore, who hold this Doctrine pardon me, if I adventure (according to their Conceſſions, Minus aequo petere, ut aequum feram) to intreat them, and all Chriſtian People, but to keep the Lords day as ſuch a Spiritual Reſt. In plain terms, I would deſire no more towards the keeping Holy the Lords day, than that the Chriſtians of the preſent Age, would in private keep the Lords day as perfectly a Spiritual Sabbath, as the Primitive Chriſtians did every day in the week: onely with this Addition; That what publick Offices the Primitive Chriſtians obſerved conſtantly on each Lords day, may alſo be obſerved thereon by us at preſent; and what Liberties they forbore always, may be forborn on this day.

The point of controverſy falls mainly on private or Family-duties. Theſe ſome men cannot endure that all Chriſtian People ſhould be obliged to: And for the ſhifting off the neceſſity of theſe, and ſetting the ordinary people free to Games and Sports on the Lords Day-afternoon, diverſe Laborious, and ſome truely not unlearned Books, have been written. Wherein I muſt confeſs I cannot but wonder to ſee Proteſtant Doctors hunt for, and greedily ſnap thoſe Nice diſtinctions, in uſe with the Popiſh Schools, for the defence of the corruptions of their Church, and gravely apply them for the deciſion of Caſes of Conſcience againſt their Proteſtant Brethren: I will 〈◊〉 lanch forth into particulars of Controverſy, but inſtead thereof, purſuant to what I now deſired, onely lay down two concluſions, which I ſuppoſe muſt approve themſelves, by their own intrinſick Evidence, without Controverſy, to the conſcience of all who underſtand and will conſider them. 1. None who call themſelves Chriſtians may, in this Age make ſuch Liberties, Sports, Games and Recreations, as it cannot be proved the Primitive Chriſtians allowed themſelves on any days, to be their ordinary divertiſments on the Lords Day. And if ſo, I am ſure Cards, Dice, Tables, &c. within doors; Dancing, Pipeing, Revells, &c. without doors, muſt all be laid aſide. For none can ſhew, the Antient Chriſtians uſed theſe any daies. On the contrary many Canons of the antient Councils ſeverelly condemn them at all times; eſpecially to ſome Perſons. And if there ſhould be any of our Clergy, who plead for thoſe within-door Games mentioned, they will do well to conſult the XLII. Iriſh Canon, and the Old Injunctions in the Reformation of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth, whence moſt probably the Compilers of our Canons more immediatly took thoſe parts of them, and whence I hope they may be ſatisfied. But to proceed: I ſay 2dly. In all doubtful caſes, it is ſtill the beſt to take the ſafer ſide, and that, which in it ſelf cannot be ſinful, but is Pious and commendable. Now certainly, upon the Lords day, preparing our ſelves for our publick Devotions by private Prayer, Examination of Conſcience, and compoſing our minds to a ſerious temper and awful apprehenſions of God, whom we are to worſhip, before we go to Church; Recollections in convenient time when we are returned, Examining and Inſtructing our Children and Servants, cauſing them to attend Reading and Family-prayers and Pſalms for ſome reaſonable time, and reſtraining them all the day long from many Liberties uſual on common dayes, all theſe can have, of themſelves no ſin in them; but are pious and commendable, and will turn to our own and our Families account one day, if not at preſent.

Herein, let the forced Conceſſions of ſome of the keeneſt diſputants in behalf of Sunday Sports be heard. 1. Whatever may hinder either the worſhip of God it ſelf, or our profiting therein; ſhould be forborn and avoided.—For all ſuch things, whatſoever, Ironſides 7 Queſtions. Cap. 24. p. 224. p. 269. as keep us from, or hinder us in the Publik Worſhip, are altogether unlawful on the Lords Day. (2.) It is not unlawful to obſerve the Lords Day with as great ſtrictneſs as the Jews did the Sabbath: provided we have no opinion, that ſuch reſt is of neceſſity to be obſerved, under pain of ſin, putting Religion therein [p. 227.] And that we cenſure not others who uſe their liberty; nor out of a ſuperſtitious fear decline the doing any work of Neceſſity or Charity, the benefit whereof would be utterly loſt; were the preſent opportunity neglected (3.) Thoſe who can and will ſpend the vacant time of the Lords Day, in the private Exerciſes of piety, ought not to be diſcountenanced or diſheartened, but encouraged rather p. 268. In a word, let all follow thus what their own conſciences, when they are ſerious cannot (what the very learned defenders of ſuch Liberties as they are fond of, when they conſulted their own conſciences, could not) but confeſs, and there is little queſtion but the whole Lords Day will be generally ſpent as in this diſcourſe is preſſed.

It may be obſerved, I have not preſſed ſuch ſeverities, as exclude due refreſhments, and keeping the ſpirits in vigour and cheerfulneſs: Nor do I ſuppoſe thoſe expreſſions giving the whole day to God, and the like, which I have produced out of holy mens writings, uſe to be taken in ſuch a rigorous ſenſe that the private and publick duties having been conſcientiouſly performed and ſecured, any ſhould conclude it unlawful, for people to walk abroad awhile in freſh air, and Contemplate the works of God, and enjoy themſelves in beholding and moderately uſing them. No nor for them ſitting at home, to let drop, at their Meals or otherwiſe, out of the times of their Devotions, ſomething of innocent cheerful diſcourſe; or, as occaſion offers, to ſpeak touching matters of concernment to them, or of the common Occurrents in Human affairs: though the leſs of this the better. In a word: That, which I inſiſt on as required, is, that All this day, Chriſtians take care, not to diſorder their hearts for the worſhip of God, but that, after their ſeveral refreſhments, they may return again, with compoſed minds, to the thoughts of God and Heaven, and their duties; and in the Evening ſweetly commit their Souls and Bodys, their family and ſubſtance, to the Divine protection, repoſing themſelves comfortably in Gods favour, and in the good hopes of his acceptance in Chriſt Jeſus. If thus the day be ſpent, it is as much given to God, as our preſent condition will ſuffer us.

But will ſome ſay, if this be all you contend for, who denies the Divine obligation of the Lords Day, or its obſervation, thus ſtated? I anſwer, many have done and ſtill do deny it. Onely it comes to paſs in this particular caſe (what does more generally, when men write in defence of ſuch Doctrines, which their Intereſt rather than their Conſcience approves) that by their own conceſſions in conſcience, they ſometimes contradict, what they have ſaid for Intereſt. And hence it is that we may eaſily pick, out of our very Adverſaries writings, ſundry memorable paſſages which favour us, and ſo ſometimes they deny, what we contend for, and ſometimes they grant it. In the mean time, what is the effect which theſe Learned mens denying (flatly and directly) ſometimes in their writings; ſometimes in ordinary diſcourſe (and it were to be wiſhed they did it not in their moſt ſacred diſcourſes too) what I ſay is the effect which their denying the morality of the fourth command has in the World? Truely nothing but the growth of Licentiouſneſs and Irreligion. I know they pretend onely to Innocent Liberty, and eaſing peoples Conſciences of endleſs Scruples: But is not Conſcience eaſy enough by aſſerting ſuch a Morality and Obſervation of a Chriſtian Sabbath as above? They would be underſtood to deny meerly ſuch a Natural Morality of the letter of the fourth Command, as there is in the firſt, Thou ſhalt have no other Gods but me. That is thou ſhall worſhip the Lord thy God and him alone ſhalt thou ſerve; The Juſtneſs and Obligation whereof, the very light of Nature, or reflecting upon the very Terms, doth dictate to us. They would be content, they'l ſay, to allow unto the fourth Command a kind of Equitahle morality and own the command too in ſome regard as poſitively Moral. Nor do I deny, but that when they thus ſpeak, they ſpeak what, if ſtrictly taken and well underſtood, is reaſon; and as farr forth as there is reaſon and truth in it, I have owned it: But the People in the mean time underſtand not the Nice and diſtinct degrees of Morality. And when they read or here learned men deny the Morality of the fourth Commandment, they take all at Random; and think themſelves at liberty. They ſay with themſelves If indeed we keep the Lords Day, tis true we do well; but if we ſee fit to travel, or if we take our pleaſure, or bodily eaſe, all that day, we ſin not: For the fourth command is not moral: And the Lords Day is onely a Church Holy day. All dayes under the Goſpel are equal as our moſt learned Doctors teach us. Now is it not evident that by theſe Terms, ſuch learned men have betrayed poor plain people into Licentiouſneſs Prophaneſs and Irreligion? And were it not better, to be more cautious, and allow all the Decalogue to be moral, as indeed it is in one degree or other (though one command, or one duty, may ſometimes give place to another, as Sacrifice to Mercy) and onely to teach, that the fourth command had one ſenſe to the Jews, and another to us Chriſtians; as had the Preface to all the commands, Thy God that brought thee out of the Land, &c, and divers paſſages in other Commands. And finally to preſs the Evangelical ſenſe of all, which none queſtion to be moral enough: were not this I ſay much better, than by our Learning and exactneſs, by terms unknown to Scripture, and diſtinctions not underſtood by common people, to become Authors of their ſins? I leave this to the conſcience and conſideration of all prudent and ſerious Chriſtians, and paſs on to another point in the following diſcourſe, which ſome haply may cenſure.

Amongſt the conſtant publick Duties of the Lords day, I have reckoned Communicating. And herein ſome will conceive I have gone beyond the Law of our Church, which Requires, as they may think, by her Rubrick, that the people Communicate but three times a year. To this I ſay, this is indeed the leaſt which, according to the Laws of our Church, will exempt people from Cenſure; but this is far from being all, which ſhe would bring her Sons to. For ſhe has provided a Communion-ſervice, not only for every Lords day, but for every holyday in the year; And by diverſe paſſages of the Rubrick (more than I am willing to inſiſt on at preſent) it appears ſhe deſires more. I may not wave that particular Text of the Rubrick In Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, where there are many Prieſts, every Sunday at the leaſt, except they have a reaſonable cauſe to the contrary, &c. And further to back this Rubrick, I muſt ſolemnly profeſs, I do not ſee how any Chriſtian can ſatisfie himſelf, that he walks according to Scripture and Primitive Rule, who (except in caſes of neceſſity, or want of opportunity) Communicates ſeldomer than each Lords day. In the beginning of Chriſtianity, 'tis plain from Acts ii. 42. they Communicated dayly: And this Cuſtome continued in a great part of the Church for above four hundred Years after Chriſt, St. Auſtin particularly (who dyed not till the year of our Lord. 430) not only mentions it as then Cuſtomary, but exhorts to it. I will not urge, that in the Romiſh Church we may obſerve the Footſteps of this practice ſtill, from their dayly private Maſſes. But I muſt note that the (minimum quod ſic or) moſt ſeldom returns, that we read the Adminiſtration hereof had, in the Apoſtolical age, were on every Lords Day. On the firſt day of the week, when the Diſciples came together to break Bread &c. Acts xxi. And I wiſh thoſe words which St. Paul reports as in the Body of the Inſtitution, from our Saviour, and which our Church from St. Paul inſerts into the form of Conſecration, Do this as oft as ye Drink it in remembrance of me, had been better conſidered (eſpecially as they ſtand in the Original) than they are, by moſt interpreters. I think I could eaſily and evidently make out, that they import no leſs than an expreſs command to this purpoſe, every day whereon you publickly aſſemble, ſee you celebrate my Supper. Let this be a conſtant part of every days publick Worſhip. But the due Deduction of this ſenſe would take up more room, than I may at preſent allow my ſelf. However ſtill I challenge, any inſtance to be produced from Scripture, of Chriſtians in the Apoſtles age communicating ſeldomer than each Sunday. I may therefore reaſonably conclude touching this Rubrick of our Church, not puniſhing the negligence of ſuch as Communicate but thrice a year, as our Lord does touching Divorce, Becauſe of the hardneſs of mens hearts it is ſuffered to them; but from the begining it was not ſo; nor is it the mind of our Church it ſhould be ſo. The Lords Supper was and ſtill ought to be, as occaſion requires, Adminiſtred oftener than on each Lords day; but, it being plain that the conſtant celebration of the Lords Supper and the Lords Day coming in as it were together, and that neither any order or practice of the Apoſtles, nor any Canon of the Church, has ſeparated them, or excluded the Lords Supper, from the publick duties of the Lords Day; the ſeparation of them, which is now come into the Church, can onely be made by the corruption and degeneracy of the latter Chriſtian ages: And whether either the corruption or degeneracy of others, will be a good plea for the like in us one day, it behoves us to conſider in time. For my own part I am reſolved, I and as many as I can prevail with ſhall never run the venture. I will Communicate or Adminiſter, if I can get but three Chriſtians with me, at leaſt every Lords day: And let others forbear it at their peril, and as they will anſwer, before God and Chriſt the Righteous Judge, at the laſt day.

It remains now I onely add a word or two for removing thoſe neglects which in the begining I taxed, as ſo frequent, eſpecially amongſt the Iriſh Proteſtants, in moſt Country Pariſhes.

The Neglect of afternoon publick worſhip, and ſo of Catechiſing youth with that conſtancy that the Laws have enjoyned, is ordinarily pleaded to be neceſſitated, or made in a manner unavoidable, by the diſtance of the Pariſhioners dwellings from the Churches in the Country. But to this I anſwer (1.) This is not ſo conſtant every where, but that there are ſome competent number of Proteſtant Inhabitants within ſuch convenient diſtance, as that there might be a ſmaller Congregation in the afternoon: And then, families might be warned by turns, and in courſe, to ſend their younger people on afternoons to Catechiſm; which thing might be made convenient by a hundred little Contrivances, that the meaneſt capacities (if people had but a good heart for their duty) would quickly find out. As for inſtance, if my young people came with me to Church in the morning, I could eaſily let them ſtay a dinner-time at their Neighbours houſe neerer the Church than my own, that they may be at Evening ſervice and Catechiſm. If they do not, I can order them to be ready, by ſuch a time as I come home, to take the Horſe or Horſes, with which I and others of my Family went to Church in the Morning, and they will be early enough for their duty. A true good will, and a litle zeal for our Religion, may find out more and better expedients as circumſtances may varie. (2) If the Miniſters houſe be ſo far diſtant from the Church, are his and all ſubſtantial Religious Neighbours Houſes, ſo out of the way, that there can be no ſmall afternoon-Aſſemblies, in any of them? If any be unwilling to have their houſe ſo conſtantly troubled every Lords Day, convenient Houſes in ſeveral diſtricts may be taken by turns, and in the morning notice given at the Church, that evening Prayers will be at ſuch a Family this day, and at ſuch a one the next Lords Day &c. Now here young people may conveniently appear for Catechiſm. This will be made much the more tolerable to poorer Inhabitants, if there be a rule ſet up, that there be no ſuch cuſtom at any time permitted as giving Drink and Entertainments to the Neighbours that Aſſemble▪ any more than there is at Church. But I am aſhamed to deſcend to ſuch minute matters; I leave this to good Chriſtians piety and prudence: And take notice in a word of the other more groſs neglect above taxed, namely the Clergies coming to their Cures but once a fortnight, or ſeldomer.

Where the ſlenderneſs of the maintenance is ſuch, that better proviſion cannot be made, this is to be born and lamented. But in other caſes I hope the Governours of the Church will not bear with it, and I am ſure, it is inexcuſable on any other ſcore, ſave that of neceſſity. At leaſt it is no excuſe to an Incumbent (what is too uſualy pleaded) My Neighbours are content with once a fortnight, what need I trouble my ſelf any more? To this I ſay (1) This plea is made many times where it is not true: Some Neighbours are content ſo, not all. And they, who cannot be ſo confident, as to complain to their Miniſters face, will do it in his abſence: Or, though haply they dare not accuſe him to his Biſhop, will mutter of it to perſons of meaner rank, and amongſt themſelves at home. (2) If the people are ſo ſatisfied, yet is not this practice a ſatisfaction to the Law of God, or to the Church; nor will it be a ſatisfaction one day to a mans conſcience. In ſhort, Is the Lords Day to be kept holy? Is the publick worſhip thereon a Chriſtian Duty or No? If it be, How then dare any perſon, to whom the Charge of Souls is committed, be Author to them of Neglecting one, or Prophaning the other? Will not one Day all ſuch his Peoples neglects and Prophanations, all their Alehouſe-meetings, Revelling, Drunkeneſs and other Debaucheries, acted on the Lords Day, be charged on ſuch their Miniſter? And laſtly, in caſe the people really be thus content, it is a ſhrewd Argument they are groſly Lukewarm and Irreligious. Now it would be enquired, and will one day, is not the peoples lukewarmneſs, their Miniſters ſin? Has not he been a Precedent to them therein? Has not his neglect of his duty bred them thereto? If they had been better inſtructed, more conſtantly warned & called upon, they would have had more knowledg, more warmth, more ſence of their duty, more Faith and belief of its obligation, than to have ſatisfied themſelves with ſuch ſlender attendance on God, and ſo little minding their Souls. But 'tis time to finiſh this large Porch to ſo ſmall a Fabrick.

What I have ſaid, is from a ſerious conſcience of my own Duty, and in the real fear of God. If it have effect to amend any, I ſhall rejoyce therein and bleſs God. If it have not, I have born my teſtimony in this great and publick concern of Religion. I will not by Gods grace be an offender againſt my own rules: And I truſt one day, that whatever my Defects and Omiſſions have been in other caſes, (as they are and have been, God help me, very many) yet that God through Chriſt will one day pardon them all, and judge touching me, as to this Matter that Liberavi animam meam. God deliver us all from thoſe judgments, both here and hereafter, which our Relapſes after our late Repentance, and vows in our Miſeries, or to ſpeak it in Scripture language, which our returning to our vomit, may moſt juſtly bring upon us, and for which I muſt declare, before all the World, I dayly expect yet a return of an over flowing ſcourge, in one kind or other, if not prevented by a ſudden Reformation; to which I know no one thing that will be of more general conducement, than a ſtrict and conſtant obſervation of the Lords Day, the thing I have aymed at in this paper, and in the following Diſcourſe.

Sect. II Yet are there amongſt us, I mean that call themſelves Sons of our Of the term, a Chriſtian Sabbata Church, too many, who really place the Lords Day upon the ſame level with (if not below) other Church Holy-days: they do ſo at leaſt, if we may judg of their Faith by their Works, which ſome think ſurer both diſcoveries and teſts of what men believe, than any words can be. I crave your patience therefore while I remove that inſolent demand, (it is ſo at leaſt, as ſome uſe to put it) How can you make out the Inſtitution of the Lords Day? and where find you, or what ground is there for, a Septenary Chriſtian Sabbath?

The anſwer is: A Chriſtian Sabbath according as Chriſtian Temples, a Chriſtian Prieſthood and other neceſſary appendages of Chriſtian Worſhip, we cannot expect to meet with elder than Chriſtianity it ſelf. But a Sabbath, no leſs than Temples or places dedicated to Divine Worſhip, no leſs than a Prieſthood and ſuch like adjuncts of Worſhip we find much elder, even before Moſes's Law, as well as under it; and all perpetual, all poſitively moral; though as the new Law came, it muſt be confeſt all, and particularly the Sabbath, received thereby ſome new modifications as well as new names. Sect. III Now the ſum of what I ſhall advance to The ſum of the further proof. clear this matter, ſhall be directed to thoſe three Points.

A Sabbath or certain day of reſt for Publick Worſhip is dictated by the Law natural.

A Seventh day by God's eldeſt Laws poſitive.

This Seventh day by the Law Chriſtian; I mean the eldeſt Records of our Chriſtianity.

I muſt for that brevity's ſake, which uſe has made neceſſary, wave the deductions I had prepared at length from the Law of Nature, as to this matter, and ſay in few words, ſummarily.

Sect. IV Nature teaches, God is publickly to be worſhipped. Publick Worſhip cannot Natural reaſon for a Sabbath. be without times publickly aſcertained for it. If ſuch times be either too ſhort, or too ſeldom returning, the impreſſions of God, of Holyneſs, and of an Unſeen World, which ſuch Publick Worſhip is deſigned to make on the Worſhippers, will either be very ſlight, or by infrequency defaced beyond recovery: In either of which caſes, the worſhip is rendred unprofitable. Further, ſince 'tis impoſſible for us intirely to attend two things at once, therefore on ſuch days as this Publick Worſhip is to be paid, common buſineſs is to be laid aſide. There muſt then, through all Bodies or Societies of People, be frequent vacations from ordinary Employments, for the Publick Worſhip of God: That is a Sabbath or fixt and certain time of holy reſt; for the publick Offices of Religion is from Nature.

Sect. V For ſuch reaſons as theſe (to come briefly to Law poſitive) we may The firſt inſtitution of a Sabbath in Paradiſe. with humble reverence conceive, it was, that the moſt holy and wiſe God has provided there ſhould be extant a very early Revelation, and moſt ancient Record of his reſting immediately upon the finiſhing of the Creation, Gen. ii. v. 1, 2, 3. Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finiſhed, and all the hoſt of them; and on the Seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and reſted the Seventh day from all his works which he had made, and God bleſſed the Seventh day and ſanctified it: becauſe in it he had reſted from all his work which God created and made. By theſe words there muſt be deſigned either a direct Command given, or at leaſt a precedent, in the Oeconomy of God's actions, propoſed, which might be inſtead of a Command for keeping a Seventh day from the begining Holy unto God. For mine own part I am of the mind, with the Rivet alledges 30 of the Reformed Divines beyond Sea: Beſides diverſe of the Fathers and even of the Romaniſts. Diſſert de Orig. Sabbat cap. 1 generality of Interpreters, both antient and modern, It is a Command. For what leſs can be meant by Gods bleſſing the Seventh day and ſanctifying it. Let bleſſing it ſignifie what it can, ſanctifying it in the very primary ſenſe of the word ſignifies, ſeparating it, namely to Religious purpoſes. Now how could it be thus ſeparated without a Command?